Hold On To Me By: Jade O'Neal

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to other people. Spoilers: "Wild Card" Rating: PG-13

Notes: Thanks for all the reviews. You all make me feel so happy! I'm glad that you like my work, and I appreciate all the comments. Keep 'em coming. You make me smile.

PS: If you're into HG/GL BM/CW or BM/WW stuff, check out my other fics.

~*~

CH 5: TRAPPED

Green Lantern looked to the side and saw the two men who had spoken earlier. One wore an entirely green outfit, and the other had a damaged face.

"Riddler and Two-Face."

"I'm sorry, Lantern, but have we met before?" The Riddler asked with a small chuckle.

Two-Face also laughed. "I would have remembered if we all had. I could never forget a body like that one," he remarked, referring to Diana.

GL just narrowed his eyes in revulsion.

"It's a shame to ruin such a beautiful face." Riddler sighed. "Don't you think, Harvey?"

The former attorney flipped his double-headed coin and chuckled when he saw how it had landed in the palm of his hand. Lantern figured it hadn't been in their favor.

"Kill them," Riddler ordered.

Both Diana and John flew into the air; she blocked bullets with her bracelets as bullets bounced off Lantern's green shield. He made a giant brick with the power of his ring and rammed away seven gunmen. There were about twenty total, and half were already down.

He picked up two others and threw them against the wall. Once he knew the princess didn't need his help, he enclosed Two-Face and The Riddler inside a green sphere and pulled them closer.

"Can't we talk about this?" Riddler squirmed inside Lantern's aura with worry on his face.

"Sure," GL answered, "when the cops get here." He then punched them both and tied them up. After putting them down, he turned to where the boy waited.

Before anything, Green Lantern stopped the blade from falling with his ring and removed it from the strange rig. He then started to untie the boy.

"Don't!" Robin whimpered and slowly opened his eyes to look at Lantern. "If you move me...the place will blow to smithereens."

The Green Lantern clenched his teeth, and Wonder Woman came to his side.

"What's wrong?" she asked, evidently seeing the concern on his face.

"There's a bomb under the table that'll go off if we move the kid."

"Then we'll disarm it," Diana stated firmly.

His forehead wrinkled when he saw that the princess' shoulder was bleeding. She saw him notice and assured that she was fine.

"I want you to get all the men out of here and call J'onn to pick you and Robin up."

"What are you planning?"

He didn't answer. A camera, which was stationed just above them, had caught his eye.

~*~

"Now that wasn't necessary," Joker wined when the first monitor's screen went blank. "How will we know if they're dead?"

Catwoman chuckled this time, and Joker turned to face her.

"Now you think it's funny?"

"You bet. The thought of Batman kicking your ass to the curb and then hanging you and the others out to dry tickles me."

"Why so confident?"

"I don't know. It's just that you and Harley always did look good in stripes." Catwoman's smirk only stretched when he got angrier.

"What do you think he'll do to you, Miss Kyle? Let you go? You're a fugitive," he reminded.

Her facial expression didn't change.

"Didn't you hear me? You and Harley might end up as bunk mates."

"I heard you loud and clear. And if my arrest results in the rest of you freaks getting caught, then so be it."

Joker snorted. "You're being noble. It doesn't fit you."

"Yeah well, you left my cat in Italy."

"And I left my heart in San Francisco." Joker, annoyed, stood from his seat and huffed loudly. Then he noticed what Ivy was doing to Hawkgirl.

The smile returned to his white face.

~*~

"Maybe your feathers," Flash said and raced up to the Penguin. In the same second, he grabbed the umbrella and punched the convict.

"Flash –"

He interrupted Hawkgirl. "Go find Batgirl. I got this."

She didn't wait to follow his instruction and flew deeper into the exhibit. The girl was swimming in the water now, trying to breath the little air she had left.

"Boy, am I glad to see you," Batgirl told from her container.

"I'm going to get you out of there. Stay away from the glass." Hawkgirl then slammed the side with her power mace, but the thing only cracked. Although amazed, she pulled back her weapon to charge up for another hit, but she never got the chance. It was ripped from her grasp and then used to hit her.

