Chapter 2: 1. Undercover

Undercover

"I'm going to be honest with the two of you," The Headmistress said without taking her eyes off the papers on her desk. "We are not in desperate need of new academic staff. This institution - and by extension, its faculty - is one of the highest rated in both Gotham City and the nation."

Barbara didn't feel concerned. If she and Dinah weren't hired, then they had plans B through F to fall back on. But the woman sitting across from them made the redhead feel… peculiar. A quick glance over at Dinah revealed the short, blonde powerhouse sitting with a tense, stiff posture. Barbara knew her friend felt the same way she did.

Headmistress Vivian Kaplan was a striking woman. Not tall or imposing or even intimidating, but absolutely remarkable to look at. The woman was gorgeous. She had full, red-painted lips that mesmerized even Barbara, who considered herself the most hardline hetero on the team. The high cheekbones and sharp jawline were elegant, not masculine, and her pale skin was sublime, with nary a blemish or wrinkle. Shining black hair fell to her shoulders in perfect waves, framing a porcelain face that was somehow both delicate and stunning. But above all were her eyes: the type of dazzling icy blue that could stop ladykillers dead in their tracks. Barbara's file on the Headmistress said she was forty-five, yet she was sitting across from them looking half that age.

Barbara pushed the niggling envy she felt to the far back of her mind. She and Dinah were here for Helena, not beauty tips. Although, I oughta find out what kind of moisturizer she uses…

"But…" The Headmistress drew her eyes up to look at them, smiling. She clasped her hands together on her desk, shoulders squared. Not even her conservative attire could completely hide her curvaceous body, the dark blue turtleneck pulled snug over her ample bust. "Your credentials are incredibly impressive, especially considering how young the two of you are."

Barbara Gordon - or rather "Barbara Morgan" - gave a half-nod. "We're career-minded women, Miss Kaplan. We need to work extra hard to stand out in our fields, as I'm sure you'd agree." Beside her, "Dinah Blake" nodded in firm agreement.

There was a brief twitch at the corner of Vivian's mouth, but it disappeared as quickly as it arrived. The brunette smirked, looking from Dinah to Barbara then back to the papers on her desk. She unclasped her hands, snatching a sheet of paper, inspecting it as she straightened her posture. "You two absolutely stand out among the applicants. You are aware these are full-time positions, I hope?"

Both interviewees nodded. The Headmistress' eyes glittered.

"Good," The older woman leaned back in her chair, reaching out with one hand to idly touch the paperweight on her desk, an oval-shaped lunk of glossy, black stone. She tapped her scarlet-colored nails against it: click, click, click. "You will be expected to maintain a permanent residence within five miles of the campus. Of course, Kingston Academy does offer housing to our faculty if they ever have difficulty finding an apartment."

"That will be perfect for us," Dinah said with well-acted gratefulness.

Headmistress Kaplan clasped her hands together once more, beaming. "Splendid! Will you two be taking a single bedroom unit?"

"Two bedrooms. We're not a couple." Barbara clarified - quickly enough for Dinah to give her a sharp look.

"We're just very good friends." Dinah added bluntly.

Barbara knew the real reason the blonde was insulted - It was easier to count the people who didn't want to date the Black Canary - but the Headmistress took it as a sign of her own lack of social grace.

"My mistake," She said with a short, apologetic bow. "I'm sorry for assuming. We don't get many applicants who insist on being interviewed together, is all."

"Don't worry about it," Barbara said, making a dismissive gesture with her fingers. "Dinah and I are just looking forward to doing what we do best."

The redhead shared a brief, knowing look with her blonde compatriot, catching a devious look in the other woman's eyes. Oh, we're really looking forward to it…

"Well then, Miss Morgan, Miss Blake, I happily welcome you to Kingston Academy. I look forward to working with both of you." The Headmistress stood up from her seat, revealing herself to be taller than both Dinah and Barbara and as shapely as the amazonian princess, Wonder Woman - Barbara supposed Kaplan might even have been shapelier if the woman's body was free of those tight clothes. Neither the turtleneck nor the pencil skirt could hide the Headmistress' magnificent figure. She extended her hand to them and they took it, first Barbara, then Dinah.

"Thank you again for this opportunity, Miss Kaplan." Barbara said, pointedly not looking at the great swells of the Headmistress' chest.

"Nonsense. I should be thanking you. A couple of fresh minds are exactly what I need."

Success, Barbara thought with a completely justified and earned smirk.

