The airplane was on the verge of destruction.
Garrick, Scott, Diana and Logan. They were busy. It was just them. A super soldier and a teenager good at martial arts.
The plane left the station, the chaos below them a speck. He tried holding on, Bucky tried holding on. Steve was far ahead of him. He could hold on.
Bucky couldn’t. He was just a teenager. A useless, ordinary teenager.
He fell.
Steve’s scream was drowned by the sound of the engine and the roaring fire.
Why was he even here, compared to mutants and super soldiers all he could do was fight well? Why was he here? Because of his dad? Because him and his sister didn’t have anyone?
He wouldn’t be able to go home to his sister.
The water was so, so cold and…
“You listening?” Taskmaster asked. “Lieutenant?”
His orange hood was up. Before he put on his mask, the Lieutenant saw a drop of sweat going down his perfect face. Taskmaster had had an intense briefing.
“This isn’t like you,” Taskmaster said. “Why aren’t you standing up?”
Somewhere deep down, the Lieutenant knew he couldn’t tell him about Bucky.
The Lieutenant stood up.
“You need a checkup,” Taskmaster said. “I’ll send you to the Doctor later. Right now, we have a job to do. Our little incident cost us a lot of personnel. We need to do some recruiting.”
Taskmaster placed a hand on his earpiece. “Call the Five, tell them to look around town for people with potential.”
…
After the meeting, Robin got the list of names from Silas. Three executives who were necessary in the Prometheum project and who could have leaked the project. They made their way to the conference rooms on the second floor. It was absurd seeing those big meeting rooms filled with scientists and men in suits discussing what seemed to be far removed from the incident at hand. Robin also saw a couple of interns in one of them going over some formulas on a whiteboard. It didn’t take a genius to see how out of place a couple of kids in weird costumes standing around a formal business place seemed. They even got a few stares.
The blonde secretary opened up the conference room for them. Robin smiled at her.
“Thanks,” Robin said.
Gar had the ‘call me’ gesture by his ear even after multiple failed attempts at flirting. “Call me later.”
The secretary kept her smile. “I don’t like mixing work and my personal life.”
Gar sighed. “Sorry.”
They stepped into the conference room, Robin taking the seat at the head of the table. Garfield and Raven sat at the end of the table, Garfield sitting next to Raven. The superpowered girl sitting by his right side, Cyborg by his left. Human Torch sat in the middle with his legs on the table, the seat next to him empty.
“First things first,” Robin said, clearing his throat. He hoped he didn’t sound as confident as he felt. “The elephant in the room.”
Garfield turned into a tiny green elephant. “I’m right here.”
Robin didn’t laugh but Torch and Cyborg smirked.
“Not you, Garfield,” Robin said.
He turned to Raven and Wonder Girl. “I know everybody here in this room, except you two. We’ll start with you.”
Robin pointed to Wonder Girl. “What’s your deal?”
“I am Donna Prince from Themyscira,” Wonder Girl said. “I come here on a mission based on a prophecy from her.”
Wonder Girl turned to Raven. “This Oracle appeared amidst our own and sowed the seeds of discord amongst my sisters stating that I am not one of them and placing visions of fire in my head.”
“Wait hold on, Themyscira,” Human Torch said. “Like Wonder Woman?”
“I do not know of any Wondrous Women,” Donna said. “One of my sisters did leave the island a long time ago, perhaps that is the monicker she took.”
Garfield’s eyes opened wide. “You know Wonder Woman? What is she like? Is she as hot in real life as…”
“Garfield,” Robin said. “Now’s not the time.”
Garfield let out a disappointed sigh. “When in life do you get to meet someone who knows Wonder Woman?”
“I don’t know my sister,” Donna said. “I just heard stories about her. Many in the island are bitter she left us for this world.”
“That brings us to…” Robin turned to Raven. “What’s your deal? I speak for everyone when I say you’re the only common link between us all.”
“Yeah,” Cyborg said. “And judging by those dreams you seem to know a lot about us, but we don’t know anything about you.”
“Raven,” Robin said, crossing his arm. “Am I correct in saying that that’s your name?”
“My name is Raven,” Raven said. “I called you all here because a great danger threatens to destroy the world and the danger starts here.”
“How do you know about this danger?” Donna asked. “Are you an Oracle?”
