As Steph had said, things were easier said than done…
As she and Dick sped through the metallic halls making their way towards Wally's location, feedback from M'gann's end became nonexistent, even when she was addressed personally. The only thing keeping Dick's panic at bay was the knowledge that she was alive and conscious so long as the mind link stayed up and running. Billy was toe to toe with Blue, holding his own, yet again was able to do little more than keep up the defensive and distract the Beetle from making his way in their direction.
Roy and Jade were faring better, but were not without scuffles on their end, and Dick was not surprised at all when Roy announced that he was out of ammo and now winging it as he went.
He was impressed with Steph's form as she darted out, slamming her elbows into throats and ribs as she danced through a wave of soldiers at his side. Even with the blank mask covering her face, he knew she was grinning, enthralled that the others, for the most part, were fine and that with any luck they would be seeing them shortly.
It felt like a small victory when the odd couple announced that they had met up with the speedster, and Wally excitedly said his thanks as Red fussed over Arsenal's unconscious form. He would have given anything to be at their side already, doing the same with Tim, but it seemed that every obstacle possible was hell-bent on getting in their way.
Dick's lungs were burning, and he knew Steph was long past her breaking point, the girl gasping more than breathing, her sprints slowed down to a shaky jog. With M'gann still non-responsive, things were likely to get hectic, and painful shortly if she did not get Conner and Cassie on their feet soon to give them some hitting power. The three guarding their unconscious friends were sitting ducks, and Wally's meta speed could only go so far…
Things had seemed to happen in slow motion.
On moment, Dick was running, with Steph a few short feet behind him, and in the next Steph was out in front of him, spinning around to face him with a look of horror, hood down, as he realized his moving feet were no longer touching the ground and he was suspended in midair running in place.
His moment of dread was short lived as he collided with the steel-like wall with a sickening crack, Steph's verbal scream echoing through the halls, and the rest of the team's frantic calls echoing through his skull. He fell to the ground in a crumpled heap, twisting his aching body in effort to survey the hallway, only to be wrenched back up off the ground by his hair.
A pained gasp broke free from his bleeding lips, and his eyes widened behind his cracked domino as he hung face to face with the smirking form of the Green Beetle.
"Seems we have a bit of a pest problem, don't you think?" He hissed, lips curling back over his teeth.
Dick could only slump in the Martian insect's grasp as he squeezed his eyes shut.
With M'gann unable to be reached, still preoccupied with the Black Beetle, there was no hope of getting out of the situation he had been forced into.
"R-Run… get to the others. Don't let him take you. Hold off until M'gann can get to you. Get the team- the entire team to safety… that takes priority. I'll… figure something out, always do."
The blonde's eyes bulged as she rocked back on her heels.
"You've got to be kidding me! If you think I'm just going to leave you-"
"That-that's an ORDER Stephanie! Now MOVE!" He barked, simultaneously twisting in the Martian's hold to slam a kick square in the being's jaw.
The sudden attack barely caused him to tilt sideways, but it had been the perfect distraction to give Spoiler enough time to slip away.
"You better keep yourself alive Nightwing… Robin wouldn't forgive me if I left you to die…" She murmured.
Dick could only be grateful that she had listened.
He never did get to respond.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Nightwing's mind link had ceased to exist the moment she had turned the corner at the end of the first hall, and Steph couldn't fend off the tightness in her throat that occurred as a result, further hindering her ragged breathing.
She prayed that he was simply unconscious rather than the alternative… as that was something she wouldn't be able to live with, let alone be able to face Tim afterwards.
She plowed through any attacks coming at her with ease, the anger she had for the Beetle, and for herself fueling her hits with new vigor, knowing that she HAD to make it to the others otherwise whatever happened to the bird now would be for nothing. They were in an uproar within her head, highly distressed with Nightwing's disappearance, and she wished she could just tune it out and concentrate on running.
"Regardless of what happened, he's clearly out of the picture, who's calling the shots now?" Jade huffed.
"Admittedly… that's definitely not something we ever discussed. We never exactly expected him to- well, go down… Bat training and all, ya' know?" Wally gave a shaky, lifeless, laugh.
"Perfect…" Roy groaned.
"How far am I from you guys now? I'm not sure how much more I can take without some kind of break…" Steph groaned, rounding yet another corner.
"Not much further, according to your tracer, just keep moving, no stopping to catch your breath. Once M'gann gets back in the game, we can-"
"I-I'm here…" M'gann's voice broke through in a quiet murmur, interrupting Roy and effectively silencing everyone on the link.
"Man is it good to hear your voice Babe!" Wally cheered, relief pouring through his mind.
"The Beetle?" Roy pressed hesitantly, yet firmly.
"He… will no longer be a problem…"
"You did what you had to Miss M. Don't let it get to you. Right now it's them or us, and if we don't make it, the entire planet's screwed." Steph insisted, slamming a fist into a minion's gut as she twirled out of the way of another.
"This…this is true." She agreed hesitantly. "Billy? Are things alright on your end?" She prompted, coasting through the walls at top speed.
Only, there was no answer…
"Batson, this is no time to screw around, answer us dammit!" Roy snarled, a sinking feeling rising up in all of them, praying for the slightest acknowledgment.
Which never came.
"M'gann, we need you here right NOW, no messing around, there's no telling how long he's been out or how long we have left before- SHIT!"
