Batman stood across from his kids as they all stood there, "Talk" Batman spat causing Shadow to step forward and begin angrily ranting in Arabic at a speed so quick not even the Arabic speakers could understand her. "SHADOW!" Batman snapped "You punched and shot a teammate, you are going to have serious repercussions" Batman told her firmly as Aquaman stood in the corner.
"You know what? I don't care, you can do whatever you want, I did what I have fought so hard to do. I defended my family and myself from those who weren't supposed to try and harm me, I did everything right. You can ban me from patrol, you can ground me, hell you could even send me to juvie but I stand by what I did, I protected myself and my family." Shadow told Batman with no remorse for what she'd done. "Despite everything I have been through I have built and stood by my morals and I will not change that for you, just like I didn't change that for her. To me I protect those I care about even if I die for them" Shadow told her Father who knew exactly where those morals came from
"The League will be evaluating the situation, all of you are in trouble for what has happened tonight" Batman told his kids "I take full responsibility, no one other then myself was involved. I threw the punch, I egged them on, I encouraged them to react, I shot him with my own gun not the one I stole from my Brother. No one else did anything wrong except me" Shadow took responsibility knowing that not all of her siblings could handle the harsh punishments they would receive.
"All of you had chances to stop her, all of you could have deescalated the situation as you have been taught. Therefore all of you shall receive punishment" Batman denied Shadow who tried to swallow the lump in her throat that hadn't disappeared since the incident.
"Dismissed, all of you will be staying in the West wing of the Cave until the League reaches a decision. All of you will be individually interrogated" Batman ordered referring to the sector of the Cave that contained one large gymnasium and training room meaning that they'd be sleeping in the gym for now. Batman watched as his kids funnelled out and although he couldn't say it, he was proud of his daughter for what she'd done, she defended her Brothers and self without letting them get involved.
"Just give her space" Jason told Nightwing as Shadow walked ahead of the group music playing through the headphones she'd grabbed from her room. "Hey" Wally whispered to Nightwing as he sped up beside him "All of us who have been around this long except for M'gann think she did the right thing " Wally told Nightwing as said girl looked at the partially empty pistol she held thinking about how if she was the person she was a few months ago, L'gann wouldn't have lived more then a few minutes.
"Who do you think they're gonna call first?" Red Robin asked Nightwing "Probably Little Wing, they'll think they can break him easily because he's not one of us." Nightwing thought for a moment before answering. Shadow sat in the corner and pulled the blanket over her head as she curled into a ball and set her mask outside the blanket, setting a clear message not to bother her.
Jason sighed as he looked at her, although she put up a strong front he knew she was broken and right now Nyx would be preparing to board a jet home and she wouldn't be there waiting like she'd promised. Shadow tried her best to keep the memories from coming as she squeezed her eyes closed and tightly tied her gloves to prevent her from scratching her arms if it got bad.
Shadow sucked in her breath as the shaking came and her breathing sped up as she dropped into a world of her own. The memories she never wished to remember brought themselves to the forefront of her mind as the pain of those days filled her over and over again.
Jason watched the blanket as Shadow fell victim to her nightmares that kept her awake. Jason decided to go sit with her as he slid down the wall beside her gently holding her as she slept every moment plagued by the demons that haunted her.
Nightwing turned out to be right as in the morning Jason was the first called out and it was... interesting to say the least. "All we need to know is what you saw happen" Wonder Woman told her favourite Wayne. "Listen Diana, you know I like you but I saw nothin, I heard nothin because nothin happened" The slight Gotham accent slipping into his voice as he said a very Gotham sentence.
Jason leaned back in the chair as he placed his feet on the table purposefully being cliché just so he could have the aesthetic interrogation. "Jason, we don't need to know much, we aren't asking you to say anyone's guilty or that anyone did anything wrong" Black Canary tried to coax it out of him.
"I saw L'gann hold a gun and fall hitting his face on the ground and shooting himself in the leg in the process. Besides you have cameras check them and you'll see that's what happened" Jason shrugged "Except someone erased all the cameras, someone with your M.O." Batman told his son from the corner "You know it would be Red Robin not me who did it" Jason smirked
"Except Red Robin wouldn't have it he didn't believe what happened was right, you however would stick by Shadow no matter what" Batman reminded his son of his questionable morals. "Master, go on, and I will follow thee to the last grasp with truth and loyalty" Jason spoke in Shakespeare quotes telling Batman that this wasn't going to go anywhere.
Black Canary paused for a moment as she looked at Batman "What?" Black Canary was stunned at the old English quote. "This is what happens when you cross being raised by Batman and being an English nerd" Wonder Woman sighed as she looked at Batman.
