Happy Friday, everyone!
I'm back in Italy and hunting for a job, but I thought I'd update this fic for y'all in the meantime. ;) This chapter is not as hardcore intense constant action as the last, but still, it has lots going on.
I'm STILL blown away by how much you guys loved the "tweet tweet mofo" line at the end of the last chapter ahaha
By the way: birthday at Disney World, even in your mid-20's? Totally awesome.
A big thanks as always to my beta readers, and this time around a HUGE shoutout to kimcat for giving me an idea of how to slightly modify the first scene so that it was a lot more intense and saved a lot of clunky action later on. Thanks, darlin', you're a doll and I hope you enjoy it *winky kissy face emoji here*
General Notes:
"This is dialogue."
"This is alternative dialogue, meaning whispered or spoken from a distance such as on the phone."
'This is thought.'
This and THIS and *this* are emphasis. The *this* emphasis is more along the lines of the snarky or sarcastic.
[This is digital text, such as notifications on a computer or smartphone.]
I do not own Danny Phantom nor Young Justice.
Ch. 18 originally published: Tuesday, February 21, 2020
RECOGNIZED
Chapter 18
Tag Team
13:47, Thursday, March 22 — French Airspace
Robin took a deep breath and kicked the door open, allowing himself and Danny to be sucked out into the atmosphere.
Luthor dropped to the ground the second the door opened. His grip on the perforated metal grate next to him kept the man from being sucked out right along with the Robins. He balled his free hand and slammed it against the floor. "Son of a-!"
"Shut the door!" Mercy barked at one of the goons who had just regained consciousness.
The man pitifully crawled across the floor until he found the door's controls and activated its automatic closer. The door fought against the wind outside before it shut and sealed with an audible hydraulic hiss.
Luthor dragged himself to his feet and brushed off his suit almost as if everything were normal. He did everything in his power to remain balanced and emotionless.
Mercy's phone beeped. She removed it from her pocket with her remaining left hand and read the alert. "Um, Mr. Luthor…we might have a problem."
"What is it now?" he demanded.
"My sensors picked up a device in Danny Fenton's mask which was not present in his previous uniform nor in any of Robin's known disguises. It—it was a camera, sir."
Perhaps for the first time in his life, Luthor felt the ground rip out from beneath him. There was a sort of unspoken rule amongst everyone engaged in super-normal activities and fields: CCTV monitoring of facilities is fine, but no one ever used body cams. It was a courtesy of sorts, that guaranteed public anonymity for heroes and villains alike such that their identities could be protected.
But here was this newcomer, carrying evidence of Luthor's true aggression and interest.
"Find them," Luthor whispered. He turned to face Mercy. "Find them," he repeated more loudly before screaming, "find! those! boys! Bring their troublesome little asses to me on a silver platter within the hour! Burn France to the ground if we have to! Find them!"
"Sir," Mercy confirmed with a nod and began making calls.
White knuckled, Luthor's clenched his fists so tight that tremors ran up his arms. He went to his onboard office and searched for his emergency bottle of wine.
Simultaneously…
Robin took a deep breath and kicked the door open, allowing himself and Danny to be sucked out into the atmosphere.
Despite holding his breath, Robin immediately felt lightheaded. Danny, however, had completely passed out. This made their situation appear quite bleak, considering his speculative ghost powers were their 'parachute.'
Robin fumbled with his wrist computer to check the altimeter. It would be another 6 seconds and 1,000 feet of descent until they reached terminal velocity, and another 19 seconds until they re-entered inhabitable atmosphere. Lord, was it cold.
17,020 feet. 96 seconds to impact.
Because of his throbbing lightheadedness, Robin lost his grip on his brother. Danny's arms and legs flailed, slowing him slightly in his unconscious free-fall. He soon rotated around and plummeted back-first with limbs trailing above him.
Robin hurried to spread his limbs and navigate through the air to Danny. He tediously adjusted his surface area to come abreast with Danny once more.
15,000 feet. 85 seconds to impact.
Robin grabbed ahold of Danny's gloved wrist and pulled him into an embrace.
11,622 feet. 66 seconds to impact.
Robin spun Danny around to face him and tried shouting Danny's name.
"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, Danny, wake up," he insisted, gently slapping Danny's cheek to revive him.
"Mom, clos'he window, iz culd," Danny grunted and winced, barely heard above the rush of air. "Wha'z 'app'nin'?"
"Please, please tell me you're Phantom!" Robin screamed in Danny's ear.
9,080 feet. 51 seconds.
The urgency in Robin's voice coaxed Danny into forcing open his eyes. Robin watched Danny's slow appraisal of their situation gradually communicate information to his brain. "What did you do…" Danny sucked in a breath. "Oh, my god! WHAT DID YOU DO?!" He then grimaced at the shock of pain his outburst caused.
7,691 feet. 44 seconds.
"Danny, please," Robin insisted and gently shook Danny's shoulders. He leaned in to shout over the wind. "I respect the golden rule as much as any superhero, but I think these are extraneous circumstances! If you're finally going to admit you're Phantom and transform, now's the time!"
"You idiot, I can't do shit with ectoranium in me! It's like my freaking kryptonite!" Danny screamed back with a grimace at the effort.
