My apologies for taking so long to update. My mind simply blanked whenever I tried pushing to finish this story...so I stopped trying and it slowly started to fill again. One BIG reason I'm able to post this is because of the generous encouragement and help from my BB Bud, Marns also known as Bumpkin. If you end up enjoying this chapter, be sure to give her half the credit!
STUMBLING TOWARDS DESTINY
Part Three
"Ms. Gibson?"
Longtime WayneTech receptionist, Nadine, stopped Max on her way to Terry's office. The uncharacteristic flustered expression on the older woman's face triggered concern in Max.
"A problem Nadine?"
"Well, I'm not sure. I just thought I should warn you--Mr. McGinnis is acting strangely this morning."
"Why do you say that?" The query came out calm, but Max's thoughts were heading in another direction. What now? There had been plenty of mornings she'd seen him nursing a hangover, but would he actually have -come- to work drunk?
"This is going to sound silly, but..." she touched manicured fingers to her lips nervously and glanced at Terry's office door. "He said 'good morning' to me and...." Leaning towards Max she finished in an awed murmur. "Actually smiled."
From the shock Nadine was showing, Max thought she might have been telling her that the sun had rose in the west instead of the east this morning. Keeping relief and amusement to a smile Max answered,
"Let's assume it's a good sign. Nevertheless, I'll be extra careful going in."
Nadine nodded encouragement and crossed her legs and fingers as she watched Max enter the office.
Max felt a mixture of dread and excitement as she stepped into the room. It had been two days apart since she and Terry had---been together. Time enough to run everything that had happened through her mind until it had become a jumbled mess of emotionally charged issues. It was wrong. It was right. It was inevitable. I should have stopped it. He needed me. He could have found someone else. But... I love him. Oh...okay. So... what about Travis? What about the future? What if Terry expects-- Stop!
She angrily shook the thoughts away. Just concentrate on the job you're here to do. Keep emotions out of it. You're a 'first level technical assistant' (She smirked at the stilted title. Bruce's idea.) You're a professional. Act like it.
The hard-won mindset was flung into oblivion as she was grabbed suddenly from her right and pulled against a hard male body. Very hard....ohh.
A flash of white teeth in a bearded face and laughing blue eyes was all she saw before soft exploring lips and tongue locked with her own. Mindless, pleasured sensation left her weak-kneed and clinging to business suit covered, muscle padded shoulders.
"Terr..." Max inhaled a desperate gulp of air and pushed away to gain the return of her wits. Why was she letting him do this to her? "You shouldn't..." She exhaled, struggling to find words to finish her train of thought.
"Shouldn't what?" He grinned, enjoying the sight of the stoic Max Gibson all flustered. "Grab you? Kiss you?" Impatient hands reached out to caress along her arms. "Make wild passionate love to you like I really..." his voice got husky. "... really want to do right now?"
"Um... no...you..." she disentangled her arms from his. "You don't want to do that."
"Umm...yes I do," he murmured, seduction in his tone.
"Damn." Max muttered, a hand going up to shield her eyes. He was sending her his patented 'look' at heart-melting intensity. Why couldn't he have Bruce's 'look'? It was so much easier dealing with disgust than desire.
"What's wrong Max?"
"This, I... wasn't expecting this."
"After what happened I thought maybe..." The grim look on her face made him abandon speaking the rest of his thought. She was shaking her head.
"I've been thinking too, but this isn't the time or place to discuss it."
"You left before we had a chance to talk. I just wanted--"
"Terry," the tautness of anger filled Max's voice. "I don't wa--"
"Okay." He backed off, becoming all businesslike. "I can wait. But just know this. What happened between us has changed everything for me. Whether you feel the same or not won't affect that."
Blocking her riled emotions, Max forced herself to observe him objectively. There was something different about him and it was more than the lively, clear eyes fixed in her direction. Eyes that were usually clouded and unfocused from not having completely recovered from a weekend of boozing. There was a different aura around him. No. Not different. More like--Terry's old aura returned and--enhanced by anticipation and excitement and--hope? All that because of--
"Max?"
"Huh?"
"You're staring. Do I have something gross stuck in my beard?" He swept fingers through chin hair then looked for residue on the hand.
"Ah--no--" Max blinked and shook her head a little to force contemplation away. "You-- It looks fine."
Terry smiled. It slowly pulled up the contours of his handsome face and drew her gaze naturally to his eyes which were filled with warmth and knowing and tender emotion---all just for her?
