The Value of Heroes

Chapter 21: Lessons in Braking

-Industrial Highway RI 99-

Kid Flash was only supposed to be gone for a half an hour. Then he and the Titans would find Robin.

Just a quick run to Gotham to check in on Batman, and then right back.

Funny how life never made things simple.

The black highway was strangely deserted for it only being around seven o clock at night. But KF didn't pay too much attention to it, this was the industrial backwoods and Jump City was still miles away. His mind was still lulling over what the Batman had told him. Shaking his head in disbelief he tried to process the words that had been said to him. If what Batman had said was really true...

Biting back what came next Flash refused to accept that. He couldn't jump to conclusions just yet.

Still...

What would he tell the others when he got back?

What would Red think?

Picking up his speed he leaned his body into the road and cursed.

Then an instant later the ground split beneath him. Eyes widening Flash recognized one of Robin's flash bombs right before it hit the area behind him.

BOOOOOOOOOM.

For an instant the fastest boy alive felt as though time had stood still. In the distance he could make out a figure perched on a light pole. Someone who looked painfully familiar. Then the metallic clang of bell like objects littered the area around him. But it was far too late to avoid them. In less than a heartbeat the smoke from the bomb blew over him followed by the stinging cut of something sharp before he fell.

Hard.

Like a semi with the brakes cut Flash fell, his movements so violent that sparks almost rose up from the earth as his body and the speed connected with it hit solid gravel. Instantly he rolled, his knees and arms striking the pavement like someone thrown off a speeding vehicle. His own powers worked against him in a sickly intense manner as the street ground away clothes, skin and everything else in between as he skid against the highway. Wrapping his arms around his head was the only thing he could do to protect his face in the process. The boy must have rolled for nearly a hundred feet before he slammed into a cement road guard and was suddenly very still.

From his spot on the lamp post Robin shook his head and let out a whistle.

"That one looked like it hurt." He muttered to himself flinching as he saw the cracks in the cement guard all the way from where he was standing.

But just as he was expecting Flash didn't say still for very long.

A choked gasp of pain erupted from the boy who quickly regained consciousness. He let a small moan his whole body shaking before Flash weakly managed to get enough control of his arms to lift his head up off the pavement. Whatever had hit him had happened so quickly Flash hadn't even realized he had been falling until it was too late.

But what had made him trip in the first place?
His eyes blurring he was still too dizzy and disoriented to fully get to his feet. Turning back to the road he tried to make out what had happened but it was too far away. The only thing that remained were two streak lines of blood littered across the highway like oil spills.

He paled inwardly when he realized that blood was his.

"Man! That was something off a cartoon show! You nearly skidded the length of two highway exits!" Robin whistled walking towards him. "Who needs land mines when you have novelty jacks!" Eyes narrowing in delight he breathed, "Especially sharp, pointy, ridiculously large jacks made courtesy of the Joker." Putting his hands casually behind his head Robin grinned, "For being a nut job he sure has some nasty looking toys huh, KF?" Smirking the boy added, "Sorry for tripping you like that, but you never were one to pay attention to traffic lights. And we need to talk."

"Robin...?" Flash breathed biting back the shooting pain in his body as he struggled to raise his head high enough to look at his attacker. It was his friend. Or at least, used to be him. He was maskless, his wild blue eyes covered now only by the occasion strand of black hair that fell in his face. But it was what he was wearing that made Flash's blood boil. As he approached his friend Slade's crest on Robin's suit caught the moonlight, sliding light into Kid Flash's eyes as if somehow teasing him.

"I wouldn't try to get up if I were you." Robin warned watching as KF tried in vain to move.

Everything hurt.

From his torn, crackled skin where the pavement had burned him to his pounding head and bones. But most of all his feet were stinging with a ripping pain he had never experienced before in his life. His feet were useless at the moment and he knew it even without having to look at them. But Kid Flash always was a glutton for punishment. After a moment or two of preparing himself he slowly cracked open his eyes.

Peering down at the chunks of metal, past the strings of flesh and leather he stared in horror at the mangled bits of skin that seconds earlier had been two healthy normal looking feet. The soles of his boots no longer existed, instead replaced by inches and inches of jagged metal points covered in dark red blood.

Saying it was painful would have been the understatement of the millennium, but the pain was deadened by burning rage the moment KF saw the slight grin on Robin's face.

