Thank you to those who read last chapter. Please leave a review. I do not own DC Comics or any of their characters. Italics is personal thoughts, bold italics is commlink communication. Please excuse any mistakes I may have made. Thank you for reading and enjoy!
Richard walked into the precinct after meeting with Bruce, only to be met with the sight of a female cop being held at knife point. He sighed. This had happened quite a lot in Bludhaven; he grew to know how to handle these situations. He walked towards the thug and cop.
"Hey there." He said with a wave.
"Stay back!" The thug yelled.
Richard put up both hands in surrender.
"No problem. I don't want to stabbed, but do you want to get shot?" Richard retorted.
"N-No, but I don't want to go to jail!" The thug replied.
Richard took a step forward.
"That's going to be impossible if you kill the nice officer lady, won't it?" Richard said.
Thug was shaking at this moment, realizing Richard was right. Richard took another step forwards. About four feet away, I can make it if I reach and am fast about it. He reached into his jacket without gaining the Thug's attention.
"Now that you know that, how about you-" Richard started.
He rushed forward while grabbing his escrima sticks from the inside of his jacket and slamming them both down on the hand holding the knife. The criminal shout out in pain and dropped the knife. Richard pulled the female cop away from the thug and hit the criminal in the face. He dropped to the floor. Richard tucked his escrima sticks back into his jackets and sighed.
"Someone handcuff him and put him in a cell before he wakes up, please." He said over his shoulder as he walked to the Gordon's office. He stepped into the commissioner's office.
"Nice job, kid. Haven't seen something like that since I was a detective." Gordon praised.
"Thank you, Sir." Richard said before getting to business.
"So I talked to Bruce Wayne and I think he-" Richard started but was interrupted by the insane cackle of the Joker over the cities announcing system. Gordon rushed passed him.
"Come on kid!" The man yelled over his shoulder as he ran.
Richard sighed before sprinting after him and practically jumping onto his motorcycle, completely ignoring putting on his helmet, and racing off to trail behind Gordon's car. Richard followed the man to the Gotham's communication building. Richard turned off his bike just as Gordon got out of his car.
"The hell are all of you doing?! Get in there!" Gordon yelled at the cops surrounding the building.
"Sir, Joker has hostages. He'll kill them if we storm the building." One of the officers explained.
"What available entrances do we have?" Gordon asked.
"Sir, if someone goes up on the roof, they can sneak in." Richard said from his place, leaning on his bike.
"Those vents are barely enough to fit a man. How do expect someone to be quiet while doing it?" Gordon interrogated.
"If Batman, Red Hood, and Robin can do it, certainly a cop can." Richard replied as he stood up straight.
"I'm going up the building to the roof." Richard said as he walked towards the right side of the building.
"You don't have a gun!" Gordon yelled after him, ignoring how Richard said he'd go up the building.
Richard reached into his jacket and held up two escrima sticks in his right hand and a gun in his left hand.
"I have one, Commissioner, I just don't like using it." Richard yelled back over his shoulder.
"Don't get yourself killed!" Gordon yelled as Richard jumped to grab a window sill.
He pulled himself up onto the sill and jumped to the window sill of the upper left and did the same thing. He did this until he got to the top floor. Deciding to put on a little show for the officers watching him from below, including Gordon, he jumped, grabbed the edge of the roof, and flipped up onto the roof. He landed and stood then smiled and waved at the officers below. He could see the disapproval in Gordon's eyes even from the top of the three story building.
"Hey, you can take the kid out of circus, but you can't take the circus out of the kid!" Richard yelled down with a grin.
Gordon sighed and waved him on to do what he needed to do. Richard turned to go to the vent, which was already opened. Robin? Richard smirked and ran to the vent and quietly went down it until he was able to land on the floor of the top floor. It was dark and eerie, but Richard's eyes quickly adjusted. He brought out his gun and made his way down the hall towards the insane laughter. He saw a doorway with light pouring out of it and laughter coming from it. Alright, Grayson, you need a plan. You're alone in here and have no back-up. Be smart about this. As he approached a large room, he saw a shadow on the other end of the hall, also approaching the room. Perhaps I do have back-up. He holstered his weapon and took a risk. He rushed passed the doorway to the other side of the hallway. As he passed, he took a quick glance inside. Robin was tied up and looked roughed up. Joker was standing before a crowd of hostages making jokes and laughing.
"Batman, Red Hood, whichever one you are, I am here to help." Richard whispered with force.
He was met with silence. Maybe I didn't see anyone.
"My name is Richard Grayson. I'm a detective with GCPD and Bludhaven Police." He tried again.
"You're the one trying to figure out our identities." A rough voice said from the shadows.
Richard sighed. I don't know who's talking. I think it's Batman, but I'm not sure.
"...Yeah." Richard responded.
"You won't." The voice said again.
"I'll still try." Richard responded.
"Bats, I don't care. He can try all he wants. Robin needs help. Now." A different voice said.
So I was talking to Batman. This must be Red Hood.
"Look, I'm here to help." Richard cut in.
"Fine, here's the plan." Batman began.
