Chapter 3 – Follow the Snake

Gotham City, Wayne Manor

November 7th, 08:46 EDT

When the doorbell to Wayne Manor rang announcing the arrival of Central City's hero, Wally was already well on his way to his fourth helping of Alfred's famous blueberry pancakes. But as much as he adored the elderly mans cooking, the meal had been exceptionally awkward. When Wally first followed the sound of voices into the kitchen all conversation had stopped. It was obvious that Robin and Alfred had been talking about him before he arrived. Usually Wally loved being the center of attention, but pity was something he just couldn't stand and the kitchen was positively reeking with it.

Also Batman was nowhere to be seen and Wally hoped he hadn't taken things into his own hands, before Flash arrived. Flash was Rudy's Brother-in-law, he would understand the hurt Wally felt and know how to best deal with the situation. Wally for one didn't know what the hell to do. Too many emotions were clouding his mind for him to decide upon a single one and make a plan of action accordingly.

Robin said that a good night sleep would clear his head and then he would feel the aster again. Wally was definitely not feeling the aster. It could be because instead of 'sleep' per say he spent the rest of the morning tossing and turning, his mind sifting through everything he had ever told his Father that could be used against himself or the team. Unfortunately his mind came up with a lot of information, which his super fast synapses then decided to put together into every worst-case scenario.

The only real comfort he'd gotten all night was a new cup of hot chocolate from Robin, so when the Flash ran into the room followed by a much slower Alfred who'd gotten the door, Wally couldn't stop himself from blurring into his mentors arms.

Barry easily accepted his nephew into his embrace, giving the teen a reassuring squeeze.

"Wally, what's going on? J'onn said Batman left me a message to get here as soon as I got back to Earth. What are you doing here? Areyou injured? Is Irisalright? Didsomeone die?"

As the Flash's brain spiraled into a panic with increasingly morbid reasons for what the emergency could be, his voice began to rush together in a muddle that only Wally could decipher. Unfortunately Wally had his head buried in his uncle's chest and couldn't form words to calm his uncle down.

Luckily as if he had always been apart of the background, Bruce emerged, to once again take control of the situation. He could have been on the other side of the country but he would have still arrived just when he was needed. Impeccable timing was an important requirement for a hero, one Batman held in spades.

"Flash! Kid Flash! Follow me. I'll explain everything in the cave"

Flash pulled Wally away from his chest giving the tired red rimmed eyed boy one last worried look before turning his full attention to the Dark Knight already half way out the kitchen door.

"Batman… Tell me now, what's going on. What's wrong with Wally?" Barry demanded.

It wasn't usual for the Flash to be intimidating or commanding but the room stood in shock at his forceful tone, even Batman froze in his tracks turning to face his fellow Leaguer.

"We've discovered the identity of the mole."

A horrified expression suddenly overtook Barry's face as he looked from Batman to his nephew. His assumption supposedly confirmed when Wally turned his head away in shame.

"W-Wally…?"

"It's not your nephew", Batman growled.

The Flash placed his hands on the red heads shoulders once again bringing him into his arms but this time because of his own relief.

"Oh thank God. Don't scare me like that, Bats. For a second there I thought you were talking about Wally." The Flash chuckled. Wally couldn't blame the speedster for jumping to conclusions, considering the circumstances anyone would. Wally would never have intentionally given away secrets though. Nobody loved being a hero as much as the youngest speedster… well maybe except Booster Gold.

"Rudolph West has been selling information to the League of Shadows." Batman deadpanned.

"What….?"

Bruce's eyes narrowed sternly at the speedster seeming to almost accuse him of being the mole.

"Your brother-in-law has been learning whatever he can from his son about Young Justice and probably the League and then turning around and selling it to the enemy."

Wally could feel his Uncle's hands tighten around his shoulders. "Uncle Barry…?"

Still his hands tightened almost hurting the speedster, but scaring him much more. The look in his Uncle's eyes was in Wally's opinion ten times more terrifying than any Batglare because it was such an abnormal expression to see on the normally gentle hero's face.

Finally noticing his tightened grip on his nephew's shoulder, Barry hurriedly removed his hands but they just came to rest by the speedster's side in even tighter fists as he struggled to control his rage. Wally could also tell the elder speedster was vibrating. Wally could guess that Barry was desperate to run straight to Keystone and sock it to Rudy with all his might. The only thing keeping him in the room was his worry for Wally and his need for more information and even those were tenuous connections.

Seeing his Uncle's growing anger, Wally was starting to get upset again. He had never seen his mentor act like this before and he was worried the speedster would act rashly before anyone could react.

