A/N: Well it's been a long while hasn't it? I have some legitimate excuses this time. You see I wrote this chapter a total of 3 times before yesterday. When in a surge of creativity I wrote half of this chapter and the other half today. I felt disappointed with Chapter 5 so I went out of my way to make sure this chapter was just perfect. Also between preparing to leave for college and my job I've had little time to do much, nonetheless muse about fanfiction. Okay so now that that is out of the way I hope you enjoy this chapter and the marathon I did writing it yesterday which may just explain the horrible grammar. I am possibly looking for Beta's to help me out and keep me on track so if you are interested please let me know! For now goodbye!
Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans, Batman, etc.
-2021-
Halfway through the day, after finishing his business with Slade, Dick Grayson walked back to Gotham Pre. The final bell rang letting the children out and Mari walked out of the building with Damian Wayne as she did every day. Mari and Damian were the same age, conceived and born within the same time period. Difference being was Mari grew up with her father where as Bruce had only learned of Damian's existence a year later. Bruce took Damian from his mother at the age of 4 but as far as Dick was concerned it was far too late for the boy. For a 5 year old Damian had a black heart, it was selfish and evil. Dick believed this because for all the time he had spent studying Bruce Wayne he had also studied Damian. Mari was his polar opposite, a pure soul according to Dick, and the fact that the two had formed such a tight bond unnerved Dick.
"Daddy! Daddy!" She screamed running towards him and he enveloped her in a hug.
"How was your school day Starshine?" Dick asked her planting a short kiss on her cheek.
"Good! Daddy, Damian invited me over to his house! Can I go? Pleasseeeee." Dick stared at her in shock, of course he couldn't tell her no but he certainly didn't want to see Bruce today. Nor did he feel safe with letting Mari go there alone. He knew Bruce would never harm her but would he let her come home? It was something Dick didn't want to find out.
"Of course darling." Dick muttered and she was so happy she was up in the air.
"Mari!" He yelled at her pulling her back down to the ground instantly. "What have I told you about using your powers in public?!"
"Sorry." She pouted and looked like she was about to sob.
Dick sighed and pulled her in for another hug and wished her mother was here. He understood how Kori's powers worked but it was rudimentary at best. Mari had a whole arsenal of powers she had no clue how to control or comprehend. Dick had yet to explain to Mari how she was only half human, or that the contacts she wore were to cover her full green eyes not for her sight.
"Thank you!"
"Go tell Damian that we will be at his house around 3 okay?" Dick gave her a fake smile, not that she noticed, and she went scampering off towards Damian. The boy made no tell of emotions but simply nodded and got into the limo waiting for him. Dick looked towards the limo and saw the old man staring back at him. The man's expression was pained but loving. Yet also there was shame and who that shame was for, Dick did not know.
"Let's go home, so you can change out of that uniform."
The two went home and did just that. Mari changed into her favorite purple and grey outfit that gave Dick a heavy sense of déjà vu. She always looked like her mother when she wore that. Dick suddenly realized that Mari was going to make this as hard for him as humanely possible. The two went down to the basement of their building and Dick got onto his bike as Mari sat down in the side car and buckled herself in. No matter what Dick still preferred his bike to a car. Due to Mari's partial invulnerability Dick decided that she would be safe enough in the side car. They pulled out of the garage and started to head towards Wayne Manor. The trip to get out of the city was fairly short but it was his favorite part.
He enjoyed driving through Gotham because it reminded him of what he fought for. Dick looked up at the tall towers, past the GCPD, past Wayne Enterprises, and the past the old Sionis building. His path wove throughout the city but still ended up being the shortest path out of the city towards Wayne Manor. Crossing one of the bridges to get out of the city Dick found himself riding up hills towards the manor nestled in the hills and the trees. The gate was already open and Dick pulled up and parked his bike. He and Mari climbed the staircase, although her more quickly than Dick, and rang the doorbell.
The old man answered but his words choked in his mouth when he saw Dick. With his eyes wide and his body beginning to tremble the man just stared at Dick, and then flickered to Mari, then back at Dick. Dick crossed his arms unsure if he should be amused or disappointed by the man's look. Earlier they had exchanged glances at school but the man clearly had not been expecting this exchange. Mari introduced herself but Alfred still found no words to speak, in fact he hardly noticed that she had introduced herself at all.
