Chapter 9

"May we come in?" repeated the man known as Ra's Al Ghul.

"No," said William stiffly. "You may not."

In one quick movement, Ra's unsheathed a silver dagger and pointed it underneath William's chin.

"I wasn't truly asking," said Ra's, smiling wolfishly.

A woman suddenly appeared beside Ra's. She was a foot shorter than Ra's, had tresses of tawny hair, and thick, sneering lips. She was aggressively beautiful—the kind of beauty that made men hesitant to approach her; and she was aware of this beauty. She stood up straight with her chest impressively out and her abdominals tucked in. A sword hung at her hip.

William exhaled very carefully: the knife was pressing uncomfortably against his artery. The woman suddenly smirked and looked at William with faint interest.

"At least this one has a modicum of self-preservation," she said in a thick accent.

"Give him time, daughter," said Ra's easily. "He may prove himself a martyr yet."

The knife disappeared from underneath William's chin. The tiniest drop of warm blood dribbled down his neck.

"Now, before any more blood is spilt," said Ra's, wiping the knife on his coat, "we need to speak with your mother. It is an emergency."

William looked between Ra's Al Ghul and his daughter. "I—I can't just let a dozen strangers into my home."

"We're not strangers, boy. Just ask the man behind you if you do not believe me—hello there, Alfred, good to see you again."

Ra's looked over William's shoulder—Alfred was standing at the top of the stairs. He was in his pajamas and leaned heavily on his cane.

"Ra's Al Ghul," said Alfred slowly. "I was wondering why I couldn't sleep tonight."

Ra's moved to step around William. William shoved his arm in the way.

The woman's eyes suddenly flashed murderously. "If you touch my father again, I will gut you like a—"

"That's quite enough, Talia," snapped Ra's. He was wearing a forced, diplomatic smile.

"William," said Alfred from the top of the stairs. "It's fine, let them in."

William kept his eyes on Ra's. "Are you serious, Alfred?"

Alfred's cane went clop-clop-clop on the stairs. He was coming down. "If he wanted to murder us, we might be dead already."

"Very true," conceded Ra's, grinning.

William hesitantly removed his arm. Ra's bowed most gentlemanly and walked into the home. Talia followed behind. She eyed William like a spider watching a fly.

Ra's walked toward the center of the room. He was looking at Alfred. "How have you been, my old friend? You look . . . older."

"That is the way for most folks," said Alfred. He came to the foot of the stairs and stopped. "And I'm not your friend, Ra's."

"But we dress alike," said Ra's. He held his silver cane up. "I'm not surprised you went for a wooden cane, Alfred. You were always a classical soul. Ah—here comes the rest of the family."

The sound of footsteps came hurriedly from the kitchen: Diana, Steve, and Emma appeared at the threshold. They were all wore bewilderment on their faces.

Ra's bowed deeply on his cane. "My lovely hosts, allow me to introduce myself: my name is Ra's Al Ghul. This lovely woman is my daughter, Talia Al Ghul. It is a privilege to be invited among such esteemed members of Gotham City."

Talia, who stood next to her father, did not bow. She wore her superior sneer, and although she was the shortest woman in the room, seemed to be looking down at everyone else.

Diana eyed the bowing Ra's Al Ghul with a neutral, poker face. "We didn't invite you. What are you doing in my home?"

"I beg to differ, your highness. We were invited—not by your explicit invitation, but by a greater and more sinister force."

"Which force is that?" said Steve in the same tone as his wife.

Ra's offered a smile that did not reach his eyes. "Destiny."

Very carefully, Ra's lowered his hand into his belt-pocket. He did this slowly because Diana was watching him like a focused tiger who needed the provocation of a sudden movement.

Ra's slowly brought out a black, matted shuriken. He held it between his forefinger and thumb.

"An old friend gave me this on a condition of friendship. If I ever needed his help, I only had to return this to him. I'm here to take him up on that account."

