Nightwing - Alternate Rebirth; These New Years Lost Chapter - INFINITY/RED

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Chapter 2: A Development with a Twist

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Noted; been on hold with this. Mostly prepping for return to college – in delay as well, so enjoy! Read arcs these new years and snippets gallivanting knights etc to be up to par with this, and court of owls family of the cowl too! All connected!

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Dick stayed up in bed with only his thoughts and a conclusion.

He'd be contacted again for sure by the mysterious sender. It was only a matter of time.

He still hadn't spoken to that Agent from the secret organization that he'd been roped into by his superior back in Jump. How could he put that on hold? Should he hint it –

No.

If he did, his family, his staff. All of them would become targets of this society of swirl – faced jerk holes.

And no down time, as Dick Grayson hopped up off the cot to grab his Nightwing gear.

Why, wait?

His head poked out the window, as Kori and the kids had to have gone to bed already.

Just imagining her confusion had him swinging out into the cool night that was, Haven's nighttime drop in pressure.

It was going to rain.

Dick licked his lips and set off a grapple with ease.

He just had a hunch from how many clouds had taken away the moon's presence in such a short time.

/

Nightwing met back at the same warehouse where the field agent had knocked him unconscious. No clues could be left, so instead of giving them a head start…

"Have you decided to take the offer into account?"

Trench – face and his swirly faced appearance came from behind a crate.

"Were you waiting for me to say it?" Nightwing sniffed and crossed his arms, analyzing the creature as if it had no personality. A puzzle, and yet there had to be a way to look past the surface.

"You'll be working for Spyral; aiding in the capturing and elimination of criminals on a world wid scale. Your chief was easy to have get along on the idea. He thought you needed the extra credit on your report card."

Dick blinked below the mask. "Agent, 8?" His hand came to his skull in disbelief. "I knew that wasn't all flirting." He joked with her, the one face not changing as it was her cover – if it was Agent 8 from before in the holding cell at Spyral's secret base.

"Do you accept the job, Agent 37; you know what may happen if you refuse our offer."

"I'll be demoted." Dick grunted. "Yeah, and this is all my job, anyway to stop the criminal Blockbuster from busting holes in the justice department's walls."

"As it should be, so?" She or it, held out a hand, while in it was a belt that was nothing new to an agent on her team. And…a small device that was possibly the size of a quarter.

A round chip.

High tech, and not at all futuristic…

"What is with the –

"It's a temporary implant." Explained the agent. "If you run into a foe, you can use it to mask your face as I have. Spyral's code is strict if you do not comply with the ways of how the organization runs things…"

"Ah – huh." Dick wondered if it was removable, but logically, he had to make the choice now. A hard-fought battle that he'd never faced before. An agency that realized his potential enough to hand over their tech to a stranger.

"I'll do it; but I want to stay on the force, as Nightwing if I can. The city –

"You won't be Agent 37 every day of the week." Nodded the other agent without a true face. "Only when we should call you. As for tonight, the chip has to be placed in the back of the neck. It will do the rest. (Changing it!)

"Sounds like your staff got ahold of some alien tech." Dick turned the disc in his hands as he watched the agent going to leave.

"You've chosen, and I'll make sure you know our every rule until your trial is up."

With a wave no more, the trench coat wearing foe was gone. Dick was left with his dignity less than shattered by the proposal yet Babs could heck it.

He turned to go.

She'd see just what that chip's capabilities implied if he did take that extra leap for more credit.

/

Getting antsy, Nightwing pinged Barbara Gordon on her line to not wake her up – her idea of insomnia was no better than Bruce's at times, but he trusted no other rather than Cyborg to decipher the code that was this…. chip.

His leap on back to the apartment was off by a few inches as soon, he began to lose his grip.

Wait…. was he –

That wasn't sleep nagging him to die, it was –

Spyral…

/

Dick awoke to a setting not unlike his own apartment bedroom. Or, if it was, it was a tad smaller as a hostel even.

Dick groggily looked at the ceiling.

Not his, then at the right side where –

No. Wrong window view.

"You almost hit the pavement pretty hard."

Dick blinked and was finding it hard to look past the fog. Drugged…but gas? How-

"That little rendezvous was risky, kid."

Kid…wait…

Dick gaped, but was forced to lay back down with strong hands. Unclad ones that in the back of hiss mind, he did recognize.

"You got my messages?"

Dick's eyes, though masked, still were aware as he tugged the cloth back.

"Wilson…. you, how are you –

"I had a spot in Blud on my map to stop in at first, and to what a shock." He did act it, as Slade's acting was never off Broadway to any but his enemies. "I found you. Your are very lucky, Blue Bird, that someone knew where you'd be headed."

"How?" Croaked the cop. "How could you know-

"Bugged." Dick swallowed. "At work…that's where…"

"My message knew where to hit its target, so did I."

"I guess we're even. So, can I go now –

"That was a fluke, and no. You're still not getting it."

"Huh?"

"Your mission, with the police. I want to help you out."

"What?" Dick sat up as Slade shushed his old ally.

" Shhhush …" It's not a big deal. I think you'll lose. And, my gift would be worthless if that came to pass. II don't think you get what this organization you've just ticked off is up to."

"Ticked…what? They knew I was –

"Hush!" Slade snapped. "You are being tracked right now, but I can get you back without those scam artists coming to collect."