That's when she became scared.
She didn't want to be responsible for his happiness and she didn't like knowing that being in his life was the only thing that made her feel complete. It wasn't right!
Max scowled and huffed loudly, "I think we have more important things to do besides standing here like idiots. How about we get to work."
Terry watched as she stalked past him to take her usual seat beside his desk. He frowned. Though he hadn't expected her to get all mushy over him, he had hoped she would be more amiable to his advances considering what they had experienced together.
He shrugged inwardly. She probably needed more time. The ice had broken between them, but it may take awhile before she'd melt in his arms. Heh. He just had to be patient. He'd waited this long for her, he could wait a little longer.
Despite the sight of Max's crossed leg jerking an irritated rhythm , he was determined to make this an all-around good day for both of them. Summoning the return of his happy mood, Terry walked to his desk.
"Elusive Phenom Chased by Suicidal Seekers! Look inside to see exclusive footage caught by determined chaser before he collapses--another victim of the horrendous entity laying waste to Gotham!"
Barbara tossed the paper aside and flopped back in her chair with an exasperated sigh. The pictures in the entertainment tabloid were nothing but blurs, useless for revealing clues of the nature of the phenom. The fact that she even looked was a sign of how desperate she had become to find an answer. There was no escape from the 'horrendous entity' that was encompassing every waking moment of her existence. Even if she could isolate herself off-duty in her own home, her mind wouldn't let her.
"What's wrong hon?" her attentive husband queried where he sat nearby reading. "Fiction getting too close to fact?"
She frowned as she faced him, "We've been getting reports of lights in the sky now wherever the phenom hits. So, what do lights have to do with people dropping and dying from getting too weak?"
Her mate was a practical man, experienced in dealing with manmade laws and the people who had a hard time abiding by them. Sam was not inclined towards scientific theorizing, satisfied that his faith was answer enough for understanding the physical world he existed in. After many years of marriage Barbara was aware of this, so she didn't really expect an answer from him. She just wanted him to listen and that's one reason why she knew he truly loved her, because he always listened to her. Looking thoughtful he lifted his shoulders in a shrug she had never seen another human being do so eloquently and replied softly,
"I don't know."
"We've got scientific teams set-up and ready to go mobile in minutes after the effects of the phenom are noted, but it's usually gone by the time they get there. We can't know what it is and how to combat it until we have a chance to study it. Its frustrating Sam, and it's driving me crazy!"
He favored her with a sympathetic smile and went to stand behind her chair, his large hands kneading a relaxing rhythm into her tight shoulder muscles. Barbara expelled a relieved grunt at his touch and relaxed slowly from his ministrations. She couldn't help but grin at his reassuring tone and carefully chosen words,
"Crazy is one thing you will never be Barb. Obsessive-- yes. Dedicated to the point of martyrdom--sometimes. But losing touch with the marvelous complexity inside that beautiful head of yours--not a chance."
She felt a little teary eyed. His continued faith in her after all these years still left her amazed. She reached back to grip his hands where they lay on her shoulders,
"Have I told you lately how much I love you?"
Sam leaned over, pressing his cheek to hers, "I love you too."
He resumed the massaging, his tone taking on the gentle lecturing quality he used often in his career, "You're not in this alone you know."
"I know. I thought calling in outside help would have had an impact on the situation by now. Mostly all its done is tie our hands with more red tape."
"That's expected and I'm sure they've had more impact on the problem than you're giving them credit for."
"Maybe."
"Of course, working outside of standard procedure often produces more effective results. I've been thinking lately how unfortunate it is that your pointy-eared friend is no longer around. I'm sure you'll correct me if I'm wrong hon, but though you didn't always approve of his ways, I think you found his help useful at times."
Barbara craned her head around to stare at him. Not for the first time she wondered if he could read her mind because that's exactly what she had been thinking. Sam grinned innocently. She frowned and settled back in the chair admitting reluctantly, "Maybe...occasionally."
It wasn't the first time in the last few weeks that she wished Batman and his unconventional ways of investigating were still an option she could go to in situations like this. She knew Bruce, Tim and Max were doing their best to help, but without Terry in the suit it was like they were searching for answers without arms or legs to help explore possibilities. And the last verbal report she'd gotten from Tim on Terry's mental state indicated the young man had a long way to go to return to his past good-natured demeanor. Chances of him returning to the cowl were slim to none.
