Whose Plan of Escape is it Really?

by C.C. Geekiest

Robin is dead. A year later, the Light has a Talon on their board. His name is Gray. He's full of tricks. But how does he know so much about the team and Batman? Who is he? What does Robin have to do with this? Is Gray really a bad guy? Beware... Who really owns the playing field? "You've got two options, Dick-" "That's cute. I'm whelmed."

8. Dying Wish

Bruce doesn't dare speak a word. He just waits for another sign. He tries not to breathe so heavily but can't help it. After getting nothing, he finally takes a deep breath and says "Dick?"

In response, the lamp turns on. "Does that mean yes?" Bruce asks. Bruce's phone buzzes. He takes it out. There is no ID up top or number. The text just reads 'yes'. A tear runs down Bruce's cheek. He feels another chill, something almost a little uncomfortable... Like arms around him. Another tear falls as he realizes the embrace he is in. He remembers the height Dick was at when he was 15. Bruce tries to guess where Dick's shoulders would be. A sob escapes his mouth. When he No longer feels the almost tickling feeling, Bruce walks to the fire place. New logs are in. Bruce takes a match and tries to light a fire but as soon as the flames rise, they blow out. Bruce tries again. This time when the flames blow out, it is more dramatic. The ashes blow all over. On the floor, Dick draws with the ashes. He spells 'no'. So instead, Bruce grabs the blanket from the lone chair and wraps it around his arms. Suddenly, blue mist appears. It's like a fog and it doesn't have any kind of form. It merely only glows a bit. It's Dick. Dick begins moving out of the library and Bruce follows. He is lead to Dick's room. Once there, the mist disappears. Then a box slides out from under the bed. Bruce picks it up and sets it on the bed.

Inside the box is a single piece of paper. "What is this?" He asks. Unfolding it, he finds that Dick had written it merely two days before he passed.

'Dear Bruce,

I'm sorry that you have to read this but there is something you need to know. Hopefully it doesn't take you long to find this. The Haly's circus is much more than a mere circus. This is actually the case with many circuses, it's a well known secret to any meaningful circus folk. If you know of the infamous nursery rhyme that lingers around Gotham, about the Court of Owls than you should know they are very real. Every decade, the circus hands over one child, the most talented of a select few. I was that child. When my parents died though, you got to me first. Lately, I've been getting letters and visits from my great grandfather, William Cobb. He is a powerful Talon of the Court. I'm afraid that because I refuse, they will come after me anyway. Either way, death is the result. But there is something else you need to know, they use the bodies of their dead Talons and chemically revive them to serve the Court. Whoever you think is me isn't. I assume I'm gone already of you reading this. You can't trust the court, period. There is only one way to kill a revived Talon and that is with a special serum made by the Court. End the court, for good. Starting with my family line. That's my dying wish.

Richard Grayson'

"The serum... How do I get the serum?" He asks. He looks around for a sign. "Dick, why bother if there is no serum?" Suddenly the blue mist appears. "You hid it... Didn't you." Bruce smirks. He follows Dick's ghostly form to one of the older parts of the house that's rarely touched anymore. It was the smaller library, one Dick's favorite places to be since no one came looking for him there. The blue mist disappears into one of the ceiling tiles, but the glow can still be seen. Bruce leaves to get a latter and comes back to the glowing tile. Opening it up, he finds the full mist surrounding a bottle. "This was once an attic, no door anymore. How did you ever find this?" He asks grabbing the bottle and stepping back down the latter.