Chapter Text
The man was just barely scratching 5’10, dress shirt rumpled and jacket dusty from where he lay on the floor. His pant legs were neatly ironed, not a single scuff on his dress shoes. A truly regular looking businessman, were it not for the bullet buried in his brain.
Jason let out a low whistle as he leaned in close to ensure the man was properly dead, listening close for the slightest breath or heartbeat.
Silence.
“Well,” he remarked, heavy footsteps treading lightly around the man’s office. The desk was neatly organized, papers kept in files and computer desktop easy to root through. “For a dirty politician, you sure tidy up well. Not that appearances are everything though. My sister’s the smallest thing you’ll ever see and she could kick your ass in at least two hundred different ways.” Pocketing his thumb drive with the rest of the stolen files, Jason walked back over to the man, lifting him by the hair to look him in the face. “Not you though, you’re still ugly as fuck.”
Green eyes swept over the whole room again. No sign of entry, everything returned neatly to its place, any and all evidence of murder other than the body missing from the scene. Jason hummed thoughtfully. “A rooftop shooter perhaps? Easy, anonymous, nothing to alert anyone of a break in.” Feet placed on either side of the man’s head, Jason traced a line with his eyes, following an imaginary angle leading to a window facing a skyscraper. He scoffed. “Oh, they make this too easy.”
BANG!
A shot rang through the air, a tiny hole now marring the previously unblemished window. Jason peered past his outstretched arm to where his gun steamed lightly from the shot. He grinned. Perfectly placed.
“See ya never asshole. Next time don’t touch my territory.” The gun slid in place against his ankle neatly as he walked out of the office and into the elevator.
Halfway down, a lady walked on and Jason offered her a sheepish smile, stepping closer to the wall and fumbling with the edges of his suit jacket, shoulders hunched awkwardly like a new intern nervous about his first impression. She barely glanced at him as they made it to the ground floor before hurrying off quickly. Jason walked casually out of the building, humming softly to himself until his comm crackled to life in his ear.
“Jay.”
“Jesus!” Jason’s shoulders jolted with surprise at the sound of his sister’s raspy voice. “The hell is wrong with you? Radio silence for three months and now you’re jumping my jobs?”
Cassandra laughed softly, deep and breathy. “Missed you too, jerk.”
“Yeah yeah. What’s going on? You’re not eating my food again, are you?”
A somber silence filled the static. “Mom. . . wants us home.”
Jason completely stopped where he was standing, eyes narrowing. “What, now?”
Cass hummed. “She said it’s urgent.”
He groaned. “I’m too busy for this shit. You know how many fuckers I had to get in this past month just to keep my hold on the city?”
Cass was unsympathetic. “Cry later. Come home now.”
“Alright, I’m on my way. You need any help with your case?”
His sister laughed again, proud and bell-like. “No. I am much quicker than you. He was dead before he could think to be scared.”
— — —
The League of Assassins was a semi-known organization with power in nearly every country. Even more unknown however, was the League of Shadows.
Barely more than an urban legend, people in all dark corners of the world feared the elusive Shadows that would hunt you down if they deemed it necessary. It was unknown how many there were, who they were, or where they were. Men, women, wives, husbands and coworkers. The Shadows took every shape needed to get what they wanted.
A few, sparse reports recorded Kestrels: deadly males with more knives than teeth and enough crimes each to rival a prison. Even fewer could say they knew of the Diaemi, masked women who’ve worn hundreds of faces and lived thousands of lives, controlling from behind the scenes.
They were monsters, faithfully standing at the Demon’s hand.
They were children, taken too soon from their innocence.
They were Shadows, Bats and Birds waiting in the dark for whatever was to come next.
— — —
Cassandra hadn't changed, Jason thought thankfully. His sister was steady as ever, the tiniest slip of a fighter with the strength of ten soldiers and the grace of twenty ballerinas. There weren't many things in his life he was thankful for, but Cass was above them all.
He'd heard of Kestrels who didn't work well with their Diaemus. Lone fighters who struck out on their own. They didn't last long. The constant mental strain with no one to properly know the burden. . . Jason would rather saw off his own arm than lose Cass.
The roar of their helicopter faded slowly as it settled to a stop. Cass supplied him with a steady look as she climbed out of the driver's seat.
The familiar heat of the desert weighed low on Jason’s shoulders, creating a nauseous, wrenching feeling in his gut.
Head back, chin up. Stony eyes as they walked forward in even steps towards the looming compound that day isolated in the desert.
Jason grumbled under his breath. “Welcome home.”
— — —
The compound just outside of Eth Alth'eban was large and elegant, acting as homebase for the al Ghuls. Jason and Cass had barely reached the front door when a short, lean figure appeared.
