AN: gods, it took me forever to figure out where I wanted to go and how soon. Hopefully it'll pick up more. *crosses fingers* and no more distracts? (Ha, probably jinxed myself)
"So, it leads to there?" Kaldur ask the others once they were gather again at the Wayne manor. Before them is a map with pins on each city they found some suspcious activities in. "I wonder why so far?"
At the moment they were looking at a place in Greenland. Remote, volcanic place that most would rather not live on. It was certinally a puzzle as to why the trail lead them there.
"No idea." Wally mutters taking a bite out of a bannana. "But that's the direction we got there."
"Yeah, some of my contacts from overseas also showed the same indication there." Dick told them, "So it's international. Not just here."
"But why is the question. We haven't answered that yet." Conner eyed the map before glancing up at them. "We've got enough to help but this is just...ridiculous. It could take years to find out everyone."
"And not to mention who the ringleader is as well." Roy adds. "We'd have to bring people in. Others that can help us- even.." He looked as if he had eaten something bad, "Get the masters to help."
"Think we should?" Artemis frown a little at that. "I mean...we could solve this."
Kaldur was silent for a while longer before shaking his head, "No, I think we should include some of them. Roy is correct, this has become bigger than just money laundering from a few coperations. See there?" He turn towards the screen and shifts to a few records, "They are also moving things as well. What? I do not know. This could become more dangerous than we thought."
"I want to see this to the end." Megan says softly, "I- I know we need the help but we need to see what is happening."
Kaldur breaathes out for a moment, "I will speak to Bruce. He seems trustworthy enough to help. I suggest, Megan, that you speak with your Uncle. and Artemis- your mistress seems also to be able to be of some help as well. Dick, Wally, I need you two to research a bit more on what they're using those funds for or better, what is coming and going from that place."
"What about the rest of us?" Conner asks, "What do we do?"
"Keep an ear out from our friends. If anything moves now, we'll know about it."Kaldur told him though wonders how exactly did he become defacto leader of this ragtag group. All he did was made them aware of something strange and..well... "If none of them will help us, we'll do it ourselves. We need these in triplicates- or however many copies we can get. Just in case our first and second plan does not work."
With that, they dispersed from their metting place, though as they left Kaldur muses," It might be better if we meet next week. It seems to be coming too noticable."
"True." Dick agreed. "I'll find somehwere else for us to meet-"
"Why not our place?" Artemis glances over, "It's not too strange for people and pets to drop by like this."
Again, an agreement was made. Next week, at Queen's manor. Hopefully they wouldn't have to sneak around as much as they did now.
"Your majesty?" Lorena steps into the hotel room that she had been able to get for them. Really it was quite lavish than the other rooms she's ever stayed in. Still, they've been there for almost a week, and there was still no sign of the prince. However, she's heard many things about various other oddities that's happened in the months that have passed.
Particuly one being that strange men crashed a pet party at Oliver Queen's place. It was interesting tidbit, she wondered if it could be connected. Still, a little more digging in the old records and news media gave her a rather solid and big break.
"What news have you found?" Orin was rather disgusted by this world. The only good thing was their food, but aside from that he would rather have them all drown.
Garth served the tea to them all, having found that being a pet- depending on the 'master'- was almost no different from a servant. And thanks to Lorena, they managed at least a translation spell so they could understand others around them and even communicate with them just a bit.
"The prince has been taken in by a very affluent man named Bruce Wayne. He's the owner of Wayne Enterprises. " She said to him showing him what she found, "His office is located close to here. Mostly he stays in the city at the headquarters. He also has a home on the outskirts of the city as well."
The king nods picking up the cup of tea pondering for a moment, "When can we arrange to see him?"
"I have already taken the liberty of inquiring about that, your majesty." Lorena told him, "We were lucky enough to have a spot open around late noon, tomorrow."
Finally, the bearded king smiles at her, "Thank you, Lorena. You have done well. When the prince is secured and we return to Atlantis, then I shall reward you most handsomely for you part in this."
She bows, smiling just as widely, "Thank you, your majesty."
Garth wonders what the state of the prince would be. "We should be prepared." He said to his king once Lorena was gone, "Many of these people that were pets have become disturbed or even..well.. I wish not to alarm you."
