Chapter 12 – Imaginary

I still couldn't believe those two left without a word, they had zero responsibilities! When we found out that they started their own investigation, we hopped into the car and went after them.

It was already dark when we arrived to the location.

"What are the chances our two geniuses haven't gotten caught yet?" Kory asked not being amused by their mission either.

"Next security sweep is in ten minutes." Dick said checking his watch. "Let's go."

We headed to the tunnels. Dick prepared everything so we found the entrance easily.

"Left when we get to the end" He oriented us as we sneaked in. Yet we barely took a few meters when a figure in wheelchair showed up in font of us. It was quite dark and we haven't seen his face, but I was pretty sure I knew him.

"Gar!" I called him wanting to rush to him, but a cold female voice stopped me.

"Don't worry. He's just taking a little nap." A woman in a white lab-coat said as armed guards marched behind her.

"Dick." I looked at him, beckoning that we are getting surrounded from every direction.

"We've got the girl, too." The scientist added as our mind worked fast to find out a solution. "I don't want to kill either of them, but if you make a move, I will give the order." She warned us and I knew she's not bluffing. Maybe they wanted to keep Rachel alive, but they wouldn't have a problem eliminating Gar.

Yet Kory seemed determined to burn all of them.

"Kory, wait. Gas lines. You'll burn us all up." Dick stopped her as she lowered her arms. We had no choice than cooperating.

DDD

"Lorelei, sweetheart, wake up" I've heard a familiar female voice. "It's time to show us what you can do"

Mom! No, this is not possible!

"Sweetie" She called me as I forced my eyes open. My vision was blurry, the whole world was spinning and I felt nauseous. "Come on, baby girl, they are all waiting for you" She leaned above me as I struggled to get free, but I was tied up pretty tight.

The fuck! I panicked wiggling violently, but it was no use. My belts moved not an inch.

No, no, no, no, no, not this time! Not again! I felt tears rolling down on my cheek.

"You're only going to hurt yourself." My mother caressed my forehead. I was sweating intensely. What's happening to me? "These nice people gave you a serum to heighten your skills. They just want to know whether it works or not." She explained as I felt the electrodes on my skull, they monitored all my brain activity.

"Never" I spitted in disgust. I've been experimented on enough. I wasn't going to give them what they wanted.

"Lorelei, don't be rude. They just trying to help to make the best of your abilities. You should thank them." She said being resentful. "Now read my mind and tell them what you see."

See? How would I see anything? I could only hear thoughts. Never mind. I won't do it either way.

"I said, read my mind" She grabbed my arm strongly forcing physical contact on me as suddenly tons of images flooded my mind.

I screamed in agony. I saw all the past. The test that she and father did on me, and I saw how proud my mom was. They both were. They created something special. Then I saw what my mom imagined our perfect future. They wanted to figure out how my power works, so they can make more brainwashed people with special abilities while I'd help them gladly.

"She's getting out of control. Give her the sedative." I've heard from the distance as my whole body trembled.

"They might not work well with the serum, sir. She might develop a heart failure"

"She's a strong girl, she will handle" My mom said confidently, before I numbly felt the needle tearing into my vain.

I think I passed out at some point. I don't remember much after this and I have no idea for how long I was unconscious, trapped in the torturing delirium, but Rachel eventually found me, saving my life.

"Rory, come on, wake up" She gently slapped my face. "We don't have too much time and we have to find Kory and Dick too. Please, Firecracker, we need you to save the others too" She pleaded as I finally opened my eyes. "There you are" She gave me one of her best smile as she hugged me tight. At the very second as our body touched my mind went wild again. I let out a groan as my headache strengthened.

"Gar, I'm so sorry" I murmured as I came back from the vision, still massaging my temples. He killed someone for the first time. Not that he had many choices… Yet I knew how hard it is.

"What? How?" He mumbled as Rachel wanted to help me off the chair.

"Please, don't!" I pulled away. Right now I didn't want anyone to touch me. She looked at me worried, but she hasn't said anything.

"Alright, this way" A woman showed the way.

"My mom" Rachel whispered into my ear as I smiled at her warmly. So at least this little field-trip had an advantage.

Our next stop was the cell where they kept Dick captive. Just like me, he was tied down and passed out. Those son of a bithces! I hurried to him worried sick. What have they done to him?

"My god, Dick" I murmured unfastening his belts. He hasn't reacted at all.

"What's wrong with him?" Rachel stepped next to me frowning.

"They must've given him some drugs" Gar speculated correctly.

"They might've broken him too. They tend to do that here" Rachel's mom added sadly, but I shook my head denying. There was no chance of breaking him.

"Dick, It's me." I called him gently. "I need you to hear me. I know you are in there. You are stronger than them. You're stronger than anyone I've ever met." I said trying to convince myself too. "Now we have to get out of here. We can't do that without you. We need you." I kept trying. "I need you, Dick" I confessed quietly, but there was no reaction. I supported my forehead on his in complete despair when suddenly the world twirled and switched around me.

I looked around. I was in his head. I saw Dick in his Robin costume surrounded by his child-self and… me. From four years earlier. The two of them beat the shit out of him, as he was laying on the ground of his childhood room almost totally helpless.

"I hate you" The child started "I hate what you did to us. Robin supposed to be the answer, but you ruined it." He added kicking him in the gut. I screamed at them to stop, but I couldn't move and they haven't heard me either.

Stupid new ability! Just work once when I really need you!

