Chapter Text
Is there some unwritten rule that all secret, evil, laboratories have to be in some awfully dark and dreary place that makes it damn near impossible to get any form of vitamin D? One evil lab; on an island, with sandy white beaches…is that really too much to ask for?
Honestly at this point, Dick had seen enough sketchy medical lab facilities that he could write an entire library of horror screenplays.
An abandoned secret facility in an underground system below ground? It’s agonizingly unoriginal. After Cadmus, the Court of Owls’ labyrinths — Hell, even Killer Croc with the winding sewer systems that spread out underneath the streets of Gotham… it feels like underground lairs must be part of the curricular for “Evil 101”. Do bad guys have to pay off their evil student loans?
Dick cautiously padded through the dark corridor that lay condemned and abandoned for who knows how long. Judging by the mildew and mold that creeped across the tiled walls; it did not bode well for OSHA upkeep and regulations. He could see the yelp reviews now: ‘ 1 star; unsanitary medical conditions. Would not recommend being medically experimented on at this location.’
As if to prove his point; a rat scurried hastily in front of his stride; veering off into a branching tunnel that would become the vigilante’s next destination in this impromptu urban exploration that he wound up tangled in.
Let’s go investigate the suspicious power grid that appeared underground they said…it would be fun they said…
There wasn’t even a “they”...
He was in this alone; no backup; no emergency plan… truly off to a great start on that horror screenplay with Dick as the lead role.
In retrospect, not one of his brighter ideas… but it wasn’t as if he had much of a choice in the matter at the time being.
His family was still angry at him— He wants to say understandably so, but it’s still shitty of them to incorporate the ‘excel at everything’ mentality that was ingrained in every child vigilante raised by a man dressed as a bat. Grudges and anger was no exception. Despite this; Dick was not going to deny them the space that was needed from him; the boundaries and walls that they put up to block themselves from the damage Dick caused to the dynamic. It’s the least he could do to start to fix things.
It’s always up to the eldest to patch things up; isn’t it? —
Why did it always have to be him that needed to reach out?
Sure; he could go on the coms and request back-up– but he doubted that would be a decent icebreaker to start up communications with his family— did not work the last twelve times he attempted that strategy . Besides, Dick wasn’t really in the mood to placate angry family members with apologies that fell upon deaf ears today. His already crumbling self worth probably couldn’t withstand even some of the more subtle insults that the bat family was notorious for.
The upsetting part is that it really wasn’t even his fault. He knew this. Well..kinda. It is more that there is the smallest flicker of acknowledgment that it wasn’t his fault— but after repeatedly being denied his side of the story; it’s hard to keep those embers of self respect burning.
Dick misses his old self in times like these. Where he had a roaring fire that refused to be snuffed out no matter what was thrown in his direction. Sure; he was quick to anger in those times; but Dick would honestly love to feel an emotion that wasn’t depressive bitterness.
Dick’s attention shifted as he stared at a rather peculiar splotch on the wall to his right; hoping that the grotesque looking blemish was mold or rust and not blood.
The lack of bones and corpses gives the vigilante an essence of hope that it is not biohazardous material, but Dick will not be risking the removal of his rebreather mask to test that theory. Without the mask; Dick truly questioned if he would be able to stomach the stench that this facility more than likely emitted.
He is genuinely surprised that even a rat would want to live in this squalor.
Squalor? If only Jason were here to acknowledge that his inner monologue’s vocabulary was growing. All the ‘mandatory classic literature reading’ family bonding sure was bearing fruit. Jason would be proud.
Damn; Dick really misses his family.
A sigh manages to shakily pass through his lips–strained and exhausted with defeat. Thinking about them now wasn’t going to get the task at hand done any faster.
Dick turned left into the tunnel. While there was a blip on the power grid showing that there was indeed power running through this place;the ceiling lights gave only enough light to see about a foot in front of you at best. The flickering every eight seconds wasn’t helping too much either in terms of visibility.
Hope the rats that live down here don’t have epilepsy.
Dick fiddled with the night vision setting on his mask before continuing down the corridor. It wasn’t long ; maybe twenty or so feet until it reached the end; but the foreboding steel door that laid at the end which seemed to be ripped from the hinges wasn’t something to take lightly. Not thrown across the hallway; but clearly broken off and then placed back almost comically as if no one would notice that it was broken.
Back-up might be more valuable than pride at this point. Dick might be at an all time low and has made a lot of questionable choices; but he wasn’t suicidal. Maybe it didn’t have to be his family..there are other means of help besides Batman and Company.. would Superman hear him if he shouted?
Movement echoed eerily from the shadows of the door that obstructed the full view of whatever was in there.
