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Broken Mirror (3/5)
A Justice League Unlimited Story
by BillA1
Copyright August 2007
Rating: (PG-13)
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CHAPTER THREE
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Asking only workman's wages, I come looking for a job, but I get no offers
Just a come-on from the whores on Seventh Avenue
I do declare, there were times when I was so lonesome
I took some comfort there.
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Shayera's mace hung on the wall in her room in the Watchtower. She glanced at it before resuming staring out her window at the rotating planet below. She knew all about Superman's phantom zone projector in that room and she would later confide to Carter that she thought he was actually going to use it on her. Being summoned before them out of the blue like that was terrifying and she was increasingly becoming bitter with the knowledge that working together for almost ten years had no meaning to the rest of them. She'd never get the benefit of the doubt on anything.
She'd never forget this experience, they'd made sure of that and yet she wondered. As long as she was on this planet, would she ever stop paying for her part in the invasion or for simply being a Thanagarian?
Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Who is it?" she called out.
"John!"
She didn't want to see anyone right now, least of all him. "This is not a good time. Go away," she answered.
She heard a click and pop and then her door opened and John strode in. "It was important that I see you," he said as he closed the distance to her.
"So you overrode the security system to open my door," Shayera said softly. She frowned and looked out the window again. "Everyone gets to override my wishes around here, don't they?" Her voice started to rise. "Oh, but wait! I forgot I'm the traitor and liar. I don't get a say in anything, do I?"
John frowned. "I just wanted to see you. Wally told me about you being blamed for a bank robbery and the miserable way they summoned you before them."
Shayera looked past John to her open door. "So did you come to ask me where I was when this crime against humanity was committed?"
"No and if I'd been here you wouldn't have been summoned before the others the way you were. They owe you more respect than to treat you like that."
Her frown matched his. "You don't get it, do you? You just opened my door without giving it a second thought. All of you can open my door anytime you want. How many doors do you think I can open? Go ahead. Guess. Did you say none? No one here trusts me. If an ant sneezes, I'm expected to explain my role in his catching cold. Don't kid yourself, John. You're not my protector. This traitorous alien doesn't have a protector on this planet."
She turned her back on him as she continued. "There's not a doubt in my mind Superman was going to send me to his phantom zone if I gave him the wrong answer. You weren't going to stop my being called to explain this or anything else that happens to me. This is my problem and despite your standing in my room now, you've made it clear to me you aren't interested in what happens to me or my future." She moved to her window, keeping her back to him. "Now go. I'm sure Vixen's looking for you. Probably has some take-out she wants you to get her or some foreign, exotic restaurant she wants you to take her to."
"Vixen's not my keeper. I'll leave when I'm ready and not before. And I'm not ready."
Shayera snapped her head around. She walked to the wall and removed her mace from its hook, glaring at John the entire time. "Now why doesn't that statement surprise me? I couldn't stop you from coming in here and I certainly can't make you leave, can I?" She walked to the door. "Then stay, but I'm leaving. Lock my door on your way out. I'm sure you have the code." She stopped at the doorway. "Just be careful you don't trip over the short leash Vixen has on you when you leave."
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The mochas Carter Hall made in his apartment were almost as good as those Wally use to make in the old Watchtower Shayera thought as she slowly sipped her drink. She needed this after her confrontation with John in her room. The comment about Vixen's short leash on John wasn't fair, but it felt good to say anyway.
John was probably trying to offer comfort in his own way. But accepting anything from him now only made things worse. He'd already stated he wasn't interested in building a future with her and honestly, John had been one of the reasons she hadn't left the planet yet. She frowned. She really didn't want to ask herself now the question she asked herself every night: If John was in love with someone else, why was she still here?
She leaned back on Carter's couch, allowing her wings to flex ever so gently, and sipped her drink. Carter sat across from her drinking an iced tea with the coffee table between them. Shayera reflected that had she been with John in his apartment at this moment she might have had a beer instead. But somehow, right now, a mocha and iced tea with Carter just seemed right.
They sat their drinks down. Carter's apartment was neat, but lavishly furnished; a stark contrast from John's sparely furnished place. He leaned forward toward Shayera who had leaned back against the sofa and now fully spread her wings in relaxation. She'd just closed her eyes when Carter asked, "So why didn't you tell them you were with me when the bank was being robbed?"
