OUR TIME IN REVERSE; MY MISSION TO STRIVE BY: PART – B : Cringe Worthy Adversaries
/
By that next morning, the hunt to find a lost bird from its nest. A whole week had driven Bruce to some terrible extremes. Getting anxious enough, he went to take up the cowl during the murky evening and strove through the night every night, to have any clue as to where this supposed child had scampered on to. After a long dose of adrenaline had cooled, Alfred placed a saucer plate for one cup of tea beside Batman's computer seat. In the cave, nothing but the sound of beeping monitors and the machines rose above their silenced thoughts. Bruce sighed into his palm and let his head fall into the gauntleted two. The man was still kind at heart and fearful, so fearful now that he felt more responsible in keeping Richard from some unwarranted fate. Whomever was reluctant to show themselves –
"Master Bruce, look up at the screen, sir!"
Bruce forgot only in that moment as a signal so very faint lit up, a blinking dot as he saw it with his own eyes – bolding up and over to get from the chair to the seat of the Batmobile. "Keep an eye on any changes and report, Alfred. I'm sure this isn't the only clue we'll find tonight."
/
He was right. The boy had been wise to leave his belongings as a sure distraction on some mangy mutt's poor collar. His cell hung tied to it and the signal there for anything to radar in on the dog's location was alive and well equipped.
In bold, there were no texts, there was no data. All of it had been wiped, save for a single image.
A black and white corner of a photograph for the wallpaper of the screen. Whoever had done this, was clearing not a fan of letting sleeping dogs lie still. Bruce patted the pound puppy's head and led it to the city's animal rescue so that it had someplace to eat and maybe, find its forever home. Richard was afraid of the changes so much that he must have shut down. No one could blame how he'd defended himself when he couldn't be taken to a regular place to stay for kids without moms and dads. Bruce had stepped in clearly not too late, yet the marks and bruises showed. He recalled having a word with Gordon about the facility's history in Gotham, and to his dismay, it had once been just that.
An overcrowded, underfunded juvy hall for kids who didn't feel like they belonged anywhere. Dick didn't deserve that life, so Batman had to keep on searching for a way to find his ward…and apologize.
/
He came to the conclusion that the photo needed a scan. He did it with the cell in hand, just as it had started to ring. The signal was there, so it wasn't shut off – selectively wiped out was how he saw this puzzle in his grip. Bruce let the voice play on speaker.
~ H……elp…..~
The voice wasn't Dick's. It was a grown man's, an adult. Bruce's eye holes in his cowl awoke to a startling conclusion. That photo was of John and Mary Grayson…..and that man….
Bruce sped off, knowing too much. He just hoped after a week of eating into his last hours of micro - rest, he'd have enough stamina to prevent one grizzly murder from happening.
And right under the big top of Haley's own circus.
/
The dark and quiet was unsettling as Bruce peeped behind the curtain to see the lights low, dimmed down and making it easy to trip. He felt he was not alone; all of those nights spent running in circles, all of that time he'd had to wait, well.
In the interim of his searching, Bruce had gotten in touch with the cohorts to one, (like in 2004) Tony Zucco. He was here, waiting to taunt or run at the bat to get his own clues solved on who had been chasing him down.
"Yo, Batman. Come here often?"
"Zucco, I have a warning to give you, that you didn't need to do this –
The gun showed up as Bruce had the man dodge the first shot. It was close as he got out his rangs. A growl on his face as Bruce squinted at who had decided to stop by. "Well, it seems you did get the message after all." The man wore a two toned mask, his armor was state of the art and, his many weapons were numerous and as dangerous as the bat's. An assassin, Bruce came to recognize the man by his uniform alone. Not yet, not until he could put an end to the mercenary's contract. His built was indeed ex military. His stance, authoritarian.
Like looking into a bloody mirror, Bruce didn't leave the ring to wait for backup. None was coming.
"Are you the one trying to eliminate this man?"
"Not I, exactly." The smug merc took up his toy and pointed it teasingly towards the gangster. Tony put his hands up with a yip.
"What gives? I didn't piss you off too, did I, patchy?"
Oh, he was right!
Bruce saw the one eye on the killer's left side of his face. "Deathstroke."
"They broke the mold when they kept you breathing, Batman." Chuckled the monster with the gun. "As I've told my new protégé, you really can't trust anyone at all in this city to hold your secret."
"Zucco isn't in your territory. Whatever contract is out on his head, abolish it. You're not permitted to leave any dead in MY city."
