I disavow all connection to Static Shock and the Justice League. This message will self destruct in five seconds.
Before Batman could join the evacuees and search for his son, J'onn phased through the wall.
"Where's Richie?" The Dark Knight's voice remained steady as ever.
"He heard the threat to the Hawkins' family. I saw him in the stairwell - he surrendered himself to Ebon."
Batman clamped down tightly on the turmoil within. "Can you follow him?"
J'onn shook his head. "If I knew where he was being taken, I could phase directly, but…"
"Hotstreak. He's taken hostages in the doctor's lounge. We'll help Static free his family, then force Hotstreak to tell us where they're hiding out. If he won't give us the information," Batman gave J'onn a narrow-eyed look, "take it from him."
J'onn followed Batman down the hall. Usually he could get some residual emotional reading from his friend, but not now. It was like trying to read a cold steel wall. There was nothing. He was uncomfortable with what Batman wanted as well. To break into an unwilling mind and forcefully extract information - it sounded like something Brainiac would do. But if it were necessary, he would do it. After all, it was his failure that lost them Richie.
They could hear the sounds of Static and Hotstreak trading barbs and bolts of energy and fire. As they rounded the corner, they saw the young hero deflecting a particularly intense barrage of flame. When Static came out from behind his shield, he saw the Justice Leaguers without Richie. Where was Richie?
His momentary distraction would have cost him dearly in a normal fight. However, instead of taking advantage of his enemy's confusion, Hotstreak moved toward the back wall of the lounge. The three heroes rushed forward, and Static gestured frantically toward Hotstreak. They could see the redhead's look of triumph as he leapt into Ebon's phase disk. Then, they were gone.
Static swooped further into the lounge with the police right behind him. He was relieved to see that Sharon and Pops were safe. Sharon had a small burn on her arm, but it didn't look too serious. Batman and J'onn signaled to him. They needed to talk.
Outside, away from the crowds, J'onn related what had happened. Being so close to Static, J'onn could not help but feel the fear and rage that battled inside the young man. A not insignificant amount of that anger was directed toward him.
"Static, I am truly sorry for what happened. I lowered my guard."
"Don't sweat it, Marvin," Static sighed. "Richie's always been able to think on his feet. Now that he's a Bang Baby, he's just got more to think with."
It really was not J'onn's fault, Static knew. Richie could be devious when he needed to be. And other than the whole 'boyfriend-kidnapped-by-a-crazy-computer-program-out-to-destroy-the-world and, oh yeah, Ebon-and-Hotstreak-along-for-the-ride thing,' Static was pleased with the outcome. His dad and Sharon were safe. He would not have been able to reach them in time if Hotstreak had chosen to turn his flames against them.
Though he would never say so aloud, his heart was screaming, 'How could you? How could you lose Richie? You know what that maniac did to him, and now Richie's all alone. And he's sick. And, and he's alone.' He didn't have to say it, though, did he? J'onn was an empath. 'I don't know if Richie can go through that again.'
Batman broke the silence.
"Richie made a choice knowing full well what the outcome would be. We don't have time for guilt. We've got to figure out where they could be hiding."
"I got it covered, thanks to Richie," said Static. "He made these nifty little tracking devices. It lets me pick up the homing signal with my powers. It has kind of a small radius, though, only a few miles."
"You put one on Richie?" asked the Dark Knight.
"Nope. I chucked one on Hotstreak before he bailed with Ebon. I figured something bad had happened when I saw Marvin in the hallway without Rich."
"Good thinking." Static preened at the high praise from Batman.
"We can use the equipment in the Javelin. It has a much larger range." J'onn was already visualizing how to reconfigure the necessary equipment. Batman sent the remote signal for the Javelin, which appeared within minutes. He and J'onn immediately set to work on the modifications. It would take time for the adaptations to be complete.
In the meantime, Static was straining his powers to the utmost, trying to pick up the homing signal, but he was having trouble concentrating. There was a block of ice in his gut. The fear that they wouldn't make it in time, that Richie would be hurt, or worse, was destroying his focus.
'Hold on, Richie. We're coming. Please be safe. We're coming.'
Richie hated traveling via Ebon. Unfortunately, he had done it enough to be able to make an informed decision. You couldn't see anything, you couldn't feel anything, and you couldn't even tell if you were breathing. Idle calculations ran through his head - how long would it take to suffocate in Ebon's shadow? What was the maximum distance he could travel in his shadow form? He didn't think it was that far. Ebon never ventured outside of Dakota, so the most he could travel was probably no more than twenty miles.
Which was both good and bad. Good, because that was a pretty small area for Static to search. Bad, because that meant he would get to his final destination sooner rather than later.
The destination was surprisingly comfy. A little lumpy, but warm. He was so tired. He had to rest. Just for a minute. He kept his eyes closed and snuggled nearer.
"What, I don't get dinner first?"
Richie's eyes shot open at Hotstreak's sarcastic comment. He scrambled backwards off his captor, face blushing as red as his newest bruise. Large hands reached down and pulled him upright.
