Confrontation
Tiger wasn't sure what he'd been expecting. No, that's not right. He'd known full well who was going to be in this house. Known that Damian and Alfred would be more accepting of his unannounced visit than the other residents of the manor. Regardless, Damian had surprised him. The ferocity of the smaller child as he defended him against the onslaught of his elder sibling was admirable to Tiger. Yet he couldn't bring himself to understand the why of the matter. The boy had been about as warm as a humid winter breeze during his visit before.
"You will leave this instant Todd." Tiger almost smirked at the growl from the tiny assassin. It was adorable to an extent. The other surprise had come from Alfred's own warm reception. The man had all but beamed a smile at him when Tiger had knocked on their door at an early 5am. It was giving Tiger an irritating itch at the back of his mind.
"I quite agree with young master Damian. It is most definitely past your bedtime and I'm sure our guest is here to speak with either myself, Damian or possibly master Bruce." Alfred had all but dismissed as he guided Tiger towards a small room obviously meant to receive guests.
"I need to speak with Bruce if that is possible." Tiger said without another glance at the dismissed brother. He pulled his coat tighter around him, hands buried deep in its pockets to hopefully help conceal the handgun he had hidden at the small of his back. There were several reasons why he wanted to see Bruce. One of which was to inquire about the erasure of the Court of Owls. It was his main concern here but if he could get a good shot in to wound the man, well, Dick would be none the wiser.
"I'm sure master Bruce is still awake. Would you be so kind as to keep master Tiger company?" Alfred requested with a slight tilt of his chin towards Damian. The other nodded almost imperceptibly before Alfred turned and left them closed in the parlor.
"Why is Grayson not with you?" Damian all but demanded as the butler closed the door. Tiger just leveled the child with a flat stare before looking about the room. It had an old Victorian feel to it. A fireplace along one wall with a small coffee table and a burgundy chair with a matching loveseat in the middle of the room. Tiger hated it.
"If I recall he told Bruce he would not haunt this city any longer than necessary. Including but not limited to this manor and the city limits of Gotham." Tiger let out with a small smirk before he ruffled the kids curly black hair. It was only mildly surprising to Tiger when he didn't retaliate beyond a slight scrunch of his nose.
"Could I. . ." Damian had started before cutting himself off. "Should I request breakfast from Pennyworth?"
"That's alright kid. I need to be getting back soon regardless. I'm just here for information." Tiger moved towards the sparsely filled bookcase at the back side of the room. Several classic titles littered the shelves. "Dick's out of commission at the moment." Tiger could feel the tension fill the room immediately after the words left his mouth.
"Explain." Tiger couldn't help but glance over his shoulder at the stoic face Damian was putting forth. Tiger honestly didn't want to recall the past 48 hours. Dicks subsequent, yet brief, drowning followed by the Hypnos malfunction and the ever looming threat of the Court of Owls.
"What do you know about the Court of Owls?" He asked instead.
When Dick hadn't resurfaced from the river Tiger had felt his panic surge. He'd seen as the talon grew frustrated with a lack of results. Had grown angry at the obvious challenge this skirmish was turning into. So he hadn't been surprised when it had lunged at Dick a third time. However when they had disappeared over the edge of the embankment Tiger had felt his stomach drop. He rushed to the ledge and couldn't help his rising dread.
It had taken Him meer moments before jumping into the water himself. The talon was in a frenzy, wildly clawing at the water, forgetting about its mark completely. It was not what Tiger had been expecting from a talon. It didn't mesh well with what he'd been told about them. He'd expected a cold ruthless assassin without any form of emotional baggage or sense of self preservation. This was something different entirely.
"It's a myth. Nothing but an old nursery rhyme to scare children." Damian said with an air of confidence. Almost as though he were a master of the subject. Tiger could only give him a gentle smile.
"No. They are very much real and very much not exterminated like we'd been led to believe. Bruce was the one who supposedly put them down for good last time. So we need the information he has." Tiger tilted a a dark green tome out from the shelf. A limited edition of Edgar Allen Poe. He let it fall back into the shelf as he turned to face Damian.
"What does this have to do with Grayson?" Tiger could see the gears slowly turning as he processed the tidbit of information.
