AN: I'm on fire at the moment (not literally, that would be bad). We have another long chapter and I'm actually uploading on Sunday. The plot is racing now. We're going to exciting places, people – one of them being the customer service industry. I'm not even joking with that one.
Warnings for: the usual Court-trauma (nothing worse than has already happened in this series); some body horror; and also some sexual harassment (not graphic but still uncomfortable)
Ruby Warrior Girl 730: We're gonna see what happens with Bruce. :D
But I can definitely fulfil your second wish in this chapter. We're getting a lot of League deliberating this chapter. I love me some League politics and I'll stuff them into any story I can. Thanks for the lovely comment!
WillowBlueBird: Danke! Die Handlung hat jetzt echt Fahrt. Es hat ein bisschen langsamer angefangen, aber die Basis ist jetzt gelegt. :D
Ich bin auch ein Slade-fan. Ich liebe seine frenemy-Dynamik mit Nightwing.
Vielleicht ist es ein bisschen fies von dir, dass du dir Gefahr für Jason wünschst. Aber nach dem was ich Jason, Nightwing und co. in dieser Reige antue, kann ich nicht urteilen. Ich verstehe es. Haha :D
Wir kriegen eine Wally/Nightwing-Szene in diesem Kapitel. :D
11. Coping
Nightwing didn't know where Deathstroke was but he knew how to find him. There was a club in Blüdhaven where the Team had gone undercover once. Deathstroke had been there regularly, meeting with his clients. Apparently, Blüdhaven's corrupt leaders needed to get a lot of assassinations done. It was only a question of time until Deathstroke would turn up there – especially when he had heard of Nightwing's little escape.
Nightwing needed to reach the bus station. The city was swarming with police on the lookout for Red Hood and Nightwing. Even helicopters were circling the sky.
Nightwing wore the glamour charm, which disguised him as Dick Grayson. No one would bat an eye at him. Nightwing felt scummy for wearing a dead child's face. There was a reason he avoided the glamour charm when he could. But he had to wear it now if he wanted to get out of the city without having to fight dozens of police.
Nightwing's hesitance to wear the glamour charm reminded him of a conversation he'd had with Canary once.
She had been alarmed at Nightwing's tendency to divorce himself from Dick Grayson, saying: "You know that you are Dick Grayson, right?"
Nightwing had shaken his head vehemently: "The Court kill Dick Grayson. I not know this name until last year and not have his memories. He dead and I take over his body."
Canary had frowned in her concerned-therapist way: "It was still you who went through all this. You didn't gain a new consciousness."
"It not matter. I not remember. It happen to Dick. Not me."
"I saw a picture of John and Mary Grayson. You look a lot like him even with your changed features."
Nightwing had crossed his arms: "Because I steal their son's body."
"And did you also steal their son's skills? You were a trapeze artist once. I can still see it in the way you fight. The other Talons don't fight like you do. And you still like to do acrobatics, don't you? Dick Grayson is you, Nightwing."
"I steal his body and his skills", Nightwing had insisted, disliking what Canary was implying.
"Do you want to hear my theory why you are so eager to construct this barrier between Dick Grayson and Nightwing?"
"No", Nightwing had crossed his arms.
As always, Canary hadn't backed down, always challenging Nightwing: "I think it's a coping mechanism. If you say that Dick Grayson is a different person from you, then you can pretend that the Court didn't hurt you in this way."
"The Court hurt me enough. I not need Dick Grayson's trauma, too."
"See? It's a way for you to deny that the Court took your parents from you. That they abducted you and modified your body and mind against your will. All of this happened to you. No matter how you want to call yourself."
Nightwing had ignored her, staring down at his hands.
"Who was William Cobb to you?"
Nightwing had shrugged: "My master, my mentor, family. My Great-Grandfather even though he terrible at it. I love him."
"Shouldn't you say, he was Dick Grayson's Great-Grandfather? Instead, you are saying that he is yours. Do you see that you can't draw this line?"
Nightwing had frozen. Canary had tricked him, pushed him into a verbal corner.
Nightwing had closed himself off: "I like my line where is now. You wrong, Canary."
"If you say so", Canary had written something down on her notepad, obviously not believing him.
"Whatever", Nightwing had said, allowing frustration to creep into his voice.
Canary had seemed eager to bring it up again but she hadn't – which Nightwing was grateful for. He hated being confronted with Dick Grayson and he hated wearing his face like a tasteless mask.
Nightwing ripped himself out of his memories, focusing on the city. The streets were restless. Everyone seemed to walk more quickly than usual. Nightwing reached main street.
A mass of people was blocking the sidewalk looking up at something. Nightwing followed their eyesight. There was a giant billboard proclaiming that the Joker was dead and that Red Hood and Nightwing had killed him. That Nightwing had ditched patrol, betrayed Batman and gone rogue. That they were armed fugitives and dangerous.
Nightwing tilted his head. He had known that he had completely dragged any hero-credit he had amassed in the mud but seeing it was a different story. Hearing it, too. Nightwing picked up snippets of conversations.
A young woman said: "…It was only a question of time. What did the League think taking in a mass murderer would do?"
"I don't know. But if you ask me Nightwing and Red Hood are heroes. They finally saved us from that damn Clown", a man – who Nightwing presumed was her boyfriend – said.
"Think about it. They are deranged enough to take the Joker down. They have to be worse."
"And Batman trained Nightwing", another man chimed in, "Batman made his own villain."
