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Chapter Text

There’s a quiet ding as Penelope’s tire track algorithm finds a match. Michelin Defender2 flashes. 

“League standard,” Artemis whispers. 

It’s been quiet in the last few moments, everyone reeling from Artemis’ admission. Dave murmurs a prayer of strength under his breath. Emily stares resolutely out the window, no doubt mentally running through the Cheshire mission report. 

Penelope swipes mindlessly at her tablet, unable to bring any radical acceptance to the table. Luke is eyeing Will, reassessing what he once perceived as military into vigilante. Tara has a disbelieving look, one that first graced her features when Will claimed to be Red Arrow. JJ watches Artemis.

A woman as private as she is, it’s unsurprising that she has secrets. It’s expected. Everyone has brought a bombshell to a case at least once. It’s a rite of passage at this point to have your worst moments written up as evidence on a whiteboard. 

Somehow, it’s almost strange that it’s Will’s secrets and Jade’s secrets, not Artemis’, that are coming out in this moment. 

“Who were you speaking with?” 

The newest agent bites her tongue for a moment. “There’s standard procedure when a family member goes missing. The lead contact is usually Oracle.”

Penelope’s head whips up from where she started sifting through information about vehicles that use the matched tire. 

“Who’s the Oracle?” Tara asks, clearly trying to keep her skepticism out of her tone. 

“They’re not real,” Pen answers before Artemis can open her mouth. “Or, at least, no one thinks they’re real. If they are, they’re a- a really advanced AI. Or a whole team of hackers.” 

Will huffs out a laugh, more instinct than true emotion. “They’re looking for Lian through other means. Following connections if this is a professional kidnapping.”

“Professional meaning cape,” Dave clarifies. 

Will inclines his head. 

“They just confirmed what I already knew,” Artemis continues. “Cheshire—Jade—is in Qurac. Whoever was wearing the mask knew about Lian’s connection to Cheshire, which is a very specific group of people.” 

“How specific?” Emily asks. 

Δ Δ Δ

BatCave Remote Terminal accessing… … … 

↳ League of Shadows
  ↳ Locations
  ↳ Personnel
  ↳ Missions
  ↳ Allied Organizations

temporary access granted: Garcia, Penelope <Tech FBI BAU>

Δ Δ Δ

“And I thought your personnel files were impressive,” Penelope whispers to herself. On the TV, hundreds of files pop up. 

JJ desperately wishes Spence would return to the team just to help them read through all the content. Rank, tenure, appearance, background, missions, and dozens of other parameters scroll by. 

“Batman keeps extensive records,” Will states neutrally. “And he has… personal issues with the League of Shadows.” 

While specific, the number of people who may know about Lian’s connection to Cheshire is not small. 

The majority of the people in the cape community. Artemis’ entire family, Will’s entire family. And potentially anyone who has worked for the League of Shadows. 

While, again, abductions tend to be within intra-family affairs, JJ accepts that this may not be true in Lian’s case. Not when there’s an entire underground assassin organization that may want vengeance on her mom for leaving said organization. 

JJ feels deeply in over her head. But there’s no turning back. 

Dave gives a low whistle at the two hundred and eleven files blinking down at them. “That’s a lot of names to check out,” he comments. “If I had that many enemies, I would have Kai LoJacked.”

Artemis stiffens at the statement. Will glowers. “I wouldn’t. Any sort of tracker would give off a continuous signal. Anyone could tap into that and find the target.” He gestures at the list, unsurprised by its length. “Almost everyone on that screen has the resources or the skills to track her with a free signal.” 

An uncomfortable silence reigns until Emily redundantly states, “We need to start narrowing this down.”

Around the room, the team settles into various positions. It’s been just over six hours since Lian went missing.

“Let’s knock out leadership for now,” Tara begins. “Anyone who has that much power and that much secrecy isn’t going to personally abduct their target. Too much heat.”

Penelope types rapidly on her keyboard. On the screen, five names disappear. It’s a start. 

“Exclude anyone who’s been noted as impulsive,” Luke adds. “The unsub planned this down to the second, they scoped out the perfect spot to be hidden from parents but visible to Lian.”

Another twenty-six names are cleaved off. 

Artemis leans forward. “Remove any agents who started after 2015. That was the last time Jade worked with them.”

Fifty-two names, gone. 

“Take out the men as well," JJ suggests. "Lian would know her mom’s body type, even if she doesn’t see her much. She would recognize that it was a stranger when she approached if it was someone noticeably different.” 

Ninety-eight names disappear. 

Still not enough. 

Δ Δ Δ

incoming call: XXX-XXX-3729
initiating trace… … … 

Δ Δ Δ

They cross off a few more people by technicalities, but the list still hovers at fifteen possible assassins who may have Lian under duress. Even with Penelope’s skills and Oracle’s access, they can’t possibly run down those names before Lian is too far away to find.

