Chapter 7:
Terry didn't think he was overlooking anything but he knew the multiverse was bigger than a single time stream and he knew what the boom tubes were capable of. The teenager had been in the past; hopefully in his own version of earth, for over forty-eight hours. What was going on that he didn't know? He wanted to believe them, trust them, even when they said he and Bruce Wayne were related. If that was true, then why wouldn't Bruce, his boss, have said something? Or was the old man keeping his secrets again? Trusting people to do things for you meant you had to expect them to trust you too. He'd seen first hand what the secrets, lies, and cover-ups could do to a family.
For as long as he had been in the past, he'd been expecting help from Wayne and the others. Perhaps, he realized they had no motivation to do so. They had the bulk of his gear and they were a lot more alert than his boss was when he took the suit. Deciding to trust them and then acting on that trust were two very different things.
You earned trust through blood, sweat, and broken bones with the Bats. You sacrificed everything you had and followed rules that only made sense in the moment because if you didn't then there was no way to survive until dawn. Terry knew all of this and he had seen first hand what Bruce's paranoia would bring him to. He saw how much of a difference Alfred made and he regretted the fact the old butler had already passed from the world before they could meet.
Terry ducked under a wild swing from one of his targets, refocusing on the fight. The goons had been coming out of a jewelry store when the Batman, Robin, and he had dropped down on them. The Tomorrow Knight lacked experience with ziplines, though he easily adapted to the change after hopping across roofs all night.
Ducking under a right hook, Terry felt the wind of the man's punch pass over the hairs on his head. The crook didn't see his counter when the teenager swept a kick at his knees, aiming to buckle his opponent to the ground. A pair of bat cuffs were in Terry's hands before the man regrouped and Terry snapped one cuff around the man's right wrist as he made for a choke grab on the teenager. The second part of Terry's counter interrupted the man's ally as Terry back kicked him into Robin's path.
Unable to twist around because of his hold on his prior opponent Terry, returned his attention to securing the criminal to the pipe jutting out from the wall. In his Gotham, Terry would have either delivered the crooks to GCPD or fled before the officers could arrest him for his numerous cases of assault. Once the man was secured, the teenager jumped back into the fray by leaping on top of one of the criminals aiming to take Batman out with a tire iron. The man didn't see the mass of Terry coming at him until he was lying on the ground, with a foot on his head as Terry slapped a pair of batcuffs on him as well. Wrestling the last one to the ground, Robin finished their current job up with a pair of zip ties as Batman knelt beside the women the crooks were attempting to mug.
Cringing, Terry crossed his arms and reconsidered his technique versus the present day Batman. Like he originally thought, their respective styles were different. Terry's was a rough version of the local Gotham street style that developed over several years of constant insane villains trying to take over the city. Bruce carried himself with a traditional, polished trained style of martial arts. Robin had trained in the more agile styles with a second pursuit in staff weapons. Terry largely preferred his Batarangs and fists to their brands of combat. Shaking his head, the teenager uncrossed his arms and joined Bruce and Dick.
His thoughts jumped back to the theories he was developing about his situation. The young Tomorrow Knight didn't know if his presence would affect anything or not, but the old man was old enough to be his grandfather and Bruce Wayne was between thirty and thirty-five. The dark haired teenaged Batman glanced at the Boy Wonder and recalled a conversation about the age of Nightwing, when he'd passed from sidekick onto his own legacy. That meant he was on the verge of becoming Nightwing when Terry showed up. Would they splinter like they did in his timeline?
Bruce wasn't here to advise him and he had to determine the best course of events. Follow his orders and change nothing or retire into some kind of civilian life? Play a hero from the shadows? Terry took the name of Batman because he wanted to make a difference. He wouldn't sit back and watch people get hurt when he had the skill to make things better. The technology didn't exist to get him home so he'd have to rely on the League and Wayne back home to figure that out.
"Hey, when we're done, we need to talk." Terry said to Bruce once he evened up with the man. The alley was dirt, grime, and trash under foot as Terry approached. The crumbling brick walls reinforced the homesickness Terry felt in his stomach. Batman was pulling a jumpline from his belt as Terry stopped moving. The sound of sirens echoed in the distance, coming closer with each second.
Terry knew they were testing him to see how he worked as part of their team. The question was why? Why try and bring him in if they were going to help him get home? Unless… They weren't planning on it or they didn't believe him. Forcing the worry down, the younger Batman watched Bruce fire off his line and secure it to the next roof before he turned to address the two boys.
"Later. There are things I need to check up on. Robin, stay with him." Batman ordered. He didn't look at Terry, rather he looked past his head to meet Robin's stare. "We'll debrief when I return."
(break)
Bruce Wayne, the Batman, knelt beside the child that had helped take the wheel off his car. Detaching his cape from his shoulders, he draped it around the boy. His fingers ghosted over the edges of the cape as he tugged the dark edges together and sealed them to keep the boy warmer than the thin windbreaker he was wearing would have.
