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28.08% VECTOR IN DC / Chapter 73: CHAPTER 72

Chapitre 73: CHAPTER 72

[Bruce Wayne's POV] 

Something quite unexpected had taken place last night, while on patrol last night an explosion piqued my radar and it came from an abandoned warehouse not too far away from my location so I went to investigate it and find out what the cause of it was. 

Maybe there was another scuffle between some no-gooders again, after all it was Gotham and almost nothing came as a surprise to me anymore. Or so I thought. 

When I arrived at a safe distance from the location, I used a pair of binoculars I had brought out from my utility belt to scout the surroundings before proceeding. The only person that came out of the warehouse that instant was none other than the kid who had beaten Jason to a pulp, Tom. 

He had a smirk on his face, kinda like he was either satisfied with something or something had gone the way he wanted. It was a surprise to me so I went ahead to investigate what had happened inside the warehouse and yet again I was greeted by another surprising sight. 

The image of a blood covered Deathstroke who sat on the floor while leaning against a wall was actually unexpected. 'What was Deathstroke doing with Tom at that abandoned warehouse and was Tom so strong that he came out unscathed from a battle with Deathstroke and even left him at death's doors?' The question that scavenged through my mind, I wanted answers and I wanted them asap. 

Looking around I noticed the interior of the warehouse had been trashed up, revealing the heat of the battle. It was so intense that it looked like Deathstroke might not be able to get up for a while but his bleeding had stopped and was healing already, so I decided to approach him myself and get some answers out of him. 

I approached him carefully because it would be stupid to underestimate one such as Deathstroke. He might have healed up completely and was just recuperating till it was time for him to leave. 

"Hello Batman, or should I say Bruce Wayne." I thought I had concealed my presence really well but that's Deathstroke for you, his instincts are sharpened and refined so well that he's way above an average human. 

"Did that Tom kid do this to you?" I asked as I retained my stance in the shadows. 

"And why would I ever need to answer your questions?" 

"That's because this is my city and when something like this happens, I need to know and prepare for people who might be potential threats to this city."

"Well the kid and I had a little bit of a falling out but as far as potential threat goes, he's way above that. If he ever wanted to." He said to me with his ever confident tone as he stood on his feet, his wounds seemed to have healed up completely.

*What do you mean by that?" I asked as I kept a reasonable distance between us. 

"He's a kid who just wants to enjoy the good things life has to offer and lead a normal life, without getting into any kind of trouble but I poked him too hard and this was what I got. Probably because I underestimated him." The way Deathstroke admitted to being defeated by that kid almost sounded like he was impressed with him. 

"I see… And why were you interested in him?" I asked. 

"That's enough Batman. I'm not in any way obligated to answer any of your questions so if you'd excuse me, I'll be on my way." He stood up and started packing his things, he might not have told me much but at least he told me enough.

I grabbed my grapple gun and shot it at a wall near a window up top, I glided off and vanished into the night. I need to know what was so special about Tom that Deathstroke approached him and how he was able to win him in a fight, something that would take me quite an effort to accomplish. 

I went back to the Batcave to continue my research on Tom, on getting there, I was greeted by the presence of both Jason and Barbara who seemed to have just returned from patrol. 

"Where were you Bruce, you ghosted and didn't answer to our coms." Jason asked, curiosity crystal clear in his voice and his expression showed that he wanted an answer. 

Barbara remained silent but from her body language, it was clear she wanted the same and Jason had said all she wanted. 

There was an explosion around the parts I was patrolling, I went over to investigate and I met Deathstroke there. 

"Deathstroke?" They blurted out together. 

"Yes, Deathstroke." I walked over to the main computer and took a seat in my chair as I immediately got to work, while those two kids bombarded me with a barrage of questions. 

"What was he doing there?" Asked Jason. "And who was he fighting? You mentioned there was an explosion earlier." Barbara followed up with Jason's question. 

"Don't worry about it, I'll tell you if you need to know." I tried to kill the conversation, I didn't see any need for me to tell them about my conversation with Deathstroke and or Tom's involvement. But I might have to warn them about Tom. I immediately had an idea, he was around their age, a little bit older but they could befriend him and investigate him up close. 

Barbara there's something I need you to do, and it's an undercover mission. 

"Really, what's the mission about?" She asked with a sparkle in her eyes, it seemed like she had waited for some excitement for far too long and now she was finally getting some. 

"Just her? Why can't I go on the mission?" Asked Jason. 

