Alpha, Beta, but Never an Omega

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Chapter 15: Grayson; At Large

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He had time, too little as MN shoved himself to where the meeting was gonna be held. Two silhouetted figures under the night lights shone back as one was standing militaristically with a pose demanding attention from his two other allies atop that roof.

One, being this kid, this Grayson in a big grey hoodie, hands in his pockets and street style pants. The kid's baggie clothing though didn't defend himself from seeming short. He was just a teenager, or maybe that's what was expected of him to wear such an emotionally destructive piece of cloth over his face and body.

Dark suited them, yet the mask the military man wore was orange to one side, dark on the other. Unreadable, save for his tone of voice making MN's hairs stand right up.

"That the kid you wanna introduce ta me?"

"He is." Slade's expression was prideful, in control as he stepped to raise a hand to the other, "This boy will be the one to break the Batman. Eventually, he'll be allowed to face the other bats. By next season, or even earlier for us both… This place will have a new underworld boss, but it will be his call on that notion if we should stay or cover our tracks."

Dick froze, knowing it could be all a lie. Still, did he mean it? Hurt, Bruce?

"What is the thing with the dark knight? You really hated him the –

Slade glared at MN as the man rubbed his neck, shutting up. "Right, sorry. You lost like ten kids cause of the Titans."

The boy's ears pricked. MN raised his head, until Slade spoke up again. "They could never defeat me. They drove me out while I was in parts, never whole." Slade deadpanned a bit. So, it did hurt his pride, even now? Or, was this all just an act?

"Even turned down facing –

"Out with it. Are you in?" Slade snapped, his eye looking to the punk with a similar appeal to the very first dark knight's uniform. Wayne had been up on these rooftops since teen hood. He knew, it was a lucky guess that the prototype suit had any buyers since. Even stolen. (Doing for that the old suit from Gotham series is similar to Midnighter's look. Slade is poking at that. Personally, because he hates losing.)

"The pay is still –

"Twenty grand up front and to complete the month as followed, fifty with a total…"

Dick's eyes bulged as MN snorted in surprise. "You, I like you! Hey, kiddo! We're gonna be mortal enemies? What do I call you-

"Nightwing." The teen answered, gravelly. "I'm Nightwing when the suit is done. I have to get ready. Sir?"

"My partner is adjusting. We aren't finished unpacking yet."

"Where ya listed? Maybe we could –

"Best to stand our guard. I know where you frequent. So, keep it at that?"

MN tensed. "You, aren't supposed –

"Do you want the money? I could look for other anti-heroes with better qualities-

"NO." MN jumped down the merc's throat. "I got this. I can get even with the bat too, right? As soon as we trick his sorry ass back to Gotham."

"Sounds like a great idea, don't you think so? Grayson?"

"Sure." Dick shrugged, turning to look at the air and trying to block out what he WAS agreeing to. Keeping Bruce out so he could pay some crook to make him look better. Better than Batman or the Titans. Slade was staging everything, and so…

What chance did Dick have to leave his new faker alpha and run away back to Wayne at this point?? He had to use the test of what he had and make Slade get the rest if what he wanted. He wanted Omega and Beta to be safe on those streets. He wanted justice, but…was it for him. Or…

Was he just going to face the music later, an even bigger con than the men who were trapping him into the scheme?"

"Grayson, huh. Nightwing. Pleasure doing business." MN zipped off and going himself out of the way of sirens. Maybe an earlier shot fired as Slade explained when they'd gotten in to change that night, why MN needed to be watched closely.

"He knew who I was." Dick took a comb through his hair as Slade adjusted a blanket out by the sofa "He can't talk, or he'll lose what he was after.

"Unless…"

"What?" Slade's head had the same reaction time as a Sheppard dog's.

"Nothing, just. How could he know, I wanted to guess…"

"Maybe it was right, then. To not give so little away. Bring the bat closer. Make him work on his apologies." Slade patted down the seat as Dick took the bed. Sheets washed, the fabric no longer stinking if alpha and pseudo- mega combined.

"No more heat for a few weeks. Hurrah…." Dick yawned, pulling up the comforters as he slipped under in his long sleep pants and a tee. "Night…"

The man didn't need to say much. Dick was opening up his trust, keeping an eye open for a break in his clause here, while Slade stayed up and scanned his tablet on any news of bat sightings.

Eye wide, his narrowed on a headline by the Blud Sentinel Times. (Made up.)

"My, my. Was I right to ask him anything…" The monster grinned as he saw Wayne's headline half an hour ago. Posted up, the CEO was out of the area and would need his privacy for a business trip.

A trip to Haven.

