It was the third day since Batman's disappearance and so far the city had not yet exploded.
Fortunately Gotham had not noticed the Dark Knight's absence, and Dick thanked every deity in existence, although deep down he knew that sooner or later someone would notice it.
And then it would be serious trouble.
Regardless, they had been waiting in the Batcave for some time now for the results of the mystery gun.
As he performed his usual workout routine on the trapezes, he looked at his family, all dressed in their vigilante clothes except for the mask.
Robin and Red Hood were facing each other in a tough training fight.
The first even had his favorite katana but the acrobat was supremely confident that the lesser would never willingly hurt the second Robin.
Black Canary, Spoiler, and Red Robin were talking quietly with each other while playing cards.
Fortunately without money otherwise Tim would have become rich.
Batwoman and Black Bat were monitoring Arkham Asylum hoping that no super-villains would get out of the asylum.
Finally Alfred was watching all of them from the top of the stairs.
This is his family, even though the most important person was missing.
Batman.
Before sadness could hit him hard, the Batcomputer made a noise getting everyone's attention.
There was a moment of silence before everyone crowded in front of the computer. There was yelling, pushing and swearing (which for once Alfred ignored).
Nightwing sighed before letting out a loud whistle, bringing silence back to the cave.
Ignoring the mess of bats hanging on the ceiling from too much noise, he headed for the computer.
Unconsciously everyone stepped aside to allow him the way. The only one who noticed him was Alfred with a small, omniscient smile.
Typing quickly, the elder Wayne opened the file on the gun. He took a quick glance at the file and turned to the family. He crossed his arms behind his back and began to speak evenly.
"According to the results the gun is actually capable of instantly moving matter and atoms of a human being from one place to another-"
"So nothing new!" a furious Red Hood interrupted him.
"If you would just let him finish talking, Hood!" grimly looked at him Robin.
"Keep calm boys or I won't share any more information with you." the major seriously threatened them.
The two remained silent.
"As I was saying, however, there is one essential innovation. The gun does not have a range that goes beyond the Earth. In other words, it is strictly limited to our planet."
"Then where the hell did Bruce go?" exclaimed Stephanie, raising her arms in the air in frustration. She cast a small apologetic glance at Alfred when he gave her a reproachful look.
An idea slowly began to form in Tim's brain. "Nononono." he muttered slightly fearful.
"What's going on Tim?" asked Cass carefully.
He ignored her and turned to Alfred. "Alfred, could you please bring me a useless item we don't need?"
The butler was not surprised by the young man's strange request and nodded before disappearing into the manor.
"What is going through that brain, Tim?" asked Kate.
"I don't want to tell you anything yet, it's just a supposition. But in case it turns out to be true, then we are really fucked." he declared seriously putting everyone on extreme alert.
A minute later Alfred came down and handed the second youngest a pencil. Tim thanked him and turned to Dick. "I need the gun."
He nodded and went to get it. About thirty seconds later he returned and handed it to his little brother.
"Good. Dick, I need you to set precise coordinates on the application on Christopher's computer. You can find it in the evidence area."
When he returned Dick had the aforementioned laptop. He stretched out his arms causing some joints to crack and began typing. A minute later he turned to his little brother. "I set the coordinates. Destination: rooftop of Wayne Enterprises."
Timothy nodded. He placed the pencil on the ground and took a deep breath as he pointed the gun at it.
The whole family, who seemed to understand the plan, circled around him at a good distance so as not to risk any of them being accidentally shot.
Tim pulled the trigger.
A laser beam was fired from the weapon and flawlessly hit the pencil.
Immediately a white light filled the cave disturbing the bats a second time but they all ignored the noise.
When the light vanished so was the pencil.
Without saying a word Dick sat down in front of the Batcomputer and began to type.
Richard used the space satellites as a means of observation and immediately a viewing window of Gotham from above opened. He moved the view until he could see the roof of the billionaire company and zoomed in.
There, on the roof, was the pencil.
"At least we are sure that it works." Dinah spoke, breaking the silence that had been created.
"Sure, but how would that help us?" asked Dick.
Everyone turned to Tim only to see him nervously biting his lip.
"Do you want to explain why you seem so nervous Drake?"
He took a deep breath and everyone noticed how shaky he was.
They were already sure that whatever he said would not be good news.
Not at all.
"I have two theories, both of which are based on our one clue."
"Clue? What clue?" asked Steph.
"The clue is that when the gun hit Bruce, no coordinates were set on the computer. So I have two theories, one worse than the other."
"Go ahead and shoot. It can't get much worse than that." Jason shrugged as everyone looked at him. "What? That' true."
"My first theory is that since the coordinates of where to teleport to were not set, Bruce could have ended up in the past or the future or, if we really want to exaggerate, in another universe. I'm pretty sure the multiverse theory is true."
"Is this the best or worst theory?" asked Cass tremblingly.
"Better." he replied impassively. He cleared his throat and continued his speech. "The alternative is that instead of teleporting him, the gun completely destroyed every particle of matter that Bruce is made of since no coordinates were set for teleportation."
There was an incredulous silence in the cavern.
"Shit. I was so wrong." muttered Jason.
"Is it also possible for the gun to be able to destroy the matter of a human being?" asked Dinah, still stunned.
"Just as it is able to teleport it might also be able to destroy it. And let's remember that the gun had never been tested before and that the one fired on Bruce was the first and true 'test'."
There was a growl and everyone turned to see Dick just in time hit a cave wall causing a dent.