"Pennyworth, is that Mari?" Damian said shoving his way past Alfred in the door.
"Yes-" Alfred's raspy voice finally said, "Yes it is, Master Damian why did you not inform me that we were having guests."
"This is my home Pennyworth I do not need your permission to have my friend over."
"Friend?" Alfred said surprised as Damian pushed him out of the way allowing Mari to enter. Dick remained where he was watching Alfred's expressions change as he processed what was going on in his head.
"Does your father know about his?" Alfred said finally stepping away from the door and Dick entered.
"No. He didn't." Bruce said as Dick closed the door behind him.
Mari and Damian looked between their two fathers, suddenly noticing the tension in the room. Bruce stood with his fists clenched staring at Dick while Dick leaned back against the door with a smug smile on his face. Mari looked at her father with a questioning look but what she saw was something quite more malevolent and it scared her. She took Damian's hand in her own and for the first time in her life she felt a little bit scared of her father.
"Damian, take Mari to the entertainment room. Her father and I will have a little chat."
Damian nodded and started to lead Mari off towards the staircase; leaving behind the intense stare down between their fathers. As soon as the kid was gone Dick couldn't help but start laughing at the irony of the whole situation. Alfred's face contorted in confusion and Bruce's remained as still as a rock, but a twinge of sadness remained upon it.
"This is a whole lot of irony isn't it?" Dick said finally explaining his laughter, "Kori's daughter, my daughter, friends? I should've seen it coming, like seriously I should have. Fate clearly plays some tricky hands in this shit game."
"I had nothing to do with this. It was coincidence that they happened to go to the same school and coincidence that they became friends. You cannot blame me for the friendship of two children." Bruce responded quickly and without hesitation.
"I don't think you had any hand in all of this. In fact, by the expression you are trying so hard not to reveal, I don't think you even knew that Damian had friends in the first place. He isn't exactly a social child! I guess this is what I get, of course the Batman's son and the Robin's daughter would become friends. It's almost like it was meant to be."
"You are not Robin anymore." Bruce said sternly.
"Oh definitely not, but I once was and there is nothing about that fact that you or I can change." Dick said as his humor melted into dead seriousness.
"What do you want Dick?" Bruce asked trying to not let his internal pain seep through.
"What do I want? I want my daughter to have a good time with her. Beyond that…" Dick said her voice slowly lowering into something more vulnerable. "I'm not sure what I want."
-2015-
Night once again descended on Gotham, making it the only constant within Dick Grayson's life. Once again he drove towards Slade's safe house becoming angrier as time went on. At this point all Dick felt was angry anymore, at Bruce, at Alfred and even at Kori. Above all he felt angry at Slade, sure that these violent energies had because of him. The first night he spent training with Slade clearly had been a onetime deal. Their training sessions after that point had developed into nothing but silence and spite on Grayson's end. The hard liquor Dick had drank that night to loosen up was not a repetitive event and Dick was thankful of it. The barriers that Dick set up so sturdily fell down momentarily that night and it was not a mistake Dick was ready to make again. Also, it didn't help that Slade was the poster child for passive-aggressive tendencies in these sessions and that only seemed to anger Dick more. This entire deal felt one sided. Slade got what he wanted; Dick training under him, for some unknown reason, but the answers Dick wanted were not coming. Dick cursed himself slightly for his own impatience; of course answers were going to take time.
The problem truly was that he did not trust Slade. Despite everything he knew about Slade, his parents, and about Zucco, Dick couldn't help but think this was all part of some elaborate plan. Well of course it was, it's Slade, but Dick felt a struggle between himself knowing the truth and wishing it wasn't. The latter Dick didn't even want to acknowledge in himself. All this conflict just made Dick a walking volcano ready to go off at any moment's notice, and Dick was fully ready to take out his pent up aggression on Slade. Yet when he arrived at the apartment Slade was at his kitchen table in jeans and a grey t-shirt with a black jacket on top. The man looked prepared to leave and Dick stopped once he got out of the elevator incredibly confused.
"What's going on?"
"We are going out." Slade said adjusting the wrist watch.
"Excuse me?" Dick said incredulously. He dropped his gym bag to his side and walked towards Slade ready to knock the man's lights out at the next word.
