She sat up unsteadily in the bed, resting her head against the heel and
palm of her left hand. She tried to smile but it came out as a pained
grimace. "Sorry," she said feebly. "I didn't have a choice."
Barbara Gordon spun her chair hard, emerald green eyes flashing with anger. "You always have a choice. This was simply the wrong one."
"Barbara, it's not that easy," Dinah said defiantly as she glanced around the hospital room. She wasn't altogether certain how she'd gotten there but the fact remained that she was lying in a bed hooked to several beeping machines and her mentor was standing above her, looking pissed as all living hell.
"Dinah, I warned you about the risks..." Barbara started, her hands clenched into hard fists. She fought valiantly for control over her emotions but found it to be a battle she had no chance of winning. Helena was hurt and possibly in very grave danger and now her other charge had intentionally placed herself in the line of fire. It was enough to make anyone angry enough to spit nails.
"Yes you did," Dinah admitted. "But it's Helena. She'd do it for me. You'd do it for me." She dropped her head and lowered her voice. "You said we were family. Family takes chances for each other."
Barbara smirked and shook her head. "Uh huh, nice try. You're not getting off that easy. I respect your desire to help Helena in every way possibly but not at the risk of your own life. That's simply an unacceptable risk."
Dinah smiled, suddenly very solemn. "No it's not." She glanced down at her hands. "When Harley killed Wade, Helena was willing to do anything to win back your trust..."
"She didn't need to. It wasn't her fault."
"Doesn't matter. She'd do anything for you. It's what you've both taught me. Can't un-teach that Barbara. No matter how much you'd like to."
Barbara reached out and took her hand. She squeezed it. "You're still in very serious trouble," she promised the blonde. "But I suppose we'll deal with that later. Did you find out anything useful?"
Dinah smiled. "Of course."
"Well hold off on that," Barbara sighed. "They're finishing up your papers. I want to get you home and into bed."
"I don't need..."
"Stop and think for a moment Dinah," Barbara cautioned. "Just how smart do you think it is to fight me right now?"
Dinah swallowed hard. "Right."
*****
Helena turned, her blue eyes wide with pain. She looked at the wall and watched as it rippled. She slid her body close to it and ran her fingers across the surface, wondering how it could be moving.
"Helena," she heard a voice call out.
She spun quickly, the chains rattling. She tilted her head. "Cam?" She blinked. Couldn't be. She had watched her obsessive suitor get turned into a pile of dust by a chemical explosion.
And yet somehow he was standing in front of her looking like nothing at all had happened.
He bent over her and ran a hand over her face. She jerked away. He smiled. "I've got you now," he said with a wry smile.
"Don't think so," another voice said. She turned to see Slick walking towards her. Well he was actually more sauntering than walking but just the same, he was moving in her direction. "She's mine." He put out his hand and sent a spray of concentrated water in her direction. It splashed across her cheeks, starting her into awareness. They were still there.
Bad. Very bad.
"You'll have to get through me," another voice said. "Huntress and I have business," Morton laughed as he approached. He reached out and slugged her across the jaw, dropping her flat on her back. "Lots of business."
"I'd agree," the Specialist murmured from behind her. She spun away from him but he caught her throw in a vice like grip. He picked her up and tossed her. She cried out as the cold floor slapped against her cheek.
She looked up and saw all of the four of the men standing above her. She blinked, realizing that she had been party to each of their eventual deaths. They wanted revenge now. She wasn't sure how they were achieving it but somehow they were.
Cam reached down and touched her, his fingers feeling like cracked sandpaper. He roughly grazed her cheek. "We could have been happy."
She shook her head. It had to be an illusion. Had to be.
The Specialist reached out and kicked her, spinning her several feet in the air. She gasped, expecting pain. When none came she opened her eyes up and looked around.
Alone. Again.
A delusion.
Right.
Hardly the first.
Not likely the last.
She scratched at her palms, nervous energy exploding through her veins. After a few moments she pushed herself to her feet.
She walked towards the bed and sat on it, feeling it droop a little under her weight. Not much though. She couldn't recall the last time she had eaten. She didn't really care to anyways. Her stomach was little more than a nervous knot.
