Gotham
Roof of Titan Safe House
10:50 A.M.
Nightwing and Raven were kneeling on the rooftop overlooking the street, they were preparing themselves for the convoy. Bruce had sent in a supply drop from the batwing that landed on the roof. Raven was collecting the vials that had the neutralizing agent in them and Nightwing was loading tranquilizer darts into the air rifle that came with the drop. They both knew that Amazo was detained but also that they had to be ready for anything. A high value target like this was sure to bring trouble; especially since Lex Luthor was involved. Nightwing looked over his shoulder to give a quick scan of the surrounding buildings, making sure nobody was up there with them.
"Raven, time?"
"Ten fifty."
Nightwing loaded the last dart into the air rifle and put it on the ground within reaching distance, making sure he was able to grab it and fire within a few seconds. He then scanned the horizon again, this time carefully.
"Don't see anyone else up here. Yet."
"I've got the doses loaded into the gas grenades, I'll take three, and you can have the last two since you have better aim than me."
"That an admission to throwing like a girl?"
"Easy Nightwing."
Nightwing put a finger to his earpiece.
"Oracle, GCPD has arrived and is currently blocking traffic from this road."
Raven heard Oracle respond through her earpiece.
"Confirmed Nightwing. I am watching the A.R.G.U.S. convoy approach your location. Looks like they are going to arrive early. There are three trucks, Amazo is in the middle. The other two are filled with guards. I have already placed a tracker on it in case they get separated or need to make an immediate escape. Are you two setup?"
"I have the air rifle loaded and ready, Raven has the gas grenades loaded. Rooftops look secure."
"Copy, convoy ETA; a minute thirty."
"Oracle, I need a favor."
"Anything for you."
"Can you run a search in the database? Look for any breakouts from Arkham and Blackgate."
"Expecting trouble Boy Wonder?"
Raven answered Oracle this time.
"He's ALWAYS expecting trouble."
Oracle muted Nightwing's earpiece so only Raven could hear her talk.
"Raven, don't respond. I muted Nightwing's earpiece so he can't hear me. I want you to keep an eye on him. He is going to have a personal drive on this mission because Batman gave it to him. He'll want to prove he can handle it. What he doesn't know is that Batman considers him his equal, Dick doesn't believe that. Make sure he doesn't drive too hard. I know I have no right to ask, but if not for me do it for him."
Just as Raven was about to respond she heard Nightwing yell.
"SHOOTER! Across the street! Raven wait for the convoy I'll handle it."
Raven spun around to see Nightwing jump off the building and grapple to the rooftop across the street, the shooter was Deadshot. He had his wrist mounted guns loaded with explosive rounds aimed at the road, he was ready to blow the doors off the back of the truck Amazo was in. Nightwing landed on the building behind Deadshot and pulled out his escrima.
"Deadshot, it's been a long time."
Lawton turned to face him.
"I hear you go by Nightwing now. The Bat finally take the training wings off?"
"You still need a laser sight to find your target?"
That got under Deadshot's skin.
"No. I've learned a few things over the last seven years. Speaking of which, how's the shoulder?"
"Healed. And no muscle or tissue damage. Not for the lack of trying."
"I'll have to try harder this time then."
"I'm not in the mood Lawton, turn around and leave. I'll forget about seeing you here."
"I don't work like that. I'm being paid a lot of money for this, backing out on a contract ain't a good career move."
Nightwing got into a defensive stance.
"Last chance Deadshot. I won't even tell Batman I saw you here."
"Go fu-"
Deadshot raised his left arm and fired the wrist mounted gun. Nightwing was expecting the shot as he moved before Deadshot was able to fire. The round struck the building behind them. Deadshot fired off three more rounds at Nightwing, Nightwing was telegraphing the shots so before each one hit he wasn't there anymore. He closed the distance to Deadshot and engaged him in hand to hand. Nightwing parried Lawton's strike and knocked him to the ground.
Nightwing heard Raven's voice through the psy-link.
"Convoy just turned the corner, it's almost right in front of you."
"Keep an eye on it. I'll handle Deadshot."
Deadshot stood up and looked to Nightwing.
