Author's notes: Bwuh, writing slumps and the delays they cause. Buckle up, kids, it's time for post-expedition. A Grand and Important Talking Chapter.
Warnings: language, sadness. bwuhhhh
18. FALLOUT
Letter discovered in the office of Commander Dinah after events of the 57th Expedition:
Commander,
By now you're probably putting together the report of my betrayal to humanity, and the orders to kill me on sight. I wish I didn't have to put you through all of this. I also wish I could tell you that this isn't what it looks like, but as always, it pretty much is.
I can't tell you what I'm doing, or why. I'm sorry.
I swear this is for the best.
- Wallace R. West
Commander Dinah didn't say a word when Dick, Tim, Nguyen, and Needham returned empty-handed. She listened with a closed expression as they told her what had happened, how Wally had still managed to escape with Jason. Only one medic tended to them as they reported to the Commander, and she frequently stopped in horror before forcing herself to keep tending to her task. Unfortunately, they hadn't brought many supplies for treating burns, much less full-body ones on three people.
She was familiar, Dick realized. Linda Park, the vice squad leader of Squad West. Just like him, she had never suspected Wally of being a traitor. Titans and raving politicians had never been able to bring the Survey Corps down, but one freckled idiot?
Commander Dinah still didn't speak, leaving the four of them with VSq. Park as she walked away. Moments later the order to return to Harbor District moved through the ranks. Park immediately took the three injured persons under her care to one of the carts, while Nguyen quickly swung up onto her horse's saddle and went to look for Captain Harper.
The other carts were full, so Dick, Tim, and Needham had to share space with broken Maneuver Gear that had been salvaged off of bodies. Tim pressed into the corner near the front of the cart's bed, pulling his glasses off and closing his eyes. He didn't look like he was fourteen. He didn't look anywhere near that.
Dick sat down next to him. Needham flopped down on the other side of the bed, staring up at the sky with blank eyes. He had been shaking when they left the forest, and he was shaking now. Dick decided not to look at him anymore.
The approaching walls were a sight more forbidding than relieving. Dick kept thinking of Wally, Jason, and how utterly furious Bruce was going to be. A few words from Wally, and Dick had dumb enough to trust him. It was the biggest rookie mistake in the book. The entire might of the military factions hadn't been enough to keep him away from his brother, but one man? Wally West? Fucking Lois, was he an idiot.
"You're burned pretty bad," Tim murmured, partially opening his eyes to look his sibling over. "You should lie down, rest until we can get you some proper treatment."
Normally Dick would have ignored him, saying that he was stronger than he looked, but… not today. The Blackjacket nodded wordlessly and curled on his side in the cart's bed, accepting Tim's singed cloak as a pillow. He really did feel exhausted, yet he knew sleep wasn't a possibility. His mind buzzed frantically, trying to figure out something, anything, to get back out there and find his brother.
The gate into the populated walls opened once again, and the silent ranks of the Survey Corps rode back into Harbor District. The crowds had already gathered, most likely summoned by the bell towers stationed throughout their district. The murmurings had already begun.
"Aren't there fewer than there were this morning?" a woman wondered.
"Far fewer," her companion agreed. "Another disaster."
"They left just this morning, and they're already back? What was the point?"
"Who knows? Judging by the gloomy expressions, they've managed to waste more of our taxes, if nothing else."
Dick's fingers had curled into fists, and they were shaking. Tim noticed. "Just bear with it, Dick," he murmured, eyes closed as the angry whispers of the crowds battered away at them.
Dick was prepared to ignore him, about to push himself upright and shout at those who had dared to slur the Survey Corps. Of all the military factions, they were the only ones that were actually trying to do something for humanity, and these people had the audacity to mock…
His anger drained away. Tim's shoulders were hunched, and he stared down at the bottom of the cart, tears running off his chin.
"J-just. Just bear with it."
Dick reached over, grabbing Tim's hand with his own. His little brother's grip tightened around it desperately, and he used his other hand to muffle his sobs.
Dinah had seen this plenty enough in the days of the former Commander Adams, but it was the first time she had experienced it herself. The townspeople had surrounded her and her horse, isolating them from the rest of her troops as they screamed questions and demands.
"Commander Dinah! Answer us!"
"Did this expedition learn enough to justify the number of the dead?"
"Do you think the dead have no regrets?"
Stupid, stupid questions. Dinah had heard them hundreds of times before, if never like this. Justify? No. Without regrets? No. Soldiers were humans, after all, and they always left unfinished business behind. There was no such thing as dying without regrets.
