Robin winched as another heavy bang resounded throughout the stone tower. As safe as they said the tower was, he couldn't keep himself from worrying as ancient stone shuttered under his feet. When the Convicts told them that Clockwork would be mad at Danny he had shrugged it off. Truthfully he hadn't cared about time ghost's temperament. Hell, if he could bring them back Robin wouldn't care if he spat acid and fire when he talked. Now, as Danny got the plasma kicked out of him by a foe none of them could see, Robin wished he asked more questions before they entered the ghostly tower.
There were so many questions that he wished he had pushed. Such as why did the smaller more intelligent ghosts that called this place home panicked and run at sight of the Convicts? He knew the Convicts were well known, but the depth of the panic sparked by they very presence was unsettling. Of course the Convicts pretended like everything was all fine and dandy. As if it was normal for ghosts to cut and run, as if it's just a thing they do.
He had let it go, even as he saw them shooting each other worried looks, even as he realized they didn't know the answer to his question. There was something wrong in the world of the restless dead, and all he could do was hold faith that the Convicts could keep them safe. More so as their hardest hitter was powerless in this realm.
Starfire couldn't fly. She couldn't use any of her powers, and all physical attacks did was by seconds of time. Through her front of cheerful optimism, Robin saw how being so weak again so soon distressed her. Sam had theorize the Ghost Zone's atmosphere was at fault since it effected emotions. Starfire relied upon her emotions to fight, and not being mentally in control put her at a great disadvantaged.
He couldn't blame Starfire for being affected by the Ghost Zone's canker. Even now, although he was out of the dark swirling mists, the miasma of the Zone still clawed at the edges of his conscious. He could live with darkness and fog he used to live in Gotham such things were child's play to him.
This place was not meant for humans, and everything here laughed in the face of his mortality.
There was no ceiling, there was no floor, and most of all there was no end. In the void his sense of space was so tangled that, at times, he wasn't sure if they were floating up, down, or sideways. There was nothing to reference, and he would never admit it but his grip did on become Danny tighter as they past howling vortexes, impossible rivers, and endless forests.
To his chagrined the Convicts joked about the hazards around them. Could it be that they were so used to this type of danger that it bordered on normalcy? This brought terrible implications as from what he remembered no one from Amity Park neither man, women, or child anguished over the Ghost Zone's dread-like atmosphere. In the reports from Pariah Dark's temporary reign the citizens had more complaints over the lack of breathing room and interior design of their ghost shelters, then the ancient evil that wanted to enslave them all.
A report detailing Amity Park's frame of mind over their own morality, he thought more than a little unsettled, would be a terrible thing to read.
When they had reached the clock tower much of his stress fell away. The ground was solid and his surroundings while ethereal were familiar in structure. This was situation that he could deal with, and these were dangers that he was used to. The tightness in his chest unwind, and he knew he had gain some, however little, control of the situation.
And then Danny winked out of existence only to reappear in with a bruise darkening on his face. The resulting pattern of disappearing, and then reappearing in varying degrees of pain that Danny went through only furthered Robin's rapidly growing stress.
"What's happening to villain-friend Danny?" Starfire exclaimed, worry and panic hitching her voice as Danny was slammed against the floor, walls, and clock mechanisms around them.
"I don't know." Flash answered his head swiveling as he tried to keep up with Danny's erratic movements. "He's moving too fast for me to track him."
"You said yourself that the world moves slowly for you." Robin said, pushing his voice to be strong and commanding for the sole purpose of not letting Batman see his anxiety, "How can you not see him."
Flash's lips pulled into a tight line, and he didn't quite snap, "I say again, he's moving too fast. Every so often I get a glimpse and then he's gone."
Robin breathed out slowly, calming himself as his mind raced. If Flash couldn't track Danny's movements how could they hope to fight what's attacking him? Never before has his utility belt has felt so under-stocked.
"Wait," Sam said, her surprisingly light voice cutting his thoughts off, "Are you actually trying to track him?" Sam smirked, her purple eyes dancing with mirth, and he felt his blood pressure raise further at the mocking laugh bubbling up from within her. "I'm going to tell you right here, right now there is no way in hell any of us can track his movements."
