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Stronghold

The Black Canary stood alone.

With the large, red doors to Timm Hall having closed shut, Dinah knew that Barbara no longer had visual contact with her. Perhaps Batgirl would find a way to break in, but until then Dinah had no backup. She was on her own.

Alone within the enemy stronghold.

Alone with the Kingston Brotherhood.

Dinah knew they were there, knew they were watching her. Even with the foyer empty, she could feel their presence looming over her, casting their dark shadow. It sent a chill down her back.

The blonde strode further into the main hall, her heeled boots thumping against the shiny, tiled floor. Dinah's eyes roamed. The ceiling rose at least three stories above her head, with balconies at the second and third floors.

Of all the buildings on the Kingston Campus, this one was the strangest, Dinah decided. It didn't look at all like a place of knowledge and learning. With candlelight burning from tall candelabras of black iron, as well as from the bronze chandelier hanging above the foyer, the Timm building resembled a haunted manor more than it did a lecture hall.

It felt like wicked things went on within these halls. But perhaps that was the point.

A moment passed, and still Dinah stood alone in the foyer. Frowning, she spun around, her eyes jumping from shadow to shadow, expecting that one might finally jump out at her. An ambush would have been something the Black Canary could easily handle. But the attack she wanted never came.

Another period of silence passed before it became too much for Dinah to bear. She turned and glared up towards the upper balconies, casting withering looks towards the shadows that gathered up above.

"Well? I'm here." Her voice echoed in the empty hall. Her annoyance boomed loud and clear. "Are we going to start this party or what?"

There came a laugh. It too echoed through the hall.

"So impatient." Someone answered. It was a woman's voice, sweet and spirited. Dinah realized it was the same woman who had just spoken to her from the intercom outside.

Dinah felt her whole body grow tense, her hands tightening into fists on reflex. Her eyes darted around the foyer, searching for the source of the woman's voice…

…But it was a wasted effort. The woman revealed herself to Dinah a moment later, stepping out of the shadows at the foyer's ground level.

Dinah's eyes fell upon the stranger as she appeared from the left side of the grand staircase. And the blonde's eyes widened. The woman was beautiful. And she was no stranger. Dinah may not have known the woman's name, but she had seen her around campus before.

The coach to the Kingston girl's softball team strode towards Dinah with smooth, confident steps. Her high heels clicked against the tiles. She was wrapped in a shin-length dress of shimmering red silk, the material clinging to her slender body like a second skin. Curly brown locks tumbled down her shoulders and back, swaying slightly as she walked. Upon her heart-shaped face, the coach wore a warm smile. But her eyes… Her eyes glittered. And so did her pendant. A silver circle set with a glossy, black stone.

The woman came to a stop a few feet before Dinah, clasping her hands together before her lap.

"There's no need for ill tempers in this hall, Miss Blake." The softball coach spoke warmly. Dinah couldn't believe it was the same woman she had seen barking directions during drills before practice. There was not a single trace of her usual tough and stern demeanor. It was gone, replaced with poise and feminine grace. The woman's smile widened, showing white teeth. "All of your desires will be satisfied in time."

The sight of yet another adult woman so happy and blissful under the thrall of teenage boys should have infuriated Dinah. But after having been on her knees, after being made to lower herself for the entertainment of Matthew Reston, Dinah felt only a dull temper. What should have been an inferno of fury was now but smoldering embers.

All of your desires will be satisfied in time…

The words played in Dinah's head… Right alongside images of Reston. Dinah could see him, clear as day. His wicked, charming smile. The way he oozed calm confidence. His firm, naked chest. His fat, throbbing cock…

Dinah blinked. The chill she had felt moments before was gone, replaced with a warmth that had spread across her cheeks, her neck, and her chest. That was wrong, the blonde knew. Shame twisted in her belly like a snake. There was another emotion coiling within her as well, but Dinah ignored it. Giving it attention would make it legitimate, make it real. And Dinah couldn't bear it, not then. Not when she was in the middle of the fucking wolves' den.

"I don't suppose you have a name?" Dinah asked in a clipped tone. In her head she chided herself for acting so brusque towards a woman who was just as much a victim as Helena.

"You're the new athletics instructor, yes? Dinah Blake? We haven't been properly introduced. My name is Lilith. And I'm very happy to see you here tonight." The smile never left Lilith's face. Dinah felt a sense of unease as the other woman closed the distance between them. The Black Canary felt a spike of adrenaline then, ready to strike and defend herself… But all Lilith did was take Dinah's hand in both of hers, giving a short bow.

"It's a big decision to give yourself over to the Brotherhood." Lilith continued, her gentle fingers running over Dinah's knuckles. "I'm here to guide you through this passage into your new life."

Lilith had to be in her early thirties. At least that's what Dinah assumed. The woman was beautiful, tall and athletic. But tough on her students, especially the gym classes she instructed when she wasn't coaching softball after school. Dinah could only imagine how she ended up under the Brotherhood's thrall. Maybe some punk didn't like getting chewed out by a woman teacher. Or maybe one of the Brotherhood creeps just thought she was hot and decided he should enjoy her. Both possibilities made Dinah's skin crawl.

The blonde brawler found herself fuming then. She swallowed her anger.

"How kind of you." Dinah answered flatly. Frowning, she glanced around the foyer. It was still very empty, save for the two women. Dinah shot Lilith a questioning look. "So where is everybody else? This doesn't seem like much of a ceremony so far."

