Here's the next chapter (Does happy dance)! Hope you guys like it!
And (le gasp!) we actually have more than two reviews for a chapter! Shout out's to: Jasmine Nightshade and Robin for Life, and AelitaOfTheWolves. Cookies for the three of you! Enjoy, I talked the Bat Butler into making them! (::) (::)(::)
ENJOY!
A splash echoed in the tunnels as the dark knight entered the sewers.
Behind him came Wonder Woman. She wrinkled her nose at the smell.
"If I were Black Canary, I would surely make a comment on how you know to show a woman a good time." She said with a small smile.
Batman cocked an eyebrow at her. "Wonder Woman or Black Canary, my answer would be the same. You chose to come here of your own accord. I made no promises about what you would find here."
Diana gave him a look. "Men." She muttered. "One these days…"
Batman drew a flashlight from his belt and clicked it on, leading the way farther down into the sewers. "Not today." He answered calmly. "We have a mission to complete."
Diana sighed and nodded, following where he lead.
There were those in the league who claimed that when it came to emotions of any sort, the Batman was a lost cause. She disagreed. One had only to see him react once to a distress call from an injured Robin to know that he did indeed feel emotion, and quite strongly! He was simply better at hiding it than most.
But he was always so serious, so focused on whatever he was doing, be it training, detective work, or an upcoming mission.
It left little room for anything else.
"If I were the Flash or Green Arrow, I could've very easily created a joke about your statement being reminiscent of Ralph Cramden."
Diana's head jerked up at the dark knight's sudden statement. Had he just..?
Had the Batman just made a joke?
She smiled, perhaps the dark knight wasn't such a lost cause as some of the other leaguer's claimed!
A frown suddenly crossed her face. "Ralph who?"
The Sewer King's throne room was filled with children when the team was led back in.
All the kids the Sewer King had kidnapped were there, kneeling on the floor in front of the dais that held his massive wooden throne.
Wally frowned, brilliant emerald eyes raking over the multitude of kids. His thoughts came across the psychic link a moment later. Whoa…that's a lot of kids! I count…. His eyes widened. Crap! Those guys must've been really busy! Including Tony and Billy back in the holding cell, there's a total of fifty-four kids here!
Zatanna shook her head, stumbling as the short man jerked their chain again. Why would the Sewer King need so many? What possible purpose could he have for all these kids?
Robin glanced up quickly then returned his attention to the shackles round his wrists that he was trying to pick. If he's up to the same scheme as last time, he legitly considers them his kids. But at the same time, the word's 'beloved children' don't mean the same thing to him that they do to us. He teaches them to steal, pick pocketing mostly. Fifty-four kids can steal a lot in one night, and he sends them out almost every night. They're only safe with him so long as they're useful.
Then we must get them out of here as soon as possible. Kaldur answered grimly. Be prepared to fight when the time comes.
Will do. Artemis answered.
"On your knees!" the man with the mustache yelled at them, kicking Coyote in the back of the knees.
Coyote winced as his knees smacked against the concrete. He snorted irritably and cast a disparaging look at his tormentor. "Prig." He muttered under his breath.
A little louder he added, "I'm kind of sorry I called my hyena off when the two of you had that play date. How's the leg by the way? Healing alright?"
The man snarled and delivered a vicious kick to the Coyote's gut. To the man's surprise, after the initial gasp of pain Coyote slowly straightened, and he actually laughed in the man's face.
Wally arched an eyebrow at Robin, grinning. Laughing in the face of the bad guys? Seriously? You two should get along really well if Batman lets him stay on as a hero.
Robin smiled and nodded. Did you see the look on the guy's face? Laughing in their face really unsettles them. It's a great weapon! He cast a curious glance at Coyote. Though that looked like it really hurt just now…He left the thought open in a question.
Coyote gave them a rueful smile. My parents were never the best, but amongst many other things, they taught me to laugh through the pain. At all times.
Hey guys? I do believe our host has arrived. Artemis said silently, nodding toward one of the doors behind the throne.
Ooh, great. Big, bad, partially blind pirate at twelve o clock! Coyote silently quipped, drawing amused smiles to the faces of his companions. His head suddenly jerked upward, and his smile widened even farther. Oh good, she's here!
M'Gann thought down at them from her spot near the ceiling. Who?
His hyena. Kaldur answered. Am I correct?
Coyote nodded. Yep.
Above them, the Sewer King took his stand on the dais in front of his throne. Staff grasped firmly in hand he paced the stage. "It's time for your lessons." He called to the children. "Are you ready? Because I am ready. Ready I am!"
"Not really one of the world's greatest orators, is he?" Wally asked aloud, grinning at the others.
Rage suffused the Sewer King's features. Whirling around he brought the staff down across Wally's cheekbone with a resounding smack. The speedster fell back, the chains around his wrists connecting him to his teammates the only things keeping him from cracking his head on the floor.
"Ow! Ow ow ow… Don't do that!" Wally grumbled, cradling his face in his hands.
"These!" The Sewer King called to the kids as he gestured at the team. "These naughty children have intruded upon my kingdom! They have infiltrated our home! Yes yes yes! They did! They came to take you away from me! To take you back to those people who hurt you, and sent you away! They are very naughty children! And we all know what happens to very naughty children, don't we? Yes yes yes, we do!"
