chapter nineteen

Here we goooooooooooooo! I just came up with a deliciously evil idea to add to this story so you're welcome :)

Jason looked from his spot in the construct, watching as Black Canary and Green Arrow woke up. Wonder Woman was currently working on stitching Batman up. He watched as Superman filled the two Leaguers in on the situation, guilt gnawing away at him.

"Superman, please. You need to let me go to Infinity Island. I need to right this wrong." Jason pleaded.

"I think you've done enough, Jason." Green Arrow looked at the teen, watching as he winced. He sighed. "We are arranging a squad to head there now. Don't worry, we won't let the team be chipped."

"When I last spoke with Dick, they were already there. You may be too late and you are going to need all the fighters you can get." Jason argued.

"Which is why they called us in." Jason turned to see Miss Martian and Superboy standing there, having come through the zeta tubes during the discussions. "We will get everyone back and out from under Ra's thumb, Jason."

"Let me help." Jason grit out.

"You can help by telling me what is going on." Jason flinched, looking past Miss Martian and Superboy to see Damian standing there with a confused expression. "Why are you in a cage, Jay? And why does most everyone here look hurt?"

Jason looked to the ground. "I think you know, little demon."

"I want to hear it from you, your side of the story, Jay." Damian pushed past everyone to walk to Jason, ignoring how the adults tensed when he got to the edge of the construct and reached his hand through. "Jason, what happened here?"

Jason swallowed. "I...I attacked father and the Justice League. I...I tried to kill...father."

Damian was silent for a moment, looking at Jason. "After they took us in and cared for us? You betrayed them?"

"...Yes."

Damian nodded slowly. "I see. Will you betray me, too?"

Jason looked up at Damian, his expression the embodiment of hurt. "Dami, I would never betray you. You are my purpose for existence. I live to serve and protect you. I would rather die than hurt you."

"Well, you hurt me, Jay. You hurt me real bad when you tried to kill my father." Damian pulled his hand back, turning away to walk over to Batman and Wonder Woman, the latter finishing up stitching the former's hand. "Will he be okay, Wonder Woman?"

"Little one-"

"Please, Jason. I am trying to inquire about my father. You know, the one you literally stabbed in the back." Damian didn't even turn to look at Jason when he spoke, instead focusing solely on Batman. "So, how is he?"

"He will recover." Wonder Woman assured the child. She looked to her fellow League mates. "When will the rest of the League show up?"

"Any minute now." As Green Lantern said that, the zeta tubes went off, announcing the arrivals of multiple members of the Justice League. "Or should I say, now."

The Justice League stood around, discussing a plan of action for rescuing those at Infinity Island when the computer lit up with an alert of an incoming ship. Everyone tensed when they realized it was the bioship. An audio only transmission started from the bioship. "Nightwing to Hood. Sorry I didn't tell you sooner but we have Talia. We are approaching the Watchtower now."

Jason looked to the Justice League, all of whom were looking at him expectantly. "Thank you, Nightwing. See you in a minute." The transmission ended and Jason faced the League. "Let me out. I can help."

Miss Martian nodded to the Justice League. "He's clean. I did a very thorough sweep of his brain. There is no residual affects of the chip. Wonder Woman's lasso made it defunct."

Green Lantern let Jason out of the construct and he landed on his feet, looking over at Batman. He made a move to go to him, stopping when Damian spoke. "Don't, Jason. Please. I think you've done enough."

Jason felt his heart crack at the hollowness in his brother's voice.

He, however, had no time to dwell on it as the Watchtower alerted everyone that the bioship had docked. He turned to the Justice League. "Please, let me be the one to greet them. They think I am still under Ra's control." The heroes nodded, sending Jason to go greet the team and his mother. He walked through the Watchtower, coming upon the team in one of the corridors. He instantly sensed something was off. "Hello, Nightwing. How did the mission go?"