She heard the door open before she saw the blonde enter the room.
"Harley," she muttered, looking up at her captor. Her tormentor was dressed in a power-suit.
The woman lit up when she caught sight of her prey. "You're up," she cooed. "And on your feet." She smiled. "That's much better than when you're curled up in a ball looking like a coward."
"I'm a lot of things," Helena snapped back, taking a predatory step towards Harley. "I'm no coward."
"Oh come now, Helena, do you really think you could take me right now?" She tilted her head. "Do you have double-vision? Can you stand up straight? Are you really sure I'm actually here?"
Helena stopped. She clenched her fists. She stared back at the woman who just watched her impassively. Finally her shoulders dropped. Energy dripped away from her, leaving her exhausted both mentally and physically.
"That's what I thought Helena. Even you know that you don't have much strength right now. Certainly not enough to waste on trying to beat up illusions."
"Fuck you," Helena snapped, sitting on the ground. She put her head into her hands and wound her fingers through her messy brown mane. She wasn't sure how long she'd been in captivity but her hair was screaming for conditioner.
Probably the least of her worries.
"Now now Helena, a little manners goes a long way," Harley scolded. She bent over and peered down at Helena. "How does it feel to be going insane?"
"You tell me." Helena replied dryly. "Figure you've been there awhile."
Harley grinned. "I'm not sure I like the term insane. People think of insane as not being able to think clearly. I'm quite clear Helena. I know exactly what I'm doing and what I want."
"You want me," Helena drawled. "I know. Still not interested. Don't much care for blondes myself."
"Oh I am impressed. I would have thought you for broken by now but there's that spark. That rebellion. It's a wonderful thing to see."
"Glad you like it."
Harley grinned but it was suddenly very cold. "I don't." And with that she kicked out, connecting solidly with Helena's mid-section. The girl grunted but didn't fall. "And Helena my dear, you're not the only think I want. I want this whole town on their knees in front of me."
"How ambitious," the brunette drawled.
Harley kicked out again, connecting with Helena's jaw. The girl spun back and then spat out blood.
"Not much more to break," Helena said with a dry sardonic laugh. She was wearing an odd smile on her bruised face.
Harley laughed. "Oh Helena, how naïve you are." She reached down and grabbed Helena by the hair, yanking the girl backwards. "There's so much more to break. Trust me."
*****
He blinked and opened his eyes. Everything in front of him was hazy and uneven. The gauze pads over his eyes limited his field of vision. Reaching up he pulled them away. He blinked, clearing the sleep away.
"Hello," he whispered, his voice catching violently. There was some kind of tube lodged in his throat and it was blocking his ability to speak. He settled for smacking his hand against the wall of the room and then touching the call button on the arm of the bed.
Several moments passed before he heard footsteps approaching. His body tensed up, muscles constricting tightly with anticipation.
"Hey ol' boy," a voice said from the doorway. He turned his body slightly and smiled.
"McNally," Jesse Reese rasped out. He smiled up at his large partner. He noticed immediately that the big cop was sporting some fairly ugly bruises on his face.
"Don't talk," McNally instructed. "I'll get someone to pull that thing out of your throat." He stepped back out into the hallway.
Reese glanced around the hospital room and saw that it was covered in flowers. That meant that his mom had been by. The woman was a florists' wet dream. He wondered idly how he'd gotten hurt but found quickly that his mind was far too muddled to make sense of anything.
The last thing he could really remember was going out with McNally to search for Harley who had escaped for Arkham. He could recall being worried and concerned for his friends back at the Clocktower. Harley had taken Barbara's lover from her and done it by manipulating Helena. The cracks in the foundation of the team had been severe but they had recovered.
At least somewhat.
"Hold still Detective," the nurse said as she removed the tube.
"Cough." He did as he was told, feeling his throat spasm a bit.
"Feel better?" McNally asked with a grin.
"Yes," Reese muttered. "I think." He lifted his hand up and touched his throat. "What the..."
"Hell if I know. Don't have a clue what happened to you. Or me. I ended up ended in a ditch. You were in a dumpster." He cocked his head. "Always knew you had a thing for the dirty side of town."
