I opened my eyes to darkness; solid, black darkness. The air tasted stale and musty, and it hurt to breathe. My chest felt tight and restrained, and with a jolt, I realized it wasn’t just my chest that I couldn’t move, but my entire body. One side of my body was resting against something soft and warm. No, not warm, hot. 143 degrees hot. The other side was cold, like icicles. My eyes gradually adjusted to the blackness, and I realized that the hot mass next to me was Fin.
My chest and body was bound with tight, sturdy ropes. They crackled and hummed with electricity, and every once in a while, they would let out a sharp surge, sending rippling, searing pain all throughout my body, and burning deep red welts into my skin. Fin was still unconscious, and with what little room my head had to move, I caught a brief glimpse of what was on the other side of her. Robin.
As another surge of energy pulsed through the ropes, my head flopped back down, painfully striking the hard ground. Next to me, Fin was vibrating, and I realized that her ropes were electrocuting her as well. Finally, the pulsing stopped, and, still stinging all over, I raised my head slightly again. Fin was coming to now; her mask had been ripped off, and her blue eyes were dull and confused. “W-wha-what?” she sputtered. She looked at me, staring straight into my blue-green eyes. “Aisling? Y-your mask!” Then it hit me. There was a reason why neither Fin nor her brother ever showed their eyes. Batman didn’t want anyone to know their secret identities. My mind was whirling. But that meant---
My thoughts were cut short by a loud blast. At the same time as the ropes had started to surge again, Fin had formed a fireball on her fingertips and used it to blast a smoking hole through the ropes. Now she was standing, hands on her hips, looking triumphant. I looked down at my bonds. They had dissolved completely. Shakily I got to my feet. “Should we get out of here?” I hissed, not completely certain that we weren’t being watched. She shook her head, then gestured towards Robin’s unconscious form. “We can’t leave without him.”
We stood in silence for a few minutes, trying to figure out what to do, until Fin spoke. “Do you know where we are? I want to send a message to the team.”
I thought for a minute. I could gauge where we were using a few distances. My thoughts were whirling. 1,302 miles south of Mount Justice...25 miles east of the Gulf of Mexico...
“We’re in Florida,” I said, breaking the silence again. “Tampa, Florida.”
Fin nodded. She placed her fingers on her forehead to send the message. Suddenly her face lit up with a sudden realization. “Aisling,” she hissed, her voice flustered. “I think we’re underground.” I nodded assent.“Not just that, but we’re underneath the spot.” Seeing the blank look on my face, she continued. “The spot where the fire was. Batman was right.”
I stood, pondering this for a moment, when suddenly there was a loud rustling.
“Fin!” I whispered, my voice shaking. “Quick! Get down! I think someone’s coming!”
Fin shook her head, and soon I saw why. Robin had awoken, and scrambled to his feet. His mask had been removed as well, and he turned to stare directly at me. His blue eyes had a wild gleam to them, and his stare was sinister and off-putting. Then, without warning, he sprung forward and pinned me flat on the ground.
My chest and body was bound with tight, sturdy ropes. They crackled and hummed with electricity, and every once in a while, they would let out a sharp surge, sending rippling, searing pain all throughout my body, and burning deep red welts into my skin. Fin was still unconscious, and with what little room my head had to move, I caught a brief glimpse of what was on the other side of her. Robin.
As another surge of energy pulsed through the ropes, my head flopped back down, painfully striking the hard ground. Next to me, Fin was vibrating, and I realized that her ropes were electrocuting her as well. Finally, the pulsing stopped, and, still stinging all over, I raised my head slightly again. Fin was coming to now; her mask had been ripped off, and her blue eyes were dull and confused. “W-wha-what?” she sputtered. She looked at me, staring straight into my blue-green eyes. “Aisling? Y-your mask!” Then it hit me. There was a reason why neither Fin nor her brother ever showed their eyes. Batman didn’t want anyone to know their secret identities. My mind was whirling. But that meant---
My thoughts were cut short by a loud blast. At the same time as the ropes had started to surge again, Fin had formed a fireball on her fingertips and used it to blast a smoking hole through the ropes. Now she was standing, hands on her hips, looking triumphant. I looked down at my bonds. They had dissolved completely. Shakily I got to my feet. “Should we get out of here?” I hissed, not completely certain that we weren’t being watched. She shook her head, then gestured towards Robin’s unconscious form. “We can’t leave without him.”
We stood in silence for a few minutes, trying to figure out what to do, until Fin spoke. “Do you know where we are? I want to send a message to the team.”
I thought for a minute. I could gauge where we were using a few distances. My thoughts were whirling. 1,302 miles south of Mount Justice...25 miles east of the Gulf of Mexico...
“We’re in Florida,” I said, breaking the silence again. “Tampa, Florida.”
Fin nodded. She placed her fingers on her forehead to send the message. Suddenly her face lit up with a sudden realization. “Aisling,” she hissed, her voice flustered. “I think we’re underground.” I nodded assent.“Not just that, but we’re underneath the spot.” Seeing the blank look on my face, she continued. “The spot where the fire was. Batman was right.”
I stood, pondering this for a moment, when suddenly there was a loud rustling.
“Fin!” I whispered, my voice shaking. “Quick! Get down! I think someone’s coming!”
Fin shook her head, and soon I saw why. Robin had awoken, and scrambled to his feet. His mask had been removed as well, and he turned to stare directly at me. His blue eyes had a wild gleam to them, and his stare was sinister and off-putting. Then, without warning, he sprung forward and pinned me flat on the ground.
Now in the Charlie Brown spirit, Robin sat at the piano and started playing a couple notes.
"Do you know any Charlie Brown songs?" Megan asked as Artemis sat beside Robin.
"Yeah, three, only one has lyrics though." Robin replied, turning the notes into a song.
"Christmas time is here, Happiness and cheer, Fun for all that children call, Their favorite time of the year" The teen added lyrics.
"Snowflakes in the air, Carols everywhere, Olden times and ancient rhymes, Of love and dreams to share." Artemis continued.
"Sleigh bells in the air, Beauty everywhere, Yuletide by the fireside, And joyful memories there." Megan added sweetly.
"Christmas time is here, We'll be drawing near, Oh, that we could always see, Such spirit through the year, Oh, that we could always see, Such spirit through the year..." The three finished laughing. Wally walked in.
"You guys are good singers." He smirked.
"SHUT UP!"
"Do you know any Charlie Brown songs?" Megan asked as Artemis sat beside Robin.
"Yeah, three, only one has lyrics though." Robin replied, turning the notes into a song.
"Christmas time is here, Happiness and cheer, Fun for all that children call, Their favorite time of the year" The teen added lyrics.
"Snowflakes in the air, Carols everywhere, Olden times and ancient rhymes, Of love and dreams to share." Artemis continued.
"Sleigh bells in the air, Beauty everywhere, Yuletide by the fireside, And joyful memories there." Megan added sweetly.
"Christmas time is here, We'll be drawing near, Oh, that we could always see, Such spirit through the year, Oh, that we could always see, Such spirit through the year..." The three finished laughing. Wally walked in.
"You guys are good singers." He smirked.
"SHUT UP!"