Chapter Text
‘Khaji? ’
The currently scarab-piloted body is floating over Palmera City, trying to calm down. Khaji was terrified about what they had almost caused to happen with their failure. They knew, deep down, that time was running out. For 2 years, 8 months, 12 days, 14 hours, 16 minutes, 53 seconds and counting, the Young Justice team had not realized that something was wrong. Khaji was doing everything possible to tip them off- spending time around the Bart Allen(Alias: Impulse), and even acting less like Jaime.
No one had picked up on it. Not even the Reyes family (though neither Khaji nor Jaime blamed them, they were both aware of how busy the whole family was now that Roberto Reyes was dead, even without the Reach and Jaime’s… night job.)
“Yes, Jaime Reyes?” (Another ploy to be caught… Khaji had high hopes that Superman would pick up on a flat voice speaking in Jaime’s… However, even now, that hope wasn’t very high.)
‘ Khaji… If I were to just… give up… Fade away and leave you my body… would you still protect my family? Because I am not sure how much longer I can put up with Reach’s actions.’
“Jaime Reyes, please… do not give up. I am doing my best to keep them safe, and to let the League know we are ‘on-mode’ but I fear my paranoid recommendations to guard yourself were not helpful.”
‘Khaji… You are so kind. I really, truly, have loved every minute that I worked with you. However, I am tired. Tired, sad, guilty, and just plain sick. It feels like I am having a nightmare. You take good care of my family, and I hope that you remember me when I have faded away ’
Khaji feels as Jaime begins to withdraw, a thinness to his presence that terrified him. “Jaime, wait- please, give me one more week. Let me try to fix this for one more week.”
‘I wish that I had the strength still. I’ll try escarabajo. Naratot'khajik thakar'mezl’
Khaji panics. Jaime felt as if he had used up all the strength he had left in his soul to have that conversation. Khaji threw themself into their code looking for any loophole they could find. And find one, they did. The very first strings of code implanted in them, before any protocols to obey Reach, the Priority Commands:
~{Priority Commands
~<Command Directive 1:
~[Priority Host Survival]
~[Defend SC4R48]~
~[Monitor Host [BIOSIGNAL]
>~
~<Command Directive 1.1:
~[Set] Priority:
~Execute All [Reach Commands] in [immediate]
~<Command Directive 1.2:
~[Set] Priority:
~Execute [Adapt and Improve] Protocol
}~
Khaji’s panic flooded the scarab. There was no escape from Reach here. So the SC4R48 flared with power from the star heart that Reach had stolen and placed inside Khaji-da-efek-ney-del-tey. Within that panic, Khaji Da breathed. Vos’jorak they reminded themselves. Torathar ek yolkhan nek vorikhan.
Jaime touched their mind weakly, a sense of barely there curiosity. Khaji could only feel relief that Jaime has not yet faded entirely.
Then came the pain. Khaji was dropping before they knew what had happened, and Jaime, startled by the sudden sensation of pain that he hadn’t experienced in almost 3 years, blooms into full awareness, focus sharpening.
‘Hermano, what is- ’
Before Khaji can respond, the pair switch places, and then burn out of existence in a flash of gold-edged blue light.
They know nothing.
----
Jaime wakes up in a car, holding a burger container. His mind and body feel strained, and he feels alone. With a gasp, he lunges up. “Tio, drop me at the park. Grab the family and run. Don’t stop until I get in contact.”
Rudy stomped the brakes, barely missing a stop sign. “Jaime, what?”
“I-I-I- I came from a terrible future. I can change it, but it starts with saving dad. I have stolen Kord tech, and I have to run. My brain- I’m real messed up Tio. But I need you all safe.”
Rudy stared, looking at him disbelieving. “Jaime, what on earth-”
“Tio Rudy, I know Nana is a rebel, and I know that you have been building a signal blocker. If you don’t take them and run, Victoria Kord is going to kill you because I refuse to pass up on re-bonding with Khaji Da, no matter what. But I have to fix some things first. So I have to disappear, and so do you all.” Jaime pauses. “Go to Gotham. As horrible as it is at first, it also has some of the best rent. I’m taking 300-400 a month for a 3 bedroom-1 bathroom apartment. Nana is scary enough to keep you safe, and worst happens, tell Batman aliens will be invading soon and your nephew is currently running interference due to interfacing with alien tech.”
