"You didn't tell me we had a contract."
Slade put on the Deathstroke mask, finishing wearing his full suit of armor. "We don't, in fact. I have an important meeting with Ra's Al Ghul."
Dick nodded, knowing who his father was referring to. After all, the acrobat had read all the man's files on all the supervillains.
Ra's Al Ghul. Demon Head. He was Batman's mentor. Leader of the League of Assassins. He is several centuries old thanks to the Lazarus Pit which heals the body from mortal wounds and can also resurrect the dead. His purpose is to raze evil and corruption through genocide and then create a new humanity on the old one. The Talon mentally retraced. Man, this is too much even for me.
"I'm going with you." Dick declared crossing his arms, emphasizing his decision.
Slade stared at him briefly before nodding. "I knew you would be adamant and want to come, no matter what." he huffed and pointed a finger behind him in the direction of the locker room. "Hurry up and get dressed."
Dick sent him an arrogant smirk and went to get his Renegade armor before running to the locker room. Slade let out a sigh.
I hope the kiddo doesn't raze the entire base of the League of Assassins and/or kill them all. Though I would still remain proud of him.
"What is the meeting about?"
Deathstroke rested his back comfortably on the wall of the plane. "Just some details about contracts and missions that Ra's entrusts to me."
"Are you an ally of the League of Assassins then?" asked Renegade curiously.
"Hell no." replied the more experienced mercenary bluntly, making the younger one chuckle. "It is not uncommon for Ra's to hire me to complete contracts and missions. He is a regular client who pays very well. That's all. Otherwise I sure wouldn't cry if he died."
Renegade raised an eyebrow under his mask in a silent question that his mentor immediately understood.
"Yeah, he's a fucking bastard who doesn't care about anything or anyone but himself."
"Am I wrong or does he have two daughters?"
"Talia and Nyssa." Slade nodded. "Talia is second in command of the League of Assassins while Nyssa actually doesn't care much for the empire her father built. In fact she is rarely in Nanda Parbat and from what I know she is almost always around the world. Her relationship with Ra's is practically zero."
"Does Ra's even care about them?" asked the Talon to understand the kind of person Ra's was.
"Not at all. To him Talia is just a pawn to be moved within his chessboard." the super soldier replied bitterly and Dick realized that his father did not approve of Ra's at all. "At least I genuinely care about my children."
"Could it be some side effects of the pit?"
"Definitely yes." Slade nodded. "Ra's has made many nice dips in the Lazarus pit over the centuries and as you have already read from my files it always causes some kind of madness and side effects."
"Ra's is a self-centered, crazy bastard." Dick simply declared confidently. "Even in terms of his aim to cause mass genocide to create a new humanity over the old one." he scoffed.
His father emitted a snort. "Don't swear in front of Wintergreen. You know how he feels about these things."
Dick turned a smile on him. "Of course."
"Before I forget, Ra's knows my identity and by extension so do the elite members of the League of Assassins." Dick stared at him in surprise and Slade waved a hand dismissively. "Long story. I'll tell you on the return trip."
"And who would be these elite members who know our identity?"
"Talia, Lady Shiva, Ubu, Bronze Tiger, David Cain, Sportsmaster, Deadshot and maybe a few others."
The acrobat nodded, recognizing all the names listed by his father.
"Any other questions?"
"Just one." Slade nodded to him and Dick continued. "How much longer?"
Despite the mask Dick knew Slade was staring at him with a flat, unimpressed gaze. Slade sighed and shouted in the direction of the private plane pilot. "How much longer?"
"Half an hour at most, sir!"
"Take care, Renegade. I am sure Ra's is certain of your existence since he knows our civilian identities. Surely Ra's will not allow you to follow him and me and will probably leave you under Talia's watch. Perhaps he will order her to test you to see your level. You will have to hold back."
"Oh, come on!" Dick dramatically pouted but did not argue.
After all, there was a reason that in every contract Renegade had to hold back all the time.
