Chapter Three

"Are we gonna go to the Watchtower today?" Irey asked excitedly, bouncing on her heels. Jay rolled his eyes while their dad merely chuckled.

"Not 'til next week, Pumpkin." Wally ruffled his daughter's hair, ignoring the girl's exaggerated sigh. "Now, I thought you guys were looking forward to this party."

"Not if it's gonna be at boring old Wayne Manor." Irey said with a frown. Jay didn't understand why she felt that way - as far as he was concerned, the Manor was a pretty cool place, especially when the kitchen turned out a feast of food for the gathered superheroes.

"Well, too bad, since that's where we're heading." Their mom's voice stated firmly as the woman joined them, her blonde hair pulled back by a green bandanna. "Now, are you two ready to go?"

"Yes, Mom." The twins chorused. All four of them stepped out the back door of their modest home in Central City, Artemis taking a moment to lock up. Then she let Wally scoop her up in a bridal carry, and the trio of speedsters started running in the direction of Gotham. After a few minutes at an easy pace, the Wests reached the hidden entrance at the rear of their destination. They had to pause a moment for the security system to recognize them, and then the gate slid open. Wally and Artemis opted to walk up the hill to the party taking place on the Manor's grounds, while the twins raced on ahead.

"Irey! Jay!" A cheerful voice called out as they skidded to a stop. "Glad you two could make it."

"So are we, Uncle Dick!" Jay smiled at the dark haired man, and the boy standing behind him. "Hi, Terry. Where should we put the present for Matt?"

"There's a table on the back patio." The nine year old answered him, avoiding looking at the stony glare Irey was shooting at him. "Just be careful when you put it there, 'cause he keeps trying to trap people and ask what they got him."

"How much trapping can a kid turning six do?" Irey snorted.

"You'd be surprised. Just a few weeks ago he managed to catch your dad's feet with a fast-drying polymer." The man standing beside them said dryly.

Both twins gaped, having not heard this bit of information. Then they started giggling uncontrollably, prompting a raised eyebrow from Artemis as she and her husband finally reached the same spot.

"Dick, what did you do?" The blonde woman asked.

"Oh, just catching the pipsqueaks up on current events. Now come on, you guys are the last ones here-"

"Again?" Wally groaned. "I thought we'd get lucky this time, with how long Connor and M'gann have been taking to get to places lately."

"Heh, you wish. They actually got here a few minutes ago, with Kara in tow. That kid might be a fair bit slower in flight than her dad, but she's getting faster-"

M'gann hastily pulled out of Jay's mind, trying to keep the shock from registering on her face. The speedsters didn't notice her facade, but she was fairly sure Artemis, Nightwing and Batman could all tell something was off.

"He's the real deal." The martian announced, regaining her composure. It was hard not to ask Jay about the image she'd gained, of a tiny blonde girl wearing a red t-shirt with a blue S-symbol, but M'gann forced herself to resist the temptation.

A small amount of tension left Nightwing's muscles, and the young man smiled a little more widely at their guest. "Good. Jay, is there anything you want to do while we find Irey? We've got some guest bedrooms on the upper levels, and an entertainment center-"

"I want to help." The boy said immediately. "She's my sister. I want to help get her back."

The adults all exchanged glances, communicating amongst themselves even without M'gann's telepathic assistance. Eventually, Nightwing sighed.

"You'll stick to Bart's side, and follow all orders... Haste."

-FnR-

Frowning as his patient once again whimpered in pain, James carefully ran the damp cloth over her forehead once again. The moisture disappeared immediately in the face of her fever, but the young man was not to be deterred.

He was dunking the cloth back in the nearby bowl of cold water when the door opened and one of his friends entered. "How's the little ankle-biter doing, Trickster?" Digger asked with a solemn expression.

"Not good, I don't think." The younger Rogue answered him. "I pretty sure Len was right about her being a speedster, 'cause all her injuries are gone by now, but the fever won't go away."

