Pawn of the Sea

Chapter 6

Author’s note:  Thanks to my beta, B, for keeping me in line.  And thanks to Rith and the wonderful Dannell for the fabulous Sea and Sky series for which this story was inspired.

*****************************************************************

"I repeat, Dick has gone into the water!" Robin's desperate voice came over the com.

Batman's heart froze as he immediately turned the boat in the direction Robin had indicated. "Tempest!" he called into his com, knowing the young Atlantean would be Dick's only hope.

Under the water Garth hurried to the dock, his heart pounding in terror. Grayson, the dolphin, chirped excitedly and sped up. Garth followed and soon Dick's limp form came into view. "I have him," he replied to Batman.

"I'm right above you. Get him out of the water!" Batman replied worriedly.

Garth reached his lover and knew it was too late for the water breathing spell. It didn't work if the lungs were already full of water. He could tell Dick wasn't breathing. He pulled Dick into a tight embrace, did a quick spell to help his body adjust to the sudden change of depth, and waved his hands, forming a jet stream of water that propelled them to the surface in seconds. They bobbed up right next to the boat and Batman hauled Dick over the side, laying him in the bottom of the craft, preparing to start rescue breathing.

"Wait!" Garth called out as he climbed aboard as well.

"There's no time!" Batman bit back as he tilted Dick's head back and plugged his nose.

"Trust me," Garth replied calmly. He maneuvered to Dick's other side in the tight space and laid his hands upon Dick's chest. Batman watched in tight lipped anticipation, waiting to begin CPR if Garth's magic didn't work. Garth closed his eyes and his lips moved silently as he gently stroked against Dick's bare chest in an upward motion. Suddenly a gush of water was expelled from his mouth and nose and Dick weakly gasped for breath.

Tempest and Batman turned him onto his side to help expel the rest of the water. Batman looked to Garth. "Thank you."

Garth stared back in surprise. He had never heard such a mixture of fear and gratitude in the man's voice before. "You're welcome, but it's unnecessary. I only did what I had to. For both of us."

Batman nodded curtly and reached down to check for a pulse. "It's a bit thready. Dick. Dick!" He shook Dick's shoulders gently, trying to bring him around. When there was no response as he looked up to Garth with concern. "He wasn't under for that long, I'm worried that he's not waking up. I want to get him to the cave and Leslie." He called for Robin to lower the helicopter's rescue basket.

"Of course," Garth replied. "You go with him in the copter and I'll bring the boat back when I've finished here."

Batman looked at him in surprise even as he moved the rescue basket in position. "I thought you'd want to stay with him." There was no reproach in his voice, only curiosity, as they quickly wrapped Dick in a blanket and moved him into the basket.

"I do…more than anything…it's just…I can't do anything for him right now and…" Garth started guiltily as he looked out toward the sea and then back to his fallen lover, who was now secure and ready to be lifted out. "Braden must not escape. He cannot get away with this."

That was a concept Batman understood. "Very well, do what you must. I'll try to keep you informed of Dick's condition."

Garth nodded his thanks and held the basket steady as Batman climbed above it, hanging onto the cable for the ride back up. He called to Robin to begin reeling them in. "Take care of him," Garth called, but he knew Batman was probably out of hearing range. Even in stealth mode the Batcopter was fairly loud this close.

"Always," came Batman's voice over Garth's com, surprising him. Even more surprising was that it wasn't Batman's voice, but Bruce Wayne who had answered him. Garth smiled to himself a little as he watched the machine turn and head back toward Wayne manor and the cave. He knew that Tim had already alerted Alfred and Dr. Leslie Tompkins and that Dick would be in good hands. He prayed they weren't too late.

He shuddered and hugged himself for a moment and then turned his focus back to the job at hand. He lowered the boat's anchor to keep the vessel in place until he could come back for it, and then dove back into the water.

Garth was surprised and pleased to see that his dolphin friend was still there, waiting for him. 'Do you remember my cousin Braden?' Garth asked the animal. 'I think you met him once or twice.'

The dolphin squeaked and bobbed his head a few times in recognition , while managing to look disapproving at the same time.

