Batcave
"What are you doing?"
Tim sighed, he had forgotten Lorna was still in the Batcave. "Well, I'm trying to access any information and blueprints related to the warehouse or the estate it's in, use that information to find a large amount of diverted power that leads to said building and use that to find any cameras; if any, to hack and help team Batman. That, is what I'm doing." He explains briefly, his eyes unwavering from the streams of info rolling down his screen.
"He's helping Master Bruce find Master Dick, I believe" Alfred inputs, knowing that exact 'overwhelmed with info' look on the poor girl's face.
"Yes, thank you Alfred" Tim murmurs.
Lorna gave Alfred a small thankful smile, it was clear she was to remain quiet and ignore any urge to ask more questions, resorting to playing with a thread on her sleeve.
"Perhaps, you would like to help me observe the CCTV outside the buildings, miss Lorna"
"Yes, Alfred, anything to help"
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Inside the underground halls
Nightwing turned another corner and let out a frustrated sigh, he should have stayed, played it cool and leave as soon as he was out those doors. A grating to his left revealed another hallway. Listening carefully he moves down the new path.
More grinding and a path opens to his right, deciding that he couldn't get anymore lost, Dick makes his way down the hall until another path opens up. There's a little luck with two new passages, but three consecutive openings was too much of a coincidence. Someone must be controlling the walls. Slade, was a strong maybe. He was first here with Dick when he revealed Barbara to him, but then again these hallways were random until Batman showed up. Turning back down the corridor, Dick stops as the path he was just on closes up.
"Forward it is then." he sighs.
The familiar heavy feeling of wet cotton settled in his head again. He stops abruptly and takes a step back, but the feeling grew. Whatever, or whoever was trying to control him was getting closer. Dick gasps slightly as his back hits the cold concrete wall behind him. He hadn't realised he was retreating back down the hall. A sense of hopelessness grew in him. He could only close his eyes and try to fight the heaviness in his mind.
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"So let me get this straight." Jason began. "Dick....."
"No names in the field Hood" Batman interrupted harshly.
"Nightwing" Jason growled, his booted foot hitting the ground a little strongly than normal, " has been brainwashed to believe Batman, the self righteous asshole himself, arranged to kill his parents, use him as a tool until he was finished with him before killing him aswell? Its a little far fetched...No?"
"Yes, in simple terms." Barbara agreed softly, her mind thinking back to how lost Grayson truly was.
"What I don't understand is, Nightwing had referred to Slade as father, yet memories have been placed in his mind that Batman had killed his parents. Mary and John Grayson, mother and father. However, he also has twisted memories of his childhood in the manor. Where has the connection between father and Slade Wilson been made?" Barbara observed.
The others remained silent, thinking over what she had revealed. It was true. Dick Grayson had made it clear to Bruce that, while he loved them dearly and would sacrifice the world for them, no one would replace his father. For Grayson to have referred to Slade as father, showed the extent of manipulation and damage caused to the boy and the large loophole Slade had overlooked. It would only be the matter of finding Nighting, grasping at any memories he has retained before seeking help from miss Martian or her uncle.
Moving further down the hall, they listened for any sign of life. The walls shifted constantly around them, diverting their attention to unfamiliar sounds echoing from corner to corner. The warehouse didn't look large enough for the foundations to contain such an extensive basement and whether or not they were travelling in circles became more of a question.
Pulling out a small can of red spray paint Jason traces out a small bat on the wall. "If this proves we are wasting time walking in shitty circles, I'm putting a hole in one of these walls." He grumbles , explaining himself to his confused colleagues.
"Tch, Hood why do you even have paint, I didn't realise finger painting was a cherished hobby of yours." Damien taunted, a smug smile making it's way on his face.
"Shut up demon spawn, I used paint to scare any drug gangs I took down. A red bat on the walls of a warehouse was an effective reminder I'm still around" Jason growled back.
"Enough. It is a good plan Hood." Batman acknowledged as he tried to get a reading on his hologlove. "Red Robin should be in contact soon, then we will split into two groups, Robin and Oracle you find Nightwing and get him out, sedate him if you have to. Red Hood you're with me, we will find Slade and take him down. Clear?"
"Clear"
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"I have him Deathstroke, though he is resisting" Psimon informed.
Slade was glaring hard at the camera feed, watching Grayson sink to the floor, gripping his head. His eyes flicker to Batman and his team, they were getting closer. His leather gloves squeak as his fists clamp tight around the chair he was sitting in.
"Keep trying, if you lose him again alien, you will find your brains splattered across the ceiling." He grit out fiercely, his anger boiling past its tipping point. His employers will not be impressed with the problems he has run into.
"Yes sir."
"How easy it would be to destroy Slade's mind" Psimon sneered to himself, he wasn't someone to be treated like some insuperior being. Something will have to change.
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I'm so sorry for the late updates🙈 I'm gonna start making shorter chapters so I can update this story faster, this chapter has been sitting in the drafts since November and it was lucky to see three words added. Thank you so much for all your comments and votes, it really means the world. Hopefully i get the next chapter out soon enough.
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Vigilante Struggles
أدب الهواةStanding up, Dick stretched, his shoulders popping as he pulled them behind his neck. He was still wearing the uniform Slade Wilson forced him into, except now there was a messy blue Nightwing sigil across his chest and shoulders courtesy of Dick's...
