If you want to read up to 20!! chapters ahead go to https://www.patreón.com/cornbringer
Discord invite: https://discord.gg/XHduApz
Enjoy!
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[David Lance POV]
Cloaked in darkness, I silently climbed a rear fire escape that led to the second floor of the school where Dr. Roquette was at, having left the rest of the team to take care of the front while Raven and I watched the back in order to keep the Dr, safe.
Having reached the second floor, I flicked the lights of the hallway on, or at least tried to because no lights turned on. Upon further inspection, I noticed that the light bulbs of the hallway looked disconnected from where I was standing, a realization that made me frown, as it was almost too convenient.
Deciding to confirm my suspicions, I checked one of the bulbs confirming that they had been, in fact, unscrewed just enough to not turn on.
-Team, we have company,- I said through the telepathic link, giving the dark hallway a look.
-Any idea of how many?- Raven asked, her voice cutting through the silence in my mind.
-No, so stay put. In case this is a distraction,- I replied, plucking two knives out of my utility belt before walking towards the next area, keeping my guard up. I had barely taken a couple of steps into the next room when a flash of light appeared on my left side, blasting me out of the hallway through one of the windows. Turning my body around midair, I drew my grapnel gun from my belt and fired it in the direction of the hallway, the hook digging into the structure of one of the walls as it pulled me back in.
Back in the hallway, I got into a defensive stance, looking around. Whatever that was, wasn't supposed to hurt me, just push me out of the building.
-Black Bolt, are you okay?- Aqualad asked, worry laced in his tone.
-I am. I just confirmed someone is indeed within the building, so keep your eyes open,- I replied, as the gleam of something flying toward me caught my attention just in time, giving me the time to duck under the projectile.
A javelin...
Sportsmaster.
"Good, I was afraid this was going to be easy," Sportsmaster said as he came into view.
-Sportsmaster is in the building. I will deal with him. Keep your positions, and remember our priority is to keep Dr. Roquette safe and stop the FOG,- I informed the team, hoping that this would not make Artemis perform poorly.
-Understood,- Aqualad replied.
-Very well, I will keep patrolling the back of the school. Call me if you need backup,- Raven said, her tone depicting her trust in me dealing with this alone.
-Are you guys out of your mind?!- Artemis cried in clear shock. -We need to help Black Bolt, leader or not; Sportsmaster is not someone you can underestimate!-
-I already fought him once. He ran. So far, the score is on my corner,- I replied before darting toward Sportsmaster.
Chuckling under his hockey mask, Sportmaster plucked another javelin from his back before hurling it at my face. The javelin sliced through the air, gleaming under the moonlight as it made its way toward me.
Using the armor of my wrists, I deflected the javelin before hurling a few knives at Sportsmaster, who deftly evaded the projectiles. Each one missing him by a few inches as he darted towards me.
"You did better in our first fight, kiddo," Sportsmaster said with a clear sneer, his tone and body language conveying nothing but arrogance and confidence.
Finally, within striking distance. I sidestepped out of a kick he had thrown before throwing a hard punch at his jaw, putting my weight into it. The blow knocked the Sportsmaster's head to one side, and I followed that up with another strike to his face, cracking his mask into pieces.
Very durable that mask. It took two hits to break.
"I guess you were warming up earlier," Sportsmaster said in a low tone, pulling a retractable Saber from his waist, arming the thing in one snap of his arm. Raising the saber above his head, Sportsmater swung it down at me.
I jumped back, hurling a few explosive knives at him. While I was certain no sword could cut me, the events with the joker had left a bad taste in my mouth, as it showed even the ordinary looking could not be what it seemed.
Taking a few steps back, I threw a few smoke pellets to the ground as Sportsmaster swung his saber at me. Within a few moments, the entire area we were fighting at; was covered in smoke, allowing me the momentary freedom to set a few things up.
"Kiddo, I grew up in smoke and shadows," Sportsmaster said seconds before a discus hit me square on the chest, pushing me out of the smoke, with Sportsmaster slowly walking out of the curtain of smoke, Saber still at hand.
I smiled under my mask, pressing a button on my belt, activating the little gift I had left behind for him. Without a warning, the Saber flew out of Sportsmasters hand into the wall, with Sportsmaster following the Saber's suit soon enough, but not out of his own volition.
It was all thanks to the magnet I had set a few moments earlier.
Taking this chance, I hurled a tasing knife at him, only for him to dodge it by rolling on the ground immediately after he had released his equipment to the magnet. "I can't even be mad at that one. But you're still dying tonight."
One would think that being unable to reply would discourage villains from talking.
Taking a deep breath, I took a step forward, getting ready for round two, when all of the sudden, something struck Sportsmaster on the neck, a small dart. "Fuck..." Was all Sportsmaster managed to say before dropping to the ground.
The team was still in their positions, so who had helped me?
"I'm sorry I had to interrupt your little dance with Lawrence over here, but honestly, you were a few steps away from winning anyhow. All I did was speed up the process," That voice. Deathstroke.
I frowned, getting into position as Deathstroke walked into view, making no sound at all.
"Now, let's talk. Black Bolt," Deathstroke continued, stopping a few inches from Sportsmaster's unconscious body, before grabbing Sportsmaster with one hand and tossing him out of the window. "Or should I call you David?"
