Hello my lovelies,
I'm sorry this is late, but this has been the week from hell for me, and next week is going to be worse. So good news, this chapter is almost a thousand words longer than usual. Bad news is it's probably going to be two weeks before I can get the next chapter ready because apparently my teachers all feel that finals is their last chance to make all us seniors want to kill each and every person who had a hand in inventing trigonometry.
I'll hopefully be back to regular updating after graduation, which is only 20 days away. (Pssh, no I haven't been counting since November. Of Freshman year.)
Also I'm kinda a little muchly a lot pissed because Warner Bros. officially denied the crowd-funded attempt to bring back YJ. So all we can hope for is a comeback in 4-5 years like Avatar. *Queue Cartoon Network Boycott*
Ughh. Anyway. Here is my delightfully long chapter. Enjoy.
The tricky thing is yesterday just were children
Playing soldiers, just pretending
Dreaming dreams with happy endings
In back yards, winning battles with our wooden swords
But now we've stepped into a cruel world
Where everybody stands and keeps score
"And then he escaped when Arsenal broke into the cave. He didn't even trigger the alarms."
The table was silent after Dick explained what Damian had told them about Jason.
Barbara was staring at him, openmouthed in shock, while Wally, Artemis, and Kaldur just looked extraordinarily disconcerted.
Finally Wally cleared his throat. "Ehm. Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I was totally right."
Artemis turned to him. "How do you figure? Just because we know who it is doesn't change what he did."
"Okay, now you're just being difficult." He glared at his girlfriend.
Kaldur sighed. "I'm afraid I am still in agreement with Artemis. The situation has not changed, save that it may now be easier to track him."
Dick looked at him in disbelief.
"Hasn't ch—Of course it has changed! That's my little brother, and we're not just going to 'take him out'."
"We have to, Dick. He is killing people, and we cannot condone that, no matter the familial connection."
Dick stared at him for a moment longer.
"Let me rephrase. I'm not a hero anymore. I don't work for you. And if you go after my brother, I will go after you."
Most people, Kaldur included, had never really gotten on the bad side of a Bat, and as such had never before experienced the sheer terror that came from bringing down the ire of one upon himself, but now, as Dick stared at him, his eyes colder than he had ever seen them, Kaldur finally realized why no one ever crossed them.
Dick was generally a nice guy, and his temper was not on a short fuse, but he could be downright scary when he actually got mad. It wasn't a raging fury kind of mad, it was a veiled, calculating, I-will-make-you-regret-ever-knowing-me kind of mad, and everyone else at the table could sense it.
Barbara put a hand on Dick's chest, turning his attention to her.
"Hey. Relax." She turned to Kaldur. "You cannot possibly be serious."
He glanced nervously at Artemis. "Perhaps we could wait and try to deduce his endgame before we strike, but-"
Dick sighed. "Just let me go talk to him. Okay? Maybe I can get him to tell me something, since I'm not a part of the League."
"Given our previous encounters, I am not sure that is advisable."
Dick rolled his eyes. "I can go in with you watching my back, or I can go in on my own. You pick."
Artemis leaned in. "At least let me come with you."
Dick looked like he wanted to refuse, but he was cut off as the waitress delivered their various pies.
"Ugh." He mumbled through a mouthful of peaches. "Fine. But I'm calling the shots."
After a few more bites, Dick sat up again.
"Hang on." He turned to Barbara, glaring. "Jason's alive."
She looked bewildered. "Yeah?"
"He's been alive for the last few years."
"So?"
"So those times I thought I saw him, and then you told me I was hallucinating? He was actually there!"
Barbara raised her eyebrows, then shrugged. "I suppose. But it wasn't much of a stretch to assume you were seeing things, since he was supposed to be dead, and after Wally-" She looked at the speedster, and the rest of her words caught in her throat.
Artemis cleared her throat to fill the awkward silence that followed.
