"A Darker Path" fic: Heavier Than A Mountain

[sylph_fics]

All previous parts of the "A Darker Path"-verse can be found here. It was getting to be kind of a long list.

Here's the newest part.

Title: Heavier Than A Mountain
Characters: Ensemble cast, hero-side
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: I made Filly cry.
Disclaimer: I wish these guys were mine, I'd be nicer to them. But they're not, DC still owns them
Comments: Merfilly, wonderful woman that she is, wrote Jefferson and Ollie as it became necessary, and betad this for me.



Batman returned from his canvassing of the other floors of the building with little more information than he'd had previously, barring that Starfire had been incapacitated within her room, actually in her own bed, and there were no recent traces of his son within the Tower. Arsenal's weapons were missing, as was a suit, and from the disarray of the bed he had apparently been there recently. How recently, was the question. He avoided the dried blood pooled on the floor--//whose blood, why? They were removed, also why?//--carefully, shifting the cape out of the way to cross the floor to Jim's side.

Jim looked up, Mr. Terrific still completely absorbed in gathering data, and arched a brow.

He shook his head, once. "Nothing above, other than that Starfire was taken down in her bed." He looked from body to body, seeing the severed ends of futures and bonds and partnerships, and said. "I have to go."

"Want company?"

He appreciated the offer more than he could ever express, especially with Jim's own daughter now vanished, in the midst of implementing deep-cover protocols, but, "No, Jim. Watch his back. We can't keep the police out much longer, and the media won't be far behind. Hold them off as long as you can. Their families--" //Deserve more than that from me. I backed them, backed Roy to do this... I have to go to them.//

"You're right. I'll handle it. I'm still owed a favor or two, here and there. Go."

He nodded once, sharply, and turned to leave. Outside, he stopped next to Lantern, Arrow, and Dove. "Dove, I have calls to make. Take care of them. Arrow."

"Yes, Batman?" the younger archer still sounded shaken, voice roughened by tears, but he was holding himself together well, unlike the utterly stricken Green Lantern, who was still shaking against his shoulder.

"This stays silent until I'm finished. I will not have the gossip chain alerting one of their families of a death. Silent to everyone. Even your father."

He was unaccustomed to seeing that kind of mutinous set to the younger Arrow's dark jaw, and the suddenly defiant tilt of his head looked more like his missing brother than himself for a moment--then Connor sighed, and nodded slowly. "All right. But when you go, I go with you."

"Agreed." The insistence saved him the trouble of asking. Given Oliver's likely reaction to the combined pieces of news, //his love his first son his grandchild// having Connor there was definitely the better idea. Finished, he went swiftly to the Batwing and flew for home. On the way, he considered more names, ruling out one after another. Finally, with a mental sigh, he called for one of the younger JSA members, one who might be able to buffer Alan, or at least Molly, against the news, and could handle alerting the rest of her team that one of their own was down, one more missing. Interlinking the necessary communication channels took several moments, more yet to create a strictly person-to-person link, then, "Batman to Stargirl."

"B-Batman?!" it took a moment before her startled voice answered. "I'm here, what can I do for you?"

"Meet me at the Sentinel's in twenty minutes."

"What, wh--I'll be there." She'd collected herself quite professionally, he noticed.

"Batman out." He disconnected the link and returned his attention to the flight, mentally mapping out his next moves. Choi had no one he knew of. Jefferson was still living in Washington, DC, and would be his next stop. Rex was in space, and would have to be reached through what was left of the League. Starfire meant Victor Stone--that stop was definitely last, because as soon as one Titan knew, they all would. With all stealth systems engaged, he piloted the 'Wing back into the Cave and left in one of the cars that bore the least resemblance to the Batmobile. He did not need the complication of Gotham's annoyed police force, not today.

He pulled the car into a still-deserted warehouse, armed the security, and went from the ground floor to the roof to the 'rooftop expressway'--his heart clenched at the words, hearing his son's laughing voice coin them--and he headed for the Scotts home. He'd seen the flash of green flame pass over early in the morning, so it was reasonable to assume he was home, and not at work. If he was incorrect, Molly could surely call him back.

