Chapter 5: A Surprise Guest

Clark was typing the last few lines of his article when he searched for a way to conclude his text. He didn't like any ending. He wanted to avoid being too accusatory or aggressive, but he still wanted the ending to make an impression. He closed his computer screen and looked at the time: almost 2:00 a.m. He gave himself a few minutes to think.

He gave himself a few minutes of peace and quiet before giving free rein to his hyper-auditory acuity. Anyway, he could never fully stop hearing. But he had not missed the noise. If it seemed like it was quiet at night, that was an unfair confirmation. At that time of day, Clark could hear TV shows, arguments between couples, music, laughter, crying, screams of all kinds. He could follow the argument of a couple who lived down the street, just as he could hear another couple having a good time three blocks away.

No, he definitely didn't miss all those sounds. The sirens of police cars, ambulances, firemen, were relatively active tonight: he had to go. But something he heard on the radio from a passing police car stopped him in his tracks. He was reporting a vigilante responding to a street assault. Usually, when a League member went to a colleague's neighborhood, he would warn him. Clark didn't mind that they didn't do that from time to time, but it made him curious.

He didn't put on his suit. It was too soon for his return. He did, however, go to the scene using his oversight and stood back. At first glance, it looked like a gang of thugs against the vigilante. Two gangs, obviously. Clark could identify their various tattoos from a distance, even in the low light. He was about 500 meters from the place when he heard, not without surprise, a phrase aimed at him:

"Hey, Sup', anytime now! "

He recognized the voice. He allowed himself to intervene, not allowing the men to see him. He took them all down in a second, while the other vigilante took care of his own. Clark neutralized the reinforcements of both gangs and disappeared into the shadows, Batman-style. Robin tied them all up before slipping away to the roof of the building above him. Clark kept his ear to the ground. He knew Bruce's apprentice loved to play with his powers.

"I'll meet you at your house! "

He rolled his eyes and walked back to his home with his super-speed, where he waited for Robin for a few minutes. He tidied up his things a bit and opened his window, knowing full well that his surprise guest would be coming through. He heard him arrive at the sound of his motorcycle engine and heard him climb in. Clark was waiting for him at the table, prepared. Robin gently closed the window behind him and removed his mask.

"Hi Clark! Glad to see you're up and about! "

Clark sighed and showed Robin a chair so he could sit down.

"Tell me Tim, does Bruce know you're playing solo adventurer in Metropolis, when you're supposed to be training with Wildcat and Wonder Girl? "

He laughed as he took off his costume.

"You know I'm not. Bruce would kill me for leaving early. "

Clark disinfected the few cuts Tim had and rubbed cream on the few bruises he had. He didn't regret finally buying a medical kit.

"So that's why you're here. "

"Sleeping on the street, I tried it but it's not great. And then, for the costume and the gadgets,..."

The Kryptonian, good-hearted as he was, was certainly not going to refuse to welcome him in his home. Tim knew that. All the Robins knew it. He took a deep breath, preparing what he was going to say, choosing to use a harder tone.

"You can stay here. But don't count on me to take your side with Bruce. You know what he said, you broke it. You have to take the consequences. This isn't a game, Tim. You risk your life every time you go out. You're not going to impress Bruce by doing this. And you're lucky I got my powers back to help you. All this does is reinforce the idea that you're not ready. "

Tim put his suit in the corner and pulled some more comfortable things out of his bag.

"Am I looking at Bruce Wayne or Clark Kent? "

Clark lost his stern look and smiled slightly.

"Go take a shower. I've already got some stuff for you. You put on some cream and we'll talk. "

Tim gave a small, amused smile but obeyed Clark.

The reporter could already see trouble coming a mile away. He was very apprehensive about Bruce's reaction when he learned that he had been his protégé's accomplice. Since Jason's death, Bruce had become very withdrawn and even more protective of Tim. Clark had often remarked to him, as had the founding members of the League. Over time, he'd loosened up with him, but not yet enough. Even Dick noticed. But Bruce was like that. An ice man with a soft heart underneath. At least a little bit soft.

