Issue #28

Liars


Wayne Manor, Gotham

10/21/2023

18:35

All three of them, Jaime, Helena, and Tim were in the training room. Jaime was sitting on the sidelines with the book, The Glass Castle held in his hands and a sheet of paper resting on his lap, while Helena and Tim practised sparring on the mats.

"…Okay, so question one, what does the bended Joshua tree symbolise?" Jaime read from the question sheet.

Tim coiled his legs around her neck, Helena flipped over to wrestle him off. "It, it sym-bolises," she choked out, elbowing Tim in the gut. The boy winced from the blow and was shoved to the ground. "The struggles they all go through and….hold on." She blocked a punch from Tim and grabbed his wrist.

"You're the one who said you could multi-task," Jaime replied lightly.

"And, I can." She flung Tim onto his back and locked his wrists in place. "Say, uncle."

Tim groaned, his feet and hands locked in place. "Oh, come on!"

"Should I be concerned?" Jaime asked dryly, a small slanted smile on his face.

"Nah." Helena grinned, looking back over at Jaime who was staring at them with a raised eyebrow. "It also symbolises how an environment, and can also be linked to the mom's own difficult life." She sat down on Tim, pinning him down.

"Hey!" Tim protested, struggling underneath her weight.

"Furthermore, the fact the mom chooses to paint the tree could also symbolise how she's trying to mask her own struggles and make herself beautiful or fix herself," she continued, briefly glancing down at Tim. "You okay there, Timmy?"

He let out a low growl, his struggles weakened as a deep scowl settled on his face. "…Fine…Uncle," he muttered.

"Thatta boy." She ruffled his hair, earning a sound of protest when it stuck out in odd places. "Now say sorry to Jaime for being mean to him."

"Oh, come on that was weeks ago," Tim whined, burying his face in the mat.

Jaime 's smile grew, sharing an amused look with her. "It is pretty overdue…"

"Yeah, where're your manners, Timothy?" Helena chided.

Tim sighed a deep long-suffering one. "Okay, Jaime, I'm sorry I electrocuted you…"

Jaime shook his head faintly, sighing. "Apology accepted."

Helena nodded, satisfied. "Much better." She moved and stood up, helping Tim to his feet. "And, you've improved a lot since last time."

Tim massaged his wrists, a faint smile trying to form on his face. "Better watch out then."

"Don't hold your breath, squirt." She ruffled his hair again, earning a smack on the arm from the boy. "Now, go shower, you stink." Helena shoved him towards the door.

"Speak for yourself," Tim remarked, but nevertheless left the room to go upstairs.

Jaime folded the question sheet inside of the book before he closed it, standing up. "You patrolling tonight?" He walked over to her.

She sighed, hiding a grimace. "I can't, I promised my dad I'd study."

He scratched his neck. "That bad, huh?"

"Yep." Helena briefly glanced up at the cameras and then back at Jaime; smiling a little. "I guess I might have been slacking the last couple of months," she admitted, taking hold of his hand, leading him into the locker room.

"Yeah…is it because of …well, you know?" Jaime said uncertainly as they entered the room.

A frown flashed across her face, looking over her shoulder. "No…well…kind of." She let go of his hand. "I don't like talking about it." She crossed her arms, rubbing her shoulders for warmth.

He let out a deep sigh, and his eyes seemed sad. "Listen, I got your back no matter what but…" Jaime gently touched her shoulder to turn her around. "Being distant isn't good, not when we're…you know, supposed to be…" His eyes seemed sad.

Helena felt a swell of guilt and moved in closer, cupping his jaw as she leant in and kissed him. "You're sweet, Jaime, don't ever change…" she murmured, as he leant in to deepen the kiss. "But, I'm still new to this." She heaved another sigh and stepped back, catching him off guard. "Okay, you really wanna know?" A grimace crept onto her face.

"Yeah, even if it's a little too heavy," he reassured.

Helena sighed, looking over her shoulder at the door. "Okay, fine, but don't tell anyone," she said, walking over to shut the door. "Especially my dad…"

"I promise," Jaime replied, his brow furrowed. "There aren't any microphones in—?"

"He tried but then Tim kept playing pop music 24/7," Helena replied, smiling a tiny bit at the memory. "So no, we have privacy for once." She dragged her feet when she walked over to the bench and sat down.

"Just checking," he said, sitting down next to her. "I'm pretty sure he's got my house under surveillance," he tried to joke but it just came off as forced.

