Protecting the Batbrothers

Chapter fourteen

Artemis and Kaldur had thought of a plan to make sure the Justice League wouldn't lose one of their founding members (that the Batkids wouldn't lose their father). They had left the team on their way to the warehouse and ran back to the docks, staying out of Joker's and Batman's sight. They had decided to stay guard at the docks, though things had gotten a lot more complicated right about now.

"I am just waiting to hear a gunshot," muttered Aqualad, glancing at his companion. The blonde archer nodded her head. "Yeah. We should be doing something. This is... shit, we have never been this close to actually losing one of us."
Kaldur sighed mournfully. He wasn't close to Batman- none of them except for Robin were- but they still considered him... a part of the team? A mentor? He sighed again and ran a hand through his short hair.

"We can't do anything but watch and hope for the team to find Robin and Red Hood. If you were in his place and your sons would have been kidnapped and tor-" he choked. That was still Robin they were talking about, their cute, little, carefree bird- "if they had been abused, what would you do?" Artemis looked away, clenching her fists in anger. "I'd do everything to get them back."
"Exac-"

Suddenly, Artemis clamed a hand over his mouth, signalling him to be quiet, and pointed to their right. Aqualad narrowed his eyes to see in the darkness that had covered up so many crimes. He and Artemis were hidden by shadows, so they quietly observed the scene that played out in front of them.

The Joker was holding Batman at gunpoint, forcing him to walk in front of the villain. Aqualad gasped quietly. "Where are they going?" he whispered, motioning for Artemis to follow them.

She shrugged and jumped on one of the many windowsills without making a sound. She climbed until she reached the roof of the warehouse and looked down to see Aqualad following her lead. A second later, he stood next to her.

"Could you warn me the next time you decide to pull a stunt like that?" He muttered.
Artemis grinned. "Had a hard time keeping up with me?" He just rolled his eyes and looked back down, searching for the Joker. "There." He pointed at the green-haired man.
"Can you hear what they are saying?" asked Artemis, standing dangerously close to the edge. "Hm," he mumbled, staining his ears. Sadly, enhanced hearing was not part of the Atlantean power package, but they were close enough to at least hear snippets of their conversation.

"C'mon, Batsy, aren't you excited to see the little Birdie and Hoodie again?"
Aqualad couldn't see Batman's face, but he was sure that the hero was glaring daggers in the dark. "If you want to kill me, then don't do it in front of my partners." That bone chilling laugh escaped the Joker's scarred lips once again. "Don't be so impatient, dummy. Just wait for what I've planned for you and your little brats."

Artemis grabbed Kaldur's arm, her voice panicked. "The team is in the warehouse. We have to get them out before the Joker sees them." Aqualad nodded and they quietly slipped through one of the broken windows.

'Guys' called Artemis through the mind link, her worry infiltrating everyone's mind. 'What is it, Arty?' questioned Wally, clearly concerned for his girlfriend. 'The Joker is bringing Batman to Robin's and Red Hood's location to kill him in front of them' explained Artemis, straight to the point as usual. She bit her lip as she felt the rage that came from Damian and Tim in waves. 'We've got to follow them and stop that maniac' growled Red Robin, gritting his teeth.

He was so going to kill that bastard for ever messing with his family. He'd make him pay for ever touching Dick and Jason. He'd make him suffer for ever killing Jason all those years ago.
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Dick didn't know when they had been lowered to the floor or by whom, but he welcomed the less painful position. His arms weren't aching too much and his head didn't throb as painful as the last time he had been awake.