"Undercover and Underneath it All"
By: The Angelic Temptress
Disclaimer: The usual. They're not mine, although I'd take them if they let me. The song belongs to Madonna. Sorry; I had to use something "sexy."
Spoilers: "Wildcard" and some for "Starcrossed" (Timeframe: Between those 2 Eps.)
Rating: PG-13 for language, drugs, and adult content.
Pairings: GL/HG (Of course!) BM/WW (Who knew I had it in me?)
A/N: This chapter's a bit strange...
)(
Chapter 2: Torica's Fallen Angels
"So what's the order, Boss?" Barbara Gordon asked from the screen of his Batcomputer. Although she was less experienced in the crime-fighting field than Nightwing, she had played the role of Batman's "right hand man" in their "Bat-family," as both Tim and Dick liked to call it.
"Batgirl, I want you to have Nightwing cover for me for the next few nights."
"Business trip?"
"Something like that."
The young woman narrowed her blue eyes and sighed. "I really hope you're not gallivanting after Selina Kyle again."
He ignored the remark. "The Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, Wonder Woman, and I are making a trip to the planet Torica, where the Euphoria is being produced."
"Wonder Woman?" The redhead raised an eyebrow and a smirk appeared on her lips. "She seems nice."
Once again, he brushed off the comment. "I want you to contact Superman on my behalf. Explain to him what has happened and where the four of us will be."
"Got it."
"Batman out." He cut the connection and began to rub his chin as he thought. He wondered if he had made a good decision by bringing Diana as Hawkgirl's backup. Could the women work together in that type of environment?
Or would it all blow up in his face?
Quiet footsteps from behind him caught the Caped Crusader's attention. He'd recognize the pace anywhere.
"What is it, Alfred?"
"Master Bruce, I believe it would be intelligent if you took a quick nap before you left. It may be quite a long trip to that planet, and –"
"No thank you, Alfred. I'm fine."
"Would you like me to prepare you something for the journey?"
"No."
He heard the older man shrug. "As you wish, Sir."
)(
Shayera buried herself in John's sheets and took in the wonderful fragrance. His pillows possessed his scent, and she couldn't help feeling soothed and invigorated at the same time.
She loved his aroma and would drown herself in it if she could. She loved the way he sounded when he was annoyed and the way his radiant eyes would narrow when he was angry. Shayera loved the way he looked in his uniform, the way he acted, and the way he chuckled.
Shayera loved –
"John?" she said when she heard a soft tapping on his bedroom door. She sat up and wrapped the sheets around her upper body to pretend that she didn't want him to see her in her pajamas.
But that wasn't the case at all.
The Thanagarian only wore a tank and a pair of panties just in case he caught a quick look of her.
Maybe she'd get lucky and catch a glimpse of him in the process.
"It's me," he announced quietly. "I have to grab a sheet from the closet since I'll be on the couch. Are you decent?"
"Sure. Come on in."
John opened the door and stepped inside. He wore a pair of gray sweats and absolutely nothing else. Shayera had to bite her bottom lip to conceal her pleasure.
He walked over to his closet, grabbed a comforter, and turned to face her. He had removed his ring, so his eyes were their natural brown shade, and she noted the USMC tattoo on his shoulder.
All she could think about was laying kisses over it.
"Thanks," he said and gave a nervous smile. He was just as anxious as she was.
When he headed for the door, she blurted, "At least let me kiss you goodnight."
John's smile grew, and he came to her. He gently kissed her lips and smoothed her mussed auburn hair.
"Sleep well."
"You too." Shy watched him leave and lied back down on his bed. She had wanted to stop him, grab his wrist, and pull him on top of her. Her body longed for his; she needed to feel his breath on her flesh and his skin against hers.
But she had to ignore it. She had to prove to him that she was a "lady" by Earth's standards because of what she may have to do on Torica. Shayera didn't want him to look down on her; she wanted John to believe she was good enough for him.
