As Rose engaged the Kryptonian, Thomas gathered himself, visualizing his bones as malleable, like liquid. All he needed was a fraction of a second, and when Superboy was distracted, slid out of the other boy's grip. Redonning his owl-mask, he turned to Rose, plucking his knife out of the floor.

Fitting his mask into place, Thomas quietly slipped out the door, and into the dense foliage, making his way into the cliff where he dived into the Gotham bay. Beginning the long swim back to the Gotham Harbor, Thomas swam back to the city, thinking back on what happened. The girl was certainly skilled enough to make a worthy opponent, but the boy who had nearly trapped him wasn't worth fighting, as Thomas knew when to pick his battles. Right now, any sign of violence was bound to cause more trouble; trouble he didn't need at the moment. 

As he crawled on the harbor in full Talon gear, a squad of his bretheren were standing there to meet him, imposing in stance. The tallest one, Alucard, was the one to speak. "Thomas, the Court wants an update. Have you successfully infiltrated the Teen Titans?" Thomas stood up and looked Alucard in the eye. "There were.....complications. The Titans will never trust the Court or its Talons. Mission Failure." Alucard sighed and nodded. "Thomas, the Court will want to speak with you on this. Come." 

_________________________________________________________

Thomas found himself in the same dimly lit chamber as when the Court had given him his mission earlier today. The same Court members stood before him, all leaning forward slightly as if they were their namesakes on perches. Again, the leader spoke up. "Thomas Marsh, Talon of the Court of Owls, you have failed us. The Court does not accept failure, Thomas. " He paused here, letting his words fill the dank air, forcing a sort of tension. When he felt the sufficient mood generated, the leader continued. "Therefore, we strip you of your rank, and excommunicate you from the Court of Owls." Thomas rose, rage coursing in his eyes, fists clenched. "You throw me out? After everything I've done?" He turned, putting his back to the Court. "I've always wondered who my parents were. As a last request, who were they?" 

The Leader turned and strode down from his perch, leaning down to whisper in his ear. "You have no parents, Thomas. We cloned you from Thomas Wayne. You are not human, but our property; our trash." 
At these words Thomas fell to his knees, awestruck, his world shattered. A clone. He was a clone, raised to be a living weapon. And the Court had USED him his entire life. The chamber was empty now, abandoned. The Court would never use this space again. 

When Thomas was able to stand, he too, left the building, left Gotham as well. There were things he needed to think on, to sort out.