Chapter 62: Battle for Bludhaven
Aquaman gripped his trident as the HIVE soldier hit it with his energy baton. The two clashed repeatedly before Aquaman finally swung his trident down, smashing through the baton and allowing him to kick the soldier in the chest, knocking him out.
Robin rubbed his chin as he picked himself up, seeing the soldier with the electric gauntlets approaching him. Thinking fast, he fired a grappling line between his legs, allowing him to zip under him and pull out his staff, nailing him in the back of the head, knocking him out.
Wonder Woman meanwhile, continued to clash against her own baton soldier. Her sword strikes were swift and precise, each with the intent on keeping the soldier from gaining an upperhand. Finally, after locking weapons, Wonder Woman grabbed hold of the baton, crushing it in her hand before elbowing the soldier in the face, knocking him out.
"That should be the last of them," Wonder Woman reported before putting her sword away.
Just then, the sounds of a helicopter flying overhead. They looked up to see the copter taking off away from the scene, with the bomb safely secured inside.
"They're getting away!" Superman let out.
Superman instantly took off after the copter, hoping to bring them down before they could get away. Wonder Woman followed close behind as one of the soldiers on board grabbed a canister and attached it to a launcher. He peeked out of the copter and took aim at Superman, firing and hitting him head on. The canister exploded, unleashing a cloud of green dust that instantly made him feel weak.
"Kryptonite… dust…" he let out before beginning to fall.
Wonder Woman instantly dove down after Superman, catching him before he hit ground as the copter made its getaway. The two touched down as Aquaman and Robin ran up to them. Thinking fast, Aquaman kicked open a nearby hydrant and manipulated the water to hit Superman, washing the residual Kryptonite off of him. Superman spat out some water as he picked himself up.
"Thanks," he replied.
"Don't mention it," Aquaman replied. "Any chance of catching up with them?"
"Not right now," Wonder Woman lamented. "We should rendezvous with Batman and figure out our next move."
"That's gonna be a little tricky," Nightwing's voice shot down.
The others turned to see Nightwing gliding down towards them and landing on the ground.
"HIVE has a new ringer. A mercenary called Deathstroke. He overpowered the two of us… and they took Batman."
That threw everyone for a loop.
"Someone actually took Batman?!" Aquaman let out.
"It's a lot less impressive than it sounds."
…
Later, Batman let out a groan of pain as he regained consciousness, still feeling groggy as he got his bearings. He could feel that he was hanging off the ground with his hands bound over his head. His belt had been taken and his head felt clouded and unfocused, signaling him that he had been drugged. His vision remained fuzzy, no matter how much he tried to clear it. He felt nauseous, and he knew that even if he did manage to get out of the chains, he would be at a severe disadvantage.
"I didn't ask for your help," Ravager's voice griped.
"It looked like you needed it," Deathstroke replied. "Besides, you didn't seem to mind when we captured Batman."
"I saw an advantage and I took it. Nothing more. That doesn't change the fact that this is my mission."
"A foolhardy one at that."
"Someone has to succeed where you failed."
"Batman and Nightwing would have overpowered you had I not stepped in. I'm not asking for gratitude, but a little realization would be nice."
"Realization?"
"You helped HIVE steal the bomb, but did you ever think to ask what they plan on using it for?"
"It doesn't matter. I doubt Jackal would be crazy enough to try anything with the guys that brought him Batman."
"Never underestimate the capabilities of those with widespread power."
…
Meanwhile, Jackal went off to an isolated section of their base, accessing a terminal to initiate a video call. He took a step back, allowing a video image to come through.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Dahrk."
"No worries… provided everything is going to plan."
"Quite. We hit a few snags, but we have the bomb. Where do you want it moved?"
"Nowhere. Bludhaven is pretty much a dead town anyway. Its destruction will serve our needs."
"As you wish."
"Oh, by the way," Dahrk interrupted before Jackal could hang up. "A little birdie told me you were messing with the Wilson boys again. Little risky considering what happened last time, don't you think?"
"The… arrival of Deathstroke was unexpected, but he hasn't raised any trouble yet. Besides, Ravager has been easy enough to control."
