Return Chapter 17
Two Hours after releasing Artemis and being taken captive himself.
Nightwing sat in the very same cell Artemis was held in hours previous, he could tell because there were blonde hairs on the floor. Slade had thrown him in here along with some bandages to put around the stab wound in his stomach, he knew the knife didn't do any serious damage, but it would require stitches. Standing up he looked around the cage, he'd been counting the seconds since Aqualad and Artemis left, he could be off by a couple of seconds because of the beatings he received but he knew the rest of his plan would begin soon.
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Robin, Tigress, Kid Flash, and Guardian all landed on top of the roof with a quiet thud.
"Savage, and Ra's just left the building the only guards are going to be Slade, and some soldiers. Team Alpha you gain access from the roof, team gamma you gain access from the back, and Beta you gain access from the front, understood?" Batgirl said over their earpieces.
"Understood team Alpha out" Tigress said pressing the off button on her ear piece. "Robin and I will go down the air vents on the north side, Kid Flash, Guardian you go down on the south side, clear every room, and we'll meet by the main staircase in ten minutes" Tigress said.
Kid Flash grinned pulling his googles down "So crash" he said sprinting over to the air vent to start undoing the screws.
Guardian nodded "See you in ten" he said going to help Kid Flash.
Tigress moved towards her own air vent where Robin already had the air vent off and was grinning at her "Easy as pie" he said.
Tigress rolled her eyes but followed after him anyways "I always hated air vents" she muttered.
"Because of your fight with the Reds?" Robin asked.
"How do you know about that?" Tigress asked.
"Nightwing told me, he told me about all of his old missions as the original Robin" Robin said.
"Figures" she muttered "Yes some of it has to do with the Reds, but I hated them before then to, they always made me feel so claustrophobic, plus I don't exactly trust them to hold my weight" Tigress said.
Robin smirked "Makes sense but I'm sure you'll do better than Superboy or Wondergirl would in here".
"Which is exactly why Batgirl sent us in here" Tigress said right as they reached the end of the air vent. Quietly pushing it open the two climbed out and into the hallway.
Tigress had spent enough time with a bat to know how to work with one, and over the past year she and Robin had gone on a lot of missions together, so they both understood each other. Using hand signals the two of them moved through the hallways clearing each room and quietly taking out the soldiers inside them. Ten minutes later they meet with Kid Flash and Guardian at the main stairwell.
"Took you guys forever, I've been waiting for like 9 minutes" Kid Flash said with a grin.
"Not all of us have super speed KF" Robin said.
"No time to argue boys, right now we need to get to the ground floor, meet with the others and then move to the basement, where their most likely holding Nightwing" Tigress said with a stern voice.
The three boys nodded following her down the stairs. Tigress and Kid Flash were just reaching for last stair when Tigress and Robin both felt it "Move" they both yelled causing Kid Flash to speed off and Guardian to duck as they both ducked and rolled down the stairs landing in crouching positions right as several knives flew over their heads.
Tigress looked up just in time to see a guy running at her. Pulling out her sword Tigress stood up right as he jumped at her; quickly stepping to the side she hit in the back with the flat of her sword knocking him face first to the ground. Turning around she dropped into a crouch using her right leg to sweep the guy behind her legs out from underneath him, sending him crashing to the ground. Looking around she saw Robin flipping around the bad guys hitting him with his Bo staff, while Guardian smacked people in the face with his armor, and Kid Flash ran around countless people hitting their weak spots.
Spinning around Tigress barely avoided a hit to the face, using her elbow she hit the guy in the face, as he hunched over she lifted her leg kneeing him in the stomach, pushing him forward she quickly moved to help Guardian who was trying to fight four guys at once. Tossing one of her bolas she managed to trap two guys in one net. Using them as a lift point she jumped off their bodies sending a round house kick to another guy right as Guardian knocked one out with a hit to the back of the head.
"Ah we missed all the good stuff" Beast Boy said converting back to normal from his green Tiger shape.
"Don't worry Beast Boy there'll be more" M'gann said from behind him, as Bumblebee, Lagoon Boy and Wondergirl came in from the back of the building. While Superboy, Aqualad, and Blue Beetle came in from the front entrance.
"Alright team we'll all be heading into the basement, Beast Boy, Bumblebee I want you to go in first unnoticed and tell us exactly what is happening down there" Aqualad said.
Beast Boy and Bumblebee nodded before both shape shifting and taking off, seconds later Bumblebee's voice came over their ear pieces "Slade is nowhere to be seen, there's forty soldier" she said.
Right as she finished Beast Boy's voice rang in their ears "Nightwing's in a cell off the main room in the basement, with ten guards, I don't see Slade anywhere" he said.