He quickly wrote the last lines of his article, sensing that it would be too late afterwards. He was still stuck on the wording when Robin came back into the living room, wearing a jogging suit. The teenager passed behind the reporter to glance at the screen.

"Your story about your report from Africa? "

The adult nodded. Tim went to sit across from him.

"It's okay, Mom Clark, I'm ready to talk. "

He was trying to get him riled up. The Kryptonian was going to get his revenge one day. In a way the smug young man wouldn't expect. He turned his attention back to the current situation.

"What are your plans for the future? "

"I was supposed to come back the day after tomorrow. But I couldn't stand Grant. He's too old-fashioned. Everyone in the Justice Society is a pain in the ass. "

The Kryptonian frowned.

"Tim. What did we say? "

The teenager raised his hands in the air.

"Okay, I'm not criticizing the other vigilantes. Anyway, that's it. So I left. I thought I'd join Dick, but the bastard sent me packing. "

Clark crossed his arms, giving him a reproachful look.

"Watch your mouth, Tim. Dick probably had better things to do right now. Seems to me he's following a big organization with some of the Titans. "

"Yeah. He's grown to like working in a team," Tim said with a sigh.

Clark smiled in amusement.

"You're apprehensive about your future team, aren't you? "

The Robin crossed his arms over his chest in turn and looked sulky.

"I prefer to work solo. "

"If you ever want to join the League, you'll have to learn to work as a team. To rely on your teammates, to trust each other. "

Tim gave a mock laugh, but Clark wasn't sure how to interpret it.

"You do trust. You're so much more optimistic than Bruce. "

"That's for sure. By the way, are you going to show up like a flower at the mansion the day after tomorrow? "

Tim looked proud.

"Yeah! I tampered with Wildcat's computer data and made sure that the messages he sends to Batman are actually sent to my coordinates. Bruce will never get his message! "

The teenager seemed quite proud of himself. Clark could see the flaw, but he didn't want to say anything. It would teach the smug youngster a lesson when he found out. Tim was very good at computers and hacking. He improved his gadgets himself, bringing new ideas to Bruce's inventions. But he wasn't thinking of everything yet.

"I see you had prepared your shot. Well, it's getting late, you should go to bed. You can have my room. I still have some work to do. "

At the thought of sleeping in a real bed, Tim jumped out of his chair, a bright smile on his face.

"Thank you, Clark! Good night! "

The reporter watched him slip away into the bedroom, a smile on his face. He reopened his computer to fully edit his story and proofread it before he figured it would be finished. It didn't take him very long, as he had a fairly fast reading speed, although he couldn't beat Barry at that. Finally satisfied, he closed the screen and checked his phone. He saw one message, one and only one from Bruce, at this time of day.

Basement, now. BW.

Clark didn't bother to answer. If he was an hour behind on his reaction time, he would be at the Mansion in no time. But before he left, he preferred to wait a few minutes and make sure Tim was asleep so he could put on his suit and fly to Gotham.

Bruce was still up. Clark came in through an outside entrance to the Batcave and joined him at his checkpoint. The Gotham vigilante was still wearing his costume, but he had removed his mask and cape. His straight black hair was a bit messy and his clear eyes were sharp. He was downright handsome.

"Good evening Bruce. I got here as soon as I could. Anything wrong? "

The Bat took his eyes off the screens and stood up to come to him.

"Is he at your home ? "

Clark tried to remain neutral so as not to give himself away at first.

"Who ? "

But Bruce remained serious. Very serious.

"You know who I mean, Clark. Is Tim at your house? I know he left his training session with Ted Grant. "

Clark sensed the faint concern in his colleague's voice. Bruce was firm because he was worried. Not angry.

"Relax, he's fine. He's asleep right now in my apartment. I guess Wildcat texted you? "

"He called me. He thought it was odd that I wasn't responding to his messages via the League's computer network. Tim may be smart, but he doesn't think of everything. "

Clark laughed. That was exactly what he was thinking.

