Thanks to Patty and Tammy for the beta read. Y'all are the bestest!!! I hope everyone enjoys this. Char :-)
COURT MARTIAL: PART 11
Wally was asleep in his quarters. Not in his bed, but on the sofa. His head was back in an uncomfortable position. However, the soft snoring coming from his open mouth indicated he was sound asleep. A manila file folder had slid from his lap onto the sofa, the white papers inside had haphazardly snaked from the folder. A blue and black gloved hand arrested the spilling papers. Picking up the file, the midnight blue and black clad figure read Dr. Midnight's medical report on Nightwing's condition the night of Blockbuster's murder.
"You think this is going to help?"
"Huh? What? Who?" Wally jerked awake, his hand reaching for the file that was no longer on his lap.
Nightwing sat on the coffee table in front of him. "My medical file. You think it's going to help my case?"
Wally rubbed his eyes and stretched his arms above his head. "Babs thinks it will. So she's ordered me to make a list of your injuries and look at your statement and piece a time line together of when you got each --" Wally stopped mid sentence and stared at his friend. "How'd you get out of your cell?"
Nightwing shrugged. Reaching up, he pulled his mask off and dropped it on the table beside him. "Doesn't matter." He stood up and headed for the kitchenette, "Got any Zesti?"
"In the fridge," Wally managed to sputter out. "Dick, you ... you're supposed to be ... You broke out?"
"No. I just let myself out. I'll let myself back in later when we're done. I had some ideas and wanted to talk to someone about them." He pulled the blue and red can from the mini-fridge, and popped the top. He took two big swallows before walking back and plopping in the red chair. "So, come up with anything good?"
"Dick! You BROKE out!"
"No I didn't. Not technically. I didn't break anything ... exactly ... getting out and I'm going back later." He sipped his Zesti. "Besides, I was bored and I was thinking about my case. I don't have a comm in there so I couldn't call you or Babs, so I let myself out and checked the computer which said you were still here."
Wally looked at Dick dumbfounded. The holding cells on the Watch Tower were supposed to be impenetrable and escape proof. Promethium reinforced titanium vanadium doors heavily reinforced with individual forcefields. They were made to contain any type of prisoner and isolate potential threats. Yet, Dick had just let himself out like a child walking away from his corner. Wally wasn't surprised that Dick broke out, knowing Dick Grayson as long as he had ... working with him in the Titans those many years ... Wally was amazed at Dick's talent, but he wasn't surprised by his ability. Shaking his head, he smiled. "You're probably going to get both of us in trouble. So what were you thinking about?"
"Barbara," he started and then sighed. Dick took another sip from the can. "Babs reminded me of something. Tarantula killed Chief Redhorn."
"You forgot that?" Wally asked incredulously. It was not like the world's second greatest detective to forget something as important as that.
Dick shrugged. "Tarantula's not ... one of us. Never could be. I was stupid to think otherwise. Lets just say that I wasn't thinking clearly."
Wally nodded in agreement. "That's an understatement that I want to talk to you about at length later."
Dick's blue eyes glared. He knew where Wally was headed and he didn't want to follow. Decisively, he changed the subject. "Did you examine my uniform when you bagged it the night I was arrested?"
"No," Wally replied shaking his head.
"Ok, that's the first thing. I think she had a tracker on me." Dick sat the empty Zesti can on the coffee table, stood and paced a small distance. "She left her brother's apartment before me. She wasn't with me when I went to meet Amy at the Nightwing signal."
"Whoa. Back up. Nightwing signal? Dude, that is just ... wrong ... on so many levels."
Dick rolled his eyes at his friend. "May I continue please?" He grinned as Wally pretended to zip his lips. "She wouldn't have known where to find me or Blockbuster unless she had a tracker on one of us. I'm betting it was me." Wally's mouth dropped open and Dick shook his head to silence him. "I'm not proud that I let her get one on me, but I think it'll be there when you look. Just have ... someone from ... the other side look with you."
"In case they wanna say I planted it."
"Bingo."
Wally could no longer resist commenting. "I've got to have another look at your medical record. No way some street level wannabe tags a bat. It just doesn't happen. Something else had to be going on."
