Cain blinked, still half in shock, his throat raw and dry. "Jason…?"
Jason leaned forward, elbows on his knees, arms resting loosely. "Yeah. The one and only. You've been out cold for three days, and honestly? You look like hell."
Cain groaned softly, his mind spinning. He glanced down at his torso, bandaged tight, faint black veins visible from under his skin where nanotech had partially fused into scar tissue. "What… what happened?"
Jason sighed, leaning back. "Starfire pulled you from the bottom of the damn ocean. Said she found you half-dead and sinking like a rock. You're lucky you even had a pulse. If it wasn't for our benefactor you probably wouldn't."
Cain's gaze turned distant. The memories flickered, Anissa's voice, the crushing force of her blows, the coldness in her eyes. Her words echoed in his skull If things happen like they did in the original series her father's coming next.
"Conquest,... Zod". His heart skipped a beat. "He's coming."
Jason raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. Instead, he crossed his arms. "You should be thanking your beautiful guardian angel instead of mumbling."
Cain's eyes focused again. "You said thanks to your benefactor. Who is it? I need to contact the League. It's bad. Like really bad."
Jason gave a dry chuckle and stood, grabbing his helmet from the table. "Alien invasion bad?"
Cain hesitated, then nodded grimly. "Worse."
Jason slipped the helmet under his arm. "Yeah, well, our friend's on top of it. As for the League, you can take that up with him. I've got better things to do than play messenger boy."
He started toward the door, but Cain's voice stopped him. "Jason."
Jason turned slightly, just enough to show his scarred jawline in the light.
Cain studied him for a moment, the hardened stance, the unspoken anger behind his calm mask. He remembered everything about Jason Todd, not just from this world, but from his old one. The second Robin. The boy who died at the Joker's hands. The man reborn through the Lazarus Pit. The outcast who fought between vengeance and redemption.
Jason was always my favorite, Cain thought silently. The one who never fit the mold, the black sheep who made his own path.
He knew the versions, pre-Crisis and post-Crisis , The New 52 and Rebirth. The later ones he liked best was the Jason who found balance, who wasn't a monster but a man learning to live again past the pain. Cain had a feeling this Jason was in the early days of that transformation, probably before the Outlaws had officially formed. Roy Harper was gone in this world so there is no telling how the outlaws will look without him. At least Kori is here.
But that benefactor… that part didn't sit right.
"Hey," Cain said suddenly. "I can help you with your anger."
Jason paused, turning his head slightly . "Unless you can get rid of whatever the Lazarus Pit left in me, I doubt it."
Cain smirked faintly, ignoring the pain that lanced through his side. "Maybe not. But I can give you the Joker, and the chance to kill him. After that, another choice."
Jason froze mid-step, fists tightening slightly. "…What makes you think I can't do that myself?"
"Because of Batman," Cain replied simply. "You don't want to disappoint him. Even if you hate to admit it. You know killing the Joker would be an upside, but you also know it would destroy whatever's left between you two. He'd come for you, and you'd never be welcome back in that family. Even though Alfred would agree with you… and so would I, if that mattered."
Jason's jaw twitched. He turned halfway toward Cain, eyes shadowed. "Well, Cain, I don't know you that well, so it doesn't. But nice try."
That's not surprising back right before the tower incident with Mark I ran into Jason a few times when he was Robin. Back then he was a bit of a cocky brat but I also saw past that. Sometimes we would go on patrol together. The craziest part was after the Tower incident he was the only one to send me flowers. I didn't have enough time to become friends with Jason, but now I have a chance to help out my favorite former Robin.
As Jason reached for the door again. "What's the second choice?"
Cain met his eyes. "The choice to heal. To move past and the pain. To stop being the kid whose mother betrayed him, whose father's figure failed him. To be your own man, not Robin, not Batman's shadow."
Silence filled the room. Jason said nothing for several seconds.
Then, with a humorless smirk, he muttered, "I'll think on it, Doctor Phil."
The door opened, and light spilled in.
Standing there was Starfire, Hair and body soaking wet. Wearing little more than a thin, pink bikini with a cherry blossom design that left almost nothing to the imagination. Her bright orange skin seemed to glow, her long wet hair had dark, a contrast to the orange hue that shimmered in the light.
"Cain!" she gasped, rushing over. "You're awake!"
Before Cain could react, she was beside the bed, leaning close, too close, her warmth pressing against him. Her emerald eyes shone with concern, but Cain was more focused on how his naked body might've react if she got any closer.
"Kori," I stammered awkwardly, "It's good to see you again but....personal space…"
Kori rubbed her wet face against mine in a loving embrace. He soft hands were folded around my shoulders. Then like on command my body spoke for me. As my manhood brushed again Kori's thigh.
Kori looked down in surprise then she had a small smile on her face. Before she could respond, another voice cut in.
"Give him room, Kori."
Cain looked over to see Artemis. Not the bombshell redhead Amazon, but Artemis Crock from the young justice series. Cain was surprised to see her here she hasn't been seen since the tower incident.
