123 Security

"Miss Selina, will you be spending your day in the Batcave again?" Alfred asked during breakfast.

She huffed, knowing that it was Alfred's subtle way of tattling on her. "Yes, I'm still working on my goggles."

"More upgrades?" Dick asked curiously.

"Just some tweaks to my new pair."

Bruce frowned. "I made them to your specifications."

"And you did a lovely job, but they didn't fit quite right." She offered him a sly smile. "Must need the female touch."

"You're programming something new," Dick said matter-of-factly, "there's no point in hiding it."

"Don't you two have some Bat, Team or League business to deal with?"

The boys exchanged looks and then shook their heads. "No."

"Fine," she sighed, "I'm studying a drug that's supposed to give Connor his full Kryptonian powers."

"No way. That exists?"

"Where did you get it from?"

"Cadmus." She shrugged, "I've been keeping an eye on the facility. The new head scientist is relatively harmless; Guardian is doing what he can; but the company has Luthor all over it. There was another clone before Connor. Full Kryptonian, but completely unstable. They're keeping him on ice." She shrugged, "I'm still sifting through their files, but there are so many genomorph clones."

"Family project?" Dick asked eagerly.

She nodded, even as she said, "I worry about you sometimes. You need to take time to be a kid."

Bruce tucked Selina's hand around his arm and led the way down to the cave. "Is there any more you need to tell me?"

"Probably."

Leaving the boys to complete the science part of the research, Catwoman paid a visit to Mount Justice. "Wolf, napping in the middle of the cave doesn't seem normal for you." She glanced above him. "What are your friends doing snooping in Red's apartment?" Hands on her hips, she decided to leave them for Red to deal with. Curling on to the sofa, she waited for Wolf to join her and then brought up the cave's system. She whiled away her time checking her adjustments in the system and catching up on the Team's mission logs.

When M'gann, Zatanna and Connor landed behind her, she waited quietly for them to notice her.

"Catwoman," M'gann said in surprise. "We didn't know you were visiting."

"When do we ever know when she plans on stopping by." Connor jumped over the back of the sofa to take the empty spot beside her. "So, are you going to lecture us for invading Red's privacy?"

"Was Red concerned?" she asked, continuing her own snooping.

Sitting in the adjacent chair, Zatanna shrugged, "He's an android. I don't think he can be concerned."

"Then why would I lecture you?"

"Because it's wrong to invade someone's privacy?" M'gann hovered in front of them, unsure where to sit. She wouldn't admit it to just anyone, but Catwoman intimidated her.

"Well, it seems you all know what you did was wrong, so there's not much more I should say." She waved her hand to dissipate the holographic screen. "Now, the rest of the Team will return soon. Their mission was an epic fail, so we should bake some cookies; lift their spirits."

"Really?" Connor said in surprise.

M'gann floated to the kitchen first, excited. "I have the best snickerdoodle recipe."

"Do we have chocolate chips?" Zatanna followed too.

Connor thought it was the oddest image to see Catwoman dressed head to toe in black leather with a pink apron tied around her waist. He also thought that something must be up. He leaned against one of the counters – out of the way of the puttering – as he considered what she was up to.

It wasn't long before the kitchen smelled of fresh baked goods.

"Meringues!" M'gann's eyes widened in admiration at the melt-in-your-mouth-goodness.

They were joined soon after by Aqualad, Kid Flash, Artemis and Red Arrow. They were bickering.

M'gann and Zatanna carried their trays of cookies to share with the Team.

Pulling her goggled into place and ditching the apron, Catwoman slowly turned the corner, just enough so that she could get Red Arrow in her sights. She'd spent enough time with the rest of the Team to know that they weren't the mole. The only one that had escaped her surreptitious interrogations was Roy.

She'd known him almost as long as she'd known her little bird. She understood his anger when he was first denied membership to the League, but – if she knew her boys well – she would have sworn that he'd have got over it a lot quicker than he did. He wasn't acting like her little arrow.

Now that she knew what she was looking for, she donned her goggles for the opportunity to know for sure.

It only took a minute for the scan to complete. The results were not good ones. Sighing, she said out loud, "Sometimes I hate when I'm right." Approaching the Team, she called, "Override, Catwoman, code bats."

