Chapter 6

Helena tried desperately to shake the thought that something bad was going down. She tried to focus on getting through work, but she just couldn't shake the feeling of dread creeping in the pit of her stomach. And then there was her boss Leonard. He kept staring at her while she worked and she knew why. Reese had thought it was best to take Barbara's kidnapping to the media since they had no leads. Now Barbara's picture was everywhere and the story of the Joker's return was run on every news station. Everyone knew and they kept staring at Helena sympathetically. Helena focused on cleaning the glasses over and over. The day shift was always slow with only a few businessmen having drinks and the boredom was driving Helena insane. She would rather be out on the streets looking for Barbara, anyplace but here. As Helena dried the last glass she saw out of the corner of her eye, a woman walk up to the counter.

"Helena Kyle, is that you? You haven't changed a bit," the woman said as she sat down at the bar.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" Helena asked curiously as she raised her head to stare at the silver-headed lady.

The woman smiled, "No, you probably don't remember who I am. I think you called me everything but my name back then."

Helena's face changed to recognition. "I remember you. You're Melinda Jenkins. You placed me with Barbara."

"I still consider that the highlight of my career. You were a hard one. What you probably didn't know was that I knew your father. He was a very good friend of mine, but anyway I digress. I need to talk to you about Dinah. Can we talk somewhere," she looked around, "privately."

Helena nodded and turned to Leonard. "I'm taking my break now, Leonard. I'll be back in fifteen." She walked out from behind the bar and motioned Melinda to a table in the back.

Once they were seated, Helena turned to Melinda with a serious expression. "What about Dinah?"

Melinda took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. "I told Barbara not to trouble you girls with this, but now that she is missing the situation has changed. I must say I have done everything in my power to stop this, but with the present situation."

Helena interrupted her, "Look lady, I don't have all day. If you have something to say, say it."

"The Redmonds are in New Gotham and they want Dinah back." Melinda said in one breath.

"What?" Helena was in shock. The Redmonds? In New Gotham? What was she talking about? "What are talking about? When did this happen?"

Melinda hung her head. "I am so sorry, this is all my fault. I talked to Barbara that night in the hospital. I told her that the Redmonds were claiming that we stole Dinah from them and they wanted her back. I told Barbara not to worry about it, to leave you two out of it. I would handle it. We had transferred guardianship legally. They didn't have a case, but now Barbara has been kidnapped and." she paused, "Helena, they were able to convince a judge that under the current circumstances Dinah would be safer under their care than yours. They won temporary custody of her. I am so sorry."

Helena felt like she had been punched in the stomach. She had lost Barbara and now she was losing Dinah. Her world was following apart. Her family was being picked off one by one. Helena suddenly realized what that sense of dread she had felt all day was.

Helena looked at Melinda. "They can't take her from me. What do we do?"

"I contacted Alfred before I came here. He is getting in touch with one of your father's lawyers. I suggest you meet with him as soon as possible."

Helena held her head in her hands. "When are they taking her?" she whispered.

"I am so sorry Helena. You have to believe me, I did everything I could." The older woman sighed, "They're going to the school to pick her up."

Helena jumped up out of her chair. "What! She'll freak out. She's been under a lot of stress lately, she totally flip. I have to get down there." Helena grabbed her coat by the bar and hurried towards the door.

Melinda yelled after her, "Don't do anything stupid Helena."

* * *

Helena rushed into the office at New Gotham High and turned to the secretary. "Where's Dinah!" she practically yelled.

Principal Lindel came out of his office to meet her. "Helena, please calm down."

Helena looked past Lindel to see two people sitting in his office. They looked to be in their mid-thirties and their plain looking clothes was a dead give away. It was the Redmonds. Helena stormed towards the office, her eyes flashing. "You people have no right."

Lindel moved in to block Helena's path. "Helena, if you don't calm down, I will have to ask you to leave." Helena stopped and took a deep breath. "Now, if you would please step into my office we could all discuss this rationally."

