Status: In Progress
Fallen Future
Robin
The silence lasted a half heartbeat, in which a variety of thoughts and feelings rushed through me. They included:
1. This is the most audacious, genius plot ever conceived.
2. It's never going to work. Ever.
3. Flash is a lot smarter than I gave him credit for.
4. Seriously, never going to work.
5. This is how I'm going to die.
"Nope. Count me out."
Zero sat by the window, once again tending to the sharpness of his blades. They were specially designed, he'd once told me, to conduct the lightening he created without them becoming damaged. After we had reached Flash's safe-room and got some water into him, Zero returned to his usual self. At least until he learned the madness of King Flash.
"Sorry Barry, or Wally, or... Bart, or whatever fucking one you are, but I don't plan on being added to the list of Fallen Heroes who died in situations they could have otherwise avoided if they had only paused for thought."
"Ah, the old 'F.H.W.D'... sorry, I lost concentration. But yeah, Flash? I'm with Zero. If she's already dead what's to stop us from beating a hasty, yet respectable retreat?"
For that was how Flash's plan had started- Wonder Woman was dead. Chances were she was already dead shortly after our departure from base. Whatever hopes that were born when we learned of her survival were brushed aside nearly as soon as we had arrived. Now Flash and Parker had concocted some bizarre suicidal plot to rescue her corpse, regardless of the fact that whoever had dispatched her from the Earth could easily do the same to us.
Flash sighed and pressed his thumb and forefinger to the bridge of his nose. He reminded me of my old geography teacher when I asked how high a hill had to be before it was considered a mountain To my defense, I was twelve.
"Listen, maybe she has something on her that could give a clue as to why she was trying to find us. Or there will be some sign about who killed her."
"Sounds sensible," I agreed. "Question. What if whatever did this does the same thing, or a similar thing, to us?"
"That's why we've thought ahead. At least now, whoever it is, has lost it's key weapon. Surprise."
Again I had to agree with him. I did it internally this time; Zero looked ready to scream, jump out the window, stab something or do all three before passing out. Flash's plan was genius in its simplicity: He and Parker had already scoped out the crime scene, blocked off all but two of the possible entrances and laid traps around the perimeter. Upon arriving, Zero would join Parker on the rooftops so we could get the drop on any intruders; Flash would join me and we'd investigate. The problems? Only two possible escape routes for whoever might be there meant only two possible escape routes for us as well. I swallowed what little moisture was still in my mouth.
"I'm in."
"If I die, Robin, I'm going to kill you."
"Why not Flash?"
"I'll beat him to death with your corpse."
"You'd have to catch him first," Parker cut in.
I glanced up, from where I was stood Parker was indistinguishable against the sand washed building he was stuck to. That was, until I took a step to the left and he went from a shadowy blob to a bright blue and red one. Ridiculous, still it was better than yellow spandex.
"Whatever happened to the old black and white suit you used to rock?" Flash joined in.
"Too slimming; no-one took me seriously."
We'd been there for nearly half an hour with no sign of anyone else, so we were being a little more liberal with the comms. The street was a war zone - buildings collapsed, cracks down the pavement, cars overturned. And above it all, a mist of freshly disturbed dust. But not a drop of blood. Curious. I scurried over to Wonder Woman. Being a five foot nine, scrawny "kid" made me reluctant to be out in the open for long. I worked better in the shadows and alleyways.
Wonder Woman actually looked fine There was nothing on her, not even a scratch. Whatever damage was done to her was obviously done internally. Not that it made me feel any better.
"All clear on your end Zero?"
"Was I supposed to be keeping watch? I was trying to catch 40 winks in the shade."
"Seriously?"
"Dude. No, Parker! It's silent out here."
"Good. Nothing on my end either."
I studied the area around Wonder Woman- it was bare of debris, but slightly dented. Almost as if whoever did this slammed her into the ground for a killing stroke. In her left hand she still gripped tight her lasso; around the hoop was a thick black goo-like substance. Curious I stooped over, running my fingertips across the rope on either side of it.
"Parker? There's some sort of substance here, a kind of congealed liquid... thing."
"Is it blood?"
"Nah, it's black."
There was another brief moment of silence, when I inched my finger closer to my discover I could swear it was almost moving. Probably a trick of the light, then my ear exploded.
"Do not touch it! Step back now!"
