Disclaimer – I own nothing.
AN – So, ever since the first season of the new show Titans aired, I've been in a major DC mood, specifically for anything involving Dick Grayson. So, I started reading comics he was in and watching any and all shows that he's in. While doing that, I finally found this show and started watching it. I soon fell in love with it and just in time for season 3! I have only watched the first six episodes, due to being very busy with work, my sister's recent wedding, and writing other stories, but I had this story idea stuck in my head and really wanted to write it. It's an AU of what happens after the ending of season 2, except Wally lives. I know it's been done before, several times, but I just couldn't help myself. Chapter title is taken from the song War of Change by Thousand Foot Crutch. I hope you all like it!
Enjoy!
"The damage to the city of San Francisco due to the massive earthquake that struck only an hour earlier can only be described as devastating. Over half of the city has completely collapsed into nothing but rubble leaving thousands trapped and injured. Already the hospitals are filled with people coming for medical treatment and we have confirmation that there have been 12 fatalities.
Luckily, several members of the Justice League and their sidekicks are on the scene and helping the police and firefighters clear out the debris and rescue those still trapped."
Wally turned his attention away from the female reporter that was standing in front of a camera crew several feet away from him. He had been running through the city block by block, looking for anyone who needed help, stopping whenever he heard voices. That was the only reason he had stopped now, but seeing that it was just a reporter giving an update to the entire country, he ignored it. Five years ago, he probably would've run past them, right in line of the cameras so everyone could see him, but he wasn't a kid anymore. He was an adult now and had a job to do.
It had been seven months since the Reach invasion and they saved the world. Seven months since he had almost died. Six months since he and Artemis officially rejoined the Team with Roy. Despite being off the Team for a couple of years, when they came back, it was like no time had passed at all. They all fought together and clicked just like they did before. The only thing that was different, besides all of the new members, was that Nightwing was gone. He had left the Team one week after the invasion.
The speedster wasn't exactly sure what had all happened that made Dick leave, as he was still in the infirmary and no one seemed to want to talk about it. Not that he ever brought it up after he learned that his best friend left. Dick had only visited him once in the hospital, where he apologized for how he handled things and Wally told him he needed some time and space to process everything. That was the last time he saw the former Robin. He didn't even come and tell him himself that he was leaving the Team. He had to find out from Kaldur. That was also the last time they really talked about Nightwing. Even when he got texts from him, Artemis would give him a look of disapproval as Wally ignored them but she never said anything. He wondered though how long that would last. But for now, he pushed it all to the back of his mind like he always did and got back to work.
On the other end of the city, Jaime and Bart worked together to clear a destroyed building's pile of rubble that was keeping several people trapped. The two teenagers had become fast friends in the last several months, not that that was much of a surprise to anyone. Jaime had been a little upset that the main reason Bart had tried so hard to befriend him when he first arrived was because he was trying to keep the scarab attached to his spine from controlling him, but he was quick to forgive him. After all, he didn't want to be controlled and forced to be an evil monster, and he and Bart got along rather well. When he could understand the speedster from the future that is. There was some phrases Bart said that he still didn't get.
"How long do you think this is going to take? I wanna do something fun." Bart complained as he moved a small section of what appeared to have been part of a wall at some point away from the pile.
"We've only been at this for half an hour." Jaime pointed out, though he wasn't surprised Bart was already bored. He had never spent much time around speedsters before Bart arrived. The Flash never really spent time with the Team and Wally had gone into retirement with Artemis not long after he joined. One of the things he did hear about them though was that, along with a low level of patience, they tended to get bored rather quickly. The grandson of the Flash had proved both to be true on several occasions.
"I just wish this could go faster. I mean, I have superspeed right? But not superstrength, and that slows me down. Can you imagine if I had both? I'd be unstoppable." Bart replied, getting a faraway look in his eyes that told Jaime he was thinking of it right now.
"You know, I'm actually glad you don't. I have a feeling you'd do something stupid with it." Jaime told him with a teasing voice.
