Chapter Text
"Officer Kori Anders?" Police Chief Amy Rohrbach called her into her office.
Kori entered the room and stood at attention. "There's something I would like you to do, an undercover assignment. You still do modeling don't you?"
"Yes, why do you ask?" Amy placed a photograph down on the table. "You recognize these people don't you?"
"Yes, they are the Fearless Flying Graysons, John and Mary Grayson retired from being aerialists when their son Rich'ard was 12. They are immensely wealthy and by all accounts, a very happy family."
"There was a reporter who said he stumbled on a family secret and he was going to publish it in a story. Guy was found in his apartment, pinned to the wall by over 50 circus throwing knives. It can't be a coincidence. Use your modeling connections to get close to their son, and dig up anything you can, specifically, what this reporter found."
Amy looked at her friend, "Be careful, Kori."
"Do not worry, Chief, I will be very careful."
Amy gave Kori the rest of the day off, so she could get ready for a charity dinner that the Graysons would be attending, Amy had intended to go undercover but decided it would be best for Kori because she already had a cover because she was a model.
That night, amidst all the glitz and glamour of journalists and celebrities, Kori walked into the building drawing several shocked stares and awed whispers. Kori walked through the door and began to mingle with the guests. There were so many people there, far more famous than she was. How was she supposed to find Richard Grayson in this vast crowd?
The room was full of people, Dick Grayson scowled. He didn't want to be there, he should be hanging out with his friends, not at some stuffy fundraiser. His father and mother had insisted he come.
"Oh Robbiepoo!" Kitten Walker shrieked. "Where are you?"
"Aw crap, not her!" Dick sighed. He had to move, Kitten Walker was the most obnoxious person he'd ever met. She'd found out his childhood nickname "little robin" and used to tease him mercilessly. She also had an unwanted crush on him.
"Would you like to dance Rich'ard?" a pleasant voice inquired. He looked up and saw a gorgeous figure in front of him. Long red hair and lovely green eyes that couldn't possibly be human.
"And you are?" he inquired smoothly. He already had a reputation as a playboy. It didn't bother him in the slightest but his mother disapproved.
"Kori Anders."
"The model. It's nice to meet you in person," Dick smiled.
"Let us hurry to the dance floor before the other girl returns, perhaps you will need to be saved from monsters, she certainly is ugly like a monster, yes?"
He laughed, "Thank you."
They began to dance together as some music played. After the song was over and they pulled away.
He smiled, "I've had a great time. Are you doing anything tomorrow?"
"No particularly," Kori smiled.
"Will you join me for lunch?" Dick asked.
"Of course."
"Hey son, who is this?" a woman's voice spoke up.
"Ah, mom, this is Kori Anders," he introduced her.
Mary smiled politely. She shook Kori's hand. "Thank you for rescuing my son, Kitten never goes away." She looked disgusted.
"So I gather." Kori looked over in surprise as she saw two of her friends, Rachel Roth and Garfield Logan. Gar was the city's struggling hero Beast Boy; Rachel Roth was Raven, Victor Stone, known as Cyborg was surprisingly absent. They were all heroes, although they worked separately from each other, they spent time together.
Beast Boy wanted to come up with a team name, but no one approved of the names he thought up.
"Who are they?" Dick asked cheerfully.
"Garfield Logan and Rachel Roth, my friends," Kori smiled.
"It's nice to meet all of you." They spent time together until the other guests left.
Dick approached his mother, who smiled. "And here you said you didn't want to come."
"Kori's nice, that's all."
Mary laughed, "You flirted with her the entire time! But seriously, what do we know about her?"
"She's a model," Dick held up his iPad.
"It's more than that. What do we do about her?" John asked, "I have it from my friend, she's a cop."
"Cops are easy to deal with, bribe them," Dick shrugged.
"Not this one, she's an idealist," Mary sighed. "Idealists don't change their minds, and money means nothing to them." Mary put a hand on her son's shoulder.
"The members of the Court won't be happy with a cop snooping around. She can't connect anything to us, right Dick?"
"I did my job, killed the reporter, nothing can be traced to us."
"You carry our family legacy very well," John smiled. "And William is coming for a visit."
"Great Grandpa?" Dick asked, excited, Great Grandpa William was usually on assignment for the Court or asleep. They didn't usually get to see him.
"This Kori Anders, Richard, you can never tell her a thing about our family legacy." John warned him.
"Of course, people like her will never understand." Dick stared at his father. "You have something for me?"
"The Court has an assignment for you, a new Target, Deathstroke the mercenary."
Mary glanced at her son, "I know what you're thinking Dick, Slade is one of those people who can't be bought off either, but for entirely opposite reasons than Kori's. He has plans to shape Jump City, and the Court of Owls is the only organization that truly can shape this city."
"In a city divided, we are the middle," Mary smiled.
"I know, I'll be going now."
"Come back safe, and after Slade's dead," his father instructed. "The Court of Owls does not tolerate failure."
