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His breaths came out ragged, stumbling along the alleyway, gripping onto the brick walls. His hands were scraped raw, desperately clawing for stability. His screams were only wheezes, unable to produce sound to alert anyone in the rundown area. Not like anyone would throw themselves into the fire, that was left to the Bats. The assailant trailed, humming a nursery rhyme as his knife dragged along the wall. The scrape of the knife to the brick was ear piercing. His laugh echoed, easily catching up to the struggling victim. His knife swung down once, twice, and was continuously digging into the other. The blood splattered on the pavement, walls, across his mask, leaving no stone clean of the substance. Beneath the mask, he smiled, voice singing with delight, “Pop! Goes the weasel..”
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Bruce swept into the conference room, his gaze meeting his fellow heroes. He took his seat beside Clark, waiting for Diana to commence the meeting. On cue, the Amazonian woman strode up to the podium, clearing her throat to catch the attention of other leaguers. She spoke clearly and took charge of the room, effortlessly talking about the weekly reports. Yet, she quickly became grim, turning serious and attentive. “There has been another killing, marking the seventh known victim of these serial killings. The public has dubbed this killer as The Hare, based on rumors of a male wearing a white rabbit mask. His latest job was done in Gotham.”
Collectively, eyes swung to Batman. His mouth was set in a thin line, unreadable and void of any tells. Despite the shift in attention, Wonder Woman continued, “He was first accounted for in Star City, then in Central City, Detroit, and now in Gotham. He’s projected to be in Metropolis next before going to Washington D.C. With this information, they presume that will be his final act.”
Batman spoke up, “And who, exactly, are they?”
“Government officials. He’s gained enough attention to be placed on the federal watch list.”
“Why is the government being so proactive with this guy? They never hop on so quickly when it comes to these low lives.”
“The difference, Oliver, is that this guy is believed to have taken the life of Colton Mills, Senator Mill’s son.”
In turn, Diana displayed a holographic photo to the center of the table. It was a picture of a man in his early 20s. He had dark hair, professionally styled with radiant green eyes that smiled. To his left, was an older man with ashy hair, sporting similar features. The picture was taken in a federal building, assumed to be a gathering. “He was found dead last week in Detroit, along with the brand of a tortoise, burned into every victim so far.”
The atmosphere grew tense before Superman spoke, “We’ll catch him in Metropolis and make sure he pays these crimes forward. I can take Superboy to help me guard the city, expand my reach. Captain Atom, if you can, keep an eye on all police radars and dispatch centers for any potential reports.”
“No. He’s not done with Gotham, and regardless, he hasn’t completed his status quo just yet. The Hare may not have left traces for his identity, but he’s left a pattern. He goes after people of status, clearly those who are younger and fit. In turn, he’s killed twice in each city that has been discovered. This means, he still has one more kill and it’ll be a big one. The last victim was Ricky Wilder, an unemployed male who was in and out of homes until he turned 18.”
“High status? What, so someone like Bruce Wayne?” Arrow retorted, clearly digging a point.
Bruce paused for a second, clearly unphased by the comment, “No. If anything, I’m considered too old for his liking.”
The indication was there, the room growing cold as realization spread, “Bruce. If you think your boys are gonna be potential targets, you need to let us help you.”
“Hare is in Gotham, so he’s my problem to deal with.” With that, the Dark Knight left the room, leaving no room for discussion. Clark quickly excused himself, clearly going to try one last chance at breaking through to the other.
Bruce was already entering the codes into the Zeta when he heard the Boy Scout’s steps, “Don’t try to persuade me, Clark, you know it never works.”
“I’m not trying to persuade you, Bruce. I’m just saying, if it gets beyond your control, we are still here to help. This guy isn’t just another Gotham villain, he’s caught all of our attention, okay?”
The billionaire could only grunt in response, stepping through the Zeta. On the other side, he was met with the cold, damp atmosphere of the Batcave. The bats echoed within the cavern as Alfred approached, “Good evening, Master Bruce. Considering you’re back early, I assume the league meeting went well.”
“It went as it usually does, Alfred. The league wants to work together to stop the Hare.”
“I see. And I can only hope you agreed to this and shared the information you’ve gathered.”
Bruce pulled down the cowl, giving Alfred a knowing look. The older man continued, “Very well.”
Sitting down in the chair, Bruce started to pull up the files on the bat computer, “Well Alfred, what is on my itinerary for the night?”
“Tonight sir, we are holding the family dinner that Master Dick requested. Everyone should be here except for Miss Kate, Miss Cain, Miss Brown, and Master Duke. Although, they sent their respective regards.”