JJ chews on her pen, running the profile over and over. They're missing something, obviously. But worse, she’s missing something. She knows it. Something right in front of her face. But she just can’t quite place it. 

It’s aggravating. Her stomach clenches with that moment too late feeling. 

Artemis’ phone rings. 

Everyone in the room tenses. Darting through her mind are some of the worst phone calls she’s received. Spence in the Mexican jail. Will’s medical news. Penelope's date gone wrong. Hostage negotiations, funeral arrangements. 

Slipping the phone out of her pocket, Artemis slumps slightly. “It’s Jade,” she announces, standing to take the call slightly further away. It’s not her personal phone with sticker residue on the case, nor her work phone with the cracked screen. It’s a small black flip phone, the kind sold at a gas station for fifty bucks.

Her shoulders press back as if being called to attention, her eyes glinting resolutely. One fist closes around the gold necklace that usually stays hidden under her shirt. Her lips draw together and her eyes squeeze closed. 

She listens for a moment, then answers. “No major progress on our end. O, N, and Mom are at home following up on the hero angle. We think there was a Cheshire copycat on location, which is why no one heard Lian leave.” She winces. “Yeah… about that.

“I had to. Jade, there’s a Cheshire copycat on scene and Lian ran toward her. What was I supposed to say?” 

JJ presses her lips together as she listens to Artemis’ defense of revealing her sister’s identity. 

“That Will is the former Red Arrow? Yeah.” She glances back at Will. “Do you have a sec before you take off? We think it’s a Shadow that took Lian. We could use your help narrowing the profile.” 

Artemis pauses before putting her sister on speaker phone. 

“You’re on with the- team.” 

“Ms. Nguyen.” Emily keeps her voice level, like she’s speaking with any other parent who’s lost their child. “We are looking into every possible angle to get your daughter back.” 

“What do you need to know.” The mother’s voice is flat and heavy, with an edge of a challenge covering the depth of her wavering fear. Wind whips up in the background of the call.

Emily straightens her shoulders. “We’re wondering if any of these names are familiar to you. We believe these are the likely members of the League of Shadows who may have taken Lian.” After a moment of silence, Emily begins reading through the names. 

“Sheree Seton, Tania Mudi, Arwa Mansour, Lorena Miranda Rosas,” Jade identifies, anger deep in her voice. “They all had it out for me for one reason or another.” There’s muffled speaking in a language JJ doesn't recognize. “That’s the pilot,” Jade announces. “We’re taking off. Mouse, should I be expecting a welcome party when I land?”

Artemis’ eyes flick from person to person, assessing. “Not from me,” she determines. It’s not until it’s in the open that JJ realizes she hadn’t once considered arresting Cheshire when she’s on American soil. “ETA?”

“With the amount I paid, the flight shouldn’t be longer than three hours.” 

“Understood. We’ll keep working here. Call again when you land.” 

Δ Δ Δ

Initializing scavengerhunt.exe

Enter Parameters…

location:Quantico-VA; radius:30-mi; zoning:business; business-subtype:vehicle-rental; vehicle-rental-subtype:Michelin-Defender2-tires; cross-reference:League-of-Shadows

Δ Δ Δ

It’s past midnight, too late to do any on-the-ground investigating, but no one goes home. 

Dave and Tara take catnaps in the offices down the hall. Artemis and Will speak quietly to Artemis’ mother who has no updates of her own, not that anyone was expecting her to. 

Luke steeps a cup of tea for Penelope, who disappears down to her office, and puts on a pot of coffee for the rest of them. JJ sips it while studying the roads that lead out of Fuller Heights Park while Emily weighs routes out of the country. 

With his laptop open, Luke emails car rental places within an hour radius of Quantico. Only locations that boast renting SUVs and the like. He warns that members of their team will be arriving in the morning, jotting down the time that they open. When Tara returns with one more sleep cycle than the rest of them, she plots out the most efficient path between car rentals. Luke tags out, taking over the couch in Emily’s office. 

Staring at photos the locals shared of the park, JJ again gets the dull feeling that she’s missing something. The idea just out of reach. The wet grass, the empty playset, the creaking swings. 

The cracked parking lot with three vehicles not belonging to the soccer team. A pothead, a dog walker, and a jogger all accounted for in police interviews. 

She sifts through the files. More interviews from the coach, from the parents, even some of the kids on the team. No one saw Lian run into the wooded area. No one heard an SUV tear away. 

“Your turn, Jareau.” She starts at Dave’s voice. 

Her exhaustion seeps back into her awareness. She could do with a nap. 

“We’re missing something,” she mumbles on her way out the door. No one disagrees. 

Δ Δ Δ

Δ Δ Δ

A member of the custodial team—Leah, who JJ has exchanged pleasantries with for years but has never quite gotten to know beyond that—is emptying the trash in the small kitchenette. They greet each other softly while JJ digs out a mug from the back of the cabinet. She tries to remember whose turn it was to run the office dishwasher when Artemis steps into the space.