The woman snickered: "I don't think Batman needed to do anything to make Nightwing a villain. That guy was a nutcase before Batman trained him. What I'm wondering is how Batman and the League could have been so stupid. He must have been playing the long-game."
"He was brainwashed by the Court of Owls", her boyfriend interjected, "Can't imagine that to be a fun time."
The woman shook her head: "I still can't believe those creeps are real. This city always manages to surprise you."
"Maybe he had a shitty childhood", the other guy said, "How sad. But a nutcase is a nutcase and a lost cause is a lost cause. He's obviously a danger to the public so he has to be put down. You see that Taipei-video and the other videos?"
"No way. I get sick from that shit", the woman said.
"Well, I saw all of them-"
"Where do you even find that stuff?", the boyfriend seemed disgusted.
"It's all floating around online. You just gotta look. I saw them all and they are a fucking massacre. Maybe he did it under duress. Who knows? Who cares? Could be an excuse for all we know. Still, even if it isn't and he did all that because of some sick brainwashing shit – you're screwed up after that. It's a mercy-kill at this point."
"You're still talking about people here. Seems a bit nasty to write them off as irredeemable after they've been tortured for years", the boyfriend said.
"I'm thinking pragmatically", the guy said.
"And does a Talon even count as a person anymore?", the girlfriend asked, "Like do Talons get human rights?"
"They are sentient. Of course, they do", the boyfriend said.
"We don't know that. Maybe they can fake it."
The other guy said: "I saw the Court documents on how they made them. Horror movie-level-shit. They took those kids and put them in those tanks-"
Nightwing couldn't listen anymore. He pushed himself through the crowd, feeling nauseous suddenly. He stumbled over his own feet hurrying to get away. Nightwing needed to reach that bus station. He needed to get out of Gotham. The whole city was making him claustrophobic.
Nightwing's first memory was waking up in a freezing chamber as the Court's technicians defrosted him. It had been terrifying and painful.
They had opened the chamber and Nightwing's limb body had fallen forward. The technicians with the white masks had caught his body easily, carried him towards another room and strapped him to a gurney. Then, they had drafted the claws into his fingers – fused them to his bones - one by one.
There had been other Talons around him. All of them kids like Nightwing at the time. Faces deadly white and golden eyes ripped open in wide terror as they also received their claws. It had been a mass operation and Nightwing had been nothing but another nameless Talon to those technicians.
Nightwing had screamed. He had been a vocal child then. The technicians had gagged him. He had been strapped to that gurney for what he assumed were days as his body tried to push the claws out and heal his bleeding fingers. But the claws had been fused too tightly into his bones. They wouldn't be thrown out. His body had understood the futileness of its attempts after a while and his fingers had grown around the claws - incorporating them.
The technicians had regularly pulled at Nightwing's fingers to check the progress of the claws. Ignoring his squirming within his restraints and his desperate cries behind the gag.
These technicians had treated their task like any other job. Talking about their families while they checked the claws of the quivering Talons. Telling their work friend about the new cars they wanted to buy, movies they wanted to see. There had been this obnoxious couple flirting over Nightwing's head while they had taken samples of Nightwing's blood. Saying things a child shouldn't have heard in hindsight.
But Nightwing hadn't been a child to them. Only a subject without a name to process. And only recently had Nightwing understood how fucked up this had been.
These technicians had killed Dick Grayson. They had stripped him from being a child to being nothing but a nameless tool. And Nightwing hated them for it.
It was painful to hear Nightwing's life – Dick Grayson's death - be talked about in this manner. To hear people, people who didn't know anything, say that it didn't matter if his trauma had really happened. To hear them question Nightwing's personhood. To hear them call him a lost cause and treat him like a suffering dog to be put down for everyone else's safety.
Nightwing knew that his trauma had happened and that it mattered to him. He also knew that he was a person. Something that Jason had taught him. And he knew that – even if he was suffering – he wasn't a lost cause. He had his own moral code and he would put his life on the line to take down the biggest villains the world had ever seen. And most importantly, he would finally free the Talons from being traded like objects. They deserved to be treated like people again – get at least this bare minimum of decency.
So, no. Nightwing wouldn't do these people – who knew nothing about him except what other people and Court documents had told them about him – the favour and just die for their safety of mind. Nightwing had a mission, and he would fulfil it with everything the Court, Cobb, Jason, the League, Batman, the Team and even Deathstroke had taught him.
Nightwing reached the bus station. He dug through his pocket with grim determination and took out a few coins he had taken from their gracious (involuntary) host for the night. Nightwing had felt bad at the time, but Jason's money would more than make up for it.
He got his ticket and waited at the station. No one paid him much mind. No one saw Dick Grayson as a threat. He was just another young man waiting for his bus to arrive.
Nightwing's face still felt itchy, but it also felt oddly freeing. Being just another nobody in a crowd. Deciding where he wanted to go with a mission instead of just taking orders.
Nightwing smiled to himself as he boarded the bus to Blüdhaven.
Nightwing reached the club and staked it out from outside. Blüdhaven had been a whaling town once which explained the city's giant port. Pirates used to roam around here when the port had still been flourishing. With whaling being prohibited, the city had been dead for decades until it had recently switched towards casinos and tourism.
Now, colourful billboards covered the whole city disguising a town behind them that creaked under corruption and despair. The whole city smelled like rotten fish - even downtown far away from the harbour. Wally had complained about that smell during the whole undercover mission. Nightwing's chest hurt at the thought. He would love to have a complaining Wally in his ear now.
