9 Chapter 8 - Catching Up

Time skips 1 year

Location: Acres of All

Jason's POV

The sound of a helicopter rings out into the air. Wind blowing everywhere as it descends down onto the open area. Leaves scattering into the air along with it.

My hair is being swept all over the place from the current of air being pushed out. The cold from being up here in the mountains brushing against my exposed skin.

The helicopter finally makes its landing as the engine turns itself off. I stand there waiting with Ducra by my side as we wait for the occupants to exit out. Doors opening and a figure finally coming out.

A smile comes to my face from seeing Talia once again. It's been years since I've seen my benefactor. Observing her for a moment I see that she looks tired. Slight bags under her eyes from probably working herself too hard. Yet, the rest of her looks perfect even when not in peak condition.

"Talia, it's been awhile," I greet with an easy going smile. Talia looks over to me for a moment observing me before coming to a smile of her own. She walks over, stopping herself in front of me.

I was taller than her already before I left, and I've only gotten taller since. If I had to estimate my height now then it would probably be comparable to Bruce, maybe even slightly taller just by centimeters. Funny how far I've come, compared to the street urchin of before.

"Man, you look like shit."

She just releases her typical sigh at my attitude and Ducra also releases one of her own. Both coming to know in their own separate times with me how loose I can be with my thoughts.

"I see even Master Ducra was not able to instill manners into you," Talia remarks with an exasperated tone. Yet, there is still a hint of a smile on her face.

"It would have been easier to teach manners to the dead before this boy could learn them," Ducra adds. She really did try to teach me, even forcefully when not seeing the results she wanted. If only she knew that this is the one thing she couldn't do.

"Sorry but learning to kiss ass just isn't my style," I explain with a shrug. Are manners good to have in life? Maybe if you're trying to impress someone. But I never gave a shit about impressing people, something I shared with Bruce. The difference between us though is he had to keep up an image that separated the Bat from the Man and I don't have separate images to maintain. One of the perks of not having a double identity anymore.

"Yes, I know. But it was still worth a try," Talia chides. She gives me a pat on the shoulder and goes to talk to Ducra, while I go to put my stuff inside the helicopter. A duffel bag containing most of my weapons and belongings. I set them to the side and turn around to take in the place for the last time.

I'll definitely miss the natural feeling of this place. I'll also be missing some of the people here too. Essence for one, and even Ducra. Both have grown on me in their different ways.

It's crazy to believe that I've been here for two years already. Time really does fly by fast when you have a goal and someone to spend it with.

I already said my farewell to Essence. She didn't want to make a big deal out of going, since I already made a promise to her. Which made it easier for me to say goodbye to her without feeling slightly guilty for leaving.

She knows though that I'm a person who keeps their word. One of the things I love about her, she knows me. Even the worst parts.

I may not have manners for shit or care about most things, but I like to believe that if there is one thing that I have it is my word. This being the one thing that separates me from the other killers in this world. Aside from the fact, I don't target innocents either.

I'm not disillusioned enough to believe that I'm above them when it comes to killing people. But at least I know I won't backstab and become an absolute scumbag for my own gain. Just want my revenge to finally have some peace in my mind and soul. Hopefully after, the Lazarus will finally settle down too.

Not too much to ask for, right?

Talia probably finished her talk with Ducra, as she starts making her way back over to the helicopter. My time here is finished for the moment, now I can focus on what I've been missing these past years.

Later…

The helicopter slowly lands, as we arrive at Talia's compound, but the place looked a lot more fortified than usual. More guards littered around the area. A little bit of a strange sight compared to the past.

Something must be going on for her to start stacking up on security. Unfortunately she hasn't told me jack shit yet. Only saying we would talk once at the compound. Leave it to Talia to wait to tell me the most important things.

We both leave the chopper as I sling my bag over my shoulder. Talia takes the lead as I see the routine bowing of heads towards her. Entering a few different lit halls we reach a room with only a window looking out and a table in the center.