"Whatever I'd do with it wouldn't be stupid. It would be awesome! It would be totally crash!" Bart objected, seeming to get more and more excited about it. Jaime normally wouldn't mind, except that now Bart was so distracted about what he would do with powers he didn't have that he had completely stopped digging and clearing the rubble away.
"It'd probably involve some kind of crash alright." The Blue Beetle mumbled. For the expression on Impulse's face though, it was clear that he had heard him.
"Look, let's just back to work. Standing around talking is only going to slow everything down." Jaime pointed out before turning back to the debris, the scarab on his back reminding him of the people they were trying to free. With a nod of agreement, Bart also got back to work.
The speedster did have a point though. All of this could be done a lot faster if they all had superspeed and strength. While the beetle did make him stronger, he wasn't as strong as Superman and he certainly wasn't as fast as a speedster. He couldn't really use his weapons to help dig through all the damage out of fear that he would hit the wrong piece of rubble and make the place collapse even more and possibly kill the people that they were trying to save. That was also why Bart didn't try to use his speed to carve a path down to the trapped people. All of the buildings, especially the collapsed ones, were far too unstable. So was the ground below them with the threat of aftershocks being fairly high after an earthquake of this size.
The two heroes worked together in silence, focusing all of their attention on the matter at hand. Soon, though not soon enough for Bart, they moved enough debris to create a large hole in the pile that led to a makeshift cave that several people were trapped in.
"Is anyone hurt?" Jaime asked as he helped them out.
"No, no I don't think so." One of the ladies they freed answered with a shaky voice.
"Is anyone else still down there?" Bart then wondered. The man he was helping quietly said, "I don't know."
"I'll check. You get these people to safety." Jaime somewhat ordered Bart. The young teenager didn't seem to mind that though, understanding that the Blue Beetle could sense if there was anyone still trapped. It made sense that he should be the one staying behind.
"Okay, you guys follow me." Bart told the small group before he started leading them towards the street that led to the nearest, working, medical center.
As soon as they were safely away, Jaime lowered himself into the hold that had just been opened up. He looked around for any sign of any other people that could be trapped but found none.
I am not picking up any life signatures, the scarab told him.
"Is it possible that there could be more people buried deeper that you can't sense." Jamie asked quietly.
It is possible, but if there are, they'd likely be dead, the scarab replied.
"Aren't you a cheery bug." Jaime remarked under his breath.
In situations such as this, it is best to remain realistic. Besides, being cheery is a waste of time, the monotone voice responded. Knowing that no matter what he said, the scarab wouldn't change his opinion, he dropped the discussion and made his way out of the hole.
What are you doing, the scarab asked as Jaime circled the rubble.
"Just wanting to double check. I don't want to leave if there's still people still stuck under there." Jaime answered.
That would also be a waste of time.
"You're that good at detecting people through rubble?" Jaime wondered with a sarcastic tone.
Yes I, MOVE! The scarab suddenly yelled. He did, more out of shock to the bug's loudness than the order. He was glad he did though when he saw something fly straight at the spot he had been standing seconds earlier. And when it hit one of the bricks, it caused a mini explosion.
"What the heck?" Jaime said in shock as he stared at where the explosion had been, then looked in the direction it came from.
If he wasn't in his suit, there would've been no way he would've seen anything. But even though he was in the suit, he barely saw anything because the person who had fired the shot that caused the mini explosion was so far away. All he could see was a dark figure hidden in the shadows and that was it, until he saw a flash of some kind, immediately followed by the scarab shouting at him to move again.
The Blue Beetle jumped to the side, expecting another mini explosion, but that didn't happen. What did happen though, was a bullet hole suddenly appearing in an old beam. A person was shooting at him. He was being shot at. Someone was trying to kill him.
I'M BEING SHOT AT! Jaime screamed into the mind-link M'gann had set up when they first arrived in the wrecked city.
