Batcat Spectre (DPXDC)

Chapter 9

"It took you long enough to arrive."

Dick Grayson smiled at the familiar voice as he pulled off his helmet to get a better look at the view of the Batcave, placing it on the motorcycle he had just driven several hours on. "Well it wasn't like I didn't try to get here sooner, but you know how it is. Crime never sleeps and all that."

Damian's grumbling was the only response, but that didn't deter Dick's smile in the slightest. He was already used to the young assassin's ways of communication. Instead, he directed some attention to his other brothers, one of which was busy frantically typing away at the Batcomputer. Duke silently watched the others from next to Tim.

"I thought that you called me here because B was the one glued to the chair, not Timbo again. Pretty sure that's nothing new Baby Bat."

"Too little too late Dick," Duke replied, not looking up from whatever he and Tim were researching. "We already know what had Bruce acting so weird. The problem is that now we're involved and it's getting so much worse the longer we look into it."

Dick's eyebrows creased at his brother's words. "What do you mean? What's wrong?"

This time Damian replied. "Apparently there's a demon in Gotham."

"Ok? Nothing we haven't dealt with before. Call Constantine or Zatanna."

"We did," Tim shouted, still not moving beside his rapid clicking on the keyboard. "He won't come within a hundred miles of Gotham now. And Zatanna is busy. Apparently, this is a new kind of spirit that not even they know much about. What Constantine does know terrifies him to the point that he wants nothing to do with it. The thing is though, this spirit claims that he used to be human and that he isn't here to cause trouble."

Now that was news. "A demon who claims to have once been human...ok, so how come Bruce isn't dragging him out of the city? Friendly or not his rule is pretty clear about any kind of superpowers in Gotham."

A snort erupts from the side, causing Dick to whiplash when the familiar tuft of white hair almost seems to appear from out of the shadows. He has to do a double-take.

"Jason? What are you doing here?" Dick asked, utterly surprised. "You...You never come around anymore."

"Same reason you are. And I'm pretty sure Bruce kicking this kid out isn't an option if what we heard last night is true."

Dick had so much to unpack in just those two little sentences. "Ok, why are you even involved with this demon cas-"

"I was there when it showed up. He didn't like me very much if his tone was any indication."

"....Ok. But why wouldn't Bruce want to deal with a literal demon in Gotham?"

This time his three brothers exchange knowing looks with each other. Dick didn't trust those. Those looks meant that he was about to be interrogated, or they knew something he didn't. What did he do though? He hasn't been in Gotham in months. Bludhaven's been too busy for him to stop by to visit.

"We...were hoping that you could help answer that actually." Tim finally spoke up, turning around to face him a little better.

Bingo, this did have something to do with him. Or at least, they thought it did.

"Pretty sure I would remember if I met some vengeful demon that would come to Gotham. Sorry to say I haven't encountered anything of the occult lately. Not even the usual crackpots that think sacrifices are a good night hobby whether it summons anything or not. Why? Did it say my name or something?" Dick paused, suddenly paying attention to what exactly Jason had said. "Wait...did you say kid? It's a kid? Like...Klarion or something?"