Dick stared at himself in the mirror, admiring himself in his Renegade armor. His blood-red utility belt was stocked with many knives and other gadgets. Tied to his waist were a few holsters in which his guns were stored. Tied to his back were two crossed X-shaped swords whose blades gleamed menacingly.
The acrobat smiled and turned to Slade who was staring at him with a small smile. "That is so cool and menacing!"
"It is." confirmed the man with a slight smile.
The time had come for Renegade's debut and his first contract together with his mentor.
Dick's training was going swimmingly and the kiddo was learning at an absurd speed that began to seriously impress Slade.
The kiddo was an excellent student who, if he continued to learn at this rate, it would only take a few years for Dick to surpass Deathstroke The Terminator.
And Slade wasn't kidding.
Dick's hand-to-hand combat was getting better and better as he began to master other types of martial arts along with new lethal and deadly moves.
Slade had begun training him with knives and daggers but quickly discovered that Dick was already an excellent master of them. The super soldier discovered that knives were his main weapon as a Talon and that he had mastered them with perfection in his three years of training under the Court of Owls.
Slade showed him a few tricks with knives but otherwise there was nothing else to teach him: he dared to say that Dick was even better at mastering knives than he was.
Later Slade switched to firearms, starting with pistols. Initially the mercenary made him load and disassemble the guns for several hours until Dick automatically learned the movement and then he moved on to the practical part.
Slade was not at all surprised when he saw Dick's excellent aim.
And frankly he was impressed and somewhat horrified when he discovered that Dick already knew perfectly all the areas of the human body at which to aim for both a quick death and a slow, painful death and which organs to hit and pierce from the most vital to the least vital and exactly where to hit to kill or not kill a person and how long it will take for the person to die based on the area of the body hit.
Slade knew that Dick was basically a human weapon but not to this extent, dammit!
Slade devoted it a few lessons by adding something else but otherwise spent the next few lessons improving Dick's mastery with guns. As mentioned earlier his aim was very good but it could always be improved, same with his reflexes.
Slade shook off his thoughts and stared at his son. "Ready, Renegade?"
Renegade turned toward him, eyes white and a shark-like grin on his face. His expression would have been decidedly more terrifying if he were not a child, but Slade knew that many adult people would already be peeing themselves.
"Born ready!" replied the Talon excitedly.
"One last thing before we leave." Dick tilted his head questioningly in the super soldier's direction. "You will have to be seen as my apprentice, not my partner."
"What? Why?" asked Dick, and it was easy to see that he did not like this at all.
"Because Deathstroke doesn't need a partner who has his back at all."
"So it's for your reputation." huffed the acrobat.
"Not just that. The term partner implies a more familiar and affectionate relationship while the term apprentice indicates a more professional and detached relationship."
"I still don't get it." Dick admitted.
"If you make an effort you will understand."
This was one of the qualities Dick admired most in Slade's teaching: the fact that he was a very patient man who always made him figure things out on his own without his help. This helped to improve his train of thought, to think outside the box and to make him a good detective.
Dick reflected silently for about a minute. "You don't want someone to see me as your weakness and a target to exploit against you."
Slade smiled proudly and nodded. "That's right. I know you are not a weakness but still it will not stop others from trying to hurt you to get to me."
Dick crossed his arms and huffed, clearly not pleased. "All right then, I'll be your 'apprentice'." he spat out the last word as if it were poison, making his father chuckle. "But call me that in this house and I will blind you in the other eye as well."
Slade smirked, absentmindedly noting that if anyone else had threatened him like that they would be dead by now. "You can always try, kiddo."
"I remember I almost succeeded in our first meeting." Dick teased him with a mischievous grin.
Slade quickly lost his smile and groaned. "You're never going to drop that, are you?"
"That's right." he replied, chuckling when the man clicked his tongue in frustration. "Until when will I be seen as your apprentice?"
"Until you beat me in hand-to-hand combat."
"Oh, come on!"
Slade chuckled at his son's frustration before turning serious. "Now enough talk. We have to finish our contract."
Dick also became serious but he still bounced in place from excitement. "Yes, sir."
