The Heroes and The Villains (sequel to The hero and the villain)

Chapter 20: Choosing Sides

I stood just behind the team as Batman told them their new mission.

Capturing John.

Up on the holoscreen was a picture of him in his combat gear, beside it was one where he's in civilian clothes, with Zatanna by his side, but she had been partly cropped out. They looked happy, they looked in love.

I found Zatanna in the group. She was scratching her arm and looking at the floor.
John told me that he thinks she still has feelings for him. Is she gonna defend him or help take him in?

"Are their any objections to this mission?" Batman asked, mainly looking at me.

I was about to say something when Zatanna bet me to it.

"Why?" She asked.

Batman looked at her confusedly.

"Why what?"

"Why? Is he suddenly priority number one? You didn't really explain that." She said.

"I don't know if you listened to the briefing. But Robin has been in a coma for five days due to Johns abilities."

"Yeah, but there had to be a reason. I'm sure it wasn't just a savage attack. Robin was probably asking for it. You can't put him in jail for that."

She was right about some things. Robin did want a fight. But John did turn savage in the end.

"We are only bringing him in for questioning. And then we'll decide whether he goes to prison or not."

"Okay. But why are we spending time searching for John, when we should be tracking down an actual criminal. Like the Joker. He's still at large, why don't we find him instead."

"Because the Joker could be anywhere but we know that John is somewhere in Gotham."

"No you don't. John could have left the city."

"Zatanna, listen." Batman demanded, getting angry. "John is going to be brought in. No matter what you think." Batman dismissed her and addressed the entire team again. "Is there anyone else that believes John shouldn't be captured.

I can't leave Zatanna alone. She defended my brother and so should I.

"I do." I called out.

All the members of the team turned their eyes to me. Zatanna smiled at me.

"Ocelot." Batman started. "You sit at Robins bed every night. You've seen the damage John caused..."

"I know what John did!" I exclaimed. "I know exactly what happened so don't try to guilt trip me into capturing my own brother."

"Yeah. You tell him Oce!" Artemis yelled out. "I object as well."

"You do?" Wally asked, stunned.

"Yeah. I do. Us girls gotta stick together." She explained.

"Johns a guy?"

"I meant Ocelot and Zatanna." She said.

"Alright then." Batman said. "Zatanna, Ocelot, Artemis. You will not be attending this mission. The rest of you. Bring John in. You are dismissed."

The team started to disband. Artemis and Zatanna walked up to me. So did Batman. He eyed us all.

"I don't know what kind of game you girls think this is. But John is a suspect. If you help him you may be charged with assisting a wanted fugitive."

"Whats your point?" Zatanna stated. She sounded angry.

"My point is. That I don't want you girls to go and do something stupid. I don't want you three to be the next people this team has to hunt down. So stay out of this!" He demanded. He left us and walked into the zeta tube, disappearing in the light.

I looked at the two girls by my side.

"So what are we gonna do?" I asked them.

Artemis stared at me. She had no idea what to do. I was surprised that Zatanna was the one to answer. Then again. She's different all of a sudden.

"I'm gonna find John. Get him to talk to me." She said, she then started walking towards the Zeta beam.

I shook my head, trying to stop her. "Zatanna that won't work. He won't tell anyone anything. Not even me."

She turned around. "I'll make him tell me!" She angrily said and zeta'd away.
I turned to artemis.

"So what do we do?" She asked.

I looked at her and thought for a moment.

"We try to convince the team to not take down John."

"Won't happen." She replied immediately. "They like Robin way more than John."

"I like Robin more than John. But I'm still fighting for him." I stated.

"Yeah. Why are you doing this again?" She asked.

"Because I don't believe John is a bad guy. The only reason they fought was because Robin wanted to." I explained.

"But does that defend him from beating Rob to a pulp?"

"Yes... No... I don't know. I don't think he knew what he was doing."

Artemis nodded. "Yeah. He doesn't know what he's doing. Wouldn't that make him more dangerous?" She quizzed me.

"I-Ma-Whose side are you on?"

Artemis smiled. "I'm on your side Oce. But whose side are you on?"

My eyes widened at her question. I'm on Johns side of course. I think?
Artemis was staring at me.

"You don't know, do you?" She stated. "Maybe you should figure it out before we go and help a wanted man..."

"NO!" I exclaimed. "Artemis. It doesn't matter whose side I'm on because there isn't any sides. Its just a misunderstanding between two people that the rest of us got pulled into." I started walking away from her. "C'mon. We are gonna try to convince people that John isn't bad."

"It won't work!" I heard her call out before running back up to me.

So the team has their mission and Katie has hers. I wonder how this is going to play out?

Ocelots are Cats