"Nice," Reese muttered. He reached down and looked at his chest. "Am I hurt?"
McNally snorted. "Up until two hours ago I pretty much assumed you were dead. You were deep in a coma and they said you weren't going to wake up."
"Oh, that's pleasant," Reese muttered. He slid a hand under the hospital gown and ran his fingers over the bandages on his chest. "Ouch."
"You took a knife right to the ribcage. Broke a few."
"I was right the first time. Ouch." He rubbed at his chest and then looked up. "I feel okay."
"Can't imagine how. I'm not lying here Reese, an hour ago you were as good as dead."
"So what happened?"
"Maybe that little blonde friend of Helena's has some magic in her pocket," McNally said with a shake of his head.
"Blonde friend? Dinah?" Reese asked, his brow furrowing. "Was Helena here?"
"You know, I haven't seen her. You two didn't have a fight last I recall. Or did I miss something?" He quirked his lip. "She responsible for you being in the dumpster? You insult her boots?
Reese shook his head. "No. Funny. I know better." He frowned. "I don't know. Things tend to come up with her."
"Too important than to be by your side...."
"So how did I end up in a dumpster?" Reese asked suddenly.
McNally shrugged. "I don't know."
"I do," he replied softly. "Harley."
*****
Gibson glanced up at Barbara when she entered the command center with Dinah. The blonde was walking slowly, almost unsteadily. Her gait was noticeably awkward thanks to the heavy crutches. "The hospital just called," he said quietly.
Barbara lifted an eyebrow but her eyes betrayed her fear. "Did he? Did Reese..."
"No, he's awake," Gibson said quickly, needing to stop the stark horror he could see in both of their eyes. Almost immediately calm settled over them. Dinah seated herself opposite Barbara and glanced up at the working computers.
"Awake?" she asked. "They said he was going to die...."
"The doctor I spoke to seemed as alarmed as you Miss Dinah," Alfred said as he entered the room. "He said that your visit must have been quite helpful."
"I don't understand," Dinah said, looking up at Barbara.
Barbara frowned. "Well I guess it's possible that when you went into his mind to get the information, you also pulled him up and out of his coma."
"That's impressive," Gibson murmured. Then he blinked. "You went into his mind? You could have...."
"Not you too. I just spent the last hour getting yelled at."
"I didn't yell," Barbara corrected. "I was parental."
"Grounding me until I'm thirty is not parental, it's nazistic."
"Oh you're exaggerating." Barbara replied. "I said twenty-eight."
Dinah tilted her head and looked at Gibson. "See."
"I get your point."
"You're on my side Gibson," Barbara said pointedly. Then she looked at Dinah. "Okay, now it's your turn to talk." She looked at Gibson and Alfred. "I wanted to wait until we got back here before I had her tell her us what she found out. Didn't want to miss anything."
"Okay wherever this place was, Reese didn't know it very well. He had to be given special instructions on how to get there. It's somewhere in the Red Dust. Is that an actual place?" She looked up at Gibson and Barbara. "I don't know what it means."
"I do," Gibson said quietly. "The Red Dust is a bomb shelter over in Old Gotham. When I was in high school we used to go there to drink and skip school."
Barbara lifted an eyebrow. "Oh really."
He made a face. "You can't tell her I said that."
Dinah snorted. "So Harley has Helena in some underground facility?"
"Sounds like," Barbara said. She shook her head. "Do you remember anything else?"
"Yeah. Harley had Helena blindfolded. She was pretty beat up."
"Wonderful," Barbara sighed. "Okay, there's nothing we can do about this tonight. I want everyone to turn in. I'm going to do some research, see what I can find out about this place. Gibson, stick around, tell me what you know about this place."
Gibson nodded. "Sure." He paused. "You still can't tell her I told you. She'll skin me alive." He looked down at his hands. "I hope."
Barbara smiled and touched his shoulder. "We will find her. I promise. Whatever it takes."
*****
"Back so soon," Helena slurred, glancing up from the floor of the room. She watched the dark shadows dance around the woman's head, performing to an unheard but almost macabre beat.
"I didn't want to leave with us on such bad terms."
