[Third Person Pov]
"What?" Danny asked as he noticed their reactions, brow furrowing in confusion. "I'm being completely serious. I would honestly freak out just knowing that Wonder Woman even knows who I am."
"Anyway," Robin said, rolling his eyes as he shifted the conversation back on track, "I already sent you the file containing all the information regarding the victims. Get it out."
Danny reached into his utility belt and pulled out his compact computer, activating the screen as he began to examine the contents.
"I honestly can't wait for the day you officially meet Wonder Woman," Robin teased while scanning through the same files on his own device, already picturing Danny's inevitable reaction. It was going to be priceless.
Danny let out a wistful sigh, his lips curling slightly. "Neither can I."
"Can we focus, please?" Dinah said, rubbing her temple as if she could already feel a headache coming on.
"Hey, don't worry—we are focusing. Totally focusing," Danny replied, even as neither he nor Robin lifted their eyes from their screens.
The files displayed a grim collection of photographs and reports detailing the victims and the various ways they had taken their own lives. Some had hanged themselves in their homes, others had leapt from buildings or bridges, and several had overdosed on prescription medication. Each case was different, yet disturbingly final.
"The suicides don't follow any clear pattern," Danny pointed out after a long moment, carefully analyzing each file. "The times of death don't form a sequence, and neither do the locations. Are we absolutely sure that all of these victims fall under the same circumstances?"
"What do you mean?" Oliver asked, his curiosity piqued as he leaned in slightly.
"I mean, are we certain all of these suicides were caused by the same source?" Danny clarified. "What if some of them have nothing to do with the others? That kind of overlap could be what's throwing off your attempts to track down the real cause."
"I… hadn't considered that," Oliver admitted, his tone thoughtful. "We assumed they were all connected because of how close together the deaths occurred."
"That assumption makes sense," Danny said, nodding, "but I still want to be sure. I don't want us wasting time chasing a lead that turns out to be empty-handed because we lumped unrelated cases together." His voice lowered as his expression darkened, eyes lingering on the faces of the victims. "I want to operate under one hundred percent certainty. No loose ends."
"And how exactly do you suggest we do that?" Black Canary asked. "There are over seventeen victims. Are you saying we should question every single one of their families and acquaintances?"
"That should've been the first step—if you haven't already done it," Danny replied calmly. "I know the pressure's on, and I know innocent lives are at stake, but this isn't something we can rush. Impatience leads to recklessness, recklessness leads to mistakes, and mistakes lead to missing a clue—or a simple hint that's been right under our noses the entire time."
He stared directly at both Dinah and Oliver, his serious expression leaving little room for argument.
Robin glanced at Danny and smiled quietly, saying nothing.
Oliver rubbed the back of his head and let out a light chuckle. "I can't believe we're getting lectured by someone younger—and technically less experienced—than us."
Dinah rested a hand on her hip and sighed. "It's not like we didn't interrogate anyone. We questioned the immediate families of at least five victims. And every one of them said the same thing: the victims were fine one day, then suddenly depressed and drained the next. Low energy, withdrawn—some of them didn't even want to get out of bed."
"How does someone suddenly become depressed?" Robin asked, genuine confusion lacing his voice.
"By looking at their report card," Danny blurted out before he could stop himself. He immediately winced and raised a hand. "Okay—yeah—sorry. Not the time. I know."
Robin snickered under his breath, clearly amused, while Black Canary ignored the joke altogether and answered Robin's question seriously. "That's exactly why we believe this situation may be supernatural in nature."
"Still, I say we investigate each victim personally," Danny said, his confidence growing as a smirk slowly spread across his face. "I know it might take some time, but I've got both a plan and an idea."
Before anyone could ask what he meant, a brief flash of light pulsed outward from Danny's body. In the blink of an eye, three identical copies manifested beside him, each standing casually as if this were the most natural thing in the world.
"Woah—!" Oliver exclaimed, eyes widening. "You can clone yourself?!"
"Are they real?" Canary asked, equally surprised. She stepped closer and began poking the cheek of each Danny in turn, clearly testing whether they were solid or just some kind of illusion.
"Yes, we're real," one of the Dannys said, gently brushing her hand away with mild annoyance.
"Anyway, here's the plan," another Danny continued, folding his arms.
"With the seven of us working together, we should be done in absolutely no time," the third one added confidently.
Danny—presumably the original—turned his attention back to the group. "How many victims have you personally investigated so far?"
"There should be twelve left," Dinah answered after a moment of careful thought.
Danny nodded. "Then that should be easy enough. We'll split the workload evenly. Six of us will each interview two victims' families. We'll be wired and record every interrogation. Once we're finished, we'll regroup and compile everything into one large data set—charts, timelines, patterns. Seeing it all together might make things a lot clearer."
"Wait—six?" Robin asked, glancing around in confusion as he counted heads.
"Yeah," Danny replied without hesitation. "I've got a different task for you."
Robin raised an eyebrow as Danny continued, his tone calm and assured. "Let's be honest—openly interrogating civilians is going to be harder for you. Canary and Arrow can pass as police officers without raising suspicion, and I can always overshadow someone to do the same. So instead, I want you doing what you're best at."
"And that is?" Robin prompted.
"Stealth investigations," Danny said. "I want you to quietly search the victims' rooms and personal belongings. Look for anything that might have been overlooked—phones, journals, laptops, notes, anything that could hint at a trigger or outside influence."
"I can't do all of that on my own," Robin countered with a frown. "It'll take me all night. You'll all be finished long before I am."
Danny didn't look discouraged in the slightest. If anything, his smile widened. "You're not going to be on your own."
He leaned in slightly. "Stay in constant contact with Kid Flash. I don't know Speedy very well, but if I were in his position, the first thing I'd do is search each victim's place of residence for clues. Tell Kid Flash to keep you updated on anything suspicious or important Speedy uncovers."
Robin nodded slowly in understanding.
'That was smart,' he admitted to himself. 'Using Speedy despite him being a wildcard and leveraging my connection with Kid Flash to relay information. That's exactly the kind of coordination Batman would've approved of.'
"We'll be off then," all four Dannys said in unison, snapping a quick salute toward the two heroes of Star City.
One by one, they phased out of the Quiver—Green Arrow's hidden base. Moments later, the four figures reappeared levitating high above the city skyline. Without another word, they blasted off in separate directions, scattering across Star City like streaks of light.
Each of them already had the same objective in mind: find a suitable host to overshadow—someone who could pass convincingly as a police officer—and begin uncovering the truth behind the deaths.
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