Hi, wanted to put this here, warning for physical abuse and prolly straight up torture in this first part, it's not fun, for Crow at least. *insert evil author cackle*

Crow snapped awake, bolting upright as a loud and entirely too close thump-thump-thump sounded in time with his racing heart.

He scrambled to his feet, disoriented and tense after waking up so abruptly.

There was no time to drink or use the bucket, not that he really felt a need for either of those things, but he had to be up and presentable for Master. Who knows when the next chance he'll get to use the bucket or get some water.

It didn't matter. Master was here.

Crow fought to stand still, he wasn't sure why he was flinching at every noise or why every noise felt like an attack on his ears.

"Crow."

Just like that, Crow settled. He hadn't heard him walk in, or he actually had and it just didn't register, either way, Crow's hearing wasn't working well enough earlier but now it was. Master had barked his name, upset he was moving probably. But Crow was still now, he was quiet and he was listening. Crow was being good for Master.

"Bradley Rigby is dead." Master speared the judging silence, Crow was just happy he didn't flinch again.

That's when he remembered his mission earlier, how Batman was there, how he was almost caught. How he spoke to Batman.

Crow would not be escaping punishment tonight.

"My Crow," Master spoke coldly, sending shivers that went right through Crow's wings. He desperately stamped that feeling out before his wings could even begin quivering. "You did well. However. Even with the surprise of Batman, it is no excuse for breaking the rules."

Crow's head dipped, finding it was hard to keep his bottom lip from twitching. He may not be able to escape punishment, but he could at least get into his masters good graces with some new information.

"Mas-"

Crow was silenced by a harsh bang on the cage's bars, it rung around and encompassed Crow entirely. He grimaced and couldn't hold back the flinch that made his wings hug his body.

"What did I just tell you?" Master growled, and now he was walking. Walking to the cage's door.

Crow felt his heart leap in his chest. He should apologize, promise he knew the rules, he could make it up to Master. That all required speech, something Crow wasn't allowed. That's the exact reason Master was upset right now.

Master swung the cage door open, slamming it shut behind him extra loud to send another piercing ring of sound around the avian. Master was approaching.

Crow quickly got to his knees, head bowed because what he was about to do was stupid and desperate.

"Master I know you are displeased, but I have new information, regarding the identity of Batman." Crow held his breath, eyes closed because Master couldn't see them, and waited.

"New information eh?" Master did not sound interested. Master was standing in front of him. "Would that 'new' information be the Bat's identity?"

Crow didn't dare breathe. "Yes Master, I saw it-"

A steel-toed boot slammed into his side, sending Crow to the ground with a grunt. Crow wheezed but got up, returning to his knees even though he wasn't technically facing Master anymore.

"Oh, you saw it did you?" Master was not pleased, heavy feet prowling around him. "Tell me, my pet, what was the mission you were set out to do?"

Crow was trembling, he couldn't control it. He didn't know where Master was going with this, but he was approaching again and that would mean pain. "Kill Bradley Rigby, no witnesses."

"Exactly. I don't care if Batman is Bruce Wayne."

Crow froze, wide eyes stuck on the floor and breath faltering. Master already knew. Of course Master already knew, Master knows everything. Crow was an idiot, just like he said.

Another boot came up, this time kicking him in the jaw. Crow fell to the side again, his face burning numb and everything tensing in preparation for more pain.

The foot descended, pinning his legs together to the ground. Crow clenched his bruised jaw, refusing to cry out as his bones were pressed against each other and to the floor.

"I don't recall Batman's identity anywhere in that list of objectives, do you?" Master purred above him, speaking almost softly but with all the venom Crow associated with an upset Master.

He nodded quickly, not daring to speak again because that's what got him into this mess.

"Unfortunately my Crow, I can't blame your little friend for this." Master was smiling, he could hear it in his voice. The foot lifted up and Crow's heart sank deeper in his gut. "I don't want excuses, I expect obedience. If I have to beat it into you again, I wi-"

Crow froze, cowering under his Master's gaze. He didn't know what made Master pause, he could only hope it didn't cause him to be hurt further.

"What... is this." Master didn't ask. Master was well and truly growling, deeply upset.

Crow didn't know what he was asking. He didn't know what was going on. He just wanted to be good for Master.

Master bent down, Crow flinched, but all he did was grab Crow's cape and lift it up to inspect. Crow didn't know why, he just wished for it to be over. He just wanted his punishment, he shouldn't have talked to Batman, he knew, he knew, he promised he knew that now.

