Jason carried Liam through the wreckage toward the plane. Liam, tapping his small hands on Jason's back the whole way, looked more like he was dancing than being rescued. When they reached the site, Jason's eyes swept the ruins—smoke curled from twisted metal, debris littered the ground. The plane was gone. Nothing alive in sight.
He set Liam down.
"It's about time," Liam muttered, punching Jason lightly in the leg. "I was starting to think you liked carrying me around like some luggage!"
Jason didn't flinch.
"Whoa… what happened here?" Liam asked, spinning around dramatically, taking in the destruction.
"I'd like to know myself" Jason replied still scanning the area.
Liam tilted his head, eyes wide with curiosity. "When are we seeing Mr. Butler? And… why are we even here?"
Jason crouched down, coming level with him "Hey kid, before we go meet the old guy—"
"Butler!" Liam corrected enthusiastically.
Jason raised an eyebrow, "Yeah, yeah… the old guy. Anyway—before we go see him, maybe we break a few rules."
Liam's grin split his face. "Rules? You mean like spies! I've always wanted to be a spy—chasing bad guys, saving the world!"
Jason stood, dismissive, tone sharper than a blade. "Being a spy isn't a game. It's not fun. It's dangerous. You wouldn't last five minutes."
Liam's eyes twinkled, undeterred. "Really? So I could be Batman and you'd be… hmm… Robin? And Butler could be Alfred!"
Jason's stare didn't soften. "Right. Cute. But enough jokes." He paused, scanning the surroundings again, cold and calculated. "By the way… your English is flawless. Were you not raised here?"
Liam's sweat dropped like a waterfall. "Umm… mom said I shouldn't tell. I… I'd get in trouble."
Jason didn't reply. He moved to sit, arms crossed, gaze fixed on the distance. Waiting. Observing. He'd wait an hour. If no one arrived, he'd assume the rest were gone and move on. No sentiment. No hesitation.
Liam bounced slightly, oblivious to the tension. "So… what am I doing then? Practicing spy stuff?"
Jason finally glanced at him, cold and precise. "Yes. You'll need every trick if you want to survive."
Liam's grin returned, sparkling like mischief incarnate. "Right! I'm gonna be the best spy ever!"
Jason's expression remained unchanged, but the slightest shift in his jaw betrayed a rare hint of patience. Survival first. Fun… optional.
Soon after, Brandon and Daphne appeared from the trees — fresh clothes, confident stride. Jason narrowed his eyes the moment he saw them.
"You guys went shopping?" he asked, voice flat and unimpressed.
Brandon flashed a grin, clearly too proud. "Well yeah. Gotta stay sharp and stylish, right? We even got you something." He held up a black bag.
Jason didn't react.
But before anything else, Daphne's eyes darted behind him. She crouched. "You must be Liam," she said softly, tilting her head with a warm smile.
At the same time, Brandon added, "Yo, who shrunk the bodyguard? What up, tiny?"
Liam stepped forward, dramatically lifting his chin. "I'm not Liam. I'm Batman. And you two…" He pointed with exaggerated flair. "Catwoman and… the Joker."
Instant lightning-strike silence. Daphne and Brandon both snapped their heads toward Jason.
Jason avoided eye contact. He already knew what was coming.
"What's going on here, Jason?" Brandon asked, eyebrow raised.
"Just…" Jason sighed, finally looking at them, "play along."
Daphne smirked. "Play along? Please. I eat kids like him for breakfast." She crouched beside Liam, her voice sugary-sweet. "Actually, I'm not Catwoman. I'm The Flash."
Liam squinted. "Uh, Flash is a guy, and you…You're an old lady."
Daphne's smile froze. A twitch in her eye. Murderous intent loading…
Without warning, she lunged, "Come here, you little—!"
Liam shrieked with laughter, sprinting around and sticking out his tongue. "Too slow, grandma!"
Jason didn't even blink. He turned to Brandon, voice cold again. "Debrief me."
Brandon dropped the playfulness. "They knew. They knew we were coming, blew up the jet before we got to it, and even had SS-Rank assassins waiting. No way that happens by accident."
Jason's jaw tightened. "HQ?"
