Disclaimer: I do not own the existing characters that we know and love of Young Justice, although I do take ownership over the new characters i.e. some of the teammates
A/N: Hope you are enjoying the story, I'd love to know what you're thinking!
Chapter 05
Carrie winced at the metal spike that was embedded in her side. Her blue eyes found Nightwing's and she tried to steady her breathing. "I need you to get out of here now… The building isn't safe and you need to protect yourselves. All of you go!"
Nightwing shook his head. "We're not leaving you. You are the target, and the Justice League has been sent to protect you. That is what we are going to do."
"No! Get out of here now, whilst you still can!" she screamed insistently. "Please!"
Beside them, loose wires were sparking and lighting a fire that was growing. Carrie screamed as she pulled the metal spike from her side.
Beast Boy grabbed Nightwing. "Come on, we have to go. I know you don't want to, but you need to trust Carrie- she knows what she's doing but I cannot explain it to you. I just can't!" When the green boy could see that his superior was not going to be easily swayed, he swung a clenched fist through the air and it connected it Nightwing's cheek. "I'm sorry, but you weren't listening." He pulled on the older man's arm and dragged him away from Carrie.
The pair dodged the electricity and bursts of flames and just as they were about to burst out of the building's main doors, there was an almighty explosion. An explosion that was far bigger than the previous one that had maimed Carrie. It flung the two through the air as if they were rag dolls that weighed next to nothing.
Beast Boy slammed into the steps and tumbled down them as the windows shatters and rained shards of glass down on them. His body ached from bruises and cuts. When he came to a stop at the foot of the stairs, he opened his eyes to see a billowing black cloud of smoke. Sitting up, Beast Boy realised that there was no longer a building where it once was.
"No!" he screamed with a cracking voice.
"Stand down, sir!" a voice called out from behind him. "Hands in the air!"
Beast Boy obligingly raised his hands and interlocked his fingers behind his head.
"Turn around- where is your accomplice to the theft, young man?"
Beast Boy turned around to see Police Commissioner James Gordon holding his gun up, flanked by a number of police officers of Gotham. He felt his heart drop as he remembered that Kitty clearly hadn't made it to the Justice League to warn them that it wasn't really Beast Boy. There was no other option but to allow the commissioner to take him into the station for questioning. The main problem would obviously be the fact that he would be denying everything and telling the truth at the same time – much to Gordon's predictable annoyance.
"I asked you a question, son… Where is your accomplice- the young lady you were seen with?" Gordon asked, ordering a fellow officer to cuff Beast Boy.
The young hero glanced over at Nightwing who was being helped to his feet by Starfire and gave them a pleading look.
Starfire led Nightwing towards Gordon. "Mr Gordon- my name is Starfire. You must be mistaken. Beast Boy would never the things you are accusing him of. Allow me to take him into the custody of the Hall of Justice. The Justice League can then decide what punishment seems fit for him-"
Gordon lifted his other hand up to stop Starfire from talking further. "I've heard enough, Missy… but we have laws that need to be followed and adhered to. Greeny broke a rule and now he has to face the consequences. Bring him in boys." Gordon opened the passenger door and before stepping in, he leaned over the door. "Oh- and you should probably send a parent of guardian to the station… Just in case."
Starfire gawped at Beast Boy being forced into the police car. "We'll work something out Beast Boy, I promise!"
Beast Boy momentarily fought against the policemen holding him. "Forget about me- protect the target from Metallica!"
"Metallica? Nightwing- he's still in there. We must move quickly!" Starfire tried to haul Nightwing away, but he grunted loudly in pain. "Nightwing- are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Starfire… I just took a beating." Nightwing looked up to see the police car driving off with Beast Boy staring out of the window. "Hopefully Beast Boy will respect the new rules that the Justice League will have in place. Never use your powers in the police station… Even if that was really a rule solely for him, it would be beneficial if he took the advice."
"Right…" Starfire said slowly, wondering what delirious nothingness Nightwing was spouting out. "Beast Boy will be okay, Nightwing. Don't worry."
Over Starfire's shoulder, Miss Martian was staggering over the rubble. "Where's the target?" she gasped heavily, panting and out of breathe from climbing out from underneath everything that was crushing her. "Starfire, Nightwing- where is the target?"
Nightwing stood up tall, trying not to squirm at the crushing feeling inside. "The target got trapped in the building… We got to get her out of there now!" he replied feebly, trying to explore the rubble but collapsing with exhaustion.
Starfire grabbed him. "Stop. You're too weak." She forced him to sit down on the ground. "Me and Miss Martian will explore the remains for her. If she's still here, that's where she'll be."
Starfire and Miss Martian kicked off the ground and into the air. Flying high above where the building one stood, Starfire waited for Miss Martian to lift as much of the blocks and debris as she could. With large remains of walls and bent metal sheets in the air, Miss Marian scanned the site for any sign of Carrie. Starfire's emerald eyes widened when she noticed a small body hidden beneath a large panel.
"Kitty!" Starfire called out, startling Miss Martian who threw the debris aside. "Kitty!" Starfire grabbed the panel and lifted it up above her, throwing it to one side. "Come on Kitty, not today…" She picked up the teenager's limp body, shaking it gently. "Miss Martian, Kitty needs medical attention. She's weak- her pulse is barely detectable."
Miss Martian nodded slowly. "Take her. I will search the rest of the wreckage. If the target is still here, I will find her."
