I had never gotten changed so fast in my life. I didn't done my Bluejay costume- there was still a chance Linh hadn't told anyone else about my identity, so there was no need to confirm it. Throwing on a dark sweatshirt, I used it to conceal the dart gun, daggers, and bow staff that I was bringing with me to defend myself. Tell the Team, my mind urged. I gritted my teeth as I debated it.
But I couldn't. Not while my father's life was on the line.
I quietly stepped out of my room, my ears straining. Faintly down the hallway, I could still hear my friends cheering and talking with each other. I locked my bedroom door behind me to prevent anyone from checking up on me. Hopefully they would assume I was asleep. With my heart already pounding, I took off towards the Zeta Tubes and used it to teleport to Gotham.
I hardly felt the sting of the cold air as I raced towards the harbor, the city sludge of dirt and snow seeping into my shoes. I knew the route like the back of my hand. I slipped over corners and slid behind street lights, all while keeping myself enveloped in shadow. My training with Black Canary had only heightened my senses and my capabilities, making me feel as quick and silent as a fox, while my rage made me as deadly as a cobra.
I wanted to wrap my hands around the doctor's neck until his face turned purple, or snap off every one of his precious surgical fingers. My hatred for this man ran deeper than my blood, his betrayal filling my system with venom every time I thought about him.
I pulled something small from my pocket as I neared the electric fence, the same one that had nearly turned me into fried chicken a dozen times. Pressing a button on the small handheld EMP, the nearby street lamp went out, as well as the humming of the electric fence. I scaled it quicker then I ever had before and smoothly dropped to the ground on the other side.
The blizzard from this morning seemed to have delayed the activity of the harbor all together, leaving it as empty as a graveyard. But I knew better then to believe I was alone. I picked my way through the maze of freight crates and trucks, making a beeline for the warehouse.
I had no idea what was in store for me. Were they going to kidnap me? Torture me for information? I knew it was stupid of me to waltz in there without so much as a backup plan or reinforcements, but I had no other options. Linh's instructions were very clear: cooperate, and your father will remain alive. If I tried to cross him, he could kill my dad with the snap of his fingers. All I could do at the moment was comply.
Warehouse 58 eventually came into view, covered in a blanket of white snow, and surrounded by a barbed wire fence and police tape. The GCPD had likely assumed control of the warehouse for evidence purposes, as well as to prevent any other villains from commandeering it. But when you had a Motherbox who could make Boom Tubes, you had no need for doors.
I approached the fence, my shoes crunching through ice and snow. The tall building loomed overhead in the moonlight, harboring weapons and men far scarier then monsters. But unlike the last time I set foot inside, I didn't tremble. But that didn't mean I wasn't afraid.
Unsurprisingly, the gates guarding the warehouse were unlocked, like an invitation. I walked through them slowly, watching for any signs of flashing light or indications of traps. There was nothing. As I neared the heavy steel doors of the warehouse, I saw that the penny-sized craters from their bullets were still indented. There was no chain through the handles.
My fingers gripped the cold metal, and with a yank, I pulled the door open. The hinges groaned, announcing my presence to whoever awaited me inside. Even though it had been months, the same feeling returned- I felt like a mouse walking into a lion's den when I stepped inside and closed the door behind me.
The sight that greeted me made me shiver with fear and hatred. Unlike the last time, the Intergang didn't dwell in shadows. Wooden crates and stacked boxes labeled with various markings packed the walls of the warehouse, ready for shipping. Their destination? Likely the highest bidder. I gritted my teeth. Even with Bruno and Whisper locked up, they were still in business.
Snarling men and women, all carrying Intergang weapons, briefly turned away from their tasks to glower at me. The last time I was here, their operation got messy, so their desire to string me by my insides was expected.
My stomach curdled as my eyes landed on a familiar silhouette, awaiting me in the center of the warehouse. He was flanked by armed guards, but I knew if I really wanted to get to him, they wouldn't be enough to stop me.
