Chapter 49

Here we go guys, it's the beginning of the end here and I'm really excited to see the conclusion of this story arc and start making our way into Chapter 5. Do note that this is actually happening during chapter 4 an early chapter 5, so we'll be cutting in close to the battle at Haven once we finish up here.

'You actually came. I don't believe it.' Damian shook his head in disbelief, staring down at his former teammates with utter contempt. 'You're stupider than I thought you'd be.'

'Don't underestimate me.' Jaye warned, waggling a precocious finger at the traitor. 'It could well be the last thing you ever do.'

'I see you're still a cocky bastard. Glad to see that hasn't changed.' Damian rolled his eyes as he grinned down at the three. 'It's wonderful to see you.'

'I see you're still a spineless asshole. It's not quite as wonderful to see you though.' Jaye crossed his arms languidly. 'Let the twins go.'

'You know, I always wonder why people say that. It's not like the moment you say, "let them go" I just go "okay". I mean, when does that ever happen?' Damian pressed a finger to his forehead. 'Food for thought. But that's a discussion for another time.'

Jaye glanced across the room they were in. The address had led them to an old warehouse that was still up for sale in the corner of the shipyard. It was dark, spooky, and utterly filled with all the clichés of kidnapping villains. He rolled his eyes at the assassin.

'Seriously, if you wanted to kidnap someone and prepare a trap for their rescuers you really should have put more thought into the setting. Abandoned warehouses are so ten years ago.'

'I suppose it wouldn't help if I tied them up over a pit of boiling lava either.'

'Nah, that's fine, kind of a throwback to Sunday morning cartoons. On the other hand, if you did the C4 vest thing that would be the last straw.'

'I'll keep that in mind the next time I kidnap someone.' Damian smiled widely, his blades glinting in the gentle moonlight. 'Unfortunately, the lava pit isn't quite ready, but I assure you the captives aren't particularly prone to C4 induced combustion.'

While that spelled good news for the time being, it seemed to the three that any rescue attempt they would make was going to be a violent one, as the high walls of the warehouse and its small and far out of reach windows afforded them very few escape routes. The walkways were blocked off by guards, and a row of them stood across the only entrance. Cliché as it was, the warehouse was perfect for a covert kidnapping and ambush, and resolute as he was Jaye was beginning to have some reservations in coming straight here without a plan. He turned his attention back to the assassin.

'That's wonderful.' Jaye shot back, raising an eyebrow at Damian. 'Mind if we see said captives?'

'Why of course. In the meantime, you'd best be laying down your weapons.' The red-clad man waved a finger at the three, his henchmen stepping forwards into the light to reveal two bound characters. The twins glared at their surroundings over their gags, hands and feet bound behind them, and Jaye raised an eyebrow at them.

'Well I'm surprised you haven't killed them yet.' Jaye pointed out, pulling his swords off his back. The henchmen surrounding them tenses immediately, their guns still raised and poised at the three, and Jaye spun his swords nonchalantly in his hands. He glared pointedly at the men surrounding him and tossed the blades onto the ground. 'I was expecting to come here to collect the bodies.'

'I was expecting you to come.' Damian breathed, letting the back of his katana slide across the Artemis's neck. She flinched away from it, and he chuckled softly at the girl. 'I was right when I said you'd gone soft.'

'I guess you were.' Jaye said, raising an eyebrow as one of the henchmen inched precariously forward to swipe his swords off the ground. Jaye pulled the shield off his back, clearing his throat at the guard, who seemed to be terrified out of his mind. He held the shield out to the boy, who took it gingerly from his hand. 'Now you've got me. Let the twins go.'

'Oh, this game isn't over yet Jaye bird.' Damian laughed heartily as he spun his swords in his hands. 'We're just getting started. Before we even begin to discuss letting these young-uns go, we're going to need to see some entertainment.'

'I can do the hula for you. I'm not good at it though.'

'As amusing as that would be to watch, I think we can vouch for something a little more violent.' Damian grinned down at his former teammates, sheathing his blades with a flourish. 'After all, there's nothing more entertaining than watching people kick the crap out of each other.'

