Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot! The plot belongs to me; DC Comics basically owns everything else.
Chapter Twenty-One
Monday
October 10, 2005
11:45 AM
Toxic Acres
They arrived at the edge of the area, both wearing their gas suits as they floated through the toxic area.
Their masks hid their faces entirely as they moved through the brush slowly and made their way to the green house in the center of the large intoxicated area.
Suddenly they stopped when something snapped.
They turned quickly to see a large vine quickly wrap around them.
Raven's eyes glowed a dull white as her hands glowed black and thin black slashes came out from them and cut the vine like a knife cut butter.
"She knows we're here." Beast Boy spoke up as the tree branches started to move and stretch toward them.
"Of course I know you're here." A sultry voice spoke up from behind them, "My babies alerted me the moment you first came within two feet of here. Of course, your fat friend from the police department helped give you away as well. He's such an impatient man y'know. It wasn't hard taking care of him though. Just a quick kiss got him to shut up. I wonder how he's doing back at the police department. I really hope the Commissioner will enjoy his last few minutes of life."
They turned to see Poison Ivy lying on a large tree branch only a few feet above them, staring down at them with her dark, grass green eyes, some of her long chestnut hair covering them. She wore a leaf green sleeveless leotard that left nothing to the imagination and a combination of vines and tree branches with leaves roamed freely around her body from the roots of her hair to her ankles.
Raven and Beast Boy started to fly up to try to get away from the oncoming branches but they snapped quickly, grabbing them by their wrists and ankles and quickly pulling them down, slamming them into the nearby tree trunks.
They both groaned but were barely conscious.
"Fighting my babies won't get you two anywhere." Ivy told them as she glided down from the branch she was on to the soft grass and slowly walked up to Beast Boy, "You two could be extremely useful to me though."
She reached up for his mask and but when she tried to pull it off she received a large, painful shock.
Under his mask Beast Boy gave a small smile which quickly turned to a wince just before he was slammed against the tree once more and fell into unconsciousness.
Ivy glared at his motionless form before turning to Raven who's eyes were white, glowing slits.
A black energy stated to form around her hands when a Ivy just raised a thin eyebrow.
Suddenly Raven was jerked back, her concentration lost as she hit the tree trunk behind her hard, knocking her out as well.
Ivy walked up to Raven's unconscious form and, the moment she touched the hood of Raven's cloak, a large shock went through her.
She quickly jumped back before glaring at the unconscious Titan.
"Keep them wrapped up and hidden away." She told the trees before heading back toward the green house, "I'm gonna go make a call but let me know if any of the other Titans come by."
She headed straight into the green house and saw a figure standing in the shadows.
"How did it go?" He asked as he stared to the wall directly ahead.
"Caught two of them." Ivy told him as she grabbed a watering can and began watering some of the smaller plants she kept indoors, "The others will probably be here in a few hours."
She paused in her watering and turned to the large shadowed figure.
"Do I really have to go back?" She asked him pouting her lip just a bit as she slowly walked up to him, "I'm having so much fun here. My baby's also love having me back and the Titans don't stand a chance against me. Without Nightwing here they couldn't come up with a plan to save themselves, yet alone their teammates."
"We made an agreement." The figure told her as he turned his back to her and started to walk away, "Go back on it and you'll regret it."
Meanwhile-Gotham Tech-Cafeteria
"What is this?" Tim questioned as he looked down at some large glob of unknown white, pasty food on his paper plate.
"I don't know," Babs said as she stared at it with a small look of horror on her face, "but I think if you poke it, it'll move."
Tim slid the plate down to the trashcan at the end of table and looked back at Babs.
"Mind if I get a bite?" He asked looking at the apple in her hand. She passed it to him and he quickly took a large bite, "Mmm."
"Don't eat the whole thing!" Babs cried out after he took two more large bites. She snatched the apple from his hands and shot him a glare, "You know this is my lunch too."
"Sorry." Tim told her with a small shrug and half smile accompanied by a blush.