Robin gaped and looked down at the rapidly approaching ground. He then saw Danny's wound bleeding through the unbroken uniform, and his thoughts traveled to his toolbelt. Robin jumped into action, unzipping the uniform and exposing Danny's torso. "This will hurt!"
"What wil- wait, are you crazy?! You'll kill me!"
Robin whipped out some tweezers. "If I don't try we'll both die! Grab my shoulders!"
6,500 feet. 36 seconds.
Robin maneuvered down and grabbed Danny's midsection. He propped the heel of his palm against his brother's obliques and readied the tweezers. Robin activated his mask's infrared vision and saw the glow of the ectoranium radiation. With a disbelieving shake of his head, he inserted the tweezers into the wound.
"AGH, GOD!" Danny screamed.
Robin fought against the spasming muscles to latch onto the bullet. Danny heaved and whimpered and fought every instinct within him telling him to shove Robin and the tweezers away.
A couple seconds of careful maneuvering later, the bullet was free. Robin hurriedly shoved it and the bloody tweezers into a pocket. "Now's your cue!"
4,388 feet. 12 seconds.
Danny tried to transform but failed to produce more than a flash of white the first time. He grit his teeth and scrunched his eyes shut. "Come on, you idiot! Go ghost! Go ghost!" he grunted and scolded himself. "Go…GHOST!"
The transformation burst over his body. Robin couldn't help but partially collapse against Danny with relief. Danny, now Phantom, spun them around so he was the one looking towards the ground and did an impossibly quick analysis of their predicament.
1,232 feet. 7 seconds.
He didn't have nearly enough wherewithal to stop their plummet entirely, but-
1,056 feet. 6 seconds.
-there! A glint of light off some water! Danny could-
880 feet. 5 seconds.
-redirect them to land in there instead!
704. 4 seconds.
Danny grunted under the exertion but pulled up as hard as he could.
528. 3.
The pair gracefully arced into a horizontal flight path whipping above the trees.
352. 2.
Danny banked left and rocketed over a parking lot.
176. 1.
"Brace!" Danny shouted.
Both boys closed their eyes. Danny rolled them so he would take the brunt of the initial impact. They plowed into the water's surface at 120 miles per hour and instantly broke apart, skipping and splashing across the surface. A handful of seconds later, they had slowed down enough to breach the surface and tumble underwater in a turbulent cloud of bubbles. The wave from their impact surged ahead and splashed the banks.
Becoming completely limp, Robin allowed the generated current to twist him slightly under the surface until the dark water was calm once more. He floated for a moment, basking in the sudden serenity. Robin let his tension drift away in the disappearing current as he looked at the afternoon sky dancing across the water's surface. Robin allowed himself to bob up to the surface, releasing a deep breath.
And then he remembered his brother.
Robin thrashed about, looking for any sign of him. There, face-down and tangled in some water lilies! He swam over to Danny—who had de-transformed back into a battered Red Robin—and pulled Danny's arm over his shoulder. He then laboriously towed Danny to the nearest bank and heaved them both onto it amongst the flowers.
Robin rolled Danny onto his back and checked to see if he was unconscious or dead. Once he was certain Danny was breathing, Robin tried to hug him, though all he managed to do was loosely collapse halfway on top of his brother. After a couple moments, Robin let himself roll off to the side and stare up at the peaceful blue sky.
"Where are we?" Danny asked.
Robin looked around. "Well, based off the waterlilies, Japanese bridge and our probable path of travel arcing away from London, I'd say we crashed into Monet's lily pond."
"Huh." Danny looked at the washed banks. "Talk about diving into art history."
"Haaaaa," Robin mocked.
"Mummy! Mum! Look, it's two Robins!"
The hushed exclamation of an 8-year-old British tourist jolted Robin back into the present. He quickly sat up and realized tourists were coming from all directions to see what the commotion was about.
"Oh, my g-" the mother started, then corrected, "Do you need help?"
Robin looked at the flesh wound with beads of pond water surrounding it on Danny's skin. "Hand sanitizer! Do you have hand sanitizer?"
The mother of the outspoken child rummaged through her purse and produced a bottle of the disinfectant gel. She tossed it to Robin from her position on the path.
Robin caught it with his left hand and, in one smooth motion, whirled it around in his hand and uncapped it. He quickly squirted a large portion of it onto Danny's wound.
Danny spasmed. "HOLY SH-!"
"Sh!" Robin smacked a hand over his brother's mouth. "There are kids here!" he hissed.
Danny wordlessly squirmed and fought against Robin's weight before finally settling down with heaving breaths. He tore Robin's hand away from his mouth. "That. hurt."
"More than removing a radioactive bullet with no anesthetic?" Robin muttered.
"Should we call the police?" the mother asked.
"No! No police!" Robin shouted. "We're, uh—we're fine. Just, do us a favor and don't tell anyone about this? And when you inevitably ignore my request and tell someone anyway, do us a favor and say you saw *one* Robin? Thanks, you're a doll."
"But you just fell from the sky!?"
"Psh, no, we fell in the water, that's all," Robin denied and stood, pulling Danny to his feet.
"But he doesn't look so-"
"He's fine!"