"You wouldn't believe how proud he was of that. "

Bruce relaxed and gave a slight smile.

"I can imagine. I was pretty sure he was with you, but I wanted to see for myself. "

Clark found Bruce absolutely adorable in his concerned parent mode. Although that was something Bruce would never admit to.

"I've gotten used to taking your boys in. "

"They're the ones who've gotten used to coming to you," Bruce grumbled.

The Kryptonian picked up on the non-denial of his words. Maybe it was unconscious, but it meant something.

"They all want you to be proud of them. "

He knew the Bat was aware of that. They had talked about it often. They'd argued often, too, over it. Clark had often stood up for the boys, and Bruce had rebuked him many times. The most heated discussions had always been at the most critical moments in the Batman-Robin relationship. When Dick had kicked Bruce's head in and left, the two men didn't want to talk. Clark, as a good mediator, had changed that. Just as he had tried to be there for Bruce when Jason died. Dark days. Many times he had thought Bruce would never recover, so badly had he been hurt. It was a subject Clark avoided, knowing it was painful enough for the other.

"What are you thinking?" Bruce asked suddenly.

Clark forced a smile as he shook off his bad thoughts.

"Nothing. You can sleep well now. I'm watching over Tim. Good night, Bruce. "

With that, he turned and walked away, hearing a simple reply in return. The Bat was a dark, withdrawn person. Clark realized what a privilege it was to have him open up to him. But he knew he shouldn't abuse it. He took an outside exit from the Batcave and flew to Metropolis.

Clark didn't sleep that night. His mind was not at rest and he was just thinking, unable to put his brain on pause. So, after a few hours of struggle, he made himself useful. He decided to put on his suit for good and went where he thought he was needed most.

He pulled dozens and dozens of people out of the rubble after a tsunami, helped rescue workers clear roads to get reinforcements, did fast transport of medical supplies. He helped as best he could to temporarily patch up structures that could house the injured or people with no place to sleep. Once he was in, he was ready to work for the day. But he did his best to help them all, using as much as he could of his superspeed. It was only when he saw John Stewart, the second Green Lantern assigned to the area, arrive that he agreed to give up his job.

He had to admit to himself, when he returned to take a shower in his superspeed, that he was tired. He had almost forgotten Tim was there and stopped dead in his tracks when he realized it. The teenager was still in his night clothes and eating his cereal, an amused look on his face. Clark then stopped using his superspeed, finishing buttoning his shirt. The blast from his stop was more violent than when he was moving and anything that was likely to fly away had landed everywhere. It was mostly clothes and a few papers: Clark had gotten into the habit of stuffing them under paperweights because he'd gotten tired of always picking up after himself.

"Hi Clark. I supp'ose you' late ? " said Tim with his mouth full.

"Hi, Tim. Yes, I didn't pay attention to the time difference. I've got to run, I'll leave a spare key on the front dresser for you. I hope you'll use it. "

Clark put on his jacket and glasses and grabbed his things.

"That's cool, by the way, for leaving me here. "

"Let me know what you do. Good day Tim. "

The Kryptonian affectionately tousled the apprentice's hair before disappearing in a huff.

Clark felt good as he walked through the lobby doors of the Daily Planet. It felt good; this was the place where he felt truly integrated into society, into humans. The Daily Planet was like a beehive, he could hear all the people coming and going, chatting, laughing, typing... but he didn't mind. He didn't find it annoying. He liked to hear the buzz. He stayed on his cloud until he reached his floor. Perry's voice rang out when he hadn't even reached his desk yet.

"Kent! I'm waiting for your article! "

He put his things down and took the printed copy of his article out of his bag, and did not bother to take off his coat before heading into his boss's office. He handed him the paper and Perry, putting on his reading glasses, read it. There was a silence during which his boss read and waited patiently. At last Perry White laid the paper before him.

