Young Justice Season 3 - Life Behind the Mask

Episode/Chapter 14 - Betrayal

"Behind you!" Robin called to Nightwing as a thug swung his club at Nightwing's head from behind him. 

"Thanks!" Nightwing yelled back as he jumped out of the way and kicked the thug. Then he saw a few more thugs to his right, but they were immediately taken out by three batarangs followed by Batgirl who flew in on her rope and dropped next to Nightwing. 

"Good timing." Nightwing said as he took out a nearby thug. 

"Thanks. Sorry we're late. We had to get through a few more thugs back there." Batgirl said. 

"'We'?" Nightwing asked. Then there were five thugs running up to them, but we're suddenly hit by five more metal batarangs, then followed by the Dark Knight himself. 

"What are you doing here in Bludhaven?" Nightwing asked Batman as the four stood back to back, surrounded by thugs. 

"Batgirl told me to come." Batman replied. 

"Okay, fine." Nightwing said as he kicked a group of thugs. Then he turned around and he saw Batman standing next to one of the brick buildings. Nightwing pulled out a couple of mini bombs and threw them at the building high above Batman. Then large chunks from the building started falling. Batman looked up, then he quickly tumbled out of the way and let the large brick chunks smash on the ground where he stood. They all turned to Nightwing, who was suddenly on the ground panting. 

"Nightwing! What did you do that for?!" Robin asked. 

"I...I'm sorry...I don't know what just happened." Nightwing breathed as he stared at the ground. Then he looked at the sky and held his head. 

"What were you thinking?! There weren't even any thugs there!" Robin said. 

"I didn't mean to...and like I said....I have no idea what just happened." Nightwing said as he rubbed his head. 

"Okay, Nightwing. It has been a week after your kidnapping and since then, you've been disobeying protocol and orders and putting the team at risk!" Batman said, "if there's something going on here, you'd better tell us."

"But, I really don't mean to...it all just....happens..." Nightwing said.

"Okay, Dick. Clearly you're not okay and we need to get you back to the cave now. And if you pull a random stunt like this again, you will get the boot." Batman said as they all helped him up to the nearest Zeta tube. 

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"So is anything wrong?" Nightwing asked M'gann when she was done going through his mind. 

"I'm sorry Dick. But I've gone through your mind five times in the last five minutes and nothing is wrong with it. I'm sorry." M'gann apologized. Suddenly the door to the medical room swung open. 

"Dick!" Artemis cried and she ran over to him, "what happened?! Why are we here again?! I don't like thinking about the fact that we've both been in here almost more than five times in the last month." 

"Something's wrong with me, and I need to fix whatever it is, before someone gets seriously injured." Nightwing replied. 

"But Dick, I already told you. I've been through your mind so many times, now I know you more than anyone else, but there's nothing wrong with your mind." M'gann said. 

"And I appreciate what you've done, but who knows what I might do next!" Nightwing protested. 

"Okay. Let's just give you another day or two, and if it happens again, we're going to have to bring you to a professional." Artemis said. 

"I just hope it doesn't happen again." Nightwing said as he got up and walked out the door. Then Artemis turned to M'gann. 

"Thanks, M'gann. You tried your best." Artemis smiled. 

"Any time. I'm sorry I couldn't fix anything." M'gann apologized. 

"It's okay. you helped us rescue him from the War World, and without you, then no one would've been able to restore his memory." Artemis said as she put her hand on her shoulder and gave her a hug. Then they heard Nightwing's voice on the loudspeaker. 

"Team, get to the mission room. We have a mission briefing in five." 

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"Okay, team. We have a mission for you guys." Nightwing said as Artemis and M'gann walked into the mission room. 

"We have to...." he tried saying, but for some reason, he felt like he was being pushed back and he couldn't say anything. It was the same feeling all the times he was told he "disobeyed protocol". He tried saying something else, but when he did, it felt like he was talking on the inside, but not on the outside. 

"This can't be happening...how...no! Who did this?! This is not good! I can't control my own body!!" Nightwing said, but no one heard him. His body wasn't even moving. 

"Nightwing?" he could hear everyone calling his name and shaking him, but for some reason, he couldn't make his own body say anything to them. Someone has taken control of him. 

"Remember me?" he heard a familiar voice in his head. 

"Psimon! What have you done to me?!" Nightwing yelled, but of course, he and Psimon were the only ones who could hear him.

"Remember what happened to Blue Beetle last year? Yes, well, we also heard that that was one of you fears, so...Sit back and enjoy the show!" Psimon replied. 

"NO!" Nightwing yelled, but his body had already started moving and talking on its own...with the help of Psimon. 

"Sorry, guys. I just had a... realization. That's all." He heard his body say. 

"Oh, okay. I thought something bad happened to you all of a sudden." Impulse said.

"No! Guys! This isn't me! It's Psimon! M'gann! Read my mind! Do something!" Nightwing tried getting to them. 

"Stop it hero. You're yelling is giving me a headache." Psimon groaned. Suddenly, his body grabbed his dual batons. 

"Wait, what are you doing? Stop!" Nightwing yelled. 

"Nightwing?" Blue Beetle asked nervously as he and the team started backing away slowly. Nightwing tried to fight his way to control, so his first target was Psimon. 

"This is so confusing." Nightwing said as he started fighting an invisible Psimon. He finally made his way and gained full control of himself. He fell over and sat panting on the ground in the process. 

"Nightwing!" Artemis shouted and ran over to him. 

"What happened?!" Robin asked.

"No! Stay away! Psim-" but before Nightwing could finish his sentence, Psimon yanked his conscience from his body and he felt like he was thrown back down again. Now Psimon had full control of Nightwing's body again. 

"Psimon! Don't hurt them!" Nightwing yelled. 

"No. Psimon says he just doesn't care." Psimon said and laughed as he got Nightwing's body up off the ground. As soon as he was standing, he grabbed Nightwing's black metal batons and the first person he knocked out was Impulse. 

"Dick!" Artemis screamed, but Psimon didn't stop there. He used all of Nightwing's abilities and skills and took out all his teammates. Mal, then Bumblebee, then Arsenal, then Lagoon Boy, Superboy, Miss Martian, Beast Boy, Static, Aqualad, Supergirl, Blue Beetle, until he was left with three people: Batgirl, Robin, and Artemis.

- To be continued -