Talon chapter 24

Chapter 24 - Dumbass

More than once, he had been told that Gotham City was 'The City of Shit', a horrible place that nobody with any sense would want to live in. The stories he'd hear about it were unsettling. Murder, kidnapping, corruption, even animal cruelty, Gotham was the city that had it all. Many in the League of Assassins, many even in Gotham, thought that the city would be better if it were burnt down to ashes and rebuilt from the ground up. But the one thing that nobody ever mentioned to Robin was how beautiful the city looked at night.

The moon was hanging in the sky, delivering divine beams of light that shone through the polluted air of the city, lighting up the towering skyscrapers to make them seem just a tad less intimidating. The lights of the dozens of buildings seemed to make this dark place just a bit less horrible. Despite that, it was still far from an ideal place to take your kids. What could have been a peaceful night was interrupted by the dozens of noises that filled the air, including screaming people, angry yells, hissing cats, a multitude of sirens, and plenty of language that shouldn't be uttered in front of children.

Even then, Robin was having fun.

"Come on, little bird," Nightwing chuckled as the two leapt off a tall building. The two fired their grappling lines and swung over an ungodly amount of traffic and landed on the next building before breaking off into a sprint. "See?" Nightwing asked as he vaulted over an air-conditioning unit. "A bit of fresh air does everyone some good."

"I doubt anything's fresh in this city," Robin replied just as they reached the edge of a roof. Neither of them slowed down; they both leapt off the building. One front flip from Robin and a much more complicated flip from Nightwing had them land on the next rooftop.

"You should come over to Bludhaven sometime," Nightwing suggested as the two continued to run over the city rooftops. "It's far from perfect, believe me, but you're less likely to die from second-hand smoke and food poisoning there."

"I'll think about it," Robin said before the two of them finally stopped at a rooftop. Nightwing, instead of going forward, turned right and slowly walked over to the edge. Robin followed after him.

"That's the place," Nightwing said, pointing down. Robin's gaze followed. He saw a quiet and dodgy-looking alley, utterly plain apart from the beauty parlour that Robin could see.

"What's so special about it?" Robin asked, crossing his arms.

"It belongs to one 'Lazlo Valentin'," Nightwing exhaled. "He was a gifted scientist at one point, but for the last few months, he had been going on a tour around the country after forming 'The Circus of Strange'. Funny thing is, everywhere he went, people started disappearing."

"Great, like I didn't already just deal with one clown." Robin muttured. "Did you find them?" He asked Nightwing.

"Oh, the authorities found them alright," Nightwing said with a very deep frown. "Found them nailed to random buildings with words like 'imperfect' and 'wrong' painted next to them. The bodies had been mutilated so that they were like dolls. Genderless, faceless dolls."

"You know, shit like this is why nobody likes Gotham."

"Language," Nightwing said, his lips curving up ever so slightly. "Anyway, his last stop was Bludhaven. He left three victims there before I was able to figure out what was happening. I tracked him to Gotham."

"So, you didn't come just to see me?" Robin asked in a mock-disappointed voice.

"What? I only need one reason to come?" Nightwing asked lightly. "So, how do you want to do this?"

"Beg your pardon?"

"How do you want to go about this?" Nightwing asked. "It's not my city anymore, it's yours. You're taking point. How do you want to do this?" Robin stared at him for several moments.

"Is this supposed to be a test of some sort?" Robin asked in a knowing voice.

"Nope," Nightwing said sincerely. "I'm not kidding. It's your city. If you're going to go on patrol, then you need to know how to handle yourself. You need to know how to think with and without backup. So, you take the lead, I'll follow."

"The vents," Robin replied.

"The vents?" Nightwing repeated.

"The vents," Robin confirmed, pointing down to just above the beauty parlour where an air vent was fixed above the shop.

"The vents," Nightwing realised with a grin.

"The vents," Robin grinned back before aiming his hands at the vent in question. Taking in a deep breath, he started performing the summoning charm on the vent. A few seconds later, it was ripped off its hinges and flew straight up towards them. The pair barely ducked in time to avoid being knocked off their feet as it landed a few feet behind them. The two looked at each other, then at the vent that had landed behind them, before looking back at each other. Robin inhaled, exhaled, then gestured to the vent and inhaled. "The vent," Robin said as dryly as he could. Nightwing smirked. He opened his mouth to reply when Barbara's voice cut them off via their comms devices.

"We get it! It's a vent," She said in an exasperated voice. "Would you two please go and deal with the mass murderer now?"

(.)

"Honestly," Barbara shook her head as she sat at the Batcomputer. She turned her head to look at Alfred, who was standing beside her with an amused expression on his face. "I think we should keep the two apart. They end up collectively sharing one brain cell when we put them together." She said with a small huff.

