Rating for this story is closer to M: Mainly for graphic descriptions of Blood, and the Joker being the Joker. Also this takes place somewhere around 3 or 4 years after the invasion and the cave has been rebuilt because I loved the cave and Mt. Justice and the team deserves their own headquarters in my opinion.
Basically this chapter takes place after Insecurities (ch.3) and before It Has to be a Joke (ch.6).
Also I don't own anything, just in case you thought I did.
Pure and utter chaos is the only way to explain the battlefield that had developed among the Injustice League and the Team.
All around are bodies, some lay cast aside in unconsciousness, others moving in vicious attempts to maim their opponent, heroes attempting to cause minimal damage against an enemy aiming to kill. However there is one lone figure that among the chaos that is calm, 'Traught' as he so calls it, his movements are graceful and beautiful yet furious and calculated. He moves fluidly through the battle field protecting his teammates, blocking swords, knifes, guns, fist, and whatever is thrown their way before disappearing again only to appear somewhere else a trail of unconscious goons and supervillains in his wake.
And maybe it's because of this disappearing act that no one really notices when he doesn't appear next time. When he gets caught up by a man that haunts all their nightmare, the man who is a particular sore spot for the bat family, the man who has already claimed on bird.
No one notices the Joker sneaking up in the shadows eyes already on his pray as he lurks waiting for the perfect moment, not even Nightwing notices until it's too late. A well placed knife stuns the hero and a simple dose of anesthetic stabbed into the junction between his neck and shoulder renders him unconscious. In the next moment the pair is gone once again vanishing into the shadows.
The battle rages on for another forty minutes before they realize their leader is gone, and there is nothing they can do.
It's almost two full days after they lost their leader that a message appears on one of the halo computer blinking ominously, a heavy sense of foreboding weighs on the team as they gather around the screen. The message is opened and all eyes are glued to the screen knowing the fate of Nightwing lies within.
A hazy static fills the screen for several seconds before the crazed face of Joker fills the screen his eyes are wide in a sort of hysteric delight and specks of crimson blood contrast with his bleached skin. He's staring into the camera lenses in a way that makes the team realize he is attempting to position it as the video shifts one way and another for several more seconds before he moves away and they see what had been laying behind him for the first time, Dick.
Hushed no's and gasps escape the lips of several team members, other become violently still hands balled as their fists quake in anger at what they see.
Dick's arms are spread like the wings of an eagle, the top half of his uniform is missing and the bottom is barely holding on. His body is littered with bruises, cuts, burns; blood sluggishly leaking from an assortment of gaping holes. It's clear to all those watching every hit, every slice, every burn, and every stab had been done to inflict pain not to kill; and despite it all Dick still glaring with a deep hatred at the face behind the camera. They watch as Dick's eyes trail the Joker as he moves from behind the camera and then suddenly he appears on screen again.
"Awe Justice Babies! I bet you were so worried when you noticed your great leader was missing. Don't fret he's just spending some good old fashion quality time with his Uncle Jay. Isn't that right Bird Boy." Joker said turning to face Nightwing, the team watched their leader turn his head to stare at the Joker his chest heaving before he replied.
"Go fuck yourself Joker." Nightwing spat, a shit-eating grin on his face showing bloodied teeth.
"Language!" Joker exclaimed and looks back at the camera with a wicked grin.
"We'll have to take care of that potty mouth of yours." He disappears from the screen, Nightwing trails his movements for a moment before turning back to the camera and mouthing 'sorry' before the Joker reappears happily swinging a crowbar.
"You ready Bird Boy" Joker asks as he moves closer and Dick merely grins.
The first hit slams into his side and all that escapes is a grunt, several more hits rain down on his torso and the team watches as he remains silent, glaring at Joker defiantly. Slowly the hits become more violent as the Joker becomes more and more enraged by Dick's lack of a reaction.
"Why won't you scream" he shouts each word punctuated by the crowbar slamming into Dick. Dick grins at the Joker and murmurs something that is lost in the space between the pair and the camera but whatever it is enrages the Joker and the crowbar comes down in a wide arc that connects with a sickening crunch, and for the first time Dick screams. The sound mixes with the manic laughter of the Joker and he continues to beat the hero.
The team can only watch in horror as Nightwing's screams resonate through the cave, bouncing off its walls and engulfing them in a sickening symphony.
The beating continues until a deadly silence echoes from the video and Nightwing's unconscious body hangs limply in its chains.
"Have fun finding us" Jokers menacing voice cuts through the silence and then it's over. The team is left in stunned.
