015

— o icarus of the fearless flight —

THIS WAS MOST CERTAINLY NOT THE OUTCOME THAT SHE HAD CONJURED IN HER BRAIN, YET HERE THEY STOOD. Krypto dropped his head onto Conner's chest, whining softly when he didn't wake up. They had quickly rushed Conner back up to the RV, Dick explaining he had one thing that could possibly help him. As they crowded around Conner, the monitors displaying his vitals, Dick walked back to the others, standing close to Corner on his left. He held a small syringe in his hands, filled with some sort of red liquid. "What is that?" Rachel asked, watching him closely.

"Red Kryptonite combined with nitroglycerin and epinephrine," Dick explained, slightly unsure of himself, rolling the syringe in his hand. "S.T.A.R Labs had it designed to stabilise Kal-El if the worst ever happened."

Kory took a deep breath, "Will it work?"

Dick took a deep breath as he looked at Kory before turning to Conner, "I don't know. It's never been used." That was most certainly not a comforting statement, it made Hazel's stomach flip and twist, and Gar stared at the screen, waiting for the vitals to change even before Dick administered the Kryptonite.

Dick took the syringe and attached a metal piece in place of the needle, something that would actually puncture his skin. Slowly the kryptonite entered his system, and Hazel looked up at the EKG flatline, but it refused to change, no matter how much Krypto whined for him to wake up. But they all still waited, longer than necessary, just in case somehow, he did stir awake.

Gar took a deep breath and dropped his head, "Now what?"

Hazel gripped the side of the medical cot and took a deep breath. She glanced at Conner's unchanging face before turning and walking to the front of the RV. She slid into the passenger seat, sliding down so she could prop her knees on the dashboard. Gar followed after her and sat in the driver's seat beside her. He sat with his hands on the wheel for a moment before starting the engine and driving off.

Hazel turned her head so she could see out the window, watching as the trees whizzed by, melding into one green blur. She couldn't help but let her mind wander off, missing the bright neon's of Vema, missing how nothing made sense to her eyes, to what she knew, but how it all made her feel calm and secure.

Gar looked over at her and smiled to himself. The sun poured over her face like the soft glow in a magical photo, something with beauty that shouldn't exist but somehow, she was here with him. "Do you remember when it was just us in the tower?" Gar asked, taking another glance at her. Hazel lifted her head and looked up at Gar. He had a far off look in his eyes, like he was thinking back in his most precious memory. "You said you wanted to show me something and you took me to the top of the tower."

Hazel nodded to herself, beginning to smile. "I showed you the sunset," Hazel mumbled, her amusement growing as she kept replaying the moment in her mind, "Small town kids in the big city."

"I don't really remember the sunset," Gar chuckled softly, the edges of his eyes pulling tight as his smile grew wider. "I didn't think you were real," Gar admitted, his sudden confession said in such a dreamy voice. He looked over at Hazel and gave her the most genuine smile she had ever seen. "Shoulda known then that you were a goddess."

"Oh please," Hazel scoffed, shaking her head, brushing off his words, although she could feel a faint blush rising in her cheeks. She laughed softly to herself, continuing to find amusement in his words but her eyes stayed on Gar's face, taking in every detail as if it were the last time she would see him. The sharp line of his jaw, the small ridge on the bridge of his nose, the single freckle marked on his left cheek, just below his cheekbone and his soft pink lips. She wanted to pull him close, kiss him until she was out of breath, live her life with him but the heavy thought of the end of the world cut her thoughts off quickly. Hazel's eyes darted away, and she turned her head to look out the window once more.

"After this," Gar spoke up, drawing Hazel's attention back, "we can watch the sunset again. Maybe this time, I'll actually remember what it looks like." His smile was gentle, a faint curve of his lips that held onto a fragile hope. Hazel gave him a soft smile in response, her heart aching with the hope in his words. She slid a little further into her seat and gave a vague shrug.

"After this," Gar repeated, as if saying it again could somehow make her survival more real, more certain. Something actually achievable.