"Hopefully that'll be enough to get them back here in one piece," Alfred smiled. "Still, I must confess that I am glad that Master Harry seems to be on good terms with Master Grayson at least. I dare say that the boy needs as many healthy relationships as he can get.

"Isn't that the truth?" Barbara tutted her teeth. "Still, he could have been much worse."

"Indeed," Agreed Alfred.

"Oracle," Nightwing's voice came over the comms. "Any new developments?"

"If you're trying to ask if the big, bad bat is back, then the answer is so no, so far at least," She replied. "As for Valentin, the security footage from the alley shows him going in there three hours before. He hasn't come out since."

"Good," Nightwing replied. "If we're lucky, we can find him tonight and end his little tour."

"Hopefully," Barbara responded. "Just do your best to keep your partner safe."

"I will, Oracle."

"I was talking to Robin," She said with her lips curling into a smile.

"Will do," Robin replied instantly.

"Ha, ha," Nightwing said unenthusiastically before cutting the call.

"I distinctly remember Bruce telling me that Robin was supposed to be off of patrols," A voice said from behind Barbara.

"More or less," Barbara said without turning around. "But you know as well as I do, Selina, that sometimes rules need to be bent."

"Bend them too hard, and they break," She said as she stopped next to them. "Bruce isn't going to be pleased."

"Most likely." Nodded Alfred.

"What do you propose?" Barbara asked Selina.

"I got nothing," She admitted. "Just wondering what you're planning to do when Bruce finds out."

"I'm going to hide behind Alfred," Barbara said matter-of-factly.

(.)

"I really hate this guy," Nightwing growled.

It hadn't taken the pair long to find Valentin; he was operating underneath the beauty parlour.

The room felt wrong the moment they stepped into it—like Gotham itself is holding its breath. Fluorescent lights flicker overhead, shining over cracked tiles and rust-stained walls. The air was thick with dozens of horrible smells. Every surface was either too clean for even the Dursley family or disgustingly and horrifyingly not. In the centre of the room was a metal table that had been scrubbed to a sterile shine; the floor around it was smeared with dark, red, half-cleaned stains. Mannequins were placed around the room in various different poses. But what was really horrifying was what was in the cages.

Hanging from the ceiling in metal cages were people. Some appeared to be freshly kidnapped. A firefighter, a teenage boy and a woman, all quivering in fear. They looked far better than the others that appeared to have been here for longer. The men were only wearing shorts while the women wore the same, along with bandages around their upper bodies. Their faces hidden behind plain doll masks. They all stood perfectly still, barely moving, as if waiting for a command from the man standing behind the table.

Robin hadn't been sure what to expect when he would finally meet Valentin, but this wasn't it. He was tall and fat, almost giving Uncle Vernon a run for his money. He wore black pinstriped trousers, a white shirt and a bloodied apron along with yellow surgical gloves. Yet the strangest part about him was the pig mask that he was wearing, it covered his entire face apart from his mouth, giving Robin a full view of his double-chin.

"I've seen worse," Robin frowned, looking around.

"You've seen worse than this?!" Nightwing said incredulously.

"Yep," Robin's frown got deeper. While this man might be insane, he had nothing on the likes of Bellatrix Lestrange. Magic was a truly wonderful thing, but in the wrong hands it was very, very terrifying. Bellatrix had made torture and murder an art form, something she could have done as easily as she could breathe. She wasn't the only one. Fenrir Greyback, the most feared werewolf in the magical world, had painted entire villages red in his monthly raids.

"Well, that's horrifying," Nightwing gave Robin a long look before turning to Valentin. "Alright, the gig's up, Lazlo, let these people go."

"No, no, no," Lazlo shook his head as if in pain. "Pyg cannot do that, Nightwing. Pyg cannot let them go. They are not ready, they are not perfect. Pyg is an artist!" He announced proudly. "Pyg cannot let out unfinished works. They're all wrong. Inside out, not the right length, too bouncy. Pyg must fix them, Nightwing. Pyg can fix you, too," He said, dangling what he evidently thought was a pretty juicy prize. "Pyg can make you all better, can make you perfect. And you," he turned to Robin. "So cute, so small. Pyg can make you his masterpiece!"

"Right..." Robin trailed off, taking in a very deep breath. "...Mr Pyg..."

"Professor Pyg," The man corrected with a grand bow.

"Right...I'm going to break your arms now."

(.)

"So, that was a great night, apart from...you know...the whole evil murderer thing," Nightwing said as he drove his bike back to the Batcave with Robin sat behind him, arms wrapped around Nightwing's stomach. "I...what did you mean earlier?" He asked. "When you said you saw worse, what did you see that's worse than that?"