She let her body relax and her mind forget for a few minutes everything but the massaging touch of her loving husband's hands. Right now that was about the only thing that she could do.
Terry skillfully guided the car into a space between two other parked vehicles. He silenced the powerful engine and sat quietly staring out at the line of business signs lighting up the night that had descended on this particular Gotham street.
It had been almost two weeks since he last had a drink. He'd never forget the incident that gave him the motivation to stay away from the booze. Him and Max. Together. At last. Plus--she'd admitted she loved him. He had to acknowledge though, that something really was lost when he'd had to basically beg to get the revelation out of her.
He tried to dismiss the doubts he felt, didn't matter....or did it? Yeah-- Max had said she loved him, but she always had in some form or another since high school he realized belatedly. So why, now that things were all said and done, was she acting so weird around him? If he didn't know better he'd swear that it was almost as if she was afraid of him. Odd behavior from someone who'd said they loved you.
Terry looked around at the dingy street. Was that why he had come here? Because Max had him more confused than ever? Since that yawning hollow deep inside him that she had filled for a while felt empty again? Yeah, that could be it--that and the fact that nothing else had changed since then either. Work was still as aggravating as ever and the situation plaguing Gotham had gotten worse. Both, he knew, were partly because of him.
Terry physically shook himself to try flinging the negative emotions away. It didn't work.
He licked at dried lips, his mouth already salivating at what awaited him in the building across the street, gaudily flashing the name, "G.C.'s PUB HUB".
He'd just have one. Just one drink to help him relax and get his mind off of---things. Only one. With a nod of agreement to himself, Terry exited the car.
He ignored the tiny voice in the background asking---"Why do you need to come all the way over to this seedy neighborhood for just one drink when you could easily have gotten one at the office or at home or over at Howie's Place?
Another, less audible voice, answered with wry disgust-- "What! You think he wants anyone he knows seeing him drinking which we know will end up being more than one?"
An even smaller voice shouted out the helpful advice-- "Forget the alcohol! Have a banana instead!"
He scratched his head, 'Geez, how many other annoying voices were hiding in there? If he didn't really need a drink before, he had a good excuse now.'
He closed the car door. Leaning against it, he scanned the area with a practiced eye before pushing off to go inside the bar nearest to where he had parked. Another voice sounded in his mind and stopped him mid-stride. The word it spoke made his insides clench in surprise.
"Batman."
Now why would he be startled by a voice in his own head? Other than the fact there were altogether too many in there, came the wry observation. He just might have to commit himself if this kept up. It spoke again and he happily realized it wasn't coming from him.
He turned in the direction he thought he had heard the voice, sighting a familiar ghostly form shimmering in the darkness between streetlights. His tension eased and his heart and lungs started to work again.
"Tamara," he called out softly and took steps towards where she hovered in front of the car. "How are you?"
Passersby spared him mildly curious glances. They were used to seeing strange behavior in this neighborhood. Someone talking to nothing but the air in front of him was not that unusual.
Tamara's form rippled faster and Terry got the impression she was agitated. She ignored his question, instead blurting out with censure,
"I've wanted to talk to you for a long time, but I could never reach you. I...I can't do it when you're mind is confused. And it's been that way for so long."
"Ah, yeah," he let go a self-conscious laugh. No sense trying to hide the truth from her. She already knew too much about him. "I guess alcohol has a way of messing up a head."
Her form rippled again as she threw up her hands in a gesture of aggravation, "You know that and yet you're going to start all over again?!"
"Hey, take it easy. We're connecting now. Isn't that what counts?"
"But you intend to do it again."
Terry felt more than heard the condemnation in her words, but he wasn't going to let this child make him angry. He had better control than that. After taking a deep breath and holding it for a moment he replied with forced calm, "If I do, it shouldn't matter to you."
"It does matter! Why don't you understand? You're Batman!"
"Not anymore!"
Her righteous anger was triggering his own. He could barely believe he was matching glares with the ghost of a twelve-year-old and it was taking major effort to not look away.
Tamara backed down first, dropping her gaze. She couldn't keep looking at the raw pain reflected in those ice blue orbs. This wasn't a fight she could afford to lose though. She had to let Batman know what was at stake. Looking up, she met his eyes and spoke soft words that gradually built in intensity.
"I know how badly he hurt you. I've felt your...sorrows. But you must know you're not the only one who is suffering. You're not the only one the Master has injured and so many more will die before he's through! I can't wat--" Her face contorted with emotion as she covered it with her hands.