"You knew this speed was in his range of ability." Batman accused, his tone rough and clipped as he glared down at Sam for her supposed deception. Dour, Robin held back a scoff at the sight of Sam's sudden pause. Of course she wouldn't dare to mess with Batman, but him? He gets a face full of dirt.
"Danny is powerful." Sam said carefully, taking into account that with Danny occupied the scales were very much in Batman's favour, "He is powerful, but he is not fast enough to become invisible while fighting at least not without using his powers. Right now he is being beaten through time. That's why we can't see him."
Robin's head snapped up his eyes trying to follow Danny's movement regardless of what the possibility of success was, "You mean-"
"Clockwork's messing with time. It's nothing to worry about he's done this before." Sam said before winching as Danny was slammed particularly hard against the ground, "Expect this time he's hitting Danny pretty hard."
"What does that mean?" Starfire asked then yelped as a large bell starting chiming after being motivated by Danny's haphazardly thrown body.
"It means that he is super pissed." Tucker said his eyes scanning the stone walls. A triumphant smirk crossed his face and he held up a finger, "Wait right here." Robin watched as Tucker ran from them completely ignoring the clipped sound of battle around that continued to fall around them. Tucker's body concealed what he reached for, the battle's cadence clipped, and the self-proclaimed techno geek teleported in front of him, "Put these on." Tucker said, cheerfully presenting them five glowing medallions, and happily disregarding the near heart attack he gave him.
"Or." Tucker continued, and Robin found that his neck got heavier, "You can freeze and make me put it on for you, whatever floats your boat."
Robin's hand grabbed at the spectral gold and black medallion that Tucker, who was a moment ago ten yards from him, gave him, "What is this?" Robin ordered yet he didn't move to take it off because for once the he could clearly hear the fight around them.
Tucker placatingly raised his hands softly clinking the metal together, "Dude chill, it's just a Time Medallion. It keeps Clockwork's power from affecting us. Look." Tucker said pointing at Starfire who stood frozen her eyes staring wide and confused at where Tucker once stood.
Time moved, the air shifted, and Starfire blinked in confusion as her eyes fell on him.
"Robin, you know how to teleport?" Starfire asked, just before time froze her again.
Tucker smiled, and puffed his chest out proudly, "And that folks is the power of the- Hey!"
Robin ignored Tucker's indignation at having the medallions snatched from him in favour of carefully placing one over Starfire's head. Starfire's eyes snapped open just in time to see Robin toss a medallion over Batman's and Flash's head, "Robin what's going on?" Starfire asked, reaching for the cold metal.
His mouth moved to speak, hanging open as he realized that he couldn't answer her. This was a situation he had never experienced. Demons he could fight, but ghosts and their powers? That was something he was wholly unfamiliar with. Even so he needed to calm her before Batman commented about her unease and the situation escalated.
His choice was made for him when a the hairs raised on the back of his neck, and his gut pulled in the same way it always did when something was about to-
He lunged for Starfire dragging her out of the collision path of a fast moving black and white object, letting go as it bounced to a stop.
Sam winched as Danny groaned, "Oh that really looked like it hurt."
"Man, Clockwork is really pulling none of his punches." Tucker muttered.
Flash's eyes narrowed at Danny's form, "I have an issue with your so called guardian's methods." He said stiffly, "Where is he?"
Sam pointed up and flatly said, "Above us a little to the left. Heads up, he's the red eyed one holding the scythe."
A chill ripped down Robin's spin and he paled. What was this ominous sense that curled around him? Sam's words had opened their minds to snare that they had entangled themselves in. How could he had forgotten the way that they had described the time ghost? The gears around them sounded deafeningly louder, the air so much more colder, and their location felt so much more desolate as the grim, reaper-figure glided closer to them. Goosebumps covered his arms he tensed alongside Starfire, Flash, and Batman, and-
And Clockwork ignored them in favour of pressing the handle of his scythe hard against Danny's stomach.
"Eighty-Two." Clockwork said, his deep gravelly voice filling the tower's base, his form shifting into that of an old man, "That is how many times you said I could hit you if you did something I deemed completely idiotic."
"You're crushing my spleen." Danny coughed out trying and failing to push the staff off him. "Crushing is not hitting!"
