Damn...

I watched the CD over and over that I found in Robin's room. I kept wanting to believe it was faked. Though my intuition told me it was not. I put it through every test on the Bat computer.

No it's real, but it makes no sense Black Mask has been dead for a year. And it was Selina that tossed him off the roof. So Spoiler shot an animated corpse but she didn't know that. I somehow suspect that it has something to do with this black ring that Bruce Cain was clutching when we defeated him.

I scanned it. It's like Hal's John's and Guy's rings. But for the life of me I can't figure out what its source of power is. That’s not my concern right now what is that Spoiler was willing to commit murder.

No she couldn't get arrested for it, because there are no laws against shooting zombies, and I could maybe understand why she would want to kill Mask he killed her. But what I want to know is will she do anything like this again?

I don't want another Red Hood running around Gotham. Diana walks up behind me Blast! I forgot our date.
“Somehow I knew I’d find you in the cave Bruce. You know Gotham or the world won't fall apart if you take some time off." She looks at the screen "Hera!"

“Yes seeing one of the young heroes go astray is startling." I groan.

“Well yes there is that but look how scared she is her hand is shaking. She seems terrified of the skull faced man."

Part of me thought "Of course Diana wouldn't have a problem with killing look what she did to Max Lord." That part I stifled immediately. Because last time I mentioned Max Lord this happened.

Not an experience I'd like to repeat. "I don't want her ending up like Jason." I say instead. "I hope I'm not too late."

"She doesn't seem as comfortable with lethal force as Jason. Though I would suggest you not fire her or try to take away her costume this time." Diana suggests.

“I did those things to try and save her life, but in hindsight it made her want to prove herself more. Sigh. Richard was such a good kid he grew up to be an even better man, I'm not sure I was ready for more difficult children like Jason."

“Stephanie is not yours Bruce like Dick and Jason, and now Tim."

" Yes but I'm still responsible she was Robin as well, I have to find out if she can be redeemed or if I'll have to take her down one day."

Alfred runs down the stirs “I’m sorry master Bruce! I couldn't stop him from coming in."

Wolverine busts in and tries to claw at me; Diana grabs his wrist and slams him against the cave wall “You are a guest here, act like it!"

"Hidin' behind yer girlfriend eh?" Logan growls.

“I’ve beaten you a couple of times already Logan, as you have defeated me as well. I didn't bring you here to fight with her I had actually forgotten she was coming here. No I called you here to show you this message.

I show him a printout of a computer message I had gotten earlier in the day. It reads "Rishou is in Kyoto." signed?.

“The Question? Yaw believes 'im?"

“His relationship with reality maybe somewhat strained, but yes I believe he may have uncovered something."

“Then what're waitin' for? Let's go bub."

Looks like Spoiler will have to wait as will Diana. “Can we take a rain check?" I ask.

She rolls her eyes. “I understand, if you need any help..."

“I’ll call." I assure her. You know I must be as insane as some people think I am. Instead of going out on a date with Wonder Woman I'm on the Batplane with a smelly short mutant. Yes I am insane but after Rishou is taken down hopefully I'll never have to see Wolverine again.

When we land in Japan, however our progress is impeded when Logan is immediately attacked by ninjas.

What is it with him and ninjas? Hh. This is going to be a long trip.

Cain goes home.

We found Bruce Cain; oddly he was in the morgue hovering over the body of Black Mask. Why is he still in the Morgue? He was killed over a year ago. I look at it and oddly the body has a gun shot whole in the forehead, what is Jim Gordon letting them do in here?

Then a thought came to my mind, zombies? I hope not I really hate zombies. I push that thought to the back of my head. “Bruce it’s time for you to return home."

" Heh. No matter what time I'm in you always want to get rid of me Grandpa."

I ignore that. “You’ve killed way too many people, to be allowed to go free. I'm sorry Bruce you have to pay for your crimes."

He laughs. "Any 'crime' I committed was undone by the Dragon Balls. I asked the dragon to restore anyone I've killed that didn't deserve it. I've had a change of heart I changed my history and am no longer the same person..."

I stop him." You being here disrupts the timeline."

He punches me out the window of the morgue. "Bah! I go where I want to go."

Terry flies in to Cain. “If you've hurt him... "

Cain kicks McGuiness off of him. “Don’t worry he's only bruised. I don't kill family , lucky for you Terry."

What does he mean by that? I'm still adopting kids however many years into the future Bruce comes from? Hh Forget about that I have to worry about defeating this saiyan.

It turns out a boy with Saiyan powers, super strength and speed, along with Cassandra's is rather hard to defeat. What's worse, he knows how I work I reach for my belt and he blasts at me before I can use Sonics, or sleeping gas.

I leap over the blast and he grabs me and tears off the belt then tosses me across the alley. “Enough of your toys gramps."

Terry fires those Batrangs from his suit. Cain dodges them oddly he has the same look on his face Cass does when she dodges bullets. He then blasts Terry in such a way to destroy his suit, but not Terry.

“Last Warning you two! Back off!"

Terry looks over to me “Any ideas?"

“Always. The things against us he’s as powerful as Superman his first language is body language he knows what we're going to do before we do. But we do have an advantage for whatever reason he won't go all out against us, I need a distraction so I can get to my belt."

Almost as if on cue Wolverine pops up and yells " You and, me are gonna talk about why ya didn't give Ana backup!"

Wolverine again? This guy is worse than obsessed ex girlfriend. (Stop calling me Talia!) It doesn't matter when he tries to jump over, and slash me Cain backhands him away. "Don't you touch him Rodent!"

Logan makes a swipe at Cain "Why do ya care saiyan?"

Cain grabs Logan's arm and slams it into the mutant's chest. “This is a family spat Freak!"

