With Wings, Take Flight

Daleville, Connecticut

10:49 P.M. EDT


Early evening had passed and night had fallen over the sleepy city of Daleville as the team arrived. Artemis wondered just what had been almost stolen but stopped by the Nightingale that would need protection.

More importantly, why was her sister hired to steal it? Taking into consideration the surroundings of the lad facilities, what the heck would be worth hiring the Shadows to steal?

The bio-ship landed on the roof of the lads and everyone filed out, or in one case scurried out. She'd noticed that Wally had been avoiding her ever since his soda pop bomb. That was perfect! He'd be so nervous - so paranoid - that he wouldn't see it coming.

Thanks to Zatanna's inventive plan, they would embrace Wally into the next millennia. It was going to be a hoot.

Though, that was not what she should focus on. Wally would get a taste of his own medicine in due time, but right now Artemis had to focus on the mission or risk jeopardizing it.

On the roof to greet them was the chief of security for the S.T.A.R. Labs facility - Albert Morris - and the police commissioner of Daleville - Travis Miles.

"This is what the Justice League sends us?" scoffed the chief of security who was definitely unimpressed with them.

"Relax, Morris, considering that our guardian angel's probably a lot like them, we shouldn't be complaining," defended the police commissioner, then addressed them: "Let's skip the introductions, and cut to the chase."


"Ngh," Briana protested as her wrist watch broke the silence that surrounded the orphanage. It was time for patrol, but that didn't exactly mean she had to enjoy waking up.

The time spent sleeping had been refreshing, but it was often a luxury that she could not afford. She guessed that Daleville would need her assistance before the night was out.

So as quiet as she could, she slipped out of bed and stretched the sleep out of her muscles.

Looking out the easterly window, Briana saw that tonight would be a wonderful night. The sky was overcast and the moon was barely waking up with her. Luckily, rain was not expected in the forecast. That was the last thing she needed on a night such as this.

Careful not to disturb Amanda, Briana opened her secret storage compartment and unpacked the gear that she deemed necessary for what the night's activities could bring.

Tonight would be different, different from anything else she had yet encountered.

An unusual enemy had arrived in Daleville. Though she would prefer not to engage this villainess again, Briana wanted to know why?

Why this "Cheshire" had come to Daleville?

What was so important that something like "Cheshire" would be in Daleville?

What did S.T.A.R. Labs have that would attracted someone like the villainess?

Well whatever happened, Briana was determined to find out.

With her mind fixed on her goal, Briana slipped on her newly cleaned black colored jeans and pulled on her gray with black sleeves long sleeved shirt. She fastened her combat boots nearly in place and her gloves soon followed.

As an extra precaution, Briana placed homemade armor on her forearms, the protection was called bracers, or at least that was what she thought.

With the black armor securely in place, she selected three of her best bolas and carefully placed them in a pouch on her belt so she would be able to quickly grab and throw them if need should arise. Lastly, she clasped the metal buckle of her cowl under her chin along with a little padding, and secured her whip in her hip. With the last of her costume in place, Briana was now the Nightingale.

Before leaving, she looked in the mirror to be certain that all her hair was under her cowl. With that checked, Nightingale quietly unlatched the window and opened it without a sound, but much to her dismay, she still managed to somehow wake Amanda.

"Where you headed, Gale?" her best friend questioned with a yawn.

Nightingale sighed. She should have known it would be useless to attempt to get out without alerting Amanda.

"Whoa, ah, Bree, are you going after Scourge or something?" Amanda asked taking notice of the armor that Nightingale wore.

"Or something," she answered. "Tonight's going to one hell of a night."


Robin slunk through the shadows cast upon the rooftops getting a feel for the territory that he assumed the Nightingale knew well. Undoubtedly she was, or would be, in the shadows of these rooftops somewhere, but Robin had yet to see any sign of human activity.

Presently, he found an advantageous perch where he could keep an eye on nearly all of the S.T.A.R. Labs facility. There wasn't much to look at though. At night nothing happened. The only people there were him, his teammates, and the cop who would be there all night to help them should they need it.

Actually from the way things appeared, the cop wouldn't be of much help if they were to need it. He was napping.

His name was Stephen Miles, Robin knew that because of the digging he'd done.

Miles was the Nightingale's favorite rookie officer on the force, if any of his guesses and the police reports were correct. Besides the commissioner and Detective Flynn Miles, the rookie had seen the Nightingale more than any other officer in Daleville. Heck, from what he'd read, even the youngest of the Miles family had encountered the bird girl.

Why the Nightingale was the guardian angel of the Miles clan, it was impossible for him to guess. Though maybe what she did in the situations involving the Miles' was for the best, considering that many members of the police force in Daleville were a part of the rather large family.

"Anything to report?" Aqualad asked via their telepathic link.

"I'm bored," Kid Flash complained.

"We know that, Kid Whiner, and no, Aqualad there is nothing happening over here," Artemis informed.

"Nothing over here," responded Superboy.

"I saw a cat, but that's just about it," said Zatanna.

"I wish there was something happening over here," Robin supplied, then everyone went silent again.

Robin, because there was nothing better to do, surveyed the area again. Nope, there was absolutely nothing save for his teammates. Or was there?


Johnny awoke to a certain bird pecking on his window. Usual, Nightingale had come to him first just to see where she should start patrol, where trouble was brewing, or, in cases such as this, what was happening that the public was not allowed to know about.

"Whoa!" He gasped when he saw that Briana had inverted herself somehow. Johnny opened his window to a smiling Nightingale, which was an unusual sight by far. "When could you do that?"

"I've been working on that for a while, impressive right?" She sounded like Briana at the moment. Though Johnny knew that wouldn't last long, because it was all work and no play for the Nightingale. "So what's the latest?"

Ah, there was the voice that he was used to hearing when the sun went down and the moon rose. The Nightingale was blunt, calm in any situation, collected no matter what was happening around her, and cool headed despite the danger she could be in.

"Well, you're definitely in over your head," replied Johnny as he fished around in his desk drawer for some granola bars that he often gave Nightingale. "Uncle Travis came by for dinner tonight."

"The Commish?" The Nightingale moved her perch from precariously hanging from her whip to sitting on his window sill. "What'd he have to say?"

"Uncle Travis doesn't know what was being stolen, because it's 'top secret or Justice League business'," Johnny said slowly, letting her take in the information. He hoped that it would result in the Nightingale finding an alternate activity until this blew over, but he had already known that it was a lost cause before he started.

"Figures, considering who the thief is," she replied calmly, and Johnny knew then that this information had already been known to her for a couple of hours, at the least.

"You know who the thief is?" he blurted out before he could think to stop himself.

She nodded, but didn't say anything.

"You're not going to tell me, are you?" he questioned despite already knowing the answer.

"No, it could put you at risk and right now, that's something I'd rather avoid," Gale relied. For a thirteen (nearly fourteen) year old, Briana was very mature and Johnny could respect that decision.

"Alright, Gale, keep the information for now, but just don't get yourself killed," he replied handing her two granola bars.

"Will do, and thanks for the snacks. These are my favorite kind. See you later, Johnny."

With that, she leapt from the window sill and into the night. Johnny watched for a moment, she never ceased to amaze him.

The young heroine could fly when she wanted to, just give her a whip and a tall building, and she could soar.

"Wait, did Briana just say these were her favorite?!"