Worlds Away

“Starfire!” Nightwing yelled, watching helplessly as his lover was thrown into the side of the building. 

“Hello, Robin,” a familiar, slimy voice called. “Funny seeing you again.”

Dick turned, teeth bared as he glared at his familiar foe. “What do you want?”

“Just to talk, nothing more,” Deathstroke cooed. 

The two men circled each other, each automatically analyzing the other for a weak spot. They lunged at the same time, trading blows and kicks that were met and matched by the other. Deathstroke took all of Dick’s concentration, he always had, which was exactly the point. 

Gizmo and Cyborg were toe to toe, each trying to take the other down with technological prowess, while Brain, Monsieur Mallah, and Madame Rouge all took turns taking a beating out of Changeling. Raven was trying to help her green partner, only for Killer Moth, his daughter Kitten, and her now husband Fang to ambush her from behind. Raven threw spell after spell, opening her mouth to say the infamous words. 

“Azarath, Metrion, Zin—” Fang sprayed a web at her mouth, cutting her off. Changeling was thrown into her, and the two tumbled onto the ground. Monsieur Mallah easily grabbed Changeling off of the witch, hurling the man headfirst into a wall of cement. He slumped to the ground, passed out, as Fang and Kitten worked to wrap Raven in chains with strange runes etched into them. They hefted the half-demon, then they were gone in a flash of light. Nightwing cried out as his kick fell onto pure air, catching and righting himself. He looked around the scene, shaking his head. 

“Guys,” Cyborg called, “where’s Raven?”

John dragged a hand down his face, taking another drag of his cigarette. “What do you mean they got little blackbird? Zee, what’s going on?”

“I don’t know, John. Whatever you do, stay in the House of Mystery. Don’t leave for anything.”

“Maybe you should too, love. It can protect us both.”

“I appreciate the thought, I really do, John. But I can’t hide. S.T.A.R. Labs in just about every city are being attacked left and right, and the Marvels are under attack, and… I just can’t.”

“Alright. Stay safe, Zee.”

“You too, John.”

The phone beeped, and John shook his head. “I need a drink.”

Spider-Man swung alongside Signal, the two making their way through the streets of Gotham, following their daily route. They paused on a rooftop to catch their breaths, and Duke turned to Peter. “You holding up alright?”

Peter nodded, grateful his mask masked the dark circles under his eyes. 

Duke put his hand on his hips and looked at his friend. “Seriously? That was a rhetorical question, I already know the answer. Now, fess up, what’s going through your head, Spidey?”

Peter sighed heavily and plopped down on the edge of the building. Signal joined him, the two looking out over the streets of their city. “What if all this is happening because of me?”

“Okay, I don’t want to dismiss you outright, ‘cause that would be detrimental, but um. Seriously? Why?”

“I don’t know, I just. Have this feeling, alright?”

“Well at least there’s a reason beyond your self-deprecation,” Duke deadpanned. “Is it like your spidey sense?”

“Kinda? I don’t know how to explain it.”

“For what it’s worth, I don’t think any of this is your fault. I think you may be a part of it, but I think this would have happened whether you were here or not, ya feel me?”

Peter nodded. “I think so.”

“Alright.” Duke stood up and stretched a bit before aiming his grappling gun at the next building. “Then let’s go kick some bad guy butt. Lead the way, Spidey.”

“It’s your patrol route.”

“And it’s your sixth sense, Cole Spear. Where’s it taking us?”

Peter took off, with Signal close behind.

Peter’s eyes were closed as he listened to the different noises that he now associated with these little weekly meetings. No one had guessed that Ivy and Harley were double agents yet and Peter would take what he could get. He swallowed, knowing now to recognize Luthor’s footsteps and heartbeat, as the man walked onto the stage. “I know I have kept you in the dark for a while, but I believe it is finally time to let you all know what I have been working on. With the magic users and the other people I have asked you to collect, we are going to create this.”

A gasp echoed through the room, and Luthor continued. “This will allow us to mind wipe anyone we so desire. Stick with me, prove you can be a trusted ally, and it’s not just Justice League members whose minds will be a clean slate. Anyone you want will be as mindless as a newborn, anyone. All I need is for you to continue working with me, friends. The code for next time is ‘the beginning of time.’ I will see you all next week.”

Peter swung with the others to where they parked their bikes, and hitched a ride with Tim as they made their way over to Robinson Park. Breaking several traffic rules, they made it back in no time and parked a safe distance away before sneaking in. Ivy and Harley arrived shortly after them, quietly discussing the meeting. Peter wrapped them in a hug before stepping back and listening to whatever it is they had to say.

“So a mind-wiping machine, huh?” Jason grunted. 

The two women nodded. “There’s a list of further parts needed that was handed out,” Ivy said, handing the piece of paper off to Jason, who immediately passed it to Tim.

