The Last One (young justice/robin)

30. you and me

"That's not the point."

Nightwing covered the hall in shells for Impulse to trip on, but the kid circled around them using the walls. His feet finally touched the floor again, "Ha ha! You can't catch me that easi—ugh!"

He was cut off by my shoulder knocking the wind out of him.

Nightwing cuffed his arms and legs instantly.

"Now that was crash."

"For you maybe," the kid whined. "Me? I'm totally feeling the mode."

We sat the kid down for interrogation.

"You're a tourist?" Robin repeated. "From the future?"

"Why so surprised? Half the meat at Comic Con are from my era. Look, look, look, guys, we should all be friends. I'm really one of you. Part of the heroic legacy, right? My name's Bart Allen. You know, grandson of Barry allen. The Flash."

"Noted. Not believed, but noted."

"What's not to believe? I've clearly got Flash's speed. His amazing good looks. Frankly, I can't wait to meet him—you know, back when he was in his prime."

"Well, Bart," Dick came back, "Coming all the way from the future, you must have worked up quite a thirst."

"Thanks," he sipped from the cup. "Oh! Ah, you're trying to get a DNA sample. You need my spit. Hah, that's such a Dick Grayson thing to do."

Did he just..? "How did..?"

"See? I know stuff only a future boy would know. Dick Grayson. Tim Drake. Garfield Logan. The gorgeous Irena Alvis," he cooed.

I turned towards Dick with a devious smile. "Gorgeous?"

"Your name's Tim?" Gar questioned. "And yours is Dick?"

"Oops! Spoilers. This secret identity thing is so retro. I mean, you can call me Impulse or Bart or Bart Allen or Bart Impulse Allen. It's all crash."

"Is it possible he might actually be telling the truth?" Robin asked. "Could he really be from the future?"

"Tell us something we don't know!" Gar hounded on him. "...Yet. When do I become leader of the team? When do I join the Justice League? When do I get my own reality series?"

"Sorry, BB. Never was the best history student. Besides, we can't risk altering the time stream. We do that, we're all feeling the mode."

"And 'the mode' would be bad?"

"Doesn't get any worse. Always better to crash the mode."

"Uh, noted?"

"Recognized: Malcolm Duncan, A-10."

"Ooh, sounds like a door opening somewhere, aaand, that's my cue." He vibrated his molecules through the cuffs, already disappearing in a blur. "Bye-bye!"

"Don't worry, the peregrine falcon is the world's fastest bird. He won't get away."

"Doesn't stand a chance, does he?" Robin said, watching Gar fly off.

"Nope. Impulse is too fast," Dick handed Robin the glass of water. "But at least we can track him."

"You planted a tracer? It'll fall off at his speed."

"It won't," Dick smirked. "He drank it."

"Sub0cutaneous micro-tracker in the water," Robin scanned the glass. "Nice."