"So where are we going any way"
So…I've been grounded for two weeks now, it feels like years though. No phone, no TV, no internet. I go to school, come home, do homework, bed and repeat. The first week I was dragged all over the country being examined by experts. Bruce wanted to know the full extent of my condition. I was worried that he was going to try to have it reversed. Thankfully Dr. Richards said barring time travel that would be impossible. He did find a subtle mutation in my underlining genetic structure that could turn me into some giant eight legged human/spider hybrid though. I know I know pretty scary proposition for yours truly. However, after a two-hour conference call between he, Dr. Wyndham and Dr. Stone and a shot with a very, very long, did say long, needle I was good to go. I did get another ability out of it so I won't complain.
With that out of the way my training started. You heard that right, my training with Batman. What Bruce put me through made my Robin training look like well like child's play. I'd graduated to the ranks of superhuman and he was training me like he does members of the Justice League and Avengers; except I didn't have Wonder Woman or Black Panther to intervene when I was being pushed too hard. I got full on, no holds barred Batman and I loved it… and hated it too. Every night I plotted how I was going to run away to Metropolis to live with Clark and Lois or maybe New York with Tony and Pepper. But by morning I was ready for more. I mean come on, this is what I wanted I wasn't going quit because it's so, so, much harder than I expected.
For instance, yesterday Batman took me to the Hall of Justice, as in the League's original HQ that was converted in a museum. I was so excited. I thought I was getting a break from all the physical stuff and assumed it was going to be a lesson about the true meaning of being a hero or something. Not even close. Apparently there are two sub basements I had no idea about and Sub-Level one has a freaking 'Danger Room', as in X-Men training for all scenarios possible and impossible 'Danger Room'.
When the door slams behind me I'm standing in the silent space with steel panels all around. So let me explain the danger room is really just a box suspended inside of a much larger box with all the traps, weapons, etcetera in a dormant state in the space between. The person in the control room can activate any myriad of machine guns, rockets, spike traps, gases or robots. This place really lives up to the name.
"Let's start off easy Spider-Man." He says jarring me back to reality. "Your goal is to touch the opposite wall."
I look up and sure enough there is a red circle on the wall with only air between us. Before I can move the floor drops from under me. I shoot a line to the ceiling and swing away just as pillar of flame erupts from the hole. Ok before you freak out thinking he's trying to kill me; my suit's sensors didn't register any temperature spikes so the flames were just an illusion. I'd love to tell you I figured that out when it happened but I had a lot coming at me. Like the eight machine guns with laser scopes that popped up from the floor.
I got red dots mimicking the eyes of the white spider on my chest. When the bullets start flying I'm not there anymore. Ok so they weren't real bullets; only gel ones with sound and visual effects that made them seem like real bullets; before you ask I didn't know that then either. How about we just assume Batman isn't really trying to kill me. There're more pressing matters, like you know the machine guns.
I manage to stay a split second ahead of them. But I can't keep this up. I web the barrels of two on them while in the middle of a really cool back flip. As I somersault to the wall I web two more. The last ones fall to mini grenades from my utility belt as I swing away with my back to the explosions, sweet. I'm going to own the danger room. That's when my webline gets cut and my spider sense goes off like an angry Kanye West rant. When I land I'm face to face with a six-foot-tall silver robot with one single red eye and six arms tipped with buzz saws, drills and nail guns. It's like somebody crossed my shop class with a Cylon Raider.
"Kill Spider-Man." It says voice more fitting for assimilation than murder. It fired another saw blade as the first one that cut my webline returns to the housing on its other arm.
I snap my palms together catching it between them, the same principle used to catch a sword mid-swing swing. Before I can congratulate myself it's wrenched from hands by some kind of invisible force, probably magnetic, and Toolbox the Killer Robot fires his nail guns. While the forearm plates on my gantlets aren't as pronounced as Batman's with the fins and all, they are made from the same material and thus able to deflect anything below a high velocity round like say an AK-47. Relaxing into my spider sense I block all thirty-two shots; Diana would be proud. Then it lashes out with the drills.
"Enough." I say kicking it in the chest sending it flying across the room.
Two minutes later I hit the red button. I got my head on my arm leaning against the wall breathing heavier than I ever have. I made the mistake of letting my breath get away from me. Always be in control of your breathing basic Robin training 101. Amazing how that goes out the window when you think you're going to die.
"Let's do it again." Batman says. My breathing is almost under control. "Now."