He dropped to the ground next to their home and within a few moments, Stargirl joined him. "Batman, what is it? Why--"

"You may be needed." Hating every moment of the bright sunlit exposure, he walked up to the door and knocked. It opened within a few moments, Molly's expression concerned. "Come in, quickly, before someone notices."

He stepped inside, Stargirl following, and heard Alan's warm, calm baritone call, "Molly? Who was at the door?"

"Batman, love. And Stargirl."

That brought Alan into the hall itself, sharp eyes searching his face and that of the girl beside him, who responded with a puzzled gesture he could half-see.

"Batman? What brings you to my door at this time of day?"

"Alan--" he could not believe the catch in his voice, or the fact that he had to swallow before he could continue. "Alan, Molly, you need to sit down, please."

"This must be bad. Molly, come on." Bruce watched him wrap a sheltering arm around his wife, and wondered how Jim hade done this so often. He followed them into the living room, and waited until they settled, Stargirl hovering anxiously next to them, attempting to glare at him.

"All right. What is it, Batman?"

There was simply no good way to say this, no way to cushion the blow... "It's Jenny-Lynn. All of the Outsiders, actually."

"Jenny? How bad is she hurt?!" quick, sharp question from the young girl. He looked at Alan... and saw the stricken, soul-deep understanding write itself across his face.

"Courtney... Batman wouldn't be here if she was just hurt." Alan's voice was still so strong. "She's... gone, isn't she?"

"Yes." He saw Molly struggling with tears, watched Stargirl drop like her strings had been cut onto the couch, and black, dark hatred burned in his soul over this.

"You said all of the Outsiders," Alan reminded him, demanding more information with agony blazed across his face.

He nodded, and answered. "Everyone but Nightwing and Arsenal. No one has seen or heard from Nightwing since the end of the gang wars, and Arsenal is missing. Starfire, Grace, Thunder, and Shift, however... We found them all, inside the Tower."

He watched Molly lose her battle with the tears, and Courtney wrap around her, Alan's spine so very stiff as he held tightly to his wife, grief and rage and a hundred other emotions blazing across his face. "Who?"

"We don't know. I left Terrific and Jim Gordon at the scene, processing it. The New York police may be inside by now. Alan... Kyle found them."

Alan winced, eyes dropping closed, a few tears beginning to streak down his face. He seemed not to notice them, and reopened his eyes. "Poor child. How can I help?"

"Tell the rest of the JSA." He left the 'they're your family,' unspoken, "but then keep it quiet until I can reach everyone involved."

The Sentinel nodded once, sharp and precise. "I can do that. What else is there, Batman?"

He'd hoped to give this a moment, give them time to absorb one shock before slamming them with the other. "Dinah's missing. She's been taken. The Birds found her gear and her costume scattered across Metropolis."

Shock lashed across Alan's face again, and Molly pressed tighter to her husband, shaking as Alan crumpled, leaning into her. Hearing about his daughter had been a deeply personal blow for himself, but this was going to hit one of his best friends just as hard. Courtney's face was the color of chalk, nearly as pale as her costume, and for a moment he was concerned that she had stopped breathing. Her soft whisper of "oh, no..." was almost lost in Molly's single, louder word, "Ted..."

//Wildcat.// That was going to be bad. The bonds between the burly fighter and Dinah were well-known and deep. He wasn't going to take it well.

"Dinah'll be okay, she'll come out on top. She has to." The Bat wished he had a tenth of Stargirl’s faith, but given the current situation... She might very well not.

"Batman, you see to the other parents, I'll handle telling Ted and my team."

"Thank you, Alan."

"No. Thank you, for not letting me simply receive a phone call."

The Bat shook his head, negating even the possibility of that end--//I lost a child too, Alan. I would not let--// and Alan spoke again. "Go now, before another parent is not so fortunate."

He nodded once, and turned to leave, Molly's shaken sobs echoing in his ears like thunderbolts.

*~*~*

He turned the Batwing south for D.C., stealth fully engaged and below the radar line, ignoring the surging waves below to place another comm. call, this one to his one-time teammate and friend. //Pierce... I’m so sorry.//

"Jefferson Pierce, who is this?"

"It’s me. We need to talk. Half an hour, the old airstrip." He would know which one, it was a longstanding fallback point.

