M'gann M'orzz
Mount Justice
Monday, December 3rd, 2012
M'gann bolted upright. A set of hands gently gripped her shoulders and helped her settle backwards against the bed. It took her a few seconds to realize they were Black Canary's hands and that she was lying on a cot in Mount Justice's medbay. She'd been in here before, but never for anything beyond a band-aid. She looked around. Artemis was lying on another bed, fast asleep with a steadily beeping heart-rate monitor. Beyond a curtain on the other side of the room, M'gann could sense Conner in a deep sleep. Deeper in the cave, she could feel echoes of Zatanna's dreams, and beyond that, she sensed Roy and Kaldur's presences twined together. They must have stayed overnight at the cave.
But none of that mattered.
From Canary, she sensed worry, shame, and the desire to comfort, but there was a beautiful lack of grief. That meant her teammates were all alive; that meant Wally, even though he wasn't here, was fine. That left just one person unaccounted.
The one person who needed help the most right now.
"Where's Robin?!" she demanded.
"He's fine, M'gann. Batman took him home as soon as Wally was stable," Black Canary assured her.
"Is someone with him?!"
"Yes, he's with Batman. He's fine. He and Zatanna were both conscious when the ship got back to the cave. Everyone is alright."
M'gann nodded, trying to push herself up and out of bed. Canary jumped into action, trying to ease her back down.
"M'gann, what are you doing?"
"I need to see Robin."
"He's not here," she answered gently.
"Then I'll go to him," M'gann said. A burst of irritated fondness flashed across her mentor's face.
"M'gann! Please trust me that he's okay. You, on the other hand, need to rest."
"If he's not here, then I need to call him!" M'gann demanded. Canary held her gaze for a few seconds, then shook her head in resignation. She could see that M'gann wasn't going to give in and it wasn't worth the fight.
"Okay, okay. I'll get you a phone, if you promise to rest after."
"Yes, I promise!"
"Give me a minute," Canary stood up, walking to the storage lockers outside the sterile medbay. M'gann looked around. Canary was right; she felt horrible. Her body hurt and the thought of moving made her head spin, but as bad as she felt, Dick must be feeling a million times worse.
Slade attacked them. He attacked Dick. M'gann had cut him out of the group mindlink the instant she heard him say "Slade," but she could still feel his emotions. He'd been uncomfortable, wary and anxious but then she felt a spike of terror that shook her to her core. Whatever Slade said right before Kid Flash found them had scared him. Badly.
She didn't know what would be waiting in the server room. When she'd checked Robin's pulse and found it steady, it had given her a second of relief before she realized that it was all a trap. Even knowing what was coming hadn't prepared her for seeing him for the first time. Deathstroke the Terminator was beyond terrifying. And in that moment, M'gann had never been more afraid for her life.
Slade wouldn't kill Dick, but her? The rest of the team? They were expendable to him.
M'gann knew what that monster had put Dick through. As desperately as she wanted to help her friend, she finally understood what was at stake. Deathstroke had set the team up, isolated them one at a time and exploited weaknesses he never should have known about. Shooting Wally wasn't just the violent act of a psychopath; it was a threat. It was Deathstroke's way of reminding Dick; look what I can do. I can torture you, I can hurt your friends, I can kill them if I want to, and there's nothing you can do to stop me.
She didn't know what to do. He had to be stopped. He had to face justice for what he'd done to Dick but he'd proven that the Team wasn't going to be enough on their own. She didn't know what would happen if Dick came clean to the League. If everyone knew what was happening, would it be enough of an advantage to stop Deathstroke? M'gann was sure that if the League really knew what was at stake, they would do anything to stop it. But Slade must have known that. Dick said he had backup plans and endless leverage to hold over his head. What if he came clean and it still wasn't enough? Who would Deathstroke hurt to make Dick suffer for the betrayal? And if that happened, would anything even change?
If Deathstroke made him choose, Dick would sacrifice himself in an instant to save the people he cared about. His family, his friends, the team, Wally…
She didn't know what to do. And if she didn't know… what was Dick going through right now?
Slade helped them escape. That was the only way they could've escaped so quickly. It made sense. Deathstroke wanted Dick free to act but still under his thumb. Threatening him, first by hurting Wally and then by capturing them, ensured that Dick would get the message. But with Robin and all the sidekicks in the Light's custody, he would lose his apprentice and his source of information.
It didn't help the knot in M'gann's stomach that she'd never been afraid of being the Light's captive. Queen Bee had made it perfectly clear she wanted M'gann's assistance. As long as the Light was blackmailing her, she wasn't in any more danger.
Queen Bee was an idiot if she thought M'gann would be pushed around. She was happy to let the supervillain think she had leverage, but the second she tried anything, M'gann would tell her teammates the truth herself. If this mess had taught her anything, it was not to make deals with villains.
Canary reentered with her phone.
"Here."
"Thank you!" M'gann took her phone gratefully, dialing Robin's number. She held her breath as it rang.
Once… twice… three times… and again and again and again. She frowned when the prerecorded message played.
"He might not be available."
"Maybe he just didn't hear it," she called again, stomach tightening even further. Again, no answer. She frowned, looking up at Canary pleadingly, "Can you call him?"
