Lyla Leigh

Laura nodded slowly, it was clear that Lyla knew what she was getting herself into. She respected it, somebody who wasn’t afraid of the worst to get justice.  “Sometimes I wish I could die…” She shook her head, that sounded wrong. “Not like that I mean…maybe like that…I don’t know. What I do know is you’re going to need a lot of help if you’re going to infiltrate the facility. If you go in as a journalist they’ll just wipe your memory and we’ll be right back where we started. Not to mention I don’t exactly know where they are anymore.” 

“Hey, don’t say that okay? Don’t ever say that.” Did she sound a bit like a hypocrite? Probably. But actively seeking death was different than not fearing it. At least that’s what she told herself. “I’ve got some friends I high places. I’m sure they will be willing to help.” she said thinking of Lois. “You don’t have to help if you don’t want to. I won’t blame you for never wanting to be near that place again.”

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       “That doesn’t make any death less harsh or unforgiving.” He said with a sigh. Death had always been the hardest part of the job, even from what he could remember taking on the mantel of Superman. He could remember that any time his father had lost someone it would eat at him. The light in his eyes would fade until he was done grieving and the light returned. Loss was hard and grieving was harder, but it was part of the job. 

“I never said it did. Death is harsh. And brutal. And can come at any time. So why should I live in fear of it if it’s inevitable?” she said as she continued towards her very bad idea of putting her nose where it didn’t belong. Or rather where other people didn’t think she should put it. But telling Lyla not to do something was always a sure-fire way that she’d do it. “If I die, I die. But at least I die doing something I loved. You’re not obligated to come with me.”

Jubilee watched Lyla closely as she got up. “Yeah…something like that,” she wanted to explain further, but the voices of Professor X and Scott echoed around in her head about keeping on the down low and not talking about mutants unless absolutely necessary. “That landing sounded rough. Are you ok? I’m still getting the hang of the the whole controlling the intensity of my fireworks thing.” Jubilee grins, “Your turn.” 

“Awesome. No big, something I wished I known before I asked you to train with me, but you win some you lose some.” the redhead winced a bit as she stood. “Oh yeah yeah. I’m cool. Totally cool. Question though, do you have a twin and why does it look like you’re talking at the same time?” she tried to joke, though she very much did see two of Jubilee. Jubilee. Of course, she was some kind of meta. Who else would have an awesome name like that? “I think I should sit down.”

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Laura eyed the girl she was sitting next to skeptically, “Investigate? You want to investigate the facility that made me?”  She did her best not to laugh, Lyla either had a death wish or was completely oblivious.  “I mean I certainly won’t stop you, hell I’ll help you, but you’ve gotta understand that those people will not hesitate to murk the second they feel threatened.” 

“Yes I do.” the read head nodded. After hearing Laura’s story, Lyla knew she had to do something about it. The world had to know. Places like this...they couldn’t just exisit. They couldn’t just go unpunished. It wasn’t right. It wasn’t fair. “I’m not afriad to die.” she smirked, knowing she sounded a bit crazy. But it was the truth. “everyone dies. If im going down, at least im going down with a good reason.”

Carol cracked her knuckles, floating a few inches into the air.  “I was talking to give you a chance, kid.”  She could tell the girl was overly cocky, but also that she was ultimately out of her depth and not ready for the gamble she was taking on full blown fight with Carol. She braced herself, waiting to deflect the impact she was sure would come. 

Lyla’s eyes followed the woman up into the air. “Uh....I just meant playing pool.” she said pointing to the billiards establishment across the way. She wasn’t stupid enough to fight Captain Marvel. Even if she did have abilities, which she didn’t. “So less floaty floaty? I just wanted to ask you some questions and have fun. I’m a bit competitive though. A fatal flaw of mine.”

“Oh, thank you.” Dory didn’t have the heart to tell her she was kind of just going to jump into the water, land dwellers were so finicky about being fully clothed. “I thought they only do that to celebrities, on the magazines.” she reddened at the thought of being on one of those silly things. 

