DISCLAIMER: All recognizable characters belong to DC Comics.
CHAPTER SEVEN: Eyewitness
"I should have known he would have seen it," Wally commented to Artemis as the Martian's Bio-ship was pushed to its limits as they flew toward DC.
"World's Greatest Detective," the blonde had her bow across her lap and she plucked at the sting nervously. "Of course he's going to pick out Robin's Morse code. It's not like Robin would be trying to send us a message. He'd want big daddy bats to come save the day."
"No," Kaldur said from his seat next to M'gann. "He would know that the situation would hinder Batman. The means may have been something Batman would have recognized first, but Robin would no doubt understand that we would be the ones coming to his aid."
"You honestly think he was thinking that straight?" Superboy shook his head in disbelief. "I'm still surprised he was able to get out what he did."
"You don't know Rob very well, then," Kid Flash glared at the clone. "He's been working with Bats for years, a hell of a lot longer than Kal and I have been doing this hero gig combined. He's been beaten to hell and back, nearly killed at least a dozen times, and he's always got his head together."
"He's just a kid," Superboy insisted.
"And what does that make you, or us?" Artemis asked with an arched eyebrow. "We're not that much older than him and you're only a few months old as it is!"
"But he acts so much like a child," Megan said quietly as she concentrated on controlling her ship.
"That's because he's finally out of Bat's shadow." Wally smiled at the memory that played through his mind. "I remember the first time I met him. Came across them in Central city one time just after I started working with the Flash. Apparently my uncle asked Batman to give him a hand with this drug ring he was trying to bust up. But whatever... I was so in awe; I was meeting THE Batman and THE Robin. They were both so serious, and intimidating and downright frightening. I nearly peed myself when Rob started telling my uncle and Batman what to do. I thought Bats was going to smack him or something, but the guy just nodded and took off like Rob had suggested. Next thing I knew, Rob was looking over at me, gave me a little smirk, and vanished what that damn irritating laugh of his!"
Kid Flash lost his smile and slumped in his seat, turning his head to look out the window.
The minutes passed slowly, each member focused on the recovery of their lost team mate. The thirty minutes flight from Happy Harbor to the country's capital seemed to take forever, yet when Miss Martian announced their approach Artemis was surprised to see it had taken less than twenty.
"Entering camouflage mode," M'gann provided as the bio ship descended over the city and swept across the sky. "We'll reach Cadmus Labs in five... four... three... two... it's gone!"
The ship stopped suddenly, hovering over an empty lot. Kaldur'ahm was out of his seat and looking out the window an instant later. He glanced over at Kid Flash who stood next to him. "They demolished the building."
"Not like there was all that much left standing," Superman growled, oddly proud of that fact.
Wally shook his head in confusion. "Why would Robin tell us 'Cadmus' then? He'd know we'd come look here first."
"Maybe there's something down there we're missing?" Artemis suggested, not wanting to believe it had been a wild goose chase either.
"Take us down, Miss Martian."
Once on the ground the teens wasted no time disembarking the bio ship and splitting up to search the area. Cadmus Labs had once taken up nearly an entire city block, but after the four original members of Young Justice had gotten through with it there really wasn't all that much left.
Superboy felt an uneasy desire to get out of there as fast as humanly possible – Kid Flash humanly. His skin seemed to crawl with things he'd rather forget as he walked around, eyes gazing at everything and nothing. There really was nothing there, just a small copse of trees to the south-eastern most corner of the lot.
The trees... there was something about those trees...
"Where are you going, Supe?" Wally asked the clone as he walked by the speedster. Superboy moved stiffly, mechanically, and he didn't respond to the redhead's question. "Kal, something's up with Superboy!"
Kaldur'ahm snapped his head around, his eyes roaming the lot until he saw what the other boy was talking about. The shout had drawn the girls' attention as well, and immediately the four other members of Young Justice were hurrying after Superman's clone. Kid Flash, naturally, got there first.
"Hey, SB, what's gotten in to you?" Kid Flash stopped next to the dark haired teen.