Helena hummed, feeling a dead weight in her stomach that reminded her of resentment. "I like to think he does it because he cares," her voice grew quiet. "But I think he just hates losing control, and I'm not sure how I feel about that, I've never been sure…"

She could feel his shoulders grow tense. "Oh…" He hesitantly reached out and touched her wrists. "Well, it is pretty invasive."

"I think smothering is the word you're looking for," she replied dryly, feeling cold. "And my mom is... they're both so… " She closed her eyes, trying to think of how to explain it. "They want to protect me but they have no idea what they're doing." Helena glanced over at Jaime. "I mean, my mom left me with a man who has no idea how to be a real parent and somehow expected me to turn out fine after she faked her own suicide. How am I meant to turn out okay after any of that?"

Jaime cringed, pausing for a second while she waited for an answer. "…But if she hadn't you might have been dead."

Helena felt a swell of guilt, but she couldn't shake that small speck of resentment that seemed to grow the more she spoke. "Yeah, maybe I would have, I don't know what would've happened." Her forehead creased deeply. "But…why did…? I love my dad but he…" Once she said it there was no taking it back.

"It's okay," Jaime said, holding her hand with a solid grip. "Just take it slow, okay."

Her face scrunched up, squeezing his hand tightly, willing the words to come out. "She left me with someone who puts a tracker in my tooth and doesn't know how to say I love you without sounding constipated…" A lump got stuck in her throat. "So sometimes, I…I wish he was different, that he wasn't so cold or clueless." A horrible vile taste of guilt filled her mouth, making her feel sick. "Is that selfish?"

"No, it's not," Jaime said firmly, sitting up straighter. "Oy, just listen." She sighed quietly and stared back at him, his gaze focused on hers. "Just because your dad loves you, it…it doesn't make him a good dad, and you don't have to pretend he is."

Helena hid a wince. "But, I can't change him, and he's doing the best he can and I should be grateful for that."

He opened his mouth but then hesitated, closing it. Jaime paused, letting go of her hand; both their palms were clammy now. "It's okay to admit being unhappy with how your dad treats you, Helena."

She clammed up, swallowing thickly. "It's not that simple…and I don't want to be angry at him."

"Or your mom?" He gave her a look.

Helena bit down on her tongue and stared at her hands. "My dad always keeps making mistakes, but I always forgive him," she said, leaning against the wall. "Even if he's not a good dad, he's still my dad." She looked up at the ceiling, sighing. "But with my mom, it seems easier to just stay angry, at least then she can't hurt me again..."

Jaime frowned, leaning on her. "You know that isn't going to help, right?" He stared at her as she gave him a side-along glance. "You'll still get hurt."

She tilted her head towards him, feeling the heavy weight in her stomach grow bigger. Helena sighed, not sure how to argue with the truth. "…I don't want to talk about it anymore." She shuffled closer and rested her head on his shoulder. "Later, but not now, okay…" Helena closed her eyes and sighed again.

"…Okay." Jaime put his arm around her. "But, just think about what I said."

She nodded, re-adjusting her head against his chest. "…Do you think I should try to talk to her again?"

He shrugged. "You can't keep the silent treatment up forever." Jaime kissed the top of her head. "Something's gotta give."


Bludhaven

10/21/2023

19:00

The apartment was mostly tidy, disregarding the pile of dirty laundry on the kitchen floor. Dick lounged back on the couch, dressed in his boxers and old My Little Pony t-shirt, eating some take-out noodles with a fork while he watched re-runs of The Grey Ghost.

A sharp knock on his window distracted him from the show. He glanced over at the window, frowning he lowered the tub on the floor when the knocking persisted.

It was either Tim, or maybe one of his old teammates, or maybe it was someone trying to kill him. On a Saturday night, it was hard to tell which one was more likely.

Dick sighed and stood up, walking over to the window. "Okay, alright," he called, pushing open the curtains.

Jason was perched on the windowsill with an underage blond girl by his side.

Dick blinked, looking back and forth at them, imagining a great number of scenarios that may have brought them all to this point, he just hoped sex with a minor wasn't one of them.

"Open up, Dickface!" Jason hissed from behind the glass.

Dick paused for a second before he let out a deep longsuffering sigh and opened the window.

There went his Saturday night.

"What did you do?" Dick asked dully, stepping back as Jason and the girl climbed through the window.

"It isn't…" Jason scowled deeply when he looked at the t-shirt. "You still have that shit?"

Dick pursed his lips. "Don't change the subject, Jason."

The girl scrutinised him, raising an eyebrow as her eyes lingered on his boxers a little too long. "Vinroy Mo," her voice was weirdly coy.

Dick's eyes widened in surprise; his cheeks a little hot. "What did you say?"

