Sell you a Bridge chapter 216 (Patreon)

April 16th 2016 Doomhollow Hall 6:00 PM EDT

The  next day saw me back at the island (my island) to meet Nightwing to  show him our secure detainment facilities. I considered making an issue  about letting him on the island, but honestly I could swat him like a  fly if I wanted and it wasn't like he could find it again once he left.  Still I watched the bastard like a hawk as he stepped out of the  teleporter, especially paying attention to aura sight in case he tried  to plant some bugs or something. Which he did. Obviously. I destroyed  them all immediately.

The Hellfire Oubliette was, of  course, underground, as I led him down towards the entrance I noted that  he hadn't come alone. Wonder Girl and Superboy were along for the ride,  and I had to smirk at the looming figure of Nightwing. "You really so  worried about little old me you had to bring out the big guns for a  social call? Not that any of this was necessary. Don't you have  financial records you need to be combing through? I'm sure you'll figure  out where I'm getting that money any day now, and then I'll get mine."

I  gave him a big innocent smile and tried not to enjoy the sound of  grinding teeth. Still, it didn't matter. They really were alive and  captive. I had held up my end, and if Superboy and Wonder Girl tried  shit I would shove their asses in the cells right night to Klarion and  Black Adam. Not forever obviously, but a time out might do them some  good. I gestured at them to follow me and headed down the halls until we  got to an ominous looking black door in the stone floor. I gestured  down to it. "After you guys, please."

Nightwing looked  suspicious but eventually nodded to Superboy, who grabbed the ring of  the trapped door and pulled up on the massive slab of volcanic stone.  Under the door was a claustrophobic set of black stone steps. Rather  than any torches or light source, the walls and steps were veined with  crimson cracks that seemed to flicker with an unholy glow. The steps  were only wide enough for one person to walk at a time, and I gestured  for them to go ahead, with Superboy taking the lead and Wonder Girl  bringing up the rear, presumably to pen me in in case I tried anything.

I  had to fight not to roll my eyes as we mounted the stairs and descended  into my dungeon. "So, Superboy heard you and Miss M broke up. Sorry  about that. You guys were a sweet couple. If it makes you feel any  better Lagoon Boy seems like a tool to me. You should try dating  someone. Dreamer has been worried since she heard about the break up.  Thinks you'll retreat into yourself. You know how she has to  psychoanalyze everyone. I love the girl but she just can't help trying  to fix people."

He tensed at the beginning, thinking I was  messing with him, but as I went on he relaxed a bit. I wasn't lying,  Dreamer DID think he would isolate himself, and she was worried.  Superboy had been one of her first friends on Earth and Drea was the  nosy type when it came to her friends. When he heard my sincerity his  tense shoulders relaxed a bit. "Tell her I'm fine. This is probably  better for everyone." I was positive that wouldn't reassure her, but I  could also see the pain in his aura. I'd said my piece, any more was  none of my business.

Luckily we reached the base of the  stairs and we all had something else to focus on. "Drea worked on Ra'as  for a while yesterday before we transported him back. She got a bit of  info, but we'll need to question the old man for weeks to get it all.  Being down here is far from pleasant, so I'm guessing he'll soften up  over time. For now though he's in good shape physically, and I'm happy  to show you him or any of the other prisoners." I didn't mention that we  had a possible lead on savage courtesy of the Demon's Head. I'd tell  them if it led anywhere, they had proved useful in the last raid.

I  led them down the stone hall, and I could see them looking around in  confusion. There were no cells visible, or any locations to keep  prisoners. When we got to Ra'as I gestured at the wall. "He's in there."  They stared at the ridged stone in front of them blankly, turning to  look at me in question. I rolled my eyes and reached out through my  connection to the island. There was a grinding as the stone in front of  us peeled back a pair of great stone lids opening. Before us, in the  wall, sat a massive eye. The sclera was tempered glass, the lids were  dark stone, and the iris was a field of glowing red energy shot through  with runes. In the pupil there was an empty space about the size of a  fist too look through, showing the inside of the cell.

Ra'as  Al Ghul sat cross legged inside, face looking uncomfortable. I smiled,  gesturing to him. "As you can see he's alive and well." I didn't mention  that the red in the cracks was hellfire, and that prolonged exposure  would cause slow and most likely irreversible soul damage. It wouldn't  kill him or anything, but it would make him skiddish and unsettled. long  term I doubted it would be good for him, but I also didn't really care  if it was good for him or not, because he was an asshole.

I  touched the connection again, and the eye closed. "As you saw, he's  fine. They all are. I'll show you if you want." Well...fine was an  exaggeration. Klarion wasn't exactly feeling like himself, and Black  Adam was still twitchy from traversing the corridors, but neither were  human and they would probably recover. Eventually. Regardless, this was a  huge step in taking down The Light. Klarion was their heavy, and Adam  and Circe were powerful resources.

