Date: Wed, 14 Aug 2013 12:51:12 -0700 From: B.E. Kelley Subject: Gotham Prep Season II Episode 3 This story is a work of FICTION. The events described are my own invention. Any similarities to actual events or persons are strictly coincidental. The author retains the copyright, and any other rights, to this original story. You may not publish it or any part of it without my explicit authorization. This story contains depictions of consensual sexual acts between teenage males. It is intended for mature audiences only. If you find this type of material offensive or if you are under the legal age to read said material; please proceed no further. Comments are always welcome at: hailcaesar2011@hotmail.com Gotham Prep, Season II Episode 3: Date Night and the Prodigal Son Talia stood in front of the window of her high-rise penthouse and watched the sun set over Gotham City. After her confrontation with Damian, her initial desire was to leave the city immediately but she'd suddenly changed her mind on the way to the airport. She was traveling with Jason and a small contingent of Shadowmen, they'd been in the city for over two months now and none of them was exactly sure why. Secrets and lies were mother's milk in the al Ghul family and Talia was an expert at keeping people in the dark, even her lover. Jason was done with Gotham City, it held nothing but bad memories for him and he was anxious to get out. He didn't understand what the point of hanging around was, Damian had rejected his mother with a vengeance and though Jason never said anything, he thought the boy was entitled to his freedom. Jason liked Damian, he'd enjoyed their brief time as partners and he really didn't want to see the kid get hurt again. He hoped that Talia wasn't waiting around Gotham City, for another opportunity to kidnap him. What he didn't know was that their stay in Gotham City had nothing to do with Talia's son. Talia had a hold over Jason, she was beautiful, brilliant, cunning and a liar, an odd combination for a lover, nevertheless, Jason was drawn to her like a moth to a bug zapper. He stood in the doorway and watched as she starred out the window, he admired her lithe body and ample curves, the way her silky hair flowed down her back and the subtle tilt of her neck. He crossed the room and put his arms around her waist, holding her from behind. He kissed her elegant neck and rested his head on her shoulder. "Penny for your thoughts," said Jason. She didn't answer, not right away, she kept him in suspense just a moment longer. "I'm ready to leave Gotham City, my love," said Talia. "Great, I've had a jet on standby since we got here, we can leave tonight, now if you like," said Jason. "Ah, young men," Talia smiled at her reflection in the window, "always so eager to please." "I just want to make you happy," said Jason. "I'm ready to leave but there is something I need you to do before we go," said Talia. "Anything, name it," said Jason. "We've left someone behind, I wish to take him with us, I'd like you to retrieve him for me," said Talia. Jason let out a sigh. "Talia, I can't get to Damian now, Dick will be watching him like a hawk, we don't have the resources here to take on the whole family and..." Jason began. "Not Damian," said Talia. "Not Damian? Then who?" asked a confused Jason. "Damian will see the error of his ways, one day he will seek me out and fulfill his destiny. He will be the Demons Head, it's in his nature and he can't escape that. For now, I'm content to leave him with Richard, it's not what I had planned but there are things Damian can learn from him that will serve him well in the future. We're after another special boy," said Talia. "Ok, I'll do what you need me to do but there's something I need from you first," said Jason. "Of course my love, what is your heart's desire?" said Talia. "I've done some pretty creepy things in my life, things I'm not proud of," said Jason, "but if you want me to snatch some kid off the streets, I'll do it but I need to know who he is and why." Talia took a moment to gather her thoughts, Jason didn't think she was going to answer his question but then she took his hand, guided him to the bed and sat across from him. She looked into his eyes and dropped a bomb on him. "His name is Terrence McGinnis, he is Bruce Wayne's son," said Talia. "Bruce's son, you have another child with Bruce?" Jason exclaimed. "No, he's Bruce's child, not mine, not exactly," said Talia. "Did Bruce know? What do you mean not mine, not exactly?" Jason demanded. "Bruce never knew. When he left the League of Shadows, my father was crushed, he loved Bruce like a son, had groomed him to be his successor but Bruce turned his back on everything my father offered him. I loved my father, I wanted to give him the son he always wanted, an heir he could mold and groom, who would never reject him. Bruce was injured in a training accident once, I tended his wounds. I don't know what possessed me to do it but I kept one of the bloody bandages. I loved him then, I suppose I just wanted a piece of him, I knew in my heart what he was going to do, that he would never be mine," Talia explained. "How romantic," Jason grumbled, he hated that Talia had been with Bruce, she was one more thing that the old man held over him. "Do you want me to continue or are you going to act like a petulant boy?" Talia snapped. "I'm sorry," Jason sighed, "go on." Young men, Talia thought to herself, so easily cowed by powerful women, a few harsh words and they were putty in your hands. "We called it Project Batman II," Talia continued, "we extracted DNA from Bruce's blood sample and synthesized it into a solution designed to alter a specimen's reproductive material, the specimen would transmit Bruce's DNA rather than his own." "You altered some guys, you know, stuff?" said Jason, crinkling his nose. Jason, Jason, Jason, all grown up but such a boy, thought Talia. "It was cutting edge science, darling," said Talia, "we spent month's looking for the right couple, a couple whose physiology matched that of Thomas and Martha Wayne, in the hopes that we'd be able to produce our own Batman. Our specimen was a man named Warren McGinnis, he went into his doctor for a flu shot, we switched the dosage with our little cocktail and nine months later, Terrence was born." "The McGinnis's never suspected anything but they were under constant surveillance. You see, before I could give the boy to my father, I had to be sure the experiment worked, I couldn't fail him. I watched over Terrence for two years and in that time he demonstrated remarkable abilities, but there was something missing. Bruce lacked the killer instinct, the perfect child would have to be the best of both the Wayne and al Ghul lines, I abandoned the project and I never saw Terrence again," Talia explained. "That's when you had Damian?" asked Jason. "As I said, I knew that a combination of my DNA and Bruce's would result in the perfect child, one worthy of my father's legacy. I sought Bruce out, he'd loved me once and I made him love me again, I knew it wouldn't last, he couldn't live in my father's shadow. He stayed long enough for me to get pregnant, then I told him that I'd lost the child and gave him his freedom," Talia explained. "And now you want this McGinnis kid as a replacement for Damian?" asked Jason. "Damian is perfection, there is no replacement for him, but Terrence can be useful to our plans," said Talia. "Do you know where I can find him?" asked Jason. "Unfortunately Terrence has fallen on hard times, his parents were killed in a car accident and he's been in the foster care system, he's taken up with a street hood called Charlie Bigelow and was just released from juvenile hall this morning," Talia explained. "Bigtime Bigelow?" asked Jason. "I believe that's what his associates