Ten People The League of Assassins Tried to Kill and Couldn't
Title: Ten People the League of Assassins Tried to Kill and Couldn't (Alternatively: Why Tim's Family is Fantastic)
Fandom: DC Universe + Uncharted + High School Musical crossover universe
Rating: PG-13? Mainly for language
Relationships: Nathan Drake/Elena Fisher, Chloe Frazer/Charlie Cutter (implied), Maxine Hunkel/Peyton Leverett, past Chloe Frazer/Tom Bronson, platonic Tim+Bart and Tim+Kon
Summary: Ra's Al-Ghul tried to kill the ten most important people to Tim Drake (Red Robin). As expected, the League of Assassins - Ra's organization - fails. What wasn't expected was just how fantastically these assassins failed to take ten lives.
Notes: A belated gift for![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
camalyng! ♥ I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Timeline-wise, this takes place before Graduation.
Chloe Frazer
It all started when Tim got a series of suspicious texts from his Aunt. Normally, she didn't text him; heck, half the time, his aunt didn't exactly have a mobile device. If he wanted to track her down, he usually activated the nanotech in the earrings he'd given her for her birthday.
(With permission, of course - he'd told Uncle Charlie at the time, "just in case she loses her phone again." Uncle Charlie'd just shaken his head at Tim and mumbled something about Yanks and their ridiculous sense of paranoia... Jeez! He wasn't that bad. He hoped.)
sweetheart i really didn't expect ra's goons at my door today
what did you do to piss those sods off?
because whatever it is, it's working
Ra's... goons? That didn't bode well. Tim had recently been wrapped up in a desperate battle against Ra's Al-Ghul, the leader of the League of the Assassins and one of the world's most deadly criminals, but what did his Aunt Chloe have to do with this? During their last scuffle, Ra's had briefly mentioned that he would take out hits on "the ten most important people in his life."
So Ra's was acting upon his word, and Chloe had been the first (failed) attempt. Tim fervently rubbed his temples. His aunt could handle herself - and the rest of the world - but what about the rest of the family? They needed all the help that they could get. Before he could really control what he was typing, Tim sent back a response:
never been better, pikelet
send regards to your mum and if nate's not proud of you, he's an idiot
you're better than the league any day
tho the perks would've been nice
Perks? Did she mean the ability to silently take out a hit on anyone and have it written off as an 'accident?' Because that was a perk he could live without. Tim rolled his eyes at her text, even as he tucked his phone into his pocket.
One down, nine to go - and if he were lucky, all nine would be just as un(?)eventful as the first.
Charlie Cutter
If Aunt Chloe had been the tenth, then her husband Uncle Charlie wasn't far behind. As his dad's best friend and fellow partner-in-crime, Uncle Charlie had enough "archaeology" stories to engulf whole oceans. The League would be incredibly stupid to go after him, but then again, they tried to kill Aunt Chloe first thing in the morning...
Against his better judgment, Tim gave his (favorite) uncle a buzz. Nothing happened.
He tried again. Still nothing.
What was going on? Did his uncle's arrogance get the better of him? Did he not wear the kevlar vest? Questions were swirling around in his brain, and he really wanted answers to all of them. Now.
His phone rang. The number was unfamiliar - and unlisted. Tim hesitantly picked up, "Hello?"
"Oy! Timbo! Since when were you badass enough to have the League as your archenemies?"
It was all Tim could do to rein his relief. "Hey to you too, Uncle Charlie. What happened to your phone?"
"It died a hero's death protecting me at the football game today. The one time I want to see Chelsea beat the livin' shit outta Arsenal, I tell you--"
"Uncle Charlie!"
"Oh, that's right, I forgot you liked Arsenal. Dunno why, when they're all a load'a crap."
Tim couldn't control his laughter any longer. His uncle was (apparently) ambushed by the League at the freaking Stanford Bridge, home to famous soccer team Chelsea, and he cared more about his stupid game? Uncle Charlie sure had strange priorities.
"You're okay, right? Your heart okay? You should be taking it easy, you know... doc's orders and all that."
"Since when have I ever done that?" Uncle Charlie snorted, half-exasperated, half-amused. "I'll be fine, kiddo. Just leave everything to your uncle - and give Ra's a good thrashing for me while you're at it."
Tim bit his upper lip to prevent any more laughter from contaminating his sour mood. "Will do. What's next?"
"I'm headin' back to my seat, of course! No assassin's keeping me from watching that game. Ah, kiddo - I'd stick around, but I'm borrowing my mate's phone, so I'll keep you posted on things."
Without another word, Uncle Charlie abruptly hung up, and Tim was left to wonder: what just happened? Either his family was way more badass than he thought, or their priorities were really, really screwed up.
Tom Bronson
Tim wasn't particularly worried about Uncle Tom. Sure, his uncle's civilian life wasn't incredibly exciting. Associate professor at Columbia, married with two kids, living the (boring) dream... Nothing in that resume screamed "potential target of the League of Assassins." Uncle Tom should've been a sitting duck for the three men sent after him.
Except he wasn't, because Uncle Tom also happened to be the best werecat in the country. Tim would know: Uncle Tom had babysat him more times than Tim could count!
Just after his phone call from Uncle Charlie, Tim could hear the static of Wildcat's unmistakable roar and the sound of crunched bones over his comm link. A gruff voice growled to him, "Seriously? Assassins? Couldn't they have come up with something more interesting?"
Tim wanted so badly to laugh right then and there, but he managed to keep his voice steady as he continued the trek towards Ra's' lair. "It's the League, remember? They're not so great with creativity."
"Think I can eat them?"
"We're not on Hannibal or Silence of the Lambs, so I'd rather you not."
His uncle let out a deep, rich laugh that eased some of the tension in Tim's bones. "As you say, champ. You know, that's actually how I met your Aunt Chloe..."
Oh god.