The table itself has a pot of tea and two cups to the side. Man I hate tea, but it was the only thing they really drank at the All Caste aside from river waters. So I have developed a better tolerance for it at least.

"Come Jason, have a seat," Talia motions at the table for me. I move over into one of the seats and sit down, my bag set to the side of me.

I wait for Talia as she fills the two cups of tea for the both of us. She sits down, taking a sip from her tea. I elect to do the same as I sip a little, not actually minding the taste that badly. Definitely have tasted shittier ones.

"I have much to inform you of what has happened in your absence," she starts. I set my cup down and turn my full attention to her. Finally down to the meat and potatoes.

"Thanks, I haven't really known what has happened ever since you cut off communications with me," I replied. Was pretty pissed how she basically dropped me off the grid without any updates.

"I'm sorry, but there were reasons for that. The same reason why I've been building my defenses."

She looks out the window with a tired look. Resting her head on her hand, while occasionally sipping at her tea.

"You see, my father has gone mad from the Lazarus."

A snort comes from me when hearing those words.

"Sorry to burst your bubble but your father has always been a freaking nut."

She looks from the window to me for a second and then back out. Her brows furrow slightly.

"Maybe you're right, but even then it was controlled. But now his madness has gone unrestrained. His mind dwindles everyday further into the abyss."

Talia's eyes start taking on a far off look, which means she's probably about to go on a long rant of the past.

"Yaddah, Yaddah, yaddah. So what's the point here," I cut in once again. I already know the guy jumped the boat, don't need all the extra crap.

"What I was going to say is that I am at war Jason. My father's madness has only amplified his paranoia. He thinks I wish to usurp him as the head of the demon. This has led him to claiming the Lazarus pits and all those that have bathed in them"

She looks away from the window to me with a hardened gaze.

"So the cuckoo has finally flown from the nest. Guess it explains why you look like you've been up for a week straight. I am a little curious though, how long has this war gone on?"

Couldn't have been that long if she is still standing here with me.

"About a year now."

My eyes widen from her statement. A war that's lasted a year now within the league. Shit really has turned for the worst on her.

"Jesus a year, got to give you some mad respect for this Talia."

She really does deserve it for holding her father back for a literal year. Shit must not have been easy for her at all.

"I've only lasted this long because I have a lot to fight for and much to lose should I fail," She returns with a hardened look in her eyes. A look that reminded me of my mom when she took care of me before disappearing. Which makes me wonder what Talia is fighting for other than her life.

"That isn't all that has happened in your solitude," she continues with a morbid tone now. Definitely isn't a good sign.

"Why do I get a feeling this is just as bad," I comment. Talia only looks down with a saddened look

"Grayson is dead."

I blink once and then blink a couple more times. Feeling the Lazarus slipping out a little, affecting my mood slightly.

"What!"

"A bomb was dropped on Grayson's protected city while he was in it. It destroyed Bludhaven in its entirety and only left ruin. Grayson's body was never found. It is mostly assumed that he is now ash like the rest of the city is," she mutters out with distaste in her tone. Venom clearly dripping from her tone. Senseless slaughter has never been something that the league condones in, not without a really good reason. Even then though, most of their reasons center around 'fixing' places starting from the ground up.

My mind goes back to the death of Dick. It's honestly hard to believe. Hell, I still don't kind of think what she told me was real. I know that with the life he and Bruce lived, expecting to have a long life isn't really in the books. I'm a clear example of that, but in my case, I was too much of an idiot to realize I was falling for a trap.

Unfortunately not even someone like Dick would expect a bomb dropped on top of his city. The golden boy finally bit the dust. Along with all of those people in that city. Families, women, even children all reduced to ash.

"Who's responsible for this," I force out with frustration. I may not want to be a hero of the people like some lame ass latex wearing weirdo, but this doesn't deserve to go unanswered. Those people deserve some form of justice. Not the same kind as those 'heroes' would give. But more raw in fashion. Whoever it is, if they're not dead then I've got some head hunting to do. The Lazarus thrums in response to my thoughts.