"No signal. Jammed, maybe. Dead, possibly."
Jason's eyes darkened. "So we can't contact base. And we can't leave the way we came."
Brandon nodded. "And if we try leaving through normal borders…"
Jason finished, "They'll tag us as illegal operatives. Arrested or worse."
He paused. "So we do it the old way."
Brandon blinked. "People still smuggle out of this country?"
Jason turned slightly. "Only the desperate. Which, lucky for us… we now are."
He glanced at Liam, who was climbing a tree and yelling "Justice!" while Daphne threatened to "cut his ankles off."
Jason muttered, "Before we move, that kid has to trust us. Or we're dragging a screaming liability through the underworld."
Brandon sighed. "Right. Phase two: babysit Batman."
Jason grunted. "God help us."
Back at the mansion, Aiden and Jinx stepped through the wrecked gates, eyes scanning the trail of unconscious bodyguards littering the grounds.
Aiden smirked. "Well, looks like someone wanted the spotlight."
Jinx's eyes narrowed. "And that's supposed to amuse me?"
"Relax," Aiden said coolly, hands in his pockets. "By now, he knows there's no escape. He's cornered... and he's going to learn what that feels like."
Jinx grinned darkly. "When we find him, I'm going to return the favor... every broken piece of it. It'll be delicious."
A cold mechanical voice cut through the tension. "Looks like I won't be needing my old arm after all."
They turned to see Bon step out of the shadows, gleaming with a new cybernetic arm, enhanced and humming with energy.
"Remind me to thank Vortex for the upgrade—right before I rip out his spine," Bon growled.
Jinx chuckled. "Looking sharp, Bon. Leave me some pieces, will you?"
Meanwhile, at the burned wreckage of the plane, the team was regrouping.
"We need a place to hide," Jason muttered, scanning the scorched surroundings.
Brandon raised his hand, grinning. "I saw something downtown. Abandoned building. Quiet. Perfect hideout. No one'll find us."
Jason sighed. He didn't trust Brandon. Not even a little. But right now? There were no better options. "Fine. Lead the way."
They slipped into the city under cover. But as they reached the supposed hideout… Jason froze.
He saw them first.
Armed men. Already in position.
"They beat us here," he said flatly.
Brandon let out a low whistle. "Well... so much for surprise."
Suddenly, Liam stepped forward, pointing. "Hey—that's my dad's bodyguard! I should go tell them I'm okay!"
Jason's arm shot out, stopping him cold. "You do that, and it's game over. You're not a civilian anymore, remember? Don't get caught—or the mission's done."
Liam paused, realizing. "Right... I almost messed up... Not again." He straightened up, determined. "Time to go full ninja mode."
But it was already too late.
A guard spotted them. "Èy! Ou aret la!"
Jason's eyes flared. He turned to Daphne. "Take Liam. Back to the plane. Now."
Without hesitation, she grabbed Liam's hand and disappeared into the alley.
And then—
A woman in black heels, calm and calculating, and a younger man with piercing eyes stepped into view, blocking their escape.
"Do we move in?" Brandon muttered under his breath, eyes scanning the guards ahead.
Jason didn't glance at him. His voice was low, calm. "No… too many eyes. We play it dumb."
Brandon's lips curled into a grin. "Play dumb, huh? Oh, I've been training for this role my whole life."
Jason side-eyed him now—and not in a good way.
"…That's exactly what worries me."
The woman approached them "ki sa ou kwè ou ka fè isit la?"
"Uh si," Brandon said, flashing the only Spanish he knew. Jason, meanwhile, touched the bridge of his nose, clearly unimpressed.
"I kay kwè ou pa ka konprann mwen, es ou ka palé English?" the woman asked.
"Yeah!" Brandon shot back, shouting like it was the greatest thing ever. "That's our vibe! You got that right."
The woman gave him a look that screamed, What is wrong with this guy? Then she leveled her gaze and asked, "So... who exactly are you?"
Brandon's smirk turned dark and sly. "You wanna know who we are?"
She raised an eyebrow, unimpressed but curious. "Yes, that's why I asked."
