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Dick was sitting at the breakfast bar in the Gordon's kitchen, it was still early in the morning. Tim and Steph were still asleep on the lounge floor and Barbara was in her bedroom. Dick though was just staring at the envelope he'd asked Barbara to grab for him before they left Wayne Manor.
Tearing his eyes away when he heard someone coming into the room he looked up to see Commissioner Gordon walk in, who was already dressed and looked like he was ready to go out the door to work.
"Morning Richard, feeling better?"
"Erm… yeah, thanks," said Dick ducking his head again.
Gordon moved across to the coffee machine and started going about switching it on. "Would you like a drink? Or are you not allowed it with your concussion?"
Dick frowned slightly, before sitting up properly and placing a smile on his face. "It's been six days, I think I'll be okay with one cup, thanks."
Gordon nodded before turning to grab another cup from the rack. He kept glancing back to the younger man, seeing how he kept staring at the envelope in front of him. Gordon couldn't see any markings on the envelope to see where it might have been sent from to indicate what troubled Richard so much.
"If I remember correctly you like cream with your coffee, right?"
Dick tore his eyes away from the envelope to look at Gordon, this time giving a genuine smile as he confirmed how he liked his coffee.
Gordon placed the fresh cup on the table in front of the young man before he leant back against the counter and took the first sip of his own all black beverage. "Do you want to talk about what's bothering you?"
"Nothing, I'm fine," shrugged Dick as he picked up the cup and took a drink. Gordon didn't believe him for a second but he waited to see if Richard would elaborate more. He'd heard the complaints from Barbara and Richard when they were younger how Bruce always seemed to pressure Richard into doing what he considered the right thing. As a father he knew to take the complaints with a pinch of salt, but at the same time he wasn't going to push the younger man to open up.
"What do you do when you find out what you thought about people might not be the truth?" asked Dick.
Gordon paused for a moment, this wasn't quite what he expected and the question was quite vague. "Well, that would depend on who the person is and the circumstances. When it comes to being a police investigator you have to try and not have pre-conceived ideas in the first place. Evidence can change and with it your opinion on situations.
"If we're talking about people that are close to us, then I'd ask myself why they felt the need to lie to me in the first place. Did they think it was for a good reason?"
"What if you can't find the answer out? What if people aren't around to ask?"
Gordon looked at the way the younger man hunched in on himself. Whatever this confusion was, it wasn't about Bruce. Richard had always been more angry and animated when Bruce had upset him. "What's in the envelope?"
Dick shrugged, "I'm not sure. It might tell me that my parents weren't who I thought they were. They might not have been good people."
Gordon sighed as he put the cup down on the side. "I met your folks, once, long time ago. They weren't even a couple at the time," Gordon chuckled at the memory of meeting the young John Grayson and Mary Lloyd. Dick looked up to meet his eyes, the eagerness to hear something about his parents.
"I was investigating a crime at the circus that was in town and came across this feud between the two families. It was a real Romeo and Juliet moment. I think I even lost my temper at the lot of them and the ridiculousness of it all."
Dick laughed slightly at that, he knew the two sides of his family hadn't always got a long, but no one really spoke about it when he'd been little.
"I might not have known your parents very well, or for very long, but they did make an impression on me. They showed me that family was important, and you stood up for family, right to the end.
"Whatever it is that has you doubting that now, put it aside. They loved you very much and wanted the best for you. Whatever secret you think you've found out, they may have had a good reason for not telling you when you were eight. They may have been waiting to have a conversation with you when you were old enough to understand."
Gordon picked up his mug and downed the last of his coffee before rinsing it out in the sink and placing it back on the rack. He turned to walk past Richard when he saw the younger man staring at the envelope again. Placing his hand on the young man's shoulder Gordon gave a quick squeeze as a comfort. "Perhaps you should put the envelope away until you're ready for the answer. It's not going anywhere."