She kept her eyes staring straight ahead and marched forward without a word, leading her broken soldiers behind. She may well be damned for all she had done and failed to do this day, but she would stay strong for the sake of her troops. To the bitterest end, if need be.
It had taken Tye ages to convince the doctors to even consider a transfer out of Atlantis District, but as the healers continued to stall, the teenager escaped the military hospital and hitched a ride with a merchant instead. He knew there would be consequences, there were always consequences when he ran, but… he had to see them off, even if they didn't know he was there. He had to see them come home safe.
Most of all, he had to look that Atlantean in the eye and ask him why in hell he had let Jaime Reyes die.
So he hobbled out onto the streets with the rest of the throng, balancing on crutches as he watched the Survey Corps leave through Harbor District's gate. After the crowd had dispersed, he found a park and waited there, tying knots in the grass as he tried to ignore the pain in his leg.
While the wound itself had already healed, Bart's actions in Atlantis had left permanent damage. Using 3DMG in the way he had certainly ended up saving Tye's life, but taking a grapple hook through the leg had effectively ruined the limb. The doctors were still wondering if an amputation would be necessary. Either way, it always hurt.
One hour passed, then two. It was hot out here, even under the shade of a tree, and it wasn't long before Tye fell asleep. Sometime later the bells began sounding out, signaling that the Survey Corps would be returning through the gate within the next half hour. Tye blinked up at the sky blearily, his movement sluggish from dozing off in the sun.
His mother had stayed with him, to his surprise. She hadn't spoken a word to him when she and Tye met here in Harbor District, and he preferred it that way. A woman who screwed up as much as she did didn't deserve to be talked to. She pulled Tye up to his feet and let him limp ahead stubbornly. She might have sighed.
The gate opened to reveal a disaster. Carts heaping with wrapped bodies, dead-eyed soldiers and those barely withstanding their injuries. Commander Dinah led the tattered procession, her head held high as the barrage of fury began. Tye didn't try to talk to her—he was looking for someone else.
"La'gaan!"
The soldier would have walked right by him if Tye hadn't shouted his name. La'gaan flinched before turning to look at him, not even possessing the energy to be shocked by Tye's presence. The other teen wasn't sure if he was still angry anymore. He looked over the slowly passing ranks, catching faces he knew and faces he didn't.
He couldn't be distracted. The teen straightened, looking the Atlantean in the eye. "You were supposed to stay at his side."
La'gaan's shoulders sagged, his head hanging low. "I'm sorry."
"Have you talked to his family yet?" Tye asked. La'gaan's silence was answer enough. "It's been over a month! He was your best friend! They need to hear it from you."
"He was your best friend too, chum," La'gaan replied. "You left him behind first."
Tye's mouth dropped open, his throat working but no sound coming out. He closed it again. The teen now became aware of the small number of people who had stopped around La'gaan, their matching uniforms marking them as comrades. One stepped close beside the Atlantean and glanced over.
"La'gaan. We must continue."
"Attend to your affairs later," a violet-eyed man added softly.
La'gaan nodded and walked away with his squad, not saying another word. Tye stared after them in shock, not even registering his mother's words. Not even noticing her hand on his shoulder.
The one walking at La'gaan's side looked exactly like Jaime.
The atmosphere of the barracks was silent and heavy as Squad Duncan—Squad Serifan—returned. This place had become much too big for them now, every empty space felt like a painful reminder of what they had lost. Bart sat down on his bed, keeping quiet and small. Tim stood nearby, shifting aimlessly. La'gaan dropped onto his own bed with a loud thump as Khaji Da stayed unmoving by the ladder. Zee and Serifan stood between the bunks, their expressions grieved.
"Well," Serifan said quietly. "Y'all made it through your expedition."
La'gaan laughed harshly. Fuck this shit, he thought to himself.
"I never want to do that again," Bart whispered. He was so, so still, his eyes stretched wide in terror as he stared at the floor. "I, I never want to go out there again. I don't care if it's treason."
Serifan moved forward quickly. La'gaan immediately sat up with a protest on his lips, prepared to defend his comrade, but instead he watched in surprise as their new squad leader wrapped the scrawny boy up in a hug. Bart went stiff before he found his arms tightening across the man's shoulders in response.
"That's alright," Serifan said gently, and the boy started to shake. "That's alright, son. It's the same for me."
"How—how can you keep going out there?" Bart's shoulders hunched, his head ducking into the older man's chest, and Serifan rubbed his back soothingly. The rest of the squad hung awkwardly on the fringes, unsure of what they were supposed to do. "You've lost all your friends now. You're the only one left. How can you keep doing it?"
