Everything is dark. A light comes from above forming the silhouette of a man.
"Tough day, Grayson?" Deathstroke says as he punches down at Nightwing. The hero tries to move away but he can't. He can only watch as another hard punch connects with his face.
"You are weak, Grayson, life out of Gotham has cost you."
Another punch.
Nightwing greets his teeth as he tries to react.
Another punch.
"You lack strength, you become predictable."
Nightwing's whole face is covered in blood, he can barely breath.
"I wonder, what would you be without your jumping" he says as he steps hard on his ankle. The same loud crack sound echoing through the place. Nightwing cries in pain.
Another punch. Deathstroke pauses. He takes out a gun and points it at him.
"Loser."
He pulls the trigger.
Richard eyes shoot open as he wakes up, alarmed, out of breath he looks around the room. He tries to calm down as he sits up, frustrated he runs his hands through his face. He looks around the room. It's their new apartment, in shambles, filled with moving boxes. The light coming through the window illuminating the room, the pouring rain echoing outside. He takes his foot from under the sheets and looks at it. The ankle is still swollen, the size of a tennis ball, a lot bigger than the other with even some purple spots. Even though it happened more than a year ago, it clearly hasn't healed correctly limiting his athleticism and jumping ability. He sighs as he runs his hand through his hair.
He looks to his side where a sleeping Kory is. A smile forms on his lips. God, she was so beautiful, he was really grateful she was in his life. He approaches a hand to her and caresses her cheek. Kory's eyes slowly start opening as she is woken up and makes eye contact with Richard. She smiles.
"Morning, beautiful" he says as he pecks her in the lips.
"Morning to you too" she salutes back. She studies his face, being able to read his expression. "Another nightmare?"
Richard nods as he gets off the bed, not really wanting to talk about it. Kory watches him go, a worried look on her face.
Nightwing and Kory enter a bedroom at a big suburban house. They instantly notice the great number of police officers inside. In the middle of the room stand the two victims, a man and woman, both in their middle age. The rest of the room being a big mess with objects scattered all throughout the floor and scratches in some of the furniture, clearly a sign of struggle. Victor sees them enter and walks up to them. He salutes them.
"How you doing?" Nightwing nods at him and focuses back on the corpses.
"What we got here?" he asks.
After the attack at the opera, both Kory and Nightwing had gained the mayor forgiveness and permission to work alongside the police in the difficult cases and even had arranged a ceremony in their honor to thank them for saving the prime minister of Markovia, ceremony that would take place in the next couple of days The wait had not taken long as the very next morning they were called. The call had been around thirty minutes ago by Victor, something about a double murder.
Victor sighs, melancholy in his eyes. "It's not pretty, neighbors heard the screaming and called the police."
Nightwing observes the room, clearly a boy's room with all the poster and animal figures. Theres a certain gloom to the room, wall stained by a starburst of blood. He focuses on the two bodies.
"Mark and Marie Logan, forty-two years each, both biologists, travelled a lot" Victor continues. "Their son Garfield, is alive, found him unconscious with his clothes teared up."
"Where is he?"
"In his parents' room."
Nightwing looks at Kory. She understands him. "I will talk to him" she says leaving the room, happy about getting away from the crime scene and dead bodies.
Nightwing focuses back on the crime scene. He kneels on the floor and taps his mask twice, making a scan. He looks at the corpses. The father has a big scar that starts from his face all the way down to his chest, like if it was made by a claw, a very big claw. Probably died instantly of it. He turns to the mother, here the thing gets uglier. Her body is closer to the wall, the blood in it probably hers. Her face disfigured by multiple claw attacks. Also a few minor scratches along the arms and legs, some on the torso.
"Looks like the whole zoo escaped" Victor says.
Nightwing looks at him nods. "Some big zoo."
"Tiger?"
"I was thinking something along the lines of bear, but then again, a bear can hardly pass through that door."
"Grayson do not touch anything" lieutenant Carson says as he burst in the room.
Nightwing looks at him and narrows his eyes, no liking being called by his real name when he is in the Nightwing suit, one of the multiple cons of having his identity revealed. However, he doesn't say anything and turns back to the body.
"Anything stolen?" he asks.
The lieutenant is about to retort something about how he isn't going to answer to him, but Victor beats him to it. "We are checking, but we don't think."
"The rest of the house looks like if it was left untouched."
"So, not a thief."
