When Night Comes

Chapter Eight

It wasn't often that I felt on edge, usually, it came with assistance from Crane's serum. But this time, it was all me. All because Dick was on a murder spree and I didn't know if I could actually beat him alone. I'd not heard anything from the other's, I hadn't really expected to. Dick would be found when he wanted to be found, and that could be days away. I let a heavy breath slip past my lips as I continued to try and hack into the systems and get the power back, but the mountain was having none of it.
"Any luck?" Clark asked as he came back with Diana after he did a round of the immediate vicinity.
"No." I replied shortly, "Complete another round. Take Conner with you."
"We shouldn't split up into singular groups." Diana cut in, "It would be safer to have someone who can help you fight him with you."
"I can take Richard by myself." I replied, "Now go, I don't want to hear anything from you three for another five minutes."
I heard the three of them walk off and continued to try another trick to get past Dick's firewalls.
"It's not going to happen Bruce." I instantly stood up and saw the source of the voice sitting in a chair by the main computer, "You've always known I'm better at this stuff than you. Alway's have been, always will be."
"Dick-"
"Isn't here right now." He interrupted with a raised hand, "In fact, he never existed."
"Who are you then?" I asked, I needed answers, I couldn't fight blind.
"I'm Talon." He replied with a smile and continued off my annoyed expression, "Oh, believe me, my dear, you never knew me at all; Dick Grayson was merely an act."
"So you're telling me this is the real you?" I asked, slowly moving my hand to my belt, not unnoticed by Talon.
"Of course it is. I'm always there. Always waiting." He replied as he unsheathed his sabre and spun it between his hands, "The act doesn't do that because he isn't real."
"Why have you made your appearance now?" I asked.
"Becuase you four are the only ones left." He replied with a sickening hint of glee in his voice, "And I would rather get this over with quickly."
And then he launched himself at me, Sabre expertly held in his hand. I brought up a Batarang to block, the blade embedding itself into it. I quickly pulled out a smoke pellet and released it, make him blind for a moment. I ran forward and tackled him to the floor, glad when I heard his sword clatter to the ground. We left the smoke and ran straight into the computer screen, smashing it from the force in which I threw him into it at, "What do you mean we're the only four left?"
"I dealt with the others." He replied calmly as he raised his legs and kicked me in the stomach, causing me to let go and reel back, "Some are dead, some await phase two, others were going to be a good meal before the Martian's and their group got in my way."
"Who did you kill?" I growled as I went back at him and we moved in a perfect parry, few hits here and there but nothing of impact.
"Shayera, Katar, Captain Atom, Oliver, Red Tornado, Hal and Billy." He replied with a nonchalance that made my blood boil, "The others are all waiting patiently for me."
"Bruce!" Not now, Clark, I'm busy.
But I didn't get a say as he came into the fight and grabbed Talon in his fist, "Clark, you've been chosen to advance to round two. In fact, all of you have. Let's get to it." And then he impaled Clark with a blade of Kryptonite.
They both fell to the floor, but Clark didn't get back up and Dick never really hit the floor. He went flying through the air and landed on Diana's shoulders. She was taken by surprise and if I hadn't thrown that Batarang at him I don't think she would have reacted in time to save herself.
"Thanks, Bruce." She said as she rushed over to Clark.
"Don't thank me yet." I growled as I turned back to Talon to see him going toe to toe with Conner, who was losing as expected.
I rushed over and sent a kick at Talon, who ducked and I went over his head and into Conner who went flying across the room and into a wall. He'd get back up. I turned back to Talon, using my forearm guard to block the oncoming blow of the blade. I pushed back until he took the Sabre back to his side and was left facing me. Then we went at it again, but this time I had the upper hand. Punch, kick, duck, kick, punch, feint, duck and tackle. We fell to the floor and I landed on top of him, but I could feel something digging into my stomach, promising a sharp stab if I moved.
"I'm going to have to politely request that you get off of me before I decide to outright stab you." He threatened, he knew he was in control of this situation.
I slowly stood up, making sure to keep my hands well in his sight so he wouldn't act. He'd regret it when he came back later and I was not having that. Before I had even registered he'd moved he had me cuffed, hand to hand and that was connected to another chain which connected to my feet. Was I getting slow or was he speeding up? Not that I had a chance to ask as Diana ran into his side and they went flying into the wall, but she made the same mistake I did. And the same thing happened to her. Clark was still out cold, but the Kryptonite had been removed. And Conner was still in the wall, maybe I hit him a tad harder than I meant to.
"Alright, let's move to phase two then shall we?" And then he knocked me out.

I didn't know when I was expecting it to happen, not now was certain though. It felt too soon. I was still staring at the text on my phone, I knew it wasn't really Wally who sent it. It was Talon, he wanted us all there. He would want anyone that knew his secret dead, and I was not going to be one of them. I didn't have much to pack from my home, well, old home. A pillow, blanket, clothes and some food. That should keep me going until I found somewhere to stay. Somewhere well away from here. I didn't realise how cold it was, or how busy the streets were with trick or treaters. Haloween's overrated. I managed to get through the busy streets and into the emptier ones, the untrustworthy neighbourhood. Not that any neighbourhood was really trustworthy in Gotham, but we still had some standards. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket again and fished it out, another text from Wally's phone.
Hurry up to the mountain, we're missing you.
Yeah, right. They don't miss me, Talon wants to kill me. I picked up the pace quickly when an idea hit me. My contact could help. But he could just get killed. Geez, what a hard decision. I quickly searched him into my phone, Wally had left me his address. Star City. I could get a bus there. Which is what I did. It was a couple more minutes before I actually located the address I was looking for, and then a couple more to work up the courage to knock on the door.
"What do you want?" Was the reply as they opened the door.
"The team and the Justice League are under imminent threat. I was told you could help." I explained.
"Where?"

I loved myself sometimes. And this was one of those times. I'd arranged all my prisoners ready for when I woke them back up, I hoped they liked it. I know I did. But I was still missing two, Alfred and Jason hadn't made their appearance yet. Speak of the devil.
"Master Bruce, you called for me?" I dropped down from the ceiling and headed outside to greet the butler, "Ah, Master Dick, may I ask what is going on here?"
"Of course you can Alfred." I said as I looked up at him and horror passed over his face, "But I wouldn't expect an answer."
He was easy to take out for the count, single hit around the head. I dragged him back to my room where some of the others were starting to stir. Dammit, I hadn't even finished my meal yet. I quickly tied up Alfred and headed back over to the centre of the room where Shayera, Oliver, Hal and Billy were waiting to be devoured. But Shayera was first, I'd already started on her. The only thing wrong with this picture was the empty chair where Jason was meant to be. It just wasn't right without him, but the show had to go on. One by one they all started to wake up, facing in but their eyes were covered. They didn't have to watch just yet, not until they were all awake.
It felt like forever, but it was only five minutes later when the last person, Alfred, woke back up. I quickly reached out and pulled on the string to remove their blindfolds and there was a collective gasp of shock and horror as they saw me sitting in the middle, eating their friends.
"Welcome to my humble abode. Screaming is welcome, as is horror and terror..."