An Assassin's Guide to Family

Chapter 43: Present

—————-Percy's POV: —————-

Tonight I'd settled on patrol. After 5 weeks of basically nothing but the quiet humming of machinery and the horrific mechanical glow of the white lights above me, I was itching to leave that base. It was haunting now, nothing about it was comfortable, it was all foreign and cold and I despised it.

I'd not done anything outside of my usual patrol today, I'd mainly just stopped a couple robberies and stopped a few abusive husbands that I saw through windows. I scrubbed the last bit of blood from my hands on my arm, the red disappearing into the blue of my suit.

I was out much later then I am used to, usually I'd call it quits around 2, now, as the sun rose above the shoreline, I could tell that it was easily around 4-5.

I stopped momentarily, watching the red orb raise slowly over the water, it was the one time you could see the sun in Gotham without the heavy and depressing clouds around it. Today's sunrise was red orange and pink, a lovely fading of colors that reminded me of Piper. I shook my head and continued walking.

I hopped across the small fall between buildings, landing with a thump as some lady tapped the ceiling with what I can assume was the bottom of a broom and started screaming bloody murder. "YOU FUCKING CHILDREN NEED TO GET OFF THIS ROOF RIGHT NOW BEFORE I COME UP THERE AND CALL THE COPS OR YOUR MOTHERS!!"

I felt a smirk come to my face as I tried to lighten my footsteps. That was until another thump came from behind me. For a second I thought the woman was well trained in acrobatics like Dick and came up through the window, but I didn't have time to as I felt a force press against the back of my neck, sending me and whoever was pressed against my back to the ground. I let out a half yell as I pulled out a small dagger and aimed it for whoever was on top of me. They let go, giving me time to turn around.

Deathstroke stood above me, his mask glinting horrifically in the morning light. Instantly all I could feel was rage.

He had put me in this situation. I was alone because of him.

All bets were off as I pushed myself up, slashing at his legs before going for his chest, he dodged both but I didn't give him time to do his awful old man speeches. I continued slashing with all my might, not slowing down to contain the anger and think rationally.

"Whoa whoa! Calm down there little Orca! Can't we have a friendly little chat?" I let out a half cry at my frustration that had been building over the past weeks as during one of my slashes I released the knife, it plunged into his gut with a sickly ease. He paused for a second too long, a second I took advantage of. I brought my leg up and with a war cry that sounded more animalistic than human I slammed my foot onto the knife, plunging it ever deeper as he fell to the ground. I pulled out riptide if only to be a fear tactic to buy me time to calm down. I pointed it at his throat.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't skewer you right now!" I yelled, I could almost imagine his gods awful smile from beneath the mask. I lowered the knife and his hands went out in surrender.

"I'll be honest because a. I don't have anything to hide, and b. I truly believe you may be one of the lucky few who could actually kill me if you tried to and by the looks of my gut..." he looked down at the fully submerged knife, the hilt pressing hard into his skin as blood gushed out around it. "You may be trying now."

I took in a deep breath as I stomped on his gut, a groan coming out of him as he curled inwards.

"Start fucking talking." I said, anger radiating off of every word with a malice I hadn't achieved in years.

He coughed, by the sounds of it, blood was coming out with each cough as well. "Fine, fine!" He kept my foot planted as I stared down at him. "I want to offer you membership in my league." If possible my anger rose more, I could feel a slight vibration come from the ground. "If I may say, I've been overlooking your recent missions this past week but I can't say I've seen anything from Damien or Talia. You wouldn't happen to be alone would you." The urge to slice into his heart continued to rise, the ground now shook noticeably as a tug at my gut warned me this was coming from me.

"It doesn't matter to you." I spat.

"Oh on the contrary!" He said cheerily. "They left you Orca, left you alone all because of one little attack. You were cast aside and useless." The ground now shook violently, people in surrounding buildings screamed. "But I! I can give you a real home where you'll be valued, together we can take down those God awful holier than thou family. To hell with them right?" Before I knew what I was doing I slammed my foot down as hard as I could manage a few snaps telling me I'd broken more than a few of his ribs.

"Shut the fuck up." I said.

He shook his head, very clearly in pain but continuing. "You should take my deal before that "family" of yours is put in jeopardy. If you come with us you may be able to have a bit more sway in your pleas." I took in a shaky breath as I tossed riptide aside, the pain in my gut was strong now as the ground shook so violently it was hard to stand up. I could hear the cries from people below me as I grabbed Deathstroke by the throat.

"Go to hell you bastard." The words felt like lava on my tongue. I pushed out my hand and threw him over the ledge, watching his body fall like a rag doll over the side. Once he disappeared from view the earthquake slowly came to a stop, my breathing evened and my thinking became more rational. I walked over to the ledge and when I didn't find Deathstroke soup I criticized myself for letting him go.

The one thing that lingered in my mind was "family" which he was talking about.

I clenched my jaw as I turned away.

"MOTHERFUCKING KIDS WHAT DID I-" I blinked a few times as a woman with curlers and a large nightgown threw open the door to the roof, a curling iron in hand as she looked at me cautiously. She seemed to pause, looking me over slowly before tossing her curling iron at me and making a strategic retreat back down the stairs.

The curling iron skid to a stop near my feet, I watched it for a second before turning around. I should get home, that was enough of...well everything for one day.

I slowly began setting bound to the other side of town back to my home.

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