The Last Talon

Chapter Sixteen

Dick slowly recounted his version of events and Damian watched him closely. When he got to the part about running onto the blade, Dami tutted.

'That was an amateur move, even if you can't be killed you must have known it would slow you down.'

'I wasn't really thinking about that, I had to stop Ben from being hurt.' Dick shouted in defence. Damian smirked at him but then frowned. There was blood coating Dick's lips.

The Talon coughed and rubbed his mouth, blood smearing onto the back of his hand. The burning of the electrum in his stomach had been building to excruciating levels as it tried to heal his organs. Cobb had always told him that organs were precious as they were hard to heal while the body remained functioning. For them to completely heal the body must first be slowed down to the lowest possible functions, otherwise, the organs simply do not heal and the Talon risked doing permanent damage.

More blood dripped from Dick's mouth and he groaned slightly from the pain.

'Dick?'Both Damian and Jason took hold of his arms as his legs started to shake. 'Get him to the med bay.'

Jason scooped Dick up into his arms but Dick protested, fighting his way back to his feet. 'I'm fine, I can walk.' Slowly they walked down the corridor, when they arrive Jason helped Dick up onto one of the beds. The youngers face was filled with pain.

Damian pulled up his brother's shirt, noticing there were no marks, no scars. The wound from the sword had completely healed, but when he pressed on his stomach Dick yelped in pain and coughed up more blood.

'He's bleeding internally.' Damian said alarmed. 'Why isn't he healing?'

'When the Talon's were severally injured they would go into hibernation to heal.' Bruce's voice emerged from behind them filled with looked down at Dick, with kind eyes. 'I'm right, aren't I?'

Dick actually whimpered as he nodded. 'Please don't.'

'Dick you're in pain, you need to heal.' Said Jason slowly.

Dick ignored him, his eyes not leaving Bruce's. 'Please don't put me back in there.'

Bruce ran a hand through Dick's hair and sighed, unsure what to do. He could understand the boys fear, anyone could. But he also knew that he wasn't prepared to sit here and watch him wither in agony.

Sweat was beginning to form on Dick's forehead and his breathing was ragged. He clenched his jaw tight and bit back another moan. He had seen what an injury such as this could do to someone like him. His thoughts drifted back to when he had asked William about it for the first time.

Dick ran quickly behind Cobb as they entered one of the designated med rooms.

'What happened?' Cobb demanded as he entered, Dick still on his heels.

'Grand Master.' One of the Talons bowed his head. 'He was crushed by falling debris, it shattered his bones, burst his spleen and collapsed his lungs. He was trapped for four days before he managed to get himself out.'

Cobb walked over to the Talon on the bed, he was shaking and moaning in agony. Cobb rested a hand on his head.

'Rest now, hibernation will recover you.' He said almost gently. Almost.

The others wheeled in a hibernation chamber and together they shifted the shaking body onto the inner plate and lowered him down into the chamber. The Talon closed his eyes as the lid was shut and the fog of cold started the freezing process.

Dick shivered, he hated those chambers. He had been in them a few times, and each time it got harder to go back in. He hated how helpless he felt, lying there and waiting for the ice to freeze you over.