Raven shook her head. “No. I have visions of the future, very scarce visions. I’m not trained like your Oracles…”
“If the world’s in danger, why us?” Cyborg asked. “Why not get that red guy in Central or Green Lantern?”
“I tried,” Raven said. “They wouldn’t listen to me, they thought I was a witch. A conjurer of cheap tricks.”
“You’re not giving us a good reason, either,” Robin said. “You appear in our dreams, giving us all these scary visions and…”
“What was that spectre you conjured?” Donna asked.
“And those nightmares…” Human Torch began.
“Please may you stop,” Raven said. “All your emotions, they’re…”
A green pit bull appeared at the centre of the table. “Hey guys, knock it off. Can’t you see you’re making her panic?”
Robin raised a hand. “Stop. Logan’s right. We only just met her, stop bombarding her with questions.”
Donna sat back. “Very well.”
“How the heck do you know what happened on the ship…?” Torch asked, ignoring Robin’s orders.
“Torch,” Robin said firmly.
“It’s Johnny,” Johnny said. “And you can’t tell me you already trust her right off the bat? What did you see in your vision, huh?”
“None of your business,” Robin said. “And no, I don’t trust her. But she’s the only link between all of us and she’s our only source of information. We don’t know anything and trying to force something out of her, well…”
“I apologize,” Raven said. “I can’t disclose what I know now, you’ll just have to…”
“Well, Raven,” Robin said. “I understand the need for privacy, but you can’t just completely leave us in the dark. That’s not how trust works. After the incident with Taskmaster, you healed me. What was that about?”
Raven sighed. There was something about her power she wasn’t willing to disclose. “I’m an empath. I’m capable of sensing emotions including hurt and pain. Once I sense it, I’m capable of relieving it, healing the wound in a sense.”
“And what about that giant shadow in the sky?” Robin asked. “The way you contained that explosion…”
“That…” Raven paused, unsure of whether to continue or not. “Is my soul-self. It allows me to access another dimension beyond human comprehension.”
If you’d ask Robin a few years back, knowing what he’d know back then and seeing what he did with Bruce, he’d have mentally checked out at the mere existence of other dimensions. Nowadays, with what’s been going on around the world, that mental exception was starting to fade.
“I contained the explosion within it and…”
Robin sighed. “No problem, you’ll tell us how it works later. Right now, we need to get back on track.”
Robin held up the paper Silas gave him. “I got a list of names from Silas on the Prometheum project. These names are suspected to have ties with HYDRA. I’ll print them out and…”
“Already done,” Cyborg said.
The printer whirred to life and 6 papers popped out from the tray onto the table. Garfield was the first to pick one up.
“What the heck? What am I doing here?” Garfield asked. The look of confusion on his face was quickly replaced with one of realisation. “These people, most of them. They’re from Dayton Industries.”
“What?”
“Appleton, Questor, Thornton,” Garfield said. “They’re my guys. My name’s also here. I didn’t know anything about this. Also, what’s with Gus Fring’s name not being on here?”
“Gus Fring?” Dick asked.
“The intense guy that was grilling the attorney,” Garfield said. “I forgot his name.”
“Silas,” Cyborg said. “I know him. Sabotage isn’t his thing.”
“And pray tell how does a tin can like you know about the executive of a big lab like this,” Human Torch said with a cocky smirk.
“He’s my dad,” Cyborg said.
Human Torch’s grin was wiped off his face.
“We still can’t cut him out as a suspect,” Robin said. In any investigations, Bruce said, trust no one, especially any potential suspects. “Cyborg you’ll have to shadow him, find out…”
“Shadow him?” Cyborg said. “You crazy? We don’t talk anymore. He’ll know something’s up. Besides, speaking as a captain of a few rugby teams, lemme tell you pixie boots that a little trust goes a long way, so you better get in your head that even though my dad and I ain’t on talking terms no more, there’s no way he’d do something like this.”
Robin nodded along but in his mind he wasn’t convinced.
“That leaves…” Robin turned to Garfield.
“Look bucko,” Garfield said. “I’m only a figurehead. The scientists and Questor just bring me around to sign things. I didn’t even know anything about this project until today.”
Robin nodded. “I see,” he said. “I believe you.” But he didn’t. He couldn’t trust any of these people.
“Look, I’ll help around with investigating these guys,” Garfield said. “But I still find it suspicious that none of Silas’s guys are on the list. It takes two to tango.”