"For God's sake, this is a bomb you're dropping on me, Kent! You don't mince your words. But given the situation, it might be better. " He raised his voice. "Karen! I want this on the front page next issue! " He turned his attention back to Clark, after the secretary had passed. "Welcome back, Kent. It's good to have you back. "

"It's good to be back. " Clark replied with a smile.

Perry nodded with a smile but said nothing more. Clark left his office and returned to his own, removing his raincoat. Jimmy quickly came around to his back, patting him on the shoulder in a friendly manner.

"Hey, Clark! Good to see you again! You look better than the day before yesterday! "

Clark felt as if his return to America was light years away. But he greeted his colleague cheerfully.

"Hi, Jimmy! Good to see you too. What did I miss? "

"Lois has been on the warpath all morning. There are rumors that Superman is alive and has been seen on the islands off our coast. "

The Kryptonian feigned surprise.

"Is he alive? "

Jimmy slapped his forehead.

"Didn't you get the messages from Lois? She's been hysterical ever since! "

Clark pouted.

"I was recovering from jet lag and my trip... "

Olsen grimaced, indicating that he was taking his word for it. In itself, he hadn't lied to her.

"Well, the Justice League tried to stop Doomsday a while back. During the fight, Superman disappeared when he was seriously injured. We didn't understand it right away, but when we saw the League members and the army looking for something, and we didn't see him anymore, we quickly made the connection. Everyone thought Superman was dead, there was even a ceremony in his name! The vigilantes were there too. It was very moving. But if he's alive, that would be great! "

Clark thought. Not really what he was going to say, but it's true that he hadn't considered how he was going to make his official return. Lois would be untenable, just like she was every time something happened with Superman. He was already dreading Hurricane Lane.

"I feel like I've been gone for years. " he commented thoughtfully.

At that moment, a black-haired storm walked past them, phone in one hand and coffee in the other. She rushed to her desk and seemed to be taking notes in a hurry before hanging up, graciously thanking the person she had on the other end. Jimmy and Clark exchanged a surprised look, Lois not known for her displays of gratitude.

"Finally!" she exclaimed happily. "Oh, hi Clark! You're looking better! "

Clark smiled a big, teasing smile.

"You're looking better! Can we know what it's from? "

"Confirmation that Superman's back ?" Jimmy suggested.

"I have a friend in the Caribbean. He's part of the rescue team that arrived on the scene. He confirmed to me as soon as he got a signal that he had seen Superman's silhouette clearing the roads with his own eyes. I told you Jimmy, he'd be back! "

She gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder and went to get a cup of coffee, with Clark and Jimmy on her heels.

"But I just got another interesting piece of information too. I think my informant stumbled upon something big. It's worth digging into! "

"About what ? " Asked Jimmy as he poured coffee into three cups.

"For the moment, I'd rather not say. I want to take a look for myself first. "

"If you need help, you know where my office is," Clark told her.

Lois took a sip of her coffee and sighed happily. Clark drank half his cup, figuring he needed it more than half.

"I'll make a note of that, Smallville. In the meantime, I'll leave you to it, I've got a story to write about Superman! "

His smile was beyond radiant.

She went straight to her desk and started working. Jimmy and Clark returned to their desks a little more slowly, sipping their coffee.

"Boy, her tip must be big to calm the storm named Lois," Jimmy whispered to Clark.

Clark nodded thoughtfully.

"Yes, it is. I wonder what that's all about. "

The young reporter looked mischievous:

"A tip on a mobster maybe? Dirty cops? Dirty politicians? "

Clark and Jimmy laughed together. They liked to make fun of Lois between them. But a call to order carried in Perry's deep voice was heard behind them:

"Kent! Olsen! Get to work! "

Clark chuckled slightly. He'd missed this.

Tim was sulking. It amused Clark greatly, who wished Bruce were here. Maybe he could have had a normal evening for once. Bruce was more Batman than Bruce. Too often. Convinced that no one could change that except Bruce Wayne himself, Clark had made sure that Dick, Jason and Tim didn't end up like him, forgetting who they were in the first place.

"Do I really have to come?" complained Tim, looking at himself in the bathroom mirror.

