Don't Fear the Reaper

23) Ah Yes... A Child

It had been a week since Nico left and the raid of the base on Santa Prisca and no one in the manor was taking it well. Alfred had come back a few days after it all went down to find a house full of emotionally unstable teens and adults... which was actually pretty par for the course, but they were extra bad this time.

"I'm telling you," Barbra said, looking annoyed. "My drones didn't find anything. There were no bodies, no blood, and nothing to go off of."

Damian glared at her. "Well, maybe they missed something. If I could just go-"

"No," Dick said, his voice harsh. "We have been over this Damian. None of us, especially you, are going to the base. Nico said it was a trap and just because-"

"Why does it matter what he said? DiAngelo is gone," Damian said, slamming his hand on the table.

Jason glared at the youngest. "And who's fault is that?"

"Guys," Duke said, attempting to keep the peace, but he was ignored.

"Jason, you can't keep throwing that in his face," Dick said.

"Like how Damian threw Nico's dead sisters in his face?" Jason snapped back.

"For the love of fuck can we not-" Steph began to say.

"You don't wanna be here Brown? Then leave," Damian hissed.

Tim glared at Damian. "Shut it short stack. Steph has just as much right to be here as you do."

"I am the blood son-"

Damian was cut off by a domino effect of things happening. First, Tim went to tackle the kid. Then, Dick tackled Tim to make him stop. That didn't go well because he tackled Tim straight onto Jason, who then threw both of them at Damian— but of course, Damian was standing next to Duke. That dog pile quickly grew as Steph heard someone insult her (it was Damian) amid the myriad of curses flying throughout the room and decided to join in the fun.

And this was of course the scene that Alfred walked in on.

"Ahem," the English man said, looking at them with an unapproving frown.

They instantly all froze, each of them mid hit, before violently separating and getting up.

"A letter arrived," Alfred said, holding up a white envelope.

"We get mail everyday," Damian said, looking slightly confused.

"An enlightening observation, young master, however I believe you will find this particular piece of mail quite important," Alfred said, turning over the piece of mail and revealing the wax seal.

Dick immediately stepped forward and grabbed the piece of paper, thanking the man, before carefully opening it.

It was just one sentence.

Nanda Parbat, midnight.

Dick's eyebrows furrowed. "It could be a trap."

Damian took the note in his hand and examined it for a long second before shaking his head. "No. My mother wrote it."

"It still could be a trap," Barbra said, sounding hesitant.

Damian was uncharacteristically quiet. His eyes just remained locked on the letter.

"I don't think it is," Jason said, his faced mixed with too many emotions to actually tell what he was thinking. "I think they have Bruce."

Dick looked at his brother in surprise. "Why would they have him? The raid that Nico did was a week ago. If he found him-"

"It's just a feeling," Jason said, running a hand through his hair. "I just... Nico is probably on the island and I don't think he'd let us get led into a trap."

"And if he were under orders?" Babs asked, though her tone showed that she didn't really want to believe it could be true.

Damian shook his head. "He wouldn't accept the assignment."

Dick ran a hand through his hair. "You said Talia could have something over him, what if she is using it?"

Jason shook his head. "I don't know what she could have that would be strong enough. I was close with him, but Damian and Nico were taught side by side. He wouldn't betray him— he's like family."

"And if he had family left?" Dick said, his shoulders tensing at the realization.

Jason's eyebrows furrowed. "We already know his sisters and mom are dead. His dad doesn't really count, and-"

"He has a cousin," Dick said, feeling like he was betraying Nico. He wanted to keep it to himself, but if it meant the difference between walking into a trap and having assurance that they would be safe... he had to do it. "I don't know much, but Nico hasn't seen him in two years. Nico said something about the cousin leaving him, but... he's still out there."

Jason looked to Damian with a look of surprise. "Percy," he whispered, almost as if the name came to him only in that moment.

Damian nodded, immediately turning on his heel and running towards the entrance of the Batcave. The others quickly followed after him, but he was running like he was being chased by a clan of murderous clowns. By the time they got down there, Damian was already as the computer, typing rapidly.

"What are you doing?" Tim asked looking over the youngest's shoulder. "Who are the Jackson-Blofises?"

Damian pulled up 4 files on the computer before finally stopping his typing.

"This is it," Jason muttered, his forehead creasing with stress as he stared at the screen.

Dick looked at the files and didn't quite get it. It was a file for a 20 year old, two middle aged people, and a toddler. He could see the resemblance between the mother and the son, but that was about it.

"Perseus Jackson, the paternal cousin of Nico DiAngelo, and his family," Damian said with a grim look. "DiAngelo might not have seen Jackson in two years, but he can sense death and birth. He knows about Jackson's little sister." 

"Why specifically the sister though?" Dick asked, his mind racing. "Why not just threaten to attack Percy? You said that Talia would never outwardly threaten Nico because she didn't want to deal with his rage— but then why threaten a 2 year old?"

Jason hesitated before carefully saying. "Nico and his cousin are very similar. Percy wouldn't be an easy target."

Babs looked at them skeptically. "Are you saying his cousin is an assassin too?"

Damian shook his head. "No. Jackson is well trained, but not by the League. DiAngelo trained alongside me, but we were far from his only trainers."

Jason nodded. "Going after Percy would be a mistake. Even targeting his sister is a mistake, but it's a more achievable threat."

Dick nodded slowly before taking in a deep breath and slowly releasing it. "Okay. Duke, Cass, Steph, I need you all to get to New York. You are to stay positioned outside of the Jackson-Blofis residence until we give the all clear. No one goes in or out of that apartment without you knowing and no one touches that kid."

The trio nodded, immediately going to the cases to the grab their suits.

Dick looked to the rest of the group. "Babs, I need you running comms and cams for us. Reach out to Luke, Kate, and Selina and tell them we need their help. They will be watching Gotham while we're gone— and have Harley on standby. Jason, Tim, and Damian, we're going to Nanda Parbat."

They all nodded, moving out as soon as he finished speaking.

Dick watched them go and for a second he allowed himself hope. He hoped for Bruce to be there, he hoped that this whole debacle would be over soon, but most of all, he hoped that they would be coming back with Nico. 

A/N: tea

Vote. Comment. Tell me your favorite constellation (I like Orion's Belt. Not the entire constellation, just the belt).