Nightwing stands up and talks to Victor, as if the lieutenant isn't present. "So, we thinking some big animal or at least something with big claws enters the house, mom and dad notices it and run to their most precious possession…"
"Their son" Victor completes.
Nightwing nods. "The animal follows them and kills them, but not the kid…" he trails as he thinks about it.
Victor also appears in deep thought. "The medic checked, not even a scratch on his body."
Nightwing looks at him, that was interesting. The lieutenant steps in, not being a fan of being left out of the conversation. "He could have fainted before he was attacked, and the animal left him."
The hero denies with his head. "But his clothes were teared up… something doesn't add up."
"Also, the door of the house was locked, and there are no open windows" Victor adds.
"So, the animal couldn't have escaped." Nightwing pauses.
"Maybe someone with the key entered along his big dog" the lieutenant theorizes.
"Maybe, let's waits until Kory talks to him, maybe there's something she can tell us." Victor nods.
The medical examiner approaches them. "Have you found anything else?" the lieutenant asks.
The medical examiner nods. "Apart from the big scratches that caused their death, I found other minor scratches along their bodies that had already started the healing process."
Victor looks at him. "You trying to say this was not the first time they were attacked by this thing or whatever?"
The medical examiner nods. "Not necessarily but yes."
Nightwing looks at Victor. What the kid had to say to them could be key to founding the killer.
Kory walks in the parent's bedroom, instantly noticing the kid seated on their bed. His gaze downwards with a few tears threatening to come out. His teared up clothes removed, now wearing some new ones. Two cops by his side. Garfield's head shoot up, instantly noticing her. Kory lets out a sad smile as she walks up to him.
"Greetings, my name is…"
"I know who you are" he says interrupting her, although not in a rude way. "You are Kory Anders; I saw you on TV last year."
Kory makes her way to the bed and sits next to him. "I believe now is only right you tell me yours."
"Garfield, Garfield Logan, but everyone calls me Gar" he says looking down.
"What a glorious name, Gar." That earns her a small smile by Gar.
"You came with Nightwing too?" he asks.
Kory nods. "Yes, he is alongside Vic investigating the crime scene. Gar, do you know what happened?"
"I already told this two…" he says raising his voice and motioning to the other cops. "I don't remember anything!" With that he buries his head in his hands and starts crying all the pain away.
Kory places her hand over his back trying to comfort him. "I'm sorry friend Gar, I was not aware."
Gar looks at her and sighs. He was starting to like her, she was nice. "You know, when I feel bad, I like to make jokes, that always makes me feel better, my dad didn't like it though, he used to…" he trails not wanting to talk about him. "Can I tell you a joke?"
Kory nods. "I would very much like that."
Gar stays silent for a few seconds. "Who came first the chicken or the egg?" he asks, for the first time a smile appearing on his face.
Kory thinks about it. "The chicken or the egg?... I would say the egg because if there had been no egg, there would have been no chicken… Am I correct?"
"No, the cock" Gar says laughing a little.
"The cock?" Kory asks. Not getting the joke she decides to laugh along Gar, seeing him a lot better.
Gar's laugh starts dying down as his face sombers once again. "My dad would have hated it." A tear rolls through his face. He looks at Kory. "Can you tell them to leave us?" he asks motioning with his head to the cops. Kory looks at them, they get the hint and exit the room. There are a few seconds of silence. "Kory?"
"Yes, Gar?"
"You are a hero, right? You help people. Can I tell you a secret? But you have to promise me you won't tell anyone, not even Nightwing."
Kory is conflicted. She doesn't like keeping secrets from the ones she loves, but ultimately nods. "I promise."
Gar pauses. "I know who killed them" he whispers.
"Who?" Kory asks leaning forward.
"Me, I killed them."
Kory is standing outside of the house, hugging herself. The rain pouring over her. What she had last heard really affecting her. She had never heard of a kid killing his own parents, this poor boy. He would need their help. Really traumatizing stuff.
"Everything okay?" Victor says approaching her.
She quickly turns around startled. "Yes, Vic, everything is alright." Victor doesn't believe her. "No, I'm sorry, it is just, seeing the two dead bodies, and poor Gar…" she trails.
Victors look softens. "I know, little lady, not exactly the type of thing you want to see." A question comes to his mind. "Why did you two come back?"
Kory looks at him. "What do you mean?"
"Why did you come back to Jump? Last I heard you were on vacation on a sunny place without a care in the world and now you are back here investing corpses and crime scenes. And don't give me that crap about the prime minister" he elaborates.