"Yes, if you don't want me to talk to Bruce," Clark replied with a broad smile.

Tim grumbled and combed his hair.

"How do you know Bruce won't see that I used the League's teleporter? "

Clark had decided that they would go through the Watchtower to get to their rendezvous. Robin didn't have the equipment to handle Superman's long distance flight and he wasn't used to it enough as Batman or Flash.

"I asked around. Apparently, the Joker has been running a small gang and is having fun breaking into various labs and warehouses. Bruce suspects he's got a big plan. You'll be fine. "

Tim squinted.

"Shouldn't you go help him? "

"You know Bruce doesn't want help. But he knows he can contact me or another League member if he needs help. Have you finished doing your hair? "

Tim grabbed his jacket.

"Yeah, I'm good. "

The two men left the apartment and went to the city's teleportation point, which was a short walk from Clark's house. Clark passed by with Robin to allow him to pass through the lobby of the Watchtower, and then they left, after Clark had entered the coordinates into the teleporter. Then they left, neither seen nor known.

Shelby's barking greeted them as they passed the driveway. Tim petted the border collie with pleasure, bringing a smile to his face. The Kryptonian was sure of his move: he knew that this evening would be good for Tim, that he would be able to relax a little. Clark felt that he was very apprehensive about his future teamwork. He whistled to his dog and with Tim, they headed for home.

"Aren't you curious?" Clark asked in the last few yards.

"A little. But I already know what your mom looks like. "

Clark sighed and looked up. Obviously, Bruce hadn't been able to resist investigating everyone. Somehow, that made Clark a little angry. He didn't want to involve his loved ones in his cape. He didn't like the fact that this information was listed somewhere.

He opened the front door of the house and ushered Tim past him as his mother stood in the kitchen.

"Good evening, Mom. "

Martha looked radiant. She smiled brightly as she pulled a pie from the oven. The smell was enticing.

"Good evening to you! I'll be there in a minute! "

She got busy as Clark and Tim removed their jackets. Then she took off her apron and came to greet them.

"I'm sorry I'm a little late. Good evening, young man! I'm Martha. "

Tim shook hands with Clark's mother, who seemed like a relatively simple person.

"Good evening, Mrs. Kent. Nice to meet you. My name is... " Tim hesitated to reveal his real name, but Clark's inquisitive gaze told him to tell the truth "Tim. "

Martha Kent may not have been Clark's real mother, but Tim understood where the smile on the reporter's face came from. Martha was smiling even more than he was. They sat down at the table and dinner soon arrived. Tim seemed delighted to see the chili con carne arrive at the table. As soon as they were all served, he threw himself on the plate. Clark suddenly felt ashamed. He hadn't even checked to see if there was anything Tim had eaten at home. Then he remembered the pizza box on the table. Mother and son looked at the teenager, an amused smile on their faces.

"I didn't know you were in such a hurry to eat," Clark teased.

"If you only knew how tired I was of eating badly! Mrs. Kent, you're an excellent cook! "

"Well, thank you, Tim," she said, smiling.

They ate in a relaxed atmosphere and Tim seemed to get used to it.

"I really need to take your recipe and give it to Alfred, it's great! "

Martha gave Clark a look of incomprehension and he explained, slightly embarrassed.

"Alfred is... my friend's cook. "

His mother's mischievous smile did not escape him.

"So, if I understand correctly, you're doing your friend a favor by babysitting his son Tim, right?"

Tim and Clark nodded together. Martha didn't ask any more questions. If Clark didn't say anything more, it was because he was better off. The rest of the meal was spent in a pleasant atmosphere. Martha chose to tell a few stories about Clark; they discussed the farm, the neighbors and Smallville gossip. Dessert was enjoyed in a leisurely fashion, and to everyone's delight, Tim enjoyed himself. Clark cleaned up and did the dishes, Tim helped him wipe up and Martha put them away right away. A few times Clark had fun splashing Tim, and Tim retaliated by whipping him with the dish towel. For a moment, the kitchen forgot that the Man of Steel was washing dishes.

