Chapter Text
“I swear this town is cursed.” Tim muttered to himself. Once he crossed the border into Kansas, he was plagued by one misfortune after another. His day started with traffic and road blockages. Then, a questionable gas station meal made him throw up in his car. The final straw was when his car broke down and forced him to pull over on a rural road. He questioned if he would even be able to reach Smallville.
He had been stranded on the road for hours yet he hadn’t seen another car pass. The only small blessing was that he still had phone service to call for help. Unfortunately, whatever deity watching over Smallville was determined to mock him. Tim was only able to call one person in his predicament. On the other side of the phone, Jason laughed: “You must be desperate if you’re asking for my help, Timbo.”
“Don’t be smug when you were my last option. Dick’s in Blüdhaven. I can’t let Bruce know that I went to Smallville. He ordered me to close the investigation and give the sealed files to Alfred. If I pay for a towing company, Bruce will immediately see the transaction. That just leaves you. Anyways, I know you have a lot of free time so you can drive to Smallville and help.”
“What about Damian? He can drive.”
“Not legally.”
Tim rubbed his temple to ease the headache that was only growing with their conversation. He loved his family but they certainly didn’t make it easy. He opened the car hood and glared at the engine. “If you can’t drive to Smallville, at least walk me through how to fix this thing. I have basic knowledge on cars but you have more practice than me. There’s no smoke so hopefully it’s just a dead battery and I can jump start it. Let me send you a picture.”
“Are you that confident in your skills? A car isn’t like one of your computers and you’re more likely to torch the thing.” Jason didn’t need to be in front of him to know that his brother had a confident smirk. Tim was the most academically gifted among the brothers. Though, his grades didn’t reflect that fact. His attendance slipped in highschool because he preferred to learn through more practical methods. It was a miracle that he was accepted into an ivy league university with his low average.
The car was another puzzle to fix in Tim’s eyes. Despite knowing that, Jason said: “Don’t waste your time trying to restart the engine. You don’t need to. I’m certain that Bruce already deduced that you ran off with his casefiles. He just came into the library and he’s glaring more than the usual amount. I haven’t done anything so that just leaves you. Well, nothing that you know of, Bruce.”
“Jason, give me the phone.” He heard Bruce’s gruff voice through the phone. Tim was now certain that Smallville was cursed with bad luck and it had a specific spite against him. He decided that he should never return to Kansas once his investigation ended. He groaned to himself and rested his head back against the cool metal of the car hood.
Tim had already prepared a defense for when he returned home and had to face Bruce. He doubted it would be as effective without solving the case first. He quickly spoke before Bruce could. “B, you told me not to go after LexCorp but we both know that no one else will look into it properly. A missing person like this will just sit with the hundred other cold cases in Metropolis. I can find the child and protect him from Lex. I already have a lead in—”
“I know who he is and the people hiding him. He’s safe there. The reason I ordered you to drop the case is because further investigation may compromise his location. LexCorp is already suspicious that Gordon is looking into their charitable donations. I trust your abilities and that you will be discreet with your investigation. However, the case was a personal favour of a friend. Everything is settled so leave it be and come home.”
“You couldn’t tell me that to begin with?” Bitterness and frustration laced Tim’s voice. He could predict Bruce’s answer: guilty silence. His adoptive father was infamously poor at communication — especially when he thought he was protecting someone. A part of Tim understood why Bruce didn’t tell him. Sacrificial heroism and a single-minded stubbornness were traits that they both shared.
“Return to the manor, Tim. There’s a case that requires your attention. Dick is having trouble with his own case in Blüdhaven. You’re the first person he thought of.” Bruce spoke in a reassuring tone but Tim couldn’t help but feel as though he was being given a consolation prize.
“My car broke down so I can’t drive back right away. I’m going to call a tow truck and book a motel for the night. Once I’ve spoken with the mechanic, I can give you an actual ETA. It shouldn’t take long so there’s no need to send Alfred with a new car.” Both of them were distinctly aware of how Tim avoided promising to stop his investigation while his car was being repaired in Smallville. Neither of them commented on it though.
After a moment, Bruce said: “I trust you, Tim. Tomorrow, Alfred will have lunch waiting for you. I doubt you’ll find many places that aren’t fast food while you’re on the highway.”
“I took my chances on a gas station chili and it reminded me that Alfred is a godsend. I’ll talk to you soon. Thanks, Bruce.” Tim added before he ended the call.