The boy was small for his age, his expression hard with the years any small child would spend on the streets. The dark circles ghosting his eyes gave Bruce an unwelcome feeling of inadequate care and the boy's fingers clenched tighter around the tire iron. Reaching forward, Bruce took the heavy metal from the child's fingers and set it to the side before reaching for the borrowed tracers that Terry handed out before leaving home. Green eyes blinked at him with awe and fear; something Bruce regretted at this moment but it didn't change the fact that something was happening. Almost as momentous as the fact that he had a teenager from the future living in the manor and a malnourished child stealing the wheels off his car…
"What's your name?" He asked, his voice somewhat softened so as not to terrify the child outright. The retreating footfalls echoed off the concrete walls of Gotham's crime alley. His head didn't turn away from the boy who had not been able to escape him. Bruce quickly memorized the boy's features for his later report. Dark hair, green eyes, he seemed to be falling into a bad crowd, likely to be used as a scapegoat or a look out. Bruce estimated the boy was a preteen, based on the fact his voice broke when he answered.
"Jason." the boy answered, shivering from the cold on the broken asphalt. Gotham was cold at night this time of the year. His clothes wouldn't hold off the chill and he needed the few dollars he could get from this tire to feed himself. Being caught by Batman wasn't in his plan and he knew it meant trouble. He gave Batman a mutinous glare. "What's it to ya?"
How to answer when he didn't quite know what he was dealing with? As Bruce Wayne he could have softened further for the child's comfort, but Batman put criminals in jail or Arkham. Approaching footsteps disrupted his thoughts as Robin approached them from behind. The boy in front of Batman went wide eyed as he got a full glimpse of Robin.
"Whoa." Jason suddenly said, the awe of Robin the original Boy Wonder, and then it really settled in on him. At that second, Batman's hand came down on the twelve year old's bony shoulder. The third 'hero' of Gotham won a raised eyebrow from Jason as he knelt against the wall.
"Robin, make the call." Batman stated. Terry watched him pull a radio out of the car they were beside and summon the police.
Jason gave them all assessing looks. The dark haired, plain clothes teenager looked out of place beside the two vigilantes and his body language set him apart. He stood more like some of the older gangsters Jason had seen over the years. The way he moved said he was uncomfortable to be around others. He had probably been a lot like himself a few years ago and then the Bat got him. Shaking off his concerns about the plain clothes guy, Jason returned to watching Robin.
The original Boy Wonder moved like Batman but he was lighter on his feet. There might have been a trace of frustration in his steps, but he hid it well. Jason turned to get another glance at Batman and found the man watching him. Giving Batman a sheepish grin, Jason rubbed at the back of his head and set his eyes to looking at the ground. Adults who watched you were dangerous. Batman was watching the same way the gangs watched him.
It was the recruit's look and he didn't know how he felt about that. Jason's shoulders shook under the weight of the cape Batman had put on him and settled down to wait for the cops. He was a constant runaway from the group homes and his mother hadn't left a good impression on the local beat guys either. Jason didn't expect any good favors now that the Batman had caught him.
(break)
"He lacks discipline and his training is nowhere near what I'd prefer an ally to have. Someone could have ended up killed. No matter what kind of suit he's wearing, you cannot make up for basic human reflexes." Bruce stated, examining the reports Dick and he had written up on Terry. "Despite that, he does have a certain reluctance to permanently injure another individual. He needs more training."
"Then why take him out? Why bother to trust him if you were going to tear his skill set apart?" Dick answered as he sat across from the older man. "I mean it is kind of strange how a letter just appears written on paper of all things. Given his technology you'd think there'd have been some kind of emergency file or something instead of that."
Bruce turned his head left to look at the sealed entrance of the cave. "Down there is a piece of technology that outdoes anything we have now. Upstairs we have a teenager who calls himself Batman with half the training. He seems to be a good person, conflicted, with a ready made story guaranteed to get close to us. He surrendered to us without a fight. It's suspicious even in the best light. Especially with the discovery of Jason."
"That kid we took to Jim? What about him? He helped take the wheels off the car." Dick stated. "Why don't we just bring him in with us already? You're kind of attached to the little bugger already."
Bruce glared at Dick. "I'm not attached, Dick."
"Sure you aren't. You're attached to these people and something about Terry and Jason makes you want to help them personally." Dick responded with a smirk, before returning to a more sober note. "However, we suspect that someone could be using them to get to us."
"Jim's looking for their families and if nothing turns up we'll do something about it. Jason will be placed in a group home for tonight where a probation officer can keep an eye on him. He's smart, just like Terry, however it's not a coincidence that someone found a weakness in our defenses. That person or persons are using these kids to get to us." Bruce said. "Now we need to find out what their motive is."
