Really long Author's Note:

Okay guys the only way to do this is to say that I'm very, very sorry about the delay with this story. School was much harder this past year, but on the bright side I'm finished with it. As in, I am totally done with high school. The last bit of school has brought a lot of headaches with it though. I was working on getting accepted into a great college near my home, and focusing on school this past year has totally paid off! I've been accepted into college on a scholarship (which is wonderful since it's a private school), but I really need to get another one to pay for books and stuff so…yeah still working on it. Also I got a job back in March which has led to a lot less free time for me. I've been meaning to post this chapter ever since I graduated back in May, but college orientation distracted me for a bit and the extra paperwork for scholarships and stuff is literally killing me. However I was determined to post this, and I am working on the next chapter so hopefully we'll see some more Danny action. The only thing I ask is that you guys don't try to kill me for not posting. Also, this is a full warning: I'm really trying to start an updating schedule but my job is part time and it's making my hours erratic at best and downright crazy at worst, so I've got to write around it and I don't know when the next chapter will be out. But I do have help in the form of my new beta reader who is totally helping me out by pointing out mistakes or plot errors (I'm going to have to go back to previous chapters and update those) I'm really sorry about that guys. Okay done with excuses, time to get on with the story!

Helping a Hero

Chapter 7: Mission Update

Batman's POV: 1:15 AM, Watchtower

"Batman 02"

As soon as my ID was announced from the zeta platform, the Flash was in front of me and talking fast-as usual.

"OkayBats,Ididwhatyousaidanddidn'tletanyoneseethevideo,butIdon'tknowwhy—." Barry's hands flew animatedly with his panicked voice.

"Guest: Robin BO1"

Flash's head snapped over to me and asked slower, "I thought you said that we weren't allowed to bring the kids on the Watchtower?"

"There's been a change in protocol." That's sufficient enough of an explanation until I can see the video and learn what we're up against. "Where's the video?"

"Right." The Flash nodded his head at me and then motioned behind him, "The video started playing on one of the screens in the monitor room and has been replaying ever since. I started up the facial recognition software, but these kids are good. They're not anywhere in the system. No criminal records, no misdemeanors, no warnings. Not even a speeding ticket. It's like they don't exist!"

I nod at him, motion for Robin to follow me and then march to the monitor room. Barry knows the ropes when looking for people. Of course I would have to double check all of his work to make sure he didn't miss anything, but he is a forensic investigator for the Central City Police Department. He's good at his job. He would have made sure to look up everything before telling me this information. Maybe I should give the Flash a bit more credit, he does know what he's doing, at least sometimes.

"So this is the Watchtower?" I hear Robin ask Flash behind me.

"Yep, though I thought I wouldn't see you up here for a few more years at least." Flash's response is quite a bit more animated than his conversation with me had been. I guess he enjoys Robin's company quite a bit more than mine. Understandable.

"Well, this is an emergency. I probably won't be back up here until I'm much older after this." Robin's response is to the Flash's earlier unanswered question. "Don't worry, KF will be up here much sooner than I will."

That's as far as their conversation progressed though because even though I was gathering more information on both my colleague's and my son's feelings on this subject, we had arrived at the monitor room.

I immediately notice the video and memorize the faces of the three teenagers on the screen. They're quite a bit younger than I was expecting for evil criminal masterminds.

"—find Phantom. This is the only thing we ask and then I'll personally delete the files." A girl with pitch black hair was talking in the video. "We did not want to threaten anyone, it's just that we're desperate!" The unnamed girl gave a pleading look at the camera that hardened into determination as she finished her speech, "So please just find him and we won't have to do anything that we might regret. You have forty-eight hours before the files are released."

The video cuts out and then restarts, "Hello…"

"Well?" The Flash asks breaking my concentration after we reached the beginning of the video twice. "What do you think we should do Bats?"

I sigh and turn away from the screen. I will personally go through every second of this video later to analyze for clues, but for right now the mission has changed.

I turn and look at Flash who has taken off his cowl and is looking at me anxiously. "We do what they say."

"WHAT?!" If this had been anytime and anywhere else the Flash's face might've been comical, "But we're the good guys! We don't do what the bad guys want!"

"This time we do. That girl wasn't bluffing. She will release our secret identities to the public if she has no other choice, but we aren't going to give her that choice. We're going to have to do what she wants. We're going to have to find Phantom." I tell him grimly.

A fragile silence hangs in the air for a second, as if nothing wanted to break it. I look back at the screen before turning away once again in thought. I will personally go through every second of this video later to analyze for clues, but for right now the mission has changed. It can't be a coincidence that two different groups are asking for help in finding the same person. They both want the "hero" of Amity Park, but why? And why did he go missing in the first place? More importantly how are we going to find him in 48 hours?

"Umm…Batman?" Robin's voice breaks me out of my thoughts once again. I glance over to him and see him pointing towards the door. The rest of the League was standing at the doorway. It would have been an impressive sight if I weren't the one to have brought them together and taught them how to use their strengths as an advantage for the entire team. So, in other words, it would have been impressive if I didn't know how to bring every one of them down.

I turn back to the video and download it onto a flash drive, before walking towards the door motioning for my protégé and the other Leaguers to follow me.

We walk for a short while in silence until we get to the conference room. It's usually only used for mission strategies during world disasters, but I think we can make an exception today. I plug in the flash drive and start the video for the rest of the League to watch.

A/N: Okay so not my longest work, but trust me when I say that the next one will be a lot longer like...a lot longer. Anyways thanks for everyone who's stuck with my story so far. Please comment and let me know what you think is going to happen next. I absolutely love reading reviews for this story!

-RedRose0123