Kidnapping

On the way to Central City, Bruce had tidied up Wayne Manor a little.

It looked as though no one had lived there for years. Strangely, the power still worked. Bruce fixed the television and watched the news.

Before long, he spotted a familiar figure on the screen.

"Metropolis Laboratory was invaded, and the Outlaw brutally murdered its scientists—"

Bruce watched Roland charge back and forth through the laboratory on the footage, his face darkening. "Did it never occur to him to destroy the security cameras?"

Thomas returned soon afterward. He looked exhausted, and his eyes were full of tears.

"Dad... you..." Bruce's heart lurched. "Did something happen to Harvey's children?"

"No, I got them all out," Thomas said. "I'm just... a little tired."

"The beds here aren't fit to sleep in anymore. Lie down on the sofa for a while," Bruce said.

"I'll just sit with you." Thomas sat beside Bruce and pointed at Superman. "Who's that?"

"A friend of mine," Bruce said.

"Like Tommy?"

"It's different..." Bruce said with a rueful smile.

"In your universe, you and Tommy..."

"Tommy became a supervillain. He arranged his parents' car accident himself. He hated you for saving his mother." Bruce shook his head. "In the end, he died by my hand."

"Son, that wasn't your fault." Thomas stroked Bruce's head.

"Let's not talk about that. My life's actually been pretty good."

"Son, I'm Batman too. I know how much it hurts." Thomas looked at Bruce with aching concern. "That pain that nearly drives you mad—"

"We're not quite the same," Bruce said, shaking his head. "I have a lot of friends. I got married recently, and my child will be born soon. If it's a boy, we'll call him Little Bruce Wayne. If it's a girl, Helena Wayne."

"You got married?"