The Birds of Prey. That is what they were referred to as anyways. The deadly trio of superheroines. The supreme team of super vixens. Oh she could go on and on.
A trio that is to be feared. That much has been figured out anyways by all those that ever dared to cross their path.
Men and women that ever dared to pursue a life of a crime. A pursuit that would be short lived once they set their sights upon them.
A path that many years ago had been forged between these three woman. A path filled with nothing but pain. Pain that has caused three souls to find one another promising to bring justice.
Promising to never allow this pain that haunted them for so long to never be brought to another innocent life ever again.
Pain that has been brought together in different ways. From the form of a lost loved one. A soul mate she would call him. A soulmate that on most nights she could still picture perfectly in her dreams.
Still feel his presence around her as though he was with her at every single moment. Sometimes she swore she could hear him calling out her name as she would play with her engagement ring just looking out into the distance.
For another it wasn't about a lost of a soul mate. No it was a loss of her innocence. Lost of her entire family.
A family that she would never shed a tear for. They were criminals. Plain and simple. The very thing that she has come over the years to despise.
Criminals that had been killed one fateful night with her being the only survivor. The survivor of a famous mob hit that had nearly wiped out her entire family.
Oh how they would regret not finishing the job as she sought out justice. Justice for all those that they had ever wrong.
For all those whose families they destroyed. Families that she could still picture so many smiling faces once the deed had been done.
They had been annihilated. Each and every single crime family that had connections. Each and every crime family that dares pray on the innocent.
As for the last of the trio? Her path was different. A path filled with nothing but guilt. Filled with nothing but hatred towards the ones she used to trust the most.
Guilt over the death of a friend. A young man that she had taken under her wing so long ago. A man that had met his faithful end thanks to him.
The most sinister man that she has ever come across. A man that had been thrown back into his cell without any fight.
Without any sort of retort except for that damn smile. That damn sinister smile that would haunt her dreams forever.
That damn smile that had made her leave the very city she has called home for her entire life with no destination in mind.
No long term plan. But then it happened. They had met. The three deadly superheroines coming together as one.
Coming together with a common goal. A goal to rid the world of criminals. To rid the world that would dare to take advantage of the weak.
Dare do harm to others. A deadly trio that would soon be known across the world with every single mission they accomplished.
With every single criminal they had taken down. Some given the luxury of being sent behind bars. Some others wouldn't be so lucky.
Others in the form of their greatest enemies. In the form of those that had brought them their pain. Others that could now be found ten feet under.
But on this night. This night was truly different. This night many questions are in the air. So many unanswered questions causing the group to be split up lost in their own thoughts.
Thoughts that have come ever since the previous night. A night that started off no different than the rest.
A scheduled patrol. A patrol around the city that they have now called home. Starling City. A city that had been riddled with crime.
So much crime. The perfect place for them to hone their skills. The perfect place for them to make a name for themselves.
A city that knew them now very well. A city that would come to fear them whenever the slightest mention of their name was whispered on any street corner.
Among any alleyway. Among any drug deal that would go down causing the buyers to retreat back to the shadows.
A city that has seen a major change in the recent years. Change in power. Power that had been taken away from those that dared to miss use it for their own personal gain.
Power that they now possessed. And others noticed. Much like their new enemy. The organization known as Argus.
An secret task force funded by the government to take down all those the nation deemed to be a threat.
A threat they were now being considered as thanks to an attack. An unlikely sneak attack while they had been out on patrol.
An attack being delivered by one of the deadliest sharpshooters in the entire world. But it didn't make a difference.
They were a well oiled machine. A machine that had made quick work of this assassin before his last words left them with questions.
Has now left them to their thoughts. The words of how does it feel? How does it feel to lose the one you love the most.
A question that has been constantly on the mind of one. The lone blonde of the group. A woman known by the name of Dinah Laurel Lance or better known throughout the world as The Black Canary.
A woman that can be found leaning up against a weapon rack staring down directly at her engagement ring while her face remains emotionless.
Remains emotionless as her mind gets riddled with memories. Such painful memories. Memories that she has tried so hard to suppress but now they were coming back to her.
