Chapter 8
Late at night, everyone's either gone home or gone to bed. Wally and Roy have been convinced to go to their rooms so they can rest. Clark has also flown home for now to rest and stay close in case Metropolis needs him. Bruce is up, staying awake to watch over Dick while he sleeps. Suddenly though, Bruce feels tired, his vision blurs. This isn't a normal grogginess, he can feel it. He tries to fight it, but being only human despite his strength, he collapses. The nurse from before walks in, a mask on her face to ventilate the air. She smirks.
"Finally…" She mutters, stepping over to Dick's bedside and unhooking him from everything. Immediately he struggles to breathe properly without the oxygen helping him to breathe. They had placed the mask over his face again while he sleeps in case anything happens. She lifts him up and carries him out, walking by her colleagues who are also unconscious. She finds a wheelchair and sets him in it, rolling him out the front door of the hospital where a car is waiting. She gets him out of the chair and to a man in the back seat who has him buckled in, making him lean toward the window. The nurse smiles at him and backs away, rolling the chair back inside. She goes back to the PICU and finds a place to collapse, taking off the gas mask, hiding it and grabs some papers, she lets the gas take her down as well.
When the gas stops and new air circulates in the building, people start waking up. Bruce is among some of the first, getting off the floor, feeling rather dizzy, he checks on Dick, only to find he's not there. Panic fills his heart and as nurses come to, they see one of the lines in the PICU is dead. They run in immediately to room sixteen, but find young, sweet Richard isn't there, seeing the paled figure of his father standing above his bed. Bruce looks at the nurses before sitting down, bowing his head and running his fingers through his hair. He lost…
Or has he?
It's not the Court of Owls who has him…
Once the car arrives at its destination, Dick Grayson is taken out, still struggling to breathe, unable to wake up. He's carried into their facility and brought to a room, placed on a ventilator, and given medication to help with his pain, hooking him up to saline and blood IV. The ones who brought him there meet up with their de facto leader.
"Sir, we acquired the boy at last." One of the henchmen says, a blond with a mask over his face. A man with three scars on his face turns from the panel of screens to look at him.
"Good work, Sportsmaster." Vandal Savage says. "I assume the experiment has begun."
"Yes. As we speak, he is being given your blood intravenously. We'll see the effects it has on his healing."
"Good. If we come to our desired conclusion, this could help us move forward with other plans. Is our sleeper agent in position?" Vandal asks.
"Unfortunately, sir, he's one of the patients at the hospital, his leg is badly damaged, and he might not be of much use without both working legs. Broken Arrow indeed…" Sportsmaster comments.
"Which is why we are doing this experiment on Wayne's boy, if this works, we can heal ourselves. We could do with another rich man with great influence in our back pocket as well. He will be indebted to us for taking care of his son's health."
"He may not go for it. I've kept an eye on Wayne Enterprises for quite some time." Lex Luthor states. "Bruce Wayne is a smart and well-established businessman, but he's on the side of the angels, he avoids shady business dealings and still manages to keep his head well above water."
"Sounds like you respect him." Vandal comments.
"Bruce Wayne is the reason Qurac is not part of Bialya." Queen Bee comments. "He is part of the disruption."
"Ugh, what does all this have to do with the kid?" Klarion questions. Teekl meows. "Yea, I know that!"
"By healing the boy's ailments and removing the threat of the Court of Owls, Bruce Wayne could be indebted to us and thus we could possess his assets. Further financial funding for our projects. Wayne could be a powerful ally to The Light." Vandal explains. He looks on the monitor that has image of the room Dick is in.
"What is the Court of Owls, Vandal?" Luthor asks.
"Beware the Court of Owls, that watches all the time, ruling Gotham from a shadow perch, behind granite and lime. They watch you at your hearth, they watch you in your bed. Speak not a whispered word of them or they'll send the Talon for your head." Vandal recites. "They are a secret society ruling Gotham, pulling the strings in the criminal underworld."
"Now they sound like powerful allies." Luthor comments.
"They would be, however their obsession with power and immortality interferes with the natural evolution of man as the centerpiece of the cosmos." Vandal states. "By choosing Wayne over the Owls, we guarantee knowledge from Wayne Enterprises that still eludes us. And we keep in line with our goals." Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Dick sit up, looking around.
"Bruce? Wally?" The boy calls out. Dick looks around the room some more, then looks at the IV bags, the monitor for his vitals. Vandal presses a button, creating an intercom to Dick's room.
"Richard Grayson." A voice comes from essentially nowhere and makes Dick startle. He looks around, trying to find the source. He swings his legs over the edge of the bed. "Can you hear me?"
"I-I can hear you… Who are you? Where am I?" Dick asks, trying to play up the fear, but he knows who it is, he knows that voice.
"My name is Vandal Savage. I've heard of your predicament and am trying to help." Vandal says.
"Where's my dad?" Dick asks.
"He's still back at the hospital, we're only interested in you at the moment." Vandal explains. Dick looks down toward the ground.