Jason quickly pushed her to the side. "Listen, it's not as bad as you think it is." He ran a hand through his hair, avoiding the girl's gaze. "Has the boss been asking for me?"

"…No." Dick rested his hands on his hips, narrowing his gaze at the girl again. "And, who the hell is she?"

His brother shifted uneasily, eyes darting to the girl. "It's…It's complicated alright." He sighed deeply. "I only came to you because of her okay." Jason jerked his thumb at the girl, causing her to frown. "I can't keep her secret, not with how she is, but…first promise me you'll keep an open mind."

Dick pinched the bridge of his nose. "Oh, God…"

"I went to go investigate Intergang," Jason began evenly. "But I didn't tell Bats because I knew he wouldn't approve, not with my track record."

Dick narrowed his eyes. "Okay," he replied slowly.

Jason rubbed the back of his neck. "So, I went to investigate this rumour about the tech they've been transporting." He pulled out a USB stick. "I got some info and…" He looked over at the girl. "When I saw her chained up, I couldn't just leave her there. They were treating her like an animal."

Dick could sense some exaggeration in how Jason was telling the story, but the girl was here and if that USB did have some useful intel then there must be a lot of truth to what he was saying.

"So, who is she exactly?" he asked, while Kara stared back at him curiously. "And, what language did she just speak?"

"Ah, yeah about that…" Jason grimaced. "I think she's a Kryptonian, like the real deal kind."

Dick's eyes bulged. "What?"

"Yeah, I thought so too, but she's legit—watch." Jason looked around the apartment for a second before his gaze rested on the coffee table. "Hold this." He lifted up the table and shoved it at the girl.

"Jason!" Dick said out of instinct, stepping forward, but then he froze.

The girl frowned, holding up the coffee table with one hand, gripping the leg in her hand. "Lon's binto?" She picked up the box of Chinese off the table and examined it with interest.

Dick blinked slowly, staring at her with surprise. "Well…shit."

"I know right." Jason nodded in agreement, gently tapping the girl's hand.

She raised an eyebrow at him and slowly lowered the table back onto the floor, while she held the Chinese, sniffing it curiously.

Dick cocked an eyebrow, she definitely seemed a little Alien, either that or she was a test tube baby. "We'll need to contact Superman."

"Yeah, I know, that's why I came," Jason said, shifting on the spot. "I didn't really get permission to go investigate Intergang by myself so the boss won't be happy," he rushed to explain. "And, I may have used some shady connections to sneak into the Intergang base."

Dick ran a hand over his face. "Jason, why?"

"Because, that's how you get shit done," Jason retorted, waving his hand dismissively. "Anyway, I need you to be the one to give Batman the information and also take credit for Ms Supey's rescue."

"So you want me to lie?" Dick scowled deeply, glaring.

"…Well, yes basically." Jason grimaced, taking a step forward. "But only because the boss trusts you and won't doubt the information."

That sounded like bullshit.

Dick narrowed his eyes. "There's something else isn't there," his voice darkened, crossing his arms. The girl sat down in the corner as started to eat his Chinese. "What are you hiding?"

Anger flashed across Jason's face. "Wow, you and the old man are two sides of the same coin, ain't you?" he snarled. "I went to investigate Intergang to try and help those missing kids."

"But, that isn't the only reason." Dick gritted his teeth. "Don't lie to me."

Jason's jaw clenched tightly, pausing. "…Okay, fine…I…that lead I got, the guy I got it from…" His Adam's apple bobbed, looking down. "I killed him afterwards."

Dick's stomach lurched, gaze growing darker. "Why?"

A feral growl came out of his lips. "Because, he was a child-trafficking piece of shit, Dick!" he snapped. "You think just because I'm playing nice I'm gonna let scum like that keep breathing?"

The girl tensed in the corner, looking up at them with narrowed eyes as she ate the noodles. Dick fought the urge to grab the noodles off her and instead focussed on Jason, running a hand through his hair. This wasn't that much of a surprise; everyone relapsed every now and again.

"You shouldn't have killed him." It was an obvious statement but it was also the only thing he could say.

Jason's slumped, jaw slacked. "Yeah…I messed up, but you know what Batman's like," his voice grew strained. "He'll chain me up lock away the key if he finds out I relapsed."

Dick bit down on his lips, averting his gaze. Bruce would not handle Jason's mistake well. "…So, what are you going to do, play oblivious?" He looked over at the girl. "What's gonna happened when she's able to speak English and tell everyone the truth?"

"I…Okay, so maybe I haven't thought that far ahead," Jason admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "But come on, Dick, I…I really need this favour, and you're the one always pulling that big brother bullshit, so come on, help a guy out." His eyes widened, pleading.

