Warning! Spoilers ahead for Let Them Live!: Unpublished Tales from the DC Vault #2!
Batman feeling a bit anxious.
In a framing story written by Elliott Kalan with art by Mike Norton, Let Them Live!: Unpublished Tales from the DC Vault #2 features Ambush Bug returning to the vault to bring readers a new story—"Without a Net." This story focuses on Nightwing and is written by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing with art by Jorge Corona. After stealing a graviton bomb, Nightwing extracts early from the tropospheric command center. Now he is left needing to calculate his escape route.
Previously on radio silence, Nightwing begins communicating with Bruce. He briefs his mentor on the situation before throwing in some quick calculations. Then he jumps—leaving Bruce on the other end of the radio sounding very annoyed. The situation continually gets more dangerous and all Bruce can do is listen and make rather sarcastic comments to Dick. This form of communication sounds very similar to what Bruce would endure while mentoring Terry McGinnis, the future Batman and main hero of the animated series Batman Beyond.
Not long after Bruce makes his initial remarks, Nightwing talks his way through three more conversations with Batgirl, Cyborg and Robin. Then Bruce comes back on the line with more problems—the bomb is armed. Now it can't touch the surface, so Nightwing naturally straps it to his only safe landing method—or so Bruce thinks. While Dick Grayson does some quick calculations and makes a dramatic jump, Bruce is rendered helpless, believing that his first adopted son is about to potentially die. Despite all of the snarky remarks and dry comments Bruce has made up to this point, he is noticeably worried and angry. His fuse becomes shorter and shorter, revealing his high levels of concern. After Nightwing survives with only his suit torn to shreds, Bruce reveals that he knows what Alfred feels like, which is a situation Bruce isn't usually in.
In many of Batman's adventures, Bruce is the one jumping headfirst into fights without a second thought. He knows he has to save the day and he does it, regardless of the odds and what it may mean for him. While he does this, when it is Terry's turn, his Bat-family won't hesitate to put him through the emotional wringer when opportunities arise.