Terry knew she was crying, even without seeing her thin body shaking with sobs or hearing the sounds. It was almost as if he could sense her sadness. Maybe that's all their communication amounted to. Total mental sensory perception through this crazy connection they had made years ago. That made sense why no one but him could see or hear her.
Feeling like the full-fledged slimeball he knew he had become, Terry sought to ease her unhappiness. She reminded him of Matt in his younger days. A time before the little twip started to hate his big brother.
He felt a familiar guilt in the pit of his stomach. That was something else he really needed to work on--the sibling bond that was close to snapping completely.
There were a couple of occasions when Matt had needed reassurances, a hug and some comforting words and Terry had been able to give them. Heck, he had actually felt happy about doing it. He had never completely shaken the guilt that maybe Warren would still be alive if his rebellious son had stayed to take his grounding that night. He owed Matt. Being there for him was fulfilling a fatherly duty that their father, if he were still alive, would have done.
Terry mentally shook himself. No sense going there anymore. That guilt had already been milked for all it was worth and it wouldn't help Tamara or anyone else.
Tamara still needed comforting, but all he could do was use words since there was no real body to touch. Despite that knowledge he instinctively moved closer to her.
"I'm sorry," he offered gently. One of his hands reached out with a soothing touch for her shimmering form before he could stop it. "I know it must be hard for you."
"I don't want to do this anymore," she blubbered. "I want my Mom and Dad."
His heart wrenched at the childish cry. Exasperated by his inability to help her, Terry heaved a sigh and ran both hands through his hair. He wasn't used to feeling so helpless, except when it came to himself. "Where are you Tamara? Where is Ra's? Tell me so I can contact the police and--"
"No!" Her head came up, wet eyes wide with horror. "He'll hurt my parents."
"Right." Terry nodded understanding, wanting to slap himself in the head. How could he have forgotten that fact even for a moment? It was knowledge Tamara hadn't stopped thinking about for months. And his own memories as Ra's captive should have been even more of an incentive to keep him from forgetting that her parents were in trouble. "So we'll get them out first. Do you know where they are?"
She sniffled between sobs and shook her head.
Slaggit...that made things more difficult.
After considering other possibilities, he frowned and asked, even though he already had an idea what her response would be. "Can't you talk to them like you talk to me?"
Tamara shook her head and sniffed some more, her tone rising in agitation, "I tried, but you're the only one I can do it with. I don't know why."
She couldn't connect with her own parents? Odd. You'd think, hereditarily speaking, she'd be able to do it with at least one of them. Unless...they weren't her biological parents. He filed those thoughts away for another time and blindly reassured her as best he could.
"That's okay. It's not your fault. I'm sure your parents know you're thinking about them. Do you have any ideas at all where Ra's might be keeping them?"
"I don't know where they are," she wailed like the child she was, then pulled herself together as something occurred to her. Wiping her tears away, she pulled back strands of long hair from her face and gestured to one side. "But he might."
An image of a short, heavyset man took shape beside her. Terry's eyes widened, a thrill of hope exciting him.
"I know him."
"He's a sad, little man." She commented in a subdued tone. "The Master has him doing many things that make him unhappy. But he's trapped like I am and...like you were."
Terry nodded somberly and replied, "His name is Vince Wardo. I've dealt with him before. He has a history of making the wrong choices. Maybe he'll learn from his mistake this time--if he lives through it."
"Yes," her voice shook and Terry gritted his teeth when he sensed she was crying again. "The Master has killed so many..."
"Hey-- it's going to be okay," he reassured her blindly again. "I'll find your parents and get them to a safe place where Ra's can't hurt them anymore."
"But--how can you? You said you're no longer Batman."
He grimaced, "Terry McGinnis is a pretty capable guy. Maybe he can get the job done."
Tamara tilted her head to study him, long hair rippling from the movement, "So that is who you are?"
"My name? Yeah. You're in my head. How could you not know that?"
"I told you a long time ago--I can't hear your thoughts."
That's right, she did. It irritated him that he was forgetting such basic issues. All that drinking must have killed more brain cells than he could afford to lose. Either that or wallowing in self-pity for so long had shut down any non-essential mind function outside of ego. It probably wasn't intentional, but Tamara was forcing him to look at himself from a different view and it rankled mightily.
"Guess only you'd know that," he remarked calmly and looked away from her. That's when he noticed a couple of poorly dressed citizens had settled themselves atop nearby vehicles and were observing him with amused expressions. On the sidewalk a small audience was growing
"You're getting angry again."
