Seven Years Later…

Richard John "Dick" Grayson found his eyes drawn to the paper, the circus poster of the Fearless Flying Graysons. He missed his parents.

He decided to head to the Titans Tower attic and look through his mother's old things. His mother's birthday was today and he thought he should take the time to reminisce about her.

He found some of her old belongings in the attic space in Titans Tower. Dick hadn't touched her stuff in years, but his mother had made a lot of photo albums and he'd kept some of her jewelry but he didn't have too many things that belonged to his mother.

He had found it interesting that there had been a box explicitly labeled for him among her belongings. It troubled him, it was as if she knew something bad could happen to her. Dick shook his head, the idea that anyone would want to hurt his mother beside someone like Tony Zucco was ridiculous.

But his mother did have some odd friends. When they performed in New York the bunch always showed up and spent the day with the family, not bothering the Graysons while they worked but they spent the evenings with them.

They were a strange bunch but they always wore fancy suits and fedoras.

He suspected they were made men, but that was only after his parents were murdered.

The bunch was always polite and friendly, and seemed to care about his mother, especially the one he'd known throughout his life as "Mr. Luck".

He'd been friendly with his father, who had always seemed uncomfortable around him, but John had always been polite to him. Mr. Luck had adored his mother, but if anything was going on, he hadn't seen anything.

Dick sighed and began looking through his mother's things, examining her old jewelry, looking at old photo albums.

He was about to put everything away when he noticed that the bottom of the inside of the box had come up, beneath the false bottom was a DVD in a plastic case with the words, "For my son, in case we're dead".

He walked out to the living room; fortunately, neither Cyborg nor Beast Boy was playing videogames. They were busy training in the gym, he'd intended to join them before finding his mother's DVD.

He hit play. Starfire entered the room. Cyborg, Raven and Beast Boy entered the living room.

"Robin what is this?" she asked.

"Mom left me some kind of video, so I'm going to find out what it is."

Dick felt deeply emotional when he heard his mother's voice speak to him.

"Hello son, if you've found this video, it probably means that John and I are dead. While I have no idea who would take care of you when we're gone, we have a life insurance policy, but that won't last forever. I still worry….worry about them, I know that they would take advantage of you if something happened to us, but there is only one place I can think of where you would be safe if something happens to us. You have to listen very carefully Dick, and do exactly as I say."

Robin stared at the TV screen, listening to his late mother's instructions, grabbing a pen and paper.

"You go to New York City and go to the Daily Days newspaper. It's actually a front for what their real business is: they're info brokers. Tell them who you are and that you want to speak to the President of the Daily Days, Miss Carol. You tell her that Marie Lloyd is your mother and you're here for her things."

"I know they'll ask you for payment, so you give them this disc. And what I'm about to tell you is something only John and I know."

"On June 23rd, 2011, your father found a note, it said, "If you say anything about what you saw, we will kill you and your whole family. Be Warned. Pickles the Clown."

"It's not really anything I can take to the police, what we witnessed happened in Kravia. It was the murder of the King there, he was merely a child. He was a psycho that ordered the genocide of his own people so it's hard to feel sympathy…but it was messy and bloody and John and I saw it all from above while checking the rigging after our show there."

"I have decided to use this information the only way I know how, by using it to protect you. If anything happens to John and me, I want you to go retrieve a box I've had stored away in New York City, one that has all of my secrets, including a secret I've hidden from you your whole life."

Mary ran her fingers through her hair and sighed.

"But what's in that box is information that could put you in real danger. I had hoped to tell you this when you were older, but that note form "Pickles the Clown" makes me wonder if I'll have that long, if we'll have that long to live, but if something should happen to me, I want you to know the truth I've kept hidden from you: John Frederick Grayson is not your biological father."

Dick felt like she'd reached through the screen and punched him in the gut. His mind reeled from this shocking revelation. John Grayson was the only person he knew as his father.

Who was it? Some unknown villain? His mind reeled in horror at the possibility that Slade could be his real father.

Dick shook his head, if Slade was his real father, he would have provided DNA, pictures of he and his mother together, he would know things about her only someone who knew her would know. Slade hadn't done any of those things to force him to become his "apprentice".

The other Titans stared at the screen in surprise.

"Robin, are you okay?" Starfire asked, placing her hand on his shoulder.

"I'll be fine," he reassured Starfire.

"Looks like I have an unexpected trip to New York, a message from my mom says I have to pick up her things."

"Man, are you sure you're okay, something's bothering you," Cyborg noted.