Superboy was knelt in freshly disturbed soil and staring at the ground intently. As the others joined them, he blinked a few times and suddenly realized what was going on. He frowned, literally growled, and lifted his glare to the branches above them. In the shadows of the leaves crouched one of the smallest G-gnomes, its tiny horns glowing.
Megan gasped when she saw the creature, her own telepathic senses expanding instinctively and breaking the thing's contact with Superboy's mind. It turned its crimson orbs to the Martian, and their thoughts merged.
Miss Martian went rigid, her body teetering until Kaldur steadied her. "M'gann, what is wrong?"
"It – it's showing me!" the girl never took her eyes off the creatures. "It's still here, the Lab, just hidden."
"Underground," Artemis guessed and the other girl nodded. "So how do we get down there?"
"We do not," M'gann shook her head sadly. "It is unable to tell me that, but it was left behind, knowing we would be coming for Robin."
"Are you really going to trust that thing?" Superboy snarled, angry at having been controlled again. "It's probably a trap, or a trick to keep us from going down there and finding Robin!"
"No," Megan shook her head sadly. "No, it's not a trap. Robin is no longer here."
"But he was?" Wally perked up at that, looking up at the g-gnome hopefully.
"He was taken out by helicopter just after sunrise," the telepath told the group. "I – I don't think it knows where. It keep projecting cities; New York, Gotham, Geneva, Star City, Metropolis. I don't understand."
"Maybe they're the other Cadmus Lab locations?" Artemis said.
"Face it," Superboy started to walk away. "This is a dead end and we're no closer to finding Robin then we were before we got it."
"Wait," Aqualad grabbed the boy's arm. "Why would this thing be waiting for us, confirming that Robin was here as we thought?"
"How do we know he was?" Superboy spun around and levelled the g-gnome with a vicious look. "These things can get in your head, make you do things-"
"I don't see you doing a jig in a pink tutu," Artemis rolled her eyes. "I highly doubt Guardian would leave this thing behind to tease us. Sportsmaster, maybe, but he's just an ass."
"So what do we do?" Wally crossed his arms over his chest. "Do you trust the wacky little monkey, try to figure what it's trying to tell us, or go back to the Cave no better than we were an hour ago?"
"We should take it with us," M'gann said, finally looking to her comrades. The g-gnome leapt from the tree branch and landed easily on Miss Martian's shoulder. "I sense no ill intent from it. We may be able to get more from it."
Superboy snorted derisively. "For all we know, that thing is your head telling you to tell us that."
Megan's eyes flared white as she turned a dangerous glare to the clone. Her voice thundered in her team mate's thoughts. **I was able to keep Psimon from destroying our minds; I think I am capable of defending my mind from the telepathic manipulations of this g-gnome! If you really don't trust ME, my mind is open you Superboy, come and see for yourself!**
"We trust you," Artemis added a glower of her own to her friend's toward Superboy. "If you say that thing is showing you fact, then I'm all good for figuring out the next step."
"As are we all," Kaldur'ahm agreed. "Since we are unable to gain access to the Labs below to investigate, we will have to rely on whatever information we can garner from this creature. But back at the Cave."
"Perhaps my Uncle J'onn can get more from the g-gnome than I can."
"He'll be going against the League if he helps," Artemis stated.
"He will want to help," Megan insisted. "I know he will."
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The skyline of Star City at night always managed to take the breath from him. Red Arrow stood atop one of the turrets of the suspension bridge across the bay the city had arisen around. He stared across the water at the many skyscrapers that illuminated the near midnight sky. It was turning out to be a relatively quiet night, and after the previous twenty four hours he was all for quiet.
The news from Gotham hadn't reached the West Coast when Oliver called and told Roy about Bruce Wayne's ward's abduction. It had been a couple years since Roy had seen the kid, but they had kept in touch somewhat. Bruce and Oliver, however, were as close as two of 'America's Wealthiest and Youngest Playboys' could be. They were friends of a sort, and it was understandable that Oliver would want to help the man get his son back.
