Is Your Love Strong Enough

The Battle Begins

"Flash, grab Rose and get to the Watchtower, now!"  Tim yelled to the Watchtower's communication computer.  He then pushed a button to end the call.  "Steph, bring up Gar's comm-channel and patch me through.  Did you have any luck with the street-surveillance footage?"

Stephanie turned her chair to face the main-computer; after typing in a few commands, she brought up the video of Hades grabbing Cassie.  "I have no idea who the guy is, Tim.  We never faced someone like him before."

Tim hit his fist against the panel as he grunted.  "Who is he!"  He yelled as he took in a deep breath and closed his eyes, doing his best to calm down.

A frown had formed on her face as Stephanie watched him; the anger coursing through him, she never truly understood how much Tim cared about his friends.  He was with them long before she found him.  Tim had shared most of his life with Conner and Cassie, even Bart; they had an unbreakable bond.  They accepted him like family, and they always looked out for each other.  Stephanie grabbed his hand and spoke calmly to him.  "Tim, we'll find her. Don-"

"Don't tell me not to worry!  For all we know, we can be dealing with a god!  We can't even do a facial-recognition to find out which god!"  He snapped at her as he shook his hand away and walked to the other screen.  He fast-forward the footage to Conner pushing through the ring of fire.

"Hey, I know you're upset, but that's no excuse to talk to me like that, Tim."  She said as she stood from the chair.  "I'm just trying to help."

He was hunched over the table as he looked at his hands.  Tim let out a sigh before turning his head to look to her.  "You're right.  I'm sorry."  He said calmly as he took her hand.  "Can you forgive me?"

She leaned up to kiss his cheek as she placed her hand on his back.  "Already forgotten."  She looked to the video and paused it.  "Look at this."  With a couple clicks, she zoomed onto Conner and enhanced the video.  "Oh my god…"  She said as she covered her mouth, tears filling her wide eyes.

"What?  What is it?"  Tim asked as he looked to the footage; his eyes widened as he looked closer.  Conner was on the ground, covered in burns, laying on his back in the now smoky-circle.  "Magic flames!"  He dove for the communication computer and called up Bart again.  "Bart!  Change of plans!  Chicago.  Conner is down!"

"On it!  Beam us up in five!"  Bart yelled as he quickly zipped over to where Conner lay on the city street.  He knelt down and checked for a pulse.  "He's not breathing!"

"Hold on!"  Tim slammed his fist on a button, activating the transport-beam.  "Beam activated!"  He looked to Stephanie and grabbed her, snapping her out of her shock.  "Steph, get the Med-Bay ready for 'Code-K', tell Dr. Charles to get a response-team on the main-deck!  Go!"  He let go of her and ran towards the main-deck of the Watchtower.  He raised his cowl over his head and activated his comm-link.  "This is Batman to all Leaguers, we got Code-K on the main-deck.  I need a sweep-team in Chicago of anything Greco-Roman.  Someone patch in Zatanna and Doctor Fate.  I'll meet them in Midtown-Chicago in ten.  Batman out."

**********

Bart and Conner had beamed in by the time Dr. Charles and her nurses got to the floor.  They got him on the stretcher as Bart pushed it to the Med-Bay's Intensive-Care unit.  He then ran back to Tim and put his hand on his shoulder.  "Tim!  What is it, magic?"