Chapter 3
When the door opens, there's a blur of movement and Dick is picked up.
"Kidnapping you." Wally says before taking off out of the house. Alfred looks out the door, watching the speedster take Dick away to wherever they're going. Bruce comes out of his office to see what happened, seeing the door wide open and Alfred somewhat bewildered, but not panicked, so that's a good sign.
"What on earth was that?" Bruce questions.
"Master Wallace came in and took Master Dick with him." Alfred explains. Bruce's brows knit and then he sighs.
"I need to have a talk with Barry about him…" Bruce comments. Meanwhile, Wally carries Dick off, far from Wayne Manor. If not for Wally's hold keeping him warm, Dick would be freezing right now, even with his jacket on. They enter a Zeta Beam location and enter Mount Justice through one of their Zeta Tubes.
"Wall, what's going on?" Dick asks as Wally sets him down. "Why'd you kidnap me?"
"Because it's fun. I love the look on your face." Wally teases. Everyone is there, Artemis, Zatanna, M'gann, Conner, Kaldur, even Roy. "I know the Bat isn't too keen on Christmas, so we're throwing our own Christmas party."
"How're you feeling, Boy Wonder?" Roy asks, arms crossed, but he does look like he cares.
"Rather whelmed…" Dick states. "I… Didn't get anyone a present…" He looks around at everybody.
"Your presence is a present." Wally states, ruffling his hair playfully.
"We need no gifts to celebrate this holiday, my friend." Kaldur says. "What matters is that we spend it with those we care about." Dick smiles a bit and they all walk into the main living area where there's a tree all decorated and lit up. Dick smiles more, enjoying the pretty lights, he's always enjoyed them. The manor has a few trees set up, but there's something special about this one. He can't quite place why.
"There was one time Batman celebrated Christmas. It wasn't long after…" Dick starts, trailing off. He can't say anything about his past unfortunately… "Well… Anyway… He threw me a Christmas party. It was the only one… He's never really liked Christmas, but he never told me why. He hides it behind an excuse that nothing will stop his patrol of Gotham City, it's too important… Even on my birthday…" Dick mumbles that last part.
"When is your birthday?" M'gann asks.
"I can't tell you…" Dick states quietly. "Not like it matters, it's just a day… Nothing special." He shrugs, smiling a bit.
"Of course it's special, Rob, because you're special. And we want to celebrate with you." Wally says, Dick looks up at him and smiles a bit more. "But I get it, big bossy Bats won't let you share anything."
"Why is that, anyway?" Artemis asks. Dick looks up at her and brushes his hair back before letting it fall back in his face, scratching the back of his head and looking away.
"Cuz he's absolutely paranoid." Wally answers for him. "Doesn't want anyone knowing Rob's identity because that might link him to Batman's identity. Even though half the league already knows. But Batman knows all their identities, being the world's greatest detective and all." Artemis sighs, shaking her head. Dick takes a seat nearest the tree to watch the twinkling lights. Little bubble ornaments catch that speckled glow. Wally steps over and sits beside him. The others walk to the kitchen or walk off somewhere else. "Sorry, did I overstep…?"
"No… you're right. He can be pretty paranoid, and kind of overbearing…" Dick admits. "I don't think he even wants me to be here right now. After what happened yesterday, he…" He pauses, wondering how Wally will take it. "He benched me."
"What…? What do you mean?" Wally asks, brows knit in concern.
"He's not allowing me to go on missions, not with the team, not even with him. Not until this Court of Owls thing blows over." Dick explains.
"I get he wants to protect you, but you gotta live your life too, man." Wally comments.
"There's nothing I can really do about it, he's my legal guardian. Until further notice, I don't think I'm even allowed to leave home… I don't know what's going to happen when it's time to go back to school." Dick comments.
"So, he's bound to be here any minute to drag you back home, huh?" Wally asks.
"Probably…" Dick says. "He hugged me though… and… he looked about ready to cry. I've never seen him like that. If this Court of Owls can elicit that sort of emotion from Batman, I can't imagine how bad they really are…"
"Yesterday he didn't seem to believe they existed." Wally mentions. Dick sits back a bit.
"I'm guessing it's because they took out the team so easily, but something like that hasn't made him like this before. Something's changed." Dick states. He sighs, standing up. "I'm going to the bathroom." He walks out of the room, going to the bathroom like he said he would. He enters a stall and does his business. He then hears someone come into the bathroom. "Hello?" He calls out. No response. He flushes the toilet and opens the door to the stall, peering out, but doesn't see anything, he looks on the ground to see if anyone's hiding behind something nearby, but nothing. He then looks up and around. Nothing. He could have sworn the door opened. He cautiously moves to the sink, washing his hands and is about to leave, when he finds the door is locked. Someone's definitely in here… And he's without his belt, again. Didn't have much of a choice this time seeing as Wally kidnapped him.
