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Hehh--Hehh--Hehh--

Breath shuddered through Dick's body as tumbled along web of fire-escapes clinging to the apartment block. Black wrought iron bars jutted out all around him, bending and joining into shapes that would slow a wiser man, or cripple one possessing less skill. But Dick had been born and bred for this. Moving at incredible speed, he leaped from one escape to another, his feet barely touching the railing before he somersaulted forward. His arms smacked the iron floor of the fire escape precisely as the flat of his back did, absorbing the impact expertly, as he slid forward with his substantial momentum. He slid forward like a bobsledder, and made through an impossibly space between the iron railings. His body tumbled forward, spinning in a somersault that threatened to never end.

But it did. His hands found a jutting steel flagpole that flexed with his weight, but held firm. He swung back and forth a moment before pulling himself up to a crouched position, looking down on the street below. The large intersection of 4th and Lovecraft allowed him clear view of the SUV, as it pulled into the gated parking garage of a towering apartment block directly across from Nightwing.

He slowly reached into his belt, careful not to disturb his precarious position, and pulled out a small digital visor. Cutting ties with Batman had included rejecting any financial assistance, but Dick maintained a cordial relationship with Lucius Fox, who had inadvertently become Q to many of the Bat -Family over the years. Dick had managed to afford a handful of high-tech staples with his family's inheritance, this being among them. Lucius called it the “Nightvisor”. Dick loved it.

He pulled the Nightvisor over his eyes, pulling the elastic band securely behind his ears. Immediately, augmented reality programs took over as he looked at the building below. A wireframe model of the architectural blueprints overlaid the actual structure, active smartphones were pinpointed via their internal GPS devices, giving him a read on most of the people within. He singled out the one he was looking for- Trent Darby, Colonel, US Army. Currently entering the private freight elevator with four other men. A small datapoint told Dick security code for roof access had been entered into the elevator.

“Going up.” Dick said, immediately deciding the best route to ascend 37 stories in 3 minutes. He winked with his left eye- immediately plotting a digital waypoint into the 4th floor apartment balcony he was looking at. The Nightvisor suggested riding a zipline across the intersection, an easy and efficient way to cover the distance.

And boring as hell Nightwing thought, springing forward. He reached onto the back of his belt, pulling out a pair of small silver grapple guns. The intersection was large, and there was nothing close enough for Nightwing to swing from like he normally might, not if he wanted to continue forward in a straight line. His leap had carried him almost 5 meters forward, when he extended his arms out level to both sides, and fired. Grapnel lines exploded across the intersection, striking opposing buildings with their pitons. Dick continued to descend, but as the lines grew taught, he swung forward like a great pendulum, his feet just missing the top of a car as he hit his lowest point, just over the centre of the intersection. His arms felt like they were about to be ripped from their sockets, but he held firm, carried forward and upward by his momentum. He was slowing, reaching the peak of his swing, and so he pulled the trigger of the two guns again- cutting their lines. He flipped forward once, having anticipated perfectly, and landed lightly on the balcony of the 4th floor apartment building.

He raised his arms like a gymnast at the Olympics, grinning. “9.3” he whispered, as he stole into the empty apartment. Beyond, he would be just in time to catch his ride on the roof of the elevator, as it made its way to the roof- where the Meet was about to go down...