Would whatever broke that door hear him if he shouted?
More movement.
closer; faster..
And there was the rat that entered a few moments ago; exiting from where it came in a full on bolt underneath Dicks legs and continued to who knows where.
Dick’s muscles which he didn’t know were tensed; relaxed only a little. His brothers would definitely get a good laugh at him if they knew he was jump scared by a rodent. One would think that spending a lot of his life in a cave filled to the brim with literal bats would help him acknowledge between a threat and a small creature.
Rodents carried the plague a long time ago; he reasoned with himself. And rabies..rabies could be threatening.
The vigilante took a few more moments to get control of his breathing before returning his attention back to the door. No other movement was heard; just the low hums and sparks of the light fixtures on the ceiling that were begging at this point to be put out of their misery. If Dick found the generator that was giving this facility life support; he’d shut it off and let this place rest. No need for some electoral fire or explosion to make a butterfly effect on the world above this place. God forbid another giant sinkhole that swallows up entire streets… like underground lairs— that also seems to be quite the common occurrence these days; no wonder insurance and cost of living is skyrocketing.
The long silence from the door must have given Dick a false sense of security; that or he was more suicidal than he’d originally anticipated; because he was now making his way closer to the door.
Considering the thickness of the door; the vigilante doubted he could move it on his own. However; there was a nice human size gap that with Dick’s flexibility; would not be all too difficult to slip into.
And so he did; contorting himself ever so slightly to fit himself through the gap. Yes; it was a stupid decision to go in alone. But that just was it wasn’t it? He was alone and there was no one there to tell him it was stupid. There certainly was no one there to stop him either.
It was a ‘future Dick Grayson’ problem at this point.
The hallway behind the door definitely was more ‘lab facility’ compared to the rest— Containment units; lab equipment…
Dick was pretty sure he was up to date on his rabies and tetanus shots— but he would definitely be checking when he got back home. More splotches on the walls made Dick wince. His years as a vigilante; police officer, and his time undercover with Spiral— it doesn’t really leave much to the imagination. It wasn’t mild; or rust..
It was caked on blood that dried with time.
Still no bodies could be seen; though judging by the size of the stain; Dick wasn’t too optimistic that it was because the one who made it walked out of here alive.
Then spotted the clothing; lab coats scattered throughout the facility; bloodstained and tattered.
Whatever or whoever was kept in here; certainly put up quite the fight.
Dick leaned closer to examine the clothing; taking pictures with his mask cam.
Something rustled again in the corner; but this time Dick did not jump. Instead he pivoted in the direction of the sound. It was soft; repetition of small feet. Another rat most likely.
When he turned, what greeted Dick was a rat that was the equivalent size of a small dog.
But, it wasn’t the size of the rodent that was concerning . The creature was oozing from the mouth; its eyes not a typical beady black; but a milky white.
Yeah; that was definitely infected with something. What? Dick was not going to get close enough to figure out.
He took a deliberate, slow step backwards; and then another. His eyes remained locked on the rodent, which didn’t move from its spot; but its head followed his movement. Dick slowly grabbed for his escrima; not one above using the rodent as batting practice if it decided to lunge at him.
“Nice place you have here.. very homey. Loved what you did with the place.” Dick spoke up; not sure why talking to the rodent was the decision he decided upon. It’s not like the thing could understand him. “ I’m guessing you weren’t a fan of the people in here” the rodent could have been a test subject for all he knew; it wouldn’t be a stretch by any means. Scientists sure did love their unethical animal testing. “ but I’m not one of them; I was just taking a look around. I won’t bother you anymore.”
Yes; try to reason with a rat infected with some sort of unknown disease—
Dick was only a few feet away from the door when the rat started to move; convulse. It fell to its side writhing as more of whatever was oozing from its mouth began to puddle around its body in a black mass.
The whole ordeal lasted only about twenty seconds; but now it was silent again. And while Dick was literally about smack the rat across the room if it had approached him; he now felt almost bad for it. It didn't choose thIs; it was probably just struggling to survive; and now it’s dead in some underground hellhole.
“ Sorry,” he shakily breathed out; feeling the need to acknowledge the loss. To acknowledge its death so it would know it did not die alone. ” I’m sorry…” it felt hollow even to his own ears.
Dick doubted he was going to be able to stomach anything for a while after this…He was tired of looking at death, of witnessing it. He winced and turned his eyes away from the unmoving corpse of the rat; as if he was staring at the sun.
He needed to get out of here. He couldn’t breathe— his chest felt like it was hammering inside of his chest relentlessly.
The black puddle moved; slowly spreading out at first. Soundlessly reaching out across the ground in web like tendrils.
It launched itself at the vigilante.