"Okay, you two stay where you are. Team Alpha you're going for Nightwing but keep an eye open for Slade I'm sure he's there close to Nightwing, Team Gamma and Team Beta we'll be going in first to take out the soldiers while Team Alpha goes for Nightwing" Aqualad said.
Everyone nodded their heads in agreement "Alright let's move then" Aqualad said pulling out his water bearers and heading towards the basement. Tigress, Robin, Kid Flash, and Guardian followed after them Kid Flash running ahead to tell them exact positions of the guards around Nightwing.
Tigress and Robin stood on either side of the entrance at the same time throwing in smoke bombs and explosive pellets. Kid Flash ran in first Guardian behind him Tigress and Robin went in next right as the smoke started clearing, kicking a guy in the chest Robin went straight for Nightwing's cell, where Nightwing sat against the wall watching the fight break out with a smirk.
"Ready to go?" Robin asked as he pulled out a small bomb from his utility belt.
"That would be great" Nightwing said. As Robin worked to place the bomb on the cell door, but his eyes quickly left the young Robin and drifted towards Tigress who was currently working with Kid Flash to finish off the remaining guards. It felt weird to see Impulse now wearing the Kid Flash costume, especially seeing him working with Tigress.
"One, two, three" Robin said pressing the detonator bringing Nightwing's attention back to the bomb. Turning his body he shielded himself from the flying debris. Before he could fully turn around he was tackled into a hug, seeing the flash of blonde hair he immediately wrapped his arms around Tigress.
"As much as I hate to break this incredibly cute moment up, we really do need to get going" Robin said from the doorway.
"He's right Tigress, we really do need to go" Nightwing whispered in her ear.
Taking a deep breath Tigress pulled away from him "Don't you dare do that, ever again" Tigress said to him.
Nightwing smiled "I'm not making any promises".
Tigress glared at him as she helped him up "I hate you on so many levels right now".
"I figured as much. But we can discuss that when we get back to the watchtower" Nightwing said as he moved towards the others.
Clapping Robin on the shoulder he asked "Where's the League?"
"They're all close by, figured they'd give us a shot at it before they came storming in" Robin said "Which is why we should hurry up and get out of here".
"It's all clear down here guys, but we really need to get out now" Superboy said coming into the room.
"Alright let's go" Nightwing said following after Guardian and Superboy, Tigress quickly behind them.
A couple of the members were still down in the basement while the rest were upstairs guarding the exits.
Aqualad came up to them "Ready to go my friend?"
Nightwing smiled "Most diffidently".
"Let's go then" Aqualad said moving towards the stairs with everyone following after him.
They made it out on the grounds just fine and heading towards Batgirl and a waiting bioship when Slade and other soldiers appeared.
"And where exactly do you think you're going?" Slade asked looking at Nightwing.
But before Nightwing or Tigress could respond Batman along with every other member of the League showed up "He's going with me" Batman said stepping closer to Slade "Tigress, Robin, get Nightwing on the bioship. I'll handle this" Batman said his eyes never leaving Slade's figure.
"No.." Nightwing started to say but Tigress shushed him pushing him towards the bioship, Robin behind them his eyes trained on his mentor. The three of them were twenty feet from the bioship when the fighting started, the League and the Young Justice team attacked as one, Batman going straight for Slade.
By the time Nightwing, Tigress, and Robin made it to the bioship Barbara was already there waiting for them "Come on I have all the medical stuff prepared, we need to get those wounds cleaned before they get infected" she said grabbing her best friends arm and almost dragging him onto the ship. Tigress and Robin stayed by the bioship doors just encase Slade or any of the soldiers decided to try and get on the ship. The soldiers were easily taken down by the joint efforts of the League and the Team, Slade and Batman were still viciously fighting but neither had an advantage.
It wasn't until Slade had managed to kick Batman in the chest making him unbalanced that he was able to run into the woods, disappearing from sight.
"Do you want us to go after him?" Superman asked landing next to Batman.
Batman shook his head "No, let's get out of here" he said stalking off towards the bioship. "Where's Nightwing?" Batman asked Robin who was sitting next to Wondergirl, their hands intertwined.
"He's in the back with Tigress" Robin said with a smirk.
Nodding his head Batman decided to leave his oldest bat alone until they got back to the tower, instead letting him reunite with the woman he obviously cared very deeply about.
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"You are never allowed to do that again" Artemis said her mask now sitting on the bench next to her.
Nightwing just smiled pulling her tighter into his chest "I will, I will most diffidently do it again if I have to. You mean so much more to me than anything else Artemis and you being taken was because of a plan that I created, that I set up, you were taken and held hostage because of me. And if that ever happens again I will most diffidently turn myself in to save you" he said turning to look her in the eye as he took off his mask "I can't stand seeing you hurt knowing I was the cause of it. Because I…..I love you Artemis" he said softly, staring at a wide eyed completely shocked Artemis.