He really, really didn't want to be reminded of how his Uncle Tom and his Aunt Chloe had been an Item before Aunt Chloe and Uncle Charlie got married. The mental images were terrible enough (and wasn't Uncle Tom like, a decade younger than Auntie C?).
"On second thought, if you'll never mention it again, maybe you can bite them."
"Heh. You really are Nate's kid, you know that?"
He growled again, just as the sound of broken glass registered over his earphones. Tim couldn't help the grin tugging from ear to ear as he continued the long trek towards Ra's lair. The Al'Ghuls had very, very clearly missed with the wrong cat.
Maxine Leverett
hey timmy :)
sorry i won't be able to mail you your costume tonite!! some assassins tried to kill me and i'm kinda worn out
i'm ok, go worry about someone else, i just wanted to let you know that red robin's suit isn't going to be ready anytime soon
want some gourmet burgers with it?? lol JK i love you ♥♥♥
Most days, Tim hated his godmother's obnoxiously long text messages. (Her long rant on theater during a battle with Scarecrow hadn't helped matters - it was scary enough when Scarecrow agreed with most of her points!)
Today? Today was a rare exception. The second he received her message, his shoulders sagged with relief before he pressed her number on his speed-dial.
"Auntie Max?"
"Timmy! Hi! I'm on my way home, what's up?"
"I just got your message," he said, suddenly grateful that she couldn't see him smile. "Seriously, take your time with the repairs. I've got a couple of spares."
"I'm really sorry! If I hadn't been targeted, they would've been done, but they had to go and wreck my sewing machine, so I had to ask Uncle Jay to fix it at super-speed, and he's not exactly free 'til tomorrow, so that's kind of a moot point and--"
"It's okay!" He cut in, knowing well that she just wouldn't stop otherwise. "I'm just glad you're okay. The League decided to target the ten most important people to me, so..."
"Tim." Maxine's voice grew almost melancholy. "Who else got hit?"
"You, Aunt Chloe, Uncle Charlie, Uncle Tom..."
That's when it hit you. Shit.
"Uncle Peyton's gotta be next."
"Are you sure?" She sounded almost perplexed. "He's not involved in any of this... Why would they even..."
"Because he's important to me. I'll check up on him - go ahead and go home."
There was a long pause on the other line. Had assassins gotten to her again? Tim hastily checked the GPS signal. Nope, she was still in LA, on her way back home.
After what seemed like forever, Maxine said, "Peyton's going to be fine, Timmy. He always has been." Then, just before she hung up, she added, "Be safe, alright? I love you."
Funny how three little words could stop him in his tracks. Out of everyone else that had messaged and called him today, she was the only one to verbally remind him of her love. Funny how those three little words mattered more than the entirety of her rambling, her nagging, and the overwhelming nature that was his godmother.
His family was constantly surprising him for the better. Maybe - just maybe - Uncle Peyton could hang in there too.
Peyton Leverett
The reason Tim worried so much about his Uncle Peyton was that Uncle Peyton hadn't exactly been born into a dangerous lifestyle. Nor had he ever grown into one. Somehow, he'd managed to run past treasure hunting and superheroing and into a life of fame and fortune. Normally, Tim would consider this a blessing: this life suited Peyton.
Today, this was a living nightmare. Couldn't his cousin have picked up some basic self-defense from the rest of the family? It would help, especially when he was being targeted by the League for merely being a beloved relative. Without hesitating, Tim decided to call in a favor to his celebrity friend (and ex-superhero) Cissie King-Jones. She was a bit actress in Peyton's next movie, Punception; perhaps she could keep an eye on him and make sure that his favorite cousin didn't die? Cissie had just rolled her eyes at him before cutting off the video feed.
What? Couldn't he worry about his cousin in peace? It wasn't as if he were crying paranoid panda again - this time, he knew his instincts were right. Peyton was most definitely in trouble, and Tim couldn't count on anyone else to ensure his safety. Not when half of them were under attack, while the other half were preventing said attacks!
Maybe ten minutes had passed before his phone anxiously buzzed. Tim answered, staring up at Cissie's incredibly nervous face. "Um, Tim?? I think he's got it under control."
He could hear the loud thumping of drums in the background - wait, was that choreography? Perfect, precise jazz squares and backward flips and a freaking Barrel Turn?
Tim groaned. Loudly. "Is he singing again?"
"If I told you no, would it make you feel better?"
"Just a little bit." With Cissie, Tim didn't feel the need to hide his exasperation. She got it - got him - even though they hadn't worked together on a mission in years. Her entering the world of Hollywood, Peyton's world, had done wonders for their friendship. "Just make sure he doesn't accidentally--"
Whoa.
Tim nearly fell off his ledge. "Did he scream?"
"Just like Black Canary."
The screen shook - Cissie could barely keep her arm straight - before settling down on an empty battlefield. Peyton's voice continued to drone,
"Might as well end mine too while I'm at it!
Everyone knows that in order to have
A fantastic, over-the-top classic
You just can't
Hire assassins to play
Your big bad enemiiiiiies!"
Batman would've been proud of the glare Cissie just shot at him. "You could've told me your cousin was some kind of weird singing superhero-type person!"
"Didn't think he'd actually know how to use it!" Honesty was the best policy, right? Tim sighed. "I've gotta run, but..."
"Cissie, IT'S NOT ARCHERY SEASON! PUT THAT BOW BACK!"
"Looks like I've gotta go too." Cissie rolled her eyes. "Catch you later, Boy Wonder?"
Without another word, they cut their feeds off at the same time. Tim tucked his phone in and tried not to think about what he'd just witnessed. How had his cousin managed to subdue assassins with only the power of his voice? He'd always known that Peyton was... ah, unique, but not to this extent!
Maybe Tim was wrong: the life of a famous director probably was more dangerous than that of a superhero. At least you didn't get lectured in pitch-perfect rhyme when you screwed up your job. Note to self: next time Peyton's in trouble, don't bother asking for a favor. He could handle himself just fine.