call him," Talia nodded. "Shouldn't be too hard to find, I'll just need to rattle the skulls of my scumbags," said Jason, "I'm sure they miss me." "Take some of my Shadowmen with you and..." Talia began. "I'm better on my own, I don't need a bunch of lackey's to track down a kid," said Jason, "do you have a picture?" Talia produced a file from her nightstand, it contained Terrence McGinnis criminal record, including his mug shot. He was a handsome boy, 16 years old, 6 feet tall, 160 pounds, he had black hair and blue eyes, he looked like he could be Damian's big brother, he even wore the same scowl on his face. Wait, technically he is Damian's big brother, Jesus, this could get complicated, thought Jason. Before closing the file, Jason noticed something else that caused a question to form in his mind. "He's been in juvy for three months, that why we've been hanging around here?" asked Jason. "I thought an assault on the juvenile center would draw to much attention, patience is a virtue, my love," Talia smiled. "Ok, I'll find him," said Jason. "Bring him to the airport, I'll meet you at the executive terminal, we leave tonight," said Talia. Jason nodded, then donned the mask of the Red Hood and set out into the night. It was only a month into the school year and Damian was already working too hard, at least to Robbie's way of thinking. He had school during the day, patrol with Batman at night, homework, mascot practice, weekly appointments with his shrink and he'd even led an assault against a decrepit oil rig. Robbie worried about Damian, he wasn't the type to take breaks, to stop and smell the roses, so he took his concerns to Tim. Tim had been Robin, he was still Red Robin, if anyone would know how to handle the stress of the job, it was Tim. Tim agreed that they had all been working too hard so he and Robbie decided they would take their partners on a double date. That's how they ended up at Café Bonaparte, on Saturday night, for a fine French meal and good conversation. At least that was the evening Tim and Robbie had planned. Damian was already annoyed, he hated wearing a tie, Conner Kent had to barrow one from the maître d, and he felt guilty for leaving Batman to patrol alone. At least the food promised to be good, Café Bonaparte was one of the best restaurants in town and Damian loved French food. "This place is fancy, I've never had French food before," said Connor. "Well, at least if you dribble any of it on your tie, it's just a loaner," said Damian. Connor blushed and Tim gave Damian a dirty look. Connor wasn't used to posh surroundings and they tended to bring out his inner awestruck farm boy. He always worried that it embarrassed Tim, but in truth, it was one of the many things Tim loved about Superboy. "I think your tie looks nice Connor," said Robbie. "Thanks," Connor winked. "I love dressing up," said Robbie, "gives me a chance to wear my bowties." "And they don't make you look like a puppet at all," said Damian. "Are you going to be like this all night?" said Robbie. "Sorry, I just feel bad for leaving Grayson on his own, what if something happens while he's out on patrol?" said Damian. "Uh, he's not on patrol, he's with Bab's, they're taking the night off too," said Tim. "Oh, in that case I guess it wouldn't hurt to enjoy dinner," said Damian. "I'm not sure what to order, I don't understand any of this," said Connor, as he looked at the menu. "Well, you won't find any hotdogs on the menu but I'll be sure to order you something nice," Damian grinned wickedly. "Thanks," Connor smiled brightly. "I like hotdogs," said Robbie. "You like everything, your opinion is void," said Damian. "Nothing wrong with a hotdog, some mustard, a little relish, that's good stuff," said Tim, knowing Damian was picking on his boyfriend and knowing that Damian would be annoyed if he failed to get his goat. "You know, hotdogs are good, maybe we should just go to Der Weinerschnitzel?" said Connor. "Ok, ok, I'm sorry I brought it up," Damian huffed, drawing the laughter of his compatriots. Damian was spared further ribbing by the arrival of their waiter, he'd spent time in France, was the only one at the table who spoke the language, so he seized the other menu's and ordered for the table. He spoke in rapid French, Robbie was able to pick out a few words and he gave Damian a curious look, when the waiter departed. "What?" asked Damian. "Did you order escargot?" asked Robbie. "Of course," said Damian. "What's that?" asked Connor. "They're sna..." Robbie began. "Delicious, you'll like them," Damian interrupted. When the food arrived, the waiter sat the escargot in front of Connor. The Kansas farm boy looked at the food suspiciously and poked at it with his fork. "Is it some kind of sea food?" asked Connor, tapping his fork against the shells. Damian was about to respond but Drake beat him to it. "Something like that, try it, you'll like it," said Tim, giving Damian a wink to let him know he was in on the joke. "Well, it smells good," said Connor, then he took a tentative bite, "hey it tastes good too!" "I'm so glad you like it," Damian giggled. "What's so funny?" asked Connor. "Nothing," Damian grinned and took a bite of his coq au vin. The boys dug into their meal and Tim couldn't help but notice that Damian was really plowing through his. Usually Damian cut a fine figure when he wore a suit but tonight something was different, he seemed bulkier, not built but somewhat lumpy. "Slow down Dami, you're getting fat," Tim teased. "I beg your pardon?" said Damian. "What's wrong with your suit, you look like you're about to pop a button," said Tim. That's when Robbie gave Damian's attire further examination. "Damian Wayne!" Robbie exclaimed, "are you wearing your Robin uniform under there?" "Uh...no," Damian stalled. "He is too, I can see it," said Connor, after examining Damian with his x-ray vision, "oh and Damian, cute undies." Damian blushed bright red at Connor's comment. "Thanks Connor but I can see his cape sticking out the back! Dami, you said you wouldn't, not tonight," Robbie pouted. "I said I wouldn't go on patrol, I didn't say I wouldn't be prepared for an emergency," said Damian. "And just what do you expect to happen, here at the restaurant?" asked Robbie. "I don't know, it could be anything," said Damian. "Oh I give up," said Robbie, rolling his eyes, "aren't you hot with all that on?" "It is kind of hot in here," said Tim, tugging at his own collar. "Drake's wearing his uniform too," said Damian. "Snitch," said Tim. "Timmy..." said Connor. "Wait, you didn't know, you had time to check out my undies and not his?" said Damian. "I didn't need to check out his undies, Timmy's are always cute," Connor retorted, making Tim turn a deep, beet red. "You guys are nuts, but you know, I think I need a uniform too," said Robbie. "Not this again," said Damian. "Everyone else has one, I'm part of the team aren't I?" asked Robbie. "Yes, you're in charge of operation stay behind and guard the base," said Damian. "That's not fair," Robbie pouted. "Ok, I'm sorry, how about this, you're undercover so you don't need a uniform?" said Damian. "Nice try, but no. I'm serious about this, don't I need to protect my identity too?" asked Robbie. "From who?" asked Damian, "not a lot of baddies hanging out in the cave, unless you're trying to sneak up on Titus while he's chewing on a bone." "I leave the cave!" Robbie exclaimed, "who was it that jammed the Joker's rockets last year? Did I do that from the cave? No, I did it under fire with the rest of you." "Ok, ok don't get your panties in a twist, Geek Squad, I'll get you that t-shirt I promised," Damian quipped. "I told you, I'm not fighting crime in a t-shirt you picked up at Hot Topic," said Robbie. Damian couldn't help but notice that Connor was blushing. "What's the matter with you