Disclaimer: See chapter 1.

Going out with a BANG!

Chapter 2

Dick didn't mention I was still wearing the same clothes I had on yesterday. That's a true friend for you.

I smiled as I remembered what a great night it was. Donna loved me to! She'd never stopped! She just didn't love the me that was wasting money on drugs and drinks.

Too bad this happiness won't last long.

I had that dream again. That nightmare. That…premonition.

I'm gonna die. I know it. I can feel it.

I couldn't help but rub my arm in the same spot where it had been numb in my dream.

I don't what it was that stuck me…felt like…pins, maybe? Either way, it's what kills me. What brings me to everlasting darkness. That darkness is coming soon, and I'm the only one who knows.

What a great time for Donna and I to get back together, huh?

"No sign of a break," I told Dick as I finished inspecting the door.

"Report says that a maid was the only other person allowed in here," He replied as he flipped the page. "The one that usually checks the room wasn't in that day, though, and security cameras caught someone with dark black hair entering the room. She didn't leave and is now missing."

"Well, at least we have a suspect," I shrugged, stuffing my hands in my pockets. "The description match any of yours?"

"Jade Nguyen," He answered. "Dark hair and barely leaves anything behind. Barely. I'm sure if we check the bathroom we'll find something."

"The bathroom?"

Why the hell would she leave a clue in the bathroom?

"She's got a thing about cleaning up before kidnapping or killing someone."

"Of course," I said, rolling my eyes. "Even evil women have to check how they look every five minutes."

"Every two," He corrected me. I raised and eyebrow and he smirked. Why the hell does he always have to be right? "They have to look good for the cameras when they're making demands."

"Good point," I grinned. "So, top suspects?"

"Well, Baran and Selinda are on the list for possibly kidnapping Tim, and now Jade's on the list for Jason. Most likely a team up."

"Any ideas where they might be hiding?"

"Baran's an idiot who follows Selinda everywhere. He's with two girls that love shopping, jewelry, and dangerous weapons-"

"Deadly combination," I cut in.

"So, where do you think they'd be?" He continued.

He already knew the answer, but I still wanted to say, "Basement of the Metropolis mall. I'm not a detective, but I have taken down a lot of jewel thieves that hide in mall basements."

"It's a start," He told me as we both started for the door.

"Doesn't this seem familiar to you?" I asked him as we entered the elevator.

I shouldn't have. This was the elevator that…

Ryan Anders was Kory's little brother. He was a good kid. Kind of like Tim. A tag-along. They had gotten along well in the short time they had known each other.

In this hotel, a few years ago, he was kidnapped, then later found dead in Gotham. No one knows who his killer was. All the evidence and any leads were destroyed not to long after he had been found.

He was a good kid, whose life was cut too short.

At least I've had a few extra years to live.

After spending a while on the Indian reservation, I had become in tune with my dreams. I used to have nightmares, especially after hurting Donna the way I did. A shaman there had helped me interpret my dreams, and taught me how to do the same on my own. After mulling it over during a quick breakfast with Donna (I had my leftover piece of cake and it was good!), I realized what it all meant. The numbness signifying there would be only a short pain in my death and the never-ending darkness signifying that I would never wake up.

Whatever it is that kills me, I swear I won't go down without a fight!

Once we finally arrive at the mall, we go to check in with mall security. It's art of procedure. It's also part of the reason why I joined the bomb squad. There, procedure doesn't matter until after the fighting's done.

Time to play the fun old game of good cop-bad cop.

"Detective Dick Grayson," Dick immediately said as we entered the room. He pulled out my badge to show the woman behind the desk. Hmm. She didn't look all that bad. Real bony face, though. "My partner and I need access to the storage basement of this mall."

"I'll have to call my supervisor," She told him after looking at his badge. Of course. Pretty much all the women I've met that have some connection to the law are like that. Not that big a turn-on. They seriously need to learn to let loose and have fun.