They continued to talk in the living room, with Clark recounting his day back at the Daily Planet, which had been smoother than he expected. He'd only done two low-key responses to a fire and a robbery on his route. Classic stuff, but getting back into a routine felt good. He'd had a slightly rough couple of days and knew he wasn't out of it yet. Tim talked a little about himself, too, more in response to Martha's questions, which tried to learn about him while giving him the opportunity to remain evasive. Tim talked a little about his school in Gotham, what he liked to do, what he liked to do. Martha listened attentively and directed his questions, much to Tim's delight, and he was quick to elaborate on exactly what he liked to do.

Certain that the two were busy talking, Clark took the opportunity to slip away. He went to his father's grave, to pay his respects as best he could. He let his thoughts wander from his life as Clark Kent to his life as Superman, to his uncertain situation with his powers, to Kara, to his obligations to the Fortress. What would happen if he were gone. Strangely, his thoughts turned to Bruce.

Clark suspected he had stayed too long when his mother joined him. She hugged him, sensing his confusion.

"Tim's in your room. He looks amazed. "

Her son smiled.

"I'm sure he is. "

"This boy, he has a connection with the friend you often speak of? "

His mother, always very perceptive. She read him like an open book. He just smiled and took her inside the house. He joined Tim and found him with a football, admiring his teenage posters on the wall.

"I didn't know you were a Chiefs fan," Tim said when he saw him.

"Bruce was surprised too", he replied with an amused look.

Tim tossed the ball to him. Clark caught it easily.

"Can you play?" asked the younger boy.

Clark smiled with pride.

"I was even told I was pretty good. But I didn't make a team. "

The young man seemed hesitant to ask him a question. Clark seized on the request.

"We'll make passes at each other sometime, if you want. "

The smile that lit up Robin's face was spectacular.

"So cool! "

They chatted about soccer for a while longer and then finally left, the hour now late. Clark grabbed Tim and in his supervisor's hand, they made the short trip to the nearest teleportation point. The teenager hated the ride and grumbled until they went to bed, claiming that Superman was a real bully, except with "damsels in distress". They bickered for a while longer and went on a little patrol in Metropolis together before going home and getting some real rest this time. The next day, Tim would return to the Manor.

The wind had picked up and Clark pulled up the collar of his coat to protect himself from the cold. It didn't do much for him, but it was a reflex he'd come to have from mimicking reactions. He remained in retreat, behind a wall, while Lois was two hundred meters away from him, waiting for her informant. He had to give him reliable information, but the meeting point was in an unfriendly place. Lois had asked Clark to go with her to avoid getting into trouble on the way, because the last time she had almost been stabbed and Superman had pulled her out. But she didn't want to lean on her guardian too much. Clark found this kind of situation sadly ironic.

He recognized her informant as soon as he poked his nose in: the man couldn't help but look around and Clark could feel his stress building up from where he was. The man was hypertensive. He pulled an envelope out from under his raincoat, slipped it to Lois and, without a word to her, went on his way. The exchange was quick, but Lois was attracting the attention of others around her. Clark joined her without hesitation and grabbed her arm to lead her along a route he'd mapped out himself. They didn't say a word until they were leaving the neighborhood.

Twenty minutes later, they were sitting inside a coffee shop while it was raining outside. Standing back from the other customers, Lois waited until they were served to take out the envelope and look at the contents.

"Are you going to tell me what this is all about or was I just being a footman again? "

The journalist was paying attention to take out paper documents from the envelope.

"You're such a bad mouth, Clark! The front page doesn't work for you. "

Clark grumbled. Perry had put his story on the front page, before the one about Superman. Since the morning, he'd been getting congratulations and jokes from his friends. This included some League members, especially Oliver, Hal and Barry. He had also received remarks about the way he had written the article, which might have seemed a bit too firm. That kind of style, according to some people, did not fit Clark Kent. It had been enough to irritate him.

"Have you ever heard of Cadmus?" Lois asked suddenly.