"I missed. I NEVER miss! How the hell are you that fast? The Bat isn't even that fast."
"I've gotten better after seven years."
Deadshot looked to see the convoy coming down the road. He looked to Nightwing then back at the convoy. Deadshot raised his wrist mounted gun at the convoy, Nightwing tackled Deadshot in a split second but wasn't able to prevent the shot. Explosive round hit the rear tire of the truck holding AMAZO, the tire blew causing the truck to lose control and smash into a building and flip. Nightwing was still struggling with Deadshot, he ripped off one of the wrist mounted guns and threw it across the building. Nightwing looked to the street to see A.R.G.U.S. soldiers closing in around the flipped truck with rifles drawn, the other soldiers were getting out the heavy artillery. Nightwing spoke through the psy-link.
"Raven, get down there! I'll be right behind you."
Raven flew down to the street and started to approach the soldiers. Nightwing knocked out Deadshot and went to join Raven on the street, one of the soldiers saw Raven approach and didn't recognize her as an ally. He pointed his rifle at her.
"Put your hands behind your head and get on your knees."
"I think you have the wro-"
"ON THE GROUND NOW!"
Nightwing approached the soldier from beside and disarmed him.
"Easy private. We're the reinforcements Batman promised you. Now, that girl you pointed your gun at is a very close friend. So if you want to keep your arm from being broken, I'd advise you not point a gun at her."
Nightwing handed the gun back and motioned Raven over, he then contacted Oracle.
"Oracle, convoy has been stopped. Deadshot showed and I was unable to stop him from firing on the convoy. The truck carrying AMAZO is flipped and unable to continue, A.R.G.U.S. soldiers are moving in. Call us another truck."
"On it Nightwing. What about-"
Raven yelled.
"Nightwing, watch out!"
Deadshot regained consciousness and fired at Nightwing with his other wrist mounted gun, Raven put up a barrier around him before the shot could find its mark. Deadshot looked to see Raven with her hands encased in magic, he targeted her. Raven blocked the shot with magic just as Nightwing turned to see him fire at her. Deadshot turned and tried to make his mistake, Nightwing was about to follow him when they heard the doors of the truck rip off the hinges. Nightwing had that look on his face.
"Son of a bitch…"
Oracle was in their ears, she had heard the gunfire.
"What's happening? Report."
Raven put a finger to her ear.
"Deadshot took a shot at the two of us and got away, AMAZO is free."
"Is anyone hurt?"
"No."
Amazo stepped from the truck, his gray skin showing as he stepped into the street. Nightwing put a finger to his ear.
"Oracle, have Gordon start evacuating people from this area. I don't know if Amazo is at full power or half but I have a feeling we're going to find out and I don't want anyone caught in the crossfire that includes GCPD."
"I'll call my dad right now."
A.R.G.U.S. soldiers began to fire at Amazo, the bullets just bounced off without even leaving a mark. Amazo grabbed one of the soldiers and threw him; he sailed over the other soldiers and landed next to Raven. The other A.R.G.U.S. soldiers closed in around Amazo, one climbed to the .50 caliber machine gun on the truck and opened fire. Neither Nightwing nor Raven could hear themselves think because the gunfire was too overpowering. Amazo cut his way through the soldiers, tossing them around like they were ragdolls.
Raven and Nightwing didn't know what to do, they just watched as A.R.G.U.S. tried to contain Amazo. Raven started using her magic to snatch soldiers out of the air before they hit the ground, trying to do whatever she could. Oracle contacted Nightwing.
"Nightwing, I called my dad. He is leading the evacuation, how's it going?"
"Not good. Amazo is ripping A.R.G.U.S. apart. The two of us are doing crowd control at the moment, we can't do anything while the soldiers are firing their weapons. I don't want Raven to get hit with a stray shot."
Raven glared at Nightwing when she heard him say that, she was upset he was thinking about her more than he was worried about himself. Amazo approached the soldier who was on the fifty caliber machine gun, it was the Captain of A.R.G.U.S.; an old General who had joined A.R.G.U.S., he lifted the truck and threw it over Nightwing and Raven's heads. Raven caught the truck with her magic and lowered it between the two of them, Nightwing climbed to where the Captain was and gave him orders.
