Part 11

Bruce and Terry flew to the East under the semi-conscious Raven's direction, "Raven, are you sure this is the direction Dick and the others are in?" Asked Bruce as the Batmen jetted across the sky.

"Yes… Dick and I… Have a mind bond… I can sense where he is." Raven answered weakly, Terry looked over and frowned. "Raven, who did this to you?"

"They're only physical injuries Terry… I'm only weak because I'm regaining my strength."

"You didn't answer his question." Bruce said, looking straight forward.

"It was a man, he moved just like Nightwing, only more aggressive… He wore a Red-…"

Before she could answer, she passed out, Bruce and Terry glanced at each other, and then continued flying in the direction she pointed them in.

After about half an hour of flying, they finally spotted something, it was Nightwing on the ground, in a fight with somebody else.

Bruce and Terry landed just out of sight, and observed the brawl between Nightwing and this other man.

Terry could see that in the moonlight, the mask that the other man wore was half bronze metal and the other half black. He also wore a black armored suit, lined with utilities; bombs, knives, etc. The younger Batman had no idea who it was, but Bruce did, and Iron Batman launched a cord between the clashing men.

"Deathstroke…" Said Bruce, stepping out into the street in his heavy Iron Armor.

"Deathstroke?" Asked Terry quietly so as not to disturb Raven, who was lying in his arms.

Nightwing and Deathstroke turned to see the massive Batman, and both froze in awe. As if they had seen a ghost.

"Batman?" Asked Deathstroke, his eyes widened.

"Bruce?" Asked Dick.

Iron Batman nodded and stepped out of the suit, Dick's eyes widened when he saw the aged Bruce, as did Slade's.

"Dick, I'm not the Bruce Wayne from this dimension, I'm from Terry's timeline."

"Of course… But…" Dick was overcome by emotion, which he held back; there stood Bruce Wayne, back from the dead. Terry stepped out into the light as well, "I guess I have some explaining to do."

"Yes, you do." Deathstroke said, reminding them he was still there.

"Slade, what are you doing here?" Inquired Bruce harshly, "If what Terry says is true, then I'd think Joker would have killed you by now."

"Yet here I stand today, interesting isn't it Batman? Truth be told, nearly all of those from your rogues gallery are now part of our own underground resistance. Ivy, Riddler, Clayface, Mad Hatter, Freeze, myself, Scarecrow, Penguin, and even Two-Face are part of it. I came here to inform Nightwing of us, so that by chance, we may form a temporary alliance to destroy Joker and his armies. Unfortunately, you didn't teach him much in the ways of 'self-control'." Deathstroke glared at Nightwing, who fumed at being humiliated by his long-time enemy.

Terry folded his arms, "Why should we trust you? Any of you? All of the people you just mentioned are either as insane or evil as Joker, they'd all take their first chance to shove a knife in Batman's back and you know it."

Bruce nodded in agreement, impressed by Terry's levelheadedness here.

Slade simply stood erect, "We all hate you, Batman, and therefore by extension, we hate you Terry, but at this point, getting Joker out of the way is priority-one. Whether you like it or not McGinnis, a group effort is the best way to get this job done and nothing can change that."

Terry, Bruce, and Dick all exchanged glances, and then returned their gaze to Deathstroke.

"Which of you is in charge of this 'resistance', Wilson?" Questioned Bruce.

"In reality, it is more of an Oligarchy, Penguin, Riddler, Two-Face and I are the heads of each of our own chapter of rebels.

"Bring them all to the center of crime alley in two hours."

"As you wish…"

Deathstroke turned to leave, but then snidely said, "It's good to have you back Batman."

"Get out of my sight." Bruce said coldly, and Slade left.

"There are so many things I wish I could ask you…" Said Dick as the group walked away from the scene.

"There's no time for chat, we need to find the rest of your groups."

"Right… I left Starfire, Changeling, and Cyborg in an old diner not far from here, and Raven…"
"Right here." Said Terry, showing Raven's sleeping body.

"The Titans are here… This leaves Tim, Barbara, Selina, and Harley to find."

"Then let's get on with it, we're wasting time." Bruce said, turning and taking off.

"Some things never change." Nightwing said, smiling a little and spreading his blue hawk wings and taking off.

"Tell me about it." Terry replied, did the same, and followed.

"Nightwing… How did Deathstroke know who I was?" Terry asked as the two of them flew behind Bruce, who was holding the still-unconscious Raven.

"He's been following you, figuring you out like the creep he is, he knows more about you than most of us do. I ran into him less than an hour ago, he had lost your trail and I ambushed him."
"Sneak attacks… Times change McGinnis."

It seemed like hours, but Dana knew that honing her mind and instincts like this was the best way to keep Gotham clean while Terry and Bruce were gone.