Slade smirked, letting the silence aim to put him in a mellow mood, while Dick took to whistling out his nose. A melody he could certainly get used to in due time.

/

Bruce drove, flew and cane to the point of madness as, James Gordon pulled up to grip two coffees in hand. "This is turning into a man hunt, Bruce." Just face was tired, it always was. Right now, Babs was probably owing up his cell so it had to go on silent the entire day.

A whole week in a shot hotel, the doors opening and closing on their case. "He's here, I know it." Bruce needed a shave. He needed Alfred's tea and a place to put his feet up. Most of all, he wanted his old family back in Gotham, where they needed to be.

"Richard will have realized it, but we have less and less time to do much but wait. Slade is expecting to showcase him in…"

The phone buzzed away as Jim looked at the caller ID.

"Ignore –

"Pick it up." Bruce's eyes looked on the road, cowl off and his human face masked through a clouded degree of fatigue. "Jim."

"Right." Jim picked up the line, a voice they knew coming through a crystal as silver bells in winter.

~ HI, again. You needed the info, so I'm not going to stay here long for it to drop. I saw the kid. Grayson. He didn't need to lie about it. ~

"Where?"

~ Met up on a rough side, so they have to be in a safe house someplace close by. I doubt Slade said anything to throw off a scent. Also, the kid…he and I were explained a plan, to take you out. And, this kid being, Nightwing. ~

"Night...who the hell is that?"

"Dick's persona in the future. Starfire of the Titans told him about meeting Nightwing. He was working solo, and I caught wind in his recorded entry when he was still with the Titans then… that he'd one day take up the moniker." Bruce examined to the cop.

"She's gone to the future?" Jim coughed.

"Slade is going to get far too much information than he needs." Bruce finished.

~ WHOA. More than I need, but I need something from you actually…Slade, Deathstroke. He knows where I hide in this city. He'd kill Apollo if I can't get to em in time. I want to have you, since I'm sticking my neck out, to hire up protection for my man. ~

The two, cop and vigilant looked at one another, before digging their teeth back into the question. "It will take some time to find anyone willing to do the same. I can do my part, though. Unless, you can't find him. Find, Grayson before then…"

~ The big fight won't be at night. ~

Bruce squinted at the phone. "Are you sure?"

MN nodded. ~ DS even said it. He's gonna introduce that kid as Bludhaven's very first official omega gone solo, their hero. In broad daylight. And me? I'm the guy he's gonna have hit the wall to make Grayson look pretty up on that stage. ~

"And you agreed to it?? That's a criminal-

"We wanted to get closer to that vigilante. Jim. Wilson is doing everything he can to put Dock in the spotlight to cause some upheaval in the city. Maybe to –

"Get into public, into mayoral…office??" Jim gasped.

~ I'd not limit the thought, so that's why I can't lose this. Plus, DS paid me almost eighty grand –

"I'll double it, if you can get more dirt in the process. Can you."

~ With that glib talk, I will bat for even the guys that stink the loudest. ~ Grinned MN.

~ Deal, Mr. Wayne. ~

"See to it you won't get caught before their first dress rehearsal." Snorted Jim as the screen went to black.

/

It ticked. It made his skin prickle to run a razor up the sides. His hair in a tail as he ignored the flapping breeze by the window, Slade was there and watching outside. Signaling his employed nightmare to come as called…only a few minutes remaining.

"This thing…where is the zipper?" Dick looked at the stupid suit and cursed when hew saw just what was…

Back…in the back. No. Uh – uh.

"Slade….you said it was-

"Wait." Slade put down the cell and walked over to his pouty prince. "The zipper here, has a feature. I want to show it to you. So, put it on."

"What features…?"

Dick's eyes narrowed as Slade's eye did the same. "Suit. We don't have time for-

"Explain. I deserve to know what you're shoving me into. Partner."

Oh, that…

That …

/

Dick yelled as his arm was wrenched into the bathroom, the door shut as Slade blocked it. "Twenty more minutes. Get dressed." He stood over Dick as the boy scrambled with Slade holding his new suit. The emblem was dark as the mighty bird of prey he'd be staging himself as. Dick scanned the outfit over, then Slade's unwavering glower as Dick put his head down, sighing "Hand it to me. I'll figure it out. You'll tell me."

"I'll even show you." Dick froze. "Is it going to give you more control over me?"

"No one will get touch you." Replied the mercenary. "Not unless you know the sequence to turn off the field.

Shock. Field. Oh, like the escribe they had designed together. Dick gritted his teeth. Growling as he shoved one leg into the suit, the zipper on his back as seamless and hidden as Slade's one true resolve. "It fits just as I thought it would. Just lay off of the cake, hero." Smiled the mad man, giving Dick a tap on his side like some wild horse.

