Brain Freeze (brain_freeze) wrote in frozen_fic, @ 2009-10-12 08:32:00 |
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Entry tags: | dc comics, hartley rathaway/james jesse |
Something There 2/3 (DC Comics) Trickster/Piper
Potential squick warning, I don't want to say what it is, but since this is horror... I tried to hit one of MY squirming points. (Which is probably why it took so long to do. So, just... general ick warning in a part.)
Title: Something there 2/3
Rated: Mature
Pairing: Piper/Trickster (potential Owen/Tim, and potential Catwoman/Riddler)
Disclaimer: I still don't own them, and I still don't make money off of them. (Woe, for dudes am I broke.)
Summary: Halloween Prompt Challenge: Hell on Earth
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The screech of metal was almost deafening and the screams piercing. As the plane rolled, Nightwing called out an unnecessary, "Hold tight!"
The plane spun, whipping in a circle till the nose was pointed up in the air, and then flipped again, pointing it down.
Not all the screams were of fear. As Riddler's leg got jarred, he grabbed it and leaned over his legs, holding it as beads of sweat broke out over his brow. Catwoman, seated beside him, reached out and wrapped an arm around his thin shoulders, trying to help brace him on one side. Piper, after a moment, did the same from his side. The three huddled together had closed their eyes, willing the plane to stop its wild ride when suddenly, it did all stop.
Stopping nearly as suddenly as it had started.
"Are we landed?" Red Arrow breathed heavily from where he'd apparently been holding Robin as they'd been holding Riddler.
Nightwing gave a brief shake of his head. "No, we're still in the... air... kind of."
The cabin of the transport was getting chilly, quickly, and Red Arrow risked taking his restraint off to go up to the pilot's window. "We're surrounded, by ice?"
"Captain Cold!"
It was odd to feel relief associated with that name. At least, for the others. For Piper, it reminded him of years ago, when he was new at being a Rogue and the older man came to their proverbial rescue often. If in no other way than getting them a lawyer, or talking to them from the other side of thick glass.
The transport shook as something impacted the sides, and Red Arrow dashed back to his seat, fastening himself in. "Those damn... bird things." Nightwing reported, trying to get weapons back online. His hands paused in their frantic movement and his mouth opened a fraction of an inch. "Ice works on them too. Good to know!"
Faintly, Piper could hear the sounds of the large bodies hitting the concrete below, shattering. He closed his eyes and concentrated and smiled slightly. "They're definitely down there. Weather Wizard's been ordered to use another tornado to drive them away, that's what we accidentally got caught in. They're trying to figure out how to get us down. They're hoping to ask us what the hell is going on."
"Any of you know how to rappel?" Nightwing asked, already pulling off his restraints and dashing to the back of the transport and pulling out emergency kits.
"You know I do." Catwoman offered with a half smile.
That left Riddler and Piper wincing, both of them. They didn't know how. In this, they were once again 'liabilities'.
Red Arrow held up a hand. "I'll take Riddler down. You take Piper, and Catwoman? You assist Robin if he should need it. And if Catwoman should need assistance, vice versa?"
It was a very diplomatic way of saying it. Both Robin and Catwoman had their pride though it often came through in different ways. If they tried to indicate that either of them were incapable, they would just as likely try to prove they were just the opposite. By expressing that they knew they could do it, well, it would head off any unnecessary arguments. Especially since neither person could have helped the other two anyway.
Nightwing came back with the equipment and he and Red Arrow divided the boxes up, attaching them with straps and harnesses to themselves and the others.
"I think we should hurry." Piper suggested. "Captain Cold is debating with Wizard about having Boomerang fetch Heatwave's heat gun from the armory."
"Let us not tarry then!" Riddler latched onto Red Arrow without needing to be asked, though he was very pale, his arms shook, and he was sweating profusely.
Arrow frowned and then turned to look at Nightwing. "Harness?" He asked Nightwing.
Nightwing nodded and within a few deft clicks had Riddler attached firmly to Red Arrow's back. If Riddler should pass out, or otherwise lose his grip, he would not fall. "When we get down there. When we get settled? I want to have a look at that leg. No arguments." Nightwing told Riddler, seconds before grabbing Piper.
For the second time in less than a couple of hours, Piper was once more holding on tightly to a 'hero' and soaring through the sky.
The lightening generated from Weather Wizard's wand as a new storm started to break out around them, surprised him enough that for an instant, he squeezed Nightwing tight enough to cause the other man to gasp. He forced himself to relax his grip.
Swirling dangerous winds veered off, sweeping the predators back and away from the plane that was held in midair. The rain was cold, and pelted them nonetheless, feeling as though it was leaving small cuts on their skin. As their feet touched ground, Piper's face was numb, and felt immobile. Raising his hands to his cheeks, he closed his eyes, trying to warm them.
"Inside." Captain Cold barked the order at the six newcomers, and as they turned they saw that the door was being held by the newest Captain Boomerang. Beside him was the little upstart that had stolen Trickster's name.
At least, that is what Trickster was bitching as they passed the young man.
"What? What?" The teen asked, confused and looking around in shock.
The boy's face was unnaturally pale. And his usual devil may care attitude was completely absent. His clothing, tattered, he looked as though someone had dragged him through a bush, backwards! His cheek was badly bruised, and traces of blood could still be seen on his lips.
Boomer pushed them in, leaving for the moment, Captain Cold and Weather Wizard outside.
No one spoke at first, until Boomer went to an ice box and pulled out some drinks, passing them around wordlessly until he was finished. "Surprised to see any of you here. Can't figure out if this is a good sign, or bad. But still glad to see you two."
"Need help." Trickster I stated. "You guys, are the first ones we thought of. Don't you all feel special now?"
"Where is he?" Axel aka Trickster II asked, standing in a corner, arms over his chest and nervously looking around the room. His voice had cracked on the words, and Boomer threw him an almost sympathetic look. Almost.
"He's a... ghost." Piper still hated to speak of him that way. But it was the most accurate. He still also felt sort of like he should be deemed crazy for it. But instead, the others nodded. Not surprised at all, either. Still, there was something to be said about acceptance, and not being questioned for once.