"William Cobb, the last head talon according to the sources we have managed to dig through, is Dicks great grandfather. He was presumed dead after Bruce wiped them out." Tiger couldn't help but sneer at the last part. For all the man had done good for Gotham, why couldn't he have at least been as thorough when it came to his 'sons' safety. There was no way the man hadn't known about the muddied familial lines between Dick and Cobb. Yet somehow Cobb was still running around. Still chasing after his great grandson like the cult obsessed wraith he was. "We were wrong to assume so."
"I see. . . What exactly happened to Grayson. . ." Tiger could feel the hesitance in Damians request.
"He's recovering with Midnighter. There was a problem with his Hypnos after an altercation with a talon. We're working on a fix now however there are some slightly concerning factors we need to take into consideration."
"Ahem." Alfred intoned as he pushed through the door with a tray. A delicate aroma of earl gray tea filled the air as he placed the tray gently on a side table by the door. "Master Bruce will be down momentarily. Can I offer you a cup of tea master Tiger?"
"Dammit! You need to get up!" Tiger heard Grant cursing as he laid Dick out on the concrete. Tiger knew he was on the verge of hysterics but the lack of movement from Dick screamed at him. As Grant reached them He saw Dick give a full body spasm before water bubbled from his lips.
"You need to. . ."
"I know dammit." Grant hissed at him as he flipped Dick onto his side.
Bruce, to Tigers dismay, was taking his sweet time. Maybe he was too used to keeping a punctual schedule or perhaps it was his worry over Grayson. Regardless, Tiger was a patient man. He could put up with Alfred playing arbitrator for Bruce as he spoke with Damian.
"Dick taught me a vegetarian dish the last time we were in Prague. Perhaps on your next visit I may be so inclined to show you how to make it." As much as Tiger wanted the kid to come visit he wasn't fully aware when they would be back in a position for a 'sleepover'. Mayhaps M could be propositioned for a night in the Garden. Damian regarded him with a silent stare that had Tiger grimacing in return.
"I am to assume you are busy in the foreseeable future then." Damian relented. Tiger could see the pout from a mile away.
"Don't worry kid. I'll have Dick call as soon as he's able." The door opened on silent hinges as Bruce entered the room. Tiger couldn't help but silence his conversation with Damian as his anger slowly started to bubble beneath the calm facade he knew he was wearing. It was disconcerting how easily he could just be angry when it came to Bruce.
"You'll have to excuse us Damian. Why don't you join Alfred in the kitchen to get an early breakfast ready." Tiger could hear the demand in Bruce's voice. The tone that demanded obedience. It made his blood boil. There was a small tsk from Damian as Alfread held the door ajar. The moment the two were gone Bruce dropped whatever pretense he'd been holding onto.
"I'll be frank 'Tiger'. I don't know you. I don't know how Alfred and Damian know you. So it's not a far stretch to say I don't trust you nor your intentions. Now tell me, why are you here." Tiger was only mildly surprised. He was more than ready for a verbal lashing about where he was keeping Dick. Hell even some delusion about how he'd brainwashed Alfred and Damian. He'd been so sure the butler would at least divulge his relations with Dick to Bruce.
"I see." Tiger leaned back in his chair letting the grip of his gun dig into his lower back. It was only slightly helpful in grounding him. "I've come for information."
"I'm not. . ."
"I know very well you don't want to give anything willingly to one you deem suspicious. I was, however, hoping you had a conscience and would willingly assist me. You are a guilty party in this after all." Tiger was careful to keep his expression neutral. It wouldn't do to have his anger ruin any chance at the files stored in the basement. Not that he'd be leaving without them either way.
"I think you may have the wrong person." Bruce hedged. Tiger could see the man thinking through possible scenarios already. This little game of cat and mouse was not why Tiger was here. Rolling his eyes, Tiger sat up a bit straighter.
"I assure you, you are the man I'm meant to be speaking with. After all, who better to tell me about the Court of Owls than the man who let William Cobb escape." There was a moment where Tiger thought the man was going to pounce on him over the table. The mental picture brought a sneer past his mask of indifference. "Richard Grayson, at the bare minimum, is allowed access to that knowledge. Wouldn't you agree Batman"
"Something's wrong." Grant whispered in worried confusion. Tiger jerked at his comment, his eyes straining to Dicks still form. His chest was rising and falling and small shivers seemed to tremble through his limbs. It seemed normal until he saw the way his eyes were half open and glazed over.