"I'm fine, really Cyborg. You guys can come with me if you want, just not into the building with me, my mother said to make sure no one was with me when I picked up her things."

"Dude was your mom paranoid?" Beast Boy asked.

"No, that's why I'm going to follow her instructions."

"Robin, I can sense your emotions, you are upset, please don't feel like you don't have the right to be upset," Raven reminded him gently. He'd just had a bombshell dropped on him by his mother who wasn't alive to explain anything.

"Don't worry Raven, I'm fine, now let's go!" They headed out to the T-ship, they attached the car to the ship so they could drive around New York. They landed at the airport.

Dick Grayson walked into the Daily Days, observing the people working at the computers.

"I need to speak to the President of the Daily Days, Miss Carol," he said to the receptionist.

"Sorry young man, you do need an appointment," the receptionist told him.

"My mother Marie Lloyd said that you should let her know that I'm here." Dick Grayson added.

"All right," the receptionist got on the phone. He relayed the information and Dick heard the voice on the other end say, "Send him to my office."

Dick headed back to the office, carrying the DVD his mother had instructed him to bring. He entered the room and saw a desk stacked high with papers, no computer in sight.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your work," he apologized.

"Oh no, I always have time for Haly Circus' Boy Wonder, Gotham's Laughing Daredevil."

"So you know about that," Dick smiled grimly.

"Yes, of course, we are info brokers," she replied. Dick could tell she was smiling.

"What time is it when an elephant sits on a fence?" he asked.

"Time to get a new fence, everyone knows that," Carol replied.

"And a secret that everyone knows is worthless. So why not cash in on my secrets?"

"It's quite simple: Few people ask about who you are."

"Did Slade ever come here to ask for this information?" Dick couldn't see her behind the papers.

"These super-criminals have a mystique about them, and about you. I have no doubt they don't want the twisted fantasy in their head to be ruined by actually knowing who you are. They don't want to spoil the mythos they have in their head. Slade Wilson has visited us, and yes, he did ask about who you really were."

"And did you tell him?" Dick demanded, gritting his teeth.

"We didn't, because the price we wanted for the information was too high for him."

"What was that?"

"What his big scheme was. He'd tell us what he was planning; he'd get everything he wanted to know about you. He wasn't willing to pay that."

"Why didn't he just make you talk?"

"We're protected by the Gandor Family since we're in their territory. Someone like Slade is perfectly happy to fight you. He's not one to take on the mob unless someone's paying him to do it."

Dick smirked, "Never thought I'd hear of anyone who was happy to give the mafia money."

"The Gandors are far different from the gangsters of this era, but you didn't come here to talk about Slade and the Gandors did you?"

"No I didn't, my mother Marie Lloyd sent me to pick up her things," he held out the DVD. "I have my payment."

He handed her the disc.

He watched the President of the Daily Days stand up. He was surprised how old she was; she had to be nearly 100 if not that. She was surprisingly fit for her age.

"Could you do me a favor and play that, I still don't understand these new machines."

"Of course," Dick put the disc in and hit play. He had watched the video before and she wrote down important information until the video was finished.

Carol tossed the disc to a reporter who walked into the room.

"Burn that and I'll lock these in the late Mary Grayson's safe," Carol instructed.

"Aren't you afraid of being hacked?" Dick asked, curious.

Carol glanced at him, "None of these computers are connected to the internet. No one can hack us. Please follow me, Mr. Grayson."

Carol led him down a hallway and to a large safe. Dick was impressed, the safe was embedded into the wall, you couldn't just move the safe to steal it.

Carol opened the safe and pulled out another box. Dick examined the contents. There were more papers and another DVD. Carol put the papers containing the information his mother had recorded on the video into the safe and locked it.

Dick Grayson examined the birth certificate and stared, "Miss Carol, this is…"

"A surprise to you, but now you know why she said this information could put you in danger."

"Did John Grayson know?"

"Yes. He resented your mother for it; it did strain their relationship for a long time."

"All of this is legitimate, including the DNA test. You can always ask him yourself if you want confirmation."

Dick frowned, unsure of what his next course of action should be. He examined the birth certificate and the DNA test, birth certificates you could forge, DNA wasn't something anyone could fake.

"Why did she hide it from me?" he asked the elderly woman.

Carol stared at him. "Together they decided they wanted you to have a normal life, one without fear of being shot in a drive-by shooting by a rival gang. She knew it would be best for you not to know until she felt it was the right time to tell you."

