Well not everyone's in the loop here, and sometimes it backfires. Brief scene with Selina (man I wish I had more scenes with her!) and Dickybird officially gets a new name. Enjoy!

Dick-16/17 Jason-13 Cass-11/12 Tim-9 Damian-3

Sacrifice

11 – Search Contributions

Dick just stared blankly off into the darkness, letting his misery seep into the stones around him. Too exhausted to resist, no will to fight. He knew he was breaking, but he didn't know what else to do. His treatment was getting worse when he wasn't training. He was treated well then, as well as a soldier in training that is. But whenever his master was displeased…

Closing his eyes for a moment, he searched his memories for something to warm him inside. The darkness encouraged images of the batcave in his mind, and his happiest of late involved everyone wearing Bruce's cowls and just hanging out, imitating the mysterious Batman. Damian looked so cute as a miniature dark knight and his other siblings seemed to walk with ease in the Kevlar and Nomex capes while he felt it threw off his balance. Bruce paraded in just the cape and cowl as well, and they got Superman to wear it too. He still had that snapshot. Even sent it as a mysterious email to Barry's nephew for kicks. Wound up on several League fan websites.

Proof Batman still existed, and was friends with Superman.

Bruce begrudgingly let it go, after the third time it was put on the websites. It wasn't a bad picture anyway. And it always made people smile. 'Maybe we can make a SuperBat doll sometime,' he thought lazily. It was a good distraction if only for a moment.

His thoughts were broken though when the door opened and fresh clothes were tossed onto him. A noonday light poured into the room, barely bearable with Slade's shadow in the doorway. "Get dressed Renegade. You have drills after you've eaten."

'Renegade?' Dick dumbly nodded, not saying a thing as he got dressed and left the dark cooler. A new name was worth the trade of open skies, clothes, and the promise of food.

Selina sipped her midday coffee at the nice little café she found in Ivy Town. A college town with only one hero and he wasn't much. Her search for answers about those cellphones led her there. One snitch she managed to corner in Star said the buyer for the burners' friend mentioned it in passing, getting directions really. This was their next stop. It was the one thing she had solid to go by so far, and confirming to Bruce this was a two man operation was a major leap for them. It had been well over two months since Dick's disappearance and other than a single sign the boy was alive a month ago, they really didn't have anything else to go by.

Two guys, one people were scared to talk about while the other seemed to be okay. Possibly a civilian friend. They took burner phones, scattered them in deposit boxes across the US with preprogramed patterns to hide their location, and then went to Ivy. What for, she didn't know. Other than the college, there really wasn't much to this place. It'd take her a while to get into the darker circles of this place (probably all drug dealers or small timers considering who lived there), but once she was in, they'd find out more about Mr. Napper's plans.

Problem was keeping busy until nightfall. College towns…

Jason tried to act like a cool cucumber while he waited in police holding. Cool for a thirteen year old who really should be in class right then that is. He didn't break the law per say, just wasn't where he was supposed to be. And ended up walking into a sting operation on accident. At least he wasn't being charged. He really didn't want a juvie record.

"You know," Bruce started as he came into view, a contained frustration in his face, "the call I was expecting about you was supposed to be from your school principal, not a police lieutenant."

"Seriously? You were expecting me to get into trouble?" Jason rolled his eyes, shaking his head. No wonder Dick and he fought so much. No trust.

"You do have a tendency to act out." He sighed heavily, making his point. "I was expecting the things said at school to eventually make you so mad you'd lash out and break a few bones. Suspension for a week, probation for a month, a few lawsuits…" The man shook his head smirking slightly. "Frankly, ditching school and ending up in Crime Alley during a sting operation wasn't anywhere near my expectations. And a much better result than I first anticipated."

A cop came forward, unlocking the cell but jerked back in surprise when Bruce Wayne strode in and sat by his son instead of just taking him way. Even the trouble maker was surprised by his father's actions. "At least I don't have to call a lawyer. Thank you for that."

"You're welcome, and don't count me out on those fights." He grinned impishly, hiding his anxiety for the punishment and lecture he was inevitably going to get. "They just haven't caught me yet."

"Should I be looking for bodies?"

"Nah, not yet. Maybe next week?" He gave a sheepish smile to him, hoping to keep the conversation as light as possible. Didn't help that someone else's parents had just crossed their sight, enraged they were at the precinct as well. Jason looked down and away guiltily as an older teenage boy was dragged by his ear by them, wincing and begging for mercy as they noisily made it past them. Lots of angry yelling about responsibility, ditching, shaming the family, recklessness, followed in their wake.

"I was looking for my friend!" the teen objected in his defense.

"Real friends wouldn't need to be found!"

"You don't know anything about him!"

"Travis! That boy is nothing but a disreputable, good for nothing, runa—"

"Dick isn't a runaway!" That exclamation as he was dragged out the door caught Bruce's full attention. "He wouldn't abandon his friends! He wouldn't leave—"

The door shut behind them, stopping all sound. The CEO looked at the door for a moment, things clicking in place. Pointing at the door, "Who was that?"

