Thank you eleven people who reviewed, you're all so encouraging! This chapter is definitely going to have more action in it, Damian going to be in here too, and the suspense shall continue to rise! ...Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Charlie Brown, Indiana Jones, Luke Skywalker, Barbara Gordon, Timmy Turner, SpongeBob Squarepants or... Well, you get the point. If you're still asking if I own Batman though... I will reply, "Don't ask when you know the answer."
Many might say that both Bruce and Batman were greatly, to the point of overly, protective of their family and if someone confronted Bruce on that mater, they would receive the end of a Bat glare, yet they would realize that Batman wouldn't deny it either. For Bruce's actions on any regular day that happened to involve his family members' safety, was considered to be on the overboard side so his actions when there was a threat against those he cared about caused his protectiveness to accumulate to an immeasurable size. Bruce's actions currently, which involved him sitting in front of the Bat Computer with an intense, searching gaze locked onto the computer screen, were proof of the previous statements.
"Zoom out." Batman ordered and the video feed on the screen zoomed out to give a much larger picture of the bedroom. The camera had been installed just minutes before Tim had even arrived at the Bat Cave earlier and though Bruce had yet to announce to Tim that the camera was in his room, the way that Tim occasionally glanced in the direction of the video camera was enough for Bruce to get the message that Tim knew of its existence. If it had disturbed Tim in any shape or form Bruce would have instantly, yet reluctantly, removed it after his request had been made, but Tim didn't show any sign that it did bother him and he didn't protest, which is why Bruce continued to observe the live footage.
These precautions are necessary. Bruce justified his actions with his thoughts, even though no one had questioned him about what he was doing. Bruce had always been known to be an untrusting and somewhat paranoid person when his family's safety seemed to be secure, meaning when his family appeared to be in peril, he tended to go overboard with security in other people's opinions. Installing cameras in nearly every room within Wayne Manor, even the ones nobody but Alfred entered to dust and adding extra defense mechanisms around the perimeter never seemed to harm anyone, except for intruders, in Bruce's opinion anyway.
They could try to take either of them at any time. Bruce mused with narrowed eyes, pulling up another video feed which showed another bedroom. The bedroom was Damian's and Damian did know how the video camera had been placed in there, which is most likely the reason he wasn't in his room anymore. Bruce therefore began to switch through the numerous video feeds that were placed all around the manor, until he found the one Damian was currently in. It was an area that could be considered a living room and Damian was sitting on the large couch while mumbling angrily about something. The T.V. was on, yet Bruce doubted that Damian's attention was being held by any show that was playing.
Either one of them could just stay out of the camera's view. I did teach them how to. Bruce figured they could do this, but he also believed that they knew he wouldn't appreciate that course of action. Bruce also figured they knew him well enough to know if they weren't in his sight during the current situation, he would most likely overreact and possibly believe the worst had come to pass.
I'm not even sure what Hush's true goal is. Bruce made the screens showing his two children shrink and he placed them off to the side of the computer screen, while he opened up a larger file. The larger file had all the info Bruce had about Hush and Bruce hoped it would lend a hand in explaining what Hush was exactly doing.
If Hush wants me dead, why go after my family? Is he attempting to lure me into a trap? ...What's happening to them now? Bruce's thoughts froze in their tracks, the second he began to dwell on what could be happening to his sons. Bruce had consciously attempted not to ponder about what condition that Dick and Jason were in because he knew if he started to, his mind would take him down roads he preferred not to travel. Pathways which Bruce only visited in his most dreadful dreams, which was one of reasons that Bruce rarely ever got sleep.
Dick can handle himself in these types of situations...and Jason should be able to also. Bruce rationalized within his mind, as he continued to scroll down all the info he had on Hush, though he had practically memorized every small fact about Hush long ago. Bruce would have continued with this partially pointless action if an alarm, which he was prepared for yet he had hoped it had never went off, began blaring across the computer screen.
