Lost Son

ecurb

Bruce landed the plane in the cave, rushing out of the vehicle to the medical part of the cave to find two of his sons laying on gurneys, Alfred tending to their wounds. Bruce pulled the cowl off his head, staring down at them with concern. "How are they, Alfred?"

Alfred barely spared Bruce a glance as he tended to an injury on Dick's stomach. "They will live and recover, Master Bruce." He sighed, finishing the wrapping. "I believe you must go find Master Damian and stop him from injuring your wayward son now. I will keep an eye on the young masters' injuries."

"Thank you. I will return." Bruce replied, pulling the cowl over his head once more before exiting the medical area, heading over to the batmobile. He jumped inside, taking off into the night towards Jason's apartment.

Bruce could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he drove, his blood pressure rising with each city block. He pushed down harder on the gas, zigzagging his way through traffic until he was at his second oldest apartment, parking the armored vehicle in the back alley. Stepping outside the Bat mobile, Bruce raced up the fire escape to the roof, landing softly just as his com buzzed to life in his ear.

"-man. Can you read me?" Cheshire's voice came through the little device, making the detective furrow his brow.

"Cheshire? What's going on?" Bruce asked, pausing in his steps. The young woman keeping tabs on his son for him rarely reached out, only in emergencies.

Something was severely wrong.

"Batman, listen to me. It is Talia's son, Damian. He did something to Jason's mind, warped his memories somehow. He now thinks - even more than before - that you are the enemy. He is coming after you to kill you."

Bruce could hear pain in Cheshire's voice. "Did he attack you?"

"No, Strange injected me with the same serum I gave to him when we first hired him. I guess payback is a bitch, huh." Cheshire grunted. "Anyways, Jason and Damian are on their way to you, they left about three minutes ago."

Bruce sighed. "Damnit. I just got to the apartment."

"Well, you might want to turn around and head back home, before Jason kills your family."

"Noted. Thank you, Cheshire. Your information is invaluable." Bruce leapt off the roof to the alley below, hopping back in the armored car. He set the car on autopilot back to the Batcave and pulled up a call with Alfred.

"How did it go, sir?" Alfred's voice came through the speaker system in the vehicle as Bruce surveyed every camera from Jason's apartment back to the manor, trying to locate Jason and Damian.

"Alfred, they are on their way to the cave. Damian, he...did something to Jason's mind, according to Jade. What, I'm not sure. She claims he warped Jason's memories and he now wants to kill me. I assume that means the rest of the family, as well." Bruce informed his father figure. "Lock down the cave and don't let Dick or Tim leave. I'm on my way."

"Of course, sir." Alfred cut the call off, most likely to prepare for the inevitable attack from the undead son.

Next on his do to list was to call Talia, let her know he found Damian. She answered on the first ring. "Beloved."

"Talia, Damian twisted Jason's mind - warped his memories somehow - and he is now hellbent on killing me. The two of them are heading to my home. I thought I would let you know." Bruce spoke gruffly, still sifting through the surveillance feeds from all the cameras as the car piloted itself back to the cave.

He heard a sigh on the other end. "I am on my way. Maybe...maybe I can talk some sense into both of them, set things right. And perhaps I can fix Jason's memories. And if not I, then perhaps the Martian girl from your team of young heroes can set his mind right?"

"Thank you, Talia. I will see you at the Manor." Bruce ended the call just as the Bat mobile was pulling up to the manor. He immediately saw a bike - Jade's bike, Jason must've stolen it while she was knocked out - and hopped out of the car, racing towards the front door. Bursting inside, Bruce made his way to the study and bypassed the lockdown of the cave, sensing the atmosphere right away.

They were inside the Bat cave.

He was too late.

Taking his cowl off, Bruce walked slowly further into the cave, never letting his guard down. "Nightwing? Robin? Alfred?"

"They are otherwise...occupied, Batman." Bruce turned to see Jason standing by the computer with the three aforementioned males all tied up together, gags in their mouths.

Bruce kept his face neutral. "Where is your brother?"

Jason laughed. "Oh, you mean Damian? He's here, he is just finding the perfect seat to watch it all go down."

"To watch what go down, Jason?" Bruce asked, needing to hear the words himself, to hear his son confirm it.

Jason sneered. "To watch me kill you, of course."

Again, Bruce showed no reaction. "Why do you want to kill me?"

Jason's sneer turned to a look of pure rage. "Why? Why?! Maybe because you set me to my death before, Brucie. Or, maybe, because it is the only way to get back at Talia for going back on our deal. Or, maybe, it is because you said you wished I was still dead!"

This time, Bruce furrowed his brow. "What are you talking about, Jay? I never said that."

Scoffing with an eye roll, Jason pulled out a throwing knife. "Oh, please. You want to add gaslighting to the list now?"

Bruce took a step closer to Jason, who aimed the knife at the tied up trio. Bruce stepped back, hands raised in surrender. "Jay, I'm serious. I would never say I wished you were still dead because that just isn't true. You're my son and I love you."

"Then why do I remember it clear as day?" Jason glared, confusion flashing in his eyes. "Riddle me that, Batman."

Before Bruce could reply, a crash was heard further in the cave. Out of the shadows emerged Talia, an unconscious Damian in her arms. "Because, my son, your brother messed with your head. But don't fret, I intend to set your mind right."

Another shortish chapter for ya but better than no chapter, right?

LMK what you think, please.