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Chapter: 14

Dick could actually see the life leave Darren's eyes. He saw him fall limply to the ground and he couldn't help but sink to his knees. The shock, grief and surprise getting to him. He'd failed. He had one job and he failed. He'd been too focused on arguing with Slade, Darren's father, to notice William Cobb sneaking up on Darren…they'd all been to focused on their differences, who was better, who was the one to get Darren to safety…and they lost him in the process. Darren was dead. Dead. And it was all his fault.

William scooped Darren up off the ground, glaring at Slade and Dick warily as he did so,

"I have won. You will only know him as a Talon from now on. There is nothing else you can do,"

"That's only if the combined drugs of the Mirakuru and the Electrum don't kill him outright!" Slade growled, he didn't even seem too torn up, but Dick knew he was trying too keep himself from tearing William, the only person who could get Darren back to life, apart for what he did,

"That is a risk we are willing to take. Would you rather see your son dead or alive?"

"What you call alive I call enslaved," Slade growled,

"Yet you are still a mercenary, and you do not see that as enslavement," Cobb said dryly, "I am taking him. Stop me if you will but the longer I wait the less likely the Electrum will work,"

"Get out of here before I kill you," Slade hissed, "GET OUT!" William did, Dick wished he could move and snatch his cousin from his grasp. He wished he had stopped Cobb…but he didn't. He just stayed where he was. Maybe it was because he secretly wanted Darren to be brought back, even as something he despised. Even so, even though the thought crossed his mind, the word failure, failure, failure marched through his head,

"It's not your fault kid," Slade said, "I didn't notice him either and I have senses similar to a Talons'," Dick didn't register that, he heard him and he felt his rage brew,

"It is my fault. I should have just grabbed Darren and left instead of even talking about anything with you!" Dick snapped, "If I hadn't been so angry that you were his father I could have ignored you and left with him,"

"If you hadn't have come here we would already be gone. Darren would have maybe hated me for making him a super soldier, but he would have been safer with us than with you!" Slade deflected,

"If you hadn't tried to inject more Mirakuru into him there would be less of a chance that he might die and stay dead!" Dick shot back, "Just because it kept you alive all these years doesn't mean it would do the same to Darren! Didn't you learn anything from what happened your own wife!" Slade closed his hands into fist, restraining himself from attacking him and Dick had to do the same himself. He'd learned a lot from Slade when he was Renegade and trained Rose, sometimes those lessons drifted back to him during fights, which made him need to remember that he wasn't an executioner,

"Don't speak to me about my wife," Slade growled darkly before turning and walking over to his sons. Dick took a deep breath, the pit in his stomach growing heavier at the prospect of telling everyone how he failed to save Darren and disappeared silently out of the warehouse before Slade turned back around.

The sky was starting to lighten as he swung back towards the Manor and the Cave. It was a miserable trek back. He didn't want to face them…he didn't want them to ask why he didn't call for backup, why he didn't use a payphone or a phone even if that was a risk to their identities. He didn't want to tell them that he failed so thoroughly and he didn't want to see the disappointment in Bruce's eyes. But he knew he had to, they needed to regroup. Darren was going to be resurrected…but that didn't mean they couldn't still grab him and keep him from being the Owls' assassin. The Court would search hard and try hard to get Darren back but they'd teach him that there was more than one way to fight evil. That killing didn't have to be the answer and that he can learn to control the strength, speed and enhanced senses that would be bestowed upon him. They could still be a family…that is if the Electrum did what it was supposed to.

The bats screeching upon him entering the cave on his motorcycle, after he'd found it where he'd left it hidden in the city, didn't even comfort him as they usually did. He just felt…sad. Angry. Disappointed, in himself, in how things turned out. He let out a sigh as he entered the main area of the cave. Where the cars were and the computers as well as the showers and changing rooms. Tim and Bruce were still up, Damian was probably sent to bed at one because he did have school in the morning…though Tim was probably only up by pure determination despite Bruce's threats that he'd be tired in the morning. Stephanie probably went home and so did Barbara. He'd hoped to enter silently, but his shoe scuffed on the stone floor of the cave,

"Dick? Where have you been all night?" Tim asked, moving around the table where the map of the city was, "Did you find—," he cut himself off at his expression,

"Darren's dead," he stated flatly,

"…Dick…I'm so sorry," Tim said, "I…I should have looked harder, we were out tonight we could have seen him and not even know…why didn't you contac—,"

"It's not your fault Dick," Bruce stated, looking at him with sympathy in his eyes,

