Chapter Text
The vigilantes were on guard, on edge and alert as they approached the Cave.
“O?” Nightwing asked once again.
“Still nothing. The cameras are down. Security is down. I can’t get anything. And I’ve gone backwards through the back-up storage and can’t see anything. They just all failed at approximately the same time. No matter the circuit. I’ve tried remotely rebooting the system. But it won’t accept the command.”
Hood’s hands tightened around his handlebars, lying flatter on the motorbike, in an attempt to move faster.
The cave seemed quieter than normal as Hood sped down the tunnel. The engine sounds echoing loudly in the silence.
The other engines joined him barely seconds later. Racing down the tunnels to the parking area.
The Cave was empty. No one visible. As one the Bats spread out and checked for any intruders.
Nothing. Nobody.
Not even a single item out of place.
Robin was the first to strip out of his uniform; he stayed armed though. He slid easily into one of the ducts that led up to the Manor.
“I will report back what I find, Father.” Damian declared as he disappeared into the darkness.
“Can we reboot the system from here?” Jason waved at the computer, as he discarded his domino.
He left most of the rest of his gear on, only zipping up the leather jacket. It would pass muster for a little while.
“I’m trying.” Bruce fired back, “But it doesn’t look like the problem is here.”
“Where could it be?” Dick scratched his neck, “I mean…”
“Does it matter?” Jason was moving towards the stairs, “We need to check on Alfred and Timmy.”
“I’ll check to see if there’s anyone who’ll notice us coming out.” Steph announced, sliding into another vent.
They emerged into the Manor, silent shadows moving through the darkness.
“There’s no one here.” Dick murmured.
“Where’s Alfred?” Jason pressed, “I still haven’t found him.”
“Check the larder.” Bruce instructed, “He keeps a shotgun there.”
“I did not know that!” Steph muttered, “But I’m not surprised.”
“Someone’s been in here.” Jason announced, looking at the shelves, “Things aren’t in the right place.”
“What do you mean?” Damian demanded, “Pennyworth does not allow an untidy larder. He does not approve of it.”
“Everything is tidy. But there’s stuff in the wrong places. The marshmallows aren’t next to the cocoa. The baking powder isn’t next to the cornflour. Someone made a mess and then tried to hide it.”
“You’re right.” Dick pipped up, “The photos in the green drawing room are in the wrong order.”
“Someone’s trying to make it look like nothing happened.” Bruce declared, “There’s repair putty that’s not quite set. It’s covering shotgun pellets.”
“Alfred got a shot off at least.” Steph put in, “I’m not seeing anything. I could be missing stuff though.”
“I’ll check the Panic Room.” Dick declared, “Alfred and Timmy might have gotten in there.”
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It wasn’t really a Panic Room as such, Dick thought as he moved quickly to the entrance. Simply the old servants’ passages that Bruce had turned into lockable safe spaces running between the walls.
It was unlockable from any exit point, but only unlockable from one entrance point…
Bruce’s bedroom.
It gave the impression of a proper Panic Room that way.
Dick slid the light switch to one side and typed in the code. It was easy enough to remember. Bruce had set it to the date that Tim had first confused a hero… The day he had met Kori.
It wasn’t a date that anyone else would have a reason to remember. Nothing that seemed related to Wayne or Bat. But was easy enough to remember. Dick wasn’t even sure that Jason or Damian knew the meaning behind the numbers.
The panelling clicked and Dick carefully opened the door.
“Master Richard,” Alfred’s voice shook slightly, “Have you seen Master Tim?”
“He’s not in there with you?” Dick caught Alfred’s shaking hands leading him over to sit on the bed.
Dried blood was flaking off of Alfred’s cheek. His eyes were unfocused and Dick wasn’t certain but the pupils looked to be different sizes.
“I saw movement outside.” Alfred pronounced, “I got the shotgun. Then… I don’t remember much. Just flashes.”
“Anything could help.” Dick reminded.