Kory looks down. "Richard, he… everything was wonderful for the first few months, we had a house, normal jobs, he looked happy. But then he started obsessing about the crimes in Jump City, reading about them, about Mad Mods operation. He said we should come back, that he could not stay with his arms crossed while the people suffered, that he was a hero, it was in his nature… I tried convincing him to stay, I really tried, but he would not listen. He said he would come back with or without me, so I had no choice" she finishes, a little embarrassed on herself.
Victor places hand on her shoulder trying to comfort her. Kory looks at him and lets out a sad smile.
In that moment, Nightwing exits the house. "Come on, there's been another murder, a few minutes from here." He notices Kory's mood. "You okay?"
Kory fakes a smile and nods. "Nightwing is it okay, if I stay? I want to stay with Gar."
Nightwing nods. He then notices a camera located on the corner of the street. "Vic" he says pointing at the camera. Victor looks at it and nods. "I'll check it later."
Nightwing nods and walks up to Kory. "Be careful, alright?"
She nods back. "You as well." He kisses her as he and Victor leave the house, making their way to the other crime scene.
Nightwing and Victor walk through a filthy blocks at one of the most dangerous parts of Jump City, the rain still pouring over them. Nightwing looks up.
"This fucking weather. Wasn't this a sunny city last I was here?" he wonders.
Victor shrugs. "Beats me… Grayson, why are you here?"
Nightwing stops, a little wary. "I don't follow."
"All this effort you've gone to leave a sunny vacation with Kory and getting back in the shit, just something that I wonder."
Nightwing doesn't like the question. "I am a hero, I thought I could make more of a difference being here" he says continuing walking.
Victor watches him go. "You know she loves you, right?"
Nightwing stops dead in his tracks. He turns around. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Victor denies with his head. "Nothing, man."
Nightwing doesn't like the comment, however he pushes it to side. They both continue walking entering the property. It's a dirty tenement building. A beefy uniformed cop approaches them.
"What time did you confirm the death?" Victor asks.
"Like I said, we didn't touch anything, we were here at o-nine hundred" the cop explains.
"Wait, wait, wait, you didn't check him? You didn't check vital signs?" Nightwing questions in a bit of a harsh tone.
The cop answers back. "Believe me, he's gone."
"The point is, when you are first man, you should check signs."
"The guy is swimming in a pool of his blood, if he ain't dead, he would have stood by now." The cop rolls his eyes and leaves. Victor looks at Nightwing.
"With that attitude you are never going to win their trust back."
Nightwing stops. "If we learned something at the opera house, it's that there may be a rat at the police department, we can't let this type of things pass by."
Victor nods, with that they step in at the crime scene, it's the small reception of the tenement building. The only light it's from a murky green illumination from the ceiling. There in front of the counter lays the corpse of a man, a pool of blood below him, his skin now a dark shade of purple, his mouth wide as if it had been forced open, but by far the most shocking thing was both his protruding eyes, literally both sticking out, the nerves behind it easily visible.
"God dammit!" Victor says looking away. "What kind of sick fuck did this?"
Nightwing doesn't say anything and kneels in front of the body. He taps his mask twice making the scan.
Another cop is at the corner of the room talking to a woman. He spots them and makes his way to them. "Talked to the wife, she confirmed it, it's the landlord of the building, Mark Peterson his name." Nightwing looks at the woman. She is skinny with pale skin and blond hair and wearing oversized old clothes. Currently smoking a cigarette.
Nightwing inspects the body. "Judging by the skin color, I'd say this happened last night."
The cop nods. "She found it like this this morning."
"Where was she?" Victor questions crossing his arms.
"Cheating with another man, I called, her story checks."
Nightwing nods, thinking. "Maybe we should talk to her later, what you say?" he says to Victor who nods back.
Using his gloves Nightwing rips open the corpses shirt revealing his naked chest, but it looks empty, as if there was nothing inside, only his ribs. "All his organs exploded; he is just a bag of blood now."
"Probable cause of death?" Victor asks.
"I… I can't say" Nightwing trails. "But whoever did it, it was someone dangerous."
"This is some biblical shit, man." Nightwing looks at him.
The medical examiner enters the room. He looks at the poor lightning. "Mood lightning, I like it" he says sarcastically. He walks up to the body and kneels beside Nightwing. "Are you sure, we all fit in this small room?" he asks to no-one in particular. Nightwing looks around, he is not wrong. The medical examiner, him and Victor, the cop and the wife, in this small room.