"No, it was. It—it…it was—," Dick choked on his own words, he had to brace his hands on the map table and bow his head, "It was my fault. I didn't even notice Cobb when he snuck up on him,"

"Where were you?" Bruce asked,

"Some warehouse on the other side of the city,"

"Why was he there?" Tim asked,

"It's…it's a long story," Dick said,

"We have time,"

"He…well. I found him right before William killed him the first time. We fought and Darren ran away with two Talons chasing him. Cobb knocked me out…didn't kill me though which was odd, but I didn't think of that at the time. I went to Leslie's to get patched up—,"

"—how injured are you?" Bruce demanded, his expression darkening,

"Not that badly given that I just went up against a few dozen Talons," Dick stated,

"A few dozen?" Bruce growled

"Darren vanished. I used her computer to hack into the CCTV cameras and I did find him," Dick continued, ignoring Bruce,

"In a warehouse? They aren't usually near traffic lights," Tim sated confused,

"No. That was where Slade took him,"

"Slade?" they both said darkly. They'd had difficulties with the mercenary on several occasions, especially when Dick was younger and when he'd stayed in Bludhaven on his own,

"Why would he take Darren…did he know he was related to you and—,"

"—Slade is his father," Dick interrupted,

"…Wow…that's—,"

"—don't say it," Dick groaned,

"—awkward," Tim drawled the word out. Dick glared at him,

"He tried to inject more Mirakuru into Darren's bloodstream to keep the Court from turning him before fleeing the country…but I intervened. I—I thought he was hurting Darren,"

"More Mirakuru?" Tim questioned,

"Apparently the drug altered Slade's blood cells enough for it to be inherited by his children…albeit diluted. You know, half is given by the father and half by the mother," Tim nodded,

"So let me guess, the Talons found you and William managed to kill Darren during the fight?" Tim stated,

"Yeah something like that," Dick stated, let them think what they want. He didn't want to see their expressions if they ever learned that he'd been too busy arguing with Slade to see the attack as it happened,

"So…now William is going to turn Darren into a Talon?" Tim asked, "It's not ideal…but we know where that happens and we can get in there and get him out. It would be a risk, but it could work,"

"We'd need a plan first," Bruce stated, "We don't attempt rescues blind,"

"I know," Dick said slightly irritated that Bruce thought he'd be that reckless,

"How long does it take for someone to be turned into a Talon?" Tim asked,

"I don't know," Dick said, "I'm worried about after…he…he angered William a lot by running away. And he's quick to be angry for the littlest of things I don't want to imagine how he'll react to what Darren did,"

"He actually ran away!" Tim exclaimed, "That makes this even easier…he doesn't want to be an assassin for the Court so he'll leave their clutches willingly. We won't have to sort of kidnap him!"

"Yeah…easier," Dick muttered. That is if he isn't pissed at me for basically letting him die, Dick thought bitterly to himself. Guilt pulsed through his mind, why wouldn't Darren hate him for it,

"There's also the Powers we'd have to deal with afterwards," Bruce said,

"Oh crap. I forgot about them," Dick groaned, clapping a hand to his forehead, "They're Owls apparently,"

"We did always suspect them of that after we learned the Court existed," Tim added,

"They're legally his guardians," Bruce said,

"Only by request of a will, as far as the courts of Gotham knew Darren had no living relative left. That's not as legally binding as blood relatives," Tim said and he glanced at Dick, "You're over twenty-one…you could go to court against the Powers for custody,"

"That's only if the wording of the will allows for blood relatives to do that," Bruce said, "We don't have the will and we'd be outing Dick as a Crowne, the media may just see this as Dick trying to gain more money,"

"Bruce that doesn't even matter. I don't care what the media says, I just want my cousin to be safe and if revealing my relation to the Crowne family does just that then I'm willing to do it,"

"I understand, but Darren may have problems with what they say. He's an assassin, they don't tend to handle their anger well,"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Dick said firmly,

"As for the will, we can still get it…though for all we know the copy the justice system has is a fake. We'd need the original document and I'm pretty sure the Court of Owls has it," Tim said,

"We'll figure this all out after we get Darren away from the Court," Bruce stated, "In the meantime we need to come up with a plan to get in and out with everyone, including Darren, safe." Dick nodded determinedly. He failed once. He wouldn't fail again.

A/N: Thanks for reading! If you have any comments, questions or concerns either PM moi or write a comment and I'll reply to you or answer the question before the start of the next chapter. REMEMBER TO REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!

Next chapter tomorrow and Things of the Future to be updated on Monday!