"So it's decided then? We find out where Jason's going, follow him there, and then Dick and I try to get him to talk?"
Kaldur nodded. "And Connor and M'gann will be watching from the bioship, while Barbara, Wally, and I hide out on the ground within range of the telepathic link, but far enough away that Red Hood will not track us."
The others nodded.
"One last thing. Though I do trust all the other members of the Team, I think, for the time being, we ought to keep the situation on a need-to-know basis. It would require much more explanation and deliberation for them to understand, and the matter is time-sensitive."
Dick shrugged. "I'm sure Tim already knows."
"Perhaps, but he also has enough tact to keep it to himself for the moment. We can fully brief the Team later, once we have answers."
"I'll contact you once we have anything solid to go on."
"Okay, Nightwing. Tigress out." Artemis dropped her com-link and groceries onto the battered coffee table and slumped down next to Wally, who was dozing.
She sighed. "So much for a break. I think I got a grand total of a day and a half off."
Wally yawned, looking at her blearily.
"And I'm sorry for being a bitch earlier. I should have at least listened to you."
He nodded. "Yeah. You should have."
She stared at him for a moment. "And?"
"And what?"
"Don't I get an apology?"
"What did I do? I gave an opinion, everyone jumped down my throat, and I have to apologize?"
Artemis scoffed. "You lashed out at me just for disagreeing with you, and you called me a pig."
"I did not. I called you 'pigheaded', which is entirely different. And I was just expecting you of all people to give me a chance."
They were both silent for a moment.
"But I'm sorry. We were both out of line."
She sighed, then leaned over and kissed him. "Let's not fight right now, okay? We've got enough to deal with already, and I really need you watching my back."
He smiled. "I will be. Don't worry, beautiful."
"Miss Martian, Superboy. Are you in position." Aqualad crouched on the building above the rooftop where the exchange was supposed to occur.
"We are. Establishing telepathic link."
"Flash here, Megalicious." Wally laughed.
"Wally!" Artemis yelled at him.
"What can I say, beautiful? It reminds me of the good old days."
"Batgirl here." Barbara ignored the other two as she took her position atop a crane hanging over the roof.
Nightwing and Tigress lurked in the shadows as they waited for any sign of hostile movement.
After several minutes, a figure emerged and headed towards where they stood, hidden.
Nightwing stepped out to greet his brother.
"Red Hood."
"Oh dear." Jason's tone oozed sarcasm. "However did you find me?"
Dick raised his eyebrows. "You didn't clear your browsing history on the computer, which means you don't actually care that me and Batman know what you're doing."
Jason snorted. "Oh you know I can't resist an opportunity to bait the old man."
"You let me find you, which means you wanted me here."
"What can I say?" He shrugged. "I had a feeling I might need backup tonight and as I couldn't exactly ask for it, all I had to do is get you to come on your own. I assume you're not alone?"
"No, he isn't." Tigress emerged from the shadows.
"Artemis, long time no see." Jason laughed. "Though I have been meaning to ask, what's up with the new getup? I mean, not that the whole 'wild animal' thing isn't incredibly sexy or anything, but I had a thing for the green."
Artemis scowled at him.
Wally's irritated voice came over the telepathic link.
"Okay, I don't care if he's your brother, Dick, that boy is in need of a serious ass-whooping."
"That he is." Dick agreed.
"Though," Wally continued as an afterthought, "I have been meaning to ask you the same thing, babe. Though when I asked, I wouldn't have sounded like such a douche bag."
"Is this really the time?" Artemis sounded exasperated, and turned her attention back to Red Hood. "Did you honestly think we'd help you kill people? We don't do that, remember?"
"Oh don't worry, sweetheart, me and-" He laughed as another person jumped down from an adjacent building and landed beside him. "—Arsenal do the killing." He clapped Roy's shoulder, who scowled at him. "And I do actually think you'll help me since you know who I'm after, won't you Birdboy?"
