AN: Thanks for all the reviews guys, and the concrit and the encouragement. Unfortunately this one hasn't been beta'd, so any mistakes (gramatical or otherwise) are all me, feel free to bite my head off.
Reviews still appreciated.
Blue Bird
Chapter 5
Nightwing sat in the interrogation room, tapping his fingers on the table top, waiting for Batman to speak from where he sat, across from him in another chair.
"Well..." Nightwing said, "This is awkward,"
Batman didn't reply and the tension in the room increased tenfold, Nightwing yawned slightly and sat back in his chair, "So the medbay... Do you get Agent A in every month to dust it or something?"
He met Batman's glare coolly, "I'll take that as a 'no', then,"
"Who are you?" Batman said, finally,
"That's a pretty big area, Bats," Nightwing said, "Care to be little more specific?"
"Name?"
"Nightwing." Nightwing replied, "N-I-G-H-T-W-I-N-G. All one word with a capital letter at the beginning, not any one of the seven and a half variations Kid Flash came up with for my med-form,"
"Your real name?" Batman asked,
"No can do, y'know with the whole secret ID thing? Sure you understand B.W." Nightwing smiled wickedly at Batman's apparent shock, an expression gone as quickly as it had appeared,
"Who taught you?" Batman said,
"Depends which bit," Nightwing said, "And I know you were deeply analysing my fighting style during our little bout so tell me, what do you think?"
"Your combat style is varied, which suggests several instructors, injuries, if you have any, don't deter you, suggesting either you're used to them or were trained by someone who can't be injured or doesn't care if they are, which explains the evidence of military training,"
"What can I say?" Nightwing said, "You can try all you like but there are some things you just don't forget, especially if they're learned the hard way. Those particular tidbits were learned by force from Deathstroke the Terminator,"
Batman didn't comment on this and continued, "Your style is largely based on agility and evasion, which is backed up by your use of acrobatics and your claim that your parents were training you to be a professional acrobat,"
"Right again," Nightwing said, "Two shows a night every night, three on weekends, no nets, sometimes over hungry lions, from when I was six and a half to when I was nine,"
"Approximately fifteen years ago," Batman said,
"Well, for me anyway," Nightwing said, "By the way, what's the date?"
"Friday, 6th of January, 2012," Batman said,
"Okay, so it's about five years ago for you," Nightwing said, "And since you asked my name I'll give you my initials. R.J.'D'.G.W." he sketched inverted commas around the 'D', "Anything else?"
"If I understand you correctly,"
"No mean feat," Nightwing interjected,
Batman ignored him, "You are from the future,"
Nightwing nodded, "By about a decade,"
"Which suggests you are already active in this time," Batman said, "Who as, and where?"
"That would probably make the timeline explode," Nightwing said, "Y'know, more than it already has,"
"Meaning what?"
"Umm... my being here wasn't on the future Justice League's records when I left, so that means something is manipulating the timeline, either that or me and everyone I come into contact with in this time gets a sudden bout of amnesia, which is unlikely,"
"So, this is a problem," Batman said, "Interfering with timelines tends to cause a universal reset, which puts stress on dimensional boundaries,"
"It's more likely that the universe will just compensate around it, so all the stuff still happens, but details will change, like my protégée, the one who tries to kill Superman, might not do it for the same reason, or an Arkham breakout will happen next week rather than tomorrow, and no, that isn't a prediction that's just a random guess, but you get the general idea, so by the time I get back to my time everyone else involved will remember it happening too and the universe will balance itself out,"
"And Robin?"
Nightwing shrugged, "Odds are he's in my time, which puts him in the middle of a fight with a dimension-jumping supervillain within twenty blocks of at least one member of my team, I'd say he's safe for now,"
"Your team?" Batman very clearly raised an eyebrow,
"Am I at liberty to say?" Nightwing asked, "They're a future variation of this one, except none of these guys are on the main roster any more, which I lead,"
Batman made no comment, he got up and left without another word and Nightwing heard the door lock behind him,
"Okay, I guess we'll have to do this the hard way then," Nightwing muttered,
He leapt onto the table and pulled the grille out of the vents, dropping it to the floor where it landed with a clang. With a grunt Nightwing hauled himself in and, for the second time that night, found himself crawling through the vents,
"This really shouldn't become a habit," Nightwing muttered,
He took a left, two rights and another left before dropping into an empty corridor and taking another right, and walking into the living room, where all team, minus the still missing Robin, were stood, gesturing silently at each other and seemingly oblivious to Nightwing's presence.
