Just so everyone knows I'm nearing the ned of my pre-prepared chapters! Thank means suggestions and feedback are going to be greatly appreciated and really help add some flesh to the bones that I already have mentally laid out. Meaning the next update *may* not being coming in a week, just so everyone is warned. Thanks for reading!
Disclaimer~ Young Justice and its characters do not belong to me.
"When nothing else remained there was still hope, at the bottom of the box. The single greatest gift and curse given to humanity."
-Pandora's box
Chapter 3
North Magnetic Pole
September 14, 1:48 UCT
Blue lightning strikes out of the device, striking him with a scream. It clatters to the ground.
The hero was gone.
Around him the world was a silvery blur, moving too fast for his eyes to catch, his own, regular human body not on par with the speed.
"Where am I?" He wonders, holding his hands up in front of him, fading in and out like bad connection. A yellow and red blur shoots by, snapping his attention away.
"Dick?! Is that you?!" It was like a shout in the wind, an aching familiar shout.
"Wally! Wally where are you?! Slow down!" He might be losing his mind, whirling around the to and follow the figure.
"I can't! What are you doing here?"
"Trying to find you!"
"Dick you can't, this is the Speedforce, you can't-" Nightwing misses the last part as his body fades out again before materializing once more, even less stable than before. "Dick!"
"I'll get you out of here Wally! I swear it!" A red gloved hand reaches out to him but it was too late. He was gone. An inert Nightwing falls beside the device, unconscious before he had fully returned to the regular plane of existence. His blood begins to cover the ice, soaking in slow, slow, slow.
The Watchtower
September 13, 21:55 EDT
The space station was a flurry of activity, Artemis having made a quick return to the chaos. The original founders of the team, plus Batgirl, were rushing to suit up, the female bat doing her best to pinpoint her friend's last known location.
"I got it! He zetaed to... the North Magnetic Pole!" The temperature in the room seemed to drop a few degrees, the computer's unemotional announcement of some of the team's younger members snapping them out of their stupor.
"Hello everybody!" Kid Flash shouts, in his typical loud and flamboyant fashion, naturally the first to arrive. He quickly picks up on the general, frantic atmosphere. "Whoa, you guys seem to be totally moded, what's the problem?"
"Should we say anything?" Miss Martian questions, telepathically, Batgirl's fingers flying over her holo keyboard, searching for a signal now that she knew where to look. Aqualad considers it for a question as the rest of the announced members join them, ready for training. He shakes his head a fraction.
"No, we wait until we have investigated the situation. Hopefully, there was so sort of malfunction. Perhaps the weather somehow froze his belt." Batgirl looks skeptical, knowing that such a sudden drop wouldn't occur from that but doesn't voice it, an agitated Superboy stepping forward.
"Either way, we need to go."
"Agreed." Kaldur turns to the awaiting younger members, seeing their confusion. "Pair up to spar. We have something to attend to. We will return shortly." He thanked Atlantis that Robin wasn't there, he and his mentor forced to take the night off for a charity ball of some sort concerning their civilian identities. Something Dick should have been attending as well. The younger members exchange glances, to smart to not catch that something was off but the moment passes, nodding and pairing up. "Let's go."
"Recognized Aqualad B02, Superboy B04, Miss Martian B05, Tigress B07, Batgirl B16." Each member disappears, after the other, unsure of whether to be thankful or curse the existence of the newest Zeta at the Pole.
Gotham City
September 13, 21:43 EDT
The banquet was going well, hosted by the Wayne Foundation to raise money for the many Gotham orphanages, hoping to improve the size and living standards of their occupants. Despite the righteousness of the cause both the host and his ward were quickly tiring of the overrated party, neither enjoying the bland conversations that the rich socialites of their city were practically known for, everything a disguised political barb. All of it was rendered ridiculous in the light of their serious nighttime activities.
"-And as I was saying, in sum, Mr. Wayne I believe a partnership between Wayne Enterprises and Stagg Enterprises would be wholly beneficial to the both of us. What do you say, Mr. Wayne?" Bruce finally snaps back to the conversation, leveling the other entrepreneur with an annoyed glance.
"Mr. Stagg," The word is filled with contempt, knowing the other man's less than savory business practices, it would only be a matter of time before Batman outed him. "I'm afraid this is a charity event, I would be more than happy to consider your proposal if you first submit it to my associate Lucius Fox for review. Thank you for you the donation." The last bit was a not so subtle hint, practically forcing the other man to pull out his wallet and drop some bills into the large glass case as the Wayne makes his escape, pulling out his phone to check for any alerts. The color drains from his face.
"Master Bruce, what is it?" Alfred asks, appearing at his side with a platter of champagne expertly balanced on one hand. He clears his throat, collecting himself with the ease of plenty of practice.
"I need to check something downstairs really quick Alfred, perhaps Tim could assist me." Alfred nods.
"Of course Master Bruce, I shall send him down. Will it be taking long?" Bruce sighs, fingers white around his phone, image emblazoned in his mind.
"Let us hope not." The loyal butler nods, feeling the increasing familiar worm of worry make its way through him as his oldest charge makes his escape. Something felt very wrong.
A few minutes later Tim found himself rushing down to the Batcave, checking his own phone the moment Alfred approached him. Very few things would reach the both of them and this one couldn't be true.
"Bruce?! Bruce! Where is he?!" Tim half shouts, his heart beating a mile a minute. The Batcomputer lights the cave, a map pulled up beside a small window of vitals, two offline, one going strong, the other… it had to be a lie.
"The Zeta Transport says his last destination was the Magnetic North Pole." His fingers fly over the keyboard, pulling up the records. "Batgirl and some of your other teammates have just left to follow him." Tim moves to stand beside him, trying to calm himself as Bruce places the call to Batgirl, waiting for her response. But before she picks up something changes, the pulse picks back up all of a sudden, like Nightwing had just come back from the dead.
~Fates
