[COLOR=SLATEGRAY][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3]   P R E S E N T[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR]
[CENTER][img]https://i.imgur.com/P9RhgII.png[/img][/CENTER]
[center][color=darkgray][b][sub]C H A P T E R   O N E :   G R O W I N G   P A I N S[/sub][/b][/color][b][color=INDIANRED][sup][h1]DISCARDED TOYS[/h1][/sup][/color][/b][/center]
[COLOR=INDIANRED][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3]G O T H A M   C I T Y[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR][INDENT][sup][color=SILVER]November 18[sup]th[/sup], 2017 - 07:21 AM | [i]The Batcave[/i][/color][/sup][/INDENT]
[INDENT][INDENT]Damian was furious.

It had taken hours for the adhesive, a substance he now knew to be [i]Arachnid's[/i] web-fluid, to dissolve enough to free himself. It was entirely below Damian's abilities to have lost that fight and as an insult to injury, the Cat had taken his favourite sword. Entering into the Batcave, Goliath came to a stop as Damian dismounted, petting his loyal friend as he passed by. A nearby bark of joy alerted Damian to the presence of another of his pets as the large black Great Dane came bounding towards him.

[COLOR=INDIANRED][B]"Hello, Titus."[/B][/COLOR] Damian grinned as he pulled the cowl back from his head and opened his arms to greet the dog. From across the large opening, Damian could see his father working at the Batcomputer, a letter in his hand clearly disturbing him. While Damian could have approached his father, he felt that it would be best not to do so, especially while still garbed in his own role as Gotham's [i]other[/i] Dark Knight. No, in this case, it would be best to let this sleeping dog lie. 

Changing out of his uniform, Damian stowed the Batsuit into the waterproof case he had designed for it before lowering it back into the watery bowels of the cave. While his father now knew of the suit, he couldn't trust the old man not to destroy it the minute the opportunity presented itself. Thus it was best not to tempt fate.

Grabbing a small meal from the kitchen, Damian made his way through the empty halls of Wayne Manor, eventually arriving at his personal wing. Finishing his food, he deposited the dirtied dish on the bedside table before climbing under the covers and remotely closing the blackout curtains.

It was time to sleep.[/INDENT][/INDENT]
[COLOR=INDIANRED][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3]G O T H A M   C I T Y[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR][INDENT][sup][color=SILVER]November 18[sup]th[/sup], 2017 - 08:54 PM | [i]Grand Avenue[/i][/color][/sup][/INDENT]
[INDENT][INDENT]Another body had been found.

Far more gruesome than the previous body, this one had limbs attached that did not belong to them. Although the skin colour was the same, it was clear that the arms and legs belonged to that of a young boy, not the girl whose torso that had been attached to.

Damian knelt over the body, drawing a forensic kit from the belt of his batsuit, he began to scrape a skin sample. The blade however, had no effect on the skin, it was hard, even to the touch, feeling more consistent with porcelain than it the normal elasticity of the human dermal layer. There was no doubt in Damian's mind, that whatever this grotesque procedure was, it was killing the subject before the twisted mind could complete his work.

[COLOR=INDIANRED][B][I]Both a blessing and a curse.[/I][/B][/COLOR]

He needed access to the full coroner's report, field investigations were not going to cut it. Working without his father, however, meant that he was also without his father's extensive contacts. But Damian was nothing, if not resourceful. He had already made contact with exactly who would know how to get the information he wanted.

Letting out a sharp whistle, Damian grappled to the top the nearby building as he allowed for himself to pulled into the air, gliding on the momentum until suddenly Goliath appeared.

[COLOR=INDIANRED][B]"Park Row, we need to see Dr. Thompkins."[/B][/COLOR]

With a snort of acknowledgment, Goliath circled around and headed East towards the clinic.[/INDENT][/INDENT]