Batman Beyond The End of Batman

Chapter 10

Barbara sent her team out to Wheeler's Ranch, however Clark beat them there. He pulled up JL com link and called Bruce, and though Bruce was expecting the news, he didn't want to hear it.

"Bruce, it's me, I got to the Ranch that Terry was being held at, but he's not here now…I'll go back to the skies and look more and see what I can find," Clark said.

"Oh my God, that's Superman," Max explained in awe.

"Yes it is," Bruce said matter-of-a-factly, then turned back to the screen. "Clark, keep an eye on the ground…Terry was put in a casket with his brother on top…I fear they plan to bury them alive…"

"You can't be serious…They can't be planning that, they'd have to be…"Bruce cut him off.

"Crazy? Clark we are talking about Gotham villains here…" Bruce sighed, "Just do your best Clark, the other JL members will be helping search too…I'll keep you all connected through coms here…Barbara is going to join the search and she will be on com link too."

"Right Bruce, I'll stay in contact."

Max had left while Bruce was talking to Clark in order to get some much needed rest, as Bruce had all but barked the order at her that day after she had located Terry at the ranch. Dania and Chelsea were upstairs with Mrs. McGinnis getting tea, and Barbara was out in the field looking for Terry and his brother, so Bruce was alone in the cave. Bruce sighed when he got off with Clark and put his face in his hands.

"Oh Terry, I am so sorry, I've failed you yet again, I should have never taken on another kid," Bruce hid his face and that was when another voice greeted him.

"Never thought I'd see the day you'd show this much emotion old man, did you miss me," Bruce looked up quickly, for the moment, if only for a short moment, he thought Terry was back, but then his eyes saw who it was and he seemed surprised.

"Guess you didn't expect me, not surprised since I was your failure, but hey, I figured you could use an extra hand," Jason Todd, the Red Hood, shrugged as he stepped out of the shadows. Jason had been the second Robin Bruce had taken in, and the first boy he had lost. The loss of Jason still hurt him, even to this day, even though Jason hadn't really died, but he'd come back to life compliments of Ra's AlGhoul.

"Jason," Bruce said, still in surprised shock.

"Yeah, it's me…Heard your new errand boy got into some trouble and needed help," Jason shrugged again. "Thought I'd come by and help, unless you don't need me, in that case I'll keep going…"

"No Jason, wait…"Bruce held up his hand. "I don't want to push you away, you are right, I can use all the help I can get…And…I'm glad to see you…"

Jason smirked at this, "Well, I never thought I'd hear that from you…Guess when your errand boy gets attacked, you show your emotional side," Jason joked about it, but he was glad to see Bruce again, he'd just never admit it. "Oh yeah, I brought a little help too."

Bruce raised an eyebrow at this and that was when Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne stepped out of the shadows and Bruce couldn't help but show the surprise on his face. He had not seen any sight of his boys in years, and only Dick attempted to communicate with him by sending cards on birthdays, Christmas, and Father's day, but still no visits. To see all three of the boys there was a shock to him, the only boy missing was Tim Drake, and Bruce hung his head at that, he had failed Tim as well.

"We tried to find Drake, but his wife said he was out of town on business," Damian said and Bruce sighed.

"Yes, he is out of town on business, he is out of town on Joker business," Bruce replied showing the tape of Tim turning into the Joker once again.

"I thought you and McGinnis fixed that problem, we all came to see Tim in the hospital when he was recovering from that," Dick said, dressed in his Nightwing uniform.

"We did, all I can figure is that Blight must have figured a way to recreate the nanotech that was on him and replace it so Joker could once again live in Tim." Bruce sighed again, "I've failed all of you in one way or another, and now I've failed Terry as well."

"Come on Father, this is not like you," Damian said in a stern tone, "you never give up like this, there is always a way out," he frowned. "Yeah, McGinnis got captured, but we've all been captured, and we have all made it out okay…Damn why is it Pennyworth can't be around when we need him, he'd tell you exactly what you needed to hear to get you up and back in the field."

They all smirked at the mention of Alfred. Alfred had been gone for a while now, but his memory still lingered and they all remembered it well. Bruce sighed and looked at his three boys. "McGinnis was only trying to protect me…He got captured, and he may already be dead, this is all my fault…"

At this Jason could take no more and came up and slapped Bruce across the face, "Were you this much of a pain when I died!"

"Yes, this and ten times over," Dick replied with a smirk. "Alright Bruce, we are all here now, and we are going to go out and look for the McGinnis kid, we just need to know which sections of the city to cover."

"And Father, seeing as the McGinnis kid is a bit detained, and Grayson already got to try it, and the failure over there is too old for it, I say it is my turn to try on the batsuit, seeing as I am your biological son and it is my birthright," Damian inserted and Bruce actually smiled.

"Alright Damian, there is a spare suit over there, you can be batman…Gotham cemetery is being covered by Green Lantern and Superman, the Gotham PD are covering Gotham Park and several other places in the city. Two other Leaguers are in town center…We need to cover the outside of town, the bay and docks…But you should not go in without backup…"

"Bruce you are needed here…I'll go to the outside of town, Damian and Jay can cover the docks…"Dick responded.

"The demon child can cover the docks, I'll check leads with the criminal underworld, being the Red Hood still has its connections, even if I have not been in Gotham much…" Jason replied and Bruce seemed surprised.

Damian stepped out of the cave with his father's original batsuit on and smirked, "Well at least I am not a failure like you Todd…" Bruce smirked at this, his boys were back together and they were joking just like old times, he wondered how long this could last.

"Alright, you boys go about your tasks, I'll be here doing Alfred's job and keeping in contact via com links, I assume you three still have the right frequency on your coms," Bruce asked with a smirk.

"Yes, we do Bruce, we may be older, but we're not that old," Dick replied. "I'll take the Batwing and fly, Damian, you can have the batboat since you will be in the docks and Jay, why don't you take the cycle, since you seem to have your own plans."

"I don't take orders from you Grayson," Jason responded before getting on the cycle with a smirk, putting his red hood on, and driving off. Damian and Dick soon followed in the boat and batwing, and Bruce smiled, yep, just like old times. He turned back to his com links and that was when his phone rang and he saw it was Terry's cell and his eyes widened.