Disclaimer: See chapter one.
Chapter Sixteen
"What is that and why is it chewing my shoe?" I asked as I stared at the black dog that had currently torn up my best pair of running sneakers.
"It's our new dog, daddy," Mari answered innocently. I dropped my bag and looked down at her. "His name is Ace."
I glanced back at the dog before hesitantly asking, "Why?"
She just shrugged before replying, "I don't know. Grandpa Bruce named him."
Smirking, I turned and walked out of the hall and up to the library where Bruce was reading his paper in front of the fire.
"Hey grandpa," I greeted him, my smirk widening as a frown immediately appeared on his face while his paper was lowered.
"What?" he practically growled out.
"I'm wondering who picked that dog and why you named him Ace," I replied, sitting in the chair across from him. "As for your new nickname, Mari came up with it."
"It's alright if she calls me that; not you."
Rolling my eyes I leaned back in my chair. "So, you want to answer my questions or sit there acting like you know nothing?"
"Kory went with Ryan and Mari to pick out your dog. As for why I named him Ace…let's just say he's a very smart dog."
I raised an eyebrow. "Right, because smart dogs like to chew people's shoes."
"He's still a dog, Dick. Very good at playing cards though."
"Cards?"
"Yes. Selina and I were playing cards when Ryan and Mar brought him in. You know how Selina is about dogs, but he seemed very friendly with her." Yeah, Selina is more of a cat person, but she's tolerant of other animals. "Anyway, I was dealing and he jumped up into the open seat to my right and started barking until I passed a few cards over to him. Then, he starts nudging away the cards he doesn't want and by the end of the game, he had all of the aces."
You've got to be kidding me.
"You've got to be kidding me, Bruce. He ends up with all four aces! Do you even know the probability of that happening.
"Of course I know, but how could he cheat. He's a dog."
"From what you're saying it seems like he's an intelligent dog, not just a dog."
"Exactly."
Well, isn't that just great. I'm already surrounded by enough intelligent people it makes me feel dumb sometimes, now I have to have a stupid dog that's also smart.
I'm going to be twenty-six and I already feel too damn old for all of this.
"So, how's that little project coming along to help me with all of this crap that's been going on?" I whisper in case Selina, Kory, or one of the kids in listening in.
Bruce snapped his paper shut and looked at me. I raised my eyebrow as I thought I saw a small smile appear on his face, but it disappeared almost as quickly as it came.
"Why don't we take a drive after dinner? I've got a few interesting things to show you," he mysteriously replied.
Either they're finished or something went wrong.
I nodded before getting up and leaving the room, going straight up to my room to catch up on some sleep.
When I got to the room, Kory was still sleeping. From what Selina told me when I arrived about a little over an hour ago, she deserves it. I already know it's not easy to watch over two kids below the age of ten, now you add a dog to the list and the fact that she's pregnant and I don't know how she was able to control her hormones for that long.
I pulled off my tie and loosened the top few buttons on my shirt before climbing into bed behind her. After wrapping my arm around Kory, I quickly fell asleep.
Waking up to something licking me, I finally opened my eyes to see the dog licking my face, his tongue even going up my nose. I quickly pushed him away and off me and as I started to use my sleeve to try and take the saliva off my face, I could hear the giggles from behind me.
"Really think that's funny, huh?" I asked, my voice low and dangerous.
Kory just continued to laugh.
I stood and turned just as her laughter died, but her grin was still on her face and a childish gleam was in her eyes.
Leaping over the bed, I blocked her path just as she tried to move away. Quickly grabbed her I held her bridal style and lay her back down on the bed.
"Welcome home," she whispered, still smiling and I couldn't help but return it, because it was so infectious.
Her eyes darkened as they landed on my lips and I leaned down, keeping my arms loosely wrapped around her waist so I wouldn't hurt the baby still inside her large stomach.
It was good to be back home.
Bruce parked the car in the dark parking garage next to Wayne Tech. My eyes immediately glanced around for any signs of movement as I left the vehicle.
"Come on," Bruce called to me as he went to elevator by the garage. Just as it opened I stood beside him before walking in with him. He slid a copper key below the numbers and turned it as the doors shut. The elevator slowly began to descend.
I've ridden this elevator many times, but it's never moved down before. A secret room below, no doubt. Probably for the…more dangerous gadgets that Wayne Tech can build.