While Cain was blasting Logan I run over and grab the belt, I find the tranq gas capsules and toss enough to knock out a herd of elephants. Cain passes out.

We leave Wolverine to heal in the alley. I really don't have time to deal with his whining right now. Terry drags Cain to a clearing then smiles. “When the time comes doesn’t be such a bastard to me huh?"

" Hn. I can't guarantee that, If you are to survive in the Mean streets of Gotham you need to be tough."

He rolls his eyes you never did change did you?" he pushes a button on his belt and vanishes. Well that's one less problem stalking around, now to take care of Iron Man.


Meanwhile in the Future Terry appears in New Gotham. “Okay Cain let's get you to the cave Ibn Al Xu'ffach. Is going to have a fit when he knows you're back. Hope the LOA still considers you the true heir to their leadership, or The Old Man's plan is going to go down hill fast. That and if you'll cooperate.

All of the sudden the two are surrounded. “Good work Batman! Now turn over Mr. Cain to us."

“And who the frak are you?" Terry asks.

“We’re the Chronal law enforcement agency, Cain here created a major disruption in the Timeline one that's having ripple effects all up and down the time stream, Cain wake up! You are under arrest!"

As they pull Cain away Terry growls “Crap! Wayne isn't going to like this."

A visit from Ironman

I wake up and find a huge statue of Bart Allen in my front yard. Sigh it's obvious who put that there. I get dressed and walk down the hall to Robin's room. “Tim! Get that out of the front yard!" I yell knocking at his door.

“Where am I supposed to put it Bruce?"

“How about where Titan's Tower used to be?"

" How about you stop using the Titans for free labor?" He yells.

“I would but they keep breaking things, I think hey owe me at least a million dollars at this point." I notice MS. Martian walking by. “Excuse me? Would you mind taking the Kid Flash statue to Titan's Tower?"


She gets defensive. “But I have not broken anything."

“I’ll buy you an ice cream cake."

“Joy!" She phases through the wall to the statue. Good that's done. Alfred gets the car ready, While I make a few calls, After making sure I'm not needed by the JLA, outlaws or in Gotham, I get in the car , and get ready to go to Wayne Enterprises , Joy. And yes that was sarcasm.

While in the car, Oracle calls, I'm hoping it's something that can get me out of work. No such luck. “Batman? Jason has apparently been annoying Batwoman."

“Okay what's he doing now?" I rub the temples of my head.

“Well seems he has a girlfriend, and he was asking Batwoman for um, help in um...."

I stop her “I think I get the idea Barbara. Speaking of which, when you talk dirty to Richard over the communicators make sure you are only talking to him, I caught Superboy, Blue Beetle, and The Devil Kid all listening in to you last night."

I hear a gasp over the communicator. “How long did they listen?"

“I don't know, but Conner was taking notes, and it wasn't just them, think of how many heroes have those communicators..."

“Oh my god I can't look any of them in the eyes again, I have to go."

And that was the last thing that was interesting for hours that day, board meetings, office work, phone calls, Etc, Etc. Finally I received a buzz from my secretary. “Mr. Anthony Stark is here."

I was confused for a second, "The teenager or the adult?"

"Adult sir."

“Send him in."

Stark comes looking like the cat that ate the canary.

“What does the deputy director of SHIELD Want with me?" I ask in my meekest voice possible while trying not to punch him in the jaw.

“It’s not you Mister Wayne, but you're alter ego I’m interested in."

“What?" I ask.

“I know you're Batman, you might as well quit acting, you've been annoying us with those Outlaws of yours for some time, but it ends here."

I put my finder on a button underneath my desk. “Is that so?"

"Yes I didn't come here for a fight. Normally I'd arrest you, on many charges, including child endangerment, and espionage. Besides the fact that you are a vigilante. But this is far more important."


“More important than you taking away people's liberties?" I accuse. “You and your Registration Act drafted anyone with a superpower!"

He glares. "Like you trusted them so much did you not create Brother I to watch those with Superpowers? Or do you not have many ways to defeat the Justice League in case they go rouge in your computer? Look here, the registration Act wasn't perfect, but it was the lesser of two evils heroes need training, and the Teen Titans idea doesn’t work, hell how many of them are dead now? People didn't want vigilantes with the power to burn down cities just running around. “He sighs.” But this is bigger."

“What is?"

“You should Know Bruce, Skrulls they now have superpowers, all of them."

I sigh. “I and The Outlaws did find evidence that they were experimenting with the metahuman genome, they couldn't duplicate Kryptonian, but others they were close."

“Well they've succeeded, Mister Wayne. One had the eyebeams of Cyclops, someone's fire power, and other abilities. They are going to take hew world right from under our noses unless we fight back."

“What do you propose?" I ask.

“You’re too big a resource to lock away It would be better to have Batman fighting there skrulls, than sitting in a cell. I say we pool our resources, rid the Earth of this threat, and then worry about anything else later. "

I shake his hand. “Sounds good, though I still don't like you."

“You don't have to." He smiles. “I’ve worked with USAgent so I'm used so I know people don't have to like each other to work for the common good."

The Outlaws aren't going to like this, tough, if they don't they know where the door is. After I get home I dress in my bat costume and am about to call a meeting of the JLA to brief them on the Stark situation. When this strange teenage, boy stumbles into the cave.

“Bruce I need you're help!"

“Who are you?" I yell. “How did you get into this cave?"

“Well my name's terry and I'm Batman."

Great an insane kid I'm about to throw a Batarang at him when he shows me technology more advanced than I've ever seen, And of all things it' an I pod from the future.

“I’m from another time and I've been sent to take Bruce Cain back with me."

“By Who?" I interrogate.

“By you."

Sounds like I need to hear this kid out, I'll decide if he's crazy after.