"Recognize: Catwoman, code bats," the computer chimed. The cave went on full lock down – exits, zeta tubes, communications, access to the system all locked down.

The Team had gone on alert, drawing their weapons on her as soon as the cave began locking down.

Arrow in bow, Roy looked at her incredulously. "You're the mole?"

"Hardly, little arrow." She dodged his attack, her whip lashed out to disarm him. "You are." Landing in front of him, she eyed him through her goggles and said, "Broken arrow."

The Team watched in disbelief as he went completely lax, still as a mannequin.

"No," Wally said in disbelief. "That's not possible."

"It was Roy?" Kaldur's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I didn't see it."

Wally started shaking his head. "No. This is wrong. There's no way."

"Catwoman," Batman's voice sounded over the intercom, "why did you lock out the cave?"

"Dear Bats, it's not much of a lock out if you managed to get through." She moved around Roy, disarming him of his quiver and remaining weapons.

"Since the last incident with the Reds, I installed a secondary system."

"Can I assume that since you're not present, you couldn't bypass my zeta tube lockout?" she smirked, pleased that she had one over on him.

"I figured I'd ask nicely before I tried."

"Hmm, seems like you're learning. Override, Catwoman, reactivate zeta tube. Bats 0-2 and Robin B 0-1 only."

"Recognize: Catwoman, reactivate zeta tube; limited access." One zeta tube came back online.

Catwoman looked up and added, "Override, Catwoman, let Red Tornado in."

The computer acknowledge the command.

"Catwoman, why have you locked down the cave?" Red zoomed down as soon as his access was re-opened.

"Catching a mole, Red. My override locked down everything. Figured it was easiest." Catwoman continued to study Roy.

"Red Arrow is the mole?"

"He's a Cadmus clone, like Connor. He's been programmed, so I doubt he knew he was the mole."

Batman and Robin arrived. They were caught up quickly.

Robin walked up to Catwoman and asked softly, "Can I borrow your goggles?"

"Little bird-"

"Please? I want to see. I have to see." He needed to know, to understand.

She took off her goggles and handed them to him. "There's not much to see."

Kid Flash intervened, grabbing the goggles and smashing them on the ground. "It's not true!"

"I'm afraid it is." Batman had borrowed Catwoman's tech and integrated it into his own cowl. "His DNA sequencing is too perfect."

Connor studied Roy, another clone like him. "He wouldn't have shut down if it weren't true."

M'gann stepped forward. "I can search his mind, remove the programming like I did with Connor."

"Unfortunately, I'm not sure it will be as simple." Catwoman continued to circle Roy. "Based on the Cadmus files I was able to get my hands on, they kidnapped Speedy three years ago, cloned him and then returned him to Green Arrow."

"They've had years to perfect his programming." Batman stood, running scenarios through his mind.

"But for what?" Robin demanded.

Kaldur agreed. "Other than Sportsmaster's warning, there have been no signs of a mole – no missing data; no infiltration; no botched missions."

"They created someone to infiltrate the League." Catwoman explained, "It's why I started to suspect Roy to begin with. His drive to join the League was… excessive, out of character."

"So there's a chance we can clear the programming and everything will be okay?" M'gann said eagerly.

"Do it." Batman stepped back to make room. "Worst case, we don't clear it all, but we know what to look for now."

When Roy woke up it was to find everyone standing around him. Spinning around frantically, he demanded, "What happened? What did you do to me?"

Batman said softly, "Sit down, Roy. There's a lot to explain."

Kid Flash placed a chair behind him, while Connor and Kaldur gently pushed him down.

"Here, have a cookie." Selina held the tray of meringues to him. "I made your favorite." When he hesitated, she nudged him, "Take them before Wally tries to get at them. Come on, little arrow, you know you can trust me. I've always taken care of you."

"You did something to me." He said in confusion. He felt like a veil had been lifted, but everything was still foggy.

"Do you want to hear it from Batman or from me?" she asked softly.

"You," he said quickly. "You've always been straight with me. Everyone else speaks half-truths or platitudes."

"Then listen closely, little arrow; and if you freak out on me, remember, I've locked the cave down. There's nowhere for you to run." Selina pulled off her cowl before she started.

The Team stood around him, offering their support as Catwoman explained everything to him.

His shoulders slumped in disbelief as he processed the new information. "So I'm a clone."

"So am I," Connor reminded.