He really must be desperate.

Dick gritted his teeth, scrutinising Jason for a long moment. Jason was like a little brother to him, and he'd already failed him once, and now he was coming to him for help for the first time in years.

"…You better not be screwing me over, Jason," he warned, jerking a finger at him. "Or I'll put your head through the wall."

Jason's lips formed a crooked smile. "I owe you big time."

"No, duh." Dick frowned, walking over to the girl. "B's gonna be asking a lot of questions about her," he said, bending down to her level. The girl tensed, withdrawing further away. "Hey, it's okay." He smiled warmly, waving. "I'm Richard." He pointed to himself. "Richard."

The girl frowned, lowering the Chinese box onto the floor. "…Rich-ard," she repeated slowly. "Ula?" She pointed at him.

Dick nodded. "Yeah, I'm Richard," he said gently, pointing to himself.

The Jason hesitantly drew in closer, bending down next to him. "I'm Jason," he said, pointing to himself exaggeratedly.

The girl looked back and forth at them. "Richard." She pointed to Dick. "Jason." She pointed to Jason, relieving a nod from both of them. "Kara Zor El." She pointed to herself.

"Kara Zor El," Dick repeated, nodding. "From Krypton?" He pointed at her.

A small smile spread across her face as she nodded. "Kara Zor El opto Krypton."

Dick smiled, and now they were getting somewhere.


Washington DC

10/22/2023

9:00

There was a room located at the top of a high rise, it had grey slabs of concrete for walls and flooring, with seven white holographic screens on display. The middle screen displayed a video feed from the Detroit Meta base.

"Pause frame," Vandal Savage's deep voice cut through the silence, his image displayed on the screen farthest to the right.

The video feed froze on an image of Virgil Hawkins touching Lilith Clay's inhibitor collar while the two of them were in the recreational gym.

"From the further analysis, it appears this is the moment the boy drained the power from her collar," Vandal elaborated.

Ra's Al Ghul sneered from the second screen. "And, how did such an offence go unnoticed?"

"The power was returned a minute later," Vandal replied. "The scientists failed to notice the boy's mutation."

"These are complex genes we're dealing with." Lex Luthor could be seen on the fourth screen, frowning. "Even with the Kroloteans, the technology still isn't accurate enough with Human DNA."

Queen Bee sighed, frowning from the first screen at the far end. "Then, we need better technology." She straightened up in her seat. "If the Kroloteans isn't up to standard, we'll need to consider looking elsewhere…"

There was a brief silence.

Vandal hummed, rubbing his chin. "Another contract is already in development, but we'll dwell on that later," he said somewhat dismissively. "Our main priority is protecting our assets, the Detroit base has the largest collection of Metas and Carriers.

The other three members nodded. "The chip is finally perfected, and Powers has begun distribution," Luthor said, reclining back in his chair.

Ra's al Ghul raised an eyebrow. "So I assume they'll be no more exploding heads?"

Vandal held back a sigh while Luthor narrowed his eyes at the other man.

Luthor smiled thinly. "…Obviously."

Queen Bee hummed lowly, drumming her fingers against the armrest. "What of Intergang?" she interjected smoothly. "I heard a rumour of a disturbance at their base." Her lips curved into a scowl. "Something escaped and it wasn't discreet."

Vandal's gaze narrowed. "They claimed it was faulty weapons..."

"Of which kind?" Luthor raised an eyebrow.

Ra's al Ghul's brow furrowed. "If they're hoarding Metahumans we can't let that stand."

"But, we risk jeopardising our contract with Apokolips if we act out against them," Queen Bee argued.

Vandal nodded in agreement. "For now, we turn a blind eye." He leant forward in his chair, waving his hand in the chair, triggering the middle screen to change to a biography of Rose Wilson's blood. "The next order of business is re-acquiring Ms Wilson."

"Is such a thing still necessary?" Luthor sighed, grimacing. "There are other test subjects."

"Yes, but none responded as well to the drug as Rose," Queen Bee argued. "If the drug is to be a success she must be further analysed."

Luthor paused for a second before he nodded. "I agree, but with the Justice League already suspicious, re-acquiring her may draw us further unwanted attention."

Ra's al Ghul nodded, grimacing. "Batman is already paying attention to us. Need I say more concerning the Artefact that is now in their possession," he remarked, clasping his hands together. "There is also another factor to consider, Deathstroke."

"He was willing to experiment on his daughter," Queen Bee reasoned.