La'gaan stopped breathing. Khaji Da, Tim, and Zee all looked between Bart and Serifan nervously, remembering the cold man they had met on their first day in the Survey Corps. La'gaan was thinking of what he had seen more recently, Serifan's terrifying ferocity against the Titans. Either way, they all knew to never speak of the man's losses. It sent him to a bad place.
Serifan pulled back. He stared down at the floor with Bart, deep lines of grief etched into his face. Then he shook himself, placing a hand on Bart's shoulder and looking him in the eye.
"I've got you, don't I?"
"Serifan," Zee whispered. Her eyes welled up.
"I may keep on losing friends," the soldier said quietly. "But out there, I'm never going to be alone. I may be the only one left of my old gang now, but… I've got you. And whenever I'm gone, you'll have them. That's the thing. It's doesn't matter how many may fall—"
"For new heroes will always rise to carry on," Bart finished. He smiled. "You've been listening to Wally."
"He's a good man."
"For a traitor," Tim muttered. La'gaan looked over at the bandaged teen as he turned away. It wasn't as bad as his brother, but Tim had been burned sometime during the expedition. He hadn't told them how it had happened, yet.
Bart turned an eerily blank stare on Tim, and La'gaan leaned back a little. This wasn't a good thing to be seeing. "Think very carefully about what you're saying, Tim," the younger teenager spat, his voice a lot more venomous than his dead stare had led La'gaan to expect. "That's my cousin you're talking about."
"Your cousin's a traitor," Tim said bluntly.
The rest of the squad froze in shock. La'gaan might have hissed Neptune's Beard, but even he wasn't sure. Tim turned back around to face them, a horrible fire blazing in his eyes. The Atlantean had no doubt that this kid could burn down the walls with the sheer force of his rage.
"We don't know his motives yet, but he infiltrated the Survey Corps in order to bring down humanity," Tim explained curtly. "It's possible that he ensured the Albino's escape. But it is definite that during the 57th, he and Artemis separated from the Corps in order to kidnap Jason and escape." He gestured to his bandages. "That's how this happened. He blasted in an entire tunnel to get away from us."
Bart sagged in shock, dropping his face into his hands. "Everything keeps getting worse," he moaned.
"No shit," Tim muttered. La'gaan's eyebrows lifted in surprise. This had to be the first time he'd actually heard the kid swear.
Serifan looked between the two boys for a moment. He took a breath and straightened up, turning to look over at La'gaan. "You told me that you have some papers for me to look over?" he queried.
"Oh." La'gaan startled briefly before digging a sheaf of crumpled papers out of his coat pocket. "They're, um, orders from Commander Dinah. Authorization, I mean."
"To visit the family of Jaime Reyes," Serifan finished, reading over the orders. He glanced up. "Khaji Da, you're not going with him?"
Khaji Da shook his head. "I thought it best that I not—"
"You're going with him," Serifan decided. Khaji Da closed his mouth with an audible snap. The squad leader turned back to La'gaan, and the Atlantean realized that he had seen his unspoken need for moral support. He nodded gratefully.
"I'll get this squared away, then," Serifan told them. "You two will be leaving tomorrow morning. Catch a ride with the New Genesis merchants, they're faster than military transportation. Tell them I sent you."
The teens both nodded. Serifan walked to the door, then stopped to look back. "Arataz, you're vice squad leader now. Gotta come with me for this stuff."
"O-oh." Zee quickly stood up from where she had been sitting next to Bart and trotted over to her superior. "Sorry. I forgot."
Serifan nodded. "S'alright. Let's just get this taken care of."
They left, closing the room's creaky door behind them. La'gaan sat back down on his bed. Bart hadn't moved to lift his face from his hands, and Tim was avoiding the possibility of looking at him.
"The Reyes family," he said at last. "Does this have to do with the guy who talked to you back in Harbor District?"
"Well, he…" La'gaan hesitated. Now Khaji Da was looking at him, and even Bart. "I always knew I'd have to, but running into Tye finally convinced me to go and talk to Commander Dinah."
"Tye." Tim's brow furrowed thoughtfully. His eyes widened as he looked up at La'gaan. "Was he on Team 34? With Asami and the others?
"Yeah," La'gaan nodded. "He got injured when the Colossal Titan showed up, so he was escorted out with the civilians. Everyone in Team 34 was pretty close. They bonded over being runaways, I think. But now Tye's on his own."
"I know," Tim said quietly. "I was there when they died. It was same group of Titans that 'killed' Jason."
