Nightwing: Heartless

Part 47: A Death in the Family

"You really didn't have to ask them to sing Happy Birthday," Willa grumbled to her brother. He just laughed and mussed up her hair. No matter how old she got, she would always be a little sister.

"But you looked so cute with the cowboy hat. I sent a picture to mom."

Willa groaned half-heartedly, not really mad. It was really sweet of her brother to come down and visit her for the weekend just because he missed her birthday a few weeks ago. It was just the two of them, like old times when both their parents were working. Except now the kids were adults. Freaky.

"Do you want to catch a cab home?" Willa asked. She was staying at her parents' while Adam was home. Her mom liked when the whole family was together.

Adam watched the dwindling yellow taxis and shifted his weight. He plastered on a carefree look, "why don't we just walk? It's not that far." Willa nodded, playing along, but she got the feeling his money problems hadn't gotten any better. He only asked her the one time, even though she told him over and over she wanted to help.

"How's school?" She asked instead.

Adam shrugged, "good. I'm glad it's almost over. Got to find a job, though." Worry lines creased his forehead but he turned his head when he noticed Willa looking, "how's your senior year? Big interview coming up, yeah?"

Willa nodded, "yeah. But it's still really competitive, so it's not worth getting my hopes up-"

"Please, Will, you've got Bruce Wayne as a reference."

"And Lois Lane."

"My point exactly." Willa looked away. "What's wrong?" Her brother asked.

"I know I'm doing it for the right reasons, but it still feels wrong to use Dick's connections to get ahead." She played with the bottom of her coat.

Her brother slung an arm around her shoulder, "hey, plenty of guys with less qualifications get a lot more advantages. Are you going to use the opportunity for good?" Willa met his eyes and nodded. "Good," Adam answered, "just remember to leave the door open behind you."
He was only two years older, but Adam always seemed so wise. Always knew what to say and do. She was lucky to have such a smart brother.

They walked another block when Willa noticed the absence of cars on the road. That's weird, she thought. It was getting late but this was Gotham. There was always traffic, always a line of cars at every stop light. But the street was empty. Now that she was paying attention, there was no one else walking the sidewalks either, not like a few blocks ago. A sense of uneasiness stirred in her stomach. She tightened her grip on her brother's arm, debating whether to call Dick or not, since nothing was wrong, per se, just a feeling.

"Adam..." She pulled him toward the crosswalk. A street filled with shops and restaurants was about five blocks away, and if they hurried it wouldn't take long to get to. Even if she was being silly, it would make her feel better.

"What is it, Willa?" He asked, voice low, looking around. He was agitated because she was agitated. He didn't have the privilege of dating a super spy. Some of Dick's instincts must have rubbed off.

She didn't have time to answer her brother, only enough to jump back when a man came around a corner, too fast to be coincidental. She glanced down and immediately spotted the gun in his hand. She stiffened, making eye contact with the man, who just smiled and winked, then looked past her. Adam brushed his arm in front of Willa, drawing her behind him.

"Hey, kid," the man drawled, smiling at Adam, like they were old friends. Adam looked less friendly, tense and afraid in front of his sister.

Willa slowly drew her phone out of her back pocket and hit 1. It was a shortcut Dick had put on her phone, a speed dial to him, in case she ever needed it. She had thought it was silly, but now she was grateful. She gasped as her phone was ripped out of her hand from behind. Two more men circled to the front, the oldest looking at her screen. He smirked up at Willa and Adam shifted to cover more of her body with his.