Us Vs Them
By: Malaizjan P.J. Shultz
Watchtower
Gear was running scans on the dome in Star City. He was determined to break it open and rescue Rave and Archeron.
A Boom Tube opened and Batgirl leaped through. Max pulled off her hood and she looked drained. "Ok. I'm here. What's going on?"
"Meygan and Vincent are trapped inside this dome...from what I can tell it's made from hard light; and there's no way to break it, there has to be a generator since it's night out." Gear told his fellow techie.
"Then give me the satellites..." Max say down at the empty chair and started typing.
Gear plugged Backpack 1.0 into the main WT mainframe. "Backpack...give me the harmonics of the dome."
A series of numbers came across the screen.
"Something's not right..." Gear said.
"What dad?" Syfon asked.
"This dome...drains any energy it comes in contact with..." Gear was in his thinking mode...
"Meygan!" Billy cried out.
"What?" Max said.
"Dad's saying that it can drain ANY energy, including demon and magical...along with natural energy."
"Oh man...Meygan's literally stuck in normal mode..."
"What if this was set up just to do that?" Max asked.
"Then Meygan walked into a trap."
Gear then saw something on Max's screen. "Oh no...Static!" Richie cried.
Max looked back at the video. "Um...what's he doing?"
"Going after Ebon..."
Billy noticed something about the way his dad was still scanning the code of the dome.
"Dad..."
"Someone's using my tech designs...this has a signature that only a backpack can create." Gear said. "There's another player…"
Star City, the dome
Static stood on the outside of the dome in Star City. He watched as Ebon slithered toward him.
"Hello, Hero."
"Cut the crap Ebon. How'd you split from Hot Streak?"
"Who said we split?" Ebon said, his voice had a smart-alek tone in it.
"Then drop the dome and let's go a few rounds."
"You wish Hero."
"Then let Rave and Archeron go," Static said.
"Not my call."
"Then whose call is it?" Static wanted as much info as he could.
"Your leader should know...he's the one married to the magic girl."
"Is this about Camelot?" Static asked. Was this Master from Camelot?
"That's all you get."
"Ok then. Then I want Rave and Archeron."
"Bite me." Ebon turned his back on Static.
Virgil Sr. ran right into the dome-and screamed as his electrical abilities were drained.
"Have fun, hero; I've got a couple of wannabe heroes to catch." Ebon laughed as Static was thrown back a minute later, panting and drained.
A Boom Tube appeared a minute later and Gear hopped out and helped Static to his feet. "Dumb move, bro."
"What the heck just happened?" Static asked.
"That dome just sucked you dry. No powers for a little while."
Static was surprised, but he also knew that they had to get in there somehow. If it took this much of his energy...what did it do to Meygan?
"I need to see Nightwing... the Master is from Camelot," Static leaned onto Gear.
"Alright, bro; let's get out of here. The others are working on getting the kids out of there."
"Meygan...she must be hiding in plain sight..." Static trailed off as they walked back into the Boom Tube.
"Vincent knows this area well, I'm sure they are," Gear said.
Somewhere within the 5-block radius…
Meygan kept Vincent close to the wall as she peered around the corner. She was hurting but getting Vincent was her priority.
Now she had to get him out.
She saw that Yami was walking down the street, looking down the alleys for anyone. She took Vincent and hid behind the dumpster that was in that alley. Meygan eyed the shadow play to be sure they couldn't be seen. She was in pain. And she felt warm. But Vincent was hurt too. Just like when Slade invaded Watchtower...
Yami grinned as he spotted them. He sent out his vines at them.
Meygan swore as she realizes that Yami found them. She needed to keep her head in the game…
Vincent held his bow up as Yami's vines whipped at him.
Yami had gone under an attitude makeover and one thorny vine ripped his bow from him. A second vine headed for him.
Vincent instinctively raised his arm up to protect his face. The vine hit his arm and he winced as the thorns cut his skin. The vine ripped down his arm and was pulled back.
His arm was on fire.
As Meygan rushed forward, a black fist came out and punched her in the face. Meygan fell back and Dymond stepped into view. Meygan traded blows with Dymond and the villainess kept pace with Meygan, blow for blow. Meygan saw Vincent's bow and she ran for it, picking it up. "Archeron!" She tossed it at him.
Dymond battery-rammed her in the stomach, and both women fell to the asphalt.
Meygan covered herself with her arms as Dymond threw left and right hooks.
