Beyond woke up blindfolded and tied to a chair. His neck ached from his sleeping position, but he dare not move. From his senses, he could tell he was no longer out in the open. The air was damp with a strange smell and the place echoed with someone pacing about. He wasn’t the least bit worried, as long as it wasn't Cadmus, he didn’t have any reason to fear.
“Batman!” Robin’s voice echoed, his pacing stopped. “I couldn’t get him to talk… When I tried, he just fell asleep!” Beyond didn’t fall asleep as he claimed. He was exhausted from the lack of sleep. Since the passing of No Man’s Land, his sleeping schedule was ruined. He slept during the day to avoid the dangers of the night.
“… He fell… asleep?” Batman’s voice was more than enough to catch his attention.
“He’s been sleeping the last few hours. Batgirl tried waking him, but he just continued sleeping.” Robin explained. Beyond heard footsteps neared him.
“Or pretending to be asleep.” Batman said as he ripped off the blindfold.
“What?” Robin said in disbelief. “You’ve been awake this whole time?”
Beyond blinked rapidly adjusting his eyes to the dim lighting as he raised his head. He held back a sigh of relief as the stress on his neck lessened. There was a pressing matter standing in front of him. His DNA donor, his father, Batman. Despite the intense glare the man directed at him, he found himself smiling.
“Hello Mr. Wayne, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person.” He chirped, unable to keep himself quiet any longer. Robin physically tensed at his words, but Batman remained unaffected.
“And you must be Beyond.” He replied in turn. Beyond was not disappointed, the man was a fine detective. He would’ve been surprised if the man didn’t know.
Robin on the other hand showed utter confusion of the situation. “Batman you—”
“I’ll be talking with our guest alone.” The man asserted.
Robin look hesitant, but eventually gave in. “… I’ll come back in fifteen.”
Once the teen wonder was gone, Batman wasted no time. Beyond knew the man thought of his as a threat. “Why did you break into Wayne Tech? What’s your purpose in Gotham?”
“I needed to borrow a computer that could handle hacking into Cadmus. There were some files I hadn’t gotten a chance to dispose of when I was still there.” Beyond answered his grin never left his face. He felt so giddy he couldn’t help himself.
He answered so willingly, there was a moment of silence from Batman. The man was debating whether or not Beyond was telling the truth. “And what exactly were you planning to do if Robin and Batgirl hadn’t managed to capture you?”
“… I guess just keep running and hiding. Hoping Cadmus wouldn’t find me. Since you obviously know who I am already, you probably know why they would be looking for me.”
“You convinced Superboy to leave Cadmus.” Batman concluded.
Beyond tilted his head aside curiously. “Superboy… is that what XIII goes by now?” He huffed. “I wonder what genius reporter gave him that name…But I guess he’s doing fine if the media is giving him the limelight.” Had anyone else listened to his words, they would’ve thought that he was jealous of his fellow project of the fame and attention.
Batman saw otherwise. His words weren’t out of jealousy, but rather relief. “The two of you aren’t the first to leave Cadmus.”
“We’re just the few Cadmus hadn’t managed to retrieve.” Beyond replied.
“Then you’re aware of who Ace is.” The man continued.
Beyond perked up excitedly at the mention of her name. “Anna? Cadmus hadn’t managed to find even a trace of her. How is she fairing?”
“…” The dark knight became silent in the other’s excitement. “She died ten months ago, when you and Superboy left Cadmus.”
Beyond lost his smile and frowned. He should’ve expected that no one leaving Cadmus would live long. The pain in his chest was back. “I see.”
“She left a message for you before she passed.” Batman continued. Beyond glanced up to him again. “She said she wished she could’ve played with you some more and that her time with you was fun. She died with a smile when she left.”
“… At least, she was happy.” Beyond murmured.
“Batman!” Robin’s voice interrupted their conversation as strolled into the medic bay. “The Spook is holding the mayor hostage at Black Gate Prison.”
The dark knight stared at Beyond a moment longer before striding past Robin. “Untie him, but keep him here in the cave until I come back.”
“But—” Robin tried to protest, but Batman had already left. He turned back to the tied youth after sighed as he debated whether or not to release him. It would be considerably easier to keep him in the cave if he was to remain bound, but his adoptive father had given him the order to release him.
