WARNING: One Little Word . . . Hardly seems worth the effort, but for the sake of thoroughness, I warn you anyway.

3:42 a.m., Gotham Harbor.

By the time Batman and Aqualad had found Kid Flash, Robin was either long gone, or well hidden and not inclined to come out. Despite feeling uneasy, Batman left Aqualad to continue the search for Robin while he took Wally to Leslie's for treatment.

Artemis, Leslie had assured him, would be fine. She had a mild concussion, some bruises and abrasions, and was currently being treated for blood loss, but the wound would heal well enough. Wally, however, hadn't awakened even once during the trip or the transfer to and from the Batmobile. The head wound required stitches, but there hadn't been a fracture; unfortunately, it was the blow to the temple that was causing Leslie some concern. All his other injuries weren't serious, and would be healed in a couple of days with Wally's accelerated metabolism. They just needed the boy to wake up.

Although Leslie had assured him that both teenagers would be fine in time, he felt guilty that they had been injured on his watch. True, had either of them obeyed his instructions, neither would have likely been hurt, but they were right in that Batman should have found Robin first.

Then there was Robin. The boy's continued hallucinations and increasing aggression worried him. It had been hours and there had been no improvement at all; if anything, Robin's symptoms were growing worse. It was apparent that J'onn's sessions with the boy had protected him to some extent from the last trigger based upon Scarecrow's reaction to the fact that the boy was still alive. What bothered him, however, was that the man was still confident that his trigger hadn't been foiled by the Martian's meddling.

He needed to find Robin quickly, but without his cape and the tracker concealed in it, there was no fast way to do this. If only Kid Flash had contacted him sooner. His best bet now lay with Miss Martian. He wouldn't send her out alone, though; not after Robin had decimated two of her teammates.

He would prefer Aqualad to have teamed up with Superboy for the search, but he still needed Superboy to keep an eye on Scarecrow. If any of the team had a chance of being immune to Scarecrow's fear gas, it was the clone, but the danger was great if he were wrong in that. Superman was immune and that protection should translate to his clone, but again Batman preferred proof before he simply trusted what was currently a mere assumption on his side. It was an educated guess . . . But still just a guess all the same.

He turned into the harbor and made his way to the warehouse they were still using as a base of sorts. He would pick up Miss Martian and head back out. He sent Aqualad further south than what he expected Robin to go. He preferred to find Robin first for both his peace of mind and to not have to drive Kaldur to Leslie's next for treatment. He knew that the team leader believed Robin was no match for him, but Batman knew this to be otherwise.

Part of Robin's training had been to study his teammates for weaknesses and flaws in order to be able to take any of them down should he or she attempt to betray the team or if one of them fell under some kind of mind control. Batman was famous for his contingency plans, but what the team failed to realize is that Robin was expected to develop the same. He was certain that his son knew exactly what was necessary for him to do in order to defeat any single one of them. He hadn't thought the boy to be able to accomplish this so handily while under the influence of the hallucinations, but as usual, Robin continued to exceed all of his expectations.

3:53 a.m., Gotham Harbor. Warehouse 113

Batman looked at Superboy. He wasn't happy that he was being left behind yet again, but he did understand the reasoning. So far, Scarecrow hadn't been giving him any trouble, but Batman decided to hedge their bets by sedating him. It wouldn't last long . . . Maybe a couple of hours if they were lucky. He could revive him with smelling salts if necessary. He would need to question him once they found Robin.

"I believe you might be our best bet to finding Robin, M'gann," Batman said, using her name again.

Miss Martian was still very nervous around him, and Batman needed her to feel comfortable enough to perform her job. He hoped by using her given name, it would provide her a sense of safety and trust.

"You are hoping that if we get close enough that I will be able to sense Robin and use the connection to zero in on his location," she said.

"Am I correct in assuming that your powers will work in this way?"

"Normally, yes, it would work," M'gann nodded.

"Normally?" Batman frowned. "What would prevent you from being able to do this tonight? I understand you've been connected to Robin several times during the course of your missions."

"I am worried that these hallucinations and the paranoia that he's obviously suffering under might make it difficult to recognize his mental signature." M'gann shrugged her shoulders. At the Batman's scowl, she quickly added, "But I might be able to use that paranoia in our favor by searching for that particular emotion. If Robin is feeling extreme paranoia, then I am hoping that it will stand out like a beacon of sorts."

