Chapter 5
Jason gritted his teeth as he stalked through the alleys of Park Row, his boots crunching against the wet pavement. He could feel the tension building in the air, like something was about to snap. Gotham always had that edge to it, that feeling that something—someone—was lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike. And tonight, he was the one who was going to strike first.
The sound of something shifting in the darkness caught his attention. He froze, his hand instinctively reaching for his gun, the familiar weight comforting. But it wasn’t the usual petty thug or street-level villain he was used to dealing with.
No, this was something different. Something worse.
Jason’s eyes narrowed as he peered deeper into the alley, scanning the shadows. His heartbeat quickened when he saw the figure moving erratically. The shape was hunched, too much like a predator than prey. The figure’s movements were jerky, almost feral, as if it wasn’t entirely in control of its body. As it stepped closer into the dim light, Jason’s blood ran cold.
A Talon.
Damn it.
The Court of Owls had always been a thorn in his side, but this was different. This wasn’t a well-dressed, highly trained assassin sneaking around in the dark. This was an out-of-control Talon, far from whatever its intended mission had been. And it looked... desperate. Its movements were wild, erratic, like it didn’t know where it was or what it was doing.
Jason had tangled with Talons before, knew how deadly they were. These weren't just assassins—they were monsters. Soldiers of the Court, practically immortal, with healing abilities that made them damn near unstoppable. A rogue one, however? That was an entirely new problem. And if it was feral like this, it meant something had gone terribly wrong, something Jason wasn’t sure he wanted to find out.
He stepped forward, his voice low and calm, trying to regain control of the situation. "You’re out of your element, Talon. This isn’t your territory."
The Talon paused, its head jerking up, eyes wide, unfocused, like it was listening for something or someone. It growled—a low, animalistic sound—as it turned toward Jason, revealing the horrifying mask that had long been the symbol of the Court. It was slashed, stained with something dark, likely blood, but still intact.
Jason didn’t flinch, even as the Talon lunged at him with terrifying speed, claws outstretched. He dove to the side, drawing his gun in one fluid motion, firing off a round into the creature’s chest. The Talon staggered but didn’t fall. Instead, it roared in fury, and Jason could see the rage behind its eyes—an animal fighting for survival.
Jason didn’t waste a second. He knew what needed to be done. He dropped the gun, pulling out his crowbar. No more guns, not when he had a chance to do this up close and personal.
The Talon slashed at him again, but Jason was already moving, his body trained to react faster than most people could think. He ducked under the strike, swinging the crowbar with precision, landing a hit against the Talon’s side, causing it to stumble.
"You're not gonna get away with this," Jason muttered, but there was no real confidence in his voice. It wasn’t the Talon that bothered him—it was the fact that this thing was loose in his territory. This was his city to protect, his mess to clean up.
The Talon hissed, lashing out once more, but Jason dodged and struck again, this time targeting the creature’s neck. It let out a sharp cry, stumbling back, and for a moment, Jason thought he might have done enough to slow it down.
But then the Talon recovered. It was healing.
Shit.
"Dammit," Jason muttered, frustration building. The Talon was getting its bearings again, and this time, it wasn’t playing around.
It moved faster this time, slashing and striking with more calculated precision. Jason danced around it, using every inch of his surroundings to his advantage, but every move felt like a split second from disaster.
This wasn’t just some random Talon on a mission. This was something far worse: a wildcard.
Jason's mind raced as he fought, trying to piece it all together. Why was this Talon acting like this? What the hell was going on with the Court? The Court didn't just send their assassins to go rogue.
As the Talon staggered for another attack, Jason made a split-second decision. He’d had enough of this cat-and-mouse game. Time to end it.
He pulled out his real weapon: a flashbang grenade. Tossing it just past the Talon, Jason ducked behind a nearby dumpster. The explosion was deafening, blinding white light filling the alley for a split second, and the Talon screamed in agony.
It dropped to its knees, disoriented and vulnerable. That was Jason’s chance. He charged, landing a vicious strike with his crowbar, hitting the Talon square in the back of its head. The creature crumpled to the ground, finally incapacitated.
Jason stood over it, breathing heavily, his mind racing.
“What the hell?” A voice came from above him.
“What are you doing here replacement.” Jason growled without looking up.
“I had something to look into in the area, heard a bang, came to see what was going on.” Red Robin responded, grappling down next to Red Hood. “Is that a Talon?”
“It was.” Jason grunted, “Feral too.”
