I sighed, looking at Batman. "I figure I know what you mean. You want me to go to the H.I.V.E. Academy as Caius Dawn, current CEO of Olympian Designs right?"
Batman nodded. "Exactly. Considering they've been trying to get your company to upgrade their current school, and design future sister schools in different countries for years. But for some reason, your company has always turned them down. Even when your mother was leading the company."
Nightwing looked over at me. "What's the reason for that?"
I shrugged. "Growing up, Mom always said she never liked that school. Especially the Headmaster, and even the Headmistress who handles day-to-day activities. She said there wasn't enough money or donations in the world to make her work with 'that pale-skinned freak and that two-faced bitch.'" I paused, letting the memory settle. "She said they even wanted to have me attend. A male son of an Amazon of Themyscira is extremely rare, and they wanted that kind of prestige attached to their school. But Mom shut that down immediately, saying she'd rather have that bitch Circe be my teacher before she'd send me there. Her words, not mine."
I thought to myself, considering she probably meant Brother Blood, I wouldn't be surprised. But I still didn't know who the Headmistress might be. And why my mom hated Circe so much was still a mystery to me.
Conner spoke up. "So why didn't you ever check them out yourself, when they kept reaching out?"
"Mom's instincts were never wrong," I said. "So I trusted them. Even to this day."
I looked to Batman. "So you want me to go into the school and be your eyes and ears?"
"Yes," Batman said. "You'll go saying you're branching out your clientele. Considering they still be reaching out after your mother was declared deceased means they really want you there."
I nodded. That's when Dick spoke up. "I'll be going with you as well."
I raised an eyebrow. "Um, why? As my bodyguard or something?"
"No, that'll be us." Superboy said, gesturing to himself and Wally, who was smirking beside him.
"What about me, Omen, and Supergirl?" Donna asked.
Wonder Woman answered. "You and the rest of the Amazons will get in through another means. You'll be going directly into the smuggling ring, which we theorize is under the school, deep in the ground beneath the mountain. But you'll most likely be out of comm range, even with Miss Martian's assistance. I believe you'll have too..." She paused. " I'm sorry in advance, but it was the only way to get in unnoticed."
Donna and Kara both raised an eyebrow at that, clearly unsatisfied with the vague explanation but sensing this wasn't the time to push it.
I looked to Dick and asked, "So are you going as a ward of Bruce Wayne, then?"
Nightwing chuckled. "No. I'm going as a potential donor. And since we're both Gotham elites, it'll look natural."
I raised an eyebrow, even more confused. "I didn't know your police job paid that well. Or do you own a bunch of properties?"
Nightwing looked genuinely confused for a second, and Virgil cut in. "Wait, Caius, do you really not know about Dick's day job?"
I shrugged. "Last time I checked, he was a police detective in Bludhaven, which is rare for our age."
"Actually, Cai," Dick said, "I have several business ventures. I had a huge inheritance from my parents, plus their insurance money. Alfred's been steadily investing it for me over the years, so as of last year, I'm worth around $5.19 million. And that's without including whatever inheritance Bruce or Alfred might leave me."
Wally whistled. "Dang, dude. If you're so rich, why don't you get more snacks for the tower?"
Dick chuckled. "I'm sorry, didn't you win the state lottery? Six point five million dollars, last year? What happened to that money?"
Wally rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly sheepish. "Yeah, I sort of spent it too quickly. Big house, living large, bought a few sports cars and such. But hey, I still have a few hundred thousand left, which I've wisely invested."
"You're the fastest man alive," I said. "Why did your ginger-headed self buy sports cars you'll never even drive?"
Wally got visibly nervous, opening his mouth to answer, but Batman cut him off. "Let's focus. Caius, reach out to the academy and establish a meeting under the pretense of business."
"Copy that," I said. "What will the League do?"
Superman stepped forward. "Some of us are traveling to a place called Warworld."
That caused all of us Titans to look concerned. Even before the Titans were founded we heard the stories of the Leagues first time on War world. And now they are going back, but why?
He clicked a panel on the table, and the image displayed shifted from the H.I.V.E. Academy to something far more brutal. My eyes narrowed as I saw a massive, hulking figure holding a decapitated, bloody head aloft, roaring in savage excitement. A recorded message began to play.
"To all the warriors of the universe. I am Battle Beast, the new warlord and ruler of Battleworld." His voice was a guttural roar, barely restrained violence packed into every syllable. "I know of the conflicts occurring in the galaxy between the Viltrum Empire and the Coalition. This world's former leader, " He hoisted the severed head higher, and I recognized the features immediately from every piece of media I'd consumed in my old life. Mongul. "He had pledged this world and its fighters to the Empire. But that is no longer the case."
Battle Beast's jaw split wide, far wider than any normal skull should allow, rows of teeth gleaming.
