Avoiding History

Doctor's Visit

     He was headed to meet Commissioner Gordon. He needed an update on how many owls are escaping custody. He knows a lot of them will lawyer up, but if they can keep most of them in jail he will consider it a success. Dick believes him, and can now be on a road to recovery. He is going to do everything he can to keep the boy away from all the political drama and uproar that will come out of this.

He makes it to the Police Station only pausing once to stop a mugging. The Commissioner is on the roof just like he was the night before.

"How many have you been able to hold?" One look at the man's face and he can tell it's not good.

"Less than half. They all lawyered up, and most of the information you gave me only nails some of the more heavily involved. We're doing everything in our power to convict as many as we can, but they all have a lot of money that looks really good when on a government salary," Corruption has always been a problem in Gotham. Gordon was able to get rid of some of it, but most of the cops aren't above taking bribes, and with how rich and powerful the Court was he's not surprised at Gordon's news. A piece of evidence is misplaced here, a forgotten call is made there. Not enough to get someone fired, but enough that someone can use it to get off scot free. It's still not good news.

"How many do you think the charges will stick?" Gorden gives a half hearted shrug.

"Less than five getting more than ten years in jail. Twenty getting less than ten. Fifty getting a slap on the wrist, and the rest nothing will stick," That's still more than enough for the Court to rebuild. There were over a hundred people at the opera house, and those were just the ones to show up. "We might be able to convict more if we can get a few to turn on each other, but that means they will get a lesser sentence. That's if they don't pay off the courts. Don't expect much media coverage on this either," He nods hiding his frustration. Gordon seems to be able to tell because he turns to head inside giving Batman his turn to leave.

The criminals hide for the next two days. Bruce trains to let out his frustration not missing the way Dick watches him with rapt attention. He lets the boy watch him not thinking it would hurt anything. He didn't think twice when Dick started practicing on the equipment. The boy was doing well in his studies. Alfred worked with him on schooling, and his written english was not great, but he excelled in math. Bruce had no doubt that Dick was also learning manners during those lessons. Diana maybe wasn't the best person to teach Dick how to be a person, but she was the most friendly out of the three candidates, and rose to the challenge. She answered any questions he had, and was working with him on emotions. Bruce figured the boy had been through depersonalization, and when that happened, he learned to shut his emotions off. The League of Assassins had a similar training, but never to the point that one only thought of himself as only a weapon. His reactions when asked questions about feelings or opinions was still unnatural, but he was learning the correct answers. The hardest part would be making him believe those answers. That would only come through time and interaction with other people.

Bruce had not intended for Dick to follow him out while he was Batman. He worked with his physical training. The boy was skilled far beyond his years. Bruce was able to teach him how to turn lethal blows into non lethal. What helped the most was Bruce wouldn't let the boy fight with knives. The hardest part of training was teaching the boy to avoid blows instead of taking them. Bruce pulled his punches, but they still hurt. The boy would push them off like they were nothing. He had a good healing factor, but that wouldn't help if he was dead. When they went through training exercises the boy was good about dodging. It was when they were sparing that the problems arose. He would be good about it at first, but as the fight progresses he would start taking more and more hits. If he did that in a real fight it will get him killed. That was why Bruce was not happy when Dick followed him.