Dick first became aware of the cold floor beneath his cheek. It was so frigid and biting, that his cheek seemed to sting from the cold temperature. He tried to force himself up when he realized his arms weren't cooperating. Dick's eyes flew open as panic set in more firmly.

His eyes found a familiar grey concrete wall in front of him and his stomach flipped in distress. His last few memories started to put themselves in order for his foggy brain as he blinked around at his surroundings. He, Tim, Jay, and Dami had all been attacked by the Court of Owls, where were his brothers?

His heartbeat picked up as he struggled to sit up. There was no way that he was actually here, he thought frantically. They must have gone home and taken a nap and all the junk food gave him a nightmare and upset stomach.

The world didn't hate him that much to place him back in the Court's clutches right? Were his brothers alright?

Dick's eyes were jumping from corner to corner as he struggled to evaluate his situation. Megan! He thought suddenly, maybe this was another therapy session gone wrong and Miss M. had taken control of his mind like their very first mental group training session.

Dick felt his breath stutter in partial relief. Yea, that had to be it he tried to convince himself.

He was aware of himself in his own mind but only because he was dreaming per se.

Dick hefted himself up, using his abdominal muscles to leverage his torso until he was sitting back against the wall behind him. He couldn't see behind him but felt a short chain connecting his forearms and wrists to the wall behind him.

What memory had he been thrown into? Dick wondered? Would he just sit here again? He'd had a few where he stared at nothing until another talon came to collect him and his dream ended.

Dick did his best to regulate his heartbeat and the shallow blood pounding in his ears as he gazed around the moderately sized concrete room. The temperature was biting and Dick could feel his fingertips and nose start to complain, similarly to his cheek. The room felt familiar but it was quite generic so Dick wasn't completely sure. The room was medium-sized with one barred cell door that was the size of 2 double doors. Dick looked around multiple times but eventually concluded that there was only so much he could learn by staring at a concrete corner and empty hallways beyond.

Eventually, Dick was jolted from his mindless musings by the sound of footsteps coming down the hallway. Dick did his best to shimmy up and against the wall behind him, waiting for whoever was coming for him. An imposing figure rounded the corner and came to a stop before Dick's cell, making his heartbeat stop for a few solid seconds.

This isn't a dream, Dick thought dazedly.

Willam Cobb stood before him in a familiar pressed suit, polished shoes, and wearing an intimidatingly trimmed beard. Lincoln came to stand beside Cobb and opened the door for the older man by holding his palm to a large black lock contraption on the outside of the barred door.

The older man stepped forward and each staccato step seemed to each in the silence of Dick's cell even more. As he neared, Dick felt his breath disappear and become more shallow, the buzzing lights above them seemed to fade away and eventually, he was left with just his beating heart, pummeling the inside of his ribcage.

'No. No. Nononononononononon'

"Welcome home, Talon" Cobb's voice was deep and slightly warm, the epitome of a prim and proper grandfather.

Dick could only stare, "Don't call me that"

Cobb smiled endearingly, "I can't help but use your title, my boy. It won't be long now until you're accepting of it"

Dick's eyes flicked to Lincoln who stood slightly shorter than Cobb but with 5 times as many weapons across his back and thighs, "Hear that buddy? Looks like you're gonna be decommissioned"

Lincoln frowned but Cobb spoke, "Just because you will be Talon does not mean Talon here," he motioned to Lincoln, "Will be decommissioned"

Dick didn't let his confusion show, "Awwww, but I thought I was your favorite" he pouted. It came across poorly as his hands were bound behind his back.

Cobb smiled at Dick's pseudo tantrum, "How have you been, my boy?" He took a step closer, "My informants tell me that you've been having headaches and memory retention issues"

Dick dropped his shoulders and tried to rid his muscles of their tenseness as Lincoln and Cobb grew closer and closer, "I meaaaan, not to give you a 1-star review or anything. But who would want to remember any of the last 5 years, you know?"

Lincoln grunted in disapproval but Cobb waved him off, "Let the boy have his fun, Lincoln" he admonished lightly.

Dick scrutinized Cobb as both men boxed him in from where he was bound on the floor, "Excuse-moi. Personal space"

Lincoln glared and kicked Dick's thigh in response, "Owwwwwww" he cried dramatically. Lincoln rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

"My dear boy, you can't avoid my questions forever. I'm only here to help you" Cobb replied.