“The vegetable’s right,” Cyborg said. “It is shady that none of S.T.A.R’s people are on that list. I know first-hand that some of these guys are up to some shady business. I’ll go over their databases, see if something’s up.”
“So, that is all,” Wonder Girl asked.
Robin nodded. “That’s it. Meeting dismissed.”
…
As they all went their separate ways, Garfield turning into a bird and flying away, Cyborg making his way to the server room to access S.T.A.R data and Johnny creating a trail of flame as he blazed through the sky, Raven made her way to the rooftop of the building.
The city’s murky streets seemed galaxies away from her perch atop the building. The city looked almost beautiful from up high, the worn buildings and the painful stories of the people who occupied them seemed to almost disappear when she was above it all. All of it, carried away by the wind.
She dreaded it. ‘Flying’ if you could call it that. Merging with her soul, traversing through the dimensions reminded her so much of him. So much of the part of the soul she wished she could forget, the part of her soul she wished she could erase. If she would, she would let the rage course through her, rending that part of her soul asunder but she learned at a very young age the consequences of letting her emotions get the better of her. Which was why, sometimes, she welcomed the darkness. Away from the people, away from their pain and within herself… they were the only times she felt at peace. The only times she felt as if she could keep her promise of keeping her emotions in check.
She was getting ready to leave when she sensed she wasn’t alone.
“Donna.”
Before she could even see her, she could sense the colours of her soul. The vibrant blue calm of understanding, understanding the weight of a burden placed on ‘an oracle so young.’ However, that wouldn’t stop the black storm of torment in her stomach, the words ‘you are not one of us’ agitating the waves.
“Those dreams,” Donna said. “They’re from you, yes?”
Raven nodded.
“I…” the wind blew her hair across her face. Her body was tightly wound, from within her a squirming yellow. The Amazon was nervous, she was scared. “Who is this Dinckley they speak off in my dreams?”
“You,” Raven said. “Dinckley is your family name.”
The swirling turmoil within her raged. Agitated by the storm of doubt and the missing piece of her that had always been there. “I am Princess Donna Troy of Themyscira. My only family are my fellow Amazon sisters and Queen Hippolyta. I don’t have…”
Raven wasn’t sure if Donna was trying to convince her or herself.
“I’m sorry,” Raven said. “I only know the content of your dreams, not what they entail.”
“I…” Donna stared at Raven. “What… I refuse to believe you. You are no oracle, just a witch. All of this, the dream you showed me. It’s all a part of your trick. I won’t fall for it so easily, demon.”
Witch, demon those words stung. She felt so small compared to the towering height of her denial and anger. She felt sorry for her, felt for her turmoil and understood the pain that came with a missing piece. What she didn’t understand was why Donna had to make her feel so small because of it.
“I’m sorry,” Raven said, trying not to let the anger out. Knowing the result would be disastrous. “I have to leave. Before I do I want to say, I only know of the images your mind creates. I don’t know how to put them there.”
She disappeared into the shadows, leaving the enraged Donna alone atop the building.
…
<6/04/19>- Looking at the date, damn it’s been a long day. Was a bit of a hassle to connect to the servers but I managed to get some names from it. Scrambled names. And the computer in my head said it was gonna take a while.
Exhausted from everything that happened, I decided to look out the city from the fire escape of my apartment building. An old apartment block in the street I grew up in before my mum and dad got rich. It was old and there was no water or electricity every other day, but it was far away from everybody else plus nobody asked any questions whenever I decided to grab a bite. Plus, with all the power cuts you could see the stars in the sky some night. While the data decrypted I stared up at the sky, ready to give the info to Robin once it was done.
That was when I got the call.
The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
“Hello, hello,” said a familiar voice Vic realised. “This is Jump Computers, there’s something wrong with your hardware warranty. It says here you’re the computer.”
“Ha ha Garfield,” Victor said. “Let me know what you want before I hang up.”
“There’s a party over by some of the warehouses,” Garfield said. “There’ll be drinks, food, some oil for you…”
“And a buncha folks dancing with a giant robot,” Victor said. “Totally not gonna bring down the mood.”
“My skin is literally green, and people don’t give a shit,” Garfield said. “Get over yourself.”
“What do you know?” Victor said. “Besides can’t you invite someone else? Don’t you have a bunch of trillionaire friends?”
