Chapter 7
"Jason!" Batman hollered. But it was too late.
Jason turned to the voice, still catching his breath when a heavy weight slammed into his back. Jason stumbled forward, coughing.
It was as if all noise in the world had been turned off. The League had taken care of the ninjas, finally, and was ready to assist the batfamily. It allowed the sound of something like plastic being pierced to echo through the warehouse.
Jason turned slowly, eyes wide behind his mask. The back of Renegade was facing him. Renegade's knees were shaking, and he shuffled his feet to stay standing.
Renegade's mouth was open as he faced the last shadow standing. Slade's classic orange was a beacon to everyone else in the room. The two glared each other down until Renegade coughed, retching over the blade.
"Why…" Jason croaked unsteadily. He stood. Renegade laughed hoarsely.
"Don't attack a man's back." He said weakly, gripping his stomach. His hands didn't touch the open wound. Renegade didn't break eye contact with Slade.
"Weak! I knew you were always too weak!" Slade snarled. Slade pressed forward, his sword pressing deeper into Renegade's stomach. Renegade's face twisted with pain. Batman saw a new light in Renegade's eyes. He knew about the poison. Batman jumped forward to stop what was about to happen. His movement was like hitting the play button. Slade turned his head slightly to see what had moved, but he didn't let that stop his actions. Slade leaned forward. Jason blanched as the sword suddenly burst through Renegade's back. The hilt rubbed against Renegade's stomach.
"You have failed!" Slade hissed, a small dagger in his hand. Jason was up and moving. As Batman approached, Jason was besides the mercenary and his apprentice, snatching the knife out of Slade's hands. Slade's hate-filled eye turned on Jason.
Before a command or insult could be said, Slade gurgled. Jason stumbled back as a spray of blood burst from the ironic smiling shape across Slade's neck. Renegade held a smaller knife in his hand. Slade's body slumped backwards. His one hand still tightly around his sword's handle. Renegade stumbled backwards himself. He fell backwards as the sword fell from his gut. Jason just barely caught him in time. Slade made horrible gurgling noises as he suffocated and bled out.
"No! Quick! The plane!" Jason hollered. He laid Renegade down and pressed down on the wound. The blood just flowed through his fingers.
"Batman!" Jason's voice cracked. Batman and Bruce, as well as the other Leaguers were already there.
"We've got to stop the bleeding." Bruce said, already tearing some fabric to make a make-shift bandage.
"No… u-use." Renegade was practically hyperventilating.
"It's a bad wound, but we can heal it. I can close it for the time being." Superman told the apprentice. He even knelt and ran a comforting hand over Renegade's forehead. Renegade tensed. It seemed as if no one had ever given him such a gentle gesture before.
"You'll make it." Hal supported Superman. The two wouldn't' look at the injury. Somehow Renegade laughed.
"I won't. Hurry, I locked the scientists and guards in warehouses 5 and 9." Renegade gurgled and coughed, blood leaking from his mouth as Jason lifted his head. When he blinked, blood ran down his face. His nose started bleeding as well.
"What, what is this!" Flash demanded. He was vibrating in distress.
"Poison." Batman said. He had been pressing down on the wound with Bruce to attempt to staunch bleeding.
"Ah, Slade already gave you his boast?" Renegade's voice was weak. Batman closed his eyes and nodded.
"Antidotes! There is always an antidote!" Flash insisted, attempting to wipe blood off Renegade's face. Renegade shook his head. He blinked slowly.
"Nope." His voice was breathy.
"I'm so sorry." Batman burst out. His voice was a little bit shaky. It was as if he was holding back emotion. Renegade blinked and more blood escaped his eyes.
"What did you expect? I was a traumatized 10 year-old who couldn't speak English." Renegade's voice had changed. Besides being breath and weak, and accent had slipped in. Between every word was a shaky breath. Batman smiled slightly.
"Should have known you had figured me out." Batman said.
