Another chapter my loyal minions! Time to get serious. Hope you all are enjoying and please do not forget to review.
WatchTower; March 28; 09:53
Artemis was not happy.
First, she had to go pay respects in some creepy-ass Gothamite cemetery to her not-so-dead friend, then her dumb-ass mentor/father figure magically poofs out of nowhere after three years of crap. To top all of that Kaldur was a traitor, Dick had been kidnapped by a psychopath, Jade was home with a baby worrying over her stupid husband, Conner and M'gann were obviously hiding something, Dinah wasn't answering her calls, Oliver wouldn't leave her alone and now Wally wouldn't stop pacing!
"Will you stop that!"
"You know I pace when I'm anxious!"
"That does not mean you have to burn a hole in the floor Baywatch!" she gestured to the footprint pattern scorch marks on the floor under Wally's feet. She pulled him onto the couch and shoved a spar bag of chips (she always kept one in her purse) into her boyfriends chest.
"Now it'll take weeks to scrub that out." she muttered.
Wally didn't comment and settled for eating through his feelings.
They were back at the WatchTower, much to Artemis' distaste, because Selina had woken up and apparently everyone had to be there to hear what she had to say. If Artemis was being honest with herself, she didn't want to be anywhere near the Leaguers. Not since Clark had told Oliver who in turn told everyone that Selina had told Bruce, Barry and Clark that Deathstroke was the one who shot her and kidnapped Dick over some 'personal business'.
She didn't understand. Selina had said that only a handful of people loyal to Selina knew where Dick was. Deathstroke didn't know about Dick. Hell, the whole world thought Dick Grayson was dead. And Dick had only resurfaced in January. That was three months ago! How the hell did that maniac know where he would be?
Wally caught her glaring at nothing.
"You're worried."
"No I'm not."
"Yes you are. That's your 'I'm worried but want to look tough' look."
"Well what do you expect Wally? Selina was shot by a mad man who also kidnapped Robin and Kaldur's MIA along with Tula and Roy."
Wally put an arm around her, allowing Artemis to rest her head on his torso. She could hear his heart beat, a slow steady thump that she had grown used to in their tiny apartment.
SUPERBOY: B04; MISS MARTIAN: B05
A flash of light came from the zeta tube, Conner and M'gann appearing from it. The other couple sat down on the couch opposite of Wally and Artemis. The four shared a look, and after a single nod from Artemis they were free to speak in private inside their heads.
"Everyone online?"
"What's going one Conner?" Wally asked mentally.
"Batman said he had some questions for me. Probably about Kaldur."
"What about Kaldur?"
"Before he left he told me and Dick to lay low for a while. Probably because he knew that since the adults are back, anyone who thought that they were dead probably knows that's a lie now."
"Like Luthor and Queen Bee?" Artemis asked.
M'gann nodded. "When Conner was called in we figured that, since Luthor won't leave us alone for a second, he probably knows about the League."
"Great!" Wally mind-yelled. "Every super villain we know knows about us! Luthor has probably already sent word out to every major dirt bag he knows and now we're going to be hunted down and held hostage like we're side kicks all over again!"
"Is that why Deathstroke took Dick? Cause Luthor knew where he'd be?"
"But why?" M'gann thought. "Dick's been back since January. Why take him now?"
"Maybe it has to do with the League's coming back?"
Conner grunted, "Oh course this is their fault."
M'gann decided it was time to change the subject. She really didn't want to discuss the possibility that her friends were in danger because of the Justice League and her uncle."How's Selina doing?"
"She's fine." said Wally. "Taking it easy after a little freak out with Supes but Barry said she just needs some space."
"Wish they would give us some space." Conner grumbled.
M'gann wanted to tell her boyfriend to settle and that it wasn't the Leagues fault, but Batman chose that exact moment to enter the room.
"Conner. We need to talk." Was all he said.
The young kryptonian sighed, squeezed M'ganns hand, then left with the older hero.
Gotham; March 28; 15:06
Barbra Gordon was finally getting over the initial shock of seeing the dead come back to life. She kept herself occupied by making a pot of tea for herself and for Kate, whenever the older woman got back. Of course, Kate wouldn't be back till late after she spent the night patrolling Gotham as the rumored 'Batwoman'. She was a lot like Bruce in a way; stubborn, bossy, tough, overprotective at some times and was showing signs of living up to the famous bat-paranoia.
