Ch. 11 Grey Area

Remorse

The Justice League held a service for Lexicon in the Hall of Heroes of the Watchtower. Despite the danger that the heroes faced on a daily, heroes killed in action were not a completely common occurrence, and when one did fall, the League made sure they did what they could to honor the hero's memory. Lexicon was no different. They erected a memorial hologram of her in the Hall, as was customary, alongside a hologram of the first Question and a young blonde archer dressed in green.

Many heroes attended the service, including Wonder Woman, Superman, Batman, Martian Manhunter, Specter Levitas, and many more that neither Monokrome nor Sachel tried to recognize. Lexicon was always friendly to those around her, and her loss was felt by many.

Sachel barely made it through the eulogy. When it was done, she left and flew off to be alone. Monokrome moved to go after her, but Batman pulled him aside.

"We canvased the area," he said. "The damage done to the building as well as Lexicon's wounds seem to be consistent with the two villains you and Sachel described to us."

Monokrome nodded, he expected as much.

"We also found this," Batman produced the black case that Vendettuh had left behind. Monokrome took it and set it on a nearby table. He snapped open the clasps and opened the case to reveal nothing but a small white note:

"Another dead for your mistake. How many more must die before you pay for your betrayal?"

Monokrome read and reread the note, his anger beginning to rise. "What does it mean?" Batman asked.

"I have no idea," Monokrome lied, and got up from the table, "There's somewhere I need to go."

And without another word, the ex-detective headed for the nearest Gotham teleporter.

Sachel sat in the rafters above the Central Hub. She was holding a small holographic projector that was currently displaying the picture Lexicon had insisting taking of the two of them together when Sachel had first moved in with her.

"Because we need to remember this stuff, Miss Sachel," Lexicon said to her flustered new roommate, "If we're going to be living together, we might as well start being friends now. Now smile."

A tear rolled down Sachel's cheek. I'm so sorry, Lexicon.

Richard Grare walked down a dark alley wearing civilian clothes. This particular alley was relatively unimportant to most people, but in this moment it might as well have been Richards Park Row. He stopped in front of a dumpster and pushed it away. On the wall behind it, a small bloodstain had been left untouched for years.

"It's hard to remember that night isn't it?"

Richard turned to see Victor Hashan standing in the entrance to the alleyway. He had discarded his costume for a leather jacket and jeans. He was a lean man with unkempt sandy brown hair and dark brown eyes. Light scruff had begun to accumulate under his chin.

"What's to remember?" Richard said, "I had a friend murdered by someone I thought I could trust."

Victor's snarled, "David's death was an accident."

"I'm sure his wife will take great solace in that." Richard growled.

Victor looked down at the ground.

"Five years," he hissed. "I spent five years risking my life as your informant on Falcone. I gave you and David more than you could possibly dream for. I hold one thing back, and all that gets blown in the wind."

"One thing?" Richard couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Being Faclone's most trusted hitman is just one thing !? We protected you because you told us that you were nothing more than Faclone's errand boy, and yet, you went around murdering people behind our backs!"

Victor smirked, "You really think the lives of drug dealers and gang bangers were worth destroying our friendship over?"

Hashan sighed, "You know, I actually let you catch me that night because I felt you would understand. I figured our partnership would be enough for you to let it go. Can you imagine how betrayed I felt when I turned around to find your gun in my face?"

"Not as betrayed as I felt when you turned around and shot David."

Victor flinched, "I…"

"And nowhere near how betrayed I felt when you killed Lexicon."

After a moment, Victor smiled, "If it's any consolation to you and your little angel friend, she didn't go down easy. Beelzebub could hardly stand by the time we left."

Richard's anger rose, but he fought to keep it in check, "I never saw you as the type to let someone like that demon pull your strings the way he has."

Victor couldn't help but laugh, "Oh somebody's pulling the strings, all right, but it's not Beelzebub."

Richard was confused, "What do you mean."

"Beelzebub's being played just as much as I am, the only difference is I realized it from the moment he came to me with his little vendetta."

"Why would you let yourself be someone else's puppet?" Richard inquired.

"Morbid curiosity," Victor admitted. "Whoever the true puppet master is, he or she is going through a lot of trouble to get to your girlfriend. I'd be lying if I said that I didn't want to see how it all turned out."

"What?" Richard said in disbelief. "You…you killed Lexicon…out of curiosity!?"

"No," Hashan snapped, "I helped Beelzebub kill that bitch to get back at the man who betrayed me. I killed her to get to you."

Richard lunged at the man before him, but when his had reached the Hashan's collar, it went right through. Hashan laughed as his hologram started to phase out.

"Nice try, old man, but I trusted you not to bring me in once in this alley. It's not going to happen again."

With that, the assassin was gone. Richard roared in frustration as the hologram faded from existence. After a moment, Richard managed to collect himself enough to head back to the Watchtower.

Monokrome exited the Gotham teleporter. He looked around for Sachel, but could not find her anywhere.

"Monokrome, is it?"

Monokrome turned to see the hero Sachel referred to as Specter Levitas approaching him. "Levitas," Monokrome said, "Is there something I could help you with."

"There are many things we need to discuss. Do you know somewhere we can talk?"

Monokrome hesitated for a minute before nodding. After a few minutes they found an empty conference room. Monokrome shut the door behind them and locked it shut.

"Ok, what's so urgent?" he said, turning to Levitas.

Levitas said nothing. Instead, the light that covered his face began to spread. Soon, it enveloped his whole body, and when it faded, the superhero was replaced by a tall and imposing man with slicked back gold hair held by a headband, a white and gold robe, and glowing eyes that shone above a golden beard.

"My name is Archangel Gabriel," the man said, "and I came here to talk to you about Sachel. I believe you've earned the right to know exactly who she is."