Too Late
February 8th , 2014.
Gotham City
The weather was cold. Very cold. The river had frozen solid. Well, almost. Neither Nightwing or Batigrl went down by the docks anymore. They couldn't save the poor people being forced out onto the ice. They were all the hope Gotham had of survival. So, they stayed away. Doing what little they could.
And they hated it.
"It has to be Bane, or one of the three mercenaries that are always following him."
Nightwing nodded in agreement. They were hiding in the shadows. Not that they had to. It was freezing. Nobody was out. Not anyone they could see anyway.
"It can only be. The question is how we can obtain the trigger from them. Bane is too dangerous to get near for either of us, and his henchmen are no joke either. And we can't risk them setting of the bomb.."
Nightwing turned his attention to Batgirl. "How is commissioner Gordon's work on freeing the trapped police men coming along?"
A tense look passed her face. "Closer. They are checking each and every entrance to make sure they can get out securely. It's tricky though. You know Bane has posted mercenaries almost everywhere. Not to mention that the ordinary citizens are helping Bane too, in exchange for food and medical supplies. It's sick how he can manipulate them."
"It's not their fault." Nightwing muttered, standing up. He knew the citizens of Gotham was getting more and more desperate for each passing day. Food was hard to come by, and medicine almost impossible. No, they couldn't blame the citizens for trying to protect and help their friends and family.
"Come on, Bane isn't coming tonight. And it's getting late. We need to get back, get some rest."
"Not to mention warmth." Batgirl muttered, following Nightwing off the roof.
oOo
February 10th , 2014.
Somewhere over Qurac.
"Can anyone please tell me why we aren't doing anything?" Wally asked.
"We are looking for Batman, as instructed. What else do you want to do?" asked M'gann from the control pad of the bioship. Wally leaned back, grumbling.
"I don't no, maybe help Robin? We've been looking for Batman in almost four months and we haven't even gotten close to locating him."
"We have our orders." M'gann offered Wally a comforting smile. "I'm sorry Wally, but this is all we can do right now. We all want to help Robin. We have to keep searching to help him and Gotham. And considering Queen Bee's alliance to the Light and by so the League of Shadows, we need to search this area. The league haven't been able to search this region because of the UN agreement with queen Bee."
"And since we doesn't really exist, we can search it, I get it.." Wally sighed, looking out of the window. "It just feels like a waste of time."
"Why?" asked Cassie, popping op besides the speedster, who jumped in surprise.
"It's hard to locate Batman." Artemis supplied.
"It's impossible to locate Batman!" Wally cut in. "If not, we would've found him by now!"
"We'll search for a few more hours, then head back to the Cave. Garfield have been in the company of uncle J'ohnn all day – he is most likely going crazy by now."
"Why didn't we bring him again?" asked Cassie, turning her attention to M'gann.
Her eyes grew sad. "It's only been a few years since his mother was killed by Queen Bee. Being back in Quraq and Bialya would've upset him greatly."
Cassie nodded, turning her attention to the scenery. "I would sure like to stretch my legs." she sighed.
"You stay here. We need to maintain our cover." Artemis added with a smirk, causing the others to smile and Cassie to blush.
"I'm not the stealthiest, I know that. " she answered sheepishly, smiling. Cassie turned her attention to the scenery once again. "Are we above Bialya now?"
"Affirmative. Keep you eyes open everybody."
They sat in silence the next half hour, scouting for anything suspicious.
"Hey." Conner suddenly said, drawing the attention of the others.
"What is it? Do you see anything?" Wally was beside the clone half a second later.
"What is that?" Conner pointed towards the ground. They all turned their attention to the ground.
They were flying across the dessert. They hadn't seen water or plants for hours. Which is why what they saw was so confusing.
"Oh god, what are they doing out in that heat! We got to help them!" Artemis said, looking at M'gann.
"I don't know, we don't know who they are and.."
"Never mind that, we got to get them out of the dessert! They aren't bedouins, they are going to die if we don't help!"
After receiving approving nods from the others M'gann nodded in response, and ordered the bioship to land.
As they exited the bioship each of the team members regarded the unknown people with suspicion and worry. They looked awful. Dehydrated. Dirty. Sunburnt.
And, strangely enough, happy.
An older looking man staggered forward, offering the young heroes a small smile.
"Hello young ones. How may we help you?"
"Actually, we was wondering if you needed help." Artemis looked around. The sun was burning and the wind was dry.
"What are you doing out here, in the middle of the desert."
"Walking. To our freedom." the old man answered, still smiling. The Team exchanged looks. This was getting weird.
"But, the sun is burning. Aren't you thirsty? And hungry?" asked Miss Martian.
"Oh very. But it doesn't matter if we die out here. At least we'll die in freedom."
"Freedom? What, you've escaped from a prison or something?" asked Kid Flash, as he handed out water bottles to the rest.
A dark look crossed the mans eyes. "A prison yes. But no prison you've ever known boy."
The Team exchanged looks. "So, you are escaped criminals?" asked Superboy
"Not unless helping the poor, and fighting of rampaging soldiers are crimes for that was all we ever did."
"And that's why you are wandering? Where are you going now?" asked Miss Martian.
"We are heading for the ocean for now, and then we'll decide what to do. If we make it that is." the older man looked around. "I wouldn't mind dying in the sun. Not after such a long time in darkness."
