Bluejay: The Protégé of Black Canary

Metagenes

Blood pounded in my ears as I watched my dad lay still on the bed, the shallow movement of his chest rising and falling as a machine next to him helped oxygen into his lungs. A tray of tools lay on a nearby table- a stethoscope, a thermometer, a blood pressure machine, a flashlight, a discarded syringe. 

Rubber gloves were piled in a small trash can, and sterile wrappers and bright lights could be seen about everywhere in the room. It seemed the doctors had run every test imaginable to figure out what he had been subjected to at the cutches of Dr. Linh.

Robin tried to enter the room too behind me, but hauled when Batman shook his head at his young protégé. I saw Robin's jaw tighten as he lingered in the doorway. Glancing at me one last time, he allowed the door to close with him on the other side.

I had mixed feelings about Robin not being in the room. While I knew all he wanted was to be there for support, I didn't want him to carry this burden. I walked past the four doctors and lowered myself into a chair near my dad's bed, my fingers twitching with anticipation. I felt like doing so many things at once. Throwing up, screaming, passing out, thrashing on the ground, to name a few.

The twelve laborious hours the doctors had spent examining my father were imminent- with bags under their eyes and nearby empty coffee cups. But it wasn't just their exhaustion that showed on their faces. Their expressions didn't look too good, meaning, neither was the news they were going to share with me.

"Jackie, these are doctors Leslie Thompkins, Bradford Thorne, Kyesha Salton, and Lana Kurree. They agreed to come in and take a look at your father." Dinah said, motioning to the four strangers.

Three women, and one man. They all seemed to be middle aged, with fine lines at the corners of their eyes and calloused hands from years of work. I observed them all, picking up the way some of them adjusted their glasses or nervously glanced over at Batman. They had to be both skilled enough and trusted in order to be here, but that didn't mean they were immune to the intimidation that radiated off him.

"I recognize you." I blinked, looking at one of the doctors.

Dr. Leslie's dark hair tugged at a memory in my head. I remembered seeing her through the grainy security cameras in my dad's room. She gave me a sheepish look, as if embarrassed.

"I was part of the team that monitored Mr. Hamilton at S.T.A.R. Labs... and so was Dr. Linh. I'm so sorry I hadn't realized something was going on sooner." Dr. Leslie apologized.

She seemed sincere, but bitterness towards the woman began to grow in my chest. As I felt it expanding, I quickly smashed it down. That wasn't fair. After all, I had been the one covering for George. None of this would have happened if I had just been honest with Dinah in that diner so many months ago.

"Thank you for coming in. I really appreciate it." I forced the words out.

The silence stretched on as the doctors tried to figure out how to begin. I observed my father's pale body, my fingers trailing the cold purple bruise beginning to blossom on the inside of his arm from the tests. My eyes flickered to the test tubes that contained my dad's blood, or the nearby machines that still radiated warmth from usage.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my pounding heart. Dinah and the other doctors looked uncomfortable too- none of them wanted to be the one to break the news to me. Batman was the only one who remained emotionless. (How he and Robin were partners still continued to baffle me) My fingers twitched. I got tired of waiting and decided to jumpstart the conversation myself.

"What the hell is a Metagene." I asked, my gaze snapping to the group of doctors. "I saw it in the folder."

My voice was sharp, and my expression was nearly maddening. I probably frightened the doctors more than Batman did at the moment. Dr. Leslie adjusted the cuff of her lab coat and took a breath. She spoke gently to me and danced uncomfortably around her words. It appeared Leslie had experience with informing people of their loved one's medical news. I wondered if it had taken a toll on her.