46 Invitations

Logan, "How about you take my bike there and I will fly overhead following you. Will that work, or do we need to sneak in?"

Dick, "No, there is a false wall in the building that has a camera I can control."

I tossed him my keys and pointed out the bike. Then once I let him out the gate, I closed it up and then I changed into an owl and went after him. The owl wasn't the fastest bird but so long as Dick didn't top my bike out, I could keep up. Once he entered an alleyway I dove down and changed into a cheetah on the fly and ran alongside him down a ramp.  Once he started to slow down, I started to look around and found a decent sized cave that had the bare amenities if not luxury.

Logan, "I assume that when Wayne Corps. Renovated the Knight's stadium this cave was found and repurposed to a backup cave?"

Dick, "Yeah, we supported the floor that is our roof in here and made some other changes. These types of hideouts come in handy on long missions."

Seeing the same set of exercise equipment as in the watchtower I was excited to push my limits. If my calculations pan out, then it shouldn't be long for me to hit my max bench of half a ton and high rep at 750(ish).

The next three weeks went by in a blur of monotony. Mornings started with a good morning text to Pam with an inane smiley face, work as a mechanic, train with Dick and occasionally go out on patrol. In fact, the only thing of true note that happened was during a patrol Dick and I came across Devilgirl. From the conversation I understood that this was the first time she had seen Dick not in his customary Robin suit. Judging from the looks she was giving him I would bet she approved.

After assuring her he was still Devilbats partner, and the mission hadn't changed, we parted ways as she was working a car thief ring, and we were still tracking the route drugs were coming into the city. Knowing the fastest way to do that was to use some lightly radiated money and track where it ended up.

A few days after meeting Devilgirl Dick and I were training under the stadium, and he told me. "Your speed allows you to make corrections much faster than most people but once you smooth things out in your form you will be much faster than me. You have a habit of using too much strength in your movement but with your monstrous stamina it won't be an issue so long as you don't overextend."

  He continued, "You are a perfect blend of my speed martial arts and Matts brute force. It's like we are on the opposite spectrum, and you are balanced between us. Matt always believed that if someone on Superman or J'onn's strength level learned martial arts they would be unstoppable in hand-to-hand combat. After the beatdown Darkseid gave Superman, he has shown an interest in basic hand to hand, but he has a busy life right now."

At the end of our workout session, Dick said, "Hey, um.. We have been training a lot lately and I think we should take a break. There is a Circus setting up I'm Metropolis for a week's run of shows and I was thinking about going, you interested in joining me?

Taking a deep breath I ask, "Is it the Haly's Circus?"

Dick, "Yeah it is."

Logan, "Have you seen them recently?"

Dick, "Yeah, I have caught up with them a few times over the years. Just never here in Gotham, I have seen their show here so many times in my dreams when I was younger, I don't think I could ever go to it again."

Logan, "Intellectually I can understand that. There is no way I could see it from your emotional perspective. But I would be happy to meet your extended family, they can't be worse than Matt, right?"

Dick, "Ok meet up at my place tomorrow around noon."

Logan, "You mean the Mansion?"

Dick, "Oh, no. I forgot to mention, part of the new freedom that came along with the costume was a place of my own. It's in the Bowery, I figured why live in the best part of town when you're trying to save the worst part. Right? Matt didn't like it, but he accepted my choice in the end. Well, after many security stipulations, that is."

Logan, "Ok, I'll need a place to park my bike. Can't wing it if I'm carrying a backpack, and there is no way I'm leaving it on the street in the Bowery. She would be gone before I got to your door to let you know I was there."

Dick, "Its fine, we can meet up there and we can bike to the airport. I got a street bike for myself since the Devilcycle would stand out way too much. I blame you; I liked riding yours the other week, riding just to go, not to chase someone was quite a new experience. Once there we can park them in the hangar."

Logan, "Ok, I will let Arnie know he will need to cover for me with the boys. How many days do you think we will be there? Surely you don't plan to just leave after one night, right?"

Dick, "Plan for at least 4 nights, I wish I knew how to get ahold of Devilgirl to let her know we won't be out on patrol for a while."

Logan, "Yeah, I'm sure that's the only reason you want her number. As soon as she shows up you start shouting out binary code in your mind like mad. What's up with you and that Barbara chick you talk about so much?"

Dick, "We just seem like we are missing each other in the forest, you know. When I'm available she disappears and when she is around, I have to patrol."

Logan, "You talk to Matt about clueing her in? Maybe not the specifics but just the general overview of the situation."

Dick, "Yeah, he gave me the 'Are you ready for the commitment that would represent?' speech. Honestly, the word commitment makes me cringe a bit. So, I'm still weighing my options."

Logan, "Well you could always tell her and explain that if it's too much after hearing you out, you have some friends that can give her a nice dream of that point in time. One that wouldn't affect her at all just a random dream covering a memory."

Dick, "Be gone you temptation devil, fill me not with immoral ideas. That would make my life so much easier..... Can you really do that?"

Logan, "If I couldn't then J'onn could. But if it becomes a regular thing that could turn into an issue in and of itself."

Dick, "Well that's something to think about. I am going to head out, see you tomorrow." 

I didn't bother bringing my bike today, so I just went into the shape of an owl and flew to the junkyard. I left my window open and just flew in and went straight to the shower. After words I checked my phone to see I had a text from Pam.

Pam [I will be out of town for a few days, possibly a week so don't bother texting me.]

Logan [Can you share where you are going, or is it top secret bio lab stuff?]

A few minutes later.

Pam [I swear you say Bio just to piss me off, don't you. I will be going to Africa with hopes of finding a Welwitschia Mirabilis. It will help with my research theory, I believe. And for the last time (Again) it's a Botanical Lab.]

Logan [Well that beats my plan of inviting you to the Halys Circus in Metropolis.]

Pam {Gotham is a Circus, you got Devils on the trapeze, Clowns in the police department and Lizardmen in the sewers.] 

Logan [Fair point, but you go to a Circus to see them in a safe environment. You hope! Maybe when you get back, we could set a time to see the Wayne Botanical Garden's? I hear that Martha Wayne had quite the vision for viewing the flora she gathered.  A different experience for every season I hear.]

Logan [Also since I don't expect an answer, please be safe. For April if no one else. An American tends to stick out in the Cradle of Creation.]

The next morning I let Arnie know about my plans and went to the stadium to do my morning workout. I am really resisting the urge to increase the density of my muscles from a quarter to half, but the weight thing is becoming an issue my poor bike can barely handle. I may have to foot the bill for some specialized shocks.

After that's done, I head to Dicks and use the code to get into the garage. His place looks like the rest of the Bowery from the outside but from the inside you can see Matt had a building of 20 rooms and two floors converted to just a garage/training room on the first floor and then the loft is the second floor.

Walking in I see Dick holding a box of captain crunch up to his mouth and munching away.

Logan, "If Alfred saw you right now, he would tell Matt that you are getting out of shape just to hear you cry as he doubles your training routine."

Seeing the new outfit laying in the corner in a bundle I just shake my head. Apparently Morph had some issues with his cleanliness as well as he took the form of Alfred from the animated series and shook his finger at Dick. 

Dick had the decency to look embarrassed as he rubbed the back of his head, "Come on guys, I'm just not used to doing all the little thing yet is all.

Logan just uttered one word, "Spoiled!"