Batman nodded. That sounded like something they could work with. He now wished he had just recalled her and Kid Flash as soon as Robin fled. None of this might have happened.

"Let's go," he said.

He turned to head back out to the Batmobile. M'gann's gasp had both him and Superboy spinning back to face whatever threat she had discovered, but there was nothing there. Scowling, he walked over to her. She was staring at something. Perhaps it was something that could only be seen from her specific angle.

"M'gann, what is it," Superboy asked, moving closer to her.

With so many of his teammates out of action, he was becoming protective of those he had left. Batman reminded himself that his team was all Superboy had left. It was no wonder that he was feeling worried and nervous, although the boy didn't appear to recognize those feelings, and instead channeled them into aggression. It was something they would need to work on back at the mountain before it became a problem. It would help immensely if he could only get Superman to own up to his responsibility and take the boy under his wing.

Batman moved behind Miss Martian and searched the area that she was staring at. Again, he saw nothing. He touched her shoulder gently. He didn't want to startle her, but she needed to tell him what was going on or get started locating Robin.

"M'gann," his voice was sharp, but not loud. "You need to tell us what are you seeing?"

Her eyes were wide, and she held her hand out as if there was something in the air in front of her that she could touch. "I-I see a boy? But he is insubstantial, like a . . . like a . . ." She had no frame of reference for what she was seeing.

Batman's brows rose beneath his mask. "Like a . . . ghost?" That seemed improbable. He didn't believe in ghosts, but M'gann was obviously seeing something.

"Yes," she agreed, searching lightly through Batman's mind for a reference of the unfamiliar word. "He is like a ghost. He is gesturing to me. He seems very intent, like whatever he is attempting to tell me is of great importance."

"Can you understand him?" he asked her. He couldn't imagine what this ghost boy would want with them. Maybe this was some kind of transdimensional communications system that Miss Martian was sensitive to.

"He is so faint, and it appears that he cannot speak. I cannot touch his mind directly. It is almost like static when I try, but he is using some kind of visual sign language. I'm not certain I will understand what he is trying to tell me."

Batman pursed his mouth in thought for the barest of moments before coming to his decision. He didn't have time for this, but he couldn't simply ignore it if it was indeed something of grave importance.

"M'gann, if you link me to you, do you think that I might be able to see this apparition as well?"

Her eyes widened and she grinned. "Yes! Yes, it should work. You might be able to understand him where I cannot."

A second later, Batman was staring in disbelief at the ghost.

3:59 a.m., Gotham Harbor. Warehouse 113

The wraith's desperation had led him to Dick/Robin's friends. He thought he might be able to make contact with the green-skinned girl; she was open in ways the others were not. With Dick/Robin not capable or patient enough to understand him, the wraith knew that his mission was in danger of failing. What he had allowed to happen to himself would be all for nothing if he couldn't get a message through to someone who could help him.

The alien girl was confused by him. He had no true connection to her and it was taking more energy than he could spare making himself visible to her. Suddenly she grinned and the next moment Bruce/Batman was gaping openly at him. The girl had enabled the father to see him! He hadn't thought it would be possible to ever contact the father.

He had only a minute or so more before he would begin to fade. He had to make this count. He began to signal them in the same way he had always been able to communicate with the son; with Dick/Robin.

Batman watched as the ghost boy seemed to realize that he could now see him also. The ghost turned directly to him, M'gann becoming merely an instrument by which the two could communicate. The boy, who Batman determined to be around seven or eight physically in age, started making signs.

He was startled when it wasn't actually in American Sign Language as he had hoped. What the ghost was doing was miming things like in the game, charades. He watched closely because M'gann was correct in that this ghost was intense, radiating almost a desperation.

The ghost hit his arm and held up two fingers. He repeated the gesture. Batman narrowed his eyes. The ghost had struck his left wrist, an area that one would normally wear a watch. Two fingers followed again.

"Time." He said.

The ghost's eyes widened and he nodded enthusiastically. He held up two fingers again.

"Two hours," Batman murmured, and the head nodded again excitedly.

The ghost seemed to change direction. He pointed to Batman and then held out a horizontal hand high in the air, and then lowered it to just above his own height. He repeated the gesture again.

Batman frowned. Surely not . . . Fear settled in the pit of his stomach. He swallowed.

"Robin," he asked.

