He kept typing out the algorithms to locate the information they required as bodily thuds and high pitched grunts sounded from the enclosed corridor of the living area. Tim was really glad it wasn't him in there.
Conner was still his best friend and anyone beating the crap out of him was not an image he wanted. Not that Tim hadn't beaten the crap out of him a few times but that was different.
Tim did the beating then, now? It was a bit awkward and Tm wasn't needed so logically there was no need to slow down their trajectory to help Cassie and the Demon who really did not need help.
Well, Cassandra wouldn't need help.
He absently cut off the Zeta-Tube from the others – they didn't want further unwanted company – and kept hacking the severely lacking protocols for the Bat Computer. They'd really reconfigured the Computer since, well, later on in time.
Once inside, he sent off viruses that would slow the Computer down though not be permanently shut while he searched for what they required. Bruce's data on the Chaos Shards were disastrously miniscule; he hadn't researched them much except an initial report of existence.
However he did manage to locate a name of the man in charge of the experimentation on the Shards, a one Dr. Carter of Central City with a residence inside of Metropolis. Dr. Carter's computers weren't hard to locate, though they were the extensive variety and Tim scowled, wishing he could pull up a seat and have a few spare hours.
"You got what we need Pretender?" Jason waltzed over. Tim didn't know how many times he'd told Jason his name was Tim, not Pretender, not Replacement and definitely not Tambourine.
Idiot, "Read this," Tim opened another holographic window to set Jason onto another file. "We're looking for a way to control or at least direct the Chaos Shards abilities to do what we want without burning up." Jason holstered his gun, took off his helmet and started scanning.
"We're going to ride this thing back?" his eyes sped behind the domino mask. He had to be a quicker reader than Tim, which was really all Tim could ask for at this point.
Tim barely nodded, trying to catch his gaze on the right collection of words to indicate that the good Doctor had inkling on how to control the Shard. At the moment it was nearly all theories with no physical experimentation. Usually this type of patience in science would be welcome, but in fact, it was extremely irritating.
Jason muttered, "This guy just jabbers," flicking a finger to scroll down further.
"What's the hold up?" Stephanie bounced down from the rafters as Cassandra and Damian began dragging heroes across the large open space and into the training room to hold them captive and distracted should they awaken. "Sure, don't tell me – I'll find out sooner or later, not going to bite me in the perfect ass or anything."
Tim winced. She hadn't been like that earlier had she? Tim was having trouble recalling where his tenor as Robin had eradicated his civilian life and hers until they were both manipulative and smug know-it-alls. Or, more likely, he was projecting, again.
There wasn't time for this. Tim shook his head from those thoughts and kept reading as Cassandra clapped her hands from the heroes and Damian insisted, "You must teach me that maneuver." Yeah, teaching the devil child more attacks was the right way to go.
Jason tapped the screen, "Ah, I got it – Tim-boo read it." At least that was better than the others.
Tim scanned the passages with an ever growing scowl.
"Yeah, that's what I said," Jason grumbled.
"What?" Stephanie crossed her arms and Tim squeezed his fists because he couldn't run a hand through his hair with the cowl. "As long as it doesn't require a virgin sacrifice we'll do it," she intoned.
Demon opened his gob, and yeah, that wasn't going to cut it.
"It's not a virgin sacrifice," Jason responded. He scratched the stubble starting on his jaw, "We should be able to power up a portal with shard we got. Just it's not the safest idea out there considering the unlimited power of that thing which we have no real clue how it works."
"Look," Tim shrugged, "We'll try and hook it up, we'll test that it can swallow physical matter and keep them whole; and then sort this mess out from the other side."
Damian scowled, "That's hardly a sound plan, Drake." Stephanie cuffed his shoulder for the usage of names in the field and Demon growled up at her. Stephanie smiled sweetly down.
Tim completely agreed. "Yeah, well it's what we got, unless you know of a way to open dimensions without alerting the League?"
"Why not alert?" Cassandra tried.
Jason answered, not liking it any more than the others. "Because we'd be forced to await their approval to move – if they even know to open dimensions in his world – and we're on a time limit here."
Stephanie nodded quickly, "They wanted us out the picture."
