…
Eight.
…
No one wanted to say it, but there was one thing on everyone's mind.
The team managed to collectively clean up the many pieces that used to belong to Red Tornado. He may have been a robot, but that doesn't change the fact that he was still technically dead.
For the next few hours, the team did what they could, trying to put Red Tornado back together, even using the spare parts he had kept in his "room" at the cave, but to no avail. There were too many pieces that were literally ripped apart, like some sort of savage medieval torture ritual.
The team had decided that they would have to do something with the pieces of Red Tornado that were left. They thought that it might be good to have a type of ceremony for him, and being that they couldn't reach the outside world at all to contact some kind of help, they had to do it on their own. The cave doesn't exactly have the best cell reception, and they seemed to be stuck, with all of the exits sealed and the zeta tubes offline.
Yes, something was definitely wrong, and yet no one wanted to talk about the fact that there was a possible traitor among them. No one wanted to throw anyone under the bus. And how could they? They were, after all, teammates, friends, family, even. These were all trusted companions, and no one wanted to blame anyone for what had just happened.
So they just didn't.
…...
The teens all put their own work into Red Tornado's, "tomb," of sorts, and when it was finished, they all helped put him in it.
"Alright, that's enough for one afternoon," Black Canary said. She had been the first to speak since the team had started working on their project. "We can say our goodbyes after we all take a break and have some dinner."
They all looked to each other and back, and then over to Red's display case. They all agreed that they needed a break, and food was probably the best way to do it.
Black Canary and M'gann elected themselves to be the ones to make dinner while the others relaxed. Honestly, the rest of them had drawn the short straws, because at least Black Canary and M'gann had something to keep their minds occupied. The others were only able to pretend that what had just happened.
Half an hour later, dinner was ready.
Everyone ate in silence. Even Wally, who usually slurped and chomped loudly, was quiet in the time that followed.
When everyone was finished, they silently walked back to the place where their friend was tucked away. They didn't have any flowers or even a place to actually put him (how would one go about burying a robot, anyways?), but they made do with what they had. Canary began to speak.
"We all knew Red Tornado as a powerful machine, but he had his touching moments. He was a friend and a mentor to all, and he may have even argued that we mentored him. It was his desire to be more human, and in some ways, he was the most human of us all." She looked around at the young faces that looked back at her, full of something that she couldn't quite put her finger on. She continued. "Maybe, when we find our way out of this mess, we'll be able to," she paused, trying to find her words, "we'll be able to… find a way to bring him back."
The team and Black Canary all bowed their heads, taking a moment in the silence, before heading off for bed.
Two of the teens, however, stayed behind.
"You thinking what I'm thinking?" There was a slight pause.
"We should not jump to conclusions, especially since the only people around here to blame for this…unfortunate incident…are our friends."
"Kaldur, don't be naïve. You saw the remains of his…body. That wasn't an accident."
"Roy, these are our friends," Kaldur stressed again, hoping to set the red head straight. Roy sighed.
"Look, I know it's hard for you to see the worst in people, and I'm not saying that this is any easier for me, but... someone here had it out for Red for one reason or another, and we have to find out who it was…and why." Kaldur opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, he was interrupted by another voice.
"You can't seriously be talking about this, right?" The archer and the Atlantean both looked over to find Conner walking over to them.
"You can't seriously think that this," Roy gestured to the makeshift display case, "was all an accident."
"Not really, but that's easier to say than suggesting that someone here did it."
The three boys sat in painful silence for a few moments until they realized how late it was.
"Perhaps we may discuss this tomorrow, when we are not so weary."
"Agreed." Conner looked over to Roy. "We're too tired to play detectives, Roy. Maybe some sleep will help us clear our heads a bit."
…
Robin looked at his reflection in the mirror as he brushed his teeth. He realized how tired he looked.
He felt the rush of air before he saw him.
"Hey, Wally."
"How'd you know it was me?" Wally mock-pouted.
"Dude, I don't know anyone other than the Flash who creates a gust of wind when he enters a room, and since he isn't here… well, process of elimination." Robin laughed. Wally gave a defeated sigh.
"Well if you're so smart, then can you tell me why I'm here?" Robin's smile fell.
"I can guess." He turned to face Wally. "You want me to tell you who I think did it?"
"Well, you are a detective and you do kinda do this stuff for a living, so…" he shrugged.
"Forget it, Wally. I'm trying really hard not to think about what happened today. I can barely think straight normally, and now…?" he shook his head.
"Oh, come on!" Wally begged his friend. "You must have some ideas as to what happened here!"
Robin sighed. He looked as though he was about to say something.
"Well?"
"Well… I don't know. It's just… it's all so hard. I know that whatever happened to Red was no accident. I just can't pin it on one person."
"Wait, what do you mean?" Wally asked.
"Well, he was pulled apart, right? How could he have been pulled apart like that if it was just by one—" The rest of Robin's sentence was cut off by a piercing shriek that sounded like Black Canary.
Before they knew it, they were running through the halls with the rest of the team, trying to locate the source of the cry.
"M'gann," Kaldur asked. "Can you see if you can track Black Canary?" M'gann nodded and began her mental search. A minute or so later, she stirred again.
"I've got our lead!" she said as she dashed away, the rest of the team following.
They were lead into a room that was locked from the inside.
"Are you sure she's in there?" Artemis asked.
"I know she's in there," M'gann nodded.
"But the door's locked!" Zatanna yelled.
"I've got this," Conner assured.
"Dude, that's the interrogation room! Not even Superman could get in or out without a key!" Wally shouted.
As everyone freaked out and began to yell at each other, Robin was quietly trying to override the computer system that kept the door locked. Several minutes later, the door popped open.
"Uh, guys?" he interrupted, "we're in."
Everyone flooded into the door. There was another door that led to where the actual interrogations took place. The only things that separated the team form Black Canary were a piece of one-way glass and yet another locked door. Robin got to work on it.
M'gann, Artemis, and Zatanna shrieked.
"What? What is it?" The girls pointed to the one-way glass and into the interrogation room. There lay Black Canary, unmoving. Robin quickly picked the lock and opened the door. As soon as he did so, he immediately began to cough and sputter.
"Guys! …Re-breathers!" he managed to warn through his coughing. They did as he commanded without question. He looked at M'gann and tapped his head, signaling for a mental link, which she complied with.
"It smells like methane, and something else… it may be carbon monoxide. There's so much of it in here. Wally, what are the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning?" Robin asked, almost frantically.
"Umm… I think… nausea, dizziness, headache, fainting…" he rattled off in his head.
"Guys," Zatanna bent over Black Canary's unmoving body. "I think…" she felt for a pulse that weakened with every passing second.
"No! You're wrong!" Roy yelled through the mental link as he scooped Canary up, taking her out into the fresh air. The others sealed the doors again, keeping what was left of the noxious fumes inside. They then ran into the living room in a panic.
"Okay, okay, how do we save her?!" Artemis managed to yell. Everyone looked at Wally.
"Who died and made me the expert?" he said, immediately regretting it. "Sorry…"
"I dunno, your uncle works in a crime lab!" Roy accused.
"So?! Ugh… I don't know! Other than bringing her into fresh air, there's really nothing else we can do," he admitted sadly.
"There has to be something we can—"
"Guys?" Everyone looked down at Robin, who looked over to Kaldur. Kaldur removed his hand from Black Canary's neck, giving up on his search for her pulse.
"She is already dead."
…