“Figures in black. Master Tim was using his crutches as a weapon. I think I hit a few of them with my shotgun. There were a lot of them. Far too many. I think one of them caught me from behind. Master Tim pushed me into the passage. I think he locked it.”
“How?” Dick breathed, “It can only be locked from the inside.”
“I do not know Master Richard, however I was unable to unlock the door from the inside. I can only conclude that Master Tim did something.”
“It would not surprise me.” Bruce remarked as he entered the room, “Are you okay, Alfred?”
“I will be, Master Bruce. You have not found Master Tim?”
“No. I do not believe we will do so either.” Damian came into the room, “Grandfather has him.”
“How do you know?” Jason demanded, “How do you know that fucker has him?”
“I found one of the League’s knives. It is not one of mine. It was in the sofa in the library.”
“Of course.” Bruce sighed, leaning heavily against the bedpost, “Ra’s. He set this all up.”
“He got us out the Mansion.” Dick slumped, realizing what Bruce meant, “Probably suggested setting Phobos free to McCaffery.”
“Kept him alive to be a fucking distraction!” Jason snarled.
“Kept us busy.” Steph sagged.
“O,” Jason habitually looked up, even though there were no cameras in the bedrooms, “Where’s Tina?”
“Still on House Arrest.” Babs announced, “She won’t be leaving it for months yet. If she, by some miracle, manages to escape jail.”
“Check on her.” Jason snarled, “Now!”
“Jaylad,” Bruce breathed softly, “Where are you?”
“I’m thinking the way Tim does.” Jason snapped, “Looking ten steps ahead. Ra’s wants Tim. Wants him… Wants him to be like him. To be one of his fucking chess pieces to move around on the board. But to do that he needs to break Tim away from us.”
“Grandfather took him from us,” Damian frowned, “Is that not enough?”
“Not enough to cause a schism.” Jason shook his head, “No. He needs Tim to cross the line. To kill someone… And it’s easier to kill someone who’s hurt you. So… I think Ra’s has taken Tina as well.”
“Trying to get him to kill her?” Dick blinked, “That’s not Tim’s style.”
“No,” Bruce sighed, “But it would be easier than an innocent.”
“And there’s ways to make it even easier.” Jason put in.
“They didn’t…” Bruce tailed off.
“Never needed them for me.” Jason shrugged, “I was filled with Pit-Madness the first time I killed. First dozen or so. By the time I was starting to come out of it… It was normal.”
“You think he’d use the Pit?” Steph frowned, “That seems a little…”
“Grandfather knows the risks of exposing someone to Lazarus Water. Given that the feature about Drake that Grandfather seems to prize the most is intellect I do not believe he will utilise the Pit in such a manner. The lingering effects of Lazarus Water are prone to interfere with the minds of the unaccustomed. It takes careful training and meditation to come through an initial exposure with sanity immediately intact. Mother has been punished on several occasions for using the Lazarus Water without such precautions on those that she has deemed of sufficient worth.”
There was a long pause as they all took that in.
“O-kay,” Jason drawled, “I’m not sure if I wanted or needed to know that.”
“So, Ra’s won’t use the Pit.” Dick relaxed slightly, “But there’s other ways. If he wants Tim to cross that line quickly.”
“I do not believe that Drake would become a killer so easily.” Damian protested, “It is not in his nature.”
“There are ways, Master Damian,” Alfred sighed, “Master Tim has a gentle heart. Even though he dislikes Miss Tina, I rather doubt he could stand by and let her be tortured. If Ra’s offered to let him end it mercifully… I do not know how long Master Tim could let it go on for.”
The words were soft, but their implications were heavy.
“I have only one more question,” Jason spoke softly, “How much of this did Tim figure out before they took him?”
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The crack breaking the silence and the line of fire across his back seemed to happen almost simultaneously. Both jerking Tim from the darkness of unconsciousness.
“Hello Tina.” He smiled wanly, even without looking around to see her.