"Miss Hamilton." Doctor Linh grinned at me.
George Linh wore a long coat, but that seemed to be his only protection from the freezing outdoor temperatures. His hands remained clasped in front of him, and his breath clouded as he spoke my name. I didn't greet him back.
Unlike Bruno, George didn't hide in the shadows to wait for me. It was unnerving. My fingers twitched, itching to grab my dart gun. It would be so easy to shoot him down, but I refrained. I took a step forward, my fists clenching so hard, I bet the little crescents of my fingernails were imprinted on my palms.
"Ah ah ah, no sudden moves please." He shook his head and motioned to my chest.
I looked down to see about half a dozen red dots dancing over the fabric of my sweatshirt. I gritted my teeth, my eyes shooting to the riggings. I knew he wasn't going to have an audience with me alone, especially not after I broke into his apartment and overpowered him on Halloween. However, maybe I wasn't the thing he was afraid of. Maybe it was my Metagene.
"I thought we were going to be civil about this, Doctor." I said calmly.
I forced my muscles to relax, deciding to play it smart. Allowing my anger to escalate the situation would only make things worse.
"Great idea." He agreed with me. "Why don't you surrender all of those neat little weapons you have tucked under your clothes?"
I didn't want to, but eventually I began to hand my various weapons to the goon that walked up next to me. With a flick of his hand, he signaled the rest of the warehouse to return to their work. Slowly, they began to tear their sharp eyes away from me to continue their work- checking packaging, nailing crates shut, and loading things onto a platform.
I wanted to keep the little dagger I had tucked in my waistband, but I surrendered it too. Dr. Linh smiled and beckoned me to follow him, and began to walk away towards a secluded corner of the warehouse. It was obviously a workspace of sorts, with a table with all sorts of tools, machinery bits, and gears.
"Please, sit." He motioned to a stiff chair.
"I'd rather not."
"Sit." He said, his voice clipped.
I gritted my teeth and looked back at Dr. Linh's guards who had followed us. One of them cocked a gun, the red lines along the side of the weapon glowing menacingly. I eventually lowered myself into the cold chair, careful not to touch the armrests in case they were loaded with handcuffs or some other trap. Dr Linh noticed and clicked his tongue.
"So paranoid." He shook his head.
"You can give yourself the credit for that one." I muttered.
George let out a bark of laughter and approached his nearby table of parts and junk. My eyes scanned over the material, determined to commit it all to memory. There were several containers of green bubbling liquid, a scalpel, a forceps, a curette, bits of broken Intergang weapons. I tried not to react when my eyes landed on a blue container, containing a bit of a large starfish arm. The very same one I had had been smugged through the mall that day. I gritted my teeth. What was he making? My heart leapt in my throat at the last two items- an inhibitor collar, and what looked like a fetus in a tank of blue liquid.
I gasped involuntarily, unable to look away. It wasn't a baby, but something entirely different. It remained curled and frozen in the blue liquid, was pale and naked, with black stripes running down its head. Tiny horns poked out of its little skill. What the hell is that??! Dr. Linh's eyes landed on the collar, thinking that was the reason for my horror.
"Oh, this? No, we won't have to use it if you behave. Sorry about the sedative in the collar by the way, but I'm sure you understand." Linh said casually, as if there wasn't an entire creature on his desk.
I swallowed down my horror, determined to remain calm.
"Absolutely. I love being sprayed in the face with a tranquilizer by someone who forced me into a car by leveling a gun at a bunch of kids." I said dryly.
"I see your sense of humor is still intact."
He nodded appreciatively. I tore my eyes away from the frozen alien child to look at the guards behind me, who both were watching me with cold stares and burning gazes. I wasn't a fool. I knew he was drawing things out, but I was getting sick of the small talk.
"Why did you bring me here. To make another deal? Another bargain?" I asked, making little effort to conceal my distain for the George.
I watched the doctor as he picked up a scalpel and used the edge of his sleeve to polish the tiny blade.
