Nightwing: Heartache

Part 20: Malina Island

August 8, 11:11pm
Bioship

Dick really hated being the grown up. Like, really, really hated it. He had explicitly told Brion that his sister Tara had been on Malina Island, the island of the League of Shadows, but she wasn't anymore. He told Brion, firmly, that they couldn't just go and raid the freaking League of Shadows for his sister. And yet, Brion and Violet had nodded their heads and then went directly against Dick's orders. They took Sphere and headed right where Dick told them not to. Now, he, M'gann, Artemis, and SuperBoy were on the bioship to go and rescue them from the Shadows.

"Are you sure you should be going?" M'gann asked from her seat steering the ship.

She had a point. Some League assassin was out for Nightwing's head, plus Lex Luthor probably had the Light out for him as well. "I'm the only back-up available on short notice," Dick answered. Even his teammates, as strong as they were, couldn't take on the whole League and rescue the kids, especially if Ra's or Talia was there. "Plus, maybe I can ask the League why they want me dead so badly," Dick flashed a smile.

**

August 8, 12:18am

Malina Island

The island was eerily quiet when they dropped down, all in stealth gear aside from M'gann, who was camouflaged. There were no sounds of fighting, or even people. They traveled silently through the mountain and to the League headquarters, and didn't see a single person. When they burst into the prison, Brion was standing, arms crossed.

"Took you long enough," he snapped and stalked past them.

"Thank you for coming to save us," Halo said, floating behind Brion. The gratitude was overwhelming.

"Alright, let's go," Connor barked, leading the group up and out of the dungeons.

When the group made it to the main entry way of the island, the center of the usual activity, it was less empty. Before them, stood Sensei to the Shadows, one Shadow, and another groupie with Apokalipton tech. Nightwing stepped to the front. "We just want to leave," he said firmly. They did not come here for a fight.

"Your trespass must be punished!" The Sensei declared.

"Wrong answer," SuperBoy yelled then leaped into action.

Just because they didn't come here for a fight doesn't mean they didn't expect it, Dick thought and pulled his escrima sticks from their holsters. He jumped for the Shadow, dodging and diving around the staff he held. He was quick, Dick thought, almost quicker than Nightwing. He grunted as the Shadow pushed him back.

The difference was the Shadow wanted to take Nightwing's head off, while Nightwing just wanted to give his team time to make a break for it. Nightwing swung his escrima stick but the Shadow flipped away, grabbing Nightwing's weapon in between his ankles and throwing it into the air.

That stunned Nightwing for a second. That was his move. He shook his head and focused right as the Shadow landed. Nightwing threw his second escrima stick as the Shadow looked up, mask facing Nightwing, just in time to get smacked in the head with the escrima stick. The Shadow stumbled back, giving Nightwing the opening he was waiting for. He brought his elbow down on the back of the Shadow's neck, watching him crumple as a voice interrupted the fight.

"Enough." And the fighting stopped.

Talia Al Ghul stepped out of the shadows, onto a raised dais, overlooking the action. The Shadow at Nightwing's feet got up and walked to stand behind his master.

"But-" the Sensei started but Talia raised a hand to silence him.

"Are you proud of this little debacle, young man?" Talia asked Nightwing, who just gritted his teeth. "I assume you came to rescue the children?" No one answered. "Take them and go," she waved a hand flippantly, "I have no interest in your meta-teens."

"Then who do you have an interest in, Talia?" Nightwing jabbed.

She just smirked, "cute, but I don't want to play games tonight, child. Accept my mercy and run back to Batman with your tail between your legs."

Nightwing held out his hand when Brion stepped towards Talia. Even if Nightwing couldn't see them, he could feel the presence of other Shadows, hidden just beyond sight. It wasn't a fight they would win. He exchanged a look with SuperBoy, who gently led Brion back to the bioship.

"Where is my sister? Just tell me that!" Brion exclaimed, wrenching back. The look of pure desperation on his face was enough to almost crack Nightwing's mask. Almost.

Talia sighed, "not here, little prince."

M'gann and SuperBoy led Brion and Halo back, Brion slouched, the fight gone from him. Nightwing studied Talia, the rest of the island. Artemis stayed near him, just in case. He wondered how many arrows were aimed at his throat right now.

"Any chance you know who wants me dead?" He asked Talia.

She smirked, "too many to count. Might even rival the bounty on the Bat's head."

Nightwing rolled his eyes, of course information wouldn't be forthcoming. "Any chance you want to elaborate?"

She laughed softly, "I'm not killing you now as a favor to your mentor, but you've inspired many personal enemies, boy. You've made yourself too important to the heroes of the world. You've become too much of a thorn in operations."

"Well don't I feel special," Nightwing grumbled then jerked his head as a signal to Artemis. It was time to go. Talia was right about one thing, she was showing them mercy. He didn't want to still be here when Ra's got back. Artemis and him ran back to the bioship.

"We had them!" Sensei exclaimed once the heroes were gone. He watched their ship fly away.

Talia scoffed, "and deprive our clients the pleasure of killing him themselves? The point of killing a hero is more than the final blow." This is why Sensei would never lead the League of Shadows. In recent years, the League had to adapt to its clientele's more dramatic tendencies. Killing heroes in private was no longer in fashion, people wanted spectacle...suffering. Villains cooked up these elaborate plots for a reason.

Whether they worked... Talia didn't really care. She had bigger concerns. She cared nothing for the oldest Bat boy, but he was important to both their clients and her father. If he died in all this, that would be fine too, she had contingencies upon contingencies.

The Shadow next to her trembled, his staff dropping out of his hand. She looked at his clenched fists, the layer of sweat on his forehead. Interesting. Perhaps he was still fighting back, momentarily at least.

"Gray...son," he mumbled softly.

Talia tucked this new piece of information away then turned to go back inside. She had a baby to feed.

A/N link to the scene I took inspiration from: https://youtu.be/Q_R-vdUGBQk