Kidnapped

Sons of the Bat Series

By Aussie Nightwriter

Part 2 of 2

Barbara waited. Her heart pounding. She'd heard them attack… heard Hood swear… but now, there was silence.

"Is he okay?"

Hood: "We're too late. "Jason's voice sounded startled… strange. Like Dick's had.

"Hood?

Robin: "He's beyond help. God, Nightwing."

"What do you mean?" Oracle's mind zapped in a vacuum.

Red Robin: "I'm not taking them on."

"What?"

Robin: "He looks like he is going to..."

Hood: "Faint." The three boys erupted into uncontrolled laughter.

"What? What the hell is going on!"

Red Robin: "Turning on mask cam."

Via the tiny camera in Red Robin's mask, Oracle was able to see the open room as the teenager moved further into the Community Centre. Oracle blinked, her jaw dropping open. Standing in the middle of a large hall was Nigthwing. He was surrounded by a group of elderly ladies; the same elderly ladies who made up the Gotham Knitter's Club whom he had 'rescued' five days earlier by changing a tyre on their stranded bus. Above the Gotham Knight was a huge sign that said, "Thank you, Nightwing. Our Hero."

Barbara Gordon burst out laughing.

- Sons - of – the - Bat - - Sons - of – the - Bat –

Nightwing spotted his partners, politely excused himself, strode quickly toward his team, the relief on his face palpable.

"Got yourself into a quite a situation, Nightwing," Tim chuckled.

"Thank, God. I'll tell them you have come to get me."

"Absolutely not. We wouldn't dream of depriving them of their hero," Jason laughed.

Nightwing scowled.

"Love the hat," Damian smirked. Perched atop Nightwing's head was a handknitted beany, the bat emblem blazed on the right side.

Tim reached across and manually turned on his partner's communicator. "He's back on, Oracle."

"I would give anything to have seen the look on your face when they ambushed you," she giggled, now understanding the reason for the high breathy voice she had heard twelve minutes earlier.

A delegation of ladies started to cross toward the group of heroes.

Nightwing, a man who had faced the worst criminals Gotham had to offer without a backward step; who, from the age of nine, had run toward battle, not from it; who had faced the monsters of nightmares without flinching; began to back away. Today, he was outclassed, outgunned and completely out of options.

"He has such beautiful manners. So unusual these days. Not to mention the best tushy I have ever seen," one Octogenarian was saying.

Nightwing eyes widened. So, she was one of the ladies who had pinched his bum.

His brothers roared with laughter again.

"Ladies, I am so very sorry, but duty calls. I want to sincerely thank you for…"

"Hell, no, Nightwing. You stay," Hood insisted. "We can cover you for one night. Can't we boys?"

Damian and Tim nodded helpfully.

"He's staying," one of the senior citizens called to the two dozen others. The hall filled with cheers.

The shadows behind the Bat Team moved. Nightwing looked out into the darkness knowing Batman had just arrived. 'Help,' he mouthed as the spritely retrieval team surrounded him and gently tugged him off to be showered with affection.

Batman supressed a grin. Remaining in the darkness, he ordered in a lethal whisper, "Five minutes and then rescue that kidnap victim."

"You got it, boss," Jason chuckled. "I am never, NEVER going to let him live this down. Kidnapped!"

- Sons - of – the - Bat - - Sons - of – the - Bat –

Aussie – Hope you are enjoying my story. Please drop me a note and remember to sign in so I can respond. If you are interested, my Magnificent Seven and Dick Grayson sites are back up. Many links are not working yet, but I am working on it. Fanfictnet removes active links so, put this together. w w w dot aussie-lass dot com