He watched quietly, in vague amusement as the conversation escalated and then, just at the time when he thought everyone would be most tense, he coughed, and managed to stop himself from laughing as everyone jumped several inches into the air simultaneously.
"Uh, hi?" Nightwing offered weakly,
"What the-" Artemis bit back a curse and struggled to regain her composure, "So, trained by Deathstroke, huh?"
"Yep," Nightwing said,
"The merc?" Kid Flash asked,
"One and the same," Nightwing agreed, "In the end I told him I wasn't interested, beat the crap out of him and went home,"
"You actually beat him?" Artemis raised an eyebrow in grudging admiration, "How'd you fix that?"
"You'll just have to wait and find out," Nightwing said, "For you it'll happen in about three years, unless the timeline goes so wobbly that it ends up never happening, which is unlikely,"
"You are from the future," Aqualad said, "and suggested that we knew you in this time,"
"Yeah, and no, sorry I can't tell you who, Flash Boy would blab," Nightwing said,
"Not even a hint?" Miss Martian asked,
"I wore a cape," Nightwing said, "That's all you're getting, and don't be surprised if Batman leaps out of nowhere and attacks me again, I might have broken out of the interrogation room,"
"That was stupid," Artemis said, "But, with him, if you got out it's probably because he wanted you to,"
"Yep," Nightwing said, "Knowing Bats he's probably going through every database on the planet, using his mad detective skills to work out my ID," he looked thoughtful for a moment then shouted at the ceiling, "Hey, Batman, if you're listening and missed it during the fight, I pulled my parent's signature move, it was a four!"
"What was that about?" Superboy asked,
"Just giving him a hint," Nightwing smirked, "It's not like I'm doing anything wrong,"
"Well I am," Kid Flash announced, "And that is that I'm beat and I've nearly been up twelve straight hours, I'm going to bed,"
With that he was gone in blur of red and yellow and Artemis yawned, "As much as I hate to agree with Baywatch, it's six in the evening, I've been up since six yesterday morning, so I'm crashing too,"
She walked away, Superboy and Miss Martian following without comment, Aqualad stayed and waited for the sound of footsteps to fade,
"I know you will probably be unable to say," He began, "But I overheard part of your interrogation with Batman, you are on this team in the future,"
"Yes, but by that time all of you have left to do your own thing," Nightwing said,
"Even so," Aqualad said, "Do you know who the mole is?"
Nightwing hesitated, "No, I never found out, I don't think anyone did,"
"Thank you," Aqualad said, "I take it you know where the guest rooms are?"
Nightwing nodded "Yeah, thanks, but I'm just going to sit here for a bit,"
"As you wish," Aqualad said,
He left and Nightwing performed a flip, landing gracefully on the back of the sofa and balancing there, until he heard the door open,
"You figured it out then?"
Batman nodded, although Nightwing wasn't looking the acrobat sensed the movement, he leapt lightly to the floor and turned on his former mentor, "What gave me away?"
"Everything," Batman said, "I'm guessing it was deliberate, everything from your blatant giving out of information, such as your parents profession and signature move, to the even more subtle details, it all added up to you being one person,"
"Whelming, Batman," Nightwing deadpanned, "And I'm pleased that you got it and all, but I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell the team,"
"I won't," Batman replied, "But in exchange I need you to do a reconnaissance mission,"
"When and where?" Nightwing smiled, slightly at Batman's seriousness,
"One hour, in Metropolis." Batman said, "I need Superman to get a message."
AN: Ooh! So Batman worked it out? And Nightwing has to visit Superman? I think we all know what message that will be :)
Until next week folks!