Batman sped into the city limits of Bludhaven just after dusk. He parked the car in the alley behind Dick's loft and searched the place. Everything was in order and the suit was still hanging in the hidden wall compartment. Batman also noted that both of the bikes were there as were all of Dick's clothes. For all his stuff being there, Batman saw no sign of Dick returning from work that afternoon. He climbed to the windows overhead, shot a line out and headed towards the police station.
Captain Moseby's office was a good five stories off the ground. Batman was perched out on the ledge, listening for anything that might tip off the whereabouts of Dick. With binoculars he read a resignation report the captain had written up. His heart sank when he saw Dick's name on top. He assumed the gun and badge on the desk were his as well. He jumped off the ledge to the alley below and proceeded to quickly dress in a police outfit he kept hidden in a panel at the base of the building. He tried not to step on Nightwing's hold on Bludhaven but once in a while he just needed to make sure his son was safe. Dick almost caught him once, stared him right in eye as they passed each other in the station. Fortunately for Bruce, Dick had Amy pulling him along so the kid didn't have time to recognize his mentor.
A pair of glasses and a mustache kept the handsome features of Bruce Wayne disguised as he walked into the Police Station, just another beat cop returning from rounds. He headed to the locker room where several of Dick's peers were just getting off their shift. A woman was sitting dejectedly on a bench close to the lockers. She looked tired and upset, massaging her temples, wishing away the headache she's had since that afternoon.
"He'll be back Amy." One cop tried to reassure her. "This happens to all rookies the first time they have to shoot someone."
"You should have seen his face." Amy answered in a daze. "I've never seen someone look so lost before." She wiped the forming tears in her eyes and noticed a new guy hanging around in the room. "You! I don't know you." Amy snapped out of the tearful phase and back into her rough exterior. Batman, disguised in a cop's uniform, disarmed her hesitance with a smile.
"Just transferred in from the west precinct." He answered in a New York accent. "This Grayson guy...he a friend of yours?"
"He's my partner. What do you know about it?" Amy stared the stranger in the eyes. She was tenacious, he had to give her that.
"I don't even know the guy. We're just supposed to be on the lookout tonight that's all."
"Yeah well if you find him tell him his partner is going to kick his ass when he finally comes to his senses." She spat.
"Did you see him after he quit?"
"Just in passing. He wasn't in the talking mood. He was already dressed in street clothes. I offered to give him a ride home but he said he'd rather walk."
"Which way did he walk?"
"East on Smith." She answered but her brain was telling her something was wrong with that statement. "But...he lives west of here." She answered slowly.
"Well I'm sure we'll find him." The cop nodded with a comforting smile. Amy nodded and left with all the other guys. The locker room was empty so Batman took this opportunity to search Dick's locker...or what was left of it. The door was dented almost into the inside wall. He pried the door open to find his wrinkled uniform lying in a heap. The shirt had tiny stains of blood where he must have tried to revive the person he shot.
He left the police station with fewer answers than he had hoped for. Dick had left the precinct and traveled east on foot. Batman called for the car and changed back into the cape and cowl while he waited. He drove east for several miles hoping to get a clue as to where Dick might have gone. About four miles down the road there was an exit to the highway leading out of Bludhaven. Dick could have easily been anywhere: in a bar drinking away the pain, bleeding to death in an alley, or on his way to Gotham. For some reason Batman knew he wasn't in Gotham or Bludhaven that instead he had gotten a ride out of town and was in effect running to God knows where.
The COM link in the car buzzed. Batman was already heading onto the highway.
"Oracle." He answered.
"Did you find him?"
"He quit the BPD. I think he hitched a ride out of town. Put a tracer on his credit cards."
"How far do you think he'll go?"
"I don't know." Batman admitted quietly. "I don't think he has anyone or anything to go to."
"So we just sit and wait for him to come home. He's not going to use the cards if he doesn't want us to find him. He's smarter than that."