Ra's very slowly walked toward to Diana. He handed her the shuriken. It was cold and razor sharp in her palm.

And it was cut in the image of a bat. Diana didn't understand.

"How did you get this?" she whispered.

Alfred cleared his throat. "He's not here anymore, Ra's. He's been dead for two decades. And you know that."

"I know he's dead," said Ra's, still looking coolly at Diana. "But his allies are not."

Diana looked up from the shuriken. She met Ra's gaze. "Alfred, I assume you know who this man is?"

Alfred looked down at his cane. "He's a rogue from the old days."

"Alfred's being modest," said Ra's, grinning. "I tried to set fire to this city. A certain Dark Knight stopped me."

Emma, who had been standing there silently, suddenly twitched. Ra's noticed this and suddenly new purpose sprang up in his demeanor.

"Emma Trevor, my how you have grown."

The shock was clear on Emma's face; she tried to pretend it didn't surprise her, but everyone saw through this.

"You know me?" she said.

"Don't be surprised," said Ra's. "My organization keeps tabs on all the more dangerous beings on Earth—but besides that, you are almost like family. You and your brother."

"Ra's," said Alfred suddenly and angrily. "I'm warning you."

"Be still, old man," laughed Talia.

Diana, who up to this point was focused solely on Ra's, shifted her attention onto Talia. She didn't like this lean, puckered-lip woman. But there was something familiar about her. Something that made Diana feel like she had already met her.

Talia smiled. She was reading Diana's expression.

"I was wondering when you'd put it together."

"You're the driver," said Diana in a flat tone. "You drove Alfred here. You put his luggage in my home."

Alfred looked at Talia. His mouth opened into a surprised ah.

Talia smirked. "Nobody notices the help, eh? We've been watching you and your family all week. I was there in New Gotham when your son found the body; and when your daughter crashed her car on the freeway."

Emma and William both exchanged quiet looks with one another.

"Are you threatening my family?" said Diana in a venomous whisper.

Talia's beautiful features suddenly contorted with vicious, ugly disdain.

"Relax," said Ra's quickly. He stepped physically between the two women, breaking the line of sight. "We're not here to threaten anyone. Nor are we here to spoil secrets."

He said this last part to Alfred and Diana. This was not lost on the twins.

"I don't care why you are here. You have one minute to get out of my home," said Diana in her same cold, furious tone.

Talia put her hand on her sword at her hip. "Or you'll do what, my dear Princess?"

"I said enough!" snapped Ra's.

Talia's hand lingered on her sword hilt. She was watching Diana with her furious, ugly sneer. Diana returned the gaze coldly and without emotions.

"Talia," hissed Ra's. "Enough."

Talia stepped back. Her hand removed from her sword. Ra's let out a sigh of antagonized breath.

"Get out of my house," repeated Diana.

"For goodness sake, I'm trying to help you," said Ra's irritably. "All of you. Your family is in danger—Gotham City is in danger. We need your help. And you need ours."

"I can protect my family," said Diana coolly, skeptically. She folded her arms. "I don't need help."

"Not yet," muttered Ra's. He was leaning on his cane. His green eyes swimming with energy. "But believe me when I say there is a darker, more powerful force on the horizon. And its headed for your city. Alfred, you know me. You know I wouldn't come here unless I had no other choice."

Everyone's attention turned to Alfred—especially Diana, who was found herself more and more curious to hear whatever Ra's had to say. He had said the one thing that gouged her attention, the one thing that irritated her peace: someone wanted to hurt her family. And now she was irritated, indignant, but also, she didn't want to admit, anxious.

"I would hear him out," said Alfred finally. He was watching Ra's, and yet somehow seemed like he was directing his words to Diana. "It couldn't hurt, only help."

"Thank you, old friend," bowed Ra's. Then he turned his attention to Diana. Everyone's attention turned to Diana; the twins, Steve, and even Talia, who was watching hatefully.

"Fine," said Diana in a voice that she did not recognize. "But my children will take no part in this."

Behind her, William and Emma exploded into protest.

