Blood Ties

Chapter 7 -Raw-

The rooftop was completely still. The dying light cascading over the young mercenary in sudden turmoil, his mind churning with uncertainty.

Renegade drew a breath to voice his confusion, he might need to hear it again to actually process what was said. He bit his lip to keep the words from tumbling out, looking down in hopeful thought.

Did he mean it? Was he actually going to not be with Deathstroke, and go to BATMAN of all people?

He looked up again, searching his mentors faceplate with renewed fervor. This had to be a mistake, a dream, a nightmare.

Deathstroke was a blank slate, no emotions whatsoever. Renegade knew the order would not be repeated, even if his mind was still reeling with the surprise. His eyes lowered as he stopped seeing the world around him, buried deep in thought. All the sudden meanings and possibilities were crashing down on him at once. Through the chaos, his mind slowly pieced it together.

The packing.

The avoiding.

The mysterious mission.

The sudden appearance of Batman.

Renegade was so confused. He looked up again, trying to find some hint as to what was going on. Deathstroke met his gaze, his steel eye almost unnerving, it narrowed ever so slightly. Deathstroke would not say his orders twice. Never has, never will. Which meant...

Renegade turned his head to face Batman but had to pry his eyes off his mentor. This was not a negotiation, there was no arguing, no way to weasel out.

It was an order.

Batman just seemed to stare as well, watching the young mercenary's face change from confusion, to fear.

"Your past is yours to do with, he cannot order you to share that which you do not desire to share." Deathstroke said quietly, Renegade almost didn't catch it, still staring at the far away shadow that was soon to be his new master.

Renegade was still stuck at the first order. Wait, so, Deathstroke was giving him to Batman? Why? For what? Did he do something wrong?

"Go." Deathstroke said louder, Renegade nearly jumped.

Batman's shadow grew as the sun dipped lower, the orange slowly fading from the sky, the mystic glow devoured by the elongating shadows. Renegade squared his shoulders, Deathstroke ordered him to do soemthing, he wasn't about to disobey just because he didn't understand. There had to be a reasonable explanation. It didn't make any sense.

Either way, Renegade would have to think on it, and he would have to think on it while Batman was the one giving the orders. The idea sent chills across his arms, making his hair stand on end. Batman was the enemy, what would he make him do? Sure he was a goody-two-shoes hero, but he wasn't exactly nice.

Renegade forced himself to take a step forward, the first, and the most hesitant.

He gave one last look to his mentor, his confused and angry face slacking into fear for a moment before he forced it back into a hardened scowl to cover his true feelings. But he wanted Deathstroke to know he didn't want to, his allegiance was with the mercenary, not just anyone giving orders to him. The betrayal felt in his heart was gone as quick as it came, he trusted his mentor too much. Was it temporary? Would he ever see Slade again?