As Axel looked furtively around the room, shifting on his feet, Piper noticed a long bloodied scratch along the side of the young man's neck in addition to his other injuries. Boomerang had gripped his weapon tighter and was looking through a spy-hole, checking on what was going on outside.
Cold and Wizard tumbled through the door, slamming it shut behind them and then barring it. "That storm should last at least twenty minutes." Wizard said with confidence, but his eyes looked weary and he shook slightly as he leaned against the door.
"You brought capes." Cold merely stated, brushing past and grabbing a drink from the ice box for himself. "What the fuck? Give me one good reason why I shouldn't ice them!"
"There's no more capes and hoods." Riddler told him. "In a time like this? Those divisions don't exist. If we want to survive, we need to work together."
"Easy for you to say. You turned coat a while back." Cold countered, but he was not facing them. Instead, he was facing the wall, closing his eyes. His protest felt almost hollow to Piper. As though he were only following the script, and didn't feel any conviction behind it. The man was tired, and though he didn't seem to show it, was probably just as scared as the rest of them.
"I did and do what I have to do for me. That's no different than what any of us have ever done! It isn't like I'm going around killing people!" Riddler scoffed. "And this is not the time for this kind of thing. Damn it, I've worked with Rogues before. Boomerang and I, we pulled heists together, and while it didn't work out in the end? We did pretty damn well together."
Nearby, Robin shifted on his crutch, tensing the littlest bit, and Piper could almost feel the boy's hackles rising. But then, he relaxed and seemed almost disinterested.
He wasn't sure why, but for some reason, it was in response to the original Captain Boomerang. Had something more gone on back then? He didn't remember really hearing anything through the grapevine.
"That's neither here nor there." Weather Wizard stated, while the young Captain Boomerang looked as though he wished to ask Riddler questions. "We have zombies trying to beat down our doors, crazy monsters trying to eat us, and..." He started to pace a bit as he looked harried.
Axel leaned against the wall with his back, slowly slipping down to the floor. He wrapped his arms around his knees, and put his head on his arms. "We're all going to die."
"No, no we're not." Captain Cold denied. "We just need to hold tight, and let the capes take care of this."
"That's not going to happen!" Catwoman nearly hissed, glaring in his direction. "Don't you get it? We're IT! The capes just accidentally killed one of their own! They're on a wild goose-chase. This is it! There's not going to be any hunkering down and waiting until it's all clear! Not this time! This is it!"
Riddler reached out a hand and put it on Catwoman's shoulder, but she shrugged out from under it.
"No! I'm tired of this. We need to get moving. We can't wait and hope they get it through their heads that there are no more sides! Not till this is over. And it will never be over unless we stop it." Her voice was rising as she spoke, a small tremor running through her body. "Batman was half dead, trying to investigate what the hell was going on. He's probably going to die! Wonder Woman is dead! Fucking Superman is VULNERABLE to magic! How long do you think he's going to last? This situation is playing for keeps!"
"What the hell are we supposed to do about it!" Cold roared back at her, at the end of his rope as well. "We're no better off than the rest of you! I don't have powers! I just have a cold gun! Trickster is just a dumb kid, and he was nearly killed earlier this evening! Boomer can sprint, but he can't maintain it. Flash died earlier this morning! How the hell is he supposed to accomplish what he didn't? We're... gimmicks! We're thugs. For fuck's sake, we're bank robbers! How the hell are we supposed to save the world?"
Piper felt his stomach drop through his feet. A wave of dizziness going through him. Flash? Dead? Really?
Despite everything they'd gone through, he found it impossible not to care. He closed his eyes, trying to defeat the burning sting in his eyes. God, not again. Not again! He raised his gloved hand toward his face, and remembered in time that it was no longer clean. Instead, he used his wrist.
He felt the slight pressure of coldness on his shoulders. As though someone were rubbing them through the cloth.
Nightwing and Red Arrow had been standing back, letting the others deal with the situation until now. They were not on their home turf, and therefore needed to play it by ear.
"By working together we can get through this." Nightwing told him, keeping his voice even. "Piper believes you all can help. I'm inclined to believe him. I've worked with Boomerang, and I know I can work with him well! I've worked with metas, and I don't have powers either, but I know what I'm capable of. And if we work together, we can stop this! We have to! Otherwise, she's right. This is never going to end, and it's over. Are you going to stay down here, cowering, praying for help? Or are you going to go out there with us, and end this? It's your decision. But we're going to do what we can, regardless. If you want... assurances? Fine. After this is over? We go back to Gotham, and as far as we are concerned, we never even saw you, OR this place. There are some things far more important than what's gone on in the past. Survival is more important!"
Cold sneered, but before he could open his mouth, Weather Wizard put a hand on his shoulder. "Len. What do we have to lose? Really? How many more times can we go up there and fight them off? We've already lost Mick. Sure we can stay here for months, but eventually, the food and water will run out. Might as well try to do something. I don't like the idea of working with capes either, I'm even a bit leery of working with the others. But what other choice do we really have?"
When Cold didn't answer, Piper nodded to himself and explained what they knew so far. About the realms, the open gate, and the need to find the 'guy in charge' of the other realm.
"No guarantee he'll know what to do either." Cold gave them a baleful look, pressing his lips together. "Seems to me, if he knew how to close it, he'd have done it."
"My contact says he knows how, just that he can't without help. Come on, Len! Don't have cold feet now!" Trickster I quipped.
"You're lucky you're a ghost." Cold growled at him. "Where do we find this Demon God?"
"Yeahhhh, that's the thing." Trickster I said quietly.
"Where Trickster?" Cold glared at the vague shape that was forming behind Piper.
"Iron Heights." He sighed.
"What?" The word was shouted by more than one person.
"He's... at Iron Heights. Something about, some... I dunno. Bad mojo. The land itself. It exists in all realms, and each one has power. But it draws 'the bad' to it. It's one of the points that can act as a gate." Trickster I sighed. "That's why Batman was probably there. Somehow, he traced the mess there. Or at least, one of the sources. But he got attacked by something."
