A/N: Thanks to my great reviewers: CATgrl and BabyKakes. Your reviews helped me get this chapter going.

Chapter 12

Corinna dreamed while she was asleep, and she was once again surrounded by machines. There was no escape from the tall, steel creatures that held a firm grip on her; not about to let her get away. Their steel clamps began to crush the left side of her body, and she screamed as loud as she could.

Corinna's dream grew better as light poured down onto the machines, and a dark figure crashed down against the machine in front of her. It convulsing then its metal hand released Corinna's arm. The dark figure dropped down in front of her, and she saw it was Batman. "Terry!" Corinna screamed.

Terry pulled out some Batarangs and sliced the machines up until they could no longer function. Corinna ripped the remaining machine arms off of her and threw them as hard as she could. She went over to Terry and hugged him, and he put his arms around her.

Corinna woke up to an incessant buzzing coming from the lower levels. She growled as she had to wake from her the pleasantness of her dream. But, she got up and headed to freshen up.

Synthroid had all of the runaways in the meeting hall, where they were all eating breakfast. He kept an eye out for Corinna because he heard the rush of water in the pipes. So, every little while, he glanced for the entrance of the room. He had plans for her to meet the runaways, and he hoped she would show long enough to speak with them.

Corinna, dressed in her ninja attire, stepped into the meeting room and saw all of the runaways pause from their meal to stare at her. She felt her temperature rise because she was nervous; she hadn't realized that Synthroid intended to keep the runaways. All she figured was Synthroid took them in to show his strengths. But, she didn't know what Synthroid was thinking anymore.

"Ahh, this is my ninja, Corinna!" Sythroid announced.

Corinna saw that the eighteen-year-old was watching her every move, and she saw him raise his eyebrows at her. 'Watch it,' she thought. 'I all ready have a love life, and I won't take a dreg like you hitting on me.'

"Hello, Corinna," he said.

"Hello." Corinna replied. "Tell me, what is your name?"

"Jim," the boy replied.

"Well, hello Jim." Corinna replied.

Corinna headed for the kitchen, and Jim watched her walk away. He felt a strong attraction for her, and he knew that he would have her. One way or another, she'd be his. Synthroid saw the way Jim was looking at Corinna, and he devised a perfect plan to keep the runaways his. He would fix Corinna up with the leader of the runaways, and that would secure the runaways for his disposal.

Slyly, Synthroid followed Corinna into the kitchen, where she was eating an apple while sitting on a levitating counter. She glanced over at her mentor and saw a mysterious look glittering in his eyes. "What is up?" Corinna asked with a dark need to know Synthroid's current plans.

"Jim seems to like you." Synthroid said seemingly innocently.

Corinna rolled her eyes. "So?"

Synthroid grinned evilly. "I need to you date him."

"What?" Corinna shouted as she hopped down off of the counter.

Synthroid kept the grin plastered on his face. "If you date him, I have no way of losing the rest of the runaways."

"Find another way." Corinna protested as she set down her apple; she was too angry to finish the little that was left of it.

Synthroid waved his finger at her. "Tsk, tsk. You do as I say, Corinna," he growled.

"No way," she protested. "We have an equal give and take relationship, Synthroid!"

Synthroid walked closer and grabbed Corinna's right arm and held tightly. Corinna squirmed but felt her boss's grip slowly tighten more as she wiggled. Pieces of her dream flashed before her eyes, and she realized where her loyalty belonged; in Batman. Synthroid was turning into her enemy, and soon he would turn against her. She wasn't going to stand around and let that happen.

Corinna kicked as hard as she could with her left leg into Synthroid's right kneecap, the only weak place he had on his body after his extensive machine implants. Synthroid cried out in pain and released Corinna, and he grabbed his knee as he scowled at Corinna. He hissed and watched her run out of the kitchen. "Corinna, stop!"

Corinna heard Synthroid calling, but she wasn't about to stop and listen to her former teacher. He was no longer the man he used to be; he wasn't even an man anymore because he was too much machine. So, she headed out to find Terry, the one person she knew she could trust then.

Terry woke groggily but was glad it was the weekend, so he just laid in bed. He'd dreamed of Corinna, and it had been pleasant. Even thinking about her was pleasant, and it made the rest of his world seem quiet and relaxed.

Terry listened closer and heard no sounds coming from outside his walls, and he sat up in bed. "Where could Mom and Matt be?"

Terry started to get and jump out of bed when his trained hearing picked up a soft tap on his windowsill. He spun around and saw the ninja he'd fought as Batman crouched on his windowsill. He gasped and wondered how she'd found him, then his brain recalled that she had mentioned she knew all about him, and Bruce.

Terry started to back away, and the ninja used a laser to cut out the window's pane of glass. It started to fall, but the ninja caught it. Terry was about to flee his room when the ninja spoke. "Terry, don't run."

Terry hesitated when he recognized the voice. It was the same as Corinna's voice, and he gasped. The ninja nodded and started to pull her goggles and hood away. Terry watched with wide-eyes as the dark hair spilled down around the ninja's face and shoulders. But, she moved the hair out of her face to reveal that she was Corinna.

"No." Terry said quietly feeling betrayed that Corinna was one of his enemies.

"Don't worry, Terry. I'm not your enemy anymore. Synthroid has changed, and I can no longer work by his side."

Terry's eyes widened again. "You work for Synthroid?"

"Did." Corinna replied.

"He's set me up."

Corinna thought for a moment and didn't understand what she was being told. "What?"

"Spellbinder's death was a way to lure me in, and he wants me to think that he killed the junkies that Spells always kept."

Corinna grinned. "The runaways are with Synthroid."

Terry smiled. "It looks like you've solved one riddle for me."

"You're in for more trouble, Terry."

"I had no doubt about that." Terry admitted.

Corinna stepped up next to Terry and looked him in the eyes. "I can help you," she whispered.

Terry felt her breath upon his neck, and he felt intoxicated by her presence. He leaned down and kissed her hard. Corinna pulled away and stared at Terry for a moment before she began shedding her metal armor. Soon, she stood before Terry in her sleek, black uniform.

Corinna wrapped her arms around Terry's neck and pressed her mouth against his. Invitingly, he accepted her kiss and held her tightly against him. Corinna's mind flashed back to her dream, and she felt secure in Terry's arms. But, her mind did not mull over the dream any further because her mind told her it was no longer important; she'd found out that Synthroid was now her enemy while Terry was her ally and love.