Kent?" Damian asked, then it dawned on him, "HA, your superhero uniform comes from Hot Topic?" "I like Hot Topic," said Connor. "That is so you, only a bro would get his superhero gear at the mall," Damian laughed. "I think he looks damn good in that t-shirt," said Tim. "Yeah," said Connor, "it beats a pair of tights." "Good point, Drake's uniform looks like a full body condom," said Damian. The boy's had a good laugh at Tim's expense then Damian spotted something and rose from his seat. "Excuse me for a moment," said Damian, as he dashed through the door. The boys looked up just in time to see him disappear in a flash of yellow from his cape, his suit, shirt and tie littered the floor at their table. "How the hell did he do that so fast?" asked Connor. "Sometimes I think his clothes are held together with Velcro, like a stripper," Robbie laughed. "Don't give him any ideas," said Tim, "come on, lets' go make sure the little shit isn't getting into trouble." Tim shed his suit and pulled his Red Robin hood over his head, then led the others outside. It didn't take long to find Robin, he was only half a block away, with a teenage boy and girl under each arm. "Quit it, stop struggling," Robin ordered, as his friends arrived. "Robin, what the hell?" asked Red Robin. "They didn't pay," said Robin. "You mean they did the dine and dash?" asked Robbie. "If that's what you call it," said Robin. "Oh Jesus, hardened criminals, should we execute them now?" asked Red Robin. "That's rather harsh but if you insist..." Robin began. "Dude, just let them go," said Red Robin. "Fine, you deal with them," said Robin, releasing his captives. "Learn your lesson?" asked Red Robin. "Y-yes," answered the boy, the girl just nodded. "Good, beat it," Red Robin ordered. "Yeah, and watch your ass!" Robbie shouted, as the couple ran down the street, his friends just stared at him, "what?" "Nothing," said Connor. "Robin, you really need to learn to prioritize," said Red Robin. "But they broke the law," said Robin. "They're just kids, they didn't hurt anyone, let the manager call the cops if he wants to, it's not your responsibility," said Red Robin. "If you say so," Robin pouted. "Come on, I've been at this a lot longer then you, trust me," said Red Robin. "Oh, that's it, you're jealous, they broke the law right under your nose and I stopped them, not you," said Robin. "Seriously?" asked Connor. "Hey, I don't need to go bust every little punk to prove myself, I've caught my share of assholes," said Red Robin. "You couldn't catch a cold," Robin retorted. "Ooooo, check him out, he's been Robin for a few months and suddenly he thinks he's a big boy," said Red Robin. "I'll bag more crims then you any day of the week," said Robin. "Oh yeah, wanna bet?" said Red Robin. "You're on," said Robin. "Guy's come on..." Robbie started. "Butt out!" the Robins replied in unison. "I'll bet you that me and Robbie can round up more dirt bags tonight then you and Superbro over here," said Robin, nodding his head at Connor. "What's in it for me?" said Red Robin. "Loser pays for dinner the next time we go out," said Robin. "Done, come on Con," said Red Robin. The two older boys left the others standing on the street, a moment later, they streaked past in Tim's car. "So long suckers!" Red Robin shouted out the window "Well this is another fine mess you've gotten us into," Robbie complained, but Damian wasn't listening, he was staring at Wayne Tower, standing tall and just a few blocks away. "Come on, we need to pick up some supplies, you can't wear that," said Damian as he marched down the block. "I told you I needed a uniform," said Robbie, as he jogged to catch up. "Ah, shut up," Damian replied. Terry McGinnis was not a happy camper, he'd been released from juvenile hall that morning but he still hadn't been home, he'd rather roam the streets then go back to his foster father. He didn't look like a street kid, his black hair was trimmed short and he wore a red varsity jacket over his t-shirt and jeans. Terry had been the star of his high school wrestling team, it was the one thing he'd been good at, he'd gone all the way to the state finals last year, only to get pinned by an inferior athlete. Maybe his foster father was right, maybe he really was a loser because after that match, he did what losers do, he gave up. He started hanging around with Charlie Bigelow and his thugs and sure enough, he'd been busted when they stole a car and left him holding the bag when the cops caught up with them. Terry was a loyal friend, he never rolled on his buddies and he's lucky the cops didn't pin the whole thing on him, instead he was charged with aiding and abetting and ended up serving three months in juvy. Terry hated that place, he wasn't a bad kid but he sure met some inside and they didn't hesitate to give the pretty jock as rough a time as they could. When he got out, he knew he couldn't go home, his plan was to wander around town until he found Charlie and see if he could crash at his place for a while. Sure, Charlie had left him with that stolen car but Terry had to admit, if his foot hadn't got caught on the seat, he would have run too. He knew if he could find his buddy, Charlie would look out for him, maybe help him get some work and some money together so he'd never have to go back home again. Life hadn't always been so rough for Terry, he was a good boy, he tried hard in school and he loved his parents. Mary and Warren McGinnis adored their son, they devoted themselves to the boy and when they were killed, everything spiraled out of control. Terry was resilient, he didn't give up overnight but after years of being told he was a loser, he figured, if you can't beat them, join them. It was well after dark now, he'd been looking for Charlie all day and of course he'd found him in the last place he thought to look, The Southside Pool Hall. "Hey look whose back from his trip to college!" Charlie exclaimed, when he saw Terry darken his door. "Hey Big Time, how's it going?" Terry smiled, as he joined his friend. "Good kid," said Big Time, as he gave Terry a brotherly hug, "they treat you alright in there?" "It was ok, nothing I couldn't handle," said Terry. "Right on, I wanted to come see you but I've had some heat on me so the last place I wanted to go was on the inside, you know?" asked Big Time. "I get it, no big deal," said Terry. "You got a place to stay?" asked Big Time. "Not yet, but I'm not going home," said Terry. "Fuck no, you're old man's a prick," said Big Time. "He's not my dad," said Terry. "I know man, chill, you know what I mean." "Yeah, is there anything I can do for you, I could use some work," said Terry. "Dude, you can crash at my place, you don't need to earn your keep," said Big Time. "Thanks Big Time but I wanna help out, I got nothing better to do," said Terry. "Cool, we can use a guy like you, in fact, these fools have been getting out of line lately, you wanna help us bust some heads?" asked Big Time. "If they're messing with you, they're messing with me," smiled Terry. "Right on, man, it's good to have you back," said Big Time, "get yourself something to eat form the bar, we'll get caught up and then take care of business." "Great, thanks Big Time," said Terry. It only took a few minutes for Damian and Robbie to reach Wayne Tower. When they arrived, Damian led Robbie around to the back, there was a heavy steel door there, Damian entered his 10 digit alpha-numeric code and the door opened on its own. Robbie followed Damian down a long dark hall, motion sensors activated the lights as they went. "I'll be damned, I worked here all summer and never knew this was down here," said Robbie. "It's new, Grayson's spending so much time here now that he had a bunker installed for emergencies, you know, in case he can't get back to the cave, I've only been