"I'll let myself out" the wife says as she exits the room.
Nightwing watches her go, he looks at Victor. "Why don't you go talk to the wife?"
"Thanks, but no thanks, I'll stay on this" he answers back.
Nightwing turns back to the corpse. "See if she can tell us something." He says without looking up.
Victor is pissed; however, he doesn't say anything and leaves the room.
Raven slowly opens her eyes as she looks around. She is laying on a bed on a small white apartment room. However, she doesn't remember how she got here, her head hurting badly. She hears noises coming from another room. Without making any noise she gets up and walks out.
She enters the kitchen where she sees a man turned around busy cooking something. She notices a knife over the table. Using her powers she lifts it up. The floating knife approaches the man from behind.
"Oh, you are awake" the man says turning around. Its Malchior. Raven instantly let's go of the knife and fakes a smile.
"Yeah… how long was I sleep?"
Malchior checks his watch. "Around twelve hours I would say." He turns around having two plates with pancakes in his hands. "How about some breakfast?" With that he walks up to the table and sits down, leaving one of the plates to Raven. An incredulous Raven sits in front of him, her eyes never leaving him.
"Where am I? How did I get here?" She questions.
"You are currently at my humble apartment at Jump City and how did I find you? Here I must confess my sin, after our exchange I grew worried about you, so I decided to follow you. Imagine my surprise when I found you unconscious sleeping against a wall at an alley. You remember anything?"
Raven denies with her head. "No, everything seems foggy right now." She pauses as she looks at Malchior, as if deciding if she could trust him. Pushing the thought to the side she focuses on the pancake in front of her. "Thanks, I suppose."
Malchior bows. "My pleasure, now eat, I want to show you something." Raven raises an eyebrow. "It is nothing bad, you have my word."
Down at the new police station, at the basement gym is Victor punching a heavy bag with hard, quick, punches. THWACK, THWACK, THWACK. Sweat drips from the human side of his face. He isn't wearing any clothes, his metallic body fully con display and no gloves over his hands.
He notices Nightwing through one of the gyms mirrors. He stops.
"They told me you were here, how about we meet Kory and have some coffee, put everything on the table?" Nightwing asks.
"We need to chat, man" Victor says in a harsh tone. Nightwing raises and eyebrow. Victor signals to an old, limp-roped boxing ring a few feet from them. He grabs a pair of practice pads and gives them to Nightwing.
"No."
"You just hold them up, I do all the work."
Nightwing takes the pads reluctantly and puts them on. Victor climbs into the ring. He holds the ropes opened for the hero. Nightwing doesn't want to do this, but he climbs up.
"We worked together last year; I think I I've proven my worth, haven't I?" Victor asks in an accusing tone.
"Yes, Victor, you were impressive."
Nightwing holds up the practice pads. Victor starts working them, lightly, warming up. THWACK, THWACK.
"So, what's your problem? I can be just as useful in a crime scene."
"I know, that doesn't mean…"
"I'm more than the tech guy" Victor interrupts him, his punches gaining strength as he starts working his mind up. THWACK, THWACK. Nightwing is uncomfortable, his hands stiff trying to remain in place.
"I made a decision, because I had to worry about the integrity of the scene, and you weren't helping."
"That's bullshit!"
"When I'm on scene, I'm not looking forward to your comments about how nasty it looks, I can see that."
Victor punches a little more aggressively. Nightwing's backing, flinching, keeping the pads high. Victor is too strong for him. THWACK, THWACK, THWACK.
"You are not my boss… To the lieutenant… we are both… external consultants to help with the difficult cases…" Victor trails taking a pause after each punch.
"Why don't you go complain to your friend the lieutenant then?" Nightwing fires back.
That comment sends Victor and edge as he unloads a mighty wallop to the pads sending Nightwing to the floor.
"So, that's what all this is about, you are jealous, you miss not being the one in charge, the police having your back." Nightwing doesn't say anything, Victor may be having a point. Victor offers a hand and helps him up. "Just don't jerk me off, that's all ask, it's not much, don't push me back and please do me the favor of remembering that."
Nightwing nods. Victor smiles.
"You said something about coffee, didn't you?"
