Touch Of The Past

Chapter 8

Batman contacts the teens a week and a half later. They're impatient, and the relief that he hadn't forgotten his promise was evident in the text message they'd replied with, though Jazz more so than Tucker.

The conversation went something like this:

Are you able to reach a Zeta Beam without alerting anyone?

Tucker: Yes, where is it?

Jazz: I can distract my parents, yes, I'll say I'm going to the library. Where is the thing, I'll leave immediately.

I chuckle a little at her tone, and Batman doesn't even chide me.

Between 109 and 111 on street 8900, there is a graffiti marking. The farthest down right brick with paint is a sensor. Place your hand there, an eye scan will then confirm your identity from another area. The Zeta Beam will take you to the Young Justice headquarters. Together, 4:30.

Tucker: Street 8900? You mean Boo Avenue?

Yes.

Tucker: Okay.

Jazz: We'll be there!

I thought the exclamation point was a bit much, but I don't say anything and neither does Batman. He'd shut down my arguments with a single look, and hadn't been willing to reopen the subject.

"I get that there's no changing your mind," I start instead, "But can you at least tell me why?"

"Phantom has been on my radar for some time," Batman reveals, but I'm not really surprised. "There were several Leaguers that have gone to Amity Park and have seen varied results. They eventually concluded that the entire ghost thing was a hoax. I wasn't so sure. I wasn't ever able to investigate myself in person."

"Bruce Wayne is very busy," I agree. He's been doing this merge, or something, with an Axion Labs and it's kept Bruce Wayne in the spotlight almost every day for the past six, seven months.

"I researched online. The newspaper articles were poorly written and obviously exaggerated, the photos of horrible quality, and the proof shaky at best. However- the most popular ghost, Phantom, was real, at the very least. He could be a disguised human playing vigilante, but this photo" he refers to the picture of Phantom and his quarreling friends "proves the least he can do is fly."

"What does that have to do with Jazz and Tucker?"

"In my research, there were three individuals that have human identities that were constantly seen around Phantom. Jasmine Fenton, Tucker Foley and Samantha Manson. Each had records, either good or bad.

"Jasmine 'Jazz' Fenton is a certified genius. She has received the highest CAT score recorded and her IQ is estimated between 160-170." I give a small 'wow' of appreciation. "She's published studies on the human psyche that even I have used. She uses the pseudonym 'Dr. Marianne Cooke'.

"Tucker Foley is a bit more disguised. At first glance he seemed ordinary, but I looked deeper anyway" he ignores my muttered 'paranoid' and continues typing on his console "to find his computer records had shown evidence of major hacks. He is an accomplished programmer and his raw skill rivals yours or mine, even if it lacks technique."

"Impressive."

"Samantha Manson has records of kickboxing and karate instructions, mostly by private tutors. She has been in trouble with authorities for domestic violence a few times. All seems to be done discreetly."

"She didn't tell her friends?"

"Not to my knowledge."

"Not to your knowledge?" I ask with a smirk.