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Chapter Text

El Paso

October 1st, 2016

23:30 MDT

Tye Longshadow shivered as the biting night air tightened around him. His sinking stomach chilled. He stepped out from the shadows of an alleyway, pulling his hood up over his head. He peered around the buildings and down the sidewalks and quickly scanned around him. Silence filled the air of the tucked-away office district; its own cul-du-sac of printing firms and other businesses of mundanity.

He looked back to the alleyway behind him. “Let’s go,” he said in a quiet voice and nodded forward.

As he walked with quick steps, five other figures trailed behind him. They too shared similar silhouettes; their raised hoods making them anonymous, faceless. 

Tye led them down another alleyway and to the back of another office building; the metal service doors stood just as cold and uniform as themselves. Tye stopped with a lurch in front of one of the doors. He walked up to it, a wobble built in his knees. His quiet knock reverberated through the alleyway. He stepped back.

Silence.

They jumped at the loud creak as the door sprang to life. Behind the door stood two men. They were tall and strong as they puffed out their chests. Their expensive suits were far too tight, perhaps to show their muscular prowess. They looked down at them with patience as short as their buzzcuts. Tye dared to let a hint of a smile flicker across his lips. They looked as corny and cliche as the bodyguards seen in movies. But the rising ice in his veins quickly buried his humorous thoughts. This was not a moment to be taken lightly. This was a moment where if anything, he should be afraid.

Because he was about to meet the leader of El Paso’s largest crime syndicate.

One of the men leaned out the door and looked around them. He leaned back in. The men parted to make room and ushered them inside through the back door. Tye and the others jumped as the heavy door clanked shut behind them.

A shiver slithered up his spine. A shaky breath rattled from his chest.

“Walk,” one of the men beamed from behind them. 

Tye swallowed hard, doing what he was told and the others followed behind him. The warm lighting gave a faint illumination to the hallway. The soft mauve carpet ate their footsteps as they passed windowed offices and meeting rooms. 

Then, at the end of the hallway, stood two massive wooden doors. Their ornate, black steel handles sat daunting and uninviting. The two men brushed past them. They placed their scarred-knuckled hands on the handles and opened the doors.

Tye walked forward, a snake entranced by the visual song of the new room. It looked nothing like the rest of the building, as though they stepped through a portal to a mansion’s parlor. A deep red fainting couch stood to his right. The shelves along the walls, the same dark wood as the doors, held various Native and Mexican artifacts, along with glass-encased jewels and crystals. The left side led down to a wine rack built into the wall from floor to waist height. It stopped to create an opening for a bar. Wine and whiskey glasses lined the back of the bar.

But the real, priceless, stunning accent of the room was the woman who sat on the other side.

Beautiful, daunting, and dangerous. The electrifying middle-aged woman sat in a shiny leather office chair behind a large wooden desk. Her piercing hazel eyes studied them as they walked towards her. Tye’s chest tightened. His heart pounded with a primal instinct to run. Yet the rest of his body wanted nothing more than to be close to her. He stumbled across the light of an angler fish; unwilling to stop as he crept towards the fatal jaws that lie just beyond the darkness.

A smile of pearl white teeth emerged from behind her deep purple lipstick. 

“I see you had no troubling finding this place,” she said. Her voice was sultry and refined as the glass of Cabernet in her hand. The two men walked around them and stood beside her. She gestured towards the two open chairs on the other side of her desk, the same deep red velvet as the fainting couch. “Please, have a seat.”

Tye and another person took the seats. The other four stood a few feet behind them. Their anxieties flushed over Tye’s back like a furnace.

Next to Tye, the person on the other chair pulled down her hood. Her dark hair spilled around her. “Thank you for honoring us with this meeting.” She said. A Native American accent rested on her words.

“It is no problem mija, ” the woman in the suit chimed back. She took a sip of her wine. She smiled at the girl and tilted her head. “Or should I call you Black Bison? That is your masked name, isn’t it?”

The girl nodded. “Yes ma’am.” She answered, stifling her nerves quite well. She cleared her throat. “But you can address me as Jenny, Jenny Ravenhair. If it pleases you.”

The woman smiled, “Of course.” She looked up at the other people behind them, still shrouded by their hoods. 

She clicked her tongue. “Don’t be shy children,” she said. “Let’s pull the hoods down. You're being very rude. I show you my face, you show me yours.”

Tye turned around for a moment, giving them a nod. The other children looked at each other for a moment before pulling their hoods down, eyes tilted down with apprehension and hair wild with static.

The woman smiled again, putting down her wine glass. She tapped her pointer finger on her lips for a moment then said, “Now, let’s see if I can get this right.” 

She pointed to the two children standing behind Jenny. One was a blonde young woman. And the other was dark-haired young man. “Summer Day and Jivan Shi: The Hyenas.” She said.

She moved her finger to one of the children behind Tye. Sweat matted his dark hair to his brown skin. “Sebastian Ballesteros: Cheetah,” amusement filled her voice.

Her smile dissipated as she narrowed her eyes at the final child. She was shorter than the rest of them, cowering behind Sebastian with watery eyes in danger of overflowing. 

“I don’t know you.” The woman clicked her tongue again. “I don’t believe you’re supposed to be here.” The two guards at her sides tensed at her words.

Jenny held her hands out, explaining. “S-she is new to our pack,” Jenny told her. “We rescued her after you and I first met.” She let out a breath to calm herself; her demeanor cooling with her exhale. “I promise, she’s with us. She’s good for us. For what we need. For what you need.” Jenny glanced at the girl out of the corner of her eye before giving all of her attention back to the woman.

The woman let out a hard exhale through her nose. She bared a condescending toothless smile. “Bringing an unauthorized guest to a business meeting is something I don’t tolerate.” She folded her hands in front of her on her desk and leaned forward. She looked at Jenny’s eyes with a piercing gaze. “Is that understood?” 

Jenny tensed as she nodded.

The woman leaned back. “Let’s hope for your sake and hers, she is not a narc.” 

Her guards moved back their suit jackets to remind them of the pistols on their waistbands.

“I can assure you, ma’am,” Jenny spoke. “Adelaide is of no threat to your or our future endeavors.”

The woman held Jenny’s gaze for a moment before finally leaning back in her chair, “Well then. I’ll take your word for it. Make sure she is aware of our system of punishment for those who decide to... backtrack.”

“We understand clearly,” Jenny assured her.

“Excellent,” the woman chimed. She finally turned her attention towards Tye. “And you, I believe your name is Tye Longshadow.”

“Yes ma’am,” he affirmed. “And yours?”

She chuckled. “Señior Tye Longshadow, ” his name spilled off her tongue with a fiery flare. “You may address me as madam, ma’am, or La Dama. Is that understood?” She cocked an eyebrow at him. He nodded in understanding. 

“Now, if I am not mistaken,” she continued. “You were on the other side not too long ago. Fighting the good fight with that, what is his name, the Blue Beetle?” A mischievous smile rolled across her face. “Now what on earth would make you stray from the path of the heroes and into that very chair?”

Tye’s expression became fierce and dark. “Because frankly, Miss La Dama, I’m tired of nobody giving a shit about us.”

She tilted her head in intrigue.

Tye clenched his jaw in thought. “You know, after years of persecution and genocide, all they give us are tiny slices of reservation land. Land they are always trying to take back in one way or another.” He scoffed. “They say that we have our sovereignty, yet give us know means or resources to do so. There are natives with no electricity, no running water.”

Tye let out a shaky breath as he looked down for a moment. His hands shook in his lap. Jenny looked over to him with soft eyes, gently placing a hand on his arm.

He looked back up to La Dama. A tightness built in his chest. His voice may have broke but the well of tears in his eye did not, “My grandpa died from cancer two months ago.”

La Dama’s eyes fluttered for a moment. “I’m sorry to hear that,” she said with surprising sympathy.

Tye chewed his lower lip as heat rose in his skin. “He didn’t tell us until the end. Nothing. Didn’t tell us anything until it was too late. But he tried for a year to get treatment.” His voice cracked again. “But our hospitals don’t even have the right medications or offer the right procedures.” He smiled with a hate-fueled irony. “Because why prep for expensive treatments when the only patients are poor, right?” He shot out a chilling irate laugh. “Hospitals can’t make money off poor people? So why even bother to treat them?”

“Tye….” Jenny addressed him with warning and concern.

Tye shook as the fire burst under his skin. His breath hissed through his clenched teeth. His head tilted as his eyes went dark. He wanted nothing more than to scream. To let out a primal roar to tear the earth and sky in two. 

He was gone. His grandfather was gone and there was no fucking reason for it. His only trespass was being a sick, old man. ‘Free’ Native healthcare for those who are sick, but not too sick. An asterisk glued to the end of a weak promise. Treatment referrals denied by tax brackets.

Fuck this. Fuck everything about this.

Tye looked up at La Dama with a fierce gaze. “You want to know if I’ll be loyal?” He asked. “I will do anything, anything, to keep what happened to my grandpa from happening to anyone else on the reservation. I will not let my community suffer anymore. If I have the means to help them take back what is ours, I am ready to do it.” He clenched his hands into tight fists. “By any means necessary.”

La Dama looked him up and down for a moment. Personal loss?  She thought, her interest peaked. That was something she could use. With the right puppetry, a personal loss can spin into a cocoon of revenge and desperation. 

And desperation always makes for the best kind of loyalty.

The corners of her lips turned upward. “And that, I assume, is why you have contacted me?” She asked.

“Yes,” Tye answered. “We’ve made some progress on our own, but we need more resources to take our plan to the next level. We can’t help out everyone with just what we have now.” 

He placed his hand on Jenny’s as it laid on her armrest. He looked at her, as if for reassurance, before turning his attention back to La Dama. “Jenny said that you might have what we need.”

La Dama tilted her head up and smiled. “Señior Longshadow, I can see that you have the makings of a great tribal chief in you.”

He nodded, “It is all I can hope to be.”

La Dama interlaced her fingers as she rested her elbows on her desk. “Well, rest assured I do have the resources to help you. But I must be clear in the fact that they will not be free of charge. My suppliers must be confident that their business partners are serious about their endeavors. You have caught my attention with your escapades so far. But playing ‘Robin Hood’? Taking from the rich and distributing to the poor only goes so far with the people above me. I can supply you with the basic tools you’ll need. But you must be willing to prove yourself with a more serious approach. A more persuasive approach.” She leaned forward, “Do you understand?”

“Yes ma’am,” Jenny affirmed. “I assure you that approach is already planned.”

La Dama snickered, “A proactive bunch you niños are. I’m impressed.”

“So we have to prove ourselves to your bosses,” Tye stated. “But I am going to assume that is not the only thing you’ll need? For a steady supply on our end, you’re likely going to need a steady supply of favors from us. Is that correct?”

A spark ignited in La Dama’s eyes, “You cut right to the chase, don’t you? Yes, to get what you need we’ll need to create a steady partnership. Once you have proven yourself, I will give you what you need, whenever you need it. And in return, I need your help with a certain...errand.” 

She cleared her throat to make sure that all six of the teens were giving her their undivided attention. “My suppliers have created a profitable new product on the east coast. They are looking to spread it west. I have set up the partnership, but the intended buyers they wish to sell to are of your age range. I need your help in spreading this product to your peers.”

Tye squinted in stern curiosity, “What kind of product do you speak of?”

She tossed him a cocky smile, “A new... recreational product.”

Tye's face twisted with anger. “You can’t be serious!” Tye shouted. “That is the kind of thing that is killing us. The reservations are overrun drugs. Destroying us. And you want us to spread more of it for you?!”

“Tye,” Jenny hissed at him. She grabbed his hand and placed her other on his forearm. “Please,” She pleaded as her voice softened. “My love, please calm yourself. Look at me.” 

Tye huffed as he snapped his gaze over Jenny. His breath became quiet.

La Dama blinked her eyes in wonder as Jenny’s eyes began to glow. As Tye locked his gaze with Jenny’s, his stiff arm relaxed in her palms. His expression softened. Then the light in Jenny’s eyes faded and left Tye’s with a glossiness. His face turned back to La Dama. Jenny’s hand still rested lightly on his.

Jenny shot La Dama with a knowing look. “It won’t be a problem,” She assured. “We’ll move it for you.” 

La Dama gave a wicked smile back. It became clear to her who in their group was really in control.

“I’m so sorry about my outburst,” Tye said, dull, emotionless. 

Jenny sat up in her chair, an aura of power gushing from her. 

“It won’t be a problem,” Tye repeated with a blank gaze. 

La Dama chuckled, amused and amazed. “Well.” She continued, “It’s understandable for you to be upset Tye. I didn’t elaborate. This product will be no threat to your people. I will make sure of it. And by giving you full control of its distribution, you have control of where it ends up.”

Silence overtook the room as Tye's mind gathered itself; expressionless and gaze hazy. They waited for an answer. Jenny squeezed his hand, signaling that this was the right choice. 

It took Tye a moment to remember how to speak again. “Alright. We’ll do it.”

“Good.” La Dama smirked. “I’m glad we have an arrangement. Now, I will be in contact with you when the first shipment is ready for distribution. I should be able to let you know when and where by the end of the month.” She snapped her fingers at one of her guards. He hurriedly made his way towards the door and opened it. “My men will escort you out.” 

She held out her hand. Tye stared at it for a moment, trying to deduce what she was trying to do. 

Oh, a handshake.

But was it a nicety? Or a trap? 

He shook her hand, the final catalyst to clear his foggy thoughts.

“It was a pleasure doing business with you.” La Dama said with another smile.

Before he could say anything to her, Jenny turned him around to follow the rest of his team out of the room. Tye looked at his palm, as if he had already stained it red.

As they reached the doorway, Jenny turned and said, “Thank you, La Dama.” The office door closed behind her and the other members of her pack.

La Dama stood in silence for a moment, reaching down for her glass and taking a large sip of her wine.

“I must say I do love your methods of manipulation.” A voice emerged from behind her. The large television screen on her wall emitted a blinding glow. A fearsome man with scars across his face appeared upon it. "And that girl's as well."

La Dama turned around to the screen and responded with a seductive grin. “The manipulation of a man’s mind is one of a woman’s most powerful gifts.”

He smiled back at her, “Not that we doubt your methods. But are you absolutely sure these children are going to help us deliver effectively?”

“Their desperation stinks the room like an infection,” she sneered. “I have no doubt in my mind that they will obey.”

The man hummed in satisfaction.

La Dama continued. “I take it you're pleased with the recruitment I’ve made for you, Vandal Savage?”

“Yes, undoubtedly,” he assured her. “Today you have helped paved the path for great things to come, La Dama. You are free to consider yourself one with The Light.”

Chapter Text

Bludhaven

October 15th 2016

15:30 EDT

All was quiet in The Warehouse, save for the lulling chatter of the newscast on the television. Malcolm Duncan sank into the sofa, Karen Beecher laid next to him. He glared at the TV, rubbing his temple as he sighed. It was The Team’s and The League’s responsibility to keep up with the happenings of the world. But nothing made him feel more disappointed like the stories on the news. Karen placed her legs in his lap as she rested her head against the sofa’s armrest, directing her attention towards her phone, scrolling endlessly through every social media app she hated yet never seemed to delete.

With Mount Justice destroyed, M’gaan and Black Canary insisted that The Team find a permanent place for the younger members to gather; to have a place of their own outside The Watchtower. The Team still needed a location where they could enjoy each other's company outside of missions. The Bludhaven 'Warehome' (as Dick had once eloquently put) had once been the only place where some of their members could live. So it was decided to upgrade The Warehouse. With the help of The League, the renovation did not take long. It was now much larger by expanding underground. Thanks to M’gaan’s superior interior decorating skills, it contained a more ‘homey’ feel. Several empty bedrooms were created in preparation for the recruitment of new members in the future.

La’gaan made several clangs in the kitchen. No doubt pans that slipped out of his scaly hands. Mal signed again. The combination of the abolishment of The Reach and his breakup with M’gaan left La’gaan with idle hands and mind. He tried a variety of hobbies to occupy his time. Unfortunately for them, this month’s experiment was cooking. For the past three weeks, The Warehouse smelled like an incinerated wet market. 

A soft but intense voice spilled from the television. It belonged to a stern-faced, middle-aged woman. The curls of her red hair twisted tight on her head. She spoke with a sense of urgency. “Sadly, the same story has made its way to the climax of our segment today.” 

La’gann snorted as he laughed, overhearing the television from the kitchen. “Heh heh, climax .”

The newswoman continued. “The number of unexplained deaths of young men and women in the U.S. has increased dramatically since September.” 

Now her voice captured Karen’s attention. La’gaan walked in from the kitchen to stand behind the sofa to listen as well.

As the woman continued, her voice played over images and videos of sheet-covered bodies being rolled away in stretchers. “Large numbers of young adults ranging from ages 13 to 24 have been found ‘dropping dead’ according to authorities. And strangely enough, authorities have not been able to find distinct patterns. These deaths are occurring in some of the smallest towns to major cities. Victims from every social class and every level of health are reported. Doctors have found no abnormalities in their bodies, but many are suspecting that drugs may be the culprit.”

La’gann huffed, “I feel remorse for their families’ losses. But if it’s drugs, they should know better. I’ll never understand surface-people’s obsession with voluntary toxins.”

Karen gave him a harsh “Shh!” as she was trying her best to listen.

“- drugs really be the culprit of these tragic instances?” The woman asked. “I for one believe in the absolute possibility that these blooming young lives could have in fact been cut short by some kind of new drug. But it begs the question: If so, what are we doing to fail America’s youths? Why do they feel that they have no place go to for help? What sadness could drive them to such a means and end? As I have stated many times, our children need a place where they can learn important skills. They need a sanctuary where they can learn that they have a place in the world.”

“That is why I urge you to help fund my campaign, to push for the American government to create my Halfway Schools. Where trouble and misplaced youths can find meaning in their lives instead of diving into dangerous activities like drugs. By donating to me, Grace Godfrey, today you can make a difference in the future. You can save the young men and women of America from the distraught living conditions, expectations, and economy that we have created for them.”

“Ugh .” Karen groaned, “I hate these ‘news shows’. They're nothing more than just...places where public figures can twist events to fund their personal campaigns.”

Mal shrugged, “Well I guess this woman is supposed to be really smart. She has something like, three different degrees in psychology.”

“Wait,” La’gann interrupted. “Grace Godfrey? Is she related to that obnoxious Gordon Godfrey fellow that’s always on the Justice League’s case?”

“Apparently,” sneered Karen. “Looks like obnoxiousness and manipulation runs in their family.”

“Man,” Mal shook his head, stomach still in a knot from the story. “Why do kids feel the need to do stuff like that? I’m just glad that none of us have problems like that.” He gestured around them. “Also makes me grateful for this place here, kids need a place where they can just vent and be themselves you know?”

“I still don’t know why you volunteered to live here,” Karen stated. “As much love Garfield and La’gann, playing den mother would drive me insane.”

“Thanks Karen,” La’gaan said with a sarcastic smile. “Love you too.” Karen gave him a playful swat before he turned towards the kitchen.

He made it two steps before he stumbled forward. The ground below him shook with sudden force. The crackling boom of a nearby explosion filled the air. La’gaan tried to speak but another boom, loud and gut-wrenching, filled their ears as he was nearly knocked off his feet.

“Neptune’s Beard! What was that?” La’gann cried out, steadying himself. He looked over to Karen and Mal with wide, panicked eyes. They jumped from their seats.

Karen looked at Mal, fear flushed on her face. “That sounds like a bomb!” 

Then screams pierced through the walls from the air outside. Through the floor, they felt vibrations as another explosion erupted. Without hesitation, they charged outside.

People ran down the streets around them. The sprinted and stumbled, dragging children alongside them as they fled. Karen tried to pull at one of them to ask what was happening, but found herself shoved and nearly trampled.

Then she looked up to the sky. Two small, shining, fiery black spheres rained from the sky and down towards the city. A trail of smoke dissipated behind them. Karen’s gaze followed them as they landed down the block. One onto the street and one into a neighboring building. The ground shook as they landed.

Karen, Mal, and La’gaan pushed through the feeling crowd and towards the meteor landing sites. They stopped a few yards away from them and carefully crept forward. Before them lay five craters, steam rose from them.

The slight ringing in their ears gave a false, eerie quiet to the streets. They made it to the edge of one of the craters and peered into it. Inside, the meteor did not look like any type of rock that they had ever seen. It was egg-shaped, metallic black in color with glowing red designs. 

They flinched as the egg-like meteor cracked. Karen’s heart raced. The cracked shell rose and fell with a pulse. Rose and fell with a pulse.

Pulse. Pulse. Pulse.

A chilling hiss played in the air.

The shell ripped apart. A spatter of slime shot in every direction. They stepped back, covering their face with their arms to shield themselves from the spray. 

They lowered their arms, eyes forward, blinking out the sunlight. Karen’s chest tightened, her heart pounded against her sternum.

Before them stood a grotesque monster. Drool dripped from its snout as it snarled, teeth bared. It sported Cerulean, boil-laden, scale-like skin. Sharp claws rested on its large hands and feet. It’s batlike ears tilted back like an angry dog. Its lizard tail slid left to right on the ground. Black armor wrapped around its head, chest, and limbs; the edges glowing red. It stared at them with red lidless eyes. 

A growl rose from its throat as it slowly spread the batlike wings upon his back. They expanded far and tilted upwards. The monster’s shadow engulfed them. Then it thrusted its wings downward, sending it up in the air with a large gust of wind. Mal, Karen, and La’gaan raised their arms to shelter their eyes from the gust.

Shrill, other-worldly screeches filled the air around them.

They opened their eyes. More cracks and snarls erupted as four of the same monsters burst through their black shells in the other craters. They expanded their wings and leaped into the air. High into the sky, they rose, hovering for a moment before cascading towards the ground. They screeched as they smashed into buildings and charged through crowds of civilians, biting and clawing at everyone within range.

Mal grabbed Karen and La’gaan, snapping out of their shock. “Go! Protect the civilians!” He demanded. “Go!”

They came to, making noises of affirmation. La’gaan charged towards the monsters. Karen shrank into her Bumblebee size, her costume already underneath her clothes. She charged forward.

Mal raced after them and pressed down the receiver of his earpiece communicator. “Guardian to Watch Tower. We have monsters! A-aliens in Bludhaven!” He shouted. “We need backup!”

He sprinted towards one of the monsters. It turned over cars in the street. Mal raced up behind it. As it turned its head to face him, Mal smashed his fist into its face. It staggered backward. Mal stepped forward, striking it in the face over and over. The creature jerked its head and snarled. It swung its massive arm at Mal, knocking him onto his back. The monster’s humanoid body crouched to all fours and pounced on him.

The creature jumped on top of Mal. He pressed his hand into the creature’s chest, pushing him back as it snapped its jaws as his face.

“Guardian? What is the situation in Bludhaven? Can you provide details?” The stern voice of Aqualad came in over his communicator.

Mal placed his feet on the creature’s stomach and thrusted them upward. It sent the monster somersaulting away from him.

Mal panted, scrambling to get up as he pressed on his communicator, “There are monsters in Bludhaven. Five of them. Attacking…” 

He was cut off as one of the creatures, a short way down the road, emitted an ear-shattering screech. All the other creatures turned their heads toward it. It pointed its clawed finger towards the downtown cityscape. 

Mal’s stomach turned, praying that the skyscrapers would not be their targets. The other creatures made noises in response and leaped into the air once. Jetpacks on the backs of their armor erupted as they sped towards the heart of the city.

“Guardian?! Guardian! Are you alright? Please respond.” Aqualad’s voice came across the communicator once more.

“I’m fine,” Mal’s voice was tense. “They’re headed downtown. I don’t know if we can fight them all.” Bumblebee zipped past and flew after them.

“Superman is on his way. ETA three minutes. Do the best you can to stall them.” Aqualad commanded.

“Copy that,” Mal answered. He looked to his left to find La’gaan helping a civilian off of the ground. Mal noticed an unattended motorcycle tipped over in the street. He approached it. To his fortune, the keys were still in it. He called over to La’gaan.

Mal picked the motorcycle up, swinging his leg over. 

“Hop on,” He said as La’gaan approached. La’gaan did as he was told. Mal revved the motorcycle at full throttle and sped towards the monsters.

In the air, Bumblebee did as best she could to keep up with monsters. Their jetpacks made their wings more powerful than hers. She could only get as close as 15 feet or so. She expanded to normal size. Her hands heated up as she shot her yellow energy blasts at them. No matter how much she fired at them, her shots seemed to cause no damage to their armor. They closed in on the skyscrapers. A sense of urgency blinded her as she began to flail her energy blasts at them, desperate to bring one of them down.

She struck one of the creatures on its back. It snapped its head in her direction and growled. It turned around, changing course from that of its comrades and lunged straight for Bumblebee. Before she could dodge it, it grabbed her by her biceps and sunk its fangs into her shoulder.

Bumblebee screamed in pain. Through the sting running down her body, she was able to twist her arm to fire an energy blast at the creature’s wing. It screeched and the two of them began to descend down towards the ground. Bumblebee struggled in its determined grasp.

With a flash of blue and red, Bumblebee found herself pulled from the creature’s clawed hands. She was sent spiraling backward for a few seconds before fully gaining control of her wings again. She hovered in the air and looked up to find Superman. He placed a hand around the creature’s neck and landed two punches on its jaw. The creature struck its claws at Superman’s face. Superman yelped in pain at the contact, releasing the creature. He clutched his face. The creature fell.

Bumblebee flew towards him, “Are you ok?!”

“I’m fine,” he said rubbing his eyes with his hands. He tore them away from his face, “Where did it go?”

They scanned the area below them. The creature’s injuries sloppily glided it towards the ground. 

The wind pulled out of Bumblebee’s lungs. As the creature spiraled downwards, children ran about in a school’s playground below; tiny specks unaware of the looming doom above them.

“After it!” Superman commanded as they charged.

The creature’s growl grew into a roar. Children and teachers looked up, screaming as they gazed upon the incoming monster. They scattered. The tiny, heart-breaking screams careened across the playground.

The monster crashed and scraped across the playground as it landed, disrupting the earth as it skidded. Superman and Bumblebee landed on the ground a few meters in front of it. The creature rose, battered and smoking. They stood, unwilling to make any sudden movements in fear of what could happen to the fleeing children. The creature turned its head upwards. They followed its gaze. 

Karen gasped, face stricken with horror as the four other monsters each collided with their own skyscrapers. An explosion through each of them sent shattered glass and debris through the air. Smoke billowed. The floors of impact, and those around it, were engulfed in a fiery hellscape.

Karen trembled. Bile rising in her throat, she realized what the creatures were here for. 

It was a suicide mission.

She turned towards the creature as he turned towards them as well. His broken jaw fell agape as green blood streamed from between its teeth.

From its shattered jowls, he shrieked the coarse sounds, “Faaaa daaaksaaad!”

It pressed an indented red button on his chest plate. The armor emitted a shrill pitch and began to heat and glow bright red. A look of horror engulfed Superman’s face.

“It’s a bomb!” He yelled. “Bumblebee get out of here!”

“What-” before she could fully respond, Superman picked her up and spun her into the air, sending her flying outward and away. He pulled the creature close to him, Kryptionian skin protecting him against the heat. He had to get it far away from the children. Within milliseconds the monster was 10 feet in the air, 15 feet, 20 feet, 25 feet.

But he wasn’t fast enough.

A bright light pierced the air. A blinded Superman was tossed to the ground as the creature’s bomb went off. A massive gust of hot air blasted through the playground. His genetics protected him from the blast, but the children were nowhere near as fortunate. 

Superman pushed his hands up to his knees, eyes blinking into focus in the smoke. He gazed in horror at the children on the playground who could not run away in time. Their bodies, bloodied and charred, lay with a haunting stillness. Brink crumbled as the school’s facing wall fell apart. Cries, moans, and screams filled his ears. The bricks had blasted inwards towards classrooms. 

“ No,” he croaked, eyes glossy and stomach heavy. He struggled to his feet to help the children inside.

With the aftermath blast ringing around her, Bumblebee finally snapped into focus, floating in the air. Her lip trembled, hands coming up over her mouth. She couldn’t breathe; as though a python wrapped tightly around her ribs. 

“No,” She whispered as she began to cry. “We’re too late.”

Mars

October 15th, 2016

17:30 EDT

‘This is an absolute OUTRAGE.’

M’gann jumped in her seat. Across the room sat another Martian. He slammed his fist on the table in front of him, emphasizing his telekinetic words. His action also jarred the attention of Beast Boy and Superboy. Who moments before had nearly fallen asleep in their seats next to her.

To Superboy’s left, B’arzz O’oomm sat tensely in his chair. He placed his hands in front of his chest in a desperate attempt for placidity.

‘J’ornell. I’m going to have to ask you to please calm dow-,’ B’arzz’s words filled their minds but were just as quickly cut off.

‘No. You do not get to tell me to calm down,’ boomed J’ornell. He floated his green fist above the table. ‘It has been four months. Four months since the first attacks and you four-,’ he daringly jolted his finger towards B’arzz, M’gann, Beast Boy, and Superboy. ‘ Are you going to sit here and tell us that you have essentially found nothing? The Martian civilians of my sector are absolutely terrified to leave their homes. They are fearful of the increasing uproar and..and the inevitable attack from the White Martian populace.’

‘Inevitable ?’ M’gann spat at him. All the heads in the room snapped towards her, abashed by her angered tone. ‘With all due respect Councilman J’ornell, I would be wary of what assumptions of yours you voice around the present company.’

J’ornell glared at her. It slipped his mind for a brief moment that she was, in fact, a White Martian. Consistent telepathic connection among their species limited any chance for secrets. Yet, her Human/Green Martian hybrid form that she kept for esthetic comfort, caused him to slip up.

J’ornell grumbled as he fidgeted in his seat. ‘Yes. Well. You can understand why this makes me so concerned then?’ Accusation dripped off his words.

The tension thickened the air in their throats. Superboy watched the muscles in M’gann’s arms twitch as her hands curled into fists. He prepared himself to jump and hold her back if needed. He had known her for long enough to know when she was starting to lose her composure.

‘Are you suggesting that I am withholding information?’  She ground her teeth.

J’ornell chuckled, a smug smile rising in his voice, ‘Now who is the one making the assumptions?’

‘I think that is quite enough.’ Another voice charged in their heads. M’gann turned towards the speaker: a slim and elderly Green Martian.

M’gann shot him an apology, ‘I-I know. I-I’m sorry for my outburst, Supreme Councilman Dal’en.’

She relaxed as she exhaled slowly. As of late, these meetings with the Martian Council had ruffled the feathers of her emotions more and more. When B’arzz initially asked for their help back in July, she had been confident in her detective abilities. But now she felt overcome with a sense of hopelessness; of uselessness.

It had begun with a series of small explosions among a few White Martian villages and shantytowns. Initially written off as accidents, these events grew in frequency and fatality. It became clear that these events were deliberate attacks, but by whom still remained a mystery.

The detail that riled M’gann the most, however, was that The Martian Council, the supposed martyred leaders of her homeworld, originally took no action. They made no public statement about the attacks against the white minority until their demands for answers became too loud to ignore. They had made no attempt in finding out who was behind the attacks until whispers of White Martian counter-attacks slithered into their ears. Her people were dying, being killed off in mass by an unknown assailant, and all that they cared about was the possibility of White Martians lashing out in anger.

So there she was, trapped at a round meeting table, the eyes of nine councilmen, including the Supreme and B’arzz, weighing down upon her. At least she had the slight comfort of knowing that her two favorite men, Superboy and Beast Boy, were by her side. But it did not shake the fact that The Council asked her for her assistance knowing she was a White Martian. She should have easily been able to gain some kind of intel or clues from them by now.

Should have.

‘No need to apologize,’ the Supreme Councilman stated. ‘Your irritation is justified. As well as yours J’ornell.’ He interlaced his fingers, placing his hands in front of him. ‘Please, M’gann you have to understand, in an investigation like this, having no leads on something this serious is...disturbing. I am sure that the White Martian populace is just as fearful as we and our people are. The fact of the matter is that they are still dying, and they are blaming us. And their anger is growing’

Superboy’s mind filled the telekinetic link next, ‘But haven’t you sent out, I don’t know, a PSA or something saying that we’re working on it? That there is an investigation?’

Supreme Councilman rubbed the back of his neck in irritation. ‘Believe me, we have. But as time ticks by they grow more restless. Their protests have become more vocal, longer, violent even.’ His voice became stern, ‘We need to end this. And we need to end it quickly.’

M’gann rubbed her hand against her temple, trying to massage away the pressure headache building behind it. She sighed, ‘What is the death toll up to now, and where was the attack yesterday?’

‘Our reports estimate around 15,000 and sector seven contained the latest attack,’ B’arzz answered.

‘And you mean to tell me that investigations on your side have come up with no results either? Have you attempted interrogating any of the Green extremist groups?’ M’gann strained to ask calmly.

J’ornell scoffed, ‘Of course we have. And what has it done for us? Nothing but waste time. I say we spend our energy now in building up our city walls, placing our law enforcers along our borders. We should be taking the defensive.’

M’gann squinted in frustration, ‘Are you even trying for any sort of investigation Councilman? Because you seem far too excited to take more violent measures instead.’

The members of the Martian Council fidgeted uncomfortably as they darted their gazes to one another. M’gann’s and J’ornell’s glares, however, did not stray from one another. As growing seconds of silence passed, everyone on The Council squirmed more under her question.

Just when the tension in the room became almost unbearable, J’ornell inhaled and exhaled deliberately and noisily. He placed his hands flat on the table. ‘Look,’ he began slowly. ‘I am just going to say what everyone on this council had been thinking for a while now. The idea that Green Martians are behind these attacks is utterly ridiculous.’ As M’gann, disgusted, looked around the room, she found that all the Councilmen avoided making eye contact with her.

J’ornell continued. ‘It is common knowledge that out of the two species of Martians, White Martians for the majority have been, well, the for lack of a better word...the degenerates of the two. They have been known for violence, crime, and much more immoral activities. Let's be honest here, these attacks have to be the result of crime between their own kind-.’

M’gann had heard enough. She cut him off. Her voice raised. ‘And Green Martians are far more known for their discrimination against their minority brotherin than any criminal stereotype we hold.’

J’ornell stumbled for words. M’gann tilted her head in curiosity, she continued. ‘Tell me Councilman, why is the idea of Green Martian terrorism so unfathomable to you?’

He was physically jarred by her question, unable to control the twitch in his face. ‘Terrorism? I-I wouldn’t necessarily call it that. Look, you are missing the point.’ He held his arms out to address the rest of the members. ‘The point of this meeting is to address the deplorable results of our investigations. We need to address what is causing our lack of intel.’ He glared at M’gann once more, ‘Or should I say who might be causing it.’

‘J’ORNELL,’ the Supreme Councilman’s voice struck the link. ‘I hope that you are aware that your accusations are disgustingly obvious and quite uncalled for.’ He gestured towards M’gann, Superboy, and Beast Boy. ‘M’gann and her teammates have been nothing but generous and helpful in this whole debacle. It is her brothers and sisters who are dying. Why would she sabotage something such as this? Why would she have anything to hide?’

‘You sound so sure of yourself Supreme Da’len.’ J’ornell growled. ‘You mean to tell me that it hasn’t crossed your mind, even in the slightest, that involving her may have been a mistake.’ Supreme Da’len made a small muffled noise but was unable to retort. J’ornell continued, ‘I mean, just look at how she appears before us even now. Even here she hides her true form from us. Why? What has she to hide? Who's to say that she hasn’t found some way to keep information from us? For all we know, she might want them to attack!’

A low growl erupted from Beast Boy’s chest. He too grew tired of J’ornell’s jabs against his ‘sister’. His lips curled into a snarl as he leaned into his direction. But he quieted as M’gann placed a hand upon his shoulder. She gave him a reassuring look that calmed him. He sank back down into his chair.

M’gann rose slowly from her set. Her fingertips rested lightly on the edge of the table. She allowed for silence and gathered her thoughts before she spoke. ‘You know, every time I come to these council meetings I can’t help but think about the millions of citizens that inhabit mars. And how this council is supposed to serve, represent, and make important decisions for the entirety of those Martians, all kinds of Martians.’ She gave a cold, slow glance around the room, ‘Yet all I see at this table is a sea of green.’

Once again, M’gann found that the other Council members could not meet her gaze. ‘You want to make this about race Councilman J’ornell? Ok,’ She paused and waited for him to finally look her in the eye. ‘Let’s make it about race. I am going to ask you a question, a question whose answer you can keep to yourself, but an answer that I want you to really think about nonetheless.’ She held her hand in front of her chest, examining the tones of green on her hand and arm. ‘If I were to sit before you in my true, White Martian form, would you take everything as seriously as you do, with the same amount of validity as you do, when you see me like this? When I am green?’

There was no noise.

‘I find it funny that you are the ones that contacted me because you knew that I would be the best person to help you. Because of my peacekeeping experience with The Justice League and the fact that I have spent time with both Martian cultures, so I understand both sides. You are the ones that begged for my help. Yet I feel the need to come to these meetings looking like this not because I want to, but because I have to.’  

Her voice began to shake. She was unsure how long she was going to be able to keep her tears held back. ‘Because J’ornell, if we’re being honest, you know, you all know, that when I look a certain way, the importance of my voice changes .’ Her voice cracked at the last word. She took a deep breath and eerily lowered her voice, “So before you get so... offended by the fact that the White Martians are, for once in your perfect history, not keeping quiet or staying in their place, how about trying to understand that they, we, are dying, being murdered. And maybe, just maybe, we refuse to have our voices and cries be ignored any longer.’

Lightheadedness overcame Superboy. Her ferocity, for a moment, caused him to lose his breath. He jumped as M’gann pushed her chair back and walked away from the table. He and Beast Boy stood as well, for they knew that that was their cue for them to leave. They followed behind M’gann as she trudged towards the meeting room door.

She made no attempt to look back at the council as she stated, ‘We have to attend to our responsibilities on Earth now. We’ll commence with our investigation on schedule next week. Contact me if you find anything new.’ She then disconnected the psychic link.

As they made their way towards the room containing their Zeta Tube home, Beast Boy and Superboy stole glances at each other nervously. M’gaan’s anger radiated off of her. As if it could heat the air around them. They did not want to be caught in the crossfire of her fury, yet they felt they should offer some sort of support.

She fumed over the argument, playing again and again in her head. Her pace quickened. Beast Boy tripped over his own feet, trying to match her stride.

“Ugh. Sis!” He called after her, “I know you’re upset but could you slow down? I’m going to have to turn into a cheetah just to keep up with you.”

She stopped, nearly causing Beast Boy to run into her. She opened the new door in front of them, revealing the Zeta Tube entrance. “I’m sorry you both had to see me like that,” she said softly.

Conner squeezed his hand on her shoulder. She placed her hand on his in response. “You had every right to assert your opinion,” he reassured her. “Those jerks needed to be set straight anyways.”

She smiled at him before leading the way through the doorway, “Let’s just head to The Watch Tower. I just want to submit my report to Batman so I can go home.”

“You got it,” Superboy told her, walking towards the Zeta Tube to punch in the code for their transportation. As he walked past her, he slid his hand across the small of her back. Her breath hitched at his contact. She couldn’t help but smile.

“Yeah, Superboy’s right though,” Beast Boy chimed, breaking her moment. “They needed some of that sassy M’gann wisdom to put them in their place.”

“Yeah,” M’gann sounded unsure. “I just wish I wouldn’t have lost my cool. Now I feel like I shouldn’t have said some of the things I did. I might have...unsettled things even more.”

“Everything you said was right though,” Beast Boy tried to assure her.

She smiled and leaned down towards him, she placed a hand on his shoulder. She found his youthful optimism cute but ill-placed, “Thanks Gar but politics...are complicated. There are a lot of factors that go into it. I’m sure this is all really confusing to you. No one’s opinion, even mine, is completely right. When you’re older you’ll understand.”

Beast Boy twitched at her response. Even though he knew she meant no harm by that, it still rubbed him the wrong way. He squinted and shook his head, “But, I mean, it’s really not that complicated at all.” 

He wiggled his shoulder out of her grasp. He wished she would take him seriously sometimes. “In Mr. Carr’s civics lesson last week he talked about the balance between governments and their people. He said, uh, how did he say it? Oh, yeah, the government is supposed to protect its people. So if like, the people feel that the government is not protecting them enough, it’s actually the people’s responsibility to overthrow the government to make a better one.”

M’gann blinked, tilting her head. “Wow, uh, Gar. That..that was not what I was expecting you to say.”

Beast Boy smiled. He chuckled before answering, “Hey, I pay attention in school...sometimes. But, don’t get used to it.”

M’gann laughed.

“Yo! We goin home or what?” Superboy chimed in. His two green partners joined him in the Zeta Platform. They found themselves surrounded by a blinding light. Within a moment, they heard their authorization codes voice their arrival as the inside of the Watch Tower came into view.

Recognized, Superboy, B04

Recognized, Miss Martian, B05

Recognized, Beast Boy, B19

As they walked out of the entrance of the platform, they found themselves stuck by an air of panic and urgency. Several members of The League buzzed about, frantically booming over their communicators and computer screens. The barked orders at one another and to those on the other end of their communication lines. 

The sight of Malcolm, La’gann, Batman, and Black Canary crowding around a sobbing Karen caught her attention. Karen sat on the floor, her hands on her face. Black Canary knelt in front of her, her hand placed lightly on her elbow. Her expression looked as though she was trying, and failing, to comfort her.

M’gann ran towards them. Confused, she asked “What’s going on? Is everyone alright?”

“M’gann!” Mal exclaimed, relieved. “I’m glad you’re here we-”

He was quickly cut off by Batman. “Mal, I’ll catch them up. I need you and La’gaan to join Martian Manhunter in the computer room to see if you recognize any of the aliens you saw in our archives.” The boys followed his orders.

“Aliens? What’s going on?” M’gann asked him. She found it difficult to not stay focused on Karen. Karen began to shake. Her sobs made her breaths harsh and uneven.

“We had a situation occur in Bludhaven while you were gone,” Batman informed.

M’gann knelt down beside Karen. Black Canary looked over at her, “I haven’t been able to get her to speak to me,” she told M’gann.

“Karen,” she placed a hand on the back of her head. “Are you alright?”

Karen brought her face out of her hands. She turned towards M’gann, leaning her cheek into M’gann’s outstretched palm. “M’gann,” her voice cracked. She placed her hand over M’gann’s.

“I’m here Karen,” she reassured her. “Can you tell me what’s wrong?”

“Those-those babies.” Tears streamed down her face as she struggled to release her words. “Those little kids. I saw them. They just...they just blew them up.” She lost all the momentary composure that she managed to scrounge up. “They killed those poor babies!” She retreated her hand back to her face as Black Canary embraced her.

M’gann quickly turned her attention back to Batman, enraged. “What. Happened?”

Chapter Text

El Paso

October 27th, 2016

17:00 MDT

The sun shined bright over the outdoor shopping complex. Shops filled their windows with sale signs for another Halloween long gone. Pumpkins, ghosts, and ghouls were swiftly replaced by candy canes and snowmen. Bart Allen’s stomach grumbled. He decided this time of year to be his favorite; holidays dedicated to indulgent eating behaviors and alluring scents. They fanned the flames of his hunger. He walked past the glass doors of bakeries and restaurants with puppy dog eyes as he remembered his fairly shallow pockets.

Jaime Reyes however, walked next to him in opposing sourness. He trudged forward with a twisted lip and tense shoulders. He pulled out his phone, checking his messages one last time, an action that he knew would fuel his irritation. He re-opened his latest text from Tye: 

‘can’t make it today’

Jamie huffed and shoved his phone back into his pocket. That was it, huh? No ‘sorry’? No ‘can we reschedule’? It seemed Jaime wasn’t even worth the effort of punctuation.

“I can’t believe he canceled on me, again,” Jaime grumbled, actually fully believing it. He ran his hand through his hair. He snapped his head over to Bart, irritation dripped off his tone. “Common courtesy is if you’re going to bail on a movie with your friends do it, like, before an hour before it starts, right?” 

“Don’t ask me,” Bart chuckled. “Apparently I’m still catching up on this decade’s social queues.” 

Jaime wasn’t in a playful mood. He rolled his eyes, giving his head a shake as he looked forward again.

“I’m sorry dude,” Bart tried to console. “Isn’t that, like, the second time this week too?”

“Yeah,” Jaime answered. “He’s been like this for the past couple months. Ever since-” Jaime’s words trailed off with a rising feeling of guilt. His face softened, “Ever since Holling, his grandpa, died. I’ve been trying so hard to be a good friend to him but he keeps pushing me away.”

Jaime’s mind fingered at the edges of his memory; of the day of Holling’s passing. It was Tye’s mother whose number flashed on his phone screen. This stomach turned when he saw the name, knowing. She pushed through sobs and hiccups to tell of his passing, and that Tye had gone missing.

Runaway. That’s what Tye always did. That’s what he’d always been. Running; as though he could outpace the pain inside him. But he rarely, truly ever went missing. Jaime knew where he went, to one of his favorite places to be left alone. Franklin Mountains State Park, where he could walk his own trails and sit in isolation at the mountain top; to be left alone with his mind.

Jaime flew overhead to Tye’s favorite spot. He landed softly, sitting down next to Tye in his quiet stillness. He allowed for a few minutes to pass before asking Tye if he wanted to talk.

No. He responded in a quiet voice, still looking out over the city below. Just let me be angry.

So Jaime did. They sat in silence for an hour before Tye asked him to take him home. Their flight was quiet. The silence between them lingered as Jaime dropped him off at his home. Tye had embraced him. Jaime wrapped his arms around him tight. And Tye pulled away far too soon. Far too soon for someone who just lost the person who held nearly all his love. And now that love spilled away, with no one else allowed to grasp it.

Tye thanked Jaime quietly before he walked inside his home. As the door shut, so did the door to his heart. Jaime attended the funeral. Tye sat in silence, only thank-yous and greetings spilled from him until his speech. 

And then he disappeared, again. Leaving behind a trail of unanswered calls, uninitiated text conversations, and canceled plans. But according to his social media and conversations with their friends at school, he had more than enough free time to spend with another girl. A girl Jaime had never seen or heard of before.

And that fucking pissed him off.

Jaime sneered. “I really think it’s that new girlfriend of his. Tye doesn’t-he doesn’t like to show when he’s sad but he always at least calls me to talk. Ever since she came into the picture he’s been M.I.A. She’s probably the reason he bailed today.”

“Wait,” Bart furrowed his brows in thought. “I thought he was with Asami?”

“Yeah, he was for about a month,” Jaime answered. “Then a couple weeks after his grandpa died he just replaces her for some girl he just met.”

“Sounds like you’re not her biggest fan,” Bart said.

“He won’t even let me meet her,” Jaime added. “He’s just been... distante, you know? I feel like he’s a stranger to me now.”

Bart looked over at Jaime's discouraged expression. “Don’t worry ‘bout it her-man-o.” Bart assured as he nudged him with his elbow, “He's just going through some heavy stuff right now. Give him time. And as for his girlfriend, well, sometimes girls have this weird superpower that makes dudes go crazy.”

Jaime chuckled. A small smile escaped from his lips, “Yeah, I guess.”

Bart laughed, “Heck, just look at you. Your goo-goo eyes for Wonder Girl were what made you join The Team in the first place.”

Jaime blushed. He shoved Bart on his shoulder, “ Ese! I told you not to talk about that!”

Bart cackled, “Hey what kind of friend would I be if I didn’t poke fun at you?” Jaime smiled and shook his head. Bart continued, “Besides, we can still enjoy the movie without Tye. It’ll just be a bro-date.”

Jaime jerked to a halt. Just to their left, as if their fates aligned, Tye closed in on the path in front of them. His eyes were glued intently to his phone screen as he walked, taking no notice of them.

“Well, habla del diablo ,” Jaime raised his voice. An acute sense of accusation rested in his tone.

Tye jumped at Jaime’s words, snapping his head up. He shoved his phone back in his pocket. “J-Jaime...what are you doing here?”

“Uh, well, we were supposed to see a movie here in a little bit ese . You know, until you bailed,” Jaime informed him with crossed arms.

“Oh that’s right! Look, Jaime I’m really sorry.” Tye replied in a genuine tone. “I know, I’m a terrible friend. I keep double booking myself. I’ve just been really busy.”

Jaime let out a deep breath that pulled out some of his irritation along with it. He dug deep to find any spare ‘benefit of the doubt’ he could give to Tye. He gave a small shake of his head as he unwrapped his arms. “It’s fine, no worries.” He said begrudgingly. “Happens to me too. You know, being a superhero and all. What do you have today anyways?”

Tye struggled for his words, “I, uh, I have a...meeting.” He darted to his eyes to his left and then back towards Jaime.

Jaime glanced over to where Tye’s gaze had wandered. The front door of a steakhouse sat by them. Out of the restaurant emerged a young woman. She looked around until her eyes found Tye. Tye tensed and mumbled as she walked out the door and approached them. 

She softly locked her right arm around Tye’s left as she told him, “Tye, darling, they said they would clear us a table early.…” Her words trailed off as she slid her gaze over to Bart and Jaime then back to Tye. She smiled, realizing that she might have interrupted a conversation. She leaned into Tye as she placed her left hand on his bicep. “My love, who are your friends?” She asked.

Her soft smile and dark eyes looked at them with a sultry gaze. Yet her words fell from her lips with a glaze of danger, like the quiet hiss of a far off serpent. Her long black hair shimmered with a near-blue tone. Slender arms and legs ventured out daringly from her short red dress. Around her neck rested a large, round, gold amulet; its plating etched with an image of a bison. 

Jaime was not amused. “My love ?” he sneered mockingly.

“Bart, Jaime, this is my girlfriend, Jenny,” Tye introduced.

“Oh, so this is Jaime?” Jenny began. “I’ve heard so much about you.” 

Jaime’s skin itched with irritation. His face twisted with annoyance. “Really? ” He asked in a high tone. “ Because I haven’t heard anything about you.” 

He turned his attention back towards Tye. “You know, if you wanted to cancel our plans to be with your...girlfriend, then fine, whatever, but you could at least tell me straight instead of making something up.”

Tye furrowed his brows. “Hey, I just forgot that Jenny and I already made plans alright?” He replied defensively.

“Yeah, whatever.” Jaime huffed.

Jenny looked back at Tye. “Tye, dear, you should have told me you made arrangements with Jaime,” She scolded. Her voice almost carried a whine.

“But-but I made our dinner reservations first,” Tye retorted.

“No, no you’ve been spending too much time with me. You shouldn't forget your friends.” She turned towards Jaime and Bart. ”Please do not be mad at Tye. You mean so much to him. I would just hate to come between Tye and his friends.” Her face plastered on feigned concern. Her words fought to hide her condescension. 

Hardly two minutes in, and Jaime already hated her.  “Well, it’s first come first serve, I guess.” He spat.

“Look, Jaime, I’ll make it up to you.” Tye tried to plead with him. “We can go skateboarding together tomorrow? Is that alright with you?”

“Yeah. Whatever. Fine. Just..just text me tomorrow. Adios .” Disdain grew in this voice. 

Jaime huffed as he brushed past them. Bart followed after him, awkwardly waving goodbye to Tye and Jenny. A suffocating aura of jealousy fumed off Jaime. Bart allowed for around five seconds of silence between them (dear god did it feel like a lifetime) before chiming in. “You know, you have to admit though...she is very attractive.”

“Shut up Bart,” Jaime hissed. Bart cackled in response.

Tye and Jenny watched intently as the other two boys trotted away. Jenny leaned her slender frame into Tye.

“Is he the one?” She asked in a near whisper into his ear, her hot breath stirring his senses.

“Yes. That’s him.” He replied. His face dripped with disappointment. Guilt chilled his stomach.

“He will not be a problem for us, will he?” Jenny asked him.

“What?” Tye turned towards her, confused by her question. “No. No, Jaime’s a good person. He’s my best friend. He’ll warm up to you, he just feels...neglected.”

She cupped her hands around Tye’s face. “You misunderstand my question, lover.” The amulet around her neck glowed a dull light blue as her eyes did the same. Tye froze, enthralled in a trance as his eyes glazed.

“He will not be a problem for our future plans.” She stated to him firmly.

“No, my love. He won’t.” He answered in a dull voice. His eyelids drooped. “I’ll make sure of it.”

Jenny hummed in satisfaction. She wrapped a hand around Tye’s chin and pulled him in for a kiss.

Gotham City
October 27th, 2016
01:45 EDT

The high walls of a long-condemned warehouse stood tall around Nightwing. He scrunched his nose as the rancid smell of sewer rose from manholes outside. His eyes fell to the floor before him, gaze trailing down the pools of blood that splayed and spiderwebbed across the concrete. A sour pit swirled in his stomach.

It had been a handoff. A supplier dropping off the product to the Street Demonz; the gang that ruled this small slice of Gotham's underbelly. Now the gang's supplier, their leader, and four other members lay crumpled on the floor. Bullet holes riddled their chests and skulls. Their guns laid next to them, as cold and lifeless as their owners. The van just behind them, once their chariot for their illegal cargo, had been burned along with the drugs inside.

Nightwing tried to convince himself that it was the combination of sewer, blood, and brains that was making him queasy.

He tried his best to lie.

“Um, earth to Nightwing?"

Nightwing blinked his wandering mind back into focus at the sound of Robin's voice. He turned his head to his left. Robin stood, agitated and impatient. Batman hunched over a body next to them.

"Are you going to help us gather evidence?” Robin asked him.

Nightwing snapped himself out of his thoughts, “R-right. Yeah. I’m sorry.”

“If you’re not ready to give this your full attention, perhaps it would be better if you went home,” Batman stated. The monotony of his voice was one that had taken Nightwing years to decipher. Others would have taken his words as condescension. The expression on Batman’s face softened, “We’d understand if you did.”

Nightwing grimaced, “No. No, I need to do this.” He took a few steps forward, careful not to disrupt the patterns of blood spatter on the ground.

Batman observed one of the bodies diligently. “I recognize these men. I had been trailing them for a while.”

“Dealers, I take it?” Robin asked.

“Yes, methamphetamine to be precise. Too risky to cook it in the city so they have it made in the country and driven in.” Batman paused before continuing. “I caught wind of them dealing around schoolyards...to kids, teenagers.”

Nightwing clenched his jaw, he knew what Batman was going to say next.

“This fits his profile.” Batman continued, looking to Nightwing.

Nightwing grunted, “Yeah. But it’s a profile that we don’t know for sure even is his. It can still be someone else.”

Batman brought his attention back to the bodies, “I supposed you’re right, we shouldn’t make assumptions. But we should follow every lead.”

Irritation shot pain down Nightwing’s neck. He decided to focus his attention on deciphering the pattern of struggle around him. His eyes strayed towards the seeping chest cavity of one of the bodies. He became overwhelmed by the taste of bile rising in his throat. He was supposed to have lost nausea for this type of sight long ago. So why was it creeping back? He was far too experienced to feel this way. Not since the loss of Jason and Wally did death shake him so. These men were just simple pushers, criminals, low-lives; why did he feel the same for them?

“Over here!” Robin barked. He knelt beside one of the bodies, “This one’s still alive.”

Nightwing and Batman rushed over to his side. As they came closer, Nightwing heard the sound of gurgling grow louder. Blood spilled down the corner of the man’s mouth as he tried to cough up what had pooled in his lungs. Panic rose in his eyes as they neared.

“Listen to me,” Batman demanded calmly. He pulled the man up into a sitting position, “We will get you to a hospital. But I need you to tell me who did this to you.” The man was still hesitant, he struggled to form words. Batman continued, “If you don’t know his name, then what did he look like?”

A gurgle erupted from the man’s mouth. “R.rr..red,” he blurted. “The Red.” He sounded as though he was drowning. “Wore red...n’...red..lasers.” The man collapsed.

Batman laid him down slowly, “He’s dead.” He turned towards Nightwing, “The Red. Wearing red. Red lasers. It’s pointing towards him more and more.”

Nightwing growled, running his hands through his hair. The contents of his stomach curdled further. He finally understood why the scene and the blood had upset him so. It was because the past four months someone had been picking off Gotham’s lowliest criminals. Someone had been acting as judge, jury, and executioner for Gotham’s ghettos.

And all the evidence pointed towards Arsenal.

Nightwing didn't want to Batman when he told him of his suspicion. At the end of July, Arsenal took root in Gotham to go off on his own with the ‘hero business’. He knew if he wanted to fight crime; this would be a prime location to start from. At the same time, Batman, Robin, and Batgirl began to take note of the increasing slaughters of criminals in Gotham. As the violence of these scenes began to grow, so did the curiosity of the media. Batman made it his top priority to find the culprit once the story caught the attention of the ever-aggravating Gordon Godfrey. His words had planted into the minds of the public that Batman himself was most likely the one behind the deaths. At that point, Batman knew he had to shut this situation down.

Gathering evidence, he found that the murdered criminals were all linked within drug rings. More so those who catered to and hired teenagers. It was a ‘passion’ that Batman deduced that Arsenal might have picked up from working on The Team. And from being a biological slave to The Light for eight years. A broken teen looking to save other broken teens. These criminals were in no doubt guilty of serious crimes, but none deserving such brutal and bloody execution.

One detail that struck Nightwing the most, was that the survivors all gave the same description: That is was a man wearing red and shot at them with red lasers. And, for the sake of irritating repetitiveness, his name was becoming known among Gotham’s criminal underworld as “The Red”.

After four months of inactivity, Nightwing knew that it was time to put on the mask again. He knew that it was time to suit up once more to help out a friend, just as they did for Roy not long ago. It was time for an intervention to find out the truth. The last interactions that he had with Arsenal played in his mind over and over again. One of the last times he talked to him, was to tell him he was kicked off the team. If he had given him another chance, had let him stay on, would any of this had happened at all?

His frustration spilled over to his expression.

“Uh..is everything alright?” Robin asked, already knowing the answer.

Nightwing signed audibly, “I just...I can’t help but think that I made a mistake kicking him off the team like that. I just...I just feel like I caused this.”

“No,” Batman interjected. “Arsenal was becoming a danger to the team. You had to make a call, and you made the right one. You did what you had to do.”

“Yeah but-” he began but was cut off by an incoming transmission on his communicator.

The sound of Red Arrow’s voice filled his ear, “Red Arrow to Nightwing...we got ‘im.”

Gotham City
October 27th 2016
01:00 EDT

“You gonna make it?”

Red Arrow twinged at the sound of Batgirl's voice. He peered over to his right to see her looking at him with a raised brow. She must have discovered him nodding off again.

“Yeah. I’m fine,” he answered, rubbing his face. He smiled and shook his head.  “These late nights are just starting to get to me. It doesn’t help that my little terror at home doesn’t let me sleep on my nights off either.”

Batgirl chuckled, “With you and Cheshire as parents, I wouldn’t expect Lian to be anything less than a terror.”

“Oh, I don’t think I told you” He added. “Get this, can you believe that Jade actually bought her toy ninja weapons? They’re like, little plastic ones, meant for kids. I can’t believe anyone would make those.”

She laughed, “Wait, are you serious? What’s it called? ‘Little Tikes Ninja Assassin Playset?’”

He laughed alongside her. As they sat atop the edge of an apartment complex, their conversation slowly dissipated. Red Arrow was left to his thoughts in the heavy quiet. It seemed that their search for Arsenal had taken all of his physical and mental energy once again. It reminded him of his original search for him last year, haunted by the same eerie possibility that he might not be able to save him.

“Thanks,” he chimed. “I haven’t laughed like that in a while.” He pulled out his binoculars. “I appreciate you helping me look for him.”

Batgirl peered through her own. “Hey, on The Team or not, he’s still one of us. I just hope he didn’t-” She cleared her throat, unexpectedly choking on her words. “I just hope he’ll let us help him.”

“There he is! Ten o’clock!” Red Arrow briefly caught a glimpse of Arsenal as he turned a corner into an alley.

Batgirl jerked her binoculars in the same direction. She put them down, standing up on the ledge of the roof. “Lets go,” she demanded. “We can catch up to him if we move fast.”

She jumped down onto the next roof, bolting across the top as fast as she could.

Red Arrow followed behind her. He pressed his pointer finger onto the communicator in his ear, “Red Arrow to Nightwing...we got ‘im.”

Nightwing’s voice filled his ear, “What’s his location?”

“He’s on the North end of Crime Alley.”

“Copy. We’re locking onto your coordinates now. We’ll meet you there.”

“Roger,” Red Arrow responded. He and Batgirl slid down the complex's fire escape. They landed on the ground with a soft ‘thud’ of their boots, just a few meters behind Arsenal.

He was lurking in the shadows of the alleyway, attending to his mechanical arm. As they landed, he swung his body around, aiming the barrel of his laser towards them. The soft red lights from his arm gave harsh highlights to his face in the darkness. His expression uncrumpled once he realized who had weaseled behind him.

He lowered his arm, the corner of his mouth showing the slight hint of a smile. He let out a breathy chuckle, “Ya-know, s’not smart to...sneak up on an armed man.”

Red Arrow’s face remained stern. He crossed his arms, “If you were at the top of your game, no one should be able to sneak up on you.”

“Ttt,” Arsenal hissed. “Gimme a break, been out here all night. Wadda’ want anyways?”

As he spoke he walked towards them into glow of the streetlight. Red Arrow flinched at his appearance. Arsenal’s once pristine uniform was now tattered and sullied. His face was sunken and pale, some muscle mass dissipated. Red Arrow followed the trail of bruises down Arsenal’s arm. A sickness rose in his belly as he lingered on Arsenal's hands; battered hands smeared with blood.

Arsenal caught Red Arrow’s gaze. He swiftly shoved his hands into his jacket pockets. Red Arrow brought his eyes back up to Arsenal’s, there was something off about his stare. His eyes seem glazed, almost dead.

“What happened to your hands?” Red Arrow asked in a stern voice.

Arsenal shrugged his shoulders, “Got n’to a fight.”

“That fight didn’t happen to be in a warehouse, did it?” Nightwing had made his way around the corner and into their shared lighting. There was a tightness in his jaw.

Arsenal jumped at his sudden appearance. He furrowed his brow. “What? No, haven’t been there n’while,” he answered.

“Are you sure?” Batman’s voice filled their space as he and Robin joined in their semi-circle around Arsenal.

Arsenal tilted his head. His eyes narrowed in confusion, “What? Waddayou all doing…” His eyebrows raised as a sudden realization came across him, he cocked a smile and laughed. It began as small laugher and then grew. He leaned backward and held his belly. Batgirl looked at Nightwing nervously.

Arsenal finally stifled his laughter enough to emit words. “Heh..heh, let-let me guess. This is an intervention?” He smiled as he shook his head, “Priceless.”

“Look, we just..” Red Arrow walked towards him and placed a hand on his shoulder, “We just want to make sure you’re ok.”

“Get your hands off of me!” Arsenal spat, shaking his hand off of him. “Don’t you dare act like you care!” He snarled.

It was in their closeness that Red Arrow caught a whiff of something out of place. There was a smell that should have not been lingering on Arsenal’s breath. It became clear the reason for his muffled words and quick temper. “Jesus, Arsenal. Are you drunk?” He asked.

Arsenal's face flushed. He turned away from him, “The hell does it matter to you?”

Nightwing’s face twisted in disappointment, “Going on patrol drunk? You think that’s something heroes do?”

“I don’t know,” Arsenal bared his teeth, he hastily encroached onto Nightwing’s space. “Does a ‘leader’ kick his friend off the team?”

“That’s enough Arsenal.” Batgirl shot at him. “We’re not here to have a petty pissing contest with you.”

Arsenal turned his gaze towards her, she met it with the same ferocity. “We came to make sure you weren't losing control, and now look at you!” She threw up her hands in frustration. “You’re out here patrolling drunk.” This time she encroached on his personal bubble. “So who's to say you don’t go overboard and kill?” Her words were filled with accusation.

His head shook in overwhelming confusion. “What?” He asked

“What’s that blood on your hand from?” Batman asked.

“Told you.” Arsenal said through pursed lips. “Got into a fight. You know, keepin the city safe. What yooou all should be doing. Takin care of criminals.”

“Taking care of criminals?” Robin repeated. He crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Like you 'took care' of those men in the warehouse by the pier?”

Arsenal’s top lip crinkled as his shoulders hunched. He shook his hands in front of him. He couldn't tell if he was more irritated or confused. “What are you talking about?”

“Right before he died, one of the gangsters we found tonight said they were attacked by a man in red with red lasers.” Robin’s nose crinkled as he spoke, he tilted his head. “You’re saying you had nothing to do with that?”

Now Arsenal was annoyed. He grew tired of their games. “What? I’ve been n’this area of town al’night.” Turning away from them, he brushed off some of the dirt and grime from the front of his uniform and huffed. “Besides, if they were pushers, they probably deserved it.”

Their eyes went wide. Nothing that he was doing helped ease their suspicion of him. Red Arrow decided to take a softer approach.

“Listen, Arsenal, we just want to help.” He was desperate to connect with him, “I’ve-I’ve been in a similar position, and alcohol...it just makes it worse. Trust me, I’ve been there.”

Arsenal chuckled to himself and met his gaze, “Heh. Like clone, like original.”

The sound of an explosion cracked through the heavy air. They were jarred to attention by a sudden bright light arising just a few blocks North. Heavy smoke rose from the light source. Screams filled the air.

“Move. NOW.” Batman boomed. They bolted towards the source. The squeals of car alarms and frantic pedestrians bashed their ears as they came closer. A wave of heat rushed over them as they rounded the corner. Three cars were ablaze in their parking spots on the street. One had already been destroyed from the ignition of its gas tank, foreshadowed the impending doom of the other two cars. Their fires roared.

“We need to clear people out of the blast radius of those cars-” Batman’s words were cut off as a three-foot fireball crashed through the air towards them. It's heat singe the tips of Nightwing's hair as he maneuvered out of its path. He turned his head, straining to find its source.

Out of the smoke, they watched as a teenage girl stammered her way down the center of the street. She swayed as she struggled to keep her balance, her arms moving and twisting into almost ballet-like poses. Through the crackle of the fires, they heard her soft laughter. She spun in place, adding a dance to her swaying as she came close to them; close enough for them to see her smile.

The skin from her fingertips to her forearms glowed a burning yellow. The heat from her hands contorted the air around her thin frame. She laughed as she ran her hands up her face and through her red hair. Her wide pupils were glazed. Her lids carried a sleepy tone to them.

“Mmm...warm,” she moaned. “It's so...warm”

“Jesus,” Batgirl chimed. “She’s high as a kite.”

“Did-did you do this?” Robin asked her in disbelief.

The girl dropped her hands to her sides. The smile dissipated from her face. She squinted her eyes at him in confusion, tilting her head to the left and then to the right. She looked as though her mind tried far too hard to answer his question. Her eyes drooped further. She raised her hands and stared at them. A dark grin slid across her face as the light from her hands grew brighter and hotter.

“I like,” she uttered, clenching her fists. “When things...go...BOOM!”

On her last word that she pushed her fist forward, sending a massive fireball towards them that emerged from her hands. They dove out of its path. It collided with yet another car. As they scrambled to their feet, the girl began to float. She giggled and danced in the air around her, sending blasts of fire tumbling to the ground. Cries rang from the civilians on the ground as they tore from the flames.

“Batgirl. Red Arrow. Work on getting her down,” Batman ordered. “Everyone else, let’s get these people out of here.”

Arsenal scoffed, “I don’t have to follow your orders anymore Bats.” He ran past them, jumping on a fire escape to get a better aim at the girl, who was now six stories high. He finally had an actual challenge. He was not about to be put on babysitting duty to miss this.

Red Arrow grunted in frustration as he and Batgirl fired their arrows and Batarangs into the air; all of which were disintegrated by the girl’s fire. One of Arsenal’s cannon blasts finally hit her. She cried out in pain as she dropped a few stories mid-air.

Batman heard someone call out to him as there was a tug on his forearm. He turned to see a middle-aged woman. Worry plagued face. There was a frantic plea in her eyes as she begged, “Don’t hurt her!”

“Ma’am I need you to stay-” Batman began, as he tried to push her away to safety.

“Please,” she interrupted him. “That’s my daughter. That’s my baby. Don’t hurt her, please.” Tears swelled in her eyes.

“She’s your daughter?” Nightwing asked, overhearing her cries.

She darted her eyes back and forth between them, “Yes. Yes, her name’s Deborah. Please, this isn't like her. Something’s wrong.”

“What do you mean. Did something happen?” Batman asked as he placed his hands on her arms. The woman mumbled something inaudible. Her gaze fell to the ground, as if she worried she might make things worse.

Batman attempted to ease her, “Please, I need you to tell me so I can help her.”

“I don’t-I don’t know.” She stuttered. “She went to a party at a friend's. She came home and-and,” she began to shake, “Started lashing out at me, saying things that made no sense, like she was on a bad trip. I asked her if she took anything at the-at the party. She got angry, she-” The mother looked down to her wrist. Batman noticed that she had been holding it the whole time. He gently pried her hand off of it, she flinched at his contact, revealing a fresh, grotesque burn on her wrist.

“Did she do this to you?” Batman asked darkly.

The woman shook her head, almost as if she didn’t believe it really happened, “She wouldn't normally do this.” She stated. “She would never hurt me. Something has to be wrong. I didn’t even know she had powers. Please, help my baby girl. Something is making her do this.”

A frenzied yell shattered the air as Deborah charged towards Arsenal. No longer were her movements soft and twirling. Desperation came over her as the veins in her neck throbbed. Her fist clenched tight. She took a swing at Arsenal. Rage twisted his face as he socked her in the jaw, sending her flying backward. He fired his cannon as he ran towards her. She propped herself up on her elbows, wiping the blood from her lip. She growled low in her throat. Frantic, she began to swing her arms over and over, sending wave after wave of fireballs towards him.

A tightness rose in Red Arrow’s chest. Arsenal was going to be fried alive if they did not do something soon. An idea shot through his mind as he remembered one of the specialty arrows he had in his quiver. He pulled it out. On its tip rested a small metal cylinder with two small spiked prongs; a taser arrow. He placed it in his bow. A small prayer for success fell from his lips as he exhaled and sent the arrow flying.

The arrow made contact with her shoulder. Her eyes rolled to the back of her skull as she convulsed. She dropped to the ground. The arrow had stopped but the after-effects of the electricity still left her body tingling. Deborah groan as she tried to get up, but found herself partially paralyzed.

Before Red Arrow could let out a sigh of relief, Arsenal’s yell shattered the air around him. His teeth were bared savagely as he charged towards Deborah. He pounced landed upon her chest. Her eyes widened in terror as she was unable to move to shield herself. Primal anger shook Arsenal as he brought his fist down on her face. Her attempts at crying out were suffocated by the pooling of blood in her mouth. She slowly began to lose consciousness as he punched her over and over again.

Red Arrow gasped at his vicious attack. Arsenal showed no sign of ceasing. “Arsenal! STOP!” He cried.

But he didn’t stop. Bile rose in Red Arrow’s throat as Deborah stopped moving. He charged towards Arsenal, who was so enthralled by his own violence, that he took no notice of Red Arrow until he tackled him to the ground.

He grabbed at Arsenal’s head, smacking it down against the concrete. Red Arrow became irate. His body shook and his veins throbbed in his neck as he screamed at Arsenal. “WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!? YOU COULD HAVE KILLED HER!”.

Arsenal gasped. His pupils dilated as his breathing slowed. He looked over to Deborah. Her face was swollen. Blood pooled from her mouth and nose. It finally hit him what he had done.

“I..” his breath shook and his throat clenched tight. He turned towards Red Arrow and whispered, “I didn't mean to.”

Flashes of red and blue spun against the concrete as police sirens wailed. Firetrucks rushed on the scene to extinguish the blazes. Red Arrow pushed himself up off of Arsenal. He was too sickened by him to look at him any longer. He watched several police officers help the young girl to her feet. She moaned as her eyes fluttered open. The tightness in Red Arrow’s chest eased as he saw she was still alive.

Batman turned his gaze from the girl to the police cruisers. A man walked towards him; Police Commissioner Gordan. He sported a gun on his hip and badge on his chest. His stern eyes and furrowed brows deepened the wrinkles on his face. His thick glasses slid down the bridge of his nose. Flecks of red hid in his grey hair.

"Was that really necessary?" Gordan asked. “You never struck me as the person to beat the snot out of kids, Bats.” Gordon continued with a twisted lip.

Batman glared at him. “I can assure you it wasn’t me.” He turned his head to where Arsenal was a moment ago, only to find that he had disappeared. He grunted and addressed Gordon once more. “And I will make certain it doesn’t happen again.”

Batman turned towards Deborah as he heard a familiar mechanical sound. One of the police officers snapped an Inhibitor Collar around her neck before leading her to the back of his cruiser. Batman glared.

“Where did you get those?” he asked Gordon.

“Oh, they were a gift,” Gordon answered. “Paid in full from LexCor.”

Robin overheard his answer. His brows furrowed as he tossed Batman a concerned look.

“Apparently,” Gordon continued as he pushed his glasses up. He placed himself next to Batgirl as he spoke. “They’re becoming standard issue for every officer. Departments all over the country are getting them.”

Gordon leaned into Batgirl. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "You alright sweetheart?" He asked in a hushed voice, making sure no one could hear but them.

"Daaaad," Batgirl let out a small smiled as she whispered. "Not while I'm at work."

His eyes crinkled with his close-lipped smile. "I know. I know. You're a superhero. But that doesn't mean I can't worry about my little girl."

Seeing as Gordon was currently engaged. Robin used the opportunity to approach Batman. He asked, “LexCor? LexCor is giving out Inhibitor Collars? Why?”

Batman hummed in frustration. “I don’t know Robin. But I don’t like the sound of that at all.”

Chapter Text

Central City Municipal Hospital
November 4th 2016
14:17

Bart Allen sat on the cold plastic chair of the hospital waiting room. He tapped his foot on the laminate floor with vigor. Nothing to do, nothing to see. His only orders were to wait. The clicks of the second hand of the clock on the wall mocked Bart with every moment that passed. He couldn't help but count them.

8568.
8569.
8570.

He groaned fidgeting about in his seat with the belief that maybe moving about would make time go faster. Artemis Crock sat in the chair next to him. She made a hum of disapproval as Bart nudged her with his restless movement.

“Bart,” She snipped. Bart went still as he looked over to her. She closed the magazine in her hands. “If you don’t quit fidgeting in that chair, I’m going to tie you down to it.”

Bart groaned again, “I’m sorry. I’ve just...never had to deal with anything like this before.”

Iris went into labor. And it was a good thing that Bart was already at a hospital, because he was certain he was going to die of boredom.

Now Bart didn't know much about babies, let alone birth. The only education he had on the subject was the basics he learned in school and television. Lots and lots of television. So when Barry called to tell him they were taking Iris to the hospital, Bart did nothing short of panic. It was his father in there after all. His entire existence rested on everything going well today. So after a moment of hyperventilation, he grabbed everything from his room that he thought Iris might need. He threw in his duffle bag anything that he thought might be the tiniest bit important; a blanket, pillow, water, first aid kit. Of course, hospitals had those, but in a moment of hysteria, he gathered it all at once and super speed and burst through the hospital doors.

When Barry greeting him at the reception desk. He tilted his head in wonder and confusion of Bart’s wide eyes and disheveled appearance. Bart was more confused as to Barry's lack of concern. Iris was in labor. Good god man, the babies were coming!

It was then that Barry told him something he will never ever forget. Bart learned that labor, on average, will last eight to twelve hours.

EIGHT TO TWELVE HOURS.

Bart couldn't believe his ears. He was supposed to be cooped up in the hospital for that long? That’s never how it is in the movies. No wonder Barry was so calm. He told Bart not to worry, that Iris was fine and surprisingly placid. She even took the time to do her hair and makeup before telling Barry that her water broke. She was a reporter after all. She was used to bringing new things to the world while looking her absolute best.

Bart'a jaw dropped at the thought of the causality of the situation, and even worse, how it wouldn’t be done within a 23 minute time slot. So now here he was, hitting his head against the back of his chair in boredom. He almost wished for the pain of labor instead of sitting down for another agonizing hour. Let alone the possibility of eight more.

He looked back up to Artemis. “I’m just antsy.” He sighed.

Artemis laughed, “Woah, you? I never would have thought.”

He smirked at her. “It’s just-I’m worried. I’m worried that they’re not worried. What if something goes wrong?” He ran his fingers through his hair. “Like, like what if something happens and theygethurtandimneverbornandIcantsaveBlue.”

“Hey hey hey!” Artemis cut him off, taking his hands in hers. “Breath. You’re going to pass out if you don’t calm down.” She inhaled and exhaled with him. She placed a hand on his shoulder. “Everything is going to be fine. Iris is completely healthy. The doctors said the babies are completely healthy and Central City has the best OBGYN in the state.” Bart looked away from her in doubt, but she moved her head to gain his attention. She smiled as he looked at her again. “Everything is going to be fine. I promise.”

His shoulders fell as his lip untwisted. “Thanks.” He chucked. “You know, you’d think I was the one having a baby today.”

She laughed. “Well, it is your Dad being born so I guess that...counts?” Her brows furrowed. She tilted her head and looked up at the ceiling, trying to decipher what she just said. “Sorry, it’s kinda weird.”

“Yeah, it totally is.” Bart chortled. He lowered his head and looked up at her with soft eyes. “Thanks. You really are a big help. It’s really nice that you’re here. Even...even though you really don’t have to be, if you don’t want to.” Bart nervously waited for her response. He prayed that she wouldn't take his words the wrong way.

She gave him a tiny smile.“I know.” She looked away for a moment and look back at him. “But even though he’s not here, Wally’s family is still really important to me.” She smiled a little bigger and bumped his forehead with her’s in a sign of affection. “You guys always will be.”

Bart smiled a little bigger in response. Little did Artemis know that her affection and her approval will always be his goal. She loved Wally more than he could ever imagine, and now he carried the responsibility and the name of Kid Flash like he did once before. In Bart’s mind, there would never be any greater insult to her than to let down his title and his memory.

“I’m happy you’re here," Bart said. "No matter what Artemis, you’ll still always be my cousin.”

“Thanks Bart,” She said as she embraced him. They were only able to hug for a moment before they were greeted by a familiar voice.

“Hey,” Barry said as he entered the waiting room. “Her contractions are steady now. The Doc said that she can have a couple more visitors for a bit if you guys want to see her.”

They followed Barry through the noisy hall and into Iris's room. She sat almost upright in her bed; her body was neatly tucked under her blanket and she fingered through a magazine.

Bart groaned internally. This was not a good sign for his boredom.

As they entered the room, Iris began to greet them but cut herself off. “Wha-Bart?” Iris raised her eyebrows in surprise. “You’re still here? I wasn't expecting you to last more than fifteen minutes.”

Bart huffed. “Yeah, well. If it’s possible to die of boredom I’m pretty sure I’ll find out soon.” He moved closer to Iris and pointed a finger at her swollen belly. “You hear that Dad? Aunt Dawn? Just get out of there already! I’m dying.” He whined.

Artemis smiled and rolled her eyes.

A blip of static rang in their communicators. Mal Duncan's voice rang in their ears. “Watchtower to Tigress, Flash, and Kid Flash. Do you read me?”

Barry slid his hand down his face. “God no not today.”

Artemis answered the call for them. “This is Tigress. We’re all here. What’s going on?”

“We have reports of an alien attack in New Orleans,” he answered. “We’re not sure if they’re related to the attack from earlier. But we need someone there now. Aquaman and Aqualad are on their way but we need someone faster.”

Barry grunted. He pressed his finger to his earpiece communicator. “Watchtower, I'm at the hospital. I can't-”

“I know.” Mal interrupted him. “And I am so sorry. But civilians are being attacked right now. You and KF are the only ones who can get there in time.”

Barry twisted his lips in frustration. He looked at Iris with worrisome eyes. Iris slipped her hand in his. She looked at him with soft eyes. “You’re leaving.” She stated. “Aren’t you?”

Barry chewed on the inside of his cheek. He dreaded the possibility of this, having to choose between seeing the birth of his children, and saving the lives of strangers. “I..there’s civilians under attack in New Orleans.” He grunted. “I guess Bart and I are the only ones who can get there in time.”

“Barry,”  she said as she pulled him close. He leaned down to her as she placed her palm on his cheek. She smiled. “Go.”

“What?” His asked, surprised

“If the twins ever ask me where their Daddy was when they were born, I would be nothing less than ecstatic to tell them that he was out saving lives.”

He chuckled as he gave her a soft kiss on the lips, “You’re too good to me.”

She smiled and gave him a light, playful pat on his cheek. “I know. Now get out of here. You have a city to save.”

“I’ll stay here.” Artemis volunteered. “Just in case Jay and Joan don’t make it in time. I’ll make sure she’s taken care of.”

Barry gave Iris one last kiss before throwing on his uniform at super speed. Bart did the same. He never left home without it. A wide grin pulled on Bart's lips. It was finally time for some action.

Bart pressed on the communicator in his ear. “Kid Flash to Watchtower. Flash and I are on our way!”

South Shore Harbor - Louisiana
November 4th 2016
14:40

“Look out!”

Aquaman found himself tackled as Aqualad called to and charged at him. They spiraled together underwater for a few meters. The blow from Aqualad almost knocked the trident out of his hands. As he opened his eyes he found that a large, black, metal orb blew past where he was just floating. Bubbles floated behind the orb as it collided with the shallow ocean floor. They watched as two more crashed into the water from the air.

“Are you alright my King?” Aqualad asked.

“Y-Yes.” Aquaman finally gathered his senses. “Thank you Kaldur’ahm.”

They were underwater in New Orleans South Shore Harbor. They rushed on the scene as they heard reports of UFOs falling from the sky, landing in the city and underwater just a half-mile from the coast.

Metal shrapnel flew past their head as the orbs burst open. The aliens that emerged from them resembled that of large crocodiles. But their hind legs were missing and their front paws resembled that of human hands. Black body armor with glowing red edges covered their chest arms and head. The cerulean scales clashed with their glowing red eyes. Their shrill screeches caused Auqaman and Aqualad to cringe.

With incredible speed two of the aliens swam past them. The heroes felt ill as they saw them charging for the boats floating above them. The other alien sped off in the opposite direction, swimming closer to shore.

“You go after him,” Aquaman ordered. “I will stop the two headed for the boats.”

Aqualad nodded. He sped towards the alien. He reached out his hand, grabbed the creature by the tail and yanked it back. It screeched and turned towards him. It carried in one of his arms a thick black cylinder. I was approximately two feet in diameter and two feet long. Three glowing red rings wrapped around it. Distracted by the sight of the object, Aqualad wasn't able to move out of the way in time as the alien landed a hard punch across his head. He spiraled away from it. In his disoriented daze he watched as the creature place the cylinder on the floor. It pressed a button on the top, causing four metal appendages to emerge from the cylinder and pierce the sand. Vents opened at its top, sucking in and out water as the sand around it began to glow red with heat.

Finally composing himself, Aqualad reached for the Water-Bearers on his back. Energy pulsed through his tattoos as he used the Bearers to send a large whip of water at the creature; knocking it away from the device. Aqualad charged toward it.

On top of the cylinder was a screen. It displayed a loading bar with characters of a language unknown. Though from looking at the loading bar, whatever it was doing, was almost complete. Aqualad's mind raced and he dug for an idea of how to shut it off. He turned his Water-Bearers into swords and attempted to pierce it.

An electric pulse traveled up his swords and through his body. He yelled in pain as he moved backward. He growled, realizing the device was protected by some kind of forcefield. Blackness clouded his vision and pain shot through him as the alien slammed itself into him. Knocking him further away from the device. The alien swam up to it, lean over to check the screen. The loading bar finished. It turned towards Aqualad and smailed.

With a clawed finger he pressed on the indent in the center of his armor. It began to glow red and boil the water around it.

Aqualad's eyes went wide. Fear swept through him, remembering Superman’s description of his encounter with the aliens in Bludhaven. The monster was about to blow himself up. He whipped his Water-Bearers in front of him to create a water shield.

The creature yelled, “Foorrr Darrrks-”. But it was cut off as the explosion incinerated it. Aqualad was sent flying backward. His shield had protected him but there was nothing left of the alien or the contraption it was carrying. He had to warn the others.

“Aqualad to Flash and Kid Flash,” He boomed across his communicator. “One of the creatures was carrying some kind of bomb. You need to stop them before they activate them. Once activated they will have a force field that will prevent you from getting close to them until they explode.”

“You got it” Kid Flash chirped back. He and The Flash arrived only minutes before. They discovered the same aliens terrorizing the city as the ones found in Bludhaven.

Flash ran up next to him. From what they had counted there was still one alien left that hadn't self-destructed. Barry spotted it three blocks West of them. And just as Aqualad had predicted, it was carrying a strange metal object.

Bart spotted it and cackled, “Race ya to the last one Gramps!”

Wide-eyed Barry tried to reach for him before he sped off. “Wait! You don’t know what that thing-” but it was too late. With a grin, Kid Flash was already on his way towards it.

But the creature heard him coming, his eyes locking on Kid Flash as he closed in. It set the bomb down and pointed its right arm towards him. Kid Flash's heart skipped a beat. The creature's mechanical arm dismantled itself and morphed into a cannon; just like the one Arsenal bore. As it fired a red laser beam at him, Kid Flash leaned backward to avoid the beam, but in the process. caused himself to fall. He slid at superspeed across the ground, colliding with the alien. They rolled across the ground together. When they finally came to a halt, Kid Flash landed on top of the creature.

Kid Flash heard a click and a whirl. Terror swept over him. He looked down; discovering he had activated the self-destruct button on the alien’s chest. His skin and uniform began to burn as the alien's armor glowed red. Air ripped from his lungs as he was yanked off the alien by on the collar of his suit. In the blink of an eye, The Flash hand scooped him and the cylinder out of the range of the alien’s armor bomb. The explosion rang out behind them.

Now safe, Flash set them on the ground. Kid Flash turned to him to express his gratitude, he held his tongue at The Flash’s expression. Flash's face flushed as he pointed his finger at him. “What were you thinking!” He spat. Kid Flash jumped. Barry continued, “Your carelessness caused him to blow up! We needed one alive Bart!”

Bart twinged, his stomach sinking. Flash was angry enough to slip and use his civilian name in costume.

“I..I’m sorry.” Bart stuttered "I just-”

“You just what?” Flash snapped. He clenched his eyes tight for a moment and exhaled to calm himself. The tension in his shoulders eased. He looked at Bart with narrow eyes. “You just weren't thinking.”

Bart searched for something to say, unsure what caused Flash to snap at him so.

Artemis’s voice filled their communicators. “Flash, KF, what’s the situation in New Orleans?”

The Flash pressed on his earpiece “The land aliens are taken care of. It looks like they were able to evacuate everyone in time. I’m not sure about the water...”

“The Water invaders are taken care of as well.” Aquaman chimed in on their communication. “They blew themselves up.”

“Well,” Artemis began. There was a smile in her voice. “Once you’re finished, there are two little people here waiting to meet you.”

A spark ignited in Barry’s eyes. A smile grew on his face.

Sullen, Bart picked up the cylinder. He looked up at him with weary eyes. “You..you go on ahead. I’ll make sure this gets to where it needs to be.”

“You sure?” Flash asked.

Bart put on a false smile. It concerned him how good he was at them now. “Get outta here Gramps. You know you’re dying to see ‘um.”

And with a wave of his hand, Barry was gone.

As Bart was about to sprint to the nearest Zeta Tube, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to find Aquaman staring down at him with Aqualad right beside him. He took the cylinder out of Bart’s hands.

“We’ll get this to The Watchtower for investigation and deal with clean up.” He assured Bart. “You just tell Iris ‘congratulations’ for us. We’ll visit as soon as we can.”

He smiled, “Really? So crash! Thanks!” With a blur of yellow and red, he was gone.

Within minutes he found himself in his civilian clothes and raced up the hospital stairs. He lurched to a halt as he reached the doorframe of He stood Iris’s room.

There was a stillness to the room as Bart tiptoed in. There was a quiet to his steps, as though his presence would shatter the moment. His breath shook. He caught sight of Iris. A tired smile played upon her lips. It complimented her disheveled hair and the bit of darkness under her eyes. All of her effort and pain had paid off.

She cradled one of the babies in her arms, gently rocking the small bundle in a blue blanket. Artemis leaned in beside her hospital bed, gently playing with the fold of the blanket. She cooed soft remarks to Iris and smiled, brushing her finger against the baby’s cheek.

Barry stood on the other side of her. As he held the pink mass of blanket, the smile on his face was remarkable. There was a sparkle to his eyes as he rubbed his nose against baby’s. He placed his lips on her forehead, giving her a gentle kiss. He rocked her gently as he inhaled against her skin. He heard that there was something magical, wonderful, and inspirational about the smell of a newborn. It took him becoming a father to find out what they meant. It was a moment that he wouldn't trade for the world.

As he closed his eyes, his soft voice cooed against her. “They’re beautiful, Iris.”

Iris looked over at him. Her eyes watered at the sight of her husband with his warm smile as he placed gentle kisses on their baby girl’s head. He held her as though he never wanted to let go. The baby wiggled under his over-affection. She squeaked as she reached a hand out to grasp his finger.

Iris raised her eyebrow. “I can already see someone’s going to get spoiled.”

Barry chuckled, “Oh, absolutely.”

Iris hummed to herself in amusement. She glanced over to her left to see Bart standing in the doorway. “Bart?” She said as she tilted her head. He jumped at his name. “Would you like to hold the baby?”

Bart swallowed hard as he gave a couple of small nods. His steps were slow and cautious. It was a bizarre feeling, his feet moving as though they were made of stone. His hands trembled. Artemis carefully grabbed the baby from Iris’s lap, taking the blue bundle into her arms.

“Here.” She instructed as she came closer to Bart. “You just hold him like this. Ok? Make sure you use the crook of your elbow to support his head.”

“O-oh okay.” He stuttered. Before he knew it, Artemis placed the baby in his hands.

He held his breath. He was so light, almost as if he were holding nothing. Slight terror coursed through his veins. He prayed he wouldn’t drop him. Why would anyone let him hold a baby? Did they even know him?