"Why not? We've worked so well together in the past." Dr. Linh said innocently, as if all memory of his betrayal had vanished.
I bit the inside of my cheek, my fingers twitching for a weapon. I was ready for the guards to suddenly pin me to the chair so the doctor could approach me with his knife, but they refrained. My eyes narrowed at him.
"I'm not sure if you recall, but last time we had a deal, you tried to have me killed." I reminded him. "There's no way I'll ever trust a thing you say."
Once I delivered Linh's red card, he gave me money for a taxi. When I refused one, I was forced into one with a gun where I assumed they were going to kill me. That's when Dinah rescued me. His eyes twinkled at the mention on it, as if proud.
"Ahh, I'm glad you feel that way, because what I'm proposing isn't a bargain. No, your mistaken. This is blackmail." He smiled comfortably.
I should have seen this coming. I gritted my teeth, wanting to launch myself at him.
"Where is my dad." I demanded, my voice a low growl, wanting to claw his eyes out.
Dr. Lihn waved a hand as if he was unconcerned with the man he experimented on and kept under sedation for months.
"He's fine, at least for so long as you cooperate."
"You're sick."
"So I've been told." His glasses flashed in the light.
My nails bit into my palms again. My eyes flickered to his table of tools and parts. Whatever he was making couldn't be good. As far as I knew, he could still be using his serum on my dad too. But as much as I wanted to destroy all of his work, I had to cooperate.
"What do you want." I demanded, but I was afraid I already knew the answer.
Instead of responding to me, Dr. Linh picked up another tool and began cleaning it with a red stained cloth. He held it up, watching the light flash over the shiny instrument.
"What's more valuable then gold?" He asked me, his gaze still trained on the tool.
I shrugged.
"Authority? Influence? Power? Status?" I listed.
"Knowledge." Linh corrected.
I hated to admit it, but the doctor was right. Dinah had lectured me hundreds of time that brains would win over brawn any day. Intelligence was the key to every strategy, planned attack, and every calculated strike. But the knowledge he wanted was something I couldn't give him.
"I already told you, I don't know who they are." I empathized the words.
I hoped I was angry enough to disguise any evidence I was lying. If they'd attached me to a lie detector machine, the flashing light would have been going off like crazy. I very much knew who they were, but wasn't going to let him know that. But despite my best efforts, Dr. Linh didn't seem too concerned.
"Well I don't believe you." He smiled dangerously.
I fought the urge to swallow the thick lump in my throat. The cold chair was turning the back of my legs numb. Linh approached me slowly. I tried to stand up, but the guards behind me shoved the barrels of their guns into my back, imploring me to remain where I was. I glared back up at Linh as he smiled at me.
"Now here's what's going to happen. First of all, I want the names of those pesky kids that broke into Cadmus all those months ago. I trust you know who I'm talking about?"
My brain instantly made the recognition. Robin, Kid Flash, and Aqualad snuck into Cadmus Labs, where they found Superboy. I knew that much.
"I hardly know a thing about them. How would I know their names?" I lied. "And how do I know you're not going to betray me again?"
Well, technically it wasn't a complete lie. Robin was the only member of the Team who's identity still remained a secret. A shiver crept up my spine as Dr. Linh lowered his face to mine.
"Then find out." He suggested. "And if you can't... then I guess both Jaqualin and Steven Hamilton have outgrown their usefulness. And no, I guess you don't really know whether or not to trust me. But you don't really have a choice, do you? Because if my terms aren't met... I'll kill your father."
.....................
"Does this color wash me out?" Barbra asked, emerging from one of the dressing rooms.
I tore my eyes away from the wall I was staring at to see Barbra wearing a pleated rose gown. I thought it looked stunning on her, but Barbra's nose scrunched as her eyes examined the garment. Between the three of us, she had tried on the most dresses. You don't stumble upon perfection the first time, she insisted.