"Oh, I have no doubt of his lack of paternal feelings." Ra's al Ghul flicked some dust off his sleeve. "But, the child is his flesh and blood. I'm to assume many of us would take grievance if our offspring was used as a lab rat?" He raised an eyebrow at Luthor. "Well, bar some…"

Luthor's jaw tightened, but he still smiled. "Point taken." He shrugged dismissively, glancing over at Vandal. "Deathstroke has yet to prove his absolute loyalty, but we mustn't be hasty unless we want a repeat of the Sportsmaster incident."

Vandal nodded, sighing. "Agreed. Deathstroke will be watched until he's proven his loyalty." He straightened up in his chair. "Which does raise the question of Kaldur'ahm's loyalty."

"He has proven himself so far and spilt blood for us," Queen Bee said, examining her sharp nails.

"But, is his loyalty absolute?" Vandal's lips thinned. "And, how much should he be made aware of?"

There was another silence as they all contemplated the question until Queen Bee spoke up. "Luthor, you made a point about the Artefact," she said, frowning. "If they knew about that that then what else do they know?" She looked around the room. "If they have taken an interest in Rose then we need to use that to our advantage."

A wryly smile curved onto Luthor's face. "And, how would Kaldur'ahm play into this?"

"Have him personally escort Rose to the base while we send a decoy van," she explained. "If he fails to deliver her without incident then he will be punished. We will monitor the transfer to see if the Justice League tries to take the girl."

"And, if Kaldur'ahm somehow aids them, then what?" Ra's al Ghul argued, frowning. "He shouldn't be made aware of the Metahuman base."

"He wouldn't need to escort her to the base in Detroit, only half-way," she replied, raising her chin up higher. "And, he wouldn't be made aware of his mission until the day of it."

"It would be a test for him and to see if the League do know of our plans with Ms Wilson," Luthor said, nodding in her direction. "He wouldn't need to be made aware of the actual base, only the half-way point."

Ra's al Ghul's eyes narrowed, but he still nodded faintly. "True… I suppose it would be an interesting test."

Vandal rubbed his chin. "I'm inclined to agree, but we will need to discuss this in further detail at the next meeting when Manta and Klarion are available."

"Very well." Queen Bee nodded, a frown flashing across her face. "In the meantime, what is the latest news on the Hive?"


Gotham City

10/22/2023

17:13

Helena swallowed, her mouth felt dry, as she waited outside the door of the apartment. The hallway smelt of fresh peppermint with fancy ivory wallpaper decorating the walls, the brown carpet soft and clean. Her mom and Terry would be comfortable here and safe.

She let out a deep breath and hesitantly knocked on the door, staring at the tiny spyglass while she waited.

Helena licked her lips and folded her arms. There was some shuffling coming from the other side of the door, and the faint distinct sound of someone on the other side leaning against the door. A second later there was an urgent jittering of keys as the door was unlocked.

Selina basically flung the door open. "Helena?" She was looking her up and down like she couldn't quite believe it.

Helena frowned, looking her up and down. "Can I come in?"

"Of course you can." Her mother stepped back, smiling tightly.

Helena walked into the room, the door was shut behind her. "I just came to check on you guys." She looked over at Terry who was wriggling around in a simple bassinet next to the couch. "And…I know I said I didn't wanna talk but…"

Selina moved in closer, apprehensive at first. "I'm just glad you're here," she replied, smiling a little warmer. "How, how is everything?"

Helena shrugged, looking down at her baby brother. His blue eyes grew bigger, curious. "Fine enough, what about you?" She hesitantly reached out to stroke Terry's head, his brown hair felt soft.

Selina nodded, looking at Terry and then at her, her smile softening. "Yeah, we've been good."

"Good…" Helena's jaw clenched. "So, what are you planning to do to Powers?"

Her mother grew quiet for a moment, while Helena gripped the edge of the bassinet tightly. "…That's my mess to sort out, I don't want you getting involved," she said stiffly, narrowing her gaze.

Helena glared at her mom, lips twisted into a scowl. "You killing someone is my business." She moved away from her brother. "You can't keep making the same mistakes with Terry, mom, he doesn't deserve that."

Selina's shoulders hunched up. "I'm doing this to protect both of you."

"And, how well is that working out?" Helena snapped, making Terry flinch. "Every time you try to protect us it blows up in both our faces."

Selina's gaze grew harder. "You're alive because I've protected you."

Helena's anger grew; it was twisted and made her feel sick. "I know, okay, I understand that," she tried to calm down. "But, there's a line—"

"Of course there's a line, there's always a line!" Selina snapped, gaze fiercer. "Do you think it's easy?" her voice rose, marching over. Helena tensed, inching back ever so slightly. "Do you think it's easy always running, having to survive!? What do you know?"

