Chapter 3-Phoenix Burning
Wally was terrified.
They had saved Dick three hours ago. In doing so they had destroyed the entire Cadmus lab with extreme prejudice-and it had felt good.
But that wasn't why he was terrified.
He was terrified because when they had stormed the lab they had found Dick strapped to a medical table, unconscious and unaware. Three Cadmus doctors had been surrounding him, watching him, monitoring his vitals-but none were operating on him. Wally feared that they weren't preparing him, but had in fact finished.
Wally was terrified because now he was back at the cave, sat in the medbay next to the bed holding his little bird, and they didn't know what Cadmus had done to him.
Dick was still unconscious.
As of yet there was nothing to indicate that there was anything wrong with Dick. They had done x-rays and those only turned up the kind of fractures obtained in a fight-like the one he had been in when he was caught. However, with their equipment, they couldn't do a brain scan until he awoke and, it was obvious to Wally that the leagues medical examiners were worried by Dick's continued unconsciousness.
As he slowly pulled himself back into consciousness the first thing Dick became aware of was the hand gripping onto his with unbridled strength and the nervous vibrations of a speeder. His mouth quirked in a small, undetectable smile and his eyelids flickered at the knowledge that Wally was with him.
The second thing he became aware of was the painful aching, throbbing feeling burning in his head. Suddenly, reality came crashing back to him and, as if an electric current had been slammed through his body, his eyes snapped wide open and he flung himself into a sitting position, gasping for air. His chest heaved and adrenaline rushed through his system, the heart monitor attached to him beating out a blaring Rhythm of panic. Less than a moment later he hunched over, eyes squeezed shut and hand ripped forcefully from Wally's grasp to clutch at his head.
A strike of white hot agony lashed through his head and he whimpered.
Wally surged to his feet, body vibrating with worry as the shock left him, Dick whimpered, and league members and doctors raced into the small room.
"Dick," Wally said, voice carefully calm as he put his hand under Dick's chin and forced Dick to look at him. "Dick!" he said again, tone more demanding this time, "Calm down, you are okay, we are here, you are okay. Now tell me what's wrong."
Wally could feel the others hovering behind him but ignored them as he watched Dick begin to come back to himself and blink away the haze of pain.
"Wally," Dick said, his voice unnaturally soft as the last vestiges of the pain receded. He took a deep breath and began again, voice stronger, "I'm okay, it's fine. Just a rather painful headache, is all." He pulled his head away from Wally's grip to hide the fear in his eyes and laughed shallowly at a joke that wasn't funny.
He was painfully aware than no one else even smiled.
"Dick," Leslie said in a no-nonsense tone, breaking the silence and pushing Wally out of the way so that she could shine a light into Dick's eyes, "You said it was just a headache right? Well that could be just a reaction to having been under the influence of anaesthetic for so long, however, as a precaution I'd like to do a brain scan. I know you've only just woken up but do you feel up to having it now?"
She looked into Dick's eyes as she said this and he knew that she could read the fear and panic hiding in them.
He was grateful that she said nothing.
"Sure," he replied, painfully fake trademark grin on his face despite the spike of pain that suddenly shot through his brain.
Leslie noted his almost undetectable wince and chose to ignore it as she nodded and spoke, "Good. Flash, if you could prep the scanner? I'd like a moment alone with Mr. Grayson."
Flash nodded and raced off as the rest of the room cleared out.
"That means you too, Mr. West." Leslie said without even turning around, Wally sighed and plodded out as well.
She continued to look him in the eyes as she spoke, "Drop the act, Dick, you're not fooling me. Now, with all those emotions swirling in your eyes I'd say you have an idea of what they've done to you and you're terrified you're right."
He searched her eyes for a moment before sighing and turning his head away, the smile on his face disappearing quickly. He nodded in reply to her statement.
"Care to share?" she said, voice not softening an inch.
"Not really," Dick replied, voice hard and face closed off, "Let's just hope they didn't get the chance."
Leslie stared at him for a moment before sighing and turning away to lead him to the brain scanning room. She knew that tone in his voice and she hated it.
That was the tone he used when he was planning for the worst case scenario.
Batman stepped out of the zeta-beam into a back-alley phone booth in Gotham City with a grim look beneath his mask. Dick, his son, had been kidnapped by Cadmus and it had taken them far too long to get him back. Dick was still unconscious when he had left the cave, which worried him greatly, but he hadn't had a choice as he had to speak with Alfred, get some things for Dick and retrieve the Batmobile from a back alley in Gotham. It didn't help that he had a nagging feeling in his gut that something was about to go terribly wrong.
As he stepped out of the phone booth, head in the clouds and scowl on his face, he stopped short at the sight that greeted him.
A young boy, perhaps 12 years old, was attempting to remove a tyre from his car.
A young boy, perhaps 12 years old, was attempting to remove a tyre from the Batmobile.
Of all the cheek…it was the freaking Batmobile for lord's sake.
One tyre, the back left hand, was already gone, laying innocently on the floor to his left. They boy obviously had experience.