"Mom, there's no way you can tell me that I can't—"

"Mom, I'm a police officer, if there's anyone qualified to—"

"I said no!" said Diana, whirling around to face her children. She was breathing heavily. "Both of you go to your rooms. This will not concern you."

William and Emma both looked instinctively to Steve. It was the last bastion of hope. But Steve, to their dismay, quietly nodded along with Diana.

"Go on, you guys," said Steve. He was at his most serious they had ever seen. "This is way too dangerous."

Ra's suddenly coughed delicately but deliberately. "If I may interrupt, your children both possess an invaluable skill set. And seeing as they are both inaugurated adults, today being their birthday, I see no reason why they cannot make their own decisions…"

Ra's voice trailed off as Diana, very slowly, walked up to his face. He looked amused and said nothing. Talia made to cut Diana off, but Ra's held up a hand. Talia stood still; her hand went to her sword.

Diana paid Talia and her sword no attention. She kept her eyes squarely on Ra's.

"By the time your daughter draws that sword, my hands would snap your neck," said Diana.

"I believe you," said Ra's calmly.

"Then believe this." Diana leaned forward until her breath was on Ra's. "Not. My. Children."

Ra's, to his credit, never lost his amused smile. His green eyes danced.

"Very well, Mrs. Trevor. I will not involve your children."

"Get the hell away from my father," said Talia suddenly.

Diana shifted her attention onto Talia. "The same goes for you."

Talia did not smile like her father. She was hateful and scornful. Her green eyes were murderous.

Diana turned to her children. "Both of you, go upstairs and check on your little brother. I'll come get you both when it's over."

Emma looked like she wanted to continue arguing. Diana's expression became severe again.

"This isn't a game, Emma. I want you with your little brother."

Emma looked to Steve again, but he was not his playful self either. He was completely sober, and now with both parents against her, Emma conceded. She nodded most sullenly.

William, on the other hand, was expressionless.

"William," said Diana. "Did you hear what I said?"

William nodded his head. "Go upstairs, keep quiet. I got it."

Diana eyed him doubtfully. There was something slightly suspicious about his agreeableness.

William held his hands up in a gesture of surrender. "This is clearly above my paygrade. I get it, Mom."

So she had one child who would listen to her. Diana nodded gratefully. "Thank you, my son. Now go, we won't be long."

The twins cast one more look at Ra's and Talia, who were watching them curiously, and then walked up the stairs. Alfred squeezed each of them on the shoulder as they walked by him.

"Wonderful children," said Ra's, after the twins left. "You two must be proud."

"Get on with it," said Diana.

I suppose I'll begin with myself. My name is not really Ra's Al Ghul. And it's not really a name—it is a title. I run a vast underground network: The League of Assassins. We are as ancient as human civilization itself, and act as a counter-balance to the natural cycle of human decadence and corruption. Whenever a city befalls into chaos and perversion, we intervene to restore the balance."

"By killing everyone and anyone," said Alfred tiredly. He walked away from the stairs and took seat in an armchair. "Then they install a new leader—typically a despot, who will ensure the League's organizational structure reproduces itself."

"Peace and justice," said Talia proudly. "By any means necessary."

Diana folded her arms. "That is not peace. That's murder."

Talia smirked again.

"We're an organization that trains outcasts, orphans, and ostracized peoples," continued Ra's. "And we train them well: once inducted into our ranks, our disciples can defeat any enemy, infiltrate any society, overthrow anygovernment. This is how your infamous Dark Knight came to be."

In all her years, Diana never asked Alfred how Bruce came to be the Dark Knight. She always assumed he had to train relentlessly for decades. He fought as well as she did, and she had a near millennium to hone her skills. And now here was the answer to her question: he was trained by an amoral elite force.

"You trained the Batman?" she asked Diana.

"Indeed. We took him in, we trained him, and the results speak for themselves. He was brilliant."

"He was a traitor," said Talia dispassionately.

