A Twist of Fate

Chapter 14

Canary handed Dick a bag of clothes and directed him to the locker rooms. He peeked through the bag noting the shorts and swim trunks as the only clothing for pants. He handed a wide rang for shirts but felt slightly blessed when he saw the swimming shirt. Slade had to have told Batman some things. Maybe not all of it but most. It made Dick slightly betrayed but also comforted that someone knew. Maybe he should ask Batman what Slade told him and tell him that he needed-

The pounding on the locker door broke Dick out of his trance.

"Come on slowpoke!" Artemis shouted from behind the door.

Dick rushed to rip off his shirt and put on the swim shirt, thankful that it had holes at the end of the sleeves for his thumbs to go through. Next were the trunks and he was running out the door a grin on his face. Everyone was just fine for the first five minutes of walking to the beach until Artemis noticed the scar. It was the biggest of the scars on his legs but once you saw that one, you could see every single one.

"Where did you get that scar?" Artemis asked, pointing the two that were on either side of his right calf.

Dick stiffened, ducking his head a little, "Spear I think. I could have been a harpoon. I don't remember very well."

"Are those Tattoos?" Wally asked pointed to the back of his knees, "I thought you have to be eighteen to get one."

Dick smiled remembering what was there, "One of my brothers gave them to me. He's a great artist and I just asked. Deathstroke was fuming for a week. I got grounded and my brother got his tattooing equipment taken away for a year. I got them when I was ten." He walked past the team, hoping to get to the beach faster. He just hoped his day would be more uphill now that some things were out in the open.

~ ~ ~

Bruce glared at the screen in front of him. Slade sat on in a chair glaring back. It had only been three days and Slade had already broken down and called Bruce asking about Dick. Bruce had to admit, the man was concerned about his apprentice. Or if Superman and Alfred were right, Renegade was Slade's son.

"How is he?" Slade asked with a sigh.

He looked stressed out and weary. There were no bags under his eyes, his experimentation was to blame. On the other hand, Slade's clothes were ragged, out of place, and torn in places. It was the first time Bruce had seen Slade, out of sorts, so to speak.

Bruce smiled, a quick turn of his lips, remembering the boy and the team against the Justice League in that game, "He seems alright. Wallace said that he went to the rafters of a gym this morning. He said Renegade was stressed. Wallace brought out a game and they stayed up there for nearly the energy of the morning. They're currently at the beach."

Slade ran a hand through his hair. It looked to be getting longer, "That seems like him. He doesn't like being cooped up."

"I've been thinking." Bruce started.

Slade smirked, "A horrible thing for the villains of the world."

"I have a mission for the team and I think Renegade would do good in it. It's small scale."

Slade pursed his lips, "I have no doubt he could complete it with little difficulty. It's that if these people get wind of him there, they won't hesitate to take him. I want him out of harm's way for this Bruce. At least until I can re-establish that I'm to be left alone."

"You're still not going to tell me who it is."

Slade winced ever so slightly, "You can ask Renegade but you are not to force him. The people that are after him don't know I had him yet, nor do they know you have him, so he's safe for now."

"You don't think that's going to last long or you wouldn't have given him to the League."

Slade nodded, "Ask Renegade about the mission. He can go, just not under the name Renegade."

"Slade." Bruce called out before the man could disconnect with him, "What does this boy mean to you?"

"I'll give up everything for this boy, Bruce. Wouldn't you for your three sons?" Slade sighed, "I'm giving up everything I know right now for this boy. I will do whatever it takes to keep him safe." There was a weighted pause before Slade said quickly, "Just call or text that number I gave you if you need any help with the boy."

The screen went black, cutting out of the transmission. Bruce just stared at it caught in his own mind, thinking of what kind of boy Renegade was to get the all powerful Slade to make his deal. Bruce knew that the boy could bail out or Slade could just come get him, any time they liked but they did neither.

He had taken everything that could be used as a weapon from Renegade and had left a bag full of things he could keep in his room that morning. Bruce had kept the pills on the other hand, waiting for the test to get back. He wasn't going to confront the boy until he knew exactly what the pills were.

His com-link beeped and Bruce pressed it, calling out, "Batman."

"Batman, good, this is Canary. Did you know that Renegade is covered in scars. I can only see the scars on his legs, but from the long sleeve swim shirt he chose, I'm sure there is far more there."

"What do you want me to do about it?" Bruce growled.

Canary snorted, "I want a session with him. If Slade abused him-"

"The boy probably won't tell you anything." Bruce sighed, "You can try but if he's anything like Slade, me, or any other highly trained person, he's not going to open up to someone he doesn't fully trust. That means you, me, and anyone else at this point."

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Canary half shouted into the com-link.

Bruce winced at the shreek, "Let the team work with him. I put him there for them to get information from him. Not for us too. If he's going to tell anyone anything it would be teens around his own age."

"And how old is he? Do you even know that?"

Bruce didn't comment. She was right, the mighty, all knowing Batman, didn't know anything about Renegade. But that was just it. He wouldn't be able to find out unless the boy told him. Slade had done his homework and erased himself and all his children from the map, nearly. He wouldn't find anything on the boy. So he let the team work with him.

"See. You don't know anything about him! He could be a mole!"

"Then why has Deathstroke conveniently not taken any contracts or killing?"

Canary paused, "You made a deal with him. You're to protect him... From what or who?"

"I don't know but I know the team can get him to open up." Bruce sighed, "I know that Renegade has never killed. I know that he has on multiple occasions refused to kill. I know that this is a boy that has been beaten, broken, and put back together. I also know that if we push him or show any kind of aggression, he'll be gone, back to Slade."

Canary sighed, "I see that. I can see that the boy is frightened but does a good job at showing a good front. The team got him to the beach. I think he likes Wally the most. Too bad Wally likes that boy, Richard."

"Yes," Bruce murmurs, thinking back, "Too bad."