Even if she wasn't.
Shayera knew she was no Diana and that she hadn't been like her for a long time. She also knew that she was still lying to them all about her past and how she really came to Earth.
Would he understand that? He was a soldier, so maybe...
Would this Euphoria and its producer give her secret away?
She turned onto her stomach and hugged a pillow, envisioning John in her arms. She tried to coax herself to sleep by focusing on his scent.
)(
Wonder Woman stood on the roof of the nightclub, waiting for the other three superheroes to arrive. The cold night air created goose bumps on her skin, and she shivered.
The barren streets of Gotham were deathly quiet, and she could almost sense the citizens' fear of their Dark Knight.
"Diana?"
She whirled around and saw him walking toward her. If she were anyone but herself, she would have felt a little uneasy with the intimidating figure. Instead, she felt a little excited.
"You're early," he observed and stopped in front of her. "I take it that Hawkgirl briefed you?"
"Yes; earlier this evening, actually." The Amazon wrapped her arms around herself for warmth. "Would you mind explaining why Hawkgirl is taking this Torica and its Euphoria so personally? I don't truly expect you to know, but you have a tendency of knowing everything about everyone."
"She's a recovering addict. Apparently, she had to take some when she was an undercover detective on Thanagar. I'm going to presume that it had also claimed the life of a friend."
Diana shrugged. "I wouldn't know. It seems as if the only people Hawkgirl is friendly with are Lantern, Flash, and J'onn." When Batman's eyes looked passed her, the princess turned to see The Green Lantern and Hawkgirl join them.
"Ready to go?" the Thanagarian asked. She held a black duffle bag and wore an uneasy smile.
Lantern gave a slight nod as a greeting and instantly placed a protective bubble around the four of them. Together, they flew into space.
)(
"Homey," Green Lantern muttered after they safely and discretely landed in a back alley. He glanced at his companions to make sure they were all right, and then moved his eyes to the area surrounding them. It didn't look much different when compared to any inner-city alley in the States, but he knew better than to guess. He needed to keep his guard up.
"We need to find an inn," Hawkgirl stated, immediately taking charge. "After we get that done, Diana and I will head over to whatever-his-name- is, and we'll apply for the job there." She turned her back on the group and headed for the main street. After taking a few steps, she stopped and slowly took off her helmet.
Lantern's jaw dropped open.
She tucked the helmet into her duffle bag and continued on the walk to the street. GL couldn't understand. She never took off her helmet, at least not in public.
The street was utter chaos. Men were fighting, drinking, laughing, flirting with women, and having a "good" time. It was exactly as Shayera had explained.
A pirate's paradise.
He caught up to his girlfriend but didn't say a word. She had an expression on her face telling him that she was contemplating something. John knew her well and could tell that the "something" was bothering her. Somehow, he knew he couldn't help, even though he wanted to.
When the four reached an inn, Shayera turned to face Batman. She asked him if he had gathered what they needed, and he gave a slight nod. With gold coins, they rented two adjacent rooms on the third floor, and the genders separated.
)(
Diana watched the green-eyed Thanagarian fiercely rummage through her duffle. If nothing else, the princess was confused.
She studied Shayera Hol with curious eyes. It was as if she hadn't realized how beautiful the redhead really was before now. Wonder Woman hadn't noticed how much of a woman Hawkgirl really was.
"Here," Shayera said and tossed Diana a red dress. "Put it on. It probably will be a little tight because you were blessed with attributes I don't posses, but it'll be fine."
The brunette only nodded and did as she was told. After a quick change, Diana wore the form fitting, spaghetti-strap dress with heels, and Shayera wore a black minni-skirt and a yellow tube-top with knee-high boots.
The ladies left the hotel in search of Café Erotica, the nightclub the Dark Nites owner told Batman about, and found themselves in the owner's office within minutes. It hadn't bee hard to get the manager's attention, let alone the attention of the thirty men in the showroom, but Diana knew that this time was different then when she was noticed before.
