Understanding when to back down and let his much more personable son to take point, Batman was quiet as Deadman took over.
Deadman started in surprise, then narrowed his eyes.
"I knew Superman had something to do with their disappearance. I was the one that told the Titans Superman had killed the Joker and Superboy was devastated. Some of us could see the writing on the wall so I warned them to stay away from Superman but they disappeared not long after that. I had always figured Conner had gone to confront Superman with the Titans in tow and that he'd done something to them."
His expression hardened.
"That's what got Cyborg and Raven to join him. Superman denied knowing anything about it and they thought a villain like Deathstroke had gotten to them and wasn't making themselves a target by taking credit. After already losing Gar and Bart, it pushed them over the edge and they thought that the villains were out of control, that the only way to stop them was Superman's way."
He looked to Dick, looked at all of them, the hard expression fading.
"I know this isn't your world and that holding the shard hostage is paranoid and dangerous," he said very pointedly as he turned to glare slightly at Batman. As much as he loved his mentor - his adoptive father - he knew just as well as they did that he was being unreasonable and paranoid. "If I knew where he hid the shard I'd just give it to you, but he knew I would, so only he and Zatanna know where he hid it. I even asked Rama Kushna, the goddess responsible for making me Deadman, to see if she could see where it was, but all I got there were some enigmatic koans. Either she knows and wants to keep you here or she didn't want to admit someone got something over on her."
He stepped forward.
"She's at least keeping an eye on the cosmos to make sure the shard doesn't get returned too late - and in the meantime we really could use your help. This world is on a fast track to becoming a world dictatorship and innocent people - heroes and civilians alike - are dying because of Superman's Justice League and his Stormtroopers. If we can free the Titans, between them and all of us, we might have a chance."
A pause.
"Batman might not be willing to just ask for your help but I am. Will you help us? We could tell from what Benedict said - from how afraid of you he was - that you were doing something very brave and ruffling the feathers of some very evil people. This world needs heroes like all of you."
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Deadman started in surprise, then narrowed his eyes.
"I knew Superman had something to do with their disappearance. I was the one that told the Titans Superman had killed the Joker and Superboy was devastated. Some of us could see the writing on the wall so I warned them to stay away from Superman but they disappeared not long after that. I had always figured Conner had gone to confront Superman with the Titans in tow and that he'd done something to them."
His expression hardened.
"That's what got Cyborg and Raven to join him. Superman denied knowing anything about it and they thought a villain like Deathstroke had gotten to them and wasn't making themselves a target by taking credit. After already losing Gar and Bart, it pushed them over the edge and they thought that the villains were out of control, that the only way to stop them was Superman's way."
He looked to Dick, looked at all of them, the hard expression fading.
"I know this isn't your world and that holding the shard hostage is paranoid and dangerous," he said very pointedly as he turned to glare slightly at Batman. As much as he loved his mentor - his adoptive father - he knew just as well as they did that he was being unreasonable and paranoid. "If I knew where he hid the shard I'd just give it to you, but he knew I would, so only he and Zatanna know where he hid it. I even asked Rama Kushna, the goddess responsible for making me Deadman, to see if she could see where it was, but all I got there were some enigmatic koans. Either she knows and wants to keep you here or she didn't want to admit someone got something over on her."
He stepped forward.
"She's at least keeping an eye on the cosmos to make sure the shard doesn't get returned too late - and in the meantime we really could use your help. This world is on a fast track to becoming a world dictatorship and innocent people - heroes and civilians alike - are dying because of Superman's Justice League and his Stormtroopers. If we can free the Titans, between them and all of us, we might have a chance."
A pause.
"Batman might not be willing to just ask for your help but I am. Will you help us? We could tell from what Benedict said - from how afraid of you he was - that you were doing something very brave and ruffling the feathers of some very evil people. This world needs heroes like all of you."
A brief glance over at Batman.
"We don't have many of them left."