"Don't go getting cocky. Ravager is not to be underestimated, and neither is Deathstroke. One mess up with them and it could cost you your head."
"I'll keep that in mind."
He finally hung up, feeling more than a little uneasy at the prospect.
…
Back on the ARGUS freighter, the League reconvened to try and figure out their next move. As Wonder Woman and Aquaman conversed with some other agents, Superman went over to Robin, who was looking out at the city, trying to figure out a plan of his own.
"We'll find Batman," Superman reassured, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"I know…" Robin lamented before slamming his fists on the railing. "I should have been there! I could have helped!"
"More like gotten caught yourself," Nightwing sniffed.
"I could have helped!" Robin insisted, turning towards him. "Would have if you hadn't kept benching me!"
"I was trying to keep you alive!"
"I can do that myself! I'm a Robin!"
"Then you know that's not a guarantee!"
"Alright, enough!" Superman chimed in, stepping between them. "Arguing will get us nowhere."
"He shouldn't even be out here!" Nightwing exclaimed. "This isn't a game!"
"You think I don't know that?"Robin replied. "I knew how dangerous this job is when I took it. This is what I wanted."
"More like what you think you want. Batman is real good at luring us in with his crusade, but in the end, we're just soldiers to him. Expendable, forgettable soldiers!
"Sounds like you're speaking from personal experience… Dick," Superman remarked.
Nightwing went wide-eyed at the sound of his real name.
"I know about Bruce," Superman explained. "It didn't take much figuring out on you. Bruce took you in after your parents died in the circus, right?"
Nightwing let out a sigh before responding.
"Yeah… he helped me track down the guy who did it. We became partners after that."
"So what happened? And please, don't say things have changed."
Nightwing let out a dark chuckle, peeling his mask off so he was looking Superman dead in the eye.
"That's just it. They did change. Tell me, did you know that Tim here is actually the third Robin?"
"I did. I know he adopted a second son, Jason Todd. He died, right?"
"He was murdered. By the Joker. Bruce…" Dick sighed, looking at his mask. "He was always unhinged. I mean, he's Batman. But after Jason… then Barbara… he just started pushing us all away."
"That… must have been hard for you."
"It was a wake-up call." Nightwing slid his mask back on. "When I first donned that uniform, I thought I could be something great. But all that red, yellow, and green… it's just a target. One he painted on our backs. "
"I may not know Bruce as long as you," Tim interjected, "but I seriously doubt anyone is that heartless. Not even Bruce."
"Then you don't know him, kid. Not really."
"Maybe you don't either," Superman chimed in. "if he were really heartless, would he really take you in like he did?"
"No… but running along rooftops and hunting criminals isn't exactly conducive to a healthy childhood."
"True enough. But if you really wanted to put this past you… why put on a new costume? Why not hang it up for good?"
Nightwing paused for a moment, unsure of how to reply.
"I… it's just something I like to do. A way I can help people."
"And instead of becoming a cop or something, you chose to keep wearing a mask. It's an instinct for you. One you got from Bruce… and wear proudly. Any man who would give you the means and the drive to put your life on the line for others has to care on some level, right?"
Nightwing didn't say anything. Instead, he just turned away wordlessly before pulling out a device from his belt, much to Robin's confusion.
"What's that?"
"It's picking up the signal from the bug I placed on Batman," Nightwing replied. "I should be able to piggyback on its signal and find its source."
"Handy," Superman responded. "Nice to know you kept the skills at least."
"What can I say? The pathology of paranoia has been instilled in me since I was 10. Old habits die hard."
"Lucky us," Robin replied. "So where is he?"
"Looks like… huh… they're still in the city."
"What?"
"Looks like they're underground. But if they still have the bomb…"
"They could use it to take out the entire city," Superman realized.
…
Back underground, numerous HIVE soldiers were setting up the bomb in a sewage junction that would serve as a viable dispersal area. Once it was all set up, Jackal went over to the bombs controls and activating it, setting the timer for midnight.
"More than enough time. Tell everyone to clear out!"