Hawkgirl smashed against the container and whirled around to see her opponent: a vine that held her mace. She looked passed the plant and saw the woman behind it all.

Poison Ivy.

"Three redheads in a room," Ivy snickered as she inched closer. "One with a mace, one with plants, and another drowning in a tank. That's a deadly combination, if I do say so myself."

"You don't know the half of it." Hawkgirl glanced over her shoulder and saw Batgirl elbowing the cracked glass; she had nearly run out of air.

"We'll see, Hawkgirl."

Flash ran in, at top speed, heading in Poison Ivy's direction. A vine shot out and clotheslined him; he was out cold.

Hawkgirl flew into the air and started for the criminal, but Ivy had a few tricks up her sleeve. A branch from a tree grabbed Hawkgirl's leg and bashed her into the glass of the bat exhibit.

All went black.

~*~

Batman stared at the final wires. He cut the red wire and didn't breathe until the clock stopped. Quickly, he turned and pulled out his grapple gun. When it shot out, it grabbed the Kryptonite from Lex and pulled it back to Batman. He stuffed it into his utility belt, and Superman's strength returned.

"I thought you learned your lesson, Luther." Batman threw a baterang and it wrapped a rope around the billionaire.

"Damn Joker," he muttered as Batman and Nightwing slowly made their way toward him.

Nightwing took hold of Lex's arms and smirked. "Never thought you'd be at Arkham, did you?"

Superman rubbed his forehead as he got to his feet. He looked like a truck, or a rather a train, had hit him.

"Where's Clayface?" the Kryptonian questioned furiously.

Nightwing answered, "Looks like he skipped."

"You okay to fly?" Batman asked Superman.

"Sure."

"Good. Take Lex to the station and Nightwing to the Javelin. I want J'onn to check you both out." He was surprised that they didn't argue.

The three left, with Lex mumbling curses, and went their separate ways. A moment later, Batman's com-link went off.

"What?"

"It's Lantern. I've got a problem here. There's a bomb beneath the table Robin's lying on. If we move him, it'll go off."

"Is there anyone else in there?"

"No. Diana and I cleared the place of Riddler, Two-Face, and their men. She's waiting outside for the police to show." GL then sighed. "How do you turn this damn thing off?"

Batman rubbed his forehead. "Open the top cover. How many colored wires are there?"

"Four. Red, blue, green, and yellow."

"It's the same bomb," he concluded.

"Tell me what to do."

"Cut the wires in this exact order: green, blue, and then red."

There was a pause.

"Got it."

"Get Robin to J'onn."

"All right."

Batman ran out of the hotel and jumped into the Batmoblie. Earlier, he had sent for it to come for him. He changed the station on his monitor to find Joker's program.

"Well, well. Two out of four are safe, but there are still the ladies. You know Batsy, Selina's been a bit fussy lately. Maybe I should give her some catnip to calm her down. I wonder what you use."

"Hawkgirl, come in." he said into his communicator, but got no response. "Flash? Are you there?"

Again, there was no reply.

"Lantern."

"Yeah?"

"Get to the Gotham Zoo."

"What?"

~*~

Hawkgirl groaned as she slowly opened her eyes. When her vision cleared, she recognized the two figures that stood over her.

"Sleeping Beauty's awake," Penguin snickered and then took a drag from his cigarette. Next, he blew the smoke into her face.

She coughed and noted that she had been bound and laid in some kind of a box that had no cover. Hawkgirl swallowed the lump in her throat; she had gut feeling that told her it would be closed soon enough.

"Where's Flash?" she demanded.

"Indisposed, I'm afraid," Poison Ivy answered with a smirk in her eyes. "You, my feathered friend, will be at the bottom of the crocodile tank, struggling for air. Bye now."

Before Hawkgirl could object, they sealed her inside the coffin-like box. She panicked.

Already she began to gasp for air and tried to break her restrains. Sweat dribbled down her forehead, and the box seemed to be closing in on her. Whether it was her imagination or not, she didn't know. It didn't matter. She just needed to get out of there.

Then she felt the sarcophagus hit the water.