"Fuck." Dick snarled and ripped his ass away from his possessor. "Are you going dressed like….a tourist?"

"Incognito. Midnighter will have my job." Slade pulled out a dark set of shades as he posed and walked for the door. "The mask is in your duffle. You know what roof to put it on, right. We are going to be in a crowded downtown area by the station."

"My eyes are on getting this off the ground first. Will anyone bite at the idea of an Omega even being President?" Snorted the former boy wonder. The brown duffle was tossed over his shoulder as they headed for the fire escape. "Would it kill for you to be a little more enthusiastic? Grayson is broody as hell. When you do come out of the walk in closet, kid, you'd better not make a fool of yourself on Good Night America."

"Sure thing, and I'll be roasted by Jamie O, by then, too." Snickered the kid. His eyes really on wondering if Bruce would be there, watching his every move.

Right. That…was a lot left to picture.

/

Damian didn't want to wait as Selina drove across state lines to see the big appeal going on. She'd not gotten permission. They heard the news as if this were a gentleman thief stealing from a big museum the most priceless of artist's expressions brought to light.

He didn't want to see Richard getting into any real trouble. If that info was true, then Tim shouldn't have rubbed it in. Jason was dropping by fir his own working interrogation….Bruce needed to stop going that extra mile.

He was getting into the business of a killer, and killers like Slade, like Zucco and Two Face and Joker? They got mad enough to cut you up.

And the person's loved ones.

Dick had to watch his ass.

Jason was not going to put om those shades, Damian ay least knew how to be decent. More so than his Alpha big brother…

Or, his father who only had eyes for the enemy.

"Kid, sorry back down. We just passed through the state line."

"We have gotten that far, Kyle?" Dami sat up as Selina swatted him a glare through her mirrors. "Bruce can't know you're here, so don't try to be spotted. Stay when I tell you. Run if you are and don't stop. Got the unit in your pocket?"

"Perfectly charged, thank you." Dami nodded, patting his side as he buttoned up his jacket. "There will be much to see. I mostly know very little Bludhaven through the stories the newscaster spin. I wonder if it truly is worse than father's city."

"Our, city." Selina said. "Bruce would share you sentiment if he could. He won't. Just wouldn't benefit. This place, it's a road block to any good doers so this IS A big deal. If Dick is really going to show up in all his red breasted glory –

"Not as himself." Grumbled the kid. "As a traitor being led to walk free."

"False praise. I know. Hold on, then."

She turned up to the freeway as a large track of a highway had Damian hoping that they'd get to their pack before the curtain rose. Before Grayson became more myth than man.

/

Midnighter looked out at the air he'd be tossing a rather suitable grab at. The men in their work suits, children coming to school and running from standardized testing day. The police all around, checking for trouble. Clucking his tongue, the gun was one way to get this scene lively. The click of the barrel. The timing and one eye shut behind a darker cowl…

TWANG.

Went the shot, right into the side of what looked to be a fire hydrant.

Score.

Ducking, MN knew he wasn't here to kill. Just to perform for cash. A real low way to tussle and hustle.

~ Whoa! Did you see!~

~ Where did that-

~ Get in the house, Annie!~

~ We're gonna call a reporter at this rate. More crazies showing up…get a team up there!~

Having similar enhanced abilities cane in handy as darkness enveloped below. The shroud turned heads as screams rang out. Right down the street, one bat could smell smoke before another fire broke out above his head.

He dove to stop the debris from hitting Jim. The man throwing himself to the ground as Bruce nodded to the cop. "Time, what do we have."

"Almost. That was a warning shot that went ballistic." Grunted Jim. "Get to the roof. I'll find a place ta watch without losing my head."

"Will do. Be safe, Jim."

The two parted as Batman looked up. It was him, the one planning to bring his ward out of the shadows. Likely, to later backstab the bat if Slade was in that crowd. Crowd –

/

Slade sat on a bench and sipped coffee, watching his little bird fluff his feathers and death defying this would be he'd have a lot of fun giving the kid back his post as star aerialist. Without the bat, he'd make this kid everything he'd claimed and more, only to spit on Wayne's pride for holding them back.

If ever there were reason to let go of his, fascination, as a soul mate? Never. Not yet. Not until Dick did the worst possible thing imaginable. However, Slade was smitten, and he doubted that boy could tear his claws out any deeper. Waiting, he saw a swath of black and froze, staring before dropping the cup in to a bolt for the nearest alleyway.

Batman. Bad, bad timing!

Perfect, perfect…if only Grayson would remember his lines.

/

Cut this off because….they are on a chase! If Dick flies solo, that's it. There is no going back to what he wasn't. Find out!!