JJ greets her softly, offering the less dusty mug to her friend. “Did you get any sleep?” she asks when Artemis accepts it. 

Her teammate shrugs. “It’s not worth it,” she answers. “I already had nightmares of- Will or Jade’s work catching up with us. Now that it’s happened…” 

Humming sympathetically, JJ measures out another serving of coffee grounds and refills the water. “I don’t know how you’re able to work the case at all,” she admits. “If it were Michael or Henry, I would be a mess.”

Artemis closes her eyes. “Work is the only thing keeping me together. If I think about this for longer than a second, if I think about Lian as- as a victim.” She swallows. “I’ve seen what happens to kids who get taken by the League. It’s not pretty.” 

Hot water starts trickling through the machine. JJ frowns. “The League kidnaps children regularly?” 

“No, not really.” She runs her fingers through her greasy hair. “A lot of their recruits start young, but they start willing. There are a few… two that I know of… who were raised to be assets to the League.” 

“What do you mean?” 

She glares at the coffee maker, conjuring up anger to cover her fear. “Child assassins.”

JJ sucks in a breath. 

“The two I know, one defected to the JL, the other… is under a JL member’s care,” Artemis explains. “They were both born to prominent Shadows.” 

JJ considers this. How it might connect to Lian’s situation. It’s not yet clear. Like she’s trained, she returns to the profile. “What are the motives behind stranger abductions?” JJ prompts. 

Artemis gives her a strange look. “Revenge, jealousy of the parents, replacing a lost child, circumventing adoption, sexual deviancy,” she lists quickly. 

It’s been years since Spence has been in the bullpen, but JJ still waits half a beat for him to fill in with statistics. “Jealousy and circumventing adoption,” she repeats. “What if the person who took Lian can’t conceive?” 

“And they want Lian because she’s the daughter of a former, prominent Shadow and a vigilante?” Artemis isn’t skeptical, but she isn’t convinced. 

An assassin jealous of their leaders’ children. They can’t conceive on their own, but they’re convinced they would be a good parent. Two children trade one League for the other. It only serves to convince the unsub that they need to prove themself, show the world that they're more capable of raising the perfect assassin. 

They know about Cheshire’s daughter, who lives with a vigilante now. A perfect message to send not only to the capes (“You take ours, we take yours.”), but also to their own leadership (“I’m more capable than you realize.”)

The connection doesn’t satisfy the niggling in the back of JJ’s mind that there’s something more to uncover. But it's at least something to wake up Penelope about.

Δ Δ Δ

open: encrypted_line_B-07:B-16; priority:yellow

Δ Δ Δ

The team, slightly rested, seems more convinced of JJ’s replacement child assassin theory. Which is a miracle because, when spoken aloud, it sounds ridiculous.

Will grudgingly agrees that it’s no secret in the cape world that he and Cheshire are legally married in Vietnam. It’s likely that Shadows are well aware of this fact too. 

A motive doesn’t translate to means unfortunately. While Will and Penelope attempt to narrow the profile from the four names Jade recognized, the rest of the team approaches the evidence they have with fresh eyes. 

It’s the same interviews, the same photos, the same timeline. Nothing new, nothing groundbreaking, except. “Where’s the interview for the woman at the swing set?” JJ asks, scanning through the police files they’d been sent. 

Everyone else at the table gives her an odd look. 

“What woman at the swing set?” Emily asks finally. 

JJ furrows her brow. “When Will gave us the timeline last night, he said that there was a woman pushing her kid on a swing. Have we been sent her interview?” 

“We were sent all the interviews,” Tara answers. She’d been the one to negotiate that agreement with the locals. 

JJ scans through the files again. “But no interview. She would’ve been the closest to the playset, surely they would’ve taken her statement.” 

“Maybe she left,” Luke suggests. “Her car wasn’t in the lot.” 

Pothead, dog walker, and jogger. All interviewed. 

“She was there when Will searched the playset.” The dull ache of wrongness grows. 

Penelope glances up from her laptop. “Maybe she lives in the neighborhood and walked to the park.” She faces Will, fingers poised to type. “What did she look like? I can run a search of driver’s licenses in the area.”

Will opens his mouth then closes it. “I… don’t know.” Not the answer JJ was expecting from the father who memorized all the license plates related to his daughter’s soccer team. 

“That’s okay,” Emily assures. “We can have locals canvas the area when it’s light out.” 

At the same time, Artemis swears, “Mother of goat.”

Will slumps against the table. “Moded,” he agrees. “Fuck!” 

“What? What’s wrong?” Dave presses. 

“Will doesn’t just forget faces. We’re- He’s trained to catalog everyone in a space. If he doesn’t remember her-”

“Then there was some sort of intervention. Drugs or-”

“Magic,” Artemis finishes. “I’ll call Z.”

