Hey guys, sorry for the wait. I hope you guys had an awesome Christmas and New Years. I do not own DC Comics or any of their characters. Please excuse any mistakes I may have made. Thank you to those who reviewed last chapter and please do so again. As you know, bold italics is comlink communications and italics is thought. Thank you for reading and enjoy.
Last Time:
"I was to be an inside man. You know about Project Kr, aka Superboy, and the Roy Harper clone." Richard said.
Bruce nodded.
"I think I have the same programming." Richard said.
"What makes you think that?" Bruce asked.
"Well, I remember going to Cadmus Labs, but I don't remember what happened while I was there. I go in and talk to the same doctor and leave." Richard recalled.
Bruce thought for a moment.
"We'll have one of the Martians look for anything that resembles the programming in Superboy and the Roy Harper clone." He said.
A thought clicked in Bruce's mind.
"How did you know Red Arrow was Roy Harper?" He asked.
Richard thought for a moment.
"I think I know who all the heroes are…" Richard trailed.
"If Master Richard knows, does that mean the Court and, in turn, the Light knows?" Alfred asked.
"It's a very real possibility." Bruce answered.
"They don't know." Richard said confidently.
"How do you know that?" Bruce asked.
"Because I figured them all out and didn't tell them. To my knowledge, only the Court and the League of Assassins know that Bruce Wayne is Batman, which also means they know Red Hood and Robin's identities." Richard reasoned.
"Guys!" Jason yelled as he burst into the room.
"What is it?" Bruce asked.
"We know what the Light is planning." Tim said.
"What do you mean?" Richard asked.
"Okay, we were going through the files-" Tim started.
"Some really weird shit in there by the way." Jason added.
"And we noticed that there were factories all over the world. The company that owns them is called Knowledge." Tim said.
"This company produces educational aids like tablets and owns a lot of programs used in schools." Jason informed.
"Not just junior high and high schools either, their stuff is also used in colleges and army bases." Tim expanded.
"So we, which by we I mean Tim with my encouragement, got to thinking why that stuff would be in the file. Turns out Richard, or as he was called The Raven, Deathstroke, and Luthor were stationed there and helped with the distribution part." Jason said.
"Along with that, Lex Luthor and Queen Bee donated millions in total and material resources. Now why would such resources be used at some factories?" Tim asked.
"Knowledge must have some importance to the Light." Bruce deducted.
"Exactly." Jason said.
"That doesn't explain what they're planning. Hell, that just means they have eyes everywhere, but we already knew that." Richard replied.
"Do you have any memories of this?" Bruce asked.
"I remember working with Slade. We made sure no packages were damaged and kept people out." Richard answered. "I don't know what it was for though. I may have been a high ranking member, but I was never told about the major plans the Light or the Court had planned."
"High ranking mem...Whatever that's for later, but we had Lucius Fox do some research for us. He found some information in Lex Luthor's personal computer." Jason continued.
"He sent that information to us. It's basically Cadmus' work with clones, just a way for indirect programing. Their technology is used and it somehow puts the Cadmus coding inside the human brain, which we didn't think possible. However, there is no real evidence that it works. Con and Roy are both clones. Dick's an actual human, the first human to have programming, if he does have some anyway. He did work with the Light after all. That's something worth looking into." Tim reasoned.
Jason looked at Tim.
"...Con?" He said.
Tim got flustered and looked away.
"We're close. Anyway, I think we should look into any possible programming in Richard." He said.
"I agree. I'll get one of the Martians." Bruce said. "Let's take him to the Mountain."
Jason and Tim exchanged a look. Jason shrugged and left to get him and Tim some sunglasses.
"I'm going to go suit up." Bruce said as he left.
And then there were three. Alfred hasn't said anything. Richard looked at the old butler.
"What do you think?" He asked.
Alfred looked a bit surprised.
"...I believe you will do a lot of good for this world, even though you do not see yourself as a man who is worthy of the title hero. I know you will try to redeem yourself but there is no need to. However, you will never be redeemed to yourself. I believe you play a key factor in stopping whatever evil comes our way. I'm just glad to bear witness." Alfred said.
Alfred's speech left Richard wordless. I knew he was observant, but I didn't think I was an open book…
"Thank you?" He replied unsure.
"Damn, Alfred, you sure know how to make people speechless." Jason said from door.
Him and Tim were now donning dark sunglasses and sweatshirts. Jason in a red one and Tim in a black one. Jason was holding a green sweatshirt, black pants, and another pair of sunglasses.
"These are for you. Go change." Jason said.
Richard took the clothes and changed. He wasn't really sure about the glasses. Don't they already know my identity? He put them on anyway and went back. Bruce was Batman and him, Jason, and Tim looked the same. They just varied in color and height. Bruce smirked.
"The three musketeers." He muttered to Alfred not so quietly.
Alfred chuckled.
"The Bat Boys." He added.
Bruce huffed a laugh.
The three weren't sure how to respond so none of them did.
"Come on. Miss Martian is already waiting for us." Batman said as he walked towards the zeta tube.
The four stepped through and entered Mount Justice. They were greeted by a preppy Martian and some of the newer members of the team. Richard noticed the redhead with the bat symbol on her chest and raised an eyebrow.
"Batgirl." Jason said.