Canary hesitated, but something in M'gann's face must have changed her mind.
"Okay."
Canary called Robin from her phone, but after a minute, she shook her head too.
"Nothing. I'm sorry, M'gann, but he's probably resting. You can try again after you've slept a little."
"No, wait, please. Let me try again."
"M'gann."
"Please!"
"Fine. One more call," Canary relented.
"Thank you!" M'gann opened the keypad and dialed Dick's personal cell phone, a number she wasn't supposed to know at all.
It rang.
And rang.
And kept ringing.
Finally, a voice spoke.
"Hi there, you've reached Dick Grayson. Sorry I can't answer the phone right now, I'm probably at a boring fancy dinner somewhere. If you're a member of the press, I don't know how you got this number and if you call me again, I'll sue you for stalking and harassment of a minor. If you're Wally, no I don't know where you left the remote. Check under the couch. Otherwise, leave me a message at the beep."
Beep.
"Hi, it's me. I hope you're feeling okay. Please call me back as soon as you get this. It's really important. Please, I need to know that you're okay. I know how you must be feeling and I… just… call me back."
M'gann ended the call.
He wasn't answering her. She hoped with all her might that he really was sleeping.
"M'gann, what's going on?"
She shook her head at the suspicious look on Canary's face.
"I need to talk to D—Robin first."
"You know, the rest of your teammates are okay, too."
"I know," M'gann shook her head, feeling her face burn with shame. She'd been so worried about Robin she'd almost completely forgotten that the rest of her friends had been hurt too, "I mean— is Conner okay? He wasn't looking good at the end."
"He's okay. We found traces of Kryptonite in his blood, but very tiny amount. It'll be totally out of his system soon."
M'gann breathed out.
"And the others?"
"Wally was transferred to Central General an hour ago. It was a very quick surgery and he's already begun his recovery there. The last report said he should be released in a day or two. Artemis's knee is going to hurt for a while, but Doctor Fate was able to kick-start the healing process and prevented her from needing surgery. Kaldur and Zatanna are both alright as well."
M'gann nodded in relief. She noticed Canary was still watching her carefully, pursing her lips together in thought.
"It was a trap, wasn't it?" M'gann asked.
"We don't know for sure. But… it's very likely."
"So, what happens now?"
"The League will be meeting later to discuss that. M'gann, I can't tell you how sorry I am—how sorry we all are—that this happened. I promise you, if there is a mole, we will find them."
It was supposed to make M'gann feel better, but there was a hardness in Canary's eyes and a wariness on her face that stung. Canary wanted to trust her… she just couldn't be sure. It hurt. Nobody knew that Queen Bee had tried to blackmail her, and even if they did, M'gann hadn't done anything. She hadn't passed along any information or sabotaged any League systems or secrets. She never would.
But maybe Canary was right to doubt her. After all, she was keeping secrets. If Dick was really the mole they were looking for, it made her role a lot more complicated. She didn't think he was. But after Slade attacked them, who knew what Dick was thinking?
What were any of them supposed to do now?
All the choices were bad ones, but there was an option that only put one person in danger. The one thing she knew was that she had to talk to Dick before they lost him forever.
Dick Grayson
The Batcave
Monday, December 3rd, 2012
Alfred is standing by the Batcave teleporter when I zeta in. When the light clears, he lets out a sigh of relief and his shoulders relax the tiniest bit. For Alfred, that's his version of falling over in shock.
Before I can say anything, Alfred wraps me in a hug.
"Thank goodness," he says quietly. He pulls back and looks at me with a serious frown on his face, the kind that means he has about a million things to say, "Have you tended to those bruises?"
"Not yet," I swallow. When we got to the cave, it was like the entire League descended. The Flash transferred Wally to a hospital in Central for surgery and everyone else was rushed to the medbay for their injuries. Batman made me leave the second we got word that they stabilized Wally, "It was… busy."
"I'll retrieve some bruise ointment. In the meantime, there are cold compresses already prepared. I recommend you go upstairs as quickly as possible; Master Jason is quite beside himself awaiting your return."
"Okay."
"I take it Master Bruce is staying behind?"
"The League is having an emergency meeting," I swallow. Alfred frowns, "It was bad."
"I'm sure. The best comfort I can give you is that the worst of it is over; you're safe now, as are your friends. If there is to be a reckoning, it will be for another day."
"Thanks, Alfred."
"I will leave the compresses upstairs. Make sure you apply the ointment before you retire tonight."
"I promise."
Alfred nods and turns to the infirmary near the back of the cave. With a heavy sigh, I head for the costume storage by the elevator.
I wipe under my mask with the easy-release solvent before pulling it away smoothly. Another wipe cleans the remaining adhesive off my face and clears off some of the dirt and grime. I stare at the dirty cloth and try to process the thoughts swimming through my brain. Holding cells are gross. I desperately need a shower. My friends almost died because of me.
My utility belt rings suddenly. I jump, dropping the cloth in surprise. I scramble for Robin's phone, digging through pockets to pull it out. Did something happen to Wally? Is he okay?
The second I see the screen, I freeze.
It's M'gann.
What do I do? Why is she calling? Do I answer?
