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]

Babs thinks fast. "What was the last thing you said to me before today?"

She starts recording and runs a search for the log of her last conversation wuth the Watchtower, so she can run voice stress analysis.

[newoutsiders]

"We... were talking about Huntress, slinking around with Catman," Dinah says quizzically. "But I don't think now's exactly the time for gossip, O."

[jlf_oracle]

Babs runs the results as fast as she can. Based on the sample she keeps on file of Dinah's voice, the woman she's talking to right now isn't lying, whereas the one on the Watchtower is a little too perfectly in control.

Babs takes a deep breath. "I think the League has been compromised."

[newoutsiders]

"Great. Day keeps getting better. Hold on, I'm gonna do the thing."

You briefly mute your your receiver as Dinah unleashes a sonic cry at some wayward Thanagarians.

"Any suspects? I mean, if there's a mole locking you out of the system, it's obvious who's getting used. You wanna say it, or should I?"

[jlf_oracle]

"Why don't you go ahead and tell me what you're thinking."

Babs is pretty sure that this is the real Dinah and the other one - the I'm So Damn Perfect one - is the imposter, but she won't take unnecessary chances.

[newoutsiders]

"Tornado," she says, a little patronizingly. "I know we scanned him for bugs- okay, you scanned him for bugs- but... who knows, right?"

[jlf_oracle]

"We should probably talk when you've wrapped up the Thangarian problem," Babs says cagily.

[newoutsiders]

"Yeah, let's," Dinah says. "Consider it Priority Number Two, after these hawkmen and ape monsters. Speaking of... back up?"

[jlf_oracle]

Babs scrubs a hand over her face. If the Watchtower has been compromised it's probably not a good idea to use the zeta tubes. "Starfire might be available, but you'd have to wait for her to get there from Gotham."

Batman could probably fly there, too, but Babs doesn't know who's under the cowl or whether to trust them.

[newoutsiders]

Suspiciously, Starfire won't respond to your page. For that matter, Steph and Charlie still haven't checked in with you. Something to look into- but for now, Dinah and John need a heavy hitter. Time to hit the rolodex.

[jlf_oracle]

Babs wracks her brain and crosses a few names off her mental list. Until she knows what's up with the League it's best not to call any of them in.

Is Guy Gardner around? she wonders, or is he space-bound like Kyle?

Or maybe it's better to stick with heroes who don't have such close ties to original Leaguers - Donna, Kon, Cassie...

[newoutsiders]

You check their positions. Kon's dealing with King Shark's pod, making a new move in light of the civil unrest going on in Atlantis, in the absence of Aquaman. Cassie, as far as you can tell, is on Themyscira- where your signals don't reach without some significant tinkering.

Donna and Guy look free though...

You think about John and Guy.

You think about Dinah and Guy.

Better give Donna a call.

[jlf_oracle]

Babs pulls up Donna's latest contact details - damn, she moves around a lot these days - and makes the call.

[newoutsiders]

She picks up almost immediately.

"Where do you need me, Oracle?"

[jlf_oracle]

"Green Lantern and Black Canary need some backup in Detroit. They're having a Thanagarian problem."

[newoutsiders]

"On it," she says. "What? Just... one sex. SEC. One sec."

There's a brief but animated conversation off the comm.

"Um. Right. You can tell GL and Dinah I'm bringing Ryan too. The Atom, I mean."

[jlf_oracle]

Babs snorts. "I'll be sure to let them know."

[newoutsiders]

"Ryan's going to do the phone line trick. I'll fly. Donna out."

Donna hangs up. That's one problem taken care of. Now there's the matter of last night's events at Slaughter Swamp, and whatever's happening in the Watchtower.