Nightwing #6

Issue Details

Synopsis

GOOD GIRL GONE BAD Nightwing has been following Haly's Circus around the country, hitting each of the main crime families in each city. Currently, he is in Austin, Texas, fighting a man called Shox. Shox is the right-hand man to Terrence Clark, a 'booking agent' for hired killers. After smashing Shox through a fish tank, shorting out his electronic suit, Nightwing captures Terrence Clark and interrogates him about Saiko. Clark reveals that Saiko has apparently gone off the grid to work on a personal project.  Elsewhere, Raya Vestri goes over her role in her lover's plan. Saiko is, in fact, Raymond. Raymond was once friends with Dick and Raya and the other young circus kids, but now he wants revenge. He blames Dick for the things that befell him and the circus. With Bryan Haley, he has conspired to create a tribute event where he intends to kill Dick, and give the circus to Bryan. He assures Raya that Dick is as responsible as anyone for what happened.   Later, Raya reveals to Dick that the Circus is planning to return to Gotham City in order to hold a special tribute event to his parents, the Flying Graysons. She explains that they're planning it for the anniversary of their deaths, because they think it's important to celebrate their lives instead of mourning their deaths. Dick suddenly realizes that the reason Saiko hasn't made a move yet is because he was waiting for this - a stage big enough to make a spectacle of his death.   Dick tries to convince the circus folk to give up the tribute show, given his worries about Saiko. Angrily, Bryan Haly accuses him of wanting the circus to fail, pointing out that cancelling the only big event they have planned will cost them a lot. He says that Dick can hire as much security as he wants, but the event is going down whether he comes to Gotham or not.   In Gotham, a pair of GCPD detectives discover the bodies of two local thugs beaten to death. They find one of Nightwing's batons at the scene.   During the tribute show's rehearsals, Dick monitor's the venue's security, activating motion sensor uplinks. He is interrupted by Alfred Pennyworth, who reminds him that though he has things to be concerned about, he should not neglect the opportunity to appreciate the tribute to his family, because after all, he was also a member of the Flying Graysons.   That night, while he is still obsessing about security, Jimmy yanks his phone out of his hand and shoves him out on stage, stating that the time has come for a speech. Dick finds himself out on the main stage surrounded by thousands of spectators, waiting for him to speak. Awkwardly, Dick speaks about how despite having lost his parents years ago, he knows that he'll never lose his family, because the circus is his family.   Meanwhile, Saiko triggers the motion sensors. As Dick walks offstage, Raya asks if he meant what he said about them all being family. He promises that of course he meant it, just as he sees his phone's message, and runs off to confront Saiko.   In battling Nightwing, Saiko removes his mask, revealing his identity. Dick had thought Raymond dead, and Raymond responds that he was - and Dick killed him. Someone had come from the shadows and kidnapped and tortured him. They turned him into the assassin he became, and he blames Dick and the circus. As he says this, he activates the detonator for a bomb, which goes off in the stadium full of people.