Chapter five: The Hidden Past
The room was quieter now, the tension from Sylvia's panic attack beginning to dissipate as the heroes worked with her to settle her thoughts. But there was something heavy lingering in the air—a unspoken question that no one had yet dared to ask. Sylvia, still feeling the weight of her emotions, glanced around, unsure of how much they wanted to know. She had given them a glimpse of her struggle, but she wasn't sure if she was ready to reveal everything about herself—especially the part of her past that haunted her. Batman, who had been standing by, silent and calculating, finally spoke. His voice, deep and firm, broke the silence that had settled over the room.
"Sylvia," he said, his gaze steady as it met hers. "You said you've struggled with control. That's not uncommon for those with abilities like yours. But there's something else... I need to know. Is your father... Victor Creed?"
The question hung in the air, and for a moment, the world seemed to stand still. Sylvia's heart skipped a beat, her throat tightening at the mention of the name. She had tried to bury that part of her life, to separate herself from the monster her father had become. But here, in this room, with these heroes, the truth was something she could no longer hide. "Victor Creed?" she repeated quietly, her voice faltering. "That's... not my father's name. His name is Sabretooth."
There was a palpable shift in the room. Wonder Woman's hand tightened slightly on Sylvia's shoulder, and Catwoman's eyes flickered with concern, a mix of confusion and caution in her gaze. Superman, ever the symbol of hope, looked troubled, though he kept his face calm. Batman's expression remained unchanged, but his jaw tightened slightly. "Sabretooth," he repeated, the weight of the name hanging in the air. "That's... a dangerous name. A known threat. A meta with a reputation for violence and instability." Sylvia flinched at the words, a pang of guilt and shame stabbing at her. She had spent her entire life trying to distance herself from the monster that had fathered her, but it seemed her past couldn't be erased so easily. "He... He's not like that with me," she said quickly, her voice trembling. "I've never known him like that. He's... I don't even know where he is now. I don't have a relationship with him. It's just... me and my mom." Wonder Woman's expression softened, but there was still concern in her eyes. "So, you've had no contact with him?" Sylvia shook her head, her mind racing. She had tried so hard to forget, to push her father's legacy out of her life, but now it was right in front of her, forcing its way back into the conversation. She didn't want to be defined by him, not anymore. "No," Sylvia said, her voice low. "I haven't seen him in years. Not since... high school. When he came around... it wasn't because he cared. It wasn't about me. It was about... something else."
Catwoman's lips quirked into a half-smile, though there was still a trace of uncertainty in her eyes. "He didn't show up to bond, did he?" Sylvia shook her head again, the bitter taste of memories she'd rather forget rising in her throat. "No. He'd come by a few times when my... my feral traits started showing. He'd push me, provoke me. Sometimes, it felt like he wanted me to be like him. Like... a mini version of himself. Someone to cause chaos with." Her voice wavered with a mix of anger and disgust. "But he didn't stay long. Just enough to remind me what I came from before disappearing again."
Superman stepped forward, his towering figure a gentle presence despite the tension in the room. "We're not here to judge you, Sylvia. We understand that your father doesn't define who you are. But you need to understand the concern that comes with someone like him being your parent. It's not just about the past—it's about the potential danger you could inherit from him." Sylvia met Superman's gaze, a flash of defiance in her eyes. "I'm not him. I've never been him. I don't want to hurt anyone. I don't want to be a threat." Batman's eyes never wavered from hers, and the intensity of his stare made her heart race. "But you have the potential for causing great damage, Sylvia. And your father is a part of that. If he's still out there, we need to know where he is. We can't allow someone like him to slip through the cracks, especially with someone like you being connected to him." Sylvia's hands clenched into fists, her claws digging into her palms. "I'm not my father!" she snapped, her voice rising in frustration. "I'm doing everything I can to control this. I'm trying to be better!" There was a pause before Wonder Woman spoke, her voice calm yet firm. "None of us are defined by our pasts, Sylvia. It's what we do with the future that matters." Batman looked at her, then back at Sylvia, his expression unreadable. After a long moment of silence, he finally spoke.
"We'll help you, but you need to be honest with us. If there's any chance that Sabretooth could be a threat to the world, we need to know about it. And we need to know if he's coming for you."
Sylvia looked down at the ground, feeling the weight of his words pressing down on her. She hadn't thought about her father in years, but now, his presence—his legacy—was looming over her like a shadow she couldn't escape. "I don't know," Sylvia whispered, her voice small. "I don't know where he is. I don't know if he's still interested in me."
The tension in the room remained, but there was a mutual understanding, an unspoken agreement that they would do what they could to keep Sylvia safe. The League knew that her past couldn't be ignored, but they also knew that she wasn't the same as the man they feared. And for now, that would have to be enough.