here once," said Damian. "You never told me," said Robbie. "Honestly, it slipped my mind," said Damian, as they approached another door. "Identification please," said a female voice, when Damian touched the screen mounted next to the door. "Damian Wayne." The door to the bunker was protected by a voice recognition lock. It took a second for the computer to analyze the timber of Damian's voice and return its reply. "Access denied." "Damn it, freaking Grayson," said Damian, then an idea struck him. "Richard Grayson," said Damian, mimicking Grayson's voice perfectly. The computer hummed for a moment, you could hear the system running, and then the door opened. "Access granted." "I wish I knew how you do that," said Robbie. "I don't know, I've always been able to copy peoples voices," said Damian, "now come on, we don't have time to waste." Damian walked over to another lock, but he had the combination to this one. When he got the cabinet open, he handed Robbie his spare Robin uniform. "Damian, are you sure about this?" asked Robbie. "You wanted a uniform, put it on," Damian smiled. Damian sat in Grayson's chair and watched Robbie strip to his underwear. He grinned as the cute little blonds butt wiggled in his briefs, while he struggled with the uniforms many parts. After what seemed like an eternity to Damian, Robbie was dressed. "It's a little loose on me but what do you think?" said Robbie. "I think you look great," Damian smiled. "Thanks, so I know you're not supposed to use real names in the field, um, am I Robin II?" asked Robbie. "That could get confusing, let's stick to Backslash," said Damian. "Ok," Robbie grinned, it was the first time Damian had used his code name, without being forced too, and Robbie liked it a lot better than Gadget Boy. "Let's get going, one more stop to make," said Damian. Robbie followed Damian into another room where there were vehicles stored. Damian walked over to a Red Bird motorcycle and hopped on, then looked at Robbie. "Well, get on the back," said Damian. "Um, are you sure that's safe?" asked Robbie. "I've had Abuse on the back of one of these things, if he can fit, so can you." "I'm not worried about fitting, I'm worried about your driving, Colin says he still has nightmares," said Robbie. "Backslash, just get on the bike," Damian ordered. "Fine, but be careful," said Robbie, as he slung his leg over the seat. "Yeah, yeah, yeah," said Damian, "oh and Robbie?" "Hmmmm?" said Robbie as he fiddled with his helmet. "If you fall off, try to go limp and roll out of traffic, the suit will protect you." "Uh what?" said Robbie. Damian started the bike, revved the engine and blasted out of the garage door. The bike whined with increasing force as they built speed, Robbie screamed in terror and Damian laughed in glee. "Look out scumbags, here we come!" Damian shouted. "I hate this!" Robbie shouted back. Terry's address was in his file, rather than look for Charlie Bigelow, Red Hood thought he'd start his search for Terry in the most obvious place. Red Hood stood in Terry McGinnis bedroom thinking that this kid must be the messiest person on the face of the earth. The bed was unmade, the desk was piled with books that had never been opened and homework that had never been started, there were clothes all over the floor, mostly gym socks and underwear, the kid was a slob. Red Hood rummaged through all the junk and eventually found a photo album, he sat on the end of Terry's bed and leafed through it while he waited for Terry or his foster father to show up. The pictures told the story of Terry's life, he'd been a happy boy, there were pictures of him with his parents, both smiling in adoration of their son. He was an athletic boy, there were shots of him in a baseball uniform and a wrestling singlet, he also had a dog and Red Hood couldn't help but smile at the photo of the boy with his arms around the German Shepard's neck. More pictures showed Terry aging and the older he got, the more unhappy he seemed to become. His smile disappeared completely at about age 12, Red Hood figured that's when his parents must have died. There were more wrestling pictures, the smile replaced with a mean, determined look. The last page in the album wasn't a photograph but rather a newspaper clipping that bore the headline, "McGinnis Goes Down at State Tournament." Red Hood thought the album explained a lot, it told the story of a good boy who'd been dealt a tough blow and never really recovered. Terry became a victim of the system but Red Hood thought his life was about to take a turn for the better, he would take Terry from this place and sure, life in the League would be rough but as Jason knew, Terry would find fellowship there. The League of Shadows would treat Terry as it treated all of its assets, like a son that needed nurturing and training to reach his potential. Red Hood's vision of the League said nothing about the brutality of some of that training but he'd endured it, Terry would too. When he heard the front door open, Red Hood stepped out into the hall, unseen, then followed Joe Williams into his Kitchen. "WHERE IS TERRY MCGINNIS!" shouted the Red Hood, he had Terry's foster father, against the wall, he was lifting him off of his feet by the throat. "I, don't, know," Joe croaked. "YOU'RE LYING!" he shouted, and threw Joe across the kitchen. "I'm not, I swear, I haven't seen him," Joe panted, "he's been locked up, got out today but he didn't come home." "WHERE WOULD HE GO!" "I don't know, kid's a fuckin loser, probably with that scumbag friend of his," said Joe. "WHERE CAN I FIND THEM!" "Fuck if I know, if I did I'd tell you, you can have that kid, worthless piece of shit anyway," said Joe. That pissed Red Hood off, Joe Williams reminded him of the kind of men he'd known before he met Batman. He sensed he had a lot in common with Terry and started to feel sorry for the kid. "You're supposed to be his dad," said Red Hood, in a softer tone. "Shit, I only took him for the check from the state, you want him, take him," said Joe. Red Hood had heard enough, Joe didn't know anything about Terry and had even less to offer humanity in general. He pulled his .45 from its holster, cocked a round into the chamber and put a bullet through the back of Joe's head. Red Hood smiled to himself, thinking he'd just done Terry McGinnis a real favor. It was unfortunate that Joe didn't know where to find Terry, it would have made things go much faster, but that was ok, Red Hood knew everything there was to know about Gotham's criminal underbelly, while he wasn't exactly sure where Big Time Bigelow hung out, he had a pretty good idea of where to start. "Alright T, this is Jack, Vinnie, Bobby, Jose, guy's, this is Terry, he's going to roll with us tonight," said Big Time, making the introductions. "Hey," said Terry with a meek wave. "I know you, you're that wrestling kid," said Jose. "Used to be, I don't do that anymore," Terry frowned. "To bad man, you were good," said Jose. "Yeah, he's great, now can we get down to business?" said Big Time. "Sorry Big, what is it we're doing tonight?" asked Terry. "I gotta guy who runs a little card game over on Third Street, nothing big but he cuts me in on the action to keep people from hassling him. Bunch of crackers beat his ass and ripped him off, now we got a score to settle," said Big Time. "What do you need me to do?" asked Terry. "We're just going to meet these guys and talk, if they're smart, they'll give the money back and stay off my turf," said Big Time, "you and the guys just stand behind me and look tough, you can handle that right, big dude like you." "Yeah, I can do that but what happens if they don't give the money back?" asked Terry. "Then we kick some ass," said Big Time, "look, I know you've never been in a street fight before, just stay close to me and