"So what when he doesn't want to answer a question he talks in quotes?" Black Canary was trying to figure Jason out. "To be or not to be: that is the question" Jason waved his finger in the air as he loudly announced it. "Send him back, he won't say anything else" Batman sighed as his son began spouting off Romeo and Juliet using the names Bruce and Selena instead much to Wonder Woman's amusement.
"Listen Tim, I know you didn't believe in what happened or else Jason wouldn't have had to wipe the cameras so, just tell us what happened?" Superman asked as he sat down calmly across from the boy. "There is not a crime, there is not a dodge, there is not a trick, there is not a swindle, there is not a vice which does not live by secrecy." Tim thought for a second before he answered
The Batkids sat together having hacked the camera, see they had a bet going on who could answer the questions somewhat reasonably with only quotes, everyone was betting on Jason but he had only managed to get two in before Batman waved him off and Tim was off to a strong start.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Green Arrow demanded "A stupid man's report of what a clever man says can never be accurate, because he unconsciously translates what he hears into something he can understand." Batman was shaking his head as Green Arrow practically had steam coming out of his ears.
"Come not between... the dragon and his wrath" Tim hesitated as he tried to remember from his English class "Go get your Sister" Batman grunted to his middle son. "He got to three, you're next" Nightwing told Shadow as she thought to herself, she didn't have the movies they did or the literature or the same classes but she had two things and that was Talia and Jason.
Talia could be quoted with the most chaotic sentences and Jason was constantly quoting literature. "No one blames you but we realllllyyyy need to know I mean come on it not that hard" Flash began to speed talk making Batman sigh the only way this would work would be by annoying Shadow into talking.
"Be not careless in deeds, nor confused in words, nor rambling in thought." Leila thought about what her Grandfather had told her a friend from centuries ago had said. "What does this mean?" Martian Manhunter questioned with confusion "She's telling me to shut up" Flash seethed as Leila cracked her neck, she was running this interrogation and winning the contest.
"What are you guys doing!" Superman asked as they scrambled to put everything away and had to give up on watching each other's interrogations until Batman called them all out back into a line. "This was a test, I believe without a doubt that my protégés were in the right in what they did. Shadow may have gone to an extreme with the shooting and brass knuckles but she did what was right." Batman began
"I wished to test the League's interrogation skills against people who have been through many interrogations. All of you failed, not only did you not get information but you failed to detect a running theme which is common in my protégés interrogations" Batman paused "Nightwing you did not win" Batman told the 18 year old who had spent ten straight minutes quoting Disney
"Who beat me?" Nightwing whined "Shadow" Batman told his kids shocking them "Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them." Shadow smirked and shrugged as she quoted Jason who had quoted Shakespeare.
"They were seeing who could use the most quotes before being removed. Not only did you all fail to get any information out of them but you even let Shadow take control of the interrogation." Batman said as he pulled up a video of her interrogation "The moment Flash admitted defeat Shadow shifted to a different demeanour in which she manipulated them against each other and made them doubt their own beliefs" Batman looked to Shadow who spoke
"I have spent years being interrogated and may I say that was one of the worst executed ones yet. I gained control the moment I walked into the room, you glanced between each other showing you were unsure of who was in charge or who would speak first leaving me to strike. My silence was purposeful to give you a moment to think while also choosing Flash as the weaker one to stare at causing him to ramble. From there I simply made you feel stupid before taking control" Shadow spoke as though she was debriefing Batman and it shocked some of the League and team members the knowledge she had of just how to manipulate people.
"Now the team will have a go at interrogating each of you" Batman told the Leaguer's Shadow smirking as she looked at Batman "I call Aquaman" Shadow told her Father as her siblings backed off seeing the rivalry forming between the two already. "You shot my protégé" Aquaman told her "He made fun of my dead brother, someone should've taught him respect" Shadow spat at the king who was unknowingly challenging one of the most powerful people in the world.
"Shadow" Batman reminded the girl of her place here making Shadow groan at her Father before turning around and angrily ranting at Jason in Arabic. "This is a new habit" Nightwing joked awkwardly, Jason rolled his eyes knowing how stressed out his sister was from all the pressures that not only Nightwing was putting on her but also Talia's presence.
"Y'know what, it's almost noon and I'm way behind on my training" Shadow told Batman as she shoved past him already drawing her pistol as she cocked the gun and stormed to the training room. "Shadow! Calm down" Jason yelled as he ran after her catching her just before she left the room angrily pulling her to the side. "Great go..." Batgirl trailed off as she looked at her phone in horror.
"Gotham Academy is under fire, multiple gunmen, unknown amount dead. Why haven't we been notified of this" Nightwing read it off "Doesn't matter we need to get there now" Shadow told her siblings as she holstered her gun and looked to Jason who handed her his spare ammo. "That's my old school" Artemis drained of colour as the Bats rushed through the zeta tubes thinking of the school that held kids as young as 11.