"NO!" M'gann cried out, pushing her speed to her limits, knowing all too well that things were already underway, and there would be consequences to them letting their guard down in light of Nightwing's capture, if even just for a few short minutes.
Steph stumbled as various shouts erupted, unsure of whether or not she should continue or fall back waiting for instruction. She pressed herself flesh against the wall within a dark corner, panting heavily, heart racing as she listened to what little mental chaos that made its way through the link.
She didn't need to be an experienced member of the team to know that this wasn't going to end well. She had seen what the Beetles were capable of, how the Black Beetle had once easily handed everyone their asses, fully tenderized. Red Arrow and Cheshire were only human, no meta abilities, no alien blood, and Kid Flash's speed could only go so far, do so much.
"Spoiler… Stephanie?" M'gann murmured as silence washed over them.
"Y-yes?"
"If at all possible… wait for things to die down, and make it back to the ship. Turn back. Tell the League that everyone is down. I am unsure of how long I can contain things on my own. Once I move in on Blue Beetle, I'm vulnerable, and it is far too likely that B'arzz is waiting for just that. They will not be so concerned about you. They're not anticipating that you can do any damage. They won't be pointedly searching for you. Get to the ship, make the call, and then attempt to fly back to the tower. With any luck, they won't pursue you. They may even want you to alert the League, lure them in, what's left of them anyway. Use that to your advantage… and good luck."
And all too soon, Steph was alone in her mind.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-
They all awoke simultaneously, slow, and stiff as they forced their eyes to open. They became aware all too quickly that they were shackled securely to the wall, thick limiter collars fastened tight against their throats.
The anguish hit Dick like a freight train as he realized that the entire team had fallen, the only two missing from the line up being the MIA Bart, and now Stephanie.
They had failed…
Both Blue and Green Beetle stood before them, smirks spread across their faces, making a point to aim them at him. He wanted so bad to put his fist through their faces… make them suffer for what they had done, and still aimed to do, but it was no use, he knew that now.
Bruce would be so disappointed in him… but not nearly as much as he was of himself.
The Ambassador stepped into the light, making his way toward the Beetles, looking pleased with the turn out. Dick's stomach lurched as he approached, and Conner let loose a primal growl as the man's face spread into a wide grin, straining against his restraints with no results.
"Time after time you children insist upon poking your heads in where they do not belong. It may perhaps seem extreme, keeping you bound and helpless as such, but this seems to be the only way to make you see sense…" He drawled, tsking as he watched Conner's efforts with disdain.
"Our capture means nothing. The League will find the holes in your defenses. This plan of yours, whatever it may be in its entirety, will never come to a close." Dick spat.
The Ambassador let loose a heavy sigh and approached Nightwing, arms folded across his chest as he looked him over with little interested.
"Nightwing, correct? Ah yes… Blue Beetle has told me much about you, and your little plans…"
Dick's stomached heaved and the panic spilled over him in one crashing wave.
They knew…
Artemis and Kaldur had been outed, and neither were present at the current, making him fear the worst for them.
"Oh? Do not look so frightened… we have made no drastic moves as of yet, rest assured little Bird…" He chuckled, tilting his head at him. "No… as of now, they have not yet posed a problem, prompting action on our part. One must assume that they are awaiting your orders, no? Pity that they will never come… You would be surprise how quickly one adapts to a given situation in order to stay alive. I believe that both will become valuable assets if given the time and chance once you are out of the picture."
A small squeak broke free from Tim's lips at that, and the man could only laugh.
"I wonder how many of your trusted comrades will follow suit, hmm? Family is family after all, and so many are tied in with one another."
"You think killing me will solve your problems? You honestly think I hold that much power over this team? Each and every one of them is their own person, free to make their own choices. I do not control them against their will like some people."
"I never once spoke of killing you dear Bird… no, I've come to realize that death is hardly everlasting, easily reversible. No, what I have planned for you is far more permanent. Even more enjoyable is that you will have to go on living knowing that you failed, that your team is at my disposal, and you will never know the outcome of this war or the fate of your friends. That everything that happens to them from here on out is on your hands." He sneered, stepping back.
"I-I don't understand?"
"Oh, you will, with time Nightwing, I assure you." He huffed, turning toward Blue. "Prep the machine… see to it that it reaches maximum power. B'arzz, retrieve the Nightwing."
Blue flew to the back of the chamber, landing within the shadows stretching across much of the enclosure. B'arzz stepped forward without hesitation, and with a flick of his wrist released the metal cuffs from Nightwing's body, causing his form to go crashing to the ground. Before Dick could even think of pulling himself to his feet, a clawed hand was in his hair, yet again dragging him about. He thrashed in the Martian Beetle's grip, twisting and turning his beaten body in effort to squirm loose with no success. A machine whirred to life behind him, and he twisted just enough to gaze in its direction, only for eyes to widen. Blue was prepping a zeta tube, or at the very least something that resembled one. But that was not what he found alarming, not at all… what had his heart thrumming in his chest and hysteria clawing at the forefront of his mind was the presence of the machine attached to the port.
Bart's machine.
"I thought you would recognize this brilliant piece of technology." The Ambassador quipped, hovering just out of reach. "But you will soon see the equally impressive adjustments I have made, even though you may not appreciate them. I assure you, this is a one way trip, best to adapt and adjust accordingly. There is no return on your horizon."
The last thing Dick heard as B'arzz whipped him through the air into the zeta port was Tim's screams of protest…
And then there was nothing.