Sorry, sorry, sorry. I had no time to write including a family vacation that forced me to leave my laptop at home (not that I'm complaining I got a vacation from work). I hope this chapter makes up for it.

Chapter 9: The Problematic

Blüdhaven

February 16, 07:06 EST

Team Year 2

Wally knocked on the door to the small apartment complex. It was in a nice neighborhood especially for a city like Blüdhaven. The trees that lined the street were bare of leaves and parents were in the middle of taking their children to school.

Wally waited impatiently as Jason Todd walked up behind him. He was dressed in a red top and a brown jacket and wore sunglasses over his eyes.

The door opened and Dick appeared in the door way sweating in work out pants and top. He was finally beginning to build up the muscle that he was lacking and was now built for a seventeen year old.

"Wally?" Dick said in surprise. "What are you doing here? How did you find me?"

"Well hi there. It's good to see you too, it's only been, what…a year and a half. Nice place you have here," Wally said and pushed Dick aside to let himself in. Jason followed suit and gave a Dick a nod.

Wally whistled at the apartment's interior. It was small but cozy with large television playing a workout video in the background.

"Seriously Wally what are you doing here and who's the kid?" Dick said.

"Oh yea this is the new Robin. He told me where to find you," Wally said nonchalantly and took a seat on the couch.

"New Robin?" Dick questioned. He looked to the teen who was looking around the apartment. They looked at each other and Jason held out his hand to give Dick a hand shake.

"The names Robin. I'm your replacement," Jason smiled. Dick frowned.

"Wally this isn't funny. Who is he?"

"No dude I'm being serious. A couple of months after you left Batman shows up with this kid at his side and asked us to babysit him," Wally said.

"You're not babysitting me, Batman had me join the team Kid Idiot," Jason said.

"How many times have I told you to stop calling me that," Wally yelled.

"Artemis said I could. It fits you so well," Jason laughed.

"I'm gonna-" Wally started.

"Wally," Dick said. He did a look over of Jason and went to his kitchen counter. He picked up his cellphone and dialed a number. "Bruce wouldn't hire a new Robin after everything that happened. I know we aren't really on speaking terms but he wouldn't just do this."

"You won't be able to get a hold of him Dick. That's the reason why we're here," Wally explained. Dick put the phone down.

"What happened?"

"Not entirely sure. The Justice League went up to the Watchtower for a meeting the other day and no one's heard from them since. We've tried contacting them but the Watchtower seems to be offline and all the data for the Zeta tubes have been scrubbed cleaned. It's not recognizing anyone."

"Without recognition one can go in or out of the Watchtower," Dick said.

"Exactly, and with all of the big guns up there the next person that knows all the codes is you," Wally explained.

"You mean my replacement wasn't given the codes," Dick said looking down at Jason.

"Give me a break. I just started learning them and not everyone is a born geniuses like you," Jason scoffed. Dick sighed.

"You're the only one who can help us with this," Wally said. "I know you can figure out how to get back into the system and put everyone's information back. You and Batman are the only ones with everyone's identity; hero and secret," Wally explained.

Nightwing rubbed his temples of his head in frustration.

"I'll help," Nightwing said.

"Yes! Robin's back in the game," Wally cheered and jumped from the couch.

"Hey," Jason yelled.

"I'm not done Wally. I won't take back the name Robin, there's too much baggage attached to it. Besides if Batman gave it to someone else than that's where it belongs. Also this is a one-time deal. After this I'm going back to my normal life of college and work," Nightwing said.

"You say that now, but you know you miss it," Wally said. "Now. What are you going to wear? You can't go dressed like...that." Wally gestured to Dick's workout clothing. Dick smiled.

"I have some stealth clothes and a bullet proof vest that Bruce gave me for cautionary measures," Dick said. He walked into his bedroom and came back out holding his utility belt. "And of course I kept this around."

"Of course you did," Wally said. "You never leave home without it."

Dick tried to click it around his waist and realized he had outgrown the belt. It no longer fit his waist. Dick smiled sheepishly earning a laugh from his red head friend. They were going to have to improvise.

Titan Tower

September 15, 01:16 EST

Wally sat cross legged on a bed in the medical bay dressed in a t-shirt and sweat pants. He was surrounded by Flash, Conner, M'gann, Beast Boy, and Bart and was gorging himself with a large burger. He threw the wrapper on top of the small pile of other wrappers in front of him and grabbed another to eat.