One of the Assistant Principals suddenly came running up to their table.
"Ms. Gordon," She told a shocked Babs who was staring at her in shock with Tim, "we just got a call from the hospital. Your father has been shot. I-"
She looked up only to see the table empty.
Tim and Babs were already in the main entrance hall when she took her first step out into the hall.
They burst through the doors and took off down the street as fast as their feet could take them.
"The hospital's all the way across town." Tim told her as they ran down the sidewalk, pushing past people who glared and yelled at their backs, "We'd be able to get to the manor faster and have Alfred take us there."
She just cut into the nearest alley and continued running.
She finally stopped at an old manhole cover and quickly opened it before jumping down.
Tim took a few seconds more caution and went down slowly, closing the cover behind him and sealing it shut just as the lights turned on. He looked to the ground to see Barb's and Rachel's backpacks lying there. The had taken the backpacks with them to lunch incase Gar or Rachel had needed backup. He dumped his and took off down the old sewer as fast as he could.
By the time he reached the cave, Babs was out of sight. He ran up to the staircase that led to Bruce's office and pushed the old grandfather clock that stood in his way to the side.
He burst through the office door and heard Babs talking to Alfred.
He ran straight for the room just as they finished their conversation.
"…nd I'll go bring the car around." Alfred finished as he turned around. He nodded to Tim before leaving the room to get one of the cars out of the garage.
Babs pulled a slim, silver cell phone from her utility belt, hidden under her shirt. She went to the voice changer screen and selected Bruce's voice from the list before dialing the number for the school.
"Hello, Mr. Laporta?" She asked as someone picked up on the other line, "This is Mr. Wayne. I'm calling about Victor Stone, Karen Beecher, Richard Grayson, and Korina Anders. I'd like to pull them out of school for the rest of the day to come with Barbera Gordon to visit her father at the hospital. I think they'd help comfort her…Great, I'll have my butler come pick them up after he drops Barbera and Tim off at the hospital…Thank you so much, goodbye."
She turned off the phone before turning to Tim, her usual bright, sky blue eyes glistening with unshed tears.
Tim opened his arms and she quickly jumped into them, her arms automatically wrapping around his neck as she cried into his shoulders.
He just rubbed her back with his hands and whispered soft, soothing words into her ear.
She finally pulled away a few minutes later and wiped her eyes before rubbing her hands over her face to try to get rid of he tear streaks.
"I'm sorry," She started to apologize, "I ju-"
"You don't need to be sorry for anything." Tim stated firmly as he put a hand under her chin and raised her gaze to meet his. "Everything's gonna be okay Babs. Trust me. Your dad is gonna be okay." He paused to give her a grin. "He's gotten shot before remember, it was close to his spine. Doctor's didn't even think he could walk again but a few months in therapy and he was back at work and running the place. He was running and dodging bullets like he'd never been hurt."
Babs smiled at the memory.
He pulled her into a comforting hug and felt her smile into his neck.
"Are you both ready to go?" Alfred asked as he walked in to see the two fourteen-year-olds hugging. He gave them a sly smile before speaking once more. "I'm sorry. Am I interrupting anything?"
They quickly pulled apart before smiling at the old butler.
"No Alfred." Babs assured him as she walked over to him, "And we're ready to go."
He gave her a soft smile before following her out of the living room and to the front door.
Tim just sighed before following them.
Thirty Minutes Later-Gotham General Hospital
They had arrived ten minutes later to find that Commissioner Gordon was currently in surgery. Alfred had left a few minutes later to pick up the others.
Babs laid her head on Tim's shoulder as they sat on the soft chairs in the waiting room, waiting for the doctor to come out and speak with them.
Tim just had his head back against the wall, his eyes closed in thought.
Finally a nurse came out to speak with them.
"Ms. Gordon?" She questioned as she stepped out into the waiting room, looking around for Babs.
Babs quickly got up and walked over to her.
"That'd be me." She told the nurse who looked at her in curiosity for a few more moments.