"Did anyone else know?"

"Just close friends and associates of the Gandor family and some friends of his. As an associate of the Martillos, but outside of them the only one who knew of your parentage was John Grayson."

Dick asked to play the disc his mother left him before he left the building, Miss Carol obliged him and Dick listened to his mother's final message to him.

"Dick, Luck Gandor is your father. He's one of the most powerful mobsters in New York City. I…became indebted to the Gandor Family, specifically Luck and had to pay him back. As a result of having a physical relationship with him, I became pregnant and had you. John also owed him a favor, and Luck knew that we were friends. Part of John's "favor" to Luck was marrying me so that we could hide the fact that Luck was the father of the baby. John resented me for that. Even though he was in love with me, he always wanted to marry me when he wanted, not because Luck gave him a schedule. He also felt that Luck stole me from him. It took him a long time to get over that."

Mary looked at the camera, "Please know that I love John Grayson, the only man you've known as your father, but John is not my first, neither is Luck, but I love them all the same. My life and relationships have always been complicated and that won't change. But if you're going to hate anyone, Dick, hate me. I've been lying to you your whole life. There are many things about me I haven't told you, but I will someday when you're ready. Don't blame Luck Gandor, he never lied to you, that's all on me."

"Please know that I love you son and that I will do anything to protect you. If anything happens to me, go to your father and tell him everything. He'll protect you and make sure you're safe. I hope that you never have to see this video, but just do as I say. I'm sorry for everything Dick, and I love you."

He saw the video end.

'Thank you, Miss Carol," Dick smiled. He turned and left.

"If there's anything you need to know, Mr. Grayson, please stop by again!"

"I will if I ever need to," Dick called back.

Dick Grayson looked up in surprise as he saw a familiar face standing near the car talking to Beast Boy. It was Firo Projchainezo. He hadn't seen the man since he was 12, but he did note that hadn't aged since he was 12. He wasn't a normal human for sure. The two were discussing the movie Vampire Ninja Carmilla Saizou.

"Firo Prochainezo is that you?" Dick called to him.

"Dick Grayson, hey!" Firo hugged him, pounding him on the back. "You've grown up so much "

"It's good to see you again, Firo. What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you, actually. I wanted to say something, but you were in a hurry."

"Sorry about that," Dick laughed.

"So you here to sightsee?"

"No, I'm here to visit Mr. Luck Gandor," Dick replied.

"Just call him Luck, you've known him your whole life," Firo laughed, putting his hand on his shoulder. "So we're all going to the Coraggloso then!"

They drove to the jazz club and parked their cars. Dick got out and headed inside.

"You have ID?" the bouncer asked.

"I know what this place really is, why would you ask for ID?" Dick smirked.

"Boss does play by the rules, you understand, Mr. Grayson. We're still a jazz club that serves alcohol. He's been waiting for you."

Dck walked inside and saw a pair of faces that surprised him as much as seeing Firo.

"Hey Isaac," Miria cried out.

"What is it, Miria, my dear?" Isaac asked.

"Dick Grayson's come to see us!" she said excitedly.

Dick was happy to see them, but he didn't want to break it to them that he wasn't exactly here to see them.

Much to his surprise, Miria Harvent glomped him, he did manage to stay on his feet.

"Miss Miria, it's nice to see you again!"

"You can stop being so formal, you're an adult now!" Miria laughed.

Dick pulled away, smiling at her. They were just as energetic and weird as he remembered. His mom had referred to them as the "Eighth Wonder of the World" for their extreme eccentricity.

"Isaac, how are you, what are you dressed as a cowboy for? It's not Halloween."

"Well this is for the party, well not a party, more like a memorial," Isaac explained.

"Memorial, for what?" Dick looked at him.

"For your mother, we meet here and talk about her, once every year; we reminisce and renew our promise to find Tony Zucco. We wanted to invite you, but since she was done in by gangsters, the last thing you'd want is to spend time with a bunch of gangsters. Would you believe I met your mother wearing this outfit? She said I lived in the wrong era."

"I wouldn't mind, outside of the circus folks, not too many people know my parents besides reading about her in the papers. I never really met any of her friends outside of all of you."

"I know you don't have a lot of reasons to like us, but please don't lump us in with Tony Zucco, we're bad people, but we're not monsters," Firo told him.

"Is Luck Gandor here, could you take me to him Miria?"

"Yes, yes, come with me!" Miria pulled him along. Dick was finally going to confront his biological father and get answers from him about his relationship with his mother.

