Forgotten Bonds

Thirty - Fracturing Innocence

February 16th, 2009. Sunday, 6:37 pm. 

The boy was smiling. The boy was actually smiling. Slade raised an eyebrow as he stared at the young teen. It definitely wasn't excitement. He just looked thoroughly happy; joyful, even. Slade couldn't imagine what he had said to make the boy grin with such light like that. Especially since they were still at odds on the matter of killing.

But the boy's face was literally lit up. 

It perplexed Slade to no end. He would've understood the thrill of entering enemy territory; the thrill of fighting for your life in an endless struggle; the thrill of outsmarting your foes; the thrill of overpowering your foes with pure strength – but this positively glowing expression on Dick's face was just not any of those. 

It was like he was joyful beyond measure; beyond anything known to man – far more than what was fathomable to Slade. 

That boy... 

Slade shook his head. He truly was an odd kid. Slade just couldn't imagine a stranger time to put on such a happy smile. The boy kept close to him, even nearly bumping into him at times when Slade stopped to listen and look around. It wasn't that he wasn't aware, it was almost as if the boy wanted to be as close to him as possible. 

Such a strange child. 

Slade peered around a corner carefully. The corridor was completely clear, but something wasn't right. He could just feel it in the air. There was an inhuman stillness about it. These feelings were the honed instincts of a war torn warrior. He had learned all too well what lay before them. 

There had to be an ambush ahead. 

He felt the boy inch closer to him; their shoulders bumping at the closeness. Slade turned his head back to him and mouthed carefully 'ambush' to the boy. Dick nodded in understanding and his arm dropped behind his back – no doubt to grab his bō-staff. 

Slade turned back to the hallway, taking a deep breath. He let a smirk lift his mouth. 

Time to dominate these fools. 

Slade bolted around the corner with Dick close behind him. Ten assassins fell from the rafters; each wielding dual blades. With lightning reflexes, Slade pulled out his own broadsword in his right hand and a gun in his left. Bullets were immediately fired into the group. Within those swift moments, he was able to take down one of them before they could do anything more. 

Nine to go. 

There was a small laughing sound from Dick, almost mischievous like, as he frog hopped over Slade's back; flipping twice in the air before he landed a kick on one of the approaching assassins. The fight intensified. The boy withdrew his bō-staff and engaged the enemy. Slade was careful in firing his gun in the effort to avoid hitting Dick. Instead, he used the butt to smash into the hidden face of one of his opponents; swinging his sword to block two blows from a dual effort – there was a clang of metal, sparks flying in a metallic dance. 

Slade caught a glimpse of Dick in the fight and he couldn't hold back the smile that lifted his mouth behind his mask. The boy was doing superb. Absolutely superb. He was fierce as fought with opponents that were far more seasoned at this than he was. But he was still holding his own. 

But he wasn't flawless. 

There was a brief moment where Slade could see an opening and one of the assassins saw it, too. The assassin darted forward, ready to stab the boy in the heart with his duel blades.

Slade overpowered the three that were around him; slashing through the three of them with a tremendous swing of his blade. There was a flash of metal as blades connected with blades. In the moment, Slade took the brief time to lift his gun and fired two shots. His aim was perfect as ever. The bullets connected with his target in the back of the head. The assassin fell a mere foot away from Dick, blood beginning to blanket the ground with its crimson color. Slade could see the momentary pain that flashed across the boy's face at the fallen foe.