Δ Δ Δ

Initializing eavespeeper.exe

Enter Parameters…

device:garage-door-opener; model:Intellicode2/CodeDodger2; wave-form:radio; frequency:315-MHz; rolling-code:F4D99J1I23OE; radius:100-mi; cross-reference:League-of-Shadows

Δ Δ Δ

Months ago, their team had a case in which bodies were dropping before their time. Artemis determined that the COD was magical in nature and everyone chalked it up to her liberal arts professorship. There had been a two day wait to get a JL consult and everyone JJ’s spoken to since has convinced her that this is an extremely rapid response. 

Now, as Artemis speed dials the Justice League’s Doctor Fate, she wonders if perhaps their newest agent called in a favor. 

“No, no news,” Artemis answers the magician. “Z, we think that there may have been a magic user there when Lian was taken… There was someone Will saw but can’t recall the face of. They disappeared from the park before they could be interviewed. Trying to think about that detail of the case is like swimming through molasses.” The words are frustrated but concise. A mission report. “Yes.”

Artemis puts the phone on speaker. 

The Doctor Fate who JJ never expected to work with again speaks with the same authority she brought to the Middleton case. “The effect that Artemis described is that of a Perception Filter.” Penelope jerks in surprise at the term. “It’s a spell placed on either a person or a magical object that diverts attention from the source.” She sighs. “A, you’re going to hate this, but I think the kidnapper may have also been using a Glamour Charm.”

Artemis swears under her breath. 

“I know. But you- It’s been fair game for years.”

“You believe that the woman at the swing set was the kidnapper?” JJ asks. She’d been thinking an accomplice, but the pieces fall into place with startling clarity. 

There was a fourth car on the scene. A car with Michelin Defender2 tires that no one heard take off before Will arrived. 

“Oracle’s been keeping me appraised of the situation. It strikes me that whoever took Lian is self-important enough to want to see the look on Will’s face, but not stupid enough to be observable when he arrives.”

The father's fingers are clenched around his arm rests. “You’re telling me,” he grits out. “That Lian was there. Lian was the kid screaming on the swings and I walked right past her?” 

Zatanna hums quietly. “Yeah,” she confirms. “I think they wanted to rub it in.” 

Fury stiffens through Will’s body. Artemis tightens her grip on the phone. “I’m going to kill them,” she whispers. 

The magician sighs. “I’ll reach out and see if anyone knows the Shadows’ magic supplier. Keep me updated.”

“Thanks Z,” Will answers for Artemis. 

The newest agent is too busy staring at the woman standing in the doorway. 

Δ Δ Δ

Δ Δ Δ

Jade Nguyen. Cheshire. The FBI’s eighty-first most wanted. Lian’s mom. Artemis’ sister. 

She’s not what JJ is expecting. The descriptions Tara and Luke gave from the roof depicted a lithe, powerful fighter with sharp, glinting weapons and an exaggerated, eerie costume. A ritualized mask that is the last thing hundreds of people have seen. 

This woman wears a green baseball cap pulled low. Her worn, gray jacket is zipped up and her jeans have flecks of red clay along the sides. She appears unarmed, although there’s no telling what’s in the stuffed black duffle bag at her side. 

“Status update,” she says in place of a greeting. Her gaze is hard and JJ thinks it’s to keep tears from forming. 

Artemis fills her in quickly on the little progress they’d made since she called. Jade listens intently, glaring when anyone else tries to chime in. 

The glare turns on Will at the end of the explanation. “She was there,” she accuses, fire and fury in her chest.

“Jade,” he starts, eyes wet. 

Her jaw tightens. “I don’t want to hear it.” She stalks into the room, standing in the same corner by the window that Will had stared out of when JJ first arrived last night. “You’re sure about the child assassin thing?”

“As sure as we can be,” JJ responds, testing the waters. 

Jade scoffs. “You should ask one of your charity cases then.”

It takes a moment for Artemis to understand Jade’s meaning, frazzled by her sister’s arrival. “Not charity cases, but that’s not actually a bad idea.” She pulls out her phone and starts texting quickly. When the silence becomes heavy with curiosity, she glances up, eyes flicking to JJ. “The two kids that defected to the JL. I- Lian is friends with the younger one. They might have insights on the profile.”

“What about your Cold War mole?” Will asks. 

Artemis frowns. “Oracle might be able to get ahold of her, she fell off everyone’s radar a couple years back. Robin might know too.”

“They really gave the Demon Head’s heir that mantle?” Jade questions. “And don’t bother texting Orphan. She followed me from the airport.” She glares at her sister. “So much for the ‘no welcome party,’” she accuses. 

Artemis tucks away her phone and splays her hands defensively. “You try telling Oracle what to do.” As she speaks, another presence materializes in the corner of JJ’s eye. She startles. A young woman dressed in all black with a hood and face covering cocks her head expectantly. 

