Chapter 5
Behind Bars
Batman strained as he tried to sit up straight. Pain seared his side and his hand shot there. Feeling slightly disoriented he looked around and saw that he was in a clear cell-type thing. Slowly and ignoring the pain, he stood up and gave the wall a good punch. Electricity shocked his body and he collapsed again.
"I tried that already. I think my arm is numb," Flash said across the hall. Batman looked around and realized that he wasn't alone. Almost everyone on the Justice League was there. Some were rousing while others just remained asleep.
"Uh, where are we?" Vixen asked.
"If I knew that, I wouldn't be disoriented," Captain Atom groaned.
"There's got to be some way out," Wonder Woman said.
"As long as you don't touch the walls, ceiling, or attempt to punch the floor, ya there's some way out," Fire said.
"So basically, we need to wait for a rescue," Aztec said.
"Don't worry, it'll come soon. Some of our team is still out there and Batgirl went to get help," Superman said.
"I wouldn't be too sure about that, Superman," said a voice. Everyone who was conscious turned to see Braniac floating towards them.
"Braniac, is this whole plot your doing?" Superman demanded.
"No, despite my incredible knowledge I could never think of something like this," Braniac said.
"So basically, you're saying that you're not as smart as you thought," Flash said.
"What about Batgirl?" Batman asked.
"First I must mention that you've been unconscious for three weeks. My drones went to hunt her down in that time, but I seem to have lost communication with them and as for the other members; our members are out hunting them right now. You have no hope and no way out," Braniac said.
"We'll figure something out!" Stargirl said.
"Raise false hopes if you wish, but your end is almost here. I'll leave you now," he said. Without waiting for a reply, Braniac floated away.
"Unconscious for three weeks?!" Flash said.
"Talk about a nap," Aztec said. Batman looked down. Batgirl might be fierce, but Batman didn't give her much hope. She was reckless and clumsy, but also very determined. He honestly doubted that she'd be able to find help with drones chasing after her.
"Kids, that's our army!" the girl said. She was an odd person to look at. Grey wings sprouted from her back and she wore yellow and black. Her green eyes pierced even as her red hair blew back gently in the breeze.
"Guys, this is Shayera. She's one of the founding members of the Justice League. Shayera, this is the Teen Titans," Batgirl said.
"It took you three weeks to find an army of kids," Shayera said.
"At least Batgirl found someone to help you. In truth, she spent three weeks recovering," Raven said.
"And you are?" asked one of the girls.
"My name is Raven. I'm also one of the original members of the Teen Titans," Raven said.
"Are you a doctor?" she asked.
"I have healing powers," Raven said.
"Good, we could use someone like that. I'm Black Canary," the girl said. The introductions were soon over. Robin introduced himself last and when he did, everyone looked at him.
"And the boy wonder returns," Question said.
"I'm not here to stay. I came at Batgirl's request," Robin said.
"Are you sure you didn't come for another reason?" Q asked. Robin flinched and turned away.
"Well, don't just stand there. Make yourself as much at home as you can," Zatana said.
"Fine, I still don't think that a team of Sidekicks will do us much, but I suppose it's a start. Just keep the Tameranean away from me," Shayera said before stalking away. All the Titans looked at Starfire, who just looked down and sat at the edge of the clearing, wishing to be alone. Raven began going around helping heal the injured while everyone else conversed with others. Melvin didn't know what to do. She was only seven years old and she had Bobby, Timmy and Teether to worry about, so she walked over to Starfire.
"Star, Bobby wanted to know if you were alright," she said. Starfire looked at the little girl and smiled weakly.
"Oh yes, everything is marvellous," she said, unconvincingly. Melvin looked at the empty space beside her where Bobby stood.
"Bobby doesn't believe you," she said.
"And neither do I," Beast Boy said, joining them. "Come on, Star. We know you better than this. Is it something to do with that Shayera?"
"She's a Thanagarian. Tamaraneans and Thanagarians have a history. Despite our mutual Gordanian enemy, we haven't always seen eye to eye. Before I came to Earth, the tensions were pretty high, but that always happens and I figured it was a calm time," Starfire said.
"I could tell you why it's not," Vigilante said. He was sitting a little ways away, but moved closer to get in on the conversation. "You said that you don't know why she's tense. A while ago, she went on a mission with me and Vixen. We met up with some of her old hawk friends and they said that Thanagar was destroyed by the Gordanians. I'm no detective, but she might think that the Tamaraneans should've offered to help."
"But why does she blame me? I haven't even heard about this and I haven't been to my home world in a few years," Star said.
"She probably thinks it's easier to blame an enemy than herself. She betrayed her people when they tried to destroy our world to save theirs," Vigilante said.
"People are strange," Melvin said.
"Come on you three, let's get you settled in for the night," Beast Boy said.
"Four, you forgot about Bobby," Melvin said.
"Right, sorry Bobby, I always forget you," BB said as he led them away. A little farther away, Robin and Speedy were talking to Green Arrow, strategizing. Arrow had pulled out a map and was outlining where they were.
"Do we know where the others are being held?" Robin asked.
"From what we can tell, they're being held in this area right here," Arrow said, pointing to a large area. "There's a new building in there that looks like the perfect defensive place to hide a few super heroes."
"Have you gotten someone inside yet?" Speedy asked.
"No, no one's in any shape to go in there and check it out and those of us that are have been watching those who aren't," Arrow said. Speedy and Robin looked at each other.
"We can get someone in," Speedy said.
"And if it is the right place, we can send a message to those heroes and tell them that help is on the way," Robin said.
"You're saying you can get someone inside?!" Arrow exclaimed.
"Actually, we could get a few people inside, but she's the one best qualified to go alone," Robin said. Arrow looked them both up and down wondering what to think about all this.
"Okay," he said with a shrug. "I'll trust you on this one, but your team member isn't going alone. She can go in on her own, but I'm having one of my members back her up."
"Fair enough, I'll send another of our members to go and back her up too," Robin said.
"Okay, but this has got to be sneaky. Meaning they can't be seen," Arrow said. "They'll start tomorrow at dawn."
"Then we should all get some rest," Speedy said. No one bothered to argue at that.