The impassive air that Clockwork held did not change, "I'm counting this as a long hit." Clockwork watched Danny struggle a little longer, stopping time every so often in order to safely redirect the halfa's ecto-blasts.
"Dude!" Tucker shouted, and impressively he didn't quite flinch at Clockwork's scrutiny, "I mean Clockwork, don't you think you're being a little hard on him?"
"No, Mr. Foley, I do not." Clockwork said, pressing down harder for emphasis causing Danny to choke, "To be honest I'm being all too kind seeing that Danny only recognizes his mistakes through force." Clockwork said dryly before releasing his hold on Danny.
Danny flew away quickly taking the medallion Tucker held out to him, "Clockwork," Danny gasped holding his chest, "I know I've made a lot of reckless mistakes, and I mean a lot, but I think you really bruised me there."
"Any level of pain I've brought on you grossly pales in comparison to what the G.I.W wish to inflict on you." Clockwork's harsh voice echoed heavily against the stone, the ancient scythe he held creaking under his grip. "You three have foolishly ran from too many opportunities, came too close to being caught to make light of what could have been."
Robin balked as Sam stood in front of Danny her hands clenched at her sides, and her eyes searching Clockwork's stance for weaknesses. She couldn't be planning to fist-fight a ghost, could she?
Sam stared down Clockwork as unarmed as she was when the Justice League had taken her weapons, and snapped, "If you haven't been watching, and I know you have, our hands were tied. We couldn't do anything as our government was trying to kill us! Don't tell me about opportunities because we all know there weren't any."
Clockwork's ever present frown deepened, and with his eyes not leaving hers, he let his scythe drift back to its stand. Silent Clockwork hovered to a far wall Robin noted was covered with glowing stationary displays. The pale-white blank screens seemed to glow brighter as Clockwork's form changed again. The now baby stretched his small hand out and a staff tall as himself fell familiarly into his grasp, "Ms. Manson tell me more about these opportunities I did not provide for you." Clockwork's unchanging voice echoed.
Sam stance weakened, and her eyes flickered to the displays, "Umm, well-"
"I can answer that for you." Clockwork briskly interrupted as he swung the staff at a display. The screen fizzed and a picture and a huge, sunlit city came into focus, "The first major city you three ventured into was Metropolis. It was understandable why you didn't seek out Superman. You were newly minted criminals, and afraid." Clockwork's red eyes narrowed at them, and the screen flipped to a dark, grey bricked city, "What is not acceptable is going to Gotham City and helping a villain steal from Wayne Corp. And, no, giving the money back doesn't excuse you from taking it in the first place."
The deep shadows of Clockwork glare was pronounced by flashing screen and the different cities it displayed, "I shifted the present numerous times to give you the outside help that you so desperately needed. A harmless flat tire there, a broken traffic light here, so many little changes inconsequential by theirself but together pushed you closer to meeting hundreds of heroes in America. In and out of uniform, yet you avoided and even antagonized them at times."
Danny walked in front of Sam despite her protests. He stood straight before the Time Master annoyed how Clockwork was talking down to them, and feeling brave because of the medallion he wore, "How were we supposed to know you wanted us to find someone? You didn't tell us we should find help."
"I shouldn't have to tell you that." Clockwork answered the screen fizzing off harshly, whether it was intentional or not was something none of them knew, "Any child would know to go for help when they are in danger. Yet, instead of looking for help you actively pursued trouble. Shall I remained you of Central City where you gambled a mobster's house dry and stole his van?" Clockwork said pointing to the Flash who to his part kept his mouth shut opting to only glare, "Or perhaps we should speak of Atlantis?"
"Atlantis, what about Atlantis?" Batman very much demanded, but Clockwork did not acknowledge his question or his presence.
The master of time held Convicts under his glare, and stated coldly, "So tell me about the opportunities I did not lay out for you."
An uneasy silence held the tower hostage, in which Clockwork shifted forms, becoming a man in his late-twenties.
"So, what?" Danny said breaking the stillness, "Are you saying all the pain that we faced was pointless? That if we just talked to someone we would be back in Amity right now?"
"I did not say that. Yes, your departure could have been much easier than it was, but nothing you could have done in these months would have allowed you back into Amity Park. Still you cannot go back. Not now or in the foreseeable future." Clockwork looked over to Sam, "This, of course, includes visits."