Δ Δ Δ

encrypted_line_ALL:B-16; priority:yellow

Δ Δ Δ

If JJ focuses on it for more than a minute, her head will swim with the strangeness of what’s brought her to this moment. 

Tara parks outside Manassas Car Rentals, skipping all other possible locations because the hacker vigilante Oracle traced a signal from Artemis’ garage door opener to this area. The signal being what the kidnapper likely used to time their abduction so perfectly. With files maintained by the Batman, they narrowed the profile from a possible two hundred and eleven League of Shadow assassins to just three formers with the help of the daughter of Lady Shiva. 

They have photos prepared for their questioning with tips from one of the three Doctor Fates on how to assess if a Perception Filter was used. Their anticipated unsub was identified by a defected Shadow, the granddaughter of the Amazing Man, and the current Robin.

JJ can’t think about all that. Instead, she flashes her badge to the poor manager of Manassas Car Rentals and asks if she recognizes any of these three women. 

She studies the first two JJ sets out with intent, eyes sliding right over the photo of Karina Borowy who was pushed out of the League five months ago. 

Tara nods in agreement. The inability to focus on the photo is exactly what they were instructed to look out for. The manager searches her system for Borowy’s various aliases listed in the personnel files Penelope was temporarily granted access to. 

Carrie Little pings. She rented a black SUV with Michelin Defender2 tires yesterday morning. Texting the license plate number to the group, JJ waits desperately for Pen to find a match through traffic camera footage. 

They’re close. They just need a little longer to find Lian. 

Δ Δ Δ

Initializing alphabetgame.exe

Set parameters…

Feed ▸ Virginia Department of Transportation Traffic Cameras

Timestamps ▸ 09-05-2024 00:01 - present

location:Quantico-VA; radius:100-mi; vehicle:suv; vehicle-make:chevrolet; vehicle-model:traverse; vehicle-year:2018; vehicle-color:black; license-plate-state:VA; license-plate-number:ENI-3892

Initializing alphabetgame.exe

Set parameters…

Feed ▸ Virginia Department of Transportation Traffic Cameras

Timestamps ▸ 09-05-2024 00:01 - present

location:Quantico-VA; radius:100-mi; vehicle:sedan; vehicle-make:ford; vehicle-model:taurus; vehicle-year:2015; vehicle-color:silver; license-plate-state:VA; license-plate-number:KAO-2096

Initializing whereswaldo.exe

Subjects…

Borowy, Karina <Operative, League of Shadows>

Accessing Borowy, Karina <Operative, League of Shadows> Facial Recognition… … …

Initializing thirdeye.exe

Enter Subjects…

Borowy, Karina <Operative, League of Shadows>; Z-04

Set parameters…

Feed ▸ RMN <Stafford Regional Airport> TSA Coverage Area: TSA Pre-Check Line 1

Timestamps ▸ 09-06-2024 18:00 - present

Δ Δ Δ

An hour to drive back to Quantico and pick up the rest of the team. Another thirty minutes to furiously speed down the highway to the Stafford Regional Airport south of the city. 

An unknown number texts updates to the team. Traffic cameras caught the car Borowy rented driving from Manassas to Quantico. A lens flare they now know to be a Perception Filter effect blurring the swap of the black SUV to a silver sedan thirty-six minutes after Lian was taken. 

As JJ drives, Artemis announces that her friend Oracle—and JJ refuses to believe that Oracle is some stranger—is currently scanning flight logs at the Stafford Regional Airport.

JJ tries to ignore the sheer illegality of this investigation. That can come later. 

Right now, she focuses on the frantic look in Artemis’ eyes when she learned that her niece is most likely at an airport. That there’s every possibility that Lian is no longer in Virginia. Possibly no longer in US airspace. 

In the backseat, Will drums his fingers against his knee. No one tried to keep the former Red Arrow in Quantico. Nor has anyone commented on Jade re-appearing on silent feet into the Bureau garage at the exact time JJ and Tara arrived. Certainly no one asked about the nondescript leather briefcase she handed to Will with the words, "Don't miss." 

It’s sick, how much sense this all makes. Artemis’ obvious frustration with Cheshire. Everyone on the team had chalked it up to the contract killer escaping in transit. Now it’s clear that Artemis was more miffed about Jade not visiting her daughter while in town. 

Even further back, JJ thinks about how Artemis had been the one to insist on involving the Justice League back in Middleton. How strange this seemed, when her teammate usually chafes against joint cases with Homeland Security or the White Collar Unit.

She remembers sitting in the conference room after the case wrapped up and overhearing Artemis ask Zatanna about how she was doing after her father’s passing. JJ thought she’d missed it on the news. 

Now, she wonders if the unexplained personal time Artemis took half a year ago was to attend the second Doctor Fate’s funeral. 

Mixed with the disbelief and the re-assessment, JJ feels… not betrayed. But hurt. Hurt that Artemis didn’t think she could share this part of her family. Hurt that there is a depth to her teammate’s life where she’s never been invited. Where she’ll never be invited. 