Her arms were bruised in just a few minutes.
Vincent leaped up, grabbed his bow and fired away with his arrows.
One arrow hit Yami, and smoke was released upon the impact. Yami coughed then he fell to his knees.
Three arrows hit Dymond but she merely shook it off. She got up off of a bruised Meygan. "You're annoying!" Dymond stalked Vincent with purpose.
Meanwhile, Yami inhaled enough of the smoke to get knocked out.
Vincent barely paused as he launched arrow after arrow at Dymond.
She kept coming.
Vincent reached for an arrow…..and found that he was fresh out.
"Crap."
Dymond saw that he was out and rushed him. A mean left hook to the jaw knocked Vincent silly onto his butt.
Another punch came at his head.
But a hand blocked it. It was glowing dark purple.
"That's my brother, you bitch." Meygan then uppercut her.
Dymond flew back into a building and crashed partly into it.
Meygan then pulled her brother up and the two ran for another safe house, bruised and bloody.
Roy went to Star City and straight to the dome.
He looked it over, checking for any holes. But there were none. He reached up to his comm; he hoped he could contact his son.
Ebon saw Red Arrow and smirked as he approached the dome with the arrogance of someone who had counted his chickens before they hatched. "You here to see Archeron die hero?"
"You wished he would." Red Arrow remarked, a smirk hidden in his mind.
"Oh he will. As soon as he shows himself!"
Red Arrow smiled. That was his son alright; always making it hard for the villains.
"Then the Master can pick Rave apart."
Roy frowned. So they were right; all this was a set up to get Meygan. "The Master might be in over his head. She's too much like her dad."
Ebon said nothing. A noise drew his attention. The villain went to check it out.
Roy waited to tap his comm. When he did, it crackled to life. "Vincent...Meygan...it's me. Where are you guys?"
Meygan limped along, with Vincent behind her, bow ready to take down whoever came their way. Yami was out of commission on a more permanent basis. The two were in rough shape. Meygan's side was hurting, and there was heat coming from the bandage. Vincent' entire left arm was bandaged, from armpit to wrist. His right hand was also bandaged but there was blood on those bandages. His right knee was also bandaged, and his quiver was once again empty of arrows.
Meygan held a hand up and looked at the small map that they had found at the last safe house. She looked around the area they were in and saw the building they wanted-an old magic shop.
She went inside the door after picking the lock. Now why did an abandoned building have a lock door was beyond her but she pulled Vincent inside and rigged the door to look locked again. Using the map, she went to the back far wall and pushed in on a book that was on a shelf.
On the side, the bookcase/wall swung open and there was a larger safe house.
Meygan pulled Vincent in and closed the wall behind them. She then flipped the switch.
The lights came on and they saw the stairs that led down into a Batcave-type area, complete with extra costumes, weapons and a lounge area.
Meygan limped her way down the stairs to the dusty fluffy couch and she plopped down.
Vincent did the same. He sat at the other end of the couch.
Neither said nothing.
"Meyg...we're screwed." He finally voiced his opinion.
"I know." Meygan felt really tired and touched her injured side. Heat rolled off of it.
Vincent looked at Meygan and went to check her injury. Meygan bounced up. "Let me see."
"I'm good. You rest. Let's see if I can contact anyone."
"Meyg..."
Meygan walked from him. She headed for the comp. "I wonder if this dinosaur even works."
"You can get any computer to work." Vincent said, hoping to break through this defense that Meygan was putting up.
Meygan stood at the comp and her vision blurred. She gripped the edge of the screen tightly and waited.
Vincent eyed the movement and moved to stand next to her. "You're sweating. You never sweat."
"Hush." Meygan slowly went to her knees and pulled open the panel.
Vincent knew that this was his chance. He grabbed her injured side and pulled the bandage off.
She cried out and pushed him away. "That shit hurts!"
Vincent saw that the injury she got from Manta's eye beams was infected. "Meygan..."
"Something's wrong, I should have healed, but..." Meygan said; then she figured it out. "Manta's beams have been magically reinforced to stop me from healing."
"Crap." Vincent said. He saw that Meygan got to her feet...and collapsed.
Roy heard his comm crackle to life. "Meygan? Vincent?"
"Dad?!"
"Vincent?! What's wrong?" Roy asked frantically.
"It's Meygan... she's got a fever."
"Wait...Meygan doesn't get sick..."
"I know. Manta's eye lasers were magically reinforced. She's resting."
"Did she tell you that?"
