Red Arrow would have liked to say he was running, but that would have been a lie.
Boy Wonder slid down a ladder on the plane and sprinted to the older teen to help him run instead. Arrow felt tightness in his chest; and his vision was becoming worse by the minute.
Still he looked back over his shoulder and bellowed, "G.A.!"
"I'm coming!" Green Arrow sent a punch at the Shadow Thief after he deflected a blow. Even though the force field around the shadow protected him from sunlight, it did not protect him from the strains of battle.
It flew back and wiped the corner of its mouth in disgust; its eyes cold, hard, black, bottomless pits.
Green Arrow wasn't afraid though.
He attacked again- much rougher this time- and again managed to catch the thief under his arm. Then he spun him around and pinned him on the ground with the unusual sound of gas escaping.
"Listen here you dirt bag," the archer growled, nice and low into his enemy's ear. "The next time you want a fight, pick me. Don't go after kids and teenagers."
Then he nailed him in the back of the head with his knee.
"Green Arrow!"
The man looked up upon hearing Robin's call. He saw the Caped Crusader crouched beside a fallen Red Arrow.
G.A. looked one last time at the unconscious enemy on the ground, then twitched his mustache and turned and ran to Red Arrow's aid too.
"He just passed out," Robin explained once the man got there.
"That's okay; he's been through a lot," Green Arrow nodded lifting Red Arrow himself. "Head up and I'll follow."
Robin looked slightly unsure but that uncertainty passed and he nodded in return. Then he turned and swung up the hanging ladder with ease.
G.A. carefully secured Red Arrow over his shoulder before he climbed up.
He came upon Batman in the pilot seat with Boy Wonder in co-pilot.
The Dark Knight turned slightly and said, "Queen, what about your villain."
G.A. paused and looked out the front windshield and saw the Shadow Thief still knocked unconscious on the ground.
"He's not worth it; there were a whole bunch of them in the building."
Then the archer turned and carefully slid Red Arrow off his back and strapped him into a chair.
As the Bat-jet took off, the archer glanced back at the Caped Crusaders. The two didn't seem to be paying any attention to either of them.
Green Arrow turned back and crouched to his former apprentice's level. He carefully reached out and took off his mask gently.
Through the bags under the teenager's eyes, and the remnants of blood on his face, he saw the younger boy. The one underneath.
"I didn't replace you," he whispered looking upon his sleeping face. "I could never replace you."