Coming back to her as though it was just yesterday. All starting on that day. A day where everything started out just like normal.
Started out with her waking up in her fiance's arms. Remember his smiling face as they did their morning routine until it was time for her to send him off.
To send him off on a short sailing trip out with his father. A week long trip that she would be counting down the seconds until his return.
Counting down the seconds until she had him back in her arms. A moment that never came. The boat would never make it back to the docks.
Instead it would be lost out to sea. A moment that she would never forget. Never forget collapsing to her knees.
Never forget all of the nights she had cried herself to sleep clutching a picture frame of them in her arms.
A picture that now as though it comes to the forefront of her mind she retrieves from the inside of her black leather jacket and unfolds it gently revealing a pair of smiling faces.
Revealing a moment she would never forget. Never forget the moment she had been dragged into that photobooth.
Never forget how after they had payed and sat there waiting the biggest surprise of her young life that been sprawled upon her.
A simple question. Will you marry me. A question that left her speechless for a couple of seconds as their picture had been taken followed by another before she had pounced on him.
Smiling at the memory reaching down gently the blonde haired woman traces the smiling face of her fiance with her index finger not missing a single detail across his face while the only sound echoing through the air is coming from the other side of the room.
The sound of thousands dollars worth of machinery at work. The work of a computer system. A system that now searched through countless databanks with its owner sitting firmly in her chair occasionally glancing up towards the screen.
A owner that goes by the name of Barbara Gordon. The youngest of the trio. A tech savvy woman that could often be found glued to this screen surveying the city looking for trouble while her teammates handle any situation being presented to them giving her the code name The Oracle.
A name that she has taken up in the favor of another. Another that could still be heard in the streets of Gotham. A name that she has retired long ago.
A woman that can't occasionally glance over towards her older blonde counterpart with some concern. Concern every single time she sees her playing with her engagement ring.
Glance over towards her every single time she comes back from a patrol with traces of blood from the latest batch of criminals that they have put away across her black leather suit and stockings.
A concern that could be shared with another. The other woman of the trio. A woman that stands a short distance away from the blonde making adjustments to her crossbow.
A woman that would be lying if she didn't say she didn't have a deep relationship with the blonde knowing exactly how she feels.
Knowing exactly the anger and rage that she brings with her out to the battlefield. Knowing exactly what it was like to be burdened with nightmares that never go away. Even if they are wide awake.
So many similarities that have driven her to get closer to the woman. A woman that she would spend many nights with patrolling the city.
Many nights just talking while their other member of the trio would sleep soundly. A luxury that could not have.
But on this night? This night felt so different. This night felt like something big was about to happen. Something that would shake the group's core.
Something she couldn't help but believe had to involve her blonde counterpart in some way. But what was it?
What the meaning behind this feeling? What was behind the meaning of their latest criminal's words? Words that she knew had shook up her nightly companion to the core.
But how much? How much did this dead man's words really affect her?
Snapping out of her thoughts turning her focus solely back onto the computer screen reaching out tapping in command after command across the keyboard in front of her like she has done on so many times quickly going through her databases looking for anything referring to Argus only to pull them up on a new screen and move it to the side to only start again.
Screens after screens that start to fill up the massive computer screen. Screens with so much data. So many detailed files about this group.
A group that has had their hands in many things. In the clean up of many events that have taken place in the world over the years.
Detailed files of their known members. Detailed files of where they had last been seen. Detailed files coming from another source.
A man that she could just kiss right now if he was here. A man that much like her had left their hometown for good looking to make a new life for himself.
A life that has led him to another city doing exactly what she is doing. Bringing justice to a crime filled city with a group of unique individuals helping him.
A group that has helped her and the rest of her team on a few missions. Missions that would see a group that could rival The Justice League.
The combined efforts of The Birds of Prey and The Titans. A very unique group of individuals. Especially two of them.
A pair of sisters that come from a different planet. A pair of sisters that she now knows with certainty looks over the man that she had once loved not allowing anybody or anything to do harm to him.