"Do you want to?" Kid Flash asked his girlfriend as he looked at the zeta tubes. "They'll handle it, oh god I hope it's not in the elementary building" Artemis stressed as she thought about a few kids from her neighbourhood who were there on a Wayne scholarship on her own personal recommendation, if they died it would be on her.
The news clicked on and they watched as the reporter reported on it. "Gotham Academy is currently in a lockdown as reports of multiple gunmen have emerged, police are on scene but very few students have managed to get out with nearly two thousand students still trapped inside. Oh and there's Batman, Nightwing, Red Robin, Robin, Batgirl and Shadow the newest vigilante who was tortured live by Joker just a few hours ago talking with the commissioner now. Let's try and listen in" The reporter told the camera as they zoomed in on the group.
"I'll go in, I know how to handle situations like this. I'm silent as a mouse" Shadow offered to Batman "But which building? All of them have been taken." Nightwing questioned before Batman could reply. "I'll go on the main building first, they were on lunch so most of them will be in the cafeteria, it's probably the main location right now" Shadow deduced after a moment before looking to Batman for confirmation getting a nod in response.
Shadow went to the wall avoiding the view of the windows and peaked into one, she quietly pried it open and ducked inside. She crept towards and shot the man in that classroom in the leg before sprinting at him and covering his mouth. "Out the window" Shadow whispered to the the students who were huddled in the corner.
The news watched as about twenty students climbed out the small window being ushered to safety by the police. Shadow peaked outside the door to see a girl dead, Caroline, the same one who had made fun of her at the football game. "I've got one so far, Caroline Clemins" Shadow relayed to Batman as she bowed her head to the girl before moving down the hall.
Shadow stopped at each classroom finding the majority empty as she slowly approached the cafeteria. "I've got at least twenty gunmen and 500 students" Shadow relayed to her family, Jason was letting the team and League listen in on the Bats chatter so they heard as Shadow entered the room.
"I might have to go lethal here, I need to get them all down quickly" Shadow contemplated with Batman who sighed "Do your best not to but... get these kids home safe and alive" Batman decided as Shadow reloaded her pistol while Jason pulled up her suit's camera on his phone to watch her. "I'll let you know if anyone goes for you" Jason assured Shadow as he hacked Gotham Academy's cameras on the big computer.
"Drop them now!" Shadow ordered as she bursted into the cafeteria the majority of the kids shaking under the tables. "Why would we listen to some little girl?" The man was cut off as a bullet flew through his non-shooting arm "I said drop them" Shadow told them one more time a few dropping the weapons while most of them just pointed their rifles at one of the kids.
Shadow moved quickly taking out all but one who pulled a sixth grade boy in front of him "Take the shot, Shadow, come on" Jason muttered as Shadow lined up the shot only to get grabbed from behind as the school's cameras went down. Shadow threw her elbow back as she stomped on their foot.
"I see you've forgotten a lot" Jason recognized that voice as he stepped back "Go, get in there now, get her out!" Jason told his family as he turned the com back to private "Shadow, block her out, deep breaths. The blood of the convent is thicker than the water of the womb, the blood of the convent is thicker than the water of the womb, the blood of the convent is thicker than the water of the womb" Jason repeated to his sister urgently as she froze.
"Hello Jason" Talia's voice came through his ear having obviously taken the earpiece from Shadow and set it to private, the sound of Shadow's pistol hitting the ground echoed "Get the fuck away from her" Jason growled as he paced back and forth. "I put so much time into her, it'd be a waste" Talia taunted as she flashed her katana in front of the camera making Jason have to turn away from the group as his eyes began to glow angrily. "Shadow snap out of it, that kid is at risk so finally fucking put a bullet in her brain" Jason knew his sister would be able to hear even with it in Talia's ear.
Shadow calmed herself as she threw her head back into Talia before spinning her elbow around and jumping away landing on a table. Shadow quickly drew her second pistol and shot the man dead in his tracks running to the young boys aid and aiming for Talia. "Is that Talia Al-Ghoul?" Superman question "Take the shot" Jason muttered hoping his Sister would end this once and for all "I'll tell Nyx you say hi" Talia told Shadow before dropping the ear piece and running off.
Shadow began to pace as her breathing picked up before she calmed and looked to the kids all hiding under the desks most of the younger ones hidden behind the older ones. "All of you out the emergency exit" Shadow told them as a blinding headache nearly brought her down. "Shadow" Nightwing worriedly shouted as he saw the girl grasping one of the tables for support.
