As far as I knew, D'amato had never seen my face before, but the look in his eyes as he stared at me told me a different story. He cocked his head to the side and a cold feeling spread through my chest. A group of other dancers crossed between us, breaking me from my trance long enough to twist myself around, forcing Dick back some as I did.
As solid and attuned to me as ever, he held his ground and met my gaze. "What's wrong?"
I bit down on my lip to keep from lying almost as much as speaking the truth. His eyes narrowed at the action and I knew I'd only made him more suspicious. "Let's go back to the tower—"
"Who are they?" he asked, giving me no time to charm him. "Who did you see?"
"I see lots of people, Grayson, we're in a club." He glared down at me and I sighed in frustration. Not only was our moment ruined, but I was damned whether I told him the truth now or later. "I'll tell you later, okay? Let's just go now—"
The temperature in the room took a hard and sudden dip, my skin breaking out in goosebumps and our breath visible between us. Dick looked around, on edge, and I looked over my shoulder trying to see past the confused clubbers around us. The music reverberated through the room, but their voices worked to project over it, complaining about the freezing air around them. I no longer saw D'amato or Hurricane where they'd been standing minutes ago and that made me more anxious than before.
"Madalyn," Dick said loudly into my ear and I turned to him with a wince. Even before he spoke the words, I knew what was coming. Sometimes, Dick Grayson was smarter than I liked him to be. "He's here, isn't he? He's the one doing this; the one that got you—"
"Yes," I interrupted, recognizing the murderous look on his face. All the years I'd spent away, hoping to keep that look from his face and that feeling from his soul, and it only took me seconds to bring it back. "That's why we have to—"
There was a loud sparking crash from across the dance floor followed by panicked screams. All around us people started shoving in an attempt to flee the club, momentarily separating us. Another crash sounded to my left as well as a flash of light and I paused my search for Jason and Dick.
To everyone else, it may have looked like an electrical short of some kind, but I knew without a doubt that it was Hurricane's lightning.
Wanting to draw my attention, he released more, allowing me to follow its trajectory to his location. He stood just before the DJ booth, looking as if he'd seen a ghost as he stared at me.
A hand grabbed my arm from behind and adrenaline and instinct kicked in. I half spun, throwing my fist full force, just barely pulling back some as I realized it was Dick. He pulled his neck back while catching my wrist with his other hand, responding to me with nothing more than a silent look.
"Where's Jason?" I wasted no time in asking.
"I saw him helping someone up by the door," he answered, letting go of me so I could relax and lower my arm.
"Good, then let's go," I said, grabbing his arm and tugging him with me towards the exit. There were only a few stragglers left in the club, but even they were hurrying to get out ahead of us. Like Dick said, I spotted Jason by the door helping to shoo everyone through it. When his head jerked in our direction and he made eye contact with me, he spread his arms pointedly with a questioning look on his face. It was clear he didn't know yet who was at fault for the sudden end to our fun.
With the music off from the electrical damage, I heard the click of the guns behind us. Dick must've heard it too as we both came to a stop just as a soft yet strong voice spoke to us. "For someone who came crashing in on my evening, you have some audacity to try and slink away now that you're caught," D'amato said. "That is in especially bad taste when you consider the emotional state in which you previously left my colleague. I do believe you owe him an apology, by the way. Wouldn't you agree, Daniel?"
A fog rolled in before us and I felt the muscles tense in Dick's arm as it took Hurricane's shape. Once he was fully visible, his eyes narrowed in on me, never moving away as he verified my existence. His hands twitched at his sides, occasional sparks of electricity encompassing them. I risked a second to glance behind him at Jason and felt something between relieved and betrayed that he was nowhere to be found. I didn't want to draw any extra attention to Dick. If he played along, I could make him look like an innocent bystander long enough for us to get an upperhand.
Though, the longer Hurricane stood there only staring at me it made me think we were screwed either way.
"Anyone ever tell you, it's impolite to stare?"