Dick nodded as he watched Gordon leave the room, listening to when the front door opened and closed as the Commissioner left the house. Making his decision he stood up and took the envelope with him, going to go stuff it back into his backpack and put it out of his mind. Whatever Slade had uncovered about his genetics wouldn't change what he needed to do right now, which was figure out a way to stop a Talon coming after him.
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Barbara pulled over in front of the Wayne Enterprise main building in downtown Gotham and turned to look at Dick, who was slouched in the passenger seat. "This is your stop," she said smiling gently.
"Or you could just take me to the station where I can get-"
"You're not going back to Bludhaven," interrupted Barbara. "You're going to walk in that building, talk to Bruce and actually figure it out. Not ignore each other or the issue."
Dick smirked slightly, "Yes ma'am."
Barbara rolled her eyes at her friend. He'd spent the whole weekend at her house and they'd discussed the plan of actually using words and talking to Bruce. Dick wanted answers and the only way he was going to get them was working with Bruce. Together they would figure out a plan and the Talon would be stopped.
Barbara reached into the back seat and grabbed Dick's backpack and held it out for him, "Let me know how it goes."
Dick shook his head as he took the bag and reached to open the door. Stepping out, he bent down slightly so he could still see into the car and see Barbara. "Thanks, you know…"
Barbara smiled gently, "Anytime." She made a shooing gesture with her hand, "Now go. I actually have this thing called college to attend. You remember what that life is like, right?"
"I barely attended when I was enrolled," grinned Dick, "So no, not really." Dick closed the car door, chuckling to himself as he heard Barbara groan, clearly exasperated with him. He waited on the curb, watching as Barbara pulled out into traffic and headed for Hudson. Thinking about different times when he would have been with Barbara for the whole journey back to college. Been with her to eat lunch in the quad, been together for a lot of things. Things just didn't work out that way though.
Hitching his backpack onto his shoulder, Dick turned around to start up the steps and into the main building. He only got two steps when he came to an abrupt halt as he noticed someone was standing in his way.
"Oh, sorry," smiled Dick as he went to step around the person.
"What are you apologizing for?"
"Err…" Dick stepped back slightly to take in the appearance of the man in front of him. "I nearly ran in to you, wasn't watching."
"I would expect someone of your breeding to be better attuned to your environment," said the man.
"Excuse me?" asked Dick in confusion. The man in question stayed perfectly still, unnaturally still even. He was dressed in a black suit with a matching black shirt and dark aviator sunglasses. He didn't look out of place in this part of Gotham on a Monday morning. Dick wearing jeans and a Henley on the other hand was another matter.
Dick went to move around the man but found him sidestepping into his way again. Dick frowned up at the man, and it was up. This guy was at least as tall as Bruce, so several inches taller than Dick. He was lean though, just like Dick. If you knew what to look for even under the well-fitting suit, you could see the muscle this guy was packing.
"It is time you embraced your destiny and come with me," said the man.
Dick huffed, "I don't even know you." He tried to move past the guy again but found he wasn't making much ground. Rolling his eyes he turned his back on the guy and started walking towards the road. He'd cross the street and walk the block, loose the guy in the crowds and circle back to W.E.
Or that was the plan until he felt a hand grab the back of his collar and yank him backwards with enough force to pull him off his feet. Reacting on instinct, Dick used the momentum to flip his legs over his head and land back on his feet in a low crouch.
Sometimes, people knowing he used to be an acrobat as a kid came in handy. He could get away with stunts like that and not have it connected to being a vigilante.
The man though also looked unsurprised by the move he made.
"Who are you?" asked Dick.
"William Cobb, your great-great grandfather," answered the man succinctly.
"Really? You should market your skin regime, doing wonders for either a dead guy or someone who should be in the triple digits," smirked Dick.
"Your destiny awaits," continued Cobb.
"I don't believe in destiny."
"Mr. Grayson, everything alright?" asked a deep voice from behind Dick. Dick relaxed slightly as he stood straighter and hoicked his backpack onto his shoulder again.
"Hi Vinnie, everything's fine. This guy just mistook me for someone else," answered Dick. Vinnie was one of the W.E. security team and been with the company for years, he'd been in the army before that and took W.E. security seriously, and as he'd said before that included Dick when he was at the property.
