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Jim Gordon stepped out onto the roof, taking a breath and looking out into the night. He wanted a cigarette, but he'd given up smoking years ago, and he wouldn't let himself start again, no matter how tempting it got around so many other addicts and former addicts. He missed the smell, the feel, the way it seemed to relieve the constant stress.
He shook it off, turning back to flip on the switch for the batsignal.
“Don't bother.”
Gordon almost jumped, swearing profusely under his breath as he turned around. He knew the voice, knew the kid, though he was surprised to be able to see him this time. The last few times this one had been in action, he'd refused to come out of the darkness, not even letting the white lenses of his eyes show, but he did now. The suit remained mostly black, only now it had a blue bird across the chest.
In fact, this time around, Gordon would call him smug, since he was sitting on the ledge of Gordon's building flipping an eskrima stick over in his hand. “So Two-Face got out again.”
“Why do you come here if you already know what I'm going to tell you?”
The kid shrugged. “Entertainment factor?”
“I don't remember this being funny before.”
“And I don't remember you tattling to Batman before, either.”
“You don't think there's something wrong with you that he should be concerned about?”
The kid laughed. “Oh, there is. There's plenty. I just figure if you were going to have an issue with me doing what I do, you should have done something about this years ago. Kind of too little, too late by now, don't you think?”
The boy had a point, but Gordon hated to admit it. “Do you already know where Two-Face is? Or do you want me to tell you what we know?”
Throwing the stick into the air, the teen caught it with his other hand, spinning it in his fingers. “Go ahead.”
“Am I boring you, Robin?”
“Nightwing.”
“Excuse me?”
“The name is Nightwing, not Robin. Robin is currently assisting Batman with something for the Justice League and so you're stuck with me. I've kind of gone from golden boy to black sheep,” the kid said. He stopped spinning the stick and stood. “If you don't have anything for me, I should go. Two-Face is—”
“Are you sure you should—”
“No. Absolutely not sure. Not at all.” Nightwing smiled, and it was Robin's smile but a little lop-sided and maybe a little insane. “You think I can have Two-Face back by two in the morning? That would be funny. I'll try and time it just right.”
“You don't—” Gordon didn't finish. The kid had jumped off the roof and disappeared into the night. He rushed after him the way he hadn't done since his early days with Batman, but Nightwing was gone. Not a splatter on the concrete, thank God, but it was hard to say that being lost to the shadows like this was any better.