Dick looked up at the older man, "Leave me alone" he sneered. Cobb's calm expression turned downward into a frown at Dick's tone. "Don't be difficult boy. Cooperate and your transition will be smooth"

Dick faked a thoughtful expression, "How about my transition out of here?"

"Do you remember your time with us Gray Son?" Cobb reiterated as he ignored Dick's sarcasm.

Dick scowled, "I don't know what you're talking about. Who could forget that bad Air B stay" he ground out.

Cobb knelt down before Dick and reached out for his chin, grasping tight so he had a thumb pressed over Dick's Adam's apple.

"You've not been fairing well without your family have you? Memory retention troubles. Emotional incontinence" Cobb cooed.

Dick snarled and tried to wrench his head out of the domineering grip, "No, not really. But we can remedy that if you would just un-kidnap us" Dick smiled angrily.

Cobb tsked condescendingly, "I was referring to your true family, Gray Son" he motioned to Lincoln, "With your masters and brothers and sisters to guide you down your destined path"

Dick strained his head as he tried to pull away unsuccessfully. Cobb tighten his grip and pressed down threatening, drawing a hiss from between Dick's clenched teeth.

"Do not deny what you are, boy. You are the first of your kind and do not even know how to fathom your capabilities yet"

Dick rolled his eyes, "I can fathom just fine, thanks" he replied nonchalantly.

Cobb sneered and shoved Dick's head away as he stood. Dick gritted his teeth as his head hit the cement wall behind him.

"We will begin your training immediately" Cobb informed the room as he looked away and picked off invincible lint from his suit, "I'm rather hesitant to see what kind of habits being around those delinquents have reinstalled in you"

"Oh, William?" Dick batted his eyes, "Can you make sure my room gets changed before my spa day? I specifically asked for a room with a view" he looked around expectantly at the window-less room.

Cobb huffed as his head dropped in a chuckle, "I rest my case" he said to himself. He looked at Lincoln and nodded. Lincoln bent down and knelt slightly behind Dick to undo his bindings. Dick tensed as he felt the pressure let up on his wrists.

Lincoln must have seen or felt him tensing in preparation because he stopped and leaned in front of Dick's face, "Don't be stupid, Gray Son" he warned lowly.

"But Lincoooooln-" Dick whined before he was cut off by a backhand to the face. Dick glared up at Cobb from under his fringe of dark hair as the man stepped back a few paces.

Lincoln finished untying his binding from the wall but kept his wrists and forearms bound together behind his back. The other man dragged him up by his upper arm and directed him towards the cell door, "Wait!" Dick called back as he passed Cobb.

Cobb raised an expectant eyebrow and Lincoln slowed down for Dick to finish, "Where are my brothers?" he demanded, all traces of humor gone.

Cobb smiled ruefully, "Be a good boy and you may find out" Dick's face contorted in a snarl but stopped the moment Cobb withdrew a capped syringe from inside his jacket lapels. Cobb waved the glass tube in front of Dick's face.

"Do not test me, boy" he warned lowly. Cobb no longer resembled a grandfather with wealth and experience. His cold blue eyes and threatening sneer highlighted just how much power Cobb knew and felt he had over Dick.

"Your brothers are here and unharmed, so far" he put the syringe away but Dick's breathing was struggling to return to normal as his wide eyes tracked the movement. "If your pathetic pseudo-family is not enough to remind you of your true purpose with us, then we will resort to harsher methods, Gray Son"

Dick swallowed as he tried to wrangle in the erratic thumping in his head and chest, "Wh-Where are my brothers" he tried again. Dick wasn't blind to the way his tone came out as polite and amicable.

Cobb took a step and motioned for Lincoln to continue on his way with Dick, "Like I said…be good and we will see"

Dick was tugged out of the cell and down the hallway as Cobb directed them onward. Knowing that Cobb was behind them the entire way, and had a full syringe of that horribly cold serum, Dick did his best to follow Lincoln. He tried to peer into every cracked doorway and memorized how many lefts and rights they took. He looked at the ceiling and floor at every turn, trying to discern if there was anything memorable about the turn like chipped concrete or any dirt or rubble.

There was nothing! This place was impeccable, whether it was a desolate cell or an underground lavish bunker. There were sections of the tunnels they passed where plush well-groomed carpets were rolled out and the temperature was much more manageable. Other sections were not so.

As they walked, Dick felt another headache coming on. He blinked furiously as visions and bright flashes danced across his eyesight. One moment he was following Lincoln and the next he was wandering narrow pathways that only seemed to lead him left and right. There was never a doorway and never an end.