"Co –

"Um, what do you mean?" Dick bit the inside of his cheek and tried to fix his question. "Who is?"

"That agency is not going to let you go. Unless you die first –

"No!" Dick sat up straight against the headboard. "I don't approve of your methods. Never have –

"Had it been so wrong to keep you alive, Grayson? Your kid won't have you if you screw this up. If they end up brainwashing you as they have so many other candidates, I can't repay a drone by saving its life." Slade shrugged and pulled up off of the side of the mattress. "I'd have to kill it."

"Oh, god…." Dick clutched his skull. "Why? Why did the chief decide to sell me off?? I'm dead meat if they find out you're in on helping with any operations! I can't –

"And, you shouldn't." Slade thought with a hand to his goatee. "I could be an asset if you gwet caught. Just say the word –

"I'm not going to kill anyone, Slade." Huffed the hero as he got ready to leave the bed. It was unused, anyway. No way Slade was here on his trip. Had to be a breaking and entering…

Ugh. Right. More criminal activity between them.

"Then, the chip."

"Huh? I was going to see –

"They're listening…" Slade lilted to his ally, who rolled his eyes. "To see, if I can put it on myself." Slade nodded.

"Want my help?"

Oh, that's how sneaky they were being…

"Yes, I'll be glad to have you help me see if it is properly installed."

"Good, then let me take a look…"

Dick bit his lip as Slade clutched the tech –

Only to see it turned in the man's ungloved hand delicately. Carefully, as he came to know exactly what his old apprentice was in for.

"Controls brain activity as a last case. Disruptors…ah….and a projector. You're wearing a mask now, but imagine being able to become invisible. Nifty device. I say, try it out. I can always just peel back a layer of –

"Ugh, gross!"

Slade snorted and went to the man's neck, placing the disk right where it was supposed to stay. "We'll do some research, but in the meanwhile…try it out. See if you really do end up a drooling zombie."

"Slad –

" Angh!" It was more a slap and pinch all at once, as Slade was never gentle with addressing such matters with grace.

He'd stitched up Robin enough times to know it was well earned.

"So? Can you save face?" He chuckled at the joke, yet Grayson found it less humorous than that round of bruises he'd gotten as a Titan.

"Feels, impossible to tell it's in…" Dick felt the spot and furrowed his brows. "It'll just stay there, until I finish here in Blud? Really?"

"If that is what you agreed to." Slade was already checking out the belt that had many parts to it. "Humm…confusing little contraption. Isn't it bulkier than the Bat's gear?"

"It's like a vest, I swear." Dick murmured and sat on the bed, feeling fatigued all of a sudden.

"Oops. Drug is kicking in."

" Wah

Dick flopped uselessly only the mattress. The cover for the chip was just a prick, yet Slade had to get Richard home. He couldn't miss a day of work on the force. Slade leaned over and with his regalia back in place in two clicks of gloves and mask, he hiked the man up onto his shoulder and hoisted Nightwing with his mask back on towards the window ledge.

"You'll do fine, kid." Slade smirked and took off above rooftops to get to Richard's flat only a few blocks downtown.

"Just call on me if things get sticky."

/

Slade got back to his real monster's den in the city as a screen popped up on his laptop from across the floor. Glowing and pulling him close.

A face of a faceless spiral in red and black appeared, having Slade made fairly certain that he'd been hunted since stepping foot in this city of corrupt intent.

"Good evening." Slade simply kept his mask on and wondered if they'd already bugged him as they had their new agent.

~ Our sources indicated that one of our operatives was at a residence not far from this one. The signature on your device was…alike. ~

"Clearly." Slade didn't deny, and if he did it would risk far more of the man's sanctity.

~You are a highly skilled mercenary; you are not to involve yourself with this one. The leader of our organization has been clear to –

"I was watching out for an old ally, that's all. Wouldn't want him to go kersplat before his first mission…"

The agent just paused, before picking up Slade's dropped cues. It had its orders, and Slade had no real alibi to roll out in deflecting the Spyral personnel's attacks.

~You had a moment alone, but I warn you. It is not up to you to decide who lives and dies that WE choose to bring under our ranks. He has potential, and Nightwing, you must know him as well? ~

"We go back a - ways; to the boy in tights with Christmas colors. I have an extensive memory of how much he once, despised me." Slade just ignored the nagging in the back of his mind.

~It won't be the last time, yet steer clear of our work. I know you are familiar with what we are and how we function, though make no mistake. ~

Slade leaned back in his seat. Well, this was interesting. A threat? Suddenly unlike the ORG to push his limits.

~ Our unit can gather enemies, allies and much more. We know what weaknesses the great Deathstroke carries in his lifetime. You will do as we demand, or the consequences will lead to a loss far greater. ~

"You talk pretty, big for an underling." Slade huffed. "And if Agent 37 doesn't end up coming back from a mission in the future? Should I dispose of him, then?"

~ That, will for now, be undecided. Good night, Deathstroke. ~

/

Slade was the one, but the twist? Dick may never leave Spyral! Mwahaha!! Ah, and if he dies, they are cool with Slade not doing it?? Aha, guess Richard is popular! Next chapter will extend on the anxious night after, no slash peeps! This is darkm, but not more than for the sake of Roku getting his kicks.