"But I was programmed to betray you."

"So was I, but M'gann removed the programming. She did it for me, just like she did it for you."

"Roy," Robin said softly, "you haven't betrayed us. You heard what Selina said. The programming was removed before any harm was done."

"How do you know? How do you know 'broken arrow' was the only thing they programmed into me?" he demanded, frantic.

"It's probably not that reassuring to hear, but M'gann went through your brain with a fine-toothed comb. There's nothing left of the Cadmus programming." Connor stepped forward and leant over the man. "I know you don't really know me, but believe me when I say that there's no chance of any programming remaining."

"You're right. I don't know you." He stood and backed away from them. "I shouldn't be here."

"What did I say about freaking out?" Selina said dryly.

"Selina, let me out. I don't belong here."

Her arms crossed as she stared him down. "Roy-"

The boys in the cave all winced at the tone. They'd all been on the receiving end of it and nothing pretty ever came from it.

"Sit down."

When he obediently sat back down in his chair, Selina said, "Now, you will stay there and process the information like a good little boy. Eat your meringues."

Wally whispered to him, "Hey, if you don't want them, I'll take them."

Watching her rival obey without question, Artemis leaned over and whispered to M'gann, "Are you sure you removed all his programming?"

Zatanna shook her head, "Definitely not programming. Just sheer force of will."

Selina rolled her eyes. "Shows over, darlings. Go wash up and prepare for bed. Batman, be a dear and notify everyone's parents, please."

"You're holding us prisoner here?" Artemis screeched.

"Sleepover, little archer. After the day we've all had, I doubt any of you will be doing any actual sleeping." She clapped her hands, getting everyone moving. "Wally, I better not find out you ate all the cookies."

Batman stopped beside Catwoman. "Impressive."

"Pfft. This is nothing."

Red Tornado joined them. "It was indeed impressive. You are a worthy den mother."

"It just takes a firm hand."

Roy pulled off his mask, dropping it on the ground. "It's not just that. It's because we know you care."

"We all care," Batman commented.

"Yeah, well, none of you really show it." He looked at Selina, "You might not come around very often, but you always seem to be there when we need you. There's a reason why half the Team think of you as their mother."

Selina was slightly flustered, but she didn't show it. "Well, you're a ragtag bunch of strays; and I seem to have a soft spot for strays."

"So Roy's a clone," Wally stated. He was sprawled across one of the beds.

Kaldur, Connor and Dick stretched out in each of their own cots. They decided to bunk in one of the guest areas instead of their own rooms.

"So?" Connor voiced, "I'm a clone."

"Just processing, SB." Dick explained, "Nothing against clones."

"We knew from the start that you were a clone. Finding out Roy is a clone is another matter." Kaldur stared at the ceiling.

"We've all done the math," Dick added, "Roy's the only Roy we've ever known."

"There goes some of the guilt of not knowing," Wally sighed, turning over on his side. "What happened to the real Roy then?"

Sitting up, Dick tapped into his computer and tried to access the data. "Damn. Selina's still got the Mount Justice computers locked down."

"She's being cautious," Kaldur remarked.

"You think she's worried Roy might still steal info?" Wally sat up at the thought.

Connor grunted, "She doesn't want him to run off. He's freaked out and questioning his existence. It's easier to help him work through it if we're not trying to find him."

Dick looked over at him. "Did you go through the same thing?"

"No. I guess you're right. Knowing I'm a clone doesn't really bother me. It's the only reality I've ever known. Even being programmed didn't scare me that much."

"Because you know M'gann and you trust her abilities." Kaldur added grimly, "Roy does not have that trust."

"I think right now the only person Roy trusts is CW." Realizing that fact made Dick relax and lie back down.

It seemed to have the same effect on everyone.

Wally collapsed back in the cot and closed his eyes. "Selina will make it right."

Connor had closed his eyes and was drifting off, "Mom always does."

The other three boys sat up straight again. "Mom?"

His eyes popped open again and his face flushed, realizing the slip. "Well, yeah. I kinda think of her as my mom," he admitted. "She's taught me a lot of stuff; and she cares for me."

"Does she know?" Dick asked curiously.

"No. I don't know. I don't think so. But I've never actually called her 'Mom' to her face. She'd probably hit me and remind me that she's too young to be my mom."