“Took you long enough,” Tim scowled. “I’ve been stuck in this miserable place with no one but the demons.” His words, while arrogant, were spoken quietly as a private exchange between the three of them. Still too much of a wuss to outright challenge the al Ghuls , Jason thought with mean satisfaction. “Any word from Helena?” Tim spoke at a normal volume now, directed at Cass as they began to walk through the grand entrance.
She shook her head decisively.
“Is that who you were with these past few months?” Helena was good, Jason had to appreciate it. But she was ruthless and one of the few Shadows he knew who was running around with no Kestrel. No one wanted to be on her bad side.
Cass shared a sly smile. “Her and Bette. Big syndicate went down. Ours now.”
Elizabeth, nicknamed Bette by acquaintances, yet another Diaemus with no Kestrel. Jason wasn't surprised the two ended up teaming together. Bette’s zeal for success was the perfect catalyst for Helena’s drive and methods. Cass probably fit right in with them.
“Why is it that you knew about this and not me?” He jabbed Tim in the back as they moved through labyrinthian hallways.
The younger boy threw a sardonic smile over his shoulder. “Jealous that I'm the favourite?”
Jason scoffed. “Wondering what you're even being kept here for if you're just going to stalk the rest of us. Hands off my Diaemus, you've got your own.”
“Are we playing tradesies?” A new voice, young and feminine, asked from beside them. Stephanie practically materialized from the shadows, looping her arm through Cass’ with a grin. “Please, let me and Cass trade. I'll take Jason’s gunslinging adventures over your boring sessions anyways.”
Tim rolled his eyes. It was no secret that he had been requested to stay at Eth Alth'eban with Ra’s and that Steph had been given the option to either go it on her own or tag along with Duke and Carrie. Instead, she'd stubbornly refused to leave without Tim, going as far as to break into his training with Ra’s to work alongside him. They were a good duo; Stephanie’s open defiance made Tim seem perfectly obedient next to her, allowing him to scheme in the dark without any scrutiny. And her rapscallion attitude combined with his “eager to please” facade made them endearing enough to get away with nearly whatever they wanted.
The walk continued with small business talk, updates on the other Shadows, and theories of their summoning. Tim and Steph remained tight lipped about the last one. They passed several people as they descended, servants or standard assassins who ducked their heads and sped quickly past them.
Eventually, they stepped off into a large circular room with multiple doors lining the walls and training mats in the center. “Your normal rooms are free. Meal times are the same as normal, but don't hang around in the dining hall at breakfast or else you'll bump into Ra’s.”
Stephanie jumped in. “Don’t get caught in the common area between 2-4 in the morning, Damian and Mara keep fighting each other and will turn on you if you try to intervene.” Tim grimaced in agreement.
“Two Terrors are going at it again?” Jason asked.
“They never stopped,” Steph and Tim spoke at the same time with a hint of annoyance. Jason could sympathize.
Damian and Mara al Ghul were prodigies in the League of Assassins. Born of royal blood, everyone knew what the outcome would be when they were each entered into the Shadow program with nineteen other children. Failure was never an option for them. They completed the program in record time, remaining as the sole survivor of their groups at age 15, with thirty eight bodies left to join the others in the desert sand. They were the perfect heirs: talented, deadly, intelligent. Unfortunately, they were two of the most annoying little assholes Jason knew. If they weren’t actively trying to rip the other apart, then they were teamed up against some poor chap who was about to have a very bad day.
“Let's get this over quick then. What does Talia want?”
Tim’s eyes flicked behind Jason and he straightened up on instinct. A familiar hand placed itself on Jason’s back.
“You never call me Mother these days, Jason. Have you truly come to know me so formally?”
Tim and Steph bowed respectfully as Jason turned to face Talia al Ghul. “Mother.” He greeted monotonously. The corners of her lips lifted, though it was more of a sneer than a smile. “Why did you call us back?”
“I’m always pleased to see my Shadows gathered together again.” Even after years under Talia, Jason found himself unable to get a firm read on her body language. He could sense the others just fine; Tim was calculating, tired, annoyed. Steph was observing, wary, tense. He could hear the way she breathed in and out slowly, no doubt ready to plaster a mischievous grin on her face and lighten the mood. Cass, who had disappeared at some point, would’ve been able to see Talia’s intentions clean and simple. His mistrust must have been evident in his eyes, because Talia let out a laugh, her fingernails squeezed into his back. “My father will summon you all tomorrow evening. We will discuss then.” Sharp nails withdrew from Jason’s back and he responded with a sharp nod. Talia smiled, genuine this time. “Welcome home.”