The Amazon wasn't the only woman receiving whistles and stares anymore. Shayera was leaving a stronger sexual impression than she usually did.
And all that had changed was their clothing.
"Hello ladies," a deep voice greeted from behind the girls. They had taken the seats before the owner's desk when they were led inside.
"Hey," Shayera answered in a tone Diana had never heard her use before. To the Amazon's surprise, Shayera was acting... seductive.
"So, you two are interested in a job?" he asked as he took his seat before them. The owner had green skin, red eyes, red horns, blonde hair, and wore an expensive suit. His demonic features surprised Diana a bit, but she disregarded the feeling.
"Yeah. I'm Angel, and this is my girl, Devil. We were wondering if you needed a couple of showgirls," Shayera informed and crossed her legs. "We do an act together."
The owner moistened his red lips and folded his hands on the desk. "What kind of act?"
"One that leaves very little to the imagination," Diana blurted and noticed the small smirk tugging at her companion's lips. "But you'll have to wait and see."
The demon chuckled. "I like you two. Devil, you human?" When Diana slightly nodded, he moved his attention to Shayera. "You a Thanagarian, Angel?"
The winged woman reluctantly nodded. "Yeah."
"I've had a few of you Thanagarians here before. Two actually did business with me, but the other, a cop, had been looking for a couple of crooks a while ago... By the way, have we met before, Angel? You seem awfully familiar."
"No," she answered and shook her head. "But then again, Thanagarians all look alike."
A dark-skinned woman the walked in, wearing a pale negligee along with garters, carrying a glass filled with a red liquid. She possessed icy white eyes and silver hair, but she was a beauty nonetheless.
"Would you two care for some Euphoria?" the man asked, and Diana noticed Shayera tighten her fists.
"No thank you," she answered for the both of them. "Do you think we could have the job?"
"I'll give you a trial run. Just show up, and you'll start tonight. I'll be watching."
)(
"Aren't you a little far from home, Lantern?" an alien asked GL. He seemed a little drunk, leaning against the bar, cradling a glass. "The Corps has no jurisdiction here, an' ya know it."
Green Lantern nodded. "Since when was it said that I can't have fun once in a while?" After the alien grunted in response, John moved his eyes across the room to make eye contact with Batman; they were stationed inside the showroom of the Café Erotica, waiting for Diana and Shayera to perform.
Suddenly, he heard the buzz of his comm-link.
"I'm going to look around once they start. Maybe I could find something," Batman stated. "You stay and make sure they're all right."
GL nodded in his co-worker's direction and returned his attention to the stage. A woman then introduced the brand knew act, "The Devil and the Angel." His eyes widened when they began.
Diana came out wearing a black corset, matching panties, boots, and tons of makeup. She wore devil horns on her head with softly curled hair, but she seemed uneasy in her skin. He could tell she wouldn't be herself tonight.
Without music, she sang:
"You wouldn't let me say the words I longed to say
You didn't want to see life through my eyes
You tried to shove me back inside your narrow room
And silence me with bitterness and lies"
The back up music started, and John heard Shayera's voice join in.
"Did I say something wrong?
Oops, I didn't know I couldn't talk about sex
Did I stay too long?
Oops, I didn't know I couldn't speak my mind"
Diana sang the chorus with her body moving to the beat. Although she did seem a little uncomfortable, she wasn't too bad. The curtains opened, and Shy sat on a chair, pretending to be bound to it. She wore a white push-up, panties, a garter belt, fishnets, and a pair of heels. With pin-straight hair and light makeup, Shy sang next.
"You punished me for telling you my fantasies
I'm breakin' all the rules I didn't make
You took my words and made a trap for silly fools
You held me down and tried to make me break"
The girls were convincing with their sexy movements and caresses. John tried to remember where he had seen the act before...
Madonna and Britney Spears. Go figure.
