The Justice League Chronicles: Between Two Lives (1/14)

Banner By: Kyra_and_Co

Prologue
‘The Prologue in The Story’



The rapid blinking of red lights flashed in the hallway, the sound of her feet pounding against the floor echoing in her ears as she ran down the empty corridor. The computerized voice blaring ‘intruder alert’ reverberated around her louder the closer she got to the office.

Mia knew they were after her, but she couldn’t leave, not yet…not until she found him. She skidded around the corner, her breathing heavy, the sound of gnomes not far behind her. She opened her mouth and shouted, “IAN!”

When no one answered she pushed forward retracing their steps. They had been fighting because she lied to him…about everything…and when they were cornered in the stairwell Ian had told her to run that he’d hold them off.

Tears welled in Mia’s eyes as she continued down the hall at a quick pace. She shouldn’t have listened to him, but after five months of pretending to be someone else…sometimes switching between the person you were and the person you were pretending to be got difficult and so Mia had run.

After leaving him in the stairwell it took her less than five minutes to turn back around for him. Her cover was most likely blown and they knew she was close with Ian. If they caught him she was afraid she’d never see him again and after everything they’d been through…Mia couldn’t let that happen.

She was just about to round another corner when a hand reached out gripping her upper arm in a tight grip jerking her body to a halt. Her head whipped around and she sucked in a deep breath. Rick Flag glared down at the teenager, face flushed, breathing heavy, a hint of panic on her features.

“What are you doing? You need to meet up with your team at the rendezvous point, they’re waiting.” He held out an ear bud and Mia jerked her arm away from him brows furrowed. She shook her head, ponytail disheveled from all the running.

“I’m not leaving without Ian…where is he?” Rick shook his head grabbing her arm once again and dragging her in the opposite direction that she’d been going. “Listen combat Barbie, this isn’t a game. You’re gonna blow the entire mission if you don’t get out of here now. I can’t compromise my cover…if you get caught I won’t be able to help you.”

She yanked her body away from him again, fire in her eyes. “I don’t care. Give me the com, I’ll link up with Watchtower, but I’m not leaving until I find Ian…” He grunted tossing the ear bud at the impulsive teenager before pointing at her, voice hard.

“You’re on your own…” He turned around heading down the opposite hall as Mia sucked in another large breath and headed back towards the stairwell. She turned the corner as she put the ear bud in, pressing the button, the com automatically linking up to Watchtower.

Chloe watched as the yellow dot appeared on her screen and she let out a sigh of relief before smiling. “Good to see you online again Speedy…Arrow is waiting for you at the rendezvous point. What’s your ETA?” She could hear the younger woman breathing heavy, voice winded as she spoke between breaths.

“I’m going back in…just give me ten more minutes Tower…” Chloe frowned, leaning forward, voice worried as she spoke. “We don’t have ten minutes…they’re closing in, you need to get out of there.” Mia swallowed hard as she spotted the door to the staircase up ahead. “No…not yet.”

She was about ten feet in front of the door when it slammed open and Ian came barreling out of the staircase. When he spotted her his eyes widened slightly, confusion on his face as he spoke holding out his hand to her as he made his way over to where she was standing.

She took it as he yanked her down the hallway. “I thought I told you to head back towards the passageways.” She scowled, voice irritated. “I didn’t want to leave you behind…Ian you have to come with me…”

They made their way back past the Headmaster’s office and took a right towards the dorm rooms. She could hear Chloe talking in her ear, but she ignored her. “Speedy, Arrow is twenty-five feet to your left…you need to go…now.”

They paused at the end of the hallway catching their breath and when Mia glanced up she spotted Oliver directly down the corridor in front of them. Ian saw her staring at something and he shifted turning his head in the direction she was looking.

His eyes widened as he took in the man covered from head to toe in green leather. He frowned taking a protective step in front of CJ or Mia…whatever her name was, blocking her from the man heading in their direction. As mad as he was with her for lying to him, he couldn’t let anything happen to her.

She placed a hand on his arm her voice soft, “Its okay…he’s a friend. He came here to take me home…Ian come with me…” He frowned swallowing hard as he took in the pleading look on her face. He shook his head, brows furrowed. “I can’t…I can’t just leave Gabe and Suki here…they’re our friends. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”

Mia nodded and took one of his hands in hers. She could hear the commotion behind them as Oliver took another step towards them and she spoke softly. “It means everything to me, but I can’t help them if I’m dead…or worse. Ian please…I made a mistake, but if you come with me I promise you we’ll come back for them…please.”

