Family Isn't Just Blood

(Bat Boys in Quarantine) Part 2- Are We There Yet?

             Of course we were aware of the virus that had been spreading all over Wuhan and taking hundreds of lives. Of course we were aware it had started to spread to other places. Of course we had seen the fatality rates on the news, seen the pictures of hundreds of people begging for help inside hospitals, seen the pictures of hundreds more body bags being stacked on top of each other. Of course we never imagined anything like that could happen to us. So when I got the call from Tim, I assumed it was about the regular business. He needed to borrow a case file, needed one of Roy's bots to record some footage of one villain or another, the usual stuff.

I reached into my back pocket when I felt my phone vibrating, not taking my eyes away from the binoculars.

"Hey Timbers whaddya need?"

"Where are you Jason?" I chuckled. Trying to ease the tension I heard in his voice.

"What's the matter man?"

"Jason haven't you seen the news?"

"Not lately... I'm kinda off the grid right now." I heard Roy short behind me and reached my hand behind me to flip him off.

"Ok whatever, it doesn't matter where you are. You just need to get home. Do you need a car? Plane? Bike? A... blimp? I don't know."

"Don't think I'll be needing any of those Timbers. Although if Batsy wants to part with the douche-mobile I'll gladly take it."

"Jason please. I just need you to get home. The borders are closing in two days." It took me a minute to register what he said.

"Elaborate kid." I said, chewing on my lip.

"Coronavirus cases all over Gotham. All over America for that matter. There's so many deaths, it's just spreading so fast. The government is closing the border in two days. After that they'll only let American citizens back. And if you don't get home in two days... well... you're not an American citizen because... because you're...."

"Dead."

"Yeah." Both of us went radio silent for a while. My mind was going into overdrive.

"How fast can you get home Jay?" Tim whispered. Like he was trying not to spook a scared animal.

"I'll see you soon kid."

"Jason wai-"

Click.

My hands lowered the binoculars until I was just sitting there, staring at the miles of sand in front of me. I turned to face Kori and Roy. I didn't even have to say anything. Somehow they already knew.