I'll watch your back." "Ok," Terry agreed. "Alright, let's get going," said Big Time and his gang followed him out to the street. Red Hood pulled up to the Southside Pool Hall ten minutes after Big Time Bigelow and his goons left. He dismounted from his motorcycle and started for the door, when a familiar face walked out. "Hello Sanchez, miss me?" said the Red Hood, Sanchez was a low level nobody who did odd jobs for the Red Hood, mostly because he was scared to death of him. "B-boss!" Sanchez spluttered, "everyone said you were de..." "Dead?" asked Red Hood. "N-no, not that, uh, how you been man?" asked Sanchez. "Relax Sanchez, I'm not here for you, so don't go shitting your pants," said Red Hood, "Big Time in there?" "You just missed him, he left with some guys about 5, 10 minutes ago," said Sanchez. "Say where they were going?" "Over to 10th and G, gonna have a dust up with some crackers," said Sanchez. "Good," said Red Hood, as he climbed back onto his bike, "oh and Sanchez?" "Yeah boss?" "I was never here, got it?" asked Red Hood. "Sure thing boss, I didn't see nothing," said Sanchez. "I didn't think so, now go change your pants, I can smell you from here," said Red Hood, then he roared down the street. Robin parked the Red Bird behind a dumpster off of 8th street, he knew it would be safe, anyone who didn't know the right code to punch into the starter would get the shock of his life, literally. With the bike parked, Robin and Backslash used their lines and grappling hooks to swing onto the roofs. Robin waited impatiently on the roof of a 5 story warehouse while Backslash struggled to make it to the top. "That was hard," Backslash panted, "you make it look so easy." "You just need some training, many, many, many hours of training," said Robin. "Will you teach me?" asked Backslash. "Sure," Robin smiled, "now come on, rooftops are great perches, you can see everything up here." "Speaking of which, why are we here anyway?" asked Robbie. "This neighborhood is a toilet, you can't swing a dead cat around here without hitting a dirt bag, all we have to do is watch the alleys and wait, crime is inevitable," said Robin. "You and alleys, why is it that every time we have a night on the town, it ends up in an alley?" asked Backslash. "I love alleys, no one looks in them, you can get around the city completely unseen, crims know this too, that's why so much goes down in back alleys," Robin explained. "You think Red Robin and Superboy are perched over an alley somewhere?" asked Backslash. "I think those two have a better chance of finding the clitoris then a criminal," said Robin. "Dami!" Robbie gasped in laughter, "that's so dirty!" "Is it? I heard one of the football players say it in the locker room the other day, when I was changing out of the panther," said Robin. "It's about a girls, you know..." said Backslash. "Snatch?" asked Robin. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA," Backslash shrieked, "I am not letting you hang out with the football team anymore, you're picking up dirty words!" "Come on, let's head over to 10th, there's bound to be something going on there," said Robin, as he leapt over the alley and swung to the next roof. "Aw, shit," said Backslash, as he struggled with his line, "wait up." "Just keep moving!" Robin shouted back. "Right, just keep moving, right towards the ground," Backslash said to himself. Big Time and his boys meet up with the gang that beat up the card dealer in the alley behind 10th street. Terry was nervous, he didn't want to look like a chicken in front of his friends but he wasn't eager to fight either. The other gang looked a lot older, some of them like they'd done hard time in prison, they'd make mincemeat out of a boy like Terry. He stood his ground though, no one could read the concern on his face, it was the same face he wore in a match, to intimidate his opponents, after all, wrestling was more of a mind game than most people knew. The gang had no idea that they were being watched, Robin knew that he'd find something happening off 10th Street, all you had to do was wait long enough. Backslash knelt next to Robin as they watched the action unfold, they couldn't hear what was being said but it was obvious enough to Robin. "What's happening?" Backslash whispered. "Looks like rival gangs, the leaders are talking, who cares about what, someone probably stepped on someone's Puma or knocked up someone's girlfriend. Criminals tend to have terrible home lives," said Robin. "Gee, you think?" said Backslash, sarcastically. Robin just shot him a stern glare. "Uh, so do we take them down now?" asked Backslash. "Not yet, they're not breaking the law, that will come next," said Robin. As if on cue, Big Time took a right hook to the face. "See, I told you," Robin smiled, he understood the criminal mind so well. When Big Time got hit, Terry ran to his friend and punched the big cracker in the face, nearly breaking his hand. Terry pulled back and shook his wounded hand just as the cracker pounced on him. That was a mistake, Terry might not be much of a fighter but his wrestler's instincts kicked in and he quickly subdued the gang member, then jumped on another. "Now do we go?" asked Backslash. "First of all, I'm going alone, you're not trained for this, you're staying on the roof..." Robin started. "But what if you get hurt?" asked Backslash. "By these clowns? Please," Robin hissed. "Yeah but what if?" "On the off chance that I'm hurt, call Grayson, but do not, under any circumstances, come down to the alley unless I say so," said Robin. "How will we communicate, I won't be able to hear you down there," said Backslash. "Hello, Gadget Boy, come on, you know this," Robin grinned. "Oh, right, I can text you with the mask," said Backslash. "I knew you'd figure it out," said Robin, sarcastically. "Gimme a break, I've never worn one of these before," said Backslash, "anyway, are you going down now?" "Another minute," said Robin. "Why are you waiting?" "I'm letting the strongest fighters take care of the weaker ones, let them tire themselves out then I'll pounce," said Robin. "You need them to get softened up first?" Backslash teased, "I thought you were trained for this?" "Backslash, there are 12 of them, a pack of jackals can kill a lion," said Robin, "see you in a few minutes." Robin jumped off the edge of the roof, he spread his arms and his para-cape billowed out, slowing his fall. He touched down right in the scrum and landed his first punch into Big Time's stomach, followed by a roundhouse kick to the face. Robin felt a hand land on his shoulder, then he was spun around, he had to look up to see the face of his attacker. Terry knew he was in trouble, he recognized Robin as soon as he spun him around but he was committed now so he jumped on the smaller boy and wrestled him to the ground. Robin hated wrestling, he didn't like grappling with anyone, let alone some sweaty dirt bag. He was a trained fighter though and quickly improvised, he tried various locks and holds but he couldn't get a grip on the big teen who had him nearly pinned. He wanted to knee him in the balls but his opponent seemed to know that and used his torso to hold Robin's legs in place. Red Hood rolled up on the scene and was surprised to find his little brother, struggling beneath the object of his search. Hood parked his bike and calmly strolled into the alley, he used his height and bulk to quickly disable most of the gang members, the smart ones ran, the dumb ones needed an ambulance when he was finished with them. When he was finished and unconscious bodies littered the ground, Hood leaned against a dumpster and watched the wrestling match. Terry, was amazed, he had a height and weight advantage over Robin but the smaller boy would not give up. He countered every move Terry made, blocked every lock