Danny dropped to the ground with a whump. He struggled against the exertion-induced lightheadedness. "I thin'—I think I sleep now," he slurred.
"No! We're not-"
"I take a nap here." Danny collapsed.
With a protesting groan, Robin dragged himself upright and lifted Danny from the ground. The Boy Wonder hefted his brother across his shoulders and grunted as he stood. Robin's balance wobbled before finding equilibrium, but he was soon able to walk forward. He tried to go as calmly and nondescriptly down the path as possible, leaving the tourist mother and her son behind, though any hope of escaping the pond unnoticed by the countless civilians was totally dashed.
Every few minutes, Robin would shift his brother's unconscious form on his shoulders, looping his left arm over Danny's leg and right arm over Danny's arm. It wasn't long before he began to lag from having spent so much of his stored energy. The containment pod back in London had sustained him but not energized him. Unfortunately for the boy, it was an hour's walk into the town where hopefully he could slip into the hospital via a neglected back entrance and sneak to a vacant room.
Robin found himself slouching more and more with every passing moment until he finally collapsed roadside. Robin panted for a few moments, trying to gather his breath to continue, but it was nearly impossible. With no food, no energy and no help from Danny, he wasn't sure he could make it. Robin let his vision roam over the landscape, taking in the beauty of the French countryside in the warm light of afternoon. Eventually, he looked to his side and noticed something.
There, dangling from a nearby tree, was a low-hanging branch which had half-snapped off. It had a decent length of limb and a large spread of leaves. Robin looked back at his brother and quickly appraised his size.
Minutes later, Robin had rolled Danny onto the broken limb and began to drag it behind him as he walked. It was still difficult, and Robin was nearing absolute exhaustion by the time he came in sight of the bridge crossing the river. The boy finally reached a point past which he couldn't proceed, and Robin collapsed backwards across Danny.
The brothers laid there for a couple minutes alongside the road until Danny stirred. He moaned under the weight across his diaphragm and looked to see what was crushing him. Danny struggled to move until he was finally able to roll Robin off of him. He weakly hefted himself to his feet and looked around to see where he was.
Vernon was a quaint little town across the river and downhill from Danny's current position. The afternoon sun bathed the area in pale yellow warmth, illuminating a large building just across the river. From the large red cross on the building, Danny assumed it was a hospital and figured it would be the best place to find some food and water without drawing too much attention. He had no idea, however, how he could get across town with very little energy.
And then…he wondered.
He'd never tried to overshadow an unconscious person before. He wondered whether it might be easier since Robin would have less consciousness to suppress. Danny decided anything was better than the two of them being found helpless at the side of the road. He went intangible and entered into his brother's body.
Suddenly, Robin was no longer lifeless. He stood and, with the two boys' combined energy, was able to rush across the bridge and duck into the hospital just as the clock struck 2:30pm. He meandered the hallways until he found the cafeteria. Danny turned the two of them invisible and grabbed a handful of fruit, rolls and two bottles of water. He found a deserted operating room and exited Robin's body.
The jolt awoke Robin from his slumber, and he blearily looked around and saw Danny sitting shirtless and cross-legged on the operating bed. Danny had apparently covered his wound with some bandages. "Where are we?" he asked.
"Hospital," Danny answered through a mouthful of bread.
"How did we get here?"
Danny hesitated and looked Robin up and down. "Do you really wanna know?"
Robin considered for a moment. "…Maybe another time." He sat down in the same position at the opposite end of the bed.
Danny nodded in agreement and tossed him a banana. The two ate in silence for a few moments.
"There are no words," Robin finally began, stripping off his mask, "that are able to express how glad I am that you're Phantom."
"I already told you I was, you doofus."
"No you didn't!" Robin protested.
Danny thought for a second. "That's right, it was back in Gotham with the other one." He chuckled and shook his head. "God, you're such an idiot. You threw us out of a supersonic jet at cruising altitude without a parachute!"
Dick chuckled. "Eh, it was a gamble but I had my suspicions. Besides, if anyone here is an idiot, it's you."
"What?!" Danny squawked. "Why?!"
" 'Oh, I know,' " Dick mocked, " 'I can't find someone so I'll just turn an entire skyscraper invisible to look for him!' Genius move right there. Textbook recon."
"When was the last time you went on a *covert* mission without detonating something?" Danny jabbed back.
Dick smirked. "Touché."
Danny removed his mask as well and laid it on the bed next to him. "So, what now?"
"Paris. My communicator's shot, and I don't have a secure line to Bruce. So, we quietly go make a purchase on the family account at Galeries Lafayette and Bruce will know where we are so he can find a way to sneak us out without the media pouring in."
"Can't we just twist the truth? I can go as Phantom and say I saved you from some kidnappers or something."
"We need to cover for you too, and what if Luthor tries to go public? He knows our identities now. And probably Batman too. We need to cover our tracks and establish alibis far far away from London."
"Seems to me like he's the kind of creep that would blackmail us into submission," Danny mused.
"Good point. I guess either way we'll be hearing from him pretty soon."
"Something to look forward to," Danny joked.
"So, what's this about the baby switching?"