But it was too late The Thing had curled in on itself before launching itself at my forearm and spreading with alarming speed toward my face.
1. This is the most audacious, genius plot ever conceived.
2. It's never going to work. Ever.
3. Flash is a lot smarter than I gave him credit for.
4. Seriously, never going to work.
5. This is how I'm going to die.
"Nope. Count me out."
Zero sat by the window, once again tending to the sharpness of his blades. They were specially designed, he'd once told me, to conduct the lightening he created without them becoming damaged. After we had reached Flash's safe-room and got some water into him, Zero returned to his usual self. At least until he learned the madness of King Flash.
"Sorry Barry, or Wally, or... Bart, or whatever fucking one you are, but I don't plan on being added to the list of Fallen Heroes who died in situations they could have otherwise avoided if they had only paused for thought."
"Ah, the old 'F.H.W.D'... sorry, I lost concentration. But yeah, Flash? I'm with Zero. If she's already dead what's to stop us from beating a hasty, yet respectable retreat?"
For that was how Flash's plan had started- Wonder Woman was dead. Chances were she was already dead shortly after our departure from base. Whatever hopes that were born when we learned of her survival were brushed aside nearly as soon as we had arrived. Now Flash and Parker had concocted some bizarre suicidal plot to rescue her corpse, regardless of the fact that whoever had dispatched her from the Earth could easily do the same to us.
Flash sighed and pressed his thumb and forefinger to the bridge of his nose. He reminded me of my old geography teacher when I asked how high a hill had to be before it was considered a mountain To my defense, I was twelve.
"Listen, maybe she has something on her that could give a clue as to why she was trying to find us. Or there will be some sign about who killed her."
"Sounds sensible," I agreed. "Question. What if whatever did this does the same thing, or a similar thing, to us?"
"That's why we've thought ahead. At least now, whoever it is, has lost it's key weapon. Surprise."
Again I had to agree with him. I did it internally this time; Zero looked ready to scream, jump out the window, stab something or do all three before passing out. Flash's plan was genius in its simplicity: He and Parker had already scoped out the crime scene, blocked off all but two of the possible entrances and laid traps around the perimeter. Upon arriving, Zero would join Parker on the rooftops so we could get the drop on any intruders; Flash would join me and we'd investigate. The problems? Only two possible escape routes for whoever might be there meant only two possible escape routes for us as well. I swallowed what little moisture was still in my mouth.
"I'm in."
"If I die, Robin, I'm going to kill you."
"Why not Flash?"
"I'll beat him to death with your corpse."
"You'd have to catch him first," Parker cut in.
I glanced up, from where I was stood Parker was indistinguishable against the sand washed building he was stuck to. That was, until I took a step to the left and he went from a shadowy blob to a bright blue and red one. Ridiculous, still it was better than yellow spandex.
"Whatever happened to the old black and white suit you used to rock?" Flash joined in.
"Too slimming; no-one took me seriously."
We'd been there for nearly half an hour with no sign of anyone else, so we were being a little more liberal with the comms. The street was a war zone - buildings collapsed, cracks down the pavement, cars overturned. And above it all, a mist of freshly disturbed dust. But not a drop of blood. Curious. I scurried over to Wonder Woman. Being a five foot nine, scrawny "kid" made me reluctant to be out in the open for long. I worked better in the shadows and alleyways.
Wonder Woman actually looked fine There was nothing on her, not even a scratch. Whatever damage was done to her was obviously done internally. Not that it made me feel any better.
"All clear on your end Zero?"
"Was I supposed to be keeping watch? I was trying to catch 40 winks in the shade."
"Seriously?"
"Dude. No, Parker! It's silent out here."
"Good. Nothing on my end either."
I studied the area around Wonder Woman- it was bare of debris, but slightly dented. Almost as if whoever did this slammed her into the ground for a killing stroke. In her left hand she still gripped tight her lasso; around the hoop was a thick black goo-like substance. Curious I stooped over, running my fingertips across the rope on either side of it.
"Parker? There's some sort of substance here, a kind of congealed liquid... thing."
"Is it blood?"
"Nah, it's black."
There was another brief moment of silence, when I inched my finger closer to my discover I could swear it was almost moving. Probably a trick of the light, then my ear exploded.
"Do not touch it! Step back now!"
But it was too late The Thing had curled in on itself before launching itself at my forearm and spreading with alarming speed toward my face.