"I forgot about that," Bart confessed. Tim still didn't look at him. "Your brother's always been so strong, it's hard believe that anything could actually…"
"Take him away?" Tim finished. He sounded bitter. He was bitter. "Yeah. It's hard for me to believe, too." He took a breath before drawing himself up out of the slump La'gaan hadn't noticed until now. "I'd better go check on Dick. We need to start making plans on how to get Jason back."
"There's a large chance he died in that cave-in, chum," La'gaan pointed out.
"On his own, I don't doubt it," Tim answered matter-of-factly. "But with Wally?" He shook his head. "I've heard it from everyone who has known him. That man can survive anything, including a year outside the walls. He's alive, and that means Jason is, too."
"Not according to Commander Dinah," La'gaan replied. "Until you told us otherwise, I thought the Albino had killed Jason. Why would she lie?"
"To distract attention," Tim replied. "She's doing her job; that much I'm certain of. Have faith in her."
"You make it sound so simple," Khaji Da said disapprovingly. "Historically speaking, those who deceive their subordinates have nothing good in mind."
"I won't argue your point." Tim dug a jacket out of his pack before tossing it up onto his bed. "But the truth is, we don't have many options beyond following her or deserting the Corps."
Khaji Da frowned at that, but didn't say anything more. Tim left the barracks.
Immediately after returning to Wall Iris, the Survey Corps had begun disbanding. Those who had been seriously injured were left in Harbor District's hospital while the rest continued onto the Corps' main headquarters in Oa District to the north. Some soldiers had already been sent home to see their families or friends. The sun had been starting to set by the time they reached the place, and now there was only half an hour or so of daylight left.
It was hard to believe that so much could have happened in one day. Summer was a strange season.
Conner was sitting out on one of the fields surrounding the HQ, his legs folded neatly as he looked at the woods rising up to the west. It was where the soldiers practiced their Maneuver Gear. Conner hadn't gotten the chance to use it yet. He glanced up as a bird broke free of the forest and gently nudged Garfield, who was sitting next to him.
"What do you think, huh?" Conner asked, nodding to ascending bird. "An eagle?"
Garfield glanced up, his chin staying on his knees. "Peregrine falcon," he answered quietly, then looked back down at the grass.
Conner hated this. He hated Garfield's silence, he hated that the happiest person he had ever known was now a hollow shell, he hated that the boy could no longer speak through his fear. This was so much worse than the screaming outside the walls. His emotions had gone dead. It was terrifying, and Conner couldn't stand to be more scared than he already was.
"Do you want to go back inside?"
Garfield gave a tiny shake of his head. "No," he murmured. "More people in there."
Conner sighed, his fingers twitching up into fists before he calmed himself and looked over at the boy. "Gar, what happened?"
"Titans."
"You know what I'm talking about." When Garfield didn't respond, Conner had to restrain a frustrated growl. "When that Albino showed up, you changed. You acted like… well, like you knew something about it."
Garfield froze for a second. Then his shoulders hunched, trying to make himself even smaller—to hide. "It was messed up," he muttered. "Everyone's messed up."
"You screamed at it in Quraq," Conner said flatly. Garfield cringed. "You don't scream at anyone in Quraq."
Garfield laughed weakly, avoiding Conner's stare. "Noted."
Kaldur came walking out of the forest then, looking down at where Conner and Garfield were sitting. They had been in the exact same place when he left over an hour ago. The Atlantean sighed.
"Will you still not talk to us, Garfield?" he asked.
"Don't you 'Garfield' me," the boy snapped, displaying a rare case of aggression. "You never saw her—it."
Conner stiffened. "Her?"
Kaldur's eyes sharpened. Conner's stomach dropped. "Garfield, what do you know?" the Atlantean asked. His expression was grave. "As a soldier, it is your duty to give any information you may possess to the Survey Corps."
"I don't know anything!" Garfield protested. He looked away from both of them. "Not anymore."
Conner put a hand on his shoulder, and Garfield flinched away from the touch. The man pulled his hand back, throat working. He'd never thought the day would come when Garfield was afraid of him.
"Gar. We're out here on our own, you can feel safe to talk. Please let us help you." The soldier bit back his frustration when the kid still refused to look at him, staying away. He kept his voice soft. "C'mon, kid. You're never going to move past this if you don't talk to somebody."
"How can I talk about it?" Garfield whispered. "She… it… it tried to kill you, Con! How could it… how could she… oh Lois, this is so screwed up."
"Hey." Conner put his hand on Garfield's shoulder again, and this time he didn't flinch away. The kid looked back at him, green eyes scared and confused. "I'm still here, you know."
"Garfield…" Kaldur sat down across from the boy, crossing his legs. "Who is inside the Albino Titan? It's clear that you know."