"I did not say he was perfect," said Ra's.

"What do you mean he was a 'traitor'—he betrayed you?" asked Diana.

"He believed in a different standard of ethics," said Ra's. "Noble, but foolish."

Ra's did not hide his pride when talking of Bruce—it came off him naturally and easily, like a proud father. Talia, however, did not share Ra's admiration. She looked like she wanted to spit on the floor.

"We took him in like family and he repaid our kindness by burning down our headquarters," said Talia. "He left my father to die."

Ra's shook his head. "That's not exactly true, Talia. He didn't leave me to die…well, he did, but he knew I'd get over it."

Diana suddenly became very nervous. And Steve stepped forward, asking the question that she already knew the answer to.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Steve. "How do you 'get over' dying?"

"He's a Lazarus user," explained Diana. "They're what we call 'children of the Lazarus pits.'"

Talia suddenly lost her hateful smugness. For the first time of the night, she looked genuinely surprised.

"Very good, Your Highness," said Ra's. He smiled slowly. "I suppose the Amazons have record of us?"

"We do. But my mother told me that the Lazarus pits were all destroyed at the turn of the millennium."

"The Crusades," said Ra's. "Those barbaric Europeans destroyed everything they found in their wake—their fear of paganism, I believe."

"Sorry to slow everyone down," said Steve. "But what is a Lazarus Pit?"

"It's a substance that grants a form of immortality," said Diana. "Not unlike the immortality of the Amazons. However, Lazarus is not passive."

Steve looked even more troubled. "Meaning what?"

"Meaning we have to ingest the Lazarus every few years in order to prolong our lives," said Ra's. "Your wife, meanwhile, remains naturally age-less."

"But not deathless," said Talia. That hateful smugness had returned to her face. "An Amazon can die at a blade just as any mortal."

Diana returned the look. "Maybe you'd like to test that theory?"

"Enough," said Ra's, waving his hand impatiently. "This contest gets us nowhere."

"But you said all the pits were destroyed," said Steve. "I'm assuming you two have a secret pit?"

"Very good, Captain Trevor," said Ra's. "It produces enough Lazarus for two people, which makes it an extremely desirable and hotly contested location. Wars have been waged for it."

"The Great Wars of the last century, for example," said Talia. "The leaders of the belligerent countries were all invested in the Teutonic myths that spoke of the Lazarus pits."

"The Great Wars?" repeated Steve. "Wait a minute, you mean to tell me that World War One and Two were fought over these Lazarus Pits?"

"Indirectly," said Ra's. "Which is why we are tasked with keeping the existence and location of the Lazarus Pit a secret. If people knew about a literal fountain of youth, it would be disastrous—it has proven disastrous."

"Is that why you need our help?" said Diana. "Is your Lazarus Pit in danger?"

Ra's smiled bitterly. "No, it is quite safe, for now."

For now. Those words hung over all of them.

Ra's played with the silver handle of his cane. For the first time in the night, exhaustion robbed his features of their normal charm and cleverness. He carried a great weight on his mind, and he was contemplating how best to explain it.

"Which brings us to the point of my visit," said Ra's. He twirled his cane. "About two decades ago, we accepted a young man into our order. His name was Roland Moran. He was a brilliant student, one of my very finest. A specialist in biochemistry, he was tasked with weaponizing our league for the 21st century. But like all scientists, he had far too much ambition. He tried to synthesize our Lazarus; to make a limitless supply that could turn the tide of our war against human corruption. He said it would be like creating a superhuman race: faster, stronger, deadlier."

Talia produced a small vial from her belt: inside was a green liquid dancing about of its own energy. It whipped and slid around in mischievous fashion.

"This is our Lazarus," explained Ra's. "It replenishes our youth each time we ingest it. It enhances our speed, our reflexes, our strength. Like all medicines it has side effects: anxiety, paranoia, depression. But with intense mediation and discipline, this is negligible."

