Robin
"I have had enough of your controlling attitude!" Dick screams at Batman out of breath. He ran over to a cabinet taking out another suit replacing the current one currently riddled with cuts. He rushes on the new suit after carefully removing the destroyed one. Batman on the other hand was just sitting at the computer tracking the Penguin while taking a bullet out of his leg. "If you hadn't insisted on letting the Penguin go to find his stash that family would be safe, you wouldn't have a bullet in your thigh and he wouldn't have gotten away!" he shouts as he approaches Batman.
"Shut up Dick. It's fine. I placed a tracer on him." Batman says dismissively. "And if we don't find the stash a henchman could set up the bombs and do the attack himself."
"But what about that family! That tank of a car he had crushed that suburban."
"I already wired money to pay for their funerals." Bruce grimaces as he pulls out the bullet, then halfheartedly sutures his thigh, spilling blood on the floor.
Flabbergasted Dick screams, "That's not enough! Since when did Batman not care if innocents got killed or did you forget what you taught me?"
"The battle for Gotham's soul has become a war, Dick. I just didn't realize it sooner. The fight to keep Gotham safe isn't just a battle. It's a war and there have always been casualties in war."
"The only casualties in war should be the soldiers, not the civilians caught in the crossfire."
"Well if Barbara were here tonight then we probably could have caught him, the stash and saved the family."
"She wasn't here because her dad is in the hospital, or did you forget that you let Jim get hit last week?"
"I didn't forget, I have other priorities such as saving the city." Bruce says growing impatient with Dick's attitude.
"Maybe saving the city should consist a little more of getting these mental cases help rather than getting the snot kicked out of them by a psychopath dressed like a bat."
"If you have such a problem with how I save this city then maybe you should leave. If not then finish getting ready because we need to head out and get him now, before the mayor's brunch."
"You psychotic ass!" Dick finishes the last zipper on his suit then heads over to the R cycle. "Take the rest of the night off for your stupid brunch party. I'm dealing with Penguin then I'm leaving." He revs the R cycle into gear then zooms out the tunnel. "Helmet dial up Alfred on private line."
"Master Richard. I do believe you just left."
Dick can feel a wave of calm wash over him as Alfred shows actual human concern for him. "I'm Sorry Alfred, I really am, but would you mind sending my things to this address?"
"Sir, there is nothing there."
"There will be. I will pick it up. Please just make sure it gets there. Also make sure Bruce's satellites lose track of Jump City. I can handle myself and need to prove it to Bruce, no to myself, and this is the best way to do it. I'll try to keep in contact but I may go dark for a while. I'll try to send monthly updates, or you could always just check the Jump City paper while Bruce is busy being... well Bruce."
"Your room will always be prepared, and I understand your trepidation but I hope you can work this out this thing between you and Bruce on your own."
"I... I love you Alfred and I love Bruce but... I don't know what to do with him."
"I know master Richard, but running away from him is almost certainly not the right answer but every boy needs a little space to grow up."
"Thank you Alfred. I'll talk to you in a month."
Dick hangs up and stops focusing on the argument, focusing on the task at hand. Catching the Penguin.
Kid Flash
"Hey Barry, I got a weird email from Robin the other day." Wally says, straining to keep up with Barry in his training.
"How weird are we talking about Wally? Like adult material or more along the superhero level?" Barry skids to a stop in the Outback.
Wally tries to stop at the same point but over shoots it by a mile. He rushes back to Barry. "Super hero level, duh. If he sent me the other stuff there is no way in hell I would share that information with you." He laughs.
"Hey, you are a teenage boy and trust me I have been with the CCPD long enough to know what teenage boys do in their spare time." Barry starts running again leaving Wally to catch up, which he does by Auckland.
"I am so not having that conversation with you." Wally says, slightly out of breath. "Robin asked me to head out to Jump City to team up. You know like as group heroes without our mentors."
"For what reason?"
"To prove that we can be heroes so that when we grow old we are prepared and so are the civilians we protect."
"Well at 17 years on you are bound to want to strike out on your own most of the time I would say no. Given you could run home in less than an hour I expect you to visit at least once a week. Mainly because I don't want your Aunt Iris to have a conniption."