"I, I do know, but… but it's… it's…" Garfield's eyes brimmed over, and he exhaled shakily before giving up. "It's M'gann. I don't know how or, or why, but it's M'gann."
Conner had no idea what to do. He pulled his hand away from Garfield, staring into the woods in dumb shock. Kaldur leaned back slowly, closing his eyes.
"This is… a grave accusation," he said quietly.
"You think I wouldn't know my own sister?" Garfield demanded. "I can't—I can't imagine why she would be doing any of this, but it's her. And, and I don't know what I'm supposed to do about it. My sister tried to kill all of us. She's been killing people for years."
"And acted as our friend," Kaldur murmured. He shook his head sadly. "We have all been so blind."
"What do we do?" Garfield wondered. "What do I do? Kaldur?"
The Atlantean thought for a moment. "Regardless…" He cleared his throat and started again, looking Garfield in the eye. "Regardless of our connection to her, our duty as soldiers is to humanity. We must go to the Commander at once and tell her what we know."
"Yeah," Garfield whispered. "I'm just… scared. She's my sister. I'm so confused."
Kaldur stood, offering a hand to Garfield and pulling him up to his feet as well. "Let's go speak to Commander Dinah," he advised. "The sooner we deal with this, the better it is for everyone." He looked over. "Conner?"
Conner stood up abruptly, turning and storming off into the woods without a word. Kaldur sighed and held Garfield back.
"Let him go," the Atlantean said. "It's best if he's left alone for a while."
Garfield nodded. He stayed close to Kaldur's side as they reentered headquarters.
Linda knew how to make a good splint, Roy had to give her that. His leg was still killing him with every step he took, but the splint managed to take most of the weight off of it. Currently he had a bandage strip wound too tightly around his palm, a simple pain distraction while he paid more attention to the briefing here in Commander Dinah's office.
"That was when the Titan Shifter showed up—a helluva lot sooner than expected," he continued. "West's doing, probably."
"I'd figure Artemis," Oliver interjected. "She had a lot more maneuverability through the formation than he did."
"It does make sense," Dinah agreed as she lowered her cup of tea. She was probably serving them chamomile or some calming shit like that. Some days Roy wondered if she'd make a better shrink. Dinah waved to him. "Keep going, Roy."
The captain nodded and opened his mouth, but that was when a knock came on the door. The three officers frowned, and Dinah called for whoever was on the other side of the door. New cadets Kaldur'ahm and Garfield Logan entered the office, the latter looking like he wanted to turn around and run. Roy didn't blame him; the Commander was terrifying when it came to face-to-face encounters.
"Cadet Kaldur'ahm, Cadet Logan," Dinah greeted them calmly. "Would I be correct in assuming that you understand the implications of interrupting an officers' meeting?"
"Yes, Commander," Kaldur'ahm replied solemnly. He and Logan both stood at attention. "We both offer our apologies, sir. This couldn't wait."
"We'll see about that," Roy muttered. Oliver gave him a reproachful look, which he ignored.
"We…" Logan hesitated before straightening up and looking Dinah in the eye. The cadet had a spine, after all. "I know who the Albino Titan is."
The officers went still. Logan maintained his stare, resolute, but from where Roy was sitting he could clearly see that he was shaking. The kid was terrified.
"Are you certain of this?" Dinah asked.
"Yes, sir," Logan answered. His voice was just as shaky as the rest of him, but it held no doubt. "It's my si—my adoptive sister. Her name is M'gann M'orzz."
"Your sister?" Oliver repeated. He exchanged looks with Roy.
"I can't explain how I know it, sir," Logan confessed. "But I, I saw the Albino Titan, I looked into its… into her eyes. It is my sister, sir. She's a… she's a traitor to all of humanity."
Dinah's lips pressed into a thin line. "Return to your squad's barracks," she ordered the pair of cadets. "Do not speak of this meeting. Have you told anyone else about the Albino's identity?"
"Conner Kent," Logan told her. "He's pretty shook up about it. That's why he's not here."
"He will remain silent on orders," Kaldur'ahm promised.
"Very well," Dinah replied. "You are both dismissed."
The cadets left. Roy and Oliver turned questioning looks on Dinah. She didn't say anything for a while, taking a long drink of her tea. Whether she needed the chamomile shit for being shook up or overly excited, Roy had no clue. The commander set her teacup down again.
"Captain Harper. Finish your report."
Roy started, expecting the other officer to say something, but he followed the order. He and Oliver alternated the narration between them, describing and explaining the events of the expedition as they had experienced them. Dinah would occasionally chime in, but that wasn't her wont. She listened before having her say.
