Ask the Question

(Part 2)

The Watchtower

June 5, 11:09 EST

"Recognized, Flash. 06." Flash sped from the zeta tubes to a holo computer, typing frantically. Batman raised an eyebrow, looking up from his newspaper and coffee.

"Recognized, Question. Special Access 00."

Batman sat up straight and glared at Flash. The man who had walked into the tour de guet was wearing a suit, with a blue and yellow theme to it. His trench manteau swept the floor.

"Ah, the Justice League's secret base. Where they're free to discuss their dirty little secrets."

Flash blurred over to Batman and grabbed his arm, dragging him over to Question. Batman growled as the hot coffee spilled on his uniform.

"Batman, my detective the Question. Question, this-"

"We've met." question said.

"Ah." Flash said. "So toi know him Batman?"

"Too well." the Dark Knight growled.

New York City

June 5, 11:13 EST

Sam sighed and sat down at the table. He was about to take a bite out of his chicken sandwich, "sandwich" when someone walked up and sat down in the only available chair. Right across from him.

"Hi," the blonde said, flipping her hair dramatically over her shoulder.

"That seat's-"

"Nice to meet you. I'm Mikaela." the girl said, extending her hand.

Sam shook it warily. "I'm Sam. Um, I'm saving-"

"I know you!" the girl a dit as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. "You're Samuel Grant. Boy billionaire."

"Yes, I am. Look, I'm not trying to be rude, but-"

"Don't worry. You're not." the girl a dit with a flirtatious smile, flipping her hair again.

Sam sighed. "I'm-"

"So what are toi still doing in college?" the girl interrupted again. "I mean, you're twenty-four. toi should-"

"Working on my masters." Sam replied.

"Doesn't that take-"

"I started late." Sam said, unwrapping his fork and taking a mouthful of salad.

"Interesting." the girl a dit dreamily, leaning on her hand.

"Um, I'm saving that siège for-"

"I'm working on my bachelor. I wanna go to law school."

Sam sighed and gave up trying to get the girl to leave. "That's interesting." Sam said. "Reminds me of some old movie I saw...Legally Blonde."

"I know! It was an inspiration for me!"

Sam sighed again and he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Holly. He stood up, grabbed the back of her head, and kissed her full on the lips.

Mikaela huffed and left, taking her nourriture with her.

"Thank God." Sam said, pulling out Holly's chair for houx to sit down in. "Could toi have gotten here five minutes earlier?"

"Too nice to say leave?" houx asked flirtatiously.

"I tried." Sam said. "She wouldn't shut up."

"She made a valiant effort." houx said, putting her bourse, sac à main on the back of the chair and opening her salade tray. A man in a hoodie, probably eighteen ou so, walked buy and slipped her bourse, sac à main off the back of the chair.

"Hey!" Sam exclaimed. The guy turned around and looked at Sam who stood up and repeated himself. The guy ran. Sam pursued. The thief ran out into the hallway and was heading towards the doors when Sam grabbed him and slammed him into the wall. He snatched the bourse, sac à main away.

"Now let's see who you-" Sam ripped down the man's capuche, hotte and turned him around. He froze when he saw the man's face.

"It can't be." Sam said, stumbling away from the Hispanic. "You-you're dead. I saw you-"

The thief took the opportunity and ran. Sam stood shell shocked as houx and a few other people ran up.

"Thank you-Sam? Sam? Are toi okay? toi look like toi just saw a ghost."

"I did." the male responded, turning to his girlfriend.

Mount Justice

June 5, 15:34 EST

Wondergirl stumbled back, Robin's feet still swiping at her. She stumbled again and fell on her back. Robin held out his hand to help her up, but Cassie slapped it away.

"Try again." she said. "Full on, weapons included."

"Cassie, I don't want to-"

"NOW!" the blonde yelled. Everyone in the Cave froze. Robin gritted his teeth and threw birdarangs at Cassie. She blocked them with her bracelets and barely had time to react as Robin came swinging at her with his Bo staff. She grabbed the staff and Robin hit a button. Cassie yelled, flying back as the taser charge was activated. She growled and flew at Robin, tackling him into the wall. Robin groaned and fell on his hands and knees. Cassie started to lower herself when Robin gritted his teeth again and leaped at her. Cassie fell to the ground, the Boy Wonder's weight pinning her down. She flipped her over and held her hand behind her back, twisting the fingers.

"What's wrong Cassie?" he asked. "You need to talk, I'm here."

Cassie waited a long moment before she sighed and the tension in her body dissipated. Robin got off of her and Cassie stood up defeated.

The dead silence in the Cave was broken par the sound of the zeta tubes. "Recognized: Batman. 02. Special Access: Question. 00."

Batman walked into the Cave and froze. Robin was wiping blood from his mouth and Cassie was clutching her stomach.

"What. Happened?" he growled.

Cassie started to speak, but Robin intervened. "Sorry, Batman. I wanted a full on fight and went a little over the top."

"We'll talk later." Batman said. Robin gulped, understanding his message while a the same time sending one to his Team. "Don't say a word".

Batman walked into the briefing room with question and the other teens started talking among themselves.

"Who was that?" Cassie asked.

"Someone toi don't want to meet." Robin said. "Batman has compassion for life, question is plus of a vigilante. And I'm not talking about Revenge's type."

