Becca pulled against her chains. Her arms were tired but they couldn't move; they were chained above her head. She growled in frustration. Just because she was trapped didn't mean she had to be in favor of it. Every pull of resistance just put 更多 pain on her. The metal bands were cutting her skin and causing her to bleed. The dank and moldy smell was causing her to become weak. Becca went limp for a minute, catching her breath. A smooth, deep voice spoke.
“Becca. Good to see you.”
Becca pulled against her restrains again, crying out when she felt the results.
“My dear, don't hurt yourself. I wouldn't want that.”
Becca glared.
“I've been playing with 你 long enough. Why'd 你 want me? Why am I here? Where are the files? Am I just a toy? What do 你 want from me?”
“One 问题 at a time Becca. Let's begin our story. Shall we?”
Becca nodded.
“You know the story told at your birth. Heard it too many times. So I'll cut to the chase. I'm not after you. I want your magic.”
“My magic? Please. Don't be a fool. 你 can't take my magic unless 你 own me.”
“All too true. I may not have your power, but I have you. My new apprentice.”
“Apprentice? Not on your life!”
“What about Robin's life? Would 你 do it then?”
Becca froze. If she spoke up, something could happen. Robin was her world and she wasn't about to endanger him. She swallowed loudly.
“What will 你 do to him...if I refuse?” she whispered.
“I haven't decided yet. We may just kill him. 或者 have some fun first.”
Becca shuddered, closing her eyes.
“A-alright. I'll be your apprentice.”
“Good choice.”
“But 你 have to promise 你 won't hurt them.”
“You have my word.”
“Okay. Free me.”
“Not yet Becca. They are coming to find you. We can't let that happen. So, I need 你 to do something for me.”
“We're getting closer. I can tell.”
“Devin! We're in a clock tower!”
“I know but I can feel her Wally. Becca's here. I'm sure of it.”
They continued inside. It was dark and musty, the sound of the clock working sounding over their footsteps. A 鼠, 大鼠 ran across Artemis' foot and she screamed, grabbing Wally's arm.
“Artemis let go! Ow ow ow! Nails!”
Artemis released her grasp.
“Sorry.”
“Are 你 scared of rodents 或者 something?” Wally asked.
“No! I just...didn't know what it was.”
A flash of blue crossed their path. It was bright and water colored. But it disappeared into the shadows. Devin stopped them.
“Hello?” she called. “Anybody here?”
Silence echoed her question.
“We mean no harm. We're looking for somebody. A friend.”
A voice answered.
“Who do 你 seek?”
Devin blinked, but opened her mouth to answer.
“Her name is Becca Stevens. She was taken here. Do 你 know her?”
“Yes. I knew her. I'm afraid you're too late.”
“What do 你 mean?”
“Becca. They...disposed of her.”
“What?!”
“They threatened her with your lives. Becca gave them everything. She was taken away, charged with spying. They 偷了 her magic and left her to die.”
“Becca isn't dead!”
“You're wrong. She was disposed of. They watched her die.”
“It's not possible!”
“I'm sorry. Becca is gone.”
“Who are you?! 显示 me who 你 are!”
There was a 分钟 of waiting before a girl stepped from the shadows. Her hair was long and 水鸭, 蓝绿色, 深青色 colored. Her eyes were an ocean blue, filled with white, green, and purple flecks. She was smaller than they were, but her legs looked long. She wore a white tunic. The neck sagged but the red 衬衫 covered what the tunic didn't. The long 短裙, 裙子 was 分裂, 拆分 on the sides, freeing her legs to move. A red 带, 皮带 was tied around her waist, red leather straps on her arms. A staff was strapped to her back, a sword at her side.
“Who are you?” Devin asked.
“The name is Prendere. It is Italian. Loosely translated, it means 'taken'. I am the apprentice. In place of his old one.”
“Who was the old one? And who is this he 你 talk about?”