"Go to Daddy, little boy," laughed Ebon as he pushed Richie towards the island of light a few feet away. There was a figure standing in the middle. It was huge - Brainiac's shell - and it was holding a control chip.
"Did you m-m-miss me R-Rich-chie?" came the voice from his nightmares.
"With both bullets, B-B-B-Brainiac," replied Richie before he could stop himself. Damn his mouth! 'Note to self - don't mock the monsters. DO NOT mock the monsters!'
Ebon stood behind the boy, preventing his escape, as the entity shuffled nearer. Hotstreak held back and watched the scene unfold before him. He still wasn't comfortable with this. Hotstreak wasn't a nice guy. He never had been. But he had never killed anyone before. 'Brainiac wants Richie alive, so he'll have to get him some medicine or something, right? The kid ain't looking too good.'
Richie wasn't feeling too good, either. His chest hurt bad - real bad. He had a headache. He hadn't slept well for weeks prior to his little hospital stay, and fist- or drug-induced unconsciousness didn't count as rest. Now, to make his day just that much crappier, Brainiac came back. Hey, that rhymed! 'Stop it, Rich. You're getting loopy. Focus. You've only got one chance at this. He gets into your brain, it's all over.' After all, he had an ace up his…gown?
Brainiac came closer. Ebon, still behind Richie, refused to let him get away. He pinned Richie's arms against his sides, unmindful of the bandages covering the young man's chest that were beginning to show small splotches of red. The metal man stopped and the control disk was raised…
…only to be knocked away by the lucky shot of a flailing foot as Richie's calm was shattered. Shattered like the lone control disk. The small, jury-rigged contraption could not withstand the strike of both foot and floor. A sound echoed through the cavern, a terrified keening that sounded like a rabbit screaming. Richie almost didn't recognize the creator of the noise - it was himself. He would be embarrassed later.
'Keep your fist closed, Rich. No matter what happens, don't open your fist."
"Do n-not f-f-fight this. You be-be-belong with me. It is inev-ev-evitable. Do not f-fight or you will injure yours-s-self further." The android was still too badly damaged for him to move swiftly or smoothly. He needed his boy. The shell opened revealing the black interior, the straps, the electrodes.
Primitive panic set in. Richie battled, bucking against Ebon and kicking viciously at Brainiac. The adrenaline coursing through his body masked the pain and allowed him to fight since flight was not yet an option. He had been in similar situations with his mother. He was used to pushing down the pain. Richie refused to give in. Submission meant death or worse.
Ebon was too close. Richie snapped his head backwards and smashed it into Ebon's nose. When the shadow man's hands released him, Richie slipped to the floor and scrabbled away. He ended up next to the largest of the seven generator-powered light stands. Observing the method in which the lights were rigged to the generator and to each other, Richie gauged the force needed to implement his plan. Oh yeah. That would work.
His left arm tucked close to his chest for protection, Richie reached out with his right, smirked at his enemies, and pushed. It was beautiful. The light stands fell like a circle of dominos, and the final stand crashed gloriously into the lone generator. Sparks flew, illuminating the oncoming android before the cavern was thrown into darkness.
Richie crawled as quickly as he could towards the wall of the cavern where several roots dangled temptingly. He could hear Ebon screaming profanity, could hear Hotstreak laughing his ass off at the brief episode of slapstick, and could feel the rhythmic thump-thump-thump as Brainiac plodded ever closer while searching for him.
"Hotstreak! Get the lights!" Ebon recovered enough to bark orders again. Hotstreak complied by lighting some of the torches they had used early on, before the light stands were set. He looked at the destruction wrought by Foley in less than five minutes and he was off laughing again. Classic.
"Richie!" called Brainiac. "This is ne-ne-necessary. It is for your own protec-tec-tection. I can-n-not attack Earth if you are n-n-not safely within m-m-m-me."
A full body shudder and a barely contained gag was Richie's only response. He had to stay quiet. Quiet as a mouse. Who knew Mom's lessons would actually come in handy?
"F-f-f-find him. Bring him to m-m-m-me."
Hotstreak piped up, saying, "I don't think he really needs Richie for anything. I think he's got some kind of sicko, pervy thing for the kid!"
"I am Brain-Brain-Brainiac. You are in-sig-significant. You will do-do-do as you are told. Bring me the b-b-boy."
"You know, I've had about enough of your attitude, Tin Man," said Ebon. He wiped at his face, clearing away something that might have been blood. "Get him."
Brainiac's shell was hit with a blast of fire from Hotstreak followed by a hard shot from Ebon. The already shaky android toppled over. Brainiac struggled to regain his footing, but was shoved back down by Ebon.
"Hotstreak! If Brainiac don't settle his ass down right now, burn the kid."
"No," said Hotstreak.
"No? What do you mean, no?"
"No, I won't burn the kid because I don't know where the kid is. In case you two haven't noticed, we're kind of alone down here."
"There's nothing here! Something's wrong with your sensors. Either that, or they found the locator chip and dumped it in the trash."
Static's voice was harsh with worry. The Javelin's receiver allowed them to trace the homing beacon, but it lead them straight to the east side of Dakota. Dakota's main business district held numerous office buildings, the local television affiliate, and the main terminal of Dakota's metro bus link. Not a likely hiding place for Ebon much less Brainiac.
