Nightwing: Heartless

Part 5: Shadows

Nightwing stared at the screen, watching the figures move, in clear view of the security camera. Superboy came up to stand beside him.

"What are they doing?" He asked.

"Not sure," Nightwing answered, "shadows are usually stealthier than that."

"Think it's a trap?"

"Maybe."

Nightwing had actually been thinking that exact thing. The League of Shadows was made of highly trained individuals. Batman had come from the League. It was usually difficult to track them down. But here was a team of maybe ten shadows in clear view of the security cameras, taking their time. Just... waiting.

"Are you sending anyone to check it out?"

He had been struggling with that question for the past three minutes. If the League was lying in wait no way was he sending his team in blind. No unnecessary risks, that was the direct order from Batman, but he couldn't let the Shadows get away. He made his decision and shut the screens down and checked his suit to make sure his weapons were ready.

Superboy put a hand on his shoulder. "I know you're not scouting the Shadows alone. Why don't I get M'gann and Kaldur?"

Nightwing paused a second then nodded. It would be fun.

**

Link established, M'gann said in his head.

Miss M, can you see what's going on through the window? Nightwing thought. He watched Miss Martian's camouflage form fly to the top window.

They're just playing a card game

This was just getting weirder. SB how many heart beats? He thought with the mental link.

Superboy kept still and closed his eyes. Fifteen.

This is not normal, Aqualad's voice said.

Everyone be on guard. We don't know their plan. Miss Martian and I will sneak in from above. Aqualad and Superboy watch the entrance and exit. Nightwing felt the rest of his team agree then they all silently split, each moving to their places.

Miss Martian levitated him to the window and phased them both through. He signalled for Miss Martian to cross to the opposite side. Then he turned his attention to the ground. There was indeed a card game going on, which was strange to watch. Their unawareness concerned him but what really bothered Nightwing was the missing 15th man. He only counted fourteen below him.

In position, Kaldur thought.

The card game went on for maybe thirty seconds more, then the Shadows stilled.

Uh-oh, was all M'gann had time to think before a hand grenade flew in her general direction.

She flew to the left but the device seemed to lurch at the last second and detonate closer to her than she was expecting. She cried out and dropped, the fire removing her camouflage.

Nightwing jumped into action, throwing an escrima stick at the second hand grenade headed for a dazed M'gann. The men below him turned, taken by surprise when the explosive detonated in the wall above them, sending rubble down. It also signaled Aqualad and Superboy.

Nightwing rolled when he hit the ground and was already running by the time he made it to his feet. He dodged fists and weapons, striking when he could, but Shadows weren't street thugs. M'gann? He thought. Fourteen on one wasn't optimal.

He jumped as a body went flying under his feet, hit with his fellow Shadow when Superboy threw him. The outer ring of assailants also flew backwards when Miss Martian recovered.

"There's only fourteen!" Nightwing yelled, back to back with Kaldur. He ducked before he could hear Aqualad's response, pulled back into the fight. It irked him that he didn't know why they were fighting.

He noticed some of the league members back away but he was too busy to chase after them. When he saw why, he wished he had. They lifted a grenade launcher onto their shoulders and fired. Nightwing watched as they passed overhead, heading right towards Miss Martian. She sensed them and ducked but one grenade swerved and exploded close, too close to her. She dropped and landed on the catwalk above Nightwing, circles of fire following her down and keeping her down.

The other grenade also swerved, but it flew down, right at Aqualad. This one didn't explode near Aqualad, it waited till it hit him in the back, making sure it took him down. Nightwing watched it all happen in a matter of seconds.

He headbutted the guy he was fighting, trying to untangle himself from the throng of people waiting to punch him but he couldn't get there fast enough. Superboy, on the other hand, didn't even need Nightwing to give the order before he threw his opponents to the side and leaped to help M'gann.

The Shadows near him drew guns and fired at Superboy. Luckily the blasts just bounced off of him, even if they did make him stumble a few steps. Nightwing took down man after man until only two were standing. He dropped his gun and raised his hands, taking a step back as Nightwing saw an approaching shadow. A woman stepped out, dressed in red, sword in her hand.

"I'll take it from here," she said simply and the Shadow nodded, scurrying away. "Hello Boy Wonder."

"I really thought the blue bird on the chest would give it away I'm not the Boy Wonder." Superboy, get M'gann and Aqualad out of here.

But you-

I'll distract her.

"Ah, yes, you are Nightwing now. Very grown up."

"Why did you lure us out here?" He asked, circling. She mirrored him, both of them poised to strike.

"To fight, of course."

"Why?"

"To see if we would win."

Then she charged. She was faster than her men, stronger, and better with a blade. Nightwing barely managed to dodge fast enough. The few attacks he got through her defense were harmless, just delays in her assault. He twisted and somersaulted over her head onto a railing and used it to swing around. He connected his feet to her chest and watched her fly back. Unfortunately, she landed on her feet and came at him again. Before she reached him she jumped on the wall and ran up it, coming at him from above. He blocked her blade with his escrima stick but grunted when her knee made contact with his open side. She wrapped her legs around his arm and dropped, using her weight to pull his arm holding his weapon down then kicked him in the jaw before untangling herself, landing on her feet of course.

Nightwing spun into a backbend to avoid her sword as it slashed where his head just was. He backhandspringed away, grabbing her sword in between his ankles and jerking it out of her hands and catching it in his own.

But then she froze. She narrowed her eyes, studying him. Then she looked behind him. She caught a smoke bomb in her hand and set it off, disappearing in a matter of seconds. So did all her men.

Superboy flew the doors off their hinges, leaping once to land beside Nightwing, ready for a fight, but it was too late. "You okay?" He asked.

"Yeah," Nightwing said.

"What just happened?" M'gann said from the doorway, hanging on Kaldur's shoulder from support. They were both still sweating.

"A trap." Nightwing said shortly, thinking through everything that had happened.

"But why did they retreat?" Aqualad asked.

"They probably knew I'd be back any minute," Superboy growled, cracking his knuckles.

Nightwing knew that wasn't right. They had retreated as soon as his fight against the leader had turned. He had surprised her, but instead of calling in reinforcements, she left. He looked up to see all eyes were on him for answers.

"To see if they could win," he said simply.