"Captain, save what men you have remaining and pull out. Let us handle this."
"Like hell! This thing killed over half my men, now it's personal."
Amazo approached the truck, Nightwing crabbed the captain and jumped free from the truck. Amazo ripped the gun from the truck and threw it towards Raven, she raised a barrier to protect herself. The Captain looked at Nightwing who was standing between him and Amazo.
"Screw this! It's the Justice League's problem again."
Nightwing looked down to the Captain.
"Wrong, I'm not Justice League."
The Captain stood and called for his me to pull out, Nightwing radioed Oracle.
"Oracle, A.R.G.U.S. is pulling out. Raven and I are clear to engage Amazo."
"Hold off Nightwing I'm calling in some of the League for reinforcements."
"No! We can handle it. More Leaguers means this thing gets more powers than it already has. I've got this."
"You sound just like HIM. HE never needs any help either you know."
"Enough Oracle. Just send another truck."
Nightwing hung up on Oracle and contacted Raven through the link.
"Go left, I'll hit from the right."
"Got it."
Rachel flew towards Amazo on the left side while Nightwing came from the right, Amazo detected Raven's psionic energy since he had gained Manhunter's powers and sent a psychic attack back at her. Raven grabbed her head in pain and screamed, she fell to the ground and writhed with pain. Nightwing attacked from the right, Amazo gained Flash's speed so he blocked the attack then threw Nightwing away from him, he hit the ground and rolled, he landed next to Raven.
"You okay Rae?"
"I will be. Psionic attack, he sensed the psylink and back fired it."
"Yeah, he must have fought Manhunter. And Flash. Strength of Wonder Woman. This isn't going to be easy."
"You sure we can handle this? I mean, what happens if he copies my powers?"
"Then we hope he doesn't open a portal for your father. Or get too emotional and level the entire city with one blast."
"That's comforting."
"Do you still have those gas grenades?"
"Only one. When I fell the triggers jammed on two of them."
Just as Nightwing was helping Raven up he heard a crackle in the air.
"Oh shit…"
He pushed Raven out of the way and took the hit from Amazo's sonic cannon he got from fighting Cyborg. The blast knocked him back twenty feet and made his ears ring. Raven flew towards Nightwing and helped pick him up.
"You hurt?"
"Aside from that blast tearing open my stitches no."
"At least we know what Vic's been up to recently."
Nightwing stood up and shook off the hit.
Amazo approached the two of them, Raven went to the right this time as Nightwing went left. Amazo used frost breath he had gained from Superman. Raven dodged and separated from Amazo trying to put distance between her and it.
"Frost breath? Seriously? Is there a Leaguer he didn't fight with?"
"He probably fought against the big seven, minus Batman."
Raven picked up debris from one of the trucks with her magic and threw it at Amazo, Amazo made a fist and a green beam came out from it that made an impervious wall of green hard light energy. Raven was in a panic.
"Annnnnnnnd Green Lantern, of course. Why am I not surprised?"
"Don't panic Raven we got this."
"We are going to die."
"We're not going to die."
"Did I ever mention that you're an idiot Grayson?"
Nightwing dodged a strike from Amazo.
"It was pretty much implied."
"That's it, I'm calling Oracle. We need backup from the League."
"No! We don't! Look, I've fought beside the League. Trained to fight against them. They have weaknesses so will he. Cyborg's blasts are usually preceded by a small crackle. Listen for it, then move."
Amazo turned and opened his hand towards Raven, she saw a blue flash then heard a crackle and moved. She dodged the cannon. Nightwing got in close to engage Amazo.
"Flash needs room to operate. Get in close, and his blows start to land on his own body."
Nightwing didn't need to attack Amazo, Nightwing just had to dodge. Amazo started attacking himself trying to hit Nightwing. Nightwing jumped and hooked his right arm around Amazo's neck, he landed a hit from his escrima then jumped off.
"Aquaman's eyes are perfect. So's his aim. But perfect is predictable. Imagine the best angle and get out of its way."