"The benefits far outweigh the negatives," said Talia. "Essentially: eternal life. And so the man who could successfully reproduce it on a mass scale would be a very rich man indeed."

"But he didn't," said Diana. She could tell where this story was turning. "Did he?"

Ra's tapped his fingers on the cane. "Obviously not. I tried to tell him of the many before him that had tried—and failed—to recreate the elixir of life: Flamel, Xu Fu, Newton. But he didn't listen. And what he did create was a monstrosity. A perversion."

Talia produced another vial from her belt. Instead of the green lively liquid, this vial was filled with a black, oily substance. It moved about the vial in violent, agitated thrusts. Like it was angry.

"This is Roland's Lazarus," said Talia. "It's about 94% as pure as ours. And like our Lazarus, it grants the user strength, speed, and durability. It will even prolong a user's youth. It's nearly identical in every way."

"Nearly," repeated Steve. The word reverberated ominously.

Talia became a tad grey in the face. "It slowly drives the user mad the longer one goes without ingesting more."

Steve frowned. "Sounds like a drug."

Ra's bowed his head. "An apt comparison. The madness is kept at bay if a user takes this new Lazarus regularly, but if enough time passes without a dose…"

Ra's produced out a series of photos held together by a rubberband. He handed them to Diana.

"As you can tell, the madness is nothing short of rabies or any other neurodegenerative diseases," said Ra's. "Cannibalism and psychosis are the two most observed results."

Diana looked down at the photos: half-eaten corpses; lifeless eyes; butchery and carnage. Steve appeared over her shoulder. He looked hard at the photos.

"My god," he whispered.

"That last photo was taken this morning," said Ra's. "Over by a waste management building in Old Gotham. The police think it's a serial killer, but we knew it was Roland's doing."

"Roland did this?" said Diana.

Talia shook her head. "Not directly. When Roland indoctrinates new recruits into his army, he promises them unlimited power, but he does not tell them the consequences. And once they're hooked onto his Lazarus, they have no choice but to follow his rule. If they do not, he discards them, and they slowly descend into madness. This is the result of that madness."

Diana handed the photos back. She didn't want to see them.

"He has an army?" said Steve. "What's the headcount?"

"His army is comprised of vagrants, homeless, and the orphaned," said Ra's. "So essentially he has an unlimited fighting force. They come to him willingly, seduced by the lure of his Lazarus. And once they're 'converted,' they are a force to be reckoned with."

"Some of our finest operatives also have taken up with Roland," said Talia disdainfully. "They believe in him. They see his serum as the answer to the world's disfunction."

"Which is?" said Diana. "What does he and his army want?"

Ra's and Talia traded a look. It seemed that the conversation finally arrived at its most dramatic point.

"He calls himself the Grey Paladin," said Ra's, smiling bitterly. "Although I like to think of him as a modern-day robin hood. He started off by attacking wealthy governments and redirecting those riches to poorer provinces. He gained quite a notoriety for his unapologetic brutality. Now he sees himself as the savior of this world. He wants to give the poor and the homeless his Lazarus and start a revolt against the wealthy: and in this new world order, money will no longer be deciding factor. It will be commitment to the greater social good."

"And they will use any means necessary to achieve it," finished Talia.

"He sounds a lot like you," said Diana.

Ra's face lost its smile. His charming slickness vanished. Now his face was stony and cold.

"We are here to protect mankind, not destroy it," he said in tone that matched his stony face. "If a maggoted city must fall so that a healthier country can rise from the ashes, so be it. But we always serve the greater good. We serve our fellow man."

"But Roland does not want to protect mankind," said Talia. "He wants to change it."

The black liquid in Talia's vial suddenly splattered across the glass. It even made a small aching, beckoning sound. Diana was under the impression that the black Lazarus was anxious to see Roland's plan through.

"So what do we do?" said Steve. He was leaning away from the black Lazarus like it might explode at any moment.

"We fight," said Talia.