Earlier — 12:50 Local Time, Thursday, March 22 — Bishopsgate, London
"Everybody on!" Zatanna barked. The bioship's gangway dropped to the surface of the roof, seeming to tear a hole in reality with the disruption in the ship's camouflage. She braced her feet on the ramp and gave Dani and Maddie a hand getting on board. As soon as the gangway had shut once more, Zatanna retook her position at the bioship's controls and navigated them away from the tower, darting this way and that to avoid the news and police helicopters cluttering the Banking District's airspace. "Where to?" she asked out loud, since silent conversation was no longer necessary.
"Do we have any idea where they were taking Rob and Kaldur?" Artemis asked.
"When I was in the cargo bay, I saw Byalia on one of the screens," Kid Flash said.
"Will they actually make it there though?" Miss Martian asked, tending to 37 with a first aid kit.
"Rob's pretty good at making trouble," Kid Flash answered. "Plus Danny went after them, and it sounded like he was on a warpath. Holy crap! He doesn't know 37 is alive! That's what triggered him!"
"Can you take me to London Airport first?" Maddie asked. "I have a jet waiting and I need to communicate with my husband."
"Of course," Zatanna agreed.
"What about us?" Dani asked, gesturing to herself and her fellow clone.
"If we can get him to my lab," Maddie said, "I think I have everything I need to save him."
"Actually, I can take care of 37 if the A-Team over here can just drop us off in Amity Park on your way home?" Dani suggested.
"So what you're saying is you know my lab well enough to use it without me?" Maddie asked, arms crossed and eyebrow cocked.
Dani offered a sheepish smile.
"Well, at least that frees me up to go after Danny," Maddie said, and her gaze fell on 37. "The real Danny. Er- the real, *fake* Danny."
The bioship soon touched down next to the hangar housing Vlad's jet. Maddie stood and went to 37, running a loving hand through his hair as he laid unconscious. "If you need anything," she addressed the team, "just ask Jack and he'll get it for you."
Upon entering Vlad's private jet, Maddie collapsed into her chair and let her arms dangle at its sides. She breathed in, held it, exhaled slowly. Her Danny was once more on his way to God-knows-where. At least this time, he wasn't running from her; he was only…a terrorist organization's hostage.
Maddie withdrew her phone from a pocket, but it rang before she could dial. She answered, "Jack?"
"Mads. He's back on the Fenton Finder."
"But the overboost won't be ready for another hour?"
"He must've transformed into Phantom, because I see his signature on the map, plain as day."
Maddie sat up, completely forgetting to warn him of the incoming protégés. "Where?!"
"France."
"CAPTAIN!" she shouted to the cockpit.
16:30, Thursday, March 22 — Town Center, Vernon, France
"Well, my communicator is shot, and we have no money. How are we supposed to get to Paris and contact everyone?" Dick griped.
"Here's where my skills come in handy," Danny said.
Fifteen minutes and an overshadowed ticket agent later found the boys on board and collapsing into their seats across from each other at a vacant table as the train pulled out of Rouen.
"Man, I'm ready for a couple weeks off," Dick said.
"Given our luck and our *side hobbies*? Good luck with that," Danny griped. "So what do we do when we get to Paris?"
"A short metro ride over to the Galeries Lafayette to get some real clothes."
"These are real clothes."
"They're not our real clothes. We look like hobos."
"Never woulda pegged you as a fashionista."
"Ha ha," Dick mocked. "But I do have a public image to maintain, and Dick Grayson has to care about what he wears."
"Fair enough. But why the galleries place? It sounds expensive."
"It is. But the Wayne family also has an account there, so we don't have to worry about paying. Plus, it'll immediately tell Bruce where to find us so hopefully he can get us home without too much of a media fiasco."
"Bit late for that, don't you think?"
"Well, what else are we supposed to do? We need a cover story."
"What are we going to do anyway? We entered the country without technically going through customs, and we have none of our stuff with us apart from a couple hero suits which no one can know about and these clothes we lifted from lost and found."
"We'll have to figure it out as we go I guess."
The boys paused their conversation as an elderly couple passed in search of their seats.
"So, you never really explained how we're-" Dick hesitated then gestured between himself and Danny.
Danny nodded in understanding. "Apparently there was a lot going on at the hospital. Dani went back in time and switched you and the real Danny Fenton, and then Vlad back then came along and switched you and me."
"But how can we trust that's what actually happened?" Dick insisted.
"I can help."
Dick started at the disembodied voice, but Danny merely rolled his eyes. Dick did a double-take out the window, seeing that the train had completely stopped moving without feeling so much as a jolt. In fact, a countryside bee was frozen mid-flight outside the window. The ambient noise of the train had died in an instant, and now there was hardly so much as a whisper. Dick then noticed a weight around his neck and saw that he and Danny were sporting matching medallions.
"Theatrical as ever, Clockwork," Danny quipped.
Clockwork, alighting in an empty seat across the aisle from the Grayson boys, smiled. "How empty existence would be without drama," the currently-elderly ghost replied. "You are in need of explanation, and we have reached a point in the timeline in which I may provide it."
"Who's this?" Dick asked Danny.
"My mentor and sort-of guardian, the ghost of time. Clockwork, I'm sure you know Dick."
"James, I should have thought," Clockwork answered and gave a nod of acknowledgement to the boy. Dick mimicked the gesture somewhat confusedly.