Red Robin knelt beside the fallen Talon, his eyes scanning the assassin’s body with practiced precision. He swabbed a patch of skin near the Talon’s neck, drawing blood with a small needle. “Feral, huh?” he murmured, his voice laced with skepticism. “This doesn’t make sense. A Talon like this should be highly trained—emotionally controlled. If this one’s gone rogue… It’s different from anything we’ve dealt with.”
Jason leaned against the dumpster, his arms crossed, eyes flicking between the unconscious Talon and Red Robin. He knew what he saw. The Talon had been more than just a threat—it had been something out of control. And that made it even more dangerous.
“It’s a wildcard. No planning, no purpose, just instinct and rage. This isn’t one of their regulars. Whoever’s behind this is messing with something they shouldn’t be.” Jason muttered, his voice low and flat. Red Robin gave a quick nod but didn’t look up from the Talon. "I need to run some tests. If this Talon’s been tampered with—bioengineered, drugged, or something else—I need to figure it out."
Jason's jaw tightened. “That’s if it’s even still human. Maybe it’s not just chemical manipulation. Maybe it’s a breakdown of whatever program the Court's been running. We both know how twisted those people can get.”
Tim paused, his swab collecting another sample, his eyes narrowing at the Talon’s exposed skin. “You’re right. But this is different than the Court’s usual M.O. This isn’t a well-trained soldier. This is something... broken.” He stood up slowly, tucking the swab and needle back into his belt.
Jason’s gaze never left the Talon as Tim gathered his gear, his mind racing. There was something unsettling about the whole situation—too many questions and not enough answers. Why Park Row? That was the first thing that nagged at him. This wasn’t the Court’s territory, and their Talons certainly didn’t show up in the seedier parts of Gotham unless they were sent for a reason.
Jason shifted his weight, arms crossed. “It’s not like the Court to come this far out. They’ve got their whole little empire tucked away in the city’s upper crust. So why here, why now?”
Tim looked at him briefly, his eyes betraying the wheels turning in his head. “I don’t know yet. But this could be connected to something else I’ve been working on. Until I have all the information, I’m not sure how this fits.”
Jason snorted. He didn't have the patience for Tim's cryptic ways, but he knew better than to push it. Red Robin was always working multiple angles, keeping things close to his chest.
Jason eyed the Talon again, still breathing heavily. “It’s my turf, Tim. I’m not thrilled about you swooping in here and poking around in my business, but Talons… those things aren’t just walking into my backyard. Whoever sent this one is sending a message. And it’s not one I want to ignore.”
Tim straightened up, gathering the last of the samples. He seemed to take a second to size up Jason before responding. “I get it. Crime Alley’s your territory. But this is bigger than that, Jason. The Court has always kept their distance from certain parts of the city. But if they’re testing something new—something they can’t control—it means they’re desperate. And desperate people make mistakes.”
Jason grunted, stepping forward, the familiar edge of irritation sharpening his tone. “So now we have a rogue Talon on the loose and you’re telling me it’s some kind of experiment gone wrong? What’s next, Tim? A whole army of them? Are you sure this is even the first one?”
Tim didn’t meet his gaze immediately, focusing instead on securing the sample. “I don’t know. But I think you’re right to be worried. This Talon’s not like the others. It’s unstable, and that’s a problem.”
Jason stepped closer, watching Tim finish his work. “And you don’t think the Court might be sending a message? Testing the waters before they move on something bigger? Maybe they’re just setting up for something we haven’t seen yet.”
Tim looked up at him, locking eyes. “Maybe. But there’s one thing I know for sure: the Court never lets anyone get close to their real plans. Not unless they’ve got a reason. So if this Talon’s here… it’s not a coincidence.”
Jason’s gaze hardened. “Great. That’s all we need. Someone messing with the Court’s toys.” He turned, pacing a few steps, his thoughts spinning. “I’m not gonna just sit back and wait for the Court to make their move. I’ll deal with this my way—my turf, my rules.”
Tim’s tone shifted, calm but pointed. “I’m not saying to stay out of it, Jason. If the Court’s behind this, we need to be smart about it. You can’t just charge in like you usually do.”
Jason turned, a dark smile crossing his face. “I know. I’ve got a plan. But you and your team keep your distance, alright? This is mine to handle.”
Tim stood silent for a beat, clearly weighing his options before replying, “Fine. But just know, if it’s connected to something bigger, you might need backup.”
Jason shot him a glare before nodding curtly. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of it.”
With that, he turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving Tim alone with the incapacitated Talon, his thoughts racing. Something bigger was coming, and Jason could feel it in his bones. He wasn’t going to let the Court make a move in his city—not without a fight.