Worldheart (A Justice League fanfic)

Chapter 20

The back door of the apartment building opened up to a small derelict alleyway, cramped with dumpsters and torn open trash bags littering the street. Brin was already standing outside waiting. "How in the hell?"

"Not now, we need to get out of sight. Can you climb?" Jaz searched the walls of the alley trying to find what he was referring to. Realizing he meant to climb the bare brick walls, she gave him an 'are you kidding me' glare which was answer enough. "Fine." Brin bent over, digging two clawed fingers through a sewer grate lifting it with ease. "Get in."

"Oh no. No, no, nooooo." Jaz backed up nearly tripping over Hero behind her. Even he pushed her towards the hole as he brushed past her leg. She watched him peer into the darkness for a moment expecting him to take a deep whiff and realize it was a mistake. Instead, he jumped in head first slowing his descent by bounding from one wall to the next until she lost sight of him. Flashlights began appearing on the walls and she could hear the sounds of police talking about searching the alley; thankfully the litter and dumpsters blocked their view from the street. "Sewer diving was never on my list of fun things I wanted to do as a hero." She protested as she began descending the slippery ladder, her leg nearly slipping off the third rung. Her skin crawled when she had to grip the slick railings with her bare hands.

"It's never on anyone's lists. Not exactly the bonus we like to mention when we're selling the job, but it's just as a part of the reality of it as it is saving others." Brin called down, pulling the grate back in place just as the police rounded the nearest dumpster. "Thankfully, it's never on their lists either. We should be fine to get home without anyone checking down here." Brin began walking at a brisk pace, his eyes apparently immediately adjusted to the darkness down here.

Jaz turned on her phone's flashlight again, using it to light up the cobbles directly in front of her. "How is it you immediately know the way home? This place is like a maze. I'd be immediately lost down here."

"Like I said, an unfortunate reality of being a hero. You'll learn the undercity just as well as up top. I know all the short cuts to get just about anywhere here." Beside him, Hero barked his agreement.

Jaz scrunched her nose, "Right. About that whole, being a hero gig, though. I don't remember ever agreeing to any of it."

"Says the one who demanded they join me searching the apartment tonight. No one asked you to save that waitress either."

"Yeah, but that's different. I mean, he threw a man into you! And he tried to kill me too! Obviously, I'd want to know what's up with that."

"Speaking of the waitress, I don't remember anyone coming down from the Justice League to save both of your asses." Jaz rolled her eyes, expecting him to demand she thank him next. "No, instead, I see some weak little girl with no training jump up as if someone had personally asked her to help." Jaz flinched. "And then she runs a beast that could punch her into a red mist around the city, protecting some waitress she didn't even know the name of. What happened to leaving it to the professionals?"

"I didn't know what else to do ok? I can't fight, not against that, that's for sure!"

"You can't yet, but you still tried. You got yourselves out of that alley, somehow brought down a whole emergency escape on his head and managed to keep you both alive until I could catch up." Jaz focused on picking her way through the grimy sewer, not knowing what to say. "Time and time again you keep standing up when the call comes. Say what you will about letting others do the work, I know what you'll do when there's no one else to help. All I want is to make sure you don't get yourself killed doing it."

A lengthy silence stretched between them with only the sounds of their footsteps echoing off the sewer walls, and the trickling of water beside them. Jaz let out a long breath she hadn't realized she was holding. She moved to run her hand through her hair before remembering the wet ladder, thinking better of it. "Alright, fine. I'll practice with you." Her face warped into a scowl when she noticed him grin, "but don't think this means I intend on being your side kick or whatever. I'm on vacation and I still have a couple things to scratch off my bucket list for this world!" Hero's tail began wagging, slapping into Jaz's calf. "I do want to add that I did that vault."