Well here you are. I don't know how many have stuck with the story as I haven't really gotten too many reviews, but I hope I haven't disappointed anyone. This is kind of the action part of the story and it can get a bit wild and violent. So if you're young, consider that these chapters maybe a little bit too much. For those of you enjoying the story I hope to see some reviews. I am planning another big update in a couple of weeks with my version of Reese, Dick Grayson, Gabby and the first whiffs of Harley Quinn as the Birds of Prey are formed.
Chapter 14: High SchoolBarbara looked on with no small amount of pride as her slightly taller, tanned and definitely more self-confident daughter strode from her car towards the suburban high school that would be the center of Dinah's last four years of education before going off to college. She had chosen to get Dinah into a different high school than the one close to the Clocktower. Dinah would probably have hated being taught at the New Gotham High School where she worked. Besides Joy was going to school here as well and she wanted Dinah to stay close to her best friend.
Dinah turned and waved goodbye with the hand holding her back to school present. It was a brand new and quite expensive cell phone that she personally had extended to allow it to make next to untraceable calls to Delphi. She had given it to Dinah with great fanfare at their private little breakfast this morning. Soon she realized Dinah would be old enough to learn to drive and would being clamoring for a car of her own. She shook her head wondering where all the time had gone.
The doors of the Clocktower elevators slid open. Barbara felt a small jolt of pain in her back from her recent implant, but ignored it as she drove her wheelchair inside. Soon she hoped to have the transmitters at either end of her damaged nerves working together or at the very least to be able to remote control her wheelchair with it. As she drove inside she was greeting by the remote sound of her daughter playing some intense and rapid piece of music on her cello. On a whim she decided to forgo looking at Delphi to see what new crimes has plagued New Gotham during the day. She wanted to hear all about her daughter's first day in High School.
Barbara didn't bother to knock on the door of the large training room, which doubled as Dinah's practice chamber. She knew that when Dinah played there was no way of getting in contact with her except touch or yelling. Right enough in the middle of the sunlit room Dinah sat with closed eyes and played with absolute concentration.
Barbara decided to wait for her daughter to finish and allowed herself a rare moment of just listening to the tones played masterfully by her daughter. Dinah had told her a few weeks ago that Leonard her music teacher had told her that he could no longer teach her only help her maintain her skills until she decided if she wanted to pursue music professionally.
Barbara had told her that she still had years to make that decision, but she wanted to encourage Dinah to keep up her music. It was one of the few regular things in Dinah's life that she didn't want her often lonely daughter to lose. It was weird to think that a girl, who could read minds through the merest touch, could be so isolated from the world. Dinah finished the piece and put down her bow, while shaking her arm.
"Beautiful," Barbara said while clapping. Dinah turned around and rose to give her a bow while grinning.
"Hi mom, so how was your first day back," Dinah asked while packing up her cello.
"Fine, I had a few back pains, but that was to be expected," she admitted. Dinah frowned slightly, but didn't comment. "I wanted to ask you the same though," she said, while rolling up to follow her daughter as she carried her cello case back towards her room.
"Well I got a ton of new books. They made a mistake on my schedule on Algebra though, you have to give them the papers that I finished that class in advanced courses last year, or I'll have to take it again," Dinah opened the door to her room and put the cello inside before heading back out.
"I'll get it done tonight," she promised.
"Thanks, should we start on dinner?" Dinah asked.
"Not really you might want to change though," she commented, while suddenly deciding that she wanted to take her daughter out for dinner.
"Why?" Dinah asked a bit suspicious.
"Because we're going out for dinner," she explained. "So do you and Joy have many classes together?" She asked. Admittedly she had never spent too much time with Dinah's friend, but she knew Dinah cared.
"Yeah, we have some classes together. She apologized by the way," Dinah replied. She was confused she didn't know that Joy had to apologize for anything.
"What did she have to apologize for?" She asked.
Dinah gave her a little wistful smile. "For a good long while last year she spent all her time with some other girls, you know the completely spaced out cheerleader airhead crowd. I wasn't really included, but it seems that she had changed her mind about them or something, because she was totally different today. Although I don't know why she changed her mind about them and her source of friends, I am not going to complain. Of course, I had to point out to her that at least she had saved herself from generalized brain-rot," Dinah explained before heading into her room to change clothes.
"I think you've spent way too much time this summer with Helena, you're picking up her prejudices," she commented without any barb in her voice.