"We have to go back to Iron Heights?" Piper asked incredulous.
"Hey, I had to get you to get out of there, before you got ate! And you can't fight this alone! And, I... I don't want you getting killed. If I had my way, you would be able to hide out till it was over. But it doesn't work that way. So, once more into the breach dear friends!" He said the last in a gallant voice.
"The Warden is EATING PEOPLE!" Piper protested.
"Well, yeahhhhh... but I bet someone using a freeze gun on him would stop that!" Trickster I offered gamely.
"I guess this means we're going to do this." Boomerang said quietly.
"We need to check Riddler's leg." Nightwing gestured at a chair off to one side. "Depending on how bad it is, he's not going anywhere. He's going to have to stay behind."
"Hey, now, what about yon Robin?" Riddler protested, but still nearly fell into the chair. "If he's up to going, then I don't see why I couldn't."
"Because Robin's wound has been cauterized. He's not bleeding to death. And he's in control of his pain. But, yeah, I have my... concerns... about him going too. Now, let's see your leg." Nightwing insisted, kneeling on one knee. Eventually, they decided that the best way to view it, was for him to drop trou.
"This needed stitched up." Nightwing said tightly. He was already reaching for something in his belt as he said the words. "What the hell got you?"
"Fell off a roof, trying to get away from one of those zombie things." Riddler gave him a nervous look as Nightwing unrolled some kind of medical kit. It was bare bones, but had the essentials. "I landed on part of a fence, on the way down. It wasn't too high up, but high enough."
"Lucky you didn't break your neck." Catwoman grimaced as Nightwing sprayed the wound with something.
"This really needs cleaned out, but we'll worry about that later." He pursed his lips, shaking his head. "You're going to need a course of antibiotics. Once this is over." There was a tiny stapler, and Riddler's eyes widened.
"Wait, what are youOW!" Riddler jerked away, but found his arms suddenly pinned down by Wizard and Arrow. "HEY! OW! Wait! OW! Don'tOW!"
Cold used his gun to freeze a cloth, and then wrapped it in another cloth before handing it to Riddler. "Cold numbs." He mentioned before turning away. Nightwing wrapped the wound, and then helped Riddler pull his trousers back up.
"The least you could do is start packing REAL meds for pain." Riddler said, swallowing an additional Advil dry.
"Can't. Clouds the mind. But if we were in Gotham we'd have medicine in the Cave. You're just going to have to deal. Sure you still want to go with us?" Nightwing put the kit back into his belt, looking back over at the other man.
"Yes. I'm not going to be left alone so those things can find me! I'll deal." Riddler used his cane, leaning almost all his weight on it while his eyes kept threatening to water. Piper winced in sympathy, thinking about how painful it would be to be stapled without lidocaine to numb it first.
"Axel? You staying or going?" Piper asked the young man that was still bent over his arms, and shaking slightly. "No one is going to think worse of you if you stay here."
"I..." James started to say, but was cut off by Piper. "Shush."
"I..." Axel started, and then looked around. Piper was struck by how small the younger man actually was when he wasn't using his personality to make himself seem bigger. He was young. Much younger than Piper had been when he started out. And yes, he was a bit of a psycho, but at that moment. He was also a frightened kid.
"If you stay here, lock up tight." Piper told him, squatting down closer, but staying out of arm range all the same. "You don't have to go with us. In fact, it might be best if you didn't."
"Piper--"
"Tricks? The boy is terrified, just put everything to the side for one moment, all right?" Piper looked over his shoulder and then did a double-take. He could now, for the first time see the outline of Trickster. A faint outline, filled in with a haze. It took a few seconds and another try before he could continue. "I don't think anything will be accomplished by his coming with us, if he's unable to..."
"I'm going." Trickster II stated, pushing himself up the wall with his legs.
"What?" Boomerang asked.
"I'm going." He stated. His voice quivered the slightest bit, but he swallowed hard and squared his shoulders.
"He doesn't want to be seen as a wuss." Trickster I helpfully supplied.
"Shut up." The younger man tried to sneer. But it was difficult to pull off when he was still swallowing hard, and looked as though he was about to rabbit at any moment.
"You have nothing to prove. Just..." Arrow gestured vaguely toward the room in general.
"I'm going!" He insisted.
"Fine. Go. But if you turn into a liability, you'll be ordered to retreat." Nightwing leveled a finger at him.
"He's one of mine, I give his orders." Captain Cold growled at Nightwing, then pushed past him, heading toward the outside. One hand was firmly wrapped around Axel's wrist, pulling him just behind him. "Let's go."
Further away, Cold spoke in a low voice to the young man. "Don't you dare make me regret this."
Piper's lips twitched into a small smile as he realized that no one was meant to hear that, and after a moment, followed the others.
The transport was still partially encased in ice, and thus a lost cause.
"I say we steal a vehicle. Any left at this point, is fair game anyway." Wizard, of course, could technically get there on his own. But they'd already figured out that separating wasn't the best of ideas.
Nightwing nodded once and scouted the street, Red Arrow covering him as he approached a vehicle. Robin balanced next to Catwoman, watching from a distance. He seemed, to Piper at least, to be keeping people between him and Boomerang. Boomerang on the other hand, didn't seem to notice.
Whatever was going on there, it didn't have anything specifically to do with 'this' Boomerang. Instead, it probably had to do with the boy's father. What the hell had Digger done to Robin?
There was a yell, and they watched as Red Arrow and Nightwing swung into action, both of them fighting a creature that had lurched out of the vehicle. Wizard rose into the air, but it was Cold that raced forward, gun drawn.
As the ice froze the thing that was attempting to best Red Arrow, Nightwing kicked a roundhouse. The crack echoed up and down the deserted street, only to make a wet thunking noise as the head hit the pavement and rolled to a stop.
Nightwing pulled Arrow up by one hand, looking steadily for a moment at the remains before turning back to the vehicle and jimmying the lock. Within seconds, the van roared into life.
"It always amuses me, that the good guys know more about how to break the law then we do." Wizard chuckled. Without thinking about it, he'd held a hand out, to give Robin leverage up into the van. It was only once Robin had pushed himself into the back of the vehicle, that Wizard frowned down at his hand, as though it had done so without his consent.
