M'gann followed after Kaldur without saying a word, then, once they were safely inside the communications hub, she looked at him with a hint of worry in her eyes.
"Kaldur, I have spent quite some time speaking with Shay and getting to know him better." She began with seriousness in her voice, green eyes swimming with dozens of emotions.
In her time on the planet known as Earth, she had gotten to know various different types of kinds of minds. She had seen people that were broken and traumatized beyond repair, and she had also seen humans with minds that were intact, even though they were not healthy. The health of a mind was quite a complex matter and she had met all kinds of them, but Shay was the first she had seen of its kind.
His mind was... An enigma. It was as if the trauma he had lived through had a home on the edges of his mind, which was a healthy and strong one. The outside of his mind was dark, cold, and scary, but once M'gann had been able to get through the strong defenses, she found a healthy mind that was filled with hope, awe, and almost a childlike wonder when it came to learning new things.
Before she had entered Shay's mind and seen inside of him, M'gann had not thought she would ever grow to like the man. She had seen from Desmond's mind how efficient men like him were when it came to killing and she thought she would have to not trust them because Kaldur and Robin both said murder was wrong. But as soon as she had entered that haze of darkness, deceit, yet contrasting light and trust, she knew for a fact she could not bring herself to hate Shay.
Besides, the world was not black and white. Maybe her two friends didn't care to understand why some people were driven to kill, but she had seen and felt enough pain from others to know that she could make her own decisions about life without having to worry about her friends not accepting her. They already knew she was a white martian and had accepted her for it. She doubted they would judge her for siding with a man like Shay.
Kaldur nodded at the girl's admission, then asked, "And what have you learned?" with a bit of worry.
M'gann was a girl of smiles and happiness. Seeing her actually being serious let him know that they were not going to have a lighthearted conversation.
"Shay has explained to me the conflict between Assassins and Templars. And he expressed his wholehearted wish for us to be educated about it before we allowed Desmond's kind words to sway us to sympathize with the Assassins." She breathed out after a moment, then continued, "I can't tell you with complete certainty which is the good guy and which is the bad guy when it comes the Assassins and the Templars, but I can at least assure you that there is much more to the story than what we already know."
Kaldur frowned softly at her words, crossed his arms, then asked, "Just what, exactly, did Shay tell you?"
"He showed me his life, Kaldur." She answered softly, face softening with what Kaldur could tell was sympathy, "You understand how hard it is to open up to a complete stranger, Kaldur, so you already know that Shay doing having done this shows how much he truly wants us to trust him."
She silenced after saying this and waited for Kaldur to tell her anything, but he didn't. So she took the silence as permission and began to explain everything Shay had allowed and insisted she say.
"Now, Robin, would you lead us to a room where we can be alone?" Desmond asked after he had finished his last slice of pizza.
They now sat all along the family room, all the teenager's lounging comfortably in their spaces. Wally, Robin, and Zatanna were seated on the sofa with their phones in hand and a pizza box in Wally's left. Con was seated on the other sofa with Artemis beside him and Connor to her left. And Shay, Desmond, and Ezio were seated on the single seating chairs and recliners that were left.
After he had finished eating his pizza, Shay had hoped that Desmond would have forgotten about trying to get them to get to know each other better, but apparently the younger male was quite persistent when he wanted to be.
Robin looked up from the website he had been reading, quirked an eyebrow at the four assassins, then pointed out, "It's getting kind of late, don't you think? It's already about eleven at night... Maybe you should get some rest before you start discussing the really heavy things."
Desmond had grown to kind of like Robin in the time he had spent with the kids. Sure, he was annoying, too jokeful and hyper, and seemed to always have an answer for everything you said, but he was alright. Besides, it's not like Desmond could really fault him for being so wary about him and the other Assassins. They had appeared out of nowhere with a rather odd and confusing explanation.
But just because he liked the kid didn't mean he enjoyed being stalled. He had a group of Assassins to get together and he needed to be able to speak with them to explain everything that was going, an explanation that would have to be much more in depth than the one given to the kids if he wanted everything to run smoothly. There was a world at stake, after all.