"Yeah don't worry about that," Helena drawled. "We're peachy."
"You don't look so good Helena," Harley said with more than a hint of amusement. "Not having a good day are we?" She ran her fingers through Helena's mane. "Besides having an extremely bad hair day."
"Yeah well, not fond of your cut either. Pretty passé," Helena muttered.
"Oh how nice," Harley grinned. "Banter between friends."
Helena glanced up and past Harley to the corner of the room. Morton was standing there, leaning casually against the wall, smirking at her. His arms were crossed in front of his chest and he seemed to be enjoying the show.
"I could have told you it would come to this," he said softly. "You locked in a little cell and shackled like a beaten down dog."
She glared at him, wanting so desperately to attack. The blonde was in her way however, blocking her otherwise clear path to the meta bigot. She growled low under her breath.
"Helena?" Harley asked, crouching down low to the ground. "Are you seeing something?" She ran a hand under the girls' chin and lifted it ever so slightly.
Helena snapped towards her but her eyes were still wildly unfocused. "I'm looking at you," she grunted.
Harley laughed. 'I didn't quite understand that Helena. Losing your ability to speak English are we?"
Helena lunged out at the woman but Harley easily evaded her. She shook her head in mock dismay. "You're fading faster than I thought you would."
"Yeah go ahead and try me," Helena hissed at her.
Morton laughed. "And you'll do what? Look at yourself Helena; you're pathetic. I'd have already dropped you off a building by now."
"Bullshit," she snapped.
Harley lifted an eyebrow. She glanced over her shoulder and then looked back at her young captive. "Well I don't want to disturb your argument with your invisible friend. Just wanted to let you know I'll be out for a little while. So many people to kill you know and so very few hours."
If Helena heard her she didn't pay her any attention. Her eyes were glued hard and fast on the opposite wall and whatever she thought she saw there. Harley smiled, patted her on the cheek and then stood up.
The Huntress had been compromised.
*****
She stared at the machine for a very long time, her mind whirling. She knew the risks involved and her mind was screaming out at her to stop and think. She reached out with her left hand and ran her fingers over the smooth metal of the metal.
The reality of the situation was that there wasn't time to stop and think. Dinah had been right about that much at least. Helena's life was too important to all of them and some risks were acceptable.
Even if that meant strapping on the neural device in order to help her walk again.
Even if that meant risking her own life.
Time was short. Whatever the disease inside of Helena was, it was killing her, destroying her body and mind.
Time was too short.
Action was necessary.
*****
Sleep still wouldn't come and the exhaustion crushed down on her. Her body ached with fever and strain. She didn't know if she was dying but she was quite certain that she was losing her mind.
All of it.
She gazed up at Morton who had been joined by Cam. They were both watching her with a sort of sick curiosity. "Does it hurt?" Cam asked. "Because it hurt me when you left me to die."
"You wanted to die," she replied wearily, much of the fight gone. She blinked at them, amazed by the shadows that surrounded them.
Cam approached her. "Like you do now?"
"I don't want to die," she protested.
Morton smiled. "Why are you holding back Helena? Why are you fighing your rage? Let it go. Let your anger out."
She slammed her fist into the ground. "Leave me alone."
Morton nodded slowly. "Sure. I think you need some quiet time anyways. You know, to let it build."
She looked up at him, eyes blue and slit into hard lines. She could feel it all building inside of her, escalating out of control.
She could feel Helena fading.
And it wasn't necessarily Huntress who was emerging.
*****
"She's gone," Dinah snapped as she stumbled into the kitchen. She looked up at Alfred who was cooking breakfast over the stove.
"Gone?" he asked, only allowing a hint of alarm into his voice.
"Yes," she snapped impatiently. "Gone."
"The device is gone," Gibson said from the doorway. He rubbed at his eyes, looking weary but alert. He was dressed in flannel pants and his hair was going every which way.
"The neural transponder?" Alfred inquired, meeting Dinah's eyes.
Gibson nodded.
"Then she went after Miss Helena."
"We have to..."
Alfred shook his head. "No. It won't do her any good for us to follow along. Right now all we can do is wait. And pray."
Dinah blinked. Then she nodded.
