Nightwing: Heartless

Part 44: WarWorld Aftermath

"So now we know that the Reach does have an armada stationed on Earth," Batman said. He stood in front of everyone, Team and Justice League, at the WatchTower. Behind him, holographic screens replayed the Reach ships coming out of hiding to help defend Earth against the WarWorld.

"Like there was any doubt," SuperBoy grumbled. Superman stood beside him and nodded his agreement. "But why did they fight with us?" Murmurs sifted through the crowd of heroes as everyone started thinking out loud and shouting their own theories.

Nightwing took a step forward, silencing the crowd. He was a little surprised at the reaction but he hid his emotions behind a strong face. "They defended Earth against other conquerors because they've already claimed Earth." Nightwing switched the image on the screens from the WarWorld to Blue Beetle, now under Reach's control, smiling for pictures. "Green Beetle was a double agent," Nightwing saw M'gann lower her head out of the corner of his eye but he didn't have time to comfort her right now, "Blue Beetle is now under Reach control, but we have a plan." He nodded at Zatanna, who switched places with him to explain the plan.

Nightwing retreated from the spotlight to the back of the crowd and exhaled a breath. He observed the Justice League and the Team, or what was left of the Team, listen to Z. Batman found him, slipping from the shadows to stand beside him.

"Being that close to losing is never fun," Batman remarked, looking straight ahead but Nightwing knew he was talking to him.

"Earth didn't die but we still lost," Nightwing replied wryly.

"You'll get them back." Batman placed a hand on his shoulder. It was a sign of support.

"That's not what you're worried about."

"No."

Nightwing sighed, "Blue probably already told them everything they wanted to know willingly."

Batman's face clouded, "hopefully."

The crowd turned and looked back at them, Batman's signal to take over the meeting. Nightwing stayed back, the gears shifting in his head. When Nightwing had found out about his Team's capture, and then discovered Blue Beetle was the one to do it, his first thought was for the safety of his Team... but his second thought was the danger of having that many members taken hostage. The intel that might be gained by the enemy. SuperBoy, Mal, Batgirl, and Robin were the big concerns. Nightwing rubbed the back of his neck and left the meeting a few seconds early, getting a head start to the zeta tube. Batman would be busy tonight so Nightwing would pick patrol in Gotham.

**
It was a quiet night, courtesy of the WarWorld, even criminals were too scared to go outside. It would have been peaceful, alone through the city sky alone, but it just gave Nightwing more time to think. Impulse. SuperBoy. Guardian. Bumblebee. Robin. Batgirl. Wonder Girl. Arsenal. Wolf. Nightwing ran through their names in his head over and over. The Reach was working with the Light, who would give anything for an edge on the League and the Team. It made intel priceless. Nightwing hoped Blue Beetle had told them what they needed. If not...the senior members were in the most danger. Nightwing shivered at the thought of his Team going through an interrogation. He had to get them back, and fast.

He was distracted when a blade cut his rope, which was a rookie mistake. He seemed to be making a lot of those recently. He rolled as soon as he hit the ground, flipping to his feet as a figure slinked out of the shadows, blade extended.

"Finally, some alone time," she purred. In the moonlight, Nightwing could see the red dress she wore and Shadow markings.

"Who are you?" Nightwing demanded, tensing for the inevitable fight.

She struck first, lunging forward like a cat, swinging her sword towards his neck. Nightwing dodged easily and hit the woman in the back of the neck, sending her forward. She didn't fall, just spun around. It continued like that, a cat and mouse, playing with each other.

Nightwing pulled his escrima sticks from his thigh holsters and jumped, pushed off the alley wall and brought both sticks down, meeting her sword and forcing her to her knees. "Who are you?" He demanded again.

"You may call me Lady Shiva, child." She dropped to the ground, bringing both her feet up to kick him in the chest, sending him a few steps back. She didn't let up, swinging her blade as he retreated, barely fast enough to dodge each blow.

He raised his arm, feeling the metal cut his skin and grabbed the blade with his other hand, spinning and bringing his head back to smash it against Lady Shiva's nose. She grunted in pain and flipped out of his grip, blood dripping from her nose.

"What do you want?" Nightwing questioned, tossing some exploding beads at her feet. Unfortunately she leaped out of the way.

She threw a ball at Nightwing, which shifted to a rope, weighted at both ends. He jumped out of the way but grunted as both her knees collided with his chest, sending him to the ground. She bent low, sneering, "I want to rip the League's heart out and watch them writhe."

Nightwing brought his legs up, wrapping them around her neck and pulling her off of him, scrambling to his feet, "and how do you plan to do that?"

She smirked and lunged, now empty handed except for her fists. "By tearing out yours." She launched a volley of blows, showing her expertise in hand to hand. She was older, well trained, and ruthless. Nightwing was bleeding within minutes, while she kept coming, never slowing. He dodged as many blows as he could, taking her hits and kicks mainly to the sides, and landing his own to her stomach and arms. The only signs of wear were her breaths, more ragged by the minute.

Lady Shiva pulled a small yet incredibly sharp knife from the  folds of her skirt. Nightwing made a note to stay far away from the end of that, with the whole tearing his heart out threat and all. Lady Shiva swiped her knife, a perfect fake as she spun and kicked Nightwing in the jaw when he ducked under the blade. Nightwing pushed his hands off the ground and flipped away just in time to see the knife impale the ground where his head just was. Shiva plucked it out and threw the knife again but this time Nightwing ducked to the right, grabbing the hilt of the knife and throwing it back.

She spun out of the way and smirked, "you don't favor one side over the other. Capable of both. Interesting."

"Is it?" Nightwing jumped into a tuck over her head, throwing a ball that expanded to a net behind him. Shiva turned at the last second and sliced through the net with her knife, regarding Nightwing with a cock of her head, eyes squinted, still eerily calm.

"I have enough data for now." Then she lunged, grabbing onto a ladder above him and swinging her legs over Nightwing's shoulders and throwing his body to the ground. He rolled but she was on top of him, knife to the throat, smirking. "You fought well, child. We'll meet again." She flicked the blade against his throat as she leapt off and disappeared into the night.

Nightwing sat up, breathless, and checked his neck. The smallest scratch of blood came off. It was a warning, a taunt, that she could have sliced his throat. Well, not really, he had already shown he could get out of the hold, and another second he would have. But eventually she would have worn him down, she had made that evident. He checked his forearm after, which was still bleeding, but it wouldn't scar. He pushed himself to his feet, groaning at the bruises that were surely forming under his uniform. This day sucked.