Chapter 7

Batman, Runner, and Koutetsu arrived back at the Cave, minutes later, finding Bruce at the computer with Dick and Selina already standing nearby. The three younger heroes approached, removing their masks.

"Alright," Terry said to Bruce, "what are you about to say that'll somehow make all of this more awkward, worse, and/or dangerous?"

"You know me too well," Bruce replied.

"Waaayyyy too true."

Bruce looked at Selina and Dick. "You've both been holding back. The name Tyson Manix was created just a couple of years ago. All other information was cleverly backdated. At max, some details of the identity were created four years ago. So… who is he really?"

"He's just a kid," Selina answered. "A random punk we met that we could tell had a lot of potential."

"'A lot of potential' is an understatement," Basem said. "I've seen people with 'potential.' He's way beyond that."

"His talent and abilities are most impressive," Hayate said. "He could even surpass me."

Terry shrugged, "Nah. I'll bet money you're more humble. That affects talent, in my opinion."

"A fair point. Still, with his level of skill, he would be a prime candidate for the Tamashii."

"So, who is he?" Bruce asked again.

"He's a kid we took in," Selina insisted. "That's all."

Bruce studied Selina for a few moments. "You're lying."

"She is?" Terry and Basem asked, simultaneously.

"I can tell." Bruce glared at Selina, "I want answers. The Moirai could be after him and for good reason. Now, who is he? And who is he, really?"

Selina didn't reply.

Bruce looked at Dick.

Dick sighed and looked away.

"Neither of you are leaving this Cave without telling me the truth," Bruce declared, coldly. "Keeping secrets from me is one thing. But this secret…" he motioned toward Terry, Basem, and Hayate, "could put them in danger. And if something happens to them because you're playing games… you won't like what I do next, I swear to you."

Terry, Basem, and Hayate looked at Bruce in awe. Of all the things they expected, that wasn't one of them. Terry was amazed that Bruce could still surprise him.

"This has never been a game, Bruce!" Dick said, sternly. "So, stop pretending like I see it that way when you know, good and damn well, I don't!"

Bruce and Dick glared at each other for a while. Selina, Terry, and Basem could feel a lot of old, unresolved anger between the two was threatening to boil to the surface.

However, again to everyone's surprise, Bruce relented first. Bruce exhaled and admitted, "Fine. Then who is Red Hood?"

"His name, his real name is Fawzi Raatko," a voice echoed through the cave.

The new voice caused everyone to look around, apprehensively. At the sound of footsteps, everyone turned to see a woman, seemingly of Middle Eastern descent, emerge out of the shadows of the cave, from the direction of the vehicle entrance. She seemed to be in her mid-to-late forties with some grey strands in her black hair. She was dressed casually yet she carried herself like royalty. And like a warrior.

Bruce narrowed his eyes, whispering, "Nyssa."

"Oh, hell," Dick said, uneasily.

"What are you doing here?" Selina asked, venomously.

"I'm looking for my son, Selina," Nyssa answered, matching Selina's tone. "That's what I'm doing here."

"What a coincidence. So are we."

"Okay, fine, I admit it: I'm lost!" Terry admitted, exasperatedly. "Who is she?!"

"You got me," Basem said, confused.

"She's Nyssa Raatko," Bruce informed. "At least… that's her legal name."

"Her family name is al Ghul," Dick continued. "She's Ra's al Ghul's daughter."

Terry's eyes widened in an instant. "Al Ghul?! What the f-he had two?!"

"Father had several children," Nyssa declared. "Talia was always the favorite."

Terry rubbed his face, "Oh, this is just way too much."

"You're telling me!" Basem said. "Funny, though. Dad always wondered if Ra's had another kid out there somewhere."

"He had a lot of kids all over the place," Dick replied.

"Most of whom are no longer among the living." Nyssa looked at the original Batman. "I'm here for my son, Bruce."

"Okay, so, Red Hood's your kid," Terry repeated. "Tyson's really an al Ghul. It's actually amazing how much makes sense because of that."

"It certainly clears up all of the fighting styles he's mastered," Hayate noted. "And his genius in regards to escape artistry."

