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Chapter 11
Dick could barely contain the utter dread that had gripped him since finding out about what had happened to Diana and Bruce, his mind still working to wrap itself around it all…the ramifications. He tightened his grasp on the controls of the Batplane as it sliced through the sky at top speed and still it didn't feel as if they were moving nearly fast enough for his liking. They needed to get to them before it was too late.
He knew that Donna felt the same way, her prolonged silence speaking volumes about her current mood. She'd normally be talking his ear off on a long tedious trip like this and yet she'd barely said a single word since they had left Gotham hours ago.
Neither of them wanted to think about what Bruce and Diana could possibly be going through at the hands of Hades let alone verbalize or speculate on how they were going to be able to survive it. He knew they'd have to talk about it soon, though. They were less than thirty minutes away from Themyscira at this speed.
He swallowed hard as his mind incessantly took him to places that he refused to accept as a possibility. The only outcome for all of this was bringing Bruce and Diana safely home where they belonged; getting them married in six days.
Nothing else mattered at that moment – not the countless arguments that he and Bruce had had over the years, their stupid differences or the hurtful things said in the heat of anger. It all seemed so small and petty now, insignificant in the wake of losing his surrogate father forever.
Dick knew that this wasn't the first time that Bruce had been in serious danger and, if they could get to them in time, it definitely would not be the last. He couldn't begin to count the number of times that Batman had gone out and came so close to never coming back, but it was very different this time. This was Hades, the god of the Underworld. There was no challenging that even for someone like the formidable Batman.
What was worse was how much better things had been between them and it had all been because of Diana. She had come into their lives, drawing all of them in with her beautiful spirit and warmth, somehow helping to mend past hurts and erase resentments. Without even realizing it, she had managed to create a real family where one had never fully existed.
And now he was at risk of losing his family all over again.
Guilt began to eat away at him like a virus with that sickening thought, his body tensing in response. He'd never told Bruce how he truly felt about him or how he had saved his life the day that he had taken him into his home.
He'd always held a measure of resentment over the fact that Bruce had never truly let him into his life, always keeping him at arms' length. He knew the reasons why, could recite them all in his head. Bruce was a very damaged, broken man, too afraid to loosen his grip on his heart and too stubborn to loosen his hold on his city for fear of all of it slipping right through his fingers.
Still, he would have wanted to have had a more responsive father figure growing up. Bruce had met his every basic human need from food to clothing and shelter, providing anything he could have ever needed or wanted.
However, the one thing that he had needed most his father figure had been unable to give him. Trust and understanding…or maybe Bruce had understood him a little too well.
Bruce knew the gruesome depths that he needed to sink to at times as Batman in order to save his city, continually hovering as close to that invisible line as possible without actually crossing it. Crossing that line meant losing himself completely to the dark madness that dwelt and festered inside of him, the rage that always simmered within. It was what he had been trying to save Dick from all along.
Becoming like him.
Batman had always had one major rule that stood apart from the countless others – do not kill. After that just about everything else was fair game. Breaking and entering, trespassing, threats of violence – they were all acceptable as long as it was done in the fight for justice, a part of the mission to save Gotham.
But Bruce had been forced to sink to some appalling levels at times, coming as close to being just like the vile scum of his city in order to flesh them out and put an end to their domination. When he came home from patrol, he could take a shower to wash away the grit and grime of his city, but there were some things could never be truly washed away…especially not from the soul.
That was the main reason that Bruce had kept him at arm's length, allowing Dick to accompany him in his crusade and yet at the same time trying to shield him as best as he could from the cruel realities of life in Gotham. It was why he couldn't be the father that Dick had needed. He understood all of that now.
Bruce had been too afraid that the filthy iniquity that had become a permanent part of his tainted soul would eventually extend to Dick, infecting him and everyone else that he allowed into his grisly world. That was why he kept himself set apart from others, choosing to be unhappy and alone. It was a self-imposed sentence meant to protect everyone around him as well as his broken heart from anymore pain.
Fortunately for all of them, a certain Amazon princess had been far too obstinate to put up with his tiresome defense mechanisms and cold brooding attitude. She had truly changed him, brought about a transformation in the man that Dick had come to know so well.