"Now, keep your eyes shut and strike." Said Waller. She stood behind a glass control room, watching as a blindfolded Batgirl had been battling several synthoids holographically cloaked with the skins of some of Batman's past enemies.

Dana's Batsuit heightened her sensed, this included her hearing. That sense led her to hearing a fake Bane coming up behind her. She swiftly dodged it, and in a rush of adrenaline, ran up his body and dug her heels into his collarbone. The synthoid shut down, but Dana was then ambushed by a large green hand. It sent her reeling.

"Don't let your defenses down at any moment Dana." Waller coached from her control room.

This went on for hours, until Dana had successfully defeated each of the fake Batman villains.

"Well done Miss Tan, well done." Said Waller, applauding slowly as she shut down the fight simulation.

"You think so? It wasn't Batman caliber…" Dana replied humbly.

"Nonsense, you have as much fight in you as any hero I ever met… and I was the government's liaison for the Justice League.

Dana smiled, and then heard from another part of the room more applause, slower than Amanda's.

Both Amanda and Dana turned and saw Commissioner Gordon there, smiling softly.

"Well done Dana, I underestimated you…"

"Barbara, good to see you again." Said Waller, smiling.

"It's been a while Amanda, I wasn't aware that you had a 'Batcave' of your own."

"I had this place built years ago, in case something untimely happened to Bruce and I could step in and keep Terry on as Batman."

Barbara narrowed her eyes.
"Didn't think you'd do something like that, with your past with the Justice League."

Miss Waller returned the gaze.

"The world needs a Batman, whether you have the heart or the spine to admit that fact is your problem, not Terry's, Bruce's…" She turned to the New Batgirl.

"… Or Dana's"

Dana pulled her cowl off, it hung like a hood on her back.

"I never said I had a problem with it, just because I hung up the cape doesn't mean people have to see everything my way."

"Why are you here Commissioner Gordon?" Dana asked, folding her arms.

"I'm here to take you home Miss Tan, your father was in my office no less than an hour ago, frantic about you being missing. I'd tell you the whole story, but he blames your 'troublemaker' boyfriend. It's best I take you home for the night so you can explain to him why you were out until four in the morning."

Dana's eyes widened, with all of this excitement, she had forgotten how late it was when she left the Batcave to find Waller.

"Right… Thanks for everything Miss Waller."

"Anytime Dana, just remember what you've done tonight, you've got a will of iron and a heart of gold. Two things that you and Terry have in common."

"Yeah…" She smiled and went with the commissioner out to the police car.

"Here, you'll need these." Barbara tossed Dana back the clothes she had left in the batcave.

"Right, thanks." She had almost forgotten she was still wearing her Batsuit. As she changed, Barbara sighed.

"What's wrong Mrs. Gordon?"

"Nothing, just memories popping up here and there."

Dana realized that Barbara Gordon was Batgirl at one point; she smiled a little and said, "Do you have any advice for a new Batgirl?"

"Yes, hang up the suit as soon as Terry comes back…"

Dana's smile faded, "But, why?"

"Trust me Dana; you don't want to stay Batgirl when Batman returns."

"Why not?"

"Because Terry is a lot like Bruce, he's very focused on the mission, though not as obsessive. Your motivation now is to keep Gotham clear while Terry's gone… What happens when he comes back?"

Dana was silent, she didn't think about that.

"If you want to stay his girlfriend, hang up the cape before something happens to one of you because of the other's stupidity."

Barbara said sternly.

Dana was quiet until they reached her house.

There was a loud clang in the underground hallway of the Joker's building, Tim Drake had crashed through a vent in the ceiling of the basement and landed in the dimly-lit hallway. Guilty for not being able to save Raven from the crumbling building around them, he escaped to try and do what he should have done a long time ago… Take Joker down.

He silently dashed through the dark hall, careful not to alert any security systems, he was surprised and shocked when the lights flew on in a split second. He turned around and saw a man standing at the end of the hall. At first he thought it was Joker, but as his eyes adjusted to the light, he realized that this man was the one who attacked and burned down the diner. The Red Hood.

"Nice going kid, you broke into the great Joker's secret lair… what next?" Asked Red Hood sarcastically.

Tim was silent, watching his adversary intensely.

"What? Did the old man get to you? Funny, his 'strong-and-silent' thing never rubbed off on me… Then again, I didn't kill 'im."

Tim gritted his teeth, "What are you talking about?"

"What? Bruce never told you about me?"

Red hood reached over his mask and pulled it off, revealing a young man about Dick's age, wearing a Robin mask.

"Jason Todd." Tim said, raising his eyebrows.

"Ha, so he did tell you about me didn't he?"

"He said you were dead…"

"Amazing what a Lazarus pit can do for a dead guy huh?"

"I can't believe I'm surprised…"

"Look junior, if you're lookin' for Joker, you can forget about it, he's pent up in his room, and nobody can get in there."
"Watch me."