Ra's pulled out a folded map from his pocket and spread it out along the living room table. "For the past five years, we have been hunting Roland and his organization down, but they can grow their numbers faster than we can destroy them. The only advantage we have is that his Lazarus is imperfect, and he needs to constantly make more of it. We've tracked him across the globe in his pursuit of the necessary chemicals. Every city he visits he performs the same three steps: he steals the various precursors he needs for his serum, he manufactures that serum on a large scale, and he recruits the city's homeless and outcasts into his organization."

"As long as he has a steady supply of his serum, he can control his followers. At first we tried to kill him and his key Generals, but they're too heavily guarded. I lost my entire fighting force trying to stop him. But now all we can do is delay him."

"How do you delay him?" asked Diana.

"We cut off his supply-line," said Talia. "It forces him to abandon and search for a new city."

"And when he leaves," said Steve slowly, "I assume he doesn't take everyone with him?"

Ra's smiled darkly. "Very good, Mr. Trevor. Yes, whenever he leaves, he also leaves his low-ranking recruits. And they, inevitably, leave a bloody trail."

Ra's unfolded another map, this one smaller and more detailed. There were three large hand-drawn circles on three areas of the map. Diana recognized it immediately.

"That's Gotham City," she said.

"And these are chemical and industrial waste factories," said Ra's. He pointed to handdrawn circles. Two of them had Xs over them. "He's already hit two of them. He only needs the last one."

"GothCorp," said Diana. It was a recently opened factory in New Gotham. There was a large outcry of rich environmentalist who didn't want a chemical plant on their side of the bridge.

"Why hasn't there been anything on the news?" said Steve.

Ra's arched an eyebrow. "And what would they say? There is no connection between a string of unrelated robberies at municipal and industrial waste plants."

"But they're not unrelated," said Steve, pointing at the map. "You just said that—"

"Because I told you about Roland," said Ra's impatiently. "As far as the city is concerned, these were forced-entry burglaries: no homicides, no loose ends, nothing."

"No other city has caught onto what he is doing," said Talia. "And the only way we can track him is by following up on the victims of his rabid followers."

"So you don't know where he is?" said Diana.

Ra's and Talia exchanged another glance. Then they were silent.

"That's impossible," said Steve. "How can you hide an army in a city? There has to be signs."

"He's very good at hiding," said Talia. "In Berlin they hid in the old bombing bunkers; in Beijing they were in an Olympic stadium. He's resourceful."

Ra's tapped his finger on the map. "But we do have one advantage: we know where he is going to be. He needs the chemicals in GothCorp to complete his serum."

"So we have to set a trap," said Diana slowly looking up from the map. "We wait for him at the chemical factory, and capture him there?"

"Yes," said Ra's. He was smiling tiredly. "Although I warn you it is easier said than done. Aside from the fact that Roland is a trained member of our League, he and his followers have been blessed by their serum. They are strong, fast, and toughto kill. They're monsters. Too far gone to be saved."

Diana slowly stood up from the map. "We don't kill people. No matter how lost they are."

Talia's smugness returned. "I thought you'd think that way. Wait until you meet one of these monsters. Wait until they stand between you and your children, and then we'll see how moral you really are."

"I have to agree with my daughter, Diana Trevor," said Ra's seriously. "You do not know these people, what they can do. One moment of hesitation can cost everything. You would be a hindrance if you kept your moral code."

Diana looked at the map. She churned over everything they had told her. She was doubtful, she was indignant, but she was also angry—that someone had come to her city, threatened the safety of her family, and now they threatened who she was. She didn't kill. She was no murdered.

Diana rolled her shoulders. She cracked her hands. The gears were slow to turn, but they were coming alive now; the dormant energy awakening inside her. It had been twenty years since her last fight. Twenty years since she put her life on the line. But now, it was no longer for greater truth and justice; now she put her life on the line for her children. For her family.

"You may be the Children of the Lazarus," said Diana. "But I am an Amazon of Themyscira. I don't kill people. I save people. And that's what I'm going to do."