Victor Sullivan
Twenty years ago, Grandpa was too old for anything dangerous. Today, he was officially too old for anything that involved leaving the house: doctor's orders. While Tim'd upped the security years ago, he hadn't quite prepped it to defend his grandpa from a surprise assassination attempt.
This time, Tim called up Kid Flash. "Think you can swing by my house and check on my grandpa?"
"Y-you want me to check on Grandpa Sully?" Bart had stammered over the phone. "Dude! I don't know about this. I don't want to die. Again."
"Don't be melodramatic, KF. You know the security codes." Tim rubbed his temples. Just what had Grandpa done to Bart the last time they'd hung out? They'd met on amicable terms; they'd had civil conversations before; and Bart could be trusted to sit in the same room as Grandpa. Whatever bridges Grandpa had shot into two, Tim didn't want to know about them. "I don't think my parents are home, so he'll be a sitting duck if the League comes over."
Bart was silent for maybe 2.5 seconds before he let out a long, resigned sigh. "Sure. You owe me big-time, though!" Tim mentally started sifting through payment ideas - because knowing Bart, Tim would have to shell out the big bucks for something worthy of the great Kid Flash's time and energy.
Not even a minute passed before his phone rang again. Tim stared down at it before he answered, "Hi Grandpa."
He could very clearly hear Bart yell in the background, "He had a SHOTGUN underneath his massage chair! WHO DOES THAT?"
Uh.
"Grandpa?" Tim desperately tried not to bury his face in his hands. "Did you kill the assassins? Again?"
"How else do you get rid of 'em, sonny? One shot and they never knew what hit 'em."
That's when Bart seized the phone and yelled, "He almost shot me!"
Grandpa cut in, "Kid, you have super-speed. You weren't going to get hit by it."
"It was the principle of the matter!"
Before they could argue for much longer, Tim coughed. Loudly. "I'm glad you're both alive. Thanks for checking up on him, KF - and Grandpa? Try not to shoot my friends next time."
"I didn't actually aim at him," Grandpa protested, to absolutely no one's avail, just as Bart again grumbled something about a ridiculous reward. God, why did he think this had been a good idea?
He hastily put them on mute before continuing the trek to Ra's lair. At least Grandpa was alive, and least he and Bart hadn't killed each other in the process. That was enough of a blessing.
Tori Drake
so i hear the league of assassins is after you
what'd you do this time?
suuuuuure you didn't
because if you did nothing, i wouldn't have been attacked by my ex
yeah but it's never because of YOU
She had a point there. Tim grimaced at his phone, before he reluctantly asked, you KOed her right?
ohmigod
i did not make out with her if that's what you're asking!!!
No, that really wasn't, but at least he got confirmation that #4 on Ra's Hit List had handled herself properly. (Even if that was incredibly suspicious denial.) And Kon wondered why Tim didn't bother setting them up. Half because um, it was kind of gross, and half because Tori really wasn't interested in... well... boys.
For everyone's sanity, he kind of hoped it was coming soon. He wanted to at least graduate high school with his life intact.
Russell Drake
A normal, married life in suburban California was a blessing. Tim knew that - in fact, he kind of envied his older brother some mornings. Russ had never aimed for action and adventure: he'd flown off to college, converted to Islam, and married the woman of his dreams. All things considered, Russell Yunas (né Christopher) Drake was a neon, idle target. If Ra's had placed him on the List, Tim's older brother sorely needed protection.
Because of the long distance between Gotham City and Pasadena, Tim called in a favor from another friend. If anyone could keep his brother alive, who better than the Kid of Steel? At first, Kon had earnestly balked, "Wait. You've got an older brother? Like a biological shares-all-your-DNA brother?"
"Of course! You don't remember meeting Russell? Tall, blond, incredibly mellow...?"
"You mean that wasn't your cousin?"
If Kon didn't have super strength (and invulnerable skin), Tim would've punched him on the spot. "I wouldn't lie about something like that!" Even if Tim was kind of grateful that Kon didn't: between Uncle Peyton, Aunt Maxine, and Dad, his album was littered with pictures that he wished he could burn.
Kon had stared at him, wide-eyed. "I guess you wouldn't. All this time, I just thought you had a hot older sister."
Only Kon could make Tim wish for brain bleach right now. The mental image just wouldn't go away, no matter how many times he bit his lip. Tim shivered, rubbing his elbows with his hands as he desperately tried to think of other things. Unsexy things! Things like gross glue or the last time he caught his sister re-designing his costume! Anything but the mental image of Kon asking Tori out.
"Please don't remind me."
Kon simply stuck out his tongue. "Not my fault you won't put in a good word for me!"
"Just... go check on my brother, will you? I'll see what I can do later." It wasn't a yes, nor was it exactly a no. If Kon didn't want to listen to common sense and reason, then Tim wasn't going to be the idiot to try.
Kon gave his best friend a playful salute before disappearing into the sky. Maybe half an hour later, Tim received a string of texts:
you got superboy to save me??
i appreciate the sentiment bro but i'm good :)
i got them with the couch mom got me for christmas
just don't tell her why it's smashed to pieces
Tim snorted, before responding as earnestly as he could:
Figures the Kid of Steel would be less effective than a freaking couch.
Nathan Drake and Elena Fisher-Drake
How does someone tell his parents that they were targeted by the world's most dangerous criminal organization not because of their sordid pasts but because of their love for their son? It wasn't a sentiment Tim wanted to express. Not that he expressed much when it came to Mom and Dad these days.
Every time he opened his mouth, the words entangled themselves in his throat, and everything sounded stupider when it left his lips and danced upon the air. Mom always - always! - looked at him funny when he rambled about science, while Dad just smiled and nodded. They couldn't keep up with him there. They were incredibly intelligent people and voracious readers: not a single page had been left unturned in the Drake household. Science had just never been their forte.
They were, however, incredibly capable fighters. Mom had proven her mettle over and over again - especially against Captain Boomerang - while Dad had made archenemies in over twenty countries. (It had gotten so bad that Tim had to constantly pretend that he was a different Drake, no sir, not related to that nasty Nathan! Not one bit!)