"Yeah," Tim turned back to the hologram to begin configurations, "And we still don't know for what."
Stephanie and Jason went to pick up the Chaos Shard. All of them secretly working to ensure Damian didn't get too close to it. They didn't know how it'd react to the energy that had legitimately brought him back from the dead with a super powered freebie.
Tim worked and worked, and Cassandra guarded and guarded, and Damian spied and jumped into the calculations. It was quicker working together, attempting to factor in their physical forms and not accidently leave anything metaphysical behind.
They were essentially creating a mother box to cross into their dimension which would be powered by the Chaos Shard. They didn't have the simple technical data on their side which meant they were going to have to rely on something more alien and unpredictable than that.
Tim really didn't like the position they were in. And Tim really didn't like Damian second guessing all his calculations. Okay, the kid was good with numbers but it was ridiculous the scrutiny he put into finding – or not finding more like – the flaws.
Cassandra tilted her head, "They're awake," she alerted.
Tim cursed and Damian tensed, sinking his scowling head further towards the holograph as he typed out data. Spoiler and Hood had entered through the Bay doors and Cassandra shut it behind them, taking her vigil at the stimulation's rooms monitor bay.
She didn't know what scenario she'd set up but it was causing a lot of explosions and Canary's cry ricocheted from beneath the seams. Tim was just glad Cassandra had stolen utility belts, or they'd have less time than anticipated. "That bad?" Jason chimed.
Tim stole the case off him, opening it up to wire it up to the holographic computer which sizzled red before stabilizing to a potent brightness. "Open the Zeta-Beam," he ordered, "Let's update this dimension."
For once Damian didn't argue, or complain, or even scowl that viciously. He was really was growing up, to an insufferable adult but still, he wasn't as pompously brattish as before.
Jason monitored the download to the Zeta-Beam, its edges crackling with crimson electricity. "Is that a good thing?" he asked, and Tim really didn't know. It's not like he'd done this before.
Cassandra rushed from the monitor room's doors and Jason muttered, "That's not good." And the stimulations heavy steel doors flew off their hinges with a piercing Canary Cry.
There wasn't time to dim the lights. There wasn't enough time for the download bar to be complete. There wasn't even long enough to think of a solution of their identities. It'd all come together, and even Jason – whose biker jacket had hidden the Bat emblem on his chest – had left his jacket open.
They might just be screwed.
Cassandra was their obstacle, short yet imposing and absolutely terrifying for those she'd just taken down in mere seconds. Well, the sooner they left the better and Tim continued typing out the directions, searching for their world in the countless number of dimensions.
"That wasn't very nice," Robin – as in their older brother not so old – gritted out. His voice was so high pitched that wasn't really what he was expecting, "You know I don't think I want to know why you're doing this."
Jason's guns perked up, brandished on Canary and Batman. This was going to get so bad so very quickly, "Yeah – sorry if I'm not balling my eyes out." Cassandra tilted slightly in her position, closer to Jason to knock his guns out should he do something unfortunate.
Tim just had to work, just work and they'd get out of here on time.
"What are you doing?" Batman growled and Tim almost halted on instinct. When he sounded like that it was clue Tim might just be banned from the Cave. Tim really hoped their Batman didn't figure out what they'd done. There had to have been a more logical way to go about this.
Jason didn't respond but like, none of them would have to be honest. "You're looking quite rumpled Bats, you positive you don't want to sit this one out? What about your kiddies, don't you think it's a little past their bedtime?" he waved a gun at the tense Young Justice Team.
"We'll be gone soon," Cassandra added, head tilted like her lips had never moved. She really embraced being a Bat.
At least the program for the Zeta-Beam was finished downloading, and Tim quirked a lip as the Zeta-Beam crackled to life. "Hey, stop that!" Kid Flash zoomed past and Jason reacted, shooting at his feet so he was forced to dodge, skidding into a nearby wall.
Stephanie trapped him to her front with a Bat-a-rang to his throat, "I don't want to use this, alright? We just want to finish and you'll never see us again," she promised. And Tim saw her take the words into account before switching them around, "Well, you'll never see us–us again more like another us."