Green Arrow had asked his once protégé to keep an eye on Star City until the situation out east was rectified. It showed Roy that Oliver trusted him and his skill to watch out for their town. It would have been even better if the man had stopped checking in with him. He rolled his eyes as his communicator signalled another incoming call and he reluctantly answered.
Oliver's face came onto the small screen. "Anything going on?"
Red Arrow shook his head. "A couple of wannabe thugs hit the My Chemical Romance concert; the band went on again even before the cops showed up to make the arrests."
"Sorry you had to miss it," a wry grin touched the blonde's lips. "I know those tickets cost you an arm and a leg."
The young hero shrugged. "I still managed to get their autographs." He smirked at the thought of the names permanently scrawled across his quiver. "Look, Ollie, I'd appreciate it if you relaxed. I can handle anything this city throws at me for a few days."
"I never said you couldn't, Roy," the senior archer sighed across the airwaves. "You'll forgive me if I'm a little anxious. Richard's kidnapping has me on edge, alright?"
"I'm fine," Roy actually smiled affectionately at his foster father. "The ransom junkies know better than to come after Roy Harper after the last time. I know how to protect myself."
Oliver chuckled at the memory. "You ruptured that guy's testicles."
"No one's tried to kidnap me since," Roy shrugged innocently. After a second, the levity left him and he sighed. "How's Mr Wayne going?"
"The kidnappers delivered their demands last night... along with proof that they have Dick."
Roy shuddered. "I'm almost afraid to ask."
"The shirt he was wearing when taken, cut to shreds."
"Ouch... And there's nothing Green Arrow can do?"
"Bruce needs a friend, not a vigilante." Green Arrow had a knowing smirk at his next comment. "Besides, I hear Batman has taken a person interest in the case. He's gone as far as to go off the grid with Gotham City Police, as well as the Justice League, to investigate."
"I'd believe it. Which surprises me that the League isn't doing more to help, seeing as this is the son of one of their biggest private financial backers."
Oliver shook his head. "Yeah, well, most of the League doesn't know that. To them, he's just Bruce Wayne, billionaire playboy who cares more about his flavour of the month than his own son."
"Shows what they know," Roy looked out over at the quiet city. "Did you want me to come to Gotham? It's been a couple of years since I've actually seen Dick, but I'd like to help however I can."
"You know Batman's not keen on having other heroes in his city. I appreciate the offer, but you're doing the best thing you can right now: keeping Star City safe while I keep Bruce sane."
"Then stop checking on me," Red Arrow instinctively tensed as a text message flashed across the screen. "I've got to go. A silent alarm was just tripped at Queen Industries North offices."
"The R&D division's the only thing housed there."
"I'll check in with you in a couple hours when I know what's going on."
"Alright," Oliver didn't hesitate as he continued. "Please be careful."
Red Arrow smiled. "Aren't I always?"
It took the young hero nearly forty-five minutes to get to the industrial district across the city.
The alarm had yet to be cleared, which was unusual since onsite Queen Industries Security should have responded by now. As he approached the building he felt an uneasy trepidation niggling at his instincts; a feeling that his mentor had taught him to trust early in his training. There was something other hand a typical break-in going on…
Roy didn't worry about setting off any alarms when he entered a secured door using the codes Oliver had given him. He wasn't far from the security room and when he entered he discovered the reason for the alarm still being active.
The six guards on duty that night were unconscious, bound and gagged on the floor. He quickly checked their pulses, relieved to find each one strong and steady. Whoever had brought them down did it quickly enough that they couldn't get the distress call out to the police.
As he was reaching for a blade to cut through the ropes, movement on the monitors caught his attention. Several small shadowed shapes were running through the darkness on the eighth floor. Realizing the thieves were still in the building, Roy silently apologized to the guards and sped out of the room. Taking the stairs two and three at a time, Red Arrow prepared himself for the confrontation. He had the chance to stop the would-be robbers and he wasn't about to let Ollie down.