"Fine." I reply. I turn to see another target on the opposite wall. Then my vision goes black. "What the heck."
"I turned off your visual display." He explains. He somehow hacked into my suit.
"Not Cool." I reply.
"I know." He responds. "Now begin."
The floor drops from under me and as I swing away this time the suit registers a huge heat spike. I take it all back he is trying to kill me. Somebody call T'challa!
I could bore you with the particulars but I did manage to hit the button. All it cost me was ten or fifteen deep bruises, they're kind of hard to count when the run together, and ten stitches. All in all, it wasn't too bad a day at the office. Before you freak out you have to understand being a superhero you will get hurt. You train to mitigate the severity but it's going to happen. Stitches, bruises even fractures come with the program. You rest up and hopefully you come back stronger.
Speaking of rest all I want to do is take a nap as I pushed my body through the front door. Why not the back door you ask because I have to run to and from school just like my old Robin training. But there is reason to rejoice today. Bruce is away. I heard him and Talia arguing from my bedroom last night. Followed by bunch of "How could she be so reckless" and "Does she know what she's done." Then he opens my door announces he's going to be gone for a few days and leaves. So my grounding is still effect but my training is on hold and I'm not complaining.
I get some turkey salad from the fridge make me a sandwich; grab a couple of chocolate chip and walnut cookies and a tall glass of milk and head up to my room. Oh yeah did I forget to mention that Alfred is gone for the day. I got the mansion to myself.
"I'm king of the world!" I proclaimed as I opened my bedroom door.
"You want to keep it down king of the world." Richard replied relaxing on my bed. In case you forgot Richard six foot three, Olympic level build, dark hair, blue eyes and million-dollar smile. I might not be exaggerating; you should see our dental bills.
"I hope you're going fix the bed when you get up. You know how Alfred is" I said sitting at my desk with my snack.
"I know. I will." He said. "Now hurry up and eat we got places to be."
"Where are we supposed to be?" I asked sensing my long desired nap slipping away.
"Training." He said and my nap waved good bye as it flew over the horizon. "The Boss called from the jet. The call originated over the Indian Ocean, Ra's al Ghul?"
"Talia." I replied
"That's worse." He replied. We'd have to wait a few years find out how much worse. Suffice to say that my days as the baby of the family were numbered. "You got fifteen minutes and then meet me in the basement."
Twenty minutes later I'm walking out of the armory suited up.
"You're late." Nightwing said leaned against the Bat-mobile.
To call the Bat-mobile a car is like saying that thing on Hal's finger is just a ring. First it's really a main battle tank masquerading as a car. It's powered by a KORD MKII Pocket Turbine engine. Add to that the Wayne-Tech ECM/Cyber warfare and surveillance suite enhanced by a bat symbol shaped, internally launched UAV. Then the variable suspension coupled with terrain adaptable tires composed of semi-unstable molecules. Plus, the armor and weapon systems were designed by, you guessed it, Stark Solutions. Bruce pretty much let Tony go wild but nixed the flight modification like the ones on the S.H.E.I.L.D. cars and trucks. Although Bruce couldn't prove it, he suspected Tony put it in any way. So to sum it up the Bat-mobile is a seven-million-dollar piece of military hardware able to lay waste to whole city blocks and…
"I want to drive." I said as I walked toward him.
"Sure." He replied much to my surprise. "Get in."
Nightwing stepped to the side as the canopy slid back.
"Really?"
"Sure." He said again. "Hurry up. We're running late."
"Sweet." I hop in and the seat automatically adjusts for me. I grab the steering wheel which looks and feels closer to the yoke of an air craft. The wrap around jet black dash has ten gauges, sixteen switches of varying sizes, two twelve by twelve touch screens in the center council and a heads up display. I know what they all do…in theory. Then I look up at him. "Are you going to give me some pointers or something?"
"Nah, you got this." He said with look of glee in his eyes. I assumed it was because we doing something we weren't supposed to. If you have a brother, then you know what I'm talking about. This wasn't that though.
"Yeah, you're right." I replied. I was almost giddy. The Bat-mobile can be voice activated or believe it or not it has a red "start" button in center counsel. I push it and the machine roared to life then it immediately cut off.
"Peter if you're hearing this you disobeyed my direct order." Batman said over the cockpit speakers. "Consider yourself grounded for a week. In the event you are already grounded add another two weeks. Peter if you're hearing this you disobeyed my direct order. Consider yourself grounded for a week. In the event you are already grounded add another two weeks. Peter…"
"It's going to keep doing that till you get out." Nightwing interrupted.
