Ras al' Ghul sat comfortably in his limousine. To say he was upset would be an understatement. His most promising student of all time had achieved what he had only dreamed of... and without excessive show of force. No assassinations, no killing, just a simple display that it was for the better good. But it didn't last.
"If you want anything done right," he murmured to himself, "You have to do it yourself." He looked to his left at the hand-trigger that would allow Virgil to escape Arkham with the needed subjects but decided to wait. No matter how tempted he was to get his plan started, he had to put it on hold and meet with him. Just in case his star pupil would realize the error of ending the Justice Lords and attempt to take control again.
Tim sat before his phone twiddling his thumbs. He had been waiting forever for Barbara to call him. In fact, he hadn't answered his phone for the entire day and night and he had already missed three calls for other people. Luckily, not one of the callers was Beth. "C'mon, Babs... I gotta know!"
Tim stood up and started pacing before coming to his bed. He crouched and pulled a small backpack from under the bed and inside were three items: a Robin mask, his first bat-a-rang, and a torn piece of cloth from his Robin cape. Small mementos of the most exciting time in his life. Though he hadn't been The Boy Wonder for too long, he felt that it was his real life; his only life. And that was something he needed. Without Robin, he was just 'Tim Drake', that one freshman who makes mean brownies.
He was ordinary. He hated being ordinary.
His phone rang and he rushed to it, "Hello? Hello? Barbara!"
Barbara sighed on the other end, "It seems to be true, Tim. The Bat is back,"
"Yes!" He was sure she was frowning at his exclamation on the other line, but he didn't care, "How long?"
"Dad couldn't say. In fact he didn't outright say he was back, but I figured that that was only because of his job."
The line was quiet for a moment.
"So what are you gonna do?"
"Nothing," Barbara responded, "I am going to continue being a librarian. I don't need to be Batgirl. Unlike you, Tim, I don't need that other kind of identity to make a difference or to feel special. Sure it was great being Batgirl, but that part of my life is behind me and I have given it up. I recommend you do the same."
"Are you joking?" Tim asked seriously, "The Bat is back!"
"Yes!" Barbara shouted back, "But what are you going to do? Drop by the manor out of the blue and get the cape back on? You really think life is just going to pick up where it left off? If I remember correctly, he fired us... to keep us safe from whatever bad press the Justice Lords would, and eventually did, get. If he wanted a Robin, he would have let you know he was returning."
Again the line was silent, Tim was obviously crestfallen.
Barbara sighed, "Tim... I understand, somewhat of what you are going through. You don't need Robin to be special to people. Sure you were helping people, but it was even dangerous! That armor and spandex only protected so much. You're a kid, for Pete's sake! You have your entire life ahead of you. Every thought about what would happen if you got captured by Two-Face or the Joker even? And we couldn't find you? What then? The Joker is a mad man and Two-Face... well, prefers everything in two. Neither would bode well for you."
"Oh, I was careful, Babs!" Tim angrily shot back, "Hero time was serious time! That would never happen!"
Silence again, "Tim, my first few nights out, I got a real taste of that city... Shootings, killings... there is something terribly wrong with that city, something dreadful. It breeds a plague of psychosis. Every gun shot that would ring out would remind me that there are consequences to everything. What if I got shot in the back and became a cripple? My secret would be out, my family would be ashamed, and I would no longer be able to help people as Batgirl was able to. I'm asking you, Tim, no, begging you... don't go back. You've got a great life here. Don't risk it for the glory days."
"Yawn-a-roony."
"Tim!"
"Kidding!" Then his voice dropped to being serious, "In all honesty, I can't keep that promise." Then he hung up.
Clark Kent plopped down on his hideout's couch and readily opened a pizza box, "C'mon, John." He called to his partner-in-crime, "You can't find Shayera on an empty stomach."
John's orchid-colored eyes narrowed, "Watch me."
Clark frowned, "Don't make me force feed you. You know I can."
John Stewart grunted but moved to the pizza box, "I'm not hungry."
"I don't care. You need to eat. Nourish yourself,"
"With pizza?"
"Hey, Congress declared it to be a vegetable, so why not?"
"Har de har har, Kent," Stewart cracked a smile for the first time that day, "So, any new leads?" He asked as he scarfed down a slice.
"None to report. Wherever she is, they sure didn't want her getting out."
John's eyes narrowed, "Makes sense. Like you, her physiology is not entirely human. She should still retain power and control over her wings."
"Think that she has enough control to fly?" Clark asked.
"Hopefully," John stared off into the distance out the low window. "You know, what if we did do the wrong thing?"
"Oh great, this again." The former Man of Steel rolled his eyes, "Spit it out, John."
"Well, think about it: The Martian nearly had a psychotic break when he reached out with his mind over the people that last time. Remember that? He muttered something about the entire world being in sorrow for its lost rights?"
"I remember."
"And now Diana's on the fast track to being a 'normal' person again." He sighed, "What if we really did mess up?"
Clark frowned and shook his head, "We were, are, the elites. We deserve to rule because-"
"-We have the power to?" John's words were bitter and slightly resentful.
Clark's frown deepened.
