An: Not entirely happy with this one. But eh, my muse she's so fickle. Also, saw Alpha Male. Dx The Team needs to totally be like "We're sorry Kaldur, for being assholes. ;3; " I mean, damn... Disappointed in you Robin. You live with freakin' Batman. King of Secrets and reasons why they're kept. *Sighs.* Still...Kaldur's sarcastic face amuses the hell out of me. "Hey, speed of mercury." *Eye roll.*
*coughs.* Anyway..uh.. yeah. How about this chapter?
Also- Mater= Mother. I personally pronounce it "Mah-teer" like.. 'Mah Tear'. But that's just me.
"What are you doing here?" Batman narrows his eyes at Red Arrow, standing on top of a snowy rooftop that over looked the sidewalks.
"Doing what you should be." Red Arrow didn't even look back at him, "I don't trust that David guy he's hanging out with."
Batman walks over to the edge, still far enough away to not be seen, "What did you find out?"
"Hmph, think I'm just going to give that to you?"
"Yes."
Red Arrow snorts, "I don't know what he sees in you." He watches them for a while longer before saying, "Not much. Haven't been here long, but he gave Kal some stuff. Couple of movies and an old cushion or something." He paused, "What's really going on with Atlantis, Batman? Kal's been researching it a lot and other things."
"That's classified, "
"My ass." Red Arrow threw him a glare, "If it's about him, I need to fucking know. "
"I know you've been watching the team, so you know that several of their missions had been gathering certain items that had almost no value whatsoever." He moves, following the pair on the sidewalk along the rooftops. "They're from ancient Atlantis. For some reason certain fractions have been actively gathering them up."
"What does this have to do with Kal?"
"A lot."
Red Arrow sighs, exasperated, "You know the team knows about his...parentage and they already suspect he's become not exactly stable."
"I know."
"So why is he still leader?"
Batman turns, watching as Kaldur and that guy-must be David- entered a store. "Because that's for the team to decide. "
"Great." Red Arrow mutters, "Do you know about his space-case?"
"What?" Obviously, Batman doesn't care much for anything that wasn't entirely straight talk. If his frown indicated anything.
Even though he knows he can't see it, Red Arrow rolls his eyes, "I don't think he's told you-or maybe you've noticed. He spaces out for quite a while and doesn't even realize it sometimes."
"I've noticed." Once or twice. It never interfered with the job except for that one time. Now he thinks about it...it made sense really. "But what do you know? You've worked with Aquaman and Aqualad quite a bit."
"That's because Ollie kept having barbeques by the sea. Bet you didn't know Aquaman loves hotdogs."
"Actually I do, but what else?"
"Nothing, but the last time we spoke, he said something about 'Mater' being there. But that was Christmas. I have no idea what he was doing other then he didn't answer." Red Arrow frowns to himself, "I got worried."
"Hm."
That caused the red head to look at him, "It's a wonder how Robin's so cheerful in comparison."
Batman didn't answer, but the other things are slowly starting to click into place. Given Kaldur's own personality issues...he wonders if the teen had a trigger of some sort. Aquaman had indicated that he didn't- they had tried before to ascertain that and found none. But what if it was something they didn't know?
"They're splitting up." Red Arrow says unnecessarily, "Follow Kaldur, I'll see where this guy is heading."
But when he turned, Batman was already gone. Red Arrow rolls his eyes. Damn it. Does he always have to do that? Still, he was slightly glad that he was given the chance to follow that other guy.
With that, the red haired archer left.
Kaldur was not entirely surprised when Batman basically kidnapped him off the street and to the rooftop above. In fact, he half way counted on it because this was probably the best time he could even speak to him.
He had been patient. He had been calm and even allowed himself to be distracted. But there were too many things that weren't making sense and his mind could no longer ignore the obvious wrongness that was happening around him.
In the end he looks up at him, "What do I owe this pleasure?" He breathes on his hands. Normally, the cold barely bothers him- at least this degree of weather. The ocean north of here was a lot colder. Still, he needed something to do. " Or have you finally come to the conclusion that you'll tell me what this is all about?"
"It's for your own safety."
"That is all?" He tilts his head before letting out a soft sigh. " Why?"
"You only need to know that we're doing it in your best interest."
"We?" He frowns more, so it confirms it. "The team is in on this as well?" When he didn't get a reply he simply turns, "I see. Your trust in me is quite whelming-as Robin would say. How long do you think this ignorance I have should last? Until a misfortune befalls me?"
Batman stares at him, wanting to say more but knew he needed to only say enough.. "I will tell you one thing."
"How gracious." Kaldur glances at him, "And what would that be?"
"About Black Manta. He's-"
He didn't get to finish that sentence since they were suddenly attacked by an unknown assailant. Both roll out of the way of the incoming ice icicles.
"Freeze." Batman glares at him. When did he get out? No matter. He readies his explosives from his utility belt, "What are you doing here?"
"For once, Batman, I have no quarrel with you." He turns his weapon on the Atlantean teen. "I'm here for him."
Having found where this 'David' lived- some ratty old apartment complex- Red Arrow had been prepared to stake the place out when he heard something on his comlink. The sounds of fighting and the word "Freeze".
"Shit." He looks back at his quarry before using one of his tracking arrows and shot it over to the rooftop of the apartment. He would have to come back to that.
Right now, he had to go help Batman keep Kaldur from getting taken.
