Tim walked into the girl's bathroom.
(It was after school hours, it was fine.)
"Okay, I'm in," he said as his sneakers squeaked on the wettish tile floor. The school had about the kind of security you'd expect for a high school in an average sized town: padlocked doors and that's about it. Not exactly breaking into Blackgate Penitentiary. Tim remained out of costume; somewhat ironically, a teenager caught breaking into a high school in the middle of Wisconsin would be less notable than a superhero doing so.
"Think you'll find anything?" Jason asked through Tim's earpiece. Right now, Jason was tailing David Cain at his job - boringly non-threating finance stuff at some bank. Damien, meanwhile, was watching Lady Shiva working at her home office, apparently calling fellow HOA members for an upcoming meeting. So weird.
"Don't know," Tim answered, glancing around the bathroom. It had mostly dried off at some point, but a remaining "wet floor" sign remained regardless. Duct tape clearly marked the now shut-off sink that had its faucet yet to be replaced. "But clearly something happened here. Loose or not, it takes a lot to knock a faucet off. Cass might have tapped into her training even if she doesn't remember it, and if there was anything here that triggered it, it's worth checking out."
"If you say so," Jason yawned. "Least you got the important job. I'm just here with my bike and some binoculars watching David fucking Cain doing the office drone routine."
Tim looked over the offending sink. No sign of it being out of the ordinary. And there wasn't too much point in dusting it for prints or anything, not after the janitor wiped all the evidence with cheap disinfectant. "Yeah, well, suck it up. It's not like this is your first stake-out. And if there's any sign of what's controlling them shows up, we need to see it. For ourselves."
"Yeah, I'm not exactly a rookie, Tim. Just saying I've been better."
"I hear that," Tim muttered. The last place Tim wanted to be was here, in an already contaminated crime scene, looking for evidence that might not have been there in the first place while Cass remained with her memories altered from the ground up. For now, though, Tim just knocked the walls next to the broken sink.
*tak tak tak*
It sounded solid enough; no slight echo that might indicate something hidden. Not the most thorough way to check a crime scene, but he was just starting out. If it was for Cass, he'd stay all day if he could manage it.
"So did Babs get the reading yet?"
*tak tak tak*
Tim nodded automatically even though Jason couldn't see it as he continued tapping along. "Yeah. WayneTech satellites confirmed it. No dimensional anomalies, reality alterations, or Crisis energies detected. Whatever's going on here, this isn't reality warping."
"Or it currently doesn't have any reality warping shit going on. Might have been one thing and let it go from there. I know we ruled out Bat-Mite, but the ninety days thing was never hard and fast with him-"
"Yeah, I thought about it some more," Tim said as he walked to the last sink and knocked the wall.
*tak tak tak*
"For one thing, Dick is right - his obsession is with Bruce, not any of us 'side characters'. If he did something, it would be when Bruce could have his full attention, not when Bruce isn't even on the planet. Besides, do you really think he has the patience to wait a full month for us to find Cass ourselves?"
"Fair enough." Jason sighed. "Jesus, I just wish that we had more to go on."
*tak tak tak*
It was something that Tim heard way too many times over the past couple of days. It didn't make it any less true. Cass was safe, at least as far as they could tell, but Tim still felt helpless in figuring out who transformed one of his best friends into the protagonist of an Avril Lavigne music video.
There were two broad groups of mystery stories out there - the first being the "Fair Play" mystery, where the puzzle of the story was entirely solvable by the end if you were paying attention, and the second being the kind that only revealed the answer at the very end due to some sudden discovery or reveal. It was admittedly more of a spectrum than a hard and fast rule - most Sherlock Holmes stories weren't all that fair given that it was the less observant Watson narrating the stories - and it didn't necessarily detract from your enjoyment. Still, it was rather frustrating to think that this was the kind of mystery where they find the truth at the very end - or worse, have the mastermind explain how they did it.
"Well, that's why we're doing this," Tim said, continuing to knock and scan all across the bathroom walls. "And Babs said she could probably hack into Cass's smartphone, so we should be gett-"
*tunk*
Tim stopped in his tracks. He tapped a few more times.
*tunk tunk tunk*
That definitely wasn't his imagination. This part of the wall definitely made a different echo, albeit subtle enough that an untrained ear would probably miss it.
"Uh, Tim? You still there?"
"I'm here. Just a second," Tim answered. He began touching the wall with his fingertips as he tried to see if the teal paint looked any different here than it did elsewhere. The brushstrokes seemed the same but-
There. The plaster felt just a touch softer in one small area. Soft enough that it could likely be pierced through with Tim's finger. "I think I found something."
"You have?" Tim could practically hear Jason lean forward in interest. "What?"
