Deja Vu

Chapter 9

Damian can't be far.

Dick leaps into the Batmobile ahead of the others, eyes honing in on Tim, who slides in, typing furiously.

"What are you doing?" Dick asks as Jason slides in beside him and all the doors slam shut.

"Trying to connect to that aircraft," Timmy says, expression determined. "If we can get in contact with this kid before the others find them..."

"Good thinking, kid," Jason acknowledges, pulling out some wires and parts from the bag he's brought from his safehouse. "Find that gremlin."

"How many aircrafts are tailing him?" Bruce asks.

"Four additional crafts left the compound," Young Tim answers immediately. "Looks like he lost two- one went down hard a few blocks that way. That's the explosion we heard. The other seems to be regrouping. One's still right on his tail, and... no sign of the last one yet."

"Great," Jason mutters, still working with more parts as he glances up at the road.

Dick blinks. "What're you-"

"There," Bruce says, eyes on the sky.

Dick stands, pushing himself as far forward as he can to see out of the windshield. Above the Gotham streetlights, two sleek jets are racing in the sky. Another explosion lights up the night as a missile misses the first plane thanks to a skillful spin. Thank goodness Damian's holding his own... Dick just hopes Damian can keep up his retreat. But how is he going to land with those crafts tailing him?

The craft in the lead pulls into a beautiful nosedive before pulling up and racing high into the sky. The jet behind it follows the moves almost exactly and the jet above is forced to change course to avoid another round of explosives.

"Got it!" Tim exclaims.

Suddenly, a video flashes on a screen on the Batmobile's dashboard. A toddler who could only be Damian appears on the screen, green eyes intense and focused. He's strapped into the seat, chair scooted as far forward as possible and sitting on a box so that he can reach all of the buttons.

As soon as the camera flickers on, his eyes widen slightly, then narrow.

"Damian!" Dick cries, relief filling him. "Are you ok?"

"Tt." The familiar noise sounds odd coming from the slightly higher-pitched voice of a five year old. "Grayson. What took you all so long?"

"Oh my gosh he's tiny," Jason exclaims, leaning over to see as well.

Damian's face contorts in a scowl. "Todd. You are annoying as ever."

Timmy laughs in the front seat and Damian's eyes flick over him and Bruce before he turns back to the front, small hands reaching for several buttons. "Father. Drake. I presume you are both from this infernal timeline."

Bruce chooses to ignore the statement-question with all it entails, eyes still on the sky.

"Your pursuer," Bruce says, "they're skilled."

"Tt," Damian says, frustration bleeding through his motions. Dick sees his airplane level out again after several evasive maneuvers. "They are incredibly persistent."

"They're slow on the recovery," Dick says, eyes tracking the second jet's movements after

Damian's pulls sharply to the side. "They also don't know we're here. Dami, lead them West. We're coming to you."

"Affirmative," Damian says. "...though I do not require assistance."

"Right," Jason scoffs, undoubtedly rolling his eyes.