Blurred Lines.

we knew this day would come, jason.

I sat with Bruce most of the day. The house was somber and really it was rather depressing. I wanted to go wake up Alfred. I wanted to prove Bruce wrong that he was sick, but as I sat in the study across from the even more than normal brooding, I knew that it was true.

"You came to Gotham to find the Browns, didn't you?" He broke the never ending silence. I looked up at him. He knew I was coming. He knew what this would eventually lead too.

"You knew it would only be a matter of time." I said dismissing his hard stare at me. I roll my eyes and shift my weight from one side to the other.

"I did. I anticipated your arrival. You just didn't think that I would be here, that's what took you by surprise." He said not questioning me. Just stating those facts.

"Maybe. It's a good thing I came. Or I wouldn't have known about Alfred. Does Dick know?" I hesitated the last question. I already knew the answer, I just wanted confirmation.

"No. I didn't think it was any reason to worry any one just yet. He would be upset if he knew that you knew. He'd always kept these things private." He's right. I can't remember a time that Alfred was ever sick. At least, not in either of my lifetimes.

"But, I'm glad you came too." He said swishing around his scotch in the glass. Bruce and I share a moment of comfortable silence. Both of us lost in thoughts of Alfred. I'm sure we both had stories that we could share as people often do when loved ones are dying.. or dead.

But I refused to believe that Alfred was dying. I refused to believe the man that had a hand in raising me and bringing me to Bruce was going to die. Maybe I was a fool for living in my denial. But I couldn't bring myself to believe it.

"I flew in a world known doctor to come check out Alfred. He drew blood, ran some tests and I should know something in a week. He left just before you arrived. He said that he doesn't think it's anything serious, but with Alfred sleeping all the time, something is clearly off.." Bruce set the glass down. Something he seemed to be doing to occupy his mind.

I took a drink of the dark liquid and sighed. My head was reeling.

"I'll stay the night tonight and most of the day tomorrow. That way you don't have to miss work at the office again. I'll take care of him while your out." It was my duty to care for Alfred just as much as it was Bruce's to care for him.

And if Dick was aware, then it would be his duty as well. Alfred has took care of us in the face of all danger. The least I could do is be there for him.

"It's easy to be out of the office when you own the office, Jason." He smirked at me. "I'll take you up on that, at least for the day. But I expect you to handle the business that brought you here. As does Alfred." Bruce picked up his glass again, frowned at the liquid but took one large drink and emptied it. He grimaced then set the glass on his desk.

"I'll handle it just fine. But I'm going to need something from you." I was being pulled in two separate ways. Half of me wanted to stay here and watching over Alfred, but I knew that in order to be able to come back here full time that I needed to solve the Agatha Brown mysteries.

"I've already sent you the address. It's in your email. I've also sent you all the information that I have on them. I have collected quite a bit. Today is the first day I haven't been watching them." He walked to the door, looking over his shoulder before exiting the room.

"I'm proud of you, Jason. You could have easily dropped her back off to her family, but you recognized a problem you seen it." He spoke to me as if he's speaking to a child, but I took his praise regardless. I welcomed it really.

"I guess I've learned something from you after all." I laughed as he left me in the room. I pulled out cell and logged into my email. True to his word, there was an email that was from Bruce. Inside were details of the Brown's movements. There was details on each member of the family. There was even an address inside as well.

I walked out of the front door and hopped on my bike. I tore down the drive way and into the streets of Gotham. Traffic was light. Most people were working. It was the middle of the day in Gotham. Crime sleeps in the day and those who are just trying to survive the city are trying to work.

I pulled up in front of the high rise building. I knew they were living in one of the luxury apartments according to Bruce's email. I even knew what floor and what room, but I didn't dare to go there not right now.

According to Bruce, the father, Parsley Brown, would be either sleeping or meeting some sleaze bad guy in some run down bar on the wrong side of the tracks. I parked my bike in the parking lot to the side of the building and walked around to the front.

An elder man was standing with a bright red suit on and white gloves. He was the door man. He wore a bored expression, not paying much attention to the patrons walking in and walking out of the building.

I guess that would make it easy for any person to sneak in and sneak out without so much a glance from the building security. But I'm sure he was used to seeing different and new faces. After all, the building itself was a known attraction in Gotham. Tourists a like often came to see the grand design inside.

I was standing, not minding my own business, when the father, Parsley, came out barking demands into his phone. I put my own phone up to my ear, careful to not give anything away, but recording the conversation that I could get with Parsley.

"I don't give a damn! You tell him we won't do the job for less than ten grand." He said a little louder than he originally did coming out of the building.

He was odd seeing up front. I thought that he had grown from a mercenary to running the mercenaries. His eyes scanned the crowd, but found nothing worth studying and trotted down the street.

I followed, but not to closely, pretending to listen to someone of the other end of my phone. I thought if I followed him a little then I have some kind of an idea of who he was. I hoped anyway. But, who really ever knew.

"Fine, Johnson. You tell him we'll walk. He needs us not the other way around. You get our guys out of there. He'll come calling in a day or two when no one else will take the job for less than what we're asking." He's almost laughing now. I noticed how the smile he was wearing didn't meet his eyes or how the laugh was forced, almost bitter.

"Good. I'm headed to the Fray now. Send the other guys home. I want to speak with only you." He hung the phone up and shoved the phone into his pocket. I climbed back onto my bike, stopped recording, then said a farewell to the fake person on the phone and shoved it into my pocket as well.

I leaned against the corner of the building, looking out onto the passing street, occasionally glancing his way.

He took one more hard glance around him then shoved his body into his car and sped off.

I knew I had to follow him. Jason couldn't. But the Red Hood could.