What do you know?

The words felt like a spit in the face.

"No, you don't know!" Helena shouted back, feeling cornered. "You don't know a damn thing about me." She nearly pushed her mom, needing space. Terry started to make whimpering noises. "You didn't protect me, you put a target on my back!"

Selina faltered for a second, confused, taking a step back. "What are you talking about?"

Crap.

Helena's anger froze, as her face drained of colour. "I…you…" She moved away. "Sorry, I'm sorry I yelled. I didn't mean it, I just…"

The anger started to fade from her mom's eyes. "What… what do you mean I put a target on your back?"

Helena swallowed a bad taste in her mouth, clenching her hands into fists. "What do you think it means?" her voice was weaker than she'd intended.

The two of them stood in silence for a few seconds until Terry started to cry, it was a squeaky drowned sound that grated the ears.

Selina glanced at Helena before she walked over to the baby and picked him up, holding him like he was made of glass. "Shhhh, baby," she murmured, rocking him.

Helena watched them, feeling a sharp stab of pain in her stomach. "I need to go, okay."

"You don't have to," Selina said, hastily. "Just stay a little longer."

No

Helena shook her head, feeling cold. "I don't want to." Then she winced at her own words.

She might as well have slapped her mother across the face.

Selina looked like she wanted to say something, but she didn't. She just held Terry tighter and turned away.

The air in the room felt stuffy and the walls felt like they were shrinking.

Helena moved around the furniture, keeping a large gait between herself and her mom, as she walked towards the door.

She shouldn't have come here, what had she expected? To get some kind of closure and feel less… less angry?

Helena opened the door but then hesitated, looking over her shoulder at her brother and mother. Selina had turned her back to her and Terry was still crying, the sound seemed to just get louder.

Helena walked out of the door and shut it closed behind her, almost running away from the place.


Batcave, Gotham

10/22/2023

21:00

Batman hated surprises, the unexpected that couldn't be predicted no matter how hard he planned.

For instance, right now there was a long lost Kryptonian sitting in his favourite chair eating a box of Chinese. The girl was a teenager with long blonde hair, blue eyes, and a pretty heart-shaped face. She called herself Kara Zor El, and apparently, she was related to Superman.

Batman crossed his arms, looking away from the girl to glare at Nightwing. All of his children were gathered around him, with Jason standing next to Nightwing, while Huntress and Robin were opposite.

"This info is pretty legit," Robin spoke up, balancing his laptop while he typed, the USB plugged in.

"I got a tip-off from my source," Nightwing said, casting Batman a look. "Saying Intergang was handling some more of the Lights purchases."

"You should have called for back-up." Batman's eyes narrowed further, feeling a small tug of wariness when he saw Jason shift on the spot.

Jason was being unusually quiet today.

Nightwing grimaced. "Too many people, it was easier getting in and out on my own…" He glanced over at Kara. "Well, until I ran into her."

Huntress frowned, looking over at the Alien. "She seems pretty…" she trailed off, watching Kara devour the entire box of noodles in one go. "…Normal." She shrugged. "Superman and Superboy should be happy about getting another family member...hopefully."

Batman's jaw tightened, he hoped so too, but Clark had changed a lot. Things may still be stiff between Clark and Conner, but Jon seemed to be the glue that kept things civil. "Well, need to keep an eye on her."

"She's the least of our problems," Nightwing replied, crossing his arms. "Intergang was importing these computer chips—"

"Computer chips?" Robin spoke up, diverting their attention. His brow was furrowed and his shoulders were stiff. "What, what did they look like?"

Nightwing's posture shifted, becoming stiffer, even though he tried to hide it. "It's hard to remember, they were small…"

Batman scrutinised him, feeling a further spark of suspicion. "Where did you see them?"

"In one of the vans, but I only got a look," Nightwing replied, frowning. "Isn't there any more details on that USB?"

Robin chewed his lip, staring back at the screen. "Just give me a sec…" he muttered, seeming off.

Huntress frowned, sharing a look with her dad.

"Could be for hacking," Jason said, speaking up after an unusual amount of silence. Batman glanced at him, watching him closely like a fly under a microscope. Jason tensed, crossing his arms tightly. "What?"

Batman's kept his face blank. "I think you raise a good point."

"Except it's wrong," Robin's soft voice carried across the cave.

Batman looked down at his young partner and grew concerned. Robin's head was lowered like a prisoner marching to the gallows, his shoulders hunched up defensively.

Nightwing frowned, shifting closer to him. "What's wrong, Squirt?"

