Disclaimer: I do not own the existing characters that we know and love of Young Justice, although I do take ownership over the new characters i.e. The majority of the Team's children
Big thank you to my beta, LynnnSmith – an amazing beta who has been with me since the start of the story!
Chapter 04 – Willow West
"Diana – welcome to your first ever briefing where you will be equipped with hopefully all the information that you need to know." Green Canary smiled before sweeping her hand across the panel that was linked to the projections that were being displayed in front of our eyes like some kind of science fiction film. "I hope you recognise the location…"
Firewing smirked at his den mother. "That's the house of the guy who is running for Police Commissioner of Gotham City against Mr Gordon. Why- what's happening there?"
"Good observations, Firewing. Ever since Mr Jenson revealed that he was putting himself forwards to being Police Commissioner of Gotham City when one still exists, there have been a few issues. Activist groups have been threatening Mr Jenson over his controversial views towards animals-"
"Don't tell Beast Boy…"
"Firewing- this is not the time for jokes, Beast Boy is currently on a mission with Stem Cell so that is out of the question. Regardless, the candidate and his family have been threatened so this must be taken seriously. It has been decided by Nightwing and Aqualad that there should be surveillance on the house in case there are any attacks as such…" Green Canary flicked through the screens and pulled up a map view of the street where the house was. A red dot signified the house. "Jester. You and Firewing will be parked in the unmarked black surveillance van complete with the necessary equipment you might like. Diana, you will be stationed on the roof so that you can have the ground advantage near the house with your archery. Nightstar, you will take to the sky and have the bird's eye advantage. Finn, you will be positioned inside the house as a last resort, should anyone get past Diana and Nightstar. This may not be a glamorous mission, but it is just whilst a safe house is being finalised for the family… Angel, do you have anything to add?"
Angel approached us, wearing a full white body suit that left pretty much only his face and a little bit of hair had been poking out the face hole. But what I couldn't draw my eyes away from were the two wings with rows of feathers lined up in complete uniformity that were protruding from his back.
"I'll say a few words if it stops you from talking G.C." He laughed, winking playfully at her, even though she barely cracked a smile, but I was sure I saw her cheek muscles twitch. "As Green Canary has explained my plan already, there isn't much else for me to say. Apart from treat this like a mission. Green Canary, A.J and myself will be observing each of you with a critical eye in order for you to develop as a fully functioning team."
A look was exchanged between Green Canary and Angel that insinuated that we weren't to know that this mission was like a test.
"Well, just make sure that you've got a comms link ear piece. A.J has them all set out for you on the table over there. The transport leaves in five minutes… Um, what are you waiting for? Get moving!" Angel laughed as we all rushed about to try and get ready.
I grabbed the quiver of arrows that Nightwing had gifted me and swung it over my shoulder. That's when I realised that my hair was now hanging loosely down my shoulders, but I had nothing to tie it up with. I looked about desperately for something to use when I saw a brown bandage that worked well as a hair tie on my thick red hair.
Time was still running out as I staggered towards the van that would take us to the location – I was trying to tightening the straps on my wrist guards as I ran, but the collapsed bow just got in the way. In its collapsed form, it was not much bigger than a ping pong bat, and was incredibly light.
"Come on Diana, we're waiting on just you now!" Jester called out the window. "There we go!"
If he wasn't the leader of this group, I totally would have gone and whacked him over the head with my bow. As I sat down in the van, I wondered whether the bow would really hurt if it connected with a person in such a manner. But Jester was the leader on the good side, so he had some respect from me on that basis.
-o-
At the Jenson house, Nightstar lifted me up and flew up on to roof, which was when she gasped, "You still haven't gotten your ear piece. Oh man, A.J is going to kill you!" She pointed at my ear.
I started to panic and wondered what on earth I was going to do – I had no other way of keeping in touch with the others, and Mari needed to get into position in order to survey the area from above.
"Take mine," Mari said, offering me hers, but I pushed it away.
"No you need yours too… It's going to be okay – I can just go and get mine off of A.J. He'll have picked it up, he has to have."
A.J hadn't picked up the spare one, and the look on his face was so belittling that I didn't even want to try and ask to borrow Max or Ryan's. Though Max looked like he was about to try and slip it to me. I was going to just have to try and get on with the missions without a comms link for help.
Which was going to be a risky strategy.
But when I reached the house in the darkness, I had no way of getting to the roof. The house was big, like a mansion, with caste iron black gates that had clanged as they closed behind me so there was no way back out. I crept towards the house where I found icy clinging to the walls. I tested the strength of the wall to see if it would take my weight, and as it held I started to climb. Getting from the ivy onto the roof was tricky, even with my collapsed bow attached to my belt and the arrows in their quiver that I was wearing like a satchel bag. I had to swing my leg up so that it was in the drain pipe lining the roof. It was wet, and full of dead leaves. But there wasn't anything else for me to grab onto, so I attempted to roll over onto the roof.
