This chapter overlaps a lot with this story's prequel "The End". In order to avoid being repetitive, I will try to limit the overlap as much as possible without straying too far from the other story. If you are interested in reading more about this scene, this would be a great time to check out "The End" if you haven't already. For those of you who have read the prequel, I apologize for any inconsistencies between the two stories. I just didn't want to bore you with rewriting the exact same scene over again. Thanks for reading!
Wally was frozen, his eyes glued to the dust-covered monitor as the images flashed across the screen. Neither Connor or M'Gaan were watching. They had seen this video before and couldn't stomach watching it again. M'Gaan was distracting herself by investigating the rest of the Batcave, though the tears still pooled in her eyes threatening to fall. Connor was standing with his back to the monitor, wincing as the voices rang out across the recording.
The video tossed and turned as the cameraman recklessly jostled it about, which wasn't surprising as soon as Wally recognized the voice behind the camera.
"Hi there Batsy! So sorry you couldn't join the party, but don't worry! We took good care of your little Birdie for you!"
Wally felt the blood drain from his face as the camera panned over to Nightwing. He had was bound and had been severely beaten to the point where he could hardly keep himself upright! Wally had seen his best friend injured before - being Batman's protege and the leader of a covert team of young heroes had a tendency to put him in the line of fire - but he'd never seen Dick so… broken. Even still, the hero held his head high with that defiant gleam in his eyes. Dick muttered something in Romani, giving his last message to Batman before the Joker struck him to the floor. Wally heard a strangled cry and felt his heart wrench as he recognized it to be Artemis.
The camera spun around the room, giving away more details of the gruesome scene. They looked like they were in an old courthouse, set up on some makeshift stage as if this was some big production. The audience was filled with the victorious faces of Gotham's most infamous villains, all cheering and raving about Nightwing's pain. As the video panned back to the victims, Wally saw that Dick was now watching Artemis; his masked eyes boring straight into hers as the tears slowly rolled down her cheeks. The Joker was talking again, but Wally didn't care to listen. He watched with an ever-growing dread as his best friend and his girlfriend faced their fate. After a meaningful glance and a silent goodbye, Dick turned back to the Joker. He pulled himself back to his knees with whatever strength he had left, hiding whatever weakness or fear behind an unwavering mask as the Joker pressed his gun against Nightwing's forehead. Wally had always admired the courage of his young friend, but never before had he seen the true, limitless resolve of Richard Grayson.
The screen began to blur as Wally's eyes pooled with tears. His entire body was vibrating with dreaded anticipation when the Joker spoke again.
"Now for the grand finale! Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you… The death of Nightwing!"
A shot rang out over the dust-covered speakers and Wally fell to his knees, burying his face in his hands. He couldn't watch anymore. He couldn't bare to see Dick falling motionless to the ground, or the Joker's wide grin as he laughed victoriously at the fallen hero. He winced at the cheers and hollers of the other villains, and the heartbreaking screams of his girlfriend as Sportsmaster dragged her off screen.
It was one thing to hear about his best friend's death, but to see it recorded like this? An icy chill ran along Wally's spine as he recognized the implications of this video.
"Batman saw this?" Wally asked, unable to hide the shiver in his voice as he raised his eyes to stare at the motionless bird on the monitor.
"Everyone saw this. Joker sent the video to every broadcasting station in Gotham. This video was all over the news before we could stop it." Connor told him, turning the video off so they wouldn't have to look at the tragic image of their fallen leader any longer.
Connor continued, explaining how Batman's grief over the loss of his son drove him to forsake his no-kill policy and put an end to the clown. Within a few weeks of Dick Grayson's funeral, almost every villain who had witnessed Nightwing's murder had suffered the same fate. That was when the Justice League stepped in. Superman believed that Batman had lost control, and that he should be detained before any further lives were lost. Green Arrow, spurred on by the fact that those villains had also captured and tortured his own protege, sided with Batman's belief that killing these mass murderers was the only way to protect the innocent. The league split: half supporting Batman, the others supporting Superman. Eventually, the debate sparked an all-out war.
"I don't understand how Batman could kill the Joker. I mean, I don't blame him. After seeing that, there's nothing I want more than to wipe that grin off that clown's face. But Batman wouldn't lose track of his moral code. He didn't even kill the Joker after Jason died. Now you're telling me he went on a murderous rampage after losing his oldest son?" Wally didn't believe it. M'Gaan drifted back over to the boys, her lip still quivering from having to relive the tragedy of losing Nightwing. She put a gentle hand on Connor's shoulder as the clone winced and diverted his eyes.