Garth smiled wanly. 'I see that you do remember. Well, he is the one responsible for hurting Dick and he must be captured. Can you help me find him?'

The dolphin nodded again.

Garth smiled at Grayson and spoke into his com, updating Arthur of the most recent events and asking for his help in the search. After securing Arthur's promise to do whatever he could to help, Garth signed off and closed his eyes, letting the purple glow of his magic surround him. He pushed his hands outward sending ripples of water away from him that spread out into the depths of the ocean.

This was a finding spell and it would lead him to his cousin. Garth had been correct in his statement that Braden had sorely underestimated his powers while planning this scheme. One of the ripples pinged back to him and he began to swim out of the river and to the open sea, with Grayson following closely behind.

*****************************************************************

Dr. Leslie Tompkins left a concerned Alfred to watch over Dick and moved out of the infirmary to the cave, in order to talk to Bruce. And it was Bruce who greeted her, as opposed to Batman, along with a freshly showered Tim, both dressed in their civilian clothes.

"How is he?" asked Bruce, concern flooding his blue eyes. Dick had stopped breathing on the flight home, but Bruce had been able to revive him.

"I won't lie to you, Bruce, it's not good. He's in a coma and I've placed him on a ventilator."

Tim collapsed into the nearest chair. "What's wrong with him? He doesn't look that bad. The only bruises and stuff were from where they had him tied up."

Leslie ran a hand through her short, gray hair. "As near as I can tell he's been poisoned, but I'll be damned if I can tell you by what. Bruce, I ran a tox screen and I'm going to need your help with this. It's like nothing I've ever seen before and I have no idea how to fight it."

Bruce nodded, happy to have something else to focus on beside the young man fighting for his life in the next room. "Give me some samples, Leslie, and I'll get them to Oracle and Star Labs. Between all of us we should be able to figure it out."

"I'll get them to you right away, Bruce."

"Can I see him now?"

"Yes, the more visitors the better. He may be able to hear us, and I think he'll need all of our support to fight this thing."

Bruce nodded and went into the infirmary.

"Dr. Leslie?" Tim asked quietly, sounding impossibly young.

"Yes, Tim?"

"Is my brother going to die?"

"Oh, Timmy," Leslie moved to him and wrapped her strong arms around the boy's shoulders. Sometimes she forgot how vulnerable her young charges really were. "I'll do everything I can to see that he doesn't; we all will."

Tim just sat and let Leslie hold him for awhile.

*****************************************************************

Once Garth got a lead on him, Braden was not that difficult to find. He simply had to follow the trail of sharks. Apparently at some point during Dick's escape, Braden had received a head wound. It had bled profusely while he swam, attracting some of the local sharks.

Garth found his cousin cowering in the remains of a sunken fishing boat, while the hungry creatures circled around. "I should leave you here, cousin," Garth said to the other man. "It would serve you right." The sharks ignored Garth, as if he was one of them.

"No, please, Garth! I'm sorry. I am." He eyed the circling sharks and then his angry cousin. "Don't leave me here. I don't care where you take me, just don't leave me here!" Braden spoke back frantically.

Garth held his anger in check as he moved to his cousin's aid. He took a med pack out and placed a bandage on his head and then bound his arms behind his back, not bothering to be very gentle about any of it. Braden stayed quiet, keeping his attention on the sharks. As soon as his cousin was secure, Garth cast a spell and the sharks simply swam away. Braden sighed in relief. "Let's go," Garth said shortly as he jerked Braden's arm.

"Where will you take me?"

"I will leave you with Arthur and let him decide what to do with you."

"I'm not sorry at all, you know," Braden spit out.

"I didn't think you were. As usual all your brash self-confidence returns once the real danger is gone. Luckily for you Dick is still alive so I am not a threat to you at the moment…well, not much of one anyway."

"Alive? That's impossible! I told the Jelly to kill him…there's no way…"

Garth tightened his hold on Braden's arm causing him to gasp in pain. Before Garth could do or say anything else he felt a searing pain in his right leg. He looked down to see the Jelly's tentacle wrapped around his leg.

"Yes!" Braden shouted. "I knew you would come for me. Kill him! Kill him!"