"I will recalibrate the equipment," said J'onn. He kept his fear to himself - fear that Hotstreak had discovered the device and removed it before arriving at his headquarters. If that had happened, there was little they would be able to do to find their youngest.
"The readings are correct. The beacon is here."
"But it can't be," said Static, frustrated. "Look at these buildings. These are some of the busiest offices in all Dakota, and the park is the largest in the city. If a bunch of Bang Babies were hanging around, the cops would be crawling on everything like ants at a picnic."
Like ants at a picnic.
"J'onn. Adjust receptors. Give me depth readings." Batman trusted J'onn's work. If he said the beacon was here, than it was here. Here, however, didn't have to mean the city's surface.
J'onn released a grateful sigh as the readings came back. "Location is nearly 200 feet beneath ground level." The Martian's fingers flew over the controls. "I am querying for geological anomalies."
Static leaned forward in his seat behind Batman.
"I know where they are! A few years ago, the city council paid for new subway tunnels, but after all that work, the engineers were afraid the walls might collapse. It was a big scandal. The main hub was going to be right under the city park. Let's go!" Static could hardly contain his excitement. They were finally going to get Richie.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed "Someday." There was a death in my family last week. I was a little depressed, so I wrote that last night as a perk-me-up. BTW, if Saturn's Hikari comes up with a picture, I might do another chapter from another's POV.
Gracie - (leev shakes cookie crumbs off her keyboard)Thanks for the enthusiastic review!
Princess of Mirrors - Thank you.I'm glad I was able to surprise so many readers.
ferretgirl-1124 - I love cookies! But I think Gracie got to them before I did!
Aryah - Even the greatest detectives get thrown off the track once in a while. Hee-hee!
a proud geekfreak - Thank you, and while there won't be time for fluff in the next chapter, as the boys will be fighting for their lives, I can see the marshmallow crème oozing their way.
Estel Baggins - I am the Discombobulator! I've got at least one more good twist in the works. Cue evil laugh.
pita - Where do vamps go for vacation? (Must cross that place off my "To Visit" list.)
(Ghost of) Jade Dragoness - There you are! Welcome back! You know, I didn't even consider how Virgil would react to having a Bat-In-Law. I will definitely think about that. You gave me a lot more to think about (cops, reporters, yada, yada, yada). I think I've got the answer - in a future chapter.
Nikana - It's plot stew (thicker than plot soup). No clothes for Richie, yet. The re-veiling of his cute little bod must be handled delicately…delicately.. …drooool……
AlanSimmons - Cliché - "a stereotype plate or similar reproduction." Hmm. I didn't really think of Batman being Richie's father as a plate metaphor, but, as a semi-professional, I am sure you must know what you are talking about. Thank you.
bad kittey - Good kitty! Thanks for reviewing.
Shi Rurouni of the Aphrodesiac - More twists than a Twizzler, that's me! Thanks.
Webkitsune - You have a valid point. But, I think that in their universe, Batman is akin to God in police circles. Plus, the detectives wouldn't be worried about jurisdiction and arrest credit. Please keep up the advice - it really helps.
EyesLikeSilk - You're right! I didn't think about it that way;I just didn't want old man Foley to have such a sweetie as Richie for his son.
Tinkerhell - I'm a lurker by nature, but lately I have been trying to be more responsive and review the stories that I read. No, I'm not a big Bat-verse fan. I grew up with Adam West, so I'm a bit out of touch with the latest mythology. Thanks for checking in.
Doppleganger33 - Yep. Or, is he? Dun-dun-dunnnnn. (Just kidding. Yes, in my story he is Richie's dad.)
Mo - Fantastic point about Hotstreak/Richie/Frieda. Do I smell a plot bunny? My psychic powers are telling me you are about to review this chapter…
AJ McKay - Thanks for the review. Your first one felt a little harsh, but it did point out some flaws (which I hope to keep correcting), so I thank you. It definitely made my fic better. BTW, I about snorted chocolate milk onto the keyboard when I read the "Richie, I am your father" line. Huge smile!
Hiro No Tsuki - A mystery wrapped in a puzzle surrounded by an enigma. ?
LaBOBuren - Keep writing your Secrets story. I'm worried about the boys being found out by more than Cassie.
KaliAnn - Any requests?
valkyrie-alex - The Sharon-Virgil interaction was influenced by my brother and me. Does that count as a Mary Sue? I really try not to do those. Thanks for the tip about Cascade Hospital. I've decided that Richie had a laparoscopy rather than a laparotomy. That sounded seriously painful, and my poor woobie wouldn't be able to move!
SnakeMistress - Ssssheseshh sheeshisss sshidesesassh (Parseltongue for 'Thank you').
KateMaxwell - Sharon and Mr. Hawkins are more Richie's family than his own. I think he would do anything to keep them safe, even face Brainiac. Thanks, Doc!
Thanks to everyone else who reviewed - Phoenix87, dea puella (rock on!), nikana, Noreen, MysterySqueezit, stranj100, tp96, and pita.