Batman stared at the sky from his perch in the night. He was alone this night, no partner, then again this night was peculiar. His eyes narrowed at the sight of the bat symbol in the sky. Swiftly he pulled the grappling hook off his utility belt and swung to another building till he reached the Police Station. Commissioner Gordon wasn't on the roof. He stepped forward and looked around. He walked near the light till he noticed the orange package under the light, his name written on it in swift letters. He looks up at the sound of footsteps as the metal door to the stairway opens and over walks Commissioner Gordon.

"Why's the signal on? He asked, obviously tired as he walked towards the vigilante.

"I thought you called." Batman replied monotonously as he picked up the package and examined it.

"There hasn't been a huge case in weeks, or a break in any ongoing case." Gordon replied irritated as he stood next to Batman and stared at the view from atop the building he spent most of his nights.

"What's that?" Gordon asked setting his hands into his coat pockets.

"It was here before I got here." Batman answered.

"Someone wants your attention," Gordon paused and stared at Batman, who was silent. "You gonna open it?" He finished.

Batman tore open the package with ease and removed its contents. A rather thick manilla folder with classified stamped on it, a flash drive, and two vials of liquid. One he assumed to be blood. The other was some sort of green liquid, thicker than the other because it had more air bubbles in it, much like a sponge.

"No return address?" Gordon asked sarcastically as Batman opened the manila folder.

PROJECT PHANTASM

SPECIMEN 0874

The first page red in big bold letters. Gordon was silent as Batman read through the folder, his face hardening as the atmosphere shifted. The manilla folder contained documents of some sort of private experiment with class classifications under the government.

The Ghost Investigation Ward.

Batman read through more pages before coming to what seemed like note entries. He read one.

'The specimen appears young in both forms. We have had to induce transformations as it cannot seem to hold it's true form for long periods of time. Which in and of itself defies logic. Why would it not be able to hold it's true form and have to reverse back to its disguise? Other test subjects have not had more than one form, though those forms would often burst or dematerialize, this one has done none of the sorts but reverts back to its disguise as a human child. We have interviewed it in both forms. It seems to know the two forms are the same being. Subject has stated it has no memory before capture. It reacts like a human, but these creatures are known for their deceptive nature. Truly sickening.'

He read and guessed that the flash drive contained pictures or footage, unprinted files possibly, even a virus.

"Someone was performing experiments and didn't want anyone to find out." Batman said.

"Guess you better find out then." Gordon said turning his back and staring back up at the cosmos like they would give them an answer.

Batman took this chance and disappeared, using his grappling hook to silently get back to the Batcave. When the commissioner turned back around and no one was there but the wind he sighed and turned off the bat signal before walking back down the stairs and to his office. Batman retreated to his cave, removing his cowl and letting it fall behind his head he took a seat at the bat computer.

The first thing he did was scan the small glass vials for prints. Nothing showed. Then he tested them. As the tests went through he pulled everything out of the manilla folder and began reading its contents. As he read through it he tried not to show the disgust on his face at the journal entries and experiment logs and these where only the printed files. After a while, he guessed the flash drive would help him through his investigation.

He plugged it in and opened the file titled 'PHANTASM' He leaned forward and folded his hands. Resting his chin on his knuckles as he stared at the various image, unplayed videos and more files that started to cover his screen. With the glances he got of then, none of this was humane.

"Tea, Master Bruce?" Alfred asked as he approached him. He had waited for him to finish, otherwise, he would have been shooed off. Bruce took the china teacup and easily sipped down the warm drink. It calms his nerves for what he was about to go through.

"I would suggest you stop for the night master Bruce, but glancing at your work I suppose it's urgent," Alfred said board. "Call should you need anything." He said promptly before turning on his heal and walking away. Bruce glanced at the time.

3:34 am

There was a ding as the tests had finished running. Bruce pulled up the results.