"I hereby send this message out to those who seek an alliance. Come here and face me in combat. Should you win, my world and its warriors and resources are yours for the taking. But know this, fail me, and you lose more than the battle."
His massive feline jaw opened impossibly wide and he shoved Mongul's head into his mouth, tearing into it with savage abandon, blood and viscera staining the white fur around his muzzle a deep, wet crimson.
The video ended.
John Stewart broke the silence first. "I faced that guy once. I never want to do it again."
Superman nodded slowly, his expression grim. "Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, and I, along with Hawkwoman, will head to Battleworld and try to negotiate with Battle Beast before the Empire arrives."
I thought to myself: if this Battle Beast was anything like the one I remembered from the Invincible comics and show, words weren't going to accomplish much. But with Wonder Woman and Superman there, things should be manageable enough. Well depending on who the Empire sends.
Hawkwoman crossed her arms and sighed. "I still don't understand it. Among all the Dornian species, he's the strongest and most dangerous."
"Superman," she added, "be ready to fight. He will not listen to reason. He only wants to fight, it drives his entire being."
Superman's expression softened into something warm but resolute. "I know that's probably what's going to happen. But it doesn't hurt to try."
Hawkwoman raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, but not all of us can tank a missile strong enough to level cities, or entire countries, and just walk it off."
Superman smiled faintly. "I don't always walk it off. I actually feel stuff like that."
Batman, without so much as a flicker of expression, said, "Yeah, Hawkwoman, it must be like stubbing a toe for him. Or maybe bumping his head."
Everyone in the room turned to look at Batman.
He glanced around at all of us. "What?"
Nightwing pointed at him, grinning. "You did it, Bats. You made your first joke. All my years of hard work has finally paid off."
Batman just sighed, clearly regretting having said anything at all. "We'll reconvene at Happy Harbor, Mount Justice, after Superior has made contact with Headmistress Good."
As we all filed out of the meeting room, Dick fell into step beside me. "Hey. We've got Cyborg and the other Titans branches looking for Eve."
I nodded. "Good. Please be safe, Eve," I murmured under my breath, more to myself than to him.
I walked through the chamber toward the Zeta-Tube teleporter, my boots echoing against the polished metal floor. A technician glanced up from his console.
"The civilian is coming through," he announced.
A moment later, light flared and Debbie materialized through the beam, blinking rapidly as she reoriented herself.
"That was weird," she said, pressing a hand to her temple. She spotted me and her whole face brightened, the tension melting off her as she walked over. We hugged, and I felt some of the day's weight ease off my shoulders just from the familiar warmth of it.
Then she looked past me and spotted Nightwing standing nearby.
"Richard, it's good to see you!" she said, before immediately covering her mouth, remembering the technician was still standing right there, well within earshot.
Dick just smiled easily. "It's fine, it's fine, ma'am. I've known little Dick since he was eleven."
Debbie relaxed slightly, then turned her attention back to me, her expression sharpening with concern. "You said it was important, Caius. So what's wrong?"
I exhaled slowly. I knew that what I was about to tell her would open up old wounds, and probably create some new ones in the process. But there was no way around it.
I explained everything. How Nolan had come back. How he'd trained both Mark and me for the last month. How he had a new son now, a Martian Hybrid boy named Oliver, and how Nolan was leaving Oliver here on Earth since it was probably the safest place for him, safer than being with Nolan, and on Mars. I told her how Nolan had left again, to buy us more time, in the hope that when a Viltrumite negotiator finally came to Earth, they'd come alone. And then I asked her, if she wouldn't mind, to look after Oliver. To be a good influence on him.
Debbie stood there through all of it, listening with a calm, unreadable expression, waiting patiently for me to finish.
When I did, all she said was, "Is that it, sweetie?"
I nodded, a little thrown by how measured she sounded. I expected an eye twitch, maybe even a undertone of anger, but I saw nothing.
She exhaled, adjusting the strap of her purse. "Fine. Where is this Oliver?"
I blinked at her. "Is that all you want to say?"
Debbie raised an eyebrow at me. "What did you expect? Blow a gasket and curse his name into the void of space?"
"I sort of expected something more... passionate," I admitted. "Or something."
She sighed, and for just a second, something more tired flickered behind her eyes. "Caius, it's been five years. I'd made peace with the idea that he was either dead, or he'd moved on. Lord knows I've tried to move on myself, but no one's ever quite filled his shoes. No matter how strong or good to me they were." She straightened, some of that composure returning. "Look, my son is here. My other son. And you're giving me the chance to see him again. So, thank you. He called me a month ago but hasn't returned my calls since. It's good to know he was just catching up with Nolan, and not something worse."
I nodded slowly. "Mark has changed alot. I'm still conflicted on that. Hell even Nolan seemed like he'd changed a little."
Debbie's mouth quirked into something dry and knowing. "Oh, really? He changed enough to name his second son after my father?"