Tim took out his phone and took a picture of the paper before studying it carefully. He shook his head, scratching the back of his neck. “I just don’t get it,” he said after a moment. “None of these parts look like they would be for a mind-erasing device, you know? I can’t pinpoint what exactly they would be used for, but I don’t think it’s for anything to do with minds.”

“Maybe they already got the parts they needed for that?” Peter guessed hesitantly. 

Tim took a photo of the paper before handing it back to Peter. “See if you can make heads or tails of it.”

Peter scanned it, shrugging. “I only recognize a couple of these, and they look like components for a power source, from what I can tell.” 

Peter handed it back to his Aunt Harley, who smiled wearily and patted him on the head in lieu of ruffling his hair like she normally would do. 

Peter could feel the exhaustion coming off Tim in waves as the teen ran a hand through his hair. “Thank you, again. Are you alright if we take Peter this time?”

Harley giggled. “Sure thing, toots. Just don’t get too wild, ya feel me?”

Peter and Tim turned as red as Peter’s mask and as red as Tim’s hero name. “O— of course, Dr. Quinn,” Tim stuttered.

Peter hugged them goodbye and followed Tim, Cass, and Jason out of Robinson Park and back to their bikes, where they split up, each heading for a different secret entrance to the Batcave. Peter focused on Tim’s heartbeat, letting the rest of the world fall away as he grounded himself on the steady thrum. The rest of the city passed in a blur, coinciding with Peter’s thoughts. It listed a palladium core, he knew what that was. Some things potentially needed for nuclear fusion? Or fission? Peter just didn’t know.

The bike pulled to a stop and Peter reluctantly removed his arms from Tim’s torso. The two heroes were the last to get there and joined the group sitting around the Batcomputer. Bruce was already studying something, likely a copy of the parts list that Tim had taken a photo of. 

“What do you think, B?” Tim asked, nearly collapsing into one of the chairs.

Bruce shook his head. “I don’t recognize a lot of these parts either. We’ll take it to S.T.A.R. tomorrow and see what they can make of it. Thank you all. Dismissed.”

“Mr. Parker, are you even awake back there?”

Peter jolted, staring guiltily at Professor Macpherson. She shook her head fondly, asking again, “Who constructed the Robert Kane Memorial Bridge?”

Peter bit his lip. “Robert Kane?” If the snickers making their way around the classroom were anything to go by, it was likely not him. 

Professor Macpherson sighed. “No. They were built by the brothers Nicholas and Bradley Anders.”

Oh! Peter recognized those names! “Those were the guys that were actually step-brothers but changed their name for the sake of their business, right?”

“Right you are, Mr. Parker. It’s good to know you’ve been paying at least a little attention.”

The lesson continued on, with Peter trying (and failing) to not zone out again. Finally the bell rang, and Peter packed up his stuff and started to amble out the door behind Tim and Duke. “Mr. Parker?” Macpherson called.

Peter turned. “Yes?”

“A moment, please. Shut the door behind you.”

Peter’s eyes were wide as he did so, his shoulders hunched slightly as he walked back over to her desk. “Yes?”

“Peter, I’m worried about you. You and Mr. Drake and Miss Brown and Mr. Thomas. You kids have been up a bit late, haven’t you?”

Peter raised an eyebrow. “Plenty of teenagers stay up late,” he mumbled. 

She sighed and looked at him over her glasses. “I tend to like to know my students, Peter. So if I see on the Bat-watch forums that these young heroes are out later and later each night and four of my students come walkin’ in my classroom with bags under their eyes, I can put two and two together. I’ve known for a while now, and once you figure out one, it’s not hard to put the rest together. Don’t worry, I’m not about to tell anyone, lad. Just make sure… just be safe, okay? And for god’s sake, you kids get some sleep, alright? Take a break, please. That will be all, thank you.”

Peter mechanically walked back out of the classroom, trying to keep his jaw off the floor. How many people knew in this stupid city? 

“What was that about?” Duke asked. “You look like you’ve seen the ghost of Millie Jane Cobblepot.”

Peter grabbed his friends and yanked them into a nearby janitor’s closet, closing the door. “She knows,” he hissed. “She knows and she… she wants us to get more sleep.”

“She knows?!” Steph whisper shouted. “How?!”

“She said once you figure out one, it’s not hard to figure out the rest, and that she wants us to be safe.”

Tim was paler than normal, and Duke looked like he had swallowed a lemon. “Peter,” Duke asked, grabbing the other teen’s shoulders, “what do your senses say about this?”

“My Spidey Sense?”

“Yes.”

Peter took a deep breath and focused, surprised when he felt nothing. “I don’t… it’s not buzzing.”

Duke exhaled, slumping forward. “Good. If your weird spider sense thing isn’t going off, I don’t think we have to be worried about her. Any of the other teachers, maybe, but I don’t get those vibes from her, you know? And besides, Pete’s weird sense has never led us wrong before, right?”

Steph nodded, looking determined and relieved. “Right. You’re absolutely right, Duke. Come on, we’ve camped out in this closet for long enough.”

With that, she threw the door open and marched to her next class with three boys in tow.