Disclaimer: I don't own the Justice League.
A/N: Hi, again. update! my brain flat lined that's why it took so long. I was struggling with the Justice League; personally I think that not everything goes smoothly when people join a group. Personalities clash, its human. Nightwing and Batman are new and the old guys aren't comfortable about it. So, I hope I've done you guy's justice and not screwed this story up. A little nervous about this chapter. But like always-enjoy!
The Last Crusade-5
Dick knocked on the front door of the Wayne mansion stuffing his hands in his pockets as he waited for the door to be answered. After a moment he knocked on it again.
"Alfred it's me Dick." he called.
Frowning, he turned the knob entering the hallway. Shutting the door behind him he looked in the dining room, living room, study, and the kitchen.
"Where is everybody?" Dick said to himself.
He walked over to where the grand piano sat playing the notes he entered the chamber leading down to the bat cave. Sighing in relief he saw the butler sitting at the computer, stuffing his hands once more in his pockets, he joined the older man.
"So here's where you're hiding. Not that it's surprising this place is pretty sweet. Where's Bruce anyway?" the younger man asked as he glanced around him.
"That is what I am trying to find out. It seems master Wayne has failed to show up this morning." Alfred explained.
Concern crossed over Dicks face. "You think something bad has happened?"
"I have tracked his bike it was over turned not far from here since then I have been trying to locate his whereabouts." the butler replied.
"I'll go to Watch Tower see if they have heard anything." Dick offered.
"I have already taken the liberty of contacting them it also seems one of their own is missing as well."
"Who?"
"Master Kent."
Dick concern deepened. "Superman. Are you sure?"
"Both Master Kent and Master Wayne have been absent approximately the same time."
"How am I the only one who doesn't know about this, never mind, listen, I'm going to Watch Tower. Don't worry Alfred we'll find them." Dick concluded as he hurriedly left the mansion.
Kara paced the floor of the vast fortress, her brain couldn't shut off. It wasn't like Kal'l to go off and not say anything to her, she didn't trust Batman, but even he wouldn't stoop so low to hurt her cousin. She sighed rubbing her arms in worry as she forced herself to relax and focus on finding her only family member. She zipped out of the fortress and appeared in front of the entrance of Watch Tower nearly knocking over Dick.
"Nightwing, I'm sorry I was in a hurry." she explained casting down her eyes.
"Huh, I can see that, I take it your fretting about Superman."
"I just don't understand it he said he was going to talk to Bruce than he would be right back." she replied
"Bruce dropped off the map too. C'mon maybe someone here has learned something."
As soon as the two heroes' entered the main area Dick was met with an onslaught of death glares and a Hawkman gripping him by the front of his shirt. With barely an inch to separate the two individuals Dick was left to defend himself from the winged hero.
"You have a lot of gulls showing up here." Hawkman seethed.
"I'd back away if I were you." Dick threatened.
"You are in no position to make threats boy. Your Batman's right hand man who's to say you weren't in on the plan?"
"If you would get your thick skull out of the clouds you would know that when it comes to Bruce there is no such thing as a plan. Now get your filthy hands off me before I rip them off." Greyson shot back shoving the other man's hands off his collar.
Hawkman let out a growl making a move to hit the vigilante but was stopped by a strong hand.
"Enough, petty violence isn't going to help us find our friends." Diana ordered.
Hawkman drew back reluctantly he crossed his arms across his chest collecting himself. The beautiful Amazon turned to Dick who stood defiantly in his spot.
"You don't need to prove yourself to us. However, Hawkman is right you know Bruce better than all of us and-"
"You have got to be joking, I have worked with Bruce my entire teenage life up to now and I still don't know the guy. In case you haven't noticed Bruce isn't one to talk about feelings and all the soft touchy stuff, the only person who truly understands Bruce is Alfred and when he worries that's when I worry." Dick bluntly put.
"Why did you come here? Other than to place blame?" Flash asked.
Dick turned his attention to the speedster. "For your information pansy I came to see if you had info since we have zilch other than his bike."
"What about his bike?" Kara asked
"Alfred said that he found his bike not far from the Bat cave."
"Show me." Kara ordered.
"Kara I don't think-" Green Arrow said as he joined in the conversation.
"No! I don't want to here it. My cousin is gone and there is only two people who are capable of making him just disappear. Himself or Lex Luthor so either you are going to help me or sit and whine about who isn't getting along." she spat out.
Dick walked over to the computer. "If I know Alfred he would have sent you a layout of the bat cave and parts of the surrounding area….there see he even left a bread crump of where he found the bike. East entrance a few clicks north after that."
The young kryptonian in a blink of an eye left watch tower catching Nightwing off guard. He looked at Diana.
"Do kryptonian's have a habit of just leaving before making a final decision?"
"I think it's a genetic trait more than anything else. Let's go John, Oliver you're with me. Flash stay here and keep us informed of anything else that might show up." she commanded as the rest of them left the room.
