Dick went to the Daily Planet office in Metropolis to see Clark Kent. He was concerned to hear Batman had fired Robin. Kent disappeared when he heard trouble. Dick followed him without costume. Superman stopped a bombing attempt on the Presidential motorcade. Dick stopped a second bomber with Superman's help.
Dick asked Superman for his thoughts. He told the boy about a Kryptonian superhero cast out of his family named Nightwing. After they talked, Dick went back to the circus. After taking down some thieves trying to make off with the gate, he asked for his job back. They asked him if he minded working with a partner and introduced him to their current trapeze act: Deadman (Cleveland Brand, brother of the original - Boston).
In the Cave, Alfred put the Robin costume on display. Batman was not impressed.

Dick talked to Donna Troy, telling her he was working things out. He was shown a poster of his father he'd never seen before. The Brand brothers had more or less taken the costume idea as their own, but Dick thought he could work with it. He got one made in two-tone blue. While he practiced his routine, the lion escaped. He helped keep it back while they tranquilized it.
Alfred found a boy tied up in the cave. Batman introduced him as Jason Todd. He'd caught him the previous night trying to steal the tires from the Batmobile.
Boston Brand got into a couple bodies in the circus and spoke with Dick. Dick decided to return to his "former line of work." Deadman spoke with Batman to give him an update. Jason surprised Bruce and Alfred by snatching and putting on Dick's old costume.

After seeing the Batsignal, Dick visited Commissioner Gordon in his new outfit. He introduced himself as Nightwing and convinced him they knew each other. Afterwards, he took down a pair of carjackers. When checking the driver, he noticed a person tied-up in the back seat. Batgirl came to the rescue when he was whisked away by the maniac driver. They got burgers and talked. She said he should introduce his new self around; they visited Joker in Arkham, Cobblepot's night club, and a few more hot spots.
Batman built a tracking device into the new Robin costume so he could see where Jason was at all times.

Batman had Alfred get into a Two-Face disguise as a test for Jason. As they went out for part of his "gauntlet," "Dent" was spotted and ordered to be delivered to a new Gotham City freak, Killer Croc.
Dick and Barbara set a "date" for surveillance that night. She didn't show. Thinking he'd been stood up (when he was actually set up), Nightwing encountered Robin. He followed his replacement, caught him, and tied him up. As he tried to call Babs, Jason got loose and sucker-punched him.
Batman commed to tell Nightwing and Robin to find Alfred - the gauntlet was over.

Dr. Thompkins worked on Bruce, who'd been shot when Alfred / Two-Face had been captured by Croc's men. Nightwing and Robin closed in on them; Batgirl located Bruce and spoke with Dr. Thompkins.
Nightwing was momentarily stunned when he saw Alfred posing as Dent. They were able to get him free as Killer Croc blew up his own hide-out trying to stop them. They caught up with him after a brief chase and were helped out by Batgirl. Dr. Thompkins called - Bruce was back up and wanted to meet with the team. Nightwing recorded a message for him, gave it to Batgirl, and split.
Later, Jason took Dick a costume Alfred put together for him.