"Hm. We might need t' get some medicine, then. Or maybe give in t' Piper's suggestion and dump her with th' League-"

"No!" James yelped. "She's a tiny Flash, and they belong to us! Even, even with Baby Flash, gone..." The blonde man bowed his head in a moment of grief, before looking up again to meet Captain Boomerang's concerned gaze. "Besides, how do we know the League isn't behind her being hurt?"

"Aw, hell, Trick, ya can't go makin' assumptions like that, 'specially since we've never even seen the kid around Central before."

"Doesn't matter. She was wearing a Flash symbol. And if she'd never been in the city before, then how'd she come stumbling right into our hideout like she knew it was here?"

"...Point. But, if she doesn't start gettin' better in the next couple days, and start givin' us some answers, I'm gonna go with Hartley on this one and tell Cold we outta take her to a cape." He held up his hands to forestall James' continued protest. "If nothing else, we'll get Flash's attention and give her t' him. Would that suit ya?"

"Maybe." The younger Rogue huffed, returning to his tasks as nursemaid. He waited until Digger left, then began to speak to his charge - a little redheaded girl bundled up in blankets on the bed in one of their hideout's spare bedrooms. "Don't you worry, Tiny Flash. I'll get ya all fixed up good as new - and then maybe we can do some of the fun things Baby Flash and I used to do together. He left a few years ago, y'know. Len figured he grew up and moved somewhere for college, and didn't take his suit with him since we never saw any news footage of him. But, we all saw it, when the stations said he'd... He'd died. Stupid aliens." James took a moment to scowl at the floor.

"...Nn 'e dnt." A strained voice muttered softly. The man's head whipped back up, staring as a pair of familiar green eyes squinted at him out of an unfamiliar face. "C'm bk, l-latr." Mumblings over, the little girl closed her eyes again, dropping back into fitful sleep.

James was too shocked to do anything other than stare at her. Then a broad grin stretched across his face, and for the rest of the night Trickster felt better than he had in years.

-FnR-

*Everyone in position?* M'gann asked over the mind link. She and six other heroes were surrounding a nondescript shack in a small town on the edge of the African Savannah, about to attack one of the hidden bases used by collaborating terrorists.

*Yep.* Artemis replied, eyes scanning over their target.

Bart shared a look with Jay, who nodded, decked out in his modified black and yellow suit and goggles. *We're good to go.*

*Ready and waiting.* Zatanna nudged Bumblebee's shoulder, getting the woman to smirk as she shrunk down.

*Can we please get this show on the road already?* Their seventh squad member sighed, idly twirling the crimson batarang in his hands.

*Careful, Red, you're starting to sound as impatient as a speedster.* Red Hood huffed at Zatanna's teasing remark. He normally didn't have much to do with big League and Team missions, usually only getting called in when they needed an extra Bat for a specific job. On this occasion, though, with every available hero getting pulled up to help search for their visiting speedster's missing sister... Jason Todd wasn't about to turn his back on that endeavor. Even if the resurrected nineteen year old had managed to irritate his big brother by pretending to think it over when Nightwing first called him.

*Everyone move on my signal.* Miss Martian brought all of their attentions forward again. *Ready... And... Now!* From the shadows of other houses, seven heroes charged.

Flying ahead, Bumblebee and M'gann slipped into the shack via their own routes, noting the high tech trapdoor at the back of the room. Hood kicked down the door, immediately stepping inside to allow Bart and Jay to zoom around him, each circling the interior of the shack before coming to a stop. As Bumblebee started hacking the controls on the trapdoor, Zatanna and Tigress also entered, having circled the tiny building first to check for exterior cameras or defenses.

"Got it!" Karen's tiny voice piped up as she got through the electronic lock. Hood reached down, grabbed the extended handle, and heaved the door open. The speedsters and flyers went down the metal ladder first, magician and melee fighters following after.

Jay descended nearly fifty feet before reaching a floor, jumping the last few steps and casting his gaze about for any sign of guards. Not seeing any, he nodded an all clear to Bart as the older speedster joined him, and then the two began running down the hallway as they continued their search.

*Anything?* M'gann asked, arriving at the bottom of the ladder just as the boys found the first split in the hall.