"For now, at least, I prefer Dick."
Danny snorted.
"Do try to show a measure of decorum, Danny," Clockwork reprimanded.
"So, why interfere? Why even care? We're just two guys," Dick asked.
"But you are not 'just two guys,' are you? One of you is protégé to one of the best heroes of our time and future leader of the Justice League, the other a beacon of hope in a haunted city and heir apparent to the throne of the Ghost Zone."
Dick whipped to look at Danny and whisper-shouted, "You're royalty?!"
Danny whipped to look at Clockwork and whisper-shouted, "I'm royalty?!"
"Surely you have not forgotten your conquest of the Ghost King?" the time guardian parried.
"Your what?!" Dick asked.
"Long story," Danny diverted.
"It is currently an unimportant detail, one on which we do not need to dwell right now," Clockwork said. "The point is, you will both feature prominently in the future. You both needed to become who you are today to become who you will be tomorrow."
"So just screw us and our free will, right?" Dick griped and crossed his arms.
"Are you familiar with the multiverse theory?"
Dick hesitated, knowing it to be a convoluted and messy topic. "I've heard of it."
"Do you have any idea how many *you's* I've had this conversation with? How many *you's* never became a hero or were rescued after the death of your parents? How many *you's* who crash-landed into Normandy without as much...success?
"It is hard for anyone to accept or understand their place in the universe. I do not blame you for your confusion or frustration with this situation. But know that it is not just for your sake; given time, it will be for the sake of this dimension."
"There's still one thing I don't get," Dick continued. "Why was Danny able to get past zeta tube security? His DNA would need to be the exact same as mine in order for that to work. And he's like a metahuman and I'm not, so there's no way it should work."
"The metahuman gene is a genetic exaggeration of something which happens in everyone over time: their genes respond to environmental conditions and adapt on a small scale to contain the most optimal DNA sequencing to 'protect' you.
"Both of you were born with minuscule differences in your twin sequencing; however, both of you have endured repeated combat situations and extreme stress. Dick, in your case it was the trauma of witnessing your family's death, and numerous near-death situations since becoming a protégé. Danny, for you it was the portal accident; the extreme amounts of electricity forced a rapid adaptation of your DNA to create a physiology most adept at handling near-death situations while simultaneously embedding an ectoplasmic negative of your human DNA, giving birth to what you now know as your 'ghost form' and its own sequencing of ectoplasmic DNA.
"Do you understand? Both of you micro-evolved in response to near-death situations. Your DNA was close enough to begin with that it was only a matter of chance for you to micro-evolve to have the same end result of your mutations."
"This still feels like a one-in-a-bazillion chance to me," Danny grumbled.
"Well, based on my experience with you, you are a 'one-in-a-bazillion' boy," Clockwork countered with a small smile.
Danny and Dick looked at each other for a long moment. Two faces, two boys, two lives which diverged only for fate to converge them once more.
Danny finally found the voice to speak and turned to Clockwork. "So why now? Why have us meet again at al-?" He stopped.
The soft roar of the passing wind outside. The distant hum of the electric motors. Chatter and muted laughter from the other passengers. Pulsating and shifting ambient light pouring in amongst the passing trees. Gentle back-and-forth swaying of the carriage.
Dick instinctively felt around his neck and discovered the absence of his time medallion. Danny did the same, and they realized Clockwork was gone and time was advancing once more. The boys locked eyes again.
"For the sake of this dimension, huh?" Danny croaked out.
"Guess so," Dick replied.
Danny released a breath and stared out the window with his chin resting on his hand. "So…" he said, "I'm Romanian?"
"For god's sake, it's Romani," Dick snapped.
19:00, Thursday, March 22 — Galeries Lafayette, 9th Arrondissement, Paris, France
A doorman halted the boys as they entered the glittering department store. "Are you a Monsieur Fenton?" he asked.
Danny shared a look with Dick before hesitantly answering, "I…sorta?"
"This was sent for you, sir," the man continued and held out a smartphone on a tray. "Welcome to Galeries Lafayette."
"Um, thanks…" Danny took the phone and turned it over in his hand once the doorman walked away. He looked at his brother. "What's this for?"
Dick shrugged.
RING RING
The phone screen lit up: [Unknown Caller]
"Should I answer?" Danny asked.
RING RING
"If it's who I think it is, I doubt it would be a bomb," Robin said. "It's not really his style."
RING RING
"And if it's who *I* think it is, bombing is also not his style, especially after going through the trouble of sending in reinforcements to rescue me."
RI-
Danny swiped the answer button. "Hello?"
"Daniel James Fenton," Lex Luthor oozed. "Lovely to hear your voice again."
Danny frowned. "Not that lovely, considering the last time we spoke you *shot* me."
"Ah, life is funny that way, isn't it?"
"I'm literally dying from laughter. Is there anyone I should know about?" Danny asked, looking around the atrium. "Like one of your buddies in the rafters with a scope on his rifle?"
"You needn't concern yourself, Daniel. Public execution is so primitive."
Danny scoffed. "And beating a defenseless teenager is not?"
"You, my boy, are far from defenseless."
"What do you want, Luthor?"
"Daniel. James. Fenton."
Danny hesitated. "…What?"
