This chapter starts off very similar to 'Aftermath' but it is different and then does change. It shows Artemis thoughts in figuring out who Superman and everyone in the Batclan are.
Watchtower
Cafeteria
Who had the woman with Catwoman been Artemis wondered? She'd certainly been concerned about Conner. Artemis watched M'gann's growing unease at Conner's absence. Knowing the Martian's fondness for Earth TV and movies she tried a joke. "Who was that masked woman?" There was no response. "M'gann?"
"Huh? Oh, sorry. I think that was Superman's wife." M'gann stared at her hands.
"Wait? What?" Raquel lurched forward in her seat. "Superman has a wife? And she's a superhero?"
Superman's wife? Well that was interesting. Superman didn't like Catwoman and he ignored Conner but obviously his wife was friends with her and had a bond with Conner. How did that work? Artemis wondered why she hadn't ever come to train with Canary and Catwoman. Maybe it she had but Artemis just hadn't been there?
"Superman does indeed have a wife." Kaldur responded calmly as usual. "She is not a superhero. I believe that she and Catwoman resorted to such theatrics to conceal her identity. I do not understand why she would have responded so quickly to a concern for Conner's safety."
Okay, that was why, she wasn't actually a hero. So did Canary even know her as Dinah Lance?
"He's met her before. They bonded." M'gann said softly. Everyone at the table stared at her. "Something to do with Catwoman and Black Canary. He's been spending a lot of time with Catwoman and Robin out of uniform."
Out of uniform? None of them but Wally and Roy knew Robin out of uniform, right? Apparently not. There was something tickling at the edge of her brain. It was weird. Canary was best friends with Catwoman but Dinah was best friends with socialite Selina Kyle. Artemis had always dismissed it as a cover, sort of like the life Dinah and Ollie lived in public. What if it wasn't though? If, by some chance, Dinah's best friend in private was had the same kind of public life it made sense for them to best friends in public.
Except that Catwoman was madly, wildly in love with Batman. Selina Kyle dated playboy Bruce Wayne. Artemis had even met them once when they were staying at Ollie and Dinah's. When they were coming out of the guest room they were sharing. Obviously as a socialite Selina Kyle would have to date but to maintain that kind of relationship long term? Batman didn't strike Artemis as the type who would be okay with the woman he loved – and she didn't doubt he felt that way – sleeping with someone else.
Which left her with only one mind boggling option – Gotham playboy Bruce Wayne was Batman. It couldn't be true. It had to be true. All the advanced weaponry, the vehicles, the rumours she'd heard that he and Ollie financed the League and the Team along with help from the Atom.
Her eyes narrowed suddenly. That little sneak! She remembered the surprise picture by Bruce Wayne's ward, Dick Grayson on her first day of school. He was obviously Robin!
So how did Superman's wife fit in? It was sitting at the edge of her mind? Then it hit her. The picture from after Christmas! Dinah, Selina Kyle, and reporter Lois Lane made that big donation on behalf of Wayne and Queen Industries in New York. Ollie making that snarky comment about the Boy Scout deserving whatever the girls did that weekend.
Now who was Lois Lane married too? Artemis had read several of Lois' articles on various topics for reports for school. Some of them had been written with another reporter. Yes! That was it. She was married to another reporter! Clark Kent! She'd figured it! She knew who they all were!
Artemis threw her head back and laughed. Everyone turned to stare at her. "Don't mind me. I just figured it out. I just figured out who they all are. Continue, continue." She waved her hand at the others.
"Oh no, girl." Raquel stated firmly. "You can't tell us that you just figured out who Batman and Superman are and then not share."
"Oh yes, I can." Artemis stated equally as firmly. "My Mom knew Catwoman back in the day. She tells me that Sportsmaster put his hands on Catwoman's butt once without permission. Catwoman, a thief, put League of Shadow's trained Sportsmaster in the hospital for it. That was before she was sparring with Batman on a regular basis. What do you think she would do to someone who spilled his identity?"
Zatanna switched the subject for her and she sat there, smug in her thoughts. Who was the detective now, kitten? She gloated.