Nearly two hours later, once the sun had finally set, they finished. Dinah had brewed another kettle of tea, this stuff the rejuvenating, energizing kind that Roy preferred. Now that the briefing was over, they sat back in their chairs and sipped hot tea, mulling things over.
"I have a few more thoughts," Dinah told them. "But it would be best if I waited until our briefing for the raid."
"I still can't believe that Wally…" Oliver's voice trailed off as he shook his head. "It's possible he's been lying to us from day one. We believed in his amnesia, so we didn't press for information as hard as we would have."
"Clever bastard," Roy growled. "He even got me and my team." His fingers tightened around the handle of his teacup, and he carefully set it down before he threw it across the office. "My team. Son of a bitch is lucky I'm too injured to go after him myself."
Neither Dinah nor Oliver said anything. There really wasn't anything to say when Roy got like this.
A knock sounded on the door again. Oliver and Dinah stood and turned as the door opened. Roy stayed where he was, but he craned his neck over his shoulder and gave a surprised look to Eric Needham when he walked into the office.
What was he doing in here? Roy's subordinate wasn't even supposed to upright at this time. He was still recovering from burns and broken ribs and two his teammates being dead, for Iris' sake.
"The raid briefing isn't for another half hour, Lieutenant Needham," Dinah said. She attempted a light-hearted jab. "It isn't like you to be early for anything."
Roy expected Eric to smile. He didn't. The soldier stepped forward, past Oliver and Roy, and set a single sheet on paper on Dinah's desk. Roy craned his neck forward, trying to read his teammate's elegant scrawl before Dinah picked the paper up.
"I want out," Eric said quietly, staring his commander in the eye. "Whatever you have to do, please discharge me."
Roy's stomach dropped. Eric was not, he was fucking not doing this. He had changed from that, he had endured too much to turn back now. The captain's vision was beginning the blur red at the edges, his fingers gripping the arms of his chair tight enough for splinters to dig into his skin.
"Eric, what the hell."
"I'm done," Eric answered flatly. "I've seen enough of the outside world. I was never as enamored with it as you are."
"You don't just decide to leave, you shithead!" Roy snapped. "This is the Survey Corps, not some goddamned underground game!"
"I only left those underground games because you took everyone else with you." Eric's voice was eerily cool, a sick reminder of the old days. He was changing back right in front of them. "Nobody likes to play alone."
"So why are you trying to go back?" Roy demanded. It was now that he noticed Oliver watching the exchange between them with an anxious expression that was irritatingly familiar.
"My reason for being here doesn't exist anymore," Eric answered.
"Which is to say." Dinah folded the resignation paper and ripped it in half, making Eric cringe. Roy took it as a good sign. "You're going back to living selfishly."
"You say it like I actually stopped," Eric remarked.
Oliver had finally had enough. He snapped up to his full height, looming over Eric with a snarl. "Is our sacrifice nothing to you?!" he yelled furiously.
"Matson is dead!" Eric shouted back, nearly lunging for the officer. He pulled back, breathing heavily. "Your sacrifice is too much. And I'm not going to become a part of it!" He turned his gaze back to Dinah. "Commander, I'm leaving. It's up to you whether I'm discharged or a deserter."
Roy had no idea what to say. Dinah looked up at his subordinate for a long moment. She dipped her head slowly, releasing a quiet sigh.
"Go," she told him. "I'll take care of the rest."
She hadn't. She hadn't just let him get away with this. If Eric went back, it would only mean one more mercenary in the underground. A damn good one. And he was in it for the fun and the money. Eric turned and walked away. Roy snarled, glaring at the floor.
"Fucking scum."
Eric stopped. He didn't turn around or look over his shoulder. "Same to you, Captain."
Dick had found a perch up on one of the rooftops of the Survey Corps' headquarters. He was still in uniform, his back to the sunset as he watched the horizon turn dark. He could hear birds and see the occasional soldier down below, but for the most part the grounds were unoccupied.
Dick could understand now why Commander Dinah only took her troops beyond the walls a few times within a year. It wasn't just to preserve numbers or supplies, it was to preserve sanity. Dick had no idea how long it would be before he could close his eyes without seeing the Albino, or Jason, or Wally.
There was so much that had happened, he didn't know how to wrap his head around it. And Wally's betrayal still didn't map. He had thought and puzzled and obsessed over it, but he simply couldn't imagine how someone as caring as Wally West could betray humanity. He had thrown away his life without a thought in order to protect one person… how could he take one away and condemn all of humanity? It didn't make any sense!