"Listen, kid, I need to be able to speak with these guys." Desmond stood up, squaring his shoulders to try and seem as authoritative as he could. "Play time is over, the grown ups have to talk now."
Robin quirked an eyebrow at the man, as if silently asking if Desmond really wanted to go there, but shook his head and smiled up at him, "I'm pretty sure you're all tired, Desmond. And I know for a fact that Shay shouldn't be awake for so long without resting because of the injuries he sustained. How about you calm down and follow our advice? I promise you'll get your chance to speak privately."
Desmond did not like the kid's tone.
Not once had he thought these kids were dumb, not even when he first arrived in this new world. They were clearly something he had never seen before in his life and this had been proved with Zatanna's... Whatever that thing back at the museum was. But he had been hoping they would be innocent and naïve enough to not question him or his ancestors. Clearly, they did not trust them yet.
But before he could try to worm his way into being allowed to speak with his ancestors privately, Shay stood up from his seat while he clutched at his ribs. Desmon quirked an eyebrow at him, but didn't say anything.
"I would like to take you up on that offer, Robin." Shay said, smiling softly at the boy.
He knew it was only a matter of time before Desmond, Ezio, and Connor figured out that he was purposely stalling any kind of private conversation with them, but at least for now he knew that Robin was suspicious enough of them to not leave them alone in the same room. The boy's suspicion worked in favor of Shay and he was going to use this stroke of luck for as long as he could.
Robin stood up from the couch with Wally, then smiled at all four men. "Luckily for you guys, this place has an array of unused bedrooms that you can use. Unluckily, though, most of those rooms are filled with clutter created by our predecessors, so you'll have to share rooms with us guys until we're able to clear them out."
Shay knew for a fact that there supposedly being clutter in all the rooms they could use was no coincidence, but for once he didn't mind the subterfuge being used. It worked in his favor because it assured that his secret would stay hidden for a bit longer.
"And because you'll be stuck with one of us for tonight, we're being gracious enough to let you choose with who you want to room." Wally smiled at them all, green eyes shining with happiness.
Apparently, either he did not know what Robin was doing or he just didn't care. Desmond was annoyed with the children treating them like this, but breathed in and shook his head.
"I don't mind." He lied, smiling, "You and me, Robin?"
Robin's eyes crinkled and his smile faltered for a second, but it was barely perceivable. "Perfect, Desmond."
Shay was glad that those two were so busy being at each other's throats. If Desmond was too focused on trying to get past Robin's plans he would not pay too much attention at Shay's purposeful stalling.
"And you, Ezio? Who would you like to room with?" Wally asked, which made the Italian man smile broadly and point at Con.
The clone's eyes widened for a second, clearly surprised by Ezio's choice, but soon his shock was replaced with nonchalance, "Okay." He shrugged, but his demeanor of indifference was soon dashed away by surprise by Ezio suddenly appearing beside him and hugging him tightly, "Mio amico!"
Shay smiled softly at Con's red face, but he soon turned to Connor, who was blinking in confusion at everything going on around him. Poor lad.
"I think Connor should room with you, Wally." Zatanna pipped up, and Wally turned to her with a questioning face, "Well, you've already spoken to him and you were there when we found him in the museum. Maybe he would be more comfortable with you than with Kaldur, seeing how he's known you for just a bit longer."
Connor blinked, but spoke up, "I would not mind sharing with Wallace."
This made a large smile split the red head's face, but Robin spoke up before he could say anything that might have scared the Mohawk off, "Which means Shay will be staying in Kaldur's room. Artemis, can you go tell our great leader about the room arrangements while we go ahead and start getting the guys to their rooms?"
The blonde girl looked at her friend with a face that clearly read, 'you really expect me to get up from the couch?', but sighed and lazily got up from the furniture to make her way in the direction Kaldur and M'gann had gone in some ten minutes ago. Shay followed her figure up until it disappeared behind those swooshing doors- just what made them open and close without any type of warning?- then turned to Robin once more.
