Nightwing: Out of Time 3 – The Hunt for Black Robin

Chapter 6

By Christopher W. Blaine

e-mail: darth_yoshi@yahoo.com

DISCLAIMER: Nightwing™ and all other characters and situations portrayed in this story are ©2002 by DC Comics Inc., an AOL/Time-Warner Company, and are used without permission for fan-related entertainment purposes only. No profit is made from this writing. This original story is ©2002 by Christopher W. Blaine and may not be reproduced in part or as a whole without the express consent of the author.

"Last night was…wonderful," Diana commented as she took a bite of the cinnamon and raison bagel.

Dick rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "I think the wine was a little much…"

"My mother brought it back with her when she returned from the 1940's," she replied. The mother of Wonder Woman and queen of the Amazon nation of Thymerscia had traveled in time back to World War 2 where she became the so-called "Golden Age" Wonder Woman. "I thought it was very good, but then I can't get drunk."

"I wasn't drunk, I just don't really like wine," he said as he stabbed a spoon into his Cheerios. "Never cared for it."

"I suppose you have to develop a taste for it. It's a staple on my home island."

"So I assumed. Donna always liked a good bottle of wine with her pasta."

"You know," Diana said shyly, "you're the first man who ever had a, shall we say, romantic dinner with me that didn't try to sleep with me."

He shrugged. "Maybe I listened to what you said before. Maybe I need to start considering more than the physical."

She nodded. "You realize, of course, that this could be the beginning of something scandalous. Whatever will everyone say?"

"Nothing. I'm not talking," he said with a smile. "However, it was nice to sit down and just…relax." He finished his cereal and wiped his mouth on the napkin. "I'd like to do it again."

Diana regarded him. He was so mature for his age and she tried to remember what she was like when she was that young. A royal pain-in-the-rear for her mother is what came to mind! Several centuries did have a somewhat calming effect on a person. She wondered if it was proper for her to even be considering becoming involved with someone who was only a child when she first arrived in the "Man's World".

She had tried her hand at liaisons with several of the larger-than-life personalities she had encountered, for it was natural for her to seek companionship. Despite her origins and her abilities, she was still very much human on the inside. She had all of the desires and wants that any other woman had, her only problem being her vocation. Not many men could feel secure in a relationship with a woman who could move, literally, mountains and was older than most modern nations. She intimidated men, even those who were as powerful as a Superman.

"I think I would like that, Richard, provided we keep it…private. I especially think that Donna would be concerned at the very least," she said.

"It isn't like we're going together," Dick reminded her.

She laughed. "Just like a man! Unless it's written in stone, it isn't so!" She stood up and brushed the crumbs off her robe. "Come, Richard, we have a little girl to go meet."

Per Degaton nudged his companion awake. "Time to get suited up."

The other man caressed the stubble on his chin. "What the hell? How do you know?"

"I travel through time; believe me, I know when its time," the villain answered. They were seated in a conversion van, one that was too old for the time period, but one that suited their purposes just fine. The other man continued to grumble, but decided not to outright argue. The payoff was too sweet for this gig. If he took out this one hero, then he would never have to work again. He could invest his hard earnings from the various bank jobs he had pulled off and live off of the proceeds.

He began to put on his costume, slowly pulling on an outfit he still thought was ridiculous. He had observed several of the costumes of the people of this era and found his own to be lacking a certain flair. Many of the old-timers, members of the Justice Society, still wore their old fighting togs. The man thought they looked stupid.

"How much time do I have?" he asked as he put on his helmet.

Per Degaton regarded his watch and then started fiddling with his belt buckle. If only Nightwing understood exactly who it was he was facing, if only the young hero could begin to comprehend the wave of vengeance that was getting ready to wash over him. "About thirty minutes," he said.

"Good," was the reply. "And no killing of the kid?'

"No…leave the child to me."

"I flew all night to get here; you must tell me where to find this Oracle," the man said. Batman regarded him and then turned around to look out over Gotham City. The man realized that he was speaking gibberish, that he had not explained the entire situation.

