Maybe this isn't as fake as we think(Birdflash)

Did that just happen?

Pre memorized schematics and floor plans spun through Dick's head beside his own notes and observations.

There were approximately five viable paths to the computer banks that he needed to get to in order to hack Lex's system and retrieve the data that would hopefully tell him if Lex was planning something. Five paths that twisted and wound through the building and were all far longer than Dick was totally comfortable with.

Two of them involved air ducts. Those were the ones he would prefer to use. The air ducts would keep him out of sight in case any stray workers were wondering around.

The rest of them involved stopping by smaller computer banks to hack into the cameras that the other paths just avoided. It would be nice to have those eyes in the sky- even if he could only keep them as long as he was snooping. Any longer than that and Lex would notice any bugs in his system.

While he mulled over his plans, Dick glanced periodically at Wally. His friend looked worried, but also oddly steady. Like he was sure of something. It was the look he got on missions before he did something of highly questionable safety that had definitely not been approved by the team.

It set Dick on edge.

Nevertheless, he told himself that it didn't matter because he trusted Wally to have his back and cover for his absence. No matter what. That, at least, was true. He trusted Wally.

The dining room turned out to be more of a ballroom and instead of one table for everyone to eat at, there were several smaller tables scattered throughout the room with one long spread at the front of them room which was covered in food.

Looking around, Dick saw that teenagers were already scattered throughout the room at tables and some just standing in pairs or groups. As one, the four of them went to the buffet table to put together plates of food before heading to an already forming mass of teenagers that Dick recognized as friends of Kizzys.

This group was sitting around a table, already talking animatedly. So Dick pulled up a chair and plopped down to listen for a bit before smoothly inserting himself into the conversation. Wally and the girls did the same. In a few moments, he had blended seamlessly into the group. He took a second to reflect about how that had always been one of his greatest strengths. His people skills.

His ability to work with a team and to read people were, of course, obvious assets, but most people never thought to consider how helpful it could be to put people at ease. It helped with everything from getting witnesses to talk to talking down bad guys that were really just scared beneath it all to maintaining his cover or squeezing secrets out of people without them even realizing.

All together it made him formidable as a spy or information gatherer.

Was gatherer a word? It was totally a word. Dick made a mental note to use it at the next opportunity.

Wally glanced sideways at him.

Again.

Dick made another mental note to teach Wally how to observe less obviously after this was over.

The wariness was practically rolling off Wally in waves. It was a miracle that none of the aristocrats surrounding them noticed his tenseness. This marked the 27th time Wally had glanced at him like that in 30 minutes. Dick had had enough.

Sensing a sort of lull in the group conversation he was currently engaging in, Dick leaned over to brush his lips against Wally's ear and whisper, "Relax."

Wally startled a little as Dick leaned into him and whispered into his ear, fighting hard to keep the blush off his cheeks. Had he been that obvious? He'd thought he was being discrete, but this was Dick so...