Hey guys, I apologize for the wait. I've hit a little writer's block, but it's all good. Anyway, you guys know italics is personal thought and bold italics is electronic communication. I do not own DC Comics or any of their characters. Please excuse any mistakes I may have made. Thanks to those who reviewed last chapter, please do so again. Thanks for reading and enjoy!
Last Time:
Batman guided the Batwing towards the major Cadmus base. He contacted the others to tell them they were getting into position. Once the bats were on top of the Cadmus building and the Batwing was safely tucked away, the plan commenced. The three bats made their way into the Cadmus building through the vents. The two older bats trusted the younger to guide them through Cadmus. They made their way through Cadmus. Batman in front, Robin in the middle, and Red Hood taking up the back. Batgirl was with Wonder Woman and Supergirl. Robin led them to the database room. When they opened the door, what greeted them inside was shocking.
The bats were expecting databases, computers, people working the computers. That, however, was not what waited for them in the room. Inside the room stood a g-nome, not the small ones that controlled Superboy, but the medium sized ones. It was still concentrating on whatever it was doing. It's eyes were glowing the same blue as Richards. Red Hood broke the silence.
"Shit. Now what?" He cursed.
"We take the g-nome." Robin replied.
"Take it?!" Red Hood exclaimed.
He raised his gun.
"Killing it will be easier, solve all our problems." He said.
Batman shoved his arm down but a shot was squeezed off. It tore through the gnomes leg. The creature let out a pained shriek, eyes dimming but then strengthening again. It layed still.
"Great, now we have to carry it! Why did you stop me?!" Red Hood growled.
"We don't know how that could affect Nightwing. Cutting off a mental connection abruptly could cause damage to the minds connected." Batman explained.
Red Hood huffed, knowing Batman was right.
"Uh, guys, we don't have to carry it. Look." Robin pointed at the gnomes leg.
The bullet hole, clean through, was closing, not quickly but not slowly either.
"That's all kind of weird." Red Hood said, slightly distrubed.
Hearing guards, the bats left the room with the g-nome, leading it by the arm. Backtracking, they ran into a few guards. Batman quickly took them down. Robin was leading them and Red Hood had the g-nome. The neared the exit when the gnome finally reacted to their presence. It stopped and caused Red Hood to jerk forwards. The vigilante pulled at the gnomes arm, but the creature wouldn't budge.
"Great." He growled as he pulled harder.
Deciding not to play nice, Red Hood slung the g-nome over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. Following the other two bats, Red Hood sprinted outside. The gnome hadn't struggled when Red Hood had picked it up like a sack of potatoes. Why the creature decided to let out an ear piercing screech into his ear, Red Hood wasn't sure, but it did. The screech caused Red Hood to gracelessly drop the gnome onto the ground, where it continued to scream. Batman, Robin, and Red Hood put their hands to their ears in an effort to block out the sound. In their panic and confusion, they allowed themselves to be surrounded by varying gnomes and a bunch of guards.
Superman wasn't sure why he felt his lab was too easy. Sure, he hadn't found any suspicious components, but he was in Canada. Canadians always seemed calm and good; it wasn't surprising really. I sure am stereotyping. He and Superboy had split up. Superman did a last sweep for anything suspicious before going to find Superboy. The Cadmus building was much larger than expected. Most of the guards had no problem letting Superman have a look around. Something he wasn't used to. He was pretty sure no illegal activities were going on in this facility, but he wasn't Batman. So he contacted Superboy.
"Superboy, come in." He said.
"Here." Came the reply.
"Let's meet up at the main guards' office." Superman said.
"Okay." Superboy simply said.
He's so...robotic. Superman knew the boy hadn't quite grasped conversation but the one word answers got annoying. Dropping the train of thought, he flew to the main guards' office. Superboy leaned on the wall with crossed arms. He noticed Superman approaching.
"I've got nothing." He said.
"Me neither." Superman replied.
"Odd isn't it?" Superboy asked quietly.
Superman nodded.
"Very."
"One more sweep?" Superboy asked.
"Let's not split up." Superman agreed.