"Good luck, little robin, make me proud," Mary smiled.
Dick rolled his eyes and walked off.
He made his way to a nearby building and made his way to the hidden room between the floors of the skyscraper. He changed into his Talon uniform. He leapt out into the night, enjoying the sight of Jump City at night. It was one of the few things in his life he actually took pleasure in.
He headed towards an abandoned warehouse district. He had it from one of the Court's many informants, that this was Slade's hideout.
He entered silently, creeping around in the dark, using his built-in infrared lenses to see. He barely managed to duck, a sword whizzed where his head should have been.
"You must be a Talon, it doesn't matter, I enjoy killing your kind. Your Court of Owls plays games with their toys, believe they can shape the city while I live here and walk these streets. If Jump City belongs to anyone, it belongs to me."
"Slade Wilson, the Court of Owls has sentenced you to die!" Dick snarled through his mask.
Dick pulled out a pair of throwing knives, he slashed at Slade, moving quickly to stab him just above his elbow. Slade ignored the pain. He kicked Grayson straight in the face. He grabbed his wrist and threw him across the room.
He slammed his fist into the Talon's gut, Dick accepted it, but ignored the pain he could not feel. He punched the mercenary across the face. Slade retaliated by using his Promethium sword to slash out his eyes.
Dick easily reached for his throwing knives, embedding them in Slade's chest, it was an old family trick, Great Grandpa William had been a fantastic knife thrower, and had taught him everything
Slade was angry, he'd beaten dozens of Talons, he wasn't going to be killed by some no name puppet. This one was interesting, Slade had never thought about these people and who they were under their masks, being a mercenary, you weren't supposed to care who people were, just who was paying you to kill them. This one made him curious. He had a plan now, as impromptu as it was, it was still ingenious, he would discover who this brat was, and kill him when he least expected.
Grayson was also angry, why wouldn't this stubborn old bastard die? He'd put this guy in the ground, failure was not an option, his parents would be furious, and the Court might put him on ice, he enjoyed being awake during the day too much to have the only freedom that was his snatched away due to some old mercenary.
Dick smashed his head into Slade's mask, sending him staggering back. He whipped out a sword and gutted Slade with it. He tossed him back against the wall, unleashing dozens and dozens of throwing knives into his body. It would be a warning to anyone who thought they could control Jump City.
"Beware the Court of Owls, that watches all the time, ruling Jump from a shadowed perch, behind granite and lime. They watch you at your hearth, they watch you in your bed, speak not a whispered word of them, or they'll send the Talon for your head."
Dick turned on his heel and left. At least the fight had been interesting. It was the first fight he'd ever really had to exert effort. One day, he hoped to go to Gotham City, and kill their would-be protector Batman, but his parents had specifically been assigned to Jump City and he wasn't too happy about it. He wasn't too happy about a lot of things in his life.
Slade got up from the floor, smirking. "Not bad, Talon. I'd like to know which one you are, that way I could kill you myself. But it will be interesting, pretending to be dead, that way I can watch you undisturbed."
Dick reported back to his house, members of the Court were waiting for him.
"Slade Wilson is dead, he will no longer interfere with the Court's activities."
"Well done, take some time off, we permit your family to remain awake, because of your power and influence, we are the true protectors of Jump City." He turned and walked away, uninterested in their pompous speeches.
John and Mary watched the other members of the Court leave.
"John are you all right?" Mary asked.
"They make me sick, I think it's time we took destiny into our own hands," John looked at her.
"Since when did we believe in destiny?" Mary scoffed.
"The Court will need a new Headmaster, I think it's time we took what's rightfully ours. My grandfather is the best Talon there is. I deserve to keep the Court under control, away from these morons."
"You know they won't approve of you."
"I know Mary, but I don't need them to."
"So, when will this happen?" Mary gazed at him; they'd been plotting this for some time.
"Soon, Mary, soon. The Graysons have always stood on top of everyone, and that's not going to change."
Kori fidgeted nervously. He wasn't late, but she had to wonder about him. He seemed to live up to his playboy reputation, but she'd seen something in his eyes, something she'd known very well, being an alien on Earth. Loneliness.
She could also sense that the happy family dynamic was forced and a public farce, but what were they hiding?
Dick Grayson straightened out his suit as he saw Kori walk into the restaurant.
She was so stunning, but she was so different from anyone he'd ever met. There was a kindness and warmth in her eyes, and he was drawn to that. Any sort of warmth from his parents was usually forced, for the public persona of a happy family. In truth, they were cold and distant, caring only for the family legacy and their lives as members of the Court of Owls.
Not to mention she was smoking hot and had a body guys dreamed about. Still, there was something special about her. He tried to remember he shouldn't get emotionally involved that he only wanted to use her for a fun time, preferably in bed naked, but when he looked at her, all thoughts of lust seemed to leave his mind, and he just wanted to spend time with her.
"Hello Kori, care to join me?" he offered her his hand. She smiled and sat down.