"Call your supervisor and tell him to meet us down there if he has any problem with us being here," I told her, making sure to stare her straight in the eye. "Now, you may want to give us the key to the basement before my partner here takes it from you, and trust me, he won't be asking as nicely as me."

"Hello, Mr. Rinko? It's Jaime," She spoke into the phone. Nice name; bad call. "I have two police officers down here that refuse to see you and are demanding I allow them into the basement…" During the short pause Dick and I glanced at each other and I nodded to let him know I had the same plan in mind. "Okay."

She hung up and reached over to press the button on the side of her desk. I quickly grabbed her hand before it could reach the button.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," I warned her again. She won't listen.

She pulled her hand out of mine and slammed it on the button.

Dick punched her in the face and she went flying into the wall. While I grabbed the keys for the elevator and called out "let's go," before took off out the door. I knew he was right behind me as we rushed to the other side of the mall and into the elevator, where we pretty much threw whoever was in it, out of it.

I quickly jammed the key into the odd slot, turned it, and we began our descent down to the basement.

I should have brought my third gun last night.

The basement was dark, but that wasn't really surprising. What was surprising was how jammed up it was. I thought they would at least organize things better for a mall basement.

I glanced around carefully, but Dick had the best vision. He could probably spot a fly a hundred yards away if he really tried.

"Nothing," He finally told me a few minutes later.

"Yeah, I don't see anything either." Man, this would be an awesome place to use nightvision goggles. Then maybe we would have spotted something. Forget the flashlight I brought. Nightvision goggles would be awesome to use. "I can't believe we went through that for nothing."

"C'mon let's duck behind the…giant clown head, and wait until the elevator comes back down," He told me.

Oh. That's a great hiding spot.

Once we got behind the stupid thing, though, it turned out to be really comfortable. There was something really cushiony on the ground.

"What the hell?" I whispered as I pulled out my flashlight again. Some pillows and rolled up blankets.

Now we're onto something.

"We missed 'em," Dick whispered back to me.

Yeah, it was pretty obvious they were gone, but this does show that we're on the right track. In the back of my mind, I could hear the elevator begin to descend but I was still looking for any clues they could have left behind.

Dick ended up finding it before me.

A silver lipstick container. Hmm…never seen this kind of lipstick container before. I mean, I've kissed a lot of girls, who each had on a different kind of lipstick. Some stand out better than others, but I can still tell the make. Never heard of this one before, though.

I pulled a handkerchief out of my pants pocket and passed it to Dick, who used to pick the container up. He folded the handkerchief over it, so it wouldn't get any fingerprints on it, and then he put it in his pocket.

Now's where the fun begins. Time to crack a few heads.

I shut off the flashlight again and we both crouched down and waited.

"Start looking for them," One of the guards ordered as they finally stepped out of the elevator. They all began tearing away at the wall of clutter and Dick and I were able to sneak out from behind the clown head and into the elevator. We closed the doors and pressed the button to go up to the main floor.

"Hopefully these guys were stupid enough to only leave a few people by the door and wait to call the cops," I told him. I knew I was wrong, but I had to say it anyway. It's like an unwritten law or something. The good cop's supposed to be the one to ask that. If bad cop did than it would just be completely wrong!

"You know you're damn wrong, right?" He replied, smirking.

"I'm hoping." Not really.

The doors opened and about twenty more security guards stood before us.

We both glanced at each other and smirked before jumping out into the wall of dark blue. I know the main goal was to get out without hurting anyone, but that's never gonna happen. Not with a group this big.

I gotta admit, a few of them are pretty tough to get through, but with a precise hit to a good pressure point, they go down easy. It's not size or strength, but skill that matters in a fight. I've got plenty of skill.

I finally broke through and followed Dick into a department store.

"We need to take off through one of the back doors," I whispered over to Dick as we both ducked behind a rack of coats.

Dick had to make a call to someone, and fast. I waited as he pulled out his cell phone and spoke through it quickly. Coast was clear, but it wouldn't stay that way for long. He's got to hurry.

