DISCLAIMER: All recognizable characters belong to DC Comics.
CHAPTER FOUR: Nailed
.
.
The fact that it took Batman, despite knowing the access and counter codes, several minutes to decrypt the incoming transmission was a testament to the skill of the missing hacker.
"How is he so certain that it is from Robin," M'gann asked quietly from where she stood.
"The repeating numbers when someone else tries to access it," Kid Flash answered as equally hushed.
"Robin," Green Arrow paused and corrected himself, "Dick helped Batman develop the JLs encryption codes before we went public."
"Each member has his or her own series of codes which helps Watchtower filter incoming messages." The Flash said. "If someone unauthorized tries to access the communiqué, all they will be able to read is the base code."
"It will continue to repeat until the correct passwords and filters are imputed into the system." Superman nodded to where Batman worked furiously. "For a finite amount of time, however, until the signal or message is corrupted and lost."
"And Robin helped design this?" Artemis was impressed. Looking around, she could see the rest of her team were just as awed.
"When he was nine," The Flash said.
"Dead Meat." Wally had watched the dark shrouded man as intently as the others. Until that statement, when all but the Dark Knight's eyes fell onto him.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Superboy snarled at the speedster.
"Dick and I text back and forth," Wally explained. "We use the numbers of the phone pad instead of letters. It's sorta a game we have to try and figure out what the other is saying. 3323-6328; d-e-a-d-m-e-a-t. Dead meat."
"He found it amusing," Batman paused in his keystrokes, having been listening to the conversation behind him. "BW-R911-3323-6328: Broken Wing – Robin 911 – Dead Meat; he told me that if he ever needed to use this particular encryption because his civilian identity had been discovered then he…" he shook the grim thought from his head and went back to work.
Oliver stepped away from the others and came to stand beside the League's leader. Of all the mentors, he understood the connection between the man and his ward better than the rest. It was the same bond that he shared with Roy. And despite the rift between the pair at the moment, the archer could well imagine what Bruce was going through. "How much longer?"
"Less than ninety seconds."
Artemis watched her mentor as the blonde offered what support he could to his fellow billionaire. Her head was spinning with everything that it had learned in the past twelve hours. It wasn't even the whole Robin/Dick thing; it was her sudden realized just how pivotal the teen was to the heroes. Not just the Young Justice team, either.
Robin may be the youngest of them – not taking in to account Superboy's technical age – and yet he was by far the more experienced and relied on. He was YJ's techie and hacker, and Artemis had yet to see him unable to break into anything. Recently, he and Superboy had been hanging out together and the clone was less… clone-y than he had been. Megan and Robin were constantly having conversations about the intricacies of the human language and behaviour. KF was always going to Robin for one thing or another. Hell, even Kaldur was picking the kid's brain on strategies scenarios. He was a part of their team, so it really shouldn't have been a surprise.
The shock was how much he was integrated with the Justice League despite being a 'sidekick'. He'd been even more of a kid when he helped design their encryption programs. She wouldn't have been surprised if the 'help' he gave was more on par with him doing it and gifting it to Batman with that patented teasing smirk of his.
But it was more than just what he offered as a Hero or a Sidekick.
Batman's worry and fears were obvious, and expected, but the others – Superman, The Flash, even Green Arrow – all held the same expressions as Dick's guardian. It was a look that mixed fear with a myriad of other emotions; the one that told of a connection to the missing boy that she hadn't expected.
It spoke of more than a team. It spoke of family.
"About time," the voice of Sportsmaster cut through the stillness of Mount Justice. "I was thinking I might have to start sending a few pieces back to get your attention, Batsy."
The bodies in the room tensed at the sight that the streaming video presented to them.
The mercenary sat comfortably with his feet propped up on the computer console in front of him. In the background, a surgical table was upright with a bound and mercilessly gagged Robin. The boy was fighting against his restraints, blood visible as it seeped from beneath the thick leather straps on his wrists, and cursing at the man through the rubber tubing gag. What they original thought was a blindfold turned out to be a crudely crafted mask, which surprised everyone.
