Only in Darkness

18: Chicago, She-cago

Marlowe sat back with Kory as Dick finished restraining the parents, Rachel and Gar inside the next room with the siblings.

"Who are you people and why are you looking for Rachel?" Dick demanded as he stood up, arms crossing over his chest as he towered over their sitting forms.

"Oh dear, you're right. How rude of us not to introduce ourselves." The mother spoke up, her voice not quite right as she spoke. Marlowe raising an eyebrow as she listened.

"I'm dad. This is mom." The father, different than the one from DC Marlowe noticed, added on. Marlowe sharing a look with Dick before he continued. Marlowe hopping down from her perch and stepping closer to the parent duo. "We're pleased to meet you detective Grayson."

Marlowe's eyebrows shot up to her hairline as she cursed under her breath.

"Language. Do you speak to your parents with that tongue Marlowe Knight? Daughter of Jack Knight and Sarah Bouchard. Granddaughter of Ted Knight and Opal City Mayor Frank Bouchard." The mother scolded and Marlowe froze. Leveling an icy glare at the parents before looking back to Dick.

"What a nice bird suit you have, if I do say so myself." The father continued and Marlowe just chuckled darkly, running a hand through her hair and down her face.

"That was quite unexpected." The Mother breathed, looking to her husband with a grin.

"Quite." The man agreed with a matching smile. But both of their eyes were empty. Hollow.

"He asked you a question." Marlowe spit, done playing games.

"Yes, you did. My apologies. All the fighting," The mother rolled her eyes stiffly, "To deliver her, of course."

"To who?" Dick leaned over, his imposing figure seemingly doing nothing to intimidate them.

"Why, our employer, dear."

"And who is that exactly?" Marlowe asked as Dick came around to face the couple head on. Cosmo coming to her open hand and casting menacing shadows across their wielder's face.

"I can't answer that." The mom grit out before righting herself, her same old grin back on her face, "Loose lips sink ships." Marlowe huffed, pushing back every urge to blast them away as they were right now.

"That's true. Nobody likes a tattletale." The father agreed. And apparently Kory had the same urge as Marlowe. The Woman losing her patience.

"Okay, it's my turn." Kory sidled up next to the father, hand outstretched.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait!" Dick stopped her from strangling the man, pulling Kory and Marlowe back a bit, his voice lowering in volume, "The way that they're reacting. I've seen this behavior back in Gotham."

"So have I." Added Marlowe, crossing her arms over her stomach.

"Their brainwashed. Beating the shit out of them isn't going to make a difference." Dick continued.

"It might make me feel better." Marlowe threw in, shrugging at Dick's scathing look. "What? I'm just being honest."

"Okay, now what?" Kory demanded, sick of just sitting there and doing nothing.

"Help yourselves. Give us the girl. And we'll be on our way, lickety-split." The mother grinned at the dad as if it was some kind of inside joke and Marlowe had had enough of the pair.

"Over my dead body." Marlowe growled. Receiving dead stares back.

"That can be arranged." Dick had to hold Marlowe back, starting to drag her out of the room until Marlowe broke away by the door with a huff.