He knew he should be the good son and warn them. Mom and Dad weren't even doing anything out of the ordinary today: Mom wanted to buy some furniture, and Dad knew better than to let Mom shop unaccompanied.
That's when he realized that he never actually ended the call between him and Grandpa. Accidentally unmuting the phone, he was immediately greeted with a loud, "Bartholomew Henry Allen the Second! Come back here with my walker!"
There were some conversations on this Earth that Tim was never meant to overhear. Most, he took a gleeful pride in eavesdropping, like the invisible ceiling bird he was, but this time? This time, he just hastily ended the call before dialing his mom's number.
Strange.
He could hear her ringtone, just as he entered the building. Did Ra's get her already? That bastard...! His mother wasn't involved in any of this! She didn't deserve to die! He hastened his pace, running desperately up the stairs and into the meeting room.
Kicking the door open, he dashed inside and brandished his staff. "This is the end, Al-Ghul."
Except Al-Ghul was calmly sipping tea with his mother.
Tim kept his staff steady, but Ra's merely shot him a disapproving glare. "You wouldn't want to do that, my boy. Your mother wouldn't approve, would she?"
Mom shot Tim a pleading look. Reluctantly, Tim lowered his staff. If Mom was here, having tea, then Dad couldn't be that far behind.
"No," Mom said after a moment. "She wouldn't."
"But his father wouldn't really give a damn." Nate grinned, waltzing out from the computer room and brandishing a shiny CD case. "Especially now that we've gotten what we wanted."
Huh?
Did they have a history with Ra's? Tim furrowed his brow, trying to recall Dad's case files. He'd traveled extensively across the world and robbed countless cultures of their treasures (allegedly - most of the "treasures" in his house were fakes)... it would make sense if Ra's had somehow been on that Hit List at one point or another.
But what the heck did Dad want with a CD? Nevermind that, what was on it? Ra's entire body tensed, and a loud growl escaped from his lips. Tim instinctively stepped back, just as Ra's dramatically rose to his feet.
Ra's foot caught on the long tablecloth, and he toppled straight onto the floor - with the chair and the entire table crashing on him. Mom neatly dodged it and grabbed a baklava from the resulting wreck.
"What?" She cheekily smiled, lightly brushing her husband's face. "It was good baklava."
Tim stared at them in disbelief. Wasn't... wasn't Ra's going to get up? He was made of stronger stuff than this. "What did you do to him?"
"Well, for starters, he really shouldn't have touched the treasure from El Dorado." Dad shook his head. "He tried to bribe me with it, but then he just had to touch it..."
In other words, the cursed treasure zombiefied him? Tim suspected he'd have to re-read Dad's case files when he got home. Assuming he got home in one piece. The rest of the Assassins - the ones not fawning over their zombie leader - were starting to surround them.
Swallowing down the last of her baklava, Mom reached for her pistol. "Now honey, I know you don't like us taking them down..."
Tim gravely stared at her gun, before pulling out his bo staff. "I don't, but I'm also not in charge of you."
"We'll play nice this time," Dad promised with a grin, snagging the thickest leather-bound book he could find. "Ready? On three, two, one..."
He didn't have to count twice! When the dust settled and the last blow was thrown, Tim grinned wildly at his fallen enemies, then his parents before throwing himself into their arms.
They really did embody love, even if it wasn't always shown in a pacifistic kind of way. The family that fought together truly did stayed together, even if only in spirit.
Fandom: DC Universe + Uncharted + High School Musical crossover universe
Rating: PG-13? Mainly for language
Relationships: Nathan Drake/Elena Fisher, Chloe Frazer/Charlie Cutter (implied), Maxine Hunkel/Peyton Leverett, past Chloe Frazer/Tom Bronson, platonic Tim+Bart and Tim+Kon
Summary: Ra's Al-Ghul tried to kill the ten most important people to Tim Drake (Red Robin). As expected, the League of Assassins - Ra's organization - fails. What wasn't expected was just how fantastically these assassins failed to take ten lives.
Notes: A belated gift for
camalyng! ♥ I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Timeline-wise, this takes place before Graduation. Chloe Frazer
It all started when Tim got a series of suspicious texts from his Aunt. Normally, she didn't text him; heck, half the time, his aunt didn't exactly have a mobile device. If he wanted to track her down, he usually activated the nanotech in the earrings he'd given her for her birthday.
(With permission, of course - he'd told Uncle Charlie at the time, "just in case she loses her phone again." Uncle Charlie'd just shaken his head at Tim and mumbled something about Yanks and their ridiculous sense of paranoia... Jeez! He wasn't that bad. He hoped.)
sweetheart i really didn't expect ra's goons at my door today
what did you do to piss those sods off?
because whatever it is, it's working
Ra's... goons? That didn't bode well. Tim had recently been wrapped up in a desperate battle against Ra's Al-Ghul, the leader of the League of the Assassins and one of the world's most deadly criminals, but what did his Aunt Chloe have to do with this? During their last scuffle, Ra's had briefly mentioned that he would take out hits on "the ten most important people in his life."
So Ra's was acting upon his word, and Chloe had been the first (failed) attempt. Tim fervently rubbed his temples. His aunt could handle herself - and the rest of the world - but what about the rest of the family? They needed all the help that they could get. Before he could really control what he was typing, Tim sent back a response:
the usual, tell ra's that i'm not interested in being the heir
he went all DRAAAAAAAAKEEEEE on me
dad would be proud, i guess
you ok?
never been better, pikelet
send regards to your mum and if nate's not proud of you, he's an idiot
you're better than the league any day
tho the perks would've been nice
Perks? Did she mean the ability to silently take out a hit on anyone and have it written off as an 'accident?' Because that was a perk he could live without. Tim rolled his eyes at her text, even as he tucked his phone into his pocket.
One down, nine to go - and if he were lucky, all nine would be just as un(?)eventful as the first.
