Chapter 4:

"Welcome Back, Grayson!"

The moment that Jason got off the phone with Tim, everyone stared at him in shock when he told them that Dick's brain scans had been faked.

"What do you mean faked?" Barbara asked shocked. "How do you fake an MRI or CT scan?"

Jason shrugged his shoulders. "Dunno, but Tim asked several experts he knew and they each confirmed—with nauseating detail—that they were fake and that Dick's recovery time was beyond that of a miracle. A shot like that would be fatal." Barbara was about to say something else, but then Jason continued before she could get a word out. "But, Tim did confirm that Dick did have surgery, just not the kind we think. Tim's settling up an appointment with a real doctor, one he trusts, to do some additional scans."

Damian looked to Kent. "Kent—do your thing! We need to see inside Grayson's consciousness."

Jon clamped his hands together and began to rub them.

"Wait, what?" Gray asked. "What's he going to do?"

"It doesn't have a name, but my father recently taught me a new trick," Jon Kent said. "Apparently, people from Krypton have an unusual ability to gaze into a person's consciousness. By holding onto the sides of a person's head while using our hands like two electros, polarizing them, and staring directly into their eyes, we have the ability to look into a person's mind. I haven't perfected it yet, but I haven't tested it on anyone other than my father."

"So, you want to look into my mind and see…what, exactly? If I'm crazy? That none of this is happening? That I'm imagining all this? That I'm some sort of superhero that you all think I am?" Gray put up his hands. "Um, no. This has gone beyond bizarre. I'm taking this silly thing off and getting the hell out of this circus!"

Grayson began to peal off the Nightwing costume when Damian leapt into action. He jumped and latched onto Grayson like a monkey, holding his arms back, and with the sudden weight, he forced Grayson to tip backwards. He almost fell to the floor if it wasn't for Barbara, who guided Dick to the couch. They both fell back, and Damian continued to hold on as Dick struggled.

"Do it, Kent! Now!"

Jon Kent quickly went to Dick Grayson and grabbed the sides of his head and looked directly into his eyes. Dick tried to close them, but something prevented him from doing so, and there was a red glow coming from Jon Kent's eyes. He had x-ray vision, but he could also use beams of cosmic radiation to destroy anything he wished. But he altered this ability now with his new ability to hold Grayson's eyes only. Then, he entered Grayson's mind.

"It's a weird feeling doing this," Jon said. "I'm not sure how to describe it. I guess: chaos?" He then further explained that it felt like Grayson was screaming and that there were two sets of personalities in his mind, two voices. One was dominate, almost artificial, and the other, trapped, but screaming to be let free. "There's no damage? I don't, really know what to look for on a medical level, but I don't see any holes—wait, there is something: something biogenetic."

Jon broke the connection.

And Damian broke his hold. Dick sat shocked. "Wait, what are you saying?"

"Whatever it is, it's inhibiting your normal brain functions, and your memory glands," Jon explained. "Something's there, implanted into your hemispheric lopes. You did have surgery, but it's not the kind we thought. And no bullet penetrated your skull. What's the term?"

"A fake-out," Jason said, then cursed, slamming a fist into a palm. "But who, and why?"

x x x

Once Bruce Wayne was made aware, his connections gave Dick Grayson priority to see a neurosurgeon in Gotham City. An MRI and CT scan were repeated and it soon became apparent the previous doctor who not only took the original scans and did Dick's surgeon had lied. It was also confirmed that there were two small round devices the size of the head of a pin were detected, but the wounds were made out to be larger for the fake surgery to make it appear like Nightwing had been shot.

The doctor was appalled, and asked why such a thing would happen. Bruce Wayne knew the surgeon would ask, and, in not so many terms, bribed him with the new position of Head of Neurosurgery in the new Wayne General Medical Hospital being built and a personal reference with a higher salary. The doctor didn't ask anymore questions after all.

Within half a day, the doctor had made several calls, and with a team of doctors, they were able to get Dick Grayson into surgery that evening. His team asked questions, but the doctor just told them to do their jobs, and he would explain later.

As everyone waited in the lobby, surgery was performed. It took a total of an hour and half. When the doctor entered the lobby in his garbs, everyone jumped to their feet. And with the smile the doctor presented, he told them things had gone well.