Nightwing kicked Amazo's chin then just when Amazo reached for Nightwing, he wasn't there anymore.
Raven came in close, they were both fighting Amazo in hand to hand. Anyone else woud have called it suicide, Nightwing called it sparring with the League like he did back when he was Robin. Amazo put up a green wall construct to prevent himself from being hit from that side.
"Green Lantern's constructs require crazy concentration. Hit it from a dozen different angles, let the confusion bring it down."
Raven and Nightwing worked in unison to hit it in as many angles as possible, Nightwing then worked his way to the side where the hard light construct was and kicked through it due to Amazo losing concentration. Amazo looked down to Nightwing and used frost breath, Nightwing extended both arms to his shoulders and front flipped avoiding the blast.
"Superman's super breath. 4.2 seconds from when it hits to when it takes you down. Plenty of time."
Nightwing and Raven both felt something tugging at their minds. Another psionic attack on both of them.
"Martian Manhunter's mind attack…"
Raven grabbed her head and collapsed in pain again.
"…It just takes will. You just have to not… Give in…"
Nightwing lunged forward and gave Amazo the strongest superman punch he could manage.
"Never give in..."
Amazo fell to the ground, the punch knocked the air out of it. Nightwing helped Raven to her feet.
"Get up. If you get up, we might make it. Just be glad he doesn't have Superman's strength."
Raven stood on her feet still in a daze.
"Where's your gas grenade?"
Raven giggled.
"Heh, heh. That's easy enough. Just on the other side of that."
Raven pointed passed Amazo who was now beginning to rise to his feet. Raven got into a ready stance.
"I told you we were going to die."
Nightwing ran towards Amazo, Amazo reached out to grab Nightwing. Nightwing jumped and put a foot on Amazo's shoulder to get more power in his jump, he flipped over Amazo and landed with a roll while also grabbing the gas grenade. He turned and threw the grenade into Amazo's chest as it released the gas, Amazo breathed it in. Amazo's powers were suppressed, Raven jumped onto Amazos back from behind and stabbed it in the chest with the tranquilizer. Amazo dropped to his knees then hit the ground with a thud. The second truck appeared a few minutes later, the Captain from earlier approached the two of them.
"Holy… Forgive my astonishment but I didn't think anybody could bring that thing down again. I guess Batman did send the right Leaguers."
Raven looked at Nightwing, she was going to follow his lead.
"Again Captain, we're not Leaguers. Just reinforcements that Batman sent, that's all."
"Well why the hell not? Two people, taking out what took the League six hours and eleven people to take down is damn impressive. If I were the League, I'd recruit you in a heartbeat."
"They've tried to recruit me. I have gotten three invitations from them and turned them all down."
"Why in the hell would you do a crazy thing like that?"
"I have my reasons Captain. With all due respect I'd rather not tell you."
"Why is it every time someone says 'With all due respect', they really mean kiss my ass? Anyway Nightwing, let me tell you something. Whatever your reasons for not joining the League are your own, but they don't let just anyone in. I've sat in on one of their recruitment meetings and if they chose you, that means they see something in you."
Nightwing rolled his eyes under his mask, Rachel used the psy-link.
"I know what you're thinking."
"Of course you do."
The Captain continued.
"Ah shit, listen to an old man ramble. Anyway thanks for the help, I'll see you around."
The Captain turned and went to observe the rest of A.R.G.U.S. load Amazo back into the truch, Nightwing put his finger in his ear.
"Oracle, Amazo is unconscious and is being loaded back into the truck. Let Batman know mission accomplished. Also, Deadshot is still out there and I'm going after him."
"Nightwing, are you sure that's wise? Don't you remember what happened last time you went after Deadshot alone? You need to rest. Go back to the safe house with Raven, you don't need to do this. Besides, he's got a head start, how are you going to find him?"
Raven felt his anger rise, she knew what was coming next.
"Oracle, I'm not fifteen, and I'm sure as hell not Robin anymore. Just because that bastard shot me once, doesn't mean he will again. Stop treating me like a damn child."
"I'm not treating you like a child Grayson, I'm worried about you, we all are. We don't want you to turn into HIM."
