Freya's POV:

Yolanda, Justin, and I follow after Rick and we quickly go down the stairs from Cindy's basement that led to the tunnels.

"Hey, guys, can you hear me?" Beth's voice rang through my comms.

"We hear you." Courtney spoke up.

"Loud and clear." I answer.

"I found some kind of countdown. I think we have thirty-five minutes before they turn it on." Beth explained as we cautiously walked further inside the tunnel. "Whatever they're going to make people believe in, they call it the 'New Constitution'. They wanna combat..." I hear something typing in the background until it stops. "global warming? Oh, wait! They want to force people to..."

"They're going to force people to what?" Yolanda asked with a bit of annoyance.

"Force them to embrace solar and wind power. They're going to eliminate discrimination over race, religion, sexual orientation..." Beth listed off.

"You're kidding me." Rick scoffed.

"And universal healthcare."

"That sounds good. Is—Is that not good?" Courtney curiously asked.

"Hey, Pat, are you sure we're on the right side?" Rick questioned.

"There's got to be something else." He answered, confusion filling his tone as well.

"I don't know, Mr. Dugan. The only other thing it says is that once the machine broadcasts, the process will take thirty minutes. If we don't stop them before then, it's permanent." There's more typing in the background of Beth's comms until she clears her throat once more. "Oh, here's more. It only affects fully-developed minds."

"What does that mean?" Yolanda questioned as she looked at Rick and I.

"Adults." I answer which caused their eyes to widen.

"Oh, no..." Beth whispered. "There are people who will fight too hard against the reprogramming process."

"And what happens to them?" Courtney hesitantly questioned.

"Their brains will shut down...they'll die." My eyes widen in shock.

That's the cost Brainwave was talking about.

"How many?" Yolanda questioned, gesturing for us to continue walking.

"Twenty-five percent of their target audience...of one hundred million people."

"They're going to kill twenty-five million people?" Courtney exasperated.

"Give or take a few million, yes." A different voice spoke into our comms that I recognized all too well. "Good morning, everyone. You may be wondering what's just happened, so allow me to elucidate. Well, I've just hacked into your hack of our hack, young lady." The Gambler chuckled to himself. "And with who do I have the pleasure of speaking?"

"I'm...I--" Beth stammered.

"She's Dr. Mid-Nite." Chuck's voice confidently spoke up as well.

"Is that right?" The Gambler questioned.

"Guys, I don't know what to do." Beth's voice laced with panic. "We've only got thirty minutes before the broadcast."

"You think you have thirty minutes to stop us from broadcasting?" The Gambler questioned before he started to laugh. "The broadcast begins at the thirty-minute mark. It's thirty minutes until Brainwave is finished."

I turn to Justin and see him staring off to the side in a trance which caused Rick to wave his hand in front of his face. "Justin?" A small blue crackle of electricity shows in his eyes and I knew then it was too late. "Justin!"

"Courtney? Your mom's not moving." Beth frantically called out but from Courtney's end, there were crashes in the background.

"Oh, don't you worry about Ms. Barbara." Steven chuckled. "In less than thirty minutes, Brainwave's reprogramming will be complete...and permanent. Courtney's mother will become a part of our new society. Our New America. Like everyone under Brainwave's little spell."

"Justin, snap out of it!" Rick raised his voice in frustration.

"Unless of course, Ms. Barbara is one of those unlucky 'one-in-fours' that pushes back too hard or for too long. While they do that, their entire nervous system will shut down. They'll expire...poor things."

"We need to get to the machine." Yolanda stated and turned towards Justin. "Remember, Justin, you are the Silent Knight!"

I wince at the name. "It's the Shining Knight."

"Well, I don't know!" She groaned.

"Beth, Pat's fighting Brainwave's control!" Courtney frantically explained.

"What? No, that could kill him, Court!" Beth warned.

"We need help, Beth." Rick spoke up.

"I know! I know! I hear you, guys!" She groaned in frustration before she let out a gasp. "Wait. I hear them. Chuck! That's it, I hear them. When Freya and I were under Cindy's house, we couldn't hear anyone. The signal blockers they used are off because they know we're down there. But, if we can turn the blockers back on, we could free Pat and Justin!" Oh crap.

"You think you can break into my security system that easily?" Steven's voice rang in my comms once more with a chuckle.

"If the Gambler's so focused on keeping us out, maybe we can divert his attention elsewhere." Beth snapped her fingers which caused my eyes to widen. Uh oh. "What else can we hack into, Chuck? His money?"

Steven stops laughing. "What? Hey—get out of there!"

"I volunteer every Christmas for the American Red Cross, but there are so many worthy charities." Beth taunted which caused Rick and Yolanda to smile. "Why pick one?"

"Stop it! No!" Steven angrily ordered. "Get out of there!"