"Look, I have some important business to take care of. And as per our agreement, you agreed to train with me but I never specified our training as a purely physical one."
"What the hell Slade! I'm not your lackey who will follow you around all night!" Dick said clenching his fists hard.
"Of course not, but I found out some information on the people who ordered your parent's deaths so if you want to find out what that information is you have to spend the night working for me." Dick's anger mildly subsided as Slade told him the news.
"How do you know the info is valid?"
"I'm going to go confirm it tonight." Slade said casually finally looking up at the boy.
"How?"
"We are going to talk to Zucco." Dick's anger sparked again but now in a different direction, all of it was being aimed at that bastard, Zucco.
"Well I can't go out like this!" Dick said waving his arms around to show his workout clothes.
"I went ahead and acquired some clothing in your size. They are in the apartment below along with a pair of sunglasses. I'm sure you'd appreciate your identity not being known among my clientele." Dick just wanted to growl but instead he walked back to his bag and scooped it up before heading towards the stairs and down into the apartment. Laid out on the bed was a grey button up shirt, a black leather jacket, a pair of black jeans, a pair of sunglasses and black Converse sneakers. Dick felt a little unnerved that Slade even knew his size. Suddenly it occurred to Dick that Slade knows a lot more about them than Dick knows about Slade. Aside from the fact that Dick was changing he felt naked, mentally. He didn't like that Slade knew so much about him, it made him feel vulnerable.
It wasn't just Slade's knowledge of his life but this entire situation. Dick had a bitter taste in his mouth as he was prepared to venture out on whatever Slade referred to as his 'business'. The only way this agreement worked was if Dick continued to seek answers, answers he couldn't find without Slade's help nonetheless. Of course Dick would never stop seeking answers and he would have to do what Slade asked of him. Even if it meant playing the role of this man's apprentice. It hurt Dick to know that he was beginning to find himself in the same situation he had been in 4 years ago. Except this time the blackmail was voluntary. Answers come with Slade's help and Dick's compliance to the man's twisted version of 'training'.
Dick clicked the last button, tied the last shoe lace, and placed the sun glasses on his eyes before walking up. Strangely enough Dick felt a click of relief in his stomach, a relief he could only get from the fact that Slade could no longer see his eyes. One of the many amenities afforded to wearing a mask was the ability to conceal ones emotions, and as of lately Dick hadn't been wearing his mask. It seemed stupid for him to wear it around Slade since the man already knew his identity at the time but now he realized how much he missed it. He arrived at the last step and noticed Slade's gaze upon him. With an uninterested look he turned around and swept metal mask from behind him and hooked the top up to the side of his belt. Only now did Dick notice the two guns Slade was totting, and the knives hidden among his persona. Slade may just look like another man on the streets but he was much more dangerous.
"Here." Slade said as he pulled out two sticks from his jacket pocket and tossed them towards Dick.
"Escrima sticks," He said simply, "they have built in tasers on each end so be careful. If you connect them together at the center then they will for a bo-staff."
"Cool." Was all Dick said as he placed the sticks in the large pockets in his jacket, "Where are we going?"
"You'll see when we get there." Slade said pulling out keys from his pockets and twirling them around in his fingers.
Dick shrugged just wanting to get the night over with as soon as possible. The anger he felt had been subdued by worry but it was still there bubbling and the more Dick attempted to shove it down the more pressure it built. They rode the elevator down to the basement and walked off to a black Lamborghini.
"You have got to be kidding me." Dick said looking at the beautiful car before him; he was almost afraid to touch it.
"There are some perks to being a mercenary for hire." Slade said trying to hide the smirk that had appeared on his face from garnering the boy's approval.
"Is that what you are? I thought you were a crazed psychopath intent on destroying the world?" Dick said with a frown, but he was unable to hold it as he opened the door to the passenger seat.
"I never tried to destroy the world. That was your friend's father's goal, dear boy." Slade corrected him with complete confidence in his voice. Dick could not sense a flicker of doubt or remorse and it angered him but he quenched it once again.
"You only helped him end the world." Dick spat back crossing his arms after he buckled himself in.
"And I helped you save it; a selfless act on my part if you ask me."
"Selfless my ass, you wanted to save yourself!"
