Wayne Manor
2 years after
The sound of trees rustling, and the utter silence of the world around them felt more palpable than ever. Birds almost seemed to have vanished altogether as well. And bugs? There were so many, it was hard to imagine them to be nonexistent from the ground as well. Even as much as a rodent would've felt one step closer back to the way things were. A sense of familiarity. Reality.
But it was real.
A Jaguar C-X75 pulls into the driveway. The driver gets out first, sporting a dark brown leather jacket over his black sweater, denim jeans, as well as a pair of black boots. It was the middle of spring still transitioning from Winter, so the outfit was appropriate. Though, maybe on the bright side, something to look forward to in the midst of all this might be that global warming might erase all the-
Stop, the man thought to himself.
That happened way more often than he wanted – just drifting off like that in the middle of absolutely nothing. Honestly though, was there anything left to be so deeply occupied with?
Shortly after, the passenger, a redhead female, exited the car. For a moment, the two just silently stood there for a moment, looking at each other. Standing outside in the open Earth never felt so isolating. Dead silence filled the air, so much that if they tried hard enough maybe they could hear each other's quiet, tense breathing.
"You fazing out again?" she asked him.
He nods, "Yeah."
"You were quiet the whole ride here, I didn't wanna bother you."
He shakes his head. "No, it's not that, it's just… I actually think talking more might help. You know?"
She nods, though, with slight hesitation. "Okay."
Batcave
A young man wearing what looks to be a night gown and slippers types vigorously on the Batcomputer. Multiple files of different individuals are flashed before him. Their statuses are listed as either 'SEARCHING', 'VANISHED, or 'ALIVE'.
Suddenly, he gets a call on the Batcomputer. The caller's name is shown as 'JASON TODD', and he shortly answers. Jason's face appears on screen in the corner.
"Go head," he says first.
"You doin' alright there, Tiny Tim?" Jason asks, only half-joking. "You look like ass."
"I'm fine," Tim answers. "Were you successful?"
"Yeah. All the trucks made it through, and Black Mask and his thugs had another thing comin'. But that should be enough to feed the kids and the homeless for the next six months or so, until we have to find more."
"We will. Thank you, Jason."
Jason groans with slight cringe. "I've told you about doing that."
"Well someone has to say it."
A brief pause. "Well you know where to find me if you need me, Timbo."
Before he hangs up, Tim stops him.
"Hey, Jason." The former outlaw stops again, serious this time, giving Tim his full and undivided attention. "You know you have a place to stay here if you need it? There's plenty of room, you know that."
Jason looks down, seemingly trying to hide his smirk.
"I appreciate the offer, but I don't think my company would be most suitable with the rest of the party."
Tim shakes his head. "I disagree."
"I know you do. Why don't you get some sleep? I'll check up on you guys later."
He hangs up. Finally, Tim lets out a cathartic sigh, but not of relief, and more so regret.
Shortly after, Dick and Barbara enter the cave.
"Tim?" Dick's voice sounds from behind.
"Hey, you two," Tim responds rather unenthusiastically, only from mere fatigue.
They didn't even question how he knew Barbara was with him as well, and kind of just brushed it off.
"No sleep as usual?" Dick said.
"You know me," Tim dryly humored.
Dick came by next to him to get a closer look. It was worse than he though. The bags under Tim's eyes were more noticeable than everything else about his face. He could also tell that he hadn't eaten in God knows how many hours, or even days, for that matter. His face looked pale and lifeless. Dick could tell he really hadn't been sleeping. Tim has always been this way, he knew, but not to this extent.
Grayson shrugs, "You got your good looks still, I'll give you that."
Tim leans forward at the screen, resting his chin over his clenched hands, shaking his head. Dick then looks at the screen as well, and sudden chills form all over his body.
"Why are you looking at this, Tim?" Dick says with slight irritation.
Barbara stands in the back corner, holding her arm, afraid to look at him up close.
"I hadn't looked it in a while," Tim quietly spoke. "It's been three years since the last time I did. I've kinda remembered it by heart."
Dick looks at the screen, bringing back all sorts of horrible familiar sensations.
The list of The Vanished stood out first, for good reason. The first one that stood out to Dick was Bruce. And then the list went on, with all of their faces there to see, like an eerie shadow of their past selves.