"I can't ju--"

"Yes, you can. Meet me." He wanted to say so many things, 'Don't turn on the news' and 'leave the radio off' just to begin--but there was no faster way to get him to do precisely what you didn't want, like so many of the heroes. //Like Dic--stop that. You'll find him. He's just gone to ground, after what happened. (He wouldn't leave Ti--) Just. Stop. You have other things to concentrate on.// He forced back the thoughts, listening to Jefferson grumble a little longer. Finally, "All right, I'll come. This had better be important..."

//You have no idea.// "Out."

He taxied the jet to the end of the runway and into the open hangar. He dropped out--and Jefferson looked up from chocking one of the wheels. "So what's going on?"

"Jefferson... it's Anissa." The daughter he'd hidden from everyone, the daughter he'd never wanted to see follow in his footsteps--and she'd been utterly unwilling to do anything else. He watched him pale, then go dark with anger, his temper boiling up already.

"What's happened to my daughter, Bats?"

"Someone--actually, almost certainly several someones--attacked the Outsiders headquarters, very professionally. There were... no survivors when Green Lantern and Green Arrow found them. Mr. Terrific is on-site--"

That was as far as he managed to get before Jefferson crashed to his knees, hands clenching in fists.

"No, damn you, no! Not my daughter!!!" The energy began to crackle around those hands, through the eyes. Batman crouched, getting on eye level with him.

"Don't." His voice was tough, guttural as he snarled the word. "Don't take away her choice's meaning by doing this! You hang on to your control; hang on to this rage and grief... and help me find who did this!"

The words took a long, hard moment to sink in, then the energy grounded out, and Jefferson hung his head, sobbing in a gasping breath. Now, Batman reached out, laying a heavy hand on the man's shoulder.

"I'm there for you, Batman. I swear... Just losing Joanna... and now Anissa..." The man was shaken to his core, unsure of why he still lived when the hero business had taken two bright and beautiful women from his family... especially his beloved daughter.

"You know how to reach me... and I need you to alert the others," Batman said, giving him purpose. "No details yet, but have them ready to move."

"Yeah..." The depth of his loss showed in that imprecise word. Jefferson was a very educated man, and preferred to show it at all times.

"I've got others... I'm against the media clock," Batman told his friend, knowing that he would understand, no matter the pain. Jefferson nodded, slowly, and pulled his head up.

"Go... and I'll get the team." He struggled up, accepting Batman's hand when the other was up quicker. "Who's leading our side of the investigation?"

"Mister Terrific." That made Jefferson nod sharply.

"Heard he's good."

"Better than me, Jefferson."

Those words drew a surprised look--and then one of realization and sympathy. "Batman, what about Nightwing?"

"Missing. He vanished last month. The only Outsider I'm not certain is dead is Arsenal--if he is, his body wasn't there."

Jefferson looked puzzled by that particular omission. He knew from Anissa that Roy was a rock solid teammate, a man who lived for one thing outside his own daughter. That reason, like Anissa's, was to be a hero as good as his parent, or better.

Batman had no answer, and his suspicion was staying in his own mind only until there was some corroborating evidence. Throwing suspicions around would serve no one but their enemies. "I don't know. Jefferson... I..."

"It's all right, Batman. You don't have to say it. Go. I'll get the blocks and start contacting people."

He nodded and climbed back into the jet, waiting until he saw Jefferson step well clear to reignite the engine and taxi out. //I can't beat the news across the continent, and Jim can't stall them much longer.// That was simple fact, and for a moment he missed the simplicity of the transporter within the Cave, but he would not go back to the League now. Green Lantern was in no shape to make the trip--if he was even capable of enough focus to wield the ring--and with Kal and West both on an urgent mission in space with J'onn, he refused to be carried along like baggage on what was his problem, not the League's. Diana was--he couldn't think about Diana, not now, not with these deaths as well... Few options left... and only one he could stand at this moment. He dialed Jason Blood.

"Bruce?" the mage's voice was startled.

"Jason. I... need to be on the West Coast an hour ago, with the younger Green Arrow. Can you come to the Cave within the hour?"

"Of course. Bruce, you sound--"

"Jason." //Don't, not now. I can't.//

"As you wish." The Bat could hear the 'for now' in his one-time teacher's voice clear as day.

"Out." He disconnected, and routed a call to Connor. "Arrow."