Green Lantern had to swallow hard and took in a deep breath. She looked like no one he had ever seen before. Somehow, he managed to tear his eyes away from the stage to look at Batman. To his surprise, the Dark Knight still had his gaze fixated on the ladies...
On Diana.
When Batman noticed Lantern, he slipped into the shadows of the bar and disappeared.
"And I'm not sorry
It's human nature
And I'm not sorry
I'm not your bitch don't hang your shh on me"
)(
Batman watched Diana from his corner and couldn't believe what he saw. She was playing... dirty, and something inside of his hollow soul stirred. Perhaps it was the same flaw that had attracted Batman to his curious burglar, Catwoman.
He felt the green, glowing eyes of the Lantern on him and slipped deeper into the darkness. There was no need for rumors to emerge within The Justice League, at least none involving Wonder Woman and Batman.
The Bat slowly made his way toward the men's room through an adjacent and empty hallway. His keen eyes scanned over every inch of the place as he continued to walk.
Then he found it.
A door, guarded by two watchmen, as usual, waited just down the hall. Batman stepped into the men's room and made sure he was alone. He then snuck out a window and followed the wall of the nightclub until he knew he was just outside the guarded room. He shot out a line.
The grapple latched onto the roof and pulled him up to a second story window, which had been conveniently left ajar. Inside, there were about ten men brewing and mixing liquids.
They were producing Euphoria.
)(
"Do you think we convinced them?"
Shayera had wrapped her nearly naked body in a robe and stared at herself in the mirror. Diana's words hadn't processed; Shy was too busy feeling disgusted with herself.
She was once again doing what she did best.
She was the undercover soldier that Hro could depend on, that Hro loved. Shayera shuttered at the thought and noticed the Amazon staring at her.
"What?"
"Never mind," Diana responded softly and pulled on a robe as well. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine."
A knock at the dressing room's door sounded, and Diana rushed to answer it. To the Thanagarian's amazement, it was her boyfriend.
GL came over to her side and gently touched her arm. "You two were great," he confirmed. "Not a single man could tear his eyes away, except Batman of course."
Almost with a disappointed sigh, Diana moved to her side of the room and hid behind a screen. Shayera allowed Lantern to take advantage of the moment by stealing a soft kiss.
But he saw right through her.
"What's wrong?" he asked and smoothed her hair. "You were beautiful and absolutely believable. No one will know that you're not a showgirl."
She forced a smile and took one of his hands into her own. Shayera loved his hands; they were so strong.
A person can learn a lot about another by just looking at his hands.
"Baby," he whispered and lifted her chin with his finger. "Seriously, what's –?"
There was another knock at the door. Instantly, GL hid in the closet, and Shayera headed for the door. It was the owner.
"Breathtaking, Ladies! Really. I enjoyed it. You've got the job." He walked inside without being invited and wrapped an arm around Shy. "You and the Devil are going out with me tonight. So get ready. Just head to my office, and we'll go."
"Sounds –"
He interrupted, "Hurry now. I have to show you two off." The owner left and shut the door behind him.
Shayera Hol wanted to scream.
)(
"Lantern," Batman's voice said over the comm-link
"Yeah?"
"I found the lab, but we have to make sure it's the only one. Tell Hawkgirl to –"
"Investigate. She knows." When Batman cut the connection, GL lifted his eyes from the floor to look at the females. Diana wore a black pantsuit, and Shayera wore a white, strapless dress. They had just finished their makeup.
"We're going now," Shy stated with little effort. "We'll contact you if anything's amiss."
John stood from the chair he had claimed earlier and pulled the Thangarian into a strong embrace. Her body tensed against his, but he ignored it. He didn't care that Diana was watching; Shy needed to know that she had his support.
That was all that mattered.
They left, and, after a few minutes, he did the same. John just wished that Shayera would talk to him. He knew something was wrong, and he'd do anything to fix it.