Nightwing was in the driver's seat, revving the engine while Arrow climbed into the passenger. Cold insinuated himself between the seats, leaning against where the engine was located under a cover. Catwoman and Piper both helped Riddler into the van, Catwoman pulling with her good hand, Piper pushing from behind.
"Hey, what are you doing? This is no time to be scoping out Riddler's ass." James bitched.
"You're just jealous, because I HAVE one!" Riddler quipped back, sitting down with a heavy sigh and glaring in the direction of the 'fuzzy' shape. "I'm not his type anyway."
"And what type do you think is his type?" Trickster hovered near Piper.
"Off hand? I'd have to say anyone who had dressed as badly as he had in the eighties. Hm, I wonder who that could have been...?" Riddler put a finger to his chin, pretending to think about it, and then tipped his finger forward toward Trickster's form.
"I never. We never... HEY what are you insinuating?" Trickster's form nearly vibrated from where he was floating.
"Who me? Insinuate? Please come out of the closet, maybe you'll realize that costume is sooooo last season!" Riddler smirked a little. "Think about it? Piper's outfit improved by leaps and bounds since he came out!"
"I am not gay." Trickster growled.
"No, no you're not. You're not happy at all, are you? Because you're so damn repressed, you're depressed! Seriously, the only person I've ever met more repressed is Batman himself. Someday, that guy is going to realize he isn't as straight as he thinks he is, and we won't see him again for at least a month! I'm going to get stock in Astroglide when that happens. I'll be RICH!"
In the front seat, Nightwing choked. At first, Piper thought he was angry, but then he realized that the man was actually laughing, or rather, trying not to!
Robin gave Riddler a wry look, and then smiled a little.
"I'm not interested in--" Trickster started again, only to be interrupted again.
"Look, you're haunting Piper. You've been practically hanging on him. You're linked, you've said so yourself. You care. Not only do you care? But, you're jealous."
"I am not!"
"Oh ho! Yes, you are, blue eyes. You've beeeeen jealous." Riddler insisted.
"I am NOT!"
"Yes, you are. Because if you weren't? You would never have accused him of scoping out MY skinny barely there ass. Not to mention? You haven't said one witty or amusing thing in this entire exchange. You're too busy puffing up like a blowfish." Riddler declared this with a note of finality.
"I'm... I know you are, but what am I?" Trickster said petulantly.
"You. Are so gay." Riddler shook his head in mock sadness.
Piper meanwhile had covered his face, and was refusing to look at anyone, especially the ghost of what had been his best friend.
Catwoman cleared her throat and said, "Eddie? Please stop helping Piper." She couldn't keep the smirk off her face, no matter how she tried and she kept covering her mouth and clearing her throat to stop herself from laughing at them.
"Everyone needs a hobby, besides, it's keeping my mind off the fact that Nightwing stapled my leg together. It hurts! Now, let's discuss Trickster's repressed sexuality some more. It'll pass the time!" Riddler said brightly.
"At least, it puts paid to the old stereotype of gay men having fashion sense." Mark offered tentatively. "Because, seriously, vertical stripes?" He closed his eyes and shook his head.
"What is this? Pick on Trickster day?" James protested.
"No, that's every day, kind of like Happy Hour!" Cold suggested. "But knock it off you guys. You're distracting me."
"From?"
"Figuring out how to keep us alive once we're to the prison." His tone was bland, but Piper saw how he'd tightened his hands as he said it. He was serious.
"We'll behave." Catwoman chuckled as she lightly smacked Riddler on the arm with her good hand. "We were just blowing off steam."
Iron Heights.
It didn't look like it did when he'd left earlier. Earlier, it had been a prison, which had shades of 'factory' to it. Now, it looked darker, and the metal had converted to something more kin to stone. The bird-like predators flapped around the spires that were not there before, swirling in the sky. Their screams echoed back and forth, while the humans exited the vehicle and looked up at the fortress.
"This, is rather foreboding." Axel stood near the van, looking up toward the sky.
"Did you really expect a welcome mat? Maybe cheerful bright colors?" Riddler grumped as he clumped forward. He took his gun out once more. While it didn't work on zombies, it would work on some of the creatures. "Stay in the vehicle, if you think you can't go on."
"I'm going." Axel insisted, stepping away from the van and forcing himself to step closer to the path they needed to take.
"Stick close." Nightwing cautioned, gripping his weapons tightly in his hand and giving the building a wary look. "Look sharp, watch your team, and stay alive."
"Do you do this with the heroes?" Riddler asked suddenly, leaning onto the cane, holding the gun at an angle across his chest. "I mean, do they seriously need this kind of reminding?"
"Or do you assume because we're the 'bad guys', that we're not smart enough to realize what and how to achieve the objective?" Weather Wizard finished.
"Enough back-biting." Cold growled, pushing along foliage that had no right to be there.
"Reminds me of that fairy tale, only like, the horror version. You know?" Boomerang mentioned.
"You mean, Sleeping Beauty? When the thorned bushes grew up around the castle?" Robin asked in a low voice. "To keep her would be suitors out."
"Not here to woo, only to wound." Riddler quipped. "Or be wounded, the way things have been going so far." He gave the vines a wary look, and edged around a particularly nasty looking one. "How much you want to bet that these are either poisonous or laced with venom of some kind?"
"No bet." Cold grimaced. "Avoid at all costs." He added as an after thought, because it looked for a second like Axel was about to try and touch one. He used his cold gun to freeze some of the vines, and watched as Weather Wizard blew up a wind to knock them down and back so that no one risked actually touching them.
"Handy." Red Arrow said in approval as they continued forward.
Faint humming seemed to be coming from the Guards' gate. Nightwing held up a hand, cocking his head to listen. But it was Cold that gestured to Piper. "What is it?"
Piper had already been listening, and trying to figure out what it was that was making that noise. "It sounds like a cross between mosquitoes and bees. At a guess, I would say it is probably a swarm of some kind." He warned. "And I doubt they are from our realm."