Name: BRUCE WAYNE
Codename: Unknown
Height: 6'2 (187.96 cm)
Eye Color: BLUE
Hair Color: BLACK
Age: 49
Status: VANISHED
Name: CLARK KENT, KAL-EL
Codename: KAL-EL, SUPERMAN
Height: 6'3 (190.5 cm)
Eye Color: BLUE
Hair Color: BLACK
Age: 47
Status: VANISHED
Name: DIANA PRINCE
Codename: WONDER WOMAN
Height: 5'10 (177.8 cm)
Eye Color: BROWN
Hair Color: BLACK
Age: UNKNOWN
Status: VANISHED
Name: BARRY ALLEN
Codename: THE FLASH
Height: 6'0 (182.88 cm)
Eye Color: GREEN
Hair Color: BLONDE
Age: 33
Status: ALIVE
Name: HAL JORDAN
Codename: GREEN LANTERN
Height: 6'2 (187.96)
Eye Color: BROWN
Hair Color: BROWN
Age: 37
Status: VANISHED
Name: J'ONN J'ONZZ
Codename: MARTIAN MANHUNTER
Height: 6'5 (195.58 cm)
Eye Color: RED
Hair Color: UNKNOWN
Age: UNKNOWN
Status: SEARCHING
Name: VICTOR STONE
Codename: CYBORG
Height: 6'6 (198.12 cm)
Eye Color: BROWN
Hair Color: BLACK
Age: 28
Status: VANISHED
Name: ARTHUR CURRY
Codename: AQUAMAN
Height: 6'4 (193.04 cm)
Eye Color: BROWN
Hair Color: BLACK
Age: 33
Status: VANISHED
Name: OLIVER QUEEN
Codename: GREEN ARROW
Height: 6'2 (187.96 cm)
Eye Color: GREEN
Hair Color: BLONDE
Age: 34
Status: VANISHED
Name: DINAH LANCE
Codename: BLACK CANARY
Height: 5'7 (170.18 cm)
Eye Color: BLUE
Hair Color: BLONDE
Age: 30
Status: VANISHED
Name: KENT NELSON
Codename: DOCTOR FATE
Height: 6'2 (187.96 cm)
Eye Color: BLUE
Hair Color: BLONDE
Age: 38
Status: ALIVE
Name: WALLY WEST
Codename: KID FLASH
Height: 5'11 (180.33 cm)
Eye Color: BLUE
Hair Color: RED
Age: 25
Status: VANISHED
Name: CONNER KENT, KON-EL
Codename: SUPERBOY
Height: 5'10 (177.8 cm)
Eye Color: BLUE
Hair Color: BLACK
Age: 4 (20 Human Years)
Status: VANISHED
Name: KARA ZOR-EL
Codename: SUPERGIRL
Height: 5'5 (165 cm)
Eye Color: BLUE
Hair Color: BLONDE
Age: 24
Status: ALIVE
Name: KORIAND'R
Codename: STARFIRE
Height: 5'7 (170.18 cm)
Eye Color: GREEN
Hair Color: RED
Age: 26
Status: ALIVE
Name: DICK GRAYSON
Codename: NIGHTWING
Height: 5'10 (177.8 cm)
Eye Color: BLUE
Hair Color: BLACK
Age: 25
Status: ALIVE
Name: TIM DRAKE
Codename: RED ROBIN
Height: 5'8 (172.72 cm)
Eye Color: BLUE
Hair Color: BLACK
Age: 19
Status: ALIVE
Name: BARBARA GORDON
Codename: BATGIRL, ORACLE
Height: 5'5 (165 cm)
Eye Color: GREEN
Hair Color: RED
Age: 28
Status: ALIVE
Name: ALFRED PENNYWORTH
Codename: UNKNOWN
Height: 6'0 (182.88 cm)
Eye Color: BLUE
Hair Color: GRAY
Age: 69
Status: VANISHED
Name: JASON TODD
Codename: RED HOOD
Height: 6'1 (187.96 cm)
Eye Color: BLUE
Hair Color: BLACK
Age: 23
Status: ALIVE
Name: DAMIAN WAYNE
Codename: ROBIN
Height: 5'4 (162.56 cm)
Eye Color: BLUE
Hair Color: BLACK
Age: 11
Status: VANISHED
Name: SELINA KYLE
Codename: CATWOMAN
Height: 5'9 (175 cm)
Eye Color: GREEN
Hair Color: BLACK
Age: 44
Status: ALIVE
Name: ZATANNA ZATARA
Codename: ZATANNA
Height: 5'6 (167.64 cm)
Eye Color: BLUE
Hair Color: BLACK
Age: 34
Status: ALIVE
Name: JAIME REYES
Codename: BLUE BEETLE
Height: 5'9 (172.72 cm)
Eye Color: BROWN
Hair Color: BLACK
Age: 19
Status: VANISHED
Name: GARFIELD LOGAN
Codename: BEAST BOY
Height: 5'5 (170.18 cm)
Eye Color: GREEN
Hair Color: GREEN
Age: 16
Status: VANISHED
Name: RACHEL ROTH
Codename: RAVEN
Height: 5'4 (162.56 cm)
Eye Color: VIOLET
Hair Color: VIOLET
Age: 18
Status: SEARCHING
The list went on.
"It's okay to remember them," Dick reassured. "I think about them every day."
Tim nods. "Me too."
Dick places his hand on Tim's shoulder. Tim touches it, accepting his sign of affection, and a single tear rolls down his cheek. Barbara walks over to them, and hugs Tim from behind in his chair, her crying as well.