"So, explain this to me again," groaned Flash as he followed Batman through pitch black forest. "Why amI the one who has to be the bait?"
"We need someone to get caught intentionally," Batman explained, leading the way through the wood and scanning the area for any unactivated traps. "We can't risk Superman or Diana, who knows if they'll be kept alive long enough to escape."
"Yeah, I get that, but," Flash paused and looked around at the dark and haunting shadows cast across the ground by the trees. "Why me?" he complained.
"Stop whining and get over it!" snapped Green Lantern as he glided overhead and followed Batman and Flash in their search. "This could be our only chance of getting out of this mess; at least try to be serious and show a little backbone."
"Easy for you to say," Flash grumbled. "I don't see you being volunteered as bait. You saw that bear trap back there! And now you guys want me to walk into one on purpose?" he continued, annoyed. "If those things are strong enough to break Superman's legs…" Flash continued, studying his own slender limbs. "I thought you said those losers wanted us in one piece? Why can't you be the bait again?" he complained to Green Lantern and Batman.
"We need John to maintain watch and keep Superman and Diana posted in case anything goes wrong," Batman replied. "And you're the last one they'd expect to catch a second time," he explained as they returned to the small bog in the center of a forest clearing. "Besides," Batman continued calmly, stopping to study the scratched bark of a nearby tree, "I'll be the one to select and set off the trap," he explained reassuringly. "If this is going to work, we have to make it convincing; but also keep it safe." Surveying the area, Bruce continued to press forward; John and Wally following close behind as they walked the perimeter of the largest pond.
"This is where we lost your scent before," Wally said, recognizing the setting. "How'd you pull a disappearing act like that out here anyway?"
"Mud," Bruce replied bluntly. Puzzled, Wally and John watched as Bruce continued forward. Unsure of what he meant, it wasn't until they noticed the blotched remnants of dried mud spattered across his legs and chest, and caked on the underside of his tail.
"So, you swam through this gunk?" Lantern asked, amazed, disgusted.
"Gross!" Flash commented as he proceeded to questionably dip his paw into the murky water.
"Flash no!" Bruce shouted as he snatched Wally away from the pool.
"What? Why?" he asked confusedly. "I know it's gross, but it can't be that bad?" he joked. Just then, a heavy night wind blew through the trees and over the pond, sending ripples through its waters.
"Worse than you'd expect," Bruce replied as, a sudden disturbance appeared under the water before rising to the surface. Speechless, Flash stared in shock at the sight of the rusted, muddy, alligator trap that floated up and rested at the water's edge. Filthy and black in color, the gruesome poacher's trap lay in the dirt, its sharp spines and spikes piercing the muddy earth below, tethered to the muddy bottom of the pond by a thick, heavy chain. Still startled by his near-fatal misstep, Flash gawked at the deadly device a minute longer before thanking his friend.
"Wow," he sighed bewilderedly, "the bear trap was one thing; but how'd you know about this?" Flash inquired as he crouched down and studied the device more closely, puzzled as to how Batman could have sensed it while it was still under the water.
"Until yesterday, I didn't," Bruce replied as he turned away, briefly looking back at the trap. Watching him walk away from the area to catch up with John, Wally glanced back at the dangerous trap again, confused as to what his friend meant. Suddenly, upon further study, Flash observed traces of black fur caught in the iron trap's grasp. Backing away from the trap, startled, Flash quickly caught up to his friends. Studying Batman's paws as they walked, he noticed the healing scratches and scabs on his hind leg…
"I hope that's not the kind of trap we're looking for?" John commented as they continued through the woods, looking back at a clearly shaken and suspicious Flash. "It'd be kinda hard for the kid to pretend he's been caught in one of those; not to mention impossible for you to set one off without getting yourself hurt," he said out of concern for his friends' well being.
"We're not looking for anything like that," Batman assured. "There should be some smaller, less threatening traps around here. Besides," he paused and examined a nearby tree and sniffed the area. "I'm going to stay nearby to make sure everything goes as planned."
"Well, that makes me feel a little better," Flash joked, still trying to shake the image of that barbaric trap from his mind. "Kinda hard to believe they'd have any harmless traps out here."
Just then, Bruce stopped short and scanned a tree several feet away. Approaching slowly, the soft sounds of a jingling bell confirmed his suspicions. "We've got our trap." Bruce declared as he studied the area around the barren tree.
"This?" John asked skeptically. "Are we going to leave Wally to sit next to the tree and wait for one of those goons to come and get him?"
"More or less," Batman replied as he examined the lone wire, left exposed beside the tree, before thoroughly studying the earth beneath his feet and locating the source of the jingling noise: a chipmunk tethered to the tree's trunk, a small bell attached to the string, ringing and rattling as the tiny creature struggled to get free. Upon seeing the ominous black wolf leaning towards it, the helpless little rodent struggled frantically to break free and escape Bruce's mighty jaws; but rather than eat the poor creature, the apex predator briefly turned away to address its friends. "Flash," Batman called, signaling for Wally to join him near the tree.
"Aw, poor little guy," Flash sighed when he saw the defenseless little chipmunk tied to the tree. "We can't leave him here," he said compassionately.
