Chapter 10 – Shadows from the past
We arrived to the bar where Clay was working as a bouncer. We spotted him almost immediately, he was so tall.
"Excuse me." Dick spoke to him as he measured us up suspiciously. It wasn't his fault. We didn't really belonged to here.
"Yeah?"
"So, how does someone get into the VIP lounge?" Dick asked.
"Give me the password." Clay said keeping his distance. Dick thought for a moment.
"Haly's Circus."
Clay's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Dicky? Dicky!" He recognised him, closing Dick into a bone crushing hug. "Oh, Lord, I can't believe it's you! Is this you?"
"Yeah, it's me." He confirmed barely audible. "I can't breathe."
"Oh, damn. Oh, man." He released Dick, checking him again.
"This is here" Dick started to introduce me.
"Rory Raymond" I offered my hand. "It's nice to meet you, I've been told a lot of stories about you." I smiled genuinely. He was a part of Dick's past, back from where everything was quite normal.
"Clayton Williams. The pleasure is mine" We shook hands. His grip was firm and strong even though I was sure, he's being careful.
"What in God's name are you doing' here?" He asked us frowning.
"Can we talk?" Dick suggested seriously.
Ge guided us into the VIP section where we sat down on a booth. Dick told him about the cases as Clay was listening, getting more and more terrified.
"Murdered?"
"And I'm worried you're next on the list." Dick admitted it.
"You've seen anything weird at home? Any people following you?" I tried hopefully .
"Not that I've noticed."
"You still in touch with anyone from the circus? Since it shut down?" Dick questioned.
"I spoke to Abigail a few years ago after her husband died. I wanted to get in touch with Percy but I could never find him." He confessed. "After the..." He stopped changing his mind. "We all went our own separate ways. I think the last time I saw any of them were at your parents' funeral." He said feeling guilty. "I should've kept in touch. Especially with you."
"Hey, it goes both ways." Dick reassured him. "I'm just glad you're okay."
They exchanged numbers just in case.
"Okay, no excuses now. We stay in touch." Clay smiled relieved. "Can't believe you're a cop."
"Detective, actually." I added as Dick rolled his eyes at my enthusiasm.
"All I know is I'm just so proud of you, kiddo." He admitted.
"You know, I used to wonder all the time, what my life would be like if I'd stayed with you? You know, gone to a normal school, had some normal friends." Dick told him nostalgically.
"Normal? You mean poor. 'Cause that's what it would've been. Poor." Clay saw it clearly. "But look at how you turned out. Perfect." He noted feeling justified. Giving Dick away must've been hard, but now his pain was at least eased a bit. "Rory's your girlfriend, right?" He asked knowingly. "You look so happy together. Are you happy?" He asked full of hope, looking at me then back at Dick.
If only he knew... But I couldn't broke his heart. He deserved to be given some peace after all those painful years.
Dick was about to say something, but I acted faster, placing my hand on his on the table.
"Yes, we are" I sent Clay my best smile. For a second I felt Dick's curious gaze on me, but then he understood, lacing our fingers together naturally. My heart skipped a bit as I tried to keep my composure. Instinctively his thumb caressed my skin, sending shivers down on my spine as I couldn't dismiss the pleasing feeling awakening in me.
Fortunately I had no time to think about it, since an explosion shook the whole place.
"Clay, call 911." Dick noted as we helped evacuating the place.
A car was still in flames, being blown up as we stepped in the street. People seemed disoriented, and lost. It was quite a chaos.
"What happened here?" I asked but Dick's phone went off before he could've answered.
"Clay, you okay?" Dicked picked up, putting him on the speaker.
"No, he isn't." An unfamiliar male voice answered. "It's good to finally talk to you, Dick Grayson. You arrived right on schedule." He noted as I looked at Dick. He seemed just as confused as I was.
"Who are you?"
"You know." The man said confidently.
"It's not possible." Dick denied as I still had no idea.
"Why not?"
"Because you're dead."
"You must be thinking of my father." He explained as Dick fell silent.
"Where's Clay?" He finally spoke. But the line broke immediately.
"Zucco's son." I put the picture together. His father was the one who killed Dick's parents on who he later got revenge.
He nodded heavily, thinking, then he got a text, probably from the kidnapper. He frowned even more.
"I gotta go." He declared turning his back at me.
"Okay" I started to follow him. "Where?"
"I gotta take care of this by myself." He turned back sighing. "You have to promise me not to follow, or try to find me" He requested as I scoffed. Yeah, sure, like that would be happening… "I can't risk you getting hurt, because of my stupidity. Again" He murmured painfully as I stepped closer easing up.
"Dick…"
"Please, Ror" His pleading eyes searched answer in mine.
"Alright." I nodded eventually crossing my fingers behind my back. "I promise"
I'm sorry Dick, but I'm not going to let you get hurt either.
I watched him go then before he could've gone too far I tried to get into his head to get some info. I expected more challenge, but seemed like he was too occupied with Clay. Or he just trusted me too much…
The meeting was in an old warehouse, in an hour. Well, half-an hour now, but I decided to come here earlier to check the situation. I haven't seen anyone but more surprisingly I haven't feel anyone either. Maybe they weren't here yet. Or did I misread something?