"Actually I have that one from you," Dinah said from somewhere inside. Barbara smiled, the teenager Dinah was reminding her more and more of herself at that age and a lot of the self-esteem that had disappeared when the Joker attacked them seemed to have returned. Dinah came back out and soon they were headed off to a local restaurant that had good seats for people with wheelchairs.
Nearly a month had passed from that day, Dinah thought as she waved goodbye to her mom, while walking up the steps towards the entrance of her high school. Joy suddenly ran up to her side. "Hi, D," she said in a slightly out of breath greeting.
"Oh, Joy," Dinah replied in their practiced greeting and smiled at her friend, who it seemed to her was in the throes of some kind of big transformation too. Joy had foregone her regular dresses and her preppy style for the tough chick look complete with a nose stud and a bit heavier make up. Dinah had to admit she much preferred this Joy compared the old snobbier one.
"So are we still on for the little experiment I proposed," Joy asked hinting at her long talked about plan to try to get a spot with one of the school bands, who it seemed were looking for something original in terms of sound. Problem was that the all guy band was seniors and Dinah wasn't entirely sure that they were interested in adding a violin and cello to their band no matter the rumor.
"I'm not sure, I don't think it'll work," she said.
"Of course it will work. Wouldn't it be just too cool if we got into that band?" Joy seemed to stare off into space as they walked inside.
Dinah gave her a wry look. "And the fact that the singer is totally hot has nothing to do with your enthusiasm?" She smirked slightly at her friend's mock shocked expression.
"Why Lance-Gordon, what are you suggesting?" Dinah grimaced slightly, much as she liked being both Lance and Gordon, she did mind it, when her friend used her last name like that.
"That you're completely hormonal, now stop yelling my last name all over the halls will ya," Dinah responded.
"Heh, now are you in?" Joy asked. Dinah considered it. She really didn't feel like it. Not only was it pointless to try and join a multi-guitar and drums band, but it didn't match her concept of how and when she wanted to play music.
"I am out. I am sorry Joy, I will go with you tonight and everything, but I don't want to play my cello in a band. I am not even sure I want to go on playing," she admitted. She had been thinking about her music ever since Leonard had told her that he couldn't teach her more. She was wondering if she wanted to focus on music in her future, maybe become a musician, but when she thought about it, it just didn't feel right.
Joy gave her a slightly unhappy look as they stopped at Dinah's locker. "You shouldn't stop playing, you're totally the best cellist at the school," she told her.
"Maybe," she was cut off by the bell ringing. They gave each other a panicked look and dashed for their first class room, while laughingly berating each other for having wasted too much time talking.
No one really noticed as a collection of vans drove into the quiet suburban area. One stopped and a few overall dressed workers went over and worked on a local phone central. One stopped a couple of times and a couple of other overall dressed workers went into the sewers only to return soon after. The remaining three headed directly up to the high school. The men left their vans and began retrieving what looked like a diverse collection of equipment, while waiting for the other two vans to arrive.
Inside one of the vans Eric Ronald or Colonel as he preferred to be called waited patiently. He checked his watch and looked up to see the first of the two vans round the corner down the round. "Right on time," he mused to himself and mentally crossed that problem off his list. Behind him his former staff sergeant was readying their radios, while the others were busy checking to make sure their weapons were concealed yet reachable.
The second van come up the other way and parked next to him. He cast a glance over to catch a glimpse of his wife. He opened his cell phone and dialed a long distance number. He placed it against his ear and waited. After the third ring a perky but mature female voice answered, "Yes."
"Operation Beggar begins now," he said and shut the cell phone again. With practiced ease he deleted the memory of his cell phone and destroyed the SIM card before putting in another one. He looked over his shoulder at his sergeant sitting ready at the radio. "Tell them to advance and secure positions," he said and turned over to look at his wife. She lifted a small remote detonator device. He nodded once. She pressed the button.
Outside the men dressed as workers headed up towards the school buildings in small groups like they were coming to do some major rebuilding. There were about 20 of them. After looking at his watch Eric got out of his seat dressed in his black suit and carrying his black briefcase. He walked towards the main entrance, while his sergeant, wife and two other men began preparing to move the rather heavy communications system.
Once inside he followed his memory of the school layout and headed for the school main office. He stopped at the door and waited a few seconds then headed inside. A secretary looked up at him in confusion. He smiled at her, put his briefcase down on top of the counter and began unlocking it while saying loudly, "Excuse me, but could I get a meeting with the principal please." The secretary opened her mouth as if to answer, but the words never gave came as he without wincing fired a silenced hollow point round into her forehead, spraying a mess on the two administrative persons sitting behind her. The busy office filled with screaming panic.