"That's the third time someone has told me I'm turning into HIM this week."
Nightwing pulled the earpiece out crushed it underneath his foot. Raven watched as the earpiece shattered.
"I'm going with you. I know how this will turn out, you'll lose control again."
"Not you too Rae. Why is everybody so concerned about me all of a sudden?"
Raven glared at him.
"Are you going to make me say it?"
"No. Don't say it. I told you that we don't mention the L word."
Nightwing shot his grapple to the roof to chase down Deadshot. Raven took the hint and headed back towards the safe house, she knew better than to argue with him when he was like this. Besides, she could just meditate and feel his emotions whether he liked it or not, he couldn't stop her. Raven sat in front of the window in the living room of safe house Titan. She crossed her legs and lowered her hood, she started levitating.
"Azarath Metrion Zinthose."
Gotham
Rooftop Deadshot fired from
2:15 P.M.
Nightwing was examining the scene, looking for any clue that would tell him where Deadshot was hiding or heading towards. He was thinking to himself not aware that Rachel was reading him.
"Come on Lawton, you're not as smart as you think you are there has to be a clue here. Polyurethane… heavy trace amounts of lead… Gotham hasn't used that paint for more than a decade. So… he's hiding out at the old power sub-station. Sloppy Lawton."
Gotham
Safe house Titan
2:15 P.M.
Nightwing headed for the old sub-station while Rachel tracked him through the psy-link. She was still meditating when The T.V. kicked on showing Barbara on the other side, she had overridden security protocols to check and see if Nightwing was at the safe house.
"Uh, hello! Anyone there? Dick, Rachel!"
Rachel snapped out of meditation and walked in front of the T.V.
"I'm the only one here Barbara, Nightwing went off after Deadshot."
"And you didn't stop him?!"
"I tried. He charged off anyway."
"Do you realize what happened the last time he went after him alone?"
"He got hurt I'm assuming."
"Yes but theres more to it than that."
Barbara paused and looked down, then back at the screen, she looked like she was trying to calm herself down.
"Last time, when Dick went after Deadshot, Batman was busy with Penguin and told him not to interfere with Deadshot. We got word from a reliable source that Deadshot was in Gotham to kill my dad. Dick lost his temper and went after him, he saved my dad but Deadshot got away. Dick also took his first bullet, his Robin suit was bullet resistant not bullet proof like Batman's. The rounds Deadshot was using pierced it, and went through Dick's shoulder."
Rachel stared at the screen, it made sense to her now. Dick was driving himself so hard because Deadshot got away last time.
"It's okay Barbara he's not in any danger at the moment."
"How do you know? He destroyed his earpiece."
"I can sense him through the psy-link. He was heading to an old power sub-station Deadshot was using to hide out in, he found polyurethane with high traces of lead."
Barbara stared blankly at the screen.
"How did you…?"
"The psy-link. I can hear his thoughts, read his emotions, and sense his location with it."
"That must be incredible."
"At times. The rest it's a colossal pain in the ass."
"What do you mean?"
Barbara knew they shared the bond but not how it worked, she was curious. And for good reason, all the other Titans couldn't explain it either, all they knew was that it worked.
"The link works both ways, I sense him, and he can turn around and sense my thoughts and emotions."
"How did it happen? I mean did it just happen because of your feelings or…?"
Rachel dropped her head, she didn't want to explain the story because it might bring up old feelings in Barbara but at the same time she had the right to know.
"Dick was going on a mission, undercover. There was huge risk involved, and we couldn't afford him wearing a tracer or having his T communicator on him so we called a meeting. Beast Boy suggested that he could shadow him as a bird or some other animal but that gave Beast Boy certain risk we didn't think he could handle. Cyborg suggested he create some type of tracker that was small but still detectable. And then I decided to set up a telepathic link that would allow us to talk and I would always know his location if things went bad."
"So what happened?"
"We decided the link was the best idea. So the two of us went into my room because I needed quiet, we sat together and took each other's hands and pressed our foreheads together, it was the way the spell worked… you have to realize at the time we…"
Rachel dropped her head. She hated talking about emotional stuff as much as Dick did.
