Nightwing: Sins of the Fathers

Spider's Web

For once I was glad to see the look of sick satisfaction on Jonathan Crane's face. The expression of glorious victory as he reached out to grab me by the scruff of the neck and drag me into his classroom was strangely amusing.

I held the vacant expression on my face as the doors closed behind us.

"I didn't believe the Parliament at first when they told me who you were, but I must admit it explains a lot," Crane said as he guided me down the stairs, assuming he'd just successfully dosed me with his fear toxin.

"Dick Grayson, slacker by day, hero by night," He chuckled to himself, "You probably can't understand a word I'm saying. Though it's impressive how you've kept so calm, the last person I did this to... Well, you know, you were there."

This wasn't the Crane I knew; this man was full of humour, he relished in what he was doing. Chaos was his true calling, and it made him disgustingly happy.

"What I'd pay to see what you're seeing right now, to experience your fears, to find out what makes someone like you tick! I get plenty of one on one time with criminals, but I've yet to have my way with a vigilante. But alas, the Parliament wants you dead, so dead you shall be."

Crane stopped as we reached his office door and rounded to face me, looking very closely into my eyes. I stayed very still, staring blankly into space.

"Curious, I've never had results like this," Crane said, turning to unlock the office door, "You never cease to amaze me, Mr Grayson."

"You know Professor, I was just thinking the same thing," I just about caught the horrified expression on Crane's face as I hammered a fist into his crooked nose and shattered his glasses.

His body flat to the door, I kicked him hard in the stomach, sending him careering into his office, landing face down on his desk, sending the pieces of his chess set scattering all over the room.

I couldn't give the worm a second to compose himself, so I grabbed him, slid him over the desk and threw him into his chair, punching him in the face again for good measure.

Stunned, he tried to spray another burst of the toxin at me, not that it would have done anything. I ripped the arm of Crane's shirt and jacket, revealing the compact device he'd used to kill Clancy Wolfman and Roland Daggett... And god knows who else.

The professor let out a pathetic yelp as I tore it off and smashed it under my foot. The office had a view out on to the courtyard, so I shut the curtains with one hand on Crane's throat to keep him from escaping, without his precious toxin he was next to useless in a fight.

Using the length of plastic tubing from Crane's device, I tied his wrists to the arms of his chair and moved to the other side of the desk to find something to gag him with.

"They know who you are, they know everything, they'll come after you. Killing me won't solve anything," Crane pleaded, his tone switching drastically. He almost sounded too pitiful; something wasn't right. I heard light footsteps behind me in the classroom, and the distinct cocking of a gun, of course, Crane had on-site security - probably another one of the Talons.

My face didn't betray to Crane that I'd heard a thing, I kept my eyes firmly fixed on him and placed my hand on the glass paperweight sitting on Crane's post-it pile, waiting for the inevitable, "Don't move!"

The words had barely passed the gunman's lips as I spun on the spot and shattered the paperweight in the middle of his forehead. The man, who looked no older than a student, was knocked out instantly without getting off a shot. Good thing too, the last thing I wanted was a shooting on the college campus.