Bart tilted his head. The baby squinted it’s closed eyes harder as he wiggled his head, shaking his fists. Small purple splotches freckled his forehead. His bloated face contorted into random expressions. Bart twisted his mouth. He wasn’t going to lie, it was ugly. The tiny person in his arms looked more like an alien than a baby. A bald, squishy alien. He found it almost impossible that this could be his father. It didn’t even look anything like him!

And then the baby opened his eyes. Bart lost his breath as a large pair of light green eyes found their way to his. They were the same green eyes that Bart had seen his whole life. The eyes that protected, watched over, and loved him. A shudder escaped from his lips. With a curious look, the baby reached out his tiny hand and placed in on Bart’s chin.

Before he knew it, Bart found himself choking on a sob. He swallowed hard. His chest heaved. “Hey, Dad.” He took a moment to gather himself. “Long time no see.” He squeezed his eyes hard as tears streamed down his cheeks. It was he who now held the baby like he never wanted to let go.

A look of concern flashed across Artemis’s face. She rubbed her hand up and down his arm in support. “You missed him, didn’t you?”

Bart’s lips trembled. His watery eyes looked into hers. He did his best to plaster on a happy smile. “Yeah...Yeah, I really did.”

He looked back at the baby, biting his lower lip. He had missed him. He missed him more than anything in the entire world. But unbeknownst to Artemis, Barry, or Iris, it wasn't just missing him that had caused his tears.

It was the first time in nearly two years that Bart had seen his father alive.

Chapter Text

Dakota City
November 12th
16:15 CDT

Winter in Dakota City howled like a pack of starving wolves. The wind was biting and unforgiving. It preyed upon any helpless patch of skin it found uncovered. If it wouldn't make him look like a potential predator, Virgil would have considered wearing a ski mask outside at all times. He shivered as he nuzzled his chin into his down coat. A firm scowl twisted upon his face.

He mumbled behind his collar, “My body wasn't made for this bullshit.”

A giggle emerge next to him. It came from a thin redhead as she hid her tiny smile behind her white mittens. Her name was Frieda Goren; Virgil’s best friend. A toothy smile slid across her square jaw. She nudged her elbow against his side. Her purple pea coat gave for much more mobility than his pudgy parka.

“You’re such a whiner.” She teased. “I love winter.” She opened up her palm to catch the falling snowflakes in her hand. “The snow makes everything so pretty.”

Virgil huffed. “Yeah if it doesn't freeze you to death first.”

She gave him a pursed-lip smile.  “What is wrong with you? Why are you so grumpy?” She leaned in closer to him. “Losing sleep with your super-heroing again?”

The thing one needed to know about Frieda Goren, was that she was absolutely and unequivocally relentless. Frieda Goren, the inevitable future valedictorian of his class, did everything she ever wanted and did it well. She knew everything going on in the world around her. And if something were to break that control, cause a rift in her knowing, she would break it down until it howled its secrets for her.

So when Virgil arrived back in Dakota City after being kidnapped by The Reach, it did not take long for her to tear down his reserves. Virgil’s parents and sister were easy. They already knew. The Justice League needed his parent’s permission before allowing him to join The Team. The couple of months he was away didn’t make for too much for a challenge. He supplied a generic story of a bus crash and temporary amnesia as the reason for his disappearance.

As the story sufficed for his school officials and classmates, it did not please the hunger of Frieda Goren. No, she was far too clever for a story so convenient. It was a convenience she hungrily chewed up and spat out at him. She demanded a proper explanation over and over until Virgil broke. It took a whole three days of him being back before Frieda knew the secret of 'Static'. His face turned red in the memory of how quickly she made him squeal. It was a memory that she took a subtle pride in. He was no match for her badgering.

Virgil groaned. “Yeah, you could say that.” He tried to match steps with her and they continued down the sidewalk. The busy street bustled around them. Today he struggled to keep up with her pep. “Mostly just petty criminals. But they do cut into my beauty sleep.”

Frieda smiled. She pushed her white knit beanie up her forehead. It kept sliding down her long red hair and bangs. “Did you ever figure out that whole fiasco with those Reach drinks? You were helping out with that case recently weren’t you?”

Virgil sighed once more. He rubbed his face in his hands in frustration. “Yeah, but it just ended up being all for nothing. LexCor does have the recipe. Made it into a health drink. LexAid...or something like that. It still has the dopamine polymerase and an adrenaline inhibitor in it. But we can’t bust ‘um for that.” He shrugged. “It’s not like they’re illegal.”

Frieda perked her eyebrows. “Well, what about the mitochondrial marker? The one they could potentially use to find metahumans?”

Virgil squinted at her. “Man you’re all up in my business today. This is all top secret info you know? You can’t tell anyone.” He shook his head. “God I can’t believe you bullied all this out of me.”

She smiled in triumph. Virgil’s oath of secrecy to The Justice League stood no match to her perseverance and nosiness. “I have to know everything, remember?” She said as she tapped her forehead. “It’s a blessing and a curse.”

“More like an annoyance.” Virgil teased. He continued. “Yeah the drinks still have the marker. But there’s a lot of political bull behind it.” He grunted, struggling for words. “Black Canary explained it to us. I...I didn’t really understand it all. But what it came down to was that they could claim it’s part of their recipe. We don’t actually have any physical proof that they are, in fact, tracking metahumans right now. We just know they have the potential to. Plus, we don’t want to go public with it and have that kind of tracking get into the wrong hands.”

“The wrong hands?” Frieda asked. “Even worse than Lex Luthor’s?”

He shrugged. “Even worse than Lex Luthor’s.”

Virgil looked around, realizing they were in a residential part of the city. The high steel fences and brick houses marked it as one of the few wealthier neighborhoods. Well, as wealthy as upper-middle-class could get. He darted his eyes around him as they walked. Frieda wasn't leading them in the right direction.

“Wait. I thought you said we were going to the mall?” he asked.

“Yeeeah.” She responded. Holding onto the syllable as if it weren't quite true. “We are. But I kinda promised Francis that I’d stop by his party for a little bit.”

“Francis?” Virgil spat. “Francis Stone? You’ve got to be kidding me. Since when do you hang out with that tool?”

She shot him a disgusted look. “Hey, he’s not that bad.”

Virgil raised an eyebrow at her. His lips pursed into a thin line.

She nodded her head left and right, giving her eyes a quick roll. “Alright, he is that bad.” She agreed. “But I found out from our guidance counselor that his uncle is on the admissions board for Princeton. So….you know,” She said with a slight pout as she shrugged her shoulders. “We’re friends now.”

Virgil squinted at her. His cheeks bunched with a tight smile. “Frieda you little snake.”

She gasped at him as she slapped his shoulder. “Hey! Snake is such a nasty term.” She interlocked her arm with his. She puckered her lips as she thought of what to say. “Mmmm, I’m just..utilizing my resources.”

Virgil just smiled and shook his head.

“And...you know,” she added with a small voice. “I just, have to go to prom with him.”

“Wait, prom?” He said wide-eyed and snapped his head in her direction. She gave him a big fake smile. He continued, “He’s making you go to prom with him?”

“I mean, kinda. And on like..dates and stuff.”

“‘Dates and stuff’?” He said, curling his upper lip. “What does that even mean?”

“Look, it’s not that big a deal.” She assured. “He’ll talk me up to his uncle and I just have to hang out with him and occasionally stroke his ego.”

Virgil gave her a stern scowl.

She rolled her eyes at him. “I've already told him clear boundaries of what I’m not okay with.” She added. He grumbled under his breath and looked away from her.

“I’ll be fine.” She assured again. “I promise.”

“Alright,” he responded begrudgingly. “Just-just don’t let it get out of hand. Don’t let him make you...stroke anything you don’t want to. If you know what I mean.”

“With FRANCIS?” Her eyes went wide. She curled her lip and let out a false wretch from her throat to show her disgust. Virgil boomed in laughter and she joined him. After a moment of catching her breath, she was finally able to add, “Not in this lifetime.”

“Well just remember,” Virgil held out his hand, making a few sparks flash in his palms. “I will have to kick his butt if he hurts you.”

“Ooooooo” Frieda waved her hands in front of her mockingly as she bobbed her head. “Look at you, being all manly and territorial.” She led him up the steps to the front door of one of the houses. He heard muffled booming of music and people inside. She twisted the doorknob. “Come on Super Nerd. I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.”

As they walked through the door, the smell of beer crashed into them. It almost made Virgil take a step backward. He scrunched his nose as he took off his coat and added it to the pile on the floor. Frieda did the same.

“Girl you are far too fine to be seen with the likes of him.” A deep voice said.

They both turned to see their classmate, Leonard Smalls, approach them. ‘Smalls’ being a name Virgil found ironic, considering Leonard did have a good 100 pounds of muscle over him. His dark dreadlocks rested on his shoulders. A goatee framed his malicious smile. He clasped a beer can in his hand.

“Oh, h-hey Leonard.” Frieda began. There was always something about him that made her nervous. Perhaps it was his large frame and the way he towered a foot over her. “How are you?”

“Just fine.” He answered. He raised an eyebrow at her. “But I know someone who’s going to be much better now that you’re here.” He smiled and nodded his head to the left. “Francis is in the kitchen.”

“Oh.” Frieda replied. “Thank you.” She started to walk past him. Just as Virgil was about to follow, Leonard’s large hand pressed on the center of his chest, stopping him. Frieda tossed Virgil a nervous look, but he waved her off.

“Just to be clear,” Leonard declared. He leaned in towards Virgil. He reeked of alcohol and body odor. “The only way in hell that you’re even here, is because of her.” He nodded in Frieda’s direction. “Being a private party means that no one not here needs to know ‘bout it. Especially the principal or coach.” He gave Virgil a stern glare. “Got it?”

Virgil tried his best to bite back a snarl. Athletes like Leonard and Francis weren't supposed to engage in illegal recreational activities. However, being that high up on the high school food chain meant they could get away with much more than students with less athletic prowess. Lord forbid the principal find out they were drinking at have to sit out one whole game. Virgil decided that this was an argument that he was just going to have to let go for now.

“Absolutely.” He chimed, almost too enthusiastically. “Lips are sealed.”

Leonard removed the hand from his chest and put on a triumphant smile. “Perfect.”

Virgil walked away. He rolled his eyes, muffling under his breath, “S’not like they’d do anything about it anyway.”

When he arrived in the kitchen, he saw Francis chattering away with Frieda. His hand was already on her waist. His face too close for normal conversing. Virgil’s lip curled up. He wanted so much to pry that slimy hand off of her. His spiked red hair matched the red soul patch below his bottom lip. As terrible as the thought was, Francis just had the type of face that made Virgil want to kick him in the mouth.

A relieved look swept across Frieda’s face once she saw him. Virgil could only assume that her conversation with Francis was just stimulating.

“Oh heyyyy. I wondered where you went!” Frieda cried as she called him Virgil. She turned back to Francis. “I hope you don’t mind me inviting him. We’re going shopping together later, we’re just stopping by on our way.”

Francis crinkled his nose as he glared at him. “Yeah, I guess that’s cool.” He gave Frieda a mischievous smile and he tapped a finger on the tip of her nose. “You’ll just have to owe me.” He brought his beer up to his lips.

Frieda let out a distressed chuckle as she tried her best to smile. Virgil clenched his fist as he beamed at him. 

One of Francis’s teammates poked his head into the kitchen doorway. “Yo, Francis. Some of us wanna smoke. You got anything?”

Francis tore the beer from his mouth and placed it on the table. He almost choked with excitement. “Fuck yeah I do,” He responded with gusto. He wiped his hand across his mouth. “Just gimmie a sec. I’ll be right here.” He waved the boy off.

“Wanna join?” He asked Frieda. He wiggled his eyebrows. “I promise not to tell.”

She gave him a pat on his chest. “It’s alright, you go ahead. I’ll just...fix a drink.” She motioned to the bottles of liquor and mixers on the counter.

He chuckled and grinned. “Alright, Miss Princeton.” He grabbed her chin and placed a firm kiss on her lips. Virgil looked away and pursed his lips in annoyance. “Don’t take too long.” He added before releasing her face. Of course, he couldn't leave without shooting Virgil a dirty look. A look that Virgil was happy to return.

“You’re not really drinking, are you?” Virgil asked once he was out of earshot.

Her eyes went wide as a hum emerged from her throat. “I might need to to be able to put up with him today.”

Virgil laughed. “You’d need a whole bottle for that.”

Frieda smiled as she poured herself a tiny amount of vodka in a plastic cup, filling it to the top with orange juice. “Sure you don’t want anything?” She asked.

“I’m good.” He assured as they made their way back into the living room.

As Frieda found a group of female friends to chat with, Virgil was drawn to the center of the room. Around the coffee table sat Francis, Leonard, and several of their classmates. As the rest found seats on the couch and floor, Francis took his place on his recliner throne at the end of the table. An ecstatic look emerged on his face.

“You score some of that Blue Dream again?” Leonard asked him.

“Naw dude, I got somethin’ better than pot.” Francis responded as he opened one of the drawers of the coffee table. He pulled out a tin container and placed it on the table. He removed the lid to reveal several glass pipes, lighters, a grinder, and a few bags of something that Virgil couldn’t quite see. Francis picked up one of the bags between his pointer and middle finger. Written in permanent marker on the bag were the letters ‘NF’. In it contained a bundle of what reminded Virgil of weed nuggets. But they appeared synthetic and were white instead of green. The rough edges contained a blue tint. Francis raised his eyebrows and licked his lips in excitement. “This my friends, it the future.”

“I-I’m not sure about doin’ any hard stuff dude.” One of the boys replied with a shaky voice.

“Will ya shut up for a minute and let me finish?” Francis snapped at him. He rolled his eyes and continued. “It’s not like that. Anyways, so I picked this up when I went to visit my uncle in New Jersey last week. Apparently this shit is so new you can only get it on the east coast.”

He took one of the nuggets out of the bag. He placed it between his pointer finger and thumb. “I shit you not it is the best high I ever had. Like the all chillness of pot, energy of coke, with full-body roll of molly, dude. I don't know how. But god damn does it work.”

He placed the nugget in the bowl of one of the glass pipes. “It’s called ‘Spark’.” He leaned in towards the group, excitement radiating off of him. “You can smoke it, or grind it up and snort it, sprinkle it in your drink, whatever. And check this, it’s odorless and ya only need like two hours for it to not show up on a drug test.” He pushed the bag he had just held towards the center of the table. “You can get it flavorless.” He then pulled out two more bags of Spark from the tin and threw them on the center of the table. One labeled ‘SM’ the other labeled ‘P’. He saw the curiosity growing in his friends' eyes. A wide grin grew on his face. “Or, strawberry mango or peach.”

Virgil twitched. He tilted his head and squinted his eyes, trying to remember where he had heard that saying before.

Francis continued, “But that’s not even the coolest part. Now, you only get this with the real high-quality stuff. Check it out.” He placed the glass pipe to his lips and lit the nugget with his lighter. It began to glow light blue as he inhaled. The smoke whirled up the pipe and into his mouth. He took the pipe from his mouth and held his breath for a moment. His slow exhale caught the attention of the entire room.

Virgil’s mouth fell agape as an enchanting blue light danced in Francis’s mouth as he exhaled. As soon as his breath was gone, the light dissipated.

Francis smirked, “Fuckin' sweet right?”

Excited murmurs filled the room as the crowd around him became interested in his new product. Francis pulled out the rest of his pipes and supplies out of his tin. “Help yourself,” He offered. “If you guys like it, I met a supplier who said he’ll help me sell it if I want.”

It wasn't long before intermittent flashes of blue emerged around the room. Virgil grew uncomfortable. Parties like these were not something he particularly enjoyed. Now that he worked for The Team he tried his best to stray away from being around anything illegal. He fidgeted where he stood, pulling out his phone to scroll through his social media to kill time. Once a seat on the couch opened, he placed himself upon it and continued to scroll.

A while later, Freida scanned around the room. She noticed how rowdy her classmates had become. Everyone started to wobble like newborn deer. Their laughter was far too loud. Those who weren't drinking or playing beer pong seemed glued mouth-to-mouth with someone else. She took a peek at her cell phone for the time. They had been there for nearly two hours. It was then that Frieda felt a hand snake around her waist. She shuddered at the sudden contact, jumping at the almost unbearable body heat radiating off of Francis. He tried to lean into her, stumbling over his own feet. She nearly lost her footing. It was more than apparent that he was intoxicated. Frieda grimaced as he nuzzled into her neck. She pulled her head away and turned to look at him. His faced sported bright red cheeks and dilated pupils.

“You feeling okay?” She asked him. He looked feverish.

And idiotic smile formed on his lips. “‘Um fine baby.” He slid his hand from her waist and clasped her hand. He tugged. “Got sssomthin’ in my room for ya. Uncle wanted me ta give it to ya.” He began to lead her away from the party.

“Oh. Uh..okay.” Frieda mumbled. She followed him through the crowd and up the stairs. “What did he give you? Was it the paperwork on Princeton admissions?”

“Uhh...yeah.” he smirked. “Sure.”

He lead her through his bedroom doorway. She coughed. His room reeked of body spray. She tried her best to step around the dirty clothes on the floor.

Frieda cleared her throat, “So, where is it?”

Francis closed his bedroom door. A sick feeling rose in her belly as she heard the ‘click’ of his lock. A tingle of panic crawled through her skin. 

Her breath hitched. “I..I-I want to go back to the party, Francis.”

“Aww c'mon baby.” He licked his lips, closing the distance between them. His walk carried a strut. His face was inches from her’s. “Don’t be like that.”

She tried to move around him but he stepped in front of her. A chuckle rumbled in his throat. Her muscles trembled but her words remained strong. “Let me leave Francis. Now.”

With a lick of his canine, he was ready for his advance. His eyes moved to her lips. He grasped at her waist. “Not ‘til we’re done.” He kissed her hard and sloppy, their teeth clashed.

She pulled her head away and pushed on his chest. “No. Francis.” She stated. He grasped her even tighter as he kissed her again. She growled as she shoved him away. “I said NO!”

Downstairs, Virgil was taken out of the daze of his phone screen as a male partygoer plopped on the cushion next to him. Virgil found himself squished against the armrest as a female classmate straddled the other boy. The sticky sounds of their tongued kisses made him look away in awkwardness. He grimaced. He tried not to see them in his peripheral vision. He found the effort obsolete however as they were pressed up against him on the now crowded couch.

But what made him even more uncomfortable was that everyone in the room appeared to be lip-locked with someone else. If it wasn't for the blaring music, Virgil was sure that the collective noise would have been disgusting. He tried to avert his eyes as he saw several hands snake up their partner’s shirts. Their inebriated haze cultured sloppy dry humping.

Virgil groaned in annoyance. He was just about to attend to his phone again, when the girl next to him slipped her hand down the other boy’s waistband…

“WOW. Yep. Okay. Time to go.” Virgil boomed as he jumped off the couch. He scanned the living room and kitchen for Frieda. She was nowhere to be found. He called out for her as he climbed up the stairs. As he reached the top, his ear perked as he thought he heard a voice say ‘No. I said no.’

His stomach chilled. It sounded like Frieda.

Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Francis stumbled backward after Frieda’s shove. With eyes half-lidded, a sheepish smirk played across his lips. “-Like a girl who plays rough.” He said.

She twinged at his words. Her nose wrinkled in disgust. “Fuck you.” She beamed. “I’m leaving.” She attempted to stride past him.

Francis’s brows furrowed in irritation. He clenched his teeth. “The fuck you are,” He growled. He snatched one of her wrists and yanked her back to him. Her arm twisted with the movement.

She let out a small cry. “Let go!” She demanded. “You’re hurting me!”

“I’m setting you up for Princeton.” His face became dark as his grip tightened. “You owe me.”

“I don’t owe you anything," She barked. "I told you from the beginning Francis I wouldn’t sleep with you! Now let go.” She tried to wriggle out of his grasp but he held firm. “Let go!” She demanded one more time. He grasped tighter.

Her eyes went wide. She gasped at the realization that he was not going to release her. She cried out, “H-Help! Help me! Someone! -AH.” She cried in pain as he twisted her wrist, bringing her closer to him. He used his other hand to place a firm grasp on her throat. She began to tremble.

“No one can hear you,” he cooed as a vile smile formed on his face. “So you might as well use that mouth for something else.”

Bile rose in her throat. The heat of panic slithered up her spine. She rose her fist in the air. “Back. OFF!” She shouted, slamming her fist down on his nose.

He released her with a yell. Fumbling backward, he clutched his face. He wiped under his nostrils, hand smeared with blood. He bared his teeth. His brow furrowed in fury. “Fuckin’ bitch!”

From down the hall, Virgil was certain that that cry was from her. He desperately searched every room. He found one that wouldn’t open. He pulled on the knob and pounded on the door.

“Frieda!? Are you okay in there!?”

In the bedroom, Francis sped towards her. She tried to run. She heard Virgil’s voice.

She yelled. “Virgil! Hel-”. She yelped as Francis clasped a firm grip at the base of her hair, and yanked her back, just before she reached the doorknob. She cried out as lead her across the room.“No. No. No! No! Let me go! Let me go!” Her voice cracked as her stern demands turned into pleading cries. He climbed on top of her as he threw her onto his bed. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She flailed her arms as he tried to pin them down. “Get off me! Get off me! Get of-ack.” Her words were cut short as he pressed his forearm against her throat. She gasped.

Francis brought his face inches from hers. Malice soaked his voice. His pupils so dilated he bore no irises. “Now you’re gonna lay here like a good girl and pay me what you owe.” With his free hand, he began to yank her leggings down to her knees.

“No, no, no, no.” She tried to wiggle free, tears falling down her cheeks, but he only pressed down on her throat harder. “Stop.” She gasped. “Stop. Get off me,” She tried her best to wheeze out her words through her closing trachea and tears. She could barely breathe. “Get off me. Get off.” She closed her eyes. A sob escaped her lips as she felt his hand grab at her panties.

A crash boomed through the room as an electric blast tore the door off the hinges. Virgil charged into the room. His breath escaped him as he saw Francis on top of Frieda. A primal fury rose from deep inside his bones. He roared as he tore across the room. He jerked Francis off of her, throwing him without care. Francis slammed into a full-length mirror on the wall. It shattered around him as he crashed onto the floor. A fire erupted in Virgil’s veins. He charged at Francis once more. He pulled him up by his collar, slamming his fist against his face. In his cloud of rage, Virgil had no inclination as to how many times he punched him.

“Virgil STOP! You’ll kill him!” Frieda cried out behind him. Virgil snapped out of his haze. He loosened his grip and tried to look at her. Francis used the opportunity to shove Virgil off of him, sending him across the room. Frieda ran to help him up.

As Francis pulled himself up on his feet, steam rose off of his skin and dissipated into the cold air of his bedroom. His eyes glowed white. He growled as he grabbed a large shard of glass. As he stood he pointed it at them.

“You’re going to regret that,” he growled behind his clenched teeth.

Virgil gasped as a flame curled around Francis’s arm from elbow to fingertips. It poured from the pores of his skin. Francis's eyes went wide. He dropped the shard of glass. He opened his mouth to yell, to scream at the searing pain that he should have felt.

But there was nothing. His skin didn’t bubble as it should have. His body was hot, yes, but it felt comfortable, familiar, and powerful. He held his palm up to his face, examining his hand. He cooed at the realization the flames were coming from him. He created them. Though it may have been the drugs talking, something about the fire made it feel alive. It danced and morphed with his every thought.

Through his fingers, he saw Virgil and Frieda. They pulled themselves up from the floor. Mouths agape and wide-eyed, they froze as the light from his flames danced upon their faces.

“Go,” Virgil choked on his words. It barely came out as a hoarse whisper. He gathered more volume. “Get out of here! Now!” he commanded at Frieda as he shoved her towards the doorway. She stumbled out in terror. With a vicious grin, Francis sent a blast of fire towards Virgil. He quickly used his lightning to shield himself. As Francis’s fire dissipated, his shield fell. The clash of bright lights sent Virgil’s vision white. He regained it long enough to see Francis speeding towards him. The instant taste of copper graced his tongue as Francis clocked him in the jaw. Just as Virgil climbed to his feet he felt firm hands on his throat as Francis choked him. He tried his best to fight him off. Sparks danced beneath his skin as he used his lightning to blast Francis off of him. But in his panic, he underestimated his force. Francis’s body shattered his bedroom window as he flew through it and onto the street below. He landed next to a parked car.

“Oh shit,” Virgil chimed as he raced to the window. Shards of glass crumbled under the feet of his classmates as they raced out the front door. He could see Frieda ushering them away from the house. Their screams filled the air as they saw Francis’s body ablaze. Virgil pulled his mask out of his pocket and placed in on his face. He jumped from the window, sending his bolt of lightning below him to ease his fall. He race towards Francis’s side. His fire was dissipating, but he was still breathing. Virgil let out a sigh of relief.

“What the hell did you do?!”

Virgil turned to see Leonard standing on the porch. Veins throbbed in his neck, his muscles trembled with fury. His eyes; all black and white. Just like Francis's.

“What. Did you. Do. To him?” He growled through his teeth.

Virgil held up his hands and waved them in front of him. “Woah woah! Hey, it’s not what it looks like.”

Leonard charged at him. Virgil scrambled out of the way. The air rattled out of his lungs as Leonard’s fist collided with the parked car. It didn't make just a small dent, like the average punch. No, Leonard caused nearly half the car to collapse around him. He withdrew his hand, it was unscathed.

Virgil shuddered. Leonard had powers now too? Since when?

Leonard ran towards him once more, again Virgil scrambled out of the way. Leonard’s fist slammed the spot on the ground where Virgil just was. The asphalt shattered around his hand.

Scanning the area around him, Virgil spotted a fire hydrant, he ran towards it. He used his powers to blast one of the caps off of the hydrant. Water surged through the opening. He used his foot to change the course of the water towards Leonard. He walked in Virgil’s direction, unmoved by the stream of water. Virgil shot his lightning through the stream. Leonard screamed as it hit him. He shook and collapsed onto the ground.

Police sirens wailed at several cop cars arrived. They raised their firearms at Leonard and Francis in precaution. Virgil watched as two other officers placed Inhibitor Collars around their necks. They slowly began to come to. The officers dragged them to their feet.

“Hands in the air!”

Virgil found himself staring down the barrel of a gun asone of the police officers raised her’s at him. He took a step backward and felt his stomach sink in fear. But before he could say anything in his defense, Frieda jumped in front of him. She held her hands in front of her in a pleading manner.

“Officer! Officer!" She cried. "It’s alright. It’s alright. He’s a good guy. I saw the whole thing.” Out of the corner of her eye, she peered at Virgil. “Static has other superhero stuff to do. I can tell you what happened.” Virgil gave her a nod. He made a mental note that he owed her one. He used his power to reach for the nearest trash can lid and hopped upon it. He quickly sped away from the scene.

His heart still raced from battle. Despite the cold, sweat dripped from his brow. Leonard and Francis never showed signs of powers before. So why now? How? They have always been bullies, but they had never been that violent. He raced towards the nearest Zeta Tube.

He needed to talk to The Justice League.

The Watchtower
November 12th
20:00 EST

The still quiet of space pressed heavily against Bart’s chest. He rubbed his arm, trying to fight off the chilling sadness as he gazed around The Grotto. He hated those empty eyes of the holograms of his fallen comrades. They captured their bodies. But they could never display nor commemorate the complexities of their souls. It was only in these moments that he found himself very still. He felt small in his red and yellow as he stood in front of Wally’s image.

Wally.

He still felt gross wearing Wally’s old colors. Despite Artemis’s reassurances, he couldn't shake the words ‘fake’ and ‘unworthy’ from his mind.

He wrapped his arms around himself. Bart looked up at Wally’s hologram with only a tiny movement of his head, as if he didn't deserve to look at him. For once the pangs of his stomach weren't from hunger, they were from guilt.

He was from the future. He should have known. He should have paid more attention to the lessons and stories from superheroes past. He should have known that Wally would not have been able to keep up.

The memory of Artemis’s face when he died, seeing everything within her break as she collapsed to the ground, flashed in his mind. Whenever he thought of Wally, that’s all it ever came back too.

He should have known.
…..

He should have known.
…..

It was all his fault.

“You shouldn't do that to yourself.”

Bart could have sworn his heart leaped into his throat. As though he appeared from thin air, Tim stood right beside him. Bart was amazed and terrified that every Batkid seemed to possess this skill. It was one he wished they’d use a little less.

“Jesus, Tim!” Bart managed to choke out as he clutched a hand on his chest.

But Tim did not respond nor apologize. He only peered up at Wally through his black sunglasses.

Bart cleared his throat, “What uh, what do you mean? Do what?”

“Compare yourself to him,” Tim answered, his eyes unmoving from the hologram.

“W-what?” Bart lost his mental bearings. It spooked him just how well Tim always knew what was going through his mind. He gathered himself, quickly putting on the false persona that he showed everyone. “Psh, whatever dude you’re totally off. My super future brain can run on like attoseconds.” He waved his hand in front of him. “There’s no way you can ever know what I’m thinkin.”

Tim looked over at him and gave a small shrug. “Hey, I’m a detective, body language is my second language.”

Bart chuckled and gave him a friendly punch on the shoulder. He wiggled his eyebrows. “Ha. I bet Cassie can attest to that.”

Tim gave him a playful shove as he smiled, “Shut up dude.”

Silence fell between them for what seemed like an eternity. Sadness overtook Bart as he once again fell to his thoughts.

“It’s not your fault.” Tim stated.

“What?” Bart was once again jerked from his inner musings.

“What happened to Wally,” Tim’s voice remained firm, “That wasn't your fault.”

Bart’s mouth twisted into a grimace. He looked away from him. Guilt and embarrassment flushed his face red.

Tim tried once again to break through the silence. “I know you think-”

“It’s just not something I want to talk about right now.” Bart snapped. His brow furrowed and his fists clenched.

Tim raised an eyebrow. Bart’s stern glare gave him a clear indication that it was not a matter to press any further. “Okay.” he responded. He made his way towards Jason’s, the second Robin's, hologram. He clasped his arms behind his back as he stared up at the towering figure.

“So like..uh,” Bart began. He rubbed his hand behind his head. “Don’t be mad it if I ask this….but I’m like really really curious and everyone acts all weird when I ask.”

Tim turned his head towards him. His eyes went wide. “Uhhh you’re not asking me to give you The Birds and The Bees talk, are you?”

“Oh shut up,” Bart smiled and shoved him. “I know what sex is. Ass.”

They laughed.

“No but,” Bart continued, “And I mean no disrespect when I say this, but who is this guy?”

Tim’s brow furrowed in confusion. He pointed his thumb up at the hologram, “Jason?”

“Yeah...like,” Bart began. “I know he was on the team and he obviously died, but what happened to him? Whenever I ask someone on the team, they either didn't know him, or they don’t want to talk about it.”

Tim let out a small hum. His eyes lowered to the ground for a moment. He rubbed his hands. “That’s uh,” he fumbled for his words. “It’s kind of a...it’s a really gruesome story.” He peered at Bart through the top of his sunglasses. “It’s not a story I really want to tell.”

Though he wanted this little mystery to cleared, Bart understood Tim’s wishes all too well. His mind also contained many memories of his past he never wished to tell. He shrugged. “All crash dude. I get it.”

Tim cleared his throat, “Hey well, I’m here because I think Batman finished the analysis on the alien device you picked up. Wanna hear the verdict?”

“Sure.” Bart responded. They walked towards the main meeting room. Familiar voices began to echo down the halls.

“See you’re working on that alien tech Kid Flash and I acquired.” Flash asked Batman. “Figure out what it is yet?”

“I believe so.” Batman answered. He typed away on one of the floating keyboards. “I’m waiting on Black Canary to arrive. Seemed fair to share my finding with the head of The League first.”

“Makes sense,” Flash added.

“I heard the news. Congratulations.”

It took Barry a moment to register what Batman was referring to. Sometimes the monotony of Batman’s voice made the context of his words hard to decipher.

“Oh. Uh, yeah," Barry began. "Thank you. Iris and I went with Dawn and Don.” He chuckled. “Well, more like she protested and I begged.”

“Dawn and Don.” Batman’s eyes never strayed from his computer screen. “Clever.”

Barry walked towards one of the windows. He stared out into space as he rubbed the back of his head. “It’s weird you know? How much a family changes everything. How you think you have your life figured out.” He smiled as he crossed his arms. “Then they completely rewrite everything you've ever wanted.”

“No one would blame you you know.” Batman replied.

Barry turned towards him, tilting his head. “For what?”

“No reason to play dumb Barry.” Batman chided. “You’re a smart man.”

Barry sighed. “You’re talking about retirement.”

“Correct.”

“I've thought about it.” Barry’s mouth twisted in thought. He huffed in frustration. “It was different when it was just me and Iris. But..if something happens to me now. I'd have so much I’d leave behind.” He turned towards the window once more. “I can’t imagine doing that to them.”

“But?”

“But, I couldn't leave you guys without a speedster.”

“We would have Bart.”

Barry groaned. “That’s the problem.”

Bart perked up at the sound of his name. In some form of morbid curiosity, he hid behind the doorway to eavesdrop on their conversation. Tim followed.

Barry continued, “Bart.” He inhaled and exhaled audibly. “Bart is nowhere near ready enough to go out on his own.”

Bart’s face tensed. He brought his gaze to the ground.

“Don’t get me wrong, I love the kid but...” Barry held out his hands in front of him. “He almost got himself killed out there last time Bats. He’s just..doesn't think. He doesn't think of the consequences of his actions."

Tim watched Bart clenched his fist and turn his head towards the wall. Was it to stifle his anger? Or perhaps to hide tears?

“Bart’s not mature enough to be out on his own,” Barry stated. He stared out into the deep blackness of space once more. “I can’t leave.”

Recognized, Black Canary, 13

The robotic voice range through the meeting area. Black Canary glided towards them.

“So,” She asked. “What’s the results?”

Tim and Bart came out of hiding to join them. Barry jumped; unaware that they were so close. He prayed that Bart didn't hear him.

“Analysis from the alien technology Flash recovered turned out to be a sort of seismic disruptor.” Batman brought up a schematic of the alien cylinder on his computer screen. “It has the power to not only vibrate the ground below it, but to also disintegrate some of it at the atomic level. In Layman’s terms, it has the power to cause earthquakes at any time, anywhere.”

“But there weren't any earthquakes,” Bart recalled. “They blew up their machines almost right after they planted it.”

“I was suspicious of that too.” Batman added. “The device also contains a satellite transmitter. It turns out it transmitted data up into space to an unknown recipient before blowing up. I would assume this was just a trial to see if their devices could work on our soil.”

Tim raised an eyebrow. “Sooo, aliens are invading...to make earthquakes?”

Black Canary hummed in thought. “I have a feeling there is something more behind it.” She looked closer at the schematic on the screen. “This technology is Apokoliptian in origin.”

Bart’s eyes widened, “That’s not good.”

“Nice work Batman,” Black Canary continued. “We will have to investigate this further, be on our toes for more invaders.”

Recognized, Static, B26

The robotic voice rang once more as Virgil appeared on the Zeta platform. He ran towards them.

“Hey! I’m glad you guys are here something hap-” He halted abruptly when he noticed the images on the computer. “Oh. Uh. I’m sorry. I didn't interrupt anything did I?”

“No, we’re just finishing up.” Black Canary smiled. “What is it?”

Virgil went on to recount all the events from earlier.

“And you said the Dakota City Police had inhibitor collars as well?” Batman asked him.

“Yeah,” Virgil answered. “I found it really weird.”

“It was the same in Gotham City too.” Tim added, pointing out a growing pattern.

Batman placed a hand on Virgil’s shoulder. “Thank you, Virgil. You did a good job.” He turn his attention towards the screen again. “And I will expect a full witness report by 07:00 hours.”

Virgil grunted. “Aw but I had plans,” he tried to whine, but Batman peered over at him. His glare spooked Virgil into obedience, “Um, yes sir.” He was still getting used to the formalities of the superhero world. Surprisingly, it contained much more paperwork than anticipated.

“Oh, and Bats?” Virgil added. “So have you ever heard of that new Spark stuff? Because I think…” He rattled his brain for the right thing to say. It was only a theory. But he didn’t want to sound like an idiot. He decided to continue with it anyways. “I mean I know it might seem weird but...I think, I think it might have has something to do with their powers.”

Again, Batman’s eyes never strayed from his screen. “It’s a possibility. We’ll look into it.”

Chapter Text

El Paso - Tigua Indian Reservation

November 17th, 2016

18:00 MDT

A chilling wind swept across the reservation. Nightfall would be there soon and with it crept in the cool air. Jaime, in his Blue Beetle armor, landed with soft steps on the ground below. A group of small children stopped to gawk at his armor. Their brown skin and black braids were sullied and disheveled from playing in the dirt. He caught wind of their hushed whispers to one another as their wide eyes followed him. He smiled, looking over to them as he walked past. A little girl raised her pudgy hand and waved at him. A smile bunched her chubby cheeks to reveal several missing baby teeth. He chuckled and waved back. She reminded him of his little sister.

He walked up the porch of a sandy, Pueblo-inspired home; its cracked windows and walls a reflection of the poverty it resided in. Shouts of children and adults carried on in the distance. Sirens echoed and faded. Jaime raised his fist to knock on the wood door. He groaned as he exhaled.

One of the hardest things about being a superhero was pursuing cases that blurred the line between right and wrong. No one warned him how the scales of justice he vowed to protect, also weighed crimes committed for survival. No one warned him how, sometimes, duty would call to protect the haves over the have-nots.

Three months prior, stores and pharmacies in El Paso noticed their deliveries were missing cargo. Shortages appeared on their incoming semi-trucks and trains. It started with small boxes going missing in the middle of unloading; originally thought of as employee theft. But when the thieves adopted more forceful measures, they realized this wasn't the case. Managers soon found their employees rendered unconscious and larger portions of their shipments missing. Black eyes and bloodied lips soon escalated to broken bones and head trauma. The rising violence incited panic.

El Paso's mayor, Wesley Fermin, requested a meeting with Blue Beetle after spotting him on patrol around the city. He asked for Jaime’s help in stopping the thefts. The business owners were outraged. And Mayor Fermin was running for governor. His inability to prevent the thefts and violence affected his campaign. He needed to end the charade before it cost him his win.

Jaime assumed that the missing products were expensive electronics and narcotics. But when he asked, he found his assumptions wrong. All the reported missing products included produce, canned goods, antibiotics, insulin, and a long list of pills that Jaime couldn’t pronounce. Scarab informed him that their primary use was for cancer treatment.

Witnesses reported seeing several figures clad in black fleeing the scenes. Just two days prior, the thieves were spotted entering the same reservation, and the same house, that Jaime stood in front of. A sinking feeling rose in the pit of his belly. There he was, sent by one of El Paso’s wealthiest politicians, to interrogate some of the poorest people in the city over some missing fruits, vegetables, and life-saving medications. He felt like garbage; rotting, vile, garbage. Though, stealing was stealing. And being a superhero meant serving justice for everyone, sometimes even for greasy politicians in their $3,000 suits.

But were the medications being given out? Or sold? Was it charitable escapades? Or quick profiteering? 

The door rattled as he knocked. A Native American man appeared from behind the door as it creaked open. A long braid of white hair fell down his back. Deep wrinkles around his eyes and mouth lined his face. He was thin with a sunken face. His head bobbled and shook with strain, as though standing were the most tiring task in the world. He stood with a wooden cane in his right hand.

“Oh,” he was startled by Jaime’s appearance in his armor. “Oh my. You are-you are that Blue Beetle hero I’ve seen on the news.”

Jaime cleared his throat. “Uh yeah-yes. Yes I am,” he fumbled. “I’m looking for the Tribal Chief? I was told...I could find him here?” He cursed the uptalk in his voice. His nerves got the better of his words. 

“Yes, that is me,” he assured. “How can I help you?”

Jaime glanced behind him. He noticed several of the townspeople staring. “Uh, could-could we possibly talk inside? There’s kind of something important and private I need to talk to you about.”

“Oh of course,” he replied with a genuine smile. He opened the door to allow Jaime entry. “Please come in. Have a seat. It is not every day that I get a celebrity in my home.”

Jaime chuckled nervously, “Thanks.”

The inside of the house was a collection of mismatched furniture and stained rugs. The room smelled of incense. Chipping paint sat on the yellow walls; covered in certain places by framed military photos from decades past. Jaime took a seat on the ripped sofa. Across from him sat an old television. Fading family photos and a standing velvet case of military medals sat around the TV on the entertainment center.

The Chief wobbled behind Jaime. His cane shook with each step. Before he sat down on the recliner, he let out a small groan. He clenched his teeth and hissed.

“Are you alright sir?” Jaime asked. He leaned forward, ready to stand and help.

“Oh no-no. I'm fine,” He assured. “These old bones just aren't what they used to be.” He placed both his hands on the top of his cane. A small smile formed on his lips. “And you can call me Marvin.”

“Oh. Okay,” Jaime began. He cleared his throat in nervousness. “Um Marvin, I guess I'll get right to it. Have you noticed an influx of goods coming into the reservations? Stuff like food and medicine?”

He tilted his head in thought, “We do get donations from time to time. Mostly from churches or kind individuals.”

“Well, these individuals, did any of them ever seem questionable to you? Do you know where they get the donated goods from?”

The Chief twitched at his question, “I am not sure I understand.”

Jaime sighed, “Have you heard on the news about the stores and pharmacies in the city being robbed? They’re getting jumped while unloading their shipments.”

Marvin rubbed his top hand over the other. He cleared his throat, “Oh um, yes. I have heard of that.”

“Well, several witnesses have seen some of the same people robbing the stores, come to this house.” Jaime looked towards the floor for a moment and then back up. He paused before continuing. “People are saying that they might be distributing or selling the stolen product here on the reservation.”

“Oh.” Marvin began to cough. He pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and placed it over his mouth. When it ceased he added, “ I-I would not know anything about that.”

He is lying Jaime Reyes , The Scarab's voice rang in his mind. But he did not need his advisement to know The Chief was lying. 

“Are you sure?” Jaime asked as he raised his eyebrow. “You haven’t seen any shady characters around?” He paused, biting his lower lip. “Or people….suddenly with medications they shouldn’t be able to afford?” The sentence left a vile taste in his mouth. 

“No-no I have-” Marvin began to cough again. He brought his handkerchief to his mouth once more. It grew into a harsh fit. “Excuse me,” He wheezed. 

“Grandfather? Are you alright?” A feminine voice rang from outside the room. Her footsteps came closer. “Who was at the door?”

Jaime turned his head around. His brows furrowed in discovering that the voice belonged to Jenny Ravenhair.

She froze upon seeing the Blue Beetle armor. “ Hello,” she said with a cautious and questioning tone as she walked towards him with careful steps.

“Jenny, this is-” Marvin began.

“Blue Beetle.” Jenny interrupted. She held out her hand. “It’s a pleasure.” Jaime stood and shook her hand.

A teenage boy appeared in the living room doorway. Shaggy brown hair framed his long face and high cheekbones. “Jenny? Are they back yet?” he asked. He froze as he saw Blue Beetle. A gasp escaped him.

Behind him emerged a young girl. She was short. Her red hair was tied in a loose ponytail and tossed around the front of her shoulder. Her face was bright and playful. Her eyes went wide at the sight of Jaime's armor.

“Woah,” She awed. “No way!” A smile rose her round cheeks. She ran up to Jaime. “You’re that superhero from the news!” She leaned in on her toes.

Jaime chuckled. “Sure am,” he boasted.

She shook her head in disbelief. “No way, this is so cool! A real-life superhero.” She darted her eyes around his armor. She reached out her pointer finger towards his arm in curiosity. “So is that, like, your skin?”

He chuckled again. “Naw, it’s just armor. I’m just a regular person underneath.” 

Marvin erupted into another coughing fit.

“Adelaide,” The girl flinched as Jenny said her name. “You and Sebastian take my father up to his room. He needs to rest.”

“Aw but…” Adelaide whined.

Sebastian grabbed her by the arm. "You heard ‘er, move your ass.” He yanked her away. She squealed as he shoved her towards the kitchen. “Grab his medicine.” He barked.

Sebastian then helped Marvin to his feet. Adalaide returned, carrying large white pills in a ziplock bag. 

“I am sorry Blue Beetle,” Marvin groaned. His voice was hoarse, “I am not well today. But my granddaughter Jennifer,” he placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled. “She can meet with you. She is on the council and next in line to lead our tribe. She is a wonderful, smart, strong young woman.” He gave him a soft smile. “I am sure she can help you.”

“Thank you,” Jenny she said to her grandfather, softly. “You should get some rest.”

Sebastian and Adelaide led him out of the room.

Jenny snapped her head towards Blue. She looked at him with a cold stare and crossed arms. A furnace of tension fumed off her has her piercing eyes sent a chill through him. He spoke once the silence became unbearable.

“Um, so I was asking him-” he said

“Asking?” Jenny interrupted. “Seems to me like you were berating a sick old man. He only gets like that when someone upsets him.”

“I’m only trying to get some answers,” Jaime explained.

“I’m sure.” Jenny sneered. “What do you want?”

It was hard for Jaime not to mirror her defensiveness. “Have you heard about the string of robberies in the city?” He asked.

“Yes,” She answered. “And I wouldn’t know anything about it. And neither would my grandfather.”

“There’s a few eyewitnesses that said they saw the robbers head to this reservation.” Jaime continued. “I’m just trying to follow a lead.”

Jenny shrugged her shoulders as a scowl pulled on her lip. “Well, I haven’t seen anything.”

Jaime became irritated. Trying, it was, to separate his foul personal feelings for her from his professional ones. They were quickly becoming one and the same. Hate is a strong word and a strong feeling that Jaime rarely experienced. Yet, she inched closer to that category. He hated how she took his best friend away from him. He hated her blatant condescension and dare he say, shitty demeanor.

And now, it was becoming clear that she also may be a criminal. Or aiding one. His hands clenched at the thought that she may have dragged Tye into something he shouldn't be in. Is that why he’s been missing?

“Nothing?” Jaime asked, skeptical.

“Yep .” She chirped back with a twisted lip.

Jaime huffed. He looked her up and down, finding that she didn’t quite fit the room around her. Nothing torn, tarnished, or stained. Finely stitched material made up her blue dress. Shining diamond(?) earrings and perfecting polished gold bangles rested on her ears and wrists. And, of course, the brilliant gold bison-etched medallion hung from her neck. She was a designer bag trapped in a bin of dollar store accessories. 

His nose crinkled. “That’s some nice jewelry you have,” he said with an accusatory tone.

Jenny twinged, narrowing her eyes at him. Her lips twisted, disgusted. “I don’t like what you’re insinuating.” She pointed at her necklace then shook one of her wrists. “This is a family heirloom and these were gifts.” 

Jaime stood silent, still sneering.

“What?” Jenny snarled. “Don’t believe a poor, dirty Indian deserves anything nice?”

Jaime twinged. His eyes widened as her words snapped him back in line. 

What the fuck was he saying? What the fuck hero says things like that?

“N-no!” Jaime stuttered. “That’s not what I meant.” Guilt twirled in his stomach. “I-I’m sorry, that was...that was a shitty thing to say.” His eyes fell to the floor then back up to her. “Can we start over?”

Jenny looked at him for a moment, a pout on her lip. She looked away then looked back at him. She rolled her eyes as she huffed. “Yes,” she said, defeated.

Jaime pulled on a small smile, and nodded, thanking her forgiveness. A small moment of quiet fell between them before he asked, “You said your grandpa’s sick?”

“Yes.” Jenny answered. Her eyes flashed to the military photos and metals on the television stand. Another snarl grew on her lips. “A gift from the government for serving our country.”

Jaime walked up to the TV stand. A small case stood upright. In it, a collection of metals sat safe between the velvet backing and the glass casing. In the middle, proud and prominent, sat a purple heart. 

“Wow,” He breathed. “Are all these metals his?”

“Mostly,” She answered. “My family’s a military family. He served in Vietnam. My grandfather on my mother’s side was a Navajo code talker in World War Two. And my father died in Iraq.”

Jaime looked over to her. Her eyes had fallen to the floor. Her jaw clenched. 

Fuck, he thought. He really, really wanted to hate her. But his damned humanity began to kick in. 

“I’m so sorry.” He said quietly.

Jenny’s eyes narrowed. She looked up at him, eyes glossy with angry tears that she would never grant the courtesy of falling. 

Her nose crinkled. “It’s what he signed up for.” Resentment soaked her words. “To die in a desert. And leave us behind.”

Cautiously, Jaime walked up to her, pieces falling together. “I can’t imagine what you’ve gone through. What you’re going through.” 

Her guard remained high, but she finally looked at Jaime with something other than disgust.

“And I know what life on the res is hard.” Jaime continued. “I know that you guys don’t get what you need, what you deserve. But please, you have to help me. The robberies have to stop. The witnesses have seen the culprits come to this house.” 

He closed the space between them, looking at her with kind eyes as he tilted his head. He placed a light hand on her shoulder. “I just want to stop it before anyone gets arrested, or hurt.”

Jenny’s expression twisted again. She yanked away from his touch, disgust in her face returning.

“Do not pretend that you care about me,” She said with another snarl. Then a petty smile curled on her lips. “Jamie Reyes .”

He flinched at the sound of his name. “You know? ”

She shrugged. The same cocky, conniving attitude he faced before, pulled its way to the surface. “One of the benefits of being pretty. Boys spill their secrets to you without even thinking.” Arrogance pulled at the corner of her lip. “And Tye’s no exception.”

Jaime wrinkled his nose and scowled, hate seething again. 

He was right, she fucking brought Tye into her mess.

He retracted his Blue Beetle armor. “Guess there’s no reason to be so formal then.”

She tilted her head, “I suppose so.”

There was a moment of silence between them. Jaime chewed on the inside of his cheek, irate that Tye told his secret identity to her. He pushed back his anger with a huff. “Look,” Jaime sighed. “I’m not here to bring anybody in. I’m just here to talk.”

“And so you have.” Her lips pressed into a thin line. “My grandfather gave you his answer. He doesn’t know anything.”

Jaime’s eyes narrowed. He took a step closer to her. She stood firm, her eyes like daggers.

“What about you then?” He sneered. For only meeting for a total of ten minutes, she had the unparalleled power to bring out the worst in him. “Would you like to tell me if you know anything-”

Her voice rose as she talked over him, “What I would like.” She took a breath to calm herself, “Is for you to leave my home.”

A bang reverberated around the room as the front door swung open. Jaime jumped. He whipped around behind him. His breath hitched as he saw Tye. A blonde girl and a black-haired young man stood behind them. Stuffed backpacks rested upon their backs. 

Tye’s eyes went wide. His jaw fell agape. He took cautious steps forward, eyes moving to Jenny then back to Jaime. 

“Jaime ?” He asked, astonished. “What are you doing here?”

Jaime ground his teeth, regretting retracting his armor. This investigation was for Blue Beetle, not Jaime Reyes. He didn’t want to expose himself in front of these two new strangers. 

He cleared his throat, thinking of a way to cover for himself. “Some...friends of mine...had some stuff stolen from them recently.” 

Tye raised his eyebrows. He looked over to Jenny. She pursed her lips and grimaced, giving Tye a few small nods. Tye narrowed his eyes, suddenly aware that Jaime knew everything.

Jaime continued, “Someone said they saw the people who took their stuff bring it here.”

“Is that so?” Tye furrowed his brow, “So you came here to harass my girlfriend about it?”

Jaime crossed his arms and shrugged, “No. Just having a conversation is all.” He looked behind Tye, studying the nervous looks on the two strangers’ faces. “Who are they?”

Tye shrugged and held tighter on the straps of his backpack. “Summer and Jivan. They go to our school.”

“Really ?” Jaime raised an eyebrow in doubt. He nodded upwards, “What’s in the backpacks?” His question prompted their snippy banter.

“Homework.”

“Over Thanksgiving break?”

“It appears so.”

“You wouldn’t mind me taking a look then?”

“You have a warrant?”

“Tye!” Jenny snapped at him to shut him up. He looked away in defeat.

Jaime, Scarab began. I can easily use our x-ray vision if you wish to look into their backpacks.

“Don’t bother,” Jaime told it. He groaned, running his hand through his hair. “Look, can we take a walk?” His words softened. “Just me and you?”

Tye paused, thinking before he answered. “I suppose I can do that.”

“I’ll meet you at the old Kord Industries parking lot. In like, 20 minutes?”

“Sure.”

Jaime nodded. He looked at Jenny, teasing the idea of thanking her for her time. But her fiery gaze of ‘get the fuck out’ shot down his idea. He said nothing more as he walked past them and out the door. Heavy stares rested on his back.

Jaime paced in the parking lot, checking his phone for what seemed to be the 50th time. He snapped his head up at the sound of footsteps. They stared at one another in awkward silence as Tye walked up next to him. Both boys found themselves still quiet. Their blank stares gave the indication that neither knew what to say.

Tye nodded his head towards the street, “You wanted to walk. Let’s walk.”

Jaime brought his hoodie up over his head. He placed his hands in the front pocket. He matched steps with Tye’s slow pace. Both stared straight ahead.

“I don’t like her,” Jaime eventually broke the silence, his gaze still forward.

“Good thing you are not the one dating her then,” Tye responded.

“Yeah, you’re right.” Jaime scoffed. “Because I wouldn’t share my secret identity with anyone I’m dating.”

Tye’s eyes went wide as he looked at him. “That-, I…” he shook his head and groaned. ”I’m sorry about that Jaime. It kind of...just came out.”

“Yeah, I get it. Pretty girl.” His voice was calm. He gave Tye a small smile. “Makes you babble.”

Tye smiled back at him. The tension crumbled. “I didn’t mean to snap at you. I know you’re just doing your job.”

“It’s alright,” Jaime said.

Tye chewed on his lower lip for a moment. “Can I ask you a hypothetical question?” He asked. 

Jaime raised an eyebrow at him. 

Tye continued, “Hypothetically, if you did find out who was taking the stolen goods. What would you do?”

Jaime sighed, “I would have to report them. Or take them to the authorities.” His lips drooped into a sad frown. He glanced at the ground, “It’s my job. But, if they just stopped stealing, then I wouldn’t have to keep investigating.”

“But what if it was for people in need? People who were dying and starving?”

“Then I would tell them instead of breaking the law they could ask for help from the government or the community maybe?” Jaime knew his answers were bullshit.

Tye halted still. “Nobody gives a shit about us!” He spat. His face twisted with anger.

“Tye…” Jaime stopped as well. Worry weighed heavy on his face.

“Reservations fall upon the responsibility of the federal government, not local. So you really think that they care what happens to us? Have you ever read a history book?” Tye snarled. “They are purposefully letting us die.”

Jaime shook his head in disbelief. He no longer recognized the irate person in front of him. “Tye what has gotten into you? I’ve never heard you talk like this before.” He narrowed his eyes. “Is this all really coming from you? Or Jenny?”

“Maybe Jenny’s just enlightened me to the way things are.” Tye quieted himself, realizing that he was on the verge of shouting. “The people and businesses of this city let all those products go to waste anyway. They don’t deserve them.”

“Tye you can’t keep doing this. I will stop you if you keep this up.”

Tye’s face unwrinkled. He shrugged his shoulders. “Keep doing what? I thought we were talking hypothetically?”

Jaime grunted and shook his head. “Look, politics aside,” his gaze fell to the ground and then back up at him. “I miss you dude.” 

Tye’s lip twisted with guilt. His stomach sank. 

Jaime continued as he gestured towards Tye. “But this...this ‘new ’ Tye, this...law-breaking, radical Tye,” He placed his hand on his chest, “I can’t support.” 

Tye looked away from him, a sad scowl playing on his lips. 

“I just-” Jaime continued. “I just want my best friend back.”

An ace rose in Tye’s chest. He opened his mouth but the right words couldn’t find their way out. He missed Jaime. But there was something he had to do. Something he had to fix. And he wished that Jaime understood. How could he not?

Tye went quiet for a moment. “You’re not being replaced.” Tye finally answered the question that Jaime hadn’t yet asked. He looked at Jaime with soft eyes. “But Jenny needs my help right now.”

Jaime groaned in irritation. “Why are you so wrapped around her finger?” He asked. “How did you even meet her?”

Tye’s eyes glazed for a moment in memory. “At my grandfather’s funeral.” He answered.

Jaime went quiet.

“Her grandfather and mine served together.” He said. “They came to pay their respects. And I just- we just…” His voice trembled. “She was there, you know? She gets it. She’s lost a lot of people too.”

Jaime sighed defeated, “I know.” He answered quietly.

“I know she’s...abrasive.” They said. “And she can be mean sometimes but...She’s gone through so much. Her mother left her. Her father was killed. And her only living grandparent is dying.”

Tye choked on the last word. He clenched his eyes. Jaime looked at him with a soft expression. 

He was in so much pain. Why couldn’t Jaime have seen it? The person that Tye loved more than anything in the world was gone. He hid himself away from the people that loved him, because he felt they wouldn’t understand him. And how did Jaime react? With resentment.

What a shitty fucking friend.

Jaime reached out to him, crafting and scratching every apology in his head as nothing seemed sufficient. 

“I have to go,” Tye’s voice cracked as he turned away from him. “Jenny will be wondering where I am. And I need to check up on her grandfather.”

Jaime’s words unsaid; a tangle of barbed wire between them.

“H-hey,” Jaime said quietly, desperate for anything to keep him there for a moment longer. 

Tye paused and looked over his shoulder at him. Jaime continued. “If you don’t mind me asking, what’s wrong with her grandfather anyways?”

Tye’s eyes narrow. He turned away from him again before answering, “Lung cancer from the Agent Orange.”

There was never another moment in Jaime’s life where he felt more villainous.

Tye’s steps were heavy as he arrived at Jenny’s home. His head tilted towards the ground as he walked, mind occupied by his and Jaime’s conversation. He trudged through the front door and closed it. He leaned up against the closed door, closing his eyes as he signed. Was this what it felt like to lose a best friend?

Was it all going to be worth it?

What was it again that convinced him it was all going to be worth it?

“Well?” Jenny's voice rang in the air. 

He opened his eyes. Jenny stared at him with crossed arms, waiting for an answer. Jivan, Summer, Sebastian, and Adalae sat about the room.

Tye sighed again, “He pretty much knows.”

“Damnit!” Sebastian shouted as he stood. “I told you we were getting sloppy.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore.” Jenny chided. “One more month, and we’ll be able to make the final move.”

Tye jerked to attention. “Woah, Jenny, I told you already,” He approached her. “I’m not comfortable with that plan. I will not kill for-”

“But, lover,” Jenny said with a bright voice. She placed her hands on his cheeks. A seductive grin pulled on his lips. Her eyes and amulet began to emit a dull blue light, “You know deep down...it’s the only way.”

Tye’s eyes sparked with the same blue light, suddenly released of all his opinions, concerns, and morals. 

She was the only thing he wanted. The only person he had to please. The only voice that mattered.

His eyes narrowed, giving a slow nod in agreement. A snarl flashed on his lips. “They will suffer for what they have done.”

Palo Alto
November 17th, 2016
23:45 UTC

The clank of the metal stairs rang in Artemis’s ears as she stammered up them to her apartment. She groaned at the pain in her side. The latest missions of capturing rouge metateens had put her skills and body to the test. They kept sprouting up more and more. She swooned at the thought of the hot shower that waited for her. She placed her key in the lock.

There was no one to greet her anymore. Not even her pitbull Brucely. He was currently at a friend’s. She found that in Wally’s passing there would be times where she couldn’t even feed or take care of herself, let alone someone else. It wasn’t fair nor healthy for him. He needed love that Artemis couldn’t give right now. Zataana protested, saying that animals were keen on human emotions and important for recovery. But that was a hope that Artemis couldn’t bear to rely on.

The loneliness of the place was chilling. She hated it. The quiet screamed at her. It was a cry that grew louder the longer she was there. Her apartment had lost its laughter and warmth without him there. So to fight it, she busied herself with mission after mission. Making every excuse to not go back. It seemed that the warmth in her life was only found in the company of friends now. But at the end of the day, when they all returned to their civilian lives, she was left alone to the emptiness of that second-story flat. She tried so hard to find that flare of happiness again, but the void only grew wider.

The hot water of the shower splashed all over her. The only thing that screamed louder than the quiet, were her thoughts when she was alone. Poisonous, unhealthy thoughts. She sighed, whether it was in sadness or content, Artemis wasn’t sure.

She heard that time heals all wounds. She laughed at the sentiment now. And although she attended his funeral, she couldn't ignore the scratching thought in the back of her mind that Wally wasn't really gone. They had been apart for an extended period of time before, how was this any different? 

She climbed into bed. She stirred under the covers waiting for the ‘click’ of his key in the door. And the warm touch of his hand wrapping around her waist as he climbed into bed with her. She could hear the haunting tone of his “Hey Beautiful” echo in her mind. She would turn to meet him to find his green eyes. Eyes that held such longing and love, staring right through her. He would kiss her with a passion and need that was only theirs. He would hold and kiss her deeply and desperately in a way that was sacred between them.

She woke a few hours later. In her daze she realized that she was only dreaming, those words and those kisses never came. Artemis glanced around her moonlit bedroom. All of his belongings bore a crushing weight on her mind. Early after his death, those objects brought her comfort, brought her a sense calm, as if he were still there. But now, it seemed that all they did was plague her very soul. Not because of memories, no. But because they reminded her of everything she was forgetting. She began to lose the memory of what those kisses felt like. It took too much effort to recall how his touch sparked against her skin. The sound of his laughter began to fade from her mind. And it terrified her.

She grasped the pillow that used to be his. That flat, useless pillow, covered with a yellow lightning bolt pillowcase. She held it to her face, and breathed, trying to fill her senses with him again. She choked. Artemis found herself unable to breathe as despair crushed her chest. As a sharp inhale finally filled her lungs, she buried her face and sobbed into the dingy pillowcase. For the first time since his death, it no longer smelled like him.

There comes a time in mourning when people fall apart. And, in the vast loneliness of her quiet bedroom is where Artemis fully broke. After four months, there was no more belief in miracles. Her wails shook the stillness of the room. She choked on her sobs, choked on the realization that she was alone. She slammed her fists on the mattress in her anger of not being able to keep herself composed. Up to this point, her small bouts of sadness had never been so severe. Up until now, she could, for a brief moment, mask her despair with the comforts of friends.

But now there was no more make-believe. There was no more pretending. There was no more hope in happy endings. There was only acceptance. The ache in her chest began to suffocate her. She had to face the realization that Wally wasn't coming back. Too much time had passed for her to pretend that he was alive. Too much time had passed for that scratching thought to survive any longer.

It was time to get rid of Wally’s things. It was time for her to heal.

Chapter Text

Bludhaven
December 4th, 2016
23:15 EDT

Howling winter winds pounded against the walls of The Warehouse. Inside, a distressed Bart Allen moaned about the unfair and tortuous properties of 'homework' whilst at the kitchen table. Tim Drake, stifling his laughter at Bart's pain, sat next to him, doing his best to tutor. Garfield Logan growled at all the noise, unable to hear the television. He snatched the remote from the coffee table and turned up the volume; the speakers fighting a losing battle.

“Whyyy?” Bart whined, letting his head and hands fall on his heap of homework. “I hate this." He said, his voice muffled by the papers. He turned his head towards him, a pout on his lips. "I almost miss The Apocalypse where I didn’t have to do this junk.”

Tim chuckled in , gathering a few of Bart’s papers. Being Bart’s tutor proved to be both tiresome and amusing. “Sorry dude, but in this decade, freshman have to take Biology.”

Bart let out a dramatic groan, “But why? Who the heck cares how plants photosynthesize, or whatever. Why do I have to memorize every part of a cell? When am I ever going to use this?”

Tim shook his head, “Come on Bart just one more round of flashcards, and then we’re done. Besides, don’t you memorize things at superspeed anyways?”

“Well yeah,” Bart rolled his eyes. “But just because I can memorize something and-and spit it out onto a test doesn't mean I actually understood it.”

Tim smiled. “That’s funny. That’s what all the older guys say about college too.”

A sudden, chilling wind swept across the room. Bart slapped his hands on his papers to keep them from blowing onto the floor. He looked over to see Jaime coming in the front door. His fur-lined parka curled around his wind burnt face.

“Merida!” He slammed the door and tore off his gloves. He shivered, “Esta f-f-frio af-f-fuera.”

Click and whirls came from down the hall as Sphere rolled up to greet him with her mechanical chirps. Jaime smiled, giving her a few quick pats.

“Heyyy Her-man-o!” Bart greeted.

“What are you doing here?” Tim asked. “It’s Friday night.” He raised an eyebrow and smiled. “No hot date?”

“Cheyeah.” Jaime scoffed, taking off his coat. “For people like us? No way.” He headed for the refrigerator. “Just bored. Thought I’d stop by.”

That was a lie. Jaime had been on patrol in El Paso. Despite being Tye’s childhood friend, he knew that he had to stop him. He thought maybe if he caught Tye in the act, he could somehow scare him straight. He didn’t want to tell anyone on The Team about it, even though he knew he could use their guidance. But Tye would certainly go to jail if he involved anyone else. Luckily, ever since he visited the reservation, all was quiet in El Paso. Maybe he had gotten through to him, for now.

“What about you?” Jaime opened the refrigerator door. He slammed it shut as a wafting scent of burnt fish hit him in the face. Oh, that's right, La'gaan's 'cooking'. He headed towards the pantry instead. “You’re the one with a girlfriend. You make Cassie mad?” He teased.

Tim chuckled. “Trust me, a girl with the strength of an Amazon is the last person I’d want to upset. Nah, she’s out gift shopping with the girls tonight for Raquel’s wedding.”

Jaime’s eyes went wide at the thought of having to go shopping with girls, “Woof. Dodged a bullet with that one.”

“Tell me about it,” Tim agreed.

“Guys!" Garfield hollered as he looked over the back of the couch at them. “Shut up! He’s talking about us.” He turned his attention back to the TV. The other boys filled in around him in the living room.

The boisterous voice of G. Gordon Godfrey grated their ears, “Folks if I’ve asked you once, I’ve asked you a thousand times. Should we trust these so-called ‘Leaguers' these ‘Superpowered Saviors’?”

A collective groan filled the living room.

He continued, "And most important of all (and the main topic of today’s show) when will the government force them to take responsibility for their actions? The collateral damage they cause?” Godfrey crossed his legs in his chair. His eyes narrowed and he peered into the camera. “The civilian lives that get caught in the crossfire?"

The boys gave their full attention given to the television screen. Garfield turned the volume up louder with haste. 

“I am sure we all remember the tragedy of Bludhaven not three months ago.” Gordon continued. “All of the children who lost their lives in that alien terrorist bombing. The papers, ahh yes, the papers,” He waved his pointer finger at the camera. “The papers will tell you how brave and valiant your Justice Leaguers were but,” He raised an eyebrow. “Where were they? Hum? As far as I could tell, the only ‘Leaguer’ doing anything was Superman and, well, we all know how well he helped.”

Beast Boy felt a growled.

The boys flinched as Godfrey jumped from his seat, his face furrowed in rage as he came closer to the camera. He hands curled into fists. “THIRTY-TWO! THIRTY-TWO children lost their lives that day, and EIGHTY-THREE adults were incinerated in the skyscrapers just five miles away. I say again, where were the other Leaguers? They have how many on their team?”

He took a moment, took a breath. His face unbunched, the tension in his body faded, and his voice calmed. “Not to mention their proteges.” He said. “Where was Batman during this? Or Robin or Batgirl or anyone? Did they suddenly not care? Were we 'regular folks' just not a priority for them? And not just that, but look at the damage they leave behind.”

Images the destroyed Bludhaven buildings played on the screen behind his chair as Godfrey continued. “Who pays for that damage? Huh? WE do. We the American people pay for the Justice League's sloppiness with our hard-earned tax dollars. I, for one Ladies and gentlemen, have had it. And I am not the only one.”

The camera lens widened to show a middle-aged woman with red curly hair and cat-eye glasses in the guest chair across from him. “Today on my show I have a special guest. My ever beautiful and sharp as a whip sister, Grace Godfrey."

A smile spread across her red lips, "Thanks for having me, Gordon."

"You are welcome. Now Grace,” Gordon gestured towards the audience. “Tell our kind viewers why you are here today."

"The same reason that you are Gordon.” Her velvet voice spilled from her mouth. “Because I am worried. Worried and angry. I love this country, I love its people, and most importantly, I love its children. I'm sure you've heard of new superpowered teenagers sprouting up? Gordon, you cannot imagine what they are going through. One day you're normal and then the next you wake up and you're shooting fire from your hands!"

"I'd imagine it would be terrifying." G. Gordon added.

"It is G. And the Justice League has proven that they do not care about these children.”

The boys looked around at one another, their faces bunching in confusion.

Grace continued. “Children that only need support and guidance, The Justice League treat with the same amount of violence they'd show a homicidal maniac!" 

Gordon feigned astonishment. As if his show wasn’t scripted. "Whatever do you mean Grace?"

"Well, I'll tell you.” Grace turned her full attention to the camera. Stern, overplucked eyebrows furrowed over her green eyes. “On October 27th a young girl’s life was changed forever. “Deborah Morgna.”

Photographs of a teenage girl montaged on the screen behind her. Long red hair framed her heart-shaped face. White teeth complimented her emerald green eyes. The photos showed her smiling and laughing with friends during school and casual activities.

Grace continued, “A student at Gotham North High School faced a new nightmare plaguing our young adults. After coming home from a night out with friends Deborah quickly found out that she was, what scientists are calling, a ‘metahuman’. Humans who have the genetic makeup for so-called ‘superpowers’."

“Wait, we fought that girl.” Tim recalled as he studied the screen, remembering the fight with Batman, Nightwing, and the others.

Grace continued, pity plagued her expression. “As her powers unlocked, Deborah found herself unable to control her powers, creating a few small fires on her city block.”

“Small?” Tim sneered.

“Scared, terrified, alone, Deborah ran into the street, crying for help!” Grace chimed at the camera. Her eyes narrowed. “When Batman and his crew arrived, instead of trying to help her, Deborah found herself the victim of a brutal assault. Savagely beaten even after she was tased.”

“What?” Tim snapped. His eyes narrowed and his nose crinkled in confusion.

Grace placed her hands in her lap. She straightened her posture as she glared at the camera with tension. “We have acquired video footage of the assault. Please be advised that this video contains graphic violence. Children and people with weak constitutions should look away now.”

A camera phone video appeared on the television. It was shaky with screams of pedestrians in the background, but the action it captured was still all too clear. It was a recording of that night. Tim watched as the video played Batgirl and Red Arrow firing their projectiles. Red Arrow fired his taser arrow and Deborah fell to the ground. A chilling roar scraped across the fuzzy audio as Arsenal pounced on her. His fists slamming onto her face as she was helpless to protect herself. A string of blood rose off his fingers each time he brought his fist back to strike again. Conveniently, the video stopped playing just before Red Arrow tackled Arsenal off of her.

“Jesus,” Bart cringed as he covered his mouth.

“No way..its that-is that Arsenal?” Garfield gasped.

Tim clenched his teeth. His fist curled into a tight ball, “Yeah. And someone took a video of it.”

This was not good.

Grace appeared again on the screen. She paused for a moment as she took a deep breath. “After her attack, Miss Morgna was admitted into the ICU at Gotham Municipal Hospital where she was then stabilized and required facial reconstructive surgery.” She grabbed the side of her glasses with diligence, pulling them up the bridge of her nose. “Deborah is currently in lockup awaiting her trial. I was able to get an exclusive interview with her."

A new video showed on the screen. Deborah sat in a steel chair. Her wrists were handcuffed and she sported an orange prison jumpsuit. Tears streamed down her bruised face. A nose brace covered her newly reconstructed nose.

Her voice stammered with sharp breaths, “I couldn’t-I couldn’t control myself.” Her cries were overdone and almost too pathetic. “I tried to stop but-but the fire..it just wouldn’t. It wouldn’t stop. I tried to get them to help me. I was so scared. I just wanted help, but they,” She sobbed once more. “They wouldn’t, they just kept attacking me. Why would they do that? Why?”

“Are you sure you weren’t under the influence of something?” Grace’s voice could be heard in the background. “Something that could have impaired your judgment or memory?”

Deborah shook her head vehemently, “No no of course not! I would never.”

“That’s bullshit!” Tim shouted. The other boys jumped. His finger pointed at the TV as he addressed them. “I was there, that girl was high off her ass! She wasn’t scared. She was trying to hurt people.”

The video stopped and the feed of Grace and Gordon appeared once more. Grace addressed the camera. “And for those of you who are wondering, Deborah’s tox screen from that night came back negative for any drugs or alcohol. And the Justice League has yet to be made accountable for their brutal assault of a young girl.”

Stricken with anger, Tim jumped from his seat, kicking the coffee table out of his way as he stormed out of the living room. All they did that night was try to save lives. And now they were facing backlash from the public because Arsenal couldn’t keep it together.

“Turn that shit off dude,” Jaime ordered Garfield, seeing how upset the segment made Tim. Garfield changed the channel.

Cat Grant appeared on the screen as a rerun from her segment played. “El Paso mayor, Wesley Fermin has been cleared of all charges today as accusations of money laundering and sexual assault have been dismissed.”

Garfield went to change the channel but Jaime intervened. “Wait, wait hold on a sec.” He said.

Cat Grant continued. “Early last week, sexual assault charges were filed against Mr. Fermin by several women on the Tiguan Indian Reservation in El Paso. Money laundering charges also appeared, accusing Mr. Fermin of siphoning money from government aid programs. And also accusations of collecting illegal taxes from the residents there. All charges were unanimously dropped this morning, however, as the citizens filing the reports, confessed to their attempt at creating a smear campaign for Mr. Fermin as he begins to run for Texas governor.”

“Greaaat,” Jaime complained as he closed his eyes with a sigh. He prayed that Tye didn’t have anything to do with that. He wasn’t sure how much more trouble he could let him get away with.

A chime played on Tim’s wrist communicator. He boys snapped their heads in his direction. Tim answered it. The wrist communicator projected a small screen that hung in the air just above his wrist. It showed a live image of Batman.

“Robin, what is your current location?” Batman's voice was urgent.

“I’m at The Warehouse in Bludhaven,” he answered.

“Who is there with you?” He asked.

“Uhh Beast Boy, Kid Flash, and Blue Beetle. Oh and Sphere. Why?”

“I need you to all suit up for a mission right away. Zeta to the Zeta Platform in Minneapolis. From there I need you to head to De Moines, Iowa in the Super Cycle. Do it now. I’ll contact you with more details soon.”

“Uh. Wait but-”

“I’ll explain soon. Suit up and head out now.”

And as fast as he appeared on screen, Batman disappeared. Tim turned to the other boys. “Alright, you heard him. Let's go!"

The Super Cycle's engine purred as Blue Beetle, Kid Flash, Robin, and Beast Boy rode in it through the crisp night air. The skyline of Minneapolis was long behind them. The communicator on Robin’s wrist cuff chimed again. He answered the call, the projection appeared once more.

“I’m sorry for rushing you all out in such a hurry. I couldn’t waste time having you sit around while I retrieved details,” Batman said.

“Hey, it’s cool Bats. We’ll forgive you this one time,” Kid Flash teased.

Blue Beetle gave him a quick jab in the ribs with his elbow. He drew his attention back to Batman. “What do you have for us?” Blue Beetle asked.

“As you know, three months ago several members of The Light, one of which being Deathstroke, a.k.a. Slade Wilson, were apprehended at the end of Artemis’s deep cover mission. Three weeks ago two of The Light’s former scientists, supposedly named Emily and John Madison, came to the authorities with additional incriminating evidence against The Light. They agreed to appear in court at Deathstroke’s trial next week if given federal witness protection and immunity. Apparently, they had left The Light of their own accord about a year ago and had been in hiding from them ever since. And they were tired of running.”

“So I take it we’re supposed to play bodyguard for them then?” Robin questioned.

“I wish that were the case Robin," Batman answered. "Emily and John were found brutally murdered in an apartment in Des Moines an hour ago. According to my sources, someone from The Light initiated a $500,000 bounty on their heads today. Each”

“Dios Mio...Merida,” Blue Beetle swore.

“Sooo what are we supposed to do then?” Beast Boy asked.

“The Madison’s had a child, a 16-year-old girl who goes by Lily.” Batman stated. Next to his face on the screen appeared a picture of a young girl. The photo was slightly out of focus; taken in passing. Her long, light hair appeared almost white. It covered most of her oval face. Her intense gaze peer over her shoulder.

“Hey, she’s pretty cute,” Kid Flash chimed.

Batman ignored him, continuing. “Well, it appears that Lily escaped from the attackers. There are signs of heavy struggle at the crime scene and a trail of blood leading out of the apartment complex.”

Robin seemed skeptical, “Batman what makes you think she escaped? Couldn’t they have just kidnapped her?”

“No,” Batman stated firmly. “She was included in the bounty, and it was stated very clearly that in order to receive it the Madisons were to be killed, and nothing less.”

“So I take it you want us to find her?” Beast Boy asked.

“That’s precisely why I included you on this mission Beast Boy,” Batman said. “There will most likely still be law enforcement still at the scene, I need you to discretely infiltrate it and catch Lily’s scent. We need to track her down as soon as possible. According to my sources, some of the midwest’s deadliest criminals are after her as we speak. Your mission is to find her before they do. I’ve gotten special permission from The League for you to bring her to The Watch Tower for now. Use the authorization code A14. With The Light’s connections, there's no certainty where on Earth she would be safe. You’ll bring her to The Tower so we can keep her safe and interview her. She might have important information on The Light as well. Martian Manhunter can wipe her memory of where the Zeta Tube is once everything is settled down.”

“Wait,” Kid Flash smirked. “So basically our mission is to rescue a damsel in distress?”

Batman sighed, “I suppose you could look at it that way.”

“So crash!” Kid Flash exclaimed.

“Anyways,” Robin brought the focus back. “Do you have an address for us?”

“I’m sending it to you now,” Batman continued, “I wanted to send a female on this mission with you but everyone else is currently tied up. So remember to maintain a certain..sensitivity. Try not to come on too strong. Be prepared for her not to respond positively at first, after all, men in masks are who are trying to murder her.”

“Got it Batman,” Blue Beetle smiled. “Be sensitive and sweep her off her feet to safety.”

Batman grunted, “Just get there and get her out, fast. Over and out.”

The transmission from Robin’s communicator ceased as the screen disappeared.

“Dudes. Our mission is to save a cute girl,” Kid Flash gleamed. “That is so crash! How often does that happen?”

“For real. It’s going to be even more awesome when I impress her with my super Scarab strength.” Blue Beetle bragged, flexing his arm.

“Tst. In your dreams dude.” Kid Flash teased, shoving his shoulder.

Beast Boy rolled his eyes and groaned. He never understood what it was about girls that made the other guys act...well, crazy. “Yeah, well, she’s currently being hunted, so worry about getting her to safety first.”

“Guys, focus. We’re here,” Robin stated as he stopped the Super Cycle. He lowered it down into a cluster of trees just behind the apartment complex. He pulled up a blueprint on his communicator screen. ”Alright, according to the schematics Batman just sent me, it’s the second-floor window all the way to the left. It should lead right into one of their bedrooms. Beast Boy, can you climb up there and get in through the window?”

“Psh. Can I climb up there?” Beast Boy scoffed. He jumped out of the supercycle and galloped towards the complex. He hopped up the brick wall with ease. He peered into the window, making sure no one was around. He slid his fingers under the crack in the window. He jumped through it, landing softly on his feet.

There was an eerie stillness to the room. The scent within it was musky and floral. This had to have been the parent’s room. From the other side of the closed door, he heard stern voices, heavy footsteps, and the clicks of cameras. Batman was right, CSI was still there. He morphed into a mouse and slide out beneath the crack of the door. He squeaked as his eyes locked onto the crime scene.

The unmoving, frigid bodies of the Madisons rested in the kitchen. Their blood painted a crimson story of violence upon a canvas of floor tile and soaked wallpaper. Their wrenched figures were splayed about the floor. Fatal gunshot and stab wounds bled from their chests and torsos. The table and chairs in the conjoined living room and kitchen were either overturned or destroyed. Whoever these people were, they had put up one hell of a fight.

Beast Boy skurried his tiny mouse legs over to the ajar door next to the parents’ room. It was the only other bedroom in the apartment. Beast Boy was sure this was Lily’s room. He morphed to his regular form, opened the window, transformed into a bloodhound, locked onto her scent, and hopped out her bedroom window. He barked at his teammates to follow him, they did so from the air with the Super Cycle.

Beast Boy found spots of her blood along the trail, reinforcing the scent. He followed it all the way to a large abandoned warehouse, her smell was overpowering. She had to be in there. He barked, signaling that they had reached their destination.

“Alright team,” Robin started. “We might not be the only ones here so proceed with caut-”

The sound of gunfire pierced the air. Panic rushed over them as they realized that they were out of time.

“We have to go, now!” Blue Beetle shouted as he jumped from the Super Cycle. He jetted forward and crashed through a glass window on the ceiling of the warehouse. Beast Boy let out a loud roar and he morphed into a gorilla, tearing one of the doors off of its hinges. Robin and Kid Flash jumped from the Super Cycle as well, landing on the ceiling. The jettisoned down through the hole that Blue Beetle had created with Robin's grappling hook.

Darkness gripped the room, save for a few streams of moonlight. The gunfire had ceased but their ears were filled with the sounds of painful grunts, cries, and the shrill clank of metal.

“Where are they? I can’t see anything!” Kid Flash exclaimed.

Jaime Reyes, I am activating our Infrared Vision, The Scarab stated.

Blue Beetle’s vision became blurred outlines of blues and greens. He looked around him until he found figures of reds and yellows. The boys were shaken by another shot of gunfire. Blue Beetle charged the cannon on his arm, adding more light to the room.

“There! Two o’clock! There’s a door in 100 feet!” Blue Beetle shouted. They charged towards it in desperation, fearing that they may have been too late.

“Be ready for what’s on the other side. Stay on guard!” Robin commanded.

Blue Beetle blasted through the doors with his sonic cannons. The four boys charged through the smoke, taking down the first armed assassin they laid eyes on. There were dozens of them scattered about. Each of them did their best to screen for the girl through the smoke but found themselves unsuccessful. As the smoke thinned, they became engaged in less and less combat until eventually, they found no combat at all. But the sound of fighting still rang in their ears.

When the smoke finally cleared, they found not only the assassins that they knocked out, but bodies that they had not fought. They were beaten and bloody bodies; bodies that were no longer breathing. They brought their gaze to the center of the room.

The girl that they were looking for, Lily, stood hunched over the unmoving body of one of her assailants. Her breaths were heavy. She clasped a metal rod between her hands. The end of the rod led to the body's bleeding, smashed head. Four more assassins stood in a semicircle in front of her, all tense in attack stances.

The girl looked up at them. The shadows that cast upon her face, sharpened her deadly expression of rage. Blood-specked hair fell out of the upright hood of her jacket. Through her raspy breaths, she contorted her lips into a snarl. The four other assassins still did not move. She raised the rod and managed to take a large breath before bellowing, “Come on! WHO ELSE WANTS IT?!”

The assassin in front of her reached to pull a pistol from his waistband. Lily tossed the metal rod at him. It clashed against his forehead, emitting a spurt of blood. Before his body could hit the ground, she ran towards the female assassin on his left. She hit her in the jaw with a powerful uppercut. Lily then grabbed the two metal sais from the female assassin's hands and kicked her square in the chest, sending her flying backward.

Lily spun around, she took her newly claimed sais and thrust them into both sides of the third assassin’s torso.

A few meters behind her, the final assassin drew his gun. As if she saw it coming, Lily used the sais to spin around the body of the attacker she had just stabbed. He cried out as she used him as a human shield to protect her from the bullets of the final assassin gunfire. His gun clicked, signaling that the magazine was empty. She snatched the gun from her human shield’s waist and fired it at her attacker. The bullet found itself in the middle of his chest, he fell to the ground. Lily pulled out one of the bloody sais and ran towards the final assassin. He was still alive, his breathing bubbled, Lily straddled his chest. She held the sai to his neck.

Frantic she shrieked, “Who sent you!? WHO SENT YOU!?”

The attacker made a tiny, whispered noise before completely losing the fight for his life to his wounds. Knowing that her battle was over, Lily collapsed, placing her hands on the ground beside her attacker’s head. She dropped her head, trying her best to catch her breath.

The boys watched in silence as her chest heaved. Even though they couldn’t clearly see in the poor lighting, they were all very aware of the astonished looks on each of their faces. They shared dropped jaws and wide eyes.

Jaime Reyes….it would appear that The Kid Flash’s ‘damsel’ did not require your rescuing after all, The Scarab stated.

“You’re telling me,” Jaime whispered.

Lily heard him. She threw her sai towards his direction in the darkness. Jaime barely dodged the weapon as it flew past his head. She charged at him. As he backed away, she caught a glimpse of him in the moonlight. She threw a punch at his face, he moved just in time.

“Wait! Stop-” Jaime attempted to plead. But Lily dropped down to the ground and swung her right leg at his ankles, knocking him on to the ground.

“Blue!” Kid Flash called out to him. Lily jumped at Kid Flash. She attacked him with a barrage of punches and kicks. Using his enhanced reflexes, Kid Flash dodged them, but if only slightly. She moved faster than he expected. He attempted to plead with her as well, “Listen we’re just trying to-” he was cut off as one of her fists landed upon his mouth.

“Hey knock it off!” Beast Boy snarled as he grabbed her arm. She grabbed his wrist and twisted his arm. Beast Boy heard a sickening ‘pop’ emit from his elbow. As he cried out in pain, the girl landed a powerful punch on his diaphragm. Winded, he toppled over.

“LILY, stop!” Robin demanded. “We’re here to help you!” She charged and engaged him. He blocked her attacks.  Robin raised both of his arms up in front of him to block. She grabbed his wrists and moved his arms out to his sides, leaving his face and neck vulnerable. Lily took the opening and headbutted him. She savagely brought her forehead down onto the bridge of his nose. He stumbled backward, clutching his face. She went to charge him a second time, but Robin grabbed a flash grenade from his utility belt.

“ENOUGH,” he yelled as he threw the device on the ground. It flashed a bright blinding light, causing Lily to stumble back. The boys gradually made it to their feet. The light fizzled until it settled on a level just bright enough to lightly illuminate the room.

Lily gasped as she realized who they were. She had seen them on the news before. But why were they here? A confused look came across her face. “Robin? Blue Beetle? Kid Flash?” She said.

She looked over to Garfield. Him, however, she had never seen before. “Umm..Green Bean?”

Gar tossed her an unamused look as he grasped his injured arm, “The name’s Beast Boy.”

Lily pulled up her guard again. She looked at them with intense eyes as she took a defensive stance. She clenched her hands into fists, ready to fight again.  . A trail of blood streamed from the right side of her torso and down her right leg.

Lily narrowed her eyes as she said. “The Light must have gotten more powerful than I thought if they can send Capes to take me out.” 

Blue Beetle softened his voice, trying his best to ease her,.“Hey, hey we’re the good guys here. We work with the Justice League, we work to take down The Light. We’re not here to 'take you out'.”

Her fists were still raised, but she relaxed her shoulders a little more. “Well if you’re not here to kill me then why are you here?” She asked.

“Umm,” Kid Flash rubbed the back of his neck as he looked around. “We’re here to...rescue you?”

She raised an eyebrow. She too scanned around her, looking at the multiple attackers that she had taken out herself.

“Oh. My heroes,” she snickered sarcastically.

Sudden, unbearable pain shot from the wound on her side. She let out a loud cry as she clutched it and collapsed to her knees.

Kid Flash raced over and knelt next to her. He lightly placed a hand on her arm, “Hey are you alright?” he asked her.

She grit her teeth as she flinched, “I’m fine. It’s nothing.”

“Not with that much blood.” Robin said as he knelt in front of her, blood still seeped slightly from his nostrils. “Let me see it.”

The girl reluctantly lifted up the side of her shirt, revealing a large gash. “One of those bastards nicked me at the apartment,” she told them.

“I have something that can patch you up for now in my utility belt,” Robin continued. “But you have to come with us. We have orders from Batman to take you to our base ASAP to protect you from those bounty hunters.”

“Yeah,” Kid Flash added. “We should skedaddle you outta here Lily before any more of those crazies show up.”

She chuckled, “Lily...I guess it’s time to let my cover identity die with my parents, right?”

She pulled the hood off of her head, revealing long waves of snow-white hair. As she brushed her hair back out of her face, her chilling, almost seductive gaze pierced right through them.

“The name’s Rose,” she said.

Chapter Text

Minneapolis
December 5th, 2016
01:18 UTC

The Super Cycle sped through the air as the lights of Minneapolis sat below them. Rose and the boys sat inside it, quiet, cradling their injuries. The rushing wind against her skin did not help to ease the sting of her wound. Her face turned red with embarrassment as Kid Flash cleaned and placed butterfly bandages on her gash. She hated letting other people help her, letting other people see her in pain. Most of all, she hated herself for letting herself get injured.

Kid Flash finished and wrapped gauze all the way around her stomach. Rose looked him over. His lip had swelled, the gash upon it still bled. She looked around to the others. Tacky bloodstreams sat below Robin’s nose. Garfield clutched his arm, his eyes were watery. A crushing feeling of guilt overcame her.

“Hey..so-uhh,” Rose began, rubbing the back of her neck. “I’m sorry for roughing you guys up. I..you know. I didn’t know if you were about to try to kill me..or not.”

Blue Beetle smiled, “It’s cool. We did kind of come out of nowhere.” His eyes went wide. “Just remind us to never surprise you again.”

“Yeah, it’s all crash,” Kid Flash assured.

His smile, Rose decided, was charming. Out of their rag-tag bunch, she pegged him as the cutest.

“Besides,” he continued. “Wouldn’t be the first time that we’ve been knocked out by a teammate, eh Blue? There was this one time that Blue was supposed to enslave the world andIhadtogobackintimetostoptheapocalypse-” His words meshed together as he babbled.

She frowned. The smile was fine. But the non-stop talking? Not so cute.

She quickly lost interest in Kid Flash’s story. She turned her attention towards Beast Boy, whose eyes clenched tight with pain from his aching elbow.

“Hey,” she called to get his attention. He looked over at her. “Lemme see it.” He winced as she examined his arm. She put a firm grasp on his forearm and bicep. “Just to warn you, this is gonna hurt.”