Diana had been the only one strong enough, stubborn enough to go toe-to-toe with the fearsome Batman and not back down. She was unafraid and unfazed by him and it had unsettled his surrogate father to no end. It had been amusing to watch the obvious affect that she had on him.
Dick had never seen someone capable of doing that to Bruce until her, keeping him off balanced and knotted up inside. Diana was the ideal foil for him, similar in a myriad of ways and yet the perfect complement to each other. He had never seen two people more created for one another than Bruce and Diana.
As he thought about Diana, Dick couldn't help but allow his mind to wander to the Amazon sitting silently in the seat behind him. Donna was easily one of his best friends, but he had been noticing other feelings resurfacing inside of him recently, thoughts and feelings that were definitely anything but friendship.
He'd always noticed how extremely beautiful she was even right from the beginning. Any red blooded male would have to be completely blind not to notice. He'd thought about pursuing her at times in the past, but there had always been circumstances or someone else in the picture for one of them. Roy Harper, Barbara Gordon, Kyle Rayner, Kory.
Now, though, both of them were free to pursue more…if she shared his feelings.
Dick silently berated himself for thinking about Donna when Bruce and Diana were going through literal hell right now. He knew they were going to have to come up with a game plan if they were ever going to get them out of the Underworld and he had no idea where to even start.
"Can you feel what Diana is going through right now?" Dick suddenly asked, remembering that Diana and Donna shared a special connection.
A long pause followed his question before Donna finally responded. "She's furious…dangerously so. It's more than I have ever felt from her before," Donna revealed, her voice unexpectedly tremulous. "She's terrified for Bruce. It's almost overwhelming how strong her emotions are right now. She doesn't appear to be injured, but she's fighting hard against something. I just don't know what it is or where in the Underworld she is at."
"It's alright, Donna," he reassured her, wanting to comfort her. "We'll find her and Bruce and get them out of there."
"Dick, I don't think you fully understand what we're about to get ourselves into," she warily informed him. "This isn't like Gotham or Blϋdhaven. It's like nothing you've ever known before."
"I know that," he snapped in frustration. "We're literally going to enter hell. It's not going to be a quiet walk in the park, Donna."
"You will need to stay by me at all times and do exactly what I say, Dick," she adamantly told him. "I'm in charge on this mission."
"I promise I won't leave your side."
"When we land on Themyscira, I will leave the plane first and you will wait until I give you the signal to exit," she instructed him. "One look at you and my sisters will have your head on a pike before your boots can even touch the sand."
Dick gulped with her warning, suddenly feeling very uneasy about this whole thing. "Is there any way we can avoid the whole landing on Themyscira thing and just go straight to hell?" he asked, his face suddenly blanching with his own words. "Never thought I'd be asking that question in my lifetime."
"The gate to the Underworld lies beneath the island," she explained. "There is no way we can reach it without going through Themyscira first. We are the guardians of the gate to the Underworld."
"I just hope your mother lets me back out of hell once we find Bruce and Diana," Dick muttered more to himself then to his friend.
Donna giggled at Dick's remark. "Don't worry. I promise that I'll save you from my mother."
"We're closing in on Themyscira or at least I believe we are according to the coordinates you gave me," he announced, peering at the endless expanse of ocean water.
"Just go in for a landing."
"Donna, there's nothing but water down there beneath us."
"Trust me, Dick," she confidently replied. "Just land the plane like you normally would."
"Whatever the Amazon says, the Amazon gets," he murmured, his brow furrowed with worry as he began their descent towards the water.
Dick gasped despite himself as an island suddenly appeared before his eyes, a literal tropical paradise seeming to rise up right out of the ocean. "That's amazing," he exclaimed in stunned disbelief. "If I hadn't seen it, I wouldn't have believed it."
"Told you," Donna said with a self-satisfied grin. "Now, remember…"
"I know…I know," he interrupted her, obviously annoyed by the situation. "You exit first and I just sit here like an obedient little puppy. Just be sure to stop any spears aimed for my head. It may be hard, but it's not impenetrable."
