Chapter 12

She lay on the ground, dazed and in pain. She tried to get up but as soon as she put pressure on her right leg, she fell back to the ground. She looked at her arms, which were cut up and bleeding.

"Nightwing…" she breathed into her radio com. It was too quiet. She tried again a little louder. "Nightwing."

"Athena?" Nightwing's voice filled her helmet. "Athena where are you? Joker got away because you weren't at your-"

His voice faded out as another wave of pain spread through her body. Athena gritted her teeth. "Help."

Nightwing's tone changed. "Athena?"

"The motorcycle…there was a rope…it flipped…my leg…blood."

Her message got across. "Hold on Athena," Nightwing said, panic on the edge of his voice. "I'll be there soon."

Athena stayed on the ground. She reached up and pulled off her helmet, ignoring the sharp white pain in her arms. A few agonizing moments later, Nightwing pulled up on his motorcycle. He stopped, jumped off, and ran toward her. He fell down on his knees next to her.

"Piper," Nightwing whispered. "What's hurt?"

Athena looked up at him. "My leg. My right one. I think it's broken. And my arms." Athena took in a breath through gritted teeth. "I'm sorry Dick. I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings. And the Joker got away because of me."

"Shhh, Piper. I'm sorry. It wasn't you're fault and I shouldn't have gotten at you about it. We'll find him, I promise."

Suddenly, a man stood over Athena and laughed. "Or maybe he'll find you."

A foot lashed out and stuck Nightwing across his face. He rolled a few feet away from Athena. He shook his head and looked back towards Athena and the man.

"Hello, Nightwing," Joker said with a smile. "You're so grown up now."

"Joker," Nightwing's voice was now full of anger. "Don't you dare do anything to her. If you get another inch closer, you'll regret it."

The Joker laughed. "And you're going to make me?"

Nightwing grunted in frustration and jumped to his feet. He began to charge at Joker.

"Ah, that's not such a good idea," Joker said. He pulled out a knife and held it over Athena. "Don't even think about it. You know what comes next if you take another step closer."

Nightwing stopped dead in his tracks. He balled his fists. "That's a coward move Joker. Put down the knife. Leave her out of this."

"I'm sorry, but that's not how these things work. You know that Nightwing." An evil smile spread across Joker's face. "And besides, my fun is just beginning." Joker stomped down on Athena's injured leg. She screamed in pain.

"No!" Nightwing lunged at Joker. A cloud of smoke engulfed him and Athena. Nightwing came falling out on the other side. He whirled around.

"ATHENA!" He ran back into the smoke. Nightwing waved his arms around, spreading out the smoke so he could see. "No…"

Nightwing fell to his knees right where Athena had once been. She and Joker had disappeared.

"Piper."

Back at the Cave, Nightwing was pacing back and forth, trying to come up with a plan to rescue Athena. Robin and Batgirl were standing off to the side watching him.

"Nightwing it wasn't your fault," Batgirl said. "We'll find her."

"But it was my fault. I was standing right there. I was there and I didn't do anything!"

"But what could you do?" Robin asked. "He was threatening to kill her."

"How can you be so calm? She's your sister too. And if you saw her the way I did…"

Robin walked up to Nightwing and grabbed his arm. "Dick, we are going to find her."

Nightwing took a deep breath. "And here's what I need to do."