What Now

The Confrontation

Omg nearly a month without updating, I am so sorry! I struggled with this so it is probably terrible, but anyways, here we go!

"Start talking." Jason growled, leaping to his feet to better face Ra's Al Ghul.

Ra's just chuckled. "Please, as if I would ever be threatened by you."

Arsenal scoffed. "Dude, it is three against one. Pretty sure we can take you."

Ra's just raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to know what happened to the All Caste or not?" Jason grunted in reply. "Very well. Walk with me."

The Outlaws glanced at each other before following the ancient assassin through the labyrinth, knowing they really didn't have a choice in the matter. Ra's stopped outside one of the many training chambers, whirling around to face the trio. "In here, you will find the answer to your question."

Jason rolled his eyes. "We searched every inch of this place. What makes this time any different?" Ra's said nothing, giving Jason and his teammates a pointed look. Jason sighed. "Fair enough, after you."

Ra's opened the door and led the Outlaws inside, closing the door behind him. Jason had to bite back a gasp as he took at the sight before him.

There was the All Caste, completely slaughtered, bodies strewn ever where.

He turned to Ra's with a glare. "How did we miss this the first time?"

Ra's shrugged. "As you know, this place can play tricks on you."

"Well, how do we know you aren't a trick?" Arsenal pointed out, watching as Ra's just smirked in return.

"You don't, but I'm sure young Jason over here knows this to be the truth." Jason whirled around, about to ask how he knew who he was when Ra's chuckled. "I am Ra's Al Ghul, of course I know. The question is, how are you still alive?"

Jason rolled his eyes. "I was brought back by one of your Lazarus pits." Ra's raised an eyebrow. "We aren't from this dimension."

Ra's  tsked looking the Outlaws over. "And again, I ask, how are you still alive?"

"I beg your pardon?"

Ra's sighed. "Interdimensional travel is not easy on the soul or the body-"

"That explains why we aged down." Kori grumbled at Roy.

"Especially for one brought back from the dead. I know from first hand experience. Your body will begin to break down the longer you are away from your home universe and eventually, you cease."

"Cease?"

"Cease to exist." Ra's looked directly at Jason, ignoring the other two Outlaws. "I have found a way to slow down these affects, until you are returned to your universe."

"And what do you want in return?" Jason asked, making Arsenal and Kori roll their eyes and face palm.

Ra's grinned. "I want your help in destroying the Batman."

- - -

The team made it inside the mountain and were immediately awed by their surroundings.

"What...what is this place?" Wally asked, eyes wide.

"I don't know, but we have to find the Outlaws." Dick grumbled. "They couldn't have gotten far."

"How did you lot get in here?" Everyone turned at the familiar sound of Arsenal's voice, seeing him standing there with Kori, no Jason in sight.

"We walked through the side of a mountain." Roy responded, slowly reaching for his bow. "Where's the third?"

Kori and Arsenal exchanged a look before shrugging. "Probably off meditating or some shit."

"Jason Todd meditating? Yeah, right." Artemis snorted.

"Are you forgetting that we are not from your dimension? Jason meditates all the time, why wouldn't he do so in a place like home?"

"Home?"

"Yeah, do you guys seriously not know where you are?" Kori asked, arms crossed over her chest. She sighed when the team gave her blank looks in return. "You are in the home of the All Caste, an ancient organization of assassins. They trained Jason after he was brought back to life in our home universe."

"Where are these All Caste people, then?"

Kori and Arsenal exchanged a look before motioning for the team to follow them. The team was hesitant but followed, stopping outside the same door Kori and Arsenal were just in.

Kori opened the door and the team felt sick to their stomach, looking at all the death before them. Bodies...so much blood... M'gann covered her mouth as she looked away.

"Who did this?"

"Ra's Al Ghul." Arsenal shrugged.

"How do you know? Where is he now?"

"Jeez, so many questions."

"Answer them."

Arsenal held up her hands in surrender. "Okay, okay. We saw Ra's here-"

"And you didn't stop him?!"

Kori scoffed. "Not our problem."

Artemis glared at her. "Well, where is Ra's now?"

"And Jason?"

Kori and Arsenal exchanged another look before Arsenal sighed. "They are both probably on their way to the League of Assassins headquarters."

"What? Why?" Dick snapped.

"Ra's made Jason an offer he couldn't refuse and then they took off, leaving us here." Kori grumbled. "I told Jason it was a trap."

"And he knows that it is a trap. I believe his exact words were 'Of course its a trap, its Ra's freaking Al Ghul.' And then he agreed to go with Ra's anyways." Arsenal shrugged as the team looked at him like he was crazy. "What?"

"You let Jason go with Ra's Al Ghul?! Are you mad?"

"Mad Jason left us here, yeah. And Jaybird is a grown adult who can make his own decisions."

"He's what, sixteen at best?"

"Twenty-one, actually. And trust me, he can hold his own against the likes of Ra's."

The team glared at the Outlaws, talking through the mind link.

Do we believe him? How do we know Jason isn't lurking around here somewhere?

Why would he lie about Jason going off with Ra's?

I don't know...M'gann, check their brains.

On it.

Arsenal felt the familiar tickle of a telepath trying to enter his mind and chuckled. "You really don't believe us? What reason would we have to lie to you?"

The team shrugged. Kori slapped her forehead. "Can we please leave here now? I would prefer to be outside in the sun."

"We are in the middle of the Himalayas, Kori, there is no sun. Only snow."