8

DESPERATION

Jason followed Oracle's directions and drove the Batmobile two miles to another warehouse in the Tricorner Yards. As the car approached a massive door on the loading dock opened. Jason drove into the warehouse slowly. He saw a section of the floor lower down below the rest of the floor. Jason drove down the ramp and ended up in the tunnels.

"Whoa..." he said as he looked around. "Have these always been here?"

"Turn left," Oracle replied, ignoring his question.

Jason did as he was told. He continued driving along, amazed at what he saw. The tunnels were obviously very old, yet modern track lighting hung from the ceiling. As he drove on he eventually passed an old subway platform with benches. It was dark and covered in a century's worth of dust. This is the old subway system, he realized. They told us in school this was destroyed in the quake. Jason noticed he kept passing ATVs and even another Batmobile parked on a platform. So this is how he gets around and never gets caught...

Dr. Leslie Thompkins picked up her customized cell phone on the first ring. It was the ringtone that she hated. The one that meant Batman needed help.

"Alfred?" she said as she answered.

"Mister Wayne has been saying he would love to see you as soon as possible," Alfred said.

"I'm on my way," she replied. Dammit, Bruce. How bad this time?

Alfred hung up with Leslie and walked to the Cave's infirmary. A month after Dick left Gotham Bruce decided to move out of the penthouse and back to his ancestral home. He said he preferred Wayne Manor and the original Cave to the penthouse and the Bunker and satellite caves. Alfred believed it was because the penthouse and Bunker seemed very lonely without his protégés around. At least he had gotten used to the loneliness at the mansion.

Alfred began laying out the standard medical supplies he usually needed when the computerized voice spoke into his bluetooth earpiece.

"The Batmobile is ten minutes out."

"Thank you," Alfred responded. "I'm grateful for your assistance so far tonight. Still, it would be rather nice to know with whom I am speaking."

"I am the Oracle."

"Yes, ma'am. We've already established your title. I would like to know if I'm dealing with a group, an individual. A simple ally or an actual friend."

"All will be revealed."

"Yes, I imagine it shall. Until then you'll pardon me if I'm not my usual gentlemanly self. I have to prepare for the Batman's injuries now.

"I'll check on his condition in a few hours."

The tunnel Jason was driving in began look different. What had been bricks and mortar had now turned to rock. He drove through an archway and into a much smaller tunnel. End of the subway system? So what's this? Still looks old but with the same lighting. Old wooden support beams stood side by side with modern aluminum support beams. He continued on for several more miles and started to slow down as he saw the tunnel ended. However, as the Batmobile approached he saw the wall of the tunnel began to lower, revealing a vast opening. Jason drove the Batmobile through. Again he was amazed at what he saw. He was in a vast cave that had been turned into a headquarters. He could see different sections on various platforms all around. All the platforms were surrounded by what seemed like glass walls. What looked to be the central hub had a massive plasma monitor surrounded by several other monitors. A console sat below them, with several ergonomic chairs in front. Jason drove past several different versions of the Batmobile he was driving. He arrived at a platform where an older man in a black sweater and gray slacks was standing. Jason popped the cockpit and got out.

"He's hurt bad," Jason said to the man. "Help."

"I will. How badly are you hurt?" Alfred asked. Jason had blood running down his face from his nose.

"I'm fine. Just help him," Jason answered as he lost consciousness. Alfred caught him as he collapsed to the floor. He briefly checked Jason's vitals and left him on the ground. Batman was the priority.

Alfred walked around to the passenger side of the Batmobile. Batman was propped up on the seat, his cowl removed. The top left side of his face was badly bruised and his left eye was swollen shut. There was dried blood on his face and coming out of his ears.

Oh dear... Alfred thought. The Cave's alert system sounded. Leslie had arrived. Alfred heard her descend the stairs that led to the entrance to the mansion. Alfred grabbed Batman and picked him up in fireman's carry. He slowly walked to the infirmary.

"Leslie!" Alfred yelled. He heard footsteps as Leslie ran the rest of the way down the long stairway. She ran past the central hub, down a shorter flight of stairs and into the infirmary to meet Alfred.

"Oh. God..." Leslie said as she saw Bruce. She took a penlight out from her pocket and checked Bruce's pupils. "What happened?"