Barbra shivered as her mind wandered at the thought of bats. Mostly to Selina and Dick. Bruce, Barry and J'onn had carried a bleeding Catwoman into her apartment (the blood stains were still in the carpet), preformed a emergency operation and removed several bullets from her chest, took some of Barbra's spar bandages and left leaving the young woman shell shocked and confused. Not even a full twenty-four hours back and already people were getting hurt beacuse of the League. Now, thankfully, Selina would be okay and back in Gotham in April.
The former vigilante poured herself a cup of tea and sat on the couch opposite of the wall and TV. Turning the flat screen onto the evening news, a small crime had been stopped by a woman in red (suspect the Batwoman). The would-be criminals had been tied up and found hanging from a lamp post.
Barbra looked at her cell phone, checking if she had any new emails or texts. When nothing came up, she pulled her giant laptop from the coffee table onto her lap and began her favorite game. Hacking into various government agencies databases. Once she had full control over the CIA, FBI, Interpol, Home Land Security and others, she focused on a specific database. Pulling up surveillance cameras and computer files from Black Gate Prison. Since most of the prisoners at Arkham got blown away by Joker, those special few criminals that needed a home were sent to Gotham's Home for Criminal Losers.
She had been hacking into these things since she was fifteen. Dick had taught her what he knew, knows, and since she couldn't find it in her heart to put on a costume and do some butt kicking herself, she settled for making life at Black Gate unbearable. She would reset time lines, clocks, change the menu for each inmate so they had to eat only week old beef stew, set off loud music in the sound proof cells to annoy those occupying with the latest Katey Perry song; anything to screw with the charged criminals.
But besides messing prisons, Barbra hacked her way into street cameras and live security footage to either make sure Kate wasn't caught on camera, or looking. Always looking for the same thing. Anything that would give them a clue as to where Joker was hiding. Nobody knew where the mad clown had vanished to after he blew up Gotham. When Selina woke up she said Joker was half dead. She had left him there to die after that. Kate tried the answer out of every criminal she came in contact with but no such luck. They had even gone as far as asking Cobblepot (who handled any mafia bosses and most shipments into and from Gotham) and Black Mask (who was handling any underground business in Gotham)[both wanted the clown's head on a spike and were more than willing] for aid in the search for the asshole who nearly killed them and ruined their businesses in Gotham.
Two years and not so much as a green hair or a smile painted on a building. It was like Joker didn't even exist anymore.
But still, Barbra Gordon was a Bat through and through, and being a Bat came with paranoia that rivaled the size of America itself. She'd be damned if she never got the chance to stick a Batarange in Joker's side.
BEEPBEEP-BEEPBEEP
Her cell phone went off from the coffee table. It was a text from Zatanna;
Z: open window
B: what?
Z: NOW!
Barbra, curious as to why Zatanna needed her to open the window, walked over to the closed glass and unlocked it, pushing it open. She looked at the ground for her friend but there was no sign of-
BEEPBEEP-BEEPBEEP
Z: LOOK OUT!
She didn't notice as a female body crashed through the window and landed on her. The two flew across the apartment and stopped when they hit the wall, Barbra being crushed by the magician as the two groaned in pain.
"What the hell, Zee?"
"Uh... Sorry. Bad portal spell. Ended up rocketing myself. Had to bail fast and your place was the first place that came to mind."
"Bail from what? I thought you were in Peru?"
Zatanna sat up off the red head. "I was. Do you have any idea how hard it is to concentrate on creating a magical transportation connection between two continents while aiming for a specific city? I almost ended up in Canada."
"Fun." Barbra sat up so she was at eye to eye level with the other girl. "Why are you here anyways?"
"We found something I thought you'd be interested in."
"What?"
Zatanna held up a USB key. "In Peru, Victor tracked down an old factory owned by LexCorp. Everything we found in the building or from uploading data from the old computers is on here. Victor has the only other copy we made, but said we should have someone on the outside with a copy just in case." She handed the key to Barbra. "Vic also said that we should give a copy to Roy, that he'd know what to do with it."