“Cass and Stephanie are still on their mission?”
“Yes. From what I’ve heard, Santa Prisca is quite noisy these days. As for Miss Kate and Master Duke, they are taking care of things in Detroit.”
“Thank you, Alfred.”
“Of course, Master Bruce.” With that, the pseudo-father excused himself silently, returning to the manor to take care of his duties.
A few hours pass before the Zeta whirls to life. Amidst the lights, a figure forms, the robotic voice reverberating, “Authorized Nightwing B01”
“Hey B, can’t say I’m surprised to see you down here.”
“Came from a league meeting, decided to work a little more before dinner.”
With that, the eldest bird approached the Bat-computer, scanning over the open files. “That rabbit guy, right? I heard from Kon that Clark asked for his help in Metropolis.”
“The Hare, yes. He’s currently in Gotham, so be on the lookout.”
He only nodded in response, glancing around, “Where is everyone?”
“Everyone is up in the manor, you and Jason are the last two to have arrived if he decides to come.”
Dick hit his shoulder, “Jason will show. He called me right before I left work, should be here any minute through the main gates. So, probably a good time to head up. The case isn’t going away.”
Bruce opened his mouth to argue before deciding against it. Shutting off the main screen, he waved the other off, “Go on. I need to get changed.”
-------
The Hare hummed, twirling the rusted knife in his hand as he stared at photos lined on the wall. “Mirror mirror on the wall… Who's the fairest of them all?” With a flick of his wrist, the knife soared through the air, striking the dead center of the photo. He laughs, turning to nudge the body beside him, “Why aren’t you excited? I’ve found my new tortoise!” He frowns, nudging them again, “How upsetting. You barely even lasted a few hours. But that’s okay. You weren’t useful to me anyway.” The male stood up, striding over to the wall before caressing the image. “Richard Grayson, oh how delighted I will be to meet you, my tortoise. What fun we will have.”
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Dinner went smoothly, no awkward silences, no arguments. For once, their odd family felt relatively normal. Dick was delighted it went well, tired of having to be the mediator for the fights and other chaos that naturally plagued their family. It was no secret he was a family man. Dick has always been co-dependent on touch and he was considered the emotions expert within the emotionally constipated family. Even so, he could be considerably silent when it came to his issues, taking the role of martyr if it was necessary. The acrobat shook off his wandering thoughts, peering up to see Barbara laugh as Tim and Damian launched into an argument over…Barbie dolls?
“Drake, I am telling you. It is stupid for them to launch such a preposterous line of figures.”
“How is it preposterous? Barbie is known for doing a bunch of different jobs! So, why wouldn’t they do a superhero line?”
Barbara hummed, adding her input, “It was Barbie, but companies have sold Robin and Batgirl dolls.”
This sparked Jason, “Yeah well, It was only based on the golden boy over there. They haven’t redesigned ones for any of us! Not even me! And I died on the job!”
“We get it, you died.” Tim sighed, avoiding the balled-up napkin that sailed his way.
The little debate continued for a bit before it somehow led to the conversation of how funny the Batman action figures were.
“I mean, did you see the one where he was in a neon suit? It looked like a knock-off Band that got hit with paint!”
“Trust me, not as weird as the time we saw that Bruce Wayne shrine where the guy had a doll replica of Bruce.”
“You sure that wasn’t Damian’s classmate’s father? The one who got so upset when he found out Bruce and Alfred supported Damian’s decision to go vegan?”
“No no, that guy idolized Lex Luther.”
Alfred could only shake his head, beginning to gather the dishes. Jason immediately stood up to help, assisting the man to the kitchen.
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Everyone was setting up for their patrols, Barbara setting up shop at the computer, Tim and Jason gearing up for a drug bust, Robin and Batman planning on sticking to their normal patrol route, and Nightwing planned to just take the area near the coast. Although it was mostly abandoned, some smaller crimes could be occurring under their radar.
“I think a movie night with hot chocolate sounds perfect after patrol.” Dick thought aloud, slipping his escrima sticks into their holsters.
Jason slides on his helmet, “Only if it’s Alfred’s. Yours was always way too watery.”
Alfred hummed, “Don’t worry, Master Jason. I’ll make sure to add extra marshmallows to suit your preferences.”
“Sounds perfect to me, Alf.”
