Chapter Eleven — Summit
"I loved a boy once who shined like he could be the sun."
Though she be, little she contained multitudes; or something, Arley couldn't quite remember the Shakespearen quote because as she and Kaldur readied themselves to leave the main ship in Manta's fleet and meet with the team, all the undercover Lantern wanted to do was vomit. Arley was nervous and guilty and happy and despite years and years of experience in controlling her emotions and bottling them up all Arley wanted to do was cry over emotionally and for no one specific reason.
The guilt that had settled in her bones when Kaldur had first told her about Jaime being under Reach control still weighed heavily on her— because she had been the one to hand him over to the Reach, she had been the hero to step up to the plate as his mentor in Ted Kords wake —despite Manta all but singing that the Light's plan to allow the League free the young hero had gone off without a hitch.
The nerves that prickled at her insides terrified her because the team would know she was alive— Conner and Jaime and Bart and all the others —and they could reject her. They could look at the lie she and Kaldur had told with Dicks help and they could want to do nothing more than wipe there's hands clean of her. They could— her family could —hate her.
And despite the guilt and the fear that gripped her, Arley was happy because after the summit between the Light and the Reach, when Arley and the team had finally gathered enough evidence of the twos crimes she could rejoin the land of the living. She could once more curl up with Bodie, her pet vulpimancer as Wally cooked dinner in the kitchen and Artemis sang badly in the shower, and she could visit Roy and Jade as she watched Lian— her goddaughter —grow up.
A loud thunderous knock came from the door of Kaldur's room and Kaldur and Arley, both of whom had been anxiously awaiting Deathstroke's arrival shot up from the Atlanteans bed, Kaldur opened the door; Arley hovered behind him, her hand on the hilt of her chain-scythe.
Deathstroke had been the assassin who'd killed Ted Kord, he'd helped Arley kidnap M'gann and he was more dangerous now— just as she and Kaldur were about to betray the Light —than ever.
"It's time," Deathstroke said, his long platinum hair puffed out of it's ponytail behind his helmet. Kaldur nodded his head, Kaldur stepped to the side so that Arley could pass him and join Deathstroke in the hall. Behind her— as Deathstroke looked at her with a calculating gaze —Kaldur shut the heavy metal door to his quarters.
"Will my father be sending troopers with us to scout the summit's location?" Kaldur asked. They had already managed to tell Dick that Manta would only be sending them and Deathstroke alone to secure the summit's location but plans as important as these tended to change.
"No, just us. Unless of course you're still under the weather," Deathstroke practically sneered.
"Kaldur'ahm is in the best shape of his life; you one the other hand-I put you on your ass yesterday in training, did I not?" Arley sniped back. With every step her hair— the blonde curls that glamor charm showed the world —bounced in the ponytail she'd thrown up.
Deathstrokes' golden eye narrowed behind the mask and the assassins fingers curled into a fist.
"I disarmed you before that Morningstar."
Arley shrugged nonetheless,
"Then I suppose it is safe to say, Kaldur'ahm is better than both of us ami." The bile that'd been bubbling in her stomach very nearly shot up her throat as she referred to the masked criminal as her friend. He was anything but.
A few more hours, Arley told herself, A few more hours and then you're home free. A few more hours and then you're home.
…
The summit between the Light and the Reach was to be held in four hours time in an old underground cave on Isla Santa Prisca Vandal Savage had handpicked; Arley— as she, Kaldur and Deathstroke surveyed the outside of the cave for alien traps —almost wanted to ask if either man thought this was the hole Vandal had been born in fifty thousand years ago.
She didn't of course; Rosalie Dembitzer— Morningstar—would never say such things, but still, she thought it.
A bird flew overhead; it was too high up to be distinguishable— to see that it was all green —but it did however, let out a familiar call, one that had Kaldur's shoulders rolling back and Arley straightening up.
"I suppose we should check inside the cave now," Kaldur said. Arley turned to Deathstroke; the team— who was supposed to have been told everything from Kaldur pretending to join Manta, to Arley's death and the summit itself —was supposed to attack before the three of them entered the cave.
A buzzing bumblebee sized creature flew by Arley's ear; Arley bit back her smile as her insect sized friend looped around her ponytail— Arley ignored the good natured tugging she felt —before flying off towards Kaldur. Neither Arley or Kaldur knew just how many tunnels there were in the cave; to attack Deathstroke inside there— allowing him the chance to escape —was foolish.
"I suppose so," Deathstroke said. The assassin took a step towards the opening of the cave the members of the Light were meant to go through only for a dark, shaggy haired vigilant to roll out of the forest brush; Nightwing's escrima sticks were held out in front of himself defensively.
"Sorry, don't think so," Nightwing said. Deathstroke reached for the hilt of his sword and unsheathed the weapon. Arley reached for her chain scythe and pulled the weapon from her side as both Robin and Batgirl dropped from the trees; Wonder Girl Blue Beetle, both Wally and Impulse and Conner, Lagoon Boy and Artemis emerged from the surrounded wood. Kaldur pulled out his water bearers.
M'gann hovered overhead, a smirk playing on her lips.
"Kaldu—" Deathstroke cut himself off when he saw that the Atlantean and Arley were turned towards him with their weapons drawn, not the team of young heroes. "—Of course," Deathstroke sneered. "Your father will be so disappointed; hopefully your head will make up for your betrayal."
"Try it," Arley goaded Deathstroke's eye flickered to Arley, "You're outnumbered, and out matched."