If you want to read up to 20!! chapters ahead go to https://www.patreón.com/cornbringer
Discord invite: https://discord.gg/XHduApz
Enjoy!
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[David Lance POV]
"Don't move, David," The icy voice of Deathstroke whispered as he neared me. "We need to talk."
I froze, trying to process the fact he had discovered my identity, and by proxy that of my sister, and perhaps more.
A dry chuckle escaped Deathstroke. "Don't be so tense, if I wanted to hurt your sister I would've done so already."
Then what did he want with me? Was he intending to use this knowledge to control me?
"I didn't come here to blackmail you, kid. On the contrary, I came here for business." Deathstroke said, his mask concealing his expressions.
~Business? I think you came to the wrong place for that, and to the wrong person at that,~ I replied, tensing every muscle in preparation for what felt like an imminent battle.
"Normally, I suppose that would be the case. But, you know the saying, the enemy of my enemy is my friend," Deathstroke shifted his body to the windows.
The Light.
Another dry chuckle escaped Deathstroke. "I see you already know who I'm talking about. Bravo."
I frowned as Deathstroke spoke. Something didn't make too much sense for me, why was Deathstroke of all villains against the Light? If anything they represented more contracts for him.
Was this perhaps a strategy to try and manipulate me into his side? No, while doable it didn't fit with Deathstroke's approach to things.
"The Bat taught well," Deathstroke complimented. "Never trust the word of another, it always ends in chaos."
~What do you want from me Deathstroke,~ I asked. This was a valuable opportunity if I played my cards right, after all, Deathstroke worked with the Light, and therefore anything I could get from him would prove to be useful.
"I thought I was being clear," Deathstroke replied. "Perhaps you are not as quick as I gave you credit for."
I frowned, drawing a knife from my belt as I took a step forward.
At this, Deathstroke shifted to me. "I want to take the Light down. And I know, you are a direct channel to the Bat."
~Why?~ I asked calmly, as I pressed a button in my belt in order to record this conversation. ~Excuse my skepticism, but they seem like the kind of people you would work for willingly for the right price.~
Deathstroke chuckled. "Under normal circumstances that would be the case. But they made a terrible mistake."
I tilted my head ever so slightly, wondering where he was going with this.
"They tried to enslave me," Deathstroke said, his voice low and cold, like a knife cutting through the skin of a man under the moonlight.
The Light tried to enslave him? But why would they do that? They had no need, they had more than enough money to pay Deathstroke's loyalty, so why the fuck would try to shackle him?
"You don't have to say anything right now, kid, just know this. I discovered your identity through them, as well many other names while I was snooping around," Deathstroke said, his gaze on me.
This was bad, really fucking bad, this meant that the Light had had the upper hand the entire time, at least, if Deathstroke's words were to be trusted, in which case it meant they probably knew the secret identities of everyone in the League.
"Here," Deathstroke said, cutting through the silence as he tossed a small card at my feet. "If you want to discuss this matter more freely, come to the address in that card, and bring the Bat with you."
I frowned, reaching for the card, by the time I picked it up, Deathstroke was already gone, leaving nothing but a sour taste in my mouth.
If the Light was this far ahead of us in the game, if they knew so much as Deathstroke was hinting, it meant things were worse than we could've possibly imagined.
-Black Bolt, what's happening? I can feel your emotions going haywire,- Raven said through the telepathic link, breaking me out of my train of thought.
-I'm fine,- I replied after a moment trying to control my emotions, but failing to do so. I really couldn't push my emotions away, I was afraid beyond measure, and not because the Light knew who I was, but because they knew who my sister was, and Oliver, I was afraid of what they could do with that knowledge, of what they could accomplish.
-What happened to Sportsmaster?!- Artemis asked in a tone that demanded answers.
Right, of course. Sportsmaster had been here, I had honestly almost forgotten about him thanks to the truck Deathstroke had unloaded on me.
Taking a deep breath, I walked to the window where Deathstroke had thrown Sportsmaster, looking down to find Sportsmaster already gone.
-He escaped,- I said, my eyes fixed on the ground beyond the broken window.
-The other assassin also escaped,- Aqualad replied. -We were actually discussing about moving the Doctor to a different location. But you didn't seem to hear us.-
They had been talking about that telepathically? And I hadn't heard? I guess Deathstroke's words really struck a nerve or two emotionally speaking for me to let my mental defenses go back up without knowing.
-You kind of disconnected for a bit,- M'gann said, clear concern lacing her tone. -We wanted to move and see if you needed our help, but Raven said you were okay. That she could feel your emotions, and that unless she felt you were in danger we were o maintain our positions until further notice.-
-I… yes, that is correct. Thank you for assuming control of the situation while I was away,- I replied, grimacing about the fact that I had left the team alone without any notice.
-Why did you disconnect?- Superboy asked.
-I have a naturally strong mind, so when out of focus, I have a hard time keeping my mind open; because it goes into defense mode, keeping intruders out,- I replied, trying my best to answer and not answer his question. -That however, is neither here nor there. We have a mission to complete, so let's get on that. You guys said you talked about moving Dr. Roquette to a different location, didn't you? Any places in mind?-
-A few,- Robin replied.y