Where are you? M'gann immediately asked as Jaime ducked for cover. Whoever had shot at him was still firing and he was not in the mood to get hit.
I don't know, I can't see the street sign from here, Jaime told her.
You're on the corner of 8th and 45th, Bart told them before he added, I'm on my way.
Hurry, Jaime pleaded, peeking out of his hiding spot, only to pull back again when another bullet landed near his head.
Your armour is strong enough to withstand bullets, there is no need to hide, the scarab reminded him, sounding a little disgusted that he was hiding instead of fighting.
"You get shot at, you run for cover. It's instinct." Jaime defended his decision even though he was starting to feel a tad embarrassed, having forgotten how strong his suit was.
A rush of wind came from behind him before Bart suddenly appeared, crouched down in front of him. Jaime opened his mouth to say something but Bart beat him to it.
"You okay Beetle?"
"Yeah, I think so. Would like to know who's trying to kill me though." Jaime answered.
"Don't worry. Miss Martian and Kid Flash are on it. Let's just get you out of here." Bart told him. Without giving Jaime a chance to respond, he grabbed the older teen's arm, wrapped an arm around his waist and took off running, the Blue Beetle in tow.
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By the time M'gann got to the roof of the building where Bart said the shooter was, Wally was already there. And is seemed that he was completely gone.
"Did you find the shooter?" The alien asked as she floated down towards him, landing only about three feet away from him.
"No. Whoever he was, he's long gone." Wally answered, sounding upset and worried.
"But how?" M'gann then questioned, "The last bullet he fired was only about two minutes ago and you got here in less than that."
"I know, but I can't find him. He must have had another way out." Wally told her, trying to remain calm which was a more difficult than usual. Not only was he angry that someone had decided to try and kill a member of their team and was apparently smart enough to have an exit strategy, but he also missed lunch. He never had the best self control when he was hungry.
"This couldn't have been a random attack then, or even someone who was just taking advantage of the situation. The shooter had to have planned this." M'gann surmised, looking around the roof.
"But there's no way he could've planned something like this. He would've had to take the earthquake into account and you can't plan an earthquake." Wally objected, then suddenly froze. His face turning from one of confusion and frustration to one of fear and seriousness, he locked eyes with M'gann and asked, "Can you?"
"I don't know." The Martian replied, "But I think we better find out."
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Hours later and miles away from San Francisco, two men stood in an office, the roaring fire in the fireplace the only source of light in the room. One of the men was dressed in a fashionable and expensive suit while the other wore armour that was black and orange, even his helmet. The man wearing the suit stood in front of the fire, his back to the other and a drink in his hand. After taking a small sip of his beverage, he addressed the armoured man.
"I have to admit, it's impressive that you were able to create an earthquake. How did you pull that off?" The man in the suit wondered.
"It's amazing the type of technology one can find, especially for the right price, as you well know." The man in black and orange replied.
"True," The man in the suit agreed before asking another question, "But how does an earthquake and shooting at one of those, 'superheroes', get me what I want?"
"Simple. You drove him into hiding by going at him directly. Doing that again is only going to keep him there. If you want him to surface, you go after people he cares about, like his friends." The other man explained.
"We had done that as well. It didn't seem to work." The one in front of the fireplace informed him.
"Clearly you didn't hit the right spot. I however, know exactly which spots to push. Trust me, he'll come."
"For your sake, I hope you're right Deathstroke." The man in the suit stated, taking another sip of his drink.
Under his helmet, Sade Wilson smiled and said, "Don't worry, Nightwing will return. And when he does, he'll be all yours."
AN – I've never been to San Francisco, I tried to find a map of the streets but couldn't find any so I just made it up. Hope no one minds. And I hope you all liked this chapter! Next one will be posted on next week!
Another AN – Quick question for all fans, did Slade Wilson actually brand Dick when he tried to make him his apprentice? I keep seeing it being referenced in other stories but when I tried to find out if it actually happened, I came up empty. If you know, please let me know either by messaging or by review. Thanks!