Chapter Ten

Shayera sat in the helicopter, furiously writing a letter. She had taken some papers from the warehouse and had it pressed against her thigh. Although it was sloppy, it was legible. Wally once told her that she had chicken scratch writing. She hoped they would be able to read this. "What's that?" Asked Harley.

She impatiently brushed her red bangs out of her face. "A letter to the League. I still have my original earpiece. Once I put the batteries in and press the distress signal, they'll come to it. They need to know what's going on, incase…" she trailed off. She took her pen off the paper.

"Incase this really is a suicide mission," finished Deadshot in a bored tone. One of his fatal flaws was his lack of concern for his life. She had read in his file that he was slightly suicidal, always fighting someone he shouldn't take on. Shayera wondered where that came from. At the moment, he was packing bullets into one of his many guns.

She nodded. "I'm just telling them the basics. They don't know where we're going. Stop here," she said. Deathstroke landed down the helicopter on a hill overlooking the city. They were near Detroit. She put the letter down with the tracker and pressed the distress signal. She took a look at the city, and then jumped back into the helicopter. "Let's go," she said. Deathstroke took off.

"Any idea where we're headed?" Asked Captain Boomerang. He was currently reorganizing the order of Boomerangs on his belt.

Deadshot pulled out the tracker. "Gotham, actually," he said. "69 East Bay Road."

"Hey!" Said Harley. "That's an old hideout of Mister J's." She snorted. "69. Do ya think he's in on this? Am I gonna see my puddin?" She asked excitedly. She was smiling so eagerly that the lines on her forehead were visible.

"I would hope not, Harley," said Shayera. She frowned and added, "Since you were just sold out."

Harley snapped out of her dreamy state. Her lower lip quivered and in a shaky tone, she said, "He wouldn't- my pudding- he loves me!" She had tears in her eyes.

"Wouldn't be surprised, Quinn," said Deathstroke. He was gripping the helicopter steering wheel. He was flipping switches and turning knobs without missing a beat. "That clown has given you up more times than I can remember."

Harley put her head in her hands, defeated. "I loved him," Harley said in a broken voice.

Shayera put her hand on Harley's shoulder. The men looked away, either extremely uncomfortable or bored. "Hey," she said softly. "I know what it's like to love someone who doesn't love you back too. But this isn't your fault. You're going to end it tonight."

"Yeah," said Harley with some conviction in her voice. "I'm going to break up with the Joker!" She started laughing hysterically. "It doesn't sound as scary when I say it out loud."

Captain Boomerang spoke up. "We have two definitions of scary, Quinn." Shayera agreed. She just hoped they would be able to control the Joker when he received the news. He didn't like his toys being taken away from him and Harley was his favorite one.

John POV

John was sitting on his couch, snuggling with Mari and watching t.v. John wanted to watch Old Yeller but Mari insisted that they watch some romantic comedy. He wasn't paying attention; he was thinking about Shayera. After seeing her in the Rocky Mountains, fighting against the League with criminals, he didn't know what to think. She would never willingly work with criminals. The six remaining founding members had discussed what to do about her. Batman said they could do nothing because she was wasn't committing any crimes and was working for the government. They were called Task Force X, but they were better known as the Suicide Squad.

John was willing to force Shayera out of the group when he heard that term. He did some research and found that Task Force X was made up of expendable criminals and were sent on extremely difficult missions. The criminals involved received shorter sentences in exchange for completing missions. He didn't know how Shayera got involved; Wally had said that it wasn't her choice. When the meeting ended, they decided that there was nothing that they could do for her. Wally was distraught that they had done nothing to help her, but Shayera seemed to be...happy with those felons. John couldn't understand it.

In the middle of the movie, J'onn spoke through is com-link. "John. Do not overreact." He paused and John's heart rate immediately went up. "Shayera's emergency distress signal went off outside of Detroit."