“I mean...you’re basically a celebrity if not more so right Princess? That could be a PR nightmare for Atlantis as far as the United Nations in concerned” Lyla pointed out. She had recognized the girl almost immediately when she saw her inside. She followed anything to do with Atlantis because of Aquaman. She’d gotten really into investigating the justice league secretly. Not because she wanted an expose or anything like that...she just wanted to know if she could do it.“

-

Lois smiled at the younger woman, glancing over at the guard as he unlocked the door. “Oh, hey, Kevin,” she said, smiling at him. “It’s been a while. How’s Jennifer?” She had been in the holding cell at the NYPD a time or two herself, so she was familiar with the guards and their families by now. She hugged Lyla back, giving her back a gentle little pat. “No, I didn’t tell them,” she assured her. “You’re an adult now, there’s no reason for me to go to your parents with every little thing. I would only tell them if you had gotten hurt, and thank god you didn’t.” She laughed. “Yeah, it’s still private property even if no one lives there,” she said. “It’s not abandoned unless someone has clearly relinquished ownership. I mean, we still have our house in Smallville, even though I don’t live there anymore. I wouldn’t want anyone traipsing around that place.”

“Thank you.” Lyla gave a sigh of relief when Lois didn’t inform them. She may have been an adult in Lois' eyes but that wasn’t the case for her parents. She was just happy that a worse situation could now be avoided. Lois made a good point, she always did, but it practically went into one ear and out the other. “Okay but what if said place most likely is being used for nefarious acts? How am I supposed to get proof if they arrest me for going near the place.” she sighed. She’d always been a bit too gun-ho. “How much do I owe you for the bail?” she asked as they started to exit the police station.”and can I ask you to not mention this to Jordon...”

Jubilee laughed nervously. It was true, she had been avoiding actually making the first move. Hoping Lyla would save her by losing patience and throwing the first, at least metaphorical, punch.  Letting sparks shoot from her fingertips she charged up a blast. “Nervous? Yeah sounds about right. Afraid? Never.”  She let out a blast, the concussive force echoing around the room. 

Lyla really had to learn to keep her mouth shut. Granted when she asked the girl to join her self-defense sparring well...she didn’t expect that. She slammed against the wall, a groan escaping from her lips. “Okay...so you’re a metahuman or something? Got it. I take back my previous statement.” she winced, getting to her feet. “That was cool though.”

“Not on your life. I’m not letting you go in there alone.” Jordan replied with a small frown. He never understood how she could act so cool in the face of danger. She was so fragile compared to him. He wasn’t completely invulnerable like his dad but he was close enough to be stressed out about Lyla. She said that he didn’t want to know the answer to that question and his nose scrunched up. “I’m not a boy scout you know? I think I’d actually prefer if you had a weapon.” Following quietly behind her as they got closer to the building, he lowered his voice. “Do you need me to help you up?” 

Lyla blinked a few times as she looked at Jordan. He had never taken that kind of tone with her. Not that she minded, she just hadn’t heard him be so stern before. “Alright. No driver then.” she nodded. “It’s not that I think of you as a boy scout. Though seeing you with one of those little sashes with the badges would be super adorable.” she said to him. She didn’t want to tell him all she had was some Mace and her self defense classes she took once she moved into the city. But she did. “I have some mace...” 

He asked if she needed help and she shook her head. She may have been smaller than him now but she was still a farm girl. Her upper body strength wasn’t something most city girls had that was for sure. Tossing her jacket over the broken frame, she lifted herself easily enough to the window. Her lips let out a soft hiss as the frame of the broken window scratched her torso as she slid across it. “careful, it’s not pleasant.” she said looking down at him. “You can’t change you mind if you come in. You will offically be breaking a law.” She asked him.

“Don’t get me wrong, I do want to turn back.” Jordan replied, “But I’m not leaving without you.” He told her. There was no way he was going to leave her and knowing Lyla- she wasn’t going to leave without the evidence she needed to prove she was the one to crack the case. She was always stubborn like that. She was throwing herself into a Lion’s Den, just for the satisfaction of knowing that she solved a mystery. She put a hand on his arm and he could feel heat on his cheeks. She had no idea how capable he was of protecting himself and her. “Gee, thanks.” He sighed. “Did you bring a weapon? Because I sure as hell didn’t.” 

“You don’t have to leave. You can wait by the car. Be my get away driver.” she smirked, sending a playful wink his way. Truth be told, she didn’t want Jordan to ever do anything he didn’t want to. Sure she was making him work a little harder to get into her good graces, but she knew this was crossing a line. He asked if she had a weapon and she swallowed. “You don’t want to know the answer to that question...” she told him. “Come on, I think I can fit through that window over there.” 

❛ Are you done talking yet? Or are you too afraid that I might actually beat you, so you won’t shut up? ❜ Lyla challenged. Granted, she probably shouldn’t have. But she wasn’t one to back down from a challenge, even one she knew she might lose. 