Dick nodded his head. " You know Wal, when I was investigating Redhorn's murder, I realized that whoever killed him had to be well trained. More so that I've been giving Tarantula credit for. She's not as much of a novice as she appears to be. There's something ... familiar ... about her fighting skills."
"Barbara said Tarantula had been in the FBI or something."
Dick nodded, "Yeah but ... it's something else. She's been trained by someone else. Someone good. The way she moved her leg into a kick, it was familiar ... like ..." He stopped talking as he thought back in his mind. "Her darts! Wally, you've got to get one of her darts and analyse it. And we gotta call Roy. I have a special job for him."
Mac Arnot walked the darkened streets of Bludhaven. He'd taken his cut from Sonny Brewer's weekly gambling take. Brewer had been one of Angel Marin's main men prior to Marin's untimely demise. Horses, betting lines and illegal casinos pulled in tons of cash. Marin's death hadn't slowed Brewer's numbers racket any, it just changed who he reported to. Brewer just reported to the top. The top had been Roland Desmond until a few nights ago when Desmond's head met with a bullet. Arnot smiled. It really couldn't have happened to a more deserving guy. The fact Nightwing had been implicated in the murder, arrested and was going to be placed on trial was just icing on the cake.
Arnot wasn't the type of man to mourn his late employer. He was more the type of man to move in and try to suck up the power vaccuum Blockbuster's death had caused. Brewer now reported to Arnot. That was good ... at least for now. He was on the look out for those trying to move up in the business. They were going to have to deal with him ... one way or another. He knew where all the interesting skeletons were buried.
He tuned the collar up on his tan trenchcoat as a strong current of wind whipped past him. There hadn't been any wind before. It wasn't supposed to be stormy tonight, but it was Bludhaven. The weather was as likely to change as quickly as city politicians. His hand went into his pocket to pull out his car keys. He jumped back into the alley as a pulsing green light came down from the sky at the mouth of the alley causing the sidewalk pavement in front of him to buckle and explode.
"What the fu--" Arnot started to speak but his breath caught in his throat as he saw the golden skinned alien float in front of the alley's exit like an avenging demon. Her long red hair fell about her in thick curls over her scantily clad shoulders. Her eyes were ... alien. Green. Totally green. No pupils, no irises, just giant pools of liquid green. Arnot could swear he saw fire escaping the corner of the she-devil's eyes. His attention next fell upon her hands. An aurora of green energy flared and pulsed. It encircled her hands as she pointed them toward him. Mac threw his hands up shielding his face. "What'dya want?"
"Information," Starfire said. Her tone conveyed her meaning. Failure to provide the information she sought would be dangerous ... and would involve a lot of physical pain.
Arnot was terrified. At the same time, he had grown used to being terrified of Blockbuster in his years of employment. A kind of immunity to the promise of ever impending death. The man threatened the people who worked for him on an hourly basis. His own version of minimum wage. He shoved his hands into the pocket of his trenchcoat and assumed a false bravado. "What'dya wanna know? I'll be happy to give you my phone number."
Starfire flew into him snarling. She slammed him into the brick building at the back of the alley before hoisting him into the air. "I am not in the mood for games. I want information. About Tarantula and Blockbuster."
"Lady, you just want some dirt to try and get the pajama boy out of trouble. Good riddance to bad rubbish."
"Bad rubbish!" Starfire growled as she released her hold on the BPD's Inspector. She smiled as she watched him fall, his scream an enchanting melody. Then she sighed and frowned. Starfire dove like a rocket for him. She grabbed him under his arms and flew back up, higher than she had been before. "Either you tell me what I want to know or this time I won't catch you. I am NOT Nightwing and I don't have the same moral ... human ... code he does. I was born a warrior on a planet of warriors and I would just as well see you splattered into unrecognizable splatches than to see you in a cell. Do. You. Understand?"
Batman tore through the apartment Catalina Flores had used to spy on Dick Grayson's Parkthorne apartment. He had already noted what he determined to be clues. There was no need for fibers, hairs or anything else. He had taken to venting pent up fury and frustration. He threw the telescope into the wall and walked through the shattered shards of glass. He was frustrated that she was not here. Not that there was any reason for her to be here, the apartment was not there anymore thanks to Blockbuster. Dick was not there for her to spy upon. He was sitting alone in a cell while she prowled his city. Batman's blood ran cold with fury. The thought of Nightwing's city left helpless to Tarantula's tender mercies and disjointed sense of justice was a frightening prospect. Even Bludhaven did not deserve her.
