Our Time in Reverse – What it Takes

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Chapter 77: What it Takes to Be…

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Final chapter time skip forward!! This is so cool and unlike Rena Red Head, imaging with a different take on the two killers for hire.

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His wrists were warm, too hot as Slade handed the kid some salve from his own. " Get burned, you had to try…"

That was after a mission in the Maldives that ended with his hands now molten and swelling to cool off. The pipe had robbed him of that fare tone he'd known only since leaving Jump Coty's shores. They traveled a lot in those days. Renegade and Deathstroke's. Together till death did them in.

In some hotel stays, Dick was more a chore monkey than a real lackey. If a lackey took care of errands like dry cleaning, seduction notices and of course, a gun go the forehead while the master was making even colder earnings, so be it.

His hands were warm yet heart cold, in those days…

He'd gotten to send an anonymous tip off to Bavs and it was…forgettable. He cried over writing it that it was just a " get well" card from a fan. She never even sent one back. Never noticed his pen lines as Robin once. Or even Slade, who taught Dick different ways to throw a blade for a clean get away and distraction.

He wasn't alone always. Slade had promised that because of his procedure as a super serum user, he had to stay by Dick until he could live, drink and breathe in his own place, just a phone call away.

" You're still under my watch until the day you finally can't anymore. When that day comes if ever it should…you need to let me know who to tell."

Tell? Who was going to come to his rescue when he was want ed in thirty countries and counting? Bruce would throw the book at his skull. Jason would batch and complain that he never did enough and should well….rethink everything.

Tim…the new kid was a bawling idiot. Dick would count him axed by next year. He'd seen this happen before, the picks getting sloppier. A Cassandra Cain being chosen as Orphan, or Stephanie Brown being the new Robin and losing her trigger hand to revenge alone. Then, losing her place among the mortal gods of Gotham's finest.

Here he was, waiting for the wounds to settle as out the window, the sun in his heart had died long ago. Just fighting was getting tougher and doing more? Anything to make himself heard?...

Unthinkable.

" You're looking less crispier." Slade tried to joke as he examined the kid's palms. " Two more hours. This one." He pointed at the kid's palm "Are you thirsty, Dick?"

He got a protein shake to not burn out. A sweet as sin thig that Slade might never give him unless he had to have it for specific occasions. Mission fails, energy output. Ret con, like this time.

" Thanks for the drink." Dick told the man casually with a weak voice. " Keep yourself together. We're taking a small excursion from mission hunting, more so to go searching for a place to settle into." Slade went to the kitchen and brought back a laptop as he adjusted it in front of the boy's face.

" You have an estate in Wyoming, a villa in Portugal and…and, a townhouse in New York."

" And California I have a ranch." Slade proved his working finances. " This, wouldn't be mine to choose. I though, since you'll be laid up an extra week, that…we could talk about your future."

Dick snapped his attention sway from the screen of well priced mini manors of luxurious findings. " What, for….for who? Me?" Dick had to swallow his pride a second. " What's the catch…?"

" No catch. You made enough to invest so, I can give you a modest down payment and you'll only owe the expenses. Once that is settled, you may return to your new abode after any mission that has worked in our favor."

" If I don't have a good day?" Dick insinuated carefully.

" It's a home. Regardless. If you need to unwind, I can drip you off should that be possible or not. This isn't a punishment, dear boy. You're made me proud to teach you what I know."

" Don't get so…I don't understand-

" It's a gift, in a way. Grayson. An agreement that you've stood by me long enough not fought back or botch about your past, that this will all become yours."

" If you…"

Dick seeped through hid teeth. " If you don't survive, you mean."

" Maybe we can being this up when you're ready to cooperate a bit. Your hands are sore for another week if I throw this in our faces too soon. Was afraid –

" No…I mean…am I taking over after you….you know, if anything happens? You can still die, I know that….is something-

" Nothing is wrong. Rest, I'll go grab a cold pack or two to chill for you. More salve?"

" Cream. Safer. I think the clear stuff burns too much."

"Fair enough." Slade nodded and took the smoothie cup from Dick to wash it clean. " If you need anything, yell like hell."