“Right… okay.” Jordan found himself saying. Reaching up and scratching the back of his head nervously. He could get into a lot of trouble but this was Lyla. He needed to do something to make up for disappearing on her. Even if that wasn’t really is fault either. He frowned bitterly to himself as she struggled with the lock before glancing around. If there was a rock or something he wouldn’t have to use his super strength on it. “Let me try.” He said before glancing around. “Maybe while I’m trying, you can um… look for a stick or something.” He suggested. Approaching the lock. Holding it in one hand. He gave it one easy squeeze before feeling it snap. Hoping she was too distracted to see him do that. “Oh hey- you must have… loosened it?”

“A..stick?” Lyla raised an eyebrow when Jordan offered to try. She cared for him but she was sure she could out bench him on a good day. “Maybe a rock? Or something we can use to just drape over the barbed wire....” she trailed off as her mind raced for solutions. “here. take a crack at it.” she said giving him the bolt cutters. She had only been looking away for a few moments when she heard the snap. Her head whipped around to look at him. “You did it? How?” she asked incredulously. “I barely put a scratch in it...” she trailed off. the sounds of clanging from the other side pulled away her attention. Time for questions would come later. She pulled off the chains, slowly creaking open the gate just enough so they’d fit through. “Scared yet?” she teased him.

❛ You’re such a bad influence. ❜ Lyla said sarcastically, as she held the flashlight up to the very blatant DO NOT ENTER sign. “you said you wanted to make it up to me right? then help me. I KNOW there’s something going on here.” she handed him the flashlight to hold before reaching for a pair of bolt cutters. She squeezed and squeeze, but the lock on the gate wouldn’t break. “Ugh...there’s gotta be SOMETHING i can use.” she sighed going back through her bag. “any ideas?” she looked at Jordan. 

-

“Oh, thank y–” But before Peter could finish that little one syllable word, Lyla had pulled up a chair to his desk and was peering at the screen. He closed the file he had open with a soft sigh, looking over at her. “I can’t tell you anything about that,” he said. “I’ll get in trouble.” His eyes flicked toward Jim, who sat up the stairs in his office, visible through the window. “Everyone knows it’s Detective Gordon’s case, anyway.”

“No you’ll only get in trouble if someone finds OUT you told me.” she whispered grabbing a pen and writing down the address she saw. Perhaps she could check it out after work. “Okay so how would some who’s not Detective Gordon go about seeing the suspect list then?” she asked. “Come on Pete please. I’ll make you those brownies your girlfriend loved so much.”

-

Lois’s lips twitched into a smile as she heard Lyla screaming at her coworkers before she’d even rounded the corner so that the pen was in view. The young woman had always reminded Lois a little bit of herself, especially the sense that Lyla followed her own drummer, regardless of what anyone else advised. “I was gonna bring you a cake with a nail file in it, but I figured I’d just post bail,” she said, grinning as she saw Lyla. “What did you do? Or I guess I should say, what do they think you did, and why do you think they’re wrong?”

“Oh that’s good. I don’t have the muscle tone to get through this many bars.” Lyla smiled, grateful when she saw the woman on the other side. She watched as the guard got up, unlocking the door. Lyla instantly wrapped her arms around Lois in a hug. “You didn’t tell my parents did you?” she asked worriedly. “They think I was trespassing. Which I mean technically I guess I was BUT it wasn’t on purpose! No one even lived there anymore.”

Joey smiled wide, nodding their head, “Totally did. It sort of fits, you both have red hair, and you’re both beautiful.” they signed despite realizing she likely wasn’t fluent. Joey pulled out a chair and sat down.  “If the shoe fits, why call it by any other name? Although, Judge Judy is probably scarier.” Pulling out a laptop and they started typing for a bit before looking up again, “I’m Joey by the way… well Joseph but I prefer Joey.” they now typed out on their communicator to say, “What’s your name? Or should I keep calling you Judy? ” they held out a hand to shake.

Lyla caught the words red, you, and beautiful  and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. She wasn’t sure if she should say thank you since she hadn’t been able to catch what the rest was. She scrunched up her eye brows when he pulled out the laptop, smiling when it spoke. “Oh that’s pretty cool!” she smiled. “Oh, no. She’s awesome but I prefer Lyla. I mean, technically it’s Lilac but no one really calls me that.” she shook her head. “Thanks for uh waking me up though.”