"You already have, remember, Dark Knight?" The man brought up his gun and shook his head, manipulating the time they had to act. "You're all of for justice, yet two died here. A family, a mother and father. I was there in the stands, and I saw how crazy it made you to just sit back and watch…Shame too, the kid deserve –
"Shut up! I am not gonna sit and watch you two animals butt heads. I got a respectible operat –
"You mean the one where you killed people if they didn't pay up."
The merc turned his head, sounding delighted as a child stepped out of the background. Bruce's eyes never left his son's. His.
"Ah, apprentice. This is the Bat you told me so much about? He's harmless, so why don't you let this child that you failed…fix our little dilemma for both of our sakes." Slade motioned for the kid to come over and he did, gingerly. With a frightened caution as feral as a wild cub's own. Bruce's mouth trembled as he shut it, growling back at Deathstroke. "This man is a wanted mercenary. I don't know how you came to collect him from his home, yet coercing and kidnapping a minor will add to your sentence in no time."
"Good, then at least let the boy have his own brand of justice." The disinterest in Slade's words made Bruce angrier. If only he could risk his identity….
He moved in close to Zucco. His rang there are he made sure to keep it light of the gangster;s throat. "Get out of the way, Batman." Slade moved an inch as he left the gun to the boy. He held it, a tremble in tiny fingers as the kid nodded. Anger was there, he just wanted one shot.
Batman, wasn't going to allow that.
"He's tricking you; he called you his apprentice. Don't you know what that means?" Bruce found a pressure point and was about to knock out the gangster when Slade fired a second shot with a hidden pistol. Bruce tugged the terrified Zucco away. It was a warning shot, yet he wouldn't heed it. Bruce had to get through to that boy. He had to get him to think clearly, no matter how upset he was.
"I'm not your enemy, but he shouldn't be your teacher –
"Why not?" The kid grunted back. The gun was positione in a way that looked learned. One week, and he –
The shot fired onto a beam behind the Bat as a sandbag flew downwards to greet his foot. Zucco shouted and cried like a child. "Help me! That crazy kid is serious! I'll go on the straight, I get it now…just….get me outta –
The bullet wasn;t from the boy, it was a distraction as Slade let the pistol take Zucco in the back of the neck. His spine. Right into the nerves that kept him breathing, he fell into the bat's arms as Dick felt his eyes go blank. He stared at the bat as Bruce rose, Slade was there too, a tiger protecting its own cub. "Stay ….stay back! –
"Dick…." Bruce smiled, his hands out as he tried to tame his owen growl. He made it sound human again as the boy's watery eyes shook. The gun gripped as he let it fire by pure instance and not intending to ….the bat's shoulder was grazed as Dick dropped the gun.
"So….son…..Richard…..I …am…..sorry….."
Bruce winced as he held the wound tight, wanting to do the same as Slade coaxed the child with his hand clutched into the other's to leave. To send this night into the past and bury it for good. Bruce laid his head in his hand and for a long time, the migraine only siezed once Alfred had treated the blood loss of his dear family's back at Wayne manor.
It was not even midnight, yet Bruce could not sleep.
All he thought about was the child he'd failed. How he'd still look for him, knowing the kid was not aware of who he was forced to negotiate with. How Slade Wilson the infamous Deathstroke, would be behind bars for his entire career to end.
No legacy, no mercy on a man who had spilled so much blood, yet to salvage a boy who maybe never would think to follow in the tiger's footsteps.
/
After they'd found shelter again, away from the sirens and the smoke; Slade had made sure the bat would stay blinded. The tent caught fire at the last second, courtesy of an invested anti hero and his new protégé, who was a weak and crying wreck once he'd come to realize all of this.
All of it, was because of him.
"Dick, Dick, come here. It's ok. I'm here, I've got you…" He pulled the boy in close as his uniform was littered with the kid's regretful snot and sobs. "Get it all out of your system. You did fine, he's gone now."
"I…i…..h…hurt…..b…Bruce…."
The kid shook and clung to the man even tighter. "Bruce…..he w- was – was there. He t- t – talked to me….I….I'm sorry!"
Slade petted the boy's back soothingly as he tried to tug away to explain…well…
"I know, he was Bruce Wayne. It's not a mystery to someone like myself, Dick. I expected him to show."