"It was a group by the name of The Society, formed by people with unstable minds and egos bigger than themselves. But if you're looking for the one who sent this particular order amongst them. It was Slade Wilson. I suppose he hated Grayson enough to do this."

A disapproving look on her face, when explaining it.

Deathstroke. One part of me thinks that he wouldn't do something so fucking stupid, but the other thinks that maybe his hatred for Dick went that far.

"Where's the asshole now?" I ask. Taking care of Joker is first and after that is the one-eyed sore loser.

"He's in Gotham."

My face scrunches at her answer.

"Gotham? What the hell is he doing there? And even more, why the hell hasn't Bruce done anything?!"

The Joker is one thing, but Bruce at least has to do something to Slade. Maybe two Robins dying will finally push him over the edge enough to bite back.

"This was the final bit of news I meant to tell you about. Gotham is not as you remember anymore. The criminal underworld has turned the city inside out in their greed to take everything. The main head among them would be Black Mask. He gathered the help of Deathstroke along with the aid of many mercenaries working under Slade himself."

This still wouldn't be enough to really stop Bruce. I know how he is, so she obviously isn't finished explaining, there has to be more. Bruce wouldn't be stopped by shit like this, not if he wants justice for Dick.

"This wouldn't be enough to entirely stop my beloved, but there were other forces lurking and waiting. Amongst them was Bane. He forged an alliance with Black mask and together they now rule the city. Making it a no man's land. As for Bruce, I do not know all the details. All I truly know was that there was a confrontation amongst Bruce against Bane and Deathstroke. After that, the Batman hasn't been spotted in months," She continues in length. Did Bruce possibly die? No I don't really believe that and neither does Talia.

"How do you not know? Don't you have a few sources in the city to tell you?" I ask her. I seriously doubt she wouldn't know, but on the other hand she has been busy with her own father.

"There was, but unfortunately Slade made it his job to route out any league business and burn all my resources there," She responds. Got to admit that was smart of him. Bruce did the same in the past when fighting against them. At least from the files in the batcomputer told me about that.

"What about the rest of the league? It sounds like they are just sitting on their asses the whole time. Didn't those super friends of Bruce care at all?".

"They can't help even if they wanted to. The president has quarantined the city off. It's too dangerous to let anything out without the chance of crime spreading outside the city. People also aren't allowed inside either. To do so would be responded with arrest and made an enemy of the law."

She sounds annoyed and exasperated from all the red tape put around the city. Feelings I also share with her.

Just hearing it makes me want to spit on the face of the super friends. Who gives a shit if they would be an enemy of the law or arrested. Bruce and those people inside Gotham are living in a literal hell and they are worried about fucking rules. Bunch of bitch ass hypocrites.

Speaking of quarantined, that leaves the problem of me finding a way into Gotham. Which shouldn't be too bad, I know that city like the back of my hand. Should only take me a couple hours of planning.

"Great, well it seems like I have an agenda of things to do. Do you at least know where the freak is? Would make my life a lot easier," I ask, feeling tired from all this mayhem. I at least want to hear one good thing out of today.

"Sadly, I do not."

There goes the rest of my hopes for an easier time.

"Awesome, looks like I got my work cut out for me."

Not only do I have to find a decent way in, but now I've got to find the jerk off too. I go to stand up to begin my preparations, but Talia holds her hand up to stop me.

"You should check for Bruce, while in Gotham," Talia advises.

"Oh really, now why would I do that," I say looking at her like she told me the sky is really blue. It isn't by the way.

"Jason, I know you say you don't care-"

"You're damn right I don't care, why should I anymore. Everything with Bruce is in the past for me and it should stay dead. Left all in that empty coffin of mine. I also got a shit ton to do, if that didn't seem obvious to you,"

Talia just lets me finish my words before looking at me with her knowing eyes.