"And you ruined me" My younger version joined in. "Do you have any idea how many nights I've spent crying? You made me think I wasn't worth to be loved."

I struggled hard to get free from these fetters that stunned me.

"Have you ever loved me? I don't think so, Dick. You only loved yourself." My alter ego punched him in the face as Dick tried to get up. "You blame Zucco, you blame Bruce, but to be true, everything is your fault"

"ENOUGH!" I roared eventually my voice echoing in the air.

They all stopped.

I walked closer to the real Dick as the two other watched me with radiating hatred. "None of this is real, Dick" I started softly, earning his attention. "I am real though" I added giving him my hand to help him up. He looked at me in disbelief. "I don't hate you" I told him genuinely. "Never did. Never will."

He finally accepted my offer, grabbing my hand. And just as he did the two vision figure disappeared.

"Are you really here?" He asked still managing to believe it. He now stood in front of me, cupping my face with a tender caress as I nodded with a smile. "How?"

"They gave me some weird stuff which lets me do even weirder shits" I shrugged nonchalantly. "Now, we need to get out of here." I said turning around, but he didn't let me.

"Did you mean it?"

"Dick, please." I started quietly as his pleading eyes plunged into mine.

"Not hating me" He continued as I sighed. This was really not the time to talk about this, but I also knew he's not going to let it go.

"I did" I admitted it. "I'm just… I was mad at you" I said simply. "You gave up on us, even though I really thought we had something special" I added opening up. "Well, I guess it all doesn't matter now" I shook it off, casting my eyes down before this conversation would affect me, yet it was already too late.

"You are wrong" Dick husked barely audible as he lifted my chin up, his heated gaze meeting mine.

The sudden desire in his eyes took my breath away as he leaned in without hesitation, gently brushing his lips on mine. It was only for a few seconds then he pulled back an inch, still remaining close though.

I had no time to think, my body reacted on its own, his kiss setting off a sharp, wild need in me. I closed the gap between us, finding his mouth again impatiently, pressing my lips more firmly on his. He folded his arms around my waist, pulling me in securely as our kiss deepened. It was long and leisure, almost an impossible unison as he took control, biting my lower lip eagerly. I bit back a quiet moan as I opened my mouth for him.

Our tongue moved together slickly like we've never stopped kissing at all during those four years.

His hand traced the contours of my body, caressing my curves as the room around us slowly blurred out.

"You did it" Rachel's sharp voice made me jump. "You brought him back" She grinned joyfully as I finally realised where we were. It's the asylum. And those crazy, brainwashed people were after us, my mother among them... Or was she just a dream too? At this point I couldn't be sure.

Dick was back too looking a bit out of place just like me. He glanced at my mouth for a fragment of moment and I knew exactly how he must feel. My lips still tingled pleasurably. This was insane.

"Come on, guys, we have to get Kory" Gar nudged us as I got myself together quickly. We helped Dick up since he was still weak, but he regained his strength rather fast.

We found Kory in another lab. She was in worse circumstances than any of us. They tested her regenerating skills, meaning cutting her open and causing many injuries on her body.

"Relax, the spasm will stop if you do" Gar advised as he removed the intubation tube form her throat.

"You relax" Kory retorted having fed up as she got up from the hospital bed.

"Are you alright?" I asked her sympathetically.

"Fuck this shit" She noted as we hurried out to the tunnels.

We only took a few hundred meters when guards showed up in front of us. At least ten of them.

I sighed tiredly, I was so not in the mood for a fight. My shoulder killed me already.

"I got this" Dick said, just like reading my mind as taking a deep breath, breaking the pipe next to us to get some kind of weapon. I stepped closer to help, but he shook his head. "It's okay, Rory."

He jumped into the fight like there was no tomorrow. There was no glory in it, just pure efficiency. Blood covered the walls around them, just like his face. He was a machine at work, not caring with the pain he must've felt.

He looked at me panting hard as he finished. There was no guard conscious maybe some of them wasn't even alive. I saw panic glimmering in his eyes as he tried to read me. I watched him all along, even though everyone else looked elsewhere, searching for something more interesting.

Was he anxious I might turn away from him because of what I saw? I witnessed enough monster and horrid things, but he wasn't one of them. No matter how much he liked to think he is.

I'm not afraid of you, Dick" I ensured him as his expression softened. He was a good man. Maybe with a beast inside, but it was part of him. He should've accepted it instead.

We passed the men on the ground to leave this stupid place behind. Rach, Gar and Angela was already out when Dick stopped Kory.

"You know what to do" He suggested the gas pipes as she looked at him surprised.

"Are you sure?"

He hesitated for a moment.

"It all has to end" He said in the end, dropping his quick-made weapon.

"Dick…" I started as he turned to me. I knew what he meant. This was the last station of being Robin, he made his final decision.

"It will be all right" He cut me off quickly. I nodded respecting his will of not talking about it as we left the building too.

Out I joined the others when we heard the explosion as Kory walked out of the flames, unharmed.

It was over.

I noticed Dick standing a few meters away, alone. I battled whether to join him or not, but eventually I approached him slowly, like one would an injured animal.

He was watching the remains of his Robin-suit. It was burning in the consuming fire. I felt his pain. Ha made up his mind to end a very crutial part of his life. And it required big sacrifices.

I reached for his hand, grabbing it tenderly. He squeezed mine gratefully, acknowleding my presence but still staring into the flames.

Come on, Ror, let's go. He eventually glanced at me softly then he turned around, heading to the car, his hand still holding mine surely.