"Yeah; it's got to be the only reason she hasn't started healing."
"Look...I think I can get to you guys. Where are you at?"
"The safe house in the magic shop."
"Good. I'm on my way." Roy then threw down his comm. It was time to rescue his son.
Back at Watchtower…
Dick was not happy.
Static did a dumb thing but Virgil Sr. wanted to see him right away. Even though now he had no powers. Gear reassured Dick that it was just temporary.
Nightwing I stood against the wall, waiting for Virgil to start. He was flanked by Serenity and Jason. "Virge?"
"Yeah Dick…I know, dumb move. I know. But I got something out of Ebon. Serenity, this Master guy is at least as old as you. He's from Camelot."
"What?" Serenity fingered her amulet around her neck in thought. "I…It couldn't be…"
"Ser?" Dick said, looking at his wife.
"Percival…"
"Wait-wasn't he a knight?" Jason asked.
"He was…but also an apprentice to my grandfather, Merlin. He was pretty strong with fire and Earth…" Serenity looked as if she couldn't believe it. "How…he couldn't be immortal."
"Why not?" Jason asked.
"He died before the invasion by Morgan and Mordred."
"Oh." Jason felt so lost in the world of magic and junk.
"Ser…we might have to consider that he could be back…and out to get you." Dick slipped his hand into hers. He looked worried but determinedly at his wife. "I won't let him get you."
"I know."
"So…how do we deal with this…Percival?"
Back at the dome…
Roy watched for Yami at the shield and he popped open the manhole over. He waved with his hands and Artemis ran to the hole and jumped in. Roy followed, closing the sewer hole back up as he went.
Artemis and Roy slushed their way through the water as they headed for the manhole cover that opened up at the abandoned magic shop.
"You didn't have to come," Roy told Artemis.
"He's my son too. And Dick's worried about his kid."
"I don't understand why Meygan unretired herself and went after Vincent," Roy admitted.
"It's their bond." Artemis told him.
"And that's what? Kevin said that they almost died at Slade's hands when they were 12 & 13."
"True. That's when their bond was formed."
Roy paused under a manhole cover. "I think this is it." He climbed up the ladder and slowly moved the cover to check. He didn't understand this bond between Dick's oldest daughter and his only son.
Artemis waited anxiously.
"Crap, all those years in the city and sewers, can I can't remember which one is which." Roy said as he came back down.
"Wrong one?" Artemis asked.
"Off by one, not bad though."
Artemis and Roy walked side by side through the sewers.
"I...I shouldn't be asking but...do you regret what we did?" Artemis asked.
"You did it to save my life." Roy said, surprised at the question.
"I know...but..."
"Artemis...what we did...it was meant for survival. Vincent was just unexpected."
Artemis smiled.
"And you raised him. He's tough," Roy added.
"Tell that to my sister; she thinks he could be tougher," Artemis said.
"Jade's...hard on everyone."
"You don't have to tell me that, I grew up with her...remember?"
Roy chuckled. "I know. I married her..."
"Lian would have been wonderful; I'm sorry we couldn't get to her in time."
"It's ok. Areina and Vincent have more than made up the emptiness left by Lian."
"I wonder if she approves of them?" Artemis asked...just thinking out loud.
"Knowing Lian..." Roy never finished his sentence. They were at the next ladder. He went up it and checked.
They were there.
He checked for any villains, then he held up the cover as Artemis got out. Setting the cover back in place, both ran to the magic shop.
Vincent saw the door to the safe house open and he had his bow trained on it. He was about to launch his arrow when his dad called out, "Don't shoot!"
Roy and Artemis came through and closed the door behind them.
Relieved, Vincent ran to his parents and hugged them. He knew that most 18year olds didn't do that. But most didn't grow up without their dads then get him back when they were 16 either.
"Where's Meygan?" Artemis asked after her son released the hug.
Vincent looked over to the couch. "She's sleeping. But her side looks horrible."
Artemis went to the couch and kneeled next to it. She examined Meygan's side. "We have to drain the infection."
"It won't heal though." Vincent said with a sad tone in his voice.
"I think to get rid of the fever we need to." Artemis pulled her quiver from her back and pulled out a large first aid kit.
"You ok?" Roy asked Vincent.
"A few cuts and bruises but I'm good dad. They found us at the last 2 safe houses. But not this one. I don't know why."
Roy then had something dawn on him. "Ollie made this one to block all trackers, tech, bio..." His eyes met Artemis'.