"Family name: Fenton, given names: Daniel James. Age: sixteen, American, born in France. A student assigned to Mr. Lancer's homeroom for the past three years, most of which were spent in detention. Though of course, we all know the real explanation for your discouraging academic record."
"What's your point, Luthor?" the boy asked, a small feeling of dread building in the pit of his stomach.
"I know you. I know your secrets. I know your *family's* secrets. I want you, and you are mine now. Do you understand?"
Danny gulped. "I-I'm-"
"I have friends in the Guys in White eager for the 'ghost boy.' I have friends in foreign intelligence agencies who are desperate to know the name of the agent who trampled their aspirations. I have friends in the administration of every significant university in the northern hemisphere where your sister might apply. I have friends in OSHA eager to shut down any reckless basement lab endangering the inhabitants on a daily basis.
"You may have gotten away, but trust me when I assure you that you are very much not free. You are mine, you belong to the Light, and you will do as I say. Otherwise, I will systematically ruin you and everyone you love. Do you understand?"
Danny sent a terrified look to Dick.
"And of course, that's just you," Luthor continued, purposefully oblivious to the boy's panic. "Family name: Grayson, given name: Richard. Also American despite *also* being born in France. Also age sixteen, stellar academic performance, and ward to one of the most infamous playboys on the eastern seaboard.
"And, as it turns out…protégé to the elusive Batman."
"H-h-he's not-"
"Oh, come now, Daniel, there's no more need for pretense in our little circle. I think we can be…honest with each other. I own you. I own Robin. I therefore own Batman and all of the Justice League. Now, I will not ask again. Confirm you understand."
Danny gulped, going weak at the knees. "…Yes."
"Good. Now the first thing I need from you is a little…souvenir."
"S-souvenir?"
"I want your mask."
"You want my mask?" Danny repeated. "Why?"
Realization lit up Dick's face. He reached into Danny's coat pocket and retrieved the mask.
"It's rather symbolic, don't you think? Considering I now hold your identity in the palm of my hand."
Dick gestured for Danny to look at the bridge of the mask. There, in the center, was a nearly-microscopic camera lens.
It took him a moment, but Danny suddenly realized just why Luthor was being so overtly threatening and why he would want the mask of all things. A small beam of hope burst through the storm of emotion. "This wouldn't happen to be because of the body cam built into it, would it?"
Luthor failed to respond.
"Whatever I saw, it saw. Whatever I heard, it heard. Which means I now have video of you shooting and beating a teenager, in addition to giving confessions of tons of other shit from before you started caring about me."
"It would never hold up in court," Luthor growled.
"Who cares? They could hardly touch you anyway," Danny continued, confidence rediscovered. "Nothing the police or courts could try would even hope to stop you, even if it does get out. But no, you're a megalomaniac just like Vlad; you thrive on public opinion and your power over the people. Why else would you care so much about trashing Superman all the time? You need to be the hero. You need to come out on top. And that would never happen for a child-abusing supervillain at the head of a criminal network."
"If any of that video goes public, your family is over."
"If any of my family gets so much as a paper cut because of you or the Light, that video goes public," Danny parried. "You think you're so high and mighty because you're a genius billionaire with your stupid club of evil super-friends. But know this, Luthor: nobody screws with my family."
"You realize that would immediately out Batman and Robin, do you not?"
"I put on an old Halloween costume to hide my powers and identity. I have old, dated polaroids of me wearing it. I was desperate for answers and went in search of my biological brother. Like hell I'd let you ruin their lives too. Do you understand."
"If you think I would let a *teenager*-"
"Confirm you understand," Danny mocked.
There was a long pause. Danny heard the man take a long breath before saying, "Once again, I seem to have underestimated you, Mr. Fenton."
"Well maybe next time, you will estimate me."
"We'll be in touch."
"No we won't. Not if you want that secret video to *stay* secret." Danny thought for a second. "Oh, actually there is something you can do for me: I need a cover story."
"What?"
"I ran away, I got beat up, I showed up again on the other side of the world with a missing socialite. How the heck am I, an average, everyday teenager going to explain that without letting some of the truth slip out as to just how we got there?"
Luthor paused. "I'll make some calls." He hung up.
Danny finally returned his attention to Dick.
"You just threatened Lex Luthor!" Dick said. "Nobody threatens Luthor! Not even the team threatens Luthor!"
"I don't like being controlled," Danny said with a shrug. "Just ask Vlad."
19:20 — Byalian Houses of Parliament
"Who can we afford?"
Mercy looked up from her tablet. Luthor sat in his imperious desk chair, right elbow resting on the arm while his fingertips massaged his temple. A glass of 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon lazily swirled in a glass in his left hand. The girl looked back down at a document on the screen for a moment before answering. "Unfortunately, not many, sir."
"Which division underperformed?"
"They—they all did."
The man sighed. "Which underperformed the most?"
"There was the section sent from Cadmus to detain Vladimir Masters. They were unsuccessful in escaping recognition by witnesses as made apparent by the protégé team attacking within twenty-four hours. Then there was the squadron assigned to retrieving Daniel Fenton from Gotham when he was believed to be a rogue clone. And of course, there was the battalion assigned to guarding the Fenton and Robin originals in Leadenhall and Bishopsgate, respectively."
