Why Heroes Can't Sip Champagne and Apples are a Girl's BestFriend

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Chapter 23: Birds of a Feather; Going Under the Radar

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The suit the intruder to Grayson's grimy flat wore a set ofdecorated cartridges as war metals over his armored chest. He had knives toevery ankle, bootstrap and location. Grayson could call this clown an assassin,but they'd met already. Back in Gotham before there had been less of Kori torecall in a straight line.

"Cobb." Dick looked at the unaged adult and couldn't helpbut pity his predecessor from long ago. "The offer was already denied." Dickclarified strongly, ending with a stern face and question.

"What do you want?"

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William Cobb; A.K.A the great deluded ancestor of theGrayson line AND the antagonizing Talon used by the Court of Owls for thosegenerations….a secret society of the elite who were willing to attack Gotham'sunworthy and induct them into their little cult for the "return" of an idealcity. One run by madness and the control of a kind that the bat too believedunjust.

The "Talon" were assassins, purely truthful as to how theyexecuted those the Court decided as a threat to their structure inside thewalls of an "old" Gotham diagram. Cobb was no hench person, but wa saved by thehead of the Owls and even went after Damian while Bruce was conflicted on whoto save first. Dick was confronted in a fight, a tooth knocked out by the batas soon as Cobb had been present. Back then, Dick had believed it to meansomething reversible. That a talon was not what he'd be if given the push intodarkness. Why, now? He was still masquarading as Renegade. Cobb was too littletoo late as Dick pulled off his mask and let his hair flop back with a brush ofit away from his matted eyes. "I told you and the court that my loyalty –

"Is tested." Cobb interjected, his voice an echo underneaththe cowl he wore. He was trying to tempt Dick, trying to push the way anymanipulative villain would when casting a shadow. "You're as conflicted as Ipictured; your falling out with your team for a solo career did nothing tosatisfy you."

"It's my right to say how I feel about your deal then,Cobb." Dick gave the owl a narrowed glance. "But if I have to show you thistime again, so be it."

"Likewise, great – grandson. Our Gray – son was neverdecided by a small dose of Electrum. You were always Chosen to be our –

"Why can't you drop the act!" Dick pulled out his Wingdingsin a Renegade fashion as the flew, hitting the wall just before Cobb couldfling himself out of the way. Before he had any chance to preach his values tothe lost young man in his way. "Your aim is sharper, a bit lacking in controlyet…. Who was your next teacher to witness this?"

"No one your court can't recognise." Dick moved as a shroudover to where Cobb's stance was purely in an attack mode of its being. Dicklunged out as his escrima only touched the man's guards. He was pushing,pushing and hoping Grayson would open up out of guilt? Should this come as ashocker to the acrobat at all??

"Deathstroke came to call and you emulate his style ofcombat."

Those words.

Dick broke the contact, pulling away and throwing his sticksdown with a guttural yell. "I've….had it!"

"You have not." Cobb in an almost Slade – like manner seemedto care too much what happened next. Shoulders slumped, Dick heard the sound ofa rustle before his head turned to see blue (screw it) eyes and brown just overthe shoulder length hair with a defining jaw. A concerned face that…wasconfusing.

"You've been hurt, great grandson. Richard…" Cobb held out ahand, Dick swallowing as his red eyes saw nothing of what this fiend was, norwhat he masked by those eyes not unlike…his father's. Dick looked away, goingto return his escrima to his hand to rise up. "You can't lie to me, no matterhow human you still claim to be." Dick returned that hurt look back at theolder gent.

"You're a monster forever, by who you've committed toassisting take people like Bruce out, and for harming children like myself andDamian. You know what you did was not for anyone –

"Wilson doesn't deserve your skill."

"It's an undercover – job." Dick snapped. "I'm not thecriminal you expected, not your progeny or something better." Dick pointed hisstick to the door that Cobb had found entry to the apartment through. "Get outof Haven, out of my city." Commanded the ex – boy scout. "I don't need acriminal to pity me so dishonestly. Fix the past? Try as you might, you stillwant power. No matter how many times you deny that single fact."

"I am, incomplete." William nodded, looking at the face ofthe owl in his hands. "The mask is there to keep you safe, but what if the Grayson didn't have his identity to hide behind."

Dick switched gears instantly, thinking that a crypticthreat by a former enemy. "What identity? What are you planning?"