"I feel better about him running circles around us now," Basem admitted.

"Where is he?" Nyssa asked.

"We're looking him," Bruce said. "As is standard with your family, he's good at hiding himself."

"Hello," Selina said. "You could ask us."

"Shut up, you bitch!" Nyssa shouted.

Selina started to growl. "Careful, Nyssa. I'm being nice at the moment."

"Like when you stole my son away!"

"Oh, now, we're gettin' to the good stuff!" Terry whispered.

"Let's all calm down," Dick said.

"You can go to hell, as well, Grayson," Nyssa declared. "If it weren't for you two, my son would be home."

"He ran away," Selina said.

"To be a 'hero'! A falsehood of a life that you two tempted him with! He was born to be so much more!"

"Not to step in here," Terry said, "but that 'born to be more' mentality is kinda what got your old man killed."

Nyssa glared at Terry for a moment but blinked and took a breath. "There is… a vast amount of truth in your words. An absolute truth, I dare say. I don't even know why I senselessly said that. I know, full well, the consequences of such thinking."

"Saying dumb stuff in a heated moment. It happens."

"Indeed." Nyssa looked Terry over. "Terry McGinnis, yes?"

Terry nodded.

"I know of your exploits. In truth… you are an admirable warrior and hero."

Terry jerked his head back, "Uhh… thanks!"

Nyssa looked at Basem and Hayate, "The same is true of your comrades. My son could do well to learn from all of you."

"Praise from Nyssa," Dick mused. "Don't hear that every day."

"Yeah," Selina said, sarcastically. "Let's throw 'em a party."

"They have honor," Nyssa said. "Something you know nothing about, Selina!"

"You're testing my patience, Nyssa. Not smart."

"You've already tested mine! Repeatedly!"

"Oh, please!" Selina rolled her eyes. "Don't even get started with…"

"I am starting!" Nyssa interrupted. "I should've done more, long before now! The second Fawzi came to you, you should've told me, and I should've retrieved him!"

"We did tell you," Dick reminded.

"After a year!" Nyssa argued. "By then, his head was filled with dreams and fantasies of putting his life in danger! Something I worked so hard to keep him away from! And then… I made the foolish decision of letting him continue down that path with you and look where we are! My son battles madmen, no better than the Society, you have no idea where he is, and you bring calamity to the house of someone I respect!"

"'Calamity'?" Selina scoffed. "Seriously?! Like the world's about to end! Calm it down!"

Nyssa just glared at Selina.

Terry smiled a bit and raised an eyebrow, "And 'respect', huh?"

Nyssa looked at Terry. She sighed. "My father deserved death. More times than I care to count. But even in 2009… when my father nearly brought the world to ruin…" She looked at Bruce, "you still wanted to show him mercy." She nodded, "Yes, Bruce. I hold you in the utmost respect."

"Oh, goodie," Selina said. "Nyssa likes you, too. How lovely."

Nyssa slowly turned toward and glared at Selina, "I would tread very lightly were I you…"

"I'm cat, darling. That's what I do."

"A cat that's on the last of its nine lives!"

"Plenty left in the tank, Nyssa," Selina said, venomously. "Want proof?"

"Gladly," Nyssa declared.

"Okay, that's enough!" Dick moved in front of Selina. "Both of you, cool it! Nyssa, look… Fawzi begged us not to tell you, in the first place! We trained him, did everything we could to set him on the right path, but he wanted to do this on his own! We think that's why he came to Gotham."

"And you think that absolves you?!"

Dick sighed.

"You stole my son!" Nyssa shouted. "My only child and you stole him away! You told me you'd keep him safe and you did not hold true to your word! We don't even know fully the danger you let him fall into!"

"And you think he'd be any safer with you?!" Selina fired back.

"I have much more experience with disappearing than you, Selina! I could've kept him hidden and protected!"

"Yeah, you did that for the first sixteen years of his life and look how that turned out! In case you need the reminder, he ran away from you!"

"Then he ran away from you! You prattle on about my mothering skills when yours prove to be just as insufficient!" Nyssa steeled herself, let out a harsh exhale. "It should come as no surprise, however… that you failed at being a mother… twice."

