Author's Note: Holy Shit three whole chapters in one day! Four if you count the last one in FailsafeI am on a serious role. Not much to say here except that yes Roy knows who Robin is. I own nothing please review and enjoy.
3. Risky Business
Mount Justice, November 16th 7:00 am
Conner jerked awake to the distant sound of someone arguing. He had been a light sleeper since Robin, Kid Flash and Aqualad had woken him up at Cadmus. In the distance he could hear what sounded like Wally and Artemis arguing. He was about to pull his pillow over his head when he heard the distinct sound of Kaldur and Red arrow joining in. They almost always left Wally and Artemis to their arguments but not this time. He sat up and reached for his shirt. Pulling it on he headed for the door pausing for a second to scratch Wolf on the head. He walked out into the training area next to the zeta tubes and found the small group waiting around. Wally was yawning and had serious bed head. Artemis wasn't looking too much more awake. Red Arrow, or Roy as Robin Kaldur and Wally called him, was looking on edge and like he was about to leave Kaldur had turned when he head Superboy come in. The odd thing was Kaldur wasn't even supposed to be here. Kaldur was supposed to be in Atlantis. He was still wet, like he had only gotten here a short time ago.
"Conner, good to see you are awake my friend I was just about to fetch you and M'ggan." Conner nodded.
"What's going on? I thought you were supposed to be in Atlantis Kaldur." Kaldur nodded.
"I was until a few moments ago. I got an emergency signal from Batman requesting that I reconvene with the group immediately. I shall go fetch M'ggan." Conner nodded as Kaldur walked out of the room.
"And you guys?" Wally shrugged and stretched.
"No idea. I got a message the same as Kaldur. My first question was 'is Robin ok?' and he said it had nothing to do with Robin so that's good news." Artemis nodded and Roy spoke sounding annoyed.
"Look if this isn't about Robin I don't know why I'm even here." Wally smiled.
"Probably because Bat's threatened you with not getting to see Rob if you didn't cooperate." Conner didn't look past Roy's domino mask but he could tell that he was rolling his eyes. Kaldur reentered the room a sleepy eyed M'ggan in tow. The moment they reached the rest of the group the holo-screen in front of them sprang to life. Batman stared at them looking more grim than usual. Wally brightened.
"So rumor has it you have a mission for us?" Batman nodded.
"Diane Grayson has been kidnapped by the League of Shadows." There was no warning or sugar coating to his words just solid fact. Wally stopped breathing for a second as his heart dropped to somewhere near his sneakers. Roy pushed to the front of the group looking terrified.
"What!" Batman nodded.
"I can understand your distress Roy, I know you and Wally have been friends with Diane for years. That is the reason I included you on this mission Roy. You and Wally know Diane best and your knowledge may be invaluable to this mission." Roy cut across him as Wally stared, white as a sheet against his rumpled Flash t-shirt.
"And last I heard she was in a coma thanks to some freak horseback accident! What the hell happened!?" It was clear that Roy was pissed. Wally seemed too stunned to talk as Batman answered Roy's question.
"As far as we are aware she is still comatose. We do not know why the League of Shadows took her in her current state. Here is what we do know, this is a debrief so let me talk or I will pull you off the mission Roy." Roy glared looking mutinous but then several files opened on the screen in front of them and a picture of Diane Grayson, it had to have been her most recent school photo, flashed up on screen and his anger melted away.
"For those of you who don't know this is Diane Grayson, adoptive daughter of Bruce Wayne. She attends Gotham academy and spends her weekends volunteering at local charities. What sets her apart is the fact that besides the genius level IQ she happens to know the identities of several heroes, including Kid Flash and Red Arrow, though she first met him as Speedy. It is likely that the League took her because of this but it is unclear. From what we've been able to gather the league broke into Wayne manor, incapacitated Bruce Wayne's butler a man by the name of Alfred Pennyworth then broke into Diane's room. They shot and drugged Bruce Wayne and took Diane. From Wayne's description we have managed to identify the kidnapper as Talia ah Ghul, daughter of Ra's ah Ghul the ringleader of the League of Shadows." Another file popped up on the screen and Roy swore.
"Holy shit. You cannot be serious Bat's. You want them to go up against Ra's ah Ghul?!" Batman shook his head.
"No. There is no indication that Ra's is directly involved in the kidnapping. Normally this would be a Justice League matter however the league has been called off to assist Zatara in apprehending both Wotan and Felix Faust who appear to have teamed up. This is a very important rescue mission. Keep in mind that there is more than one life on the line. The life of two of your personal friends are on the line as well as the lives of those they care about. Keep in mind that the League of Shadows is not to be taken lightly. The last known coordinates we were able to track Diane to was a secluded corner of Northern Romania. I am sending the coordinates now. This is a covert rescue mission only. DO NOT engage Talia ah Ghul." The team all nodded and ran off to suit up.
Roy caught hold of Wally's arm before he could run after the others to get ready.
"I thought Batman said it didn't have anything to do with Robin." Wally nodded still insanely pale and looking scared but determined.
"Well I've been studying bat speak and technically it doesn't. Robin wasn't kidnapped. Diane was. So it doesn't have to do with Robin. But I think that it's about Robin, I mean I remember Robin telling me something about Talia being one of Batman's exes. It's possible that Talia knows." Roy nodded looking grim. Wally looked scared. Roy patted him on the arm.
"We'll get her back. We aren't losing her twice in two months." Wally nodded and Roy went back to staring at the files, as Wally raced off to change. Roy wasn't losing his little sister, not now. His earpiece beeped.
"Batman to Red Arrow."
"When did you start calling me that?" Roy frowned, why wouldn't Batman have just called back on the vid screen if he'd forgotten to tell them something?
"I was under the impression you wanted to lose the Speedy title. But I don't have time for that. It is imperative that the rest of the team does not find out that Diane and Robin are one and the same person. It is also possible that Diane may be awake when you find her. The League of Shadows has access to something called a Lazarus pit, it is possible they may have used it on her. Be prepared for anything, but Diane's secret cannot get out. I am relaying the same message to Kid Flash. It is up to the two of you to ensure that the rest of the team stays in the dark about this. Is that clear?" Roy nodded.
"Stupid but clear." He could practically hear Batman glaring.
'The Bioship is ready. Meet me in the hanger.' Miss Martian's voice rang through Roy's head and he nodded.
"Gotta go Batman, we'll bring her home safe." With that he shut off his earpiece and raced off to the hanger.
Back in the Batcave Bruce stared at the map and the blinking red light that signaled that he prayed was his daughter. He knew it was risky, he knew he could be sending the team into a trap but it was a risk he had to take. He put his head in his hands.
"You had better bring her home Roy, you'd better."