"Not a thing, I think…" Cobb moved with his boots towardsthe door, his face covered once more as the talon looked over his shoulder andbelow the cowl, he could smile at a later victory.

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Cobb waited until the phone went; Dick;s caller I.D would befor his next job. So, he'd patiently watch and survey. The talon great – grandfatherwanted Dick's raw impression left beside the footsteps of dozens talon beforethem both. And, Samantha's father had always called him good. At least to theirrelationship…before.

He'd killed her, on site while the Bat's son was ruiningeverything they'd worked for. Dead council and all, the feathers wafted inmemory, but in his grace he took it with a grain. Just, a grain of confidence.His Gray Son. A prophetic imagining of the owls, as their warrior, their princemeant to return.

Richard would one day fall to pieces by his mighty ambitionsand losses. No one would be quick enough to pluck that blue bird from a free –fall but his own flesh and remaining blood. Cobb leaped over top the sky line,smelling soot and raw sewage from the ground a ways up. Not even winter and thesky still looked plenty white to him as he passed the skyline to his nextresting stop. Intel had been gathered, and now it was time to complete thepackage for sendoff to the Court.

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Dick smashed the buttons and smoothed back his hair, coffeebrewing in the background of his apartment while the line rung away. Waiting tosurprise him, as someone other than Slade answered.

~ Wilson residence. ~

"Will!" Dick laughed off the relief, yet then recalled thathe was running out of time. Define time. They had zero before Chemo came backto full circle with his powers. He was angry at the city, and at Nightwing who'dbroken off the deal with the mob they'd promised to handle down gentle. As faras Slade knew, Dick was a terrible haggler for life or death, no better thanthe bat but…

He'd mocked the Terminator with Rose watching.

Coins instead of crisp bills so that Slade wouldn't kill hisperp, wouldn't take his side of justice to muddy it up with his army gruff. Sladeswore to leave it, but Dick knew better. "Slade's still outside of the city,right?" Dick brought Wintergreen the best news. If Slade had to get a stick tothe rear to let Rose go, then so be it.

~ He'll be here, are you sure you'll have enough time. Mr.Grayson, you're already on his list you know –

"I do, but Rose is still undecided and he can't hurt her. Youknow it, I do."

~ What happens is up to you heroes to figure out. ~ Willshrugged, indifference in that logic looking quite nihilistic on the old Britofficer. ~ Slade is protected by himself he claims, yet he truly believed itotherwise – Rose however, I do not care for the child as you do, Mr. Grayson. Sheshould have been left to her homeland, best that I know of it. ~

"In a way, she's nothing special. Huh? Well, that settlesit, tell Slade." Dick was a way out thedoor and readying his cycle, the engine music to his neglected ears. "That he'sdone here. Nightwing says to drop the crisis – talk and walk. Rose, she's notgoing back with him anytime soon."

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Rose trembled as Dick stood in the doorway, Slade so closethat the animal heads on his home wall didn't scare the cop one bit. Nope. "Rose,he's done something you should know; that item in your eye is dangerous. It couldkill you by the amount of radiation –

"Grayson!" Dick snapped back at Slade as he looked ready totighten his grip and swing a fist. "She's not paying attention to a traitor.She does as I've told her to. Superman would have been incapacitated per thecontract. Though, you had to push me. I warned you, kid." Slade's gun rose up tokeep Dick from bolting away. "Mess with my work in any city, you'll be bobbingalong that filth river of your precious city in less than the next hour. Wantto take a dip?"

"Dad…is….is it true?" Rose moved in as Slade's eye nevershut to sigh at his mistakes. Mistakes of using his own illegitimate child forhis own gain. To kill a Kryptonian.

"Chemo, is he nearby?? Did you tell him to –

"Quiet, Rose. That isn't important right now." He cocked thegun at Grayson, his eye bloodshot by so many mishaps in a single week.

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Slade got out; Rose was left to Grayson with a whole citythat Chemo had left to burn. He put on a mask for her as the two went low, thesmoke a trouble to her young lungs as Dick made contact with one person, hecould trust to get the Kryptonite out of Rose's one eye. She'd lost that one…theleft, not the right. As if a mirror to her father, he gave her no option but toendure. Screaming children and ambulances all gathered.

