Scarlet Fever
Sasha decides to take matters into her own hands when Tim gets hurt by the Joker on patrol.
Part 7: Another Broken Bird
Red Hood heard the buzzing in his ears. It let him know that he was alive. His helmet was cracked and there was a broken piece near his jaw line where part of his mouth had been exposed. He had survived the blast, but there was dust clogging this lungs and he was partially buried. He was coughing to try and clear what was in his chest. He had been lucky. Most of the debris stayed toward the center of what remained of the collapsed warehouse. There was also another buzzing in his ear. It was a few minutes before he realized it was his com link. "Nightwing to RH!"
The voice sounded frantic, almost panicky.
"LITTLE WING ANSWER ME!"
It was another minute or two before Red Hood recognized the voice and pressed the button on his helmet to answer the com.
Red Hood coughed a few more times. "What Nightwing?"
"Did a bomb just go off in your location?"
"What . . . " The ringing in Red Hood's ears hadn't quite died down.
"Did a bomb go off in your location?" Nightwing repeated.
"Yes. Was there a present wrapped in red and grey waiting for you?"
"Yes," Nightwing answered. "Apparently the locations we checked out were meant to be traps to throw us off of the Joker's real location."
"We need to find Red Robin," Red Hood coughed out.
"He said he was going to Amusement Mile."
"Oh great, that's probably where that clown is hiding. There's no telling what the hell the Joker has planned up at that fucking Mile. Meet me there in ten."
"I'll be there."
Red Hood shut off his com link and extracted himself from the remaining debris and made it out to his motorcycle.
NRNRNRNR
" . . . Ugh. . ."
"Well, it's about time you came awake, cupcake," Mr. Whiteface grinned. "It's rude to fall asleep at a party."
Red Robin's eyes popped open behind the lenses of his mask. He recognized that voice and face. "Joker . . . "
"Aw, you recognized me, my disguise must be slipping."
Red Robin struggled against the bonds that held him. He not only was spread eagle on the dirt floor, he was face down with his hands and feet tied to stakes.
"Your name will be trash . . . Aaaah" Red Robin was struck across the face with a crowbar as if his head was a golfball and the crowbar was the driver. He could feel that a couple of teeth had been jarred loose and his lip was split. Part of his mask was actually torn away, and it felt like he had a long gash across his cheek.
"Now, that's rude. You're going to have to be punished."
Red Robin was struck again and he could hear the sound of his ribs breaking. He tried to suck in air, but he couldn't breathe.
"Speak up I can't hear you," the Joker said as he continued to hit Red Robin in the ribs.
JRJRJRJRJRJR
Nightwing and Red Hood arrived at Amusement Mile at the same time. Both couldn't help notice the condition both of their uniforms were in.
"What happened to you?" Hood asked.
"He thought it would be hilarious to have sharp needles shoot at me when the damn bomb went off," Nightwing glared.
"The clown tried to drop my own warehouse on me. Talk about ironic. Let's get this over and done with."
"Red Robin, come in," Nightwing called through the com link. There wasn't an answer.
"You don't suppose . . . "
"Let's just hope he just turned his com link off, though he knows better not to." The silence was deafening. He didn't want to read into it more than he already was. Nightwing kept his fears to himself. RHNRHNRHN
Red Robin glared at the maniac when he came into his line of sight. His left eye was swelling shut and despite not being able to breathe, he was doing his best not to pass out.
"Louder, I want to hear you sing."
The Joker swung the crowbar, again, striking Red Robin again in my ribs, this time on the other side. Red Robin could feel more of his ribs break. Then the Joker hit Red Robin across his back and then down on his right thigh. He kept hitting him until he heard both legs break. Red couldn't take it any more, the pain and the loss of blood was making his head swim.
"That's enough, for now. I've got another party to attend, and a lot of happy pills to pass out. This was a blast." The Joker dropped the crowbar by Red Robin's face. "A little message for Red Hood, if he shows up." The sound of ticking was the last thing Red Robin heard as he passed out. Continues with Part 8