" You can hear me if I whisper or spit." Chuckled the kid. " I think I get the picture, thanks."

Laying down again felt relaxing. They'd be fine once two hours to ten came and then by the morning they'd be out on a jet to some brand-new destination.

" Slade?"

Dick had remembered being this way as a child under this same person's care. Just…when had he learned to be so different? Was he forced to believe that Slade actually had lied and simply made him stay through guiltiness and tricks…

" Yes. Apprentice?"

God, he hated that.

" Where are we going after this? I'm not sure I'm ready to house hunt while we just went after a crime syndicate through the main branches of government. May take time to cool off."

" Sad to say, a hotter place. In Cambodia-

" Wait, how far out are we headed? And why?"

" Still, at your age could you guess just a bit louder?" Slade chipped in his tone, retorted. " You're going. I'm picking up a recipient's log there. Someone needs our support of all things." He turned for the kitchen as a click of the stove went on. " Stay for now in that room tonight. If you have to get up, I'm cooking a little something for the morning."

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Congee. Slade had made rice porridge as their breakfast. Topping it in egg, little green chives he could hunt down, the two ate and went over their procedure to gather a jet on loan through a client " Safer this way. Economy is starting to give me a rash." Slade lied. He just did not want Dick's injury to be held into question or his face. It was less youthful, more cut and defined by at Nineteen, how he'd grown to hone a new set of fine lines to his furrowed brow. Yet Slade had him keep himself strong, pretty and useful to their cause in both face and form. He just seemed tired….too tired to mask what this life was really doing to him. Thankfully, the idea if facial hair wasn't in his genes. His father never had a lot, and his grandfather was nearly without the gene, thus he didn't get to wear out Slade on razors made to pinch their pockets.

His routine was mostly stealth, combat and acrobatics whenever the chance arose to try and find himself as he was, his heritage in every advanced motion of the wheel that turned.

Out of a favor, the flavor of their breakfast lingered on the male's tongue as the city wasn't only where they'd be going.

This part of the city was a bit older as business dressed women and men made it to work on time. Cab droving was not as rurally bound. Motor mopeds and cars ran the streets back and forth, yet the streets were quite swept, as in places like India, where one could experience true man powered footwork to entertain the tourists. Still, cars were not as bust as in Manhattan, Dick could admit. It was hot, but not unpleasant. He missed the feeling of it dearly.

This was a place where Slade took time to get Dick ready to simply tag along. They came to a building that was post War by its exact image. Plastered and giving way in the next rainy season. It was under reconstruction with a sign up stating this in the language of the country and region. " We're going in there?" Dick nudged Slade ad he was ignored instantly

" Aoy vea muoy vineati." Slade told the Nineteen-year-old trouble maker. They already looked like they had business here, so what else?

By the window upstairs, a clanking sound came and a man with a sweat stained tee popped his head out an open window. " Tae khnhom ach chuoy anak ban te thngainih? au! "

Slade waited for the man to come down the steps as he made a greeting and they talked in Khmer, while Dick stayed a third wheel. " We were told to come here, by name I believe the person who has information on someone we need to meet in this city. Somnang ? The man who is fixing up this building?"

" Yes, yes. You just missed him. He went to eat lunch and I have the address you need. He will be glad to have you. Enjoy Cambodia is this is not a first time being in our country. Is that your son? He is not exactly very sunny –

" He's young, like all the kids these days. Never gets out of his room. This trip is to bond as well." Slade was lying as Dick turned around, again not sure what Slade wasn't saying to him.

" I've been to this country many years ago, family and a lot of struggles. Met one of my loves of my life here. She is who we are hear to speak to, actually."

The man seemed impressed as he teased Slade, giving him the address before Slade properly thanked their neighbor within the country's own tongue.

" Where? A buffet?"

" Don't be rude. No, a tea house. Street 27, King's Road Village, Siem Reap."

" Reap?" Dick tried to word less rudely. Less, but it sounded pretty grave to try. Grave being to " reap" in another tongue. ( a bit of a word pun on - he dead.)

" Look it up later. We're going to miss our invite."