"Before we leave you to it, there is one thing we wanted to ask you." Dinah leaned against Kaplan's desk, drumming her fingers on the dark oak. "One of our old friends also has a position here. One of your teachers. Her name is Helena Bertinelli. We were hoping you could tell us where to find her."

"Miss Bertinelli…" Kaplan tapped a finger against her ruby red lips. Then her eyes lit up with familiarity. "Yes, I remember. She was hired on six months ago as our eleventh grade English teacher. Her classroom should still be in the Miagani building, west side of the campus." She gave them both a dazzling smile. "If you two hurry you can catch her before the bell."

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It took them twenty minutes to find the Miagani building. For a boarding school, even an upper-class one, the Kingston Academy campus was absurdly large. Boasting two libraries, three parks, and four dormitories - not including the one reserved for faculty - the institution of learning was a nightmare to navigate. But, as with all challenges, the Birds of Prey emerged victorious - they only got lost twice.

The final bell had rung ten minutes ago and most of the students had already cleared out, either to head into the village or back to their dorms. The halls were sparse, a positive that allowed them to find Miss Bertinelli's classroom in no time.

Dinah saw that the door was open as they approached. She could hear faint voices becoming clearer and clearer with each step. The blonde clenched and unclenched her fists, taking a deep breath through her nostrils as she and Barbara pushed into the near-empty classroom.

The Black Canary can't afford to be anything but focused. Not with her friend on the line.

They heard her before they saw her.

"As it is right now, your paper is a solid B minus. Good enough for most, but not for a Kingston student. I know you can punch it up to an A." Helena sat at her desk with a student's paper in her hands, her long, raven-black hair done up in a neat bun. She wore a light purple blouse buttoned up to her collarbone and had a pair of librarian glasses resting on her nose.

She looked… normal.

Maybe… Maybe nothing's wrong. Maybe Babs made a goof and the video really was a fake. Maybe Helena's perfectly fine and we got worked up over nothing.

"You need to trim some of the fat," She continued, pointing at something on the page with her pencil. "Clean up the body paragraphs and really focus on two or three main points. Turn this back in tomorrow and we'll see how much you improved!"

Her student, a pretty young woman with curly brown hair, nodded as she took her paper back and headed for the door.

"Thanks, Miss Bertinelli." She called back as she brushed past Dinah and Barbara. The duo waited until the girl's footsteps faded down the hall before closing the door behind them and approaching Helena's desk.

They moved slowly, cautiously, with their eyes trained on Helena, scanning for any sign of distress. They found none, simply a woman flipping through homework sheets and grading as she went. Helena didn't look like a woman held against her will - Dinah had seen more than her fair share of those - nor did she look like a woman whose mind wasn't her own. She looked like Helena… If perhaps a little inattentive. She didn't notice them until they were right by her desk.

"Hey…" Dinah greeted the raven-haired woman with a forced smile.

Helena's own smile was shockingly genuine, her eyes brightening up like a star at the sight of her girlfriends. "Dinah, Barbara!" She practically shot up from her seat, reaching over her desk to draw them in for a hug - a hug they half-heartedly returned. It was hard to share her enthusiasm after they'd watched the woman fuck a teenage boy.

"I was wondering when you guys would come visit. Did you get one of the Robins to babysit the Clock Tower? How many of those does the Bat have running around these days, anyway? Three?"

Dinah and Barbara shared a look that was equal parts concern and confusion.

"You don't sound surprised to see us." The redhead noted - her statement also a question.

"Why would I be surprised?" Helena snorted. "I sent you an invitation."

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It took a moment for that to register in Dinah's mind. Helena didn't mean it. She couldn't mean it. The blonde blinked in shock, sending a wide-eyed look towards Barbara. The woman's eyes were hard, her lips pressed into a thin line.

"The video," Barbara - no, Batgirl - clarified, her voice like cold steel. "You sent it to us?"

Helena simply smiled at them, an infuriatingly proud smile. Something in her eyes changed as well, the bright happiness and friendly warmth glazing over, replaced with something darker. She leaned back in her chair, her hands absently occupied with her pencil, twirling it, rolling it between her fingers, tapping it idly against the ring on her right hand.

"I wanted to be sure I had your attention." She confessed with the same casualness of a student admitting they forgot their homework.

Dinah shook her head, horrified. "Jesus, Helena! You can't just… Why? Did you think we were going to be impressed?"

