Treacherous | Dick Grayson

14

Chicago, Illinois

"Telling her is a bad idea" Ashley whispered to Dick, eyes steeled as they marched down the hall. 

"If it was you in her shoes, you would want to know" Dick whispered back, trying to reason with Ashley while Kory followed silently behind them with quiet judgment. 

"She's going to get us all killed if we tell her" Ashley angrily whispered as they entered the living area. 

"I'll deal with it" Dick promised her quietly. Ashley rolled her eyes and went to set on the chaise of the sectional and pulled her legs up to her chest so Dick could sit on the end while Kori stood behind them. "He says your birth mother is still alive" Dick told Rachel after he sat down. 

"What?" Rachel asked, shock covering her features. Gar sat forward and began listening intently to Dick.

"He claims they've been holding her prisoner. He could be lying" Dick told her honestly.

"He is lying" Ashley corrected. "There are three different scenarios that this could play out. One, she's the one leading this whole cult operation and two is she's dead and this is a trap...and three is she's leading the cult and luring us in with a trap" Rachel looked ready to object before Ashley intervened. "I'm not saying it to be mean, I'm saying so that you have realistic expectations of how this could play out. If we follow this, we may not come out alive" Ashley told her, and Rachel's face fell. 

"He says your mother's name is Angela Azarath" Kory said. "They're holding her at some asylum. Apparently, he and his people are dead set on keeping you two apart" Kory explained and sat down next to Dick.

"Why?" Gar asked.

"Some more blabber about Rachel's father and his divine mission" Kory began. "I don't know. Sounds like your mother isn't a fan" She finished. 

"My mom's alive. I could meet my mom." Rachel began fiddling with her hands and was getting antsy. "We have to go. Now." Rachel insisted, standing up. 

"No matter what happens with this Rachel, this is a trap. We can't go in blind, it'll kill us" Ashley tried to reason, wanting to beat both Dick and Kory upside the head for wanting to tell her about her mother. 

"At best, we would be marching into an enemy stronghold. You've seen what these people can do. No one's going anywhere until we take some time for recon" Dick said, agreeing with Ashley.

"What if they move her? They know we have him" Rachel asked with panic. 

"I'm not risking all of our lives on his word. I'm sorry" Dick said sternly to her. 

 "Tell him he's wrong" Rachel told Kory, knowing Ashley was against going to find her mother. 

"I wish I could. You know how I hate to agree with him, but..." Kory said before being interrupted by Rachel.

"All you ever talk about is finding out who you are" Rachel said sounding like she was about to cry. "You think we should go. Right, Gar?" Rachel asked, looking at the green-haired teen. "Gar?" Rachel insisted. 

"I'm sorry, Rachel" Gar said, sounding truly apologetic. "Rachel" Gar said, getting up to follow the teen. 

"Way to go" Ashley told Dick watching the teen's retreating figures. "Next time, listen to me about this. I know exactly what I would be doing if I was in her shoes. You better find those blueprints quickly or we're all dead people walking" Ashley said with steeled eyes as she looked into Dick's defeated ones. 

"Ash" Dick began. 

"Don't 'Ash' me, Richard. If we don't go now, she's going without us. This is the consequence and we all gotta deal with it" Ashley said and got off the sofa with a grunt. "I got a phone call to make, send the blueprints to my phone" The brunette said, walking up the stairs and pulling out her phone.