"But I know you do care, because if you didn't then the news of Grayson's death would not affect you as it does now,"

I feel the need to speak up again and deny this bullshit coming from her mouth, but I don't.

Only staying silent as Talia watches me across from the table. Her eyes looked tired and exhaustion filling the rest of her face. A reminder of how long and tough these years have been since she left me with Ducra.

Her words stir in my mind as I think it over. I shouldn't care that Dick is dead and body probably reduced to ash. In fact I should be happy that the pompous prick finally got his due. But for some reason it does feel like a part of me feels a bit of loss from it. Maybe it's also because so many innocents went along with him. While Dick's death alone was kind of bad, it was all those people that weighed a little on me. I hate the idea of their deaths going unavenged.

Dick at least deserves better than that, so do the rest of those people. It just hits too close to home for me.

Because it reminds me of the helplessness from my mom disappearing and being capable of doing nothing about it. It reminds me of Catherine as she overdosed on drugs and I once again could do nothing about it. It reminds me of the inevitable explosion of me and my mother in that warehouse.

All moments where I felt powerless to do anything. Moments that left holes in my chest that couldn't be filled no matter what I do. Now another hole is added onto those ones already there. Dick and I may not have been that close, but I still knew him.

But this time I'm not helpless to change something. I'll find Slade after the Joker and then give him what he deserves.

"I want to tell you something that you should have been told long ago. You need to stop looking only at the bad moments in your life Jason. It wasn't all bad, I know there were moments where you truly felt happiness with these people. Not everything was horrible as you believed it to be. Just remember."

Her face shows hints of understanding. Most likely from her own experiences with her own messed up family.

Once again Talia has a way with words as I think of those moments she believes exist.. Moments I forget when the rage clouded my mind and the Lazarus would add onto my driven obsession with training myself.

I think of the one moment that Dick and I actually got along. As he took me on patrol with him and gave me some heartfelt words I needed. Finally helping with my last insecurity of being Robin. Of feeling like I was just filling in the shoes of someone who was better than me. This only increases the need for me to give Slade what he gave those people.

Another moment of giving Bruce a birthday gift. A gift I spent months working on. His fathers broken watch. Seeing the smile and surprise on his face on the reveal. I wonder if he still wears the watch even after my death. Maybe checking in on him wouldn't be so bad of an idea.

Times spent in a library with Alfred eating snacks as he told me stories of his own younger days with a young Bruce. Hearing how Bruce was a hard child at times too, but in the end everything worked out. It gave me hope that even with my fuck ups on the jobs, things would be ok with me and Bruce.

And finally a moment of being sick and Bruce taking care of me. Staying by my side for the whole night instead of going out patrolling. It made me feel important for one of the few times in my life. Somebody put my own needs before their own. Like mom did so long ago.

I release a sigh and look Talia in the eyes. A smile comes over her face as she looks into my own. Coming to the conclusion that her words have had some effect on softening me up. The Lazarus also stopping its own thrums, once more resting and waiting.

"You know, you're a real bitch," I say without really much heat in my voice. She chuckles quietly. Settling down after a moment as I sit with a half hearted scowl on my face.

"Most would be dead after saying such words, but I suppose I will give you this one. But maybe Ducra did have some effect on your stubbornness. The past Jason wouldn't be so accepting."

I wouldn't say that Ducra was what changed me in that place. An image of white hair and a sweet smile comes to mind instead. My own face settled into a smile from thinking of her.

"So Talia, are there any other errands you would like me to run for you?" I question with a mocking voice. Seriously what else is she gonna say now.

"Actually yes, I am going to ask you to do something else. Something I know you wouldn't have accepted easily. But before we get to that, you must know something Jason."

Getting out of her seat and walking over to the door. Opening to reveal a small figure, which at first I thought was someone short.