She dropped into one of the chairs and put her head in her hands.
And started praying.
* * *
Barbara Gordon spun her chair hard, emerald green eyes flashing with anger. "You always have a choice. This was simply the wrong one."
"Barbara, it's not that easy," Dinah said defiantly as she glanced around the hospital room. She wasn't altogether certain how she'd gotten there but the fact remained that she was lying in a bed hooked to several beeping machines and her mentor was standing above her, looking pissed as all living hell.
"Dinah, I warned you about the risks..." Barbara started, her hands clenched into hard fists. She fought valiantly for control over her emotions but found it to be a battle she had no chance of winning. Helena was hurt and possibly in very grave danger and now her other charge had intentionally placed herself in the line of fire. It was enough to make anyone angry enough to spit nails.
"Yes you did," Dinah admitted. "But it's Helena. She'd do it for me. You'd do it for me." She dropped her head and lowered her voice. "You said we were family. Family takes chances for each other."
Barbara smirked and shook her head. "Uh huh, nice try. You're not getting off that easy. I respect your desire to help Helena in every way possibly but not at the risk of your own life. That's simply an unacceptable risk."
Dinah smiled, suddenly very solemn. "No it's not." She glanced down at her hands. "When Harley killed Wade, Helena was willing to do anything to win back your trust..."
"She didn't need to. It wasn't her fault."
"Doesn't matter. She'd do anything for you. It's what you've both taught me. Can't un-teach that Barbara. No matter how much you'd like to."
Barbara reached out and took her hand. She squeezed it. "You're still in very serious trouble," she promised the blonde. "But I suppose we'll deal with that later. Did you find out anything useful?"
Dinah smiled. "Of course."
"Well hold off on that," Barbara sighed. "They're finishing up your papers. I want to get you home and into bed."
"I don't need..."
"Stop and think for a moment Dinah," Barbara cautioned. "Just how smart do you think it is to fight me right now?"
Dinah swallowed hard. "Right."
*****
Helena turned, her blue eyes wide with pain. She looked at the wall and watched as it rippled. She slid her body close to it and ran her fingers across the surface, wondering how it could be moving.
"Helena," she heard a voice call out.
She spun quickly, the chains rattling. She tilted her head. "Cam?" She blinked. Couldn't be. She had watched her obsessive suitor get turned into a pile of dust by a chemical explosion.
And yet somehow he was standing in front of her looking like nothing at all had happened.
He bent over her and ran a hand over her face. She jerked away. He smiled. "I've got you now," he said with a wry smile.
"Don't think so," another voice said. She turned to see Slick walking towards her. Well he was actually more sauntering than walking but just the same, he was moving in her direction. "She's mine." He put out his hand and sent a spray of concentrated water in her direction. It splashed across her cheeks, starting her into awareness. They were still there.
Bad. Very bad.
"You'll have to get through me," another voice said. "Huntress and I have business," Morton laughed as he approached. He reached out and slugged her across the jaw, dropping her flat on her back. "Lots of business."
"I'd agree," the Specialist murmured from behind her. She spun away from him but he caught her throw in a vice like grip. He picked her up and tossed her. She cried out as the cold floor slapped against her cheek.
She looked up and saw all of the four of the men standing above her. She blinked, realizing that she had been party to each of their eventual deaths. They wanted revenge now. She wasn't sure how they were achieving it but somehow they were.
Cam reached down and touched her, his fingers feeling like cracked sandpaper. He roughly grazed her cheek. "We could have been happy."
She shook her head. It had to be an illusion. Had to be.
The Specialist reached out and kicked her, spinning her several feet in the air. She gasped, expecting pain. When none came she opened her eyes up and looked around.
Alone. Again.
A delusion.
Right.
Hardly the first.
Not likely the last.
She scratched at her palms, nervous energy exploding through her veins. After a few moments she pushed herself to her feet.
She walked towards the bed and sat on it, feeling it droop a little under her weight. Not much though. She couldn't recall the last time she had eaten. She didn't really care to anyways. Her stomach was little more than a nervous knot.
She heard the door open before she saw the blonde enter the room.