Sisters that during their first encounter she couldn't help but love with open arms. Couldn't help but give them her blessing do to as they saw fit with her former lover.
But she would have to reminisce another time. Right now she had work to do. Right now she had to go over the files.
And she knew just the place to start. A feed. A live feed into some kind of base. A base that she couldn't quite figure out where exactly it is.
Maybe somewhere in Brazil? The terrain looked right. Maybe even Africa? Whatever the place is the base is well hidden.
Well hidden amongst a large jungle with a couple of mountain terrains seen in the background. Well hidden from any eyes in the world. But what was so special about this base?
That was a question that she wanted answered as her hands do all the work. Do all the work quickly by passing their systems allowing her access inside.
Allowing her entry inside to the bases secrets. Secrets that as seconds pass on by she wasn't too sure she wanted to know.
It was a prison. The whole entire base was some kind of prison. But a prison for whom? Scrolling through the feeds of stationed cameras inside of the base while her hands continue to do their work looking for any sort of prisoner log as she finds the log without any delay Barbara clicks on the file causing a large black file to come up on the screen.
A large file listing so many names. So many names that she recognizes as criminals that had suddenly disappeared off from the streets.
Some low level while others had been considered to be the most deadliest in the world. A whose whos of names that she scrolls down slowly before just as she gets into the middle her eyes go as wide as saucers.
" Dinah?"
Snapping out of her thoughts looking up towards the young redhead finding her eyes trained towards the computer screen that is just littered with so many feeds that just peaks her curiosity leaning off the weapons rack making her way over to stand by Barbara's side receiving no reaction from her whatsoever turning her eyes up towards the computer screen as she finds a list of names being displayed in the center of the screen just as she is about to turn her head away instantly one name catches her eye.
One name causes her entire body to snap forward to look towards the screen. The name of her lost love.
The name of the man that she thought of to lost so long ago. A name that suddenly makes her eyes get watery as she stares at the name as though seeing it for the very first time.
A reaction that snaps the young redhead out of her shock before she quickly works her magic looking for a live feed for his assigned cell.
A feed that she is quick to find before a gasp is heard escaping the older blonde's lips. There he is. Her fiance laying down on his assigned bed looking up towards the ceiling.
An image that makes Dinah slowly move closer and closer to the screen not even bothering to suppress the tears that start to trickle down her cheeks until her hand comes up to gently rest down on the screen as her thumb gently traces him.
" Oliver."
A man that she never thought she would ever see again. A man that looked so beaten. Beaten with fresh bruises across his face. Looked so starved from how skinny he looks through the feed.
But worst of all how he looks so frightened. A look that makes her heart swell with nothing but pain from seeing this look from him.
A look she never wanted to see from him. A look she has never seen come from him before. A look that suddenly goes away for a split second when she sees him reach underneath his pillow and grab a hold of a small picture.
A small worn out picture that she could recognize from anywhere. The last known photograph taken of her.
A small present she had given to him before he had set sail. This photograph that makes her let out a watery laugh as she sees a brief smile come across his face as he gently traces the picture with his index finger.
This smile that suddenly vanishes when a look of fear comes across his face when his head snaps up to look towards the other end of the cell. Snaps up hiding the photograph in his pocket before three men enter into the feed.
Three armored men with one advancing towards him. Advancing towards him with a nightstick as her lost love backs away until he can't any longer.
Backs away until suddenly her eyes go as wide as saucers. Wide as saucers as she watches what happens next.
A strike. A baton strike one after another being delivered all across his body causing him to be sent down to the ground. Strikes that quickly start to come from each and every guard in the room causing tears to freeflow down her cheeks as her hands clutch into tight fists just from watching this.
Fists that draw blood from her palms unknown to her knowledge. Blood that trickles down to the floorboards as her eyes remain glued to the feed in front of her seeing this gang attack.
A feed that suddenly goes black when one of the guards comes over and covers the feed with his hand before her eyes close. Close as she tries to rein in her anger. Tries to rein in her fury.
Tries desperately to calm down but having the opposite effect as her fists slowly start to shake. Slowly start to shake causing her nails to go further deeper into her palms until suddenly they stop.