Master picked something off of his cape, something small and round and distinctly technological.

Crow didn't understand. What was it?

"You let Batman put a tracker on you."

Blazing cold fear and dread pooled in every fiber of his being, weighing him down like he decided to bench press a building. If he wasn't already on the floor he would have fallen with how much fear was coursing through his body.

Batman had put a tracker on him and he hadn't noticed.

He let Batman track him. Batman would come here to his home. Batman would catch him.

Master's rage would not be the only thing he had to worry about tonight, and the fear of getting a beating both from Master and Batman ran through him like a stampede.

"You idiot!" Master roared, lurching down to grab Crow by the front of his shirt and lift him up. "I've spent all this time teaching you, training you. For years I've put my time and effort into you. Everyone said you were a lost cause. You were to be scrapped. Eliminated. Dead." Master shook Crow every time he stressed a word, Crow could barely understand what he was saying, what it meant. "And you, you insolent child, have learned nothing."

Crow felt horrible, guilt churning in his gut and it made his heart hurt. He failed. He failed his Master so badly. Crow wasn't surprised at all when Master threw him down and kicked him again.

He barely felt it, still reeling at the pure and utter failure that he was. He was... he was such a mistake.

Master kicked him again, sending him tumbling across the dirty cage ground. He was yelling again, sharp painful words attacking and attacking. Crow was lifted up, pressed against something hard and cold. The bars, his mind barely registered, Master pinned him against the bars.

He was let go, Crow collapsed backward, unsure if he was supposed to stay upright for Master or if he wanted him to simply take it. Master didn't hit him though, his stick -escrima stick- slammed against the bars, ringing right next to Crow's ear. He cried out, thoughts blanking out as the pain pierced into his head.

He tried covering his ears, but the sound persisted, again and again, bang bang bang. It paused momentarily, only for Crow to hear a slight sizzle in the air, and with another bang against the bars Crow's ears weren't the only thing feeling pain.

His entire body convulsed, mouth open in a silent scream. It was agonizing, he was blinded by the sound, by pain, unknowing when it was going to stop or when it would start again.

The electricity finally stopped and Crow could breathe, sucking in lungfuls of air as quickly as he could. His hands scrambled for the ground, some instinct trying to get himself away from the pain even though he knew it's what he deserved.

He didn't quite understand what happened next, only that it was a beating. Fists, boots, elbows and escrima sticks hailed down on his body, there was no sense of time or order in which he was hit, only that it hurt.

It felt like forever, but soon it paused. Crow was tossed onto his back, trembling wings splayed vulnerable behind him. Master pressed one boot on his chest and leaned.

Crow's hands went to the boot like he could shove it off, lungs pulsing and pushing for more air. His wings were pushed flat onto the ground, bruising the joints in his back.

He gasped at another increase of weight, his ribs cracked and one broke completely. He yelled in pain and the pressure was gone, his body went limp as he was lifted into the air again.

He was slammed against the cage once more, a squeak escaping as his back hit the bars roughly and was held there. His master's fingers closed around his windpipe and Crow began to struggle against his Master's vice grip.

"Without obedience you are nothing," Master hissed darkly, "You were the unwanted freak of nature, I made you into something the others would regret shunning. After all I did for you, you repay me with the foolishness of a child."

Crow felt the tears brim his eyes as he tried to move his master's steel-like arm to no avail.

His lungs burned for air and his arms lost their strength, he was losing consciousness. Not before Master's free hand ripped at his uninjured wing, taking a few feathers with him. He was released and fell to the ground in a heap.

He sucked in much-needed air and coughed. Each breath hurt, each cough an earthquake, each movement struck pain somewhere. He laid there while he was allowed, Master still wasn't done with him.

"But perhaps we can salvage this," Master spoke slowly, having not moved from his stance looming over Crow. "You want to talk to Batman so bad? Fine."

Crow didn't understand what Master meant. This was a punishment he knew, for speaking, for letting himself be tracked, everything burned. He was numb, yet hot and cold and just so much pain. He deserved it. But what was the plan now? Batman must be coming, coming to take him and kill him like Master always promised he would if Crow messed up. Now Crow messed up, what was Master's plan?

Master reached down and grabbed his wrists, yanking him up onto his feet. He pinned them to the bars, and from his belt, he procured a rope.

