Shadows and Cards (a Batboys x OC)

Chapter 4

   Grayson

When Grayson found out that Damian had stolen the Batmobile again, and had his radar turned off, his first reaction was to go after him. But Bruce had insisted that he make Jason go after him. He said that he and Damian didn't get along so well, and it was best for him to get him. After that, he dropped it. But he knew that Damian was going to get it when he got back. But when he came back and saw the girl in the car, he knew that she wasn't part of his master plan.

Grayson stood, and released Damian from his hold. Damian scrambled up, ready to fight him, but Grayson wasn't interested in that. He strode over to the car and assessed her injuries. She had a gash on her head, not deep enough for stitches, but her back could be said otherwise, telling by the blood that was dripping from the black leather of the seat. He was debating if she needed fluids, she had a lean, muscular body, but her face seemed without life. 

He unbuckled her from the car with feline gentleness and carried her to the stairwell that leads to the manner above. God, she was so light. Damian was following behind as if making sure he didn't hurt her. He turned to him.

"I want you to contact Tim from patrol. Tell him it's urgent," he said.

Damian started, "I should take her. I'm the one who-"

"That's not important. She's injured and we are not going to start a fight over it." he snapped, "I bet you don't even know her name, it's not up for discussion."

Damian snarled, "I'm not going to let you take her. For all I know, you'll just throw her out of this place so you don't have to get involved, Grayson."

The way Damian used his name made him bristle. He spoke so quietly, that only a trained assassin could hear.

"I'm not going to fight you, Damian. But I will if you're going to insist on it. Now run your sorry ass and go. Get. Tim. Now. Understood?"

That seemed to turn his gears and make him think rationally because he huffed and he turned on his heel and went to the computer to contact Tim.

Just as he was about to head to the infirmary, he heard the secret door of the cave open, and he turned once again to see Jason ride into the cave. He sighed through his nose as Jason got off his motorcycle and gave Grayson a nod. Of all the people, why had Bruce decided that he would be best to get Damian. He watched him walk over to Damian, who was talking with Tim on the monitor. Great. Now he had to deal with him. At least he brought Damian back.

He quickly walked to the infirmary and placed the girl on a cot. His arms and torso were coated in her blood. He was setting up fluids when Tim walked in. Grayson turned, still coated in blood, he grinned. Tim paled.

"Oh my god. What happened?" Tim said.

"Apparently, Damian found her on one of his unapproved missions. And more, on a man named Dr. Keystone and a corporation called GEM. Genetically Enhanced Military." Grayson explained, "She's injured. Can you patch the wounds?"

Tim scratched his head as he gingerly lifted one of her huge wings. "I'm not sure, she might have a different bone and muscle structure, and I don't know if there are any broken bones. I'll do some research on bird wing structure, and patch any minor wounds everywhere else. But what will we do with her after she wakes up? What will Bruce say?"

Grayson didn't want to think about that. Bruce will be furious with everyone, and it will end up being taken out on him, as being eldest. But this girl, she can't be thrown out on the streets. And she might become a target if Keystone is looking for her. Grayson sighed.

"When you're done mending her, I need you to do some research. And find out where GEM's headquarters are," he told Tim.

"There's something else too."

Grayson and Tim whirled to find Damian leaning against the doorway.

"Look at her gown. There's a symbol there. Take a wild guess as to who's calling card it is."

They turned back to the girl, and there was a sewn symbol on the thin hospital gown. There were two cards, the back one had an odd-looking S on it and the front one. Grayson's heart stopped. The card was the Joker. He whirled on Damian and tried the best he could to keep his temper on a tight leash.

"She belongs to the Joker?" Tim whispered.

Damian's face was grim, "Not yet, my guess is she was going to be shipped off to him very soon, if not today, but I came and compromised it."

"Do you realize what you've done?" Grayson asked, "You just brought the biggest threat into the cave, and have possibly jeopardized our safety."

"If she's sold to him then why did she fight back?" Damian snarled.

Tim said, "Uh, guys, did she have that on her collarbone before?"

Grayson and Damian both then stopped arguing and came to see when Tim was touching. Grayson paled. There was a black stone embedded in her chest, just above the collar of the gown, and it seemed to ripple with the colors of the rainbow. When he looked at it, he could feel so many emotions at once. Happiness, anger, sadness, fear. It was suffocating.

Jason burst into the room, panting.

"We've got a prob-" He started, but was cut off as the pulse of the stone hit him. He staggered to the girl and pulled a bandage out of his belt. He then swiftly covered the stone, and the emotions left him, and Grayson tipped. Tim was throwing up on the floor, and Damian was panting.

Jason said, "As I said, we've got a problem." and pointed to the door.

They all turned to find Batman standing in the doorway, glowering. They all stiffened.

"Start talking."