He saw Bruce as a father figure and appreciated everything that he had done for him. He adopted him more than a decade ago but it was still awkward to call him ‘dad’. Unlike Dick and Jason who were adopted as young children, Tim had been a teenager. He could still remember his birth father tutoring him and cooking pancakes for dinner. His parents were often travelling and Tim had a strained connection with his dad leading up to his death. Nevertheless, those quaint memories always stood out in Tim’s mind.
Tim closed the hood and then sat on the car frame. He stared at the horizon and Smallville miles beyond that. As he would whenever he felt lost, he went over his current case to organize his thoughts. Years ago, there had been whispers that Lex Luthor was funding Project Cadmus under a specific condition. LexCorp had an esteemed reputation of innovation and charity so most wouldn’t question their intention. Tim had seen too much of Luthor’s corruption to believe their public image.
According to Bruce’s private investigation, Cadmus was researching genetics by drawing blood from volunteers. Families would participate because they needed the money Cadmus offered. One of the subjects was a child. They drew the most blood from the boy but there wasn’t much information on him aside from a number designation, thirteen. The project ended and the participants simply returned home.
Tim had stumbled upon the case by accident and it caught his attention. The person who secretly commissioned Bruce to investigate only wanted him to find how much Lex knew about Experiment 13. Bruce had taken extra precaution to redact and destroy almost everything he found. His adopted father had always been paranoid but he usually kept copies for his own record.
He trusted Bruce’s judgement that the family was safe yet his instinct told him that there was something deeper to the case. What made Bruce act even more wary and cautious with his casefiles? Did Lex have his own investigation into the family? Why was he fixated on Experiment 13? Shouldn’t they take the family into witness protection if Lex was threatening them?
The only thing Tim knew for certain was that he wouldn’t stop worrying until he confirmed for himself that they were safe. He became a detective to help people, afterall.
A low rumble pulled Tim out of his thoughts. Tim looked back over his shoulder towards the noise. He recognized the sound of a car but he was still surprised to see one. The dirt road had been seemingly abandoned without anyone passing for hours. With his string of bad luck in Smallville, Tim wondered whether the person would rob him or simply drive past.
Once the car was closer, Tim could see that it was an old pick up truck with corn filling the back. He read the name Kent Farm on the side door as it drove past. The driver parked in front of him instead of continuing down the road like Tim predicted. He took the time to memorize the license plate before the truck came to a full stop. Bruce and life experiences had ingrained in him to gather information and take every precaution that he could.
A man stepped out of the truck and Tim almost forgot how to breathe. The first thing he noticed about him was how tall he was. He was well over six feet with broad shoulders. Between the farm truck and well toned muscles, he likely worked on a farm. Tim could make out his stunning blue eyes, strong jaw and charming smile even from a distance. The man walked with confident and purposeful steps that Tim wouldn’t expect from a smalltown farmer.
All in all, Tim would describe him as a force of nature with a Hollywood smile.
“Need help?” The man asked and nodded at the car he sat on. Tim didn’t immediately stand to answer and instead took a moment to access him. Despite being taller than him, they appeared to be the same age. He didn’t carry a weapon and his stance was relaxed. Nevertheless, Tim palmed the retractable staff tucked in his belt. He wouldn’t admit that the stranger’s smile was unexpectedly disarming.
“My car broke down. It’s probably the car battery because the engine wouldn’t start when I turned the key. I have a jump-starter but that’s out of power too. Usually, I’m better prepared than this.” Tim had been in a rush when leaving that morning. It would only take Bruce a few hours to realize that he left with the casefiles and he wanted to be across the border by then.
“I can help with that! My name’s Kon-El Kent but most people call me Conner.” He introduced himself. “What is a city guy like you doing on a dead end road like this? Took a wrong turn? I can point you in the right direction after I fix your car. You’re lucky that I had deliveries today or else you’ll be stranded here for hours. Not many people use this road.”
“Lucky me.” Tim repeated with a sarcastic laugh. He thought of how he should answer Kon’s first question. He drove to Smallville to search for Experiment 13 but Bruce ordered him to drop the case. Then, he glanced at the logo on Kon’s truck and an idea came to him. “My name is Robin Drake and I’m with the Daily Planet. I’m here to report on LexCorp’s possible expansion into agriculture. As a smalltown farmer, have you heard anything?”
Tim took out a fake business card from his pocket and held it out to Kon. While Bruce didn’t want him to search for the child and compromise his location, he could investigate Luthor individually. He already did extensive research on his corporation so he knew that LexCorp didn’t have an interest in farmland. The question was more to learn the local’s opinion of Lex. Perhaps, he could get lucky with local gossip.