The jelly man made a move to wrap more of his poisonous appendages around Garth, but Garth was too quick for him. With his free hand he zapped the tentacle around his leg and froze the water surrounding the Jelly, trapping it in a block of ice.

"Damn you, Garth!" Braden tried to struggle, seeing that his last hope of escape had just been captured.

Garth grabbed his cousin roughly by the upper arms. "No, damn you. Damn you for your stupid, petty jealousy and hatred. Damn you for bringing an innocent man into your sick scheme!" He shook Braden again as the purple glow of his powers began to form around both of them. "You better hope Dick makes it through this, cousin, or…"

"Or what, Garth? Are you going to kill me? Huh? You don't have it in you," Braden spat back.

Luckily for Braden, it was at that moment that Arthur and his men showed up. "Tempest, do you have the situation under control?" Arthur asked sternly.

Garth stared at Braden for a few moments before thrusting him into the arms of one of Arthur's men. "Yes, highness," he replied formally. "I believe it was these two that carried out the plot to kidnap and then try to murder officer Grayson." Garth directed their attention to where the jelly man was still floating in his icy prison.

"Thank you for your help, Tempest. I can assure you these men will be prosecuted to the full extent of our law," Arthur replied. "Now, I'm sure you have other pressing issues to attend to."

Garth realized that Arthur was giving him an out to go and be with Dick, and for that he was grateful. "As a matter of fact, I do. With your leave, Majesty?"

"Certainly."

Garth nodded and turned to make his way back to where he had left Batman's boat.

"Garth!" Braden called out.

Garth turned back with a small sigh. "What do you want, Braden?"

"Give your boyfriend my regards," Braden answered casually. "Let's just say we became very close during his time with us."

"Silence!" Arthur snapped before Garth had time to react. He turned to his guards. "Take them both away."

The men did as they were told and Arthur placed a strong hand on Garth's chest to keep him from following. "Killing him won't help Dick. Go and be with him, Garth. That's where you'll be the most help."

Garth shot daggers at Braden's back, but quietly answered Aquaman. "You are right. I will go now."

*****************************************************************

Garth's com buzzed him while he was speeding toward the Bat cave. "Tempest, this is Batman requesting your status."

"This is Tempest. The kidnappers have been apprehended and are in Atlantean custody as we speak. I'm in the boat and on my way there. How is Dick?"

There was a brief pause before Batman replied. "He's in a coma and on a respirator. I'm sorry, Tempest, but Leslie says he's been poisoned and she's been unable to identify the toxin.""

"I see," replied Garth, trying to keep the emotion out of his voice. "I'm only about five minutes away. Tempest out.""

"See you soon. Batman out." Bruce sighed. He had not had any time to process the news that Dick and Garth were a couple. His initial reaction was anger, but after seeing Garth with Dick, he couldn't deny that the man obviously cared for his son. Well, at any rate, Dick was a grown man and Bruce would just have to wait and see how it all played out. He hated that.

Garth tried to dampen his fears as he drove headlong into the waves, but the despair over his lover was threatening to overwhelm him. Suddenly his right leg cramped a bit and he reached down to massage it. As he ran his hand over it something occurred to him.

"Batman, this is Tempest. Come in."

"Batman. Go ahead."

"It's jellyfish venom."

"Come again?"

"My cousin had an accomplice. He's a mutant creature that's a cross between Atlantean and jellyfish. I think that's how they were able to contain Dick for so long. He was being stung by the jelly, but it may not be ordinary venom since he's a hybrid creature."

"Thank you for the information, Tempest. I'm sure this will be very helpful to the doctor."

"Braden told me he ordered the jelly to kill Dick when he was trying to escape. Tell Leslie…she needs to know…it's important."

"I'm on it, Tempest," Batman replied gently. "Batman out."

"Tempest, out," choked Garth as he signed off. He let his mind wander to his cousin's final words to him before being taken away, and Garth couldn't even begin to process their implications. Well, they could deal with all of that later. First they had to work on keeping Dick alive. "Please let him be okay," he whispered to no one in particular.

TBC

Return to Pawn of the Sea