The two mercenaries were standing above a building in Chicago. Renegade could barely keep still as excitement and nervousness were consuming him from within.
If he still had a heartbeat, he knew that it would increase disproportionately.
"Renegade, mission report."
"Our target to eliminate is Andrew Reed, a 38-year-old, divorced man with no children, a corrupt Chicago politician in cahoots with the local mob. Although there is no direct evidence to charge him, he is behind some of the murders of his political rivals. He is also responsible for the mob's rise in power in Chicago dealing with drug trafficking that is increasingly circulating on the city's streets."
"What else?"
"Reed is always surrounded by six bodyguards who are also involved with his crimes and the local mafia. They are also directly responsible for disappearance and murder cases of at least seventeen people who have attacked Reed's public image."
"Good." nodded Deathstroke in satisfaction. "Your task is to enter Reed's office, which is on the 21st floor of the building across from us. I assume you have memorized the floor plan of the building and with it the locations of each camera."
"Sure." said Renegade with a smile. "Might I suggest an improvement to be applied in future contracts?"
"Go ahead."
"Would you be able to add, at least in my armor, holographic gloves with which I can study the floor plan of each building, hack the cameras and any other electrical devices, and more?"
Deathstroke stared at him and Renegade could imagine his eyebrow raised in surprise. "That... would be an excellent idea, Renegade. Not least because then we can get ahead of your hacking classes and stuff. I will have to see a bit about how to add such additions to your suit but yes, I think it can be done."
"One more thing."
"Hurry up, though. We don't have all the time in the world."
"If I had a grappling hook now I could have flown directly into Reed's office by smashing through the window. In addition to the dramatic effect -very important in my opinion- we could speed up the time it would take to fulfill the contract."
The world's deadliest mercenary had a nervous twitch in his eye hidden by his mask.
How the hell was it possible for the kiddo to suggest two fantastic pieces of advice in less than two minutes? Couldn't I have thought of that first?
The super soldier grunted feigning annoyance but secretly he was really proud of his son. "We'll talk about it tomorrow at lunch."
Dick had known Slade long enough and knew that he was actually proud of him, so he gave him a cheeky smile.
"Now stop wasting time. We need to hurry before our target gets away."
"What do you want me to do?" asked Renegade.
"Infiltrate the building. Don't take the elevator but use the stairs. Shoot with the silencer at every camera you see without being noticed. Enter Reed's office and kill him."
"Any preference from the client on how to kill him?"
"A head shot. It has to look like a personal type of execution."
"I can do that easily." nodded Renegade. "His bodyguards?"
"Unspecified. You can either shoot them down or kill them. Your choice."
Renegade smirked. "Roger. What are you going to do?"
"Not important."
"So you're leaving me the chance to complete your contract, which is my first, completely on my own?" asked Renegade surprised.
"I trust you, Renegade." Deathstroke declared simply. He nodded to him. "Now go."
"With much pleasure."
Entering the building without activating any defense system was easier than Dick expected. He slipped into the shadows and looked around. He took his silencer and fired at the two cameras present, destroying them. Ascertaining that no one was around, the young mercenary ran without making a sound toward the stairs.
After all, a secret, hidden and silent society like the Court of Owls had made sure of that.
There was a reason Slade had so far dedicated few lessons to stealth. He had been impressed, to say the least, by Dick's stealth, and the only reason he could hear his silent footsteps was his enhanced hearing.
Although it must be said that Slade would soon begin training Dick to be even more stealthy and silent until he could sneak up on the mercenary without him noticing.
This would have been very difficult but if Slade believed that Dick could do it, then so did Dick.
Regardless, Renegade began to climb the stairs quickly but silently, stopping when necessary when he remembered exactly that there would be cameras at the next corner that he would then destroy with his silencer.
"My first contract and I have to climb hundreds of stairs." Renegade muttered grumblingly. "Joy."
At least thanks to his Talon abilities he would never be able to tire physically.
Mentally, however, it was a different story.
"Quiet, Renegade." his mentor's voice rang loud and clear in his ear through his earpiece.