After a few short minutes, the elevator came to a stop and the doors slid open.
Oh yeah. Secret room with very powerful, high tech military equipment. The suits and guns in front of me are evidence enough.
Bruce started out of the elevator and I followed a step behind, trying to take in everything I saw as we walked down the hall.
Large locked cabinets were at our sides, lined neatly against the walls. Every once in a while there were doors with different and yet similar signs all over them. They all said danger in one way or another. What did Bruce have his best and most trusted scientists making down here?
Well, at least I was about to find out part of the answer. Bruce had turned a corner and stopped in front of a large dark green door, lined with different signs stating 'Danger' and 'Only Level 1A Personnel Allowed
I know that people who receive level 1A admittance are Bruce's most trusted engineers and friends. They have to be both, and I know that he only has two that trusted; Lucius Fox and Victor Fries.
Once the door opened, I saw both of them standing in front of a computer, speaking in whispers.
"Lucius, Victor," Bruce announced our presence. Both men turned and smiled in greeting. We said our brief hellos. Shaking hands before Bruce asked them, "So, is the project finished?"
"Yes, all components are complete, everything is assembled, and even the Hold is finished," Lucius answered with a smile.
"The Hold?" I questioned. Didn't really sound right to me.
"It is a hideout," Victor replied, turning to the computer and bringing up a blueprint. "Underneath your new home is a hideout that contains your new car, a training room, a large computer, forensics materials, extra equipment, and so on and so forth."
"What exactly do I need a hideout for?"
"Why your new identity of course, Dick" Lucius laughed. "Bruce has had Victor and I working around the clock to finish project Target."
"When you said that you wanted someone for the lowlife of Gotham to fear, someone to be their target instead of Dick Grayson, we decided to make that someone," Bruce began to explain. Now it was definitely my turn to be confused.
"Please step this way Dick, there is a lot we have to show and explain to you," Victor cut in as he turned and walked around the table. We followed silently down the hall until he reached a large black cabinet. Lucius pulled out his key first to unlock the drawers and they both carefully pulled out the third drawer and set it on the table next to the cabinet.
It looked like Ninja gi. It was mostly all black with a full face mask. The arms were a dark gray and seemed to be padded, while there was also a set of dark gray shoulder pads that extended a little past the shoulders. The only real color on the suit was a white and red target on the front.
"What is that supposed to be?" I asked, in shock. When I had asked Bruce to help me out, I didn't think he'd have Lucius and Victor set me up in some costume.
"You're new uniform of course," Victor told me with a smile. "It's made of Kevlar so it is bulletproof, the opaque lenses in your mask also have an infrared sensor that turns on when you press one of the buttons on your utility belt-"
"My what?"
Lucius and Victor just smiled before pushing the first drawer all the way to the back of the table until it hit the wall. After that they pulled out the drawer that had been below the first one and set it on the table. Inside were a set of black T-batons and a silver belt, with the buckle in the shape of a circular silver target.
"So, I'm the Target," I whispered.
"Yes. Is there a problem with that?" Bruce asked, looking down at me.
"Well, when I said criminals needed another target, I didn't mean it literally, but it'll do."
"Wayne Tech has also acquired the rights to the Triple-X 933," Lucius informed me. Well, at least Vic's car didn't end up in the wrong hands. "We brought the prototype into The Hold and repainted it so it's light sensitive and put in a few more safety measures.
"Going back your suit, it is also fire-resistant, and insulated against electricity. Over the chest is an extra layer of armor, which is what the shoulder pads are connected to. This layer will help protect you from any major impact wounds that may be received without it. The material is light and flexible so you can move around easily, but it's best if you practice in it first."
"As for your weapons," Victor continued, "you may also want to practice in them to get the hang of things. We have installed special compartments for each piece of equipment, from line guns to a mini computer that is linked to the one in your hideout."
"The Hold is also rigged to open only to you and your family's DNA and voice recognition." This time it was Lucius who spoke. When these guys get excited they always end up taking turns to explain as much as they can. "You can now hide all of your important files in a much more secure place, so what happened earlier this year will not happen again."
They always think of everything. You gotta love it.
"Right, well, before I can accept any of this I'm going to need to talk to Kory about it," I cut them off, before they could start explaining in unison. "I'll get back to all of you on it by tomorrow."
A/N: Finally updated. Sorry it took so long and the chapter is so short, but I still hope you enjoyed it.
Please review.