Under a new dark #63
Jokette had kidnapped Batboy and Robin earlier that afternoon. Batwoman was sure it was to get some sort of rise out of her, but Nightwing thought differently. Why would Jokette kidnap both Robin and Batboy, and have Harry Quinn help her do it, just to get a rise out of Brittney?
'No. That makes no sense,' Dixie thought to herself, eyes narrowing at the screen before her.
Suddenly their super computer received a message. A video. From Jokette.
"HHHaaaalllllllloooooo my dearest Batsy!" Jokette cackled, her painted face close to the camera.
As the camera zoomed out, the elder heroines could see their missing comrades. Robin looked small but brave, Dixie bit her lip at the sight of her little sister.
'Tam shouldn't look so brave,' Dixie's thoughts whirled and burned at the thought of Jokette having another one of her sisters in her grasp.
The sight of Batboy sitting beside Robin tore her thoughts in two. He sat ramrod straight in the chair he was bound to, boldly glaring at Jokette.
"Oh god no..." Dixie whispered, her tough facade cracking slightly.
"I've got it," Brittney's voice called through Dixie's brooding, "An old warehouse."
"Of course," Dixie, now Nightwing, snorts,"Where else would like crazy bitch go to hide?"
Brittney gave her eldest daughter a soft look before pulling her cowl up and becoming the ever emotionless, Batwoman.
"No time for jokes Nightwing," she said as she headed for the Batmobile.
It took the pair all of ten minutes to get to the warehouse and from outside they could hear the pained screams of Robin.
"No! Robin!" Dixie cried before she could stop herself.
With a look from Batwoman, she steeled herself. Vowing that Jokette wouldn't ever want to leave Arkham ever again. Like the Bats that they are, both women disappeared. Nightwing quietly snuck through the shadows to the rafters.
"Bird's eye view achieved." She radioed Bats.
"Good. Move when you've got the best chance to take out Harry." Bats answered.
"Right," she responded before the line went dead.
Harry Quinn walked circles around a bruised, bloodied and broken Robin. The ridiculous bells on his hat jiggled with every step and his grating laugh echoed through the room nearly every third step. Nightwing's blood boiled hotter every time Robin cringed or whimpered. Her grip tightened on her escrima sticks.
Suddenly Harry stopped, a wicked grin on his face, back to an unseen Nightwing.
She smirked, 'Now or never!'
With a cackle, she jumped from the rafters. Her right foot hit Harry squared in the jaw. He stumbled back, recovering from the hit and pouting at her.
"Aww...now that wasn't fair!" He whined, pulling his mallet out of the corner, "Now we should teach you some manners Blue!"
She growled, positioning herself between Harry and Robin. No way in hell was he going to touch her baby sister again. He ran towards her, mallet raised above his head, intentions clearly written on his face.
She ran to meet him half way, wanting to disarm and drive him further from Robin. At the halfway point, Harry slammed his mallet down and Nightwing barely dodged it. With a well aimed punch, she knocked him back and he released the mallet. Kicking it well out of reach, she stalked towards the red and black clown. Anger rolled off her in waves, blue eyes icy and narrow behind the mask and mouth a thin line. Harry scooted himself backwards, scrambling to think of someway to free himself from the blue and black heroine's wrath.
"Heh...Blue! I swear it wasn't my idea! I...we...Jokette told me to!" He stuttered out.
"And that makes it okay?!" Nightwing ground out, raising her fist.
"Yep! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Harry cried as he jumped forward, tackling Nightwing.
She fell back, a growl tearing loose from her throat. Soon enough Harry's fist connected with her cheek and she stumbled back before kicking him in the chest. A loud harrumph came from the man before he pulled out one of Jokette's signature guns.
She gasped, every thought, every emotion, every single part of her became drained and frozen. The muzzle was pointed straight at the broken form of Robin. Nightwing couldn't move for nearly a millisecond before a blinding white hot rage consumed her. She moved faster than she thought possible. Crossing the distance between them in mere seconds. She was so close she could almost grab Harry by his throat when...
She gasped, every thought, every emotion, every single part of her became drained and frozen. The muzzle was pointed straight at the broken form of Robin. Nightwing couldn't move for nearly a millisecond before a blinding white hot rage consumed her. She moved faster than she thought possible. Crossing the distance between them in mere seconds. She was so close she could almost grab Harry by his throat when...
BANG!
The sound of glass shattering and Robin screaming filled the room. Nightwing, having thrown the clown's aim, barely dodged a bullet to the head. Instead it grazed by her cheek and imbedded itself in the wall. With a cry of rage, she drove her fist into Harry's nose, breaking it on contact, and sending him forcefully into unconsciousness. Glass rained down on both clown and bird as she panted, finally able to see and think clearly. Without a second glance at the fallen villain, the elder girl turn and moved to the side of the younger. Soft, broken, painfilled sobs filled the room.
"Shhhh...your safe now. I've got you," Dixie whispered into her sister's hair, gently gathering the tiny form into her arms.
Tam, keeping her broken arm cradled close to her chest, buried her face in the crook of her sister's neck and gripped a handful of her costume with her good hand.
"I...thought...he'd...shot...you..." Tam mumbled between sobs.
Pulling her closer, Dixie stood and quietly left the room. Tam's sobs quietly succumbed to quiet hiccups. Her face remain buried in her sister's neck, every little movement sent fire all through out her and she bit her lip to keep herself quiet.
"Quinn has been dealt with. Robin and I are in route to the Batmobile." Nightwing radioed her former mentor quietly.
"Good. Deposit Robin in the Batmo- urghhhh. Batmobile. Then find me. Jokette is proving to be more trouble than usual." Batwoman responded, obviously having a difficult time dealing with Jokette's antics.
