Chapter 10: Hunting My Family's Killer Part 1

It was a very quiet night in Gotham City, almost too quiet, in the eeriest way possible. Especially in the gutters and dark allies of Gotham, a sign that bad goings on we're in the process of happening. In one particular all, a pair of trench coat and fedora wearing men went up to a rusty old door. Immediately one knocked on the door in a specific way causing it to crack open and light to slightly lighten up the alley. With great speed entered in, only to be greeted by an old fashioned and luxurious club of sorts.

Smooth and quiet jazz was being played, stogies were being smoked, and rich and powerful men of the underworld discussed "business" among other topics of a crasser nature. Anyways the two men were led to a table where a very large and chubby man sat with a glass of scotch. Quickly the two came up to the man, taking off their fedoras and kissing his ring.

"Sir." Both greeted simultaneously.

"Boys, it's nice to see you. Now what appears to be the problem?" The mob boss asked as he took a big puff of his cigar.

"Well boss, we wanted to talk to you about Zucco." One of the men asked nervously.

"What about Zucco?" The mob boss asked, annoyed as he then took a sip of his glass of scotch.

"Well we know he's been a good asset, especially for helping

take out the competition and extort the big business around Gotham but…." One gangster started, knowing he had to be careful when questioning the mob boss.

"We think he's gotten a little out of control, he slites the throats of at least ten of our fellow brothers a week, just for a minor infraction or question. Not to mention he keeps bringing attention to our operation through his reckless and over the top schemes. The Grayson incident alone nearly got all of the gangsters and mobs on the east side of Gotham arrested and set to the chair." The other gangster complained, willing to be a bit braver and bolder in the subject of Tony Zucco.

There was a long moment of silence before the mob boss took one line inhale of his cigar and then smooshed the end into a solid gold ashtray to his right.

"Boys boys boys, there is a simple solution to your problem, it's all about control. Is it true Tony Zucco is a sadistic gangster with a massive lust for blood and money, yes. But that is what makes him so easy to control, if you want to keep him under wraps more you gotta satisfy his desires in a more controlled way. He wants blood, give him something to play with that doesn't include your fellow brother. If he wants money find him the biggest heist you can find and that'll keep him preoccupied. In basic if you keep him happy, his cravings and brain don't go snappy, do you understand?"

"Well yeah boss, but what about him drawing attention especially that of…the bat?" One mobster asked, getting suddenly very quiet.

"Haha good luck to the bat with that one, Zucco is a sly one and a survivor, he won't get caught. No even by the caped crusader himself." The mob boss chuckled cockily.

However it was then that the lights suddenly turned off in the secret club. Women screamed and mobsters looked around with guns and knives drawn, ready to kill who ever dared to trespass. But then the lights came back on, only this time Batman stood in the middle of the club, causing everyone to freak out.

"It's the bat!"

"How'd he get in here!"

"He really is a monster like they say!"

"Shut up you morons and shoot his brains out!" The mob boss yelled out angrily.

Immediately a burst of bullets came flying at the bat and knives were thrown at him. However none of them even scratched Batman as he flipped out of the way and dogged all the incoming bullets and other assorted weapons. As he did so he managed to kick gangster butts along the way, doing his best to take out his assailants quickly. This went on for ten minutes till there was no one left but the mob boss and the two mobsters who'd come to talk to him. Then once again the lights went dark, making the mob boss defend himself by putting the two men around him, guns drawn.

"Alright bats come out you overgrown rodent from hell! " The mob boss yelled out angrily/fearfully into the dark.

No response was made as a deadly and terrifying silence filled the room. All three mobsters we're shaking in their shoes, neither of the lower two able to keep a strong grip on their guns as their hands trembled uncontrollably. But then out of nowhere a sound was made causing one of the lackies to shoot out into space.

"Get a hold of yourself Daniels, there's nothing there!" The fellow lackey yelled angrily.

"But there is behind you."

All three of the mobsters turned around only to find much to their fears, Batman standing there.

"Blast him boys!" The mob boss yelled at the top of his lungs.

Immediately the two lackies shot everything they had at Batman only to quickly run out of ammo. Then within seconds both men found themselves knocked out leaving the mob boss to face Batman alone.

