CHAPTER 4

Barbara was on the platform working when Alfred joined Barbara on the platform. "Miss Barbara, this has just come for you." Alfred placed a vase full of a dozen mixed flowers besides Barbara.

Barbara smiled as she picked out the card and read it. "It's from Richard!"

"I must admit, after working with you two these many years from the days you went under the tutelage of Master Bruce, I had a feeling about the two of you. I'm just surprised it took you two this long."

"Alfred!" Barbara looked back at him in disbelief of what he had just said.

"Come now, Miss Barbara. I've seen the way you two looked at each other in the Batcave."

"Well, we did have feelings back then, but you know more than anyone what Bruce would have thought about us dating."

"All to well," Alfred smiled.

* * * *



Dinah was standing alone on the ledge, outside the clock. It was night time, so the full moon shone brightly upon the city. Her head was throbbing in pain. She had tried to use her healing power on herself, but like it was for Jeff, her powers can't heal cuts or viruses, just damaged or broken organs or bones. That really didn't help her right now. The cold weather caused her to bundle up.

Those sticky things that she had put on her temples were driving her nuts. Out of curiosity, she took them off, to see if her new telepathy powers would rush back through her, but it didn't. Instead, she heard a single voice and it was calling to her. "Dinah! Dinah!"

"Who's that? Show yourself!"

"I know what you are going through, Dinah! I can help you control your powers."

"Where are you? Show yourself!" Dinah demanded.

"My name is Madam Kaliea. I too am a telepath. I don't know where you, so I am contacting you telepathically. I know about what happened at the bar. Let me help you, and teach you how to use that power." Her voice was very deep African accented.

She sounded nice and innocent, but that was no guarantee that this was not a trick. "I appreciate your desire to help, but I have someone who is helping me," Dinah was about to put the stickers back on her temples before the voice continued to address her.

"Your friends may be to help you, but it will take a whole lot longer for them to help you rather than letting me help you. I understand you mistrust, but I have no ill intentions towards you. I know you are suffering because of this, and I know I could help you. Are you sure that you don't want my help?"

Dinah thought about it for a second. It would be nice to know sooner rather than later how to control her powers. She was good enough of a fighter to be able to defend herself if this was a trap. "Where to you want to meet?"

"On the rooftop of the high school," the voice replied.

"Very well, I'll listen to what you have to say. I'm on my way, but I'm warning you, if this is a trick, you'll be sorry. Telepathy is not my only power, and the other powers that are in me, I have full control over."

"Understood and accepted, young one."

* * * *

Dinah arrived to the rooftop of the high school. Now that she was here, she felt like she had been lured into a trap and she was stupid enough to fall for it. Why was she there? Has she been so blinded by her desire to understand and control her powers that she opened herself up to this?

"Hello, Dinah!" A woman stepped out from the shadow. She looked African-American with her hair neatly braided. She was dressed in a black trench coat that went down to her ankles.

Dinah knew that she was not a meta who is trying to live a normal life in society. She used her powers for good or evil, and right there, she would have to believe it was for evil, "I'm here."

"It is very brave of you to come. You had no idea if I had good intentions for you or an evil purpose."

"I figured that if you have ill intentions, I can always kick your ass," Dinah replied.

Madam Kaliea smiled. "Are you interested in learning how to control your powers or not?"

"Let's see what you have to offer," Dinah said, taking the sticky pads off from her temples. The voices came rushing into her mind like a huge tidal wave crashing onto shore.

Madam Kaliea closed her eyes and entered Dinah's mind. The voices she was hearing, she too could hear. Dinah could feel her inside of her head, wondering what was she doing? Madam Kaliea began to shut down the voices from her head until they were gone. She opened her eyes and smiled. "It's that simple and quick. Did you feel what I was doing to shut the voices off?"

"Yea, I think so," Dinah was stunned at how simple it was.

"I'm going to open the flood gates again, now do what I did? In your mind, I showed you how to control the powers. Just do what I did."

The voice came rushing back into Dinah's head. Dinah closed her eyes and concentrated. The voices began to fade away until they were non existent. "I did it!" Dinah said excitedly!

"Congratulations, young one. You have the power to turn it on and off at your disposal! Next, you need to learn how to focus into a certain individuals. Before we go any further, I think it's time I told you about your gift. You must be careful about your powers. People will treat you differently because of them. Some will despise you and your new found powers, even those close to you.

"How will I know who my friends are?" Dinah asked.

"Anyone who treats you the same as they have always treated you. Your true friends will never forsake you or deceive you. They will be unchanged in their treatment of you."

Dinah nodded. What she said made a lot of sense. Of course, Helena and Barbara was her true friends. They would never try to deceive her. They have been supportive of her from day one. She could always trust them.

Madam Kaliea grinned. She was falling for her deceit hook, line, and sinker. Her little spell over her would soon make her realize that she was her only friend, and soon after that, she will be hers to control. The first thing she would do was destroy the Huntress and Oracle. Then, there would be no stopping her from ruling New Gotham.