SAMPLE ONE - MATCHED

SAMPLE TWO - ECTOPLASM

He stared for a moment before delving deeper. By the time he finished going through everything two hours had already passed and he was running facial recognition scans on the images of specimen 0874. The images were dated over the course of four years. If he had to guess from age 9-13. The images were taken like mug shots. The most common face being of at first glance be two separate boys.

He already had his suspicions about who the boy was, but he had the tests for solid evidence, in case the kid really was just a doppelganger. One with raven black hair, blue eyes, and fair skin. The other with snow-white hair, rather unsettling green eyes, and a healthy tan.

Facial recognition scans confirmed they were the same boy. Facial recognition scans also showed the raven-haired boy matched the identity of two people. Richard Jhon Grayson and Daniel James Grayson. Under Daniel's name big bold red letters - MISSING.

Bruce knew his ward had a twin brother that went missing around the time of his parent's death. Suspected to be right after the fall. He also knew the twin brother was almost born stillborn till he spontaneously sprung to life again. He hadn't fully developed during the pregnancy and was kept in NICU for a few months before he was deemed healthy enough to go home. This is who he suspected the child to be.

When Daniel went missing they searched for months to find the missing child. A year passed and the case went cold. Everyone was told the child was dead. Bruce's ward, Dick refused to believe it though, he knew his brother and he could tell he was still alive somewhere. Bruce reflected on all the times he found Dick sleeping in the bat computer chair as it ran scans on every security camera he could find in search of his brother. Bruce's eyes widened as he remembered reading something about amnesia. If he's correct Daniel has no memory of his time with the circus and his suspicions were correct, he knew he would have to tell Dick eventually but for now he needed to know more.

He knew what he was doing for the night. Bruce pulled his cowl up and marched towards the batwing. He was going to find out more and he was going to get it right from them. He had no idea if the data was tampered with or not, but it doesn't matter. Bruce entered the coordinates into the batwing just as Alfred approached.

"A late night flight Master Bruce?" He questioned sarcastically. "Master Richard will ask your whereabouts." He explained.

"Tell him I'm going on a solo mission." Batman said gruffly before the top of the batwing closed and he flew out through the waterfall.

"Very well, Master Bruce." The Brit said, walking back up to the manor.

When Batman arrived he landed the Batwing outside of the forest surrounding the facility. With ease, he made it through the forest and perched himself in a tree to watch. The building was two stories high, had two cameras on every wall, and guards patrolling the outside. Multiple trucks and helicopters where parked around the facility.

'Must be moving.' He thought to himself while he stared through binoculars what they were doing. He saw Mr. Montanari, he stood with a cane and bandaged around his nose. Batman let a smirk slip. Montanari was ordering people around they moved cryogenic cylinders into the trucks, and as another group moved equipment into other trucks.

He just needed to look around and get to the main computer. Hopefully, find something he shouldn't. According to the schematics e got from the file, there wasn't a hallway without a camera. There was no way of getting without being seen, he wondered how Daniel did it.

He grappled to the roof of the building and knocked out the two guards on top. He looked around, searching for a way in. He wouldn't fit through the vents. He looked back through the schematics on his wrist computer. He walked over the back corner of the roof. There should be a window here, to the surveillance room.

He looked down and there, in fact, was a window ledge. Batman dropped onto in silently and looked inside. It was a dark room with huge screens covering one wall. He saw the outline of a figure, who starred the scenes intensely, his eyes switching from screen to screen while his fingers typed furiously on the keyboard. The one screen that wasn't showing surveillance was open to a document, where the man most likely took logs of anything and everything that happened.

Batman easily tossed a Batarang at the desk and it released some knockout gas into the room. The man immediately dropped. His face landing on the keyboard and it continuously typed the letter 'g'.

Batman dropped into the room and walked over to the computer. He pushed aside the man and remotely shut down all the cameras, he pulled his Batarang out of the desk as well. He looked around and walked out of the small room. He needed to find what they kept here.