Tucker face set taut, and unease grew in his eyes, "Let me guess. If we go back we'll be captured by the Guys in White, and we wouldn't want that."
"No one neither in the Mortal Realm nor in the Ghost Zone will want that." Clockwork's voice dropped grim, "Especially not my guest as what he has wroth will be seen as insignificant."
The Convicts froze under Clockwork's words, and Robin tensed along with them. He didn't know who the time ghost spoke of, but years of fighting had sharpened him to certain words and phrases. There was more to what Clockwork had said, and he wanted to know what it was.
"Who are you talking about?" He asked his suspicion only grew at the panicked Danny, Sam, and Tucker sent his way.
"That is something you do not need to know about, at least not yet." Clockwork answered his voice for all its dryness took on a painfully solemn air, "All you need to know is the G.I.W, as it stands now, must be dismantled."
Flash snorted his relaxed stance not quite hiding the tension in his shoulders, "And let me guess, you want us to dismantle the Guys in White while keeping the convicts safe."
"I know you have decided on protecting Danny and his friends, and currently have people infiltrating the G.I.W." A small smirk briefly crossed Clockworks face at Flash's jolt, "Then again I know everything. What I want you to do is something quite different. I want you to bring Slade out of this by any means necessary."
Flash eyes narrowed Clockwork's words sitting nasty with him, "We don't kill people."
"Your creed." Clockwork said his form shifting into a frail old man, "To apprehend, but never kill criminals. No matter how many innocents said criminals kill. Do not make that face Flash it is unnecessary I do not need you to kill Slade. If it were so easy I would simply erase his existence." Clock shifted again, his small babyish appearance and buck teeth making the gravity of his words no less intense, "Deathstroke has influence too many people in his lifetime for me to remove him."
Flash gape, his mouth worked but nothing other than gibberish escaped his lips.
Batman had no such problems quickly turning on Robin, "Why haven't you told us that Slade is Deathstroke?"
Robin held his ground under his former mentor's glare, and responded with one of his own, "It wasn't until recently that we learned of his second identity. An identity I have never heard of until now." He said, accusing Batman why he thought hiding the existence of a dangerous criminal from him was a good idea.
"Deathstroke's workings are on a need to know basis. He is out of your team's capabilities any fights between you will only in in your failure." Batman said tone steady, and harsh.
Robin face burned hot in anger, and he nearly snarled, "I have been fighting Slade, your Deathstroke, ever since I was fourteen. I know my capabilities, and I can take him."
"He was playing with you." Batman growled back, "If Deathstroke ever truly aimed to kill you, you would have never survived your first encounter. The way in which Deathstroke easily captured you, your team, and the Convicts only strengthens my point."
"That was not an accurate display of our fights." Robin bit out, the sting of his mistakes with Slade opening raw, and hateful.
Batman's hands clenched, "It was an embarrassment."
Robin recoiled in shock however his alarm, and the smallest amount of pain quickly gave way to such an anger, "You do not have the room to talk about embarrassments!"
"Time Out!"
Robin froze, his breath leaving him slowly. Time hadn't stopped. He stare up at Clockwork's aged up form who watched them quietly in front of Danny, Tucker, Sam, and Starfire? When did she move?
To his annoyance Batman spoke first, "There was no point in stopping time." Batman said stiffly his bright medallion glowing against the darkness of his suit.
"I didn't stop time." Clockwork said, his frown staying in place as he shifted into a toddler, "You two were acting like such children that I felt the need to state the obvious. You need a time out, preferably away from each other."
Robin felt his eye twitch. He didn't know what was worse, being scolded by Clockwork's in his baby-like body, or the sound of Danny, Tucker, and Sam failing to stifle their snickers. Weren't they cowering in front of Clockwork just a moment ago? "I do not need a time out." He said through gritted teeth.
"Then how about a break. There is much I need to discuss with Flash and Batman. It would be best if you five were not here to interfere." Clockwork said. "Of course you will not be left alone, not with the destruction you five are known to cause."
"So what?" Danny said, annoyance on his face, "Are you going to leave us with one of your lackey's."
Clockwork smirked, "Not exactly, but you will be entertained."