"You know, you might not want to shatter any clues," Catwoman said as she entered from the balcony doors.
Batman turned and muttered. "Don't tell me how to search for clues."
Catwoman rolled her eyes and perched on the edge of a chair. "Of course not. I'm sure this is what you teach all the little birds. Make the place unrecognizable." He glared before resuming his "searching" of the sparce apartment. "Surprisingly, Tarantula wasn't at her own apartment. Found anything here?"
"Yes." He turned and moved toward the apartment's one bedroom.
"May I ask what?" When she received no response, she started looking around. There wasn't much, a few chairs, some photographs strown on the counter separating the kitchen from the living area. She studied the scattered color and black and white photos. They were all of Nightwing ... of Dick ... of Bruce's son. She turned her face toward the bedroom where Batman was. Her body ached to go to him. She wanted to offer him comfort, a shoulder to lean on, but she knew he was not the type of man accept that type of comfort. Batman was full of kinetic energy. The only thing that would make him feel better would be solving this case.
Her eyes narrowed as she studied some of the photographs. She pulled some from the pile and pushed the rest to the side. "Batman!"
He stalked over from the bedroom. "What?"
She pointed to the photographs. "Those look like photos you'd take when you're casing a job."
"Yes, I saw those. I'm going to check them for --"
Catwoman shook her head. "No LOOK at them."
His black gloved hand sifted through the images of Nightwing's Bludhaven warehouse. There were depictions of every angle of the warehouse; roof top access, a close up of Dick entering his code to the building, even interior shots. It was obvious that she had been inside the facility. Without Nightwing's permission obviously.
"This was more than once or twice. You trained him better than that? How'd she get away with ALL of this?"
Batman froze. "What?"
Catwoman sighed, "How'd she get --"
Batman spoke slowly, thinking it through as he did. "His state of mind contributed after everything that was happening, but --"
She cocked her head and finished his thought, "But something else, this happened before all that."
Batman nodded. "It would seem that this person had more training than FBI or even John Law. She had help. Money from Blockbuster for sophisticated surveillance. And training from --"
Catwoman's eyes widened. "Someone that knew how he thought and what he looked for."
Batman nodded curtly. "Either Nightwing trained her or someone he trained did." He slammed the photographs on the counter. "This is where she is. She's using his base, his equipment. She wants him or to be him."
Catwoman turned to face him. "It's a good possibility." She watched him turn and head for the balcony. She followed him as he silently shot off his jump line into the night. "Why don't you join me Catwoman? Why certainly Batman," she mocked as she cracked her whip across to the neighboring building and followed him into the ebony night.
A scowl formed on Roy's face. "Do you really think that --"
Dick nodded. "Yeah. Sorry."
Roy shrugged, "Don't be, man. If ... well ... if you're right." He stopped a moment looking down before he looked back up into the viewscreen. "Someone's gonna be in for a world of hurt."
"Just be careful Roy," Dick added.
"I'm always careful."
"Oh puhlease," Wally said standing behind Dick. "You are never careful. Do I even need to remind you about that time we were fighting the Brotherhood of Evil in Boston and you --"
"OK that's enough Wally! I'll be careful! I'll be the soul of caution! Mr. Precaution signing off," Roy said with a mock salute as he closed the commuter connection between them.
Wally still stuck his tongue out at the now black monitor. "He won't be careful. He'll get himself injured just to spite us."
Dick looked up at him with a lopsided grin. "Probably. But he'll get the job done." He watched Wally nod before he stood. "Well, I better head back to my cell before the JLA realizes they're missing a prisoner."
"I'll go with you. Make sure you don't have any problems getting the codes back on once you're back in your room," Wally said with a smile as he rested his hand on his best friend's shoulder. Dick grabbed his mask and affixed it to his face before they headed out the door together.