"I didn't know she existed." Richard replied softly.
"Wow, I'm a bat and the newest bat doesn't even know my name. Interesting given I know a lot about you." She responded.
"Hey now, I'm new to all this. Cut some slack." Richard whined.
"Not according to a certain mercenary." She said cockily.
Richard stiffened a bit. I do not want to be know as the man who was on both sides. I'll be doubted.
"Miss Martian, this is the person I was talking about." Batman informed as he gestured to Richard.
She looked a bit confused at the secrecy. She knew she hadn't seen his face, but the bats were viewed as overly secretive to her.
"Haven't we met before…" She said.
"I believe we have...briefly" He replied.
"Oh! In the video message!" She remembered.
Richard chuckled and nodded.
"We need you to check Richard for any programming similar to that of Superboy's and the Roy Harper clone." Batman reminded.
Miss Martian gave a shy laugh.
"Right." She muttered. "Follow me."
The green girl levitated before flying away. Richard and Batman followed. Jason and Tim stayed behind to hang out with the team. Miss Martian lead them to a medical room and told Richard to lay down on the table. He did. She went up to his head and placed both hands on the sides of his head. She gave him a supportive smile.
"Ready?" She asked.
He nodded.
"Okay." She said.
A split second later, Richard could feel her looking around inside his head. What does my mind look like? It was a few seconds later that she stopped. It was the memory of Cadmus. Going in, talking to the doctors, leaving. She hovered over it and then left his mind. Her hands removed themselves from his temples.
"There is some programming, and, for the time being, it's inactive. As long as no other code comes in contact with it, he's all himself." She said cheerfully.
"He's not a clone?" Batman questioned.
Miss Martian blinked at Batman.
"...no." She trailed.
"So he's the only human we know of that has Cadmus programming." Batman confirmed.
"Yes." She said, realizing the importance.
"How could that happen?" Batman asked.
"It would have to have been a powerful telepath with the ability to reroute the brain to respond to certain key words. I don't think I or Uncle J'onn are able to do that, and Uncle J'onn is the most powerful telepath we know." Miss Martian answered.
"What about a group of telepaths?" Batman asked.
"No, they'd be too chaotic to manage anything other than destroying the mind of whoever they're connected to." Miss Martian responded.
"Then how is he possible?" Batman wondered.
Miss Martian looked a little lost and shrugged. Batman sighed.
"Dismissed." He said.
Miss Martian left and Batman looked at him.
"You might as well go meet the team. I have some business to take care of." Batman said.
Richard threw his legs over the bed and his boots touched the floor. He stood. I have programming.
"Alright…" He said.
They left the room and Batman showed him to the common room. The team was much bigger than Richard initially thought. There was at least ten casually dresses teens. He hovered in the doorway and watched as they interacted with each other. Jason was currently telling them about the disastrous fight with Firefly, Penguin, and Catwoman. He felt Batman behind him, hovering as well. Richard waited for his to say something, but he didn't. Batman placed a hand on his shoulder and left. Richard observed them. He chilled there for around fifteen minutes before Jason noticed him.
"Hey, it's Golden Boy! Get in here!" He shouted.
Richard smiled a little before walking in. The team members looked at him with confusion and curiosity. He did a two finger wave.
"Nightwing." He said smoothly.
"How long were you standing there?" A blonde asked.
"Around fifteen minutes. You guys do not pay attention to your surroundings." He said.
The blonde huffed.
"Artemis." She said.
"Miss Martian, but you can call me M'gann or Megan. That's my Earth name." M'gann said.
"Kid Flash aka Wally West." A redheaded boy said from his place on the couch.
"Aqualad. Kaldur'ahm is my real name, but people call me Kaldur." the dark skinned teen said.
"Batgirl." Came a firm voice.
"Superboy. Connor Kent." Said a rather grumpy voice.
"La'gaan, aka Lagoon Boy." The other Atlantean said.
"Jaime Reyes, Blue Beetle." This one actually came up and shook his hand.
Well at least one of them has manners.
"I'm Zatanna." A little wave.
"Rocket, Raquel Ervin." A nod.
"Beast Boy, Garfield Logan." A sweet smile.
"Wonder Girl, Bumblebee, Guardian 3, and Static, sometimes, are also on the team. Are you a new addition or just a bat?" Zatanna asked.
"Not sure." He replied.
"We've heard a lot from Red Hood and Robin." Kaldur gestured to them.
"Hope it was all good things." He smiled.
"Heroic, actually, but I want to know what you think you're doing." Batgirl said.
Richard raised a brow.
"I know things. About you. None of which explain why you're doing this and not your day job." She responded.
"I suppose you'll have to find out." He replied cockily.
She glared at him.
"Come now, you're a bat, so be one and figure it out yourself." He challenged.
"I think I will." She growled.
He laughed.
"I'm considered a genius in my field, but you already knew that. Either way good luck." He smirked.
"I don't need luck." She growled.
"Oh, I think you do." He replied.
"I don't know what this is about, but is he actually a good guy?" Kid Flash questioned.
Nightwing looked at him and smiled. Batman came up behind him. Time to go.
"I don't consider myself one." With that he left.
"What kind of answer was that?!" Kid Flash yelled.
Batman gave him a look of question. Richard simply smiled and continued to walk.