"Sometimes I forget how strong that man actually is." gasped Kate slightly.
Dick ignored her and turned his undivided attention to Tim. The third Robin could glimpse a variety of emotions behind his brother's eyes but the one that prevailed was fear and he felt slightly guilty for not being able to report the slightest bit of good news.
"Are you absolutely sure these are the only two options as to what might have happened to Bruce?" his voice was somewhat calm despite the angry episode that had occurred seconds earlier.
Tim closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again and nodding slowly.
"What do you suggest we do, Master Dick?"
The major began to ponder with a somber expression before his shoulders slumped. "I think it's time to schedule an emergency meeting with the Justice League."
He expected his family, especially his brothers, to protest the idea since Bats rarely asked the Justice League for help. Instead he was surprised when he received several nods from the head, though reluctant ones.
He cast a glance at his watch and noticed that it was patrol time.
"You can start the patrol without me. In the meantime, I will call a meeting limited to a certain number of League members. I will join you later." pause "If I survive a sleep-deprived Wonder Woman."
With understanding grimaces and a little reassurance and a gentle kiss on the cheek from Dinah, his family left for patrol.
He took a deep breath and pressed the call button that would connect him with both Superman and Wonder Woman.
He waited a few seconds before the Batcomputer screen showed two of the three founding members of the League.
"You know Batman, unlike you, there are people getting ready for bed at this hour." Wonder Woman complained as she crinkled her eyes.
Superman looked at the person on the other side of the screen as if he did not believe what he was looking at. "Nightwing?" he called uncertainly.
Immediately the Amazon straightened up, completely focused. " Di-Nightwing?"
He smiled embarrassed. "Hey, uncle Clark. Mom. Sorry about the time but it's extremely important."
"What happened?" asked the hero of Metropolis getting right to the point.
"I know it might be too much but I would like to call a strongly limited emergency meeting."
"It must be really important if you want to call a meeting at 10:30 at night." Diana looked at him carefully and noticed that although her son was on the surface calm, inside he was a storm.
Even Superman had to notice this as he offered a small smile "Well, tell me who you want me to have to attend."
"The founding members of the League plus Green Arrow. I know Aquaman has his duties as King of Atlantis and for that, Superman, you will communicate a summary of the meeting to him while the others are needed. I also request the presence of Zatanna."
Dick knew that although Bruce denied it every time, his best friends were Diana and Clark with Barry, Hal and Oliver close by, so the latter three had to be there.
Superman nodded. "Good." he hesitated before asking a question. "Dick, is this about Bruce?"
He raised an eyebrow. "How can you say it's about him?"
"Because I highly doubt that he would give you permission to call an emergency meeting with the League at this time. Besides, I don't see him anywhere, although that's a normal fact." the Princess of Themiscyra muttered the last part more to herself than to others.
"I would have said I had heard some whispers about Batman but yes, that too." Clark added.
Dick opened his eyes wide and leaned closer to the monitor as if to hear better. "Whispers? What kind?" when the Kryptonian hesitated Richard gritted his teeth. "It's important Clark!" he exclaimed raising his voice slightly.
The two founding members gasped a little. Dick rarely raised his voice to them and it was beginning to worry them more and more.
"With my super hearing I heard how some people were talking about how Batman hasn't been spotted in the last few days there in Gotham but I didn't think much about it." he admitted embarrassedly.
Diana saw a flash of fear pass over her son's face before he disappeared just as quickly as he had appeared. That was enough to send alarm bells ringing through her.
Dick was not afraid of anything. His only fear was of losing the people he loved. He was not afraid of death at all, or at least he had little fear of it.
Her warrior training allowed her to admire him for that (although she had admired him for a thousand other qualities of his since she first saw him), even if they went against her maternal instincts.
The first Robin muttered an expletive and he could feel Alfred's disapproving look on the back of his head. He turned and gave him a quick apologetic smile before he refocused on the people on the screen.
"So? Can you do me this favor?"
"Sure. Would twenty-five minutes on the Watchtower be okay?" asked Superman.
"Sure. I'll see you later. Mom, uncle Clark." he gave them one last smile before ending the call.
He brought a hand to his earpiece. "Oracle, put me through to the entire Batfamily."
"It will be done." came Barbara's short, terse reply.
"Any news, big brother?" asked Black Bat.
"Yes, a good one and a bad one."
"First the good one." asserted Batwoman.
"The meeting with the League was successfully received."
"Good, at least it's better than nothing. And the bad?" asked Red Robin.
"The bad is that the news about Batman's disappearance got all the way to Metropolis and I assume it started in Gotham, so that's not a good sign at all."
"I was aware of that, Dickhead. It hasn't even been ten minutes and I've already stopped three attempted rapes and a stupid six-man gang." grunted Red Hood annoyed.
"And I've already gutted two robberies." asserted Black Canary dryly.
"Fuck -sorry agent A but it was necessary- crimes are already increasing."
"I hope the League is able to help us out otherwise we're in trouble to the core." said Spoiler.
"In the meantime that I have to wait twenty-five minutes I'll keep a close eye on Arkham Asylum and let you know if any of those lunatics escape. I just hope that doesn't happen because, really, I don't need their madness right now."
Murmurs of agreement came, and Dick closed his earpiece.
He walked to a small table and put on his mask.
He resumed walking until he stopped in front of Alfred.
"I just hope the League can find a way to find Bruce." he murmured distractedly.
"So do I, Master Dick. So do I."