Once he finished he nodded over to me. I quickly moved behind another rack of jackets and toward the fire alarm. We'd be able to make it out of here through the mad rush of people.

I put my hand in my jacket pocket, to keep any of my prints off the alarm, before finally setting the damn thing off. Almost immediately, everyone went rushing to the door and I quickly moved into the fray, making sure to keep my head ducked low so any nearby security guards wouldn't see me.

Once I was out, I waited for Dick, and when I spotted him we both took off running through the parking lot and to the street.

"You know where the exit to the highway is from here?" He asked me.

"Yeah, follow me," I told him as I took a left on the road and we started running up a small hill. We ended up running about two miles before we finally spotted Conner waiting for us on the side of the road.

He called Conner. Great.

We had to wait a few minutes for the traffic to be cleared long enough for us to cross the road. Then we pretty much jumped into Conner's car. Once he got in and took his seat, Dick told him, "Get us to your place. Fast."

"You guys are in trouble, aren't you?" He asked with a small smile and shake of his head.

"Just drive, Jock boy," I told him, using his nickname for him.

Conner's basically an all-star. Or at least he would have been if an injury hadn't finished off his career before it began. Now he's a coach, but still a huge sports buff. Sometimes it gets on Cassie's nerves.

…I'm gonna miss times like that.

Once we arrived, Conner opened the door and we saw Cassie and Donna staring at the TV. When Dick slammed it shut they finally looked up.

"What the hell did you two do?" Donna demanded as she stood up and glared at Dick and I.

Conner used that moment to try and slip behind us when Cassie called out to him. "Move one more step, Conner Kent, and I swear you'll be sleeping out in the hallway tonight."

Bad move. Girls like Cassie and Donna pay real close attention to you when you're in trouble.

"Hey, I just picked 'em up," He instantly defended himself. Oh yeah, put the blame on us. It's not like you aren't an accomplice or anything. "They just called me up and told me to wait for 'em. Never even gave me a chance to ask any questions."

"If it was anyone but them, I probably wouldn't believe you," Cassie said. Ha. She knows Dick and I too well.

I heard Dick sigh.

If he thinks they're the only problem we have, he is so wrong. But first I better start trying to appeal to the girls.

"We can explain," I said, holding up his hands. I know it was a weak defense but it was the best I got. Suddenly there was a knock on the door.

Phew.

Wait, no 'phew.' This is bad. I can just feel it.

"Oh, I'm sure you can, but it's obviously not us you'll be explaining to," Donna said, knowing full well who was knocking on that fucking door.

"Open up! M.C.P.D!" I heard Detective Sawyer call from outside it.

Cassie walked around us and opened the door herself. It seemed like half of the Metropolis police force was swarming us. How could this tiny apartment hold so many people?

The three of us ended up sitting on the couch and had a nice little chat with Detective Sawyer and her crew. It pretty much went: blah blah blah. Blah. Blah blah. And blah.

That lasted for about an hour.

Then, once Donna and I got back to her hotel room, she decided to have a nice one-sided chat with me too. That went along the lines of blah, blah, blah. You could have gotten yourself killed. Blah.

"She doesn't know how right she is about the 'killed' part," I whispered. Crap.

"What?" Donna asked, obviously hearing what I had said.

Me and my big mouth.

"I've got something really important to tell you, Donna," I finally said after a few minutes of silence. There was no point in trying to lie to her. She'd see right through me.

I took her hand in mine and led her over to a chair by the balcony and began to explain. I told her about how the shaman had taught me to interpret dreams while I had stayed on the reservation. I told her exactly what my dream had been these past few days and explained my interpretation of it to her. I told her how much I loved her and how much I'd miss her. That…whenever this dream does come true, I'll always watch over her, and that even once I'm dead, I want her to be happy. To find someone to love and care for her for the rest of her life. And…that I'd wait for her.