As he got to her he noticed what the issue was as a knife stuck out of her back, "Shit" Jason cursed as he looked at Nightwing's camera and saw the blade buried about three inches deep. "Don't move Shadow" Nightwing urged her as his siblings and Batman worked to evacuate the rest of the school. "Batman is still working heavily bring her back here and Agent A will take over coms" Jason told Nightwing as he nervously looked at Shadow knowing the rage that was bubbling under the surface.
Jason quickly made the calls and ended up breaking quite a bit of expensive equipment as he found that Nyx had disappeared thirty minutes ago. "She insisted on walking" Nightwing told Jason as they zetaed through. "It's true" Jason whispered to his sister softly who sucked in a deep breath "Yank it out, I have some people to kill" Shadow begged Jason "Shadow..." Nightwing started as the girl undid the top of her suit leaving her in a sports bra.
"She knew where she was stabbing, it's just to the right of my three metal vertebrae. I'm walking so my spinal cord is fine, yank it out" Shadow told her Nightwing who saw the scar running along her spine just to the left of the knife. "It's pretty deep" Jason advised "Pull it out" Shadow told her brothers "Or I will" she threatened using her Mom voice.
"The number one rule is to not pull it out!" Kid Flash exclaimed "Little Wing" Shadow demanded as Jason sighed before yanking it out barely an inhale coming from Shadow. "Okay, bundle my suit top up over it. Now give me the sleeves of my suit" Shadow instructed and tightly tied the sleeves around her stomach. "There, now get back out there Wing." Shadow told her brother as she leaned on the chair beside her slightly.
"Shadow, you've been stabbed multiple times in the past twelve hours I am not leaving you here." Nightwing shook his head firmly "Every moment you're here another kid could be dying. Go save them, go get them to their families" Shadow told Nightwing as she stood up fully and walked towards her room to get a spare shirt not liking having her scars on display.
"Sit down Shadow" Nightwing bargained "Fine, go to my room enter the code I use for my phone and then my full name, grab me a shirt from my closet" Shadow told Jason as she sat down at the kitchen table. "Go Brother" Shadow urged her accent slipping through heavily as she fought the pain and dizziness most likely from blood loss.
"Here" Jason handed her one of Nightwing's shirts "You're closet was empty so I stole one of Wing's" Jason told her as he got glared at by the tired girl. "They don't need my help, Talia turned herself in and called off the attack" Nightwing told the two with confusion as the zeta tubes buzzed to life and Shadow stood up on her own.
Shadow's eyes ignited as she stared at Talia who smirked and laughed at her daughter as she somehow flicked a knife at her face, Shadow caught it millimetres in front of her right eye but still slicing her eyebrow "Look at you, pathetic. After all I did, this is what you've become, a DISGRACE! Can't even catch a knife" Talia yelled at Shadow "Where the fuck is she? You tell me or I will spend every waking moment torturing you till you are begging me for death" Shadow questioned as she stormed towards her Mother, Red Robin stepping in her way before she could attack the woman.
"You'll never find her, you will bow again" Talia's eyes glowed with victory "You will bow to me, begging for mercy" Shadow spat her accent exceptionally heavy. "You can't even control your accent, it's a wonder how you've even lived this long, you should've been the one killed not him!" Talia played with Shadow's emotions a dangerous game unless you knew it as well as Talia did.
"Calm Sister" Robin tried as he looked between the two maternal figures in his life "As she always said, if you don't have the guts to say it in any language don't say it at all. I will kill you with my bare hands if you don't give me her location within the next 24 hours" Shadow was dead serious as half the Justice League and the entire team watched the altercation.
"Nightwing get her to her room" Batman told his eldest as he led the Mother of his children away to an interrogation room. "I'm not going anywhere, I need information and I'm getting it" Shadow shook Nightwing off and looked to Jason. "Start looking for her, if we don't find her then I guess there'll be some blood on the floor tonight" Shadow's eyes followed Talia as Superman came up to her.
"I don't know what that was but you cannot do that here" Superman told her "That was the woman who tortured me for years and has now kidnapped my daughter, don't tell me what I can and can't do" Shadow whispered harshly to Superman "If you'll excuse me, I have a whole world to search and I need to figure out why she surrendered." Shadow told Superman as Nightwing placed his hand on her shoulder
"It's alright, this is best for everyone" Nightwing told her receiving a look of confusion until Robin stuck her in the side with a sedative. "You acrobat bastard" Shadow spat as Nightwing as she reached for her katana to try and strengthen herself only to remember it wasn't there.
"You are truly a dick" Shadow made sure Nightwing knew this as she barely managed consciousness "Have Cain help you, she is good at that sort o" Shadow went limp in Nightwing's arms. "Sorry" was the last thing she heard as the world faded to black. "Why would you do that?" Jason asked in horror as he took Shadow from Nightwing thinking about all the nightmares that were coming thanks to seeing Talia and Nyx being missing.