He hears shouting and movement as the goons move to flank him.

"Tsk, tsk, little birdy," Joker's voice squawks through the radio.

Six goons close in, surrounding the table.

Robin's mind kicks in as he drops smoke pellets right in front of him. The smoke covers him completely, and when it dissipates, he's gone- vanished.

(******)

Raven

The sun shines down gently on her face, and birds chirp overhead. She lays out on a blanket next to a quiet stream, wearing a black one-piece bathing suit, for a second she wonders how she had gotten there, but then she sees him: Robin.

He plops down on the blanket in front of her, smiling.

She swallows, unsure of what's going on.

Robin reaches his hand forward, touching her cheek. He opens his mouth to whisper, then Raven's eyes rip open, and she jolts awake.

She sees the ceiling of a vehicle, and hears the constant hum of an idling engine, and knows that she's in the back of a van. She tries to sit up, but she's bound. She tries to say her chant, but her mouth is gagged. She can feel Batman's unconscious form next to her.

The doors fly open behind her.

"Ah, ah, ahh, toots," Harley says.

Raven feels a flash of pain, then her world goes black.

(******)

Robin

"Where is he?" one of the goons calls. "Spread out and find hi-"

Robin's fist thunders into a nerve cluster in the goon's back, near the spine, temperately paralyzing him. Before the other goons have time to turn around, Robin shoves the goon into two of his friends, then launches wing-dings, disarming the others.

The two struggle to hold their friend up, but he's dead weight. They drop him, then turn their guns to Robin. Too late.

He slaps the gun away from one while digging his boot-heel into the other's midsection. He ducks a blow from the one whose gun he'd slapped. While at the same time, punching the other goon's gun out of his hands.

The other goons recover from the wing-dings, and charge at Robin all at once while he's engaged with the two of their friends.

He drops, sweeping his leg under both enemies, using the momentum of the sweep to turn around, and run to meet them. He leaps high into the air, then drops into a roll, coming up with an uppercut to the first goon's chin, knocking him off his feet, into the air, and slamming down flat on his back, passed out.

Robin sidesteps twice, causing the faster goons to run into the slower ones as they try to get to him. Some stumble, and fall. Robin makes quick work of the ones on the ground, booting them in their faces. One remains standing in front of them, and the two he'd swept now make their way to their feet behind him.

Robin rushes forward, slamming his knee into the goon, then stepping on the goon's bent knee to launch himself into the air, over the goon's head. He lands behind him, and lashes out with his boot, catching the goon right on the side of the head. The goon goes down hard.

The last two look at each other, then scramble for weapons.

Robin runs towards them, and finishes them quickly, punching one, and then choking out the other.

He stands in the middle of the room, unconscious bodies all around him. He breathes deep, his chest heaving with breath. He turns back towards the hostages.

"Are you alright?" he says.

He looks them over carefully before helping to untie them.

"Thank you," an elderly man says, looking all directions, breathing erratically.

"What is it?" Robin says.

"The Joker, he- uh- uh- He wanted me to give you this."

The man holds out an android tablet, or ipad, Robin isn't sure which.

Robin gives it a quick once over to make sure it isn't booby trapped, then an image of Joker's unnaturally pale face appears on the video screen.

"Well, well, well, it looks like you've foiled my ambush, boo-hoo," Joker says.

"Give it up now, Joker. I've freed the hostages."

The Joker laughs that high-pitched, maniacal laugh that only he can, smiling from ear to ear, almost literally.

"Ah, but not all of them."

The image changes to two figures strapped to tables, and Harley Quinn standing over them. Robin recognizes the figures immediately: Raven and Batman.

He's frozen, his heart in a vice grip, his breath unconsciously held.

"Ah, I see you know them." He laughs deep, and low this time. "Harley, my dear, oh, what she'll we do with the party poopers?"

"I say we kill em, puddin'," Harley's voice breaks through the speakers.

"Well, of course!" Joker laughs. "But how? Any suggestions, little birdy?"

"Joke-"

"Oh, the fun we'll have." The image changes back to the Joker, his face going right up to the camera. "See ya soon."

Just before the video went black, Robin swears he had heard Raven screaming.

Author's Note

It's short, I know. Please don't hate me. I'm trying hard to get back into the swing of this story, but it is not coming easily.

Thank you, Tamane Deverel for the review! The gargoyle's were more of an homage to the game. Like I said before; it's kind of inspired, but not at all going to go the same route as the game did.

Thank you, The Samurai Prince for the review! Yeah, TDK reference, nice catch! Sorry it took me so long to update.

Thank you, Red X for the review! I'm glad you're liking the fight scenes. Hah, I'll try to keep up with good chapter endings.

Thank you, Ahsokalo for the review! Thanks so much, I appreciate it.

Thank you, Tamane Deverel, Way Of The Sheikah, and kricV5 for favoriting.

Thank you, Way Of The Sheikah, kricV5, blindhuntress, and Tamane Deverel for following.

So that's it for part eight. Thank you everyone who's read so far. Thank you all so much. Please leave me a review, and let me know how I'm doing. All questions and comments are welcome.

Until next time. Hope life finds you all well.

mojo