It was hard to see, hell it was harder to stand up right with the snow blinding his line of sight. He could only tell that Batman was somewhere off to his left. Apparently, there were more people with Mr. Freeze that he couldn't even see. Though Kaldur turns, taking his coat off and throwing it in the face of his opponent before shocking them. It would've been easier if he had his water bearers, but he would have to make do with what he had.
"Don't be foolish, boy." Mr. Freeze sounded bored as he watches him. "Just give up, and it'll be over."
"Unlikely to happen." Kaldur falls back into a fighting stance with his hands up.
"Suit yourself. Mirage, Permafrost, do what we planned."
"What?" Kaldur tenses, waiting for the first attack except-
"There you are..."
He froze. No..she...How? He turns slowly seeing the strawberry blonde woman walking towards him, almost transfixed. Looking as she had when he was younger.
"Mater...?"
Where the hell were these things coming from? He knows that a few of them are illusions, but not all. The problem was finding the source of this.
"Red Arrow, see if you can find the illusionist. Some of this isn't real."
"Right."
He turns, throwing batarangs at three of the assailants, one going through two of them but it still left three more to deal with. Three he didn't have time to waste on, but if he could find the one Freeze called 'Permafrost' he would have a chance in this blinding weather. But first he takes care of the three that weren't illusions which were easy enough to do.
He glances around, squinting through the wind and slush that was snow. Where? Where was it coming from..?
Behind him, he felt the air shift and change, before turning and barely missing another enemy falling back due to an arrow in the leg. At least Red Arrow was looking out for him for the moment.
But where is Permafrost? And what was she doing here? Shouldn't she be in Dakota?
Same goes for that Mirage kid too.
Who was hiring them?
"Master Dick?" Alfred watched on as the boy suits up. "Where are you going?"
"To find Batman and Kaldur." Robin presses the mask on before heading to his motorcycle.
"I'm coming too!" Jason ran to join him with Ace behind him. "I want to help."
"No, Jay." Dick looks over at him "You have to stay here."
"Why?" Jason looked mutinous again. "I can help too!"
"You'll be helping, " Robin says climbing on the bike and turning it on, "By staying here and helping Alfred just in case they're hurt."
Jason pouts a little but folds his arms a little, "Fine." His emerald green eyes narrow, "Better bring them back, Dick."
"You know I will." Robin turns, the engine roars louder as he rockets out of the Cave.
He had a bad feeling about all this. Batman and Kaldur should've been home almost an hour ago. An hour allowance because they did run late sometimes but this...?
He just hopes he would get there in time.
There, Red Arrow thought readying one of his few remaining arrows. She had hidden herself well, but he believes he found the illusionists that Batman was talking about.
He'll have to ask later how he knew, but for now, he notches the arrow and lets it fly.
It explodes just above her head, disrupting her concentration and making her aware of him.
Red Arrow jumped down from the water-tower he had been using as a perch that over looked part of the roof that Batman was still fighting on. He moves to help him. After all, Kaldur seems to be holding his own for now.
There's still one more person that he had to take care off.
"Where's Mirage?" Batman ask punching another one of the suited enemy in the face, breaking the helmet.
"That illusion-girl? She ran off." Red Arrow answers, jabbing his bow against another enemy's stomach. "What's left?"
"Permafrost."
"What?"
"Ice controller. She's here somewhere. Take her out and it'll be easier."
"Right." Red Arrow hopes Kaldur could hold out for a little longer, because now that he was in the mess, the snow blizzard around them was even heavier.
Kaldur shook his head, "No, you cannot be here."
"My boy...come with me." She offers her hand to him. "Let us return home."
"I..." He shakes his head. Think.. he had to clear his head. It had to be a trick. Otherwise they would've told him...right?
They haven't told him a lot of things but this...
"You are not Mater." He glares at the woman before turning to Mr. Freeze who was closing in on him so fast that he barely had time to brace himself before he was sent sailing for a short time before rolling onto the snowy rooftop towards the edge.
That hurt..
"Should've kept looking at it boy." Mr. Freeze said raising a hand, "It would've been so much easier for you."
Kaldur breathes, getting up, trying to make himself move faster. "Like I would allow that?" That was mostly said quietly to himself as he lurches forward to bum-rush him.
At least until the gas hits him in the face, causing him to choke and cough. He grabs his throat with his webbed hand, stumbling along. "Wha...?"
Kaldur falls to his knees, everything about him felt so heavy. He couldn't breathe well and the world was becoming darker with each passing second. White snow, gray skies filled his vision as Mr. Freeze walks over to him calmly.
"Hmph, children should do as they're told."
"That they should." The woman that wasn't Mater- she couldn't be..but everything was so out of focus now- said and looks down at him with Mater's face. "Hurry before his friends arrive."
AN: I know, short but meh. Anyway for those that don't know: Permafrost is a child (I'd say around ten at the most) that has mental issues and was homeless. She is a Bangbaby from Static Shock. Her background is pretty sad (A lot of them are) with her step-dad walking out on her sickly mother when she was little and then her mother dying and she ended up homeless after running away.
Mirage is another Bang-baby from Dakota with powers that make illusions look very life like out of whatever she imagines. She doesn't want to be criminal as made evident in Static Shock cartoon when her brother (also a Bang Baby) keeps robbing places with her help. She ends up helping Static to put her brother away and taken in protective custody.
As to why and how they're in Gotham...you'll see.
Also- it's completely canon that Aquaman loves hotdogs. (Loved the shout out for it in Infiltrator with Aqualad eating one.) He loved them so much, that he went to a doctor because he was sick and the doctor told him to eat more fish.