Though I slipped and ended up rolling the other direction, but I was caught in someone's arms before I got near the ground below. It was Angel – he must have been watching me and Mari.
"Not a word to G.C that I intervened just now, or she'll have us deaf by morning…"
"Right, I mumbled, finding my footing on the roof and slowly shuffling over to the cover of the chimney. "So now what?" I muttered, unable to get my thoughts across to my fellow teammates. I couldn't even make a comment on my good visibility, or the fact that it seemed quiet, almost too quiet. Not that I would have anyone agree with me.
In anticipation, I pressed the release trigger on my collapsed bow, extending it to its full length. Holding it in my left hand, I plucked an arrow from my quiver and clipped it into place. I steadied myself against the chimney wall as I scanned the surrounding area. The arrow followed an invisible line back and forth. With every car that passed us, I felt my heart race as I thought it could be one of the groups that was threatening the family.
Whilst I didn't agree that there should be some kind of election to be Police Commissioner there was no need to threaten both him and his family when all he really wants to do is progress through the ranks.
"Come on… Somebody make a move," I muttered scanning around the cluster of trees inside the mansion's compound.
It was hard to check both sides of the house when it took time to switch to look over the over side of the mansion.
I looked up, hoping that I might be able to see Nightstar hovering overhead, but it was way too cloudy and dark to see anything.
The quick swish of leaves. I was sure I heard that, but as I closed my eyes to listen harder, the wind started to buffet me, distracting my concentration and making me lose my train of thought.
As I opened my eyes, I saw a bright blur, so the arrow was released from my bow, hurtling through the air and missing the blur completely. The blur was moving so quickly that I barely had enough time to focus but I refused to loosen another arrow so quickly. I then knew that it must be a speedster – like Kid Flash, which made me doubt the authenticity of the mission – but regardless, still a mission I had to prove myself for.
"Finn! Finn!" I snapped, wondering if he would even hear me a bit.
The blur was still darting amongst the bushes and trees – like it was trying to scope out the place.
I loosened another arrow down directly after the house's porch in the hope that Finn might see it and be alert. Then the arrow vanished, making me gasp, but I gritted my teeth in anger and frustration at my plan being effectively foiled. I was starting to feel as though I really should have taken Nightstar's ear piece and loosened one more arrow, quickly followed by another in delayed succession.
The bright blur stopped and stumbled to avoid the second arrow, tripping over. She was of average height and had long brown straggly hair. Her eyes were hidden behind white rimmed goggles, but it was her sleeveless yellow skin tight suit and white boots that made her stand out in the night.
"No!" I yelled, pulling an arrow on the girl. "Nightstar!"
The girl remained exactly where she was, which surprised me because I thought by now, she would have just sped away from us to safety. Her hand was brushing and kind of massaging her ankle. She wasn't running away, because she couldn't.
Nightstar dropped down to the roof and carried me to the ground with my bow still aimed on the injured girl.
"Diana?" Finn asked, opening up the front door and peering around it. "Should I call Jester?"
I jerked around, giving him a swift glance. "Focus on protecting the family – she is probably just a distraction…"
Nightstar looked at me – I could see her looking at me in my peripheral vision.
The girl was so close to the house, I just couldn't risk taking my eyes off her. Whilst I felt bad for causing her an injury, she was helpless and couldn't do much more harm.
"What now, Diana?" Nightstar whispered.
Just then, a grey canister that was the size of a baked bean can was thrown towards us, rolling along the short grass. There was a split moment where I stopped to look at the canister for a moment, but Nightstar's foot shot out, kicking it as grey smog started to spew out of both ends.
Coughing and spluttering, I threw myself between the girl and the house, thinking that I would be lucky enough to catch her. I slammed into the ground with a thud, but leapt up onto my feet, blinking rapidly as the gas was stinging my eyes.
I tried to get to the house, walking into the steps and just managing to catch the banister.
A flash of violet light showed me where Nightstar was – and that wasn't near the house.
The smog began to lift and I got in the doorway of the house where I saw Finn lying on the ground and Mr Jenson, his wife and two children were lashed together by rope.
"Don't just stand there! Untie us!" his wife shrieked furiously.
It took a moment to survey the room for any threat, and when I was satisfied, I used my last arrow and held it tightly as I started to saw away at the rope.
"I think this is yours," Mr Jenson said, passing me a slightly crumpled note.
