Dinah pressed on the spot behind her left ear.
"Dinah..."
Then pressed it again...
"..." Silence.
...and once more...
"Are you done playing?"
"Babs, this is so..."
"Cool might be the word you're looking for, Dinah."
Barbara's voice sounded so clear she couldn't believe it.
"I was going to say so La Femme Nikita! This sub-cutaneous comm device rocks!"
"Dinah, Huntress already wore one some time ago. And would you stop it with the TV shows thing already? I liked you better when you sticked to The Godfather's quotes."
"Blame that to Ollie's older age and his like of lethal blondes. He made me watch the whole show under the excuse of my need of mastering blank stares and hiding feelings in action, the pervert. As if I hadn't had enough with Shiva." Dinah paused a second. "You don't like the comparison?," she added smirking.
"No," said Barbara in a deadpan tone.
"I was kinda hoping I could call you Op-"
"Stop it..."
"Or Birky..."
"Dinah!"
"Ok, ok, I take the hint."
"What's your e.t.a.?," asked Barbara.
"Two minutes tops," answered Dinah.
Dinah had flown into Metropolis International Airport one hour fifteen minutes before. Took a cab and went to the Queen Tower where she kept an extra costume and bike. Perks of having a billionaire husband.
"Ollie and Troia are on their marks. Impulse has not reported, though."
"Don't worry about him, Babs," said Dinah, "he likes to honor his name, but he'll be there. So, back to Helena trying your toys way before me..."
Barbara rolled her eyes. "You were the one who told me no computers when you took the job, remember? I figured the pendant and earrings were the most sophisticated device I could put on you. Somehow I did not picture myself injecting the chip under your skin, you know?"
"And Helena was an easier prey?," asked Dinah almost perplexed.
"No. She just liked the idea. Until a possessed Vixen took it out with her claws."
"Ouch."
"Now, can you please focus on the mission?"
"I'm all on the mission Babs," Dinah cheerfully replied.
"And could you stick to Oracle when you get there? Troia and Impulse don't know who I am. I'd like it to keep it that way."
"Just so you know, when I see you tomorrow morning, I--"
"You're still coming to Gotham?"
Dinah's lips curved upwards. She could sense the smile on Barbara's voice at the thought of seeing each other.
"I wouldn't miss my monthly visit for the world, sweetie, I'm your personal chipper menstruation."
Barbara sniggered. As scatological as Dinah could get sometimes, she always found a way to make her laugh, even during dangerous missions. "Not even having been separated from your hubby for fifteen long days?," said Barbara, "I have to say I'm flattered."
"Don't worry, honey. Ollie and I'll catch up tonight."
Barbara rolled her eyes. "You and your over sharing."
Dinah smirked. "Me and my big mouth, redhead."
"Just promise me you won't cook. I still remember that chilly."
"You wouldn't even try it, you coward computer geek. Don't think I forget that easily."
Barbara snorted. "Easily? It's been years since that!"
"Well, of course, sorry I brought that up," said Dinah. "Ok, enough of girl-talk; approaching my location, Oracle."
All Dinah knew was that they were doing an internal reconnaissance of a Luthorcorp abandoned facility twenty-nine miles east from Metropolis. Those were the dangerous ones: 'abandoned' had a very different meaning in Luthorese.
"And for the record, I've improved my cooking skills." She could listen to Barbara giggling.
"Yeah. I hear Ollie's not a–"
"It was either cook or die. Besides, Ollie's skills lay in other interesting fields of expertise," said Dinah smirking.
"You can't know how much I do not want to hear about that," said Barbara through the comm set.
"You know, you could merge with the League and try my rice with mushrooms and foie. I can totally see it: The Birds of Justice...The League of Prey...Whadayathink?"
There was a pause for a few seconds at the other end.
"Questionable naming asides, " Barbara finally said, "how many times have you tried to lure me now?"
"I lost count at twenty."
"Twenty times in less than three years..."
"Ok, before your mind starts calculating the statistics of my requests," said Dinah, "I'm on my mark."
"I'll send Troia to your post."
Donna Troy landed graciously by Dinah's side. Dinah held a deep admiration for her. All she had lost and gone through, but still had found the strength to move on.
And she had to admit it, the new costume was awesome.
Donna smiled and hugged her. "Dinah, I'm glad to see you. It's been ages."
Dinah smiled and thought of Wonder Woman. Donna was a lot like Diana, both the motherly type and the fierce warrior.
"How's everybody at the tower?," asked Dinah.
"They're fine. After this mission I'm going back to New York, we are providing extra security for the democrat debate," said Donna.
"Ugh, don't tell me about it. We gotta watch Luthor's back later. I'm almost wishing to slip."
"I doubt your bravery and your pure heart will allow you such moral debate."
--Themiscyra must be the saddest place on earth. The day I find an Amazon with a sense of humor I'm going to claim a DNA test.
"So. Oracle, you put together this. We break and enter?," asked Dinah.