“The Daily Planet?” Kon took the business card. He quickly glanced at the card but his eyes returned to Tim. His deep blue eyes could seemingly see through him but Tim kept himself from reacting. He sat straighter and returned his gaze. That silent challenge made Kon’s grin widen. “They didn’t put Lois Lane in charge of a scoop like this? She’s their top reporter.”
“You just answered your own question. Lois Lane is too busy to drive to different farms so they sent me instead.” Tim dug through his bag until he could pull out a tape recorder. He gave Kon his best imitation of a reporter’s smile. “Since my car broke down, I’m behind schedule. Let’s have an interview right now! This could be my lucky break.”
“I still don’t understand something.” Kon stood in front of him and tapped the business card against Tim’s lips. “Lois would be furious that the Daily Planet gave a big story to someone else. She’s the best person to write the story since she has a son in Smallville. Mom could give me or Ma Kent a call any time she needs an interview.”
“Mom?” His eyes narrowed. He had done extensive research on the Daily Planet so he could pretend to be a reporter. Lois Lane had a son but he was much younger than the man in front of him. Years ago, she started a family with… Tim’s eyes flew to the truck and the name Kent. He inwardly cursed himself for overlooking the connection. “Clark Kent and Lois Lane are your parents.”
“Adopted. It was a pretty informal thing and they didn’t want to make a big deal out of it.” He corrected him. “I should call Lois tonight. When I asked her if there were any cute reporters who she could introduce me to, she never mentioned you.”
The compliment made Tim’s heart jump. He couldn’t deny that Kon was handsome. He knew that he was bi since he was a teenager. While he had a few relationships since then, they never lasted. His work kept him busy and Tim would become guilty that he couldn’t fully give a relationship the time that it deserved. Though, Dick would argue that Tim was far too guarded in his relationships.
Tim pushed aside any thoughts of romance from his mind. He came to Smallville to help find and protect someone. He told himself that Kon wasn’t flirting with him. The ‘cute reporter’ comment was probably to mock him for the lie. He placed a hand on Kon’s shoulder to firmly push him away. It was a mistake because it only brought attention to how strong and warm his body was.
Kon allowed himself to be pushed and stepped back enough for Tim to slide off the car and stand. Tim relaxed his expression now that he didn’t need to pretend to be a naive reporter. His pale blue eyes shone with a hidden intelligence that drew in Kon. “That’s the fastest that someone has seen through Robin Drake. You’re smarter than you look.”
The moment the words left him, Tim regretted them. He hadn’t meant it as an insult or to look down on Kon. He was genuinely impressed. Dick often warned him that he could be tactless with his words. Kon clicked his tongue and his irritation was clear. However, he didn’t lash back at him like Tim would expect from other people.
The only hint to his irritation was from how he glared at the name printed on the paper. Kon twirled the business card between his fingers. “You’re not from the Daily Planet. The name ‘Robin’ is probably a lie too. But your clothes are pretty fancy like a reporter’s. You came to Smallville for a story. How about you give Lois the scope and I’ll fix your car?”
“Are you proposing a trade or blackmail?” Tim thought the chanced encounter with Kon was lucky but it appeared to be Smallville toying with him once more. He wasn’t one to run from a challenge though. He quickly adjusted his lie. “I’m with a gossip magazine and it’s nearly impossible to get interviews when I lead with that. I came to Smallville to write an article about Luthor’s illegitimate child. There are rumours that he abandoned his own son.”
Tim was hesitant to give Kon his real name. This was only their first meeting. Revealing his name would introduce risks and complications to his investigation. People would treat him differently after they learn he was either the famous detective Tim Drake and adopted son of Bruce Wayne.
“Did Luthor send you to find this mysterious kid?” It became clear to Tim that Kon didn’t believe him. He could feel his gaze on him as though Kon was searching for the truth.
“I’m a detective but Lex didn’t hire me. I wouldn’t work for him even if he paid me a million dollars.” Tim confessed. “This is a sensitive case so I can’t tell you much. I got a tip about Luthor. He placed his child in foster care but now he wants him back for some reason. He has the money to contest the adoption in court but… I’m afraid that he’ll hurt the family for his goal.”
He remembered how painful it was to lose his birth parents. Even though Bruce wasn’t the perfect father, he did everything that he could to help Tim while he mourned their passing. He doubted that the business tycoon would be as kind and patient. He was more likely to use the child as a tool for Cadmus or publicity. Tim wouldn’t allow that to happen.
“Luthor’s dangerous. Are you sure you wanna’ take him on? You’re just a detective.” In answer, Tim resolutely nodded. Kon looked into his eyes and debated what he should do. The man was an intriguing mystery that he couldn’t fully trust, especially when he wouldn’t give his name.