"I'll protect you," she promised him.
Dick smiled to himself at the sudden unexpected feel of her hand on his shoulder as she squeezed it in reassurance. He wished he could touch her, to feel her soft skin beneath his fingers, but they had work to do now. He also needed to avoid being skewered and sacrificed to a Greek goddess for trespassing…or for having male body parts. He just prayed he made it off this damn island with those said body parts still intact.
Landing the Batplane, Dick had barely turned off the engine before he spotted Amazons pouring from the trees with spears in hand and fierce scowls on their faces. Donna was definitely going first. "Welcoming party has arrived and they don't look very pleased."
"Would you if a plane that looked like a giant flying rodent suddenly landed on your island?"
"Point taken," he muttered as he unbuckled his seatbelt.
Popping the hatch, Donna quickly stood to reveal herself to her fellow sisters. "Do not fire!" she yelled, holding up her hands.
Artemis immediately raised her hand to her soldiers to stand down. "Lower your weapons," she ordered. "Donna has returned to us."
Dick slowly stood at that moment, causing everyone to immediately raise their weapons again. "Hey there!" he exclaimed, holding his hands up in self-defense. "Do not fear. I come in peace."
"They aren't illiterate savages, Dick," Donna grumbled under her breath as she descended from the plane.
"What is the meaning of this, Donna?" Artemis demanded as she glared hotly at Nightwing who was also exiting from the Batplane now. "You brought a man to the island? Did your sister's previous banishment teach you nothing?"
"I must see mother right away," Donna told her, ignoring Artemis's reference to Diana's exile.
Just then, Hippolyta appeared from beyond the crowd that had gathered, Amazon soldiers parting like a mighty sea. "Donna," the Queen greeted her grimly, her eyes blazing with anger as they settled on the oddly dressed man behind her. "What is the meaning of this?"
"It's Diana and Bruce, mother," she confessed with a heavy heart, allowing her expression to show her fear. "I'm afraid Hades has taken them."
"What?" Hippolyta gasped in shock, her gaze narrowing with sudden anger. "Come with me to the palace so that we may discuss this."
"Dick must come to," Donna insisted. "He is Bruce's adopted son and a noble warrior. We'll need him if we are to find them in time."
Hippolyta appraised him for a long moment, sizing him up before finally relenting. "Fine," she conceded with a sigh. "We must hurry, though. If Diana and Bruce are truly with Hades in the Underworld, then time is of the essence."
Following Hippolyta, Dick could feel the deadly glares of every single Amazon standing on either side of them, fearing that their heated glowers alone were enough to burn him alive. He moved even closer to Donna, hoping she'd be able to block an attack if someone suddenly got an itchy trigger finger.
Donna couldn't help but smile at how close Dick was walking next to her, the heat of his body warming her. In fact, she found that she rather enjoyed his close proximity. She'd been having rather strong feelings for him lately, feelings that she was having a very hard time ignoring.
But now was not the time to think about how she was falling in love with Dick Grayson, though; not when Diana and Bruce were fighting for their very lives at that moment against Hera knew what.
XXX
Diana flew through the heavy air, cutting right before making a sharp left as she evaded an aerial assault from her current opponent. She'd taken out several flying demons, but one still remained. It was beginning to gain speed on her. As much as she wanted to pummel it senseless with her fists, she didn't want to slow down and take the time to deal with it right now.
The fight earlier with Chimera and then the flying demons that had shown up after had slowed her progress already. She wasn't going to be able to get to Bruce in time at this rate and what was even worse Hades knew it.
He knew how it would tear her apart inside knowing someone she loved was in grave danger and she couldn't get to them. It was an assault directed at her heart as well as her sanity that would end up causing her far worse pain than could ever be dealt to her physically.
Glancing back over her shoulder, she found the demon closing in on her. It was time to end this foolishness. Noticing a rocky formation in the shape of a large arch up ahead, Diana flew straight at it, allowing the creature to get even closer to her.