"Batman. Mr. Terrific has allowed the police within. We've kept the reporters away for now, but..."

"Is Lantern still conscious?"

"Yes... he's, well--" Connor struggled for the words, and Bruce saved him the trouble.

"I know. Is he capable of bringing you to Gotham?"

"I... will ask." He heard the soft noise of muffled voices, then Connor's voice returned. "He says yes. We'll be right there."

"Batman out." That finished, he turned his attention to flying, pushing the jet hard to beat the Lantern into his Cave. When he touched down and returned to the main level, Alfred was waiting beside the computers, a deeply concerned look on his face. "Master Bruce, what has happened? I awoke to find rather a state of disarray..."

"Someone hit the Outsiders, Alfred. No survivors. Jim and Mr. Terrific are processing the scene. Arsenal's missing along with his daughter, and someone took Dinah out from under Oracle's nose. She's initiated Delphi, and will make contact once secure. Blood will be here along with Green Lantern and Green Arrow within the next few minutes. See to Kyle, he found them. I have to reach Ollie and Victor before the vultures get it onto the air." Only decades of perfect emotional control allowed him to hold to the Bat's voice with this man, about this, in the middle of this.... "Get the signal watch, Alfred, put it on, and change the security settings throughout the grounds. I'll contact Robin when I reach Cyborg. If Batgirl will return, bring her home. The Haven can handle itself."

The harsh indrawing of breath echoed loud within the Cave, and Alfred's impassive façade cracked to reveal all the fear as he asked, "And Master Richard?"

"No trace, Alfred. He wasn't with them, either."

Relief washed across Alfred's face... and Jason walked in through the tunnel with his usual courtesy. He could have appeared anywhere he chose. "Bruce?" he called, looking around.

"Here."

Moments behind him came Lantern and Arrow, Kyle's path slightly unsteady as they dropped next to Jason.

"Master Blood. Master Hawke." Alfred spoke to them both, but his attention was on the weakened, ravaged Lantern. "Master Rayner. Come above," he encouraged, and when Hawke pushed gently on Kyle's shoulder, he nodded and allowed Alfred to shepherd him out of the cave.

"Green Arrow, meet Jason Blood, mage. Jason, Green Arrow."

Connor tilted his head slightly, thinking, then nodded. "It's a pleasure."

"A mutual one. Batman, what's the crisis?"

"Listen in while I tell Ollie. That's where we're headed. Star City, as quickly as you can manage it."

Jason gave him a sharp, long look, and his face shifted in the way that meant Etrigan was loud within him. He forced it back after a moment, and looked straight into his eyes, despite the lenses in the way. "You get more annoying by the year. Come close, both of you."

He stepped over, mentally cursing how well Jason knew him. His teacher knew there was something wrong, now, and apparently The Demon did as well. Jason began to chant, casting... and when his vision cleared from the blur of travel, they were standing beside Star City's harbor. "Hopefully this suits well enough," Jason said, his voice exhausted.

"More than. Arrow?"

"This way," he answered and took off, posture betraying a man trying not to run, and he followed. He heard Jason at his side and trailed Connor over the roofs until they reached Ollie's residence and dropped down behind it.

Connor let himself in and called out, "Dad! DAD!"

"Connor? Shouldn't you be in--Batman? Blood?" Ollie'd stuck his head out of the kitchen, and the curious warmth had bleached to cautious unease. He stepped fully out of the kitchen, leaning back against the wall.

"Ollie, you need to sit down."

"Now I know the world's ending, but, okay, Bats." He walked towards the living room, and settled into a chair. Connor dropped to sit on his heels next to the chair, somehow managing to watch both of them as Batman considered for a moment how to lay this out. Jason leaned back against one wall, catching his breath.

"Tell me straight, Bats. What in hell brings you here, in full daylight? Thought your type was nocturnal." Ollie's wise crack covered a deep fear; he knew this man too well to think it was not deeply serious.

Bruce let his eyes close behind the cowl, and answered. "Connor put a mayday across the old league channel approximately two hours ago, from the Outsiders headquarters. I responded. Ollie," personal name, for the friendship they'd once had, "Every meta Outsider is dead, taken down and executed. Roy's missing, and Huntress reported to me that Lian's been taken."

