A/N: After weeks of interruptions, illnesses, and other crises, plus having to handle a succubus determined to take Tim's life force, the Bat Family finally gets a vacation, to the Bahamas, but is it the trip of their dreams? Warning some chapters contain explicit mature themes!

Serpent in Paradise

Part 32

Batman piloted the plane while Nightwing sat in the co-pilot's seat checking the instruments. "Nightwing, tell me if Nathan Devlin filed a flight plan and which airport he should be landing at in Metropolis."

Nightwing typed in the information into the onboard computer. "He is using the one that Lex built. It's mostly for private jets. He even has his own hanger. Wait . . . Clark? Isn't that Samantha's last name?"

"Yes, though I doubt if she is related to our blue boy scout."

"No, that's the last name on the hanger; hanger number 7 Jonathan Clark. Why use that hanger?"

"Jonathan Clark was her father," Batman explained. "He worked at Lex Corp. Look up Nathan Devlin. What's his connection to Lex Corp.?"

"Nathan . . . Nathan . . . Well . . . It says that he used to unload the trucks that delivered to Lex Corp."

"He used to work at the loading dock? How did he become a millionaire?"

"Well, isn't it easy to start a drug trade through that? He was the main man doing that. He has one thing on his record and that was getting busted once for smuggling drugs, but he was able to make bail easily."

"What happened after he made bail?" Batman asked.

"Disappeared for a while," Nightwing stated. "Came back to Lex corp but he didn't unload the trucks. He moved up, worked inside the building for a bit. Had ties with every higher up except for Lex."

"Let me speculate. After a while he suddenly disappeared to the Bahamas."

"That's why you're the detective."

"And Clark wasn't sent there for research. He was sent there to guarantee Devlin paid Lex's cut, but for what? Clark didn't expect to fall in love. Devlin probably blackmailed Clark and the price was his daughter."

"Damn, so he turned her into a whore?" Nightwing questioned. "That's low."

Batman ignored the barb and turned to his oldest son giving him a stern look letting him know that they would discuss his use of language later. "He didn't expect Tim to rescue her or himself. There is something we are missing."

Nightwing shrank back from the glare slightly, feeling like a nine year old kid. "I . . . wouldn't know."

"Lex Corp and Wayne Enterprises are both known for merging with certain businesses. Lex Corp develops weapons for defense. WE does develop tech, mostly through their Wayne Tech division, but they also have a medical division. Devlin . . . Lucius has mentioned about going up against a Mr. Devlin on several occasions across the negotiating table. Devlin always would lose those negotiations."

"So he wants to get back at Wayne for not cooperating?"

"Most of those negotiations were with regard to Wayne Medical division."

"I'm not sure I'm following." Nightwing stated, confused.

"Specifically . . . Pharmasudicals . . . Drugs."

"He wanted to expand his drug trade."

"Give the young man a cigar," Batman quipped. "He apparently needed the labs to make that expansion happen."

Nightwing nodded understanding.

"If he could get the labs legally, he could use them without anyone the wiser."

"So he's going to cripple WE while using Tim and you'd have no choice but to hand it over."

"Exactly, which is why we need to get Tim back immediately and stop Devlin from using him. Devlin is greedy enough not to stop with WE."

"So we start with looking for the hanger. Then if they aren't there, where do we check?"

"Devlin's Metropolis apartment," Batman said. "Check the address and the payments. You'll see that it's still under his ownership."

"Alright."

"We may need to split up if Devlin arrived before us. He may have already moved Tim."

"I'll check the apartment," Nightwing offered.

"I'll check the hanger."

Batman was going to head into Metropolis and away from the airport to drop off Nightwing when he spotted something suspicious below. "Maybe we better stick together."

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Tim was barely aware that the jet had touched down or that it had taxied to a hangar where there was a car waiting. He wasn't aware that someone had picked him up and was carrying him. They placed him in the back seat of a car.