Somehow, she managed to rip through the rope and began to pound on the cover. It wouldn't open, so she screamed at the top of her lungs.

"Lantern! Flash! Anyone? Help me, please? Someone!"

Hawkgirl needed to get out of that small space, or she'd go crazy for sure.

~*~

The Green Lantern stepped onto the Javelin and handed Robin over to J'onn. Diana was cleansing her arm as she watched Superman recover. The Kryptonite had really destabilized him. Nightwing slept in a chair; he still looked like hell.

"Lantern?" Batman's voice said over the com-link.

"Yeah?"

"Get to the Gotham Zoo."

"What?"

"Neither Flash nor Hawkgirl are answering their communicators."

"On my way." Lantern turned to J'onn. "Are you going to be okay alone?"

The Martian nodded. "Yes. Go."

"I'm coming with you," Superman stated and slightly winced when he sat up.

"No," Diana protested. "You need to rest. I'll go."

"Both of you stop. Let J'onn fix you up." GL then heard Hawkgirl shouting over the com-link.

"Lantern! Flash! Anyone? Help me, please? Someone!" she screamed.

"Shayera!" He flew out of the Javelin without thought and hurried to the zoo.

"Help me, John! Please, help me!" she cried, and he heard her banging against something in the background.

"Hold on, Shy. I'm coming," Lantern guaranteed as he busted through the front doors of the rainforest building and headed inside.

Batgirl was beating against the full container's cracked glass, and Flash lied on the floor, groaning.

"Flash, wake up!" GL ordered and landed beside Batgirl's cylinder. He signaled her to get back, and he broke the glass with a shot of light from his ring.

The water spilled out and carried the girl with it; she fell onto the floor, coughing. GL helped her to her feet and gently patted her back.

"Are you –?"

"I'm fine. Get to Hawkgirl, and I'll help Flash."

Quickly, he quickly studied the room and didn't see Hawkgirl anyplace. "Where is she?"

The redhead pointed to the crocodile tank and told, "She's at the bottom, trapped in a box."

"A box?" he repeated with worry. He knew Shayera was claustrophobic.

Green Lantern dived into the murky water, ignoring the animals, and found the box. He lifted it out of the water and placed it back on solid ground with his ring. GL then tore open the cover and lifted Hawkgirl out.

"Oh God, John. Thank Heavens." She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her eyes in his chest.

"I've got you. You're all right now," He promised as she cried in him arms.

Through sobs, she explained. "I was so afraid, John. I couldn't..."

"I know. You don't have to say anything." Green Lantern stroked her red hair and raised his eyes to look at the tired Flash and soaked Batgirl; she had one of his arms around her for support, but it looked as if they were supporting each other.

He heard her whisper to Flash. "Is she going to be okay?"

The kid met Lantern's eyes and slightly smiled. "Yeah," he said. "She's got GL."

Hawkgirl took in a few deep breaths and attempted to calm herself down. She pulled away from his hold and met his eyes with her own; he knew she'd be back to herself in a minute.

"Sorry to be abrupt, but we have to get to Joker. He's got Catwoman, and Batman will try to go after her soon enough," Batgirl told rapidly. "He's going to walk into a trap without thinking because he's so blinded... Joker attacked his family, and that's something you don't do to him."

"Fine, but Flash is taking you back to get patched up," Lantern confirmed.

"Hell no! Selina risked her neck to save mine, and I'm returning the favor, with or without your consent. This still Gotham City, so I only answer to Batman."

Flash's smile grew. "I like her. Can we keep her?"

Hawkgirl requested, "Let her come along. She knows the town and the criminals. We'll have an advantage."

"Uh-uh-uh. Naughty, naughty," The Joker's voice snickered over a loudspeaker. "You violated a rule, Green Lantern."

"Damn it," he cursed. "I forgot about the cameras."

"Only two per rescue. Now you need to die."

Hawkgirl picked her mace up from the floor. "Let's get the hell out of here."

"There's a bomb." Batgirl went back over to the broken container and kneeled down beside it. The others came to join her.

"Shit," Flash blurted. "Twenty seconds."

"C'mon. Let's go!" Lantern yelled and grabbed Hawkgirl's arm.

