As I said in the summ, this story contains SPOILERS for the episode Targets. If you haven't seen the episode, don't read this. Unless you don't mind spoilers.
Alright, this time it's Batman and Aqualad...so, let's think...I've had a Batman-interacts-fic for Robin, Artemis, Superboy, Miss Martian, and now Aqualad. Well, then, now all I need is one with Wally. :)
It didn't surprise him at all to see Batman standing at the top of the steps that led down to the water. In fact, it was more of a shock that the man didn't contact Aqualad about the Rhelasia event at all. Though, he reasoned, perhaps it was because the man hadn't exactly forbidden trips like these. Especially since it wasn't the whole Young Justice team involved – it was just him and Red Arrow.
"Batman." Kaldur'ahm resisted the urge to bow as he would before his king, the team commander had such a presence. "Is there a mission awaiting us?"
The Bat didn't so much as squint his eyes. "No. How did the peace treatise go?"
The Atlantean found it an odd question, but, who was he to question the hero? "As well as such a treatise could go, though, I regret to inform you, it was a weapon that seemed to cause the rift to be patched up."
They walked side by side to the main cavern. Aqualad glanced up to Batman. "Do you think it will last?"
"No." Batman responded. And then asked, "Did you?"
Kaldur sighed. "I wished, but I know such a thing can not last."
Batman nodded. It seemed a response he was pleased with. "Unfortunately, such peace will never last in this world. It may seem good for a time, but, old rifts and irritants always rise up again."
Kaldur dipped his head in agreement.
"Which reminds me: I heard Red Arrow encountered Ra's Al Ghul." Batman stopped and looked at Kaldur full on.
"Indeed, Batman. Red Arrow arrow had followed Cheshire and Sportsmaster to an old temple and was confronted by him."
Batman's brow furrowed. "He fought Ra's and survived?"
The younger hero was taken aback by the intensity in Batman's voice. "No, they did not fight. It was Cheshire and Sportsmaster that he dealt with."
The Dark Knight's creases disappeared, though Kaldur could still sense something still bothered him. "I see."
They continued to walk. The Batman kept his gaze forward, but Kaldur found himself stealing glances at the League leader. This conversation hardly seemed a debriefing, and everyone knew that Batman wasn't one for conversation – though Lord knows how some had tried, again and again. It was as if he was waiting for something. Something that the Atlantean boy knew.
Kaldur cleared his throat, his gills vibrating slightly in response. "There was something odd that Sportsmaster said."
Batman didn't answer.
"He intimated that there was a spy in the team."
Again, Batman stayed silent.
"Did you know this?"
"I did."
Kaldur stopped, and grabbed hold of Batman's arm, his sudden burst of anger clouding his judgment on whether or not forcefully touching the older hero was a wise thing or not. "You knew, and you didn't tell me?"
Batman glared at him mildly, gently releasing Kaldur's hold on him. "I didn't feel the need."
"You did not feel the need?" Kaldur was incensed. "With all due respect, Batman, but I believe that such information is vital to the well-being of a team."
"Not always."
"But, who is it?"
Batman tilted his head down, slightly, as if to look even more fully at the teen. "Do you have any ideas?"
Kaldur looked down, almost ashamed. "I have...one. I have one idea who it is. But, I must confess, I do not like to believe it."
"You don't have to."
Kaldur's head jerked sharply back up.
"She's not the only choice."
She? How had Batman known what he was thinking?
"Every single one of you could be the mole."
He tensed.
"Artemis, the seemingly obvious choice, because none of you truly know who she is. Only Green Arrow and myself are privy to that. And I know more than he does. Her past is a mystery to you all, but no one can deny that her skills are quite exceptional. She's sure with her aim, and her weapons have been known to be deadly. If you'll remember, she hadn't used a trick arrow on Amazo that night at Gotham Academy. Her arrow was sharp, and capable of piercing a human skull.
"Then there's Miss Martian. She hasn't exactly been open to you all about her own history. Granted, no one's ever asked, but, she hasn't offered it up as readily as other things in her life. Her home planet is currently in the middle of a civil war between the green martians and the white martians, and, as a shape shifter, she could easily change her skin color – as you witnessed this morning before she went to school.
"Superboy, even, could be the mole. After all, he's been fed information by genomorphs for most of his short life. They taught him about the sun, about Superman, about everything – what's to say he didn't learn how to lie? He held a very strong telepathic link with them, and could still possibly be communicating with them. After all, he's only ever known the feel of their thoughts melding with his. How is he supposed to know whether or not they're listening right now?
"Wally is a little harder to believe. He's honest to a fault, if a little foolish. But he talks incessantly, and is prone to bragging. It wouldn't be hard for someone near him – just a friend – to pick up on information that he doesn't even realize he's sharing."
Aqualad listened to this list in a stony silence. A part of him wanted to know why he hadn't been thinking on this himself, and another part wanted to believe that Cheshire had simply lied to him in order to bring disruption to the team.
When Batman paused, the teen realized that two names were absent. But, Batman had only paused.
"Robin. I have asked that he keep his name, and other information, a secret from you, his team. While he has complied, that doesn't mean he's happy about it. And, at this stage of life, he's apt to be impulsive, and use his emotions as a guide. For all I know, he could be angry and bitter at me, for the things I have asked him to do."
Kaldur could not deny the shock that crept through him when Batman suggested his own protege. He didn't have long to dwell on that, however, when Batman finally got to the end of the list.
"And then there's your, Kaldur." Batman studied him hard. "Only Aquaman and myself, besides you, know who your father is. I noticed that when your battle with him was done, you seemed better off than, perhaps, Garth would be had he been the one to lead in the fight. You escaped relatively unharmed, and it does seem odd that they chose to strike when Aquaman was gone. How were they to know he had been called away?"
Kaldur had to fight to look in Batman's eyes. His father's actions shamed him, and he wondered how it was that they were related.
"The whole team have their reasons to be a suspect." Batman's words weren't harsh, just matter-of-fact.
Kaldur lost the battle to keep his gaze steady, and he looked down.
A hand descended on his shoulder, and he looked up at Gotham's hero once more. "Don't worry. I'll be watching, you won't have to fight this alone."
The hand left, and Batman began to walk away, heading back to Gotham, no doubt. Kaldur looked after him, and then began to make his own way home.
Batman's voice stopped him before he could leave, however. "Kaldur."
His silver eyes met the white of the mask. "Yes, Batman?"
"You may share the same blood as your father, but that doesn't mean you must follow in his footsteps. You are responsible for your decisions – his actions mustn't dictate your life."
Aqualad looked down, this time performing a half bow. "Thank you, Batman."
But, when he looked back up, the Bat was gone.
How was it? I felt like Batman was a little off. Thoughts? I love reviews. :) -Jimmy C.