Cold looked to Wizard and nodded his head. Wizard looked as exhausted as the rest of them, but it didn't stop him from calling up another localized storm, with strong winds heading out and away. The hope was that it would brush them out of their way.
"I still hear them, they're faint, but they are at a greater distance at this point. We may have enough time to get through if we hurry." Piper reported before anyone could ask him.
"Those that can run, help those that are barely walking." Cold commanded.
Boomerang had been standing closest to Robin when Cold gave the order, and although Robin ground his teeth, growled, and tried to shrug him away? Boomerang obeyed Cold faster than Robin could manage to throw him off given the nature of his injury.
"Put me down!" Robin protested, appalled to find himself being carried over the other man's shoulder.
"Not a chance. You cover our rear, I'll take the front!" Owen told him over his shoulder, holding a boomerang in his free hand. He was already sprinting across the grounds, causing wind to whistle past Robin.
They came out the other side before anyone else, and left Robin nearly breathless. But they were alone to wait for the others, meaning they had to be even more careful.
"Bart..." Robin started, remembering that his real name had already been revealed at the funeral.
"Was my half brother, yeah." Owen nodded. "I'm still kind of foggy on all the details. You know how it is. Half rumor, half fact, all twisted depending on who is doing the telling. Same mother. Different fathers."
Owen turned to look at Robin, and frowned. "You hate me." He stated. He didn't ask. He didn't question. He took it for fact. "It's in the way you look at me."
"I don't hate you! I don't know you." Robin denied, looking around, making sure they were still secure. "I do have to keep telling myself that. I don't know you. And you never got to know your father very well. And you wear his colors, but you aren't him. And I don't hate you. You're not at fault."
It was almost as though he'd turned it into a mantra for the situation at hand.
"What did dad do? To you?" Owen demanded, taking a step closer. "I know he pissed off a lot of heroes. I know he was on the wrong side. He was a criminal. Toward the end of his life, he even killed. But what was he to you, that you hate him and now me?"
"I don't hate you." Robin repeated. "Isn't it enough that he was all that? Do I have to have a special reason that reminders of him make me... tense?"
"No. Because you don't mind Catwoman. And you're not upset at the other Rogues in quite the same way. And they were present when Bart was killed! Hell, even I wanted to kill them for that! To punish them, for that! But it is only when you look at me, that... that look. That one RIGHT THERE!" He pointed at him, shaking his finger in frustration at the young man.
Robin snorted, and then rolled his eyes, looking up toward the sky. "Guess it doesn't matter. What's a secret identity, in the long run? Who is it going to protect? When we're at the end of the world, and I'll probably never get to swing through the city again? Fine." He said as though about to bestow a great gift. "Your dad? Killed mine. Shall I now say 'Prepare to die?' He asked in a terrible accent. "My dad, killed your dad. He killed mine. They died, together. My dad was your father's last contract. Happy now?"
Piper and Nightwing arrived with Riddler between them. "Boomer..." Piper said, his voice laced with sympathy, but also a tinge of sadness. It was a difficult matter, because, Owen hadn't known Digger. Not really. Not for long. But Owen held on to what he did know and remember with both fists. If there was ever a young man that was torn and trapped and floundering for an identity both personal as well as professional? It was Owen.
"Drake." Owen's lips tightened. Pain in his eyes.
"Dad was defending himself." Robin stated. "Your dad was there to kill him, because of who I am. Now, consider how that makes ME feel. Knowing I'm just as fucking responsible for my father's death, as your dad? If I didn't wear this mask? He wouldn't have been put on the hitlist. I don't hate you. But sometimes? I hate myself. Because, I had the opportunity once to quit. And did I? Obviously, not."
"This is all very touching, and stuff?" Riddler said awkwardly, looking between them. "But maybe we could go into family therapy at the end of this adventure. I know a very good therapist that gives group rates. But, unless we get going? I'm pretty sure the only professional we'll be needing is a mortician."
Cold was staring at Robin, and then looked back over at Owen, before looking back at him. His lips tightly pursed. Finally, he seemed to come to a decision and hooked his arm under Robin's shoulder, hefting him up. "Come on kid. We've got more than enough ghosts to bury among all of us. We have time for it all later, like the man said."
Catwoman took up the other side of Riddler while Nightwing stalked forward with Cold. Two leaders. Piper could already see this could end badly. Could. Unless, of course, it worked. And then...
He paused. "Something's made it past the mini-storm. I can't tell which direction. It flies fast."
Suddenly, they could all hear it. The zip and whirl sound of an insect. It was fast, and none of them could see it. Not even Boomer who tried to tap into the meager amount of Speed Force he had access to. He shook his head, and Cold motioned for them all to hurry through. "Let's buzz out of here." He told them.
"Funny. Stick to the winter, cold, ice jokes." Weather Wizard told him, trying to whirl up another wind to hopefully blow it back and away.
"OW!" Riddler slapped his bad leg, wincing at both the slap and whatever it was that had stung or bitten him. "Fuck!"
There was new blood seeping through, and he hopped on one leg as Piper and Catwoman tried to stabilize him and look at the same time.
"Get him through, now!" Cold ordered. "Don't want to know if those things crave blood on top of everything else. Last thing we need is a swarm! Get through the door! Go! Go! Go!"
Without a guard, it was far easier to get into the building than it otherwise would have been. But it had still required hurtling over obstacles that had been put into place to slow up running prisoners. Without time to be gentle, Riddler found himself being thrown through the air. First, heaved by Nightwing who had reached out grabbing him and pulling him into a body throw, and then by strong winds that buffeted him up and over. He landed with a gasped grunt, holding his leg and unable to move.
He could not draw a breath as tears stung his eyes.
Axel ran past him and slammed the next door open, holding it while Nightwing vaulted over a turn-style and then grabbed the downed man by under his shoulders and dragged him through. Robin, found himself jostled while Boomer took a more direct route. Wizard was once again, the last to follow. Using his abilities to protect their backs.
The door slammed behind them and Axel leaned against it, out of breath and shaking slightly. "You know? The next Apocalypse? I'm sitting out." He said, trying to smile and failing.