"Harley," she muttered, looking up at her captor. Her tormentor was dressed in a power-suit.
The woman lit up when she caught sight of her prey. "You're up," she cooed. "And on your feet." She smiled. "That's much better than when you're curled up in a ball looking like a coward."
"I'm a lot of things," Helena snapped back, taking a predatory step towards Harley. "I'm no coward."
"Oh come now, Helena, do you really think you could take me right now?" She tilted her head. "Do you have double-vision? Can you stand up straight? Are you really sure I'm actually here?"
Helena stopped. She clenched her fists. She stared back at the woman who just watched her impassively. Finally her shoulders dropped. Energy dripped away from her, leaving her exhausted both mentally and physically.
"That's what I thought Helena. Even you know that you don't have much strength right now. Certainly not enough to waste on trying to beat up illusions."
"Fuck you," Helena snapped, sitting on the ground. She put her head into her hands and wound her fingers through her messy brown mane. She wasn't sure how long she'd been in captivity but her hair was screaming for conditioner.
Probably the least of her worries.
"Now now Helena, a little manners goes a long way," Harley scolded. She bent over and peered down at Helena. "How does it feel to be going insane?"
"You tell me." Helena replied dryly. "Figure you've been there awhile."
Harley grinned. "I'm not sure I like the term insane. People think of insane as not being able to think clearly. I'm quite clear Helena. I know exactly what I'm doing and what I want."
"You want me," Helena drawled. "I know. Still not interested. Don't much care for blondes myself."
"Oh I am impressed. I would have thought you for broken by now but there's that spark. That rebellion. It's a wonderful thing to see."
"Glad you like it."
Harley grinned but it was suddenly very cold. "I don't." And with that she kicked out, connecting solidly with Helena's mid-section. The girl grunted but didn't fall. "And Helena my dear, you're not the only think I want. I want this whole town on their knees in front of me."
"How ambitious," the brunette drawled.
Harley kicked out again, connecting with Helena's jaw. The girl spun back and then spat out blood.
"Not much more to break," Helena said with a dry sardonic laugh. She was wearing an odd smile on her bruised face.
Harley laughed. "Oh Helena, how naïve you are." She reached down and grabbed Helena by the hair, yanking the girl backwards. "There's so much more to break. Trust me."
*****
He blinked and opened his eyes. Everything in front of him was hazy and uneven. The gauze pads over his eyes limited his field of vision. Reaching up he pulled them away. He blinked, clearing the sleep away.
"Hello," he whispered, his voice catching violently. There was some kind of tube lodged in his throat and it was blocking his ability to speak. He settled for smacking his hand against the wall of the room and then touching the call button on the arm of the bed.
Several moments passed before he heard footsteps approaching. His body tensed up, muscles constricting tightly with anticipation.
"Hey ol' boy," a voice said from the doorway. He turned his body slightly and smiled.
"McNally," Jesse Reese rasped out. He smiled up at his large partner. He noticed immediately that the big cop was sporting some fairly ugly bruises on his face.
"Don't talk," McNally instructed. "I'll get someone to pull that thing out of your throat." He stepped back out into the hallway.
Reese glanced around the hospital room and saw that it was covered in flowers. That meant that his mom had been by. The woman was a florists' wet dream. He wondered idly how he'd gotten hurt but found quickly that his mind was far too muddled to make sense of anything.
The last thing he could really remember was going out with McNally to search for Harley who had escaped for Arkham. He could recall being worried and concerned for his friends back at the Clocktower. Harley had taken Barbara's lover from her and done it by manipulating Helena. The cracks in the foundation of the team had been severe but they had recovered.
At least somewhat.
"Hold still Detective," the nurse said as she removed the tube.
"Cough." He did as he was told, feeling his throat spasm a bit.
"Feel better?" McNally asked with a grin.
"Yes," Reese muttered. "I think." He lifted his hand up and touched his throat. "What the..."
"Hell if I know. Don't have a clue what happened to you. Or me. I ended up ended in a ditch. You were in a dumpster." He cocked his head. "Always knew you had a thing for the dirty side of town."
"Nice," Reese muttered. He reached down and looked at his chest. "Am I hurt?"