)(
Chapter 3 coming soon...
By: The Angelic Temptress
Disclaimer: The usual. They're not mine, although I'd take them if they let me. The song belongs to Madonna. Sorry; I had to use something "sexy."
Spoilers: "Wildcard" and some for "Starcrossed" (Timeframe: Between those 2 Eps.)
Rating: PG-13 for language, drugs, and adult content.
Pairings: GL/HG (Of course!) BM/WW (Who knew I had it in me?)
A/N: This chapter's a bit strange...
)(
Chapter 2: Torica's Fallen Angels
"So what's the order, Boss?" Barbara Gordon asked from the screen of his Batcomputer. Although she was less experienced in the crime-fighting field than Nightwing, she had played the role of Batman's "right hand man" in their "Bat-family," as both Tim and Dick liked to call it.
"Batgirl, I want you to have Nightwing cover for me for the next few nights."
"Business trip?"
"Something like that."
The young woman narrowed her blue eyes and sighed. "I really hope you're not gallivanting after Selina Kyle again."
He ignored the remark. "The Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, Wonder Woman, and I are making a trip to the planet Torica, where the Euphoria is being produced."
"Wonder Woman?" The redhead raised an eyebrow and a smirk appeared on her lips. "She seems nice."
Once again, he brushed off the comment. "I want you to contact Superman on my behalf. Explain to him what has happened and where the four of us will be."
"Got it."
"Batman out." He cut the connection and began to rub his chin as he thought. He wondered if he had made a good decision by bringing Diana as Hawkgirl's backup. Could the women work together in that type of environment?
Or would it all blow up in his face?
Quiet footsteps from behind him caught the Caped Crusader's attention. He'd recognize the pace anywhere.
"What is it, Alfred?"
"Master Bruce, I believe it would be intelligent if you took a quick nap before you left. It may be quite a long trip to that planet, and –"
"No thank you, Alfred. I'm fine."
"Would you like me to prepare you something for the journey?"
"No."
He heard the older man shrug. "As you wish, Sir."
)(
Shayera buried herself in John's sheets and took in the wonderful fragrance. His pillows possessed his scent, and she couldn't help feeling soothed and invigorated at the same time.
She loved his aroma and would drown herself in it if she could. She loved the way he sounded when he was annoyed and the way his radiant eyes would narrow when he was angry. Shayera loved the way he looked in his uniform, the way he acted, and the way he chuckled.
Shayera loved –
"John?" she said when she heard a soft tapping on his bedroom door. She sat up and wrapped the sheets around her upper body to pretend that she didn't want him to see her in her pajamas.
But that wasn't the case at all.
The Thanagarian only wore a tank and a pair of panties just in case he caught a quick look of her.
Maybe she'd get lucky and catch a glimpse of him in the process.
"It's me," he announced quietly. "I have to grab a sheet from the closet since I'll be on the couch. Are you decent?"
"Sure. Come on in."
John opened the door and stepped inside. He wore a pair of gray sweats and absolutely nothing else. Shayera had to bite her bottom lip to conceal her pleasure.
He walked over to his closet, grabbed a comforter, and turned to face her. He had removed his ring, so his eyes were their natural brown shade, and she noted the USMC tattoo on his shoulder.
All she could think about was laying kisses over it.
"Thanks," he said and gave a nervous smile. He was just as anxious as she was.
When he headed for the door, she blurted, "At least let me kiss you goodnight."
John's smile grew, and he came to her. He gently kissed her lips and smoothed her mussed auburn hair.
"Sleep well."
"You too." Shy watched him leave and lied back down on his bed. She had wanted to stop him, grab his wrist, and pull him on top of her. Her body longed for his; she needed to feel his breath on her flesh and his skin against hers.
But she had to ignore it. She had to prove to him that she was a "lady" by Earth's standards because of what she may have to do on Torica. Shayera didn't want him to look down on her; she wanted John to believe she was good enough for him.