Until suddenly she snaps her eyes open with nothing but fury riddled within them. Nothing but pure anger.
Anger that makes her turn on her heels and make her way over towards the weapon's rack to retrieve her staff before without saying a word she exits out of the tower with only the sound of her heels clanging against the wooden floorboards echoing through the air.
It's quiet. Too quiet….
And she was right. It was too quiet. Too quiet for a hidden fortress. A massive fortress that she was surprised nobody had ever seen before.
But if she was being honest with herself then she knew why. All those that learned of this secret would be quickly silenced before word was spread.
A fortress that was indeed well hidden like Barbara had said it was. Hidden deep within the heart of the nation.
Washington, DC. That was what the data had told her anyways and she knew never to argue. She was always right when it came to the data.
But what she sees in front of her right now doesn't make an sense. Why keep a base like this here? Why keep a base housing some of the most deadliest criminals so close to home?
A question for another time perhaps. The more pressing question at this moment was where were all the guards?
This couldn't be all of them stationed outside to make sure nobody gained access inside. Three guards. Three from what she can find anyways.
One stationed up top with a high powered rifle while two others could be seen patrol the outside. A scene that just brings even more confusion to her.
Brings her to question the person in charge of this so called fortress as she continues to look around her surroundings using a pair of binoculars.
Looks around until she comes to a sudden halt. There was more of them only these one's were well hidden.
Only these ones camouflaged perfect with the surroundings around them. Three more from what she could see.
Three more blending in with the wooden terrain. Three armed guards that she makes a note of where they are standing and what type of armor they are wearing before she lowers down her binoculars and looks over to her side.
Looks over to her side only to find her companion missing. A companion that she quickly looks for only to find her a couple yards away advancing towards the fortress not even bothering to conceal herself with her staff clutched firmly at her side as though it was just waiting to be unleashed.
Cursing under her breath reaching to her side quickly unzipping the bag next to her as she retrieves the latest of the group's impressive collection of trophies from their conquests in the form of a legendary sniper rifle without any delay Huntress gets into a shooting motion pointing the end of the rifle in the direction of the nearest enemy.
An enemy that she quickly takes out with a clean headshot that goes straight through his helmet as a silence whizz echoes through the air causing his lifeless body to smach back first against the tree behind him and slouch to the ground in a heap.
An guard that is followed quickly by another as she quickly switches targets and hits the guard stationed on the watchtower causing him to fall backwards and out of eyesight.
Ignoring the sound of gunshots coming from the distance keeping her eyes peeled for any nearby guards that just seem to be dropping like flies curiosity of her companion after just a few short minutes of slowly advancing towards the locked door finding no resistance whatsoever coming from nearby as she rears back intending to blast open the doors herself suddenly the sound of a loud alarm blazes through the sky.
A alarm that causes her to tilt her head slightly at the bright red light over the door before her attention goes directly back towards the door as she sees it sliding open.
Sliding open revealing a group of guards pointing automatic rifles in her direction from a good distance away.
Guards that look towards her ready to fire. And fire they would do. If only they knew who she was. If only they knew what they were getting themselves into.
Seeing the first guard's finger going for the trigger with lightning fast speed taking a step forward instantly Canary screams at the top of her lungs sending a massive canary cry in their direction as the sound of gunfire echoes through the air.
Gunfire that seizes after a few rounds as the shockwave from her blast knocks the bullets out of the air with ease while their bodies are sent hurling back through the air crashing into everything in their path.
Crashing into barricades. Crashing into towers. Crashing into walls. So much carnage. Carnage that only gets worst as she turns her sights on each and every guard she sees not letting up on her screaming for not even one second.
Guards that scream out in pain as they cover their ears abandoning their weapons in the process. Guards that foam at the mouth on the ground clearly meeting their end.
Some that were on the verge of losing their hearing if the blood dripping out of their ears was any indication.
So much carnage. So much mayhem with more to come. So much more to come as she lets up on her screaming causing the screams of the guards to echo through the air.
Screams that she pays no mind to as she slowly advances forward. Slowly advances towards a sealed off metal door in the distance.