I should answer. Obviously, she's probably worried. Or furious because she knows it's my fault Slade attacked us, and she told me when we went to save Haly's that I had to do something before things got any worse.
I can't answer her.
Not until I figure out what to do.
Shit, she must be so mad. Superboy said Slade almost blew her up and he hurt Conner badly too. What am I supposed to say to her? And even if she's not calling to rip my head off, she must know it's not safe to talk. Slade is always listening.
Even if I wanted to answer, it's not safe.
I stick the still-ringing phone back in my utility belt and hang the belt on its hook. I pull off my uniform and change into a sweatshirt and pajama pants. My phone keeps ringing the whole time. Finally, I give in and silence it.
The elevator ride up to Bruce's study goes quickly. My head is spinning and all I want is to fall onto my bed and not move for a hundred years. But sleeping means nightmares and three guesses what they're going to be about.
The elevator and the hidden door in front of it slide open, revealing the study.
Jason is staring at a copy of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix while he waits. He's just looking at the same page, slumped over in one of the plush armchairs by the bookcases. His eyes are glazed over and his eyelids are about a millimeter from closed; any other time, Alfred would've insisted he go to bed. They must have both been really worried.
"Jay?"
Jason starts. He looks over, then drops his book and charges at me. I have to catch him when he throws his whole body at me, wrapping his arms around in a tight hug.
"You're never allowed to get captured again!" he shouts. I pull him a little closer and put one of my hands on his back.
"I'm okay, Jay."
"Promise!"
"I'm okay. I promise."
After all, what's one more lie at this point?
Bruce Wayne
The Watchtower
"We have made a grave mistake," Martian Manhunter broke the silence, staring around the conference table gravely. The other League members were quiet, not meeting each other's eyes. Wonder Woman frowned.
"We underestimated the risks," she said.
"Oh, you think?!" Flash shouted, slamming his hands down on the conference table as he pushed himself to his feet, "Wally was shot! The whole team was captured! If Robin hadn't gotten a signal to us, we'd never have found them! We almost lost them all!"
"Flash…" Superman tried to inject.
"Save it! You may not care that your kid almost died, but I sure as hell do!"
"Hurling accusations will not accomplish anything," Aquaman interrupted.
"That's convenient! You know, it's funny, the whole team was captured except for—oh that's right—your sidekick!"
"How dare you!" Aquaman roared, "Kaldur'ahm would give his life for his friends! If you're so desperate to find a spy, point your suspicions at those who deserve it. Isn't that right, Oliver?!"
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Green Arrow demanded.
"You know very well what I mean. Not two weeks after the daughter of a known assassin joins the team does a mole appear. By failing to take the necessary action, you and Black Canary have placed the entire team in danger."
"Hang on a second-!"
"Now who's the one hurling outrageous accusations?!" Canary cried, "Artemis would never betray her teammates!"
"Why not? She's barely known them for six months, and we know for a fact she was supposed to follow in her sister's footsteps."
"Artemis was hurt too! Or are you forgetting that Deathstroke almost shattered her kneecap!" Green Arrow shouted.
"None of them would have been injured if we hadn't allowed a spy to infiltrate their ranks!" Aquaman growled.
"We still have no confirmation that there even is a mole!" Canary snapped.
"Bullshit!" the Flash shouted.
"There is an information leak in our system. That doesn't mean there's a mole!"
"Maybe not, but the fact that someone betrayed the Team and got my nephew shot sure as hell does! And every single one of you that said we had it handled is responsible!"
"Nobody denies the League's responsibility in this," Wonder Woman tried to mediate.
"Don't say it like you weren't involved!" Green Arrow shouted over her, leaning across the table to point an accusing finger at the Flash.
"What Wonder Woman is trying to say is—" Superman tried again.
"She can speak for herself!" Black Canary whirled on him.
"That isn't what I meant!" Superman tried to defend himself.
"Calculations indicate that this conversation might be better suited to a smaller group," Red Tornado interjected. Hawkman, Captain Atom and Captain Marvel nodded, the former two clearly uncomfortable and the latter ready to bolt out of the room.
"No," Green Lantern frowned. The former marine crossed his arms over his chest, "Blame game aside, this threat to the League's security concerns all of us. Even those without sidekicks."
"They're not sidekicks," Flash, Green Arrow, Canary, Aquaman, Superman, Martian Manhunter, Captain Marvel and Doctor Fate snapped in unison. The tension built again, the separation making itself apparent between the League's members.
"John is right," the other Lantern agreed, "Not about the sidekick thing, about this concerning all of us. I appreciate that this has been a stressful night, but it's clear we need to take action."
"While you're all sitting here fighting, the Injustice League and their allies benefit," Hawkwoman glared.
"So, what? We're just supposed to wait around for the mole to make their next move?" the Flash shot back.
"I just said that we need a plan," Hawkwoman returned, "How did you get that from what I said?"
"Flash, that's not fair," Black Canary said at the same time. The Flash whirled on her, not hearing Hawkwoman's words.
"Fair?! You want to talk about fair? We told our 'sidekicks,'" he spat the word out, "That they'd earned a spot in the League. We told them they were ready to fight beside us and help protect people."
The Flash slammed his hand down on the table.