Connor's face whitened with shock and he grabbed for his father's hand.

Ollie flinched violently, his face draining of color. The world seemed to be spinning out of control as he sat very still, before slowly looking to his son Connor. His expression said so many things, not confined to relief that one son was with him, fear for the other son, and a need to just deny the news he had been given. "Br...Bats, it can't be," Ollie denied, turning back once he had the boy's hand clasped tight in his own.

"It is. I walked the scene myself. I've been to Alan and to Jefferson. I can't contact Rex--he's with Superman and Flash in the next quadrant--and Cyborg. They were finished by .45 caliber rounds to the back of the skull once they were down." /

Connor just clung to him. He'd known his brother was missing, but his niece, too? Who would do this, and why?

".45's..." Ollie grimaced. "I...I can't think why he would have been anywhere else, or out of contact, to not get the alarm if someone broke in," Ollie managed to say. "He set their security himself." Ollie looked up at the ceiling, trying to hide the moisture forming in his eyes. "And Lian...Could it have been that bitch Cheshire?"

"I don't keep close tabs on her, but it's possible. This early, there's no ruling anyone out." //Even your son, and it sounds like you know it.//

"We tripped the alarms. Kyle and I, forcing the doors to get in when no-one picked up and Jade and Roy both weren't answering their phones..." Connor spoke up from beside him.

Ollie wiped irritably at his eyes, standing up to pace in contained fury and grief. "Dammit Bats, must be some clue!"

"Terrific's on it, Ollie. If there is, he'll find it. But it was professional work, even at a first look. Policed brass, precise shots, nothing wasted." When Ollie came close, put his body between Connor's eyes and his own hands, one hand flashed in an old, quick signal. //Privacy,// it demanded, and he tipped his head slightly towards the youngest. //Pay attention, Queen,// he thought loudly.

"I..." Ollie's jaw set for a moment in the old way, before he flushed. "Connor, son... go get Mia...and call Hal for me." He then looked at Bruce with a helplessness at war with stubborn denial.

Connor nodded and rose in one quick flow, "Keys in the kitchen?" He'd seen that motion, but the idea of his sister alone was making his skin crawl, and Ollie needed more support than he could give. He'd take the cell along and call from the car. / Once the door closed behind him. "That's not all, Ollie."

Ollie let out a harsh sigh. "Not enough to come tell me my son...my boy is missing with my granddaughter?" //Or to accuse him like I hear in your voice?// The man paced away. "What about Di...Nightwing? He ever turn up?"

"No. He's completely vanished... Ollie, it's Dinah." His voice slipped, and it was hard for him to care that it did. They'd been occasional rivals over the vivacious fighter for years, but one thing never in doubt had been the archer's love for her. His commitment and his sanity had both come into question, but not that he loved her.

Ollie staggered, catching himself on the mantle, his eyes going immediately to the picture there, the one he never removed, even when it got real heavy with Dawn. It had not been very many days since he saw her last, as they tried to plan how to keep responding to League events with the League itself splitting apart from the foundation up. With J'onn, Clark and Wally gone, they were fracturing into bits already. As it sank fully in, he felt like he could not breathe, and it took all his ability to ask. "Dead?" //Please god, I can't live through that! She's my soul! //

"Unknown. Oracle's team found her comm gear in an alley this morning, all of her costume ten blocks the other direction. That leads me to believe she's alive." He couldn't bring himself to believe she was dead, not with that kind of care having been taken.

The ragged sigh told Batman that Ollie would never stop hoping, that he would cling to the belief both of his missing family were alive somewhere. "Any chance... no, you'd have known. If she had reason to go deep." He shivered, remembering Seattle, her deep assignment to find the slasher. "Dammit Bats, why?! Why my Boy's team?"

"I don't know. I can't see the profit in it. Starfire's death will make every last Titan hunt her killer to the ends of the earth. Once the JSA regroups from the shock, they'll go on the hunt as well, with one of their children dead and one missing. My Outsiders are going to be out for blood for Jefferson's sake, and taking out Shift enrages Rex and all of his. This kind of a hit... it's suicide."

Ollie shook his head. "Makes no fucking sense, Bats. What fucking psychopath hits a team like that, knowing damn well that kind of firepower will come after them?" He met Batman's eyes, wishing the damn mask wasn't there, so he could see the truth of his old friend's thoughts.