Fear filled the children's faces, and many of them covered their eyes with their hands, cowering close to the floor. But they still made no sound.
The Sewer king gestured at them again. "But! But but but but, they are the children of nasty superheroes who like to cause me trouble. They could be useful! Yes yes yes, they could! So we will keep them for now."
His gaze raked over the heroes again, and suddenly settled on Coyote. His eye narrowed and he strode down the line to point his staff at the dark haired teen.
"You! What member of the league has been fool enough to take you on? Speak!"
Coyote merely offered up a cheeky grin.
He was pushing the man's buttons, and he knew it. He would only be able to push so far before something gave. "None of them. I'm only a vigilante with an axe to grind." His smile widened. "Though apparently the pranks of a mere Coyote trickster were enough to bring you low Sewer King."
The Sewer King glowered at him. "The other children have use to me. Yes yes yes, they do! But not you. You have tried my patience to often, and you have caused me no end of trouble. You have indeed! So I shall be forced to make an example of you!"
He turned on his heel, striding for one of the doors. "Bring them. Come my children! We will have show and tell. Yes yes yes, we will!"
I don't like the sound of this. Zatanna thought nervously, stumbling to her feet.
Artemis shook her head. Neither do I. Coyote, why'd you have to egg him on like that?
Because he's an idiot and a glutton for punishment and doesn't know when to keep his stupid mouth shut!
Eyes widened and jaws dropped open a little as the team turned their heads to stare at the Indian boy. He chewed his lip, seemingly embarrassed, and ducked his head.
You asked.
Wally frowned, looking forward to meet Robin's eyes. The boy wonder nodded grimly.
He'd caught it too.
For a moment, it had almost sounded as if there was someone else speaking through Coyote. If they got out of here this would bear more looking into!
They entered into another large room, this one much like the first. Except this one was set lower. They hadn't gone up or down any stairs, but they emerged on the catwalk that went around the perimeter of the room, rather than on the main floor.
Peering over the edge of the railing, they could see that the main floor was covered in water.
Swimming in that dank, murky water were alligators. Lots and lots of alligators. All colors and sizes, some dark green while others were murky grey, some barely a few feet long while some were well into the double digit numbers. Their gold eyes glared up out of the dim depths at the humans on the catwalk.
Robin went a little paler as he stared down at the brutes. Guys? I've got a bad feeling about this…
You are not alone my friend. Kaldur answered grimly. Miss Martian, please bring Super Boy around, but be sure that he does not give himself away until we are ready to make our move.
On it.
The dark haired man came forward, fiddling with the chain between Robin and Coyote, apparently trying to undue a knot that had formed.
The Sewer King stepped forward, raising his hands to call for attention. "Now my children, we will see an example. Yes yes yes, we will! And I will take great pleasure in doing so! I will!"
He made a sweeping gesture with his staff over the side of the railing.
The dark haired man suddenly grabbed Coyote, shoving the startled teen over the railing before any of them could react. Even Wally was shocked by the suddenness of it all!
Miss Martian, catch him! Kaldur yelled across the psychic link. Team, the time has come!
M'Gann darted over the side of the railing, disregarding all attempts at concealment as she attempted to catch her falling friend.
"Selbboh s'yllaW ylralucitrap, sniahc ruo esaeler!" Zatanna cried, casting her hands up and out as far as her chains would allow. Her own shackles remained firmly in place, but Wally's shackles and hobbles clattered open, along with Kaldur and Artemis's.
"Zee, ever play jump rope on the playground?" Robin yelled, grinning.
Zatanna frowned and whirled around. "What?" Seeing the way Robin was holding the long chain in both hands, and the decidedly wicked grin on his face, she understood. "Got it!"
The short man was coming at them. The magician quickly mimicked Robin's grip on the chain. Together, the two swung the chain up like a jump rope and then back down, sweeping the man's legs out from under him.
"Now tie him!" Robin yelled as the man began to sit up. He darted forward, running around the man so that the chain wrapped around his torso. Again, Zatanna was quick to mimic him, though she ran around the man in the opposite direction.
Within the space of a couple minutes they had the man hog tied with the chains that had connected them.
A large pair of hands suddenly grabbed the chain between Zatanna's wrists and she whipped around, a spell already on her lips. She was quick to swallow it however when she realized it was Conner. He snapped the chain easily, and was going to speak when something over her shoulder caught his attention.
His eyes widened in surprise.
Robin, I thought you said Batman was in Metropolis! What's he and Wonder Woman doing here? He asked over the psychic link.
Robin looked up in surprise, following his teammates gaze. He was! I have no idea why they're here!
A scream suddenly ripped across the psychic link.
It was M'Gann!
Coyote! Conner help me! Something hit me from behind and I dropped him back into the water!
Super Boy go! Kaldur yelled grimly. We have the situation under control up here.
Conner nodded and leapt over the railing and into the turbulent, gator infested waters below.
0.0 ...did I kill him? Well...You'll have to wait and see!
Reveiw! Or the league shall frown upon you!
Until next time...