"We lied to them! Instead of following through on our promises, we stuck them together onto a play team to keep them safe. A fuck ton of good that did, huh?"
"They are not a play team," Martian Manhunter said darkly.
"It was a unanimous decision not to grant full membership," Aquaman boomed.
"Can you guys please stop yelling at each other?" Captain Marvel begged.
"We said it was to keep them safe, we said that they just weren't ready, but you know what? That was just a pile of crap! Bullshit from a bunch of cowards!"
"Enough!" Batman's voice cut through the hall. His voice bounced off the walls, cutting through the noise until he had the full League's attention, "Flash. Outside, now."
Batman stood up and strode out of the room, leaving a room of shocked heroes behind him. The Flash opened his mouth, fury flashing through his eyes, but decided against it. Instead, he stood up and glared like he was daring the other Leaguers to say something.
No one did.
Batman was waiting outside the door. The Flash started to say, "Don't you dare tell me I'm wrong here!"
Batman held up a hand, silencing him.
"You're right."
"I'm what?"
"We're going to find the mole, right now. Come with me."
The Batcave
Wednesday, December 5th, 2012
"Bruce?"
"What?" Batman growled. He heard Catwoman take a breath.
"You need to sleep."
Batman whirled on her and she held up her hands tiredly. The frenzied typing stopped, filling the Batcave with a sudden jarring and unwelcome silence as the Flash took his hands off the keyboard to stare between the two of them.
"You two really did…" he mumbled disbelievingly before Batman shot him a glare, "You know, I'm just gonna…"
The Flash ducked into a corner of the Batcave and the typing continued.
"We're busy, Catwoman," Batman glared, not taking his attention off any of the dozens of screens in front of him. Rows and rows of directories and access logs flew past. Batman refused to admit that it was beginning to make his head spin.
"You need a break. It's been almost two days."
"We can't stop until we find and close the breach."
"I know, I know. You blame yourself for letting a mole into the system and you think the only way to make up for it is to catch them yesterday. But you've been working nonstop and I know for a fact you're not making progress. Go to sleep, even if it's just for a few hours. Then get back to it."
"I can't."
"You need to."
"I sent the team into an ambush."
"You didn't know."
"It was my fault. I—" Batman cut off sharply as a light on the screen changed from red to green.
"What is it?" Catwoman asked.
Batman opened a file and scrolled through the access logs instead of answering her. He felt his jaw drop, shocked all the way to his core that the hours of searching had just come to a close. He'd been pushing down his fear that he wouldn't be able to find the answer, but he it was, right in front of him.
"I found it."
"You did?"
"Where?" the Flash demanded, suddenly leaning over Batman's chair with a burst of air.
"I found the leak."
The Watchtower
Thursday, December 6th, 2012
"I'll explain in full, but the information leak has been discovered and eliminated. Unfettered access was gained to a set of League credentials."
"Someone gave their passwords to our enemies?" Wonder Woman growled.
"No," Batman said, "It's more complicated than that. Hawkman, explain the situation."
Hawkman gulped as thirteen furious faces whirled on him. He put up his hands in surrender, as if it would stave off the judgement and rage.
"My communicator was briefly lost in battle with the Mandrill about a year ago. I saw no need to report the incident, as I found it shortly after the battle concluded and it appeared undamaged. Until recently, I was not aware of his ability to clone technology."
"I noticed Hawkman had been accessing old league files that were irrelevant to his work. When questioned, he confirmed that he had no knowledge of the breach. Hawkman's access to league systems has been terminated. We have records of every file that was accessed, so we can begin to determine what information has been compromised."
"I'm off the system until we can confirm that the leak is closed," Hawkman frowned seriously, "I can't begin to express how sorry I am not to have realized sooner."
There was silence.
"How much of our system was compromised?" Green Lantern asked. Batman frowned.
"The leak was substantial; however, they were not able to access the most heavily encrypted files."
"So… there was no mole."
"It doesn't look like it," the Flash admitted, "I… I'm sorry for how I acted at the last meeting. I was out of line."
"You were worried. We came terrifyingly close to losing them all," Black Canary answered softly.
"Times like these, one feels the very weight of the world upon us," Wonder Woman mused. With a sigh, she nodded at Batman to continue.
"We now know how the information was getting out and what was leaked. This includes the geographic locations of many of our bases, including Mount Justice and storage facilities for confiscated equipment around the globe. Mission reports from the past two years only, as Hawkman's credentials did not allow him to access anything prior to his appointment to the League. Unfortunately, all records of the Team's activity are compromised. They were able to see everything that happened as of the Team's inception."
"So Sportsmaster's mole…"
"A distraction technique designed to sow suspicion and encourage us to focus our search on the Team, not the League."
"Are you certain?" Doctor Fate boomed, his deafening voice overlaid onto Zatara's. The question hung in the air; it was clear that although no one wanted to be the one to ask, they each had their doubts.
"We can't be sure. That's why Hawkman's access has been temporarily suspended and the safeguards we initiated will remain in place until the Flash and I can confirm everything. That being said, I am sure that this leak is closed."
"Good."
There was a chorus of agreement.
"Then we have another matter to discuss; what to do about the Team."