The corridor leading away from the stairwell was near black, only the emergency lights casting their faint glow and deepening the shadows. He kept to the wall, a concussion arrow knocked across his bow and the string pulled taught and crept forward. Ahead he could see through the observation glass into one of the labs and recognized it as the Space & Aeronautics division.
A handful of the small shadows he had seen were moving about the lab quickly, some gathering items while others leapt onto the computers and equipment. It became apparent that they were after not only some of the prototypes but the tech and data to go with them.
Roy was closer to the lab now and cautiously crept through the already opened door. He was raising the bow, lining the arrow up for a shot, when he found out the little thieves weren't the only ones there.
"Ah, ah, ah," a voice sounded from the office off to the side. "It would not be wise to disturb them."
In a flash the arrow was up and aimed and Red Arrow was spinning around to address the larger threat. The man in the dark blue jump suit and golden helmet was standing casually against the wall next to the office door. He didn't seem surprised to see Roy nor did he look to be threatened in the least by the archer's arrow aimed toward him.
"Guardian?" Roy raised an eyebrow curiously beneath his mask. "You do realize you're on the wrong side of the law on this one, right?"
The one-time hero sighed. "Yes, unfortunately I do. However, certain sacrifices must be made for the greater good, something all heroes should understand, young Speedy."
"Its Red Arrow now," the teen snapped automatically.
"Of course," the helmet tipped to the side apologetically. "I had heard you had taken your leave from your mentor in recent months. You are, what is it now, eighteen? An adult in the eyes of the law; old enough to make your own decision. So what of it, Red Arrow, are you of an age to make the hard decisions? To make the sacrifices necessary to be a hero; to stop me?"
"Whatever it takes, old timer."
A second voice laughed, cruel and taunting. "I'd think about that real hard if I were you boy."
Keeping the arrow aimed at one threat, Roy glanced toward the newcomer. His heart leapt against his chest while the blood seemed to freeze in his veins. "No…!"
Sportsmaster stood away from the rest, having been hidden in the shadows of the large machines, one hand easily gripping the handle of a vicious looking hunting knife. His other hand was clamped tightly over the mouth of the familiar figure held against the man's chest. Robin's hands were obviously secured behind his back and Roy couldn't miss the fact that the younger boy was barefoot and missing several key components of his costume.
The mercenary coolly forced his hostage's head back, exposing the throat, and let the edge of the blade rest dangerously against the pulsing artery there. Robin stiffened, and so did Roy.
The arrow tracked of its own volition, bringing its deadly aim to the dead-man-walking threatening his friend. When Red Arrow found his voice, it was cold and hard as it had ever been. "Let. Him. Go."
"Umm," Sportsmaster's eyes nearly glowed with amusement, "no."
"This is one of those decisions," Guardian was suddenly beside him, though made no other move. "You do not know what we are after here, what we are planning to use it for, and yet, are you willing to sacrifice his life just for the attempt at stopping us? You are young, skilled, there is a chance you could defeat the both of us. But even Superman would be unable to stop my associate from slicing through Robin's throat like it was butter."
Roy's mouth went dry. He could see himself reflected in the lenses of Robin's domino mask and felt the boy's unseen gaze on him. This wasn't some random hostage, this was Robin! Batman's protégé! How the hell did these creeps get their hands on him?
In the end, he realized it didn't matter.
With arms shaking he released the tension on the bowstring and brought the weapon down. Robin started yelling against the leathered palm, fighting as much as he could until the deadly blade reminded him to be still. Roy couldn't look at his friend and turned his head away when he felt Guardian place one hand on his shoulder while the man reached around and took the bow from the archer's hands.
"Good lad."
Red Arrow winced when the bow was suddenly snapped and the arrow clattered to the floor. Fighting his instincts, he didn't resist at all when his quiver was taken from him. His gloves were stripped from his wrists before they were bound together with the string from his bow. He was searched thoroughly, Guardian's hands missing nothing that was hidden in his uniform. A moment later he was pulled into the office and forced to his knees.
