The Last Talon

Chapter Eleven

Friday afternoons were Dick's favourite. It was the one time of the week where everyone was out of the house. Bruce went to the office, Tim, Jason and Damian were at their respective jobs and Annie was running her usual errands. This pattern had started to develop after his second week in the manor when its inhabitance became less wary of leaving him alone in the house.

Dick took this opportunity to use the gym, knowing no prying eyes would stumble upon him and witness him in action. Logically he knew it was only a matter of time before one of his family members saw the monster within, but he would hold it off as long as possible.

As soon as Annie left after lunch he stole away to the gym and began his usual stretching routine then worked his way through each piece of equipment, pushing his body until he could feel the electrum practically humming in his veins. After a couple of hours had passed, he stopped running on the treadmill. He had worked himself up and his adrenaline was sky high. Reaching for a set of throwing knives on the weapons table he threw them one after the other in quick succession. Each one hit the target with deadly accuracy.

It was the deadly force that stopped Dick in his tracks. This was one of the reasons he didn't want the others to see him train. He slipped into his old ways so easily. Batman had one main rule, his oath; never kill. Dick didn't want to see the look on Bruce's face when he saw how easy it would be for Dick to take the life of another.

He removed the knives from the targets, not wanting to leave them and draw attention to his practice. After taking a quick shower he headed back up to the house; Annie should be returning soon. As he opened the secret door he heard voices and scuffling from somewhere in the house. One of the voices was Annie's, the other he didn't recognise but it sounded Irish. Annie sounded angry but on the brink of fear.

In the kitchen, Annie was still staring in disbelief at the man stood before her. Darren had started out as her partner in the secret service, then later her fiancé. After she caught him taking and selling drugs she sold him out and tossed him to the curb. She hadn't seen him in nearly five years and yet here he was, in the kitchen of her new home, looking rough and particularly dangerous. Darren was a tall, muscular man and she was more than aware of how strong he was.

'What are you doing here Darren?'

'Is that really anyway to greet your old flame?' His thick Irish accent seemed to clash with the environment. He didn't belong here.

'What are you doing here?' She repeated a little louder.

'What did I always tell you, babe. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.' He grinned and took a step toward her. 'I heard you were working for some big shot in the big US of A. Since it was you who made me lose my place on the service, it's time to pay the piper. 8 million should do it.'

'Get out.' Annie growled.

'Who's gonna make me? You?' He laughed. 'We both know I'm a lot stronger than you and all your little friends are out. I know, I've been watching.'

The thought of him watching them made her skin crawl.

'Now you're going to give me what I came here for. Or I'm going to cut that pretty face of yours.' He pulled a pocket knife from his jacket, the blade glinted in the late afternoon sunlight.

'Annie?' Dick's voice startled her. She had forgotten he was in. Darren looked alarmed, then a sly expression crept onto his features as he pieced together in his mind who the voice belonged too.

'Change of plan babe. You give me the money, or I'll cut the kid to pieces, just like I did that spy in old Russia.' He turned to the door, heading towards where Dick's voice had come from.