"Not true. You're not even one year old yet," Wally pointed out. He received a few pillows in the face.

"I have to admit, I think of her as my mom too." Dick hugged his remaining pillow, waiting for the teasing.

"We know," the others boys chimed.

"And Batman's your dad," Connor added, settling back in to sleep.

Wally had a thought. "Hey, Connor, does that mean Batman's your dad too?"

His answer was three more pillows in the face.

"This is nice." M'gann settled into her bed. "I've never been to a sleepover before."

Artemis beat her pillow, trying to fluff it up. "Yeah, it's great," she said dryly. "It's just peachy. We're trapped in the cave with the guy that's been accusing me of being a mole."

Zatanna muttered a spell, pleased when her bed became ultra-comfortable. "Well, it's not like it was Roy's fault. And no offense, Artemis, but we all know you're keeping secrets. It's not really a surprise that he found you suspicious."

The archer gapped at her friend. "I-I-I don't know what you're talking about."

"You can stop hiding it," M'gann told her. "We're not going to pry."

"Just know that we're here for you when you're ready to share." Zatanna snuggled into her bed. "We're your friends."

The blond lowered her head in shame, but she was still reluctant to reveal her familial connections. Without a word, she pulled her covers over her head and tried to sleep.

M'gann and Zatanna exchanged looks before they too tried to sleep.

After a while of sleeplessness, it was Zatanna that broke the silence. "Does anyone else think Selina is badass?"

M'gann sighed, "She's extremely intimidating. Especially since Connor considers her his mother. I want her to like me."

"You can't just read her mind and find out?" Artemis asked.

Zatanna warned, "You really shouldn't do that."

"I know, human privacy…"

"But you tried, didn't you?" Artemis knew her telepathic friend well.

"I did," M'gann admitted.

"And?"

"Nothing. She's constantly reciting the code to the Cartier's vault in Gotham. Sometimes she has the recipe for béchamel sauce repeating over and over." M'gann sighed, "The couple times I tried to see deeper, she knew. I'm not going to try it again."

"Definitely a good idea not to." Zatanna turned over to see them. "I've known Catwoman as long as Zatara has been in the League. She's done some pretty impressive stuff."

"For someone with no powers," Artemis qualified. She was used to hearing the same about Green Arrow – impressive for a human.

"Just straight up impressive. She's like the female version of Batman. Better, because she doesn't come off like a robot." She sighed, hugging her pillow. "I love her. I never knew my mother growing up, but she was always around when I needed advice… you know, stuff that you want to ask your mom about."

Artemis had to agree. "My mom's around, but… I don't know… there's some things I just can't talk to her about."

"Catwoman does seem to take an interest in our well-being," M'gann observed, "more than any of the other League members do. Except maybe Black Canary."

"Wonder Woman always goes on about female power and solidarity, but you don't see her stopping by to see us or train us." Artemis rolled her eyes, "She probably thinks we're beneath her."

"Too 'busy' with League business," Zatanna added sarcastically.

"But Catwoman isn't in the League," M'gann pointed out. "Do you think they don't accept her?"

"I think she doesn't accept them," Artemis laughed. "Something Robin always says – feline independence. She's too cool for the League."

"Are you going to sleep?" Selina asked Bruce.

"I'm trying to access the cave systems."

"Bats, you can do that in the morning. You're just finding an excuse to keep yourself busy."

"We need to be here for Roy."

"I've already sent him off to bed. Red's going to watch out for him."

Knowing he didn't have any other excuse, he simply said, "I'm not sleeping in the cave."

"Why not? We have our own room and everything."

"It's undignified."

"What? You think the little darlings don't know you sleep?" She smiled at him slyly, "Or do you think they don't know we sleep together?"

He simply stared at her stonily.

"Come on. They're all asleep. Just take a few hours for a bat-nap. You'll be awake before any of them. I'll even promise to keep my hands to myself."

He stepped up to her and said softly, "You know I don't like to sleep with the cowl on."

Grinning, she handed him the eye mask that she had prepared.

Relenting, he let her guide him to their room.

Dick's eyes popped open, the smell of breakfast waking him. It was early still, so he moved quietly so he didn't wake his roommates. Washing up, he went quickly to the kitchen to find piles of food on the counter. "Did you sleep at all?"

