Chapter Four The Plan
Robin turned and saw Artemis looking at him groggily. Guys, I'm OK He said as his body decided he was going to stay conscious.
You don't look it. Wally said. Robin snickered, just to be kicked in the gut.
"Don't interrupt Mistah J boy!" Harley yelled. Robin really felt sick now. Joker stood up, with one foot on Robin now.
"Oh, what a nice foot stool!" he said as he stood on Robin's stomach completely. Robin tried to wiggle him off, but he couldn't move and breathing had become difficult.
"Get off him!" Rocket yelled. Zatanna tried to yell too, but there was duct tape over her mouth. Joker just laughed.
"Well I could, but he is really soft for my aching feet. Also, I'd lose my playing piece." He laughed and turned around so his back was to the young justice team. A camera rose out of the ground. It showed a holographic image of the cave with all the mentors in it including Wonder Woman, Black Canary, and Red Tornado. They all were staring at at the screen, most with shocked expressions.
"Ahh everyone got little Robbie's invite!" Joker said happily as he dropped a communicator out of his pocket. It was Robin's.
"Well let's get this started," Joker started but was interrupted by Batman.
"Where is Robin?" he was giving his bat- glare. Joker slightly winced at it but otherwise didn't react.
"Really Batsy, so impatient. Harley, show my wonderful foot rest please." Joker laughed as he shifted his weight, causing Robin to gasp and wince. Batman glared at Joker.
"Get off him." This time Wonder Woman spoke. Joker laughed, then jumped. Everyone's eyes widened as he landed on on Robin. Robin's body seem to jump, his breath left him and he let out a strangled shout, and a little bit of blood came out of his mouth. He had been cutting his ropes as the Joker was distract, so his arms were now free. They flopped then were used to try to push Joker off. Joker laughed at Robin's weak attempts at freedom.
"I did get off for a second" he said sadistically. Everyone glared or made some sort of feral sound towards the Joker. The Joker sighed and stepped off of Robin. Robin rolled over and propped himself on one of his elbows, his other arm was rubbing his chest. He was gasping loudly, but trying to recover quickly. He pressed his flower again and everyone in the cage was suddenly electrocuted. The electricity was only around for half a second, but every young hero released a scream. Robin stared at the cage in shock. He quickly turned to the hologram.
"We are still on the island!" he gasped before Harley picked him up roughly and shake him.
"Now, don;t you wanna have our date before Daddy Bats comes to pick you up?" she was snarling. Robin punched her in the face. She stood shocked at what he did. It was weak, but still, he hit her.
"You naughty boy." She laughed, then she threw him across the room. He was off-screen to the Mentors. The mentors heard her laugh and saw Joker turn to them.
"Yeah, we are waiting for you on the island. But I can't wait until you get to start the party. You have two hours to get hear. Every half hour I electrocute your kiddies. The next time will always be stronger than the last. When you get here, if anyone is alive, we'll make a bargain!" the Clown Prince laughed hysterically then walked off screen.
"Harley, no need to wait, they could use a reason to hurry." Joker laughed and turned the camera to Robin and Harley. Harley had remove the rest of the net from Robin. He was now trying to dodge her punches. He almost dodged a swipe, but Harley had a knife that gave her about five extra inches on her reach. It swiped across his face, reopening his cut from the whip. As blood spilled down his face, Harley tackled Robin. She then bent down and licked the blood off his face. Robin squirmed as her tongue wiped itself over his face.
"Oh, sweet as honey." she whispered. Robin's arms were pinned under his body.
"Get off Clown Freak." he told her. She just laughed.
Joker went over to the two and laughed at Robin's predicament.
"Oh Harley. You are such a vixen!" Joker laughed. Joker bent down and got Robin's blood on his finger. He licked it slowly, thoughtfully. "I like it." he said. He smiled down at Robin. He pulled out a crowbar. Robin started to squirm more.
No! Not with everyone watching! Please don't! His thoughts race into everyone's heads. He had forgotten he was still connected through the mind-link.
"Joker stand down!" Kaldur shouted. Kaldur could see that all the mentors were watching on smaller screens as they hurried over.
"Hey, can the little birdie boy sing? Can he? I wanna hear it." Joker said as if he were talking to a lover. He rose the crowbar above his head. Harley jumped off of Robin. Robin tried to roll away, but the crowbar hit his side. He held his scream in.
No, I can't scream. No! He won't do much more in front of everyone. He can't! Not in front of others! He wouldn't! Robin's panicked thoughts were all filtering into his friends. They tried to scream at Joker to stop. Joker just laughed. The crowbar came down again and again. Robin still didn't scream. Joker seemed to know what Robin was thinking. He wouldn't hit Robin hard enough for Robin to pass out, but hard enough for him to want to.
"Hey Boy Blunder, this would be easier if you sang my favorite song!" Joker laughed.