"Move." Tiger all but demanded. He knew what was happening but he couldn't explain the why of it. After all He hadn't used his Hypnos on Dick. He wouldn't after everything Minos had done. With gentle hands he probed at Dicks head. running his fingers along his scalp and down the nape of his neck. He found nothing beyond cold wet skin. Slowly he dragged his thumb across Dicks temple, right where part of the implant would be. The reaction was instantaneous and also lackluster.
"Don't you pass out on me again!" Tiger all but growled as Dick seemed to freeze in place before a hitched breath had him sinking into the cement. It was futile honestly, he knew that. Somehow the talon had clipped Dick in the head at just the right angle, speed and strength to damage the Hypnos. There was nothing Tiger could do in their current position to alleviate any symptoms. He'd have to wait. The micro technology had a self repairing feature, he just needed to wait it out.
"We need to get him in the car. Mission accomplished. Now we need to get him to Spyral or possibly M. I don't. . . We need their tech to run a diagnostic." Tiger said as he tenderly laid Dicks head back on the ground. Grant didn't say anything. Instead opting to kneel and pull Dick over his shoulder in a fireman's carry.
"God dammit Dick. I'll get the door Grant." Tiger let out in a rush as he pushed his own shivering muscles to work.
Bruce hadn't lunged at him. Instead he remained rather ramrod straight. If Tiger didn't know better he'd say he'd broken the man. So, because he did know better, he waited. Allowed the man to process what he had laid out on the proverbial table. From the request of classified information, the big reveal of his secret identity, all the way to the condescending glare Tiger had no doubt was plastered over his own brow.
"Who. . ."
"Who I am to you is of no importance. Will you relinquish the information or not? I have little time and I would rather not waste it here on your indecision." Bruce seemed to just glare in response. Tiger could feel a vindictive pleasure building. If he continued to hold out, well, Tiger had no problem getting to the basement himself and retrieving the needed files.
"Dick is incapacitated. We can't do anything about his Hypnos here. Our best bet is either Spyral or M." Tiger let out as he pulled Dick into his lap, gently cradling his head. There was a small trickle of blood leaking from his nose that Tiger swiped away. William only glanced at him as Slade twisted in his seat to examine them. "Please." He whispered more to himself than anything else. A silent prayer to whoever was listening.
"Whichever will get us out of the country faster." Slade all but growled from the front seat as Grant climbed in behind him.
"I cannot allow. . ." Bruce started. Tiger was done. He stood and turned towards the door. It was of no consequence to him if the man burned this bridge. He held no allegiances to Bruce nor his alter ego Batman. He was here asking merely as a respect to Richard.
"I see what Dick was talking about now. You really are a piece of shit when it comes to your kids." Tiger said as he turned the lock on the door. "You see Bruce. Some things have come to light in recent weeks that have put me in a, let's say, rather disturbing mood. It all comes back to you it seems as well. So if you wish to make this difficult, that is more than fine by me. Either way I will be leaving here with the information required to protect Richard." Before Bruce could get a word in or even move from his position in the chair Tiger had his gun leveled on the man.
There was a tense silence then. Bruce was focused on the gun in Tiger's hand with a singularity that almost made him want to laugh. Tiger wanted a reason. One twitch was all it would take to convince him to let loose on the man. Instead, Tiger shifted his hand to the side and fired. There was a strangled shout as the bullet tore through Bruce's leg. It wasn't enough in Tigers opinion. It would never be enough to atone for the nightmares he knew Dick suffered through.
"See Bruce you have a decent set of morals. At least when it comes to your nightly escapades." Tiger said as he shifted his hand again. "However, when it comes to your children." Tiger slowly places his finger over the trigger. "There. Is. A. Lack. Of. Decorum." Each word was enunciated by a wide shot into the chair Bruce was hunched over in.