"We didn't realize the feelings we had for each other. Anyway when the bond was being setup, I saw everything. I saw Dick standing on the platform in the circus tent waiting for his parents to finish their swing, I saw Dick look at the rope, and see the threads breaking. He cried out to them as the line snapped. I saw him watch as their bodies hit the ground, then I saw him standing over them looking at their broken bodies. And while I saw his parents, he saw Azarath being destroyed and my father murdering my mother."
Raven looked away, she could feel the anger building inside of her.
Barbara was still watching, she had never heard Dick describe the murder of his parents to her, or anyone. She was almost jealous that Rachel was the one who shared the bond with him.
"Oh my God Rae, I'm so sorry."
Rachel snapped her head back at the screen out of anger, only one person was allowed to call her Rae and it sure wasn't Barbara.
"Don't call me that!"
A mirror in the room shattered from her outburst of anger.
"Only Dick can call me that, no one else!"
Barbara backed off.
"Sorry, I heard him call you that and thought it was a nickname."
There was an awkward silence in the room, Barbara decided to break it.
"So, if you don't mind me asking. What's it like to have someone else inside your head?"
"You mean the bond between Dick and I?"
"Yeah."
"It's…"
Raven dropped her head and looked away then back at the screen.
"Letting Grayson inside of my head was… was the most intimate thing I could ever do with anyone. Hell, sleeping with him wouldn't even come close."
Barbara flinched at hearing that, Rachel noticed.
"Sorry, trying to make a point. Won't say it again"
"Thanks."
"Letting someone else inside your head is the most intimate thing anybody could do. You not only know their thoughts and emotions but also their desires, their secrets, the darkest part of their brain and personality that nobody would ever see are completely open."
"I can't imagine having someone read my thoughts or emotions constantly."
"It's not just thoughts or emotions though. Like take Dick and I for example, because of our feelings towards each other, the bond is amplified. I can at times see through his eyes, I can…"
Rachel looked away again.
"I can feel his heartbeat."
"So, right now, you can feel his heartbeat and his thoughts?"
Rachel took a step back, put her hood up and listened. Barbara watched as Rachel controlled her breathing, just watching and observing. Rachel started talking slowly, stating what she could sense and feel.
"Heart rate is a hundred and forty six, he's running. Adrenaline is flowing, hasn't reached Deadshot yet. His mind s wandering through countless possibilities of who his next victim is… And he just jumped from a building, I think he's at the substation."
Rachel lowered her hood and took a step towards the T.V., Barbara was in awe of what she just saw.
"How do you know he jumped from the building?"
"Dick's endorphin levels rise exponentially when he's flying through the air. It gives off feelings of euphoria."
"That's amazing! I usually have to watch the bio scanner in Batman's suit to read his vitals but you can do it at will."
"It's also a huge invasion of privacy. A point Dick likes to point out every time I catch him in a lie or he notices that I'm reading him. But it's not exactly something I can turn off."
"I can imagine, having someone access to my thoughts all the time, and knowing that they are there. Creepy."
Raven put two fingers to her temple, then looked to Barbara.
"He found Deadshot."
Gotham
Power Sub-Station
2:21 P.M.
"Come on Nightwing, we both know how this ends. I shoot you, you go down and I get away. Save yourself the trouble and a bullet and leave."
"Not going to happen Deadshot."
"Fine, guess I'll have to earn it."
Deadshot stepped out of cover behind Nightwing and aimed his wrist mounted gun. Lawton thought he had the upper hand, he didn't. Nightwing knew exactly where he was and threw a wing-ding. Lawton shot it out of the air but the pause gave Nightwing time to get behind cover. Nightwing pulled out a smoke pellet and threw it between him and Deadshot. A thick grey smoke appeared between the two of them. Deadshot cycled through filters with his targeting computer.
"That won't save you. You know my targeting computer can pick out thermal imaging right?"