"What about them?" Captain Marvel asked nervously.
"We know that all information regarding the Team may have been compromised; that being said, they've proven time and time again that they are capable and resourceful," Batman answered.
"Disbanding the Team would be an insult to everything that this League stands for. They are heroes, and they deserve respect," Aquaman said.
"Correct. That's why we have two proposed options. We can add more members to the Team's roster to bolster their firepower and formidability, or we can incorporate the Team into the League. They will all be instated as full-fledged members of the Justice League," Superman said.
"The stakes should not be underestimated," Aquaman broke the silence.
"The decisions we make today will reverberate for years to come," Superman agreed.
"We put off discussions of League expansion until the leak was resolved. We can't push it off any longer. Bearing that in mind, the timing is convenient to incorporate the Team," Wonder Woman said.
"Another expansion of the League could generate another escalation of hostilities from our enemies," Martian Manhunter cautioned, "No one needs or wants another Injustice League."
"Point taken. But with a larger roster, we will be able to expand our human rights outreach. No more being short-staffed or stretched thin when crises occur," Superman pointed out.
"In addition, we already agreed to induct the Atom; he's been waiting to be officially appointed for months," Green Lantern said.
"Expansion is a reasonable choice," Batman reminded the League, nodding at Hal to show his agreement, "We've had this discussion many times before. The question now is not if we should expand, it's whether or not the Team should remain a separate body."
"Have they been consulted?" Hawkwoman asked.
"Not yet."
"They're ready to join the League," the Flash said, "They've been ready for a long time."
"There's no doubt that they're capable," Black Canary agreed.
"And they're certainly effective," Green Lantern said, "Just the fact that they've been targeted so extensively means that they're a threat."
"Canary, Tornado, you two have spent the most time with the Team. What are your thoughts?"
Black Canary sighed and hesitantly replied, "As much of a disaster as their last mission was, I don't like the thought of breaking them up. They are a great team and they work exceptionally well together. I think we all know that strong teamwork is more important than individual skill or power."
"Indeed. I have observed that independence is a recurring theme," Red Tornado reported, "They function best under their own autonomy. Additionally, team consensus is that Aqualad's leadership is preferable to any other."
Aquaman tried to hide a proud smile that Batman saw anyway.
"So, if we don't dissolve the Team, who do you all suggest that we add?" Superman asked.
"Put me."
Everyone stared at Captain Marvel. He stared back, face set in a determined frown.
"You said they need more power; well I have a ton of powers. They're my friends and I want to keep them safe."
"We appreciate the offer. I have two other suggestions; Icon's protégé, Rocket, as well as Red Arrow," Wonder Woman suggested.
"If Roy agrees," Martian Manhunter corrected.
"He already has," Green Arrow said, "We spoke earlier tonight."
"Then that settles it. We'll proceed to the vote before we move on to expansion. All in favor?" Batman finished.
"Aye," the chorus of voices echoed.
Dick Grayson
West Residence, Central City
Tuesday, December 11th, 2012
I take a deep breath and ring the doorbell. It feels like an eternity before the door opens, but as soon as Wally's dad answers the door, I feel like I've rushed it. I shouldn't be here. How can I really go through with this?
"Come on in," Mr. West says, "You kids all had a rough time. How are you holding up?"
"Um… I can't really talk about it."
"That's alright, super secrets, I get it. Here, I've got your coat. It's a cold one out there, isn't it?"
"I guess."
"Man of few words, I see," he grins. The best I can do in response is grimace, "Wally's in his room. We'll give you guys privacy. Wally said you might need to talk shop."
"Thank you, Mr. West."
"Anytime, Dick."
Wally's dad backs up to let me in, closing the door behind me. I give him my coat and kick off my shoes, taking a deep breath when I run out of ways to stall for time. I head for the stairs and freeze outside of Wally's room.
Here goes nothing.
I knock on the door softly.
"Come in."
"Hey. You awake?" I ask, pushing the door open to stick my head inside.
Wally looks up from his book. A series of emotions flash across his face. No pun intended.
"I was starting to think you wouldn't come," Wally closes his notebook and puts down his pen on the bed. He pushes himself to a sitting position, not disturbing the foot resting on a pile of pillows.
"You know why I didn't want to."
"Can't really blame you," Wally shakes his head, words dry and tone sharp. I close the door behind me and lock it. Wally nods at me in resignation, "Jesus, he's scary. How the hell do you deal with that? Ever?"
"By doing whatever he tells me and praying that he's in a good mood," I mutter before taking a deep breath, "How's your foot?"
"It's actually a lot better. I can put weight on it for a little while, and I should be back in business before Christmas."
That stops me dead in my tracks.
"How?! He shot through the bone and muscle!"
"Healing factor. By the time the surgeons got to it, the bone had already re-fused. The stitches come out in two days. I'll be fine, Dick. I promise."
"Really?"
"Yeah," he pushes himself up and I reach out to stop him.
"What are you doing?"
"Proving it. Trust me."
I hesitate for a second before stepping back and watching him hobble around the room. He's putting most of his weight on his good side, but the slowness is more from stiffness and caution than real pain. He's probably going to regret the demo for a little while, but it really is healing as fast as he says.
"That's incredible. How is it healing that fast?"
