The small warehouse was silent. No one viewing it from the outside would suspect that a small team of teen-aged superheroes had hidden out inside it all day. Now the sun had set and even those who enjoyed night-life were heading for their beds. Two figures stood in the shadows outside the warehouse, watching and waiting. And to an observer, they might have been a mirage, for even as one turned to murmur something to the other, they both vanished. Or so it would appear.
Tim pressed back against the corner of the building, allowing the shadows to swallow him. Bart had, obligingly, brought him back to Cairo after the mess in Gotham had been cleared up. Well, most of the mess. He still wasn't… movement caught his attention and he froze, willing whoever it was to show themselves. After several tense moments he relaxed somewhat. Maybe he'd imagined it…or it had been a bird or something. Whatever the case, he still seemed to be alone.
He'd told Bart not to tell anyone he was back yet. Bart had informed him on the way over that they were all still waiting for him before going after Johnny Warren. Tim was grateful, but figured they could use their sleep, and had told Bart to go on without him for the moment. He needed some time to process everything he'd seen and heard in the past few hours. Movement at the peripheral edge of his vision flickered again, and he eased a batarang from his belt. Something definitely wasn't right here.
"Hey." He whirled, batarang flying from his hand before he'd consciously decided to throw it. Luckily, she was faster. He relaxed as Cass stepped out of the shadows holding his batarang gingerly. "Lose something?"
"Sorry. You should have told me it was you." She shrugged, apparently unconcerned. Well, of course she was…she would have known he was going to attack and been prepared for it. Still…
"Sorry." She cocked her head to the side, studying him. "So?"
"So what?" he snapped, then winced. Good going, Tim. Might as well just shout to the world that something big was going down. To her credit, Cass didn't seem to take offense…not that he was sure he'd be able to tell if she did. "Sorry." He ran a hand through his hair. "Can we just…like…not go into this right now? I mean…"
"Raven told us about Warren." Grateful that she was apparently willing to change the subject, he relaxed.
"Oh?" She nodded, leaning back against the wall next to him.
"Yeah, but we decided to wait to get your take on it before making a plan."
"Yeah, that's what Bart said." They fell silent again, except for the slight tapping sound made by Tim's finger drumming nervously against the wall.
"So……What did Raven say about him?"
"He's got a demon in him." Tim shot her an exasperated look, only to meet her laughing eyes. "Kidding! It's some kind of par…parasite. It feeds off of him and gives him powers."
"And it's worse than the average demon?" he asked wryly? She shook her head, taking him seriously.
"No…don't think so. She said…the demon isn't more powerful than others, though he is powerful. That's the 'great' part of his power." Tim considered, rewinding the day's events in his mind to remember the exact phrase Raven had used.
"And the evil?"
"That's him. She said he's crazy. Like…she said it was like giving Joker superpowers." Tim shuddered. He himself had once observed of Warren that he was capable of being one of the worst if he ever got the chance. But…
"He wasn't crazy. That was what made him so dangerous…it was all cold calculation." Tim thought for another second. "He isn't like the themed criminals we might face in Gotham…with or without powers. He won't hesitate to kill…won't set up some elaborate trap or go on monologuing about why he was the one who was destined to do-in Batman or Robin or whatever." But even as he said it he recalled the way the man's eyes had seemed to gleam…how he had gone on about killing Robin even as he smashed Spoiler's bones. Cass, for once oblivious to his inner thoughts, shrugged.
"Well…crazy now, I guess. She said it's hard to sense a weakness in him."
"Great."
"So…you got a plan yet?" She sounded so hopeful, he glanced sharply in her direction. She grinned, implying it was another joke, but the smile didn't quite reach her eyes. Tim felt a sting of guilt for dragging her into all of this…and for the strain it had placed on their budding relationship.
"Oh, yeah" he said lightly, pretending he hadn't noted the shadows in her eyes. "I figure it'll be a snap…we go in, cover him with silly string, and he won't be able to get out, so he'll be trapped and Raven can extract the demon." She giggled, but Tim's expression darkened.
"What?"
"Something…something tickling at the back of my mind. I'll have to think about it." So saying, he moved away distractedly. It would be dawn soon and the others would be wanting to plan. Cass wondered briefly if she should try to convince him to get some sleep, but discarded that idea as unrealistic. She shrugged to herself and followed him in.