Bruce reached up after a moment, fighting himself to do so, and flicked the lenses back, strain and grief and forced down, pushed back fear in his eyes. "Someone very sure that we're going to be too busy to come after them..."

Ollie searched those eyes a long moment. "With the League the way it is, we are stretched thin right now," Ollie agreed, choking down the bile he felt that this man, his one time friend could think his Roy was that cold blooded.

"Very," Bruce nodded. "And unless there's something at that scene I didn't see, we aren't going to know who for a while... This... is going to be worse than Sue's funeral, Ollie. There's going to be too much rage for anyone to think clearly, throughout the community... and with Dick and Roy missing, it's going to backlash. I can see it coming--but I can't see a way around it." He knew his people too well, could even predict where the worst of it would come from... and it was unavoidable.

"God dammit." Ollie turned away again. "We're fucking being ripped apart, piece by piece, and there's not a god damned thing we can do about it?!" He clenched his hands into fists. "What happened to us?! When did we let it all get away?!"

"You tell me, Ollie."

Ollie felt his own shoulders slump in defeat. It all came back to that. "Bats..." He bit his tongue then, refusing to air it now, not with Blood right there. "Our boys are out there, and they might have the answers we need," he said instead, turning back to the man. "Time for the Brave and the Bold to get their acts together?" He was reaching, trying to let Batman put the past aside, for sake of the future.

"...past time. If we don't, who will?" There was no point in his anger, no value in holding on to his rage over long-past events... not with his son on the line. Both of their sons, and the woman they both--cared deeply for. The memory of her lips flickered through his mind for just a moment.

Jason knew, then, that whatever was riding his old student so hard had it's roots in that flat statement and the utter defeat it brought, and the demon within him clamored in rage for answers. "If you will allow, I may be able to find them. Give me something of theirs--it will be destroyed, I warn you. But something that holds a part of them."

Ollie hesitated, then walked over to a wall safe, opening it quickly. From with in, he pulled two items. One was an arrow, the other a mask Batman knew all too well. It was Speedy's original mask, no doubt the one from before the drugs drove Ollie to kick him out. He handled both objects reverently, then slipped the mask back into the safe. "Here... first arrow he ever made after becoming my partner." Ollie spoke in gruff tones,; giving it up came at a price, but he would pay anything to have his boy safe.

Jason took that with all the solemnity it deserved, nodding once.

"Everything like that of Dick's is in the Manor, Jason. We'll have to go back... I still must reach Vic before the news does--Robin's in the Tower as well."

A fist rat-a-tat-ed against the main door, harsh, brash knock that nearly screamed Hal Jordan's name.

"Go Bats...." Ollie made a small, abortive attempt to reach out, then stilled himself and put his hand behind his back. "Come in, Hal," he choked out, moving back to the mantle, to the picture. His Pretty Bird was standing in it, years ago with her short, dark hair, his boy pressed up under her arm casually, both of them laughing for him as he snapped the shot.

Hal pushed the door open and walked in, as young (younger) and bold as the first time Bruce had seen him, and the Bat was grateful he'd managed to return. He was the only person that could keep Ollie grounded, now. "Bruce, Blood... Ollie, what the hell's going on? Connor sounds awful, and this pair's here?" Then he really saw his best friend, and crossed the room in a few long strides, hand on his shoulder. "What is it?"

Blood nodded at Hal, and carefully tucked the arrow away, waiting for Bruce's word to go.

Ollie shook his head. "They're both missing, Hal. Pretty Bird, and my boy. My boy's whole team...'cept rob...Nightwing... dead." A moment later, "And Lian, too, my grandbaby..."

"Oh, gods. The Outsiders are... And Roy's missing, and Dinah? What in the hell? So, where's your kid, Bats?" Hal wrapped his arm hard around Ollie's shoulders, hand fisting into the shirt to let him know he wasn't alone.

"I don't know... he vanished, almost a month ago. The Titans have to be told, Hal," and his eyes said, //Take care of him.//

Hal glared back, then nodded once, harshly, and turned his attention back to Ollie completely. "Both... I found Roy once. I can do it again. And I've tracked Dinah. Ollie, we'll find them."