Justin blinks a couple of times and I nudge for Yolanda and Rick to turn. "Is he back to normal?" Yolanda questioned.

Suddenly, Justin unsheathes his sword from his belt. "I'm free to slay the dragon!" He confidently stated before he continued to walk down the tunnel.

"His normal." I muttered.

"Great job, Beth." Rick complimented before he turned to us. "Let's go guys.."

"It wasn't me, Rick. It was my best pal, Chuck!" Beth sighed in relief. "But we aren't out of the woods. Courtney, your mom is still under Brainwave's control. And if we don't destroy that machine, your mom could still die. Millions could."

"We better pick up the pace then." Yolanda urged and we start to sprint through the endless tunnels.

.·。.·゜✭·.·✫·゜·。. *✭˚·ﾟ✧*·ﾟ*✭˚·ﾟ✧*·

"After we take out this machine, I'm going after Grundy." Rick emphasized with a glare as we continued to walk in the tunnels. "I'm going to rip that vault door open and I'm going to kill him."

"You really think that's gonna help you?" Yolanda hesitantly questions.

"Yeah. I sure as hell do." He scoffed.

"Why?"

"Because I'll know that that thing won't hurt anyone else." He remarked. "It won't make another orphan."

"But killing is wrong." She tries to grab his arm but he yanks it away and stops in his tracks.

"Says who?" He raised his voice. "God?"

"Yes." She simply nods.

"Then God shouldn't let bad things happen." He emphasized. "Like my parents being thrown into a tree." She looks to the side with guilt written over her expression. "So don't try and stop me, Yolanda."

He continues to follow after Justin but I see that Yolanda didn't move from her place, almost as if she was taking in Rick's words.

I nudge her side. "You okay?" She stays silent but proceeds to walk around me which causes me to furrow my brows in confusion. "Don't tell me you're still mad about last night."

Before she could walk further, I grab her arm to stop us from moving and she lets out a huff. "I don't want to talk about it, Freya."

"Look, last night was a lot to process. I'm the last person you should have feelings for." I state which causes her to shake her head with disbelief. "So why me?"

"When you weren't answering any of our calls last night, I couldn't stop worrying about the smallest possibility that you were killed by them." She explained, causing the pit of my stomach to stir with guilt. "But then you came to the cabin and I've never felt so relieved to see that you survived. That's when I realized how much you meant to me because you were there for me way before we joined the JSA. You were there when I couldn't even be there for myself."

She interlaces her hand with mine and I couldn't help but squeeze it in comfort as I look down at our hands. "Oh."

"I know that it's a lot to handle but I just want you to know that whatever happens," She trails off and I look to meet her eyes. "I'm grateful that we met. You made me believe to love myself again so...thanks."

My heart leaps at the sentence. "Erm—uh, you're welcome. I'm glad we met too."

She clears her throat. "Do you think we can have a redo of our conversation last night? You know, after we survive this?"

"Uh..."

"Yolanda, Freya, hurry up!" We hear Rick's voice in our comms. "You guys can talk after!"

"Sorry." Yolanda quickly answered and we both sprint the rest of the tunnel.

However, someone wraps their arms around me and before I could utter out a word, I'm instantly pulled through one of the hidden doors.

They yank off the Helmet of Fate which instantly transformed my clothes back into my ninja suit before carelessly tossing the helmet back out the door.

Once it clattered to the ground, Yolanda instantly turns around with shock. "Freya!"

It shuts completely once I'm inside and I look around, seeing that I was grabbed by the Dragon King's henchmen. "What are you doing?" I scold as they drag me through the small hallway. "Stop it!"

"Release her." I hear the Dragon King sternly say and I look up, seeing my parents, Jordan, and the Dragon King stood at the end of the hallway.

They release their grips and I brush my shoulders off with a scowl. "What was the point of that?" I remark as I walked up to them. "They'll be looking for me!"

"If it stalls them for time then who cares?" My mom chuckled. "We pulled you at a perfect time, Doctor Fate."

"According to my security feed," The Dragon King spoke up. "they're close to meeting in the lair."

"Then let's go." Jordan instructed and turns to the next corner with the rest of us following behind.

Before we could enter Dragon King's lair, the sounds of several voices I recognized to be my friends came from the lair which causes Jordan to stop us.

"So, where's this machine?" I hear Rick speak.

"Uh..." Courtney trails off. "according to the map, it's through there."

As they reveal themselves from my dad's laugh, I quickly slide the hood over which only showed my eyes, hiding my identity from the JSA. "Look what we got here!"

"That's as far as you go." Jordan stated as Courtney, Yolanda, Rick, and Justin slowly walked back to the middle of the room.

"No more ice mask, Jordan?" Courtney remarked.