One of the mirrors portals began glowing a pure white. Considering what Clockwork could do this wouldn't have been a cause for concern. If Clockwork had done anything other than float still, decidedly not activating the portal through time a space.
Danny, Sam and Tucker tensed and he prepared for a fight alongside them. If Clockworks idea of talking sense into someone was using time itself to beat them into a pulp, they really didn't want to know what his idea of entertainment was.
Robin extended his bo-staff prepared for whatever choose to attack them. The logistics of him fighting a ghost was a bridge he will cross when it decides to punch him in the face.
The mirror settled, and a young girl jumped through the portal.
She landed easily on her feet, and sent a large beaming smile at the ever changing time ghost, "Clockwork! You wouldn't believe where I just was!" She ran up to Clockwork, launched herself into the air, and transformed because of course she was a halfa. Why wouldn't she be? What was white hair and a monochromatic outfit included in the package, "Wait, first you gotta see this!" The girl reached into her backpack frantically searching before she pulled out a dagger.
Clockwork took the offered dagger twisting it in free hand, "Ah, you found the Amazonian Tribe very good." Clockwork's took on a gentle tone that Robin was frankly surprized he could make, "Did you get the autograph you seek?"
The girl frowned deflating a bit, "No she wasn't there, but I did get pictures." The girl's smile returned to the girl's voice brighter than ever. "I will finish my book. Between me and you I'm this close," She held up her forefinger and thumb inches apart, "to finding the Bat-cave."
"Is that so?" Clockwork asked, opening a portal and placing the dagger in some void as girl rambled on unconcerned about her trophy's disappearance.
"Yes! Well, kinda." The girl rubbed the back of her head giving an awkward smile an action Robin could almost place, "I'm ninety-nine percent sure this butler knows where it is, but he won't tell me. One moment he acts like he knows the other moment he pretends not to, but he will slip up. Oh I know he will." The girl finished her tirade with a self-satisfying laugh, "So what are you up to?"
Clockwork smiled and drifted just a little bit to the right giving the girl a perfect view of Danny, Tucker, and Sam's shock.
"Danielle?" Danny asked, and Robin held back a thousand questions as he clued how similar Danny's and this girl, Danielle, ghost forms where.
Danielle hands went to her mouth, forgotten her backpack floated beside her, "Oh, my, gosh!" She flew full force into them pulling them into what Robin could see was a powerful hug. She pulled away from them sounding annoyed as all hell, "Where were you guys? Are you okay? What are you doing here?"
"In that order. Around, mostly, escaping the Guys in White." Tucker said, easily parrying Danielle's excitement.
Danielle huffed and contempt entered her voice, "I hate the Guys in White. Clockwork didn't let me go after you guys because they were too dangerous, and-" She trailed off finally taking notice of Starfire. "That's Starfire. Why is a Teen Titan here. Wait, if she's here." Danielle turned around and her jaw dropped when she saw him, and then nearly dislocated at the sight of Flash and Batman. "When did you get here!?"
"It seems I have to hone your observation skills." Clockwork ribbed, but Danielle ignored him in favour of grabbing her bag.
Danielle pulled out an expensive looking camera which, for its newness, was worn and chipped, "Okay Titan's and Justice League I'm going to need a picture of all of you. Then I'm going to need a picture of the Bat-cave and whatever Flash's secret hideout is."
Robin frowned and seeing Batman's and Flash's looks he knew they held the same sentiments about Danielle's request, "For what purpose?" He said sharply.
Unaffected by the harshness in his words Danielle snorted, and rolled her eyes at Robin's question, "For my scrapbook, a-doy."
"I suggested she gain a hobby to occupy her mind. To keep her from worrying about her friends." Clockwork said carefully interrupting their conversation before it could escalate, "She took up scrapbooking, and elected heroes as her focus."
Flatly Batman stared at Clockwork and voiced his skepticism, "I've seen the scrapbooks they created for us. None of them have a section for hideouts."
"Ug, I've seen those boring things with the stupid little inspirational quotes at the bottom." Danielle waved Batman's words away, "I wanted a real challenge. So I made my own." Danielle held the camera up, "So picture? Singles of course. First you Boy Wonder. I already have pictures of your tower so let's skip that."