"The labs? Yes, vaguely. "

Lois lowered the tone of her voice.

"Well, I've got some documents here that show their activities are shady. "

Clark already suspected what he was about to see, when she presented him with confidential documents on cargo transfer orders and photographs of nighttime vehicle movements. Bruce had already told him about them and was investigating them with Oliver, but he hadn't heard anything since. Maybe they were following the case from afar. But if Lois stuck to it, she might dig faster and put herself in more danger.

"What do you think? My source is one of the night guards at the labs. He doesn't know much about what's going on there or what they're carrying, but I'd like to find out. "

She had an excellent lead. Anyone could tell by looking at it. Clark replied as a reporter, figuring he'd have Lois' back with his cape.

"You should find out about them first. What they do, who funds them, their partners. Who they have connections with, too. But be careful and don't expose yourself too much. We've known organizations that don't like it when you poke around too much. I can help you, if you want. "

She nodded.

"We're doing this. We're working on it in the background until we get some hard facts. "

Clark nodded and Lois quickly put the documents away. They got a second cup of coffee to go and headed back to the Daily Planet in the pouring rain to finish their day.

It was still raining when Clark returned home. Tim was watching TV on the couch and of course he didn't hesitate to remark:

"Hello Clark! You look terrible! Hey, that's quite an article! You beat yourself up in terms of popularity! Aren't you disappointed that your costume is only on the second page? "

Clark rolled his eyes at the teen's sarcasm and undressed before settling down next to him.

"I'm kind of glad about that. I think my article is more important than Superman's return. "

"You underestimate how important you are to other people. "

Clark didn't answer. Maybe the teenager was right. They both stared at the TV for a long time, saying nothing. Clark was elsewhere. He was thinking about a lot of things, about work, about Bruce, about his powers. Then it was time to go back to the League. Clark had agreed with Tim that he would go with him to find Bruce, just in case. It was Tim, who had finally asked him. The dark-haired man had agreed.

So it was with great trepidation that Tim Drake walked through the lobby of the Watchtower officially, when he should have been accompanied by Wildcat and Wonder Girl. But those two didn't seem to be at the meeting, which stressed Tim even more. Clark put a hand on his shoulder:

"Calm down Robin. Batman isn't going to eat you. "

"He might do worse. "

Superman laughed, then stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Batman coming, looking even tougher and colder than usual. He leaned into Tim's ear and whispered very softly:

"Maybe you're right. "

The apprentice tried to keep a straight face, and Superman tried to remain neutral. Bruce spoke before they were even close.

"You disobeyed, Robin. "

Tim had hoped Bruce wouldn't notice, but that would have been too good. He lowered his head.

"Sorry, Batman, but that was a hell of an internship! "

Batman's posture didn't indicate anything good.

"We'll talk about it when we get home. Kal, if you don't have plans, you're coming home with us. "

The Kryptonian frowned, surprised by the commanding tone, but didn't have time to answer:

"He's as free as a bird!" Tim replied, a hint of hope in his voice.

Batman stifled that hope in a dry voice:

"Don't expect his presence to lighten your case. "

This time, both of them were apprehensive about returning to the mansion.

Clark had barely reached the doorway when Alfred came to open it for him. The butler looked slightly relieved before putting on his mask of impassivity. Clark had only been gone fifteen minutes in all, enough time to return to Metropolis to change into more conventional clothes and to retrieve Robin's vehicle.

"They've just arrived. They're downstairs. Good to see you, Mr. Kent. "

"Clark, Alfred. Call me Clark, please. Nice to see you too, and I hope you're okay. "

The Kryptonian handed over his jacket and went down to join them. When he arrived at the Batcave, there was immediate silence. Tim and Bruce were still wearing their vigilante outfits and they each left to change outfits, leaving Clark alone in front of the control screens. He could feel the anger of the two men but preferred to keep a low profile. He waited for Bruce to return and then went back upstairs with him, leaving Tim alone for a while. Clark broke the silence between himself and the billionaire as they sat down in the dining room.