McNally snorted. "Up until two hours ago I pretty much assumed you were dead. You were deep in a coma and they said you weren't going to wake up."
"Oh, that's pleasant," Reese muttered. He slid a hand under the hospital gown and ran his fingers over the bandages on his chest. "Ouch."
"You took a knife right to the ribcage. Broke a few."
"I was right the first time. Ouch." He rubbed at his chest and then looked up. "I feel okay."
"Can't imagine how. I'm not lying here Reese, an hour ago you were as good as dead."
"So what happened?"
"Maybe that little blonde friend of Helena's has some magic in her pocket," McNally said with a shake of his head.
"Blonde friend? Dinah?" Reese asked, his brow furrowing. "Was Helena here?"
"You know, I haven't seen her. You two didn't have a fight last I recall. Or did I miss something?" He quirked his lip. "She responsible for you being in the dumpster? You insult her boots?
Reese shook his head. "No. Funny. I know better." He frowned. "I don't know. Things tend to come up with her."
"Too important than to be by your side...."
"So how did I end up in a dumpster?" Reese asked suddenly.
McNally shrugged. "I don't know."
"I do," he replied softly. "Harley."
*****
Gibson glanced up at Barbara when she entered the command center with Dinah. The blonde was walking slowly, almost unsteadily. Her gait was noticeably awkward thanks to the heavy crutches. "The hospital just called," he said quietly.
Barbara lifted an eyebrow but her eyes betrayed her fear. "Did he? Did Reese..."
"No, he's awake," Gibson said quickly, needing to stop the stark horror he could see in both of their eyes. Almost immediately calm settled over them. Dinah seated herself opposite Barbara and glanced up at the working computers.
"Awake?" she asked. "They said he was going to die...."
"The doctor I spoke to seemed as alarmed as you Miss Dinah," Alfred said as he entered the room. "He said that your visit must have been quite helpful."
"I don't understand," Dinah said, looking up at Barbara.
Barbara frowned. "Well I guess it's possible that when you went into his mind to get the information, you also pulled him up and out of his coma."
"That's impressive," Gibson murmured. Then he blinked. "You went into his mind? You could have...."
"Not you too. I just spent the last hour getting yelled at."
"I didn't yell," Barbara corrected. "I was parental."
"Grounding me until I'm thirty is not parental, it's nazistic."
"Oh you're exaggerating." Barbara replied. "I said twenty-eight."
Dinah tilted her head and looked at Gibson. "See."
"I get your point."
"You're on my side Gibson," Barbara said pointedly. Then she looked at Dinah. "Okay, now it's your turn to talk." She looked at Gibson and Alfred. "I wanted to wait until we got back here before I had her tell her us what she found out. Didn't want to miss anything."
"Okay wherever this place was, Reese didn't know it very well. He had to be given special instructions on how to get there. It's somewhere in the Red Dust. Is that an actual place?" She looked up at Gibson and Barbara. "I don't know what it means."
"I do," Gibson said quietly. "The Red Dust is a bomb shelter over in Old Gotham. When I was in high school we used to go there to drink and skip school."
Barbara lifted an eyebrow. "Oh really."
He made a face. "You can't tell her I said that."
Dinah snorted. "So Harley has Helena in some underground facility?"
"Sounds like," Barbara said. She shook her head. "Do you remember anything else?"
"Yeah. Harley had Helena blindfolded. She was pretty beat up."
"Wonderful," Barbara sighed. "Okay, there's nothing we can do about this tonight. I want everyone to turn in. I'm going to do some research, see what I can find out about this place. Gibson, stick around, tell me what you know about this place."
Gibson nodded. "Sure." He paused. "You still can't tell her I told you. She'll skin me alive." He looked down at his hands. "I hope."
Barbara smiled and touched his shoulder. "We will find her. I promise. Whatever it takes."
*****
"Back so soon," Helena slurred, glancing up from the floor of the room. She watched the dark shadows dance around the woman's head, performing to an unheard but almost macabre beat.
"I didn't want to leave with us on such bad terms."
"Yeah don't worry about that," Helena drawled. "We're peachy."