"What haven't I seen?" Robin said with a humourless chuckle. "As I've said before, I'm only physically a child."

"Right," Nightwing said quietly. "Either way, you did well today. Professor Pyg is caught; we saved some future victims as well. The ones he already got to are being taken to the hospital, and Professor Pyg is going to spend the rest of his days in jail. You know, once he gets out of the hospital. All in all, you did a good job."

"Thanks," Robin replied softly. "Thank you as well for taking me out. I could have done without the mass murderer, but it was the thought that counts."

"You're welcome," Nightwing chuckled just as they reached the cave. Once inside, he parked his bike next to the Batmobile. The two got off and headed over to the pole. "Alright, Robin, time to face the music," Nightwing said before he grabbed the pole and was pulled off his feet and up. Robin let out a sigh before he did the same; the two got off on the top floor of the Batcave.

As expected, Barbara and Alfred were waiting for them. So was Selina, and unfortunately for the two, so was Bruce. The man was obviously upset, given how tense his body was as his arms were crossed over his chest, his eyes were narrowed, and his jaw was tight.

"So," Bruce spoke up, his voice seemed to boom in the silence of the cave. "You want to explain to me where you two went."

"Gotham," Robin answered dryly.

"I'm not in the mood for jokes," Bruce glared at him.

"I'm not joking, we were in Gotham," Robin replied straight away.

"Bruce," Nightwing said with a small sigh. "It's fine, I just took the kid out for a bit."

"I distinctly remember banning him from patrols," Bruce now glared at him. "I'm pretty sure you knew that and still took him anyway."

"Yeah," Nightwing said unapologetically. "Does a single person here actually think that he wasn't going to go out again, sooner or later? I decided that if he's going to go out, then he might as well have someone to watch his back. Not that I think he needs it, the kid's good."

"That doesn't change the fact that you both disobeyed orders."

"I've been listening to orders my entire life," Robin cut in with a growl. "And I am sick and tired of people telling me what to do and how to act."

"Robin, I...where are you going?" He asked since Robin had started walking away.

"Anywhere where you're not," Robin said without looking back.

"Nicely done, Bruce," Nightwing said, glaring at the older man. "You know, it's stuff like this that reminds me why I wanted to leave here in the first place. In case you forgot, I don't live here anymore, I don't take orders from you anymore." He said as he removed his mask.

"Dick, you're an adult, you follow the rules. If you want to live your life, then you do so," Bruce said once he recovered from Robin's departure. "But you don't get to decide anything regarding my son."

"Well, maybe I wouldn't have to if you could just drop Batman in the rear-view mirror for once and act like his father," Dick told him. "For God's sake, Bruce, the kid's hurting. A blind man could see that. Don't worry about me, I'm going back to Bludhaven in the morning. But let's make one thing clear, you'd better fix up, or so help me, I will come straight back here and take Harry to live in Bludhaven with me. You lost Jason once; you really want to lose him and Harry both because of your stubbornness? Barb?"

"I'm coming," She said as she got up from her seat and walked over to Bruce. "I'm sorry, Bruce, but he's right. You need to take a good look at yourself, because you're only hurting Harry at this point." She told him softly before walking over to Dick. Once the two were gone, Bruce turned to Alfred and Selina.

"Alfred, I..."

"It's been a long day, Master Bruce," Alfred cut him off. "If you'll excuse me, I need my rest, especially at my age. But fear not, we will have a lengthy discussion in the morning." Alfred promised him before he walked off.

"Great," Bruce said once Alfred was gone."I guess everyone hates me now."

"I don't hate you," Selina said softly as she pulled him into a hug.

"Thanks," Bruce said, leaning into her.

"And neither does everyone else," Selina said before leaning back so she could look in his eye. "They're just angry with you. You worked out why?"

"I'm...I'm scared, Selina," Bruce admitted with a deep sigh. "I'm scared that one way or another, I'm going to lose my son."

"Yeah, I know, that's why I can see you doing that incredibly irritating thing that you always do, where you wall up your emotions and act all stupid. But for once in your life, don't be a dumbass and just talk to your son plainly and tell him exactly what you're feeling."

"You didn't have to call me a dumbass," He said, giving her a sour look.

"And yet I did," She said unapologetically.

(.)

A.N: I was originally planning to post for Bloodline or Hydrus Black but I've had so many interruptions these past few days that I've barely had time to write. This chapter was nearly finished so I decided to post this and will hopefully post for the others soon. I hope you guys enjoy the chapter. I was originally going to have Scarface (The DC character with the puppet on his hand) but changed it last minute to Professor Pyg.

Anyway, thanks for reading, feel free to leave a review.