A few hours later, he wandered to the abandoned race track. There have been whispers circulating that some shady stuff has been going on, and who better than Nightwing to investigate it? The place was deserted for years after Scarecrow released huge amounts of his fear toxin, the whole area from a five-mile radius left to Mother Nature. Slipping into one of the announcer booths, he snooped around. Sure enough, along one of the walls was a corkboard littered with disturbing photos. Cursing under his breath, he documented the photos and sent them to the cave. “Nightwing to Batcave, does anyone copy?”
Oracle’s voice filtered through, “Batcave to Nightwing, I copy. What do you need?”
“I just sent some photos for you to see. I need you to cross-reference the people with victims from the Hare files.”
Barbara moved instantly, opening up the photos and cross-referencing them with the other files. All the pictures came up to be a match, “Dick, Those are the victims. Where the hell did you find these?”
“The abandoned race track in Gotham, off of the old central street.”
Red Hood approached the computer, connecting his com to theirs. He and Tim had just returned from the successful drug bust, “Woah Dickie bird, what trouble have you caused now?”
“What seems to be the Hare’s base of operations. He’s been stationed in this old place, not downtown.” Some shuffling could be heard before a curse.
“Wing, everything okay?”
“I found his next target.”
“Alright, well, who the hell is it? We gotta tell Bruce right away.”
“It’s me.”
Jason’s brows furrowed, “Which… you, are we talking?”
“Civilian.”
Barbara cut in, frowning with clear concern, “Nightwing, you need to get out of there. If he’s there.. you’re not safe.”
“If he’s here, then I can shut this down.”
“Or get yourself killed!”
Dick sighed, moving around the room to find more evidence. Soon, a knife was flying his way. He shifted to his left, the knife now protruding in the wall behind him. Before he could return his gaze to the direction it came from, he was being tackled. Dick didn’t pause for a moment, throwing his leg over the assailant and putting his weight into the ground to flip them over. Once above, he pulled his escrima sticks and struck the guy’s sides, met with no resistance. Furrowing his brows, noticing the dead weight, he turned the person. His masked gaze met a blank and empty one. Nightwing went back to standing, gripping his sticks. The world came rushing back to him, only now hearing the demanding shouts of the others.
“I’m okay, I’m okay.., but there’s another victim that went unaccounted for.”
“Goddamnit, Dick! You scared the shit out of us.”
“Sorry, sorry. I was just caught off guard.”
Suddenly, the comms were filled with static. Oracle’s frown only deepened, typing away to regain connection.
“What the hell?”
Barbara huffed in agitation, “it’s not working! Something, or someone, is jamming the signal.”
Jason grabbed his helmet, “Tim, let's go. If we leave now, we can make it in ten minutes.”
Tim nodded, jumping up and pulling his cowl over as he rushed to his bike, the two revved their bikes, “Oracle, work on contacting Batman.”
“Already on it.” She spun away, pressing a button before speaking, “Oracle to Batman, do you copy?”
Batman stopped on the nearest roof, Robin pausing beside him, “I copy. What is the situation?”
“Nightwing has discovered the Hare’s base and we believe is currently in contact with him. With his findings, he found out the target was his civilian form.”
“Give us the location, we are on the way.”
After sending the coordinates, Oracle focused on the blinking dot of his tracker, thinking to herself, ‘You better be okay, Dick.”
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Dick’s back hit the wall before he dipped out of the way of a swing, Hare was laughing uncontrollably, “What? Are you some knock-off Joker? Cause let me tell you, I’ve met the guy and you aren’t nailing the act.”
“Of course not! I’m better than the Joker! After I’m done, he’ll seem like a circus clown!”
The two continued to fight, constant blows being met with blocks. Nightwing was stuck on the defense, unable to find openings. The Hare was meticulous and crazed at the same time, making it difficult to read. The villain’s hand slipped down, pulling another knife and managed to stick it into Nightwing’s side. He groaned, forcing the guy back with a desperate kick. The Hare got the wind knocked out of him, but barely showed it, already pressing forward to fight even more. The two were knocked to the ground, wrestling before the Hare straddled Nightwing, stabbing into his kevlar. “I’m quite disappointed by your energy, Nightwing! I thought you and the Dark Knight were tough!” He cackled, pushing the knife through, twisting it around. Dick couldn’t hold back a cry, fumbling for his utility belt, barely pressing in his emergency button.
“Oh no no no, we were just starting to have fun! We don’t want that to get ruined by the unnecessary company! Now, let me see if you’re even worth the title of being my tortoise!”
Panic welled in his stomach, clawing at the other’s mask to stop his efforts. Yet, the Hare managed to peel the mask, causing his skin to sting in retaliation to the glue being pulled. “How fun is this? You are my tortoise! The one I’ve been waiting for all of this time. You came to me!”