"Where is James? I've not heard from him in a bit?" Catwoman asked, worried.
Piper shook his head. "I don't know. He's faded. I think he went to check things out. But I can't be sure." He'd lost track of him, but was trying not to let that scare him. There were enough things to be scared of at the moment.
Boomer let Robin stand on his foot, keeping him balanced for a moment while Cold brought the crutch back to him. The three men didn't speak, and were awkward. But Cold just nodded and left the boys together as he went to check on Riddler.
Nightwing was cutting through the bandaging and the slacks themselves as Arrow held Riddler's flailing fists up toward his shoulders. Catwoman and Piper, were attempting to hold each leg down, so that Nightwing could do his work without being accidentally kicked.
"Stay still." Nightwing bid, but it was muttered as he didn't think Riddler was doing it on purpose.
"Get them out! GET THEM OUT!" Riddler struggled harder as his eyes widened.
"Get what--" Red Arrow started to say, but then backed up a step, letting go of Riddler's fists for a moment. "Oh-fuck!"
Catwoman made a disgusted hissing sound while Piper nearly let go of the leg before firmly grabbing it harder. Wizard grabbed Riddler's hands and made a disgusted face as he watched the other man's leg.
"The rate they are growing..." Robin didn't need to finish the sentence before Cold pulled out his gun.
"I'll freeze the area, you cut it off." Cold was already priming his gun. Robin turned his head and grimaced. Looking away.
Boomerang squirmed a little and asked in a husky voice. "Is that what happened to you?"
Robin shook his head. "No. No... Mine was... attacked... differently. It was bitten... off."
"Maybe we could just remove them. Pull them out." Catwoman hedged. "He could bleed out if we try to cut off his leg here!"
The entire time, Riddler had been losing what hold he had on his sanity as the skin around the wound began to writhe and move on its own. Slick slurping noises could be heard by Piper, deep inside the leg and he could no longer look. He had to turn his head, while he still held on. The first time he felt movement under his fingers though, he very nearly released the other man and jumped back again. It was only Trickster's voice, suddenly insistent in his ear that stopped him. "Hold him, hold him. There's probably about five of those bastards in there. They need to be pulled out, and then destroyed. Cutting the leg won't help at this point. You'd have to cut near the artery and then he'd be dead. Gotta pull them back down out of that area!"
"God..." Nightwing breathed and then steeled himself.
"Piper, get your flute out. Play him a tune, to ease the pain and preferably stop screaming." Cold pressed his lips together tightly as he pulled Piper away, and took his place, grabbing Riddler as he thrashed about.
"What about taking him to the Infirmary?" Owen half suggested, looking doubtful even as he said it.
"No time." James called out from where he was positioned behind Piper.
The musical notes floated through the air, calming all down, despite their direction being aimed solely at Riddler. Meanwhile, Wizard set himself up as guard. Attempting to keep anything else from attacking them while they tried to deal with the newest crisis.
"I can't really sterilize anything." Nightwing muttered.
"He's got more than infection to worry about, if we don't do this, and do it now." Cold growled. Fumbling with one hand, as he kept his other on Nigma's leg, Cold shot a low dose at the now bared skin. "Might not kill them, but might slow them down." He explained after the fact. "Not frozen, but might help make them sluggish."
Piper glanced up to see Boomer closing his eyes and turning away slightly. Robin was as stoic as he'd been throughout, but he'd raised his free hand, lifting it slightly in front of Owen. As though he were stopping the man from either moving forward, or away. A move that might have been made in the past to halt a Teen Titan before. Or... in times of stress to offer unworded comfort that if they wait a moment, this too shall pass.
"Let me." Catwoman said after a few seconds in which Nightwing didn't look certain as to where to cut. "Just... let me." She had a grim tone, pressing her lips together at the end in a grimace as she repositioned herself at his leg, trading sides with the 'Dark Knight's original Squire.'
Her gloves often were tipped with sharp man-made claws. Useful in a fight. Useful in breaking and entering as well. But it was the first time she'd have to make this kind of 'B and E'. Using her forefinger, she cut into the skin, making it deep.
The wriggling of the worms could be gaged by the moving and rippling of the flesh above them, and she aimed to the side of one of them. But she was loath after the cut to reach in and grab one of the vile creatures, which stunk of the grave and made an outhouse smell pure and fresh.
"Oh, Jesus..." Someone muttered, underneath a hand that was trying to smother the smell. "Fuck!"
"I don't think Jesus has anything to do with this." Cold snorted before plunging his gloved fingers into the wound Catwoman had made. His lip curled in disgust as he closed in on one of the creatures and pulled.
The slurping and gurgling noise that could be heard, coupled with the fresh whiff of rancid gas, was enough to cause Owen to lean over gagging. Robin's hand which had remained hovering now came down on the other man's back. A tentative patting, as he heaved but brought nothing up.
"Gag a maggot on a shit wagon." Cold agreed, finally freeing the long wormlike creature and throwing it down before freezing it solid with his gun.
The operation was repeated with Catwoman slicing, and Cold extracting before freezing five more times before it was deemed safe to stop.
"He's going to bleed out." Catwoman said as her voice shook. Her eyes were wide beneath the mask she still wore, and every line in her face was tense and deep, revealing her age where nature never had. She threw the gloves far away from herself, and stared down at her hands. Cold also removed his gloves, fearing some kind of contamination at this point. He froze both pairs of gloves.
"Now, we get him to the Infirmary." Cold told them. Arsenal reached down and swung the other man into his arms.
Nightwing and Red Arrow had remained silent throughout the endeavor. Despite emergency training, and despite experience with a variety of life threatening injuries, neither of them had trusted themselves to actually try to operate in any manner. And while all were sure it was a 'botched' job, as far as such things went, it was still more to save the man's life than he would have otherwise had.
All skirted past the frozen rope like bodies, unable to trust that they'd stay as they should, before going deeper into the prison. This time heading for what had once passed for an Infirmary.
"Someone is going to have to stay with him, if we manage to get him stabilized." Cold pointed out, nearly running as he followed the others. This time, Wizard led the way.
