Birds of a Feather

14

It had been a full week of going over medical practices and possible techniques with Cyborg before we had finally decided that there was no way to avoid the fact that I would need to go through surgery.

"Rae I know you don't want to hear this but it's the only way. I'm sure if I contacted some of the League's medical staff they could set up in the safe room so you wouldn't have your powers." Cyborg said as he closed one of his medical textbooks.

I looked to the floor. I knew he was right, of course I did, but I didn't like it. "There's just so many variables. What if something goes wrong. What if I hurt someone? What if they find me before we can get the device out? I know they're listening and seeing everything I am."

Cyborg sighed deeply and nodded. "Of course there's risks but it's the path of least resistance. If we take you to Gotham they could trigger the device and Rage would go loose again in a city that really doesn't need any more issues. If we do it in this room we have a better chance of less destruction."

"What does Bruce have to say about all of this?" I said calmly. Bruce Wayne had arrived at the tower last night and had taken over the plans in searching for the Joker. I watched from my little screens and could see the small glares that Nightwing would send his way every once in a while.

Cyborg shook his head in a laugh and said "He wants to let you out. He says if we do, they'll trigger Rage and you'll lead us right back to them. I keep telling him it's an awful idea but he doesn't know that. He's never seen her close up." I looked down in shame. Everyone had been talking about my rage emoticlone as if it were another person entirely, but she's not. She is me and I can't help but feel awful for the fact that I'm causing so many issues again. And as many times as they tried to convince me, all I could feel was that I was truly a monster in a cage.

"They can see and hear everything I can at any given moment. They know that Nightwing and Batman are all in one place, and if I get out of here, they will be dead. There is no question about it, I will kill them." I said firmly. I hadn't told anyone other than Cyborg that their plan was to use me to kill them because that would mean admitting to the whole world that Nightwing's weakness was me.

Cyborg nodded and picked up his books. He gave a small wave as he left and promised to bring me my tea in a few hours. I stayed on the ladder for a long time after that, just thinking of all of the worst-case scenarios that could come out of this situation.

"I see the bird has found her perch."

I looked up, expecting to see the voice appear from the viewing deck that was next to me. When I saw no one, I looked around and saw Nightwing sitting on my makeshift bed in the center of the room.

"Richard what the hell are you doing. You can't be in here." I yelled, curling myself into a ball in an attempt to hide from him.

"I don't have powers Raven, this room to me is just a room." He smiled and patted the space next to him, asking me to join him.

I scoffed and turned my head again. "Just wait until I become the monster again, you'll think otherwise." This was the first time since I've been in this room that Richard had come to see me. No one would tell me about what he was up to and he never so much as asked about me. Not that I was so selfish that I needed him to ask, but it would have been nice.

"Raven you're not a monster. You're the one who chose to be in here" He said. I laughed. I couldn't help but laugh out loud at that statement. I sat up and walked down the ladder to be on the same level as him. He stayed sitting on the bed as I walked over to him.