"Thanks Barry. I'll pack up and head out this Friday." he says finishing the conversation as they reach central city.
Beast Boy
"Here is the battle plan Doom Patrol. We go in after taking out their escape vehicles. Gar, you climb through the pipes then go big to crush them."
"Got it dad." Gar says cautiously.
"Negative destroy Monsieur Mallah's guns and incapacitate him. I feel him in the southeast quadrant."
"Yes sir, but are you sure I can make it in time?" Negative responds, cautious as well.
"I'm positive negative... I mean I'm sure. This is a simple plan so nothing could go wrong. It'll be close but you should be able to make it back in about 55 seconds." Mr Negative nods as Mento continues his explanation. "Robot man, you and I are going through the front gates. We need to save Elasti-girl." Beast boy rubs his face with his fists as Mento mentions the objective of the mission.
"Sounds like a plan boss." Robot man says.
"Gar, it's important you wait until the guns are destroyed and that the brain and Mallah are distracted by Robotman and I." Mento says as he turns to Beast Boy.
"Yes dad... We're gonna save mom right? I... I can't lose my mom again." he trembles. He can't get rid of this feeling, like something is wrong. The only other time he felt like this was when he just knew... somehow... that a villain was creeping up on him.
"It will be fine Gar. Have I ever lead you astray?" Mento consoles with absolute confidence.
"I... I trust you dad."
*Half an hour later.*
"What will you do Changeling?" The brain says, his monotone robotic voice coming from speakers all over the compound.
"Gar! Destroy the brain!" Mento shouts.
"But that will kill you!" Beast Boy screams.
The plan went horribly wrong. The guns and Mallah's body were fakes confusing Negative man preventing him from getting back to his body within his 60 second time limit. As soon as Mento entered the building a bomb was locked onto him linked to the brain waves of the brain. If the brain died so did mentor. And robot man made it about 2 feet in when a localized EMP froze him in place.
"It's fine! Just destroy the brain. This mission takes priority!" Mento screams, desperate to save his wife.
In T-Rex form with the brain trapped under his foot it would be child's play but with the possibility of killing his new family he couldn't do it.
"I will make this easy for you Changeling. Mallah, now."
Monsieur Mallah jumps from the ceiling throwing an old Robot man arm like a javelin. The arm causes a breeze that even Beast Boy could feel with his thick T-Rex hide, before running through Robotman's chest. Landing Mallah then runs over typing on a computer for a few seconds then two things happen that irrevocably change beast boy's life. First a door slides open revealing Elastigirl's body cut up into multiple parts seemingly being experimented on. Then Gar heard a high pitched *deet deet deet*
"Mom! Dad!"
The bomb goes off with a Blood explodes from Mento in all directions with drops landing on Beast Boy's tail.
"Now then Changeling." He sends a shock through Beast Boy's foot making him fall over onto his father's viscera and robot man. He turns back into his human form, his long green messy hair falls into his eyes as his hands begin to feel the sticky red liquid from his family.
Beast Boy stammers, tears welling up in his eyes. "Dad? M... Mom?"
"Now Changeling." The brain begins the roll towards Beast Boy. The distinct smell of ozone was in the atmosphere as the whir of gears from Brain's machine grew closer.
"I lost them again. I lost my parents again! You did this!"
"No, you did." the brain says in his monotone voice again. His cattle prod touches Beast Boy's back shocking him. "You were the reason we were able to capture Elastigirl, then accounting for Mento's poor planning skills took less time than you take screwing up again, you incompetent monkey." The shock stops for a moment, granting him bliss before it gets taken away again by the prod getting shoved into his back, drawing blood and making his boil. Through the pain Beast Boy turns and grabs the prod. His eyes have turned red. He begins to grow red fur on his body and as his hair turns red he blacks out hearing an unintelligible roar.
Soon cool water begins to patter against Beast Boy's face. The warehouse is in shambles. Shattered windows and holes in walls and the roof is flat out missing. Beast Boy feels his body. It's sore and in pain, what's worse is when he hits something squishy. He swallows his saliva and looks at his hand. His body is green, like usual. But unlike usual there were pink chunks of what could only be brain. He remembers the fight. His family destroyed. His tears begin mixing with the rain. It was going to be a long night.