Chapter four: right in da feels.
AN: hi guys! Sorry I haven't updated in awhile...
While I was away in Port Willunga ADELAIDE, South Australia, a massive bush fire started and nearly burned down my house. My mum got a text telling us to be ready to evacuate. Luckily for me, there was a wind change and it headed off into another direction, but instead of the fire burning my house, it has now wiped houses in Tea Tree Gully out. It was a real scare because I couldn't get in contact to my friends and other family members and some beloved members of the family were at my house at the time, but thankfully everyone is safe. My heart goes out to those affected by this horrible event and wish them all the best. =) 3
Okay… that was a downer so…
Sorry if L'gann isn't that likable in this fanfic but he is probably my least favourite member of YJ.
I hope every one of you guys is safe and sound wherever you are in the world! Please enjoy this chapter. Oh and thank you all so much for the reviews, likes and favourites etc. I really appreciate them.
To TheAsterousAuther: Thank you! I had a great time besides the fire scare but all is well.
-With the team-
Mount Justice
Saturday 17th January
00:30 (12:30am)
After the mission debriefing, the team who went on the mission all walked into the rec room and sat in silence. After about an hour Artemis finally broke the silence.
"So are we not going to take about what's going on or what…?"
Wally, as the entire team were now in their civvies, squeezed his girlfriend's hand tighter.
"By Neptune's Beard! What's there to talk about? He betrayed us!" shouted L'gann, anger dripping from his voice.
"Di-Nightwing isn't like that!" Robin (because no one but Wally and Roy knew his secret ID) growled.
Every occupant of the room jumped at the usually calm and calculating hero's outburst.
"Oh yeah? How would you know, you're one of the youngest members on this team!" retorted L'gann, throwing his arms up in the air to exaggerate his point.
"Because he's my adopted brother, okay?!" Robin was almost screaming at this point. L'gann backed down from the seething teen as the room went quiet.
-With Renegade-
"Recognised Nightwing B0-1. Warning: Unknown chemical mix detected."
Renegade staggered out the Zeta Tubes, forcing his lungs to take in air.
Keep breathing. Keep moving. Ignore the pain. He's gone. Psimon's gone. Breathe. In. Out. In. Out. Calm down. Remember your training...
His mind was racing and the world began to blur as the adrenaline left his system. Once again his body was burning with pain.
Suddenly, Renegade's legs gave way under him causing him to fall to his hands and knees. The mercenary then coughed up some more blood.
Renegade's trained ears abruptly picked up the sound of footsteps rushing towards him.
The ebony mentally cursed as he aimed his grappling hook into the rafters. Renegade barley managed to stay silent as the movement sent another rush of pain streaming through his system.
Dick managed to make his way into the gym through the rafters and vents before his body almost gave out, causing him to cling onto the rafters as he held back a scream as more of the acid mix was injected into his bloodstream. (AN: The collar was designed so it could be used for punishment, which would only inject small amounts over a long period of time, or to 'dispose' of Renegade should he either be deemed unnecessary, captured or useless, which would inject more of the acid mix, more frequently as time passed, slowly killing the victim. Basically, Deathstroke made the collar do the latter. Now that that's all explained…)
Somehow, Renegade managed to pull himself onto the rafter, gasping for air as it became harder and more painful to breathe.
-With the team-
L'gann backed down from the seething teen as the room went quiet.
After a moment, Black Canary's voice sounded through the team's com links.
"-Team? Come in team! This is an emergency!" the heroine's voice was panicked and
Aqualad was the first to snap out of surprise/shock. "…This is Aqualad. What is the emergency Black Canary?"
"Nightw-Renegade escaped from the Watchtower and is somewhere in the cave…" Black Canary seemed to be holding something back, but Aqualad knew whatever it was, the team would be role once their old friend was found.
"Understood we will locate and subdue him." He wasn't only talking to Black Canary, but giving the team instructions.
Aqualad once again took on burden of leading.
"Team." The Atlantian said, gaining the team's attention.
"Gear up. We have a mission."
Soon the team were all in costume and standing in front of Aqualad, waiting for instructions.
"As you all heard Black Canary, we are to locate and subdue Renegade. Split into groups. Kid Flash, Artemis, Superboy, Miss Martian and I will be Alpha group, whereas Blue Beetle, Beast Boy, Lagoon Boy and Robin are the Beta group. Alpha team will check the Recreation room, kitchen, briefing room, Zeta Tubes and gym while Beta team check the remaining rooms in the cave. Contact the other group through either the mind link or com link when Renegade is found."
The other members of the team nodded before the groups separated into their teams and moved off to search.
-Alpha Team-
Alpha team's hearts sank when Superboy saw blood splattered around in front of the Zeta Tubes.
"Anything?" KF asked Miss M as she mentally scanned the area for their lost member.
"Nothing. I've always had trouble picking up Nightwing's mind even whilst he was Robin but now it's as if he simply isn't there." Miss M said as her eyes slowly changed back to their regular colour.
"Superboy?" Artemis asked, beating her boyfriend to it.
Superboy was standing perfectly still with a concentrated expression on his face.
"Sshh."
The team went silent.
"It sounds like… something coming from the Gym…"
"Beta Team? We believe Renegade is in the Gym." Aqualad said through both the com and mind link.
"We're on our way." Robin answered shortly, determination clear in his voice.
