Cypher wants revenge against Batman and his former third Robin. What better way to get revenge than to use the Wayne Family to lure everyone to their doom.

Subliminal Death

By

AJ

Part 8: A Bird in the Hand . . .

Red Robin spotted Nightwing running along the rooftops. He wasn't even bothering to cover up his trail. Red Robin kept him in his sights, observing him. He was confused when Nightwing stopped and was pacing up and down, on a roof across the street. Red Robin observed that Nightwing looked like he was talking to himself. Red Robin attempted to talk to Dick through their link when he got a pain in between his eyes.

'What was that?' Red Robin questioned. The image of Talon D came to his mind. Red Robin didn't know what to make of it. Was Talon D trying to warn him off? That didn't make much sense. Dick was his brother. He wasn't about to back off now.

Red Robin watched as Nightwing continued on his way. After that brief stop, he observed that Nightwing was heading straight for Black Mask's old territory.

'Why would he go there?' Red Robin questioned. 'It can't be to join forces. Nightwing wouldn't do that.' But Nightwing wasn't acting normal.

Red Robin would have to watch his step from now on. 'Black Mask's False Face gang are just as dangerous as their boss, but I have to keep Nightwing in sight and hope for an opportunity to take him by surprise and hopefully, bring him back to his senses.'

/

'It's time to meet up with Black Mask,' Nightwing thought to himself. 'I guess he decided to take the deal. I needed to speak with him face to face any way. I jumped from roof top to roof top. This was going to be fun.'

The part of Dick that was Talon D kept silent. 'I hope this doesn't backfire. I can still sense that insidious intruder trying to break in. I must keep silent, but at the same time, I need to protect his integrity. It's not going to be easy.'

/

Red Robin found a spot in the shadow of an elevator core of a taller building overlooking where Nightwing had landed. He was waiting for someone. 'Uh oh . . . Looks like those False Facers aren't too happy to see him.' Red Robin took out a listening device to listen in on what they were saying. What he wasn't aware of, was both of them had been spotted.

"Come now, why the gloomy faces? I'm here to help your boss," Nightwing grinned. "Of course, I can't see your faces so I don't know if they're gloomy or not."

"Cape, we don't trust you as far as we could throw you,' the man in a fox mask stated, as he kept his gun at the ready just in case Nightwing tried anything funny.

Nightwing grinned wickedly. "Hey, I could be as light as a pebble. You could throw that a long distance."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" A man in an eagle's mask questioned. "You're not wanted here, Cape. Get lost or we'll get you lost permanently."

Several other masked False Face gang members started to come closer preparing to surround Nightwing while three others snuck off to catch themselves a little birdie.

'These two can't be serious,' Nightwing thought. "Listen. I've changed. Truly I have," Nightwing started to lie, letting the silver tongue out. "I've seen that Batman can't do shit for this city. Why stick to 'bringing Justice' when you could have your cake and eat it to. And the best person to try out being the baddest MF would have to be Black Mask. That man, could probably have all of Gotham if he had me on his side. Not even the Red Hood could get all of Gotham. Isn't that what Black Mask wants?"

"Black Mask . . . No," Red Robin whispered, not realizing his com link was still connected to Nightwing's from the last time they had patrolled together.

Nightwing heard the familiar voice through the com. He whipped around and looked up, seeing who it was. It was Red Robin. He glared at him. He pressed on the com. "You know little birdie, didn't your parents teach you that eavesdropping is rude? I should come up there and kick your ass."

"Don't do it Nightwing that's not you," Red Robin tried to convince Nightwing. 'If I can get him away from that area, I might have a chance.' Red Robin didn't expect three of the False Facers to sneak up behind him.

"Gotcha Little Birdie," a man in a bear mask said, grabbing the red cape from behind. Another in a snake mask helped to pin Red Robin's arms. The False Facers held onto Red Robin as he struggled to get loose. They took him down to the others. "Kill him before he has a chance to fight back!" the others shouted to their companions. "We'll leave his body for Batman to find!"

"No, no, please, let me do it," Nightwing pulled out his eskrima stick and went up to the intruder and the False Facers who held Red Robin. "Besides, I have a better use for him." He had to gain their trust somehow. Nightwing grinned evilly as he used one his eskrima sticks to knock out Red Robin.

"Well, well. Looks like he's legit," the second False Facer said. "So, what are we going to do with him?"

"Don't worry about that," Nightwing replied, looking around. He found some chains and tied him up. He then tied him to a post to make sure he didn't get loose.

"Yeah, we can let Black Mask deal with him later," a fourth False Facer said.

Nightwing had a better idea, but he was going to talk to Black Mask about it. "So, boys, am I allowed to talk to the big man?"

"Sure . . . Just don't try anything . . . There's more of us than you."

'Oh, you poor fools,' Nightwing thought. "Well, thank you." Nightwing headed up to the doors and quickly pushed them open. He left them open so Black Mask had a clear view of his captive. "Black Mask, darling, sweetie, buttercup. Apple of my eye. So, I see you heard about the deal, the little deal. Tell me, do you want me on your side?"

"Only if you do two things for me," Black Mask said. "One, kill that cape you just tied up . . . And two . . . Persuade the other drug lords to come in with me and I'll consider it."

"See, thing is, I need that cape," Nightwing stated. "I want to get rid of the entire gang, including that damn Bat. The only way to get them . . . is through him." Nightwing went over and patted the bundle. "I can persuade any drug lord. Give the name and I'll snag them for you."

"How you going to do that?" the first False Facer with the fox mask asked.

"How am I going to do what, nosey? Here I thought I was having a conversation with your boss." Nightwing grumbled that last part out.

"That mask is going to cause trouble," Black Mask pointed out. "I want him dead. A dead cape doesn't interfere in business."

'Shit. Let's find out who he hates the most . . . Ah . . . Hood.' Nightwing thought, remembering when Jason first showed up in Gotham as the Red Hood. "Mr. Mask, I do need this one alive. If he stays alive, Hood will walk right into a trap. We could make for him. You can get your chance to kill him. One gun, one bullet. Dead in the chest, vengeance could be yours. He took from you, made you hit rock bottom."

"You're right. I want that SOB. You bring Hood to me, you're in. I'll even make you a partner. Oh . . . The cape stays here. He's MY HOSTAGE until you bring me Hood."

"Don't worry Mr. Mask. I have something that would make him come here in a heartbeat. Just sit tight. I'll be right back. "

Nightwing walked out of his office and back to Red Robin. He was stirring. Nightwing searched around. 'Now where is it . . . where . . . where . . . Aah ha!' Nightwing pulled out the tracking device. It had an emergency signal on it just in case he was to get injured. As Nightwing walked back into Black Mask's office, he pressed the button. 'Oh, the joy that will come out of this.' He thought. "Mr. Mask, I will have to ask for you to dim the lights and your men to stand guard outside. If you want your vengeance to go smoothly, they should not be here. They may cause interference. Don't worry, I'll protect you. I give you my loyalty."

Continues with Part 9: The Trap