"That's because I need her to make contact with Tom Hendricks and befriend him and gain his trust, while she discreetly investigates him. And considering your history with him, he might figure out you are Robin way quicker than you might think."

"Tom?" Jason blurted, Barbara stood there giving me a confused look. 

"For some reason Deathstroke was interested in him and…" I hesitated to tell them but I thought it best for them to know the level of danger they might be dealing with. 

"But…?" Jason stretched out as he gave me an inquisitive look. 

"When I got there, Deathstroke seemed to be in bad shape and it took a while for him to heal up, even with his speed healing." Their expression changed, I knew what they might be wondering so I just came out with it. 

"And it was Tom who put him in that condition."

Jason stood frozen to the spot with his eyes wide open. He had come to a realization that Tom was way above his league, while Barbara just seemed shocked by the information. 

"Don't worry, according to Deathstroke Tom is harmless unless he's poked too hard and forced to retaliate." I tried to calm their nerves as Barbara turned to look at Jason. He had been the one to poke at Tom twice and it was evident that Tom let him off the hook way too easy. 

"Anyway, it's not a difficult mission. All you have to do is befriend him and gain his trust while you investigate him, then await for further instructions."

"That seems easy enough." She gave a sarcastic remark as she averted her gaze. 

"It actually is, I would have gone to pay him a visit myself as Batman but I have to leave on League business." I ended the conversation as I left the Batcave and proceeded to get some rest before leaving. Barbara seemed to be okay with the mission but was just a little bit nervous, while Jason was still over thinking things and I'm sure he was playing multiple scenarios in his head from his encounters with Tom. 

… 

It was two days after the incident and Tom was having a relaxing evening preparing for his meeting with Deathstroke when his burner phone rang. On a normal day he would wait for the caller to speak up first before responding, but the timing was too convenient and he knew it had to be Slade. 

"Hello."

"You asked me to call this line once I was all healed up and ready to meet with him." Slade said without exchanging pleasantries or beating around the bush, he went straight to business, and that was the kind of people I like doing business with. 

"Wow, that was quick. But it's fine, I'll let him know and inform you when he chooses to meet with you." It was kind of weird referring to myself as a third person, it might be an early case of multiple personality disorder but I don't mind. It was kind of fun, but I would meet him as both of my personas present at the same time was something I needed to figure out. 

"Understood." Deathstroke responded, making clear he had nothing more to say. 

"Alright, I'll be in touch." I closed the conversation as I ended the call. 

============

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Chapitre 74: CHAPTER 73

[Slade Wilson POV] 

I sat in my base as I went over what has happened over the course of the past few days. That kid gave me a huge surprise the other night. I never would have thought a kid as pale and level headed as he was would be so powerful. I underestimated him and it led to me taking in a lot of damage. 

I don't know the true nature of his powers but his skin was so dense that I could not make a dent on him, and when I shot at him the bullet deflected back. It was like he was in full-self defense mode, he was fast, strong and way more durable than I could possibly have imagined. 

If not he had already been scooped up by Ghost, I would have loved to take him up under my wing and groom him to be the perfect sidekick(weapon). I would have trained him in ways that he would be a formidable foe to even the likes of the Justice League. 

If I knew the exact nature of his powers, I could help him refine it to its finest form and he would be the most powerful tool in my arsenal. No one would be able to stand in our way, I'd have made him completely loyal and submissive to me but that's all a fantasy right now. He's beyond my reach already and is currently in Ghost's clutches. 

As a man who's as discreet, secretive and as powerful as he is, It wouldn't be wise to steal from him. It'll be the doom of anyone who tries it because it's difficult to guess how much power and connections he really had. 

My train of thoughts was interrupted by an email notification, it was from Tom and my meeting with Ghost had been scheduled. 

The offer he extended to me was one I could not simply pass on, rejecting it was like rejecting a life changing deal. Especially from someone who possessed a dream beyond the expectations of most people in Gotham and he was already building up the power and resources to accomplish that feat. 

The appointed date came and I went over to the location sent to me, to have my meeting with Ghost. He decided to meet at the warehouse where Tom and I had our fight, strange but seemed reasonable. He wouldn't want to expose his base of operation to someone he could barely trust, and he wouldn't want a public meeting where he could easily get assassinated from a distance. 

I arrived at the destination five minutes before the time I was asked to meet, so I could scout the area and evade whatever kind of trap might have been prepared. I believed it's safe to assume he might ambush me, after all I was on a mission to assassinate him a few days back. 

"All clear." I muttered to myself, an old habit of mine from my days in the military. 