Tim turned and walked toward the other door, then felt a sudden pain in his back, a burning sensation ran up his spine, and then he collapsed.

"For your own good kid, ya shouldn't cross me."

Jason smirked; he had thrown a dark red birdarang into Tim's back, which would paralyze him for a few minutes.

Jason stepped forward to take Tim away, then he heard footsteps behind him, he quickly turned around and raised a birdarang. What he saw made him smile a bit, "Ivy, I was wondering when you'd come see me again."

Poison Ivy was standing in the hall behind him, though she didn't return his pleased expression.
"Jason, I thought we had a deal.

"We still do, you poison my birdarangs, and I rescue the girls."

"Then why the hell haven't you done it yet?" Ivy snarled.

"Because Black Robin here distracted me." Jason said sternly, pointing to the collapsed Tim behind him. Ivy sighed, "I came because I wanted to tell you that Harvey and Edward want an audience with you…"

"Who and who?" Jason asked.

"Two-Face and Riddler." Pam sighed.

Jason's eyes narrowed, "Why would I want to talk to them?"

"Because if you don't, you won't be getting any more poison birdarangs, they'll burn down the greenhouse!"

The Red Hood moved to lift his hood over his face, but before he did, he turned to her. "Alright Ivy, I'll go, first I'll save Harley and the others, then I'll find Dent and Nigma."

Ivy's facial expression changed from her fury and frustration to relief.

"I'm so sorry I'm this worked up…"
"Don't worry, it'll be fine Pam, hopefully Two-Face, Riddler, and I can come to an understanding and I can help them take the clown down."

Ivy leaned up and kissed him on the cheek, "Thank you Jason…"

"What, just the cheek? Breaking into a prison cell isn't as easy as it sounds babe."

Ivy smirked, then pulled him into a deeper kiss.

"There, think you can run on that?"

Jason felt his endorphin and adrenaline glands working fast from the strength-enhancing herb on Ivy's lips.

"You bet… Do me a favor and take little Black Robin away from this place, he'll be paralyzed for a bit."

"Ugh, fine."

Jason pulled his Red Hood back on, and left down the hall, while Ivy picked up Tim and left the way she came.

She smirked to herself, though she couldn't fathom why. She had a massive hatred for all men on this Earth, but something about Jason… Crazy as it seemed, attracted her. She hated herself for feeling this and tried her hardest to hate him as well, but she couldn't bring herself to it.

"Damn." She thought.

Hanging in their prison cells, Harley, Barbara, and Selina all hung by their limbs praying for a miracle. They heard a loud clang outside their cells, Harley was the first to see the person walking in. "Hey! It's the Red Hood!" She yelled. Jason put two fingers to his lips as he crept over to the control box for the cell block.

The girls watched as the Red Hood typed in a code that undid their ankle and arm cuffs. They fell out of their prison locks at the same time, rolling out toward their rescuer.

"Thanks for the assist, Red." Said Catwoman, smirking.

"Not a problem, just a favor for a friend. You should probably know that I was the one who put you three here."

All three women scowled and advanced on him.
"Why the change of heart?" Questioned Batwoman, gritting her teeth.

"What? Don't remember me Barb?" Jason said, feigning hurt.

"Remember?"

Jason pulled his Red Hood off, revealing his face to them.
"Jason Todd?" They all said at once, while he just smirked.

"Now you remember me."

Jason, Selina, Harley, and Barbara all snuck out of Joker's building, once they were far enough away from it, they regrouped in the middle of the old city park.

"Alright Jason, what's your story? Why did you take us captive under Joker's orders, then rescue us under someone else's?" Barbara inquired.

"Long story short, I got back here and there was no Batman, so I became a mercenary, doing jobs for anyone who could pay."

"So you went to Joker?" Selina asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"Yeah, he's the most powerful guy around, so he could pay me with protection."
"So why'd ya leave the clown?" Asked Harley, shifting her weight to her other hip.
"Cause he's nuts."

"Ah."

"Right."
"Duh…"

"So I took a job from Poison Ivy to get you three out as a favor…"

"Aww, good ol' Red's still lookin' out for me!"

Barbara raised an eyebrow, "So what do you get for saving us?"
"Special weapons." Jason smirked, whipping out a green birdarang.

"This little number is coated with a toxin that will slowly and painfully kill any target it hits."
Barbara grimaced, Selina smirked, and Harley grinned.

"Ya ever gonna use it Hoody?" Harley asked getting a closer look at the weapon.

"Maybe."

Jason turned to leave, "Where are you going? We're not done here!" Batwoman yelled after him.

"Yeah we are, besides, I have to talk to two men about a clown." Jason launched a grappling hook to a building and swung away, leaving the girls on their own.

"I don't trust him."
"You don't trust anyone anymore Barb."

"Yeah, ya seriously need ta lighten up!"

[Whadaya think? Seriously, read and review!]