“Are you going to release me as he says?” Beyond asked indifferently after nothing was done.
“We’ll see.” He replied before hauling both Beyond and the chair to the bat-computer. Beyond remained silent, watching as Robin went about the computer and called up a number. The area code directed to the Kansas region.
“Hello, Kent residence.” A warm woman’s voice answered.
“Hello Mrs. Kent, I’m Conner’s friend Tim, may I speak with him?” Robin shifted his voice to a lighter tone, less harsh compared to the tone he used with Beyond.
“Of course dear, give me a moment.” The woman said before they heard her calling for this Conner person.
It wasn’t long before the phone on the other side was passed along. “What is it Tim? I’m really not in the mood to talk.” A depressed, but familiar voice greeted.
A smile creeping up to Beyond’s face again, he found that happening a lot today. “It seems like you’ve grown since that last we spoke XIII, you’re not showing optimism for everything.”
“…Beyond?” XIII said in disbelief before quickly rambling. “Is that really you? Where the heck have you been? Wait, Tim called me, you’re with Tim?”
“Conner, you know him?” Tim asked for a confirmation.
Beyond glanced at the older boy, understanding that he doesn’t trust him. Though, he does wonder why Batman would trust him enough to let him loose in the Batcave.
“Yeah, Beyond and I left Cadmus together.” He said cheerily, but as that cheer soon turned to gloom. “He’s probably the reason I’m out of there at all.”
Robin sighed exasperatedly. “Conner.” His tone was firm. “It’s not your fault. We don’t think any different of you.”
“But…” XIII protested weakly. “I broke your arm and Cassie…”
“It’s not your fault! It’s Luthor’s fault that you did all that!” Robin argued.
Beyond frowned, it seemed that XIII found his other parent. And knowing XIII, who distressed over breaking equipment, hurting those who he attached himself to must’ve torn him apart.
“Idiot.” He scolded him. “You’re nothing like Galatea.”
“Galatea?” Robin said in confusion.
“I might very well be with what I did.” XIII muttered.
“I could find some differences.” Beyond commented dryly. “For instance, her grey matter is situated at her chest rather than her head. I’m quite certain your time away from Cadmus has placed some grey matter in your head.”
There was a moment of silence on both sides before XIII bellowed out in a heartily laugh. Beyond could see the surprise on Robin’s face. XIII must’ve been depressed for quite a long while.
“Was that a joke you just cracked? I remember you telling me that once back in Cadmus. Man, was I an idiot to have completely missed that!” XIII chuckled.
Beyond gave him no chance to slip back into depression. “XIII, I recall seeing a new name you've been using, one not given to you by Cadmus. Would you mind telling me what that is?"
“Conner Kent?” The other said in confusion.
“That would be your second new name.” Beyond said wryly.
“Oh you mean Superboy…” The other murmured.
“Is there a reason why they gave you that other name?” He asked.
“… I guess you’re right, thanks Beyond.” It wasn’t hard to imagine the small smile planted on XIII’s face.
“I believe your friend, Tim would like to speak with you.” Beyond continued without missing a beat.
“I’ll call you again later Conner.” Robin hung up before the other could get a word in.
“Are you going to untie me now Tim?” Beyond drawled his name.
“Don’t get too cheeky, I could still leave you tied up until Batman returns. He didn’t say when I have to untie you.” Robin retorted.
“You could.” Beyond hadn’t complained. “Though, I believe it would be more convenient for you to have me follow you, rather than you hauling me around on this chair. After all, you are still required to keep an eye on me. You couldn’t very well do that if I was in another room all together, would it?”
“…” Robin was speechless. Just what kind of child did Batman leave in his care? A blade whistled in the air. “He couldn’t be back already.” He muttered before turning to Beyond. “I’ll untie you, but you’ll have to stay close to me. Try anything and you’ll find yourself back on that chair.”
“Understandable.” Beyond replied before the teen wonder released him and they strolled towards the source of the noise. They found a boy not much older than Beyond dancing through a complicated set of sword stances. At his feet was a questionable bag.
