Chapter Text
It started as an accident. Or by chance. Because really it was a very deliberate choice, on Hal’s part. He was only there for the opening of Ferris Air’s new east coast operation, which had been generously sponsored by Wayne Industries. There were other test pilots here, of course, but Carol had insisted that Hal had to be there. She also insisted that he keep his mouth shut and to be “on his best behavior.” She can’t explicitly say that he’s here to be eye candy, but he got the gist. Smile, shake hands, and be a very muscular carrot on a very long stick to all the actually important people here. Namely, Bruce Wayne.
Which is. Well. She doesn’t know that their biggest investor for this whole venture is Batman. At least, neither of them have said the exact words out loud, so he assumes that she doesn’t know. Otherwise she wouldn’t have bought him a new, tailored suit that fits his backside suspiciously well. And she wouldn’t have sent him all of those interviews and articles and photoshoots of good ol’ Bruce. Because she does know how Hal feels about Batman, on account of the many, many, rants she has sat through about his controlling, secretive, annoying asshole of a coworker.
Even then, Hal isn’t so sure that she wouldn’t throw Hal at Bruce anyways. He knows how important it is that this opening goes well, and he knows that she’s throwing almost everything at the wall to see what sticks. But maybe if she knew that she was inviting Batman and his flock of baby bats and birds, she might have relaxed a bit on the security. As it is, Hal himself is a bit offended that she doesn’t trust a Green Lantern to defend a room full of big wigs and military generals.
The airplane hanger that the party is in has been scrubbed clean and decorated lavishly. Three smaller planes have been parked here, and of course one has “Wayne Industries” blazened in huge, blue letters across the side. Hal tries his best not to develop an aneurysm as various attendees put their hands all over some of the best birds money can buy, the velvet rope and snack tables surrounding the planes clearly not enough of a deterrent.
Hal checks his watch for the third time since the party officially started. It’s been an hour and Bruce, their featured speaker and main investor, still hasn’t arrived. Hal understands that he has a whole reputation to maintain as Bruce. He gets it. But an hour is a bit overkill, and the longer that Carol stands there trying not to bite her nails, the more pissed Hal gets. Would it kill Bats to consider other people for once? His children arrived before him. Even the newly legally revived one, which is how important this is.
Hal scans the room and sees the four boys huddled near the stealth plane Bruce had so generously donated for the night. Three of them seem to be engaged in a heated discussion, but one of them, Tim, is already staring at Hal. Hal’s eyes widen as Tim gestures him over. He briefly considers finding an escape route, or pretending that he didn’t see it. He really doesn’t want to deal with any bats tonight, and he is absolutely willing to run away from a child. But he thinks of Carol and how snubbing a Wayne would look. So he sighs and reluctantly makes his way over.
Hal doesn’t even get a greeting out before he’s being bombarded.
“Father has been kidnapped,” the littlest bat says sharply. Damian, Hal thinks. The current Robin. Hal opens his mouth to respond, but Tim cuts in.
“He was on his way here. As Bruce. The news will break any minute.”
Hal tries again. “Okay, and why does this–”
“Concern you? Because we’re Waynes. We can’t just disappear when our father gets kidnapped only to have him miraculously rescued by Robin, miles away from Gotham” Damian snaps. He sounds remarkably like Batman, down to the implied you idiot. It’s a little uncanny. Jason rolls his eyes at Damian.
“Jeez, relax littlest demon. No need to bite his head off.”
Damian whips around towards Jason and for a brief, hysterical moment, Hal thinks he might actually start hissing and spitting like a feral cat as he glares.
“Do not call me that, Todd.”
Hal watches Dick give an aggrieved sigh as he pinches the bridge of his nose, a motion that is also scarily reminiscent of Batman.
“What we meant to say,” Dick says, sending a pointed look at his younger brothers, “is that we need your help. We can’t leave. Bruce can’t break out on his own. But we can create a distraction and the Green Lantern can break him out.”
“And what, Superman can’t spare a few minutes for his best pal?” Hal asks, laugh catching in his throat as the mood abruptly changes. Jason immediately stands up straighter, directing his glare at Hal. Damian turns his disdain back to him. Tim cocks his head at him. Dick narrows his eyes.
“Please.” Dick says through gritted teeth. It comes out more like a command. Hal sighs, resigning himself to Carol’s disappointment over Hal’s disappearance. At least he would be delivering her guest of honor.
“You really think that Bruce would rather have the Green Lantern blaze through the city than break out himself?” Hal asked Dick. He didn’t particularly look forward to the dressing down Bats would certainly give him for “associating with him in costume” or some bullshit.
“Yes,” Tim says with a glare, resolute in the way that only bats really could pull off.
Hal groans and resists the urge to stomp his foot.
“Fine. But he owes me one. And I need a distraction,” Hal says. Tim thrusts a tablet into his hands.
“Here’s his tracker’s last known location. It pinged near this warehouse less than five minutes ago before going dark. I doubt these people are professionals, but you still need to–”
“Yeah kid I got it, be careful. Not my first kidnapping. I’ll get your dad back in as little pieces as possible, promise.”