Kid Flash couldn't turn his head but he didn't look all to upset. Tim might just leave a poisonous cookie lying around.
"Dude," Jason groaned and Stephanie shrugged, pulling a face barely visible beneath her gossamer hood. Jason scratched his head with his gun, "Look, welcome to the multiverse, stay in your lane," he twisted to stare at the others, "Am I missing something?"
Damian's scowl scorned Jason, his arms tightly crossed, "As usual, Hood." Jason sucked in a deep breath for the will to keep his bullets for criminals, "We're not here to harm the inhabitants of the world." That was surprisingly couth for Damian, "Unless they get in our path."
There it was.
Tim was actually pretty grateful in that second that the form of Imp suddenly appeared beside Damian, with a deftly raised palm and a call of, "You've betrayed, Master."
Jason grinned, "Finally. Something I can shoot."
Mount Justice trembled and that was truly, truly bad. Without the portal they'd have to find another, and they might just be stranded here for good until the Justice League decided they could be trusted.
Chaos ensured, and that pun was a nice addition.
Imp dodged Damian's attack, flickering into existence beside Conner and Jason raised his gun, "Kon!" Tim yelled on instinct. He had to get them out of here now. This universe wasn't prepared to handle someone from the 5th dimension.
Superman was barely capable of handling someone from the fifth dimension.
Imp multiplied rapidly, and quite suddenly there were about fifty Imps all standing in existence. They didn't look all too happy, they charged Stephanie and Cassandra fought through them until they puffed from existence.
There were tons of others, some armed with knives others without and Tim really had to protect the hologram screen and the chaos shard. Luckily Damian had taken it upon himself to guard them both, leaving Tim mostly protected by proxy while he searched for their dimension. "What is this thing?" Artemis Crock yelled.
"An Imp, from the fifth dimension – yeah my thoughts exactly – this one in a twizzle because we wouldn't hand over that shard to his Master," Stephanie shouted. She kicked Imp in the head, "Even when we said we'd help him get free!"
It was definitely out of place that Tim thought she looked amazing.
"Focus lover boy," Jason chimed.
Rude, "Got you," Tim hissed as he clicked their universe, and the Zeta-Beam sizzled with electricity, a bright light imploded from its center blinding the occupants for a second to simmer into a low burn. Tim grinned, "Let's move!" with a few commands the portal would remain stable.
Imp shrieked, "Master decreed you would not leave!" Maybe they shouldn't have pissed off an imp from the fifth dimension, well it was too late.
This dimensions occupants were helping, throwing punches to blow the Imp's into hissing steam and causing enough of a diversion to let his family inch closer towards the portal. They had to find the real Imp, bring him back with them, "Blackie!"
Cassandra's head snapped to the side, reading all his intentions with the tilt of her head and she scanned, dodging and leaping over grabbing Imps to survey from a higher point. Tim disarmed an Imp beside him and Cassandra dashed from her position into the shadows where a thud of a body was heard and all the Imps halted, expression blankly dazed and instantaneously puffed out of existence.
That was a relief.
Cassandra dragged Imp forward by the robe, depositing him Jason's grasp to make him drop the guns. "You could have just asked," Jason grunted.
"I was," Cassie grinned beneath her tight mask and she patted Jason's shoulder as he grumbled. Tim double checked that Imp hadn't dislodged the portal in the time that had spared and waved a hand around, a universal Bat Sign for 'let's move out'.
"Wait, wait!" Robin – his elder brother that was – bounced forward, "You're just leaving? You didn't even tell us who you are or what the hell is going on!" His waving arms flopped to his sides, "Come on, tell me," Robin insisted.
Stephanie popped in front of Robin, cradling his cheeks with a beaming squeal, "You're so cute and tiny!" Tim would have been jealous if the fact didn't seem to pain her, "Ex!" Stephanie yelled – which was always what he wanted to be called, "You got a camera on you right? Can I?" she made grabby hands.
Tim exhaled, "We really should be going." He took out his thumbnail camera – he couldn't just say no, he wanted the proof too – throwing it to Stephanie who caught it just as Robin flew back.
"You're not taking my picture," Robin crossed his arms. Kid Flash snickered and Artemis elbowed him, not without failing to wipe the grin off her own lips.