Keeping a hold of the note, I then immediately focused my attention on Finn. "Can you hear me? Finn, are you okay?" Nightstar! Call A.J and Angell! Quick!" I panicked when Finn didn't react and I could only feel the faintest of pulse in his wrist. "No Finn, not on my first mission…"
"I'm calling the cops." Mr Jenson picked up the phone from the stand, pressing the buttons with his thick fingers.
I leapt up and slammed the phone from his hands, without even thinking. Not thinking about how my actions may have looked or how rude it may have been. "You cannot contact the cops, this is being dealt with by the Justice Squad and the Justice Team."
Angel came into the house with his wings folded in, but still making him look incredibly tall. "Diana- the cops will be here to secure the area. You go with Jester and canvas the area to see if you can find any clues about the little speedster. Don't worry about Finn- me and Firewing will take care of everything. He'll be in safe hands, I'm sure. Nightstar, you will accompany A.J and the Jensons to the safe house…"
I wanted to protest and try to help Finn, but I knew that Angel wouldn't let me. I ran out of the house, collapsing my bow down and clipping it to my belt.
"Diana- with me!" barked Jester, who turned to run through the now open gates. "We have to canvas the area for a trace of the speedster."
I nodded and grudgingly followed him along the road. The panels of my gladiator skirt flapped about from the speed I was running at. I was glad that the skirt was made in panels, because it meant that I could be super athletic and not get caught up in a tight, movement restricting outfit. Plus, being called Diana and loving to study Greeks and Romans in History meant that I adored this outfit that Nightwing had gifted to me.
Impulsively, I chose to run into the wooded area that ran alongside the Jenson's house. It would be a perfect place to hide and observe the family at the same time. The air was cold as it whistled through my hair. I felt that she was in the nearby area, I just couldn't tell you where. I crouched down on the ground and closed my eyes slowly, listening. Just listening to the movements and sounds. A twig snapped and I drew an arrow to connect with the bow in its state of opening out. I released the string and watched the arrow whistled through the air, embedding itself into a tree, only millimetres from where Jester was now crouched. He glared at me, and I was sure I saw his hand jerk- like he was ushering someone along, whilst I was distracted.
"Who's there?" I called out, squinting in his direction.
A blur of white – I saw it.
My eyes suddenly grew wide, because Jester knew exactly who the speedster was. I couldn't just go around accusing him when I had no proof.
"Did you see anything, Diana?" he prompted an urgent response.
"No, I didn't. We lost them." I dropped my head, avoiding eye contact and saw some footprints, heavy in the grass that led right towards Jester and past him.
Jester was hiding something… but I was too timid to accuse him of anything without proof. Part of me didn't trust him. He was subtle and secretive- way too secretive for my liking, and he really focused far too much on his appearance.
"Diana, come on- let's go." Jester stormed past me. "Let's go back to base and debrief with Green Canary."
I nodded slowly, unable to bring myself to argue with Jester. Part of me didn't like him. He just came across as so untrustworthy- Nightwing was always telling me that I was forever seeing the good and the bad in people. He would tell me I was wrong about Jester, that Jester is just not what I'm used to. This intuition was just how I was built internally.
-o-
On returning to the base, we all changed into our casual clothes, ready for a debriefing. Whenever we wore our own clothes, we relaxed and called one another by our first names… Although the Justice Team never seemed to change out of their supersuits. I loved my battle suit, but when I had to put on my own clothes and look in the mirror, I saw all the imperfections that I would try and cover up. My brightly coloured hair. The freckles on my face. The way my face seemed red like I'd had an allergic reaction. I didn't notice these things as much when I wore my Diana outfit.
I sat down at the horseshoe shaped table that was in the briefing room. The briefing room was situated off to the side of the base. To one side, it was panels of glass windows that looked into the main room of Justice Squad's base. Distracted, I watched Max observe the multiple computer screens for any incoming threats.
Green Canary strutted confidently into the room and went straight to the whiteboard that was opposite us. She took a deep breath and almost pirouetted to look at us.
"Before you all ask and bombard me with questions, Fin'abarra is doing just fine. He's just going to need some time off to recover. The Jensons are currently at our safe house with Nightwing- I suppose the mission was partly a success. Ryan has filled me in on everything that happened on the mission. It seems like there is an activist group who is out to get us and Mr Jenson."
I nodded in agreement. "The speedster," I mumbled quietly, hoping that I wouldn't be heard.
"What was that, Willow?" Green Canary raised an eyebrow at me.
I had completely forgotten about her ability to pick up even the beating wings of a fly, so she must have heard me say it. So why would she ask? It made me feel like Ryan hadn't told her everything about the mission. She appeared like she was unaware of why I would make a comment about a speedster if I wasn't sure.
