Family Isn't Just Blood

(Bat Boys in Quarantine) Part 3 - The Email

                      I gotta admit, when Tim first told me about what was going on a little piece of me didn't believe him. Ok maybe it was more than just a little piece, but come on, you can't expect me to just believe that I have to stop everything I'm doing just because of some dumb cold on steroids. I'd been working on this mission for months, even before we got out here. I'd been tracking drug shipments, 'borrowing' missing person cold case files from the GCPD, hell, I even tried to make a deal with one of the drug shippers just so I could get on the inside of the organization. That cost me a broken rib.

When Tim told me about the border closing... that's when I started to believe him. I never fly commercial airlines, I mean Kori does have her own ship so I don't really need to. Still, border security is never a great thing for me. I don't actually have a legit passport or any ID, because, like Tim said, I'm legally dead.

Of course I considered staying. How could I not consider that? I'm too close to this case to just back out. I'm already in Arabia, which happens to be the home of the Al Ghul's. Mainly, Talia. I'm sure we could work something out so that I could stay there until I finish this case and go home. If it was just me here I probably would've done that. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if Kori and Roy stayed with me once Talia and I worked something out. I could keep them busy so they wouldn't piss off Talia, right? Who am I kidding, there's no way I could stop Roy from making sex jokes around Talia. There's also no way I could stop Kori and Talia from starting an all out war with each other.

I didn't even bother asking them if they'd leave without me. I knew if I did ask I'd probably get a light smack from Roy and Kori probably would've picked up both me and Roy right then and flew us back to our apartment.

So here we are, all our equipment loaded up into Kori's jet, flying over the Pacific Ocean. Kori was sitting in the captain's chair even though the jet was on autopilot, Roy was in the seat next to her. I was in the back, glairing out the window at the stupid fucking ocean.

"How is Jason doing?" Kori whispered to Roy. He turned in his chair to glance back at me, I didn't look up.

"Well, I think he's trying to set the ocean on fire with his eyes." Roy opened his eyes with his fingers for effect. "So I'd say we made progress from ten minutes ago when he tried to wear a hole in the floor by pacing so he could fall out of the plane and away from his own bullshit."

"Zip it Kim Possible." Roy turned around and fake gasped at me.

"Low blow dude." I just rolled my eyes and turned back to the window.

"Talk to us Jason, please." Kori said, keeping her eyes on the sky ahead of us. I wish she wasn't so good at reading me.

"Look I just- I don't see why we have to go back. We're so close to ending one of the biggest cults in Arabia. It's the Krokodil of Myriad for fucks sake. They're testing on innocent people and getting away with it. I don't want to throw away months of work just because of some flu on steroids. What are we even supposed to do once we get back?"

"I know man. We were this fucking close to busting that cult. Look I don't know how serious this thing is but your brother sounded serious. Let's just get across the border and see how bad this thing is. Then we can decide what we're gonna do."

"We have a good place to stay if this is as serious as your brother said, Jason."

"Yeah." I signed. I didn't really have much to say to that. I guess they've got a point. Not that I'd ever tell them that. I turn back to the window but not before I catch a glimpse of the look Roy and Kori give to each other. I hate that they're worried about me.

Kori landed the plane in the usual place we stored it, an old hanger on the outskirts of Gotham. The people who had bothered moving out here were either junkies, recluses, or dead, so there wasn't much need for concern about anyone taking the jet. We covered Kori's jet (or Joliene as Roy named it) with some canvas tarps and locked up the doors. We'd called a cab to take us up here before we left three weeks ago so we hadn't left our bikes here to ride back on.

"Want me to call an Uber?" Roy asked, holding up his phone.

"Yeah go for it. It's not like we have another way to get home."

Fifteen minutes later we were all sitting in an Uber, speeding through Gotham's back alley roads to avoid traffic. Roy and Kori were in the back seats and I was up front. Our driver was silent save for the occasional rumble of a smokers cough. I fucking hope I don't get one of those, I should probably stop smoking. Then again.. nah.

"Jason what are we supposed to do when we get back?" Kori asks, looking at me through the rearview mirror.

"Who cares," Roy chimes in, finally glancing up from his phone. "I just can't wait to get in the fucking shower."

"Yeah I can't wait until you get in the shower either Roy." I snorted, ignoring the childish kick my seat received. "I don't know Kor, I guess we just get ourselves put together and wait. I'll give Timbers a call once we're back."

"Do you think everyone in your family will have to come home too?"

"Probably. Barbra was in Italy last time I checked, and Dick's been living in Blüidhaven for months. As far as I know Tim and Damian have been living with Bruce."

"Do you think Dick will come back to the city of Gotham?" She sounds so casual that for a minute I forgot they used to date.

"Well, he'll probably-"

"Shit. Kori look at this." Roy interrupts and shoves his phone in her face. I turn around in my seat to face them.

"This was sent a week ago?" Kori asks, scrolling through Roy's phone. He nods in response. Shit he's pale, like paler than usual. Even Kori looks worried.

"What's wrong?" I asked. Kori looked up at me with concern. I don't even think Roy heard me. She hands me the phone and I feel dread rise in my stomach as I read through the message.