Before Damian could begin explaining anything, Raven suddenly raised a hand.
"Wait," she said, looking at Rick Flag Sr. "Is there any food in this house? I'm starving."
Rick blinked, slightly caught off guard. He glanced toward the kitchen. "There's pancake mix on the shelf… some eggs, bacon too. Can you cook?"
Raven slowly turned her head toward Damian.
Damian sighed. "Fine. I'll cook."
Within minutes, the kitchen came alive. Damian moved with practiced precision, far too skilled for someone his age. He prepared pancakes, eggs, and perfectly crisp bacon, arranging everything neatly on plates. The food looked like it had come straight from a professional kitchen.
Rick hadn't realized how hungry he was until the smell hit him. For the first time in days, his appetite returned.
When the food was ready, Damian nodded to Raven. "Clear the table."
Raven smirked and lifted her hand. Dark energy rippled softly as bottles, empty glasses, and clutter slid aside, stacking themselves neatly out of the way. The three of them sat down and began eating.
The food was excellent.
Halfway through the meal, Damian finally spoke.
"Alright," he said calmly. "I'll explain the deal."
Rick listened in silence as Damian laid out the rules—clearly, carefully, with no room for misunderstanding.
"First," Damian said, "you will sign a binding non-disclosure agreement with the Justice League. You may tell the U.S. government that Batman was responsible for your recovery. You may not, under any circumstances, reveal my involvement."
Rick nodded slightly but said nothing.
"Second," Damian continued, "you will be the only recipient of this technology. It cannot be replicated. It cannot be removed intact. There will be safeguards built into the system—no one can hack it. Not the Justice League. Not the government. Not any organization on Earth."
Raven watched Rick closely, gauging his reaction.
"Third," Damian said, "the process will take one month. One full day for surgery—your damaged spine will be removed and replaced with the Sandevistan system. You will regain sensation in your legs immediately. Two days for surgical recovery. The remaining twenty-seven days will be for rehabilitation and training."
He activated a small hologram, briefly showing a schematic.
"The Sandevistan allows time dilation," Damian explained. "To you, the world slows down. You move and react at superhuman speed. In the beginning, you'll be able to activate it about fifteen times a day. If you push yourself, maybe twenty—but that's the absolute limit."
Rick frowned slightly.
"After that," Damian said, "you'll need six to seven hours for your body and the system to cool down. If you exceed that limit, there could be side effects. This surgery is extremely dangerous. Even with upgrades, there are risks."
Silence filled the room.
Rick Flag Sr. stared at his plate, then at his hands. Two full minutes passed as he thought through every rule, every word.
Finally, he looked up. "How much time do I have to decide?"
"One day," Damian replied. "I'll come back tomorrow to pick you up."
Damian stood, Raven rising beside him.
"Before then," Damian added, "go anywhere you need to. Say anything you need to say. Get your affairs in order. This surgery could give you your life back… but it could also kill you."
They turned toward the door.
Damian paused once more and looked back at Rick.
"This is your best shot, Rick Flag Sr. If you want your life back—be ready."
With that, Damian and Raven left the house, leaving Rick alone with the echo of possibility for the first time in weeks.