But Wally was far away out of this life of heroes and villains. Unaware of Nightwing's plans. Nightwing bit his lip. He needed to contact Wally somehow. Write him a vague letter. It was riskier than keeping completely quiet. But Nightwing wouldn't be able to live with Wally believing that Nightwing was a villain. Or even worse: That Nightwing didn't love him and had always been out to betray him.
Wally would probably be angry. He would go to college and find someone beautiful, smart, funny and sweet. Someone who was worthy of Wally and wasn't subject to a nation-wide manhunt. Nightwing should feel happy for Wally at that idea. But he could only feel bitter, piercing jealousy.
Nightwing opened his mouth, forcing himself to stop biting his lip bloody. He couldn't afford to do it in his disguise. The glamour charm wouldn't disguise the black blood that clung to his lip. It would be strange to have Dick Grayson's handsome face be marred by Nightwing's rotten Talon-blood.
Nightwing tilted his head as he noticed a piece of paper at the door of the club. Help wanted: Waiter. Nightwing smiled to himself. He needed to get that job. Lay low and observe the club until Deathstroke would show up eventually to conduct business.
It was what the Team had done the last time. Wally, Artemis and M'Gann had posed as waiters and Kaldur and Conner as visitors. Nightwing had given them backup if things got dicey. This club liked their staff desperate so they could work them as hard as they wanted. And Nightwing was feeling pretty desperate himself so it would work out well.
Nightwing approached the club. There was a bouncer standing outside. Taller than Jason even with broad arms. He scrutinized Nightwing. Nightwing forced himself to look as unassuming as possible. The stolen clothes from the flat were well-worn, giving Nightwing that desperate look.
"You have enough money to play?", the bouncer looked him up and down.
"I look for job, Sir. I see sign."
The bouncer hummed, his gaze taking Nightwing apart: "You not from here?"
"No", Nightwing said, "I new here."
Nightwing coming from somewhere else would be the perfect cover to explain his hacky speech. And it would make him seem like easy prey.
"You got any papers?", the bouncer asked.
Nightwing widened his eyes, making himself look like a frightened rabbit: "I- Is problem?"
The bouncer smiled: "No worries. Blüdhaven always welcomes new arrivals. Go up the stairs to the left."
Nightwing smiled widely: "Thank you, Sir."
"Sure, kid", the bouncer opened the door.
Nightwing entered the club. It had loud thumping music. People were pressing themselves against each other on the dancefloor by the bar. Sweaty bodies thrusting to the music. Waiters in tight outfits were serving drinks by the casino tables. Men in suits and women in fancy evening gowns were sitting in front of their respective piles of chips.
Nightwing could hear the voice of the bouncer talking outside to another person: "…found a new kid for you. Illegal. Probably around 20. English is bad but enough to serve drinks. And he's got a pretty face. All the rich broads will love him. Probably desperate enough to do some things on the side…"
Nightwing forced himself to stop listening and went up the stairs. This city was full of predators. And Nightwing was playing prey.
Nightwing reached an office on the first floor and was greeted by a swamy man with a cigar who explained all the details to him. Long hours, shitty pay and no legal security whatsoever. Nightwing smiled though as if the man had just offered him a mansion.
"Thank you, Sir", he said in a quiet voice, gaze directed at the desk in front of him.
"You start right now. What's your name, kid?"
"Richard", Nightwing said, "Richard… West."
He tensed a bit at the thought that he had just given himself Wally's last name as a cover story. It was the first name that had shot into his mind. He liked the sound of it though. It meant more to him than Grayson ever had.
"Sure, Richard West", the man obviously didn't believe him.
But he didn't seem to care as he shushed Nightwing out of the office and handed him some clothes.
"Your uniform", the man said, "As your employers, we get any tips. For the risk of employing someone like you. You better make enough, kid, or you're out."
"Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir."
Nightwing changed in the staff toilet stall. He looked at Dick Grayson in the mirror. The leather pants his new employer had given him were extremely tight and he wore a deep V-neck. Nightwing chewed on his lip again, forcing himself to stop.
"Sorry, Dick", Nightwing muttered, "I not like this outfit, too."
He felt even dirtier at using a dead person's face like this. But he had no choice. And so he left the toilet stall – entering the main room of the club. The other waiters didn't have much patience for him. The oldest simply pushed a tray into his hand and told him to start.
Nightwing watched what the other waiters were doing. It wasn't complicated. The Court had its Talons serve drinks sometimes during their meetings. Nightwing knew how it was done and what rich pricks expected.
So, Nightwing filled his tray, took orders and scurried from one end of the room to the other. It was not much different than serving the Court. Only that Nightwing's face wasn't hidden behind a mask this time and he was expected to smile and look pretty.
Nightwing came into a routine during the night. He managed to ignore creepy advances of the rich customers for the most part. Smiling through it all and acting like he didn't mind when they pinched his cheek and stared at him like he was prey. It was pretty much how the Court had acted. Nothing new.
The club was filled with people from all over the world. Nightwing heard snippets of conversations in several different languages. He had never heard so many different languages in one place before as he kept away from crowds usually. But now he could hear them all clearly and Nightwing frowned when he understood snippets of those conversations without having to think about it.
