gothamstaliaalghul:

That was a name he had not heard in quite some time. “Peyton Riley?” He murmured quietly under his breath. “Yes. I remember Peyton. I fail to see what she has to do with your father’s unfinished works, but yes I do remember her.” He thought back to the time he had spent with Peyton. It was not a bad time. He had thought of her fondly. She had helped him kill her mother and then he had left her.

Shaking himself from the reverie he glared at Talia. “Again, I fail to see what she has to do with anything regarding your alive father’s unfinished works. I thank you for the compliments, but yes I doubt Jonathan Crane could do very much if he ever revealed his identity.” He shook his head quietly and laughed. “Anyway, on to things that matter.”

 A smile flickered across her lips as she watched the range of emotions fill his features. Yes, yes. Exactly where she wanted him. Perfect. She allowed him to take a moment to internalize his rage, directing his anger back into his work and nearly ruining his careful cuts in the process, Talia tapped a manicured nail thoughtfully against her chin. “So you did know her before she went by that dreadful name. Sugar. So very pathetic. I liked the girl much better than when she was putting on a face and talking through a puppet. It’s a shame, what happened to her.”

She allowed these thoughts to stew, watching the pain register on his face before he gritted his teeth, a low growl leaving his lips. Emotions where such a funny thing. Her father, the man she loved more than life itself, preyed upon her fragile secrets and delicate emotions to get what he wanted from her. He manipulated her feelings for Bruce, her dedication to him, and even her feelings, non-romantic of course, for Jason Todd. The name alone made her face tighten a bit. She could hear the whispers of “You could have done more to save him. He was only a boy.” echoing in her head. Clearing her thoughts and steadying her mind, she focused on the task at hand.

“She was trying to find the Lazarus Pits, for Victor Freeze. I want to continue to quest, and I also want to finish my father’s work; attempting to bottle of regenerative effects of the Pits. Doctor Hugo Strange has already practically done so; he cannot die. I want to finish what Peyton started. I think she would have wanted you to help me.”

(via hushbatman-blog)