"He's safe though… Right…?" Dick asks. "He's ok…?"
"He is." The voice of Vandal says. Dick sighs with relief.
"Why am I here…? What do you want with me? If it's a ransom, you'll have it, I promise." Dick says, looking around again, finally seeing the camera in the corner. He looks up at it.
"We aren't looking for money, we are looking to protect you, a young citizen of our world marred by those who wish to control it." Vandal says. "I know the company you keep. We recognized Miss Martian, Aqualad and Superboy among your friends. How well do you actually know them?"
"Superboy and Miss Martian…?" Dick questions, brows knitting. "I don't know anyone by those names. Aqualad though, I've met, he's a good friend, saved my life once. Invited me and some of my friends to a Christmas party the other day. But… Then there was an attack…" Dick looks down and rubs his chest where he was stabbed.
"By the Court of Owls, right?" Vandal asks. Dick's eyes widen and he looks up toward the camera.
"Yea! That's who Aqualad said attacked me. How did you know that?" Dick asks.
"The knives taken from your body have the marking associated with the Court of Owls." Vandal explains. Dick looks down a moment, then looks back up.
"Wait, two of my friends also had these knives stuck in them." Dick mentions. "Why'd you zero in on me?" Vandal watches Dick stand up, looking up at the camera.
"I've heard rumors circulating in my time, about the Gray Son of Gotham. You are the only one of the three from Gotham and your surname is Grayson. I don't believe in coincidences, so the logical choice is you." Vandal explains. Dick looks down, fidgeting. "Does that ring a bell to you?"
"He said that he was looking for certain traits in the Gray Son of Gotham that I seem to have, resilience and strength." He explains. He closes his eyes, sinking to his knees and gripping his head, trembling. "Please… You can't let them get me…" Dick begs. "I don't wanna kill people!"
"No child does. We will keep you safe, Richard. We will take care of you, you and your adoptive father." Vandal promises. Dick slowly looks up at the camera.
"M-My adoptive father? You know I was adopted…?" Dick asks.
"We do. We have been watching Bruce Wayne for a while now. We would greatly benefit from a partnership with him. Perhaps we can invite him for a meeting, to reunite the two of you and he can take you home. And in return for our services, he can provide us aid." Vandal explains. "Do you think that's something he may go for?"
"Well… I-It wouldn't hurt to try…" Dick says quietly. Vandal smirks, looking at the members of The Light.
"Then I will send an invitation for a rendezvous. Hold tight, we'll have you reunited with your father soon, regardless of what he chooses." Vandal states. He sees Dick's face light up.
"Thank you!" He shouts, eyes alight with gratitude. Vandal removes his finger from the button and he turns his full attention to his fellow founders and members.
"You're playing a dangerous game, Vandal. There are rumors that Bruce Wayne is actually Batman." Luthor states. "They're baseless rumors, he looks more like Superman, but I can guarantee that he's not. With that being said, it's still a possibility."
"It seems unlikely to me." Ra's Al Ghul states. "Most opinions agree that Bruce is simply a businessman, who claims to dislike Batman, but we can be sure he does provide financial support and Wayne tech to said hero. With our influence, he may withdraw support from Batman if he sees we are better for Gotham and humanity as a whole."
"Besides, if Bruce was Batman, that would logically make that boy Robin, would it not?" Queen Bee questions. "He seems too innocent and unassuming, but perhaps a quick conversation with the boy will provide some insight. Very few men can withstand my enthrallment, especially a teenage boy."
"How soon can you get here?" Vandal asks.
"Soon." Queen Bee states, closing out.
"Well, there's your solution." Vandal says, looking to Luthor.
"And if the boy does happen to be among the few she cannot enthrall?" Luthor questions.
"The percentage is very small. I'll take the chance." Vandal states. Sure enough, Queen Bee arrives very soon. She meets with Vandal first, then Sportsmaster enters Dick's room to retrieve him, unhooking him from everything. He finds he can breathe just fine now and the pain in his chest is practically gone.
"Come on, kid. There's someone Vandal wants you to meet." Sportsmaster says.
"Ok. Oh, do you have any books? I'm kind of bored." Dick asks as they leave.
"I dunno, kid. I just work here." Sportsmaster says. Everyone has their cameras off, but they're watching as Dick and Sportsmaster enter the room. Vandal approaches Dick, arms open wide.
"Welcome, dear boy. I figured you could stretch your legs for a bit." Vandal says. "How do you feel?"
"Surprisingly well." Dick says, he looks down at his chest and then back up at Vandal. "What'd you guys do?"
"We gave you a healing serum to help you to recover from your wounds. It was the least we could do and being one of the reasons we brought you here. To stick it to that Court of Owls." Vandal talks to him like he's talking to a little kid. Dick smiles widely.
"Do you have any books? I'm kind of bored." Dick asks again.
"I'm sure I can find something for you. Any particular genre?" Vandal asks.