Nightwing's thoughts raced. Dick Grayson had been a circus kid. Travelling all over the world. Maybe his first language hadn't even been English or he had picked up some languages on the way. It had to be another ability Nightwing had stolen from him without being aware of it. He couldn't answer in those languages. His throat closed off just at the thought of it. But he still understood.
One woman at the table with the dice games snipped at him. She had already ordered multiple Margaritas and grown increasingly tipsy over the night.
"How can I help you?", Nightwing smiled.
He tensed when she gripped his V-neck, pulled him towards her and held up her dices in front of his face. Nightwing frowned. Not understanding what she wanted.
"Blow on my dices, sweetheart. Give me some luck."
Nightwing frowned, his smile slipping for a moment. He felt more than a bit uncomfortable with the people staring at him. Nightwing didn't need to breathe and he couldn't blow. So, he simply formed his lip as if he could. As if he was more than a corpse walking and had some breath of life left in him.
"Weak lungs on you, kid", the woman said, "Let's hope your pretty face can offset them."
The table laughed and Nightwing wanted to vanish in the floor.
The woman threw her dices. Nightwing could see the numbers, but he didn't know what to make of them. The woman could because she glared at Nightwing.
"This is the worst hand I ever had", she snarled.
Nightwing didn't know what to answer. He didn't get to answer because the woman proceeded to yell at him for screwing up her hand while the rest of the table jeered.
Nightwing stood there – dumbfounded. Customer service was something else.
He left the table eventually and returned to the bar. Feeling more than a little bit smug. He didn't wish bad on anyone usually. Still, that's what this horrible person got for asking a Talon to give her good luck.
Nightwing couldn't wait for Deathstroke to show up. He would lose his mind here.
Once his shift was over, Nightwing retreated to the empty port, huddling in a corner. He enjoyed the gentle rush of the water even if the smell was disgusting. Nightwing took out the burner phone he had bought in a 24/7 shop. He knew Wally's number from memory.
Nightwing had debated writing a letter but letters could be intercepted and opened. Nightwing needed to be sure that Wally got his message.
So, he took his time to write the longest text message he had ever written:
"Dear Wally,
I understand if you angry with me. I understand if you not trust me anymore. I must scare you by just vanish. But I had leave. I had take control of my life. By now, they say lot bad things about me. More than usual. You always trust in me even from the beginning when I not trust myself and I appreciate it. I beg you trust me this time, too. Even if much to ask. Probably too much.
Just know: I love you so much and I miss you. I not know when – if – I can come back. Maybe I not survive this. But I fight for survive. I always do. For myself and people I love. For you.
I have plan. I cannot tell like this. If want know more, ask B. He tell you. I hope. If not want know plan or tired of me and want move on, I understand.
One last favor I not deserve: Please not tell anyone about message – except B. Delete. You not can contact me with this number again. Just wanted you to know and not vanish without word.
Love you,
your very sorry criminal boyfriend (who you might want dump after this but please not.)
PS: Have fun at college, Wally!"
Nightwing didn't even bother to suppress his tears as he sent the message. He was alone in a dodgy corner. No one to see him break apart. Nightwing was about to throw the phone into the water when it buzzed. Of course, Wally was so quick. Nightwing should have known.
An onslaught of messages hit him.
"I love you. I'm not dumping you over this."
"You keep saying that I should dump you because I deserve better. You're being stupid. You ever think that I'm wondering how I deserve you?"
Nightwing couldn't let this self-depreciation stand. He typed angrily: "You are best. You deserve best."
"So, you're still there."
Nightwing froze. Wally sounded triumphant. He had baited Nightwing into answering by being self-depreciating. Wally knew him so well.
"You are the best for me", Wally wrote, "Even if you worry me sick sometimes."
Nightwing bit his lip bloody. His hands were shaking. He should really dispose of this phone. It was getting riskier the longer Nightwing kept it.
"Babe, call me."
"I need to hear your voice."
"Baaaaabeee."
"Sweetheart."
"Light of my life."
"Apple of my eye."
"My socially inept but cute little ninja."
Nightwing chuckled at Wally's messages, more tears streaming down his face. Wally was being so sweet and it broke Nightwing's heart. He couldn't take it.
"We don't need to call. Tell me where you are and I'm there in a few minutes."
The offer was enticing. Wally could be here in a few minutes. He would come here and pull Nightwing into a close hug. They would kiss and Wally wouldn't dare let him go. Nightwing wouldn't dare let Wally go. They would laugh from relief and Wally would make a comment about Nightwing's tight clothes to break the ice.
Nightwing could imagine it. It was enticing and that made it dangerous. Neither of them would be able to let go. Nightwing wouldn't be able to go off on his mission. But he needed to for the Talons, Donna and himself. Nightwing needed to succeed on this mission. To show that he could be on his own and make his own decisions. He had to prove Cobb, the Court and everyone else wrong.
Nightwing could be more than a mindless tool. He could be a whole person with agency. So, he had to be strong now. He couldn't crawl back to anyone now. Not even Wally.
"I can't. I love you, Wally."
Nightwing raised his arm, ready to throw the phone into the sea.
Another message lit up the screen: "Come to Fawcett if you need me. I'm there."
The phone landed in the water with a quiet splash. Nightwing pulled his legs to his chest, hiding his face in his thighs. He allowed himself to cry for a bit.
A lonely little Talon on a mission that he had given himself for a change. He had no idea what he was doing and everything could go horribly wrong. But Nightwing had to try. He couldn't live under someone else's thumb anymore – even if that thumb belonged to the greatest heroes of the world.