Selina froze. Her mouth fell ajar but she made no sound as her blood ran cold. Dick became just as frozen as Selina.

Terry, Basem, Bruce, and Hayate all slowly began to tense up. They looked at each other, confused, before looking back at Nyssa.

"What?" Bruce whispered.

"What'd she just say?" Basem asked.

"'Twice'?" Terry whispered. "What the hell…"

Bruce looked at Selina, "What is she talking about?"

"N-Nothing!" Selina said, hurriedly and fearfully.

"'Nothing', is it?" Nyssa asked, indignantly.

"That's enough, Nyssa!" Dick shouted.

"Oh?!" Nyssa asked then she pointed at Bruce, "You think he doesn't have the right to know?! Both of you have kept this secret from him for 30 years!"

"What secret?!" Bruce shouted, quickly rising to his feet.

Dick couldn't even look at Bruce. Selina gazed at Bruce, fearfully.

Bruce's eyes widened. "No…"

"Oh, no," Terry whispered, putting the pieces together. "No, no, no. No."

"Her name is Helena," Nyssa announced. "She lives in London. She's an accountant. She never wanted for anything… except to know who her father is."

Bruce slowly sat back down, unable to breathe regularly.

"Oh, yes. And her middle name?"

"NYSSA!" Selina screamed.

"Martha," Nyssa declared, scathingly.

The entirety of the Cave came to a complete stop.

"Oh, shit," Terry whispered.

Basem looked at them all, "A daughter."

Hayate simply closed his eyes and bowed his head.

Terry rubbed his hands over his face, "Jesus."

Bruce leaned back in his chair. For the first time, there was something he absolutely did not know. Even worse, he had no idea what to do. He was completely unable to speak. He rubbed his eyes, doing his best to keep tears from falling.

Terry looked over at him. "Bruce…"

Without another word, Bruce stood up and walked out of the cave.

While Basem rubbed his head, Terry groaned. Terry looked at Dick, Selina, and Nyssa. "Are all of you happy?"

Nyssa exhaled. "I…"

"Rhetorical!" Terry sighed. There was a lot to do. And now they had to do it without Bruce. Terry glared at the older warriors, "With all due respect, will the three of you, kindly, get the hell out? Come back tomorrow night. We'll pick this up. But we need time to work right now."

Dick sighed. "Terry…"

"Leave. Now."

Dick, Selina, and Nyssa stared at Terry for another second, then, without another word, turned to leave. Selina and Dick caught sight of Basem's glare, and they felt a twinge of fear. After they were gone, the three heroes just let out a collective, depressed sigh.

"This is a mess," Basem declared. He started to pace, "This is such a… damn mess!"

"And how." Terry looked toward the stairs.

Hayate looked at the staircase and asked, "Should we talk to him?"

"Yeah. But… not yet. Let's give him a few minutes. Or hours. For now, you guys go home."

"What are you doing?" Basem asked.

"I'm staying here tonight," Terry answered. "Between what I learned from Waller and everything, lotta work to do."

"Good point. I'm staying, too."

"As am I," Hayate nodded.

"Guys…" Terry began.

"What's everyone been saying?" Basem asked. "Batman has a crew now. We're not bailing on you, Terry, especially not now. You need our help, so does Bruce. We're staying. I'll call Sally. You call Max."

"I'll see about putting our timeline of information together," Hayate said.

"Lest we forget, you're terrible at working computers."

"Which is why Bruce always prints paper information for me. If, Terry, you wouldn't mind doing the same…"

Terry chuckled, "You got it, Hayate." He sighed. "Alright. We're in for a long night, boys. Let's get to work."

In what felt like a longer walk than usual, Bruce went to his room. As Ace tried to come in, Bruce stopped him. "Not… tonight, Ace." Bruce closed the door.

Ace whimpered a bit but simply laid down at the door.

Inside his room, Bruce sat down on the bed and looked out of the window, staring at the night sky. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

But he knew better than to get a response. He didn't deserve one.

He had a daughter that he never knew about. That he wasn't there for.

He failed his parents. He failed Alfred.

He knew, in his heart, for this sin, he didn't deserve forgiveness.