Not taking his eyes off Cobb this time, Dick took a few steps backwards so he was level with Vinnie.
Vinnie pushed Dick behind him and into his shadow, which wasn't hard, the guy was bigger than Bruce, then continued to move Dick closer to the steps that lead up to the main building entrance.
Dick glanced behind him to see two more of the W.E. security team standing by the main doors to the building. Dick didn't recognize these two, but considering he tried to avoid coming to the company these days that wasn't surprising.
Cobb was standing perfectly still in the same spot he'd been in earlier, just watching. He didn't make any moves towards Dick as Vinnie ushered him closer to the building or even when he was pushed inside. When Dick looked out through the glass doors back to the street, Cobb was gone.
"You want to explain that?" asked Vinnie drawing Dick's attention back to the man in front of him.
Dick put on a big smile and relaxed his posture, "It was nothing, the guy really did think I was someone else."
"He yanked you off your feet," pointed out Vinnie, not believing Dick.
"Yeah, weird right?" shrugged Dick. "Hey, good job I can still do a backwards roll." Dick started backing up and heading to the private elevator that would take him directly up to the executive floor and Bruce's office.
"I will be reporting this to Mr. Wayne," pointed out Vinnie.
Dick waved as he turned his back on Vinnie, "You do that."
Only when Dick was out of sight of all people, inside the elevator and going up to the correct floor did he slump against the back wall and let out a long breath. What the hell just happened? Was Cobb the Talon that was after him? If so, then that meant his identity was compromised. It meant everyone's identity was compromised. Or was it a coincidence? One talon after him and a delusional guy that just happened to come out the wood works at the same time?
"No such thing as a coincidence," muttered Dick to himself as the doors to the elevator opened and he stepped out into the spacious area outside Bruce's office.
"Richard? I didn't know you were coming in today," said Agatha from where she sat behind her desk. Agatha was a woman in her fifties that had been working as Bruce's secretary/PA for as long as Dick could remember.
"Neither did I," smiled Dick in greeting before he suddenly stopped as a thought struck. He had no idea he was coming here today. Not until Babs had pushed him into it last night. So how did Cobb know he'd be here?
"Everything alright?"
"Err, yeah," answered Dick. Seeing that Agatha didn't look convinced he gave her another smile, waiting until he saw her relax before asking his next question. "Bruce in his office?"
"He just left, he's got a meeting in the conference room. You want me to tell him you're here?"
"No, no. I'll just wait in his office until he's back."
"Then take a cookie," smiled Agatha holding up a plate. Dick grinned, real emotion this time as he approached Agatha and took the offered snack. Or he would have done if the floor to ceiling glass window didn't explode inwards. The force knocking Agatha out of her chair and Dick off his feet.
Blinking up at the ceiling in surprise it took Dick a moment to work out what had happened, before his memory caught up and he was quickly scrambling up on his knees and crawling over to Agatha.
He found Agatha pushing herself slowly up into a sitting position. Blood running down her arms from where pieces of glass had pierced her skin. Doing a quick glance over her body, Dick couldn't see any major wounds. Lifting her chin to get Agatha to look at him, "We've got to go."
Agatha nodded but Dick could see the shock was already kicking in and she wasn't making any move to stand up.
Pulling on her arm, he got Agatha to her feet, her body already shaking as she continued to stare at her hands, where the blood was already running across them. Holding her elbow Dick moved her across the room and towards the corridor and the staircase.
Another explosion from further down the corridor sounded, Dick kept Agatha moving pushing her slightly so she didn't freeze up. He couldn't see any smoke in the corridor and they really needed to get to the stairs. Couple of meters past the door and they'd be there.
"We need to finish our conversation Gray Son."
Dick froze for a moment before he kept pushing Agatha out the door, whispering to her to keep moving. Only then did he turn to face the man from this morning, he was still in the suit he had been wearing earlier, though now there was no sunglasses and instead a set of amber eyes stared at him.