He reaches to unlock the door when a knife comes flying and stabbing into his hand. He yelps in pain and pulls his hand back, looking at the knife. It's the same kind that were stuck in M'gann's back. His eyes widen and he looks back to see the Talon approaching.
"Sorry about that. But I couldn't let you escape me again." He states. Dick grabs the knife and pulls it out, wincing at the pain, but he stands strong, getting into a fighting stance. So much blood is dripping onto the floor… "Oh, you wish to go down fighting. Good. A sign of true Talon potential."
"What's a Talon? Who the hell are you?!" Dick questions.
"I am a Talon. The Talon. My real name will mean nothing to you, just know we've been looking for you for a long time." The Talon states. Dick's brows knit together. "You were supposed to come with us the night our family died, but you disappeared. I suppose Jackie is the one who made that happen. Nothing like his father… But you, however, you're everything I hoped you would be as the Gray Son of Gotham. Strong, resilient, all without the electrum." The Talon approaches closer and closer. "What else can be expected out of my blood?" Dick's eyes narrow.
"What are you talking about?!" He questions.
"I'm your great grandfather, kid." The Talon says, now right in front of him, towering over him. "I'm the only family you have left. I will train you, teach you, make you stronger than you already are! Stay here and your potential will be squandered." In response, Dick swipes the knife at the Talon. He jumps back, laughing. "Very well. The hard way it is. I'd apologize, but you made me do this." He jumps into attack, aiming a kick at Dick's head. Dick ducks down, using the momentum to dive and slash into the Talon's other leg, yet he barely reacts to the pain. Instead, he goes to grab for the back of Dick's shirt, but he rolls out of his reach and back to his feet. "Nimble, agile, perfect." The Talon approaches and kicks towards him. Dick dodges and grabs his leg, trying to pull him off balance by twisting his leg.
With the Talon being taller and his reach being easier, he claps his hands on either side of Dick's head, disorienting him. While stunned, he picks Dick up by the front of his shirt and slams him into the ground so hard it knocks the wind out of his lungs and cracks tiles. He grabs Dick up by his throat, pinning him to the wall of the stall, pressing hard into it to choke him out. In a desperate attempt to free himself, Dick brings his hand up that still holds the knife and aims for the man's eye, but the Talon grabs it and pins it sharpy beside his head, squeezing so tight he's forced to drop the small blade, his lifeline in this fight.
"So weak, powerless. With my power, this wouldn't even affect you." The Talon states. To prove a point, he presses that much harder on his neck. "But, you're not afraid to draw blood on your opponent, that's the sort of killer instinct I'm looking to perfect."
"Y-You'll… never… G-get out… My friends… w-will… stop you…" Dick chokes out. The Talon leans in close, next to his ear.
"I'll take my chances." The talon whispers. He presses much harder, practically on the verge of breaking the boy's neck. The pain is so immense, his eyes snap closed. With one last desperate act, Dick summons all the strength he can to bring his other arm up and strike him in the face, getting his blood all over the mask. It stuns him enough that he lets Dick drop to the floor and backs up, holding the part of his face that Dick hit. Dick gasps for air immediately coughing, but he swings his leg to knock the Talon off his feet. He then gets up and runs for the door, but the Talon isn't done. He turns and grabs Dick's leg, pulling him to the ground. Dick kicks his hand off him and gets back up, unlocking the door and getting out. The Talon gets back up and follows him out, catching up quickly and attempts to tackle him. Dick rolls forward, out of the way. The Talon growls in frustration and throws knives, Dick barely rounds the corner and gets out of the way. He coughs, still recovering from being choked out, his head is still pounding, his body weak. How is he going to get out of this?
If he goes to his friends, they'll be in danger, but if he doesn't get away, who knows what will happen to him? They want him for something, to be some Gray Son of Gotham, whatever that means. He looks around the corner to see where the Talon had gone but doesn't see him. Could he have left? No… he wouldn't give up that easy…
"Rob!" Wally shouts, racing to him, standing beside him instantly. "What happened?!" He sees the bruising form on his neck, blood dripping from his hand in a steady stream.
"The Owl guy, he's here!" Dick explains, resulting in a small coughing fit. "You gotta go! He'll hurt you!"
"I'm not leaving my best pal." Wally states, grabbing Dick up in his arms and running back to the others. "We have to go! The Court's here! They just attacked Rob!" Everyone turns their attention to the two. Two knives fly out of the darkness and strike Wally in the back. His breath catches in his throat, and he staggers, barely keeping standing. He starts to lose his grip on Dick.
