Nightingale (Final book in the Revenge on the Boy Wonder Trilogy)

Trap -Chapter 43

-Lexi's POV-

Our small group sprinted towards the Warworld, using the trees as cover. When we were close enough, it was clear that we were nearly correct when we said that the ship would be unprotected. There were only a few guards that littered the area, and with Superboy's X-ray vision, it seemed that the same was true for the inside.

"Is it weird that I'm glad that there are guards?" Dick whispered. "If there weren't, it would have seemed too much like a trap." We all silently agreed.

"Ok," I said quietly, pointing. "There's the spot where the escape pod that I used detached, and it seems that they haven't patched it yet. I can cloud us. It won't be too hard, considering that it's already dark out. Just stay close to me." They all crowded around me, waiting silently as I centered my body and mind. Breathing deeply, I outstretched my hands ,palms up, feeling for the wisps of shadows that always seemed to float around at night. For a moment nothing happened, and then suddenly, like a gust of wind, they tickled across my fingers. I smiled, clenched my fists, and whispering in the Language of the Night, that only the shadows and I seemed to understand. The air around us seemed to chill slightly, and when I opened my eyes, I felt them glowing in the way that they did when I used my powers.

"Am I blind?" Robin's voice floated out of the darkness, tinged with annoyance. "I won't be at all  pleased if you've blinded me, Lexi."

"Ditto," echoed Dick.

"Shhh," I hissed. "No, you're not blind. You just can't see. Now hold onto me and don't let go until I say." When everyone was securely fastened to my arm with a death grip, I led them forward, through the guards without any disturbances. When we were safely hidden inside the little indention that once held an escape pod,  let the shadows fall away, watching as some of them took shapes, running along the ground as rabbits or dogs. Shaking myself out of my fascination, I jerked my head to the side, indicating that we should open the door. It gave easily enough, and soon I was back inside that place where I was tortured.  

"This way," I said, surprising both my friends and myself. 

"I thought you couldn't remember anything," Robin asked. 

"I don't... I mean, I didn't..." I took a deep breath, then motioned for them to follow me down the long hallway. We progessed slowly, listening for footstepss or conversation, hoping not to meet any trouble. But soon we passed a room that made me freeze and turn. Shakily fiddling with the doorknob, I managed to get it open, my pulse quickening. There in the dark, musty smelling room, was a metal bowl, and a pair of mantacles chained to the wall. "Or maybe I just didn't want to remember." 

It all rushed back. How many hours... days... months, that I had been chained and blindfolded in this very room. Upon closer inspection, I noticed the little details: the dried blood on the cuffs, as well as it being smeared on every surface. The amount of times that I had been beaten and starved  in this room made me shudder and cringe at the memories that all flooded my mind at once. 

I was snapped out of my haze when Dick tugged on my arm gently, reminding me that we had to go. Looking at him was like a breath of fresh air in this stuffy room. He smiled understandingly, looking at me with those loving eyes. Then I realized that we were literally made for each other. He was the light to my dakrness. 

"Let's keep moving," I ordered, my voice cracking only slightly. We went towards the exit, but froze when we heard voices headed in our direction, coming from the way we came and cutting off our escape. The door was wide open, and if we closed it, there would be too much noise to go unnoticed. 

"Shit," Dick mumbled. 

"I have an idea," I whispered. "Stand very still." A flickering lightbuld the hovered above our heads caused our shadows to stretch out dimly on the wall in front of us. It wasn't ideal, but it would have to do. Kneeling, I touched each of their shadows, including my own. Breathing deeply and centering my thoughts, I felt them, realizing that they were actually alive. They were bored and sick of us just standing here.

Come on, Shadow Girl, LET'S GO!

I want to do something. This is boring!

Why are we still here, again?

They're not this still even in their sleep!

Their thoughts echoed through my mind and I whispered back, telling them that they could be free, as long as they did my bidding, and returned when I asked them to. Releasing them from whatever bounded them to our forms, they quickly high-fived each other, and sprinted out the door, in the opposite direction of where we needed to go. Shoving my friends into a corner of the room, we waited silently as the guards shouted at each other, giving chase to our shadows.

"How did you do that?" Dick gasped quietly when the coast was clear.

"I... don't know." He left it alone, but I knew that I would be questioned later. 

"I, for one, think that I'll be wanting my shadow back at one point or another," Robin said matter-of-factly. Rolling my eyes, I promised that I'd get it back for him. We jogged down the hall as quickly and quietly as possible. Soon, we believed that we were home free, but of course we could never be that lucky.

"There they are!" A loud voice boomed.

"Run!"Dick hissed, pulling me along as he sprinted down the hall. Our pursuers were swiftly gaining on us, so Robin and Superboy paused.

"Come on, let's go!" I demanded.

"You guys go. We'll hold them off," Superboy said, cracking his knuckles.

"But-"

"Lexi, we were trained for this. Now let me do my job," Robin cut in, acting more mature than I'd ever seen.

He's so young. That thought echoed around in my head for awhile, but I pushed it away. If I didn't succeed, it wouldn't matter whether we got out of here alive or not. We'd still be dead. Nodding with a bravery that I didn't feel, I allowed Dick to tug me along in desperate search of the operations room.

With renewed need to hurry, for the sake of our friends, we ran faster and barged into room after room, weapons poised to take down anyone who got in our way. We knew we were getting close when the security grew heavier, attempting to block our entry to the lower levels. Fighting through them with little trouble, Dick and I finally reached our destination.

"I'll guard this hall and make sure no one comes within two feet of you," He informed me, prepared to defend me with his life. Without another word, I ducked into the controls room, using my dagger to cut through cords and whatever else. Then I took a bottle of water that I'd packed, dumping it on anything that looked like it shouldn't get wet. When the lights suddenly cut out, I knew that I'd done something right. Deciding to leave while I was ahead, I turned towards the door, freezing when I saw Vandal Savage, two guards, and the man who could only be Desaad, standing in the doorway.

Well, shit....

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I UPDATED!! MY CHRISTMAS PRESENT TO YOU ALL:) anyways, hope you liked it. There will be 2 more chapters, plus an epilogue:D Exciting, right???? :DDDDDDD I changed the name of the new book. Let me know what you think about it! COMMENT AND VOTE PLEASE!