“You probably don’t believe me.” He bit his lip. “Bru— My boss told me that the case would be a dead end but I still drove all the way here. Maybe he was right. I don’t even know if the tip is real or whether it’s a wild goose chase.”
“Luthor’s kid? I know him.”
“You do?” Tim raised a brow at the statement. He didn’t try to humour Kon’s claim and rolled his eyes instead. “You’re making fun of me, aren’t you?”
“Smallville is a tiny town where everyone knows each other. Lex’s bastard project was never going to stay a secret for long. The guy’s lucky that smalltown gossip rarely reaches the city. But they used to call the kid lucky number thirteen.” The number immediately caught Tim’s attention. Kon watched his eyes brighten. He thought to himself: For someone who lied twice, at least your expressions are honest.
“That’s great! I need to call Bruce to arrange paperwork and put them in witness protection. That will take a few weeks but I can stay with the family to protect them.” Tim muttered to himself as he formed a plan. After a few minutes, he turned back to Kon. “Please, take me to the family and I can explain the circumstances to them. As I already told you, this is a sensitive case and I’m prepared to buy your silence. Don’t give this story to Lois Lane. Though, you said that Luthor is dangerous so you understood the urgency from the start.”
“I never said that I would tell you who the kid is.” Tim’s eyes harden and the colour could almost be mistaken for blue steel. The expression only lasted a moment before he hid it behind a mask. Kon held up his hands in a mock surrender. He wondered whether he could see another honest emotion if he teased him a little more. “You were asking about a threat or blackmail earlier. What about a bet?”
“A bet? This is a family’s safety we’re talking about!”
“I won’t give his name to someone I can’t trust. I just want to see if you’re as great a detective as you think. The person you’re looking for is someone very close to me.”
His explanation calmed his earlier anger. He didn’t like the phasing of a bet but he understood Kon’s feelings and intentions. If a stranger came to Tim and claimed that they needed to take his brothers into witness protection, he would be wary as well. “So, what’s your proposal?”
“Stay with my family for a week. Every day, I’ll take you to a place that he likes and goes to often. Use your detective skill to find him by the end of the week.” He outlined the challenge and they sounded reasonable. Then, Kon took Tim’s chin between his fingers and lifted his face. “There’s one rule: Don’t mention Luthor, Cadmus or this bet in front of anyone. That would be cheating.”
Cadmus. How does he know about that? Tim was certain that he hadn’t mentioned the project during their conversation. He kept the question to himself so he could ask Kon once he had more information. For now, he decided to trust him. This was the best lead he had since he took on the case and Kon obviously knew a lot more than he told him.
“It’s a bet.” Tim held out his hand to seal the deal.
“A bet is two ways. Shouldn’t I get something when I win?” He said in a teasing tone. Tim almost took his hand back but Kon caught his fingers first. “How ‘bout a name for a name? If you can’t find the name you’re looking for, you have to tell me your real name.”
“That sounds like a fair trade. You still need to call me something while we’re investigating Luthor together. Let’s go with Tim, no last name.” He offered the name as though it were a lie. Kon repeated the name and grinned like he received a trophy. Tim blushed and quickly took his hand back. “My mom warned me to avoid guys like you: a playboy with too much confidence.”
“She sounds like a smart woman.”
“She also told me to run if the guy retorts with that exact line.”
“I don’t know how you’re not tired from climbing that ladder. If only Krypto could fly and bring back the ball for you.” Kon said as he watched Jon throw a ball across the field. They sat on the barn roof to replace the old and worn tiles. Though, he was the only one working. His young brother had become bored of the chore and occupied himself by playing with Kon’s dog, Krypto. He didn’t mind and let him continue to play. Kon was far more lax than Clark and Lois would be with the child.
“I heard that someone is staying in the guestroom! Your new girlfriend?” He asked. Kon didn’t answer immediately so Jon added: “Boyfriend?”
When Jon returned home from his friend’s house, Kon took him to the barn to fix the roof. He thought it was best to warn Jon to be careful about what he told Tim before formally introducing him. Kon made the bet on an impulse and now he was struggling to think of how to explain it to his family. His brother was young and didn’t fully know everything from his past.
“Just friend, Kid. You have more questions about the guy and my love life than Ma did when I brought him home.” He laughed and tousled Jon’s hair. “His name is Tim and he’s going to stay with us for a week. Actually, he’s a pirate and he wants to know about the gold buried under the farm. Don’t tell him any family secrets.”