"It's so good to finally be able to eat again."

"I'm just so happy that you're alive," M'gann said with tears in her eyes.

"We really thought you had perished that night," Kaldur said. "I apologize my friend."

"Guys its fine, really. I thought I was dead myself for a while. I mean I never felt hungry, or tired. It was liked time stopped for me."

'Recognized Tigress B07,' the computer announced from down the hall.

"Tigress?" Wally asked and looked M'gann.

"She said the name Artemis belonged to you," M'gann said with a smile. The door to the medical room slammed open and Artemis in her civilian clothes stood panting in the doorway from running down the hall. Wall gave her a soft smile.

"Hey babe," he smiled.

"You're…you're alive?" Artemis voice cracked. She slowly walked over to him. Wally held his hand out to pull her in. Artemis smacked him across the face. Beat Boy and Bart cringed.

"Alright, I think that's our cue to leave," Flash said. He ruffled his nephew's hair. "I'll tell your parents the good news."

"Thanks,' Wally said. The group left and Wally turned to face Artemis. She allowed him to take her hands into his and Wally watched as tears dripped silently down her cheeks.

"You left. You left your parents, and you left me…you left me all alone," Artemis said.

"I had to Artemis. Flash and Impulse weren't going to make it without me," Wally said.

"I know but…" Artemis took a seat on the bed next to Wally and allowed him to pull her into a hug. She let her head rest on his collar bone and looked up at him. Wally gently wiped a tear from her cheek and brought his lips down on hers. Artemis gripped the back of Wally's neck and deepened the kiss. Wally pulled away.

"But I'm back babe and I'm never leaving. Never again," he said and brought the two back for another kiss.

Metropolis

September 15, 03:00 EST

Nightwing steered sphere over the city with Raven sitting next to him.

"Is there a reason why you didn't stay to celebrate your friend's reunion?" Raven asked.

"No real reason. It's going to get crowded in the room. I'll get back to him once everyone sees him," Nightwing said. He look down to the large Lex corp building.

"That's where we need to go," Raven said pointing to the large skyscraper. Nightwing frowned.

"The way to keep this Trigon demon out of our dimension is on top of the Lex corp building? I don't know about this Raven. Lex Luthor is kind of a bad guy."

"You said that you would help me keep Trigon away. The way to stopping him is on this building. Will you help me or not," Raven said. Nightwing sighed.

"Don't really have a chose unless I want to live in pain and suffering," Nightwing said. He placed his hand over the mark that was created when they made the contract. Nightwing landed Sphere on top of the building. The two of them got out of the vehicle and Sphere turned back into her round self and rolled after Nightwing with a few beeps.

A shadow moved from the other side of the building. Nightwing held out an eskrima stick. A figure under a heavy robe and a hood stood in front of the two heroes.

"This is who we came for," Raven said. She closed the gap between her and the robed person. "I held up my end of the deal. You need to hold up yours."

"Of course," A woman's voice came out from under the robes. Nightwing kept the eskrima stick out. The voice sounded familiar. Too familiar.

"Raven, what deal did you make?" Nightwing asked. Raven turned to Nightwing and frowned.

"I'm sorry Nightwing. It was the only way," Raven said.

"The only way to what?" Nightwing asked skeptically. A whoosh came up behind him and Superboy landed next to him.

"Nightwing?" Superboy questioned. Sphere rolled to her master and Superboy gave her a pat.

"What are you doing here?" Nightwing asked.

"I've been summoned by Luthor," Superboy said bitterly. "It was my end of the bargain for the stuff he gave me to control my new abilities. What about you?"

"I brought Raven to meet this person, but I have a feeling I'm missing a few important details," he said. Superboy squinted and used his new x-ray vision.

"Queen Bee?" Superboy asked.

"What?" Nightwing said and he and Superboy got into a fighting stance. The robed stranger laughed and removed the hood. It was indeed Queen Bee.

"Raven what did you do?" Nightwing demanded to know.

"Oh can't we all just be friends," A new voice said and came up from behind Queen Bee. Lex Luthor came out of the shadows with his hands resting comfortably behind his back.

"What are you trying to pull Luthor?" Superboy asked.

"Trying?" Lex laughed. "I'm pass trying my boy. I have just succeeded. I will now break the Justice League and the two of you are going to help me."

