Enter: Oracle

[newoutsiders]

Trouble at the docks again. Steph just phoned in. So much for Damian "settling things there once and for all." There was apparently an explosion. She can handle it, you tell yourself. You've got a lot more pressing things to worry about.

You take another sip of coffee as you trace some shelled bank accounts to Bialya. If you're right, there's a secret European war being funded by some major US corporations, and no one but 12 people on Earth even knows it's happening. You just need a little more-

You doze off for a quarter of a second before perking up. You've been awake for 50 hours now, and you haven't moved an inch. Since the Justice League took off and you took charge, things have been busier than they've ever been. But you can't stop. Everyone is counting on you.

Your main monitor blinks with the notification of an incoming video call. It's the League Watchtower.

Comments

[jlf_oracle]

Crap. Babs brings up the camera feed, crossing her fingers and hoping Green Arrow doesn't get hit by the truck currently fleeing from Starfire.

"Heads up, GA: there's a toxic spill at Broome and 41st."

[not_easy_being_green]

"That's... kind of the least of my worries right now."

[newoutsiders]

From a nearby building's security camera, you see a smashed up truck resting in a heavy donut of tire marks. A bunch of parked cars have been completely totaled in the frey, and a fire extinguisher is bursting water into the sky. There are street lamps scattered everywhere. Outside the truck, you see some cops calling in a report, as well as Connor Hawke and- is that Charlie? Why is she dressed in a Batgirl costume?

[jlf_oracle]

"I can see that," Babs says, as calmly as she can manage. "Looks like you two have been busy."

She's not going to yell. She's not even going to think about Charlie dressing as Batgirl until they're on a more secure line.

[not_easy_being_green]

"There was- a man. Sal Handy. He went missing a few weeks ago and he was- there was something wrong with his body, like Plastic Man, only... sick. I think something's controlling him, but he ran, I couldn't stop him."

[jlf_oracle]

Babs shudders. "That sounds like nightmare fuel. Do me a favor and keep your partner there away from the cops."

She downloads recent footage from the security camera and runs it back until she sees it: Sal Handy oozing out of the truck and running off into the night like his legs are trying to escape from his body. She hasn't seen anything like it since the time she fell asleep in the middle of reading Clive Barker's Books of Blood.

[not_easy_being_green]

Connor looks back over his shoulder at Charlie.

"I can do that. Should we - I don't really know what my best course of action right now is."

[jlf_oracle]

"I think the cops are going to start evacuating buildings near that toxic spill," Babs replies. "Might be a good idea to pull back so you don't get caught downwind of the fumes. With Sal Handy gone you're looking at a run-of-the-mill collision; GCPD can handle it."

[not_easy_being_green]

"I'll take - uh, Batgirl - and get out, then."

If Babs has nothing more to say, he'll say goodbye and hang up.

[jlf_oracle]

"Tell Batgirl-" Babs cuts herself off and sighs. "Watch each other's backs out there. And tell Batgirl I hope she's carrying a rebreather."