-Beta Team-
Beta team had checked almost every room they were asked beside the bedrooms, which was their current destination.
They all walked in silence, the air heavy. Robin seemed to be radiating anger so the others gave him a little space, letting the young hero walk in the lead.
"Dude, you should apologise." Beast Boy whispered to Lagoon Boy, falling back a bit. Blue Beetle nodded in agreement.
Sighing, Lagoon Boy nodded before catching up with Robin.
"Robin? Um… how do I say this?" The Atlantian rubbed the back of his gills.
"…Yes?" Robin answered after a moment of silence.
"I.. uh… I'm sorry. I was… I was angry and… I shouldn't have said that about Nightwing…"
Robin stopped in front of Nightwing's old room.
"…Are you just saying that because you found out he's my adopted brother or do you actually mean it?" Robin's voice was so quiet, almost a whisper. The little bird then input the code to his brother's room causing the door to silently slide open.
Nightwing's room at the cave was… plain to say the least.
Inside, the walls were painted a light blue while the floor was a dark blue carpet. There was a single bed with a simple blue quilt and white sheets. Next to it was a wooden wardrobe. Opposite the door, on the far side of the room, was a desk. The desk covered in files, pencils, documents and random bits of machinery.
The only personal belonging in the room was a picture of Nightwing, Robin, who didn't look like the one standing in the room, and a smaller, ebony haired younger boy with a domino mask over his eyes. Batman was standing behind the three.
Nightwing and batman were smirking, the unfamiliar Robin was grinning and had given the younger boy, who had a massive smile on his face, 'bunny ears'. All seemed happy. The photo was noticeably old as the frame was faded and the picture was crumpled slightly.
Robin walked straight towards the picture, picked it up and stared at it. Lagoon Boy only entered when Blue Beetle and Beast Boy had caught up.
"So… this is… was Nightwing's room?" Blue Beetle said as he entered, examining the room.
Beast Boy walked up behind Robin and looked at the picture in the bird's hand.
"Who are they?" the younger hero asked curiously pointing to the young boy and the 'strange' Robin.
Robin was quiet for a bit before answering "That's the second Robin, and me."
"I thought you were the second Robin?" Lagoon Boy questioned.
"I'm the third. My predecessor was killed… by the Joker. It was a dark few years. Nightwing took it the hardest. He blamed himself for not getting there fast enough… (In this, Bruce wasn't the one to try to save and find then Jason, Dick was.) He probably still blames himself for not saving them too…"
"Them?" all three other heroes were now focusing intensely on their mysterious teammate.
"..." Robin went silent as he put the picture back where it was on the desk.
"Beta Team? We believe Renegade is in the Gym." Aqualad said through both the com and mind link.
"We're on our way." Robin answered shortly, determination clear in his voice.
The four heroes then ran towards the gym, meeting team Alpha along the way.
-teams point of view-
Training room/ gym
Saturday 17th January
01:45 (1:45am)
"What do you mean he's injured?" Robin asked, his trained eyes scanning the room.
"When we checked the Zeta Tubes, a large amount of blood had been hacked up on the floor" answered Aqualad, looking over at Miss Martian, who looked incredibly pale and exhausted suddenly.
"Miss Martian?" the team's leader said, his voice full of concern.
"I'm fine… but wherever Renegade is… he isn't…" the Martian gasped out.
-Renegade's point of view-
Renegade was breathing as quietly as he could, trying not to alert the team of his whereabouts (he was watching them quietly from the rafters in the corner of the gym) but it was proving to be more and more of a challenge as the acid circulated around his body.
Suddenly, as the collar injected another large amount of acid mix, Renegade screamed out in pain as he lost consciousness, his limp body beginning to fall from the rafters.
-No point of view-
A sudden scream caused all the heroes attention to snap towards the far corner of the gym.
A limp figure fell from the shadows above for a second before Miss Martian's eyes were glowing green and she was using her powers to catch the figure. She slowly lowered the figure onto the ground as she and the team approached.
"Nightwing!"
As the heroes approached they took in their former member's appearance.
Renegade was deathly pale as blood slowly trickled out the corner of his slightly parted mouth. His hair was covering his masked eyes and his chest was hardly moving.
Miss Martian was the first to realise something was terribly wrong so she took the opportunity to enter Renegades mind… only to be pushed out not a second later.
"The collar!" she gasped in horror.
Aqualad nodded and attempted to break the collar off. The only thing that happened was a large electrical charge surged through Renegade and Aqualad, making the latter yelp in surprise and pain and Renegade's chest to stop rising and falling.
"Crap!" the Atlantian shouted as he got over his shock and finally pulled the collar off.
The team then saw Renegade's chest wasn't moving.
Aqualad cursed in Atlantian before he put his hands on Renegade's chest and electrocuted him, trying to recreate a make shift defibrillator.
Nothing happened.
Aqualad frowned before trying again, putting more power into the shock. This time, Renegade's back arched almost inhumanly as a silent scream escaped his mouth. His chest rose and fell unevenly but at least it was rising and falling.
Aqualad let out a sigh of relief before he stated "Someone get the bed bay ready."
Robin nodded and ran off, doing as instructed.
"What happened to him while he's been gone?" Beast Boy asked, watching as Aqualad carefully picked up Renegade and made his way to the med bay.
"I don't know, but we're going to find out." Miss Martian said firmly, walking after Aqualad.