Charlie Cutter
If Aunt Chloe had been the tenth, then her husband Uncle Charlie wasn't far behind. As his dad's best friend and fellow partner-in-crime, Uncle Charlie had enough "archaeology" stories to engulf whole oceans. The League would be incredibly stupid to go after him, but then again, they tried to kill Aunt Chloe first thing in the morning...
Against his better judgment, Tim gave his (favorite) uncle a buzz. Nothing happened.
He tried again. Still nothing.
What was going on? Did his uncle's arrogance get the better of him? Did he not wear the kevlar vest? Questions were swirling around in his brain, and he really wanted answers to all of them. Now.
His phone rang. The number was unfamiliar - and unlisted. Tim hesitantly picked up, "Hello?"
"Oy! Timbo! Since when were you badass enough to have the League as your archenemies?"
It was all Tim could do to rein his relief. "Hey to you too, Uncle Charlie. What happened to your phone?"
"It died a hero's death protecting me at the football game today. The one time I want to see Chelsea beat the livin' shit outta Arsenal, I tell you--"
"Uncle Charlie!"
"Oh, that's right, I forgot you liked Arsenal. Dunno why, when they're all a load'a crap."
Tim couldn't control his laughter any longer. His uncle was (apparently) ambushed by the League at the freaking Stanford Bridge, home to famous soccer team Chelsea, and he cared more about his stupid game? Uncle Charlie sure had strange priorities.
"You're okay, right? Your heart okay? You should be taking it easy, you know... doc's orders and all that."
"Since when have I ever done that?" Uncle Charlie snorted, half-exasperated, half-amused. "I'll be fine, kiddo. Just leave everything to your uncle - and give Ra's a good thrashing for me while you're at it."
Tim bit his upper lip to prevent any more laughter from contaminating his sour mood. "Will do. What's next?"
"I'm headin' back to my seat, of course! No assassin's keeping me from watching that game. Ah, kiddo - I'd stick around, but I'm borrowing my mate's phone, so I'll keep you posted on things."
Without another word, Uncle Charlie abruptly hung up, and Tim was left to wonder: what just happened? Either his family was way more badass than he thought, or their priorities were really, really screwed up.
Tom Bronson
Tim wasn't particularly worried about Uncle Tom. Sure, his uncle's civilian life wasn't incredibly exciting. Associate professor at Columbia, married with two kids, living the (boring) dream... Nothing in that resume screamed "potential target of the League of Assassins." Uncle Tom should've been a sitting duck for the three men sent after him.
Except he wasn't, because Uncle Tom also happened to be the best werecat in the country. Tim would know: Uncle Tom had babysat him more times than Tim could count!
Just after his phone call from Uncle Charlie, Tim could hear the static of Wildcat's unmistakable roar and the sound of crunched bones over his comm link. A gruff voice growled to him, "Seriously? Assassins? Couldn't they have come up with something more interesting?"
Tim wanted so badly to laugh right then and there, but he managed to keep his voice steady as he continued the trek towards Ra's' lair. "It's the League, remember? They're not so great with creativity."
"Think I can eat them?"
"We're not on Hannibal or Silence of the Lambs, so I'd rather you not."
His uncle let out a deep, rich laugh that eased some of the tension in Tim's bones. "As you say, champ. You know, that's actually how I met your Aunt Chloe..."
Oh god.
He really, really didn't want to be reminded of how his Uncle Tom and his Aunt Chloe had been an Item before Aunt Chloe and Uncle Charlie got married. The mental images were terrible enough (and wasn't Uncle Tom like, a decade younger than Auntie C?).
"On second thought, if you'll never mention it again, maybe you can bite them."
"Heh. You really are Nate's kid, you know that?"
He growled again, just as the sound of broken glass registered over his earphones. Tim couldn't help the grin tugging from ear to ear as he continued the long trek towards Ra's lair. The Al'Ghuls had very, very clearly missed with the wrong cat.
Maxine Leverett
hey timmy :)
sorry i won't be able to mail you your costume tonite!! some assassins tried to kill me and i'm kinda worn out
i'm ok, go worry about someone else, i just wanted to let you know that red robin's suit isn't going to be ready anytime soon
want some gourmet burgers with it?? lol JK i love you ♥♥♥
Most days, Tim hated his godmother's obnoxiously long text messages. (Her long rant on theater during a battle with Scarecrow hadn't helped matters - it was scary enough when Scarecrow agreed with most of her points!)
Today? Today was a rare exception. The second he received her message, his shoulders sagged with relief before he pressed her number on his speed-dial.
"Auntie Max?"
"Timmy! Hi! I'm on my way home, what's up?"
"I just got your message," he said, suddenly grateful that she couldn't see him smile. "Seriously, take your time with the repairs. I've got a couple of spares."
"I'm really sorry! If I hadn't been targeted, they would've been done, but they had to go and wreck my sewing machine, so I had to ask Uncle Jay to fix it at super-speed, and he's not exactly free 'til tomorrow, so that's kind of a moot point and--"
"It's okay!" He cut in, knowing well that she just wouldn't stop otherwise. "I'm just glad you're okay. The League decided to target the ten most important people to me, so..."
"Tim." Maxine's voice grew almost melancholy. "Who else got hit?"
"You, Aunt Chloe, Uncle Charlie, Uncle Tom..."
That's when it hit you. Shit.
"Uncle Peyton's gotta be next."
"Are you sure?" She sounded almost perplexed. "He's not involved in any of this... Why would they even..."
"Because he's important to me. I'll check up on him - go ahead and go home."
There was a long pause on the other line. Had assassins gotten to her again? Tim hastily checked the GPS signal. Nope, she was still in LA, on her way back home.
After what seemed like forever, Maxine said, "Peyton's going to be fine, Timmy. He always has been." Then, just before she hung up, she added, "Be safe, alright? I love you."