Ollie in safe hands--and when had Hal Jordan regained that accolade?--Bruce took the steps to his former teacher, and nodded.

Hal guided Ollie to the couch, ignoring the other two as they prepared to leave, intent solely on keeping Ollie together.

Jason started to chant again, and with a faint reek of sulphur, the two were gone.

*~*~*~

A lazy Tuesday morning in the Titan's Tower was suddenly shattered as Raven leapt to her feet at the breakfast table, eyes wide, hands flattened against the tabletop, breathing quick and erratic, power surging around her hands.

"Ray?!" Vic was the first to react, getting to his feet worriedly, Beast Boy half a second behind him.

"Demon, there's a demon here," she replied, words coming in quick succession. "Outside."

Vic blinked, reaching to connect to the monitors, then relaxed. "It's just Jason Blood, Raven... and Batman!?"

"Oh, shit!" was Gar's to-the-point opinion. "I'm going to go wake Robin." Three morning people and one night owl made for interesting schedules, but no way were they dealing with Batman without Robin.

Raven shuddered, trying to calm down. "I'll, ah, be upstairs..." The sooner she got behind the extra shields on her room, the safer they all would be.

Vic sighed softly, nodded, and went out to meet Batman, wondering how it was that he always got stuck with this sort of thing. "Batman, good morning... Hi," he nodded at the Mage. 'Blood' meant something very specific to the Titans, especially right now, but the knight-turned-mage wasn't the kind of guy you just said 'hey, Jase' to.

Bruce watched the half-smile on Cyborg's face and forced himself to nod. "Victor."

"Are you... looking for Robin? Because Gar went to wake him up..."

"No, I wasn't. There's news. You should probably all be sitting down for this." Jason winced, off to his left, and he turned, "Blood?"

"I'm all right. I believe I shall remain here, however. Etrigan is being... vocal, about Raven. Best not to push things."

Batman nodded once. From that expression, Etrigan was giving Jason serious problems. He made a mental note for later, and followed Victor into the Tower, then into the main den, where Vic settled onto a couch and waved his hand at the rest of the seating in offering. He shook his head, denying the need, and Robin came through the door silently, the set of his jaw and shoulders telegraphing apprehension and defiance to his elder partner. He knew what his own body was displaying a heartbeat too late, when Tim's shoulders tightened in reaction and his cheeks went pale. Beast Boy was hovering outside the door, obviously torn, and he spoke up. "Garfield. Is Raven awake?"

"She's in her room, Etrigan out there threw her for a loop and she's hiding in her shields. D'you need her?" The boy hovered in the doorway.

"It's not necessary. Come in, you all need to hear this."

The boy settled next to Victor, unsurprisingly, and watched him warily. Robin's eyes were narrowed behind the mask, and he could hear that agile mind trying to rationalize the situation at hand and failing due to lack of information. "Robin, I'll give you additional details once I'm finished. Victor, Garfield. Two and a half hours ago, the younger Green Arrow hailed all senior League members via an old comm. channel from the Outsiders headquarters. When I responded, Starfire, Shift, Grace, Thunder, and Jade were all down, professionally executed in the main lobby. You all know Nightwing is still missing. Now, so is Arsenal--on first look, there was no trace of him at the scene. Mr. Terrific is processing the scene. Once he's finished, it will be turned over to the NYPD. Lian Harper is also missing, her sitter also dead. You'll be needed in New York to identify the body, Victor. With Dick missing, you're her posted next of kin."

He'd kept his head turned to Cyborg, but his eyes watched Robin's face, watched him struggle with shock and dismay and win, just barely. The thought that this last blow might be too much for his young partner had, thankfully, been apparently incorrect, Robin was still in control. He'd accepted Tim's decision to move west to the Tower after all of the deaths he had suffered--Gotham held too many memories for his Robin, at the moment--better he be safely in the elder Titan's hands than alone in the city that had swallowed his older son's life and soul.

"Oh, god, no," the automatic denial fell from Beast Boy's lips, not Cyborg's, and when he looked back the two were almost identically stunned. "Not Goldie, no..." His voice was helpless, shaken, and he looked so young... //They're all so young.//

Victor's jaw worked a moment before he could speak. "I... thank you, Batman. For not letting us catch it on the morning news. I'll be in the City as quickly as I can... but first..." he trailed off, hand waving towards the monitors.