The soldiers nodded before moving out, much to Jackal's delight.
…
It didn't take long for the League to make their way underground, quickly closing in on HIVE's stronghold.
"Once we get there, Wonder Woman and I will take care of the bomb," Superman instructed. "Aquaman, you and Robin hold the line and keep HIVE off our backs."
"What about Batman?" Robin asked.
"I'll get to Batman," Nightwing informed. "He and I have a few things to talk about, anyway."
"Alright then," Superman spoke back up. "Let's move!"
Finally reaching their destination, Superman plowed through the metal doors blocking their way, knocking down several soldiers in the process. Wonder Woman dashed through next, punching and elbowing every soldier in her way. Aquaman followed, ramming into a soldier and subsequently knocking him into several more as a result. Robin flipped in next, throwing several batarangs at nearby soldiers and knocking the guns out of their hands, allowing him to extend his staff and swing it at them, knocking them out. Finally, Nightwing ran inside, leaping into the air and kicking a soldier in the face before crouching down and sweeping another off his feet, knocking him to the ground. Once he was clear, Nightwing made a beeline down a nearby corridor, following the signal the bug was giving. While he was doing that, Robin used his staff to pole vault over a soldier , allowing him to strike him the back of the head before spinning the staff around and jabing another in the gut.
Meanwhile, Nightwing continued running down the hall, thinking of all the conflicting memories have and emotions he had towards Batman.
…
"I can't believe this!" a 19 year old Dick Grayson chastised to Batman. "What were you thinking?!"
"The Joker was going to attack the Gotham science expo. There wasn't time."
"Why didn't you come to me with this? There was no reason to involve her," he gestured to Barbara in her Batgirl costume.
"You were injured. You were in no shape to fight."
"But you had no problem putting her life in danger!"
"It wasn't like that," Barbara insisted, stepping in. "I volunteered."
Dick's eyes narrowed all of a sudden.
"No… you only think you did. This is what he does. Manipulates, pulls strings, anything to get what he wants!"
Barbara was shocked by his attitude while Bruce stood neutrally.
"I thought we had an understanding."
"Yeah, well things changed. I changed! The games over, 'Batman'! I quit."
Dick started to leave when Bruce moved to try and stop him.
"Robin, wait," he insisted, grabbing his shoulder.
Dick pulled himself free, instantly socking Bruce in the face and knocking him to the ground. Barbara gasped in shock as she went over to Bruce. Dick removed his cape and mask and tossed them to the ground. He walked away and grabbed his bike helmet.
"Master Dick, please-" Alfred tried to insist.
"Not this time, Alfred," Dick replied, climbing on his bike and putting on his helmet. "And maybe not ever again…"
He revved up his bike and rode off, leaving the others shocked and disconcerted.
…
Meanwhile, with Batman, Ravager and Deathstroke had long since left, leaving him to try and figure out a plan. This proved difficult with his head still cloudy from whatever the two had injected him with. His vision kept shifting between clear and clouded as he tried to focus on getting out. His attention was halted however, when a familiar shape entered the room.
"Nightwing…" Batman let out.
"Yeah, it's me," he replied, noting the strain in Batman's voice. "What happened?"
"Drugged me… can't focus…"
Nightwing reached into his belt and pulled out a syringe.
"This should clear things up, but it'll take a minute. While it kicks in, I've got some things I need to say. And you're gonna listen."
Batman said nothing as Nightwing injected the substance into him, tossing the needle aside as he took a step back.
"You've always been cold, controlling, distant, and unfeeling. I told them that it started when Jason died, and to an extent that's true… but those 'tendencies' of yours? They've been there a long time. I give nearly ten years of my life to your crusade, barely asking anything in return. And yet, when I needed someone to count on, to turn to, you pushed me away. I punched you in the face, stormed out of your life, and instead of searching for me, trying to bring me back, you took in another Robin… and got him killed. Everyone thinks you changed after that, but it just showed who you really are, and how you feel about the rest of us. Do you have any idea how it felt being used and then cast aside. It was like… you never cared…"
"It wasn't that," Batman chimed in, prompting Nightwing to look up to see Batman had freed himself. "It wasn't that at all."