The young detective studied the small key, "So what did you find?"
"Take a look."
It took only two minutes for the USB to fully download onto Barbra's computer. She searched through the files, pulling up reported documents and pictures that seemed to connect to several reports of tests and experiments carried out by scientists. Most of them involved two specific test subject but as Barbra dug deeper into the reports for a name or anything could identify the subject, the reports suddenly cut off.
"Where did you say you got this?"
"LexCorp Laboratories in Peru. BB just happened to stumble upon the site while we were looking into an old JL case. Poor kid nearly wet himself."
"This is disgusting." Barbra commented as she looked through the photos. "Why would anyone do this? Why does Vic think Roy needs to see this?"
Zatanna merely shrugged. "Who knows what goes through that metal head of his. Anyways, know where I can find Roy?"
"Probably in Star City. He has an apartment there with Jade. But I'd ask Oliver first just to make sure."
"Oliver, like GA? I thought-"
"MIA? Nope. Not anymore."
"WHAT!?"
"Yep. Everyone's back. Oliver, Barry, Clark, J'onn, even Orin and Bruce. They just showed up two weeks ago while we were at the old cemetery. Don't ask me how because they don't even know."
"So all your mentors just randomly showed up? You think that this means my dad, the others might-"
Barbra shook her head. "Honestly Zee, I don't know. Any Leaguers missing in the past year are still a no show. I'm sorry."
"S'okay." The black haired magician looked down solemnly. It made Barbra sad to see her friend loose the hope of seeing her father again, so she decided to distract her with some good news.
"But, hey! Guess who isn't dead apparently?"
"Who?"
"Dick Grayson."
"No. You're kidding me!? SERIOUSLY!?"
"Yep. Hard to believe right?"
"I'm going to kill that little imp when I get my hands on him!"
That made Barbra laugh, "You'll have to get in jerk disappears after Gotham goes up in flames, let's everyone think he's dead and never even bothered to give me a sign that he was okay. I only found out because Bruce and the others showed up at Dick's grave and we made Selina tell us where he was. Turns out he had been hiding out at some old apartment since January and Selina had been keeping it a secret."
"And she never thought that you would want to know!? God Barbra you were Dick's best friend in school! Hell I even dated him for a while! Didn't she think we might deserve to know that he was alive? We could have helped him!"
Barbra closed her laptop, not wanting to stare at the grotesque images as she thought of her friend. "To be completely honest Zee, I don't blame her. She was smart not to tell anyone."
"Are you crazy? If Dick really did survive Gotham and was alive all this time then when wouldn't he want to be with the people he loves? Why keep it a secret? Why not at least tell those who he knew he could trust? I get that Richard Grayson died in the explosions but Robin's death was never confirmed. He could have-"
"Something happened that night Zatanna." the older girl interrupted. "When we found him at the apartment he was so... defensive. Like he was afraid and angry at the same time. He was holding at gun at Bruce and wouldn't calm down until Selina told him to. The Roy and I got him alone but I freaked at him and he freaked back and ended up having a panic attack. Whatever Joker did to him that night, it broke him."
"We know what happened. Selina said that they were beaten and-"
"We only know Selina's side. But she backed out remember? We have no idea what happened between then and when she woke up." The red head took the USB key out of her laptop.
"I don't know where Roy is at this second, but I'll call up Oliver and see if he knows. You're welcome to spend the night if you want."
Zee nodded and hugged Barbra, "Thanks, but I told Victor I'd radio in from the Tower. Plus, no offence, but this city gives me the creeps."
"Call me the moment you find out what happened." The magician whispered to her friend.
"Of course. Same goes for you and the others if you find anything else. Don't be afraid to call if you need help."
"Will do."
When Zatanna left, via window potal, Barbra once again picked up her computer. The last image was still loaded onto the screen and it made the girl flinch. Not wanting to stare at the bloody scene any longer, she closed the tab and turned off the devise before lying on the couch with her legs on the arm rest.
I should probably send these to Bruce, see if he knows anything about them, she thought. She looked at the time. 4:35 PM. Maybe I'll look over them again with Kate first.
omg this was super long. I hadn't planned on it being this long but I was in such a good mood and everything has been flowing in my brain.
hope you enjoy!
review!
BYEBYE~