The animal-themed villain quickly pulled a syringe, jamming it into Dick’s neck before sighing. Tossing the syringe to the side, he caressed Nightwing’s cheek, “We are gonna have a marvelous race, my tortoise!”
---------
The two Reds pulled up, kicking up dirt as they rushed onto the track. Tim whirled around, staring at his holo-computer, “The distress signal is around here somewhere!”
Hood surveyed the area, using his helmet to scan for any heat signatures, “Red, this place is empty. He isn’t here.”
Red Robin shook his head, peering down at the sensor. His body moved as he tracked it before sprinting to the announcer booth. As he entered, the place was completely void of life and a total wreck. He approached the dead body, analyzing it before taking a sample.
“This… body isn’t his, been dead for way too long.”
Jason cursed, using the lenses in his helmet to scan, “Databases says this is John Walter. In and out of Blackgate.”
“So, that already makes two Gothamite victims?”
Before they could continue, Batman and Robin entered. Robin spoke, his voice betraying him as it wavered, “Where is he?”
Hood didn’t meet his gaze, “Not here. Though, we got another victim.”
“We’ll find him” Bruce moved beside Tim, tapping him on the shoulder. Red Robin took the hint, backing up to stand by Damian. Batman worked the scene as he usually does, confirming the facts that the other two discovered. He moved his hand to his belt, signaling the GCPD.
“Time to go. Just sent out a notice to the police department. We will reconvene at the cave.”
They all wordlessly slipped out, going on their respective vehicles and returning to the cave. Alfred was waiting beside Barbara, noticing the absence of his eldest grandson. His heart skipped a beat, hiding the fear with practiced ease, “Master Bruce, where is he?”
“We don’t know, Alfred. But we’ll find out.”
“We did find his mask at the scene, so we can assume that his identity has been compromised.”
“Wasn’t this freak targeting Dick?”
Everyone seemed to quiet for a second, Oracle speaking up, “We should get more hands-on deck. And with everyone else occupied with their missions, I think it’s best we talk with the league.”
“No. Dick is one of ours. We will deal with it.”
Jason felt the anger well up, taking a breath to calm the pit’s influence, “Bruce, we don’t have the time to deal with your pride. His life is on the line.”
“This isn’t about my pride. And I’ve already declined the league’s help.”
“What the fuck do you mean you declined? You’re telling me the league already planned to take care of it, but you stopped them?”
“The league is focusing their efforts in Metropolis since he’s predicted to go there next. I’d prefer to catch him now, here in Gotham.”
“A prediction! That’s what it was! This is a madman, you can’t predict what they’ll do! For fuck’s sake, we never thought Joker would kill a Robin, but here we are.”
The cave went silent, Damian being the one to break the silence, “As much as I dislike those fakes in tights, I’ll do anything to make sure Grayson returns alive.”
Bruce took a deep breath, “Fine. Oracle, can you let them know what is going on and give them any information we have. Jason, Tim, we are going back out to see if we can find anything.”
“No, I’m going.”
“Demon Spawn, I know you won’t say it, but you care about Dick. We all do, but right now, you are compromised the most. Plus, I’m the one with contacts in the pits of Gotham.”
“Tt. Last I checked, I didn’t talk to you, Todd.”
“Enough. Robin, you are benched for the time being. Stay here and assist Oracle.”
Batman and the Reds left quickly, leaving the youngest to his own devices. Oracle quickly contacted the league, “Batcave to Watchtower.”
Captain Atom appeared on screen, clearly surprised by the broadcast. “Watchtower, is everything okay?”
“We have a situation.”
---------
The smell of rotting flesh was the first thing he noticed upon waking up. Dick felt the bile rise in his throat, but he willed himself to swallow it down. Sure enough, the pain followed after. Slowly sitting up, he took in his surroundings. It was a plain room, fitted with a bucket, a bed with a very worn mattress, and a metal door. Using the wall as support, he trudged to the door, trying to jiggle the lock. Unfortunately, it was locked from the outside. With a swirl of curses, he turned back and sat down on the bed that creaked beneath his weight.
Eventually, the rusted metal door swung open, the Hare stepping through with a bag. “My my, no longer counting sheep, are we? Oh and don’t worry about the wounds, I’ll be the perfect doctor. Our own little game of Operation!”
He set the bag down before tying Dick’s hands to the bedpost. He then rummaged through the bag, pulling out a torch, “Now now, I would just sew you up, but I know you’re a slippery one. And I can’t have you leaving just yet.”
