Disclaimer: not mine

Okay, couldn't make you wait any longer to see what's happening.

Chapter 11

He bowed his head as he watched, he had hoped this would not happen for years yet. It had always been a possibility once Daniel had left to join Timothy though. How would he deal with it?

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She looked at the latest intel, it seemed Tim was headed for Iraq. Not the safest of countries for anyone, especially a wealthy American, but thankfully, it seemed Jason was already enroute, hopefully he would be able to find Tim once in the country. And that was honestly something she'd thought she'd never be able to think, not after Jason had almost killed Tim again. Although…even with the added armour of the Batsuit, if Jason had landed that blow at full strength…the wound should have been deeper. Had he pulled the blow at the last second?

Would Tim reveal himself if he realised Jason was looking for him? She had no hits on Tim Drake or any of the id's she knew about so he had to be making fake id's as he went, disguising himself. He had to know Kon had confronted everyone with his evidence, so why not reach out if he wasn't ready to come back? Then again, with the way everyone had turned on or abandoned him…did he have a reason to come back.

Babs sighed and took her glasses off to clean them. She wished there was more that she could do.

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Vlad froze, pen hovering over the page, gaze drawn to the window. He frowned in confusion. Something…something had shifted, changed, but what? What had Daniel done? Where was he?

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Jason wanted to rush off after Tim but he forced himself to turn from his jeep to continue investigating the site. There were tents and he soon found the one Tim had been in, recognising the luggage inside. He went through it, finding the hidden compartments and Tim's suit…which wasn't the Red Robin one he remembered. It meant Tim had been in a deadly fight as a civilian, without any protection, unless he'd been wearing some kind of extra body armour under his clothes. And there was more luggage…with a recently added hidden compartment. Inside was another uniform, this one styled more like street clothes in dark colours and armoured. So, Tim was working with another vigilante…likely the teen out there. He gathered the luggage and moved it to his jeep before going back to the dead kid.

The bodies were still very fresh, he hadn't missed the fight by much. If his flight hadn't been delayed…he looked back at the man who had been killed by a sword, there was something about him…and then he swore as the vague memory came to the front. They'd met before…in the League. And that man worked with two others, which meant the League had Tim. And from the blood in the sand…he swore again.

Jason activated his comm, waiting for the call to connect. "Wing, talk to the brat, see what he knows about any bases in or near Iraq."

"Jay? What's going on?"

"It's little Red, found where he was. There are bodies, including his new partner, and a lot of blood in the sand. One of the body's is League, I recognise him and he works as a trio, those two aren't here. Looks like they've got Tim."

Dick swore. "I'll see what Damian knows," he promised, obviously trying not to sound as scared for Tim as he was feeling.

Jason waited impatiently, and then moved over to the kid, according to his passport he was Danyal Cooper but he assumed it was an alias. He knelt down and closed sightless blue eyes gently, before lifting him to lay him out on a nearby tarp. The wound went all the way through him, it had likely been quick at least. It was a good shot, professional, unlike the way the other guy had been taken out.

And then Jason froze…he blinked and cleared his eyes, watching closely and…there! A finger twitched against the tarp. That was impossible! He had no pulse; a bullet had gone right through his heart! He pressed his fingers to his throat, knowing there had to be nothing but then…slight movement. He waited, and then again, his heart was beating! And then Jason saw his chest move slightly, he grabbed his knife and held it under Danyal's nose, watching it fog ever so slightly. Was he a meta or something? No human could have survived that shot.

And then suddenly he gasped in a deep breath, back arching, hands scrabbling at the tarp. Jason hovered, not wanting to crowd him since he was a stranger but also not wanting him to risk hurting himself.

"Easy, it's okay, you're safe," he told him.

And then Jason could only stare in horror as bright, glowing green eyes snapped open, Danyal making a gurgling noise and Jason forced himself to move, rolling him onto his side. He probably had blood in his airway and sure enough with a light hit to his back he began coughing up blood. Once he stopped, Jason carefully lifted him to recline against his own body to make breathing easier.