Bruce wanted to avoid this League-meeting altogether. Play the recluse that Batman was known for. But his communicator kept buzzing and Bruce knew that he would only make it worse if he didn't show up.
Nightwing's plan was incredibly risky and Bruce hated it with his whole being. Still, he hadn't been able to keep Nightwing from leaving. Now Bruce needed to put all the right cards into place to ensure that his son even had a fighting chance.
So, Bruce put on his suit and ignored Alfred's sad gaze. He zetaed to the Watchtower and was greeted with chaos.
"Batman", Black Canary approached him immediately at the teleporter as if she had waited for him, "I need to speak to you in private."
Batman sauntered past her towards the meeting room.
Superman floated next to him: "How are you feeling, Bruce?"
"It's Batman. Code names only", Batman grunted out.
Superman sighed. Exasperated at Batman's attitude. Batman felt slightly bad at dismissing Superman's friendly support this way, but Superman was used to it by now.
Batman sat down in the meeting room waiting for the other Leaguers to arrive.
"I do not wish to disturb", Kaldur approached in his new Aquaman-uniform, sitting down next to Bruce, "I need to know what happened."
A tinge of fear creeped into Aquaman's voice.
"You'll hear the report with the others, Aquaman."
"Nightwing was my teammate", Aquaman said, "I would appreciate it if-"
"He wasn't your teammate because he was never a full part of the team."
"Well, he was my friend."
"He wasn't because he betrayed us all."
Aquaman froze. The other Leaguers were watching, exchanging concerned glances.
"Can you please explain, Batman?", Wonder Woman was staying level-headed as usual.
Batman appreciated it. It was a welcome change from Flash's twitching foot and Canary's angry glare.
The door to the meeting room opened, showing what remained of the Team. Artemis, Ms. Martian and Superboy. Artemis' expression was one of grim determination.
"What are you doing here?", Green Arrow asked, "You don't have League-clearance."
Aquaman cleared his throat: "I let them in. They have a right to information as Nightwing's former team members."
"Damn right we do", Artemis sat down next to Canary, glaring at Green Arrow.
Green Arrow sighed.
Ms. Martian and Superboy squeezed in next to Artemis.
Wonder Woman spoke up: "I don't think we can have the kids-"
"They aren't kids anymore", Canary interjected, "They are just as qualified as Zatanna, Rocket and Aquaman who are fully-fledged Leaguers. There is no reason why they shouldn't be here."
"Let them stay", Flash said, "Nightwing's their friend. They deserve to know everything."
"What happened, Batman?", Superman asked.
Batman forced himself to report as detachedly as possible regarding the events from the night before.
"The Joker is really dead?", Artemis asked in shock.
"Red Hood killed him", Batman confirmed, "And Nightwing shot Harley Quinn. She is recovering currently."
"So, what? Nightwing just snapped and left?", Hal Jordan asked.
"He refused to put on his collar again and ganged up on me together with Red Hood."
"And they got the better of you, Spookie?", Hal asked.
Batman forced himself to stay detached despite of Hal's insufferableness.
"I trained Nightwing well. Too well. I couldn't defeat him and Red Hood."
Jordan soaked in a breath: "Spookie admitting failure. What happened to this world?"
"Stay focused, Jordan", John Stewart said, "What if Nightwing just ran away? We don't know if he betrayed us."
Batman frowned. He hadn't expected John Stewart of all people – who had been suspicious of Nightwing from the beginning – to give him the benefit of the doubt.
"He was overwhelmed by the restrictions we put on him", Canary's tone reeked of 'I told you so', "He got closed off in my sessions with him after we put the measures on him. Anxious."
Hawkman scoffed: "What if that anxiety was caused by him knowing that he would betray us soon? Ever think about that?"
"Nightwing is not a traitor", Artemis glared at Hawkman, "He's my friend. And you barely know him so shut up."
Some League exchanged shocked glances.
"Artemis", Canary put a grounding hand on Artemis' shoulder.
Green Arrow's voice was careful: "Not everyone is as noble as you Artemis and can be reformed. Maybe Nightwing just pretended to be like you to get close to-"
Artemis banged onto the table: "I don't need you to explain my friendship to me. I know Nightwing. We had something special, and I didn't imagine that. He never was how you all painted him to be."
"What was he then?", Jordan asked, "We know he has skeletons in his closet that go into the hundreds. We know that he went through horrible torture and – frankly – isn't right in the head. All the odds were against Nightwing. You can't come back from something like that."
"We are heroes", Superman interjected, "We believe in the best in people. Maybe Nightwing just got overwhelmed and ran away. We don't know. We can find him and talk to him like heroes. Offer him help."
"Or he's going to drive a Kryptonite-dagger into your chest like the good, little assassin he is", Jordan added.
"I'm willing to take that risk", Superman glared at Jordan, "We can't just give up on that boy."
"Stop, Superman", Batman kept his voice low, as if he was truly heartbroken about this – well he was, but not in the way he needed the League to believe, "Nightwing didn't just run away because he was overwhelmed. You didn't see him. He had a goal and a purpose. And I heard him mention Deathstroke to Red Hood."
"You think Nightwing is working with Deathstroke?", Wonder Woman seemed alarmed, "We know the Light abducted Donna and Deathstroke is working with them. Could Nightwing be involved in her disappearance?"