Selina, having changed into an oversized gray dolman sweater and black leggings, was dancing around the kitchen making scrambled eggs, pancakes, French toast and waffles. She already had freshly squeezed orange juice and brewed coffee on the table. "Good morning, little bird. Are any of the other little darlings up?"

"Nope." He poured himself a tall glass of juice. "Do I smell bacon?"

"In the oven."

"So really, did you sleep at all?" He helped himself to the spread she was making.

"Caught a cat-nap." She tilted her head towards the training room. "Batman's been up longer than I have. He's going through his morning routine."

"I know he didn't sleep."

"Of course he did." She set the bacon – fresh out of the oven – in front of him. "Don't eat it all."

Dick swallowed before asking, "When are you going to remove the lock down anyway?"

Roy wandered in next, heading straight for the coffee.

In answer to Dick's question, Selina eyed the red head, "When I'm sure this one won't run off half-cocked." She shoved a plate of food at Roy. "What's going on in that brain of yours today?"

"Not much," he admitted, taking a seat beside Robin. "I understand that it's not my fault – being the mole, being a clone – but I can't help feeling guilty."

"No one expects you to just get over it. It's going to take time." Selina sat down in front of him. "I just want to make sure that you know – really know – that you didn't do anything wrong. You had no control over what happened or what they had planned for you." She said clearly, "No one blames you."

"Artemis might." He smirked, "I haven't exactly been nice to her."

Selina shrugged, pushing back to her feet. "With good reason. She's been acting suspiciously." Patting his shoulder, she smirked, "I would be suspicious of her too if I didn't know what she was trying to hide."

"I knew it," he said, vindicated. "I knew she was hiding something." Now that he didn't feel guilty for giving Artemis a hard time, he dug into his breakfast with zeal.

Robin arched his eyebrow. "That's it? You know you weren't wrong and everything's better?"

Roy gulped his food. "At least about that." He paused and stared at his plate grimly. "What happened to the real Roy though?"

"Little arrow, you are the real Roy. So what if you're a clone; you're still a real boy." She sat back down at the table with her own breakfast. "As for the original Roy Harper, I couldn't find anything in the Cadmus files about what they term source material. There's another Roy clone though – goes by Jim. They aged him so that he's older than you and programmed him to think he's your uncle."

"How many of us are there?" Roy said in disbelief.

"Only two, well three of you exist." She withdrew a USB drive and slid it across the table to him. "There's everything I was able to find about you, Jim and the original Roy." Her green eyes gleamed as she studied him. "Have you finished your temper tantrum now?"

He smirked at her, gripping the USB drive tightly. "For now, but I reserve the right to freak out again without any warning."

"Just know that if you go off half-cocked, I'll be forced to whomp you."

A silent agreement was made between Selina and Roy. Dick gave Roy a good-natured pat on his shoulder. Everything was right in the world again.

"If everything is settled," Batman's deep voice sounded behind them, "Selina, would you remove the lock down on the cave?"

Her eyebrow lifted. "I would have thought that you'd like to discuss Roy's next mission with him first."

He looked at her quietly for a moment. "You're right. Red Arrow, when you've finished your breakfast, please join me in training room two."

"B, you're not going to eat?" Dick waved a waffle in the air. "Handmade by Catwoman."

"Actually," Selina smirked, "handmade by Batman." At the boys' baffled looks, she gestured at the spread in front of them. "You don't think I could have possibly made all this on my own." Admittedly, all Bruce did was pour the batter into the waffle iron and flipped as required, it was still something.

Dick stared at the waffle in his hand. "Now I'm not sure if I should eat this or frame it for Al."

Batman grunted before silently disappearing.

"Don't play with your food, little bird."

"Recognize: Catwoman, code bats cancelled."

The Team looked up when the cave systems reactivated.

"Finally." Artemis made a beeline for the zeta tubes. "See you guys for the next mission."

"Recognize: Artemis, B-0-7."

Connor glanced over at Red Arrow, who had just returned from speaking with Batman. "You good?"

"Good enough." He'd re-donned his mask and armed himself to head out.

"If you ever need to talk…"

"Thanks." His eyes drifted over to Selina before turning back to Superboy. "I might take you up on it."

"Well, you know where to find me." Connor shook his hand.

Selina hummed, "It's so good to see my boys playing nice for once."