"Berga, what do we know about Tony Zucco's businesses?" Luck asked. Tony Zucco had disappeared, but his business still made money. They were owned by someone named Billy Lester.

"American Corporation is the name of his company. It owns Ringstar Entertainment and they own the Nebula club."

"Good, have some of our boys make sure their club has a little accident and make sure none of the other mobsters in Gotham want to do business with them, either their club or the repairs after these accidents."

"Find Markie Winston and Raymond North; make sure they won't fence anything for Tony Zucco or this Billy Lester character." Luck instructed, "Also make sure Mr. Grenada and Mr. Ventura, Mr. Faraax, and Mr. Agoura that if they want my business they'll stop giving Zucco's club business, they won't make any business deals with him. Let them know that I don't do business with mobsters who push drugs. Looks bad for our protection racket."

"Berga, you don't mind delivering the message yourself, do ya?" Luck asked.

"No, I don't mind, Gotham mobsters treat that city as their personal playground. They think Batman can't get 'em because he's busy chasing supervillains. They're like a freakin' yacht on a duck pond!" Berga bellowed in irritation.

"We might have been able to keep a low profile, but that's because we know how to stay under police radar, we've done this for years and they've never been able to touch us. All the Gotham mobsters want a piece of our pie because of it," Luck smiled. "I look forward to putting them in their place."

Luck nodded, "I guess this meeting's adjourned."

There was a knock on the door.

"Luck! Luck! He finally came to see us!" Isaac Dian called from outside the room.

"Finally came to see us!" Miria echoed.

"Who is it?" Luck asked.

"Dick Grayson!" Dick replied.

"Send him in!" Luck gestured as he opened the door.

Dick entered with the other Titans. They were all wearing civilian clothes. They didn't say anything and sat down.

"I know why you're here, Dick. How did you find out?" Luck asked. "Can I get you a drink?"

"I'm fine," Dick replied. "My mom told me about you on a video she kept at the Daily Days. But I want the truth from you."

"I see," Luck replied. Dick noticed he smile widened.

"I'm sorry for not making an appointment."

"I always have time for you, Dick. You know that. I'm surprised to see you here. You could come to me directly."

"No one can present himself directly to another of our friends. There must be a third person to do it," Dick smirked.

"How do you know the Ten Commandments of the Mafia?" Luck asked.

"Google," the young man replied.

Dick and his friends sat down. They'd been frisked for weapons and they hadn't found anything on any of them. But Luck knew Dick was Robin, he didn't need weapons, his fists were just as effective, with or without a gadget in them.

"Tell me, Mr. Luck Gandor, just what was your relationship with my Mom?" Dick asked; the anger in his voice was apparent. "Did you rape her?"

"Rape? No son, I don't like hurting women. I loved your mom," Luck replied, raising his hands in protest. "That is the truth, I wouldn't lie to you."

"Then how did you meet her?"

"She broke into my apartment on multiple occasions, I caught her and we agreed that she would pay me back."

"With her body, that was your idea. You're all scum!" Dick clenched his fist.

"I asked her to be my girlfriend and she agreed, she gave consent. Guns might have been involved."

"Consent is the only thing you can give with a gun to your head," Dick snarled.

"Yes, but we did become close, she told me she loved me when we conceived you."

"I highly doubt that," Dick laughed.

Luck pointed his finger at Dick and them again at himself.

"If you're going to hate anyone, hate me, Dick. I am the main reason you exist after all. Don't hate her, I'll carry all the blame for this. I blame myself for not being able to protect her from Tony Zucco."

"That's funny, she told me to hate her, and not blame you for anything. Ironic, isn't it?"

"It's not like I followed her all over creation like Richard did, I let her live her own life," Luck sighed. "Must you give me the third degree?"

"Richard? Who's Richard?" Dick was surprised, he'd never met this person.

"Your mother didn't tell you about her partner in crime?" Luck chuckled. "She was too good at keeping secrets."

"Did you ever fool around with her when she was married?"

"Dick, you seem to know the Commandments of Mafia, what's number 2?" Luck asked.

"Don't look at the wives of friends," he answered.

"Exactly. Despite the fact that he didn't like me as much as I would like, we still had an odd friendship. I already complicated Mary's life by having you, I wouldn't ruin her marriage too, besides, she did love John Grayson."

They became silent and after a minute, Dick spoke.

"So what happens now?" Dick asked. "Do you want me to join you and become a made man?"

