WHO: Alec Lightwood and Dick Grayson WHAT: Showing the new recruit the ropes WHEN: Early February WHERE: Portal room WARNING/STATUS: Low/Complete
Showing new people around the facility wasn't a first for Dick, he was part of the portal welcoming crew afterall. But showing a new person around security definitely was. Not that he minded in the slightest, it was a break from the norm, which was more than welcome. He arrived early, parked his bike in the garage leaving it under Bucky’s care and made his way through the facility —via the kitchen, naturally— to the cavernous hangar which was the portal’s home.
Dylan looked happy to see him, which was always nice and they had a quick handover (nothing to report), before the other guy headed out for some much needed sleep.
Dick had barely stowed his helmet and gloves in his locker when the new recruit arrived, and his jaw dropped. Tim had mentioned his doppelgänger, the other man had helped his brother when he’d first come back through, but it was still a shock to see himself walking up to him. He wondered momentarily how Clark, Ray and Dylan coped, but reasoned that at some point he’d just get used to it.
“Wow.” He offered a mischievous smile, “You look familiar, Alex? I’m Dick.”
Up until now, Alec had somehow managed to avoid running into his doppelgänger. He was aware of him after meeting Tim who had mistaken him as his brother. However, even with that forewarning, Alec stopped short as he saw someone with his face staring back at him. It still set him on edge since that usually meant someone dangerous.
He had to shake that thought from him though and just remind himself he wasn’t in his own world. And apparently… doubles were theoretically bound to show up. Besides the lack of runes was still a very obvious difference, and helped him snap back to reality. “Alec, actually,” he corrected and offered his hand to Dick. “Nice to meet you. Are you the one showing me around?”
"Alec, sorry." Dick shook the offered hand and nodded, "That’s me. Nice to meet you too." He then gestured toward the lockers, may as well start the tour with the security room. "If there’s anything you want to leave in here while I show you the ropes, you can take one of those. Eight and nine have never been used."
Retrieving his coffee, he offered the second cup to Alec, sliding it along the desk with packets of creamer and sugar. “Sorry, this is all I could snag on the hoof. This room here is our base of operations for portal watch. We have monitors with security feeds from across the facility too.” He nodded toward the bank of flatscreens, “But as FRIDAY also monitors that footage, we would usually get a call from her if we’re needed elsewhere. Our main focus is the portal and intercepting whoever comes through.”
When Dick pointed out the lockers, Alec made note of them. “I’m fine now, but I’ll pick a locker later.” But he did take the coffee that Dick offered him, and only put one creamer in to cool it down. “Don’t worry, Coffee’s fine.”
And then the real tour started. Alec hadn’t been sure how much security really did entail. He knew the portal security was a big priority, but Alec didn’t know what else to be aware of. He nodded when Dick directed his attention to the monitors. “Alright, that makes sense. People coming through seems to happen with some regularity. Have there been any security issues outside of the facility?”
"There is a frequency to the arrivals. It dropped off for a while, then picked up again." Dick didn’t even bother trying to understand the portal anymore. That was for much higher paid people than himself. "Not as far as I know. We’ve had a couple of visits from the Military, but the higher ups sorted those out."
Looking toward the monitors again, his gaze fixed on the screen showing the gate. "There’s someone stationed as sentry at the gates, but they’re Happy’s guys. Tony’s head of security." He explained, "I think Derek might be looking to expand the portal team’s watch to the perimeter though."
So, the portal activity wasn’t really that consistent. That didn’t seem to surprise Alec at all. “So some days will be busy, and some won’t be, that’s what you’re saying?” he asked Dick since the other man didn’t put it into so many words.
He looked to the screen that showed the gate, and nodded at who worked security there. “Well, whether it’s here at the portal, or at the perimeter, I’m okay with any station,” Alec offered. “I really just want to stay busy. Where I’m from, I’m sometimes in charge of a whole Institute and security team. So, any security work is good for me.”
Giving a nod, he sipped at his coffee, "Unfortunately, yes. When I first got here, there was a lot more regular activity. Some threats came through which caused mayhem across the complex. Not that the security folk could really stop Dinosaurs in their tracks." He flashed a grin, "Or zombies. But like I said, none of that sort of craziness has happened in months."
His training with Bruce had already kicked in as he observed the other man, his face twin; judging by his stance and the way his eyes ticked back to the monitors he knew without being told that Alec already had a background in this sort of gig. Which was good, Derek had bigger ideas for the team which needed capable hands. "That’s good to hear, and I’m sure you’ll be taken up on that."
"A whole Institute? You might be overqualified for this position," he joked. "Tim said you were training when he met you? Did you have to fight a lot back home?"
