Touch Of The Past

Chapter 6

Batman looks baffled. I mean, he doesn't have an answer. And that's as baffled as you can make the Dark Knight. He looks at the empty result screen once more before looking at the two kids in front of us.

"This will take a while," he informs them. "They covered their tracks well."

"Okay, should we wait for a call, or... Oh wait, we asked you to help, not do it for us." I am again confused at Jazz. She's very logical, yet when it comes to finding her two friends she gets desperate and becomes rash.

Like the time she cut my line.

"Er, Jazz, he is helping us, maybe you shouldn't..."

"No, I need to help. I can't just sit around waiting for you to find Danny and Sam. I can help. I mean, we've been dealing with these guys for almost two years. We know Danny better than he knows himself and ghosts are our thing!" She names things as fast as she can think of them, making her argument come out uneven and unconvincing.

Batman will send them right home.

But he doesn't. To my eternal surprise.

Instead, "You two helped Danny Phantom be a hero?"

"Yes," the boy--Tucker, he'd finally said-- answered, hesitant.

"You are trained. But not well."

Instead of blowing up, they both sigh. "Yeah..." they relent in unison.

Jazz groans in embarrassment. "I know self-defense methods and have been trained by a black belt from a young age. But I never cared about that kind of thing until Phantom popped up. For a long time, I ignored the hero thing and helped by covering and being in the background. Then when I got more involved I realized how sorely behind I was."

"And I'm more about tech. Danny tries to teach me stuff, but I just whine until we end up playing video games."

"How have you survived as heroes?" I ask, perhaps a little indelicately.

"We weren't heroes. We are sidekicks. In the literal sense of the word. We support Danny, but could never be actual stand alone heroes on our own," Jazz supplies.

"And you like that?" I scoff. Batman sends me a look and I just shrug.

"Sure. Being a hero sounds great and all, but I'm more into the normal kid scene. Danny doesn't romanticize the hero thing at all. It's hard. He doesn't get sleep, doesn't have time for friends or relaxing time, and he's so worried about villains all the time every time I see him he's jittery and nervous. I get danger and a fulfilling sense of duty but when I want to go home, I can."

Jazz nods in agreement.

Batman nods, as if expecting it. "Then I have a way you can help."

"Find Danny?" Jazz's eyes glitter.

Batman nods once. "There's a team of covert teen operatives." Wait, what? Batman isn't... he isn't offering these two random kids positions on our team, is he? "You two are skilled at the background, not the front lines. We need members like that. The assets of the team and their mentors would be at your disposal to find your friends, and I will look as well."

Jazz and Tucker share a look.

"But no fighting, right?" Tucker asks.

"There would be training, but it is unlikely you will be called outside the cave."

"Yes!" Jazz agrees, with a big smile. "Assuming there is a way out." Batman nods. "Then my answer is still yes!"

"Mine too," Tucker says next, albeit a little more warily. 

"Then go back to Amity Park," Batman commands. Tucker and Jazz looked shocked, but seem to realize who they are talking to and relax into it. "I will have a Zeta Beam installed soon. Wait for me to contact you."

Tucker nods mutely. With a single glance from Batman, we disappear into the shadows and leave the two teens alone.