"Damian!" Bruce didn't bother to hold back the frantic cry that escaped him, when the video feed of Damian's room instantly became black and white static as soon as the alarm went off. Batman hurriedly pulled his cowl down, figuring that whoever was breaking into the Manor already knew Bruce was Batman, but he also knew the cowl wasn't used just hide his identity but the emotions which were harder to keep under control as his heart beat sped up. Racing up the steps within the Bat Cave, Bruce didn't even notice that the video camera in Tim's room had suddenly gone down too.
Crash! Tim immediately tensed and halted in his typing on the laptop when he heard a loud, high pitched noise, which sounded like numerous glass objects shattering all at once. Recognizing the source of the sound had come from downstairs, Tim pushed the laptop away from him as he scrambled off his bed and rose to his feet. Along with the loud thud sounds, coming from what he assumed was fighting, Tim also heard voices that were muffled by his closed door and he couldn't make out what they were saying even though the words were being yelled out. Tim had just begun to quickly stride to his bedroom door, when he was suddenly forced back as an arm wrapped around his throat from behind.
I let my guard down. Tim slightly chided himself, when he felt the cool sensation of some sort of blade, pressed lightly against his throat.
"Shhh, Timmy... It's going to be okay." The soothing voice whispered into his ear, causing Tim to tense even more and his eyes widened greatly. Tim believed for a second that he was mistaken about who that voice belonged to, yet when Tim shifted his eyes to the side and he caught sight of part of the man's body, he believed it was unlikely for two of his senses to be playing tricks on him.
"Dick?" Tim barely spoke above a whisper as he was forced farther away from the door as his captor, and someone he considered a brother, stepped back.
"Did you miss me, Timmy? Because me and Jason definitely missed you." Nightwing spoke softly, removing all doubt from Tim that he wasn't his missing brother, though Tim could tell something was greatly off from Nightwing. If the fact that Nightwing never used knives as a weapon wasn't enough, the way that the knife was causing a drop of blood to slip down his neck was definitely evidence that something was greatly wrong.
Just the way he's speaking, doesn't seem right... Tim analyzed unconsciously, while Nightwing made him take another step closer to his bedroom window, which was open since Nightwing had come in through there.
"What are you doing, Dick?" Tim questioned uncomfortable at that fact that he was being practically crushed by Nightwing's hold on him. It was as if Dick was trying to give him a hug, but Dick couldn't embrace Tim properly because he had to hold the knife against Tim's neck since it was the only thing keeping Tim in place. Dick had always been the type of person who gave out hugs when you appeared like you needed the comfort, but the "hug" Tim was receiving now, only sent a spike of fear though him.
"I'm helping you return home, Tim. You don't get it now, but you will soon and you'll appreciate it one day." Dick wasn't making any real since in Tim's mind and of all things, Dick's explanation about his actions only furthered confused Tim.
"Dick, you're not acting like yourself. You don't-" Tim cut himself off and gave a small cry of shock as the syringe was plunged swiftly into his neck, with Nightwing's free hand. Tim was released from Nightwing's hold as the sedative began to take effect and Tim could feel his shaking legs give in beneath himself. Tim's vision was already blurring as Tim barely managed to catch himself with trembling arms and he struggled to continue lifting his torso since his legs were already lying uselessly on the ground. Drawing all the strength he had left, Tim turned his head to the side in order to shoot a steady, betrayed filled glance at Nightwing, who was garbed in his usual red and black suit.
I know that Nightwing would never do this to me and he has to be unable to control his actions for this to be happening, but I can't regulate that sinking feeling of betrayal, which seems to be surrounding me… It's almost a suffocating like feeling… Tim couldn't see behind the mask, but even as slumber called louder for him to give in, Tim sensed that something was just wrong with the way Dick was smiling. Maybe it was the sedative taking effect, but Tim could almost swear that Dick's usual carefree grin was currently twisted into a demented smirk that was almost as disturbing as the Joker's smile and that definitely said something.