"How long have you been imprisoned?" asked Superboy.
"Me? Oh, around fifteen years give or take. Some of the others have been down there much longer. This old bloke, he'd been down there for almost fifty years."
"Where is he?" asked Artemis looking around. "I don't see anyone who fits that age description?"
"He died a few miles back." the old man smiled. "Died, in the sun. Smiling. He hadn't thought he'd ever get that chance."
"Why didn't you escape before?"
"It was impossible. No one has ever escaped that place. Until he came. He escaped, and he freed us."
"No guards?"
The man laughed. "That place doesn't need guards. It's impossible to escape from, I just told you so!" He gladly accepted the bread handed to him by Miss Martian. "Thank you kindly young lady."
They watched him and the others eat for a few minutes.
"So, you said somebody helped you escape?"
"Oh yes. Threw down a rope for us to use. The stronger ones managed to climb up and help the rest of us up. It took some time. But we all managed to escape. Though I would like to see the faces of our captors when they realize we're all gone." the man chuckled to himself, shaking his head.
"Who was he? A relative to one of you?"
"No. He was a prisoner, like us. He escaped. And was kind enough to help the rest of us."
"Who was he?"
"Oh I don't know his name. I never asked him and he never told me." the old man shook his head.
"A remarkable man. To recover from a beating like that, in such a short time."
"If it was impossible to escape from your prison, then how did he do it?" asked Superboy, frowning.
"I don't know. He's the first to have done it as far as I know. Remarkable.." the older mans eyes grew distant. The team members shared a look, and gathered a few meters away from the prisoners as they continued on eating and drinking the given food and water.
"Sure sounds odd enough to go investigate." Artemis said, folding her arms.
"Sure it's not just a waste of time? He's an old man, it could just as well being his memories playing a trick on him?" said Wonder Girl, looking unsure.
"I don't know.." Miss Martian looked back at the man. "I mean, I could check his mind. If you think that it's okay?"
The rest of the team shared a look, before giving her a reassuring nod.
Miss Martian closed her eyes, concentrating. She felt her powers reach out, and enter the mans unknowing mind.
Brief flashes of memories flashed before her eyes. She could hardly focus on them. She saw the old man get thrown down in the prison. She watched him suffer. She watched the other inmates die. Years passed quickly. Patients entered. The old man was now a doctor, filling in from the previous now blind doctor. A new prisoner, a new patient, entered the mans thoughts. The new patient was hurt, badly. He would wake up screaming in pain. 'Why don't you just.. kill me?' the old man laughed, and told his prisoner he was being paid to keep him alive. A television was turned on. 'Whatever it is they want you to see is starting soon.' Brief glimpses of a television, of a city entered her mind. She frowned, concentrating harder. She knew these images. The patient got better. 'Gotham must be allowed to die.'
'NOO!'
The strength from the memory forced Miss Martian back into her own mind. She gasped, and opened her eyes. She ran to the old man who'd finished eating. He looked up when the green girl suddenly stood in front of him. "Can I help you?"
"If I fly you to the ocean, will you show us the prison?"
oOo
February 20h , 2014.
The Pit, Bialya
The team stood on the edge of the hole. The Pit, as the old man had called it. The worst hell on Earth.
"This is terrible." Miss Martian whispered, hovering over the Pit. "Why would anyone condemn another living creature to this place?"
"Humans can be quite cruel." Kid Flash said, looking down. "It's deep. The sun can't even reach the bottom. No non meta human would be able to escape from this place."
Wonder Girl flew down, landing on one of the ledges. She measured the distance between the two ledges.
"I agree with you Kid Flash. But.. isn't it possible for some you think? With the proper motivation?"
She took a step back, resting her hand on the wall. A loud thrill caused her to bolt right back into the air as what seemed like hundreds of bats emerged from the wall and started to fly around the pit.
Wonder Girl flew right back up, landing beside her team mates.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't know they were there!"
"Don't be sorry." said Kid Flash, as he kneeled down and admired the animals. He then looked back up at Artemis. "I think we've found Batman's prison. Or rather, his former prison. Since it seems he managed to escape before we even managed to find him."
"Where do you think he now?" asked Superboy, as Kid Flash stood back up.
"It's over an week ago he escaped. Most likely he is on his way back to Gotham. Which means we are on the wrong side of the world right now."
Sorry for the wait, life's been crazy busy and the next few months aren't going to be any different. I'm going to vacation next week (to Iceland, hurray for me!), which is why I forced this chapter through my mind so you didn't lose faith in me :)
A few explanations.
It is never explained where the Pit was located. So, for the sake of the story, I decided to place is in Bialya. Queen Bee seems like the type who'd like to have a prison like that. And with her being a member of the Light, I have no doubt she would.. borrow it to the other members.
I know that in Dark Knight Rises it was Ra's al Guhl who said 'that Gotham must be allowed to die', but for the sake of the story I changed that to the dear old doctor-guy.
Also, I am aware that a bunch of ex-prisoners with a poor health wouldn't do very well in the dessert. But for the sake of the story, lets pretend it's possible for them to walk in the desert for a week with little water and food. Also, let's pretend that the city that clearly lays next to the Pit in the movie doesn't exist, okay? Great!
I'm starting to wrap this up now.