Scarlet Justice - Young Justice Fanfiction

And the Mystery Unfolds

Kristen's Pov

After Bane and Mallah were tied up and we had moved to the assembly room, Nightwing and I went our separate ways to search the building for anything useful. He seemed off every since we put those two to sleep, distant even. I had tried to talk to him but he just brushed me off. It had something to do with whatever Bane was talking about, and I think the others knew about it, too.

I keep forgetting we all have our own traumas, and that it was a difficult experience to share, but I had thought they would look to me as a friend. Maybe I was just being nosy.

Nightwing had sent out a distress signal as soon as we got out of that cell, which gave them a good two hour head start. Artemis was resting in the bio ship, ready for take off when the other squad gets here. She needed medical treatment and they've sent the best along with Captain Atom, and Black Canary to come survey the mess.

Finishing my rounds, I made my way back to the assembly room. Kaldur and M'gann were talking in one corner probably discussing what our next move was. Nightwing, however, was in the office space above them, going through computer files.

I stopped to lean on the door, with my hand on my hip. "Hey."

He turned around in the chair to meet my gaze. His face was hardened into a set expression; the famous Batman poker face. "What do you need?"

I was taken aback by the coldness in his voice. He never talked to any of the team like this. Ever. 

"Nothing, I was just wondering if-" I paused to take a shaky breath. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure? Because-" I began, but he cut me off right away.

"I said I'm fine." 

I was not used to this side of him. And quite frankly, I think this was the side he used strictly for business, not for friends.

"Well," I paced over to the file cabinet behind him as nonchalant as I could. I decided to go out on a limb and ask, despite his bad mood. "Do you want to talk about what Bane said?"

He stood up at the question, with his back turned to me. 

"I think it's best if you don't ask too many questions, Kris Someone always ends up hurt." 

Those were the words Bane had said. Come on, Dick Talk to me.

"I'm going to report to Artemis before the medic gets here. Did you need anything else?" He paused at the doorway and turned his head slightly back towards me. Just at that glimpse, I saw something. It was bitterness? No, it was guilt and anger. About what?

"Uh, no. I'll finish up here," He nodded and made his way down the stairs.

I stared his retreating back. All of his lectures about not keeping your fears or anger pent up for long periods of time and he doesn't even bother to take his own advice.

I returned my attention back to the filling cabinet. There was only one, which had to mean anything important was on that computer file Nightwing took with him.

My fingers flipped through the manila folders. By the fourth drawer, my fingers had a few paper cuts. The other three had nothing but the information on the children. Nothing important, there wasn't even a date of birth. But this fourth drawer was different.

The first manila folder I pulled out had Lex Luthor's name on it in bold letters. At the top, was a contract stating he would disavow any actions involving the experiments. It also said he was to stick to the funding of all the equipment on Earth.