Even if she wasn't.
Shayera knew she was no Diana and that she hadn't been like her for a long time. She also knew that she was still lying to them all about her past and how she really came to Earth.
Would he understand that? He was a soldier, so maybe...
Would this Euphoria and its producer give her secret away?
She turned onto her stomach and hugged a pillow, envisioning John in her arms. She tried to coax herself to sleep by focusing on his scent.
)(
Wonder Woman stood on the roof of the nightclub, waiting for the other three superheroes to arrive. The cold night air created goose bumps on her skin, and she shivered.
The barren streets of Gotham were deathly quiet, and she could almost sense the citizens' fear of their Dark Knight.
"Diana?"
She whirled around and saw him walking toward her. If she were anyone but herself, she would have felt a little uneasy with the intimidating figure. Instead, she felt a little excited.
"You're early," he observed and stopped in front of her. "I take it that Hawkgirl briefed you?"
"Yes; earlier this evening, actually." The Amazon wrapped her arms around herself for warmth. "Would you mind explaining why Hawkgirl is taking this Torica and its Euphoria so personally? I don't truly expect you to know, but you have a tendency of knowing everything about everyone."
"She's a recovering addict. Apparently, she had to take some when she was an undercover detective on Thanagar. I'm going to presume that it had also claimed the life of a friend."
Diana shrugged. "I wouldn't know. It seems as if the only people Hawkgirl is friendly with are Lantern, Flash, and J'onn." When Batman's eyes looked passed her, the princess turned to see The Green Lantern and Hawkgirl join them.
"Ready to go?" the Thanagarian asked. She held a black duffle bag and wore an uneasy smile.
Lantern gave a slight nod as a greeting and instantly placed a protective bubble around the four of them. Together, they flew into space.
)(
"Homey," Green Lantern muttered after they safely and discretely landed in a back alley. He glanced at his companions to make sure they were all right, and then moved his eyes to the area surrounding them. It didn't look much different when compared to any inner-city alley in the States, but he knew better than to guess. He needed to keep his guard up.
"We need to find an inn," Hawkgirl stated, immediately taking charge. "After we get that done, Diana and I will head over to whatever-his-name- is, and we'll apply for the job there." She turned her back on the group and headed for the main street. After taking a few steps, she stopped and slowly took off her helmet.
Lantern's jaw dropped open.
She tucked the helmet into her duffle bag and continued on the walk to the street. GL couldn't understand. She never took off her helmet, at least not in public.
The street was utter chaos. Men were fighting, drinking, laughing, flirting with women, and having a "good" time. It was exactly as Shayera had explained.
A pirate's paradise.
He caught up to his girlfriend but didn't say a word. She had an expression on her face telling him that she was contemplating something. John knew her well and could tell that the "something" was bothering her. Somehow, he knew he couldn't help, even though he wanted to.
When the four reached an inn, Shayera turned to face Batman. She asked him if he had gathered what they needed, and he gave a slight nod. With gold coins, they rented two adjacent rooms on the third floor, and the genders separated.
)(
Diana watched the green-eyed Thanagarian fiercely rummage through her duffle. If nothing else, the princess was confused.
She studied Shayera Hol with curious eyes. It was as if she hadn't realized how beautiful the redhead really was before now. Wonder Woman hadn't noticed how much of a woman Hawkgirl really was.
"Here," Shayera said and tossed Diana a red dress. "Put it on. It probably will be a little tight because you were blessed with attributes I don't posses, but it'll be fine."
The brunette only nodded and did as she was told. After a quick change, Diana wore the form fitting, spaghetti-strap dress with heels, and Shayera wore a black minni-skirt and a yellow tube-top with knee-high boots.
The ladies left the hotel in search of Café Erotica, the nightclub the Dark Nites owner told Batman about, and found themselves in the owner's office within minutes. It hadn't bee hard to get the manager's attention, let alone the attention of the thirty men in the showroom, but Diana knew that this time was different then when she was noticed before.