As he explored, the smell of cleaner was getting a bit strong, and the intense fluorescent light on the completely white walls, it started to hurt his eyes. He walked through the mostly empty corridors, he avoided the ones where men in white suits walked with weapons at the ready.

'The breakout must have made them up the security.' He thought to himself as he passed another hallway.

His last stop was a large room, broken machines and cables were everywhere. They were disassembling it. This was the most likely area where Daniel had begun his escape. Batman looked around and noticed a loose circuit board that in the wall closest to him. He walked over and pulled it out. He pulled out the small device wired to some cords and examined it. He took it with him after he replaced the circuit board and made his way out and back to the batwing.

No one noticed the batarangs flying across the rooftop and landing ongoing each of the truck and one helicopter. If he didn't track them there was Monday of knowing where the next facility would be. As he was flying he was called by Alfred. He answered after the second time.

"What?" Batman demanded.

"It's Poison Ivy. She's devoured a chemical lab with her plants. The building is unenterable and there is no exit, Master Bruce" Alfred explained.

"I'll be there. Send Robin to meet me there." With that, he pressed the 'end call' bottom and sped off into the direction of Gotham already thinking of a plan of attack.

**LATER**

He was halfway through apprehending Ivy when Commissioner Gordon showed up. He started getting the hostages out, as many as he could at a time while Batman took care of Ivy. It was a tough fight but he managed and Arkham took her away. He went back to the police station and waited for Gordon to arrive before telling him what was in the file.

"My God, Bruce. What are you going to do?" He asked a grim look on his face. He looked sick in the face like he was trying to hold something down.

"I'm going to speak with the league tomorrow." He stated. "I still don't know how I am going to tell Robin, but knowing him, he will find out on his own." He stated.

**THE NEXT DAY*

Bruce called a League meeting the next day, with only the original seven. He didn't need other heroes talking about it. Phantasm's Identity needed to stay quiet and under wraps and Green Arrow had a habit of sharing information with his protege.

"What's going on Batman? You said this was urgent." Superman asked from his seat next to the vigilante.

"Last night I received a package containing files on a secret operation with false government approval. This is what it contained." He said, clicking away at his screen till everything showed up. In the middle of the table, inside the circle, the two vials appeared.

"This group, the ghost investigation ward, has anyone ever heard of it?" Wonder Woman asked as she swiped through the files. After a few turns it was visible she was trying to keep her composer.

"No, and it was performing human experiments on a child in an isolated part of Illinois, the same child who went missing four years ago in Gotham and was presumed dead a three months after his disappearance from Haley's Circus after the deaths of The Flying Grayson's. The twin brother of Dick Grayson." Batman said the images with clear views of his face showed up on the holo-screen.

"He's Robin's twin brother," Flash asked leaning back in his chair. "And he's a meta. I thought Robin didn't have any powers, how could his identical twin be a meta?"

"Robin doesn't. But Daniel wasn't supposed to have survived childbirth and I'm guessing that has something to do with it." Batman said, pulling up more files on Daniel and Ward's research on him.

"Could it be magic related?" Wonder Woman asked, she had experience with higher beings messing with mortal's fates and she wasn't too fond of the idea. She trusted her gods knew what they were doing and it was what was best for earth's people, but powerful meta's and other beings rather then the god's had malicious intentions when playing with fate.

"Possibly. There could be a greater force playing into Daniel's fate. Poor child. He didn't deserve such a terrible burden." Aquaman spoke.

"All the test results here on both versions of him show signs of his human form being affected by his ghost DNA." He finished, pulling up the 3D scans of his DNA which looked quite off. "Journal entries by the unnamed leading scientist have insisted that Daniel's body in fact half dead," Batman stated.

"How is that even possible? It's like Schrodinger's Cat." Green Lantern asked. "The files say that his human cells are dying due to the ectoplasm, but his healing abilities keep bringing them back to life at an extremely accelerated rate. Specimen 0874 has displayed many more powers than the average subject. Flight, intangibility, and invisibility among them these powers consist of the following. Energy blasts, shapeshifting, telekinesis, cryogenic abilities, fast healing factor, super strength, hearing…" Green Lantern read aloud.