Dick was silent for a moment, then nodded grudgingly. Artemis looked to him questioningly.
"I think you should explain." Kaldur stated firmly.
Dick turned to Red Hood and Arsenal. "Give me a minute."
"Sure, sure." Jason waved a hand. "Not like we're on a tight schedule or anything."
Dick ignored him, pulling Artemis away from the other two, and speaking through the telepathic link.
"You know how I found Jason because he left what he had searched for in the computer's history? Well he was searching for deals made by a subset of Lexcorp, made under another name, and there are no traceable ties to the public side of Luthor's company. I don't know how Jason found it, but he tracked down drug cartels that had been buying from that subset, and those are the ones he's been taking out."
"Why?" Kaldur sounded puzzled. "What vendetta does he harbor against Luthor? And what is so special about the product that he is selling?"
"That's what I'm trying to figure out."
"Then continue, but avoid any unnecessary risks, Nightwing. You have no obligation to help him."
"Fine." Dick walked back to where Jason and Roy were muttering in hushed voices to each other.
"I'll help you." Dick stated, while the others telepathically protested. "If you tell me why you're after Luthor."
Jason looked to Roy, then shrugged. "No. But I'll tell you why you're after Luthor. Turns out he stashed a bunch of the Reach's mind control chemical crap, and he's been spiking the drugs that he's been selling. The cartels are buying because he selling them dirt cheap." He chuckled darkly. "And you know what that means? He's trying to take over the world. Again. Whoop-de-freaking-do."
Dick's eyes widened, and Jason laughed again. "And now you have to help me. Though we'll all be dead if we stay in the open. They'll be here in minutes."
Dick looked to Artemis, who nodded grudgingly. "We can't let Luthor get away with this."
They moved back to their hiding place in the shadow of a ventilation shaft, while Red Hood and Arsenal disappeared.
Silence.
Then a door at opposite side of the rooftop opened, and several dark figures emerged.
There were eight men in dark suits with sunglasses (at night? Jackasses) surrounding a ninth man holding a metal briefcase.
"Vere are they?" one of the men asked in a thick Russian accent. "The scum dare to be late?"
"Patience, Ivan." The man in the center replied. "I am sure they will be here momentarily."
Sure enough, after a few moments, four figures climbed over the edge of the building, apparently having used the fire escape.
The men congregated in the middle of the roof, the only area that was lit by ancient looking lamps, held on to their posts by wire and duct tape.
"You got our product?" A short man with a strong New Jersey accent approached the man holding the briefcase.
"Indeed, but as per usual, we require your payment first."
"Why do we gotta pay first? Huh?" he nodded to his men. "My boys and I, we don't like bein' treated like we ain't trustworthy, and you know, we got no reason to trust you's either."
The taller man inclined his head. "Mr. O'Brian, it is not a matter of trust or lack thereof. It is simply customary in transactions for the party receiving a product or service to pay before either is received. It's just business."
O'Brian glared at the man, sizing him up, but then apparently decided it was a loosing battle.
"I still don't like it, but I ain't got time to argue bout it right now." He gestured to one of his men, who came forward holding a rucksack.
"Twenty grand cash. Just likes we agreed."
The man walked over to the other group, handing them the bag.
Dick looked up at Jason, who was perched atop the shed on the other side of the roof, obscured by the shadows. He shook his head slightly.
What was he waiting for?
O'Brian's man returned to his side, and the man holding the briefcase approached them.
"20 pounds, as we agreed." He held out the case, but just as O'Brian was about to take it from him, it suddenly disappeared.
The men jumped, looking up to see the case suspended by a cable, several feet above all of their heads.
"What the hell is this!" Demanded O'Brian, "Did you set this up? Huh? Did you think that you could just go back on our deal? I knew I shouldn'ta paid you white collars first!"
"We have nothing to do with this, I assure you." The taller man spun around, searching for the source of the line just as Arsenal leapt down from the balcony of the opposite building, and Red Hood landed behind the men in suits.