He screamed loudly, and then settled back into his pleasant tone of voice too. "Now, please nobody scream anymore or I will just shoot you. I don't need any of you alive, so you continued living depend on your cooperation understood?" He explained and looked around calmly as the panicked adults grew fearfully silent.
"Now where is the school principal?" He asked. One of the remaining secretaries pointed in the direction an office door.
"Fetch him, will you please," he asked and glanced at his watch. The secretary rose from her position at her desk and opened the office door. Inside a man was cowering behind his desk.
"Mister Randolph, right, would you mind coming out here please," he asked and watched with interest as the elderly man staggered slowly towards him. "Now Mister Randolph, I have at this moment twenty very well trained and armed killers inside your school. I would be very happy if you did me the favor of calling an assembly for the two lowest grades in the western most gym, told the older classes to go home and called the teacher's to room number G.31 you know the meeting room overlooking the gym. If you choose not to, I'm afraid my men will have to round up my hostages by violence and that could get exceptionally messy. Once you have done that I want you and your staff to join the teachers there. Then we can all only hope that the police of this city fulfills my demands," he explained and pointed at the microphone for the school broadcast system.
Dinah sat staring out the windows of her classroom. They were having history and she had never experienced a more boring subject and teacher combination in her life. She suddenly had a strange feeling almost as if she was out of her body. Images of screaming kids, violence and a well dressed man wielding a silenced 9mm automatic pistol flashed through her mind with enough force for her to almost jolt out of her chair.
She accidentally pushed her book, pencil and notepad off her table and sent it clattering to the floor. Everyone in class turned their heads and looked at her in confusion as if she had just woken them from a dream. Dinah had a strange feeling as if they were in great danger and so didn't really spend any time considering the embarrassment, when suddenly Principal Randolph spoke over the speakers. "There has been a terrible accident, would all 9th and 10th graders please go to the G.1 gym building for orientation and all teachers to G.31 immediately. All 11th and 12th graders have the rest of the day off. All after school activities and clubs are cancelled for today," he explained.
Murmurs spread throughout the class, but Martin their teacher commanded them to get up and head for the gym, while he packed his briefcase. Dinah knew to the marrow of her bones that this was the danger her mind was warning her about. Quickly she gathered up her things all the while glancing around. She warred with herself inside. She wanted to warn her classmates, everyone in fact that they were heading into danger. But how could she tell them in a way they could understand and accept. Even worse it would probably mean she would have to give up one of the secrets she had kept from everyone except her mom, Helena and Alfred for almost as long as she could remember.
Dinah saw Joy lifting her nearly empty book bag and headed for the door. She quickly pressed the last of her notes into her bag and ran over to Joy. There was no way she would let her best friend run headfirst into danger. If anyone would understand her it was Joy. "Hey, Joy, wait a minute," she asked desperately. The girl stopped and turned to face her. Outside in the hall there were excited juniors and seniors heading home.
"Dinah, I don't think we can wait… unless you're considering skipping," Joy replied.
"Well I don't think we should go over to the gym. I have a bad feeling about all this. Why didn't the Principal tell us the reason for the assembly? Why is he only asking the 9th and 10th graders to come? Something is going on and I don't like it," Dinah hoped that she could convince Joy without having to tell her about her abilities. She did nothing to keep her anxiety out of her voice or her body language.
"Dinah, please, you make it sound like they're all heading down to meet with some serial killer," Joy said and turned to head out again. Dinah realized the class room was empty and glanced at the door. There was no way she was letting her best friend walk into danger. She focused her thoughts on the handle and pulled hard. The door flew shut. Joy stopped and stared at the door in confusion.
"What just happened," Joy said and grabbed the handle and tried to open the door. Dinah remained standing staring with complete focus at the door, pressing against it with her will. Joy turned towards her.
"We're not going to the gym," Dinah stated.
Joy looked from Dinah to the door and back again, her brow creased in confusion. "Dinah, is something wrong?" She asked, turned and tried to open the door again.
Suddenly there was the sound of gunfire. Joy and Dinah instinctively ducked, but the shots had come from somewhere over towards the gym. Dinah was pretty sure it had come from some kind of automatic rifle. "You knew," Joy said and looked at Dinah in confusion.
"I had a feeling," Dinah admitted, "but I didn't know."
"What is going on, and why did the door close?" Joy asked.
Dinah considered her options, opened her mouth and lied, "I don't know. Honestly Joy I have no idea." She could hear the kids left in the hall outside run away.