Barbra gave a twirl, testing how the skirt fanned beneath her. Pushing aside the curtain, Artemis emerged from her own dressing room wearing a beautiful silver gown, one that matched her eyes. It was form fitting, with a slit in the knee.
"Will you zip me?" She asked, brushing her hair over her shoulder.
I stood and grabbed the tiny zipper, pulling it up the back and securing the dress to her body.
"There." I nodded. "You two look beautiful." I complimented, trying not to make it sound forced.
They really did look great, but there was only so much false enthusiasm I could pour into my voice, because I wanted to bang my head repeatedly on the wall. I was currently dealing with an internal crisis, and we were going dress shopping for some party. Of course, none of them could know, so I just had to plaster on a smile and pretend nothing was wrong.
I felt sick after my conversation with Dr. Linh. The same question haunted me every day and made my stomach roil: could I really do it? Could I betray my friends in exchange for my father's life?
"Mmm, I don't think I like this one." Barbra concluded and plunged back into the dressing room. "Jackie, wanna try it on?"
"No, thanks. I already picked one, remember?" I reminded her for like the third time.
The blue dress I'd chosen hung on the wall behind us. Compared to all of Barbra's sparkly gowns, it probably seemed too plain to her. She poked her head out of the room to frown at me.
"It was the second one you tried on." Barbra complained.
"And I like it." I insisted.
She huffed and went to change into another dress. Artemis, who was still standing in front of the mirror, came over to me so she could whisper.
"Really, Blue?" She smirked as she said my alias's nickname. "Cliché much?"
"It looked fine, and it was in the budget Dinah gave me. Sue me!" I defended.
Artemis snorted and rolled her eyes.
"You're the one who makes such a fuss when you think villains don't have any creativity." She poked me.
I slapped away her fingers and shushed her. Barbra didn't need to know about our double lives, and neither did the whole store! Barbra waltzed out behind the curtain, this time wearing a dress with a beaded bodice with a plunging neckline, the skirt the color of red wine.
"Seduce, huh?" Barbra read the dress's name. A mischievous smile grew on her face, and she wiggled her eyebrows at us before striking a pose. "Call me Seduca."
We laughed with her as she continued to pose in the dress.
"It's beautiful. But for your friend's dad's charity ball?" I winced a bit as I said it.
Barbra examined the gown in the mirror again.
"You're right. I'm going for elegance, not slutty. I'll leave that to Amelia. You should have seen what she was wearing last year- there was enough cleavage displayed to tuck a whole bottle of champagne between them."
I groaned and sank deeper into my seat.
"Amelia's going to be there?" I asked, exchanging a glance with Artemis.
But I should have guessed. Amelia's father and Bruce Wayne were business associates of sorts, so naturally they would be invited. I'd fought plenty of bad guys, but so far, Amelia was near the very top.
"We successfully avoid her for most of the night. Don't worry, Dick and I have had lots of practice." Barbra told us.
She winked at us before ducking back into the changing room. I looked at the silver dress Artemis was still wearing.
"I really like that one on you. It matches your eyes." I told her honestly.
She smiled, admiring the gown from over her shoulder.
"I do too. I think this is the one I'll pick." Artemis placed her hands on her hips, and took one last look at the dress before going to change out of it.
I fought the urge to sigh with relief. We were finally getting somewhere. Now we just needed Barbra to pick one. My eyes landed on a silky lavender dress near a display.
"Hey Babs, there's a purple one over there- want me to grab it for ya?" I asked her.
From behind the curtain of her dressing room, Barbra let out a disgusted noise from the back of her throat.
"Purple looks awful on me. I'd never wear purple ever." Barbra declared.
I blinked.
"Wow. I didn't know you had such a quarrel with the color purple." I laughed.
"Never. Nuh uh. Clashes with my hair." Barbra said.
Artemis, dressed in her normal clothes, came out of the dressing room with her silver dress draped over her arm. I was about to suggest we go pay for our dresses when my phone started to ring. I hated to admit it, but my heart did a stupid little jump when I saw his name pop up on my screen.