“What..” Beast Boy tried to ask. He cried out. A sharp sting traveled down his arm as she popped his elbow back into place. But, almost immediately, the lingering pain vanished.

“Hey! It feels so much better.” He smiled but quickly tried to wipe it off his face. “Thanks….” he stated, still pouting about her taking him down.

She smirked at him, “Don’t mention it Greenie.” She turned her attention back to the other boys, “So what is it exactly that happens to me now? I’m supposed to go to your little superhero hideout?”

“We’re taking you back to headquarters,” Robin affirmed. “Batman isn’t sure where you'd be safe right now. So I’d imagine he’d keep you in hiding, at least until Deathstroke’s trial is over.”

“Greaaat,” Rose rolled her eyes. She crossed her arms and leaned back in her seat, “So I’ll basically be under house arrest? Sounds like being bored out of my mind for an entire week.”

“Better than being dead,” Robin snipped as he lowered the Super Cycle into a dark ally. He gestured towards an old phone booth. Its metal casing had long ago begun to rust and peel. “We’re here," he said.

Rose squinted. She pursed her lips and pointed. “Um...So that’s a phone booth.”

“It is,” Began Blue Beetle. “But it also hides our teleportation device called a Zeta Tube. It’s what we use to travel.”

The Super Cycle chattered with mechanical clicks until it morphed back into its normal Sphere form.

Rose jumped. “Woah, what the fuck!?” She yelped.

“Oh. Yeah, that’s Sphere. She can morph into things..ugh....it’s a long story.” Blue Beetle had no idea where to begin.

However, Kid Flash seemed to know just fine. “You mean an awesome story! See Superboy and the original team where on this covert mission in the desert wheretheyfacedSimonandhewastorturingSphereand…” His words morphed together as he said them faster and faster.

“SHHHHH,” Rose ordered as she pressed her pointer finger against Kid Flash’s lips. “From now on, only one story a day for you, kay Kid Motormouth?”

Beast Boy tried to stifle a laugh. She was funny, but he still wanted to pout about being beaten up.

Rose watched as one by one the boys stepped into the booth and disappeared with a blinding light. A feminine robotic voice announced with each of them:

Recognized, Blue Beetle, B22
Kid Flash, B23
Beast Boy, B19
Sphere, C01

Anxiety itched under her skin. She was about to be zapped to God knows where with a group of boys she didn't even know. Her nerves flared as she questioned as to what was on the other side. This nervousness, however, she would never let them suspect.

Robin stood in front of the booth and boomed with a stern voice, “Computer, activate guest transport. Lily Madison. Activation code A14. Authorization: Batman.”

Activation code, A14 accepted. Access Granted.

He held a hand out towards the open door and smiled slightly, “Your chariot awaits princess.”

Rose narrowed her eyes. She huffed and charged into the booth. She crossed her arms, the corners of her mouth turned into a grimace. “Call me that again Birdie, and you’ll get a pair of cracked nuts to go with your cracked nose.”

Robin scowled, “Hum. Charming.”

Recognized, Lily Madison, A14

He watched as Rose disappeared into the light.

Chicago - Water Tower Place
December 4th, 2016
20:00 UTC

“I...I'm in heaven.” Zataana said, eyes wide with wonder as she gazed at the enormous mall around her.

An open mouth smile crawled on her face as she took in the fact that she had over 100 stores to irresponsibly spend her money in. The other girls were going to hate her. She could shop for hours on end if left unsupervised. M’gann, Artemis, and Cassie had no idea what they were in for.

M’gann giggled, “I take it this makes up for me dragging you to Chicago in the middle of winter?”

“Oh, absolutely,” she replied. She marched towards ‘Forever Sixteen’. “Come on!” She called back to them with a smile. “This is my favorite store.”

Artemis rolled her eyes and leaned in towards Cassie. “Be prepared,” she warned. “Zataana’s a shopaholic. We’re gonna be here for a while.”

Cassie chuckled with a smile, “So much for just wedding gift shopping.”

Artemis smirked, “Yeeeeah, I can guarantee you she leaves with no less than seven bags.”

They joined M’gann and Zataana in the store, sifting through the racks of clothing.

“So, why is Raquel having her wedding so late anyway?” Cassie asked Artemis. “Her bachelorette party was months ago. Why wait until December for the wedding?”

“I guess they had to postpone for a little bit to save up because of Amistad. Babies cost a lot of money,” Artemis answered. “Plus, her fiancé is some kind of hotshot college football star. They had to wait until their honeymoon wouldn’t interfere with his practice schedule.”

“That makes sense,” Cassie replied.

As a few hours went by, the number of shoppers in the mall dwindled. Zataana however, was bound determined to shop until closing time. Cassie decided she might as well shop for herself too. She sifted through one of the racks in the boutique. She stood close to the back, engaged with browsing while the other girls were near the entrance.

Stumbling down the aisle, two college-aged young men laughed through their inebriated haze. One was pale with long red hair and a slim figure. The other, black and muscular with black dreadlocks. They made their way into the store, giggling for no clear reason.

Cassie glanced at them out of the corner of her eyes. She shook her head, writing them as a pair of annoying drunks. The bars in the mall must have been closing.

The red-haired boy smiled and let his head roll back before snapping it upright. He tried to whisper to the other man, “Duuude.” He chuckled through the words, leaning on the metal racking. “Um so lit. That new shit’s gooood.” His voice squeaked at the end.

He spotted Cassie. A wicked smile crept on his face as he walked towards her.

“Hey baby how you doin?” He said with a slimy grin.

Cassie jumped to find him standing next to her. She almost dropped the shirt in her hand. His pupils were dilated and glossy. His flushed face was uncomfortably close to hers.

She lost her breath for a moment at the breech of personal space. She took a step back. “Fine…” she replied in a small voice.

She tried to ignore him and continued looking through the rack. She felt a tightness grow in her chest as he stared at her. His predatorial eyes looked her up and down. She felt a twinge of panic tingle through her.

“Damn,” he bit his bottom lip. “Those tight pants hug you nice.”

Cassie found it hard to swallow. For some reason, she felt disgusting. A knot twisted her stomach as his stare still lingered. She felt...invaded.

“Okay…” She said as she took a few steps away, trying not to look at him. Her body tensed. Maybe if she ignored him he would go away.

His expression twisted. He took a step towards her, “Hey, I paid you a compliment.”

“What’s up David?” The other young man addressed the red-haired man. He walked over and stood next to him.

“I just complimented this girl, Nathan, and she didn’t even say thanks.” David wined.

Nathan took a step towards her. Cassie realized they were pushing towards the wall.

“No reason to be rude baby,” Nathan smirked. “You’re supposed to acknowledge a man when ‘e says nice things to ya.”

Cassie’s breath shuttered. Terror slithered up her spine. Why was she so scared? It’s not like she couldn’t fight them off. She did have Amazonian strength. One kick to the nuts and, well, they wouldn’t have nuts anymore. But she found herself on the ‘flight’ end of her ‘fight or flight’ response.

“Uh, s-sorry,” she stammered.

“You’d be prettier if you smiled,” David cooed.

Cassie pursed her lips. Her eyes darted in between them. She just wanted them to leave her alone. She didn’t do anything to get their attention in the first place.

“What you doin’ later?” Nathan asked. “Why don’t you come back to our place?”

That must have been it. Maybe they thought she was a college student too. Maybe if they realized how young she was, they’d leave her alone. “Uh...Uh, I-I’m fifteen,” She stammered again.

They laughed. Mischievous smiles curled their lips. “Weee don’t caaare.” David’s words slithered from his mouth. Cassie lost her breath.

From across the store, Artemis spotted Cassie out of the corner of her eye. She dropped the sweater she was holding back onto the shelf. She tilted her head to get a better look. Her eyes went wide at the sight of Cassie’s face. She snarled as the two men inched closer towards her. Artemis marched towards them.

“Hey!” Artemis called out.

They snapped their heads towards her. Artemis reached out her arm, brushing between the boys and pulled Cassie away from the wall.

“These guys bothering you?” She asked as she positioned Cassie behind her.

“Daaamn,” Nathan looked Artemis up and down. “You didn’t say you had a sister.”

“Chill baby, we just talkin,” David slurred.

“Yeah?” Artemis snipped. She raised an eyebrow in doubt. “Well it’s obvious she doesn’t want to talk to you, so beat it.”

Nathan wet his lips. He sported the same glazed eyes as David. “Mmm,” His eyes went down to her chest. “With tits like that, there’s no way we could leave you two alone.”

Artemis's flush with rage. She scoffed. “Oh fuck off, asshole,” She swore at him, disgusted. She turned her back to them and proceeded to push Cassie towards the entrance. “Come’on Cass.”

“Hey whore, I was talkin' you!” Nathan called after her.

Artemis grit her teeth. She knew if she stayed there a second longer, she was going to break their jaws.

“Come’on, We’re getting out of here.” She barked at Zataana and M’gann.

“What?” Zataana asked, confused.

“Now.” Artemis boomed. “Let’s go.”

Zataana and M’gann followed behind her. Artemis was not someone to talk back to when she was angry. They exited the store and walked down the center aisle, stopping at a large fountain in the center.

“You alright?” Artemis faced Cassie and placed her hands on her shoulders.

“Y-Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. Just spooked, I guess,” she answered, rubbing her arms.

“What was that all about?” M’gann asked.

“Just some creeps in there harassing Cass,” Artemis still shook with anger.

“I-it’s alright,” Cassie started to feel a little better. “I think they were just drunk.” She looked up at Artemis with soft eyes. "Thank you."

Artemis smiled, "It was nothing." She squeezed her hand. "Girls have to look out for other girls, remember that."

“Daaaamn, you didn’t say you had friends.”

Artemis snapped her head around to find the voice coming from David. They followed them out of the store. They crept closer to them, stumbling over their own feet.

“Oh Jesus Christ,” Artemis rolled her eyes. Why were they not letting up?

“What you fine ladiesss doing alllll alone?” Nathan asked, his words taking too long to form.

Zataana curled her upper lip in disgust. She pointed her thumb towards them as she addressed Artemis, “Are these guys serious?”. She turned towards David, who now stood a few feet away from her and M’gann. “Dude, piss off.” She said.

M’gann crossed her arms, “Yeah, who do you think you are?”

“Come’aaaaawn.” David shrugged as he smiled. “Ya’ll just look so cold and lonely.” His eyes narrowed. “We can warm you up.”

Nathan took a few steps towards Artemis. “Especially you baby.” He licked his lips. Artemis tensed, her face tightened with anger. He smirked and reached a hand out towards her waist, “Heard Asian bitches got sideways pussy. Always wanted to find out.”

That was it. Artemis snapped. They were done.

She snatched him by the throat, her nails digging into his skin. She grabbed his wrist with her other hand and twisted his arm. He cried out at the sudden pain. Artemis brought her face close to his. Her body shook with rage. Veins throbbed on her neck.

“Motherfucker, we are not girls that you wanna fuck with,” she hissed through clenched teeth.

“Get off me bitch!” Nathan cried. He used his free hand to push Artemis off of him. Energy flushed in his veins; like a ripple on a water’s surface pulsating through him. It started at his core and ran through his limbs until it pushed out of his hands. Translucent energy rings sprang from them.

Artemis found herself thrown across the aisle. Store windows shattered as the rings moved passed her. Nathan stumbled backward with the force of his own energy. He looked at his hands in awe.

The girls called out to Artemis as she groaned in pain. Nathan cackled, he pushed his hands forward, emitting more energy rings. The other girls were thrown through the air as well. More windows shattered and civilians around them began to scream. They rushed towards the exits.

“Dude!” David exclaimed. “How did you do that?”

Nathan raised his eyebrows. He pointed towards the fountain, “The same way you’re doing that.”

David turned around to find the water rising from the fountain; as if gravity had turned off. He gasped. He reached out his hand, the water funneled towards him, wrapping around his arms.

The girls tried to rise to their feet, only to be struck down by a rush of water. Artemis spotted a fire pull station, she pulled the handle. They needed to get the shoppers out before anyone else got hurt.

The alarm pierced through the air. The two boys sent blasts of water and energy rings towards them once more. M’gann gathered herself. She jumped to her feet, using her psychic powered to divert their attacks.

“Zataana!” Artemis cried out. “Get us in uniform! I need my bow!”

Zataana nodded. M’gann’s shield was not going to hold for long. “Tup su ni ruo smrofinu!”

As grey smoke clouded around her, Artemis felt her bow form in her hand. The boys stopped. She shot her net arrow towards David. He gasped as it wrapped around him, knocking him towards the ground.

Cassie flew towards Nathan. He stumbled backward as she struck him in the jaw. She went to hit him again, but he grabbed her arm, throwing her in the air. She flew through one of the stores, knocking everything down. The wall cracked as she hit the plaster.

M’gann, Zataana, and Artemis slammed to the ground as Nathan struck them with his energy rings once more. They were unable to move. His powers were similar to that of Vertigo’s.

He stood with his hands outstretched, his hands still pulsating his rings at them. He smirked, “What’s a matter babes? Can’t take whatcha dish out?”

A flying figure crashed through the ceiling. Nathan was tossed through the air as Wonder Woman slammed her shoulder into him.

M’gann smiled, “Wonder Woman! We’re glad you’re here-”

But Wonder Woman took no notice of her. She turned towards David as he stumbled to his feet, still wrapped in the net. Wonder Woman put on a wicked smile. She charged towards him. He gasped in terror as she punched him. She slammed him against the wall and grabbed him by the shirt collar. She struck him in the face over and over then moved on to his torso. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he tried to beg for mercy; unable to defend himself while wrapped in Artemis’s net.

The girls’ eyes went wide.

M’gann dropped her jaw in horror as the boy began to spit up blood.

“WONDER WOMAN STOP!” She cried, but Diana didn’t seem to hear her. M’gann called out her name on her psychic link.

M’gann gasped.

She couldn’t hear anything. There was nothing. She was unable to hear Wonder Woman’s mind.

Nathan rose to his feet. Wonder Woman spotted him out of the corner of her eye. “Get the hell off him!” He cried. He tried to shoot his rings at her, but Wonder Woman lassoed him. She flew into the air, spinning him around and slamming him onto the ground. He laid there, unconscious. She charged at him and straddled his chest. She grasped her hands around his throat, his face turned blue.

Cassie trembled. She shook her head as her jaw dropped. She felt as though she was living a nightmare, watching as her mentor was choking an unconscious man.

“What are you doing!” She screeched. “STOP!” Her voice rang through the air. Wonder Woman looked over at her. Cassie swallowed hard as Wonder Woman flashed her a vicious smile. Diana turned towards a group of civilian onlookers. They gathered around them, holding up their phones, recording the scene in front of them. She chuckled, shot through the air, and disappeared through the hole she made in the ceiling.

A heaviness pressed in Zataana's chest. She turned towards the other girls. Bewilderment plastered on her face. “What..what the hell just happened?” She asked.

M’gann heard the frantic footsteps coming towards them. Police officers and EMTs arrived on the scene, attending to the injured. They placed Inhibitor Collars on the boys then placed them onto gurneys, wheeling them away.

“Zataana, get us out of here. Now.” M'gann commanded.

“R-right, right.” Zataana pulled herself together. “Ekat su ot eht tseraen Atez Ebut!”

The Watchtower
December 5th, 2016
01:00 EST

Disgruntled faces could be seen around the common room as Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Martian Manhunter, Aqualad, Nightwing, and Superboy gathered around Batman and Black Canary. Images and videos of the recent alien attacks displayed on the floating computer screens behind them. Their discussions of strategy were interrupted as the Zeta Beams announced the incoming arrivals.

Recognized Zataana 25
Tigress B07
Miss Martian B05
Wonder Girl B21

Black Canary raised an eyebrow at their interruption. “Ladies, we’re in the middle-”

Zataana made no acknowledgment of her as she interrupted. With grit teeth and furrowed brows, she marched up to Wonder Woman, ready to tear her a new one. “Diana what the hell?!” She screeched, holding out her open arms at her side.

Wonder Woman twinged in surprise at Zataana’s outburst. Confusion plastered upon her face. “I beg your pardon?”

Zataana’s fire was only fueled more. “What exactly were you thinking!?” She marched closer to her. “Those kids had to go to the hospital, Diana. Are you out of your mind?!” She screeched she closed the space between them to a few inches.

Diana narrowed her eyes. “Zataana, if you do not back away from me this instant, I will throw you back.”

Zataana tapped her finger on her own chest. “What? Are you going to hit me too?” She spat.

She shook her head. “WHAT are you talking about?” She snarled.

“Oh, don’t play dumb.” Zataana sneered.

“Okay, stop, right now.” Black Canary came between them, pushing them away from one another. “Let’s take a step back here.” She turned towards Zataana. “What has Wonder Woman done that has got you so upset?”

“W-we saw you,” Cassie stammered. She found her gaze difficult to bring up from the floor. “While we were in Chicago. W-we saw you beat up those metateens.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “I mean, jeez, Diana. They were super creepy but...jeez.”

“Wait, Chicago?” Wonder Woman questioned. “When exactly did you see me in Chicago?”

“Like, 10 minutes ago,” Artemis chimed. “We were just there!”

The other members looked around at one another. Their faces twisted in disorientation. “Girls,” Black Canary addressed them cautiously. “Wonder Woman has been here with us for the past hour or so.”

“What?” M’gann shot with a breathy voice.

“I think you all should see this.” They turned to see the voice had come from Batman. He had pulled up a video from a breaking newscast. They watched, speechless, as the scene from the mall played on the screen from phone recordings. The title, ‘Justice League Gone Too Far Again’ rested on a red banner at the bottom.

Diana’s jaw dropped and horror crept in her eyes. “That’s-that’s not me. I would never act so violently! At least not towards someone unconscious or tied up.”

“We could be dealing with a shapeshifter here,” Nightwing suggested. “Maybe trying to tarnish Diana’s image?”

Superboy peered at the video, “The heck kind of shapeshifter can fly and has that kind of strength?”

“I’m-I’m sorry Diana.” Zataana tried to apologize. “I just got so worked up-”

“It is alright.” Wonder Woman placed a hand on her shoulder. “I probably would have done the same if I saw one of my teammates act in such a manner.”

“Wonder Woman, please, I-I don’t mean to intrude,” M’gann addressed her. “But can I read your mind? Just to verify-”

“Why?” Conner snipped. “M’gann you just watched the tape.”

“No, no it’s not like that,” She assured. “The Wonder Woman that we saw in Chicago I...I couldn’t read her mind.”

Their eyes went wide.

“What do you mean?” Kadur asked.

“I mean like, there was nothing. Nothing at all. No images, no words, just...static.”

“Do what you need to.” Diana nodded. "I have nothing to hide.”

M’gann dipped into her mind. She really was Wonder Woman.

“This is not good,’ Batman’s voice was tense. “We are going to have to make a public statement about this. There is already a huge media uproar. The videos have gone viral.”

“Great,” Nightwing shook his head in contempt as he sighed, “This is the last thing we need. G. Gordon Godfrey did a segment on Bludhaven and the video of Arsenal beating that girl. Because of it, The League’s public approval rating has had taken a big plunge.” He massaged the bridge of his nose with his thumb and pointer finger. He groaned and looked to Batman. “We need to make a statement on that whole debacle, and let people know we’re trying to bring Arsenal in.” He glanced around the room. “We should work on this together. Where’s Robin? Isn’t he normally with you on the weekends?” He asked Batman.

“Robin is on a last-minute mission I had to assign with Beast Boy, Kid Flash, and Blue Beetle.” Batman explained. “They should be arriving soon. That’s actually the main reason why I called you all here.”

He proceeded to explain to them about The Madisons affiliation with The Light and their murders. He advised that the boys would soon be bringing ‘Lily’ there for protection and questioning.

“Oh my gosh,” M’gann gasped. “That poor girl.”

“She’s probably scared out of her mind,” Zataana added.

“Robin sent me a message saying she is injured but is up and moving around,” Batman assured. “I am hoping that she will be able to give us some information on The Light’s next move.” He grunted low in his throat. “To top off everything we have on our plate, I received word not too long ago that Deathstroke escaped from prison just after the bounty was initiated. And the lawyers in his trial, have all conveniently gone 'missing’.”

“We’re never going to catch a break,” Nightwing’s voice was almost a whine.

They turned their attention towards the Zeta Tubes as the robotic voice announced their arrival.

Recognized, Blue Beetle, B22
Kid Flash, B23
Beast Boy, B19
Sphere, C01
Robin, B20

They held their breath in anticipation.

Lily Madison, A14

Rose opened her tightly clenched eyes. She was not accustomed to the blinding light. With nervous breaths, she took a few cautious steps out of the Zeta Tube. She was breathless as she gawked at the sight around her. Her jaw dropped, eyes darted all around her. Concerned looks of the others fell upon her bloody hoody, tattered athletic shorts, and bruised limbs. But she took no notice of them, too busy with the realization that she was no longer on Earth.

“Hol. Le. Shit.” A smile formed on her open mouth. She only seemed to take notice of Kid Flash, who had placed himself right beside her. “Are we in outer space?” She asked him, bewildered.

“Yep. You guessed right.” He chimed.

Rose laughed with amazement. “You gotta be fucking kidding me!” She gave Bart a playful punch on the arm. He made a note that her friendly punches hurt almost as much as her real ones. “No fucking way!” She exclaimed and zipped towards one of the glass walls, gaping at the stars.

“Uh, Wow. She’s...forward.” Conner said, puzzled.

“Oh my God!” Cassie gasped at the sight of Tim’s face. Dark bags formed under his eyes, bruises from when Rose headbutted him. The bottom of his nose was tinted red from the blood he wiped away. She ran to his side. “Are you ok!?” She asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine Cass. It’s nothing,” He assured with a scowl.

“Jesus,” Conner looked around at the injures, Gar with his bruises and Bart with his fat lip. Jaime retracted his armor, revealing a line of blood that slid down the side of his face from where his head hit the ground. “What the hell happened to you guys?” He asked.

Garfield’s lower lip twisted into a pout. He pointed at Rose. “She happened.”

“What?” Batman asked.

“Umm..Bats?” Jaime addressed him, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. “So... remember when you said she probably wouldn’t respond positively to us at first?”

“Yes.” He recalled.

“Yeah, well, it turns out our ‘damsel’ wasn’t so ‘damsel-y’”

Conner laughed at his realization. “Wait. Wait a second, did she kick you guys’s butts?”

“Yeah,” Garfield snipped. “That’s what we get for trying to help someone.” He leaned in towards Rose with his last two words, raising his voice.

“What?” She was plucked from the wonders of space as she realized that Garfield was addressing her. Rose turned towards them. She smiled and shrugged her shoulders. “Aww come’on. You’re not still salty about that, are you? I said I was sorry.”

Zataana gave her a concerned look all around her figure. “Girl you look like a war zone. Are you ok?”

Rose waved her off, “Aw I’m fine.” She tried her best to bite back a chuckle. “Most of it’s not mine anyways.”

A quick silence fell over the room. Rose looked around her. She smirked and wet her lips, allowing the uncomfortable silence to sit for a moment.“Sweet set up you guys got here. Spooky, dominant, overbearing. Very...‘Big Brother’. I think it suits you Capes just fine.” She said.

Cassie’s face bunched in irritation. “Wow, ok. Um, excuse me, but just who the hell are you?"

“Team, this is Lily Madison-” Batman began.

“Actually,” She interrupted. “Lily was my cover name. My real name is Rose.”

Conner pointed at her. “This is the girl you sent them to rescue?”

Bart zipped over to Rose’s side. He put an arm around her shoulder. “Actually, she didn’t really need our help much.” Rose grimace at his contact. “You shouldda seen her fight! Girl’s got some moves.”

“Appreciate the compliment Motormouth,” Rose said as she plucked Bart’s arm off of her shoulder. “But I am not the touchy type.”

“Rose, I know today must have been very exhausting for you.” Kaldur approached her. Welcome and warmth soak his words. “I am Aqualad, or Kaldur’am, leader of the team that rescued you. We would understand if you’d like to clean up and sleep a little. Whenever you’re feeling better, some of the other members and I would like to discuss your parent’s involvement with The Light.”

“M’fine.” She shrugged and crossed her arms. “We’ll talk now.”

Kaldur tilted his head in uncertainty.

Black Canary approached her. She gave her a sympathetic smile. “Rose, hun are you sure? You’re parents just…”

Black Canary’s word’s trailed off. Rose raised her eyebrows, waiting impatiently for her to finish. “Died?” Rose ended it for her. “Yeah? And?”

“Uh, well...” Dinah found herself at a loss of what to say.

Rose shrugged again. “Some people grieve by crying, some people grieve by yelling.” She smirked. “I like to hit things. And I just hit a lot of people before coming here.” She gave a few content nods. “So I’m actually feeling pretty good.” She gave Dinah a quick pat on the shoulder. “Thanks for your concern though.”

“Oh...alright then.” Dinah answered, perplexed.

Kaldur cleared his throat. “Well, we would like to ask you if you know what information your parents were going to bring against The Light in court? Or if you knew of any information about their next plans?"

“Yeah,” Rose tilted her head and chewed the inside of her cheek, creating a plan. She waved a finger between the two of them. “But….I don’t see why this can’t go both ways.”

Nightwing narrowed his eyes and approached her, “You want something in return?”

Rose raised her eyebrows in appreciation and she looked up and down his suit. “Ooo look at that,” An ornery smile played on her lips. “Brains and bod. You guessed right.”

He twinged as she winked at him. For someone who was just a victim of an attempted assassination, she sure didn’t act like a victim.

“If it’s your safety you’re worried about,” Kaldur assured. “We can offer you protection-”

Rose rolled her eyes and groaned. “I don’t want protection. I can take care of myself.”

“Then what is it you want?” Kaldur asked.

Rose hummed to herself. She raised chin slightly as a confident grin formed on her face. “I’m gonna join your team.”

She found herself greeted with blank stares. A noise escaped Nightwing’s throat. “Ah-uh, um, excuse me?”

“You heard me,” Her voice was firm. “I’m gonna join your team”

“Umm...alright...uh.” Kaldur shook his head to clear his mind. “Forgive us if we seem a little taken aback Rose. This isn’t a situation or request we encounter every day. And unfortunately, that is not how membership works.”

Rose laughed. “Oh. Oh I’m sorry.” She placed a hand on her chest. “Totally my fault.” She pointed her thumb over to the Zeta Tubes. “Did you want me to go get a parent’s permission slip signed? Because I could swing by the morgue, but I don’t think they’ll be very talkative.” Her tone and turned bitter by the last few words.

“I meant no disrespect Rose,” Kaldur interjected. “But we can’t just let anyone-”

“Look,” Her eyes narrowed as a tightness flexed in her jaw. “The truth is, I have nothing left.” Quiet plagued the room once more. “I have no other family and no other place to go.” Her voice rose. “It’s because of Deathstroke that that bounty was initiated, and Deathstroke is a part of The Light and The Light…” She choked on her words, taking a moment to suppress the water building in her eyes. “They took everything away from me tonight.” She took a step towards Kaldur, closing the space between them. “And if you think I’m just going to sit back and roll over to that,” she scanned everyone in the room. “Then you’re all out of your damn minds.”

Rose's words morphed into a hiss. “So even if you don’t let me join...I’m still going after them. With or without your help.”

She cleared her throat, relaxing, calming the tension around her. “Besides, it’s something that we all can benefit from. Being the child of someone who worked for The Light, I do have insider information that you might find useful after all.”

“And what exactly do you mean by that?” Nightwing asked.

She smiled. “Well, liiike,” She looked up and bunched the corner of her mouth, thinking of what to say. “Oh, for instance, did you know that Cadmus has hidden labs still testing on human subjects?”

She heard quiet murmurs erupt from the others. Their expressions were plagued with doubt.

“I believe you're mistaken Rose,” Kaldur responded. “We shut down that part of Cadmus a long time ago.”

Rose’s scoff almost sounded like a giggle. “No. You went to D.C. and shut down one lab. You really think they’d only have one?” She laughed but just as soon quieted herself when she saw their firm glares. “Wait, you’re serious?” Her lips pressed together in annoyance. “You and your pals over there infiltrate a secret lab with dozens of underground layers, creating Genomes.” She shook her head in irritation. “Freaking, creating new life forms? And you seriously thought they’d have all that in only one place? In ONE lab?”

M’gann narrowed her eyes, “How did you know about us discovering Cadmus?”

She chuckled, rubbing her hand over her mouth. She nodded in Conner’s direction. “The same way I know your Superboy over there is a clone.”

“What?” Conner gasped. “You know about me?”

“Yeah.” She formed a mischievous grin. “You’re Superman and Lex Luthor’s gay science baby.”

Jaime absolutely erupted with laughter. He tried with all his might to stifle it with his hands. If looks could kill, the one that M’gann was giving him would have surely smited him in that instant. A tear fell from his left eye as he suffocated his laughs behind his palms.

Rose appeared pleased with herself. “My parents started their careers at that lab D.C.” She looked over to Conner once more and pursed her lips. “They helped make you.”

None of the Leaguers or members of The Team knew what to say. Rose sighed and rolled her eyes. She had a feeling she was going to have to give them more information before they’d be willing to let her on The Team.

She continued. “But just before you guys exposed it, they were transferred to a Cadmus facility in New Mexico. Their jobs there started off with tweakings of Cobra Venom, studying what it did to the human body on a molecular level. They had an idea of what the Metagene was, they just hadn’t mastered how to alter or harness it. And then after a few years, Cadmus started experimenting with children and teenagers. Experimenting with weaponizing the Metagene.”

She smiled at their confused faces. “Yeah, that’s right, Cadmus started even before your little ‘Reach’ friends did.” She cleared her throat. “When it came to testing on kids my parents....well they didn’t approve. They spoke out of turn about the experiments, threatened to contact the authorities, and eventually, they refused to do the experiments altogether.” She ran a hand through the top of her hair. “I come home from school one day and the next thing I know my parents throw me into a car with them with nothing but a few suitcases. That’s when they told me everything.” She counted each item on her finger. “They told me about Cadmus. They told me about The Light. About the experiments. The human testing. Everything.” For a moment, a ping of sadness flickered in her eyes at the thought of her parents. “They knew they could never leave Cadmus and still be allowed to live. So that’s when we started running. And we’ve been trying to find ways to take them down ever since. Tracking their every move.”

Kaldur looked around to Nightwing, and then to Batman. They both gave him reaffirming nods. “You have our attention Rose,” Kaldur advised her. “Tells us everything you know, and we will consider your membership. On a trial basis first of course.”

Rose smiled. They weren’t as hard to reel in as she thought they were going to be. “Well, According to my parents, Cadmus has about a half dozen other labs. There’s usually a business fronting for it to keep it hidden while the real lab is underground. As far as they knew, each lab specialized in either biological testing, drug manufacturing, weapons manufacturing, or combative training.” Her eyes narrowed. “But all of them, I can assure you, have very active and unwilling human testing.”

Rose saw some of them whisper to one another, stealing glances up at her. Their brows crease with doubt. A pang of irritation grated under her skin.

“Rose,” Batman caught the attention of the room. He paused for a moment, taking in every inch of her body language and tone of her voice. As much as he didn’t like what she was revealing to them, he was confident she was telling the truth. “You said Cadmus was involved in drug manufacturing, what did you mean by that?”

Rose turned her attention to the floating computer screen. The tapped her fingers over the keyboard, pulling up a picture of ‘The Reach’ soft drink and ‘LexAid’. “I’m gonna go ahead and assume that you know about the added chemicals in these and the mitochondrial marker?”

Nightwing raised his eyebrows. Was there anything that his girl didn’t know?

“Yes,” Batman assured. “We’ve been aware of the added chemicals since April.”

Rose chuckled and brushed her bangs out of her eyes.

“You guys know that was done to pretty much put you on a wild goose chase right?”

In the absence of their response, she pulled up images of their recent metateen fights. And news stories about the recent mysterious deaths of teenagers and young adults as well. She turned to face them and crossed her arms. “Have you heard of the drug ‘Spark’ yet?”

Batman’s eyes went wide. He recalled his conversation with Virgil and how he put his exposure to it in his report. “Yes,” everyone turned their head’s towards Batman. “Static recently had a run-in with some rogue metateens. He claimed they smoked it before they attacked him.”

Rose hummed low in her throat, “That’s right. Cadmus created it. It’s a recreational drug that can be taken in a variety of ways. If it’s real high quality, it makes a blue light in their mouth if they smoke it. Or, blue 'sparks', I guess. It contains the same mitochondrial marker. So the more kids that use it, the more they can track down. It has no smell and doesn’t show up on a drug screen.”

Nightwing rubbed his chin, “But why would they make a drug? Why not just keep using their drink? It’s not like its guaranteed to only go to kids.”

Rose smirked, “The drug contains a libido enhancer that takes full effect on those going through puberty, and dies off at around age 23 or so.” She raised an eyebrow. “Essentially, it makes for really, really good sex. Throw it at a bunch of horny teenagers, and you’ve created a huge market.” Amusement drained from her face. “But if not taken carefully, it’s easy to overdose on. Others experience intense violent outbursts and a sudden release of their powers.”

Robin’s eyes went wide, “My God. Batman, that makes so much sense. The kids that we fought recently acted inebriated and nothing appeared on their tox screen.”

“It was the same with those guys at the mall,” Artemis added. She shuddered at the memory. “Before they attacked us they were really...disgusting to say the least.”

“We need to get this off the streets,” Rose’s voice was critical. “Before anyone else gets hurt, or any more kids die.”

“I don’t suppose you have any physical evidence that Cadmus is producing this?” Kaldur asked.

Rose shook her head, “No. My parents had files that they hacked into and stole from the lab at our apartment. But I guarantee those bounty hunters were ordered to take everything. I doubt there’d be anything left.

“Where are these cities that you claim Cadmus is still running in?” Batman asked.

Rose shook her head. “No idea. The one my parents worked at in New Mexico doesn’t exist anymore. Before we started running, in a final act of retaliation, they released all the subjects and blew it up. So, that won’t be very helpful to us anymore. But what they did find out is where the drug facility is. Not the exact location, but the general area.”

“And that would be?” Nightwing asked her.

She smiled, “Gotham City.”

Batman tilted his head. His eyes narrowed “I believe that you’re mistaken Rose. If there was an influx of a certain drug in Gotham I of all people would know.”

She hummed in amusement, “You would think that, wouldn’t you? That’s because the low-quality product they push out of Gotham immediately to avoid suspicion. The more pure stuff, the less lethal version, mostly stays on the East Coast. Drugs only make the news when people die from it.” She pointed to the news articles on the computer screen. “If you can find where the distributors are getting it from, then you can find the lab. And then from there we can hack the computers and find where the other facilities are.”

Rose received no answer. She looked around at their worried faces. She gave them a thumbs up, plastering a sarcastic smile on her face, “Wadda ya say guys? Are we in?”

Cassie, however, was not amused. She didn’t care for Rose’s attitude or the fact that she had waltzed into their headquarters acting like she owned the place. She marched towards the front of the crowd, taking a spot next to Nightwing. “Okay, this all seems a little too easy to me. How do we know that we can trust her information, let alone letting her on The Team.” She crossed her arms. Her mouth twisted with doubt. “Can she even fight?”

Rose crinkled her upper lip in annoyance. She walked up to Cassie, getting in her face. “Uh, yeah. She can. Just ask your little boys toys who ‘rescued’ me.” She looked her up and down. “Besides, look who’s talking, Barbie. What’s your superpower?” Her voice raised an octave in mockery. “Shopping?”

Cassie’s face bunched in anger. “My superpower is I can throw you through a wall that’s what.” She sneered.

Just before Rose was about to retort, Nightwing placed himself in between them. “Oookay I think we’re all just a little tired after a long day. How about you guys go home and get some rest? Rose, you can stay at our Warehouse for now. Batman and I will check up on the information you gave us and we’ll discuss further plans.”

Cassie huffed and Rose stuck out her tongue. Kaldur placed himself in front of her. “Well Rose, I guess that settles it.” He held said as he held out his webbed hand. “Welcome to the team.”

Rose’s eyes went wide for a moment. She cautiously held out her hand and gave Kaldur’s a firm shake. The ache of nervousness finally fled her stomach. She smiled in triumph.

Well, that was easy.

Chapter Text

Bludhaven - The Warehouse
December 23rd
16:00 EDT

“Bart, you are not eating before the ceremony.” Jaime snatched a bag of ‘Extra Cheezy Chicken Whizzies’ out of Bart’s grasp and shoved it back into the cabinet. It was Raquel’s wedding day. And since neither Jaime nor Bart owned a tie, let alone knew how to tie one, Mal graciously offered himself for all their tie and tying needs. They arrived at The Warehouse to see Karen pacing and barking about in worry and irritation. They were supposed to leave in a half-hour and Mal and just gotten out of the shower. She swore he would be the death of her. Since Jaime did not want her irritation to grow, he put it upon himself to play babysitter for Bart. At least until the reception. Then he could set him loose.

“Awww but her-maaaan-o. I’m hungry.” Bart whined as he clutched his arms around his stomach, his face looking pathetically heartbroken. “You know it only gets worse when I run!”

Jaime rolled his eyes as he went to fix the front of Bart’s shirt. How did he manage to miss so many buttons? “Yeah, I do, ese. Which is why we’re taking a Zeta Tube to Dakota City.” Jaime reminded. “I know you, you’ll get crumbs all over yourself and stain your shirt if I let you eat now. You can wait an hour.”

Bart’s eyes went wide, “An HOUR? Ughhh.” He grimaced.

Rose made her way from the gym and into the kitchen,  panting. She pat the sweat away from her face with the towel that rested on her shoulders. Her cheeks flushed red. She trudged past them and filled her water bottle with the sink faucet.

The boys tried the best not to stare. Rose preferred to work out in only spandex shorts and a sports bra. Jaime watched her abs contract with each exhale. Sweat trickled down the curves of her muscles. Jaime couldn’t help but be a little jealous of her body. She was built like a soldier.

Rose had shown incredible promise in her training sessions. Since they had ‘rescued’ her, she was bound determined to prove herself. She was just as strong, fast, and vicious as she was back in the abandoned warehouse Des Moines. No one wanted to spar with her. Excluding her rounds with Black Canary and Nightwing, she almost always won. Kaldur and Nightwing were both intrigued and suspicious of her skills. She chalked them up to the teachings from her parents, and, of course, talent. Kaldur assured her that she would be cleared for her first mission soon.

“How was your run?” Jaime asked.

She chugged her water and gasped as she came up for air. “Fucking hot,” she answered, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. She raised an eyebrow, looking them up and down. “Nice outfits. You guys got that wedding today?”

“Yeah…” Jaime answered weakly. He rubbed the back of his neck as guilt pinged his stomach. “Sorry we couldn’t take you along. It’s kinda small. Mostly team members. The RSVP was a while ago.”

Rose loved seeing him squirm. There was nothing funnier than watching someone drown in their own awkwardness. She sported a small smile, closing in the space between them. “Is there an open bar?”

Jaime furrowed his brows in confusion. “Uh..n-no I don’t think so…”

Her mouth twisted in disapproval. “Then why would I wanna go?” She threw her towel at Jaime’s face and headed towards her bedroom. “You losers have fun,” she chimed over her shoulder.

Rose walked into her room. As she gathered her shower caddy, she heard a light knock on her doorframe.

“Hey, uh, Rose?” Bart said. She turned to see him standing in her doorway. Red rose in his cheeks as he rubbed his hands. He cleared his throat, eyes on the ground. “Umm, so, uh, Christmas is in a few days.” He looked at her for a moment before looking away again. “I-I know you don’t have any family. So uh, you’re uh, you’re welcome to spend the day with me my great grandparents in Central City.” His eyes finally found hers and he gave a tiny shrug, “If ya want.”

Rose gave a small hum and crinkled her nose. “Sorry, not into the whole ‘Christmas’ thing.” She said. She turned her back to him, gathering her things once more.

“Oh, uh, okay,” He stammered. He couldn’t bring himself to walk away. He waited for a moment, watching, gathering up his courage. “I just...” he blurted. Rose turned in his direction once more, lips pursed in annoyance. He swallowed hard, finding it hard to look at her. “I know what it’s like….to be alone. To not have anybody left.” He looked up at her with big, nervous eyes. “I just, don’t want you to feel that way. You wouldn’t be imposing, I swear-”

“Hey, Motormouth,” She interrupted. Her expression softened. She walked over to him, placing a hand on her hip. A smile graced her face. “I know I’m not alone.” She reassured. “I gotta team.” She gave him a light punch on the shoulder. “And a speedster dude to be all gross and mushy to worry about me.” He smiled at her contact. “I’m fine. I promise. Thanks though.”

He gave a few quick nods in response. “Well, I should go, we’re gonna be late.”

“Hey if they happen to hand out any of those tiny liquor bottles as favors,” She gave him an ornery grin. “Nabb me a couple will ya?”

He smiled, “Alright but if Mal finds them, you don’t remember how you got them.”

She chuckled, “Deal.”

As Bart sped away and Rose closed her door. She pressed her forehead against it and clenched her eyes tight. She sighed. This was going to be harder than she originally thought. She’s not supposed to get attached. She not supposed to let anyone else get attached. Because once she achieved her goal, there was no telling what exactly they might do. There was no telling what they were going to do to her once she’s exposed. And letting any of them in, letting any of them get attached, would only make their hurt worse.

But Rose had to stay strong. She had to remember that this was all going to be worth it. She had to remember how important it was to use them. How important it was to lie to them.

“I’m going to get you out.” She reassured to herself, clenching her fists tight. “Just a little longer. Just stay alive.”

Gotham City
December 27th
02:46 EDT

Shouts and sirens in the distance played a dissident serenade as Arsenal stood on a dim street corner. He stood close to another man. The man's oversized jacket struggled to cover his swollen stomach. Greasy face with crusted lips he looked at Arsenal with an annoyed scowl.

“Whaddya mean you ain’t got no cash? This ain’t no charity.” The words spat from his mouth with spite. He tightened his hand around the bag of drugs in his palm and shoved it back into his pocket.

A twinge of panic struck through Arsenal. “Y’know I’m good for it. Cut me some slack!” Arsenal sneered. A rabid itch rose from under his skin. He scratched at his fingers with his thumb. He wobbled, whiskey coursing through his veins. He just needed one. One hit, that was all. Just something to even him out. Something to make him feel alright; to stifle the sickness

“I don’t do credit homie. Either bring me my cash or quit wastin’ my time,” He turned to walk away. Arsenal grit his teeth.

It wasn’t more than a few weeks ago that he had taken down his first dealer. He wasn’t that much older than Arsenal, trying to make a deal with a group of teenagers. But when he confiscated the product, it was nothing like he had ever seen before. Beautiful, almost crystal-like nuggets of white and light blue. He knew he should have turned over to the authorities, but a morbid curiosity got the better of him. It’s not like he was on a team anymore, so what harm was there in exploring? What harm was there is testing the side effects of this new, beautiful substance? What could be the harm of trying out this, ‘Spark’?

But the problem was, from the very first hit, Arsenal was hooked. It became a lover of sorts that he could not let go. It made him feel powerful, made him feel invincible, and most importantly, for a brief moment, made him feel worthwhile. It made him feel a little less alone in a world that couldn’t care less if he was there.

The light was pretty, he gave it that much. But what he enjoyed the most, was the icy heat the slithered through his body as he shot it through his veins. Watching it melt, watching it swirl up the syringe, Arsenal could only describe it as foreplay. From the moment the needle pierced his skin, his worries disappeared. Shoving it directly in the bloodstream made his high almost instant. It made him feel wanted.

So when he needed his fix and found himself without funds, he was prepared to take more violent measures.

“Then I’ll take it from you!” Arsenal growled as he grabbed the dealer by the back of his coat. The man spun around, landing an elbow on Arsenal’s jaw. Arsenal swung his fist at him in a sloppy fashion, the liquor slowing his movements. The dealer grabbed him by the collar of his hoodie, landing a punch in his diaphragm. He shoved Arsenal to the ground, he clutched his stomach, wheezing. He cried out at the dealer kicked him in his gut.

One.

Two.

Three times.

It was almost impossible for Arsenal to catch his breath. He heard the cocking ‘click’ of a pistol’s hammer, as the man pulled it from his waistband. Arsenal found himself staring down the barrel.

“You’re gonna regret doin’ that,” he growled, placing his finger on the trigger.

A bright red beam of light flashed through the air. It landed on the dealer’s hand, knocking his gun the ground. As Arsenal’s eyes tried to adjust, he caught of glimpse of a human figure knocking the dealer to the ground. With one swift kick, he was out cold. Arsenal groaned, pushing himself onto his feet.

He watched as the man who took down the dealer, picked up the pistol he dropped, placing it in the waistband on the small of his back. He held what resembled a shotgun in his right hand. Its creases and curves emitted a red light. It reminded Arsenal of his mechanical arm.

The man looked over his shoulder at Arsenal. His voice was raspy and harsh. He chuckled, “Wow. Look at you.” He turned around. He cringed at Arsenal’s appearance. His red hair and almost grown down to his shoulders; matted and greasy. A ring of grime coated his the base of his neck. “Wow,” he snickered at Arsenal. “You always look this pretty? You’ll make all the other girls jealous.”

The man walked out of the shadows and into the glow of the street light. He was tall and broad. He bore black BDUs and a kevlar top, covered with a brown leather bomber jacket. A red mask covered the entirety of his head.

Arsenal’s eyes went wide, “You’re-you’re him. You’re The Red.”

He groaned in disgust, rolling his eyes under his mask. “God I hate that name. It makes me sound like a frickin ginger.” Arsenal narrowed his eyes. The man cleared his throat. “Oh uh, no offense there Malachi.”

Arsenal bore his teeth, pointing a finger at him. “You. You’re the one who's been killing those pushers. And I’ve been getting the heat for it.”

The man held his palm up at him. “Hey, woah. Uh, you’re welcome. You have been getting the credit for all my hard work after all.” He tilted his head. “And let’s face it, it’s not like you deserve it. Hard to believe you were Green Arrow’s twerp.”

Arsenal sneered. His lips curled into a snarl. “There something you want from me smart guy? Or you just here to talk shit?”

He waved a finger at him. “Woah, ease up there fire crotch. It’s not about what I want. It’s about what the boss wants.”

Arsenal asked, “Yeah, and what’s that?”

He shrugged, “You.”

“What?” Arsenal furrowed his brows.

“Well, believe it or not, there’s someone who still thinks that you can be useful.” The man explained. He pointed to Arsenal’s right arm. “You like that arm? How would you feel about making it permanent? No more having to recharge. No more having to reload. The power source would come from you. They’ve just been itchin' to try it on someone. All the boss needs is someone like you. Someone who’s already used his equipment.”

Arsenal pursed his lips, tilting his head. “Wait, his equipment?” His eyebrows raised. “Are you talking about Luthor? You can’t be serious! He’s your boss?”

He raised his shoulders, “Ehhh more like one peg in a small committee. I know you and Lex-y have some issues. But this is an offer you’re not gonna wanna turn down.”

“Piss off.” Arsenal spat. “I’m not doing anything with him ever again. And I am not doing anything to put me in his debt.”

The man sped over to him. He grabbed arsenal by the collar, shoving him against the closest brick wall. “Look at yourself!” He chided, his face inches away from Arsenal’s. “You think you’re a hero? You think you’re doing any good? You look disgusting, you reek of liquor.” He pulled Arsenal away from the wall and shoved him against it again. He yelped. The man continued. “You think you’re out here doing good, but what were you just doing? Huh? Trying to steal product from dealers? Are you serious?”

Arsenal’s eyes drifted to the ground, “Better taken by me than given to kids.”

The man grunted. He loosened his grip. “I’ll give you that ginge-y. But you are way, way out of the game. You’re going to get someone hurt. You are going to get sloppy and someone innocent is going to get caught in the crosshairs.” He narrowed his eyes, placed his gun in his holster, and clenched the front of his shirt with both hands. “And when that day comes you’re going to wish you had taken that offer, because I’m going to kick your ass.”

“Get your hands off me!” Arsenal screeched. He grabbed his wrists, trying to push him off. But the man held firm until he pulled back his right fist, winding back for a punch.

The man was yanked off of Arsenal as Batgirl jumped down from the rooftop, kicking the man across the side of his face. He stumbled away, losing his footing. Arsenal slid down the side of the brick wall. Batgirl reached down to help Arsenal up.

The man caught sight of them. His eyes went wide. “Well would you look at that,” he said.

“Arsenal, are you alright?” Batgirl asked.

Arsenal brushed her hand away. “Don’t touch me,” he hissed.

The man pushed up onto his feet. His laughter caught Batgirl’s attention. “Wouldn’t bother with him too much, red.” He advised. “He’s bein’ a sourpuss tonight.”

Batgirl took a defensive stance. “And who exactly are you?” She asked.

He smirked. “Go easy on the kid.” He tapped a finger on his chest. “I’m the one who’s been killing those pushers. Not him. Don’t blame him.”

“Thanks for the confession.” Batgirl grinned, raising her fists in preparation. “Now I can just skip to the fun part of knocking you around.”

He smiled behind his mask. “You always were a firecracker.”

Batgirl narrowed her eyes in confusion. Arsenal sprang up behind her. “Sshut up! I’m ssick of your mouth,” he slurred. He attempted to charge towards the man, but in his drunken haze, tripped over his feet. Batgirl’s face went hot with secondhand embarrassment. She wondered how she was going to fight off their attacker and keep Arsenal safe at the same time.

The man sighed. “Look, how about we both just look the other way tonight?” He pointed his finger at Arsenal. “And you get him off the street before he gets his ass whooped.” His voice softened. “He needs help.”

Disgruntled, Batgirl nodded. As much as she didn’t like it, she knew it was the best option.

The man shrugged, “Besides, I still got a lot of work to do in Gotham. So I’m sure we’ll have meetings like this very soon.” He reached into his jacket pocket. When he pulled out his hand, Batgirl gasped. He was holding a Fatherbox.

He looked at her with soft, longing eyes. His voice almost sounded sad, “It was good to see you again Babs.”

Her chest froze. That name. That was her nickname. A name that only the closest of her friends called her. She shivered. Somehow, he knew her secret identity.

“What did you just say?” Panic hissed through her teeth.

The man held the Fatherbox up to his face. “Fatherbox, back to Base, please.” Within seconds, a glowing yellow boomtube opened below him. He fell through. And in an instant, he was gone.

Batgirl was taken out of her daze by a cry from Arsenal. He clutched at his cracked rib as he tried to stand.

“Arsenal…” she reached towards him with caution.

“Don’t touch me,” he hissed, swiping his arm at her. He nearly toppled over.

“Jesus Aresnal you can barely stand,” she said. The inner corners of her eyebrows turning upwards in worry. She placed a light hand on his forearm to help keep him upright.

“I said don’t touch me.” He tried to pull away.

In his movement, Batgirl caught a glimpse of the inner crease of his elbow. It was bruised and flecked red with puncture wounds. Her stomach turned. She knew all too well what those meant.

She clenched his wrist and jerked his arm towards her, outstretching it so that his marks were in plain view. “What the hell are these!?” She screeched. He looked away from her and tried to pull his arm away. But she held it in place. “What the hell are these Arsenal? You’re shooting up now too?”

“Just leave me alone,” His voice cracked. He finally pulled out of her grasp.

“No.” She stated firmly. “No, I’m not going to leave you alone because you can’t keep doing this.” He turned away from her, his eyes drifted towards the ground. She shook with anger, with fear. “You’re going to get yourself killed. I know you don’t care about yourself, but there’s a lot of people who do care about you.”

“Yeah right, Nightwing-” he tried to retort.

“Nightwing kicked you off The Team because of your selfish actions.” She interrupted. She grabbed his shoulder, turning him around to face her. “It doesn’t mean he wants you to drink yourself to death. It doesn’t mean he wants you to hurt.”

Arsenal tried to turn away again, but Batgirl pulled at the front of his shirt. His eyes went wide at the intensity on her gaze. “Listen to me, you have two options.” She stated, holding up to fingers. “You have two options. You can either be a stubborn ass and try to ‘patrol’ and I call Nightwing and Batman to take you in.” Her voice softened and she took a breath. “Or, you can let me take you home to get cleaned up,” She waited until he looked her in the eye. “And I take you to a rehab center and you check yourself in, tonight.”

Tears swelled in Arsenal's eyes. His breathing was shaky. “Barbara…”

“Those are the only options you get.” She let go of his shirt. She swallowed hard, her eyes sparked with a mix of sadness and pity. “We’ve already lost Tula, Jason, and Wally. I’m not going to lose you too.” A tingle rose in Arsenal's nose. Batgirl placed a light hand on his arm. “You deserve to get better. You deserve to be the hero I know you can be.”

Arsenal gave a small shake of his head. He looked away for a moment and then back to her. “I ...don’t have the money…”

“I’ll pay for it.” She assured. “Don’t worry about it.” This would be an instance where she would have to use her ‘emergency’ Wayne Industries credit card given to her by Bruce. She decided she was going to just have to ask for forgiveness rather than permission.

His mouth gaped. “Barbara you can’t…”

“I can and I will.” She furrowed her brow. Her words were stern and certain. “What’s your choice?”

His muscles tensed. He choked back a sob. Because for the first time in what seemed like a lifetime, someone cared that he was there. It felt like, for the first time, someone actually wanted him to stay alive. He broke, falling to his knees as she clutched at hand to his face. For the longest time, his recreational substances, were the only things that made him feel like he wasn’t alone. But the bottles, his needles: his lovers. They were mistresses whose clawed grips he could not fight on his own. “Okay.” His voice cracked. Batgirl knelt in front of him.

“Okay...I’ll go.” He brought his hand away from his face, his watery eyes meeting her gaze. “I’ll get help.”

Chapter Text

The Watch Tower
December 29th, 2016
15:30 EST

“911 what’s your emergency?”
“Th-they’re, they’re going to hurt a lot of people. They want to kill.”
“Who is trying to hurt people, ma’am? Can you tell me where you are? Are you in a safe pla-”
“Mayor Fermin’s campaign party. El Paso Convention Center, 5pm. They all have superpowers. Please, I-I think they might kill him.
“Who is-”
“Metahumans. Please, stop them.”

The voices of the 911 call rang through the common area of The Watch Tower. Aqualad and Batgirl stood in front of the floating computer screen. Blue Beetle, Wonder Girl, Static, Bumblebee, Tigress, Batgirl, Rose, Nightwing, and La’gaan stood around them. They watched as the voice analyzer jumped up and down on the screen. The dispatcher, a throaty older woman, clashed with the high pitch of a young girl on the other end.

Jaime's stomach dropped at the sound of Mayor Fermin’s name.

“Approximately two hours ago we received a copy of this 911 call from the El Paso police dispatch.” Aqualad addressed them with a firm gaze. “In case you are not aware already, El Paso mayor Wesley Fermin is running for Governor next year. Tonight is his official announcement party. The guest list includes about 400 of his wealthiest and most influential supporters.”

Kaldur then pulled up several news articles about the Mayor’s scandals on the screen. He continued, “Mayor Fermin has recently been under the spotlight. He has been accused of illegal taxation, questionable business practices, and sexual assault. All of these charges have been dropped but that does not mean that everyone believes he is innocent. The El Paso PD believes the people the 911 call is referring to may be seeking their own form of justice.”

“And that’s why they asked for our help,” Static questioned. “Because they might be metahumans?”

“Correct,” Batgirl answered. “But Mayor Fermin has made it explicitly clear that he wants protection done undercover. Which is why we’ve arranged for all of you for this mission instead of League members. He is worried that costumed heroes watching the crowd and guarding the doors might make his guest...uncomfortable.”

Wonder Girl scoffed, “Glad to know appearance trumps safety.”

“Interesting enough,” Aqualad said as he raised one of his brows. “When The League was contacted, Mayor Fermin wanted to know if we knew Blue Beetle.”

Jaime jumped at the sound of his name.

Kaldur continued, “And specifically asked for him to be on the team.” Kaldur’s eyes met his gaze. “He said that it may be tied to your... ‘investigation’. Is there something that you would like to fill us in on, Jaime?”

“Yeah…” Jaime rubbed the back of his neck; all eyes upon him. He sighed. “A couple months ago, Mayor Fermin caught me out on patrol one night and asked me for some help. Some stores and pharmacies were getting robbed while loading and unloading shipments. And some of the employees were getting roughed up. Some people saw the thieves flee to the Tiguan Indian Reservation. But I haven’t been able to catch them.”

“And I haven’t received any reports on this, why?” Kaldur chided. “Jaime...do you suspect it might be someone you know?”

Jaime pursed his lips. It appeared as though he could not keep his suspicion hidden any longer. “Yeah, I think Tye might be involved with it.”

The others looked at him with intrigue. He elaborated, “Tye’s been basically off the map for a while. He started hanging out with a new crowd, got a new girlfriend. She’s….manipulative to say the least.” His words dripped his irritation at the thought of Jenny. “Her Dad’s the Tribal Chief, and I’m fairly certain they’re taking the product and giving it out to the people there. But I don’t have any hard proof.”

“You can’t find any?” Kaldur questioned. “Or maybe, you didn’t want to find any?”

Jaime’s gaze fell to the floor. He would be a liar if he said that Kaldur’s words weren’t a little bit true. All he had to do was let the Scarab scan their backpacks back at Jenny’s home. But that could have held consequences that he desperately didn’t want the responsibility of.

“Jaime, Tye is a metahuman.” Batgirl’s words were stern. “And what you say he might be involved in, could make him suspect for today. Do you know if the others in his group could be a concern for us? Do you believe that they are capable of extreme violence?”

“I don’t know.” Jaime shrugged, a fleck of sadness flashing across his face. “I really don’t know anymore.”

Kaldur hummed low in his throat. “You and I will discuss the importance of reporting information after the mission, Jaime.”

Jaime’s eyes fell. He rubbed the tip of his right shoe on the floor. He felt like a scolded child.

Kaldur addressed the rest of the team. “As for the rest of you, the squads and duties will still remain the same for the most part.” He pulled up a blueprint of the Convention center on the screen. “Nightwing and I will be Alpha. Our job will be to follow Mayor Fermin around as his personal bodyguards. Bumblebee, Static, Wondergirl: you three will be Beta. You will be rovers. It is your job to continue to move about the floor, keeping an eye out for any suspicious activities. Blue Beetle, Tigress, and Batgirl will be Gamma. You will position yourself by the main doors. You will be our first line of defense, keeping a lookout for any known Metacriminals...As well as Tye now. Rose, La’gaan, you are Delta. Miss Martian, Beast Boy, and Superboy agreed to Zeta between Mars and Earth for their mission today so we may use the Bioship. You two will fly it to the convention center where you will observe from the roof. And, worst-case scenario and Mr. Fermin is attacked, Nightwing and I will usher him to the roof where you will fly him to safety.”

“Aww what?” Rose whined. “We’re the getaway car?”

"Is there a problem Rose?” Kaldur addressed.

“No.” She pouted, crossing her arms. “I was just hoping I’d get to punch somebody today.”

“Sorry chum.” La’gaan nudged her with his elbow. “Newbies get the soft gigs. Have to make sure you can handle the job first.”

Rose sneered at his touch. Artemis leaned into her, whispering in her ear, “Who knows. If La’gaan annoys you enough, maybe you’ll get to slap him around.”

Rose grinned and hummed in amusement. She liked the way Artemis thought.

“Seems like a lot of people for one mission,” Karen interjected.

“Our tip said that there might be metahumans but it did not say how many or how strong.” Aqualad explained. “We should be prepared. And though I doubt the whole space will be used, the center is 80,000 square feet. So we need as many eyes as we can get. We are going with the ‘better to be over-prepared than under-prepared’ mentality.” He pulled up a weather radar for Texas. Heavy rain clouds crept across it. “The weather in El Paso does not bode well for tonight so Zeta travel may not be available later. We will take the Super Cycle as well as the Bioship. The thing to remember in the mission is to not make yourself look obvious. You may eat and engage with others but still pay attention to your surroundings.”

“Make sure your communicators are functional and gather any weapons you may need,” Batgirl added. “The attire for his mission is formal wear. So don’t bring anything you can’t hide under your suits, sports jackets, or dresses. We leave in one hour.”

El Paso - Convention Center
December 29th, 2016
16: 27 MDT

A nervous tension weighed heavily in the small security surveillance room. Tye, Jivan, Sebastian, Summer, and Adelaide scattered about the area. The sat, lost in their own thoughts. Summer sat at the desk that held the monitors. The screens showed nearly every inch of the building as the guest arrived. Her fingernails clicked on the desk with ferocity. She was unknowingly chewing on her other thumb nail as her eyes darted from screen to screen. A growing knot tightened in her belly.

Jivan ground his teeth at the sound of Summer’s tapping. They were all nervous, on edge, and quite honestly, a little afraid. The noise was the last straw for him.

“Summer,” he snipped. She whipped around at the sound of her name. “I am about two seconds away from ripping those nails right out of your fingers.”

Her upper lip curled into a snarl. A small growl rang from her throat. “Try it, and you’ll find yourself neutered, mutt.”

Jenny snuck up behind her. Summer yelped as a cold hand snatched the back of her neck. Jenny’s voice was cold and unnerving. “I will not have such behavior from either of you.” Her eyes shot over to Jivan. His gaze fell to the floor. Jenny released Summer and unzipped the gym bag slung around her shoulder. “Not today. It is the most important day of our movement. And I won't tolerate your attitudes and tempers soiling it.”

“S-sorry, Jenny.” Summer stuttered, rubbing the back of her neck with her hands. “I’m just anxious.”

“As you should be,” Jenny advised. She pulled out a few items of clothing from the bag. “These are the waitstaff uniforms.” She threw each of them, aside from Tye, a pair of black slacks and a black long sleeve buttondown shirt. “Put them on. Make sure your weapons are on underneath.”

The sound of Jenny’s voice faded from Tye’s concentration when out of the corner of his vision, something seemed out of place. He narrowed his eyes at the top left monitor. The label at the bottom of the screen read ‘Rooftop Access’.

“Oh no.” His voice was almost a whisper. He rushed over to the computers. The others followed his movements with their eyes. He grabbed hold of the mouse, zooming in on the screen. “We have company,” he said.

As though they appeared from thin air, the red vessels that Tye had come to know as the Bioship and Supercycle landed on the rooftop. Tye’s hand shook with worry as Cassie, Barbara, Karen, Dick, and Jaime exited the vehicles. They were clad in suits and formal dresses. They gathered, discussing last-minute details of their assignments. Rose and La’gaan stayed in the Bioship.

Adelaide let out a small gasp of excitement, she tried her best to hide her smile.

Tye’s jaw slacked in awe. “No no no no no.” He shook his head. “Jaime's not supposed to be here.”

On the screen, all but Rose and La’gaan disappeared into the building through the access door.

A deep growl rumbled in Sebastian’s chest. “Are you freaking kidding me!?”

Adelaide flinched as his raising voice. She quickly put space between them. She knew all too well the consequences of his quick rage. The bruise on her cheek and cut on her lip could attest to that.

Tye spun around to face him. Sebastian jolted his pointer finger at him and said, “You said he wasn’t going to be a problem. Now he’s here with his team members? This is already a disaster!”. Tye’s breath hitched as he watched Sebastian’s canines morphed into fine points.

Jenny placed herself between them. She held her palm out in front of Sebastian’s chest. Her eyes and Talisman started to glow. Her brows furrowed. “You will calm yourself.” A light flickered in his eyes. Sebastian's expressions slacked into a blank stare. His shoulders fell as the anger fled his body.

The light dissipated from Jenny’s eyes. She turned and gazed up at the screen. “I expected something like this.” She placed the gym bag on the desk and rummaged through it. “One cannot create change without expecting some resistance. It is not a major concern.”

Tye’s eyes went wide as his jaw dropped. “Not a major concern?” He scoffed. “Jenny, they all know me. Jaime has seen everyone here. We won't go unnoticed.” His voice cracked with panic.

A smirk played upon her lips. Her fingers curled around his chin. She placed a light kiss on his mouth to placate his worry. “You must have more faith in me love.” She rummaged through her bag once more. “You and I will remain hidden until our time comes. Jaime has only seen them once. I'm doubtful he will remember them.” She glanced over at her underlings as they fixed the final buttons on their new clothing. “Especially not in their uniforms.” She pulled out a glass vial from the bag. A finely ground tan powder rested inside

“What is that?” Tye asked.

“A backup plan.” She smiled. “A concoction of herbs and roots passed down from the medicine men of my tribe. I predicted something like this would happen” She rolled the vial between her thumb and pointer finger.

Tye swallowed hard. “It-it won’t kill them, will it?”

A small laugh escaped her. “No of course not. I still want them to be able to watch after all. Just a mild paralytic.” She turned to face the group. “Now all of you, listen to me. We’ve had a slight change of plans.”

Aqualad, Tigress, Static entered through the front doors with the rest of the guests. A delicate chandelier scattered the light through its crystals. It rested above a stage centered at the back of the room, directly across from the front door. In the left front corner, there resided a wrap-around bar. The right corner held a long buffet of delicate and expensive finger foods. Round tables were scattered about the room for guests to sit if they so desired.

Artemis fidgeted and fixed herself as they walked, pulling up the top of her strapless dress. Formal wear? Why the hell did it have to be formal wear? The only thing formal she owned was a homecoming dress from high school. However, the hem came up to her shins now as opposed to the ground. The top dug into her rib cage, but it was the only thing with ruffles thick enough to hide her compact crossbow on her thigh strap.

He made a dramatic inhale, “I really hope I don’t have to fight anyone for this mission because I am literally about to pop out of this.”

Kaldur smiled and shook his head, “You know, if Wally were here, I am sure he would have something grotesque to add to that.”

Artemis laughed, “God that idiot would too.”

Kaldur noticed the others filing into the room as well. He chimed in on his communicator, “Alright team, take your positions.”

Barbara took a seat at the bar, Artemis lingered by the buffet, and Jaime sat at a round table in the center. Their eyes screen everyone as they walked through the front doors. Cassie, Virgil, and Karen began to meander about the center of the room, walking between tables. Kaldur and Dick took notice of Mayor Fermin, laughing boisterously with several other men. They approached him.

“Mayor Fermin?” Kaldur shook his hand. “It is a pleasure to meet you. The name is Kaldur. My...assistant and I.” He motioned towards Dick who had come up next to him. “Are here on behalf of the phone call earlier. We will be escorting you today.”

Mayor Firmin narrowed his eyes at him, trying to decipher his code. His brows perked in realization. “Ah yes! Yes, very good.” He gave Dick as firm handshake as well. “I do appreciate you boys.” The wrinkles on his face crinkled with a wide smile. His salt-and-pepper hair was slicked back on his head. A thin black mustache rested on his upper lip.

As an hour passed, Kaldur found himself nodding off. He wondered if begging to the gods for death was a reasonable request. He had already grown tired of Mayor Fermin’s mundane and pretentious business conversations. Mayor Fermin laughed just a little too loud, made jokes just a little too crude, and sucked up just a little too much for him to be tolerated for an extended period of time. It also did not help that Mr. Fermin was on his third glass of champagne.

“Oh I forgot to ask.” He turned towards Kaldur and Dick. The near-empty glass resting in his hands. “Is that Blue Beetle fellow here?”

Dick cleared his throat, lowering his voice. “Uh..yes. Undercover though.”

“Ah,” Wesley responded. “Yes, well he’s been quite helpful and generous. Spending his own time tracking down those looters.” His face bunched in irritation. “No doubt in my mind it’s those...reservation filth.” Kaldur’s eyes widened at his words. Dick couldn’t help but grit his teeth. “Oh, I suppose I shouldn’t say that too loud.” Mayor Fermin chimed with a smile. He finished off his glass. “Wouldn’t be ‘politically correct.’” He waved over one of the waiters. He carried a silver tray of thin glasses that held the mayor’s favorite bubbly elixir.

The waiter approached them. His latino skin only did more to highlight the white of his smile. His brown hair was pulled back into a small bun. He had been following them around, waiting for the mayor to finish his glass. Because unbeknownst to them, his name was Sebastian, and Jenny’s powder had dissolved in their drinks just moments before.

He held out the tray, head tilting with a forced grin. “More champagne Mr. Mayor?”

“Why yes my boy, thank you.” He grabbed two glasses, handing them to Dick and Kaldur before grabbing one for himself. Sebastian snuck away, a mischievous smile forming on his lips.

The mayor cleared his throat, “Ah yes, now, where was I?”

“You were talking about your inability to be politically correct,” Dick replied monotone.

Wesley boomed with laughter. “That’s what happens when I get too much champagne in me.” He raised his glass. “Ah well, wouldn’t make a difference.” He leaned into them, lowering his voice. Well, as much as he could lower it in his tipsy state. “Not like anyone cares what those dirty Indians have to say anyways.” He laughed again, raising is glass a little higher. “Cheers.” He smiled, waiting for them to raise their glasses as well. Kaldur looked over at Dick with a scowl. And although Dick had his sunglasses on, Kaldur knew he was doing to same.

They sighed. They things they had to put up with for public safety.

They reached out their glasses, tapping it on his. All three of them took a swig together. Mayor Fermin brushed between them, attending to an rich supporter who had just arrived. His greeting was ever too exuberant. They turned to follow him.

“If I may be so bold to say,” Kaldur chimed, just out of hearing range for the mayor. “But he is a vile human being.”

Dick sighed again, rubbing his fingers on his temple. “God I hope he doesn’t get a seat in office.”

Across the room, Summer stepped behind the bar. She threw on a red bartending vest she snatched from the supply closet. She placed ingredients into a shaker, tapping in some of the tan powder that Jenny gave her. After several hard shakes, she poured the drink into a martini glass. She carried it diligently in her hand, eyes locked on a certain redhead at the bar.

“Miss?” She said.

Barbara was pulled from her concentration by the Summer in her bartender uniform. A thin smile formed on her lips. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail. She pushed a red drink in front of her. “Cosmopolitan.” She nodded to her left. “Compliments of the gentleman at the bar.”

“Oh,” Barbara responded, turning for a brief moment to see if anyone was looking at her. “Thank you,” she told Summer. She placed her fingers at the bottom of the glass and gave her attention back to the front doors.

Summer stood there for a moment, impatient at Barbara’s lack of thirst. She cleared her throat. “Uh...sorry.” She caught Babs’s attention once more. Summer threw on an overzealous smile, sporting a valley girl accent. “This is like super embarrassing. But um...it’s like, my first day. I wanna make sure I do a good job. Will you tell me if it’s any good?”

Barbara groaned under her breath in annoyance. “Sure. No problem.” She took a generous gulp. Her eyes went wide as a lump formed in her throat. It was quite possibly the worse thing that she had ever drunk. The green of the girl’s bartending skills definitely showed. She forced herself to swallow and feign a smile. “Um, a little heavy on the lime but, great otherwise,” she lied.

Summer smiled again, “Great! Thank you.” She walked away to tend to other customers, relief flowing through her.

Jivan made his way through the crowd as well. He sprinkled the tan powder on top of his tray of desserts. With swift strides, he approached a toned blonde in a short yellow dress who was picking at a small plate of finger food.

He held out the tray to her. “A chocolate eclair for the beautiful miss?”

Cassie turned to find she was being addressed by one of the waiters. Her eyes went wide as she smiled. Free fancy food and desserts? This was the greatest mission ever!

“Wow! Thanks!” She chimed as she nabbed one of them, stuffing it into her mouth.

Jivan chuckled as he smiled back, “My pleasure miss.” He tried his best to stifle his laugh as he walked away. 

Lastly, Adalaide sifted between guests. She held the tray high above her head. Being short was not conducive to keeping her tray from getting bumped into. She approached Karen. Her arms were crossed as she studied the room. Adelaide lowered the tray, it held three glasses lined with shrimp, a red sauce sitting in the middle. She pulled out the vile of tan powder from her pocket. She made sure no one was looking and….

Tossed the vile into the trash can next to her.

She cleared her throat. “Um excuse me, Miss?” Karen turned towards her. “Shrimp cocktail?”

Karen flashed her a smile before reaching for one of the glasses. “Yes, thank you.”

Adelaide nodded and walked away. She bit her lip as nervousness rested heavily upon her. It was almost time. She hoped that she was able to help them.

Virgil’s voice chimed in on their communicators. “Um I just wanted to say...in case you guys haven’t noticed already….” Everyone focused their attention to the area around them. Virgil continued, a smooth cockiness flowing through his words. “But we look gooood.”

They relaxed, realizing there was no cause for alarm. Karen stifled a laugh behind her hand. She pressed on the communicator in her ear. “Yeah you got that right! We’re probably the best-looking bunch here.” She took a nibble of one of her shrimps. “Free food and fancy dresses? These are the types of missions we need.”

Dick sighed again as Mr. Fermin’s annoying and loud laugher boomed around him. He pressed on his communicator. “Personally, I would much rather be punched in the face by Bane.”

Barbara sported a wide grin as she whipped her head around. Mayor Fermin was surrounded by a group of his ‘friends’, laughing at some sort of joke he made that was in no doubt distasteful. She noticed the sour expressions on Dick and Kaldur’s faces. They stood, hands at their front, one gripping the other wrist. They seemed to sigh in unison. They look so done.

She laughed as he held her pointer finger to her ear. “Hey Dick, I got a free drink. How’s being with big and greasy over there treating you?”

Dick looked over to her spot on the bar. Though she could not see his eyes behind his sunglasses, his furrowed brows were enough to give hit at his irritation. She laughed and flashed him a teasing smile. Dick’s and Kaldur’s attention was brought back to the mayor. Wesley pointed to the stage.

Kaldur’s voice came across the communicator, “Mayor Fermin is about to give a speech. Be on alert for any potential attackers.”

Mayor Fermin stood at the podium on the stage, speaking into the microphone. He greeted and thanked his guests and urged them for donations. A large screen flashed a montage of photos of himself behind him. As Wesley held the attention of the entire room, Jivan, Summer, Sebastian, and Adalaide scanned the room for one another. Sebastian gave them reaffirming nods. Sebastian approached the front of the stage while the other three stood by the front doors. Summer pulled out a small black disc from her pocket, just big enough to cover her palm. She placed it on the small patch of wall between the two main doors. They stood, waiting for their final signal. Summer jumped as a loud crack of thunder rang from outside. She shivered with excited anticipation. It was almost time.

Mayor Fermin finished his speech and climbed down from the stage. He was greeted by an array of applause. Several minutes passed and there was still no sign of trouble.

Jaime chirped on the communicator, “No sign of Tye or any other known criminals from what I can see. All clear where I’m at still.”

“Yeah, same.” Virgil added. Everyone also added their ‘all clear.’

Jaime sighed, “Maybe it was a false alar-”

Jaime was cut off as the sound of a slow clap filled the speakers. They turned their attention to the podium again. Behind it stood Sebastian. A smug look played upon his face as he clapped into the microphone.

“Now, wasn’t that a wonderful speech?” He finally spoke into the microphone. He pulled it up from the stand, holding it in his hand. He motioned towards Wesley. “Let’s give it up for the man of the hour folks, Mayorrr Wesley Fermin. Come on, give it up.” He clapped with the microphone in his hand. His voice mimicking that of a show host. Wary and confused looks were exchanged among the guests. A few of them clapped, if only in disorientation. Barbara and Artemis abandoned their posts, walking closer towards the stage in suspicion. Barbara tripped a little as she stood. She shook her head, feeling light-headed. 

Sebastian leaned on the podium, a cocky smile formed on his lips. “You know, Mayor Fermin has done so much to help our city, bringing El Paso to the thriving utopia it is today.” He stood upright. “Mr. Fermin has never been afraid to be a go-getter. To go out and take whatever it is he wants.” His eyes darkened. “Even if it’s without consent.” He look directly at the mayor as he gave him a large, false smile. He leaned in, pointing towards him. “Just like when he raped those native women from the reservation.” A few quieted gasped escaped the audience. Conversations quieted. Wesley’s face tense with anger.

Sebastian chuckled. “Oh no no no. I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I meant ‘supposedly’ raped.” He raised his voice. “It’s easy to get charges dropped if you threaten to tax their family into starvation if they speak up.”

Mayor Fermin snarled. He snapped at two of the other members of the waitstaff. “Get him down now!” They nodded and charged at Sebastian.

“Oh nooo.” Sebastian feigned concern, the pitch of his voice rising. It was almost sing-song. “People coming after me? Whatever will I dooo?”

He pressed on the center of his chest. His shirt shredded off of him as six red and black discs sprang from under it. The black band that held them wrapped around his chest. The discs spiraled towards the two wait staff members charging towards him. The discs stopped around them in the air. They shocked them with a red electrical pulse. They cried out in pain and landed on the floor. Sebastian reached behind his back pulling out a laser gun that was attached to the band on his chest. It was black, its edges lined with a red light. He fired a shot onto the ceiling. He smiled, “Now, if you’d let me finish...”

Dick’s jaw dropped. Those were Apokolips weapons.

The guests panicked. Their cries rose and they rushed toward the door. But The Mayor held firm. He glared at Sebastian with a savage snarl.

“Everyone hold your positions. Wait for my signal,” Kaldur demanded. He and Dick tried to place themselves in front of Wesley. They found their steps heavy. They tried their best to take their defensive stances, but the room wobbled.

“Oh, no one is going anywhere.” Sebastian advised. “You haven’t seen the main act.”

And with that, Summer smashed the disc she placed on the wall with her fist. It emitted a red light as it sent electric signals to the wiring in the walls. The doors slammed shut. The clash of the metal startling everyone inside. They locked with a loud ‘click’.

Summer, Jivan, and Adalaide tore off their black shirts. Black bands wrapped around their chests over their undershirts. Summer reached behind her, pulling an Apokolips laser gun off of her back. Jivan pulled a red laser whip from his band. And Adalaide pulled out a curved bayonet, the handle elongating into a staff. The razor tip glowed red. Summer fired another warning shot into the ceiling. Some of the guests screamed as they stumbled away from the door. They pointed their weapons at them to keep them away from the doors. Summer and Jivan smiled with excitement.

Virgil's heartbeat pounded in his ears. Electricity sparked in his hand as he waited for Aqualad’s signal. He was ready to pounce. He snapped his head around as the table next to him fell over. Cassie collapsed onto the floor, bringing the table down with her as she tried to use it to hold herself up. Virgil rushed to her side. He rolled her over.

“Cass? Cass? Are you alright?” Panic twinged his voice.

Her breathing was slow but her words were almost normal. She darted her eyes all around her as her body remained limp. “I can’t-I can’t move.” She swallowed hard. “Everything’s...heavy.”

Virgil pressed onto his communicator, “Guys, Cassie’s out...Paralyzed.”

Karen raced to Barbara’s side as she fell to the ground. “Barbara too.” Karen chimed in on her communicator.

Nightwing and Kaldur toppled as well. They groaned, trying to fight off the toxin. But it was no use.

Wesley dropped to his knees.

“What’s the matter Mayor?” Sebastian asked with a smile. “Feeling groggy?” He approached the mayor and grabbed him by the front of his shirt. Sebastian pulled him up and sat him down on a chair. His body was limp. “Oh no, you get to have a seat. Like I said you haven’t seen the main event.”

“What do we do?” Jaime yelled to Artemis. She reached for the bow on her thigh.

A loud crack of thunder rang inside of the room. The guests gaped in awe at the ceiling as a dark rain cloud spiraled and expanded. It filled each corner of the room. Lightning flashed inside the cloud. Its the thunder roared through their chests. Another flash of lightning blinded them. Two wind funnels emerged from the cloud and crashed upon the stage. When the lightning ceased, two figures stood on the front corners of the stage.

On the left was Jenny. She wore a black cloth dress that came down to her knees. A long red cloth with green trim was tied around her waist. A small leather satchel was strung around her shoulder. Her gold, bison-etched talisman rested around her neck. The fur of a black buffalo head with large grey horns rested on her head. A strap around her chin held it in place. The eyeholes of her fur mask lined with her eyes. A train of fur hung from the back of the mask and trailed down her back. Disheveled hair splayed upon her shoulders. She held a tomahawk in her left hand.

On the right was Tye. He was shirtless. Two red wolf paws were painted on each one of his pectorals. He wore tan animal skin pants and warpaint covered the entirety of his face. It was painted black from the eyes up and red the rest of the way down to his chin. His orange headband wrapped around his forehead. A fierce expression rested on his face.

“I am Black Bison,” Jenny boomed. Her words were slow and fierce.

“And I am Apache Chief,” Tye spoke with the same booming ferocity.

Jenny continued, “And we are here to seek justice for the crimes against our people.”

Sebastian beamed into the microphone. He held his free arm up to the air. “We are ‘The Pack’". He pointed at Wesley. "And we have come here for you, Wesley Fermin.”

Wesley’s face contorted. “I haven’t done anything,” He spat.

Jenny lept in front of the mayor. She raised her tomahawk. “No more lies,” she hissed.

Artemis pulled out her crossbow. She fired an arrow at Jenny’s weapon, knocking it out of her hand.

“What’s going on down there?” La’gaan barged in on the communicator. “Do you guys need assistance?”

“Negative La’gaan,” Artemis answered, now placing herself in command. “You and Rose stand ready for extraction.”

Jenny growled. “Stop her!” She barked at Sebastian, pointing towards Artemis. He charged towards her, firing his weapon.

She rolled out of the way as she ordered on the communicator. “Blue Beetle, get the mayor. Bee, take out the other three kids.”

Jaime extracted his Blue Beetle armor. Karen, pulled up her mask, shrinking and flying towards the three other kids. Artemis threw a smoke bomb at Sebastian. He coughed and stumbled until he found himself on the other end of Artemis’s aerial kick. It hit him in the jaw, knocking him to the ground. He lay there and groaned, seeing stars. Artemis ran to help Karen with the three other kids with weapons.

Blue Beetle charged for Black Bison. But he was tackled to the ground by Tye. Tye straddled him, holding his wrists down to the ground.

“Tye, please, you don’t have to do this,” Jaime tried to plead.

Tye narrowed his eyes. “Yes I do. And you will not stop me.”

Jaime grit his teeth. “Then you leave me no choice.” He opened up the plasma cannon in his chest and fired. It sent Tye flying off of him. Tye crashed into one of the tables, he laid still and quiet on the carpet.

Jenny gasped, seeing that Tye was not getting up. She trembled with rage. She pointed a finger at Jaime. “You think you have defeated us but you are NOTHING,” she spat. She turned towards the other kids and shouted, “Release the beasts!”

Sebastian, Jivan, and Summer leaped high into the air and landed on three of the round tables. Growls erupted from their chests. The Team looked on in horror as the three teenagers hunched over the tables. Their bodies mutated. But it was not smooth and streamlined like Beast Boy’s metamorphosis. Their bones and joints cracked under their skin. They trembled, digging into the tables as their fingernails turned into claws. Fur grew all over their bodies as their mouths painfully pulled into snouts. Their clothing shredded around them.

When they were done, beasts, indistinguishable from their human forms, stood on all fours in front of them. Jivan and Summer resembled that of hyenas. And Sebastian resembled a cheetah. But their arms and legs were longer and more slender than that of regular animals. Their ‘paws’ still resembled that of human hands and feet; mimicking that of a Hollywood werewolf.

Drool dripped from their sharp snarls. Sebastian jumped at Jaime. And Jivan and Summer pounced upon Artemis and Karen.

Sebastian wrapped his clawed paw around Jaime’s throat. He gasped under his closing windpipe.

A battle cry rang in the air as Rose appeared, drop-kicking Sebastian off of him.

She scrambled to her feet and stood. Her brows perked at the sight of the Cheetah in front of her. “Woah,” She smirked and motioned towards herself. “Heeeere kitty kitty.” She mocked.

Cheetah growled and charged at her, engaging both her and Blue Beetle in battle.

La’gaan joined the battle as well, assisting Artemis and Karen with Jivan and Summer.

Jenny’s stomach turned. They were losing. She heard a throaty laugh emerge from the seat in front of her. Wesley looked up at her with a wicked smile.

“Didn’t quite think this through. Did you girl?” He said.

Jenny’s nose crinkled with her snarl. “You did this? You had this planned, didn’t you?”

“I always have everything planned.” He chuckled. “And after today, I’ll have no problem using you as an example to finally get you filth the hell out of my state.

Jenny’s hands curled into fists. She leaned towards him, “So you do admit it?”

He beamed at her, his nose crinkling in disgust. “Of course. Who are you going tell, hum? No one will believe trash like you.”

Jenny snatched the front of his shirt with her hand.

He laughed again. “You Redskins are nothing but leeches on the economy. Stealing government money while you do nothing but drink. You’re lazy. All of you. You raise the crime rate in my city. Making it difficult for my political campaign. So yes, I will stop at nothing to tax you and harass you out of my state.”

Jenny tightened her grip, “And I suppose the women you assaulted were just a side benefit then?”

A smug look splayed on his face. “Concerned citizens coming to my office complaining that they can’t ‘survive’ such taxation. I merely offered them a trade.”

“More like forced them,” Jenny corrected.

He licked his canine. “You Indian whores already suck enough money from government aid. I think it’s about time you actually sucked something to earn your keep. Don’t you?”

Jenny clocked him across the mouth. His face furrowed with rage. “I will see that your whole kind rots in prison for this.” Blood spat with each of his spiteful words. “You stupid, savage, prairie nigger.”

But instead of striking him again, she smiled. Wesley felt the pit of his stomach drop. Jenny stood up straight. Around her neck on a chain, just below the Talisman, rested a small black box. A red light blinked from it. “Smile for the camera Mr. Fermin.” She had gotten almost everything she came for. He gasped. “In an hour, you, your confession, and your death will be on national television.”

Her smile turned into a snarl once more. Her eyes and Talisman began to glow. Mayor Fermin lifted into the air as Jenny revealed her telekinetic abilities. She slammed his body down onto the table. She raised him and slammed him down over and over again. As Dick and Kaldur lay there, hearing his bones cracking. They were able to twitch their fingers and the toxin began to wear off.

Across the room, Blue Beetle was thrown to the ground by Cheetah. He rose only to find that Adalaide charged towards him. She raised her staff high into the air. He turned the armor on his arms into razors to protect himself. She clashed the staff against his arms. He bunched his face in confusion however as he found she wasn’t exerting any force.

She leaned into him, almost whispering. “Blue Beetle. I don’t want to fight you. I just have to make it look like I am.”

“What?” He asked, puzzled.

“Her talisman.” Adelaide advised. “Her talisman is the source of her power. If you take it off her body or break it, she can’t do magic anymore.”

“Oh, uh, thanks.”

She looked over at Jenny and then back at Jaime. “Now push me down.” He narrowed his eyes at her. “Come on,” she whined. “I have to make it look like I’m fighting.”

“Uh...oh. Ok.” He stammered. He pushed back against her staff, knocking her down. He spoke into his communicator. “Guys her power is coming from the talisman around her neck. Try to tear it off of her or break it.”

“On it!” Rose announced as she gave Sebastian a quick kick to the face. She charged towards Jenny, who still slammed the mayor against the table. Rose unsheathed one of her daggers. She spun around, pulled her arm close to her and then extended it, crashing the dagger onto Jenny’s chest.

Jaime’s eyes widened in horror. “Rose! Stop!”

To his relief, the dagger only hit the talisman. Jenny yelled as it cracked in half. The final beam of light that emitted from it shot Rose backward.

Jenny trembled, holding the broken talisman in her hand. Her stomach dropped. She looked over to her left as she heard a groan. Tye was finally getting up from being blasted by Jaime’s plasma cannon.

“Useless,” she hissed behind her teeth. She ran up to him, putting his arm around her shoulders to help him up. Artemis blew a dart at Cheetah. He collapsed onto the ground, unconscious. Their plan fell into disaster. She reached into the satchel around on her hip. “Retreat!” She called out to her team members. “Retreat!”

Jivan, and Summer ran towards her. They morphed back to their human forms. Their naked bodies leaping between terrified partygoers.

Jenny looked around her. “Where’s Adelaide?” She asked, frantic.

“Who gives a shit?” Jivan spat. “Let’s go!”

Jenny gritted her teeth as the heroes ran towards them. The grotesque taste of failure sitting on her tongue. Wesley was still alive and she was about to lose two team members. She pulled a Fatherbox out of her bag. She held it to her mouth. “Take us home,” she demanded. They disappeared into the ground as a boom tube opened below them.

With their exit, the doors unlocked and opened. The guests spilled out. Artemis ordered their retreat. Police rushed in through the doors. They watched as an officer placed an inhibitor collar on Sebastian.

The rest of the team helped usher Kaldur, Cassie, Dick, and Barbara to the Bioship as the toxin began to wear off. They made their way back to Bludhaven.

Chapter Text

Bludhaven - The Warehouse
December 29th, 2016
20:12 EST

The Bioship hummed quietly as it dove under the water in the Bludhaven harbor. With The Warehouse's renovation, the basement was expanded to accommodate for a Zeta Tube and an airlock unloading bay for the discrete arrival and departure of the BioShip. The underwater doors of the airlock opened, allowing the Bioship entry. The water was then vented out of the chamber. The inner door opened, allowing them entry into the basement. 

They stepped out of the ship. Virgil helped Cassie out, still feeling the residuals of the toxin.

“That was quite possibly the weirdest shit I’ve ever seen,” Virgil was first to break the silence.

Jaime groaned, “I am not looking forward to this debrief.”

The Zeta platform behind them began to glow. They gathered around it.

Recognized Miss Martian, B05
Superboy, B04
Beast Boy, B19

As they stepped off the Zeta Platform, Miss Martian, Superboy, and Beast Boy were greeted by the other team members.

“Hey guys. How’d the mission g-” Miss Martian cut her words short. She turned her head towards the Bioship. Her eyes squinted in confusion. “What?”

“M’gann? What is it?” Dick asked.

She took a step towards her ship, brows furrowing, trying to decipher the psychic message she was trying to send her. She gasped. “There’s a stowaway on board! The Bioship, she’s saying someone snuck inside.”

“Fish ‘um out M’gann!” Dick ordered. “Everyone, get ready.” He took a defensive stance. Everyone followed suit as they gathered around the ship.

M’gann raised her hand, her eyes glowed as she ordered the ship to force the intruder out. It levitated, opening the floor of one of the storage cabinets inside. They heard a girlish screech as a small body fell, somersaulting towards them. She landed on her rump, groaning as she rubbed the fresh bump on her head.

