CHAPTER 27: "What Is Wrong With Me?"

James was feeling rather depressed at the moment.

On top of a rooftop of his current apartment building, he found himself outside star gazing or at least trying to through all the light pollution and smog of Gotham.

He had just returned from taking care of a job for Riddler... and the murder of a few street thugs.

It was getting easier.

The first time he had killed someone had been the two Black Mask thugs who lit East Gotham on fire. At least that is what his foggy memory of the event recalled. Truthfully, he could barely remember the night and had been more concerned with the death of Sarah and Violet than to dwell on it. That and bleeding out while falling off a cliff.

Considering how his psyche was, it was not exactly in the best of places for those events to occur, the cracks had begun.

The second time he killed was with the cop. A good guy and father of 2 if the news was to be believed. He had not taken killing him well. He had been a mess for weeks, barely sleeping, snapping at everyone. In retrospect, he realized that it had less to do with the guilt and more with the fact he was feeling more and more not guilty of doing it.

Now just tonight while a mugging was going on he merely flicked his hand and sent one man into a moving bus and another a knife through the throat.

And he felt... absolutely nothing...

"What is wrong with me?" He murmured.

It all seemed so rushed this past year with Penguin being locked up, his aunts dying, and the killing.

'Jane leaving...'

That fact bothered him more than he cared to admit. He could rely on Jane to be a pillar of support for him, emotionally and mentally. Even if he never went into details of what he was up to. She was someone he could hold onto of a normal life and not the one he was falling into.

And that perhaps is what led him to sit on the roof tonight. He was falling to a much darker path than expected and yet he didn't know what his end goal was.

Was it to find a way to cure Crystal? Recently Freeze emphasized his doubt on finding a way to improve her situation.

Was it to protect Penguin? He was locked up and being watched so carefully by GCPD that no one was going to take a shot at him.

Keeping Jane safe? She was leaving.

Making money for College? He had enough to make it through the first few years and more could be made in a safer and more mundane way.

To make his parents proud? They were dead and he knew so little of them to gauge what would make them proud. For all he knew, what he was up to would make them proud.

'So what am I doing any of this for?'

Sitting there he kept thinking that question. It was ironic that months ago before everything had gone down he had been up on a roof after a discussion with Penguin about what he wanted to do. Yet again he was in the same spot not knowing the answer.

A light buzz startled him.

It was his phone with a secure number. Opening it to listen, he heard Freeze's voice.

"Riddler contacted, he wants to contract you for his big plan this week. Promises twice the payment as last time."

James thought for a moment considering the proposal. Is this really what he wanted to do? What is the end game to this?

"Tell him to triple it and I agree," he said.

It must have been his imagination but he thought he heard amusement from Freeze's voice.

"You are learning."

Hanging up James tossed his phone to the side and went back to staring at the stars pondering the question of what he wanted.

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*Barbra Gordon (Batgirl), Batcave

"Where is he?" Jason asked for the millionth time.

She had learned that it was best to ignore him when he got like this since any answer to where Batman was would just have him complaining more.

"Perhaps he is preparing the last details for our mission," a green-skinned girl with red hair said.

"Nah," a tall muscular black haired boy muttered irritably.

"Most likely he is talking with Superman about something," he spat.

Something blinked across the hall of the Batcave, then again, and again. It was a yellow blur running back and forth looking at the various displays and equipment hanging on the walls.

The blur stopped long enough to reveal a yellow spandex uniformed speedster with messy red hair. Just like his running, his mouth was talking fast.

"Dudes! We are actually in the Batcave, let's enjoy it while we can!"

He sped off to stand in front of a giant penny display, and after examining it for a moment ran to where the Bat suits were kept.

A more solemn-looking boy, blond-haired and covered in black tattoos could only sigh at the antics of the speedster.

Glancing at Dick who looked mostly amused by the situation he asked, "Do we need to stop him before he breaks something?"

"Nah, the stuff that he can Batman won't care and the stuff he does care about Wally won't be able to," Dick said while leaning against a cave wall.

Kaldur, also known as Aqualad nodded, "Good, last thing we need is angering Batman."

"You will find it takes a bit more than a hyperactive child to irritate me."

From out of the shadows he came, none of them had even seen so much as heard him. Wally who was in mid-run to look at something else tripped and fell flat on his face at the sight of Batman. The rest of the team could only mentally shake their heads at Kid Flash's antics.

Artemis who had been quiet this whole time rolled her eyes before walking over and nudging him with her foot.

Mockingly she said, "Perhaps you should just chill a bit rather than make yourself look like an idiot in front of everyone."

Groaning Wally said, "For you my lady," he sped off the ground and was around her in a second.

"For you anything if you would do me the honor of going out with me?"

"You really are an idiot," she muttered and took a few steps away from him.

Before Wally could continue his failed effort to flirt, Batman spoke, "If you are finally ready."

Batman walked deeper into the cave with the team and Barbra following until they reached a massive wall covered with the legendary Batcomputer.

The computer boasted some of the latest in tech that mankind could boast of, including some tech that aliens could boast of. It was a constantly improving piece of hardware that only Batman and Alfred were allowed to operate let alone touch. Jason bragged he had used it to play some online games, but Barbra seriously doubted that. If she couldn't break into it, there was no way Mr. break the TV because he couldn't connect the WIFI Jason could.

The main computer screen fluttered to life to reveal a handful of data points, but taking up the majority of the screen was grainy security cam footage. Enhanced and zoomed in, the image showed an above-average-height figure wearing running shoes, jeans, a hoodie pulled up with a hat, and a mask hiding his face.