Nightwing and Tigress exchanged a glance, then emerged as well, weapons poised, and moved so that they stood on each side of the group.
"Sorry boys." Jason's laugh sounded eerie and metallic as it echoed across the now silent rooftop. "I'm afraid the deal's off."
Everyone was motionless for a moment longer, then O'Brian wrenched a gun out of one of his lieutenant's hands, and aimed at Red Hood. "Like hell it is!" He fired several rounds at him, but Jason dodged them effortlessly.
He clicked his tongue. "Now is that really the best you can do?"
The leader of the suits stepped forward. "The best he can do perhaps, but hardly the best I can do."
He put a hand to the nearly invisible device in his ear. "Code Blue."
Within moments, twenty or so masked men emerged, some on adjacent rooftops with rifles, but most climbed over the sides of the building armed with lethal looking knives and shock batons, surrounding them all.
"Uh, guys?" Dick asked telepathically, "We could use some backup. Like, right now."
An instant later, the scene became an all-out brawl.
They did remarkably well at first, considering they were outnumbered by about 10 to 1 and had to dodge gunfire as well as short ranged attacks.
Flash, Superboy, Miss Martian, Aqualad, and Batgirl appeared less than a minute later, managing to force their way into the crowd to assist their comrades and not-really-but-kind-of-at-the-moment allies.
It was obvious that Jason was trying his best to get to the man who had been carrying the briefcase, the one person most likely to be in close contact with Lex Luthor.
The man, however, kept pushing his men in front of him, trying to make his way back to the door into the building.
Deciding that his present tactic was ineffective, Jason turned to the other goons and began taking them down one by one.
But for however many they took down, it seemed that an equal number appeared.
Dick was out of practice, both of his own training, and of following his teammates, but he could tell something had changed about Jason's movements.
They were no longer quick and lethal as they had been in the past, but slow and almost staged, as if he were simply stalling. More than that, he seemed to be purposely edging away from Arsenal, leaving his friend surrounded and at a distance from all the others.
He looked around at his friends. Connor and Kaldur were side-by-side, punching and whacking and throwing anyone that came close to them, while M'gann floated above, trying to telepathically incapacitate the men, while Wally tried his hardest to make his way over to Artemis, but he was having a tough time getting past a massive man who had just pushed himself over the ledge, eight feet tall with biceps wider around than most people's waist.
It shouldn't be this hard, he thought. There's just so many of them. It's like they knew we were coming!
It was a complete stalemate, but then suddenly, one of the masked men caught Arsenal in the neck with a shock baton, and the redhead crumpled.
Dick tried to force his way over to him, but even as he moved, Roy was lifted by some of the other men and dragged down the stairwell.
At that moment, the tides seemed to turn against them. The thugs seemed to gain courage and motivation from their capture, and the pushed the team back farther, except for Artemis, who was still surrounded.
Wally was franticly trying to push through to her, but even the fastest man alive couldn't force his molecules to phase through a wall of people.
"Fall back!" Kaldur called. "Everyone fall back"
Tigress expression was wary, glancing from the men around her, over to Flash, and then to Dick. She sighed and shook her head at him, not looking scared but rather resigned.
Because she knew they couldn't get to her without backup.
They were outnumbered and overwhelmed.
The giant approached her, and the look on her face clearly said "you have got to be kidding me."
The man backhanded her, and she was thrown back into a concrete wall, then crumpled to the ground.
Wally cried out to her, but he couldn't get through.
The leader of Luthor's men stepped forward smirking. "I think we are done here."
He dropped a pellet, and the rooftop was instantly covered in smoke.
When it cleared, he and all his men and all O'Brian's men were gone.
And so was Artemis.
Cliffhanger :P Sorry I'm such a troll.
I'm not finished with the next chapter yet, but I can promise you some feels. Won't say who ;)
Review pretty please :)
-Hopeless.