CHAPTER 17

REPORT OF: Wally West

CODE NAME: KID FLASH

"Wally, just punch the location into the GPS, wouldja?" Conner was whining again. He'd been complaining constantly that I got to drive, that I was going the wrong way, that I wouldn't use the GPS. He was just mad that I was the only one with a license and got to drive one of Batman's cars.

"I've been to Gotham before," I grumbled to him. "I know where I'm going. Hey!"

"I think that was our turn, Wally," M'gann was leaning over from the back seat and had thwapped me on the head. I think she learned that from Artemis. "We're lost. Admit it."

"We are not lost," I said with gritted teeth. I never get lost. Okay, almost never, but I wasn't going to admit it. Besides, when you're as fast as I am it doesn't really matter, does it? You get there anyway. I was going to find this "DoubleClean Janitorial Services" just fine without a computer telling me what to do. I'd run across the United States without help, thank you, I could do this...

We all heard a loud BANG followed by the flap, flap, flap sound that means you have a blown tire. I pulled the SUV over to the curb and we all piled out to see.

"If you'd listened to me, we'd be there now," Conner grumbled but held up the SUV while I changed the tire. Ten minutes later, after I'd turned on the GPS, we found the address. The building was lit but didn't look occupied.

We did it by the numbers. Conner took one side, I took the other and M'gann went in to scout. "They were here, but the building's empty," she said into our minds. "I found the room where they were holding Rob...Dick, but he's gone now."

We all met back at the SUV. That's when I made a call to Artemis.

REPORT OF: ARTEMIS CROCK

CODENAME: ARTEMIS

I had just positioned myself outside the rear entrance to the warehouse when my communicator beeped. "Yes? It's Artemis..."

Wally's voice came over the line. "Artie, where are you?"

I asked, "Where are you guys? Do you have Rob yet?"

"We...uh...just got to the kidnappers' HQ and its deserted. We found where they were holding Dick, but nothing else."

"Well, get here to the drop, then. Why are you so late?" As I looked around, a car pulled up. I slipped into the shadows and watched two men and two boys get out of the car. One of them was Dick.

"We got a flat tire," M'gann's voice rang in my head. "But we're on the way."

"Ditch the car and GET here!" I told her. "You don't need the car to transport Dick anymore. The kidnappers just arrived and they have him and some other kid. We need you NOW!"

"On it!" M'gann's voice came over the line.

PHOENIX'S JOURNAL

They hauled me out of the car, tripping over my own two feet until Jason moved in to guide me. This was looking bad enough until it suddenly got worse. Inside the building, they handed me over to the boss.

"Hmmm…small for his age," a familiar voice said and a rough hand gripped my chin sharply, tilting my face up. "Reminds me of another small boy I recently disposed of. Do you know who I am, boy?"

"Two-Face?" I said, wishing I could meet his glare with an equally cold one of my own. "Bruce is gonna pay the money."

"I'm sure he will," the harsh voice chuckled. "As for you…?" I heard the 'ting' of a coin landing on cement. "As for you, you'll be meeting Robin in heaven some time later today. Sorry kid, luck of the draw."

The hand grabbed me by the arm and dragged me forward. It hurt my ribs and I yelled. "Ow! You're pulling too hard!"

He stopped with a chuckle. "You do look a little the worse for wear. Wayne beat you?"

"No! I had a rock climbing accident. I broke a rib and you've got my bad arm." I wished I could hit this guy, but I was helpless Dick Grayson right now, not Robin. Try the blue eyes. "Please, mister…don't kill me…" I teared up and let them run down my cheeks. "I'm just a kid and I want to go home. That's all….Please?"

Two-Face paused and I heard the coin again. "Nope. Sorry, kid but your luck isn't running today." He dragged me through a door and into a large room that smelled familiar. What was it Jason had said? Two-Face wanted Batman to lose two kids on his watch. My nose told me where I'd been that had the same musky odor. This time, my luck had run out.

"So, did you bring the money?" Two-Face called out.

"I have it. Where is the boy?" Batman's voice. He was here! He was here and maybe everything would be okay.

Two-Face dragged me forward by the arm. The smell of the warehouse got even more overpowering. Oh, I remembered this place. I had nightmares every night about being helpless at this man's hands and even Batman couldn't save me. The fear became almost overwhelming.

"I have the money. Let him go," Batman's voice sounded even raspier than it did normally. He wasn't handling this any better than I was.

"Don't give him anything!" I shouted. "He wants revenge against you, Batman, and he's gonna kill me anyway!"

I expected the blow but wasn't able to duck all of it. The floor hit me hard and I tasted blood from a split lip. I started to pull myself upright when the hand grabbed me again, by the hair.

"Stay where you are, Bats!" Two-Face growled, shaking me a little. "I've still got the boy and Bruce Wayne might be upset with you if anything happens to him!"

"What is it you want, Harvey?" I could hear the exhaustion in Batman's voice. He was taking all this really hard. I'd bet he hadn't slept since I was taken. I struggled against Two-Face's hold and felt his grip tighten. Still gripping my hair, he raised me a couple inches off the floor.

"Why should I want anything, Batman?" Harvey asked with a sneer in his voice. "We were partners once and we did good work, cleaning up Gotham City. Then you got a kid for your partner." He gave me a shake. He didn't know, did he? If he knew, I was worse than dead.

"Make your point, Harvey," Batman growled. "You already took your feelings out on Robin. This boy has nothing to do with us. He isn't Robin."

"Yeah, I already killed your little partner, didn't I?" Harvey chuckled. His hand relaxed. I might be able to break away, but if I did, where would I go? I couldn't see.

