Mimic

Movies and Planning

The day after Christmas I pushed aside my hesitations and my feelings and I got to work, planning how I would kill each of my friends. I couldn't write anything down, for fear of getting caught before I even committed the heinous crime. I lay on my bed, facing the ceiling. Despite my better judgment, in my hands I held the collage that I had received the day before.

I was staring intently at a group picture of the team. As my eyes drifted over everyone's faces I considered ways to take them down. Just as I was debating the logistics of who to kill in what order, I got a knock on my door.

"Come in," I called, swiftly sitting up and stashing the collage in my desk drawer.

"Hey," Dick said, opening the door a bit and peeking his head in. He wore his signature goofy grin. In any other situation, just the sight of him would make me smile too, but now when I looked at him all I saw was a constant reminder of what I'd have to do.

"What's up?"

"Are you okay?" he asked, a quizzical yet concerned expression on his face.

"Of course," I replied, annoyed at myself for letting him read me so easily.

"If you say so," he said, obviously not believing me but willing to let it go. "Anyway, wanna go catch a movie with the Team?"

"What movie?" I asked, already hopping off of my bed and grabbing my jacket from the back of a chair.

"We're deciding when we get there," Dick glanced at me hesitantly, "And you should get a bigger jacket."

I raised my eyebrows at him, a smirk already forming on my lips.

"What?" He said sheepishly, "It's cold."

"Yeah, thanks, Mom."

"Shut up."

On our way out, I made sure to put on my winter jacket.

***

We zeta'd to a town outside of Metropolis and met the Team in a cute little shopping plaza with a variety of stores and a movie theater. A sick feeling was forming in my stomach. At this point, the Team felt like my only salvation. But they were also part of the reason I needed saving. As Dick and I approached the group, I forced an uneasy smile.

"Hey, guys!" M'Gann greeted cheerfully.

Everyone else chorused their hellos, and then we started making our way towards the theater. Once in front, we began to discuss our movie options. Or rather, argue about what to see.

"Action!" Wally demanded, making finger guns while yelling pew pew and making explosion noises.

"Could you be any more of a stereotypical teenage boy?" Artemis rolled her eyebrows.

"Then what do you suggest?" Wally crossed his arms.

"Oh, I also want to watch an action movie," she smirked, "But I couldn't miss an opportunity to tease you."

"Let's put it to a vote," Kaldur said, ever the mature one.

We ended up picking some superhero movie, which I found to be a bit ironic. The movie itself was pretty great, although I could never remember the title. Afterwards, we decided to walk around and shop a bit.

"This would look so cute on you!" M'gann told me, holding up a mustard yellow top as we browsed Forever 21.

I decided that I was going to kill her with fire. Early on, before everyone caught on that I was a traitor. I'd get her with her guard down, maybe in her sleep. My stomach churned as I thought about the look she'd give me when she'd realize what was happening. That I, the girl she'd loved and cared for and supported, was burning her.

But that was later. Now, I forced a smile. "Isn't yellow a little... too much? For me?" I asked.

"It goes well with your skin tone," Zatanna chimed in. "Also, you can tone it down with a jacket over it."

"True." I said, then put the shirt into my cart.

With Z, I'd just kill her the old fashioned way — a slice in the neck. I'd have to disable the protections she casts over herself as she sleeps, but I'm sure that that won't be a problem after some reading up on magic.

We walked around the shop some more, but I was looking at my teammates rather than clothes.

Artemis, I could take. Raquel too, as long as I have powers. I'll make sure to touch everyone before I begin my assassinations.

The irony, I thought to myself with a bitter smile, I kill them with the powers they gifted me.

Tula, Garth, and Kaldur all have a weakness to fire. Perhaps I'll just set a massive fire to kill the Atlanteans and the Martian. A fire that'll burn down all of Mount Justice — my memories and my friends.

I'd have to take Wally by surprise. He's smart but trusting, so I'll use that to my advantage.

Connor will be the hardest to kill, but I know that Batman has a stash of kryptonite in the cave that I can steal. Getting the kryptonite will be hard, but once I have it, killing Connor will be easy. Well, as easy as killing your friend can get.

After a few more minutes of everyone shopping, we all went to the cashier to check out. The boys and girls had split up in the store, but we were now all back together in line. Dick scooted next to me.

"Hey, are you okay?" He asked discreetly, for the second time today. "You've been acting kind of weird."

"I'm fine," I lied. It was a convincing lie, but I follow it up by squeezing his hand which immediately made him more worried. At this point, I didn't really care. My shoddy cover only had to serve me a few more days.

Then he'd finally see how wrong he was to trust me. How wrong he was to have known I was up to something but believed that I could change. To defend this faith in me to his mentor, to his friends. To invite me into his home, into his life.

I squeezed his hand again before letting go. I didn't want to let go of his warmth, his comfort, but I knew that it wouldn't be appropriate.

I was going to kill Dick first. If I put it off, I don't think I'd be able to follow through. If I thought about it too much more I'd eventually talk myself out of it. As if there was another answer. As if I myself wouldn't be killed if I did not commit these murders first.

As if there was hope.