As she drew nearer to the bridge made out of rock, she suddenly dove at the very last second, flying just beneath it. Unfortunately, the large demon wasn't so lucky nor was he as agile, careening straight into the thick rock at full speed.
The loud crack that followed told Diana that she'd finally taken care of the last flying demon. Now, she just had to find Bruce and stop Hades from interfering in their lives ever again. When she got her hands on Hades, he was going to regret the day that he chose to take an interest in her life.
Flying low, Diana noticed how the red terrain littered with pits of pure hellfire swiftly gave way to thick marshlands. A large swamp of greenish brown water appeared among the dense grass and bulrush, its fetid stench filling the air. An ominous haze rose up from the water, adding to the eerie sensation that began to wash over her.
She felt a nagging prickle in the back of her brain telling her something was deadly wrong as the murky water beneath her began to swirl and churn. Something moved beneath the surface of the water, a shadow dark and long and massive. She suddenly knew what was about to come, the next trial she must face in order to get to Bruce.
Diana came to an abrupt stop in mid-air as an enormous creature swiftly rose up from the filthy water. It had nine serpentine heads that were fully focused on her as it pulled itself up to its full imposing height, eight mortal heads and one immortal.
It was the Hydra.
She knew from her studies that cutting off a head wouldn't get her anywhere when two more would just grow back in its place. She was going to have to find another way around the behemoth that was blocking her way to Bruce, ready to take her out. It wouldn't think twice about ending her life right here and now.
With a Greek curse on her lips, Diana flew straight for the giant serpent, her fists poised and ready for a vicious fight. The Hydra would be a very poor substitute for Hades, but it would certainly be a decent warm up to the battle that she really hungered for.
Its blood red eyes blazed with hatred and wrath, its numerous mouths opened wide, all of them snapping and hissing at her. As one set of fangs went straight for her, another spit fire out of its mouth while another tried to knock her out of the air with its massive head.
Diana ducked and turned, barely evading another serpent's head coming straight at her, spewing acid and releasing its poisonous breath. She feared that even she wouldn't be able to survive breathing in the Hydra's toxic breath or heal from its deadly acid. It was a magical being as well, born from Typhon and Echidna.
She was going to have to work fast if she was going to escape this fight without sustaining any injuries. She swiftly dove down towards the water before suddenly leveling off and circling back around the creature's enormous body. The serpents' mouths all followed in pursuit as she flew through the air, ducking and weaving in and out and around the long necks of the beast in an attempt to knot them up.
One serpent tangled with two others, enraging the Hydra even more as the remaining serpents furiously spewed fire and acid at her. She could feel the scorching heat of its liquid flames on her back, shooting right past her as she suddenly came up short, barely missing her.
Her heart hammered in her chest, her blood singing in her ears as she threw a punch at a serpent's head, knocking it out as she attacked another. She pictured Hades' face with every swing of her fist, grunting with rage as she kicked another serpent's head square in the jaw and pretending it was her so-called father.
Its deadly tail unexpectedly broke the surface of the water, whipping up and raking across her back. The razor-sharp spikes adorning its tail scored the muscles and skin that covered her back, leaving long deep gashes in its wake.
Diana threw her head back, squeezing her eyes shut as an agonizing scream was torn from her throat. The wounds burned like acid, the spikes in its tail no doubt laced with the same poison that it emitted. Her entire body shook with both uncontrollable rage as well as excruciating pain as she struggled to catch her breath, knowing she needed to move before the Hydra struck again.
Two serpents' heads suddenly came right at her, one from each side as she fought to regain control of her body. She shoved the overwhelming pain that had gripped her from her mind, focusing on the fact that this beast stood between her and Bruce.
The Amazon gritted her teeth, her fists flying out at the attacking serpents. She swiftly grabbed hold of both of its necks, slamming their heads together and allowing them to fall limply from her grasp. She needed to take out the one immortal head in the middle. It was the ultimate key to winning this battle.
She flew back towards the shore of the swamp, finding a large boulder and lifting it up over her head. She swiftly flew straight towards the Hydra, fury searing through her veins as she threw the rock straight at the immortal head.