"We always play nice," Wally argued.

"Pfft, my memory is not that short, Kid." She joined Red Arrow, kissing him on the cheek. "Be good."

"By your standards," he grinned and then left the cave.

"Recognize: Red Arrow, B-0-6."

"I take my leave of you little darlings," Selina smiled at the Team. "Another time."

They watched as she zeta'd away; the computer remaining silent.

"How did she do that?" Wally said in shock. He knew it was League protocol for the computer to announce everyone's arrival and departure. It was a safety feature and an override wasn't supposed to be possible."

Batman nodded to Red Tornado before leaving himself.

"Recognize: Batman 0-2."

"Later, guys," Dick waved.

"Recognize: Robin, B-0-1."

Zatanna and M'gann each grabbed one of Wally's arms, dragging him toward the kitchen where he had demolished the breakfast that Selina and Batman had prepared. "Clean up time."

Back at the manor, Bruce sat down in the parlor with Selina and Dick. He waited patiently for her to explain. He smiled internally seeing that she was waiting patiently for him to ask his questions.

Seeing that their battle of wills would never end, Dick spoke up, "Selina, how did you know? When did you start to suspect? Is that why you coded your override into the cave?"

Grinning, Selina silently acknowledged to Bruce that they're little standoff would have to wait for another time. "As Bruce already figured out, the DNA analysis proved that Roy was a clone. I had to wait for my new goggles to confirm it."

"But you had the Cadmus files? How did you even get the Cadmus files?"

"From Cadmus, silly."

"This is what you probably should have told me about, isn't it?" Bruce asked.

Deciding to be more forthcoming with her activities, she explained, "I'm not some evil genius. I made some changes to the cave system because it suited my purposes. If my little darlings are going off on missions, I'd like to know about it."

"And the override?" Dick asked.

"She did it to prove she could outsmart me." Bruce leaned back comfortably in his chair. "I found the code that bypassed all the zeta tube safeguards, but I missed the override."

He looked shocked at his mentor and father figure. "You missed it? You missed it?"

"He's not a robot, Dick. He is capable of missing things."

"But-but he's Batman."

"Dick, I'm not infallible."

"Not to me." Selina leaned over and pressed a kiss to Bruce's cheek. "But I'm me."

He rolled his eyes, pressing a kiss to the back of her hand. "Continue."

"I was looking into Cadmus for Connor's sake. When I finally found the files related to him, it referenced the previous project – Project Match – that they were attempting to improve upon. Took me awhile to dig up the details of Project Match and I happened upon the information about Speedy and his clones." She decided to keep Connor's secret regarding his escapades into Cadmus at Luthor's bidding. She didn't start looking for information on Match until Connor told her about him. That was when she decided to look more thoroughly through Cadmus's files – other than the multitude of genomorphs, they hadn't made many other clones – only the Superman clones and the Roy clones. "I couldn't confirm what I'd found until my goggles were ready."

"Were you able to find anything about the original Roy Harper?" Bruce asked softly.

"Unfortunately no." She tapped her finger against her leg, "I have been considering making a trip to Cadmus and seeing if I could convince the genomorphs to help me with that."

"No."

"Connor might have more luck, since Dubbilex considers him family."

"No."

"Bruce, Cadmus is run by Lex Luthor, you can't very well walk in and get answers."

"If we're seen looking into Cadmus clones – looking for Roy – we risk blowing Red Arrow's cover."

She sighed deeply, "Fine. I'll use my other methods."

He's eyes narrowed briefly, but he decided to let it go. He knew she would be careful. She wasn't one to risk her 'little darlings'. "Is there anything else I should know?"

"Not about Roy." She shrugged, "Other than his attraction to Cheshire." She held a finger to her lips, "Shh, don't tell Artemis."

Dick's eyes widened, "Really?"

"I'm not surprised. Not many men can resist a bad girl." She offered Bruce a sly smile.

He grunted.

"There's probably more I should tell you," she tilted her head in thought, "but I can't be bothered." Standing, she kissed him briefly on the lips before heading out. "Time for some shopping. Ta-ta."

Dick watched her go. "That's it?"

Bruce stood. "There's really no point in trying to stop her. She has her secrets. I have mine."

"You know, as role models, you both suck."

He smirked, "You turned out okay, didn't you?"