Clockwork placed a hand on Danielle effectively keeping her from further invading Robin's space and spoke, "Danielle, why don't you work on hold, just for a moment. Would you be a dear and entertain Danny, Sam, Tucker, and the Titans as I speak to Flash and Batman?"
Danielle crossed her arms, one eyebrow raised as she observed the mid-adult ghost, "This is one of those time stream, it is not my place to know now thingy's isn't it?" Danielle sighed at Clockworks silent smirk, "You're lucky I've been dying to talk to Danny, Tucker, and Sam for months now. When everything is as it should be, you will tell me everything no holding back."
A smirk crossed Clockwork's face that, for all the hidden gambit's it indicated at, was somehow soft, and he said, "I wouldn't dream of it."
Danielle nodded giving the Time Master a serious look, "Yeah you better not."
"Wait, Clockwork, I still have a question to ask you." Danny said, his eyes shifting between Clockwork and Danielle wanting answers, but not willing to leave Danielle so soon.
"Danielle has all the answers you seek." Clockwork replied, easing Danny with his words. Clockwork's form shifted and with it his expression changed to what Robin realised with a start was moodiness, "She should after all the questions she bombarded me with." He finished dryly.
"Yeah guys so come on I have like a thousand things to tell you! Let's talk in the study." Danielle said urging the convicts and Starfire along, Clockwork's grievances completely washing off her. Her glowing green eyes caught Robin and how he fixed himself to one spot, "That means you too wonder boy I know you're dying for some answers."
Robin looked over Danielle, the strange ghost girl who openly admitted that she stalked supers and had a scrapbook filled with pictures of the Titan's Tower. Somehow he couldn't quite trust her words, "What can you tell me?"
"How about what Slade really wants?" Danielle said floating backwards, her eyes lighting up as he started to follow her. "Let me give you a hint. It starts with 'pow' and ends with 'er'."
Robin found him briskly walking to keep up with Danielle as she left Clockwork's mirror room, and lead them into what was more a mish-mash of oddly placed doors, hanging gears, and stairways to nowhere than a hallway.
"Slade is always after power." Robin stated.
"Yeah but not after power like this." Danielle replied, her slowing down as her hand came up to her mouth in thought, "Or he will come after a power like this. It's kinda hard to get straight answers out of Clockwork. The point is, Slade either now or in the near future is going to realize he wants the power that Danny, I, and the fruitloop has."
"Wait." Danny said floating in front of Danielle stopping her, "Slade wants to become a halfa?"
Danielle shrugged, "More or less."
"I thought he wanted us to work for him?" Tucker asked.
"He does, but sooner or later it's going to get through his thick skull that you will never work for him. Like what happened with the fruitloop expect more destructive." Danielle said, one hand combing her hair, "He's not going to take this failure well." Danielle coasted around Danny and opened a door which seemed embedded into a stone structure, "The study is in here."
Danielle soared through the entrance thoroughly unaffected or unimpressed by the studies high wooden beams or it's bookshelves that seemed to reach high into oblivion and far into nowhere. Through the smell of musty old paper, and creeping darkness of the study a single brick fireplace burned a safe distance from the tomes. Danielle sat comfortably in a single armchair, its shiny red leather dully protested from carrying a ghost that was much denser than its usual fare.
Robin sat in the couch across from her giving enough room for Starfire and Tucker to sit beside him leaving Sam and Danny to take the remaining couch.
Smiling Danielle shifted to sit cross legged on the ancient yet, unmistakably new armchair, "So," Danielle said, "I'm guessing you have questions?"
"You seem very willing to talk. Shouldn't you be more careful as not to mess with the future?" Robin asked.
Danielle tilted her head, "Huh I thought you would ask who I was. Most people do. Oh well your loss." She straightened, "To answered your question Clockwork knows it would be better to be frank, or at least for me to have actual answers to give you. Danny, Sam, and Tucker should know how serious this is considering the last time Clockwork directly showed them their future."
The tension the came from her answer sent Robin's mind spinning. The looks the Convicts gave each other spoke of an event that he needed to know about. It was no secret that Danny was strong, and had the capability to be dangerous. Normally he wouldn't put much thought into such a possibility, but no one reacts to a good future with that kind of fear.