"I believe in you" Controllus says with great emotion. He is at a dark study room with patterned shadows talking to someone. The blinds of the room are closed. "I believe in you; thanks to you I've made my small fortune. For the last five years I've had the task of overseeing the deliveries from our fabrics all the way to here. Something I will be forever in debt with to your figure" he says clutching his chest. "If I ever did a side business was only to make you own profits higher, you have to believe me. That's why I find these accusations of me being a mole, a little disconcerting, I…"
"Can I have your phone, lad?" a voice says in a harsh tone interrupting him.
"My phone?" He looks around to the other people on the room, and back at the voice. "Yes, of course." He takes out his phone and hands it to him.
Mad Mod takes the phone and it a sudden movement slams it against the floor. Controllus is startled. Mad Mod proceeds to grab his cane and continuously slams it to the phone. Controllus looks a bit uncomfortable and scared.
Mad Mod finishes and get back to his seat, out of breath. "Are you bloody happy now?" he asks Madam Rouge standing behind Controllus.
Rouge nods. "I would prefer if I could kill him" she says in a French accent. "They knew I would be at the opera, and we lost Mammoth."
Controllus gulps.
Mad Mod appears to think about it, but ultimately, he denies. "Nah, nah, we need him, he is just a bit of a clumsy, this little piece of rubbish." Controllus releases a breath.
"You still want me to kill the prime minister?" Rouge asks.
"Y'la forget about him; we now have another objective." Mad Mod says. He looks at one of his thugs at the side. "Gary!" The thug scrambles to the library behind him and takes out an old piece of paper with a drawing of an object. He gives it to Mad Mod who shows it to Rouge.
She raises an eyebrow. "What is this?"
Controllus takes a look at it and his eyes instantly light up. "That's the Mark of Scath, recently found at an excavation in…" Mad Mod shoots him a look. Controllus falls silent.
"This is what we need, lads" Mad Mod says.
"You want me to steal it" Rouge asks.
"Not yet, my duckie" Mad Mod says standing up. "If anything, Deathstroke taught us was thet it you want something, the heroes can get it for ya… Nightwing is gonna get it for us."
Richard is seated along Kory and Victor at a round booth at a local café. Each of them with a cup of coffee in front. A holographic screen at the center of the table.
Victor looks around. "Love the new Nightwatch." He says sarcastically.
Richard narrows his eyes at him. "Well, someone organized a raid at the old one…" he shoots back. Victor laughs.
"We are shuffling our options; this is what we have at the moment" Kory explains.
Richard focuses on the holographic screen. "We have two separate crime scenes this morning, lets just share everything we know, and we can decide our course of action." Victor and Kory nods. Richard presses a button, and the screens show a map of the city with the two crime scenes. "Too far away to be related."
"And different MO" Victor adds.
"And from different backgrounds" Kory speaks.
Richard nods in agreement. He taps the Logan case in the screen and a hologram of the crime scene, appears. "First case, Logan house, two dead, Mark and Marie Logan. Big scars all over their body, something with claws did it. Found in the kid's room." He looks at Kory. "With Victor we theorized, they heard whatever animal did this, so they run to the room where it attacked them."
"Also, nothing was stolen, with furthers the theory that it was an animal" Victor adds.
Richard nods and continue. "The kid, Garfield Logan, fifteen years, found unconscious on the floor, his clothes teared up but not a scratch on his body… Kory."
Kory is startled as she looks at him. "Yes Richard?"
"You've been a little quiet, you talked to him, is there anything more he can tell us?"
Kory appears to think about it but denies with her head. "He doesn't remember anything from last night."
Richard thinks about. He looks at Victor. "Vic, you have the camera footage outside the house?"
"Yeah, from the front and the back of the house" he says as he taps a button on his panel arm sending the footage to the hologram at the table.
Richard touches the hologram of the camera footage. He fast-forwards in time through the night. No one coming in or out of the house, until the police arrive the next morning. "No one entered or exited the house…"
"So maybe the killer is still inside" Victor says.
"But surely the police would have found him by now" Kory argues.
Richard is in deep thought. "Maybe our friend Gar isn't telling us all he knows, maybe we should pay him another visit…" He pauses focusing on the other case. "Second case, Mark Peterson, the landlord." In the hologram appear images of the corpse. Victor looks away, not really wanting to see it again. "I… I don't even know what to say about it. Happened last night, wife found him this morning, her alibi checks, Vic, anything to can add us from talking to her?"