"Yes I am, but it has nothing to do with you." He riveted his attention back to her, "And would you stop doing that?"
"Stop?" Her long-lashed eyelids widened in confusion.
Terry nodded, "Stay out of my head unless you got a real important reason to be there?"
"Being--in your head-- is the only way we're able to do this at all. Do you want me to leave?"
"No. No I didn't mean it that way. I just-- Well, can you just not read--hear--ur-- feel my emotions so well?"
"Okay, I think I can do that."
"Thanks."
Tamara nodded. There was a short silence between them. Then she remarked cautiously, knowing what she was about to say was akin to 'being in his head' and he'd just made it clear she wasn't welcome there. But this had come to her long before now and he needed to hear it, "You won't allow yourself to feel it yet, but...you are stronger than you were before."
His only reaction was a frown of displeasure, "Well, you know what they say--anything that doesn't kill you, makes you stronger."
Emboldened by his lack of anger Tamara took her theory a step further, "Even if you deny the truth to yourself it won't change anything. You are as much--" She spoke the unfamiliar name haltingly. "Terry McGinnis as you are Batman. You always were. I knew that years ago when you first helped me. Do you really believe you did that just because of the costume you wore?"
Terry stared at her for a long time, but she felt no strong emotion from him.
"Okay," he shrugged finally. "Maybe you know me better than I know myself. I don't know. I'll think about it. In the meantime I'll get to your parents. You just hang in there a little longer."
Tamara hugged herself and smiled at him, "Thank you. And when you see them...would you tell them I love them?"
He smiled in return, "Count on it."
She raised a hand in farewell, her form gradually fading from his senses.
Terry blinked in surprise when he became aware of the crowd that had gathered around, all maintaining a wide distance from him. Many of them stepped back anxiously when he gazed at them. Others stared with expectant curiosity. He felt compelled to explain himself.
"Ah-- I um-- I was just.... communicating with the other side." He concluded with a tone of deep reverence, his head and hands lifting heavenward.
The reactions ranged from blank looks to skeptical headshakes to nods of understanding. One woman stepped out of the crowd towards him, a hand raised in entreaty,
"Please. My grandmother passed before I had a chance to tell her something. Could you--?"
An older man pushed past her, "Our daughter left home when she was thirteen. We never found her. Can you find out if--"
Terry hurriedly began backing to his car. "Um... sorry. This last session really drained me. Maybe next time."
He slipped inside, started the engine and very slowly, to evade the more eager witnesses to his 'performance' pulled out above the street. It wasn't until he was halfway home before he realized he never did get that one drink. A small smile curled his mouth when he also realized he didn't want it anymore.
Bats in flight were the first signal, though it was a long time afterwards before he realized it as such. Bruce looked up from his station beside the computer. The whistling flutter as thousands of mammals fled, deafened the occupants of the cave to any other sounds in the area. He could feel the stirring of air against his skin as they moved and smell their distinctive odor. They had returned from their nightly forage for insects hours ago. It made no sense for them to leave now.
Soon after, Ace started pacing and whining. The big dog was used to the bats and unafraid of them. He wouldn't be upset by them. Something else was triggering his behavior. Bruce began lifting a hand to signal the animal when he realized he didn't have the strength to finish. It plopped back onto his lap. A sudden sensation of fatigue settled over his entire body. He fought the urge to give in to it, but lost and sat back wearily in the chair. A familiar pressure built in his chest. He forced his head to move and look over at Tim and Max who were both showing unconscious signs of uneasiness and fatigue. Tim was yawning and rubbing fiercely at his eyes. Max had buried her head within elbowed arms cocked on the table where she was working, both hands massaging at her temples.
Bruce suddenly realized they were in the grip of the phenom. He smiled grimly. 'Finally Ra's is doing something predictable. Wonder why it took him so long to target this place.'
Ignoring the protests of his body he concentrated on one compelling thought. This was a prime moment to explore details of the happening. With all the equipment available within the cave they could learn a lot.
Pushing aside weakness and ignoring the warning signs of a heart stressed beyond its limits, Bruce barked at Tim and Max.
"Wake up you two. We've got company."
They turn confused faces in his direction, eyes darting suspiciously around the cave.
"Outside." Bruce explains. "The phenom is here. Activate the external sensors. Let's get a detailed reading on what's out there."
They jump to his commands. Scientific data is gathered at a rapid pace.
