Freya's POV:

With it being late last night when we found the laptop and didn't want to risk Yolanda getting caught after her curfew, we thought it was best to show everyone else the next day at the Pit Stop.

I expected Courtney to at least show up since we said it was important but she and Pat weren't there. From what Sylvester explained, Pat and Barbara were going to the Mahkents to get a feel of what Cameron's grandparents knew, which is excusable.

Courtney on the other hand, I'd bet on Nabu that she's hanging out with Cameron. My issue is not just he is Jordan's son. It's the fact that Courtney isn't prioritizing the murderer running around Blue Valley.

If she balanced her personal life and JSA life, I would be supportive. As long as she's happy and safe, I don't see the issue.

"I followed your advice, Sylvester, about Cindy," Yolanda announced, nudging my side with a knowing look until she unzipped her bag. "and it paid off." She took out the purple laptop and placed the device on the table in front of us.

Sylvester's eyes widen in surprise. "Is that...?"

"The Gambler's laptop." I reluctantly answer, ignoring the proud smile on Yolanda's expression. "We found it hidden under Cindy's bed."

"So she did it." Rick concluded.

"But why?" Beth worriedly asked.

"There has to be more to this." I say, crossing my arms over my chest. "What would Cindy get out of murdering The Gambler?"

"Seriously? You wanted concrete evidence, Freya." Yolanda gestures to the laptop with a scoff. "This is it."

"Beth, we need what's on this laptop right now." Sylvester instructed, not bothering to acknowledge her question.

"There are probably the usual encryptions and firewalls," Beth thoughtfully explained before she shrugged. "but I should be able to get through them with an assist from the goggles."

"Once you're inside, download everything." He instructed before looking back at Yolanda and I. "And then, you two, I want you guys to put the laptop back where you found it."

Rick furrowed his brows in confusion. "Why would we do that?"

"Because if Cindy knows the computer's gone, she'll know she's busted. She might run."

"That's if she did it." I emphasize. "Shouldn't she get an explanation? For all we know, someone might've purposefully planted it at Cindy's so that it'll throw us off their trail."

Sylvester nodded. "There's still a chance Dragon King's a part of this or someone else."

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. *✭

"Not that I mind you staying here with me while I transfer the files," Beth spoke up, keeping her eyes trained on the laptop as she typed away on her bed. "but why the visit?"

"Isn't it obvious? For protection." I adjust my posture on her chair so that my legs would dangle on the armrest.

"I thought you were supposed to come with Yolanda?"

I look down at my fingers. "Is it messed up to say that I wanted to sit out in this one?"

She stays quiet which causes me to look up and see that she faced away from the laptop in concern. "I get the feeling that my protection wasn't the only thing on your mind. What's going on?"

"There's this...person that I met and let's just say I have a ton of questions that I've been needing answers to. The issue is I don't have her number but all I know is that she works at the hospital with your mom and that the last time I saw her was at Richie Rock's diner."

"Oh well, I think I can help with that. I know almost everyone there." She gave a small smile before she reached for her goggles and placed them over her eyes. "Name?"

"Inza Cramer."

They immediately light up green and she begins scrolling through whatever appeared in her eyes. "Cramer...Cramer... weird. You said she worked at the hospital, right?"

I furrow my brows in confusion and sit up from the couch. "Yeah. I saw her there when I went to visit Sylvester."

"I don't see her on record. Almost like she's never worked there." She explained, causing my eyes to widen in surprise. "Do you have a picture?"

I dig through my bag but just before I could pull out the photo—

"Oh wait, I got a number. Since you said you saw her at the diner, I ran through their online orders and it looks like she's been a recent customer." She reached for a piece of paper and pen on her desk before quickly scribbling down the number.

"Beth, you're incredible." I sigh. Before I could take the paper from her hand, she moves it away from my reach. "Beth?"

"Can I ask you something?"

I nod. "Of course. Anything."

"This doesn't have anything to do with the ISA, right? Do the others know about this?"

My expression faltered but I shake my head. "They don't."

"Freya--"

"But it has nothing to do with the ISA, I promise. I'll admit it's been keeping me distracted but this is why I need to find answers." I plead, noticing her hesitant expression. "Beth, please. I'll tell everyone soon if it ends up being something."

Before she could answer, several knocks tap on her door. "Beth?"

"One second!" Beth called out before she hurried me to behind the chair to hide.

"I thought your parents are fine with you being in the JSA?" I whisper.

"They are but if they see that we're doing a mission, they'll be upset that they can't be a part of it." She quickly whispered before she sat back down on her bed, pulling the laptop close to her. "Come in!"

Her father stepped into the room and pushed the door open so that her mother could enter as well.

"Beth, we've been trying to call you all day." Her father worriedly explained as they walked to stand in front of her bed.

"Your father and I couldn't seem to get through." Her mom added, sharing a knowing look with him.