Stephanie had kneeled, "Come on. Don't you think our…Robin wouldn't want proof of his tiny counterpart or you know potential black mail material we can use." She nodded, "Please, take one for the team he's got stuff on all of us."
"That's true," Jason tagged on, "Perks of being Daddy's first." Tim probably had more. He might have been a little obsessed with his heroes growing up and he would do everything to make certain they didn't figure that out.
Damian pulled a face at Jason's language. "One condition," Robin mentioned and Batman outright glared at his first protégé, "I want to know who you guys are, real names. Just so I can look out for you here," Robin grinned cheekily and Tim sure remembered that from the old photos.
"That's not a good idea, Robin," Batman intoned.
"But it could be," Robin returned. He eyed Stephanie, "What say you? Good idea, I think it's great. It's not like it'll mess anything up, alternative realities right? What you do here won't change anything that should be changed, you guys will be part of our squad quicker – everyone wants to be part of the squad."
"Oh, that's really not a good idea," Jason muttered. He positioned the Imp over his shoulder and Cassandra tilted her head to scrutinize Robin.
"I approve of it," Demon called out. He would be alright with it, probably try to convince Bruce the rest of them were unnecessary. He continued, "My mother is Talia Al Ghul, I suggest you find me before my fifth birthday. It will be best for everyone involved."
Now there was a tale. Damian had probably committed his first murder at that age and that he didn't want that to happen here was somewhat admirable for a Demon Brat.
The Young Justice Team, Batman and Black Canary didn't take the news with enthusiasm. They didn't outright dismiss the knowledge, which might actually prove good for the future.
Maybe Bruce finding the Demon Brat before he would truly become the Demon Brat would save a whole lot of medical trips. "Such a bad idea," Jason winningly concluded, shaking his head.
But none of them stepped up to stop Damian.
"Only Cain is worth our blood," Demon continued and well, Tim definitely still felt that aggravation. "I wouldn't bother with the others they're rather lacking in skills and quality and intellect…" Jason's loud growl blurred the rest of his words much to Demon's disapproval.
Tim glowered at the Demon, "You're only proving my point, Dead," Damian retorted.
Stephanie held up the camera with a loud exhale, "I just wanted a picture, Munchkin. We didn't need the whole better-than-thou vibe, it's a real downer."
"We don't need a picture," Tim waved it away; "Hood's probably got some dirt."
"Do you?" Stephanie questioned with an asking grin.
Jason's crooked grin took a distinctive sharp quality and Tim would have to find that stash of blackmail. "Well," he clapped, "We should really be going before this little destroyer of worlds' of ours wakes up. It wasn't lovely meeting you and all that, really don't stay in touch."
He swiveled on his heel to the portal and gestured for the others to start walking in. Stephanie pouted at the camera, quickly snapping a picture of Robin – "Hey!" before darting away and handing it back to Tim.
"I feel like such a stalker," Stephanie whispered to Tim as she ruffled Damian's hair and snatched her hand back before it was eaten.
"It'll be a great picture," Tim praised and Stephanie beamed. Yeah, he'd do a lot to keep her smiling like that.
Damian checked back at his much younger Father and floated through the portal, disappearing in a sea of icy blue. "Remind me again how you became Robin," Jason perked up.
"Shut it, Hood," Tim mumbled, shoving Jason's arm as he was swallowed by the portal. Stephanie waved a hand in farewell, beaming behind her gossamer mask and leaped after her ex.
Jason saluted two fingers from his temple, "Stay outta trouble and all that," he bounded into the portal. Imp disappearing upon his shoulder as well.
Cassandra remained, eyeing the occupants to bow her head in respect, grin through her skin tight mask and launch through the portal.
Once the final one departed the portal spat and sizzled, whirring down into an overworked Zeta-Beam. It was silent for a few good moments and then Robin nudged Batman, "I want one."
Batman stared at his protégé with exasperation but that wasn't a no. Robin beamed.
A/N: you guys want an epilogue because im working a couple other stuff, and if you do, what do you want to see from Bats POV or Young Justice side? you know i think i will do an epilogue...what though, that is the question - review please let me know what you liked!