“Yeah, I do,” Garfield said. Though Vic remained unconvinced. Something told him the vegetable didn’t have much in terms of friends. “But I decided to choose you. Don’t you feel special?”
Vic thought about it. He figured he could do better than rotting at home with his only friends being other freaks with costumes.
Even though the invite was from one of those ‘freaks’.
Vic let out a heavy sigh. “Sure.” Besides, his apartment was getting hot because of the power cuts, and he wasn’t sure if the computers in his head were able to overheat. “The data I got needs decrypting. I could use a break.”
“Yes,” Garfield said. “Let me see if my other friends want to come.”
“Wait,” Vic said. “When did I say we’re friends…”
Garfield cut the call. Vic groaned. “Don’t make me regret this, vegetable.”
…
Let me tell you a secret Babs. One that not even Alfred knows about.
I’m sure you know of Bruce’s ground investigations as Matches Malone. I joined him in some of them and because of that, you can probably find the destroyed remains of Dick Grayson’s other aliases lying around Gotham in the form of burner phones. I threw them all of them aside, but I always kept my first burner phone.
Call it me being sentimental but I didn’t get any phones growing up at the circus and with Bruce thanks to his paranoia so all the calls from my friends and dates had to go through Alfred which was awkward, specially with the latter. Having a number that was just my own was a godsend. Having something far away from Bruce, far away from being in Batman’s shadow was great. To have something that was my own, you know?
I even put that number in one of those phone books (which was a dumb idea when you’re the ward of a world-famous billionaire).
Looking at it now, at the old numbers I have saved and the texts I had sent, reminds me that I can live a life without Robin.
But looking at my bed, the armour folded on the side atop the black cape and lines of Batarangs and smoke pellets, I keep wondering why I don’t let myself live that life.
Dick Grayson counted how many items he had after yesterday’s incident. He didn’t know if Bruce had a storehouse of equipment here (like he did in almost every major American city) so he’d have to be extremely economic with his equipment. And that meant regular maintenance of his grappling hooks and Robin-claw.
As he untangled the taut wire of his grappling hook, he constantly kept muttering to himself: ‘I was supposed to be on vacation’. In the corner of his eye, he kept a lookout for any room service types that might suddenly barge into his motel room without notice.
That was when he got a call on his little ‘burner’ phone. Dick walked up to it, careful. He’d mostly cut off most of his old Gotham relationships barring the superhero types and he was one hundred percent sure none of them knew his number. He’d blocked most of the other numbers that were scammers or people who wanted to get into Bruce’s ‘network’ so that didn’t leave a whole lot of options.
“Hello,” he said, bracing himself for it to be a prank call or a call from Bruce.
“Is this Richard Grayson?” it was Garfield. At first he was a little panicked because he thought Garfield already figured out he was Robin but then quickly realised that they’d met outside their ‘other’ identities. “It’s Garfield Logan, we met… damn was it really earlier today?”
“Yeah, this is Richard,” Dick said. “How’d you…”
“Phonebook,” Garfield said. “Sorry if this is a little creepy but there’s a party going on later by the warehouse district and I was wondering if you’re down. Since you’re new around here, I think it’d be cool to show you around. That is… unless…”
Something about the tone of Garfield’s voice told Dick that he didn’t have much in terms of friends.
“Oh,” Dick said. “Yeah sure.” This what I was supposed to be here for, he thought, directing all his negative energy towards his suit. “I’m down. What time is it?”
“9 PM,” Garfield said. “It’s by the warehouse district, if you tell me where you are I can pick you up. Ever ride a pterodactyl around town?”
“I’ll pass, I think I can navigate my way around town,” Dick said. “Also 9 PM. Isn’t that a school night for you?”
“Oh no you got me,” Garfield said, feigning fear. “Please don’t tell Questor.”
Dick chuckled. “I’ll see you there, then? There a dress code?”
“Nope,” Garfield said. “Just come in with whatever. Just letting you know I’ll be bringing in one of my work friends, he has a bit of a stick up his ass, but he seems like good company.”
Work friends? What work? Then he realised… oh… hero friends. But they weren’t any heroes in Jump besides him unless he meant…
Either Johnny Storm or Victor Stone were coming. This was looking more and more like an after-work dinner than a party.
“I’ll see you there,” Garfield said. “9 PM, don’t be late.”