"From what you've told me, Garth, I'm afriad that it may be the case with Kaldur'ahm." He sips the warm tea pondering more, "However, once we return home, I am certain he will become better."
"I hope so, your majesty. I really do."
He decides to tell him at the office. Mostly because he wants to give the others time to find out more informaiton before they act. Now that they know him, he could move as freely as he wants around Wayne Enterprises Headquarters. He walks right by the secertary with only a nod towards her before slipping into the room.
Bruce is looking over something on the computer and talking to someone on speaker. With him somewhat busy, Kaldur takes the moment to collect his thoughts. He has to figure out how to explain this to him. Hopefully in a way that Bruce will allow them to still somehow be part of the investigation.
They still don't have all the peices yet, which annoys him quite a bit. If only-!
"What brings you here?" Bruce's voice interrupts his thoughts. "You usually don't come here unless there's a reason."
"You are correct in that assumption- this time." Kaldur smiles slightly before striding over towards him, "I have ome to tell you something of great importance."
Bruce leans back, considering him for a moment, "Why not say what you want, a little closer?"
Kaldur surrpeses the need to roll his eyes before he moves around the desk and leans against it, "It's..about before. What I could not tell you."
That seemed to have his attention. So, while Kaldur explained not only his findings but also what they as a group had discovered, he found himself wanting very much to touch him. Not entirely sexual but because he is close and he is right there. He just really...
Almost as if sensing it, Bruce pulls the teen onto his lap, leaning back into the chair, this time he felt himself relax. Even though he is attentive, he wonders what happened to make him truly want to touch Kaldur like this. He hadn't noticed it before but today, it seems glaringly obvious, especially when he finds himself tempted to lightly bite that scar he left on the teen's neck. These possessive tendencies, he's noticed, increased quite alarmingly so since that night on his bathroom floor.
Even now, he's not quite certain what that exactly meant, however he pulls his full attention back to what Kaldur was saying finding himself puzzled as the teen was about it all. That attack at the party is somehow linked to this, that and the fact that Kaldur finally told him who they were made him even more worried and a bit angry.
"Why didn't you tell me any of this before?" He captures Kaldur's chin and made him look at him, "If what you said is true, we're damn lucky they didn't attack the manor."
"They did not notice my presence there." Kaldur fought the childish inclination to pout- just a little. "I was not sure if it was simply a robbery, which they are known for, or if they were searching for me. In either case, they did not strike again. However, I wonder if it is connected with the missing money and why that particular abandoned area where not many things can survive."
"Who knows?" Bruce lets his chin go but his hand drifted over the mark again. "What you've kids have done is remarkable though. "
"We wish only to help." Kaldur tilts his head a bit, enjoying the touch. "We want to know why and stop it. We suspect they may be moving cargo- or perhaps, if I dare to think it, that this cargo maybe be people."
Bruce stills for a moment, "You know what this mean?"
"Yes."
"We'll need more evidence."
"How much more does it take?"
"Until it's beyond a shadow of a doubt."
Kaldur sighs at that, wondering about it. If the theory was correct, though that would mean-
"Mr. Wayne, your twelve-thirty is here." The voice from the intercome announces.
"I should go." Kaldur reluctantly gets up to move.
Equally reluctant, Bruce lets him before leaning over to the intercome, "Send them in." To Kaldur, he stood and pulls the teen close before stealing a kiss from him. "I'll see you at home. We'll talk about this with the others as well."
"You mean?"
"Yeah. Besides, it'll be interesting to play detective for once." Bruce smirks a bit, "What do you say, Watson?"
Kaldur could only smile before turning to see the door open and his smile disappear underneath utter shock. Bruce, having not known what Kaldur had seen quite yet, wonders what the matter was before he also looks up to see his secertary letting in a blonde bearded man with a dark haired teenager next to him and an olive skinned woman that was before them.
Apparently they also weren't expecting this as well because the blonde man spoke Kaldur's name.
"Kaldur?" Bruce looks from the teen to them and back, "Do you know them?"
Awakwardly, Kaldur pushes away from Bruce feeling as if he had done something completely wrong. Still he bows his head, not even daring to look up at him.
"Kaldur?"
He finally turns his head back to Bruce who seemed on the edge fo panic and worry before saying, "I should. The blonde man befor you is my father, the King of Atlantis."
