By the way... I own nothing! just saying! be warned torture sence comming up!
Arrows Green and red burst into the cave not ten minutes later. Batman was in the middle of briefing the team on locating the Jokers whereabouts in Star City. He was not pleased with the interruption, but lost his Bat-glare at the sight of the Archers distressed faces.
"What happened?" Batman demanded.
"Yeah where's Arty? Wasn't she out on patrol with you?!" Kid Flash asked bouncing on the balls of his feet in worry for his girlfriend.
"We tried to contact her but she didn't respond to her comm link or Miss. Martian's telepathy!" Robin injected. "Is she okay?"
"Batman. We need to talk." The two mentors moved to the side to talk privately. The team surrounded Red Arrow and bombarded him with questions.
"Roy," came Aqualad's calm voice, "What has happened to Artemis?" the worry was written all over the teams faces.
"I... She... I didn't think that... ARRRUGH! It's all my fault!" Red Arrow punched the wall in frustration. Aqulalad laid a comforting hand on his distressed friend's shoulders.
"Please. Start from the beginning." Red launched into his story starting from where Artemis saved him and ending at their gruesome discovery.
"She saved me but I couldn't even watch her back! If I hadn't sent her ahead she wouldn't be..." He couldn't finish the thought because it sent shivers running up and down his spine. The team's faces of worry had turned into distraught ones, emphasis on the 'dis'. Kid Flash paced a large trench into the ground going over several terrible things he could do to the Joker if she didn't come back to him. Everything stayed that way untill the signal for an incoming video message sounded. Robin leapt across the room to answer it and Green Arrow and Batman rushed into the room. The screen lit up with Joker's grotesque figure causing Red Arrow to snarl.
"Good evening Bat Brats and sidekicks alike! Does Mista J have a show for you tonight? For your viewing pleasure, I have brought you, all the way from Star city, my special guest victim, Green Arrow's replacement sidekick... ARTEMIS! Come on folks lets give her a hand! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Corny fake clapping went along with the creepy laughter as Artemis was brought on screen. The team could clearly see her; her wrists were bound by a frayed but thick rope that was already stained from her blood. Her face had two long cuts, presumably to make a large smile. Her arms had skin hanging off in strips. She looked a bit worse for wear, but she managed to glare at the clown all the same.
"You sick freak! Release her!" Green Arrow was trying very hard not to punch out the video feed.
"Oh that's nothing compared to what's next! You see, I was wondering around Star City when I discovered this lovely place! It's got beautiful decor, don't you think?" Superboy snarled at the screen. "Guess not! HAHAHA! Anyways it came with such a cool looking crane I just had to try it out! Oh boooooys!" Two burly looking henchmen in clown masks picked up Artemis, snarled one arm in her hair and tied her other wrist to the line suspended from the crane. Then Joker, from the cockpit hoisted her high up into the air.
"What are you... NO ARTEMIS!" Kid FLash screamed as the clown prince of crime suddenly let Artemis plummet. She free fell several feet before Joker stopped her deccent with a jerk. The disturbing sound of Artemis' arms nearly being ripped clean off echoed through out the cave closely followed by her anguished cries. The team watched petrified as Joker's henchmen brought her down to the sound of his maniacal laughter. Then Connor let out a rage filled scream and put a whole through the wall, M'gann let out a terrified gasp and fell to the floor in sobs. Aqualad clenched his fists and murderously glared at the Joker while trying desperately to remain calm. Red Arrow snapped the arrow he didn't realize he was holding, Robin did his own version of his mentors Bat-glare and planned out a very detailed murder. Kid Flash loudly proclaimed the Joker's demise similar to his reaction during the simulation. Batman's whole body language tensed and though his face remained stoic but his fists clenched tightly around a batarang. Green Arrow growled low in his throat and behind his mask his eyes filled his anger and hatred.
"Well that was fun! Stay tuned for another installment of 'Snapping Baby Arrow!' BLAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" and the screen went to static.
Joker thought that was hilarious. Not just funny but a total laugh riot. He had been so used to torturing Robin that other people screams were like music to his ears. Not to mention actually getting a reaction out of the audience, not just Batman's usual stoic expression. It was immensely satisfying. Now the clown had originally planned to kill the blonde slowly on camera then send the video to the Hall of Justice as well as Belle Reve, but the looks on the heroes faces were simply priceless and way too good to end.
"Well Rapunzel, wasn't that fun?" Artemis spat at his feet, blood mixing with the saliva and growled.
"Go to hell pysco!" She narrowed her eyes in a Bat-like fashion, sending an image of an irate Batman through Joker's mind.
"Awww you didn't have fun? Well then maybe we should try again?" He watched her eyes widen and try to wriggle out of her bonds without using her arms. The pain must have been excruitating, Joker realized, but the girl barely made any acknowledgement of it. He had two thouhgts just then: 1. How long is it going to take to break this girl? and 2. The blonde hair, pale grey eyes, rude attitude and seemingly immune to pain seemed awfuly familiar... but what the heck he'd figure it out after thought 1 was taken care of. "MUHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!" He untied her from the crane, smacking her cruely making the cuts on her face bleed anew. She tried to pull her non-injured arm away from him but he held on too tight. "Naughty, Naughty!" he said slicing his knife into her injured shoulder. She tried to sweep his legs out from under him, but he pushed her away and stomped on her ankle.
'Great. Now my arm is slowly killing me and my ankle is bust... fan flipping tastic!' she thought to herself bitting back the tears that were forming. "Crocks don't cry! Crocks don't cry!" she repeated her mantra to herself so quietly it was almost inaudible, but Joker still heard it. He was about to stab her through her side but instead fell over howling with laughter.
"YOU"RE A CROCK?!AHAHAHAHA! As in Lawrence Crock aka Sportsmaster?! HAHAHAH!" Joker gasped between peals of laughter. Atremis to drag herself away but a henchman pulled her roughly up by her shoulder making her wince. He tied her waist to a pole that supported some rusty meat hooks, then suddenly peirced her arms with them letting her hang off them like a peice of beef. SHe let out a strangled cry but for the most part kept her mouth tightly sealed. "Well Rapunzel, you see if you are the assasin's daughter, then this opens up a whole new realm of possiblites! After I've had my fun whose to say others won't want a turn? Because really, how popular are deserters and snitches? So for a simple price of hmmm let's say ten thousand, they could have their very own limited edition wanna be archer playmate! How's that for a sales pitch?"
"Only ten thousand? I'm whelmed. I'm worth at least fifteen! But let me tell you, no ones gonna care. And then when nobody shows up, my friends and I are going to kick you sorry ass all the way back to Gotham!"
"AHAHAHAHA! Well let's just see how well you can kick with broken legs!" It took him two days, but finally after an amass of weird and unusal tortures, he finally broke the Arrow. He left her where she hung, still suspended from the meat hooks, and took the recording with him. It was time for him to start up the biggest bidding war of the century.
Thanks for all the awesome reveiws guy! and to those of you who spotted the Friends reference I awarded you as many house points as you want! :D :D I'll try and update again soon! :D hope you enjoyed Chapter 2!