They took a cab partway over then walked a few blocks, Slade working his cell phone to hold a call when they had been partway to their destination. " Five minutes. Yes, of course."

A total of fifteen to twenty minutes, they came to largely green spaced location that was too cute to house a man Slade would associate with. Being they were a man.

He let the door open as Dick followed inside, curious and wary of what they were here to ask or do. He still had zero clues!

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The place inside was five star. The menu looked pricy but well presented as a gastro delight meal time that would be their first upon arrival. In the back, they were sent to seat themselves beside a man in a colorful shirt and pants that ranged from Bermuda to slacks

" Somnang!"

" Mr. Wilson. Such a long time, and you have a guest too?"

" A student, more so. Sit, Richard." The men sat first as Dick was told this, customary the eldest were seated and ate before the youngest at the table as a show of respect in some cultures.

As they dined on a late luncheon, Slade made sure to wait until the meal was nearly over to ask his questions.

" You've only just gotten into the country; I am sorry I did not have more info on the client. She is as illusion as an eel, Lily."

" Lilian Worth has found her niche in society since I left, but you told me she took up another job, had a child that you found…odd?"

" And fled with her the same time after." Somnang put down his tab as they got ready to go. " I did bring you something, as thanks for this bit of information."

" Of course, and there is more I take it?"

Slade handed the man a gift of a shell encrusted ornament and told him that his second gift would be delivered im a day from their last destination in the Maldives. " Best water of the planet, so tell me that five hundred for two large isn't a thank you for such a fine dining experience."

" Also, are you going to New York to find her with the boy, Slade?" The middle aged Cambodia local asked Slade while Dick was giggled at by two women entering the restaurant.

Was he that out of place? He looked like a sleepless night on legs. For sure, and now they had to sleep an entire day to get to the states when he'd wanted to rest. Too, so much…

" She may be angry that you never called, bit I covered and said your work kept you. Her child is about nine years old today, so no longer a small child. She is…also differ as I never told you. Snow white hair and blue eyes like ice storms, her mother I know is locally to here, dark hair and eyes. She was left in the care of a club owner due to her family not taking her back. It was a story I told her that if she stayed, I could have prevented her from falling into poverty. We have great aides here. Everyone helps one another."

" She's worried for that girl. Thank you for telling me, dear friend." Slade thanked Somnang as he and Dick went to find the air craft and didn't even ask if food was necessary for a days trip. " I store sustainable goods in case we'll need to use a cookie. This plane is made for that. Best of its market price and with a wide history of riders."

Slade explained the politics of their army jet as Dick was made to cook red peppers and some type of dehydrated meat with soup that looked astronaut safe for their supper. They ate and were full, Dick tuckered out as he went to the back and found a place to make into his bed. He saw a wall and pulled it down, seeing that a pair of pillows and flannel blanket with an entire fold away bed was there.

" Feel free to use it. You need that beauty rest badly. I could tell." Slade called back from the captain's chair.

Dick frowned and fluffed the pillows while ignoring the comment on his raccoon eyes. Scrunching up, he dove into dreamland for what seemed, hours….

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Dick knew that a few steps away from Manhattan, was Gotham City. He tried to ignore that they were only a peer over into enemy territory as he yawned , a hand over his mouth as Slade had him walking once they were changed, up and decent. " Grab the metro cards, and that one bag on my seat. That one."

It was a gift bag as Dick wondered why Slade…or where he'd gotten it…

He didn't ask. Lily was apparently someone important that Slade had to find, and she had a girl that had white hair that was a red flag for a meta human trait, as Slade must really know why he wanted to see that girl.

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The place as said, was a brothel to Dick, like in the movies. Not a club. The women were serving men but something else struck him. It was run BY them, which was a very, very good progression of a business and healthier environment….sans the dancing women clad in thongs.

" You came to see her, he told us you were coming." A woman with dark long hair and false lashes took the men upstairs and to the far back where it looked to house apartment complexes. " For the runaways and those dealing with so much. You missed her, just a while ago. She did say though to take care of your kid."

Slade opened the door to see a child playing with on the floor a jigsaw puzzle of a thousand pieces. " Smart kid, is she…"

Dick shut up .