"Die demon bat!" The mob boss yelled fearfully as he shot at Batman.

He only managed to get a few shots out before he was painfully pinned to a wall by Batman, who had one strong hang hand crushing the mob boss's wrist.

"Tell me where Zucco is." Batman asked calmly but intensely.

"Why should I tell you, ah!" The mob boss tried to say all tough till Batman started to crush his wrist.

"Where is Zucco?" Batman asked even more intensely.

"I don't know he move around a lot AHHH!"

"You know, now tell me!"

"I can't he'll kill me!"

"And I thought you were the head of this mob, I've met petty thieves braver than you."

"Ahhhh, alright alright I tell you, he's stationed at Gotham Harbor, he's running the docking operation! Don't mess with Zucco Bats, he's crazy, he'll kill you!"

"Not if I capture him first!" Batman said as he at last let the pathetic mob boss drop to the floor in pain.

He then started to walk away before the man in pain called out to him.

"What do you want with Zucco anyways he's never done anything to you!"

Batman stopped in his tracks and turned his head slightly towards the mob boss.

"He's hurt too many innocent people, and ruined too many lives." Bruce said very seriously as he turned away and walked out of the secret club.

Wayne Manor

It was quiet and late at the Wayne household, only Alfred up dusting a few last minute things before he retired. But then as he dusted the two paintings of the Wayne family, one of Martha and Thomas Wayne the other of Dick and Bruce, he heard the office library shelf open. Trudging out of the office came Bruce, cowl down and tired look on his face.

"I see you have returned Master Bruce, was your mission successful?"

"Yes, it was. Is Dick asleep?" Bruce asked, leaving Dick home to make sure he didn't know what or who his father was going after.

"Yes, it took him a bit since you weren't here to tuck him in or sing him to sleep, but after a nice little bedtime story he went right off to sleep." Alfre relayed.

"What did you read him?"

"If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, his favorite of course."

"Thank you Alfred, I don't know what we would do without you."

"I'm sure you would manage sir, but back on the point of your mission. Aye yous sure it is so wise to leave the young master out of this, this was the man who killed his family." Alfred asked concerned.

"I don't want him seeking revenge Alfred, he's an innocent little boy, and it would kill me if he lost his innocence any further then he already has. He may be young but so was I when my parents were killed, and I still wanted revenge." Bruce said with an ashamed look on his face.

"I understand sir, but he will find out eventually."

"I'm aware of it, I'll tell him when the time is right. Which speaking of, I'm going to go check on him." Bruce said as he then walked up the stairs.

Quietly he made his way down the hall and silently opened his son's bedroom door. Immediately a smile came on Bruce's face as he saw his adorable little boy all curled up peacefully in his bed, Peanuts snuggled up to his chest for comfort. From there Bruce made his way to his son's tiny bed and crouched down to his level. He then kissed his son's forehead and gingerly smoothed and stroked his soft coal black hair.

"I love you baby." Bruce whispered very quietly into his son's ear, eliciting an unconscious smile on his cute tiny face.

Bruce smiled wider and left another kiss on his son's face, before getting up and walking away. Soon he was at the door and very very quietly started to close it before he stopped just before it was sealed shut.

"I will avenge you Dick, I'll make it so your nightmares can go away for good. Tony Zucco will never hurt, that's a promise." Bruce whispered once more before shutting the door and heading to his own room.

The Next Night

Bruce down in the bat cave preparing for his next patrol, once again without Dick, telling him it was too dangerous again. This however made Dick very restless, having gone two nights already without going on patrol. So he decided to spy on his daddy to find out what he was up to, meaning being out of bed without telling his daddy, sticking to the shadows to conceal his presence from his father. Bruce luckily didn't notice being far too preoccupied as he typed at the bat computer. Then shortly after Dick found his spot to hide, Alfred came out with a mug of coffee on a silver tray for Bruce.

"How is your search going sir?" Alfred asked as he set the tray down.

"I'm having trouble figuring out some sort of pattern, he's so unpredictable." Bruce said, rather frustrated.

"I'm sure you will find him Master Bruce, if not for Master Dick's sake alone." Alfred reassured his oldest charge.