"How is he, doctor?" Barbara asked.

"He's fine, and he says he remembers you all." Congratulations were had all around. "He's in recovery at the moment, but he'll be taken to a private room, so only two people at a time. He's awake, but a little groggy. But he's asked to see you, Ms. Gordon, and you Damian. And he's also asked an odd request: He wants a bowl of cereal with lots of sugar." The doctor shrugged.

Barbara laughed. "That's our Dick Grayson, alright," she said. "He loves his kid's cereal."

After fifteen minutes, when Barbara and Damian looked around the edge of the door to Dick's private room, they saw that he was resting. His head was tilted to the right on the pillow and his head was bandaged. He looked so peaceful.

"Maybe we shouldn't disturb him?" Barbara said quietly.

Dick opened his eyes and turned his head. "For you two, I'd refuse sleep and stay up all night," he said with a smile. "Come in."

The pair entered the room. Dick gave a smile of remembrance, and without a word, Barbara raced over and kissed him on the lips. He remembered everything. He beckoned Damian over, extended his arms, and Damian, even though it was out of character for him, and no one else was watching, hugged Dick Grayson, and thanked heaven he had his mentor back. Damian even began to cry.

"I missed you, Grayson," he said. "I—I didn't think you'd…"

"I know, kiddo. Neither did I. But if it wasn't for your guile and fortitude, I'd still be a wandering, confused mess." Dick turned to Barbara. "So, what did the doctor say?"

She told him that there were two sets of surgeries done, one to each hemisphere of his brain and neuro-inhibitors were found to be implanted in each to disrupt normal brain function, causing amnesia like symptoms, just like Jon Kent had said. So, if Dick had tried to remember anything of his past, or who he really was, it would cause him intense pain. "You two separate consciousnesses were fighting a battle, to put it simply," Barbara explained. "And the drugs you were taking were reinforcing everything."

"The question is why?" Grayson said, with an intense look on his face. "Who would want to kill me?"

The doctor entered with an iPad in hand. "Well, how's my unusual patient?"

"Everything good, doc?" Dick then looked around the doctor. "Where's my cereal? I'm famished!"

"It's coming, Mr. Grayson. Cereal at half-past eleven at night is an unusual request. But, apart from that" —the doctor took a small test tube container from his white jacket pocket and showed it to Dick— "Any idea what these are?"

Dick took the tube and gazed closely at them, as did Barbara and Damian. "No idea," he said. "They were in my head?"

The doctor nodded. "They were inhibiting your hemispheric symmetry to a point that the neuronic activity became restricted, causing severe memory loss and parietal function. This may also explain your bouts of vertigo and lack of empathy that you said you were experiencing. We also tested the drugs you were taking and it appears they were designed to work in conjunction with these devices. Millions of nano-tech bots were released into your system every time you ingested one of these pills, acting like go-betweens, reinforcing the operational design of these devices. Someone wanted you to think you weren't yourself, eventually destroying your mind, for whatever reason. What are you, some sort of secret agent?"

"That's classified, doctor," Dick said, then he winked. Although, he had been a member of Spyral at one point. "But can I have these, let's say as a souvenir?"

"I shouldn't, I should really give them to the police," he said. "But since Bruce Wayne has asked me to keep quiet" —Damian had his hand extended, and the doctor reluctantly gave them to him— "Your father is a very caring man, son," he said to Damian. "He bent over backwards for your brother, crossing lines that could've gotten him into real trouble." Damian knew what his father had promised the doctor, and nodded. "When the chips are down, my father comes through," he said. "When it counts" —he turned and smiled at Grayson. Then back. "Thanks, doctor."

With that, the doctor left.

"Now all we have to do is find out who—" But when Damian turned back to Grayson, he found that he and Barbara were engaged in such a passionate kiss that the rest of the world was blind to them.

It was at that point he decided to leave and join the others back in the waiting lounge. And a nurse came to them and announced that visiting hours were well past and that they would all have to return tomorrow.

An hour later, they were all in sitting area of Wayne Manor discussing things to come. They discussed the events that broached them to this point and possible suspects of who could have Dick Grayson/Nightwing in their crosshairs. A list was compiled, but Nightwing had made a lot of enemies over the years, and even when the list was toned down, and cross-referenced with enemies currently housed in institutions, maximum security facilities, and even Arkham Asylum, the list was still too long. And it was unknown whether the list was complete. They still don't know everything about his missions regarding Spyral when he was Agent 37.