She entered the room, her long blonde hair tied back, wearing a black and red bikini with a skirtini, while modest compared to Kori's, could still turned heads. Her fair skin with her toned and slightly muscular arms and legs. Cain thought she was more beautiful then the last time he saw her. But he could also tell she has been training harder then the last time he saw her.
Behind her, A Robot, or rather, thee Robot appeared. Cain recognized that look anywhere. It was Robot from the Invincible series. Rudolph "Rudy" Connors, walked in, his metal frame gleaming under the fluorescent lights.
What in the world? Why was Artemis here and why is Robot here, wait is he the benefactor? From what I can remember Rudy was filthy rich in the invincible series so maybe he is in this one to. Real question is does he still the same condition that made him copy Rex's DNA into a clone body?
As Artemis pulled Kori off me I tried to casually hide my other head from appearing and saying hello. "Thank you, Artemis," I said, forcing a weak smile. "Nice to see you again."
Artemis crossed her arms. "Don't get used to it."
Cain blinked, caught off guard by the bite in her tone.
Robot's monotone voice filled the space. "Do not take it personally. She harbors resentment for what occurred during the Tower assault. She has not processed it yet."
"Mind your own business, Robot," Artemis snapped.
Jason, still lingering near the door, turned toward Robot. "What do you want, Robot?"
"A job," Robot replied simply. "I was contacted by Cecil Stedman. The Global Defense Agency wants me to coordinate with Waller's Task Force X. Their mission: retrieval of a valuable asset and acquisition of data concerning the Viltrumite Empire."
Jason immediately shook his head. "Yeah, no thanks. I'm not getting involved with Waller and her suicide squad."
Robot's eyes flickered faintly. "Dr. Harleen Quinzel will be on the team."
Jason stopped dead, helmet in hand. He turned slowly toward Artemis, who was currently prying Starfire off Cain's arm. "Harley's in, huh?"
Artemis raised an eyebrow. "You're seriously considering this?"
Jason smirked under his breath. " Only if you watch my back. So what do you say, are you in to go to space?"
Artemis hesitated, then gave a small nod. "Let me call Rose and Terra they might be interested..." Jason nodded.
Cain frowned. Rose? Terra? She couldn't mean those those two. "Wait, Artemis, you' know those two...? "
She didn't answer, turning away pulling Kori.
Robot stepped forward, placing his metal hand at the foot of Cain's bed. "Do not take it personally," he said again. "She blames you for the losses during Mark's assault. But deep down she blames herself for how powerless she was herself."
Cain sighed. Good thing she didn't hear that or she would probably send a trick arrow to his head. "Yeah, I figured."
"Enough small talk," Robot continued, voice calm, clinical. "Kori. Jason. Could you both leave us. I wish to speak with Cain privately."
Jason eyes narrowed on Robot before turning to leave . "Good to see you again, Cain."
Once the room cleared, Robot's robotic green lens eyes fixed on Cain.
"Cain," he said, "I have a proposition."
Cain's brows furrowed. Not surprising this guy would use whatever he can to his advantage. But If he's anything like his comic book book version I will have to watch my back. "I'm listening."
"I have various networks to retrieve information so I know about your circumstances. I honestly wanted to recruit you sooner but Stedman told me not to. Now things have changed and I am free to recruit you. I can help you recover your parents from the Phantom Zone," Robot said plainly. "And assist in repairing your damaged physiology.
This made Cain's eyes widen in surprise. None of this surprised Cain from what he knew about this world and all the possibilities. The real question is how does he know about my biology and can he really enter the phantom zone. The Cain focused back on Robot's proposition.
"In exchange…" He paused, voice lowering slightly. "I want to witness it all."
Cain's eyes narrowed. Now couldn't hide the flicker of surprise, though part of him wasn't shocked at all. He knew Robot's story, from the Invincible comics, from his old life. A mind like Brainiac in the body of a deformed human . Ambition wrapped in logic.
But what does he really want?
Cain's voice was quiet, wary. "What do you want, Robot?"
Robot tilted his head. "To see what happens next."
Then, almost humanly, he added:
"And to have you join us, the team Jason is forming."
Cain raised an eyebrow. "This isn't your team?"
Robot's spoke calmly. "No this was his, I am just the one that helps paying for and making things."
Cain thought deeply. If he was asked this question years ago after the tower incident he would have said yes in a heart beat. But now that he was older and wiser he knew something wasn't right Jason, Artemis and Kori are actually believable. Rose Wilson and Terra are the unknowns that worried him. But the biggest unknown was Robot.
Cain knew he needed to keep an eye on this guy. If any of the story beats are similar to his orignal story then Rudy could become a threat like no other. Rudy is what happens with you put Someone like Tim drake, Batman, Lex Luther and brainiac in a room and you tell them to make a plan to control the world and expand it's power.
I need to stay here. I can get my parents and the issue of my powers addressed at the same time. While keeping a eye on this unknow factor.
Cain nodded. " You have yourself a deal Robot. I will join this little band of Outlaws."