"I'm not sure, but no way in hell am I complaining about it," he sits on the bed again, "Dude, I'm okay. You can chill for a second."
Oh. Right. I'm hovering over him and that's definitely not helpful.
"Now, since that's out of the way…" Wally looks at me with an expression that sees all the way through me. The relief bleeds out, leaving dread and guilt and fear behind. I can't help but shift under the weight of it, "How are you doing? Really?"
I sink into his desk chair and bring my hands up to cover my face.
"This was my fault. It was all my fault."
"When you found him, before I got there, did he talk to you?"
"Yeah. He wanted to know about a mission—"
"Our missions?"
"Uh… no. This was… one he sent me on. Wally, please don't look at me like that, I didn't have a choice."
"No! No, Dick, I'm sorry, that's not me judging you. I know you're doing what you have to do. I trust you. You put yourself at risk telling me the truth and that's all I need to know. I just... what he's doing to you is horrible."
"I'm not the one he shot!" I shoot back. Wally glares at me.
"We're not doing this. It's not a contest of who he can hurt the worst, okay?"
My face burns with embarrassment. He's right.
"Look, it wasn't safe to talk before, I get it. But he already knows you told me."
"He does?"
Wally nods.
"He knows I got involved. That busted ankle was his version of a warning."
My throat tightens.
"Wally, I'm so sorry. I never should've brought you into this."
Wally holds up his hand.
"I'm not done. It wasn't safe to talk before, but what do we have to lose now? He already knows and he's made sure I know better than to tell anyone. Dick, tell me everything. Tell me how it started, what he wants, what else you've had to hide, everything. I need to know. Please."
He's got a point. Besides, he already knows the truth. Might as well fill in the gaps.
"I'll tell you anything you want to know."
Wally frowns. I brace myself.
"Did you know he was going to be there?"
It's an honest question, with the sharp edge of accusation just underneath. The fear and desperation of watching my teammates trapped and helpless resurfaces. So does the guilt of putting my friends in danger.
"No. I had no idea. Not like it makes it any better. It was my fault he took a contract on us."
"What did he tell you?"
"He asked if I knew anything about a mission he'd been on that got crashed by the Justice League. He thought you were behind it. If he found out I told you, then that must be why he ambushed us at S.T.A.R. labs. I think it was a test somehow."
"A test? You mean… for you?"
I clench my jaw and nod stiffly.
"He believed me that I had nothing to do with Lisbon… I think that's the only reason he helped us escape. It makes sense; take a contract where he'll win no matter what. If it turned out I set him up, then he would've left us all to rot. The more I think about it, the more it makes sense. But I had nothing to do with the League going after him in…" the look on Wally's face sends a chill down my spine, "Wally… what did you do?"
"I thought it would work."
"No… no, you... Tell me you didn't."
"I tracked down intel that Deathstroke had a contract overseas, pulled up the satellite and started looking. When I found him, I told the League."
"No," I shake my head in disbelief. No. Slade was right; he knew Wally tried to set him up. How could he have known that? I didn't even know that! Worse, the Justice League tried to take Slade down and they couldn't. There's really nothing any of them can do. They'll never beat Slade; they'll never be able to stop him.
"I thought it work. Dick, it should've worked. They had him outnumbered and outmatched and they almost had him. Wonder Woman and Flash took him down, they caught him."
"And he found a way to escape," I say numbly.
"He set off a concussion grenade."
I close my eyes and hold up my hand to stop him from saying anything else.
"Don't you get it, Wally? That's how he wins. He doesn't care if he has to blow up a church or shoot a bunch of kids or kick a sick, starving puppy by the side of the road. He doesn't care! He'll do whatever it takes to get what he wants. And he wants me to be his apprentice!"
"We'll find another way!"
"What other way?! There is no other way!"
"Dick, I'm so sorry. I should've told you about it. But you were with Miss M and I didn't want to miss the chance."
I sigh.
"That's not it. I always thought that if I could just get the league got involved somehow, tell them the truth without tipping Slade off that they could stop him. That if Bruce found out, somehow, he could make everything okay. I mean, he's Batman. They're the Justice League. He's just one guy. But now I know I can't. Don't you get it Wally? There's no way out."
"How long?"
"What?"
"How long has this been going on?"
My stomach tightens.
"Three years. Almost four."
"What?!"
I don't answer him.
"That's as long as I've known you!"
"Almost," I nod.
"Dick… this whole time you've been-"
"Training mostly. I've only ever been on two… jobs."
Wally takes a deep breath and speaks more carefully than I've ever heard him.
"Has he made you hurt people?"
I close my eyes, "No. I… I don't know what he has planned for me, but nothing like that yet. I did punch Ollie in the face, though."
Wally stares.
"That was you? With the…" he points to his face, where Ollie walked around with a massive black eye for almost two weeks. I wince but nod.
"How did it start?"
"Slade saved my life. There was a warehouse fire, some kind of turf dispute that got out of hand. Batman and I got separated, I was outnumbered, and one of them got in a lucky hit with the knife. Slade saved my life and got me out of the fire. It would've been too risky to let me go after that, so we made a deal. If I worked for him and agreed to keep his secrets, I got to go home."