His jaw tightened as a smirk crossed his face, my words or my voice being a mental slap. The electricity around his hands stopped, but instead of making me feel better, it reminded me a lot of the calm before the storm. "You're supposed to be dead," he said, tone flat.
Again, I felt the twitch of Dick's muscles in his arm and I squeezed it in an attempt to steady him. "Looks like death just doesn't agree with me," I said back.
"Or perhaps you embrace and thrive in it," D'amato said. "The only one who can escape death is death himself."
"I went back to the apartment and you weren't there," Hurricane went on as though neither of us spoke. "The amount of blood on the floor, you shouldn't have survived that. You let me think you were dead again—"
"For the love of God, I don't know you!" I snapped, the adrenaline finding its way up to my brain. I hated small talk; if this was going to turn into a fight, it was better sooner than later. "Stop talking to me like we have some kind of history. I don't. Know. You."
"Yes, you do," he replied, reaching out to grab my arm. "And I'm going to prove it." His fingers curled around my bicep, yanking me towards him and waking something in Dick.
In the same movement that brought me towards Hurricane, Dick shoved him so that he stumbled back a step before punching Hurricane square in the jaw and forcing him to drop his hold on me.
Remembering the armed threat behind us, I spun around to cover Dick's back, surprised by what I saw. D'amato had an amused smile across his face, one hand raised to signal his men to stand down. The two men looked as surprised as I felt but kept their ground, guns raised and fingers close to the triggers for the second they got word.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Hurricane straighten, shaking his head hard. "This one's new," Hurricane said bitterly, likely sizing up Dick. "What, did you move on from your boyfriend, Boy Wonder, so soon?"
I spoke before Dick could, wanting to keep his identity in the dark for as long as I could. "I don't know this guy. He's just someone I met here while dancing."
"And yet he came to your aid like a white knight," D'amato said mockingly. "What stranger would put their life on the line for another out of chivalry alone? I find that hard to believe, especially when factoring in the calm he's exhibiting while facing down two guns and an obviously unstable metahuman."
"Guess I just attract people with a lack of sense."
"Hm," D'amato chuckled. "In that case, there's no reason for him to be here, is there?"
"None at all," I answered, feeling the tension in Dick's back as he moved slightly closer to me. It wasn't doing much to help my case, but honestly I didn't know what I was trying to achieve anymore in that moment. It was beginning to feel more like stalling than anything else.
"Very well then, Daniel please help our friend out."
"Gladly."
I felt the cold air shove us apart before the whooshing of the wind was all that I could hear. I turned to look behind me, my stomach hollowing out at the sight of Dick being lifted in a vacuum of air, looking an ashy color as he fought to breathe. I moved to step forward, feeling hands attempt to restrain me before a booming crack and rumble shook the floor beneath my feet.
I heard pained cries from behind me as I caught a glimpse of foliage whipping outward from the corner of my eye. Gunshots sounded, but I only felt the distant burn of impact from the plants that'd come to my aid. The pain mixed with my fear for Dick built up in my chest before I released it on a one-word cry. "Stop!"
The vibrations shook out in the room around us, slamming into Hurricane and throwing him against the far wall. Debris began to fall around me, fissures forming in the walls and floor. No longer encapsulated by the mini tornado, Dick dropped to the floor with a loud gasp of air. Seeing him arched over his knees and panting for air, I let my cry fall away and dropped beside him, checking for any other damage. He grabbed at one of my hesitant hands and squeezed hard, signaling he was okay enough.
Satisfied enough for the moment, I pulled free and got to my feet, giving full reign to my anger.
Across the room, Hurricane clutched at the back of his head as he struggled to get himself right. I figured I had a couple of minutes before he was functioning at a higher ability and that was more than enough time for me to take care of his cohorts.
I turned my back on him and Dick to face D'amato and his two guards. They were all tied up by my vines, struggling to break free as I stepped tauntingly towards them. An urge to simply crush their bones and kill them in an instant almost took over me. But that brief image of Dick suffering and struggling to breathe fueled my anger and wish to make them pay. I wanted them to know the fear of having no control in their final moments; the fear of their fate being in someone else's hands.