"You don't look so good Helena," Harley said with more than a hint of amusement. "Not having a good day are we?" She ran her fingers through Helena's mane. "Besides having an extremely bad hair day."
"Yeah well, not fond of your cut either. Pretty passé," Helena muttered.
"Oh how nice," Harley grinned. "Banter between friends."
Helena glanced up and past Harley to the corner of the room. Morton was standing there, leaning casually against the wall, smirking at her. His arms were crossed in front of his chest and he seemed to be enjoying the show.
"I could have told you it would come to this," he said softly. "You locked in a little cell and shackled like a beaten down dog."
She glared at him, wanting so desperately to attack. The blonde was in her way however, blocking her otherwise clear path to the meta bigot. She growled low under her breath.
"Helena?" Harley asked, crouching down low to the ground. "Are you seeing something?" She ran a hand under the girls' chin and lifted it ever so slightly.
Helena snapped towards her but her eyes were still wildly unfocused. "I'm looking at you," she grunted.
Harley laughed. 'I didn't quite understand that Helena. Losing your ability to speak English are we?"
Helena lunged out at the woman but Harley easily evaded her. She shook her head in mock dismay. "You're fading faster than I thought you would."
"Yeah go ahead and try me," Helena hissed at her.
Morton laughed. "And you'll do what? Look at yourself Helena; you're pathetic. I'd have already dropped you off a building by now."
"Bullshit," she snapped.
Harley lifted an eyebrow. She glanced over her shoulder and then looked back at her young captive. "Well I don't want to disturb your argument with your invisible friend. Just wanted to let you know I'll be out for a little while. So many people to kill you know and so very few hours."
If Helena heard her she didn't pay her any attention. Her eyes were glued hard and fast on the opposite wall and whatever she thought she saw there. Harley smiled, patted her on the cheek and then stood up.
The Huntress had been compromised.
*****
She stared at the machine for a very long time, her mind whirling. She knew the risks involved and her mind was screaming out at her to stop and think. She reached out with her left hand and ran her fingers over the smooth metal of the metal.
The reality of the situation was that there wasn't time to stop and think. Dinah had been right about that much at least. Helena's life was too important to all of them and some risks were acceptable.
Even if that meant strapping on the neural device in order to help her walk again.
Even if that meant risking her own life.
Time was short. Whatever the disease inside of Helena was, it was killing her, destroying her body and mind.
Time was too short.
Action was necessary.
*****
Sleep still wouldn't come and the exhaustion crushed down on her. Her body ached with fever and strain. She didn't know if she was dying but she was quite certain that she was losing her mind.
All of it.
She gazed up at Morton who had been joined by Cam. They were both watching her with a sort of sick curiosity. "Does it hurt?" Cam asked. "Because it hurt me when you left me to die."
"You wanted to die," she replied wearily, much of the fight gone. She blinked at them, amazed by the shadows that surrounded them.
Cam approached her. "Like you do now?"
"I don't want to die," she protested.
Morton smiled. "Why are you holding back Helena? Why are you fighing your rage? Let it go. Let your anger out."
She slammed her fist into the ground. "Leave me alone."
Morton nodded slowly. "Sure. I think you need some quiet time anyways. You know, to let it build."
She looked up at him, eyes blue and slit into hard lines. She could feel it all building inside of her, escalating out of control.
She could feel Helena fading.
And it wasn't necessarily Huntress who was emerging.
*****
"She's gone," Dinah snapped as she stumbled into the kitchen. She looked up at Alfred who was cooking breakfast over the stove.
"Gone?" he asked, only allowing a hint of alarm into his voice.
"Yes," she snapped impatiently. "Gone."
"The device is gone," Gibson said from the doorway. He rubbed at his eyes, looking weary but alert. He was dressed in flannel pants and his hair was going every which way.
"The neural transponder?" Alfred inquired, meeting Dinah's eyes.
Gibson nodded.
"Then she went after Miss Helena."
"We have to..."
Alfred shook his head. "No. It won't do her any good for us to follow along. Right now all we can do is wait. And pray."
Dinah blinked. Then she nodded.
She dropped into one of the chairs and put her head in her hands.
And started praying.
* * *