" She is."

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" Rosie?" The woman knelt down to the long haired child as she looked up, her voice staying silent. " Can you speak Khmer too?"

Dick realized that this was a place for women that had found themselves without a job, a place to pick themselves up. " rau sa? borsa mneak nih now tinih daembi meulthe anak ilauvnih . keat ka chea kruosaear der . tae anak ach niyeay suostei ban te?"

Rose pouted her small lips and scrunched up her hands as she looked up with frustrated, upset blue eyes. " suostei lok "

" Ah, so that's all." Slade knelt as well, holding to his knees as Dick remembered the gift bag. Slade took it with a nod and handed it to Rose. That was her name.

" suostei nih ku samreab anak . khnhom chea ba robsa anak haey meak robsa anak nung min ach mk cheamuoy yeung ban te . khnhom sanyea tha nung broengobreng aoy asapi samotthaphap khn pel del yeung rk neang cheamuoyoknea . tae anak nung yk amnaoy nih te? nih kuchea Richard keat nung rsanow cheamuoy yeung chea sessa . dauchchea bangobrosa thom ."

"H….Ah….why?" Her panic showed as sge turned to the woman that was their guide. " Your mom us in pain, and no one is to blame. He can give you what we won't be able to."

She buried her head into the woman's chest. Weeping a bit before they'd calmed down.

" That is a very pretty doll, Rose! Sge has your eyes too."

Rose liked the doll, but the dress was cuter. It was a sundress for doing everything today to make her world bright. The woman , Lisa, Slade and Dick all took Rose to a big park and even took her to get soft serve as she asked for a large cone.

Dick played on the jungle gym with her and showered her with praise when he'd seen promise in her acrobatics, even without training. " I…you are a brother to my father, what then to me?" Her English was still pretty easy to understand, yet she'd lost her mother and had only the owner of the club to look up to as a matron figure.

" I am, learning what your father's work is. You don't have to worry. We will keep you safe."

" He has a beard, it is very funny, like my hair. Everyone says it is too messy. No one can tie it –

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a ribbon he'd used for his own growing tail. Dick didn't like being so emotional, but the tie really made her eyes sparkle as he gave her the best make over with it. " Is that better? You don't have to be anything to anyone, Rosie. I like you when you smile. When you're happy I'm happy too."

She must have crushed on him after that, never letting go of his hand while her face stayed super red for hours.

Slade had to question how off the response was, but he was an irresistible heartthrob, just like Wayne at times.

They packed up their things and off to Colorado. Off to a new destination as Slade told Rose to wrote and call her family again and when they got a chance, they'd visit for sure.

That was age nine, Dick soon turned twenty one while Rose learned another new thing about her family.

They were born killers, like she'd turn out to be once Slade knew what she was able to do by her abilities from him.

She cried a dozen times, so Dick took over the training wheels of doing what they did. " It's ok, Rosie. Mr. President likes your dad's work. We make the world safer than even…Batman." The boy blurted out as she gasped, pointing at the man accusingly.

" That's not true, right?? Batman is a big hero…he…he doesn't like Daddy, I bet –

" He's asked him for help, that's a secret I will tell you. And I used to work with the Batman a long time ago."

Dick wasn't lying, but he was. Robin was working with the Titans, he ran away from that life of being Robin next to a night watchman of that city.

" Nu – uh! And you said you are really not a killer? What are you?"

" I'm your big brother , and your new teacher, chika!" He ruffled her hair, having it cut into a shorter bob as she found it easier to wring his wrist at her new height.

" Owowowowowww!" Dick let her go as she smugly grinned at her win. Her father chuckled from by the other room as he came to have her leap into his arms to be cradled at her height in his burly limbs. " You're like a giant, Dick can't beat you or me!" She laughed into his beard as Dick nervously felt a rift between them forming.

" Start to get a little tough on her soon, Richard. She won't be your protégé for much longer once the training wheels ate fully off." Dick froze as the night, he thought about what Slade had said deeply.

Poor Rose, she had no idea what showing off did in this house to your rank. Rose it ever higher and higher, until you were smothered by that man's criticisms to do even better.

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