I took as calming a breath as I could muster, my will coming forth in my spores as they floated out towards them. Already, I could see the fear on their faces, bringing a smile to mine. "Not as much of a thrill for you when you aren't in charge anymore, huh?" I spoke softly, lacing every word with my power. "I think I know a way to keep your blood pumping though. What do you say we give it a try?"
The three captives seemed in a daze as I contemplated what to do and who to first. No matter what, I knew D'amato would be last. He was the reason Hurricane was thrust into my life and throwing it so far off course; he deserved to be afraid longest.
My eyes drifted to the floor, spotting the two guns that had been discarded there. The words fell out of my mouth before I was even sure the plan had fully formed in my mind. "Let's do this the old fashioned way, shall we? On my word, the first to shoot the other dead is the winner." The vines began to uncoil around them, freeing them from their binds for their pending duel.
Behind me, I faintly heard Dick call out to me but my mind was more preoccupied elsewhere. Aside from that, it sounded more like his reproachful tone than one of concern.
I hated that tone.
"Now." Both men dove for their guns, prepared to draw up on each other. The one to the right was quicker, firing off two shots before his opponent could let loose one. A single shot pierced through his foe's chest, the other hitting the mark through his head. In a dying reflex, the man fired off one shot that went widely to the other side and hit through a space in the vines to the flesh of D'amato's leg.
D'amato cursed the henchmen as he watched the body hit the ground and a pleased feeling went through me. The second man left standing turned to me blankly, gun still in hand but down at his side. My smile widened as I beckoned him towards me.
"Very good. Looks like it's time for your reward." Once he stopped before me, I took the gun from his hand and moved my face until it was barely a breath away. "This is going to feel like nothing you've felt before."
He gave me a dazed smile and the dark feeling I kept locked away inside seemed to dance its way forth within me, excited to be let free. Again, I heard Dick call my name, but that darkness swatted it away as I brought my lips to the man's before me. I felt the momentary thrill he felt at the action, his joy for being rewarded for a job well done.
And then the near instantaneous shift to horror as my poison took hold.
He gasped, pulling away harder than necessary as I let him go free. He coughed hard a couple of times into his hand, blood coating it as he took it away. He tried to glare at me through his fear, mouth moving to speak. "Wha—" was all he managed to say before he winced and slammed it closed. When he opened it again, it was to spit; mounds of darkened blood and flesh with teeth mixed in.
I tilted my head curiously before looking over at D'amato who was somewhere between intrigued and disgusted. "Well, I've never seen it do that before," I said calmly with a slight chuckle. "I ain't mad at it, though."
With a final, wretched grunt, the man collapsed to the floor; no more than a shell left behind.
"Emmy..."
This time I turned at the name, glaring fiercely at Hurricane who had finally managed to lean himself upright on the wall behind him. The look he gave me was wary and I knew he'd had no idea about my death kiss. "That is not my name," I snapped, raising the gun to shoot him. I pulled the trigger just as he dissolved to mist and I spun around looking for him again.
He was nowhere and then I was struck with electricity, forced to drop the gun as I collapsed to the ground. I heard Dick yell out "Madds" worriedly as the electrical waves sparked through me, bucking my body with convulsions. I felt my control of the vines slip away, momentarily paralyzed and unable to move. Hurricane rematerialized beside D'amato, supporting his boss' weight as he looked over at me blankly.
Between one blink and the next, they were both gone.
"Madds," Dick said again, the ghost feeling of his hands moving across my body as he tried to still me. I already felt the currents within me beginning to fizz out, but his hold helped to calm me anyway. I didn't feel any pain as much as I did exhaustion. Being hit with lightning drained anything else I had left in me. "Madalyn, say something to me. Stay awake."
"Okay... but..."
"What?"
"Where," I said with slightly more effort than I was happy to. "the fuck...is...Jason?"
For some reason it was funny to watch the question dawn on him as the nerves in my body went still and I rested against the floor.