robin; a different fate [Discontinued]

Chapter 05: Talon

[THIRD PERSON]
[TWO MONTHS LATER]
[LOCATION: GOTHAM CITY]
[1:01 AM]

Talon paused, his steps echoing in the dark alleyways of Gotham. Who was his victim again? Ah yes, it was that child who had seen one of his assassinations, the child who knew too much.

So why was it already dead in front of him? The Talon blinked uncertainly as his eyes shifted down to the blade clinched in his hands. It had blood on it, which meant he blacked out during an assignment again.

The Court would not be pleased with this development but he would not tell them unless they asked. That had been the Talon's policy for years, unless they asked about it was irrelevant to share. 

Talon sheathed his blade with a fluid movement, his current outfit different from Dick Grayson's hoodie and cargo pants. He wore a skintight black suit with little breathing room and his owl mask, peering at the dead body through those creepy eyes. As Talon he had little need for the comforts his other self seemed to crave. 

Running a hand through his hair Talon prepares to disappear into the night, when of course, everything goes wrong. 

That annoying kiddie league showed up. Talon was beginning to wonder why the Batman hadn't been around, and apparently now he was sending kids after him. Talon couldn't help the gleeful laugh that slipped through his lips. This was so much better than dealing with the Batman and all of his obnoxious-to-fight-ex-assassin-children.

Talon's deep blue eyes flickered up as a voice screamed at him to stop where he was. 

"Don't move Talon." Artemis sneers from behind her bow, string drawn at the fullest as she holds it there. Ah yes, Talon remembered her. Sportsmaster daughter, the court thought it was a shame that she'd switched sides but refused to do anything about it. Other than assassinations the Court didn't intervene unless it greatly aided themselves. 

The Talon stays quiet, knowing the number one rule of the Court, don't talk. Don't share unnecessary information that would lead people to learn more than they should know. He raises his hands almost mockingly as he slips a fresh set of blades into his hands from his suit. 

"Artemis get back!" Aqualad shouts out as he spots the blades shining in the assassin's hands a second before they were brought back with a quick, agile flick of the wrist and impaled themselves into the stomach of the assassin. She cried out and her teammates rushed to her, giving her medical attention to what would otherwise be a fatal injury. 

It was a fatal blow but not if they left him to tend to her. Which is exactly what they did, playing right into the Talon's hands. 

He scaled the alleyway walls and made his escape over the city. He knew how to hide, even from Batman and his sidekicks. That's what he was trained for, that was what the court was trained for, they weren't well known for a reason and it wasn't because they were ineffective. In fact it was the opposite. It was because they were so effective they were given the chance to live in the shadows underneath the shadows. 

For a second he had pondered killing the mini league but had let them be. They weren't on his kill list yet, and perhaps if he had met them when he first came out of the pod in his mindless blood frenzy he most definitely would have slit their throats. Talon hummed to himself at the thought. Perhaps he might would convince his employer to make them a target, who knows what all that disobedient Dick Grayson had told them, or rather let slip. 

Frowning at the thought of his alter ego Talon thought that maybe he hadn't killed them because Dick Grayson had perhaps made an attachment. The thought was quick to flee his mind as one of the underground entrances came into view and he slipped into the catacombs. They would lead him home as they always had before.