"I've got nothing to hide anymore, Courtney." He answered with a brow raised as he looked to each of the JSA members that stood behind her. "Same goes for Pat, Justin," He casually listed off and I could see Justin tighten his grip on his sword. "And Freya. I don't even have to mention your other teammates as well."

"What did you do to her?" Rick growled.

Yolanda threateningly extended her claws, tightly clutching onto the Helmet of Fate with her other hand. "Where is she?"

"Brainwave must've read my mind when he threatened me at school." Courtney scoffed.

"That's what makes this even funnier." Jordan chuckled to himself. "Because it wasn't even him at all. Our plans will succeed because you all easily played right into her hand." He gestured to me which caused Courtney to scoff.

"What, search my house when my mom and I ran off? We made sure we took everything so Tigress and Sportsmaster wouldn't go after our families."

"Is that so?" Jordan turns to face me with a smile. "Would you do the honors?"

I close my eyes, knowing what they were about to see would destroy the one thing I swore that I would never break to them. Something that Henry warned me about if I wanted to stay in the ISA.

Their trust.

I pulled the hood off of my head which caused all of my friend's glares to slowly shift into shock.

"Freya," Courtney worriedly whispered and I reluctantly lock eyes with Yolanda, seeing her eyes brim with tears. "y-you're working with them?"

"I-I--" Yolanda's voice cracked. "Was that what you were trying to tell me last night? For how long?"

I stay silent, too ashamed to even say a word but my dad snorts. "Kids, she's been manipulating you since the moment you guys met!" My father laughed. "She toyed with your little heartstrings and ripped it out."

"We trusted you, Freya." Rick scowled with his fists clenched. "Why would you defend them? They murdered Henry, Joey, my parents! How could you do this to us?"

"I—"

"Because she only cared about the one goal she's been after for years." Jordan interrupted with a smirk as he gestured behind him. "To have a seat in the Injustice Society and by giving us intel, she would rightfully earn her spot in which she did."

My eyes soften and I quickly turn to meet his eyes. "I'm in?" I ask and Jordan nods.

"Everything that you did with us...it was all just so you could join them? This doesn't sound like you, Freya." Courtney pleaded, causing me to turn back to them. "We know you're better than that. You're Doctor Fate!"

I pull the mask over my head then click the buttons in the palms of my hands which instantly unsheathed the daggers from under my sleeves, causing their eyes to slightly widen in horror. "Not anymore." I sternly stated as I tightly gripped the daggers.

"Anyone else have deja vu?" My dad sarcastically asked.

"I do. Wasn't that a fun night?" My mom sighed dreamily as the Dragon King unsheathed his sword.

"Time to kill the JSA again." My dad twirled the bat in his hand as Courtney and the rest of their friends got in their stances.

I hesitantly lock eyes with Yolanda, seeing the broken expression remain as she tossed the Doctor Fate helmet to the side before she extended her other claws.

I knew that once my cover was blown, it would change everything for the better since I had a spot in the Injustice Society. I worked hard for it, for god's sake.

But why didn't it feel as satisfying as I thought it would be?

"Freya..." Yolanda whispered.

I shake my head and tapped on my earpiece. "Sharpe, we're gonna need some reinforcements." I spoke, never breaking my stares from her. "Bring him in."

"You got it."

It felt as if everything was in slow motion as both sides sprinted across to each other. All of us knew for sure that only one side was going to walk out of here alive.

Rick tries to throw a punch towards my head but I grab his fist then twist it behind his back. Before he could strike another hit, I kick the back of his knee which causes him to stumble forward.

He manages to catch his balance and tries to lunge towards me again but my dad joins in before he can strike, blocking the punches with his arms.

Using this as the perfect distraction, I swiftly grab Rick's cape and drape it over his head to block his vision. My dad and I lift one foot then dig our heels into Rick's chest, sending him to crash against the cemented pole.

In the corner of my vision, I took notice of Courtney pointing her staff towards my dad. I quickly shove him away and aim my hands towards her, blasting a surge of energy that instantly collides with hers.

"Aha!" My dad cheered with a smirk as Courtney and I's blasts tried to overpower the other.

From nearby, Jordan's ice blasts shoot her away from me and I quickly pull my hands back.

"Nice job, sweetie." My dad patted my back before he gestured behind me. "Help your mother out. I can take it from here."

I grab his baseball bat from the ground and toss it to him. "You're going to want this." I say before he nods and sprints towards Rick.

✧*･.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. *✭˚･ﾟ✧*･ﾟ
A/N:

Freya, did Beth's advice not click through your head? Smh

Anywho, there's 5 chapters left! Any predictions about...well you know, about Freya?

Will she stick with the ISA or the JSA 👀 who knowsss

I hope you all had/have an amazing day so...bye!

~Cimbello