"Travis Murdock. One of Dick's friends." The boy kept his eyes on the floor, controlling his voice best he could. His scheme was up.

"Were the two of you together?" Jason nodded mutely. "What were you doing? You wouldn't ditch school to hang out in Crime Alley and I don't think the Murdocks would ever go there." The teen shifted in his seat a bit not looking at him. Bruce's eyes narrowed slightly. "Jason…"

"We were looking for Dick." He pulled his knees under his chin and held onto his legs, still looking at the floor. "We've been looking for any sign of him on the streets for weeks, ditching two classes at a time and making it back before anyone was the wiser. We haven't had much luck."

The man looked over his son, realizing this was partly his fault. Bruce hadn't talked about what he had learned about Dick's case lately. Rather, he kept all the information under lock and key. He didn't want to raise any more false hopes. Telling them there was progress about all the encouragement he gave his family. He really hated disappointing his children, and for the most part telling Damian he'd be back soon and the others that he would get him back was all they needed. But in Jason's case it seemed to have backfired.

"You wouldn't." Jason jerked around to look at his dad, surprise in his eyes. The man gave him a knowing look before clapping his back. "Let's get to the car. Alfred and Damian can't wait forever and he's worried about you too."

The teen nodded emphatically, leaping out of his seat and near running out the door in order to hear more. Thankfully Bruce had taken care of all the paperwork before seeing his boy, so only the only thing stopping them from leaving were the police caught somewhere between them and the door. A teenager running out of holding didn't normally mean anything good, so of course they reacted badly. One tried to grab him only to be evaded and tripped over his own feet.

The man shook his head, following quickly. "Jason, slow down! They'll think you're a fugitive!"

"Hurry up! I want dinner!" That short banter calmed the cops down, getting out of the way if they were paying attention. And in no time the duo were outside, nearly to the car waiting for them. Jason turned to face his dad before entering, glaring slightly. "What do you mean by 'I wouldn't'? Do you know something?"

"Quite a bit. Inside." He guided the teen into the vehicle, buckling himself in seconds after before nodding to Alfred. "Back to the office I think. I'll call the school and tell them you had a bout of food poisoning and that you wandered away to Leslie's for treatment in a dazed state. That'll take care of them."

"If you insist sir." Alfred's slight disapproval for the idea was evident in his tone as he turned the car back on and took off to rejoin traffic.

"So I'm not in trouble?" His jaw nearly dropped at the concept. Jason never got away with breaking school rules before, if he was caught.

"You're still in trouble," Bruce insisted, "but you're still going to school. The last thing we need is rumors of you being a juvenile delinquent. It'll only make those accusations people make more pliable. You're cleaning the cave, no questions. And don't even think about touching the cars. I learned from last time."

"Fine fine." The white locked youth waved it off, more eager to hear something else. Yes he was in trouble, probably grounded, but other things were far more important than that. "So what do you know? Where's Dick? What can I tell people?"

"You can't tell them anything." Before the boy could object, his father raised a hand to silence him. "We only have conjectures off of a few pieces of evidence, that's all. And none of it is in the police or FBI's hands. Saying anything now when all our clues were found in obscure places by the League would only tip off whoever took him.

"What we do know is that Dick is alive. He was kidnapped by an influential man with power in the underworld. Selina still can't get a name. She confirmed there's an accomplice though, likely traveling with them. They're mobile for the most part, having gone through Smallville in a U-Haul. That's where Dick left us proof of life, scratching his R into a bathroom stall door."

Jason laughed, some relief coming to his face. That was such a Dick thing to do. He saw a locker with that R in it at school and inside a couple stalls at school. The guy left his mark when he could. Bruce didn't know about that habit, at least until now. The man's lips twitched as well. "He left a small note there as well, but it was well hidden and didn't give out any details, probably in case it was discovered by his captor. I'll show it to you when we get home. Maybe you'll see something I didn't. I'll even let you listen to the testimonial of the clerk who saw him."

"When was this?"

"About a month ago."

"Why didn't you tell us?!" If they weren't in a car, Jason would have leapt to his feet, enraged. They'd waited near two months for anything, and now he was telling him they had proof Dick was alive for nearly half that time?

"Because it hasn't led us anywhere yet and the note was addressed to Cassandra. A birthday note." Bruce's firm voice and face told the boy to settle back down. Damian was startled from his nap in the car and was starting to fuss. He may not understand everything that's happening around him, but he could tell when others were angry, and that upset him. He took a deep breath before continuing, keeping his voice level. "Once we've deciphered whatever clue Dick left behind, I'll give it to her. I'll explain everything once I have something concrete and can promise his return. You know how badly Tim is handling this. He'll expect an immediate rescue after every little bit of information, some grand escape, but I can't give him that. I can't even promise it to myself. Better to hold back and come forward with everything once we have something concrete.

"Jason," he looked into his second eldest son's eyes, trying to show his own tortured feelings over this whole fiasco as he spoke, "we're doing all we can. The League's constantly on alert. After finding the etching, Flash checked every public stall in Central and Keystone on the off chance of there being another one. Superman did the same in Metropolis. Everyone's looking."