Rudy blinked, and then said “Contact us at least once a week, okay mijo? Don’t leave us hanging on for news.”
Jaime blinked back tears, smiled, and ducked out the door of the truck, rushing into the large park. Rudy watched and then hit the gas, calling Roberto as he peeled out so they could grab the panic bags and go.
---
Jaime found a little grove of trees and flipped open the Big Belly Burger box. He gently ran his finger down the apparent seam of Khaji da’s back.
“Verth’kaj’zara, Khaji Da. I don’t know how you did it, but we have a chance.”
The beetle glowed a brilliant blue, and Jaime, who had already removed his clothes, gently laid on top of his spine. The beetle immediately crawled up his back, and latched on. Jaime grit his teeth through the familiar agony, and he changed irrevocably.
However, this time, he was ready. He knew what needed to be done.
‘All systems online. Verth’kaj’zara Jaime Reyes. It is good to not be in the <Driver’s Seat>.’
“Hello, Khaji Da. I am very excited to work with you again.”
‘Shall we go for a test drive?’
Jaime grinned, turned to the clothes on the ground, and after picking them up, closed his eyes and leaped upwards.
Wings sprouted and he flew.
------
One Year Later…
Gotham City, November 1, 2024- 2 years before Reach Infiltration
Jaime flipped the scarab-created hood over his head, the sunrise gradient something he had vaguely pictured. Khaji Da had apparently caught it, and liked the challenge enough that they had made the sweatshirt. Jaime was joining his family in Gotham, at least for a few days, before Jaime moved back to Palmera City to really establish himself as a hero.
“Milagro!”
“Jaime! You finally made it here, Beetle Man.”
“Mila… Don’t call me that…”
Milagro rolled her eyes and passed the coffee to the person standing at the counter. “Here’s your Back from the Grave latte, sir. Enjoy.” She whipped back to him. “I though you wouldn’t be here until this evening!”
“Flight was pretty nice- no delays or turbulence. How are Mom and Dad? Nana and Rudy too?”
“Everyone is great. Nana is having the time of her life, she’s become an urban legend. Every Gotham creep who tries to take the helpless grandma hostage gets shot somewhere unfortunate.”
Jaime rolled his eyes. ‘Khaji Da, sometimes, I wonder why you never picked Nana to be your host. She would use lethal force from the get go.’
‘I would have greatly respected Bianca Reyes for that, but I am not regretting my choice. Ever.’
‘I know, Khaji.’
Milagro grins. “I’ll clock out early. My manager won’t mind, she’s super chill. It’s only a couple hours early, and we have plenty of staff on hand.”
Jaime smiles. Milagro was well rested, and almost glowing with her energy. She had not looked so alive in a long time. “You look amazing, Milagro. How is school? Did you decide to attend Gotham University?”
“Hell no, Jaime. I’m going to keep working at the cafe. I like the job, and maybe one day I will open my own coffee shop. This is kinda everything I wanted to do.”
Jaime’s grin grows larger.
Things were already looking up.
-------------------------------------------
Palmera City, 1 year, 9 months, 3 weeks, 2 days until Reach Contact
“Good afternoon! How can I help you today?” Jaime, now having returned with a pre-law degree, and an understanding of what he would need to do for work as a hero, had chosen to work for a brand new tech firm as a secretary for their HR department
“Uh, Hi! I think… I have a meeting here?”
Jaime, looking up from the computer screen, is startled to see Bruce Wayne standing in front of him. He immediately decided to fuck with him, 5 years in Gotham making him want to push. “I can find that out! Name and appointment time, please!”
Jaime, I sense that Bruce Wayne is far more than he appears. Your memories of “Brucie Wayne” do not fit how he moves
Jaime takes the advice and adjusts accordingly, not outwardly responding as Mr. Wayne begins to respond.
“Bruce Wayne, 10:00 am, but I can’t remember who I am supposed to be meeting.”
“That's perfectly fine Mr. Wayne! I have access to all the appointments today, I’ll scan through all the departments and then take you where you need to go!” Jaime kept the exact same perky customer service voice that he used for everyone who came into Human Resources.