It wasn't until Tim's spine stiffened and he stopped dead in his tracks that Cass remembered the other reason she had waited for him outside.
"Um…" he turned on her as she started to speak, his eyes flashing with irritation and…betrayal? She gulped and hoped she was wrong about that.
"I believe you...Bart , too, come to think of it…said you'd waited for me?" His voice was quiet, cold. Cass peered over his shoulder, trying to see what had set him off. Conner was sitting on a table apparently being patched up by Cassie…even as she saw this, he jumped off and headed their way.
"Uh, well…we kinda did." At his raised brow, she shrugged. "Superboy wanted to go do rec…recona…"
"Reconnaissance?"
"Yeah! But, um…he found out about it and…" Tim rolled his eyes at that obvious understatement but, seeing as the subject was making her uncomfortable, he let it drop. Better to take it up with Conner, anyway…and he himself knew how hard it could be to turn Conner off a chosen path.
"Uh…hey Tim." Speaking of… Tim turned to face his friend. Even though he was annoyed that Conner had taken off on what Tim considered his mission, he took a second to look him up and down, assessing his wounds. Seeing as how injuries were a rare thing for Superboy, the fact that he'd sustained any at all spoke volumes…and they weren't minor either. Neither were they life-threatening. Having determined his friend was in no immediate danger…at least not from his wounds…Tim figured he could let him have it.
"I hope you learned your lesson," he said, in just that superior tone guaranteed to get Conner's back up.
"What! Lesson! I'll give you a lesson…what's you're problem?" Conner shook off the restraining hand Cassie had placed on his shoulder, flicking a glance her way. "What? He asks us here and now he's going to go all Bat on me? I don't think…"
"That's the problem, you didn't think."
"Well I…" he broke off at Cass's snort of laughter and turned on this new irritation. Before he could say anything, though, she grinned at him.
"Is a joke." He frowned and looked back to Tim, who shrugged, scowling at Cass for ruining his fun. Understanding lit Conner's face.
"What? You…you're not…ha ha, very funny." Conner shook his head and elbowed Tim, who had to crack a smile at Cass's giggles. Cassie, on the other hand, rolled her eyes and stalked off, muttering something unflattering about the male species in general.
"Listen, I just wanted to let you know…we weren't…I mean, we weren't going after him without you. We just figured…ok I figured if we got more information on him for you, you could come up with one of those brilliant plans of yours."
"Yeah, I guess I figured that out when Cass said you were out on recon. But still…" he sighed and shrugged it off. This wasn't the time for irritation or squabbles between teammates. "So, did you find anything out?"
"Not really. That demon-thing sensed us, I think. And you know…me and magic don't mix so well…" he indicated his injuries, which were already starting to heal, thanks to his strange physiology.
"Was anyone else hurt?" Conner seemed almost offended by the question, though Tim couldn't see why he would be.
"Of course not!"
"What 'of course'? It's a valid question!"
"Yeah, but…" Conner thought for a second. "Oh. Guess I forgot that part. Um…"
"You went alone." It wasn't a question, and came out sounding much more like Batman than Tim would admit, even to himself.
"Well…"
"Come on, how stupid can you get! You said yourself, you and magic don't mix! Con…"
"Well first, I didn't figure he'd find out about it! And I wasn't…exactly…alone." Tim narrowed his eyes.
"Define exactly."
"Well…I didn't tell anyone what I was going to do…but Raven figured it out and kinda, I don't know…tagged along." Tim glanced around.
"Where is Raven?" Cassie and Bart were doing something with paper…it sort-of looked like Bart was showing her how to make origami figures…why, was a whole other matter he wasn't willing to wrestle with at the moment…over in one corner of the room. Cass was still watching Tim and Conner's altercation with interest.
"I think she went off to meditate…recuperate." Tim's glower at this information had him hastening to add, "I don't think she was hurt…not physically like me or…or anything. She just…I got the impression she just needed to regain energy. Actually, I think tagging along in my head without my knowing took more out of her than her interaction with Warren." He said this with a ironic twist to his mouth, sobering when Tim turned as if to go after Raven.
"Fine."
"Wait! Um, I wouldn't…geeze, Tim, you don't go walking in on Raven when she's meditating!" Tim lifted a sardonic eyebrow, silently reminding Conner who it was Tim worked with on a nightly basis. "Oh-kay, maybe you do." He watched Tim stride away and sighed.