"It's okay, just breath with me," he murmured, not sure if Danyal could hear him or not. At least he hadn't lashed out or anything in rage. Unless the green meant something different for the kid than it did for Jason?

Danyal was trembling, taking in gasps of air, and Jason rubbed at cold arms, trying to help his blood circulated again. He had no clue how to help someone who had been very dead and now wasn't. Helping someone brought back by CPR was something he'd learnt as Robin, but this? People just didn't come back after what had to have been at least half an hour dead. If he'd attempted CPR, could the kid have come back quicker or would he have done more damage?

The kid groaned softly, head moving restless against Jason's shoulder. "Wa…'r," he slurred badly but it was enough for Jason to get it. He stretched his hand out, snagging his own pack and grabbed his canteen, opening it and pressing it to bloody lips. Danyal spat the first mouthful out, clearing more blood but then began to drink, Jason holding the canteen so he couldn't gulp it.

He didn't know what Danyal knew, he had to know Tim in a civilian manner, but using his real name or a cover? He had to know Tim was a bat, right? But Jason was in civilian gear, not that there were photos of him since Jason Todd died at fifteen.

Blue eyes looked up at him, blinking a few times before confusion and wariness began to set in.

Jason picked up the now collapsed bō and pressed it into Danyal's hand. "He's my brother," he told him.

"T'm?"

Well, that answered part of his questions. "He's not here," and he wished he could have broken that more gently. "Do you remember what happened?"

Danyal frowned before coughing again, and Jason leant him forward as he spat out more congealed blood. Ugh, that could not be fun. He gave him the canteen again to let him rinse his mouth out.

His comm chirped in his ear and he activated it. "Hood here."

"Robin wasn't very forthcoming with baby bird involved but…sounds like there is at least two bases around. He said there is no way baby bird would be taken to the first, only the most important are taken there…because it has a Pit."

"But if little Red's that badly hurt then why take him unless they…unless they plan to use it on him?"

"Yeah, but Robin is insistent the one called The Cradle wouldn't be it. Even he's never been apparently."

"I'll see if Red's partner saw or knows anything."

"Didn't you say he's…dead?"

"He was, he just…got better. Well, is getting better. He's coughed up a bit of blood and is fairly out of it, but he's breathing and able to respond."

"As soon as you can move him, get out of there. If the League come back for their dead…"

"That's the plan. I'll let you know when I find something. I'm surprised Superboy didn't drop in, thought he was keeping an eye on him?"

"He's off world with the Titans. I'll contact the Watchtower to inform me when they get back, if needed, hopefully he can track him."

"Understood." He tapped the comm and looked down to find Danyal watching him, eyes clearer. "With me?" he asked, getting a nod in reply.

"Hood…Tim's br'ther?" Danyal asked, and Jason nodded.

"I only just found out what's been going on, came looking for him to offer my help." He carefully helped Danyal sit up more, making sure he kept breathing steadily, thankfully he wasn't gasping since bringing up that last lot of blood.

The kid looked around, seeing the bodies, lifting a hand to rub his chest before looking down at his own chest. "She…she shot me," he whispered. "I…" he swallowed. "Where's Tim?" He wasn't slurring anymore which was good.

"Do you remember if he was hurt?"

"He…he was stabbed, poison blade," Danyal whispered, and began trying to get up, but was still too weak. "I heard Owens say the artery wasn't hit and…he gave him a general antidote. Sounded like he was still losing a lot of blood though."

So that bloody patch of sand was likely due to Tim. That was not good, there was a lot of blood.

"Do you know who the guy with the swords is?" Jason needed to know what had happened to have any idea how to track Tim and get him back. He shifted Danyal and then stood, lifting him carefully. "Looks like whoever survived took Tim

"Owens and Pru, that's Z," he pointed at the body. "The other…called himself the Wanderer. He was targeting assassins but grouped us with them. He was too good, we teamed up after he killed Z," Danny grimaced, rubbing his chest again. It had to be hurting considering he was healing a through and through gun shot.