Deadshot saw a thermal image and shot three rounds at it, the thermal image began to fade. Nightwing made his way behind Deadshot in the confusion, he pulled an escrima and activated its electric field. He stuck it into a gap in Deadshot's armor, the electricity fried all of Deadshot's systems along with giving him a jolt of 20,000 volts. His targeting computer overloaded sending Deadshot to the ground screaming in pain, his wrist mounted guns did the same. Nightwing stepped from his position behind Deadshot and pulled the escrima out from Deadshot's armor. He twirled it through his fingers and stuck it back in the holster on his right thigh. Deadshot stopped screaming and began to come to when Nightwing started to cuff him.
"Bastard! I shot you!"
"Nope, what you shot was an electric generator. My suit keeps body heat from escaping so I'm invisible to thermal imaging from the neck down. Told you I've gotten better."
"I'll get outta this, and when I do-"
"Yeah yeah, you'll come after me, then the Batman and you won't kill me until my world comes crashing down. I've heard it before Lawton."
"Oh, I'm not going after you. I'm going after you're little girlfriend from the Titans first. Oh yeah, I know who she is and I know the two of you are very close. My employer told me everything abo-"
Nightwing's anger rose, he always had a soft spot for Raven. He could handle the death threats that were about him and Batman, but when someone threatened Rachel he would lose his temper.
"See, why you gotta go and say something like that? Just when we were done you go and make a death threat to her."
Nightwing pulled out an escrima again, he turned up the voltage from 20,000 to 50,000. The escrima sparked with arcs of blue plasma, he twirled it in his fingers then brought it crashing down onto Deadshot's chest. Deadshot screamed in agony as the electricity arced through his nerves. Nightwing pulled the escrima away.
"Torture really?! That ain't your style, only Batman tortures."
Nightwing smirked.
"Haven't you heard Deadshot? I'm becoming Batman."
NIghtwing stomped hard on Lawton's wrist, he shattered the wrist mounted gun and dislocated Lawton's wrist.
"Wait! My employer! If you stop I'll-"
He smirked again.
"Give him up? No need, I figured out he is. Only three people knew about that convoy; A.R.G.U.S., Batman, and someone who could easily figure it out. Now, you telling me that you knew who Raven was, and how close we are was another clue. The last one was hiring you. Who has enough money to pay for you to come to Gotham, a city where you're rates are tripled. Lex Luthor."
"Smug little-"
Nightwing reached down and grabbed Deadshot by the collar of his suit and pulled him three inches away from his face.
"Now, let me get one thing straight. If you EVER come anywhere near Raven or even have the slightest idea about making her a target. I swear to whatever deity there is, I will hunt you down and make DAMN sure you can never pull a trigger again."
Nightwing threw Deadshot to the ground and cuffed him to a pole.
Gotham
Safe House Titan
3:30 P.M.
Raven was sitting on the couch reading a book when she heard one of the sections of windows open in the safe house. She lowered the book and saw Nightwing climbing in. She watched as he closed the window and took off his mask. He started walking down the hall to change when she decided to follow after him. Dick walked into his room to change out of his suit as Rachel leaned against the wall outside his room as he was changing.
"How'd it go?"
"Fine."
His response was cold and emotionless again, Rachel knew it was because the adrenaline hadn't worn off yet.
"Not hurt are you?"
"No mom."
"Did you just call me mom?"
"Yep."
Rachel smiled and shook her head.
"Barbara called while you were out."
"And? She didn't ground me did she? Tell me I'm not allowed to leave my room. Or that I'm not allowed to go out as Nightwing for a week?"
"Well as a matter of fact…"
Rachel heard his eyes roll.
"She's not treating you like a child, she's just concerned."
"I know. But you of all people should know I can handle it."
"I know. But when you lose control I get concerned."
"I do too. Like with Rojas when you went all Trigon on him."
"He had it coming!"
"And so did Firefly."
Dick walked out dressed in his usual street clothes. Blue jeans, blue t-shirt, blue was his favorite color after all. Dick opened up the fridge to see what food there was then closed it again.
"Well, since there's no food in this place you want to go grab a bite? I know this great Thai place a few blocks away."
Rachel grabbed her phone from the table.
"Sure, but I'm driving."
Dick threw her the keys. And they headed towards the door.