A new story arc exploring the lost year of Dick Grayson's life, after he dropped out of college and before the New Teen Titans formed! It's the year that changed his life, during which he made a fateful decision. Now a friend, a foe, and a love from the past have returned from the darkness to haunt him!
NIghtwing hears a kidnap attempt. He finds a group of helmuted men trying to kidnap a woman. She is tied up with a bag over her head. As it comes down to Nightwing and the last kidnapper, Nightwing notices that someone is pointing a laser site on the kidnapper. He tries to push him out of the way and the kidnapper gets shot in the shoulder. He spots the shooter and tries to go after him. When he reaches the rooftop, the shooter is gone. Looking back he notices that the other men except for the one shot are gone.
The man that was shot is taken to the hospital. Before the police can question him, an attorney shows up with a court order prohibiting them from talking to his client. When the officers leave, the lawyer talks with the man. He tells the lawyer to tell Eddie that he's loyal and won't say anything. The lawyer says that Eddie knows that but he's not so sure. He puts some poison in his IV drip and covers his mouth with duct tape. Soon another person enters the room. He tells the man that they both know he's going to die. He wants to know if he's going to go "in peace or in pieces." He still refuses to talk. When security breaks through the bolted door, they find the man duct-taped to the wall with a note that says, "To his boss! You trained him well. But his silence, golden or otherwise, won't help you."
After working at the gym, Nightwing goes to the hospital room to see if he can find any clues to find out what happened. He is surprised that there aren't any prints in the room, including hospital staff. Outside, another helmuted man tries to shoot Nightwing through the window. He ducks the blasts and makes his way out to take on this shooter and other men. They run and Nightwing hangs back so he can follow them. At their base, Nightwing throws in a gas bomb that knocks them all out. He sees the kidnapped woman. When he takes off the bag covering her face, he is shocked that he recognizes her. He says her name, Liu, and has a flashback to and old intimate flame along with a memory of Robin chasing after her as she shoots at him. When she asks who he is and how he knows her, Nightwing says they met years ago. As the sound of the police approaches, Liu asks if they can go.
A week later, at Bones Gym, Dick is visited by Liu. He says he heard she was released but she never called. As they talk, he finds himself falling into old feelings as he tries to tell himself not to trust her over and over. They catch up and she says she wasn't sure if he could ever forgive her. She tells him that she has a steady job working for Eddie Hwang. Dick refers to him as Metal Eddie. Liu tells him he's reformed. Dick still tries to convince himself not to trust her. When his PDA goes off reminding him of a friend's party he has to go to, she offers to go with him so he won't have to worry about being set up. She also wants to tell him how sorry she is for what happened years ago. After the party, they go to an all night restaurant. Dick has a big smile on his face and seems to be ignoring the voice in his head still telling him not to trust her.
Watching them is a man that say he could kill her easily right there. He says he could kill Grayson too, if he's involved. He needs Liu alive to take him to Eddie. The man reveals himself to be Vigilante.
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