"Sorry old clown, no can do." Robin croaked out. The Joker hit Robin on the shoulder so hard he felt a crack. Robin couldn't stop himself this time he let out a squeak. Joker laughed.
"I'm almost there I can see. You've lasted a lot longer than last time though." Joker laughed as he saw Robin's teammates expression. "Scream Boy Blunder!" Harley piped in. "I don't want you too broken for our date." she added. Joker suddenly stopped the crow bar right above Robin's chest.
"Harley, I'm mad at birdie-boy."
"Well then Mistah J, I'll wait till you're better." Harley said with much bobbing of her head. Joker smiled. He threw the crowbar away and pulled out a knife. He checked his watch. "Harley, it has been half-an-hour. You know what to do. Harley smile and pressed her own button. Robin heard his team scream again
"Stop it Joker!"
"Really? I haven't even started Boy Blunder." Joker smile his sick smile and sat on Robin's stomach again. Robin winced, and then Robin saw the knife.
No... his silent thought made his whole team start yelling at Joker again. Joker brought the knife next to Robin's mask.
"One, two, three." he said as he pushed the knife into Robin's face. Robin stiffened but didn't shout. Joker tracked Robin's mask. He then went back to the corner of the mask. He tilted the mask so that he cut through the skin to the mask. Robin's body stiffened. He didn't struggle, he felt it would cause more damage. Robin was shaking though.
"One little birdy, sitting in a tree. D-I-E-I-N-G!" Harley laughed at her horrible song.
"Oh, just beautiful Harley. Just beautiful" Joker complemented. He then grabbed the corner of the mask. From the cage it looked like he would just rip off the mask. He ripped much more off. The skin an inch from his on either side of Robin's face was ripped off too. Blood spilled into his eyes, blinding him. Robin's first scream shocked all of his friends.
"Oh, he has such a good voice!" Joker was practically hopping in delight. Harley held Robin's arms so he couldn't cover his face. She then grabbed rope and tied his arms around a beam so he still couldn't use them. Joker looked at Robin's shaking form.
"Now Blunder Boy, I need to give you a reminder." He picked up his knife again and grabbed Robin's forearm. Robin started to struggle but Joker just laughed as he dug his knife into Robin's arm. Robin screamed. Harley looked at him quizzically.
"Robin, I think I want to spice up our date." Harley started to laugh as she pulled out a black bottle. She poured some of its contents into her hand. She then rubbed the red spice into the cuts on Robin's face. He screamed for her to stop. His legs were kicking, but it wasn't helping.
"I like everything spicy." she laughed as she rubbed the spice in more deeply, causing the cuts to widen.
"Please, stop!" Robin gasped. Joker looked up from his work.
"I'm almost done Robin," He said holding up the bloodied knife. Kaldur yelled in rage, all self control gone. He grabbed the bars, feeling the electricity run through him. He couldn't use his powers because of lack of focus and that angered him more.
"Damn you! Damn you!" shouted various team members. Joker just laughed and went back to work. Robin wasn't screaming anymore, but he wasn't unconscious.
"Joker, please" he breathed.
"Oh, are we begging now Boy Blunder? I never knew you'd sink so low!" Joker laughed, but stopped when he felt Robin's body tense beneath him.
"Wha?" he started.
"Please GET OFF ME!" Robin twisted his body violently to the side. Joker fell off onto Harley, who screamed in shock. Robin rolled so he was sitting up his back against the beam he was tied to. He was panting heavily, his face a curtain of blood. He wiggled a bit and a bird-a-rang appeared in his hand somehow. He dropped it near his feet and kicked it towards his team.
"Hey Harley, about that date? I'm busy, go 'F' yourself." He sneered at her. Her face contorted into rage.
"You are so not cute!" she said and pulled her arm back to throw her black bottle into Robin's face. Robin opened his eyes and glared at her. She stopped. She was caught in fear and awe at the stare she was receiving from the two blue orbs.
"Harley?" Joker looked at her as he rubbed his head, which had hit the floor.
Kaldur on the other hand had reached through the bars of the cage to get the weapon Robin had kicked towards them. He saw it was a miniature EMP. He activated it and told the team he had mentally. Superboy grinned and bent the bars of their cage easily. Joker turned to the team before he saw Robin's eyes.
"What! How did you get out?" he spat. He pressed a button, but nothing happened. He cursed. Wally took this chance to zoom out and get behind Robin. Wally saw what Joker had carved into his arm and he paled. His shoulder ached. Rocket came out and tried to fly, but her heart rate was too fast and she couldn't concentrate. Robin looked at his team gratefully then slumped over. Wally bent down to untie him when he heard a click. Harley had her big gun out and it was aimed at the two of them.
"Do it babe." she taunted.
If you're reading this it's probably because you read I referenced this story in my Other story The Problem. If not, The Problem is sort of like a sequal, but not really.