"You have family to contact. I know. That's why I came. The bodies may be in police custody for some time," he warned the young man. The others had already known, but he was less certain of Stone.

"I know. What do I tell the Titans, though? When are we..."

"Talk to the Sentinel and Black Lightning about that." He preferred it be soon, so that they could grieve and move on, but it was not his decision, on any level.

"Right. I'll do that," and Cyborg's head dropped into his hands, elbows braced on his knees. "I never wanted to do this again," his voice soft, almost broken. "I... I'll get on it."

Beast Boy changed shape, and a large cat pushed its way under Vic's arms to sit on him, purring with stress and fear, and Batman nodded once. "Robin." The word was an order, and the teen nodded, coming to his feet to follow him out of the room, out onto the grounds, posture savagely alert, expression hidden behind the perfect mask of his face.

"You said you had more details," as they stopped and faced each other.

"Yes. Oracle and I were on-line when Green Arrow's call came through. Black Canary disappeared this morning. Blue Beetle is dead. Dick's vanished--"

"She's initiating Delphi," Robin finished his thought.

"Yes. Whoever took her knew not only to remove her jewelry, but that her costume was riddled with tracers, the Birds found it, as well. We have no way to find her, any transmission should be considered compromised. Until Oracle re-establishes contact, we're out an information broker."

"What else?"

"The perimeter alarms were never triggered. Starfire was disabled while still in bed, and then finished in the main lobby with the rest of them. In contrast, Jade, Thunder, and Grace were all injured, and there was damage to the building's structure from a struggle. Shift was incapacitated at an unknown time. Excluding Shift, all were executed by means of a single .45 round to the back of the skull. Very professionally done, very clean."

Robin whistled, low and soft, "That takes talent, to hack security Dick and Roy put together..." His lips hardened. "Or an insider... but Dick wouldn't let Kory die. Not of his own volition. And Roy wouldn't turn on his team. Hm. Someone might have gotten to one of them... or even both... but why take Lian? This doesn't add up--and I'm baffled as to who would willingly incite this kind of reaction. I mean..."

"The repercussions are going to be severe, yes."

"That's kind of like calling water wet, Batman," Robin said acidly, then paused. "Do you need me in Gotham?"

"No. You're going to be needed here. I sent A to locate Batgirl, she should be backup enough. Cyborg's going to be distracted, check your security again. I don't need to tell you what routines. A has reinforced the security on the grounds, should you find a need to return. If Nightwing contacts you..." Slim, slim hope.

"Treat it as compromised, flag or trace the routes, search it for encoding and copy it to you. Yes."

Of course Robin knew. "As more information becomes available, I'll copy you on it, and leave it to your discretion what to share with the Titans."

"I appreciate it. I need to be with my team..." he looked backwards, and Bruce agreed. "Go. Jason and I are returning to the Cave, the usual comm. channels will be active."

Robin nodded once, and turned to trot back to the Tower. Jason walked up behind him, and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Ready?"

"Yes," he nodded. "Are these jumps--"

"I am fine. Let us return."

//And you call me stubborn?// he thought, listening to Jason begin the chant again... and then they were safely returned to the Cave. He called out the nonsense phrases that ordered the Crays to cease the defense routines, and walked quickly across to the costume vault, steeling himself against the coming loss. Within the vault, he spun the combination to the floor safe and pulled it open. His hands slipped through several items, finally lifting two out, carrying them back to Jason. "Here," he said harshly, giving up Dick's gauntlets, remembering every time they'd locked around his wrists in perfect trust...

"Those should do, yes. This spell will take me some time, Bruce, and requires components from my workroom. Would you prefer I cast it there, or return?"

He was torn for a moment, then answered. "If you'll be safe, return. I--" he stopped, shaking his head, unable to say what he was thinking, even to Jason, not if he was going to hold on to his composure.

"I shall," Jason nodded, and walked swiftly towards the tunnel exit, then was gone.

He sat down to begin documenting the day's events, getting every detail down while it was still fresh in his mind. The bats rustled and squeaked above, seeming louder than usual in the echoing, utter emptiness of the Cave.


((note: The full quote is "Duty is heavier than a mountain, but death is lighter than a feather"))

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