"Yes, they shared the business, this last few months they were in some sort of financial struggle, very few clients, their business had changed to a kind of hot-sheet hotel to try to keep it afloat."
"So, a lot of customers staying very little time, registration?"
Victor denies with his head. "They didn't keep, but she did remember a name… Arthur Light, he was a regular client, the wife remembers hearing them arguing about money yesterday noon."
Richard searches the name in the hologram screen. Arthur Lights criminal record appearing. "Theft, identity theft, attempted murder…" Richard lists as he opens his eyes shocked. "Among others, there we have our suspect, send a search warrant to the police."
"Already done it, they have cruisers searching for him" Victor says.
Richard nods. "We'll wait until they found him, meanwhile let's pay a visit to our friend Gar."
Kory nods, nervous, not liking the way this could play out.
Raven and Malchior enter an abandoned warehouse. It is mostly empty, just a couple of boxes to the side, the light coming from the upper-level windows. Raven doesn't look impressed. "This is what you wanted to show me?"
Malchior smiles. "In fact, yes" he says as he moves to the center of the warehouse. Raven watches him from her spot. "You said you had heard about Nol, what exactly do you know?" he asks.
"That they were from an ancient place and a very powerful family."
Malchior nods. "What about their traditions?"
Raven thinks about it, trying to remember. "They knew how to use some kind of magic…" she trails not sounding completely sure.
Malchior smiles. "Exactly, Raven." He takes off his poncho and shirt revealing his toned chest and abs. He closes his eyes as he focuses. Slowly he raises his right arm, a ball of fire appearing on it.
Raven widens his eyes. He could control fire? "Whoa…" she mouths.
Malchior laughs at her reaction. "It's a tradition that it hasn't got lost". He closes his fist extinguishing the fire. "I want to come clean Raven; I must admit that I know about your abilities."
Raven takes a step back. "You know?"
"Yes, but you don't have to feel scared, I won't hurt you, I want to help you, I believe you are the reason I was brought here; it is my destiny to help you."
Raven looks apprehensive, she doesn't know what to make of this. Except for Nightwing, Victor and Kory everyone she has ever met has tried to hurt or control her.
"I know your think as yourself as an outcast, but aren't you just misunderstood?"
Raven thinks about that. Malchiors words slowly making her inner walls fall.
"Attack me" Malchior says.
That shocks Raven. "What?"
"Attack me, trust me Raven, you won't hurt me."
Raven looks conflicted but nods. She closes her eyes as he focuses on one of the boxes to the side. The box is surrounded by a black energy and starts floating off the ground. Raven does a movement with her hands and the box is sent flying to Malchior.
He lights up another ball of fire and fires it to the oncoming box blowing it up. He looks at Raven. "I think you can do more."
Raven looks around the warehouse. He focuses on more boxes and sends four of them to Malchior at the same time. He sends a ball of fire to each.
Outside the warehouse, an old lady walking her dog notices the fire through the windows.
Malchior finishes blowing all four boxes. He smirks. "More."
Raven looks around what else she can throw. "There isn't anything else I can throw."
Malchior walks up to her. "Raven, you don't need an existing object to throw, you can create the object."
"How?" she asks. Another question coming to her mind. How does he know so much about her? However, she doesn't voice it.
"Let me help you" he says as he suddenly sends a fire ball to her. By reflexes she catches it. The fire ball turning into a black energy ball. She looks amazed at her abilities. She looks at Malchior and grins. She sends the black energy ball at him. Malchior barely has time to dodge it as he rolls away, the ball passing by. He looks at Raven. "Smashing." Raven smiles. A newfound confidence running through her body.
Malchior continuously lights up more fire balls as he throws them at her. Raven catching each one and sending it back. Malchior lights up more aiming at the ones being thrown at him and another back at Raven. She closes her eyes as she does a movement with her hands creating a black energy wall blocking the fire balls. Malchior stops as he watches her in awe. Raven does another movement, the wall disappearing. Four red eyes appear on her face as she starts floating. She does another movement as a giant black raven aura comes out of her. With her hands she does a forward signal, and the raven goes flying at Malchior. He widens his eyes as he doesn't have time to the react as the raven hits him full on sending him flying back to the wall.
The raven flies back to Raven disappearing as she collapses on the floor, blood coming from her nose, the red eyes disappearing. Slowly Malchior gets up and notices Raven. "Raven!" He says running to her. He kneels next to her and lifts her head. Concern on his face.