It was Adelaide. But she had abandoned her Apokolips weapons and waitstaff uniform, now sporting an undershirt and gym shorts. Strands of her long disheveled red hair escaped from her ponytail and onto her face. She blew them out of her eyes. She gasped at the sight of The Team. She hunched her shoulders and turned her knees together as she let out a nervous chuckle. “Uh, hi.” She gave them a wary smile, not quite sure what to say. “Ummm...surprise?”

“She...she was there.” Karen informed, remembering that Adelaide had offered her food. “She was with that group that tried to assassinate the mayor!”

“Nononono,” Adelaide waved her hands in front of her in panic. “No I’m not with them I swear!” She stopped herself, twisting her lip as she tried to explain. “Well, I mean I was with them but not with them.”

Wonder Girl furrowed her brows in anger. “Sure looked like you were with them when you were shooting at us.”

Adelaide shook her head with rapid motion. “No, no they made me.”

Jaime tried to interrupt, recalling her help with the battle just hours before. “Guys, she's-”

La’gann growled. “She’s obviously sent by them to infiltrate our base. I say we take her out.” He took several steps towards her.

She shook. Her eyes went wide. “No wait-”

But she was cut off as La’gann let out a roar. His tattoos began to glow as his body bulked and expanded into its pufferfish form. He raised his fist into the air.

Adelaide screamed. She brought her face to her knees, wrapping her arms around her head for protection. She rocked, tears welled and fell as terror ran through her.

La’gann stopped. His anger faded as she curled into herself. She looked so small; afraid, helpless. Her muffled crying played in his ear. La’gaan shrank back down to normal size; guilt seizing him. He felt like a predator.

M’gann approached her with swift strides. Her stomach soured at the look of horror that flashed across Adelaide's face. She brushed passed La’gaan. “Really La’gaan? Really?” She hissed at him. His mouth curled into a pout.

M’gann lowered herself to one knee in front of Adelaide. Adelaide lifted up her head, strands of hair sticking to her wet cheeks. M’gann reached her hand out towards hers. Adelaide gasped, flinching away from her, bringing her hands to her chest.

“It’s alright, it’s alright,” M’gann tried to reassure her. Her voice was almost a whisper.

Adelaide looked up at her with wide watery eyes. She darted her eyes around her to see that no one else had moved. She spoke, seeing that all was still for a moment. “I-I was, I was just trying to run away from them.” She swallowed hard and licked her lips with uncertainty. Her voice shook and cracked. “I thought….I thought you were the good guys.”

M’gann's jaw slacked. She could have sworn she felt her own heart break. “We are.” M’gann assured, giving small affirmative nods. She turned her head to La’gaan. Her eyes narrowed as she hissed again at him. “We are.”

La’gaan threw his hands up in the air. Seems he couldn't do anything right.

“I won’t hurt you. I promise.” M’gaan told her as she dropped down on both knees, tucking her legs underneath her. She placed her hands in her lap. “What’s your name?” She asked with a slight tilt of her head.

“Adelaide.” She responded. Darting her eyes between everyone in the room, still uncertain of their actions.

“Guys, I was trying to tell you,” Jaime took a step forward, motioning towards Adelaide. “She was the one that told me about the Talisman. At the mission today.”

“Really?” Dick asked.

“Yeah,” Jaime affirmed. “She’s basically the reason we won.”

M’gann turned her attention to Adelaide once more. “Why did you help us?" Her tone was genuine.

She wiped away the teary residue under her eyes with her hand. “I knew they wanted to kill him. I didn’t want anyone to get hurt.” She gave M’gann a small nervous smile. “Don’t you get my phone call?”

Dick raised his brows. “That was you,” he said. Everyone turned their attention to him. “I thought I recognized your voice. You were the one in the 911 call."

“Mm-hmm.” Adelaide hummed with a smile as she shook her head.

“Wait, okay.” Wonder Girl rubbed her temple. “So you help your ‘Pack’ attack us with Apokolips weapons and then expect us to believe you’re just...running away from them?” She addressed Nightwing. “How the heck do a bunch of kids get a hold of Apokolips weapons anyways?”

“Oh, La Dama gave them to us,” Adelaide answered for her.

“La Dama?” Dick asked as he furrowed his brows. He was sure he had heard that name in the database before.

“Yep.” Adelaide reaffirmed. “She’s a business lady in El Paso. Really pretty. But..really really scary.”

“I know of her.” Jaime chimed in. “She’s a crime boss in El Paso. One of those higher-ups who the authorities can’t seem to get any evidence on. Kind of like Lex.”

“Can you tell us why she gave them to you?” M’gann asked.

“Yeah,” Adelaide said as she gave her a few rapid nods. “Yeah, I’ll tell you everything you want to know. Just...” She bit her bottom lip, looking up at M’gann with pleading eyes. “Please don’t, please don’t kick me out. I-I don’t want them to find me again.” Without realization, she brought her finger up to the cut on her lip. She tried to push back the water in her eyes again. “I don’t want to go back to them.”

M’gaan observed her injuries. She slowly brought her hand up to Adelaide's face. She flinched as M’gann came close. M’gann cupped her right cheek in her palm, her thumb softly rubbing over her bruise. “Were they the ones who did this to you?” She asked.

Adelaide's eyes fell to the ground as the team members exchanged nervous glances.

“Tye...Tye and Jenny treated me good.” She finally answered. “But...the others weren’t so nice.” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “They could be, really violent sometimes.”

M’gann bit her lower lip, face contorting in sympathy. She brushed a strand of stray hair behind Adelaide's ear. “How about we get you out of this cold basement?” She asked, giving her a small grin. “Are you hungry?” Her voice raised in pitch. “Because I have been told I make some pretty awesome cookies.” M’gann winked at her. She watched as a smile of relief spread across Adalaide's lips.

Adelaide sat on one of the stools in the kitchen island. Her feet dangled in the air as she stuffed herself full of M’gann’s cookies. “Wow!” She managed through a mouthful. “These are good.”

M’gann chuckled, finding her adorable. “Told you.” She rubbed the top of Adelaide's head, smiling. “I’ll put in another batch just for you.”

Garfield gathered with the others in the living area. He watched with crossed arms. Jealousy fumed off of him as M’gann gave this new girl her full attention. Attention that she usually gave to him.

“Those should be my cookies,” he mumbled.

Conner couldn’t help but laugh at the sour expression on Garfield’s face. “Whatsa matter Gar? Jealous you’re not getting all of M’gann’s attention?”

He huffed. His lower lip puckered into a disgruntled pout. “She never makes batches just for me anymore.”

Kaldur gathered with the rest of The Team. They held a quiet discussion as they watched Adelaide and M’gann interact in the kitchen.

“You think we can trust anything she says?” Kaldur asked.

“Well, she seems to have M’ganns approval,” Jaime answered with a smile, watching them. “And she is the Telepath.” He turned towards Kaldur. “Plus, I’ve seen her with the other members of The Pack. I mean, I can’t really describe it, but she definitely didn’t seem like she belonged with them.”

Kaldur hummed to his thoughts. He approached the kitchen island. “Ok so...uh…”

“Adelaide,” she responded.

“Adelaide. Right.” Kaldur repeated almost too slow. What kind of name was that anyway? He continued. “So, we were talking about the Apokopils weapons. The ones La Dama gave to you?”

“Mmm-hum that’s right,” Adelaide answered. “So uh, I guess..uh, I’ll just start from the beginning.” The others moved in closer as she started her story. “So Jenny is the leader of The Pack. She lives on the reservation and a few months ago she started having us steal medicine and food from stores. The people on the reservation are really poor. That can’t really afford that stuff. So, Jenny went to get some help from La Dama. She already had everything that happened today planned, but she needed weapons, just in case.” She took another bite out of her cookie. “So La Dama said she’d give them to us whenever we needed them if we sold some drugs for her.”

“Drugs?” Nightwing repeated. He looked over at Rose who raised a brow at him.

“Yeah. I’d never heard of it before.” Adelaide squinted in thought. “I think it was called...Spark?”

Nightwing’s eyes went wide as an array of questions ran through his mind. “Do you happen to have any with you?” He asked her.

Her mouth twisted in disappointment. “No. We hadn't gotten our shipment yet. I think...I think that was supposed to happen sometime in February.”

“Do you know what day? Or where you were supposed to pick it up?” Nightwing’s questions were quick and urgent.

She looked up at him with large, sad eyes. “No, I don’t remember. M’sorry.”

Nightwing sighed. He should have known it wouldn’t have been that easy. “It’s alright,” he assured her.

“So how did you end up being part of The Pack?” Kaldur asked.

Her gaze fell to the floor. Her voice was small. “I don’t remember.”

A skeptical look plastered across Cassie’s face. “You can’t use that answer for every question, you know.”

“No, really.” Adelaide tried to assure. “I don’t-I don’t remember anything before July. I don’t remember anything about my life.” She made intricate circles on the counter with her pointer finger. Her eyes followed it. Sadness plagued her tone. “I mean, I remember how to read and write and, you know, life and stuff like that. But...I don’t remember where I’m from, my school, my parents.” She finally looked up at them, their stares weighed heavy upon her. “I don’t-I don’t even think Adelaide is my real name. Jenny said that was the name I gave her when I woke up.”

Nightwing narrowed his eyes, tilting his head. “What do you mean ‘when you woke up’?”

“I don’t-everything’s really blurry from then.” She let out an audible exhale, as if getting ready to repeat a story that she had told many times. “Jenny said that she and The Pack found me in the mountains one night. They said that I was hurt real bad, and Jenny took me back to her house to get better.” She shrugged. “She kind of adopted me. She adopted all of us.”

“She found the other kids too?” Conner asked.

“Yeah, they were with her before she found me.” Adelaide rubbed the edges of the ceramic plate with her fingers. “Sebastian, Nathan, and Summer said they escaped from some lab in New Mexico like a year ago. Jenny found them when they were crossing through El Paso."

Rose perked her eyebrows. Everyone on the team seemed to look over at her. She tossed them a confident smile.

“A lab,” Kaldur repeated.

“Mm-humm, they said they got their powers ‘cause they were experimented on.” Adelaide rubbed her temple. “Ah, what did they say it was called? Caaa...ca..Candus? Catus?” Her eyes went wide. “Cadmus! Cadmus. That’s what it was called.”

“Are you sure?” Dick questioned again.

“Yep,” she chirped.

A tight smile bunched Rose’s cheeks. Cockiness rolled off her in waves. “And you guys doubted me,” She chimed.

“They must have been some of the subjects your parents set free,” Nightwing deduced, rubbing his chin.

“Looks like that didn't turn out well for us,” Cassie sassed.

“Oh, and then she met Tye and well,” Adelaide shrugged. “You guys know the rest.”

Jaime crossed his arms. He muttered swears under his breath.

“Jaime?” Artemis addressed him. “Something on your mind?”

“I just can’t believe it,” Jaime wined, throwing a hand in the air. “Tye was my best friend. After years together you think you know someone.” He crossed his arms again. “Guess I was wrong.”

“You know Tye?” Adelaide asked him with a tilt of her head.

“I thought I did,” Jaime answered.

Adelaide hummed to herself as she bunched a corner of her lip. She looked back up at Jaime. “Well, I wouldn’t be too hard on him. He’s not…” She played with her fingers, looking for the right words to say. “He’s not in full control of his actions all the time.”

“What makes you say that?” Jaime asked.

“Jenny’s Talisman, it lets her manipulate people’s minds.” She answered. “I’ve seen her use it on him a lot, especially when they argue. She used it on the other kids too. Sometimes they’d lose control in their animal forms or disobey her. She’d have to use it to make them do what she said.” She scratched her arm in nervousness. “I didn’t want her to mess with my mind. So I just...I just did whatever she asked me.” She wrapped her arms around herself. “But I knew sooner or later she’d make me hurt someone...just like the other kids.”

M’gann placed a soft hand on her shoulder. “You don’t have to worry about anything like that now.”

“So Jenny has her Talisman,” Conner listed. “Tye has his astral projection thing, and the other kids have uh, animal, forms. Do you have any superpowers?”

“Uhhh...yeah kinda. I mean, I think so?” She sounded unsure.

“You think so?” He repeated, skeptical.

“Jenny said that my accident sparked my powers. But they only come out it like, small bursts. I can’t really control them yet,” she advised.

“Well, we do know that the Metagene tends to surface under extreme duress,” Nightwing informed. “So it would make sense that an accident would create your powers. So, what can you do?”

“Well, I heal pretty fast.” Adelaide made a circle around her face with her pointer finger. “Like, I got these today and they’ll be gone by tomorrow. Um, I’m can be pretty strong. And...uh, well I….it’s hard to explain. Um, Sometimes when I touch something, I see things about in my head.” She scratched her neck, trying to think of the words. “Uh, how do I say it better? Like, if I concentrate really hard, and I touch an object, I can see its history. Like, important stuff that’s happened to it, or people who have handled it.”

“Oh. Psychometry.” Nightwing responded without hesitation. “That’s what that’s called. It’s like...object reading, like what some mystics can do.” Artemis looked over at him with a raised brow. “What?” He shrugged with a smile. “I’ve picked up some paranormal lingo from Zataana.”

“Can you demonstrate for us?” M’gann asked.

“Uh, yeah, I can try,” she responded.

From out of the corner, Sphere rolled over towards them. She chirped with excitement as she rolled up next to Adelaide.

Conner chuckled. “I think Sphere wants to volunteer.”

“Ookaaayyy….” She replied slowly, eyes wide. She looked around at their casual faces, unsure as to why a giant, rolling, steel ball was normal for them. She cautiously placed her flat palms on Sphere. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She opened her eyes, a blue light engulfing them. She observed as snippets of Sphere’s past flashed in her mind. “She’s from...another planet.” She explained. “She was taken from there. Taken to a desert? You...you saved her from...from. Ick. Some gross white guy with a big head.”

Several amused chuckles emerged from the group. Dick smiled, “That would be Psimon.”

Adelaide closed her eyes. They returned to normal when she opened them and took her hands off of Sphere.

“That’s pretty cool,” Superboy noted. “Looks like you’re not the only one around with psychic abilities M’gann.”

Adelaide looked up at M’gann. “You’re psychic?” She asked.

“Sort of.” M’gann responded, taking more cookies out of the oven. “I’m a Martian. I’m telepathic and telekinetic. I can communicate with people through thought. I can read people’s minds, sift through their memories, stuff like that.”

“Cool.” She chimed. Her eyes went wide as a realization rose in her mind. “Wait wait you can go through people’s memories? Can-can you help people get back memories they lost?”

“I think so,” M’gann responded, remembering one of their very first missions in Bialya. “I’ve dabbled in it before.”

An excited smile grew on her lips. “Can you get me back my memories?! Oh please please please. I would be so grateful.” She gave M’gann’s shirt a light tug.

“I mean, I can try, but it’s a very invasive procedure,” M’gann explained to her. “A very...delicate process. You’d have to be ok with me going into the deepest parts of your mind.” The smile began to fade from her face. M’gann placed a hand on her shoulder as she leaned down towards her. “But you’ll be there right alongside me.”

“Alright.” Adelaide nodded. “I trust you.”

“We’ll give you two some space.” Nightwing told them as he motioned for everyone to exit the kitchen. "I’m going to start the report for today’s mission.”

M’gann moved their dishes to the counter. She ushered Adelaide to the other side of the island, where it was more open, more room. She sat her in a stool and placed herself in a stool in front of her.

“Alright. I just need you to relax and clear your thoughts.” M’gann told her. “You’ll see my physical form in your mind. You just have to remember that even if something you see is weird or scary, it’s not real, ok? Nothing will hurt you unless you let it.”

“Okay,” She replied, nerves shaking her breath. “I’m ready.”

M’gann made the psychic connection between their minds. In her mind, Adelaide looked around her and down at her body. Her limbs were all there. M’gann’s body appeared in front of her. They were surrounded by moving shapes of black and hues of yellow. It reminded her of a lava lamp. ‘Screens’ containing her memories played all around her.

“Woah. Kinda creepy in here,” she said, looking around

M’gann giggled. “It is weird, isn’t it? Ok, we’ll start with the Convention Center. Just think about the events from today and we’ll slowly work our way backward. Alright?”

“Alright,” she nodded with a smile.

They watched as memories played all around them, as though they were traveling in a tunnel at hyper speed. The girls watched as the scene from earlier played in front of them. And then onto The Pack’s violent ‘sparring matches’, their interaction with Jaime at the reservation, the thefts of the product, and their meeting with La Dama. M’gann helped her replay all of her memories with The Pack, and then….

Darkness.

And in that darkness could be heard the sound of a steady heartbeat. Flashes of a ceiling in a dimly lit room could be seen, as if M’gaan and Adelaide were looking through blinking eyes.

The area around them was engulfed in a dull flickering orange, lit by candlelight.

A voice that Adelaide recognized as Sebastian’s hissed around them:

“She shouldn’t be here.”

A heartbeat thumped again.

“We should have just let her die.”

“Be quiet,” The next hushed voice belonged to Jenny.

Their silhouettes appeared out of the corners of her ‘eyes’.

“You’re making a mistake,” Summer chided.

Heartbeat.

“You don’t smell it on her? You don’t sense it?” Sebastian's voice contained a twinge of panic.

“I said quiet,” Jenny hissed at them again.

The area around them went dark again, but the voices were all too clear.

“It smells like death. Like Violence,” Summer’s voice shook.

“Tell me you don’t feel that darkness,” Sebastian’s tone dripped with spite.

“Do not question me.” Jenny scolded. “I will deal with it.” The eyes fully opened. “Worry about yourself.”

“She’s awake,” Jivan pointed.

The room came fully into view as Adelaide's eyes rose up, as if she were sitting up in bed. The sheets all around her were stained with blood. The bedroom that held them was lit with several candles.

Terror swept across the faces of Jenny, Jivan, Summer, and Sebastian. They shook as all but Jenny cowered into a corner. Jenny took a step forward. Her brows furrowed. She spat as she spoke. Her voice trembled. “What-what do want? Want do you want with her?”

Slowly the eyes turned to the left, towards a dresser with a mirror.

The girls gasped. Adelaide almost screeched as she saw her reflection in the mirror. She covered her mouth with her hands. This was not a memory she recalled at all.

In the reflection of the mirror, she saw herself sitting, hunched over in a bed. She was shirtless, bloody bandages wrapped around her chest and arms. The whites of her eyes had gone pitch black. Irises of yellow and black, slit pupils rested in the center of them. Her lips curled into a demonic smile to reveal razored teeth. Drool dripped down her chin.

Jenny appeared in the corner of the mirror as she approached the bed. She held out her hand. Her Talisman began to glow. “You will let. This child. Go.” Her demands were firm. The ‘Adelaide’ that was reflected in the mirror turned towards her with a snarl. “If you will not leave then I will make you sleep.” Jenny’s eyes began to glow with more intensity. She held out both hands towards her. “YOU WILL SLEEP!”

Everything went back once more. Slow, shimmering moonlight grew from above. A nighttime forest appeared around them. M’gann looked around her. They stood in a clearing, surrounded by desert-type foliage. The sandy soil shifted under her feet. The sound of whimpering caught her attention. Adelaide gazed all around her, her breathing hitched as she rubbed her arms.

“Adelaide?” M’gann placed a hand on her back. She flinched at the contact.

“I don’t. I don’t like this place.” Adelaide fidgeted in place. She shook, sweat forming on her brow. “I don’t like this place.” She looked around her once more. “This is where….”

“Where what?” M’gann tried to get an answer from her. “What happened here? Your accident?”

“I don’t. I don’t rememb-”

She was cut off as a voice rang around them. It vibrated through their bodies. It spoke with a multitude of tones, a deep bassline ringing the loudest.

“You shouldn’t have come back here.”

It felt as though the air ripped from their lungs.

"You shouldn’t have come back.”

“What was that?” M’gann asked, frantic. “Who was that?”

“I don’t-” Adelaide tried to speak but she was cut off once more. A chilling cold surrounded them. About five meters in front of them, a figure emerged from the darkness. The sounds of chains clanked as it walked closer. The thump of its steps shook the ground below them. It was only able to take a few steps before its chains reached their end. Screeching rang through the chain links.

Adelaide and M’gaan froze in place as the moonlight revealed to them, a massive black wolf. Saliva poured off its fangs as its lips curled into a savage snarl. Its white eyes pierced right through their very souls. It stood high above them. Reaching twenty feet from the ground to the tips of his ears. They could feel its hot sticky breath as steam poured from its mouth with each exhale. Its clawed paws pulled on the chains that held it back.

M’gann’s jaw fell as her eyes went wide. She shook her head. “What the hell?” she managed to say, her words almost a whisper.

Its voice rang all around them again. “You shouldn’t have come back.”

M’gann’s attention was jolted behind her as Adelaide screeched. Adelaide trembled, her hands balled into fists as her eyes darted in horror at the ground.

A pool of deep crimson blood formed around them. It seeped from the soil, shimmering in the moonlight. It only rose an inch above the ground. But it was enough to cause Adelaide to whimper. She hunched her shoulders, shrinking back a few steps as she trembled.

M’gann shook her head, face contorted in fear and confusion. “This...This isn’t a memory.” She gawked. “This is...something else.”

The wolf’s voice erupted around them again. “Do not..come...back.”

Adelaide let out an ear-shattering scream. She arched her back in pain. Four long parallel gashes struck her back. M’gann whipped her head around to her, only to see four more gashes erupt from Adelaide's left shoulder to down her chest. Blood flowed from them. She clutched her chest, nearly crumbling to the ground.

“Adelaide!” M’gann cried out to her and rushed to her side. She grasped her arms, catching her before she was able to fall.

“It hurts! It hurts!” Adelaide cried. Her face twisted with pain as tears streamed down her face.

“Listen to me. This isn’t real.” M’gaan tried to reason with her. “You’re not really hurting. You’re…” M’gaan gasped as she placed a hand on the wound on Adelaide's chest. Her blood was hot. It was sticky. And M’gann felt her heartbeat through the wound.

It felt real.

It shouldn’t feel that real.

And M’gann began to doubt if she was in an illusion anymore.

M’gann trembled, feeling the gushing blood beneath her fingers. "It’s-it's warm."

The wolf spoke once more. “You will not interfere.”

Rabid clicks rose from behind M’gann as a chain shot out from the wood behind the wolf. It wrapped itself around her right wrist, pulling her towards it. She planted her feet firmly on the ground. She pulled back against the chain’s force.

M’gann shook her head. “Thisisn’treal. Thisisn’treal. Thisisn’treal.” She tried to reassure herself.

A deep growl emerged from the wolf. “You will not come BACK.”

Another chain flew through the air. It tangled around M’gann’s other wrist. She slid across the ground inch by inch as she found herself struggling against their pull. It brought her closer and closer to the wolf’s bloodthirsty jowls.

“Let go! LET GO.” M’gann shouted.

Adelaide screamed once more as more gashes emerged on her arms. She clutched them, trying to ease the pain. “It hurts.” She cried. “M’gann it hurts.”

“Adelaide!” M’gann looked behind her as she cried out to her. But the chains on her own wrists dragged her closer to the wolf once more.

“I wanna go back.” Adelaide wailed, tears still flowing freely. “I wanna go back. Get out of my head.” She grasped at the base of her hair as she screeched. “Get out. GET OUT!”

“Let me go!” M’gann yelled at the wolf, pulling back against the chains. “LET GO!”

“Looks like your story checks out Rose,” Nightwing informed. He leaned against the back of the couch as he waited for M’gann to finished. The rest of the team members lingered about, curious as to what M’gann would find.

A cocky smile formed on Rose’s lips. She leaned back into the recliner, propping her feet up on the coffee table. “Told ya.”

“I’m going to see if we can get an interview with the one they captured,” Kaldur informed. “He might remember his time in the lab. It could help our investigation.”

Superboy pointed his thumb over his shoulder to Adelaide. “So what are we going to do about her?”

Dick chewed on the inside of his cheek in thought. “Well, first we’ll have to get her back to her parents. And if her story checks out while M’gann is in there, I don’t see why she can’t help our investigation. We might be able to use her to go undercover if she wants. See if we can get her to find out when that shipment of Spark is coming in. We’d have to protect her from Black Bison though.”

“And what if it turns out her parents aren’t around anymore?” Rose interjected with a raised brow. “We’re not going to dump her on child services are we? She might catch the attention of some bad people if they find out she has powers.”

Dick’s jaw slacked. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

Artemis grinned as she crossed her arms. She sighed. “Strays always end up being our responsibility don’t they?”

Dick gave her a half-smile. “I suppose so.”

As Garfield waited on the couch, something peaked his attention. He sniffed the air around him. There was something...odd. It filled his nose with a sour odor. It riled his predatorial senses. The stench was unmistakable:

Fear.

Garfield looked around him. He jumped onto the back of the couch, following his nose. He took a few leaps towards M’gann and Adelaide. His eyes narrowed as he looked between them. Everyone else wouldn’t have noticed the small irregularities, but he did. He watched as the girls’ facial muscles gave sporadic twitches. Their fingers scratched at their legs as they rested on their laps. He noticed a drop of sweat fall from M’gann’s brow.

“Guys.” Garfield's voice was loud and stern. It halted the conversations from his team members around him. “Something’s wrong.” His eyes darted between them again as the twitching in the muscles increased. The team now had his full attention. 

“Garfield?” Concern sparked in Superboy’s voice. “What is it?”

Beast Boy shook his head. “Something’s not right.” He took a few steps towards M’gann. He reached a hand towards her with caution. “M’gann?”

M’gaan shot up out of her stool. The wood smacked against the floor with a frightening 'bang'. She gasped as she thrashed her arms. Her feet planted firmly in place. Her eyes still glowed.

Adelaide jumped from her stool as well, her eyes glowing. She screamed, clutching the base of her hair. “It hurts! It hurts!”

Everyone bolted from their seats and into the kitchen. Rose approached Adelaide, palms out in front of her. “Hey, hey! Short stuff, what’s goin on?”

Tears streamed down her face as she trembled, pulling at her hair. “Get out of my head. Get out! GET OUT!”

Conner turned towards M’gann. “M’gann what are you doing to her?!” But he found M’gann also struggling. Her arms still thrashed. He tried to reach out to her but was only swatted away. He was certain she wasn’t aware he was there.

“Let go! Let me go!” M’gann yelled.

“What the hell is happening?” Artemis squawked.

“I don’t know.” Conner replied, finally able to grab hold of one of M’gaan’s arms. She wouldn’t budge. He noticed her knuckles turning white as her fists clenched tight. She shook and held her arms up next to her head. “She’s like a statue. I can’t move her!” He faced her, holding her head in his hands, pleading. “M’gann come back!”

“Let me go! LET GO.” M'gaan shouted.

Adelaide cried out again, begging. “Get out! Get out, please!”

“We need to shock them out of this,” Artemis announced as she turned towards Nightwing.

Shock. The word lit an idea in Virgil’s head. He approached the kitchen island. His electricity danced in his hands. “Everyone, get back,” he demanded.

“Virgil you know what you’re doing?” Conner chimed back at him.

His lips bunched into a corner of his mouth. “Nope, but you got a better idea?”

Conner nodded. He jumped out of his way. Virgil sent a bolt of lightning out of each of his hands. One landed on M’gann, the other on Adelaide. They cried out in pain, but the shock was enough to break the psychic link.

M’gann groaned as the grasped the counter. She held a hand to her head.

“M’gann!” Conner grasped her arm, trying to keep her from falling. “M’gann are you alright? What happened? What-”

But M’gann waved him off. “M’fine. M’fine. Adelaide-”

Adelaide shook with terror, still unable to shake the events of the nightmare in her head. She hyperventilated. Her breathing pulsing in and out in uneven wheezes. She staggered backward. Small whimpers and shrieks escaped her lips as Rose and Jaime tried to approach her to calm her. She darted from the movements, eyes wide with fear.

Rose held her arms out. “Kid! Kid! It’s alright, it’s ok.” She tried to reassure.

“M’gann what did you do?” Artemis spat at her.

M’gaan shook her head, eyes half-lidded, breathless. “I didn’t-” Her words trailed off.

“Hey it’s us, it’s us!” Jaime tried to plead as he came close to Adelaide. She still stumbled backward, frantic and wheezing. Jaime tried to grab her but she lashed out at him, her hand hitting a glass cup on the counter. The shattering glass sliced open the side of her palm.

“Stop her!” Kaldur barked as he saw the blood smear on the counter.

She thumped against a wall. Her trembling worsened, her jaw slacked as she continued to gasp and choke. She slid down onto the ground, holding her cut hand to her chest.

The others filled in around her. Adelaide's wide eyes darted between all of them. Her breathing shallowed further.

Garfield jumped onto the island, grabbing a hand towel from one of the drawers. He leaped in front of Adelaide, facing his teammates. He held up his hands. “Stop it, stop! Just back off!” He snarled at them, an animalistic growl erupting from his throat. “Back off! Just give her some space.” Everyone took a few steps backward, doing what they were told.

He turned to face Adelaide, dropping down to one knee. Even though she was sitting flat against a wall, she still tried to push herself away from him. He reached out, grabbed her injured hand, and wrapped it in the towel with one swift motion. He held it in place, putting pressure on the wound. Adelaide screeched at his contact and tried to pull away. But he held firm, grabbing her forearm with his free hand.

“Adelaide. Adelaide, listen to me.” His voice was stern. He made strong eye contact. “Listen to me. You’re just having a panic attack. Okay?” Her breathing still faltered, she tried to look behind him, but he held her arm tighter. “Look at me.” She did, eyes darting between the features of his boyish, green face. She shook in his hands. He continued. “What you’re feeling is scary but you’re not in danger, I promise. Okay?” He gave her a few slow nods. “I’m right here. And you’re here with me. You’re in the real world now, not your mind.”

She squeezed her eyes tight and sobbed, shaking her head 'no'. It felt as though her throat was closing. She opened her eyes, peering behind him, looking for an escape route, but he moved his head to draw her gaze back. “Don’t look at them, look at me. Look at me.” She reached out, grasping his wrist, trying to prove to herself that he really was there. She matched his gaze once more. She began to find solace in his large, green eyes. He really was there. The nightmare was disappearing, but she couldn't stop the wheezing.

His words were soft. “Everything’s fine. You’re gonna be alright.”

Her tears slowed. Her shaking reduced to that of shivers. She swallowed hard. “A’can’t, breathe.” She managed to choke out.

“Yes, you can.” He corrected. “It just feels like you can’t. You have to control it. Can you count in your head with me?” His brows raised as he ushered her. “Come on, breath in.”

The others waited patiently as he counted for her over and over again. After a minute, she finally regained her composure. A few moments of silence lingered about the room.

She wet her lips, gathering the courage to speak. She looked up at M’gann with glossy eyes. “What….what was that?” A tear fell down her cheek. “What’s inside my head?”

Sadness fell upon M’gann’s face. A lump grew in her throat. All she could do was shake her head. Her voice faltered.

“I don’t...I don’t know.”

Chapter Text

Bludhaven - The Warehouse
December 29th, 2016
22:43 EST

M’gann sat on the worn sofa. Her head rested in her hands while she propped her elbows upon her knees. The quiet lull of the TV poured in the background. She was finally starting to come down from the shock of what happened in Adelaide's mind. But she still found herself shivering, she knew there was no chance of sleep tonight. La’gaan, Rose, Dick, Artemis, Barbara, and Kaldur stood in the living room around her. Conner arrived from the kitchen, handing her a glass of water to cool her boiling blood. He took a seat next to her, rubbing his hand on her back. She looked over to him, smiled, and took a drink from the glass. He always seemed to know how to make her feel better.

Nightwing was the first to break the silence. “What happened in there?”

M’gann shook her head, placing the glass on the coffee table in front of her. “I don’t really know.”

“You’re going to have to give us a little more than that,” Barbara informed.

“Hey, she’s asleep.” Beast Boy came around the corner, joining them in the living area. A tired look played upon his face. After bandaging up Adelaide's wound, he saw that she made it to one of the spare bedrooms. He did everything he could to make sure she remained calm. After a few hours, he was finally able to coax her to sleep. “Hopefully she won’t have any nightmares.” He rubbed the back of his neck as he looked up at M’gaan. “M’gann, what did you guys see? It spooked her real bad.”

M’gann gave a loud exhale. “It-it wasn’t even a memory. I mean, there were memories. But…” She shook her head, still perplexed at what they saw. “We made it all the way until the time when her ‘accident’ was supposed to be. But, it was like her brain set up some sort of... safeguard. Like it didn’t want us to go any further. It created something out of a horror movie. Gods, there was so much blood anywhere. Something was attacking us. And it felt real. No matter how much I tried to tell her...tired to tell myself.” She looked at her hands, remembering how warm the blood was against her skin. “We felt it….she felt it slice her skin.” She rubbed the side of her face with her hand, her voice reduced to a wavering whisper, “There was so much blood.”

“She did say that Black Bison's Talisman gave her mind control powers,” Dick recalled. “You think she could have, I don’t know, done something to her mind? Made a trap or tweaked her memories or something?”

M’gann’s mouth twisted with uncertainty. “It’s possible. But...I don’t know if I can fix it.”

“That Bison chick was a real piece of work,” Rose chimed in. “I wouldn’t put it passed her, messing with her head. She did almost murder someone today.”

Kaldur’s head snapped over in her direction. His eyes narrowed. “Yes but I could say the same thing about you, Rose.” She gave him a harsh scowl as he took a step towards her. “With everything that happened to M’gann and Adelaide, we did not have a chance to discuss your actions today.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” She snipped.

“For one, how you deliberately disobeyed Artemis and did not stay with the ship like you were told,” Kaldur scold.

She jolted her pointer finger at him. “Hey, I saved your asses back there,” she hissed.

Kaldur’s voice remained stern. “Whether or not that is the case you still disobeyed orders, dragging La’gaan along with you.”

She sneered at La’gaan who looked away from her. Barging in on the battle had been her idea. He couldn’t leave her unattended or unsupervised so he had no choice but to follow.

“And second, your methods of takedown leave me disturbed.” Kaldur closed the space between them. “That...Cheetah you fought, had to be hospitalized for his wounds. Wounds that you caused.” She crossed her arms, her bottom lip almost a pout. Kaldur continued. “And the way you handled Black Bison was less than desirable. You had no idea how strong her talisman was, yet you still chose to take attack it with your dagger as opposed to just pulling it off of her. What if your hand had slipped, or you had struck just a little too hard?” She looked away for a moment and then back up at him. “Rose, you could have stabbed her right in her chest.”

She scoffed. “Whatever. I wouldn’t have missed. I’m good with knives.” She scowled as she shrugged. “Besides, what does it matter anyways? She’s the bad guy here.”

“Ughhh I wouldn’t be so quick to say that,” La’gaan advised as he turned up the volume on the television.  Jenny had kept her promise, Mayor Fermin’s confession was all over the news. She had submitted her video to the GBS. Cat Grant, no doubt giving her broadcast of the year, providing commentary over the video. Charges had been reinstated against him in light of his crude, public confession.

Dick couldn’t stop his smirk. “Well, I’d say his career is over.”

“Huh,” Rose’s eyebrows perked as she watched the segment. “Well if that’s the case, then maybe I should have let her kill ‘im.”

Kaldur pursed his lips. “See,” he addressed her once more. “That is the kind of talk that disturbs me.”

“What?” She chimed. They all looked at her with concerned faces. She rolled her eyes. “Oh don’t even look at me like I’m some kind of monster. I’m just saying what everyone in this room is thinking. And you know it.”

Kaldur let out a low hum in his throat. “I believe M’gann is the mind reader here, not you.” Her nose crinkled in irritation. He continued, “We do not kill or take methods that could lead to someone being killed. That is not how we do things.” His words were bold and unwavering. “And if that is not a concept that you can grasp very soon, then you will not have a spot on this team.”

A moment of silence passed between them. Rose shook her head. A disgusted scowl twisting her lips as she huffed. “You know what?” She waved her hands out in front of her. “I don’t have to take this.” She whipped out of the living room and marched towards her bedroom.

“Hey!” Dick called after her. “Rose, get back here.”

“Blow me,” she snapped over her shoulder. The slam of her bedroom door vibrated through the walls.

Conner’s upper lip curled in disgust. “What a brat.”

Dick went to charge after her. But Artemis placed a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t, just don’t.” She shook her head at him. “I’ll talk to her.” She made her way down the hall to Rose’s room.

Kaldur sighed. “Everything with Rose aside,” he looked back over to M’gaan. “Do you think that you could work on...whatever it is that’s in Adelaide's mind?”

M’gann felt a pang of guilt come over her. “To be honest, Kaldur.” It took her a moment before she could look up at him. “I don’t want to go back there.” Her voice was almost a whisper. “And I don’t think she will either.”

Dick sighed. “It’s alright, we’ll figure something out. Did everything else with her check out?”

“Yeah,” M’gann nodded. “Yeah, she was telling the truth. She really is a good kid. I think she’s just a victim of circumstance.”

“I’ll discuss this with Black Canary and Batman.” Dick informed. “I just hope letting her stay with won’t come back to bite us.”

Down the hall, Artemis stood outside of Rose’s room. She stood there for a moment before giving her door a light knock. “Rose?”

“Fuck off," Rose's muffled voice said from behind the door.

Artemis's jaw slack. Wow...she kind of was a brat. Artemis sighed and continued to talk through the door. “It’s Artemis. Can I come in?”

There were a few seconds of quiet before a muffled, “It’s unlocked” came from the other side of the door. Artemis opened it with caution.

Rose sat cross-legged on her bed, her back towards the door. Artemis felt fumes of irritation coming off of her. Shrill grinding of metal filled her room as she took her anger out by sharpening her dagger. She slid it over the honing rod again and again. It had taken quite a beating against Black Bison today.

“What do you want?” Rose snipped without looking at her.

Artemis shrugged as she closed the door. “I just wanna talk.”

Rose scoffed. “Cheyeah. Okay.” She rolled her eyes. “You come to tell me what an awful person I am too? And how much I suck at this superhero stuff?”

“No,” Artemis answered she looked around her room. Her eyes fell upon two swords mounted on the wall. Artemis wasn’t good at small talk, but skills in weaponry was something that they shared. “I wanted to check out your swords.” She said as she picked one of them up, pulling it out of the sheath. Rose tossed her a doubtful look before focusing her attention back to her sharpening.

“These are some quality blades,” Artemis commented.

“Duh,” Rose sassed. She was a firm believer that a warrior was only as good as the weapons they carried, if they chose to do so. So, when the infamous ‘Wayne Enterprises’ credit card was given to her, (something she had heard that all orphaned newbies received) she spared no expense in replacing the weapons she left behind in Des Moines. For what was a girl without her trusty blades?

Vulnerable.

“A little heavy on the handle though,” Artemis noted, grasping the handle with both hands.

“That’s the way I like it,” Rose responded, blowing her bangs out of her eyes. “Easier for me to swing.”

Artemis hummed in acknowledgment. “My Dad always liked to have me have them balanced.” Artemis cleared her throat, placing the sword back in its cover. “My Dad’s actually the one who taught me how to use a sword, use a bow.” Rose did not answer, she just continued sharpening. Artemis’s skin itched in the uncomfortable silence. She placed the sword back on the mantle and continued. “What about you? Your Dad teach you how to how to use these?”

There was a pause in Rose’s movements before she answered. “I guess you could say that.”

“Did John teach you how to fight too?” Artemis asked.

Rose looked over at her, eyes narrowing in confusion. “Who?”

Artemis rose one of her eyebrows. “Uh...John?...Your Dad?”

“Oh,” Rose cleared her throat, stumbling over her words. She had forgotten about John, her 'adoptive father'. “Oh-oh yeah. Yeah, he did.” She cursed herself under her breath at her lack of memory.

“My Dad taught me to fight too,” Artemis added. She scratched at her cheek. “Has anyone told you about my Dad yet?”

Rose rolled her eyes once again and sighed. Here we go. She should have figured it would come soon enough. Artemis was going to try to bond with her, try to get her to open up, thinking they were the same.

“He’s Sportsmaster.”

Rose froze as her eyes widened. She turned her head towards Artemis.

Maybe they were the same.

“You know who he is right?” Artemis asked.

“Yeah.” Rose nodded. “He’s a bad guy. An assassin.”

“You know, I was a lot like you when I joined the Team.” Artemis’s gaze was soft and understanding. “Aggressive, relentless” She chuckled. “Snippy with my teammates.” She took a seat on the edge of Rose’s bed before continuing. “I did things different. Saw the world differently than they did.” She paused, an old sadness pushing at her chest, remembering her first six months on the team. “I doubted for a long time whether I could do the superhero thing.” She saw tension ease out of Rose as she sat her dagger and rod down on the bed. She continued, “Doing things the ‘right’ way takes a long time to come to terms with.”

Rose’s face almost morphed into a pout, as if desperate for understanding. “But that Cheetah thing could have killed you guys!” She said, defensive. She scratched at her neck and sighed in irritation. “And, yeah, ok the comment I made about that mayor guy was brash.” She peered up at Artemis. “But you know it’s true.”

“You're right,” Artemis answered.

Rose twinged at her response, not expecting her to agree.

“That guy is an awful human being," Artemis said. "And Black Bison and her...pack were putting people in danger. And sometimes, that makes it hard to hold back.” Artemis scooted a little closer to her. “But the fact that we do, the fact that we restrain that dark part of us, that part that makes us want to kill those who deserve it. And let the law take care of them instead of letting our emotions take over...” She leaned in towards Rose. “That’s what makes us different than the bad guys. That’s what makes us heroes.”

Rose looked away from her, guilt boiling in her stomach. She brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.

Artemis continued, her words were still soft and kind. “It’s hard. I know it’s hard.” There was a slight tremble in her voice. “It’s even harder after losing someone you love.” What had started as a comment on Rose’s parent’s turned into her last memory of Wally. She stared at the wall, feeling the sadness crush her lungs. “That temptation for vengeance is….suffocating.”

Rose chewed on the inside of her cheek, letting a quiet moment pass between them. “I heard,” she said. Artemis turned towards her. “About your boyfriend. Wally? Everyone seemed real fond of him….I’m sorry.”

Artemis gave a small, sad shrug. “It’s no one’s fault but The Reach’s.” She cleared her throat, desperate to change the subject. “But, uh. I just wanted to say, I get it.” Artemis placed a bold hand on Rose’s shoulder. She flinched, but did not scowl or try to shrug it off. “And I know you’re not one for mushy stuff but,” Artemis gave her a lop-sided smile. “If you ever want to talk or, you know, need a sparring partner to punch it out with. I’m here.”

Rose smirked and replied with a genuine, “Thanks.”

Artemis nodded. She gave her shoulder a light squeeze before heading towards the door.

“Artemis?” Rose asked, just before Artemis left the threshold of the doorway. “When-when the team found out about your Dad...what did they do?”

Artemis shrugged. “Nothing, really. I had already established my place on the team and proved my loyalty.” She placed her hand on the doorknob. “Just give them time. If they can accept me, they’ll accept you too.”

Rose nodded and turned her head away. She heard the door close as Artemis left. Rose’s knuckles went white as she balled her hands into fists. She grit her teeth and felt a heat of rage rise from her belly. Her right fist collided with the plaster of her wall, causing it to crack.

Frustrated tears formed behind her lids. A normal life, a team, friends...family. Rose wanted it all. It was all that she wanted ever since she was very small. Accept her? No. There was no possibility they would accept her. Not once she found what she was looking for. Not once they found out the truth. She was kidding herself, actually believing her own ‘teammate’ act. Sure, Artemis had been a black sheep once and The Team accepted her. But that surely must have been after months or years of fighting beside them, earning her loyalty.

And Rose did not have that kind of time.

Because unbeknownst to all of them, she had already set her plan in motion.

Bludhaven - The Warehouse
December 30th, 2016
03:26 EST

Beast Boy ran his fingers through his hair. He rolled over on his bed, peeking over at his alarm clock next to him. He groaned. It was so late. He had gone to bed hours ago and could not fall asleep. He grunted in irritation, pulling the blanket up to his ears, thrashing about until he eventually gave up. He tore the covers off of himself and headed out his bedroom door. Perhaps he just needed a glass of water.

He was surprised to find a flickering light coming from the end of the hall. It danced and changed color upon the shadows. As Beast Boy walked towards it, finding it came from the television; the images from a nature documentary. The audio was quiet. Upon the couch was Adelaide. She was staring, mouth agape, intently at the screen. With legs curled up underneath her, she wrapped herself in the puffiest blanket that Beast Boy had ever seen. The only part of her body that showed was her face. He smiled at the sight, she reminded him of a caterpillar.

“Whatcha watchin-” he started to ask her. Adelaide screeched and jumped at his voice, startled.

“Oh!” She breathed a sigh of relief. “Gosh you scared me. I didn’t hear you coming.” She raised her eyebrows, guilt swallowing her face. “Oh. Oh, I’m-I’m sorry, I didn’t wake you did I? I figured you had like, super animal hearing so I turned it down as much as I could.”

“No, you’re fine,” he told her. “I just couldn’t sleep.”

“Yeah,” she replied. Her lips formed a frown, eyes falling to the floor. “Me neither.”

Garfield’s face twisted with pity, "Nightmares?”

She looked at him with a sad pout, nodding her head.

He cleared his throat, feeling it best to change the conversation. “So uh...what are you watching?” He asked.

Her face lit up as she smiled, “‘Big Cats of Africa’. I love animals.”

Beast Boy chuckled. “Yeah, me too.” He motioned towards himself. “In case you couldn’t tell.”

She giggled. Then her eyes went wide with excitement. She let the blanket fall down past her shoulders. “Wait wait. Can you morph into any animal?”

“Sure,” he replied. “Even alien ones. I just have to see it in person or have seen a picture of it.”

She gasped, her words almost a whisper. “Can you do an elephant?” They were her favorite out of the entire animal kingdom.

He stifled a laugh. “Yeah, not a big one while we’re indoors but….” He morphed himself into a wrinkly, three-foot-tall, baby elephant. He let out a tiny trumpet from his trunk; careful not to wake up Mal, La’gaan, or Rose. Especially not Rose.

Adelaide cupped her hands over her mouth as she squealed, wiggling in her seat. “Ohmigoshohmigosh so cuuute.”

He morphed back, grinning at her response. She brought her hands down from her face, a smile still on the lips of her heart-shaped face. A dimple rested on her right cheek. He never noticed until that moment how green and innocent her eyes were. Her long red locks were tossed in front of her shoulder in a loose ponytail.

Holy hell was she pretty.

His cheeks felt aflame. He cleared his throat as he felt a lump grow in it. He fidgeted. Why was he suddenly so uncomfortable?

Adelaide looked away. Feeling a blush grow on her face as Garfield had smiled at her for just a little too long. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, wrapping herself in the blanket. “Um, so, uh,” she stammered and nodded towards the television. “Do you wanted to watch it with me? Y’know...since you can’t sleep.”

He shrugged, “Sure.” He placed himself on the opposite end of the couch with caution, still trying to get a full read on her.

After a minute of silence, Adelaide began to fidget. She stole sideways glances at him until she mustered up some courage. “Um...Beast Boy?” He turned his head towards her. “I..um,” she bit her lip. “Thanks. You know, for earlier. Thank you for...helping me out. A-apparently that panic attack stuff is one of those things I don’t remember I do.” She let out a nervous chuckle.

“No problem,” he assured her. He pursed his lips with a slight turn of his head. “I uh...I used to get them ...when I was little. I learned that stuff from my mom. She did a great job at calming me down.”

Adelaide's eyes brightened, “Wow, that’s-that’s awesome. I bet your mom is really cool. She lets you stay here and be a superhero and stuff?”

Beast Boy swallowed the lump in his throat. He squirmed at her question, “My uh, my mom...died not too long ago. The Team took me in. That’s why I live here now.”

“Oh…” Adelaide said, an ache rising in her chest. She had no idea why she wouldn’t have realized it before. Why else would he stay at this place all by himself? All she could mumble was, "I’m...I’m so sorry.”

“Yeah.” Beast Boy looked away from her. He was still not able to fully talk about the death of his mother without becoming bombarded with an array of emotions. He hoped that she would change the subject. His eyes watered.

Adelaide bit her lower lip, disappointed in her reaction. She knew she could have said something more comforting. An idea sparked in her mind.

“Well…” she started. “You know what I think Is pretty awesome?” He turned his head towards her in curiosity. She continued, “I think that it’s awesome that you took something your mom used to help you, to help someone else. You took what she did you to make you feel better. And then you used it to make me feel better, and...and in the future,” She placed her hand on her chest. “I could use what you taught me to help someone out, ya know? And then they could use it to help someone else and so on. It’s kinda like...like you passed on a little piece of your mom. Like you gave the world a tiny piece of her that might go on forever.” She gave him a sweet smile. “And I think that’s pretty cool.”

Beast Boy stared at her. His jaw slacked in thought. “Yeah,” he responded, a soft smile forming on his lips. “I guess that is pretty cool.”

She grinned at him before turning her attention back to the T.V. Beast Boy looked at her for a moment. He watched as the light danced upon her cheery face, amazed that despite the mental terror she went through today, she still ended her day with a smile and kindness.

A squeal spilled from the television as a gazelle sprinted away from a hungry cheetah.

“Ooo! Ooo! This is my favorite part!” Adelaide chimed. She turned her attention to him. He looked so sad over on the other end by himself. She grabbed the corner of the blanket and reached her arm out, opening up her fabric cocoon in welcoming invitation. “Ya want some blanket?”

Beast Boy chuckled, “Sure.” He made his way over to her, wrapping the other end of the blanket around him. They sat next to each other in their soft wrapping. They gawked at the vicious predators and chattered away with one another through the boring scenes.

She might have had a scary brain, she might have eaten all his cookies, and was certainly already one of M’gann’s favorites. But the longer he sat there Beast Boy couldn’t help but smile as he thought:

You know, this girl’s not so bad.

Palo Alto
January 1st, 2017
12:13 UTC

Artemis sat on the edge of her living room couch. Her leg bounced up and down with fervor as she chewed on her nails. She glanced up at the clock. A sickness curled in her stomach as she realized the time. Zataana and M’gann would be there soon.

They were coming to help pack away Wally’s things.

Artemis had made the decision a few months prior to take away his belongings, to put them out of sight. But as days went by, she kept finding excuses not to do it. Telling herself that she was too tired, too busy, too *insert excuse here*. But everything around her, everything that was his left, created a sting in her chest that she could no longer bear. She broke down, asking for Zataana and M’gann to help her pack. She knew that there would be no way she would do it on her own. She needed an outside push.

Artemis jumped from her seat at a knock at the door. She opened it, and Zataana and M’gann greeted her with hugs.

Artemis swallowed hard. This was really happening, “Thanks for coming guys.”

“It’s not a problem at all,” M’gann replied. Her eyes were soft and sullen. Artemis hated that look. M’gann, Zataana, everyone gave her that look since the day that Wally died.

Pity.

She hated it. She was hurt. She wasn’t broken. Why was it that The Team treated her, looked at her like she was some shattered, lost little girl? No more. She was strong. She knew she was, and it was time for The Team to see that too. Artemis told herself that she was going to begin by putting away every bit of Wally left over in their-....her apartment.

“Uhhh,” Artemis struggled on where to begin. “Let's just start in here.” She pointed to the corner of the room and picked up a piece of paper from the coffee table. “There’s boxes over there and this is a list of all the stuff his parents want.”

They nodded, taking a look at the list. They teamed up on the living room, packing away everything that left a stain on Artemis’s soul. Those annoying video games he’d spend hours on, those men’s health magazines that he’d get terrible sex tips from. Artemis laughed to herself at the memories, but if only to be swallowed in a sudden sadness. None of those things seemed terrible and annoying now.

In a few hour's time, they finished the living room and kitchen. Boxes stacked high in the corners of the rooms. They powered into the bedroom. That was going to be the biggest battle of all.

As crazy as it sounded, Artemis felt a certain...violation as Zataana and M’gann tore through Wally’s dresser drawers. As though they were snooping through things that they had no right to touch. They were his things. She shook her head at the thought. She needed to expel that feeling from her. They weren’t his things anymore.

No matter how much she felt like he was still here.

She pulled his clothes off the hangers in the closet, folding them neatly into the boxes. She smiled. She had been so grateful when he grew out of his open-button-down-over-a-t-shirt-look and moved on to solid t-shirts and sweaters. God, does he have awful style.

Did. He did have awful style.

Artemis growled to herself as she threw the last of his shirts in the box. She moved on to the worst of the tasks: his sneakers. His terrible, smelly sneakers. Wally went through shoes faster than anyone she ever knew. But why, dear God, why did he never throw them away? She held her breath as she dove into the pile of his shoes on the closet floor. Pair by pair, she tossed them into a trash bag until finally, she came to the last pair. But something about one of the shoes caught her attention. It felt heavy. She shook it, something rattled inside. She looked inside it to see it was stuffed to the brim with socks. She took them out one by one, the noise still rattling inside. What on earth had he been hiding in there? At this point, she had caught the attention of M’gann and Zataana. They watched her pull out sock after sock until she pulled out a shiny white box. Its lid was taped shut.

Perplexed, Artemis turned in it about in her hand as she sat on the edge of her bed.

“What is that?” Zataana asked.

“Not sure,” Artemis replied. “I’ve never seen it before.”

Using her nails, she sliced open the tape and removed the lid.

She was breathless.

Her heart stopped.

And the blood in her body chilled.

With shaky hands, she reached into it, pulling out a small, blue, velvet box. A hinge rested on the back and its opening was lined with a thin rim of gold.

“Oh no…” Zataana gasped under her breath. Only M’gaan had heard her.

M’gann looked over to Zataana, establishing a psychic link between the two, ‘I hope that’s not what I think it is…’

Her hands were shaking. The velvet box trembled in Artemis’s palm. A lump rose in her throat as she knew in the back of her mind what was coming to pass. She should walk away. Give the box to M’gann and never give it another thought. But she didn’t. And Artemis opened the lid.

A small cry died in her windpipe as she covered her mouth with her hand. A struggling breath shook from her chest.

Inside the box was a ring. A vibrant, golden right. A sparkling white diamond shimmered on top of it. The gold band that wrapped around it formed the shape of an arrow. The pointed tip rested at the top of the diamond, the etched feathered fetching sat at the bottom. Inside the lid was glued a small piece of paper, that terrible chicken scratch she would recognize anywhere.

‘Be my final souvenir?’

Artemis clutched her hand tight to her mouth as she choked back a sob and made a muffled, anguished squeal into her throat. She squeezed her eyes shut, pushing back the water in her eyes.

Time stood still in that room. None of them knew what words to say. Artemis’s trembling intensified.  The girls took a seat on each side of her. Artemis swallowed the lump in her throat, delicately pulling the ring from the box, letting the box fall to the floor. She looked at the ring for a moment and with slow movements and lifted up her left hand. She crept the ring closer and closer to her ring finger.

“Artemis...” Zataana placed a hand on her arm. Concern plastered her face. “I don’t-I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

Her breathing wavered. It was still so hard to breathe. She managed to choke out, “I just...wanna see what it feels like.”

When she placed the ring on her finger, she found that she could no longer hold back the ache in her soul. As that cold metal rested on her skin, she was overwhelmed by everything that might have been. The wedding she could have had. The tropical honeymoon that would never happen. The house they would have bought. The life they could have shared. The kids she could have….

She was reminded of everything that was stripped away from her.

And in the still bedroom is where Artemis broke once more. They were right, they were all right. She was shattered. A loud, unapologetic wail flowed from her as she dropped her face into her hands.

Shaking and choking, she felt the strong arms of her friends wrap around her as they embraced her. Hands patted her hair and rubbed her back. Coos of their sweet sorrows fell on her deaf ears. The overwhelming sadness gnawed at her from the inside out, and this time she could no longer fight. This time, she didn’t want to fight. For the anguish was now the only thing that could give her comfort.

They didn’t know how long they sat there as Artemis sobbed. But, as all thing do, her wails and cries came to pass. She slowly lifted her hands from her face. The girls studied her red eyes and shiny cheeks. She wiped away the snot from under her nose. She gathered herself, gaining enough composure to finally speak.

“I..uh-” She cleared her throat, trying to open it up again. “I think I’m done for today.” Her heartbroken eyes fell onto her lap and then up at M’gann. “I can’t do anymore right now.”

M’gann gave her an understanding nod.

Zataana reached out for her left hand, “Artemis...I don’t think you should wear that.”

Artemis snapped her hand away from her grasp, “No!” She cried, holding her hand to her chest.

Concern rose in Zataana’s eyes but her words were stern. “Artemis. It’s not healthy.” She reached for the ring once more.

“No!” Artemis shouted. “It’s mine!” Her voice was childish, and tears fell from her eyes once more. “It’s mine,” her voice cracked. She trembled again, her voice now barely a whisper as she covered her left hand with her right, holding them to her chest. “It’s mine.”

Zataana shook her head, “Artemis…”

A sudden rage overcame Artemis. She felt her face flush as her grief evolved into unreasonable anger. She clenched her jaw, the muscles in her neck tightening. “Get out!” She yelled. They wouldn’t understand. They will never understand how she feels. They have no right to tell her to do anything. She looked between M’gann and Zataana’s shocked faces. “Both of you, get out! I don’t want you here.” She screeched, jumping up from the bed and pointing at her door. “Get out!”

Zataana snarled at her childish tones and demands. “Artemis, you’re being a real bit-”

“No!” M’gann advised. She pulled Zee by her wrist. “Come on Zataana lets just go.”

“What-” Zee was dragged by M'gaan's strong grip.

M’gann knew that as irritating as she was acting, Artemis needed to, and had every right to be alone. “Let's go,” she demanded. She looked over at Artemis once last time. “Just...call us if you need us, alright?”

Within a few moments, Artemis heard her front door close. She collapsed onto her-....no, their bed. She grasped at the blankets, her cries filling the room once more. And on those lonely covers, she allowed herself to drown. She engulfed herself in memories of once was, and in the fantasies that will never be. As the ring held firm against her finger she found comfort in the knowledge of what she meant to him, the knowledge that she had been loved.

And that was something she was never going to let go of, no matter how much it tore her apart.

Belle Reve Penitentiary
January 7th, 2017
07:37 CDT

Officer Banks found himself dozing off in his chair at the lobby desk. He snapped his head up and reached for the mug of coffee. Sleep was a luxury for a security officer, more so for those at a metahuman prison. How much overtime had he worked this week? Ten hours? Twenty hours? He groaned at the thought. His eyes strayed towards the security monitors. He sat up straight, blinking his eyes wide. Amanda Waller made her way through the front doors.

A scowl rested on her face. Bags hung under her sullen eyes. She trudged past him.

“Good mornin’ Miss Waller,” Officer Banks chimed.

Her nostrils flared in irritation. She looked back at him, “Never a good morning in this dump.” She slid her keycard in the key entry device by the door. It beeped and unlocked, granting her access to the prison. She vanished through the doorway.

Soon, the head guard, Officer Wilcox walked past the front desk as well.

Officer Banks smiled. “Heyyy Wilcox, thought you had today off?”

Wilcox scoffed, “That’s what I thought too. But OT’s a bitch.” He slid his keycard for entry.

“I heard that,” Banks replied, finishing off his mug of coffee.

Wilcox walked to the main security monitoring station. He slid his keycard and opened the door. Inside was officer Ripley, a mousy brunette female officer. She pushed the rim of her glasses up her nose as she observed the numerous monitors.

She greeted him, raising her cup of coffee. “Morning. Another day another dollar, eh?”

A wicked smile expanded across Wilcox’s lips. Officer Ripley's mug trembled in her hand as she watched his eyes glow white. The voice the fell from his lips was not his, “Oh, today is so much more.”

“Y-you’re not Wilcox,” Ripley stuttered as she looked him up and down. The tension in the air pressed heavily against her chest. She knew she had to act fast. Heart racing, she dropped her ceramic cup and reached for the gun on her hip. Just as she was about to pull it out of its holster, Wilcox raised his hand towards her. She gasped. Her entire body frozen. Despite her struggling, there was not a muscle in her body she could move. Terror slithered up her spine.

The imposter posing as Wilcox smiled, “Humans are so stupid. This is going to be so easy.”

He grit his teeth, and Ripley let out a final cry before her mind went blank. Her limbs became limp as her eyes rolled into the back of her head. Drool slid down the corner of her mouth. ‘Wilcox’ chuckled. He levitated her body and threw her across the room. She would no longer be able to tell anyone of their encounter.

He had brain blasted her; ripped her consciousness from her mind.

The false Wilcox reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small, black, rectangular object. Its edges glowed a vibrant red. At the end of the device rested a small cord. It expanded as he pulled, sticking one end into a USB drive on the main computer. He placed the rectangular piece on the desk. A red, holographic keyboard projected from it. He smiled as he watched his Apokoliptian device hack the prison’s security system.

He grinned to himself, “Showtime.”

On the other side of the prison, Professor Ivo sat on a bed in his cell. Trying to keep his mind occupied with a book he had already read fifteen times. The prison’s library selection was atrocious. He signed.

“Happy belated New Years, Professor.” Ivo looked over to the bars of his cell to find the voice came from Amanda Waller.

On the other side of the bars, Amanda looked at him with a mischievous smile. He narrowed his eyes at her. “Vandal Savage sends his regards.” She said as she crossed her arms, hips cocked to her side. “He wants to know if you’ve grown bored yet.”

There was a moment of silence between them. Ivo tilted his head at her. Something was off. Her body language, the tone of her voice. Waller was always so stoic. Her presence demanded compliance. Authority usually flowed off her in waves. But no, this was different. She was casual, almost friendly even.

Ivo’s eyes went wide at his observation. He gasped, “You’re not Amanda Waller.”

She gave him a breathy chuckle, “Very observant. I should have expected as much from a ‘super genius’”

Ivo approached the bars with caution, “Then who exactly are you? And did I hear you say ‘Vandal Savage’?”

She hummed in amusement “Yes. But who I am is not important.” She grasped one of the bars. “Mr. Savage requests a favor from you, in exchange for….” She raised a brow. “Me lending a helping hand in liberating you from this prison.”

Ivo closed the space between them. He smiled, “He’ll scratch my back as long as I scratch his?”

“Precisely.”

“And what is this ‘favor’?”

“He is in need of your android expertise.” The imposter Waller explained. “Savage wishes to find a way to permanently attach robotic elements to human physiology.” She looked over her shoulder, making sure no one was walking the halls. She lowered her voice. “We are on a timeline. So, he would like to get it right the first time by recruiting someone experienced as opposed to wasting time on mediocre scientists.”

Ivo smiled, placing a hand on his chest. “Oh stop. Any more compliments and you’ll make me blush.”

Waller wet her lips, leaning closer into the bars. “So, what do you say?”

Ivo rubbed his chin. “Well, I haven’t tampered much with flesh before.” He smirked. “But I’d say this is an offer I can’t refuse.”

She gave him a toothy smile. “Excellent.” Her eyes began to glow. In an instant her body was transformed. She grew in height, her clothes morphed into a bodysuit and cape. Her forehead protruded and her skin had changed from brown to green. Now, instead of Amanda Waller in front of him, was Martian Manhunter.

Ivo stumbled back in surprise. “W-What? Manhunter?” He couldn’t believe it. It had been Martian Manhunter all along? Why?

Low laughter rumbled in his chest, “Stand back Professor.”

Ivo did as he was told. He watched as Manhunter extend his arms. His eyes glowed as the tore the bars off his cell. “Let's go,” he held out a hand to Ivo. “We don’t have much time.”

Ivo trembled as he walked towards him. That voice. No. He had encountered Martian Manhunter before. That wasn’t his voice. He/she/it whatever the being was that was in front of him, was still wearing a disguise. And now Manhunter was its costume. Ivo smiled with intrigue.

At the front desk, officer Banks was jerked to attention as the sound of the front doors slamming open. Breathy, bruised, and bloody, the real Officer Wilcox and Amanda Waller stumbled through the doors.

Wide-eyed, Officer banks jumped from his seat. “M-Miss-Miss Waller? But you…”

“Wilcox and I,” Waller’s face contorted with anger. Her breathing was staggered, “Jumped...in the parking lot.” She spat as she screeched. “Whoever is in here is not us! Initiate lockdown.”

Officer Banks scrambled for the panic button under his desk. He pressed it, sending an alarm throughout the building. Metal shields crept up over the doors and windows. Shaking, he pressed the speaker button his radio. “All officers, we have imposters posing as Miss Waller and Wilcox. I repeat, all officers, we have imposters posing as Miss Waller and Wilcox. Take them down immediately!”

At the sound of the alarm, the imposter Martian Manhunter used his psychic powers to levitate Ivo. He flew behind Manhunter in the air as they charged down the hallway. A guard stepped out in front of their path, to which Manhunter shoved them out of the way. They navigated through the halls, blasting doors off the hinges. Ivo realized that they were getting closer and closer to the back service door and then….

They stopped.

They stood, still, in the concrete back room. The shielded service door in front of them called out their names.

Ivo looked around them. His fingers twitched in nervousness. “W-what are you waiting for? The door is right there!”

The false Manhunter looked back at him and smiled. “Bear with me. The boss told me to put on a show.”

Officer Hauser, an overweight, pale guard burst into the room. He held up his rifle, it shook in his hands. “Don’t move!” He cried out.

Manhunter smiled. He took a step forward. “Go ahead.” He inched closer to Hauser, causing him to gasp. “Shoot me.”

Sweat fell from Hauser’s brow. He held his breath as he fired. The gunshot filled the concrete room. Their ears rang. Hauser trembled, watching the bullet he had just fired float, spiral in suspended air. The Manhunter’s eyes glowed. He had stopped the bullet with his mind. He dropped it onto the ground. He charged at Hauser, knocking his gun upwards with his left hand and punching his face with his right. He yanked the gun out of the guard's hand, and with one quick strike, swung it against the side of his face. Bones cracked beneath metal and Hauser fell to the floor with a sickening ‘thud’. Blood poured from his broken jaw and nose. Wheezes fell from his throat.

Shouts of ‘Don’t move! Get down on the ground!’ filled the room and Officer Riker and Cooper entered the room. They aimed their rifles at Manhunter.

The alien smiled. He cocked his head in arrogance. Using his psychic powers, he ripped the guns from their hands. They levitated and were then turned to aim at the officers. They trembled. A sickness rose in their bellies as the suspended rifles inched closer to their foreheads. The dark, hollow, barrels overtook their sightlines.

“P-please,” Officer Riker choked. “D-don’t do this.”

The Manhunter growled, “You really think that you humans could have stopped someone like me?” He scoffed at their cowardice. They were useless without their weapons. “You. Are. Nothing.”

Ivo struggled to find air as The Manhunter fired their weapons. The gunshots shook his very core as he watched blood and brain matter splatter the room. Their bodies dropped to the floor, contorting in grotesque positions. Their faces were no more.

A rush of bile shot up from Ivo’s stomach. He vomited onto the floor. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw the false Manhunter give nod at the security camera.

Inside the security room, the false Wilcox gathered his Apokoliptian technology. That was his cue to leave. He morphed his skin and clothes, taking on a female form. His skin turned green and his hair faded into red until his appearance resembled that of Miss Martian. Before he unplugged his device, he hacked the system once more. Undoing the lockdown and turning off the inhibitor collars on the inmates.

At the front of the prison, the real Amanda Waller felt panic crawl under her skin.  From the security camera, she watched inmates break out of their cells. She bellowed on the radio, “All guards subdue the prisoners! Get to the control room and turn those collars back on!” She turned towards the quivering Officer Banks, jolting a finger at him. “And you, get me The Justice League on the phone, NOW!”

The back door rolled open and Ivo felt himself being levitated once more. “Time to go,” Manhunter announced and they flew through the door and up into the air. What looked like the docking bay of a spaceship opened up in the sky. And soon Ivo was inside a Martian spaceship. The Manhunter sat at the controls.

“My own personal shuttle?” Ivo asked with a cocked brow. “I feel like a celebrity.”

The Manhunter hummed in amusement. “Bear with me again. I am waiting for my partner. The ship’s camouflage will keep us hidden. And once we leave they will not be able to follow us.”

“Oh I’m not too worried about that,” Ivo remarked as he waved him off, taking one of the empty seats. He had more than proved to him that he was competent.

A hole in the floor of the ship opened, and what appeared to be Miss Martian floated into the ship.

“Now we can leave,” Manhunter advised. He sped the ship off into the sky. “Did you take care of the guard in the control room?”

Ivo looked over to Miss Martain. He watched her bite her lip as she bore a wicked grin. What was she doing here? That couldn’t be the real Miss Martian. Could it?

She gave a chilling giggle, “Don’t worry ‘bout her. I messed her up real good.”

Ivo twitched at her awful grammar. No, that wasn’t her. His eyes darted between them. “Uh, may I ask you two a question, if it’s alright?”

“Absolutely,” the Manhunter replied.

Ivo rubbed his chin. “Please, do humor me. If I’m getting this right, you two are running errands for Savage. And you both have all the powers of a Martian, but certainly are not the Manhunter or Miss Martian.” He crossed his legs, hands folded in his lap. “So, what are jolly green E.T.’s like yourselves doing working for The Light?”

The two aliens looked at one another and smiled. The false Miss Martian turned to Ivo, her voice falling low.

“Not all Martians are green, Professor.”

Chapter Text

The Watch Tower
January 7th, 2017
18:19 EST

The chimes of the computer chipped away at the quiet of the main room. Kaldur studied the computer screen. He sifted through the extensive files. Tim stood beside him, eyes careful and meticulous. Kaldur grinned. Tim was always curious, asking questions. Maybe, a little too much for his own good. He was certain Batman made a remarkable choice in accepting Tim as his new protege.

“So’d you get any info from Cheetah, or what?” Rose asked as she approached him. She crossed her arms, impatiently waiting for the others to arrive.

Rose, however, Kaldur wasn’t so sure about. If he had to be honest with himself, her combat ferocity, at times, left him a hair short of terrified. Her attitude and actions weren’t particularly cohesive with the other members of the group. She was a jagged puzzle piece that had yet to find its place in their mural.

“I did not,” Kaldur replied with a sigh. After the attack on Mayor Fermin, Aqualad was able to get an interview with Cheetah while he was in lock-up. The results were less than desirable.

“He knows just as much as Adelaide does,” Kaldur explained. “I was not able to get the date of when they are supposed to meet La Dama for the Spark shipment. However...” He pulled up a mug shot of Cheetah in his human form on the computer, along with a diagram of a DNA strand. “I was able to get a DNA sample. And his name: Sebastian Ballesteros.”

“Let me guess,” Tim chimed in. “He’s a runaway?”

“Correct,” Kaldur answered. “Kidnapped by Cadmus. He said they had experimented on him for two years.”

“So how does the Cadmus that we discovered in D.C. not know about these branches of Cadmus? The ones still running experiments?” Tim questioned.

“From what my parents told me, not all the information is shared with every employee,” Rose explained. “A lot of times they are kept in the dark about the other branches until they’re transferred. It keeps them from getting compromised.”

“It makes our search for the rogue labs harder too,” Kaldur added. He shook his head, absorbed in the DNA diagram on the screen. “What is the strangest to me though is his DNA analysis.”

“Why? What’s wrong with it?” Tim asked.

Kaldur’s brows bunched with thought. “His DNA, is not fully….human.”

Rose tilted her head, “What’d you mean?”

“My initial thought was that Cadmus must have triggered his metagene via stress. Like what was done with Static,” Kaldur explained. “I assumed that the trigger caused his metagene to activate his power. Which, as we know, is a transfiguration resembling that of a cheetah.”

There was a pause. Tim raised his brows and leaned forward, impatiently waiting for the punchline, “Okay...and?”

Kaldur rubbed his hand against his jaw in disbelief, he zoomed in on the DNA analysis. “He...his body doesn’t just contain human DNA. There are trace amounts of dormant feline strands as well.” Kaldur racked his brain to find the right words. “What I mean is, according to the data he is part human and part, well, cheetah.” They narrowed their eyes at him in confusion. Kaldur shrugged in defeat. “The DNA analysis is telling me that he is part man and part animal. And the metagene is what causes him to take on a hybrid form by activating those dormant feline genes at will.”

Rose’s upper lip curled in disbelief. She and Tim exchanged glances of disorientation.

“Kaldur. Are you…” Tim bit his lip at the impossible thought. “Are you talking about something like….lycanthropy?”

“Lycanthropy?” Rose was taken aback by the word. She shook her head. “Wait, wait are you talkin’ like...werewolves? Like, full-moon-shifting, allergic-to-silver werewolves? That’s...only in movies, Kal. It’s not real.”

“Yeah,” Tim chimed in once more. “It’s not scientifically possible. It doesn’t make any sense. Are you sure your sample isn’t tainted?”

Kaldur sighed again, closing out of the analysis on the screen, rubbing his eyes. “You’re probably right. I most likely ran the tests wrong. With all of the events recently, I have not been getting much sleep.”

The voice from the Zeta Platform echoed around them.

Recognized, Kid Flash, B23

Kaldur groaned internally. Bart’s arrival was his reminder that there was still more work to be done. Sleep could wait. At least until after their mission tonight.

Bart sped up to them. He stopped, looking around the room, “Hey,” his voice was quieter than usual. “Um, are uh, Jaime ‘n Virgil ‘n Cassie back yet?”

“No,” Tim answered. “Cassie texted me and said they’d be here shortly though.”

Kaldur perked at his answer, “All three of them? I told Jaime and Virgil not to worry about coming-”

His words were cut off as the Zeta Platform rang once more.

Recognized, Blue Beetle, B22
Static, B26
Wondergirl, B21

Their faces were sullen and forlorn. Their steps weighed heavy upon the ground as the three of them walked towards Kaldur. All black formal wear clung loosely to their skin. Tim watched as Cassie squeezed Jaime’s hand. Tim read a quiet ‘I’ll be okay’ on Jaime’s lips as a sad smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Cassie placed a quick arm around Virgil’s shoulder, to which he gave a squeeze around her waist. Tim heard a faint “Thanks for comin’ Cass” fall from Virgil as they pulled apart.

Kaldur turned his back to them, organizing and pulling up mission details. Bart took a few steps up to Jaime, concern plaguing his face.

“Hey bud,” He greeted him with a small voice, placing a light hand on his arm. “You alright?”

“Yeah,” Jaime lied. “I’m fine.”

The words left a bitter taste in Jaime’s mouth. He looked over at Virgil, his tired eyes stared at the ground. It was Virgil who Bart should be worried about, not him. For the funeral that he, Virgil, and Cassie had just come from still weighed heavy in Virgil’s mind. The sour pit in their stomachs bubbled in unrest, still grasping at the friend that was no longer with them.

Eduardo had overdosed. And The Team was certain that ‘Spark’ was to blame.

Five days ago, Nightwing called Virgil and Jaime. His words were heavy and slow as he told of Ed’s passing. The conversation felt like a dream to both of them. It was not more than seven months ago that they fought with Ed, working to stop The Reach’s eggs. Surely Nightwing was mistaken.

But the report was true. They looked up the news article themselves. The Taos Times claimed him to be another victim of the ‘growing mysterious deaths’ of youths in the U.S. He had been at a party with classmates. And interviews with partygoers claimed to have seen him smoke something with a blue light.

Ten minutes later he collapsed onto the ground; still, quiet, and cold.

Virgil tried to reason that it couldn’t have been Ed. That narcotics would never be something that he would do. But how could he have been certain? It’s not as though he spent a lot of time with him after their liberation from The Reach.

According to Eduardo’s classmates, he was only there because he had a fight with his father. Partying out of youthful spite. And that, Virgil believed without hesitation. So when the day of the funeral came, it was no surprise to see Eduardo Sr. completely broken.

It was very rare for Virgil to cry from second-hand sorrow. But seeing Eduardo Senior, Ed’s father, collapse at the podium in a fit of sobs, unable to give his son a proper farewell speech, caused Virgil’s composure to shatter. His father’s feelings of guilt were unabsolved by the assurances of family and friends.

The boys were certain that his father was not going to be alright for a very long time.

A vicious feeling of rage clawed at Jaime’s chest when he realized that Tye was absent from the funeral. His mother and Asami attended, but the bandana bearing boy was nowhere to be seen. His mother claimed he had been missing since the attack at the Convention Center. Unable to reach him by phone or social media. He had gone off the grid entirely. And Spark, the product that The Pack had partnered with La Dama to sell, killed one of their friends.

Jaime sat through the service infuriated. The least Tye could have done was shown up to the service, even if only for a moment to pay respects. He, Virgil, and Cassie would have been more than willing to turn a blind eye for the day in Ed’s honor. But his absence further proved where his loyalties truly lie. Despite Adelaide insisting that Black Bison controlled most of his actions, Jaime couldn’t shake the chilling thought that Tye had changed for the worst.

They left the funeral in a drowning aura of worthlessness. Cassie, insisting on coming for moral support, did help ease their hurt. But it was not enough to subside their anguish. There was nothing they could have done, nothing they could do. It was over. Ed’s life was over.

Virgil clenched his fist in anger. He looked up at the sound of Kaldur clearing his throat. He faced them. His watchful eyes studied them with diligence.

“As you are all aware, I had a mission planned out for all of you tonight,” Kaldur began. He paused for a moment, gathering his words. “However, given the recent loss, I will understand if some of you would wish to sit this one out. There is absolutely no obligation.” His eyes went to Jaime, and then to Virgil. “I know that a few of you were close to Eduardo.”

“It’s fine.” Virgil’s words sounded numb. “I just, want something to take my mind off of it.”

“Yeah,” Jaime added with a small voice. “Same.”

Kaldur hummed in thought. “And that is why I feel you may not be up for this mission. It will do the opposite of ‘take your mind off of it’.” He pulled up a map of Gotham on the screen. “Tonight, we will be in Gotham City, holding stakeouts for Spark dealers.” It was at his final two words that everyone gave him their undivided attention. He continued. “Thanks to Rose’s intel, we were able to determine the target demographic and prime location for the narcotics. You will be looking out for any potential dealers, keeping eyes on them, and trailing if ordered.” He paused, his voice going soft. “So you can see why…”

“It’s fine.” Jaime interrupted. “Just, more motivation for me to...help get this stuff off the street.”

“I’m with Jaime,” Virgil nodded. His face hardened with certainty. “I wanna help.”

Kaldur nodded in response. “As long as you are certain.”

Their unwavering faces only confirmed their words.

“Very well,” Kaldur responded. “So before I hand out the mission details, I wanted to go over everything that we’ve learned about ‘Spark’ so far. Obviously, it is a narcotic. Created by Cadmus and is usually in the form of white and blue ‘crystals’ or ‘nuggets’. It creates blue ‘sparks’ in the user’s mouth when lit and inhaled. It contains a highly addictive aphrodisiac that only seems to activate with those going through or a few years out of puberty.”

He pulled up a few images of the rogue metahumans they apprehended while under the influence. “What makes this drug an interest to us is that somehow its formula can bring out a person’s metagene. But in their intoxicated state, the user has no control and is often violent. According to Rose, it also contains a mitochondrial marker. So Cadmus and The Light could potentially track these metahumans down. And, as you are aware, Spark can be toxic to certain users and is easily overdosed on.”

Kaldur was sure to hurry on to his next point, not wanting to linger on the thought of ‘overdose’. He cleared his throat. “A few members of The League were to join us but they have been called into an emergency meeting. So today will be a strictly ‘observe and report’ mission.” He made sure to take the time to look at each one of them to assure his point had gone through. “The streets of Gotham are dangerous, and I do not wish to hear of any more loss today.”

Virgil and Jaime cringed at his words.

“The positions will be as followed,” Kaldur began to list. “Alpha is currently on Mars for their bi-weekly mission. So, Robin and Blue Beetle, you will be Beta. Your observation post will be Gotham Academy.”

“Gotham Academy?” Jaime’s face twisted in perplexity. “That uppity private school? I thought only rich jerks went there?”

“Uhh….” Tim cleared his throat, raising his hand up to his face with small movements. “I...I go there.”

“Oh...sorry.” Jaime blushed with embarrassment. He rubbed the back of his neck. “I probably already knew, that didn’t I?”

Tim smiled, forgiving him. “Well uppity rich jerks or not, my school has been a hotbed for Spark. A lot of kids can afford the higher quality product. Since Rose told us about it a month ago, I’ve been asking around, listening in on conversations. Apparently there’s a dealer that hangs around the parking lot every once in a while. He’s been scarce lately, but it’s worth a shot.”

“Exactly why it is a point of interest to us,” Kaldur added. “Continuing on. Wondergirl, Static, you will be Gamma. You will patrol by the lake at South City Park.” He turned to Rose and Bart. “Kid Flash, Rose you two are Delta, you have Harlow Park.”

“Heyheyhey!” Bart chittered, giving a tight squeeze around Rose’s shoulder. She growled at his contact. “Look at that, we got our first mission together buddy.”

She gave a quiet sigh and rolled her eyes. Great. She gets to spend all night with Kid Touchy-Talky. She wondered if Gotham had a tall bridge she could jump off of. She was in no mood to deal with his pep.

“You will notice there is a lot of younger members on this mission.” Kaldur pointed out. “This will be a great chance for you so show your leadership and initiative skills, without having to be in the shadow of an older teammate. I will set up our station at Gotham Park. My job will be less observation and more mediary between the three teams.” He glanced around at their small, engaged faces. “We know that they are trying to spread this product West. They already have drop-offs with La Dama planned. So what we do today will be vital in helping stop the spread of ‘Spark’.” They all responded with strong, reaffirming nods. “Good. Now, if everyone understands their assignments, begin prep. Street clothes and only self-defense weaponry. Remember this is an observe and report mission, not hands-on. We leave in 30 minutes.”

Gotham City - Harlow Park
January 7th, 2017
22:12 EST

This was it. This was how Rose was going to die. On a sticky park bench, in a shit hole park in Gotham, with the most annoying speedster that she had ever met. Well, he was the only speedster she’d ever met. But she was sure he’d win 1st place in Irritation. And before the night was over, she was going to find out if one can truly die of boredom.

She sunk down in her cold seat, groaning, overflowing with a desire to punch someone, anyone. Bart was sprawled next to her on the bench, his head tilted back as he dragged his hands down his face.

“Whyyyy?!” He groaned in feigned pain.

“This. Is so. BORING.” Rose clutched at her hair. She huffed in anguish. If she did not get to hit something soon, she was certain she’d combust.

Bart slapped at his cheeks, trying to stay awake. “Tell me about it. Stakeouts are the worst.”

Rose grunted, sitting up in her seat. She reached into her coat pocket, pulling out a pack of cigarettes. Bart watched as she placed one between her lips. The tiny flame of her lighter danced behind her hand as she tried to shield it from the wind. She took a few puffs, an orange light glowing at the end. He watched her body fall into relaxation. She smiled, a content sigh escaping her as she exhaled. “Shit, that’s good.”

He chuckled. “Those things'll kill ya you know,” he teased.

“Yeah, well.” She mumbled, taking the cigarette out of her mouth. “So could this job. And yet,” She motioned around them. “Here we are.”

He hummed in amusement. He watched her smoke for a moment before speaking again. “So uh, you fittin’ in alright?”

She let out a small sarcastic laugh, “Is really that obvious I’m not?”

She was all too aware that she was not meshing well with most of the other members of The Team. There was a recurring pattern of ‘forgetting’ to invite her to team outings. Even while being in the same room, she would find herself unincluded in their conversations. It may not have been entirely intentional. But their lack of involvement spoke louder than any words.

But that didn’t mean she couldn’t hear what they said about her in whispered tones.

Violent. Mean. Psychotic. Asshole.

She brushed the words off her shoulders like the puny specks of dust they were. Yet they still left a sting behind. She grit her teeth at the thought. They just had no idea what a real warrior was like. The world is kill or be killed. You have to be hard. You have to be tough. They were superheroes, they should know that already.

Artemis had been the only one to go out of her way to include her, to talk to her. But she up and went on a sabbatical out of the blue.

“I heard you got yelled out by Aqualad,” Bart stated. A small tone of teasing hanging on his words.

Oh. And this kid. He was also the only other person to take a real interest in her as well. Rose shook her head. No, that was an understatement. She couldn’t get him to leave her alone.

“Yeah,” Rose answered, taking another puff. “He just wanted to tell me how much I suck.”

“You don’t suck,” Bart reassured. “You’ll get the hang of everything....everyone will come around to you eventually.”

Rose huffed at his response, “Your teammates don’t seem to like me very much.”

“Our teammates,” Bart emphasized. “And don’t worry, they’ll get used to you, you know, kicking their butts.” He gave an awkward laugh. “Honestly, I think they’re just a little afraid of you.”

She chuckled, “Good.” She looked him up and down, eyes stopping at his cheery, wind burnt cheeks. “Why do care so much anyways?”

Bart flinched at her question, “Whadoyou mean?”

She shrugged. “I dunno. You’re always around, asking me questions.” She paused in thought. “It’s like you give a shit.”

“I do, actually.” The pep in Bart’s voice fell. “It’s just, uh...I know what’s it’s like, to come here alone. To be alone.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Not knowing anybody, not knowing if you’re actually doing good.” He gave her a friendly jab with his elbow. “I just don’t want you to feel that way.”

And in a rare moment, Bart was quiet. He stared at the ground, sadness pulling at his eyes and lips.

Rose couldn’t hold back her dramatic eye roll. She groaned. “Alright. Spit it out.” She said.

Bart looked at her, his brows bunched in confusion. Rose twirled her hand, urging him on. “Come on. I know you want to get something off your chest, so just talk. That's why you're being all mysterious and broody."

His face twitched at her observation. “What?”

She groaned again. She grew tired of this game. “I told you, you get one story a day.” She took a drag from her cigarette. “So tell me your story.”

Bart stumbled over his words. “Y-you already know. I’m from the future. Came back to stop Blue from starting the Apocalypse. That’s all.”

“Really?” Rose’s words dripped with doubt as she smiled. She shrugged. “So you can just...brush off the fact that you were living in a post-apocalyptic world?”

Bart felt bile rise in his throat. A flash of anger pounded at him, irritated at her observation. That was not a topic he wished to discuss. His life from before was something he did not discuss. He let the feeling simmer and pass.

“That’s all there is to me,” he reassured.

Rose hummed behind a closed-lip smile, “Yeeeah, I’m gonna call bullshit on that.”

“Why?” Bart snipped at her. A snarl flashed across his face. Their conversation was no longer amusing to him. He mentally pleaded for her to stop digging. To stop prying into his life. That wound had hardly scabbed over, and he’d be damned if he’d let her slice it open.

“Trust me,” Rose raised a brow at him. “I’ve been around long enough to know that in order for someone to keep a cover as annoying as yours…” His expression darkened as he clenched his jaw. Rose was amused to see that she had struck a nerve. She leaned into him, a sassy smile gracing her face as she continued. “....you gotta have a lot of dark secrets that you wanna keep buried.”

Bart’s glare felt like daggers against her skin. His body shook as a vein rose in his neck. But Rose was unphased. She pressed on, grinning. Her voice almost a whisper as she leaned in more, her face close to his. “I know all there to know about disguises.” She bit her lip at the tension radiating from him. “You might have everyone else fooled, Bart. But not me.”

His nostrils flared with anger, a loud exhale fogging the air between them. He hissed behind his clenched teeth as he shook, “How ‘bout. You shut. The hell. Up.”

Bart gasped at his own words, his eyes went wide. Rose’s jaw dropped as she smiled at his broken composure. There is was. A tear in his veil. A rip at the seam of his costume. A poked hole in the farcical character that is ‘Bart Allen’.

Bart snapped his head away, bouncing his foot on the pavement below. He chewed at the inside of his cheek, furious that he had lost his cool for a small moment.

Rose wet her lips in smugness. “Alright.” She replied, satisfied at what she’d accomplished. “I’ll shut up.”

The poor kid. That was enough for today. She didn’t want to break him too badly. Her eyes scanned the park. Confident and cocky, she was ready for some more manipulation. And this ‘stakeout’ was not going to cut it.

Her eyes fell on a middle-aged man standing by the chain-link shrouded basketball courts. He wore a large winter coat with just a few too many pockets. He constantly looked over his shoulder, observing the area around him, studying people as they walked by. According to her phone, he had been standing there for two hours. She’d was tired of this waiting game and it was freezing outside. It was time for action.

Rose pressed on her earpiece communicator as she flicked her cigarette onto the ground. Her voice filled everyone’s ears. “Hey Pops. Sooo are we really just going to sit here all night and waste our time? Are your little kindergarten cops even trained in spotting drug dealers?”

Bart looked over at her. An ornery grin played on her lips. What trouble was she trying to start now?

“Oh and you are?” Cassie’s annoyed words were heard on the other end. Rose’s arrogance was something that instantly put her on edge. “I don’t think a rookie has any place talking smack. We’re the real heroes here. We’ve done stuff that-”

“Hey, Barbie,” Rose interrupted. She hated the pretentious tone in Cassie’s voice whenever she talked to her. “Why don’t you head home before you chip your nail polish? Don’t you have like, boy band magazines to read?”

“That is enough.” Kaldur beamed, sounding like an annoyed parent. A familiar tone that Rose found amusing, and earned him the nickname of ‘Pops’. “Rose, if you are so displeased with our tactics, then what do you suggest an alternative be?”

“Well, that’s easy.” She stood up, motioning Bart to do the same. “We’re in a big city.” They walked towards the man by the basketball courts. “If you want drugs, all you have to do is ask reeeeal nice like.”

They stopped, standing a couple of yards on the man’s right. Rose had her back turned on him. Bart faced her.

“What?” Kaldur could be heard on the other end. “Rose do not engage.”

She smiled. It was clear to Bart that she was ignoring Kaldur. He studied her, unsure of what her next movement would be. She pulled out a cigarette and handed it to Bart, to which he took with careful fingers.

She pulled out her lighter, whispering to him. “Smoke it.”

“What?” He had no idea what she was trying to do.

She rolled her eyes, grabbing his hand and putting the cigarette up to his mouth. He put it between his lips. Rose ignited the flame, he sheltered it with his hands. He inhaled, the taste of ash filling his mouth.

She whispered again, “Just do what I say. And don’t. Talk. Got it?”

He nodded at her with wide eyes. Rose lit her own cigarette. They stood there for a minute, smoking in silence. The man in the large winter coat stole glances at them.