"Mm-hmm, so we came home."

"Did you really block us?" She asked in disbelief as Mr. Chapel crossed his arms over his chest. Beth stays quiet but slowly closes the laptop which causes Mrs. Chapel to sigh. "Why?"

"I told you, it's too dangerous for you to be this involved." Beth explained. "Mr. Pemberton--Starman, his sister was killed because she did."

Ms. Chapel tilted her head to the side. "If you're doing this to protect us, who's going to be protecting you?"

"My friends. My team." She sternly emphasized.

"We're on your team, Beth." Mr. Chapel countered.

Beth pushed herself to stand from her bed. "There's a killer out there, Dad. I'm asking you, please. Don't make me push you away any more than I already have."

Her parents share worried looks before Ms. Chapel wraps her arm around her husband's. "Come on, sweetie." She softly spoke before guiding them out of the room, shutting the door behind them.

I slowly stand from my hiding spot. "Beth..."

Beth quickly walks over to me and hands me the slip of paper. "Just be careful, okay? I'll say that something came up with Artemis."

I take the paper from her hands. "Thank you." I slide my helmet over my head and it transforms my clothes into the Doctor Fate suit. Before I could step out of her window, I worriedly turn around. "I know you're scared for their safety but...don't completely shut them out from this side of your life. You're not only just Dr. Mid-Nite. You're Beth Chapel too."

She simply nods and I carefully climb out of the window, flying away from her house at ease.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. *✭

I timidly drum my fingers on the table out of nerves, listening to the oldies playlist melodically playing from the jukebox machine.

This is insane. This was a bad idea. This is a bad idea. What am I even thinking? It sounded so simple on the way here.

Hey Inza, your story about your family is similar to mine because it turns out, I might be your daughter! And your husband? Yeah, turns out he was murdered by some freak iceman and his goons because he tried to save my life. Why? Oh, because he's my father. And those two people I tried to save at the grocery store? Yeah, they're the same goons that murdered your husband.

I should've listened to Beth. I should've told the others or at least just Yolanda. Why did I even tell Cindy? I should've called her bluff.

"Sweetie?" I jump at the voice and look up, meeting Maria's sincere expression. "Are you sure you don't want to order anything? Maybe even some water?"

"I'll take a water if that's okay."

"Of course." She reassured before stepping away from my table.

The sounds of the bell chime from the door and I look away from my table, seeing the neutral expression on Inza as she looked around the diner.

However, as soon as her eyes lock with mine, they immediately lighten up in delight. "Freya? What are the odds of seeing you here." She chuckled as she walked over to my booth. "Normally, I would sit with you but I'm supposed to be meeting someone here to--"

"Have a chat with you about having something from your past?" I gently cut in and her eyes widen in surprise. "It was from me."

She slowly nods in confusion before she takes a seat across from me. "Okay...may I ask what it is? Or why you sent the text so ominously?"

I ignore the thrumming feeling from the amulet and quickly unzip my backpack to pull out the photo. "The last time we talked, you left the photo of your family with me."

She carefully takes it from my hands with a smile. "So that's where I left it. But why do I have a feeling there's more you want to tell me?"

"I took a closer look at the photo and w-well you see," I accidentally stammer before I shook my head. "I couldn't take my eyes away from that stuffed animal your daughter was holding. Looks like she loved it."

"Yeah. My husband and I could never get it away from her. There were some days where we were sure she loved that plushy more than us." She chuckled. "I sometimes imagine that as soon as she grew up, she would've tossed it.

"Not possible."

She tilted her head to the side in curiosity. "How so?"

I opened my mouth to speak but I couldn't find it in me to spill the truth. What if she hates me? What if she'll blame me for getting my father to sacrifice himself?

I can't.

I shake my head with a weak smile. "Just a feeling." My phone loudly rings in my backpack which causes me to reluctantly pull away with a nervous laugh. "Sorry. I think it'll be quick." I say and she nodded with a smile.

I dig through my bag and pull out my phone, seeing Beth's name flash across the screen.

"Hey, Beth. What's--"

"You need to head to Cindy's, now!" She urgently explained, her voice laced with panic. "Yolanda's fighting Cindy and it's bad! They're going to kill each other!"

I quickly nod. "I'll be there in five minutes." I say before I end the call, quickly scooting out of the booth. "Inza, I have to go."

"Is everything okay?" She worriedly asked as she got out of the booth as well. "Is there something I can do to help?

"Uh...let's just say I have to make sure my girlfriend doesn't do something she'll regret." I explain, waving goodbye to Maria, who was in the middle of taking someone's order before we exited the diner. "But I can deal with it on my own. It's--"

"Complicated?" She raised a brow with a knowing smile. "My husband always used that one whenever he was needed for work."

"We'll talk more soon, okay? I promise." I quickly say, sprinting to the side of the building where no one could see me and she nods with a smile.