"But I never had to take you with me," Dick was stumped there, "I could've left you and your friends to rot, but I chose to take you with and we fought side by side together. Now wasn't that an interesting experience, even after years apart we worked so well together. That night more than anything confirmed my suspicions about my original beliefs about you Richard. You would be the perfect apprentice."
Dick was fuming but he could not bring himself to speak. At the end of the world Dick had been so desperate to save Raven that he worked with his greatest enemy to secure her safety. He could not deny that he and Slade worked together like a well oiled machine, almost like it was meant to be. The last time Dick had tag teamed so effortlessly was on patrol with Bruce before the argument and resentment ensued. Ever since that day Dick had decided to forget the whole incident. All the Titans had. Kori never even asked Dick what had happened with Slade. No one wanted to remember that painful time in their lives. Dick put it out of his mind because the memory made his confused and frankly quite scared of what could have been. Or with the knowledge that Slade was alive again, what might be. He feared nothing more than to feel that connection with the man similar to the one he had shared with Bruce. Yet here he sat in the passenger seat as Slade pulled out of the parking garage and out onto the streets of Gotham. Fear quelled at his insides, a fear he would not allow himself to acknowledge.
Slade noticed that his comment to the boy had made him go silent. He had noticed that the boy had been attempting to control his anger and spite for so long but now a wash or resignation was over the boy, and a bit of fear. His comment clearly hit a nerve but not the one he had been expecting. He fully expected the boy to be yelling at him right now, in fact that it what he had hoped for. Slade had hoped that whatever anger building up inside Dick would be released before they arrived at their destination. He needed the boy to be calm as he did not yet know how to control his emotions. Of course they still had a full 30 minutes before they arrived and there was still time to bring that out. Nonetheless he knew the task he set the boy was not going to be an easy one but Slade truly believed in the principles of trial by fire, and he was ready to test how strong this so called 'alliance' with the boy truly was. If not that but how strong the boy's desperation for answers truly was.
"Look before we arrive at our destination there are some guidelines you have to follow."
"Excuse me?"
"You will refer to me as master, if need be Deathstroke."
"Look kid I know you don't want to but you have to do it for appearances. They are not the kind of people who would believe that I would take you as a partner."
"Why am I even coming with you?" Dick said infuriated.
"I told you this is part of your training."
"How? What kind of training is this, Slade? I know I agreed to let you train me but this is in no way permanent." Dick said with anger rising in his voice.
"What kind of training you receive is my discretion and for what reasons, as per the terms of our agreement. If you have a problem with it then I have no problem of pulling you over and leaving you here right now. You will never see me again and with that your answers."
Dick found silence his one and only answer. He was starting to become comfortable with how close a friend it was becoming.
"Second stipulation, I will refer to you as apprentice, but if asked your name you must have a new identity. You simply cannot be Dick Grayson or Robin, so it's up to you what you would like to be called."
"Of course…" Dick said agreeing with Slade but still feeling uneasy about it.
"Lastly, if I ask you to do something, you do it. No questions, no hesitations. These men will not hesitate to kill us if we do not put up the act they are supposed to be buying."
"Okay." Dick said surprising himself and Slade with the compliance.
"Do not worry I will not ask you to kill anyone, though you may have the chance to rough some people up. Seeing as they are criminals I can't see you having a problem with that."
"You're enjoying this aren't you?" Dick asked the man seriously.
"I'd be lying if I didn't like the back up. Going into these contract meetings are shaky at best and you never know the state of sanity the client until there, though tonight is a special occasion."
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see soon enough." Slade said focusing on the road trying not to show the inkling of worry he had as they drove.
They pulled up outside of Sionis Industries, and Dick instantly knew who they were there to see.
"Roman Sionis… We're here to see Black Mask." He said quite in shock, he knew Deathstroke was a renowned killer but he never expected someone as big as a crime lord to be in contact with Slade.
"You seem impressed." Slade said in a fashion that Dick could not decipher as happiness or disappointment.
"That's one way of saying it."
Slade parked the car a few streets away from the building and decided to walk but before exiting the car Slade placed the mask on his face. Instantly Dick felt the air about him change and he was reminded now more than ever who was sitting next to him. They got out of the car and started to head towards the building when Slade gave him some final instructions.