“Rose….” Kaldur chimed on the communicator once more, waiting for her answer.

Rose tapped on the earpiece three times. A new setting that enabled them to record the user’s voice as well as anyone close to them. Rose looked over her shoulder, tossing the man a flirtatious smile.

“Hey baby,” Her words were sultry and piqued his interest. Her lips formed a small, playful pout. “You got somethin’ to help us have a good time tonight?”

Bart almost choked on his inhale. Was...was this guy a dealer? How did she know?

“Rose do not engage,” Kaldur’s demand rang in their ears. But she paid no mind to it.

“Rose...watch your step,” it was Tim who came across the communicator this time. He knew that Rose was going to do her own thing. It’s not like they could teleport across the city to stop her if they wanted to. The most he could do was keep her on her toes.

The man smiled. He rubbed his hand over his mouth. His voice was deep and raspy, “Depends on how hard the little lady wantsta party.”

Kaldur growled upon hearing the strange voice. Rose was on his last nerve.

Rose bit her lower lip, looking the man up and down with playful eyes. She held her cigarette carton up over her shoulder in offering, a few of the sticks protruding out of the top. “How ‘bout we have a little conversation then?”

The man looked around again and approached them. He pulled out one of her cigarettes, she lit it, letting him join their smoking circle. It finally clicked in Bart’s head. She was creating a cover for them. Making their interaction look less suspicious to any law enforcement that could pass by. She was making the dealer more comfortable.

He took a long drag before speaking again. “So what you looking for, beautiful?” He wiggled his brows at her. “You wanna chill? Or you wanna trip?”

“Mmmm,” she hummed with a tilt of her head. “Maybe something with a littlea both?”

“Alrai,” he nodded. “I think I got some pills you might like.”

“Well...you see,” Rose began, taking a step next to Bart. He jumped at the feel of a hand sliding into his back pocket with….an unnecessarily firm grasp. Rose rested her head on his shoulder. His cheeks went red at her contact. He composed himself, wrapping an arm behind her, his hand resting on her hip. Purely to keep their cover, of course.

Rose continued, a pout played in her voice. “My boyfriend and I are here for the weekend from outta state and we’re looking for something a little more...local.”

“Ahhh, well,” He took a drag from his cigarette. Did they want something with a local strain? He smiled. It was nice to see out-of-towners support local businesses. “I certainly know a Molly, born and raised in Gotham.”

Rose groaned. She didn’t want Molly. She didn’t want pot. She couldn’t give two shits about pills. No. They were there to take down Spark. And the only way they were going to get there, was to go directly to the source.

"Naw baby,” she shook her head. “I want that new stuff. The stuff all the kids are talkin’ about.” She hit him with her seductive eyes, bringing up her hand to twirl a finger in Bart’s hair, her body leaning into him. Her voice a sultry whisper, “You know, that shit you can fuck real good on.”

The man's eyes widened and his jaw fell agape. He wiggled a brow at Bart. Bart felt his blush spread his cheeks down to his shoulders.

The dealer laughed, “Little lady’s got good taste. I might have a bag on me you can afford.”

“Mmm, yeah but…” Rose interjected, pulling her wallet halfway out of her pocket so it could be seen. “I got enough cash to pay for the light show. Mommy and Daddy got big pockets.”

She prayed that her charade was working. If she made it clear that money was no issue, she’d have a better chance of buying a bag of higher quality.

“You cute,” He shook his head. “But the boss doesn’t just pass that out to anybody.”

“Awww but,” Rose pulled out something from her wallet, folding it between her fingers. She discretely passed it over to him. “I’m sure Mr. Benjamin says I can be their 'somebody'.”

Bart’s jaw dropped. She had the whole thing planned from the very beginning. He thought it was strange, seeing her pull a large sum of cash from an ATM at the start of the mission. But he wrote it off. She still had her Wayne Enterprises credit card, he assumed that she was taking it out for personal reasons. Now he knew better. And she was going to use that money to buy and bribe for narcotics.

Bruce was going to be pissed.

The dealer shook his head, smiling. “Oh, you’re good.” He reached into his wallet, pulling out a white business card. It was blank with a few lines of scribbled handwriting. Rose took it from him. He continued, “Go to this address on the other side of West Harlow. Knock three times.” He nodded upwards. “Tell ‘um Benny sent ya. I get a referral payment.”

A wave of triumph flushed through Rose. It took all the self-control she could muster to keep her from dancing in place. She winked at him, “Thanks baby” and grabbed Bart by the hand, leading him down the street. She turned off the recorder.

“Ooooo!” Virgil’s excited cry filled the communicator. “That was like somethin’ out of a cop drama. Girl that was so good!”

“I know I am,” Rose replied, turning her chin up in confidence.

“Yes, that is great.” Kaldur rubbed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and pointer finger. He had never had to deal with someone so disobedient before. “Now you two return to your post and-”

“Yeah, no.” Rose interrupted. “We’re going to this address.”

Bart looked at her with wide eyes. No one ever talked to Aqualad like that.

“Excuse me?” Kaldur said.

“Bart and I are going to this address to see if we can get a bag,” she replied with a matter-of-fact pep.

“Did you not hear what he just said?” Cassie asked, astonished at her disrespect.

“Look,” Rose huffed. “I know this mission isn’t supposed to be ‘hands-on’ but in terms of this case, we have nothing.” She allowed for a pause of silence as they could not come up with a retort. “Bart and I have a chance to actually get a sample. A sample that we can analyze. And that guy said that this address will take us to his boss. We’ll have a chance to ID some higher-ups. Didn’t you say this mission was our chance to ‘show some initiative?’”

Kaldur signed, a headache growing behind his eyes. “Rose….”

“She does raise a good point.” Tim chimed in with caution. Although her issue with authority was a cause for alarm, everything that Rose said was true. They needed this lead. “Aqualad, this might be our shot to actually get some product in our hands and get us closer to finding where it’s being made.”

Kaldur gathered his thoughts for a moment. “Fine,” he chirped, disgruntled. “But the second there is a sign of trouble you will retreat, immediately.”

Rose flashed Bart a triumphant smile. She pressed on her communicator, “You got it, boss.”

Mars
January 7th, 2016
22:30 EDT

M’gann found herself frozen, a stinging bolt of terror crystallizing her muscles. She managed to strain her neck to the side. She looked over at Conner, to see if he had heard the same thing that she did. Slack-jawed, all he could do was shake his head.

They sat at a small, round meeting table inside a White Martian Militia base. Across from them sat the High General of the White Martian Militia, Telok’telar. Scars showered his white, weathered face. An eye patch covered the left eye that he had lost in battle many years ago. To his left sat two of his lieutenants: A’monn and A’morr A’mokk. Husband and wife whose devotion to the battlefield nearly surpassed their devotion to one another.

The White Martian Militia was created long before M’gann was born. A sloppily ran, almost underground organization. It was meant to govern the White Martians within their own communities. A response to the lack of aid, relief, and law enforcement they would ask from the government, who favored Green Martian needs above White.

But since the attacks first began in October, the White Martian Militia, or WMM, began to organize. They knew that they would receive little help from the Green Martians in finding out who was behind these terrorist attacks. So they whipped the WMM into a clean, organized structure. They gained more soldiers as months progressed. Telok’telar was voted High General shortly after. And proved himself to be a valuable ally in M’gann’s investigations. Eager to help her solve her case, and created counter-terrorism units to help prevent more attacks.

But you can only strike a being so many times before it decides to hit back. And after three months of losing thousands of White Martian lives, Telok’telar and his two Lieutenants had had enough. M’gann arrived for their scheduled meeting, thinking all would be normal. Only to hear Telok’telar tell her that if the Green Martians did not find who as responsible by the end of the month, the WMM would declare war upon the Green Martians.

‘You can’t be serious,’ M’gann brought her hands up to her head. She was nearly at a loss of what to say. She couldn’t believe her ears. She shook her head, holding her hands out to her sides. ‘I cannot let you do this.’

‘This is beyond you M’gann,’ A’monn snipped.

‘But..think about what you’re saying,’ desperation dripped from her words through the telepathic link.

‘You speak to us as if we are children,’ A’morr snarled. ‘You think that we would do this on a whim? Without thinking of the consequences?’

M’gann shook her head. ‘No, I’m not saying you haven’t thought it through. But what you are talking about is a civil war,’ She looked at them with pleading eyes. ‘There has to be something else we can do-’

‘I will do whatever I need to to keep my family safe!’ A’morr slammed her fist onto the table. Her body shook. Sorrow etched cracks into her words as she spoke. ‘I have lived for far too long under the tyranny of the Green Martians. I have seen my children die. From famine, starvation, racial violence.’ She took a moment to compose herself. ‘My oldest son was killed by Green Martin Guerrillas just two weeks ago. I have four of my babies left, and I will die bloody and battered on the battlefield before I let anything happen to them.’ She peered at M’gann with violent intensity. ‘They are all that I have left.’

M’gann’s jaw slacked. ‘I..I am sorry for your loss,’ She softened her voice. ‘But there has to be another way. The Green Martians are just as scared-’

‘Why are you making excuses for them?!’ A’monn boomed, he bolted up from his chair. M’gann flinched at his movement. Connor growled. Jumping from his seat to shield her if need be. A’monn continued. ‘Have you spent so much time with J’onn that you’ve forgotten where you came from?’ He jolted a finger at M’gann. ‘You are a White Martian. You are all too aware of how poisonous their prejudice is.’ The tension in his muscles eased, there was almost a smile to his words, ‘And last I heard, the ‘Martian Manhunter’ was living up to his name on Earth.’

M’gann tilted her head in confusion. ‘I don’t know what you mean.’

‘This is enough talk.’ A’morr interrupted. ‘We have made our decision. And I for one, am sick of hearing delegations from you.’ She peered at M’gann with unapologetic disgust. ‘You, who walks in denial of who she is. You who hides her skin as if it is a disease. How can you truly care what happens to us, when you live your life in constant denial that you are one of us?’ M’gann’s eyes fell to the floor, guilt rising from the pit of her belly. ‘As far as I’m concerned,’ M’gann finally brought her eyes up to A’morr’s. ‘You became a traitor the moment you shifted your skin green.’

‘That is enough A’morr,’ Telok’telar scolded. ‘Stand. Down.’ He turned towards M’gann. A sad sigh escaped him. ‘I know that you mean well for us M’gann. But there is no more delegation. We have made up our minds.’ He shook his head. ‘This is happening.’

A rush of anger snaked through M’gann’s veins. ‘You won’t win,’ She bit her lip, trying to hold back. ‘You will be sending your people out to slaughter. The Green Martian’s weapons are...superior.’ She narrowed her eyes, trying to hold back a wave of tears. How could she get them to understand?. ‘They will annihilate us. Butcher every White Martian in their path until there is not enough left to fight them. You think the way we are treated now is bad?’ She held her hands in front of her, pleading. ‘Imagine what will happen to our people as POWs, or in indentured servitude afterward. It will be far worse than what is happening now.

Telok’telar stood up tall. ‘Used to be,’ He said with cool, calm words. ‘Their weapons used to be superior.’ He stood from his seat, walking over to a locked weapon’s cabinet behind him. ‘But now we have the technology to cut down the Green majority...into minority status.’ He placed his hand on the scanner on the cabinet door. It unlocked. ‘So you can make it very clear to them, that we intended to fight. And we will win.’

Superboy and Miss Martain found themselves unable to breathe. As the cabinet door opened, a crushing feeling of dismay clutched their throats. Inside the cabinet hung an abundance of black and red Apokolips weapons.

‘Where the hell did you get those?’ Superboy hissed.

‘A donation,’ Telok’telar informed.

‘A donation?’ Conner snarled. ‘From who?’

Telok’telar narrowed his eyes, irritation twinged his upper lip. ‘That information I’m afraid I’m not at liberty to disclose,’

‘Are you out of your mind?!’ Superboy snapped. ‘Do you really think someone would give Apokolips weapons to you, for free? Without any strings attached?’

‘We are very aware that certain favors from us might be called upon.’ Telok’telar’s stood firm. ‘But they were the ones to reach out to us. They are the only ones who seem to care about our struggle.’ A desperate passion grew in his voice. ‘So when they offered their weaponry to us to give us a fighting chance, to save my people from massacre-,’ He paused to compose himself, his speech on the verge of cracking. ‘Whatever money or service they may invoice from us, the price means nothing to me, as long as it means the survival of our people.’

Outside, Adelaide and Beast Boy gallivanted through the dusty street of the White Martian town. They ogled at the outdoor shops. It was Adelaide's first mission and her very first time on another planet. Instead of sitting through dull political discussion, M’gann thought it would be best for Adelaide to experience some Martian culture first. A task that Beast Boy was more than willing to assist her with.

“This is the coolest thing ever!” Adelaide's wide eyes and exuberant smile had not left her face since they arrived. “Like, in the entire universe!”

Beast Boy laughed. “Wellll I wouldn’t say the entire universe.” He smiled, remembering his first time off-world. “Raan definitely had more cool stuff to look at.”

“Wow,’ Her eyes darted. As if unsure what strange new building, being, or object to look at. She twitched. She rubbed her ear as a foreign, high pitched buzz stung her ear. “Ow!” She said.

“What’s the matter?” Beast Boy asked.

"You don’t hear that?” Adelaide asked.

Her face bunched in confusion. She looked all around them. The noise grew louder. She looked up. Terror shot through her spine as a missile whirled closer to them from the sky.

“Look out!” She cried, pushing Garfield away. The missile landed where he had been standing, knocking both him and Adelaide to the ground. They coughed at the upturned dirt and debris. They groaned, rising to their feet.

A scream rang around them. Out of the stinging dust charged a band of Green Martian Guerrilla soldiers. Armor coated their skin. The wielded laser guns and swords, striking down any white Martian they saw.

Adelaide trembled, fear planting her feet to the ground. Terrified White Martians ran passed her, fleeing from the green attackers.

Garfield cried out to her but found himself under attack. A Green Martian charged at him, his sword raised high into the air. Garfield curled his lips into a savage snarl. He shifted into a tiger and lunged at him.

The commotion caught the attention of M’gann, Superboy, Telok’telar, A’monn, and A’morr. Telok’telar and his two Lieutenants grabbed their Apokolips rifles. They charged outside. M’gann gasped, seeing Beast Boy engaged in battle with Green warrior. Telok’telar ordered his soldiers to attack.

The Martian threw Garfield off of him, knocking him against a building. Beast Boy cried out in pain. Unable to retain his strength, he shifted back into his normal form. The world became dark and woozy as he struggled to keep his eyes open. Superboy rushed to Garfield's side. He struck the Martian across its jaw, knocking it to the ground. He picked up Garfield in his arms.

“Kid, you alright?” He asked. “Where’s Adelaide?”

Adelaide's attention was pulled to her left at the sounds of high pitched screams. Two White Marian children, much smaller than herself, cowered onto the ground as three Green Martians surround them. They raised their blades raised.

A deep growl erupted in Adelaide's throat. A primal rage scratched at her skin as her body flooded with an urgency to protect. Her face creased with fury, fists balled tight.

She sprinted toward them as she snarled, “Get away from them!”

Her movement caught the attention of M’gann, Superboy, and Beast Boy. They cried out for her to stop. But the pounding of her heartbeat resonated far louder than their words. She swerved beneath the feet of the Green Martians. She stood over the children. Her eyes glowed white as an unfamiliar warmth grew in her hands. She felt energy spring from her chest to her fingertips.

She roared and placed her hands in front of her. A translucent blue shield, much like that of Rocket’s, circled around her and the White Martian Babies. It sparked against the Green Martian’s sword as he brought it down, knocking it out of his hand.

Adelaide grit her teeth. “Go away!” She demanded, pulling back her elbows, then shoving her hands forward. The shield rushed onward as well, tossing the three Green soldiers into the air. She panted, sweat dripping from her brow as her eyes went wide with disbelief. She couldn’t believe what she had just done, it almost seemed like a dream. She turned towards the White Martian children. She scooped them up in her arms, running towards M’gann.

“Will they be safe in there?” Adelaide asked, nodding towards the hut.

M’gann’s jaw still hung loose from watching Adelaide's new power surface. “W-what?” She asked, gathering herself. “Y-Yes yes, here.” She opened the door to the base, letting the two children run inside.

‘Grab one of those weapons and meet me on the front lines,’ Telok’telar ordered.

‘What?’ M’gann’s lip curled in confusion. Screams and explosions rang around them.

Telok’telar ground his teeth in agitation. ‘You and your teammates grab an Apokolips weapon inside and help us fight.’

‘No!’ M’gann gasped. ‘We’re peacekeepers. Garfield and Adelaide are children. We-’

Telok’telar brought his face uncomfortably close to hers. He snarled, ‘A’monn was right. You have forgotten who you are. Even in an unprovoked battle you still favor them.’

‘No I-’ M’gann struggled for words, a sickness growing in her stomach.

‘Get out,’ Telok’telar hissed. ‘Get out of my city!’ M’gann felt breathless as he stepped towards her. ‘You and your team are not welcome here anymore. If you are not willing to fight for your people. Then I consider you, a traitor.’

A tear fell from M’gann’s eye. It took all she could to choke back a sob. It was happening again. Rejection. And now it was from her own people.

Telok’telar raised his weapon at her, ‘Get. Out. Of. My. City. Before I blow you away.’

M’gann shook her head as she cried. A feeling of failure closing her throat. She levitated Adelaide, Superboy, and Garfield in the air along with her. They flew towards their Zetatube home as they watched the battle continue on beneath him. Red flashes erupted from the White Martian’s new weaponry. The Greens began to fall back.

A troublesome silence fell between them as tears streamed down M’gann’s cheeks.

Gotham City - South City Park
January 7th, 2017
22:50 EST

“Ahh! She just...makes me so mad!”

Cassie’s words trailed through the park. Virgil felt waves of anger roll off of her. They trudged down the sidewalk. Cassie’s hands flailed about as she spoke.

Virgil shook his head. “I don’t understand you two. She’s been with us, what, a month? And you’re already at each others’ throats.”

Her nostrils flared in irritation. Rose’s disrespect towards Kaldur left Cassie fuming. It was well known throughout The Team that the two of them didn’t mesh. They always seem to know just how to push the other’s buttons. She ranted on, “She just thinks she knows everything. She so bossy. And it’s so infuriating! Did you even hear how she talked to Kal-ooph.”

In the midst of venting to Virgil, Cassie didn’t notice a man turning the corner. She bumped into him, nearly knocking herself over in the process. He placed a firm grasp on her arm to keep her from falling.

“Oh, I’m sorr-” Her words trailed off as she looked up at him. A smooth smile played on his lips as he looked her over. He was tall, toned, and wore a brown leather jacket. Black disheveled bangs rested on his forehead.

“S’alright.” His dark husky voice played in her ears. “You okay?”

Cassie’s cheeks turned pink, suddenly very aware of his eyes upon her. “Y-yeah...sure-yes.”

He chuckled and Cassie could have sworn she was running a fever. “Sure on that one?” He asked with a smile. His eyes darted between them. “What are you two doin’ out here? The parks are dangerous at night.”

“Just out for a walk,” Virgil replied with a shrug.

He raised a brow at them, mouth twisting in uncertainty. “Well be careful.” His jaw clenched, a snarl twitching his lip for a moment as if remembering something dark. “A lot of freaks out there just waiting to snatch up kids.” He rose up his chin, looking past them. “Speaking of which.”

They heard heavy footsteps. A clink of metal snapped their head around. Another man in crept up behind them, a bandanna covering his mouth. He held out a gun. “Don’t move,”

He commanded. “Cough up your wallets.”

Cassie’s hands balled into fists. Virgil’s tensed, sparks fired in his hands.

“Get lost asshole,” the man in the leather jacket replied with a monotonous tone.

Cassie’s eyes went wide. What was he doing? He has a gun.

The man in the bandana narrowed his eyes, “Don’t gimme no lip or I’ll pop your ass.”

“I’m tellin you, just walk away,” A serious tone soaked his words that sent a chill down Cassie’s spine.

“Man shut the hel-” Before the gunman could finish his sentence, the man in the leather jacket charged at him. He grabbed his wrist, pushing the gun upwards. He brought back his fist and clocked the gunman in the nose. He pulled the gun from him, then punched him across the jaw. The once armed gunman fell to the ground clutching his face.

“Holy shit…” The words whispered out of Virgil. In awe of how fast he neutralized the situation.

“Now, I don’t feel like killin’ someone in front of kids.” The man in the leather jacket aimed his newly acquired firearm at the criminal. He looked down at him with a vicious glare.

“So I’m gonna give you the chance to get up. And get the hell out of my park.”

The man stumbled to his feet, blood gushing down his face. He did as he was ordered and disappeared behind the trees.

The other man tucked the gun in his waistline on the small of his back. Now calm and collected, he pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it. He looked over his shoulder at Virgil and Cassie. “Like I said, you two better head home.” He began to walk away. “If you know what’s good for ya.”

Frozen in astonishment, they looked to one another with dropped jaws.

“Who the hell was that?” Virgil asked.

“I don’t-” Cassie was cut off as Rose chimed in on their communicators.

“Hey guys...we’re almost there,” She informed.

Sirens wailed. The stench of sewer ripened the deeper Rose and Bart traveled into West Harlow. Their senses teetered on edge as they powered through the maze of boarded buildings and graffitied walls. Bart’s heart pounded in his chest, eyes weary of the decrepit street dwellers around them.

“Proceed with caution,” Aqualad advised. “Remember, retreat at the first sign of trouble.”

“Got it,” Rose answered. She looked at Bart with narrow eyes, her lips pressed into a fine line. “Just like before. Don’t. Talk. Alright? Let me handle everything.”

Bart rolled his eyes as he looked away from her, a nasty habit that she infected him with. “Sheesh,” he scoffed. “It’s like you think the instant I open my mouth, I’ll blow our cover.”

“That’s because you will,” she stated. “You’re way too smiley and you babble when you’re nervous.”

They stopped at a rusty door. A large, covered peephole sat towards the top. The weathered brick building gave Bart chills. Rose looked at the white card, verifying the address. Rose turned on her recorder. She brought the back of her hand up to the door and knocked three times.

After a moment of silence, the cover of the peep hole slid to the side. A pair of eyes emerged from behind it, studying them with a cold intensity.

“May I help you?” A pitchy, adenoidal voice rose from behind the door.

Rose swallowed the lump in her throat. She pulled out the business card, holding it out in front of her. “Benny said you might have something for me?” She asked.

There was a hum of annoyance and the cover slammed shut. Bart and Rose jumped at the sound. There was a long creak as the door opened, revealing the dusty darkness inside.

Bart looked over at Rose, seeking solace to placate the growing pit of nervousness in his gut. But Rose provided no such thing. There was a visual shutter to her breath as she exhaled. She grabbed Bart’s hand, squeezing it to reassure herself that everything was alright. She nodded at him and led him inside.

The door slammed behind them. It rattled through their veins as they jumped. The cloudy air stung their eyes as they adjusted to the dim ceiling lights. In front of them stood a large, menacing man. He wore a pristine suit, barely big enough for his protruding stomach. Fat rolls circled under his chin, framing his bald head. Large teeth flashed behind his lips as he spoke, “Do you have sufficient funds?”

Rose pulled out her wallet from her back pocket, flashing him the bills inside.

He smiled, “Right this way then.”

He led them deeper inside the building. It appeared to be some sort of abandoned apparel factory. Tables and bins overturned on the dusty floor.
They arrived at a table, harsh shadows resting on its curves under the shrewd lighting. A man, almost identical to the one who answered the door, sat in a chair behind it. He counted the bills in a money box. A scale sat to his left. And all the way on his right was their goal.

Spark. And lots of it. Several immense bags stacked on top of one another. One was askew on the side, open. It looked as though he was dividing them into smaller bags. Even under the dim bulbs Rose could see the cool blue of the crystals’ edges. It was the real deal.

Rose felt a tight jab in her chest as she realized they were being watched. A few yards away, just past the table, two figures sat with daunting posture upon a couch. Their bodies and faces dense with shadows. All she could made out were a pair of shapely crossed legs, and the red end of the other’s cigar.

“First-time buyers?”

Their attention was snapped back to the man at the table. He looked them up and down with curious eyes. Bart shuttered under the growing pressure. His eyes darted between all of the figures in the room. Rose cursed under her breath at Bart’s obvious nervousness. She plastered a false smile on her face and squeezed his hand once more, reminding him that she was still there. He stilled.

“Yeah, we are,” Rose answered. She wet her lips as she chuckled, “We’re from outta state so...you might have to give us a tutorial.”

The man gave her a high pitched giggle as he placed the money in the box, writing numbers down in a notebook. “Of course,” he chimed, pulling out four different bags of various sizes. “Since you’re here, I’m going to assume you want the purer product? Sixty dollars for an eighth of an ounce, one hundred for a fourth, one fifty for a half, and two hundred for one ounce.” They approached the table, Rose ran her fingers over the bags. He continued. “You can get them flavorless, in strawberry-mango, or peach. You can break the crystals apart and smoke it like marijuana. Grind it into a fine powder and snort it or mix it in your drink. Or heat the powder at a high temperature until it melts and inject it.” Rose looked up at him. The casual pep and enthusiasm of his voice mirroring that of an Apple salesman pushing a new product. A tight smile crawled across his lips, “Needles sold separately, of course.”

Rose tilted her head in feigned amusement. “Of course,” she said. She leaned down onto the table, resting her elbows on the cold wood. She popped back her hips with a flirty curve. She twirled a strand of hair around her finger. Bart watched her with wary eyes.

She bit her lip with curiosity, giving him a coy smirk. She lowered her voice with a husky overtone, “So uh-who’s a girl gotta talk to...if she’s interested in selling?”

“Whad’ she say Dumfrey?”

Rose jumped upright as a new voice circled around them. Its feminine pitch rang with a Jersey flare. It had come from one of the figures on the couch.
Dumfrey interlaced his fingers on the table, looking over at the shadowed figures. “I do believe the young miss said she is interested in selling.”

There was a moment of silence before the voice spoke again, “Send ‘um over Deever.”

Bart cringed at the feel of a stubby hand clamping his shoulder. The other man, whom Bart assumed to be ‘Deever’, did the same to Rose and lead them towards the couch.

A love seat sat across from the shrouded figures, a coffee table in between them. The table supported a singed ashtray, a few glasses, and a bottle of expensive whiskey. Deever sat Bart and Rose down on the loveseat.

A slim, red-nailed hand reached for the glass of whiskey on the table. The voice accompanied it. “Jesus! Why the hell is it so dark in ‘eer?” It shrieked. “Dula, turn on that damned light ya creep!”

The other figure pulled the cigar from her mouth, “What’d we way about using names?” The tone was young and feminine. Rose watched the second figure reach for a lamp on her left.

“Nawww quit being such a Pouty Patty.”

Rose and Bart squinted at the sudden light. The figure with a cigar, Rose didn’t recognize. A teenage girl with short red hair. She wore a yellow corset and short purple skirt.

But the other, made her emit a tiny gasp. The realization of the danger they could be in finally hit. The other woman was of average height and athletic. Blonde pigtails with sat atop her head, protruding out of a black and red spandex head covering. Black face paint covered the right side of her face and white covered the left. She sported a red corset and her tiny black Spanks were nearly lost in the crease of her legs and pelvis.

"I know you," Rose's words were almost a whisper. She gained her composure. "You're...you're Harly Quinn."

A smile spread across Harley's red lips. She gave Dula a slap on the arm. "Seeee? I told ya I was famous."

Dula scoffed with a smirk, "Having 'Wanted' posters all around Gotham doesn't make you famous, Har."

"Sure it does," Harley corrected. "Any publicity is good publicity. That's what I always say." She took a swig of her drink.

Dula rolled her eyes and brought her attention towards them again. “So you're interested in sellin our goods huh? You got names?

“Emily,” Rose’s first instinct went for the names of her late parents. “This is my boyfriend John.”

Harley bunched her nose, tilting her head to get a better look at him. She smiled. “He's kinda cute for bein all scraggly like.”

Rose hummed in amusement, “It makes him easier to knock around.”

The girls laughed. “So what makes you think you can sell for us?” Dula asked.

“I'm persuasive, and I’ve dealt pot before," Rose answered.

Dula’s mouth twisted into a scowl. “But this isn't some common plant. This is a potent product. We need to make sure we hire people who can't get caught. We make our own system of checks and balances.”

“What does that mean?” Rose asked, intrigued.

Dula grinned. “That means we gotta test our own people. If you can't cut it, you get taken out of the race. We got our own people taking out workers we hire that get sloppy.” She looked at her with unwavering intensity. “There are no second chances. We cut off our own loose ends.”

Rose nodded in understanding. That must have been why The Team hadn’t been able to find any dealers until now. They test their own employees. Eliminating those who get caught. They must be desperate to not be found out.

“Where'd you say you were from?” Harley’s voice snapped Rose’s focus back to her.

“New Mexico,” Rose wasn’t sure why that state popped into her head. Maybe it’s because It was the last place her adoptive parents worked.

Harley and Dula smiled at one another. “Well,” Dula raised a brow at them. “As it turns out, we’re gettin a shipment out in El Paso next month. Think you could meet up?”

"Definitely," Rose answered.

"Why you wanna sell for us anyways?" Harly asked.

Rose tossed her a playful smirk. "Let's just say I'm inspired by female business owners. Can't let the men think they run the world right?"

Dula hummed in amusement. "Well, how are you going to prove to us you're not a narc? You could be working for the GCPD. Or even The Batman."

"Oooo, Batman." Rose mocked with feigned terror. Her lips twisted into a snarl. "Gotham's 'savior' who gets away with whatever he pleases. Batman, and his super friends who beat the shit out of kids whenever they want and the police do fuck all about it. You seen that shit in the news? Why do they get treated like Gods?" Rose leaned in towards them. Malice dripped from her words. "Fuck the GCPD. Fuck the Batman. And fuck the Justice League."

Harley's eyes went wide as she smiled. She wiggled in her seat with excitement. "Oohhh, now that's hate. I like it!" She wet her lips, her gaze meeting Rose's. "And I like you. You can sell our Spark. But first, you gotta sample it before you buy it."

"Absolutely," Rose answered as Deever placed a small bag of Spark and a pipe on the table. Harley broke off a few crystals and placed them in the pipe. She handed it off to Rose with a lighter.

Rose looked over at Bart. This was about to be the most crucial part of their deal and Bart was noticeably sweaty. His nerves were getting the better of him. He was about to give them away.

Dula cocked her head in suspicion. "He don't talk much, does he? Kinda odd for him to be a prude."

Rose let out a nervous chuckled. She had to find a way to settle him. "Small town boys. They're all nerves." She said. An idea sparked in her mind, a sultry smile pulled on her lips. "They just need some feminine persuasion," she said.

Rose lit the Spark in the bowl, sucking on the pipe until a cool smoke whirled up the glass and into her mouth. She inhaled, letting the product fill her lungs as she set the pipe down.

Bart watched her with nervous curiously. He jumped at the feel of her cold fingertips on his chin. She pulled his face into hers, their lips meeting. Bart closed his eyes, and for a moment forgot where he was. Rose's lips placated the tension in his muscles. She kissed him, coaxing open his mouth as he took in her exhale.

Bart would learn later that his first 'kiss' was actually called 'shotgunning'.

A small whine escaped him as she pulled away with diligence. He thought the smoke would make him cough. But it felt...euphoric. It tumbled in his lungs with a soothing coolness. He opened his eyes, mind wobbly with a relaxing wooziness.

With eyes half-lidded, "Woah," was all he could muster.

Rose watched as the blue sparks danced in his mouth as he exhaled. Her eyes lingered on his swollen lips.

The same euphoria overcame her. A heat rose below her belly button. She licked her lips. It took all of the composure she had left to push away the desire the straddle Bart right then and there.

Yes. It definitely contained an aphrodisiac.

Rose snapped her head towards Harley and Dula. Blue sparks glowing off the white of her hair as she spoke. "That's good shit."

Harley smiled in content, "How much you want, doll?"

"An ounce of this."

"Dunfrey, get'er a big bag of the peach and a fourth of somethin else." Harley winked at Rose. "For bein such a cutie."

They handed off the money and Rose placed the product in her pocket. Dula handed her a notecard with information about the El Paso drop off. "This will have everything you need on it. Don't be late."

Rose nodded in affirmation. "I won't, thank you.”

She grabbed Bart by the hand and lead him outside. The world around them shined in beauty and clarity. She felt feather-light, as if the wind could sweep her away at any moment. All of this after one hit? She couldn't imagine smoking a whole bowl.

She turned to Bart who had locked on to her arm for support. His head bobbled as a goofy smile crawled on his lips.

"You doin' alright there Motormouth?" She asked.

Bart's jaw dropped. He looked at her, eyes wide in near terror. His voice almost a whisper. "Oh my god. I. Am so. Hungry."

Rose boomed with laughter, her free arm clutching her stomach.

Oh no, what horror had she unleashed on the world?

She gave a speedster the munchies.

Mars
January 7th, 2017
22:50 EDT

Quiet fogged the air between them as they arrived to their Zeta Platform. An awkward feeling coated their skin. M’gann’s cheeks stained with silent tears. She shivered with anger. Berating herself, choking on a stinging feeling of worthlessness. Mars was headed to civil war, and she couldn’t stop it in time. And now, she even faced banishment from her own people.

"I screwed up, didn't I?" Adelaide's soft words broke the silence as her eyes fell to the floor. Garfield snapped his head in her direction, watching her sad, watery eyes look up at M’gann. "I hit those Green Martians. I shouldn’t have done that..." She wrapped her arms around herself. "I screwed up my first mission"

Conner knelt down, placing a hand on her shoulder. "No, no. Don't say that." Reassurance filled his voice, “You did nothing wrong.”

Garfield lept to her side, grabbing her arm. She fluttered under his touch. Cheeks flushing at his consoling smile. He said, "Yeah Addy don’t worry-"

"Yes. You're right." M’gann snipped, cutting Beast Boy off. Her brow creased with anger. “You probably made things worse Adelaide.” She flinched at how harsh M’gann spat out her name. M'gaan continued, “You and Garfield should have just fallen back."

"What?" Conner asked with a curled lip. He stood, eyes narrowing in confusion.

M’gann let out an agitated sigh. She peered at Adelaide with cold, abiding eyes. "I have spent months on this. And if the Council finds out we fought back or hurt Green Martians-" She growled, clasping her right hand into a fist. "We could be so royally screwed."

"What are so upset about M'gann?" Beast Boy asked, astonished at her tone. "Adelaide did good. She even used a new power!"

M’gann groaned in irritation. She rubbed the bridge of her nose between her thumb and pointer finger. "Gar, you don't know what you're talking about. I told you, you don't understand-"

"Yes. I do understand." Beast Boy interrupted. "Those Green Marion soldiers tried to kill those White babies. And Adelaidesaved them." He shook his head. "I don't care who was doing it, killing innocent people is wrong."

M’gann grit her teeth. As much as she loved him, she was at the end of her rope. She was in no mood to have her little brother run his mouth about something he knew nothing about. Not while she had to deal with her new title of ‘traitor.’

A savage snarl creased her face. "Garfield, just stop talk-"

"No! You don't get to tell me to stop talking!" He rose his voice, a growl rumbling in his chest as he spoke. M’gann’s eyes went wide. He bore his fangs as his face flushed with anger. He took a step in front of Adelaide, as if to shield her from M’gann’s verbal assault.

"I'm not an idiot.” He continued after a quiet moment. “I'm not some dumb little kid that just follows you around and doesn't understand the world around him." She let out a small gasp at his word.

M'gaan always treated him like a child, treated him like he was a naive little boy who was ignorant of everything. He earned his place on the team a thousand times over. He put his life on the line for the sake of the mission, just as much as any of his other teammate had. He was tired of her patronizing and underestimation of his skills and intelligence. And now the steaming pot of his frustration was boiling over, and there was no stopping it.

"God M'gann. At least give me a little credit." There was a small plea to his words. He shook his head. "I don't care what you say.” He would be damned if he let M’gann tear down Adelaide's self-esteem because of her own personal demons.

He continued, jolting a finger back at Adelaide. “Adelaide did good. Adelaide saved two innocent little Martian kids. You know why? Because she's a superhero now and that's what superheroes do.” Adelaide's eyes brightened at his words. “We protect innocent people, without prejudice." He sneered up at M’gann. "Maybe you've forgotten that. But I haven't."

M’gann’s jaw dropped. Was he accusing her of favoritism as well?

He continued, "I'm not going to let you tell Adelaide she did wrong when she's the only one who actually acted like a hero today."

M’gann’s eyes watered again. Disgust crawled on her face as she took a breath to continue their argument.

"M'gann stop. Stop." Conner demanded, grabbing her by the arm and turning her away from Beast Boy. He lowered his voice, concern creasing his brow. M’gann trembled under his hands. She looked up at him with angry, pleading eyes. Conner lowered his voice. "I don't know what existential crisis you're going through right now, but you need to not take it out on them." M’gann huffed, chewing on her lower lip. Conner continued. "You know what Gar just said was true." He shrugged, smiling. "You know, a little brash, but true." He pulled her closer. "I know this whole thing has been hard for you-"

She twisted out of his grasp, "No, you don't know. That's the problem." Her voice cracked as the marched towards the Zeta Platform.

He didn’t understand. He’ll never understand. To be an outcast your whole life based on the sole aspect of your skin. To renounced said skin, and change its color in order to pass. In order to be accepted, to be loved. That was all she ever wanted. To bid farewell to her lonely childhood by doing what she had to in order to escape discrimination. And now her own people were disgusted by her. Appalled that she wouldn’t wear her white skin. They saw it as an act of disgust. And in a way...they were right. She did grow up disgusted at her reflection. She did grow up disgusted at her skin. Angry at the gods for giving her such a color that made her a worthless being in the eyes of so many Martians. All she ever wanted to do was pass and survive.

But now, she wasn’t even welcome by her own people. Now she was a traitor to those who shared the same skin. All because she couldn’t stand up against the Greens when the Whites needed her most. Telok’telar was right, she should have helped fight off those Green Guerilla soldiers. Though she couldn’t put herself in a situation that would make the Greens angry with her.

But Adelaide had made that choice for her. And if the Martian Council found out that her team fought Greens, M’gann faced the threat of banishment from them too. And then there would be no place on Mars for her to be.

"Then tell me." Conner’s words snapped her out of her thoughts. He grabbed her arm again. "Tell me so I do know," he pleaded. “I want to know.”

She writhed out of his grasp and punched the coordinates to The Watch Tower in the Zeta Platform. "Let's just go."

Garfield huffed in agitation. He nudged Adelaide with his elbow. "Don't pay attention to M'gann. She gets moody sometimes.” He grabbed her hand in reassurance. A fang peeked out from behind his smile. “I meant what I said. You did really good today Addy."

Her stomach fluttered at his touch. She smiled, her eyes fell to the floor. "Thank you," she said.

An odd sensation tickled Beast Boy’s skin as he watched her smile. He grew hot. He let go of her hand and looked away, shivering. Why did she always make him feel so weird?

Back at the Watch Tower, the computer announced their arrival.

Recognized, Miss Martian, B05
Superboy, B04
Beast Boy, B19
Adelaide, B28

They arrived to see Rose, Bart, Cassie, Virgil, Tim, Jaime, and Aqualad congregating in the Common Area.

"Hey guys,” Conner greeted. “How'd the mission go?"

Rose spun around, pointing at herself in triumph. Still lightheaded and wobbly. "Guess who scored two bags of Spark and found out the day of the El Paso shipment?"

"No way." Conner’s eyes went wide. "For real?"

Kaldur growled low in his throat. "Yes but in the process deliberately disobeyed orders, put yourself in extreme danger, and..." He threw up his arms, completely at loss. "Got high in the process."

"Look, we had to smoke it,” Rose reasoned. “It would have blown our cover of we didn't."

"Smoked what?" The sound of Batman’s voice startled them. He along with the other members of The Justice League spilled out into the common area. They were just released from their emergency meeting.

"Rose and Bart obtained a sample of Spark for you to analyze,” Kaldur informed him. He looked over at Bart and Rose, who now shared a family sized bag of Chicken Whizzies. “Seeing as they are under the influence, I suppose you could do a blood test to see how it affects the human body." He handed Batman both of the bags Rose acquired.

They went still, waiting for Batman to yell at or berate them.

"Well done," he said.

"What?" Kaldur gasped.

"Although your methods may be crude.” He peered at Rose. “And the issue with authority will be address.” His face softened. “You did good work today." He placed the bags in his utility belt. Bruce felt a strange sense of deja vu, bringing him back to Dick’s first few missions on The Team. They wouldn't be where they are now if they hadn't broken a few rules themselves.

“What. In the hell. Is that?” Superboy’s voice carried through the room. He pointed towards the television screen, his eyes wide. They all followed his gaze. Several gasps and hushed whispers coursed through the room. Panicked faces were shared among the League members.

On the screen was Gordon Godfrey’s television show. He played a video of what appeared to be Martian Manhunter tearing the bars off of Professor Ivo’s cell in Belle Reve.

Kaldur looked over to Bruce, slack-jawed. Bruce peered at the screen with a silent ferocity. Kal rushed over to the screen, turning up the volume.

“-you’ll see the officers he brutally assaults along the way.” Godfrey’s voice emerged from the speakers. His voice was stern and overflowing with caution. The CCTV video footage cut to J’onn and Ivo in the concrete back room. He continued, “Again, we issue a warning to our viewers. This footage contains graphic violence.”

And as they stood there in awe and disbelief, they watched as ’Martian Manhunter’ blew away the prison officers with their own guns. Terror slithered through them. J’onn felt their eyes upon him.

M’gann’s shuttered. Her words nearly died in her throat, “Uncle J’onn...what?”

“Hera,” Wonder Woman interrupted, her gaze veering to J’onn. “They promised they wouldn’t.”

“Promised what?” Conner asked, a tinge of alarm in his voice.

“They said it wouldn’t get out,” Oliver hissed through his teeth, anger creasing his brow.

“What wouldn’t get out?” Cassie asked him, confused.

Their frustration peaked with a video call alarm chiming around them. The computer announced, ‘Call from, Warden Amanda Waller. Call from, Warden Amanda Waller.’

Batman rushed to the computer, picking up the call. Waller’s face appeared on the screen next to the news segment. “You had better start talking,” Batman boomed at her.

“I can assure you he did not get that video from me,” Amanda informed.

“The only people who had access to those tapes were your people Waller,” Irritation grew in Brue’s voice. “We had a deal.”

“What is going on?” Conner interrupted them. He was greeted with silence. The League members glanced at one another nervously.

Black Canary signed, “We have to tell them.” She looked over at Bruce. “The cat’s out of the bag now.”

“Tell us what?” Conner was far beyond annoyed.

Batman huffed. He spoke as Godfrey droned on behind him. He motioned towards the video monitor. “The video you just witnessed was taken from Belle Reve early this morning.

"A shapeshifter parading as J’onn and another guard, broke into the prison, murdered several guards, and broke Ivo out.” He paused, as if trying to decided exactly how he would continue. “The League met with the board members of the prison today and they agreed to keep it out of the media. So long as we agreed to make an investigation into the incident our top priority.” He turned his head towards Amanda’s video. “But we can see how that turned out.”

“You better drop that tone with me,” Waller chided. “I was going to tell you that our systems were hacked. The video footage was copied and uploaded. Godfrey’s been playing it for the past hour. After you left, we had our IT workers come in to check the computer room.”

“And why is that?” He asked.

The muscles in Amanda’s jaw tightened. “Because along with three dead men, and one injured. We also found one of my female officers in the main monitoring station, nearly brain dead. It’s as though someone blasted her mind of all conscious thought.”

There was an eerie stillness to the room as they waiting for Waller to continue. She let out a loud exhale, “Batman there is something more you need to see.” She positioned her camera to a different screen. It showed CCTV footage of the other shapeshifter, disguised as Officer Wilcox, entering the room and closing the door behind him. “What you just witnessed was the other impostor, entering the room, practically killing my guard, and, what I am assuming, hacking our system. Now, watch what happens…”

They waited, silent as they watched time pass on the screen. Finally, the door opened and the false Wilcox turned to the camera and morphed. M’gann felt a violent sickness in her gut as the shifter morphed into her. She found it hard to breathe as now all eyes were on M’gann.

“I di-I didn’t...that’s not-” M’gann stuttered.

“I believe this is one of your covert operatives, is it not?” Amanda asked.

“That’s not me! That’s not me!” M’gann stormed towards the screen on the verge of tears. “It’s not I swear! You have to believe me.”

“Young lady,” Amanda replied in an overbearing tone, “I don’t know what to believe anymore. As far as I’m concerned, there is no way to fully prove guilt or innocence in this type of situation. But I can’t just let this slide. We-”

She was interrupted as the voice of Gordon Godfrey blasted across the room. “Lex Luthor everyone! I’ve just received word that we are getting an emergency message from Secretary General Lex Luthor.”

The video cut to Luthor in his office. His concerned eyes peered right through them. “My fellow Americans,” he addressed. “And anyone else who may be watching. By now I am sure you have seen the recent video that has just surfaced of Martian Manhunter.”

“These actions are a part of a disturbing pattern. As I am sure you are also aware of the incident with Wonder Woman in Chicago. Where her violent attack nearly killed two young men.” He further straightened his posture, throwing back his shoulders. “The Justice League has yet to fully explain these actions, saying that they are currently ‘under investigation’. I have just come out of an emergency meeting with the U.N. council.”

The Team and The League members exchanged frightened glances. Luthor cleared his throat. “We had determined that The Justice League will not be allowed to conduct investigations involving their own members. For there is too much conflict of interest. Therefore,” He paused. Kaldur could see the hint of a smirk on his face. “The members of the United Nations have decreed that until these investigations are cleared by third parties, Wonder Woman and The Martian Manhunter are barred from any and all Justice League activity.”

Speech erupted within the confines of The Watch Tower. The League and The Team expressed their desperate concerns.

“Blasphemy!” Diana barked. “They cannot do this!”

“Let it be known,” they quieted themselves as Luthor continued. “That defiance of our orders from either Wonder Woman or Martian Manhunter will result in serious consequences. And will be met with force from local law enforcement.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Captain Marvel exclaimed. “They haven’t done anything wrong.”

“Furthermore,” Lex continued. “The incident with Debora Morgna involving Batman, his proteges, Red Arrow, and Arsenal still leaves someone to be held accountable. So, for the time being, Batman and Red Arrow are considered responsible and will also be barred from League activity. That is until they help the GCPD bring in Arsenal to face punishment for his violent attack on an innocent girl.”

“Oh hell no,” Red Arrow boomed, anger creased his face. “No one tells me what I can and can’t do. He's got some balls to-”

“That’s enough,” Diana scolded. She drew her attention back to the television.

“If The League is not satisfied with these terms then they must present their case to the United Nations,” Lex’s voice was strong and stern. “But as it stands, Martian Manhunter and Wonder Woman must bring themselves in for questioning.” His eyes narrowed. “The Justice League's actions from this day forward will no longer go unscrutinized or unchecked.”

Lex’s newscast cut off. They stood there in the quiet before Amanda finally broke the silence. “Well, it seems that Luthor has already answered everything for me.” She turned up her chin. “This investigation no longer lies only in your hands. And until this case has cleared. Martian Manhunter and Miss Martian are no longer welcome in this prison. Someone has to answer for these crimes, and it sure as hell won’t be me.”

Waller broke off her call. A chill ran through each and every one of them. Shocked at the broadcasts that they just witnessed.

“This can’t be happening,” Red Arrow said with a shake of his head, “They can’t-”

“Yes, they can,” Bruce interrupted. “As much as we might think otherwise, we are not above the law.” He looked up at the newscast, reruns of Belle Reve engulfing the screen. A crawling anticipation twinged under his skin. He couldn't shake the now solid belief that something much larger, much more conniving, was headed their way.

Chapter Text

Gotham City
January 20th, 2017
21:24 EDT

The gust of air sent a chill down Barbara’s spine. She waited in uniform on the roof of the GCPD building. Her mind was lost in thought as she stared at the snow-covered Bat Signal.

“He’s not here yet?” Nightwing asked as he jumped onto the roof.

“Not yet,” Barbara answered, checking her phone for a missed call.

Her father, Police Commissioner Gordon, rang her twenty minutes earlier. He demanded that she and her ‘co-workers’ meet him by the Bat Signal. She found it strange. Usually, if the police needed them, he turned on the Bat Signal. But there it sat, cold and lifeless.

Nightwing groaned, “I hope it’s not more bad news. That’s the last thing we need.” He ran his hand down his face in irritation, trying to stave off his fatigue. “You know if it’s going to take long? I need to be out looking for Arsenal.”

Batgirl’s stomach twisted with guilt. She hadn’t told anyone about putting Arsenal in rehab. If she had to be honest with herself, she found it a private issue. Nobody needed to know about Arsenal’s battle unless he wanted them to know. It wasn’t her place to tell.

But when Luthor’s announcement aired, she had no choice but to tell of his whereabouts. Dick was furious that she had kept it from him. To make matters worse, when they went to pick him up from the center, they found that he checked himself out. Now he was out on the streets again.

“You’re still mad at me,” Barbara stated, a hint of sadness in her voice.

Dick sighed. “No,” he replied. His anger had subsided into irritation. Her heart was in the right place, and that, he couldn't scold her for. It’s the secrecy that bothered him. “I’m just...tired.” He closed his eyes for a moment and shook his head. “So tired of everything.” He gave his shoulders a slight shrug. “At least now we know Arsenal’s not this ‘Red’ character we keep hearing about. At least you can vouch for him on that.”

Barbara felt bile tingle in her throat. Dick was referring to the night she took Arsenal to rehab. The night where she saved him from ‘The Red’. The night where ‘The Red’ confessed to killing drug dealers. The night where he said…

“Nightwing there’s something I need to tell you,” Barbara looked at him with guilty eyes.

Dick’s jaw slacked, “You’ve got to be kidding.” There’s more she’s hiding from him?

Barbara shook her head as she bit her lip. She took a deep breath before continuing on. “That night….where I met that ‘Red’ guy.” She rubbed the back of her neck, trying to find the right words. “I don’t know how he-I didn’t recognize his voi-”

“Just spit it out,” Nightwing demanded.

Barbara swallowed hard. She crossed her arms and looked away from him. “He...he called me ‘Babs’.”

Nightwing didn’t think his jaw could fall any further. His eyes went wide. “Are you serious?!”

“I-” Batgirl tried to explain.

“Why would you keep that from us?!” A panic rose is Dick’s voice. He grasped her arms. “That means he might know you! He might try to hurt you-”

“Stop!” Barbara yelled, pushing him off of her. “I didn’t want you to worry.” Her voice cracked, “You’re already overwhelmed and you didn’t need something else on your plate.”

“Nonononono,” Nightwing chided, waving his hands in front of him. “This is your safety, we’re talking about. I’m not about to let you get hurt because you think I’m ‘busy’.”

Babs clenched her jaw. She was not in the mood to fight with him. She threw her hands up in the air. “You know what? Forget it. He probably didn’t even say it. I was just hearing things.” She wanted nothing more than the conversation to end.

A loud groan escaped him, “I hate it when you get like this! Sometimes you’re so-”

“Now I know you aren’t about to raise your voice at her.”

Their attention was drawn to the Bat Signal. Commissioner Gordon stood next to it, a scowl resting on his lips. He peered at Dick with narrow eyes.

Nightwing gave a strong exhale through his nose to cool his boiling blood. “No sir,” he responded.

Gordon grunted in response. “Where is Batman?”

“Right here.”

Bruce’s voice swam around them. He emerged from the shadows, standing next to Dick.

“And Robin?” Gordon asked.

“Not on patrol tonight,” Bruce answered. “Exams tomorrow.” Bruce didn’t wait for his response. “A phone call isn’t the usual signal, Gordon. Is the Bat Signal out for repairs?”

Gordon paused before answering, his eyes fell to the floor before looking back up at them. “I won’t be using it for a while.”

“Why’s that?” Bruce asked.

He sighed. “It’s the reason I’ve called you tonight. As you can probably guess, I’ve been made aware of Luthor’s and the UN’s demand for your probation of Justice League activities.”

“Yes. Justice League activities.” Bruce repeated. “But what I do in Gotham I do for myself, not The League.”

“Well, as it turns out, Luthor added some new fine print to that demand.” Gordon sighed again, and with a heavy heart continued on. “Batman, today my officers and I have been ordered to shoot you on sight.”

Dick and Barbara jumped at his words. “What?” Was all they could muster in unison.

Batman clenched his jaw “Why? On what grounds?”

Gordon shook his head. “We’ve been told that any form of vigilantism on your part is seen as League activity. Since you are a part of The League everything they do is reflected on you and subsequently the reverse. We have no way of knowing for sure if what you do in your own time is your work or The League’s. So anytime we see you in costume, we were told to consider you in violation of your probation.”

“That’s stupid. That’s too extreme!” Barbara spat, dumbfounded. “T-there’s no reason for this. They can’t do this. You can’t really follow these orders.”

A defeated look crept on Gordon’s face. “I’m afraid it’s over my head.” He looked between them, eyes heavy with sadness. “You do great work for this city. You all do great work for this city. That’s why I felt like you deserved to be informed about this. That I should tell you in person. And I will do everything I can on my end to get this repealed.”

“What does he have on you?” Batman asked. Gordon twinged at his question. But Batman did not waiver. “I know you wouldn’t let this slide by if he didn’t threaten you in some way.”

Gordon ground his teeth. He was right, as usual. “The Lexcor foundation threatened to take away some of our funding and our Inhibitor Collars if we didn’t comply.”

An idea sparked in Nightwing’s mind. “Batman!” He chirped. “This could be a response to us busting those Spark labs. They know we’re on to them. Maybe this is a tactic to get us to slow down while they move them.”

Bruce found the notion highly plausible. Since Rose and Bart’s undercover mission, they were able to send the GCPD to that warehouse. Harley Quinn and Dula (who Rose had fingered from The League’s villains database as Dula Dent) escaped the raid. But their henchmen, Dumfree and Deever Tweed, did not. Their interrogation led the police and Batman to three more labs around Gotham and Bludhaven. And now The Light was pulling out all the stops to get them off their trail.

“I’m afraid you might be right,” Bruce answered.

A shrill static rang through their ears. A familiar, hoarse voice rang through their communicators.

“Ay! Nightwing! Aaasshole. You sstill on thiss channel?” The words dragged with a heavy slur, but Dick recognized it nonetheless.

“Arsenal?” he asked. Gordon perked at the sound of his name.

“You bet your asss.” Arsenal replied.

Dick groaned. He must have kept his communicator after all this time. “Where the hell are you?” He demanded, looking over the edge of the roof. “Are you drunk?”

A slight chuckled rose in his throat. “Alwayss the detective.”

“Just-” Dick pinched the bridge of his nose. “Are you alright? Where are you so we can come get you? We’ll make sure you’re safe.” He looked towards Barbara, her worried eyes never straying. Dick’s voice softened. “We just want you home.”

“Wow. Good detective and good liar.” Arsenal’s words dripped with spite.

“Arsenal you need help,” Dick emphasized. “We can get you help. Just tell us where you are.”

“You wanna know where I am?” There was a smile to his voice. “Ssure you can follow the noise.”

“What?” Dick’s eyes went wide.

A few blocks east, Arsenal stumbled through an outdoor shopping complex downtown. He paid no mind to the people brushing past him on the busy sidewalk.

He should have known better. He should have known better than to believe that he could get better, that he actually deserved to get better. He was kidding himself to think that he could actually commit to treatment. And now all law enforcement of Gotham was after him for what he did to Deborah. Now he had to redeem himself. He had to prove to the world that he wasn’t useless. No more kids would end up like him. And if The Justice League wasn’t going to get Spark off the streets, well, he sure as hell was.

“I’m ‘bout to do your job.” Arsenal sneered over the communicator. He stood in front of a cheap souvenir shop, windows covered with bars and a ‘Closed’ sign pressed against the door. The store was a front for the Spark lab in the basement. As it turns out, if you find a dealer and hit him hard enough, he’ll tell you everything you need to know. Even the location of the lab he got his supply from. “You’re not the only detective that can find Spark labs.”

“What?!” Dick’s voice screeched in his communicator. “Arsenal no! You’re in so state for a drug bust!”

“Too little,” Arsenal responded. He aimed his mechanical arm at the door, the red light of his reflecting off the glass. “Too late.”

Gotham City - Gotham Academy
January 20th, 2017
21:24 EDT

He shouldn't be out here. He really shouldn’t. Bruce told him to study. Bruce told him to stay in, that he could handle patrol tonight. But if Tim had to read one more paragraph about the American Civil War, he was certain he would snap. It's not like he hadn't learned about it every year since seventh grade. How would this test be any different?

Tim decided that a couple hours on patrol would be good for his sanity. Knock a few bad guys around before bedtime and sleep like a baby. He jumped from the top of an apartment complex, using his grappling gun to pull him on top of the roof of his school. Tonight could be the night he’d nab the dealer that's been slithering around the parking lot after hours.

He peered over the edge of the roof. A skinny twig of a man, wrapped in a worn jacket and hoodie, stood in the courtyard. The hood of his hoodie masked his face in shadows as his sunken eyes scanned the area around him.

Bingo. He fit the description Tim received from his classmates. He just had to catch him in the act and they'd be good to go. Knock him out, cuff him, let the police know, and Tim would be tucked into bed before Batman would even know. Yeah right. Who was he kidding? Batman knew everything.

But his plan did not account for another vigilante. Out of the shadows, a figure emerged. He wore a brown leather jacket, black BDUs, and a red mask that covered his head. Tim recognized him from Barbara's description of their encounter. 'The Red' was at it again.

A gasp of terror emerged from the dealer's throat. He stumbled backward, pleas falling from his voice. "I-it's not...I'm not doin any-"

“What did I tell you?" The masked man's words boomed across the courtyard. “What did I tell you, huh?”

The dealer tripped, falling in his rump. He looked up at The Red with terror. “I'm-I'm just hang out, man-”

"Really?" There was a feigned curiosity in the vigilante's voice. He pulled out a pistol from his waistband as he asked, “So if I search you I won't find any drugs, huh ?”

The dealer's words died in this throat.

The red-masked man aimed his pistol at him. “I told you, if I ever saw you around here again, I’d be the last day you lived.”

“No! Please," the dealer cried. "Just gimme another chance-”

“Already gave you a chance!" He boomed. "But you decided to keep selling that poison to minors.” He placed his finger on the trigger. “And I have zero tolerance for scum like you who hurt kids.”

Before he could pull the trigger, Tim swung down from the rooftop on the cord of his grappling gun. Tim’s feet collided with the vigilante’s torso, knocking him to the ground. His pistol flew out of his hands, landing in the shadows.

He groaned, vision blurry as Tim's voice rang in his ears.

“While I do agree that he is scum,” Tim said, putting his equipment back into his utility belt. “He does deserve a trial still.”

“Thank you. Thank you!" The dealer scrambled to his feet, breathing heavily. "That freak was gonna shoot me!”

“Oh, don’t thank me yet.” Tim grinned. He turned him around, swiftly placed him in handcuffs, and kicked at the back of his knees. They buckled underneath him, leaving him kneeling on the concrete. “You’re still going to jail,” a smile shined in Tim’s voice.

“What?” He shrieked.

The man in the red mask groaned. He pulled himself on his hands and knees, still seeing spots. “Who the hell...”

“You must be ‘The Red’.” Tim said with a smirk. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

The Red growled. Stupid. Awful. That was a horrible, stupid, idiotic name. He didn't know how it started, but it was time for Gotham to get it right. He pulled himself to his feet. “The name is Red. Hood-”

His lungs froze in place mid-breath. A trickle of sweat trailed down his face. The heat of his feverish skin, suddenly unbearable. Was he seeing things? Perhaps his illness was playing tricks on his mind. Because right in front of him, in complicated stitching of red and black kevlar, stood Robin.

But he should be here. He shouldn’t exist. There shouldn't be any more Robins.

Tim scoffed, “Well, whatever your name is you are definitely also going to jail.”

“What the hell do you think you’re doing kid?!” Red Hood howled. Tim twinged at his sudden outburst. Hood balled his gloved hands into fists, muscles shaking with growing rage. The yellow ‘R’ of Tim’s uniform mocking him, dancing on dark memories deep within his mind.

“Ummm…” Tim replied, confused. “Catching bad guys?”

Red Hood jolted a finger at him, a vein rising in his neck in fury. “The fuck do you have that uniform on for?!”

“What-” Tim could hardly get in a retort.

“You know how much danger you’re putting yourself in?!” Hood waived his hands in front of him. Hostility dripped off his words. “Pretending to be a Robin? There are all kinds of fucking freaks out here who would slaughter you just for wearing something like that!”

Tim grimaced. “Pretending?” He pointed a finger at his chest. “Uhhh...I am the real Robin.”

Hood’s eyes went wide. He felt a sickness rise in his belly. “Don’t you fucking lie to me!” He spat.

The slurred words of Arsenal rang in Tim’s communicator. ‘Ay! Nightwing! Aaasshole. You sstill on thiss channel?'

What? What was he doing? Where was he?

Tim snapped himself back to attention at the situation in front of him.“What?” He asked, irritated. “Dude, why would I lie? I am the real Robin. You know, boy wonder, trained by Batman, Batman’s protege, all that jazz.”

“What?” He spat. “When!?”

“Um, for a year now,” Tim responded, befuddled by the content of his questions. “Where have you been?”

‘Where the hell are you? Are you drunk?’ Nightwing came over Tim’s communicator. Tim groaned, not wanting to deal with this and Arsenal tonight. So much for an early bedtime.

“Six months?!” Red Hood yelped, shaking with fury. “He only waited six months?!”

Tim scratched at his head. “Uhh, are yoooou gonna say anything coherent or…”

“You shouldn’t even be here!” Hood screamed as he took a step towards him, desperation falling from his throat. “Did he learn nothing?! DID I MEAN NOTHING?!”

‘I’m ‘bout to do your job.’ Arsenal's voice came across the communicator again. Agitation crawled under Tim’s skin. Footsteps padded away from him. He jerked his head around to see the dealer running off, hands still cuffed behind him.

“Hey, woah, just-” Tim groaned, there was no point in arguing with him. He turned to go after the dealer. “He’s getting away-”

Red Hood roared, taking a swing at Tim. Emotion compromised his technique. Tim dodged his sloppy punch and reached for his electrified staff. He turned on the electric pulse and swung it, hitting Red Hood in the gut. He cried out as the shock ran through him. Tim kicked him in his chest, knocking him to the ground.

“What’s your problem?” Tim squawked.

“You!” Hood grunted as he rolled over on his side. “You are the problem!”

‘Too little, too late.’ Arsenal’s final words were accompanied by an explosion. Tim’s body jolted in attention. His ears perked at the sound of screams coming a few blocks East. He prayed that Arsenal hadn’t been the cause.

“I don’t have time for this,” Tim growled, reaching for his grappling gun. He aimed it at the rooftop of another building, turning his head towards Red Hood. “We’ll have to pick this up another time.” And sped off.

Hood growled, reaching for Robin. “Hey get back here!” He shouted.

But Tim was already gone, his dark figure jumped across rooftops. Hood aimed his own grappling gun into the air, ready to chase after him. Fury boiled in his veins.

“Stop this right now!” A stern, masculine voice shot through Red Hood’s own communicator.

“Six months.” Hood sneered. “SIX MONTHS.”

“Listen to me,” the voice rang again. “You need to calm yourself.”

A snarl erupted from Red. “I’ll be calm once I beat Batman’s ass!”

“Stop this instant!” The voice on the other end of his communicator chided him like a spoiled child. “You will follow Robin, but only because he will lead you to Arsenal. We need him alive, and you will not engage anymore with Batman or his proteges.”

“Fuck you, Luthor.” Hood growled.

Luthor chuckled, a smug tone dripping from his words. "Strong language for someone who isn’t feeling so strong.”

Red Hood huffed. Luthor was right. His fever had returned. Even in the dead of winter his uniform felt unbearably hot. His knees wobbled beneath him and bile rose in his throat. His illness was throwing him off his game. Robin shouldn’t have been able to take him down so easy. He reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out his empty orange medicine bottle.

“I do believe you are out of your medication.” Luthor paused, taking Hood's silence as affirmation. “You stray from the plan and you will be cut off.” His words were firm and unwavering. “How do think you’ll settle your vendetta with Batman, humm? You’re barely strong enough to fight off Robin let alone him.” Hood growled in response. “And without your dosage, I doubt you’ll survive more than 48 hours.”

Red huffed through his nose as he grated his teeth. Luther was right, he was in no shape to fight. “Fine,” he said.

Luthor hummed in amusement, “That’s my boy.”

A few blocks away, Arsenal shot down the shop door. The blast rang through the streets. He heard screams around him as he charged into the shop.

Gunshots filled the room as two men open fire on him, no doubt hired guns put there to protect their supply. Arsenal dodged behind the countertop, bullets grazing his mechanical arm. She shielded himself behind the counter and fired back at them. The men fired again, their bullets shattering the store's front windows. A mass of screams filled the street.

“Arsenal STOP!" Dick's panicked voice boomed in his communicator. "There’s too many people-”His voice was cut off by the sound of Arsenal's laser cannon.

As Arsenal brought down two gunmen, seven more emerged from the back room of the shop. Panic sent his heart into a frenzy. He had been too brash. He was trapped, cornered. He needed to run. He sprang for the door, barely dodging bullets as he ran into the street. He fell, tripping over his own feet in an inebriated panic.

Batman sprang down on one of the gunmen, pinning him down onto the ground. Soon emerged Robin, Batgirl, and Nightwing. They disarmed some of the gunmen, knocking them out cold one by one. The people in the shopping complex ran about in panic. Their terrified cries filled the streets.

Arsenal pushed himself onto his knees. Out of the corner of his eyes, a final gunman raises his semi-automatic Uzi at him. Arsenal felt winded. Time slowed as the barrel raised closer to his head. He held out his arm, his red lasers fired at the gunman's chest. The man fell backward, his finger pulling on the trigger in reflex, sending a line of bullets into the crowd before he fell.

A soul-wrenching scream shattered the air around them. Arsenal turned to the source. His heart stopped.

A woman knelt on the slush-covered sidewalk. Her screams of 'No. No. No.' tore away at Arsenal's insides. He shook, mouth agape in horror as the woman pulled the body of a little girl off the ground and into her lap. Her wide, lifeless eyes forever etched a nightmare into Arsenal's mind. Streams of crimson gushed from the bullet holes in her chest.

No. No that....that should have been him. Those bullets were meant for him.

But he was the one who drove the gunmen outside. He was the one who pulled them out into a crowded street.

A little girl was dead. And it was his fault.

An explosion shook the ground below him. Arsenal held his arm up to shield his eyes from the blinding light. The shop erupted into flames. The noise of sirens and yells pounded in his chest with an unforgiving rhythm. His feet took over before his mind had a chance to protest. And in mere moments, he was gone.

Arsenal wasn't sure how long he ran for. He wasn't sure where he was. All he knew was tonight, he got someone killed. A child's blood forever stained upon his soul.

He collapsed into an alley. Knees finally giving out on him. A sharp inhale filled his lungs and his loud sob echoed around him. He tore off his mask, tears streaming down his cheeks as he wailed. The image of the dead girl haunted his mind.

What had he done? Dear God, what had he done?

“Sloppy work."

Arsenal jumped, but he did not move up off the ground. He recognized the voice as Red Hood slithered out from the shadows. He stopped with a heavy 'clunk' of his boots. "I’m sure Ollie would be ashamed.” Arsenal twinged at Ollie's name. Hood continued, “You just couldn’t keep your nose clean.” He got down on one knee next to Arsenal. “Babs gave you a second chance. And you fucking blew it.” Hood grit his teeth. “You blew it and now there’s a little girl lying dead on the street because of you.”

“Just leave me alone," Arsenal whined between his sobs.

“Why?" He asked, standing. "So you can just go crawl into the gutter? Overdose and die like the pathetic junkie you are?"

“It’s all I’m worth,” the heavy flow of tears cracked Arsenal's voice.

Red Hood huffed. “Well, not everyone thinks that.” He pulled Arsenal up by his collar, pulling him into a kneeling position. He looked down at Arsenal with pitiful disbelief. “You must have some kind of fucking deity looking over you because you’re about to get a third chance.”

“What?” Arsenal asked, wiping his nose.

“His offer still stands,” Hood told him. “And if I were you I’d take it because right now, you don’t have many options.”

Arsenal sniffled, remembering the first time he met Red Hood. He told him of an offer from Lex Luthor, offering to give him a permanent mechanical arm. Surely that meant that Arsenal would have to give him something in return though.

But Hood was right. What choice did he have? No one would take him in after tonight. He was a coward, a cripple, a failure, an alcoholic, a junkie, and now a murderer. There was no other place to go, no other plans to fall back on. It was either go with Hood, or use his own weapon to send himself to Hell.

“Alright.” Arsenal choked out. "I’ll do it.” A few more tears fell from his eyes. “I’ll do it. Just...just take me to him.”

“Good.” Red hood responded. “But first.” He brought his leg back, and kicked Arsenal across the jaw. He yelped and fell backward, the taste copper filling his mouth.

“Why?” He squeaked, spitting blood.

“I told you. I warned you.” Hood replied. Arsenal tried to pick himself up off the ground, and Hood kicked him in the gut. Winded, he toppled over onto his back. Hood continued. “I warned you that you were going to get sloppy and that someone innocent was going to get caught in the crosshairs.” He plopped his heavy boot on Arsenal's diaphragm. “And I promised you if that happened, I was going to kick your ass.” Arsenal could have sworn he heard a smirk in his voice. “I always keep my promises."

Bludhaven - The Warehouse
January 20th, 2017
21:41 EDT

The sound of fevered scratching echoed in the kitchen. Beast Boy and Adelaide took advantage of the rare quiet night in The Warehouse to tackle their schoolwork.

Adelaide never thought about superheroes having homework. She figured they would be too busy saving the world for mundane human activities like homework. An argument she tried to use to convince M'gann that she didn't need lessons from Mr. Carr like Garfield did. An argument that she tried to use, and failed. She had been out of school for at least four months. Well, from what she could remember. And even though they were still working out details of her past, M'gann refused to let her fall behind.

So there she was, a kid with superpowers, getting frustrated over Algebraic equations just like any other normal teen. Not fair.

Garfield's eyes strayed over to her. He watched the full curve of her lips move around the edge of her pen, chewing on the cap, marking the plastic with frustrated nibbles. His eyes lingered a little longer than what would be considered polite. He snapped his head back over to his own paper. A strange heat rose on his skin. Queasiness rumbled his stomach. An odd sensation that usually only surfaced when they were alone. He felt weird. Maybe, sort of, kind of...icky? But...a good kind of icky? He wasn't sure. He just wished it would pass so he could focus on his homework.

"Dang it," Adelaide whispered, scolding herself for making a mistake. She should have known better than to write in pen.

Adelaide reached over in front of Beast Boy, grabbing the whiteout on the far side of him. Her body brushed against his arm. A warm flutter roared in his stomach. He jumped at her contact, leaning away from her as she leaned in.

“Hey, quit!” he snapped at her.

Adelaide leaned back. Her face twisted in confusion. “What is wrong with you?” She chuckled. “You’ve been acting like such a weirdo towards me all day. What’s goin on?”

His words died in his throat. He fidgeted in his seat. "Nothin," he said, his lower lip protruding into a pout.

Adelaide was not convinced. Her lips bunched at the corner of her mouth in disbelief, “Aw come on Gar, you can tell me. I know something’s up.” Her voice softened, “Did I..was it something I did? Did I do something wrong?”

Beast Boy fidgeted in his seat again, his eyes avoided her gaze. “I don’t know..you just..” He grunted as he rubbed the back of his neck. The foreign feeling in his stomach twirled again. “You just...make me feel..weird.”

She squinted in confusion. “What?” she asked. He wasn’t making any sense to her. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t...I don’t know.” He fidgeted further, mouth curled in frustration for not being able to find the right words. “You just...well..." He huffed in frustration, brows furrowing. He growled. "First you just pop up in my life out of no where. And then… you just...you just start making me feel weird. Cuz like…” His eyes met hers for a moment before darting away again. He blushed. “You know...because you’re like really pretty, and strong, and smart, and funny and...I dunno...I’m just....green.”

Her eyes widened. A look of disappointment overcame Beast Boy’s face. His odd behavior had finally clicked. The way she's find him staring at her. How he was on edge and defensive when they were alone. But why had been comparing the two of them together? Why had he come up with the insane idea that she was far superior to him? She had to expel that absurd idea from his head.

“Are you kidding me!” She exclaimed. “You’re Beast Boy. You’re on a team of superheroes! You started...superhero-ing when you were just thirteen. You can transform into any animal in the entire universe! You have the power of every animal that ever existed. Your job is to help people. Do you know how awesome that is? You even helped me when I needed it most. You’re absolutely amazing.”

His face lit up. A small smile overcame his lips that she couldn’t help but stare at. It made her chest tingle. She nervously tucked her hair behind her right ear and continued, “Um...yeah. And besides...I think you look...really handsome in green.” A rapid blush overcame her cheeks. She let out a shaky chuckle as she saw the smile on his face get a little bigger.

“Um…” still red and smiling, Adelaide tried her best to compose herself. She turned herself towards her homework, “We..we should get back to our assignments yeah?”

“Yeah..totally,” he said. As he turned back to his assignment as well, Beast Boy’s face felt unbearably warm. Did she really think all of that of him? All of it? Even the ‘handsome’ part?

And between the stolen sideways glances and fluttering stomachs, neither of them got much work done.

Gotham City
January 20th, 2017
23:52 EDT

A gurgled cough fell from Arsenal’s throat as he collapsed onto the ground. Blood oozed from his split lip. He moaned, clutching his side. His vision faded behind his swelling black eye.

Red Hood wiped the blood off his gloves onto his pants. He huffed, towering over Arsenal "I think you've had enough."

It’s not that Arsenal had put up a fight to begin with. He took Red’s beating without so much as begging him to stop. The sad, disheartened look in his eyes made Red feel...gross. It was pathetic, like beating a paralyzed animal. Boring and unethical. Hood was hoping for some kind of satisfaction as he struck him. To make him pay for all that he had done, this night, and prior. But Arsenal had already broken his own spirit. So what were a few broken bones caused by someone else?

Red Hood huffed, the air in his mask felt stale in his lungs. His growing fever scratched at his patience. Cold sweat soaked his skin. "Get up." He growled. "I said get up. On your feet."

A whine fell from Arsenal’s lips. His eyes watered as he pulled himself up on his hands and knees. "M’sorry."

"Me too," Hood responded, a shrill coldness to his words. "I should have stopped you the first day I met you." His fists clenched tight. "That little girl’s blood is on my hands too."

A sob escaped Arsenal. The event played all over again in his mind. Her lifeless face he could not shake.

"Knock it off." Red snipped. "It's not going to change anything." He pulled up Arsenal by his collar. Arsenal sat upon his knees, shoulders slumped in defeat. Red continued, "I can't bring you to be boss looking like a sobbing mess."

Arsenal’s breathing wavered. He shook his head, his words almost a whisper. "Just do it."

Hood hummed in acknowledgment, grip tightening on Arsenal’s collar. He pulled a device from his utility belt and held it up to his face. "Father Box, to the Weapons Lab please."

The ground disappeared from underneath them, falling through the yellow vortex. In an instant, cold laminate flooring smashed against Arsenal's knees. His eyes strained to focus in the white, blinding light.

"When I said we needed him alive, I assumed you wouldn't bring him back so....damaged," A shiver crawled up Arsenal’s spine. He could only see the outline of his figure, but Lex Luthor’s voice was unmistakable.

"When you assume you make an ass out of you and me," Hood snipped, undoing the clasps of his mask.

"Well, would you take a gander at that," Said another voice. Arsenal snapped his head to the left, his vision coming back to him. The new voice belonged to professor Ivo. “I never realized I'd be working on one of The League's brats."

"What?" Arsenal asked in confusion. The room they occupied resembled that of an operating room. His breath hitched as two more men circled around him.

One of them Arsenal did not recognize. He was a muscular, sharp jawed man. He wore camo BDUs and white tank top. His auburn hair was buzzed close to his skull. The other slid across the room with sophisticated strides. His green cloak trailed behind him. Ice chilled in Arsenal’s veins. It was Ra’s al Ghul.

Ra’s peered at the auburn-haired man. His brow perked in question, “A tad dressed down for an army officer. Wouldn’t you say, Lieutenant Griffith?”

Griffith smiled, an amused hum rumbled in his throat. “Dress blues are expensive to replace. Especially with all the shifting.” He chuckled. “Besides, I’m not technically any army officer anymore.”

Their conversation fell on Arsenal’s deaf ears. He turned his attention to Red Hood who had removed his cowl. He shook his head, sweat shooting of his soaked strands of black hair.

"Are you serious!?” Arsenal choked out. “You're working for all of them? These guys are crazy!"

Red Hood turned to face Arsenal. The bags under his eyes highlighted his illness. But that did not stop his deranged rant. "Crazy?” Red Hood asked. His body shook with his words. “They’re crazy? What about the grown adult ‘superheroes’ who use children as their lackeys?” His voice rose. “Who put minors in danger all for the sake of intelligence?” Lightheadedness overcame him. He took a few deep breaths, fighting past the urge to blackout. “No, not as crazy. First me and then Tula? No, never again." A snarl grew on his lips. “They are going to help me shut The League down.”

"Jason that's enough," Ra’s chided.

"Don't call me that!" Jason boomed, turning to face him. He tried his best to control his shaking breath. “Jason Todd died years ago.” He took a step towards him. "The name is Red Hood."

"Well...'Hood'” Ra’s reached into his pocket, pulling out an orange medication bottle. “I think it's time for your dosage. You look feverish."

Jason snapped it out of his hands, opening the cap, and pulling out three blue and white pills.

"Are you crazy?!” Arsenal barked. “Don't take anything from them! You don't know what's in-"

Arsenal’s words trailed off as a small needle prick pierced his neck. Lieutenant Griffith pulled a syringe from one of the tables in the room, knocking him out with a potent anesthetic.

"He'll be alright," Ivo said with a smile. He looked over at Jason with mischievous eyes. "When he wakes up from his surgery, I'm sure he'll have a complete change of mind."

The Watch Tower
January 21st, 2017
03:39 EST

Heavy fatigue tugged under Zataana’s eyes. The smell of the coffee that rested in the mug in her hand was almost euphoric. A little over three hours and she and Rocket would be off their twelve-hour monitor duty.

She leaned against the entryway to the common area. Her eyes fell over to the former boy wonder who, as always, was spending a late night with the Tower’s computers. Nightwing let his cases and investigations consume his body and mind. Sacrificing his health and social life without a second thought. Zataana learned a long time ago that he held his duty above all else. And that neither friends, personal life, nor romance would ever take priority.

“Graveyard shifts are the worst.” Rocket said as she came up behind her, holding two mugs of coffee in her hands.

“Tell me about it,” Zataana huffed. “Pretty sure this is my 5th coffee.”

“Well, I brought you one for you, but looks like you’re good.”

“Yeah. Thanks though.”

Rocket nodded over towards Nightwing. His keyboard chimed furiously under his fingertips. “Think Mr. Insomnia over there could use it?” She asked.

“Probably,” Zee mumbled.

“That boy’s gonna give himself an aneurysm if he keeps stressin’ himself out like this.”

A quiet fell between them. Zataana words were soft, not wanting Nightwing to overhear. “They almost got Arsenal tonight.”

“They did?” Rocket’s eyes went wide. “What happened?”

“Arsenal went nuts.” Zee sighed. “Apparently he relapsed. Found a Spark Lab and ambushed it. Goons opened fire in a public place.” Her eyes fell to the floor. “A little girl got caught in the crossfire. She didn’t make it.” She looked back up at Rocket. “He’s working on the report now.”

“Holy shit.” Rocket replied, slack-jawed. She shook her head. “You know he absolutely blames himself right?” Zee nodded in response. Dick always took responsibility for when things didn’t go well.

Raquel clicked her tongue in disappointment, “Well that’s just not gonna work.” She marched towards him. “Boy you keep pullin’ these all nighters you’re gonna collapse into a coma.”

“Um’fine,” Dick mumbled, dragging his hand down his face.

“Yeah, well, at least drink this,” Raquel recommended as she handed him the cup.

He thanked her, taking a sip before returning to his work.

“You...doin’ alright?” Zee asked with caution.

Nightwing’s eyes stayed glued to the screen as he spoke. “Finished my report from tonight. Just finishing up the analysis of the Spark sample we obtained.”

Not exactly the answer she was hoping for. But she decided it’d be best not to pry. “What’s it say so far?” She asked.

Dick groaned in irritation. “Just the same stuff we already know. But it’s much more addictive than we thought. Now I’m just trying to identify and label the rest of the unknown ingredients.”

The chime of Rocket’s cell phone range around them. She looked at her screen, laughter booming from her chest. She motioned for Zataana to come closer and held out her phone. It was a picture message from her husband. A photo of him with deadpan eyes and a heavy frown filled the right corner of the screen. And their three-year-old, Amistad, filled the left. His bright eyes and smile complimented the wave he gave the camera. The text below it read:

‘Guess who just woke up me up and asked it’s time for breakfast?’

Zataana laughed.

A smile formed on Rocket’s face. “You know,” she said with a shrug. “I should feel bad for him...but I don’t.”

“Poor Victor.” Zee shook her head as she grinned. “Amistad’s so friggin cute I can’t even handle it.”

“Little dude lucked out.” Raquel chimed, putting her phone back in her pocket. “He got the Stone and Ervin family good looks.”

“What?” The question spilled from Nightwing’s throat as he stared at the screen. His brows furrowed in confusion.

“What is it Dick?” Zee asked as she and Raquel moved closer towards him.

“I’m not sure.” He answered, zooming in on his analysis on the screen. “It doesn’t make sense.”

“What?” Rocket asked, impatient.

“The rest of the ingredients...” He began. “You know those darts Artemis uses?”

“Which ones?” Rocket asked. “The power nap ones? Or the ones that knock you out cold for like, weeks?”

“The last ones.” He answered. “From this analysis, the rest of the ingredients for ‘Spark’ match the formula of those darts.”

Zee hummed in thought. “Maybe it’s so the stimulant aspect of it can clash with depressant ingredients? You know, for like, a quick high and easy come down?” She shrugged. “Could be what makes those kids’ hearts stop when they take too much.” Her mouth twisted in uncertainty. “Seems a little extensive though. Couldn’t they have found an easier way to balance out the high and the low? Kinda weird…”

“Yeah,” Nightwing replied with a tilt of his head. A million questions traveled through his mind. “Weird...”

Chapter Text

Palo Alto
February 1st, 2017
15:30 UTC

“Artemis! Get. Up.”

A voice boomed across Artemis’s bedroom. Her eyes bolted open in shock. She gasped, rolling over on her bed in haste to face the door. She gathered her breath, sitting up to see Zataana standing in the doorway. Her hands were on her hips and a firm scowl rested on her lips.

“Zee what-” Artemis mumbled, disoriented. Sleep pulled on her eyelids as her heart pounded in her chest

“Get the hell. Up.” Zataana sneered. Her nostrils flared in agitation. She charged over to Artemis’s bed, ripping the covers off of her.

Artemis screeched, attempting to cover herself up. It’s not as though Zee had never seen her sleep in a tank top and panties before. But a little heads up would have been nice. “Zataana what the fuck?” He said.

“Get in the shower and get your ass ready.” She huffed, jolting her finger at Artemis, and scolding her as though she were nine years old. She turned and trotted through the doorway. “I’ll make us breakfast,” she chimed over her shoulder.

Artemis’s jaw slacked in awed confusion. Blinking slowly while her mind caught up with her. She jumped from the bed and made her way to the kitchen. Zataana had her sleeves rolled up, filling the sink with hot, sudsy water to tackled the grimy mountain of dishes.

Artemis stood there, staring at her for a moment. She held her hand out in front of her. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

“Uh, washing these disgusting dishes so I can make us eggs,” Zataana answered with a slight roll of her eyes. As if that was the dumbest question anyone had ever asked her. She opened the refrigerator door. “Do you even have any food in here that’s not condiments?”

Artemis’s words died in her throat. Her confusion evolved into impatient agitation. What was Zataana even doing here?

“Uh, get the hell out?” Artemis told her. The slight uptalk at the end reminding Zataana that she shouldn’t even be here in the first place.

“Nope,” See answered with a small smile, bringing her attention back to the dishes.

“No?” Artemis asked with a raised brow. She looked over to her front door, the deadbolt firmly in place from how she left it last night. It was still locked. “How the hell did you even get in here?”

“Magic,” Zee answered with a high pitched chime.

Artemis groaned, rubbing her temple. Zataana could be so….irritating. She’s been known to be a little bratty when things didn’t go her way, but this was ridiculous. Was Zee mad at her? They were supposed to get lunch today until Artemis canceled on her. But she could do that. She’s allowed to do that. Zee was out of line to break into her home and bullying her into going.

“Zataana,” Artemis chided. “I told you I have homework to do.”

A loud clank of metal reverberated through the kitchen as Zee slammed a pan back into the sink. A snarl flashed across her lips. “Wow. Now you’re actually lying to my face.” She turned towards Artemis, her brows furrowed in agitation. “You don’t have homework Artemis. I know for a fact from Dick that you’re on Bereavement Leave for another semester.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “So you’re out of excuses for canceling on me, all the time.”

Artemis tucked her head down in guilt. She had canceled on her a lot recently, but there was no reason to make her feel bad about it. Was there? “Wow, Zee. Way to try and make me feel better-”

“I’m done trying to make you feel better, Artemis.” Artemis cringed as Zataana raised her voice. She huffed, taking a moment to let her emotions settle, “Okay? I’m done. I have been so supportive of you, and doing things your way, because I wanted you to get better on your own terms.” She swallowed hard, shaking her head. “But I can’t do that anymore.” Her voice cracked. “Okay? It’s time for me to be the bitch friend. The one that makes you get your life back into shape.”

“What?” Artemis questioned, perplexed. “What are you even talking about?”

“Artemis look at this place.” Zee bellowed, motioning to the area around her. Dirty dishes gathered mold on the counter, bags of garbage piled in the corner of the kitchen. “This is disgusting. Your apartment smells like ass.” She reached for the large stack of mail on the counter. Envelopes with stamped with daunting red letters of ‘Final Notice’ and ‘Urgent Reply’. “These bills are months overdue.” “

“I’ve been busy,” Artemis mumbled, her words almost inaudible. Shame rose in her gut. She planned on cleaning. She planned on paying those. She thought about seeing her friends. She thought about getting out of bed on most days. She really did. It’s not like she didn’t have her scholarship money. It’s not like she didn’t have time. She’d get around to it. She’s sure of it.

“No. No you haven’t.” Zee retorted, counting on her fingers. “You’re not going to school. You’re not going on missions. You don’t have a job. And no one ever sees or hears from you.” She eyed Artemis up and down. Dark bags rested under her sunken eye. Her cheek and collarbones jutting out a little more than they should have. Grease matted her blonde hair. “When’s the last time you even ate? Or showered?”

“Zee stop. Just stop.” Artemis waved her hands in front of her, irritation crawling under her skin. “You have no right to come in here, unannounced, and..and criticize me and my place.” She began to stumble over her words. “I-I know I’ve been MIA and slacking on-on household shit. But it’s-” She grit her teeth, searching for the right words. “It’s just what I need to do. Like, that..that...all that self-care shit you told me to do.”

“Self-care doesn’t mean completely ignoring things that have to be done.” Zataana corrected. A pleading look formed on her face. “You can’t live like this. You can’t live in filth and isolation.” She pressed her lips into a fine line, shaking her head. “I love you too much let you stay like this.”

Artemis’s retort died in her throat. Zee approached her, taking her hands in hers. The sparkling engagement ring still wrapped firmly around Arty’s finger.

Zataana rubbed her thumb across the diamond. “You don’t have to let Wally go.”

A shallow breath hissed through Artemis’s teeth as the sound of Wally’s name. Her eyes fell to the floor. Zataana continued. “It’s only been eight months, no one is asking you to do that.” Artemis brought her eyes back up to her. Zee continued, “But holding onto him, doesn’t mean letting go of your own life.” Zataana’s voice became soft and understanding. “I’m not going to pretend like I know what it’s like. I don’t know what it’s like to lose a boyfriend like him.” Water swelled in her eyes. “But I know what it’s like to have someone you love throw their life away. To have it taken away.” A few tears fell down her cheek. “And not be able to talk to or see the person that they once were.” She tightened her grip on Artemis’s hands. A shaky breath rumbled through her chest. “And I’ll be damned if I let your grief take you away from me.”

Artemis’s composure was no match for the sight of Zataana’s tears. The last thing she wanted was to hurt others while she herself was hurting. She refused to burden her friends with her sadness. But whisking herself away, barricading herself in her apartment had done more harm than what she realized.

Now there stood Zataana, offering to carry the burden on a silver platter. And the weight of Wally’s death was now far too heavy for Artemis to carry on her own. Time did not heal her wounds.

Time had poisoned her.

Isolation had poisoned her.

“I miss him so much.” Artemis croaked. Tears began to flood down her face. “It still hurts so bad.”

Zataana pulled her into her chest, embracing her with a tight hold. It did little to muffle her sobs. “It’s okay. I got you.” Zee cooed, rubbing her hand up Artemis’s back. “You’re gonna be okay.”

“I’m sorryyyy.” Arty choked out, guilt pressing on her chest. “I’m sorry I-”

“It’s alright, it’s alright.” Zee interrupted with soft, rushed words. “I’m not mad.” She assured with a whisper. “I’m not mad.”

Zee wasn’t sure how long she held her for. But soon Artemis’s sobs died into harsh sniffles. A calm quiet filled the room.

“Listen,” Zee pulled herself away slightly, grasping onto Artemis’s forearms. “You go get a shower and put on some clothes. We’ll go out, I’ll buy us lunch. And then I’ll help you clean up around here, alright?” She smiled. “You’ll feel a lot better, I promise.”

“Thanks Zee.” Artemis sniffled, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. She wiped her tears away with her palms and pulled Zee in for another embrace. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.” She mumbled against her shoulder.