Dick struggled in the rope, desperate to get away from the torch. He’s been burned before. Whether it was by his past encounters with villains or metas, or even having to cauterize a wound. Regardless of his experience, it doesn’t make it any better. Along with the torch, he saw Hare pick up a rod with a little turtle molded at the end.
“While I’m at it, might as well mark you as the tortoise!” He spoke while giggling like a child on a Christmas morning.
The Hare used the pierced fabric to rip open the hole more, exposing Dick’s stomach. And without warning, the torch spread along the knife wound. An animalistic scream bubbled from Dick’s throat, one that could easily rival Dinah’s canary cries. The Hare only seemed pleased to hear it, pressing it down harder against his skin. The smell of burning flesh filled the air, suffocating Dick. Soon, it was sealed shut, replaced by the brand getting placed above his hip bone. Once the job was done, he laid there in agony, breath ragged as his body shook.
“Oh my poor little tortoise..” the man crouched down, messing with Dick’s raven-colored locks, “I know it hurts, but you did so good. I promise, once we do our race, you’ll be free from this torture.”
He felt worthless, curled up and shaking before the enemy. And on top of it, the enemy was coddling him as if he wasn’t the one to cause such pain. The acrobat tried to calm himself, wanting to take control of the situation. He’s been beaten by Two Face, Joker, Scarecrow, and other numerous villains wanting to take cracks at a Robin. How the hell was this guy getting under his skin so easily? He feels like his young self again, failing Bruce all over again. The Hare suddenly gripped his face tightly, “Pay attention when I fucking speak to you!”
Dick was caught off guard by the aggression. The Hare could only sigh, calming down, “Such a spoiled brat, aren’t you?”
He stood back up, releasing Dick. “Now, you just sit there and look pretty. I’ll be back when it’s time for our fun little race.”
---------
Clark had arrived at the Batcave as soon as he was made aware. The Bats had already returned, clearing disgruntled by the lack of answers. “I tried listening for him, but nothing came up. I can only assume the Hare knows my limits.”
“He’s lasted this far without being caught, so the guy is smarter than he lets on.” Jason finished examining his guns, setting them down beside his helmet.
Bruce speaks, ignoring the comment, re-reading the reports, “My guess is that he leads his victims into a false sense of security that they can leave. And as they try to run away, he chases them before killing them.”
“Like a race.”
Heads swiveled to Damian. The boy was leaning against a display case, shrugging at the weird looks, “He calls himself the Hare and all his victims have a brand of a tortoise, correct?”
“What if he’s searching for someone to win the race?” Tim finished, picking up on Robin’s thought process.
“If that was the case, why go for people who have some sort of standing? Much easier to go for someone with an athletic background, no?”
“That’s too easy, Boy Scout. We are dealing with a manic who isn’t in the right head. Where is the fun when your target can easily outrun you?” Jason huffs.
Bruce pulled his cowl back on, “I’m heading to the Watchtower with Clark. Tim, Damian, it’s time for you two to call it a night. I still expect you to attend to your responsibilities tomorrow. Jason, Barbara, you are welcome to stay at the manor.”
Before any of them could protest, Superman and Batman went through the Zeta, disappearing in a flash of light. Alfred then stepped forward, guiding the younger two up. “I suspect you’ll be leaving, Master Jason?”
“I’ll stay. It’ll be easier to operate from here with the resources we have. And, last I remember, we were promised hot chocolate.”
He was given a nod in response, the butler already heading up the stone steps, “It’ll be waiting for you upstairs. And for you, Miss Gordon, I’ll have your favorite tea steeping.”
“Thank you, Alfred.”
Once the eldest was gone, Jason helped Barbara tidy up, noticing how tense the other was. “Hey, Dickie is tough. We’ll get him back, okay? And he can go back to annoying us about his dumb soap operas.”
She laughed, shaking her head, “I still don’t get how he can watch those. The acting is horrendous.”
“I’m telling him you said that.”