"Don't be too mad at him, Bruce. "

"He's still too immature. He's not ready. "

"He's more ready than you think. "

Tim arrived after them and sat down at the table. Alfred brought them their food and they ate in the most intense silence. Bruce was still angry with Tim, and Tim preferred not to say anything. Clark finally broke the silence, trying his luck anyway.

"We've seen that Tim's computer and engineering skills are remarkable, and it would be nice if he could exploit them. "

He paused, watching for the reaction of the others at the table. Tim just looked up at Bruce, and Bruce was looking at Clark as if probing him. The Kryptonian continued.

"Dick told me about Blue Beetle and what he was doing, so it might be a good idea to get them together, right? They seem to share the same interests and it must be said, Blue Beetle is a genius. If he agrees, Tim could meet him in his personal studio. "

Tim controlled his expression, but his eyes were shining. Dick had also told him about Blue Beetle and the technological jewels he was creating, in a style quite different from Atom's. Since then, he had dreamed of meeting him. For his part, Bruce remained impassive.

"We'll see about that later. Tim's obviously not mature enough to be allowed to meet other League members personally. "

Clark pursed his lips. Bruce was still at the stage of throwing digs. He couldn't get anything out of him when he was like this. And Tim knew that as well as he did. He got down from the table after a long silence and greeted Clark, then went up to his room. Bruce and Clark sat at the table, staring at each other, not saying a word. The reporter didn't even know what he was doing here. He hadn't even managed to lighten the mood. Whatever Bruce had in mind, he had forgotten to keep him informed. This situation was very unpleasant for him.

"Why am I here? "

The Bat did not answer. He stared blankly and no one could figure out what he could be thinking. Clark cherished the vigilante's company, but not when he was in that kind of phase, completely closed off from others. It frustrated the Kryptonian. Then Bruce turned his attention back to him:

"You look-"

The only words Bruce deigned to speak were interrupted by the ringing of Clark's phone, and he pitied himself as he pulled out his personal phone: an unknown number was trying to reach him, but the area code sounded vaguely familiar. He picked up, a little surprised.

"Clark Kent speaking. "

Clark's face closed as the caller spoke. He listened carefully, finally asking only for an address and indicating that he would arrive in fifteen minutes. He stood up and put his phone in his pocket, exchanging it for the League's special network communicator. He tapped the device quickly before putting it away. He looked up at Bruce.

"I have an emergency. Thank you for the invitation, and thank Alfred for the meal. "

Bruce didn't have time to react when Clark had already disappeared and the front door slammed shut.

INDEX

Blue Beetle/Ted Kord : 2nd version of the Blue Beetle, he is a brilliant engineer whose best friend is Booster Gold

Jason Todd/Red Hood : He is the 2nd Robin, the one who comes right after Dick Grayson. As Robin, Jason is dead, beaten to death by the Joker. He was later resurrected by Ra's al Ghul in the Lazarus Pit, which has the particularity of regenerating bodies but bringing out a "dark" part of the person, even bringing out their madness. Jason was not an exception for this, making him more of an "anti-hero" than a hero. After that, he became Red Hood.

John stewart (Green Lantern) : An architect by trade and former sniper, he is the former replacement for Guy Gardner, another human Green Lantern.

Justice Society (Team) : aka Justice Society of America, was the first "team" of superheroes. It was composed of the heroes of the golden age, with Doctor Fate, Hourman, Sandman, Atom, Flash, Stargirl, Wildcat etc.

Titans (Team) : First team made with the "apprentice" superheroes. In this version, the team is composed of : Nightwing, Aqualad (Garth), Raven, Starfire, Arsenal/Red Arrow

Wildcat/Ted Grant : He is a world famous boxer who has trained other superheroes. He is a member of the Justice Society

Wonder Girl/Donna Troy : Dans cette version, Wonder Girl est l'apprentie de Diana Prince (Wonder Woman) et fait partie de l'équipe des Teen Titans et non des Titans.