"Tim?" Huntress placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, her brow furrowed.

Robin didn't look at them, but instead turned the laptop around, showing a small image of a computer chip. There weren't any speck details, just information about the shipping costs. "The chips aren't for computers," his voice was hollow. "They attach to the brain."

Batman held back a cringe. It wasn't a shock since the Light had done this previously, but it didn't take away the sour taste in his mouth or stop him imagining a slave army of teen Metahumans in the Light's control.

"How'd you know that?" Jason asked, narrowing his eyes, earning a hit from Nightwing.

Robin raised his head up but still didn't look at them. Huntress squeezed his shoulder, while Batman took a step closer; the boy looked so pale he might just throw up. "I've seen this design before, the ceramics and the width are all specified for…I …"

"Robin." Batman tried not to sound demanding. "Take your time and then explain." The bad taste in his mouth grew worse when he wondered what had gotten Robin so worked up.

Robin took a deep breath, squaring his shoulders before he finally looked up to meet Batman's gaze. "This chip was designed by my dad," he said, his fingers dug into the laptop. "But it wasn't meant to be used like this!" he added quickly, almost frightened.

"How can you be sure it's the same chip?" Huntress asked hesitantly, lowering her hand from his arm.

"Because I know that design," Tim insisted. "The chip design had to be very specific because it needed to be attached to the cerebral cortex of brain so we could treat dementia…but it got shelved."

"Why did it get shelved?" Nightwing asked, patiently.

"It's too risky of a procedure," Robin replied, shaking his head. "The designs weren't developed further." His brow furrowed, looking away. "But if Powers…he shouldn't have been able to get those designs unless…"

"A mutual contact?" Huntress said.

"Did you guys find anything on his phone?" Nightwing asked.

Batman searched his memory, trying to find a name that had stuck out. "We have his contacts, I can run a match through the computer."

Robin's head jerked up, eyes wide like he'd been struck. "I already know who it is." He shoved the laptop in Huntress' arms and rushed over to the computer. "I'm such an idiot."

Kara's eyes widened warily when Tim rushed over, rolling away in the chair to keep her distance, but Tim didn't seem concerned by her and just started typing on the computer.

Batman walked over to the boy while the others followed, all of them gathered behind Robin while he started searching through the Batcomputer's files.

"So did some ex-employee sell Powers the specs?" Jason asked.

Robin nodded scowling as he brought up a photograph of a short, balding man with yellowish skin and a pudgy round face. "Dr Aiden Lynch." He balled his hands into fists. "His name was in Powers' contacts. He still works for my parent's company."

"So he could have stolen your dad's designs," Huntress argued.

Robin seemed to consider this but then shook his head. "Maybe…but he wouldn't have had access to the specs and the machinery, not unless my dad authorised him…" He grimaced. "My family's company are responsible for all of this, we're just as bad as Powers."

"No, you're not," Nightwing said firmly. "You don't know if your dad was responsible for any of this, Robin."

Batman placed a hand on Robin's shoulder. "Exactly, blaming yourself won't solve anything."

"Plus, at least now we can figure out how to counter its effects," Huntress said, her smile a little too forced. "We can fix this."

"But, how quick can we fix this?" Jason argued, frowning.

"This isn't the first time the Light has used mind control chips." Nightwing glanced over at Batman.

"I'll notify the League." Batman looked down at his young protégé, the boy's shoulders were lowered like they were weighed down. "In the meantime, Nightwing, take Kara to the Watchtower," he ordered, removing his hand from Tim's shoulder."Jason, go finish up that drug bust. Huntress, I'll meet you on patrol in an hour."

Nightwing didn't move, frowning, but Batman shot him a look and he seemed to understand. "Right, got it, Boss." He turned around towards Kara. "Kara, come on, you're meeting Kal El."

Kara perked up, pushing herself out of the chair. "Kal El?"

"You bet." Dick smiled, walking over to her with an outstretched hand.

Batman was always curious how easily Nightwing earned people's trust, as Kara took the outstretched hand and let him lead her passed the others.

Kara paused when she passed Jason and smiled, letting go of Nightwing's hand she did something peculiar. Jason stiffened when she flung her arms around him, smiling as she hugged him. "Zedu."

What?

Batman's gaze narrowed suspiciously.

Jason was rigid and tried to detangle himself from her. "You mind giving me space, tuts!" he snapped, pushing her away.

"Come on, Kara!" Nightwing sounded flustered, dragging Kara away from Jason.

Kara frowned, looking at them both. "Lon?"

Nightwing pulled her away from them towards the Zeta-tubes.

"What was that about?" Huntress crossed her arms.