Garfield hung up, leaving Dick alone with some maintenance work. This was a great time to relax, enjoy himself with people that didn’t know he was Batman’s sidekick. Maybe even make some new friends. That sounded like some great, great fun…
The CEO of Dayton Industries and the son of the Head of Research of S.T.A.R in a casual environment. Interesting company. His mind wandered to the names on the list, most of them Dayton executives and…
He started at his Robin mask on his table.
Even though Garfield was a figurehead, he was still a suspect. And as Dick Grayson he could poke answers and observe him in ways Robin couldn’t.
Trust no one, Bruce had once said. Especially your suspects.
Dick sighed. Why couldn’t he just have been normal?
…
Grant Wilson wouldn’t have gone to the party if he hadn’t heard that Carol was going.
They had been together for way too long just for her to ditch him like this. He had too many issues. He fell in with the wrong crowd. He was dragging her down.
Bullshit. If anything, it was her that was dragging him down. With her constant whining, her not understanding what he went through. How tough life was without parents that cared about him. He just had to make her understand and then maybe, maybe she’d come back.
Grant walked into the party, unaware that the party was being watched by a certain someone. A certain someone with a particular interest in him.
…
Victor Stone stood across the warehouse the party was held at. Past the rows of cars of various colours and quality parked along the road. The bouncer, a brother around his age, built the same way gave him a stern nod paired with a stern nod at the guests laughing, giggling, and bringing drinks. He could hear the low tremor of music within the warehouse, causing the windows in the warehouse to rumble. Whenever they turned to stare at him, Vic looked away, trying to force his hoodie to cover up more of his damn face.
“You one of Gar’s friends?” someone asked. A familiar voice, though Vic couldn’t really put a finger on who. He turned, trying to hide his face only to see…
“Dick Grayson,” Penis said. “Though I’m already sure…”
“Holy shit, we met at the bus,” Vic said, his voice excited. “Penis! Hope you remember me.”
“Couldn’t forget that face,” Dick said with a grin. “I’d prefer you don’t call me that out loud but whatever.”
“How’d you know I was with Garfield?” Vic asked.
“He called me mentioning a work friend,” Dick said. “And I watch the news…”
“So, you know about the…” Victor started, wishing his hoodie could cover up more of his face.
“The what?” Dick asked.
“Spare parts?” Victor said. “I don’t look like much of a…”
“You seem fine to me, Vic,” Dick said. He shrugged. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Victor didn’t know he needed to hear those words. It felt relieving in a sense but still didn’t change how he felt.
“Where’s Garfield?” Dick asked.
Vic shrugged. “Was gonna ask you that. Guy invites us and shows up late.”
Lines of people started walking into the warehouse, all excitedly giggling and laughing while Dick and Vic stood by some yellow car under a flickering streetlight staring at them like they were watching a movie.
Cyborg sensed a body with a different temperature on Dick. “Hey, there’s something on…”
A green tarantula appeared on Dick’s shoulder. “Boo,” Gar squeaked.
Dick flicked the spider. “You’re late.”
Gar turned back to a human. He was wearing a tuxedo with an exaggerated green tie. “You boys ready?” He tried placing his hands around Dick’s and Vic’s shoulders, trying to drag them to the line. Both Victor and Dick got stares. Victor tried to avoid the stares but Dick flashed a smile at the people staring at him, especially the girls. “Damn you boys are tough.”
“What kept you, vegetable?” Vic asked.
“Business stuff,” Gar said. “You know what I’m talking about.” He winked at Vic.
“What business stuff?” Dick asked. It probably had to do with their meeting at S.T.A.R. But there was something else, a new development that…
“Forget about it, Gotham boy,” Garfield said. “We’re here to party. Bet your dad never threw a party like this.”
“He’s not my dad,” Dick muttered.
“Your dad throws parties?” Victor asked.
Before Dick could say anything, Garfield spoke up. “His father is Bruce Wayne.”
That caused everyone to turn towards him. God fucking dammit, Gar, Dick thought.
“Shit, I knew you looked familiar,” Victor said.
If news got out from anyone of these clowns in the line, Bruce was definitely going to have a field day.
“Let me tell you, boy,” Victor said with a grin. “Parties here are way better than what your dad could conceive off…”
“He’s not my dad,” Dick muttered. “And could you please keep it down.”
“What’s keeping the line?” Gar asked, unwrapping his hands from Vic and Dick. He walked up front. Dick and Vic shrugged at each other and followed him.