His city…

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~ After a catastrophic radiation blast from the villainknown as Chemo was averted by the JLA's intervention, Blud's citizens are stillwondering if their patron hero Nightwing did not do enough to erase or to preventthe loss of a great big chunk of homes and businesses in Haven's past and present.The people were told to either relocate during the rebuilding process, yet noteveryone finds that leaving the city is an option they want to handle. To many,it is more than a place to thrive for those long-time communities of Haven,Nightwing has shown that with his presence, the city might just be too much forone vigilante to carry on with protecting by himself. Or even, at all. KatyCrystal on Haven at Night, signing off. Have a good evening, and be foreverstrong, fellow Havenites. ~

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A few beeps of the horn to the highway, and he and Rose wereon their way. She sat in the backseat with her remaining belongings that had beendecontaminated. The white patch over her eye was now a stark black to mask thegaping hole her father had left. Her white hair seemed to dull, perhaps thestress of having so much change the girl since her swap to the other side ofthe spectrum of heroes and villains.

"Um, if you were wondering…" Dick scratched his cheek, blue andblack jacket looking right for rain this season as they made their way to acliff overlooking a downwards turn towards the harbor. "I think my brother Damianis going t be there for the week. Batman…. well, you know the rules. You don't tellanyone else about –

"Identities, I know." She sighed and leaned back into her seat;head swung over to see out the window. "Where is this place, an island orsomething?"

"A bay, in Jump City California. Took us a few days to getthe car in but….B wanted to be sure I'd be sticking around to monitor your progress."

"You left all of those people." Rose reminded Dick thatNightwing had failed Blud so badly this time. He could dream about the fire,the stinging heat against his cheek. A kiss of death to all that did see it asthey had. Slade had gotten away, left his M.O but Rose, he'd be sure to keepher safe. Dick had promised it, hoped that it was no impossible feat.

"I think….is that a green bird?"

Dick looked out the front and saw a green feathered hawk upby the top of their tower. He grinned and let the car drive them into the passthat led up to the tower walkway. In they then traversed the tunnel, Rose amazedby the technology and interest that had gone into the bridge's construction. "Wedesigned it to be like a monorail over water, but through it. That way, you don'tneed Raven to levitate you to the shore."

"Incredibly design…. you're not kidding." Rose nodded, herkid gloves seeing everything as one would with twice the brainpower of anenhanced meta. "Jaime and Cyborg can show you how it goes. What about –

Slapping a palm to his face, Dick had to laugh at hismiscall to action of a different sort.

"Duh, Megan!"

"Huh?"

"From a T.V sitcom." Dick sheepishly explained. "Our Miss Mwould be glad to have you watch the entire box set with her."

"Are you….old?"

Dick shrugged. "Dvds are still ok, sometimes. It means ifyou have them then you own your stuff."

"Just sounds like more work to me." They were coming up tothe end of their trip. Dick set the car into the Titans garage and had themstep out. BB, Dami and one other were outside. The spar between Gar and Damiwas going pretty well, and Jinn was just meditating while Raven didn't seem tobe on duty.

"Dick?? Dude!" Here, Gar had grown some scraggly facial hairand a foot taller. Dick blinked at Jinn as she tilted her head, mesmerizedbefore saying something with Dami to follow.

"Real nice of you to swing by, but…. Star isn't –

"She's our tactics department." Dami shrugged, also gettingsnootier with time.

"Who is that? Grayson. We have –

"Lil D, be nice." Gar shook his head and apologized to Dickand the newcomer. "She's cool. Aren;'t ya, mama?"

"I'm going to be sixteen and that term of endearment ishighly offensive to me." Rose stepped out of the car, slamming the door withher hair fluttering as messily as her mood. "Is this the tower? Why am I heretoo? I'm not a Titan."

"Not yet." Dick announced as Dami's jaw dropped. "She's workedfor the pathetic mercenary!"

Jinn gasped and hid behind her friends. "She….is just a child.She also is like us –

"I'm not a bossy like some spoiled brat."

"I am a Wayne, peasant! An Al – ghul to your father! –

"Whoa, break it up !"

Cy ran out with a face Dick had to bite his lip not to breakdown from.

Starfire, with….

Child.

His, very first family.

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I hear bells going back off, but could it time to lift thatban? Find out if Dick and Kori will defy Bruce one last time, one last plea tobe How long is Forever?

We shall see how Rose and Dami get along too….?