Raven Roth and Damian Wayne: Walking Ever Onward (Book 2 Of 2)

Chapter Four

Note. Graphic injury detail, read discretion is advised. It starts at "The scene.." go to the paragraph after to skip.

Damian looked back to Raven and could tell that this sudden show of violence was over whelming for her. He tore himself away from the scene and took Ravens hands into his own.

“Raven, take out things and load them into the Batwing. I’ll deal with here.” He asked he softy but with an air of authority.

Raven took a breath and nodded an agreement. She didn’t like it but if this had been the work of someone from Gotham Damian would be able to tell who better than her. She took up Damians bag and carried their belongings to the impressive piece of machinery casually hoovering in the parking space. As she approached the cockpit and blue light quickly ran up and down her body. “Identity confirmed. Defence protocol deactivated.” Spoke a computerised voice and the cockpit opened automatically. Raven put the bags down and climbed up and found all the buttons and switches running along the dashboard to be rather tantalising, but she knew she didn’t have time to be distracted. She searched for a storage compartment and once she had found and flipped the switch, a fair-sized partition in hull opened out allowing her to stow both hers and Damians bags. With that she felt she had composed herself enough to re-join Damian and see what he had discovered.

The scene at the reception desk was horrific. The receptionist had been pinned to the wall with knifes at the wrists. The skin along the arms was peeled back and cut to make them look like wings. Her legs had been tied up, so her knees were up to her chest and her feet up to her buttocks. All the skin along them had been flayed like the arms and then trimmed and pinned to the wall to make a tail. It was a sickening sight and would take a very twisted mind to do.

Raven tried to remain calm as she knew that Damian would have to look through all of this by himself if she couldn’t keep herself grounded, but her mind wondered to the files on the computer back at the penthouse and how she had at first instinctively mocked the ringleader of this whole escapade. As she rounded the corner she was lost in though but noticed in her peripherals the presence of someone looking at the wall, their back to her, around Damians height although he’d been growing recently so she couldn’t get his exact height right in her mind. That didn’t matter at the moment whoever did this was sending a message, not engaging them. She’ll ask Damian what he found interesting about the wall later. Raven scanned the area for anything Damian may have missed, he probably didn’t miss anything knowing him, but it wouldn’t hurt to look. She got to the desk on the other side of the small office area and though she saw something under the desk that caught her eye, it was a room key. She knelt down and reaching under the desk picked it up for a better look. As she inspected it, she saw it was the key to the room her and Damian had stayed in. With a sudden realisation and an over baring sense of dread she span on her heels to she the person that had been staring at the wall was rushing towards her with a large and bloody combat knife in hand. Without time to think Raven called upon her powers and throw her assailant backwards into the other wall. Rushing to her feet she bolted for the Batwing. As she crossed the threshold of the reception door she found herself colliding with something and then darkness.

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“They should have been here by now. Damian would have taken a direct path here. Shall we head out to that motel or scout out here and see what’s going on first?” Helena asked Jason as he inspected the entry points of Titan tower.

“I know you’re worried, I am too. So I sent Kate a text as she was near by so can swing back and let us. Hm, you hear that?” Jason said as he was interrupted by the unmistakable sound of a Batwing approaching at full tilt.

“See? They’re just running late, nothing to worry about.” He concluded as the Batwing appeared over the tree line and came in for a landing a little ways off from them.

As the cockpit opened and the pair approached, it was not piloted by who they had expected. Kate jumped out suited up for combat.

“Where’s the kids?!” Helena asked as her concern grew.

Kate just shook her head. “They weren’t at the motel. There was a murder there, no sign of Damian or Raven, no signs of struggle either. The Batwing was in the parking lot all locked up. Security footage from the wing shows Raven load up their belongings and move back to the motel and th...”

BOOOOOOM!!!

As she began to explain everyones attention was ripped away and back to the tower. When they turned back the walls of Titan tower were being thrown out in every direction from a massive explosion from within. The blast encompassed the tower in it entirety and thick black smoke bellowed out.

“Holy...” Jason quietly let out as the group watched in horror.

After a long moment of silence that hung heavily among them there was a sudden realisation.

“Oh no, Gar and Jaime, were they still...” Helena questioned unable to take her eyes away.

As they silently watched their attention was distracted again by rustling from behind them. They all span on spot and armed themselves.

“Glad we went for snacks now?” Gar asked Jaime as they slowly emerged from the foliage.

“Gar? Jaime?” Helena asked softly.

“Yea. Um, hi. Damians family right?” Gar replied looking back to the group.

Helena couldn’t help but run over to them and hugged to pair. Her sisterly affection, and concern, for Damian spilling out to the surface in the moment.

“Explanations later, we need to move. It’s good to see you two unharmed though.” Said Kate as she stepped up behind Helena while giving the two boys a reassuring nod and smile.

“Go in the Batwing. I’ll keep an eye out here and feed you Intel on Banes group.” Said Jason as he looked back and watched the tower continue to blaze.

“What? Oh no, we are not splitting up. And what about Damian? And Raven? Jay we all go, let’s move.” Helena replied knowing what was about to come out Jason’s mouth would be rational but wouldn’t make her feel any better about it.

“Hel, you know that thing isn’t quiet at the best of times let alone when it’s being maxed out. The likelihood of them knowing something is up is high. It’s the best chance to get the most people to safety. I move faster on my own, that’s my style. It can carry two it the cockpit so the boys will have to sit on your laps. It’ll be uncomfortable for everyone. But someone has to watch this group, they’re dangerous, we need constant tabs on them.” Jason explained while Helena frown not meeting his gaze.

With an agitated huff she reluctantly agreed and while turning away placed a hand on Gars ushering him towards the Batwing. She looked back to Jason who smiled a sent her off with a wink which earned him a small smile with soft eyes on Helena’s calm face. She and Kate climbed into the Batwing followed by Gar and Jaime. Gar sat with Helena excited about being in the Batwing, Jaime apologised to Kate for the inconvenient seating arrangements. The Batwing rumbled into life once more and took off across the sky towards Gotham.

Jason watched on for just a moment and then observed his surroundings. He took a slow quiet breathe and listened.

Silence.

Stillness.

No breeze, no birds, no crackling fire in the distance, not even his own heart beat.

Just him stood alone.

Click, bang.

“There it is.” Jason remarked as he dropped down dodging the bullet that slammed into the tree just where his head would have been had he not moved in time. “Stake out is over I guess.” He said to himself as he bolted through the brush and deeper into the forest unsure of how many were on his tail.