"Pretty sure I said everything that needed to be said," shrugged Dick with a false sense of confidence. He knew what a Talon was capable of, though from the files Bruce said Talons didn't have free thinking. Yet this guy seemed different.
"You will be the Gray Son of Gotham, it is your destiny."
"I don't believe in destiny, pretty sure I've already said that." Dick looked around the room to see if he could use anything. "I'm also not a big fan of following orders, I won't be a puppet."
"The Gray Son is no puppet. You will lead. The army of Talon's will be yours to command," said Cobb stepping forward. Dick moved to the left keeping the distance between them equal. He did not want Cobb to be able to reach him.
"That so? You're a Talon, will I be leading you?" Dick asked with faked bravado. He needed answers and this was as good a time as any to get them. He needed time. He could hear shouting down the corridor so he hoped someone else was coming. Not that he wanted other people in danger but he had no suit, no weapons and acrobatics probably wasn't going to help him now.
Maybe even Bruce would have slipped away and Batman was on his way. Though that might be too much to hope for.
"I will be the new grandmaster," stated Cobb. "We will rule this city together."
"I'm not much of a ruler and killing people is just not my thing. So thanks and all, but I'll pass." Dick glanced behind him and realised he was being herded closer and closer to the open window. Definitely needed to stay away from that.
"Your obligation is to family. You will come with me!" Cobb didn't give a chance for Dick to respond as he launched himself at the young man.
Dick ducked down low and rolled out of the way coming up to his feet on the other side of the room, having just enough time to raise his arms up to block a punch coming towards his head.
The force reverberated through his forearms and up to his shoulders, forcing him to step backwards and stumble over the corner of the couch in the room. Twisting his body, Dick turned so he landed on all fours rather than his back.
Staying on his hands, he kicked up his feet and connected with Cobb, throwing him a distance away, so Dick had the space to get back up to his feet.
"Not cool!" snapped Dick as he grabbed the large decorative vase from the corner stand and threw it at Cobb, while moving closer to the corridor and his escape.
He didn't get very far when he was grabbed from behind and pulled backwards. The speed gave him no chance to flip himself over like before, instead his back smacked down into the floor, winding him.
Dick gasped for breath as all the oxygen in his lungs was expelled.
"I have watched you for five months," said Cobb as he stood over Dick. "From the moment I woke up and found myself alone, I knew that I had to search out my kin.
"Together we will be unstoppable."
Dick heaved in another lungful of oxygen as he rolled himself onto his front and pushed himself onto his knees only to find Cobb pushing him back down again with a hard kick to his hip.
Dick groaned as he fell back onto his back, trying to use the momentum to keep rolling and get back up to his feet. Laying here, he felt vulnerable, he needed back on his feet. Cobb only pushed him back down again.
Growling low in his throat with frustration, Dick kicked out his foot connecting with Cobb's knee with as much force as he could manage in such close proximity.
The familiar sound of bone cracking sounded through the room, though that was the only sound Cobb made as he collapsed. Dick scrambled up to his feet and stepped backwards away from Cobb who was already starting to rise. The momentary broken bones either healed or not bothering the Talon.
"You have potential. Good," said Cobb in his overly monotone voice that was doing more to creep Dick out than the persistent stillness of his body. It was all unnatural.
Dick ducked quickly as Cobb jumped at him, flying over Dick's head and landing past him and a mere foot away from the building edge. Reacting quickly Dick took a chance and launched himself back towards Cobb, and jumped so both his feet landed square on Cobb's chest, the force pushing him out of the building.
Dick twisted so he landed on his feet in a crouch rather than on his back. He let out a long breath as his body relaxed and adrenaline left his system.
Suddenly, his legs were pulled out from underneath him, his head hitting the floor hard as something pulled him quickly towards the edge of the building, his hands grappled with the carpet to try and get traction, broken glass on the floor cutting through his palms as nothing slowed him down.
Then there was nothing, his body left the safety of the building and there was just air between him and the street far, far below.
He was falling.
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