Sportsmaster chuckled, knowing where his audience's attention was being drawn to, and looked over his shoulder at the boy before looking back to the camera. "I wanted Robin, not Grayson. Today was just a means to an end, boys and girls." He pulled his feet onto the ground. "I'm sure you're tracking – at least trying to – and recording this signal. I really hope you are, because I wouldn't want you to miss this."
Robin's body suddenly arched, eyes clenched and teeth gnashing at the gag, as the hum of electricity filled the air.
"Stop!" Megan cried, eyes watering at the sight of her team mate and friend. "Stop it, please!"
The eyes visible through Sportsmaster's mask narrowed and a second later Robin's growls of pain became screams of agony when the electrical whine intensified.
"What do you want?" Batman yelled.
The man cackled in delight and Robin's body suddenly went slack, limbs twitching despite the straps.
"The million dollar question, now isn't it Batman?" Sportsmaster leaned back in his chair again, feet draped onto the console. "It's quite simple, really. Your little Junior Heroes Wannabes cost me a lot of profit and product on Santa Prisca-"
"So this is revenge?" Kaldur asked.
With a snort of amusement, Sportsmaster shook his head. "If that were the case, I would have just killed this little bastard the moment I had him in my sights. No, as I said before: this is just a means to an end. I have to make up that lost capital, and this ensures no interference from you. Think of this as a little time off from the hero business.
"So this is what's going to happen now," the mercenary flicked his hand back toward the still gasping and twitching Robin. "Robin will be staying with me. Three days at least, a week tops. Depends on how long it takes me to gather what I need. "
"We could help you," Artemis crossed her arms over her chest, scowling at her fath - at the man through the connection. "Tell us what it is you want and we can get it for you."
Sportsmaster was silent for a moment while he stared at the girl, and then he frowned. "No, I think I'll enjoy it this way more. It'll give me more time to… get to know the little hero." He considered her for a few seconds longer before turning his attention back to Batman.
"Go home," he instructed. "The GCPD are becoming quite persistent with your butler. I think they're beginning to wonder where it is you have disappeared to. Until the time Robin is no longer needed, you will give Commissioner Gordon and his boys what they want. They get to play the heroes while Bruce Wayne frets over the return of his son. You will be receiving a package in less than an hour with the first directions for the ransom of Dick Grayson."
With a wicked smirk, the mercenary disconnected the transmission and the screens went black.
Batman was gripping the ledge of the console with his head bowed, shoulder visible shaking with rage. Wonder Woman's image flickered back onto the screen, her face pale and concern prevalent in her eyes.
"Watchtower was unable to trace the communication," she said quietly. "Not completely, anyway. We know it came from the Eastern United States, but other than that-"
Roaring like a cornered animal, Batman suddenly lifted his hands and drove one gauntleted fist through the computer panel in front of him. A shower of sparks erupted around his hand, the image of Wonder Woman flickered before it disappeared and the computer shut down. Without another sound, Batman spun around and stormed from the room.
Superman was the first to react. "Oliver."
"I got him." Green Arrow pulled the mask from his face and followed quickly after the Dark Knight.
Kid Flash walked over to the computer and ran the tips of his fingers along the edge of the jagged hole. "Whoa, I don't think I've ever seen him react that way before."
M'gann sniffled lightly and wrapped her arms around her torso. "And why would he not? Robin – Richard is his son."
"This is not the first time Robin's been kidnapped," Barry sighed, leaned against the broken machine beside his nephew, and pushed the hooded mask off his face. "I don't even want to think how many times the Joker has gone after that kid just to torment Batman."
"Dick too," Wally nodded absently. "I can think of three different times in the past year alone someone's tried to get to Bruce Wayne through Dick."
"So why is this time any different?" Superboy asked.
"Because," the older Kryptonian answered his clone, "it's the first time Dick has been taken as a means at Batman, and by extension the League."
"What you kids need to realize," Barry explained," Is that it's not just you five that Robin and Batman kept their identities secret from. It's probably one of the highest guarded secrets of the League, inside and out. Of League members, there are only a handful of people who have that information and it took years, for those of us that do, to learn it. I only know because of circumstances during one of our missions."
A faint, wry grin touched Superman's mouth. "I remember that; two years ago right. You were all pissed off because he trumped your argument about keeping our secret identities by outing you. Batman had already figured out your secret identity."
Barry frowned. "Yours too, don't forget."