"Are any of those nearby? We must act quickly."
"There is a small crew which accompanied us on the aircraft escaping London."
Luthor sighed and took a sip of his wine. "We need a good number to make this convincing; seven, minimum. Ask for volunteers, and if none step up to take responsibility, choose them personally. Have Queen Bee enthrall them into not revealing anything about our organization and involvement, and then throw them into a boom tube to Paris at once. Our local forces can set up one of LexCorp's defunct warehouses as a botched hostage situation. And find some hero who is overlooked and naive enough not to ask too many questions when he gets a specific tip."
"Consider it done, sir."
21:20, Thursday, March 22 — Montparnasse Cemetery, Paris, France
"And you're sure you don't have to call Bruce and tell him where we are?" Danny asked.
"He knew the second we bought something at the Galeries," Dick answered. "Are we close?"
"Next left," Danny said.
"Thank god for weak hospital firewalls protecting death and burial records."
The two boys in nearly-matching, slim cut black suits turned the corner and walked along the endless line of grave markers. A wrought iron streetlamp cast a puddle of light around an aging, nondescript headstone.
JAMES GRAYSON
20 Mars 2002 — 20 Mars 2002
"Fly little birdie"
The boys stood abreast in somber silence, hands in their pockets, staring at the grave of the true Daniel Fenton. The cemetery was calm and quiet, and only the ambient noise of city life disturbed the peace. Both boys reflected upon the journey they'd been on in less than two weeks. From an accidental trip to Mount Justice via Gotham to disaster in Kansas, from chaos in London to the parachute-less skydive over France, it all culminated here, at the forgotten grave of an innocent boy who was lost to the obscurity of time.
"It's weird," Danny commented. "I never thought I'd be visiting my own grave."
Dick gave him a look. "You're part ghost."
"Well, yeah. You know what I mean. Ass."
"Dick."
"*You're* the dick," Danny jabbed.
"Actually…it turns out you are," Dick replied.
"If you say so, Jimmy."
"Don't call me that."
Simultaneously...
It wasn't the most efficient way to find her son, perhaps, but she had little other choice.
Following the decision to traipse across Paris equipped with walking shoes and the Fenton Finder, Maddie had changed from the RER to the number 4 Metropolitan line headed in the Mairie de Montrouge direction. From what she knew of Danny as Phantom, he loved to simply fly around even when there were no attacks; scouting for victims, she had previously assumed, but manifestly to be closer to the stars, as she'd come to realize. So the logical place to start her search for Danny would be some place with a magnificent aerial view of the city since he would likely remain in human form to avoid detection.
Maddie had briefly considered heading to the Eiffel Tower first. However, it was arguably the most beautiful part of the Parisian skyline, so going to its top would deprive Danny of a proper view.
"Prochain Arrêt/Next stop: Tour Montparnasse," the train's automated system announced.
The only skyscraper built within the historic city center before a restrictive height limit was introduced, Montparnasse towered over Paris with nothing else in its way. Maddie therefore transferred onto the number 4 line of the subway to start there. Just as she stepped off the train, however, the Fenton Finder jumped to life.
["Ghost 900 meters ahead. Recognized signature: Phantom."]
Maddie suppressed a cheer.
["Proceed southeast from current location."]
Maddie rushed to look up and realize the train was about to close its doors and would proceed in the indicated direction. She leapt back on board and rode two more stops, exiting at Raspail.
["Ghost 250 meters ahead. Proceed southwest from current location."]
Maddie began to sprint ahead, afraid of losing her son yet again.
["Ghost 100 meters ahead…. Ghost 105 meters ahead…"]
She had overshot! Maddie looked to her side and noticed she was in the middle of a large cemetery. She began running down the aisle and glanced between the screen and the path ahead. Until, finally, in a puddle of lamplight—
["Ghost directly ahead."]
["…You would have to be a complete moron to not see the ghost directly ahead."]
Danny turned around at that hauntingly familiar computer voice.
The woman in question, worry marring her face, looked at him before refocusing on Danny. "Sweetie, you're alright!" she said and rushed to hug him.
Danny flinched back, however. "Yeah, I am. Or at least, I will be."
Maddie's eyes fell to her son's hand resting on his own midsection. "What happened?"
"Oh, y'know, it was just-" Danny twisted his face into an obvious down-play of what happened "-a small flesh wound…"
"Luthor shot him," Dick interrupted.
Maddie's blood boiled. "If that chrome dome thinks he can get away with shooting my son-"
"Don't worry, Mom," Danny stopped her. "It's taken care of."
"Luthor's hands are tied," Dick explained. "Thanks to some convenient body cam footage of it actually happening."
Maddie huffed then closed the distance and pulled Danny into a gentle hug. She released him after a few moments. "What are you two doing out here in this cemetery?" she asked.
Danny stepped aside and gestured to the infant-sized grave. "Your real son is in there. I—I'm sorry."
Maddie froze. She stared forlorn at the grave and breathed for a moment, the realization of who was buried there hitting her all at once. Maddie's eyes misted over, but she collected herself and looked back at Danny with as heartwarming of a smile as she could manage. "No. My real son is right here," she corrected and pulled Danny into a side hug, resting her head on his shoulder as they both looked at the grave.