The ghost boy jumped and nodded, miming clapping his hands. It seemed odd to watch him clap but to hear no sound to accompany it.

"What about Robin? What happens in two hours," Batman barked the question harshly in his sudden terror. What would a ghost want with Robin?

The ghost boy seemed to settle down. His expression became serious, almost sad. He crossed his hand over his heart, imitating the beating rhythm of the organ, and then his hands suddenly stopped. He repeated the action again, and when Batman didn't immediately speak, again and again.

He hadn't needed to repeat anything. Batman had known exactly what the ghost was trying so desperately to tell them.

"His heart will stop," Batman choked. "In two hours, Robin will die."

The ghost's mouth turned down and his eyes were the saddest that Batman could ever recall seeing. The boy nodded slowly.

He pointed to Batman this time and crossed his hands over his heart and then mimed breaking by snapping his fists apart. Batman nodded. The ghost was right. If Robin . . . If Dick died, his heart . . . Bruce's heart would indeed break. He was certain if that should happen, he would never recover.

"C-can he be saved?" Batman kneeled in front of the apparition. He held his hands out in supplication. Did this ghost boy know of a way to save his son? It seemed inconceivable that he would go to all this trouble to contact them just to tell them that Robin would die in just two hours.

The bluish lips crept up into the slightest smile. He nodded and pointed to Batman and then his finger slowly slid over to point at Miss Martian.

"Do you mean J'onn?" Batman asked. He had no idea if the ghost knew of the Martian Manhunter, but he did seem to know about M'gann. His heart clenched. Martian Manhunter was off-world right now.

The ghost shook his head and kept his finger pointing to M'gann.

"M'gann can save him?" His voice cracked a little. Hope flared.

The ghost nodded. He seemed to fade a little bit. The connection was failing.

"Wait!" Batman reached for the ghost as if he could actually touch him. His hand stopped just short. "Do you know where he is? Can you tell me where Robin is right now?"

The ghost continued to fade. His fingers slapped his wrist and he held up two fingers as he disappeared from view as if he were never there.

"He is gone," M'gann's voice was soft. "I cannot find him."

Batman jerked his head up to look at her. He leapt to his feet, placed his hand on her back and began marching her out to the Batmobile at a jog. She immediately caught onto what he wanted and took to the air; flying out to the vehicle. She didn't even wait until he opened the top, but became insubstantial; lowering herself into the passenger seat.

As soon as she took off, so did Batman; breaking to a run. They had less than two hours to find him. Seconds after M'gann had settled into the seat, the top opened and Batman leapt into the driver's seat. Revving the motor, they shot off with a roar.

4:06 a.m., Gotham Harbor. Warehouse 113

The frustration that Superboy had been feeling all night was reaching the limit of his fragile control. His teammates were dropping like flies, and he was stuck here unable to do anything about it. His anger with Robin when he had discovered that the boy had tried to kill Artemis had been short-lived. He remembered the emotional wreck Robin had been before he had fled the warehouse at the start of the evening.

Those emotions he didn't actually understand at the time, but he was beginning to see something that he hadn't before. When Aqualad had contacted him to report on Kid Flash's condition and tell him what Batman suspected happened; what Superboy had thought to be anger when it was Artemis who had fallen, he was discovering was something else when it was Kid Flash.

He frowned and rubbed his stomach. He knew that Artemis and Wally were going to be okay now, but Robin . . . If what he had witnessed just moments ago with M'gann and Batman had any truth to it, then Robin was going to be the next to fall, but he wouldn't recover. What had Batman said?

Robin was going to die in two hours.

It was four o'clock now.

Superboy slammed his fist into another crate. Splintered wood and Grapefruit flew out in all directions. The tangy, sharp scent of the fruit filled the air. Superboy decided that he hated that smell. It would forever be linked to this . . . this feeling in his stomach. It would always remind him of death. He picked up one of the softball-sized orb and flung it out toward the harbor. It crashed through the metal wall like it was a cannonball instead of citrus fruit and disappeared over the horizon.

His gaze landed on the unconscious form of Scarecrow. That bastard would be answering their questions before they left this warehouse today. Superboy himself would make certain of it.

REACTIONS?

Smart of the wraith to search out another to give his message to since Robin seems incapable at the moment, and time is slipping away from them.

What do you think of the story so far? Is it a worthy sequel? I'll make sure I ask again at the end of the story.