'I hope you're not thinking of something like having the three of us kill each other.' Jaye said, raising an eyebrow at Indigo as she flashed the young and terrified henchman a sultry smile as she handed him her swords, running a finger down his arm and earning a terrified squeak from him. 'I think we both know how that's going to end up.'

'Damn, there goes that idea out the window. Consider my plans well and truly foiled.'

'Wonderful. In that case I'll just take those little shits and be on my way now.'

'Well, you'll be taking one pair of twins with you.' Damian chuckled devilishly to no one in particular. 'Of course, I know better than to try and turn you against one another; that would never happen. I've thought of something much better.'

In the middle of a square cage

Jaye eyed the two hooded figures across from him. Apollo and Artemis were still bound but on their feet now, poised next to the red-clad man lounging in a random armchair that had evidently appeared out of nowhere. A casual smile was plastered across his face, and Jaye noted the surprising lack of tension in the twins as they watched the scene unfold before their eyes. He surmised that any tension or fear they ought to be having was probably being blocked out by the fact that they were about to witness what they likely believed to be the impending death of their parents' murderer. He glanced unobtrusively at his teammates, who were currently bound hand and feet on their knees beside the twins. Indigo shook her head conspicuously, and Kamina wiggled his eyebrows at the raven-haired boy. Jaye turned his attention back to the hooded figures before him, narrowing his eyes pointedly and searching for any indications of what kind of weapons he was up against. The cage they were in was large, but hardly large enough to provide him with optimal room to move. Barely ten meters long, the cage was hardly suited for creating distance between him and his likely armed attackers.

'Well since you seem to love twins so much that you're willing to die for them, I thought I'd give you a little something.' Damian waved his hand, and the hoods were thrown back. Jaye raised an eyebrow at the two girls across from him. He recognized them as the girls who delivered the message to them at the restaurant, and he folded his arms across his chest. 'They're not exactly twins, but close enough.'

'And what, you expect me to kill them?' He raised an eyebrow at the red-clad assassin. 'If I didn't kill those two, what make you think I'll kill them?'

'Well, to put it simply, because you'll die if you don't.' Damian laughed his annoying laugh again as he lounged in his armchair. 'These two are another pair of victims of you and your ambition. Another pair of parents slain; another pair of children thrown into the wild to fend for themselves because you took their lives when you took their parents'. So, trust me when I say, they're going to kill you or die trying.'

'That still doesn't answer my question.' Jaye rolled his eyes once more. 'What makes you think I'm going to kill them? I could just incapacitate them and leave them here while I busy myself killing you.'

'Well that part's simple really.' Damian gestured to the twins next to him. 'If you don't kill them, I kill kitty-cat and her brother here. And if you refuse to even try to kill them, they're going to kill you. Simple logic really.'

'Wow, you actually thought this through. Didn't think you had it in you, good job.'

'And clearly you didn't since you were stupid enough to come here.' Damian waved his hand again at the two girls. 'Begin. I'm getting bored here.'

Jaye sighed as he eyed the two girls before him. He raised an eyebrow as they unfastened their cloaks and threw them aside, revealing leather suits that were well armored in the vital areas. He eyed the plates with contempt, looking for breaks in the armor, but his thoughts were interrupted as they drew long knives from their backs. He raised his eyebrow even further, hearing Kamina's voice echo in his head, and let it fall back down. He stepped forwards into a basic fighting stance, letting his breath out slowly as he sized up the girls. The older of the two was taller than he was, leading to an additional reach advantage, and with no weapons of his own he had nothing to make up for the difference. He scratched his foot into the dusty floor beneath him, noting the small amount of gravel laying over the surface. Damian yawned loudly again.

'What's wrong with you two? I said BEGIN!'

And that is the end of this chapter. This took way more chapters than I thought it would and I'm so sorry I can't update this consistently. I would promise to do better in the future but we all know I can't make good on that. We'll finally be going into volume 5 soon, so I'm hyped for this.