Helena walked into the office. She refused the seat Lindel offered, preferring to stand by the door. Lindel sat at his desk. "Helena, I would like to introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Redmond, Dinah's foster parents."

Helena shook her head. "This is ridiculous. You people didn't give a damn about Dinah while she was with you and now you want her back? What had a change of heart or did you just miss your whipping girl."

"Helena," Lindel warned.

Mrs. Redmond turned to Helena. "I know that you are frustrated. I understand that you have had a lot to deal with, with the disappearance of your friend, but you have to understand. We just want what's best for Dinah."

Helena glared at the woman. "What is best for Dinah," she said through clenched teeth, "is to be with her family. Not you."

Mr. Redmond cut in, "We understand how you feel, but Dinah is part of our family too. We just want to provide her with a safe environment until Ms. Gordon returns and we can settle this custody dispute."

Helena just snorted. These people didn't care about Dinah, if they did they would leave her alone. Helena turned to Lindel for help.

The aging principal sighed, "I'm sorry, there is nothing I can do. They have a court order." He produced a white paper from his desk and handed it to Helena. Helena was reading through it, when there was a knock at the door.

The door suddenly opened and in walked Dinah. What Dinah saw before her was like a scene from a horror film. The Redmonds, the people she had thought she had escaped from, were sitting in front of principal Lindel's desk. She saw Helena standing in the corner. Helena walked over to place a hand on Dinah's shoulder, but Dinah shrugged it off. "W-what are t-they doing her," she stammered, shaking with rage.

Helena grabbed Dinah tightly by the shoulder, but the girl continued to stare at the couple in front of her. "Dinah, calm down." Helena turned to see the pictures frames on the wall begin to shake. "Dinah," she said more firmly. The girl turned to look at her. "Calm down."

Dinah stared at Helena, "What are they doing her?" she repeated.

"They claim that your adoption was illegal and they want you back under their custody. They got a judge to grant them temporary custody until Barbara returns. They have a court order, Dinah. There is nothing I can do." Dinah was shaking her head.

"Dinah, we."Mrs. Redmond started to say something, but Dinah stopped her.

"Don't talk to me," she said through clenched teeth.

Helena looked to Principal Lindel who nodded. She led Dinah out into the main part of the office and closed the door. She needed to talk to Dinah alone.

"I want go with them Helena." Dinah said, crossing her arms. "Those people are not my family. I ran away from them; I'm not going back with them."

"What do you want me to do? They have a court order."

Dinah started pacing. "Then I'll run away."

Helena crossed her arms. "You'd run away with Barbara still missing."

Dinah shook her head, "No! Helena, what are we going to do? I can't go back with them. They think I'm a freak."

Helena grabbed Dinah by the shoulders and turned to face her. "Listen to me. You are not a freak."

Dinah turned to stare at the two people in the office. She had thought she had gotten away from these people. She had run away because they didn't understand her; they didn't even try. They had thought she was a freak and had let her know it. The powers she had developed, they had considered evil. So she left to look for people like her; people that understood her. She had found those two people in Barbara and Helena. From them, she had learned that the powers that scared her were actually a gift. She wasn't a freak anymore. She was a normal person, just like every other meta-human. Now all that was being threatened by those two people sitting in that room. She hated them.

Helena noticed the glass window of the door start to shake as Dinah stared into the office. "Look at me." Helena broke Dinah's thought and Dinah turned back to face her. The glass stopped shaking. "Now here is what we are going to do. You are going with the Redmonds." Dinah started to object, but Helena continued, "for tonight. I will talk to the lawyer and get this mess figured out. I'll get you back and then we will find Barbara together. Okay?"

Dinah sighed. She had no choice. Though they were superheroes, they weren't above the law. They had to play by the Redmonds' rules and if that meant going with them now, then she would. She had faith that Helena would get this all straightened out. Dinah nodded. "Okay," she said quietly.

"Okay," Helena said stepping back and folding her arms. "Now let me go inside and see if I can't convince those freaks to let us run to the house and pick up some of your things."