“Damian?” Robin murmured with a frown.
Beyond didn’t like the looks of this. He did not recall there being another young ward in Bruce Wayne or Batman’s care when he left Cadmus. The youngest was Tim Drake, the current Robin that was watching over him. This other boy, he had no information on him, but with how well he handles that sword of his, he should be wary. Batman and Robin does not and would not aim to kill, but the boy’s choice of a bladed weapon showed he was more than willing to dispose any obstacle before him.
“Where did you get the sword? Did Alfred let you out?” Robin asked holding an arm back to make sure Beyond stayed behind him.
Damian sharply stopped his blade to point at Robin threateningly. “The servant left his prints all over the keypad, it wasn’t hard to figure out the combination, but getting into the batcave itself isn’t as simple as a code, is it?”
Robin crossed his arms. “If he really is your father, you should be proud. You shouldn’t be down here without his permission anyhow.”
Father? Beyond studied Damian’s features closely and noted a familiar scowl over his young face. It looked very much like the one Batman gave him only moments earlier. It was then he realized that this boy was like him, a son of Batman, but why hadn’t he seen him in any of the reports on Bruce Wayne?
Damian snorted. “You shouldn’t be down here without his permission anyhow.” He mimicked Robin’s voice perfectly. “Please, your voice recognition system isn’t as smart as you think.”
“You just did my voice!” Robin said in disbelief.
“You just did my voice! Oh my god Batman, he just did my voice! He challenged me!” Damian mocked him as he mimicked his voice. “He challenged me to show him what I could do, so I went out tonight.”
Beyond slipped towards the shadows when Damian had knelt down to pull something out of the bag. He didn’t need his training from Cadmus to tell him there was something wrong with this picture.
“What did you do?” Robin grounded out.
Damian gave a sardonic snort. “I fought crime tonight.” He replied, pulling out a severed head from the bag. “Crime lost.”
Beyond recognized the decapitated head as the Spook, one of the lesser rogues in Batman’s gallery.
Robin paled. “You can’t do that! We don’t kill!”
“In the League of Assassins we show our enemies no mercy.” The boy ignored Robin’s words. “Now that I’m here, he doesn’t need a surrogate son.” He tossed the head at him, pulling a bloody key out of the grenade in the head’s mouth as he did so.
Robin quickly jumped away from the head as it exploded and somersaulted to the lower levels of the cave. Beyond watched as Damian chased the older boy with his blade. “We kill anyone that gets in our way!”
“Where did you get that key? What did you do to Alfred?” Robin shouted as he fired a grappling hook to swing himself up onto the tyrannosaurus.
“You’ll never know!” Damian snarled as he raced up the dinosaur’s tail. However, when he reached the top, he hadn’t noticed Robin was swinging around to attack him from behind. Beyond watched as the boy lost his footing and slipped off the dinosaur. Quickly, before he could fall to his doom, Robin grabbed onto his arm and pulled him up to safety.
“Will you grow up?” Robin snapped and kneeled down to Damian’s eye level. “Why? Why are you acting like such a jerk? I didn’t do anything to you!”
“Because you don’t deserve any of this! You’re adopted!” Beyond tensed as he watched. “But when you’re gone, I’ll take my rightful place at father’s side…” He quickly stabbed Robin in the side, throwing him off balance. “As Batman’s son!” Robin rolled off the dinosaur and fell hazardously towards the ground. “I’ll inherit everything!” He snarled.
Beyond remained quiet and hidden as Damian strolled towards the display cases and pulled out tunic from the Robin costume over the clothes he was already wearing. Beyond made a few glances back to Robin, noting the teen wonder was still breathing, but was likely in immense pain.
“Don’t think I didn’t notice you with this cast-off.” Damian’s voice echoed in the cave. Beyond glanced back to the violent boy. Apparently, he didn’t disappear unnoticed as he wished. “I’ll dispose of you when I return from meeting father.” He warned as he strolled out of the cave.
Beyond hadn’t waited long before rushing to the medic bay to retrieve medical supplies. While it was a risk that Damian could have lied to lure him out, he knew if he doesn’t act fast, Robin would bleed to death before any help could come. There really wasn’t anything pressing him to save the teen wonder, but he could imagine, Batman wouldn’t be in the best of moods if he returns to find his ward dead. He hurried to Robin’s side and used his first aid skills to stop the bleeding from getting any worse.