"Danielle," Danny's hand gripped the old couch's arm, and Robin worried he might break it, "you spend time with Clockwork, right? So you know about Him." A strained express passed Danny's face, "Where…"
"Encased in concrete, and hidden in a part of the tower that even I'm not exactly sure how to get to." Danielle said, a soft smile hovering on her face, "I persuaded Clockwork to be more through."
Danny's shoulders relaxed and he fell deeper in the plush cushion, "Good, he is the last thing we need. So!" Danny exclaimed slapping his hands against his knees effectively cutting off the question Starfire moved to make, "What can you tell us about Slade and the Guys in White?"
"I can tell you about Slade, but the Guys in White are trickier." Danielle admitted, "Clockwork wouldn't tell me much about their organization. Like barely anything at all. He wouldn't even tell me where you were because he didn't want me anywhere near them." Danielle pouted, "He even froze me for like a week when I tried to tail them."
"Really?" Tucker asked, one eyebrow raising high, "It's not like him to directly keep someone from a taking a path. He usually he lets us make those mistakes for ourselves. Meddle? Yes, but to forcefully close a path?"
"Yeah he was actually angry at me." Danielle winched, "Heads up, when Clockwork gets mad he gets quiet. Like spooky quiet. He did let somethings slip though. Tucker apparently you were the closest to figuring out what the G.I.W wants to do with you three."
Tucker paled, "You just had to say that, didn't you?"
"Do I want to know?" Sam asked.
"No. No you don't." Tucker replied, pulling off his hood, the study felt just a little too hot, "The Guys in White want to experiment on Danny because he's a powerful half ghost. Civil liberties laws tend to not cover the dead at least not in terms of physical pain. Sprinkle in some cases of destructive behaviour, call him a menace, and he's free game. They could do anything to him because laws about torture don't apply, which is 'good' and terrible for its own reasons, but…"
Tucker paused and looked over to Danny, "You admit it yourself you don't know much about the Ghost Zone, or ghosts in general. Sam, and I on the other hand do. However we are protected by human law, but if we weren't…"
Danny's eyes flashed and the temperature in the room dropped, "They want to kill you?" He hissed.
"Or at least half kill us, just enough to deem us as inhuman." Tucker said pushing his point, not paying attention to how his breath was clear to see in the sudden cold. "If they can recreate Danny's accident on us the ball would be in their court. All they have to do is study us, and then have us 'accidently' escape. One panic, and anger fueled rampage from us is all they would need. And then," Tucker waved a hand in an arch, presenting an imaginary press conference, ", 'We told you they were dangerous, but don't worry because your friendly neighbourhood government will make sure you'll stay safe'."
"I do not understand." Starfire said, "Why would they do that?"
Sam held up her free hand the other tightly holding Danny's own, "Power, recognition, for the sake of science, to have more than one test subject so they don't have to be so careful, or just for their own sick enjoyment." Sam said collapsing her fingers with each reason she listed. "Pick one, or make another one up."
The world hazed red, and Robin clenched his teeth to force himself not to shout."They will not touch you." He growled out.
A pitying look crossed Sam's face, "Robin-"
"No!" He voice his rage, "What they want to do is against everything that justice stands for." His fingers leaving indents in his gloved palms, "I will not let them. People are not test subjects, and they will learn this even if I have to force them to."
Danielle scoffed, "That's a fine and dandy idea, but it won't work. They don't care, and have most of America and the mortal fear of ghosts on their side." Danielle said starkly, "Just shouting about their evil wouldn't change anything especially since your argument's can be explained away with a simple overshadowing."
"Then what do you suggest we should do?" He snapped, the feeling of being useless was starting to grate on him.
"What Clockwork wants you to do." Danielle said calmly, "You and Starfire should go back to the Jump City, and kick the G.I.W's operation out. You know reclaim your city before then make it into another Amity Park. While this goes on Danny, Tucker, and Sam go to the watch tower and experience jail Justice League style. Also stay away from Slade, Deathstroke whatever. The longer it takes for him to realize you're not going to join him the better. Anymore questions?"
Tucker shifted in his seat. Looking as awkward as he did on his first day of high school. Seeming to get over his inner struggle he spoke, "Yeah how is Val, ah," Tucker sent him and Starfire a quick glance, "the Red Huntress doing?" Tucker asked.