Will and Artemis still code their language when referencing a hacker so proficient that Pen didn’t believe they existed. The vigilante Orphan remained masked the entirety of her interrogation, using a version of sign language that doesn’t match the ASL JJ learned for Spence. 

Jade never once turned her back to the team, nor let her worry show in any form other than anger. 

As JJ passes an already speeding Amazon delivery truck, she firms her resolve. Artemis may not share this piece of her life with those not in the cape community. But JJ will do all she can to show the younger agent that she is trustworthy of that knowledge. Whatever it may be that got Artemis close to these vigilantes and Shadows in the first place. 

Δ Δ Δ

From: Stafford Regional Airport Administration <[email protected]>
Sent: 7 minutes ago
To: Stafford Regional Airport Staff <[email protected]>
Subject: Benefits Enrollment Opens Soon

Hello,

As you are aware, Open Enrollment begins in October. In preparation for this important period, we ask that all employees download and review the attached document describing upcoming changes to benefits in the 2025 fiscal year.

Thank you,
Donna Ferguson

Attached: <<2025 Benefits Information.pdf>>
  ‣ Download <<2025 Benefits Information.pdf>>? YES NO
    ↳ Trust New Download?  YES NO
      ↳ Initializing… <<piggyback.exe>>

RMN Flight Logs accessing… … …

↳ Public Flights
↳ Charter Flights
  ↳ September 7, 2024
    ↳ Aircraft Types
    ↳ Executive Turbopops
    ↳ Compact Light Jets
    ↳ Light Jets
    ↳ Midsize Jets
    ↳ Heavy Jets
    ↳ Ultra Long Range Jets // access file
  ↳ September 6, 2024
  ↳ September 5, 2024
  ↳ September 4, 2024
  ↳ September 3, 2024
  ↳ load more

Δ Δ Δ

“Most likely, she’s leaving the country,” Emily agrees over speakerphone. Dave makes a noise of agreeement on the same line. 

“The flight logs Oracle shared show only one international flight,” Penelope announces. 

There’s a short, but heavy silence in which everyone processes that this information will not be appearing on any official reports. 

“When does the flight leave?” Luke asks. His and Tara’s vehicle is just ahead of JJ’s. 

Artemis glances at the clock with sharp eyes. In the rearview mirror, Will clenches his fists and Jade straightens her back. 

Pen hums as she reads. “7:30.” They have fifteen minutes. 

Ahead of her, Luke presses on the gas. She does the same. 

Δ Δ Δ

Z-04_ABD_09062024_Rescue_Video

Feed ▸ BatDrone Model No. 08 Unit No. 012

Timestamps ▸ 09-07-2024 07:09 - 09-07-2024 07:24

Video Summary ▸ Z-04 Rescue.

At the RMN <Stafford Regional Airport>, Borowy, Karina <Operative, League of Shadows> was preparing to board a Legacy 650 jet <craft ID: DW520> and leave the country (see RMN Flight Logs). A persistent lens flare is present throughout the footage. This is Z-04 under a Perception Filter (see 25's <Doctor Fate III> report of League of Shadows’ access to magic items).

Arriving at the airfield, three federal vehicles (see FBI Vehicle Registration) parked. Alvez, Luke <SA FBI BAU> and Lewis, Tara <SA FBI BAU> exited FBI Vehicle 1 <license plate: 4382970>. Jareau, Jennifer <SA FBI BAU>, B-07 <Tigress>, 21 <Red Arrow, ret.>, and Nguyen, Jade <Cheshire> exited FBI Vehicle 2 <license plate: 7839183>. Prentiss, Emily <SSA FBI BAU> and Rossi, Dave <SSA FBI BAU> exited FBI Vehicle 3 <license plate: 6422081>.

Alvez, Luke <SA FBI BAU>, Jareau, Jennifer <SA FBI BAU>, Lewis, Tara <SA FBI BAU>, Prentiss, Emily <SSA FBI BAU>, and Rossi, Dave <SSA FBI BAU> (henceforth, FBI Agents) aimed their service weapons at Borowy, Karina <Operative, LoS>.

B-07 <Tigress> and Nguyen, Jade <Cheshire> approached Borowy, Karina <Operative, LoS> at approx. 8.69 meters per second. 21 <Red Arrow, ret.> took up a sniper position on the roof of FBI Vehicle 2.

B-07 <Tigress> engaged in physical combat with Borowy, Karina <Operative, LoS>. Nguyen, Jade <Cheshire> seperated Z-04 from the abductor and returned her to FBI Vehicle 2. 21 <Red Arrow, ret.> shot smoke bomb arrows to cover their exit.

The FBI Agents kept their aim on the abductor and reported mild panic at sudden smoke (see Z-04_ABD_09062024_Rescue_Video_Audio).

