Nightwing - Heir to the Demon #18

Batgirl: You will suffer for an eternity.

 

Nightwing: Man, if this how you react to winning I’d hate to see how you'd handle defeat.

 

Needless to say, Barbara beat me to GCPD.

 

Comfortably.

 

I’m never going to hear the end of this now, am I?

 

Batgirl: I’d handle it a lot better than you are right now.

 

Nightwing: Oh? I’m not handling it well am I?

 

Batgirl: Oh dear, is someone getting sarcastic? Oooft, you really don't like that you lost.

 

Nightwing: I didn’t lose, you just….won….

 

Batgirl: Well that’s an interesting way to rephrase it. Last time I checked, if you didn't win a race then you lost it.

 

Nightwing: Alright, I get it say no more.

 

Rather than say another word I decide to play a joke of my own on Barbara. She might have won the race, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t have some fun in this situation.

 

Without saying a word, I get down on one knee and place my right hand behind me. Her eyes light up with what I presume to be horror as she thinks I’m about to ask the question again.

 

Batgirl: Dick, I don’t think this is the right time to…

 

Wait, she didn’t immediately say no. Maybe I really should ask her…no....too late. My big mouth can’t resist the opportunity to tease her.

 

Nightwing: Your majesty! I, your humble servant, await your command!

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Oh great. Here I was thinking that he was actually going to do it again. Well what did you expect Babe? Did you honestly expect him to do something nice for a change? I guess that makes you the real fool in all of this after all, Barbara.

 

Well…

 

I guess all I can do now is play along. After all, why should Dick get to have all the fun?

 

Batgirl: Arise, my loyal subject. We have much work to do.

Nightwing: Yes, my Queen!

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As I climb back on to both feet, Barbara turns to look at the GCPD. She’s most likely looking at the exterior of the building to see if there’s anything out of place. If the League are here already, they’ll likely have decided to infiltrate the building covertly before they make their move. From what Bruce used to tell me, there were only three ways to enter the GCPD:

 

-Through the ventilation system

 

-From the sewer system

 

-Through the front door

 

Given how Jim’s already expecting a possible attack on the building, the doors will be under heavy guard. So, if the League are already here, they’ll be using either the sewer tunnels underneath, or the ventilation system. Well assuming that they're not crazy. Then again, how can we truly know if they're crazy or not? Maybe that Lazarus stuff messes with your head if you take too much of it.

 

Come on Grayson, focus. You've got a job to do. Barbara seems to be confirming if any of the ventilation shaft covers have been tampered with. A smart move. If none of them have been removed, then that means they’ll probably be coming from below.

 

Nightwing: What is your command, my Queen?

 

Batgirl: There’s no obvious signs of tampering on any of the ventilation system covers, so if they’re already here they haven’t snuck in that way.

 

Nightwing: Perhaps they tried the front door, your majesty.

 

Batgirl: Knock it off. If they did try the front door then they would have been disappointed. According to the GCPD’s central computer, the main entrance’s security barriers are down so no-one would be able get in even if they wanted to.

 

Nightwing: And the roof?

 

Batgirl: It’s locked too. Looks like if they’re going to have any hopes of getting in to the building then it’s going to have to be by the…that’s odd.

 

Odd? What kind of odd? Wonder Woman’s love of ice cream type of odd? Or a bunch of crazy ninjas down in the sewers of Gotham kind of odd?

 

Nightwing: Something going on in the sewers?

 

Batgirl: No it’s the rooftop door. It was just unlocked.

 

Nightwing: By who?

 

Before Barbara can load up the I.D tag of the officer who unlocked the door, we’re both startled as a large floodlight on the GCPD shines on us. It takes me a moment to realise that it’s actually the Batsignal and there's only one person who uses the Batsignal.

 

Jim Gordon (with a megaphone): If you two are done flirting, we could use your help.

 

Oh Jimbo. Hearing your gravelly voice again after all these years is music to my ears. Would it be weird to hug him in costume?

 

Nightwing (shouting): We’ll be right there!

 

As he turns off the Batsignal and begins to slowly move it back into its resting position, I turn to look at Barbara who seems hesitant for some reason.

 

Nightwing: Are you alright?

 

Batgirl: I’m fine, it’s just…

 

Nightwing: The arm?

 

Batgirl: How did you know?

 

The honest answer is I didn’t. It was just a guess, but it’s not it’s a difficult guess to make. Barbara’s been really hesitant discussing her father these last two or so weeks, especially after his run in with the so called ‘Crimson Knight’. For a while, I couldn’t figure out why. But seeing Jim with a metal hook where his right hand should be…. it’s…. difficult to ignore. Back in the first few months as Robin, knowing that there were good cops like Jim out there on the streets, and not just cops bought off by Falcone, made me feel safer going out onto the streets of Gotham at night.

 

Now though, seeing him struggle to move the batsignal back into position with just his left hand….. it’s difficult to not feel a little uncomfortable. If one member of the League can make a man as strong as Jim look vulnerable, what the hell can an army of them do to all of us?

 

Nightwing: I always know you.

 

That comment makes Barbara smile. Nice one, Grayson. With that, I offer to let her jump over to GCPD first, but she declines so instead I leap across on to the police station rooftop. Barbara follows almost immediately behind me. We both land next to the Batsignal as Jim picks his cup of coffee up off a nearby table.

 

Nightwing: Commissioner.

 

Jim Gordon: Nightwing. Batgirl. You two picked a hell of a night to come back to Gotham.

 

Nightwing: It would seem so. There’s nothing special going on tonight is there?

 

Jim Gordon: Nothing more than the usual chaos.

 

Batgirl: Are you and your officers alright? Was anyone infected when the toxin was dispersed?

 

Jim Gordon: We were lucky enough to be inside when it was released into the city. Can’t say the same for most of the National Guard.

 

Nightwing: How many are dead?

 

Jim Gordon: It’s still too early to tell. I’ve got what officers I can spare helping out at the hospitals, but from what little I've heard, it doesn’t sound good.

 

Batgirl: Damn it.

 

Jim Gordon: So…Batman thinks these psychos want to attack the GCPD?

 

Nightwing: Yeah. Apparently, their aim is to cripple the city so it’s unable to stop a breakout at Arkham.

 

Jim Gordon: A breakout at Arkham!? Why the hell didn’t he tell me about that !?

 

Batgirl: Don't worry. We’ve got people working on it.

 

Jim Gordon: Working on it?

 

Nightwing: They’ll make sure there’s no breakout. Right now, we need to focus on making sure the GCPD is secure.

 

Batgirl: Has there been anything unusual in the last few days?

 

Jim Gordon: For Gotham? Not real. Although actually….

 

Nightwing: What is it?

 

Jim Gordon: You two better come inside.

 

Batgirl: Commissioner?

 

Jim Gordon: There’s something I think you both need to see…

Done