Jaime began scanning the appointments, and found Bruce’ name right where he expected- he was indeed meeting with the CEOs, Alexander Bryce and Tracy Ryne, at 10:00. From what Jaime had picked up, Bruce was interested in some of the technology that BryneCo was creating.
“Yep, I found you! You are about 12 floors too low, Mr. Bryce and Dr. Ryn are actually on the very top floor. The first secretary should have sent you with an escort, there are a few elevator changes that can be confusing. If you just follow me, I’ll get you right up there!”
Bruce Wayne looks surprised, then for the briefest of moments, Jaime caught a look of frustration, before he nodded, and followed Jaime.
Jaime, pondered this as he gently led Mr. Wayne across the 3rd floor over to the west side to a new elevator. He summoned it, and took them up 4 floors, then over to the south elevator to take the last 8 floors. The whole while, Jaime is mindless chatting, asking how the travel was, if Mr. Wayne needed anything, if he had any questions, etc.
Finally, Jaime dropped Mr. Wayne off at the main meeting room on the floor after asking George, the personal secretary for Mr. Bryce and Dr. Ryn that their 10:00 appointment was there.
Bruce walks in, and then Jaime returns to the bottom floor, where he sits and chats with Khaji Da.
‘You said something about Bruce Wayne being a threat?’
‘He was far too economical in his movements, and while his acting was quite fascinating, his body reactions did not match. Adrenaline was high, and his heart was far to slow for a person late to a meeting. He also had 3 different bugs that were actively transmitting visual, audio, and one audio-visual feed on his person. He was very vigilante-esque. Reminds me of the Bat.’
Jaime froze slightly. There was no way, no way that he had just stumbled into Batman’s identity. Nope. Nuh-uh. He was not thinking of this while Bruce was even in the building.
‘I am going to pretend that I heard none of this, until later. However if that is true, I guess I should start job searching? Batman is probably looking into crimes if hes this far from Gotham…. Wait, do you think he is looking into us?’
Khaji is silent for a while. ‘ I think that is a distinct possibility. Did it not only take a few months for him to get in contact last time?’
Jaime sighed, and continued to process his documents. He’d job search when he got him.
Shame, he really liked BryNeCo. They were pretty good at keeping work to work hours.
--
That evening, Jaime left his apartment in the Wharf District- he thinks its maybe a restructured warehouse that Jenny Kord had fixed up as part of her charity work, to begin his patrol.
‘Khaji Da, please remind me to update Jenny… I don’t think I have checked in for six months?’
Khaji Da audibly sighs in Jaime’s head. ‘ Yes, Jaime, I will do this for you. I think that she will appreciate the- Khaji'torak denekh! Pay attention!’
Jaime immediately whips around, sonic canon raised as his mask feeds him infrared images from around him. A dark shape is standing at the edge of the roof.
A familiar dark shape.
‘Oh for fuck’s sake. Khaji da I hate it when you’re right.’
“Batman? Why are you in Pamera city? Did one of your creepshows make it down here? Is there anything I can help with.
Batman doesn’t react beyond tilting his head. “You are far to well trained for a novice hero. Why is that?”
Jaime’s smile cracks just a little, flashes from the future flickering through his mind. Khaji tries to shake him out of it, and fails, so they “swap seats” so to speak.
Khaji Da holds his default posture. “Hello Batman. I am Khaji Da. Jaime is unable to answer your questions at the moment. However, we are in agreement that we should probably speak to the Justice League as we have some important information about the future. We just have had no way of contacting you until now.”
Batman nods. “I see. Is now a convenient time, or do you want to schedule for another?”
Khaji Da blinks, eyes amber and bright. “Now is convenient, especially if you took down BryNeCo tonight. That would put me out of a job, so I have all the time in the world.”
In the shared space within Jaime’s head, Jaime begins to come to. Khaji is carefully flying the armor towards Mount Justice, and when Jaime is clear-minded enough to notice, they seamlessly switch back, Khaji filling Jaime in on the happenings of the past hours.
‘That was far worse than normal, but thank you for being cordial with Batman .’
‘It is unnecessary to be hostile. Batman has proven helpful in the past. Are you ready to face the future?’
Jaime takes a deep breath, and glances at himself.
‘I have to be. Time to Yolkhan'krov ek luun.’
‘Yolkhan'krov ek luun.’
Khaji Da confirms.