Court of Owls Pt. 3

There was something that you learned about yourself. You see, before you were Batman, before you were Red, you were Y/N al Ghul. You've heard the stories about the person you were before.

Stephanie had once said that you were more compassionate and that you were were now rough around the edges. Cassandra never talks about the person you used to be. You actually found yourself wanting to ask her about it. Did she have feelings for that man?

When you came back as Red, you were at odds with everyone. You were rough. You were angry. You weren't the boy that they once knew. You never met this person. No. You weren't the man that you had met in the future, either. The one where you saw the futures with everyone. With Debra, Stephanie, Mia, Lilith, Cassie, Cassandra, and even Helena.

You never found yourself thinking about them. The futures that could be. You never gave it a second thought. You were with Cassandra now. At least, you think so. Whatever you called this intimate relationship, it was yours. You loved the way things were. You were happy. Or, as happy as Batman could be.

Batman had to be rough. Batman had to strike fear into his foes. He had to get answers.

Y/N: ANSWER ME!

Luka: Okay! Okay! I'll tell you where he'll be!

You pulled the man back before the 6 PM train could tear his head off his body. Instead, you slammed that head against the brick wall of the tunnel you were in.

Y/N: Talk.

You shoved the man at the wall but he caught himself. You stood there as he turned around to look at you. He rubbed his chin in pain.

Luka: You say you are looking for a man in a dark costume, an enforcer with a mask to hide his face. I will tell you that tomorrow....heh heh...there will be one at the morgue!

The man making the questionable jokes is named Luka Volk. He's the "pakhan" of a Gotham branch of the Ukrainian mob. They call themselves "Whisper Gang".

Said gang was now attacking you from behind. No big deal. You lifted your arm to block the metal pipe and the other arm blocked the meat cleaver. You then spun around and delivered a hard hit to one of the men's face before you trapped him in a headlock. You then jumped up and kicked away two more.

They're one of the five gangs that control smuggling in and out of Gotham by rail. Earlier today, you were attacked by an assassin dressed like an owl while you were meeting with a local politician.

With no security footage of the assassin coming or going from the Old Wayne Tower, your assumption was that he came in through the rail lines that converge beneath the building. Then he found a way up through the service elevators. Which means one of the rail gangs saw him and took some toll from him.

The gangs have divided the lines among them. One line for each gang. One is Yakuza, one is La Eme, five rail lines, five gangs. You've already paid the other four a visit. Because of that, you haven't seen Cassandra since you told everyone that you were a target for these assassins. It was the same night you told everyone that Dick Grayson's DNA was at the crime scene.

You caught a punch and used the man as a weapon as you swung him around to slam into three more.

The Whisper Gang is known to be the most vicious and brutal of the five. The candidates, or "sixths", are given extensive weapons training overseas, before being allowed to travel to the States. Once here, they're each fitted with an iron mask, symbolic of their loyalty to the gang. A muzzle to prove they'll never "snitch". The mask is soldered together in the back of the head, and can't be removed for at least a year, until the sixth has proven himself.

You jumped onto the tracks as the remaining sixths followed you. You just stuck to the wall as the 6:15 PM train headed down the tracks. Blood spattered on the wall as the train mowed them down. At least, it would have if they were in the rails. You just flicked a small metal magnet on the train which forced the metal masks to get stuck to the train. When it was gone, so were they.

You stood there as Luka began to panic. You got back onto the platform and slowly approached him.

Luka: Please! I was...

Y/N: About to tell me everything you know about the assassin you let into Old Wayne Tower.

Luka began to run as he shook in fear.

Luka: But I tell the truth! I don't know anything about this "Owl" man!

Lie detection assessing.....truth.

Y/N: Get out of my tunnels.---------You sighed as you sat on the edge of the bed. You rubbed your eyes as you neared your third night with no sleep.

You came here after Tim gave you a rang and told you that Stephanie said that Alfred was complaining that Cassandra kept pinging the batsuit to make sure you were still alive. You had forgot to tell everyone that you almost died and that you were ok.

You looked up when you heard your bedroom door open and found Cassandra standing there. She looked like ahe had just gotten done working out judging by her attire and the sweat still on her skin. You were never going to get tired of that sight.

You yourself were only wearing a pair of black basketball shorts. Your bandaged wounds were in full display but they weren't as red since you had just changed them. You were also already clean since Alfred urged you to take the rest of the night off.

When Cassandra finally realized you were there, she had dropped the towel she was using to wipe the sweat off of her. She rushed to you and ended up tackling you on the bed in a hug.

Y/N: Hey, Killer.

You wrapped your arms around her, not caring that her sweat was now on you, as you buried your face into her neck.

Cassandra: You almost died.

Y/N: Sorry.

Cassandra: I was scared.

Y/N: I know. I'm alright. I'm here.

You sat up but Cassandra didn't let go of you. You eventually got her to separate herself from you and you could see the tears in her eyes. You gently lifted her head so that she was looking at you.

Y/N: I'm taking the night off. We can cuddle. In the morning, we can spar. For now, you need a shower.

Cassandra looked at you and slowly nodded. She slowly stood up and headed to the bathroom.

You learned about the man you used to be. The one before your timeline was wiped from existence. The kind, compassionate, caring Batboy. You had seen the possible futures with all your possible wives.

You weren't that person. You were Y/N Wayne. The adopted son of Bruce Wayne. The lover to Cassandra Cain. The Protector of Gotham. The Batman.

As you laid in bed with Cassandra in your arms, you knew that you were ok with that. You will never be that boy who was trapped here. You were happy now.

As you closed your eyes for the night, you were happy to be alive.