"Who are daddy and Alfred talkin about, what does it have ta do with me?" Dick thought to himself.

"I promise you Alfred I'll find Tony Zucco if it's the last thing I do." Bruce promised out loud.

Dick immediately froze in place, the very mention of that name provoked both great anger and fear in the little boy. That man killed his parents and his daddy was trying to find him, without him.

"The only thing is, the mob boss only told me Zucco's running the docks in Gotham Harbor. But there are over 100 different docks in Gotham Harbor, so he could be at any one at any time."

"Then perhaps it would be wise to have Master Dick's help to search for him."

"No! I can't let Dick help me, Zucco would…"

"Yous gonna find Zucco without me?" Dick asked, a feeling of betrayal in his tiny voice.

With a great shock Alfred and Bruce turned to see Dick standing behind them, Peanuts in his arms, with a betrayed look on his face.

"Dick..baby..what are you doing up, you should be in bed?" Bruce said not sure how to react to what his son just heard, guilt rising in his chest.

"Bu bu but you said we would take Tony Zucco down together?" Dick said confused, tears leaking from his eyes as he ignored his father's distracting question.

Bruce sighed knowing there was no distracting his son from this subject, he had to be honest.

"I know baby bird, I know I said you could help me find him but…"

"You lied." Dick said quietly as he looked down tearfully.

"Baby I did not…" Bruce tried to explain.

"You lied." Dick whined louder.

"Baby let me explain I…." Bruce tried to continue.

"You lied to me!" Dick started to say louder as he looked his father in the eyes.

"Dick don't interrupt me I…." Bruce said, now starting to get frustrated.

"You lied!" Dick screamed.

"Dick we do not scream at adults or interrupt…" Bruce said disappointed in Dick's sudden belligerent behavior.

"Liar liar pants on fire!" Dick screamed at the top of his lungs as he stomped up and down, going into full on melt down/tantrum mode.

"Richard Grayson Wayne, you stop this unacceptable behavior right now! I am not a liar.." Bruce said, now getting very frustrated and angry.

"Yes you ares, you told mes we'd go after Tony Zucco together! He killed my mama and Tati, he deserves to be punished!" Dick screamed angrily in his fathers face.

Immediately Bruce firmly grabbed one of Dick's little arms and looked him dead in the eyes.

"Now you listen here son, you do not speak to your father that way, now you apologize…." Bruce bellowed authoritatively.

"No! Let me go, yous bein mean you big liar!" Dick screamed as he tried to escape his fathers hold.

"That's it you're getting a spanking little man!" Bruce bellowed as he turned his son around and gave a singular very firm swat to Dick's little bum.

Immediately everything went silent in the bat cave as the sound of the spanking echoes throughout the cave. Dick stood absolutely frozen in shock, having never been spanked before by Bruce. Meanwhile Bruce looked forward panting heavily as the anger and disappointment he was feeling melted away, only to be replaced by immediate guilt.

Knowing what he did was not done in the right time or mind set, Bruce tried to pull his son in for a hug to let him know he was sorry for his actions. However Dick immediately retaliated and pulled his arms from his father's temporarily slack grasp, proceeding to run out of the bat cave sobbing his little eyes out. This only made Bruce's guilt grow bigger, having never been denied affection or forgiveness from Dick, but then again he'd never spanked his son before.

"Master Bruce perhaps you should.." Alfred tried to suggest, shock emanating from his voice, only to be interrupted.

"I don't think Dick wants to see me right now. I'll be going now." Bruce said as he turned away, disappointed by his actions, and started to walk towards the batmobile.

As he walked towards to batmobile Bruce felt like absolute

hell, how could he do that, was all that ran through his head. There he was trying to help the one he loved most only to, just as he had in all his past relationships, destroy them. As he slipped his cowl back on and started the batmobile up, Bruce only hopped he could earn his son's forgiveness with what he was doing, and that he could make it alright again.

Meanwhile upstairs Dick sobbed into his pillow and Peanuts, heart broken over his daddy's lies. As he did all that went through his head was "why", why did his daddy lie, why didn't he let him help him, and why did he spank him so hard? These all rushed around the poor boy's head and left him no sure of what to do. He wanted to get Tony Zucco, and make him pay for killing his parents, but his daddy would be so angry with him if he left on his own.

