What Now

The Preparations

"-but no! The moron never listens to me!" Arsenal huffed, dragging in a raggedy breath as he finished his ten minute long rant about how Jason would get himself killed - again - because he doesn't listen to anyone, especially Arsenal and Kori.

"We get it! Oh, my god. Please, stop talking." Roy groaned, turning to his friends. "Is my voice really that annoying?"

His teammates avoided his eyes, one them whistling 'nonchalantly'. Batman cleared his throat, gaining the attention of the gathered team and Justice League members, all of whom stood at attention once they noticed the scowl on Bruce's face.

Dick recognized that face and instantly shook his head. "No, no way. Nuh-uh. Not happening."

"Nightwing-" Batman started to growl, only to get cut off by his ward.

"No! We aren't going down the self-sacrificial road! That is ridiculous and exactly what Ra's wants." Dick glared at Batman. "We are going to stay here and figure out a real plan of attack, one that gets Jason out alive and keeps you alive too. Got it?"

Batman stayed silent.

"I said got it?"

Batman grumbled an affirmative answer.

"Good, now I will open the floor to suggestions that aren't trading Batman's life for Jason's."

- - -

Jason spat out the gag for the tenth time, smirking up at Ra's. "Sorry to disappoint, Ra's, but Bats ain't coming for me. I'm the wrong Jason, as you already know."

"True, but you are a Jason Todd, his greatest failure-"

"Ouch."

"-his biggest regret-"

"Double ouch."

"-and the closest thing he has had to a son. Yes, he has Richard, but he was never as close to him as he was to you. I know you don't believe that, but it is the truth. And Batman would do almost anything to right the wrong of your death."

"Except kill my killer." Jason spat out in anger. Ra's stared at him curiously. "What?"

"You think having Batman avenge your death will fix your problem?"

"Not all of them, but it would be a good start." Jason grumbled.

"My boy, it would just open a whole other can of worms for you. One I am sure you don't want to open. Trust me. I have been to a universe where Batman 'avenges' you and it is bleak, I must say."

"Thanks." Jason drawled sarcastically. "So, why haven't you just killed me already?"

"That is not the endgame here and you know that."

"True." Jason smirked. "You want to torture me, slowly and violently, in front of Batman until he is begging you to kill me out of mercy. Then you will stop, giving the weapon to Batman and force him to put me out of my misery. He will refuse, of course, until I beg him to do it. He might do it, that one is still fifty-fifty to me, and then either way he will be devastated that I am dead again. Then you challenge him to a death match. He will actually fight with the intent to kill this time, having been psychologically broken by witnessing my torture and death yet again. And whoever is victorious will throw me in the pit and then I will be on my merry way back to my own universe, correct?"

"Correct." Ra's grinned. "I'm glad we are on the same page."

"Me too, Ra's, me too." Jason chuckled, forming his own plan in his head. "This, of course, all hinges on the variable of Batman actually showing up here to 'rescue' me."

"He will."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Like I said, you are the closest he has ever had to a son, Jason. He isn't going to let you go that easily."

Jason wasn't sure at the time why he shuddered at those words, but he would soon find out just how true they were.

- - -

"And we are positive this is going to work?" Kori asked from her seat on the camouflaged bioship, eyeing the screen which showed a transmission from the Batplane, which held the members of the Justice League that would be partaking in the mission. "I will not be losing one of my only friends."

"Weren't you the one that was so confident that Jason could hold his own against Ra's?" Artemis chuckling stopped when she saw Kori's glare. "Yeah, this will work. It is fool proof."

"How can a plan be fool proof when it was made by a bunch of fools?" Kori smirked at the glares sent her way, high fiving the snickering Arsenal.

"Anyways, we are approaching the airspace above Paradise Island. Everyone be on alert, you never know what the League has up their sleeves." Dick announced.

"Usually weapons. That's what they usually have up their sleeves." Wally stage whispered to Roy, shrinking under the glare Dick sent him. "I-I mean, on alert!"

Everyone rolled their eyes as the aircrafts lowered to the ground in a clearing, putting their suits in stealth mode. They disembarked their respective planes and met in the middle, going over the plan one more time before breaking apart and running off in the direction of the marble palace.

Wally spoke to his teammates through the mind link.

Operation Safe Not-Jason From A Second Death...Commence!

Wally dude...not cool.

What? Its true!

Just because its true doesn't mean you should say it!

Whatever, I thought it was funny.

Of course you did...of course you did.

I'm sorry this is kinda short, the next chapter is going to be much more action packed than this one is, I promise!