A door her eyes remain glued to despite some of the best efforts of some guards trying to get in her path.
Guards that are easily disposed of with the end of her staff in a series of moves before she comes to a stop a few feet away from the locked down door.
Comes to a stop only to take a deep breathe and unleash a massive canary cry towards the door. A cry that slowly dents the door inward before it is sent flying into the base with a loud bang.
A bang that causes a loud cloud of dust to fill the air before without any delay she takes off at full speed inside as fast as her legs will take her.
Sending another round soaring through the air that lands against her intended mark in the form of the back of a guard's head that had been focusing his sights on Canary just as she turns her scope over towards her blonde companion finding her quickly disappearing inside of the base letting out a silent curse Huntress throws the rifle to her side and retrieves her crossbow before she cocks back a bolt.
Ignoring the alarm that continues to roar through the seemly quiet corridor she is in racing through the dark filled hallway allowing the alarm to be her only light as she finds a group of guards quickly rounding the corridor to make their way towards the entrance oblivious to her presence in a sudden move Canary slides across the floor sweeping them off their respected feet with the end of her staff before she quickly makes it back up to her feet and twirls around to deliver a vicious staff strike to the chest of one guard.
A strike that is followed by another as she twirls around delivering a vicious staff strike to the head of another guard that had been making his way back to his feet causing him to flip through the air and land face first into the ground with a thud.
A thud that she couldn't savor for a single moment before she feels a pair of strong arms wrapping around her from behind pinning her arms to her sides.
Arms that lift her off from her feet before she rears her head back smashing the back of her head towards her attacker's face causing his hold around her to loosen just enough for her to escape his grasp and twirl around to smash her staff directly into his face causing him to be sent flying head first into a wall with a thud.
Snapping her body around stalking her way forward around the corridor in a sudden move rearing back Canary unleashes the staff out of her hand sending it soaring through the air causing it to connect directly into the face of another guard that had been racing over towards her sending him back first to the ground before she takes off into a run.
Takes off into a run leaping up into the air to deliver a vicious superman punch to another guard causing his head to snap to the side before she delivers a back elbow to another guard that had been standing right by his side causing him to take a couple of steps back.
A good enough distance for her to grab his fellow guard ripping the automatic rifle he had been holding from his grasp and send him flying with a well placed kick to his stomach before she snaps around pointing the end of the rifle towards the remaining guard and rear back on the trigger sending wave after wave of bullets into his vest sending him flying to the ground.
Discarding the empty rifle to the side hearing the sound of voices coming from a nearby corridor reaching out grabbing a firm hold of the guard's battered and destroyed vest taking a quick second to reach down and pull out the pins of a few grenades across his belt causing his eyes to widen without any delay with a twirl using all of her strength instantly Canary sends the guard soaring through the air landing into a group of guards before they disappear in a whirlwind of flames when a loud explosion occurs followed by another.
Explosions that she had to look away from before she retrieves her staff from the ground and takes off into a run in the opposite direction with only the sound of her heels clanging against the ground giving away her position.
Clangs of heels that would echo through the corridors. Echo beneath the blazing alarm that continues to roar through the base.
An alarm that as though it was her guide she follows. She follows after through the base until she comes to a sudden halt and hides behind a nearby corner.
Comes to a stop when she sees something. Some kind of long well lit corridor. A long corridor that as she takes a peak around she has to quickly retract her head when she sees something.
A pair of turrets hanging high above. Two turrets that looked as though they could cut through anything like it was butter.
Some high powered pieces of machinery. Machinery that was guarding them. Line after line of cell doors.
A least a hundred if her quick assumption was accurate. Turrets that she would need to get by if she was to reach her destination.
If she was to reach him but how? How would she be able to get by these turrets? And as quick as these thoughts echo into her mind suddenly the alarm goes silence.
The lights go out all around her engulfing her in total darkness. Darkness that as she pays a glance around the corner she could find the vast corridor in as well.
" Thanks Babs."
Emerging from her hiding corner without any hesitation Canary races through the darkness. Races through the darkness ignoring the banging coming from the other side of the cells.