Crow didn't fight, all his energy had gone into screaming and trying to stay alive during such an awful beating. His hands were tied together and to the bars above his head. Crow didn't know the plan, but clearly Master had a plan. Master always had a plan. Crow would do whatever Master wanted.

"Good."

The word didn't feel like praise, but Crow felt a spark of hope anyway. He was being good, he would continue to be, he promised!

"Now sit there and do nothing. That's about as much as I can trust you with."

Crow winced, feeling terrible he had failed his Master so badly. Robin wasn't even here to blame, this was all Crow. This couldn't be fixed with a Realignment, and somehow Crow longed for it. At least Robin made sense, Realignment made sense. This, this uncertainty, was so much worse.

Crow couldn't even begin to wonder what would happen next. Batman was coming and Master tied him to his cage. Bait maybe? Crow was the distraction for Master to fight Batman and win?

"Now." Master huffed and walked away, his voice getting fainter as he moved but no less sinister. "Let's give the bat some incentive."

Crow didn't know what that meant, he was tired and now that everything was still all his pain was compiling on itself. He should be following Master with his ears, paying attention to what he was doing, because not paying attention is what landed him in this position.

He was too tired, burning pain all over and his ears were stinging so sharply he wondered if he'd been actually stabbed there. He tried sitting up, to try to do something to please his enraged Master, but the action only made him sag more.

His wings were limp behind him, every now and then a tremor of pain shot off and made them twitch. His legs were folded uncomfortably under him, though at this point he doubted there was a comfortable position. His arms of course were above his head, wrists tied securely to the bar. It was the only thing keeping him upright, it pulled at his wrists, his shoulders, but he didn't much care. Everything throbbed and burned, so much pain everywhere.

Crow could barely concentrate on just breathing, throat burning and jaw aching. A thump-thump that wasn't his heart brought his attention to his Master who must be close.

"Pathetic." Master sneered, all his rage piled up in one word. Crow bowed his head because it was true. He just wanted to be good for Master.

"He'll come to investigate soon enough." Master didn't need to say who, Crow shuddered at the thought of another beating so soon after this one. "And even if he doesn't, I'll be rid of you either way. I'm always watching."

Crow still didn't understand, but Master was leaving now, his boots thumping away and then out of hearing range.

Crow was alone, he figured. Alone and tied up. Waiting for Batman to find him. To kill him.

It's what he deserved. He failed his Master.

-0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0-

"Team. Report to the mission room for briefing." Batman's voice echoed through the mountain, causing the gaggle of teens to look up from their post-mission relaxation.

"Wait, we have another mission? So soon? It's only been a few hours!" Kid Flash exclaimed, lounging on the couch with a bag of chips.

Artemis slid upright, having been laying on her back with her feet over the back of the couch.

"It's not like the last mission was really tiring. We barely did anything."

"It's probably a follow-up mission." Aqualad said, "Batman did mention a tracker."

"So we're actually finding the guy now." Kid Flash sat up, a bit more excited about a lot more action.

Miss Martian and Superboy walked through the doorway, coming from their rooms. Aqualad started heading for the briefing room while Kid Flash walked up to Miss Martian.

"Hey green cheeks," he greeted with a smile, earning one back from the tired looking Martian, she must have been napping. "How about some victory cookies after this mission? I'm starving."

Miss Martian covered a yawn but perked up, happy to be asked about baking. "Sure! That sounds like a great idea. Post mission victory snacks!"

"Exactly!"

They caught up to the rest of the teens who already walked out, standing in a loose semi-circle around Batman.

"Team," Batman grunted as a greeting.

"Do we have a new mission, Batman?" Aqualad asked.

"Yes, although the last mission was technically a failure, we have a lead and it's time sensitive," Batman said, pulling up a map on the holo-screen. "The tracker I placed on the assassin hasn't moved for a few hours now, this could be their base of operations. However, we don't know who they're working for, or why Bradley Rigby was their target."

A red dot appeared on the screen, blinking slightly somewhere in the outskirts of Star City.

"So find the kid assassin dude, bring them here for questioning." Kid Flash summed up, hoping for some actual action.

"No."

The speedster deflated with a groan.

"Your mission is to find him, and watch him covertly." Batman stressed the word, "I highly doubt he is working under his own instruction, I let him go yesterday so we have a way of finding out who is calling his shots. You leave in ten, you call me directly with anything you find."