Shayera opened her eyes and stared into Carter's smile. She leaned forward. "I shouldn't have to tell them anything at all. They should know I wouldn't do such a thing."
Carter nodded and leaned back in his chair. "You're right. After all, they should know that because you have proven that you'll lie, kill and betray." He paused. "Yeah, it was pretty stupid of them to think that you might steal too."
Shayera frowned. "You've made your point. But if I was Diana or Superman, my integrity wouldn't be questioned."
Carter laughed and stood. "You obviously weren't on the planet when Supermen went rogue, were you? Anyway, it's not like we did anything, but you shouldn't be ashamed to tell them I am your alibi." He walked back to his kitchen.
Shayera stood and followed. "You mean say something like: I couldn't have done it because I was playing chess with a man who believes he's my reincarnated husband."
He stopped and said without turning around. "You don't have to be kind. What you're trying not to say is that the nut job who thinks that he's the reincarnation of someone who supposedly killed you eight thousand years ago for being unfaithful, wouldn't be a credible witness, right?"
He turned around to face her and she saw the look of hurt in his face. "Oh, Carter, that's not it," she said. "I'm not ashamed of you, but you can't help me. I don't think anyone can."
He pointed to his coffee maker and said flatly, "More mocha?"
She shook her head and said, "My point is why should I have to prove anything to anyone on this planet?"
Carter turned and walked back to the living room. "You don't," he said as he gestured for her to sit down on the couch. She shook her head indicating she wanted to stand. "I know this will sound strange," he continued as he sat in his chair. "But just hear the 'nut job' out first, okay?"
She picked up her coffee cup as Carter continued. "Eight thousand years ago you and I ... " He stopped noting her expression of amusement. He grinned. "Let me start that again. Eight thousand years ago, two Thanagarians were stranded on this planet. But they adapted and survived ... no, they thrived. And you can do the same thing. Regardless of what you think about us being the spirits of those long dead people, I know what you're going through."
She rolled her eyes. "You do, huh?"
Carter nodded, stood and stepped closer to her. "You're stranded here. Shayera, I know what it means to a Thanagarian to be without a mask." He paused letting that sink in. "The others don't know ... they can't know, but I do. I know the significance of the colors you wear ... and the colors you don't wear."
She looked into his eyes. "Carter, you're very sweet and all, but ..."
He cut her off. "I'm not asking for us to be lovers. I'm not asking you to take my colors. Hell, I took yours." He flashed a quick smile as he added, "And I know whose colors you took."
He paused and frowned. "All I'm saying is that you don't have to be alone anymore. Anytime you want to talk, I can listen. Feel like playing chess, I can take you on. Feel like riding the thermals in the Grand Canyon, I'll go with you. Feel like sex, I'll try to accommodate." He flashed a smile at her shocked expression.
Shayera flopped down on the couch and was quiet for a moment. Then she snickered. "Let's start with three out of four." Her smirk widened. "Carter, this is a nice gesture on your part. But why? Aside from hope you might get lucky again one day."
Carter laughed out loud, sat down next to her and shook his head. "You couldn't be more wrong. I guess I could say it's something I think I owe you for being responsible for killing you a lifetime ago, but that would be a lie and it would only marginalize the truth. We both know how the story is supposed to end and your happiness is all that matters to me. Can you look me in the eyes and tell me you're happy with the way everything is between you and Lantern?"
He didn't wait for her to answer before adding, "I think not. I owe you something that I couldn't give you eight thousand years ago. I owe you friendship and that's what I'm offering you now; friendship and nothing more." He looked in her eyes. "I know what it is to love someone ... who loves someone else."
Shayera silently reflected for a moment on what Carter had said. Slowly her faint smile widened into a full grin as she picked up her cup and offered it to Carter. "Thank you, Carter; and I think I will have some more of that mocha, after all."
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(The next day)
Waller had just finished reading a report from the Seattle, Washington, division of S.T.A.R. Labs on psychology and psionics of meta-humans. She had questions that she wanted to have answers for before she passed a copy of the report back to the Justice League. She was startled by Batman's voice as he said, "I got your message. You have something for me."
Waller turned to find him standing behind her. She quickly overcame her surprise. "I have a front door and a secretary," she snapped. "Use them!"
Batman said nothing, not even a 'thank you' as she handed him an envelope. "Dorian is working for the Government at Mercury Labs on a project that involves animal DNA augmentation."