She'd been able to hold her tears back up until I explained the last few parts. That's when they began to cascade down her cheeks, and I could do nothing but hold and try to comfort her.

We stayed in the rest of the night and ordered in for dinner. We just spent most of the time in each other's arms, trying to make these moments last forever. I really wish they could.

We ended up going to bed pretty early, and I was finally awoken by the phone ringing past midnight. I rubbed my face for a moment before picking up.

"Hello?"

"Get up. I found them." Dick hung up after that.

I sat up and did my best to rub the sleep from my eyes before I finally got out of bed and went for my bag. I pulled a white button-up and a pair of black slacks out of the bag and changed into them quickly. Dick would be here soon.

"Don't say goodbye," I heard Donna whisper from the bed as I put two guns in a set of holsters on my hips. I looked over to find her sitting on the edge of the bed wearing the shirt I had been wearing earlier last night.

I slowly walked up to her and kissed her as passionately as I could, trying my best to memorize everything about her at this moment in time. The feel of her lips on mine. How soft her hair felt. Every wonderful curve on her perfect body. Everything about her.

I had to pull away when we heard someone banging on the door.

"I love you," She whispered to me, trying her best to be strong and not cry yet.

"I love you too. I always will." I gave her a soft smile and a quick kiss before heading toward the door.

As I slowly opened it, I glanced back at her to see her watching me. I smiled softly again, but I know there was sorrow in my eyes. I hid it quickly as I turned and closed the door behind me.

"What're we still standing here for?" I asked him jokingly. I had to lighten the mood somehow. "C'mon, let's go save your brothers."

I started for the elevator. If Dick knew about my dreams, he wouldn't let me help him. He's got this thing about people always getting hurt around him. Like he's a living curse or something. Truth is, if they die, it's probably just their time to go.

Just like right now is my time.

I can just feel it, and I'm ready for it. That's cause I know that if I'm going, I'm going my way.

We raced straight toward the lobby and once we got there, Dick quickly pulled out his badge to show the nice old guy behind the desk. Some part of Dick's mind is probably filing this guy under the 'Serial Killer' file in his head. He always thinks someone's up to something.

"Police, we're in the middle of an emergency and we need to borrow one of your rental cars," The old guy looked surprised for a few seconds but finally grabbed a set of keys and tossed 'em to Dick. "Thanks."

"He gave us one in the first aisle," Dick told me once we were outside and looking for the car. "Spot number eighty-three."

We found a brown Beetle in the spot and I jumped into the passengers' seat while Dick sat in the drivers' seat.

"Sawyer's gonna be pissed," I said with a wide grin. At least I get to annoy her one more time.

"I'm hopin," Dick replied as he raced over to wherever we were going.

"So how'd you figure out where they were?" I asked him and broke the silence.

"Arthur's good with electricity. When Selinda said he'd 'bake' Jason, I knew it meant he was going to use his knowledge of light and electricity to do it. To get enough energy to do that though, you'd need a lot of power, so I automatically thought of the Power Plant. But they wouldn't be stupid enough to actually stay in the Power Plant here, so it needed to be somewhere nearby. That's when I started paying attention to the background on the tape. Since the tape didn't last that long I had to try and catch something of importance. That's when I thought I had spotted a couple of cracks in the wall behind them. Now I know for a fact there aren't any businesses by the Power Plant, but I thought of apartment buildings for the people that work there. There were five, each a few stories high. Went back to look at the ones that were condemned, then found out which was closest to the plant. That's where they have to be."

"So, did you come up with a plan during this whole thing?"

"Yeah; wing it."

I rolled up his sleeves before leaning back in my seat. "My favorite type of plan."

"I figured you'd like it."

I laughed.

We arrived at A condemned building and Dick stopped a few yards away.

"You got a watch on you?" He asked me as he stared up at the dark building.

"Nope, usually go by an internal clock," I answered. The internal clock doesn't really help me though. I usually still lose track of time. "You know, my own time. Like I have five minutes to break in, and I count that out in the back of my head, y'know?"

