DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN JL, THE PLOT DOES NOT BELONG TO ME, NOTHING BELONGS TO ME.
WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS MENTION OF RAPE AND LANGUAGE!!
Clark slammed a fist into the wall and let out a yell,
" WHY? Why are my friends being attacked?!?" He landed another blow to the wall,
' Wally…Shay…who is doing this?' He pulled back his fist in preparation for another attack on the already dented wall, but found that it was being held back,
" Don't." Bruce shook his head and held up a bottle of peroxide. He motioned for the other man to take a leather bound seat while he sat across from him and cleaned his cuts,
" You'll break your knuckles if you keep that up." He stated, dabbing at the cuts in the knuckles with the disinfectant,
" The knife missed any major arteries and organs," Bruce added as he saw Clark's mouth starting to form a question,
" She lost a lot of blood and if John hadn't found her……she's still in critical condition, J'onn says that she may not survive the night……he also says that there isn't anything to suggest that she won't. He's positive that she'll pull through."
Clark stared at his hand for a moment while Bruce wrapped it up,
" And Wally?" Bruce's hand twitched before continuing the process of fixing the damage Clark had caused.
" He's…" He pulled at the bandage, " He had a lot of bruises, cuts, scratches and—" He stopped and tied up the loose end of the fabric,
" And what?" He raised an eyebrow, Bruce usually wasn't so dodgy with questions, preferring to come out and say what he meant without any run around.
" He was raped, Clark." Clark had begun rising to his feet when Bruce had answered. His legs went numb and he slid back into the chair, his face a picture of shock.
" Wh—a-t?"
" All the evidence J'onn found when he examined him points to it. He took some samples to check for STDs. We won't really know what happened until he wakes up." Clark watched his hands in disbelief, only a few hours ago John had called to say Wally was missing then another emergency call consisting of a screaming John demanding for help. Everyone was now gathered at Wayne Manor, J'onn finding his two patients in the small infirmary that was built on the second floor of the colossal mansion. Now this, Shayera lay near death and Wally…well Clark couldn't say he was any better off. Bruce rose to his feet and began making his exit.
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John dropped the bundle of mail he was carrying in his arms,
" SHAYERA!" He ran up the stairs and skidded to a halt in front of the closed door. This wasn't the time to runaround half-cocked. He didn't know what happened in there, for all he could tell it could have been an ambush. He drew his knife and held it loosely in his right hand, twisting the knob with his left. The door swung open slowly and with a long creaking noise. John glared at the darkness that enveloped the room. Vaguely he could make out two shapes, one on top of the other. He walked slowly forward, his eyes moving from side to side, constantly scanning for danger. He let his knife hit the floor with a clunk. Shayera lay on top of Wally, both were bleeding but Shayera seemed to be losing more blood then Wally. He slid next to them and gently pulled Shayera off of Wally, whispering an apology when he heard her gasp,
" Easy, Angel…it's gonna be okay." He took off his sweater and rolled it into a pillow shape, placing it under her head. He stood up and ran to the hallway closet and pulled out a bundle of soft towels, not noticing the brown envelope that was by the roof entrance.
" Shay, can you hear me?" His mind was racing; he took a large beach towel from the bundle and pressed it to her wound to stop the bleeding.
" Damn, I'm no good at this." He had to call the others, but was reluctant to leave Shayera and Wally alone. He decided that they had a better chance if he got J'onn. He sprinted to the phone and dialed Bruce's number,
" Hey it's me, get over here NOW!" He knew that Alfred had answered but the old gentleman would understand the quick and panicked message. He moved back to his friends and placed another towel over Shayera when he saw blood seeping through the first one. He moved his hand, cursing how his green promise ring Shayera had given him for their 2nd anniversary, reflected the moonlight in his eyes.
Wally groaned as John moved a towel underneath his head,
" Easy kid. Help's on the way." He sat down between Shayera and Wally, watching both of them and placing towels on the deeper cuts. He listened to Wally's raspy breathing and noticed how it seemed labored.
' He could have a broken rib or maybe he's sick or maybe—' He scrambled to his feet when the sound of footsteps reached his ears.