"We're the—" he paused, flashing all the swagger he had, "Cosmic Dream Chasers. AKA the electrifying echo at your service."
Jason muttered under his breath, "Someone please kill me now."
The woman rolled her eyes, not buying a word. "Cosmic Dream Chasers? Ka Sonnen fo! And what exactly do you do?"
Brandon grinned wide, "We counsel people who are having a bad day."
She sighed, "Jèn moun jòdijou… And what are you really doing out here?"
"We're scouting for a bigger audience to promote our... business," Brandon answered like it was the most natural thing in the world.
The woman narrowed her eyes. "Don't you have anything better to do?".
Brandon shot back with a devilish grin, "Nope. We've devoted our lives to being the..." —he paused for effect, striking a dramatic pose— "Cosmic Dream Chasers!"
The man and woman exchanged a look, then fixed their eyes on Jason. "Your friend doesn't seem nearly as committed as you."
Brandon sneered at Jason, "C'mon, Jason, throw a pose..."
Jason looked like he was about to die from embarrassment. "Sorry, been a bit under the weather lately." He took a slow breath. "That's why... we're the..."
"...Cosmic Dream Chasers," Jason said coolly, striking a sleek pose with Brandon beside him, both of them looking like action movie posters in the flesh.
The woman stared unimpressed. "Well, maybe you should chase those dreams somewhere else."
Without missing a beat, Brandon gave a mock salute. "Absolutely, ma'am. You won't hear a peep from us again. We vanish like smoke!" He spun dramatically like he was exiting stage left.
As they turned to leave, the man beside the woman leaned in and whispered,
"Sa ki ni chapo-a... i paré sispek."
("The one with the cap... he looks suspicious.")
The woman nodded slightly. "Wi, mwen dakò." Then she called out, "You there, with the cap."
Jason paused, his back still to them. "Yeah?"
"Take it off for a second," she said, voice calm but firm.
Jason's eyes narrowed. "Why?"
"No reason," she replied casually. "Unless you've got something to hide?"
Jason hesitated, then thought, If she recognizes me, I'll have no choice but to silence her. With a cold breath, he removed the cap and turned to face her. "Satisfied?"
But her expression shifted in an instant—shock. Her mouth opened slightly. Silence fell.
"You..." she said slowly, "You look exactly like our young master."
Jason blinked. "Young master?".
"Yes," she nodded, still stunned. "Unfortunately he was kidnapped by assassins we haven't found him yet "
Brandon leaned in, fake-sympathy all over his face. "Poor kid."
Before anyone could respond, the woman suddenly said something that caught them both completely off-guard.
"Would you let me use your business?"
Jason's eyes twitched. Brandon, nearly choking on air, thought Wait—SOMEONE actually wants our fake business?! He quickly waved his hand, nervously laughing. "Uh, unfortunately—management says we're closed for spiritual rebranding."
The woman gave him a sharp look. "Didn't you say you were looking for a *bigger audience*?"
Brandon was sweating bullets now. "I-I know I did but—"
Jason cut in sharply, smirking with resolve, "We'll do it."
Brandon stared. "We will?!" Then forced a cool grin. "Right, right… cosmic dream chasers never back down. Especially not when the universe is watching."
Jason's voice was flat and calm as he turned to the woman, "Not here. Somewhere quiet. By the river should do."
The woman studied him a moment, then nodded. "That's fine with me."
As they started to walk away, Jason leaned in to Brandon, voice low like a ghost passing through.
"Head back to the plane. Wait for me there. I'll handle this."
Brandon gave a hesitant nod. In a blink, Jason was gone—like he melted into the air.
Back at the burned-out plane, Daphne spotted Brandon first and met him halfway with Liam close behind.
"Where's Jason?" she asked, scanning around with alert eyes.
Brandon scratched his head, clearly unsure. "Man's moving like a shadow lately. Told me to wait here, said he'd be back soon."
Liam crossed his arms, fuming to himself. "That lying jerk told me his name was Jacob! Just wait till I get my hands on him..."
—
By the river, Jason and the woman sat on the pale white sand, the soft cries of seagulls above and the crashing waves filling the silence. The heat of the sun cast long shadows behind them. For a moment, neither said anything. Then she spoke.