"Then what was it?"
"The reason I never tried to get you to come back… was because I couldn't. You had grown up. You needed a chance to be your own man. I didn't want to stand in the way of that, so I stayed away. As for Jason… he was a troubled kid who needed help. Maybe I could have done things differently, but it can't change what happened. Jason will always be my biggest regret, but letting you go… was probably my hardest choice."
Nightwing just stood there, floored by what he heard.
"So you're not heartless… you're just an asshole. You honestly thought the best way to help me move forward was by pushing me away? Guess that would be more on brand for you. Hurt everyone else before they can hurt you. Well, it worked.I have grown up… and I've outgrown you."
Batman just stood there in silence, letting Nightwing's words wash over him.
"How sentimental," a new voice commented.
The two vigilantes turned to see Deathstroke and Ravager standing in the entrance with their blades at the ready.
"Hope we aren't interrupting anything," Ravager remarked.
"No, you're just in time," Nightwing remarked, pulling out his sticks. "I've been meaning to vent."
Batman noted his utility belt around Ravagers waist, narrowing his eyes in response. Finally, the two assassins sprung forward, prompting the former dynamic duo to prepare for action.
…
Meanwhile, Robin and Aquaman continued to engage with HIVe soldiers, taking each down in rapid succession. Aquaman punched out one goon before grabbing another and throwing him into a group, taking them out. Robin quickly jabbed his staff into the stomach of a soldier before snapping it up, hitting the goon on the jaw and knocking him out. He then spun around and threw a trio of batarangs, knocking three soldiers' guns out of their hands so Aquaman could blast them in rapid succession.
"Nice work, kid," Aquaman commended.
"Thanks," Robin replied.
"So, the sea king, and the newest protege of the Batman."
Aquaman and Robin suddenly snapped up to see Jackal enter the room, cracking his neck as he did.
"I'm curious to see if either of you can measure up to my skill."
"Let's find out," Aquaman remarked.
He ran up to Jackal and tried to punch him, only for Jackal to dodge it and punch him with an electric gauntlet, knocking him back. Robin ran forward, spinning his staff before swinging it. Jackal easily caught the staff, kicking Robin aside before taking the weapon in both hands and breaking it over his knee.
"And here I was hoping for something more."
"We're not done yet," Aquaman promised, getting back up and pulling out his trident.
"Good."
…
While that was going on, Superman and Wonder Woman continued flying through the hideout, trying to find the bomb before it was too late.
"Do you see it yet?" Wonder Woman asked.
"Not yet," Superman replied, using his x-ray vision to scan around for the device.
After a bit of searching, he finally caught a glimpse of what they were looking for.
"Down there!"
Superman took off down a tunnel, with Wonder Woman following close behind. When they came out, they were face to face with the bomb. A quick glance down at the timer showed that they only had a few minutes left.
"Not much time," he realized. "We'll have to work fast."
"Right," Wonder Woman agreed, feeling along the casing of the bomb for any grooves.
When she found one, she used both hands to pull it apart, prying the bomb casing open. She noted the wiring inside, as well as a vial of an unknown liquid at the center of it.
"It's worse than we realized. It's a chemical bomb. The toxin could kill everyone in the city from here."
"Then we'll start with that."
…
Back with Batman and Nightwing, their fight with Ravager and Deathstroke continued to rage on, leading them out into the tunnels. Nightwing instantly went towards Deathstroke, using his speed and agility as a way to stand on par with Deathstroke's superior strength. He was able to quickly dodge and weave between Deathstroke's strikes, allowing him to hit him with his escrima sticks. He leapt up and tried kicking Deathstroke in the chest, which only resulted in Deathstroke grabbing his ankle and tossing him aside, where he flipped through the air and landed on his feet unscathed.
"You've got moves, kid," Deathstroke commended. "I'll give you that."
"You'll find I'm full of surprises," Nightwing remarked, running back at him.