For the next few minutes, the man relayed the story, as he knew it, providing the details that Oracle had provided him. Throughout the entire narrative, the Batman did not move, did not reveal any emotion. Finally, the man stopped and took a breath. "Now, you can plainly see why I must speak personally with Oracle. I must find out who the father is!"

Batman pulled his cape in around himself. "I think I know who the father is."

"Then please tell me, man! Don't you realize how important this is to me? To my family?" The man was on the verge of tears. Batman expected that, though; this man had always been too emotional for his own good.

"The first thing you need to do is calm down," the Batman said. "The second thing is to wait here until I return."

The man started to protest, but then backed down. If there was one thing he understood about the Caped Crusader it was that patience was the only virtue he rewarded. "Very well, but I can't promise that I wait long. This is too important."

The Batman nodded, threw a line over to the next building and jumped from the rooftop.

"I'm in trouble, aren't I?" Barbara Gordon asked as dark shadow entered her window. It was already early morning and the sun was up, but the Batman still managed to find shadows to hide in as he made his way across the city and into her apartment. He said nothing as he stepped through and then he moved like a wraith, seeming to glide next to her.

"I want to know everything," he said. There was no need to tell her what it was exactly he needed to know. She already knew.

The story came forth in heavy sighs and in a lamenting tone. It started with the sighting of Per Degaton in downtown Bludhaven by Jonathan Law, the former Tarantula. Then she detailed the adventures of Nightwing through the past (and Batman did seem to recall an event in which Nightwing had helped him in a case years before Dick actually assumed the identity. He made a mental note to speak with Zatanna the Sorceress to find out exactly what was involved in that spell of hers to send Nightwing back to the future. He should have remembered everything!) and into the future.

The she began to talk about Andrea Lawson and the investigation that Nightwing and Wonder Woman had begun. She followed that up with a detailed explanation of her own suspicions of who's DNA was the maternal component of the little girl. "So, I just tried to follow up…"

"You're follow-up was sloppy; don't you realize who the person is that you've upset? He isn't just another face in the crowd, this is someone who has influence and most of all, is a friend of mine. A trusted friend," he said, indicating that she had treaded on very thin ice by not keeping him informed.

"It was Dick's idea," she offered as a defense.

"Dick has many ideas; I expect you to keep me informed of them. He's not stupid, he's just…anxious." He took the file folder she held up as a peace offering. "Where are they now?"

"Cincinnati following up Wonder Woman's leads," she said. She saw a slight shudder go through the Dark Knight. He completely resented the idea of an outsider being involved in "family" business. A small part of her clapped in excitement.

"Diana is a capable enough fighter, I just don't know about her detective skills," he said, rubbing his chin. He didn't know quite what to do. The last person in the world he expected to be helping his son was the Amazon princess. "Download all of your files on this to the Batcomputer."

He turned and started to leave when she called after him. "So, I was right?"

He stopped and slowly turned around. "From what I've heard, you probably are."

Barbara nodded and began to consider the implications of the information.

Rebecca Lawson watched as the moving truck pulled away, leaving her alone with the possessions she had purchased in a late night estate sale. Andrea was still taking her nap, curled up next to her scrapbook of the Justice League.

She was amazed at how many twists and turns her life had taken since the day she had made the decision to rescue the little baby that had stolen her heart. Was she a good mother? She had no way of knowing, nothing to compare her efforts to.

She had no memory of her own mother and what she remembered of her father was too painful. He had "trained" her though, made her used to doing the things that men and women wanted done behind closed doors. Those skills helped her move along the ladder of success in Two-Face's organization until she was "sold" to Ra's Al Ghul. Al Ghul then turned her into a killer in a scant four-year's time. When women her age were graduating college and starting their careers, Rebecca was sleeping with future presidents and killing their enemies.

She started to move to open a box that was marked "dishes", wondering what was actually in the box, when she noted the van waiting down the road. It did not match the neighborhood. Rebecca was no expert on cars and trucks, but she knew the inside of many vans and she guessed the year of the vehicle. It was far too old for the area they lived in.