Holding up the line was none other than Johnny Storm.
“C’mon,” Johnny yelled. “The guy hosting this party knows me. He invited me.”
“No can-do bozo,” the bouncer said. “I don’t care bout your stupid fire powers, my brother was part of that explosion.”
Johnny looked like he wanted to explode but he spread his hands wide in surrender. “Fine, you got me. I’m sorry.”
He turned just as Vic and Garfield pulled up. “Though I’m not sure why you’re letting these guys in when they were there, too.”
“Their powers didn’t cause a mini nuke in the middle of the city,” the bouncer said.
“Oh boy,” Garfield said. “Can’t you let him in? He’s with me?”
Johnny smiled. “Nah, don’t worry about it Logan.” He took out a circular object with a four in the middle and placed it on his chest. He stared at the third person who came in with them. He squinted. “I know you from somewhere.”
“Oh yeah he’s Bruce Wayne’s kid,” Garfield said.
Dick cringed. “Can you stop with that?”
“Nah I know you from somewhere else,” Johnny said. “You work in a circus before.”
That stopped Dick in his tracks. How’d the Human Torch know about that?
“Look I don’t care about your drama,” the Bouncer said. “You guys are holding up the line…”
“C’mon man,” Garfield said. “It’s not…”
“No means no,” the Bouncer said and crossed his arms. “Now let off before I keep you and your little friends from coming in too.”
“It’s okay, Garfield,” Johnny said. “I’ll leave.”
Johnny grinned at them. He placed the four on his chest. A blue suit wrapped itself around him and he flew off, leaving the tar road mildly scorched.
“Now can we get this shit moving.”
The line started to move. Garfield and the rest of the group managed to enter the party, but Dick felt off. Johnny knowing about him being a flying Grayson made him feel naked. As they entered the party, the loud music blaring and constant loud talking. He felt every stare was personal and deep down, he knew it was. Already whispers of Bruce Wayne’s ward were circulating around amidst the people of the party.
He hoped Bruce wouldn’t get the news. He didn’t want to know what would happen if he did.
…
Garfield had gotten them the VIP seats. So, while everyone was dancing downstairs, they were up drinking beer.
“Everyone down there’s a teenager, huh?” Dick said, taking a sip of his drink. “I thought this was a college party.”
“What?” Vic said with a grin. Upstairs, away from everybody else he took off his hoodie. “You gonna snitch?”
“Nah,” Dick said. “Just surprised.”
“Just like Gotham, the cops turn a blind eye as long as you pay em,” Garfield said. “They don’t care as long as you’re not being a nuisance. Helps that the guy hosting this has an uncle in the police.”
“Aren’t you two supposed to be superheroes?” Dick asked. “Isn’t all this corruption not good for your image?”
“Hey that’s what the newspapers say,” Vic said, sipping his drink. “I ain’t no superhero.”
“Superheroes need a break sometimes. Besides having me around keeps the creepy college weirdos away,” Garfield said. “And also makes people feel safer.”
The music started to pick up, the lights on the dancefloor started to flash illuminating a tangle of flaying limbs and grinning faces.
“You guys wanna dance?” Garfield said with a grin.
“Yeah,” Dick said. “But only if Vic joins us.”
“Nah, nah,” Vic said. “You guys go on.”
“No,” Garfield said. “We gotta see you do the robot.”
“Not cool, vegetable,” Vic said. “That’s a sensitive topic.”
“Keep the hood on,” Dick said. “We don’t care. We have to see you dance.”
“Yeah, you’re the oldest here,” Garfield said. “Let’s see if this old man has moves.”
Vic shrugged them off. “Nah. Ain’t nobody wanna see a robot dance.” And then he took a drink, trying his best to avoid Dick and Garfield’s goading looks. It didn’t take him long to cave in. “Ah fuck it.”
He put his hood on, and they walked to the dance floor.
…
There she was on the dance floor, dancing alone then dancing with some fucking guy. He downed his cup of beer and stormed to the dance floor.
People flaying their limbs, grinning, sometimes droplets of their drinks splashing their drinks on his face. He heard Bruce Wayne’s son was here and he caught him and some friends, taking away all the attention from him. He tried making his way to Carol but was blocked by a line of people. Rushed apologies that Grant dismissed until finally he was right behind her. Her hands swaying, her blonde hair flying around like clothes on a windy day.