He sprung to his feet, one finger pressed to his ear. Mari threw the blanket off and stood up. "John?" Asked Mari with a concerned look. "What is is? Are you alright?"

John ignored her and ran one hand over his bald head. "Is she hurt?" He quickly shot out in his deep voice. "What happened? When did this happen?"

"I tried contacting her but there was no response. I am teleporting you there now, along with the others," J'onn simply stated.

John used his ring to change into his Green Lantern uniform. "I have to go, Mari. Shayera's distress signal went off." He kissed her on the cheek and prepared to teleport. Mari frowned and crossed her arms.

Moments later he found himself standing outside of Detroit with the original seven, no six, founding members. They were staring at the earpiece on the ground. A envelope was pinned under it, the ends lifting up with the wind. "It's for you," said Superman. They all looked at him, expectantly. He picked it up with shaky hands.

He started to read.

Dear John,

I can't help but to laugh at getting myself into this situation. I suppose I should tell you what this situation is. Long story short, Amanda Waller traded Task Force X's lives in exchange for Thanagarian weapons from Lex Luthor. He also wanted me to give to the Thanagarians who really, really want me dead. Do not blame the others I was working with. They have been working under Waller and A.R.G.U.S. for the past three years, with their lives threatened by micro bombs implanted in their brains. They have followed any orders she has given, no matter how atrocious.

For the past year, I was living in a cave in the Grand Canyon. Don't pity me—I deserved it. Waller interrupted my peaceful life, forcing me to work as her expert on Thanagar. She told me if I refused, she would frame me for the trade.

I didn't want to work with criminals. But here I am. The Suicide Squad actually isn't too bad once you get to know them. Deathstroke is arrogant, Boomerang is slimy, Deadshot doesn't give a shit, and Harley is insane, but I've worked with worse people. We are going to try and stop Luthor, God help us. If you don't hear from me after this, go after him and Waller. I'm not sure that we'll be walking away from this one.

I love you, John. I always have and I always will.

Stay safe,

Shayera

He stared at the paper until he crumpled it in his hands. He shoved it in his pocket. "What did it say?" Asked Diana. She was standing with her hands on her hips. "Is she admitting her betrayal?" She asked bitterly.

"No," snapped John. His face contorted in anger. Diana should have let the invasion go by now. "The opposite. We have to find them, before they kill themselves."

"What's going on?" Asked Flash. His eyebrows were furrowed and he was wringing his hands in worry.

John spoke quickly. "Waller has been forcing them for the past three years to go on missions, with threats of bombs in their heads. She forced Shayera to get involved once they found the weapons. Waller said that she would frame Shayera if she refused to help." said John in a strained voice. "But, Waller agreed to kill them and give Luthor Shayera if her gave them half their weaponry."

"We should have helped her," said Wally. The others looked slightly guilty for not helping her when they had the chance. They let her down and now...it may have cost her life. "What does he want with Shayera?" Asked Flash with a genuine concerned voice. He stepped forward, his red boots cracking the leaves underfoot.

"The Thanagarians want her. They still are angry about the invasion," quietly said John. He was imagining what they would do with her once they got her. Shayera once told him that the worst crime to commit on Thanagar was treason.

"So where are they going?" Asked Superman. His red cape was waving slowly with the wind.

"She didn't say," said John. The other's faces fell once he said that. They were hoping for a clue. "She's stubborn. She probably wants to finish this herself, even if they die trying."

Diana had her hands on her hips. "You really expect us to believe that these criminals are going to risk their lives to take down Lex Luthor? He'll probably just pay them off," she hissed. But even her voice sounded unsure.

"They call themselves the Suicide Squad. I think they're pretty serious about that," whispered John.

There was silence for a minute, besides the police sirens going off in the distance. John felt goosebumps raise on his skin. Although it was an October night, his goosebumps weren't from the cold. They were from fear. "What now?" Asked J'onn.

"We pay Waller a visit." Batman's gruff voice sounded more menacing than usual.