"Yeah, I do the same. We should have at least ten minutes left. Alright. We'll go in two ways. You take the front, I'll take the back. That way you can distract them while I go get Jason and Tim."

"Works for me. I'll see if I can meet you up there." Like that was going to happen.

We went our separate ways. The next time he'd see me, I'd be dead. I just got this gut feeling that's how it's going to be, and I always trust my gut.

I slowly walked up the front door. I know they have security around this place. I've just got to set off the right trap to give Dick the extra time he needs.

I easily kicked the old, battered door in. I know it might grab their attention, but they could only think it's some punk instead of a cop. They know Dick would never come in like that. Of course, they don't know I'm here with him. It may give us only a light edge, but it's better than nothing.

Now that I've got their attention, time for me to pick my hiding spot.

One glance around the room and only one thought came to mind. Not much room around here, is there?

I pulled out both of my guns as I prepared for whoever was coming down. I ducked back behind an old, dusty blue chair. Just as I ducked behind it, a dark haired woman leaped into the room. Her jade eyes were taking everything in and, once she saw the broken door, she smirked.

Fuck. She's confident.

I smiled.

Let's see how well she is at dodging a few bullets.

Just as I cocked back the hammer on the gun in my left hand, she turned toward me.

The bitch has got good hearing. The click would have been barely audible to anyone else as far away from me as she was. Yet she turned, and her smirk turned into a wide grin before her hands moved behind her one instant, and the next she had thrown something toward the chair I was hiding behind.

I quickly cocked back the hammer on my other gun, stood up from my hiding spot and began to fire rounds at her.

What the fuck was this bitch made of? Rubber?

She easily avoided my bullets, pulled something out of her long black hair, and threw it at me. I moved my body, but quickly found out she wasn't really aiming for me but the barrel of the gun in my right hand. If I hit the trigger I'd end up hit with a huge backblast. That's not what kills me though, and I'm not gonna let it.

Instead, I threw the gun at her. I swung my arm to the side, throwing it like someone would throw a Frisbee or boomerang.

She ducked just in time and jumped out at me, but I swiftly moved away from the chair only to see something glinting on it.

She had thrown a couple of shurikens at me before.

Whoa! Where the hell did she suddenly get those blades? They look like Wolverines' claws, but just come from in-between her fingers and not the back of her hand.

She started slashing at me, but I quickly fired a round from the gun that was still in my left hand and it hit her in her right shoulder. Gotta move quickly now. She seems like she can shrug off a hit pretty fast.

I punched her in the face before sending another blow to her gut. I gotta keep the pressure on. If I make one wrong move, than she'll have the opportunity to get me.

I can't give her even an inch.

Out of nowhere, though, she found my blind spot and used it to her advantage. She brought up her set of "claws" and used the to rip my gun out of my left hand, before taking the opportunity to slash at my chest with her other hand, sending me reeling back.

Fuck, she's good.

She's definitely the one that's gonna kill me. Ain't no doubt about it. Especially with how many pointy objects she's used in just the past fifteen minutes. This really isn't going to last long. Of course, the best fights are always the hard ones. So, I guess time doesn't really matter. Just surprise!

She jumped again, and brought one hand back to stab me when she came down, but I took advantage of the other one being out in the open air. Grabbing it quickly, I used it to fling her across the room. And that's when it happened.

Just as she was pretty much flying toward the wall, she shot out a…needle. I saw it just in time to dodge, but she had pulled out about three more. I fell to the ground to try to avoid them and went for the gun the holster on my leg with my right hand.

When the last needle she sent out at me hit my arm-

BANG!

I…I got her…

A/N: Well, that's Roy's story. If anyone's wondering how he knows he killed Jade, he pretty much said it earlier. He trusts his gut feeling, and once he fired the gun, his gut was practically telling him he killed her.

Thanks for reading. I hope you all enjoyed it!