"We'll see," Hazel said, her voice just as soft, but nowhere near as hopeful.

Gar's smile faltered slightly, his eyes searching her face for an ounce of doubt, but she had seemingly made up her mind. "Stop trying to say goodbye," he said, his voice almost pleading.

Hazel shifted in her seat again, unable to meet his eyes. "I might have to," Hazel whispered, nervously toying with her rings. She didn't want to say it, to admit it but their options had run out.

"Gar! Hazel!" Kory called out, her sudden voice making Hazel jump. Hazel spun to look over her shoulder at Kory who was quickly swiping through a tablet. "We got a hit." Hazel jumped from her seat and rushed to Kory, snatching the tablet from her hands. "Chemical warehouse. Rail yards," Kory explained, looking over Hazel's shoulder.

Hazel flipped through the files, switching between the information on the warehouse and the map that was tracking Sebastian. "Why is he going there?" Rachel asked, her eyes darting between Dick and Hazel.

"Because it's not just a chemical warehouse," Hazel spoke up, twisting the tablet around to show Dick. "It's a government black site."

Dick took the tablet from Hazel and did the same as her, rapidly switching between the files before letting out a heavy sigh. "They're storing biochemical weapons," Dick explained, handing Hazel the tablet once again and rushing to the front of the RV, "Gar, change of plans."

They were at the warehouse within the hour, racing through the empty halls and barren floors. The sound of Kory and Rachel's heels clicking against the ground the only real sound echoing through the silence, but Dick still rested a hand on his batons in case something could sneak up on them and decided to jump out. "Looks like everyone left in a hurry," Gar said, looking around at the equipment and boxes that had been knocked off in what looked like a rush or after a fight.

"The biochemical materials must be stored in the underground bunker," Dick mumbled to himself, looking around the empty space. "Come on."

Dick motioned them on, and they rushed into the next room over, but Hazel stopped in the doorway, turning to look over her shoulder when she sensed someone familiar. Hazel smiled as she saw him rushing down the hall toward them, "Hey Bird Boy."

Tim came running towards them in a newly styled Robin suit; a thick red chest plate, protection on his elbows, knees and wrists and a bright yellow cape. It wasn't as slim and flexible as Dick's old suit, Tim's was packed with extra layering, and it was different to Jason's, in the fact it wasn't just a smaller version of the old Robin suit. It actually looked like it had been created for Tim. "Hey guys," He called with a grin, stopping in front of them with a proud smile.

Rachel stepped closer, sharing the same smile. "Nice. Very nice."

"Robin 3.0," Gar echoed.

Tim looked up at Dick and his smile grew, "What'd ya think?" Tim asked, his voice growing nervous, but Dick just nodded and smiled.

"Third time's the charm," he said with confidence. Tim sighed in relief, but it didn't take away his smile.

"You shouldn't have come here!"

That did.

Hazel jumped in surprise, and she spun around to stare at Sebastian, or rather Brother Blood in his demonic, bone plated armour. He was stalking towards them, showing no sign of stopping even as Dick flicked out his electric batons. Kory didn't hesitate to shoot her blue light at him, but it passed through him as if he wasn't there at all. "Is that all you got?!" he yelled with an annoyed scoff.

"Fuck this dude," Kory cursed, stepping ahead.

"Double fuck this dude," Rachel echoed.

As if he wasn't there at all.

"Wait!" Hazel shouted, grabbing Rache's wrist and stopping her before she could fire at him. The sudden shout also made Brother Blood freeze and Hazel shook her head. "He's not really here. I sensed Tim but he's not here at all." Kory glanced at her, still with her hands raised at Brother Blood but when she looked up, he had begun to melt into demonic power and the illusion faded away.

"It was all an illusion?" Tim questioned, looking between Dick and Hazel.

"A distraction," Dick corrected.

Rachel took a deep breath, "So. . . where is he now?"