Zee chuckled, the stench of Artemis’s unwashed skin wafting under her nose. “Probably still smell like B.O.”

Artemis chortled, swatting at Zataana’s backside. “You’re an asshole,” she said with a smile.

Zataana was right. She couldn’t hide away forever. She no longer could let her life drift away while she locked herself in her bedroom. And no matter how agonizing the pain in her heart may be, she had to press forward. She still had to live her own life.

Wally would have wanted it that way.

The Watch Tower
February 1st, 2017
18:53 EST

Cassie panted, toweling the sweat away from her brow. She swung her gym bag over her shoulder, trodding through the quiet halls of The Watch Tower. She breathed a sigh of relief. Nothing relieved stress quite like hand-to-hand combat training with Black Canary.

She halted her steps, peering over to the Grotto. A figure out of place caught her attention. A young man stood with his back to her. He stared upwards at Wally’s memorial.

A mischievous smile overcame her, eyes falling onto the young man’s backside. She’d recognized that rump anywhere.

That was boyfriend booty. The most important booty. And in that moment, she decided that it absolutely, most definitely, needed pinching.

A giggle escaped her, to which she quickly clasped her hand over her mouth to silence it. She quietly placed her bag on the ground. She steadied her breathing and rose her body to float a couple of inches off of the ground. She muffled her snicker, basking in how clever she was. She was so going to get him this time. This sneak was the perfect sneak. The teacher will become the master. She’ll deserve a medal after this stealth mission. He won’t even know what hit him. She’s so close. She’s like a freaking ghost! She’s a puma on the prowl. She’s like the wind. She’s-

“I know you’re behind me Cass,” Tim announced, still staring at Wally’s statue. There was a smile in his voice.

“Nawww,” Cassie whined, dropping down to the ground. She was only an inch away from him. A pout pulled on her lower lip as she wrapped her arms around Tim’s waist. “What gave me away?”

He chuckled. “Well for one, you’re not really a light stepper.” He turned his head to look at her, a smirk played on his lips. “And I heard you giggle.”

“Maaaan,” Cassie clicked her tongue in disappointment. She moved to stand next to him, their fingers lacing. “I thought I was getting better with my stealth.”

“You’re getting there,” he assured.

“Maybe someday I’ll be as good as you.”

His eyes went wide, “Yeeeeah I wouldn’t get your hopes up.”

“You butt!” She chirped, hip checking him. “You’re so mean.”

He laughed, placing a soft kiss on her cheek. She winced with a smile, his contact tickling her neck. As he pulled away, her gaze fell to Wally’s memorial.

“You’ve been coming here a lot lately,” she noted.

The smile dissipated from Tim’s face. “Yeah,” His eyes fell to the floor. “I’ve just been feeling...overwhelmed, I guess.” He looked back up. “Coming here keeps me grounded.”

The memory of Arsenal’s failed drug bust replayed in his mind. When labeled a ‘superhero’ it’s hard for him not to blame himself when things go wrong. Sometimes, innocent people are caught in the middle, and try as he might, he can’t always save them all.

“Reminds me that I’m only human,” he let a quiet moment pass between them. “Reminds me of my own mortality.” Tim shook his head and cleared his throat, the air around them suddenly too heavy. He let out an awkward chuckle, “Kinda dark, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Cassie replied with a small shrug of her shoulder. “But I think it’s good to remind ourselves now and then. I think with superpowers it’s easy to forget.”

She watched as Tim’s eyes flashed to the memorial of the second Robin. His gaze lingered for a moment before falling to the floor. “Even without superpowers you can forget,” he said in a small voice.

Cassie let go of his hand, she took diligent steps towards the holographic memorial. “Tim,” she asked as she walked away. “What happened to him?”

“Who?”

Cassie stopped in front of the memorial. “You know who,” she chided, knowing Tim was playing dumb. She looked up. “Why does no one ever talk about him?”

She found her question greeted with silence. She snapped her head over to Tim. He tilted his head away, unable to meet her gaze.

“His name was Jason, right?” She asked. “Everyone always talks about the memories they had with Tula and Wally and even Ted.” She pointed at Jason’s hologram. “But, what about him? No one ever talks about him.” A hint of sadness peaked in her voice. “Why is he forgotten?”

“He’s not...forgotten.” Tim struggled to find the right words. “I think...his death just brings up too much guilt for a lot of people. Especially Nightwing...and Batman.”

“Why? What happened to him?”

“I don’t think I should….”

“Why?” Cassie asked, exasperated. “I don’t understand this...this desire to hide mistakes.” She shook her head. “How are we newbies supposed to learn from the past if they won’t teach it to us?”

“Cassie,” a serious tone plagued his words as he took a few steps towards her. “It’s not a story you want to hear.”

“Yes. Yes I do.” She nodded. “I want to know.” The existence of Jason she found that The Team always swept under the rug. Like he was some dirty little secret. She never met him, but by golly he fought for her team just like the rest of them, why wasn’t she allowed to know him? “I want to remember him too.”

Tim sighed. He knew by the look on Cassie’s face she would never let this conversation go. A stubborn ferocity rolled off her in waves. “Alright,” he agreed. “But you have to promise me you won’t tell Nightwing or Batman I told you. I didn’t even find out from them.” A sullen sadness overcame him. “Alfred was the one who told me.”

Cassie nodded, a reassuring smile pulling on her lips, “I promise.”

Gotham City

June 14th, 2014

23:30 EDT

“I don’t like this.” Jason peered over the edge of the roof, a scowl twisting his lips. Sweat trailed down his skin, the summer heat almost unbearable in his thick Robin uniform. He, Nightwing, and Wally, set up a post on top or a condemned apartment complex.

Nightwing groaned, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He considered himself to be an understanding person. But tonight, Robin was really trying his patience. “I know you don’t,” He responded. “You’ve told me that at least five times already tonight.”

“Well, I’ll tell you again. I don’t like it.” Jason snipped. “This is wrong.” His eyes fell onto the swing set of a park they overlooked.

Below, a dark-haired boy swayed upon a metal swing. The boy waited. The sour pit in his stomach unremedied by the knowledge that two of Batman’s proteges and Kid Flash were watching over him. He pushed away his fear into the back of his mind. He reminded himself that he could be crucial in helping Nightwing solve his case.

He reminded himself that Billy Batson has the courage of Billy Batson.

For what safer way is there to lure out a child killer, than using a superpowered child?

Over the course three months, thirty children between the ages of five and thirteen were reported missing to the GCPD. Most of them were runaways, homeless youths, foster children, or part of homeless families. In any other circumstance, their absences would have been forgotten after a short amount of time.

But bodies began to surface.

Out of the missing thirty children, twenty bodies were discovered. Their lifeless figures found in the early hours of the morning. Tied to and posed on playgrounds, and schoolyards. Hand and feet nailed or tied to swing sets, slides, and carousels. With eyelids removed and lips stapled into smiles, these deceased dolls of eternal childhood sliced terror through the citizens of Gotham.

When Nightwing stumbled upon the twentieth body, he knew that it was time to ask for help. No more children would be slaughtered in his city. No more waiting for another victim to find clues. Tonight, they would lure the perpetrator out.

And they would snuff him out.

So Nightwing set up a team. He organized steak outs at two observation points, The Bowery and The East End. Both underdeveloped areas of Gotham riddled with homeless and poor youths. The majority of missing children were last seen in parks in either location. So he, Robin, and Wally kept keen eyes on Billy in East End Park, waiting to see if he’d take the bait. All while Batgirl and Artemis kept eyes on the homeless youths in The Bowery playground.

It was children their target was hunting. So what better way to coax him out, than with their own children?

But that tactic, Jason was not the least bit fond of. He made sure to vocalize his displeasure.

“Nothing is going to happen, I promise.” Nightwing tried to assure him, again. “Billy might only be thirteen but he’s got the power of a god. And Artemis and Batgirl are more than capable of stepping in if they see any kids getting nabbed. Everything is going to be fine.”

“We should never use kids as bait,” Jason sneered. He turned his head away from Dick, keeping a close eye on Billy. His voice lowered, “That’s something the bad guys would do.”

“Billy is doing this of his own free will,” Dick assured him, again. “No one is going to get hurt.”

“You can’t make promises like that,” Jason snipped. “Anything can happen. You could be putting kids in at risk for no reason.”

“No, there is a reason and there is very little risk.”

“We should be following the tips we got.”

“No. That would be an unnecessary risk.” Nightwing snapped at him, irritation boiling under his skin. “Batman will handle the big guy when it comes to it. We’re just here to get him out in the open. Besides we don’t know if those tips are...accurate.”

The GCPD opened a tip line in response to the public panic. Commissioner Gordon was more than willing to share the information they received with Batman. But, as with most tip lines, the information provided proved to be rather...useless. Most ‘tips’ were delusions of senile old people. Rants of racist middle-aged mothers against their brown neighbors. Or paranoid parents claiming someone “looked at their child too long that one time at that one place.”

It was all tiring to say the least.

“Instead of wasting manpower chasing too many leads, we can have him come to us.” Dick tried to reason.

But the heavy scowl on Jason’s mouth did not budge. “Yeah,” He scoffed. “And while we sit on our asses he could be out snatching more kids.”

“JAS-” Nightwing quickly grasped for his composure. He shook as he let out a loud exhale through his nose. He learned very early in Jason’s career as ‘Robin’ that he did not respond well to being yelled at. Even if he was being unreasonable. “Robin, I don’t know what else to say to you. I feel like I’m just going in circles.” He softened his voice. “I know that the sitting and waiting part is hard. But what we do is just as important too.”

Jason huffed.

Waiting. That’s all they did. That’s all they ever did. Bruce promised him that joining The Team would be good for him. That it would help his development as ‘Robin’, help him develop patience and control. Jason rolled his eyes at the thought.

Joining the team was a form of punishment. Six grueling months of punishment.

Bruce praised his growing athleticism and detective skills. But it was how Jason took down criminals that left Bruce agitated. The growing number of broken bones and brutal takedowns at the hands of Jason were too vicious to ignore. Bruce believed that some time with The Team would placate his anger, his ruthlessness.

But Jason saw right through Bruce’s plan to ‘calm’ him. And though he did form some strong friendships, The Team’s ‘recon’ nature only aggravated the itching under his skin. He couldn't subside that need to punish the deserving and give them the punishment they deserved. Why should they give the low lives of the world any pity? What was the point of sympathy for the scum of the earth? If you asked Jason; Batman, The League, The Team, all of them spent far too much energy on mercy. They spent too much time on ‘recon’ and ‘waiting for the right moment’.

There were innocent lives at stake.

They should be doing more doing and less waiting.

“Whatever. I’m sick of this post.” Jason’s nose scrunched with a pout as he took out his grappling hook. “I’m partnering up with Artemis at the other post.. And least she doesn’t shut down everything I say.” He fired his hook to the neighboring roof.

“ROB-” Nightwing yelped after him, but Jason was already gone. He growled, running a hand down his face. “I swear some days I just want to hogtie him.”

Wally let out a laugh he had been holding back since the beginning of their bickering. It was a sight that never really got old for him, like a terrible reality series he couldn’t stop watching. At least on a stakeout, he’d have snacks to go along with his show.

“You should give him a little more time,” Wally mumbled, stuffing a handful of potato chips in his mouth. “He’ll come around.”

Nightwing grumbled under his breath. He narrowed his eyes at Wally, trying his hand in imitating the infamous ‘Bat Glare’. Though Wally seemed far too preoccupied with his food to notice.

“I should have just paired him up with Artemis in the first place.” Dick said as he shook his head, defeated. “He listens to her more than he does me.”

“He prolly just respects her more,” Wally chirped. Dick dropped his jaw, face riddled with astonished insult.

A cackle escaped Wally’s throat. God, Dick could be so...uptight. “Come on, you know what I mean dude. They just...have more in common.” He groped at the bottom of the chip bag for crumbs. “You know, poor family, surrounded by crime, untrusting, all that jazz.” He crumpled up the bag, tossing it aside. “It’s hard going from ‘sidekick’ to ‘team player’ let alone being the black sheep too. And, well, Artemis knows what that’s like.”

Wally approached him, resting his elbow on Dick’s shoulder. “And although I might not have any siblings of my own,” He flashed Dick a warm grin. “I hear that little brothers are supposed to get on your nerves now and again.”

Dick chuckled under his breath, the first smile of the night pulling on his lips. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

*********

Jason paused on one of the rooftops, making sure he was just out of Nightwing’s sight. He wiped the sweat from his brow, struggling to catch his breath. He clenched his jaw, anger shooting through him.

Four more hours. Four more hours they had their stakeout set for. Four more hours of sitting around, of waiting, hoping. Jason had had enough. Kids were being mutilated. Kids whose only crime was being birthed into poverty. Kids who he had run into while living on the streets himself.

“Fuck it.” He whispered, pressing a button on his wrist computer. It sent a signal to his Robin Cycle, sending it to his location. He jumped from the roof, hearing the squeal of his cycle’s wheels as it rounded the corner. He landed on it, twisting his wrist on the gas. The roaring motor echoed through the streets as he sped off. Jason wasn’t waiting idly by any longer. He was off to chase his own leads.

When the first few ‘dolls’ showed up in the city, Jason read all the open child murder cases in Gotham he could dig up. Though none matched enough to the current murders to link them. Not even old cold case files could provide him with any solace.

That is until he began poking around closed case files. Elderly cases lost in the transition from the paper era to the digital age. Cases only remembered in yellow newspaper clippings. Clippings buried in the moldy, forgotten basement of the Gotham Library. That is until Jason dug them up.

Just sixty miles outside of Gotham lay the small, now-abandoned town of Ichabod. In early 1945, Matilda Mathis, heiress of the family funeral home fortune, was the social elite of the once-thriving town. However, with WWII in full swing, she was left alone with her infant son Barton, while her husband Wesley went off to serve his country. Wesley became a POW shortly after, leaving Matilda with no means of communication.

Stricken with grief at the potential loss of her husband, Matilda succumbed to madness. In her twisted state of mind, she became obsessed with the idea of perfecting 'preservation'.

Over the course of three months, Matilda kidnapped three street youths. Using the resources available at her family’s business, she emptied the childrens' torsos, filled them with cotton, embalmed their skin, and set them up on display in her backyard garden. She basked in the creation of her “Forever Children”, as she called them.

In September of that year her husband returned from the war, discovering the horror that his wife created. When asked to explain herself she responded to him with a smile, “They were for practice. It’s for you and our son, dear. Now I can keep you both forever. I’ll never have to worry about you dying again.”

Wesley immediately contacted the authorities. Matilda died by her own had before they could arrest.

Knowing that the name ‘Mathis’ was forever tainted, Wesley adopted his mother’s maiden name of ‘Schott’ and closed his late wife's funeral business. He used her fortune to open up a toy factory in Ichabod, naming it ‘Schott’s Toys’ in the hopes that he could somehow reconcile everything his wife had done.

Barton went on to take over the factory at age 21 after the death of his father. But after a decade the toy business struggled in the surrounding economy. Barton found himself teetering on the edge of poverty. In 1979 his wife gave birth to twin boys. To keep his business afloat and provide for his family, Barton picked up a part-time gig in the organ trading business.

Taking up his mother’s talents of kidnapping, Barton plucked prostitutes and addicts off of the street. He caged them in the basement of the factory, brought them to the peak of health, and slaughtered them for their organs. A task that his toddlers routinely witnessed as a ‘bonding activity’. At least, that’s what Barton would claim in the police report later on.

In 1984 Barton’s wife found out about his extracurriculars. She gave him an ultimatum, to either stop or she would leave him. Neither of which Barton could support. Terrified by the thought of poverty and losing his wife, Barton created his own solution.

He killed her, harvested her organs, chopped up the rest of the usable meat, and fed her to himself and their sons. Barton explained in the report, “So she could never leave us. So she could be a part of us forever.”

Barton was discovered for the sociopath he was once authorities investigated the stench coming from the factory’s furnace. The smell of the burning bodies of the what was leftover from the organ harvestees, became too strong to be ignored.

Barton was indicted and sentenced to death in 1985. His two 6-year-old boys were separated, given new names and new lives, and lost forever in the vast expanse of witness protection. Burying them and the public away from their sick family history, giving them a fresh start.

Although Barton and Matilda had long since passed, Jason couldn’t shake the eerie feeling of connectedness between them and the current child murders in Gotham. When the first few bodies appeared around the city, some had their insides hacked to bits. Later, as more surfaced, the cuts became cleaner and organs began to disappear. But the latest body, the one that struck Jason the most, had her entire torso emptied, filled with cotton, and stitched shut.

The killer was perfecting his craft.

It was a coincidence that Jason couldn’t ignore. But he couldn’t tell Batman or Nightwing. No, they would just shut him down. They never approved of anything he did lately. So, following his hunch, Jason set out to investigate on his own. He needed to start where it all began, in Ichabod. The Mathis mansion had long since been torn down, but the decaying Scott’s Toys factory still stood.

Jason flew down the highway on his cycle. The rushing wind felt good on his hot skin. If he hurried, he could make it there in under an hour, take some time to look around, and ride back before Nightwing even noticed. Luckily, his communicator stayed silent for the whole trip. The Team hadn’t noticed his disappearance yet.

He finally made it to the old factory. Creaks and rattles of the jagged windows created a cold turning in his stomach. The history within its walls still haunted the air around it. A building constructed for redemption, now forever stained by the hands of tainted family blood.

Jason shook the uneasy feeling from his limbs. He quietly lifted open one of the windows and jumped inside. He clicked on his flashlight, assessing the area around him.

His steps echoed in the quiet. Shelves and machinery loomed around him. As he looked about, only cobwebs and scurrying rats greeted him. Unsettled dust irritated his nose. The first floor seemed like a lost cause. He searched for a door to the basement.

His head snapped to his left as a small whimper tiptoed in his ear. He approached the sound with cautious steps. He swallowed hard, hair rising on the back of his neck.

His flashlight fell onto a series of small cages in the corner of the room. Their bars closed shut with individual padlocks. He knelt, shining his light into one of them.

“Oh my god,” the words fell from his lips without warning. His jaw dropped. Jason had found the missing children. They clung to their ragged clothing, shaking and crying as they cowered in the corner of their cages.

“Holy shit.” He darted his flashlight into each one, counting. Ten, the number of reported children still missing. He gathered himself, searching for signs of blood or torture. “Are you all ok?”

"Who-who is that?" A quiet voice came from his right. A little girl in one of the cages clung to her bars. She squinted at his bright light, her long black hair falling into her face. When her eyes adjusted, she saw the masked face of a teenage boy, the yellow ‘R’ on his chest shooting a flicker of hope through her veins. "Robin?" She asked.

"Shhh," he told her putting a finger up to his mouth. "Yeah," he answered with a whisper. "Everything's gonna be ok." He smiled, trying to ease her. "What's your name?"

Her body shook as she answered, "H-Harper."

Jason placed the flashlight between his neck and scrunched shoulder, aiming it at the lock. He pulled out an electronic lock pick from his utility belt. "Everything's gonna be alright Harper," he assured her. “I’m gonna get you out of here I promise.” He rose his hand to place his finger on his earpiece communicator. It was far past the time to contact The Team.

Harper gasped, jolting to the back of her cage. "LOOK OUT!"She shrieked.

But before Jason could turn his head, something hard and metal struck the side of his skull. An unbearable pain shot through his head before his vision faded. And his consciousness faded into darkness.

*********

A groan fell from Jason's lips. His head pounded with pain. Clicks of metal rang in his ears. He tried to open his eyes, vision greeted with a bright, blinding light from the ceiling.

Jason gasped, remembering the moments before losing consciousness. He tried to move his limbs, they wouldn't budge. His vision came to.

A numbing cold covered him as he found himself lying on a steel table, clad only in his underwear. His wrists and ankles were chained down tight to the table with no slack to give. A leather strap pressed tight against his forehead, holding his head firmly in place.

Jason strained to turn as much as he could. In his peripheral vision, he found his robin costume hanging on the wall.

"I was hoping you'd wake up soon," a voice said.

Terror chilled the blood in his veins. Jason's eyes darted around him in a frantic motion, trying to find the source of the voice. The sound of heavy boots moved towards him.

"Who are you? Show yourself!" Jason shouted, panic rising in his voice.

His question was greeted by a low giggle. A body of a burly man in overalls emerged from the shadows. Crazed auburn hair ran amuck on his head. He wore a pale, shiny mask that only covered a portion of his round face. With openings for his mouth, nose, and eyes, the finishing glaze did little to hide that his 'mask' came from another human's face.

Jason felt the air rip from his lungs. Terror shook his very core as he tried to catch his breath.

"Who-who are you?" Jason choked out, his throat closing in on him.

"I, am The Dollmaker." He answered, lips curling into a smile. "And you, my boy, will be my greatest creation yet."

He ran a cold, calloused finger across Jason's cheek. Jason's breathing hitched, suddenly all too aware of his vulnerability. He trembled.

"Y-You're the one," Jason did all he could to stall. Silently praying that his absence would be noticed soon. "You're the one who's been kidnapping those kids.”

“What can I say?” The Dollmaker responded with a shrug. “It runs in the family.”

A realization sparked in Jason’s mind. “You’re one of Barton’s sons.”

His slow smile sent a chill down Jason’s spine. “Look at you, the boy detective.” He reached for something out of Jason’s sightline. “The name is Anton Schott, to be precise.”

A shrill creak erupted in the room as Anton pulled a small metal table towards them. It held a small number of medical instruments, scalpels, and tools. Each crusted and stained with blood from prior victims.

Bile rose in Jason’s throat. The bubbling in his stomach rose to his chest in escalating panic. No matter how hard he pulled, the restraints wouldn’t budge.

Stall. All he could do was stall. They would notice he was missing soon, right?

They’ll find him.

Bruce will find him.

“H-how did you know?” Jason asked, cold sweat trickling down his face. “You were taken by child services.”

Anton hummed in amusement. “Yes, they had hoped that I would forget in therapy. But the sweet sound of those people’s screams? Oh, they never left me.” He sorted through the instruments on his cart. “It didn’t take long to track down my family history. And when I read everything my grandmother and father had done, well...I just couldn’t deny my calling any longer.” He finally decided on a hammer. He grasped it in his hands and turned towards Jason. Yellow teeth emerged from behind his crack-lipped smile. “Tainted blood is tainted blood.”

“But they’re children!” Jason hissed, pulling on his restraints. “They’re alive! You can’t do this.”

“But I am saving them.” There was a disturbing tone of kindness in his voice. “Turning them into dolls for all eternity. I keep their innocence safe and preserved. I’m helping them.”

Jason’s jaw dropped in horror. Anton was far beyond mental help. Genuinely believing himself to be some kind of savior. “You’re psychotic,” he gaped.

A giddy chuckle ran through Anton, as if he had just received a compliment. He placed a firm hand on Jason’s jaw. “Now it is your turn to sing my little bird.” Jason winced as his grip tightened. “You will be the first doll of my sidekick collection.” Jason’s eyes went wide. Anton motioned to the room around them. “Imagine, a whole room chalked full sidekick dolls. Perfect, beautiful, colorful, superhero children to mount on my wall!”

Anton brought himself back from his fantasy, grasping Jason’s jaw once more. He brought face in close. “But first, I need to know their names so I can find them.” A cocky grin pulled on his lips. “You will tell them to me.”

Jason spat in his face. His muscles shook, anger swallowing his terror. Anton jerked away in disgust.

The Dollmaker planned to claim his friends for his sick fantasies. Jason would die before he let that happen.

Jason jerked on his restraints, images of slaughtering Anton flashing in his mind.

“Fuck you!” Jason spat out, face red with fury. “You won’t get shit from me!”

Anton growled. He grasped Jason’s thigh, his jagged nails digging into his skin. “I’ll get you to speak you stupid brat! Even if it takes all night!”

He rose his hammer into the air. A gush of air fill Jason’s lungs as he watched it hurl downwards. The vile clatter of his kneecap shattering echoed around the room. And for a moment, Jason couldn’t make a sound. The profound pain shooting through his nerves, stunned all concept of speech.

And then, a moment later, when he finally found his wind, a horrific wail bolted from his chest. His screams of agony unable to be placated by any training or reasoning.

This wasn’t supposed to happen.

They should have been here by now.

They always arrived just in time.

Where was his team?

Where was Nightwing?

Where was Batman?

*************

The Batcave
June 14th, 2014
02:39 EDT

“Master Bruce?” Alfred Pennyworth stopped at the end of the staircase. Surprised to see Bruce in part of his Batman uniform, his cowl draped over the back of his computer chair. Bruce studied the computer screen with glaring concentration.

“I thought you would be out on patrol.” Alfred added, approaching him. “I do believe tonight is Master Dick’s...trap, is it not?”

Bruce’s eyes never strayed from the screen. He opened case files, pouring over gruesome crime scene photos. “It is. Dick’s heart is in the right place…” His voice trailed off as he sifted through the photos.

Alfred raised a brow, finishing his sentence for him. “Ah, but you do not believe he will find anything?”

“No,” Bruce answered, rubbing his chin in thought. “The person we’re looking for has been too good. Too careful. No one has reported even seeing the children being taken. I doubt he’d be careless enough to let himself get caught. He most likely suspects we’re onto him by now.”

Alfred grimaced at the crime scene photos on the screen. “And you believe that you’d be more productive with...research.”

“There has to be something we’re missing.” Bruce racked his brain in thought. “Ever since the start of this case I keep thinking of a bedtime story from my childhood. Something my father once told me.” He turned towards Alfred. “I can’t recall the details of it, I just remember it had children being kidnapped and turned into dolls.”

Alfred’s jaw fell agape in sudden remembrance. “Ahhh yes I do recall that.” A small smile pulled on the corner of his lips. “That story gave you nightmares for weeks.” He chuckled. “Your mother was very cross with your father for telling it to you.” Alfred noticed Bruce’s unwavering glare. Impatiently waiting for him to continue. Alfred cleared his throat. “I believe it was called ‘The Tale of Madhouse Mathis’.”

“Madhouse Mathis?” Bruce repeated, turning towards his computer and clicking away at the keyboard.

“Yes sir,” Alfred confirmed. “Just some urban legend to frighten children into behaving. I believe the tale involved something along the lines of a woman called 'Madhouse Mathis' snatching up naughty children in the middle of night. And turning them into dolls for her child to play with.” He shivered. “Quite disturbing if you ask me.”

Bruce opened several articles, descriptions of old urban legends and their origins. “It looks like Madhouse Mathis may have been based on a real person,” he added. He read a vague, horrifying claim that ‘Madhouse Mathis’ was once a child mutilator years ago from the town of Ichabod, Connecticut.

“Ichabod?” Alfred narrowed his eyes in thought. “I-I believe I heard Master Jason grumbling on about Ichabod the other night.”

He walked over to a small filing cabinet at the end of the desk. Jason and Dick kept their own files for individual work. Bruce encouraged them to pick up cases independently to hone their detective skills on their own. Alfred sifted through Jason’s drawer. “He’s been working this case on his own as well. Rather obsessively I might add. Ah, here it is.”

Alfred pulled out a hefty manila folder, careful not to let any of its contents fall to the floor. Bruce took it from him, spreading the photocopied news articles and notes over his desk. His eyes widened as he poured over the information, clippings and police reports of the Mathis/Schott family. The furious scribbling of Jason’s notes marking their similarities.

This was….good. This information was a brilliant lead that they should check out. Bruce twinged in irritation. Why had Jason not told him about this? Why was he leaving this information out? Bruce worried that keeping a strict hand with Jason may have caused him to doubt his detective skills.

He made a mental note to himself that when Jason returned tonight they would explore his lead together.

“Alright guys, it’s 3am, let’s bring it in for the night.” Nightwing’s voice chirped over computer speakers. Their communicators connected to Bruce’s computer, assuring no communication was lost.

Bruce sighed. Just as he thought, Dick’s ‘trap’ ended fruitless.

On the other side of Gotham, fatigue and disappointment pulled at Nightwing’s body. He stood on the rooftop with Wally, waiting for the others to join him so they could debrief.

Dick cocked an eyebrow as Billy, Batgirl, and Artemis climbed onto the roof. But Jason had not arrived with them.

Nightwing groaned, grating his teeth. “Where’s Robin?” He snipped at Artemis.

She bunched her brows in confusion. “How am I supposed to know?”

Dick sighed, “He said he was going to your checkpoint.”

Artemis’s eyes widened. She held out her hand and motioned around them in annoyed obviousness. “Well, he didn’t…”

Nightwing groaned and shook his head. “I swear.” He pressed onto his earpiece, anger plating his tone. “Robin. Where are you?” He waited for a moment, tapping his foot, only to be greeted by silence.

He growled, “Robin. Come in, now. What is your location?”

Silence fell again, until a voice none of them recognized slithered into their ears.

“I’m afraid Robin is a little...tied up at the moment.”

The foreign voice of a man rang from the communicators. The eerie calm of his tone constricted their chests.

A twinge of terror shot down Nightwing’s spine. “Who is this?” He snarled. “How did you get on this channel?”

“Oh, I have your little boy wonder’s communicator right here,” Anton answered. “Would you like to speak with him?”

“Nightwing!” Jason’s voice rang in the background. His words were panicked, rushed, and hoarse. As if he had been screaming. “Kids! Cages! On the first floor youhavetogetthemout! Youhaveto-”

They jumped as Jason’s words were cut short by a gurgled cry. Anton’s swift punch to his gut ceased Jason’s informative yelps.

“Ah-a children who talk too much will be punished,” Anton chided with a smile.

“Let him go,” A dark hiss from Batman filled the communicator. A terrifying tone that none of them had heard from him before. An unfamiliar rage coursed through Bruce’s veins, a paternal anger that shook his bones.

“Oooo that would be Batman I presume? Don’t you worry your little head.” Anton picked up a stained scalpel from the steel table. Shallow breaths ran through Jason’s lungs as he jerked his limbs against the chains. Desperation flailed through him the more The Dollmaker approached him.

Anton continued, “When I am done, he will be one of my best creations. The perfect doll. Forever a child. Forever innocent.”

A sharp inhale ran down Bruce’s throat with unbridled fury. “You touch him,” he growled. “And not even God will be able to save you.”

“But it’s him I’m saving. Preserving his innocence for alllll time.” Anton responded in a sing song voice. “But first we have to get rid of those pesky organs.”

Dick, Wally, Billy, Artemis, and Barbara looked around at one another in horror. Shaking, fidgeting at their own helplessness. Minds running mad at not knowing what to do.

“Tell me,” Anton spoke again. “How much do you think a ‘Robin’ liver will sell on the black market? After all, making dolls is can get quite expensive.” He placed the cold tip of the scalpel just below Jason’s sternum. Jason mewled, tears streaming down his face. Frantic as he tried to pull on his restraints in a futile attempt at escape. But it was no use. The Dollmaker had already shattered every joint in his arms and legs during his ‘interrogation’.

Anton smiled at Jason’s tears. He continued, “How many of his insides can I remove before he stops breathing?”

A sickening scream erupted from Jason’s throat as The Dollmaker ran the scalpel, with slow precision, down his stomach. Anton's laughter nearly drowned out Jason’s cries.

Panic spiked within The Team, feeling helpless against Jason’s disembodied wails. Their eyes watered with rage and horror, shivering under their uniforms. A sickness rose in Artemis’s belly as she covered his mouth. Barbara clawed at her wristwatch computer in desperation, searching for something to find him with.

A carnal rage pounded in Dick’s chest. A type of hate that not even the murder of his parent’s had brought about in him. A fire bubbled under his skin. The uncharacteristic, unfiltered, threat hiss from his lips before he could stop himself.

“Touch him and I will kill you!” Dick didn’t recognize his own voice.

“Oh…” A smile slathered Anton’s words. “But I’m afraid…” Jason let out a sharp cry as Anton placed his hands into Jason's stomach's incision. “You’re a little…” Another sob escaped him as he pulled back on the flaps of skin, widening the incision. “Too…” The pain grew as Anton pulled even harder, Jason’s skin straining under the force. “Late…” Jason howled as a wet tear filled the room. The thin cover of skin over his stomach nearly torn off of him. Blood ran from his exposed stomach cavity, pooling around him.

Jason thought he would never stop screaming.

“We have to find him!” Wally screeched, hands shaking in panic.

“Here! Here!” Barbara stumbled over her words, frantically pressing the buttons on her wrist computer. “This is the GPS coordinates from his Robin Cycle.” She held up the screen for them all to see. “He’s in someplace called Ichabod!”

Wally ran his eyes over the screen at superspeed, memorizing the coordinates. “I’ll get him.” His words crackled with panic, heart racing. His eyes met Dick’s with a frantic promise. “I’ll get him!” In an instant, he rushed away at superspeed. The quickness of his pace dissolved the water in his eyes. A sickness rose in his belly, Jason’s screams pushing his muscles to their peak performance.

In the Batcave, Alfred finally found his words, vocal cords still numb at the horrid sound of Jason’s torture. “F-find him, Master Bruce.” Alfred snapped his head towards Batman, desperation clinging to his voice, the tightness in his chest unbearable. His eyes filled to the brim with tears. “Find him!”

Alfred’s pleas hadn’t finished before Bruce slung on his cowl. He jumped inside of his Batplane, taking off towards the coordinates Batgirl sent him.

As Batman’s plane disappeared into the night, Alfred fell to his knees. A hand grasping onto the edge of the desk for support, the other covering his mouth. Jason’s petrified and tortured wails echoed through the cave with relentless ferocity. Alfred clenched his eyes tight as tears flowed down his cheeks. Suffocating, drowning under the sound of Jason’s pain. Pain he was helpless to stop.

He prayed. For the first time in a long time, he prayed to a god that he was no longer sure existed. But it was all he could do. God dammit, it was all he could do.

Please don’t take him from us. Not tonight. Not like this.

****

Wally heaved from the lack of air in his lungs. He pushed back his pain, desperation clinging to his movements. There was no world around him, only his task at hand. The only thing that existed at that moment was saving Robin. Saving Jason. Saving Dick’s brother.

The rusted ‘Welcome to Ichabod’ sign flew past him. Batman shouted something about ‘Schott Toys’ over the communicator, as well as some warning of danger. Some demand of caution. Some demand of waiting for backup. Wally didn’t recall. The only sound that mattered were Jason’s screams. He was the only one that mattered, not himself. They haven’t lost a team member yet. And Wally’d be damned if he let it happen today.

He burst through decaying doors of the factory. A sharp pain set fire in his shoulder where he had hit. Moonlight filled the room.

“Robin!” Panic rushed through Wally as he called out for his teammate. Hysteria clouding his judgment. Training told him never to barge into unknown areas or situations. But Jason’s quieting wails blocked all concerns of rational thought. “WHERE ARE YOU?!” Wally howled, turning on the night vision in his goggles.

“Help! Help us!” A tiny cry emerged from the corner of the room. Wally ran over to it, breathless at the sight of children in cages. He heard them mumble his uniformed name with hope.

“Get us out please.” One of the children sobbed.

A panicked groan escaped him. Torn between the children’s immediate freedom and the thought of his tortured teammate.

No, Jason would have taken care of the children first.

Wally growled, looking around for a metal object. He grabbed a cast iron rod from the floor. He slammed it against one of the padlocks until it broke off. He opened the door to the cage and pointed to the open front door. “Go! Run to the edge of the clearing while I get everyone else out. The cops are on their way.” The child nodded, his little feet scrambling underneath him as he bolted away. Wally continued onto the other cages, breaking them open and freeing the children one by one.

The sound of Batman’s plane grew louder.

Desperation flowed through Wally as he broke open the final cage. A little girl with long black hair reached out for his hand as she cried. “He’s got him in the basement! The bad man has Robin in the basement.” She swallowed hard as a tear ran down her cheek “I-I heard him screaming.”

“It’s alright, I’ll get him,” Wally assured, pointing at the door. “Just run to safety.” Just as he was about to take off, her words caught his attention

“I can’t!” She answered with a wince, trying her best to limp out of the cage. “My ankle’s broken.”

“I gotcha.” He assured with a smile, picking her up. He ran her outside, placing her with the other children.

Batman’s plane flew overhead. Bruce ejected himself from the cockpit, breaking through a glass window on the roof.

“He’s in the basement!” Wally cried out over the communicator.

“Stay with the kids!” Bruce demanded. His heart pounded in his chest as he landed on the concrete floor. His muscles burned as he tore through the warehouse, throwing open the steel door to the basement stairway.

He cried out for Robin as he reached the end of the stairs. His breathing halted, lungs frozen in place at the sight of Anton. His heavy, greasy body loomed over Jason, a knife pressed snug to Jason’s throat. Anton looked up at Batman, jaw clenched with fury.

“Don't move!” Bruce commanded, his diligent hand slowly reaching towards his utility belt. He wanted nothing more than to tear him off of Jason, to hear Anton scream in agony. But one wrong move, one slip of the wrist, and Jason’s throat would be cut wide open.

“I heard him!” Anton spat, eyes watering. “I heard one of your brats taking away my toys upstairs!” The tone of a spoiled child fell from the man’s lips. “It's not fair. It's not fair!”

“Anton, don’t do this.” Bruce tried to reason, desperate for a solution as Jason’s quiet whines echoed in the background.

“They're my dolls! Mine!” Anton screeched, desperation shaking his body. The knife began to break Jason’s skin.

“Put. The knife. Down!” Bruce boomed.

Anton growled with unbridled disdain. His roar tore through the room. “If I can't have my dolls, then no one can!”

In an instant, before Bruce could throw the Batarang in his hand, a flash of red filled the space between them. Bile rose in his throat as specks of blood trickled against his face.

Bruce cried out to Jason. He ran, his boots heavy, time around him still, as if he were caught in the slow heaviness of a dream. Batman checked his shoulder against The Dollmaker’s chest, shooting him across the room.

But not before the knife had cleared across Jason’s throat.

He bolted to the table, hands pressing around Jason’s throat in an effort to stop the bleeding. An effort he knew was futile.

“No. No. Nonononono.” Bruce’s entire composed demeanor became engulfed with desperation. “Stay with me.” His voice cracked, the sound of gurgling in Jason's chest unbearable.

Bruce clawed at the leather strap on Jason’s head, as if sitting him up could save him from drowning in his own blood.

Jason stared at him with wide, terrified eyes. His body on fire with pain and shock. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't speak. Bruce's hand did nothing, could do nothing, to pinch the artery.

Jason knew he was going to die. The moment the knife hacked through his neck he knew these would be his final moments.

“Stay with me.” Bruce’s pleas fell into quiet as Jason’s senses faded.

Jason tried so hard to form words. He tried so hard to tell him how he was sorry. He tried so hard to tell him he was sorry for being dumb and going out on his own. Sorry for letting him down. Sorry for letting Dick down. And Barbara. And the Team.

He wanted to tell him, he was sorry he wasn't a better Robin.

Bruce’s blood ran cold as silence placated Jason. The twitching of his neck muscles froze under Bruce’s palms. No more gurgling. No more motion. No more sound.

He watched in heart-wrenching sadness as the light faded from Jason’s eyes. A slow release of life that he could do nothing to stop. A fading of a human soul, a scene that watching the death of his parents had made him far too familiar of.

“No,” was all he could muster as he choked back a sob. “No. Jason…” He placed a hand on his cheek, wishing that he had had a few more moments to say that he was sorry.

Sorry that he was so hard on him. Sorry he made him feel like he couldn't trust him. Sorry he wasn't a better Batman to him.

Sorry that he couldn't save him.

Save him.

Save him.

Could have saved him.

Should have saved him why couldn't he save him?

Oh god why couldn't he fucking save him Jason oh god Jason no why wasn't he faster he could have Jason savedhimhecouldhavefuckwhyheshouldhavesaved-

Anton’s groan filled the background as he rose to his feet. Bruce was torn from his crumbling composure as a primal rage overcame him. He tore away from Jason, leaping at Anton. He roared, fist pounding into Anton’s face.

Anton stumbled backward and Bruce pushed him against the concrete wall. He grabbed him by the collar, and struck.

Over. And over. And over. And over.

The muscles in Bruce’s arms burned as Anton’s cheek and jawbone crushed beneath his fist. Blood fell to the floor as Batman lost count of his punches. No, he wasn't even counting at all. Even when Anton lost consciousness, he couldn't stop. He wanted him to pay. He wanted him to feel the pain slicing through his heart. He wanted him to feel the terror Jason had.

Jason. Oh god, Jason. He wanted Anton to die. He needed to fucking die. Die. Die just like Jas-

Bruce stopped. He pulled back his hands and Anton’s body fell to the floor. Wheezing breaths escaped from his throat.

No. No, a monster like The Dollmaker did not deserve the release of death. He did not deserve to longer feel pain. He did not deserve the memory and fame death would bring. He did not deserve release from his judicial punishment for his atrocious crimes.

Bruce walked over the Jason’s body. Jason had suffered far too much, more than any child ever should. He deserved peace. He deserved to be put to rest. Bruce ran his fingertips over Jason’s eyelids, closing them. He undid the restraints. He took off his cape and wrapped it around Jason’s tiny, broken body.

He was so small. Why did he never realize he was so small?

Bruce carried Jason's wrapped body in his arms as he trudged up the staircase and towards the front door. Moonlight spilled around him. Wails of police sirens closed in from a distance.

As Batman stepped outside, eyes weighed heavily upon him. Captain Marvel, Artemis, Nightwing, and Batgirl arrived just moments prior. They watched him, hearts breaking more with each step he took.

Small whispers fell from the rescued children. They knew all too well who the body in Batman's arms belonged to. They knew all too well what he looked like, what he sounded like. And for the rest of their lives, would remember how he saved theirs.

Dick couldn't breathe. His jaw shook with a terrified anticipation.

“No,” His whispered cry filled the silence around them. Slow shakes of his head tried to rectify the scene before him. As if to negate the reality of who was wrapped in Bruce’s cape. His hands trembled, blood running cold knowing that he was too late.

“No,” Dick’s voice cracked as he placed himself in front of Batman. Bruce stopped, sullen eyes falling to the body in his arms. He couldn’t look at Dick. What was he to do? What was he to say?

“Let-let me see him,” Dick said pulling on the wrapped cape. A foreign look of desperation placated his eyes. “I need to know it’s him.”

“You shouldn't see him like this…” Bruce responded as he squeezed his eyes shut, holding tighter onto Jason’s body. Holding Robin as he died and watching Nightwing crumble before him was far too much to handle.

“Just let me see him.” Dick pleaded with cracking words, still pulling at the cape. This desperate, foreign, stupidity he could not shake. Rising sorrow swallowed his reasoning.

“No-” Bruce answered him in a small voice.

“Let me see him!” Nightwing finally snapped.

“NO!” Batman’s voice boomed around them, knocking Nightwing back a few paces. He looked up at Bruce with wide, watery eyes. Bruce took a slow breath, shaking with an infectious feeling of failure.

“I’m sorry,” was all that Bruce could muster. The sound of the Batplane loomed in the air, it landed in the clearing. Bruce brushed past Dick with a slow pace, walking towards the Batplane. He needed to take Jason away from this place. He needed to take him where he belonged.

Home.

“No.” Dick shook his head, choking on his own spit, his throat closing in on him. “No.” Dick’s voice finally gave way as tears poured down his cheeks. He went to run after Batman, but Wally stepped in front of him, placing his hands on Dick’s shoulders.

“Don’t,” Wally pleaded with him in a quiet voice, knowing that Dick was not of sound mind. If Batman took Jason away without letting him see the body, he knew there was a good reason for it.

“Nononononono.” Dick shook with denial. “He’s not dead.”

Wally cringed at Dick’s words, holding him back as he tried to run after the departing Batplane. “He can’t be dead.” Dick sobbed. “He’s not dead!” He screeched.

“Dick!” Wally yelled, holding Nightwing’s head between his hands. Tears finally fell from his eyes, knowing he was going to have to be the one to snap Dick back to reality. He swallowed hard, “He is.” Wally’s voice cracked, biting his lip as he gave Dick a sad nod. “He is.”

A sob fell from Dick’s throat. Wally placed his forehead on his, holding onto Dick’s hair. Composure finally falling along with his best friend’s. Dick pulled at Wally’s uniform, face falling onto his shoulder as he wailed.

Dick’s legs buckled underneath him, and Wally glided him onto the ground, never letting go. Wally shook with a furious disappointment at himself. Angry that Dick’s sobs left him unable to form any words. All he wanted to do was apologize. He wished he could apologize. He couldn’t save him. Why couldn’t he save him?

He was the fastest kid alive.

The fastest kid alive….what a joke.

Not when it mattered most.

Jason…

Dick…

I’m so sorry.

The Watch Tower
February 1st, 2017
19:30 EST

“It was a closed casket funeral. A week later The Grotto was forever dedicated to being a memorial for the fallen, in his honor.” Tim’s voice echoed in the silence, eyes wandering to the holograms around them. “No one’s ever really said it out loud, but...I think his death and Tula’s are why Wally and Artemis went into retirement.”

“Hera,” Cassie whispered, her hand lingering lightly over her mouth. Her wide, watery eyes fell to the floor in thought. “But...how did-how did Alfred know?” She asked. “Did Dick tell him?”

A sad scowl pulled on Tim’s lips. “No,” He said with a small shake of his head. “Dick’s never talked about it with anyone. There's a communicator in the Batcave.” Tim paused. “Alfred heard everything.”

Cassie’s jaw fell in disbelief. “Holy shit,” she swore.

“I told you you wouldn’t want to hear it,” Tim responded, wondering if the story may have been too much for her to handle.

“No,” She added quickly. “No I’m glad you did tell me.” She looked up at Jason’s hologram with solemn eyes. A moment of quiet fell between them. “He knew that man was going to hurt him.” She looked over at Tim. “He knew that man was going to hurt him, but he still told Nightwing to save those little kids.” She recalled Tim’s description of Jason’s torture. “Even the face of death, he still chose selflessness.” She looked up at his hologram once more. “That is a real hero.”

Cassie remembered the countless times she’d seen her teammates and members of The League in The Grotto. Remembering the moments she stumbled upon them whispering to the holograms. Whispers of updates of the events in the lives, reminding the fallen how much they are missed, wishes of wanting them alive once more, or apologies of all the things they never got to say or do with them while they were alive.

Sometimes gravestones were not enough. Although it was never, and would never be said out loud, The Grotto provided a face for their teammates, friends, lovers to see. A face to talk to to make their words seem less futile. A face to reassure themselves that they haven’t forgotten what their teammates died for.

And in a way, Cassie liked to believe that their words gave their fallen some sort of peace.

But Cassie never recalled hearing whispers to Jason in The Grotto. Only sad stares from those who once knew him ever graced his hologram. Nobody ever talked about Jason, so Cassie bet that nobody talked to him either.

“I am so sorry all that happened to you.” Cassie’s sympathetic words filled the room. Determination filled her eyes and she pressed her lips into a fine line, making a promise to herself and him. “I will never forget your sacrifice.”

Cassie stopped herself from reaching out. An instinct that she almost didn’t take notice of. She wished more than anything to be able to touch his hand. To somehow, maybe, assure him from beyond the grave that she meant wholeheartedly what she said.

And as she looked upon his face, she couldn’t help but find him familiar. The angles of his cheeks, the sharpness of his chin, the tufts of his shaggy black bangs. An idea ran through her mind that she had met him before. That she saw him, not too long ago, in an encounter tucked away in her mind.

She shook her head of the thought. That was a crazy notion. She must be losing her mind, there is no way they could have met.

People can’t come back from the dead.

Chapter Text

Bludhaven
February 3rd, 2017
17:15 EDT

"Thanks for going with me to the mall, Mal."

A light flurry of snowflakes fell, leaving their cold, wet kisses against Adelaide's cheeks. A clan of busy shoppers bustled past her in downtown Bludhaven. Mal and Karen trailed, hand in hand, right behind her.

"No problem munchkin," Mal replied with a chuckle.

Adelaide gave in to the pull of her reflection of each window she passed. If it wasn’t for seeing that same image in the bathroom mirror each morning, she would have found herself unrecognizable. After nearly eight months of having her powers, her figure had transformed just as much as her life had.

"I just can't believe how much my body's changing." She shook her head as she passed another window. "I think...I think I've always been kinda chubby, and now I got these super sweet muscles!" She smiled, holding up one of her arms as she flexed. She needed a better fitting wardrobe already.

"Nightwing said that's probably a side effect of one of your powers." Malcolm explained. "Increased healing means increased metabolism which means you can eat more now without gaining weight."

"Plus, Nightwing's training routines always kick everyone's butt." Karen added.

Adelaide stole another glance. She hummed to herself in doubt. Although her memories of her life before Black Bison and The Team were lost to her, she distinctly remembered her appearance as...nothing special. Even when she was first rescued by The Pack she would have described herself as ‘homely’.

But as her powers progressed, so did her body. Not just including dropping fat and gaining muscle, or even her senses heightening. Small things surfaced that Adelaide couldn’t explain. Her hair grew redder, her nails sharper. But there was something else that Adelaide couldn’t explain; something that scared her.

Over the past two weeks, a roaring hunger grew within her that she could not shake. She nearly obliterated the pantry at The Warehouse. But nothing could satisfy her stomach’s incessant roar.

Until late one night, the quiet of The Warehouse left her unable to ignore her ravenous hunger. Hunger...or maybe...maybe, it was thirst? It was a craving she couldn’t describe. But there in the cold, bright refrigerator, sat a raw steak that left her salivating. And in a moment of unbridled, animalistic desire she tore it out of the packaging. She woofed it down like a famished dog, unstoppable as she slurped the blood from the bottom of the foam tray.

Adelaide didn’t remember eating it, but when she wiped the blood from her chin, a blot of terrified disbelief slithered through her. She buried the packaging at the bottom of the trash can, hiding the evidence. Tears slid down her cheeks as she quickly placed herself under the shower, letting the hot water wash away her red shame.

Her chest tightened at the memory. Something had to be wrong with her. That wasn’t a normal thing for a person to do, even with powers. Why did she lose control at the sight of raw meat? At the sight of blood?

After that incident however, her obscure hunger was finally placated. No matter how much she tried to convince herself it wasn’t.

"Feels weird though," Adelaide shook her head, trying to shake away the memory. A sudden sadness overcame her. "It’s like I'm not really me anymore."

“No sorry, I can’t help you.” A middle-aged woman threw her half-hearted apology over her shoulder as she brushed past Adelaide. Her full shopping bags nearly knocked her over.

Adelaide tossed her a dirty look.

"Have you seen this girl?"

Adelaide turned her head toward the voice. It came from a young black man in a high school letterman’s jacket.

A panicked look and broken voice overcame him as he shoved his phone in stranger’s faces. "Have you seen the girl?! Have you seen this girl?!" Mal caught the young man’s eye. He rushed over to him, holding his phone up to him. The screen showed a photo of a dark-hair Asian teenager. "Hey! Hey man, have you seenthisgirlhaveyouseenher?"

"Woah-woah slow down," Mal held his hands out in front of him. "What's the matter now?” He took the phone out of the young man’s hand, trying to get a closer look at the photo.

“Is your friend missing?" Mal asked.

"Yeah, yeah my girlfriend yeah." Tears swelled in his eyes, his words raced out of his mouth. "She's been gone for a few hours. I tracked her iPhone here but it died this is the last placeitwasathaveyouseen-"

"We can help you look for her.” Adelaide interrupted him, trying to calm him. She heard his heart race in his chest.

"Really!?" He chimed with desperation.

"Hold on now,” Karen interjected. She pursed her lips in doubt.

Sweat dripped from the teen’s brow. His hands shook as he looked up at her with dilated pupils. She felt skeptical about his story. Did he really have a friend missing? Or was he just having a bad trip?

“I think you should call the police first,” she advised. “They can-"

He shook his head with a fearful ferocity. "Nonono cops no!" He held out his hand, pleading. "Don't please, please she's not-” His words began to crack. “She's not sober. I don't, I don't want her to get in trouble."

"It's alright.” Malcolm placed a strong, steady hand on his shoulder. “We’ll help you."

A scream from across the street grabbed their attention. They saw the same teenage girl from the photo. She stood, hunched, backing away in fear from a collapsed body on the sidewalk. The people around her moved out of her way in confusion and concern.

"I-I-I'm sorry. I didn’t mean" She croaked, tears fell from her bloodshot eyes. She clutched at her hair. "I'msorryI'msorryI'msorry."

"Gehenna!" The boy called out to her, but she did not hear his cries.

The body on the ground did not move. Anxious stares and cries from the people around her filled the air.

"Shut up!” She yelled, grabbing her hair tighter. “Shut up! Shut up please! Stop!"

Before Mal could stop him, the boy ran towards her. "Gehenna!" he yelled.

Her eyes filled with fear as she saw him close in on her.

“N-no, Ronnie, don’t!” She yelled. "Stay away from me.” She held her palm out towards him. "Stay away from me!" A glow of white filled her eyes and Ronnie was knocked off his feet. He flew a few yards backward, rolling onto the snow-covered ground.

Adelaide lost her breath. She had only seen telekinetic powers like that from M’gann.

Screams filled the air as the pedestrians tried to run. Their panicked stampede only worsened Gehenna’s guilt.

“Ronnie,” she bawled. “Ronnie baby I’m so sorry.” She ran, tears streaming down her face.

"I'm on ‘er," Karen informed as she turned down an alleyway to shrink into her Bumblebee form.

"Me too!" Adelaide added, running after Gehenna.

Malcolm diligently picked Ronnie off of the ground. Ronnie moaned, rubbing his head.

“You alright kid?” Mal asked.

“Yeah,” he groaned.

"You said she's not sober.” Malcolm addressed him, holding his shoulders. A feeling swelled inside him that he hoped wasn’t true. “Did she take Spark?"

Ronnie shook as he tried to swallow down his sob. Guilt placated his face. "It was..just a little,” He squeaked. “We just did a little."

Malcolm shook his head. "Stay here. We'll get her back. I promise"

A few blocks over, Gehenna found herself at a dead end. The vast array of shops swarmed her in a retail cul-du-sac. A hysteric pounding of anxiety course through her veins. She was breathless. Waves of hot and cold flashed over her.

A flustered man on his cell phone bumped into her. She gasped, their eyes met. And in an instant, the man collapsed onto the ground, unconscious.

"Oh no,” she cried. It happened again. “I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She was hurting people; in a way she couldn’t understand, in a way she couldn’t stop. As her composure faded, more people around her collapsed.

"Nononono," she rambled, seeing the vast array of eyes all on her.

"Get away from me!" She shouted. "Get away!" And with another blast of telekinesis, every person within a few yards of her were tossed backward.

Bumblebee appeared in front of her. She held out her palm, her yellow energy blasts glowing in her hand. "You need to calm. Down." She barked.
Gehenna grasped the base of her hair once more. The painful pounding in her skull was unbearable. She sobbed under the pressure.

"Can't. control." Gehenna shook her head, backing away.

"Oooh no. You're not going anywhere," Karen ordered, closing the space between.

Gehenna gasped. Terror flowing through her, she was losing control again. "Stay away!" She bellowed, her powers knocking Karen backward, skidding her against the asphalt.

"No," She croaked, wishing it would all stop.

"Gehenna!" She turned her head at the sound of her name. Adelaide stood a couple of meters from her. A soft expression rested on her face.

"Gehenna. That's your name, right?" Adelaide said in a calm, pitchy voice.

She swallowed hard. "Get away from me,” She pleaded, her red, dilated eyes almost out of tears. She didn’t want to see anyone else injured because of her. “I'll hurt you too."

Adelaide bit her lip, choosing her words and tone very carefully. "I know you didn't mean to," she informed, tilting her head in understanding. "I know you didn’t mean to hurt those people. I know you're not in control."

Gehenna’s breathing wavered. She scratched at her head in desperation. As if she could claw the pain out. "It's so loud," she clenched her eyes shut. "There's so many voices."

Adelaide realized she wasn’t just talking about the people gathered around them. For their voices had been reduced to concerned whispers. No, Gehenna was hearing voices that not many other people could hear. She was hearing the voices in their heads. She wasn’t just telekinetic, she was telepathic too.

"Then tune them out. Listen to me," Adelaide tried to hone her focus. She had to get her to calm down. She pointed to herself. "My voice is the only one that's important right now. Just focus on me."

Tension released in Gehenna’s muscles. It was working. The more she focused on the girl in front of her, the quieter the other voices became. "What's wrong with me?" She asked.

"Nothing's wrong with you. You have powers," Adelaide explained. She gave her a small smile. "You're psychic." She took a small step towards her. "That's how you knocked those people out. That's how you can hear voices. They're people's thoughts."

Gehenna shook her head, hands still clutching at the base of her hair. "I don't want them."

"Hey, it’s ok, it’s ok,” Adelaide cooed. “Just focus on me, ok? Just one thing at a time. "It'll be okay I promise."

A voice jumped inside of Gehenna’s mind. It sounded like Adelaide's , but her lips weren’t moving.

‘She's so scared. I hope they don't take her to jail. It’s not her fault she can’t control her powers.’

"I don't want to go to jail!" Gehenna shrieked.

"What?" Adelaide asked, confused.

"Y-you said it in your mind!"

“No!” Terror flashed through Adelaide, she backed away. "No, stay out of my brain!" Memories of the night that M’gann reached inside her mind washed over her.

‘Not again. Not again. Not again. Not again.’

"Stop yelling at me!" Gehenna screamed.

Adelaide yelped, feeling pressure in her head. Gehenna’s powers unintentionally pried into her mind. "No!” Adelaide shrieked as her vision faded. “Don't go in there! Please!"

"Can't...stop-" Gehenna stuttered as her eyes went white.

The world around them faded.

**********************

She felt herself fall, much like that in a dream. Gehenna hit the ground with a painful bounce. She groaned, slowly opening her eyes.

A dark forest surrounded them. Stars faded in and out in the night sky. She pulled herself to her feet, brushing the dirt off her jeans. Adelaide stood with her back to her. She wrapped her arms around herself, shaking.

“Nonononono,” she whispered.

“Where...are we?” Gehenna asked.

Adelaide turned towards her, crying. Her look of terror caused Gehenna to stumble backward.

Adelaide knew this forest. It was the same one that she and M’gann stumbled upon over a month ago. It was still in her mind. And if it was still here, then that meant...

"You shouldn't have come here."

A multi-toned voice rumbled around them. Chains clanked, and out of the darkness it emerged. The wolf that dwelled in the dark corners of Adelaide’s dreams.

"What?-" Gehenna pushed out, breathless.

"You shouldn't have come here," its words replayed.

“What the hell?” Gehenna tried to convince herself she was in a nightmare. But the cool night air and the wolf’s rancid stench nullified her self-assuring fantasy.

Adelaide screamed. Gehenna snapped her head towards her. Just like the first time, four thick gashes slashed down Adelaide’s back.

“Hey-what, what’s wron-” Gehenna cut herself off as she an inch of blood seeped upwards once again from the soil.

Adelaide screamed as more gashes erupted down her chest. "Get out! Get out please!" Adelaide begged, clutching at the wounds on her chest. She trembled in unbearable pain. Unable to bear the agony, she fell to the ground, blood soaking her.

Gehenna shook, overwhelmed with confusion and a feeling of uselessness.

The wolf growled, chains clanked as he screamed. “You shouldn’t have come back!”

Gehenna screeched as a chain flew towards her. Her eyes turned white. She held out her arm, her powers knocking the chains away from her. A growl rumbled around them as a barrage of chains charged after her, trying to grab at her wrists. Gehenna’s fear boiled into rage. Her teeth clenched as her powered pulsed through her veins. She found her focus, using her abilities to halt the chains in mid-air. She yelled, her psychic powers shattered the chains apart. The wolf yelped as she knocked it to the ground.

"You...have...freed me." The wolf whimpered, crawling to his feet. Astonishment dripped from its words. The ground rumbled. A course sound of tearing shook through the air. A bright stream of light cracked through the night sky.

“Look what you’ve done.” The wolf scolded as he turned his head to Gehenna. “Look what you’ve done.” Its words were exasperated. “You’ve broken the barrier.” His voice began to fall. “She’ll...remember.”

The world around Gehenna became engulfed in a blinding white light. She felt breathless as her eyes rolled in the back of her head. Her limp body fell on to the blood-soaked ground below.

**********************

Adelaide woke on the cold sidewalk. She gasped, the harsh sunlight causing spots in her eyes. Mal and Karen knelt next her, concern placated their faces. Her racing heart finally slowed as she realized she was no longer in her mind. Out of the corner of her eye, she witnessed a Bludhaven police officer pull Gehenna off the ground. An inhibitor color clung on the neck of her limp, unconscious body.

Malcolm slid his hand behind her neck, helping her sit up. "Adelaide? You okay?" He asked, his eyes studied her face, hoping that Gehenna had not brain blasted her. "You all in there?"

"Yeah, I-" Adelaide's words trailed off as an overwhelming wave of images flushed over her. A sudden heat flushed in her chest. "I remember!" She screeched, smiling. "Everything! Everything! I remember, she-" Adelaide stumbled over her words.

"What?” Karen asked, perplexed. "Girl you're not making any sense."

Adelaide grasped her arms, excitement coursing through her. "She opened it. She found them. My memories, she found them!"

Adelaide wasn’t sure how Gehenna did it, but her powers had ripped a hole through her amnesia. "I remember everything!” She squeaked. “I remember who I am!"

She scrambled to her feet, a wave of hope rushing over her.

"My name is Emily Briggs. And I know where my parents are."

New Mexico - Seguro City Limits
February 4th, 2017
14:15 MST

The Bioship sped over the hot desert sands. As signs of civilization appeared, Emily recanted the entirety of her life’s story to Rose, Garfield, and M’gann. Once mundane details had grown a new vibrancy. It took losing her memories for her to fully appreciate them. The promise of a reunion with her parents grew as they encroached on her newly-remembered hometown of Seguro, New Mexico.

M’gann was more than happy to take her home. Grateful, yet silently disappointed that Gehenna helped her in a way that she couldn’t. She sat quiet, a polite smile rested on her face, tuned in to Emily’s words as she piloted the ship.

Garfield listened to her stories with the utmost enthusiasm. He fed off of her positive energy, a wide grin pulling on his lips. As of late, he had practically become her shadow. And to miss a moment like a reunion with her family, Garfield wouldn’t have even considered the idea. Even if he did have to hide in animal form once on the ground.

Rose, however, stared out the window with a stoic silence. A heavy feeling swirled in her stomach as Emily clattered on. She did her best to keep a smile, but suspicion and uneasiness kept pulling down the corners of her lips. She tucked her doubts away from Emily’s radar. As the Bioship flew closer to Seguro, more questions ran through her mind. Everything seemed all too convenient. Too coincidental. And the fact that Emily was expecting to return home and everything be normal...broke Rose’s heart just a little. Well, what little of a heart she had left anyways.

Rose chewed on her numb nail, thoughts flying through her mind in a garbled mess. She wondered the extent of M’gann’s telepathy. How far M’gann could pry into someone’s mind without them noticing.

For this was not the first time she’d ever been to Seguro. In fact, Seguro was home to the very last lab her adoptive parents worked at. The very same lab they set ablaze before running off with her into hiding.

‘What is it Rose?’ M’gann’s voice rang inside Rose’s head. M’gann could feel something was off.

'Nothing,’ Rose responded quickly. She paused, taking a moment to decide if she should voice her past. ‘It just...makes me nervous that their numbers were disconnected.’

‘Yeah,’ M’gann’s voice on the psychic link softened. ‘Me too.’

Emily had tried to call her parents the moment her memories came back to her, only to find that they were no longer in service. A red flag waved in M’gann’s mind. Her parents had no working contacts. And there were no missing children’s report for the name of ‘Emily Briggs’.

M’gann pushed back the uneasy feeling that something wasn’t right.

But what left her more disturbed and confused was that, despite having a lifetime of memories come back to her, Emily still could not fully remember the night she was found by Jenny and The Pack. Emily still could not recall the details of her ‘accident’. The one that caused her to gain her powers.

That memory of Emily’s still haunted M’gann. Nightmares of the day she dove into Emily’s mind gnawed at her dreams. The ghoulish face reflected in the mirror, the blood-soaked ground, and the massive wolf left her waking in a cold sweat.

Was it possible that Emily really still didn’t remember? Had that memory had yet to surface? Or maybe, perhaps maybe, she was hiding the truth from her?

But that answer, M’gann knew better than to seek out. After all, M’gann kept her true Martian form from The Team for a long time before feeling comfortable enough to show them. If Emily was keeping a secret, M’gann trusted her to reveal it when she was ready.

“Here it is! We’re finally here!” Emily’s voice rang throughout the Bioship as she pressed against the window.

Quaint western buildings made up a large part of Downtown Seguro. The small-town citizens carried on with the lives, unaware of the camouflaged alien spaceship above them. M’gann slowed the Bioship, waiting for Emily to give her directions to her home.

Emily however, overcome with excitement, found the need to explain every one of the buildings they passed.

“Oh man, that’s my favorite ice cream shop! And that place has the best pizza in town. And that-” Emily cut herself off as the reached the end of the block.

Scorched wooden wreckage sat with lonely confinement on the corner. Chain link fencing wrapped around the wreckage. Signs warning of “Danger” and “Restricted Access” were clipped around the wiring.

“Oh...I forgot,” Emily’s voice dwindled. “I forgot that burnt down.”

Anticipation itched at Rose’s chest. She stared down at the wreckage. The question, whose answers she already knew, fell from her lips. “What was it?”

Emily’s pouted in disappointment. “My doctor’s office...”

Her answer rang in Rose’s ear, the question springing from her mouth. “How often did you go there?”

M’gann shot her a confused expression. She squinted, wondering at Rose’s sudden interest.

Emily, also perplexed, stumbled to find her words. “Once-once a month usually.” She looked out the window at the wreckage. “Dad’s side of the family has all kinds of illnesses. He had them run all kinds of tests all the time.”

Before Rose could ask another question, Emily’s gasped. Her eyes went wide. “Dad! What am I doing?” She shook her head, astonished at herself. “I can’t believe I’m wasting time. M’gann, turn down this street.” She pointed with a smile, directing her towards her home.

They landed the bioship quietly in the backyard. M’gann turned off the ship’s camouflage and opened the door. Emily rushed out, nearly tripping over her own feet. She pounded her fists excitedly on the back door.

Garfield followed her. Rose and M’gann filled behind him, soaking in the details around them. The sandy backyard was overrun with brush and cacti. The discolored pool had not been tended to for quite some time.

“Hello?” Emily called out, trying to peer into the blinded windows. “Mom? Dad?”

She ran around to the front. Gar, M’gann, and Rose trailed behind her. Decorative gravel crunched beneath their feet. As Emily pounded on the front door, Rose nudge her elbow into M'gaan's side. Rose nodded towards the mailbox. Letters and manila envelopes overflowed inside.

They flashed each other with the same concerned looks. It didn’t take M’gann’s telepathy for them to know what the other was thinking.

No one was home. And no one had been home for a long time.

“I don’t understand,” Emily signed with a huff. She tried wiggling the doorknob again, only to find it was still locked. She looked over to the garage, furrowing her brows at the two vehicles that sat in the front of it. “Their cars are here...I don’t understand why they wouldn’t be home.”

The silent stillness of the house left Garfield with a sudden uneasiness. His ears twitched as he strained to hear even the tiniest noise inside. But he couldn’t. No movement nor human smells came from inside the house. Only stale air creeped from it’s cracks.

Emily hummed to herself. She tried her best not to let disappointment soil her hopeful excitement. “Maybe...they’re on vacation?” She looked across the street, the middle school she once attended held a handful of cars and bicycles in the parking lot. An idea sparked in her mind. If all was normal in Seguro after she disappeared, her friends would be getting out of tennis practice any minute.

“Let’s stop by the school,” she suggested with a smile. “My friends will know where they are!”

“Ad-Emily, maybe you should-” M’gann tried to interject, but Emily had already charged across the street. M’gann tossed Rose a worried look. She wasn’t sure just ‘popping by’ was the best way to reveal to her friends that she wasn’t dead. Garfield morphed into a tiny lizard and climbed onto M’gann’s shoulder. The three of them followed in behind her.

Emily gasped as she rounded the corner of school. There, on picnic table by the tennis courts, stood her two best friends: Rodney Gaynor and Marissa Dillon. They chatted as they gathered their equipment into their gym bags.

A sudden sadness shot through Emily. She wondered how many laughs they shared while she was gone? How many new memories with them had she missed out on? Enough time was wasted already. There really wasn’t any other way to break the news to them, she decided it best to break it to them fast and hard.

Emily approached them. And before she could say a word, Rodney met her eye contact.

Time froze between them. His face turned as white as a ghost he believed he was seeing. Rodney grasped at the table to hold himself up. It took the last bit of the air in his lungs for him to speak.

“Holy shit…”

Marissa turned around to see what had caught his attention. Her eyes fell upon Emily. She screeched, backing her body against Rodney. She clutched her hand to her face, body shaking as her blood ran cold.

“Hey guys…” Emily broke the silence with a small voice. She planned all night for this reunion. She mapped out the words to say. But now, every moment she had prepared, suddenly escaped her. “Um-” She found it hard to meet the gaze. “I’m...alive.”

A shaky breath fell from Marissa’s lips. The girl in front of her may have looked a little different. The friend in front of her might have been pronounced dead months ago. But that voice, dear god that voice was unmistakable.

“Emily?” She croaked out.

Emily gave her a small nod. She prayed that they would be able to forgive her. “It’s me.”

Marissa twitched at the sound of her voice again. She swallowed hard, taking a few careful steps towards her. She reached out her hand, fingertips gliding with a light touch over her cheeks. A wobbled, almost hysteric chuckle escaped her. Her eyes filled with tears at the affirmation that, no she wasn’t going crazy. No, she wasn’t seeing a ghost.

Emily was alive. Her best friend was alive.

Rose, M’gann, and a transformed Garfield watched from a few feet away. They jumped as Marissa clutched her arms around Emily’s shoulders. A wail fell from her throat as her tears dripped against Emily’s skin.

“You’re...really...here,” Marissa choked between sobs.

Emily nearly fell off her feet and Rodney bear-hugged the both of them. He pressed his forehead against Emily’s, his own tears staining his cheeks.

“I can’t believe it,” he chirped. “It really is you.”

Emily could no longer keep herself from crying. She embraced them back with a severe desperateness. Terrified that this newly found feeling of belonging would be ripped from her arms. Her life was back. The ones she loved were finally coming back to her. And this time she would never let anything take that away from her again.

A smile crept upon M’gann’s lips. She had forgotten that her time with The Team had left her jaded. It was nice to finally see some good in the world. For nothing usually ended well for kids like them.

Rose turned her head away. Their gentle coos and welcomes turned her stomach sour. She rolled her eyes, their private moment grinding at her nerves. She couldn’t tell if her irritation with them stemmed from her impatience or…..jealousy.

“What-what happened to you?” Marissa, finally able to construct a full sentence, pulled away. She wiped the tears from her cheeks.

Emily sighed as Rodney let her go. She gave a sad shake of her head. “I don’t know.” She bit at her lower lip. “I was hoping you guys could tell me.”

Marissa looked over at Rodney, her jaw falling open. “You don’t...remember?” She asked.

Emily rubbed the back of her neck. “I remember being in a park.” She glanced over at M’gann, her eyes falling to the ground. “And I think, I remember...blood.” Images of the events in her brain, the slashes down her back, prodded at her. “And some pain. But I,” She shut them out. “That’s it.” She looked over at M’gann. “They rescued me.” She decided they didn’t need to know about her powers and The Pack just yet. “My memories didn’t come back until yesterday.”

Marissa shook her head in affirmation. “Yeah we-we were on a class trip. Almost everyone in our class went on a camping trip to the Franklin Mountains State Park. You know, the one by El Paso?”

M’gann let out a small gasp. That must have been how The Pack found her.

Marissa continued, scratching at her arm, as if trying to offset the pain of the memory. “You went out on a trail on your own to take some pictures. You wanted to take pictures of the sunset.”

The memory of that trail finally popped into Emily’s mind. She remembered finding the perfect spot and waiting. Waiting for the sun to place itself in the just right place. She sat on the sand, leaning against a large rock. The hike was so tiring, the sun had been so hot. She dozed off with the cooling air.

“The sun was down for hours and nobody could find you.” Marissa’s voice shook. “They had search parties everywhere. No one-no one found your body but….” Marissa began to cry again. “There was this spot in just a little ways off the trail.” She choked. “There was so much blood all over the ground.”

Emily shook at her memory of darkness. That distinct sting as something clawed at her back.

“They found your camera, your phone, parts of your clothes.” Marissa shook her head, as if she almost didn’t believe what she saw. “And paw prints. Big pawprints.”

Emily’s chest tightened. She remembered the red eyes in the dark and the chilling growl that had rumbled the ground below her.

“The police said you were attacked and-and eaten by a wolf, a mountain lion, something.” Marissa’s composure began to fade. “We all went to your funeral.” She rallied against her sadness, pushing out a small smile. “But you’re alive.”

Emily smiled back and nodded. “I’m alive.” She grasped Marissa’s hand in affirmation. She swallowed hard, not wanting to break the moment. But they were not the only people she travel across the U.S. to see.

“Have you seen my parents?” Emily asked. “Their cars are still in the yard, but they didn't answer.”

Marissa gasped, letting go of Emily’s hand. She looked over at Rodney, the inner corners of his brows turned upwards in pity.

“You don't…you don't know.” Marissa shook her head, mouth agape. “Are we the first people you've talked to?”

Emily squinted in confusion. “Yeah, why?” She grew impatient at their silence. “Guys, where are my parents?”

Rodney cleared his throat, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. “We don't...we don't really know where your Dad is. A few months after you...died...he skipped town. No one’s heard from him.”

“What?” Emily gasped. “That doesn't...that doesn't sound like him at all.” She paused in disbelief. “You mean...you mean he just...how could he just abandon my mom that?”

“No…” Rodney answered, slow. “She...she left him.”

Emily twitched at his answer. “What do you mean? They got a divorce?”

“No...Emily,” Marissa took both of her hand in her’s. She took a deep breath, trying to muster her words. “You-you have to understand...there was a lot of blood at the crime scene. And-and even though they couldn't find your body...that much blood...they didn't think...nobody thought you could have survived. Everyone thought you were dead.” She bit her lower lip, not wanting to continue.

“Your parents took it rough.” She shook her head with a slow sympathy. “You can't imagine how hard it was for them. Your mom,” Tears swelled in her eyes, remembering the state of Emily’s mother. “I've never seen anyone so just utterly broken with grief.” She squeezed Emily’s hands, her voice cracking.“She loved you so much.”

“What are talking about?” Emily beamed, now impatient and irritated.

“Emily…” Marissa croaked. “Your mom killed herself.”

The world stopped; the entirety of space and time thrown into an unbearable, sickening, screeching halt. The words grated in Emily’s ear, their sting freezing the air in her lungs. She couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t think, she couldn't feel the warmth of Marissa’s skin in her hands.

Rose and M’gann looked at one another in surprised horror. Unable to think, to respond, to move. The answer to their suspicions, far worse than they could have imagined.

A breathless silence poisoned their air around them. Emily’s jaw trembled as her eyes darted around Marissa’s face. Her chest tightened and limbs shook.

“How?” The coarse, stern words shot from the back of Emily’s throat. A masochistic, stupid, unchecked curiosity seeped in her mind. As if she were no longer a part of the world around her, as if she were now only hearing a sad story.

Marissa swallowed hard, her soft, broken voice slow to answer. “About a month after your funeral-” She stopped her sentence short, her jaw tightened.

Unabashedly and truthfully, Rodney answered for her. “She slit her wrists in the bathtub.”

“Rodney!” Marissa hissed, her words pushed through her clenched teeth.

“What?” He asked, brows furrowed. “She deserves the right to know.”

“Not that much detail you dumbass.” Marissa scolded.

Heart pounding, M’gann’s eyes fell on Emily. Her hand trembled, contemplating on if she should reach out to her.

“Emily?” Marissa asked as M’gann came closer. Emily only stared at her with a slacked jaw. Marissa continued, “Emily? Say something, please.”

M’gann placed a hand on Emily’s shoulder. The feel of her hand snapped Emily back into her dark, painful reality. M’gann’s touch made her realized that she was here, this was real.

She tried to catch her breath as her chest became unbearably tight; her breathing short, shallow, and raspy. An all too familiar feeling of panic crept up her spine. So she did the only thing she could.

She ran.

Emily spun out of M’gann’s grasp. She bolted away from the tennis courts. The ground gliding below her as her feet carried her faster than any other time before. They took her to the place she traveled so far to see. They took her to the place she had daydreamed, and fantasized, and reminisced about for hours.

They took her home.

They were wrong.

Marissa was wrong.

Everything was fine.

It was fine.

It had to be fine.

Emily smashed against the locked front door. Something savage and desperate clawed beneath her skin.

It was fine.

Everything behind that door, was fine.

Her mother,

Her father,

They would be there.

Emily’s eyes glowed as she growled, tears falling down her cheeks. And she, with the use of her newly formed metahuman strength, kicked in open the door and charged inside.

“Emily!” M’gann’s voice filled the front yard as she bolted up the walkway. Garfield leaped from her shoulder, morphing into his regular form. Rose followed right behind her them.

“Em-” M’gann’s words drowned in her mouth as they stepped foot in the house.

A chilling quiet seeped around them. The dust-coated furnishings sat silent, untouched. Their presence, monuments of memories long gone. Resting in this mausoleum that was once called ‘home’. Eerie eyes of family photographs and childhood memories stared at them from the walls, dust fogging their glass coating.

Emily stood, unmoving, and silent next to the dining room table. It’s cold, glazed mahogany rested under her palm.

“Emily?” M’gann’s words were slow and nearly silent. “Are you okay?”

A moment of silence filled the room.

“I sat here,” Emily answered, placing her hand on one of the end chairs. “No, I sit here.” Her words were quiet but steady. “And Dad sits there.” She motioned to the chair on her right and one to the left. “And mom sits there.”

She took slow steps into the kitchen. Rotting fruit sat in a bowl on the counter, tiny fruit flies buzzing over it.

“That’s weird,” Emily stated, a chilling numbness to her words. “Mom usually throws out stuff before it goes bad.”

Rose’s jaw slacked open. She looked at M’gann with a worried look of pity, concerned at Emily’s use of the present tense. Neither of them noticed that Garfield had begun to shake.

Emily walked past them, making her way to the other side of the house. They followed her with cautious movements. She walked into the bedroom on the right side of the hall. Rose, Garfield, and M’gann stood close to the doorway.

“This is my room.” Emily informed, eyes glazing over all of her trinkets. She placed her hand on the mirrored dresser. "This is my vanity. My mom taught me how to do my makeup here.” She picked up a framed photo it shelved. A picture of her and her mother, smiled, dressed in their very best, holding Playbills titled ‘Guys and Dolls’.

A small smile appeared and dissipated from Emily’s lips. “I think I know where I got the name Adelaide from, now.” She looked up at them and then back down at the photo in her hands. “It’s this character’s name, Adelaide, from the first show we ever say together. She took me to see it, and I fell so in love with theatre.” The smiled stayed this time.

“After the show, I told her I wanted to act, and model, and sing, and dance.” A small laugh escaped her, she looked up at them with watery eyes. “So you know what she did? She called up every talent agency in New Mexico to get me an audition.” She placed the photo back down, sadness flowing through her veins. A dreary chuckled escaped her. “Yeah, I remember. She used to call me her 'Little Adelaide'."

She walked towards the door, her eyes never meeting theirs. “She'd sing it to me too.” Emily’s hand glided across the wallpaper as she walked down the end of the hall. Her soft, somber serenade echoing around them:

“Sooo sue me, sue me,”

‘I can't do this,’ Rose’s words jarred on the psychic link. M’gann snapped her head in her direction. Rose’s lip trembled with anger. ‘I can't watch her do this to herself.’

“Shoot bullets through me.”

‘She needs this. She needs to do this,’ M’gann responded, trying to placate Rose’s worry. ‘She needs this to say goodbye.’

“Adelaide, I loooove y-”

Emily’s singing ceased as she stood in the doorway of the other bedroom. She held her breath as she walked into it. The others followed in behind her.

“This was their room.” She looked over that the dresser, shining badges hung in display cases. “Those are all of Dad’s military medals.” She inhaled through her nose, trying one last time to remember her father’s cologne, her mother’s incense. “It still smells like….smells like…”

Her words trailed off as she turned her head towards a closed door. Her heart pounded in her chest. The stern heartbeat rang in her ear. Emily stared at the white door, a chill flowing through her veins. She knew what was behind that door.

Their bathroom. Their bathtub. The same place where...where….

What was that smell? It was coming from behind that door.

Garfield’s claws dug into the matted carpet. His shaking breaths rumbled in his lungs. Anxiety knawed in his throat. News of Emily’s mother’s passing...brought about memories of his own mother.

Marie Logan. Murdered by Queen Bee.

He tried to shake his sullen feelings away. But something kept pulling him back in. Something dug them up as fast as he buried them. Something….a smell. What was it?

Beast Boy inhaled the air around him. A faint sting of metallic air wafting in his nose. A dull, hazy stench of copper.

No.

Oh no oh no oh no oh no.

A bolt of panic leaped in his chest as Emily took a step towards the bathroom door.

“Emily-” His words garbled in this closing throat. “Emily, don't!”

She rushed for the door. Her hand turned the knob before Garfield could finish his warning.

She screamed.

The white tile of the bathroom floor, crusted with a sickening web of long-evaporated blood. Red stains cascaded down the side of the tub. The crime scene markers still lay firmly in place. No one had bothered to wash away the leftovers of her mother’s sorrow. No one had remembered to erase her last moment of desperate despair.

And for the first time since hearing the news, her mother’s death finally became real.

Emily continued to scream as she collapsed onto her hands and knees.

Garfield clawed at his chest, unable to breathe. His mind played sick hallucinations before his eyes. The tub overflowed with a wave of crimson. Jungle sprouted around him. The tub flooded into a lake around him. His mother’s overturned car morphed before him.

He had to get out.

He had to get the fuck out.

Garfield yelped as he cried. He raced out of the bedroom, his ribs digging into his lungs.

M’gann called after him, overwhelmed by the sights and sounds around her.

“Go after him!” Rose yelled at her, looking back as she tried to pick an inconsolable, shrieking Emily up off of the floor. “I got her. Go after him!”

M’gann nodded without a second thought. She zoomed through the house, crashing through the backdoor.

Garfield sat hunched over the in the sandy backyard. He grasped at his head, scratching away at the memories inside. He sobbed, tears dripping down his chin.

M’gann knelt in front of him, putting his head between her palms.

'Garfield, what is it?’ Her voice rang in his head. ‘Show me.’

His mind brought her back to a familiar scene. The waterfall roared as his mother’s overturned car swathed in the shallow water.

But a new chapter of that memory played for her for the very first time. A ten-year-old Garfield Logan, with a trembling lip and tear-stained cheeks, jumped into the water. Drunk on fruitless hope. Delusional on the notion that maybe, somehow, she survived. That he could pull her out. He called out to her as he trudged through the water, its waves crashing against his chest.

And then it appeared, like a swarm of crimson locus, a steady flow of blood trailed from the car. The crashing waves of the waterfall raced it towards him.

That smell. That metallic smell of his mother’s blood. His growing senses picking up the stench more efficiently than anytime before.

That was when he knew. That was the moment of slaughtered hope. The downfall of his delusion that he still had a mother.

M’gann pulled out of his mind and pulled him to her chest. She held him tight against her, his sobs muffled against her clothing. Tears poured down her cheeks as guilt suffocated her.

What had she done? What had she done by bringing them here?

Inside the house, Emily’s screams shattered through the walls. The cries and shrieks grated against Rose’s ears. She fought back as Rose tried to pull her away. She waved her arms twisted out of her grasp.

Irritation crawled under Rose’s skin. Emily’s uncooperative behavior and loudness tried her patience. She couldn’t stay there. She didn’t need to see the aftermath. She had to have known it was going to hurt her. So why did she choose to open that door?

Rose grabbed Emily by the waist. She scratched at the floors and counters as Rose tried to pull her away.

“Nooo!’ Emily’s hoarse wails bellowed from deep inside her. Her sobbing reminiscent of a toddler. “Mamaaa!”

A shiver snaked up Rose’s spine. A cold, desperate feeling of guilt overcame her. For this wasn’t just her teammate she held in her arms. This wasn’t just a metahuman she was struggling against. Emily was a child. A child who just came face-to-face, with her mother’s self-inflicted passing.

“Mommy!” Emily clenched her eyes tight as her squeal blared against the bathroom tiles.

Rose’s breathing shuttered. Her eyes watered with the growing tingle in her nose. Desperation ate at her.

She had to get Emily out. She had to take her away from that place.

With swift motions, Rose yanked Emily out of the bathroom. Though she fought Rose every step of the way, she dragged her out. Emily’s nails tore at the wallpaper as Rose carried her down the hall.

Rose pulled Emily into her old bedroom. She collapsed onto the floor, bringing Rose down with her. Rose placed Emily’s head between her hands. She grasped onto Rose’s arms, her sharpening nails digging into her skin.

Emily’s sobs began to choke her. Her breathing shallow, breaths caught in her throat.

A tinge of panic shot through Rose.

“Nononono,” Rose clattered. “Come on kid. Breathe.”

Emily shook in Rose’s hands. Her choking only strengthening her flow of tears. Fear spiraled in her stomach. A strange warmth tore at her chest.

Rose’s jaw fell open as Emily’s eyes turned yellow. Her teeth slowly became fine points. Emily’s panic was taking hold; morphing her powers into something no one had ever seen. But this was not the right time. She was in no state to lose control. Rose had to tear down Emily’s adrenaline, make her gain control again, and fast.

“Fuck,” Rose whispered to herself. “How the fuck did Gar do this?”

And then she remembered.

“Count!” Rose blurted in desperation. “Breathe, kid. Count with me.”

Rose counted upwards and downwards in steps of three. Inhaling and exhaling with each set.

Emily slowly gained control of her breathing. Her facial features morphed into their normal shape and color. She looked at Rose with large, broken eyes. Her lip quivered, shaking under the chilling cold of the truth.

Emily crawled into Rose’s lap. Her soft cries muffled as she pressed her head softly on Rose’s chest.

“Why did she leave?” Emily sniffled. “Why did she leave me? Why did she go?” Her soft, fractured, squeaking voice nearly inaudible. She grabbed Rose’s shirt as she nuzzled against it. Tears falling with her painful, desperate questions. “Why?”

Rose’s chest heaved as an all too familiar feeling of loss roared inside her. Unable to stop herself as a tear fell down her own cheek. Rose shook her head, angry at how helpless she was to help her.

She held Emily tight, unable to give the answer she so desperately sought.

Bludhaven - The Warehouse
February 5th, 2017
02:10 EDT

Garfield sat against the wall, the ajar basement door next to him. His arms rested on his knees as the lull of sleep pulled on his eyes. His ears twitched as he listened intently to the voices of M’gann and Nightwing from behind the door. Today had drained him of the will and energy to face his sister or teammates. But he still wanted to hear the next steps of their plan for Emily. A bothersome concoction of anger, disappointment, and sadness festered inside him as he eavesdropped.

“Well?” M’gann’s tiny voice echoed in the basement of The Warehouse.

Nightwing sighed. His fingers diligently tapped on the floating computer screens. He looked over at M’gann, shaking his head.

“It’s true.” He answered. “She was pronounced dead in June of last year.”

M’gann approached the computer screen. Her eyes scanned the digital copy of Emily’s death certificate and the heartwarming obituary in the Seguro paper. Nightwing even managed to find the police report of her ‘accident’.

M’gann squeezed her eyes shut, gritting her teeth in anger at herself. “I can’t believe I only searched missing children’s reports. I don’t know why I didn’t think to look for obituaries.”

Dick tilted his head in understanding. “I think you just got caught up in her excitement.”

M’gann sniffled and wiped away her angry tears. “I should never have taken her there. I should have investigated first.”

“Well, there's not much we can do about that now,” Nightwing tried to provide her with the best advice he could. “The most we can do is move on and try to-”

“But I keep screwing up!” She snapped at him. Her hands shaking and eyes watering with frustration. It seemed as though everything she touched in her life fell apart. Her hands flailed as she talked. “I’m screwing up Mars. I screwed up with Emily. I even screwed up Garfield today. I just can’t get anything right-”

“Heyheyhey,” Nightwing interrupted her. He placed his hands on her shoulder to calm her. Her staggered breathing and tear-stained cheeks gave him clues to her overwhelmed state. “Everything is going to be fine.” He said in a slow, soft voice. “You’re doing everything you can to the best of your ability.” When she looked away, he moved his head to meet her eye contact. “I know that whatever you’re doing, you’re doing it to help. Not to hurt. Ba’arzz knows that. Emily knows that. Garfield knows that.”

Nightwing perked at saying Garfield’s name. His hands slid off of M’gann’s shoulders. “What um, what did happen to Gar today?”

M’gann shook her head in disappointment. She looked up at Nightwing with tired, sad eyes. “He had another one of his episodes today.”

Beast Boy let out a small growl. He scratched at the skin on his arms. M’gann had promised that she wouldn’t tell anyone about his ‘episodes’. About his ‘triggers’. About his ‘Post Traumatic Stress’ as Black Canary called it. He scoffed at the thought. The only this it was to him was….embarrassing. How was he supposed to be a superhero, when a single object could leave him in a frozen or hysteric state of mind? A waterfall, a color, a smell…

Now even more people knew about his fragility. Emily saw it. Rose saw it. And apparently, even Nightwing knew.

“I’ll schedule him more sessions with Dinah.”

Garfield scoffed at Nightwing’s statement. He jumped to his feet. He grew tired of eavesdropping. He dreaded the incoming sessions. He hated talking about his feelings. Not just because the idea of another person knowing his dark thoughts was, terrifying. But because no matter how much he talked about, how sad or angry he may be...it wouldn't bring back his mother. It wouldn’t save her from Queen Bee. It wouldn't placate his guilt. It wouldn't change the past. It wouldn't make him be there to save her, be there for her.

Just like how he wasn't there for Emily.

Beast Boy growled as he made his way towards his bedroom. Berating himself for not being able to say something, anything, to Emily when she needed it most. He sighed, bags pulled under his eyes. His mind and emotions were drained, he could feel the call of his bed from down the hall.

