When Night Comes

Chapter Five

My name had been removed from the system. Of course it had, they wanted to keep me contained before they threw me in jail. And security had also increased, at least two leaguers were present at all times. And the team were cautious. They were keeping me contained until I turned, and after almost two months of isolation, I was getting seriously bored. Dreadfully slowly the day came to a close and the outside world went dark. Most of the team were gone out for the evening, gone to see some horror movie or something. But Wally, as he always did, stayed behind and stared at the screen watching my room. However, this was the first night there were no leaguers here. Which was strange. Maybe they were all out celebrating Halloween. Yeah, right. There was probably hitch in the timetable and they'd be here soon.

I was watching the camera's, as I usually did now, to see Dick's room and make sure that he was alright. I quickly got up and grabbed a snack. I came back to my seat, munching on the crisps but instantly stopped as I saw his room was empty. He knew the ground rules, he had to stay in his room all night. No excuses. And he'd never broken it before. I'd already put the phone to my ear and was calling his guardian before I had even realised what I was doing.
"What?" Batman answered gruffly.
"Dick's gone. I think he's changed." I got out, trying to sound brave.
I heard a soft swearing over the line before he came back again, "I'm calling the League and the Team. I need you to get hold of Jason. Talon seems to be fond of him. First, check he's not in the gym. This could be a false alarm"
I gave a quick reply but didn't hang up as I silently padded to the gym and opened the door. I jumped as soon as it opened and the lights everywhere went out, the backup lighting bathing everything a shade of white and shadows.
"He's not in the gym." I said as I swallowed the lump in my throat, "I'm going to wait by the Zeta tubes."
I walked back up there after Bruce gave me his permission but stopped in the doorway. There was someone in my seat. No, not someone. A monster.
Dick's eyes had turned golden, his skin pale and his veins black. He wore a different uniform as well, black all over with golden accents where it was stitched. An array of blades were across his chest and hips, a giant sword over his back. His hands were gloved as well, and they had golden claws on the ends, sharp enough to disembowel me with a single sweep.
"Hello, Wallace." He purred and his smile split his face in half, "Let's play a game."

I heard the first line clatter to the floor, that was Wallace.
"Hurry it up leaguers. Talon has found him. The line's gone." I said as I slammed on the accelerator even harder, but I was already at my max speed.
"Don't assume Bruce. It's a bad habit." A voice came through the line, Dick's voice but it was so different.
"You must be Talon." I said as I connected the lines so that they could all hear what was going on on that end and recording the conversation.
"Yes, that was the name that seems to be given to me." He said, "I think it's rather boring, and it makes me seem like a part of the Court of Owls. And I don't work for them, I killed most of them. I bet you've never heard an Owl scream. Such a lovely scene it was. Their screams were music to my ears, their terror my delight, their suffering my joy. Their death, my nourishment."
"Why do you do this Talon?" I asked as the cave came into sight.
"Because I'm bored." He said as if this was the most natural thing in the world, "Why else?"
"Do you know that was you do is wrong?" I asked, the mentality was always important.
"Of course I do." I could hear a smirk grace his lips, "What kind of person would I be if I didn't know that this was wrong. Not a very good one, that's what. But I don't care Bruce. You've been trying to cage me, to get rid of me so that you can have the boring one back. Well, I've been practicing my lines Bruce. And now I will act. Happy Halloween." And this time the line did go dead.
"Is he going to kill Wally?" Artemis panicked voice came through.
"No." I said as I leapt out of the vehicle and entered the cave, "I'm here already. Just get here quickly."
The power was out, no entry through the tubes, which they've probably already found. But why were the leaguers not there with Wally? If we got through this I was going to be having words. I forced open the door and stepped in, the door instantly slammed shut behind me, caging me. I moved forwards, a Batarang armed and ready. I could hear muffled cries, Wally. I abandoned caution as I ran towards him, running straight through the door as I found him in his bedroom. Tied up. I quickly worked on releasing him.
"What happened?" I asked as he stood up, shaking.
"I-I came back to the- came back to the computer and he was just sitting there. And-and then- and then he-he asked me, if-if I wanted to- if I wanted to play a game." Wally stammered out, "Then he-he. He over-overpowered me in, like- like less than a second and he just- he just tied me up here."
"Alright." I said as I scanned the room.
This wasn't the behaviour of the Talon, he didn't leave his victims. He finished them off. But there was no sign of him in here.
"It wasn't him Bruce." Wally said and I turned back to face him, "It-it co-couldn't have been. It's. It's not him. It's jus-just so unlike him. And-And he looks different. He's just. Like- like he is- like he's a. Monster."
"Wally, collect yourself." I said as I bent to be face to face with him, "The person you know, the Dick we've come to love isn't the same person that we're in here with. You have to remember that."
"I know." He drew in another shaking breath, "But it's just- he's-he's got the s-same body as-as him, the-the same voice. I just I can't fathom -like- how this is. This is him."
"Everyone is coming. We'll have him restrained and questioned by the end of the night." I explained, "We're all meeting in the meeting room. Come on."

I watched as Bruce arrived and released Wally. I didn't usually let petty things like this stop me, but this time I needed to sort this out. I couldn't have loose ends like this. They all knew, which means they all need to be eliminated. I would have finished off Wally there and then had a genius idea not hatched. Hope is a dangerous thing. And when people were in large groups they hoped they were stronger than the individual. But they weren't going to be. Not even Bruce knew my limits when I didn't hold back. I felt a smile grace my features as Wally almost pissed himself as he headed to the mission room, his eyes scanning everywhere for any sign of me. They wouldn't see me, I was trained to do the impossible. And evidently I was better than Batman because he couldn't take on the Owls, but I could. They've actually been out of business for a year, surprised no one noticed. I watched as Bruce and Wally met with the rest of the team and some of the league. Wally was meant to get a hold of Jason, but he didn't so I did it for him. He had to go as well. Anyone who knew had to go, hence I'd also invited Alfred. If they don't want me to leave, I'll bring them all here.
"Where is he, Bruce?" Clark asked as soon as Wally and Bruce entered the room.
"I don't know. But we need to stay in groups." Bruce said, "He may look like Dick, but it isn't him. It's someone else wearing his skin, show no mercy."
"Wally! Oh my god, are you okay?" Ugh, human's care too much about each other, I don't understand what Artemis sees in him.
"He-he's a monster Arty." Wally breathed.
"Of course I am." I called out and instantly everyone started searching every corner of the room, "What else would I be? But this meal is looking good, I wonder if it tastes as good as it looks?"
"Come out." Bruce called into the darkness, still searching for me as my voice echoed all around him.
"In due time Bruce." I smirked, "See you soon."
I crawled further back into my vent and dropped into my secret area, unlocking my computers and watching as they devised a plan and split up. Alfred and Jason still hadn't arrived but without the beams, they could take up to an hour, so I'd have to be patient with that one. In the end, they'd gone in five groups, each containing at least one leaguer. Now to decide what order to take them out in.
Group One: Aquaman, Aqualad, Hawkgirl and Hawkman.
Group Two: Martian Manhunter, Miss Martian, Zatara and Captain Atom.
Group Three: Green Arrow, Black Canary, Artemis and Red Tornado.
Group Four: Flash, Kid Flash, Green Lantern and Captain Marvel.
Group Five: Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and Superboy.
They should all be easy enough to take on. I'd best get started before Alfred or Jason turn up, I'm not quite that patient.