"Directly?" Artemis asked. Usually, their findings were given at the debrief, not in the middle of the mission.

"Yes." Batman said, "you will be staking out, but I'd consider this a time sensitive mission, I need to know who we're dealing with as soon as possible so I can figure out how to move forward."

Wally was confused, he stepped forward with his question. "Wait why? I know some of our missions have been time sensitive before but those had made sense. Why is this one time sensitive?"

Batman gave him a look, but the man was unreadable as always. "This boy is younger than all of you, well trained, and I highly doubt he was born with those wings. Wherever he's from, there could be more. Whoever trains children and experiments on them must be found and brought to justice sooner rather than later."

Batman was oddly open with his information. Batman was all about need-to-know information, surely they didn't need this for the mission. Not that the team was complaining, it was just odd.

"I'm hoping you'll find a lab, or at least a starting point to go off of." Batman continued after a few moments of silence. "That is why you are to contact me immediately with any findings. This may turn into a rescue operation if things go south fast."

"Rescue?" Superboy asked, face slightly softening.

"In my experience, little boys hardly sign up for becoming murderers." That was all Batman had to say to that.

Kaldur nodded, "yes sir."

"How'd the kid get into the gala anyway? You'd think a tiny murder kid with wings would have fought somebody's attention." Wally asked, genuinely curious though this wasn't the right time to be.

Batman scowled, "your focus should be on this mission, not the last one."

Ah, there's the normal Batman.

"I suggest packing a few snacks, stakeouts can get lengthy." And with that parting advice, Batman turned and left through the Zeta Tube.

Wally glanced over to Miss Martian.

Wally grinned, "hey if we set up a grill in the bio-ship, could we have a steak out stakeout?"

Artemis groaned and rolled her eyes, leaving to go get her bow and arrows, "grow up Kid Mouth."

Wally pouted as she left, "nobody appreciates my humor."

Kaldur considered the redhead for a moment, "I'm sure if we brought some jerky we could have a dried-out steak out stakeout."

Wally brightened, punching the air in celebration, "Kaldur you're the best!" He then zoomed off, leaving Kaldur to sigh in amused exasperation.

-0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0-

Someone was here.

Crow felt his whole aching body tense at the sound of some flying machine landing. It didn't sound like Master's, this was someone else. Heavy cold dread dripped down his spine. It was Batman.

He was honestly surprised he could hear that far by this time, pain always main things fuzzy and indescribable. Time was also something that slipped away when he was stuck in a state of throbbing and aching pain, too overwhelmed with sensations to ever focus on anything outside his pained body.

It would be after several times he 'woke up' that Batman arrived, but how long it was since Master left would forever be a mystery.

He was first brought back by the light pressure of a bird on his still trapped arms, its claws carefully curled around his limb like it was a perch. Something was messing with his hair, rooting gently through each strand. It felt nice.

Some indiscriminate time later Bucket's squawking filtered through, sounding far away and full of cotton but it was there. Blanket was a presence in his lap, small but heavy, something that wasn't pain and wasn't giving him pain.

Crow floated as the birds talked amongst themselves, listening as they hopped around and did various things around him. It slowly brought him out of his pain-hazed mind, things began to sharpen into focus.

He could hear the rest of the flock, gathered around in the cage like an audience. Bucket was hopping around in front of him, making sounds in the back of his throat because something was in his mouth. Probably a new trinket. The second Bucket noticed Crow was 'awake' he hopped into his lap, not caring for disturbing Blanket.

"Wh-" Crow attempted to speak, only to be viciously reminded of his failures. He coughed, sending jarring horrible tremors through the rest of his body, sparking up every bit of pain that had finally died down.

He came back to his frazzled body with Bucket still in his lap making weird noises. Crow fought to focus on the bird, trying to discern what the bird thought was so important.

It took a few tries, he could only do it for a few seconds at a time though. Bucket had a whole entire cracker in his beak, holding it out to Crow.

Crow was both delighted and horrified. He secretly liked it when the birds tried to take care of him, but with the way Master was upset with him right now, and his body's natural inclination to reject food at the moment while it was in such pain, Crow could not appreciate his small feathered friend's care.

He shook his head to the bird, regretting the action instantly as it tugged on all his pained spots and made his hearing whiteout as blood roared again.