and hold, he was slippery too, Terry could feel his grip breaking. Robin felt the exact same way, this guy had an answer to every attack he launched, he couldn't get the upper hand, the boys rolled around on the alley floor, fighting to a draw. "Are you ladies done yet?" said Red Hood. The fight stopped, Terry looked up and when he did, Robin wiggled out from under him. Both boys stood up and when Robin saw the Red Hood, he had to shake his head to get the look of surprise off his face. "Hi there baby bird," said Red Hood. "Hood, how are your balls?" said Robin. "Fine, your mom iced them down for me," Red Hood taunted. "Bastard," Robin swore, "what do you want?" "Relax, I'm not here for you, I'm here for him," said Red Hood, pointing at Terry. "Me?" asked Terry, his eyes bugging out of his head. "You're Terry McGinnis, right?" said Red Hood. "What do you want with him?" said Robin, taking note of the boy's name. "It doesn't concern you," said Red Hood. Just then, Robin read a text message from Backslash, who watched from above, then used his retinal mouse to pick letters and send a message of his own, all right under Red Hood's nose. BACKSLASH: Call Batman? ROBIN: No, jump on Todd's back. BACKSLASH: Are you nuts? ROBIN: Do it now! BACKSLASH: It's too high. ROBIN: Spread your arms like a bird, the cape will slow your fall, Todd will cushion the landing. BACKSLASH: Robin, I can't, I'm afraid. ROBIN: You can do it, I'm in danger. Backslash felt a ball of lead forming in his stomach, Robin never needed help but he was asking for it now. He's my friend and my lover, I can't let him down, Backslash told himself, as he stepped to the ledge and spread his arms. Robin glanced up and saw Backslash standing above him, then gave him one last prod. ROBIN: NOW! Backslash screwed his eyes shut and leapt from the ledge, he fell fast and struck the Red Hood in the back, sending him tumbling to the ground. Robin turned to Terry, he didn't know what Red Hood wanted with this boy but he knew it couldn't be good. "RUN!" Robin ordered. "Huh?" said Terry, he was stunned. "RUN, GO NOW!" Robin ordered. Terry stood slack jawed for a moment but when Robin gave him a shove, he took off down the alley. Red Hood lie on the ground, shaking his head and trying to get to his feet. Backslash was standing behind him. "That wasn't so bad," said Backslash. "Hide behind something heavy," Robin ordered, then kicked Red Hood in the head. "Right," Backslash nodded, realizing that the fight wasn't over. The kick forced Red Hood on to his back, Robin jumped on him and started punching wildly at him. Jason didn't have time for a family squabble, Terry was the mission, he had to get Terry. Red Hood didn't want to hurt Damian but he had no choice, he punched the boy across the face with his powerful right hook, sending him tumbling backwards. Robin had no idea Todd could hit that hard, he was dizzy and started seeing double, he tried to stand up straight but stumbled back to the ground. Robin had given Red Hood quite a pummeling, he staggered to his feet and held his ribs while he stumbled back to his bike. Terry had no choice but to go home now, Red Hood could have gone straight back to the Williams house but decided to try and find the boy on the streets, just in case he decided to be clever. When the Red Hood was gone, Backslash came out of hiding and raced to Robin. "Are you ok?" asked Backslash. "I'm fine," said Robin, as he staggered to his feet and shook his head to clear his vision, "where's the boy?" "He ran, like you told him," said Backslash. "Come on, we have to get back to the Red Bird, we'll never catch him on foot." "We're going after him?" said Backslash, as he chased after Robin. "I don't know what Todd wants with him but he must be in danger, if he's still with mother, nothing they have planned for that boy can be good," said Robin. Dick was enjoying his night with Barbara Gordon, they both worked hard and needed a night off just as much as the others. They had a wonderful dinner at home, then decided to unwind with a soak in the hot tub. "I could get used to this," sighed Dick, as he relaxed in the warm water, Barbara's head on his shoulder. "Me to, I think we need to make date night a regular thing, the boys had the right idea," said Barbara. "I could sit here all night," said Dick. "Don't say that, you'll jinx us," said Barbara, just as Dick's cellphone started ringing, "see I told you." "I don't have to get it, I could let it ring," said Dick. "You better grab it, could be one of the kids," said Barbara. "They're big boys, how much trouble could they get in at a French restaurant?" said Dick. "We're talking about Tim Drake and Damian Wayne, right?" Barbara teased. "Point taken," said Dick, as he reached for his phone, "yeap, it's Dami." "Hey Dami, how were the snails?" Dick quipped. "No time for that now, I need Batman," said Robin. "What's happening?" said Dick, turning serious, he thought he heard the screech of a Red Bird in the background. "Todd is back," said Robin. "Jason? You're sure, you saw him?" asked Dick. "Saw him and fought him," said Robin. "What the hell, where are Robbie, Conner and Tim?" asked Dick. "Robbie is with me, the others are doing their own thing," said Robin. "What is going on?" said Dick. "We had a bet, it's a long story and it doesn't matter now, Todd is after a boy named Terry McGinnis, 16 or 17 years old, black hair blue eyes, tall, about 150-160 pounds," said Robin, giving the best description he could, "I'm searching for him now." "Ok, I'm suiting up, have Robbie send your coordinates to the Bat Mobile, I'll find you," said Dick. "Grayson, hurry, I don't know how much time we have," said Robin. "I'm on it," said Dick, as he hung up, "I'm sorry Babs, I have to go." "I told you not to jinx us," Barbara smiled. "Next time we do this at your house and leave our phones in the car. I'll put the kids in a cage if I have too," said Dick. "Now that's parenting, I can't wait until we have children," Barbra laughed. Dick kissed her goodbye then ran to the Bat Cave as quickly as he could with wet feet on a marble floor. "Robin, I think I found something," said Backslash, "the boys name is Terry McGinnis, right?" "That's what Todd called him, yeah," Robin answered. "Police computer lists a Terrence McGinnis, released from juvenile detention this morning, looks like he did 3 months for helping some guys boost a car," said Backslash. "Sounds like a model citizen, no wonder Todd want's him," said Robin, "is there an address?" "Yeah, 2104, West 103rd Street," said Backslash. "That's miles from here," said Robin, "ok, he's on foot, we'll head in that direction and search along the way, we might get lucky, send the address to Batman, warn him that Todd might get there first." "Done!" said Backslash, "What about Red Robin." "See if you can get him on your communicator," Robin instructed, "it would be nice to have an eye in the sky." "You read my mind," said Backslash, as he tried to reach the other team. He tried a few times but Red Robin never answered. Tim and Connor had given up on the bet as soon as they drove off. Tim wasn't concerned about the bragging rights, let Damian have his little victory. It was a beautiful night, he and Connor drove to a secluded park and laid out a blanket to watch the stars. They were making love when the phone started ringing. "Still no answer," said Backslash. "Screw it, no time to waste," said Robin. "Hey, this kid we're looking for, did you notice anything about him?" asked Backslash. "Like what?" asked Robin. "I can't put my finger on it, I only saw him up close for a few seconds but, I don't know, he seemed familiar, real familiar," said Backslash. "Now that you mention it, there was something about the eyes," said Robin. "Think we know him?" asked Backslash. "It's possible, we