"You'll be able to see your father in a few hours." The nurse informed her. "Right now he's unconscious due to the anesthetic we gave him and even after he wakes up he'll be a little…well, loopy. Doctor Elliot will be out shortly to answer any questions you may have though."
"Dr. Elliot?" Babs questioned. She knew she had heard that name before but couldn't think of it at the moment.
"He's a world renowned surgeon." The nurse told her with a bright smile. "He was in Gotham today and was around when the ambulance came by to pick up the Commissioner. He offered his services and we readily accepted. Dr. Elliot is one of the best in the world."
"Thank you for the kind words Lydia." A man said from behind them.
The girls turned around to see a tall man with dark red hair, combed back and dark blue eyes shining as if they held some untold secret. He gave them both a bright smile as he walked up to them.
"Hello Ms. Gordon." He greeted Babs as he took her hand and shook it before pointing back to where Tim sat. "Shall we take a seat?"
Babs just nodded before going back to her seat next to Tim who instantly took her hand in his.
"First of all, let me assure you that your father should be fine, Ms. Gordon." He started as he took a seat next to her. "The surgery was basically routine and the bullet was removed in minutes. It was lodged not even a centimeter from his hip bone but luckily didn't make contact with it or any organs. It will probably take a few weeks for his muscle and tissue to heal but other than that he'll be fine and can leave tomorrow evening. Just keep him in bed for the next few weeks."
Babs smiled gratefully to him.
"Thank you Dr. Elliot." She told him as she shook his hand once more. "I'm glad that he'll be okay for me to take home tomorrow, I'm sure he won't be to happy about the bed rest but…"
She trailed off and he let out a few good chuckles.
"I hope you all have a good evening." He told her before his gaze went to Tim and turned from happy to curious. "I'm sorry but I just have this feeling that I've seen you before. Do you know Dick Grayson?"
"He's my adopted older brother." Tim answered as he stared curiously back at Dr. Elliot, "You know him?"
Dr. Elliot grinned.
"I met him when I saw Bruce a few years ago." He stated proudly. "Bruce and I grew up together but after his parents died he went his way and I went mine. We met up again the same year he adopted Dick and I thought you might've been Dick's younger brother or something since you both look very similar. Well, other than the sunglasses of course."
They all laughed at that comment.
"Dick's actually gonna be coming by with a few friends of ours." Babs told him as she sat back and checked hr watch. "Alfred should be coming up with them now."
"Unfortunately I have to go." Dr. Elliot told her sincerely. "There's a patient I offered to operate on after I finished with your father but please tell Dick and Brice I said hi."
They nodded as he left the waiting room.
Karen came running into the waiting room only a few minutes later. She slid to a stop right in front of them.
"How's your dad?" She asked immediately after she took a deep breath as if she had run from school all the way over to the hospital.
"He's good." Babs told her with a smile. "Dr. Elliot said I could take him home tomorrow."
"Great!" Karen told her with a smile which quickly disappeared. "But we have other problems. Gar and Rae are missing."
Both Tim and Babs jumped up from their seats at that.
"Babs," Karen said as she pushed the young red head back down to her seat, "you stay here with your dad. Right now he needs you more than we do."
"You have to promise to come get me if you need me though." Babs stated as she took her seat once more.
Karen nodded. "You got it girl. And Alfred will be comin up to stay with you."
"If I get a chance to later, I'll come by to check up on you." Tim promised before rushing off with Karen.
Wednesday
October 12, 2005
7:38 PM
Batcave-Stone and Batgirl's Computer Lab
Vic sighed as he leaned back in his chair and stared at the large computer screen in front of him in thought.
The doors opened but he didn't turn around to see who it was, he just kept staring at he formula in front of him.
Suddenly a piece of paper fell into his lap. He picked it up before swiveling around to see Kory standing behind him dressed in her midnight black Catwoman suit.
He grinned and gave a low whistle.
"Lookin good." He commented and she just smiled and shook her head a bit.