Dick stood awkwardly aside, not quite sure what to do or say. "Kinda weird to see my real name on a gravestone," he murmured.
"Wait a minute…" Maddie said. Her eyes widened. "James Grayson. I knew that name sounded familiar! Danny," she continued, turning to her son, "have you ever wondered why your middle name is James?"
Danny looked between her and the grave, slowly beginning to understand. "No. No."
"I almost lost you that day, and we were already naming you Danny. But, the nurses were talking about a boy who was born about the same time as you but hadn't survived, so we gave you his name as your middle name as a tribute to him and a reminder of how fortunate we were despite everything."
"But I'm- but he- but you-?" he sputtered. "You named me after my own brother?!"
"Life is funny that way."
As the trio of Graysons and Fenton approached the gates to Montparnasse Cemetery, a flaming figure dropped from the sky. Danny fought hard not to laugh at the ignited oven mitts on the blond man's hands.
"I've found them!" the newcomer announced into a walkie-talkie.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Maddie warned and jumped in front of the boys, hands raised and handgun drawn.
"Whoa!" the man exclaimed and raised his hands. "...Oh." He seemingly remembered his powers and lowered his hands into a defensive position, mitts igniting once more.
"Where did she get that?!" Dick whispered to Danny. "There are almost no pockets in her clothes!"
"I think my parents perfected portable micro-black holes or something," Danny replied.
"Who are you, and how did you find us?" Maddie demanded.
"I'm the Flaming C! I have been contacted to help rescue you," the man exclaimed. "Who are you?!"
"I don't matter!" Maddie barked. "All that matters is these boys getting home safe!"
"Oh, well, we should get along famously then," he replied and lowered his hands. "Fortunately, I was already vacationing in Paris when I got the call. Don't worry, the police are on their way!"
There was an awkward pause.
"Um, hi, I guess? You'll forgive me if I don't shake your hand?" Danny drawled.
Flaming C looked down at his mitts and laughed, shaking the flames away so they were safe to touch. "I like your sense of humor!" he bellowed. "It is such a relief to see that you are safe! Mr. Luthor was so worried about you."
"Luthor?" Dick parroted.
"Luthor!" Maddie growled to herself.
Flaming C looked at Dick as if he'd grown a second head. "Of course! When he heard rumors Danny here had been mistaken for Dick Grayson and kidnapped by some nefarious fellows, and then the *real* Grayson had been taken as well, he contacted me at once with the tip that you might be in Paris."
"How convenient," Danny quipped. "Uh, I mean…considerate?"
"Looks like he took your deal," Dick said.
"Do you remember if the warehouse you were kept in was indeed in La Défense?"
Danny and Dick shared a look. "Um…I think so?" Danny replied.
"Great! I think we just might be onto them. Come on, the police will want to speak with you."
It was a quiet walk the rest of the way back to the gates, but there was a sense of impending chaos buzzing in the air. With the descent of nightfall, the strobing blue lights of police cars racing around the perimeter of the cemetery reflected off the surrounding trees and buildings. Sirens echoed through the neighborhood and overpowered the din of city traffic. Heads of passing pedestrians turned to determine the source of the commotion and the police's destination.
As Danny and Dick's feet crossed the threshold of the park gates, the first of the police cars drifted to a stop, eventually forming a semicircle with all their headlights and search lamps focused on the cemetery entrance. Police poured out of their pursuit vehicles and locked down the area. Dick, Danny, Maddie and the Flaming C stood rather haplessly in the middle of it while numerous news vans roared to a stop and began setting up live streams.
It was impossible to make out anything anyone was shouting over the din of reporters and police officers searching for any signs of the kidnappers. The police created a semicircular blockade and gave Dick, Danny and Maddie some room. They huddled together and looked around, Dick the least bewildered out of the three due to his extensive exposure to the media.
One last car pulled up, this time a heavily modified sports car. It stopped in the middle of the semicircle of police cars, and its driver stepped out. The scruffy-faced but debonair man, brimming with confidence, strode across the gap and held up an ID badge. He greeted in strained English, "I am Agent Chase Devineaux. I am taking you to the downtown for debriefing."
Danny and Dick shared a look of apprehension.
This month's yummy yummy Easter eggs and references, because the trivia section on IMDB is my favorite:
- "I take a nap here": a reference to that GOLDEN Vine of the little girl at the beach. "Good night."
- "Maybe next time, you will estimate me": The Office, season 3, something which Michael says to Jan
- "Fly little birdie" engraving: a reference to the origin of Robin's choice of persona name. (It was his parents' nickname for him as a kid)
- The Flaming C: An actual character created by the Young Justice team for Conan O'Brien. I'm not even joking. If you follow my tumblr, you may remember I mentioned him months ago and have been figuring out how to include him in this fic ever since.
- Agent Chase Devineaux: sort-of-protagonist/sort-of-antagonist of Netflix's Carmen Sandiego. Because (1) he's very French and (2) I love that show because it is such a clever reinterpretation of Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? which I watched religiously as a kid.
As always, feel free to write in with feedback, suggestions, reactions, etc. Sadly we have only one more chapter to go before this fic is finished! There's a lot to resolve still, though, so stay tuned. :)