I froze up, feeling Mari, Ryan and Green Canary's gazes being fixated on me. My chest tightened and I bolted up, knocking the chair back. The nerves had gotten the best of me once again and I just couldn't speak.
"Willa?" Mari asked, putting her hand on my shoulder. Her hand was hot as it brushed me. "Are you okay?"
"It's nothing. I didn't say anything…" I whispered.
Eventually, Green Canary excused us and turned to look at the whiteboard that she had put up all of the details about the Jenson case. At a glance, it seemed that Mr Jenson had been caught taking money from the CEO of a company that had been accused of dumping oil in the lake. Oil that had found its way into the nature reserve, thus upsetting various animal rights group. If I was right in my assumption, I believed that this speedster was one of the members of these groups. She was clearly there to frighten Mr Jenson – maybe even kidnap him if we weren't there.
"Not you Willow, I want to talk to you about something." Green Canary folded her arms and flicked her slick, sandy coloured hair to one side with a swift head movement.
I noticed Ryan grimacing at me from where he stood, towering over Max. Ryan clearly knew something about the case that we, the Justice Squad, were working on, but I was too scared to say anything.
"Yes Green Canary?" I asked, slouching into the glass door, wishing that it opened the other way so I could slip out of the debriefing room.
"Sit down, Willow..." she demanded harshly, pushing out a chair for me from under the table with her boot. "Now I know what Ryan told me about the mission- but you said something in the debriefing that stuck with me. You said something about a speedster, but you clearly didn't want the other two to know what you said. So I'm guessing that Ryan knows more than he is letting on?"
My eyes grew wide before I could even think of hiding any emotion or thoughts.
"Willow- you may have undergone some basic training with Nightwing, but this goes to show that you really need some additional training on avoiding interrogation techniques." Green Canary folded her arms. "If you can't hide what you're thinking to me, how do you think that you would hold up if you were captured by Metallica and Uppercut again?"
I felt my bottom lip quivering slowly at the thought of not being a successful hero like my parents were at my age. "I think- I think… I can't say. Sorry."
Green Canary rolled her eyes before opening the door for me. "Angel wants me to tell you that you need to keep up with your schoolwork and training – he noticed that you have been absent from a number of training sessions lately. If you cannot juggle both, then we will have to reconsider your position on the Justice Squad."
-o-
That night, I was sat at my desk trying to catch up on my English Literature assignments. It always felt so weird doing normal teenage stuff in amongst the not so normal hero stuff. Sometimes my head felt like it was going to explode at the pressure that was on me. Especially at the thought of Metallica infiltrating the Justice Squad and League, through me. He hadn't contacted me yet for information on the Justice League and its members.
He would surely ask for our real identities, and not just any alias- the real ones. Me, Max, Mari and Ryan would be at the front of it all. Finn could always escape to Atlantis if it ever got out. I pressed my head into my hands at the thought of the newspapers and reporters shoving microphones and cameras in our faces. Things were different now, and we all had to keep each other safe. Our identities were the most valuable possession. It had been drilled into us that the people would only know us by our hero names. In school, some kids spoke about the Justice members like we were celebrities – lame celebrities because we hadn't really done any successful missions… Not yet. Mostly because we were still beginners, even Ryan.
But looking at the compartment that my gladiator hero suit was in made me think about Mum.
Artemis Crock.
No one could explain what happened to her after my dad died and she had me. She went looking for trouble, and she found it – or it found her. In Icicle Jr…
Nightwing and Aqualad tried to bring her back to the Justice Team, but she was already lost to them. It was as if she had had her mind wiped and didn't have any memories of before my dad's death.
A strong series of sturdy knocks disturbed my thought process. I slammed my English textbook shut and turned to face the door.
"He- hello?" I stammered, edging towards the door.
"Willow, it's Ryan- open the door…" his voice responded harshly from the other side of the door.
I opened the door slightly, but he burst into the room boldly, shutting the door behind him. I had already backed into the room as he squared up to me, towering over me.
"Ryan…" I murmured feebly.
"I got one thing to say to you Willow. You might think that I know something and I didn't tell Green Canary, but you must be mistaken. We were there on that mission, and if you are sure about telling lies to Green Canary, I might just get there before you. Tell her something you clearly don't want her to hear…" He folded his arms swiftly and stood up straighter. His lanky but muscly frame was intimidating to say the least. "Do we have an understanding?... I said, do we have an understanding?"
My head bobbed, unable to say any words whatsoever.
Another deal made… Metallica wanted me to pass on information about the Justice Squad, and Ryan wanted me to withhold the fact that he knew who the speedster was…
He had just confirmed that he knew who the speedster was.
Thoughts from AspiringWriterGirl = This chapter was started months ago and I am relatively pleased with how it has come across, but a female speedster – who even is she? :O