Regardless, though, he had done it. Because Dick had messed up, Dick had trusted him against everything his training taught him, Jason was now gone and more than hundred Survey Corps troops were dead. Sure, the Albino was what had led all the Titans there, but it was still on Dick's head. If he had gotten Jason out of there sooner, the toll would have been much lower.
It was infuriating. And because the entrance to the tunnel Wally had taken was gone, almost literally blown to hell, it was going to be nearly impossible to track him and Jason down. It could take weeks to find him, or months. Or even longer.
Dick didn't want to think about longer.
"Hey."
He flinched and looked over his shoulder. Tim had come up to join him, wearing civilian clothes that were loose and layered enough to conceal multiple weapons and tools.
"You know, there's no point in blaming yourself over it," Tim said quietly. "No one could have seen it coming, and you know Jason would never blame you."
"He should," Dick muttered, turning his back to the younger teen. "I'm yours guys' older brother. I'm supposed to be able to protect you."
"I guess so," Tim replied. He sounded eerily calm, standing up rather than sitting next to Dick on the warm tiles. "Still, there's nothing any family bond could have done back there. And right now we've got to focus on what's ahead of us."
Dick frowned up at him. "Oh? And what's that?"
"Commander Dinah is holding a private briefing in her office," Tim informed him. "We're supposed to be there. Apparently the Commander has learned the identity of the Albino Titan."
Dick stiffened. "You're sure?"
"More importantly, she is." Tim drew a breath. "The mission isn't over. We have an immediate threat to deal with, a hostile Titan Shifter hiding inside our walls. We have to help the Survey Corps take them out before we can start looking for Jason and West."
Dick stared up in Tim in astonishment. His younger brother looked back down at him. "What?"
"How can you stay so calm?"
Tim's eyebrows lifted. "I don't see you panicking, either."
"Heh." Dick looked away again, teeth flashing in a mirthless grin. "I'm a damned mess inside. Can barely hear myself think. I just… I really wanna break some stuff right now."
"Well, I don't volunteer," Tim answered dryly. When Dick kept staring up at him, waiting for the answer, he sighed. The teenager fixed his gaze on the darkening horizon, the last colors of the sunset painting a dull glow on his jacket. "Out there, beyond the walls… we're not brothers. Blackjackets, soldiers, comrades, but not brothers. We can't be brothers." He laughed softly. "It's a weakness."
Dick frowned, confused by his sibling's statement. "I always thought it was our strength."
"When we're alive," Tim answered bluntly. "But when something happens, when someone's lost… we're crippled because of our bond. It's difficult, but in the field we must see each other as comrades and nothing more." He glanced down at the roof, rubbing at the frame of his glasses. "I wasted too much time in Atlantis because of our weakness."
Dick shook his head with a low chuckle. "Only two field missions, and already you're telling me how to do my job."
Tim blanched, taking a step back. "I don't mean any disrespect…"
"It's fine," Dick assured him. He closed his eyes, nodding briefly, then stood up. "You've always had perspective. Your mind doesn't get clouded so easily."
"Clouded?"
He ducked his head slightly. Even in the growing dark, his embarrassment was apparent. "Face it, Jason and I are a coupla hotheads. You've always been more clear-sighted. There are times out in the field with me and Jason when I suspect we've gone too far… but part of me has never really been able to tell. I don't think we were ever the best duo."
"You weren't." Tim grimaced when Dick gave him a somewhat affronted look, then his expression fell into something more somber. "So, what? I'm the moral compass of the group?"
"More or less," Dick said thoughtfully. "I always looked forward to the day you'd join up and all three of us would run missions. Guess it's going to be a while before that happens, huh."
"Yeah," Tim murmured.
"Well then." Dick strode forward, passing Tim until he reached the drainpipe that would bring them down to the ground fastest. "Let's get to that meeting. Can't make Commander Dinah wait for us."
"Yeah," Tim said again, and followed.
They were the last ones to arrive. Commander Dinah had already gathered her group—herself, SqL. Queen, Captain Harper, Lt. Nguyen, VSq. Park, Kaldur'ahm, Conner, and Garfield. Dick didn't understand the presence of the last three, but he chose not to say anything as he and Tim entered the office. Harper was the only one sitting.
"I appreciate you all coming here on such short notice," Commander Dinah began. "I know you haven't yet had time to recover from the expedition, but I need your help for one more mission. Quite possibly, it will be my last as Commander of the Survey Corps."
"Your last?" Garfield echoed in surprise.
"Due to the death toll and loss of resources, I have been summoned to Metropolis for a court martial," Dinah explained. "We've been given one day to prepare. This is going to be our last chance to capture the Albino Titan."