"If anyone could have, it would be the Batman." Any trace of a smile was gone an instant later as he looked to the teens. "Which is why he's reacting as he is. Batman is heralded as the greatest detective in the world. If anyone had a chance of figuring out Sportsmaster's game and where to find Robin, it would have been him. Except by taking Dick Grayson, they've tied Batman's hands. There's nothing Batman, or Bruce, can do without revealing himself and Dick to the world."
"He is not the only one."
All eyes shifted to the stoic faced Atlantean.
"Look, Kal," Barry began.
"No, you look," the leader of Young Justice stepped forward. "You say that the League is not in a position to work this, to work to rescue Dick Grayson or Robin, but that is not to say that we are not."
"This is not a mission for Young Justice," Superman shook his head.
"It's not like it's a League mission either," Superboy growled. "It's not one of your team that's being held hostage."
"Going against Sportsmaster is likely to get Robin killed."
"And standing back and waiting is a guarantee to get him killed," Artemis had her arms folded across her chest. "No matter what he says, Sportsmaster is going to want payback for what happened on Santa Prisca and he's not stupid enough to think he'll ever get another chance at any of us, let alone Robin. If he lets Robin go, he's got to know Batman's going to make sure he'll never get close enough."
"She's right," Wally turned away from the gaping hole in the console. "Sportsmaster may be a merc, but let's face it; we all know he's going to kill Robin the first chance he gets."
"I will fly over the entire country searching for his mind, if I must!" M'gann threw in with her team. "Was not this team formed to do what the League cannot?"
"In this instant, however, it is will not." Kaldur scowled at the two senior heroes. " So, if the League is unwilling to aid us... I think Superboy said it best when we first met."
The clone stood straight, fists clenched at his sides. "Get on board, or get out of the way."
.
.
.
.
.
"You did very well, Robin." Guardian said to the boy when Sportsmaster ended the transmission. The horned genomorph moved to the controls of the table and lowered Robin into a horizontal position. Guardian stood off to the side, watching. "I do believe you have convinced them to cooperate."
The boy was panting desperately for air around the gag. Tears leaked from the corners of his eyes and he was acutely aware of the taste of blood on his tongue. The thick rubber had prevented him from biting his tongue, but it had been tight enough to pull at the tender skin of his mouth and split the corners of his lips. The blood was beginning to pool in his mouth as swallowing was made difficult with the obstructive tubing.
"Maybe for now," Sportsmaster was still reclining in his seat. "But do you honestly believe the big bad Bat is going to just sit back while we work?"
"He will have no choice," Guardian sighed, displeased. "It is the children I am concerned about."
The man for hire snorted and stood. "You're afraid of what they will do?"
"Not of them," the helmeted man shook his head, "but for them. They are children, manipulated by the League and its leaders in to doing their dirty work. I fear that they will be commanded to try to stop us and in turn will be hurt, or killed. It is bad enough that we have resorted to using a child as a hostage, but in truth I do not wish him –or them- harm. Is it for them that we are doing this."
Sportsmaster shrugged. "So, ask the kid. He knows his team, he'll know what they will do and how to stop them with little to no damage."
"A good idea. Dubbilex...?"
A cool touch on his cheek startled Robin and he snapped his head toward the source of the contact. The horned creature was now right next to him and its elongated hand rested on his sweaty brow. The horns began to glow. **There is nothing to fear from me, young friend to my brother.**
Except for that you can get in my frickin' head!
Robin had the impression of the thing smiling, but no physical manifestation to that face could be seen. **Yes, I suppose that would be frightening. But you are doing well to prevent me from delving too deep, now that you are remembering what I am capable of. But I assure you, young hero, that anything I garner from your mind will not be passed on to your captors. Things like the message you attempted to pass on to your mentor.**
The boy could only blink. When they hadn't stopped the transmission right away, or stop him, he didn't think anyone had noticed. What? How did you... Why not?
**Because we, my brothers and I, do not approve.**
Then why can't you help me? The boy jerked his wrists against the bindings in emphasis. You could do your wacky mind thing to them and get me out of here!