"You're crazier than I thought," Nightwing said. "We're out of here." Nightwing gave Raven one final look of disappointment before turning to jump off the building with Superboy at his side. Lex gave a smirk.

"You're not to go anywhere until I say so," Lex said. Nightwing froze. He gripped his neck in pain and fell to his knees with a gasp.

"Nightwing," Superboy said in confusion. He turned to Luthor.

"What did you do," Superboy demanded to know. Nightwing pulled his collar down from around his neck. The line of symbols that was created for Raven's contract now flowed up his neck and glowed an electric purple.

"I didn't do anything," Lex said. "He's breaking the contract he made with Raven so now he suffers."

"What contract?" Superboy asked. Nightwing tried to catch his breath and looked up at Raven. She couldn't make eye contact with him and looked away in guilt.

"What…is he talking about…Raven? Our contract has nothing to do with Lex Luthor and Queen Bee," Nightwing said.

"But it has everything to do with your contract," Luthor said. "Because we have this."

Lex gestured to Queen Bee and the robed queen lifted a large ruby hanging from a gold chain.

"The amulet of first magic and the cage to where the demon Trigon lays," Queen Bee said. Nightwing's eyes widen.

"Our contract. You help me save Wally and I make sure that you never have to see Trigon," Nightwing said looking back at Raven.

"Yes," Lex said. "And to keep us from releasing Trigon after Raven, you have to do everything we say. And with that part two of our plan is back up and running," Lex mocked.

"You might have me Luthor but you forgot one thing," Nightwing said.

"Me," Superboy said and cracked his knuckles. He took a step towards the two villains.

"Oh no I didn't forget about you…strong man," Luthor said. Superboy stopped in his tracks and stood straight. He's eyes dulled over the way it did when he was under 'Red Sun' all those years ago.

"Super…boy?" Nightwing whispered.

"Did you think that I would just give him the serum to help him control his abilities without compensation?" Lex laughed

~FLASHBACK~

Superboy stood in front of Tommy as Raven fought Tuppence off. He ran at Tommy and the two locked hands in combat.

"Show me what you got…strong man," Tommy smiled. eeeeeeSuperboy Let go of Tommy's hands and stood in a hypnotic state. Tommy waved his hand in front of Superboy's face and received no recognition.

"Well look at that, it works. Boss is going to be happy about this," Tommy laughed.

Tommy lifted Superboy in the air.

"See ya later loser," Tommy said. Superboy was jolted out of his trance as he was thrown and shouted as he flew through the air towards Raven and hit the ground hard.

~END FLASHBACK~

"The suppresser that I gave Superboy for his powers has a built in code word. It was put there to make sure our super soldiers would obey. It was a lucky break for me that his powers just happen to break when we were executing the plan to catch you. Now we have part one of our plan again."

"Why would you want me? I don't have anything that you could possibly want," Nightwing said.

"But my boy you have everything we want. Every code, every password, every hideout. You know everyone's secret identity throughout all the years of the Justice League and Justice Society. You even have something that Batman will never understand," Lex said.

"And what's that Luthor," Nightwing said.

"Their weaknesses."

"You know their weakness Luthor."

"Yes, yes Kryptonite for Superman, fire for Martian Manhunter. But I'm talking about their real weaknesses. Their loved ones, their friends and families. They trust you, you can do no wrong to them unlike Batman. I'm right aren't I?" Luthor asked.

Nightwing's face dropped in realization. Of course he knew everything. Barry was going to have twins, Artemis was having her mom move into a nicer area in Gotham, Jamie has a little sister who looks up to him, and Tim's father works at S.T.A.R labs. He knew too much. Even things that his comrades would never tell Batman.

Nightwing grabbed a batarang and went for his own throat.

"Stop," Queen Bee demanded him. She held out the amulet for emphasis and Nightwing was frozen on the spot. "This works quite well on him," Queen Bee laughed.

"Yes, and to think we were trying to partner with the Antitheses to get him to do our bidding," Luthor said.

"What? Nightwing said weakly.

"Oh, did we never tell you that. All those years ago we made a deal with the Gordians. Weapons for the Antitheses creature to control you. Unfortunately you got to it first when you took the Father Box from the Toy Man. It still took control of your mind but we weren't able to get it to do what we wanted," Luthor explained.