"Fine, whatever." I replied jumping out. As soon as my but left the seat the recording went silent.
"Can we go now?" Nightwing said motion over to the passenger seat. That glee in his eyes was the one you get when you know your brother is about to get in trouble for doing something stupid.
"You knew." I said strapping in and shooting him eye-daggers.
"You're not the only teenage boy to live in this house." Nightwing replied as we shot down the tunnel out the cave. "Batman knows how alluring the car can be. You didn't think there'd be safeguards?"
"Sounds like I'm not the only one."
"Hey at least I had an excuse, I was Robin." He said.
"Well you know that I'm going to get you back for this." I declare.
"You will try." He replied. "You can take that off if you want. I don't know how you breathe in that thing."
"It's not bad." I reply pulling off my mask. "Tony invented this new material. I could explain it to you."
"No need. I get it Stark is a genius everybody loves him." He replied sarcastically.
"You're not mad that Barbara took his offer to manage the Stark Solutions Keystone City branch are you?"
"What?" he said. "No why would I be mad about that?"
"I don't know." I reply. "You chose Kori so…"
"So I shouldn't feel some kind of way because Barbara left Gotham." He exhaled.
"Unless you think you made the wrong decision." I suggested.
"I guess a part of me will always love Babs but I'm in love with Kori." He replied. "You get that right?"
"Hey, don't look at me." I reply. "I've decided that I'm never falling in love again. It's way too risky."
"So says the guy that wants to face super villains."
"I'll take a fractured skull and some stitches over heart ache any day." I reply as I turned away from him to watch the city slide past the window.
"I hear you." He replied in a tone he hadn't used with me before. The one reserved for Wally and Roy.
"Did you know that there's a Danger Room in the old Hall of Justice?" I asked off hand.
"There is not." Night wing responded.
"I was there." I stated. "You seriously didn't know?"
"Nope." He said flatly. "I must be one of those member's only secrets."
"Wally's a member." I remind him. "He didn't tell you?"
"I bet he doesn't know. I don't think he's even read the membership book." He replied. "Between you and me Pete, he may be the fastest man alive but he's been slow adapting being in the League."
"Well it's only been a year." I reply. "And his business was expanding when he was called up. Give him time."
"I guess." He said. "It's hard seeing him unsure of himself. He was a rock when he was a Titan."
"I know how you feel." I said.
"You do?"
"Yeah, I felt the same way looking at you take over for Bruce when he was recovering from Bane."
He's silent for a few minutes. When I turn back to him he has the "look". The one that says his mind is doing some deep processing; it's a few minutes more before he spoke.
"I always wanted to be Batman." He said finally. "But until you put on the cowl you don't really know what it's like to take your mentor's mantle. There's just too much weight that comes with it. I hadn't considered that until you reminded me. I guess I can cut Wally some slack. It must be rough filling Barry's spot."
Sometime my big brother can be really dense. I exhale realizing I'll have to explain it to him.
"That's not it. Wally isn't like the rest of you." I began. "All of you changed your side-kick names. You became Nightwing, Roy to Arsenal, and Donna to Troia. While you all forged new identities Wally was always Kid-Flash. It was natural for him to become the Flash."
"So he really is just adjusting to being called up?" Nightwing replied.
"Yeah."
"I get it."
"Now you were just too scared of failing to be an effective Batman." I added.
"What?"
You know a wise man would have understood Nightwing heard me perfectly well. A wise man would have understood his brother was really opening up to him like friend not only a kid sibling. A wise man would have known this wasn't the time to give psychological critiques. I'm not a wise man, I was just a stupid teenager but I should've known better.
So needless to say I said it again adding even more observations. Even with his eyes hidden behind a black domino mask I could tell I hurt him. I guess until that moment I didn't realize I had the capacity to do that. He and Bruce have always been somewhat larger than life despite being my dad and brother. I didn't see them as having feelings like regular mortals. I'm happy to say that's a mistake I wouldn't repeat again
"Got'cha." I said pleading with my eyes.
He looked away from the road to me measuring with his gaze. Then he looked back shaking his head.
"Touché." He said with a smirk. "Gotta tell you, there're things you shouldn't joke about. You've got a lot to learn about boundaries Pete. That was not an easy time."
"I'm sorry." I replied.
"Don't sweat it." He said. "I forget you're still my kid brother."
I smile. I was relegated to the brother zone again but I'll make up there with Wally and Roy one day.
"So where are going anyway?"