"In my last breaths, should I screw Ra's as well?" Renegade asked. Batman froze. He had forgotten this had all happened because of a Ghul. "He's after his grandson. Wants him back. Apparently Talia got screw over somehow and he needs his son to help him get into a lazurus pit." By the end of the statement, Renegade was gasping.
"Thank you." Batman said. He pushed some sweaty hair back off Renegade's face. He felt anger like never before. Ra's a Ghul had done this because he was a selfish bastard that was an addict of the worst drug. His rage was interrupted by the weak voice.
"Do you forgive me? Did you notice me?" Renegade suddenly asked. Superman frowned.
"His heart is speeding up. He's going into shock. He'll have a heart-attack soon."
Batman ignored the other hero. He was puzzled by Renegade's question. Jason pressed into his side.
"He's asking if you could, in any way have been proud of him. "Jason whispered. Batman's throat closed. He should have known. The Owls had a large amount of access to news records. The news of Grayson's death and Bruce Wayne's failed adoption had run for months. Renegade had to have known Bruce Wayne had tried to save him. And then, most likely also from the Owls, Renegade also knew Bruce Wayne was Batman.
Jason's clarification made Batman think. Renegade never killed in front of him. Hell, Renegade hardly ever killed. Renegade almost always randomly showed up to help Batman's family. But, Renegade was always bothering Batman.
Like a child trying to get their parent's attention.
"Batman?" Jason broke into his thoughts. Renegade was staring at him. Those bright, blue, seemingly innocent eyes that had seen too much. Batman reached over Renegade's body and removed the mask.
"You have done very well considering the circumstances." Batman admitted. Richard smiled at him, then his body spasmed and he gasped for air that wouldn't come. Tears rolled out of his eyes with the blood. The pool of blood everyone was leaning on grew. Batman shoved Superman and Flash and Jason back. He gathered Richard in his arms as the young man spasmed. The painful gasps were little knives cutting into Batman's heart. The body was still in moments.
"He's…he's gone." Superman stood and walked away. Hal dragged Flash with him and J'hn was off getting the plane and freeing the scientists and guards.
"In your world, are you proud of him?" Batman asked his counterpart.
Bruce was staring with wide eyes. His greatest nightmare had just occurred. They expected him to answer questions now?
"I am beyond proud of him." Bruce answered. Jason cried out in rage and slammed a fist into the puddle of blood.
"We must leave." Superman had walked back over. Batman laid Richard's body down. He closed the boy's eyes. He then pulled the mask back over the kid's head.
"I wonder what the news will say." Hal whispered.
"Renegade vs Slade: Two Nuisances off our Hands." Clark guessed. Batman and Bruce both gave the Kryptonian a glare.
"Come, we must leave." Superman said. The Batfamily stood slowly. Jason and Flash had been flown up by Hal. The plane was above; waiting to fly after Ra's a Ghul.
"We must leave." Superman said. The sparking of the machine caught everyone's attention.
"Shit." Bruce growled. Batman and Bruce met each other's eyes.
"We'll each go get our own bastards that tried to mess with our kids." Bruce said. Batman nodded. He seemed rather shell shocked. The machine sparked and a high wining sound was emitted.
'Batman!" Superman was worried. Batman quickly dropped to his knees and kissed Renegade's forehead.
"For the times that could have been, Richard." He croaked out. Superman grabbed Batman around the waist and held a hand out to Bruce. Bruce shook his head.
"I'm going home." His deep voice was confident.
"What!" Superman cried out in shock. Batman waved the Kryptonian away and ran to the machine. He hope his counterpart would get them both out of here. Bruce ran to the machine. He didn't have a clue what Nightwing had done to the first one.
Bruce… We need…
We'll get him! Dammit! We can't get the bleeding to stop!
Batman blinked away the voices and began inserting his own program. He could only hope Nightwing had done something similar. For a brief second, Bruce turned back to look at Renegade. It was then the machine exploded.
Pain torn at Bruce once again. His suit was burned off again. His skin melted, puddles of his blood boiled as they ran down his body. Bones were ground away. Then he was gone. Bruce was gone.