"What are we going to do" Beast Boy asks after several minutes of silence, and for a moment no one answers. It's just the team right now, the League is off world, they can't turn to their mentors for help this time, they can't even turn to their leader.
"I know where he is!" Tim exclaims.
After three days of fanatically searching, scanning, and re-watching the video they had finally found something.
"What? How?" Wally cries out as he speeds over to Tim's side.
"His hands"
"What?" Barbara cries out.
"His hands Babs" Tim replies, his eyes are wide both with fear and excitement.
"Yeah I got that but what do you mean" Barbara asks, wondering if the lack of sleep over the past five days has finally gotten to him.
"During the video Joker sent us Dick is tapping his thumb and forefinger together, honestly I didn't even think about it. But then I noticed he did it the entire time he was conscious, its coordinates, or at least I think it is. I mean I'm almost positive and it's the only lead we have, he's been with that mad man for three days and it's our best lead. The coordinates he taped out are for a warehouse in Oregon, the whole area has been abandoned for years."
The team looks from Tim to Aqualad who is deep in thought and back, knowing that every moment Dick spends with Joker the bigger the chance of never getting him back, and with the League still millions of miles away a move has to be made soon.
"Robin is right this is the best chance we have to rescue Nightwing, I want everyone ready to leave in five minute. Miss Martian please prepare the Bioship, Kid Flash grab everything we may need from medbay and bring it to the ship. Anyone not in the Bioship in five minutes is being left behind, we cannot afford to waste any more time." With that the cave was thrown into motion.
"Your friends are here" the Joker whispered in Dick's ear his body hovering right in front of the wounded heroes. "I'll let them think they saved you, that they made it in time. Let the hope that everything will be okay and they saved their leader fill them only to let it all be crushed as you die in their arms." With that Joker grabs onto Dick, a knife slide between two of his ribs, Joker twists it sharply and a whimper escapes his lips.
"Enjoy dying" Jokers acidic breath is right by Dick's ear as he rips the knife away, he choke as Joker moves away and the door busting open. A briefly thought flashes through Dick's mind as he wonders if it had been this hard to breathe a few minutes ago.
His vision is failing him, he can see his team rushing towards him, can hear them talking and shouting but it was all becoming a mix of white noise. He knows he's dying and that they think they've saved him. He wonders how hard it will hit them, how they will recover, he prays they recover because in the end he's just one person, he's not that important.
He feels arms brushing over him, the shackles that had held him for days finally release and he collapse into a pair of waiting arms. He wants to cry, to warn them, to apologize. He wants to tell Barbara he's sorry, he didn't keep him promise, he wanted to keep his promise, he wanted to marry her. He wants her to kiss him one more time, to promise she'll move on, to watch out for Tim and Bruce. He wants to tell the team he's sorry. He wants to make sure Wally and Artemis know he loved them like they were his own siblings. He wants them to take care of his Babs. He's going to miss her. Babs I'm so sorry.
Instead one name escaped him lips, "Babs" He breathes and then the world faded to nothing.
The warehouse looms on the horizon in front of them, standing alone amidst the ruined remains of a once been a thriving pier. The team sits, they are so close but don't dare mess up this chance by charging recklessly into their leaders prison.
"Everyone remember this is about speed we go in full force, he hit them hard and keep moving until we find Nightwing, then we get out. We don't worry about the Joker or anyone else. Superboy, Blue Beetle, Lagoon Boy, Wonder Girl, Miss Martian, and I are Alpha. Kid Flash, Artemis, Impulse, Batgirl and Robin are Beta, the rest of you are Gamma and are to set up a perimeter and making sure we can get Nightwing out as soon as possible." Aqualad ordered and the team stands as one, Miss. M landing the Bioship and opens the ramp. The Bioship is empty and abandoned in a matter of moments.
The warehouse is easily entered, the teaming meeting resistance only after they enter where the confined space should make it harder to fight. However it didn't take long for the team to take down Jokers goons. The men he hired were poorly trained and more than a few run once they realized they are up against the enraged team.
As the team fights, Impulse zips through the many side rooms and hallways before he returns calling out. "I think I found Nightwing but I can't get to him, Joker rigged the door"
"Alpha, Beta lets go, Gamma Finish up here" Aqualad orders, the remaining squads anger zoned in on the few remaining hired hands.
Alpha and Beta follow after Impulse as he leads them to Nightwing, their minds weighing heavily with thoughts of what they might find. So consumed by these thoughts they nearly run into the rigged door Impulse had found. It's rigged with more explosives than necessary, but Joker has always been one for theatrics.
"Nightwing's in there" Connor growls as he stares at the door, "He's with the Joker." Anxiety flows through the group and Aqualad turns to the two remaining bats.
