Payback (AU, Ravager, Deathstroke, Nightwing, Zatanna)
Zatanna stepped down from her summoning circle onto the rooftop of the jailhouse, the gold glow slowly fading as she did. She awaited Nightwing’s assessment of the cell while she paced around on the roof. She looked over the edge and into the forest. That was really the only escape route, and that would give the escapee enough cover if she searched from the air.
She listened to Nightwing through her comm and brought her hand up to respond, “Acknowledged. If he’s got friends, we shouldn’t be caught alone. I’ll meet you at the treeline so we can search on foot. The trees are too thick to track aerially.”
Zatanna looked over the edge of the building again before she stepped over. Using levitation, the magician landed softly on the grass just before the trees, past the electric fence that surrounded the prison. She scanned her surroundings and kept up her guard in case of surprises.
“You should have brought a magic dampener,” Slade muttered, as he pulled the slide back on his handgun. He felt like his old self again, now that he was back in his Deathstroke gear, rather than in standard issue prison garb. “The witch will be trouble if we’re not careful.”
“Yeah, well the only magic dampener in the country is owned by Lex Luthor, and it’s the size of a freaking Volvo,” Rose countered, with an annoyed groan. “Excuse me for not having the time to steal it from him and figure out how to transport it here. “We’ll just be careful. I brought pepper bombs.”
Slade caught the pair of red spheres that she there at him and looked them over. Unlike typical smoke grenades, these things emitted a gas laden with a similar to pepper spray. Not only did it burn the eyes, but it also caused swelling in the throat. It would prevent Zatanna from speaking, and thereby casting spells, if she inhaled enough of it. “I suppose this will do. You better take your position, then. I have a feeling they’ll be here soon.”
Rose just shook her head as she climbed up into a nearby tree. “Just don’t fuck up this time. I don’t want to be doing this again.”
Nightwing held his hand to his ear again. “Agreed. I’ll sweep from the compound to the tree line by the fence,” Dick whispered, running his gloved fingers over parts of the door. “It’s Rose, she’s here.”
Opening the door as quietly as he could, he started out into the open area, mindful of where the door and the fence were in relation to him. It felt strange to be out in the open, even if he held his eskrima sticks in his hands. Normally, he hugged the shadows and the nearby buildings as it was the safest place for him to be. Slade was dangerous; there was no question about that, but with Rose the duo were incredibly lethal.
His eyes scanned the terrain, looking for any shape that was out of the ordinary or that could move. He had a relative estimation where Zee was, but she was still a long way off. Dick moved faster towards the fence line, looking for footprints or any other indentations that would lead them to the pair.
Hearing a rustling noise, Zatanna surveyed the trees. A flicker of movement caught her eye, and she followed it to a squirrel. That was nothing important, but what it was trying to bring into it’s dwelling was. The little furball was dragging tangerine fabric across the forest floor and attempted to take it up a nearby tree.
The tree in question was within sight so she decided to meet up with the nut-snacker and retrieve the garment. Knowing how territorial they get, she charmed the creature into a sleep and brought the clothing up to inspect. Zatanna whispered into her communicator, “Nightwing, I’ve found his prison orange. Squirrel was carrying it, so he-they-shouldn’t be far.” She kept hold of it and made her way back to the fence to wait for him.
Slade found the witch just before she made her way back to the fence, some twenty yards ahead of him through the trees. He watched her, waited until her back was turned, and then he struck, tossing the pair of pepper bombs at her feet. Upon impact with the ground, they detonated and emitted a thick cloud of red gas that engulfed the area.
For the moment he held back, waiting to be sure that the smog had an effect on his target before engaging. His mask filtered out harmful particles in the air, so he would be fine if he entered the mist, but he had to be certain that Zatanna's voice had been rendered silent. Only then would he have his opportunity. Rose was somewhere above him in the trees, waiting for his signal and keeping an eye out for Nightwing.