Dick whirled his head around, completely bewildered as he tried to make sense of his changing scenery. He caught a few glimpses of Cobb's stern face behind them when suddenly his field of view was taken over by another maze-like hallway.

Dick's eyes widened and he shook his head as he tried to collect his addled thoughts. Was this another memory?

"Are you alright my dear boy?" Cobb asked behind them, "Are you remembering something unpleasant perhaps?" he asked with a sly smile.

Dick couldn't seem to get a grip on himself. He was desperate to discern which of the 2 visions before him were true. Were they in a maze? Were they going to a maze? Was Dick still in his cell?

At some point, Lincoln took a sharp right but Dick's eyesight told him he was taking a right and his feet tripped him. Lincoln caught his upper arm and let him sag against him as he tried to reorient himself.

Dick felt panic start to set in and sweat gather on his nape. This was different than before, he only needed a few moments to determine what was memory and what was reality. What was happening to him now? He couldn't tell which was which this time and it frightened Dick to his core.

"The maze" Dick stammered as Cobb came to a stop beside Dick and Lincoln. Dick leaned against the wall and tried to calm his racing breath. He couldn't hear his own footsteps or thoughts over the sound of blood pounding through his ears.

Cobb's eyes twinkled with knowledge beyond Dick's grasp, "Ahhh yes, you were put through the maze for quite some time. Until you learned that obedience was inevitable" Cobb explained calmly.

Dick gasped and trapped the small whimper that wanted to crawl out of his throat. He wasn't completely sure what the maze was but just the sound of it coupled with a few sparse memories, sent his body into tremors.

He couldn't go back there. He wouldn't.

Dick's throat closed up and all he could do was desperately shake his head, pleading for Cobb to take him somewhere else. For anybody to take him somewhere else.

"Shhhhh, my boy. It's alright" Cobb soothed, "We are headed somewhere else. In fact, were are almost there"

He nodded his head to a door just to the right of Dick. Dick followed his gaze to see an overly ordinary doorway with a single lock over the outside. Lincoln hoisted him back up and dragged him to the door while Cobb unlocked it.

Dick furrowed his brow as the door was flung open to nothing. There was absolutely nothing in the room. It was bare and desolate. Not even a single light hung in the room. At least Dick's old cell had a prison-fashioned toilet bowl and a single overhead light.

Lincoln re-arranged DIck sp that he was able to take off the handcuffs before turning him around in his arms and shoving him forward. Dick tripped and found himself catching his weight on his chest and chin. He hissed as he felt the skin tear away across his chin as he hit the hard floor. Dick wiggled onto his side and turned over. He peered up at Lincoln and Cobb as they watched him in the lit doorway. Dick could only see their silhouettes, from how blinding the hallway lights were.

Once Dick realized they weren't going to the mysterious, heart-wrenching maze; his breath started to catch up with him.

"This is what you call training? My own room?" Dick quipped back, trying to ignore the lingering trembles in his voice.

Cobb tsked and folded his arms, "You misunderstand me, Grandson. Your training started the moment you came home, but your training will be a tad different this time. I won't be making the same mistake again"

Dick stared back, confused as he tried to make sense of the shadow in the white doorway before him.

"Last time, I believed the threat to your ridiculous family was enough. I assumed that once you were to learn obedience, you would fall in line"

Cobb shook his head mournfully, "I was wrong. I now see the truth. We need to break you. Rid you of these pathetic relationships and urges that you cling to. These pathetic morals and weaknesses that you cling to as if they will better you, make you stronger-"

"They're my family! Of course, they make me better! I'm happier with t-"

"Hah!" Cobb barked out. The force of his voice made something old and familiar rise up inside Dick's core and admonished him not to talk back, to cower and pray to the God before him.

"There is no happiness when you are weak and relying on others, Gray Son. I will teach you that this time. This time, there is no room for error. You will rise and evolve as you were meant to; ever since birth"

"Oh and what? My own room is gonna help with that?" he sneered. "This still isn't the view I asked for" he sassed. Feeling more sure of himself.

"Like I said, Grandson; I've learned. This time I will not allow you to draw strength from petty relationships and your frivolous need for contact and attention, It is time we rid you of your people-pleasing need. The only concern you should have in your life is me. I. Am your Master. I. Am your God"

"You will stay here as long as it takes for you to accept this as your true truth, boy"

That was the last thing Cobb said to him before he stepped back and allowed Lincoln to slam the door; locking Dick into darkness.