Once again, not mine. Theme: Broken Pieces by Apocalyptica
Zee was, for the first time in a while, bored. He'd managed to sort out his accounts to his satisfaction, and then set up a monitoring system in Katherine Kane's household network. That woman was going to be a problem. After her trip to Bludhaven, she'd started searching for Roxanne's records. As an afterthought, he added an alert which would flag Kane's name if she planned other trips.
He listened idly to Stone's holophone conversation, until another sound intruded. A car, a couple miles away. Not smooth enough for Helena's- the woman liked her cars and kept them in excellent condition. Selina's had a rattle, Max's hiccupped every time she hit a hill. It wasn't one of Bruce or Blood's old gas-guzzlers, and Terry still had his muffler. Flash was due tomorrow, but he never drove.
"Something wrong?" Stone asked.
"Car. I'll go out and check. Might be police," he said, listening.
00
Ro had recognized the first turn-off with a sinking feeling.
"Uh, Dana, why can't we go back to your place? Or I have a key to this apartment. It's not mine, but the owner's chill. Let's go there instead. Or back to school.."
"What were you planning? Lie low till school ended and sneak out?"
"Pretty much," Ro conceded.
"Without a word to Wayne? He's family, didn't you think he'd be worried?"
Ro hunched over, slumping. "We're not related. I never heard of the Kanes until I came here. This isn't even my natural hair color."
Dana stomped on the brake. "I knew it. This has got to be illegal. That man treats his dog better than either of you. Look, I'll drop you off, you grab your things, and I'll go have a word with Wayne and call the cops."
"Dana, if you get the cops involved, I'll be spending the rest of my life in jail."
00
Zee crouched on the front porch, ready to move. When the car doors opened, he sprang into action. He used a hand chop to seperate Ro from the 'captor,' kicked the woman's legs out from under her when she tried to punch him, and moved into 'guard stance' in front of Ro, in case of another attack. Then his facial recognition routines kicked in.
"Dana?"
"Who are you?" Dana demanded.
"Zee, you didn't have to do that," Ro protested.
"Ro, are you hurt? Your skirt's torn and.."
"Yeah, I did that. I'm fine. There was a little trouble at school, and Dana thought she'd better bring me home."
He helped Dana to her feet. "Sorry about that, Dana."
"All I did was bring Roxie home. Why are you making a federal case out of things?"
"Zeta's not the one who made the situation into a 'federal case,'" Wayne said drily from the porch. "If you are all finished brawling on the front lawn, let's take things inside."
00
"Could you clear up one thing for me?" Dana asked. Zee turned around, still keeping a firm grip on Ro. She'd explained what had happened at school, and he'd calmed down a little. Not much; he wasn't sure what he wanted to do to Nash, but it'd be nasty.
"Go ahead."
"When did we meet? You know my name, but 'Zeta's' a pretty unusual name, and I'm sure I would've remembered if we'd met.."
Dana took a step back as Zee's features changed.
"Max? Why are you Max?"
00
Wayne set out three shot glasses, filled one, and left the other two half full.
"First of all, drink these," he said. Calming everyone down was the top priority here.
The girls gulped the whiskey down. Dana coughed a little, Ro made a face.
"Dana, you remember sophomore year, slightly before spring break?" Zee asked.
"Yes. Um, could you go back to how you were before? Please?"
Zee flickered again and returned to his 'normal' features. He put one hand on Ro's shoulder. It reassured him, somehow.
"All I remember about that week is that Mrs. Martel got kidnapped and then Max started acting odd. You'd probably know more than I would."
"Yes," Zee agreed. "Abducting Max was a miscalculation on my part. I could assume her role at school, but she left out several key facts, hoping someone would notice. Mrs. Martel was also a miscalculation; Bennett's team was faster than I anticipated."
"The phone guys?" Dana asked.
"A team from the National Security Agency. My former handlers."
Oh boy, Dana thought. She'd thought Wayne was joking.
"My designation is Infiltration Unit Zeta. I'm a synthoid, built by the NSA to infiltrate terrorist cells and kill designated targets. I went renegade two years ago."
Dana's knuckles went white around her glass. How had Terry gotten involved in this mess? And why was Wayne playing along?
"Let me guess, you kidnapped Ro too," she said.
"No," Ro said firmly. "He saved my life, and I tagged along because I wanted to. He'd be lost without me."
"And you got involved with them..why?" Dana asked Wayne.
"Terry has helped Rosalie and Zeta out a number of times, despite my reservations. Rosalie has many useful skills, and Zeta's proven himself, at least in my opinion."
Zee also had useful skills, which Wayne intended to fully exploit. Terry needed allies, and the League needed beings who wouldn't jump at Superman's command.
Dana held her glass out for a refill, gulped it down, and coughed discretely.
"So, Ro and Zee are federal fugitives, and you're helping them because you're a sucker for a sob story. Next you'll be telling me that Terry's Batman."
Ro leaped off the couch and grabbed Ace's leash.
"Gotta walk the dog. Here, Ace, walkies."
Zee watched her go, head cocked slightly.
"I should organize my sock drawer, " he said finally.
"You don't wear socks," Dana pointed out.
"No, but I should be somewhere that isn't here."
Dana fixed Wayne with a penetrating glare as Zee left. There was a wrenching metallic sound and the door swung out from its hinges.
"Got something that suddenly popped up?" she asked. "Cats who need rescuing, hair to wash, superheroes to call? Or do you need Terry to do all that?"
"I deserve that," Wayne sighed.
"I knew it," Dana muttered. "I tried to tell myself he wasn't that stupid, that he was getting over Mr. McGinnis's death. And all this time, he's been lying to me and everyone, risking his neck every night for..what? Revenge?"