B-07 <Tigress> physically subdued Borowy, Karina <Operative, LoS>, resulting in various injuries and loss of consciousness (see Stafford Hospital Medical Report).

Nguyen, Jade <Cheshire> removed the Perception Filter from Z-04, ending the lens flare. Nguyen, Jade <Cheshire> then performed a field medical check on Z-04 and found superficial injuries (see Queen Industries Medical Report).

Jareau, Jennifer <SA FBI BAU> supervised B-07's <Tigress> arrest of Borowy, Karina <Operative, LoS>.

The FBI Agents searched the Legacy 650 jet and catalogued evidence (see JL Report 09072024). A local ambulance <license plate: DIU-2198) arrived. 25 <Doctor Fate III> arrived and supervised Borowy, Karina's <Operative, LoS> medical care.

B-07 <Tigress> and 21 <Red Arrow, ret.> performed brief field medical checks on Z-04 and brought her into FBI Vehicle 2.

End video summary.

Z-04_ABD_09062024_Rescue_Video_Audio

Feed ▸ FBI Channel 4 Frequency

Timestamps ▸ 09-07-2024 07:09 - 09-07-2024 07:24

Audio Transcription ▸ Z-04 Rescue.

(07:09)

B-07 <Tigress>: Jade, when we get there-
Nguyen, Jade <Cheshire>: I won’t kill Borowy. I’m getting [identifying information removed: Z-04] out.
Jareau, Jennifer <SA FBI BAU>: Both you and [IIR: 21] need to stay in the car.
21 <Red Arrow, ret.>: All due respect, Agent Jareau, that’s my daughter. I’m not going to twiddle my thumbs while she’s in danger.
Jareau: Legally speaking, you need to stay in the car. I will be working on de-escalating the situation, so I won’t be able to remind you once we’re there.
Garcia, Penelope <Tech FBI BAU>: Air traffic control is stalling the pilot.
Alvez, Luke <SA FBI BAU>: We’re a minute out.
Nguyen: We need to move faster. Borowy’s going to know something’s up soon.
Jareau: Almost there.
Prentiss, Emily <SSA FBI BAU>: Remember, [IIR: Z-04] will likely be a hostage. Against my better judgment, [IIR: B-07] will be our primary negotiator here. We’ll let her do the talking.
B-07: Let’s move. (Background noise: car doors shutting, wind)

(07:12)

B-07: Get your hands off my niece.
Z-04: Mommy! Auntie Mouse!
Borowy, Karina <Operative, League of Shadows>: Figures. Get any closer and I’ll blow her brains out.
Nguyen: Threaten my daughter again and you won’t have a life to lose.
B-07: (Background noise: metal falling, bodily injury, gas exploding)

(07:13)

Alvez: What the hell?
Rossi, Dave <SSA FBI BAU>: Fuck.
Jareau: Does anyone have a visual?
Lewis, Tara <SA FBI BAU>: Where’d that come from?
Prentiss: Do not breathe in that gas.
Garcia: What was that? Is everyone okay?

(07:14)

Nguyen: It’s okay, I’ve got you [IIR: Z-04]. I’ve got you baby. (Background noise: crying)
21: Is she hurt?
Nguyen: Checking.

(07:16)

B-07: (Background noise: bodily injury) Borowy’s down. Garcia, call an ambulance.
Garcia: Calling! For?
B-07: Borowy.

(07:19)

Nguyen: What hurts [IIR: Z-04]?
Z-04: Nothing! (Background noise: sniffling)
21: [IIR: Z-04], we don’t lie about injuries. That’s what [IIR: B-01] does and we don’t do what [IIR: B-01] does. It’s okay to be hurt. It’s okay to be scared. You were so, so brave, pumpkin, but you don’t need to be brave anymore.
Nguyen: Yeah, that looks- that looks bad, sweetie. Auntie Mouse is going to be here soon and I bet she’ll kiss it better, hmm?
Z-04: Mommy. (Background noise: crying)
Nguyen: Yeah, alright.

(07:21)

Jareau: Damn. Didn’t know you could fight like that. (Background noise: gun disassembly)
B-07: She took [IIR: Z-04]. She’s lucky she’s still breathing.
Jareau: I wouldn’t put that in your report.
B-07: There won’t be a report. Not a federal one. (Background noise: sirens)

(07:22)

Prentiss: Let’s comb over the jet while we wait for locals to arrive. [IIR: B-07] are you alright?
B-07: Yeah. I’m going to go check on [IIR: Z-04]. (Background noise: teleportation pop)

(07:23)

25 <Doctor Fate III>: You got her?
21: Yeah, we got her. Bowory's getting loaded into the ambulance if you want to do a magic scan.
25: On it. I’m glad you’re safe,kiddo.

(07:24)

B-07: [IIR: Z-04]?
Z-04: Auntie Mouse. (Background noise: crying)
B-07: Oh honey, I’m so sorry. I’ve got you, you’re safe now. Let’s get you home.