He paused in the dark hallway. His ear twitched as he heard the tiniest noise. Just a squeak of the floorboards maybe?

He found himself outside of Emily’s room. He stood there for a moment as the noise pinged in his ear again. Although this time, he recognized it as a muffled sob.

It must have been Emily. She must have been crying.

He heard another tiny sob from the other side of her door. He could tell from their hushed tones that she was trying her best to stay as quiet as she could. As soon as they arrived back to The Warehouse, she locked herself in her bedroom.

He felt his heart breaking.

There she was in her room alone, alone and hurting. A child grieving the loss of a mother she loved so much, with no one around to help pick up the pieces.
He knew all too well what that felt like.

Beast Boy turned and lightly knocked on her door.

“Hey, Emily?” He said softly. “Um. It’s me.”

He would be damned if he let her hurt by herself.

Beast Boy heard a soft sniffle and a ruffling of feet across the carpet. Emily took a moment to gather herself before opening the door. Beast Boy watched the light from the hallway spill onto her face as she opened it. She kept her face tucked down, her gaze on the floor. He could see the sticky shine upon her cheeks of the tears that she had wiped away. Her eyes contained the faintest hint of red.

Silence fell between them. Beast Boy knew that she was not going to be the one to speak first.

But what could he say?

‘I’m sorry your mom’s dead? I’m sorry for your loss? Everything gets better in time? You’ll be ok?’

He couldn’t bear the thought of uttering something so cliche. He knew better than anyone exactly how little those sentiments meant or helped.

“Hey,” was all that he could muster.

“Hey,” she responded, without eye contact, wrapping an arm around herself.

Beast Boy felt incredibly awkward. As if he were trying too hard. But he just wanted to help her. He knew more than anyone the sting of the wound of losing one’s mother.

He suddenly knew what to ask. Something that he wished would have been asked to him when his mom died. Something that would have made it easier to crawl out of the pit of unbearable loneliness.

“Um,” His eyes darted back and forth trying to pick the perfect way to say it. He took a deep breath before looking at her, “Do you want some company?”

Beast Boy saw a rush of water in her eyes. A grimace formed on her mouth; as she held back a rush of tears. She gave a few rapid nods of her head ‘yes’. As Beast Boy walked into her room and shut the door behind him, Emily walked back to her bed and laid back down on top of if. She did not care where Beast Boy went while he was in there, just his presence was enough. But she didn’t want to leave the security of her bed. She laid there, wanting so badly to cry but was not yet ready to do so in front of him again.

Hesitant, Beast Boy followed her. He stopped at the end of her bed. His animal senses bombarded him with the scent and feel of her sadness. It made him sick to know that anyone else would ever feel that same way that he once did. He diligently climbed upon her bed, laid next to her, and carefully slid an arm underneath her. He wrapped the other around the middle of her back and pulled her in close. Her soft breaths patted against his chest as he placed his chin on the top of her head.

After a moment of silence, Beast Boy cleared his throat. His voice trembled, “When… when my mom died almost a year ago. She…she drove herself off a cliff. And-and I wasn’t there.” He paused, starting to feel his own tears form. “I wasn’t there to save her.” Emily stirred.

He clenched his eyes at the painful memory. The sight of his mother’s car flipped over, swathing in the base of a waterfall would be something that he knew would haunt him for a long time.

“What I want to say Emily is….” he shook his head, telling her the words he wished he would have heard.

“What I want to say is that whatever it is you’re feeling...you’re allowed to feel it. You’re allowed to feel sad. You’re allowed to feel angry. You’re allowed to feel scared. You’re allowed to feel disappointed. You’re allowed to feel whatever it is that comes across you. But...but just don’t forget that you have us now. You still have a family. So...whatever it is that you are feeling Emily...you don’t have to feel it alone.”

She pressed her face against his chest. She wrapped her arm around him and pulled them tighter together. He heard her sharp inhale just before she let everything go. Her loud sobs filling the room as she, in the warm embrace of this wonderful boy, finally felt safe enough to fall apart again.

Beast Boy held her even tighter as she cried. He nuzzled his face into her hair as tears slid down his cheeks.

“You’ll never be alone again, I promise."

Chapter Text

Dakota City - Goren Residence
February 11th, 2017
13:23 CDT

Virgil's head pounded with the creaking of an opening screen door. When he was asked to join the team no one saying anything about the early morning - Saturday morning - training sessions with Black Lightning. With his mentor and The Team eating up his free time, he was grateful when Frieda offered to help tutor him.

"Frieda? Mr. and Mrs. Goren?" Virgil called as he stepped into the house. He heard footsteps above him and followed the noise upstairs. Only silence greeted him. Faint mumbling fell from behind Frieda's bedroom door. He knocked.

"Come in!" Frieda's high pitched voice bellowed through the cracks of her bedroom door.

Virgil opened it as he spoke, "Hey, just stoppin' by for that chemistry home...work…"

His voice trailed off as his brows bunched in confusion. His eyes darted about the room. Squeaks and squeals roared in the air. Ten mouse cages sprinkled Frieda's room; covering her floor and dressers. Each with a clipboard attached to its' side. Glass beakers, microscopes, and other slightly terrifying scientific instruments sat askew on her desk. A small flame burned under a test tube as light blue liquid gently boiled inside it.

Crazed frizz of red hair slowly escaped the bun on her head. She wore a white lab coat, goggles, and latex gloves. She scribbled furiously on a clipboard, cursing under her breath.

She turned towards him, her eyes widening in excitement. "Oh! Virgil! I'm glad you're here. Do me a favor and put on those gardening gloves." She pointed to her desk before reaching into one of the cages.

"Umm...why?" He asked, perplexed and slightly afraid.

She groaned and rolled her eyes. "Just do it," she called over her shoulder.

Virgil shook his head, begrudgingly putting on the gloves.

"Hold this please." She scurried over to him, carrying a tiny white mouse in her hand. She handed it off to Virgil and reached for a syringe on her desk. "This part's sooo much easier if I don't have to hold them myself." She placed the needle into the boiling blue liquid and sucked up a tiny amount into the syringe. She moved over to Virgil, grabbing his gloved hand to tighten his grip on the mouse. "You're not squeamish right?" She asked.

"Wha-" Virgil wasn't given enough time to process her question.

"Hold him tight," She instructed, holding the tiny needle up to the scruff of the mouse's neck. "You move and I could prick you."

The closer the needle moved, the more the mouse writhed in Virgil's hand. It squealed as Frieda injected it with the blue liquid. Virgil's stomach curdled as the poor thing was helpless under his grip.

"Ohhh God," He looked away. It also didn't help that needles gave him a mild case of the willies. "I'm gonna be sick."

Frieda smiled and shook her head."You're such a baby." She took the now limp mouse from his hand and placed it back in its cage. She pulled out a clipboard, jotting down notes and numbers. "Oh, the homework's in my backpack under the desk, yellow folder," she called over her shoulder.

Virgil waited for a moment, pausing to see if she would explain herself. "Uh, Frieda...what are you doing? What did I just help you do?" He motioned around the room. "The hell are all these mice for?"

Frieda sucked on her teeth, she looked at him with a worried expression. "Okay...don't be mad at me."

Virgil's lips bunched into the corner of his mouth. He raised an eyebrow at her in suspicion. "What are you doing that would make me mad at you?"

She scratched at her neck. "Wellll I miiiight be...sorta...kinda….running an elaborate experiment with Spark."

"What?" His jaw dropped in disbelief. He pointed to her desk. "Is that-Is that what's boiling in there? Is that what you injected that mouse with?"

"Yeah-oh shoot!" She turned towards the mouse cage, fumbling for the stopwatch in her lab coat pocket. "I'm supposed to record how long it takes for a visible reaction!" She growled and shook her head. "Dammit, I'll just have to run this test again."

"You're running a drug lab...in your bedroom?!" Virgil exclaimed. "This cannot be legal."

"Okay first of all, rude." She cocked her hip, holding up a finger at him. "I'm a scientist, not an addict. I'm running a controlled experiment with drugs not making them." She held up another finger. "Second of all, pretty much your team and the JLA are the only ones who know of Spark so, it's technically not illegal...yet."

He placed his hand over his mouth, staring at her wide-eyed with disbelief. "You do realize you're a crazy person, right?"

She smirked. "Crazy and genius border the same line,"

"A very fine line," Virgil replied with an eye roll.

"Hey, I'm doing this for you guys," she retorted. "You're the ones out saving the world and I wanna help. If I can crack the code on this thing, figure out what makes it tick, maybe we can fully understand it. Even make an anecdote." She smiled wide, staring off in wonder. "That would so get me first place in the District Science Fair."

Virgil's jaw slacked in disbelief.

Science...science fair? Oh dear God this crazy white girl was going to be the death of him.

"How did you even get a hold of some?" He asked.

She squinted, sporting a nervous grin. "Don't be mad at me?"

He sighed, closing his eyes. "Frieda…" He had a feeling he wasn't going to like this story.

"Sooo when Francis threw that party and he was freaking out and you told me to get everyone outside," She bit her lower lip. "Well I kinda, sorta saw that there was a half a bag left on the coffee table...so I took it."

"You stole evidence from a crime scene!?" He yelped.

"For science!" she retorted.

"Oh my God," Virgil replied, rubbing his fingers on his temple. "Now that was definitely illegal."

"Oh come on," She said with a shrug. "It's not like I just took it and didn't help the police. I was the only one sober so I had to tell the police what happened, walk him through his house…" Her voice trailed off as her eyes fell to the floor. "His room."

Worry overcame Virgil's face. His irritation evolving into guilt. With all that had been going on with The Team, it was easy for him to shake off what had happened that day at Francis's house.

But that moment still had yet to leave Frieda. She still woke some nights, drenched in tears and a cold sweat. Nightmares of the assault that could have been haunted her dreams.

His unwanted touch in her slumber felt as violating as it was in real life.

"I shoulda been there for you afterwards," Virgil broke the silence with his quiet voice. He took her hands in his. Guilt still plagued him. He had to flee from the police to keep his secret identity from being compromised. But near-trauma can be just as haunting as trauma itself. He should have been there for support. "You shouldn't have been alone."

"I wasn't alone, my mom came." She said, a lull of sadness in her tone. She squeezed his hands in reassurance. "I'm a minor so they had to call her anyways."

"You still pressing charges?"

"Yeah," She shrugged. "I don't know if anything will come of it. One of those he-said-she-said type of things are hard to prosecute."

"Not if you had a witness to testify,"

"Stop," She knew where he was going. She couldn't let him testify, the police still had no idea he was there. "I told you, you can't. I don't want you to take a chance of compromising your secret identity." A sad smile pulled at her lips, remembering how he had saved her. "You did more than enough for me." She cleared her throat, dissipating the awkward aura of the room. "But, anyyyways. I might have a teeeeny tiny favor to ask of you."

"What?" He asked, crossing his arms.

"So...you're still on the roster for that bust in El Paso today, right?"

"Yeah…." He answered hesitantly. Why did he tell her everything that went on with the team?

Oh, right, because she's incredulously nosy.

She paused, giving him a nervous grin. "I need you to steal some for me."

"Oh H-h-hellllll naw," he answered in a sing-song voice.

"Virgil-"

He held his hand out in front of him to stop her. "You must me outta yo' damn mind."

"Please! I'm so close to a breakthrough and I'm almost out!"

"You realize how much trouble I could get into?"

"Yes but-" She growled with a small stamp of her food. "Virgil I know I can do this. I know I can figure this out. I wanna help too." She paused, gathering her words. "I'm not-I'm not strong like you. But I have this big brain and, God, you know, you know I am so annoyingly relentless." She looked up at him, fists curling in determination. "I know that I can do good with this. That I might be able to save people. Please. Please just help me do this."

She looked at him with soft, watery eyes. Eyes that carried a sad, adorable pleading that Virgil found himself sucked into the longer he stared. The longer they held his attention, the bigger they appeared, and the weaker Virgil's resistance to them became.

How? How are girls so good at that?

"Fine," He growled with a roll of his eyes. What the hell was she getting him into? "Since it's, technically not illegal yet."

She squealed with excitement, wrapping him in a tight hug. "Thankyouthankyouthankyou,"

"Yeah, yeah."

"Oh, also." Frieda pulled herself out of her celebration. She scurried over to her desk. She picked up two new syringes. She turned towards Virgil, snapping on a new latex glove. "I need a couple vials of your blood."

"What!?"

Bludhaven - The Warehouse
February 11th, 2017
16:30 EDT

A foreign quiet crept through the walls. Only the sounds of a sizzling pan graced the air. Rose stood in front of the stove. A light smell of cumin wafted around her as she poured the contents in the pan onto a plate.

She took a deep breath. Taking a moment to listen.

A gentle flow of water from the bathroom sink ceased. Emily opened the bathroom door, darting for her room.

But in a swift motion, with a plate in hand, Rose glided towards her. Rose's foot stopped the door before Emily could close it. She jumped at Rose's sudden presence.

"Oh, sorry," Rose responded with an awkward inflection. "Didn't mean to scare you."

"It's fine," Emily mumbled with a roll of her eyes. She turned her back on Rose, making her way to her bed. She sat, pretending to be interested in the cartoon that flashed upon her television.

Heavy, dark bags rested under her eyes. Mental and physical exhaustion dripped off of her. It had been the same routine over and over every day the entire week. She would leave her room for a brief moment, or someone would knock on her door. Her teammates would express their apologies, mutter some cliche about how "everything will get better", or lecture the importance of taking care of herself.

She would nod her head at their sentiments. Let their words flow unregistered as she wallowed in her sadness. Her despair. Her guilt. Drowning for so long in her anguish that she...no longer felt anything at all.

Nothing but self-destructive numbness.

"So uh, how you doin kiddo?" Rose regretted the words as soon as they left her lips.

Emily merely glanced at her with cold, empty eyes before taking them back to the television.

Rose groaned at herself. "Yeahhh...that was stupid." She cleared her throat, holding out the dish of food in her hand. "I made dinner. Your favorite."

Steak; rare, lightly seared & bloody.

Rose's cringed at the sight of it. She set it down on Emily's dresser. Her plate from breakfast sat there, untouched.

Rose paused, looking over at Emily. Rose was certain she had not consumed anything since...that day.

"Ya gotta eat, ya know." She said.

Emily made no noise nor gesture. She merely waited for Rose to leave.

Rose growled in irritation, scratching at her forehead. She turned to leave but paused. She bit her lip, preparing her words beforehand. She wasn't good at socializing in general. Let alone talking about...feelings.

"Hey, uh.." She turning towards Emily, reaching for her back pocket. "Here. I, I brought this for you." She pulled out a small framed photo. Rose's words were soft as her gaze fell to the floor.

Emily looked at Rose with cautious eyes before reaching out her hand.

Rose continued, her voice unsteady. "It's that picture you liked, from your room."

Emily let out a shaky gasp as she pulled the photo in close to her. The photo of she and her mother, with smiles on their faces, and Playbills in their hands. Rose had taken it from her old home. Water swelled in Emily's eyes until quiet tears fell down her cheeks.

Rose took a seat next to her on her bed. She scratched at her palm, racking her brain for the right words.

"I know, it might be hard to look at now." Her words were strangely soft. "But I know," her breathing hitched. "I know...I'd give anything to have a picture of my mom. So I knew you would too."

Emily turned towards her. Her glossy, curious eyes studied Rose's face.

Rose's white locks fell in her face as an old sadness pulled at her lips. Her mind drifted to memories of a nearly forgotten time. Small, bittersweet images of a life long ago. Of a place far away. Of a woman who had long since passed. Choppy pieces of an innocent life that Rose held on to with a desperate grip.

Memories of a time when she was once human.

Before she was turned into a monster.

A foreign, omniscient feeling...no...voice flowed through Emily's mind as she, in a bizarre way, felt closer to Rose than she ever had before. As though she could drink in her feelings, as though she could read what was on her mind.

And Emily was struck with the overwhelming notion that Rose was not referring to her adoptive mother.

"You're talking about your birth mom, aren't you?"

Rose shook with a violent twitch at her question. A flutter of panic rose in her stomach. Rose stared at her with disbelief. An angry curiosity scratched at her skin.

How did she know?

How did Emily see that layer Rose worked so hard to bury?

"Yeah," Rose answered, her eyes falling to the floor. All notions of sound judgment screamed at her. Begged her to keep quiet.

But Rose wanted more than anything to connect with another person again. To feel like a person again.

And God damnit, she was so tired of lying.

"Did you know her?" Emily asked in a quiet voice.

Rose nodded, swallowing hard. "Til I was 12."

Emily tilted her head in inquiry. An innocent curiosity lighting up her eyes. "What was she like?

A small chuckle escaped Rose. She rubbed away the sniffle in her nose. "Uh, well. She had black hair, brown eyes." Rose paused, images of long ago playing in her mind. She smiled, her childhood home suddenly vivid, as if her mother were really there with her.

"She was Cambodian," Rose continued. A gentle smile curled on her lips. "Beautiful. Strong. Kickass." Rose chuckled, shaking her head. "She was pretty firey."

"That's where you got it from," Emily smiled, giving a small nod. "I bet you're just like your mom."

A trembling breath rumbled in Rose's chest. She touched her cheek, terrified at the tears that fell without warning. "Yeah, yeah I guess so." She sniffled, using her sleeve to wipe them away.

An understanding look fell upon Emily. Her head tilted in further curiosity. "And your dad?"

Rose shuddered in anxious fear. She bolted upright. Her voice cracking as she mumbled. "I-I gotta goI'llseeyalater."

She slammed Emily's door shut, furiously wiping away her tears. Panic crawled up her chest as she could not seem to get them to stop.

The sound of the front door opening rang through the halls. A gust a wind brushed passed her, as Bart Allen super sped up to her.

Shit. It was time for their pre-mission prep. Why is it that the fastest people alive always arrived at the worst moments?

"Hey Rose were gonna be late-" Bart cut himself off. Concern plagued him as he caught sight of Rose's red eyes and damp cheeks. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She snipped, brushing past him.

"Are you sure?" Bart asked, catching up to her.

"Yes."

"But I've never seen you cry-

"Just leave me the fuck alone ok?!" Rose's enraged voice sent Bart stumbling back, the fire in her tone scaring him.

Guilt curdled her stomach. The sight of his fearful expression, only made her tears fuller.

She bolted for the girl's locker room. Slamming the door behind her. She yelled, her fist clashing with the tile wall. It shattered beneath her skin. Stinging, sorrowful anger coursed through her veins.

Her mother…

What would she say?...

If she saw her now?

Saw her as this monster her father made her become.

Bludhaven - The Warehouse
February 11th, 2017
17:15 EDT

A chill scurried down Artemis's spine. A biting cold lingered in the basement of The Warehouse. The air's crispness stole her attention away from Nightwing's words. Her eyes drifted to the corner as her mind wandered with sullen thoughts.

"Are you even listening to me?"

Dick's words snapped her head in his direction. An annoyed pout pulled at his lips.

"Yes, I was." Artemis scowled. A familiar sass dripped from her tone. She tried to cover the fact that she really wasn't listening, grasping for the keywords that she did catch.

"You were telling me to make sure the mission doesn't turn violent." She reiterated. "The other team members are supposed to watch over Rose and Bart while they make the drug deal and I'll put a tracker on whatever truck they bring the product on. You've gone over this with me before."

Dick's face twisted with doubt and annoyance. Today was the date that Harley Quinn, one of Gotham's Spark suppliers, arranged for Bart and Rose to pick up the product. Her impression being that Rose was interested in dealing for them. The address given to them belonged to an abandoned packing plant on the outskirts of El Paso.

Since superheroes were currently under negative spotlight, Dick found it best not to engage. The plan was to accept the drugs, place a tracking device on whatever vehicle they delivered it in, and tip off the local authorities to their location. La'gaan, Jaime, and Virgil would be nearby to provide backup.

With Kaldur in Atlantis, M'gann and Superboy on Mars, and him spending time chasing leads after Red Hood this weekend, Artemis was the only senior member left to lead. And with Rose being the key player for this mission, Artemis, the only person on The Team Rose seemed to respect, made her the ideal candidate.

But doubt tingled in Nightwing's nerves. He couldn't leave the younger members' safety in the hands of someone not at peak concentration. Artemis showed up with no notice out of her sabbatical, demanding to be placed on missions again. While her help was more than appreciated, her urgency left him on edge. Her taking time on and off could tarnish her focus during missions.

"I just need to make sure you're all here," Nightwing reassured in a calm voice. "We can't risk this mission being unsuccessful."

"You think I'm gonna screw it up?" Artemis snipped at him, a sneer scrunching her face.

"No..." Dick answered, bunching his brows in confusion. "I'm just saying there's other people's safety to worry about."

"You think I don't care about them?" Artemis snipped at him again, a twitch pulling on her lip.

"You're putting words in my mouth, and you know it," Nightwing responded in a stern voice. "You've been on and off on sabbatical, I just need you to be sure you can do this."

"That's why I go on sabbatical."

"Look," Dick took a moment, trying to break Artemis's tension. "I know you'll be able to concentrate. All of us have stayed on The Team after Wally's death and did well….We've been able to do it."

A snarl pulled on Artemis's lips.

Did he really just….did Nightwing really have the nerve? To brag how Wally's death hadn't interfered with everyone else's superhero careers? How no one else needed to take time off? Had the "luxury" to take time off?

"Well lucky you." Her words dripped with disdain.

Nightwing's jaw slacked open, realizing she had misunderstood him. "I didn't mean it like-"

"I know exactly what you mean." Artemis cuff him off with a sharp tone. Anger shook her limbs as all of her insecurities spilled from her throat. "You think I'm broken, weak, pathetic. Poor Arty can't function without her dead boyfriend." She took a step towards him, closing the space between them. "I went on sabbatical because I needed it to get better." She stabbed his chest with her pointer finger, water swelling in her eyes. "You have no idea how hard it's been!"

"I have no idea!? Are you serious?" Anger caked his words as he swatted her hand away. "You think you're the only one who loved him!? Cared about him?!" He berated her, blood boiling, fist-shaking, and voice cracking. He took a step closer with each sentence, "You think you're the only one who's cried over him? Who thinks of him every day? Who blames himself every day!?"

His face was now inches from hers. Nightwing's face creased with rare anger that made Artemis lose her breath. His vicious spatial encroachment nearly caused her to stumble backward.

His broken breathing barely subdued the water in his eyes. Nightwing hissed through his teeth. "What makes you think you're so special, that you're the only one who hurts?"

"You put a hand on her, and we're gonna have a problem."

Artemis and Dick turned their heads to the bottom of the basement staircase. Amidst their arguing they had not heard Rose enter the room. She stood, unamused, with crossed arms and a cocked hip. She peered at Dick with a dark intensity.

"He wouldn't do that," Artemis reassured in a cold voice. She turned her attention back to Nightwing. "And he was just leaving."

Nightwing let out a final huff of frustration. He took a moment to compose himself before addressing Artemis in a near whisper, "Just don't put their safety in jeopardy."

Before Artemis could answer, Nightwing slipped away, brushing past Rose as he hustled out of The Warehouse.

Rose followed him with a piercing gaze as he left the room. "What was that drama all about?" She asked.

"Nothing." Artemis sighed. "Where's everyone else?"

As if on cue, La'gaan made his way down the stairs and the Zeta Tube's voice rang around them.

Recognized, Static B26

Blue Beetle, B22

Artemis looked around her, realizing one of her teammates was still unaccounted for. "Where's Bart?" She asked.

Rose groaned, rolling her eyes. "Motormouth!" She called upstairs. "Speed it up!"

Bart peaked through the crack in the door. A blush could be heard in his voice. "I'm not coming down. I look ridiculous!"

"Bart, get your butt down here!" Artemis scolded. "We're on a schedule."

A surrendering groan fell from Bart's throat. He super sped up to Rose, a bright red tint staining his cheeks.

Virgil's jaw dropped as a wide smile pulled on his lips. "Whaaaaat?" He said with a laugh.

To give Bart a little credit, Rose also looked equally as ridiculous. She was nearly unrecognizable under layers of makeup. Her hair, usually free flowing, now laced in a tight braid with a red bandanna wrapped around her head. Large silver hoop earring rested on her earlobes.

Bart stood with a violent blush, a firm pout rested on his lips. A thick scarf engulfed his entire shoulders along with his neck. He wore dark sunglasses. And at the top of his head, his hair was pulled back into a tight, precisely messy, bun.

Jaime couldn't stifle his cackle any longer. "Nice man-bun dude," he managed to stammer out.

La'gaan chuckled, picking at his scarf. "I've heard of the surface world's 'hipsters', but I've never seen one in person."

Bart grew redder, tucking his chin down into his scarf. "I hate everyone," he said.

"Enough." Artemis scolded. A small smile escaped her. "Leave Bart and his man-bun alone."

Bart growled with embarrassment. "Why do I have to wear this stupid get up anyway?"

"I told you." Rose chided. "We have to look unrecognizable in case The Pack shows up."

"Why?" Bart questioned. "There's no way they'd chance coming out into the open. Not now that they're wanted criminals."

"It's still a safety precaution we have to take," Artemis answered. "People, in general, are bad at remembering faces, especially those they've only seen once or twice, like you two."

You change your hair, your clothing, and block your faces a little and no one will recognize you in passing." She tried her best to sound reassuring.

"But there is a small chance that they'll show up," Jaime added. A tingle of anticipation scratched at his skin. He had still not forgiven Tye for not showing up to Eduardo's funeral. And to sell the very same drug that killed their friend? Well, for the sake of Tye's physical well being, Jaime prayed he wouldn't show. He wasn't sure if he could keep is simmering anger in check.

"Let's hope that doesn't happen Jaime." Artemis added. "Alright," She pulled up the mission debrief details up on the computer screen. "Everyone knows why they're here today right?"

Rose snickered, the red tint in her eyes now completely gone. "Yeah," She answered with a smile. Excitement clawed at her. "We're gonna score some drugs."

El Paso - City Limits
February 11th 2017
14:00 MDT

The abandoned packing plant sat just off the sightlines of the highway. The sun beamed down with unyielding relentlessness in the clear, blue sky. Meeting out in the open in the daylight meant their suppliers could see everything, less likely to be taken by surprise in ambush.

This proved to be a challenge for The Team in finding places to hide that weren't obvious. Artemis and Blue Beetle chose the roof of the factory while La'gaan and Static waiting inside the barn. The decaying wood still held the stench of cattle.

Rose and Bart sat on the concrete factory stoop. The sweltering heat pulled on the air around them. Rose wiped the sweat from her brow. Her gaze peeked over to her right, keeping an eye for any approaching vehicles.

"Fuck me, it's so hot." Rose complained. She huffed, resting her arms on her knees. "I hate the desert."

Bart looked at her with wary eyes. Their interaction from earlier replayed in his mind. Still in shock at seeing Rose...cry. He didn't think she could cry. He wondered as to what could have broken her so. What could chip away at The Team's frigid Ice Queen? Maybe she wasn't so cold after all…

"Hey," Bart cleared the nervousness from his throat. "So about earlier-"

"Don't." Rose snipped. Her eyes clenched shut as she shook her head, dreading the conversation he was trying to arouse.

"I'm just wanna make sure you're okay-"

"Bart." She looked at him with a snarl. "Drop it."

All looks of concern faded from Bart's face. Irritation twitched his lip. "Funny," he began. "You can berate me, and dig things out of me. But I can't do the same to you?"

She growled, jumping up from her seat. "I don't need your fuckin' attitude right now." She turned away from him, crossing her arms.

Bart was intrigued by her sudden anger. As if her extreme mood swings were masks she could wear and discard as she pleased. "Like you said, everyone's got disguises."

Her nostrils flared in irritation. She turned around, jolting a finger at him. "I'm gonna sock you in the jaw if you don't shut the fuck up."

He squinted as he glowered at her. He had seen first hand just what happened when her anger came out, how little thought she had for her enemies and her teammates. Bart had seen so many shades of Rose that he wasn't sure which one was the real one. Was this short-fused Ice Queen Rose's true color? Or just another mask?

Bart wanted to see how far he could take it.

"Just don't let your anger mess up the mission," he scolded.

Rose grit her teeth. She approached Bart with a quick steps. He gasped as she pulled him up by his collar. Water swelled in her eyes as she shook.

"And no one gets to order me around anymore." She pulled him in close, her grip tightening on his clothes. "Not my father. And NOT YOU."

A moment of silence fell between them. Rose gasped as she realized what words she had let slip to him. She released his collar, her hand clasping around her mouth. She turned away from him. Eyes swelling with angry tears.

What was wrong with her? Why did she say that? Why was she slipping? She worked so hard to keep her past under wraps. Worked too hard to get what she wanted from them. Now her instability was getting the best of her.

She was about to blow her own plans. She needed to keep it together.

"Careful." Bart chided with a smile. Looks like he could dig things out of her after all. "You almost dropped your 'mysterious, heartless' Rose costume."

Rose almost lashed out at him, but Artemis's voice rang in their communicators.

"Look alive guys." She advised, eyes fixed to her binoculars. "Someone's headed this way."

Rose and Bart stood at attention. Dust whirled in the air as a semi and two armored trucks made their way towards them. Bart's foot bounced furiously as the diesel engine roared.

The crackle of the wheels came to a quiet as they braked. The semi sat, idling. A small pup trailer attached behind it.

The driver's side doors and backdoors of the vans swung open. Eight men and women clad in black body armor poured out. Rose kept a cold face as they marched towards the two of them.

Bart's breathing hitched with nervousness.

"Put your arms up," Rose ordered him. She placed her hands behind her head.

Bart looked at her with a curious gaze before doing the same. He suddenly felt a gunman's hands upon him, feeling up and down his sides and down his legs. Another did the same to Rose.

The gunman looked back towards one of the armored trucks. He gave it a thumbs up. "No weapons. They're good." He advised. 

Out from the passenger's side door, stepped Dula Dent. She slammed the door shut. A smirk played upon her lips as she approached them. "You're actually here? Wasn't sure you'd show."

Rose nodded, unamused. "You got the goods?"

Dula nodded towards the semi. "Come see for yourself."

Bart and Rose followed her cautiously towards the back of the trailer. They felt the distant eyes of their teammates watching their every move.

Dula put the combination in the lock and swung the doors open.

Stacks of wooden crates piled high in the trailer. She snapped her fingers at one of the gunmen. He jumped inside and pulled a package out from one of the crates, tossing it towards Dula. The packaged contained three decorative pillows, wrapped together in saran wrap. She tore off the wrapping and unzipped one of the pillows. She tore away at the cotton interior until it revealed to her a large brick of white power in a clear plastic packaging. The light blue tints of the Spark danced under the sunlight.

"Each pillow contains half a kilo. You get two flavors and an unfavored."

Bart's eyes went wide. "You're giving us a kilo and a half!?"

Rose shot him a dirty look.

Dula laughed. "Seems like a lot, yeah. But trust me, it'll sell."

Rose took the brick from her, inspecting it. "What's the minimum you want us to sell it for? And what's our percentage?"

Dula opened her mouth to speak. But the sound of crunching gravel stole her attention. Her armed guards stood on edge, their weapons aimed as an old station wagon raced towards them.

The vehicle stopped.

And with cautious steps, Jenny, Tye, Summer, and Jivan made their way out.

"Shit," Artemis whispered to herself. She didn't expect them to show. Now the risk factor was even greater. She pressed down on her earpiece communicator. "Stay calm you two." She said. "Just get the stuff and don't draw attention to yourselves."

"Oh no," Bart whispered. "They're gonna know-"

"Chill." Rose snipped, her voice barely audible. "Don't talk. We'll be fine."

"Well, would you look at that." Dula sneered. She motioned for the gunmen to lower their weapons. "I really didn't think you mutts were gonna show up."

Jenny stood with a scowl. She crossed her arms. Her newly repaired talisman sat firmly around her neck. She nodded towards Rose and Bart. "Who are they?"

"Other sellers," Dula informed. "Don't worry, they won't be on dealing on your turf."

A snarl flashed across Jenny's lips. "We were under the impression that this was a private meeting."

"Well, it's not," Dula growled with impatience. "And you don't get to cock an attitude with us. Especially since that sloppy work with the Mayor." She jolted a finger at them. "You know I have every right to cancel this little agreement? Not sure if I want kids who are so...inept, with my product."

"La Dama would not be pleased with that," Jenny informed.

"La Dama is nothing." Dula snarled.

"La Dama paid off the police so we wouldn't be interrupted today." Jenny sassed. "So I believe a little respect and gratitude is due."

One of the gunmen tapped Dula on the shoulder. "Miss Dent, we're running out of time."

Dula groaned, giving up on their argument. "Alright, fine. All of you listen and listen good. I'm only going to go over this once."

As Dula went over the details of their selling arrangement, Rose felt the heaviness of someone's gaze. She peeked out of her peripheral, eyes catching sight of Jivan who stared her down with a cold curiousness.

He sniffed the air, a familiar stench prodding at his memories. He nudged Summer with his elbow. "Do you smell that?" He whispered to her.

Rose tried to ignore his glare. Until finally, Jivan marched up to her, nearly knocking down Dula in the process.

Rose jumped backward as he sniffed her with unbearable closeness.

"You got a problem?" She sneered.

Jivan bunched his brows, a tingling with engrossed curiosity. "Why do you smell so familiar?"

Bart was breathless. They didn't take into account their...smell. Jivan and summer were practically animals. Of course they could recognize them by smell. He and Rose were both there the day The Pack attacked the Mayor at the Convention Center.

Rose sneered. "And why do you smell like wet dog?" She snipped.

Jivan growled, insulted. "Why you-" He reached out for Rose's collar.

A rush of panic jolted through her. She grasped at Jivan's wrist. He yelped as Rose twisted his arm.

"Touch me again," She snarled. "And I'll rip that shoulder right outta your socket."

Bart's eyes went wide. "H-hey stop!" He placed a hand on Rose's shoulder. Nervousness dripped from his words. "Come on, what are you doing?"

Jivan growled, pulling his arm out of Rose's grip. He flailed his arm away, unintentionally striking Bart, knocking his sunglasses off his face and loosening his hair.

"Bart?"

Breathlessness overcame them as Tye's voice called out Bart's name. They looked at one another with wide eyes, panic coursing through them.

"He's-he's one of those heroes!" Jenny screeched at Dula, jolting a finger at them. "He's a sidekick who works for The League!"

It was over. The cover was shot.

Rose snarled as she pulled back, taking a defensive stance.

Dula backed away, yelling at her guards. "Take them out! Kill them!"

"MOVE!" Artemis's voice shot across the communicator.

La'gaan and Static burst through the doors of the old barn. Blue Beetle assisted Tigress with jumping from the top of the factory.

Bart supersped between eight guards. With astounding quickness, he collected all their guns, gathering them in his arms and dropped them on the other side of the plant.

Panic thumped in Dula's chest as she raced towards the front of the semi. She jumped in. She shifted the gears with trembling hands, desperate to get the product out of harm's way. The engine roared as she began to drive off.

Cackled roars filled the air as Jivan and Summer morphed into their Hyena hybrid forms. Saliva dripped from their snarling snouts. They charged at Rose, claws aimed for her throat. Static knocked them away from her with his lightning bolts.

Tigress, La'gaan, and Rose engaged the weaponless henchmen, their fighting capabilities sub-par without their guns.

Blue Beetle took a charge at Jenny. Blood boiling at the sight of her.

Jenny gasped at his encroachment. "Tye!" She screeched.

Tye whipped his head towards her. A feeling of breathlessness ripped at his chest as he met Jenny's gaze.

"Protect me!" She ordered, her eyes and talisman glowing.

Tye snarled. His glazed, mind-controlled eyes closing as his Longshadow grew around him.

His elongated arm took a swing at Jaime, knocking him to the ground.

Blue Beetle groaned, picking himself up on his hands and knees. He cried out in pain as Tye brought his giant fist crashing down on his back.

Static snapped his head Jenny's direction. Her glowing eyes and vicious scowl grating at his patience. She jumped as he sent a bolt of lightning at her feet.

"Let the big man go," Static warned. "Or I'll zap that freaky trinket right off of you."

Jenny's lips curled into a cocky smile, the glow in her eyes intensifying. A crack of thunder roared in the air. The beating sun suddenly darkened as black clouds swirled in the sky. The eye of the cloud danced above Jenny. She smiled, raising her hands in the air. Another crack of thunder vibrated the air.

"You are not the only master of lightning here," she sneered. And with a snarled roar, she sent a barrage of lightning all around them.

Members of The Team jumped out of the way. Tiny shards of glass decorated the singed ground. Rain cascaded from her dark cloud. The sudden rush of water pounded to the ground, impairing their vision. Artemis felt a small gust of wind beside her. She knew that feeling better than anyone.

"Bart!" She called out.

He jumped, surprised she knew he had just arrived.

Artemis squinted, losing sight of the escaping semi-truck. "I need you to stop that truck," she ordered. "Can you see it?"

Bart smirked, saving his remark about having the 'Allen Family Eyes' for a later time. "'Course I can." He said.

And with a rush of super speed he charged towards the truck. Dula sat in the driver's seat, screeching as her door suddenly swung open. Bart's smiling face greeted her as he clung to the doorframe of the moving truck.

"I'm gonna need you to pull over ma'am." He teased, trying his comedic best to imitate a police officer.

Dula growled, flailing her left leg at his pelvis.

Bart yipped, eyes wide as moved away from her kick. He lost his grip on the doorframe, hand flailing in reflex for something to grab onto. He grasped at the steering wheel, the sudden force jerking it to the left. Dula nearly flew out of her seat as the engine roared. Gravity overcame them as the quick turn caused the semi to tip completely over. The product bounced from the back of the trailer, spilling over the ground.

The crash of the trailer rumbled the ground underneath Jaime. He picked himself up off the sand. Blood dripped from his split lip. His eyes fell to Jenny, the glow of her eyes shimmered amongst the raindrops.

"Tye!" He called out. "What are you still doing with her?"

Jaime dodge another one of the Longshadow's swings. Jaime grit his teeth. He had to find a way to reach Tye. There had to be some part of him in there that could hear him.

"You don't have to do this! You only think you do!"

Tye took another swing at him.

"She's controlling you dude! Can't you see that?"

Tye paused at the sound of Jaime's words. They reached out for him in depths of his clouded mind.

A twinge of hope twitched through Jaime. He could tell he was getting through to him. He just had to push harder, faster.

"Her talisman has mind control!" A desperate explanation fell from his throat his hands outstretched. "She's using you."

Tye's eyes began to flutter as his Longshadow shrunk several feet.

Jenny growled, anger creasing her face. "Don't listen to him!"

"Everything with Mayor Fermin, that wasn't you." Jaime pleaded. "Why else would you almost kill someone? Why else would you deal drugs? After what it did to Ed?" Jaime felt a tingle rise in his nose. "You didn't even go to his funeral!"

Tye's Longshadow dissipated. He opened his eyes, a stinging sadness stabbing his chest.

"What?" Tye's words were shaking and stunned. "Eduardo's...dead?"

Jaime's jaw fell agape, his brow bunching in pitied sadness. "You didn't know?" A sudden wetness filled his eyes, overcome with the realization that Jenny was the one who held him back, who kept hin in the dark about Eduardo. "He overdosed on this shit dude." Jaime motioned towards the overturned semi. "On this Spark that you're trying to sell."

"W-when?" Tye stuttered.

Jenny growled, her irritated roar broke their conversation. "I grow tired of you you pestilent little cockroach," she snarled.

With a vicious crack, she sent a bolt of lightning down upon Jaime. He screamed. A burning pain jolting through every inch of his being. He collapsed to the ground.

Tye called out for him. Anger tore through him. He released his Longshadow once more, and with a swift swing of his arm, knocked Jenny through the air. He sent her crashing against the steel trailer, knocking the wind out of her. The cloud in the sky disappeared. And with the sudden clarity, The Team was able to begin tying up the henchmen and collar the Hyenas.

Tye reeled in his Longshadow, sinking back down to the ground. He turned at the sound of Jaime's groan. He raced towards him, helping him sit up.

"Jaime?" He asked cautiously. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Jaime grunted, pushing through the pain. "Now I know what an outlet feels like."

Tye chuckled, helping him to his feet. A quiet fell between them. He swallowed the lump in his throat.

"I'm so sorry," He apologized, a sullen sadness filling his eyes. "I didn't realize what I was getting into."

The corner of Jaime's mouth pulled into a sympathetic smile. "It's alright." He placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm just glad you're back."

"Make sure everyone is restrained." Artemis began barking orders. "Make sure the Inhibitor Collars are turned on. Where's Dula?"

"Here!" Bart called out. He carried Dula out of the trailer cab. She had her arm around his shoulder. Her left leg dragged behind her as she moaned with pain. Blood trailed behind her as small hits of bone poked from underneath the skin of her ankle.

She cried out as Bart tried to set her down gently against the trailer.

"She got hurt real bad when the truck turned over," Guilt plagued his words. He looked up at Artemis with worried eyes. "I'm so sorry."

Tigress sighed. If it wasn't their kids getting hurt, it was someone else's. Just like Nightwing cautioned her about.

"It's alright." She answered, kneeling down to tie Dula's hands behind her back. "We're going to get you some help," Artemis informed her with a warm tone.

Dula snarled with pain, spitting in her face. "Bite me bitch!"

Tigress jumped up. She grit her teeth as wiped the spit from her face. "Let's pick it up!" She ordered. She was over this mission already. She looked over at the mess of Spark bricks on the ground. "I need someone to count how much product was in this shipment for our report. And to pick up the rest-"

"I got it!" Virgil chimed, charging towards the trailer.

"Me too!" Bart called out, gathering the spilled product.

Virgil stepped inside the overturned semi-trailer. He whistled, his eyes wide. "That's a lot of drugs."

He peered over his shoulder, making certain none of his teammates could see him. Virgil crouched over one of the bags that had spilled open. He pulled three zip lock bags from his pockets, and with frenzied haste, stuffed them to the brim with the iridescent blue power. A tingle of bile rose in his throat as he stuffed them in his pockets.

"You count yet?"

Virgil yelled at Bart's sudden voice presence. His heart nearly bouncing out of his ribcage.

"Damn dude," he heaved, clutching his chest. "I hate it when you do that. You're as bad as the bat kids."

Bart cackled. "Come on, help me open these crates so we can get the numbers for Tigress."

Virgil could still hear his heartbeat pounding in his ear. Guilt already itched away at his insides.

Frieda so owed him one.

La'gaan, Rose, and Blue Beetle drug the battered and restrained henchmen into a circle on the sand. They brushed themselves off, already exchanging cocky complimentary about their victory.

Artemis approached them, snapping her cell phone shut. "Cops from El Paso might not come," she smirked. "But a tip to the bordering PD about illegal weapons and drugs this close to Mexico should get the them here fast." She peered over to Dula who sat against the trailer, her hands tied tight behind her back. She knew they were going to have to interrogate fast if they wanted anything to come of this mess. "We don't have much time if we want answers."

La'gaan nodded. He placed himself in front of Dula, puffing out his chest. An intimidating tone painted his words. "Where else were you taking the drugs? Where were your other stops planned?"

Dula looked up at him through her sweat-matted bangs. "Fuck you." She growled. Her nose scrunched with disdain.

La'gaan huffed. "You seriously expect us to believe this was all for El Paso?"

"Fuck off." She snarled.

La'gaan pouted, turning towards them. "I don't think she's gonna talk."

Rose let out a loud groan as she rolled her eyes.

"Oh Jesus Christ." She hissed. "Who the hell taught you guys how to interrogate?" She marched towards Dula, shoulder checking La'gaan along the way. Rose knelt in front of her, their faces merely inches away.

"I believe he asked you a question." Rose reiterated, tilting her head in irritation.

"Go to hell," Dula snipped.

Rose's upper lip twitched. Her blood boiled with Dula's uncooperativeness. It was hot. She was tired. And more importantly, she had her own mission to move along. A mission that couldn't move forward without Dula's answer. And that answer, Rose was going to obtain. Whether Dula told it to her, or screamed it to her.

"Wrong answer," Rose hissed through her teeth. And in the swift, solid motion, she slammed her hand down against Dula's broken ankle. Clicks and cracks radiated with the gush of blood.

She screamed. The other team members cringed at Rose's action. Their jaws dropped and their pleas for her to cease fell on her deaf ears.

Rose placed her other hand around Dula's throat, pressing her head against the trailer. "You gonna tell me what I need to know?" She asked, anger creasing her face. "Or you wanna squeal like a little bitch again?"

"Fuck y-"

Rose growled with impatience. She released the hand from her throat and pressed her hand down on her ankle, deeper, harder. Dula's scream shattered the air around them.

"Rose!" Artemis called out.

"Okay!" Dula squeaked."Okayokay! I'll tell you. I'll tell you!"

Rose lifted some of the pressure off Dula's ankle.

"Answer the question," Rose demanded. "Why do you have so much product? Was El Paso your only stop?

"N-no. No," Dula muttered. "We had multiple stops on our way. They want it spread west."

"We know that, idiot." Rose chided. "Tell us something useful. Like where?"

"Just drop-offs for civilian pushers, and then the lab-" Dula cut herself short. Her eyes went wide as she realized she had let too much information slip.

Rose tilted her head in curiosity. "A lab?"

Dula sat quiet, biting her lip in nervousness.

"What. Lab?" Rose demanded.

Dula grit her teeth, shaking her head. Her lips curled into a snarl. "Eat a dick-"

Her sickening scream filled the air again as Rose pressed and squeezed down on her ankle with intense pressure. She twisted it with a grinding force.

Dula fell quiet as her eyes rolled into the back of her head, her consciousness succumbing to her pain.

"Uh uh, nope," Rose tapped her palm against Dula's cheeks. "You come right back. You don't get to pass out until I say so."

Rose let go of Dula's ankle. She reached into her shoe, pulling out her concealed switchblade. She pressed it firmly against Dula's throat. She trembled under Rose touch.

Artemis gasped, a twinge of terror tingling down her spine. She had let this go for far too long.

"Rose that's enough!" Artemis yelled, afraid that Rose's hand would slip if she pulled her away.

But Rose paid no mind to Artemis's orders. "What! Lab?!" She screeched again.

"The weapons lab!" Dula gasped, water swelling in her eyes. "They have a lab in the mountains just outside of Salt Lake City. By the Bingham Copper Mine. It's-It's where they test weapons." She shuddered furiously with pain and dread. A real threat of death, pressing against her neck. "That's-that's all I know, alright? All I know is that they were on our list for a shipment of Spark. I don't know why. I just know they needed it." Tears fell down her cheeks as she looked at Rose with a desperate pleading. "That's all I know okay? Please, just-just let me go."

Rose still held the knife firm against Dula's throat. The air shook in Rose's lungs. Her muscles straining to still. Her rising thoughts of slashing the knife across Dula's throat beckoned for creation.

"Rose," A snarl dripped from Artemis's tone. Her face held a dark scowl that jolted the other team members. Artemis had given her the benefit of the doubt since day one, vouched for her when no one else would. But now she was really testing her patience.

"We have what we need," Her words were bold and dominant. "Let her go. Now."

Rose shook, pushing back against the gnawing, bloodthirsty voice in the back of her mind. She grit her teeth, watching the tiniest added pressure placed a small cut on Dula's neck.

Rose pushed herself close to her. Her hot breath whispered into Dula's ear, "You're lucky she's here to save you."

Dula whimpered as Rose pulled away. A dark pout pulled on Rose's lip, disappointed at the lack of bloodshed. She turned around, cautious, awed eyes of her teammates' fell upon her.

She huffed, brushing past Artemis. A condescending tone caked her words. "You're welcome." She snarled.

Jaime watched Rose head towards the Bioship. His eyes followed her with wary disbelief. He could no longer lie to himself. He was terrified of her.

"What's all that noise out there?" Bart peaked his head out from behind the trailer.

"Nothing, just finish up!" Artemis snipped, frustration eating at her composure.

Jaime snapped to attention, letting his mind fall to the task at hand. He moved over to Tye, holding out the wrist restraints. They felt unbearably heavy in his hands.

"We can't just let you go," Jaime said, apologetic.

Tye nodded, his eyes fell to the ground in acceptance. "I know." He turned around, placing the back of his hands on his lower back.

Jaime tied his wrists together, "I'll try to help out as much as I can."

Tye shook his head. "I deserve what's coming."

"I'll help you get a good lawyer," Jaime assured, not wanting Tye to give up hope. He turned him around to face him. A sullen softness filled his tone. "I know you weren't completely yourself."

Tye gave him a sad shrug. "I still did a lot of my own free will. The stealing, the looting. Besides," He looked over at Jenny. She sat, cross-legged and head drooped. Her arms were tied behind her back and talisman was torn from her neck. Tye peered at her with a merciless glare. "Jail will get me away from her. And her mind control magic."

"Pretty girls," Jaime chuckled, trying to break the tension. "They make you crazy."

Tye turned towards him, mouth twitching at the disappointment within himself. "They're not worth it if they make you lose your best friend."

Jaime let out a small smile, shaking his head. "That would never happen." He said.

Tye smiled back at him, suddenly filled with the ignited hope that all was not lost for their friendship. Despite all the horrible things he had done, the horrible things that Jenny made him do.

Tye nearly toppled over as Jaime snatched him up in an embrace. A ferocious feeling of relief coursed through his veins. He squeezed him tighter, almost in disbelief that his best friend had finally come back to him.

Jaime felt Tye's head press against his shoulder as he did his best to embrace him back.

"I'll visit you as soon as I can," Jaime promised. Assuring him he was not going to leave him in jail. Let alone leave him there alone.

"I don't doubt it," Tye answered as he pulled away.

Jaime helped Tye sit down onto the ground. He gave him one last small, reassuring smile before heading back towards the rest of the team members.

"Jaime."

He rolled his eyes at the sound of Jenny's voice.

"Jaime please," She begged for his attention. A small whine filled her voice.

He groaned, walking towards her. "I really don't have time for your excuses right now-"

"Please," Jenny interrupted him. "Just-just tell me if you have Adelaide."

Jaime twinged at her unexpected question. He had nearly forgotten that Emily was once with The Pack. And that she was known to them as 'Adelaide' still.

"Do you have her?" Jenny asked again, her voice on the edge of panic. "Did she escape with you?"

"Yeah," Jaime answered, intrigued. "She's in our care now."

Jenny's breathing wavered. Her eyes went wide as she nearly choked on her own spit. "You have to get away from her. Get as far away from her as you possibly can."

"What?" Jaime asked, perplexed. "What are you talking abou-"

"There is a great darkness inside her." Jenny's expression darkened. "I kept her power contained. I kept her power locked away. I kept that-" She shuddered, almost unable to find her words again. "That beast subdued."

Jaime's jaw slacked, unable to comprehend Jenny's warnings.

"I'm not there to use my magic to keep that...that evil inside her contained." Her voice lowered. "You have to destroy her." A panicked dread swept across her. "She could kill all of you."

Jaime found himself at a loss for words, his throat dry of all response. His eyes drank in the details of Jenny's face. His Blue Beetle suit felt piping hot as he came to grasp her genuine terror.

He found himself overcome with the notion, that maybe Rose wasn't the teammate he should be terrified of after all.

Bludhaven - The Warehouse
February 14th, 2017
16:56 EDT

"BART! You. Little. Shit."

Bart smirked to himself as he heard Rose's cursing. Her feet pounded the floor as she marched up the hallway towards the living area. There was nothing he enjoyed more (well, more than food that is) than finding as many ways as possible to irritate her. She was almost as territorial over food as Wally once was.

Bart chuckled at her impending footsteps. He sat upon an armchair in the living area, nonchalantly flipping through the channels on the television. His other hand groped at the bottom of the bag of his forbidden snack.

Emily, who finally gathered the composure to leave her room, seemed to take no notice of the outburst. She stared intently at the television from the sofa.

Rose finally reached the living room. She menacingly stood in front of Bart, holding up a shiny foil bag.

"Hey asshole,YOU ate my dark chocolate coated blueberries, didn't you?" She placed her other hand on her cocked hip. "My door was locked! You phased into my room, didn't you?"

Her accusing expression bunched up her facial features. Bart stifled a chuckle as best he could. As weird as it sounded, it reminded him of a frustrated puppy. How could he take any of her threats seriously when being irritated just made her look..cute?

Bart feigned a gasp, "Why on Earth would you accuse me of such an evil deed?"

She squinted at him, placing both hands on her hips and leaning forward, "Because you're you, fatass." She watched him shove a large handful of food in his mouth. Her gaze fell to the container next to him in which he grabbed from.

"Is that my other bag!?" She shouted.

Bart held the bag in his hand. Faintly acting as though he has never seen it before. "Oohhh whaaa?!" He teased. "How did those get there?"

"Fucker." She snatched the bag from him, shaking it, finding that it was empty. "These are like $7 a bag!"

Bart raised his eyebrows. "Wow, really? Those tiny things? Who knew I could eat $14 in three minutes?"

Rose gave him the most terrifying death glare he had ever seen.

He chuckled nervously, giving her a pleading half-smile."You're...You're going to stab me now, aren't you?"

But, what made Bart even more nervous, was that instead of lashing out like he had thought she would, Rose eased her face with a closed-lip smiled.

"Nope," She answered. "I can think of one thing worse…." She snatched the remote control from his hands, holding it up over her head. "Having to get up to change the channel! Muahahaha!"

Bart jumped from his seat and reached for the remote. "Nooooo give it back!"

Rose twisted her body away at each one of Bart's attempts to retrieve it. A smug smile rested on her face, their struggle resulting in the channel changing. It landed on one of Grace Godfrey's talk shows. Her soothing voice filled the room.

"-happy to announce The Godfrey Orphanage and Halfway Homes for Meta Youth. Our young, gifted, citizens can now find refuge in a safe, nurturing, guidelined path. Thanks in part to a generous donation by Lex-"

"Haaaaaa." Rose shrilly teased. "Now you're stuck with the boring news or cursed to get up to change it."

Bart attempted to reach over. He tried his best not to smile as he demanded, "Give it!"

"Nope," Rose responded as she shimmied away from his pursuit. She sported an ornery grin. Torturing him in his manor she found incredibly pleasing.

However, unbeknownst to her, Bart was rather enthralled by their escapade. He could have used his super-speed to take the remote back as soon as she grabbed it. But he decided to let her play her game. He found himself enjoying play fighting with her. He wondered if this 'Playful Rose' rarity was a genuine part of her, or just another mask.

Either way, as she teased him, he found a strange fluttering growing inside his stomach. Especially when he had to brush against her to grab at the remote.

In their struggle, they eventually found themselves in the kitchen.

Rose grabbed the remote with both hands and put it behind her. She pressed her back up against the refrigerator. "You're not getting this back Bart." She confidently sassed. "I've got a death grip on it."

"Oh yeah?" he asked, mockingly.

"Yeah."

"Not if I find a way to distract you."

She squinted. "Psh. Please, there's nothing you could do to make me let go of this."

He raised one of his eyebrows. "You sure about that?" He asked, arrogantly getting in her face.

"Yeah."

The flutter inside his stomach surfaced at a rapid pace, as their sudden closeness made him all too aware of Rose's body heat.

And then Bart was struck with an idea. An idea he wished he would have thought more about before acting upon it.

However, being a Speedster, 'thinking first' is usually not standard protocol.

Before he fully realized what he was doing, Bart found his lips upon Rose's. He placed his right hand above her waistline, his thumb just under her breast. His other found itself on her left hip, fingertips grazing the small of her back.

Rose jumped at his contact. Before she could protest, her body decided to kiss him back. Her muscles relaxed and her eyelids closed. When her lips parted, Bart used the opportunity to slide his tongue into her mouth. Her tiny, involuntary moan caused his arms to pull her closer into him. In doing so, he felt his fingers brush against the buttons of the remote in her hands.

He suddenly remembered the reasoning for his actions.

He swiftly pulled away from her, holding the remote up to next to his face. "Haha! I win!" He mocked. In a blur, he super sped back into the living room.

Rose attempted to gather her bearings, realizing the trick he just played on her. She grunted as she trotted after him. She stammered, "D-Dammit Bart you cheated!"

She found him standing in front of the television. He placed his free hand on his hip as he shook the remote in the air, trying to taunt her.

Rose decided to try another tactic. She threw her hands in the air as she shook her head. "No. No. Nope. No. You know what? I don't even want it," she sassed.

"Really?" he replied as he smiled skeptically.

"Yep," she stated matter-of-factly as she sat down on the corner of the couch. "I'm just gonna sit here and hang out with my REAL FRIEND Emily because she's cool and not snack stealing skank like you-."

As she talked, Bart's gaze shifted to his right. He lowered his hand down to his side. His smile disappeared.

"Rose…" he calmly interrupted her.

"What?" she snapped.

Bart nodded his head to his right. Her eyes squinted in confusion as she looked over to where he nodded.

Emily had been so quiet all day that both of them nearly forgot that she was there. She sat on the cushion next to Rose, her knees brought up to her chest. Her arms wrapped around the tops of her knees, the bridge of her nose pressed against the slit between them. Her wrapped arms hid her face. Rose could see her chest rise and fall sporadically with her sharp, tiny inhales.

Rose looked back at Bart with a worried expression. As he placed the remote down on the coffee table, he gave Rose a small nod in understanding. It was time to be adults for a little while. It was time to be adults, for someone else, for a little while.

Bart quietly walked over to the open cushion on the other side of Emily. He crossed his legs in front of him and faced her, leaning in.

"Emily?" Rose asked in a quiet voice. "Y'okay?"

Emily made no noise. She merely shook her head 'no' while her face remained buried in her knees.

Orphanages and orphans: that was part of what Grace Godfrey's news segment had been about.

Orphan.

That's what she was now.

Well, as far as she knew.

It's what she felt like she was.

As soon as the word jarred from the speakers, she choked on the realization.

She became angry. Angry at the situation for where it left her. Angry at all the time lost that she could have had with the ones she loved. Angry for whoever attacked her for losing her memory.

Angry at her mother for leaving her.

…

Angry at herself for blaming her.

Angry at herself for being the reason she was gone.

Angry that it was all her fault.

She was disappointed in her failure. She had been doing so well for a while. She had been feeling so much better. And then she heard the word. Just one word: orphan. That's all it took to send her spiraling back down. It overwhelmed her with dark, suffocating emotions.

She hated herself for letting them see. She hated herself for not being able to regain her composure fast enough. Rose and Bart. The Warrior and The Jokester. It was not that she didn't care for them. In some ways, she even looked to Rose as a big sister figure. But she saw no point in troubling them with her grief, as she did not see them as the type of people who could help her cope anyways.

She berated herself. It was bad enough that she confided in Beast Boy about her sadness, burdened him with her pain. She made a strenuous effort not to allow others to feel it as well. But at this moment, her efforts were futile.

Rose tilted her head. "Is it your mom?" She asked.

Again, Emily remained quiet. Her muscles tensed at the question and she held herself tighter, as she tried her best to hold back her leaking tears. She answered by nodding her head 'yes' into her knees.

Bart looked over to Rose with sympathetic eyes. His mouth twisted in a frustrated grimace. He wanted to comfort Emily but had no idea what words to start with, he desperately hoped that Rose would. She looked back at him, understanding his plea. A few moments of silence passed when she let out a quiet sigh.

Rose placed her left leg into the crevice between the cushions and the back of the couch. She placed her right foot on the floor. She held out her arms in front of her.

"Alright. Come on," She invited, motioning towards herself with closed fingers.

"Mm'fine," Emily mumbled.

And then Rose did something that Bart did not expect at all. She leaned forward and gently wrapped her left arm around Emily's waist and slid her other hand under Emily's knees.

"No, you're not," She stated sympathetically, pulling her into her lap and wrapping her in an embrace.

Emily's tears soaked into the fabric of Rose's shirt. Tiny sniffles escaped her as she buried her face into Rose's sternum, still trying her best to hide. But she had to admit, being held did make her feel a great deal better.

Emily wrapped an arm around Rose's torso as she mumbled, "Mmm' sorry," into her.

They were having such a good time with one another until she broke down, and ruined it.

"Hey, no apologizing." Rose scorned with a quiet, playful tone. "Being the tough guy is my job on the team, alright?"

A moment of quiet fell between them, only the sound of Emily's sobs filled the room. Rose ran her hand through her hair, mind lost in unsaid words. Her mind's rationalization begged her to stay silent, fingers twitching at the notion of connection.

But as Emily's sobs faded, Rose's desire to connect, to feel, to be human, roared inside of her.

"Her name was Lillian." Rose's quiet words tiptoed through the tense quiet. Her eyes fell to the floor. "My mom, the real one I told you about."

Bart's eyes snapped over to Rose. Mind lingering on her tender words.

"Her name was Lillian," Rose repeated. And old, cold sadness numbed her tone. Eyes towards the ground, lost in a sullen memory. "And she was taken from me too."

Emily managed to stifle her sniffles. The bold, steady thump of Rose's heartbeat tapped against her as she lay on her chest. A quiet calm overcame Emily as she listened to her speak, wrapping tightly around Rose. As if her lap were the only safe place left on Earth.

"It's doesn't...go away." Rose's eyes narrowed. "The memory of that day, it doesn't fade away."

Her breathing hitched for a small moment. Bart watched a sudden rush of water filled her eyes. She looked upwards, swallowing hard.

Rose squeezed her eyes shut. "I think about it, all the time."

A prickly discomfort itched at Bart's seat. As though he saw something he shouldn't have seen. As though he was an unintentional eavesdropper on their private moment. On something that was theirs. He became overwhelmed by the drowning notion that he shouldn't have been there.

"And that hurt, doesn't get better." Rose continued. Her words were caked with soft, brutal honesty. "It doesn't stop." She brought her gaze down to Emily "But we can take it, and make it into something good. Instead of letting it drag us down. We can use it, use their memory to inspire us." Rose closed her eyes, mind lost in a feeling nearly forgotten. "Inspire us to do good. To be good to other people," Her lip trembled. "The way they would have wanted it." She opened her eyes, a tiny tear trailing down the corner. "That's how we remember them by."

She laid her cheek on the top of Emily's head. "You can hurt," Rose gave a small shake of her head. "But you don't have to do it alone."

A tiresome heartache seeped through her, a foreign feeling of envy and helplessness. Rose realized that the most important possession that Emily had, she never will. Rose continued, "You have too many people here that care about you for that to happen."

The Watch Tower
February 16th, 2017
02:00 EST

Anticipation lingered in the air of The Watch Tower. Kaldur's furrowed brow studied the computer monitor with a hardened concentration. Around him stood Superboy, Artemis, Nightwing, M'gann, and Beast Boy. Thier pre-mission nerves finally roused at the impending action.

Using Dula's intel about the Cadmus's weapon's laboratory, Batman set up satellite surveillance on all suspicious facilities close to the Bingham Copper Mine, just south west of Salt Lake City. His investigation finally narrowed on an unregistered facility buried within the surrounding mountains.

Robin and Kid Flash's footsteps echoed around the room as they joined them in the common area.

Kaldur huffed, looking at the clock. Impatience scratched at his skin. He crossed his arms as he sighed, "Where is Rose?"

"I don't go by 'Rose' on missions anymore."

They turned their heads towards the sound of Rose's voice.

She stood, hands on her hips with a cocky upturn of her chin. Clasped tight around her skin, was her very own uniform. Tight, black spandex covered her from foot to neck, her arms bare. A black kevlar chest plate sat tight around her torso and black boots sat heavily on her feet. She bore dull orange shin, wrist, and knee guards. The same color utility belt wrapped around her waist. A dagger sat strapped to the outside of her left thigh, and two swords latched to the kevlar on her back. A black mask pulled upwards from the back of her neck, down to the bridge of her nose. A ravenous, untamed ponytail of white hair stuck out from the back of her skull.

"You can call me," She informed with a smirk. "Ravager."

"Oooo catchy!" Bart exclaimed, a sudden smile pulling on his lips.

Kaldur's brows perked as The Zeta Tube announced an unexpected arrival.

Recognized, Emily B28

Emily felt all eyes upon her as she stepped out of the Zeta Tube. Her gaze fell to the floor as she walked towards them. She bore a new costume as well. M'gann had made her pink and white form-fitting uniform modeled after Beast Boy's. It felt stuffy against her hot skin. She was suddenly all too aware of the suit's tightness. She wrapped her arms around her waist in self-consciousness. She prayed no one would take notice of her. That she could be allowed to continue on with her life without being asked if she undoubtedly wanted to do so.

"E-Emily..." Kaldur began.

No such luck.

Emily brought her gaze up towards Kaldur's voice.

He looked over at M'gann, exchanging worried looks. "Uh," He cleared his throat, softening his voice. "Please do not take this the wrong way. But, what are you doing here?"

"I'm here for the mission," Emily responded in a light but stern voice.

"Oh," Kaldur responded in surprise. "I...did not have you on the roster for today."

Emily's eyes swept across the room. Her Teammate's pitiful looks creating a sour pit in her gut. "I'm ready to come back. If that's alright?"

Kaldur tilted his head with uncertainty. "We're more than happy to have you." He placed a hand on her shoulder, making eye contact. "I just want you to be sure."

She looked at him pleading eyes. "Better out on a mission than being in the dark alone."

Kaldur nodded in understanding, "Alright."

He turned his attention back to the computer. Garfield hopped over to her side, lightly squeezing her hand.

"You're back," He cooed with a soft smile.

A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Yeah," She answered.

She wasn't quite healed, she wasn't quite all there. But she now knew that no matter how much pain invaded her world, she didn't have to go through it alone. And there was no reason to let that hurt stop her from living her life.

After all, she had already been pulled down to rock bottom. As the risk of sounding cliche, 'it was all downhill from there'. There wasn't much else the world could throw at her….was there?

"Thank you," Her soft, grateful words loud enough for only his ears. "For everything." She placed a quick kiss on his cheek.

As he smiled, Garfield suddenly found the room to be unbearably hot.

While the other's greeted Emily's arrival, Bart quietly slipped away. His footsteps silently landing him in the space next to Rose. A feverish flush filled his chest. A hopeful and strange curiosity itched at the back of his mind. He tried to swallow the dry nervousness in his throat.

"Hey, Rose?" His quiet voice faded with each word. "So, about the other day..."

Rose twinged, her eyes growing wide for a brief moment. She dreaded the impending conversation. She had hoped he would have left that particular moment alone.

"What about it?" She snipped

"Just, uh, you know." Bart stumbled, his throat closing in on him. He rubbed the back of his neck "How we...kissed?"

"Yeah?" Rose snapped at him, impatient. She stared straight ahead. "And?"

Bart's palm felt clammy against his skin. He fidgeted with a shrug."Well I just was-" His eyes finally looked up at her. "Wondering what it meant-"

"Don't make it weird Bart." Rose interrupted him. Her cold words slicing through his struggle.

"What?" Bart questioned, confused.

"We were dicking around. We made out. It was fun." She looked over at him, her icy eyes winded him. "That's all it was. Nothing more." She turned away. "Don't make it weird."

"Oh…" Bart's eyes fell to the ground. A dour disappointment sat sticky in his stomach.

Rose grit her teeth. A searing self-hatred burned under her skin. She knew what she was doing to him. She knew all along what her playful jabs and stolen kisses would do to his mind, to his emotions. Rose knew what it would do to her. She tried so damn hard to stop herself.

But...God. Acting like a normal teenager? Flirting like a normal teenager; playful teasing and poached kisses? Fuck, it was all apart of what Rose wanted for her life, to have a normal life. But she couldn't. She never will have. And she had let her slip-ups go too far. She allowed Bart to catch feelings.

And to be with her, to fall for a wolf in ill-fitted sheep's skin? He must have been more of a masochist than she thought. But to find out who she really was? To find the monster under the wolf's hide: It would undoubtedly shatter him. And she couldn't bear to see that happen.

"Are we ready for mission assignments?"

Rose breathed a sigh of relief at Kaldur's voice.

"As you are all aware, we have been informed of the location of Cadmus's secret weapons laboratory." He pulled up a satellite image of the facility. It had a large rectangular center with a minor wing on each side. Smokestacks sat atop the center. A large firing range lays in the back.

"Our mission today is to investigate this building, hack their computer systems, and collect any samples, weapons, or raw materials you can obtain without suspicion."

A firm intensity grew on his face. "I need to stress to you that this mission is strictly reconnaissance. There is to be no contact whatsoever with the enemy unless it is unavoidable. We do not want them knowing we are on their trail. Is that understood?"

The Team gave him reaffirming, though some hesitant, nods.

"Good," he replied. "Tigress, Robin, you both are Alpha." He zoomed in on the image of the facility on the computer, focusing on the north end of the center of the building. "Our electrical scans show this area to be the main computer hub. Tigress will provide cover for Robin while he hacks and downloads files from the mainframe."

He turned towards Nightwing and Superboy. "You two will be Beta, your mission is to investigate the East Wing. Scans also show a high electrical reading. I will need you two to investigate and report your findings, hack and copy from any computer you find."

His eyes fell onto Emily, pausing to think for a moment. "Emily, you will be with Beast Boy and Miss Martian in Gamma. You will be exploring the main section of the building. Our readings indicate some metalworking. If possible, without getting spotted, I will ask you to try to obtain samples of whatever it is they are building."

Finally, he shifted his attention towards Rose and Bart. "Kid Flash and...Ravager, you two are Delta. You will be investigating the West Wing. It is only one story and our thermal scans report little to no activity from it today. So I do not foresee you have any issues. Your mission will be to investigate and report your findings."

Rose huffed, rolling her eyes. She was far too skilled to be wasting her time on reconnaissance.

Kaldur flashed her an unamused look. An itching anxiety crept under his skin, his instincts screaming at him to keep Rose under lock and key.

"I will be here," Kaldur opened himself to everyone. "Monitoring from above." A stern scowl flashed upon his face, questioning his own decisions. "Be ready to leave in 10 minutes."

Nelson Peak - Utah
February 16th, 2017
00:30 MDT

A chilling air swept across the desert sky. Moonlight danced upon the sand as M'gann lowered the bioship onto the roof of the weapons lab. At the feel of their silent landing, The Team dispersed from the ship to their appropriate positions.

Nightwing and Superboy zipped towards the East Wing roof. A small moment of stillness shook through them all as Dick clacked away at his wrist computer, hacking the frequency of the facility's security cameras.

After what felt like an eternity, his command boomed over the psychic link.

'Cameras are overridden. Everyone, begin mission assignments.'

Conner pointed towards the unlocked roof access door. Nightwing opened it with caution. Conner following him inside, conscious of the clanking of his boots on the steel steps. It lead them to a quiet, dim hallway. Disgruntled voices grew louder and footsteps rang in the halls.

Superboy and Nightwing spun around into the nearest open door, waiting for the scientists to walk by as they stood just around the corner, undetected. Conner heard a metal door slam as the scientists left.

Nightwing signaled for Superboy to follow. They stepped into a large white room. Blueprints and mechanical drawings cluttered on the corkboards on the wall. Desktop computers sat snug against them, design programs lulling on their screens.

Conner flinched. On the tables to the left, sat three Apokoliptian weapons. Their partially dismantled frames sat disheveled. Furiously scribbled notes accompanied them on the table.

They approached another large table in the middle of the room. Rulers, pens, papers sat sprawled upon it with blue prints stacked askew on top of one another.

They rummaged through them, jaws falling agape.

'What are they...trying to make here?'  Conner asked, perplexed.

Nightwing grit his teeth, nearly crumbling the papers in his hand. The papers contain drawings of human prosthetics, made from Apokoliptian materials. They showed procedures for implantation and nerve connection.

Dick froze for a moment, their rummaging finally led them to the bottom drawing. The design appeared to be for a helmet. The black and red armor sat sung against the wearer's skull rounding behind the ears and diving off into a point just down the back of the wearer's neck. Tiny needle-like appendages protruded from the point, hauntingly labeled: 'Brain Stem Connection'

A briny turning graced their stomachs. Dick unclipped the bundle of papers to reveal another design of the helmet. Using clear influence of Scarab and Reach technology, the helmet expanded its armor down the wearer's chest and back. The helmet would expand across the user's face. Giving them the appearance of glowing red eyes, pointed ears, and fanged jowls.

On the top sat in thick, bold letters. 'WARHOUND'

'I don't like the sound of that.' Conner whispered.

Dick pushed past his growing anxiety. He held out his wristwatch computer, taking scans of the drawings. He grit his teeth, a clawing feeling in his chest telling them, screaming for them to run.

************************

'Camera's are overridden, everyone begin mission assignments.'

M'gaan, Beast Boy, and Emily dashed around the smokestacks. They discovered a skylight opening on the roof. M'gaan phased through it, opening the latch for Beast Boy and Emily to hop through. She carried them to the metal maintenance catwalk along the edge of the ceiling.

'Emily,' M'gann addressed her on the psychic link. 'I need you to stay up here for now, be our lookout.'

Emily nodded in understanding, though disappointment sank in her stomach. She should have known that her team still believed she couldn't handle missions yet. She wondered if M'gann was still upset with her for her actions on Mars.

M'gann shifted to her invisible form and floated towards the ground. Beast Boy chose the form of a sparrow and followed.

Their eyes scoured the area. Overexhaused workers zipped around them. Sweat dripped from their brows as they poured molten metal into casts. Two metal vats, standing two stories high sat close to the east wall: orange, molten metal bubbled inside. Wooden crates stacked high against wall behind them. Garfield flew over to them. Under the guise of shadows, he morphed back, quietly opening one of the crates. Large blocks of unrefined black metal rested inside them.

M'gann made her way to the west wall. Two lines of weathered, apprehensive laborers worked at folding tables with a frenzied speed. Tools shook in their sweaty hands. Shrieks of metal rang from the tables as they focused on their tasks.

M'gann watched them with wary eyes. Red and black 'helmets' formed in their hands as they worked. A nervous shiver shot down her spine. The glowing red lights giving her chilling notions of Apokolips.

***************

Nightwing signaled the 'all clear' over the psychic link. Ravager peered over the ledge, her eyes falling on an open window. She quickly climbed down, Kid Flash falling right in line behind her. They climbed through the window with silence. Bart turned on the night vision in his goggles. Rose grabbed a pair from her utility belt.

Their eyes scanned the room. Containers stacked high on top of one another. Medical supplies filled the boxes to the brim. They looked at each other, confusion twisting their faces.

Rose opened the door with a quiet 'click' of the doorknob.

They walked towards the end of the hallway. Only the harsh blue tones of still computers filled the space with light. A long hallway stretched in front of them with three rooms on their left and two on their right. Glass walls connected each of them.

Each room: a fully equipped and fully functional surgery room.

They yelped as a scorching white light filled their goggles. Rose tore her's off, blinking through the spots.

A mousy man in a lab coat stared at them with a dropped jaw, his left pointer finger on the light switch. He gripped tight at the clipboard in his other hand.

"I-in-INTRUDERS!" His stumbled screech filled the air. He turned to run.

Rose growled, sprinting after him. She placed him in a headlock, her other hand grasped over his mouth and nose. He struggled, in vain, beneath her vigorous grip.

"It's naptime for you." She whispered as the helpless doctor finally lost consciousness.

As she laid him down on the ground, her eyes fell to the door in front of her. The 'Restricted Access' in bold, white letters intrigued her curiosity. She patted down the unconscious doctor, hand stopping on the key card badge clipped to his front pocket. She tore it off him, gliding towards the door.

"Ravager," Bart whispered. His eyes following her movement. "What are you doing?"

Rose looked back at him, smiling. "Let's see how far these badges go." She placed it up against the card reader by the door. A beep rang from the reader as it blinked green. They heard a small 'click' as the door unlocked.

"That's not our mission assignment," Bart chided.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'll go alone." She opened the door and continued through it.

Bart groaned in nervousness. He super sped behind her just before the door closed. They snaked through the crudely lit staircase, their footsteps hardly making a sound. The fluorescent lights flickered above them.

A hallway materialized at the end of the staircase. Fogged windows emerged to their left, light barely poking through the cloudy touched from floor to ceiling. A door sat in the wall, the same card reader blinking by the doorknob. The print on the door, turning their stomachs with a sickening uneasiness:

'HUMAN TESTING - RECOVERY WARD'

Bart swallowed hard, hair standing on the back of his neck. They looked at one another with a nervous tension before their gazes fell back to the door. Rose's fingers curled tight around her dagger. She hissed through her teeth as her jaw clenched tight. She pressed the badge against the reader, swinging open the door.

They stepped through the doorway, gasps falling from their throats. Rose's mouth fell agape with winded surprise.

Six hospital beds pressed against the wall. Their dingy mattresses were stained and streaked with damp blood and the auburn aftermath. Moans and groans filled the room. Six men lay upon the beds. Their pain-stricken bodies were chained to the sidebars.

Bart's studied them with a horrified intensity. The inner corners of his eyebrows turning upwards as his jaw fell open.

The patients lay half-naked, IVs next to them. A light blue liquid dripped from tubes to the needles in their necks. Some had missing limbs. Stubs of where there once was an elbow or knee, were wrapped in bloodied gauze.

Bart took a step closer, his horrified eyes jumping from bed to bed.

While some had missing limbs, others had body parts recreated with android-like prosthetics. The crude, sloppy replacements undoubtedly being rejected by the hosts' bodies.

Rose walked over to one of the men on the beds. A red and black cybernetic clunk of metal latched over his left eyes. Red and yellow sores throbbed the skin around it. A black metallic 'hand' was cauterized over his left wrist. The skin on his wrist blackened and cracked. The growing infection crawled up his arm. The unmistakable stench of gangrene rolled off of him.

"Jesus," Rose gaped, breathless. "What the fuck are they doing here?"

"Oh my God. These poor people." Bart shook his head, astonished. He turned his attention towards the closest bed. A man lay there, his breathing hoarse and shallow. A rectangular chunk of metal sat embedded in the center of his chest. Tender, splitting skin circled around it. In the center of the embedded metal, a circular vent opened and closed with each strained breath, a dull red light glowing inside it.

"Hey," Bart asked with shaky composure. He reached out his hand. "Are you alright?"

"Bart..." Rose's tone pleaded caution.

The man turned his head towards Bart. Eyes wide and wet with agony.

"It's gonna be ok," Bart assured, nodding.

"Bart…" Rose's eyes grazed across them. A pitied sickness rotting in her gut. A shook her head, the quiet acceptance of death soaking the room. "They're too far gone."

Bart jumped as the man snatched his wrist. Using the last of his dying strength, he pulling Bart close to him. His body trembled mercilessly.

"Kill, me." He pleaded.

The man's strained plea struck the air right out of Bart's lungs. He took another loud, constricted breath, head shaking ask his neck began to give out strength. Appeals of mercy dripped from his eyes.

"Kill. Me."

The man lost his grip on Bart's wrist. Bart stumbled backward as his body trembled. He couldn't stop the frenzied shaking in his hands.

Rose had seen enough. She knew that Cadmus had human subjects. But this was far worse than she could have imagined.

'Guys,' She chimed in on the psychic link. 'We have a situation,'

'What is it?' Nightwing asked.

Tremors tore up and down Bart's body. The man's pleas for death echoing in his head. The muscles in his chest clung tight around his lungs.

And with sudden swiftness, Bart's vision went dark, his eyes glazed. And his mind took him back. Back to a world, back to a place in time he had worked so hard to bury. Memories he tried so hard to suffocate.

'Kill me….Kill me'

The voice echoed inside his mind as he found himself surrounded by his old life. His life in the future. Ashy snowflakes of nuclear winter fell from the sky above him as his mind took him back to an old memory.

Back to his work camp. Back to his enslavement.

'Kill me….Kill me'

The screaming phrase rang in his ear as it did a year ago.

The work camp's officers materialized in front of him. Their presence, real enough that Bart was truly convinced that they were there. That he was back.

A splatter of blood tore across the air. Horrid screams filling in around him as his camp's officers tortured his fellow slaves. Their searing daggers and hammers sliced through skin and bone. Sadistic pleasure running through them as they collected intel on The Resistance. Secrets spilling from the slave's mouths as their composure crumbled with pain. Their pleas for death echoed across the camp.

A chilling, bitter cold ran through Bart's blood. He looked down at his hands, his black fingerless gloves wrapped snug around them. His green jacket just as tight against his arms as he remembered.

He brought his gaze back up. Stomach turning with a violent intensity as one of the officers stared at him. A small moment passed between them as the officer removed his helmet.

Bart saw his own face staring back at him.

A wicked, barbarous smile pulled on the officer's lips. A face just like his own, creased with a violent, cruel grin. Blonde hair ran amuck on his head, just as Bart remembered.

Bart's own voice fell from the officer's lips.

"Watch yourself, or you'll be next." He snarled. "You filthy slave scum."

'He-' Bart's unintentional voice rose on the psychic link. His mind still playing in the past. 'He tortured them.' His breathing wavered. 'He tore them apart.'

Rose's face twisted with cautious uncertainty. She watched Bart shudder with a fervorous shake. His intense gaze staring far beyond the present moment.

She knew that look. Rose recognized that lucid glare.

That was the look of the triggered. The look of someone pulled to another time. Where had his mind taken him?

'Bart?' She asked, mentally calling for his attention. This was no time, no place for him to have a moment. 'Bart pull it together!'

'What's going on?' Nightwing asked.

"Kill, me."

It was Rose who now heard the patient's pleas. She watched as tears fell down his cheeks, his prayers for eternal solace. His hand trembled as he reached out to her.

Rose's twinged at his desperate cries 'Fuck, what are they doing to them?'

'Bart! Rose! Answer me!' Nightwing demanded, concerned.

They didn't hear the door open behind them.

A bruising pain struck against Bart's back as he was body checked into the wall. The force of the blow, blacking out his consciousness. He collapsed onto the floor.

Rose barely had time to register what happened before she felt the cold press of a pistol against the left side of her skull.

"Don't. Move." A man's stern, husky voice bellowed the command.

Rose quietly and cautiously rose her hands up into the air. She peered at him through her peripheral vision.

The man's sharp jaw flexed as he grit his teeth. His auburn hair was buzzed close to his head. A black shirt clung tight to his muscles on his chest. Camo BDUs rested on his hips. He pressed against his earpiece communicator, sneering at Kid Flash's uniform. "League Intruders spotted. Initiate code red."

Rose's eyes moved about the room as an alarm sounded. It appeared as though their mission was now over. She had to get the information she needed and fast.

"Come to pay rescuer for these poor test subjects?" The man mocked, still pressing the gun against her head.

Rose's gaze fell back to the gunman. Her eyes narrowing. "They're not who I'm looking for."

The man tilted his head in inquiry.

Rose turned her head towards him, the barrel of his gun sliding across her skin, landing in the middle of her forehead.

"Where is Project J?" She asked with a cold demand. "Just tell me if it's here."

The man's eyes widened with astonishment. His nostrils flared in agitation. He narrowed his gaze. "Wrong facility." He snipped. "And just how do you know about that? That's classified information."

His mind raced, studying her every detail. "Unless…" His eyes fell from her snow-white hair.

He gasped. "It's you. You're his other brat."

Rose tensed at his words, anger shaking her limbs. A snarl pulled on her upper lip. She glared at him with a cold, violent intensity.

"So this is where you've been hiding? With heroes?" The man chuckled low in his throat. "Ohh, I can't wait to see the look on his face when I bring you to him."

What little composure Rose had compiled, crumbled beneath her.

"Not if I kill you first," she hissed.

With a swift, smooth swing, she grabbed the man's wrist, pushing the gun away from her head. He fired, the bullet charged towards the wall behind her. She brought her right fist upon his nose. The power from her hips, causing his nose to shatter beneath her fingers.

He smashed against the wall, clutching his face. Blood gushed from behind his hands.

A savage growl fell from his throat. "You bitch!" He roared as he lunged towards her.

Rose reached for the sword on her back. A sharp breath filled her lung, as her muscles froze with terror. Eyes growing wide at the sight in front of her.

Within a matter of seconds, the man...became a monster. His clothing shredded from his growing limbs. Thick, brown fur surfaced from every pore of his body. His ears pointed and jaw pulled into a snarling snout. His humanoid arms reached for her, claws sprouting from his nail beds. His clawed hands gripped her shoulders.

And Rose found herself tackled by a monstrous wolf...no….a werewolf.

Rose composed herself just in time. As he pushed her towards the ground, she kicked her feet upwards against his torso. Using his own momentum to somersault him off of her.

Rose scrambled to her feet. She grabbed her sword, holding it out in front of her, ready to strike.

The beast roared, charging at her. She lashed her sword at him, but he was far too fast.

He avoided her strike. His clawed hand grasped at her wrist. She screeched at her wrist popped beneath his crushing grip. Her sword tumbled to the ground. He pressed her against the wall. Terror spiked down her spine as his hands gripped around her throat.

She croaked. Her eyes grew wide as panic singed her nerves. Her windpipe closed around this crushing grasp.

He watched her face tint blue. His lips pulled back into a smile. "You're not even going to cry for me, little girl?" He chuckled. His hot, rancid breath patted against her skin. "At least the last one cried when I killed her."

A primal rage tore through Rose. She grit her teeth with a fervid furiosity. With the last of her oxygen, she shot her knee upwards, bashing it against his groin. He released his grip, a loud gasp filling his throat.

She shoved him off of her. Rose fell to her hands and knees. She coughed with desperation, trying to fill her lungs with air.

The wolf-man groaned, growling between his moans of pain and slowly picked himself up off the floor.

Rose scanned the room in a desperate attempt to find a way to defend herself. She reached out her uninjured arm towards the one of the beds. Clawing at the metal stool that stood next to it. And just as the man pulled himself up to his hands and knees, Rose swung the stool across this skull, knocking him unconscious. His body morphed back into his human form.

But Rose's heart still pounded in her chest. Sweat dripped from her brow her blood boiled beneath her skin. A barbaric snarl creased her face. A cold, seductive call of bloodlust screamed for her.

Bart groaned. His body ached with throbbing intensity. He slowly blinked open his eyes, two blurry figures gradually coming into focus.

Rose stood over an unconscious man. Her chest heaved as she stared him down with grim disdain. Anger creased her face, veins rising in her neck. She let out a loud inhale as she raised her other sword above him, the tip pointing downward.

Bart's blood ran cold. Time slowed as he watched her bring the sword down. The air escaped his lungs, a spark of electricity running through his muscles. He charged at her at superspeed, just before the sword could slice the man's skin. She smashed against the wall.

"What are you doing?!" He squawked. Jaw slacked in confounded surprise.

Rose groaned. She grasped at her head. "What?" She asked, coming to. Her eyes fell upon his terrified face. Her heartbeat slowed, her adrenaline dissipating. Her eyes fell to the sword lying on the floor.

What….what happened?

She remembered being choked, kicking him in the groin and then….this.

Oh no.

No.

Fuck….it was happening again.

Her blackouts….they were back.

"You almost killed him!" Astonishment filled Bart's tone. Her ghastly expression flashing in his mind.

Rose looked up at him with pleading eyes. "No...No I didn't mean-" She stood up, a dizzy sensation swirling in her head.

Bart backed away from her.

"Bart I-" She tried to explain, her voice cracking as she shuddered. "I don't remember."

****************

Robin and Tigress made their way towards the main computer room. It sat one story high. The wide windows overlooked the main metalworking station.

Robin hacked the badge reader on the side of the door with silent swiftness.

A young man sat at one of the computers. His cheek lay against his fist in boredom. He appeared to be watching a lab lecture. The badge reader flashed from red to green and Robin gave Tigress an 'all clear' signal.

Tigress swung open the door, her blow dart shooting a tranquilizer dart in the technician's neck. Tim sneaked in behind her, rushing towards the computer. He pulled the young man's hard drive from the computer, the lecture video ceasing.

Robin smirked, "You think he'd be mad if I stole his homework?"

Tigress rolled her keys. "Come on Kid Wonder, get to hacking."

Tim chuckled, placing the hard drive in one of the compartments on his belt. He pulled a wire from his wrist computer, plugging it into the mainframe. He tapped away on the holographic keys.

Several quiet minutes went by. Tigress kept a lookout through the door window.

"I've almost got it," Tim informed her.

Tigress breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe, for once, one of their missions would go smoothly.

'Guys, we have a situation,'

Oh Jesus Christ what now? Can't once, can't for once they just pop in and pop out and she can actually go home without a bruise?

'He tortured them. He tore them apart.'

Tim looked back at Tigress with concern. He had never heard that tone from Bart before.

'Fuck, what are they doing to them?'

"Keep going. Go!" Artemis ordered. Her fingers twitched as she had a gut-churning feeling their mission was bout to take a turn for the worst.

'Bart. Rose. Answer me!'

A shrill alarm rang around them. Red lights flashed in the corner of the room. Blinding spotlights clicked on from the ceilings. Artemis raced towards the overlook window. With terrifying clarity, she could spot Beast Boy and Emily. Their eyes went wide, like deer in the headlights.

Their cover had been blown.

Son of a bitch….she hated being right.

'Emily and Beast Boy are exposed!' She shrieked, calling for backup for them.

The small blast of an explosion filled the computer room. Robin and Tigress brought their forearms up to their eyes, shielding themselves. Smoke sizzled from the door as it swung open wide, barely hanging on by its hinges.

Robin lowered his arm. His jaw dropped bewilderment. His mind raced with questions, never tearing his eyes away from the figure in the doorway.

He held a gun in his hand, the barrel aimed in their direction. A red helmet clasped around his head. His leather jacket further tattered than the last encounter.

"Red Hood?" Robin questioned aloud.

Jason cringed at the sound of Tim's voice. Simmering anger heated his blood. "You?" He sneered, gritting his teeth behind his mask. His nostrils flared with a stinging realization. "He's still sending kids to do his dirty work."

'Keep hacking, I got him.'  Tigress's psychic words blasted through Tim's mind.

Tigress placed a swift kick across Red Hood's wrist, knocking the gun out of his hand. She took advantage of his surprised state, placing a punch against his jaw. He stumbled backward, colliding with one of the computer desks. She swung her staff down at his skull. Jason dodged it, grabbing it, and pulled her in close in a split second motion.

Artemis's eyes went wide, Red Hood's elbow charging at her face. A stinging taste of copper filled her mouth as his jab shot up underneath her chin. His jacket caught on the underside of her mask, tearing it over her head.

Tigress tumbled backward. She grasped at her mouth. Eyes clenched as a cold, searing pain jolted through her jaw.

Red Hood reached for his gun, aiming the barrel in her direction. "End of the line." He said.