“Can you talk?” Beyond asked as he applied pressure to the wound with a folded sheet of bandage.
Robin grunted at the contact. “Don’t—”
“I’m more then capable in first aid, stop moving if you don’t want to bleed to death.” Beyond snapped. If not for his childish voice, he would have sounded quite commanding. “You fell about four meters in height, what did you break?”
“My arm.” Robin grunted again.
“To break your fall no doubt.” Beyond muttered under his breath before carefully feeling around Robin’s arm. The other held back a scream of pain as he did so. “I can’t do anything about that. Is there anyone we can call to treat you? And don’t say call XIII, this is no time for secrecy. He has no medical skills and I sorely doubt he can learn in the span of ten months.”
“…Nightwing.” Robin reluctantly answered. “You can call text him.” He recited the former Robin’s number.
“Stay awake.” Beyond ordered before quickly running to the bat-computer, not even bothering to clean off his hands of Robin’s blood.
o.o.o.o.o
Damian raced through the rooftops of Gotham, hurrying to where his father was. He had no remorse in beating Robin. That was how things worked in the League of Assassins, to ascend someone must be eliminated. There was still the matter of the boy in hiding. He hadn’t seen him before, but from the looks of it, that boy was no fighter. Scrawny, with no muscle and the way he carried himself, he seemed to have no fighting background. He was barely a threat in his eyes, but he did manage to disappear and hide quite well.
I’ll deal with him, when I get back. He thought to himself before he found Batman swinging through the concrete jungle. Damian landed on a rooftop and waited patiently for his father. He will have the man’s respect.
“The prison hostages say the Spook was beheaded right in front of them. How did you get out?” Batman growled the moment he landed.
Damian frowned. This hadn’t been what he imagined. “I’m not just some stupid child! I want to help you father.”
“I already have a partner.” The man stormed towards him, but froze in horror when Damian pulled his cloak aside, revealing the Robin tunic underneath. “What have you done Damian? Where’s Robin?”
“He quit father. There’s a new Robin now.” Damian smirked.
o.o.o.o.o
Officer Richard Grayson, fondly known as Dick, was signing off for the day and suiting up for the night as Nightwing. When his cell vibrated, he grinned at the familiar number, but paled when he read the contents of the text.
“Tim’s in trouble, hurry back to Gotham.” Without a second thought he used Batman’s Justice League teleporter codes to transport him back to Wayne Manor. It took no more than a few seconds for him to run across the front lawn and used the secret passage to enter the manor. He raced towards the study and entered his codes to enter the cave.
“Bruce!” He snapped as he glided down to the lower levels, but the man was nowhere to be seen.
“Help! Over here!” An unfamiliar child’s voice called out frantically near the tyrannosaurus model.
Nightwing frowned, when did Bruce take another child into his care? Cautiously, he slinked towards the display, staying within the shadows as he moved. He wasn’t sure if Bruce brought in the child or if it was someone with ventriloquist skills. However, when he spotted Tim bleeding on the ground and a frighten child next to him, he hurried to their side.
“Robin!” He shouted, the child flinched as turned to him with wide eyes.
“W-Who are you?” He trembled as he asked.
“Don’t be afraid.” Nightwing said gently, doing his best not to scare him. “What happened?”
“H-he was fighting with a boy and got stabbed and-and, he fell from the big dinosaur!” The boy said pointing to the tyrannosaurus.
“Okay, calm down.” He said placing his hands on the boy’s shoulders, but not before he noticed the bloodied hands. “Are you hurt?”
The boy shook his head. “I-it’s his blood.”
“Take a deep breath.” He advised, making the boy take steady breaths. “Can you tell me did you see an old man in a suit around?”
“Alfred is somewhere upstairs.” Robin grunted out. “Little creep did something to him.”
“Little creep?” Nightwing glanced over to the boy.
“Not him.” Robin groaned.
“Take it easy little brother.” Nightwing said.