Alec was taken aback at the information of Dinosaurs and zombies showing up. Just more things he knew that Simon would nerd out over. “That does sound like mayhem. What stopped that? Better control of the portal?” He was curious. What were the chances that demons from his world could come through?
At Dick’s question, Alec smirked about being overqualified. “Well, not quite. I was filling in for my parents, but it is my ambition to take over permanently one day.” He wasn’t too sure that would happen now with his parent’s reputation the way it was, and with Inquisitor Herondale likely sticking around, not to mention the fact he was stuck in another world for now.
“I’m from New York in my world too, but I’m part of what’s called the Shadow world. And I’m only part human. I’m what’s called a Shadowhunter. It’s my job to hunt and kill demons. We also deal with disputes with downworlders: any being with demon blood,” Alec explained and tried to make it as easy for a mundane from another world to understand. “We’ve also been fighting other Shadowhunters who are extremists and want all downworlders dead. We just captured his leader before I arrived here.”
He realized that he was doing a lot of talking, and he looked back to Dick. “Where are you and Tim from? I’m guessing you have to do a lot of fighting too if you’re asking me.”
Dick shrugged at the technical question, "I am probably not the best person to ask. But reading back through the files that FRIDAY has archived it’s as if the portal was made less stable when Tony tried to explore it from this end. Now it only stays open long enough to drag people like yourself through."
"Following the family footsteps, I can relate.” Dick smiled, indicating Alec follow him back into the hangar while they talked, it was time to do a sweep of the area. "So you’re sort of the supernatural police? That must be pretty intense. I only really know of a couple of demons where I’m from. Constantine and Raven would know more. Ugh, extremists are the worst."
At the question Dick reached up to rub the back of his neck, wondering exactly how much to divulge. "I have had to do a lot of fighting. We both have. We’re called vigilantes in our world. But neither Blüdhaven, my home, or Gotham, Tim’s, are here in this world. Or their particular brand of supervillains. Which is a welcome change of pace, honestly. We’ve had alien attacks and crazy sentient robots, but they have here too, so it almost feels like our earth."
The explanation Dick gave about the portal activity was good enough for Alec, so he didn’t push his questioning about that any farther. He followed Dick as they started the security sweep. “Something like that. Those in the Downworld have an authority unto themselves, but the Clave, they make the laws in our world, do expect us to police the Downworld. If I had my way, I’d rather we just all worked together instead.” Alec couldn’t do that if the old guard kept coming in and taking over the Institute.
“It does sound like we come from very different worlds. Though supervillains seem to exist in some form everywhere.” As far as Alec knew, aliens did not exist, and he knew nothing about sentient robots. “Though we do have werewolves and magic users in our world. Also vampires and the fae.”
A smile came to his lips at the idyllic vision of the world conjured by Alec's words. "If only we all could work together. I mean, we do back home to a certain extent. But in general." The lap of the hangar was more to get Alec used to the layout and different access points, but getting visual recognition on the different vehicles in there was an added layer. He patted the engine nacelle of the Kevin Bacon as they passed by. "These are the regular vehicles you'll find in the hangar, but sometimes the portal likes to bring some gifts through and they have included planes and spaceships. If necessary we try to find the respective owners."
He was just lucky that the batmobile had come though on his shift, although meeting Bruce had been a little unnerving. Not that he believed anyone could have met a hyena and not been unnerved.
"Very different, but you're right, there are bad guys on every earth." He frowned slightly, deciding not to think too hard on it lest he fall into a spiral. "Vampire and magic users I'm pretty sure exist in my world, seeing as I've met both. But I'm not sure about Fae or Werewolves. Though I have met a werewolf here and he's cute, but taken. Actually there's a few here now. But they don't need policing, so you can chill."
Alec went with Dick through the hangar. The vehicles and such did look impressive, but he wasn’t really that familiar. He’d take portal travel with Magnus any day. What he was interested in was that objects came through the portal. “So, the portal doesn’t just let living things through?”
While Alec knew his world was different from the others who were here, there was a lot that seemed similar. He wasn’t surprised that Downworlders seemed to exist elsewhere too. “Yeah, I know. New place, different rules,” Alec agreed that he didn’t need to police anyone. The Clave’s laws didn’t apply to anyone here.
Dick shook his head, "nope, it doesn’t seem to have any rules about what it brings through. The biggest inanimate object so far is a house, but there have been quite a few vehicles and pets. It likes to give me clothes." He gave a little shrug, "we can see if it spat anything out yet today when we go over that way."
Glancing across at the new recruit, he wondered if he was always uptight or if it was just because he was in a new situation. "What do you like doing for fun? You'll find yourself with more free time on your hands here." They were within a few feet of the portal now and Dick made a beeline for it, spotting a poster tube on the floor directly in front of it. "Looks like someone has a gift."
