Scarlet Justice: Identity - Young Justice Fanfiction

Silence

Dick's Pov

"You know, it would have been much more fun if we had done recon work on street level," Steph teased. I knew she had really wanted to see inside the Gotham Gala but it was too much for her first recon job without Tim or Bruce with us.

"Yeah, right, just the two of us?" I scoffed. I also knew Steph was more for the action. So when she was stuck helping me instead of going with Tim and Alpha squad on the mission, let's just say it bummed her out.

And recon with me was never really enjoyable. I was a stickler like that.

"Do you think they'll be able to break into the manufacturing base?" Steph asked, handing me the binoculars and sitting down. She leaned back against the ledge and twirled a knife in between her fingers.

"Who knows what'll happen, Astra," I said. My response was subconscious. A lot of things happened on missions. It was hard to hope for the best.

"What if they don't find blueprints for the microchips? What if Lex is there? What if it's like the abandoned headquarters we found in Seatle?" She rambled on with question after question and I finally had to draw my attention away from the Gala.

"Could you stop worrying about Alpha and focus on the task at hand?" I snapped. She gave me a glare and sat up to look down at the Gala again.

"Jeez," Steph rested her head on her arms. "So what's the deal with him Cobblepot anyway? Other than the fact that he's out of jail."

"Well, that is the deal. Ever since the murders in September, Gotham's underground has been very quiet," I didn't mention to her Jason. That was a story for another day, especially since his file wasn't completely closed.

"Batman was called in after the museum was robbed," I continued. "He was last trying to figure out if the m.o. of the crime matched the Penguin's."

"Now that some of the Justice League are off world maybe some certain individuals think it's their cue to come out of hiding," Steph deduced. She took the binoculars and looked down the street.

"That may be true, but if that's the case, then the Penguin isn't the only person we should be worried about," I said and shuddered at the thought.

"Do you think he'll make a move tonight?"

"Maybe. Probably not, it's only been a few days," I replied. "Everything is still working as smoothly as it should."

She laughed a little to herself. We sat in silence for a few minutes. I began to think that it would be an easy night after all.

Then the front doors exploded.

Steph and I were on our feet and jumping to the street in seconds. "I just had to say something did I?"

"That's what you get," Steph laughed. I stuck out my tongue and handed her a breathing tube.

On the street, people were already outside. Injured, burned, and some looked unconscious or dead. A couple lights down, I could already see the fire trucks and ambulance vehicles making they're way towards the Gala.

I kicked past the burning doors, holding my arm above my head. Screams and crying could be heard from every direction. The stair case leading to the top balcony was dark and definitely suspicious, but there were still people on the ground floor.

"Astra! Move upstairs! Be on alert, he's probably still in the building! And he doesn't travel alone," I shook the haunting feeling that I would regret sending her upstairs. Steph only nodded in response, took out her knife and staff and began to move up.