But then again why should he care what daddy thought, he lied to him, and was not keeping his promises. So why should he keep his promises to his daddy and listen to his rules? With thoughts like that Dick made his decision, he would leave home and go after Tony himself, he was a big enough boy and he could take down any bag guy he wanted.

So Dick got out of bed and began to pack his school backpack with his blanket, peanuts, a few articles of clothing, and his pillow. Knowing he needed his hero stuff too, Dick snuck out of his room and went to the batcave. Once there Dick ditched his footie pajamas, leaving them on the floor, and dawned on his costume as well as took some weapons and other utilities for his little solo mission. Dick then ran up to the bat computer, and immediately began hacking into it.

Despite being only five years old, and still working on his writing and spelling, Dick had in the last few months advanced greatly in his reading skills and had a natural talent for hacking. He discovered this when he, Roy, and Wally had mischievously gotten into the watchtower's mainframe room. Wanting to cause a little trouble, Dick took like a fish to water and hacked the systems causing all sorts of mayhem to the justice league that day.

Anyways Dick hacked into the bat computer and loaded everything his daddy had on the Zucco case onto a little mini computer on the right sleeve of his costume. From there Dick snuck back up stairs and made his way to the back door, careful to avoid Alfred but unfortunately unable to avoid Ace. As the little boy made his way to the back door he felt a light nudge, making him jump, only to turn and see it was Ace standing there, his ears perked up and a confused look on his face.

"Ace go, I'm leaving da house." Dick ordered very quietly, not expecting his dog to interfere with his escape.

However Ace just whimpered and but the back of Dick's cape to keep him from leaving the house.

"Ace stop it, I has ta go, is important." Dick said a little louder as he pulled his cape from his dog's mouth.

Ace whimpered some more begging his young pup not leave the safety of the manor.

"Ace I promise I'll be backs." Dick said as he rubbed the dog's ears and hugged his large fluffy neck.

Ace snuggled the boy back, still not wanting the small boy to leave on his own and unprotected.

"I'll sees ya when I gets back Ace." Dick said with one last pat and a quiet exit out the door.

Once outside, Dick remembered that it was still quite cold outside, snow still on the ground and a cool breeze, since it was only the end of February. He didn't bring a jacket or anything besides a blanket for warmth, but it was too late to go back. So Dick persevered and ran away from the manor, determined to get the man who killed his family once and for all.

Three hours later

The roar of the batmobile could be heard again as it sped to a screeching halt. Once totally still Bruce hopped out of the batmobile and took off his cowl. It had been a long night of searching but with unfortunately no success for the dark knight. It was very discouraging and the fight with Dick wasn't anymore helpful with that. While it was wrong for Dick to act as disrespectfully as he did, he didn't act any better when he spanked him.

But really could he blame his son for his behavior, here Bruce was going behind his son's back to find the man he killed his son's family without him. Yes he was doing it for Dick's protection, but nonetheless he lied to his little boy. From the day Dick became Robin he had promised him they would find Zucco together. But it was so dangerous and Zucco was nutritiously unpredictable, so he didn't want his precious and irreplaceable little bird to be hurt.

Bruce knew he needed to talk to his little boy about this, but in the morning since it was very late. But he could still at least say goodnight to him and let his precious boy know that daddy still loved him very much. So he made his way from the batcave to Dick's room and very quietly opened the door, only to see an empty bed.

"Dick, little bird are you in here?" Bruce asked, wondering if his son was hiding from him.

Bruce looked all around his son's room for any trace of him, but to no avail. Immediately Bruce's heart started to pound harder and harder, worried about where his son was. He began to search the mansion, asked Alfred if he'd seen Dick that night, only to get a reply of no. Eventually he made his way back down to the batcave hoping his son was hiding in there. However he didn't find his baby, instead he found much worse, Dick's footie pajamas discarded on the floor and his Robin suit gone. Immediately Bruce knew, much to his horror, Dick had ran away from home to go and hunt down Tony Zucco all by himself.