"I have to shut if off. It's digital. I can do it," Batgirl verified as she began to pull wires from their places.

~*~

Catwoman gasped when the TV screen went black. She was sure the bomb had blown.

Joker cackled. "Woo-hoo! Four down! This hasn't been an entirely wasted day."

"Aw... What's wrong, Catlady?" Harley Quinn asked and sat down on her lap. "Miss the little bat already?"

Ivy joined them by sitting down beside Catwoman and said, "She's just realized that her chances of seeing a tomorrow are diminishing." The crook ran her gloved hand up Catwoman's thigh and sneered. "Ooo... I'm sensing that Selina's tense."

She didn't say a word. She just stared straight ahead, but Harley grabbed Catwoman's chin and forced her to make eye contact.

"Things coulda really turned out a whole lot sweeter if you woulda been a true thief."

"What do you mean, Quinn?"

Ivy responded. "What she means is that you could've been on our side instead of being tied to a chair, but you aren't."

"But don't think we don't envy ya, Kitty," Harley reminded. "I don't know one girl who hasn't fantasized about getting under the Bat's utility belt."

Catwoman pulled away from Harley's hold and narrowed her green eyes.

"C'mon. You can tell us," Poison Ivy snickered. "How was he between the sheets?"

Her only answer was "Go to Hell."

"Someone's got sour grapes, Red." Harley laughed. "I bet he tossed her aside like yesterday's trash when he was done with her. Right? Did he use you, Miss Kitty?"

"Get off of me, psycho."

"People in stone houses should throw glass... Wait. That's not –"

"Quiet, Harley," Ivy demanded nicely and then roughly caressed the captive's cheek. "I bet you were so good that he had to throw you away. Otherwise, how could he get himself to arrest you?"

The two giggled, and Catwoman didn't find it humorous. Women like that annoyed her; she just wished that she could get free of the rope and ring their necks with it.

"Be nice to her, Ladies. She won't be a hostage for long," Joker reminded and walked away from the women.

"Okay, puddin'." Harley brought out a small gun and pressed it to Catwoman's temple. "I wonder how many lives cats really do have."

~*~

Batman peered down on Catwoman and her kidnappers from his position in the rafters. They still hadn't realized he had come, and he had no intention of telling them yet. He was out-numbered at the moment and needed a plan, badly.

He knew Catwoman was fully capable of taking care of herself; she just needed to get free of those ropes. His solution was a baterang.

"Do you think she has nine, Ivy?" Quinn asked her friend with the pistol still lodged against Selina's head. "Or is that just some funny little myth?"

"Personally, I wonder if cats always land on their feet. Maybe we should throw her off a building."

"That sounds like fun." Harley's smile spread.

Batman glanced over to where The Joker and The Penguin sat. Penguin was watching the clown make jokes for the camera, and that wasn't unusual.

The problem was that Batman didn't see Clayface anywhere.

"We're just waiting for Batsy to show," Joker told his television audience. "Heck, he's probably already here."

The Caped Crusader narrowed his eyes and took a baterang from his belt. Quickly and carefully, he aimed for Catwoman's tied wrists. He threw it, and the rope split in half, freeing her hands. Catwoman hadn't flinched. It was as if she had expected it.

Harley's forehead wrinkled. "What was that noise?" she asked and pulled the gun away.

"Two guesses," Catwoman said and punched Joker's girlfriend square in the jaw. She then kicked the gun away and punched Ivy.

Batman shot his grapple, connecting to another rafter, and swung down form his perch. His feet collided with Joker's pale face as Batman threw another baterang at Penguin's umbrella/machine gun, destroying it.

"This time, you've gone too far, Joker."

"Maybe. Too bad you don't have Hawkgirl, The Green Lantern, The Flash or Batgirl to back you up," he sneered.

Batman lifted Joker from the floor by his collar and made a fist. "If they're dead, so are you," he warned. Something then knocked The Dark Knight to the side, and he lost his grip on the clown. When he looked up, he saw Clayface standing beside Joker.

"Maybe it's not how you had pictured it," Joker laughed and pointed a revolver at him.

~*~ The final chapter is coming...