Batman meanwhile, easily evaded and dodged Ravager's attacks. As he moved backwards, his eyes kept darting towards his utility belt, formulating a plan to try and get it back. He tried making a grab for it, but Ravager grabbed his wrist and spun around, elbowing him in the back of the head. Batman rolled on the ground, finally coming to a stop as Ravager prepared to strike. He blocked the blade with the fins on his glove and grabbed the belt before kicking him in the stomach. Ravager stumbled back as Batman put his belt back on, ready to re engage in the fight.
…
Back with Superman and Wonder Woman, he used his heat vision to sever the wires connecting the chemical agent to the device, allowing her to remove it without issue.
"We can worry about disposing of this later," Wonder Woman decided, attaching it to her belt. "Now for the bomb itself."
"Leave that to me."
After looking over the device, he found the explosive core and reached his hand to grab hold of it. Before Wonder Woman could caution him, the bomb went off, engulfing Superman in the explosion.
"Superman!" she called out. "Superman are you alright?!"
Slowly but surely, the smoke cleared, revealing Superman dusting off his cape.
"Fine. And you?"
Wonder Woman just smirked in response, before looking up and noting cracks lining the tunnel walls.
"The shockwave must have destabilized the tunnels," she informed, causing him to look and see the same.
"We need to get the others and get out of here."
…
Back with Aquaman and Robin fighting Jackal, the villain used the broken pieces of Robin's staff to deflect Aquaman's trident attacks, working to stay one step ahead of the Sea King. Aquaman managed to knock one piece out of his hand before jabbing him with the blunt end. He fell to the ground before rolling backwards and landing on his feet. Springing up and hitting Aquaman with an electric punch, knocking him back. Before he could make another move, a birdarang flew out and hit the gauntlet, causing it to short out. He turned to see Robin standing before him, smirking.
"If that's the best you can do, boy, I'm a little underwhelmed," Jackal remarked.
"Funny, I'm just the right amount of whelmed," Robin taunted, before feeling a shaking in the ground.
Both Aquaman and Jackal felt the same, looking up to see cracks in the walls begin to form.
"Looks like your bomb the city plan isn't going so well," Aquaman remarked.
"This wasn't supposed to happen," Jackal realized. "What did you do?!"
"What we do best," Robin replied, cracking his knuckles. "Stopping bad guys,"
…
Back with Batman and Nightwing, their fights with Ravager and Deathstroke were interrupted by the shaking of the tunnels, knocking them off balance. Ravager took this chance to spring forward, slicing at Batman's side and causing him to keel over in pain. Deathstroke meanwhile, took note of the decreasing nature of the situation, realizing the futility of it and sheathing his sword. Nightwing raised his eyebrow in confusion.
"What? You're done?"
"I stay to kill you, and we both get crushed. A good soldier knows when to fall back."
He took off in the opposite direction, leaping onto an elevated platform.
"Grant! Let's go!" he called back.
"In a minute," he replied. "Just as soon as I kill Batman."
"This place is collapsing in on itself! Forget Batman!"
"Just get out of here already!"
Finally having enough, Ravager hurled a knife at Batman, prompting him to dodge it so Ravager could move in and kick him in the chest. As the tunnel continued to crumble, a chunk of debris nearly fell on Deathstroke, prompting him to move out of the way. He took off down an exit tunnel, prompting Nightwing to leap up to the platform to pursue. Before he could though, he heard Batman cry out in pain, prompting him to look back and see Ravager continue to wail on him. He looked back towards Deathstroke, unsure of what he should do.
Back with Batman, Ravager managed to hit him in the back of the head with the hilt of his sword, knocking him to the ground. He raised his blade ready to bring it down on him. Before he could though, a wingding flew out, knocking the blade out of his hands. He looked up to see Nightwing gliding towards him and kicking him in the face.
"I might not like Batman that much, but nobody gets to kill him," Nightwing promised.
He turned towards Batman, offering him a hand up. Batman barely waited a second before taking it, allowing Nightwing to pull him up.
"Thanks," Batman replied.
"Let's get out of this alive before we have any heart to heart, kay?"
"Fine," Batman agreed as they turned to Ravager.