Funny how three little words could stop him in his tracks. Out of everyone else that had messaged and called him today, she was the only one to verbally remind him of her love. Funny how those three little words mattered more than the entirety of her rambling, her nagging, and the overwhelming nature that was his godmother.
His family was constantly surprising him for the better. Maybe - just maybe - Uncle Peyton could hang in there too.
Peyton Leverett
The reason Tim worried so much about his Uncle Peyton was that Uncle Peyton hadn't exactly been born into a dangerous lifestyle. Nor had he ever grown into one. Somehow, he'd managed to run past treasure hunting and superheroing and into a life of fame and fortune. Normally, Tim would consider this a blessing: this life suited Peyton.
Today, this was a living nightmare. Couldn't his cousin have picked up some basic self-defense from the rest of the family? It would help, especially when he was being targeted by the League for merely being a beloved relative. Without hesitating, Tim decided to call in a favor to his celebrity friend (and ex-superhero) Cissie King-Jones. She was a bit actress in Peyton's next movie, Punception; perhaps she could keep an eye on him and make sure that his favorite cousin didn't die? Cissie had just rolled her eyes at him before cutting off the video feed.
What? Couldn't he worry about his cousin in peace? It wasn't as if he were crying paranoid panda again - this time, he knew his instincts were right. Peyton was most definitely in trouble, and Tim couldn't count on anyone else to ensure his safety. Not when half of them were under attack, while the other half were preventing said attacks!
Maybe ten minutes had passed before his phone anxiously buzzed. Tim answered, staring up at Cissie's incredibly nervous face. "Um, Tim?? I think he's got it under control."
He could hear the loud thumping of drums in the background - wait, was that choreography? Perfect, precise jazz squares and backward flips and a freaking Barrel Turn?
Tim groaned. Loudly. "Is he singing again?"
"If I told you no, would it make you feel better?"
"Just a little bit." With Cissie, Tim didn't feel the need to hide his exasperation. She got it - got him - even though they hadn't worked together on a mission in years. Her entering the world of Hollywood, Peyton's world, had done wonders for their friendship. "Just make sure he doesn't accidentally--"
Whoa.
Tim nearly fell off his ledge. "Did he scream?"
"Just like Black Canary."
The screen shook - Cissie could barely keep her arm straight - before settling down on an empty battlefield. Peyton's voice continued to drone,
"Might as well end mine too while I'm at it!
Everyone knows that in order to have
A fantastic, over-the-top classic
You just can't
Hire assassins to play
Your big bad enemiiiiiies!"
Batman would've been proud of the glare Cissie just shot at him. "You could've told me your cousin was some kind of weird singing superhero-type person!"
"Didn't think he'd actually know how to use it!" Honesty was the best policy, right? Tim sighed. "I've gotta run, but..."
"Cissie, IT'S NOT ARCHERY SEASON! PUT THAT BOW BACK!"
"Looks like I've gotta go too." Cissie rolled her eyes. "Catch you later, Boy Wonder?"
Without another word, they cut their feeds off at the same time. Tim tucked his phone in and tried not to think about what he'd just witnessed. How had his cousin managed to subdue assassins with only the power of his voice? He'd always known that Peyton was... ah, unique, but not to this extent!
Maybe Tim was wrong: the life of a famous director probably was more dangerous than that of a superhero. At least you didn't get lectured in pitch-perfect rhyme when you screwed up your job. Note to self: next time Peyton's in trouble, don't bother asking for a favor. He could handle himself just fine.
Victor Sullivan
Twenty years ago, Grandpa was too old for anything dangerous. Today, he was officially too old for anything that involved leaving the house: doctor's orders. While Tim'd upped the security years ago, he hadn't quite prepped it to defend his grandpa from a surprise assassination attempt.
This time, Tim called up Kid Flash. "Think you can swing by my house and check on my grandpa?"
"Y-you want me to check on Grandpa Sully?" Bart had stammered over the phone. "Dude! I don't know about this. I don't want to die. Again."
"Don't be melodramatic, KF. You know the security codes." Tim rubbed his temples. Just what had Grandpa done to Bart the last time they'd hung out? They'd met on amicable terms; they'd had civil conversations before; and Bart could be trusted to sit in the same room as Grandpa. Whatever bridges Grandpa had shot into two, Tim didn't want to know about them. "I don't think my parents are home, so he'll be a sitting duck if the League comes over."
Bart was silent for maybe 2.5 seconds before he let out a long, resigned sigh. "Sure. You owe me big-time, though!" Tim mentally started sifting through payment ideas - because knowing Bart, Tim would have to shell out the big bucks for something worthy of the great Kid Flash's time and energy.
Not even a minute passed before his phone rang again. Tim stared down at it before he answered, "Hi Grandpa."
He could very clearly hear Bart yell in the background, "He had a SHOTGUN underneath his massage chair! WHO DOES THAT?"
Uh.
"Grandpa?" Tim desperately tried not to bury his face in his hands. "Did you kill the assassins? Again?"
"How else do you get rid of 'em, sonny? One shot and they never knew what hit 'em."
That's when Bart seized the phone and yelled, "He almost shot me!"
Grandpa cut in, "Kid, you have super-speed. You weren't going to get hit by it."
"It was the principle of the matter!"
Before they could argue for much longer, Tim coughed. Loudly. "I'm glad you're both alive. Thanks for checking up on him, KF - and Grandpa? Try not to shoot my friends next time."
"I didn't actually aim at him," Grandpa protested, to absolutely no one's avail, just as Bart again grumbled something about a ridiculous reward. God, why did he think this had been a good idea?
He hastily put them on mute before continuing the trek to Ra's lair. At least Grandpa was alive, and least he and Bart hadn't killed each other in the process. That was enough of a blessing.
Tori Drake
Sis
so i hear the league of assassins is after you
what'd you do this time?
nothing????
suuuuuure you didn't
because if you did nothing, i wouldn't have been attacked by my ex
doesn't that happen once a month anyways...
yeah but it's never because of YOU
She had a point there. Tim grimaced at his phone, before he reluctantly asked, you KOed her right?
ohmigod
i did not make out with her if that's what you're asking!!!