"It wasn't just Nightwing. After they saw the footage, Robin and Red Hood went to take the Joker down… unsuccessfully." He admitted.
"You mean…?"
"Batman lost all three of his sons that night."
Wally's eyes drifted back to the display case: the last remaining legacy of Tim, Jason, and Dick. They had all been killed only two short years after he disappeared. Their loss had devastated Batman, crippled the Team, and sparked the war that had plunged the world into darkness.
"And Artemis? What happened to her?" Wally was almost afraid to ask. Her tortured screams still echoed in his mind. The entire world had watched Nightwing die on that video, but only Artemis had been there to experience it first hand.
"The Team searched for her for months. Batman and Green Arrow made finding Artemis their first priority, but she had disappeared without a trace. We knew it was Sportsmaster that took her, but without the League's full resources, we couldn't find her." M'Gaan answered, confirming what Wally feared.
"It didn't help that the Team was falling apart." Connor interjected, shooting a harsh glance at M'Gaan. The Martian winced at the accusation. The two had set aside their differences for Wally's benefit, but it was clear there was still much to be resolved between the two of them.
"Many of us still felt that killing was wrong. We stood with Superman and tried to find peace between the two sides. Others, like Connor, Roy, and Kaldur, stayed loyal to Batman. Anyone who was unable to chose a side was forced to retire."
"So Artemis fell through the cracks. You never did find her?" Wally asked, already knowing their answer. If Artemis had been rescued, she wouldn't have shot an arrow at Superboy and sparked that fight a few hours ago. With the team in shambles and Artemis left without hope of rescue, the heroine had spent 18 years being re-trained and conditioned by her father.
"We assumed she was dead. About eight years later, she finally resurfaced. She killed Roy and Jade, leaving Lian an orphan. When I tried to confront her, she nearly killed me too." Connor admitted as Wally's eyes trailed over the scar etched in the clone's face.
"Artemis sticks to the shadows. She never confronts us openly, but we know she still works for her father. She's been instigating fights between the League for years, keeping both sides at war with one another. I'm so sorry Wally… I know you don't want to hear this about Artemis, but…"
"Its not her fault." Wally said stubbornly, cutting off M'Gaan's apology.
"Wally…" Connor wasn't sure if the speedster was in denial or just looking for someone else to blame, but after the damage Artemis had caused in the last several years, he didn't understand how Wally could still be defending her.
"Its not her fault! It was Dick!" Wally repeated, suddenly spurred on by some wild epiphany. He madly scanned the room, looking for something to work with. Finding nothing useful in the chaos of the destructed Batcave, Wally settled for drawing in the dust that covered one of the desks.
"I don't understand. How is this Nightwing's fault?" M'Gaan asked, as she shared a concerned look with Connor. Wally started writing out significant events in the dust, making points of all the tragedies he'd discovered since arriving in the future:
- Artemis betrays the Team
- Roy and Jade die
- Batman loses control
- Team splits up
- Justice League at war
- Cities are destroyed
- Robin, Red Hood, and Nightwing die
"What do all of these events have in common?" Wally asked, whirling around to face his two teammates. After several seconds pass without a satisfying answer, Wally explains his thoughts.
"All of this happened because of Dick! Everything on this list occurred because Nightwing died! If Dick survived, Batman wouldn't have killed anyone, Tim and Jason wouldn't have gone after Joker, Artemis wouldn't have been captured by her father, the League wouldn't have split! Don't you see? There wouldn't be a war!" Wally told them, so excited about his conclusion that Connor was reluctant to question him.
"Yeah, but why does that matter? Wally, it's over. Dick is dead. How is any of this going to help us now?" He asked, watching that familiar gleam grow in Wally's eyes.
"It's one single event… that's all we need to change! It's been done before! Bart came back to stop Barry from dying. If he can do it, so can I!" Wally explained. Sparks of understanding flared in M'Gaan and Connor's eyes as they felt a surge of hope for the first time in 18 years.
"Time travel." Connor confirmed. "You could save Dick, Tim, Jason, Artemis…"
"... Roy, Jade, the whole League! If we could send you back, you could save us all!" M'Gaan finished, unable to keep the excited glow off her face.
"Guys, I need to find Impulse."