"This kid is a powerhouse. He even has a sonic scream that has effectively destroyed whole facilities. It's stronger than the Canary Cry based on these readings. With proper training, this kid has the potential to take us all out." He exclaimed. Batman nodded before opening up a video on the holo-screen.

"And he has three known weaknesses that can keep him down. The first is a rock-"

"At least your not the only one hurt by a rock anymore Superman." The Flash laughed, before receiving that look from Batman and he shut up.

"As I was saying." Batman continued. "Ectorainum, much like Kryptonium same in color, but it can be genetically manufactured. The mineral is an anti-ghost repellent more than a damaging material. It's used in anti-ghost weapons and the ghost shield. The second is a rare plant called Blood Blossoms. They feed off a ghost's energy, tearing them apart molecule by molecule till there is nothing left."

"This is security and body camera footage of his escape two days ago." They watched, while the 13-year-old took down the men and the aircraft along with a wing of the building. Wonder Woman smirked when he delivers the solid punch to one of the agents faces before pausing the video.

"Who is this man that he punched?" She asked pointing to the screen then looking up when Batman pulled up another file on a new holo-screen.

"This is Malcolm Montanari, he's the agent in charge of overseeing the project and facility," Batman answered, bringing up all the files he could. The league went through everything before they decided to come up with a plan of action. It was difficult, Daniel was completely unpredictable and the extent of his powers unknown, on top of that they had no idea where he was or what his plans where they did not have the advantage in this search.

"If he's free then he's probably laying low and doesn't trust anyone." Martian Manhunter pitched in, pausing to look at the images again. "he has no idea how the world works at the moment. He is highly intelligent for being locked away for so long."

"If we do encounter him best we keep our distance if he sees us as a threat who knows how he might react," Aquaman stated.

"Should we try to talk to him convince him to join our side? I'd prefer him to fight with us than against considering his abilities and I'd rather not have to hurt a child." Wonder Woman asked.

"If he is free he's probably experiencing symptoms of withdrawal from all the drugs they had him doped on, who knows how he'll react if he feels threatened," Flash stated.

"As of right now, there has been no sign of him. It's a good chance he's somewhere near Central City," Batman paused bringing up a map. "It's the closest place to the area where this facility was. Flash, you 'll have to keep a lookout for him."

"It's most likely he has PTSD, with everything he went through. Who knows what could set him off." Green Lantern said. "The very color white could and according to this stuff, the smell of cleaners might as well."

"This file says he has no memory of his life before capture," Superman said, sliding the file to the holo-screen for everyone to see. "Should we mention it to him, if we show we know him, or have information about him he might be more willing to comply."

"No. I haven't even told Dick yet. He'd try and go after him and that could have dangerous consequences." Batman said staring at the files in front of him. "Once we apprehend him, I will tell Robin. For now, keep this to yourselves. Don't let any of it get to the proteges. With the Justice League accepting new members and them becoming members of the league, we can't let any of this get out."

"Should we contact the government about this. They were working off false certification and embezzling funds from the government. There is probably someone on the inside helping them." Superman said.

"We'll be having a meeting with the president in two days and discuss our next move. For now, be on the lookout. Any small event or irregular crime could be him. I gave up on him once, I'm not about to do it again." Batman said standing up. "This meeting is adjourned" He finished, walking away and leaving the League to continue going over the information if they wished. He already sent them copies of the files to look over in more detail. He had work to do.

The third chapter edited and merged. I do hope it's not too messy, it seems messy to me but I have more work to do with publishing and actually writing the next chapter. I hope you enjoyed and are still interested even though I've changed some things and I have no idea if you are getting notifications for the changes or not, but I'll put an alert in the next chapter that I will hopefully finish tonight even though it's a quarter past four am already. Still looking for a beta reader. -thenarey