"Let's get out of the school," Joy suggested in a nervous voice. Dinah agreed and unclenched her will. The door would open now. Joy crawled over and pulled the door handle again. She slowly and carefully edged out in the hall.
Dinah rose and was about to follow Joy outside, when there was a noise like someone ripping up a piece of clothing. Joy jumped back inside, bowling Dinah over. There were screams of pain and panic outside. Joy got up without speaking and quickly reached over to close the door again. Dinah looked at her in confusion. "There was a guy down by the entrance. He shot at those, who had only just made it out the door," Joy explained in a fearful whisper. There were tears in her eyes, "He gunned them down even when they were running away… and I think he was coming this way."
Dinah suddenly remembered a maniacal laughter, a white-skinned man with green hair and the months and years of pain he had caused. Someone else would experience the same now. She wanted to flee this place. She wanted to get herself, Joy and any other she could help far away from this danger. She looked up at the windows and got an idea. "Joy, we could just crawl out the windows. It is only two yards down to the bushes from here," she suggested in an excited whisper.
Joy looked at her and nodded. They ran over and looked outside. They saw a couple of students running away from the school from the building next to the gym. Suddenly one of the kids jolted in mid-step and tumbled to the ground. Then another joined him. The last one jumped into hiding behind a bush. Dinah quickly grabbed Joy's hand as she reached for the handle to open the window. "Don't open it, whoever is doing this, has some kind of sniper outside to make sure no one gets in or out. We need to find a safe hiding place," she said with urgency and looked around the classroom, suddenly finding it alarmingly bare.
Joy ran over to the door and looked out of the small square of glass giving her a view of the deserted hall outside, while she desperately tried to figure out a way out of the classroom or a place where they could hide until the police or her mom and Helena handled the problem. "Oh god, Dinah, that psycho is searching the classrooms," Joy said and backed away from the door with fear.
Dinah looked around and glimpsed the ventilation duct near the floor at the back of the classroom. It was not big and she wasn't even sure there was room in there, but compared to the thought of facing a killer with some kind of automatic weapon made any kind of claustrophobia seem irrelevant. "Over here," she said and ran over to the duct. Joy joined her in trying to get the grate off, but they couldn't get it out. Dinah looked at Joy and felt the fear in her gut as somewhere nearby a door was kicked open. All thoughts of hiding her abilities shrunk into irrelevance. "Joy, move back a bit," she said.
Joy looked at her in confusion, but did as she asked. Dinah looked at the grate and imagined a hand pulling at it. She pulled with her adrenaline fueled strength and the grate easily clattered out onto the floor. Dinah moved towards the opening, trying to ignore the confused and fearful look in Joy's eyes. She feared it would change into hatred or disappointment.
Suddenly behind them the door was pounded open by a man's heavy combat boot. Joy screamed with surprise and the pain in her throat told Dinah she had done the same. An overall clad man toting some kind of rifle looked at them and quickly leveled his gun.
Joy rose from her crouch blocking Dinah's view of him and screamed, "Dinah, get out of here." She ran forward as if trying to charge the armed man.
Dinah desperately tried to find some way to use her telekinesis, but she could see.
A burst of gunfire rang out.
Joy crumbled to the floor. A few droplets of blood spattered onto Dinah's cheek. It was as if a cold shower chilled her body to the bone. She saw the red blood of her friend slowly flow towards her.
"Come here now and I won't shoot you too," the man commanded.
Dinah lifted her eyes to glower at him. Every sound seemed to disappear. She flashed back to a green haired maniac standing over Barbara aiming at her. The imagined image of some shadowy guy standing over Carolyn's corpse flashed through her mind. Joy crumbled before her once again. A shockwave hammered through the room, picking up every table and chair.
The man disappeared beneath a huge entangled mass of chairs and tables as they hammered into the door and wall behind it with a great crash. Dinah blinked and for a brief moment felt like her world view faded to grey only to return to full color. She felt slightly dizzy and she knew she couldn't repeat that performance anytime soon. Slowly she crawled over to the check Joy's pulse.
There was a noise of someone running out in the hall. Dinah looked down at her friend well aware that her tears were falling on the corpse, but she knew that she had to get away. Dinah took a deep breath and forced herself to crawl backwards into the hot and tight duct that led down. She found her feet were dangling down in a tight metal tunnel. A thought came to her and before she let go, she used her telekinesis to put the grate back in place, while she pressed her hands out to the sides to remain in place. The grate snapped into place and she crawled down.
Somewhere above her another man arrived to find the chaotic classroom, Joy's corpse and the puzzling heap of furniture on top of his squad mate.
