Nightwing - Heir to the Demon #16

Thankfully Barbara realises that I’m a friend not a foe and sheathes her batarang. For a moment there it looked like she was actually going to throw it at me even after she realised who it was.

 

Batgirl: Next time tell me before you sneak up on me.

 

Nightwing: Sorry, I forgot you don’t like surprises. Good or bad.

 

Batgirl: Are you ever going to let that go?

 

Nightwing: Not until you tell me why you said no.

 

Batgirl: You’re really answering your own question simply by asking.

 

Cryptic as ever I see. Maybe one day she’ll tell me why she said no. Until then, the job goes on. I notice Barbara slowly inject something into what can only be the loading chamber before slamming the door shut and quickly stepping back.

 

Nightwing: I take it that’s Lucius’ way of dealing with the gas?

 

Batgirl: Yeah, it should neutralise it all being well. Here take this.

 

Barbara throws me a small syringe that was in the drop pod. The liquid inside the syringe is dark brown and there’s only 1 ml of it inside. What gift has Lucius given us now?

 

Nightwing: Is this?

 

Batgirl: The compound that neutralises Lazarus? No. It’s a inoculant against the toxin. Once the tower’s shut offline the concentration of it in the air should be low enough for us to not need the masks once we’ve been injected with it.

 

Nightwing: Great, and I just love needles.

 

Before Barbara can respond or tell me to stop acting like a baby, she’s quite fond of calling me that when we’re out in the field, I remove my left gauntlet and inject myself.

 

I turn around to see Barbara doing the same with the exact same arm.

 

Batgirl: Ow.

 

Nightwing: Stop acting like a baby.

 

She can’t help but laugh at me using her usual retort against her.

 

Batgirl: Alright, that one was pretty funny.

 

Nightwing: You make it sound like they usually aren’t.

 

Batgirl: The less said about that, the better. How are you legs?

 

Nightwing Couldn’t be better. Both cuts have been expertly stitched if I do say so myself.

 

A quick glance at the small tears in my suit is all she needs to come to a conclusion on that claim.

 

Batgirl: They’re actually not that bad.

 

Nightwing: What can I say, I’m an expert.

 

Batgirl: Let’s not get carried awa…

 

Barbara’s cut off as Bruce’s oh so pleasant voices comes through on the comms.

 

Batman: Batman to all units. Report in.

 

Nightwing: East tower reporting.

 

Red Robin: West tower here.

 

…..

 

Batman: South tower, report in.

 

…….

 

Batman: What’s going on, Alfred?

 

Alfred: Difficult to say, sir. I’ll keep trying to connect you.

 

Batman: Let me know the moment you do.

 

Red Robin: Is everything alright, Bruce?

 

Batman: We can’t raise the Outlaws. Hopefully it’s just an equipment fault. East tower, give me a status report.

 

Batgirl: East tower is offline. Toxin concentration is dropping rapidly. All being well it’ll be harmless within the hour.

 

Batman: West tower?

 

Red Robin: There were complications but we managed to get it offline.

 

Batman: And Ubu?

 

Talia: ….Neutralised.

 

Neutralised? What does she mean by that? If anyone else on the team said that I’d interpret it as defeated and restrained, but with how little all of us except Bruce know about Talia I can’t help but wonder…

 

Batman: Restrained?

 

Talia: Neutralised.

 

Batman: Understood.

 

Definitely dead. The tone in Bruce’s voice makes that perfectly clear. A touch of sadness combined with a pinch of sympathy. He’s evidently not pleased that a life has been taken but seems to understand why Talia would do it. Personally, I just don’t think she knows how to deal with an opponent beyond killing them.

 

From what Bruce said, Jason was in a similar state after he spent time training with the League following his resurrection. Thank god I’ve never had to worry about those thoughts racing through my head.

 

Nighwing: I take it this means the north tower is offline as well.

 

Batman: Affirmative. The League is moving to phase two. Having split us up across Gotham they’ve accomplished the goal that the gas was intended to distract us from.

 

Red Robin: They’ve sprung him?

 

Batman: Most likely.

 

Batgirl: That doesn’t sound like a definitive yes….

 

Nightwing: They’ll have tripped the cave’s motions sensors, that’s how he knows they’ve freed him.

 

He knows they’ve released Damian from custody. Bruce never likes to pass on information he’s not certain of.

 

Talia: If that’s the case, Beloved, they’ll be coming for you.

 

Batman: That’s what I’m counting on. In the meantime, the League will be moving to cripple the city so it’s unable to stop the Arkham inmates once they’re set free.

 

Nightwing Arkham? Why do they want to release the inmates at Arkham?

 

Red Robin: To do their dirty work for them. Why dirty your hands when there’s a bunch of psychos willing to do it for you.