No, that really wasn't, but at least he got confirmation that #4 on Ra's Hit List had handled herself properly. (Even if that was incredibly suspicious denial.) And Kon wondered why Tim didn't bother setting them up. Half because um, it was kind of gross, and half because Tori really wasn't interested in... well... boys.
one of these days you will be in a relationship with *someone* that isn't out to take over the world
For everyone's sanity, he kind of hoped it was coming soon. He wanted to at least graduate high school with his life intact.
Russell Drake
A normal, married life in suburban California was a blessing. Tim knew that - in fact, he kind of envied his older brother some mornings. Russ had never aimed for action and adventure: he'd flown off to college, converted to Islam, and married the woman of his dreams. All things considered, Russell Yunas (né Christopher) Drake was a neon, idle target. If Ra's had placed him on the List, Tim's older brother sorely needed protection.
Because of the long distance between Gotham City and Pasadena, Tim called in a favor from another friend. If anyone could keep his brother alive, who better than the Kid of Steel? At first, Kon had earnestly balked, "Wait. You've got an older brother? Like a biological shares-all-your-DNA brother?"
"Of course! You don't remember meeting Russell? Tall, blond, incredibly mellow...?"
"You mean that wasn't your cousin?"
If Kon didn't have super strength (and invulnerable skin), Tim would've punched him on the spot. "I wouldn't lie about something like that!" Even if Tim was kind of grateful that Kon didn't: between Uncle Peyton, Aunt Maxine, and Dad, his album was littered with pictures that he wished he could burn.
Kon had stared at him, wide-eyed. "I guess you wouldn't. All this time, I just thought you had a hot older sister."
Only Kon could make Tim wish for brain bleach right now. The mental image just wouldn't go away, no matter how many times he bit his lip. Tim shivered, rubbing his elbows with his hands as he desperately tried to think of other things. Unsexy things! Things like gross glue or the last time he caught his sister re-designing his costume! Anything but the mental image of Kon asking Tori out.
"Please don't remind me."
Kon simply stuck out his tongue. "Not my fault you won't put in a good word for me!"
"Just... go check on my brother, will you? I'll see what I can do later." It wasn't a yes, nor was it exactly a no. If Kon didn't want to listen to common sense and reason, then Tim wasn't going to be the idiot to try.
Kon gave his best friend a playful salute before disappearing into the sky. Maybe half an hour later, Tim received a string of texts:
you got superboy to save me??
i appreciate the sentiment bro but i'm good :)
i got them with the couch mom got me for christmas
just don't tell her why it's smashed to pieces
Tim snorted, before responding as earnestly as he could:
i think it was asking for it
Figures the Kid of Steel would be less effective than a freaking couch.
Nathan Drake and Elena Fisher-Drake
How does someone tell his parents that they were targeted by the world's most dangerous criminal organization not because of their sordid pasts but because of their love for their son? It wasn't a sentiment Tim wanted to express. Not that he expressed much when it came to Mom and Dad these days.
Every time he opened his mouth, the words entangled themselves in his throat, and everything sounded stupider when it left his lips and danced upon the air. Mom always - always! - looked at him funny when he rambled about science, while Dad just smiled and nodded. They couldn't keep up with him there. They were incredibly intelligent people and voracious readers: not a single page had been left unturned in the Drake household. Science had just never been their forte.
They were, however, incredibly capable fighters. Mom had proven her mettle over and over again - especially against Captain Boomerang - while Dad had made archenemies in over twenty countries. (It had gotten so bad that Tim had to constantly pretend that he was a different Drake, no sir, not related to that nasty Nathan! Not one bit!)
He knew he should be the good son and warn them. Mom and Dad weren't even doing anything out of the ordinary today: Mom wanted to buy some furniture, and Dad knew better than to let Mom shop unaccompanied.
That's when he realized that he never actually ended the call between him and Grandpa. Accidentally unmuting the phone, he was immediately greeted with a loud, "Bartholomew Henry Allen the Second! Come back here with my walker!"
There were some conversations on this Earth that Tim was never meant to overhear. Most, he took a gleeful pride in eavesdropping, like the invisible ceiling bird he was, but this time? This time, he just hastily ended the call before dialing his mom's number.
Strange.
He could hear her ringtone, just as he entered the building. Did Ra's get her already? That bastard...! His mother wasn't involved in any of this! She didn't deserve to die! He hastened his pace, running desperately up the stairs and into the meeting room.
Kicking the door open, he dashed inside and brandished his staff. "This is the end, Al-Ghul."
Except Al-Ghul was calmly sipping tea with his mother.
Tim kept his staff steady, but Ra's merely shot him a disapproving glare. "You wouldn't want to do that, my boy. Your mother wouldn't approve, would she?"
Mom shot Tim a pleading look. Reluctantly, Tim lowered his staff. If Mom was here, having tea, then Dad couldn't be that far behind.
"No," Mom said after a moment. "She wouldn't."
"But his father wouldn't really give a damn." Nate grinned, waltzing out from the computer room and brandishing a shiny CD case. "Especially now that we've gotten what we wanted."
Huh?
Did they have a history with Ra's? Tim furrowed his brow, trying to recall Dad's case files. He'd traveled extensively across the world and robbed countless cultures of their treasures (allegedly - most of the "treasures" in his house were fakes)... it would make sense if Ra's had somehow been on that Hit List at one point or another.
But what the heck did Dad want with a CD? Nevermind that, what was on it? Ra's entire body tensed, and a loud growl escaped from his lips. Tim instinctively stepped back, just as Ra's dramatically rose to his feet.
Ra's foot caught on the long tablecloth, and he toppled straight onto the floor - with the chair and the entire table crashing on him. Mom neatly dodged it and grabbed a baklava from the resulting wreck.
"What?" She cheekily smiled, lightly brushing her husband's face. "It was good baklava."