Meanwhile they are all fighting the effects. Tim and Max can see the more vulnerable Bruce is being affected. He brushes off their voiced concerns, insisting they continue to collect data. They turn full attention to their monitors and become engrossed in the data being revealed.
In the few minutes they had been working, instruments show a large craft hovering far above the mansion.
"Someone needs to check it out," Bruce demanded breathlessly. "Get Terry down here. It's time for him to suit up again. There's no more time for him to waste!"
Tim and Max shared surprised glances before they hear a soft grunt from the elder and see him slump over the console, one hand pressed to his chest. In moments they were beside him and pushing his unconscious form back in the chair. Tim searched for a pulse and shook his head,
"Let's get him in the medbay."
Awkwardly they hoisted Bruce between them and hurried to the medical bay to place the limp form on a bed. They began first aid procedures to stabilize his condition which was deteriorating fast. As he worked with worried intensity, Tim realized they needed help.
"Get Terry down here. He needs to know what's happening."
"He went out earlier tonight." Max replied knowing Tim knew the import of that simple statement. "He might not be in any shape to help."
Tim scowled at the possibility as he struggled to find a workable vein in Bruce's arm to start an intravenous line, "Then get him sobered up and down here as fast as you can."
Max flew up the cave steps, hopping in place the few seconds it took for the cave/library door to slide open. Plunging through it she ran to and up the staircase that led to Terry's room. Praying his door wasn't locked she gripped the bronze knob and turned it. Soundlessly it rolled with the motion of her wrist. In the next moment she had slammed the door open and was shouting out his name.
"Terr! Oh---"
Max went speechless at the sight she beheld, although her mind was racing with some very complimentary thoughts. Terry was poised in surprise beside the bed, his naked torso built and buffed to near perfection and she couldn't help gaping at him for a moment despite the urgency filling her. A flush of pleasant sensations coursed through her along with the vivid memory of that body intimately caressing hers not so long ago. She felt an embarrassing erg of disappointment when he finally snatched the blanket from the bed to cover himself.
"Max..." Terry stifled a yawn and smiled, "This is an unexpected pleasure."
Max had to physically shake herself to get her mind back on track, blaming her adolescent reaction on fatigue.
"Bruce is in trouble. We need your help down in the cave."
"What happened?" he snapped while reaching for his pants at the end of the bed.. "What's wrong with him?"
She was gratified to see that Terry's response to the news was immediate, a good sign that he was not under the influence. She spun away as he dropped the bed covering to step into his bottoms. "Can't you feel it?"
She heard him mutter to himself , "That's why I can't keep my eyes open." Then a self-deprecating mutter about stupid brain cells before firmly answering her question, "The phenom. It's here."
"Right. And it's killing Bruce. We have to--"
"Go, go." Terry's hand was unexpectedly on her back and propelling her down the hallway. They ran through the mansion with Terry bounding ahead to open the cave entrance. Max watched with a measure of surprise how he didn't hesitate plunging into a place he'd avoided for months. He was at the bottom and heading to the medbay before she reached the halfway point on the steps.
She entered the medbay, feeling some relief at seeing Bruce conscious and talking to Terry who was leaning over his longtime mentor/friend/father-figure.
"Terry, it's time," his weak voice urged. "Gotham needs relief from this. Ra's needs to be stopped and Batman can do it."
Terry shook his head, "We're going to get you out of here, away from the influence of that thing. After that I--"
"No!" Bruce's gnarled hand gripped Terry's arm hard enough that she saw him wince slightly in surprise. "You'll do it now. Before it has a chance to disappear again."
Max wondered what silent communication they shared before Terry nodded, took the hand Bruce still had on his arm and squeezed it, "You hang in there old man. When I get back you and me are gonna have a talk."
Bruce harrumphed and closed his eyes, his body relaxing into unconsciousness once more. Terry placed the lax hand gently at Bruce's side and looked expectantly at Tim.
Tim sighed and glanced at both of them, "He's stable for now. Obviously, the sooner he's out of the reach of the phenom the better off we'll all be."
Terry turned around to face the distant costume display cases seen through the medbay doorway. Max could only speculate what was going through his head. This couldn't be easy for him. Tim might have felt the same way, but he knew they didn't have the luxury of time for pondering. He went to settle a reassuring hand on Terry's shoulder.
"Come on over to the annex. We'll show you all the info we've got so far, so you're not going into this thing blind."