"I will." Catwoman volunteered. "I... I want to."
Robin, leaning somewhat on Owen called out as well. "I'll stay with her, and Riddler as well. I'm just slowing you all up, anyway."
"Boomerang, Axel... I want you to stay with them!" Cold called out, and then looked behind him to see their responses. Frowning, he squinted. "Where is Axel?"
"I... I don't know!" Owen looked around almost frantically, but still didn't slow his step, and hauled Robin a bit closer as he swallowed hard.
"Fuck!" Cold spat out, kicking a door that was trying to swing shut on him as Wizard pushed past it. "Just what we fucking need. That little fucking cocksucking idiot! He's run off, or he's been grabbed. Either way, he's dead." He declared. "Fuck!"
"We'll look for him." Red Arrow suggested.
"No." Cold countered. "Do that, and you're dead too! We all will be. This is how it always fucking goes. One person goes missing, and then through some misbegotten sense of honor or do-goodness, one by one people go off to look for the 'missing'. Pretty soon the only one still alive is the girl, and she gets it in the end, while the butcher is left to come back for a sequel!" Cold bitched. "No, fucking way! Once we get to the Infirmary, yeah, we break up into two parties. But one stays in the fucking Infirmary. The other goes up to go talk to the Head Hell Manager! If we get out of this alive, then we find Axel. Whether that is his body or not, is another question."
Red Arrow looked back at Nightwing. Stonefaced, Nightwing nodded in agreement. "I don't like it, but he's right. We can't afford to break up into smaller groups."
Wizard held the door open at the end of the hallway, revealing the Infirmary that they were looking for. "This isn't what it looked like, last time I saw it." He told them. "But it still seems to have the equipment!"
"Looks more like a damn torture chamber than a hospital!" Red Arrow disagreed as he laid the thin man on one of the beds.
"That's what hospitals were like in the middle ages, I guess." Wizard shrugged his shoulders. "Funny how Hell looks like all the worst parts of that time period, huh?"
"Pretty much describes it to me." Trickster agreed. "I can't find Axel. I did look." He swore. "I don't know if he's dead or alive..."
"Yeah, yeah, we know. You're not going to be blamed when the little idiot turns up with his guts ripped out!" Cold interrupted the formerly alive conman.
Piper continued to play, despite looking more than a little 'winded'.
"We need to... I don't know, get this to stop bleeding." Owen waved vaguely over Riddler's ruined leg.
"It's probably going to end up being amputated in the end." Robin said faintly. "Shame that Superman isn't here. He could cauterize it, like he did mine."
Owen frowned as he looked back at the smaller young man. "Superman cauterized your--"
"With his eyes." Robin wiggled his fingers in front of his own.
Wizard and Cold shared a look and then looked down at Riddler before nodding. "I grabbed it before." Wizard confirmed, pulling Heatwave's gun out. "We just need metal that won't melt once we heat it up hot enough."
"Wait, what? You're going to amputate his leg, here? Now?" Red Arrow held up his hands, trying to step between Cold and Riddler.
"Either we try to pack his wounds, and hope that he doesn't bleed out. Or we try to stitch him up, ourselves, and hope he doesn't bleed out. Or, we take out a page from the century before us, cut the leg off, cauterize, and then hope for the best that he doesn't die regardless!" Cold argued. "His chances are slim, either way. If we cut about right... there... we won't have to cut into his artery, and pulling those things out saved that part. But the rest is still pretty much hamburger! We cut that part off, keep him doped up, and out... and once this mess is over, either he'll be dead, we'll be dead, or we might be able to get him some real help!" Cold was getting quieter and quieter with every word. Sounding as a result, more dangerous. "Now, step aside, and let us at least try to save him!"
"Piper, you're going to need to keep playing for a bit longer. Can you do that?" Cold asked.
Piper didn't stop playing, but nodded as he did so. Closing his eyes and trying to control his breathing.
Catwoman meanwhile had been frantically pawing and clawing at the supplies, trying to gather things together. Robin and Owen, seeing at the beginning of the 'argument' that it was going to go in that direction, were also trying to gather things together as well.
"There was a doctor, way back when, that was well known for amputating limbs." Robin said, almost thoughtfully. "He would call out, wearing his finest clothes 'time me boys!' and was able to amputate a leg in under two minutes, I believe was the time. I'd have to look it up properly, later. When I have internet back at hand." He gave a mirthless chuckle and shook his head as he lay out a saw. Probably, it was used in autopsy.
"He once amputated so fast, that he not only took the leg, but one of the patient's testicles. I think I remember reading. He also, once accidentally sliced through a fellow physicians clothing, and once accidentally killed an assistant." Robin continued.
"You are one mooooorbid crime fighter." Owen intoned, laying out various clothes he could find as well as drowning the saw in alcohol.
"Tends to happen when you have Batman as your mentor." Nightwing sighed, finally giving in to the idea of 'another' operation. Red Arrow's strained face turned away from the scene as he wiped a hand down over his mouth.
"I promise not to kill any of you, or slice off his testicles." Cold swore to Robin, though his lips twitched the slightest bit in humor.
Robin meanwhile was working with trying to get an IV started. The machine was without electricity but it did have battery back up and he was trying to figure out the controls when Catwoman leaned in picked out the settings. "I remember, from looking once. When a friend of mine was in the hospital." She explained quietly. "Never thought I'd need to remember it, and it is probably all wrong for the meds we're about to give him, and for his body size. But better than nothing."
"I'm rethinking my career choices here. I'm thinking that instead of tennis and camera work, I'm going to go into Pre-Med." Robin told her.
"Might be a good idea." She agreed with a heartfelt sigh.
"Couldn't hurt." Owen snorted, preparing a basin for Cold to wash his hands in. The alcohol was poured into the container, as none trusted the plumbing for water at this point.
"Goddamned if you don't feel every fucking cut." The older man hissed as he thrust his fingers hands into it and forced himself to hold them there.