"You bastard..." He snarled through his pain looking up at the boy as he lay helplessly on the gravel road. The fact that Robin would so readily cripple Flash's pride by destroying his precious legs was all the proof he needed. This wasn't Robin anymore.

"Oh come on Wally." Robin shrugged staring the crippled boy down. "With healing powers like yours we both know this is just some temporary discomfort. It wouldn't be any fun if I could cripple you that easily."

"You're insane." Kid Flash spat before a wretched sob escaped his lips as he tried in vain to pull his leg up. A piece of glass in your foot was painful, but having thousands of little spikes embedded in heels at 200 mph was enough to force even Flash to whimper like a small child. He fought the tears will all his might but they leaked out of his eyes at such a rate he couldn't stop them. Biting his lip he managed to crawl a few inches until he could at least get his knees under him. KF's pride wouldn't allow him to be defeated on his back.

"So... now what?" Kid Flash asked his voice a raspy wheeze as he gave his former friend an icy look. "First you just disappear... then.. all this crap? You know a phone call could have worked... just as easily if you... w...were trying to get my attention." Eyes narrowing he thought about it as calmly as he could.

He was alone.

His super powers were KO'D.

And he was at the mercy of ego-drived maniac who knew every weakness he had.

Yeah, it was turning out to be one of those nights.

Grabbing one of the metal jacks he heaved and closed his eyes. Stiffling a moan as it came out of his heel with a sick jolt Kid Flash threw the thing to the ground. One out, three hundred more to go. Panting he looked at Robin. "So now what? Are you going to kill me? Take me prisoner? Our do I have to listen to a boring monologue first?"

"Heh." Robin chuckled. "Always have a quip ready don't you, KF? Nah, I'm not going to kill you." His face twisted slightly into a smirk and one that made Flash's blood run cold in his veins. "Although you might wish I had."

Stepping a few inches closer Robin bent down so they were eye level. "Right now Slade and Joker are waiting for me in Jump City but I lost my Titan communicator the other night after Joey and I had that disagreement."

"You mean after you beat the shit out of him and left him for dead." Kid Flash corrected.

"Right, when I did that." Robin smiled. "Since I don't have the access codes anymore, you're going to help us get into Titan Tower."

"Like hell I will-" Wally snarled his teeth clenching as he spat out those words.

Smiling Robin didn't seem phased by his uncooperative behavior as he removed something from his belt. Eyes widening KF suddenly realized it was his bo-staff. With a snap of his skilled wrist Robin had brought his staff down hard on KF's knee cap. Tsk-tsking Robin shook his head, "For being clever, you always were dumb. I'm not asking you."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

The boy under him screamed as muscle was torn and cold steel slammed into his leg before a gentle pop was heard. His knee cap shattered instantly, KF flailed wildly for a moment almost like a dying fish as he clung to his knee with both hands. Pain flooded every cell in his body but he quickly realized he didn't have time to mourn it's loss. Robin's leg came up in front of him and the older boy tried in blind pain to use his arms as a guard as the Boy Wonder swiftly kicked him in the stomach. The wind knocked out of him, Flash rolled a few inches his body stiffening from pain and loss of blood. "Do... what you want with me... Robin." The fastest boy alive choked.

"... I ... won't let you... hurt the... Titans..." Flash heaved from his spot on the ground unable to even lift his head at this point.

"A true solider to the very end, Wally." Robin commended.

"Robin why the hell are you doing this?" Flash asked using his last bit of energy to find the strength to scream. "They're still waiting for you, you prick!" Eyes burning with angry tears he snarled, "All of the Titans... even the Bat... for christsakes!"

Looking at Robin the boy's pleas fell on deaf ears but KF wasn't going to shut up until he was finished. Sweat pouring down his face, the red haired boy weakly shook his head in disbelief. "They're still clinging to hope that they can save you. So why? Why are you doing this? What is the Joker and Slade doing to you, man? JEEZ DUDE, WAKE THE HELL UP!" Kid Flash hissed.

Strangely that last part had shut the Boy Wonder up. Above him Robin's eyes were hidden in the shadow of his bangs his expression blank. And although Flash could only see his mouth he was certain Robin was either laughing at him.

Or he was crying.

"They can't save me this time, Wally." Robin murmured after several moments of silence. "But please- don't worry."

"This is one thing I can promise you..." His former friend whispered just before his bo-staff came down on KF's head.

"It will all be over soon."

To be continued...