“Somewhere upstairs…” Robin repeated tiredly. “Camera…”
“Okay, I’ll find Alfred, just take it easy.” He said as he hurried to the computer to bring up the security cameras around the manor. He found the old butler locked in one of the rooms, slightly battered, but otherwise fine. “You stay here and watch Robin, do whatever he tells you to. I’ll be back soon.” He rushed out of the cave.
o.o.o.o.o
Beyond dropped his act once the other left. “Stay awake Robin.”
“Why?” Robin croaked out.
“Would he relax knowing?” Beyond asked dryly. “I believe it’s your welfare on the line here. Just stay still and awake until they come and help you.” He glanced back at the screens to see Nightwing rewiring the touchpad system. It didn’t take long before he had the butler out and they rushed back to the cave.
Nightwing came down first to take him to another part of the cave before they gone back to care for Robin. Quite understandable, considering, the other two doesn’t know that he was aware of their identities. Beyond wasn’t bothered by their need for secrecy, but he was bothered by the fact that Nightwing taken to babying him while Robin is in the butler’s care. He wanted to explore the cave some more and possibly get some new equipment to defend himself when that violent boy came back.
He hadn’t spoken to Nightwing for the duration, allowing the man to believe he was scared senseless. By the time Batman and Damian returned, Tim was well under Alfred’s care.
“Nightwing? What are you—?”
“I should be asking you! Where the hell have you been?” Nightwing interrupted. “Robin was stabbed and tossed off that damn dinosaur of yours! Alfred was locked up, beaten in one of the rooms! And this kid was scared half to death with Robin bleeding to death by his side! And why the hell is that kid wearing his costume.”
“Where’s Robin?” Batman asked darkly.
“Your butler is caring for him.” Beyond interrupted before Nightwing could yell at Batman again. “He has a broken arm and a stab wound to the abdomen. I managed to apply first aid to him immediately, so he shouldn’t have lost much blood. I’m not sure if the blade pierced any vital organs.”
Nightwing had a confounded look on his face at the change of personality.
“I assume you’re the one that contacted Nightwing?” Batman inquired.
“I’m only capable of first aid and your butler was unavailable at the time. I asked Robin for a contact I can request assistance from.” Beyond reported.
Batman turned to Damian growling. “You did this!”
The other boy hadn’t shown remorse his hands clenched his cloak tightly. “He was my rival! He’s not your real son, I am! It’s my right to replace him! That’s how it works in the league!”
“This is the real world!” Batman snapped.
“That was the real world!” Damian argued.
“Ahem.” Alfred interrupted the group. “I have stabilized the Master Robin. Fortunately, none of his organs were damaged, but he’ll be needing a cast for his arm the next few days.”
“Thank goodness.” Nightwing said in relief.
“You can see him now if you wish.” Alfred said as he pulled off his surgical gloves and hair-cap.
“I’ll see him when I get back.” Batman said as he turned to leave.
“Where are you going?” Nightwing snapped. “Robin could have died!”
“Talia has the British Prime Minister’s wife and a small army of man-bats flying about. And I have some matters to talk to her, about our son.” He spat out.
“Son?” Nightwing said in disbelief.
“Do me a favor and keep him from causing anymore damage while I’m gone. He’s too dangerous to be left alone.” He ordered.
“You’re telling me this brat did that to Tim!” Nightwing snapped.
“He also decapitated the Spook.” Beyond added absently. “If you look around the cave, you might find pieces of flesh from his head.”
Damian glared at Beyond. “Let me help you! I can help!”
“Help me?” Batman growled. “How can I trust you when you almost killed Robin!”
“But thanks to me, Spook will never hurt anyone again!” He argued.
“The Spook is dead, you murdered him!” Batman snarled. “Damian, it’s clear your mother sent you here to disrupt my work.”
“It’s not like that! I’ll tell you where she is, if you let me fight at your side!” Beyond smirked at this attempt of bargaining, it was likely Batman knows of the location of the woman already and he was right. Batman mentioned a blindfold with traces of pollen. However, Damian surprised him when he countered Batman’s reasoning. “It’s Gibraltar! Since she’s trading with the British, they’ll be at Gibraltar, north of Africa rather than the island south of it.” Batman paused in silence, evaluating his answer. “See! I can be useful!”