"No…" Dick mumbles, getting out of Wally's grasp easily and pushes him away as more knives fly through the darkness and this time into Dick's chest. His eyes widen at the pain, mouth gaping in shock. Conner flies into a rage, storming into the darkness to attack the Talon, just as their little Robin starts to collapse. Wally catches him despite his own pain, coughing up blood, but he couldn't let his best friend fall. He lowers him down, but still holds him, his vision fading due to his struggle to breathe.
"N-No…" Wally coughs out. "Nonononono no…" He tries to make Dick look at him. "Rob! S-Stay with me!" The young boy's eyes are wide with fear, tears falling. It hurts so bad…
"Conner!" M'gann shouts.
"Don't you die…" Wally begs quietly, coughing more, speckling blood onto Dick's face because of it.
"Get them out of here!" Roy shouts, grabbing his bow and running to help Conner. M'gann, Artemis and Zatanna rush over to help the boys. Kaldur runs to the main hub and calls the Watch Tower.
"Whatever you do, don't pull the knives out!" Artemis says. "They're all that's keeping them from bleeding out." She takes Dick from Wally. The young teen yelps in pain, though weakly. "I know… I know…" She starts carrying Dick away. Zatanna and M'gann help Wally to his feet, though he staggers, he can barely keeps his head up.
"Rob…" Wally mumbles out, he's quickly losing consciousness.
"We got you, Wally." M'gann says. They bring the boys to the main hub with Kaldur to discuss plans.
"The members of the Justice League will be here shortly to help." Kaldur states. He sees the Talon coming up from behind. "Look out!" He pushes between Zatanna and Wally, causing M'gann to stagger with Wally, she manages to stay standing, but her hold on Wally is awkward. But it was necessary, the Talon was about to attack, but Kaldur created a water shield, protecting them. Dick weakly turns his head, seeing the Talon trying to attack his friends. All because they're trying to protect him… M'gann passes Wally over to Zatanna and levitates, using her telekinesis to make the Talon levitate as well. Her eyes glow with rage as she slams the hooded man around the cave so hard it should break several bones and knock him down.
"Flash 0-4. Black Canary 1-3, Green Arrow 0-8, Red Tornado 1-6, Superman 0-1."
The Zeta tube announces their arrival, and they see the fallen Talon on the ground and M'gann floating down. They all stand shocked, but get over that quickly. Roy and Conner race out of the hall, Conner helping Roy as he has a couple knives in him as well, Both of which are in his leg, as well as a deep cut on his stomach. Green Arrow, aka Oliver, runs over to help Roy.
"Roy!" Oliver shouts in concern, he grabs his arm and puts it around his shoulders to help keep Roy standing.
"Hey… Ollie…" Roy states quietly, a bit ashamed that he was hurt, and his arrows seemed to do nothing to the Talon. He winces as he shifts, placing a hand to his stomach, staggering.
"Easy, Roy… I've got you." Oliver says, adjusting him so he's better supported. Superman, aka Clark, steps to Artemis and the others, he places his hand on the side of Dick's face. He listens to his heartbeat, it's barely beating, it's hindered due to a blade. The boy's taking quick, short breaths as that's all he can do, barely conscious. Blood is starting to drip from his mouth.
Superman's about to take him from Artemis when there's the sound of bones cracking and popping, coming from the Talon that's been knocked to the side. They all turn to look at him. He's getting back up. Everyone backs up in shock as the man whose body should be mangled gets to his feet as if nothing happened.
"Well, I would love to play, but seeing as my target is in dire need of medical attention, I'll leave you to it. Follow if you dare, but who can say on their condition when you get back?" The Talon warns. With that, he runs, disappearing into shadow. Black Canary, aka Dinah, and Red Tornado follow after him. Flash, aka Barry, takes Wally and speeds off with him on his back. Superman takes Dick from Artemis and flies off. He contacts Bruce through coms.
"Bruce, are you there?"
"I'm here, Clark. What do you need?" Bruce answers, sounding rather uninterested, but all that's about to change…
"Listen, Dick has been injured. I'm taking him to the hospital at Happy Harbor." Superman explains. The boy soon passes out in his arms.
"How bad…?" Bruce asks. When he receives no answer, he asks again. "How bad?!"
"There's two blades in his chest, one's in his heart…" Superman explains. He lands in front of the hospital. He isn't surprised the Bruce isn't answering him. He walks into the hospital. "Quickly! This boy needs medical attention." Superman calls. Flash isn't too far behind the Man of Steel.
"We need help!" He calls out. Emergency staff jump into action immediately, stepping up to aid the two teens.