Dick pushed off a minute and looked up with blue, owlish orbs starting to strain. "You….how? Because you get contracts? Did you try to –
"No." Slade shook his head. "Because he told you about Zucco, because he would have never changed for anyone, Dick. I'm not that buy that I can't help you. I made it clear; your studies won't fall behind, I can promise only that when it's time…" Slade broke from the boy's bear hug to give them some space to reflect on, "When I can see that you're ready to overcome a part of yourself that is holding you back, you'll have your time. Your own wings. And that, is a promise that I intend to keep."
"Really? But…I didn't kill…i…I shot –
"He's the batman, boy wonder." Slade chuckled softly. "Did you think that the fires we set would put him out of his misery for very long? He's goes back to his little dwelling to stew, I can assure that he survived."
"How do you know so much, was seeing me become your student like, a bucket list thing?"
"No, Dick." The man shook his head with a sigh. "It, just happened because you needed someone to help you, to guide you like Wayne's failed to effectively do. He only thinks you're bent on staying in his shadow. Had you found out about his identity much sooner on before I'd found you, you might not be standing here today. He's younger, cocky. Every turn of his head is another gun to some unsuspecting innocent's skull. You would never be safe with a man who won't kill to protect what he has."
"I, guess…" Dick shifted foot to foot, his tears now stopped beside a couple of stray sniffles. "Sir, um…Slade?"
Slade raised his head to that bird's wonderful pitch, "Yes, Richard."
"Um, so…where do we go now?" The kid asked, a bit nervous to find out if he was in fact supposed to be this way. "Anywhere we can secure our stay, our wages and, our sanctity. I travel to far off places, maybe you'll be confident enough to join me at my lodge one day in Africa."
Dick brightened at the idea to see where elephants came from. "One…just... one more thing…I forgot to bring one of my keepsakes. Zitka." He chirped. "A. Zitka?" Slade rubbed his chin, acting unaware of what kind of game the boy was after.
Or toy.
"Yeah, I've had it since I was a baby. But, she helps me sleep and keeps my mom close too…."
"I think you can rest assured, Dick." Slade knelt a bit as he let Dick know his intentions without the mask. "Zitka and all of your belongings will be brought with us. I've made sure you can feel right at home at the estate we'll be heading to. Can't stay in Gotham forever, any other places strike your fancy?"
Dick hummed to himself as he thought very strongly about where, and he snapped his neck up to crane it with a grin at the man, "Metropolis??"
"Not likely, I'm afraid….anywhere else?"
"California, is that…ok?"
Slade saw the kid's eyes and thought of Joey and Grant instantly. "Maybe, but we'll be running for a bit. Not stopping. I want you to learn what I do so training begins when you are officially settled."
/
Batman's major surge in heroic team ups grew. That was all that could be said as he connected to each city, any reports of a boy with cerulean eyes and dark black hair. A child that was never coming home without a fight. He'd met Gordon's youngest daughter, her brother not exactly where he'd seen him before. His son….wasn't well yet Babs was right on the money. Even when she knew the real Bat, yet kept that a secret to her grave while Gordon unknowingly sat to drink black coffee with the same person, and FROM the same pot.
He'd not been two feet out the door to a diner to talk to Gordon; the soup was bland tonight, all but what came after that. Gordon had driven off after their sit down. The billionaire's face had lost its glow unless he was acting the part. His love life had indeed taken a break, yet the night he'd changed to Batman's gear at the call on his device, he was astounded by what had been already done to his hubcaps.
"One….nnn….more, bolt – dangit!"
The clank of metal to metal had Batman move quickly. "Gotcha –
"Hey!" The boy kicked out as Bruce did as any officer might to an offender they'd pulled over. Thankfully, the kid wasn't going to resist. Or so he thought.
Dark green eyes flashed back with a messy reddish blonde cut of hair to civer his eyes (changing the rest so later he swaps back. "I'm not staying here! Let me have my lawyer, this is police brutaily and ra -
"You had better brush up on those terms. For now, tell me what you were just doing to this vehicle." Bruce used a bit of force to bring out the truth from the kid's lips. No more than ten at best. Almost as old as Dick had…..no, that was on hold. This kid right now….
"I had to get some cash, it's your car but you;ve probably got dozens back in your secret lair – cave – thingy."
"I'm not going to take you in, but as far as what you just did, you will come and talk to someone."