Like all overconfident villains, he did try it.
Deathstroke lunged at the Lantern— Deathstroke swung his blade at the Lantern —Arley gracefully jumped up and over the assassin as she used his own shoulders to vault herself over him; Arley swung her chain scythe as she spun to which Deathstroke dodged by dipping back. The chain of Arley's weapon wrapped around the blade of the assassin's sword and Arley pulled. Kaldur rushed forward— his water bearers having taken the form of a large, single war hammer —and attacked the masked member of the Light while he was distracted; Deathstroke dropped his sword and turned just as Kaldur swung the hammer up.
Deathstroke would have gone flying through the air had M'gann not used her telekinesis to stop him; Impulse zoomed forward with an inhibitor collar in hand and snapped it around the restrained assassin's neck.
Arley turned to Wonder Girl and Superboy as M'gann shot Deathstroke forward and towards them, both Superboy and Wonder Girl had their arms reeled back as Deathstroke neared them and the pair of them punched the man simultaneously, knocking him out.
Batgirl and Robin rushed forward; Batgirl had a pair of thick cuffs in one hand and a second pair in the other to bind Deathstokes ankles.
"That was kind of anti-climatic," Bart laughed; he ran a hand through his hair as he smiled broadly around him. Slowly the team crept forward and terror gripped at Arley's heart. They hated her and Kaldur for lying to them, they had to.
Karen grew in size as M'gann floated Deathstroke up to the bio-ship.
Arley smiled shakily at the future speedster and the auburn haired boy looked at her, his wide and beaming smile shrank to a soft one and though he had a visor over his eyes Arley could see the West family kindness shining in them.
"It's good to have you back, cous-even if you know, you look like a total and complete stranger."
Tears sprung to Arley's eyes and with a loud laugh she scooped the boy into a tight, bone crushing hug; Bart's arms wrapped around Arley and Wally, from over the boy's shoulder smiled at her before he turned to Kaldur; they'd have time— a lifetime —together later.
"It's good to be back."
A cough rang out and Arley, with her arms still around Bart turned to see Conner and Jaime, both with their arms crossed over their chests; Conner has a small frown on his face, his brows were turned down and knitted together and Jaime only had the corners of his lips tipped up.
"Conner-Jaime," Arley breathed, her arms fell from Bart and as Kaldur was greeted by the other team members. Guilt swelled in Arley's throat at the sight of the young Hispanic teen. Arley stepped towards the two males, "I'm sorry-so, so sorry."
She was sorry for lying; for pretending to die, for handing Jaime over to the Reach and allowing them control over his mind.
Jaime nodded; he looked away as he reaffirmed his crossed arms over his chest. Arley's heart clenched and she looked at Conner.
"I know," Conner said, still looking at Arley, he took a small step forward, "Nightwing told me and La'gaan when you took M'gann. I know why you did it," Conner said. And then in one, foul swoop he picked Arley up and brought her against his chest, her arms were trapped at her sides as he bent at the waist to intensify the hug. "Just never die on me again okay? I don't think I'd be able to handle it."
Tears sprang to Arley's eyes and the disguised hero pressed her face against Conners shoulder; he still considered her to be family.
"Never," Arley promised. She breathed in Conner's grease monkey sent; "I missed you."
With a brotherly kiss to her temple Conner put her back on the ground, "Missed you too."
"Wally gave you your birthday present right?" Arley asked, still against Conners broad chest, she felt the half human-half Kryptonians shake as he chuckled. She had gotten him a leather looking jacket that was made of the same materials that Batman's cape was made of, making it bullet and heat proof; something Arley knew Conner would need the jacket to be if he ever wore it into the heat of battle. The jacket stopped at his forearms, it also had a large red Superman 'S' on the back and silver spikes poking up along the shoulders.
"Yeah," Conner said, as his arms fell from around her, "He did-I love it."
"Good," Arley grinned as she stepped out of Conners embrace, "I'm glad."
With that, Conner squeezed Arley's shoulders— and dropped another kiss to the crown of her head —before he stepped past her, towards Kaldur who had started talking to Karen; La'gaan stayed on the outskirts of the forest clearing, watching Kaldur and than Conner. When the scaled Atlanteans eyes met Arleys the tips of his lips turned upwards and La'gaan raised his hand to wave.
Arley, with a bright smile, waved back.
Garfield continued to circle overhead; watching for enemies and M'gann who had transformed into Deathstroke laughed at something Artemis said.
Arley, whose smiled had dimmed timidly, looked at Jaime.
"I—" the words lodged themselves in her throat, guilt gnawed at her soul. He had lost a month of his life to the Reach because of her. "—I'm so sorry Jaime, if I knew what the Reach was going to do to you—"
"—What are you talking about?" Jaime blinked. Arley's brows came down together,
"Nightwing told Kaldur and I you were under Reach control. If I'd known they were going to do that to you when I took you I would have found some way to have helped you to escape." Jaime shifted his weight from foot to foot.
"But you would have blown your cover," Jaime said, Arley shrugged. She hadn't cared about her cover when M'ganns life had been on the line, it wouldn't have been different when it came to Jaime; she loved Jaime the same way she loved Billy and Conner and Artemis. Like family.
"Like I care, Jaime if it meant you were free of them I would've been fine with blowing my cover." She would have ended up blowing Kaldur's too but what was a mission when it came to the life of someone she cared about? Green Lanterns might have always finished their missions but Arley couldn't care less about what Lanterns did or didn't do, not if it meant forsaking the people she cared about. After boot camp the first thing Hal made sure Arley knew was at the end of the day she had to be sure in every decision she made; she had to be able to live with herself once the mission was over.