"It never makes sense at first bro, but soon you'll be fixed too and then everything will become perfectly clear." Dick's voice sounded like it was so far away to Tim even though Nightwing was right next to him. Collapsing completely on the ground, Tim could barely keep his eyes open as the sleep tugged harshly on his mind. Nightwing was saying something else, but Tim could only hear a strange noise resembling someone pounding against wood and it was emitting from somewhere near his room, though his sense of direction was probably off as the darkness ate at his vision plus hearing.
...Bruce? The thought briefly fluttered through Tim's head before the darkness completely blanketed his vision and his struggle against sleep was lost.
It had actually been remotely easy for Jason to sneak past the security barriers of Wayne Manor, even with all the upgrades, since Jason's "father" had been monitoring the outside structure of Wayne Manor for the past week and he had alerted his "sons" about what areas to avoid plus where the weak points were in the structure. The fact that Nightwing had such a high access status within the Bat family, meaning he knew exactly where the security cameras were by heart, is what took care of the being undetected part. All that was left was for the two "brothers" to fulfill their plan, which was what Jason was currently doing.
"Don't tell me the 'great' Damian is actually hiding from his own older brother!" Jason cackled loudly at his taunting, while he held two guns in front of himself for protection and offence as he approached the couch. His laughter intensified when he heard a low, threatening growl that had become trademark for Jason's "little brother", emitting from behind the couch he was approaching.
"Don't be so angry, Dami." Jason began as he crept even closer to the front of the couch, which held numerous bullet holes from bullets which had been half heartily aimed at Damian until it forced Damian to use the couch as a cover. Just a few steps away from the couch, Jason's mask continued to show off his cruel smirk as he approached ever closer to his destination since he was only wearing his red mask and not the red helmet, until Jason was satisfied with his nearness to the couch.
Preparing himself to reach for his younger sibling, Jason lowered one of guns and said, "Dami, it's just hard to believe that you of all people would-" A curled, bare fist smashed into Jason's face, causing Jason to stumble backwards plus the force of the hit tossed the guns out of his hands and to the other side of the room. Before Jason could even comprehend the vibration of pain, a swift kick to his ribs caused him to cry out and fall to his knees.
"Don't. Call. Me. Dami!" Damian practically roared, with a low growl as he sent a vicious punch to Jason after every stressed word, the last punch being the harshest and causing Jason to be knocked, on his back and into the T.V. behind him. Jason let out a moan of anguish, which Damian ignored as he charged at him with a fist that was bruised from punching without the protection of his Robin gloves. Damian's fist almost made contact with the already swelling face of the Red Hood, but it was cut short when a bleeding yet firm hand gripped his fist and used his own momentum to toss Damian to the side.
Biting back a yell, Damian only made the smallest of sounds when his back crashed into a glass bowl, which had been on a small shelf directly in front of the wall that Damian's back ended up slamming into. As Damian's back hit against the wall, everything in the path was crushed into pieces including the glass bowl plus the wooden shelf. Damian could feel some of the glass pieces grind into his back as he slid down the wall and onto the fragments of glass covered floor. Damian immediately placed pressure on the bloody wound forming on his side, from where chips of glass plus splinters of wood had entered, as fire seemed to spike across his torso.
"You're not looking so well, brother. Maybe we can get you some medical treatment after we fix you." Jason actually sounded sincere and his voice took a soft tone during the last part of his sentence. Jason was already standing up, using the time that Damian was down to his advantage, while Damian was still struggling to climb back up to his feet, though it was obvious that he was in deep agony, especially since he had none of his Robin suit's armor on to protect him.
"Don't get up; you'll just agitate your wounds. I don't want my little brother getting hurt." Jason was still using his gentle tone from earlier, though it had a more sinister undertone and it didn't help that Jason had both guns in his hands again, aimed at Damian, while Jason approached him.
"Three things, Todd." Damian managed to say with venom and clenched teeth, as he continued to lean back on the wall, not standing up, with one hand placing pressure on his bleeding side, after his failed attempt at rising back up to his feet.
