The Competition Mission Re-Write

Pressure

"Bruce Bruce Bruce Bruce Bruce!"
"What is it?" He asked as he picked up the other end of the call, "Are you hurt?"
"Not at all," I replied, "So last night when I went to meet with with Wally. Well, something awesome happened."
"What?" He asked, and I could hear a faint smile.
"He kissed me! And now we're dating and it's so asterous and he's going to help to try and clear my name and and and he said he loved me!"
I don't think I'd ever talked so fast with such a large smile on my face all my life.
"That's amazing Dick," Bruce sounded almost as happy, "I'm proud of both you boys. Just make sure you're safe."
"Can I tell him my identity?" I asked.
The pause on the other end of the phone was all the answer I needed.
"I'll take that as a no then."
"At the end of the day Dick, it's your choice. So if you wanna tell him you can but you have to understand all of the danger you're putting him in. And it'll make things awkward in the team. I think for now play it safe and don't tell him. But it's your choice Dick. I can't make you do anything," He explained and I knew he was right.
As much as I wanted to tell him, to spill all my secrets and all my life to him, I couldn't take that risk. It would be too much for the both of us. Especially in the middle of all this.
"I won't tell him," I told Bruce at last, "It's the smart thing to do. Thank you though. For being so supportive."
"Of course I am," He almost laughed then, "You're my son. I'll always love you. No matter what," And with a quick goodbye we hung up as I prepared for going out tonight.

I was first at the mansion when the evening sun begun to set. And without the walls that would normally surround me there, I felt exposed to the world. The red sky bathing Gotham with blood was all too visible. I had to look away. Wally didn't take long to arrive after it had turned dark, the light of the stars almost nothing as the clouds blocked them from our view.
"So I'm gonna start this off with a show of trust," He said before I even had the chance to say hello, "Since you trusted me enough to come and meet me and that Imma prove your innocence. Imma trust you with this," and without a seconds hesitation he lifted his mask.
"Wally?" I asked, feigning shock and surprise, "But, how? I mean..."
"I don't go to the same gym as you," He explained, "I was tasked to keep an eye on you as a suspect. But it was more than that. It always has been with you."
"You've known me for like three months," I told him, "But I respect the thought. And thank you. For telling me who you are."
"I trust you," Was all he said in reply as he came in for a kiss, "Do you trust me?" He whispered against my lips.
"With my life."
And so begun another wonderful night under the stars with my boyfriend.

