Chapter Thirteen:


Revenge and Nightwing ran up the stairs, the girls following. Revenge disabled guards almost as if he knew they were there. Stab, kick, punch, burn to a soggy pile of metal and flesh.

Cassie raised an eyebrow.

"Is he a time-traveller অথবা something?" she asked.

চিরশ্যামল গুল্মবিশেষ and Revenge didn't reply, Nightwing smirked.

About the third flight of stairs, Cassie stopped.

"Do আপনি smell...smoke?" she asked.

The others stopped and smelled. It did smell like smoke. Then they saw it: the flames dancing up the সিঁড়ি behind them.

"Go! Go!" Nightwing yelled.

The girls ran past him. Revenge didn't make it. The stairs gave out beneath him and he fell.

"Revenge!" চিরশ্যামল গুল্মবিশেষ yelled.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, Revenge's hand appeared on the wood, hauling himself up.

"Oh ye..." he groaned and rolled over. "Of little faith."

চিরশ্যামল গুল্মবিশেষ sighed and smiled, helping Revenge up even after he swatted Nightwing's hand away.

"Three আরো levels." Revenge gasped. "Then you're প্রথমপাতা free."

Nightwing and Cassie ran up the stairs, closely followed দ্বারা Red Revenge. They made it two and a half levels before Revenge noticed Holly's absence.

"Where's Holly?" he asked.

The three নায়ক looked around. Nightwing bit his lip.

"Go." Revenge said. "I'll find Holly."

"But Revenge--"

"My suit is built for war. I think its impossible for me to die in this suit."

Nightwing nodded and ran out, closely followed দ্বারা Cassie.


Barbara coughed, smoke filling her lungs.

"What did the boys do this time?" she asked.

"Y'know, I'm unsure of that myself." A voice behind them replied.

"Blue!" Barbara exclaimed with relief.

"Yeah yeah, don't get all sentimental on me, señorita." Blue Beetle replied.

Barbara coughed again, and not because of the smoke.

Beetle raised his কামান and fired, blowing a hole in the wall. Smoke poured out and dirt in.

"Oh." Blue said. "Yes I knew we were below the Earth! No, আপনি were the one to blow the hole in the wall. Yes you!"

Barbara coughed again.

"Trying! I'm trying!" Blue said. He grabbed the girls and blasted a hole in the roof, keeping the pulse কামান going until there was a clear path to the শীর্ষ of the building.

"Let's go."


The আগুন raged. Nightwing watched as a tower crumbled. He grabbed another girl and dragged her off the school yards. He turned back and got a kick to the face. Blue Beetle ran over and helped him stand again.

"Hello, Nightwing,darling." the woman said. "Remember me?"

"Too well." Nightwing said, wiping the blood from his mouth as the rain continued to pour down.

"You need help, hombre?" Beetle asked.

"I'm fine." Nightwing said. "Get the girl to the hospital with Mal. And raise a line to Revenge. Tell him to get out. Now!"

Beetle nodded and ran off. Nightwing turned back to his adversary. Formerly known as Catalina Flores, বিষাক্ত মাকড়সা had the same devilish smirk as everytime they met. Her outfit was similar to Artemis's. Instead of green and চুন green however, she was কমলা and black with a large মাকড়সা emblem on her chest. Her কমলা domino mask was similar to Nightwing's except it had a large black diamond in the middle of it. Her hair was wet and clung to her face in the midnight rain.

"Careful, darling." she said. "My bite's poisonous."