“The old one? That should be no mystery. Threatened with your lives, Becca agreed to become his apprentice. But she tricked him and was disposed of. The one I speak of is the master. He has been watching 你 for several days. In fact, he is here now.”
“Ah. Young Justice. Are 你 here to pick up your little bird?”
“Becca. Good to see you.”
Becca pulled against her restrains again, crying out when she felt the results.
“My dear, don't hurt yourself. I wouldn't want that.”
Becca glared.
“I've been playing with 你 long enough. Why'd 你 want me? Why am I here? Where are the files? Am I just a toy? What do 你 want from me?”
“One 问题 at a time Becca. Let's begin our story. Shall we?”
Becca nodded.
“You know the story told at your birth. Heard it too many times. So I'll cut to the chase. I'm not after you. I want your magic.”
“My magic? Please. Don't be a fool. 你 can't take my magic unless 你 own me.”
“All too true. I may not have your power, but I have you. My new apprentice.”
“Apprentice? Not on your life!”
“What about Robin's life? Would 你 do it then?”
Becca froze. If she spoke up, something could happen. Robin was her world and she wasn't about to endanger him. She swallowed loudly.
“What will 你 do to him...if I refuse?” she whispered.
“I haven't decided yet. We may just kill him. 或者 have some fun first.”
Becca shuddered, closing her eyes.
“A-alright. I'll be your apprentice.”
“Good choice.”
“But 你 have to promise 你 won't hurt them.”
“You have my word.”
“Okay. Free me.”
“Not yet Becca. They are coming to find you. We can't let that happen. So, I need 你 to do something for me.”
“We're getting closer. I can tell.”
“Devin! We're in a clock tower!”
“I know but I can feel her Wally. Becca's here. I'm sure of it.”
They continued inside. It was dark and musty, the sound of the clock working sounding over their footsteps. A 鼠, 大鼠 ran across Artemis' foot and she screamed, grabbing Wally's arm.
“Artemis let go! Ow ow ow! Nails!”
Artemis released her grasp.
“Sorry.”
“Are 你 scared of rodents 或者 something?” Wally asked.
“No! I just...didn't know what it was.”
A flash of blue crossed their path. It was bright and water colored. But it disappeared into the shadows. Devin stopped them.
“Hello?” she called. “Anybody here?”
Silence echoed her question.
“We mean no harm. We're looking for somebody. A friend.”
A voice answered.
“Who do 你 seek?”
Devin blinked, but opened her mouth to answer.
“Her name is Becca Stevens. She was taken here. Do 你 know her?”
“Yes. I knew her. I'm afraid you're too late.”
“What do 你 mean?”
“Becca. They...disposed of her.”
“What?!”
“They threatened her with your lives. Becca gave them everything. She was taken away, charged with spying. They 偷了 her magic and left her to die.”
“Becca isn't dead!”
“You're wrong. She was disposed of. They watched her die.”
“It's not possible!”
“I'm sorry. Becca is gone.”
“Who are you?! 显示 me who 你 are!”
There was a 分钟 of waiting before a girl stepped from the shadows. Her hair was long and 水鸭, 蓝绿色, 深青色 colored. Her eyes were an ocean blue, filled with white, green, and purple flecks. She was smaller than they were, but her legs looked long. She wore a white tunic. The neck sagged but the red 衬衫 covered what the tunic didn't. The long 短裙, 裙子 was 分裂, 拆分 on the sides, freeing her legs to move. A red 带, 皮带 was tied around her waist, red leather straps on her arms. A staff was strapped to her back, a sword at her side.
“Who are you?” Devin asked.
“The name is Prendere. It is Italian. Loosely translated, it means 'taken'. I am the apprentice. In place of his old one.”
“Who was the old one? And who is this he 你 talk about?”
“The old one? That should be no mystery. Threatened with your lives, Becca agreed to become his apprentice. But she tricked him and was disposed of. The one I speak of is the master. He has been watching 你 for several days. In fact, he is here now.”
“Ah. Young Justice. Are 你 here to pick up your little bird?”