Jaime's lips twitched up. "You mean that?"
"Of course I do Jaime," Arley said earnestly. Jaime's mask fell away and the New Mexican teen smiled shyly at Arley, the apples of his cheeks turned a rosy color as he scratched the back of his neck.
"The Reach didn't actually do anything to me when you handed me over; the team managed to get me out before they could." Arley looked at the boy quizzically.
"Okay but if they didn't hijack your mind then, then when?"
"Okay, so I know you tell me to be careful and all but there was this other beetle, a green one, and I thought he could help me get the scarab under control—" Arley's eyes widened when she realized where the insect themed hero was going.
"—Jaime!" She scolded.
"Miss M said that we could trust the green beetle and then he said he had complete control over his scarab so I thought it was cool if you know-I let him mess around with mine." Arley shut her eyes and pressed her hands against her face,
"Holy kriffing fuck kid," Arley breathed. Jaime let out a nervous and Arley sighed, the Lantern opened her arms and stepped forward; "Just-just give me a hug right now okay? We'll talk about your decision making skills later, okay?" With a laugh Jaime nodded and walked into Arley's arms, the young teen slouched down and wrapped his arms around her waist as her arms fell onto his shoulders.
"Te extrañé hermana," Jaime muttered into Arley's ear; with a wide smile Arley tightened her grip on Jaime.
"Te extrañe hermano," Arley muttered back.
…
Arley— with her mind split and splintered amongst her teammates —watched as M'gann, who was disguised as Deathstroke led the members of the Light into the cavern Savage had picked to hold the summit in. Arley walked stoically beside Kaldur; Mallah walked two steps behind them, a new red beret he'd gotten within the last five years sat perched upon his head.
Reach soldiers littered the cavern, their hands gripped their weapons tightly while their red capes swayed behind them; the Black Beetle hovered behind the Ambassador and the Scientist.
Vandal Savage bared his teeth at the aliens in what Arley could only assume was a smile. The Neanderthal waved his hand welcomingly.
The blood pack Arley had strapped to her chest under her uniform shifted uncomfortably as she clicked her heels together.
"Ambassador," Savage greeted.
"Savage," the Ambassador grinned. Black Beetle stepped forward, passed his superior, his shoulders were pushed back and his eyes were narrowed at the Earthlings suspiciously.
"As head of security for the Reach I must insist," the alien growled as he pointed at Manta, though he glared at Arley, Black Beetles eyes flickered over to M'gann. Arley glared back at the alien. "No masks must be worn at the summit."
"Simply because you insist is no guarantee," Manta drawled; Ra's Al Ghul turned to the aquatic villain, a humble smile on his lips but a calculating gleam in his eyes.
"Manta," Ra's Al Ghul said easily, "If you wouldn't mind. After all—" Al Ghul's smile turned almost sinister, "—We are among friends." Manta let out a growl, the man slowly removed his helmet. Arley and M'gann began to do the same; Arley looked at Kaldur from the corner of her eyes.
"I cannot wait to kick his ass," Arley breathlessly thought. Wally's laughter and Dick's snickering could be heard through the mind link.
"Focus," Kaldur thought back.
"Satisfied?" Ra's asked rhetorically; with a growl the Black Beetle turned back and walked behind the Scientist and Ambassador.
"Excellent," The Ambassador said; the alien grinned, his teeth were all pointed; they gleaned dangerously under the cave's lights. "Now then with these formalities out of the way—"
"—Let us begin," Savage cut in.
"But the rest of the Light?" The Ambassador asked as his grin fell flat, "Won't they be joining us?" Ra's shook his head.
"Our more public members are occupied, conducting damage control to mitigate your recent defeats." The Ambassadors eyes narrowed and the Black Beetle shifted foot from foot; Arley would never push Savage out of the way of an oncoming attack, and she certainly would never save the Brain or Mallah but— should Kaldur be occupied —Arley could see herself saving Manta.
He was a villain and a killer but he loved his son and Arley— who valued family above all else —could respect him for that, if nothing else.
It would depend on the day if Arley decided to save Ra's Al Ghul or not; unlike the other members of the Light Arley had never actually met the man before. She had heard about him and his League of Assassins before— she had had previous run-ins with the assassins over the years —but unlike with Luther or Kalrion she'd never actually fought the man. She didn't have any actual grudges against him; sure he was her enemy because of the side he chose to fight on but besides that he was just a guy.
"In any case," Savage growled, "We are sufficient."
"Fine," the Ambassador said, "I know you called this summit but the Reach has come with grievances against the Light. Please explain how the young Earth champions were allowed access to the Bialyan scarab temple under your control."
"If I may respond?" Kaldur wondered aloud as he stepped forward.
"No you may not," Black Beetle snapped, "Manta keep your welp meat silent."
"Beetle," Manta snapped back, "Your insolence grows progressively less charming."
Savage held his hand up and Arley's brow arched.
"I cannot wait to see where this creep goes," Wonder Girl said through the link and Arley bit the inside of her cheek in order to smother the laugh that was bubbling in her throat.
"Wonder Girl—" Nightwing chided,
"My friends," Savage started.
"—I know, I know, focus."
"I think we can all agree that in recent days no one has done more, sacrificed more for both the Light and the Reach then Kaldur'ahm. That is why he was entrusted with security for this summit, and why he's entitled for a voice here."