"Batgirl, Robin can you disable the explosives?" Aqualad asks anxiously. Tim and Barbara look to the door before looking at each other.
"Yeah I think he set it up more as a distraction that to actually harm us." Tim answered and to prove his point he simply cut a wire and the explosives disable themselves. It doesn't feel right, it's too easy, the Joker wants to kill people not stall them. Something isn't right they know it, whatever is waiting on the other side of this door is somehow worse than death if the Joker is making it this easier for them. The thought chills the bones of everyone on the team.
An angry cry from Connor tears the door from its hinges and reveals the Joker pulling away from Dick, he hangs lifelessly in his chains.
Connor chases after the Joker, his manical laughter following his as he escapes down another corridor. No one follows the Boy of Steel the Joker is already gone anyways.
It's Kaldur, Wally, Artemis, Tim, and Barbara who move towards Dick, while the others stand scared, their leader should never be this still.
For those who have moved to his aid, the closer they get the clearer the torture Dick has endured becomes, he is bloodied and beaten and in that moment none of them have ever felt more fear.
"Oh Dickie what has he done to you" Barbara whispers to him before turning on her teammate. "Get him out of those shackles" she growled dangerously, tear threatening to spill from behind the cowl. Wally and Kaldur move to release the shackles and in a few moments Dick was free. He falls limply into Barbara's arms. "Babs" he breathes and then his eyes roll into the back of his head.
"Dick!" Barbara cries out shaking him, hoping he will open his eyes, there was no response other than his ragged breathing. "Oh God" she cries out and all those who had stood frozen a moment before burst into frantic motion.
Wally is at her side in a moment taking the bloody limp figure from her arms and speeding off to the Bioship.
"We are leaving" she hears Kaldur say, although she isn't positive if the words are aloud or over the mindlink, and it's in a zombie like state that the team returns to the Bioship. In the small medbay of the ship they can hear a frantic flurry of motion and cries of 'No' and most just sit down in their seats with a weariness that has only seen when they have lost one of their own.
Barbara is being chocked by it all and she runs to the medbay because maybe just maybe she can do something. She crashed through the opening the Bioship makes for her and Wally is standing there with wide eyes covered in blood, hands moving up and down in a rhythmic pattern on Dick's chest. "Babs" he supplies and it's all too much.
"DON'T" She shouts at him pushing him away and doing it herself.
"Come on" she cries and she can feel his shattered ribs shift and squish and she briefly notes it feels like putty.
"Babs" Wally cries out again
"Not yet" She cries back, she crushes her lips over Dick's in two quick breaths and then again she's reminded of putty.
"Get Kal." She yells at Wally and he disappears.
"Batgirl" Kaldur appears next to her, Wally stands staring pitifully in the corner and she thinks she catches a glimpse of long golden hair.
"Shock him"
"Barbara"
"Please Kal please it's all I've got left. He's not allowed to leave not yet" They stare at each other for a moment before Kaldur nods. Barbara steps away and Kaldur moves forward he places his hands and his tattoos glow. Nothing happens.
"Again" Barbara demands. Nothing happens.
"More" Nothing.
"You bastard" she shoves Kaldur away, and slams her fist on Dick's chest. Nothing. Kaldur shoves her away, she wants to scream to him, but his arms are glowing and Dick's body jolts and they all hear it. A quiet gasp.
Tears burst forward and they're moving, placing a mask over his face, bandages, triage, they can only do so much. Somewhere in their minds they hear Megan tell them they have three minutes, and they are all silently prayer to whoever will listen to just get them through those three minute.
Somehow their prayers are answered.
Even before the ship has landed Wally and Dick are gone, Barbara collapses.
Barbara stands outside the doors of the cave's medbay, the rest of the team is waiting in lounge. She's staring at the ring in her left hand, its beauty marred by dried blood.
She doesn't know how long she stands their waiting hoping but eventually Wally, Alfred, and Leslie appear, they're tired and weary but smiling. She cries.
Five Days. That's how long she waits. Five days to find him, five days for him to wake, it takes less than five seconds for the tears to fall again when his bright blue eyes finder hers and he smiles.
"You scared me" she cries. He doesn't say anything, he doesn't have the words and her lips are on his too quickly even if he had.
In the end Tim finds them asleep, Barbara is carefully curled around Dick, his hand in her bright red hair. A picture will be taken and sent to ever team member, both to let them know that they had made it through this round without losing someone and to remind them how lucky they got.
Thank you for reading I hope you enjoyed and please review,
Thanks
Soccernin19