Cypher wants revenge against Batman and his former third Robin. What better way to get revenge than to use the Wayne Family to lure everyone to their doom.

Subliminal Death

By

AJ

Part 14: Chinatown Lynx

Red Robin got hit from behind and went skidding along the roof. He grabbed the edge before he fell off. 'Okay, who is it this time?" he questioned. 'This is getting tiresome.'

Red Robin looked up to see Lynx of the Ghost Dragons. "Lynx?" He should have known. Red Robin was in Ghost Dragon territory and in Chinatown.

"Want me to give you a hand?" Lynx asked. "Don't you know it's not polite to pass through without saying hello."

"Look Lynx, I've no time for this."

"No time for me? Have you forgotten what we meant to each other?"

"We're not together," Red Robin said. "You're a criminal . . ."

"LIAR!" Lynx screamed.

Red Robin's arm was starting to get tired. "No offense Lynx, but I really need to be going."

"You're in no position to leave," Lynx pointed out. "Take him, my Ghost Dragons."

Several men in white Ninja gear pull Red Robin up and pin his arms behind his back.

"Teach him a lesson," Lynx said. "You don't cross into my territory without paying me homage."

One of the Ghost Dragons came in close intending to punch Red Robin when the third Robin used his feet to strike out and kick the man in the chest. Red Robin used that momentum to twist out of the two men holding him and he got behind their backs. Red Robin pulled out his bow staff and extend it. He swung out, knocking heads.

"Really Lynx, I can't stay and chat," Red Robin stated.

One of the Ghost Dragons pulled out a whip chain and tried to strike Red Robin in the head. He used his staff to catch it and yank the man off balance. The wounds to Red Robin's side and thigh, though minor, were beginning to burn. A second Ghost Dragon distracted Red Robin while a third moved in hitting him on the back of his thigh right in his wound and a fourth came in and snapped his bow staff in two. He was quickly overwhelmed and grabbed again.

Nightwing felt an unusual pain through his aura. 'Like someone is hurting a part of me.' Nightwing looked at Robin and Red hood. "You feel that don't you?"

"You cannot overcome my Ghost Dragons. We are many while you are just one."

Red Robin felt his energy drain. 'Sammie's energy boost is starting to wear off.' Red Robin was breathing hard. "Maybe not, but I'm not alone." Red Robin bluffed.

Red Robin glared, and one of the Ghost Dragons came up to him and punched Red Robin in the face.

"Yeah, I felt it," Robin stated. "Six blocks in that direction. Robin was puzzled. He didn't even know he could do that, like a hunter searching for prey. He could almost see it.

"Someone is hurting our brother," Red Hood stated. "Let's move."

The three took off in the direction of Red Robin's aura.

"I don't see anyone else," Lynx commented. "I hate to harm that sweet body of yours."

"Then don't," Red Robin retorted.

"But I have to keep up appearance," Lynx said, coming in close so no one else heard her. Then she pulled back. "Hang him from the gateway as an example to other capes. Chinatown is my territory."

Red Robin once again struggled to get free, but his strength was waning. The Ghost Dragon's tied his arms then wrapped ropes around his waist.

"Lynx, you're not going to like what happens next," Red Robin warned. He knew that Lynx had to put up appearances, to pretend to be a gang leader, even though she wasn't one. Even so, Tim couldn't help wondering if she had changed, had become the very thing she despised. At least she hadn't ordered her Ghost Dragons to kill him.

"Gag him as well.".

They stuffed a cloth in Red Robin's mouth. 'I should have taken that offer to ride back with Red Hood and Robin. They could have dropped me off to retrieve my motorcycle. Then I could continue the search for Cypher.'

"Remove his belts," Lynx said. "Without his weapons, he's powerless."

'Not quite,' Red Robin thought in his mind. He could sense his brothers were close.

Robin glared. 'Who was harming him and why. I want their heads.'

The three arrived at the edge of Chinatown, a section of Gotham that consisted of half a square mile that was almost as old as Gotham's historical district. Chinatown at one time was its own town when it first appeared more than 150 years ago. To protect Chinatown, its town council had built the walls and its four gates. At three of the coordinates there were rounded archways, each with its own design. The Southern gate, however, was different. It was called the dragon gate, and it was the main entrance into Chinatown. Visitors entering the gate to Chinatown also crossed a bridge that covered a canal that flowed alone the southern and eastern borders to the bay. As Gotham grew, Chinatown was the first independent town that became one of Gotham's districts. Even so, Chinatown retained its character and own identity, often warring with the outside government and police. And that outside once again encroached.

"Look, the gateway,' Nightwing pointed out.

"We know what to do," Red Hood stated. "Let's get him."

Red Robin was tied to the center portion of the gate, the dragon head looming down, appearing to threaten Red Robin to eat him. Red Robin spied his brothers below.

Lynx saw the other capes and addressed her Ghost Dragons. "Keep them from Red Robin. If they get any closer, you know what to do. Then take him to my private quarters."

Red Robin was starting to feel light headed.

Throwing stars and other projectile weapons rained down on the three.

"Scatter!" Nightwing shouted. "Don't kill anyone. Just injure them."

Robin said. "Red Hood, aim for the ropes. I'll try to catch him."

"Don't let them near him!" Lynx shouted. "He's on Chinatown territory and he belongs to me. And I don't intend to give him up!" Lynx leapt onto the dragon gate, pulling ut her sword she sliced through Red Robin's bonds and threw him over her shoulder. "My ghost dragons are many. You want Red Robin you have to go through them." She pointed to her horde. "There were 20 men and women."