**In truth, we want you here. Need you here. Guardian is not as he once was, before the G-gnomes manipulated his mind. Though he is no longer under Their control, it is my belief that he has been fundamentally altered to believe as They want him to.**
Robin's mind was having a hard time processing everything. So you want my help? To do what, help... deprogram the guy who just had me electrocuted for the hell of it?
**Yes, you understand.**
"What is taking so long," Sportsmaster grumbled, interrupting the silent conversation.
"The boy is resisting the probe," Dubbilex looked over at the two waiting me. "He is reciting mathematics."
I'm doing what...?
"He's doing what?" The mercenary's arched eyebrow was visible through the eyehole of his mask.
"Calculus, I believe." An amused glint sparked briefly in the genomorph's crimson eyes. "I quote: 'Suppose that x and y are real numbers and that y is a function of x, that is, for every value of x, we can determine the value of y. This relationship is written as: y = f(x). Where f(x) is the equation for a straight line, y = m x + b, where m and b are real numbers that determine the locus of the line in Cartesian coordinates.' Shall I continue?" He asked
"No," Guardian seemed impressed as he approached the table and his hostage. "Batman has trained this one; I doubt we will get anything from his that way now. We had the element of surprise when you obtained the encryption code. We will take him to his room for now and let him rest."
"I can always try," Sportsmaster offered a little too quickly for Robin's likely.
"That is not necessary."
"Yet."
The two men glared at each other.
Dubbilex stepped to block the pair from Robin's line of sight. **I sense the desire to... misbehave from you, young one.**
The boy sighed against the gag. And are you're going to tell me to just cooperate?
**It is not in your nature to cooperate with those that oppress you.,* the telepath bowed his head almost imperceptibly. **Of that, I approve. I shall do what I can to remedy and unpleasant consequences.**
The genetic creation removed his hand from Robin's forehead and the fingers ghosted down to the back of his head and deftly released the clips holding the gag in place. The genomorph stepped aside, bringing the two men back into the young hero's sight, making as if to remove the straps securing the boy, but Robin wasted no time in sitting up as much as he good and spitting the tubing and the blood from his mouth.
And straight at the two men.
Crimson fluid splattered the pair, the stained rubber hitting Guardian across the helmet before falling into gloved hands instinctively held out to catch it. Robin leaned back onto the thin mattress padding the table with a satisfied and bloodies smile colouring his lips.
Guardian stepped next to the surgical table and guided the genomorph away from the teen. "Was that really necessary?" A glower pierced through the sullied gold helmet, but Robin wasn't the least bit intimidated. Nothing compared to the bat-glare.
He returned the look. "Was electrocuting me really necessary?"
"Batman and the others had to be made to understand the true severity of your situation."
"Presentation, kid," Sportsmaster was suddenly on Robin's other side and leering down at their captive through his blood spotted mask. "It's all about the presentation. Plus, it was all kinds of fun."
Now that look sent a pulse of fear through the boy wonder.
"Enough," Guardian snapped at the other man, causing the mercenary to sneer at both of them before walking out of the room.
The former hero placed his hand over the loosened strap on Robin's one wrist. "And what of you, Robin; do you understand the part you are to play in all this?"
"I'm not playing your game, Guardian," Robin smirked, a determined glint settling into his eyes, "At least not by your rules. You grabbed the wrong sidekick if you think I'm going to sit back and be your bargaining chip. I am going to make this a difficult and painful for you as possible!"
The strap was suddenly tightened again and Robin hissed at the pain it caused to shoot through the open cuts on his wrists. "I was prepared to make you comfortable. There was a room, a shower, food, clothing; but I warned you about punishment for your behaviour."
The boy wonder snorted. "Oh, you haven't seen anything yet."
Guardian sighed and secured the gag back into place., causing Dick to wince as it pulled the splits on his lips open again.
"Perhaps, come morning, you will better appreciate what I am willing to do for your cooperation." Guardian and Dubbilex left the room.
**He will leave you, here, and overnight.** the voice sounded in his head. **He will ensure that Sportsmaster leaves you as well. If able, I will return to do what I can for your comfort, but you will be watched. I may not be able to do anything until Guardian returns.**
Don't risk it, Robin told the telepath as he strained against his restraints, futilely. I've been here before...
The lights flickered and went out, what light remaining coming only from the computer screen that begun to power down. A moment later, their captive was left in complete darkness.