Batman pointedly coughed and the young boy span around, eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights.
"I, Uhh…" the boy stammered, rather ineloquently.
"And your name is…?" Batman asked calmly, deep voice rumbling in his chest.
The young boy jerked as if he'd been slapped and then stood up to lean against the car, a scowl on his face and an air of false bravado rolling off of him.
Batman quirked an eyebrow, amused.
"Jason. Jason Todd." Said the kid, disrespect echoing in his tone despite the fear lining it. He jerked his chin up as if to appear bigger.
"Okay, Jason. You're going to put that tyre back on my car." Batman said, voice unnervingly level.
Jason swallowed but retorted anyway, "No I'm not. I need it more than you."
"And how do you figure that?" asked Batman with obvious amusement ringing in his voice.
Jason considered the tall, dark clothed man for a minute before something in his gut told him that he could trust this man with the truth. "My father abandoned us after he got out of prison and my mother died last month. I'm a street kid. I need the money I'll get from these to feed myself. But you, to have a car as sweet as this you've gotta be rich, or at least have a hell of a lot a money. You don't need it, I do," his tone was still standoffish as he spoke, eyes unflinchingly trained on the holes in batman's mask.
Batman felt the amusement leave him rapidly as he absorbed the kid's words. Now that he really looked he could see that the kid's face was gaunt and there was barely any meat on his bones beneath the loose shirt he wore. The kid, Jason, was shivering in the cold of Gotham City's lousy weather and his jaw was squared to avoid his teeth chattering. Beneath the cocky look in the kids eyes Batman could see pain at his father's abandonment, his mother's death and the harsh life fate had dealt him.
Batman could tell the kid was trying to appear strong and his heart went out for him.
He was reminded far too vividly of the pain he'd felt when his own parents had died and the broken look Dick had had when his parent's tumbled to their deaths. The difference being of course that he had had Alfred and Dick had had both him and Alfred.
This kid had no one.
A sudden, stupid, spontaneous thought began to grow in his mind and as much as he told himself 'no' Batman could not get the thought to leave.
As Batman stared at the kid, for all the world looking like he needed a good meal and some love, Batman made a split-second decision that both his heart and gut told him was the right thing to do.
Plus, both Alfred and Dick would be so proud of him for doing it.
"You're going to put that tyre back on my car," Batman said to the kid after a few moments of silence, voice strong and broking no argument.
Jason chose to argue anyway, "But-"
"You're going to put that tyre back on my car," Batman interrupted, "And then you're going to get in the car and I'm going to take you home and give you a good meal and somewhere warm to sleep. If you play your cards right, kid, you may even get a new home and family."
Jason opened his mouth to argue and then closed it. Something within him told him to trust this man, that he would make things better, and Jason liked that idea.
Without a word, Jason quietly did as Batman had said.
Dick was back in his medbay bed and Leslie was stood at the head of said bed staring at his results. They were the only two in the room.
From the grim look set on her face he knew that what he had feared had come to pass.
Cadmus had succeeded in what they had set out to do.
"What do you see?" he asked, voice carefully flat.
Leslie sighed and handed the scan over to him.
A small object, the size of a sim-card at most, was imbedded in his brain. From the scan it was impossible to determine what it was and Dick felt a small sense of relief at that-no one needed to know the truth.
"It can't be removed," Dick said into the silence, glancing up at Leslie as he spoke. His voice implied more of a statement than a question.
She nodded and then replied, "No. I can't remove it without killing you. Moreover, I have no idea what it is and tampering with it could be dangerous. But you already know that." Leslie's eyes narrowed at her last words, scrutinising Dick.
He let nothing slip, face blank.
"Could you wait? To tell the others I mean. I need some time to myself." Dick suddenly asked, voice even but eyes begging her to listen.
She considered him for a moment before nodding and striding out of the room.
The moment the door closed behind her Dick felt his mask crumble. He knew exactly what was in his brain and he knew exactly what it would do.
Fear clutched at his heart and he covered his face with his palms as he took deep breaths to stop himself hyperventilating, to stop the pain and the panic taking over.
That was it then. Cadmus had succeeded and now he had no other choice.
God, life sucked sometimes.
He felt a couple of tears slide down his face and angrily wiped them away, refusing to let himself fall apart. Taking a moment, he composed himself, pushing his turmoil of feelings back behind a door which he locked tightly.
Roughly, he pushed himself up from the bed and strode over to the security camera in the far corner of the room. With quick and precise movements he disabled it, knowing for a fact that it was the only one in the room.
That done he locked the door, pulled the curtains shut and swiped his mobile from the bedside cabinet.
Hesitating only a moment to swallow and gather the courage, he flipped open the phone and dialled a number he had hoped he would never have to call.
"Richard?" a female voice answered on the other side, surprise and worry battling for dominance in her tone. She knew Dick calling meant something bad was happening.
"Cameron," he said, voice low and resigned, "I need a favour…"
Jason was astounded.