"Richard and I found Bane but that is the formula for a gas you guys can spray in toxic acres to get past Ivy's plants." She told him as she put her hair up into a loose bun at the nape of her neck. "Smoke pellets would be easier to carry around."
She turned on her heel and left the room. Vic swiveled around again and sighed.
"Now I gotta make the gas and put it in smoke pellet form." He muttered under his breath as he shut down the large computer. "At least they're easier to carry than a smoke bomb."
Thursday
October 13, 2005
2:28 AM
Toxic Acres
They each stood on a different edge of the jungle that was Toxic Acres.
Robin pulled out his black and red communicator and checked the time.
2:28:45 AM.
Fifteen seconds.
He had to wait fifteen seconds before releasing the gas pellets.
The plan was simple.
Stone mapped out every aspect of it easily.
Stone did.
He thought of every trick he could think of that Ivy might pull.
Stone did.
Not Nightwing.
Not Starfire.
They were in Brazil as Batman and Catwoman tracking Bane.
Where Stone made up about ten different strategies to beat Ivy Nightwing and Starfire could have easily made about seventy.
Robin's job was to look for Raven and Beast Boy and get them out. Stone and Bumble Bee were gonna keep Ivy busy.
Batgirl was at home. Taking care of her father.
Maybe they should have brought her in.
2:29:00 AM.
He threw the pellets quickly, letting them fly in all different directions.
As soon as they hit the ground, the gas came out and the plants started to wither.
He jumped up from his hiding spot and ran in, dropping another pellet every ten feet he ran.
He pulled out his tracker and quickly saw two dots appear, about three to four feet away from each other, both on his side of the area.
One dark blue, one green.
He moved quickly to the dots, jumping over fighting tree trunks and plants trying to fend off the gas and stay alive for their mistress.
He finally arrived at the trees just as a huge blast rocked the ground beneath him.
Stone and Bumble Bee made it into the green house.
He dropped one pellet in front of each of the trees and the, as the gas went off, the trees started to shake.
They suddenly started whipping back and forth before finally stopping and drooping a bit.
Robin walked carefully over to the one holding Raven and climbed up to see her unconscious form being held to the tree by vines.
He pulled out a bird-a-rang and used one of the blades to cut her free before pulling her down.
He laid her on the ground before climbing up the other tree and repeating the process with Beast Boy.
He laid Beast Boy down next to Raven before opening up the keypad on his utility belt and typing in the code for the R-Cycle.
Meanwhile-Inside the Green House
The glass shattered as a large vine threw Stone through it.
"You both obviously don't know how powerful I am." Ivy told them as she slowly walked up to them. "If I wanted to, I could kill you both in an instant, bu-"
"Shut up!" Bumble Bee cut her off as she threw a group of smoke pellets to the ground, around all of Ivy's plants.
They suddenly started to wither and Ivy glared up at her.
"Not so powerful without your precious plants now are you?" Bumble Bee teased as she got up from her place on the ground.
"Won't be long until the gas affects you too." Stone commented as he walked back into the partly demolished green house. "The gas affects mostly chlorophyll and, if I'm not mistaken, isn't that what your blood is made of?"
Ivy gasped before shooting a glare to Stone and giving him a sly smirk.
"It won't work-" She started off but stopped when she felt something sharp just graze her leg.
She looked down to see her green blood seeping out and fell to her knees in seconds as the gas started to take effect.
"It won't work unless the gas actually touches you blood." Bee finished off for her as her hands went to her hips. "Don't worry. When you wake up, you'll be back in your cell at Arkham."
"Study up during the holidays." She told them, her voice getting weaker by the second but a large smile was on her face. "The next part of the test will be soon after. And don't even bother trying to get anything out of me. I am only the messenger."
With that she fell to the ground in unconsciousness.
"I'm really startin to hate that line." Bumble Bee commented as she tied a pair of flexi-cuffs around Ivy's hands.
A/N: Welcome to October everybody! Looks like Ivy is just another Chess piece in the master plan.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Thanks for reading. Please review!