“You absolute-” Damian goes to lunge at Hal, but Dick scoops him up and slaps a hand over his mouth before he can yell any explicatives.
“Great. Well, here’s your distraction. Thank you, and don’t fuck up,” Dick says before swinging Damian around and pretending to loudly console him.
“I know Dami, I’m worried about him, too. There, there, he’ll be okay.”
“Well. Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Hal huffs under his breath. The boys all start “comforting” Damian loudly and with various degrees of sincerity, drawing the eyes of the various gossip hungry socialites around them. Hal slips into the bathroom and briefly feels ridiculous as he shimmies out of the window in an expensive suit like he’s on a bad date.
Tim was right. They were far from professionals. Bruce had been tied up in the back room of a warehouse, guarded by one gunman. The other two were busy arguing quietly in the middle of the main floor to notice Hal peaking through the windows.
From what Hal’s gathered, they disagree over how much ransom money they can get out of Bruce. Personally, Hal doesn’t think either of them are aiming high enough. Bruce is a billionaire. Surely they can think bigger than 3 million.
News must be spreading fast, Hal can hear sirens in the distance and it won't be long before the press shoves their noses in, too. He scans for more gunmen, but it really is just the three of them in a dingy warehouse. Honestly.
Nonetheless, Hal can’t resist a good entrance. A giant fist construct smashes in the glass window before Hal flies through. Both men stare at him, frozen with their guns pointed towards the ground.
“Come on gentlemen, this is just sad,” Hal sighs, making quick work of their weapons and knocking them to the ground. The third man rushes out of the other room towards the noise. At least he has the sense to aim his gun at Hal, but it’s much too late. Hal already has a construct wrapped around his ankle and is already yanking him forward, knocking him out in one go. He deposits all three in the center of the room, wrapping them in a construct.
“Really, there’s no professionalism these days,” Hal says. The two conscious ones stare at him in disbelief.
“C’mon, please, we just want–” Hal slaps a green construct over both of their mouths.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever, kidnapping and ransom, get new ideas,” Hal glances out the window and sees the red and blue flash of police cars. He adds a bow to their ropes and very politely slides the three of them through the window and in front of an officer, who stares back at him in bewilderment.
“All handled boys!” Hal shouts before turning and heading towards Bruce.
Hal enters the room just as Bruce manages to free his hands from their zip ties.
“Aw man, now my rescue is pointless,” Hal whines. Bruce tenses as he looks up and sees Hal, his face quickly twisting into a scowl.
“Lantern. What are you doing.”
“Rescuing you from a frankly embarrassing kidnapping, is what. You’re welcome by the way. Your kids said you had to play damsel, so here I am, your majesty. Here to save the princess from, well, what amounts to a malnourished dragon if we’re being honest,”
“Well, you’ve rescued me. I can meet you at Ferris,” Bruce says, standing and stretching his wrists.
“No can do, Spooky. There’s a whole gaggle of cameras out there by now waiting to catch a glimpse of my daring rescue,” Hal says, unable to keep the glee from his voice as Bruce narrows his eyes at him.
“Jordan, don’t you dare–”
Hal ignores him as he yanks him against his chest and rockets towards the front of the warehouse and out of the upper window. With a dramatic flourish, he lands softly in front of the gathering crowd of press and police officers and onlookers. Bruce glares at him like he’s trying to explode his brain, before stepping back and smoothing out his expression.
Hal had seen the way Bruce’s eye twitched when he first spotted the green of his suit earlier, but he had an act to put on, same as his kids. He turns away from Hal to glance at the crowd with a convincingly frightened and bewildered look on his face. He turns back to Hal.
“Thank you, Green Lantern. I don’t know what I would have done without you,” He says, his voice pitched just so. It was like watching a politician, sometimes. Or maybe a late night host. Hal always found it fascinating to watch, if not slightly disturbing.
Hal had really dreaded this night. Having to pretend to be polite and interested in Bruce, enduring Bruce Wayne and his airheaded billionaire act all for Carol’s sake. It would have been excruciatingly awkward. But as he stands with Bruce Wayne, dressed in his uniform instead of a stuffy and overly expensive suit, Hal realizes that the universe has presented him with an absolutely hilarious opportunity.
Hal gently takes Bruce’s offered hand between both of his, and takes a dramatic bow as he kisses his palm.
“Anything for you, Mr. Wayne,” Hal says, smiling as Bruce’s jaw clenches. Hal glances at the crowd, the camera flashes and frantic murmurs increasing. “Please, may I offer you a lift? It’s much safer than travelling on your own.”
Bruce’s jaw tightens even more.
“Oh, how kind. I wouldn’t want to inconvenience you,” Bruce says, his voice dangerously cheery. If they were anywhere else, Hal is sure he would have received a punch to the face at this point. Hal grins even wider.
“It will hardly be an inconvenience for me, Mr. Wayne,” Hal says. Before Bruce has the chance to find a valid reason to refuse, Hal scoops Bruce up in a bridal carry, and in full view of the press, he leans down to whisper in Bruce’s ear. “Your kids promised me a favor, by the way.”
Hal doesn’t give Bruce a chance to respond, launching them both into the air.