"Hmm… I'll read just about anything. Especially sci-fi, oh and supernatural books, but horror tends to give me nightmares, so Bruce says I'm not allowed to read them anymore. I tend to have a very active imagination…" Dick admits, rubbing the back of his head, smiling nervously. Vandal can't help but smile, finding the boy endearing.
"I'll see what I can find for you. In the meantime, there's someone I would like you to meet." Vandal says. He steps aside and ushers Dick forward. Queen Bee starts walking toward him. "This is Queen Bee of Bialya." Vandal introduces. "Your Highness, this is Richard Grayson, ward of one of the wealthiest men in America."
"My, that is impressive. What a lucky boy you are." Queen Bee says, stepping closer to him. Dick stares up at her, feeling so small compared to her. He realizes he's staring and looks down.
"I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean to stare!" Dick says. He bows. "Dick Grayson, your highness." Queen Bee chuckles.
"Rise, boy. You are among friends." She assures, placing a hand on his shoulder. He stands up straight. "But I am amused by your manners."
"O-Our butler instills them in me, I have to go to a lot of boring parties full of rich people, s-so…" He stutters. She places the back of her fingers on his cheek. His cheeks lightly turn red, making him stop talking.
"That is very interesting. You are quite adorable." She says, her voice being so soothing, so calm.
"Y-You're really pretty." Dick mumbles, then he blushes madly. "I-I'm sorry!" She laughs softly and pulls him into a hug.
"You're very sweet, thank you." She says softly, believing he's enthralled by her. "Tell me… Do you have any secrets?"
"Yes…" Dick answers.
"Tell me a small secret, won't you?" She asks.
"There's a secret compartment behind my dresser at the manor… I put special things in there for safekeeping…" Dick answers.
"What kind of things?" She asks.
"Jewelry that belonged to my mom… one of my dad's old scarves… A bracelet my cousin always wore that they wouldn't let me have buried with him… It's still too big for my wrist so I keep it there, so I don't lose it…" He explains.
"What happened to your family?" Queen Bee asks, tightening her hold on Dick's body.
"They died… the rope to the trapeze was sabotaged by a man named Tony Zucco… A mob boss trying to extort money out of the Ringmaster Jack Haly. I could have stopped it… I could have told the cops… or told my family not to perform the act… I-It's all my fault…" Dick explains, starting to cry, covering his eyes with her shoulder. She starts gently petting his head, soothing him.
"Easy now… It's ok…" Queen Bee says softly, having remained so warm and comforting. He starts to relax in her hold. "Deep breaths." On command, he starts taking deep breaths, in and out, slowly, until he stops crying. "There… Good boy… Such a good boy." She holds him even closer. "Tell me another secret, an even bigger secret."
"I-I…" He mumbles, hesitating. She tightens her hold.
"You can tell me anything, can't you?"
"Yes…" He says softly.
"Yes, you can. So, tell me… What are you hiding?" She says.
"I-I… Don't… want to be like Bruce…" He finally says.
"What do you mean?" She asks.
"I think… he expects me to take over for him when he can't… When he can't be the owner of Wayne Enterprises anymore… I think he wants me to take over the company, but I don't want that pressure… I don't want to drive his family's work into the ground… I'm afraid I'll fail… I don't want to disappoint him… ever… I want to be a good son, worthy of his love… But I'm scared I'll fail…"
"I'm sure he loves you no matter what. No one should earn their love. Love is unconditional." She says, turning her head and kisses his cheek. "And I love you, Richard…" She whispers in his ear. "Give in to me… tell me your deepest secret…"
"I…" He starts. "I-I'm scared… almost constantly… Gotham is terrifying… Night or day… And I'm scared it'll claim Bruce's life like it took my family's… I don't want to be alone again… I'm scared to be alone…"
"You will never be alone again, Richard. You will always have us." She says soothingly. "I have one last question… Do you know who Batman or Robin is?" She finally asks upfront, figuring it's the only way to actually get an answer.
"I always had theories… but I don't know for sure…" Dick answers.
"That's all I wanted to know." Queen Bee says. She sits back, continuing to hold him, cradling him in her arms. "Sleep now, Richard. You need your rest." His eyes slide closed, and almost immediately he falls limp in her arms, head falling back. Vandal takes Dick's arm and holds it above his face, letting it drop and it smacks his face, falling back beside him. He places a hand on his chest, feeling his heartbeat, it's slow and at rest. "I cannot say one hundred percent, but I have much confidence that he is not Robin, nor is Bruce Batman. Or if he is, the boy does not know."
"Excellent work, Queen Bee." Vandal says, taking Dick from her.
"Of course, it was my pleasure. Such a sweet boy. He would be good to use against Bruce if necessary." She mentions, returning to her feet.
"I couldn't agree more." Vandal says, carrying Dick away and back to the room they placed him in. Just to see, he checks the wounds on Dick's chest, they seem mostly healed. Their experiment worked. This is a real game changer. Vandal leaves but comes back with books as promised. He lets Dick sleep. There's something about him, he isn't sure what, but he's rather adorable when he sleeps, like a small child.