Tim stared at them in disbelief. Wasn't... wasn't Ra's going to get up? He was made of stronger stuff than this. "What did you do to him?"
"Well, for starters, he really shouldn't have touched the treasure from El Dorado." Dad shook his head. "He tried to bribe me with it, but then he just had to touch it..."
In other words, the cursed treasure zombiefied him? Tim suspected he'd have to re-read Dad's case files when he got home. Assuming he got home in one piece. The rest of the Assassins - the ones not fawning over their zombie leader - were starting to surround them.
Swallowing down the last of her baklava, Mom reached for her pistol. "Now honey, I know you don't like us taking them down..."
Tim gravely stared at her gun, before pulling out his bo staff. "I don't, but I'm also not in charge of you."
"We'll play nice this time," Dad promised with a grin, snagging the thickest leather-bound book he could find. "Ready? On three, two, one..."
He didn't have to count twice! When the dust settled and the last blow was thrown, Tim grinned wildly at his fallen enemies, then his parents before throwing himself into their arms.
They really did embody love, even if it wasn't always shown in a pacifistic kind of way. The family that fought together truly did stayed together, even if only in spirit.
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makes me feel better about my own out of order "whatever scene's working for me at the time" processHaving it all finished now makes it totally worth the wait and the rereads ♥ The targeting thing finally makes sense and the ending is so sweet!Haha, I love this wee exchange because on one hand, Tim is that bad, and on the other hand, I've generally thought that Charlie's pretty chill with Chloe's wandering in and out and now I'm contemplating how marriage would affect this...
What does she mean...? Ah, canonblindness.
Charlie's attempt being at the footie is hilarious and that being his priority is great. :D
Fun facts: I have a file of ways Chloe's broken/lost phones and "took a bullet for her" is on there.
This is a really nice touch for the timeline! I think I like it because I tend to headcanon Charlie as a bit older than Elate and Chloe, so, slightly different problems from them - I gave him bad knees in one WIP (though that may have been attempting continuity from breaking his legs in UC3 or something, like I know how injuries work).
BAHAHAHA THE BEST CALLBACK
I would have thought Maxine would rather check up on Peyton herself...? She's a lot closer to him than Tim is, both physically (for practicality) and emotionally (hubby!).
Maxine ;_;
Peyton's section doesn't quite work for me any more - in isolation (and in the earlier stages of this when there were only a few sections) it's a ton of fun, but when it's the only vignette until the end where we actually go to the scene of the assassination attempt rather than hearing about it after via Tim on the phone, it sticks out a bit. It was definitely funnier than a phone conversation would have been; it's just sort of odd in its uniqueness. But having seen an earlier draft of it, the addition of Cissie was a cute touch! And I'm impressed by the original lyrics.
That noodle incident will haunt us all...
#sullivan logic
Considering she's with Jason (for any given measure of "with") in "Graduation", I'm now wondering if Tori initially came out as lesbian and later hooked up with guys and now she doesn't even know what her sexuality is any more beyond, my friend jokingly put her own, "you tried", or if she has phases with what gender she dates and at the moment it's a girl phase so Tim's assuming, or... tons of different ways this could go. Oh own OC, I barely know thee. (Though this has just made me realize that I don't have any gay next-gens and my gay Digis are closeted; otherwise my OCs/canon OCs are straight or some degree of bi/pan. Huh.)
Omg, Nate made that much of an impression on people that they're picking on anyone with the surname Drake |D
What's on that CD...? Did they come in here looking for it or did they catch on about the Ten People plot?
oh my god Ra's why would you haul that up from the seafloor who are you trying to turn into slippery naked guys excuse me while all my UC1 horror comes flooding back there is a reason why it is played the least in this household
(actually that reason is the controls are weirdly different, not the zombies, but I can pretend)
no subject
fgkdjflk That might've been where I got that from. I know I pulled the "phone taking a bullet for [him]" from somewhere, I just couldn't remember the exact place.
I would have thought Maxine would rather check up on Peyton herself...? She's a lot closer to him than Tim is, both physically (for practicality) and emotionally (hubby!).
Maxine WOULD, if she thought Peyton was actually a target. Tim's a Paranoid Panda - and in my head, I think he cried wolf a lot when he was just starting out. Maxine doesn't distrust her cousin, but she also doesn't take his word as Law.
I suspect that she did check up on him when she got home! Only to find out that yes, her kid cousin was right.
As for Peyton's section? You're right, it doesn't work. I got fed up with trying to make it fit, so I left it as-is with you... but when you mentioned that, I tried to later re-word it into something more cohesive. (That, and I am a bit stupidly proud of the original lyrics XD)
Considering she's with Jason (for any given measure of "with") in "Graduation", I'm now wondering if Tori initially came out as lesbian and later hooked up with guys and now she doesn't even know what her sexuality is any more beyond, my friend jokingly put her own, "you tried", or if she has phases with what gender she dates and at the moment it's a girl phase so Tim's assuming, or... tons of different ways this could go. Oh own OC, I barely know thee. (Though this has just made me realize that I don't have any gay next-gens and my gay Digis are closeted; otherwise my OCs/canon OCs are straight or some degree of bi/pan. Huh.)
I'm willing to bet that Tim knows full well that Tori likes boys. He just doesn't want Tori/Kon happening. EVER. (Thus, to justify why Tori is Off Limits, Tori isn't into boys!) Either that, or she DOES have phases, so he assumes it's one of those. :|b
Tim doesn't actually know what's on the case! I know I should've put in a reference to that, but the gist was they DID catch onto the Ten People plot and Nate just waltzed in and basically either a) destroyed Ra's computer systems or b) reconfigured it to play My Little Pony 24/7. I'm not sure which one.
Ra's is... well, he's not stupid but he also thinks that Nate actually DID want the El Dorado treasure, and what better way to bribe a former treasure hunter than with the treasure that Nate never got?? (It is very faulty logic and we all know that, but I don't think Ra's does.)