"Of course—" the Ambassador held up a hand to still Black Beetle when the hulking alien stepped forward, "—He may speak."
"Thank you Ambassador," Kaldur said as he stepped forward, Arley took a step forward after her friend and former team leader before she rooted herself back in place. Kaldur continued forward until he was standing next to Savage.
"We acknowledge your concerns over the actions of my former team but you must acknowledge that the Light could not have known the significance of the temple, or that Ancient Earth magic could overcome Reach technology to free both Blue and Green Beetles from your thrall." The Ambassador glared at Kaldur; over the aliens shoulder the Scientist glared at the Ambassador. "If the Reach had been more forthcoming about how long ago their scarab was sent to infiltrate Earth with a Beetle warrior the Light might have made the connection to the temple. And certainly would have provided better security for it."
"I told you I wanted to study about how Blue Beetles scarab had crashed before putting it back on mode. If you had followed my advice we would have known and—" the Scientist words lodged in her throat as the Ambassador swung around to glare at her. The Scientist bowed, "My apologies I spoke out of turn."
"No my dear," Manta said, "You were quite correct to call your masters tactics into question. The Light has provided everything the Reach required and you aliens—" Manta sneered, "—Have let it all slip away."
"I don't believe this is a productive direction for our discussion," the Ambassador said.
"No?" Ra's wondered, "Your public approval ratings are at a record low, as are sales for the Reach drink which you had hoped would enslave the populace."
The Ambassadors fingers curled around the edge of his cloak and Black Beetles muscles tensioned. Arley put her hand on her chain scythe.
"You allowed the young heroes you kidnapped to be rescued by the very teenagers whose meta genes you enhanced," Savage pointed out. Arley had been to hundreds of peace summits throughout her tenure as a Lantern; she'd over seen treaties fall apart more times then she could count.
"Perhaps," Arley thought, "We won't need to take the Reach and Light down. They'll do it themselves for us."
"After allowing their escape as well," Manta added.
"Since when are we that lucky?" Conner replied.
'Worst of all," Kaldur said, not showing an inkling of what was going on in his head, "Blue Beetle and Green Beetle have slipped from your grasp and fallen into the hands of the enemy. The Justice League."
"Rest assured," the Ambassador tried to smooth over, "Both Beetles will soon return to the fold. In fact Black Beetle has been summoned to Earth from his post guarding access to the key chamber on the war world—"
"—So that I may be able to kill both Blue and Green," Black Beetle growled.
"Did he say kill!" Bart asked in the back of Arley's mind.
"So that their Scarabs may be reset and installed upon new host bodies that will forever be slaves to the Reach," the Scientist explained.
"So do not question us on that score or any other," the Ambassador declared. Arley glared heatedly at the alien. "The Earth is now the property of the Reach and per our original agreement the Light is merely our favored agents amongst the humans."
"Show the proper respect or suffer the consequences," Black Beetle snapped.
"No agreement exists that makes a slave of Black Manta!" Manta snapped, stepping forward, past Kaldur and Savage. Black Beetle stepped forward and Arley moved from her spot; Manta could go toe-to-toe with Aquaman all he liked but the Reach were an entirely other ballgame.
"No agreement exists that guarantees the life of Black Manta."
Arley was stopped by Kaldur who gripped her wrist tightly in his hand. Perhaps, Arley's alias, Rosalie Dembitzer was Kaldurs right hand but she wasn't his equal in the Lights eyes. Until Manta was attacked she needed to wait for and order; she needed to be the good little henchwoman she'd been for the past handful of months. To be the good soldier she had been raised to be.
"Manta guarantees that himself!" A rocket launcher appeared from Manta's shoulder and the chest plate of Black Beetle moved to become a weapon.
"It seems we have a standoff," Ra's said, trying to regain the footing of the summit.
"No," Black Beetle said, "We don't." And with that the alien batted Manta away and across the cave. Kaldur released Arleys wrist and moved towards his father and Arley moved towards Black Beetle with the sword that'd been strapped to her back drawn.
M'gann jumped and joined the fray; the two disguised heroes attacked Black Beetle; M'gann swung Deathstokes bo staff and Arley slashed at the member of the Reach with her sword. Black Beetle fired his chest cannon at M'gann only for the Martian to jump and avoid the blast.
Arley scrapped the blade of her sword up and against the alien's armor as she jumped; Arley pushed herself off the aliens shoulders like she was using a spring board and M'gann— as Arley landed on her feet —rushed at Black Beetle as the alien turned around.
M'gann jammed the tip of the bo staff into Black Beetles chest cannon and the Reach's soldiers who had been stationed around the archway the insectoid aliens had come through began to advance on the light, firing at them.
One of the soldiers fired at Ra's and while Arley couldn't care one way or the other if the man was actually hit, she raised the blade of sword up to block the oncoming blast nonetheless. Arley stumbled back into the chest of the League of Shadows leader.
"Forgive me Sir," Arley said.
"No necessary child." Ra's replied; Arley raised her sword, "You have my—" whatever else the man said was too low for Arley to hear as she ran back towards Black Beetle. Four Reach soldiers jumped down in front of the Ambassador and Scientist with their weapons drawn; Arley swapped out her sword for her chain scythe and swung it at the soldiers.
