Avoiding History

The Batman

     Bruce woke up immediately when the proximity alarms went off. Someone was trying to break in. He pulled up the security footage looking to see who was brave enough to try and attack. He didn't think it would be Ra's. He wouldn't be so blatantly stupid. As he scanned the security footage it took him several seconds to spot the intruder. They were well hidden and quiet. He was impressed. It wasn't until the intruder made it into the room that Bruce was able to get a good look. He realized it was just a child. The boy moved towards his bed drawing a knife. He started to speak and Bruce knew why someone was trying to kill him. The Court of Owls.

The child paused after realizing there wasn't a person in the bed. Bruce knew he didn't want this to go farther than it had to. He still had the element of surprise, but he wouldn't for long. Using it he attacked pinning the child down. He wasn't expecting when the shoulder dislocated and the boy rolled away. He shot a net at the boy and was surprised when he didn't try to move out of the way. It wrapped around him limiting mobility. He felt bad, especially with the dislocated shoulder, but he moved the boy to a cell. He had a feeling the police wouldn't be able to hold him. The boy never spoke.

He removed the knives and head gear startled when yellow eyes stared back at him. They were inhuman and the black veins creeping from his eyes only added to the look. He took a blood sample and the boy only stared at him showing no emotion or ticks that would tell Bruce what he is thinking. He leaves the boy in the cell and goes to test the blood.

After getting the blood in the system he goes back to the cell. The boy hasn't moved since Bruce left thirty minutes ago.

"Who are you?" Bruce watches those yellow eyes analyze him. His head tilts in a way Bruce has only seen in animals.

"I am The Talon," Bruce doesn't know much about the Court of Owls, but he heard of Talons. Assassins for the court are only seen by someone who is about to die. He never knew the Talons were kids.

"Why does The Court have you?" The boy tilted his head again in that peculiar manner.

"Because I am their Talon," He said it so matter of fact it sent shivers down his spine.

"Why were you sent to kill me?"

"Because the court ordered it," Such simple answers, but they are not the answers Bruce needs.

"Why do you work for The Court?" He didn't have much hope for an answer.

"Because I am their Talon," He's just going around in circles with these questions. He has other questions he wants to ask, but he can't bring himself to do it yet. Once it gets later in the morning he'll ask Alfred to bring some food down.

He goes to sit in front of his monitors staring at them. He has a child locked up and that doesn't sit right with him. He will tear the Court down brick by brick, but the child will still have nowhere to go. He can't be put among other children, and no one would be able to properly deal with him. He stares at the child who stands in the middle of the room. His yellow eyes never leave the spot on the wall, and he doesn't shift. It's unnatural.

He sits continuing to stare at the boy when his computer beeps. He glances over, seeing a match for the blood. He is surprised. Normally a child that young wouldn't be in any kind of system. He looks at the results and sits back in his chair. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. This night was full of surprises. The boy he had been trying to find four years ago is now sitting a few feet away. Richard Grayson, the lost circus boy. He felt anger and guilt coursed through him. He should have taken in the boy as soon as it happened. He waited though, and that had been a mistake. He would not make the same mistake. He would take the boy in, and do his best to undo the teachings of the Court.