2: The Name of the Father

"Well?" green lantern asked as he looked at them. Static swallowed. This was worse than Batman. This was someone who was a lot harder in some ways.

"We were fighting," he said. "The Meta Breed, we were fighting them, Gear and me. Shebang here, well, she thought she was saving me from Hotstreak because I had my back to him and she knocked me down. I...I lost track of everyone when my position was shifted like that."

"I was saving you!" Shebang snarled. "You didn't see..."

"Do you know that?" Hawk Girl asked her. "Do you know he didn't know there was someone behind him? We never assume things like that. Superman and Batman have their backs turned sometimes but we never assume that doesn't mean they don't know there is someone or something behind them. Normally if Batman turns his back it means he's pegged where everyone is."

"But, I didn't know that," Shebang whined. "No one told me! And Gear should have known better than to stop under that statue. It shows he isn't a real hero."

"I'm sorry," Wonder Woman said. "What did you just say?"

"Gear," she began. "He's not a real hero. He doesn't have any physical powers and he can't fight all that well. And...and he doesn't have cards or..."

"Oh, I am so glad Bruce did not hear you say you gave out cards," a voice said from the doorway. "Are you crazy girl? Heroes do not give out cards and they don't do publicity. It's not our way."

"And who are you?" Shebang demanded.

"I'm Nightwing," he said. "And like Batman and Gear? I do not have powers. At least not physical ones like Superman's or Green Lantern's. My powers are in my head and my ability to think on my feet. What is your attitude about? One would almost think you were jealous of Gear...oh, my God, you are. You're jealous of him. Why? Is it because even without powers he's a better hero than you will ever be? God, you are jealous of him. I think there might be another reason by the expression on your face but I'm not going there now. Batman sent me. He said to tell you that he and the Martian Manhunter are on their way to get the man who can help Richie. Lucky for us, even though he's British, he lives in the states."

Green lantern nodded and looked at Shebang coldly. "You aren't ever going to be one of us, little girl," he snarled. "Not until you realize this is not a damn game. You do not assume anything when you're watching an experienced team. You wait for them to ask you for help. Go sit down in that corner and wait until we know what to do with you."

He walked away then, and Static followed him, going back to the med lab where gear was now listed as comatose. Hawk Girl watched her before she, too, went up to the med bay. She had judged this one once, and she regretted it. He was a hero and he was as brave as Batman, as any of them, to do what he did. And she would not allow the kind of carelessness that had caused this to go unpunished.

"I hope they get here soon," the Flash said.

"I want to know his father's name," Static replied.

"The name of the father," a British accented voice spoke from the doorway to the room.

Static turned and saw a man with Richie's blue/Green eyes and the light of intelligence and glasses standing in the doorway. With him were four people. Two teenaged looking, one who looked maybe 26 and the other was about the man's age. The man directed the group to sit down and then he approached the bed. He looked at Static before he finished his sentence as if telling him specifically.

"Is Rupert Anthony Giles."