Terry followed Tim, stunned by the abruptness of the situation. Part of him realized it would have eventually come down to a moment like this. Another part actually believed he had the luxury of a choice in the matter of his destiny.
Stupid pickled brain cells.
The lights suddenly dimmed then powered back up. A systems shut down warning began to scroll across the big computer screen. Max ran ahead to plop down quickly in the annex chair, her fingers tapping with amazing speed over the keyboard. In seconds she had a number of animated graphs dotting the screen, most of them blinking an ominous red.
Terry leaned in the direction of the screen, peering intently at the displays, "Am I seeing what I think I'm seeing?"
"Yep. Every system in the cave is being affected by power loss. Estimates show we'll be totally tapped out in seventy-two minutes."
"That should be impossible." Tim says in quiet wonder. "The hydrogen powered generators should be plenty of backup even if the solar stores get depleted and even that would take an enormous drain."
Terry speculated in fascination, "It's gotta be that thing out there sucking it in."
Shaking her head, Max said, "That doesn't jibe with the phenom's past history. It's only been draining living energy, not the other kind."
"Maybe it's capable of evolving." Terry offered with some hesitation. He's been out of the loop a long time and recent experience with his sluggish brain function is making him cautious about exposing himself to any more embarrassment.
"Could be." Tim considered. "If it can't get enough aether energy to satisfy its needs then maybe it would settle for something else."
"Yeah." Wonder was in Max's verbal pondering, "If aether energy is the phenom's equivalent to what we consider a basic nutritious diet, then maybe other energies are like--junk food for it."
Terry looked skeptical, "If it's hogging down that kind of stuff at this rate, then it's in for one hell of a bellyache."
Tim and Max stared blankly at him for a moment. Then Max nodded as if she thought his theory had merit. Tim barked out a brief chuckle and slapped Terry on the back,
"Good to have you back kid. You ready to go?"
Terry's face became expressionless. He turned to the display cases and walked toward the one that held his suit. He stood before it, his hands clenching and releasing once, then after a visible hesitation reached out to open the clear door. Lifting the suit from its hanger he hesitated again, staring at it so long that Max was compelled to go to him. He didn't turn, instead acknowledging her presence with soft, strained words.
"I don't have time for this."
Max didn't know what to say. She wasn't sure what he meant and she couldn't know how difficult this moment was for him to know how to reassure him. She did know some information he might find comforting,
"Bruce made sure we removed the disabling circuits of the suit. What happened--- won't ever happen again."
"Good," he replied quietly before moving quickly to the changing partition without a glance in her direction.
Terry suited up, sans the hood. His fatigue faded, a feeling of strength immediately flowing through him. He thought he understood what was happening. The synaptic connections were making contact with his body, the power source of the suit itself probably making up for the effects of the phenom.
He knows he doesn't have time to examine the emotions unfurling inside him, but the strongest ones cannot be ignored. First, surprise at how easily he adapts to the suit after so long out of it, how--right it feels. Second, how quickly the order of his thoughts become Batman oriented. All of Terry McGinnis' concerns and priorities fall away as Batman's single-minded intent surges to the front.
The negative stuff was there too. Despite Max's assurance, the memory of being trapped in the suit and what followed triggered an involuntary shudder. Never again. He didn't think that he could survive, physically or mentally, if he ever found himself in that position again.
He rejoined Max and Tim at the annex. They eyed his brisk approach. He flashed a brief grin and lifted his arms,
"It still fits."
Tim nodded approval, pride and relief in his eyes, "How does it feel?"
"Great. With the suit's strength enhancements I don't feel the phenom affecting me."
Max's expression was neutral, her voice matter-of-fact, "So is it something with the suit itself that's blocking the phenom or is it just the suit making up for the body's weakness?"
"Not sure. Guess we'll know more after it's field tested." Noting how washed-out the other two were looking reminded Terry of Bruce's condition and the reason he needed to move quickly. He pulled the cowl over his head, pausing to adjust it over the beard. He let out a chuckle while his gloved fingers pulled at one side of the cowl and then the other, "This feels really strange."
"Can't notice it from this side," Tim said.
"Okay," Terry was satisfied that the fit couldn't get any better without shaving. As long as all the extra hair didn't mess up the cowl contacts he could live with the irritation. He headed to the batmobile calling over his shoulder, "I'll open the link when I've got something to report."
