Disclaimer

The characters in this story are the property of DC Comics and Warner bros I used them in this story which is entirely a product of my own imagination.

Chap 29

Watch tower – the next day

"My feet are killing me!" Flash complained, nursing his ankle.

"Yeah, rough night!" GL sighed.

"Heard from Diana yet?" Hawk girl asked, as she walked in with an ice moocha.

"Nope!" GL replied weakly, "I still don't understand why she insisted on going alone."

"I don't think we need to bother about her." Hawk girl said, stretching her legs as she sat in the chair.

"Well, I don't know. But the way she acted…I think I am beginning to question her motives. I mean she simply left without an explanation, leaving us to deal with the dead old man. Not that I complain of taking the responsibility, but I think she should've told us what she's up to. We are doing so much for her and…"

"GL, if she thought it was necessary to tell us, she would've! Why create fuss about it? We're helping her because she is our friend and not as a favor."

"I don't know! I mean…may be, but when am expected to vouch for before the police, I would certainly love to know what I'm doing it for."

"Lantern, I thank you on behalf of her!" Hawk girl said sardonoically, "If it wasn't for you, they'd have put her in jail!"

"Comm'on, she almost knocked that constable over." GL protested, "If I didn't know her better, even I would've thought that she's responsible for the death."

Hawk Girl remained silent while GL fixed his gaze on her, determined to get an answer.

"She's coming," Jonn said suddenly, pointing to a small blip on the computer.

Hawk Girl rose to her feet and GL moved to Jonn.

"So, has she been at the same spot all the time?" he asked.

"Yes," Jonn said, "She's been at the same spot."

Before GL could say what he wanted to, the door to the hangar opened and the invisible jet landed. Diana walked in. Hawk Girl restrained herself from asking what was wrong, GL's suspicions seemed to catch up on her too. So, GL took the charge.

"We might want to have an explanation" he said.

Diana raised her head slowly. Her eyes were red and the face was dull. She did not look to be in a mood to answer questions, but GL wouldn't give up.

"Well…" he raised his eye brow.

"I went to Mark!" she said, slowly.

"We all could've gone to Mark, together, after we dealt with the issue in hand." GL said.

"I…I couldn't stop myself! First it was my sister, and then…this man…" Diana's voice trailed off.

GL squinted at her. Something in her manner did not convince him that she was telling the truth. Diana became mindful of it. She looked ta Hawk Girl, but she seemed to be no help.

"And what did you learn from Mark?" GL asked, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Nothing other than what I expected to learn." Diana said evasively.

"Enlighten us!" GL said.

Diana realized that there was no way out.

"Mr .Trouser was suspicious of Mark. He had blackmailed to press charges against him. The rest is plan and simple." She explained.

"And what about the evidence? Did you find out about the evidence you were talking about?" Hawk Girl asked.

"We never got there," Diana shook her head.

"But you do have the confession that Mark is responsible for Touser's death! Isn't that good enough to convict him?" GL asked.

"I'm afraid, I don't have the confession recorded. Only I know that he had done it." Diana said.

"Well isn't that good enough? You can testify in the court!" Flash suggested.

"My testimony won't be valid." Diana replied.

"Why?" GL frowned. "You are not involved or intimate with either party this time. I'm sure court would…"

"What if Mark denies it? What evidence do I have to prove my point?" Diana cried.

"Why are you worried about that? You are the evidence in this case, and your job is to testify. The rest will be taken care of by the law." GL shrugged.

"That's the reason why we Amazonians hate man's world. It takes you years to convict a criminal, and if he is affluent as mark, he can get away with in the meantime. If he were in Amazon, he'd have been banished from the island, which is equivalent to death sentence in your world. And it would've been on the very day he caused the death of innocent kids"

Her outrage stunned the others. Diana breathed heavily and her eyes were blazing red. GL did not dare to pursue the matter any further. Diana looked around at the dumbfounded leaguers, and silently walked away to her dorm.

-

Wayne Manor

"I don't understand why you're thinking so much about something so obvious, Bruce!" Clarke said.

Bruce looked at him briefly ,and then threw the final dart. It missed the center by a fraction, again! Bruce slammed the table in disgust.

"You know, I may not be as bright as you are, but if you tell me what your problem is, I might be able to provide you with a fresh perspective." Clarke said, throwing his dart, which hit the target precisely. He suppressed his smile of satisfaction on having hit the target, for he knew that something was more important than the game of darts they had been playing since morning. Clarke would never miss the target, he was blessed with that kind of vision. Bruce would normally have not missed the target either, the marksmanship acquired through training. But that day, he hadn't hit it even a single time.

Bruce sighed as he sat back in the chair, his palm to his forehead.

"I understand that you are absent minded. But you need to understand that I have been staying with you for the last two days, barring that trip to Your Voice office. And after my report on the trip, I haven't been doing anything productive. Although I appreciate your hospitality, I see no point in my staying here if I am of no use to you." Clarke's frustration was clear in his remark.

"All right, Clarke, here goes. Diana says that her sister has been killed by Mark. As it turns out, either he did notMark made an attempt on my life. And now, Mark says that someone intends to kill him, a woman! How do they all connect together?" Bruce asked, rubbing his eyes.

Clarke thought for a while.
"Well, we know that Mark hasn't killed Diana's sister."

"The who did?" Bruce interjected, leaning forward.

"May be she committed a suicide. Or maybe she simply does not exist." Clarke suggested.

"But we know that we have a character called Lisa in this whole business!" Bruce reminded.

"Well?" Clarke frowned.

"Mark did admit that he knew Lisa!" Bruce said.

"You didn't tell me that!" Clarke protested.

"I am…now!" Bruce said, "But to the point!"

"Did he confess that he had killed her too?" Clarke asked.

"He confessed having attacked her, in the fit of desperation. And then he fled, even before he realized that she was dead." Bruce said.

"So, he didn't know that she was dead, until you told him yourself." Clarke remarked.

"Yes," Bruce nodded.

"Then who do you think is this woman he is talking about?" Clarke raised his eyebrows suggestively.

"I don't think she'd do that, Clarke!" Bruce shook his head.

"How can you be so sure? I tell you, it was her!" Clarke pressed.

"All right, let's get back to your point. Why would Diana, if she was Diana, advertise her sister's death in such a manner?" Bruce pointed out.

"I…I don't know about it. I need to ask her, and that's what I intend to do, right now!" Clarke said as he rose. Bruce quickly grabbed his arm and pulled him back into the chair. It wasn't the force but the element of surprise which made Superman yield.

"Gimme a break, Bruce! You pursue your line of investigation, and let me pursue mine!" he cried.

Before bruce could say anything, Dick barged into the study unannounced. He was panting and his face had lost its color.

"What is it, Dick?" Bruce rose up from the chair instantly.

"Bad news! Mark…he's dead…has been killed!" Dick said between heavy breathes.

"What?" Clarke stood up with a jerk.

"And guess who was the last person to see him alive!" Dick nodded suggestively.

"You…you don't say!" Bruce stammered.

"Yes, Bruce! It was Wonder Woman"