Chapter 14

Robin managed to convince the guy to give them the email address. The choice was a little easier to make when he was hanging by his ankles four stories above the ground with Robin teasing about dropping him with a creepy man in black who didn't seem the least bit concerned with murder watching.

The email was accessed at Lex Corp, providing enough information for Wayne Enterprises to take legal steps against the other company for corporate espionage. However, it was not enough to pinpoint a single member of the company and Lex Luthor could come out of it completely clean.

"This sucks," were the first words Jason said to Bruce as they returned to the suite. They had just flown back and he was tired and disappointed.

"You did fine," Bruce said. "Luthor will be tied up in legal problems soon."

Jason groaned into a cushion, having taken up the entire couch when he dropped face down onto it. Dick resisted the urge to suggest killing Lex Luthor. He was a problem and Dick didn't think he could change.

"Did we really do fine?" he asked instead.

Bruce nodded. "Of course. Not only will I be able to take legal action against Luthor, I also know what buildings he's bought in our city. Alfred has already started looking into what the buildings are being used for. So far, he's found a couple which are legitimate businesses and few illegal storage sites. I'm not pleased with the amount of illegal equipment Luthor was hiding in my city but now we're able to do something about it."

"We?" Jason asked, head snapping up from the pillow.

"Is Robin not going to be Batman's partner anymore?" Bruce asked.

"Of course I am!" Jason countered determinedly.

"Then yes, 'we'."

Jason glared at Bruce. Bruce looked away first and Dick snickered at the pleased look which flashed on Jason's face for a moment.

"What's up with you?" Jason asked.

"Nothing," Dick responded.

Alfred cleared his throat. "I feel I should remind you all that there is an event you are all due to make an appearance at starting in four hours."

Everyone in the room visibly deflated.

"I can quick change in fifteen minutes," Bruce said, taking steps towards the room which had been converted into his temporary office while they were in this hotel. "Alfred, make sure the boys are ready."

"Hey!" Jason said in a betrayed tone. "Do you forget that you passed that skill on?"

"'Make sure you can change in under a minute,'" Dick recited. "You said it."

"Forty-one seconds is my record," Jason said.

"I wear my costume under my clothes. Less than thirty seconds," Dick said.

Bruce stared at them for a couple of moments. Then he closed the door.

"I think you got the message across, boys," Alfred said. The old butler actually sounded proud.

"Excuse me, Mr. Luthor?" Clark Kent pushed through the crowd to speak with the business owner. "What do you say to rumours that you have been buying up buildings in Gotham?"

"I say that information on what property is purchased in the business name is for my shareholders and not the press," Lex responded, narrowing his eyes at the bumbling reporter.

Jason and Dick were listening from nearby, stationed behind a couple of food tables. They had made camp there after saying the mandatory greetings from Bruce's side.

"Clever response," Jason mused. "He distanced himself from the purchases but also scolded farm boy for asking about them."

"Don't call Clark that," Dick said. He liked Clark Kent. Despite being able to kill everyone in this room with a look, except maybe Jason, Bruce, Alfred and himself, Clark appeared harmless. It was something Dick admired. He knew that his presence often put people on edge and he didn't like it.

One day, he wanted to be able to put people at ease and off guard the way Clark did.

Clark spotted them and waved. With a small smile, Dick waved back.

"I guess he's not that bad," Jason huffed, crossing his arms. Dick smiled down at him, suddenly reminded of when Bruce claimed that he and Clark weren't friends but colleagues who just worked towards the same goal.

"How so?" Dick asked.

"You've been smiling more since we've met him," Jason said. "It's good."

"Me? Smiling? Is good?" Dick questioned. Hadn't his smile been 'creepy' before?

Jason nodded and reached for a glass of champagne. Now frowning, Dick took the glass from him.

"Don't you dare," he said, "Alfred would kill us both."

Jason giggled. He always found it funny that Alfred was more terrifying than the Batman.

Dick's eyes tracked Lex's movements across the room. He had one more job to do before they left Metropolis the next day.

Breaking into a rich man's apartment wasn't difficult. Dick slipped in using everything he had learnt as a Talon and skills honed under Batman's tutelage. Lex Luthor was sitting at a table in the living area, reading something on his computer. He got up and pulled out a glass and filled it with wine. Then he looked out his window and poured another glass before opening the balcony glass door.

"I suppose I should invite you in," he said to the figure outside.

Superman floated in, keeping his feet off the ground as he entered the building. Superman's eyes flicked right over to the shadows where Dick was standing.

"So there is someone there, I thought as much," Luthor said, sliding one of the wines towards Superman.

The hero didn't move to take it. Instead he looked over at Dick.

"I can't see him either," Superman admitted. "It would be nice if you would join us."

Dick unsheathed a sword. It was not a weapon he often carried. In fact, he had taken off Luthor's wall. Superman's eyes widened and his smile drooped a fraction.

"An assassin?" Luthor commented dryly. "And here I thought you worked for Batman."

Dick twitched at being called an assassin.

"I'm not here to kill you," he said.

"He is one of Batman's though," Superman pointed out. Dick gave him the batglare for that one. "I'm here to take him back."

Luthor rolled his eyes.

"And by what moniker am I supposed to refer to you as?" Luthor questioned. "I can put it on the restraining order."

It wasn't the restraining order part that caused Dick to pause but the question of what he was calling himself. Dick could ignore the restraining order like how Superman was doing right now. But, Dick was not going to call himself 'Talon' especially not after Superman went and confirmed him as part of Batman's group.

The name of a hero Superman had told him about came to mind. A hero known for being a catalyst of change; for rebuilding. It was something Dick wanted to do.

"Nightwing," he said, glancing over at Superman. Superman nodded, smiling. "I'm Nightwing."

"Quaint," Luthor stated.

"I'm here to let you know that we're still watching you." Dick knew the value of fear and being a terror of the night. Even if Luthor didn't look it, it would eat away at him.

"Nightwing," Superman said, pointing at the balcony door. He was offering him a lift out of here. Nightwing took it, grinning at Luthor all the while.

"More of them," Luthor muttered in distaste as he sipped his wine.

Notes: This ends the 'Nightwing arc' of this story. The final arc takes place in the future so you can see how everything turns out for Nightwing and Robin. It will be shorter than the other two arcs (the one focused on Jason becoming Robin and the one about Dick becoming Nightwing/taking a name), probably no more than a chapter or two. Yep, this story is ending soon.