Suppressing his inner rage, Batman listened intently. Suddenly, a youthful voice echoed through the listening device set up outside the circus office, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps retreating.
That's... Dick Grayson?
Avery speculated, "You think he's going to the police?"
It sounded almost like a joke. Reporting something to the police should have been the natural course of action, but Avery wasn't wrong. In Gotham, if Dick actually went to the police, the city's rivers wouldn't mind holding the body of one more child.
Batman didn't reply, but both knew just how corrupt and dark this city was. He needed to stop Dick and protect the boy before something terrible happened. The rest, Batman would handle.
Meanwhile, the eight-year-old Dick, who had overheard the conversation between the circus leader and the stranger, was left in shock. He had been told his parents' deaths were a tragic accident, only to discover they had been deliberately orchestrated.
Frightened and confused, Dick ran off. After hiding in a corner to gather his thoughts, he resolved to go to the police and report what he had learned.
As he ran toward the police station, circus members he knew tried to greet him, but he didn't even stop to acknowledge them.
When Dick finally reached the station and explained the situation, the officer's response was nothing more than a dismissive, "Go home and wait for us to notify you."
The young boy didn't fully understand what this meant, but he knew he wasn't being taken seriously. He tried to repeat his story, but the officer roughly shoved him out the station doors.
Dejected, Dick returned to the circus, unsure of what to do next.
This was when Batman appeared.
The low, gravelly voice came out of nowhere, startling Dick. He spun around to find the man clad in a black suit with two bat-like ears standing behind him. Based on the urban legends circulating in Gotham and the rumors he had heard, Dick quickly realized who this vigilante was. Unease mixed with an inexplicable sense of hope filled him. What could Batman want with him?
"You can't go to the police, kid. If you do, you'll disappear from this world in less than an hour," Batman warned.
Honestly, the fact that the boy had managed to return to the circus from the police station alive was a stroke of luck.
Batman thought.
Dick's eyes widened at the warning. Perhaps it was the genuine concern in Batman's tone, but he didn't doubt the vigilante's words. He stammered, "But... I already told the police."
Batman remained calm, in stark contrast to Dick's panic. "That's why you can't stay here. Bruce Wayne is coming to take you. You'll be safer with him."
Dick froze, bewildered. Why had Batman involved Bruce Wayne, Gotham's richest man? And why would Bruce Wayne come to take him away? Did Batman know Bruce Wayne?
Before Dick could ask more, Batman vanished into the shadows with a blink of an eye.
Dick: "..."
Meanwhile, after disappearing from Dick's sight, Batman stealthily made his way to a car parked in a quiet, deserted corner. Ensuring no one was watching, he swiftly opened the door, slipped inside, and, in one fluid motion, removed all of his gear, tucking it neatly under the seat.
Quickly, he changed into a custom-tailored suit and smoothed out the wrinkles in his clothes and hair. During this time, the car had driven to the location of the circus.
Avery was once again behind the wheel, driving as usual. It seemed he was always the one driving, but that was unavoidable. After all, Wayne Manor only housed two living souls at the moment—himself and the butler. Not even a spare ghost roamed its halls. And apart from the butler, who had recently gotten a bit too close to his employer, there was no one else to handle such tasks.
As Avery pulled the car up to the circus entrance, he voiced his concerns: "Sir, I think you haven't forgotten that the Batman identity is meant to be kept secret. Bringing a child to the house like this—don't you think it's a bit risky?"
Through the car window, the bustling street outside was filled with people. Bruce Wayne remained silent for a moment, then responded, "I know, but... maybe something about the expression on his face got to me."
That expression, tormented by the loss of parents, was something Bruce knew all too well. It was the very same look he had once worn. And perhaps that was why Bruce had been moved to consider adopting this child.
He gazed out of the window, lost in complex thoughts.
"Alright, I figured it was something like that."
Avery sighed, a bit resigned. From his perspective, it seemed more sensible to distance oneself from the trauma. Let time slowly heal the wound, rather than bring a constant reminder into the home to agitate those delicate nerves.
Adopting a child, especially, was not something to be taken lightly. Once finalized, it meant taking on the responsibilities of a guardian. Besides, no one really knew what kind of person the boy might grow up to be, or what sort of choices he might make. If Richard Grayson ever discovered the hidden secrets within Wayne Manor, would he stay loyal? Or would he betray them?
The Batman identity had already crossed lines and interfered with the interests of powerful people. If it were ever exposed, Bruce Wayne would have no choice but to disappear from the world forever.
Avery, accustomed to thinking about worst-case scenarios, harbored a natural wariness about this new addition to the household.
Still, since this was something Bruce had decided, the best Avery could do was provide support. His job would be to help keep Batman's true identity under wraps. Even if Richard turned out to be a decent boy, an immature mind could accidentally betray his guardian without even realizing it.
As Avery mentally mapped out how to handle this situation carefully, he suddenly recalled a prophetic dream he'd had recently. He couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.