From this moment, Batman knew that he had successfully turned Wonder Woman against Nightwing. She had felt affection and empathy for Nightwing but Donna was her little sister. If Nightwing worked with Donna's abductors, Wonder Woman's sympathy would run out. Batman understood. He would have felt the same if any of the other sidekicks had betrayed them and harmed Nightwing.
Batman said: "I worry this is most likely the case. All the evidence points towards it and I can't ignore it any longer."
Wonder Woman looked at the table, taking a deep breath. She balled her fists, simmering in quiet rage.
"See?", Jordan looked at Superman, "Deathstroke and the Light planted him. And we idiots let him right in."
"So, it was all an act?", Martian Manhunter seemed dubious, "His anxiety. His fear of the Court? I could sense distress in his mind."
"It wasn't. It was real", Canary crossed her arms.
"No offence, Dinah but you have a kind soul", Green Arrow bit his lip, "Especially towards kids. Maybe you saw what you wanted to see. A teenager with issues who needed help."
Canary glared at him: "Offence taken."
Green Arrow shrank back in the face of Canary's wrath.
Flash sighed, his foot tapping even quicker: "Damn it. Wally is going to be so heartbroken. I can't believe it. They were always so sweet together. Nightwing was good for Wally."
"I have bad news for you, Allen", Jordan said, "Your nephew slept with a Deathstroke-plant. You can be glad though that Nightwing didn't stab him in the back while Wally was asleep."
Flash's foot stopped tapping and his face grew even more horrified.
Batman could feel the mood shifting. Against Nightwing. Just like they needed for the mission to succeed. It still burned in his chest though to hear his friends talk so badly about his son.
"What was the objective here?", Wonder Woman asked, "Why would Deathstroke pull Nightwing now?"
"Deathstroke and Nightwing met in Qurac", Aquaman said, "I found Nightwing dead on the floor in that warehouse with the collar. Maybe they staged a fight to be able to talk without suspicion. Deathstroke could have given Nightwing orders that day."
"Kal", Ms. Martian seemed horrified, "You can't believe that Nightwing betrayed us?"
"I don't believe anything", Aquaman said, "I'm just adding my piece of the puzzle so we can go through any possibility."
"It was shortly after we put the restrictions on Nightwing", Hawkman said, "Maybe we invertedly saved the League that way. Maybe Nightwing couldn't finish Deathstroke's plan with all the scrutiny on him."
"You believe that Nightwing joined us with the intention to betray us? Or he came up with it later?", Flash asked.
"Does it matter?", Stewart said, "The result is the same. We have an assassin with invaluable intel and League training on the loose working for Deathstroke."
"Geez, make it sound even worse, John", Flash muttered.
"I don't need to make it sound worse because it is that bad."
"Well, it matters to Wally if Nightwing was genuine in the beginning", Flash threw in.
There was heavy silence.
"We'll never know", Martian Manhunter said, "Only Nightwing knows."
Batman had stayed quiet during most of this. Allowing the League to come to their own worst conclusion. He had to give the final push.
Batman stared at the table: "I have to apologize."
Everyone stared at him in shock.
"Batman", Superman tried to interject.
Batman raised his hand to cut him off: "I'm sorry. Nightwing tricked me. He appealed to… instincts I didn't even know I had. I wanted to protect him. Reform him. So, I took him in and trained him. I made him into an even more dangerous weapon."
"It happens to the best of us, Batman", Wonder Woman tried to console him.
Batman shook his head: "I think he was genuinely scared of Cobb and the Court. Maybe Deathstroke and the Light offered him protection and he took the opportunity. Planting him with the League was the perfect plan for the Light. Two birds with one stone. They could gain League-intel and use us to get rid of their biggest rival without taking the risk themselves."
Green Arrow muttered: "Damn it. We got played hard. Even Bats. By what? A Zombie-assassin?"
"He kept coming after us in the beginning during missions", Superboy said, "I thought he just wanted to make friends. Probably just wanted to get close instead."
Ms. Martian looked close to tears: "It can't all be a lie. It can't be. I refuse to believe that."
Superboy put a hand on Ms. Martian's shoulder: "The evidence is in front of us, M'Gann. Nightwing has run over to Deathstroke or maybe he never was with us at all."
"But it hurts", Ms. Martian's tears were falling now, "I- We can't just give up on him. I felt all this pain in his head. He was scared. He was anxious. Traumatized. Even if he is a mole, we can't just leave him to the Light."
"We didn't just leave him. We took him in with open arms. We treated him like a friend because he was one", Superboy said, "And he stabbed us in the back. He'll do it again – no matter how often you try to save him."
Ms. Martian bit her lip.
"Think about Wally", Superboy's face twisted in rage, "Nightwing put on this vulnerable act. He played Wally completely. Our friend. You need to have a cold heart to trick someone in such an intimate way."
Ms. Martian wrapped her arms around herself.
"Think, M'Gann. Batman knew him like nobody else and Batman believes he is a mole. Where does that leave us?", Superboy said.
Ms. Martian broke into tears and hid her face in Superboy's shirt. Superboy wrapped his arms around her.
Artemis jumped up: "You are all wrong."
She was the last firm defender Nightwing had left. Even Canary and Superman had grown quiet.
"Nightwing is a good person. One of the best people I know. And if he ran over to Deathstroke, then it was because he snapped."
"His motives don't matter", Stewart said, "Nightwing is an enemy of the League now. One of the highest priority."