Richard had his gun out and was just outside the doorway. This is going to suck. He turned and aimed his gun at some of Joker's gang. He was a good shot and was pretty sure he wouldn't miss, but he hated using his gun. He shot the first guy in the shoulder then took cover behind a table. He slowly shot members in the shoulder or leg, not shooting the two vigilantes also taking out goons, then aimed his gun at Joker.
"It's over, Joker." He said with a stern voice.
The insane clown let out an equally insane laugh.
"And just whoooo are you?" He asked.
"Detective Grayson." He replied.
"Grayson. That sounds tragically familiar." Joker laughed.
"Put your hands up and get on your knees." Richard ordered, stepping closer to the clown.
Batman was attending to Robin and Red Hood has his guns trained on Joker.
"Fuck this." Red Hood said.
In a flash, Batman threw a batarang and hit Red Hood's and Richard's guns out of their hands.
"Damn it, Bats!" Red Hood cursed.
While Red Hood fumed, Richard rushed forwards and brought out his escrima sticks. He slammed one down on Joker's hand, which was reached for a gun, and then brought his other down onto Joker's elbow, breaking his arm and potentially shattering his elbow. Joker laughed as he fell, which kind of caught Richard off guard. Regardless, Richard bent down and handcuffed the clown.
"Damn. Cop can get physical. I like it." Red Hood commented.
"A new player is always fun." Joker said then laughed. "You'll be my new toy!"
"How's the kid?" Richard asked as he brought Joker up to stand.
"Broken ribs, bloody nose, cut to the cheek, he'll have some major bruising, but he should be fine in a few weeks." Batman responded.
Richard sighed and cursed his good, kind nature.
"Two minutes." He said.
Red Hood cocked his head to the right.
"I'll give you two minutes to get out of here and clear any evidence of you being here." Richard clarified.
Batman, Robin, and Red Hood stared at him. Richard stared back.
"Huh, kid can handle our stares. He's a natural bat." Red Hood smirked.
"You have an injured partner. I suggest you get him medical attention quickly." Richard replied, shaking his hair out of his face as he held Joker.
"You're not so bad afterall, Kid." Red Hood said as he walked out the room.
"I'm 22 years old! You're like what? 18?!" Richard yelled after him.
"20 actually." Robin answered as he and Batman walked out.
Richard huffed.
"Whatever." He said and began walking Joker out of the building.
"You know, my Harls would like you. Lean but muscular body, nice face. She'd like you very much." Joker said.
Richard shivered. That's not a good thought.
"Sorry, not interested." Richard replied.
"Oh no, not like that." Joker laughed. "She'd like you as plaything, and to be honest so would I!"
Richard shoved Joker into a wall.
"I'm not someone to be played with." He growled.
"Ooooh, you're just like Batman, just not as serious! You're going to be very fun!" Joker replied.
Richard man-handled Joker all the way outside and shoved him into the back of a police car.
"Damn good job." Gordon appraised.
"Thank you, Commissioner." Richard replied with a nod.
"You going back to the precinct?" Gordon asked as he fell into step with Richard.
"Yeah, I was going to write my report then go to my room and sleep." Richard replied.
"No dinner?" Gordon asked.
Richard rubbed the back of neck.
"No…" He said.
"I'll bring you something." Gordon said as he turned. "Go on ahead to the precinct. I'll meet you there with food."
"Thanks, man." Richard said, completely dropping his politeness.
He straddled his bike and put on his helmet. With a nod to the Commissioner, he drove off. He arrived at the precinct and parked. He walked inside, got a report form, and realized that he didn't have a desk.
"Shit." He cursed.
Feeling that he and Gordon were on friendly enough terms, he walked into the Commissioner's office and sat down. He grabbed one of the pens at the man's desk and began to write his report. He left out the part where he gave the vigilantes two minutes to leave and just said that when he turned around, they were gone. He heard they tended to do that, so people would believe the small lie. As he was finishing, Gordon walked in with a burger and fries and set them in front of Richard.
"Dinner." Gordon said as he sat down in a seat in front of his desk.
"Thanks." He said and finished his report.
He got up to move into the seat next to Gordon.
"No, no. You can stay there." Gordon replied.
"...but it's your desk." Richard responded.
"Yes, it is." Gordon nodded.
Richard sat back down.
"Are you sure?" Richard asked.
"Yes, now eat." Gordon said sternly.
"Alright." Richard said.
The two officers sat in silence. Gordon watched as Richard devoured the burger and fries.
"Oh, tomorrow, Wayne's having a party in honor of Gotham's Children. You don't have to go, but me and Wayne want you there. It'll be good for you to get acquainted with the Waynes." Gordon said.
"Where did that term even come from? Gotham's Children." Richard asked.
"Gothamites just started calling kids with tragic pasts that because Gotham isn't nice." Gordon answered.
Richard sighed.
"I have to go back to my apartment, get some clothes." He muttered.
"The suit at your room isn't yours?" Gordon asked.
"...What?" Richard asked.
"Alfred delivered a suit to your hotel room." Gordon said.
"Wha...How do you know? I haven't even been to my room!" Richard replied.
"Wayne told me. Said he bought a suit for 'the detective of two cities'." Gordon replied.
Richard leaned back.
"Then I guess I'm going to Wayne's party." Richard replied.