“But would that be why Talia al Ghul sent him to stay with you Mr. Wayne?” Beyond interrupted. “The woman is obviously quite familiar with your style and your mindset, what’s to say that she’s not expecting you to bring him along with you?”
“Shut up! What do you know?” Damian snapped at him.
Beyond stayed quiet. He already added his piece. He doesn’t need to reinforce his own advice, Batman knew well enough, his advice was sound. “Nightwing, watch both of them.” The man said before turning his heel and left.
“Father!” Damian shouted.
“Stay here!” He snapped. “Don’t disappoint me any further then you already have tonight.”
“…Yes father.” He grounded out reluctantly. Despite his selfishness, Beyond could see that Damian respected their father very much. Had he not, his guess was that Damian would have followed.
“… He’s not going to reach the Mediterranean before her.” Nightwing murmured. “Even if he has the fastest jet he can’t—” The roar of the rockets silenced him.
“Not unless he has a rocket.” Beyond said dryly.
“Just who the hell are you?” Damian took the question right out of Nightwing’s mouth as he stormed up to the shorter boy. “Father would’ve taken me with him if you hadn’t spoken!”
“And he would have fallen for whatever trap your mother has planned for him. While, I don’t know what your mother is planning, I know she’s the only one that Batman hasn’t managed to capture at any point. You don’t know either of them well enough if you cannot see this.”
“And you know them any better?” Damian snapped.
“If you know Batman, you would know he would never kill. He’s placing himself in a handicap because of this. Even so, he still manages to excel without the assassin’s way.” Beyond found himself arguing for Batman’s views, even though he didn’t believe it himself.
“Who are you to be lecturing me?” He attempted to punch Beyond with his spiked gauntlets, but Nightwing caught him before he could.
“You better calm down before I do something to your bratty little ass!” Nightwing warned as he pulled his arms back.
Beyond remained silent; it was pointless to talk any further. The brat wouldn’t listen to him anyhow. He was struggling against Nightwing’s hold.
“Let go of me!” He snapped before growling at Beyond. “You think you’re better then me? You—” Damian’s eyes widened before directing a hateful glare at him. “That look! Why the hell do you have that look on your face?”
Beyond frowned, what look was he talking about? His silence angered Damian further as the older boy struggled to break free from Nightwing.
“I’ll fucking kill you!” He roared.
“Alfred, get him out of here!” Nightwing ordered the butler before he pinned Damian to the floor. “I told you I will do something you won’t like if you continue!”
“I’m going to kill him!” He screamed.
The man placed a hand on his shoulder before steering him back towards the medic bay. “Dreadfully sorry you were caught up in this family mess.” The elderly butler apologized.
“You have no reason to apologize to me, Alfred, is it?” Beyond replied.
“I see you’ve picked up my name in this chaos. May I ask for your name?” Alfred asked.
Beyond kept his eyes straight ahead. “… I don’t have one.”
“Surely you have one that others refer to you as.” The gentle man ushered.
“It’s not something I preferred to be known as right now.” Beyond murmured quietly.
“Very well then. We shall return to the matter of your name when Batman returns.” He said as they entered the bay. Robin was removed from his costume and laid atop an operating table. “From what you called Batman earlier, I presume you’re quite aware of his identity?”
“If you mean by Bruce Wayne, yes.”
“Then you wouldn’t mind assisting me with Master Tim back up to the manor would you? His own bed would aid his recovery considerably better than the surgical table.”
It was refreshing that the old butler treated him as an adult rather than a child. The only thing he missed sorely from Cadmus was the equality he had with those older than him. Without any complaints, he assisted Alfred with the aid of a wheelchair to take Tim to the upper levels of the manor. While Nightwing stayed behind to deal with the other boy.
o.o.o.o.o
“I will kill him!” Damian snarled as Nightwing manhandled him.
That other boy resembled his father. The stare, the frown, to think there was another person that shared his father’s blood! He won’t be able to earn his father’s respect at this rate. He was an obstacle, and obstacles are to be eliminated. He has already dealt with Robin who he thought was his greatest threat, but now he found another. Someone who shared his father’s blood. His brother.
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