Chapter 22
Barbara's POV
"Team..." Bruce stands solemnly in the living room of the cave. "Artemis is dead." Right there and then, M'gann collapses on the floor.
"Where's NightWing then?" Mal asks accusingly.
"He went to go tell Wally."
As Tim and the rest of the Team funnels into the kitchen, but I grab his shoulder.
"You know as well as I do that Dick isn't telling Wally." I hiss.
"Why wouldn't he-" I pull up a gps on my phone. "You put a tracker on him?!"
"No. That was Bruce. I just hacked it."
"Does that mean that there's one on me?" Tim asks.
"My point is, if Dick was telling Wally, he'd be in Central City. But he's in Blüdhaven."
"So...?"
"So, we track him down and find out what he's really doing." I fold my arms.
"I dunno, we should be in there with everyone." He protests.
"If you don't, I'll make sure that Bruce knows what actually happened to your old R-cycle." I threaten.
"Fine. Fine. Let's go."
Tim and I hide behind a tower of crates in the old Warehouse Dick is apparently inside. According to my tracker, he's on the other side of the building.
We can both hear footsteps. Of multiple people. I can hear a voice like Dick's mutter something, but I can't quite make it out.
"Wally?" The same voice asks, louder. Yep, it's him.
"No." Kaldur's voice growls. I slam my hand over Tim's mouth to keep him from yelling. What is Dick doing here with Kaldur? More footsteps echo throughout the warehouse. "I take it our rouse was successful." Rouse? What rouse?
"Almost too successful." Dick says. Why are they acting like friends? "The Team and the League are in mourning. They may never forgive us." For teaming up with Kaldur? This just proves that he's not a traitor!
"And still, only we four know the secret?" Kaldur asks. Six, now. Except, Tim and I don't know what the secret exactly is.
"This secret, and the other. That you've been under deep cover within Black Manta's organisation since leaving the Team." Okay...this is new. But why wouldn't Dick tell me? Did he even tell Bruce? Or the Team? "How'd it go on that end?"
"Successful as well." Kaldur replies. "I've proven my loyalty to my biological father. He is moving me up the ladder, bringing me closer to the Light. And their Unknown partner."
"Not without cost, Kaldur." Dick interrupts. It seems this conversation is between him and Kaldur, although there are definitely two others there. Wally and Roy? That would make sense. "The Comsat wasn't supposed to be destroyed, and La'gann definitely wasn't supposed to be captured." They planned all this?
"It was the only way to save his life and maintain my cover."
"I'm not blaming you. I know you've been forced to make impossible decisions, like choosing between saving the chrolotaens on Malina Island-"
"Or saving my friends." Kaldur interrupts. "And I will find a way to help La'gann. You have my word."
"So what now?" That voice. It sounds like Artemis. But she's dead! Dick saw her...oh, fudgesticks. If he did this all behind our backs, who's to say that he didn't fake her death?
"Ah, dude? Why are you giving bling to my dead girlfriend." Wally asks. That settles it. Artemis is alive! I don't know whether to be happy, or extremely pissed.
"Glamour charm." Dick explains. "Courtesy of Zatanna. Physiomorphic spell, I think. She said it backwards." So, he told Zatanna and not me?
"Wow!" Wally says sarcastically. "You look, exactly the same."
"To the four of us." Dick interrupts. "And only us. But to anyone else, you're an entirely different person."
"The more impressive trick is how you got something so specific from Zatanna." Wow, the previously Artemis voice sounds different. Like, completely different. "Without revealing who, or what, it was for."
"We have a history." Oh man, do I remember that part of my life. Not a good time.
"Dog." Wally smirks, before a beeping sounds.
"It is time." Kaldur interrupts. I hear something like a kiss. Artemis and Wally.
"What could go wrong?" She laughs.
"Don't say that!" Wally replies. Then it seems that everyone leaves.
"Ah, Barbara?" Tim asks nervously. "Is Artemis...alive?"
"I think so. But that's not even the craziest part."
"Dick did tell you about this, right?"
"No, Tim. He didn't." I reply slowly.
"You are going to talk to him, though, correct?"
"Yes."
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