 

Batgirl: Not to mention it avoids drawing too much attention to themselves. Helps them to remain the shadows where they’re most comfortable.

 

Nightwing: Then let’s draw them out. How long will it take you guys to make it to Arkham?

 

Batman: You’re not going to Arkham.

 

Nightwing: What?

 

We’re not going to Arkham? Why? If the League is hoping to free the inmates and let them rampage through Gotham then surely we should do everything we can to stop them.

 

Batgirl: You can’t be serious?

 

Batman: The Outlaws will deal with Arkham. I need the pair of you to reinforce the GCPD and secure the lockup.

 

Batgirl: You think they’re going to target the GCPD?

 

There’s a very brief stutter from Barbara as she says ‘GCPD’, she’s clearly worried about her father being put in danger….again. It’s oddly surprising in some respect. He puts his life on the line almost every single day and yet she worries. I guess that’s what happens when you still have a parent you can count on.

 

If she worries for him though I dread to think what he would be doing if he knew she was Batgirl and that she’d come back to Gotham specifically for this night.

 

Talia: They’d be foolish not to. With our numbers so small in comparison to theirs, the only way we could hope to contain a breakout at Arkham is with the GCPD’s assistance. If they truly want to break us, they’ll try to take the GCPD out of the picture.

 

Batgirl: Dad…

 

I slowly walk up to her and place my right hand on her left shoulder to comfort her.

 

Nightwing: We’re on it.

 

Red Robin: What about me?

 

Batman: I’m feeding co-ordinates to a cache near your location, there should be equipment there that you’ll both need to reinforce Selina at Gotham General.

 

Red Robin: What about you?

 

Batman: …..

 

Nightwing: You can’t be serious.

 

He’s can’t be about to do what I think he is…

 

Batman: I have to try and talk to him. Maybe, just maybe…

 

Talia: Bruce, you can’t negotiate with someone when you’re at their mercy. You of all people should understand that……..I’m coming with you

 

Batgirl: Are you both suicidal?

 

Sometimes, with how Bruce acts, it’s difficult to tell.

 

Alfred: Sir, we both know there’s a good chance that Ra’s set those alarms off intentionally. If you go there alone…

 

Talia: He’s not going alone. I’m coming with you, Bruce.

 

Batman: No, you’re needed at Gotham General, Talia.

 

Talia: I’m not letting you kill yourself. I’m going with you.

 

Red Robin: Selina and I can secure Gotham General. If you’re going to face him, you shouldn’t be going alone.

 

Batman: I’ll be fine. Our priority has to be stopping them from destroying Gotham.

 

Nightwing: And how are we going to do that if you’re dead?

 

Talia: I’m on my way to you now. Don’t you dare move until I’m there.

 

Batman: ….

 

Bruce says nothing for a change. It’s actually rather nice. He knows that there’s nothing he can do to make us change our minds.

 

Batgirl: Alright, Dick and I are getting ready to head over to GCPD. It’ll take us some time to get there. Tim?

 

Red Robin: The cache’s location has just been uploaded to my cowl, I’m heading there now before rendezvousing with Selina at Gotham General.

 

Alfred: Ms. Al-Ghul I’ve dispatched the Batwing to your position. It should be with you in a few moments.

 

Talia: Roger, bunker. Any word from the Outlaws?

 

Alfred: Nothing yet, I’ll keep trying and relay their orders to them once I make contact.

 

Nightwing: Let us know if you still can’t get through to them. Nightwing out.

 

As we both sever the connection Barbara begins to use the controls on her gauntlet for something which I don’t manage to catch a glimpse of.

 

Nightwing: What are you doing?

 

Batgirl: Patching us into the CCTV feed at GCPD. Making sure we’re not walking into a trap.

 

She scrolls through multiple feeds quickly before stopping on the feed of her father’s office and watching him for a few moments.

 

Nightwing: Do you want to call him?

 

Batgirl:….No. That’ll just waste time. Come on, let’s get moving.

 

We make our way up to the roof of the tower in order to get our bearings and both spot Arkham on the a hill to the south of us.

 

Nightwing: You don’t fancy a trip to Arkham do you?

 

Batgirl: I’m sure Jason and co can handle it.

 

Nightwing: I was joking.

 

Batgirl: I know. So who’s going first?

 

Nightwing: After you, m’lady.

 

Batgirl: You sure you can keep up?

 

Nightwing: Hey! Who trained who?

 

She rolls her eyes at that one but it also does it’s job. It makes her smile.

 

Batgirl: Try and keep up Boy Wonder!

 

Nightwing: After you, Batlady.

 

She hates it when I call her that. But she also loves it.

 

Rather than respond, she races forward and jumps off the edge before starting to glide towards the GCPD. Once I see that she’s safely away, I quickly follow after her activating my wing suit as I jump off the edge. Next stop: GCPD.

Done