Cells that she only passes a quick glance through at each number hanging across the doors until one catches her attention.
The cell that belonged to her lost love. A cell that she comes to a stop next to find the cell completely empty before she takes off once again ignoring everything around her.
Ignoring what guards could be possibly stationed on the lower levels of the corridor she is racing past. All she cared about was just a jog away.
Just another few corridors away down below if the blueprints of the base were still accurate. Blueprints that she had studied to the letter.
Blueprints that she can see now clearly in her mind as she races through the darkness not letting anything get in her path.
Not any locked down doors that she barrels on through. Not any stationed guards as one by one they each fall to her staff.
Nothing until finally she comes to an halt when she nears her destination. Nears the last place that he could possibly be.
A place that was very silent. Too silent for her liking. So much silence that she has to kneel down and very slowly move forward concealing any sort of sound her heels might make.
Stalk forward until she nears a glass door. A glass door that was reflecting a small light shining from the inside.
A small light that is quickly followed by another. Lights that makes her pay a quick glance through the glass to find two guards in the room holding up flashlights as a doctor walks around the room to check on a few patients.
Some that she did not recognize but she knew of one. One that her eyes get drawn to immediately. Oliver Queen. Her Oliver laying in a hospital bed handcuffed to the side of the bed.
Handcuffed with numerous bandages across his outstretched arm. Numerous bandages across his face that she could barely see from the darkness.
A sight that makes her eyes watery before she has to quickly blink away the tears and focus at the task at hand.
Focus in on the guards and where they are stationed inside of the room. Focus on using the element of surprise to quickly take down these foes and make their escape.
Creaking the door open just enough for her body to make its way through using the darkness as her ally stalking across the room in the shadows behind an unexpecting guard without giving him a chance to react snapping up to her feet reaching out Canary grabs a hold of the back of the guard's head before a sickening snap echoes through the room.
A snap that is quickly followed by a bang when she retrieves the guard's discarded gun and unleashes a round across the room that lands clean through the visor of his fellow guard sending him down to the ground.
Hearing the sound of footsteps quickly retreating snapping her head to the sound as she finds the doctor racing over towards the glass door with lighting fast speed Canary closes the distance between them and grabs a tight hold of the back of his jacket.
A tight hold until with a flick of her wrists she sends him soaring through the air through the glass door shattering the door into thousands of pieces.
Taking her eyes away from the unmoving doctor turning her sights back towards the other side of the room at a particular bed as though her body has a mind of its own slowly Canary makes her way across the room.
Makes her way across with his face getting even closer by the second. A face she never thought she would ever see again.
Never thought to see his smile again. Never thought she would ever see his eyes again. Eyes that she finds shut as she comes to a stop at the bed's side.
Eyes that looked so swollen. So bruised and beat up along with the rest of his face. A face that looks restless.
Comes to a stop not caring about the tears that start to trickle down her cheeks. Not care about what could be lurking just outside of this room.
With her hand starting to shake uncontrollably reaching out very gently Canary lays her hand down on Oliver's exposed cheek.
" Ollie?"
Suddenly as she watches his eyes very slowly open up revealing those pair of green eyes that she could get lost in for hours unable to suppress them any longer tears start to free fall down her cheeks as she locks eyes with him.
Locks eyes watching a look of realization come flooding into his green eyes. Eyes that she could always read.
Eyes that she could see staring happily back at her as they start to get watery matching her own.
" Dinah?"
Nodding her head reaching down gently Dinah takes Oliver's free hand within her own and kisses the back of his hand before gently she places it across her cheek.
" It's you. It's really you."
Letting out a watery laugh rubbing her cheek gently into his palm leaning forward gently Canary wraps him up into her arms and brings him into an embrace rocking him back and forth before she kisses the top of his forehead.
" Never again. I promise."
And she would never. She would never let him out of her sights again. She would never let anyone bring pain to him ever again.
But she would inflict it. She would inflict it to all those that ever dared to touch him. The members of Argus.
The criminals all over the world that had benefited from his disappearance. But never again. For she is Black Canary.