Grabbing her weapons and the note, Artemis entered the mountain just as Wally was coming to look for her.
“Oh! You're okay.”
“Yeah Wally. I just got distracted.”
Wally eyed the weapons in her hand before looking back at her.
“Distracted? By what; a large bird?”
“No. By someone who delivered a message.”
“Who?”
Artemis started walking and he followed behind her easily.
“Who? Who's the message from?”
“What message?” Robin asked.
“The one Artemis got from someone. Who she won't name.”
“It was Cheshire okay?!”
“Why would she send us a letter?”
“She said it was her job. That it would answer our question.”
“Open it!” Robin demanded.
“What? Why?”
“It could be about Becca.”
Artemis froze for a minute before tearing open the envelop and taking out a single sheet of white paper. There was writing on it and a little sia drawn at the bottom. But the words caught her attention. Robin stood behind her, reading over her shoulder.
“Young Justice,
It pleases me to inform you that a little warrior has been welcomed into our midst. You know her as Becca. For now she is safe. But that could change. If we do not receive five moonstones and one million dollars before Sunday, January 22, we will take your friend, one piece at a time. If you wish to save her, send the ransom to the valley just outside Happy Harbor. And, since we have the upper hand, no tricks. No police. No super powers. Consider this your first warning.
Order of the Sia”
Somewhere in Gotham
Becca woke up with a light in her eyes. It was gone a minute later and a rumbling noise sounded. She screamed and jumped to a sitting position.
“Talia!”
Her mentor was beside her the minute Becca called out.
“I know my little bird. The storm will pass.”
Becca whimpered and lay her head on Talia's lap, curling up next to her. A hand stroked her hair and the movement soothed her.
“You've been gone a long while, my dear. How did you get through the nights you were gone?”
“I...can't remember. I thought I had someone to help me. But I must have imagined it. Right?”
“Of course. You told me yourself how they betrayed you. What made you think that any of those stuck-up heroes would have comforted you?”
“I-I don't know. Things seemed better out there. I thought there was somebody loving me, making sure I was always okay.”
“Oh Becca. You've been gone too long. You've obviously convinced yourself that your fantasies were real. That one of those heroes would come out of their ivory tower to save you. But you know, deep down, that it is only a fantasy. No one else helped you after your parents died. But I have. I am the only person who really loves you. You're my darling sister. And nobody will change that.”
“I missed you Talia.”
“I missed you too, Becca. Now rest. I won't abandon you. Not like everyone else who turned their backs on you. I will never let my little sister go.”
“Oh! You're okay.”
“Yeah Wally. I just got distracted.”
Wally eyed the weapons in her hand before looking back at her.
“Distracted? By what; a large bird?”
“No. By someone who delivered a message.”
“Who?”
Artemis started walking and he followed behind her easily.
“Who? Who's the message from?”
“What message?” Robin asked.
“The one Artemis got from someone. Who she won't name.”
“It was Cheshire okay?!”
“Why would she send us a letter?”
“She said it was her job. That it would answer our question.”
“Open it!” Robin demanded.
“What? Why?”
“It could be about Becca.”
Artemis froze for a minute before tearing open the envelop and taking out a single sheet of white paper. There was writing on it and a little sia drawn at the bottom. But the words caught her attention. Robin stood behind her, reading over her shoulder.
“Young Justice,
It pleases me to inform you that a little warrior has been welcomed into our midst. You know her as Becca. For now she is safe. But that could change. If we do not receive five moonstones and one million dollars before Sunday, January 22, we will take your friend, one piece at a time. If you wish to save her, send the ransom to the valley just outside Happy Harbor. And, since we have the upper hand, no tricks. No police. No super powers. Consider this your first warning.
Order of the Sia”
Somewhere in Gotham
Becca woke up with a light in her eyes. It was gone a minute later and a rumbling noise sounded. She screamed and jumped to a sitting position.
“Talia!”
Her mentor was beside her the minute Becca called out.
“I know my little bird. The storm will pass.”
Becca whimpered and lay her head on Talia's lap, curling up next to her. A hand stroked her hair and the movement soothed her.
“You've been gone a long while, my dear. How did you get through the nights you were gone?”
“I...can't remember. I thought I had someone to help me. But I must have imagined it. Right?”
“Of course. You told me yourself how they betrayed you. What made you think that any of those stuck-up heroes would have comforted you?”
“I-I don't know. Things seemed better out there. I thought there was somebody loving me, making sure I was always okay.”
“Oh Becca. You've been gone too long. You've obviously convinced yourself that your fantasies were real. That one of those heroes would come out of their ivory tower to save you. But you know, deep down, that it is only a fantasy. No one else helped you after your parents died. But I have. I am the only person who really loves you. You're my darling sister. And nobody will change that.”
“I missed you Talia.”
“I missed you too, Becca. Now rest. I won't abandon you. Not like everyone else who turned their backs on you. I will never let my little sister go.”