"So, how do we want to do this?" Nightwing wondered.
"Manuver seven," Batman replied.
Nightwing nodded as Batman put his hands together. Nightwing put his foot in them, allowing Batman to spring him upwards. Ravager drew a gun, prompting Batman to toss his batarang at him. Ravager shot it, allowing Nightwing to kick him back.
…
Back with Jackal, Robin and Aquaman were still fending him off. Robin leaping up and trying to kick him, only for Jackal to block his attacks. Aquaman ran up and socked him across the face, prompting Jackal to try and punch him again. This time, Aquaman dodged the blow and grabbed the gauntlet, crushing it in his hand. Jackal cried out in pain before Aquaman threw him against the wall, denting it. Jackal dropped to the ground as the shaking continued.
"This is only gonna get worse," Aquaman realized.
"I'm gonna find Batman and Nightwing," Robin decided. "You got this?"
"Sure, go."
Robin took off, leaving Aquaman to crack his knuckles and turn to Jackal.
"Now, where were we?"
Jackal just growled in response.
…
With Batman and Nightwing, the two tag teamed on Ravager, barely giving the mercenary a chance to counter any of their attacks. He tried aiming his gun, but Nightwing pulled out a stick and tossed it at his hand, knocking it away and allowing Batman to move in and punch him across the face, tearing at his mask and revealing his face on his left side. He looked up at the two of them, anger fuming from his visible eye.
"It's over, pal," Nightwing declared.
"Not hardly…"
Ravager reached towards his belt and grabbed an empty hilt, pressing a button and extending a sword so he could swing it at the two. Batman and Nightwing backed up as Ravager got back to his feet, darting at Nightwing instinctively. He drew his remaining stick to block and deflect the attacks, a cocky smile gracing his face.
"You ok, 'Grant'? You seem a little distraught."
"You want distraught?!" Ravager replied, striking Nightwing across the face. "I'll give you distraught!"
Just as he brought the sword down, a staff blocked the attack, prompting him to look up and see Robin standing next to Nightwing.
"We prefer to stay traught around here, actually."
Robin shoved Ravager off before spinning his staff and swinging it. Ravager was able to block most of the attacks before Robin jabbed him in the chest. This allowed Nightwing to move forward and uppercut him, knocking him into a nearby wall.
"Nice moves," Nightwing admitted.
"Not just a pretty mask," Robin remarked.
Breathing heavily, Ravager grabbed hold of his sword and staggered to get back to his feet. He then pulled a disk off his belt and chucked it towards them. Rushing forward, Batman batted the disc away and causing it to hit a nearby wall, causing it to explode. It knocked Ravager aside and caused the wall to collapse.
"No!" Nightwing let out, trying to go after him.
"Nightwing, no!" Batman stopped, grabbing his shoulder. "There's nothing we can do! We have to go! Now!"
Hesitantly, Nightwing relented, following after Batman and Robin as they made their escape.
…
Back with Aquaman, he and Jackal continued to duke it out. Jackal dodged and weaved between Aquaman's attacks, using what remained of his gauntlets to try and hold his own. Unfortunately for him, Aquaman's greater strength countered those attacks, finally grabbing Orm's wrist and throwing him against a wall. As Aquaman ran up, Jackal used both his feet to kick him back, sending him skidding across the ground. Their fight was interrupted by a slab of rock crashing between them, halting their confrontation.
"Another time, perhaps," Jackal replied, taking off down an escape tunnel.
Aquaman just watched him go as Superman and Wonder Woman flew by, the former scooping him up and taking off as Batman and his partners followed after.
…
The heroes quickly made their way towards the exit. Superman plowed through a wall as the other heroes followed after. They all cleared out just as the base collapsed, causing pieces of debris to drop down in front of the entrance. The heroes picked themselves up, looking back at the ruins of the former enemy base. As they did, Nightwing turned his head towards Batman, who simply looked back, saying nothing. Nightwing stayed silent as well, instead giving a small nod to the caped crusader, which he returned in kind.