Batman tucked the envelope in a pocket in his cape. "That was his forte," he replied. "Years ago he altered the DNA of a friend of mine."
Waller cut him off. "We know all about his creation of Tygrus and his experiment on Selina Kyle in an effort to create a mate for his 'man-cat.'"
Batman's eyes narrowed. "And you let him work for you anyway. That doesn't surprise me."
Waller shook her head and said in her most pointed voice. "I'm not going to debate this with you. There is tremendous military application for a method that allows a whole army to temporarily gain the night vision capability of a cat or the foot speed of a leopard."
"Or the flying ability of a bird!"
Waller knew what Batman was implying. "That too, but I want to be clear on this. Dorian's work is important - more important than the Thanagarian. You understand what I'm saying."
She handed Batman a small plastic baggie that contained a couple of bird feathers. "Here. This came from the bank robbery. It was found near the door."
Batman took the baggie, gave it a cursory look and put it away. "Now, let me be clear," he snarled. "Shayera is more important to me than Dorian - or his work. She will not take the fall for this."
Waller raised her eyebrows and repeated, "And I want you to listen carefully. I will not sacrifice Dorian's work. Dorian will be going home early tonight. His lab door will be unguarded and the video camera in the room will be off between 9:15 and 9:30 for downloading and transfer to tape." She paused before adding. "If you're going to do this, don't let sentimentality stand in your way of doing it right."
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(Two hours later)
Batman sat in front of the Metrotower research computer with the information that Waller had given him earlier spread out in front of him. He was surprised that she had included building plans for the facility. Her words still echoed in his ear about sentimentality. She was trying to make a point, but he hadn't deduced what it might be yet. He pressed his finger to his ear. "Batman to Shayera."
"Go ahead," she answered.
"I need to see you now at the Metrotower," he said. He picked up the baggie Waller had given him and held it up to the light.
"One second. Give us a moment to land."
Us? He dropped the baggie on the papers in front of him. "Where are you?"
"The Grand Canyon."
Batman was silent for a second before replying. "I'm in the computer room."
"Right. Shayera out."
A few minutes later, Shayera and Hawkman walked into the room. When Shayera had said 'us,' Batman didn't think she meant Hall.
Hall extended his hand to Batman and said, "Good to see you, Batman."
Batman looked at the hand for a moment and ignored it along with Shayera's growl for him not shaking Hall's hand. "How long were you in the canyon?" Batman asked her.
"Maybe an hour or two, why?" The anger was still apparent in her voice.
"And you?" he said to Hall. "Were you with her?"
"I was. Now tell me, why does she need an alibi?" Hall answered. "That's obviously what you're getting to. Well, I was with her." Batman frowned and narrowed his eyes.
Hall didn't seem fazed as he added, "And the time before that, too."
"Carter!" Shayera exclaimed. Batman wasn't sure whether Shayera's exclamation was one of embarrassment or anger. The longer he thought about it, he decided it was anger.
Hall shook off Shayera's look as he said, "Look, this is Batman. If he didn't know already, he would have found out before too long." He turned to Batman. "So what happened?"
Batman looked at Shayera with raised eyebrows. "Hawkgirl just smashed the front window of a jewelry store and took a couple of hundred dollars worth of jewelry half an hour ago."
Shayera didn't hide her confusion. "That makes no sense. Why would some one rob a bank and take two hundred dollars or steal a couple of hundred dollars worth of jewelry?"
"To drive home the point that Hawkgirl is a criminal," Batman said. "And to make it harder for us not to turn you over to the authorities for questioning."
Shayera inhaled sharply and folded her arms across her chest. "I can face the authorities."
"Sure you can," Batman said in his most sarcastic tone. "And exactly how long do you think you'd survive as a 'guest' of the authorities?"
Hall stepped next to Shayera. "No one is turning her over, right?"
Hall wasn't sure and Batman decided to leave him that way as he looked at Shayera. "I thought we'd already had this discussion," Batman said firmly.
Shayera looked away from Batman's gaze before she sighed. Her shoulders slumped. "Okay, it was a bad idea, but I can't sit here and do nothing while what little good reputation I have left is destroyed by some imposter."
"That's right," Batman answered. "You can't sit here and do nothing. I need a flight feather." He turned to Hall. "From each of you."
Hall's eyes widened.
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To be continued
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