A loud banging came from the door at Tigers back. With a low snarl Tiger stowed his gun under his jacket. Tiger knew Dick would be jumping down his throat the moment he heard about this. With his glare still firmly in place Tiger yanked open the locked door. He was met by the stout figure of one of Dicks brothers. 'Jason' His memory supplied as his eyes were drawn to the slip of white hair.
"Jason." Tiger greeted cordially. He saw Damian and Alfred round the corner just as Jason pulled his hand back. Tiger simply side stepped the very telegraphed blow and shoved the man into the room with Bruce before closing the door. "I apologise for the noise Damian, Alfred. My temper got the better of me. Bruce is, fine, for the most part." Tiger informed them as he noticed their tense shoulders.
"Am I to understand the conversation did not go as planned?" Alfred questioned as he relaxed slightly. Tiger could still see the worry etched into the way Alfred held himself. Yet he found himself pleased the older man wasn't trying to detain him. Damian just seemed to be drilling a hole into Tiger's being. Almost demanding answers that Tiger honestly didn't know how to give.
"Quite." Tiger agreed as the door jerked open. "Damian, would you help me get the information I need for Richard?" He couldn't help but ask the younger of the two. "I feel Alfred may need to tend to Bruce."
"This has to do with their incompetence doesn't it." Tiger couldn't suppress the tilt of his lips.
"I'm afraid so." Tiger couldn't help but reach over and rustle the kids hair again. He only got a light scowl in return.
"Who the hell. . ."
"Continue that sentence master Jason and I will bring the soap out of the cabinet." Alfred remarked quickly, interrupting the young man. Tiger moved out of his way as Alfred moved towards the room he'd just vacated. Tiger could just see the Bruce gripping his leg past the door and Jason's shoulder.
"But Alfred. . ." Jason started back up again.
"I'm afraid, master Jason, that master Bruce got what was coming to him." Alfred settled a stern look on Jason as he passed the door.
"Father got less than he deserved Pennyworth. Don't try to diminish his actions now." Tiger would have to remember to treat the kid to gealto the next time he came for a visit.
"You, young man, were not supposed to be privy to that conversation." Damian physically winced as Alfred bore into him momentarily.
"I won't deny that I was reticent in my behavior. Yet I do not regret my actions. Not when it comes to Richard." Damian allowed as he met Alfreds stare head on.
"So, who are you and what exactly did Bruce fuck up this time." Tiger couldn't help the glare returning to his features at Jason's remark. The bruise Dick had come home with still a fresh memory.
"I would suggest leaving master Tiger alone, Jason. He seems to hold you in the same light as master Bruce at the moment." Alfred said as pulled Jason into the room with Bruce.
"Come Tiger. I assume you know where to go but I shall show you the way regardless." Damian slowly turned and continued down the hall.
Tiger was shivering as William sped the car towards their safe house. The water logged clothes sapped what little heat his body was mustering. In a stuttering motion he pulled his shirt over his head and dropped it on the seat beside him. There was a sound then, a low whimper as Dicks body stilled unnaturally.
"Grant!" Tiger all but shouted. "He's starting to seize! Hold him down!" Tiger got out just as Dick started shaking. Tiger couldn't stop the panic in his chest as blood trickled down Dicks face.
Tiger didn't feel the need to look around the 'batcave' as Dick had called it. He'd had it described to him in detail several times when Dick had been feeling homesick. Granted it was only towards the end of their coup of Spyral. Either way the slow descent into the wide cavern felt lackluster. If anything it made Tigers fists clench with a want to put another bullet in the man upstairs.
He could see now, where the fight Dick dreamed about so often took place. Tiger could put where each scar may have come from simply based on the placement of the infirmary, batmobile and the memorial case. His mind was painting quite the repulsive picture given the new details.
"Damian. What're you doing." Tiger jerked his eyes off the glass case as the aggravated tone reached his ears.
"You must be Tim, the one addicted to caffeine." Tiger recalled aloud. Tim seemed to appraise him in the dim lighting with apprehension.
"Perfect timing Drake. You can assist me in pulling the information for Richard." Tims face darkened at the mention of Dick. Tiger could feel as the sneer he'd managed to smother on the way down slowly leeched back onto his mask of indifference. This family was testing his patience without trying. He could admit that he was a bit biased about the situation.