"Give me a second," Tim answered as he took out his smartphone from his pocket and activated a hidden app developed by WayneTech and finished by himself. The phone flashed and showed everything its camera saw in a blue tint. Holding it over the wall where he tapped, the inside of it was shown on the screen. Honestly, it might have peeled back if Tim tried hard enough, but he wasn't going to contaminate the area any more than it already had.
The inside of the wall revealed the usual mix of insulation, wires, and plumbing, but only on the edge of where Tim had tapped. There, there was a sudden gape, the insulation suddenly gone, creating a space just big enough for a person to stand in, conveniently located near an air conditioner. The plaster on the wall itself was read as some sort of fast acting sealant - definitely not the kind of stuff that you could buy at the hardware store.
"There's a space in the wall, behind some kind of sealant. I think someone snuck in through the vents, poked through the walls, and spied on Cass in the bathroom."
"WHAT?"
"Not like that."
"That wasn't what I meant, and you know it! If this is whoever's behind all this, it makes no sense! Why would you go through all that shit when you could have just set up some bugs where you wanted to check on her!"
Tim grimaced. "I know. But you're on the wrong track. This is a rush job, not something that someone who's been manipulating everything behind the scenes for a month would do. This was done by someone who wanted to get a good look at Cass quick and without anyone noticing them, just like we're trying not to be noticed."
"Wait - You mean..."
Tim placed his hand on the wall, thinking about whoever it was that was behind there, somehow causing Cass to touch her real self however briefly, and wondered if they even meant to.
"Someone else is trying to figure out what's going on in Elmville."
(...)
"Kyle, you idiot, you're never going to pull that off!"
"Watch me, Fitzgerald!" Kyle said as he jumped his skateboard onto the handrails along the concrete steps and immediately fell off of it.
Stephanie got off the bench along with Hattie as they joined Cass and Dylan in checking on Kyle, all of them in a skate park nearby a mostly empty four-way intersection. Steph thankfully was getting along quite well with Cass's new(?) friends, sharing a skateboard with Kyle since she didn't have one of her own. Though now it looked like she might not need to share it anymore.
"You okay, dude?" Cass asked Kyle as they helped him up, Dylan giving his friend a pat on the shoulder.
"Yeah," Kyle winced as he rubbed the back of his head and turned to Hattie. "Why are you always right?"
"You make it pretty easy," Hattie observed.
The group had more or less gone straight to the skate park after school, with Steph still trying to walk the fine line in between talking enough that Cass and her new-ish friends could think of her as part of the group and not talking so much that she came across as clingy or weird. She wished one of the guys could have been there to back her up, but between Tim checking the records of the school and city, Damien and Jason tailing Shiva and Cain and checking their house for spy bugs when they left, even Barbara hacking into the Cain's cell phones and double checking everything in the surrounding area to make absolutely sure Elmville didn't spring into existence out of nothingness... well, there was more than enough work for everyone.
"I still think that we can pull off a frontside bluntside down those handrails," Kyle insisted. Ah yes, Steph's current nemesis - skater lingo. Guess she knew what she was looking up online tonight.
"At an angle? On those weenie handrails?" Dylan smirked, his dark-skinned hand covering his mouth to hide a chuckle. "I mean, maybe if we were Hawk and Dove or something..."
A loud whistle got everyone's attention. Cass jumped her skateboard onto the handrail, the bottom wheels grinding down the rails as the top wheels stood out in the air, before jumping off the rails and onto the ground, then casually kicking up the board into her hand. "Just call me Hawkgirl, I guess!"
Dylan and Kyle gave out loud and excited boy-yells and rushed over to gush over the overly smug Cass, even as Dylan started to correct her on which superheroes he just mentioned. Steph and Hattie stood back, Hattie shaking her head in sardonic amusement.
"So, uh, is Cass always like this?" Stephanie asked, as if she didn't already know the answer.
"Worse," Hattie said. "I think she's just trying to be extra nice to you because she knows what it's like being the new kid."
"Yeah, she mentioned something about that," Steph answered, eager to get some more info on the Cass's new backstory to take back to the base (I.E., the motel room). "So, she came to the school late, or something?"
"Sort of. She had been homeschooling and tutored since second grade right up until freshman year. The dyslexia, you know? Anyways, she came to school only really knowing what it was like on TV and movies, so she was pretty lost - plus the teachers didn't have anything for her disability. But I saw her in her Disturbed t-shirt, so we ended up talking about bands. She told me she was a work-out nut, so I introduced her to Dylan, he introduced her to Kyle, and... here we are."
Steph nodded, glancing at Cass as she smiled and nodded at Dylan trying to explain something about "hawksnarls". That was... a bit more detailed than she expected. And from someone that, as far as Stephanie knew, wasn't brainwashed with an entirely fake life. This whole Elmville situation just seemed to get deeper the more they kept looking into it.
