Young Justice: Red Beetle

Chapter 46 - Plan

—Jaime

Nightwing lets go of Wanda, and he and M'gann leave the room. He's losing it, and Artemis follows after the two.

I look back at the window, watching Dusk simply sit there against the wall. Her face is empty of its usual anger and coldness. She actually looks like she regrets what she did. As if she cared about Remy. As if she was her friend.

My hands are curled up into fists at my side. When Nightwing was ready to kill her, I silently hope that he would. She has taken so much already.

Even if her story is true, it doesn't excuse the fact that Remy is on mode.

The Dusk needs to be eliminated, we cannot risk her putting us on mode.

"Do you believe her?" Bart asks quietly.

"Does it matter?" I spit.

It's just the two of us left in here. And I can't take it anymore, looking at Dusk's face. I storm out of the room. Bart follows behind me.

It comes crashing back down. All of it. Bart running in, his eyes wide with fear. The horrid words escape his lips. The others ask questions, I'm frozen. That's when I watch her walk in with Dusk beside her.

She's smiling a sly smile. Her armor covers her body and her muscles are tensed, ready to move. She speaks, and the words sound like her, but the tone isn't hers.

I step towards her, but someone stops me, grabbing my arm. I only look at her, asking the question.

She looks at me, and I know the truth.

I couldn't fight her, I just couldn't. I went after Dusk instead, hoping that someone else would stop Remy. No one did, and by the time I realize she was getting away, it was too late.

"Jaime, wait," Bart says, keeping up with my running easily. I don't even know where I'm going. My feet take me to the mission room when Bart finally grabs my arm and forces me to stop.

"It's hopeless, Bart!" I yell, turning to face him. "How are we going to get her back? Zatanna is dead, and Remy made me promise her that if she ever got on mode..." I stop, my voice choking on the word.

"We'll find a way to get her off mode, Jaime. I promise, we'll get her home. I came back from the future to keep you off mode, I'll do the same for Remy." He says, his face determined.

I take a deep breath, getting control over myself. "Thanks, hermano."

"Jaime." Barbara says, walking in with Cassie beside her. She still looks angry. They reach us and Barbara buts a hand on my shoulder.

"I know it's hard for you, but we're here for you, and we're going to get Remy off mode, somehow. But first, we need to get her back."

She moves to the computer and begins typing. A map is pulled up. A red zig zag line is traced behind a red dot.

"I put a tracer on that metal object that Remy was stealing. I was trying to catch it just as Dusk threw it, but tagging it is just as good."

My eyes widen in surprised, "This is where Remy is? What are we waiting for, let's go!"

"Hang on, Jaime. We need a plan first."

My foot taps against the ground impatiently. I just want to Zeta Tube to where she is right now, and get her back, but Barbara is right. We can't just charge in.

"I say we kill Dusk first." Cassie says, cracking her knuckles. "That little punk needs to go, and immediately."

"Cassie," Barbara said impatiently. "We don't kill. Besides, she's been through a lot, she's already living her own punishment."

Cassie begins arguing but Bart interrupts her. "So what's the plan?"

She looks at the red head speedster. "I was thinking about what we did with Jaime when he was on mode." I wince at the words. "She doesn't know about it, neither does her Scarab. We go in first, then Cassie and Jaime can take her by surprise."

"Then we'll figure out how to crash the mode." Bart finishes smiling.

"We can do it, we can bring her back." Cassie says, excited.

"Let's go then, while we still have the tracer on—" I'm interrupted by Kaldur calling my name. I turn to look at the dark skin Atlantean.

"Dusk wishes to speak with you. You do not have to accept this offering." He says.

"I don't want to walk to her," I immediately answer. I don't want to have to worry about killing her myself.

"Jaime," Barbara warns, "She could give you important information. You need to talk to her." I look at the red head for a moment before looking back at Kaldur.

"Fine."

We walk back to the interrogation room. The table has been put upright and Dusk sits in the chair, her hands and ankles still chained with an inhibitor collar around her throat.

"We'll be right here," Cassie says, putting a hand on my shoulder before I go inside.

Dusk looks up, her cold blue eyes soft. She's silent as I sit down across from her, and then begins speaking.

"I know you probably want to kill me right now. I don't blame you, but you need to listen to me."

The Dusk should be eliminated immediately.

"Shut up," I say. Dusk looks at me before continuing.

"I have a secret. One that interests the whole team. It will change everything."

I simply shake my head. "M'gann can just pull it from your mind."

Dusk looks at me, her eyes distant. "Not without frying my brain. If I'm gone, then the secret is useless. I need insurance, so you don't kill me just yet."

The secret is that important then?

I lean forward, "Do you know how to save Remy?"

"No," the word is short and full of regret. She looks away while she says it. As if she actually cares about her.

"Then I don't care."

"I have a warning for you, as well. When you go after Remy, you need to be careful. The Reach will be prepared for everything. If you get on mode, it's over. I'm not screwing around. If they have both Beetles on mode, the earth has lost its fight against the Reach."

Useless. She didn't help at all. I stand up, and walk to the door.

"Jaime, Remy's my friend. I never wanted to do this. I never wanted this to happen to her. But—"

"You are not Remy's friend." I spit, my hand on the doorknob. I'm afraid if I turn around I might start attacking her.

"What would you have done?" She asks, and the question freezes me.

"What would you have done if they had Remy, and the only way to keep her safe was by doing whatever they told you to do? Wouldn't you tear the world apart for her?"

"It's not the same," I say through gritted teeth.

"Yes it is. Mev... Mev is my light. If I lost him... I would be nothing." She says, her voice soft.

I turn around to stare at her pathetic face. "I'm losing Remy right now. If I lose her entirely, I swear there is no secret or anything else that can protect you from me."

I slam the door behind me, my mind shutting down at the thought of losing Remy forever.