"I just know how to do this, from... well... Alfred." Robin had hesitated to say the name. But the secrets they held had fast dissolved already. Too much of the truth was already known and would be easily traced later. There was no point in lying at this point. "Alfred is the one that patches us all up, when we get hurt. Sometimes, I think he should have been a doctor, himself." He admitted.
"Useful." Catwoman agreed, nodding. "Often times, we have to make a deal with whatever medical personnel that we can either hold something over, or those we can't trust."
"Found some gloves, in an unopened box over there." Red Arrow held the box out, without touching the gloves that were now exposed. Nightwing was tightening the tourniquet above the wounds.
Weather Wizard was using the heat gun that once belonged to Heatwave, heating up a small metal tool he'd found that had a flat side.
Grimacing, Cold took up the saw. He glanced at Robin and gave a short nod. "Time me, boys!"
Despite the music, the cut provoked a strangled scream from the man that was being restrained from each side by Nightwing and Red Arrow. Robin ransacked cabinets and drawers, hopping from one area to another as he looked. Finally, he hurried back, waiting till Riddler screamed again before thrusting the object into the man's mouth. "Remembered, in the old days, they would bite down on something." He said by way of explanation. Owen swallowed, and nodded, casting a wary eye toward the door. Watching their backs as well as trying to watch the 'operation'.
There was a sickening grinding sound, and Cold had hit bone. He put his shoulder behind it, pushing hard before jerking back. "Not cut out for being a butcher." He grit between his teeth. "They fuckin' make it look easy."
"That's the one thing we always had going for us in the past." Mark said in a vague, far-away voice. "We weren't butchers."
"Guess things change." Red Arrow said, but then winced. He'd not meant to say that aloud.
"Guess so. Used to be, you could tell the good guys from the bad. Now, just depends on how well you know them." Cold glared back at him, and then finished cutting through the last of the flesh.
Blood dripped, despite the tourniquet and his hands were covered in it. Blood had splattered onto the front of his clothing, and specks peppered his face. He grimaced as he took a step back and then frowned as Robin stepped forward. Scalpel in hand, he'd washed his hands in alcohol while Cold had cut through the bone and slipped gloves on.
"Someone hold me steady. This needs to be evened up a bit before we seal it." He explained.
Owen was the only one that wasn't monitoring something in particular. Even Catwoman was doing something as she kept taking Riddler's blood pressure, temperature, and pulse. Or just talking quietly to him and petting his arm. Owen stepped forward, carefully putting his hands on Robin's sides. "I got you." He promised. Red Arrow looked away again, not because it sickened him per se, but because it just looked painful. Nightwing watched with interest, but also kept checking around to make sure nothing was sneaking up on them as well. Cold was once more cleaning himself up.
Nodding once, Robin's hands shook only a little as he grasped a ragged piece of flesh and cut through it. He worked quickly, but carefully, giving all his concentration to the task. "This is such a... mess." He muttered. "If only we had proper lasers. I almost think we could close him up properly, then wrap it."
"Well, we don't, nor do I see any of the suture kits." Cold said it, not with any meanness to it, but with a flavor of regret as he wiped away the blood as best as he could. Trying to wipe away blood that seemed to stain. The phrase 'out damned spot' floated through Piper's head as he watched him scrub at his hands.
Owen didn't ask permission as he wrapped an arm around Robin's waist and pulled the smaller man back and away from the patient. Weather Wizard carried the metal tray forward, using some kind of tongs.
The hiss and smell of burned flesh turned Piper's stomach, causing him to turn away and miss a note. Nightwing took the instrument and carefully applied it. Muttering something about 'doing something productive.'
A cold gust pressed itself against his forehead. "Piper needs a break. Do you think you can get him doped up enough he can stop piping?" Trickster asked from somewhere over his shoulder.
"First time we've ever really needed Mirror Master's expertise on drugs." Cold growled as he threw a bloodied towel down in disgust. "Morphine, right? Fuck..." He pressed his lips together and shook his head. "Not even sure what would be a safe dose!"
"I have... a bit of an idea." Red Arrow admitted with reluctance.
Cold stared at him an idea and then scoffed. "Just depends on how well you know them, in the end." He repeated.
"No." Red Arrow argued. "There's a bigger difference. We tend to fuck ourselves over. Our friends, families, and ourselves, because we screw up! The 'bad guys'? They do it to everyone, with intent to do so. So, yeah, I had a drug problem. I screwed up, bad. I've tried to make up for it, too. And yeah it is still a struggle. But at least I want to help people. I'm not robbing people to score."
"Enough! Enough." Nightwing held up his hands between them. "We don't have time for this! We're all fuck ups. We all make mistakes. We're all human. We'll deal with it later. Right now? You? Drug up Riddler. You?" He gestured at Cold, and then held up a hand in almost surrender, indicating that he wasn't going to 'tell him' what to do next, but that he wanted it over all the same.
Owen rubbed a hand over his eyes and sighed deeply. "Yep, we're all going to die." He said in a monotone.
"No. We're not. Well, you're not. I'm already dead in your plane of existence." Trickster's voice still carried an ethereal quality, despite being almost totally visible, if still insubstantial.
Red Arrow was already measuring out the doses, and showing Catwoman how to administer them while Cold continued to glare and make angry noises. But finally, Cold pressing his lips together took a deep breath and said to Arrow. "Show her the amount that would end it quickly. If this goes even further to shit, and it looks like there's no way out? There's no reason Riddler should suffer at the end. Show her how to put him out." He requested gruffly.
"Euthanasia." Catwoman said quickly before Red Arrow could finish to say the word 'murder'. "Not murder. He means in the event that Eddie is going to die anyway. To put him out easier, and more gently. So he won't suffer. Please." She said to Red Arrow, looking sincere.
He grimaced but then nodded. "Doesn't make it easier. But I do understand what you mean. I know I can come off as a bit of an asshole. But I do understand." He insisted. He showed the amount that should finish Riddler off, but he was still reluctant.
"I won't do it, unless it is necessary." Catwoman assured. "I've grown fond of the little bastard."
"Yeahhhh... so have I." Red Arrow admitted, still sounding reluctant.
She smiled a weak smile at him and then nodded. "Better get going, so that this can get over with."