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Dick stared straight up at the peeled popcorn ceiling, pain overwhelming his own body. He had already slipped off the ropes with ease, which was now puddled on the floor beside him. At this point, he was unable to keep track of time, lost in the swirl of all the events that have happened. The only thing he could pinpoint was that he was in an active part of Gotham. Through the thick walls he could hear sirens, screaming, yelling, and most distinctively was the distant sound of.. boats? With spending the majority of his life in the depths of Gotham’s hell, Dick knew he was in Old Gotham near the docks. Which placed him on the opposite side of where he was taken in the first place. He forced his legs to swing over the bed, getting up with the sounds of cracks and pops. Trudging his way to the door, he pulled at the handle. Dick expected it to be locked but was surprised when it swung open. Adrenaline quickly surged through his body, taking a breath before stepping out into the dim hallway. Taking in his surroundings, there wasn’t a sign of life anywhere. He quickly rushed down towards the Exit sign, managing to swipe a beaten-up jacket that was hanging up. If he manages to successfully get into the streets of Gotham, his best bet was to conceal the remains of his suit. If he was right about his current location, he couldn’t be seen as Nightwing. He took twists and turns before arriving at a standard exit door, pushing it open without a second thought. Once out, the crisp cold air hit him like a smack in the face, energizing him even further. He began to pick up the pace, rushing down the dark alley and towards the street. Before he could step out, the hood of the jacket was pulled causing his leg to give out. As he tumbled to the ground, his hands flew to his face, feeling a sudden weight push against his hips.
Crying out, his eyes finally opened, staring up at the damned rabbit mask. “Oh my my, it wasn’t even time for our race! I’m quite disappointed that you are cheating, especially when I was going to give you food.”
The Hare sighed, his hands trailing across Dick’s skin, “I remember telling you to just stay put. I’m sure you can recall, Dickie-bird.”
“Don’t call me that.”
“You aren’t in a position to be making demands. I’ll call you whatever I please. Be grateful I don’t just slit your throat. I could easily replace you with another tortoise. How does Bruce Wayne’s youngest sound, hm? Damian, right?”
“Stay the fuck away from him!”
“Now, there’s the spirit I was hoping for. But, don’t worry, as long as you behave… He won’t be harmed. Too young for my liking anyway.” He hummed, gripping Dick’s jaw.
The Hare stood up, letting go of the other’s face roughly, taking the rope Dick slipped from and wrapping them tightly around his wrists. He was able to drag the acrobat without any trouble, leading him right back to the door he escaped from. Dick felt the concrete scratch at his back, having to hold back all his instincts screaming at him to just escape. But, now his brothers were at risk. And he’d take the pain over their pain any day. As he was dragged, the Hare could only smile, excitedly singing, “Wheels on the Bus go ‘round and ‘round..”
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It was already the next night, marking a full day since Dick’s capture. Tension was high within the cave, everyone scraping together potential leads and sightings, wanting to get any information they could.
Jason suddenly drives into the cave, practically jumping off his bike as he approaches the computer. Rapidly typing, he pulled up a photo containing the Hare dragging a person, “One of my guys contacted me, saying there was shady business going down in Old Gotham.”
“Shady business happens there all the time, that’s practically nothing.”
“No shit Sherlock, but… He managed to snag that image.”
Barbara enhanced the photo, pinpointing the location, “It’s an abandoned factory. Didn’t get far enough to sell because the contractor found issues. So, like a lot of things in Gotham, it was left to the streets.”
Bruce pulled on his cowl, “Let’s move.”
Upon arrival, Red Robin dropped in first, scanning for heat signatures. Once it was cleared, he signaled, the others dropping in beside him. They all cleared the place out with ease, meeting up in a room that Robin flagged as suspicious. As they entered, it was clear someone had been there.
“Hare must have known their location was blown and dipped.”
Batman silently agreed, pressing his comm, “You heard him, Oracle. Search into any security cameras and find out where he went.”
Tim investigated every inch, placing whether he needed on the bed. He then moved the sheets, finding blood. Furrowing his brows, he took a sample, sending it Barbara’s way, “Scan that as fast as you can.”
“It matches Dick’s… As for cameras, the majority of them are dead. I could only find one that led to the bridge, only one car passed through it around 6 in the morning. I tracked it as far as I could before they go off the radar.”
Damian kept silent, picking up a bowl of food that was hastily disposed of. “By the looks of it, Grayson was being his annoying self.”
“That’s ‘Wing for you, won’t go down without a fight.”
“Regardless, he’s injured. We head to the location and end this tonight. Oracle, update the league.”
“Of course, Batman.”
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Dick dislocated his thumbs, slipping the rewrapped bindings. He kept them loose in his hands, a potential weapon he could use against the enemy.
The Hare entered the room before sitting on a wooden chair, propping his legs up against a slab of concrete. “Now, my little tortoise. You may be wondering why we are just sitting here. It’s simple. I know the big dark bat is on my trail, so we have to cut our time together short.”