"So, they're League?" he asked as he headed for the jeep, and Danyal nodded tiredly.

"Been tracking Tim from the start…been throwing 'em off with id and appearance changes…found us in Berlin, tracked here from there."

Jason got the kid strapped into the passenger seat even as he got the first aid kit, using the sterile water to clean him up a bit, checking to find the wound had healed over externally at least.

"Your passport says you're Danyal Cooper."

"Danny," he wrinkled his nose slightly.

"Danny, okay. Did you see where they took Tim?"

He shook his head. "Istanbul."

"What's there?"

"The Cradle, League base. Has medical and…Lazarus Pit, Ra's wants him alive." His eyelids were drooping, he wasn't going to be conscious much longer.

Jason's hands balled into fists in horrified rage. Tim in a Pit? He knew what a Lazarus Pit could do to a person – Tim could be left mentally altered, insane… he knew what the Pit did, he never wanted any of the others to go through it.

"Do you know where in Istanbul?" Jason asked.

"Know what to look for, never been," he mumbled, slumping deeper in the seat, eyes closing.

Jason checked but his pulse was steady, slow, but steady. So, he got in and started to drive, activating his comm. "Oracle? I need a flight for two to Istanbul. Second passenger is Danyal Cooper, need a wheelchair for him too."

"Hood?" She answered immediately.

"Turns out baby bird has been working with another vigilante. League of Assassins found them, he's been shot. They've got baby bird, see if you can find someone matching his appearance with two others, one male and one female. Look at private flights too. Maybe a medical flight, kid said our bird was badly hurt and there was a lot of blood in the sand."

"Understood. I've got you a flight in two hours, it's only a short-range plane so you'll have a layover but it's still quicker than you driving back to the city."

"Thanks."

"I've also put the Justice League on alert in case you need backup. They abandoned him, they can help save him."

Jason chuckled; glad she was on their side. "I'll call once we're there."

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He checked Drake's pulse, relieved it was holding steady for the moment. Their Master wanted him alive and it would be best if he did not need to be placed in the Lazarus Pit. He had called ahead and the Master insisted it be used if needed. He didn't understand why he was so invested in Drake, but orders were orders.

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"Wake up, Danny," a voice called, and he forced his eyes open.

What? Where? A jeep, he was in a jeep.

"You with me?"

Danny turned to see a man with black hair and blue/green eyes…a patch of white in his hair. "Hood?" he finally asked, and the man nodded. Right…Tim's brother.

"We're at the airport, I've got a wheelchair for you, okay?"

Danny nodded and then he was being lifted from the Jeep.

"Short flight in this one and then we'll get an international flight to Istanbul. Try and stay awake, okay? You've been listed as a paraplegic to make things easier, so don't try and move your legs too much."

Danny nodded, leaning back in the wheelchair as Hood put a blanket over his lap.

"My name's Jason," he offered as he grabbed the handles and began pushing Danny through the small airport. "How'd you and Timmy meet?"

Was he trying to help him stay awake? "Broke into his hotel room in London to warn him about the League tracking him."

"How'd you know?"

"Keep an eye on them, make sure they haven't realised."

"Realised what?" Jason asked as they headed for the small plane waiting on the tarmac.

"I'm alive," he mumbled, fighting to stay awake. He actually felt cold which was weird, he didn't feel the cold anymore.

"What do you mean Danny?" Jason asked, and Danny sensed something, but was too tired to sort out the man's emotions.

"Ra's thinks I'm dead…ran." He wasn't fully awake enough to realise what he was saying.

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Jason almost froze when Danny said that Ra's thought he was dead. The kid was League…ex-League? He hadn't expected that, but it explained how he knew about The Cradle and the League being after Tim. If he'd run, it made sense he'd keep a watch on their activity, for any signs they worked out he was alive. Tim obviously trusted him enough to travel and fight beside him, and Jason trusted Tim's judgement.