Nightwing  sighed. "No. It's fine. I pretty much figured you would keep up your  end, seeing Ra'as proves it. He's easily the most fragile. Makes no  sense to keep him alive and kill the others. You're sure this place is  secure though?" He looked around at the cracked stone walls, clearly not  sure it would hold up.

I  just chuckled. "Tell you what. Superboy, do me a favor and punch that  spot on the wall that just opened. Hard as you can." Between a tier four  material and the magic keeping it secure I doubted he could really hurt  it, plus I could always move Ra'as to another cell. If it had been a  full Kryptonian like Superman I wouldn't have offered, but Superboy was  markedly weaker physically, from his aura I knew he wasn't a danger.

He  raised an eyebrow at Nightwing, who just nodded, and then shrugged  before taking up a stance in front of the oculus. Feet spread for  stability, he hauled back and threw a massive haymaker with his whole  back and upper body behind it. As his fist met the stone there was a  loud crash and the red cracks over the oculus flared a deeper, darker  red, but no obvious signs of damage occurred. Superboy shook his hand  out, staring hard at the stone with his telescopic vision before turning  to his leader. "No obvious signs of damage. This place is pretty damn  sturdy."

I  laughed again. "That's just the outside. They're prison cells. They can  take way more from the inside. The walls are several feet thick aside  from the door, and that red magic shield takes the hit from inside  before you even get to the eyelid where Superboy hit. Even I'd have  trouble breaking out of here." I wouldn't actually, my corridors of  darkness underpinned all of reality and even the spiritual binding of  this place didn't seem to be able to stop them, but we'd tested shadow  porting and a dozen other kinds of teleportation and they were all  completely sealed.

With  security settled I led them out of the basement and through the trapped  door. "Anyway, you saw what you needed, thanks for stopping by, and  whatever other pleasantries are needed to get you to go away. Having you  here makes me uncomfortable." I paused, looking between them. "Well,  just Nightwing. I don't like you. You're nosy and annoying, and if you  drop one more fucking listening device I'm going to start shoving them  up your ass instead of just destroying the damned things."

Nightwing's  face didn't show any change, but Superboy looked annoyed, and Wonder  Girl was giving him a reproachful stare. The looks were cut off as we  ran into Morana coming out of the room in front of us, specifically the  training room, hair up in a ponytail and dressed in workout clothes. She  paused coming out the room, looking between us uncertainly, but when  she saw this appeared to be a mostly friendly visit she relaxed. I  wondered if she had gotten my aura sight, and if it was picking up  Superboy's annoyance or Nightwing's dislike.

To  my surprise though, from her aura, she wasn't really paying attention  to the boys, she was kind of focused in on Wonder Girl. The blonde  smiled a friendly smile and held out her hand. "Hi, I'm Cassie! I saw  some of your fight back on infinity island. You were really impressive.  I'd love to spar sometime if you're up for it." Morana took it, seeming  hesitant but somewhat happy as she shook it.

It  occurred to me that my daughter had absolutely no friends her own age.  Or apparent age. She spent her time with her mothers, and while she had  been created pretty recently and that wasn't a surprise, a bit of  socializing might do her some good. I made a snap decision. "You know  what? I was rude asking you all to leave like that. How about I show you  the restaurant. I'm sure everyone is hungry. Rana' why don't you get  cleaned up and meet us up there. I'm sure the others wouldn't mind you  joining us."

I  stared at Nightwing, informing him with my eyes that if he threw a  bitch fit and messed up my daughters chance to make her first friend I  would break my foot off in his ass. Luckily, he wasn't oblivious, and  seemed to be generally...ok, when dealing with people who weren't me. So  he forced a smile. "Yeah, sure that does sound like..." He trailed off,  unable to force himself to finish the thought until he caught an elbow  from Superboy. "Ugh-fun. It sounds like...fun."

Morana  looked thrilled, agreeing and running off to get changed as I lead the  others to my restaurant. I was ten thousand points over my one million  that I was hoarding for a new ability after they left (I hadn't wanted  to deal with them while I was figuring out how to use the thing), so I  could afford a nicer meal if I wanted to bump myself up a few points.  Maybe Strength. Regardless I led them up to eat, considering exactly  what to do with my points.

I  was on the fence about my new ability and what I wanted. I had a few  ideas, but was hesitant to commit my windfall to it without knowing what  was coming next. I was thinking either something for combat or  something that would make learning void magic faster. Though I also  considered something that would let me take people along through  corridors. There were plenty of options. As I settled down to eat,  Morana joined us, clearly excited to make a new friend, and she sat down  to talk to Cassie as we all ordered our food. I could worry about my  new ability later. Now I just needed something to eat.