Sorry, this one is exceedingly late… I'm not even going to try and explain this one, please read and review. Thanks!
Chapter 14
He awoke to a warzone; pieces of the ceiling raining down on them. Jason blinked past the sleep clouding his vision only to be jerked to the side as a particularly well-aimed bullet drilled a hole into the place he had been standing on. Bruce came to his rescue once more before the boy was finally able to reclaim his senses. Jason was in action.
The bastards had found them.
They had torn a hole the size of an RV into his apartment, set it aflame, and were now waiting for the family to bolt.
"Fuck," he spat, logically sweeping the area for his brothers. Damian seemed to have recovered enough to be on his own two feet, Tim slightly less so. The teen was leaning heavily on Dick, but he was up nonetheless.
Jason tested his muscles, finding that the pain was nominal, or at least inconsequential – it could be ignored until the adrenaline stopped pumping.
So ignore it he did.
Jason let out a cry of warning; pulling Bruce with him as he took off towards the closet he had gotten his other supplies from earlier. His brothers swiftly followed, and once inside a simple key code opened up another passage – one that led to the floor below, and the floor below, and so on until the ground floor was accessible. Jason recalled that he had installed such preparations in each and every one of his 'homes'.
The young man pointed to the now-recovered staircase in a silent command, one that was followed immediately.
As the family made their way downstairs, the crashes from behind them slowly faded until finally they stopped altogether.
"They're on to us. Move faster," Bruce said authoritatively. Only a slight quiver intimated any fear or concern.
They picked up their pace.
When the final turn in the winding way came, the wall flew inward at them throwing Damian over the rail. Bruce only just managed to catch hold of the boy's hand in time to keep his son safe – though the audible pop of a joint being displaced told another story. Damian cried out in shock, but did not complain. Bruce pulled the child to him, holding Damian close as they continued to run. They had to keep going.
Jason retrieved his Beretta from his person, shooting three shots – enough to chase whatever had made the hole into hiding.
"Where the hell were you keeping that?" Tim asked incredulously.
Jason shrugged but made no move to answer.
They reached the door moments later, and they were out.
Out into a world boiling in chaos.
…
Bruce watched as people ran from one area to another in frantic, undisciplined patters – panic, fear, and pain mingled in the air creating a stench of unimaginable torture. The Bat began to stir inside him at the injustice, but Bruce had to quash that urge. His sons were relying on him. Damian was still cradled in his arms with exhaustion in every feature.
Despite the sight, he was somewhat relieved. The behavior exhibited indicated that the attack had not been on them in particular, but the entire town. While it meant more destruction, it also meant protection from their pursuers.
The confusion would provide them with the perfect opportunity to escape.
They ran, blending in quickly with the crowd. Jason led them, Dick behind him with Tim at his side while Bruce brought up the rear in case of an attack. The group swiveled through the crowd, making holes where they could and bouncing off particularly irritating walls.
The city was abuzz with activity; with cries for help, cries in pain, and screams of hate – though for what, Bruce could not be sure. What he did know was that if they could not reach the city's outskirts by sundown, there would be no hope of escape. If they failed… then perhaps he would join in the chorus of agony.
As it was, Bruce kept on running.
…
"We're almost there, Timmy," Dick whispered. "Just hold on, buddy."
The family had made their way out of the city only a single night ago. Luckily, the landscape was quickly changing, beginning to look more and more like familiar territory. More like the outskirts of Bludhaven.
Dick was surprised at how much the thought of being home – as corrupt and disgusting as the city itself had been – elated Dick. Seeing the red glow of the city from here was a relief, yet a dread at the same time.
"Well, Pretty-Boy, your place or mine?" Jason asked, waggling his eyebrows. The younger man crouched down in the brush, followed swiftly by Dick and the others.
"My apartment is on the east side, we would have to travel around the city to get to it. Do you have a warehouse on the outskirts?"
Jason paused, racking his brain for information. His teal eyes widened slightly before he spoke, his voice somewhat detached, "No. mine is near the center of the city."
"My house then."
"Yep."
They stood on cue and began to run, their journey far from over. Dick and Jason paused periodically, scanning the area swiftly before moving too far ahead. They moved like this for hours with Jason moving slightly ahead.
Soon enough the brothers had formed a system; Jason would move ahead, Dick would keep an eye out to ensure no alien loyalists were creeping about. If ever one appeared, Dick would release a shrill whistle of alert. Hearing the bird-call Jason would crouch down, bide his time and then attack the unsuspecting guard – cutting off circulation with a well-placed headlock.
And bing, bam, boom – they were waltzing into town. To avoid wayward stares Tim was forced to carry on by himself, with only nominal help from his older brothers. Bruce lightly placed his youngest on the ground, allowing their brother to stumble along with them.
Jason fell back from the lead to allow Dick the headroom to guide them to his apartment.
They blended in fairly easily, following the larger crowds towards their destination. It physically drained him to see the people of hi city this way – they were in a state of constant shock, constant fear, and constant turmoil; all things that were present before, but seemed ever more amplified now. His surroundings echoed back into his consciousness, awakening Nightwing, the vigilante that had been suppressed for the past few months.
It would have to wait, though. Only a little longer.
And that's when they made it to their safe haven.