"Remember that these people are dangerous." Slade said, "My word is law, got it?"
"Got it." Dick relented knowing now was not the time to start arguing.
The two men walked right up to the front door where a man in a signatory black mask opened the door for him and Slade. As they walked in the front entry into the building Dick noticed how Sionis' men stared at him, and then looked at Slade then back at him. If Dick didn't know better he almost thought that the men were scared of Slade.
They entered an elevator with another man meant to escort them up to the top floor. The men were tense and Dick knew that either they were going to double cross them or they were definitely scared. By the looks on the faces of the men in the hall at their arrival he guessed it was the latter. Dick was amazed by the fear that Slade inspired in men that were brave enough to go up against the Batman and not shit their pants. It started to make Dick wonder if Slade was more of a threat than he had originally thought. It was a thought that unnerved him but he also refused to show it. Dick was beginning to see that Slade had a role in Gotham that he did not know of. Dick of course knew that Slade had a run in with Batman in the past by Slade's reactions to Slade's insignia and more.
They entered an office and the man with a black mask more defined than his lackeys trained his eyes on them. He seemed to study them for a long while before even beginning to speak.
"Welcome Deathstroke, it's nice to see you again. Who is this?" Black Mask's greeting was hollow but curious as to whom the boy was.
"Same to you Black Mask and this is my apprentice-" Slade looked to the boy to introduce himself. Dick looked back at Slade for only a moment forgetting that he had to come up with something to call himself.
In a moment's notice a single word came to Dick's head, "Renegade."
Slade looked at the boy in shock but did not allow the emotion to surface upon his face. Renegade was an interesting choice and clearly a spur of the moment choice also. Slade wanted to mentally analyze what that must mean for the boy but his attention had to be upon Black Mask.
"I was not aware you took up an apprentice Deathstroke? How is he working out for you?" Black Mask said taking a step forward Dick and so did one of his cronies behind Dick.
Hearing the movement behind him Dick looked to Slade who shared the same glance with him. Instantly the boy knew what Slade wanted him to do. Swiftly and violently Dick struck taking out the 5 men around the room one at a time. Slade wanted the boy to make an impression and Dick was sure he could fulfill. He knocked out and bloodied every man in the room with his Escrima Sticks. Before he knew is they all were on the ground still jolting from the electricity flowing through their veins. When he was done Dick pocketed his sticks and returned to next to Slade, but not in line with the man. It would be too suspicious to place himself in a position that shows equal power. Dick knew that Black Mask would pick up on that instantly.
"Perfectly."
"I see." Black Mask said narrowing his eyes. "As for the matter at hand why don't we discuss it? Have a seat."
Slade went and sat down across from Black Mask who sat at his desk chair. Dick simply stood behind Slade silent and unmoving.
"I have asked you here Deathstroke because I have a contract to make with you. I am willing to pay you 3 million to get rid of that goddamn Harvey Dent."
Dick couldn't help but let his eyes widen at the news. Harvey Dent, also known as Two Face, was a kingpin in Gotham. Two Face was head of a mob organization directly opposed to Black Mask's and he felt that he shouldn't be surprised by the man's actions. Yet neither man in all their history had ever done something so incredibly… Drastic. Dick didn't have enough time to suppress his surprise before Black Mask noticed his expression. The man simply smirked at the boy's surprise.
"That half-man half-mongrel has been a thorn in my side for far too long and while I have the resources to go to war with the man I believe the expenditures will outweigh the gains. Therefore I've decided to take a faster route without the unnecessary drawbacks." Black Mask said folding his hands into each other in content with his decision.
"I see. Though I don't believe 10 million would be sufficient payment." Slade said standing up from his seat and heading to stand next to Dick. "After all, I would have to wait for an opportunity to enter his facility. Take out all his men in one go, and get to the man within a period of 5 minutes before the man can catch up on what is going on and alert his men or the authorities. Of course that would take some time I would have to get favor with him, after doing small jobs, so that he would not question my actions when I arrived. Over all I'd say that worth 10 million, or at least that was how much the deal I struck with Two Face was for."
BANG.
A/N: Well I certainly left things off with a bang, hehe, but seriously thought I hope you all liked this chapter. Please review, it is an amazing motivation to continue writing even if it is just a few simple words. Thanks for reading!