Grabbing his Uncle's arm in his own grip, Wally looked up imploringly with his big green eyes into his Uncle's blue. "Uncle Barry… you can't. I don't know what to do, b-but you can't…do, whatever it is you're thinking. Please!"

Wally was relieved to see the compassion he knew so well reenter his Uncles eyes as he looked down at his clearly devastated nephew. "Well! I was going to pick your up and carry him at the speed of sound to the middle of the ocean before dropping him off with a couple of sharks for company."

Wally distinctly heard the Boy Wonder and Dark Knight mutter at almost exactly the same time "Is that all?"

"…but you're right Wally." Flash sighed, " Now is not the time for rash action. Rudy will pay for his betrayal the proper way."

"Are you done?" Bruce's tone brokered no disobedience, as all eyes once again focused they're full attention on the angry Bat. Before the two speedsters had even started to nod that they were in fact done, Batman turned and walked towards the BatCave once more.

By the time Wally, Barry and Robin reached the BatCave, Batman was already bringing up two video displays, which Wally was shocked to realize one of which showed his own home.

"Dude, is that your house?" Robin asked from where he stood behind the speedsters.

Wally just nodded to his best friend, numbly. Robin had never been to his house in Keystone City, they usually just hung out in the Manor or at Uncle Barry's. For some odd reason Wally always felt self conscious about his parents' house. The feeling never really made much sense to him because there was nothing wrong with the house. It was just a normal suburban house no different from millions of others including his Aunt and Uncles. He figured after last night's events he could sum it up to subconsciously knowing something wasn't right with its occupants.

"Last night at approximately 0300, Kid Flash followed his Father to a warehouse in Keystone, where he saw him selling two Shadow agents information retaining to Young Justice. We have to assume this had been going on since Wally became Kid Flash and that they have also gained information about the League."

"Have you told them?" Flash couldn't help but interrupt. A leak within the League wasn't a small issue. Flash would have thought at least the big guns like Superman, Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter would be involved.

"At this point in time, the only people aware of this information are in the Manor. I want to keep it that way for the time being. Kid Flash has never had intimate knowledge about the workings of the Justice League. I believe the League of Shadows have only gained valuable information about Young Justice. For now I've put the West residence and the warehouse under surveillance…"

"Wait, you said you weren't going to do anything last night!" Wally shouted. It was seriously freaking him out, seeing his home on the screen being analyzed like a villains headquarters. If he looked at any of the occupants in the room all he saw staring back at him was anger. Wally was just glad he wasn't a Martian; he didn't think he could handle the thoughts going through Batman, Flash and Robin's head. He could tell by the way they glared at his house that all they wanted to do was Shish Kebab his Dad and then send him into a pocket dimension where everything smelt like rotting fish.

Wally knew he should share their rage, but really he was still too confused. Nothing made sense anymore and everything still felt like a dream to his over wrought senses.

Batman sent the teenager a glare before continuing, but it was Robin's hand on his shoulder that really stopped him from arguing any further. Batman had gone to his house; there was no telling what he did last night.

"The damage has been done, but we can use our knowledge of the mole to take down the League of Shadows once and for all. Rudolph West will lead us straight to the heart of the Shadows." Batman turned away from the display and gazed down and Wally with such intensity that he couldn't help but squirm on the spot. When Batman stared at you like that you knew he was judging you and most likely finding you wanting. It didn't help that Uncle Barry and Robin were also staring at him with the same scrutiny.

"Wally, you will feed your Father false information and the Young Justice team will follow him to meet with the Shadow agents. The mission will then be to slip a tracking device and microphone onto Shadow agents. By following the snake we will find its head, a cut it off. We are going to find the headquarters of the League of Shadows and take them out."

Wally just stood staring at the Bat, shaking his head. He knew he'd have to confront his Father eventually, but he didn't think he'd have to pretend everything was fine. Everything was NOT fine. As much as he wanted to destroy the League of Shadows (the one avenue he wasn't confused about being indescribably angry with), he didn't think he could see his Dad without either punching him in the face or breaking down crying.

"No…no, NO! I can't do that I can't just act normally in front of him, and pretend I don't know he stabbed me in the back."

While Robin and Uncle Barry gave the red head sympathetic looks, Batman's gaze just hardened if it was even possible. "You will! The Shadows have gained too much information on the workings of the League and Young Justice, to let them continue. You will do exactly what is required to fix this mistake."

Wally looked away in shame. He couldn't help but think that everything was his fault.

AN: Thanks again for the lovely reviews. Next chapter the missions start to destroy the League of Shadow. Wally goes home and confronts his Dad for the first time and finds out what Batman did at his house in the early hours of the morning.