"A few weeks ago we brought you a story on the death of amateur archaeologist, Jack Drake. Tonight we have learned about a surprising twist in the ongoing inquiry. Sources close to the investigation…"
"Shut that crap off." Barbara did so, flicking a bemused glance in Dick's direction. He scowled at the television for a few seconds after the picture had blanked and the noise faded.
"Ummm…don't get me wrong, but isn't this what you were planning on?" Wally kicked his feet up, wondering if provoking Dick was really the most intelligent thing to do at the moment. When Dick and Barbara had suddenly been called to Wayne Manor, he had taken the opportunity to do a few quick run-throughs of Keystone and Central Cities. Then, having enough time after foiling a bank-robbery, six muggings, and saving eighteen people from various accidents, he circled the globe a couple times looking for anyone needing aid and then back home to catch up on various things he'd neglected over the past few days. Now they were back in Babs' apartment, and something had put Dick in an exceptionally foul mood. Even Babs seemed bit shaken, but neither of them was willing to share what had occurred.
In truth, Wally wasn't entirely sure why he was here… after all, his part of the plan had been carried out, with apparent success. But…Dick was his best friend, and there was still something bothering him. So when Dick had called him when they were on the way back from whatever meeting had gone on in the Manor, Wally had zipped on over.
"It was…is." Babs answered Wally's question as Dick continued to sulk.
"Then what's the problem?" In for a penny…Wally thought. Dick sighed, running his hand through his hair.
"I just hadn't counted on it being plastered all over the media like some…I mean, hasn't the kid gone through enough? At least Tim's out of the country, so he's not being reminded…but…it's the principle, damn it! Reporters don't care whose lives they destroy as long as they have a juicy story." He threw his hands in the air and paced to the window, staring out in silence. Wally started to point out that they were all personally acquainted with at least two reporters who didn't fit that mold, but figured Dick was allowed to vent, and that the majority of the press did have that penchant.
"But…this is still good news, right? I mean, not that they're re-hashing it all over again, but they've figured out Cain was the one who…"
"It seems so. Nothing's official, yet." Babs shook her head. "It probably won't ever be absolutely proven, but Dana's been completely cleared of suspicion." Wally nodded absently. There was something there…in her voice…still some issue with Dana or Tim or something, but he wisely didn't pry.
"So…you guys need help with anything else? Maybe a little extortion, or perhaps some good, old-fashioned grand theft…"
"Ha. Ha." Babs smiled at his lighthearted jab.
"No, I think you've done enough." Even Dick turned back from the window and shook his head at him, a humorous light in his eye.
"Any time." With one more grin, he was gone.
"Well, that was smooth." Babs wheeled over to the table where bits at pieces still remained from their tape-doctoring endeavors. She began cleaning it up, wondering when Dick would come out of his own thoughts."
"Hmm…." Dick shrugged, and reached out to help, only to have his hand slapped back.
"I've got it." She sighed. "If you want to be useful, go order some takeout or something. I'm starving." Things had been too tense, too confused…and too brief for them to have indulged in Alfred's cooking during their short visit to the manor. Emotions had run high, with more than a few outbursts. And once things had been more or less resolved, no one had been willing to stick around.
Tim had called Bart and escaped back to Cairo. Dick had almost forcefully drug her back out to the car, making excuses. He and Bruce were getting along better these days, but not so well that they could handle such circumstances in a wholly civilized manner.
"Fine." He stalked towards the kitchen phone, and Babs rubbed her eyes, trying to stave off the beginnings of a migraine. The legal issues had been resolved, but who was this whole mess going to end up doing to the Family? Glancing back at the kitchen she wheeled towards her inner sanctum. She'd managed to slip a micro-transmitter onto Tim's skin, just at the nape of the neck, when she'd coerced him into a hug, earlier. It would stay attached…providing he didn't discover and deactivate it…until she told it to release. It would transmit Tim's location and vital signs…just in case. The Titans were a good team, but she preferred to be more intimately involved…not sit at home and wait for news. If her readings indicated he needed more than the Titans as back-up…well, she had the whole Justice League on speed-dial. She wasn't going to sit this fight out.
To be continued…