The next time Crow came to it was when Batman landed. He sucked in a tense breath, not realizing he was holding it as he dared to strain his ears for more information. Not that straining deaf ears would get him very far, there were many times after punishments like this where Crow didn't have his full hearing back until later. It was entirely too soon to be able to hear as far as he wanted, but a flying machine landing was definitely loud enough to reach him without any strain.

But now that the flying machine had landed, Crow would have no idea where Batman was until he was super close. Dread piled in his stomach at the thought of not 'seeing' Batman coming.

He strained, staying quiet and trying to listen, but it was useless. He knew it was useless but he still tried.

Nothing beside his own rapid heartbeat and his bird friends made any noise, the flock still scattered around the cage. He did note that they hadn't left yet, the flock would always leave if someone got too close.

The flock would be his earliest warning, he realized. He hoped Batman wasn't like Master and decide to take a few birds down in his anger. He should be focused on Crow, not the birds.

Something clanged, the flock took off in a thunderous cacophony of caws and wing beats.

Crow grimaced at the sound, bowing his head as if that would help protect his wounded ears. But that was the signal, Batman was here.

He tried to stop trembling, but he wasn't sure he did it. It wouldn't matter anyway, Batman would kill him, Crow was allowed to be afraid.

Even though he wasn't.

Crow nearly flinched at a pinch on his arm, only then did he realize his friends were still here. Blanket was still in his lap, Bar still on his arm, Bucket was off somewhere else though, but he couldn't be too far.

Blanket, Bar, and Bucket would always leave before Master comes, ever since Straw. They hadn't left yet, but they didn't know Batman was just as dangerous as Master. They needed to leave.

He moved his arms, disrupting Bar's perch and the bird flew off, only to land on the ground in front of him. Crow was already out of breath, even the simple movement of his arms was taxing, but he couldn't just let them be killed.

"Go-" He croaked, his throat burning and stinging something fierce. Blanket and Bar cawed at him, gentle but unmoving.

"Go." He said stronger, ignoring the pain in his throat and he tried lunging at them, just to get them to move.

The birds did flinch, but they walked back easily and Bucket landed on his outstretched head. The stinky bird's feet dug into his hair and he leaned over to caw almost directly in Crow's ear.

Crow yelped and shook his head, dislodging the bird and nearly growled at him. That hurt.

"Go away." He said again, "he's gonna hurt you." He gasped as his chest flared in pain. He curled inward and pulled at his arms, wishing he had them free if only to hug himself.

Luckily, his bird friends did fly away, and Crow was left in silence.

Except for the multiple pairs of feet coming his way.

Wait, multiple?

"It's just him." A female voice said, somewhere outside his cage.

Crow was confused, because Batman was definitely not a girl and definitely not that small. But as the group of people got closer he realized he recognized them.

It was the odd group of teenagers from Wayne's party, the ones with the weapons and the ones that chased him. They must be working with Batman, he sent them to get him. Batman was probably too important to come all this way just to kill him, he'd sent his lackies to drag him to his throne. If Batman had a throne, a bat-throne, then Crow would be killed.

Crow couldn't fight Batman. There was no way he'd ever win that fight, last time he didn't even win he just got away before he was killed. Which only prolonged his death actually, since here was his messenger of death.

But Crow could fight these teenagers. They were not Batman. Sure Crow was wounded, but if these were just messengers, well, nothing less than Batman is going to make him come quietly.

"Oh no! Look! He's tied up!" The same female voice spoke again, this time in alarm.

"Wait- Miss Martian-!"

Crow flinched as the cage door was wrenched open forcefully, yet there were no footsteps approaching. Crow kept his head down and waited, a quick plan forming in his head and hoping it wouldn't backfire on him. He was currently lacking use of his limbs at the moment ya see, and this girl seemed entirely too sympathetic.

"Oh, he's hurt too!" The girl, Miss Martian as the others called her, was much closer than she should be, there was no sound of feet- the air was moving on its own, a breeze that shouldn't have existed. The rope trying Crow's hands together released on their own accord, slithering undone with no help from hands.

"Wow, he's tiny." Said one of the males behind her, the one with the incredibly fast heartbeat.

Without the rope his arms dropped, they were mostly numb so all he could do was let them rest limply in his lap. He did his best to curl around them though, shifting his knees up and quietly panting through rib pain. They seemed to be waiting, pitying him. It would be their downfall.

"Are we sure this is the kid Bats said killed a guy?" The fast one spoke again, directing his question to the other males, both much larger than Crow.