"No, not at all, unless that's what you want, but I know what you do Dick and how much you hate people like us. The only reason you'd join me is to take me down from the inside."

"You went to the Daily Days, didn't you?" Dick laughed. "What'd you pay for it with?"

"My own secrets, what else?" Luck put a hand on his shoulder.

Dick didn't flinch.

"Please know that I loved your mother, I've been trying to kill Tony Zucco for years. He disappeared you know. Rumors say he's dead."

"So you're the one who blew up Maroni Imports. I'd almost be impressed. Was that retaliation for my mother's death?" Dick frowned.

"I haven't even gotten started on retaliation," Luck smirked. "But I could use your help on something son."

"Like I would ever help you!"

"Please, I'm asking you for one thing, and it's got nothing to do with anything shady. I just want you to look into something for me. You are Robin after all."

"Just what do you want me to look into?" Dick stared at him.

"The Court of Owls."

"Nobody's been able to find them, not even Batman."

"That's disappointing. But I'd think you'd be interested. Mr. Haly told me that this here book has the names of all their Talons."

"How do you have it?"

"I found it after Pop told me where it was. You should be interested. Your name is in it."

"Me? Why me?" he was stunned.

"Because you're talented and people want to use that for their own ends. You know that from personal experience."

"Unfortunately, I do know that all too well," Dick sighed. "Is there anything about my life you don't know?"

"I know everything, a father should keep an eye on his son. I respect what you do, please understand. You built your entire reputation on taking out the mob. Why do you think I stay out of your city? Don't shit where you eat."

Luck gestured expressively. "Because of people like you, people like me barely stay in business, but you aren't nearly as annoying as the costumed freaks who run around as supervillains. We got that freak psycho clown whose body count is almost a thousand people, we got crazy aliens from space, and that mobster freak who burned that mask into his face!"

Luck slammed his fists into the table.

"You think I like this? That I revel in being what I am? I'm obligated because of my family, but I've never been cut out for this kind of life. I told your mother this and a few others, she loved me because of that. She loved me despite what I am. She loved all of us despite the fact that society sees us as being lower than dirt. She wasn't afraid of me, and I admired her for that."

"I'll look into the Court of Owls, but only because it's legit and has nothing to do with your business."

"You're being polite to me all of a sudden," Luck smiled.

"My mother said I should always be polite to you."

"You always did take after her," Luck ruffled his hair. Dick still felt awkward around him. As a child, Dick remembered Luck being nice to him but hadn't acted like they were related at all.

It had always bothered him, why he didn't have John Grayson's black hair or his mother's blonde hair, instead, he'd had light brown hair.

"Since today is her birthday, will you join us tonight? Isaac told you why we're here, to reminisce about her."

"Yes, you were my mother's friends, I rarely get to talk about her to anyone, so I'll stay," Dick sat down at a table.

Dick looked at Luck Gandor, "Why did my mother change her name?"

"Like I told you, she was a thief, robbed dozens of wealthy houses in Paris, France with her partner. She changed her name legally when she married John Grayson, but her birth name is Marie Lloyd."

"This Richard you mentioned," Dick sighed, "I'm named after one of my mom's ex-boyfriends."

Just then, a big burly Romani man with dark skin burst through the door, making a big, obnoxious entrance, he would be considered handsome if not for his disease ravaged fingers.

"Speak of the devil," Luck smirked.

"We didn't invite you, Richard," Berga scowled at him.

"What? I can't reminisce about her too? I was her friend after all!"

"Oh shut up Richard, the two of you were a lot more than friends," Luck scowled.

"If you're gonna start something I'm going to ask you to leave," Firo Prochainezo warned.

"Mr. Gandor's just pissed that I was first."

"Do you have a death wish, Richard?" Berga snarled.

"Marie Lloyd mighta had him with you," Richard pointed his formerly leprosy ravaged fingers at Luck Gandor, gesturing back to himself, "but she named him after me!"

Berga slugged the former circus performer in the face.

"I didn't even feel that!" Richard taunted. Leprosy had ruined his nerves and he couldn't feel pain. He didn't mind being hit in the face.

Luck stopped his brother before he went crazy. "Enough!"

"I'll be on my best behavior, for Marie's sake."

"You mouth off again, I'll forget you were her ex and I'll kill you right now!" Luck grabbed Richard by the shirt.

"Fine, fine," Richard sat down, glancing at his namesake with interest.

Dick groaned, "Mom, you had awful taste in men."

Luck Gandor laughed.