"You agreed to it?!"
"He just saved my life. I didn't know anything about him, but everything he did was to help me. Of course I trusted him," I huff, "He wasn't anything like he is now. He was a good teacher and it was basically extra sparring practice once a month. And then it started getting worse and it never stopped."
"Have you told anyone else?"
My stomach drops. M'gann knows. She's been keeping my secret for months and she's in as deep as I am. If I tell Wally, I'll put her secrets at risk and I can't do that to her. Not after everything she's done for me. Not when her entire life on Earth is at stake.
"You're the only one."
"All this time, and I'm the only one you ever told? Wait, wait, wait. The only time you EVER felt safe enough to tell someone was when all the grownups in the world literally didn't exist?"
I pinch my mouth to one side.
"Holy SHIT," Wally breathes.
"I'm so scared Wally. I was so stupid! I trusted him and I did what he said because I thought he was on my side and that I could trust him... but the whole time I was so far in over my head. I don't know what he wants me to do, but the things he's capable of… Wally, I can't stop him. He just makes me feel so fucking POWERLESS!"
Wally winces.
"I don't want this."
"I know."
"But I don't know what to do. He has so much leverage over me and if I mess this up, I'll lose everything."
"Your family," Wally nods, squeezing my shoulder.
"No, not…" I take a deep breath, "All of this. Them. Me being here. He saved my life the first time I met him, and I woke up in his safehouse. He said he'd only wanted to help but saving me compromised his identity. The only way he could let me leave was if I agreed to train with him."
"Jesus."
"He meant it. Wasn't much of a choice, but if I hadn't made the deal, he wouldn't have let me out. That would've been it. No more Robin. Dick Grayson vanishes without a trace."
"Batman would've found you."
My jaw clenches.
"Maybe. But he's careful. He's really good."
"So it's not just about your family."
I close my eyes but my cheeks are burning.
"He could still take you away."
"It's all leverage. Everything. He turned my entire life into an endless list of weak points. It has to stop. I can't let anyone else get hurt because of me. I'm going to end it one way or another."
"I know that look," Wally frowns, "Dick, don't you dare say what I think you're going to say."
"This has to end."
"Dude, stop."
"No. Wally, I can't do this anymore. He almost killed you to prove a point. He's holding everyone I care about over my head to control me. I have to take away his leverage."
"By handing yourself over?!"
"There's no other way."
"Bullshit!"
"I have to!"
"No, you don't! Don't be an idiot, Dick, that's the biggest mistake you could ever make! You're not that stupid!"
"He almost killed you!" I shout.
Silence.
"I'm not going to let him hurt you again. You or anyone else."
"What, so I'm just supposed to stand back and let him hurt you?!"
"This whole mess is my fault! Nobody else's! I never should have gotten you involved! Look, it's good timing for the League. They found the leak. And if Slade is really getting information through me, this will put an end to that too."
"What do you expect them to think? You're going to what, just disappear? What's Bruce going to think? And what if he finds out how long Slade's been blackmailing you?"
"I don't know."
Wally opens his mouth like he's about to shout back at me, but he stops. His mouth closes, then opens again, then finally closes. He frowns.
"Please, Dick. There has to be another way. If you do this, there's a chance you'll never see any of us again. Ever. Or worse, he'll try and force you to hurt us. We can't lose you. At least now, there's only so much he can do without giving himself away. There's no guarantee that you'll be safe," I swallow but Wally's not done, "Have you thought about that? There's no one to stop him. He knows how to hurt you, Rob. He knows how to hurt you without even laying a finger on you. Imagine what he could do if there's nothing holding him back."
I frown.
"I don't have to imagine. Wally, I know what I'm getting into."
"What are you saying?"
My heart pounds in my chest. My skin itches with the memory of being tied down and held still in pitch darkness. Without meaning to, I sink down onto the floor.
"About a month ago, I messed up," I whisper, "We were doing this sparring drill and he just kept making me do it over and over again. I was exhausted and I was angry and I yelled at him and said I wasn't going to do it anymore. So, he took me to his interrogation room."
Wally's eyebrows shoot up in alarm.
"He tortured you?!"
I cut him off, forcing my voice out to get through the story, "He had this… restraining chair. He locked me into it and left me there for... almost eight hours. I… I couldn't move anything or see and I could barely breathe."
I squeeze my eyes shut and stop myself before I can tell him that I thought I was going to die. My throat starts to close and I choke down a breath. The words that have been haunting me for weeks spill out instead, "Before he left me there, he told me something."
"You. Are. Mine. Everything you have is something I have given you. And I can take all of it away. You belong to me. I own you."
I start coughing to cover up the sob trying to escape my chest. When my breathing is steady, I work up the courage to look at my best friend. The look on his face is murderous. His eyes blaze with fury and his jaw locks, grinding his teeth together. His hands lock onto my shoulders so that we're face to face.
"Tell Bruce."
"I can't."
"You have to."
"No. I can't. Anytime I talk to Bruce, he's watching. He's always watching. I've found bugs in almost every single room of the manor. He can get past the security… he can get past Batman's security whenever he wants. And maybe if Lisbon hadn't happened… I mean, you sent the entire League after him! Superman and Wonder Woman and the Flash, and they all knew who they were up against! They were coming take to him in and he still got away. He didn't care who he had to hurt. Wally, that was just a job. This has been going on for years! He's never going to stop coming after me."