Nightwing kept his gaze even, letting the other go into the infamous villain monologue. Soon, the Hare stood up, turning his back for a second. Dick took the chance, standing up from the chair and quickly slamming the other into the nearest concrete pillar. The Hare let out a strangled shout, falling to the ground. His mask partially shattered, the plastic parts cascading across the floor. He took this chance, adrenaline rushing through his body as he sprinted towards the exit sign. Forcing the door open, he had no time to look where he was going, driven by pure instinct. His whole body was screaming at him, but he was numb to the signs. Turning a sharp corner, he cursed at the dead end. Quickly backing up, he took in his surroundings, using momentum to jump up and pull down a ladder connected to an apartment complex. The ladder squeaked in protest, rolling down until it harshly slammed into the blacktop.
Without looking back, Dick began to climb, arms burning as he swung over to the ledge. As he ran across the roof, he suddenly felt something loop around his ankle, dragging him down to the gravel. He cried out, quickly trying to undo the metal twine that caught him. Before Dick could, he was getting pinned down, haggard blows hitting straight into his torso. The Hare laughed maniacally above him, only losing himself more into the energized moment as Dick’s body broke beneath the violent hits. In retaliation, he tightened his hold on the rope he hadn’t discarded, managing to wrap it around the other’s throat, tilting the tussle in his favor. He straddled the other, closing the rope around his neck, staring dead straight into the Hare’s eyes. The man’s hazel eyes were bloodshot, pupil’s fully blown as if he was enjoying the situation at hand. Anger swelled in the former Robin’s chest, a guttural scream leaving his lips as mania overcame him. This monster was laughing, enjoying the pain and suffering he’s caused to others and onto Dick. Then, he came to a realization. The Hare wanted this. He wanted someone to snap and kill him, hoping to tarnish and forever stain someone’s legacy, with his very blood. Dick instantly released his grip, confirming his theory as the other instantly roared in anger.
“Kill me! You are supposed to kill me!” The spit flies into his face, the man throwing Dick off, “THE TORTOISE WINS, NOT ME.” He then jumped forward, slamming his blade into his gut.
Dick’s body shuddered at the wave of pain, shock already swarming his body. Before he could attempt to stop the other, the weight was suddenly gone. His ears were ringing, his vision was blurry and filled with spots, his breath was short, and he felt disconnected.
“Dick! Stay with me!” A deep voice commanded, pressing deep into his gut, “He’s going into shock! He needs immediate medical attention!”
The ebony-haired male tried to focus, briefly seeing a streak of white and vibrant green eyes before he succumbed to the beckoning darkness.
---------
Everyone was already crowded back into the Batcave. Superman and Green Lantern had convened with the group before finding Dick and took Hare to the Watchtower for questioning. Jason could only stare at his hands bathed in his older brother’s blood. He took a deep breath, quelling the pit’s influence that stirred in his body. Tightening his hands into the firsts, he gazed up and took in the area. Barbara was typing away at the computer, hands shaking with anxiety as it furiously moved across the keyboard. Tim was sitting at another table, typing away at his computer, no doubt already writing out a report. Damian was slamming his blade into a training dummy, focusing his energy on training rather than his emotions. Stephanie and Cassandra had returned from their missions, having been debriefed about the situation. Both had decided to hit the showers, knowing there was a lot of time to wait. Bruce and Alfred were with Leslie, tending to Dick’s numerous wounds. Any of the other family members were still handling their own previous business, unaware of the situation.
Leslie gathered her things, turning to Bruce, “I’ll be back in the morning to check-in.”
Alfred then led her out, Bruce facing the rest of the family. “He’s stable and should make a full recovery. It got a bit scary for a bit, but it’s all good now. I’m heading to the Watchtower to help the leaguers with Hare. Keep an eye on Dick, but let him rest and don’t crowd him. Am I understood?”
A murmur of acknowledgment was shared, Bruce nodding before heading through the Zeta. The rest of the Batkids instantly swarmed the medbay, taking their respective places. Whenever one was injured, there were unspoken rules about who was sitting where. If it was Dick, which was upsettingly often, Damian would sit on the bed (and wouldn’t admit, but also cuddle with Dick); Barbara would settle beside his bed, head resting on his lap; Jason and Tim would settle within two separate chairs, left to their own devices; Stephanie and Cass would snuggle up on the couch; and if any of the others were there, they’d sprawl along the remaining chairs and floor. It formed habits as injuries were common in their field, especially with Duke being their only meta.
