AN: Lines show what is simulation and what is real life. Inspired by Failsafe.
A couple of days later Robin was walking around on his own. He ws still a little stiff, but most of the pain was gone. Ruby had started swimming quite a bit now that the entire team knew her secret.
Batman called the cave to alert Ruby that Black Canary was coming to give them some sort of mental check up. He asked if she wanted her to know and she said yes, but that permission was to be required if either of them wanted to tell anyone else.
And that is how Ruby ended up stuck in a room alone with Black Canary who was trying to convince her to talk about her feelings.
Ruby sighed. "You seem to think that keeping a secret has left me mentally scared, and yet you and the rest of the Justice Leaguers keep secrets all the time. So why aren't they stuck in some sort of stupid counseling program? At the very least Artemis, M'gann, and Robin should be in here with me. They all kept their identities a secret for a while. Robin still won't tell anyone his. Your logic is flawed and I'm not going to tell you anything."
Black Canary shook her head in frustration. "Why do you hate me so much, Regalia?"
Ruby looked furious. "My name. Is. Ruby! Don't you ever dare call me that- that name- again!" she spat.
"You're avoiding the question, Ruby."
"I warned you that I wasn't going to tell you anything. If you're so smart can't you figure it out yourself?"
Black Canary opened her mouth to snap back, but closed it quickly and looked thoughtful. "I have an idea... What would you say to participating in a training simulation?"
Ruby blinked at the sudden, off-topic question, but considered it anyways. "Sounds good."
That morning started out normally. Ruby woke up and had breakfast. Megan and Superboy got up and ate with her. Then they got a call from Batman. He sent them to a country called Delomnis to investigate a strange energy spike.
The ride there was silent after assignments were given out. Ruby was to be working with Robin and Artemis.
They got to the lab they were supposed to investigate and split up into their two teams. Aqualad's team took the upper stories and Robin's took the basement.
At first they all stayed in constant telepathic contact. Then Ruby heard Superboy shout Megan's name and the link went dead. When she tried to contact Aqualad and Superboy using regular coms all she got was static.
"This is not good," she muttered.
And it only went south from there. They had found the room that the energy signature was coming from when Ruby heard a gun fire.
Robin stared down at Ruby's unconscious form. "This is not a good idea," He told Batman.
"I agree," said Aqualad. "The last time this was attempted it did not end well."
"I'm not sure about this either," Batman told the team. "But Black Canary thought it was a good idea."
Artemis snorted. "It's a terrible idea. Black Canary has been wrong before and she's wrong now. Last time we knew it was a simulation, at least at first, and we ended up traumatized. Ruby doesn't even know."
Ruby whirled around to see Artemis dead on the ground, a bullet wound piercing her skull. She held back a scream.
Someone placed a knife at her throat. "Don't move. Or Director Corés will have to make do with just one of you."
She saw Robin get knocked out just before someone slammed the hilt of a knife on the back of her own head. She stumbled, but stayed standing. They hit her again; harder. Still she stayed up. Finally they gave up and shoved her down the hall ahead of them.
They stopped in a room full of strange equipment. A scientist with a clipboard was standing in the middle of it all. His name badge identified him as the director of project LC. Whatever that was. He frowned when they walked in.
"I thought I told you I only wanted one of the brats?"
Ruby recognized an opportunity. "If I agree to do whatever it is you want will you let my friend go? Please, sir. I'll do whatever you say. I swear I won't disobey you." Her words carried a note of desperation. She knew these people would not hesitate to kill.
Director Corés looked amused, but he considered her offer for a bit. "That seems like a fair enough trade. Fine. I don't see why not. Take the boy back to their ship and leave him there. But have Psimon erase his memory. We can't have him bringing the Justice League here."
They thugs obeyed.
The Director had Ruby stand next to a piece of equipment with her hand on a switch. He ordered her to flip it on the count of three.
"One. Two. Three!"
She flipped the switch.
Ruby screamed and bolted upright. Robin pinned her arms to her sides before she could hit anyone.
"Ruby! Ruby, listen to me! It was just a simulation. You're safe. Calm down!"
Slowly his voice got through to her and she stopped struggling. Instead she chose to sob against his chest. When her tears dried up she looked around until she spotted Black Canary.
"You!" Her voice was shaking, she was so angry. Robin swore he could see sparks coming off of her. "That was your idea. I just watched the only people I care about die because you thought it would make a good little 'training exercise'. Screw you." Her voice changed ever so slightly and Kaldur and Robin paled at her next words. "May the very seas be your enemy, for you have my eternal enmity."
Everyone in the room flinched as they felt power flow into her curse. Ruby turned and ran off; tears once again streaming down her face. Robin ran after her. Batman followed.
Artemis turned to Canary and crossed her arms. "Nice job."