"Damian." Tiger called as he shifted down the last few steps towards the computer. He really didn't want to deal with another confrontation. "Don't bother, we both know how they feel about Dick."
"Tch." Damian remarked as he followed behind Tiger. "I suppose we don't need their help."
"I wouldn't want the help of a blind sheep." Tiger remarked with a side glare towards Tim. He could see as the man started to bristle. Good, he deserved more but if Tiger injured one of Dicks brothers he'd be sleeping with an extra knife under his pillow till Dick forgave him. He'd probably still have to now that he shot Bruce. It was worth it either way.
"What do you. . ." Tiger turned and glared at the boy.
"Why don't you use those brains Dick's always telling me about to figure it out. I'm sure it won't take too long to actually piece together once you have a few clues." Damian just stared between the two of them before Tiger found himself sitting at the large computer. "Sorry Damian. . . This place gives me the creeps." Tiger was having a problem controlling his rage in this cave.
"I imagine Richard's situation is not helping you." Tiger smiled down at Damian then.
"No, no it's not."
Dicks seizing had stopped about half through their ride. Tiger didn't feel any better about it. Dick had yet to open his eyes or give any sign of coherent thought. Instead there were whispers on his lips that Tiger couldn't quite make out. There was a low whine building in his throat and Tiger couldn't help but gently brush the hair out of his face.
It was when he noticed Dicks shallow breaths stop that Tiger felt his heart stutter. He knew his panic had won the moment Dicks name left his mouth.
"Dick! Focus!" Tiger knew the Hypnos was weaving a strange tapestry in Dicks head. He knew what kinds of thoughts and memories lurked there. "It's not real! You have to fight it!" Tiger almost relaxed as the whispering stopped.
"If I can find anything more of import I'll call Grayson." Damian said as he handed Tiger a small flash drive. Tiger only hesitated a moment before he pressed a card into damians hand. It was an exchange of sorts. One Tiger was finding he didn't mind the more he recounted about the short times he'd spent with Damian.
"If you can't get through to him, call that number and ask for me. I can't guarantee I'll answer right away but I will get back to you as soon as I'm able." Dick would be laughing at him. Tiger wouldn't mind however. This was all for him anyway. Tiger noticed the shadows flicker in the cave for a moment. It was a subtle thing, done as a light had flickered but Tiger had seen the change.
"If you have questions you better ask them before I leave." Tiger called out as he pocketed the precious information. He didn't want to deal with this family any longer than he had to. Yet it seemed Jason and Tim were vaguely persistent in getting answers.
"Why'd you shoot Bruce?" Jason's voice echoed around the cavern in response. "I hate the man as much as the next guy but, humor me, why."
"Because I have a zero tolerance policy for abusive assholes. Especially when they're supposed to be the parental figurehead." Tiger answered as he spun on his heel. If they had questions they would have till he reached the front door.
"What does that even. . ." Jason started as Tim watched them from the sidelines. There was a calculating look there and Tiger knew he was hunting for clues.
"It is not my story to tell. Yet I'm also hesitant to divulge even that to you. As blind as your brother it seems. Maybe you shouldn't be blindly following a man in a bat costume." Tiger knew he struck a nerve the moment a metallic crunch reached his ears. "You're not stupid Jason but you and Tim have been acting quite irrational about this whole debacle. I thought that you two, as his brothers, would know when something was amiss. Apparently I was wrong in my assumption."
"I've attempted this with them already, Tiger. They won't see reason." Damian's steps echoed behind his own.
"Maybe, maybe not. This is their last chance in my book." Tiger started with a frown. He didn't want to forgive, that was Dicks department. He knew that eventually Dick would forgive them. Tiger would just have to catch Dick when they inevitably screwed up again. The cave slowly bled into the manor hall with neither Tim nor Jason trailing after with more questions. "I'll give you an update on Dicks condition after I get back."
"I'm sorry Dick." Tiger whispered into his ear. The seizing hadn't stopped exactly. They'd become a more sporadic momentary tensing of muscles before Dick would jerk out of it. His Hypnos should have sufficiently repaired itself by now. "Tsuchigumo."