Chapter 6

"So, why did you let him go?"

"He wasn't part of the job."

"And you just let him beat up our men?"

"Protecting them wasn't part of the job either."

"Have you gone soft after all those years in prison, Slade?"

Slade Wilson, the man also called as Deathstroke, is in the office of the head of the Maroni family. They hired him to kill any would be stragglers once a death match ensues between the mafiosos and the mutants or the police but it didn't happen because the party that came was neither the police or the mutants and had no intention of killing anyone except Slade himself. But the target of animosity didn't find it threatening.

"Would you like to test that theory out?" Slade narrowed his only eye that was left and grinned.

A guard was about to pull out his gun before his boss raised his hand to stop him.

"Haah. My men weren't killed and they have nothing to pin on them except illegal possession of firearms. We can bail them out. The money has already been deposited. You can leave." The head of the maroni family heaved out a sigh and concluded the meeting.

Slade stood up and nodded before leaving.

The words of the man who hired him occupied his thoughts. Maybe he has gone soft. He was going to kill the man he met at the warehouse the moment he expresses his intent to kill but what he said made him change his mind.

'He's the man who killed my father.'

It reminded him of his own sons and his shortcomings of being a father.

He maybe even jealous. Would his sons ever go to such lengths to hunt down their father's murderer or because they hated him so much, they wouldn't care? It wouldn't matter now that both of them are dead.

"i forgot to ask the kid's name." he suddenly remembered.

-----

Terry is staring at the ceiling. He's laying down on a hospital bed.

He passed out at the back of the car and woke up at the hospital.

"... the other day, I just said that you needed to take care of yourself. Geez, Terry."

His mother is at his bedside giving a lecture.

He couldn't focus on what she was saying. But to sum it up, Barbara told his mother that he slipped down the stairs while he was carrying heavy equipment and what he was carrying landed on his leg.

"The doctor said you can get out of here tomorrow but you can't take your cast off for three weeks. Even then you have to attend therapy sessions but they said that you'll be fully healed in six months."

"Hey."

Barbara entered the room.

"Why are you here?" Terry asked her.

"Don't be rude, Terry. I called her here after you woke up." His mother scolded him.

"You work for me, that means you're my responsibility." Barbara said.

"Don't worry about it. It's my fault anyways."

"Still."

"It's not the time to be proud, Terry. She paid all your hospital bills and she said she'll pay for your therapy. It happened at their place and so it's her responsibility."

Mary McGinnis, Terry's mother still thought they were talking about the "accident".

"Ummm...Does he get to keep his job?" Mary asked Barbara.

"...No. He didn't break anything but he did a bad job."

Mary frowned while Terry just furrowed his eyebrows. In his mind, he's grumbling about this whole charade that he has to put up with Barbara.

"Instead of Terry, why don't you work for us again, Mrs. McGinnis."

"As a custodian?" Mary asked confused.

"No. Your old job." Mary widened her eyes and looked at Terry. Terry was smiling at her but she was worried.

"But what about Terry? Oh, and please just call me Mary." She asked.

"Actually, a friend wants to enroll Terry in college." said Barbara.

Mother and son looked at each other with widened eyes.

Mary looked at Barbara with teary eyes and asked "Who?"

"That would be me." A reply came from the door.

An old man in a three-piece suit with a hat to match and glasses stood there with his two hands above his cane.

He removed his hat and put it above his chest.

"My name is Alfred Pennyworth. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Madam."

"Alf- Penny- th-the one who inherited...Y-yes nice to meet you. I'm Mary. Mary McGinnis. But how did you meet my Terry."

"I'm responsible for their meeting. I made Terry run an errand for me at Alfred's house."

"B-but why?" Mary faced Alfred again and was asking why he would give Terry the opportunity to go to college.

"It was my recommendation." Barbara said.

"and I am delighted to have the opportunity to help such a bright young man. Gotham is proud to have him as a son."

"Thank you-"

"Only if I agree." Terry ruined the happy atmosphere with those words. It didn't end well for him.

He got chastised by his mother in front of Barbara and Alfred. He was so scared. He has never seen his mom that angry ever since he lost his brother at the park who was five at that time.

"Ehem...anyways, you should take this opportunity and don't waste it. I got my old job back so you don't have to worry about me providing for you and your brother anymore if that's the only thing you're worried about."

Terry couldn't utter a word. Everyone watched his mom fix her posture and disheveled hair.

"...i-if I may speak, I was also thinking of offering Terry a job as my personal attendant." Alfred was nervous because of the sudden outburst of Mary and struggled before he could say what he wanted.

"I'm very old as you can see, and I don't have a family of my own. My home is very big and it has been hard managing it." Alfred continued.

Mary looked at Terry and gave him an expression that seemed to say "you better not say anything stupid again"

Terry, feeling cornered by his mother hesitantly said "Th-thank you."

Satisfied by his answer, Mary made a bright smile.

"Please stay here, I'll get us something to eat."

They couldn't say something to the woman and just nodded. Barbara wanted to talk to Terry alone, anyway.

"Your mother is something." Barbara said as soon as Mary left.

"Yeah." Terry just chuckled.

An awkward silence filled the room.

"There was no package..." Barbara went on to talk business.

"It was made up to lure us in. They knew if I was going to send in someone, I would make sure it would be someone I trust. They wanted to lessen the people in the police that are straight. They know that people like that are scarce in the police nowadays and so this was their way to weaken my hold on my own organization. They wanted to kill two birds with one stone and tried to lure in the mutants too. Your old gang is beginning to become threatening as your numbers grow. I believe your leader only gives you targets that are somehow connected to them. He hits them where it hurts. Their pockets. But he's smarter than me. He wasn't greedy and didn't send anyone to the place unlike me."

"What now? Faking being a college student slash personal attendant just to get me to go on one of your little missions again. I don't mind as long as you pay me-"

"It's real." Barbara cut Terry off.

"What?"

"You're already enrolled and Alfred really needs a personal attendant. I won't assign you anymore 'little missions'. Not after what happened." Barbara sternly said.

"Why? Didn't you just say you need someone you can trust? Didn't I follow everything that you said?" Terry objected.

"I knew you'd still want to be in the game as soon as you found out that there's a chance you can meet deathstroke again. No. You were too reckless back there. You were too blinded by your anger that you didn't realize how outmatched you were. You're lucky you're even still alive. I can't have your blood on my hands."

" But I AM alive."

"Only because he let you. What were you even thinking rushing in like that?"

"Why didn't he kill me anyway?"

"Probably because you were neither police or a member of the mutants. Killing you was unnecessary. It wasn't what he was paid for."

"...I am...unnecessary..." Terry said melancholic with a tint of anger.

Barbara looked away because she couldn't say to his face that deathstroke didn't see him as a threat even though Terry came at him with the intent to kill. He held back. He even broke his leg cleanly on purpose so Terry would be able to fully recover. She can't say it. It would only fuel him more.

"And that's that. No more missions."

Terry glared at her. She glared back. Barbara is thinking he would still probably find away to meet deathstroke again even if they leave him alone.

After a minute of staring at each other, Barbara sighed then looked at Alfred. He nodded. Then she faced Terry again.

"You're a stubborn kid. Fine. We'll help you avenge your father. Not revenge. Avenge. You'll get your justice the right way. If you don't follow us, we won't help you anymore. Deal?"

"Deal." Terry smiled in satisfaction.

Alfred and Barbara didn't know that Terry wasn't smiling because of the deal. It was an entirely different reason. He was smiling because he won a staring contest. Unbeknownst to them, he was very petty and competitive. It's an immature trait of his.