"Yes, sir." he put his hands in front of his mouth to muffle a giggle when he heard a snort on the other side of the communications.
He froze when his enhanced hearing heard something and he quickly realized that someone was coming down the stairs. Acting on instinct, Renegade stuck his back to the wall, blending in perfectly with the darkness. He waited with bated breath, mix of excitement and nervousness mingling in his chest, and seconds later a man in his thirties came down, passing him without so much as a glance in his direction.
Renegade released the sigh he had been holding back, glad that he would not have to take anyone down since in the entire building, Reed and his minions aside, the rest of the people were innocent.
"That was too close for my liking." muttered the mercenary.
Eventually after a few minutes, thanks to his superhuman speed and virtually infinite stamina, the acrobat reached the 20th floor. He slowed down and climbed the last stairs that would lead to the next floor. Renegade stopped on the very last step and thrust his head over.
No one in sight.
Using this to his advantage Renegade silently walked down the corridors that would lead to Reed's office, mentally going over the floor plan of the building's twenty-first floor. He paused beside a wall and poked his head out.
Standing in front of the doors to Reed's office were three strong, armed men. The other three were probably inside the office.
Renegade silently cracked a few joints and smirked.
Time for some action.
The three guards did not even see him coming.
Even before they could notice that there was a fully armed and armored child standing in front of them, the first of them let out a short choked scream of shock and pain when a fist completely destroyed his windpipe, killing him on the spot.
Renegade grabbed the second man's head and fatally twisted his neck with a sickening crunch of broken bones. The third man had only time to point a gun at him when with a kick Renegade disarmed him, breaking his arm and grabbing his gun on the fly. The young mercenary fully enjoyed the flash of fear in his eyes and shot him in the right hip, then heedlessly throwing the weapon away.
Deep red blood splattered on his half-black half-orange armor but he ignored it. With a solid kick the world's best acrobat smashed through the office doors, revealing the shocked gazes of Reed and his remaining three bodyguards, and even before he could be caught by the cameras moving slowly left and right he drew two pistols and fired, destroying them all.
"Surprise!" shouted Renegade with a smirk, putting his weapons back.
"What the hell are you waiting for? Kill him!" Reed ordered.
Dick now had two options.
Quickly draw a gun and instantly kill all three bodyguards without even giving them time to get their weapons but that would have been too easy and boring for his taste.
Or show off his unattainable acrobatic skills by dodging bullets and killing them with his bare hands.
This was not even a mental debate worthy of being called one.
When did Dick ever follow the easiest and most boring things?
Renegade performed several forward somersaults easily dodging bullets and he launched himself toward the first one. Being still in midair he grabbed the man's head and crashed it violently against the wall, destroying both his skull and the wall.
The mercenary rolled to the side dodging more bullets and threw a punch to the stomach of the second guard who doubled over spitting blood. Renegade grabbed him and put him in front of him, using him as a human shield that was soon killed as it was filled with bullets courtesy of the last guard.
The man stopped firing when he realized that he had killed his colleague. Renegade threw the dead man carelessly to the side and ran toward him, disarming him with a roundhouse kick. He shattered his right kneecap with a hard kick and the man fell to the ground with a cry of pain that was interrupted when Renegade snapped his neck, killing him.
He turned and suddenly threw a knife that sent the gun flying from Reed's hands.
"Tsk. You know that's a dangerous weapon?" Renegade scolded him as if the man were a child and not the other way around.
Even though said child had killed massive and armed men with extreme ease.
"W-who are you?" he stammered in fright, looking horrified at the various guns and long sword blades stowed on the young man's back.
Renegade slowly walked over and took back his knife, stowing it in his utility belt. "Glad you asked." he fixed him with a growing smirk. "I am Renegade and I am about to put an end to your miserable life."
Before the man could say anything Renegade physically forced him to fall to his knees. "I-I've never seen or h-heard you until now! W-what are you, n-nine?"
"I'm eleven years old, man!" spoke Renegade in an offended voice, pointing a gun at his head.
Reed paled even more. "W-wait! W-why are you doing t-this?"