Danielle expression softened, "She's doing fine, even though Clockwork does say she's," Danielle hand clenched an invisible staff, her voice shifting into a familiar baritone, "Acting like an impulsive child." Danielle voice changed back, "Then again she is getting into some very dangerous situations, which I can't tell you about because knowing you three you'll try to help her." Danielle blinked at Danny's hanging jaw, "What?"
"He's surprized that you can mimic." Tucker said, cutting off Danny's incoming rant, "What is the Red Huntress is doing? I won't accept anything other than the truth. Clockwork telling you not to tell us doesn't count."
"Okay. I won't tell you, because she made me promise that I wouldn't." Danielle replied. "She doesn't want you to worry."
A frown pulled at Tucker lips, "Danielle, I don't want her to get hurt because she's trying to clear our name."
"She's not trying to clear your name anymore." Danielle said, "That what Jazz and your parent's are doing. Huntress figured whatever she does would be pointless since she works outside the law, and whatever information she stole couldn't be used. So, she's doing something, ah, different on Clockwork's urging that is."
"Wait." Sam said holding up a hand, "Huntress, all ghosts except the ones I know are evil and should be killed, Huntress. That Huntress listened to Clockwork?"
"Not just listened to him. She took his advice, and does missions for him too." Danielle said conspiringly, "I know it's crazy."
The Convicts looked to each other varying levels of disbelief playing out on their faces. Danny was the first to gather his thoughts, "Why is she helping him?"
"I can't tell you that, not because she told me not to, but because I don't know." Danielle said her eyebrows coming together in thought, "All I know is that her motives has something to do with the Guys is White, and why the smarter ghosts are avoiding the human realm. Well you already know that, like, when was the last time you were attacked by a ghost?"
"Not since we left Amity Park." Sam said, her face drawing pale, "What are they doing?"
Danielle sighed, her feet scuffing ancient leather as she crossed her legs, "They're avoiding you. I know cause they're avoiding me too. Not even Youngblood will talk to me anymore." She muttered, her hand glowing softly, a tin covered in the same soft light floated over her. She opened the tin and offered its contents, "Kourabiethes? They're Greek almond cookies straight from the Ottoman Empire." She waved the tins contents releasing a sweet aroma into the air.
Danny sat up his eyes wide at the still glowing tin, "You know telekinesis?" He exclaimed, ignoring the treats and how his stomach very audibly growled. "How, who taught you?"
"I got Box Ghost to show me how." Danielle replied her eyes rolling in exasperation, "So annoying, but so worth it. Wait, can't you-"
"No. Not like that." Danny said a little hotly, "I don't exactly have people around me to tell me how this all works."
Robin eyebrow raised at Danny's exclamation, "I thought Clockwork was your guardian."
"He's the type to set up other things to teach me then to teach me himself." Danny explained, "That ambush he pulled back there? That was rare." He looked over to Danielle, "I bet he never actually fought you."
Danielle nodded, "Yep. Open a portal and have me fight ninja ghosts? Yes. Fight me himself? No way."
Danny crossed his arms, "Right, now that we covered Clockworks techniques. Danielle, telekinesis?"
"Just think about moving something and throw in some hand movements." Danielle said, plopping a cookie into her mouth, "For mimicry try to copy someone else's speech patterns and the rest should come easily. At least it did for me." Danielle bit into another cookie chewing thoughtfully, "From what I've seen jail is pretty boring. No matter how awesome the Watch Tower is you will need to entertain yourself. Practice there for however long you stay in, and at the end you should get the hang of it."
"You made the power seem easy to use." Starfire said pulling into the conversation, "But if it will take all a jail sentence to understand…"
Danielle laughed, sharp and boastful, the tin leaving her hands and free floating over to the smirking Convicts, "That's rich," Danielle said between snickers, "you actually think they'll serve out their sentences." She wiped laughter induced tears away her green eyes twinkling in mirth, "Lady, if there is one thing I've learned from hanging out with these guys is that the universe hates them. Something absolutely stupid will come along, and they will get out whether they want to or not. It's really only a matter of how soon." Danny grinned flying up from her seat, "Now, who wants to see my scrapbook?"