"It's Dick." I announced and accepted the FaceTime.
The line connected, and within moments the face of our friend materialized into view. But instead of greeting us, he immediately asked,
"Are you guys almost done yet?" Dick asked.
I tried to look offended.
"Hello, Richard. It's nice to see you too." I corrected him.
Dick rolled his eyes.
"I'm literally just on the other side of the store."
"You still shouldn't forget your manners. What would Alfred say?" I shook my head.
Dick held the phone with one hand, while a man in a vest behind him measured his shoulders with a tape. The man had a mouthful of pins, and expertly plucked them from his lips to secure the fabric. Dick had told me before that he hated getting measured for tuxes, (said they felt like straight jackets?) so that was why he convinced us all to go shopping with him.
Barbra screeched when she heard the sound of his voice. "Don't let him see!"
I jumped at the sound of her voice, but I was even more so I was upset that she would even think I would turn the camera on her while she was dressing!
"I would never!" I protested, quite insulted.
"No, the dresses!" She hissed at me and stuck her head out.
I blinked in surprise.
"Barbra has some superstition about dresses and parties." Dick volunteered the information.
"It's bad luck." Barbra insisted.
"That's only for weddings, Babs." Dick tried to tell her, but she wasn't having it.
Barbra marched out and grabbed the dresses before the camera could let Dick catch sight of them.
"You say that, but last year, the mayor was nearly kidnapped in exchange for the raised funds!" She exclaimed.
Artemis and I exchanged a look. This was news to us.
"The gala was attacked?" Artemis asked.
"It's a million dollar charity party. Of course some power hungry villains try to crash it. They've never gotten away with it before, though." Dick admitted, a hint of pride in his voice.
"Uh, we're going to be safe, right?" I asked hesitantly.
This party sounded less and less appealing, no matter how much Barbra praised it. Dick nodded, looking unconcerned.
"This year, we're having it at the manor instead of City Hall. With the upgraded security, we'll be just fine." Dick insisted.
"Upgraded security?" I repeated. "You'd think City Hall would be more secure then a plain old manor." I muttered, exchanging a look with Artemis.
Dick seemed to hear my voice through the phone and smirked.
"Trust me, it's not."
...............................
Later on that night, after Barbra had finally picked and dress and Dick's tux had finished being tailored, we got dinner. Dick picked out a nice restaurant and insisted he pay for us, which was more then generous. It was nice to spend time together outside of school, but it was a bit strange to see Barbra and Dick in casual clothes, rather then pressed uniforms. We laughed and ate, and for a moment I felt... normal.
But that feeling vanished when Artemis and I Zetad back to the Cave for training. To see all of my team members, the ones I had to decide whether to betray or not, it nearly made me want to vomit.
I watched Robin as he spared. He leapt gracefully over blows and delivered calculated punched. Even though our relationship had felt strained for a little bit, a part of me still liked him. But even if I didn't feel that way about him, I didn't want to betray him. But what other choice did I have?
You do have a choice, stupid birdbrain! The little voice in my head screamed and me and slammed a sledgehammer into my skull. Tell Dinah! Tell the Team! They'll help rescue your father! You don't have to do this! But Linh was very clear. If I gave him their names, he wouldn't kill my father. But who's to say that a rescue mission would go wrong? What if they killed him before we even got near!
I groaned, my heart torn between two choices:
Give in to Dr. Linh's demands, or tell the Team.
After debating, I decided I wouldn't make a choice. Not yet. I'd have to figure out who exactly was hiding under The Boy Wonder's mask, then I'd make a decision. I was no detective, but it didn't matter. I'd figure it out one way or another.
Sorry about the wait. I got my wisdom teeth out and have been feeling suuuuper crappy. But yeah here's a new chapter! And yeah I know some of you guys think a gala in a fan fic is super cliche, but guess what, I don't care! It's fun for me so suck it up!