I chuckled nervously despite myself. Note to self don't ever try to speak up on Nolan, he is old enough to fight his on battles. "Yeah, trust me, everyone gave him shit for that."
"You can bring him by my place," I said. " I need to get ready for a very important mission soon."
"I know. Just be careful."
I smiled. "It's not the Viltrumites this time, so I'll be fine."
She pulled me into another hug, then kissed my cheek. "Just come home to me, okay?"
"I promise, Mom."
She smiled at that, something warm and genuine breaking through. I looked over at Dick. "Can you take her to Mark and Oliver?"
"Of course," Dick said. "See you in two days."
I nodded, and headed for the Zeta-Tube. "Send me to the Belfry in Gotham, please," I told the technician.
The older man tapped at his console. "Copy that."
The Zeta-Tube spoke in that same flat mechanical tone it always used. "Recognized: Superior. B-Zero-Six." White light swallowed me, and a moment later I rematerialized in the Belfry.
I sighed, stepped out onto the nearest balcony, and took off into the sky.
Mid-flight, I pulled out my phone and made a call. "Can you meet me at my office? I need your help." A pause. "Thanks."
I landed at Olympian Designs a few minutes later. The building rose tall and elegant against the Gotham skyline, its design speaking to the vision of the woman who'd built it, my mother. It looked like someone had taken the clean, geometric confidence of Greek aesthetic and fused it seamlessly with Gotham's gothic industrial edge, and somehow the combination worked perfectly.
I walked into the large front lobby, a space that blended stone garden serenity with polished professional efficiency. Water flowed gently through channels set into the floor, and the space was decorated with pottery and art pulled from Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Ethiopian, and countless other traditions from around the world, each piece placed with obvious intention rather than for mere decoration.
I approached the front desk, where a young woman sat fielding calls and typing rapidly at her computer. She looked up and smiled the moment she spotted me.
"Mr. Dawn, welcome. I'm surprised you didn't just fly to the top."
"I like to make sure my employees are well," I said, smiling back. "Did I miss anything?"
She shook her head. "Nope. Lia's at lunch right now, and the security guards are doing their job well. Same old, same old, office gossip, R&D wanting bigger budgets, etcetera, etcetera."
"What would I do without you, Nia?"
"You'd still have a multi-million-dollar company and never have to work a day in your life," she said without missing a beat. "But you wouldn't get to see my cute face anymore."
I chuckled. "Of course, you're right."
"I'm heading to my office," I said. "I'm expecting Mr. F to show up, so if anyone asks, I'm not here. Like usual."
"Of course, Mr. D."
"I told you not to call me that."
"And I told you to buy a girl a drink sometime," she shot back, unbothered.
"I'm not twenty-one." I said.
"Well, you'll be twenty next month, and we can always fly to another country." She giggled as I walked away, shaking her head.
When I reached my office door, the plaque still read Caius Dawn, CEO in clean, understated lettering. I sighed. "You should be here, Mom," I murmured, then opened the door.
The room beyond was almost spartan in its simplicity. A marble desk sat against one wall, a couch and coffee table arranged adjacent to it, and a window led out to a private balcony. On the desk sat a small stack of mail, a few files, and a framed photo of me with my parents.
I pulled the golden coin Ares had given me from my pocket and set it down on the desk, staring at it for a long moment.
I'll have to talk to him again sometime, I thought. Just not now, I have enough priorities. That's when I heard a knock at the door. I turned, and my expression softened at the familiar face standing in the doorway.
"Mr. Dawn. Glad to see you back, for once."
"Come on, Lucius, you act like I never show up at all. I come into the office at least three or four times a week."
Lucius Fox, the brilliant CEO and President of Wayne Enterprises, primary business manager and armorer for Bruce Wayne or should I say Batman and the Batfamily, and one of my own board members who helped maintain my company alongside a handful of trusted members, like Diana.
He smiled warmly as he stepped inside.
"Well, you do show up more than Mr. Wayne does, and you're far more hands-on," he said. "But you were nowhere to be found for the last month. I did heard from a certain someone about the situation the League's been facing."
"Oh really? How's Alfred?" I asked.
"He's well. Says you need to figure out your birthday plans for next month."
I sighed. "The world is about to be invaded by an intergalactic empire of world-conquering aliens who happen to be my father's people. So planning my birthday isn't exactly high on my list right of priorities now."
Lucius shrugged good-naturedly. "I understand. But you know how stubborn Alfred can be."
"I know," I said. "But he cares." I gestured toward the couch. "I will keep that in mind then. Anyway, let me tell you about my upcoming mission, and why I need you to act as an intermediary."
"I'll pour the tea," Lucius said, moving toward the small service set on the side table. "I'll also give you an update on the recent developments in the company."
I raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"
Lucius turned back to me, his expression carefully neutral in a way that immediately put me on edge.
"We have someone claiming to be a god wanting to talk to you."