The White Wraith

Chapter 24: Uncovered

Batman's POV

Martian Manhunter frowned from his place next to Megan. Why was it so hard for him to go into their training simulation and kill her?

It was bad enough that the training session messed up in the first place!

I looked over at Artemis and Wolf, who were currently breathing deeply and in comas.

Anyone else who was killed during the training would be put into similar states. Which is why we had everyone's vitals monitored since the moment Artemis died.

Madison and Kaldur's heartrates started to speed up and I looked over.

Madison's hand twitched for a moment before she snapped. Black smoke spread from her fingers and leaked into the room.

Great, now we couldn't see anything either.

I growled and turned around to look at Kaldur before the smoke reached me. Suddenly, the smell of something burning reached my nose and I coughed.

Her illusion... I could smell it... It wasn't an illusion, it was real. Real smoke.

My eyes widened and I ran blindly toward the person closest to her.

"Batman? What's wrong?" Black Canary asked from her place next to Red Tornado.

"Wraith is making real smoke. We need to get everyone out now!" I ordered.

There were two long beeps as Madison and Kaldur died in the simulations and rendered comatose.

"Could you draw out the smoke?" Black Canary asked Red Tornado as she hauled Artemis over her shoulder.

"Not without also pulling out the oxygen and other gases in the room." He said, grabbing Connor and Kaldur.

I picked up Dick and handed him to Tornado as well. They turned and ran out of the room as it filled with toxic fumes.

I pulled my cape over my nose and Wally's before carrying him out. I grabbed Madison and took her with us. It might be her smoke, but it is just as deadly to her as it is to the others.

Once I got outside, I put Wally with the others.

Black smoke was still pouring off Madison in enormous waves.

"Tornado. Take her up." I ordered, handing her off.

Black Canary was already back inside to get J'on. I ran back in after her and threw the massive wolf over my shoulders. He was extremely heavy.

We got back outside and dropped them down just as Megan suddenly gasped.

She sat up straight and J'on almost fell out of Black Canary's arms.

"What- what? Everyone- everyone-" She stammered, looking around.

Everyone else began to sit up too, looking around in confusion.

"You're all alive!" She exclaimed.

"Artemis!" Wally grinned, running over and hugging her.

"What happened?" Dick asked me.

"Training simulation went wrong. Everything was fake. You all knew this going in, but..." I trailed off.

"Where is Madison?" Kaldur asked.

"She went on a flight with Red Tornado. They should be back soon." I explained.

Not moments later, the two of them touched down. Madison looked just as confused as the others.

Martian Manhunter began to explain everything to them.

"It's not Megan's fault." Connor said.

"No, it was her subconscious that did it. She had no control." Martian Manhunter agreed.