"Point one: I am a mercenary and you are the target of my contract. Point two: you are a corrupt and disgusting person with a lot of innocent blood on your hands." replied the Talon distractedly waving his gun in a casual but expert movement.
"P-please! D-don't k-kill me!" implored Reed.
Renegade stared at him with a blank, detached gaze. "I bet those are the same words spoken by the people who died because of you!" he hissed angrily. "Their families never got the justice they deserve." he gave a grim smile. "But that's about to change."
"W-wait-"
"Look on the bright side: you will soon be my first completed contract."
The shot rang out loudly in the office and Reed fell backwards lifelessly to the ground, a bullet hole in the center of his head and at the level of his brain.
Renegade put the gun back in its holster, shaking off the blood and brain matter that splattered on his armor. He stared blankly at the corpses around him for a couple of minutes and finally turned around with a sigh. "You can come out, boss."
Deathstroke emerged from the shadows and observed the carnage with a proud twinkle in his mask-hidden eye. "Excellent work, Renegade."
Despite the emotional state he was in Dick managed to smile. "Thank you."
"How long did you know I was following you?"
"After I went up the seventh floor."
"You must always be alert to your surroundings, Renegade." the more experienced mercenary scolded him.
"I know." there was a pause. "How much money is this contract worth?"
"Seven hundred and fifty thousand. I usually don't accept contracts with such low pay but I made an exception for you." Renegade nodded silently and the man continued. "Once I receive the payment money I will transfer it all to one of the many accounts in your name with different aliases of course."
The acrobat's head snapped toward his father. "What?"
"You heard me right, kiddo. Now that you are for all intents and purposes a mercenary, you will have to have many bank accounts into which you can deposit and withdraw the money from your contracts. Both the contracts you will make together with me -and in this case we will split the money according to different requirements- and the contracts you will make on your own in the future."
Renegade stared at him, unable to find the voice to express his gratitude. "Can I hug you?"
"Once we return home."
"...What if I ask you for a comforting hug?"
Deathstroke carefully examined the state of his apprentice. "Flashbacks?"
"Pretty bad." confirmed Renegade in a low murmur.
The super soldier gave a pained sigh and spread his arms wide. The next second he closed them protectively around his son, cradling him gently.
"I don't regret killing those bastards." murmured the acrobat, pulling up with his nose in an attempt not to cry.
He could not cry or Slade would see him as weak and unworthy as a mercenary, dammit!
It seemed as if Slade had read his thoughts, and to his surprise he contradicted them. "Let it out, kiddo."
Dick cried and Slade held him close. "I-I didn't mean to kill them! I-I didn't mean to! I swear!"
Slade knew very well who Dick was referring to and it was not about the corpses around them. "I know, kiddo. I know." he placed a fatherly kiss on his hair. "It's not your fault. Nothing that has happened to you is your fault. Nothing you were forced to do is your fault. Nothing at all is your fault."
Dick pulled back just enough to stare at the masked face of his mentor. "Will all this... ever go away?" he asked as he pulled up with his nose, staring at him with a pleading, destroyed look hidden by his mask.
Slade hesitated and decided to answer honestly. "I don't know." then, more softly he added, "I'm sorry."
Dick continued to cry on his father's chest for several minutes with Slade protectively holding him close. "You don't have to keep doing this." the man murmured.
The Talon pulled away slightly and wiped some tears on his face that came from under his mask. "The thing is that I don't regret killing them." he said, gesturing vaguely toward the corpses scattered around them. "I felt like it was the right thing to do. Because the only way to stop the crimes committed by a bad, selfish man like Reed was to kill him."
"And you did a great job, Renegade." Deathstroke smiled when he saw him strut slightly in his praise. "I've seen your acrobatic skills and they are nothing short of breathtaking. No one can get to your level."
This was one of the best things Slade could have said to him.
"Outside you left a security guard alive." the super soldier pointed out without any judgment in his tone of voice.
Renegade gave a small smile and shrugged. "It's to warn the assholes that they won't be able to escape Renegade."
"A witness who has only seen you in passing." nodded the former military man.
"That's just the beginning."