"He has the wings." The largest boy said gruffly, if not a little uncomfortable.

Crow's wings were pretty identifiable, nobody else had them and Batman got a pretty good look. And so were these teenagers right now.

"Oh no your wings! Are they okay?" The girl was rather annoying, he was sure she was kneeling next to him.

Then there were hands touching his wings.

Fear filled his mind and he moved before he even realized it. Crow jerked away with a cut off cry, shifting out of reach and curling his wings close. It was instinct really, Master hated him for it but he used it to his advantage right now, hiding his face behind his shielding wings.

"Sorry! Sorry I won't touch again." Miss Martian promised, sounding hurt herself even though that made no sense at all.

Crow just focused on breathing, realizing he really was in no shape to be fighting anyone. He was doomed, wasn't he?

In his new fetal position, he heard something new.

Tic... tic... tic...

Master's plan finally made sense. But it would be wasted on these lackies, something Batman probably thought for. Crow couldn't let Master's efforts be in vain though.

"He seems pretty beat up." A new female voice said, farther away than the others. She must still be outside his cage, he thinks.

"But we didn't do that," the fast one said, sounding worried of all things. Why were they worried? They came to collect him to die. Didn't they know the purpose of their own mission? "We didn't even see him and Bats said he only got one hit in."

Crow was slowly regaining feeling in his arms, he practiced breathing as he readied himself for lots of movement. His body was going to really hate him after this but it had to work. For Master.

"Whoever he works for wouldn't beat him up would they?" Miss Martian truly was nieve, wasn't she?

"That does sound like something evil lab people would do," the fast one shrugged, then voiced his own question, "though, human experimenting is hard, you'd think they'd treat them better if they wanted them to survive."

Human experiments? We're they talking about him?

"Unless if he failed his mission," the one smelling like fish said, he was smarter, he was figuring it out. "Which if his mission was to kill Bradley Rigby, he did not."

"So why is he beat up and tied up?" The fast one asked as if he was really that stupid.

"And why is he the only one here." Fish sticks finished, narrowing his sights on Crow's slumped form. Yeah, that tone meant he figured it out.

Crow shifted in place, twitching his wings and putting himself in a better position for his next move. His movement made the teens pause, none of them spoke after the fish boy said his piece. Guess it was his turn then.

"Bicker bicker bicker," Crow laughed breathlessly, still exhausted but his determination was stronger than that. "You make this too easy."

The buff guy went tense, "there's a bomb."

"It's a trap!" The other girl said, pulling on her weapon which he realized is a bow.

Crow shot upwards, climbing up the side of the cage before pushing off, twisting around to glide sharply downwards and towards the open cage door. He twisted to the side, the arrow shot after him whizzing by with a shrill whistle.

He had to jerk awkwardly to fix his flight path to the cage door, making him land unceremoniously on the ground. But he was out, and all the teens were chasing him.

Crow pushed off the ground, feeling oddly numb with the mix of pain and adrenaline sweeping through his system. He tried flying again, but he couldn't get up into the air from a standstill without his tail. He still technically had it, but it wasn't deployed and by the time he remembered to do that it was too late.

Something fast slammed into him, making him tumble to the ground again.

"Wait a second, you don't have any weapons." The fast kid was talking, standing next to him like he hadn't just body checked him two seconds ago.

Crow coughed into the ground, everything stung but he had to get to that bomb. The kid might have been fast, but he was also distracted. Crow lunged up again, tackling the fast kid. However he wasn't aiming for a takedown, he climbed up until he could jump off the tall kid's shoulders.

Luckily, it worked, Crow was in the air, leaving behind a confused and spluttering fast kid. Crow knew wasn't going to stay in the air for very long but he didn't need to. He pumped his wings as hard as he dared, flecks of blood and broken feathers falling from him in a messy trail.

He made it to the weapons wrack, but he didn't go for the bomb yet. The buff kid was coming and Crow needed just a few more seconds that he didn't have. He kneeled at the edge of the training mats and dug his fingers under them, wincing as he called upon abused muscles to lift.

"I told you we should have called Batman! This was supposed to be a stakeout!" The female archer shouted, letting loose another arrow in Crow's direction. Crow wasn't going to be able to dodge this one, but maybe luckily, he didn't have to. The arrow expanded into a net, they were looking to contain him.

