Chapter Text
Looking back, it should have sparked some concern when Bruce broke so easily through the building’s defenses. Instead of facing the impenetrable complex system Bruce thought he’d be dealing with— the same expected system that made Bruce recruit Oracle for help; no matter how much he’d love to barge in, he didn’t want to face this alone. But Bruce never would have thought he'd be faced with a rusty metal, unlocked door.
The sight made Bruce wonder if this was some kind of trap. He stalled for time, as he inspected the door with tired eyes, looking for some hidden trigger. Or just something that could confirm for Bruce he was on the right track. That Cobb hadn’t been lying to him back then, minutes before his death.
You’re missing out on one, was what Cobb rasped out to him in between agonized breaths. Despite the fact that Cobb had been defeated and was on death's doorsteps, Cobb took the time even then to put on a smirking face.
For tonight, Bruce's only mission was to bring down the last remaining and missing Talon. It wouldn’t be an easy feat—at least not in the short run. Talons were a thing to be feared. With superhuman strength and lightning quick reflexes that could rival that of a god, it seemed almost a miracle Bruce and Damian managed to take care of them all.
Or well, almost all of them.
According to Cobb, there was another Talon left. The Court’s favorite Talon. Dick Grayson. A thousand year old Talon who had opted to run from the Court.
According to Cobb, Grayson was the ultimate and true opponent. The Court’s final weapon of destruction.
Good luck bringing him down Batman, Cobb’s final words were. I never managed to defeat him.
He brought up a hand to touch his comm.
“Oracle?” he asked, a drop of sweat sliding down his forehead.
“Here, B,“ came the practical and swift voice of Oracle through the comm. She sounded way too chipper for his taste, almost like she was pleased to talk to him. Then again, who wouldn’t be. Tonight was a special night for them. Not because tonight they were supposed to catch the last remaining Talon, but because tonight was Bruce’s final night as a vigilante.
One more night, Bruce thought to himself.
“Target is inside the building.”
Then just as he was about to open the door, Bruce heard a sound. A deep chilling scream that raised the hair on the back of his neck .
In less than the blink of an eye, Bruce was already in a fighting position. Ready to barge in if necessary, but no creature kicked the door open. No Talon came for his neck.
The silence that followed seemed tense, but absolute.Bruce took a deep breath in. He clenched his fist as a chilling breeze swept by. This is it, he thought.
And so he kicked the door open and without any more second-guessing, Bruce entered.
That was when his world tilted on its axis because instead of meeting the hardened eyes of a killer, Bruce found himself looking at the eyes of someone else.
He locked eyes with the bright, curious ones of a child.