Hazel walked over to the windows that had been covered in a thin plastic sheet. With a swift motion, she tore away the plastic sheet and tossed it aside, revealing the sprawling city beneath the setting sun. Once she could the city, her eyes glowed a bright gold, her tattoos pulsing in sync as they burned with her power. She inhaled deeply, focusing her energy, and sent out small, concentrated bursts of her power across the city, like a bat using its echolocation. Each pulse echoed through the streets and alleys, searching for any trace of Brother Blood's demonic power.

The air around her crackled as the pulses spread farther and farther, until suddenly, it struck. The demonic power hit back, reverberating against her energy, and she felt it surge through her like an electric shock. The force was undeniable, sharp and distinct, and it had almost made her stumble, but she kept her focus on the centre of the silence power.

"There," Hazel called out, her voice cutting through the silence. She turned back to Dick, who was already moving toward her side. Her finger pressed against the cool glass, pointing directly at a tall, shadowed building on the other side of the city. "That's where it is," she said, her tone leaving no room for doubt.

"He's behind that," Dick corrected. He took a deep breath and spun around, running for the stairs, "He's headed to S.T.A.R Labs."

❁

The silence on the drive was somehow the loudest sound and the only thing Hazel could seem to focus on. She stayed by Conner's side, slowly working to heal the burns on his face. It was completely unnecessary, but it was all she could do to heal him, to help him. It was more than she could ever do for Cole. Tim walked over and stood next to her, "You okay?" He asked, his voice soft.

Hazel nodded softly, although her eyes didn't leave Conner. "At least I can help him," she mumbled. She didn't notice her phone ringing until the persistent buzz broke through her thoughts. She huffed in frustration when she saw it was a private number, her patience worn thin. "Whoever this is, this better be fucking important," Hazel snapped, her voice sharp with exhaustion.

"Good thing it is," Cole laughed. Cole.

Hazel's eyes widened and she turned to Tim. He looked at her with furrowed eyebrows and a confused expression. "Cole?" As soon as the name left her mouth, Tim's eyes snapped open wide in shock and he moved closer to hear his voice, his laugh. "Are— are you okay?" Hazel asked.

"For now, yeah, but I do have an emergency," Cole said quickly and then she realised just how quiet his voice was.

"Cole, why are you whispering?" Hazel asked, her nerves rising quickly. That caught the others' attention.

"Put me on speaker," Cole ordered, a strain in his voice. Hazel didn't hesitate; she put her phone on speaker and set it on the centre table as Gar, Rachel and Dick stepped closer, Kory left in the driver's seat. "Brother Blood is here."

Hazel took a deep breath and nodded to herself. "We know, we're on our way," Hazel said quickly. "Are you safe?"

"Uh, yeah, um," Cole took a shaky breath, and then the scraping of the heavy metal door being pulled open cut his voice off. "Sorry, that was me," Cole whispered. "He passed me, he's a few floors above but everyone is dead. Everyone."

"What is he doing now?" Rachel questioned.

"He wanted access to something called the Icarus Lab," Cole explained quickly. "I don't know what it is but I'm looking into it now. But if anyone knows what it is so I can hide from the big bag demon that would be nice."

Dick sighed through his nose and Hazel looked up at him, her eyes going wide. "What's the Icarus Lab?" Hazel questioned, glaring at him.

Dick straightened under her dark gaze and shifted on his feet. "S.T.A.R Labs has always been about the betterment of mankind," Dick started, crossing his arms over his chest. "Debating research and development and the possible consequences of their actions"

A beep came from Hazel's phone and Cole cursed. Hazel furrowed her eyebrows, "What?"

"It's a wormhole," Cole whispered.

The RV silenced in a second and Hazel's heart dropped into her stomach. "Sorry, you mean like—" Tim cut himself off and stared at Hazel. "A wormhole?"

"Pretty much, yeah," Cole confirmed with a nod, his voice pitched slightly higher. "Paraphrasing here, the Icarus Gate is controllable, it's programmable, it allows for any object to be sent anywhere in the universe— from something as small as a single atom to as large as an entire planet." Cole paused, only cut by the sound of clacking keys and a beeping on her phone as he sent the files through.