Batman was Bruce freaking Wayne.
Bruce freaking Wayne!
And even better, his butler, Alfred, was the nicest dude alive.
Batman, Bruce, had removed his cowl whilst he drove them back to the manor (a freaking manor) and had seemed oblivious to Jason's shock at Batman's unwarranted trust. When they had arrived Alfred hadn't even question his sudden appearance, just glanced at him, tutted, and muttered something about 'skin and bones', before ushering him up the stairs (out of the Batcave) and into the kitchen to eat.
It had been the tastiest meal of his life.
He'd then been ushered up another set of stairs, into a large (like seriously large) bedroom, and told to have a good rest for once. He did just that, deciding that Alfred was a wonderful person as he drifted into the best sleep he'd had in years.
He also decided that Alfred was rather pushy.
Jason was surprisingly okay with that, it meant the man cared and that was kind of nice.
However, his sleep had been interrupted by a nagging foreboding feeling growing in his gut.
Unable to ignore it and fall back to sleep, Jason had crept down the stairs and stopped just outside the kitchen doorway to listen to a conversation between Bruce and Alfred.
"Leslie called, they just got the scans back and it's not good. I need to go back," Bruce had said, concern and distress evident in his voice.
Alfred's voice had been even and calming as he replied, "Yes, you must go. He will need you, Master Bruce. Though, I will suggest that you take our new little family member with you. He appears to be a rather curious little fellow and I don't doubt he will try to follow you if you don't."
"What…" Bruce had replied before he had seemed to realise what Alfred meant and had spun around to see Jason peering round the door, listening to the conversation.
In amusement Bruce smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "You're right. Besides, Dick will want to meet him. Come here, Jason." The last bit was called, voice a little louder than before.
Unashamed of his eavesdropping, Jason walked over, head held high.
Batman chuckled and ruffled Jason's hair when he got close enough.
"They'll be none of that false bravado around here, kid. You're safe. Now, what do you think about meeting the Young Justice team and your new big brother?"
"Big Brother…?" Jason said quietly, "You mean, you were serious about me staying here? You want me to stay?"
"Of course, Master Jason," Alfred replied, amusement twinkling in his eyes, "Master Bruce does not reveal his identity to just any random stray."
Jason had been awestruck and speechless. A warm feeling had swelled in his heart at the man's words and he hadn't even been offended at the 'stray' comment, knowing it was not a dig at him but instead a joke among family.
Family.
That was nice.
"Fine. I'll come." He had said gruffly after a moment of composing himself, not wanting to appear weak to these men.
Bruce had chuckled and ruffled his hair again.
Now, they were stood beside a medical bed in a mountain cave and a teen barely two years older than him was grinning at him like he was the greatest thing in the world.
That warm feeling swelled in his heart again.
"So you're to be my little brother, ey?" asked Dick, warmth in his eyes, "Awesome. And Brucie here's already told you his secret. You're mighty lucky, I had to find that out for myself." He laughed and Batman scowled playfully beneath the mask.
"Though, it does seem I'm out of commission," Dick continued, "I guess I'm going to have to hand my mantle to you."
Jason frowned at an unnameable emotion he could detect behind Dick's playfulness.
"For now," Batman spoke, voice back to the deep growl Jason realised he put on when he was Batman.
"Of course," Dick replied, "For now."
Jason watched as Dick's eyes flickered up to Batman and then back to him and realised he knew the look in those eyes. That was the same look his father had given him the day he went to prison.
The look that said, 'I'm not coming back.'
For a reason he couldn't explain he felt anguish in his heart at that knowledge and had to fight back a choked sound as he replied, "I'll wear it with pride."
Dick smiled a small, honest smile and nodded to Jason at his words. Jason knew that they had understood each other perfectly.
Dick stared into the mirror in the en suite from the medical room he was staying in. The others had left hours ago, determining that he needed his rest, and he could now faintly hear them chatting in the lounge on the other side of the mountain.
Jason had been a surprise, but a pleasant one, and he figured it was fate's way of saying that it was his time to go and Alfred and Batman would be alright.
And fate wasn't wrong, it was his time to go. He had to, if he wanted to protect the people he loved.
Staring into the mirror, he narrowed his eyes and spoke, voice low, determined and furious, "You chose the wrong guy to do your dirty work. If you thought I would willingly play a pawn in your plan to take down the league, then you obviously doubted my determination. I will not let you win. You don't get what you want."
The team were sat in the living room playing a board game and chatting to keep themselves from worrying about Dick. Batman, Jason, the Flash, Leslie and Black Canary also sat in the room, unnervingly silent as the team tried to ignore the concern rolling off of them in waves.
Suddenly, an explosion ripped through the mountain, originating from the medbay.
The occupants of the room were thrown against the far wall with cries of pain. Heavy smoke billowed into the room and an alarm blared a strikingly loud and late warning.
As Jason lay against the wall, ears ringing and attempting to blink the daze from his eyes, all he could think was 'Oh, that's why Dick had had that look in his eyes."