Dagger

III

*Richard*

"Hey, are you alright?" My thoughts are interrupted by KF. I give a subtle nod and stand to walk away but he stops me.

"Okay let me rephrase, I can tell something is up and I want you to tell me what it is." He states and stares straight into my eyes.

He knows me too well for me to lie but I don't want to tell him. He knew Phoebe, he was friends with her too. At the day of her kidnapping I could've sworn that Wally had taken is as hard as me and the rest of Wayne manor.

I sigh then motion for him to follow me. I take off towards the Zeda tubes and of course he's running beside me making sure I don't get out of telling him.

"Authorized B01 Nightwing"
"Authorized B03 Kid Flash"

After a moment we are transported to an alley in Gotham and run to Wayne Manor.

I take him up to my room where I keep my private investigations underway.

"Okay," I sigh. "Wally, I need you to promise not to freak out."

His eyes narrow skeptically then he nods.

I then reluctantly pass him the note the mysterious vigilante left. Quickly he reads over it then hands it back to me.

"So?" His tone bored. "You brought me all the way here to show me a slip of paper?"

I roll my eyes.. not that he can see because of my mask but what ever.

"Look at it again." I state.

He looks again and confusion takes place over his face for a mere moment then realization strikes him.

"Phoebe."

"Exactly! she may know where Phoebe is!" I exclaim and he face palms.

"No, dude! This is Phoebe!" He points to the fragment of a page.

I stare at him puzzled. It can't be Phoebe, Phoebe's dead. It's been five years, at most her body is somewhere that this hooded woman knows about.

"Yeah, whatever KF." I mutter, my voice showing my pain. "We both know she's been dead for a while. I've just been looking so we can give her a proper send off."

I look away as tears sting my eyes. Thinking back now, I always talk like she's alive, like we can save her but I know that isn't the case.

"You know, for detective you're an idiot." He chuckles and clutches the note to his chest.

I stare at him blankly.

"Really Dick?! Who's the only person that called you by your first name!?" He exclaims slamming the note onto my desk. "No one else has ever called you Richard except for Alfred when you get in trouble for making a mess in the kitchen."

I focus trying to remember everyone who referred to me but my first name, not just my nickname. There are only four names that come to mind besides Alfred.

• Mom
• Dad
• Haly
• Phoebe

But they're all dead. None of them could have written this note.

"Wally you're insane!" I shout, anger in my voice at him giving me a useless hope all over again. "Everyone who ever called me by my first name is dead! Why do you keep trying to make me believe she is still alive!? Why are you trying to give me a hope that will just keep hurting me for years to come?"

My voice softened at the end showing that my anger had defeated me.

His breath hitches as he quickly takes it. He turns my chair around so I'm looking at him instead of that damn note.

"For the same reason you're denying the idea of her being alive!" He yells and pokes my chest with his finger. "Because I want her back!"

Silence rings for a moment before he speaks again, making his way out of the door.

"If she is out there I'm searching for her. We've all waited five years for a sign and now that I have one, I'll wait five more to find her if I have too." Then speeds out of the Manor.

I sit for a moment then rush down to the bat cave.

"Computer! Create an image of what a Miss Phoebe Kilns would look like in present day." I demand and of course the computer does as its programmed (after I toyed with it for a year or two before hand.)

Recreation done.

I look to the screen and see a bleach blonde girl with a light tan and bright blue eyes. Just like when we were little she's still gorgeous.

"Good. Alfred?!" I shout and he touches my shoulder making me jump. God, he's worse than batman.

"Yes Master Grayson?" He asks.

A smirk forms on my lips. "Please put this face through facial recognition."

"On what data base sir?" He asks politely once more.

"Every data base you can access and have it linked to security cameras, police records, everything! Anyone who matches her seventy-five percent or more, alert me." I answer briskly and he nods.

"Yes Master Grayson." He replies a smile on his lips.

I sigh, my hands griping the back of his chair where I sat a moment ago and smile. "Let's find our girl."