Gar quickly grabbed Hazel's phone and transferred the files to the tablet, which he projected on the TV screen. "It's completely operational," Cole explained as Gar looked through the files. "Except for one small problem. There isn't enough energy on Earth to run it. Which maybe in our case is a good thing."

"Why would Brother Blood want access to a wormhole?" Tim questioned.

Hazel looked up at the information on the large TV screen and took an uneasy breath. She snatched the tablet from Gar and went back a page. "He wants to destroy Vema," Hazel said, her voice shaky. She looked over her shoulder at Rachel and sighed, "He wants to do what Trigon couldn't."

❁

Korey disregarded all traffic rules and sped to S.T.A.R Labs just as the sun set. They rushed from the RV, racing through the doors head to toe in armour. They slowly made their way up the stairs, bloody bodies covering the ground and the stench of death filling the air. The alarms blared, cutting through the heavy silence the dead brought. Kory stepped forward, kneeling beside the bloody and dead doctor Esponson. Her white lab coat was soaked through with blood, the fabric clinging to her chest but with no wounds in sight.

The sound of footsteps made them turn, and Hazel's heart jumped in joy when she saw Cole running down the stairs toward them. Without thinking, Hazel brushed past Dick and sprinted to him, her coat flapping behind her softly with each step. She threw her arms around Cole, pulling him into a tight embrace, her heart pounding with relief. She held him close, her face buried in his shoulder.

When Hazel finally pulled back, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, Tim was already there, wrapping Cole in a fierce hug. Tim held him tightly, the fear and worry of the past days melting away in Cole's presence. And when they pulled apart, Cole didn't hesitate—he captured Tim's lips in a kiss, deep and passionate, as if he were trying to make up for all the time, they had been apart.

"Are you okay?" Hazel asked once he and Tim separated.

"Are you?" Cole asked in turn. He swallowed the lump in his throat and pulled on his dark green jacket and called it to encase his body in the same green and purple armour. "Icarus lab is on the top floor, I'm sure he's there already."

Hazel looked back at Dick and the others, "Let's finish this."

Kory and Dick took the lead, walking ahead and leading the others up the stairs. Hazel lagged behind the others in case it had been a trap, and something were to attack them from behind. Dick pushed the doors open into the dark halls, the only light coming from the orange siren lights. "By now Brother Blood probably knows we're coming," Dick reasoned, glancing over his shoulder. "Once we're inside, distract him for as long as possible. Long enough for Kory and Hazel to destroy the gate."

As the Titans rounded a corner, Hazel paused, the same squeezing feeling of hands and eyes all over her returning in such an intense way she thought she would vomit. It made the hairs on her neck rise, demonic magic seeping deep into her mind, whispers crawling through her brain. When she had used her powers to find Brother Blood it had led a pathway right back to her.

"Follow my voice," Brother Blood's voice echoed in her mind, bleeding into her power. "I know you can hear me." Hazel turned, her eyes looking down the hall to the fire exit. "Go." Hazel's feet moved before she could even register what was happening. She stepped through the door, and it faded into nothing, trapping in the emergency halls.

"Cole," Dick called and he quickly caught up to him. Dick quickly squeezed his shoulder, relieved to see him walking but he quickly moved off the subject, "Do you know where we're going?"

"Up the north staircase," Cole said quickly, "And pretty much up from there."

Rachel looked over her shoulder and froze, her eyes darting over the empty halls. She raced back down the hall, shouting Hazel's name but the halls were barren and silent. "Dick! Cole!" Rachel shouted, running back to the others. She skidded to a stop in front of them, gripping Dick's arm. "Hazel's gone."

Cole's eyes lit up red, searching for his sister as she had done so many times before, but they returned to normal just as quickly. He looked up at Dick with wide panicked eyes, "I can't find her."

Dick was running off in an instant shouting Hazel's name.

— legacies —