"I am kind of surprised you did come here, Hattie. It doesn't seem like your thing," Stephanie said, turning back to the goth girl. "You sure you don't want to join in?"
"It's not, and I'm sure," Hattie shrugged. "I'm not a skater, but I like watching them. Plus, I like hanging out with Cass. We're best friends."
"...Right." Steph sighed through her nose and turned -
Wait. Did she just see something while turning?
It took Stephanie a second to fully realize what she saw. It was the intersection they were nearby. She could only see it out of the corner of her eye right now, but Steph was trained to see those things easily. There were traffic cameras on top of the lights there. Four in all.
All four of the cameras were pointed at the group.
Steph didn't move at first, refusing to give anything away. Instead, she took a few steps back and pointed her thumb at the vending machines, smiling without a hint of concern. "Hey, I'm gonna get some snacks. You guys want anything? I'm buying!"
"Eh, just a water for me. Not into empty calories," Hattie waved dismissively.
"Korderade. Blue if they got any," Dylan requested.
"Coke for me," Cass nodded at Steph.
"Uh, maybe some of those gummy things?" Kyle asked.
"Got it!" Stephanie called out as she headed towards the vending machines. Once there, she surreptitiously glanced back at the cameras. Most had moved back to the road, but one was - wait, it was moving back in place, too. But Steph was sure she didn't give anything away. Why would it lose interest in watching Cass?
Steph took out her smartphone and texted to Oracle: Still with Cass. Traffic cams looking at us. Hacked or what?
After Steph put in the money, her phone dinged with Oracle's reply: No sign of current hacking. Might have stopped before I looked. Tim may have found something. Stick with Cass until she gets home.
Stephanie took a breath, then took the snacks out of the machine. Holding them in her hands, she walked back and announced, "Okay, here you go!", as she handed out the drinks and snacks, the other teens thanking her as she handed them out. Steph then reached for Kyle's skateboard, and after he gave a permissive nod, grabbed it and took it by the troublesome handrails.
"Hey, uh, I'm gonna try something, you guys be sure to rush over if I fall, alright?" Steph asked. She doubted that would actually happen given all her training, but she needed an excuse to get closer to Cass and showing off to her seemed like a decent way to do that. Plus, she might convince them to get out of range of those security cameras, just in case.
At the reassurance of the others, Stephanie began to skate forwards towards the skinny handrails. As she approached, she popped on the skateboard so it would rotate in the air and landed on the rail on the edge of the board, sliding down the rail even as it shifted under her weight. By the end of the rail, she popped up once again, the board flipping in midair for a moment before she got her feet on it once again just as it slammed on the ground.
The cheers of Dylan and Kyle let her know that she did something impressive. Once she turned around, she saw even Hattie had raised an eyebrow in interest. Cass, on the other hand, seemed to be confused more than anything that this girl she just met had pulled off such a trick.
Cass approached her. "Did... did you just pull off a nollieflip noseslide?"
"...Yes?" Steph answered, trying to figure out if that was a real name or not.
"At an angle, on a handrail that would probably fall over if I blew on it too hard?"
"I guess? I, uh, take gymnastics, and I just added a board to it."
Cass took a moment to consider this, then broke into an enthusiastic grin.
"Well, damn, Steph, you should have said something sooner!" Cass laughed and high-fived a relieved Stephanie. "Oh, but we are NOT done here; we are upgrading from this kiddie shit!" Cass turned to the others and excitedly announced, "Hey, guys, we need to head over to the half-pipes, I got myself a worthy opponent here!"
"Your battle will be legendary!" Kyle rose his hand in what would probably be a fist if it wasn't in a cast as the group started getting up and heading to the back.
"Oh, you are going down, Brown! WHOO!" Cass practically jumped in the air as she started heading to the back as well, Steph unsure of whether to be happy or terrified that she just activated Cass's love of competition. Well, so long as Cass was heading away from those camera's watching her, it was probably for the best-
Then Stephanie realized something, nearly making her stop in her tracks. She wasn't a detective like her boyfriend but spoiling her dad's plans made her pretty decent at picking up clues, and she was pondering why the cameras stopped watching Cass when she left in the back of her mind. And the reason why finally hit her.
The cameras weren't watching Cass. They were watching Stephanie.
(...)
An hour and forty minutes later:
Sandra put yet another piece of photocopied paper into yet another beige folder, her phone being held between her shoulder and the side of her head as she talked.
"Well, Sarah, I distinctly recall that we made an agreement at the last fundraiser. I actually remember someone there condemning those that don't uphold their promises. Let me think, who was that again?" Sandra took the phone from the crook of her neck and held it up on the other ear as she tapped the office table with her free hand. "Oh, thank you for reminding me, it was you. So I trust that there'll be no problems? No last-minute cancellations this time? Great, we'll see you there. Buh-bye," Sandra said sweetly before hanging up the phone, placing it next to the family portrait they got when Cass turned five. How Sarah gave birth to a great kid like Hattie was simply beyond Sandra's comprehension.