"Then why haven't they found him?!" The Justice League could do anything. Batman was the world's greatest detective. And yet Dick was still missing. The faith he had in heroes was starting to diminish. "Where is he?! Why are they still fighting aliens and giant robots and talking gorillas when he's not here?!"

Bruce massaged his brow, exhaustion adding to the tension headache he kept having. A finger brushed under his eye, removing the concealer he used to hide his physical exhaustion. "Because the world keeps turning and the criminals keep scheming. No matter who's missing in our personal lives. Dick knew this. Back when you were in shock he stepped up and did part of my job for me. He and Kent reminded me over and over again that just because something bad happened to someone I cared about doesn't stop bad things from happening to others. And the League has a duty to the world."

"Keep calm and carry on," Alfred quoted from the driver's seat.

"Exactly. Jason," he leaned forward, looking tiredly into his son's eyes. Damian had quieted and the teen was holding back his raging emotions. He could tell how worn his father was from all of this. "I didn't tell you because I knew you and the others would want what we can't deliver, not yet at least. Despite appearances, we're all mortals who make mistakes and can't grant wishes. We're all investigating from different angles but have other things to do in the meantime. Looking at the case with fresh eyes helps bring clues into a clearer light, but it takes time.

"One false step and we may not ever see him again." He let those words hang in the air and seep into the teenager's head. Jason had to know what was at risk. He could tell from the boy's expression that he was seeing how much of a toll it was taking on his old man. "Do you see why I haven't said anything until now?"

Slowly the teen nodded, some guilt appearing on his face. He looked down and away, frowning to himself. His father sighed heavily. "I'll let you look over everything we have, but until we have a name or a location or even a route he was taken down, I don't want you telling anyone anything. Finding those cameras tipped off the kidnappers already. I don't want them to get spooked any more unless we can herd them to friendly territory. Understood?"

Again the boy nodded, looking further away. As good as it was to be part of a secret and the investigation, he really didn't like how this was going. And his dad could tell. "Jason…"

"I get it, I really do." He leaned his head against the cool glass, watching traffic. "I just don't like it."

"Neither do I." Bruce leaned back in his seat, exhausted and worn, but unable to rest. Alfred had tried to slip him sleeping pills and Jasmine teas to get him to sleep. Neither had worked. At least not to the point where he could actually rest. He doubted that would come until things were settled. "But it's necessary, for now."

"So's a two-by-four," Jason murmured lowly, talking to himself.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

The man decided to let it slight, rubbing his eyes again. It was hard to keep them open. "I'll cover for you this one time, but no more ditching. And I don't want to hear from the principal about fights or missing classes, is that clear?"

"Mhm." The teen kept looking out the window, lost in thought. His brother was missing, his dad was exhausted from searching, they only had so much, and the other three weren't handling it well. Tim was taking it the hardest due to his age and that Dick was his favorite brother. Hell, he was everyone's favorite! Even his. Well, Cass liked Jason and Tim probably a little more, but Dick was clearly what kept his family together for so long. If Damian wasn't three and knew what had happened, he'd be balling his eyes out. In the end they all needed him.

Part of him wondered if his dad was this worn out when Joker…

"Jason, please." The man regained his attention, looking straight into his jade eyes. "Promise me you'll stop ditching classes and you won't start fights."

"Alright, I'll stop ditching. You won't hear anything from the principal, you or Alfred." His father nodded, satisfied. Man he looked tired. Thinking back a year, Jason recalled how he looked right after he recovered from his shocked state. Worn more emotionally than physically. He'd be jealous if the circumstances weren't so far different. But now he was in the same position Dick was back then. How had that guy handled it?

A/N: Jason's 2by4 comment was him thinking about hitting Bruce over the head and knocking him out for a few hours. B's really taking this a little too hard. Don't worry, someone will make sure he gets real sleep soon, an old friend of his with a magical touch. SO Jason's stepping up and trying to be a detective. He thought if he and one of Dick's friends (he was mentioned in Stalker) poked around the Gotham underground, they'd hear something. Dick is a high profile kidnapping after all, someone had to be talking. At least we know one of Dick's buddies are real and worried about him. and I guess here kinda starts Jay's 'Robin' days. =P and he has no idea how to handle it.

Selina's investigating thefts, and honestly, as smart as Slade may be, I don't think he made those nanoscopic probes. Lead expert would be Ray Palmer of Ivy Town, and the reason will be made clear later on. This is important all in all, but sadly unable to expand on this here. *sigh*

Yes, I made Dick Renegade. His mask will be the same as Renegade's too, which will unintentionally give him pulled back spiky hair. =P He's near the breaking point like Slade wants, but what happens after he breaks may not be what he wants. *evil laugh* Also his little 'hallucination' is actually a trick I made for when I was confined with scenarios I didn't want to be in (no not isolation, mostly just boring or intimidating lectures I didn't need). He put his mind somewhere else. It's a reference to 'Battle of the Cowls', and tells you what happened to that photo at the end. Wally now has it and still doesn't now how on earth he got it. Barry loves it.

Anywho, back to your regularly scheduled saturday. Laundry calls me.