"Of course, they don't. Now when your self-fulfilling prophecy has come true", Artemis scoffed, "You kept questioning him even when he gave you no reason to question. He was a true hero for a whole year at my side and what did he get as a reward? You collared him like a dog."
"For good reason as it turned out", Hawkman interjected.
Artemis glared at him again: "You hypocrites make it far too easy for yourselves. You shouldn't be surprised that someone bites when you treat them like a rabid dog."
"Are you justifying his betrayal, Artemis?", Flash asked.
"Go ahead. Villainize me, too."
"No one is villainizing you, Artemis", Flash tried to calm her down.
"Could have fooled me", Artemis said.
"We gave Nightwing all the tools he could need. We gave him support and a home", Green Arrow said, "He decided to throw it all away."
"Whatever", Artemis stomped towards the door, "I'm tired of talking about this. I expected better from all of you."
She left.
"Ouch", Green Arrow muttered.
"You really believe that he tricked us?", Canary looked directly at Batman.
"Yes", Batman said.
Canary lowered her head, her voice subdued: "Maybe I underestimated the toll on Nightwing's psyche. I was confident that he could heal with enough support. I saw him heal. It amazed me how much he was healing. But maybe the Court left him more broken than even I could have expected. Maybe he wasn't able to build realattachments anymore after all. Nightwing was conditioned to hide his emotions. Perfect for a mole."
"We don't know the extent of what happened to him", Green Arrow took Canary's hand in an expression of comfort, "We just know that he went through some incredibly fucked up shit as a kid. I'd like to think that he is a victim and we can give him the help he needs. But maybe we can't. Maybe some things are too terrible to heal from. And maybe that child is already dead."
Canary closed her eyes. She ran her hand through her hair, exhaustion becoming visible in the frown on her face.
"We didn't know him after all", Jordan shook his head, "Is Nightwing even his real name? Or did he take it to suck up to Superman? It would be a brilliant plan to get Big Blue on his side."
"His name is Nightwing", Superman interjected, "I saw how happy it made him when I allowed him to take the name. Even if he betrayed us, that couldn't have been faked."
"Couldn't have faked it? He doesn't have a heartbeat. You can't know if he was lying", Hawkman said.
"So, you aren't denouncing him?", Jordan asked, "You're letting that traitor drag a Kryptonian legend into the mud?"
"I'm not taking that from him", Superman said, "Like we said: Nightwing went through horrible torture as a child. It changed him. Maybe he is a villain now. But the child that he was still deserves the name chose."
"Even if he is involved in the disappearance of my little sister?", Wonder Woman said.
"We don't know for sure."
"Stop being naïve, Superman", Hawkwoman said, "We have all the evidence in front of us. We have Batman confirming that Nightwing is a traitor – the one who was closest to Nightwing out of all of us. What more evidence do you need?"
Superman sighed: "I guess I just like listening to my gut. I need to hear it from Nightwing himself to believe it."
"You'll hear it soon because we're capturing that traitor once we find him", Wonder Woman said, "And then we'll interrogate him with the lasso to find out where he has hidden my sister."
"We'll search for him", Aquaman said, "And we'll interrogate him to dispel all doubts."
"You have all the information you need", Batman stood up.
He was sick of this meeting. Batman had reached his goal. He had turned almost the whole League against his son and even sewn significant doubt in the Team. Nightwing's cover would be safe now.
Batman strolled out of the meeting, feeling the stares on his back. He wasn't sure if he had won or lost in this situation.
Batman appeared in the Cave, ready to take out the Batmobile and let out his frustration on some criminals who were unfortunate enough to cross his way.
Alfred's voice was dry: "You have a visitor."
Only now did Batman notice the mop of red hair in his Cave. Wally was pacing around.
"Where is Nightwing?", Wally asked.
"I'm not the right person to mend your hurt feelings, West. Nightwing is with Deathstroke now. He betrayed the League."
"Cut the bullshit", Wally said, "I know Nightwing. He's loyal to a fault."
"Loyal to a fault to Deathstroke."
Wally scoffed: "You aren't believing what you are saying yourself, Bats. Nightwing is loyal to you. His Dad. And I. And Jason. And the Team. Not the damn assassin with the 90s-name."
Batman shook his head at Wally's attitude. He had no energy for it now.
"I know you have a plan", Wally said, "Nightwing told me to ask you about it."
Batman froze: "You spoke with him?"
Wally took out his phone. He showed Batman the message. Batman's chest felt tight. He could feel the pain in Nightwing's words.
Bruce took off his cowl, seeing Wally. His forehead was creased in worry and there was such a fierce care in his eyes.
"You are out of the game", Bruce said, "So, it can't harm to tell you about the plan. But you can't tell anyone. Anyone. That includes the Flash and even Artemis. If anyone asks, you'll act heartbroken at Nightwing's betrayal."
Wally nodded.
"You can start by erasing these messages", Batman erased them without further ado, putting the phone on his workbench to erase the remaining traces later.
Wally's face fell but he didn't attempt to stop Bruce. He must understand the severity of this situation.
Bruce sighed and sat down on the chair. He told Wally about Nightwing's plan. Wally sat still for once.
Once Bruce had ended, Wally said: "I can't believe it. That self-sacrificing idiot."
"Tell me about it", Bruce muttered, "That boy is giving me grey hair."
"I'm already getting grey hair from him and I'm like a gazillion years younger than you, Bats. Wait. How old are you, Bats?"