He got Danny settled in his seat, making sure the belt was secure before sitting beside him. Babs had done a good job with the flights but…odds were that the team would beat them to Istanbul. Which meant Tim might be in the Pit before they could get there.

Jason considered that; would it be better to have Tim alive than to have to mourn him? Yes. But would Tim want to have to deal with being thrown into a Lazarus Pit? Tim could lose his mind; it happened a lot. He figured Ra's would ensure a lot of people were there when Tim came out of the Pit to let him work out the Rage on them…and Tim would hate himself after he came out of it for killing. And if he ended up stuck with the Rage like he had been?

He nearly jumped when a chilly hand moved to rest over his, sleepy eyes meeting his.

"S'okay. We'll save Tim," he mumbled.

Jason smiled slightly, oh to be that confident in their chances. One ex-bat and a recovering teenager. Would Danny even be back on his feet by the time they got there?

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Danny woke up as the plane landed, feeling better but he knew what he needed to be even better, Ectoplasm. He could call Wulf but that was too risky, they had to get to Tim. He had some shots in his bag, would they be enough? They would be taking on the League, he had to be at his best. He let Jason shift him to the chair once off the plane and then wheel him through the international airport, thankfully not the one he and Tim had flown into in case he was recognised.

"Bathroom?" he asked, and Jason steered him that way. Danny dug into his bag and pulled out the small case. He pulled out the injector and pressed it to his arm, feeling the rush of the Ectoplasm as it hit his system. He grabbed another vial and put it in the injector.

"What the hell?" Jason demanded.

"It's not Lazarus water," he told him, figuring that was what he was worried about. He injected the second vial, the pain fading. He was not thinking about why he was in pain in the first place, he couldn't afford to think about it. Not yet, not till Tim was safe. He could freak out then.

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Dick paced the bunker, praying for a call to say Jason had intercepted the assassins and had Tim. He knew the odds, especially if he had Tim's partner with him and injured, were low. Had Tim seen him die? Did he know he could heal like that? He was terrified that Jason's next call would be to tell him that Tim was dead.

"Are we going out?" Damian asked.

"You're still grounded Damian. And no, I'm waiting for word on Tim."

"If the League has him, then he will die. Grandfather will see to it so do not worry yourself over it. Your hands will be clean."

Dick turned to stare at him, had he really said that? "Tim is your brother Damian; how can you say that?"

"That interloper is no brother of mine. He was nothing more than a thief, trying to steal my rightful inheritance."

"Damian, Bruce had plenty of love and inheritance to go around to all of us."

"He had no right to Robin!"

Dick blinked, suddenly a whole lot of Damian's actions made sense but… "Robin is my heritage Damian, not Bruce's. Being his son gives you no more right to it than anyone else. I made Robin and yes, Bruce gave it to Jason but I accepted him, the same as I accepted Tim even if he did come to the role differently. Without Tim…you'd have had none of this. Bruce likely would have been dead or Batman a wanted man if Tim hadn't stepped up as Robin. Yes, I gave you Robin, but so far...all you've done is tarnish those colours. I had to talk the Commissioner out of putting out a warrant for you and that's only if Robin remains off the streets for the next four months. You're starting therapy with someone Dinah recommended the day after tomorrow. I've tried…but obviously you need more help than I can give."

"NO! You can't do this."

"I can and I am. Bruce left you in my custody Damian. I am doing this for your own good."

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Jason was glad to see the car Babs had rented ready and waiting when they emerged from the Istanbul airport, Danny allowing him to transfer him from the wheelchair and into the car. After sleeping through both flights, plus those two very suspicious looking shots, the kid was looking a lot better than he had been. Then again, you couldn't get much worse looking than dead.

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He swam back to awareness, head spinning, stomach clenching. He struggled to open his eyes, voices fading in and out around him. Where…what was…Arabic…Danny? No…there was a sting and then everything faded away again.

TBC…