Bleepings

VI: It's official...I'm Badass

“No," eyes littered his body in disbelief…surely…he hadn't just said what they thought he said. "I said that I won't be able to make it,” his tone filled with defiance…more like annoyance. “And you already know that."

The man stood up, "we all love our jobs. But we all recognize that it does not come before everything.” He tossed his Escrima Sticks down on the desk along with his security bands.

“I refuse to dedicate my life to a cause I cannot morally agree with,” he looked at the others. “I have always fought for what I believed in, don't act surprised that I refuse to fight now."

And then he looked back at Batman. “If you allow that–that thing to roam around YOUR city after what he did to Barbara, don't expect me or any of us to want to fight for this godforsaken place."

He walked up towards the man, met him eye to eye, “you should've allowed us to kill that nutjob, but every time we tried–guess what, Bruce needs a reason to wear the suit.” He put his fist in the bat symbol on his chest, “and guess where it led you." He stepped back.

“At a funeral you could've stopped had you chose to put a bullet through your own thick skull—"

“Richard—”

"But am I wrong Raven?!" He looked at Alfred, "tell her how many people the Joker has killed. And then tell her how many could've been prevented had Bruce decided to finally end the shit stain.”

Damian stood leaning against the wall a few ways away, Jason stood silently beside Gordon…they all saw Alfred’s lack of action…until the elderly man opened his mouth. "This month, ten subjects for Joker Venom.”

Dick's hands tightened sharply, "one reporter, one cameraman, four hospital orderlies, two security guards, and two high schoolers…all of which Master Bruce could have prevented had he…done what would have been needed."

Richard glared at his father, “you told Superman that your villains were worse. They try to tear you apart, turn you into them—it’s too late.  You're not some hero, you're a delusional old man trying to cope with the fact that he's no better than the people he's locking away. Oh wait, everyone you have ever locked away managed to break out and kill some more."

And then his mask came off and he tossed it to his weapons, "I quit. I quit as Nightwing. I quit as Richard Wayne. I quit as your son. I quit this city. I quit trying to help you…stay away from me, my family, anything that has to deal with us." He walked past Bruce towards his wife standing at the Door. "Keep your roach in your city if you love it so much, because when I see it, I'm killing it and giving the body back to you.”

She looked past him and then looked away as she turned to follow him out…and left the Bat Family standing in the silence.

And then something else clattered on the table, a utility belt along with another mask. Batman’s latest Robin stood far from him. Damian softly held Nightwing’s mask before looking at his father.

“Guess this is quits for me too," he mumbled and set the mask back down on the sticks. He took the bag symbol from his chest and set it on the table. “Nice getting to know you dad."

He turned towards the windows and opened them up, “thanks for teaching me," the boy’s voice cracked. “And I hope you succeed in your things, but there are boundaries that should be crossed, and you've constantly failed to cross them."

He jumped out into the dark and left the curtains billowing, RedHood uncrossed his arms and gripped his bright red mask. “Guess you finally get what you deserve,” he glared at the man. “It was bound to happen,” he smirked. " Surprised it happened so soon.”