On getting inside I was surprised to see Tom standing on the ground floor while I looked up at a section above and saw a man who wore a black suit with a black tie, a checkered black and white shirt inside with the first two buttons undone, and on top of it all he was wearing a white mask with a smiley face. I didn't need anyone to tell me that it was Ghost. 

From the suit it was evident that he was a bodybuilder, a muscular one at that. "Hello Deathstroke, right on time." He said with his arms spread wide open. Ghost had a British accent and a relaxed body language. 

"You are here early." Averting my gaze from the man above and turning on to Tom. 

"He's a very punctual man who works with time, so you arriving on time might have increased his liking for you." Tom said as he gestured for me to take a step further while Ghost took a seat in a chair behind him. 

"You can leave, boy." Ghost said to Tom as he gestured for him to leave. 

Before taking his leave he replied to Ghost, "I'll be outside if you need me." He gave me one last look before heading out. 

"I thought he was your right hand man or something."

"Who,Tom?" He chuckled for a while before he continued. "He's more like an errand boy of mine, he's valuable to me but at the same time he holds no relevance and could be disposable if called for. I keep him close because he is useful, if not for his powers and his competence, there are a lot more others who could fill in his place if he slipped up." 

Turns out I had it all wrong, Tom wasn't his right hand man but one of his pawns, apart from his powers and ability to get the job done. He's just using the kid, not that I was surprised by it though, it's exactly what I would have done. 

"Tom said you had a proposition for me."

"Yes I absolutely do, I'm sure he must have already told you but I'll brief you on it again." He relaxed into his chair and occupied his space before he continued with the conversation. "I'm putting together a team with unique specialties, my personal team."

"Um, I see. But what do you need a team for, you already have pawns?"

"The force already has the police, what does it  need a S.W.A.T team for? I believe you are a smart man so put the pieces together yourself. I'm going to change crime as you know it here in Gotham, then branch out to other cities." 

"You should know I don't work well with others."

"That's fine, you just have to play your role and they'll play theirs." He answered with a convincing tone. 

"I get the picture of what you are trying to do but this is Gotham, what assurance can you give me that you would be able to pull it off even though you are a new player in this city?"

"Questions upon questions, don't worry about all that stuff. Just devote yourself to me and my cause and I promise you a world where heroes won't be able to stand in our way like they do others." 

"I see… Does that mean I have to work for you alone, like one of your lackies?"

"No, not at all. I don't keep a leash on my pawns, you are free to do whatever you want so long as it doesn't have a negative recoil on me. That's the fun of it. You are free to take on other jobs and continue your life as a mercenary but when I call for you, I need you to make yourself available." He averted his gaze to his wrist watch then turned back to me, signifying that was all he had to say. 

"Do we have an agreement or not?" Ghost asked. 

"One last question." 

"Feel free to ask." He responded 

"How about my pay?" He laughed a little before he responded. "Trust me, your pay would be according to the worth of the job required of you. It's you continuing your normal job but as a private mercenary of mine and I'll double your usual pay, I know you only work for the highest bidder."

"That's all I needed to hear, we have a deal."

"That's good." He stood up from his chair. "Oh and one more thing… I heard you were paid to assassinate me."

"Yes, that's true."

"Okay, here's your first assignment for me. I need you to eliminate the men who wanted me dead and I'll pay you double the amount they paid for my head."

"Consider it done." I replied to what he requested of me. 

"Look over to your left and you'll see a pen and a paper, it's our contract and I need you to sign it then fill in the account you use for receiving payments." I turned to my left and saw the small table with the contract on it and with a pen beside it."

I walked over to the table and was about signing when he continued talking. "Would you look at that, it's almost tea time. Tell Tom I already left and I won't be needing him any time soon he'll understand."  Immediately he was done, he suddenly disappeared. I didn't know Ghost had the ability to teleport, he kept giving a literal meaning to his name. 

I signed the contract and went outside to find Tom sipping on a soda by the side of the warehouse.

"He's gone, right?" Tom asked me as he took the last sip of soda and nonchalantly threw the empty can on the ground. 

"Yes, he said he wouldn't need you for a while." I said to him as I handed over the contract to him. 

"Oh, that's perfect." Tom replied with a sigh of relief. 

"What exactly do you do for him anyway?" 

"Nothing too important. He ask me to run reckon on areas he couldn't get access to, like this warehouse where the ways of scouting the region are very limited. That only happens once in a blue moon though, so I just go back to what I might call my normal life."

"I see, well later kid." I waved him off and headed straight for my next destination. 

==============

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