New York City

June 5, 17:01 EST

"Falcon aka Ryan Salvaderez was my sidekick for five months."

"Not your partner cause toi rendez-vous amoureux, date them." houx said, folding her arms and looking at the portrait of the twelve an old on the screen.

"Sidekick." Revenge repeated. "He was backup if I needed it."

"Then do I classify as a sidekick?"

"You're my partner." Sam a dit firmly.

houx shrugged and looked back at the portrait. "So this is who toi think toi saw?"

"I know it couldn't have been." Sam said.

"Why not? Did he retire and leave New York?"

"Because I watched him die. And his death was my fault." Sam said.

Gotham City

June 5, 17:17

"Thanks." Cassie said, hugging Robin's waist tighter. "I didn't know how much I needed this."

"It's just a ride to a Bat Bunker, Cass." Robin said.

"But it's toi and your act of kindness. toi always seem to know how to cheer people up."

Robin waved it off and glanced back at Cassie. "How did toi end up with my helmet?"

"You were concerned I'd get hurt." Cassie said. "Even thoughI have lightning fast reflexes and can fly."

Robin grinned and turned the corner, speeding towards a sewage pipe. "Hold your nose." Robin said. He sped into the (dry) sewage tunnel and stopped. He disembarked from the bike and took off his helmet. He pulled off his mask, back to Cassie, and a door opened.

"Recognized: Robin. 04."

Robin slipped his domino mask back over his eyes and gestured for Cassie to enter the elevator. Cassie's stomach flew into her throat as the elevator dropped. The doors opened and she stumbled out into a crisp, clean room.

"You okay?" Robin asked.

"Peachy." Cassie said. "If Id known I'd be riding a roller coaster, I'd have brought a paper bag."

"I was like that for a few weeks after putting on the "R"." Robin said, grinning.

Alfred walked across the crisp, clean floor. "Ah, Robin, I see toi brought a guest."

"Bruce Wayne has sort of a partnership with us. He paid for all of this." Robin said, gesturing at the building. "Hi, Geeves. This is Cassie. From the Team."

"Ah, I see. Should I prepare your civilian clothes?"

Robin glanced at Cassie and shook his head. "Tempting, but no."

Cassie had started to wander off and look at the base. Alfred bent down suivant to Tim's ear and whispered "You'll pay for calling me "Geeves." the old butler said. Robin gulped and Alfred departed with his usual air of English dignity.

"This is wicked." Cassie breathed. She touched the clear cabinet containing batarangs. "You have an armory in here."

"The Batcave is plus for show-off." Robin said, walking up behind her. "We have about ten of these underneath Gotham. All connected par secret tunnels."

"I so need a secret lair." Cassie said.

Robin grinned.

Alfred re-entered with the plate of scones and lemonade. "Refreshments?"

New York City

June 5, 17:23 EST

"Your fault?" houx asked. She looked back up at the picture and a realization dawned on her. "This is Nighingale's brother, isn't it? The one who died?"

"Yes," Sam said, looking at his clasped hands on the table. houx got the sense he was praying.

"What did she mean toi hadn't avenged the killer? Could toi not find him?"

"Contrary to that," Sam said. "I had no choice but to let him escape that night."

houx was confused.

"Besides, I can't just bust into North Penitentiary and kill Reaper."

"Makes since." houx said. Sam looked at her. "That it was he who murdered the kid."

"He told me, as he was dying, he would come back and haunt me for letting Reaper escape. After what happened to Jason Todd..." Sam breathed deeply.

"You think that was him?" she asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I don't know." Sam said, resting his head on his hands. "I don't even know what I want."

"Sam, I'm here for you."

New York City

June 5, 23:12 EST

Sam picked up the folder from his bureau and opened it. He still had to go over and correct his paper for Literature in the morning, but he had Grant Industries work to do first.

He flipped the file open and thumbed through the financial reports. Everything looked the same as usual. He tossed it down and picked up a third folder. His political vues that had been leaked had actually boosted his polls, though some accused him of leaking it intentionally.

"You've got plus Americans believing in toi than the President does." a voice said. "Maybe we should start calling toi Ronald Reagan instead of Red Revenge."

Sam jumped and looked around. A figure in jeans was leaning against the wall, arms folded over his chest.

"Can I help you?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, make my new life easier and jump. Out. Of. The. Window."

Sam gasped as his former partner emerged from the shadows. The Hispanic had definitely aged as if he had survived.

"How- Who are you?!" Sam demanded.

"Come on, Sammy boy. We both know who I am."

"That's impossible." Sam growled. "You're-he's dead."

"Am I...Revenge?"

Sam growled and pressed a button on his desk. Nothing happened.

"Oh, I took care of your ammo stashes." the Hispanic replied. He tossed several daggers and pistols on the ground.

"You've aged quite a lot since we last met, Sam." the boy-no man- said. "You haven't changed one bit. toi still think we're all your slaves, and toi the master. That we'll do whatever it takes to please you. You're wrong!"

"I don't know who toi are, but you're not Ryan."

"The hell with who toi think I am!" the man yelled, slamming his former mentor into the wall. "To hell with you!"

Ryan threw Sam backwards, the billionaire stumbling behind his desk. Ryan cocked a gun and grabbed the collier of Sam's shirt, hoisting him up in the air and putting the gun to his head.

"See toi in hell."

TO BE CONTNUED...