"That's why you've taken a personal interest in Jason's case and sent your best lawyers to ensure he had a good defense." Dick Grayson argued. "The same way you fought to keep me in your custody after Malone. What do you plan to do with Terry?"
Bruce swallowed back a breath. "He believes he's from the future. That could be anything from a plot of the Jokers to Madhatter. His heart and mind are in the right place. Regardless, Alfred is working on finding a solution that can be comfortable for all of us. If what Terry is saying is true though, we don't have the technology to help him."
(break)
The mask dangled from Terry's fingers as he listened to Wayne discuss him and Jason. The bugs he'd planted under the old man's desk chair had caught every bit of the conversation. He didn't know who the kid was, but he resembled Tim Drake in worrying degrees. That Second Robin of his world hadn't come along until Nightwing had been out and about for a while.
The finned gloves of his original costume tickled his fingers as it came online with the rest of his suit. The belt was in place, his boots were on. He'd already removed the tracers the butler had sewed into the lining and now it was just a basic case of getting down to the car and vanishing into the night like the old man had taught him.
Terry wanted to believe Bruce, Dick, and Alfred would overlook his decision to leave. He was aware they'd come looking for him though. His car would make the flight quick enough at Mach 2, a speed beyond the current technology of the present day Battech.
He knew the founding members of the Justice League. Flash, Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Green Lantern, and Hawkgirl. There might be variations to this timeline versus his own. He was hedging his bets on the original three. The news had reported on two speedsters and either one of them could be Wally West. While he knew he could probably trust The Flash he wasn't sure of his identity. Terry planned to go to Superman first. Wonder Woman after him and whoever else he would have to look for. The Martian Manhunter was about, however he needed to consider the idea before using it.
Between his Car and his Suit, he was a walking Batcave. The little training he'd had with the Older Wayne in his world supplemented his existing skills and he knew he'd be able to handle anything moderately dangerous. The virus in the flying car was still a concern, but perhaps he could find a way to isolate it with his personal computer. His bookbag, phone, and even his belt buckle were all upgraded with smaller bits of tech he'd scraped together as part of his lessons.
"No matter what dimension you're in Bruce, you never seem to change." Terry said softly. Extending his arms, Terry pulled his cowl over his face and breathed while the entire suit came online. His muscles quivered with anticipation when he stood, flicked the stealth mode on, and exited the room. He moved towards the entrance of the still open cave, past Dick and Bruce as the two of them continued to discuss future plans and into the Batman's lair. He ignored the twinge of guilt he felt at fleeing when he'd agreed to work with them.
The dark mass of his car sat like a silent golem in the Batcave, out of place and time with the classic versions of its predecessors. The large coin that Terry was used to practicing around was strangely absent. The holo-tech and robots weren't even in place. Even the computer was completely different, half the size of the monstrosity back home. The Butler Alfred Pennyworth leaned over the letter written by his Bruce, nicking off pieces of paper with a small pair of scissors and testing it for resins. He could tell from various colored lights they had already looked for any hidden messages. There were small scrapes on the car as well and he wouldn't be surprised if there hadn't been tests on anything else he owned. The car was likely as bugged as his room had been. He'd trigger a pulse for that once he was in the air, he didn't want to hurt Bruce's mission anymore then he'd already done so.
Yet, he had found himself comparing Alfred to his father. Warren McGinnis had raised his son to the best of his ability. Despite Terry's temper, he'd at least say farewell to the older man.
"Mister Pennyworth, will you tell them I've stepped out? There are things I need to do and I won't get anything done if I stay here. Your home just doesn't have the technology I need." Terry said as he jumped on top of the car he was intending to pilot out. "Mister Wayne and Mister Grayson have something they need to discuss anyway."
Alfred jumped, turned, and listened to a bodiless voice that echoed his youngest charge. "Where are you hiding at, young man?" he asked, searching for any hiding spots their unexpected guest might have taken to.
Terry wanted to laugh. He felt pathetic, powerless. The same useless kid that was staring his parents in the eyes when he was escorted away by the cops. Desperate, he pushed forward on his reasons. Mister Pennyworth cared about the people he worked for and provided support to. "Despite what kind of theories you three imagine, I'm from another time and another dimension. Even so, staying here isn't the best for Gotham, your family, or me."
Despite the desperate tone in the young man's voice, Alfred heard the hurt he was hiding underneath the face of duty. Terry wanted to belong to this family, he could tell from the way he was acting. Bruce had once done the same thing. Desperate, in search of answers, and angry. Those emotions boiled down to an impulse he wasn't certain he approved of.
"You're just going to go?" he asked, trying to figure out where the teenager had positioned himself. He flicked on an alarm at the computer, aware the boy was likely watching the motion.