Sportsmaster dragged Robin in behind them and shoved the boy roughly to the floor, away from the bound archer. "Behave while I finish up out here."
"Asshole," Robin muttered after the mercenary.
"Language," Guardian scolded, moving around the desk.
"Rob, you okay?" Roy asked as he watched Guardian rip a handful of cords and cables from one of the computers.
"Oh yeah," the Boy Wonder snarled as he struggled into a sitting position. "Best vacation ever."
The redhead looked at the other captive closely. Robin's wrists were wrapped in heavy bandages before being bound with what appeared to be thick leather cuffs connected together with a small chain. A few bruises were visible, welts raised the skin on his exposed ankles, and his lips were swollen and scabbed over in several places. "What have they done to you?"
"Nothing that wasn't warranted," Guardian said, his hands falling onto Roy's shoulders.
"Warranted?" The teen grunted as he was pushed forward to his stomach. A heavy knee to his lower back kept him in place while the gathered cords were used to lash his legs together above and below the knees. Next his ankles were bound and pulled up toward his torso and a cable strung between them and his wrists to leave him hogtied on the floor.
"Hey!" Robin shouted indignantly on Roy's behalf as a dozen lengths of computer cable were looped between Roy's lips and connected to the bindings on his wrists. "Hey, come on! That could kill him!"
The archer's head was pulled back uncomfortably and any movement of his arms or legs caused the discomfort to increase. He wouldn't be getting out of this on his own.
"Only if he struggles," Guardian finished by guiding the trussed up teen on to his side. "Someone will find him come morning and cut him loose."
"No!" Robin snarled, leaping easily to his feet and stalking toward them.
"Nngh!" Roy tried to get the boy to stop, but was Robin was not listening.
"This has gone far enough! I'm not going to let you hurt him!"
Red Arrow could only watch as the boy shifted his weight to the balls of his feet and spun into the air, aiming a heel toward the man's chest. He yelled through the make-shift gag as Guardian caught the foot easily and slammed Robin to the ground.
Guardian picked up the breathless bird and gripped him by the throat, holding him dangling off the floor. "Must we go through this every day, Robin?"
"Rrbnn!" Roy watched on in horror as Robin's feet kicked frantically at Guardian as the life was literally being choked out of him. He growled at his inability to do anything and felt the angry tears prickling his eyes as the kicks lessened as his friend weakened.
"Temper, temper, Jim," Sportsmaster chuckled in amusement from where he appeared in the doorway. "Really, letting him get to you like that…"
As if realizing what he was doing, the helmeted man released his hold on Robin and the younger teen fell to the floor next to Roy.
Red was relieved to hear his friend's wheezing coughs as he tried to get the oxygen back into his lungs. Robin's lips had begun to turn blue and the colour started coming back to them when Sportsmaster picked him up and draped him over a shoulder like he was nothing.
"Be seeing ya, Speedy," the mercenary jeered and then left, taking the captive Robin with him.
Guardian paused, seeming to hesitate, before looking down at the bound archer. "It's only a few hours until the morning cleaning crew will be here. They will find the security guards on the first floor and the police will be notified. It shouldn't be long after that before someone finds you."
The gag muffled the curses Roy spat at him.
The lights were turned off as the man left and a moment later he could hear the outer door close and lock.
He closed his eyes, breathing heavily through his nose as he tried to calm down. Letting his head rest against the floor, Roy tried not to think of Robin still in their clutches.
Guardian was a Hero; at least he had been a while ago. To watch the man nearly choke his small friend to death was not something he'd soon forget. And as for the other guy, Sportsmaster…
Sportsmaster, he was how they got to Robin! He was the only creep with a connection to Young Justice and there was no doubt in Roy's mind that the little bitch had betrayed his friends. At that thought, his body instinctively flexed his limbs in an attempt to free himself and he choked on the gag for a few painful seconds before he was able to relax.
He growled and fought to keep his muscles as loose as possible.
When he got out of here, there were a lot of people who would be answering his questions.
Starting with Artemis Crock.