"I'm told you know who it is," Dick said. He frowned doubtfully. "Are you certain an operation like this can succeed? The Albino singlehandedly took out dozens of Survey Corps troops—including a third of the elite Squad Harper."
A muscle in Captain Harper's cheek twitched. He turned his eyes back to the stack of papers he was reading. "We know full well what the Albino did," he growled. "That's why we're going to catch her before she can shift."
"We lost a lot, but the Albino did manage to teach me something," Commander Dinah said, taking over the conversation again. "If we only focus on taking the best moves, we will never gain the upper hand. When necessary, we have to be willing to risk everything. Unless we change how we fight our enemies, we're never going to win."
"Our opponent is superior to us in ability, strength, and resources," SqL. Queen stated bluntly. "There are no best moves to take, so we have to use them all."
"But first things first, we have to confirm the identity of our Titan Shifter," VSq. Park interjected. She looked to Dinah. "Commander, you said you know?"
The soldier shook her head. "I do not," she replied, and pointed to Garfield. "He does."
Dick turned a startled look on Garfield, along with Tim and Park. Apparently they were the only ones who hadn't known. The presence of Dick's squadmates was beginning to make a lot more sense now.
Garfield was struggling with his breathing, his skin even paler than usual. "I, I do know who it is," he stammered. "And I want to help you stop her." He took another breath, steadying himself. "It's my sister, M'gann."
Tim stiffened. "Then you're also—"
Garfield shook his head, biting his lip as he looked down at the floor. "My mom adopted her after Wall Cassandra fell," he explained quietly. "She was an orphan."
"It's a good infiltration tactic," Captain Harper grunted. "The other two probably used it as well." He shuffled through the files in front of him again. The captain grimaced, his breath hitching as he put his hand to his leg. No one said a word.
"Other two?" Kaldur'ahm repeated.
"Colossal and Armored," Captain Harper answered. "There's no doubt that they're Shifters, too."
"Right now, however, our focus is on this one," SqL. Queen interrupted. "We're aware of her and she's aware of us. M'orzz is the most likely to act out."
"The operation will be in four days," Commander Dinah told them. "It will take place in Star District, on our way to Metropolis."
"Harper and I are both from Star, so we have an advantage as far as familiarity goes," Queen added.
"This is our only chance," Dinah reminded them. Everything about her spoke of the gravity of their situation. "Once we pass that point, the Survey Corps will be shut down and the Titan Shifters will complete their mission of genocide unchecked. If we fail there, humanity Captain stands to go extinct. With stakes this high, we have no choice but to put everything we have into this plan. Here it is."
With VSq. Park's help, she spread a map out on the table. "The operation will start once we're all through the gate into Star District. Cadet Logan has volunteered to act as our bait—there is a chance she already knows that he is aware of her identity, so we'll have to use that to our advantage."
The vice squad leader produced pins and threads, laying out multiple routes. "The real difficulty is the distance. Commander Dinah and our troops will be escorted directly through the center of Star, boarding a river barge to avoid crowds. At most, we'd be in the city for one hour. We need to lure M'orzz over here, to the eastern segment of the city, and get her underground. Once she's trapped down there, her abilities will be useless."
"This plan requires that all of you think," Dinah said harshly, fixing everyone with a cold stare. Most weren't able to hold it. "There won't be time for any emotional outbursts. If you lose your head for even a second on this mission, it will mean thousands of deaths for absolutely nothing."
"What happens if M'orzz transforms before we get her underground?" Dick questioned. "And what makes you so sure that she's in Star District? She could have easily moved by now."
"We have a contingency," Commander Dinah answered. "And M'orzz is a member of the Military Police—more importantly, she's a rookie. She won't have real mobility until she's much further up the ranks."
"The Military Police?" Tim repeated, looking stunned. Dick shared his surprise. Had the Titan Shifters really infiltrated that far?
"It's where she was always planning to go," Garfield told them. "She… she really wanted me to come with her." The boy laughed bitterly, his face twisting. "She always knew what she was going to do out there."
"So she wanted to protect you," Tim mused.
"She wanted to keep me in the dark," Garfield spat. "And now… now we've got to stop her. Monsters like that can't be allowed to wreak havoc everywhere."
The office was silent. Dick sighed quietly and walked over to where Captain Harper was sitting. "Sir."
The captain angled a baleful look up at him. "What."
"I'm going to need a look at M'orzz's personnel file," Dick said, nodding to the papers in the officer's hands. "Tim and I know a fair number of people in Star. We might be able to find a way for this to work. Even without a Titan Shifter of our own."
Harper shared a look with Commander Dinah, then handed the papers up. "It better be good, Blackjacket," he muttered.