As they stood there, Deathstroke watched them from an adjacent rooftop, anger seething from behind his mask as he clenched his fist. Every instinct inside him was telling him to jump down and kill them, but something inside told him not yet. After all, there was someone else that deserved to die first. With that, he slowly slinked away into the night.
…
From an undisclosed location, Amanda Waller was sitting at her desk, going over some documents when her phone started ringing.
"Go for Waller," she answered.
"The threat is neutralized," Lyla informed. "HIVE managed to obtain the bomb, but the Justice League neutralized it."
"Excellent."
"It was still a huge risk, Waller. If the League hadn't been there-"
"But they were and they handled it. And now, we have a greater scope of HIVE and how they work. That's all that matters. Now, I expect you back at ARGUS for a full debrief in 0800 hours."
"... yes, ma'am."
…
On a rooftop in Bludhaven, Nightwing stood on the edge overlooking the city.
"What happened to Ravager wasn't your fault," Batman told him, causing Nightwing to turn around as he walked up.
"Wish I could believe that," Nightwing replied, turning back towards the city.
"You did what you could. That's what you've always done. It's what's made you so effective as Nightwing."
Nightwing perked up at that, turning back towards Batman.
"I've been following your exploits in Jump City," Batman continued. "I just… chose to let you figure things out on your own. Let you be your own man."
"Huh… I… " Nightwing tried to recompose himself, trying to keep his cool. "Well, I had a pretty good teacher."
He turned to leave, pulling out a grappling hook and firing it before turning back.
"Oh, tell the kid to keep up the good work, but be weary. No one stays a Boy Wonder forever!"
With that, Nightwing leapt off the roof, swinging off as Batman looked on, never admitting it out loud, but beaming with pride at how far his former Robin had flown.
…
Later, Jackal was in the midst of a training session in a secret HIVE base, dispatching several soldiers he was practicing on. He just finished knocking one to the ground, kicking him in the head to make sure he was down.
"Pathetic," he mused. "I was expecting-"
Just then, the door was blown open, the bodies of several soldiers falling to the ground dead as a result.
"Jackal!" Deathstroke called out as he entered the room, drawing his sword. "We have business."
"Deathstroke," Jackal greeted, turning towards him. "It's been some time."
"Cut the crap. My son is dead… because of you."
"If my memory serves, I was otherwise occupied at the time. If you want someone to blame, look up in the sky."
"The League's time will come… but yours is long overdue."
"If you insist on dying tonight," Jackal replied, activating his gauntlets. "Then I'll be happy to-"
Suddenly, Jackal had a hard time talking. His breathing became more erratic as a hand went to his throat. Suddenly, an invisible force lifted him into the air, much to Deathstroke's confusion.
"So melodramatic," a new voice commented as Deathstroke turned, seeing a man in a business suit walk in with a hand raised. "Honestly, I understand why you'd want to kill him, I always had issues with the guy. And what happened with your kids," his other hand went to his heart. "So tragic. So, if you want to off him… be my guest."
Deathstroke gave him an odd look, but turned back towards Jackal as he hung in the air, struggling to breathe. Deciding to not let an opportunity pass, Deathstroke swung his sword, allowing Jackel's body to drop to the ground, his head following close behind. Once he was dead, Deathstroke sheathed his sword and turned to leave.
"Hey, where's the fire, pal?" the man asked.
"I have no further business with HIVE," Deathstroke answered.
"But you have business with Batman?" the man noted, getting Deathstroke to stop. "And the rest of the Justice League I assume. Well, as it so happens, we've had an issue with them for a while. They present an issue to HIVE's long term plans."
"I can handle the League on my own. Why should I work with you?"
"With the resources and assets at our disposal, why not? It's always good to have friends."
The man held out a hand, Deathstroke looking down in contemplation over the offer.
"I won't be one of your pawns."
"Never said you had to. As it happens," he gestured to Jackel. "We've just had an opening in upper management. You'd be one of the top dogs. Amongst those who… appreciate family values."
After a few moments, Deathstroke took the hand and shook it.
"Pleasure to be working with you, Mr…"
"Dahrk. Damian Dahrk. And the pleasure's all mine… Slade."