Oliver could hear the gnomes closing in on them and he pressed a hand to his ear as his distorted voice came through the com. “Arrow to Tower…ETA on the security how far away are they and how many?” Chloe pressed a few buttons, her heart beating quickly as she counted the red dots on the screen.

“There are close to fifteen heading your way…and I'd say less than five minutes…” she paused her voice lowering before speaking again. “Ollie you need to get out of there now.” He nodded. “Roger that Tower.” He glanced at Mia and then boy in front of her breaking the moment between them.

“We’re leaving now…look kid what you do is your choice, but she’s coming with me…” His eyes shifted to Mia, jaw tense. “You didn’t follow protocol, get your ass in gear Speedy or this will be the last mission you run until you can listen to directions better.”

She closed her eyes briefly before opening them and turning away from Oliver and towards Ian. She knew he didn’t mean that. He was pissed and worried about her. He hadn’t wanted to let her do this mission in the first place and convincing him had been a project all on its own.

She met Ian’s gaze and he could see tears welling in her eyes. “Ian…” He opened and closed his mouth before swallowing hard and licking his lips to moisten them. “How will they know where we went? They’ll think we left them…”

Mia shook her head a small smile appearing on her face. “They won’t we’ll send them a message. I have a plan just…we need to go.” He hesitated for one more second before letting out a breath and squeezing her hand lightly.

The smile she shot him brightened up her face and he gave her half of one back before Oliver nudged them. “Hurry up you two…this way.” Mia yanked on Ian’s hand as they followed Oliver down the hallway right as the gnomes rounded the corner.

Oliver groaned and pushed Mia and Ian ahead of him. “Go to the end of the hallway, make a left and head into the tunnels. There’s a small room passed the yellow elevator with a drain pipe--” Ian cut him off. “I know where it is…I’ll make sure she gets there.”

Oliver sized up the teenager before nodding. “I’ll be right behind the two of you. Impulse and Superman are out there waiting for you. They’ll transport you back to Watchtower.” Mia nodded. They followed Oliver’s directions and once they were in the tunnels Ian led Mia to the drain pipe.

He helped her up and followed into the pipe behind her. She pushed through the branches, leaves sticking to her as she crawled through the slightly damp tunnel. She could see the light and when she reached the bars on the other side of the tunnel she shook them.

“Impulse…Superman!” Clark heard her first and when he glanced at the pipe he let out a sigh of relief before jogging over and pulling the gate off. He helped her out of the pipe and then frowned at the boy behind her. “Where’s Arrow? And who’s this?”

She stood up and brushed herself off before holding out a hand to Ian. He took it, pulled himself out, and glanced at the men in front of him. She motioned to him, “This is Ian…I’ll explain when we get back to Watchtower…”

Bart moved around Clark his face softening as he pulled Mia into a hug. “Hey gorgeous…” She swallowed heavily and the smile she gave him didn’t come close to reaching her eyes. Seconds later there was a grunt as Oliver pushed himself through the pipe and fell onto the ground.

“Jesus…could they make the damn hole smaller?” He sighed, brushed himself off and stood. He motioned towards Ian and Mia. “Take them first. I’ll wait here until one of you get back.” Bart and Clark nodded before moving towards the teenagers.

Mia was startled when Bart lifted her off the ground bride style and she took note of how Ian’s body tensed, the frown on his face deepening. Clark moved towards him and gave him a small smile. “Just hold on…it’ll only take us a few minutes to get there.”

He hesitated and Mia glanced at him nodding. Ian relented and let Clark lift him up slightly. Oliver motioned for them to head out and in seconds there were two large gusts of wind leaving him in the silent woods. He sighed as he tapped his ear piece. “You still there Tower?”

Chloe leaned back in her seat smile on her face as she rested her arms over her chest. “Do I usually desert you in the middle of a mission Arrow?” He grinned. “Not usually…” He rubbed a gloved hand over his face as he shook his head and paced back and forth.

“This isn’t good…all this work…the past five months all for nothing…you know what this means don’t you?” His voice was low and even through the distorter, but she could still sense the welling anxiety. She let out a long breath before speaking, voice barely a whisper. “It means we have a traitor among us…”

Chloe closed her eyes not wanting to admit what they now knew to be true. Oliver’s voice crackled to life as he spoke slowly, but clearly and with such certainty that it made Chloe’s heart ache. “Someone in the League is working for both sides…”

Chapter One: The Girl in The Mission