Justice League: Generation Worth Millions

Chapter 22: Lost Inside

Robin crouched in the shadows of a tall apartment complex in the heart of Old Gotham. On another building not too far away Nightwing was crouched working away a computer and calculating. He slowly turned his head, eerily in the dark of the moon like an owl, and sent a signal to Robin with his hands.

Go.

Robin silently left his hiding spot and leaped over the edge of the building, as he was in air he shot out a line. It in turn grabbed the edge and guided him to a window. He exploded through the panes, expertly rolling on the ground so he wouldn't be harmed. He swiftly jumped, every muscle tense, bo staff ready to beat his target with.

But there was no target, just an abandoned apartment room. He cautiously relaxed and took in the scene. A stained sofa in front of an idly fuzzy T.V. The scent of rotting food in the tiny kitchen to his right. A table full of torn up newspapers and dust bunnies. Then the flashing of a dying light in the filthy restroom around the corner, next to it the dark abyss of an open door that lead to the single bedroom.

Robin narrowed his eyes. It was empty. Slippery fellow.

He looked down at the shining pieces of glass reflecting the lights of the city and looking like fallen stars. Anger bubbled inside of him as the sharp glass only brought back memories of his best friend laying in her own blood at the bottom of a staircase, and a mentor that he had admired for his uncrackable personality lifting her in his sleeved arms into his dark cape, crying and broken.

 

Robin nodded and they busied themselves scanning the place for clues. It seemed as though the building had been empty for months, save for the rats that scurried around and through the walls. They were hunting down all of Justin's helpers, particularly Scarecrow, since he had put James up to the original plan. So far they had already taken down Lex, Black Adam and Two-Face. Bane and Scarecrow proved to be a bit of a challenge.

Altough they were very close to Bane, Robin could feel it in his bones. Scarecrow was a little out of reach, but Nightwing was right. He couldn't run forever.

"Well I think we've cleaned this place out enough, and it's almost sunrise. Let's call it a night." Nightwing said clapping his hands together after hours of analyzing.

"Got it." Robin replied, he installed a small motion sensing camera that would alert them if Scarecrow returned, however that was unlikely. But as Batman had trained them, never leave any stone unturned.

"Even the itty bitty pebbles." Nightwing had advised to Robin when he was 12 and just starting to train.

He smiled at the memory. He never pictured a Batgirl ever joining the picture back then. Not after what had happened to Barbara Gordon, but he had assumed. Never assume, it closes your mind to all the possibilities. Sure enough, Krystal showed up and --though he thought she wouldn't be able to make the cut-- she proved to be more than capable. He couldn't have asked for anyone better to fight crime with in the condemned streets of Gotham.

They nightly vigliantes of Gotham left the lonely apartment behind and rode the batmobile across the gloomy city. Alfred was waiting for them in the Batcave, he had prepared a meal for them. Next to the food was a gorgeus bouquet of chrysanthemums and carnations. When they were finished eating they changed into normal clothing.

Alfred handed to bouquet to Dick as Tim scrambled to grab his novel that he had been reading to Krystal as she slept.

"This is for Bruce." Alfred said handing Tim a tray of a fresh meal prepared specially for him.

Soon they were off on their way to the nearest Zeta transport. As they reached it in an old telephone booth Tim noticed the new calm look of Gotham. Such a glorious city, and like everything glorious it has it's dark edges, that he helps to keep at bay. He felt proud that him and a Dick had been able to keep it fine in the absence of Bruce. Of course they had help too, Hawkgirl and Wonder Woman had been a huge help when they time came to take on Black Adam. Superman visited from Metropolis often to help watch over Gotham, and Wally and Bart liked to speed through the streets righting things in seconds.

They seemed to appear in the watch tower almost instaneously. Like being on a continous routine, they shuffled through the hallways towards the medical wing. Dick gave Tim a sideways glancde to the book he had in his hands.

"You know, I've been wondering, why that book?" He asked curiously.

"What do you have against Robin Hood?" Tim protested defensively.

"Nothing, I just figured you'd pick something more happy and healing-ish."

Tim scoffed in amusement, "That's not Krystal's style."

Dick laughed and poked him with a free hand. "I think you're worried she'll forget about you."

"Very funny." Tim muttered rolling his eyes. He didn't have anyway of rebutting that and truth was, he did kind of fear that. What if she woke up with no memory? Then he'd have to earn her trust again and rebuild the unique foundations of the way their relatioship worked, which could be impossible.

They entered the room Krystal was in Bruce and J'onn stood in their discussing.

"Knock, knock." Dick said as he walked in. He placed the flowers by Krystal's bed to replace the already wilting ones. Tim watched with some form of worry, this was the third bouquet replacement, how many more were they going to have to replace until Krystal opened her eyes and saw how pretty they were.

It had been 7 weeks already, her stab wound was almost healed. If she was awake she would be able to sit up and walk around even. Tim approached Bruce.

"This is for you, from Alfred."

Bruce cracked a small smile. "Thanks." He took it and laid it on a small table by his arm chair. "How are things coming along with Scarecrow and Bane?"

"We're close to Bane." Dick answered, "Scarecrow keeps getting away somehow, but we'll get him. How's Krystal?"

"She's healing", Bruce replied glancing at her peaceful form among the white sheets of the bed, "but she's still non responsive."

J'onn spoke up, "I was just discussing with Bruce the possibility of having to retrieve her."

They all nodded and Bruce sat down on the armchair by her bed. He watched as she breathed steadily, her monitor beeping in time. She was okay, her wound was nearly healed completely. She was alive, and yet she was still gone. He exhaustedly rubbed his head with a hand and exhaled considering his predicament.

He couldn't just leave her until she woke, he had made a promise that he would stay with her. But he couldn't stay waiting forever either, he had made a different promise to his city, that he would protect it and guard the shadows. That was a promise he had been neglecting for weeks now, he had to get back out there. Scarecrow needed to be taken care of, the police needed his help. Most of all, he didn't want Krystal to stay here forever, blankly sleeping away her life. Something had to be done.

He nodded to himself, "We have to bring her back." He turned to look at J'onn.

The green martian nodded, "I must warn you though, this will be very risky. She's buried deep in her subconcious, a part of her mind that is highly unpredictable and unstable. Something that can't be understood by even me. There is a possibility she will reject me when I reach out to her and she will only become more lost."

Bruce stood and paced, the wheels of his mind churned uncontrollably. Was that a risk worth taking? He stopped abruptly to watch her lay frozen in time on the bed, then he glanced at Tim and Dick. They needed her back, and he needed her back. He set his jaw, she was just lost and now he needed to find her again. She had already been lost to him before, in her years as a young child. Now he would be damned if he had to lose her again.

"Do whatever you have to do." He decided.