"You're going to save Roland and his army?" said Talia. She looked like she was going to laugh and vomit.

"I will do what is necessary."

"A certain man once thought your way," said Ra's quietly. "And look what became of him."

Diana's eyes flared with rage at the mention of Bruce's name—Talia noticed it; she tensed up again, ready for a fight. But Ra's was unanimated. He looked somewhat apologetic.

"I'm just making a point," said Ra's. "To let you know the consequences of your thinking."

"You asked for our help, not the other way around," said Diana.

"Fair enough," said Ra's, although he still looked at her doubtfully.

"When will Roland strike?" said Steve. He was looking carefully at the map.

"We suspect tomorrow night," said Ra's. "He likes to be theatrical."

Diana suddenly remembered her mishap from the morning: the newspaper headlines.

"Tomorrow is the Commissioner's retirement," said Diana. "At City Hall."

"And every cop in Gotham will be at that speech," said Steve. He was shaking his head. "Son of a bitch."

Ra's rolled up the map. "Now you are starting to understand."

Directly above the living room was an attic space. It was the size of a large tent, accessible by a pull-out ladder. Both Emma and William lay inside of the attic. They were mouse-silent, careful not to move or even breathe too hard.

They had heard everything: Roland, his serum, his army, and the impending attack on GothCorp. The twins listened carefully as their mother made a promise to gather her forces and meet with Ra's and Talia tomorrow at GothCorp. Then Ra's and Talia left the home.

"The daughter is a piece of work," said Diana bitterly.

"They both are," said Steve. He rubbed his hands. "What are we doing to do?"

"I'm calling Clark tonight. I want you to gather everything you can on GothCorp from the Mayor's office. Then I want you to call your contacts at the Airforce."

"And tell them what? You heard what Ra's said."

"Tell them something, Steve."

"I'll see what I can do. What about the children?"

Diana suddenly looked above her—right where the twins lay. Emma and William felt the bottoms drop out of their stomachs.

"What are we going to tell them, Di?"

"Nothing, we tell them nothing, Steve. This is way over their head—it's over my head."

"You really think so?"

There was much weight behind that question. Diana considered it for a long time.

"I don't know," she said. "If it's true that Ra's trained this city's former protector, then they must be an impressive force."

Steve shifted in place. "It's been a long time since you spoken about…you know…him."

"I get the feeling it's just the beginning, too."

"Okay, I'll go check on the twins and David," said Steve. "Let me know if you need anything."

Steve slowly started up the stairs, and Diana retreated to the kitchen. That left living room empty.

The twins quickly backpedaled out of the attic. But there was only room for one person on the pull-out ladder.

"I'm right behind you, Emma," said William. He was deep in thought. Now he knew who was behind the three unsolved murders: they were all victims of Roland's army. But there was something else bothering him. Something about what was said downstairs that made his head itch. He thought about the scenes of Roland's victims: the waste management facility, the estuaries, and the storm drains. Why those three? What did they have in common?

"Will!" hissed Emma, pulling on the cuff of his pants. "Get down! He's coming."

Their father's booming steps were sounding closer and closer.

William snaked down the ladder without a sound. Together they snuck into David's room. He was still sound asleep. Emma went to pick up David, but William stopped her.

"Your hands. Look."

They were caked in dust from the attic. The two of them hurried into the Master bathroom to wash off. Their father's footsteps were gaining in bass and clarity outside the wall.

Emma rubbed her hands furiously with soap. William was already drying his hands. He watched the water sluice down the drain.

"Quick, dry your hands, Will."

He stared at the sink. The water made a gurgling noise as it slipped into the drain.

"Will." She pressed a towel into his arms. "Are you okay?"

William's heart was racing. He slowly dried his hands on the towel. He had figured it out.

"Emma, can I ask you a question? What does a waste facility, an estuary, and a storm drain all have in common?"

Emma looked at him incredulously. "This is the lamest joke in the world, Will."

William handed the drying cloth back to his sister. He felt electricity humming in his chest.