Nightwing: Heartache

Part 10: Bowhunter Security

June 21, 10:08pm
Star City

"I think we looked better in our Bowhunter Security uniforms."

"No, you don't," Nightwing said as the Harper boys finished typing up the meta-human traffickers of Detroit. The mission went well, perfect even. He had definitely paid enough for it. Who knew being a security guard was so taxing? Maybe a regular job wasn't, but dealing with all three Harpers all day had taken its toll.

Another benefit of the day: Will had finally knocked some sense into Dick. Deep down Nightwing knew he wasn't fulfilling the mission by dropping the refugee kids with Artemis and Connor, but Will just sent the point home. Dick needed to do more. Step up to the plate. He didn't do teams anymore but he was still a hero.

Nightwing helped the last kid out of the crate they had been held in then froze. A shadow. So quick an untrained eye would have missed it. Nightwing spun around, looking at nearby rooftops, alleys, anything at the right angle to make the shadow of a figure behind Nightwing. But there was no-

"Stay with the criminals!" Nightwing commanded as he took off running. He had a lock on a figure sprinting away, maybe fifty feet ahead of him. It had to be the person that murdered the ring in Chicago.The figure jumped to a nearby fire escape, then a drain pipe, until they were on the roof. Nightwing shot a grappling hook and rolled as he hit the ground, never stopping his momentum.

This guy was quick, agile, and the distance kept fluctuating. Nightwing would get close, but never close enough. Finally, Nightwing drew a rope connected by two weighted balls on each end and threw it at the figure still running away. Usually, it would catch a culprit's feet, wrapping around so they couldn't run. Usually. But instead of getting tripped up, this guy stopped, turned around, and sliced his sword through the middle of the rope before sprinting away.

Nightwing stopped, stunned. That shouldn't be possible. Unless this was the same person who had been watching him, studying him, learning his moves and patterns. He grimaced, remembering Lady Shiva doing the same thing three years ago. Seemed like a League of Shadows move, but why? Why would the Shadows be out for meta-human traffickers. If anything, they would be the ones behind the crime rings, not stopping them. And why care so much about Nightwing, if they even knew he was Nightwing, he didn't wear the emblem anymore. It didn't make sense. The League of Shadows were the villains, not heroes.

A/N I used very little of this episode in the chapter, but it's a great video if you want to watch/rewatch: