Cypher wants revenge against Batman and his former third Robin. What better way to get revenge than to use the Wayne Family to lure everyone to their doom.

Subliminal Death

By

AJ

Part 4: Children's Thoughts

"How did you know?"

"Call it a hunch," Samantha replied.

"Master Richard did seem rather odd, unresponsive actually," Alfred went on, as Haley continued to cry in his arms. "I was on my way to take Haley to Master Bruce."

"I came back to check on Tim and feed my sons," Samantha stated. "The clinic was light today. Should we tell Bruce?" She didn't mention about meeting Dick on the road and nearly crashing into her, but then again, she could have been mistaken.

"I'll talk with Master Bruce. You obviously have your hands full."

Samantha smile. "And so do you, apparently."

"The poor thing is upset about something. I only hope Master Bruce can calm her down."

Samantha and Alfred went on to do their respective duties.

Caleb gently patted his Daddy. 'I missed him,' he said in his mind. "da..."

"Da ... Da...da... " Caine replied, 'I missed him, too. I'm glad he's getting better.'

Samantha entered their shared bedroom and watched as the boys tried to wake Tim. 'I think daddy's going to be sleeping for a while.'

"da...da..." Caleb leaned his head on his daddy's chest.

Caine laid his head down on his daddy's stomach. 'His aura is different.'

'Strong as steel, combination of auras, Uncle Dami, Uncle Dick, and Uncle Jays.'

'They are his shields,' Caine said.

'They are each other's shields. Four walls, stand tall. Without the others one could fall'

'You are right, but I have sensed a great evil that it may take all of us to overcome. This is not like other evils. It is persuasive.'

'What is it?' Caleb asked his brother.

'A voice whispered to me,' Caine explained. 'Beware of the Cypher's voice . . . Compelling . . . And Deadly.'

Caleb watched as Caine pushed himself until he was lying next to their Dad's head.

Samantha found it curious. He sons were growing in ways she didn't understand. Something was happening between them.

Caine went into a trance-like state. Something told him to touch his dad and shock him with his aura. He didn't understand why he had to do it, but he trusted the voice. It sounded a lot like Uncle Virgil's. Caine reached up to touch his father's head, placing his small hand to the side of his head. His aura flowed from his small body into his father's, surrounding an area of his father's mind. A miniature shock went out dispelling whatever tried to enter. It was as if he had created a tiny shield that would protect his father's mind from being invaded from whatever evil tried to get in at least for the moment. He didn't know if it would last, but then something hit his mind. It was just enough to have him cry out in his mind, but not in his voice.

'aaaaahhh,' Caine looked around and then at Caleb, his eyes almost going glassy.

Caleb could almost sense it, too. 'Block your mind right now!'

'i . . . Am . . . Trying . . . . It's difficult.'

Caleb crawled onto his father's chest and placed his little hand on his brother's arm. 'You can do it, block whatever's trying to get in.'

Caine whimpered.

"Oh poor little on," Samantha reached toward,Caine, but Caleb pushed her away.

'No, Momma, let him finish. Caine, what is happening?'

'No . . . I . . . The voice compelling me . . . . Crawl . . . To the window . . .NO! MUST resist!'

'Crawl? We can't reach the window!' Caleb didn't know what was happening to his brother. He just knew it wasn't natural. He placed his hands on his brother's face. Something was trying to invade his brother's mind. He grabbed ahold of that mind link and started to pick at it with his own aura. 'baabaa...baabababa ' Caleb babbled angrily. He was frustrated at the mind intruder.

Caine latched on to his brother's aura, letting Caleb shield him from what was attacking his mind. 'My brother was better prepared for this attack.'

'I think this was what I was for. To get inside of some one's mind.' Caleb put up a block and destroyed the probing intruder. 'Out...Get out...Get out!' Caleb could feel his own energy rise. 'This is what it means to be a shield.'

'The voice . . . . Will attack . . . Others . . . Force them to do things . . . ' Caine told his brother. He sounded weary. 'My shield in Dad's mind may not hold. I could only shock the intruder and then he turned on me.'

'Then it's time for Mom and me to plan,' Caleb said. 'You must tell Mom what happened. Your aura changed when that voice was in your head. I can help everyone by putting up mind blocks.'

'I will try, but I fear not all will listen.'

'We're going to need Daddy's help.' Caleb touched daddy's head. He put up a block in his mind. 'I have a feeling Uncle Dick will be the one most affected by this. His mind is too open and carefree.'

'If he has not already been affected,' Caine pointed out.

'You mean Uncle Dick could already be affected? Where is he now?'

Caine closed his eyes and searched for his aura. 'He is not in the Manor.'

'Uncle Dick left?' Caleb looked over to their mother.

Samantha looked puzzled at first, but in that silent communication, she understood. She reached for Dick Grayson's aura and found . . . 'No. What just happened? Dick...he's...he's...harming himself...and others.' Samantha touched the ground. 'Oh my, no. He's doing everything Bruce taught him not to do.' Samantha reached out with her aura, trying to communicate with her brother-in-law. 'Dick, what is wrong with you? Why are you doing that?'

'Daddy . . . Wake up Daddy! . . . Uncle Jason! . . . Uncle Jason!' Caine called to Uncle Jason through his aura.

Jason was coming from class when he felt Caine's mind link. It was weak but reaching. Then he felt Caleb was pressing against his mind blocking a portion. 'Yo, you two, what's going on?' They seemed almost panicky.

'Uncle Dick is in trouble!' Caine almost screamed his response. 'Daddy will not wake up. The Cypher has control of Uncle Dick!'

Continues with Part 5