"Fuck I know." Jason dusted himself off, readjusting his jacket. "Freaking alien, ain't she?"

Strange, very strange…

"She seemed to trust you," Batman commented, staring at his second eldest intently.

Jason shrugged. "I gave her Chinese, she's probably just grateful or something." He started walking away. "I'm heading out, don't wait up."

Batman felt an uneasy itch at the back of his mind. "Alright then…" He looked over at Huntress. "Don't stay out too late, you have—"

"Homework, I know," Huntress interrupted, sighing. "I'll be back soon." Then she reassuringly smiled at Robin. "We'll talk later, Shrimp."

"Yeah…right," Robin murmured, forcing a small smile.

Huntress' smile started to fade as she turned around and headed down towards her motorcycle.

Batman watched her go and waited for the sound of the Zeta-tube before he looked back down at Robin. "Get changed and go wait in the kitchen, we need to talk," he ordered, pointing towards the stairs.

Robin's expression became solemn and closed off. "Yes, Sir."


Tim was sitting on one of the stools, staring at the kitchen counter with a fierce intensity while Bruce prepared a fresh pot of coffee.

"Milk?"

Tim's head jerked up, tensing, he shook his head. "No, thanks."

Bruce nodded and kept both the coffees black, placing one steaming mug in front of Tim. "That should give you a boost." He sat down opposite him, sipping his own coffee.

Tim licked his lips and slid the mug closer inwards. "Thanks…" He could already sense the bad news coming, the inevitability of Bruce's disappointment. "I…" He trailed off when he looked up at Bruce, not sure where to begin. "I'm sorry."

Bruce lowered his mug to the side. "And why are you sorry?"

Tim forced himself not to cringe. "After we found out about Powers, I had a suspicion about my parents but I kept trying to ignore it." He felt a wave of guilt. "I should have looked into it but I was a coward."

Robin wasn't meant to be a coward.

"You are not a coward, Tim." Bruce lowered the mug onto the table, eyeing him sternly. "Past experiences can testify to that," he continued, while the boy shifted in his chair. "Second, you can't take the blame for something that was completely out of your control."

"But, if I had taken control of Drake Pharmaceuticals earlier on then maybe, maybe I could have…" Tim's words became jumbled. "...Fixed things or found out what Powers was doing before it was too late."

He'd avoided his responsibility and hid away.

Bruce sighed. "Tim, you were a ten-year-old boy who was grieving." He shook his head faintly. "None of this was your fault, do you understand? Stop trying to convince yourself otherwise."

Tim bit down hard on his tongue, unable to ignore the logic in that. "Sorry, Boss."

Bruce picked up his mug and took a large gulp of coffee. "You've received a shock, so I'm benching you for tonight."

Tim nodded dully, expecting it. "I understand…can I go now?"

Bruce sighed deeply, staring at him for a moment. "No, stay and finish your coffee." He drank his own.

Tim sighed and sluggishly lifted the cup to his lips; the warm taste of caffeine settled his nerves a little and made his shoulders relax. The two of them sat in silence, while Bruce looked at him like a bug under a microscope.

Tim flicked his ceramic mug and sighed quietly. The silence was oppressive, making his stomach feel like there was a dead weight trapped inside. He glanced up at Bruce and opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it.

Bruce saw the action and frowned. "Yes?"

Tim chewed the inside of his mouth before he spoke. "...There's one thing that bothers me, that I can't stop thinking about." He pushed the mug away and sighed. "If my dad knowingly helped the Light, then I'll never be able to ask him why." He balled his hands into fists. "…I have to fix this."

Bruce's gaze seemed to soften. "And, we will, but shouldering the blame for your parents' actions won't help things, understand?"

He nodded hesitantly. The guilt lessened a little but it was still there stuck in his stomach. "I just want to take responsibility for it, Bruce, even if it wasn't my fault, it's still my company."

His mentor looked like he'd almost smile, but his lips only twitched up for a second before they lowered. "I know, and I'm proud of you for taking responsibility for your actions, not many would."

Tim couldn't help but grow a little at the praise, smiling tentatively. "Thanks, Bruce."

Bruce finished the rest of his coffee and stood up. "Just don't stay up too late playing those video games," he said, placing the mug next to the kitchen sink behind him. "They'll ruin your eyes."

Tim's smile grew. "So will staying up too long in a cave."

Bruce arched an eyebrow, moving around the counter towards him. "Just be asleep by the time I get back." A ghost of a smile flashed across his face, ruffling Tim's hair.

The gesture was like a warm security blanket. "Okay."


Zedu = thanks

Lon binto = what's this

Opto = from