"When that didn't work," Queen Bee continued, "We had Terra ask your replacement to join us knowing he would eventually get all the codes. But you remember how well that worked out," Queen Bee said with a laugh.

Nightwing dropped the batarang to the ground. All these years. It was all because of the Light. Creating Superboy, cloning Red Arrow, brainwashing the league, the Antitheses, the death of Jason and Tula. It was all them.

"Once you get what you want. You will let him go?" Raven asked.

"Darling just worry about yourself," Queen Bee said. "Go back to the Justice League and if anyone ask about him or Superboy play dumb."

Raven nodded hesitantly. She created a black circle under her and flew into the air. She looked down one last time and watched as Sphere kept bumping into Superboy waiting for the teen to pet it and a bunch of guards walking onto the roof. Two grabbed either side of Nightwing and pulled him up dragging him off the roof; he didn't even put up a fight.

Raven knew what she did was wrong but she and the Earth was safe from the wrath of Trigon and that was what mattered.

Littleville

September 15, 10:16 MST

Aqualad stood where the abandoned clinic once stood before Deathstroke bombed it. His patience was beginning to wear thin as he watched the clouds drift behind the skyscrapers in the distance.

"Waiting long," he heard Deathstroke say behind him.

"You are late," Aqualad said and turned to him.

"But you waited. Good because what I have to say is important."

"Has your employer decided to reveal some information?"

"Yes he has," Deathstroke said and handed Aqualad a small memory stick. "All the information is in there."

"How can I trust that this is all true? Who gave you this information?" Aqualad asked.

"Your dear friend Ra's Al Ghul," The two men heard from the high pitched voice of Klarion the witch boy. They tuned and bared their weapons only to be frozen in their tracks. Aqualad tried to shift his way out of Klarion's magic grip. He looked up and found the villain standing on the crumbling roof above them with his cat in his arms.

"You betrayed me," Aqualad said looking back at Slade.

"I wouldn't be stuck in this if I did," Deathstroke said trying to squirm out of his own hold.

"Oh boys no one betrayed the other," Klarion said walking up to Aqualad. "Savage knew the whole time."

Aqualad's eyes widen as a small group of large creatures came up behind the witch boy. They were definitely aliens with their large bulky bodies and large teeth but their shape had a familiarity to it. Their skin was almost ripped in random places with blue muscles stabbing through. Aqualad realized what it was.

"Kobra-venom," Kaldur gritted.

"It's a surprising efficient upgrade don't you think," Klarion laughed. As the aliens jumped down to grab the two, Deathstroke looked over to the side of the building and gave a slight nod that no one noticed. His daughter, Ravager, nodded in the shadow her hiding spot and silently melted in the shadows leaving her father and Aqualad to be captured.

Undisclosed Location

September 15, 13:16 CDT

Savage stood in a dark with Luthor, Queen Bee, the Brain and Klarion behind him. Three screens stood before them. One was of Aqualad and Deathstroke chained up in a dark cell. The next screen showed Nightwing in a large bedroom sitting on the edge of a comfortable looking bed, and the last screen showed Superboy once again standing in a glass pod dressed in a white skin tight suit with the superman symbol drawn across his chest.

"Ra's Al Ghul betraying us was a surprise," Luther said looking at the screen of Deathstroke and Aqualad.

"It is being dealt with," Savaged said to his accomplices.

"But that brings us down to only five members," Queen Bee said.

"Ra's Al Ghul was a strong ally with his League of Assassins but he is not the only one with an army. I have already struck a new contract with another formidable group," Savaged explained.

"No one is as good as the League of Assassins," the Brain said. "Who is this…group?"

"You would not know them. They are nothing but myths and legends to those who have heard of them. All you need to know is that they are already started doing their jobs. They are in the process of breaking Black Manta out of Belle Reve Penitentiary."

"It is a good idea to be doing that now?" Lex asked. "When the league sees that Black Manta escaped they will know we are back."

"Yes they will," Savaged smirked. "But by the time they noticed they will be too preoccupied. It's time for the child to tell us all he knows." Savaged looked to the camera showing Nightwing hunched over on the bed.

"And then out partner will help bring the world into the light," Savaged said bringing up one last screen showing Darkseids face.

Short chapter I know but if I added anything else I think it would have taken away from what I was trying to write. Don't worry thought the next chapter will be a big one.

Review kindly xD