Bruce had to supress a smile. He really was bonding with his son's boyfriend over this.
"Do you understand how much Nightwing is risking in this operation?", Bruce asked.
"I do", Wally said, "No one will hear anything from me. If I need to lie to protect him, I will."
Bruce nodded in grudging respect. Nightwing had chosen well with Wally.
When Donna woke up, there were heavy cuffs around her wrists and ankles. She pulled on them, but her body felt unusually weak. She wasn't slumped in a cage anymore but standing up. They must have sedated her and transported her somewhere else.
Donna felt panic rise in her chest. She truly was in a desperate situation now. Those people knew what they were doing from the measures they had used to control the Talons. Donna had squandered her chance to flee. She didn't regret it though. She couldn't have risked Talon's life for her own safety.
Talon. Where was she? Last Donna had seen her, she had been under the control of the Conductor. Donna opened her eyes, her gaze racing around. Donna wasn't alone. She was in a containment chamber, glass in front of her body. Scientists in white lab coats were walking around, not bothered by Donna's visible panic.
"Where is Talon?", Donna screamed at them, "What did you do with her?"
They ignored her, instead walking towards another chamber. A girl was in there. Her skin was orange and her hair a long fiery red. She cursed at the scientists in an unknown language while they took her blood. Donna frowned. The girl's eyes were green. Was she a metahuman? Or something else?
One of the scientists seemed annoyed: "Gag the Tamaranean."
Tamaranean. Donna looked more closely at the girl. She knew of Tamaran. A planet in the far-away Vega system. Diana had met them a few times – specifically the King and Queen.
The scientists forced a gag into the Tamaranean's mouth. She kept spitting insults at them. Donna admired her resolve even if didn't do anything to faze the scientists.
"The new girl is awake", someone hushed next to her, a deep, male voice.
"She's hot. You think she's gonna give me her number?", a higher-pitched voice answered.
The older boy groaned: "Can you think with your brain for a change? We have more important things to worry about."
Donna turned to the voices. The older voice must belong to the black boy whose body wasn't complete at the moment. Donna did a double take.
The boy seemed annoyed: "Yes. I'm a cyborg. And yes those fuckers took me apart."
The main part of the boy's body was contained just as as Donna was. He was missing his limbs and one of his eyes though. They were strewn around on tables around the boy's containment chamber. The scientists had to be studying them – no care for the person whose body they were violating.
Donna didn't know what to answer. The boy didn't seem eager for pity.
"Hey, you really an Amazon?", the higher pitched voice asked her.
Donna looked at him. A boy – who had to be the youngest of their unfortunate group - with green skin and a… tail? Whoever was behind this little science project, had collected some interesting people here.
"Yes", Donna answered.
A pathetic Amazon who had failed to save her friend.
"I'm Garfield", the boy smiled, "The grumpy dude is Victor. The babe over there is… well, we don't know her name yet. It has to be lovely though."
"I'm Donna."
"You know Wonder Woman, right?", Garfield asked.
"She's my sister."
"So, she should be looking for you", Garfield looked at Victor with a hopeful glint in his eyes, "Maybe they made a mistake bringing you here. Maybe Wonder Woman is gonna come and kick their asses."
Donna bit her lip. She didn't want to shatter Garfield's hope but it had been weeks at this point since Donna's abduction. Diana would have found her by now if things were easy.
Victor scoffed: "You think Donna would be here if Wonder Woman was close? Once you're here, it's over. We're done for. No one is gonna come."
Garfield glared at Victor: "You are such a wet blanket. It pisses me off."
"At least, I'm not stupidly naïve", Victor said.
Garfield shrunk back, lowering his face. He looked scared.
Victor sighed: "I'm sorry, Gar. I hope Wonder Woman is gonna show up."
"You're right, Vic. I'm being naïve."
Victor bit his lip. He seemed guilty for shattering Garfield's hope.
"Where are we?", Donna was terrified to ask.
"Project Titan", Victor said, "Or as I like to call it: A shithole where they experiment on freaks that no one will miss."
Donna's spirits fell even deeper than before. She truly was in a desperate situation. Still, she couldn't stand the hopeless expressions on Gar's and Victor's faces.
Donna forced a smile on her face: "I'm sure Wonder Woman will find us. Or the League. They are heroes after all."
And Donna had been a fool for believing she could be one. It had led her straight into the clutches of Project Titan.
At Gotham airport, Jason Todd boarded a flight to India with a fake passport. If everything went according to plan, he would reach Nanda Parbat soon.
AN: So, Nightwing's and Bruce's plan is working. The League hates/distrusts him now. Yay I guess?
Nightwing and Wally are still the cutest and I'm sorry for putting them through this. I shall repent for my sins. (Can I be forgiven for having Nightwing choose 'West' as his fake last name?) Artemis – the queen – sticking with Nightwing. Superman still being Uncle Clark.
Also, Nightwing having the worst experience as a waiter. Will Slade save him from this customer service-hell? Or is Nightwing damned to work in that club for all eternity (he's a Talon, he could).
…And we have the Titans! *Insert Teen Titans-theme song here* I've been sitting on introducing them for so long. I love them. Sorry Raven-fans (I count myself as one, am I apologizing to myself?) but I couldn't fit her into this. :(
The only one from the New Teen Titans-line up who isn't in this story. I love Raven though. She just didn't fit into the team dynamics I'm trying to build. Despite that, we're in for some exciting stuff!