The two supers began their third sweep of the building. Circling back to the guards' office, they noticed the lack of people. They exchanged a look and put themselves on alert. Walking down a corridor, they didn't see the lead casing hiding a medium sized kryptonite stone in the ceiling. The casing opened and the green light of kryptonite enlightened the two Kryptonians. They collapsed and struggled. Superman was aware of the quiet footsteps approaching. The figure bent down and an owl like mask met his gaze.
"Hello, Superman. You're going to be very helpful to us. For once." The Talon said with a smirking tone.
"N... No." Superboy began to get up.
The Talon tsked and stomped on Superboy's back.
"You're not going anywhere." The Talon growled and removed his foot.
Superboy stilled tried. Superman's vision was going black at the edges. The Talon sighed and stomped on Superboy again.
"What's with you heroes and always insisting on making things more difficult than they have to be? Just stay down. I don't want to deal with resistance. I'm simply here to take you when you pass out." Talon growled again.
The Talon began stomping on Superboy's face as he began his last sentence. Superboy stilled, unconscious.
"That's more like it." The Talon said.
He looked at Superman and walked over. Superman's comlink buzzed to life.
"Batman to Superman. To anyone." Batman said.
Behind Batman's voice, the sound of battle rang through.
"Red Hood to anyone! Robin's hurt and we're surrounded, up to our necks in gnomes and guards!" Red Hood said desperately.
"Aw, can't help your fellow heroes." He laughed, "Your turn."
Superman made a last look at Superboy before the Talon knocked him out.
Great surrounded and my ear drum's busted. Red Hood armed himself with his guns and aimed them into the surrounding crowd. I don't care if I kill someone. Batman drew batarangs as did Robin. Red Hood fired a shot and hell broke loose. The bullet hit a gnome and killed it. A flood of gnomes attacked the three as did the guards, with guns. Dodging bullets and claws wasn't easy, especially a large number of both. Bullets were flying everywhere, some of them were his own. The gnomes were lunging at them. Red Hood had to switch between shooting and hand-to-hand combat like Bruce Wayne did girlfriends. Red Hood was waiting until one of them got hurt. He didn't have to wait long as Robin let out a yelp as a claw sunk into his thigh. Red Hood sprinted over with Batman's cover. He jumped and kicked the gnome away from the youngest bat. Red Hood heard Batman on the comlink calling for anyone. Knowing Bruce was prideful, Red Hood took over.
"Red Hood to anyone!" He knew he sounded desperate, "Robin's hurt and we're surrounded, up to our necks in gnomes and guards!"
To his surprised, Superman didn't answer. Green Lantern, Dr. Fate, and the Martians did. They replied they were on their way. Dr. Fate appeared out of a golden, glowing ankh and joined the battle. Green Lantern arrived with him and formed a protective bubble around Robin. With a shout to Batman, he took the youngest to the Batwing. Red Hood and Batman fell into their partnered fighting and took down half of the crowd. Dr. Fate and Green Lantern assisted with the other half. Soon, the bats were on their way back to the Mountain with the gnome. Upon arrival, most of the League and Team were waiting in the hangar for them. Each team hadn't found anything illegal or they found it but stopped it. It seemed only the bats were lucky. No one failed to notice the two missing members.
"Has anyone heard from Superman and Superboy?" Batman asked as he lead the gnome to where Richard was.
Behind him Robin and Red Hood were bickering. The younger refusing to be carried while the older didn't give him much of a choice and picked him up bridal style.
"I'm not Connor, but you're just going to have to deal." Red Hood growled.
"What does that mean?!" Robin exclaimed and increased his efforts.
"No. We hoped they were already here or were helping you." Wonder Woman answered Batman.
"Haven't heard from them either." Batman said, ignoring his bickering sons as they passed.
The gnomes eyes stopped glowing and it processed its new environment. It attempted to run away and escape but Miss Martian telekinetically levitated it to a holding cell. Batman nodded to her and went to tend to his sons. Richard met him in the doorway. The detective looked depressed.
"Why am I here?" He asked quietly.
"I'll explain later." Batman said as he went over the examining table were Robin and Red Hood were.
Martian Manhunter came in and, with Batman's okay, tended to Robins wound. The few deep punctures needed stitches. Red Hood walked over the Nightwing. He put a hand on the detective's shoulder.
"We're going to figure this all out. Just you watch." Red Hood said, determined.
It was then that Aqualad rushed in.
"You need to see this. Now."