Lights automatically flared up to light his path. In moments he was running a fond hand across the metal hide of the batmobile as the canopy slid open for him to enter. With a graceful hop he was settling into the snug, conforming seat. The canopy closed. He was enveloped in complete darkness before the red of instrumentation lit the cockpit in an eerie glow. The throbbing hum of powered up engines vibrated through his body, triggering all his senses into a familiar high.
He felt unbelievably alive!
With an effort Terry focused himself. Intercept and investigate the detected craft over the mansion. If it's the source of the phenom, eliminate it. Save Bruce. Save Gotham. Deal with Ra's Al Ghul and put him away for good!
Clear purpose and the rightness of his actions propelled Batman into the dark skies above the mansion. It had been a long, long time since he had felt so free and determined and...useful.
"Schway."
The awe was in his voice and Max waited tensely for him to elaborate or turn the visual link on so she could know what he was observing. His continued silence gnawed through her tenuous patience.
"Well?" she snapped. "What do you see?"
"It's... pretty."
Max slapped a hand across her face in frustration. He sounded like a five year old seeing a rainbow for the first time instead of a grown man about to tangle with a phenomenon that was responsible for killing over a hundred people. This was not how she imagined his triumphant return to the costume would have been. With an effort she kept her tone 'back-up' normal.
"Describe it."
"A big shapeless blob. Huge. It must be spread out over half a mile or more. It's moving fast--well, not moving actually--kind of--rippling in place. And it's sparkling like a billion high-intensity fireflies."
"Can you get a visual on it?"
"No. Instrumentation is going crazy in here and I'm having trouble holding position."
"Are you all right?"
"Yeah, the suit's doing its job. I'm going to have to back off from the thing though. The car is mutinying on me. I've got to set her down before we crash."
"Understood. Any sign of the craft the cave's sensors picked up earlier?"
"Not sure. Too many distractions right now to do any kind of search. I'll fly up and make a solo search after the car is down and hope the suit can keep adjusting for the drain."
"I don't like that idea."
"Got any better ones?"
"No."
"I'll let you know when I find something. Later."
He closed the link and Max rolled her head forward in weariness. Three twenty-hour days in a row and now existing in the prolonged grip of the phenom was taking its toll on her.
The sound of his voice jerked her out of the involuntary doze she was falling into. A glance at the time told her that less than five minutes had passed since his last communication.
"Something's going on with the Blob. It seems out of control-- rippling or--pulsing like crazy. It's really bright now. Without the suit's protective visor I think it'd be blinding me. If you could look outside you'd easily see it. The suit's energy readings on it are off the scale."
"How close are you? Maybe you should move away."
"I'm good. I've got a visual on the hovercraft. It uncloaked about a quarter mile above the Blob and is moving fast on an intercept course towards it."
Max's groggy awareness was finally drawn to a new message blinking on the screen. She hurriedly informed Terry, "The--Blob has stopped drawing on the cave's energy."
"Good. How is...wait...it looks like the hovercraft is ejecting some kind of net over the Blob."
"They're trying to capture it? Maybe the net thing is a containment field."
"The net is only a fraction of the size it would need to be to cover the thing completely. Are cave sensors back online? Any idea how big this thing has gotten since it first got here?"
"I'll check it out. You think that's Al Ghul up there?"
His response time lagged measurably, but he did answer, "No reason why it couldn't be. Whoa!"
The loud crackle of electrical interference came over the link, making Max wince while her hands busied themselves worriedly trying to clear the connection. Once again the cave lights dimmed sharply then became abnormally bright before electrical connections all over the place began sparking. The acrid stench of burning circuitry filled the air.
Max let out a cry of surprise and jerked back as the board beneath her fingers lit up for a split second. Trying to comprehend the situation she glanced around the cave grasping for clues as to what was happening. She was plunged into partial darkness as the big screen in front of her shut down, taking all its considerable illumination with it.
The cave became quiet, intensity of the main lights steadying at about two-thirds of normal. Tim's frantic call had her rushing from the chair to the medbay. He was performing cardio-pulmonary resuscitation on Bruce as she entered.
"Whatever just happened, managed to fry the life support. There's a portable unit in the storage room. Get it now!"
Heart beating frantically, Max jumped to the task all the while hoping desperately that Terry was all right. The morbid thought of losing both Batmen in one fell swoop overwhelmed her for a moment. Her opinion of Ra's Al Ghul, already tainted by his personal affront on Terry and the knowledge of his long, evil history took on a much deeper hatred and... fear that someone so evil could continue to exist. What would it actually take to stop him?