The Amazon wasn't the only woman receiving whistles and stares anymore. Shayera was leaving a stronger sexual impression than she usually did.
And all that had changed was their clothing.
"Hello ladies," a deep voice greeted from behind the girls. They had taken the seats before the owner's desk when they were led inside.
"Hey," Shayera answered in a tone Diana had never heard her use before. To the Amazon's surprise, Shayera was acting... seductive.
"So, you two are interested in a job?" he asked as he took his seat before them. The owner had green skin, red eyes, red horns, blonde hair, and wore an expensive suit. His demonic features surprised Diana a bit, but she disregarded the feeling.
"Yeah. I'm Angel, and this is my girl, Devil. We were wondering if you needed a couple of showgirls," Shayera informed and crossed her legs. "We do an act together."
The owner moistened his red lips and folded his hands on the desk. "What kind of act?"
"One that leaves very little to the imagination," Diana blurted and noticed the small smirk tugging at her companion's lips. "But you'll have to wait and see."
The demon chuckled. "I like you two. Devil, you human?" When Diana slightly nodded, he moved his attention to Shayera. "You a Thanagarian, Angel?"
The winged woman reluctantly nodded. "Yeah."
"I've had a few of you Thanagarians here before. Two actually did business with me, but the other, a cop, had been looking for a couple of crooks a while ago... By the way, have we met before, Angel? You seem awfully familiar."
"No," she answered and shook her head. "But then again, Thanagarians all look alike."
A dark-skinned woman the walked in, wearing a pale negligee along with garters, carrying a glass filled with a red liquid. She possessed icy white eyes and silver hair, but she was a beauty nonetheless.
"Would you two care for some Euphoria?" the man asked, and Diana noticed Shayera tighten her fists.
"No thank you," she answered for the both of them. "Do you think we could have the job?"
"I'll give you a trial run. Just show up, and you'll start tonight. I'll be watching."
)(
"Aren't you a little far from home, Lantern?" an alien asked GL. He seemed a little drunk, leaning against the bar, cradling a glass. "The Corps has no jurisdiction here, an' ya know it."
Green Lantern nodded. "Since when was it said that I can't have fun once in a while?" After the alien grunted in response, John moved his eyes across the room to make eye contact with Batman; they were stationed inside the showroom of the Café Erotica, waiting for Diana and Shayera to perform.
Suddenly, he heard the buzz of his comm-link.
"I'm going to look around once they start. Maybe I could find something," Batman stated. "You stay and make sure they're all right."
GL nodded in his co-worker's direction and returned his attention to the stage. A woman then introduced the brand knew act, "The Devil and the Angel." His eyes widened when they began.
Diana came out wearing a black corset, matching panties, boots, and tons of makeup. She wore devil horns on her head with softly curled hair, but she seemed uneasy in her skin. He could tell she wouldn't be herself tonight.
Without music, she sang:
"You wouldn't let me say the words I longed to say
You didn't want to see life through my eyes
You tried to shove me back inside your narrow room
And silence me with bitterness and lies"
The back up music started, and John heard Shayera's voice join in.
"Did I say something wrong?
Oops, I didn't know I couldn't talk about sex
Did I stay too long?
Oops, I didn't know I couldn't speak my mind"
Diana sang the chorus with her body moving to the beat. Although she did seem a little uncomfortable, she wasn't too bad. The curtains opened, and Shy sat on a chair, pretending to be bound to it. She wore a white push-up, panties, a garter belt, fishnets, and a pair of heels. With pin-straight hair and light makeup, Shy sang next.
"You punished me for telling you my fantasies
I'm breakin' all the rules I didn't make
You took my words and made a trap for silly fools
You held me down and tried to make me break"
The girls were convincing with their sexy movements and caresses. John tried to remember where he had seen the act before...
Madonna and Britney Spears. Go figure.