"One, I would accept Drake calling me his brother before you. Two, if you truly cared about my injury, as you claim, I wouldn't be in this position now would I? Three... Tt, you're an idiot, Todd." Damian finished off with a smirk as a little blood dribbled down from his lip and Jason never got the chance to decipher what he meant before the shadow rained down on him.
Jason quickly pitched himself to the side, just a second before the pair of black boots crashed right into the spot he had been standing at. Jason was back up by the time Batman had turned towards him, with a large barely controlled grimace on his face which Jason matched with his own neutral facial expression. Neither made a move, as they both sent glares towards each other, Batman's glare obviously more intimidating yet Jason refused to back down for quite some time until he eventually glanced away.
"Jason." Batman began, his glare losing its intensity as Jason turned his face back towards Batman, at the sound of his name. Damian idly watched from his position with mild interest, though he was more focused on figuring out a way to get back and join his father in the fight that he assume would come soon.
Batman wanted to say more, when Jason spoke up first, barely above a whisper, "Father told me about you... I know how you tricked us!" Jason suddenly shouted, pointing an accusative finger towards Batman whose frown deepened, the only hint of his confused expression.
"Jason, you are not making any-"
"No! I won't listen to any more of your lies. You tricked all of us! Just like your ticking him!" Jason pointed over to Damian who sent him a glare in return, though his unmasked eyes showed the confusion he also felt.
"What type of person could take a group of people from their own family? Never again will we have to listen to you because father has fixed me and he'll fix the rest of us too!" Jason shouted at Batman, who remained silent and as unmoving as a gargoyle while Jason ranted and he took in the info he could gather from Jason's speech.
"You are not making any sense, Jason. Just listen to me and tell me who father-" Batman was this time cut off by a beeping noise that emitted from Jason's comlink which Jason immediately pulled off his ear and the beeping noise was silenced.
"Sorry, but my job's done here, deceiver. We'll see you later, Dami!" Jason shouted, pulling out two grenade shaped items and chucking them towards the defenseless Damian. Automatically, Batman raised his cape and crouched in front of Damian before the gray smoke that began to fill the room revealed it to be just a couple of smoke bombs. Rising back up, Batman merely had to glance to the room to know that Jason was long gone.
He's probably already too far for me to even attempt to reach him... Besides, Damian is injured. Batman strode over to Damian, who was still trying to use the wall to climb back to a standing position, but the minute he was half way up, Damian began to wobble. Extending out an arm, Batman placed his arm underneath the arm Damian wasn't using to apply pressure to a continuously bleeding wound.
"What is the extent of your injuries?" Batman asked in a gruff voice that hid the concern that Damian most likely wouldn't appreciate to hear. Damian was about to reply, probably with a snide comment, when a large thump noise, that was amplified by the silence of the room could be heard from upstairs. Batman soon realized his mistake as his eyes widened a fraction and rushed to place Damian on the still standing couch, without further harming him, and dash up the staircase to the second floor.
"Tim!" Batman shout, attempting to pull open Tim's bedroom door, only for it to remain closed. Hastily abandoning the idea of using the door knob, Batman began ramming his body onto the strong, wooden door. The door eventually gave way and Batman rushed into the barely touched bedroom that's only sign of distress was the now broken door and the open window.
I'm too late. Batman thought to himself, numb to the cold breeze that came from the window as he stared out of it to find not a single trace of a human being.
Even as he heard another person, most likely Alfred climbing up the stair case, Batman continued to repeatedly think ...I'm too... late...
Oh so very sorry for keeping all great fans of this story waiting, but I have been on this school trip for 2 whole weeks and I am exhausted! The only reason I was able to write this was because I have no homework this weekend, which is seriously surprising and I convinced myself that you guys came before my health... but not my edgimication (obviously from what I said, I need it)! Anyway, I made this chapter longer than usual for taking so long and if I'm not busy, I'll be back soon...
Anyway, please review! Remember a review is what encouraged me to finally finish this chapter! :)