Chapter Text
A screen flickered on in Titan's Tower, provoking shouts of incredulity and confusion.
The window monitor in the Watchtower turned on suddenly, the picture blocking out the view of Earth below and drawing stunned gazes as voices called for others to come quick.
The Batcomputer illuminated a dimly lit Batcave, invoking choked gasps and tears from those gathered inside.
Transmitted across all these screens, a familiar face stared at his audience through the camera. Unmasked, with tears shining in his blue eyes, Dick Grayson, aka Nightwing, smiled weakly at them. “H-Hey, everyone…”
By the time those two words were spoken, people were already scrambling to lock onto the transmission and track it, unsure if the person on screen was real or just a trick. Oracle's fingers flew over her keyboard, and Tim played support from a secondary computer in the cave. Cyborg was trying to trace the call, while Raven had taken to trying to locate Richard through magical means. Multiple technicians at the Watchtower were also trying to locate the video’s source.
“You're probably all wondering if I'm real, huh?” Dick asked on screen, reaching up to gingerly touch the red staining his temples. He glanced at the blood on his fingertips and grimaced. “Not sure how to prove I'm not, considering everyone knows who I am now, but I guess it ultimately doesn't matter…”
In the cave, Jason cursed, clenching his fists as he noticed how pale Dick's face was, in a way that definitely spoke to a lack of health rather than a lack of sun. “Making any progress there, Tim?”
Tim grimaced, shaking his head. “Video's heavily encrypted, it's gonna take a while.”
“Unacceptable. Work faster,” Damian demanded, but his voice lacked its usual vitriol as it cracked, the young boy close to tears as he stared at the screen.
“So, yeah, surprise, I'm not dead. Not just yet, anyway…” Dick's shoulders had slumped slowly as he spoke, and now he leaned back against the wall behind him, a shaky exhale parting his lips. “Guess that'll happen soon.”
“What's he saying?” Beast Boy asked nervously, looking around at the other Titans, his dread building when he saw Roy's grim look.
Dick's eyes drifted to the side of the camera, looking thoughtful. “Honestly, though, I'd prefer it happen. A ghost has to pass on eventually, right?” He mused, his gaze distant as he blinked slowly.
Tim swore sharply, the clacking of his keyboard growing frantic. “Dick, don't give up yet. Just hold on, we'll find you.”
“Todd?”
Jason raised an arm, letting Damian press in close as his littlest brother sought comfort. “It's okay, habibi. We'll find him. He'll be okay. This is live, right, Tim?” He asked sharply.
“Yes, that's definite.” Tim nodded.
Dick's eyes gained a little clarity after a long pause, and he blinked quickly, focusing back on the camera. “Sorry. Man, I was gonna be better for this. Okay, okay. Facts first. I never actually died, well, only briefly. Batman thought it was a good opportunity to take advantage of, though.”
Jason growled angrily at the bitter mention of Bruce, who was still off traveling as he tried to regain his memories. “That bastard-”
“He sent me on an undercover mission. There's this group, they're called Spyral, and they're dangerous, really dangerous.” Dick's voice had grown deadly serious, and his eyes were hard as steel as he stared at the camera.
“Supes, did you know anything about this?” Flash asked, looking at their leader.
Superman shook his head, glancing at Wonder Woman, who also shook her head. “No, Bruce never mentioned it.” His knuckles cracked as he clenched his fist.
“They want to unmask all heroes, to destroy the league, and control world order. They'll brainwash you, or kill you. Take you apart piece by piece and sell you… I still don't know all their plans… And I won't be able to now… They know I'm not on their side… Never was…”
Starfire covered her mouth as she watched Dick gag and cover his mouth, visibly fighting back the urge to vomit. He failed after a few seconds, hunched over off-screen as they all listened to him throw up.
Hearts broke as Dick's heaves turned to sobs. “I never was… I wanted to save them, I just couldn't-” Another round of sick splattered to the floor, and Dick dissolved into whimpering cries.
“Tim.” Jason's voice was like sharpened glass as he held Damian close, leaving the way Damian's shoulders shook unmentioned.
“We're getting close.”
Dick's cries slowly petered out, and his face was red and puffy when he faced the camera again. “God, I'm a mess,” He mused, one side of his mouth lifting in a mockery of his usual smile. “This isn't how I wanted to do this… Sorry, guys.”
“I’m gonna kill Bats when I see him.” Oliver Queen murmured, wincing as Dick's breath rattled through him, his chest aching for the boy he watched grow up.
“As I was saying, you've gotta be careful. Spyral, they're dangerous, and now that you know about them, they'll be bolder. Didn't want to risk this before, but… Batman stopped answering my check-ins over two months ago…”
*Crack*
Superman pulled his fist out of the crumbling wall, gritting his teeth angrily. That was weeks before Bruce lost his memory.
“And since they figured me out, well… it's best to let you know, I think.” Dick glanced nervously off camera before looking back, smiling a little. “I don't have much time left. I can hear them coming.
“Jason, Tim, I'm sorry. Making you lose me twice isn't fair, but I had to warn you. Be safe, okay? Keep each other safe,” Dick implored, pleading with the camera.
“To everyone else, it was an honor fighting by your side. Titans, we had a good run. I am so proud of all of you.
“Little Wing, Babybird, I love you. Don't go too hard on Bruce, okay?” Dick tensed as a door slammed open, and then the camera angle tipped as the device fell over. Everyone watched in tense silence as Dick was dragged away by multiple people with spirals for faces. The camera swiveled around to a faceless person and then shut off.
“Got it!” Tim and Oracle shouted in tandem just milliseconds before the transmission ended. Tim immediately sent the coordinates to the Watchtower, and they all waited with bated breath as Flash and Superman received them.
Five minutes later, Barry's voice crackled over the comms. “We've got him. Nightwing is secure.”
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but Jason and Tim shared a look over Damian's head, instinct telling them that the ordeal was far from over.