Bruce explained why he had requested Dick to infiltrate Spyral after the events that lead to the world knowing he was Nightwing, exposed by the Rogues, which subsequently thanks to a "neutralizing device" and fortunate happenstance, Nightwing's identity once again became a secret. The Spyral organization was rendered inert and Dick Grayson returned to the Batfamily fold. Other events took place after the fact, but they had no baring on the current situation, as far Bruce could conclude.

Despite conjecture and supposition, and a list of bad guys a mile long, who could've targeted Nightwing was still a mystery.

The next morning, Damian and Bruce returned to the hospital. With them, Jason sent along a "get well soon gift" in the form of a stuffed black cat with a masquerade blue mask over the eyes—just like Jason, Damian thought—and he had left earlier in the morning to see to other things, unable to see Dick at the hospital, but said would call to him later.

Barbara was already at the hospital and at Dick Grayson's bedside. He was eating cereal. He was denied his request last night, and had to settle for some granola bars Barbara bought from a vending machine, crushed into bits, and some milk from the Hospital Ward's fridge, mixed into a bowl. It was okay at the time, but now he had something proper, and he looked happy. "Feeling better, I see," Bruce said.

"Mmm, mmm," Dick mouthed, holding up the bowl. He had a mouthful. Then a dribble of milk escaped the side of his mouth and Barbara was there with a napkin. Dick smiled, and Barbara rolled her eyes and told him to be less messy. After swallowing, Dick then replied, "Yes, Mom. No, sorry, that's Alfred's handle."

"If you don't behave, Dick Grayson, I'm going to have to smash you little bum," she said.

Dick's eyebrows twitched up and down. "How bad do I have to be?" And he smiled.

"Should we leave before the adult entertainment begins?" Damian remarked mockingly.

Both Dick and Barbara gave him an incredulous stare.

"I spoke with the doctor and he wants you to stay in the hospital for a few days for observation due to the circumstances," Bruce then spoke. "He's staying quiet about the whole affair as is his team, but he did have some questions regarding the implants."

Barbara took out the tube with the two tiny round implants from her purse, and said: "As do we." She jiggled the contents and the two implants rattled. "Who could've concocted such a devious plan to make Dick forget everyone and everything he knew by staging such an elaborate assassination attempt? Fake sophisticated brain scans, perform delicate surgery, and implant these devices, that caused such radical personality changes? It must've been someone who knows his secret identity."

"Looks like an investigation is in order," Damian said excited. Then he punched a fist into a palm. "However, any attempt on any one of us is a declaration of war! Since you're back, Grayson, I'll be hanging up the Nightwing Junior persona."

"Oh no, you won't," Dick said. "We have to play this as close to the hip as we can. Someone out there wants me dead, and they went to elaborate methods to do so. Little did they know we batboys don't die or submit so easily. They must still be watching me, so I'm going to have to continue to play the part of the overbearing, self-indulging, arrogant amnesiac, ass—who just suffered an apparent drug overdose with my medicine. The cover will be only this hospital could treat me with the symptoms I had."

"So, what should I do?" Damian asked.

"You'll continue as Nightwing Junior, fighting crime in Bludhaven, while I help coordinate an investigation back here in Gotham with Barbara. We'll join you after a reasonable amount of time in the hospital. Say, three days." Grayson then chuckled. "I love that name, Nightwing Junior, it's just so endearing. And just remembering you dressed in my costume makes me, well, appreciative. Thanks for bringing me back" —he looked at both Damian and Barbara— "I owe you both my life."

"Welcome back, Grayson," Damian said with a thin smile. "Should we tell—"

"No," Dick retorted. "Tell no one that I have my memories back. None of the Titans or even the Justice League. No one outside our immediate family must know. There are eyes and ears everywhere. Not until we get to the bottom of things. There's something afoot, Watson, and elementary is at play." Grayson tried to sound like Sherlock Holmes with a British accent.

Damian responded with arched eyebrow. "Don't call me Watson," he replied. "And don't ask me wats-on the agenda, either."

"Party pooper."

To be continued…