" John?" Diana stepped around the door with opening it further, " By the gods…" She turned back around and whipped the door open. Calling down the stairs,
" Bruce! Get up here!" The sound of shuffling then pounding came louder as Bruce rushed up the stairs. The anger on his face vanishing along with the, " This had better…" His jaw literally dropped to the ground
" What the hell happened here?" John shook his head,
" I'm not sure, I heard Shay scream, ran up here, and the next thing I see is this," He pointed to Wally and Shay.
" How did they get in?"
" No one went past me. I know that for a fact…but," He pointed down the hallway, " Someone might've used the roof entrance." Bruce stepped past and went to scour the hallway; he came back a few tense moments later with a plain brown envelope,
" Get Shayera down to my car. I'll get Wally…Do you have any blankets?" John nodded and went back to the hallway closet, dragging two large blankets with him, handing one to Bruce and using the other to wrap Shayera up. Bruce gave Diana the envelope and asked her not to open it; he then proceeded to wrap Wally with the blanket, to protect him from the cold of the winter air,
" He's freezing." Bruce affirmed, his eyes scanning the lack of clothing Wally now had. Diana stood in the doorway and Bruce tossed her the keys,
" Get the heater going and use my phone to call J'onn." She nodded and began down the stairs, as he and John lifted the unconscious bodies of their friends,
" Who is doing this?" Bruce didn't answer; he had a sinking feeling he already knew.
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J'onn walked out of the small medical room and closed the oak door behind himself. He sighed deeply and walked down the spacious hallway to the bathroom,
" J'onn?" J'onn turned to face the voice,
" John? Are you alright?"
" How are they?" Worry was written across John Stewart's features,
" They both lost a decent amount of blood and Wally had many glass shards imbedded in his back. To save the lest, I will have to wait until the morning to see how they each turn out."
" So…you don't know?" The older man shook his head sadly,
" Not until morning." Bruce was walking down the hallway in front of the pair,
" Clark and I are going to open the envelope, Diana is in one of the guest rooms, and Alfred has prepared two more for you guys." As he said those words, the fatigue that had been creeping up on John came out in full force,
" I think I'll take that offer." He yawned and followed the carpeted hallway to the corridor of guest rooms that Bruce kept open.
" I will as well, but first I have to go back and get some more wraps, Shayera keeps bleeding through them." With that he left.
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Bruce entered the room Clark was sitting in. He picked up the large letter opener and slit an opening in the packet. Out dropped a tape recorder, a sheet of paper, and a crumpled piece of lined paper. Clark grabbed the crumpled paper and read it silently,
" It's the list of our addresses and who lives where. Alfred's even on here." He set the paper down and picked up the newer sheet,
" It's a warning," He muttered to Bruce, who was rewinding the recording,
" It says, ' we have to talk face to face. Keep ignoring me and more of your friends will be hurt. Go ahead and play the recording, so you can see how serious I am.' It's only signed the Leader."
Bruce set the recorder down and locked gazes with Clark, " Play it." The sounds on the tape were faint but they could hear most of what was being said,
" Where is Clark Kent?" The sound of sob was the only reply,
" C'mon, Wally, tell us and we'll let you go." Bruce and Clark both raised eyebrows,
" Go to hell-AHHHHHHHH!"
" Hey Rick, let him go man, he's just a kid. You've done enough, Clark'll get the message."
" Fuck you, Tyler. I still want to have fun with him."
" Maybe Tyler's right, you did enough in the boiler room."
" Don't you care that he tried to stab you Carter? We had to drag his lazy ass half way here in the snow. I want my money's worth."
" Pervert." The last words were at a whisper but Rick heard. The sound of fighting then a gun was next,
" Jesus, Rick. You killed him." The voice belong to Carter, who sounded shaken,
" You wanna join him?"
" No. No. No." Whimpering could be heard and it seemed to infuriate Rick,
" SHUT UP, WEST! GOD DAMN YOU, SHUT UP!" More shuffling and Rick's voice seemed to grow louder,
" Take him home and the Leader wants you to leave this there for his roommate to find. Kill anyone who tries to stop you."
The recording went off,
" My god." Was all Clark could muster. Bruce grabbed the recorder and threw it into a desk drawer, locking it in the process.
" We have to find their Leader and this Rick." His voice was almost a snarl.