A few hours pass, Dick slowly regains consciousness. He blinked a few times, eyes adjusting to the bright lights of the medbay. He groans, peering up. Jason had quickly noticed, dimming the lights within the room which caught the others’ attention. Damian perked up, “Grayson, you’re awake.”
“Alive and kicking.” He hummed, a hand settling on Damian’s hair, ruffling it. “I knew you guys would have my back.”
“Of course, Golden Boy. We all have to stick together.”
All of them were more at ease with Dick being awake and energetic. It made things feel more normal, especially with situations such as this. Patrol injuries were one thing, but being stuck with an enemy for over 24 hours was a whole different feel. And as hours seemed to pass of aimless conversation, all of the others fell asleep, leaving Barbara and Dick awake.
“You should get rest, Dick. You’re the one who’s on bed rest.”
“I’ve been sleeping for a while, Babs. You know I’ll be up for a few more hours. Plus, I want to catch Bruce when he returns… Haven’t seen him yet.”
Barbara nods, squeezing the male’s hand, “I’m gonna head out for the night, okay? I’ll be back in the morning.”
“Yeah yeah, of course. I’ll see you later.”
She leaned down, kissing his cheek before wheeling out. Dick sighed, readjusting his position without waking Damian. His arms tightened ever so slightly, pressing a soft kiss to the boy’s head, “You’re lucky he’s asleep. He’d threaten to stab you otherwise.”
The acrobat looked up, smiling at his father figure, “Hey B, I didn’t hear the zeta.”
“I made sure to silence it and didn't want to disturb you or the others. Plus, I made sure Barbara got home safely.” He speaks quietly, pulling up one of the chairs. “Are you okay if I run you up to speed about Hare?”
“You knew I was gonna ask regardless, Bruce.”
The eldest of the two nods, “The Hare, also known as Warren Crow. Age 26. Lived a relatively normal life, two parents lived in the suburbs of Chicago. He was known as a star student. His family visited Gotham while he was just a teen when Joker dumped his Joker venom into the city. An isolated incident that we had contained, but Warren inhaled a lot. The doctors said he’d make a full recovery, but his parents grew worried as he showed violent outbursts and other negative tendencies. Kept quiet though. His parents were found dead when he was 24, slaughtered.”
Dick stayed silent as he listened, connecting the dots to some of the sporadic reactions the Hare, Warren, possessed during his kidnapping. Bruce continued, “He easily admitted to all his crimes, even revealing some more we hadn’t counted. His kill count is up to 16 and is currently being escorted by the league to a temporary prison; it's now in the government’s hands.”
The eldest son sighed, “Then, it’s time for us to move on. Wait for the next crazy to show up.”
Bruce furrowed his brow, he was never good at this, but he and Dick never needed to say much to one another, “You’re allowed to take some time, chum. None of us expect you to be okay right away.”
“I know, B. But it’s always easier to just move on.”
“Still, would you be willing to talk with Dinah? Just for a couple sessions or more, if you need.”
Dick opened his mouth to answer before pausing, clearly thinking though, “I..”, he then nodded, “yeah yeah, I’ll do that.”
---------
It had been a couple of months since the Hare incident and the world was relatively back to normal. Well, as normal goes within a world run by the concept of superheroes and supervillains. Nightwing was back into the swing of things. From patrolling Bludhaven every night to attending Cass’ dance recitals. As for Warren, the Hare, he was sentenced to life in prison without parole.., but got a kind donation from the Wayne Foundation to seek treatments for his mental health. Bruce had been reluctant, but Dick had been adamant about it, especially hearing the traumatic events that led to Warren’s demise.
Dick stood in front of the Batcomputer, scanning through the files for his new case when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning, he waved to Cass who had now settled on the table. “Ready for patrol?” She signed, gesturing to the time.
“Yeah, almost good to go. Did some of the others already head out?”
“Stephanie and Duke decided to take the night off, the Reds are patrolling near Old Gotham, Damian is gearing up, Barbara will be working out of the Watchtower since she’s on comms for the Team, and Bruce, is off-world.”
Dick managed to catch everything, nodding, “Alright. Guess it will be just the three of us unless we run into Tim and Jason. I bet we can also convince Alfred to let us have some cookies.”
Damian entered the room, adjusting his gloves, “Grayson, you’ll get a cavity if you keep eating so many horrid sweets.”
“Oh come on, Dami! You know you enjoy them just as much as the rest of us.”
“Tt”
Shaking his head, Nightwing secured his domino mask and headed off into Gotham with Orphan and Robin. After all, he had to continue his race with Gotham’s finest.