Nightwing gave him a funny look. "Why are you talking so stiffly? The mission went fine, in fact, Ra's gave Talia up easily, stating she had served her purpose. There was no resistance."

Everything clicked into place right away for Jason. He looked at his mother, noticing the faint green glow to her eyes. He swallowed thickly. "Mother, Damian is waiting in the main hall. Would you like to see him?"

"Yes, Jason. Is your father around, by any chance? I'd like to talk with him."

Jason knew this was a set up. He knew no matter how he answered, he was screwed. Talia was under Ra's control, but the team was not, so if he said he had killed him to get Talia to the heroes to undo the biochip, the team may attack him on the spot. But if he told the truth, who knew what Talia would do?

"Come see for yourself, mother." Jason turned, letting the team and his mother fall into stride with him. They walked back through the corridors to the main hall of the Watchtower. Before they entered, Jason sent a psychic message to Miss Martian about the situation, telling her to alert the League not to attack. Jason led the team into the main hall, turning as he spoke. "Here we are, mo-what are you doing?"

Talia was holding a dual blade up to her throat, her face expressionless. "You thought I wouldn't notice, Jason. You are clearly not working for Ra's anymore. You did fulfill your mission, therefore, I must fulfill my mission."

"What is she talking about, Jason?" Nightwing asked, getting into a fighting stance.

"Long story, another time. Mother, what is your mission?" Jason asked, his voice wobbling slightly.

"To punish you and put Damian on the right path." Talia started to move the blade.

"No!" Jason dove at Talia, reaching for the blade. He got a hand on it and the two of them began to struggle over control of the blade. "I won't let you harm yourself, mother."

"Alright. Ra's was vague about what your punishment should be, anyways." Talia managed to maneuver the blade lower, to their abdomens, before wrapping an arm around Jason and pulling him into a hug, plunging the blade into each of their torsos.

Jason gasped, staggering backwards once Talia released him from her grip. He held a hand to his wound, looking up at Talia. "M-mother?"

Talia blinked, her eyes fading from the vibrant glowing green they were to her regular color. She looked at Jason, dropping the blade. "Oh, no. Jason, my boy...what have I done?" She took a step towards him, only for Nightwing to step in between.

"That's enough carnage."

"I wasn't going to hurt him."

"You already did, Talia." Nightwing spat, catching Jason as he started to collapse to the floor. "Where is Batman?"

"Over here. Jason...he tried to kill him." Damian croaked, having witnessed the whole scene between his mother and brother. He stood up, walking towards his mother. "Mother...why did you hurt Jason? And what did you mean by set me on the right path?"

Talia looked at her youngest, her hand holding her stab wound. "I-I wasn't...myself. Neither was Jason when he attacked your father. My father, he implanted biochips in us to control us. He made us do this, in hopes of swaying you to his side."

"How would that work? How would witnessing Jason kill m-our father sway me to his side?" Damian asked, applying pressure to his mother's wound.

"Ra's thought that if he could get you to feel so betrayed by everyone around you, you'd have no choice but to turn to him." Jason groaned out. "I'm sorry, little one."

"Jay, it wasn't your fault. It was grandfather's. Now come on, you two need to be stitched up." Damian turned to the Justice League. "Who can help them?"

As the Justice League went about stitching up Talia and Jason, Dick went over to Bruce, who was waking up. "Hey. How are you feeling?"

Bruce looked around. "Dick, it wasn't Jason's fault. It was-"

"Ra's, we know. He joined the Light again to use their resources to steal back his League of Assassins and also try and get Damian back by his side, under the guise that he would be chipping us all so that they could control us." Dick explained. "I doubt the Light is very happy with him right now."

Bruce nodded, looking to see Jason and Talia getting stitched up. "What happened there?"

"Ra's, all part of his plan." Dick shrugged. "What are we going to do now that we freed Talia?"

Bruce stared on as Damian split his time between checking on Jason and Talia, his mind working out a plan. "I have an idea."

Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: AzTruyen.Top