Raven's eyes slowly start opening, she looks at Malchior making eye contact. "Mal…" she whispers.
Malchior smiles and nods. "Are you alright?"
Raven nods as she looks at him, their faces only inches apart. She focuses on his face, his lips. In a slow and timid way, she leans forward capturing his lips. He is surprised at first but kisses her back.
Nightwing, Kory and Victor knock at the door of the Logan house. Although is now nighttime, it's still raining hard. A cop opens the door and looks at them. "Yes…?" he asks confused.
"We came to speak to the kid" Victor says.
"Do you have an order?"
"Lieutenant Carson told us to come" Victor lies. The cop thinks about it, not fully believing him. "You wanna check with him?"
The cop finally gives up. "Fine, you can come in" he says. After a long day of doing nothing the last thing he wants is getting reprehended by the lieutenant. "He is watching tv."
The three of them step inside the house. They instantly notice the tv on. Seated in the sofa in front of it is Garfield, his mind focused on the gaming device in his hands. As soon as he hears the door closing, he quickly turns around. "Who is it…?" His word dies down as he sees them, a grin appearing on his face. "Kory!" he exclaims running at her and hugging her.
Kory laughs. "It is glorious to see you as well, Gar."
Nightwing and Victor look at them, feeling a little awkward. "Ahem" Nightwing clears his throat.
Gar looks at them. His eyes opening wide. "Wowsers, you are Nightwing, aren't you, sir? And you are Victor Stone."
"It's nice to meet you" Nightwing says extending his hand. "And please, don't call me sir." Gar smiles as he shakes his hand, and then Victors. "Now that introductions are out of the way, why don't we talk?"
Gar nods, his smiles disappearing. As soon as Victor and Nightwing turn around, he looks at Kory. She denies, she hasn't told them his secret. Feeling a lot better, he walks to the sofa and sits down. Kory positioning behind the sofa. Nightwing and Victor in front. Gar's eyes moving from one to the other.
Nightwing notices his nervousness. "Don't worry, you're not in any kind of trouble, we are just going to ask you some questions, trying to get the full picture."
Gar nods, the uneasiness never leaving him.
Nightwing looks at Victor, he nods. Victor looks at Gar. "Do you have any pets, Gar?" Gar denies with his head. "Okay…"
Nightwing continues. "So, the neighbors heard screams coming from this house, at around three a.m., so naturally…"
"Yes, naturally" Gar interrupts nervously.
Nightwing doesn't like the interruption but decides not to voice it. "The police arrive, no one opens, and found you and your parents at your room, the rest of the house left untouched, do I have everything right?"
Gar nods. "That's what I've been told."
"Big claw marks found throughout the room on the furniture, so naturally you can understand Victor's question about having any pet."
"Anything more you can add that happened last night?" Victor asks.
Gar looks at Kory then back at Victor. "I already told her; I don't remember any of it. I was having a nightmare and when I woke up the room was full of police and my parents…" he trails looking down.
Kory looks at him, a sympathetic look on her eyes. Nightwing and Victor look at each other.
"What kind of nightmare?" Nightwing asks.
Gar tries to think about as he clutches his head. The memory hurting. "A claw… a scream… nothing!" he yells suddenly.
"I will need you to keep you voice down" Nightwing says in a stern tone.
Gar suddenly glares at him, only a level gaze in return from Nightwing. He clenches his fists.
"Claws and screams isn't nothing" Nightwing continues. "What else?" He says as he moves forward.
"That's all."
"You must focus, man" Victor adds also stepping closer.
"I am!"
"You have to remember."
"But I'm trying!" Gar says as he clutches his head, his right foot tapping nervously the floor.
"Well try harder! Your parents were killed last night, and we need to find what killed them!" Victor says raising his tone.
"I am!"
Kory looks at them, a worried expression on her face. "Friends, stop!"
"Not now, Kory, he needs to tell us what he knows" Nightwing says. He takes another step, getting even closer. "Try harder! If you can't tell me what happened, I have to assume the worst. That you know who did it and are protecting it. You need to remember!"
Kory can't take it anymore and she puts herself in between Gar, and Nightwing and Victor. "Stop! He does not remember" she says in a warning tone.
"Kory, what are you doing?"
"Richard…do not" she says with the same warning tone. Nightwing stops, not daring take a step forward. "He is just a kid, not a criminal." She turns around facing Gar. "Gar, are you alright?"