Breathing heavily, she watched in satisfaction as the Hydra slowly sank back down into the murky grave that it had come from, the last head hanging in defeat. The air was suddenly eerily still and quiet again as her chin fell to her chest. Her breaths coming in ragged pulls as she fought against the nausea that was churning inside of her. Whatever poison was in the spikes of the Hydra's tail was beginning to take effect.
She opened her eyes, her vision blurring before finally clearing. She could feel warm blood oozing down her back, but chose to ignore it knowing that Bruce needed her. She didn't have a moment to lose or she could lose him forever to this wretched place.
XXX
"This is bogus, man!" Flash cried in indignation, his usual jovial smile gone and in its place a fierce scowl as his fist slammed down on top of the conference table. "There's got to be something we can do to help them."
"All we can do is wait and hope that Dick and Donna can get to them in time," Superman calmly informed the other four founders of the Justice League.
"I wish there was something more we could do for them," J'onn stoically said from his chair at the end of the table, his gaze falling to the right where two empty chairs sat along the side of the table.
"We all do, J'onn," Hawkgirl softly agreed. "I just can't believe that this is really happening. They're supposed to be married this Saturday."
"It's still plenty of time to get them back from the Underworld," Superman attempted to reassure them with a confidence that he wasn't really feeling at that moment, but he needed to hold it together for the good of the League. It wouldn't help to see the founders falling apart. "Right now, our official stand is that Diana is inactive in preparation for her wedding to Bruce Wayne and Batman is involved in a top secret mission that requires his full attention for the unforeseeable future."
Flash leaned forward, propping his elbows up on the table to hold his head. "And what is our official statement when they never return from the Underworld?" he gloomily asked. "Sorry world, but Batman and Wonder Woman are burning in the pits of hell for all eternity and cannot come to your rescue right now. Don't worry, though. You still have the rest of us."
Shayera placed a gentle hand on the Scarlet Speedster's back, sharing his fear and worry. "It won't come to that, Flash," she told him. "Bruce and Diana are both strong and intelligent. They love each other very much and nothing is going to keep them from each other or coming back to us."
"I know, but this just sucks," he grumbled. "Haven't they suffered enough without having Hades suddenly deciding he wants to be father of the year and take interest in his daughter?"
"I know it doesn't make sense and they definitely don't deserve what is happening to them right now, but it doesn't change the fact that they are now in the Underworld enduring whatever nightmare Hades concocted," John agreed. "All we can do now is our jobs and protect earth. It's what both Bruce and Diana would have wanted. They wouldn't want us sitting here wallowing in worry and…"
"Would have wanted?" Flash suddenly yelled, sitting up straight. "You act like they're already dead and gone."
"I'm sorry, Wally," John softly stated. "I didn't mean…"
"It's alright," Superman interjected, standing to his feet to get everyone's attention. "We're all upset about what has happened to Bruce and Di, but we'll get through this together as a team. For now, we carry on with the hope that they'll be back soon. If I hear any updates from Dick or Donna, I'll let you know as soon as I do. In the meantime, we need to be ready to back up Tim in Gotham if he runs into trouble."
Everyone drew a collective breath, a tense silence filling the conference room, no one moving as they all tried to process what was happening to their friends at that moment. Shayera reached over to pat the Flash's back again only to have him suddenly leap to his feet.
"I've got monitor duty in a few," Flash muttered. "I'll catch you all later."
They watched as the Speedster fled the room, knowing he was taking this very hard. They all were. None of them were going to be able to sleep until their friends were back with them where they rightfully belonged.
XXX
He sat inconspicuously in the corner, keeping his head down as he ate. He cut a large piece of his steak, taking a bite and internally groaning with pleasure. He had missed eating and being treated like he was accustomed to.
It had felt like forever since he'd had a decent meal and he was making the most of it. He reached for his glass of wine, nearly downing the whole glass in one gulp before reaching for the bottle the waiter had left behind for him.
He had been denied the finer things in life for far too long, being locked up like some common demented criminal in Arkham no less. He was anything but some ordinary street thug and he definitely wasn't psychotic like the other lunatics they had locked up there.