He tapped her shoulder. Carol turned around and the smile on her face was washed away, replaced by a blank expression.
“Thought I’d see you here,” Grant said with a grin.
“What do you want?” Carol asked, crossing her arms.
“That the way to greet your boyfriend?” Grant asked.
“Thought I made it clear we’re over,” Carol said. “Look I’m here to have fun, please don’t ruin it…”
“Ruin it,” Grant said, he felt his heart break. “Is that what you think of me. A guy who ruins everything…”
“No,” Carol said. “Don’t start with that. You know that’s not why I broke up with you.”
“We can still get together, Carol,” Grant said. “I promise you I’ll change…”
“Like you promised me you’d change all those other times,” Carol said, turning away from. “Look Grant, we talked about this a thousand times. You don’t want to change. You blame everybody else for your problems but yourself…”
“I’ll change that…”
“I don’t want you to do that for me,” Carol said. “Do it for yourself. Just please leave me alone.”
“Come on, Carol,” Grant said. “We can make it work.”
“Just leave me alone,” Carol said, she turned away from Grant but he wouldn’t let her get away again.
Grant grabbed her arm. “Come on,” Grant said. “I know you weren’t in the right mind when you broke up. Your depression…”
“Grant, let go,” Carol said, trying to pull away from him. “You’re hurting me…”
“We need to talk,” Grant said. “We can make this work. I know what I did wrong and…”
Grant was suddenly shoved aside, he managed to regain his balance. “No means no. You’re holding up the party.”
Standing in front of him was a huge man with a hoodie that covered his face.
“Look, don’t involve yourself in a relationship you know nothing about,” Grant said. “She doesn’t…”
Carol walked away from the dance floor. Grant followed her but a literal green gorilla stood in front of him.
“Look, you’re not being cool,” the green gorilla said, turning back to a green human. “Have a drink, cool down a little.”
Grant ignored it, maybe he had a little too much to drink but…
There was an arm around his shoulder. He recognised the face. He heard about a special guest but…
“You want to get out, want me to call somebody…”
He saw Carol leave the party. Good, maybe they’d be alone but…
A freaking horse stood in front of him. He couldn’t fight a horse but…
“Get out the freaking way,” Grant said. “You guys are kids. The hell do you understand…”
The giant with the hoodie stood in front of him again. “Look, the girl’s not interested. You keep acting like this and we’re gonna get the butler to throw you out.”
“You freaking superheroes,” Grant said. “You think you’re all high and mighty. Look what happened in the middle of the town because of you clowns.”
Grant was suddenly made acutely aware of the judgemental stares he was getting. Of course, useless onlookers. All people cared about was the surface, they didn’t know the whole story.
“What are you looking at?” Grant shouted to no one in particular. “What do you understand? You’re just a bunch of… listening to a guy who can’t even show his face.”
“Freaking coward,” Grant said. He lunged at him, throwing off his hoodie, revealing…
The crowd let out a gasp. Grant’s bitter laughter echoed in the air. “Look at this freak. You guys listening to him. I wouldn’t let him anywhere near a girl, let alone people.”
The giant was quiet now, he put on his hoodie tentatively. It was like the confidence was squeezed out of his body when his face was uncovered, soon, everyone was staring at him now.
“Fucking idiots,” Grant spat. “Wasted my time. Now she’s gone.”
He left the warehouse, leaving everyone staring at the dethroned giant. Good.
…
When his face was exposed, that was when the data decrypted. When all eyes were on him, burning into him, the data was decrypted.
He thought he could be normal, he thought he could have fun and dance and be with friends, but the sad, unfortunate reminder was that he couldn’t. The only way he could ever be normal was he covered his face.
Garfield placed a careful hand on Vic’s back. “Look I’m sorry about what happened but…”
“I need to leave.”
Everybody was looking at him. He was all they were going to talk about. Sure, Beast Boy was there, sure Bruce Wayne’s kid was there and there was that creep, but he was all everybody was going to remember. All everybody was going to talk. The bookend to an unforgettable night.
“C’mon,” Garfield said. “The night’s young…”
“There’s work stuff,” Vic said. “I think this party made you forget we’ve been hired to deal with Nazis.”
Dick Grayson stepped forward. “Work stuff? Surely it can’t be that…”
“Hope you enjoyed your first Jump party,” Vic said with a grin, placing a hand on his shoulder and trying to avoid their eyes. “Take care of yourself, Penis.”
