NOVEL NEXT Chapter 20: Ally and Enemy
The Man:
With the final tube interjected into Oliver's arm, I close the incubator and type the command code into the control pad. Oliver starts to slowly drift off, a few seconds later falling gently back.
"Are you sure about this," the Doc asks. He, along with Iris and Dinah are standing directly behind me.
"No," I answer with a sigh and a shake of my head. "No, I am not."
Despite not facing them, I can still hear Dinah's gasps.
"Oliver's organs are fine," I start. "At least, as fine as they can be given the circumstances. It's the other side effects I'm worried about."
"Other side effects," Iris repeats. "What other side effects?"
"According to what I've read in books and The Man's personal notebooks," the Doc says, "Some side effects of surgery are fatigue, appetite loss, pain, bruising, swellings, and a few other things."
"I'm not referring to those side effects," I say. "Those I can handle. I have years of medical experience with me. I've taken the doctor's exam over 700 times."
"700 times," Iris repeats. "What?"
I shake my head and wave my hand as I explain.
"The first few times I've failed but after 6th times, I pass. Afterward, I retook the exam under a different name and passed. I have 692 medical degrees, each under a different name. And that's only in medicine."
"You have almost 700 medical degrees," the Doc says. "Each under a different name? Why?"
I open my mouth to say something but Dinah says something first.
"Can we please get back on Oliver," she asks. I turn around and face her.
"Of course," I say with a nod. I look at the health monitor. "Surprisingly, and thankfully, it seems Oliver's condition is stable. His breathing and heartbeat are steady, and minus a few cuts and bruises from Professor Pyg, he seems completely unharmed. Speaking of Professor Pyg, we need to have a group meeting."
"Go without me," Dinah says. She walks up to the incubator and places her hand on it. "I want to stay with Oliver for a bit."
"Actually Dinah," I say, placing my hand on her shoulder. "I kind of need you at the meeting. Can you please come with me? The Doc and Iris can stay with Oliver."
Dinah doesn't answer at first. She stares at Oliver for a few minutes before nodding her head.
"Sure," she says. While she heads for the door, I turn to Doc and Iris.
"Do not let him out without my permission," I order, pointing a finger at the two. "I do not care how much he begs or pleads. He is staying in there until I say otherwise. Got it?"
"Got it," the Doc and Iris say.
With that done, Dinah and I walk out of the infirmary and into the meeting room. There, I see everyone sitting around the table—everyone except Captain Cold.
"Oh for crying out loud, where the heck is Cold?"
"I told him you wanted to see him," Kara says, "But he told me to fuc--"
I cough and cut Kara off before she can finish.
"Okay, okay, you don't need to finish that sentence. Give me a second."
With two fingers down and two fingers up, I shoot out my hand and cast a spell. I see and hear people gasping as they see a golden cross appear in front of me. I walk into the cross and back out a few seconds later, dragging out Captain Cold.
Kicking and screaming as I drag him, I finally let go of Cold's leg. The second he can, Cold climbs up and yells at me.
"What the hell is your problem? What the living hell is your problem?"
Cold gets right in my face but I don't move an inch.
"Enough of your hiding," I say. I nudge my head toward an empty seat. "We have important things to discuss. Take a seat and shut up."
Cold is grinding his teeth. There are pulsing veins on his forehead. He is huffing and puffing. He looks redder than Firestorm. Despite all of this, Cold grumbles as he takes the empty seat. He slams his butt down and crosses his arms.
"Okay," I start, placing both my hand and cell phone on the table. "There are a few things we need to immediately talk about. Starting with Lady Shiva and Professor Pyg. Higgin. You know what to do."
The holo-display comes to life, with Higgin's silhouette appearing on one of the screens. He brings up the files I send him.
"Lady Shiva is a skilled hand-to-hand martial artist. She specializes in various forms of Chinese and Japanese fighting styles."
Pictures of Lady Shiva appear on the screen. They're followed a few seconds later by pictures of Professor Pyg.
"Professor Pyg, whose real name is Lazlo Valentin, was a doctor who worked at Gotham Hospital. At least, until he was fired and disbarred. Based on the stories you guys told me, some things are starting to make sense."
Along with the pictures of Lady Shiva and Professor Pyg, there are maps of Starlight City and Hub City.
"According to recent stories and articles, in Starlight City, there had been an increase in disappearances and kidnappings. Meanwhile, there had been an increase in robberies in Hub City. Close to 10 robberies per week."
"10 robberies a week," Jason repeats.
"Yeah," I say, "And here's the funny thing. Most of the robberies seem to be happening in a pattern."
I tap my phone and bring up more stores and articles.
"It seems first there's a store robbery. Convenience stores. Gas stations. A quick smash and grab. One or two weeks later, there's a major robbery. Banks. Jewelry stores. Armored trucks. If I had to guess, I would say the store robberies are something like a test.
"A test," Selina says. "What kind of test?"
"A test to see whether or not you can handle the big times."
"Well, if that's true," the Professor says, "Then it means with all these robberies, whoever is assigning these tests has grown quite an army."
"Not an army," I say. "A gang. Black Mask."
"Black mask," Kara says. "What black mask?"
"Not what," I say, sending Higgin another file. "Who?"
On cue, Black Mask's profile picture and records appear on the screen.
"Black Mask was one of Gotham's most feared gang lords. He, Batman, and I sparred quite a lot back in the day."
"Black Mask," Harleen says, staring right at the picture I have of Black Mask. "There's a name I haven't heard in a while."
"That's because right after the destruction of the first Metropolis and Superman's first regime, he went off the grid. I guess with us drawing too much of Superman's attention and him pulling back his soldiers, Black Mask saw an opportunity. I bet that store robbery you stopped with another test for another potential recruit."
"Which means," Cheetah says, now turning over. "That Lady Shiva is working for Black Mask."
"What about Professor Pyg," Jaime asks. "I've never heard of him before. Why is he kidnapping people?"
"From what I remember, Professor Pyg kidnapped people to, quote on quote, 'better them'. He used microchips implanted in the back of the neck to control them. To make them 'right'."
"Guau," Jaime says, falling back into his seat. "If he's doing that, it's no wonder why he lost his license."
"Okay," Ivy says, "That's Hub City and Starlight City but what about Central City? Supergirl and I went there and we didn't see any trouble. Minus those few minutes Supergirl disappeared."
"Wait, wait, wait, what? Kara, you disappeared? Why? For what reasons?"
"Someone named Ares--"
"Ares? Ares the God of War?"
"Yes. You know him."
"Sunglasses knows everyone apparently," Harleen says.
"Harleen, quiet. Kara, why did Ares teleport you away."
"It was to give me a warning. Well, to give you a warning."
"A warning? What was the warning?"
"To be careful when dealing with the Lords of Order," Kara says. "They want you gone, and there's no telling how far they will go."
"Oh believe me," I say, "I already experienced just how far they've already gone."
I think back to Mordru, Morgan, and Klarion.
"Still, that's odd. Why would Ares give you a warning like that?"
Before I could wonder, I sense a shockwave coming from Gotham City.