His face was composed in the very unreadable expression he adopted most of the time, but in the back of his mind he was rejoicing. M'gann had already been swayed by his sad tale and she believed wholeheartedly that he was a good person wronged by the Assassins. She already trusted him and he was proud of this. Especially because he had not lied to gain that trust. She knew who he really was and how much pain he had come across. Maybe these Assassins weren't bad... But at least the kids would know the truth about both factions instead of lies about the Templars.
So he followed after the teenagers and men with a small glow of happiness and hope in the back of his mind.
Kaldur's face was a stern frown and M'gann's own was pulled into a stern gaze. Artemis was confused upon finding her friends bearing those types of faces, but she spoke up and interrupted the dense silence that had reigned over them.
"We're getting the Assassins ready to go to bed." She said, looking from M'gann to Kaldur with a cocked eyebrow.
M'gann turned to her, eyes wide because she was apparently surprised by Artemis speaking up, but Kaldur's frown stayed in place as his gaze was focused on the computer screens in front of them.
"Are you sure this is exactly what you saw in Shay Cormac's mind, M'gann?" He finally asked, looking at M'gann with steely eyes. "These... Facts could cause discord among the four men with us right now."
M'gann nodded softly, "I have searched his mind front and back, Kaldur, the Assassins in his time were corrupt, greedy, dangerous. He turned to the Templar cause because he felt it was the right one. The only one that would not harm innocents while searching for the truth."
Kaldur's whole body was tense his face read of... Was that worry, Artemis wondered.
"This means we are going to have to invade all of their minds..." Kaldur finally sighed out, spitting the words out in anger. He had never liked the idea of probing someone's mind without their consent. "Robin already has his suspicion of their reasons and Batman did not like the idea of having them in the Mountain. If they are anything like the Assassins from Shay's time, we are in trouble."
Artemis was confused. And worried. She looked from one teammate to another, then shook her head and butted into their conversation. She would not be ignored.
"Kaldur, M'gann, please tell me you aren't planning on invading these guys' minds."
They both turned to her with frowns, but Kaldur sighed and relented, "I do not enjoy this course any more than you do, Artemis, but Shay speaks of a great betrayal done to him by the Assassins."
The blonde, though, shook her own head and asked, "Isn't he an assassin too? Why would he still be one if he was betrayed?"
"He isn't one." M'gann answered immediately, "Not anymore..." Now the green skinned teen looked away, "He is a Templar."
Her two friends were really starting to worry her. Artemis knew for a fact that neither of them enjoyed exerting their powers forcefully on others so she knew that they would never willingly want to probe through someone's mind. And she knew enough about the whole Assassin/Templar thing because of what she had learned from listening to the men and reading their body language to know that they were mortal enemies.
"He's a Templar." She repeated dumbly, then glared, "Aren't they the very people that want to control humanity?"
"It's not like that, Artemis!" M'gann defended, but her friend only shook her head.
"Megs, we don't know these guys. We barely know anything about their world other than what Desmond has told us. You hate imposing you powers on others, yet you're already planning on doing just that to those three men out there?" She pointed out the door, hissing through her teeth, "Those men that have done nothing but make us laugh, smile, and have done nothing to make us suspect them?"
They all fell into silence after she had spoken up and Artemis knew she had beaten them in the argument. She knew her friends too much to allow herself to think they would ever want to choose this road willingly.
"You haven't seen what I did, Artemis." M'gann whispered, then looked at her friend directly in the eyes. "Those Assassins were out of control! They would have destroyed the world if Shay had not stopped them!"
"Have you ever stopped to question Shay's innocence?" Artemis growled out, "You want to invade Ezio's, Connor's, and Desmond's minds before giving them the chance to tell us their stories. So, if you're so willing to do this to them, did you ever think that maybe Shay wanted you to do this very thing?"
M'gann took a step back, mouth opening and closing even though no sound came out. Artemis took this as her chance to finish up the discussion and stop them from going through with their plans.
"I don't know if you've noticed, but Desmond is the very Assassin that came to our world to stop the destruction of his own. He has answered all our questions and has not lied to us yet. None of these men, not even Shay." Now she breathed out and continued, albeit softer, "I'm not telling you who's right and who's wrong, M'gann... I can't say I know enough to say that. But I do know that none of these men have given us any reason to suspect them. How about before we start probing through their minds we give them the chance to explain themselves?"