"Hand to hand combat. Batman's lenscam caught parts," Alfred answered. He began to remove Batman's gloves and boots.

"Someone's fist did this? Through his cowl? And they beat Bruce in a fight?"

The implication was clear. Batman's cowl was armored and he was one of the world's top fighters. To be able to hurt him like this, to even be able to hurt him, would require abilities beyond human limits. This was the work of a metahuman.

Leslie lifted his neck and felt around. She shined her penlight in his ears and checked his pupils again. His breathing was labored and he was unresponsive to stimuli.

"Alfred, this isn't good. Ears are bleeding, no response to stimuli. This isn't my area of expertise. He's had concussions, this is something worse. It's time," Leslie said. Alfred could see the worry in her eyes.

Alfred nodded. He knew what she was saying. Batman had designed protocols for numerous situations should they arise. Although Leslie was a skilled trauma surgeon and the rest of the team had extensive medical training, head trauma was a specialty none of them had. In the case of severe head trauma, the protocol was called PHYSICIAN LIGHT.

"PHYSICIAN LIGHT is green," Alfred said. "Do what you can here, I'm leaving now." Alfred took a few steps, paused, and turned back toward Leslie. "Also, there is an unconscious young man on the Batmobile platform. His name is Jason." Alfred turned and quickly headed for the elevator to the mansion.

Leslie nodded. She looked down at Bruce. Damn you. Why can't you stop? she thought. She began removing the rest of his uniform, throwing it into a pile in the corner of the infirmary. She began to do what she could for Bruce until Alfred returned.

Jason opened his eyes and looked around. The first sensation he noticed was pain from the worst headache he had ever had. And it was cold where he was. He was on a cold stone floor. ¿Dónde estoy? he thought. Where am I? He looked around and everything came flooding back. Batman... the big guy... the fight... hit him with the car... tunnels... the cave. Bruce Wayne. Bruce Wayne. Batman is Bruce Wayne. Holy shit.

Jason sat up and looked around. He was on a platform next to the Batmobile. There were metal stairs leading to various other platforms, each containing different sections of the cave. Something that looked like it was for weapons. He got up and walked forward. The cave was immense. And dark. And cold. Jason heard screeches and looked up. What little lighting there was came from a tract lighting system attached to... a clear plastic ceiling? What the hell? He could see that the clear ceiling stretched over the entire span of the cave, covering every platform. The ceiling was attached to the clear walls surrounding them. Metal stairs connected the platforms to each other, and also had clear walls and ceilings forming corridors. Intermittent large gray tubes were spread throughout the , emitting a low hum. The entire headquarters was self contained and separate from the natural cave while still allowing a sparsely lit view of the cavern. It reminded Jason of being in an underwater aquarium.

Jason walked to a short set of metal stairs and went up, following the path to the next transparent corridor which led up to the main hub where the monitors and console were. From here he could see most of the platforms and access each one. The platform directly to his left seemed to lead to a room that directly led into the wall of the cave itself. The platform next to that one was obviously an armory. Multiple rows of weapons were mounted from floor to ceiling on the massive high walls surrounding the platform. Jason could make out the various types of batarangs, but didn't know what most of the other weapons and tools were. The next platform over was again massive. It contained numerous large machines Jason didn't recognize and several workbenches and a door that looked to lead into the wall of the cave itself. Various pipes and tubing surrounded each platform, he didn't see where they lead to.

To the right of the hub he saw stairs leading to a full private gym with every type of exercise equipment one could imagine. On the far side of the gym was a boxing style ring. The massive platform also had what looked from above like a fully functioning miniature hospital. Jason could see six hospital beds, an x-ray and multiple other medical machines, two operating sections, and some sort of immersion tank.

A short, slender woman was in one of the operating rooms, standing over a nude man on the table. Jason walked down the stairs from the central hub to the training/infirmary platform and approached the woman. She was was holding the hand of the figure on the table, Bruce Wayne. As he grew closer he realized he knew her.

"Dr. Leslie?"

Leslie looked up at the voice. Recognition, followed by shock, was apparent on her face.

"Jason Todd? You're the 'Jason' Alfred meant? What are you doing here?"