"My mom, though….please…it's for her. I gotta sell these to keep us from getting thrown out, please….let me go…"
Bruce saw the kid curling up, either acting or being truthful. Either way, Bruce was being a bit…rough for the record…
"You can go, but this is a warning. You need help –
"Me? You drive everywhere, have tons a cash and gagdets like gazillionaire – I bet you're buddies with Mr. Bruce Wayne himself." Scoffed the red headed kid, cockily. "You have no idea, but what is your address. I think I may be able to help with your dilemma after all."
Bruce checked the device. Good, Gordon had gotten his message. He'd sent it well before and it was only a purse snatcher. This hub cap snatching kid knew his car, he knew how to take it apart…
"Who taught you to take a car apart like that, anyhow?"
"Oh, I just….got used to tryin' it out, I guess." The kid was cuffed as Bruce led him into the vehicle. Oohs and aahs poured from the kid's mouth. Dick had never come close, but it was for his own good….at the time, he wished he'd told the kid everything about his double lives.
"Where is your apartment?"
/
Jason Peter Todd was the red headed boy's name. He soon lost his mother in a way that may have been for the better. The one day he came to be adopted into the Wayne household, he'd pointed at the gentleman and broke the man's heart in two.
"Wait a sec….you're him, aren't you?? It all makes sense!"
Dick Grayson's presence by far had never been cleared completely from the manor. Every day, Jason would ask about who had taken the kid away – wha the Bat had done to get him back.
Always the same conclusion, and no real leads to go by.
Jason stared at the Flying Grayson's poster in Dick's room for a long time before he'd dug around to find a costume that looked unworn. He had his own way to hand wash the piece for dust before slipping it on and shouting down the hall.
"Oh my god! This thing is sooo tiny! Look at my butt in this! Am I Aqua man's nephew or somethin??"
He laughed, and immediately, Bruce and Alfred saw a boy pretending to be the predecessor who had never taken up his role. "Hey! I should be your wonder boy, side kick! It's like in memorial to the Grayson kid. I an be your sidekick for real!"
Bruce was shattered by what that meant. If he could use Jason to find his own son, to get him away from the mad man who had corrupted a disturbed child like that…should he tell Jason the truth?
"B?"
The boy was out of his brother's uniform and into his pjs for the night. The study flickered with dim lights on and a hearth still burning strong. The flames eating and devouring each other while being born anew. Just as a Phoenix, just like Jason…
"You becoming a crime fighter is a dangerous plan, Jason. I can't allow what happened to…"
"Tell me, please." The sat cross legged on the floor as Bruce sat in his arm chair, looking a wreck.
"Tell me what my….brother, was like to you. I wanna know what I can do to help."
So, Bruce told Jason of Tony Zucco, Slade Wilson as the mercenary Deathstroke, and how Dick Grayson's emotions of grief had been manipulated and twisted by a man who had wanted the boy at his side. A man, nearly invincible as he was even to the bat of Gotham.
He told the kid about Dick's math being well above the rest. How he'd never met Jim Gordon's daughter and he thought they would have gotten along…about….His acrobatic parents and his future as the unofficial son of Bruce Wayne. He didn't stay when the case of Zucco had been delayed; instead, it was withheld to protect him. Bruce had Zucco on speed dial practically, yet he was working with Commissioner James Gordon, a long time friend of Bruce's, to look into a way to give Dick that type of closure without the anger ruling his life as it almost had for Bruce. "My parents were killed in front of me, I was never the same back then yet…I wore to change. For those who needed a knight, a protector. I hope that's been a thorough bed time story for you too." Smiled the billionaire as Jason's sniffling face was surely proof that he'd empathized the entire time. T- t – that….was….ugn……so, sad! Wow, Dick had a fun-loving family and…..and they got killed by the man….I….I want to be there. I've made up my mind…." The boy stood up, a hand out to shake and a determined look in his eyes. "I wanna get into that scaly uni – ugh …so we can find Richie together."
Bruce wondered if he was as bad as Slade at this point. The kid was just that, young and certainly gentle when he had to be. "Richard had a nickname he told us that his mother gave to him. In Romani, it translates to "Little Robin."
Jason thought about the name with a smile, a grin turned up as he bobbed his head with a new plan forming in his ten-year-old skull. "Yeah, I could be like the story, Robin Hood. Instead of taking and never giving back, you can show me how a bat does justice for all. Sound good to you, B."
Bruce extended his hand, a gesture at put a smile on both of their faces as they shook on a lifelong deal.
One no later, that Bruce would come to eternally regret for the next years after….