Getting to know you

First gala

"So, after just recovering from hypothermia and the fever his body decided was a good idea, you want to bring Dick to a gala." Jason raised an eyebrow. The brothers, minus a certain bird, and Bruce were in the cave discussing their next move with Dick.

"Yes. The public already knows I have another son. It's about time to introduce him properly." "What about his hands? Alfred's decided Dick can go without the bandages, but what are the other socialites gonna say when they see him?" Tim asked. "Dick will be with me the whole night. You will be spread around the room, listening and interacting with others. If you hear anything, you inform me once it's done."

"This is crazy! You know Dick's not a big fan of huge crowds." Jason exclaimed, standing from his spot at the table. "Like I said, he'll be with me. If he starts panicking, we'll go somewhere private for a few minutes, just until he's ready to go back out." "Does Dick know?" "Alfred and I have talked to him about it. As long as he has someone he knows with him, he should be fine."

"Should be is not a guarantee, Bruce. You know his past. Hell, you're the one he came looking for. You know there might be someone from the Court there." "All the better, because Dick can point them out, and we can take them down." "They'll know Dick's alive. They'll know he's with us, and they'll kill him." Damian pointed out. "They're not going to get within ten feet of Dick."

"No, but their knives will. And if that fails, if they get past us, they'll rip into his throat with their claws. I don't think it's a good idea, Bruce." Tim jumped back in. "Trust me on this. Dick's excited, and I don't want to break his heart by saying he can't go. There will be guards, just like always." "When the hell has that ever helped?"

"It will be something. It'll give us enough time to get Dick out and to a safe place. The gala is being held here, and we're the only ones who know all the nooks and crannies. Dick will be fine." "And if he's not? If he gets hurt?" "Then you can blame it on me, and Dick doesn't have to go to one of these again. But I want to give him the chance to meet new people. The only people he's interacted with is us and Barbara. He's heard about the League, and their partners, but he hasn't had the chance to meet them yet."

"And what about the people who caused our car to crash? The ones who did that to Dick's hands? What if they're at the gala, and decide to attack again?" "Same as if the Court is there. I've thought everything through. The guest list isn't as big as some other galas we've been to. There will be some Leaguers as well, so they can help us fight. The caters and waiters are already selected, they're people we can trust. Cameras are everywhere, and security will be tight at the entrance. Nothing is going to happen to Dick."

Jason frowned. "I still don't like it. What if security gets breached?" "There are several handpicked guards that will be undercover in the ballroom, and Lucius will be monitoring the cameras. We'll have a heads up if anything happens." Tim sighed. "If we've got everything set…I guess I'm ok with it." "Drake!" "It makes sense! We have to do it sometime, and sooner is better than later. We've got a crap ton of security, freaking superheroes will be there, and Dick's getting a chance to connect with people his age. We all know he's not going to be satisfied with just here for much longer. He needs to move, to go somewhere. The gala is an open door to that. So yes, I'm willing to take that chance."

Jason still wasn't happy. "I'm sticking close. I don't care how much security we have, I don't trust Dick around these people. He's too naive." "He lived in a place where everything was what it was for eight years, Todd. He has no experience of con men and women. He will need to be taught how to recognize it." Damian pointed out. "The gala is in a few days, and Dick had already shown he's a fast learner. He's got interrogation skills, so he knows how to read people. We just need to teach him what to recognize."