"I think he got his revenge," Wayne replied. "You weren't wrong. He may have started the job to avenge his father's death, but he keeps going out there because he believes in Gotham. I never learned to do that."
Dana blinked.
"Max was right, wasn't she? You were the first."
Wayne grinned. "The one and only original. If you'll excuse me, I need to talk to Rosalie."
"You aren't going to throw her out, are you? This whole thing was Nelson's fault anyway."
"Never crossed my mind," Wayne replied.
00
His first guess turned out to be correct. The crumbling gazebo was a perfect place to hide, especially if someone wanted a good long cry. He'd done that himself a long time ago. She was sitting on the one intact step, scrubbing at her eyes. Ace was wandering around the gardens.
He thought of the Batmans of other worlds, and their daughters:Carolyn Kelly of Earth-10, Helena Wayne of Earth-2. Strong, stubborn girls, just like Ro.
In this world, Cassandra Cain was the only daughter he'd had. Carrie had been adopted by Catwoman and Helena was just a friend. But he had no doubt the personalities were the same.
"Oh..sorry. I guess I should get packing instead of sitting around here," she said.
"Stay a minute. I'm too old to chase you down again," he replied, sitting down next to her and propping his cane against the backbone of the stairs.
He'd really let the place fall down around him. Max and Ro and Zee had reclaimed a number of rooms, but nothing had been done about the grounds. He should fix that. So much to fix, so little time.
"Stupid," he muttered.
"Don't have to rub it in."
"I meant me, not you. I haven't been giving you the support you needed. That's a terrible way to treat family."
"That's only a cover," Ro scoffed.
"Doesn't have to be. I'd be proud to have a daughter like you."
"Stop being nice," Ro sniffed, swiping at her eyes. "You're just going to make me blub more."
Wayne offered her a handkerchief. She dabbed at her eyes, wondering why she let Max talk her into wearing makeup.
"I meant it, you feel better, think it over. In the meantime, no matter what, this is your home. You are welcome to stay as long as you like."
"So you're not mad?"
"From what I've heard of Mr. Nash, you should have hit him harder."
00
Dana decided to take a walk around the mansion. She got onto the third floor, only to find Zee standing by the window in one of the rooms. He was examining something; a little felt model of a heart with a string attached. He put it away as she approached.
"I apologize for my behavior earlier. Ro means a lot to me."
"I noticed. There was one thing that bugged me. Why did you kidnap Max? Couldn't you have just snuck into the school and pretended to be a student?"
"At the time, it didn't occur to me. I had just realized that I didn't want to kill anyone anymore, but I had no..self. I only knew to kidnap and replace people. "
"That's..awful," Dana managed.
He fell silent a moment.
"Are you angry?"
"A bit. How did Terry get involved?" Dana asked.
"He trailed me while I was impersonating Max. When he found us, she persuaded him to help me escape Gotham. He also helped us when Mad Stan attempted to turn me into a bomb, and when one of my..sibs mistook me for a target."
"Okay, I won't call the cops. Doesn't mean I won't tear a few strips off Terry when I find him."
"I'd have to stop you. I don't like my friends getting hurt."
She sighed. "I was speaking metaphorically. Speaking of, how did Ro get hurt? I saw the bandages..those must be bad cuts under there."
"They're burns. Ro and I finally found my creator, two months ago, but another synthoid sabotaged the factory he was working in. Ro got hurt trying to save him and his co-workers from the fire. He died from his injuries- which is why we're hiding here."
00
Terry sprawled across the lawn, head spinning slightly. Dana's self-defense classes had really paid off, he thought, still a bit dazed. He was lucky she wasn't mad enough to actually punch him.
"Dana, I'm really sorry. I was going to tell you."
If looks could kill, he'd be stabbed a thousand times over.
"Sure you were. On the thirteenth of never. Max, don't think you're getting off easy, either. First, you two are showing me everything. After that, Terry, I'm sorry, but I need a break. Don't call, text or even come by the house."
"Uh..are we breaking up?"
Dana shook her head. "I didn't say that. I just need some time to myself."
"Fair enough," Terry agreed. "So, where do you want to start?"
00
"Wow,"Dana breathed, pausing to take in the whole thing. She'd thought Peaks had been using a green screen. In real life the Batcave was even more impressive. There was lab equipment that any ten laboratory directors would sell their souls for, a huge computer, glass-encased costumes of Gotham's heroes and villains, and in the middle of it all, the Batmobile, all sleek lines and fins.
Ro headed to one of the cases and put her hand on a panel. It beeped and slid open, allowing her to snag the costume.
"You're going out?" Zee asked.
"Yup," she replied. "I could use the exercise."
Punching out criminals was, in her opinion, better than therapy.
"Mind if I tag along?" Stone called from the top of the stairs.
"Boss?" Terry asked.
"Go ahead, Stone," Wayne said. "The kids could always use a hand. You can borrow my old bike for the night. Still works."
Stone grinned. "It's like the old days with the Titans, going out and kicking tail."
"Careful what you wish for," Terry teased. "We've still got a lot of splicers around and it's a full moon."
Stone settled someone's domino mask on his face and his grin got wider. It'd been a while since he really cut loose. He hoped he'd encounter a few Jokerz, since he'd promised Karen and Ray souvenirs.
"Ro, Terry, be careful out there," Zee said, looking worried. Dana understood- she didn't want Terry out there either.
"We'll be fine, Tin Man," Ro called.
Terry stuck his hand through the sun roof and waved in answer. The car and bike revved up and headed into the night.