"We're not going to," Batman agreed as he proceeded to use his sharp fangs to delicately detangle the chipmunk's bindings and set the little rodent free. After liberating the little chipmunk, Batman studied the little string wrapped around the tree, before examining the surrounding area, and looking back at Wally, "But you're going to stay here..." he said abruptly. Before Flash even had a chance to react, Batman tugged on the little string, causing the ground beneath Flash to give way and send him dropping down into a hole under the tree's trunk! "Are you alright?" Bruce asked as he and John peered into the hole, looking down at Wally as he staggered to his feet and shook the dirt and blades of grass from his body.
"You know you could've given me a heads up before surprising me with a trap door!" Flash replied grudgingly, but in good spirits none the less. Swiftly, John swooped down into the hole to check on Wally and further examine the pit for Bruce while he followed the tree's mysterious wire to a small power box attached to the its trunk, and smiled as it began to flicker on and off, emitting a bright blue light and a low, buzzing alarm.
"We'll need you to stay here until someone comes to check the trap," Batman explained as leaned forward and looked down into the hole to speak to Flash. "An alarm's been triggered, so it shouldn't be long."
"Good thing I'm not claustrophobic," Flash joked as he sat in the hole, looking up and Batman and watching Green Lantern fly out of the pit.
"John and I will be watching nearby," Bruce assured.
"When those punks get here, try to act defensive," John explained.
"Defensive?"
"We wanted you to get caught, but they aren't supposed to know that," Bruce explained.
"When they come to get you out, just try to put up somewhat of a fight," John instructed.
"But nothing that will get you shot," Bruce clarified, as he walked away from the trap.
"You guys won't be too far away, right?" Flash asked nervously, his tail wrapping around his legs for comfort.
"Relax," John laughed as he flew up and perched in one of the tree's branches above Flash's hole. "We'll be right here."
Time passed, and the eerie silence of the forest's night life was soon erased by the slow rising of the sun. Sprawled out like a clumsily contorted ball of shaggy red and white fur, Flash was suddenly wakened by a loud whisper and the feeling of someone firmly nudging his side. "Huh- what? What is it?" he mumbled, startled, as he sleepily awoke up from his nap. Blinking lazily, his tired eyes focused on the golden- brown eagle standing over him. Still only partially awake, Flash yawned and stared at the bird in confusion for a moment as he rubbed the remaining traces of sleep from his eyes; studying the dark brown paw used to wipe his face, he sighed and remembered the situation, before addressing his friend. "GL?"
"Look alive Wally," John said in a no-nonsense manner. "That's how they're gonna want you when they get here," he joked as he flew out of the hole and landed back in the tree overhead.
"Already?"
Calmly, Batman replied, explaining the situation, as well as their plan. "When we set off the trap, we also triggered an alarm that was designed to alert those poachers if anything was caught," he said, still hiding away from the trap, his voice echoing into the hole as he spoke. "Someone should be on their way here soon," he continued, "they're not far."
"Great," Flash yawned as he stretched and shook the dirt and dried grass from his coat. He looked up at John, still watching from the tree overhead, and joked, "Now I can finally get out of this hole."
"Don't get too excited," Bruce warned.
"You were supposed to be caught by surprised, not intentionally waiting in the hole. Try to act the part?" John continued.
"Yeah, yeah. I got it," Wally groaned, annoyed his friends couldn't take a joke. Just then, the conversation was cut short by the sounds of roaring car engines and blaring headlights as two filthy cars- an old pickup truck and a muddy jeep- made their way through the woods, parking in front of Flash's hole. Eagerly, two men leapt from the pickup, while another exited the jeep and followed them to the trap.
"Whatcha think we got this time?" laughed one of the men as the proceeded to the pit. "Raccoon, wolverine? Maybe we got lucky and snagged another bear cub!"
"As long as it ain't another skunk," one of the men joked as he picked up his shirt, "still haven't gotten the smell of the last one off of me." The two men continued to joke and share their guesses of what might be waiting in the hole, while the third poacher deactivated the alarm. Shutting off the flashing light, he looked down into the hole and a crude smile graced his face at the sight of waited in the dirt below.
"Even better Mates!" he shouted, pointing into the hole. "We caught ourselves a red!" he said happily as his partners ran to look at their catch. "And from the looks of'im, I'd say it's Luthor's fugitive fur ball."
"Beauty!" cheered one of the hunters. "At least we got one of them back. Hopefully we'll still get some profit; this little guys worth a couple thousand at least."
"Well," scoffed Flash as he looked up at the oafish group of men, "now I know I'm not completely worthless," he joked, looking up at Green Lantern, who remained hidden in the tree.
"Don't worry Mate," sighed one of the men in a falsely soothing manner. "We'll get you out of there in no time."
"Finally!" Flash shouted as he watched a poacher jump down into the hole and approach, a thick burlap sack in his fist. "Hey buddy, personal space," Flash said defensively as he backed away from the hunter, "ever heard of it?" But then, before he could receive a response Flash was quickly snatched up and tossed into the bag, which was then tossed out of the hole and up to the two waiting men who proceeded to place it into the back of the pickup.
Angrily shouting to be let out, Flash fought and clawed at his burlap cage, calling for Batman and Lantern to make sure that they were paying attention and- as the trucks' engines roared- making sure they were following the plan and trailing the trucks back to the warehouse, where the grand plan would fall into place.