I yank my helmet out of my backpack and slide it over my head, transforming my clothes into the Doctor Fate suit and instantly flying to the skies.

In a matter of seconds, I arrived at the cul-de-sac near Cindy's house and from what I could see, two familiar figures stood in front of a semi-trashed van with another individual holding their fist up in defense while the other clutched onto their side.

The larger figure, who I recognized to be Rick, moves first to charge but instantly I land in between them, holding my hands up to create an ankh forcefield.

His fist, along with Yolanda who tried to swipe her claws to the side, harshly bounces off of the forcefield with a grunt.

"What the hell is going on?" I angrily ask, glancing between the three of them as I protectively stood in front of Cindy.

"Freya, get away from her!" Rick raised his voice.

"She's just like her father!" Yolanda argued, attempting to slash through the barrier but it didn't break.

"Enough!" I scolded before I glared at Rick and Yolanda, lowering the barrier. "Attacking was not the plan."

"Now I get why you kept your secret about your mom from her, Nelson. She'd just rush in." Cindy scoffed and immediately I whirled toward her with a glare.

"That's it!" Yolanda growled.

She moves to lunge again but the sounds of warbling energy cause us to look up and see the bright light rushing down to us with incredible speed. Before either one of us could move, the individual slammed the ground hard enough and creates a massive electrified shockwave, sending the four of us flying away from each other.

My head slams against the ground as I fell on my back, hearing everyone's groans.

I shake my head, attempting to get rid of the nausea, and push myself from the ground along with everyone else, seeing the attacker that separated us had been Courtney with her cosmic staff.

"What are you doing?" Courtney panted.

"Me?" Cindy scoffed before she gestured to us. "Yolanda started this."

I turn towards her. "Sylvester said to only bring the laptop back. Not to fight."

"Wait, what?" Courtney whispered.

"She stole The Gambler's laptop, Court!" Yolanda exclaimed.

Cindy groaned. "I didn't kill him!"

"She's just like her father. Look at her." Yolanda nodded her head at Cindy. "Look at her arm!"

My eyes trail to Cindy's torn sleeve and rather than just seeing her exposed shoulder, there were reptile scales that practically covered the entirety of her arm.

"What the..." I mutter, warily taking a step away from her.

"The DNA at the crime scene." Courtney whispered under her breath. "It wasn't Dragon King's DNA. It was yours. What's happening to you?"

"Don't act like you care." Cindy grumbled in annoyance.

"I do. Cindy, please talk to us."

"I started changing when we got back from the Shadowlands." Cindy reluctantly explained, avoiding our gazes until she shook her head. "I don't know if it triggered this or if it was always going to happen. I don't know what my dad did to me, okay? And I was just trying to find out. I stole The Gambler's laptop so I could go through his files, locate labs, find a cure, but I did not kill anyone."

My eyes flickered to her exposed reptilian arm in sorrow, feeling my stomach churn in discomfort at the memory of being in the Shadowlands

I remembered seeing Cindy strapped to the table with the Dragon King experimenting on her. Is it possible that whatever he injected her with is what's causing her to transform?

"Stop looking at me like I'm a monster!" Cindy angrily yelled out. However, the pupils in her eyes switched into a greenish-yellow with a black slit for a brief moment until she quickly shuts her eyes, clutching the front of her face with her hands in a pained look.

"Cindy," Courtney took a step closer to her, noticing the distress. "let us help you."

"Help me? Help me?" She repeated in disbelief. "I am so tired of all of this."

"If you were just honest with us in the first place like I asked you to be--"

"Honest? Like you're honest? Please." Cindy scoffed before her eyes flickered at Rick, Yolanda, and I. "Why don't you tell them about your little secret that you've been keeping? About Cameron."

Yolanda crossed her arms over her chest with an unamused look. "We already know she's dating Cameron."

"Dating him? Like father, like son."

I raise a brow, noticing Courtney's posture stiffen. "Mind elaborating for the rest of us? What is she talking about?"

"She's teaching that little psycho how to conjure up icicles, just like Daddy." Cindy harshly emphasized.

Almost if a pinned drop, the revelation left all of us to stay quiet. No way. There might have been times I assumed he would inherit his powers from Jordan but he seemed so...normal.

I slowly look over to Courtney but she didn't dare to look each of us in the eyes, keeping her stares ahead at Cindy.

"What?" Rick spoke first.

"He has powers like the rest of his family." 

Yolanda slowly uncrossed her arms. "Is that true?"

Cindy nodded. "Yeah, it's true. And when Cameron finds out what you did to his dad, which he will," She says, taking a few steps closer to Courtney so that she was only inches away. "he'll come for you. And I hope that he wins."

She struts passed us without another word but Rick and Yolanda take a few steps closer to Courtney who finally turned around to face us with a guilt-written expression.