Could Dick deceive me? Did he sent me somewhere else, because he thought I won't be able to resist?
Son of a… I thought convincing myself when a sudden strike on my nape caught me off guard. A quiet yelp left my mouth then everything went dark.
DDD
"Seems like your little act of revenge had consequences." I've heard a man from the distance as I slowly regained my consciousness. My head hurt like someone tried to crack it open with a hammer. "After my father was killed, the deal was off. No more federal protection." He continued explaining.
I opened my eyes, but my vision was still blurry. All I could make out of the sight was that I was somewhere high and probably Clay was under me as I saw a figure hang by his wrists not so far.
"So, the Maronis came after my mother. And my sister. And my fiancée. They all melted. They tried to melt me, too."
"So, you thought you'd even the score by killing my family." Dick retorted as I tried to stand up. It was useless, I was chained up tight. "That make you feel better? Did your fucking plan work?" He questioned angrily.
"Not entirely" He admitted it as I attempted to communicate with Dick yet my brain wasn't functioning perfectly since I couldn't project any thought. "But then I found a rare gem that went beyond my wildest dreams." He added as the ground abruptly disappeared under my body and I was dropped down immediately.
I cried out first in surprise, then in the sharp pain as the chains stopped my free fall. I think I even heard my shoulder pop out.
"Rory!" Dick called out for me, rushing closer.
"That's close enough, Robin" The man warned him in a cruel tone as a drop of green fluid landed between me and Clay. Dick stopped instantly.
"When the acid strikes your skin, it doesn't burn." The man started almost nostalgically. "It's much worse. It's like insects eating away at your flesh burrowing inside of you." He explained sending some more fluid on its way, but this time it landed on Clay's shoulder. He hissed, his face distorting in agony. "I can still feel them crawling all over me."
"I didn't want this to happen to you, Nick." Dick started to negotiate.
"I'm not Nick anymore. That's what the acid did for me. It changed me." He reacted not in the best way. "You revealed your true self on that bridge. Just like the acid peeled away the surface to reveal my true self underneath." He said poetically. "Who knows, maybe it will help your little girlfriend to find herself out too." He suggested as I saw the tin barrel move above me. Holy shit!
"They're innocent, let them go!" Dick demanded desperately. I saw him itching to move but he was afraid that he'd only fasten up the progress. I shut my eyes closed preparing for the worst but the acid never came.
"He gave you an out, dumb-ass. You should've taken it" Jason appeared from nowhere, jumping on Nick, starting to beat him up efficiently. I sighed in relief. I've never been this happy to see him. Well, maybe in Adamson's apartment...
Dick taking advantage of the distraction threw his Robin-signed knives to cut us off the rope, while Jason took care of our capturer. Dick checked Clay, taking the ropes off his wrists, then he crouched down in front of me releasing my hands too.
A gunshot echoed through the air as I saw Jason got hit in the chest. The bullet was loaded with the acid.
"Dick" I warned him clearing my throat as Jason collapsed on the ground and now Nick leaned above him, pointing the gun at his face this time.
Dick jumped up so fast I could barely follow, then charged Nick with full force. He punched him in the face, for a good couple of times, until he fell down on the ground, unconscious.
"Nice work. Dude deserved what he got." Jason noted as Dick helped him up.
"Are you okay?" He asked concerned.
"Zylon fibers, man." He shrugged. "Oh, you're welcome, by the way, for saving your lives." Jason added with a smirk.
"And you're welcome for me saving your life." Dick said suggesting that they were even.
"Go" Jason nodded to Dick, walking up to Clay, as Dick run up to me.
"Are you alright, Ror?" He asked trying to help me up. I shrieked in torment, almost falling back to the ground when he grabbed my arm. The pain was unbearable. "Your shoulder is dislocated." He diagnosed me with a sorry expression, still holding my upper arm softly.
I knew what was coming. It didn't happen the first time.
"Do it" I barked, shutting my eyes in preparation.
"Are you sure?" He asked concerned as I nodded, taking a deep breath. He started to move around my arm in circle, slowly to put it back to its place. I bit my lip to avoid shouting as he continued.
"Oh, fuck" I swore as the ache kicked in. He moved it to the other direction as the tension worsened. Then suddenly with a pop, it was back. Now I could move it again quite normally. "Thanks" I murmured massaging my shoulder, it still pulsated with pain and I knew it will be the case in the next few days at least… I just hoped that no tissue or ligaments were tore or injured.
"What happened?"
"I wasn't careful enough, I guess. But I couldn't sense him, I thought no one is here."
"Jesus, Ror, you said you won't come here!" He now argued, getting upset.
"Let's not talk about broken promises, shall we?" I retorted crankily, shutting him up, but then seeing his hurtful expression I sighed tiredly. "Sorry, I didn't mean…"
"No, it's okay" He ensured me pressing his lips together. "You're right. Let's get back to the safe house" He offered as I nodded slightly.
We all needed to clear our heads.