The Batcave was always cold and dark, but he past month had made it seem even more so. Lingering tension from from Tim's imprisonment and the mad search for The Joker had settled around the damp place like a suffocating cloud.
Bruce, Dick, Alfred, they all trudged through the cloud as best they could. They hadn't heard from Barbara in days. Hadn't seen hide nor hair of the Red Hood since their confrontation on the rooftop. High as anticipation for Tim's return had been since they'd put The Joker away, now there wasn't much they wouldn't have done for any sign that they'd ever see the middle child again.
It was Dick who voiced the thought first. While Damian was destroying the training equipment and Alfred was dusting Jason's memorial case.
"What if he meant we had to kill The Joker?" Dick said.
Alfred's posture stiffened and Damian finally managed to crack the sturdy wooden training dummy.
"He did say he would release Drake when he was sure the Joker wouldn't be a problem." Damian said, the boy directed a few more strikes at the dummy, widening the crack. "I could handle such a mission in an hour with the proper..."
"No Dami." Dick said. "What I mean is that, if we could get Jason to believe that Joker won't be coming back he might slip out of hiding."
"And what of Drake while you come up with your diversion?" Damian said. "Todd is an imbecile, but he will not be fooled easily on this. It's likely he will get impatient and decide that Drake is no longer a valuable bargaining chip."
"Nightwing pushed down the tight feeling in his chest and carried on. " We have friends that can help us. Alfred," he turned to the butler, "call he league and we can..."
"That won't be necessary." Bruce said, pulling up his cowl as he made his way down the stairs.
"Bruce, after all this would it really..." Dick began.
"Anyone we could have gotten for something like that is otherwise engaged." Bruce said in a tone that implied he'd checked. she walked up to the bat computer and began tapping at the keys. "We have intel that Black Mask is picking up a valuable shipment at he docks tonight." Bruce brought up a map and marked the location.
"We're focusing on this now? Really?" Nightwing said, crossing his arms. "We have other people we can ask to deal with this."
Damian walked up to stand besides his father and looked at the screen contemplatively. The boys frown slipped and became an almost smile. "There will be almost a million dollars worth of cargo at this exchange."
Nightwing was about to interject when Robin continued.
"It is unlikely Todd will pass up an opportunity such as this, correct Father?" the boy said.
Batman gave his son a curt nod that was softened somewhat by the Dark Knight's own almost smile. "Suit up both of you. We'll need at least two hours for prep."
Nightwing didn't reprimand Robin for the two vicious kicks the boy directed at Black Mask's chest. Batman just frowned a little more.
"What? With the way ya go through em who woulda though you'd be so touchy." Black Masks voice had too much mirth in it for someone in his position.
It wasn't like he could get more caught than he already was, and since that new gun toting bastard had come to town he hadn't had many chances to antagonise the bat himself. The last time he'd gotten any reaction from the Dark Knight had been when he'd gotten to that girl Robin. Even then Batman had just brought back the old one. Still couldn't say it hadn't been worth he effort though.
He was knocked to the ground by an uppercut to the jaw before he realised he shouldn't have said that out loud. Touchy tonight, and the little bird had a hell of a temper.
Jokers gotten another one, huh. Guess I'll have to even the score with that one." Black Mask tried to pull himself up from where he'd fallen, not easy when the bastards had zip tied his arms behind his back. Aside from shooting a look at the fuming Robin there was no sign that any of the bats even heard him.
"Or would I have to take out two? There were rumours the hood was one of your's." He tilted had s head. "Nah, couldn't be. Am I glad I don't have that bastard breathing down my neck anymore. Heard he got caught up in that explosion and you bats finished him off a couple weeks later. Just for that I'll hold off on doing anything to the little bird. Seeing as how no ones seen the Hood in..."
Before he saw what hit him Roman Siones was waking up in the prison medical ward.
Tim watched the news reporter talk on about how Black Mask and some of his men had been found at the Docks after an anonymous tip. Like that could have been anyone other than Batman. It relieved Tim that they were still looking after the city.
Jason scoffed, turning Tim's attention to the man who leaned against the wall as far from Tim as he could get while still being able to see the TV. Jason saw Tim looking at him and took a sip of his beer while turning back to news.
"Hey Jason." Tim said, hating the way his voice cracked.
Jason tensed up for a second before returning to his relaxed slouch. "What is it kid?"
"Why am I here?" The boy curled in on himself as he said it.
"Doctor said you'd do better with stimulation or some shit, TV's all I got." Jason shrugged.
"No, I mean I'm grateful, but." Tim fiddled with the hem of his too big shirt, but kept his eyes trained on Jason. "Why am I here, at all?"
Jason brought his bottle to his lips again before he answered. "Didn't think it'd be safe to move you. I'm not gonna hurt you, kid. Saving you cost me the Joker, so I'm just making sure it was worth it."
What could Tim do to fix that? Did Jason. want him to do it himself. Or being Jason did he just want to mess with the others by making them waste time looking for Tim.
"How long?" Tim asked, taking a sip of the cold tea next the the sofa to sooth his suddenly dry throat.
"Till I say so." Jason pushed off from the wall and walked past the TV to go into the kitchen. Tim heard the fridge open and close.
"You can't just keep me here forever." Tim said, he knew he wouldn't like anything Jason asked him to do, and that his predecessor wouldn't let him go until he got what he wanted. "Someone will find out where we are and come for me. Can't you just let me go?"
"Forever?" Jason reentered the living room. "Psh, like I'd put myself through that." He said with an easy smile that Tim could tell right away was fake. "Just a few months okay. Can't trust you not to swing around in that broken wrist." Jason out another bowl of soup on Tim's lap.
Tim's good hand clamped around his dully throbbing wrist. "But I have school." He cradled the warm bowl against his chest. "And the Titans. Jason I can't just be gone for months."
"I'll get you some books." Jason said. "And I'm sure your super powered friends can handle themselves for a while."
"What do you think you'll get out of all this?" Tim asked, pushing down his own frustration. Not knowing was almost worse than Jason's temper. Tim regretted that thought when the man's expression hardened.
"Don't push it kid." Jason said, stepping out of the apartment. "And eat your soup.
Tim watched him go, and couldn't help but worry that Jason would snap and finish off what the Joker had started if Tim didn't get out soon. It wasn't like Hood hadn't gotten close before. Another part of the boy fought not to call Jason back in case the Joker was waiting outside the door.
Jason frowned at the old man in the bookshop that was staring at him. What kind of books would the little genius Tim even find interesting? The kid was getting restless, and Jason knew he'd make a break for it soon.
There was no possibility of keeping the kid hidden from the bats in their own city, but Jason didn't have the funds to move them. His ribs still protested when he move wrong, so ant bid busts were out of the question. Getting Siones would have gotten enough cash to move Tim somewhere well hidden and Jason could have taken it from there.
He was glad he'd decided against that.
That old man was still staring at him. Jason dumped some random college books into his basket and headed for the checkout. Then old man came up to Jason and asked what courses he was taking. It was almost time to make sure Tim took his antibiotics, kid probably thought they were drugged too.