Nightwing watched as Starfire took Kitty to safety and Miss Martian frantically tore the place apart, throwing everything to various sides in an effort to show where the target could be.
She's not there, is she Miss Martian? Nightwing thought, talking to Miss Martian with his thoughts because he knew and could see from the look on her face that she would not be listening.
I will find her… Miss Martian responded, slowly drifting down to the ground for she was losing a little bit more of her power. She grunted as she moved another slab of wall aside before she was forced to collapse on the floor.
Nightwing struggled over to Miss Martian. "You need to take a breather. Just sit back and relax, if only for a moment. We will find the target. There's something about her that is super important- so let's hope that she is capable of getting out of this alive."
The green alien shook her head, shoulders sharply rising with each breath. "No- I heard your thoughts. She was bleeding so much…"
"Well, she did have a metal pike through her stomach before the explosion that destroyed this place."
"Then there's no way she could be alive, Nightwing. No one can have an open wound through their body and live to tell the tale. You know that!" Miss Martian felt the anger bubbling up inside her from feeling as though the mission had failed. "No one can survive that- even if all the doctors and aliens were working on a cure to save her, they wouldn't stand a chance."
A loud scream filled the air and alerted the pair that someone else was nearby. Inhaling sharply, Nightwing threw himself up a small mound of rubble and leaned over to look at the rest of remains.
"Oh my god- Miss Martian, quickly!" he called over his shoulder before rolling down the other side of the slope to where the target was lying down. "Hey, hey, hey…"
Carrie's gaze was blurry as she dropped a bloody metal bar from her hands. Her head rolled around dizzily, her hands lashed out to clumsily hit Nightwing's chest. "Get away from me…" she mumbled weakly.
Nightwing's gaze dropped down to Carrie's side and he could not believe what he was seeing. "You?"
In the wound, it looked like the exposed flesh was mending itself. Multiplying and growing across the hole so much so that Nightwing didn't hear her screaming out in pain.
"She can heal…" Miss Martian said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "No one Metallica wants her. She'd be priceless on a villainous black market."
"Carrie? Can you hear me?" Nightwing patted the side of her side, leaning forwards to listen to her breathing.
The target spluttered, nearly head butting the leader in the process. "What did I say about getting to know a guy before I kiss him?"
"Don't let Starfire hear you say that…"
Carrie bolted upright, squirming uncomfortably from having just healed a hole in her body. "Where's everyone?"
"Is there not a certain someone that you want to specifically ask about?" Nightwing taunted, leaning back against the ground and raising his wrist to radio Aqualad. "Aqualad… Mission update- target acquired and secured. You're going to want to see somethings when we get to the Hall of Justice…"
Aqualad's voice echoed from the communications device. "It's good to hear your voice, Nightwing, but we've got bigger fish to fry. The police patrol car that was transporting Beast Boy to the station has been attacked by Uppercut. BB's gone. Report back to the hall and bring the target. Avoid the roads in case there are any bounty hunters after the target."
"We'll find the bio-ship." Nightwing pulled himself up to his feet.
Once the group found the bio-ship, Miss Martian piloted it back to the Hall of Justice under the cloaking device. Carrie seemed nervous as Nightwing and Miss Martian led her towards the briefing room. Just before the went in, Carrie asked Nightwing to stop.
"Go on Miss Martian, we'll meet you in there…" Nightwing paused, turning to face Carrie. "What's wrong?"
"You're weak. You're exhausted. Let me help you." Carrie held her hands out, palms up, to him. "It'll be okay."
"Are you sure?" Nightwing seemed hesitant.
"It's worth it. You saved my life." Carrie tried to smile encouragingly. "Trust me." She moved her hands forwards, taking a firm hold of one of his hands.
Nightwing felt an immense power flowing through his hand and into his body. Within seconds, he felt energised. "Woah. You really are a healer."
"Healer and a stem cell body- that's me…" Carrie sighed. "I want to help people, but if people ever understand the true extent of what I can do, I'll-" A lump in her throat was growing as Carrie fought the tears back.
Nightwing comforted the girl. "You might feel like you'll never be safe, but that's different now. The Justice League is your new family now. We will protect you."
"I can't let you do that all the time though." Carrie walked past Nightwing and into the briefing room where she marched towards Aqualad. "You must be Aqualad… My name is Carrie Boxham- I believe that you are looking for me. I have also been known as the target," she explained calmly. "Metallica's taken Beast Boy. We need to do whatever we can to get him back. He saved my life. I owe him that much."
Aqualad smiled. "You were right about her Nightwing. But yes Carrie Boxham, we all owe Beast Boy a great deal." He went over to a computer panel. "Metallica has sent us a message. Have a listen."
With a click of a button, Metallica appeared on the screen. He was sat in a large chair and in the background, Beast Boy had been chained with his arms above his head. Blood was hanging dried on the end of his nose and upper lip.
"Greeting my dear little stem cell – you really have upset me now. We had an agreement and you broke that when you tried to escape." Metallica glanced at his watch. "I will give you a choice. If you are willing to give yourself up to me, I will perhaps give your friend behind me his safety. Remember that time is of the essence. Oh come now- don't be upset, I won't heard your little friend that much… You have until sundown today to make your move…"
Thoughts from AspiringWriterGirl = Well it is hard to come up with more words that mean rubble etc… This chapter may have been a little ropey but I hope you are enjoying the story so far