He was a brilliant visionary, his ideas and plans for a better world always misunderstood by others. Now, though, he had a chance to start again and with a whole new goal in mind.
Lex smiled to himself as he thought about the information that he had gleaned. He was going to get Wonder Woman for himself one way or another and nothing was going to stand in his way. Not Batman. Not Superman. Not even that foolish fop Bruce Wayne. Diana would be his.
"Nice disguise."
Luthor looked up sharply, his eyebrows knitting together in immediate suspicion before suddenly relaxing at the sight of the person standing at his table. He had been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't even noticed her approach or recognized her at first. He swore to himself at his lack of focus.
"Took you long enough," he groused as she slid into the chair at the table across from him.
"Good to see you too, Lex," Mercy Graves drawled with a frown, her hard gaze appraising him. "You look…well."
"So do you," he replied with a lecherous grin, his eyes darkening with lust. It had been far too long since he'd had the pleasure of a woman's company. Too long indeed.
Mercy couldn't help the shiver that his lustful gaze sent up her spine. She knew Lex Luthor wasn't any good for her, but she couldn't help it. She felt she owed him for what he had done for her. Not to mention, it didn't help that she had always been drawn to the bad boys.
Mercy reached inside of the coat she wore, pulling out a long envelope, her steady gaze never leaving his. She shivered again as he placed his hand on top of hers, caressing the back of her hand as he unflinchingly returned her stare.
She finally pulled her hand out from beneath his, forcing herself to remain focused. She was the CEO of LexCorp and had been doing a damn good job of running the company ever since Lex had been caught by the Justice League.
"This should be enough to get you through for quite some time if you're frugal," Mercy informed him, placing her hands in her lap. "I realize that will be a hardship for you, but I'm sure you'll adjust."
Luthor picked up the envelope, opening it to see just how much she had given him. "How soon can I get my hands on more?" he asked with a frown as he stuffed the envelope into his jacket pocket.
Mercy looked at him as if he'd just grown a second head. "Just how much more are you going to need?"
"For what I have planned?" Luthor replied with a gleam in his eye. "A whole hell of a lot more than this."
"Lex, have you learned nothing since being sent to Arkham?" she snapped. "You should be lying low for now."
"Don't use my name in public," he growled.
"They obviously thought that you were crazy for going up against the Justice League and especially Wonder Woman if they locked you up in Arkham," she pointed out.
A smug grin spread across his face. "Actually, they finally decided that I was completely sane," he informed her. "I was on the verge of being transferred to Blackgate today, but someone saw fit to grant me an early release before I was sent to that hellhole to rot for all eternity."
Mercy's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Who broke you out?"
"I have no idea, but it couldn't have come at a better time."
"What are you planning now?"
"I'm going after Wonder Woman," he ominously said as he reached for the bottle of wine to refill his glass.
She sat there in stunned disbelief, unsure if she had heard him correctly. "You are truly insane, aren't you?" she finally responded.
"No, of course not," Luthor insisted with a sneer as he cut off a hunk of meat. "I know exactly what I'm doing."
"By going after the strongest Meta in the world next to Superman?"
"I have a plan," he maintained.
"That's what you said before when you tried to take down the Justice League," she reminded him. "As I recall, that didn't end too well. Batman nearly beat the life out of you."
"I had Wonder Woman under my control for a time," he shot back. "I know I can do it again."
"What's this recent infatuation with Wonder Woman?" she demanded to know as she leaned forward with her arms coming to rest on top of the table. "You were always so obsessed with taking down Superman before. Why the sudden change? Don't tell me you've fallen for her?"
Lex averted his eyes as he cleared his throat before suddenly growing indignant under her penetrating gaze. "So what if I have?" he snarled. "It's not like every other male in the world isn't already."
"And how exactly do you plan on getting your prized Amazon?" she asked, thinking that Lex had finally lost it. "She's supposed to marry Bruce Wayne this coming Saturday."
Luthor's scowl quickly returned with a vengeance. "I know, but it won't come to that," he ground out. "Let's just say that once I'm through with Bruce Wayne, I'll have Diana eating out of my hand."