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 zaidi 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 wewe long enough. Why'd wewe want me? Why am I here? Where are the files? Am I just a toy? What do wewe want from me?”
“One swali 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. wewe can't take my magic unless wewe 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 wewe 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 wewe do to him...if I refuse?” she whispered.
“I haven't decided yet. We may just kill him. au have some fun first.”
Becca shuddered, closing her eyes.
“A-alright. I'll be your apprentice.”
“Good choice.”
“But wewe have to promise wewe 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 wewe 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 panya ran across Artemis' foot and she screamed, grabbing Wally's arm.
“Artemis let go! Ow ow ow! Nails!”
Artemis released her grasp.
“Sorry.”
“Are wewe scared of rodents au 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 wewe seek?”
Devin blinked, but opened her mouth to answer.
“Her name is Becca Stevens. She was taken here. Do wewe know her?”
“Yes. I knew her. I'm afraid you're too late.”
“What do wewe 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 aliiba 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?! onyesha me who wewe are!”
There was a dakika of waiting before a girl stepped from the shadows. Her hair was long and teal 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 shati covered what the tunic didn't. The long skirt, upindo was mgawanyiko, baidisha on the sides, freeing her legs to move. A red ukanda 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 wewe 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 wewe for several days. In fact, he is here now.”
“Ah. Young Justice. Are wewe 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 wewe long enough. Why'd wewe want me? Why am I here? Where are the files? Am I just a toy? What do wewe want from me?”
“One swali 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. wewe can't take my magic unless wewe 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 wewe 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 wewe do to him...if I refuse?” she whispered.
“I haven't decided yet. We may just kill him. au have some fun first.”
Becca shuddered, closing her eyes.
“A-alright. I'll be your apprentice.”
“Good choice.”
“But wewe have to promise wewe 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 wewe 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 panya ran across Artemis' foot and she screamed, grabbing Wally's arm.
“Artemis let go! Ow ow ow! Nails!”
Artemis released her grasp.
“Sorry.”
“Are wewe scared of rodents au 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 wewe seek?”
Devin blinked, but opened her mouth to answer.
“Her name is Becca Stevens. She was taken here. Do wewe know her?”
“Yes. I knew her. I'm afraid you're too late.”
“What do wewe 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 aliiba 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?! onyesha me who wewe are!”
There was a dakika of waiting before a girl stepped from the shadows. Her hair was long and teal 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 shati covered what the tunic didn't. The long skirt, upindo was mgawanyiko, baidisha on the sides, freeing her legs to move. A red ukanda 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 wewe 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 wewe for several days. In fact, he is here now.”
“Ah. Young Justice. Are wewe here to pick up your little bird?”