"Robin is gone." Batman sounded sad. So sad. "Why don't you just take the money and let this boy go? It's all there. Most of it's in the truck parked out front. I'm sure your boys have found it. The rest is in the trunk of the Batmobile and I'll get it for you if you just. Let. The. Boy. Go." He spaced his words carefully. I think he was trying to get through the fog in Harvey Dent's brain.

"Now why would I want to do that?" Harvey said with a chuckle. I felt the cold steel of a gun pressed against my temple. "What I want isn't money, Batman. I want to see you squirm helplessly. When I offed your little partner, it wasn't enough. So, let's remove Wayne's little circus brat."

The sound of the gun being cocked to fire rang through the room. I gulped, knowing that this was it.

"Hey, Puke-Face! Let him go!" a familiar voice shouted from behind me. Jason pushed Two Face away from me. The gun clattered away from me while I heard Jason struggling with Two-Face. There was a scuffle and Jason grunted.

Batman rushed forward, his cape flapping, but Two-Face grabbed me by the throat and tightened his fingers. "So, now there are two of them? Well, two has always been my number. I have the Wayne kid by the throat and the other boy at the other end of my gun. Who are you, by the way?"

Jason growled and spat at Two-Face, the spittle landing with a splat between us. A softer voice came from somewhere on the sidelines. "Uh, Boss, I'm really sorry but that's my kid, Jason."

"Your kid, Todd? And so treacherous? You, Jason, you're pretty stupid not to know where your advantage lies," Two-Face said. He tightened his fingers around my throat a bit more until I could barely breathe.

"So, Batsy, which boy do I kill? Or do I kill both of them?"

"Hey, Boss, don't kill my kid," Willis Todd said as he walked closer to us. "I'm one of your men and everybody knows that kids is stupid. Mine, more'n others'..."

"Stupid? Or have you been teaching him to defy me?" Two-Face said with a purr. "I don't like it when my men show disloyalty, Todd."

"I'm not disloyal, Boss. I just...he's my kid, y'know? Please don' shoot him," Todd's voice was closer.

"Let's consult the coin, shall we? You toss. Heads, Jason gets it. Tails, Jason goes free." Two-Face dropped me to the dusty floor. While I wheezed for air, the coin tinged and was tossed with another small noise.

"No!" Todd yelled. "Nooooo! Not my kid!" Footsteps, loud pounding footsteps and the gun went off with a roar. Bam! Bam! Two shots. I felt warm liquid splatter across my face and head. Blood. Not mine. Whose?

Bodies flew out of the rafters and began fighting with other bodies.

REPORT OF: Wally West

CODE NAME: KID FLASH

After Artemis called, we booked it as fast as we could to the place on Front Street. Conner and I ran while M'gann flew. When we got there, we heard a gun go off inside the building and ran faster. Artemis followed from the back door.

Rob was down, covered with blood next to a big guy who was also covered with blood. Some kid was fighting with Two-Face over the gun while Batman fought to get to Two-Face through about a dozen goons. M'gann called through the telepathic link: "Wally, get Robin out of there and help that man! Everybody else, clear the way for Batman! Anyone who can, get that other boy away from Two-Face's gun!"

We scattered. Two-Face wasn't watching Rob at all, he was too busy being pummeled and bit by that kid; man, what a scrapper he was! I dove for Rob, only to find him struggling to sit up.

"You okay?" I asked, reaching for the ropes that tied his wrists.

"Yeah. Not my blood, KF," he said, panting for air. "Get to the man Two-Face shot. He's Jason's father."

Jason? Who was Jason? Didn't matter. I was over the man's body, trying to find signs of life but not succeeding. I started CPR and put through a call for G.P.D and an ambulance. I looked over my shoulder once and saw that Batman was pounding Two-Face while Artemis, Conner and M'gann were still dealing with the remaining henchmen.

While I was working on the man, the feisty kid came over and crouched next to me while I worked. His eyes were almost as big as Rob's and green.

"He's gone, isn't he?" the kid said, drawing the back of one hand across his nose. I didn't stop working. I wouldn't let this kid watch his father die like Dick had to.

PHOENIX'S JOURNAL

After Wally loosened the knots at my wrists, I struggled to finish untying them but my fingers were slippery. I was covered with blood from Jason's Dad. I hoped KF could save him. I heard the sounds of the team fighting and worked harder. Oh, how I wanted to help, any way I could!

I heard blows, nearby, and Two-Face grunting and returning the blows. Once he almost stepped on me, but I rolled out of the way. Still fighting the ropes, I heard more footsteps, heavy ones, charging towards me. Arms gathered me up, holding me close. I smelled Bruce's aftershave and kevlar. A familiar voice asked, "Dick? Are you okay? Were you hit?"

"No...no," I rasped, welcoming the warmth of Batman's arms around me. Safe. I was finally safe. "I wasn't hit. But where's Jason? Where's Two-Face?"

Batman gently set me on the floor. I realized that I had been hearing a soft, moaning sound since the gun went off. "Two-Face is restrained. Kid Flash, come sit with Dick. I'll be right back."

KF swept over and sat down next to me. Before long, he put an arm around my shoulders and I leaned in. My throat hurt and breathing was still hard, but I was lucky to be alive. Not everyone was so lucky that night.

The dusty floor crunched under Batman's boots as he squatted next to Jason, the source of the moaning. "My Dad...He shot my Dad..." Jason was whimpering. "All Dad did was try to save me and he shot him dead!"

"I'm sorry, Jason," Batman's voice was a low rumble. "I'm sorrier than you know, son. "