Kaldur had been quiet for most of the argument, but now he spoke up, "I feel the same as you do, Artemis, believe me. I just do not know what to do other than have M'gann search through their minds. If we asked them to their face, they could lie-"
"They wouldn't."
Kaldur raised an eyebrow at her interruption, "And how would you be sure, Artemis? Just like we should not trust Shay so easily, we cannot take everything they say without questioning it."
But Artemis was sure of what she was saying now, "They wouldn't lie, Kaldur, because they have no reason to. Those that have reason to lie would, much like Shay did when he told us he was an Assassin." She knew she was hurting M'gann with her honestly, but everything needed to be said before they did anything brash, "What would Ezio and Connor have to lie about, anyway? We know they're killers. They have their reasons."
With a sigh, Kaldur agreed, "We must give them all the benefit of the doubt. The conflict between Templars and Assassins is not our own, we cannot allow ourselves to grow too close to it." Then he looked at M'gann and placed his hand softly on her shoulder, "I shall tell Batman of everything you have told me. Then I shall consult him and ask him what the best course of action would be. Until then, let us not grow heated. Let their struggles remain in their world. Here we are all heroes and friends. What happened in their home is of little importance to us."
M'gann closed her eyes and nodded softly, but said nothing. Both Kaldur and Artemis felt bad because they knew she had been hurt by all of this.
~/~
"What has been discussed in this room cannot leave it." Kaldur told both the girls, who nodded. "The matters between Templars and Assassins have no place causing discord between us. We cannot our personal feelings to blind us from this."
Artemis rubbed at her upper arm with guilt gnawing away at her because she knew that she already believed in the Assassins' way of thinking. Those Templars sounded wretched. Apparently, M'gann thought differently.
"This will be kept between us three, no one else from the Team needs to be burdened with this conflict." Kaldur warned, then looked at Artemis. "What are the sleeping arrangements?"
M'gann took this as her queue to leave the room, so she flew out of the room and towards her own. She hoped that some deep thought would allow her to clear her mind.
Artemis looked after the fleeing Martian and sighed, "I was too hard with her."
"M'gann was firm in her belief that the Assassins among us could cause us harm. I am afraid both she and Shay have grown too close to one another. This are events I never though we would have to deal with." Kaldur sighed heavily as he walked towards the only chair in the room.
He fell almost gracelessly onto it then raised his hand to place his head in it. Artemis frowned at the teenager, who looked much too burdened and defeated to be so young, but spoke up, "It's not going to get any easier, you know. Those men are bound to grow closer to one of us and we are going to feel the same about them. Even though Superboy doesn't want to acknowledge it, he's pretty much already Ezio's friend already. Give him some time and Ezio will be calling him fratello."
Kaldur groaned at that but nodded, "The forming ties between us and the Assassins are worrying, Artemis. With what happened just now with M'gann I am worried that this could cause us to lose our way... To begin fighting amongst each other over beliefs that have no reason in this world."
Artemis bowed her head, "You know... This doesn't have to be our problem. We could have them over to the Justice League and-" She stopped herself upon noticing Kaldur's questioning look. "Yeah, you're right. Wally would never let us... Besides, we're old and smart enough to be able to put our feelings aside to complete the mission."
"Exactly." Kaldur frowned, "And our mission is to gather all the men that could come from Desmond's world then help the return. Their inner conflicts have nothing to do with us."
Even though he said this, they both knew that the conflict would not stay where it belonged. Not when there was a Templar among the Assassins.
"Now, I believe we are too tired to think straight. With whom shall I be rooming?" Kaldur questioned as he stood up from the chair and began to walk outside of the room.
Artemis followed after him and answered, "Shay. Connor is with Wally, Desmond with Robin, and Ezio; of course; will be staying with Con."
Kaldur breathed out heavily and said, "It seems already the tight friendships are forming. Let us hope we are able to overcome our own feelings... Good night, Artemis. I shall see you in the morning."
They both parted ways and went into their own rooms, both with heavy hearts that were filled with dozens of worries.
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