Nightwing: Heartache

Part 25: Tara Markov

September 1, 8:30pm
Bialya

"Entering Bialyan air space," SuperBoy said from the flight chair.

Their ship flew past the border, undetected, quickly making its way to the meta-teen trafficking depot Nightwing had found on the darkweb.

"That's why I traded Sphere to M'gann. Her squad's raiding a meta-depot in Utah where being spotted is less likely to create an international incident." Superboy went on. Nightwing just listened from the front of the ship, staring out the windows for any unanticipated threats.

They were here. What looked to be an abandoned warehouse. But abandoned buildings didn't usually have Bialyan soldiers and tanks in the parking lot unless there's something in the building.

"We're here," Dick said as the ship hovered above the building, still in camouflage mode. "Now let's get a closer look." He pulled out the mechanical fly Barbara had made him, releasing it into the air. The team: he, Superboy, Brion, Artemis, and Jefferson (Black Lightning), watched the fly leave the ship and slip inside the building, too small to be noticed.

The tech contacts he wore came to life, letting him see what the fly saw. It was bigger than he expected. Rows of people, all in white masks that covered their entire faces, milling about. Multiple levels, and these people were dressed to the nines. He didn't know trafficking auctions were black tie. "Huh," was all he said.

"You in a sharing mood?" Artemis asked from his side, a hint of annoyance in her tone.

"What? Oh. Yeah, sorry," he pinched the air in front of him, bringing the view inside all around them, so everyone could see.

Brion gasped. Jefferson put his hands on his hips. "Fancy crowd," he said, "but they don't look too tough."

"You're focused on the spectators. I'm more concerned about the security. Queen Bee's meta-human enforcers." Seven purple boxes lit up the individuals Nightwing was talking about, "Codenamed Onslaught." He had gone up against Onslaught, so had Superboy and Artemis, on multiple occasions. On their own, the Terror Twins, Icicle Jr, Shimmer, Blockbuster, and Devastation were doable. But all together they were more challenging. And the real problem was Psimon, their default leader.

The team changed their attention to the stage down below. Well, not stage, since the spectators watched from above, more like a ring. A dirt circle surrounded by green force fields, designed to keep whatever was down there away from the paying spectators. A man in a tuxedo, with a black and white painted face, stepped out into a spotlight.

"Welcome, Bienvenue, welcome! I am your host, Mr. Bliss," Dick and Artemis cringed at the name, "and these are our first items up for bid," he gestured dramatically to the ring below. Music started. "In this corner: Holocaust!" A young person wearing a type of orange battle armor emerged from the corner to cheers from the crowd. "And in that corner: Terra!" From the other corner came a smaller, younger girl in the same battle armor, but purple. Brion's gasp was enough to tell Nightwing it was Tara.

"Tara!" Brion exclaimed. Yup. That sealed it. Dick kept his eyes on the crowd, the opposing warriors. This just got worse. Dick put one hand in his pocket. "Just one problem: this isn't just a depot. It's a fight club for meta-teen gladiators."

"And censors show they're all enslaved by control chips," Artemis added, anger evident in her voice. They were all angry.

"Not for long," Brion growled.

Jesus, if Dick couldn't get Brion under control, the whole op would go up in smoke before they even got inside. All that work looking for Tara Markov, gone, she would be trafficked somewhere else, and that was a situation Dick would not let happen. He turned to face Brion, "look, I wasn't expecting this either, but you have to be-"