"Yes ma'am." Nightwing hastened her paced slightly, careful not to jostle the injured bird in her arms.
Robin had succumbed to unconsciousness somewhere along the way to the Batmobile and a small whimper escaped her lips as Nightwing placed her in the passengers seat. Quickly, gently, Dixie kissed her sister's forehead and closed the door. She turned, running back into the building. The rage had returned, but she was prepared for it this time. It curled and coiled in her stomach, ran red hot across the muscles in her arms and legs, before blooming like a rose in her chest. With an practiced hand, she pulled a new mask from her belt and ripped the shattered one from her face. Slipping into the room where Jokette was, she secured the mask in place. Sneaking her way into the rafters, she watched -studied, reigned in her rage- and waited for the perfect moment. Jokette was in the middle of the room, having placed herself in between Batboy and Batwoman. The same creepy smile on her face and her psychotic laugh bounced off every wall. Batboy was still tied to a chair, his chin touching his chest. It was obvious, painfully obvious, that Jokette had taken her "trusty crowbar" to him. Along with her other tools of torture. His uniform was ripped, cut, and burned; blood stained the skin that was visible. From what Nightwing could tell, he was breathing but it was difficult and painfully so. Pulling her attention from him, she looked towards the Big Bat. She was frustrated, not that anyone but Dixie would know, Jokette was pushing all the right buttons today. A scowl flitted across her face as Jokette walked towards Batwoman, a sinister giggle erupting from the Clown Princess. The moment had come. Jokette had walked right under her perch. 'Time to fly the coop!' Nightwing flipped down from the rafters, feet landing on Jokette's shoulders before pushing the psycho stumbling forward. Upon regaining her composure, Jokette turned to face her newest opponent.
"Well! Well! Well...if it isn't Big Blue!" Jokette cooed and clapped her hands together excitedly.
"Time's up Jokette!" Nightwing twirled her escrima sticks and smirked, "Your cell at Arkham awaits."
"Awww...right when me and Batty were just starting to get acquainted!" Jokette pouted, her eyes alive with a mad gleam.
Nightwing snarled and lunged at the green haired woman. Jokette danced out of the way, laughing as Nightwing whirled around to face her. Pulling out a blade, Jokette lunged for the heroine. Grabbing her wrist and using the woman's momentum, Nightwing tossed her over her shoulder and across the room. Jokette landed at Batwoman's feet and began to laugh. It took two pellets of knockout gas and a kick to the face (curtsey of Nightwing) to knock the Jokette out cold.
"I'll take care of Jokette and Quinn. You get Batboy to the Batmobile." Batwoman commanded her former student; receiving a nod from said student before leaving.
Dixie, because Nightwing would never act this way, ran to Batboy's side. Immediately cutting through the bindings and searching for a pulse soon after.
"Oh thank god..." She breathed out, carefully tilting Ben's head up, "Gotta wake you up now, Big boy."
With one hand keeping him from falling from the chair, she searched her belt for smelling salts. Silently she hoped they'd bring Ben back to consciousness, even if momentarily. A small noise a triumph escaped her as she found the salts and brought them out. Carefully waving them beneath his nose, she was rewarded with a startled cough and an awake Benjamin Gordon.
"Wha...why...hrnn...where's Jokette?" He stammered out as he gained awareness.
"Taken care of. Batwoman's handing her over now. Robin's in the Batmobile..." She watched his face, cautious and worried,"which is where we need to get you."
"Right. Of course." He frowned, studying her face before leaning forward.
"Careful. You're not exactly fit to walk," She placed a hand on his chest, supporting him.
"Good thing your here to help me," he grinned.
She rolled her eyes, carefully helping him stand. It was slow going, getting to the Batmobile. Quickly and quietly, they slipped into the alleyway. The passenger door opened and a equally beaten Robin peered out at them.
"Where is he gonna sit?" She questioned, head tilted to the side with confusion.
"Back seat. Can you scoot to the driver's side?" Nightwing questioned the smaller girl; receiving a nod from her.
Pulling the seat forward, she helped Batboy climb into the back seat. Once back there, he promptly sprawled across it. Shaking her head as she pushed the seat back and sat down, Dixie radioed Batwoman.
"We are all in the Batmobile. Have you finished with Gordon?" Dixie fought back a laugh a Tam scooted over and onto her lap.
"Yes. Returning to Batmobile now." Batwoman's voice sounded strained and tired over the radio.
Dixie carefully wrapped her arms around Tam, letting the younger girl nestle her head in her neck and tangle her fingers in her hair. Dixie ran a thumb across Tam's cheek, softly humming an old lullaby. She continued humming even after Brittney got into the car. Tam's breathing softened and the whole car's atmosphere seems to relax.
Once back at the Cave, Tam and Ben were handed over to Alice. Dixie sat down quietly in one of the chairs, shoulders drooping and adrenaline leaving her system. Brittney walked over, quiet as ever, and handed her daughter a cup of coffee before sitting down next from her.
"You did...well," she didn't look at her adopted daughter, choosing to keep her gaze focused on the med bay.
"Are you praising me?" Dixie's eyes widened and she nearly dropped her cup, shocked.
"Yes. I'm proud of you." Brittney met Dixie's eyes before standing and going into the med bay.
Later that night...
Tam laid curled up into Dixie's chest and Ben laid behind her, one arm under her head and the other wrapped around both sisters. Dixie could hear the soft snores coming from Tam and feel every breath Ben took. She stared off into space, thinking about her other sister, her lost sister. A tear rolled down her cheek and Dixie wished with all her being that she had gotten there sooner on that horrible day. Suddenly the same white hot rage filled her, coaxing more tears from her eyes and Dixie silently vowed to make the Jokette pay for taking her sister from her.
Jasmine Todd's death would not go unnoticed...