It cut through one's armor and the chain wrapped around a seconds neck; Arley rushed at the aliens— she pulled the chain of her weapon and the alien fell to their knees as Arley jumped through the air. The two Reach soldiers fired at Arley; her foot landed in the stomach of one— the alien let out a pain filled yelp as Arley landed on top of them —and with the taunt chain of her scythe as it was still wrapped around the second soldiers neck Arley wrapped the metal chains around the arm of the soldier.
Arley snatched the soldiers arm and bent it, she kicked the back of the aliens leg and when he was kneeling on the cavernous floor below her Arley brought the hilt of her weapon down hard over their head; knocking them out.
Arley turned to knock the soldier she had landed on out and the one who was clawing at the tightly wrapped chain of her weapon only to freeze when Kaldur's voice rang out.
"Enough!" Arley turned to see Kaldur between his father and Black Beetle. "We are allies, not enemies! Any conflict between us only benefits our true opponents, the Justice League and their sidekicks."
Savage stepped forward, his arms tucked neatly behind his back.
"Kaldur'ahm is quite correct," Savage said. Arley unwrapped the chain of her weapon from around the aliens neck and moved forward, back towards Kaldur and the Light. Her weapon, still in her hands.
"Agreed," the Ambassador said. "We must not allow petty disagreements to drive a wedge between us. Gratitude Kaldur'ahm." The Ambassador looked to Black Beetle, "Stand down warrior."
"Ambassador—"
"—Stand down!" The Ambassador snapped. With a growl, but his weapons still drawn, the Black Beetle turned away. Kaldur looked towards the Reach.
"Should we not be concerned that Superman, Batman, the Lanterns and the rest will soon return to Earth and sway public opinion to their side?"
"Superman and those accused with him on Rimbor will never leave. The attack we forced them to make on that world, plus a few well placed bribes as guaranteed their convictions." Arley blood pumped in her ears as she thought of John. She didn't have her ring and perhaps she couldn't kill Savage but the look on his face when she struck the man over the head with her blade would certainly be priceless.
"Stay focused-Arley—" The grip she had on her weapon tightened.
"And the Green Lanterns are forbidden by Guardian treaty from ever returning to Earth now that we've gotten UN secretary Tseng to welcome us here." Bile rose in Arley's throat as the Ambassador smirked confidently at Kaldur and the Light; like he had won something over the Green Lantern Corps.
She knew more ways to kill him then most armies; she had killed more people since she had gotten her ring then she could count. The Ambassador wouldn't be laughing for long, none of the Reach would be.
"—Babe!" Arley heard Wally and Dick speak simultaneously through the mind link,
"Stand down."
Arley shoved her chain scythe back onto the holder she had at her side.
"And as for public opinion I wouldn't be concerned," the Ambassador continued. "Though the tide had turned to a certain degree it will be a simple matter to build onto the foundation of our half-truths we have already used to discredit the League in order to discredit them again."
Ra's spun away from the Ambassador and stormed towards Arley.
Oh Kriff; the young woman thought.
"Sir?" Arley blinked innocently. They needed the Light and the Reach to confess to more; they needed them to admit to blowing up the Ferris Space shuttle and for Luther and Queen Bee to be named in connection to them before their covers could be blown. Most importantly they needed to know where the key to the Warwold was.
"Kaldur—" Dick thought when Ra's reached up and gripped the glamor charm around Arley's neck.
With a flash Morningstar— Rosalie Dembitzer —was no longer there but rather Arley Gluck.
"Lantern," Savage growled.
"Lantern!" the Scientist squawked, "I thought the Lantern was dead!"
"So did we all!" Savage growled;
"But if she is not dead then-you have broken Guardian law, human!" The Scientist shouted almost gleefully. Like she was excited at the prospect of Arley not being dead, and perhaps she was; Arley was— technically —a lone Lantern on a planet under Reach control, the Reach could do whatever they wanted to her in order to send a message to the Guardians and their Corpsmen.
"Do you see a kriffing ring on my finger you nerf herder!" Arley snapped. "I haven't broken shit motherfucker!" Black Beetle took two steps forward before he stopped; Ra's showed the Light and the Reach her glamor charm.
"It is a glamor charm, created I'd wager, by Zatanna or Doctor Fate in order to hide the Lanterns' true identity." She could hit him but then Arley supposed she would actually be killed; so instead she glared up at the man, fearlessly.
"You know their names," Arley sneered, "I'm sure they'll be touched."
Ra's Al Ghul sneered back at her.
"Wait," the Ambassador said, "I thought Kaldur'ahm killed the Lantern." The alien's brows furrowed together, "But if she lives and in disguise as his lieutenant, than that means—"
"—That means Aqualad duped them all. Including his own father," Black Beetle said tauntingly.
Arley and the others in the cave turned to look at Manta; the man was a killer and a thief who wanted to help aliens enslave the human race and yet the crushed expression on his face made Arley's stomach clench. If he weren't a deplorable human being, and if he hadn't been trying to sell his own species out to the Reach Arley might have felt sorry for the man.
"You're right," the Ambassador said to Black Beetle, "Kill them both." The alien warriors' arms changed into two pointed swords. Arley's hand flew to her sword. Manta ran in front of Kaldur,
"No!" The man objected, "You will not kill my son!"
"M'gann," Dick said through the mind link, "Now."
"He's right," M'gann said in Deathstroke's voice. She fired the gun and the rubber bullets that Dick had loaded into the guns chambers hit Kaldur in the chest. M'gann then— as Kaldur fell into his fathers arms —turned and fired at Arley; Arley could feel the blood pack that'd been strapped to her chest earlier that day explode. "The Light takes care of their own."
