Jason Todd watched Alfred. When he was a Robin he had seen the same thing in Bruce. They called it a density shift. Any ability for humor was crushed inside him. What was weird was watching it occur in the elder British Gentleman. It suddenly struck
Jason, was this what happened to Alfred every night when Bruce left and returned?
"Looks like Master Bruce is home," Alfred announced.
Poison Ivy about ran them over racing into the elevator hidden in the back of the pantry. That only added to Jason's confusion.
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Mercy and Hope watched, the League teams were setting up their things. From the looks of it, Ra's scientists were medieval alchemists. Yet some of the stuff was state of the art medical equipment. Russian and Chinese made clones of Lexcorp and Wayne Industries' second
line medical equipment.
"Be careful with these," Luthor said as he pulled out the vials, "They are the only samples we have of the woman and her clone."
"Mr. Luthor," Talia purred, "You should know your enemies better. The girl is an original, the woman is the girl from a parallel dimension."
"Kara Zor-El aka Kara Kent and Kara Zor-el aka Karen Star," Luthor informed his allies, "I know everything."
"It is amazing how much you have accomplished with just stem cells and the artificial gravity matrix," Ra's redirected the conversation, "In moments she will be ready."
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The systems were originally intended to detect earthquakes and other anomies in the earth's magnetic field. Now the NASA satellite was going haywire from the readings out of the Congo. The pulse might actually reach out into space.
"Still no word from Boss man!" Barbara breathed.
"Are you seeing this?" Raven asked looking at the local news.
"That's why she is panicking," Dick grabbed Raven's Hand.
"Is this what happened to number two?" Huntress asked, taking Dick's other hand.
"Something like this," Dick breathed.
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Cassie wasn't waiting around any more. They were all suited up and on their way to the clock tower. They would have targets and marching orders there.
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Diana was in the teleporter room waiting for Kara when the news report came in.
"Diana," Kara breathed as she entered, "did you just hear that?"
"Lets go," Diana took the young Kyrpotonian's hand.
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The cave was filled with excitement and joy as the women all waited for the car to come in. That excitement died when the hatch opened and the stretcher board was pulled out.
"Clear a hole!" Catwoman shouted as she pulled the carried the front of the stretcher board.
The pair brought the mangled form to the med bay.
"Ladies, take Cheetah back to her cell and stay close to her," Alfred announced as he took over the scene, "Jason go and call Doctor Tompkins, Miss Isley how much do you know about human medicine?"
"I can do poisons and sedatives," Pam tried to be helpful.
"Lets go," Alfred asserted, "How is he?"
"There is a pulse," Bruce was drained, "It's a miracle since he took half the blast. Joker took the other half."
"Miss Selina take Master Bruce up stairs and get him showered. Observe him for shock," Alfred ordered, "Miss Pamela I need an IV and for three milligrams of Morphine to start."
"She's on her way!" Jason Todd shouted as he rushed to the medical bay.
There was a long strained silence.
"Get master Bruce upstairs and watch him and Miss Selina for shock!" Alfred shouted.
"Lets go," Jason said, "Old man. By the way, your new gardener is a wanted eco terrorist."
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"This is it," Barbara changed the big screen TV to a series of medical read outs, "This is Damian."
"Jason," Dick muttered.
"What can we do?" Tim asked.
"Calm down," Barbara told them as much as she was telling herself.
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Zatanna, Diana, and Kara all teleported in at the same time. Kara was expecting a catfight but was surprised to see the two take each other's hand and look around to somewhat empty cave for Batman.
"He must be upstairs," Diana announced.
They found Selina Kyle sitting in a chair in Bruce's bed room with another man sitting on the end of the bed and the bathroom shower running.
"Bruce is grabbing a hot shower," Selina said, "Next is my turn."
Kara was in shock.
"Jason Todd," the man on the end of the bed introduced himself.
"Jason," Diana smiled, "You have grown up. And you have gotten better able to hide your errections too!"
"You remember that?" Jason's composure died.
"It was the size of your arm," Bruce said as he entered the room, "I was embarrassed. Kid side kick about to pass out because all his blood was in his shorts."
Selina giggled as she went into the bathroom.
"So it's back to beating up on Jason?" Jason got defensive.
"I'm glad you are here," Bruce said.
"I think I should go," Kara whispered timidly.
"Zatanna, go and open the door for Doctor Thompkins," Bruce asked, "Jason do you mind? You have motor oil all over your pants."
"Fine dad," Jason said as he got up.
"What is going to happen?" Kara asked.
"We are going to try and save his life," Bruce announced, "and we are going to keep going."
"But you are all just human?" Kara was near tears, "and it almost killed him."
"So what?" Jason shrugged, "I died. I came back. They thought Darksied had killed Bruce, and he is standing right here."
"They may be mere mortal's but they are all too stubborn to be beaten. Bruce can defeat most opponents before he throws the first blow," Diana bragged.
"I use to think Bruce was smoking something when every he started about 'the mission,' but then I learned," Jason admitted, "it isn't about being obsessive, it is about focusing on what you need to do in order to complete your objectives, tonight, tomorrow,
next week, next month, next year and so on."
"Like putting me against the Joker," Bruce asked.
"I got you there, I got everyone there," Jason smiled, "And you can't say that you would have been any less obsessive about completing your goals."
"I still am, and I still need soldiers," Bruce said calmly.
"I'd say you got a few," Jason said, "But for right now I think you have a war going on. For right now, call me a mercenary, a friendly mercenary. Diana, watch them and make sure they don't go into shock. I am going to check in on AZ and his penguin hunt."
Jason left the three to themselves.
"Batman, how do you stand up to people like Bane?"
"Up here, call me Bruce," Bruce turned on the pheromones, "I have too, it's that simple."
A phone rang and Bruce pulled a special cell phone out. It was a text message.
"Kara could you please get me a drink from the kitchen, water please," Bruce asked.
Once Kara left, Bruce jestured for Diana to follow.
"Selina Kyle," Bruce intoned, "It has been discovered that you have not killed anyone and your confession was given while under the affects of a drug. I release you."
The shower stopped, Selina got out naked and dropped to a knee in front of Bruce.
"Master, I have found purpose and bliss in your service," Selina pleaded, "Please allow me to rededicate myself to you as your willing slave and lover."
"I accept," Bruce smiled, "What do you think Diana?"
"I would never want to lose her as a sister," Diana smiled, "Not in battle, not in bed nor at your side My Lord."
The next message that caused the devise to chirp was less pleasant news. It seemed that the Galatea project in the Congo was being activated. At least it meant that they would know where Luthor was now. The mission, that was what was important. Jason
had learned that, Dick knew that, Tim got it, Cassie breathed it, Az was programed with something similar, Selina and Diana had come to understand it too. But it had killed Jason Todd once before, almost killed Dick and Tim countless times, and now threatened
to take Damian away too. But Damian had pulled the pin himself. He was ready to kill the Joker and himself in order to keep the Joker from killing anyone else. Now Ra's Al Ghoul and Lex Luthor needed to be stopped once and for all.