Green Lantern had to swallow hard and took in a deep breath. She looked like no one he had ever seen before. Somehow, he managed to tear his eyes away from the stage to look at Batman. To his surprise, the Dark Knight still had his gaze fixated on the ladies...
On Diana.
When Batman noticed Lantern, he slipped into the shadows of the bar and disappeared.
"And I'm not sorry
It's human nature
And I'm not sorry
I'm not your bitch don't hang your shh on me"
)(
Batman watched Diana from his corner and couldn't believe what he saw. She was playing... dirty, and something inside of his hollow soul stirred. Perhaps it was the same flaw that had attracted Batman to his curious burglar, Catwoman.
He felt the green, glowing eyes of the Lantern on him and slipped deeper into the darkness. There was no need for rumors to emerge within The Justice League, at least none involving Wonder Woman and Batman.
The Bat slowly made his way toward the men's room through an adjacent and empty hallway. His keen eyes scanned over every inch of the place as he continued to walk.
Then he found it.
A door, guarded by two watchmen, as usual, waited just down the hall. Batman stepped into the men's room and made sure he was alone. He then snuck out a window and followed the wall of the nightclub until he knew he was just outside the guarded room. He shot out a line.
The grapple latched onto the roof and pulled him up to a second story window, which had been conveniently left ajar. Inside, there were about ten men brewing and mixing liquids.
They were producing Euphoria.
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"Do you think we convinced them?"
Shayera had wrapped her nearly naked body in a robe and stared at herself in the mirror. Diana's words hadn't processed; Shy was too busy feeling disgusted with herself.
She was once again doing what she did best.
She was the undercover soldier that Hro could depend on, that Hro loved. Shayera shuttered at the thought and noticed the Amazon staring at her.
"What?"
"Never mind," Diana responded softly and pulled on a robe as well. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine."
A knock at the dressing room's door sounded, and Diana rushed to answer it. To the Thanagarian's amazement, it was her boyfriend.
GL came over to her side and gently touched her arm. "You two were great," he confirmed. "Not a single man could tear his eyes away, except Batman of course."
Almost with a disappointed sigh, Diana moved to her side of the room and hid behind a screen. Shayera allowed Lantern to take advantage of the moment by stealing a soft kiss.
But he saw right through her.
"What's wrong?" he asked and smoothed her hair. "You were beautiful and absolutely believable. No one will know that you're not a showgirl."
She forced a smile and took one of his hands into her own. Shayera loved his hands; they were so strong.
A person can learn a lot about another by just looking at his hands.
"Baby," he whispered and lifted her chin with his finger. "Seriously, what's –?"
There was another knock at the door. Instantly, GL hid in the closet, and Shayera headed for the door. It was the owner.
"Breathtaking, Ladies! Really. I enjoyed it. You've got the job." He walked inside without being invited and wrapped an arm around Shy. "You and the Devil are going out with me tonight. So get ready. Just head to my office, and we'll go."
"Sounds –"
He interrupted, "Hurry now. I have to show you two off." The owner left and shut the door behind him.
Shayera Hol wanted to scream.
)(
"Lantern," Batman's voice said over the comm-link
"Yeah?"
"I found the lab, but we have to make sure it's the only one. Tell Hawkgirl to –"
"Investigate. She knows." When Batman cut the connection, GL lifted his eyes from the floor to look at the females. Diana wore a black pantsuit, and Shayera wore a white, strapless dress. They had just finished their makeup.
"We're going now," Shy stated with little effort. "We'll contact you if anything's amiss."
John stood from the chair he had claimed earlier and pulled the Thangarian into a strong embrace. Her body tensed against his, but he ignored it. He didn't care that Diana was watching; Shy needed to know that she had his support.
That was all that mattered.
They left, and, after a few minutes, he did the same. John just wished that Shayera would talk to him. He knew something was wrong, and he'd do anything to fix it.
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Chapter 3 coming soon...