"Please . . . Please Nightwing." Robin was wielding his katana. He was getting antsy. "I won't kill, but I for damn sure will injure to get my brother back!"

"Well guys, looks like we have playmates," Nightwing crooned. "Let's teach them how to play nicely."

As the horde approached, Red Hood started shooting, but aimed in spots to keep them down and to disarm. Robin was slicing away, grabbing, kicking and punching anyone who came close to him. Nightwing was surrounded by five Ghost Dragons. Two woman and three men. He gave a smile and egged them on. The women attacked first, having learned from their boss that Nightwing was often reluctant to fight woman, but they quickly learned they were mistaken. Using his flexibility, Nightwing was able to knock both women out with perfectly aimed kicks. The guys were a bit tougher. They landed a few hits, but thanks to a bit of electricity in his stick's Nightwing was able to get them down. The three brothers were proving to Lynx that they were more than a match for her Ghost Dragons.

Lynx turned to her second. "Let's get out of here. Watch my back." She could see this was going to go badly. All twenty of her Ghost Dragons were either injured or unconscious.

"Night and Hood, we have a problem," Robin noticed the two people who remained, one was carrying Red Robin while the other was guarding their back as they tried to make their escape. Red Hood in true Robin fashion threw something and knocked out the last guy.

"Nightwing, you have to get that guy. I'll tie up the other one."

"Count of three." Nightwing held up an escrima stick. "One . . . Two . . ." He aimed it perfectly. "Three."

Nightwing released his escrima stick and it hit the back of the person's legs and shocked them, causing them to drop Red Robin onto a rooftop. All three went after the abductor and Red Robin.

Lynx was surprised by the shock but quickly shook it off. She scrambled to her feet and grabbed the ropes still binding Red Robin's arms. Nightwing was the first to land on the roof, followed by Red Hood and Robin.

"You have no jurisdiction here. Red Bird is mine."

"Listen here, he's not yours! Whether you like it or not, Chinatown has been a part of Gotham now for 50 years."

"Out of my way," Lynx pointing her katana. "I have no argument with you."

"You're about to!" Red Hood pointed his gun. He noticed Red Robin's injuries and he aimed his gun.

"I'd let him go if I were you," Robin growled, sounding like the Batman.

Lynx looked around. She knew she was outnumbered. "Very well. You want him . . ." Lynx tossed Red Robin into the canal leading to the Gotham river and to the bay. "We shall meet, again." Lynx dove in the opposite direction into the crowded street below. She whistled, signaling to her Ghost Dragons. They disappeared from the scene before the three could react.

Water rushed into Red Robin's lungs when he hit the water, partially reviving him. He struggled to try to remove the ropes that bound him, but he was quickly losing the battle and started to panic.

'Shit!" Hood was the first to react. He jumped and dove after Red Robin. Red Hood grabbed Red Robin and quickly swam back to the surface, fighting the current in the canal. He shot is grapnel up to the roof, pulling them both to safety.

Nightwing watched as Red Hood dove down and grabbed Red Robin, pulling him above the water. Once he had Red Robin secure, Red Hood grappled back up to the roof. Robin and Nightwing gave them room so Red Robin could breathe. "Red Robin, are you okay?"

Red Robin coughed up the water he had inhaled. "Yeah . . . I think so . . . Sorry, I'm late . . . Ran into a few old friends . . ." Red Robin's head starting to pound. "Ugh, just what I need, a monster headache to go with the dunking."

Nightwing smiled to himself. "Come on, let's get you home."

"My bike . . . Is still . . . Damn I'm totally turned around. Don't know which direction it's in."

"I can go find it for you," Robin offered. "I'm not ready to go home yet. My cycle has an auto pilot on it so it can get back to the cave."

"Batman won't want you out here alone," Red Robin pointed out. 'I was feeling beat. Luckily the cuts to my thigh and arm stopped bleeding.'

"I'll be fine."

"No, Robin.," Red Hood added his two cents. "You're not going by yourself."

"I'm going to have to do things by myself somehow," Robin reminded them. "Besides, you know about my training."

"OOHHH!" Red Robin's energy dropped and his knees buckled.

"We need to get Red Robin back to the cave," Nightwing said. "I'm sure we can get Red Robin's cycle later. Let's go."

"I can drive with Lil Red," said Red Hood as he picked up Red Robin. "My motorcycle has more room."

All three walked back along the rooftops, leapt down to street level, crossed the bridge, and exited the Dragon gate out of Chinatown.

"What . . . About Cypher?" Red Robin yawned.

Red Hood balanced Red Robin on his cycle and climbed on behind him. He waited for Nightwing and Robin. "I think Batman is already on it."

"Look, I promise I won't be out long, just long enough to get Red Robin's motorcycle," Robin stated. He was itching to play. Gotham was like a huge playground and he just want to make the best of it. He didn't need to be stuck in the Manor or Cave waiting for Father and his brothers to figure about Cypher, whoever that was. He wanted to watch the Night life of Gotham.

"Good," Red Robin said as he fell asleep against Red Hood.

Before Nightwing protested, Robin was mounting his motorcycle and leaving the Chinatown district.

Nightwing shook his head. "If Batman finds out, we're all in trouble."

Continues with Part 15