Anjo

40

The quick pitter patter of footsteps could be heard as a blur of red and yellow rounded a corner and quickly came to a sudden halt. Kid Flash gazed around quickly before shooting off in a few different directions. Checking corners and running through buildings before he retook his previous spot in the barren street.

His brows furrowed in thought. This being one of the last few places in the city he hasn't checked.

But there was no sign of the Boy Wonder. Not from anyone.

"Kid Flash checking in. Still no sign of him. Heading to Crime Alley now."

"Acknowledged. Be careful, Kid Flash. Batman out."

With that, the speedster was taking off once more. Within Crime Alley in mere seconds. He wrinkled his nose at the sight of drunken men passed out near trashcans and groups of thugs eyeing him as they hid whatever the hell they had on them.

But Kid Flash could care less. All he wanted was to find Robin.

But he couldn't. He couldn't find him anywhere. Not abandoned in an alleyway. Not locked away in the back of some building. Let alone perched atop some roof moping his life away.

The kid just.. disappeared.

"Come on." Kid Flash groaned, nearly pulling his head from his scalp. "Has anyone fiund anything?" Multiple people spoke, but all said the same thing, they "couldn't find him".

"Dammit!" He cursed, loudly. Bringing about more unwanted attention as he took notice of the ever so multiplying pairs of eyes peaking out from the shadows. "Oh you have got to be kidding me." He growled, dropping his hands to his side as he quietly watched as he was eventually surrounded. Mere thugs and men lost to the streets. All glaring daggers into his skin as they continued to close the already small space around them and the speedster.

"We got a problem, twinkle toes?" One man asked. Voice deep and rough as he brought his swollen body to tower over Kid Flash.

"Not yet." Kid Flash stated, eyeing each man carefully. "Anything I can help you with fellas?"

"We don't like heros in our city. Let alone our turf." One man spoke up.

"An' we 'specially hate super powered freaks, like yourself." The previous man before him spoke. Flexing his all too large muscles in an attempt to spike some sort of fear in the speedster.

Okay and yeah it was working.

"Look, I'm leaving, okay?" Kid Flash explained, moving past the other. "No need to get so pissed off-" a hand was immediately wrapped around the back of his neck as his face was slammed down into the gravel. Hard.

He should've been paying attention. He knew better. He was trained better.

But he forgot.. If briefly.

He's in Gotham.

Now he had 300 pounds of muscle holding him down. "Get off!" He growled, scraping his cheek across the ground as he glared back at the man above him.

"You come into our turf. Search our property and get mouthy with me?" They pressed down harder. Making Kid Flash gasp for the air that was no longer reaching his lungs. "Just cause you can run fast, you think you're special?"

"I never-" a choked gasp cut off his words as felt the burning need for air in his lungs increase.

He struggled pointlessly. Sure, while he was fast, he was slim. And once you got him off his feet, well..

Getting up was hard.

His ears started ringing loudly as he tried to focus on what the other was continuing to go on about. But the speckled dots in his vision and the pulsing temples drew his attention elsewhere.

He couldn't breathe. Oh god- he couldn't breathe. It hurts. It hurts.

His palms dug into the ground as he tried to lift himself from the floor. Just to relieve some pressure. Just a single gasp of air.

But he couldn't move. It was too much. Oh god, his lungs felt like they were on fire.

"Are you listening, twinkle toes?" The man- too big for his own good- growled into the speedsters ear. But he didn't get a response. Just quick little gasps as the ginger tried so desperately to breathe.

It hurt. It hurt so bad.

"Hey- hey, you should stop man." One of the bystanders finally spoke up. Fear evident in his voice. "He's one of the hero's brats."

"I don't give a rats ass if he was the fucking president of the mother fucking United States!" The other snapped, pressing down harder on Kid Flash to prove his point. "He gon learn that he ain't gonna get his way. Not here. Not while I'm around!"

"Ohh I see." A new voice spoke. A sickly amused tone drenching their words. "Then I'm going to have to ask you to leave now." A jagged grin appeared behind the other man, as a chill raced down everyones spine. "Permanently."

The crowd froze as a gunshot echoed loudly in the air. The once strong man- too strong for his own good- now laid in a pool of his own blood next to a pair a pitch black dress shoes.

The only sound was Kid Flash as he let out a loud gasp. Air finally meeting his burning lungs.

But his eyes remained closed and his body still. Welcoming the sweet embrace of sleep.

Unusual. How unusal to see a speedster so still.

"Now, since I have you all here," The new voice with the jagged grin began, "why don't you let Uncle J show you how to really kill somebody?"

The surrounding crowd all gulped nervously. Some taking a few hesitant steps back. While others remained frozen with fear. "Su- sure man. Whatever you want. You can have the super freak, no problem." One poor brave soul finally spoke up. The sweat already trickling down his body in heavy drops. "He's all yours to kill."

Jokers eyes trained themselves on the unconscious speedster. Tip of the gun in his hand poking at Kid Flash cheek. Finally, he stated, "Oh no. I wasn't talking about him."

And thus the screams filled the alleyway. Loud enough to be heard for blocks.

Loud enough to be heard by two Kryptonians.

- to be continued -