"Don't attack either Talia or Ra's unless one of them attacks you first. I wouldn't want to take on the entire League of Assassins if I can help it."
"You know we could take it down completely without too much effort, right?" asked Renegade with a smirk.
Slade stared at him with a growing smirk hidden by his mask.
This is my son.
"True though as I have said before Ra's pays very well, so it's best to keep him alive for now."
Dick nodded to him and a silence fell between them that lasted until they reached Nanda Parbat.
Deathstroke and Renegade were escorted to the throne room by some guards. There they found Ra's sitting on the throne with Talia at his side. The Demon's Head nodded to the guards and they after a short bow walked away. "Slade. It's been a while." stated Ra's with mock sympathy while his daughter merely stared grimly at the two guests.
"I would have preferred it stay that way." the world's deadliest mercenary casually shrugged his shoulders.
A flash of irritation crossed Ra's gaze but it quickly disappeared. His gaze shifted to the stiff figure accompanying Deathstroke. "I'm not surprised you brought your son here, Slade. Or should I call him your apprentice?"
"Let's get right to the point, Ra's. I don't have all the time in the world." affirmed the super-soldier, ignoring his usual client's statement.
Ra's gave him a nod, unsurprised by the mercenary's behavior, and stepped down from his throne. "Before we seclude ourselves in a place with more privacy I want to see Renegade's face."
His request confused the two mercenaries who exchanged an imperceptible glance. "Any particular reason? I'm sure you've already seen it somehow."
"I would like to put an end to a question that has been haunting me for a long time."
Slade sighed at Ra's enigmatic answer. Knowing that the Demon Head would never back down from his request, he gave his apprentice a nod.
Renegade nodded and removed his mask, revealing his face. He turned a smirk to Ra's, his blue eyes bright with humor. "Just to clarify, I don't date people older than me by centuries."
Deathstroke emitted an amused snort, Ra's stared at the acrobat arching an eyebrow impassively and Talia's grim gaze became less hostile and more surprised and impressed.
Ra's studied Richard Wilson's face for about ten seconds and he gave a soft sigh, then stared at Slade. "Now I understand that phone call where you redeemed the favor. I note with interest that you kidnapped none other than the Gray Son of Gotham."
Dick stiffened sharply and it was only Slade's hand resting comfortingly on his back that he did not fall back into very unpleasant flashbacks, although a few brief flashes of memory crossed his mind.
You are our Gray Son, our best Talon.
Don't disappoint us, Gray Son.
With Gray Son on our side, it will be a short time before we finally conquer Gotham.
"I would much prefer if you called him Renegade or Richard."
Slade's protective growl brought Dick back to the world of the living and he shook his head to clear his mind.
"My fault." said Ra's without sounding at all displeased. "I'm surprised they still haven't taken back their best weapon."
Deathstroke stared at him grimly. "They don't even know I have Richard and I want to keep it that way."
"Of course." Ra's nodded. "If I were you, I would leave that boy alone. His presence will only bring war and unnecessary bloodshed. Even you won't be able to keep him forever, Slade. Sooner or later he will have to fulfill his destiny."
"Keep talking shit like that and I will no longer accept any of your missions and contracts." Deathstroke coldly declared, his right hand closing into a fist while the other was still resting on his son.
True, Ra's paid very well, but Slade did not need him at all.
The same could not be said for the opposite though.
Ra's raised an eyebrow, perhaps surprised by the fierce protective streak Slade showed toward the Gray Son. He nodded silently. "Duly noted. Now, if you want, we can start reviewing some details in my office."
"Finally." Slade drawled sarcastically.
"Well then." nodded Ra's ignoring his sarcasm. "I'm afraid that Renegade won't be able to follow you, Slade." he said and the two mercenaries were not surprised. "Don't worry though: Talia will treat Renegade properly."
Talia's confused look from the previous conversation immediately became neutral and she merely nodded.
Slade's gaze shifted to his son, examining him closely. Although Dick was stiffer than usual and his eyes were more impassive, he should be fine.
