The Cave was quiet for once. Everyone else was out doing their own thing while I mentally prepared myself. I tried to take in these last few seconds of peace before-
"What's today's mission?" Wally appeared behind me.
I tried to suppress a groan as I said, "We wait for the whole team, Wally. You know that."
"I'm pretty sure that he'll never understand that," Artemis said as she walked up, all decked out in green.
"We can always hope," I laughed.
Robin dropped the rafters, like always, as M'gann and Conner strolled in, hand-in-hand. Zatanna poofed in as a plume of smoke by her magic.
I had to push back a laugh as I saw Roy come in behind Abby and Kaldur. Roy looked like a sad puppy. I knew he felt like the third wheel with my friend and her boyfriend, but it was impossible for me to come along on the fun. I was now in charge of mission prep and I couldn't skip out on it.
"Okay," I said loudly to get everybody's attention, "this mission is a bit different. There has been a direct threat against the team. The society, known only as the Light, with very few members known at this time, has given us a slight clue to their next big plans. It involves a direct attack on the Cave. Luckily, the League was able to intercept the bombs supposed to be used on the Cave."
"I thought this Cave was supposed to be secret?" Wally asked.
"So is the Watchtower," I pointed out. "Nothing stays secret for long." I pulled up pictures of known Light members. "These members are supposed to meet in Ivy Town tonight to try and rework plans against the Team. Too close to Happy Harbor, if you ask me. You guys are to subdue the members," I looked around my team and added slowly, "or at least keep them busy until League members arrive to help."
"Why do we need the League?" Roy asked. Of course he would be the one to ask.
Keeping my cool, I replied, "We feel that everyone will be more successful if we all work together."
"We?"
I rolled my eyes. "Roy, is this really the time?"
"No, it is not," Kaldur answered. "We will make a strategy in the bioship. Let's go."
"Stay online, Spice," Dick told me.
"Dickie, I know. You tell me that one more time, you're going to wake up to something horrible."
"Yeah, right," he scoffed.
I raised an eyebrow, "Don't test me, Dickie."
Dick just shrugged and walked away.
Roy came up to me with concerned eyes. "Is there something you need to tell me?"
"No," I lied.
"Erin—"
"We'll talk later, Red." I nudged him. "Go."
I watched him walk away slowly, thinking I could do it another time. I could go ahead and tell him the real reason I gave him the pocket watch: that I was scared he was going to leave me for Jade. Something drew them together, but I couldn't tell what. I knew whether I told Roy or not, he was going in the danger zone distracted. I didn't like it, but there was no way I could fix it.
"And, I'm useless once again," Abby moans.
"Stop complaining or I'll lock you in a room and play Justin Bieber on a loop for twenty-four hours," I threatened. Abby just stuck her tongue out at me. She knew that I would never actually submit her to that torture. Shrugging, I walk over to the computer to access the files and keep an eye on the team. "Look, Abby, just remember that–" whoa, that's strange.
"That what?" Abby asked. When I didn't answer her, she came up behind me. "What's wrong?"
"I can't access anything besides the communicator." All I could do was keep the connection up and that was taking a lot of hard work. "Robin, can you hear me?"
"Loud and clear, Spice," Dick answered. "As always."
I rolled my eyes. This was no time for his usual sass.
"Robin, the main computer's been hacked. I can't access anything. It's not respond to me."
There was a long pause.
Suddenly, I hear Dick yell, "This was a diversion!" to the others. To me he says, "Unplug the main frame. Quickly."
"On it!" I fell to my knees and crawled under the keyboard. I started towards the cords when I hit my head on something attached to the bottom of the keyboard. I looked up.
At first, all I could see was a timer. Then I saw the red and green wires. It was a bomb.
13. 12. 11. 10.
"Abby, run!" I scrambled out from under the computer and ran, trying to get as far away from the bomb as I possibly could. But I was too late.