This Is My Future

Chapter 4

Artemis P.O.V

"Find somewhere to stay for the night?" Robin shrugged.

I sighed, "I'm guessing we should look for a warehouse or something?"

"That's probably the best idea. Let's go to the roofs, we might get a better look up there."

I nodded and we headed down the alley. We climbed a fire escape since we didn't have our grappling equipment.

I noticed a dark section of the city in the distance, I tapped Robin's shoulder and pointed in that direction.

He followed my gesture, "The abandoned end?"

"I think so," I nodded. "There should be a ton of Warehouses there."

"Then let's go," he said and started jumping the roofs. I followed close in step.

After about an hour of searching we found a decent building. It was dusty, but the structure was sound enough.

Robin was doing something on his wrist computer and I was laying on the cold, disgustingly dirty, cement floor of the old building with my eyes closed.

I didn't have a sweater or jacket, so, I crossed my arms and tensed trying not to shiver as a chill breeze blew through the building, I failed with a harsh shutter.

I flinched and snapped my eyes open when I felt something warm cover me. I looked at the black leather jacket that was now on my shoulder.

I rolled over slightly to look at Robin. He was still staring at the computer. He only had his jeans, red t-shirt and sunglasses on since he just gave me his jacket.

"Robin, take your jacket back; you're going to get cold," I said.

He shrugged, "I'm good for now."

"What are you doing?" I asked not in the mood to start an argument.

"Trying to find out if there's some way to get ho-" he stopped short at a noise in the darkness. I sat up, alert. Robin stood up. Unfortunately, with whatever happened in the time traveling pocket thing, we didn't have any of our weapons.

"What is it?" I asked quietly.

"Don't know..." he whispered back. "Hello?"

I scrambled to my feet when the scar man came out of the shadows. "Hello," he responded his voice gruff and deep.

Robin took a step back seeing the man standing tall. He was definitely over six feet. He didn't have a shirt and I could see many more tally mark scars on his chest, sides and abdomen.

"Who are you?" Robin demanded keeping his voice steady.

He gave the terrifying grin he had in the restaurant and said, "Victor Zsasz, but you may call me, Mr. Zsasz."

Robin glared at him, "What are you doing here? What do you want?"

"To help you," he said slowly, pulling out his knife.

I narrowed my eyes at him, "And how do you plan to 'help' us?"

"By releasing you from these tragic existences of course," he said grinning. He gestured to the room, "Just look...do you really wish to live in these conditions?"

I grabbed Robin's shoulder. "You flank right, I take left?" I whispered to him.

He nodded and we stalked away from eachother. He watched me, so Robin went for an attack. Mr. Zsasz punched Robin and kicked him across the room. Robin landed on his head and was knocked out.

I charged him and he slashed at me with the knife, he missed my chest by a few inches. I grabbed his wrist and flipped over his back, holding his shoulder in a painful position. He jammed his leg backward and hit me in the small of my back, I stumbled forward and landed on the floor.

Mr. Zsasz grabbed me by the back of my shirt and lifted me up. He gave me his terrifying grin again before throwing me across the building. I slammed into a iron support beam, my right arm hitting it first. I grunted when my arm turned numb, but I didn't look at it.

I looked at Zsasz who was approaching Robin, "Don't touch him!"

He grinned ignoring me. "Time to complete my set," he said facing his knife down towards Robin's chest.

"No!" I shouted angrily.

I grunted at the pain that began in my arm as the numbness started fading. I felt strangely dizzy and glanced at my arm. I couldn't stop myself from screaming; my arm was broken, the bone had torn right through my skin and stuck out, it looked pure white and was covered in crimson. There was already a giant blood puddle under me.

I screamed more as my vision blurred from blood loss. Staring at Zsasz I yelled, "Robin!"

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" A new male voice complained.

I closed my eyes as my vision blurred so much that it gave me a headache.

"Well if it isn't my favorite opponent," I heard Zsasz say. "I have a special place for you, but first..."

I heard the new voice menacingly shout, "No!"

Then I heard what sounded like a blade puncturing fabric and flesh, multiple times.

"Robin..." I breathed before going out.