And in any case, Slade knew that Dick wouldn't have much trouble eliminating Talia and the other assassin ninjas if necessary.
Deathstroke squeezed his son's shoulder briefly and turned to stare at Ra's, who watched his every move like a hawk. "Let's hurry."
Dick put his mask back on as he stared at Slade and Ra's walking away from the throne room. His gaze then fell on Talia who gave him an abrupt nod to follow. "I'll give you a brief tour of the place." she informed him stiffly and without even being certain that he was following her she turned away.
The young mercenary did not tell her that he already knew the layout of the castle -man, his idea of the holographic glove was truly brilliant- and followed her silently.
"What was Father referring to with the story of Gray Son of Gotham?" Talia asked abruptly once the tour was over.
Renegade stiffened involuntarily at the question. He stared at her, noticing that she was also staring at him with cold, analytical green eyes. "I'm surprised your father didn't tell you anything." he lied without immediately answering her question.
Talia's sharp gaze narrowed. "Don't talk to me like that, child. Pay respect to the daughter of the Demon's Head."
Renegade sent her a dark and dangerous smirk, showing all his teeth. "And you pay respect to a child who knows 117 different ways to kill you with a toothpick." he declared coldly.
The woman uttered a mocking sound. "It is obvious you are lying."
"Am I?" the Talon tilted his head to the side in a move that seemed innocent but actually appeared threatening. "You wouldn't like to find out. Trust me."
Talia crossed her arms, unimpressed. "I'm not afraid of a child." she declared dismissively.
Renegade emitted a low, dark chuckle. "You are more naive than I thought." Talia's eyes widened in shock but before she could protest or threaten him he continued. "Why do you think Ra's warned the world's deadliest and most dangerous mercenary to let me go? That even he could not keep me forever?"
The daughter of the Demon Head remained silent and her glare increased a notch. "Enlighten me."
"You are not the only criminal organization in the world that has existed for centuries and centuries."
"Are you implying that before Wilson you were trained by another secret society?"
"That's right."
Dick knew he shouldn't give her details but since Ra's already knew most things, sooner or later Talia would learn about it too.
"I don't see anything special about that. Your secret society is probably a minor thing." she declared contemptuously.
The mercenary burst into a laugh that somehow came across as both genuine and sarcastic. "You don't know what you're talking about, Talia."
Talia opened her mouth but she froze when she heard him recite some kind of nursery rhyme.
«Beware the Court of Owls, that watches all the time,
ruling Gotham from a shadowed perch, behind granite and lime.
They watch you at your hearth, they watch you in your bed,
speak not a whispered word about them, or they'll send The Talon for your head.»
Despite herself, Talia shuddered at the cold, impassive, hollow and emotionless tone of voice of Deathstroke's apprentice. It was as if he was reciting it robotically, as if someone had implanted that nursery rhyme in his head in such a way that he would never be able to forget it.
"The League of Assassins is just a joke compared to the Court of Owls. Their assassins -the Talons- are not only almost completely immortal but are much more ruthless, dangerous, brutal and efficient than your ninja assassins. This is because they are no longer human but just empty shells lacking free will that are only owned by the Masters. The Court's goal is to control the whole Gotham as they did in the past.
"They took me when I was seven years old, right after I saw my parents die in front of me. They killed me. They turned me into a Talon. They tortured me for three fucking years. They trained me for three fucking years. They taught me how to behead. They taught me how to rip off arms, heads, legs and other body parts only with my superhuman strength. They taught me how to pierce the rib cage with one fist. They taught me to not show signs of weakness.
"I am not only Renegade, the apprentice of the world's most ruthless mercenary aka Deathstroke The Terminator.
"I am The Talon, The Gray Son of the Court of Owls. I am no longer a child since I was taken. I am a monster. I have killed hundreds of targets ordered by them. I have killed children only because they ordered me to. They have molded me to be the ultimate and most dangerous weapon in the world. My destiny is to be the best Talon ever and to lead the Court of Owls to conquer Gotham."