Arley hit the floor with wide, unblinking eyes; she heard Manta call Kaldur's name but not what Kaldur said in response.
A second later a large holographic version of both Kaldur and Arley appeared in the middle of the room; Kaldur spoke coolly to the villains in the cave. "If you are watching this then your summit is truly over. The Light and the Reach deserve each other as both sides played at being partners. But the Reach believes the Light to be their naïve tools of conquest when in fact the Light has been manipulating the Reach from day one."
"Shut this off!" Savage demanded.
"How?" M'gann replied. A screen appeared between the holographic image of Kaldur and Arleys heads. It showed a picture of the Rimborian wanted posters for the six Leaguers Savage had sent across the galaxy five years ago.
"It was the Light that brought Earth to the Reach's attention by sending the Justice League to Rimbor; the League I might add, that the Light had temporarily enslaved with the use of mind control. Nonetheless, the Light set their trap and the Reach, like the predictable sack of bantha crap they are, didn't bother to think twice before they snapped at the bait; not only breaking Guardian Law by invading Earth but also by fulfilling the Lights desire to thrust the world into the galactic spotlight. Part of their perverse survival of the fittest scheme for the planet which they believe will transform the Earth and the Light into the eventual rulers of the Milky Way," Arley said.
The image on the screen changed; this one showed Manta and the Ambassador shaking hands.
"And though the Light made a deal to help the Reach take Earth they have also sabotaged the Reach's efforts," Arley added. The faces of the four teens whose meta genes the Reach had activated appeared on the screen, "They kept the enhanced meta-teens out of the Reach's hands." An image of the Reach's drink popped up.
"They added a neutralizing agent to the Reach's drink so that Earth's population would not become surveille. They turned public opinion against the Reach and they intentionally allowed the team access to the Scarab temple to cleanse Blue and Green Beetle. So you see, any agenda either side imagined they shared was nothing more than a carefully crafted illusion. I trust I have shattered that illusion as well as whatever remains of this sorry alliance," Kaldur finished. "Good night."
And then the images of Kaldur and Arley faded.
"Kaldur-Kaldur," Manta whispered to Kaldur, "What have you done?"
"He and that Lantern—" Savage spat, "Have in death done more to damage my plans then any other living creatures have wrought in fifty thousand years. I'd be almost impressed if I wasn't so—" Savage was cut off by the Ambassadors guttural scream.
"You Earthlings are a pestilence and a plague!" The Ambassador shouted, "You dare sabotage us? Dare Betray us! Have you forgotten who controls the War World? The Light is fortunate we do not carve up your planet as we speak."
Savage approached the Ambassador; "That would indeed impress as I have the War Worlds Crystal key."
"Bingo," Artemis thought. "There we go."
"And that was the most important thing we needed to know," Arley said as she got up; heads snapped to her and Kaldur stood from his father's arms. "It's a go time people," Arley thought.
"Finally!" Bart thought back excitedly.
"Kaldur, you're—"
"—Alive, yes," Kaldur said to his father.
"Impossible," Savage gasped, "Deathstroke killed you both!"
"Just for a little while," M'gann said, her eyes glowing green as she levitated Deathstroke's sword so that the sword's tip was perched against the Neanderthals throat, "After all I wouldn't want to do any permanent danger to my best friends." And with that she changed; no longer was Deathstoke standing there but rather the M'gann Arley knew and loved. "Not when a little misdirection and Hollywood special effects will do instead."
"For we value our true friends and unlike you," Kaldur said to the Light, "We are not short on them." Mal in the Guardian uniform, Superboy and Bumblebee appeared in the archway the reach had come from and the Batgirl and Nightwing— and Wally —appeared in the one the Light had come from.
"Hey there Vandy!" Wally said loudly with a sharp and dangerous looking grin on his face, "You miss me?"
"Well played. Well planned. But the Light always has contingencies," Savage said. The Brain started to glow and the archways the team had just come through closed; the very top of the cave opened up to reveal the glowing moon and eerily glowing War World.
League of Shadow members dropped into the cave; several surrounded Wally, Batgirl and Nightwing and several surrounded Superboy, Mal and Bumblebee. More and more dropped into the cave until Kaldur and Miss Martian were all also surrounded; a thin line of masked Shadows separated Arley from the others.
Arley's hand gripped the hilt of her sword.
"I've had my fill of your interruptions. Do not expect to survive." Savage told the team; "Kill them all," he told the Shadows, "Superboy may present a problem but we'll deal with him when the other children lie bleeding on the ground."
"You're still calling us kids, huh?" Arley arched a brow; she glared at the man from her spot several feet away, over the shoulder of a Shadow and past another. She didn't have her ring but she'd have his head all the same.
"No wonder our success is mount," Kaldur smirked. "You constantly underestimate us." Blue Beetle tore off his mask and the Shadows uniform he'd stolen shredded as he took to the sky; Jaime didn't bother to wait for an order before he aimed and ford his sonic canons at the Reach soldiers that stood behind Savage.
Lagoon Boy and Beast Boy, both of whom had also been disguised attacked three Shadows that had been perched on the ledge with them. Beast Boy went after Mallah. Arley lunged; with her sword drawn Arley jumped at the closest Shadow separating her from Savage, the Shadow closest to her parried her attack and pushed her off— Arley stumbled back two steps —before he lunged at her. Arley and the Shadows swords spun before she bent her wrist and threw her weight forward, body slaming the Shadow into another.