*Nope. Should we consider that a good or bad thing?*

*Probably bad.* Artemis responded, sliding down the ladder. *It means this place is either deserted, or a trap.*

Bart took the left hand hall, while Jay went to right - and each simultaneously encountered two different groups of terrorists waiting with machine guns aimed. *Yeah, I'm gonna go with the 'they knew we were coming' bit.* Jay mentioned as he backtracked to avoid the bullets. In the other direction, Bart did the opposite, dodging his opponents' fire as he sprinted forward, disarming and knocking them to the ground.

Thinking that they had him on the run, Jay's group gave chase back through the twists and turns of the hallway - until they came face to face with the boy, Miss Martian and Bumblebee. The trio attacked, and soon had their group subdued as well.

*You guys aren't taking up all the action, are ya?* Jason asked as he, Artemis and Zatanna hurried to catch up to the other. *'Cause that's just plain rude.*

*I missed having your humor on a mission, Jay-bird. Adds such life to the party, especially when 'Wing ain't around.* Karen laughed at the annoyance Hood projected back through the mental link.

*When you three hit the first branch, take a left and join Bart. The rest of us will keep going on the righthand route.* M'gann sent to them. *And Artemis, try to keep Hood from doing anything stupid, will you?*

*Hey!*

*You do realize that's like trying to get Superboy to willingly make friends with monkeys, right?*

Jay slowly shook his head, wearing a baffled expression. *I didn't think it was possible, but you all might be even weirder now than in my time.* All of the older heroes paused, before breaking out into grins or amused chuckles. *What? What'd I say? What's so funny?*

*Nothing, Jay.* Bart told him, still laughing as he stood over the unconscious goons, waiting for his squad mates to arrive. *It's something all time travelers experience at least a little bit, believe me. But for now, let's focus on the mission, okay?*

*...Okay.*

-FNR-

In the course of three hours across the globe, over forty members of the League and Team alike had invaded a dozen secret bases and weapons labs, apprehended close to one hundred terrorists, hired goons, scientists and assistants to hand over to local authorities or Interpol, and sent nervous ripples through criminal underworlds and organizations all around the world.

They found no trace of Irey West.

Batgirl's group had managed to find one clue - the dissected remains of Jay's true uniform, and a written report of the incident in which the testing of a time travel device had resulted in an unknown hero from the future speeding through and disrupting the operation. The device was irrevocably damaged, though the capture of the metahuman had the destruction deemed an acceptable loss. Whoever had made the report also left an indication of the possibility of there having been a second speedster to come through the portal, though when the dust from the initial fight settled, it was only the one boy who'd been found unconscious on the ground.

"I know she came through with me." Jay insisted, close to tears after the information spread throughout the various squads. "And I'm absolutely certain she wouldn't have- have gone back through that thing by herself. She wouldn't have."

"I'm not arguing with you, kiddo." Artemis tried to sooth him, sitting beside the boy. "But this throws a wrench into our plan, and it's time to try and figure something else out." The two of them were in the Bioship's rear compartment, where Jay had gone to hide once Batgirl's news reached them. It would be another hour before they reached the Watchtower, and Artemis really didn't want to have to console the distraught kid for that entire time. "Do... Do you think you can tell me more about her? What she, what the two of you, are like?"

Jay sniffled, staring morosely at the floor as he answered. "...You're always calling us the world's third and fourth biggest troublemakers, 'cause Dad and Uncle Dick were permanently in the top two spots." Artemis couldn't help it - she laughed.

"Well, that doesn't sound too surprising." Shifting position, she scooted closer to the kid in order to wrap an arm around his narrow shoulders, pulling the startled boy to lean against her side. "C'mon, you can't just leave it at that: tell me about some of the trouble you've caused."

"Well... There was my friend Jamal Duncan's end of school party a few months ago. Irey and I didn't want to be the last ones there again, so we left without you and Dad. Except, we didn't take our super suits, so we got lost, and instead of San Francisco we ended up in Montana..." He continued to tell her stories of his and Irey's infamous exploits, gradually growing more light hearted every time her got Artemis to snicker. "...And then, Macy dumped the whole bowl of whipped cream right on Zack's head! The grown-ups decided not to punish her, though, 'cause it did kind of serve him right for deliberately turning her skin blue with pink polka dots."