Something flit by in the corner of her eye, causing Sandra to turn in her swivel chair. Whatever it was, it was gone. Was it just her imagination? Or did a bird get in the house or something? She hoped not; the family didn't need another "Squirrel Incident".
Sandra shook her head and leaned back, stretching out her legs. At least she was dressed comfortably; classic laundry day sweatpants-and-husband's-old-concert-shirt combo. The kind she'd rather be dead than be seen in by anyone other than immediate family. Actually, scratch that; when Sandra passed, she'd rather have a closed casket over everyone seeing her body like that.
The front door opened, and Sandra heard her daughter yell out "I'm home!" causing Sandra to immediately jump back to the paperwork on her desk and look busy instead of letting Cass see her laze about. "I'm in the office!" Sandra called out.
Cass strolled into the home office with the practiced teenage ease Sandra saw through far easier than Cass realized. "Is Dad home yet?"
"Running late; he'll be here before dinner," Sandra answered as she finished typing up a document on her computer. "What about you? Skate any wally's?"
"It's 'ollies', Mom."
"That's what I said. So did you have a good time?"
Cass shrugged. "Eh, you know. Same old, same old. Whooping the guys' butts on the half-pipe."
Sandra, not looking away from the screen, wordlessly raised her hand. Cass, only half-looking, high-fived it. Sandra did a slight double-take - did Cass's hand just wince a little?
"What about you?" Cass asked. "Bust any heads?"
Sandra scoffed. "What exactly do you think I do all day?"
"I'm not hearing a 'no'." Cass reached for the candies in the bowl on the office desk. Sandra finally looked up from the computer to give Cass a pointed look. Cass stopped just above the bowl. "Uh, may I?"
"Yes, you m-" Sandra looked at the hand, then looked again. Before Cass could realize what was going on, Sandra grabbed Cass's hand and pulled up her sleeve, revealing bruised knuckles.
"Cassie, how did you get this?" Sandra immediately stood up, examining the knuckles while holding on tight enough that Cass couldn't slip out of her grip in spite of her best efforts.
"Wh- Nothing, it was an accident-"
"It can't be 'nothing' and an 'accident', Cassandra! Why were you hiding
The bruised fingers of her prey reached out as the pathetic worm choked on his own blood. Shiva smirked as she raised her
-(let them be happy)-
"...Mom?"
"I-" Sandra blinked, before pulling on Cass's arm again. "I just lost my train of thought. Now stop struggling and let your mother have a good look!"
Cass just pulled back harder. "Come on, it was just me being a moron-"
"Don't call yourself that! Cassie, how-"
"I'm FINE!" Cass yelled as she finally pulled her hand free. Sandra pulled back, surprised at Cass's outburst. Cass just turned her head away in shame of having an outburst.
Sandra sighed. She should have realized this. After all, it was the reason she reacted so strongly to some bruised knuckles in the first place. There was a reason Cass wore a full wetsuit at the local swimming pool.
"I'm sorry," Sandra gently put one hand on Cass's shoulder and ran her fingers through Cass's hair with the other one. "I know that since- that you hate the way your father and I act when you get hurt. But it doesn't help when you hide it from us. There are no secrets in this family, Cass."
Cass took a moment to absorb this, then sighed. "Nothing happened, alright? I wasn't paying attention, and Kyle ran over my fingers with his board. That's all."
Sandra studied Cass. Her "Mom Sense" was still tingling, but maybe now wasn't the time to push the issue. "That boy... Well, if you're feeling fine, then you're well enough to get started on your homework."
"Fiiiiine," Cass groaned dramatically as Sandra sat back in her chair. "Hey, what's for dinner?"
"What do you want?" Sandra asked as she turned her attention back to the computer.
"Pizza!"
Now Sandra turned back to her daughter as Cass opened the office door. "I helped write the cafeteria menu! I know you had pizza for lunch!"
"So what?" Cass called over her shoulder as she left. Sandra sighed. Just for that, she was breaking out the asparagus.
Once again, something fluttering caught Sandra's attention out of the corner of her eye, which disappeared as soon as she whipped her head around. Seriously, was she just going nuts, or was something in the house? If there was, should she wait for Dave to come back, or should she just get the broom now?
The sounds of heavy drums and someone screaming hoarsely from Cass's room threw Sandra out of her thoughts. Seriously, why couldn't that girl have inherited her taste in music instead of her fathers'? Cass needed to learn to enjoy some of the music Sandra did at her age, like the Backstreet Boys or N*SYNC. Or Dr Dre.
For now, Sandra just sighed, put on her headphones, and opened the latest upload of one of her dyslexia podcasts as she returned to her work.
Maybe she should get the liver out, too.