Gar nods. "Thanks Kory." He clutches his head. "I'm not feeling very well" he says.
Kory kneels next to him. "Oh, Gar." She places her hand over his forehead. He is hot, very hot. She takes it back. "He is burning with fever." She informs turning to her friends.
Nightwing takes a step forward. "Gar, are you alright?"
Gar doesn't answer as he is struggling to breathe. He looks at Kory. "Kory, can I go to the bathroom?"
"Yes, little one."
Gar leaves the room; a troubled look on his eyes.
Nightwing looks at Kory. He walks up to her and talks in a low but stern not. "Kory, he needs to tell us what he knows. Look at him, he isn't telling us all."
"Yeah, we are only trying to find the killer" Victor adds.
"So, the way of doing it is interrogating a child?"
"We are not interrogating him, we…" he trails as suddenly a loud roar comes from behind them. Their eyes widen. Slowly they turn around facing the roar.
Their eyes are met by a big hulking, green hairy creature. Huge fangs on his mouth and slime coming out of it. Fury on his eyes.
"What the…?" Nightwing mumbles.
"That's no bear!" Victor yells.
Slowly Nightwing starts moving his hands to his back trying to get this esgrima sticks without being noticed. The creature notices as he lets out another loud roar. Nightwing stops his movement.
"No one moves" he whispers as he slowly raises his arms, trying to show the creature they aren't a threat. The creature appears to calm itself.
Just then the cop having heard the roar burst into the room. "What the hell was…" he trails as he sees the creature. Panic instantly overcoming him as he takes out his gun and points it at it.
"NO!" Nightwing yells but its to late as the cop starts shooting. The creature covering itself with its arm. He lets out another roar and jumps at the cop attacking him with its claws. The cop can't react as his face gets disfigured dying instantly.
Nightwing, Victor and Kory look at it. The creature roars again and runs to the nearest wall creating a whole and escaping through it.
"Let's go! Kory, stay with Gar!" Nightwing orders as he and Victor go out to chase the creature. Kory watches worried as the two of them disappear in the night.
The creature is running through the city jumping from building to building. At the street level Nightwing on his N-Cycle and Victor on his camaro are chasing it. The creature takes a sudden turn changing direction, both vehicles keeping up with it.
"Do not lose it" Nightwing commands. Victor nods.
Victor checks a map of the city on his cars panel. "We are approaching the park; it will run out of buildings."
The creature reaches the end of the building line and jumps forward landing on a deserted park, it stops. Nightwing and Victor hop off their vehicles and confront him. The creature looks at them. Nightwing takes of his esgrima sticks and charges them. Victor charges his canon. All three of them in a standstill, waiting for the first to make a move.
"Attract his attention, I'll put him down" Nightwing says. Victor nods.
He fires his canon; the creature tries to block it with its arm as it staggers backwards and before it can react it is receiving a hard blow by Nightwing's esgrima sticks sending him to the floor. Nightwing jumps on top of it and with his charged sticks hits it. The creature screams in pain at the electric shock; however, it doesn't fall unconscious as he throws Nightwing back. The hero does a backflip trying to land smoothly, but his bad ankle slips as he lands awkwardly. He gets up.
The creature roar as it quickly gets up. As both Victor and Nightwing close in to repeat the attack, the creature snarls and hurls its gigantic form at them. Nightwing doesn't have time to react as he swatted backward. He struggles to breathe as he looks at his chest. Three giant red lines rip through his Nightwing suit. He clutches it, his hand instantly turning red with his blood. That hurt.
Meanwhile Victor finds himself going toe-to-toe with the creature, treading blow for blow, both tumbling to the floor. The creature attacks him using his claws hurting Victor as he tries to defend himself. He tries to aim his canon, but the creature moves it away avoiding the blast. Victor punches it hard to the face and with the new separation, he raises his foot and fires a sonic blast through it. The creature can't react as it is sent flying backward to the floor.
The creature is hurt, Nightwing has a chance to end it. He hits his two esgrima sticks together forming a bo-staff and runs to the creature gaining speed to deliver a forceful blow. Before he can get to the creature, a sudden Kory comes flying in between them.
"Richard stop!" she yells.
Nightwing widens his eyes as he is forced to stop his attack making him stumble to the floor.
"Kory…" he mouths confused.
"Do not attack him, it is Gar!"
Victor is also about to fire but he stops. "What…?"
The creature lets out another roar as he charges at them again with a raging fury.