Nightwing's Daughter (Fanfic)

Birdcage

Nightwing’s Daughter – 12

Birdcage

Arkham – It seemed that I was spending more and more time that the place and each time I left I got even more confident that Corey’s final days in the establishment were drawing closer. The buzz of helping Corey had even – if only momentarily –made me forget about my plan to get the Joker. I still made sure to stay in the loop of his recent activities especially concerning the remaining family members. This was easier said than done though, as since the death of Carl Oscar it was like he had disappeared, of course this is just what he wanted, everybody on edge. Since his disappearance the Gotham and Blüdhavan P.D. had taken no time in placing the targets under protective custody. This – too much of my annoyed protest – included me and dad.   

We were followed everywhere, I guess dad was kind of lucky because he was a cop, so by definition he was already partly able to look after himself – meaning he wasn’t followed as much. I couldn’t go anywhere without someone following me, in town, at Chase’s house in Central City, when a male officer went to follow into my bedroom I exploded.

“I’m pretty sure that the Clown Prince of Crime isn’t in my wardrobe.” I shut the door in his face, this however made me paranoid so I ended up checking inside my wardrobe, when no clown was in sight I sighed and flopped onto my bed. I clutched at my hair as a few desperate tears escaped my eyes. It wasn’t the fact that Charlotte Grayson was being constantly surveyed; it was the fact that Starling was locked away, and she couldn’t get the key. I didn’t know who to blame, the Joker for threatening to kill us or Granddad for making sure that I got my own personal twenty-four-hour body guard.

Anger coursed through me, and I couldn’t do anything about it. Usually when I felt like this I would go down to the basement and do gymnastics until I couldn’t feel my body, that gave me time to clear my head and think. But I couldn’t go down to the basement on account of the fact that the basement was our own personal version of the Batcave, and the body guard would insist on following me down there! There was only one other place I could think of that had the equipment I required, and it came with an added bonus - I could socialise. I stopped dead, but what if I didn’t have to stop there? What if...? A wicked laugh escaped my lips as a devilishly good plan began to form.

I opened my bedroom door in a flourish, bounding down the stairs, “Sorry about… you know… before.” The guy just looked at me, I sighed. “Anyway, I’m going out of my mind, I need out… I can’t believe I’m saying this… I’m going back to school.” He raised his eyebrow in sceptical wonderment. “Thing is, my college is in Jump City, way past your jurisdiction – you could drop me off at the Blüdhaven boarder and leave the rest to me, I’ll be gone for a couple of days, so no need to worry.” He got out his phone and I- knew he was calling the Commissioner, who in turn would call granddad. While he was on the phone I dashed upstairs and grabbed the uniform that I kept hidden under a false bottom in my wardrobe. Ramming it in one of my bags, I clawed my draws open, demanding that they produce my old gymnastic kit, stuffing that in the bag as well once the draws had produced it. The last thing I did in my room was to smash open the ceramic money jar on my desk, to pumped about leaving to count it, I scooped all of it into my bag. All I had to do now was to phone dad before granddad did and I was set.

I dialled his office number, feeling the excitement and adrenaline course through my body like wild fire, my skin burned, I always got this feeling when I was about to bust a bad guy. He picked up, “Hello, Detective Inspector Grayson, who’s calling?” I would be surprised if he caught a single word that fell rapidly from my dry mouth. “Hey dad it’s me, don’t talk, K? I’m dying in here, I need to get out, so I’m driving to Jump City, the body guards don’t have to come, it’s out of their jurisdiction, I’ll be safe. I’m a flying Grayson I need the chance to stretch my wings.”  I hoped beyond anything he’d understand the underlying message.