Jon pouted at him for the lighthearted lie. Even if Kon wanted to be honest with his little brother, he didn’t know much about Tim. He couldn’t even be confident that Tim was his name. The only reason he convinced him to stay was because of Cadmus. Clark assured him that the project ended. Why would Tim be investigating Cadmus and Luthor if that was true? He needed to start his own investigation.
Tim was a more intriguing mystery to Kon. He stood out from the moment he met him. He pretended to be a young reporter yet he carried himself with confidence and experience. His hair was grown out but well maintained and framed his face well. When Tim promised to protect the child and their family, there was a fire in his ice blue eyes.
If they met under different circumstances, he would take the chance to ask him on a date. It was a shame that such a pretty face could hide so many secrets. Kon needed to make sure that those secrets wouldn’t hurt his family. He looked back to Jon playing with Krypto. At his little brother’s age, Kon felt lost and wanted to find his identity within the family. Now that he was older, he wanted to give his brother a sense of security so he never had the same doubts that he had.
“Don’t let down your guard.” Kon hugged Jon and pulled him close. They both laughed as he tickled his brother. The ball flew from Jon’s hand and he patted his arm to let him go. He stopped tickling him but he continued to hug him. “You shouldn’t let your guard around our new friend. Don’t tell him anything that you wouldn’t tell Mom’s reporter friends.”
“Okay!”
“I’ll get your ball while you nail down that last tile.” He patted his head before he set Jon to the side.
He walked to the edge of the roof and searched for where the ball could’ve fallen. He planned to have Krypto fetch it instead of climbing down the ladder. To his surprise, Tim found the ball first. Tim stepped out of the house and walked a few feet towards the barn. He paused and picked up the ball. Kon raised his hand to wave to Tim and called his name.
He was interrupted by a distant, low growl. Kon immediately recognized the sound and his heart dropped. Krypto stepped around the garage and bared its teeth at Tim. The dog was well behaved unless it thought a stranger was trespassing on the farm. Kon cursed under his breath and dashed to the ladder. Louder, he yelled: “Get back in the house, Tim! Krypto, stay!”
The moment Krypto heard his name, the dog bounded forward to attack Tim. Kon rushed down the ladder to stop Krypto before he could be hurt. Behind him, he heard someone running and he hoped that Tim was able to retreat back into the house. Though, he knew that only a few people could outrun Krypto. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he turned to help Tim.
His eyes widened when he saw that Tim hadn’t run back into the house like he warned him to. Instead, he ran towards him with the dog nipping at his heel. What shocked Kon further was how Tim expertly evaded the Krypto by jumping over farm equipment with the speed and grace of a bird. For a moment, Kon could only stare at him.
He was pulled out of his daze when Tim collided against his chest. The impact made Kon stumble back a few steps. Tim took his arm and tried to push him up the ladder. He was smaller than him so it was ineffective. “What are you doing with your head in the clouds, Conner? Climb! Why did you even climb down to begin with?”
Kon realized that Tim hadn’t run back to the house because he wanted to protect him. He wrapped his arm around Tim’s waist and held him against his side. The closeness was enough to signal to the dog that Tim wasn’t a threat. With his free hand, he gestured for Krypto to stop. “Sit, boy. This is a friend and you’re going to give him a bad impression by barking like that.”
He could feel how stiff Tim’s body was even as Krypto obediently stopped in front of them. He only relaxed when the dog allowed Kon to pet him. Tim slowly held out his hand to do the same. “That gave me a heart attack. At least he’s decently trained.”
“He’s the best boy! Isn’t that right, Krypto?” The dog barked in agreement and rolled onto his back to silently ask for his reward. Kon let go of Tim and knelt down. The tension of the short chase quickly faded as Tim watched Kon rub the dog’s stomach. Then, Kon looked back to Tim over his shoulder. “You were pretty impressive yourself, Boy Wonder.”
The nickname made conflicted feelings rise in Tim. He grimaced. “It wasn’t that special. Anyways, my brother had the nickname ‘Boy Wonder’ long before me. It’s strange hearing you call me that.”
“I don’t know your brother but I can’t imagine someone else as Boy Wonder aside from you after seeing that routine. How 'bout Wonder Boy then?”
“I…” Tim trailed off. He wanted to say that he only felt breathless and flushed from the adrenaline of the chase. He wasn’t accustomed to someone openly praising him like that. He pushed Kon’s arm from his waist and stepped back from him. “Ma Kent wanted me to tell you that dinner is ready and you need to set the table.”
“You’re in for a treat, Rob.” Kon said in a teasing voice but the nickname was partially a reminder of their agreement. “Once you taste Ma Kent’s cooking, you’ll want to stay forever and not just the week.”