"We'll find a way to stop him. You can't give up now."
"Wally, no. You need to stop. It's too dangerous for you to be involved."
"Don't you think I know that?" Wally leans in, his eyes hard, "You know what he told me after he shot me? He said that if I ever got in his way again, he would kill me. And I believe him. But you know what? It's worth it. Don't you get it, Dick? This isn't your fault. It's his. He's the one making all of us suffer, he's the one hurting you. You're the victim. I'm going to stop him. I'll do whatever it takes to make sure that you're safe."
"Wally—"
"Whatever it takes."
"No. I won't let you."
"That's not your decision to make."
"No."
"Where you're going, I'm going. Remember? I'm not leaving you to deal with this alone. And I can't talk you out of this, can I?"
"No. Wally, I have to do this. It's the only chance I have of ending this without putting everyone I care about in danger. I have to."
"When?"
"He hasn't contacted me since S.T.A.R. but it won't last. The next time he calls me for training… I'll be going for good."
"How long do you have?"
"I don't know. Maybe a few days. Could be a week or two. I don't think it could be longer."
Wally swallows.
"I'll find you," he says, voice tight like he's trying not to cry, "I swear. I'll make sure everyone is safe and when they are, I will do whatever it takes to find you. We're going to kick Deathstroke's ass and bring you home. I promise."
I meet Wally's eyes. He means every single word.
"Thank you."
"Hi Mom. Hi Dad," I say, sitting on the dirt in front of the twin tombstones. There's a light breeze drifting through the cemetery, so I pull my jacket around me a little tighter. The sun is shining overhead and the sky is pure blue. It's a beautiful day, "I know I haven't visited in a while but things have been kind of a mess. I mean, you know that's a complete understatement but still. I miss you guys. I miss you so much and I know it's been five years but I just… I think about you every single day. I don't count them anymore, but it's been so many days. More than eighteen hundred days in a row that I've missed you."
I dig my fingers into the soil, scratching through the cold, hard dirt, "Most of the time I forget what it was like before I lost you. What life was like before I had to live with this kind of grief. And then sometimes I remember, or I'll see pictures. Sometimes, if I get really lucky, someone from the circus will find an old video and it brings me back. Do you remember that morning when dad found that Johnny Cash record at the bottom of his costume chest and we had a dance party in the middle of the kitchen? And we were so loud, Carlotta almost broke down the trailer door to tell us to stop bothering the lions?"
I try to smile, but it comes out as a grimace while tears well up in my eyes.
"Things were so good," I choke out. Tears spill down my cheeks and I reach up to rub them away, "We were so happy. And now I can barely remember what it was like not to have this… this weight in my chest. It's not that, I mean I am happy now, most of the time, but you know. It's not the same."
My fingers close around a handful of dirt, squeezing tightly.
"Sometimes I think about what it would have been like if you'd never died. All those little moments we never got. Who I could have been. Do you think I still would've watched Superman on tv and dreamed about being a superhero too?"
The tears are back and I give up on trying to wipe them away. The grief isn't just a heavy weight; it's an open, pulsing wound and the loss is as fresh as it was the day they fell.
"I still remember the shock," I whisper to the stones and dirt, "When you fell, I didn't believe it. It wasn't true, it couldn't be true, you couldn't be… you couldn't be gone but you were. I didn't want to go on without you, I didn't want to be… I didn't want this."
I sniff, dropping the dirt to pull my arms around myself.
"Mom, I don't want this. It was all my fault and I made such a mess and I'm in so far over my head and I don't know what to do! I wish you were here! I wish you could just tell me what to do or that there was some way to fix it, but I'm so scared there isn't a way to fix it."
My hands shake and I stick them back into my jacket, pretending it's just from the cold.
"I thought that if I could just keep my head down and show up when he wanted me to, eventually he'd just lose interest. I didn't think he'd keep it going this long or that he…" My throat tightens, "I didn't know, I promise I didn't! And now I don't know what to do! I know this has to stop. I know I shouldn't be doing this. I shouldn't be keeping this a secret! I should do something! But then… when it's actually time, I panic. Or when I'm actually there in the Haunt, it's like the rules don't matter anymore. The only thing that matters is the deal we made."
"What does he want from me? Why can't he just go away?!"
Tears drip down my face and I don't bother wiping them away.
"I'm scared. This is all my fault and I can't lose anyone else," I take a deep breath before reaching for the flowers behind me, "There's only one choice left. I have to. I can't put them in danger anymore. And that means I'm not going to be back… probably for a long time. But I will be back, I promise. Still, I brought you something. Your favorites."
"Bye mom. Bye dad. I love you guys."
AN: Betcha didn't see that coming! Looks like Dick's hero complex has finally won out. How will the Team handle his disappearance? How are the Batkids going to cope with losing their big brother? Will the League realize that Deathstroke knew information about them that was most certainly beyond anything Hawkman's credentials could access? How will Deathstroke react to Dick's plan, especially since it interferes with his goals?
Stay tuned to find out!