Tim stepped out of the taxi cab and handed the man some cash, "Keep the change," he said.
"Oh, thank ye, sir!" The gruff driver-for-hire then sped off leaving Tim alone at Wayne Manor.
Not much had change. The gates were still the same, the driveway was still fresh and clear. He inhaled deeply. "Well, now or never, Drake."
"And you are?"
Tim spun around quickly and found himself facing an attractive older woman. Very attractive...and familiar. Then realization hit him. "Wonder Woman!" He quickly scurried a few feet back into the street.
Diana's face fell slightly and she stood from where she had been gardening. "Please, don't say that name out loud." She begged, "Mr. Wayne has already gotten bad press thanks to me." She motioned with one hand for Tim to approach. "I won't hurt you."
Tim staggered forward, his body ready for anything, "Where's 'Mr. Wayne'?" He asked slowly.
"Bruce is in a meeting right now, but he will be home soon, I hope." She stooped down again and resumed planting flowers. "Who are you?"
"My name's Tim." The young boy replied, "I used to live in Gotham and Mr. Wayne was my boss for an after-school job."
"What sort of work did you do, Tim?"
"Uh, I was sort of a cleaning person. Broke a window on his mansion and had to pay it back doing clean-up work around his house for about a year or two."
Diana stood, "That's quite a long time to be working to pay back a window."
Tim blushed, "It was a big window."
Bruce sat in the empty board room across from a man he had grown to begrudgingly respect. "What do you want, Ras?" His brow furrowed.
Ras sat equally stiff at the other end of the table, easily looking Bruce in the eye. "Order. Peace. Tranquility. Growth. Take your pick, Mr. Wayne."
Bruce didn't respond, he simply glared at the enemy he had hoped would never return.
"Seeing as you aren't willing to small-talk, I'll cut straight to the chase." He slid a small suitcase across the desk straight to Bruce's hands. "Open it."
Bruce did as the eco-terrorist instructed and retrieved a newspaper clipping from the suitcase. He didn't have to read further from the date. "The newspaper article the day the Justice Lords took control? Why?" Bruce demanded.
"You've disappointed me. You had it all: The control, the man-power. You accomplished in days what I and the League of Shadows have been working at for decades: World Peace." Ras took a sip of the complementary water before him then continued, "But then you had to ruin it!" in a rare show of emotion, Ras' voice was raised, "You achieved the ultimate goal! You took your stand and became humanity's savior; its leader. But then you threw it all away! For what?"
Bruce narrowed his eyes, "It wasn't my place."
Ras restrained himself, "Mr. Wayne, I don't know the full story and I do not think I ever will know what convinced you to relinquish your power, but I know this: I will have to pick up where you left off. With or without you, I will save this planet. Not just the people, but all of nature. Even if I have to reboot the system. And it all starts with the simple push of a button." Ras raised his hand and pressed the trigger of a device with his thumb. "The EndWar starts now, Detective. Which side will you choose? Progress or them?"
Ras stood from his chair and bruce shot up; but before he could rush Ras, a dull explosion echoed through the city outside. Bruce looked outside and smoke billowed from Arkham Island. "No..."
"You see, Detective, I did not have to come here. I could have simply started my grand scheme to pick up from where you left off without letting you on to my goings-on. But since you actually accomplished what I set out to do and because you are still the best student I have ever had... i felt it only logical to give you one final chance to make things right. One final chance to join me." Ras al Ghul stuck out his hand for his former pupil to take.
Bruce Wayne looked from the smoke to Ras then to the city he had sworn to protect. "Never again." He stood firm, fists clenched and hands evenly at his side ready to fight.
The eco-terrorist stood his ground but shook his head. "Very well, Detective." He turned to leave. "But don't even think about following me at this time. I have my eyes trained on you."
Bruce looked at his chest and saw three red dots dancing on his lapel. "You're slowing up, Ras. I know these aren't sniper sights." He took a step forward.
"My dear Detective. Who said that they were weapons aimed for you?" Ras turned and smiled and the elevator doors closed.
"Ya hear the news, kid?" Green Arrow leaned his bow against the brick wall of a townhouse. "Arkham's under lockdown."
Robin turned his head and looked at his older friend, "How recent is that report?" He asked.
"Seven min-er, ten minutes." Green Arrow put his PDA away. "That's pretty useless, don't you think, though? Who'd be stupid enough to jailbreak Arkham? Most of the inmates are lobotomized and those that aren't can be retained with a snap."
"Unless..."
Green Arrow looked at his buddy, "Unless what?"
"Unless they have a way to... oh no." Robin dashed to the Bat-Trike and leapt into the cockpit.
"Mind fillin' me in, bird-boy?" Green Arrow caught up to Robin, "Where ya headed?"
"Stay here and keep a lookout for Supes and Orchid."
"Now hang on a sec-"
"I'm going to Arkham Island."
"Wait, but-"
"If that jailbreak is by who I think it is, we will be in for a world of trouble." Robin punched in the coordinates for the fastest route to Arkham on his GPS.
"Wait one second, pal!" Green Arrow shot a finger in Robin's face, "I'm the older one here so I don't think you should be giving me orders like that."