Helena shrugged, her dark lips curled into an impish grin. "Less bragging and more advertising, really. I know the dating scene has been rough on the three of us - don't even get me started on other women capes. Too much work, not enough play. It's a good thing the student body here is just so wonderful to work with. And play with."

Dinah nearly gagged, her stomach doing somersaults. She didn't want it to be true, but the words that were spilling from Helena's lips…

"Are you fucking listening to yourself?" Dinah almost shrieked. "You're talking about students."

"And some of them are hung like horses." Helena bit her lip, smirking. "But you two already know that."

Dinah Lance was a tough honey. It took a lot to throw the Black Canary off her game. And right now the Sonic Siren felt like throwing up.

Right after I smack some sense into this hussy…

"That's a nice ring," Barbara cut in suddenly, stepping between Dinah and Helena. "Where'd you get it?"

"Oh, this?" The raven-haired beauty held out her right hand, a silver band with a black stone gleaming on her ring finger. She gave her two guests a pleased smile. "A gift. My boyfriend gave it to me."

"Matthew Reston, right? Same guy from the video?" Barbara pushed, her voice calm.

"They very same," Helena beamed with equal parts pride and love. "You wouldn't know it, but he's an absolute sweetheart."

"He's also barely eighteen." Barbara said bluntly.

Helena snorted. "And still more of a man than the weasels and creeps you'll find back in the city."

Dinah clenched her fists until her knuckles turned white. She took a step towards Helena… And felt Barbara's hand fall on her shoulder, squeezing. The Black Canary stopped, shooting Batgirl a dark look over her shoulder.

"Maybe she's right." Barbara said.

Dinah's eyes widened. "You can't be serious?"

The redhead exhaled through her nose, shrugging. "Maybe Mr. Reston is good for her. He's certainly got good taste. That ring is gorgeous, Helena. May I see it?"

Helena said nothing for a moment. Her smile remained, but Dinah could see her eyes glaze over even more. She leaned back into her chair, further away from her two friends, clasping her hands together and moving them both off the desk and drawing them into her lap.

"I never take it off." Helena finally said, politely… and firmly.

Dinah narrowed her eyes, glancing from Barbara to Helena to her hands resting on her lap… and to the ring gleaming on her finger.

She's being controlled… influenced… through the ring?

"We insist." Dinah pushed, unable to keep the edge out of her voice. "It really is lovely."

The smile began to fade from Helena's face… but Barbara interrupted then, chuckling. "That's alright, Hel. Maybe another time."

Dinah pursed her lips. "Babs…" She warned.

The redhead ignored her. "You clearly have a lot of work that needs to get done. And Dinah and still need to get settled in. We start our new jobs tomorrow, after all. We'll get out of your hair. Nice catching up with you. Maybe do it again soon?"

Helena's eyes brightened up again and the smile returned in full force, like a switch had been flipped. "Absolutely. We can all catch up over lunch!"

"Already looking forward to it," Barbara said, laughing.

Dinah could have smacked her, but the redhead was already leading her out of the classroom by the arm. They were halfway down the hall when she finally shook free from Batgirl's grip. She smacked her friend in the arm with the back of her hand.

"What the hell was that?" Dinah hissed, her eyes ablaze.

Barbara didn't turn to look at her, instead she kept walking at a brisk pace, forcing Dinah to follow angrily. It wasn't until they were out of the building that Barbara whispered over to her, "It's mind control. Definitely mind control. And you can bet your fishnet-covered ass it's because of that ring."

"Yeah, I picked up on that." Dinah practically fumed. "Why'd you stop me from taking it? I could've snapped her out of it and we'd be busting heads by now."

Barbara shook her head, pacing on the stone walkway, autumn leaves crunching under her boots. "It isn't that simple. We don't even know how the mind control works or how the ring implements it. If it has such a firm grip on her mind then removing it could cause severe or even permanent damage. Or maybe trying to remove it would trigger some sort of defense mechanism, making her attack us. Or maybe it will make her hurt herself. She's a hostage, Dinah. The last thing we want to do is hurt her."

Dinah clenched her jaw. Barbara was right.

It sucked having a problem they couldn't punch their way out of.

The Black Canary muttered a curse under her breath. She locked her gaze with the redhead. "I hope you have a plan, sister. Because we're not leaving her like that."

Batgirl nodded, a dangerous glint in her eyes. "I always have a plan, Canary. It just requires patience and caution. We find out how the ring works and we find out where the hell it came from. And we start with Helena's… boyfriend."

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