"What about magic tracking?"
"That's why this didn't heal. They've been tracking you guys using her injury," Artemis reasoned. She pulled out a scalpel.
"Magic too. Zatanna reinforced it decades ago," Roy added.
Artemis cut along the sealed injury gently and milky liquid leaked from it. She put on some gloves and whispered, "Sorry," before pushing on it to release more of the infection.
Meygan cried out and sat up. Her eyes red, she saw that Red Arrow and Tigress were there and she was relieved. "You came," she whispered. Her eyes went back to normal.
Artemis pushed on it again and Meygan flinched.
"Meyg, they hit you with a magical tracker. My mom's trying to bleed out the infection," Vincent told her.
"That explains why they kept finding us."
Roy smiled. "You're really safe here. Let Artemis fix you up. Then we're out of here."
"I can't." Meygan winced as Artemis kept pushing on her injury. "That hurts!"
"I know. But it's draining." Artemis pushed her back down. "Now rest. Let me do this."
"Wait...why not sis?"
"Because the Master is going to pay for hurting you and Brian to get to me." Meygan's voice hinted at the anger she felt.
"But you can do that later," Roy urged.
"Then take Vincent out of here. I'm staying."
Roy sighed.
"But Meygan...you can leave and he'd be mad that you slipped through his fingers!" Vincent urged. "No fight."
"Then he might come after the kids."
Vincent paused...
"He did this for me...I'm his target. You and Brian were just bait, and I fell for it."
"But you didn't know," Artemis told her.
"It doesn't matter now; he's going to pay," Meygan said as her eyes were almost emitting the red color again. "And speaking of didn't know, does my dad know you two came after u-US!" She sat up again as Artemis wiped the infection from her injury.
"Stay still!" Artemis told her.
"And no. He doesn't," Roy told her.
Meygan shook her head. She felt better since Artemis started to drain the infection from her side. But it really hurt.
Artemis pressed hard on it and more came out, which she wiped away with gauze. "I need more clean bandages."
Vincent handed over his med kit. And Roy found the safe house's medical station and bought her plenty of gauze.
Meygan stayed as still as she could so Artemis could do her thing.
Roy commented," You're just like your dad."
"Thanks!" she said happily.
"That wasn't a compliment. You have NO idea how many times Wally and I had to rescue Dick from his…determination."
"So... are you gonna rescue me from mine?" she asked him.
"No, I will." Vincent chuckled out as Roy sighed in frustration.
Artemis saw that Meygan's side looked way better. She placed a clean bandage over it and sealed it. "Ok. You're going to rest up. Let's see if it heals."
Meygan sighed.
"You're not leaving here until your fever breaks." Roy folded his arms over his chest.
"Fine." But Meygan was still going after the Master...and no one was going to stop her. "Did you ever stop dad?" Meygan questioned, a smirk on her face.
"I'm not going to answer that."
Vincent knew what that answer was: no.
Meygan turned over, presenting her back...and drifted to sleep.
"She sleeping?" Roy asked his son a few minutes later.
Vincent closed his eyes for a minute and then reopened them. "Yeah. She is. Thanks mom."
Artemis stood up and tossed the used medical supplies into the nearest trash can. "Now let me see your injuries." She walked to her son and unwrapped his hand, the one with the blood on it first.
It had stopped bleeding and the cut wasn't bad.
Artemis rewrapped it, using clean bandages and then undid his left arm.
Roy whistled when he saw the jagged cut go down his arm. "That needs stitches."
"I can wait." Vincent told his dad.
"VINCENT ROLAND CROCK, you'll get that stitched up now!" Artemis told her son.
Vincent winced at his mother's tone. "Okay, okay..." There was no way to stall his mom after she used his full name.
"I can't tell whose determination he got," Roy said. He eyed the door to the safe house.
Artemis forced Vincent to sit on one of the stools as she set up her kit to fix her son. "I think it's a combination."
"You think I'm bad...you haven't seen Areina pissed off," Vincent said.
Roy eyed the monitors for a few moments before shaking his head. "I hope to never see it."
"I can tell you...if you want?" Vincent said with a smile.
"Uh, no. She's so much like her mother was. I have a good idea though."
Vincent wanted to tell anyway. "Broke Blight's jaw and arm last month."
"That I heard. You don't mess with a mom," Artemis said.
Vincent winced as the first stitch went in. "Mom, Dad...thanks for coming after us."