Well, they are short, but that was because the person was some kid. The kid strode in and straightened themself out upon coming to the center of the room. I observed every little detail and then looked at the face. My eyebrow raised when really looking at them.

"You gotta be shitting me."

The kid wrinkles his brow at that, but Talia comes up behind him to lay a hand upon his shoulder.

"No, I'm not kidding you. Jason, meet my son, Damian Al Ghu."

A smile graces her and Damiens face at the introduction.I look between them a couple of times, before laughing out loud.

"Jesus Christ, you really did the impossible," I wheezed out after laughing for a good minute. Then another burst of laughter came out after catching my breath. Talia only rubs at her brow with the free hand not on Damian.

"What's so funny," Damian asks with an accent similar to Talias. His tone sounded very unwelcome to me. At least the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

"Nothing kid, you wouldn't understand anyway"

This response only seemed to annoy him even further.

"Enough of that Jason," Talia tells me with a stern tone. Damian smirks at my chiding and I just roll my eyes at her.

"What I'm asking of you Jason, is to take Damian to his father," She informs me. Damian looks pretty excited if the glean in his eyes is anything to tell, but he still stands at attention. Sheesh this kid is really uptight.

"I already know the answer but he really is his son right?"

Doesn't hurt to be a little doubtful.

"Yes he is."

I release a sigh into the air. Wonder if there are any other big surprises.

"So you're telling me. You want me to take him into a city full of the most psychotic fucks and men trained enough to even handle me. Then meet the man who believes I'm dead and doesn't even know he has a son. Want me to give Bruce a heart attack," I deduce in bewilderment. Talia must have slipped something into her own tea at this point.

"Precisely so," Talia replies while rubbing at Damien's hair. Her straightforwardness really isn't helping at all. This all sounds crazy even to me.

"God Talia, you want me to do all this just to have the kid meet his dad."

Hell I don't know if Bruce may even be alive. He probably is, though, just not capable of fighting anymore. If he really was dead then these scumbags would have made a big show of it to the rest of the world.

"It's more than that. My beloved has been broken mentally and possibly physically, but if the return of one son and the reveal of another happens. It may be what he finally needs to gather his will once more. What I'm asking of you is to help your father Jason. This also would be a way to keep my Father away from Damien, I'm only asking this of you because I trust you," Talia lets out all at once. She drops the smile and looks at me earnestly, waiting for my response.

Conflicted, that's the word I would definitely use to describe my mind right now. On one hand I'm pissed at having all this shit tossed at me as soon as I left the All Caste. Like Talia just had to wait to tell me that the world is going to hell. Gotham is even worse than when I left and a bomb was dropped on top of Nightwing's city.

Villains have a united group now, which is crazy to believe. I'm surprised they're even able to work together this long without imploding. But maybe it's because the top brass have some tight leash on the rest of them. I would personally use some explosive chips to get the job done.

Back to the matter at hand though. I also feel… not completely against it. Maybe it's Talia telling me that Bruce hasn't been spotted in months or the fact that she buttered me up a little bit before. There's also the mild curiosity to see how Alfred and Bruce are after all this time.

But first comes first. My ultimate goal for all these years. Nothing is getting in the way of this.

"Fine but when I get to Gotham, I'm first going to do what I always was going to do. Kill myself a fucking clown."

Author's note: Guess what, I'm back in action. Sorry everybody for delivering false words before. That's why Red-hood is coming back right away for me.

I'm also going to point out the obvious that I do have a very erratic posting time. So don't rely too heavily on me. I just won't abandon it since I've written out most of what's going to happen for the next three acts.We're currently in Act 1 if that wasn't obvious.

I'm also writing a couple of other things on the side, while doing this. So if you notice another story that isn't posted on Web Novel don't be surprised. I use the same name for mostly everything I do on other posting sites.

Usually people finish a story before starting another, but I can't help myself. Kind of a bad habit of mine to keep starting new things.

Anyway, hope you people like the chapter and see you in the next one.