Shayera hovered outside the room door and gazed through the window, hoping that by some miracle the blinds would open to let her see how Wally was.
"What were they doing to him?" she asked as she heard J'ohn step up beside her.
"My best guess from the reports is some form of experiment to change him. Batman thought it might be a mutant experiment, from what Superman and Green Lantern described the men that attacked them, they are based upon Vampires."
"Vampires?" Shayera asked, turning to face the Martian. "As in the human legend Vampires?"
"Indeed." J'ohn sighed.
"And the Doctors say?" she asked.
"We say that a foreign substance is present." A man told them, stepping out of the room in his lab coat.
"Can you do anything?" she asked, suddenly feeling hysterical by the way the doctor was acting. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"We are trying several antibiotics but with little results." He consulted the file in his hand and pulled out a photo of Wally's neck showing the two puncture wounds and a smaller needle mark in the centre. "A needle was injected here," he indicated the central mark. "But these two are consistent with teeth marks."
"So a mutant theory could be correct then." Shayera said handing the photo back.
"His immune system is battling the substance, but is weakening. If we don't find a cure within the hour, then the changes may be irreversible." He sighed and dropped his gaze from the two heroes.
"Our examination of him shows that in the event of not finding a cure, he will most likely not survive the rest of the night."
J'ohn gazed at the window while Shayera turned her gaze to the floor. "May we see him?" J'ohn asked.
"Shortly, once we get some samples, we can then begin to try to reverse this."
"What are his chances?" J'ohn asked.
"Slim." The doctor whispered, walking past them. He got half way up the corridor and stopped. "I am sorry." He added, without turning to face them and then carried on his way.
Shayera and J'ohn stood side by side. "I have called the others here." He told her quietly; she simply nodded, too stunned to say anything.
After a few minutes of absolute silence she finally spoke up. "We can't loose him now." She said, barley a whisper, so soft J'ohn wasn't sure if he had heard it or read it from her. She looked up. "We almost lost him then." She said, indicating to the fight with Braniac and Luthor.
"We won't loose him." He answered resting a hand gently on her shoulder.
They stayed like that for a few more minutes until Green Lantern appeared. "How is he?" he asked.
"Not good." J'ohn told him. Another minute passed and Superman and Wonder Woman joined them and then finally Batman. He had agreed to work with the staff to look into a cure, but his quick arrival told them all exactly what they wished not to hear, even before he voiced it.
"It is irreversible at this stage." He told them.
"Do you know what will happen to him?" Diana asked.
"I don't think it was successful, therefore he will die." Batman said, trying not to show any feeling.
"But you're not sure?" John asked. Batman stayed silent.
"Can we see him?" Shayera asked. Batman nodded and opened the door, allowing them entry.
They took in the unmasked face of Wally West and knew he wouldn't even last the hour. John was the first one over to his bedside, quickly followed by Shayera and Diana.
They took up their watch either in the chairs or perched on the side of his bed. Superman and J'ohn stood off to the side, eyes watching the steady rise and fall of the young mans chest. Batman stayed by the door, observing the brain waves and heart pulse on the monitors.
"GL?" came a quiet voice. John leaned in to the young man and took the quivering hand.
"I'm here hot shot." He answered.
"We're all here." Superman added.
"What…hap...p…pened?" he gasped, his breathing laboured.
"You got tested on kid." John said, trying to keep his voice light.
"Yeah?" he asked faintly, opening his eyes slightly.
"Yeah." Shayera said.
"No…cure, I guess." He said, taking in their concerned faces.
"There has to be, you just hang in there." Diana said, taking his other hand.
"Then…why is…he…here?" he asked, looking straight at Batman.
"Oh Wally." Shayera breathed, pulling him into a hug, just like the one when she pulled him from the portal. "Don't give up." She told him.
"Can't." he said, his breathing becoming shakier. He closed his eyes and grimaced in pain.
"No." Diana whispered. Superman stepped forward.
"Wally?" he asked.
He watched the young man as he opened his eyes at him. "I'm sorry." He said.
"Don't…be."
"What will we do without you?" Diana asked.
"Green…Arrow…did a go…od job." He gasped, coughing slightly at the end. Shayera pulled her hand away as she felt blood ooze out of his mouth and onto her hand.
"Oh Wally." She cried, hugging him harder. J'ohn also stepped forward and touched Wally's arm.
Wally smiled at they group around him; he finally glanced over at Batman. Bruce smiled sadly and suddenly realised what was going to happen. With a shout he jumped forward, but was too late.
Wally gasped for a breath, threw his head back and uttered as chocked scream, his body convulsing in the arms of his friends.
His eyes were wide in fear and the blood slipped out of the corner of his mouth. He couldn't breath and the vision before him was turning grey. Slowly the black spot in the centre of his vision grew until all he could make out was a slight movement. Then finally he was still.
Shayera laid him down flat and stood to her feet, finding comfort in the arms of John. Diana stood into the embrace of Clark while J'ohn laid an arm on her shoulder.
Bruce approached the bed of the still, lifeless Wally West, AKA Flash. He reached out a hand to close the young mans eyes when his body started to convulse once more.
"There's an out put!" J'ohn h shouted, reading the monitors as Wally thrashed about on his bed. John and Clark held him down. With a last thrash, Wally threw them both away and took a breath.
He stopped, still, his back arched and he gasped for air. His eyes remained unblinking and slowly trickled to a cold blue colour. The blood from around his mouth slowly faded away and in his open mouth his canines grew longer and sharper.
"Wally?" Diana asked.
"He's no more." They all turned to the open door to see a young woman with white blue eyes and long fangs, bared, in a creepy smile.
She seemed to glide into the room and towards the bed. "Come my love." She sighed in a soft voice. Wally breathed in and sat up sharply, starting Shayera away from the bed..
"Yes my Lady." Wally answered, standing up from the bed; his voice was cold and deeper than usual. It didn't suit him.
"Wally?" John asked, catching the younger man's arm to stop him as he walked past and towards the woman. With a quick flick of his arm John was sent backwards over the bed and crashing down to the floor.
"Wally!" Clark shouted sharply, jumping forward. With a snarl Wally lunged at Clark's exposed throat. With a bit of effort Clark flipped Wally off him and stood uncertainly to his feet.
"He's not the man you once knew." The woman purred, stepping around him and surveying him. He had his back to the group and stood waiting, while the woman circled him. She finally stopped off to the side, facing the heroes. "I will set him on you if you fight us." She threatened.
"Come my love, you must be weary." She cooed, stroking the side of his face. "You are confused." She whispered. "I can make you feel better." She laughed, pulling him back into the black portal behind her.
"No!" Diana objected, leaping at the portal as it closed, but was too late to save her friend.
Both the woman and Wally West were gone, leaving six League Members standing in a hospital room without a patient. And themselves without their friend and comrade.
Please don't hate me for this one!