"Nightwing, do you see that jet? It's the same make as the one registered to Devlin. Look over there, that car."

"Yes...someone is placing something...or someone in it."

"We have to intercept that car."

"Alright, after you."

Batman had Nightwing take the controls then opened the back hatch. He got onto a motorcycle that had been stored in the back of the plane. Nightwing guided the plane to a level where Batman could jump from the plane and land safely on the tarmac. He zoomed after the car as it was leaving the hangar area. He threw a series of small metal spiked objects toward the tires.

Nightwing pulled out one of his escrimma sticks. Setting the plane's controls on hover, he went to the hatch and aiming one of his sticks, he chucked it into the back window of the car when it went passed. It crashed through.

Batman then proceeded to race after the car on his motorcycle. Whoever was driving the car, they did a sharp turn toward the hangers. If they got in between they had less chance of catching them. Nightwing went back to the controls and did his best to keep up. That car wasn't going to stop so easily.

As Batman drew closer he launched himself off his motorcycle and grabbed on the edge of the frame from the crashed in back window. Gunfire came through. Batman ducked just in time hanging onto the side of the car.

As the car swerved to avoid hitting the side of the hangar, Batman was able to grab onto the frame and pulled himself up. He reached into the broken window and bashed the guy with the gun in the head. He then pulled himself up and in through the sunroof. "Stop this car NOW!"

The driver slammed on the breaks. Batman glared at Nathan Devlin through the sunroof. The man shrank back from his glare.

"If Timothy Wayne dies, there will be no place for you to hide."

Once Nightwing had the plane positioned over the stopped car, and had it on hover once more, he jumped down onto the hood. He smashed the front window with his fist and was able to pull a second guy with the gun out. He tossed him to the tarmac.

Batman climbed in through the sunroof and found Tim was lying on the floor of the car. He picked him up and climbed back out of the sunroof. "Tie this garbage up. We'll bring him to Gordon."

Nightwing grabbed Devlin a bit roughly as he tied him up. He made sure Devlin wouldn't be able to move at all.

Batman placed Tim temporarily on the ground. Tim's left side was covered in blood. His stitches had torn. He had to have lost at least a pint of blood. Batman quickly pulled a small pressure bandage from his utility belt and pressed it against Tim's wound then he took his cape off and wrapping it around him. He picked Tim up and carried him to Nightwing. "Why don't you take Tim, I'll take Devlin."

The way Nightwing was looking at Devlin, Batman was concerned that his former boy wonder might take revenge of the man for harming his brother.

Nightwing continued to glare at the man, daring him to make a move. He was quick to hand Devlin off to Batman. Walking over to Tim he picked him up. "Tim," Nightwing gently called his brother's name and held him close.

Tim heard someone calling his name, but he was in that shadowy place of the unconscious and slow to wake. His eyes were partially closed and unfocussed. He stared up at his brother, not quite recognizing him and yet he could tell he was safe in someone's arms.

"Come on baby bird," Nightwing whispered to him. "I'm so sorry for yelling at you. I didn't mean it."

"Nightwing, be careful with him," Batman said. "He was bleeding again. We need to get him home to Agent Penn."

Nightwing made sure to carry Tim so he wouldn't be in too much pain.

"We have you dead to rights," Batman growled at Devlin when he picked him off the ground. "I suggest you plead guilty." Batman stowed Devlin in the cargo hold while Nightwing placed Tim in a special harnessed seat so he could recline.

"Let's drop Devlin off at police headquarters and then take Tim home. Compile all the information we collected including the recording of Devlin's demands. We'll include that with our package." Batman climbed into the pilot's seat then plugged in the coordinates for police headquarters in Gotham City before releasing them from hover mode.

Nightwing made sure Tim was comfortable then he climbed back into the co-pilot's seat and started in on Batman's request. "Okay."

Once everything was taken care of Batman took the controls and headed home.

Continues with Part 33 - Epilogue