"This," Batman emphasized, "Is your target."

"True name unknown, nicknamed 'The Hound' by rivals of Penguin Mob. Based on firsthand encounters ethnicity is caucasian or Hispanic. Brown or black eyes, fit and trained in martial arts."

Batman looked over at Jason, then Dick, "From previous engagements he was skilled enough to defend himself but not sufficiently to overcome trained combatants."

Looking back at the screen he said, "The main danger from him is his meta abilities that while unconfirmed are believed to be telekinesis and concussive blasts."

"I have both seen footage and personally how proficient he is. The concussive blasts range from knocking people back dozens of yards to punching 5-foot-wide holes in brick buildings. The telekinesis allows him a wide range of potential attack variables, the exact range is not known though he did rip a side of a building's support from over 200 yards away. That should tell you that he has decent reach and some power behind it."

"Wait," Kaldur said, "Is his telekinesis limited to certain elements or materials? Or is it like M'gann's telekinesis?"

Batman clicked a button on the computer panel which started cycling through other grainy images of the suspect. Some showed similar scenes of the same spot but different angles, others with him dressed like a janitor and out in daylight.

"All evidence points to there being no limit to what he can manipulate though size and distance undoubtedly play a factor. There is also evidence that he has ways of using his telekinesis to create barriers or at least reflect attacks," Batman explained.

Hesitating for a moment he said, "He typically has avoided telekinesis on people which could mean a number of things, though he has shown in one instance being able to."

M'gann looked thoughtful at that, "If his power is similar to Martians then yes he should be able to move humans but it has always been difficult even for the most proficient of telekinesis."

"Why's that?" Artemis asked.

Looking to Batman who gave a nod, M'gann took a deep breath as she dug into her memory of all her uncle J'onn had spoken of. She herself was more attuned to telepathy and found it a more difficult ability.

"For Martians, lifting objects is very dependent on the weight and the quantity that you affect. Any distractions from a loud bang to the smallest whisper can throw off your focus. "

She scrunched her face trying to remember her lessons from Mars, "My uncle would be a better one to answer this but telekinesis being as delicate as it is can have trouble with living objects in part because they are constantly moving and shifting weight. A solid or non-changing object is infinitely easier to lift, which is why using telekinesis on fire, water or air is nearly impossible. It is just far too slippery and changing for the mind to stay focused on."

"There is also another reason which involves living organisms emitting a type of electromagnetic field or some sort of energy, I can't remember, that is resistant to telekinesis. It is similar to how some are able to resist telepathy because of strong wills or natural immunity. Martian researchers found that the majority of living organisms, especially sentients are naturally resistant to telekinesis. That is why it is rare to have one just lift someone up and throw them, or even more terrifying manipulate the insides of someone's body."

She shivered at the thought, no one wanted an enemy who could just wave their hand and shut off your brain.

Wally looked particularly disturbed, "Wait! Are you saying you," he pointed at the screen, "or he can mess around with my insides?!?"

M'gann shook her head, "I certainly can't, even my uncle who is proficient in telekinesis can't. And the most powerful users of this power probably couldn't or wouldn't. It is easier to throw a car than spend so much time focusing which can get disrupted by the simplest of things."

Wally looked a little bit calmer, but the rest of the team who had stayed quiet during M'gann's explanation still had worried looks.

"Your goal," Batman spoke up getting everyone's attention, "Is not to engage him. I have brought the team to work with the local patrol."

Looking at Barbra and Jason he said, "You two will split up the team and take them out for patrols to begin looking for this meta. When you find him you will call me immediately and wait for me to bring him in."

He gave a cursory look at all the sidekicks.

"Any questions?"

Kaldur asked a few concerning who was in command and how long they would be deployed. Besides a few jokes from Wally and Connor grunting he could snap the suspect in half they wrapped up the meeting with everyone making their way out of the cave save for Barbra.

Batman sat down in front of the Batcomputer and began running facial identification using his hacked resources of Gotham's traffic and police cameras.

"Hey you coming," Dick asked before he walked out.

"You go ahead I will catch up."

After hearing the last of the footsteps fade and checking to make sure none of the team was around she turned around and stood behind Batman.

"I want to know what is going on?"

"I have briefed the team and you." He said not taking his eyes off the computer.

"There is more going on than what you are saying." She said in a no-nonsense voice.

Batman turned to her with a glare that typically made the likes of even the other League members back off.

Barbra returned the look, "Don't think Jason and especially Dick don't suspect. They both just fear and admire you far too much to pressure you. They will try to dig into it on their own. I however joined you with an understanding that information would not be a one-way streak."

He kept his glare going at her while she returned her own defiant look. This went on for a tense minute before she broke it off. She swore the only person who could make Batman wilt under a gaze was probably Alfred or Selina.

She muttered, "Fine, don't tell me. But whatever it is that makes you so interested in this guy puts the team at risk, we will be having a conversation. You, me, Jason, and Dick!"

Turning around she started walking to join the rest of the team. The tapping noise of the keyboard told her he had returned immediately to monitoring Gotham's cameras.

She thought it first had to do with the meta being so young and lost. Then she thought it had to do with the robberies and the killing of the cop. But even that was not quite it. She just couldn't figure out why Batman was spending so much time hunting down another murderer. But her instincts were telling her there was much more to it than just guilt or justice.

As for her feelings for the man, her previous confused feelings and sympathy for 'the Hound' were gone following Benny Montoya's death.

Now she was just ready to catch him!