“A house?” Alec was taken aback by that, but he shouldn’t have been surprised if vehicles had come through as well. And of course there didn’t seem to be anyway to control the portal; otherwise, people would have gone back through on their own, and not just bring more belongings here.
“Yeah, I’ve noticed,” Alec said about the free time. “Honestly? I’m usually so busy trying to defend the Shadow World that fun doesn’t always happen,” he admitted. Izzy and Jace would probably tell anyone that Alec was in fact not fun. However, Alec did smile as he thought of what had changed in his life where he tried to make time for fun. “But Magnus, my boyfriend, is here. So, spending time with him is my answer to your question, I guess.”
Alec stopped when Dick moved to go pick up the tube that came from the portal. “What is it?”
"Not mine, sadly. I miss that place, easy roof access, plus storage for my various suits and weaponry." The Batsuit took up a lot of his closet space, and the spare room wasn’t exactly his to overflow into. Not that he thought Tim would mind. Maybe they should make it into a Robin room.
"Kind of like spending most of your time after dark fighting crime, and keeping up with your day job." Or school when he’d first started out as Robin. "Oh yeah? That’s really nice that you have him here with you. Maybe you could pick up a new hobby while you’re here too."
At first when something had come through the portal, he’d been hesitant to touch it, wondering if there were weird portal particles on it. (Thanks, Clint.) But when nothing untoward happened, he figured they were safe enough to pick up. "Hopefully just a poster," opening the tube, he pulled out the rolled up paper, figuring the picture might tell them who the owner was. "Wow, okay, this is actually mine." Dick gave a tiny smile, tracing the writing across the poster delicately, then letting Alec see before tucking it back in the tube.
"I grew up in a circus, that was my family’s act; The Flying Graysons."
Alec didn’t have a house to come through, and he was doubtful that the whole institute would come through the portal. The only place from home that Alec would look forward to seeing would be Magnus’ apartment.
“Well, I don’t know if this means I have it any better, but the dark fighting is my day job. And night job,” he admitted. Often Alec just used the day to sleep unless he had security meetings to attend. “Yeah… I didn’t want either one of us to be away from home, but it was a relief to see that he was here.” If anyone could convince Alec to pick up a new hobby it probably would be Magnus.
He watched as Dick opened up the tube, and it was a coincidence that it happened to be for Dick. Alec wasn’t that familiar with the circus, but he could recognize that this was something significant. “Something nice from home then,” Alec guessed, especially from Dick’s smile.
"Sounds like you need the down time much more than I do." Dick shook his head slightly, a teasing little smile on his face. He knew how much of a shock to the system it was, finding yourself in this world with nothing to do, especially when you were used to doing a lot. But with a boyfriend around, hopefully Alec would be more at ease.
Tucking the poster under his arm, Dick shook off the slightly strange feeling that accompanied seeing the picture of his family in this world and gave another little smile. "Yeah, something cool and less likely to need my wardrobe to spill over into the spare room."
They’d finished up back at the security room, and Dick stepped inside, stowing the poster in his locker for the time being. "If the items which come through aren’t easily identifiable as someone’s, FRIDAY will send out an email to everyone."
“You wouldn’t be the first person to tell me that,” Alec agreed about how he probably did need downtime.
Despite being practically identical in appearance, it didn’t mean Alec felt comfortable with pushing too much into what was clearly personal to Dick. He went with him back to the lockers as Dick stored the poster away.
“Alright, that seems simple enough,” Alec nodded about how they dealt with objects appearing through the portal.
"If you ever want to hang out, go into the city or something, I’d happily keep you company." Dick offered, though he wasn’t sure if Alec would actually take him up on it.
"I think that’s about it, I can’t show you what we do when someone comes through until someone actually comes through." He smiled, suddenly remembering one last thing. "Oh, we have a cache of datapads here, which we give to each new arrival. They sync up with biometrics so we don’t have to do much. Just assign them a room." He picked up his own pad and opened the room spreadsheet, giving Alec administrator access to the database. "Which you can now do."
“Oh, sure. Thanks, I might take you up on that,” Alec said, a little taken aback by the offer, but he was happy to consider it. Dick was friendly, and he was nice enough to show him around the job.
He watched as Dick showed him how to sign people up for their room which he remembered doing himself when he first got there, but now he had access to do it himself. The job wasn’t the most exciting, but it would keep Alec busy. “I think I can remember all that. Thanks Dick.”
"Good. I look forward to it." Dick smiled, taking the might as a positive. As Alec thanked him, he gave a little nod, smiling again. "I’m sure you can."