To respond to a review that didn't have a reply option...no I don't intend to bring the other aka former Titans, given the context of this story, into the mix. Its just about a quirky cat helping Nightwing find Raven. I don't want to over complicate it by bringing in more characters than I need to tell the story. Sorry that I missed last week...to much partying over the weekend.
***5***
At the hotel Richard checks out the balcony. He thinks this shouldn't be too hard as he turns around to look at the cat. "Want to do a little sleuthing?"
Nitro looks up clearly put off by that comment. He just sits there glaring up at Richard as he closes the door.
"Did I say something wrong little guy? I meant it would help if I could get into Raven's apartment and look around...you know see for myself just what she's been up to."
The cat huffs as he plops down on the floor while Richard retrieves his Nightwing costume from the suitcase. If he could only tell him just what the mistress had been up to in her spare time. He supposes he will have to settle for showing him.
Nightwing leaves the 'do not disturb' sign on the door knob and calls down to the lobby. "If a Srgt Maddox or anyone else calls for me please take a message and let them know I will call them back as soon as I wrap up some business calls." After hanging up with the desk clerk he leaves the phone off the hook.
Nitro looks up impressed. The mistress could have used some lessons from this guy. He knows she meant well but sometimes to get what she wanted she was just a little too careless.
Richard goes into the bathroom and changes into the Nightwing costume. Its been a very long time since he has been to Jump City. In some ways during the ride here it seems like nothing has changed-yet everything has at the same time. He checks the mask in the mirror before leaving the bathroom. He looks down at the cat. "Want to show me where Raven lived?"
The cat gets up and stretches before walking over to the balcony door and gives the man a look trying to convey that he should keep up.
Raven struggles to wake up as the drugs in her system try to drag her back down into that dark abyss. She fights her way back to consciousness refusing to be lost in that deep dark void again.
Nightwing follows the cat from rooftop to rooftop across several city blocks. More than once he thought the little guy wasn't going to make the jumps. Finally they stop on a small balcony. "This is it huh? Does Raven know you're such a little dare devil?"
Nitro ignores the man as he paws at the doormat.
At first Nightwing thinks the cat is sharpening his claws but then as he looks at the door knob he realizes the cat is trying to show him the key. He leans down and pulls back the mat to find a key duct taped to it. "Not much of a hiding place huh?" He removes the key and inserts it into the door knob.
The cat rushes into the apartment and makes a bee-line for his litter box.
Nightwing turns on a flashlight and looks around. The place is pretty much as the officer described.
After relieving himself he wanders back into the room. He finds it hard to believe this guy hasn't gotten it yet. He meows to get the man's attention.
He turns around to find the cat at the base of the bookshelf.
Nitro paws at the bookshelf until he pulls on the book that opens a hidden room.
"So that's how you knew where to look in my apartment?" Nightwing follows the cat into the hidden room. "He looks at Raven's old Titan uniform on a hanger but its the new one that catches his attention. "So I'm not the only one with a new secret identity." He looks up when the cat meows again from on top of the desk. He goes over to the cluttered desk and looks at some of the papers. It doesn't take him long to realize she could be in a lot of trouble. "What the hell has Raven been up to?"