might have seen him somewhere I guess, we'll figure it out when we find him," said Robin. Terry ran all the way home, he didn't stop until he got into his room and had the door locked tight behind him. He didn't bother looking for Joe, he was to afraid, he sat on his bed in the far corner, where it met the wall, he pulled his knees up to his chest and hugged his legs while he tried to figure out his next move. He didn't know what he'd done but he was sure he was in trouble, he'd fought Robin and then the Red Hood showed up asking for him by name, that chilled him to the bone. Everyone in Gotham City knew who the Red Hood was, he was a crime fighter, of sorts, with a blood chilling reputation. He couldn't possibly be after me because of a gang fight, could he, thought Terry. Red Hood gave up the search for Terry early on, he went back to the house and watched the door, let the boy get inside, then climbed off his bike. The front door was unlocked, Hood looked around the living room and kitchen, but there was nothing there but the corpse of Joe Williams. When he went to the boy's room and found the door locked, he fought the instinct to kick it in and decided to knock. "W-who's there?" said Terry. "Open the door Terry, we need to talk," said Red Hood. Terry didn't move, he was too afraid. Red Hood waited, giving the boy a chance to open the door, when he didn't, the lock broke easily under his powerful grip. Terry cringed when the Red Hood entered his room. Jason could see that the boy was terrified, knowing he could be a menacing figure in all his gear, he removed his helmet and shared his true identity. "My name is Jason Todd." "Y-you're the Red Hood," said Terry. "That's right," Jason nodded. "I-I didn't mean to fight Robin, he hit my friend, it just happened, I'm sorry," Terry spluttered. "It's alright, I'm a friend of your parents," said Jason. "Joe?" "No, your parents, Mary and Warren," said Jason. "Mom and Dad?" asked Terry. "That's right." "Really, you knew them?" asked Terry. "It would be more accurate to say I work for someone who knew them," said Jason. "I-I don't understand," said Terry. "I know this must be very hard for you Terry, but don't be afraid, I'm not here to hurt you," said Jason. "I-I'm not scared," said Terry, as he loosened up, if only a bit. "Good, now, my employer knew your mom and dad, she's been looking for you for a long time," said Jason, he didn't think the white lie would matter, the important part was getting the boy to trust him for now. "Who is she, what's she want with me?" asked Terry. "She's a very powerful woman, she wants to help you, get you out of this place, away from your foster father, help you start a new life," said Jason. "But why?" asked Terry. "It's complicated, Terry, I need you to trust me now, I promise no one is going to hurt you, we want to help you," said Jason. Terry stared at Jason for what felt like a long time, he wasn't so bad now, without that red helmet. Jason was smiling at him, his face looked trustworthy and Terry slowly started to relax. It wasn't as though he had a lot of reasons to hang around here, he hated Joe and Joe hated him, the only friends he had were Charlie and his gang, and that hadn't worked out so well. He was ready for a new start. "O-ok, I'll come with you," said Terry, "just let me grab some stuff." "Great, but we don't have time for that, we have to go now," said Jason. "Don't I need like, I don't know, clean underwear and stuff," asked Terry. "Trust me, everything will be taken care off," said Jason. "We're wasting time, we're not going to find him like this, I'm going to the house," said Robin. Robin and Backslash searched in a zigzag pattern along the grid that made up the streets of Gotham City. They hadn't spotted any sign of Terry and every second they wasted put Jason that much closer. "Where is Batman?" asked Robin. "GPS shows him still in route," said Backslash. "Damn it, I wish he'd hurry," said Robin. "It's Saturday night, there shouldn't be much traffic but judging by the distance he has to cover, it looks like we'll get there first," said Backslash. Robin filed that information in his mind, then kicked the Red Bird into the next gear, they were doing 90 miles an hour, a dangerous speed but the only thing that mattered was beating Todd. Jason put his arm around Terry's shoulder and guided him through the house, he was trying to put the boy at ease and steer him away from the kitchen. The last thing Jason needed now was for Terry to see Joe's body and freak out. When they got outside, Jason climbed on his bike and handed Terry his helmet. "Put that on and climb on the back," said Jason. Terry did as he was told, he swung his leg over the seat and rested his hands on Jason's waist. Jason's head snapped around when he heard the familiar screech of the Red Bird, barreling towards them. "Hold on tight," said Jason, then he popped the bike into gear and started building speed as quickly as he could. "Robin, look, that's them," Backslash pointed. "I see them, send word to Batman, tell him we're in pursuit," said Robin. "Ok...message sent," said Backslash. "Robbie, do you remember what I said about falling off the bike, about what to do?" "Yeah why?" said Robbie. "I love you, wait for Batman," said Damian. "Damian what..." Robbie began, when Robin kicked him off the seat. Robbie did exactly as he was told, he went limp and rolled out of the street, letting the Robin uniform protect him. "Damian, no!" Robbie shouted after him, but he was moving too fast, he was too far to hear. Robin hated himself for kicking Robbie but he knew Jason was taking Terry to his mother, he had to be and Robin couldn't take the risk. He should never have taken Robbie into the field, the least he could do was keep him away from his mother, he knew she would hurt his boyfriend if she got the chance because she would know it would hurt him. Jason looked behind him and saw Robin gaining on him. He picked up more speed and started to weave in and out of the traffic. Robin was undeterred, the Red Bird was faster than Todd's bike, if he could get around him, he could force him to stop. Jason knew what Robin was trying to do and he knew if he didn't stop him, they'd be over taken. He started moving as close as he could to cars, forcing the drivers to change course and block Robin's path. The plan had the desired effect, a truck swerved in front of Robin, the only way he could avoid hitting it was to pull a hard right turn. Robin lost control of the Red Bird and slid along the sidewalk, sparks were flying but the tough material of his uniform kept him safe. The Bat Mobile pulled up in front of Terry's house two minutes behind Jason and Damian. Robbie saw him coming and flagged Batman down. "Robbie, where's Robin?" said Batman. "He kicked me off the Red Bird, he went after Jason himself," said Robbie. Damn it Damian, Batman swore to himself. "Get in!" Robbie jumped into the Bat Mobile and Batman put his foot to the floor. They sped down the street and Robbie's fingers flew across the keys of the onboard computer. "Which way did they go?" asked Batman. "Straight ahead, go straight," said Robbie, "I got the Red Bird on the GPS, heading towards the airport." It was almost midnight when Jason's motorcycle came to a halt next to a Citation business jet. Talia was waiting at the base of the steps and smiled broadly when Terry got off the bike and removed his helmet. "Well done my love," said Talia, to Jason, then she turned to the boy, "hello Terry, my name is Talia." "Jason says you knew my parents," said Terry. "That's right," she smiled. "I-I don't understand," said Terry, looking at his feet. Talia approached him and rested her hands on his arms, she had to look up to meet his eyes. "I know you have many questions, there will be time to answer all of