Lilith gave a low, sweet chuckle. Any other time, Dinah might have found the sound to be lovely. But tonight it put the superheroine on edge. She had only been undercover at Kingston for a week, but she'd been there long enough to know when something was very, very wrong.

The softball coach still cradled Dinah's hand in both of hers. She brought the blonde's hand up to her lips and pressed a gentle kiss to her knuckles. Dinah kept an impassive expression… And resisted the urge to jerk her hand out of the other woman's grip.

Lilith gave a sweet smile. She reached forward then to place a hand on Dinah's shoulder. Her touch was warm, but Dinah felt a shiver travel down her back.

"I know you're eager to get to the real fun stuff. The Brotherhood treats their own very well, I promise you." Lilith teased, giving Dinah a suggestive look. The blonde's stomach twisted at the other woman's implication, but she kept silent. Lilith's eyes rose up and down Dinah's body, the brunette pursing her lips in thought. For a brief moment, Dinah believed the softball coach was eying her up. Then the other woman spoke again. "But our ceremonies require a little more… ceremony. You were informed of the dress code, weren't you?"

Dinah nodded. She remembered Reston's words to her from last night. As much as she hated herself for it, she remembered his words vividly… Along with everything else from her lowest, most humiliating failure.

Big, fat cock… Throbbing, veiny bastard shoved right down your throat…

The blonde brawler swallowed, almost reeling as crystal clear memories of Reston swarmed her mind then. The sight of him, the scent of him, the taste of him… It was so real, it was almost as if it was happening all over again.

Dinah dragged herself from that nightmare… And forced herself back to an equally wicked reality.

Lilith was still standing before her, patiently awaiting her answer. The blonde gave a short nod.

"I was told an outfit would be provided for me." Dinah said. Her voice had become quiet. Small. Everything the Black Canary wasn't. And Dinah felt shame.

Lilith's pale green eyes lit up. The softball coach looked very pleased, excited at the chance to perform her duties… And Dinah felt her stomach turning as she thought of what kind of twisted duties that poor woman had been given. What she had been tricked into enjoying.

The other woman let Dinah's hand slip from her fingers as she slowly stepped back. She turned around then, revealing that her shimmering, silk dress was backless… And that she wasn't wearing a bra.

Of course she isn't, Dinah thought bitterly. She belongs to the Brotherhood now.

Lilith cast an expectant look over her shoulder.

"If you would follow me, Miss Blake." The woman practically sang. "Tonight's an important night for you. We'll find you some more appropriate garb."

Barbara watched.

From her perch high on a towering tree, she watched as Dinah climbed the steps to the doors of Timm Hall. She watched as she knocked with the bronze heart. She watched as the doors opened on their own. And she watched as her dear friend and ally crossed the threshold into the Brotherhood's domain.

It didn't feel right. Batgirl was supposed to be a woman of action, not a spectator. But this was the way it had to be. Dinah was the one who earned an invitation, not Barbara.

This was supposed to be their ticket to victory. A week of being undercover, acting as live bait, and playing the Brotherhood's game… It all led to this. A way into the heart of the twisted, sexist cult that had already taken one of Barbara's dear friends. Tonight was the night that Batgirl and the Black Canary brought down the Kingston Brotherhood.

And yet Barbara felt dread twisting in her belly. The redhead frowned, continuing to watch Dinah through her WayneTech binoculars. She was going to keep a close eye on her friend, her sister… She owed it to Dinah to have her back. After all Dinah had done for their mission, to do anything less for her would be shameful.

But then the large, red doors of Timm Hall closed shut right as Dinah walked through the doorway. Barbara's heart skipped a beat, but the young heroine stayed calm. She could still listen in on Dinah using the bug she planted on her hoodie when the blonde set off for tonight's ceremony.

Switching her earpiece over to the right audio channel, Barbara could hear Dinah's voice… As well as the voice of another woman. She listened in on their brief conversation, but nothing they spoke about gave her any useful intel.

Finally, the other woman spoke again.

"Tonight's an important night for you. We'll find you some more appropriate garb."

And a moment later, the audio feed grew grainy and rough. Too messy for Barbara to parse out anything.

"Damn it." The redhead muttered. Listening in through the bug was no longer viable.

Batgirl's gloved hand tightened on the tree branch above her head, keeping herself steady on her perch. She weighed her options as she stared intently at the red doors of Timm Hall. It did not take very long to make a decision.

Batgirl was going in.

As team leader, it was her duty to have Dinah's back. And with Dinah preoccupied with whatever ritual bullshit the Brotherhood had in store for tonight, Barbara was the only one in position to gather any intel that could be inside that building.

Really, she didn't have a choice. Or at least, that's what Barbara told herself as she descended from the tall tree. Down the branches Batgirl climbed, jumping and flipping with the ease only a master of gymnastics possessed. Finally, Batgirl landed, her yellow boots thumping upon the dark soil at the base of the tree.

From across the small courtyard, Timm Hall loomed large. It towered over Barbara, over Batgirl. Insurmountable, it seemed. But Batgirl had faced insurmountable odds before.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained." Barbara whispered under her breath. Then she was moving forward, her long legs powering beneath her. Her yellow and black cape flowing in the wind, Batgirl charged towards the enemy stronghold. And though she felt worry in her heart, so too did she feel renewed vigor.

They were so close to the end. She could feel it.

Tonight was going to be a reckoning.