A week had passed since Wally and I had started meeting up and we still had nothing to prove my innocence. Since we'd been meeting nothing had happened. The news had become less hot on my trail and Bruce was starting to be able to ease off the acting and come to see me more often.
"Team I have a mission, report to the briefing room," Batman's voice rang through the speakers and the six of us headed over, "I need you all to go out to Happy Harbour bay, there's been reports there's a new factory being set up there, and they're shipping in explosives. Simple recon, get in, get the information, get out. You shouldn't need to be there by the time the sun comes up. If you are, you get out then anyway, we do not want to get caught. Any questions?"
"Any way I can get out of this mission?" Wally asked, "I'm doing something else."
"I heard you've been meeting up with Grayson," Bruce said to Wally's shock, "And no. You're going. I'll get my new recruit on it for tonight. Now move out."
"How does he know about that?" Wally asked as we moved through the mountain to the bioship, "I made you all promise not to tell him."
"Don't ask me," Artemis piqued up, "But if you have to ask me, he is the world's greatest detective."
"I wasn't asking you," Wally bit back.
It was weird seeing them back at each others throats, worse then they had been when they first met. And all because whoever was setting me up was setting me up good. If it kept going, not only would the world lose Nightwing, they'd break up the team.
Maybe they knew that would happen, they do always seem to be twenty steps ahead.
The flight was short over the ocean to the bay and we silently landed on the roof. We all moved inside the factory, connecting up on the mind link.
"Do you think it's connected to Grayson?" Conner asked.
"I doubt it, it's too obvious," I replied.
"You think everything is too obvious," Artemis bit, "And yet we've been right the entire time. So back off Rob."
"Maybe he's hiding out here," M'gann suggested, "If we find him at least the case will be closed before the finale."
"Let's just get on with it okay?" Wally cut in.
That was unlike him, he's never lost his temper with them before. But they listened as we all separated to our positions to take watch. The factory was only small, as if to make it look like a first timer, so it probably was to set me up yet again. But I can't make an appearance if I'm here. It would be too risky for whoever's behind this, because I knew my weaknesses and I could take me down. But apparently he was confident enough to send in his goons to keep the factory operating.
"Guys, I've got activity over here," I called down the link.
"Recon only Nightwing," Kaldur replied, "Do not engage."
I caught the huff I was going to let out before it happened. I'm all for following rules, but this was too good. If I could just knock them out they wouldn't be able to do the same as the last guy, we could get out whatever poison they have hidden in their mouth, probably in a tooth, and get some answers.
"Bruce, I've got three guys alone in my sector, if I send down some gas I can knock them out and bring them back, we can get whatever the poison is out of their system, and question them," I said down our private line.
"Recon only, he's let us find this place, he's expecting us to go in hard," Batman replied, "If we get the information first, we can be a step ahead."
"Understood," I said.
This was stupid.
"Guys, help, they've spotted me," I instantly started moving as Artemis' voice came through the mind link.
She was the other side of the factory though, I'd have to hope the others got there quicker. I saw movement then, just a flash of shadow out the corner of my eye. And the shadow wasn't dressed like the other goons, and a second later a certain green archer came running after it. So I was closer then I thought.
"I'm hot on their trail," Artemis shouted down the line as I swung over to land beside her and join the pursuit, "Over by Nightwing's section. South East."
I didn't have time to wait around, and this guy was fast, I sped up my pace, leaving Artemis behind as the rest of the team came to join her. We reached the end of the corridor, the door to outside within view and as the man placed his hand on the handle he turned around to face me. No, I turned around to face me.
"I'd look for the ginger if I was you, I didn't leave him in a good place," And then he ran through the door.
"Where's Wally?" I shouted down the mindlink.
"I don't know," M'gann replied, "I thought he'd have been after the guy."
"Find him," I growled and turned back around to run into the warehouse as the team came around the corner.
"Wally!" I shouted, "Wally answer me!"
This wasn't happening, this couldn't be happening.
"Richard, I told you not to engage," Bruce's voice came through my ear.
"We didn't have a choice, I'll explain later," I replied back, "He's done something to Wally."
"He's?" Bruce asked.
"It was me, well someone that looked exactly like me," I started, "I'll explain later. I need to find Wally."
"Has anyone got any sign of him yet?" I asked.
"Nothing," Kaldur replied and the others echoed.
I ran around another corner when I noticed a door ajar, with light coming out. He must be in there. Please let him be in there. I barley noticed the pain as I threw the door fully open and barrelled inside. And instantly changed my mind. Please don't let him be in here. And thankfully he wasn't.
"Bruce, I'm sending through a visual scan," I said, "Save it, I don't have time to look around properly. I need to find Wally."
"Get back there for a proper look after you find him," Bruce said.
"Of course," I said as I ran back out of the room and continued exploring.
"I've found him," Conner said, "Basement level, North side. Quick."
I didn't hesitate as I ran there, the hint of worry in Conner's voice was enough to instil the same fear Joker instilled into the citizens of Gotham. And I was right to worry when I saw what had happened to him.
"It's a pressure bomb," I breathed out as I saw how Wally was strapped up.
"What?" Miss Martain asked as the others all got in.
"The way they've strapped him into it, once he starts to wake up the body will naturally spasm, he'll release the pressure his thumb is applying to the trigger and it'll explode," I explained.
"How do we stop it?" Artemis asked.
"I don't know."