"I'm driving west for a few hours. Tell Robin and Batgirl to go on rounds in Gotham and then to do a search of Bludhaven just in case."
"Got it." Oracle answered.
Batman ended the link and continued to speed down the highway in hopes to find some sign of Dick Grayson.
Captain Moseby's office was a good five stories off the ground. Batman was perched out on the ledge, listening for anything that might tip off the whereabouts of Dick. With binoculars he read a resignation report the captain had written up. His heart sank when he saw Dick's name on top. He assumed the gun and badge on the desk were his as well. He jumped off the ledge to the alley below and proceeded to quickly dress in a police outfit he kept hidden in a panel at the base of the building. He tried not to step on Nightwing's hold on Bludhaven but once in a while he just needed to make sure his son was safe. Dick almost caught him once, stared him right in eye as they passed each other in the station. Fortunately for Bruce, Dick had Amy pulling him along so the kid didn't have time to recognize his mentor.
A pair of glasses and a mustache kept the handsome features of Bruce Wayne disguised as he walked into the Police Station, just another beat cop returning from rounds. He headed to the locker room where several of Dick's peers were just getting off their shift. A woman was sitting dejectedly on a bench close to the lockers. She looked tired and upset, massaging her temples, wishing away the headache she's had since that afternoon.
"He'll be back Amy." One cop tried to reassure her. "This happens to all rookies the first time they have to shoot someone."
"You should have seen his face." Amy answered in a daze. "I've never seen someone look so lost before." She wiped the forming tears in her eyes and noticed a new guy hanging around in the room. "You! I don't know you." Amy snapped out of the tearful phase and back into her rough exterior. Batman, disguised in a cop's uniform, disarmed her hesitance with a smile.
"Just transferred in from the west precinct." He answered in a New York accent. "This Grayson guy...he a friend of yours?"
"He's my partner. What do you know about it?" Amy stared the stranger in the eyes. She was tenacious, he had to give her that.
"I don't even know the guy. We're just supposed to be on the lookout tonight that's all."
"Yeah well if you find him tell him his partner is going to kick his ass when he finally comes to his senses." She spat.
"Did you see him after he quit?"
"Just in passing. He wasn't in the talking mood. He was already dressed in street clothes. I offered to give him a ride home but he said he'd rather walk."
"Which way did he walk?"
"East on Smith." She answered but her brain was telling her something was wrong with that statement. "But...he lives west of here." She answered slowly.
"Well I'm sure we'll find him." The cop nodded with a comforting smile. Amy nodded and left with all the other guys. The locker room was empty so Batman took this opportunity to search Dick's locker...or what was left of it. The door was dented almost into the inside wall. He pried the door open to find his wrinkled uniform lying in a heap. The shirt had tiny stains of blood where he must have tried to revive the person he shot.
He left the police station with fewer answers than he had hoped for. Dick had left the precinct and traveled east on foot. Batman called for the car and changed back into the cape and cowl while he waited. He drove east for several miles hoping to get a clue as to where Dick might have gone. About four miles down the road there was an exit to the highway leading out of Bludhaven. Dick could have easily been anywhere: in a bar drinking away the pain, bleeding to death in an alley, or on his way to Gotham. For some reason Batman knew he wasn't in Gotham or Bludhaven that instead he had gotten a ride out of town and was in effect running to God knows where.
The COM link in the car buzzed. Batman was already heading onto the highway.
"Oracle." He answered.
"Did you find him?"
"He quit the BPD. I think he hitched a ride out of town. Put a tracer on his credit cards."
"How far do you think he'll go?"
"I don't know." Batman admitted quietly. "I don't think he has anyone or anything to go to."
"So we just sit and wait for him to come home. He's not going to use the cards if he doesn't want us to find him. He's smarter than that."
"I'm driving west for a few hours. Tell Robin and Batgirl to go on rounds in Gotham and then to do a search of Bludhaven just in case."
"Got it." Oracle answered.
Batman ended the link and continued to speed down the highway in hopes to find some sign of Dick Grayson.