Robin looked at his friend. Now was not the time for Green Arrow to be difficult. He gave Green Arrow the Bat-Glare as best he could.
"Look, what I say goes got that... and I say you go to Arkham and I'll stay here to spot out for the two former heroes." Despite Green Arrow's bravado, it was obvious Robin's grim expression had shaken him.
The cockpit canopy slid over Robin's body with a 'hiss' and the rocket-powered vehicle was off to Arkham. "Robin to all points. Robin to all points. Converge on Arkham Island. I repeat: all points to Arkham Island. ETA seventeen minutes."
"Batgirl here. I'm on my way, ETA twenty minutes."
"Batman here. I've been hung up. Go on without me. Robin's in control."
"Roger."
"Roger."
Robin put his communicator on stand-by and focused even more on dodging and weaving between cars and lanes. One slight shift and he would be dead. Batman had warned him that the Bat-Trike was unstable, but in an instance like this, he felt the risk was necessary. Mr. Death was in that prison and most likely Ras was the one responsible for busting Arkham right open. Those two together would already be a lethal combination, but with the added danger of the Joker... Robin didn't even want to think about what would happen if the Joker escaped with Ras.
Bruce pulled into the parking garage of his mansion and rushed into the manor, "Diana?" He called out quickly.
"In here!" Came the angelic response. Bruce followed her voice and found her in the kitchen with a young man.
"Tim?"
"Hey, Bru- Mr. Wayne. Just came to check on that window." He winked.
"The window is fine, Tim," Bruce caught the cover-story, "Thanks for the visit."
"Er, no problem-o."
Diana stood, "Well it is lovely that you two have been reunited and I would love to stay and chat, but I have some errands to run." She slipped out the door and up the stairs, "Don't wait up!"
Bruce goofily smiled back and waved. As soon as she was out of sight, he turned to Tim Drake. "What are you doing here?" He hissed.
"I heard that you were 'operating again and came to see what was up."
Bruce's eyes narrowed, "I have somewhere to be."
"A mission? Tim hopped along side his old mentor, "Who is it? Bane? Croc? that Mr. Death guy?"
"All of them."
"Sweet!" Tim fist-pumped then ran after Bruce, "So you are totes gonna need backup, huh?"
"No. Go home, Tim."
"Huh?"
"Go home." Bruce slipped behind the grandfather clock in the second foyer and descended the steps to the Batcave. Before he even hit the main 'Cave floor, he was in uniform. "Batman to all points," He held down a button on the Batcomputer, "Status report."
Robin's grainy image came over one screen. "Robin here. ETA ten minutes or less. I can see the chaos."
Batman scowled, "Ten minutes? You should have been there by now according my calculations."
"Yeah, mine, too. But I didn't account for the public response. The sidewalks are flooded with people rushing away from the island. I had to take a slight detour."
"Batgirl here." Batgirl's melodic voice came over the comm system, "I'm in. Half the wall of the main building is missing and there are prisoners everywhere. Nothing too bad because most are lobotomized zombies, but there are a few of the...'normal' cases. I've already subdued Calendar Man and Nigma.
"The name is Riddler, now!" Edward Nigma's voice called in the background of Batgirl's comm.
"Shut up!" Her attention returned to Batman. "Don't know what to say. Still trying to find Mr. Death. He is my main target."
"Why?"
Robin's voice came up, "According to recent police files, a pointy-haired man with peculiar green clothing logged a visit with Virgil a week ago. Seemed as good a lead as any."
Batman grimly nodded. "Stay sharp, Batgirl. Don't forget that there are more dangerous criminals on that island with you. Robin, as soon as you get there, rendezvous with with Batgirl then try to find the source of the explosion. If it was a missile from off-island, track the trail. If it was an explosive on-island, see if there are any clues as to who set it."
"Roger."
"And Batgirl,"
"Riddle me this, Batgirl." The Riddler's voice carried over the comm, "What time should you have been watching right now?"
"I said shut up!"
"I'll give you a hint! This Spanish adder has a poison like none other."
"Batgirl!" Robin called over the comm, "Watch your six! Bane's gotta be-"
Robin's warning came too late and there was a loud crash on Batgirl's end.
"Kimber!" Robin called to his teammate, her comm now off-line.
"Robin! Get down there now! I'm on my way!"
"Cool!" A young voice from behind Batman was gleeful, "You still have my uniform!"
Batman's eyes narrowed and he cut communication with his team. "Tim!"
Tim Drake stepped out of the shadows half in his Robin outfit. "Sup?"
"Go. Home." Batman hissed.
"Hey, I know Arkham's been hit, though! I can help!"
"I have help!" Batman's belt flashed twice and he rushed to the Batmobile. "Go home or stay here. Either way; don't go to the asylum!" And the Batmobile rocketed off.
"Pfft, riight." Tim finished dressing up, "I know you'll need my help." He straddled the Bat-Jekski and sped off towards Arkham Island.
A/N: Sorry this took so long xD Finals are wrapping up though :P Thoughts? Tim Drake joining the team the same time he is joining Young Justice? O.o woohoo! That last episode of YJ was amazing! I like the direction it is going :P Feedback please!