"Hold on. I'm waiting for Impulse. Arrow?"
"The brat isn't here yet," said Ollie.
"Brat?" A gush of wind took down Ollie's hood. "Dude, you're getting old with that one. Oh, wait a sec. You are old."
"Hey! Careful with that!," protested Ollie.
"Sure, Sherwood. As if anyone's gonna see you here," said Bart rolling his eyes. "Seriously, man, drop the 'brat' part already. Unless you want me to start with my remarks on your goatee. No natural hair can be so perfectly placed without gels, and hairdryers and--"
"Dinah likes it," said Ollie placing his hood back on.
"Love is blind, and that didn't get cured when she came out from the Lazarus pit."
"I'm being very tempted to use my canary cry on you right now," said Dinah through her comm set.
"Hey, gorgeous!"
Barbara tried to get them back to the mission. "Impulse, do you have the schematics?"
"Positive Oracle."
Bart took some papers and displayed them on the ground so Ollie could take a look.
"Two sub-levels, Oracle," he said.
"I'm connecting to one of Luthor's satellites now. There are no guards on the outside, but I see surveillance. Donna, it's your call, I won't send you in blind. There is one camera near the South entrance."
"On my way," said Donna as she took off.
"Canary, approach the north entrance, once I get the intel you cover that end," ordered Barbara.
"And what about the boy scout?," asked Ollie, "I have him on call. And damn sure that is pissing someone off."
"Man, calling him Boy scout right now...it's...It's like..." Bart couldn't find the words. "He grew, dude. It just doesn't fit."
"Oh, as if Big Blue was better," said Ollie rolling his eyes.
"Well, yeah, because Superman is a fuckin' rockin' name."
"Hey, don't blame me on that one!"
"Yeah, what's with that woman and naming all the super dudes she ff--" Suddenly Bart found himself hanging by the throat at the end of Ollie's hand. "Errrm...she gets intimately acquainted with?"
"Not good either, fast boy." Dinah's voice made the message even clearer.
Barbara silently thanked Dick's advice about not sending Gar.
"Ok, man, point taken. Will ya let me down?" Ollie looked at him for a few seconds pondering his possibilities, finally letting him down on the ground. Sometimes being the responsible leader sucked.
"So, Oracle, do I send Superman in?," asked Ollie once more.
"No, Arrow. We all know about Luthor's delight for green rocks. His sole mission is to find a secret level using his x-ray vision. I'm sending Canary and Troia in to confirm until we give Superman clearance. Scan the schematics and send them to me. Impulse, disengage, your work is done here."
"No need to say it twice, Green Seer. See ya Robin!"
Before Ollie could protest at the nickname, Bart was gone.
"I swear it, one of these days I'm demoting him."
"For not paying respect to his elders?"
Dinah's mocking tone was too irresistible for Ollie to ignore. "As if you were that open with your age, pretty bird."
"Two words, Ollie: still younger."
By this time, Barbara's head was rhythmically drumming on the table. But neither could she avoid the smile planted on her face.
"Well, you don't seem to mind when--"
Ok, but there was only so much she could take.
"Guys, the mission!"
"Don't sweat it Delphi girl, I'm on it," said Ollie, "Scanning the schematics and sending in...now."
"Copy that." While Barbara waited for the transmission, she worked with what she had. "Troia, status."
"The chip is placed where you instructed me to, Oracle."
Before Barbara had the chance to get the chip working, she saw an error message disrespectfully popping up on the screen. "Hang on a sec, Troia. Arrow, the transmission is jammed. Why am I not receiving?"
A revealing silence filled Barbara's ears for a few seconds, followed by a sheepish sounding voice. "Ummm, because...I did something wrong?"
"Gee, 'ya think? Do you ever recycle your PDAs before missions?"
"Re-what?," asked Ollie.
Barbara's head met her desk again, this time without the smile. "I can't believe this."
"See? That's why I'm so glad you reconsidered my offer, Orac-"
"Offer???!!!!!!!!!!!," exclaimed a surprised Dinah.
"Your mouth is as big as your bow. And I am not nicknaming anything, so don't start beaming with pride."
"She didn't know?," asked Ollie. "Aren't you supposed to be best buddies?"
"Yes, Mr. Sensitivity. Best buddies as in 'I want to see her face when I tell her personally' best buddies. I should've known you'd slip."
"Hey! I'm still here!", said Dinah. "What offer?"
"Dinah, now is not really..."
"I am not moving a finger until you tell me about this."
"Dinah, sweetie...," Ollie said trying to soothe her.
"Oh, you can sweetie me all you want, Ollie, but from afar, because I tell you, about that time I have between tonight and my trip to Goth--"
"IofferedOracletomergewiththeLeagueandsheaccepted."
If there was ever a time Barbara Gordon doubted which was Oliver's primary brain, she'd just had her answer. Loud and clear.
"Ok. Now that you two officially blew my surprise, can we get back to the mission?," pleaded Barbara.
