|Wayne Manor,
Gotham City,
Hours later...|
"So, we turn ourselves in and then what? You and Liliana both have clear bounties on your heads and Jason very clearly wants Liliana alive, or else she would be dead by now for 50,000 rather than 100,000 alive." Gar remarked and Liliana looked down at her feet as she leaned against the wall in silence.
"You okay, Lili?" Dick asked and Liliana looked over at him and he spotted that her hand was shaking, as she closed it into a fist and then, she opened it again.
"These people were affected by a diluted version of what I was injected with. This is what Scarecrow's plan was all along, to turn the people of the city against us. Eagle, Little Bird, the Batman, Batgirl, and Robin were once praised as heroes in Gotham City or at least, vigilantes who served justice to the wicked. Now, we are nothin' more than pawns in Crane's game. I hate the fact more then anything, that we all have worked for this and not a damn thing that we have done matters anymore!" She snapped and her hand smashed down hard into the side table, as she looked distinctly upset.
"Grayson, what the holy fucking hell did that side table ever do to you?" They all looked up and Liliana's eyes were widening to the size of moons at their friend's voice. "I mean, seriously. It didn't do anything to you, right? So why are you hitting it?" Victoria barely had time to put her bag down before Liliana jumped at her for a hug and the younger Grayson was starting to tremble. "I take it that I have a lot to catch up on, considering I don't see Bruce... or Jason for that matter and we are in the Wayne Manor. Anyone want to catch me up?" Victoria asked.
"Give us the Bat-Cave, guys, we will continue this conversation in a bit."
Most of the Titans stayed in the library, while Victoria, Dick and Liliana went down to the Bat-Cave to talk. "All right, what is the deal? You all are acting like someone fucking died here." She said and Liliana winced at the choice of words that came out of her mouth, as Victoria's eyebrows lifted in shock at the reaction. "Wait... is Bruce dead?"
"No. Not to our rather limited knowledge or rather, none at all knowledge or information of where he is, anyways." Dick explained and Victoria looked at Liliana, who looked down at the floor.
"Jason died and apparently had been resurrected by Scarecrow. We guess it was by the use of a Lazarus Pit here in Gotham City but we don't even know or have a damn clue of where it is, or where it might be." Liliana mumbled and she shook her head. "He now goes by the moniker "Red Hood" and uses a pair of guns." She murmured.
"When did you find out that he was alive again?" Victoria asked and she sat next to Liliana, who silently shook her head at her.
"Two weeks ago? I think, I haven't really kept track at all. But things here have gone to complete shit." Liliana said and Victoria moved her arms to her and Liliana leaned into the hug. "I missed you, Dawson." Liliana said and Victoria smiled a little.
"Back at you, kiddo. So, I heard something back there, about you guys turning yourselves in? And about some bounties on your heads?" The siblings looked at each other, before back at her.
"Dawson, the better question is for you... is how much, didn't you hear of that conversation?" Dick asked as Victoria sighed.
"If you turn yourselves in, then I am on coms and listening." Victoria said and Liliana shook her hand quickly as the two hugged. "Now, go and get yourselves out of the frypan and into the fire, quite willingly." She said.
"Hey, how's Rachel doing?" Dick asked Victoria after Liliana had gone back upstairs, and Victoria laughed a little bit.
"She is hardly the same young girl anymore, Dick. The only things that are the same about her, is her hair and her temper." Victoria said and Dick laughed, as he followed his little sister.
Liliana was already dressed and ready, but waiting on the others and she dialed a number that she had been wanting to call since the fiasco with the axe. "Hey." Liliana felt a lump in her throat and she dropped her head.
"Why did you do that today? I could have taken them on, but instead you told them to take me in alive. Why'd you do it?" Liliana asked as the lump in her throat was audible, but she was trying her best to ignore it.
"Because I don't want you dead, Lili, I want you to be standing with me, as, I give Gotham City hope." Jason said and Liliana's eyes spilled over at the words, as she was shaking her head a bit.
"Scarecrow is going to destroy Gotham City, Jason, he has absolutely no intentions of giving hope, of all the things, to Gotham City. He just wants to watch Gotham and the world burn and with you by his side, as his Darth Vader, he thinks that he will succeed in doing it. Since you are brainwashed by him. Come on, Jase, please just wake up!" That last part was barely a broken whisper, as Liliana swallowed a bunch of emotions. "Please, just come home, Jason." She pleaded.
"Sorry Little Grayson, but I can't do that." Jason's voice was hollow as she listened to him speak, as Liliana was leaning her forehead against the wall as she clamped her hand briefly over her mouth to stifle a sob.
"Just tell me that this is the anti-fear gas. Jason, please tell me... please, that this is the drug and not you." Liliana said after, she had gotten somewhat more control over herself. "Please." It was the quietest sound.
"This is me, not the drugs anymore. I told your brother that I was clean and now, I am. This is me." Jason hung up the phone and Liliana's phone fell out of her hand, as she clamped her hand over to her mouth as she clamped her mouth shut, and she let out a muffled scream.
Not everyone could hear it, but a certain demigod could and Victoria sped over to her and Liliana only had to look at her, as Victoria opened her arms and Liliana ran into them.
Liliana buried her face in Victoria's chest with a strangled sort of cry and she was shaking her head.
"He thinks that he is going to bring hope to the city, by helping Crane and by bringing it down." She managed to croak out and Victoria nodded, as she hugged her tightly. "It is time to prove him wrong." Liliana growled and then as soon as the emotions had come, the steel had replaced them, and Liliana's eyes were glowing in a fury. "Let's go."