Disclaimer – You recognise it, I don't own it.
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Stephanie was waiting for them when they arrived back at the Batcave. She was clearly agitated and barely waited for Batman to get out of the Batmobile before she moved.
The sound of the slap startled a few of the bats roosting in the darkness of the cave.
"Why didn't you tell me Tim was missing?" She spat.
"Because we didn't know until today." Nightwing stated, even as he removed his mask, "Besides Babs told you. And we told her."
"But you didn't tell me!" She retorted.
"We're still trying to figure it all out." Dick breathed softly, "When did you last see him?"
"Not really sure," She shrugged, "We don't talk or hang as much as we used to. Since he found out that I faked my death, things have been more than a little awkward between us. He's not comfortable with me. I send him texts about random stuff all the time… He just doesn't usually answer."
"And how much of that is your own guilt?" Jason put in.
The way she looked away was answer enough. It wasn't just Tim who was having trouble re-establishing their friendship.
"I haven't managed to get him to come for waffles for a long while." She whispered.
"If it helps at all," Jason spoke up again, "He's got a Captain America waffle iron."
"Kinda does." She managed a wan smile.
"Tt," Damian interrupted, "Stop your whining and whinging Brown. Maybe your pathetic eyes might spot a clue that we have been left. A message addressed to you."
"Doubtful, but I'll try." Her smile grew in strength slightly.
"As far as we can tell, he's still alive." Bruce declared, "Until proven otherwise, this is a Rescue Operation."
"And our first clue is what Tim left in the warehouse." Dick held up the small camera.
"Babs," Jason put in, "How's the hacking going?"
"Slow." Babs returned, "First I have to write a program that accounts for multiple alphabets."
"Multiple alphabets?" Steph frowned.
"Drake utilizes multiple keyboards on his computer," Damian answered, "Including Arabic, Cyrillic, Hebrew and Pinyin."
"Okay," Steph paused for a moment, "The Arabic makes sense, I think we all know that he's performing a one-man war against the League of Assassins. And Cass is in Hong Kong, so I'm not too surprised at the Pinyin. But the other two?"
"At least one of the Titans is Russian," Dick put in, "Not one of the core team, but…"
"But Tim would seek to be able to communicate in their own language." Bruce smiled slightly, "He is always seeking to establish a basis for communication."
"But Hebrew doesn't make sense." Steph countered, "It's a language used in one Country and by one Religion."
"That's not the only thing that doesn't make sense." Dick retorted, "Babs, you getting this image?"
"Clear as day," Babs returned, "You sure that was the message that Tim left? Seems just to be a collection of hero emblems."
"Unusual selection though." Bruce almost chided, "Arsenal not next to Green Arrow? It's a message. We just need to translate it."
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"Okay," Jason snarled four hours later, his accent thick and heavy, "When we get Timmy back, somebody needs ta have a word with 'im about making 'is clues easier ta decipher!"
"He's never been particularly blunt when it comes to things." Dick muttered, "Always has to go round in circles. Or behind people's backs."
"Calm it, boys." Bruce chided, "He couldn't leave us anything obvious, otherwise his captors would have destroyed it."
"He could have picked an easier password." Babs put in, "But I know why he didn't."
"I've finished going through the mission logs." Steph added, "There's nothing clear in any missions where any of the named heroes were involved that could link to this situation."
"Father." Damian's voice was soft and shaking; for that very reason alone he commanded all of their attention.
"What is it?" Bruce moved immediately to Damian's side.
"I was looking at our logs. Trying to see if Drake had left us another message there."
"And?" Dick took up a position next to Damian, "What is it, Little D?"
Damian didn't answer, instead he unplugged the headphones he had been using and pressed a key.
"Marcia?" Tim's voice came out over the speakers, "I need help. Please. Send someone. I'll even take Cousin Oliver. Please. I can't… I can't move. I barely made it this far. They'll be right behind me. Please. I know you can trace this. Someone? Anyone?"
The line went dead.
"When was that?" Dick demanded, "What was that?"
"It came on the Emergency Line," Damian stated, "Four days ago."
"Where were we?" Jason hissed, "I was with Kory and Roy, that thing in Ecuador."
"The Birds were active in Europe." Babs stated, "I was on the plane."
"Justice League operation off planet." Batman sighed.
"I was with Babs." Steph breathed.
"Damian and I were in New York, following a drug lead." Dick's voice caught in his throat, "He was there. He was right there asking for our help… And none of us were there to help him. Why did we leave Gotham alone? Why did we leave Gotham unprotected?"
"Because we thought that Tim was around." Bruce replied gently, "We thought he was in place to take over while we were gone. None of us realized that he was the one who needed our help."
"I didn't even tell him that we were leaving Gotham." Dick sighed, "If I had…"
"Don't go there." Bruce instructed firmly, "That path only leads to pain."
"Least it explains why they were killed." Jason put in.
"What?" Steph frowned.
"Least it explains why the henchmen were killed," Jason repeated, "Timmy got away. He escaped. So the big boss killed them."
"But they were right behind him." Dick reminded, "They probably caught him."
"Don't count Timmy out," Jason reminded, "He got away. Even all busted up!"
"Then where is he?!" Dick demanded, "He called here! He called for me!"
"He called for Marcia." Damian spoke softly, "I do not know anyone by that name."
"It's a nickname," Dick confessed, "For me. An old in-joke the two of us have. I'm Marcia. He's Cindy."
"And Cousin Oliver?" Steph questioned.
"Damian." Dick muttered, "I think Jason is Jan, but I've never discussed it with Tim."
"Okay, that's a little bizarre." Steph blinked.
"What happened with the system?" Babs pressed, "That thing is meant to be set up so that all calls on the Emergency Line get forwarded to our comms, no matter where we are or what we are doing! Along with the location."
"This mighta somethin' ta do with it." Jason remarked, holding up a cable that was chewed through, "I think yar fucking cat has a lot ta answer for, Damian."
"And with that cable broken," Bruce breathed, "It doesn't report an error to the computer."
"Stupid cat!" Dick snapped.
Damian bristled at the insult towards his beloved pet, but didn't voice his objection.
"Gentlemen and ladies," Alfred spoke up from the stairs, "If I might suggest that you've been awake for long enough. It has been a long day. If I may suggest that you will be able to more to help Master Tim if you are fully rested and nourished."
Five sets of exhaustion filled eyes turned towards him.
"Oh my," Alfred's own eyes flicked towards the display, "Master Tim was turning towards religion in his captivity?"
"Why do you think that?" Bruce blinked in surprise.
"His message." Alfred motioned to it, "Though I am a little surprised as to his choice of religion."
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Please Review.
I write stories because I can't draw. I have all these images in my head that I cannot reproduce. So I try and describe them with words. If anyone else would like to try to translate what I have written into what they think I saw in my head, they have my permission. I only ask that I be notified of it, so that I may look and go "OOoooh!".
Many thanks to my reviewers:
Loftcat27 – Thanks
Red-Hot Habanero – Nice to know. And welcome to the party.
Inthenightguest – Yeah, Tim has family issues. As my mum would say: "There is nothing wrong with him that a Parent Transplant wouldn't cure."