The two friends walked the corridor toward the tubo lifts talking about anything other than the murder case against Nightwing. They were enjoying the few moments of normalcy before their world would go back to its now constant state of perpetual chaos. The moments were far to short as the turbo lift doors opened as Booster Gold and the Blue Beetle walked out to face them.
Ted Kord's mouth dropped open. "What is going on here? How did he get out?" He was pointing at Nightwing and looking accusingly at the civilian dressed Wally West. "You're helping him escape!"
Wally looked at Beetle indignantly. "I'm not helping him escape! He's not escaping! He's going back. I was just walking with him."
"How'd he get out?" The Blue Beetle asked, placing his hands on his hips.
Wally threw his arms in the air. "I dunno. He's Nightwing. He does stuff like that all the time. He always has."
"Not now he doesn't," Ted said. "He doesn't have those rights, not anymore. He lost them when he crossed that line. We don't cross that line!"
"You don't know he's guilty. That hasn't been decided. By the way, he's INNOCENT." Wally yelled.
Ted nodded, "Oh yes, nothing says innocent like an escape attempt!" He watched Wally shake his head and turn around as he often did when he was upset about something before he pushed a button causing alarms to blare throughout the Watch Tower.
Dick closed his eyes and his jaw flexed as his friend whirled back toward Kord. "Damn, man. Why'd you do that? WE WERE GOING BACK! Dick just wanted ta talk to me. That's not a crime."
Booster Gold put his hand on his friend's arm. "Overreact much? Ted, maybe ... maybe they're telling the truth."
Blue Beetle wasn't listening. "It doesn't matter, Booster." Kord jerked his arm back. "It is a crime and that's the problem. He thinks that none of the rules apply to him. Staying in his cell or not killing. That means nothing, because he's reckless and doesn't care. It's all about doing what he wants! While the rest of us struggle everyday to do the right thing. His escape is just the latest recklessness act. He doesn't care who he hurts."
Booster rolled his eyes and leaned into the wall behind Ted, crossing his arms over his chest. He mumbled as he crossed his legs. "Yeah, well at least he's not having a some kind of fit in the middle of the hall."
Ted whirled back to him. "SHUT UP Booster!"
Booster shrugged. "I guess Blue Beetle is Italian for Uptight Spaz."
Ted growled, but turned back at Dick's voice.
"I didn't escape. I didn't leave the Watch Tower. I wasn't planning on leaving the Watch Tower," Dick interjected. It was irritating being talked about as if he was not in the room.
"You're NOT in your cell. This clearly shows what you think of rules and laws." Ted turned his fury directly at Nightwing.
"It shows I needed to talk to Wally. That's all it shows!" Nightwing said moving closer to Beetle. Nightwing was mere inches from Blue Beetle "I don't have a com link in the cell to CALL him. I don't have any way to call anyone. The have telephones in the Bludhaven jail, I don't have anything."
"You're a prisoner! YOU don't get to roam the halls. You gave up that right when you KILLED someone!"
Dick looked down. That night replayed again in his mind. The image of Blockbuster when the bullet hit his skull, the skin ripping apart, hair falling, blood spurting flashed through his mind. And the sounds. The explosion from the gun, the sound of his head spiltting, and the gurgling sound that escaped his lips with his life's last breath -- a death rattle that would forever haunt him. Dick turned away from the three men in the corridor. Wally had stepped between Dick and Ted halting the Beetle's pursuit. "Okay, that's enough, Ted."
"No, Wally, it's not. I'm charging you too!" Beetle said poking Wally in the chest. Booster covered his eyes with his hand and groaned.
"Charging me with WHAT?" Wally asked incredulously.
"Aiding and abetting. You helped him to escape. You should have called to have him locked back up when he showed up. If he really just showed up and you didn't let him out."
"Oh for Pete's sake, Roy's right. You're full of shit." Flash was more than angry, he was frustrated and irritated.
"This is exactly why he's going to prison off planet."
"He's not going to prison anywhere because he's not going to be convicted of anything. He didn't do anything wrong!"
Nightwing headed down the corridor lost in thought. He was not even hearing them as they continued to argue. He was oblivious of everything except the visions replying at dizzying speeds in his mind. Oblivious until a burning green light smashing into his back slammed him face first into the cold metal wall.
TO BE CONTINUED . . .