"We're your parents," Artemis told him.
"So...does this remind you two of anything?" Vincent asked.
Artemis blushed.
"At least it isn't cold," Roy admitted.
13 year old Meygan and 12 year old Vincent came at Slade from each side. Meygan had her boa staff as she attacked the villain.
Slade blocked each attack with a counter. He even used a quick take-down to deal with Vincent's hot-handed technique.
Meygan lasted longer, but Slade still cut her with his blades, and she backed away as Vincent would jump in for a few moments. But then he'd get swatted away.
Meygan dodged a kick and blocked the next. She elbowed Slade's damaged knee, the one she damaged years ago.
Slade howled.
"Still sensitive there." Meygan asked, a smirk on her face.
Slade swept Meygan's legs. He then swung his sword.
Meygan fell back and threw back her head to avoid the sword.
Two birdarangs struck Slade and his sword arm as she scrambled away.
Vincent got to his feet and fired his arrow.
Slade flipped back to his feet, putting weight on his good leg.
He eyed the pair. "I see you value teamwork, children."
"And we still want you gone!" Vincent cried.
"Watchtower is mine. I'll send it crashing into the White House as soon as I type in the code," Slade smiled under his mask.
Meygan looked over at the navigational panel. Then back at him. "You won't get that chance."
"I see. And the dead girl's going to do what?" Slade taunted quietly
Meygan was mad. Him being so smug, so chalant about what he did to her. He killed her.
Vincent threw himself into Slade, knocking them both over. He got in a punch to the mask and it broke in half.
The two halves fell away.
Slade threw Vincent into the wall. He landed hard, his arm bent at an impossible angle.
Slade got up and calmly straighten his clothes. "Now that the peanut gallery is done..."
Meygan stared at Vincent in shock.
Slade took 3 steps and was closer to her. "I ask again..."
Meygan didn't answer. She thought back to when she died. All that blood...
Slade took a step closer, reaching behind him ever so slowly.
Meygan remembered how her dad held her as she bleed out.
She had zoned out.
Slade counted on that.
As Slade smiled while he pulled out his gun to once again END Meygan; Vincent had gotten up and was coming up behind the mercenary quietly. The young archer thought that if he could just distract Slade enough, then Meygan would snap out of the trance she was in.
Slade aimed his gun at Meygan. He cocked it.
Meygan heard it and snapped out of her trance. She dodged the bullet and punched him as hard as she could.
Vincent got out of the way, holding his broken arm as he did so. He saw the anger in her red eyes.
"I'm not 7 anymore, Slade. I learned all your tricks."
Slade grabbed Vincent's ankle and threw him into Meygan.
Both kids went down.
Slade got up and Meygan popped up too. They glared at each other.
Then all hell broke loose.
Meygan and Slade exchanged blows, each trying to finish the other. Slade had years of experience behind his blows. Meygan had her demon-enhanced strength and anger guiding her own blows.
The two were seriously injuring the other. Understanding that she had to take Slade out, Meygan leaped up and kicked Slade on the side of the head.
Slade caught her leg and elbowed the calf.
Meygan screamed as she dropped.
Slade grabbed her by the throat and choked him.
Meygan clawed at him, trying to stop him. Her demon powers flared up around her and blasted him off of her. Meygan watched as if in a trance as her demon powers slammed Slade into the walls, floor and ceiling. She smiled as he was dropped onto the floor. She walked to him. "You killed me. I kill you. We're even."
As soon as she got close enough, Slade threw a smoke bomb into her face.
Meygan coughed and stepped back.
"You lack follow through." Then Slade attacked Meygan while she was still blinded.
Slade worked her over for 5 minutes, making her fall next to the unconscious Archeron as she couched up blood.
"Now you die...again..."
Conner rammed his shoulder into Slade, knocking him back.
Dick raced to the kids and felt a pulse from them both before letting loose on Slade.
Meygan looked over to see her dad beating the crap out of Slade. "Dad…" Her voice was a thread of sound.
Dick stopped.
Slade was out cold.
Nightwing looked back. "Meygan...you okay?"
"Dad..."
"Dad...dad..." Meygan said out loud.
Roy shushed her softly. "It's ok. You're safe, Meygan..." he whispered as Vincent and Artemis slept. He placed a hand on her shoulder and yawned. He was getting tired. He reached for the last blanket and put it on Meygan, and made sure it didn't fall off before finding a spot near the computer and let himself drift off to sleep…