By now, the young woman had laughed so much she'd gained a stitch in her side. "Oh, I cannot wait to meet these kids. Dick's daughter alone sounds like such a little troll, just like her dad."

"Really? I always thought she's like that because she's had to grow up with Terry and Matt as brothers, not to mention her cousins. All of those guys are big time pranksters."

"I bet. But no, let me tell you a few tales about Dickie back in his Robin days..." And then it was Artemis' turn to send Jay into gales of laughter when relating some of the trouble his father's best friend had caused in the early days of the Team. "The best, though, was when he got Wally to help him rig up a multi-colored spotlight to shine on the zeta tubes, and then they programmed the intercom system to play a different Disney song to play depending on whoever came through. I'd bet good money he's still got the recording somewhere, with all the League and Team member's reactions when they came through."

Jay giggled. "That's epic! Do you remember what songs they used?"

"Hm... Not all of 'em off the top of my head, but I'm pretty sure Superboy's was I Can Go the Distance, Black Canary was I'll Make a Man Out of You, and... Oh! Batman: Be Prepared."

"Makes sense. 'I'm surrounded by idiots' seems like a quote he'd appreciate." Both of them snickered at that, which merely redoubled when the door opened and Zatanna raised a curious eyebrow at the pair.

"Well, I don't know what's got you two in such a state, but M'gann says we'll be docking soon."

"'Kay, thanks 'Tanna."

"Mm-hm." The magician returned to her seat in the main cabin, and Artemis turned back to Jay with a sigh.

"You ready to see about Round Two, kiddo?" The trepidation had returned to his eyes, but the kid nodded nonetheless. "Alright then. Let's go."

-FNR-

"...But I could- *cough* -couldn't carry us both, a-and the bad guys had already knocked him out, s-so I-" As another coughing fit overtook the girl's words, James finished for her.

"So the kid had to leave her brother there and make a run for it. When it looked like her house was deserted, this was the next place on her list to come for help." Around the room, seven other Rogues all exchanged grim glances. Pied Piper looked uneasily towards Heatwave, who could only shrug slightly. Weather Wizard, Mirror Master and Captain Boomerang were all concerned and trying not to show it. Golden Glider watched for her brother's reaction, as Captain Cold continued to frown at the tiny redhead still struggling to breathe where she was curled up on the bed.

"And you said you think it was some kind of time portal you kids came through?" He finally asked, prompting the girl to nod. "Why's that, exactly?"

"Well, for one thing you- *cough* -you guys are all a lot younger than you're s-supposed to be." She blinked wearily. "Also, Josh and Owen aren't here, so that's k-kind of a- *cough* -a giveaway."

Several sets of eyes swung to stare at Weather Wizard, who looked outright shocked at the mention of his infant son's name. "J-Josh? Josh Jackum?"

"Yep. And Owen Harkness. We- *cough* -we used to play together as little kids, 'fore Josh became the Apprentice and me 'n Jay started running with Dad." Slumping over a bit, the girl completely missed the looks of bewilderment that were shot around the room.

"Alright kid, you get some rest, and we'll try talking more later." Glider nudged her brother in the ribs, getting him to agree and start to shoo everyone from the room. Only Trickster remained, helping the little redhead to drink some more water before having her lie down again.

Once the door closed, Heatwave was the one to ask the obvious question. "What the hell are we supposed to do now?"

Removing his visor to pinch wearily at the bridge of his nose, Captain Cold sighed. "Wait 'til the kid gets better and send her off to either Flash or the League."

"In such a way that they don't accuse us of kidnapping, right?" Piper put in. The others nodded, except for Digger and Mark, both of whom were still a little too shell-shocked to pay attention.

"So... Does anyone else really believe her being from the future means the Kid could come back?" Mirror Master asked after a few minutes of tense silence. No one was really willing to answer him.

A/N: I've got a small one-shot in my stories titled Uncertain, which brings up Jason's return to the Team, if anyone wants to see some more Red Hood funnies. So, who's happy to see the Rogues making an important appearance?