Arley was tiny— five foot three and one hundred and thirty pounds —but she was also all muscle and all she needed was the two Shadows stunned for a fraction of a second so that her blade could cut through the air, and them.
The two masked Shadows, bloody, dropped and Arley— as smoke began to fill the cave —started back towards where she knew Vandal Savage was, only to be tackled as she started to approach her alien friend and the immortal caveman.
Arley saw a blade; it happened too fast. She raised her own sword with one hand and blocked the Shadows blade with her armored forearm; Arley felt the blade pierce her armor and the skin of her arm, she would have yelled if not for the the sickening squish that sounded when Arley stabbed the blade of her own weapon into the side of the Shadows head. Though the squish was nothing like the nightmare inducing gurgling sound that the Shadow let out as he dropped to his side.
Focus, focus, focus. Arley told herself, Focus.
She could think later, she could let her hands shake and her soul ache over her choices after she and the others had made it out alive.
When Arley looked up towards where she knew Savage was— with blood running down her arm —Arley saw a large fiery snake holding Miss Martian in its clutches and Savage portaling away with Klarion.
"Cowardly meet!" The Black Beetle yelled at the vanished Savage and Klarion.
"You're kriffing kidding me!" Arley shouted over the alien as she got to her feet. Ra's Al Ghul looked around him a few feet from Arley, his hands were out in front of him.
"Savage had the right idea!" Ra's shouted, "This battle is pointless, do not resist. The heroes," he said sarcastically, "Have no jurisdiction here."
Superboy jumped down from where he had been and raised his arm to attack Black Beetle— the alien Warrior glared at Ra's —only for the alien to easily bat him away. Arley turned her weapons blade and slashed at a Shadow who had run up to attack her; the man dropped to his knees— his chest sticky with blood —and Arley kicked him back.
"Meaning every member of the Light is a coward," Black Beetle snapped. With a pointed arm the alien stepped forward and Ran Ra's through; the man's back arched as he was lifted off the ground. "But such is the fate of all meat."
"Master!" Black Beetle retracted his arm and Ra's Al Ghul stayed standing for a moment; he swayed on his feet. Arley's glamour charm clattered to the cavernous flooring.
Arley went to take a step forward— she didn't need her ring to take on a member of the Reach; with or without it she had a lifetime of training under her belt —only to be thrown to side as the protection Ra's Al Ghul had brought rushed forward to catch the dead man's body before it hit the ground.
From her spot on the floor Arley spotted Artemis high above the fighting across the cave firing arrow after arrow into the mess around them; Shadows with arrows in their knees and thigh dropped; others who'd been shot with trick arrows stood frozen in foam.
"I have you Master, Ubu will keep you safe." The bald man took a grappling hook from the pocket of his pants and aimed it upwards; Arley lunged at the man from her crouched spot on the floor, intent on stopping him from getting away, only for the sole of his book to make contact with her chest. Arley flew back and into the Arms of a speeding Wally West; quickly Ubu and the body of Ra's Al Ghul disappeared into the Isla Santa Prisca jungle.
Wally came to a skidding stop; Arley spun out of her boyfriend's arms and their backs pressed against one another.
"Have I ever told you how hot you are when you're kicking ass?" Wally asked.
Arley snorted.
"More than once Handsome, though I'd hold off on the compliments until after we finish fighting-you know me, I just can't control myself around you," Arley purred over her shoulder. With a laugh Wally and Arley pushed off from one another.
Arley swung her blade up at the first Shadow she attacked, the Shadow he had run at brought their sword down and they put their foot on the back of the blades. Arley, just as Kilowog had shown her at eight years old, brought her head forward and hit the assassins.
The shadow stumbled back— Arley picked up their weapon before it could clatter to the rocky ground —and with the Shadows own sword Arley ran them through; with hers she blocked an oncoming attack. Arley brought the heavy heel of her foot down onto the Shadows toes and then her knee up into their groan, Arley brought her left fist up and against the side of the Shadows head.
The assassin dropped and Arley turned only to see the several Shadows Wally had taken out unconscious and sprawled out on the cave flooring. With a proud smile on her face Arley spotted both Wally and Impulse circling the Brain; Beast Boy could still be heard fighting Mallah.
Arley rushed towards the Black Beetle; Wonder Girl and Robin danced around the aliens' sonic canon, avoiding blasts every time they got to close.
Arley, with her blade drawn low, sidestepped the sonic blast the member of the Reach.
"If I were you Lantern," the Black Beetle growled, "I would stand down. I have killed more than one of your kind-without your ring you would not even be a challenge."
"Think so huh?" Arley sheathed her weapon and pulled out her chain scythe, "Then come on, try me. Just know I've been squashing bugs since I could walk." With a growl the Black Beetle raised it's sonic cannon and Arley threw the blade of her scythe. Black Beetle bent backwards to avoid the strike.
"Wonder Girl!" Wonder Girl threw her lasso and it wound around Black Beetles canon; Cassie pulled with all the strength in her body and Black Beetle stumbled forward only to dig his heels into the dirt and pull back.
Arley threw the blade of her weapon out again, this time— because the alien moved and threw his arm up in front of his neck —the weapon wrapped tightly around the triceps of Black Beetle's untransformed arm.
"Warrior!" The Ambassador called, "Warrior!"
With a growl Black Beetle gripped the chain of Arley's weapon and the taut rope of Cassie's lasso his untransformed arm and jerked left; both females went flying into Robin, who with a groan laid limply underneath them.