"If I can't find what I'm looking for I'll come back. Otherwise, it's best if I go for now." Terry activated the pressure release on the hood of the car, waited for it to slide back, and watched the expression change on Butler's face during that time. "Besides, you heard my orders. If I can't access the main computer there's no point in sticking around here."
Alfred felt his breath hitch. Someone had likely taken control of his life for quite a long time. It was an all too common agenda in Gotham. "Master Terry, surely there is another option."
Terry shook his head. "I'm going to see an alien or two about what they might have access to. I know a lot of Wayne's 's a risk that they won't be the same as they are in my world but it is my best option. Besides, if I leave now, I might not change how history plays out? Maybe things won't change. I don't know."
"Then why are you leaving?" Dick asked, followed by Bruce into the Cave as they'd known something was up the moment the alarms let them know. Trying to persuade Terry into changing his mind, Robin kept up with the mental pressure. Keeping Terry in the cave was for his own protection.
"I don't want to affect your choices for your own future when I don't know where it'll go. Gotham has a Batman, it doesn't need two." Terry said, slipping into the car. "I'm going. I know I can talk in circles for reasons I should stay, however…. I don't need to be in Gotham to have access to advanced technology."
"If this technology doesn't exist, what do you intend to do?" Bruce asked, fascinated by the interior parts of the car they could see once Terry revealed himself in full costume. The long ears of his cowl are only highlighted by the monitors coming online. The red flared bat on his chest became exaggerated as Terry locked his hands around the two controls that aided in the flight of the car.
"I'll disappear. The car and the suit are outfitted with technology you haven't even heard of. I will use the same technology mistakes that brought me here to go somewhere else until I find my family, my world." he admitted. "I didn't get this far without taking risks."
Bruce reached into his pocket and fingered the electromagnetic control he'd placed on the underside of the teenager's vehicle. He had the option of shutting Terry down, now. He could keep him from disappearing and becoming a problem or he could watch what he was planning. Making up his mind to buy time, Bruce started talking. "Return to us before you go… hopping into other worlds. We might not know what's going on in your head, Terry, but we can narrow down another couple of possibilities if we work together."
"That's the clincher, Wayne. You're used to being in charge. I'm used to working alone, doing things my way. I'm not your partner. That's Robin." Terry answered.
Dick's head tilted back until he was staring straight at the white lenses of Terry's cowl. "Then what were you?"
Terry smirked. "The personal assistant," he answered. "The apprentice. Take your pick. I'm not going to cause problems for either of you…" The cowled Batman tilted his head as he noted Bruce's movement. "What… do you think you're doing?" he asked, as the older man pressed his finger down on the device and tripped the electromagnetic pulse at the bottom of the car. The entire vehicle flickered on and off for several seconds before it suddenly went dark.
Just as quickly, the entire vehicle resurged to life and slammed its roof shut before Terry could say anything else. The defense systems came online and the stealth mode activated as Terry slammed the gears into reverse and roared his way out of the cave. He got as far as the edge of Wayne's property before the car shut down, covered it with several pieces of broken branches, and squatted down beside it as the Batmobile came roaring out after him several minutes later. The soft drone of the Batplane followed shortly after.
Terry narrowed his eyes, the cowl taking in the speedy flight of the Batmobile before he turned back to the house. They might have thought he was traveling into Gotham. With his car out, he needed to come up with some other plans…. He couldn't stay still. The Batman of Tomorrow knew they would discover where he'd stashed the car in the first place, but the emp had knocked out his systems until they could be rebooted. That took time and electricity. He had neither, so he would have to do something less savory.
Terry McGinnis hated his past. He'd been a petty crook, someone the modern day Batman and Robin would have dealt with. Breaking and entering, mugging people, graffiti, and even getting into fights with other Gangs. He'd once stolen a car with Charlie when the older boy wanted them to scare the Ts and Jokerz. Terry glanced at one of the sealed cases he kept in the car. Nightwing's old gear, upgraded until it almost matched the specs of Terry's current Batsuit. There was no way he could use that though. They'd be suspicious of a new Vigilante.
Crouching low, the Batman of the future began to make his way back to Gotham Manor. Wayne knew how to deal with criminals and Terry was planning on going headlong against his mentor's double. The trickle of dread in his stomach gave the Tomorrow Knight a rush he hadn't felt since he'd taken on the Joker-ized Tim Drake.
(break)
"Jason Todd, you're being released into the custody of Alfred Pennyworth tomorrow morning at ten am. Be ready to go by then." A custodian said from the young man's doorway. The shared room housed eight boys aging from ten to twelve. The dark haired boy had sat hunched over a bag given to him at GCPD by a red haired woman he later learned was Gordon's daughter. Without bothering to look up, he fingered the cloth jacket inside. A suit. He knew Alfred Pennyworth was a very important name, but what did that have to do with this kind of get up?
"Yeah…" he stated, just in case anyone was listening.