Kara stepped onto the deserted road scanning the brush around her. She furrowed her brow this was like searching a needle in a hay stack in fact she didn't even know what she was looking for. Her sharp eye caught sight of the skid marks where the bike had been she knelt down closer looking at the path of the tracks. Just then Diana touched the ground beside her.
"You found something." she noted as the girl rose to her feet.
"He either avoided hitting something or something made him lose control." she said pointing at the skid marks.
Diana looked around. "I don't see any other evidence of someone else being here."
"Maybe he had bike trouble." Green Arrow replied as he and green Lantern arrived on the seen.
"That's not like Bruce he's not careless." Dick said as he pushed past the master archer.
Oliver crossed his arms. "Ok, hot shot what ideas do you have?"
"The accurate kind." Dick answered as he looked high into the trees.
John caught something with his eye walking over to the ditch he picked up a small black case. "I found something." he announced holding it in the air.
"What is it?" Diana asked coming beside him followed by Kara.
John lifted the tiny latch opening the case to reveal a syringe and a small bottle. "It's empty. We should bring it back to Watch tower and analyze it more closely."
"Good idea." Kara agreed.
Oliver joined the group. "I really don't like that guy."
"Suck it up. Superman is missing, it's not his fault and he has as much rights to be here as any of us." Diana bluntly put.
"Hey, for the record my feelings have been hurt so many times I'm used to it. However, this may all sway your opinion in another direction." Dick said as he held a small tape in his hand.
"Where'd did you find that?" John asked flabbergasted
He threw a thumb in the direction of the tall oak tree. "Private property not far from here and I figured it had a surveillance cam somewhere around there."
"I find that just a little convenient." John replied suspiciously
Dick gave a knowing smile. "Batman and I patrolled this place years ago, this used to be a drug dealing out post. We set up a cam to watch for any crime activity, I would have forgotten all about it if I hadn't seen the wire."
"Right." Green Arrow answered not convinced.
Dick glared at him. "You know what I don't care if you think Batman and I aren't perfect, but we do are part and we deserve just a little respect. So, let's take your finding and I'll take mine and we'll report back to one another later. Oh, and I'm not asking."
The Justice league watched as the vigilante left leaving them to go their separate ways.
The rain had slowed to a drizzle the rushing water flooded his sharp hearing as his eyes slowly opened. His mind was murky his limbs felt incredibly weak he looked up at the sky above him in a daze. Silence. He couldn't hear anything else except his own breathing and the water lapping against the river bed. He closed his eyes again. As he listened to his own heart beat thump, thump, thump, thump, soothing he smiled weakly at least he knew he was alive. Then he heard it a familiar beat that barely matched his own forcing his eyes to open he concentrated on the much slower rhythm thump…thump….thump. He slowly turned his head where he thought the sound was coming from. It was too dark to know what it was and a good part of him didn't care, he just wanted to sleep, to rest awhile longer was all he wanted.
Bruce clung to a rock his face was completely exposed his cowl lost to the depths of the water. Every muscle in his body screamed in pain, every bone protesting, the wounds cried for mercy as he willed for the last bit of his strength to carry him to safety. He choked on the blood as it traveled up his oesophagus to fill his mouth only to spill over his bruised lips to join the churning water below. He bit back a scream as he pulled himself up but his broken and battered body was his adversary and he soon felt himself slipping off the rock along with his consciousness. The water engulfed him, inviting him to a watery grave and he would have gladly accepted it if he had his way, but a hand wrapped around his wrist and he suddenly was gasping. His feet found solid ground even though he wanted to give up and collapse right then and there, a thought crossed his mind that quickly changed his point of you. Only one person could save him from that spot without being swept away, summoning what strength he had he spun around intending to afflict damage but collapsed into the strong arms that only moments before beat him to a bloody pulp.
Clark wasn't prepared for the sudden aggression from the vigilante but worry took over as the other man lay
limp in his arms. Who could have done this to him? The man's heart rate was erratic now a dangerous sign he had to get him to safety and help. He lifted Bruce in a secure embrace, cradling him to his chest he shot up into the air praying that the man in his arms can survive the night.
Martha Kent and Jonathan Kent sat in the country home living room. Her reading a book while he went over some finances, it was close to midnight and neither expected any one to show up.
"Well, I think it's time to go to bed my dear." Jonathan announced as he rose from the table stretching his back as he did so. She smiled closing her book. "I think that's a good idea."
They older couple joined in the middle of the room embracing each other when a loud bang startled them both.
"What the dickens-" the farmer said as he headed for the door followed by Martha.
She worriedly looked at her husband. "The dogs not barking. Be careful Jonathan."
"Just stay behind me." he coaxed as he picked up his shot gun as thudding sounds continued.
Gripping the gun tightly in his right hand he turned the door knob with the other. Swallowing hard he flung open the door pointing the head of the gun at the intruder. Martha gasped in shock as Jonathan quickly put down his gun also stunned.
Clark stood in front of the couple barely holding himself up let alone the other man draped in his arms.
"…Help."
A/N: … I really don't know what to say.
Kindred Spirit.
Thanks for reading!
