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"Speaking"

:thoughts:

Neal's POV

Was this where he was going to finally die? There had been many times he thought that he was done. Every time he had been brought back with a little more missing from him than the last.

As strange as it was he was not afraid to die. If anything he would welcome it like an old friend. Finally, he would be at peace.

Then again dying at the hands of a mercenary was not the way he really wanted to go. Deathstroke was ruthless and it would be painful if his death was at the hands of this man.

Something was trying to make itself known in the back of his mind. It was important as if he knew it and not the computer that was hellbent on frying his brain.

Frowning he considered the villain's attire. Orange and black struck a chord with him. It was familiar but not in a way he would have liked. He faced a villain with those colors as a teenager. His mind flashed back to the fight and he paled. Slade was Deathstroke. That explained a lot.

Neal questioned wanting confirmation before his throat was cut, "Slade?"

Both Orion and Deathstroke stiffened in surprise. A single ice blue eye narrowed at him. Judging him behind the mask. He was right. This was Slade, no other villain had an eye like that. Or dressed like he was a Halloween costume.

: Come on Slade,: he thought, :Recognize me. Dying by your hand today would be a waste.:

The sword was removed from under his chin as the man gave a hollow laugh, "Never expected to see you here kid. Last I heard you were dead. Why are you..."

Slade didnt get to finish as a window was shattered above them. A familiar black-suited man dropped down between Neal and Slade. Now he wished he had kept his god damn mouth shut and let Slade kill him. This was the last person he wanted to see again.

Batman or Bruce Wayne as the real world saw him stood between Neal and Slade. He was in full costume and armed to the teeth. There weren't any pleasantries exchanged between the two. Instead, both hero and villain launched themselves into a fight.

Neal tried to regain his feet only for his leg to give way the moment he placed any weight on it. Damn it! He and Orion were sitting ducks at this point. They were a liability for Bruce and one that could get the man killed.

He moved back until he was next to Orion. The man was awake but his eyes were glassy and unfocused. Definitely a concussion then. Neal's knife was on the ground where he had dropped it catching Orion.

Using the knife as he cut up the sleeve to his shirt to make bandages. He barely glanced up when he heard Slade curse. Bruce was likely giving the other a run for his money. Neal focused on tending to Orion's wounds so he wouldn't bleed out.

There was a sound of leather on concrete. Neal tightened his grip on the knife. He caught a brief glimpse of Wilkes in the shadows. Shooting was too dangerous at the moment. He could try to throw his knife but missing would put them in a worse situation than they were already in.

All he could do was watch with gritted teeth as the man slipped out. Neal swore that he would find Wilkes and make sure he stayed in jail this time.

Slade snapped as he grabbed something from his utility belt, "Seems this battle will be a draw this time Batman. Kid," Neal looked over his shoulder to meet the man's icy gaze, "We will meet again."

Then he threw a smoke bomb down filling the area with heavy smoke. It was different from the ones that Robin used once upon a time. They were meant to stop any attacks as well as provide an escape. The smoke would get into the other person's lung causing coughing.

When the smoke cleared Slade was unsurprisingly gone. The ominous warning rang in his ears. A strike to his leg would be the least of his worries next time.

Neal's blood froze within his veins when Bruce turned to face him. Even with the cowl masking most of his expression the younger man could see the shock. He didn't know who called Bruce but there were a few suspects that were all in town.

Why couldn't he get to live a normal life? They were making it far more complicated than it needed to be. He wished for the more peaceful times within the FBI. Even if the agents were more suspicious of him then now.

Bruce breathed coming out of his surprise, "Dick."

"Not now," he growled, "Help Orion. He's worse off than I am."

That snapped Bruce out of it completely. His dark blue eyes said this was not over. Neal didnt doubt it. It wasn't like he could run away in his current condition.

"LARKIN!" Came two very pissed off shouts.

Son of a bitch! How he wished he could run away right now. Casey and Matt dropped beside him. They were already taking stock of his wounds.

Neal quipped unable to help himself, "Awe Casey I didn't know you cared."

Casey glowered at him but didnt say anything. He would pay for that comment later but for now, he would enjoy pissing off the NSA agent. It was a specialty of his from when he was still a CIA agent.

Matt growled as he slung Neal's arm around his shoulder, "You should have stayed home. If the Batman wasn't here Deathstroke would have killed you."

Casey was gathering Orion up who had fallen back into unconsciousness. Neal winced in sympathy before shooting Bruce a look. He needed to leave before the CIA arrived in full force.

Matt helped Neal limp out of the building and towards the ambulances. Kramer was sitting in the back on ambulance being checked out and Orion was immediately loaded into another. Out of everyone his friend was the worst off.

Unsurprisingly Matt sat on the back of the ambulance while the paramedics looked over Neal. His leg required stitches and there was a gunshot graze on his right arm that also needed stitches. Neal refused any kind of sedation or pain medication as they stitched up both wounds.

They were given an update on Kramer. The man only had minor lacerations and was released. Before he left Kramer returned the jacket Neal leant him. Neal breathed a sigh of relief when he found it undamaged. The last thing he wanted was to explain to June why two of her why two jackets needed extensive repairs.

Mozzie and the others had disappeared once the battle was over. No thief worth their salt would stick around in this situation. Matt might tolerate them to a point but the agency wasnt so kind.

The paramedic said, "There will be a scar but no permanent damage to your knee. Just keep the site clean and change the bandages. If it looks infected or you pull your stitches get yourself to a hospital."

With that, he was cleared to leave and Matt helped him down. They would have to get their own ride to the agency hospital. Agency paramedics or not they still had to be ready to go on a moment's notice.

Neal as much as he wanted to check on Orion he couldn't bring himself to go to the Agency hospital. Matt knowing him as well as he did dropped him off at his apartment. He was given a worried look by June as he painfully made his way up the stairs.

The door was unlocked just as he left it. Halfway to the kitchen he felt eyes on him and drew his sidearm. Pivoting on his heel he faced where the feeling was coming from. When he pivoted he was barely able to refrain from falling on his face. His leg tried to buckle out from under him.

Neal's face drained of any remaining blood when he saw who was standing there. This confrontation couldn't have waited until tomorrow?