Dinah felt a bit bad after that. Ecstatic but bad. "For what is worth, honey, the celebration tomorrow is going to be epic."
Dinah could not see her, but Barbara smiled. It was going to be more than that. Because anticipating Ollie, she had not told her the real big news. A sudden gust of nervousness ran through her stomach.
Donna very respectfully brought their heads back to earth. "I am sorry for the interruption, but it's getting late and we all have official duties to attend. The one due to the east coast is in a hurry here."
"Of course, Troia, I'm sorry."
Dinah was already approaching the entrance.
"You know how much I respect Amazons, Oracle, but this 'I'm perfect and above it all' attitude...," said Dinah.
"Canary...," Barbara said holding her laugh.
"Yes?"
"You are talking through an open channel."
"Ermmm, Donna, I--."
--Insert foot here. For the rest of the mission.
"Do not worry, Black Canary. I understand your feelings."
--Great. Was there supposed to be irony in that comment?
Dinah finally reached her mark. "Ok, Oracle, I'm in position."
"Hold on. Troia?," asked Barbara.
"The chip is placed, Oracle. It still feels odd to have you unable to hack in directly from your workstation. No offense intended."
"None taken, Troia. Whoever is in charge of Luthor's security system, is really good."
"The bastard has money enough to make the King of England wanna take the job. Only because Jobs and Gates are already dead we know they're not doing it," said Dinah.
"Ok, the chip is already working, I'll be able to feed you hostile positions in a few seconds."
"'Hostiles?'," said Dinah chuckling. "You're sure you didn't watch it?"
"Guess who introduced me to it."
"Ollie?"
"Guilty," said Ollie intruding in their conversation.
"Now back to the mission. I've already hacked in."
"All in all I have to say that small chip is impressive, Oracle," said Donna.
"Well, with Cyborg out I had to come up with something fitting for the team's requirements."
Ollie arched an eyebrow. "Plug'n play for computer-obtuse heroes?"
Barbara rolled her eyes. "Plug'n play for team members without the time to be computer nerds, Arrow. I can't believe you of all people--"
"You know? For being a computer whiz you have a serious lack of sense of humor."
"Don't make me regret this, Arrow thrower."
Barbara kept typing. A few more codes and she should get the program running. "Ok, it's working. I'm in. I installed a thirty seconds loop. You're free to go. Arrow, your turn."
"Ok." Oliver took the schematics to guide both women. "Troia, there's a narrow corridor playing against you, be careful."
"Don't worry."
"Canary?"
"Waiting for the go, Arrow."
"You got it, babe. Run for it." Dinah approached the North entrance. In a few minutes, she was at the metallic gate. "On mark."
"Ok, ladies, time to play. Be nice to the guards."
Canary and Troia broke inside at the same time, and soon after that, the five guards were unconscious on the floor.
"Done here, Arrow."
"South is clear," said Donna.
"Troia, scan for kryptonite. Canary, you go down to the security room, take the stairs on your left. Oracle?"
"You're clear to go, Dinah, thermal indicates no activity."
Troia could fly really fast, and in a few minutes, the first level was completely explored. "Arrow, Oracle, first level is clear, no meteor rock and no lead to block Superman's vision."
"I'm afraid the trouble might be on the ground level, Troia."
Donna hovered while she talked to them, vigilant of any potential danger.
"If there is any I will find it. Should I expect company?"
Ollie was serious. Despite his cocky and conceited attitude, not once had he forgotten they were dealing with Lex. "The second level has a pretty simple structure, Oracle. It screams hidden rooms all over it."
"I will be careful then," said Donna. "What should I expect in advance?"
"Narrow straight corridors, seven rooms east and west," said Ollie. "Oracle, this could be a set up," he insisted.
Barbara's concern matched Ollie's, this wasn't the first time Lex Luthor had crossed paths with her in her line of work, she knew the man was capable of anything.
"I know. Canary?"
"No guards, approaching the control room."
"Go back," said Barbara firmly.
Dinah stopped in her tracks, not fully believing she had heard right. "What?"
"It might be a trap, Dinah. I don't want vulnerable members there. Get out."
"Oracle, I'm close to the room, I can make it," protested Dinah.
"Turn around and walk away."
Ollie also intervened. "Dinah, it's an order."
"Ok. But just so you two know. I'm cooking chilly. For both."
Once Barbara saw Dinah's thermal image moving towards the exit she turned her attention to Troia. "Donna, what's your status?"
"Half of the level is surveyed. It's clear. No lead, no kryptonite."
"Be careful. Anything strange, you get out immediately." Then she addressed Ollie. "Arrow, send Superman in, but tell him to wait outside."
Ollie took the caller. "Let's see what does Lex have in store this time," said Ollie to himself while he called Clark. Inside, his worry only increased.
Author's notes:
Past events on the characters not from Smallville are from comic-verse, including Dinah.
Not music.
Hope you enjoyed it, feedback appreciated...you know the drill.
Cheers and thanks for reading!