Arley rolled off the younger boy and Cassie— who did the same —hovered for a second, her hands bounced anxiously as she peered down at him; "Please be okay, please be okay!"
With a smile Arley looked at the blonde; Arley set a hand on the younger girls shoulder.
"He's going to be fine Wonder Girl-we just landed on him, I'm sure with Killer Croc running around he's been through worse." Arley looked down at Robin and placed a hand against the side of his face. "Robin, Rob? Baby Bird?"
"Don't care if you're alive," Robin grumbled with his eyes still squeezed shut, "Don't call me that." With a chuckle Arley looked at Cassie,
"I told you he'll be fine, he's just being a baby." Robin let out a groan, slowly, as the fighting died down, Wonder Girl and Arley helped Robin to his feet, his arm was thrown over the blonde shoulders while his hand pressed itself gently against his ribs.
"Babe!"
Arley didn't hesitate in leaving Tim and Cassie's sides; Arley, when she reached Wally, threw her arms around his neck and pulled the speedster into a kiss. Mal let out a hoot, Dick a holler, as Wally pressed Arley closer to him; his fingers were splayed out on her back. When they pulled away a moment Later Wally rested his forehead against Arley's.
"You really can't control yourself around me, can you babe?"
With a laugh and a tightening of her arms, one of which had become soaked with her own blood, Arley seemed to pull herself closer to the speedster, "No, but come on Handsome, it's not like you really want me to, do you?" Slowly the two pulled away from one another; Wally— pale and horrified —looked down at Arley's injured and bloody arm and cradled it gently in his hands.
"What happened-are you okay?" Wally frowned, "What am I asking of course you're not." Arley placed her non-injured hand against Wally's chest, forcing the speedster to look at her.
"I will be-it's not that bad, Wally we won and we're both alive—"
"—But you're hurt."
"No more than I usually am, it's a cut. A few stitches from Doc Thompkins and I'll be fine-breath, okay? For me?" Wally did, he sucked in a deep breath and Arley rocked forward, she pressed her lips against his before pulling away.
Something, as they pulled away, caught Wally's eye and with a gentle nudge to her unharmed side, Wally jerked his head in Kaldur and Dicks directions. Threading their fingers together the pair walked over. Arley pressed her injured arm against her chest as they walked.
Slowly Arley's injured arm began to throb; a crushing weight began to settle on Arley's shoulders as the adrenaline that had been pumping through her veins began to fade.
"I had hoped to end this tonight," Kaldur said, "But Savage escaped with Klarion, as did Black Beetle with the Reach's head scientist. Luthor and Queen Bee never showed and even Ra's will no doubt—"
"—Are you kidding me?" Dick cut him off, he put a hand on Kaldur's shoulder, "Kaldur you won!"
"Won? Dude you triumphed!" Arley ignored the pain radiating from her arm and instead looked proudly at Kaldur,
"Kal we not only broke up the Light and Reach's alliance but crippled the Reach and broke the Light; and since you got them to spill everything on the record we can get the Reach kicked off the planet and clear the League on Rimbor and across the galaxy. Besides on top of that I can use this recording on Oa, the Reach won't be getting away Scott-free."
Arley jolted forward just as soon as she was finished talking; Garfield's arms were wrapped around her middle and Arley turned and beamed at the young teen; her hand threaded through the changeling's green hair,
"What's this for?"
"I'm just so happy you're alive!" Garfield's arms fell from around her waist as he turned to Kaldur, "And that Aqualad's not a traitor!" The young boy's smile fell flat as he turned to Dick, his grin finger pointed and outstretched, "No more faking anyone's deaths for at least a year, okay!"
"Yeah seconded," Wally scoffed, his hand pressed against the space between Arley's shoulder blades. Kaldur sighed,
"Agreed." Dick leaned into Kaldurs side,
"Kaldur this has been a good night-maybe the best we've had since the four of us took off four Cadmus over five years ago."
"Yeah," Wally said as he trudged through the water towards Kaldur; Arley followed behind, the two of them paused at Kaldur's side. "Enjoy the moment."
"Nortz knows we've earned it."
…
Arley, with her injured arm wrapped tightly under a mountain of gauze, kneeled in the middle of her and Wally's shared bed; Bodie laid asleep, stretched out at the foot of the mattress with his tongue lolled out to the side and his belly to the air. Wally kneeled half on the mattress, her Corps ring between his fingers.
The only lights lit in the room were the bedside lamps; Wally's face glowed warm under the light, his eyes sparkled.
Across the room, on the dresser, was her Lantern battery. Dick— after the team had returned to the Watchtower —had promised to personally show the UN Secretary General the footage from the Isla Santa Prisca cave as soon as humanly possible so that by the time morning came the Reach's invitation to Earth would have been rescinded.
"I Promise," Wally breathed into Arley's ear, "The next ring I give you will definitely have more bling." Her hand was cradled in his as he slowly slipped her ring back onto the index finger on her right hand.
"Swear?" Arley teased, her lips hovering over his.
"Babe," Wally said in a mock tone of hurt, "Since when do I lie to you?" Never; Arley could find out the Guardians had been lying to her since day one, she could find out that the League and rest of her friends— her family —had been telling her half truths and bold faced lies since the beginning and she would never question anything that came out of Wally's mouth because Wally West didn't lie, not to her.
He had told her that, back when they'd been kids and he swore never to leave her behind that he wasn't lying because he'd never lie, not to her.
"I love you," Arley hummed. Wally pressed his lips gently against Arleys,
"I love you more Glowstick."