"Why here?" she asked softly.
Jason didn't look at her. His gaze stayed fixed on the horizon like it had answers.
"No reason. Just quiet enough to hear lies break."
Then, colder: "Now. Tell me about the kid."
The woman blinked, caught off guard. "You... how did you know I wanted to talk about the young master?"
Jason closed his eyes for a second. His tone stayed deadpan.
"I can tell when someone's carrying something heavy. You reek of it."
She gave a sad smile, turning toward the water.
"The young master has never known peace. From the moment he stepped foot in his father's mansion, he was just a ghost in their perfect little world. No friends, no love. His mother couldn't care less—her world revolves around her precious daughter, Hannah..."
She paused, exhaling sharply.
"I watched that boy shrink more and more every day. Unwanted. Forgotten,just cause his an illegitimate child.He's like a stain they're trying to scrub out of existence." Her voice cracked slightly.
"It's awful to say, but... I'm glad he was taken. At least he's away from that hell."
Jason's voice came like ice.
"Can't blame you."
She turned to him, a little surprised. "You agree?"
"Yeah," Jason said quietly, eyes locked on the horizon, "A house where no one gives a damn about you, where love is just a rumor and your existence is a burden... that's not a home. That's a prison."
His voice dropped lower, fists slowly tightening at his sides.
The woman noticed. "Sounds like you're not just speaking for the boy."
Jason's jaw clenched. He exhaled sharply, then released his grip.
"I'm not."
A beat.
"I had someone once. The only one who ever saw me... who ever gave a damn. He told me not to come that day. I didn't listen. Thought I was untouchable. Stupid kid mistake."
His voice cracked for a moment, but he masked it quickly, colder now.
"He died because of me. Took the hit. And now he's gone. Probably with regrets I carved into him."
Before the weight of silence could settle, the woman cut in gently, "You're wrong."
Jason turned, eyes narrowed slightly, guarded.
She met his stare with something softer, something real.
"If he gave his life for you, he didn't regret a damn thing. People don't take bullets for regrets. He believed in you. That's what he died for—not because you failed, but because he hoped you'd rise."
Jason looked away again, face unreadable.
"Hope's a dangerous thing to die for," he muttered.
The woman cleared her throat, voice lighter, trying to break the tension.
"Well... seems like today's therapy session's over. Time I headed ba—"
She stopped mid-sentence.
Jason had reached out, fingers gently gripping her wrist—not forcefully, but enough to pause her.
"Stay."
It wasn't a request. It wasn't desperate. It was quiet, steady—like someone who didn't ask for much, but meant every word when he did.
The woman blinked, caught off guard, then smiled softly.
"Alright... I'll stay."
Jason released her hand without a word. She sat back down beside him.
The waves kept crashing, but something between them had settled.
It was already nightfall. The sky was dark and restless, and Jason still hadn't returned. Daphne paced near the plane, her anxiety rising fast.
Brandon leaned against the wall, arms crossed, chewing lazily on a toothpick. "Relax, Daph. Breathe in, breathe out," he said with a smirk. "Jason's probably off brooding dramatically by a tree or something. He lives for moments like this."
Daphne shot him a glare but obeyed, breathing deeply.
Brandon chuckled. "Come on, this is Jason we're talking about. If death tried to take him, he'd probably give it the cold shoulder and walk off."
"Jason?!" Daphne suddenly gasped, eyes wide.
Brandon blinked. "Uh... yeah? That's what I said—"
But before he could finish, Daphne pushed past him.
"No, Jason's here!" she shouted.
Daphne and Liam sprinted toward the figure emerging from the shadows. Jason stood there in the moonlight, hands in his pockets, calm as ever, as if he'd never left.
Liam ran up and pointed accusingly. "Where the hell have you been?! Robin doesn't disappear on batman like that—"
Jason blinked once, then offered the faintest smirk. "Relax. I knew you'd keep the Batcave safe."
Liam folded his arms dramatically. "Man, I thought you ghosted us! Daphne here was freaking out—"
Before he could finish, Daphne clamped her hand over his mouth, her face burning red. "Liam, shut. up."