The Shadows of Revenge

Chapter 7: Ripped Apart

As Bruce went down the stairs his thoughts were only of Damian and what was happening to him. Soon he and Tim got to the bottom of the stairs to a long lite hallway that looked seemingly harmless. But Bruce felt something in his gut that told him the hallway wasn't what it seemed.

"Well what are we waiting for?" Tim asked rhetorically as he started to walk forward.

"Wait." Batman said as he quickly grabbed Tim's shoulder stopping him in his tracks.

"What, why did did you stop me?"

"Watch."

Batman then pulled out a batarang and then threw it down the hallway. Almost immediately all manners of danger such as flame throwers, knives, poisonous darts, saws, and crushing walls came from the sides of the hallway. Tim's jaw was practically on the floor after seeing what happened now wondering how he and Batman were going to possibly get past this.

"Batman what are we going to do there is no getting past this hallway it's practically impassable?" Tim asked still trying to rack his brain over how to solve their problem.

Batman was also contemplating looking at every little detail of the hallway until he saw a panel on the wall setting off a light bulb in his head.

"Robin do you think you can possibly hack the system here and turn it off?"

"Possibly it could take me a bit but I just might be able to do it."

Tim then went up to the panel and then opened the latch on his right cuff taking out some wires to access the system with. He then found two plugs to put the wires in and started to work on hacking the system. After about ten minutes of coding, rearranging, and all manner of hacking methods Tim broke the code and shut off the system.

"Alright that should do it but we still need to be careful. This system was very complicated and I may have not been able to get all of it shut off."

Batman simply nodded and then started to move forward all the while throwing little unactivated smoke bombs to see if any traps were still active. They were nearly at the end of the hallway when Tim decided they had passed enough for it to be safe. He was about to be in front of the big metal door at the end when Batman triggered a trap causing big flame throwers to shoot enough flames to incinerate anyone.

"Well looks like I was right." Tim laughed nervously.

Batman ignored this and moved forward to the metal door quickly opening it. As the door opened Bruce's heart soared when he saw his son lying down in a crib.

As the door opened Damian started to wake up seeing a large pair of shadows in the door. As he became more awake he began to realize the shadows were Batman and Robin which meant his brothers and father had at last come for him.

"Papa, Im!" Damian called out excitedly reaching for his papa and brother who stood before him.

"Damian!"

Bruce then ran over to the crib and pulled his son out and into his arms. He tightly hugged him holding him lovingly to his chest. Damian did the same wrapping his tiny arms as tightly as he could around Bruce's neck.

However as much as they needed each other's love Damian whined in pain every time Bruce squeezed him.

"Papa hurt!"

Worried about his son Bruce cradled him and lifted the little shirt he had on to reveal large red welts, purple bruises and a belly that was not as full as it was supposed to be. In that moment Bruce felt all his fatherly rage consume him outraged with the fact these people would hurt and neglect such a small child.

Tim felt just as angry as he saw his baby brother's body now ready to kill Ra Al Ghul himself so he would pay for his actions.

Soon Bruce calmed down a bit and then gently held his son resting his little head on his shoulder. Damian felt so much better now happy he had his father again.

"Love u Papa."

"I love you to baby now let's get out of here."

"I'm afraid that's not happening anytime soon Batman."

Batman and Robin both turned to find Ra Al Ghul, Talia, and a platoon of soldiers blocking the doorway. Tim immediately got out his birdarangs and was ready to take down the foes in front of him so his baby brother could be freed.

"Out of my way Ghul or this will get very messy and I would prefer it if my son didn't see me fight." Bruce said seriously as he held his son protectively.

"I would prefer not to fight as well I mean who knows what could happen to these two boys if we did."

Ra then signaled his soldiers to bring out Dick and Jason who were both tied up and gagged. The two then tried to tell Bruce that it was ok and that he just needed to get out of there, but it only came across as muffled gibberish.

"Let them go!" Bruce yelled angrily refusing to see his son treated like this.

"Gladly just give me my grandson and they will remain unharmed."

"You have no right to call Damian your grandson after what you've let happen to him!"

Bruce showed off Damian's bruises and welts that covered the poor baby's body. Even Dick and Jason who were tied up and gagged were absolutely outraged and ready to kill as they struggled in their bonds.

"We are simply trying to teach our son to be a fighter to be strong and tough. The lashing is just our way of doing so." Talia said very casual.

"Your sick Talia just sick the fact that you would willingly let people hurt your son to "toughen" him up, have you no love for your son!" Tim yelled before Bruce could respond.

"You could never understand what I feel for my child now give him over and you may all go free. Don't and you will all die slowly and painfully."

As all this happened Damian cuddled closely to his father scared of the people who hurt him. Bruce gladly cuddled his son back knowing he needed it and to assure he was not letting him go.

"Papa scar." Damian said as tears flowed from his eyes.

"Don't worry baby we're getting out of here." Bruce said as he pressed a button on his belt that activated the smoke bombs.

Immediately the room was filled with smoke that luckily all the Bats could see through thanks to a special mode in their masks. Bruce quickly started to run figuring the boys with their enemy unable to them could use their training to escape their ropes, which they did. He pushed through the crowd of soldiers, the boys right behind him, with ease none of them expecting him as he made them topple over.

Bruce was almost halfway through the hallway when suddenly he felt something wrap around him causing him to fall. Even as he did he quickly made sure he fell on his back keeping Damian in a protective hold the entire way down. Soon the smoke cleared due to fans in the hallway blowing it out. All the other boys were in the same boat as they laid on the floor unable to move.

"My my how clever of you Batman but I'm afraid not clever enough Talia take your son back now."

Talia smiled wickedly as she walked up to the fallen Batman and quickly snatched Damian from him.

"Papa! Papa! Papa! Paaaapaaaaa!" Damian screamed at the top of his lungs as he struggled to get back to his daddy.

"Damian! Give me back my son! Damiiiiaaaannnnn!"

All the other boys joined in demanding their baby brother was returned to them immediately. However this didn't happen as they were then dragged to another room on the top floor of the base and chained to the wall.

"Say goodbye to papa my son it's time for your operation." Talia said deviously as she forcefully waved the hysterical Damian's hand.

"Don't you dare hurt him! What are you going to do to him? Give him back to me!" Bruce yelled as he struggled against the chains to get to his son.

"It's none of your business my beloved now goodbye." Talia said wickedly as she had the guards close the cell door.

"Taaaallliiiiiaaaaaa!" Bruce yelled out of pure rage from his son being ripped from his grasp again, and failing to protect him once more.