Crow grunted as he hunched, extending one wing out towards the oncoming net. The net crashed into his wing but at the same moment of contact he wrenched his wing backwards, following the momentum of the net. He guided the net away from himself and tossed it to the floor.

He took the mat and threw it at the approaching buff guy, creating an impromptu wall (albeit flimsy) between them. Crow turned to jump up onto the weapons case, scrambling for a second because he had misjudged the distance. He slammed his back to the wall, wincing at his wings reminding him of the pain of the last time he was squished against a hard surface, and shoved the case with his feet, letting it crash to the ground.

It was loud, weapons clattering and glass breaking, it didn't stall Crow for long. On the backside of the case was a pack of C4, connected to a timer Crow had no idea what said.

It didn't matter, he ripped it off the wood and jumped back, another arrow whizzing by.

"Wait! Please! We want to help!" The girl from earlier, Miss Martian came over, she didn't have footsteps for some reason.

Crow scowled but didn't answer, he turned and started climbing one of the beams of the warehouse. He needed to be somewhere high. There was no clear way to climb the beam, but Crow was good at this, and his wings helped him when he slipped.

"Miss Martian shut him down from the inside!" The fish guy said, most of the teens were in one spot, convenient.

The girl nearly sobbed, "I can't!"

"What do you mean you can't?!" The other girl asked, losing another arrow Crow had to leap upwards to dodge.

"There's... there's nothing inside!" Miss Martian said, seemingly frustrated. "He's not a robot, but it's like there's nobody there."

"You're telling me we can't catch a kid who's the epitome of 'head empty'?" The fast one sounded mad, Crow didn't care, he didn't know what this conversation meant nor did he want to find out. Only the buff kid was following him and while he could jump pretty high, he could not fly.

Crow turned and lept, not waiting on anything because he didn't know when the bomb was going to go off and he didn't want to be holding it when it did. He was gliding for a moment until the buff kid grabbed him right out of the air.

Crow grunted and fought his grip, even though every fiber of his being wanted to give up and go limp. Crow was so tired, he was already so hurt. Somehow, he continued to fight, he had to. He wriggled and kicked, desperately flailing as they fell. It was barely seconds but it felt like ages, Crow was able to get in a groin shot that made him be released. They were still in the air however, and his wings were open to catch the wind as he fell. He slammed his foot into the buff kid's face and pushed off.

He tried getting higher before realizing all his momentum had gone and without his tail it was all he could do to stay airborne, so he dove for the teens. However they seemed ready, the fish kid made something appear in front of them, water if the sloshing noises were correct. The water acted like a shield around them, but it didn't matter, Crow threw the bomb, swooping past once his charge was dropped.

Now Crow had to get out. He glided towards his cage, thinking about the hatch at the very top, though the fact the hatch was always locked slipped his mind. He didn't get the chance to try.

"Watch out!" Someone shouted.

The voice was drowned out by the concussive sound exploding from the bomb. The sound found him first, the pain piercing through his already wounded head made his frantic flying stutter. Crow's sightless eyes widened as the force of the blast chased him down. He pumped his exhausted, abused wings as hard as he could, but the shockwave of the explosion soon overtook him. His somewhat steady flying crumpled, the blast knocking his wings out of pattern and bending them oddly.

Crow cried out, stumbling onto the floor in a heap of bruised limbs and messy feathers. Then the heat came.

The air turned sweltering in a wave of rapidly expanding heat, Crow barely had time to suck in a breath of terror before he was swallowed in it. His wings were half open and it was enough to catch the expanding blast. Instead of riding the blast he was being pushed by it, off his feet and uncontrolled.

Crow flailed, trying to stay upright and maybe take the reins of his impromptu flight, but the force pushing him was too great, even if he wasn't already wounded. Things were happening too fast for his panicked mind to think much beyond 'I am going to die.'

His thought process was slammed to a halt when his body slammed similarly into something hard and metal. Then he didn't think of anything at all.

He certainly didn't see the bat-shaped shadow descending upon the scene. 

Whoops, lots of Crow abuse in this one, on a good note, next chapter will actually have some sort of fluff in it, kinda, I'm not sure its classification but its fluffier than anything in this chapter at least. 

6467 words. Much smaller than last chapter but for some reason this one was really fighting me, but finally, it is done. Until next time! (the next X chapter is almost done too, and BT has been fighting me really hard but once I get through whatever the frick is stopping me I will not rest until new chapter is out because its Important)