Victor left the party and walked home, the self-loathing his only company, following him all the way home and never leaving.
…
Grant couldn’t find her anywhere. First, he asked around, then he tried calling her. When she wasn’t responding he gave up and decided to call it a day.
It started to pour; lightning cracked across the sky. Thunder followed. Grant didn’t realise just how much he had to drink until he was puking down in the gutter.
Fucks sake, Grant thought. The rain carried away his puke, his filth. For some reason his mind wandered to the explosion in the middle of the city. Those creeps were there, the creeps that took him away from Carol. What did they know about their relationship? Creep, he was being a creep. What a load of bullshit. If it wasn’t for them, he’d still be…
“You okay?” said a voice. A girls voice. She had an Australian accent. Grant looked up and saw a girl around his age with orange hair and skimpy clothes, wearing nothing but a leather jacket, bra and black jeans. Behind her was a huge guy, built like a truck with the same hair colour but wearing different clothes.
“Yeah,” Grant said, wiping his mouth. “Yeah. Thanks.”
“We saw you at the party,” said the huge guy, also with an Australian accent. He sounded the way he was built, his voice deeper than the rumble of thunder in the distance. “Those superheroes like walking around like they own the place, don’t they?”
Grant nodded. “Yeah. Bunch of self-righteous assholes if you ask me.”
“They blow up half the city and walk into a party like nothing happened?” the girl said. “Talk about callous.”
Grant just stared at them.
“Oh, shit,” the girl said. “I realise we didn’t introduce ourselves. The name’s Selinda. People around here call me Shimmer.”
“Who’s the big guy?” Grant asked.
“My younger brother, Baran,” Shimmer said. “They call him Mammoth.”
“I’m…”
“We know who you are,” Shimmer said. “Grant Wilson.”
Shimmer walked closer to him, placing a hand on his chest.
“We also know who your father is,” Shimmer said, whispering in his ear.
Grant felt a cold pit in his stomach, he pushed Shimmer aside. “What… how…?”
“We represent an organisation,” Shimmer said. “And the organisation deems you a fit candidate to join us…”
“Why me?” Grant asked. “Why not anyone else?”
Shimmer grinned, tracing a finger across his chest. “Ever heard of Deathstroke?”
…
<6/04/19> Log contd. Well, that was a shitty night. Jokes on me though for even pretending to be human.
Anyway, the data finally finished process and I got the results. Cross-referencing the two data bases I found two names that were carried over from both Dayton and S.T.A.R. Took a bit of decrypting and decoding, but the snitch was none other than one Jeremy Thornton.
Decided to call Garfield cause I didn’t have Robin’s number but he didn’t pick up. Called the mansion and voila, Garfield’s little babysitter called.
QUESTOR: Hello, may I please request whoever called to call at a later time, Mr. Logan is currently tied up at the…
VICTOR: It’s me. Um… Garfield’s work friend. I’m not sure if you heard…
QUESTOR: Please send the message you need me to forward. There’s a tragedy that…
VICTOR: A tragedy, what tragedy?
QUESTOR: Two of Dayton Inc’s Executives have been murdered and I have a plethora of interviews to…
VICTOR: Two? May I get their names?
QUESTOR: Jeremy Thornton and Harold Appleton.
…
Jeremy Thornton came into the toy room for privacy after sending his child to sleep. He anxiously stared at the eyes of the toys on the shelves. His anxious footsteps betrayed the calm demeanour that put his son to sleep.
This wasn’t part of the plan.
The explosion, the deaths. No way in hell they were going to tie back to him. He had a family; he had loved ones. If news got out this would ruin him.
He took out his phone, callously calling the number of the contractor. That was his first mistake.
When the contractor picked up, his second mistake was insolence.
“You didn’t tell me about this,” Thornton shouted. “You didn’t tell this what I was dealing with. If I knew it was a nuke I wouldn’t be giving it to you fucking Nazis, you better make sure…”
As quickly as he said those words, he crumpled to the floor.
His blood seeped on the carpet, staining the expensive cotton mat him and Mrs. Thornton bought for their kids. The only witnesses to his death were the grinning plastic faces of the toys, stretched into a face of permanent joy.
Within the rows of toys in the shelf, a toy soldier returned back to his disciplined pose, the corpse of Jeremy Thornton reflected in its beady eyes.
To be continued…