My Father is Death

Chapter 22

Sorry, it's Short this week.

Slade sat at his computers looking over the security system for his next job. It wasn't big or complicated. Just simple theft. Easy in easy out. On silent hinges, the door swung open behind his chair, bringing with it a cool breeze. To small feet scuttled over the stone floor, stopping at Slade's elbow. Slade didn't even have to look to know who was on his tippy toes to see. With a small smirk Slade reached over and picked the boy up and placed him on his lap.

"What you working on?" Dick questioned looking at the blueprints, "Might want to watch the hidden room."

Slade blinked, "Hmmm?"

Dick pointed to the open space that didn't look like he had any room, "That one. See. It's far too big to be a utilities closest and you don't need two furnace rooms. Do you?"

"No... No I didn't. Good eye bud." Slade hadn't even notice the secret room. It could be where they put all the high priced objects at night. He tussled Dick short black hair.

Dick grinned but it fell off as the boy thought, "Dad?"

"Yeah, kiddo?"

"Can I help? I'm not going to kill but this isn't killing... So can I help?"

Slade looked down at Dick than to the blueprints. It wasn't a hard job. If he was truly honest it would be a perfect job to get Dick started. It was Wintergreen he was tariffed of. The old man may never come close to him in a physical fight but the man could certainly make his life miserable.

Slade set Dick back on his feet. "How about you go to the Den and watch some TV. I'd like to think about your offer."

Dick nodded skipping away and to the Den. To watch Scooby Doo no doubt. Slade waited all of ten seconds before getting up himself. He'd might as well get this conversation over with sooner than later. And before Dick could say anything to the old man. The cranky, good for everything, man that dictated everything that worked in the Haunts. 

Slade found the man not in the kitchen or his room, but the small study slash library. The man was sitting with his feet propped up on the small coffee table and book in hand. The small fireplace going.

"You know, all you need is a window with snow going." Slade called out, walking in and sitting in the empty chair.

Wintergreen snorted glancing up from both book and reading glasses, "If I'm currect it is snowing out." The older man carefully put his bookmark in before closing the book, "What brings you to my neck of the woods?"

"No reason. Just came to talk, that's all."

Wintergreen snorted, "Spit it out Slade. You never come to fine me unless you need something."

"Dick asked to join me on a job."

Their was a beat of silence, "You're considering this aren't you?!" Wintergreen barked, "I can't believe you'd even consider this!"

"Calm." Slade raised his hands, "Yes I am. He's going to enter this life at one point."

"You and he can wait until Dick's at least ten. Like Joey and Grant did."

"That's the thing Will. Dick's already been trained for this. Beaten into his body and mind. I want to teach him learning is not bad. Ben and Merlyn did a great start. But this job would be good hands on learning."

"It seems you've made up your mind." Wintergreen growled, "Why ask my permission?"

"Because I don't want to come back too having itching powder in my sheets or hair dye in my shampoo bottle. Let us not forget all the crickets you put in my work room in Jump. I sear I can still hear them every time we go back."

Wintergreen hummed but a smirk was on his face, "I don't know what you're talking about. You know me and my old memory."

Slade kick out with his foot and shoved Wintergreen's side, "You're not senile just yet. The gray's there-"

"You're one to talk about gray, Mr. White."

Slade grinned, "So that's an alright?"

"Fine. Yes. He can go, but if I see on scratch on him. I'm taking it out on your hide. Understood?"

"Yes, sir."

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