Her first thought was to run, run away to another city, another life. It was the wisest choice, especially if the van held any of Al Ghul's assassins. Then her mind drifted to the sleeping little girl who wanted nothing more than a stable life. She owed it to her. Perhaps if she defeated the best her former master could send at her he would leave her be?

A creak at the back door set her in motion. She had no weapon at hand, but she didn't really need one. Al Ghul's trainers had ensured that no matter what the conditions, she would be ready to fight.

Rebecca crept through the house like a cat, making no noises. She heard another sound and knew it was coming from the kitchen. She was there in three heartbeats, her hand drawn back, ready for the fatal heart strike.

Without looking, she threw the punch, only to have it blocked with the only known counter. She stared into the dark mask of Nightwing. "You!"

The hero ducked the next blow. "Hold on, Rebecca!"

She roared and kicked for his groin. When he brought his hands down to block, she faked and took her foot up higher to connect to his chin. His head snapped back, but he still held off on making his own strike against her. "Please, listen!"

Rebecca was beyond listening as all of her worst fears assailed her. Of all of the dangers he could face, Nightwing represented the greatest one. Here was someone who was not evil, someone who's only agenda would be the welfare of Andrea. She grabbed a large iron skillet and walloped him upside the head, sending him crashing to the floor even as the breakfast remains within it sprinkled him.

She went for the killing blow when a strong hand grabbed her wrist. "Hold, sister!"

Rebecca looked into the most beautiful face she had ever seen, besides Andrea's. "Wonder Woman?" she asked, suddenly feeling the fight drain from her. Despite her fear, she knew that she was no match for the Amazon. Nightwing had come prepared.

Nightwing groaned and rubbed his head, feeling the knot that was starting to form. It was times like this that he regretted not wearing a cowl. "What the hell was that for?"

"You're not taking her away!" Rebecca screamed.

"Now is not the time for hysterics," Wonder Woman said calmly.

Throwing caution to the wind, Rebecca put her free hand over Wonder Woman's and pressed. As she had hoped, the Amazon's musculature was very close to that of a normal human's and she was forced to release her grip. Before the stunned princess could react, Rebecca somersaulted back, kicking Wonder Woman full in the chin.

Rebecca assumed an offensive stance as Nightwing started to stand. "Would you please stop?" He again reached up to touch the tender spot on his skull. "We don't want to fight you!"

"Maybe one of us doesn't," Wonder Woman remarked as she rubbed her chin. "I'm inclined to show mercy but you are sorely tempting me, assassin!"

Rebecca did not say anything. She had no idea how the two of them could know so much about her, especially Wonder Woman. In the back of mind, she supposed it was always possible for the Batman to learn about her and Andrea, but Nightwing had never been considered a detective on the scale of his mentor; at least not in the criminal underworld.

"Look," Nightwing pleaded, "we don't want to fight you…I'm just here to see my daughter!"

"She's not your daughter! She's mine!"

Nightwing shook his head. "No, she's mine and you know it." His voice softened and he took a step forward, keeping his hands out in front of him, palms up. "I've been to the future and I've met her and I've seen her die."

Rebecca's posture slumped a little. Nightwing took it as a good sign and took another tentative step towards her. He was within reach if she lunged. "You raised a good girl, but she ended up following in my footsteps. You can't train her for that."

Wonder Woman spoke. "As I understand it, she and I become very good friends in the future, teammates on the Justice League. I would very much like to prevent her death if I can."

The former assassin was frozen with confusion, unable to separate her desire to be a mother from her need to protect her child from a future that might happen. "I don't know…"

"Mommy?" a little voice asked and silence fell over the entire house as all eyes turned to a sleepy-eyed little girl standing at the foot of the stairs leading up. "Who is that mommy?"

Rebecca knew that it was over, that all of efforts were for naught. Now that the super-heroes had her scent, they would trail her even more relentlessly than Ra's Al Ghul's forces. It was simple: she had one of their own and like police officers chasing cop-killers, they would be like a rabid pack of dogs.

She sighed and put on her best smile. "Andrea…this is your father."