them, for now, know that you are a very special boy and your life is about to take a remarkable turn," she smiled. Terry looked at Jason for reassurance, Jason smiled and patted the boy on the back. Terry took a deep breath, then accepted Talia's offered hand and followed her up the steps. The jet started moving as soon as they took their seats. The accident slowed Robin down but he wasn't out, he dusted himself off, climbed back on the bike and sped towards the airport. He'd seen signs pointing the way to Gotham International, throughout the chase, and knew that they must be trying to take Terry out of the country. When he reached the airport, Robin jumped the fence and sped towards the executive terminal, he spotted a business jet on the runway but he was too late, it lifted off before he could even turn in the right direction. Mother, Jason and Terry were gone. Robin stopped his bike and watched the plane rocket into the sky, he sat there for a long time, watching the landing lights flash in the distance. "They're gone, they got away," said Robin, when Batman and Robbie joined him. "You did everything you could," said Batman. "Are you alright?" asked Robbie, noticing the damage to the Red Bird. "I failed, they're going to do something terrible to him," Robin choked. "You don't know that for sure," said Robbie, soothingly. "Don't I?" asked Robin. It was a rhetorical question that Robbie had the good sense not to try and answer, who knew what demon's haunted Damian's memory. "Come on, let's go home," said Batman. When they returned to Wayne Manor, Damian went upstairs without even changing out of his uniform. He slept in his own room for the first time in two months. It wasn't that he didn't want to be with Robbie, he just didn't want his boyfriend to see him cry. Damian's mood lingered throughout the weekend and the following week. On Monday, he stormed into Dr. Quinzel's office in a huff, throwing his bag on the floor and crossing his arms over his chest. "And good afternoon to you too, Damian," smiled Dr. Quinzel. "Mmmmm," Damian grunted. "I see you're in a fine mood." Damian's first instinct was to offer a smart remark, then he contemplated the doctor for a moment. He couldn't talk about this with Grayson or Drake, they'd tell him it wasn't his fault and that wouldn't make him feel any better. He couldn't talk to Robbie, he sensed that Robbie was worried about him enough as it is. The shrink was supposed to be helping him, Damian thought it might be time to let her, maybe, just a little bit. "Doc, how is a person supposed to deal with failure?" asked Damian. "Well, that depends, what did you fail at?" asked Dr. Quinzel. "I can't tell you," said Damian. "Damian, you've been coming here for a month now and we keep having this conversation, you're here precisely because you CAN tell me..." she started. "I know, it's a safe place, doctor patient confidentiality, blah, blah, blah," said Damian. Doctor Quinzel knew Damian well enough now that she didn't respond to the remark. She found that when she sat quietly and watched him, he started to open up, if only to break the silence. "The confidentiality thing, that's no bullshit, right?" asked Damian. "No bullshit," Dr. Quinzel confirmed. Maybe there was a way he could tell her without telling her, without giving away too much information, thought Damian. He looked at her for a long time, she said nothing, just held his gaze. When he let out a sigh, Dr. Quinzel picked up her pen, she sensed this was going to be important and wanted to take good notes. "There was this boy, he needed my help..." Damian began. When the session was over, Dr. Quinzel quickly reviewed her notes. There was something very strange about Damian Wayne, strange enough that as she looked at his file, she couldn't help but draw a large question mark next to his name. Two weeks after leaving Gotham City, Terry McGinnis found himself lying on a medical table in nothing but a black speedo. There were doctors buzzing around the room, taking his temperature, checking his blood pressure, applying electrodes to his skin and generally making him nervous. Terry did relax, if only a little, when he spied Jason in the corner, smiling at him reassuringly. Talia had promised him answers but so far she hadn't been very forthcoming. She told him that his parents had been part of an experiment, that his DNA was genetically altered, that he was an exceptional human being, made so by the code implanted in his cells. They were preparing him for some kind of test, he didn't really understand it but he went along with it for two reasons. One, he'd grown close to Jason and Jason said everything would be ok, and two, he was somewhat afraid of Talia and the strange men that worked for her. She'd never uttered a harsh word to him but he sensed something hiding behind her eyes, every time she looked at him. When the doctors finished, they cleared out of the room and Jason stepped to his bedside. "Doin alright?" asked Jason. "I guess so," said Terry. Jason rested his hand on Terry's forehead and brushed a few strands of loose hair from his face. "Everything's going to be fine, I promise," said Jason. "I know, I'm not scared," said Terry. "Good boy," Jason smiled, "you're just going to take a little nap." "Yeah," Terry nodded. Talia came into the room and smiled brightly at Terry, she stood next to Jason and quickly examined the boys chart. "Alright Terry, this is just a test, you're going to sleep for a little bit and when you wake up, we'll have a nice long chat, ok?" said Talia. "Yes Talia," Terry nodded. She gave him another smile, then waved an anesthesiologist over to the bed. The doctor put a mask over Terry's face, he took a few deep breaths and then passed into sleep. "Bring in the gestation tube," Talia ordered. Orderlies brought a large clear tube into the examining room and gently placed Terry's body inside. The doctors ran a breathing tube down his throat, then attached the various wires and electrodes they'd attached to the boy, to a number of leads in the tube. When they were finished, the tube began to fill with a watery solution, the tube was sealed and Terry's limp body floated in stasis. The tube was taken into the laboratory next door and placed in its housing, a number of monitors came on so that the doctors would be able to track Terry's vital signs and brain activity. "He's going to be alright, isn't he?" asked Jason. "It's perfectly safe," Talia assured him. "You're sure?" said Jason. "My love, I raised Damian in one of these until he was three," said Talia. "Terry's a lot older then Damian was," said Jason. "It's been used on adults, it's safe," said Talia. "I told him he'd sleep for a while," said Jason. "A year isn't so long, in the grand scheme of things," said Talia, "he won't age a day." "Does it have to be so long?" asked Jason. "He has a lot to learn, regular training would take too long, he'd never be ready in time," said Talia. "In time for what?" asked Jason. Talia looked into Jason's eyes, she cared for him but he could be so naïve and she wasn't ready to explain her plans to him. "You're fond of Terry, aren't you darling?" asked Talia. "He's a good kid, I like him," said Jason, as he watched Terry, floating in his tube. Talia kissed him on the cheek, "why don't I leave you alone for a little while?" "Yeah, ok," said Jason. When Talia left, Jason grabbed a chair and stayed with Terry for a long time. He wasn't sure how he'd developed feelings for the boy so quickly, maybe it was because he saw something of himself in Terry's rough edges, or the pain of his past. For whatever reason, Jason knew one thing, Terry might be Bruce Wayne's child but he would be Jason's son. "It'll be alright son," said Jason, resting his hand against the tube and feeling its warm vibrations, "daddy's here."