End audio transcription.   

Δ Δ Δ

As the rest of the team searches the jet, JJ stands guard while Jade clumsily pulls a shock blanket around Lian’s shoulders. The nine year old leans heavily against her dad’s chest, her shoulders shuddering with continued sobs. There are scraps and bruises on her arms and face, but nothing that won’t heal on its own. Still, Lian won’t speak of how the injuries occurred, only crying harder when one of her parents asks. 

With determined eyes, Will strokes her hair, soothing his terrified daughter. He murmurs promises of safety, telling her of all the people that came to her aid. Her grandma Dinah, her grandpa Ollie. Her aunts Zatanna and O. Her uncle N. Her friend Robin.

Through the window, Artemis watches Borowy get loaded into the ambulance. Across the airstrip, Zatanna does the same. Neither of them seem settled. 

JJ suspects that the ambulance arrived so quickly because a different hacker put in the call. The same hacker who would know how to get in contact with Doctor Fate. 

There’s relief in their bodies, but it’s restrained. Like this small family is used to victories being ripped away.

“You should send an all clear,” Will says quietly. Lian snuggles closer, one hand clenched around her mom’s jacket. 

Artemis nods shortly, pulling out her phone. “O will leave the travel warning in place until we’re home.”

Her sister narrows her eyes. “They thought the other kids were in danger?” 

“Just a precaution.” Will’s fingers jerk where they rub into Lian’s back. 

“The Light knows what’s off limits,” Artemis adds. 

The three of them fall into silence. 

JJ feels an overwhelming, crashing exhaustion. It’s over. Truly. 

Yet, observing the four of them, it feels unending. The fear, the strain. Will, Jade, and, JJ suspects, Artemis’ pasts don’t leave them.

Maybe it’s not always bad—the Doctors Fate arriving in two days; subduing Cheshire with no injuries to the team. But always present in protocols and anxieties and threats. A rolling thunder that crescendos in their daughter’s kidnapping. 

“Auntie Mouse,” Lian whispers, smearing snot on her dad’s shirt. 

“Yeah, baby?” 

“She- she wanted me to be like you and Mommy and Daddy. But in a bad way. Like Robin before he was Robin.” 

Artemis closes her eyes, resting a hand on Lian’s back. “I’ll never let that happen, Lee. Never in a million years.” For the first time in twelve hours, silent tears slip down her cheeks. “I’ll give up everything to keep that from happening.” 

The hand not clenched around Jade’s jacket reaches for Artemis. She threads her fingers through her aunts. Slowly, Artemis brings her child’s hand up and kisses her knuckles. One final promise, solemn and fierce, that Artemis will give up everything for this little girl. 

Δ Δ Δ

🛈 All Clear: Travel Warning: September 6, 2024 🛈
🛈 Level: GREEN 🛈

At 9:00 AM ET, the September 6, 2024 GREEN Travel Warning is lifted. Z-04 is recovered and the abductor is in custody. There is no evidence that other Guardian Group families are targets of additional abductions.

There is no follow up procedure to an All Clear Travel Warning, nor any need to update B-01 <Nightwing> about additional Travel Warning non-compliance.

All questions can be referred to B-16 <Oracle> at this time. B-07 <Tigress> and 21 <Red Arrow, ret.> request that all messages regarding the Travel Warning be withheld for twenty-four hours to allow for Z-04’s initial recovery.

🛈 End Travel Warning All Clear 🛈

Δ Δ Δ

“I think we can all agree this case was unorthodox for a number of reasons,” Emily starts. The team sans Artemis is slumped around the conference room table for a debrief. JJ wants nothing more than to go home and hug her boys, but she understands the necessity of getting everyone on the same page as soon as possible. 

“I’m not sure how to write any of this up,” Tara admits. 

Emily inclines her head. “That’s fine. We won’t be reporting this to the agency. I spoke with Zatara and we came to an… agreement.” JJ sits up, confused but interested. “With magic being involved, the Justice League had jurisdiction for this case. All reporting will go to them.” 

“Changed your mind about the JL?” Dave probes. 

Lian safe in her father’s arms comes to mind. Emily says, “I believe that accountability is necessary for any organization. Some of you recall testifying before a Congressional committee after things got personal for me and an unsub. You’ll recall how close to disastrous that was. How it almost broke this team apart.” 

Slowly, she locks eyes with each person in the room. JJ nods when her best friend and supervisor looks to her. She’ll follow Emily anywhere. “We are accountable to each other. Lian is safe with her family, that’s what matters. Not how she was brought home, nor who that family is. Understood?”

“Understood,” JJ murmurs with the rest of her team. 

For more reasons than one, JJ thinks Emily made the right call allowing this case to fall under the regulation of the Justice League. There’s still more to know about Special Agent Artemis West and JJ suspects that the JL just might be the holder of that information.