Tigress released her mouth, reaching for the dagger on her hip.

A numbing wave flushed over Jason. Air ripped from his lungs as his eyes beamed at the woman in front of him. Tigress's eyes gazed at him. Their stare, carrying a nostalgic intensity that left him in a moment of delusion.

It was...her.

How could he have forgotten about her?

"Artemis?" Red Hood's gun nearly slipped out of his hand. His breath froze in his chest, his jaw falling agape.

Tim turned his attention towards Hood, astonished at his knowledge of Tigress's civilian name.

Artemis's heart raced in her chest. It pounded against her ribs.

"I..I can't believe it's you." He lowered his gun to his side. His breath shook in his throat as her golden hair fell into her face. Her bright, russet eyes staring through him with a stern intensity.

A childhood crush, a childhood hero from a life long before.

From a life nearly forgotten.

She was still as beautiful as he remembered.

Even with the blood that trailed down her lip.

Guilt twisted Jason's gut. "Oh my God I-I'm so sorry-" He tried to apologize, holding out his hand and taking a step towards her.

Panic filled Artemis's chest. She jumped to her feet, pulling the dagger from her hip. The sharp blade now inches from Jason's face.

Her breathing wavered. "How the hell do you know my name?" She hissed. "Who are you?"

Jason snapped himself back to concentration. A hardened sadness filled his eyes.

That's right.

There was no friendship between them. There was no 'Artemis and Jason'. No more 'Artemis and Robin'. No more teammates.

For that life, was locked away.

A past he could no longer return to.

"No one anymore." He answered, a hint of sadness glazing his tone.

A voice emerged from the speaker of the radio on his hip.

"Red Hood, report, what is the status of the Computer Room?"

Artemis looked at him with large, nervous eyes. A pause of silence filled the room.

"Red Hood?" The radio chimed again.

He allowed for another pause. Artemis gripped tight around the handle of her dagger.

Jason pressed on the radio's receiver. "All clear, there's no one here."

Artemis's jaw fell agape. Her brows bunched with confusion.

"The final protocol for a League security breach," Red Hood's tone was formal and informative. "Is to self destruct." He looked over at Tim. "You'll have 10 minutes. Finish fast."

"Why?" The word fell from Artemis's mouth. "Why are you helping us?"

Who the hell was behind that mask?

A small sigh fell from Red Hood, a nostalgic longing pulling on his mind.

"Quit The Team while you can Arty," His advice teetered on the edge of begging. "I don't want to see you get hurt." Darkness filled his tone. "Not with what's coming."

Jason reached for his back pocket. A Fatherbox rested firmly in his hand. And in a swift motion, a golden portal opened below him. Red Hood disappeared as fast as he arrived.

Artemis's eyes went wide. It took her a moment to regain herself. She boomed across the psychic link, 'Everyone, we need to finish up and retreat! This facility is set to self destruct in 10 minutes. It's gonna blow!'

Down below, panicked cries of the line workers rumbled under the sound of the alarm. They rushed out the exists as a wave of security guards filled the room. Apokolips weapons lay in their arms. They fired towards the maintenance catwalk.

Emily screeched as a wave of red lasers barreled towards her. She put up her energy shield, struggling against the blasts. She screamed as the push back from the lasers knocked her off the edge of the tumbled downwards towards the concrete floor.

Garfield's heart raced in his chest. The tore after her, shifting into an elephant. He stood on his haunches, snatching her in the air with his trunk.

As soon as he broke her fall, he toppled over, the red blast of Apokolips weapons searing his side.

M'gaan made herself visible. Using her telekinetic powers to knock the guard to the ground. She dodged the blasts, suddenly overwhelmed

'We need backup here!'  She cried over the psychic link.

'Already on it!' Nightwing answered. Out of the entryways emerged the rest of the Team. Robin, Nightwing, Superboy, Ravager, and Kid Flash filed in, their weapons unsheathed and battle-ready.

The eerie clicking of the spotlights turning off thumbed in their chests. The alarm ceased as the flashing red lights carried on, illuminating spots of the room with a haunting glow.

The guards pressed on their earpieces, listening to the transmission coming across. They dropped their weapons, bolting for the nearest exits.

Chilling anticipation ran down their spines.

"I should have known I'd be seeing all of you soon."

The pitchy voice echoed around them. Light footsteps tapped against the concrete floor.

Out of the shadows stepped Professor Ivo.

"You sidekicks are quite nosey indeed." He smirked.

"Ivo?"A perplexed tone fell from Nightwing's lips. His brows furrowed. Ivo's presence, suddenly filling tiny holes in his case file. "What are you making here?"

"Why tell you when I can just show you?" Ivo smiled. "I need to test my prototype anyway." He turned his head to his left. "Arsenal?"

A chilling quiet fell between them. The air froze in their lungs as Arsenal stepped into the light.

The helmet Dick and Conner discovered blueprints for, sat atop of Arsenal's skull. He looked at them with dull, glazed eyes and a slacked expression that questioned his mental presence. Scarring crept up his right arm from his prosthetic limb. The black metal was untouched and unscathed. Glowing red lights filled the metal edges.

"A-Arsenal?" M'gann stumbled, unintentionally reaching out her hand.

"Protect your master, boy." Ivo ordered. He held a small, rectangular remote in his hand, pressing the red button top if it. "Destroy them!"

In an instant, veins grew in Arsenal's neck. His eyes growing wide, muscles contracting. A hoarse yell screamed from his throat. His prosthetic hand hinged upwards to reveal his arm cannon.

He fired a deathly red laser towards them. The team bolted out of the way. Arsenal screamed. A savage, primal rage coursing through him. He tore across the concrete floor, tackling Superboy to the ground. He straddled Superboy's chest. The lights on his mechanical arm grew, as he placed his cannon against Conner's neck. Conner's eyes widened in terror.

Nightwing sprinted towards them, tackling Arsenal off of Superboy. His arm shot wildly against the wall.

"Arsenal!" Nightwing yelled, struggling to keep him against the ground. "Arsenal what's wrong with you?"

Arsenal swung his arm, the metal crashing against Dick's cheek. He moaned with pain. M'gann used her telekinesis to pull Dick away from him.

A crazed snarl pulled on Arsenal's lips. His pupils dilated to fine points. He roared once more, firing his laser in a crazed, sloppy frenzy. The team dodged the lasers as best they could.

"Arsenal snap out of it!" M'gann commanded, her eyes glowing as she went to dive into Arsenal's mind. She gasped.

"I can't-" M'gaan's jaw fell open. "I can't read his mind." A pained horror pounding at her chest. "I can't get into his mind!" She screeched.

Bart super sped towards Arsenal, shoulder checking him. His lasers continued to fire as he flew through the air. Losing consciousness when he collided with the wall.

A boisterous creak of metal rumbled the air. One of Arsenal's stray lasers collided with one of the legs of the vats containing molten metal. It cracked under the weakened support. It cascaded forward, molten metal spilling out of the top as it tilted further and further.

A monstrous terror bolted through M'gann as she looked below the tipping vat. Garfield lay directly in its path.

"BEAST BOY!" M'gann's horrific scream shattered the air around him.

Garfield turned his head towards a vivid orange glow on his right. He lost his breath, a petrified expression overcoming him as the molten metal poured down on top of him. Time seemed to slow. Horror coursing through his bones, terror freezing him in place. No matter how loud his mind screamed for him to run, his feet cemented to the ground.

Emily's jaw fell wide, a scream dying in her throat. A bolt a raw, feral energy shot from the center of her mind to the tips of her fingers. Her eyes began to glow a brilliant light blue, her face creasing with a snarl. A primal protectiveness surging through her blood.

She bolted for Garfield, her feet carrying her faster than she ever deemed possible. The cries of her teammates fell on deaf ears. She slid in front of Gar, her eyes glowing with a fervid intensity.

She roared, holding out her hands out above her. Foreign electricity danced in her brain. She felt a warm wave of power course through her every cell.

And all was quiet.

The falling vat stood still at an angle. The spilling, molten metal floated diligently in the air. The once cascading death trap, now defying the laws of gravity. A light blue aura simmered around the vat and lava.

Emily grunted. Sweat dripping down her brow as she grit her teeth. Her arms shook with a crazed trembling. Her muscles flexed, straining against the mental weight of cumbersome equipment.

"What?" Superboy's jaw dropped. Dumbfounded at the sight before him.

"She's…" M'gaan's breathed, amazed. "Telekinetic too?"

Ivo's eyes went wide. His lips twitched in a cold unamusement. "There's two of them now? Oh we are not prepared for this." He grabbed Arsenal by the back of his collar, pulling a Fatherbox out from his back pocket. "We'll be more prepared next time."

A bright golden vortex swirled underneath them. And in an instant, Ivo and Arsenal were gone.

'Everyone, get to the ship, GO!' M'gann barked across the psychic link, pointing at the open skylight window above them. They had only minutes before the facility was set to self destruct.

The Team obeyed. Conner grabbed one of the helmets from the workstation before jumping through the roof. Kid Flash ran to the top, and Rose and Tigress hitched a ride with Robin and Nightwing's grabbing guns.

M'gann levitated, taking Garfield and Emily along with her. They floated out of harm's way. The sudden movement broke Emily's concentration. The vat tumbled to the floor below them.

Emily gasped, struggling to catch her breath. "What-what was that?" She felt like she had ran a marathon. "Did you see that?" She looked down at the floor, then back at them, jaw dropping in awe. "I...I moved stuff….with my mind!"

"Telekinesis!" Garfield blurted. A wide, ecstatic smile plastered on his face. "You have telekinesis! How cool is that?!"

The bioship opened for their arrival. M'gaan bolted for the controls. 'Hang on everyone!'

She had no time to wait for them to strap in. They charged through the air, a fiery explosion trailing just behind them.

The WatchTower
February 16th, 2017
04:50 EST

A bustle of noise erupted in The Watch Tower common area as The Team poured from the Zeta Tubes. Kaldur ordered them to take ten minutes to tend to their injuries and unload their equipment before gathering again for debrief.

Superboy and M'gann presented Kaldur with the equipment from the factory that they managed to salvage. Artemis tended to Rose's injured wrist. Robin placed the red and black hard drive he confiscated into his wrist computer. A large screen appearing in front of him. His fingers tapped away at the keyboard hologram.

Nightwing smirked, walking up next to Tim.

"Decoding already?" He asked

Tim nodded, "I'm still too pumped from battle." His eyes intently studied each file. "There's no way I'm going to be able to sleep today." He smirked. "Might as well get a head start."

Dick chuckled. He was the same way. The glowing aftermath of a successful mission always left him restless. "I'm right with ya on that."

The voices of his teammates echoed around Bart. He watched them disperse as they busied themselves.

An uneasy feeling twisted his stomach. The remnants of his flashback still left him jittery. His mind wandered to his memory of Rose. Her wild, unbridled bloodlust still left him shaken. If he hadn't tackled her...if he hadn't have been there…

He knew her unchecked rage could not be left unaccounted for any longer.

He cared for her. He saw pieces of himself in her shattered, broken, lonely soul. The only one on the entire team who could see right through him. See him beyond his disguise.

But Rose was getting out of hand. Rose was losing control of her violent tendencies. He couldn't keep it to himself any longer.

"Kaldur," Bart's words shook as he approached Aqualad.

Kaldur turned his attention towards him. "What is it Bart?"

"I have something I need to tell you. About something that happened on the mission today." He bit his lip, nervous for the chaos that was about to unfold. "Something about Rose."

**********

Emily fidgeted nervously, her stomach bubbling. She lingered, waiting for Garfield to leave the common area.

Gar leaped past the other teammates, trudging towards The Watch Tower's cafeteria. His usual post-mission routine.

She followed him, hands shaking. She rounded the corner into the cafeteria, Garfield jumped at the sound of her footsteps.

"Oh, hey Em." A sudden heat flashed upon his cheeks. He wasn't sure why. He always felt so warm when she was around. He cleared his throat, realizing how alone they were. "Hey, uh, great job again today. By the way."

"Oh..." she replied, tucking her hair behind her ear. A bashful blush graced her cheeks. "It was nothin'."

Beast Boy felt his chest tingle at her shy smile. She was doing it again, making him feel...weird. Whenever she was around, she made it hard for him to focus.

It was then that Beast Boy came to a stinging realization.

"Aw maaaannn!" Beast Boy threw his hands up in the air in frustration, then brought them to his forehead.

"What is it?" Emily asked confused.

"I forgot to get a souvenir for the mission," he pouted.

Emily bit her lower lip. "Um. Gar?" she said shyly. "I-I think, I might have a souvenir for you to remember today by."

"Really?" He asked excitedly, his face lighting up. His eyes darted around her in search of an object. "Where?"

Emily took a step towards him, closing the space between them. He gasped at her closeness, the warmth of her body making his heart jump.

Emily had experienced more loss in the past few months than she ever had in her entire lifetime. She would give anything, anything, to have her mother back for a moment. Just to tell her how much she meant to her. How she loved her endlessly. To thank her for all she had done to help her grow.

And today, Garfield nearly died in front of her very eyes. In a blink of an eye, she almost had another person in her life taken from her. Someone she had grown to care for. Someone who she's never told how much he means to her.

And she was no longer going to keep silent.

"This," Her voice was soft. A sweet sleepiness pulled on her lids. She placed her left hand on the side of his neck and brought the other one into her chest.

Beast Boy twinged. His eyes went wide at the brand new feeling of someone's lips upon his.

They were soft, and created a sensation in him, much more powerful than he ever thought they would. His muscles relaxed as he closed his eyes. He placed a hand on Emily's arm and one on her waist, pulling her into him. He pursed his lips forward to kiss her in return.

They had only kissed for a small moment before Emily pulled away. She looked up at him with soft, nervous eyes, waiting for a response.

Beast Boy struggled to form words. They tumbled from his mouth like a babbling fool. "Uh, I...I like that, that...souvenir."

Emily let out a small laugh. Garfield felt fuzzy, entranced. Hypnotized by glow of her face and her smile. Completely in awe that someone, someone so damn beautiful, would even want to kiss him.

She pulled herself out of his arms; feeling overcome with a slight awkwardness.

"Um, so I'll-I'll see you back at The Warehouse, yeah?" She tucked her hair behind her ear again. She tossed him a flirty smile before making her way out of the room.

Beast Boy felt a smirk grow on his lips as he watched her walk away. Eventually, his smile grew from ear to ear. He laughed in triumph and excitement.

Best. Souvenir. EVER.

Emily's heart raced in her chest and she sped down the hallway back to the common room. A smile stretched across her face that wouldn't dissipate.

She couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe that she actually had the courage to do it. To...kiss a boy.

A foreign feeling of happiness surged through her veins. For weeks she was certain that the only thing she would ever feel ever again was sadness. The death of her mother, the absence of her father, still gouged at her in a way she knew would take years to heal from. But her teammates...her new family showed her a life beyond loss. How even a life with loved ones missing could still be full of happiness, love, joy, and light.

They showed her that hurt, would never last forever.

Garfield found himself staring, dumbfounded, at nothing. He brought his fingertips up to his lips, the feel of Emily still lingering. It finally made sense to him. The way his stomach fluttered when she was near. The way her smile warmed his chest. The way he couldn't stop smiling when she was around.

He liked her.

Holy shit did he liked her.

And...she liked him? She liked him. She kissed him. And now….he was letting her...walk away?!

Garfield's jaw dropped. "I'm an idiot!" He berated himself. "Emily, wait!" He called out, tripping over himself as he ran down the hall. He found her in the main common area, watching Robin and Nightwing sift through the new intel.

Garfield smiled, taking confident strides towards her. He wasn't about to let her leave The Watch Tower without telling her how she made him feel. How happy she made him. How beautiful, wonderful, perfect she was to him.

He was not about to let her step foot on Earth, before showing her how much he wanted to kiss her again.

He grasped at her arm, turning her towards him...

"Rose! This is unacceptable!"

The strange, frightening sound of Kaldur's raised voice, jolted everyone in the room. They snapped their attention towards Kaldur. He towered over Rose, anger shaking his limbs. Rose looked at him with a stern scowl, her eyes like daggers.

Bart stood behind Kaldur, the inner corner of his eyebrows turned up in worry. He held his hands out in front of him, pleading for Kaldur to not make a scene.

"I've warned you Rose," Kaldur hiss. "I've warned you about getting carried away when facing the enemy. And now I hear you almost killed someone today?"

Rose snarled, her eyes falling past Aqualad. She glared at Bart with cold, stinging hatred. "Snitch," she jeered.

"Bart did not do anything wrong here." Kaldur scolded. "In fact, if it wasn't for him, you would have blood on your hands right now."

"Who cares?!" Rose yelled "God. Who cares about some stupid, nameless henchmen. They're bad guys. Who gives a shit?"

Tim scoffed, just loud enough for Dick, Gar, and Emily to hear. They looked at him nervously.

But Tim paid them no mind. He rolled his eyes. "Every. Single. Day." Tim whispered, annoyed. He directed his attention back to the computer. He continued sifting through the newly acclaimed files.

Gar and Emily watched him do his work. And awkward tension caked the air as they tried to ignore the yelling and scolding that filled the room.

"I DO." Kaldur boomed at Rose. "I care. We do not kill our enemies. We leave justice, up to the justice system. We are neither judge, nor jury, and certainly not executioner!"

Kaldur huffed, realizing just how close his face was to Rose's. He let his anger simmer and subside. This is wanted she wanted. She wanted conflict. Rose lived for conflict. And Kaldur was not about to let her make him lose his composure; to fall to her level.

He straightened his back, no longer leaned into her personal space. "I will give you one last chance Rose." His nostrils flared with one final wave of tension. "If you lose your temper one more time, if you lose control of your anger one more time, you will be banished from this team."

Rose's jaw dropped.

Kaldur crossed his arms in stern determination. "And from here on out you are forbidden from using any deadly weapons."

"What?" She snarled.

"You heard me." Kaldur beamed. "No knives, no swords, no arrows. No. Blades. Whatsoever."

"Oh you've gotta be shitting me!" Rose threw her hands up in the air. "You can't be serious. You expect me to just-"

"Stop!"

It was now Emily's voice that rang about the room. He shrill screech snapped everyone's attention.

"What-" Tim asked, jarred.

"Go back up!" She shrieked, pointing at the computer screen. "That-that file." Her heart pounded in her chest as her eyes went wide. "That file has my name on it."

Tim squinted, looking for her name amongst the list of files. His stomach sank as he finally found what she saw.

He read the line, swallowing hard. "Emily Briggs: Case File PM-Gen2...Failure." He looked over at Nightwing, a sick feeling crawling under his skin.

Nightwing's jaw fell agape, unsure what to do.

"Play it." Emily hissed at Tim. Her body shook with frightened curiosity.

Why was her name on a Cadmus computer file? Why was her name a part of a case file?

Why was she so scared?

Why could she not stop shaking?

Why was she suddenly so fucking terrified?

"Play it!" She spat.

Nightwing shook his head. Warning sirens wailed in his mind. That was not a good idea.

"I-I don't think-" Nightwing stammered.

"Then I'll pay it!" Emily growled, bolting to the computer screen.

"Em-" Nightwing tried to stop her. But her fingertips slashed across the screen before he had a chance to move.

A video spread across the screen. A sullen, weathered man in a lab coat stared at them with tired eyes. A thin, middle-aged brunette woman sat next to him. Glasses rested upon her face and a lab coat wrapped around her as well. One of her hands typed on a keyboard as the other navigated a mouse. The video was filmed on their computer's webcam.

An involuntarily loud gasp escaped Rose. Her eyes went wide as she clasped her hand over her mouth. Her shaky breath trapped in her throat as her eyes began to water.

The last time she saw that man and woman on the screen, they were being murdered right in front of her.

"Is it on?" The man on the video asked, leaning into the camera.

"Yes dear." The woman assured. "You can start when you're ready."

"That's-That's Doctor Madison." Emily explained, exasperated and confused. "He...He was my family doctor."

"Holy shit," Rose swore, breathy. She turned towards Kaldur. "Those are my adoptive parents."

Kaldur, M'gann, and Conner responded to her with wide eyes. A cold feeling of anticipation chilling their blood.

"Hello, we are Mr. and Mrs. Doctor Madison." The man introduced, his deep voice clawing their attention. "Chief scientists, researchers, and biological engineers at Cadmus Seguro." He cleared his throat. "If you are watching this, congratulations. You have been chosen as one of the newest recruits for Cadmus Labs." He picked up a red and white hard drive, just like the one Tim acquired. "On this New Hire hard drive you will find reports of some closed Cadmus projects. As part of the New Hire onboarding, we've been instructed to do several seminars on the previous failed Cadmus experiments." A deep scowl further creased the lines on his face. "Because, as you know as scientists...failures are just as important as our successes."

His pause brought a moment an unbearable, tense, nervous silence to the room.

"This video will cover Case File: PM-Gen2." The man continued. "The Subject for this experiment is a one Emily Briggs."

Emily's shaken breathing rumbled in her chest. A quivering bounced upon her lips as the screen played a recording of her; Doctor's visits of years past. Hidden cameras watching her every move for years. Years of unsuspect surveillance.

"Thirteen years old at the time of this recording." Dr. Madison's voice informed as it played over the video. Emily watched the recording play clips of her monthly 'tests'. Dr. Madison would scribble on a clipboard as she ran on a treadmill, wires glued to her skin to monitor her vitals and heart rate. Pushing and pulling weights, Dr. Madison would push for more and more until her muscles failed from exhaustion. Vials and vials of blood were drawn from her veins.

Emily remember remembered those tests. She still had the scars from the needles on the inner pocket of her elbows. She remembered the tests growing in difficulty over the years, pushing her beyond her physical limits.

"Emily's growth and development has been heavily monitored since birth," Dr. Madison continued while the recordings continued. "With monthly examinations on muscle growth and development as well as mental stamina. The Subject was never made aware of these recordings and was under the impression her examinations were routine."

The recordings ceased. Dr. Madison's cold, stern face graced the screen once more. "The Subject was the first offspring of laboratory-created Metahumans that Cadmus had ever seen survive."

A photo appeared upon the screen of a stern-faced man with the chiseled jawline. His auburn hair was buzzed close to his head. Emily gasped, sudden lightheadedness overcoming her as she recognized the man in the photo.

Recognized him as her father.

Dr. Madison continued. "The subject's biological father is Warren Griffith, a.k.a 'Wolfpack'."

Emily shook her head. No….Griffith? That….that wasn't their family name. Briggs, their name was Briggs.

Another photo appeared on the screen; a blonde woman with sharp cheekbones and a sad twinkle in her eye. Dr. Madison spoke again. "And her mother, Dr. Myrra Rhodes a.k.a. 'Medusa'."

Emily's chest tightened. Muscles contracting around her lungs in an unbearable tightness. Her limbs trembled as she stared at the photo in front of her.

"That's my..." Emily wheezed out, jaw agape. "My mom."

Rose found herself with her hand clasped around her mouth again. Her eyes wide as she stared at the photo of the man on the screen. Emily's father. Warren Griffith. Wolfpack.

His cold, ruthless, unnerving eyes stared right through her. Just like they did earlier today.

She recognized him from the lab. The bloodthirsty metahuman who had his hand around her throat. The sting of his claws still lingered on her skin. The metahuman she almost killed today.

The man who became a wolf.

He was Emily's father.

He was alive.

He was working for Cadmus.

And he was a monster.

"Both Wolfpack and Medusa were created as part of one of Cadmus's earliest experiments, Project M ." Dr. Madison explained. "An extensive breakdown of Project M can be found in this same drive."

"With Wolfpack having the super strength and lycanthropy. And Medusa having the power of telepathy, telekinesis and shapeshifting, Cadmus was sure the resulting copulation would result in The Subject having powers of her own."

Emily trembled. Her eyes watering as the Doctor's razored words echoed in her mind.

"Warren and Myrra were ordered to marry, to raise the child under their civilian home, and adopt the new Surname of 'Briggs'." Dr. Madison's story hung heavy in the air. "This would give The Subject a 'normal' environment to allow the researchers to see how the metagene surfaced in 'normal' children, but provided constant observation and research of The Subject."

Dr. Madison huff, massaging the bridge of his nose. "But after years of observation, Cadmus found no evidence of metahuman powers in The Subject. She had the genetic potential for the gene, but years of gradual increase in mental and physical stress to coax out the gene, proved to be fruitless."

He closed his eyes. A heavy burden weighing in his mind as he continued on. "With the invasion of The Reach, their strategy for finding potential metahumans and bringing out the metagene, proved to be much more efficient. A strategy that was soon adopted by our laboratories. As a result, Cadmus decided The Subject, whose metagene was declared null, was a waste of resources and too much of a liability."

The Doctor let out a shaky exhale. "The Subject," He cleared his throat. "Emily," He looked at the camera with a cold sadness "Is scheduled for termination."

Emily's knees nearly buckled underneath her. Her breathing short and shallow as his final sentence grated at her insides.

Termination. Her accident….the one that gave her her powers….

Someone tried to kill her.

Doctor Madison snarled. "Shut it off." He jumped from his seat.

"Sweetheart-" His wife tried to reason with him.

One of his fists curled tight around his lab coat as he tore it off. "I can't do this anymore, SHUT IT OFF!"

The recording ceased. A chilling silence coated the room. Every member of The Team still, soaking in everything they had heard.

Emily's short, wheezed breathing trickled in the silence. Her chest, collapsing in on itself. A flushed heat rising underneath her skin.

"Emily?" Garfield's voice broke stunned quiet. He watched her tremble, her wide eyes still staring at the blank computer screen.

Her mind tried to race back to the day of her accident. The day she hiked at the national park. The day she wandered away from her friends, falling asleep to the sunset.

She remembered darkness. She remembered a cold, chilling fear rising in her gut. She remembered a deep growl, a pair of glowing red eyes, and a barrage of savage teeth and claws.

And blood. So much blood.

And the cold, deep, savage voice the rang in her ear.

"You are such a disappointment."

"Emily!" Garfield's cry echoed about the common room as he rushed towards her.

Emily's legs give out underneath her. Darkness coated over her vision, losing consciousness as she collapsed to the floor.

The WatchTower
February 12th 2017
06:00 EST

A stiff quiet hung about the air. A cold lull of sadness pulled on Emily's eyelids. She pulled tighter on the blanket wrapped around her. Whoever had picked her up after she fainted, placed her on a sofa of one of The Watch Tower's lounge areas.

It was cool and quiet. Just quiet enough, for her heightened metahuman hearing to pick up on the conversation in the other room. The conversation, about her.

She had gained consciousness only after a few minutes of blacking out. She lay there, pretending to sleep, while the others picked apart the hard drive.

An overwhelming numbness crawled through her veins with each sentence she overheard. The Team scoured through the rest of the hard drive, learning everything they could about Emily's past.

They discovered how her father and her biological mother we a part of one of Cadmus's earliest experiments: "Project M".

Project Monster. A hodgepodge of crude, almost science-fiction level of science. Drawing inspiration from cinema and mythology as their basis for creation.

Cadmus discovered how to splice animal DNA with humans. Dr. Myrra Rhodes, Emily's mother, was actually one of the scientists in charge of this experiment. Her father was the main subject for the gene splicing. He was a military volunteer, putting his life on the line to become a man-made super soldier to help his country in times of war.

Myrra's powers surfaced as a result of a lab accident. An explosion of chemicals gave her the power of telekinesis, telepathy, and shapeshifting. The ancient greek creature Medusa being her favorite form.

Myrra and Warren became intimately involved. And when Myrra discovered she was pregnant, Cadmus expanded their "Project M" for a second generation, curious to see to the Metagene passed on to offspring. Forcing Warren and Myrra to marry and raise Emily in a civilian lifestyle.

How had she never noticed her parent's powers before?

So she was just...some 'experiment' to them?

Did her mother...even want her? Or was we forced to take care of her?

Did she even actually love her? Or was she ordered to?

No.

She must have.

Emily was the reason she…..the reason she's gone.

It was all her fault.

"Emily?"

Emily's gaze drifted towards the doorway. Garfield stood there, his face plagued with worry.

"Can I come in?" He asked quietly.

Emily gave him a silent, sullen nod. She sat up, the blanket falling down her shoulders. Garfield stepped lightly into the room, taking a seat next to her.

"What are you thinking?" He asked, unsure of what else to say. It seemed that whenever Emily was built back up, something came along to tear her down.

He'd never seen anyone so broken. Fine shards of glass that could not be pulverized any further.

"I don't want to think anymore," Emily answered, her words unsteady. She looked up at him with dismal, glazed eyes. "It hurts too much."

Gar tilted his head in sympathy. A pain rising in his chest to see her damaged again.

He reached for her hand, their fingers intertwining. "I won't leave you." He promised with soft assurance, squeezing her hand. "I won't let you hurt alone anymore."

A small, disheartened smile flashed on the corner of Emily's lips. She squeezed his hand in return, her head falling onto his shoulder. A small, silent stream of tears fell down her cheek. Jarred with astonishment at how, amongst this boundless pit of darkness, there still shown a tiny, green light.

"Do you-" Gar mumbled, uncertain if he should voice his curiosity. "Did any of that, jog your memory?...Do you remember-"

"Garfield," Emily interrupted a small crack in her voice. She raised her head, looking up at him with pleading, tired eyes. "I don't want to remember anymore." She gave a small shake of her head. "At least, not right now. Not here." She was so...tired. "I don't want to think about the past. Or the future."

Tiny tears fell down her cheeks again. But her face carried a sullen stillness. As though she was too fatigued with misery to give any more emotion.

All she wanted, all she needed, was comfort. Something sweet, something soft, to take her away.

At least for a little while.

"All I want, right now." She continued with a quiet, eager reverberance. "It to be in this moment, right here," She pulled him in close, their lips inches apart. A wistful longing dancing on the tip of her tongue. "With you."

Garfield's stomach filled with butterflies at her closeness. Her wet cheeks glistened in the low light. Her look of desperate longing tugged at his heartstrings. He knew that what she wanted, what she needed, was a kind of comfort that no words could give.

"Alright," he whispered and brought his lips to hers.

And, at least for a moment, in that quiet room, Emily found a way to mask the darkness. Losing track of the passing time, their soft, lingering kisses, numbed her emotional destitution.

Apokolips
February 29th 2017
05:45 UTC

Charred bricks crumbled beneath his boots as Vandal Savage took heavy steps on the surface of Apokolips. Sweat trailed from his brow as the trudged through the byzantium brick castle. He opened the door to the back courtyard. Pools of lava flowed around them. The corners of his lips turned upwards in a closed smile. He arrived at the meeting just in time. He felt the eyes of Desaad and Gordon Godfrey fall upon him.

However, most important of all, just a few meters from them, stood the ruthless King of Apokolips:

Darkseid.

He stood tall at Vandal's approach. Looking over him with the unyielding stare of his stern, red eyes.

"Vandal," Darkseid addressed, amusement in his voice. "It always pleases me to see you. You always bring good news."

It had been several months since their last meeting. Not since the day The Reach left Earth had Vandal made the trip in The War World to Apokolips. Darkseid greeted him with a firm, strong handshake, just as they did before.

It was business as usual.

Vandal hummed with amusement. "For the most part."

"Then let's get this meeting underway," Darkseid beamed, retracting his hand. "I expect you have full updates on all our projects?"

"Correct."

"Start with Mars," Darkseid commanded as he crossed his arms. He turned his back, looking over the surrounding lake of lava as he listened intently. "I understand they accepted our offering?"

"Yes," Vandal answered. "The White Martian Militia accepted our offering of Apokolips weapons to initiate the uprising. Violent attacks have become routine there." A bit of teeth flashed in his smile. "Mars will soon fall into the state of chaos you require to take over."

"Good. And have the Whites made good on their favors we've ask?"

"Yes," Vandal answered again "We've had them pose as several members of the Justice League. Leaking media footage to tarnish their name. The UN has barred Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Batman, and Red Arrow from League activity as a result."

"And my Suicide Drones?" Desaad inquired, rubbing his hands together. A look of excitement overcame him. The Drones were some of his prized work. Using crude, torturous science to turn Apokolips slaves and captives into loyal, disposable pons.

"Causing death and destruction as ordered." Vandal grinned. "Their self-destructive armor has proven quite lethal."

Godfrey cleared his throat. "All of which I can assure you, is being pinned on the inadequacy of the Justice League." A boastful flare decorated his voice. "I have the public's puny minds fooled into thinking that Earth's 'alien attacks' are the result of The League's ineptness. Their approval rating has plummeted even more so than during the time of The Reach's invasion."

Darkseid hummed low in his throat. He turned to face them, a stern scowl on his lips. "And how goes our overtaking of Tamaran?"

Vandal sighed in disappointment. "I regret to report the full invasion was unsuccessful. The Tamaranians proved to be unswayed by our public manipulation tactics. Even engaging them in all-out war, their fight against us was unyielding." A snarl flashed upon his lip, thinking about his failure. "I had no choice but to terminate the planet."

Darkseid hummed to himself again. "Not what I desired." He huffed away the setback. "But sacrifices must be made upon the road to victory. Were there any survivors?"

"A few ships did escape during the planet's implosion. Your soldiers are hunting them down as we speak." Vandal gave a heavy sigh. "And I just received word that The League's sidekicks, managed to infiltrate the weapons facility."

Darkseid perked at his words, looking at back him over his shoulder.

Vandal continued, "The facility was destroyed per your request. Luckily the majority of the helmets had been shipped. We only lost around two dozen."

Darkseid's eyes fell to the ground, lost in thought. For a moment, silence filled the air. He puffed out his chest, raising his chin as he looked forward. "Tell me, Vandal. Tell me what I taught you. How do you break a 'hero'?"

A dark smile curled upon Savage's lips. "First you set them up to fail. Then you tear them down from the inside out." An eager, elated snarl twitching his lip. "And then you take them out."

Darkseid's eyes narrowed in thought. "And It's time we took that first step with Earth." He turned around towards Desaad, chin turned upwards in command. "Desaad, gather all Suicide Drones available. I want them all fully equipped in two days' time."

And for a small, scarce moment, Darkseid smiled. A flash of triumph flickered in his eyes. "It's time to deliver the first crippling blow."

Chapter Text

Gotham City - Crock Residence
March 2nd, 2017
12:00 EDT

“Something is bothering you.” Paula Crock’s voice filled the living room of Artemis’s childhood home.

She looked at her mother from across the dining room table. Artemis sat, with her phone in one hand, and her head resting in the other. The food in front of her slowly lost temperature.

“It’s nothing,” Artemis replied, barely looking up from her screen. The still, silent text message history itched at Artemis the more she stared.

Her mind played her latest interaction with Dick at The Warehouse over and over again. Reliving through the terrible words they both shared. Neither had said anything to one another since then.

Guilt festered in Artemis’s gut. Before embarking on the Zeta Tube to Gotham, she pulled out her phone and pounded on the keyboard.

‘I’m sorry’

It was quick. It was short. It was cheap. And it only furthered her shame. Nightwing had never spoken to her like that before. She had hurt him deeper than she ever imagined she could, and all she could come up with was a two-worded text message?

An irritating heat scratched at her skin for ten minutes before he responded.

‘It’s fine.’

Yeah...he was still pissed.

“I doubt it’s ‘nothing’,” Paula remarked, pointing at Artemis’s plate with her chopsticks. “You’ve barely touched your Banh xeo. I thought it was your favorite?”

Artemis gave her a sullen shrug. “I just haven't been hungry lately.”

“Are you alright?” Paula asked.

“I’m fine.”

“Artemis.” A soft concern plagued her tone as she reached for Artemis’s hand, looking her in the eye. Her words were soft and deliberate. “Are you alright?”

Artemis’s gaze fell to the floor. She knew her mother meant the question to its full capacity, not as a trivial filler. Artemis found she couldn’t answer. Because, in all honestly, she had forgotten what ‘alright’ felt like.

“You can always move back here you know.” Her mother gave her a small smile. “Give you some time to figure things out, be surrounded by love.” She squeezed her hand. “This will always be your home too. You know that right?”

“I do mom.” A hint of a smile pulled on the corner of Artemis’s lips as she squeezed back. “I’ll be alright. Zataana’s been really good at making sure I don’t lock myself in.” She grinned. “Plus I’m pretty sure we’d drive each other crazy. You’d be trying to run me over with your wheelchair by the end of the month.”

“Oh, sweetheart,” Paula answered with a condescending chuckle. She turned her attention back to her food. “I wouldn’t try to run you over with my chair. I would succeed at running you over.”

Artemis laughed, shaking her head. “You’re the worst.”

Her laughter faded, and eventually, her attention was brought back her phone, opening and closing her messaging app.

“Expecting a text from someone?” Paula asked.

“Yeah.” Artemis huffed. “No.” She placed her phone face down on the table with a growl, rubbing her hands on her face in frustration. “I don’t know.”

“Is that what’s distracting you?”

“Yeah.” Artemis signed, finally picking at her place.

A silence filled the space between them. Paula quietly waited for a suitable answer that she knew she was going to have to pry out of her daughter. “You know I am going to get an answer out of you before you leave today, right?” She said.

Artemis groaned, surrendering. “Nightwing’s mad at me.”

“And why is that?”

“I said something shitty to him.”

“Like what?”

Artemis grimaced at her own memory. “I told him he had no idea how hard losing Wally was.”

Paula looked at her with a stern, disappointed eyes. She knew the full extent of Wally and Dick’s childhood friendship. “Artemis that’s terrible.” She gave a small, exasperated shake of her head. “How could you say something like that?”

“Hey he said some pretty nasty things back!” Artemis tried to retort.

“Only because you were the one who provoked him.”

“Whatever.” Artemis slouched down in her chair, crossing her arms. “I texted him and said I was sorry.” Her face twisted in annoyance. “All he said was ‘it’s fine’. What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Artemis.” Paula placed her chopsticks on the table. “I know that you are still hurting.” She waiting for Artemis’s eye contact before continuing. “I know that this is hard for you. But you cannot allow your hurt to hurt other people.”

Her mother’s words struck a chord deep in her stomach.

“Being in pain doesn’t give you the right to pass it to others,” Paula explained with a steely truth. “Especially people who love you. You need those people in your life to get better, Artemis.”

Artemis looked up at her with defeated eyes. A slight pout played on her lips. She knew what everything her mother said was true. “What should I do?”

“Well,” Paula answered with a shrug. “First you are going to eat all of this food that I spent all morning cooking for you. You are far too skinny for my liking.” She returned back to her own food. Her motherly tone sounding as though she were assigning chores. “And then you are going to go over to that boy’s house and apologize to him in person. Context is lost over phones, you know.”

Artemis smirked, shaking her head. “You’re right.” She gave a defeated shrug. “You’re always right.”

Her mother hummed to herself in amusement. A smug smiled played on her lips. “That is correct," she replied.

Bludhaven
March 2nd, 2017
15:15 EDT

“I don’t get, what is it with girls and Froyo?” Tim questioned, watching with a slight horror as Cassie devoured her bowl.

He didn’t understand it. He couldn’t comprehend how much she could pack away. Even more so, he couldn’t comprehend how she never got tired of it. Central City Froyo, Dakota City Yogurtland, Red Mango Metropolis, he had eaten it with her in nearly every single major metropolitan city in the U.S. in their eight months of dating.

And Tim should have known when he asked her on a date today, Bludhaven Froyoland, is where she wanted to go.

“Don’t look at me like I’m the weird one,” Cassie sassed with a smile. She pointed as his bowl with her spoon. “You literally get the same boring thing every time.”

Tim looked down at his bowl, slightly offended. Chocolate custard, caramel sauce, chocolate chips. Safe and simple.

“I know what I like.” He shrugged, eyes falling on Cassie’s bowl; a nauseatingly neon concoction of fruity flavors and sweet and sour candies.

Cassie rolled her eyes with a smile. “So what’s after this?” She asked.

“Um, I was thinking maybe the amusement park on the pier?” He cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “But first we have to swing by The Warehouse.”

Cassie twisted her lip in irritation. “Let me guess, it’s for Team business.”

“Yeah…” Tim’s defeated tone trailed off.

“Tim, you said you’d try harder at keeping our personal time and Team time separate.”

“I know, I know,” Tim answered, trying to subdue her annoyance. “But this is kind of a ‘really need to take care of it sooner rather than later kinda thing’.”

Cassie huffed. She noticed how the left corner of his lip twitched when he became nervous. His apprehensive blue eyes peeked from the top of his glasses. An apology rested heavy in them.

She sighed, “Gods, I can’t stay mad at that cute face. You know how lucky you are, right?”

He laughed, reaching across the table for her hand. “Absolutely,” he said with a smile.

They finished their yogurt on the go, making their way towards The Warehouse. The spring air crisp against their skin. They walked inside, Malcolm greeted them from the kitchen. And resting on the couch with stiff, crossed arms was Rose. She looked over at the sound of their entry. A smug, ornery grin twitched on her lips.

Tim rolled his eyes, preparing for her inevitable smart remark.

“Oh, would you look at that.” Rose snickered. “Barbie’s taking her pet Birdie out for a walk. How cute.”

Cassie grimaced. “Oh, would you look at that.” She snipped back. “You’re still rude and annoying.”

“Oh, would you look at that.” All looks of amusement drained from Rose’s face. “You’re still a condescending twat.”

“Excuse me!” Cassie retorted, aghast. She took a step towards her, fist clenched.

Rose jumped from her seat, muscles tense in preparation.

“Okayokayokay that’s enough,” Tim said as he stepped in between them, arms outstretched. Suddenly not so sure if that was the most...intelligent choice for his safety. “I’m sure you two didn’t really mean what you said.” He felt like a father trying to placate quarreling siblings. “Please, can you two just, be around each other for longer than two seconds before being at each other’s throats?

“Doubt it,” Cassie answered with an honest sneer.

“Why are you two even here?” Rose huffed, crossing her arms.

“Oh, well, because.” Tim answer, taking off his backpack and setting it on the ground. “I actually have a present for you Rose.”

Her face twitched in uncertain surprise. “What?”

Cassie’s brows bunched in irritation. “Why do you have a present for her?”

Rose snickered at Cassie’s sudden irritation. She said, “Wow Birdie, I thought we were gonna keep us on the down-low.” She cupped her mouth, pretending to whisper at Tim. Her other thumb pointed in Cassie’s direction. “Especially with Blondie right there.”

“What?” Cassie’s face grew red with irritation.

“She’s kidding, Cass.” He assured, unamused. “Very funny Rose. I’m here because I came across something that can help you out.”

“‘Help me out?’” She questioned.

Tim reached inside his backpack, pulling out a shiny, black, rectangular box. A steel clasp sat on the front and two hinges sat in the back, a ‘Wayne Enterprises’ logo was etched on the lid’s center.

Tim held out the box to her, opening the lid. “Here.”

Rose tilted her head in inquiry. On the inside, on red satin, rested two sword hilts. Oval handguards circled around the handles. Their pristine steel begged Rose to reach out for them.

“What are they?” She asked.

“Just pick them up.” He assured. “Trust me.”

She grabbed them with caution, pulling them out of the box.

“Now press the blue button on the top with your thumb, just under the handguards.” Tim instructed.

Tim took a few steps away from her. He nodded. Rose paused for a moment in caution before following his instructions.

She jumped as two bright, white beams emerged from the hilts. A flowing stream of electricity pulsed through them.

“Woah.” Rose gawked, mouth agape. “What are these?”

“They’re called Energy Swords,” Tim explained. “They’re like, well, regular swords. But instead of the ‘blades’ being made of steel, they’re made up of controlled electrical energy.” He twirled his hand, thinking of an example. “Uhhhh, think like a lightsaber kinda deal, but non-lethal. They have all the cutting, damaging, and shielding capabilities of a regular sword but become non-lethal when they come in contact with skin tissue. The electric pulse simply shocks the opponent unconscious.” He shrugged, smirking. “So now you can let out allll the rage you want on the bad guys, and we don’t have to worry about you, well, killing someone.”

Rose looked up at him with soft eyes and a slacked jaw. She could not remember the last time she had been given a gift. A gift meant that someone had thought of her. Thought of her situation. Thought about how much trouble she’d been in. And thought of something to help her.

Help her stay on the team.

He….wanted her to stay on the team?

“I-I” Rose’s words nearly died in her throat. “I don’t know what to say.” She retracted the Energy Swords. A rare, genuine gratitude rested on her tone. “Thank you,” she said.

Tim nodded his head, giving her a small smile. He felt boiling anger radiation off of Cassie.

He was never going to hear the end of this.

Bludhaven
March 2nd, 2017
15:00 EDT

A deep inhale and exhale expelled from Artemis’s lungs. She stood outside of Dick’s apartment door, trying to find the courage to actually knock. Her planned conversation played over and over again in her mind. She clanked her knuckles against the wooden door.

Dick swung the door open. His eyes widened for a moment in surprise. An awkward silence fell between them. Dick opened his mouth then closed it, seemingly unsure of what to say. She was the last person he’d expect at his doorstep.

“Hey,” Any pre-scripted conversation Artemis had disappeared from her mind with sudden swiftness. She just needed something, anything, to help dissipate the tension.

“Hey,” Dick responded.

“Um,” Artemis struggled. “Are you, uh, busy right now?”

Dick gave a small, reluctant shrug, “Not really.”

Artemis peered behind him, hoping he was alone. “Can I come in?” She asked.

Dick stared at her for a quiet moment. His unamused expression turned her stomach. “Sure,” He answered coldly, opening the door wider.

Dick stepped out of her way, making his way towards the kitchen sink to finish the dishes he’d started. Artemis trailed in behind him, closing the door.

The front door opened to the kitchen and dining area. Beyond that could be found the living room and the door to Dick’s bedroom. Cat Grant’s news segment lulled in the background on the television. A small table with two chairs sat in the middle of the kitchen.

Artemis’s eyes ran over the table. Manilla folders overflowing with papers and photos sat on top of it, along with a half-empty bottle of red wine.

Artemis’s brows bunched in worry. “I thought you didn’t drink,” she said.

“I don’t,” Dick answered, a slight annoyance hung on his words. “Barbara left it from last night when we were going over case files.”

“Oh,” Artemis answered, thrown off by his blatant irritation. “How’s that going? You guys... a thing yet?”

“No. But...we’re good.” Dick huffed in annoyance, wiping his hands dry with a hand towel and tossing it on the counter. “Did you really come all the way to Bludhaven to ask me about my relationships?”

“No, I came here to visit my mom.” Artemis sneered. She paused, taking a moment to reel in her cattiness. “And I...” She exhaled audibly. God, what was this so hard? “Wanted to say I’m sorry.”

“I told you it was fine.”

“No. I wanted to tell you in person. I…” Artemis growled to herself. She threw her hands up in the air and brought them back down, shaking her head as she twisted her lip. Unsure of how else to say it. “I’m an asshole.” She nodded in self-affirmation. “I’m an asshole.”

The sting of admittance clawed at her insides.

She balled one of her hands into a fist, it bounced as she spoke. “I’m not over Wally’s death yet. I’m handling it, really shitily, and I took it out on you.”

Dick nearly had to take a step back to keep his balance. His eyes widened in surprise.

Artemis chewed on the inside of her cheek, self-anger rising as their fight replayed in her mind. “And I said something shitty to you that I can’t take back.” Water rose in her eyes. “I’ve been so caught up in myself that...I’d forgotten that I wasn’t the only one who loved Wally. I forgot how much he meant to everyone else.” Artemis swallowed the lump in her throat. “You were right, I’m not special.” She looked at him with defeated eyes. “I’m not the only one who hurts.”

Dick stared at her for a small moment, her words taking time to sink in. He gave a weak chuckle, a pang of guilt rising in his gut. He rubbed the back of his neck. “I guess we’re both assholes.” He took a few step towards her. “I said some nasty things to you too.” He took her hand, his gaze falling to the floor. “You didn’t deserve that. I wish I could take them back.” He looked at her pleading eyes. “I’m so sorry.”

Dick was taken aback as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into a tight embrace. Dick smiled.

“I just-” Artemis’s muffled voice bounced against Dick’s neck. “I just want to skip to he hugging so we can finally knock it off with all the ‘feelings,’ okay?
Dick laughed, hugging her back. He knew it was really because she didn’t want him to see her cry.

“Yeah,” He responded with a chuckle. “Absolutely.”

She pulled away from him, wiping away the tears from her eyes. She cleared her throat and sniffled away the rest of the tingle in her nose. She turned her attention to the table, trying to find something to change the subject.

“So uh,” She cleared her throat again. “What-what’s all these for? A new case?” She placed her hands on one of the manila envelopes. “Can I see?”

“Sure,” Dick responded. “Yeah, it’s just material on one of the new villains that’s popped up in Gotham. I think we’ve told you about him? Red Ho-”

“Holy shit!” Artemis swore as she opened one of the folders. A snapshot of the red masked, leather-jacket-clad man stared back at her. “Holy shit I forgot," She brought her hand up to her head. Her jaw dropped in exasperated disappointment. “I fucking forgot. I forgot to tell you! I didn’t tell you! Did Tim tell you!?”

Dick shook his hands out in front of him. “Woahwhoahwhoah slow down-”

Artemis grabbed the photo, holding it out towards him. “He knows my name,” She spat. “He knows who I am!”

“What?” I hint of panic spiked Dick’s words. “What do you mean? How do you know that?”

Artemis placed a hand over her face.

Dick was going to be so pissed at her.

“At the weapons factory.” Artemis explained, bringing her hand back down “I guess-I guess with all the shit that went down with Emily I just...pushed it back.” She shook her head, flabbergasted. “Tim didn’t tell you?”

“No,” Dick sneered, thinking of the strong words he was going to have with Tim later. “So you need to tell me.”

“At the weapons factory,” Artemis explained again. “He attacked us when the alarms went off. My-my mask got ripped off and...he knew me.” She clutched her chest as it all came crashing back to her. “He called me Artemis. He called me...Arty.” Her jaw fell, eyes wide in remembrance.

Arty. A nickname that only a few people in her life had permission to address her by. Only those astonishingly close to her.

“And then-and then he told us about the self destruct.” She shook her head, confusion plaguing her as it did then. “He...he saved our lives.” She itched at the unbearably hot skin on her chest. “But...only because...he saw me? Recognized me?”

Dick clenched his eyes shut, an overwhelming pressure building in his skull. He took a deep breath. “Goddammit,” He swore. “He knows Barbara too.”

“What?” Artemis gasped.

“In uniform.” His eyes ran across the floor, trying to piece together the puzzle in his head. “She was-patrolling in uniform. And her called her...Babs.”

Artemis’s jaw fell agape, her eyes racing across the floor in thought. “So...what, are we…” She looked back up at him. “Talking about a double agent maybe? Another mole?”

Dick sighed. “I don’t know, this changes a lot of things.” He ran his hand through his hair. “I thought-I thought it was just her but now…”

Artemis’s gaze fell past him. A stiff tension surged through her veins as the television grabbed her attention. “Dick-” She tried to interrupt.

“Now it could be the whole Team, the whole League even-"

“Dick shut up look!” Artemis chided, brushing past him. She stormed the living room, grabbing the remote off the sofa, and blasting the volume.

“Again we’ve just received reports of simultaneous alien attacks in Metropolis, New York City, Washington DC, Central City, Dakota City, and Fawcett City.” Cat Grant’s words stiffened the air in their lungs. “Our news crews are saying they appear to be the same aliens that attacked New Orleans and Bludhaven just last year.”

Live video feed played in the corners of the screen. Petrified civilians bolted away from their homes. The aliens clawed and mauled anything, anyone in their path. Explosions filled the streets.

“The President has declared a state of emergency.” A twinge of panic could be found in even Cat’s voice. “All available military reserve personnel have been dispatched. Citizens who live in these cities are ordered to evacuate immediately. We are still awaiting an official response from The League-”

Dick’s wrist communicator rang. He answered it, knowing all too well who it was.

“Where do you want us to go?” Dick answered. The communicator projected a video of Batman.

“New York City. Zeta there.” Batman ordered. “Guardian is already on his way. I will meet you there on the Bat Plane.”

“What about Robin?” Dick inquired.

“I have ordered him, Wonder Girl, and Ravager to assist Wonder Woman in D.C.”

“But I thought she was barred from League activity?” Dick questioned nervously.

Batman’s eyes narrowed. “We’ll worry about politics when lives aren’t at stake.” A striking firmness caked his voice. “Both of you listen to me. We need to take these aliens out fast without agitating their armor. Disable them as quickly as possible.”

A flash of apprehension twisted Bruce’s lip. “We cannot let them self-destruct.”

Central City - Keystone High School
March 2nd, 2017
14:00 CST

The droning voice of Bart’s science teacher filled in around him. Bart slouched forward onto his desk, laying his head down on his arms. The teacher lectured on and on. Probably something about plate tectonics? Well, at least that’s what he caught snippets of. That’s what the assigned chapter Bart speed read five minutes before class was on.

The scribbling of his classmate’s pencils consumed him in white noise. His eyelids hung low. His leg bounced furiously in his chair, counting down the minutes for the day to be done.

Bart was too preoccupied to notice or care for the lecture. A sullen disappointment pushed on his chest as he remembered:

‘Don’t make it weird.’

Rose’s words still played in his mind. It irritated him to no end how he couldn’t just let them go. How he couldn’t shake their jarring mental presence.

It was a curious, new type of disappointment. One that sunk his mood to a pitiful tenderness. Made him feel wounded and vulnerable.

He hated it. And what irked him even more, was that the reason his wounded feelings hadn’t healed, was because Rose made him feel like he wasn’t alone.

Rose didn’t pity him. Rose didn’t go easy on him. Rose didn’t see his past as something that broke him, but rather, something that made him. She saw past his ecstatic charade. Saw parts of him that no one had ever been able to, ever cared, to dig out.

Yet she wanted nothing to do with him.

And that stung.

Bart snapped his head up, his brooding cut short by the wail of sirens. Bart and his classmates exchanged nervous glances about the room and out the window. Central City had two community sirens. One for tornadoes. And the other for metahuman or alien attacks.

The alarm for the latter clattered through the walls of the school. Bart’s fingers twitched in nervous anticipation, just begging to throw on the uniform in his locker. The teacher’s phone desk rang. He grabbed it, listening with a firm intensity to the orders of the principal on the other line. He nodded, hanging up the phone.

“Okay everyone listen up,” The teacher addressed the class. “There is no need to panic. Please form an orderly line and we will proceed to the nearest shelter-’

Screams filled the room as an explosion erupted from the buildings across the street. A carnal roar rang in their ears as five aliens revealed themselves from the alleyways.

Bart gasped. They looked nearly identical to the ones that attacked Louisiana months prior. Towering creatures, with humanoid forms, nearly seven feet tall. Their scarred, calloused skin cerulean in color. They sported batlike wings and ears. Their short snouts protruded with razored teeth. Red, glowing, lidless eyes stared with a petrifying gaze. Red and black Apokoliptian armor covered their torso, thighs, and forearms. Wretched growls fell from their throats as they charged towards the school. Ear-splitting screams scorched the air. Bart's horrified classmates bolted towards the exits, panic clawing at their primal need for escape.

Bart supersped to his locker, tossing on his uniform. He wasn’t about to let these monsters take away his peers.

He wasn’t going to let Central City down.

He wasn’t going to fail.

He wasn't going to let Barry down.

Not again.

Not today.

Dakota City
March 2nd, 2017
13:00 CDT

Car horns wailed against the cracked asphalt. Impatient drivers sat bumper to bumper on the Dakota City highway. The noise of the bustling city around them accentuated the shrill clamor.

In one of the idling cars sat a muscular, black young man. He pressed a cell phone up to his ear. His college textbooks rested on the passenger seat. An empty car seat sat snugly in the back. His football equipment poked out of his athletic bag. On the back of his jersey, in bold lettering, was the name ‘STONE’.

“I’m sorry you have to pick up Amistad baby.” He apologized to his wife on the phone, looking out the window at the standstill traffic. “I have no idea where all this traffic came from.”

“It’s all good Victor, no worries.” On the other line, Raquel Irving (No, Raquel Stone. She so was not used to that yet) answered him with a reassuring tone.

She walked down the stairs of their apartment complex. The sound of her closing car door echoed around her as she hopped inside. It looked like she was going to be the one to pick up their child from daycare today. She’d be damned if she’d let that place squeeze another damn dollar out of her for a late pickup fee.

“I needed to run some errands anyways,” she added.

Victor chuckled at the sound of her car door. “You could just fly him around you know.”

“Uh, and have his little toddler mouth blab about my superpowers to his class?” Raquel scoffed, putting on her seat belt. “No way. He’s not finding out mommy is ‘Rocket’ for a very long time.”

Victor smiled as he shrugged. “I don’t know, you squealed to me about it pretty quick.”

Raquel snorted. “Yeah, that’s because I was sixteen and pregnant and distraught.” She twisted her lip in a sassy fashion. “Something you did to me by the way.”

Victor laughed. She shook his head, and ornery grin pulling on his lips. “Well, you didn’t seem so distraught about the baby-making process.”

Raquel smiled as she rolled her eyes. “Alright, okay horndog, put that dirty mind away.” She smirked. “Save it for later tonight.”

“Ooo,” He cooed, a huskiness dripping from his tone. “You are so…”

Raquel waited for him to continue. A silence fell between them. “Baby?” She asked. “You still there?” Distant shouts filled the background of the other line. “What’s wrong?”

Victor’s eyes narrowed as he peered out his windshield. Off in the distance, he observed people abandoning their cars. Panicked looks overcame their distant faces as they sprinted in his direction, charging between cars. “People...runin’ away from somethin’.” He blurted out into the phone, mind racing.

A shrill sound boomed in the around him. The bright, golden vortex of a Boom Tube swirled in the air just meters feet from him. Out of it dropped a snarling, screeching alien. The hood of another car crumpled under its weight.

Victor’s jaw dropped. He recognized it from the news videos of the alien attacks in Bludhaven and New Orleans.

The creature spotted him. It roared, taking charged at his vehicle.

Victor’s lungs nearly froze in place. He felt winded and is grasped in desperation at his door handle, his phone falling to the floor. “Holy shit!” Was all he could utter as he stumbled out the door, the alien closing in on him.

“Victor?!” Raquel screeched. Her eyes widening in horror at the haunting sounds on the other end. Her lip trembled with terror. “VICTOR?!”

Dakota City High School
March 2nd, 2017
13:00 CDT

“I can’t believe I’m letting you do this.” Virgil squeezed his eyes tight as Frieda pricked his pointer finger, squeezing a small amount of blood into a tiny eyedropper. He looked around the school science lab. Quiet seeped in around them as they were the one ones to occupy it. “I can’t believe Mr. Mason just lets you have run of the lab on your free period.”

Frieda smiled, placing a drop of his blood between two glass slides, putting it under a microscope. “It pays to be a suckup.” A smug look overcame her, a hint of cockiness in her tone. “Being an Honor’s Student throws off suspicion.”

Virgil smiled as he rolled his eyes. “Oh, you’re a real badass alright.”

“Shut up.” She jested with a playful sneer, peering into the microscope.

“Why do you need my blood anyways?” Virgil asked. “What are you looking for?”

Frieda pulled away, tying her hair into a bun. “I have a theory.” She began, pulling up DNA diagrams on the laptop next to her. “There’s not much research on the Metagene.” She paused. “Well, not a lot of public research anyways. But from what I have read, some scientists believe that it’s the next step in our evolution as humans. With the growing extraterrestrial threats, the harsh environmental change, hundreds of years of constant war, world hunger yadda yadda yadda; some scientists theorize that it’s our bodies’ new self-preservation attribute finally surfacing.” She looked over at Virgil. His blank bored expression telling her to hurry along. She clanked away at her keyboard. “Anyways, one scientist...God what was his name? Dr. Adam Strange I think? Anywho he has a theory that the metagene could be dormant in every species.”

“Wait…” Virgil asked, a perplexed expression scrunching his face. “So are you saying like, all those mice that you got held up in your room could end up being...super mice?”

“Nononono,” Frieda corrected with a laugh. “See the theory says that other animal species can possess the metagene, but they are no way evolved enough, like humans, for it to become active. Their environment doesn't call for it. ” She placed the slide of Virgil’s blood into a slide box. “I just want to compare your blood to some of the mice to see if I could potentially find the ones with a dormant, under evolved metagene to help narrow my research.”

Virgil stared at her. In awe of just how much her research had consumed her. Dear God, how could she spend so much time on something so...boring?

“Frieda, am I your only friend?” He teased.

She squished her face at him, a sassy pout pushing on her lips. “Shut up.”

Virgil laughed. “I’m just sayin’-I’m just sayin’ like, do you ever have any fun? Ever?”

Her jaw dropped, motioning towards the microscope. “This is fun.”

His nose scrunched in disgust. “Experimenting with mice and blood is fun? That’s some creepy supervillain shit.”

She rolled her eyes at him, a thin smile pulling on her lips. “Yeah right. Even so, you wouldn’t want me as an arch-nemesis. You wouldn’t stand a chance.”

Virgil opened his mouth to make a witty remark. His jaw snapped shut as a jarring explosion rattled the windows. Off in the distance, a large trail of black smoke rose towards the sky. Virgil pressed himself against the glass, realizing the explosion came from the highway that ran through the city.

He looked over at Frieda. She nodded in understanding. “Go, I’ll cover for you,” she assured.

Virgil tore his uniform from his backpack, throwing it on with haste. He opened the window, pushing out the screen. He pulled the retractable metal disk from his bag, throwing it underneath him as he charged towards the fire.

He approached the highway. Terrified civilians sprinted from their cars. Five vehicles were set ablaze, the explosion overturning and crushing the vehicles next to them.
Virgil gasped as a loud screech filled the air. The aliens appeared through the smoke, clawing at cars and civilians. Two carried Apokoliptian laser guns, aiming them at the fleeing crowd. They fired, more cars were set ablaze upon the laser's’ impact. Screams filled the air.

Virgil charged, flying past them, using his electricity to snatch their guns out of their hands. A twinge of panic overcame him as he heard tiny cries for help; people trapped inside of their overturned and crushed cars.

“Static!”

Virgil snapped his head to his left. A tall, broad black man approached him. Virgil's eyes went wide. He recognized him as Victor Stone; Star Athlete; Raquel’s husband. He had watched them wed only months before.

“You take care of the aliens,” He demanded. “I’ll get the people out.”

“W-what?” Virgil stammered. “No you can’t-”

“Just do it!” He boomed, running towards one of the overturned cars.

“And I thought Frieda was bossy,” Virgil said under his breath. He pressed on his earpiece communicator. “Static to Watchtower we have hostile aliens in-”

“We know.” Green Arrow’s voice filled his ear. “They’re attacking several cities. Black Lightning and Rocket are on their way. Hold your position.”

“What?” Virgil snipped back, flabbergasted.

“Static, listen to me.” Greeen Arrow’s voice was stern. “Do not engage them, it could set off their self-destruct. Wait for backup and then find a way to lure them away from civilians. ”

One of the aliens roared. It grasped at a car, lifting it up over his head. He tossed it into the air, nearly crushing a group of petrified pedestrians as they ran.
Virgil growled, shaking his head. “I can’t wait that long! These people will die!”

Green Arrow’s retorts fell upon deaf ears as he charged at one of the aliens. He struck a punch at it, clocking it in the jaw.

A few yards away, Victor Stone scoured through the mess of vehicles. Tiny hands pounded against the glass of a van. Two children screamed as they cried out for help, tears running down their faces as the dented doors locked them inside.

Victor picked up a stray piece of metal, smashing it against the back window. It shattered.

“I got you,” he assured them. Pulling them out. “It’s gonna be alright.”

Virgil roared as he clocked the alien again, sending him falling to the ground. The other three took notice of Virgil, panicked screeches falling from their throats.

Virgil’s eyes went. His blood ran cold as the aliens pressed the red button on the center of the chest armor. The lights began to blink, the horrifying timer already set in motion. Panic overcame Virgil. His mind raced. If he couldn’t stop the aliens from exploding, he could at least get them away.

Virgil squeezed his eyes shut. His right arm reached out behind him. Sparks jumped from the surrounding car batteries, and into his palm. He grit his teeth with a fervid ferocity as he held out his left arm. Three bolts of electricity latched onto each of the aliens, magnetizing their armor.

Virgil roared. Sweat trailed from his brow as he used his borrowed electrical power to lift the aliens up into the air. His muscles twitched, a burning resistance coursing through them. If he could just get them high enough. If he could just lift them up far enough into the air. He could get them just far enough away, everyone would be safe. Just a little further, just a little faster…

Virgil gasped as his muscles gave out on him. They jerked as his electric current ceased; the weight of the aliens being too much for Static’s green powers to bear.

The aliens tumbled to the ground. And in an instinctive attempt at survival, Vigil held out his hands in front of him. An electric shield circled over him.

The force of the blast pounded the wind from Virgil’s lungs. His vision went dark as his body tossed through the air. He bounced against the ground, his skin scraping on the asphalt. He lay on the ground, a deafening ringing filled his ears. He groaned, blinking his eyes open. They stung against the smoke. He could only make out dark clouds and fire through his blurred vision.

He felt his body shake as someone pressed on him. With half-lidded eyes, he rolled his head over to the other side. Black Lightning looked at him with terrified eyes, his mouth moved but Virgil could only make out the steady ringing.

His vision came back into focus as he lay there; his gaze fell past Black Lightning. Raquel knelt onto the ground. Tears flooded down her cheeks as she tended to another body. The body of another young black man. Blood poured from the wounds of his barely attached limbs and singed skin.

Wails and screams fell from Raquel’s lips but all Virgil could hear, was ringing. Constant, dizzying ringing.

“No..Victor…” Virgil couldn’t even hear his own words before his consciousness fell into darkness.

Central City - Keystone High School
March 2nd, 2017
14:15 CST

The rabid thump of Bart’s heartbeat pounded viciously in his chest. Bart stood in uniform in the street in front of the school. “Over here over here!” He bellowed, trying his best to distract the aliens away from his school. Away from his screaming classmates.

They turned, their red eyes glowering at him with a bloodthirsty glow. A stiffness cemented Bart’s lungs, recalling his first encounter with the creatures. He had nearly gotten himself killed, his sloppy underestimation, tripping on of the alien’s self destruct buttons.

He dove past them, landing a punch here and there. Enough to grab their attention away from the fleeing high schoolers. Bart found himself at a loss for the next step, fear overpowering him. Afraid he might trigger another explosion, getting innocent civilians caught in the crosshairs.

He had tried to call for Barry, though his hands were tied across town. Another fleet of aliens terrorized the other side of the city. He had to try his best to subdue them on his own, disabling them from hitting their triggers.

An alien’s roar tumbled into the sky as he was tossed backward. A sizable blue ‘staple’ crashed into his torso, pinning it to the ground. Bart snapped his head to the left, he’d know that shade of blue anywhere.

Blue Beetle soared in the air, his cannon arm shooting more staples, securing the alien’s arms to the ground.

Kid Flash yelped with welcomed excitement. Perhaps he wouldn’t have to take them all on himself after all.

They made quick work with the remaining three aliens. Bart created a distraction while Jaime stapled the snarling creatures to the ground.

Jaime landed on the ground. Bart raced up to him, “Dude!” He exclaimed, greeting him with a fist bump. “Perfect timing! How did you know?”

“Batman ordered me to come here,” Blue explained. “His divvying up the whole Team and the League across the country.”

“What?” Bart asked, confused.

Jaime slacked his jaw at him, “You don’t know?”

Bart shook his head warily, “Nooo I was just in class.”

Blue Beetle’s armor projected a screen in front of them. A map of the United States floated in front of them. Ominous red dots sat on the locations of Metropolis, New York City, Washington DC, Central City, Dakota City, and Fawcett City. “We’re being invaded dude!” Jaime exclaimed. “Reports are coming in with alien attacks in all of these cities. We’ve gotta go help Flash and subdue them before they kill more people!”

But Kid Flash made no sound. His eyes lingered on the map. He studied it intently, his gaze lingering on the location of the red dots….and where there were none.

“Come on dude we gotta go!” Blue attempted to fly away, shutting down the screen.

“Wait a minute!” Bart interjected. His hand grasping where the map had shown.

“What?” Jaime snipped. “Bart we can’t wait we have to go help!”

“Blue,” Bart commanded his attention with a stern tone. “Show me that map again.”

Jaime raised an eyebrow in uncertainty. He pulled up the screen again.

Bart studied it with a firm intensity. His eyes scouring the screen. His mind ticking with a nervous realization. “Do you see that?” He asked, pointing at the map.
Jaime tilted his head in confusion.

Bart’s eyes darted back and forth, his jaw slacking as the wheels turned in his head. A single question chewed on the inside of his mind. “Why…” He began, trailing off to find the right words. “If we’re being ‘invaded’ all across the country.” He looked at him with fearfully curious eyes. “Then, why are all these attacks only in the Midwest and East Coast?”

A silence fell between them. Jaime bunched his brows as his eyes flashed up to the screen, soaking in Bart’s question. Bart glanced over at Jaime and Jaime glanced back.

A frightened, desperate question lingered in Bart’s eyes. He shifted his finger towards the west coast of the United States. “Why is there nothing here?”

Jaime perked at his question. His eyes squinted and his head twitched to the left, just like it always did when he listened to The Scarab.

“What? You think so?” Jaime asked. His eyes ran back and forth on the ground. He nodded. “Do it.”

“What?” Bart questioned, on edge. “What?”

“Scarab thinks it could be a distraction,” Jaime explained. “He’s scanning for anything abnormal-” His eyes widened as his jaw slacked. “What?”

“What’s going on?” Bart snipped, irritated at his deafness towards The Scarab.

Jaime’s armor zoomed the holographic map down onto California, a rapid ripple of circular waves radiating off a spot on the coast.

“Scarab’s reading a 5.4 magnitude earthquake in San Diego.” Blue explained. “It’s been going on for....15 minutes?” His mouth twinged in confusion, shaking his head.“That’s-that’s not right.” He looked at Bart. “Earthquakes don’t last that long. Not naturally.”

Not naturally…

The words radiated in Bart’s mind like an over-studied test answer begging to be remembered. They snarled and clawed to be released, but what was the correct question? A rashy tingle of needles prickled in Bart’s chest as he pieced his facts and gut feelings together.

Why all the alien attacks so far from California?

Was it a distraction?

…..For an earthquake?

Could aliens even make an earthquake? How…

The answers slammed against Bart’s skull. His memories fell to the first time he laid eyes on the aliens. To their very first interaction in Louisiana. The aliens brought with them a black and red cylindrical device.

Tim’s words replayed in his head.

‘So Aliens are invading earth...to make earthquakes?’

Jaime’s words collided with them.

‘Earthquakes don’t last that long. Not naturally’

…

Not naturally…

…

Holy shit.

Jamie felt a blast of wind crash against his side. In the blink of an eye, Bart disappeared. Jaime twisted his torso behind him as he watched the blur of red and yellow fade off in the distance.

“Bart where are you going!?” He exclaimed. “Bart?!”

But Bart had not heard Jaime’s confounded cries. He was already miles away, his feet tearing away at the sound barrier. His rapid breaths scorched his lungs, a heated stitch stabbing at his sides.

He prayed on the entire path to San Diego that his suspicions would be wrong. But prayers, he deduced long ago, were either only silent words spoken to a spirit nonexistent.

Or futile pleas to a god who cooed at the sight of suffering.

Desert sand splashed against Bart’s uniform as he tore across the West. Arizona trailed behind him as sweat fell from his brow. His muscles burned with a searing fire with each step he took among the mountains.

So close. He was so close to San Diego. Just a little further, just a little faster.

Bart’s gaze snapped behind him as he caught a glimpse of something in passing. He took a sharp turn to trail back, nearly tripping himself.

At the foothills of the mountains, just outside of La Presa, a thin, middle-aged woman stared intently at a black cylinder. Three glowing red rings wrapped around it. Four appendages protruded from the bottom, spiking it in place in the soil. The soil around the bottom glowed red with heat. It was nearly identical to the one they had discovered in Louisiana. Though this model stood nearly four feet tall and two feet in diameter. Batman had pointedly labeled them as ‘Seismic Disruptors,’ capable of causing earthquakes by disintegrating soil, disrupting tectonic plates. The woman pounded furiously at the screen on top of the device.

Bart let out a small roar as he charged towards the woman. She screeched as Bart’s shoulder collided with her side, sending her tumbling across the ground.

Bart’s jagged, exasperated breathing filled the air as he fell to one knee. His lungs ignited like fire in his chest. Fatigue plagued him as he struggled to keep his balance. The ground shook underneath him.

He turned towards the Seismic Disruptor. Shrill, pulsating sounds rang from it. He charged at it, reaching for the keypad on top. A jolt of electricity shot through him, sending him staggering backward. His heart jumped into his throat.

The Disruptor’s force field was already active. He couldn’t touch it. He couldn't stop it.

“Nonononono,” panicked words dripped from his lips. He snapped his head in the direction of the woman. “Shut it off!” He commanded.

The woman groaned, turning herself onto her side. She began to pick herself up, hand pressed against the side of her skull. Her lips twisted with pain.

Bart’s brows bunched in confusion as he watched something flicker upon her head. A thin, black headband rested around her skull. It sported a tiny black head plate with a glowing red circle that sat snugly against her forehead. It faded in and out of sight. Dancing from visibility to invisibility. Sparks shot of its side, injuring its wearer. Whatever it was, Bart had damaged it with his ruthless contact.

The woman growled, tearing the headband from herself and tossing it onto the ground. “You broke it!” She snarled, barely able to stand.

“What?” Bart questioned, trying to keep his balance on the shaking ground.

“It doesn’t matter.” She snickered with a vicious flash of her teeth. “It’s too late now.”

“Shut it off!” Bart demanded, panic cracking his voice. “Do you know what this could do!?”

“Oh yes.” The woman cackled. "In fact, that particular device, is the final one in the sequence.”

Bart’s stomached turned with a sick intensity.

The woman’s face creased and crinkled as a pleased snarl pulled on her features. She knew it was too late to stop them. Even if she told him everything. It was too late.
Give them all the information they want. Let the heroes try to stop it. Let them fail.

Those were her orders.

“Seven disruptors on the outskirts. Four downtown and five off the shorelines.” Her twisted smile, savage, nearly inhuman. “Your precious San Diego will fall to the depths of the ocean.” She paused, unyielding loyalty flowing through her. “It will fall for Darkseid.”

“Turn it off.” Bart hissed, unamused, desperate, and savage. “There’s nowhere for you to run.”

She laughed. It boomed across the air with a disturbing and cocky tone. “Oh yes, nowhere to run.” She snickered. “But so much room to fly.” Her eyes emitted a white glow. The ground left her as she levitated into the air.

Bart gasped, craning his neck to see her.

“Oh, and one last thing.” The woman added.

Bart’s eyes grew wide as the woman’s clothing shredded around her extending limbs. Her eyes turned red. Her skin: a pale winter’s snowstorm. Her jaw pulled and protruded with razored teeth.

Floating before him, was a White Martian.

Bart failed to swallow the lump in his throat.

The once-human Martian tilted her head, teeth grating with anger. Her telepathic voice rang in his mind.

'Tell that traitor M’gann she chose the wrong side.'

And just like that, she vanished. Her Martian powers taking her somewhere far away, undetected.

Bart was torn from his confusion as the ground jerked underneath him. The earthquake grew stronger.

“Fuck.” He swore, panic rising in his nerves. “Fuck.” His hands trembled. “Fuckfuck.” His eyes raced all around him. The fell on the discarded headband, the sparking subsided. He picked it up, grasping it tightly in his hand. “No.” His voice cracked. The headband shrank with added pressure. He clasped it around his wrist, knowing that he was going to need something to help prove the bizarre scene he’d witnessed. “Nonononono.”

Kid Flash tore from the scene, scouring the outskirts of San Diego. The White Martain was right. There were six other Seismic disruptors on the outskirts. They looped all the way from National City, to La Presa, to Santee, to Rancho Bernardo, to Solana Beach.

Bart skidded to a stop on the sandy soil. His heartbeat rang in his ears as he quickly came to grasp the horrific severity of the White Martian’s plan. The ground rumbled beneath his feet, he struggled to stay standing. Panic clawed at his lungs.

His words nearly collapsed in his throat. “H-help!” His shaking hands struggled to press on his earpiece communicator. A wave of helplessness clutched at his words. “Someone! Everyone! STOP!”

“Kid Flash what is going-” Barry’s concerned voice came across the intercom. Bart’s panicked cries cut him off.

“Everyone! Everyone! It’s gonna kill everyone!” His voice cracked with frenzied dismay. “The seismic disruptors! They put them all around San Diego.” He screeched, his volume rising with each sentence. “The earthquakes will tear it apart! It’s gonna sink. It’s gonna sink. I couldn’t stop them. I can’t stop them!” His voice finally gave way, a tear rolling down his cheek.

He hadn’t been fast enough.

Up in the Watch Tower, Green Arrow pulled up the satellite imagery over Bart’s position. His jaw dropped peered over them, shock coating his words. “Kid Flash is right.” He chimed in over the communicator. “It just had a 5.4 magnitude earthquake for the past 20 minutes.”

Back in California, the ground roared from deep within. Bart fell to the ground, the vicious shaking rendering him helpless. He couldn’t gain to balance to move, to get away.

Oliver’s eyes widened as the seismic waves increased to an unheard of level. He beamed on the communicator, “Now it jumped to a level 8 magnitude earthquake. And it’s only getting stronger! Kid Flash is right in the middle of it!”

“I’ll get him!” The Flash’s voice boomed across the communicator. He charged towards California as Oliver gave him Bart’s coordinates. In the distance Bart finally appeared, the yellow and red speck stuck to the ground. The vivacious shaking below Barry’s feet nearly tore him down with every step.

“Oh my god.” Barry’s words whispered from his throat as he watched the a nightmare unfold.

For a silent, eerie moment, the vibrations stopped.

An earthy, carnal roar thundered deep within the ground. One more massive, savage shake pulsed through the earth, nearly shoving The Flash off his footing.

A deep, foreboding crack shot across the top of the soil. It dove in a circular direction, following the path the seismic disruptors created. The soil collapsed inwards towards the massive opening, creating an ever-growing cavern.

Barry pushed himself faster, his arm reaching out for Bart. He needed to get him on his feet. Before the growing cavern swallowed him whole.

The other side, the chunk of earth held San Diego, slowly plummeted beneath his eyesight.

He grabbed Bart by the back of his uniform, pulling him up. Bart finally caught his footing, following Barry as they tore away from the scene.

There was nothing they could do.

It was too late.

“He’s right!” The Flash exclaimed. “Batman he’s right the city is sinking!”

After a series of panicked and concerned banter, Batman was finally able to asses the severity of the conditions on the west coast.

Time was not their ally.

Time was running out.

While Oliver and Black Canary tried to catch the federal government up to speed to request their immediate aid, Batman barked his orders. Team and League members with no flight capabilities were ordered to assist with rescue missions in the Midwest and East Coast, taking care of the aftermath the aliens had left the other cities in. Their crises could not be left unacknowledged.

However, every other superpowered Team and League members with flight were commanded to initiate emergency civilian extraction.

Ordered to try to save as many lives as they could.

Earth’s three Green Lanterns were the first on the scene. Their power rings made them more useful than other League members could hope to be. They scoured through the most populated parts of San Diego, using their power rings to swoop individuals up from the ground. They morphed their green energy into large green holding pens, picking up terrified citizens and holding them in the air until the Air Force arrived with carrier planes. They would fly by and The Lanterns would drop off the civilians inside them mid-flight.

The Lanterns were assured that the military would come to their aid within thirty minutes.

It took the Army one hour and fifteen minutes to arrive with the right aerial equipment.

All the while Hal Jordan, John Stewart, and Guy Gardner floated in the sky until near exhaustion. The weight of nearly 1,000 civilians pressings heavily upon each of their power rings’ energy. Their muscles shook furiously. Their stomachs wretched as the pleas from the civilians on the ground grated across their ears. Their cries for help and salvation drowned The Lanterns’ in a sea of helplessness. Their Power Rings already exhausted with the weight of holding other civilians in the air, away from the rising tide. Time: their foe, as they waited for the Air Force to relieve them of their first batch of rescues.

John Stewart had to look away from the ground below him. He couldn’t add any visuals to the sounds that he knew would forever haunt him. Tears welled in his eyes as he could not do anything to alleviate their panicked screams for rescue.

Leaguers with spaceships were the second to arrive. Hawkman and Hawkwoman lowered their ship to the ground, packing in as many civilians as their ship could carry.
Martian Manhunter’s ship was the next to arrive. M’gann rode in his with him. It was already at Star Labs Taos for maintenance, making it a quick flight. M’gann Zeta’d to Taos with him. Taking her own ship all the way from Bludhaven would have been fruitless.

It would have taken too long. It would have been too late.

J’onn’s spaceship landed two meters above the ground. Civilians below crying out, their hands extended, begging for salvation. The back door of the ship opened. M’gaan stood in the back opening trying her best to make herself heard over the terrified voices. Three inches of water already coated the ground.

“If you’ll form a single line we’ll-ooph!” M’gaan was nearly winded as a wave of people charged up the ramp and into the ship. Their instincts for survival never questioning the ship itself of its pilots.

They just had to get out. They had to get away.

‘It’s too full, we have to go! The ship can’t carry more!’ Martian Manhunter’s voice rang in her head.

Desperate pleas fell from her mind as the ship began to rise higher, the ramp retreating back into the ship.

M’gann’s lip trembled as her eyes fell upon the faces left behind. Terror, disgust, hopelessness, and anger filled every one of their hearts and they grasped at the ship, begging, screaming, pleading for just one more.

Just one more.

Just one fucking more.

Tears rolled down M’gann’s cheek as she realized she was helpless to do anything more. The ship was full.

“Take him!”

The feminine scream rang far louder than the other desolate voices.

M’gann’s eyes fell to a young mother. Her face creased with desperation, eyes filled with tears. Her arms outstretched as high as she could. They trembled as she held up her infant child, his tiny cooed cries lost within the panic

“Take him, please!” Her words were coarse and broken. Nearly lost to her trail of tears.

M’gann sobbed. A nodd shook her head as in the last moment, she snatched the baby from the young mother's hand. She pulled back into the ship. And in the final moments before the back door closed, she saw a final, small, somber, heartbroken smile flash across his mother’s lips.

M’gaan screamed a loud sob as the door clamped shut. She pulled the baby in close to her, her cries unsuccessfully muffled against his tiny velvet head.
She held him tight. She held him and she prayed. Prayed for the rising water to slow. Prayed for the ship to fly faster. Prayed that the League could save more people. Prayed to have more time. Prayed for the growing lives lost. Prayed for the dying children. Prayed for the other dying mothers.

Prayed that somehow, someway, his tiny, infant mind would remember his mother’s sacrifice.

Though deep down, she knew he never would. But M’gann would never forget.

That face, that broken smiled would never leave her.

M’gaan had heard a few times that, because of their superpowers, some people labeled them as ‘gods’.

Is this what it was to be one?

To be a god?

To hold the choice of who lives and who dies at the palm of one’s hand?

It was a burden that M’gann wouldn’t have wished upon her worst enemies.

The rest of flight-enabled superpowered League and Team members arrived last, overwhelmed and overcome by the disaster at hand. For now it was not just San Diego falling to the merciless clutches of the ocean. Immediate flooding plagued the coast of California and Mexico. As the city fell, the water rose. Tidal waves decimated the neighboring shorelines.

The League and The Team were helpless as to a course of action, their manpower already stretched thin. Their efforts already straining with salvaging as many lives in San Diego as they could.

It was too much. It was too much for so little aid. Too much with so little time. And too much for so little warning.

Within the span of three hours, the city was completely consumed by the sea. The seismic disruptors, disintegrating the miles of soil required to keep it afloat. From their ships, from their helicopters, from the television sets; the world watched in sickening helplessness as San Diego fell to savage darkness of the Pacific Ocean. The lives left behind, swallowed and extinguished before their very eyes.

Chapter Text

The Watch Tower
March 10th, 2017
12:30 EST

Virgil sank into an overstuffed armchair. He sat with his right leg folded in front of him. His left thigh pulled into his chest. He rested his left elbow on his elevated knee. The pointer finger and thumb of his right hand pinched together and apart. Together and apart. A minuscule line of lightning spiraled in the space between them. His eyes focused on the tiny white light.

Virgil could hardly hear the buzz of the tiny bolt over the decorative fountain. The room reeked of potpourri and pinesol. The laminate floors, supposedly to give it a ‘homey’ feel, did nothing but make Virgil wish he was home. The older members of The Team said the room was modeled after the one in The Cave before it was destroyed. He was told to count his blessings that he wasn’t summoned there often. Because when you were called into that room by Black Canary, it meant that everything had gone to shit. And you had caught the brunt of it.

“Virgil?” Dinah’s voice echoed across the quiet room. She leaned forward, sitting on the matching sofa across from him.

Virgil clasped his hand shut, snuffing out the spark. He closed his eyes, wishing he could just be far away.

“Sorry, what’d you ask?” Virgil didn’t move, nor did he veer his gaze to meet hers.

“I said,” She repeated in a calm voice. “What have been your main feelings this week?”

Virgil huffed in instant irritation. He ran his palm down his face. He unfolded himself into a normal seated position; suddenly too hot. Too itchy. Too uncomfortable.

“I don’t know,” He tried to brush off.

Dinah narrowed her eyes, watching Virgil’s obvious signs of annoyance. “I doubt that,” she responded. She gave a small tilt of her head as her expression softened. “Not with what you saw in person, in the news. Not with everything that’s going on.”

Virgil finally struck his gaze to meet hers. He was an idiot to think that she was going to let him just scrape by his ‘mandatory counseling session’. Not without digging through the events of the past eight days. Days that Virgil felt could only be described as: Hell.

After the sink of San Diego. The week that followed left The Justice League, The United States, the entire world, in a state of crushing mourning. There was no sleep for America, let alone for The Justice League or The Team. There was no school, no work.

Draining, desperate, fruitless rescue attempts were all that existed.

The federal government had yet to give an exact body count. Even if they tried, hundreds more bloated corpses would wash up on the coasts of Mexico the next day. However, they were able to give a shaky estimate.

One and a half million.

That was the projected casualty toll given by experts. The number of citizens who perished under the rage of the ocean and relentless earthquakes. The death toll bled from the heart of San Diego and branched down Baja California, and all the way up past Los Angeles.

It wasn’t enough that Metropolis, New York City, Washington DC, Central City, Dakota City, and Fawcett City all had their own post-alien attack damage control needs. It wasn’t enough that the earthquakes nearly decimated the western states. But the mass of the sunken city left the coastlines flooded. Thousands of homes destroyed. Thousands of lives still being whisked away. The death toll climbing higher and higher.

Day by day, regardless of their relentless rescue attempts, the body count ascended.

Heavy tiredness seeped deep into Virgil’s bones. It sank into each member of The Team and The League. It seemed as though they found more corpses than they did survivors.

Virgil felt a crushing sense of pity for Aquaman, Aqualad, and La’gaan. For their assignment all week was to patrol the sea for survivors, people floating adrift on the water.

It should have been obvious from the start. All they would fish out were half-devoured remnants of the drowned. The more he thought about, the more his stomach turned. He closed his eyes, swallowing the lump in his throat.

“I don’t know,” He answered, turning his head away. “Sadness, depression, confusion.” He shrugged, naming off everything to he could to speed up his process of leaving. Saying everything he thought she wanted to hear.

But Dinah had a keen eye for those teenaged tricks.

“Virgil,” her voice became stern, she leaned forward, her forearms on her thighs. “The sooner you tell me the truth, the sooner we talk about it, and the sooner you can go.”

His nostrils flared in irritation. A twitch flicked across his lip. He was not cross with Black Canary, no. Although her relentless pursuit was annoying. He was more upset with himself.

Upset that everything to do with San Diego...didn’t bother him as much as he thought it should.

No, what bothered him most, was that his mind clung on to the memory of the alien attack in Dakota City. His nightmares lingered on the scenes of the highway.

“Black Lightning says you’ve been irritable,” Dinah added, hoping to get him to answer. “He says you’ve been short with him, snapped at him a lot this week.”

Virgil gave a small roll of his eyes. He shrugged his shoulder, holding a hand out in front of him. “What? I’m a teenager. I’m moody.”

Dinah pursed her lips and hummed to herself. It seemed that Virgil wasn’t going to respond to her normal motherly tactics. She would have to bring out something courser.

Pressure.

Pressure.

Crack.

“Why are you moody?” She snipped.

“I don’t know,” he huffed.

“Why don’t you know?” Dina barely gave him time to answer. Her words were stern and forceful. His irritation grew with each one of her interruptions.

“Because I’m annoyed-”

“Why? Why are you annoyed?”

“Because you won’t leave me alone-”

“Why do you want to be alone?”

“BECAUSE I’M ANGRY!”

Virgil’s voice rattled through the glass doors. His outburst jolted heat through Dina’s chest. He clenched his fists. He pressed them tight against his thigh as his limbs shook with a furious twitch. He looked up at her with cold, watery eyes.

“Okay?” He hissed through his teeth. “Is that what you wanted to hear? I’m ANGRY!”

“At what?” Dina asked in a softer tone. “The aliens?”

“At ME.” Virgil’s voice cracked on the last word. His eyes met Dinah’s pitied expression for a brief moment. As water rose in his eyes, he clenched his lids shut. He tilted his face downwards, holding his head between his hands. He didn't want to be there. He didn't want her to hear.

“Virgil,” Black Canary’s pitch was shaky with concern. She looked at him with a sad pull of her lips. “You don’t need to be angry at yourself. You couldn’t be expected to save all those people-”

“No.” Virgil tore his head out of his hands. He couldn't meet her gaze. “You don't-you don't understand. I'm not-I’m not upset about that.” He grimaced; pushing back the water in his eyes. “That’s what’s so messed up. It’s like-It’s like I don’t even care about that.” He scrunched his face with disdain. Ashamed to reveal his unacceptable thoughts. “All I can think about is Victor.”

Black Canary twinged at his unexpected answer.

After a moment of silence, his gaze finally met hers. “All I can think about is how he’s in that hospital, practically dead, because of me.”

Dinah allowed a short quiet between them, her eyes falling on Virgil’s trembling lip. A shaky consumption of fear and confusion coursed through him.

“Virgil,” Her voice was barely audible. She leaned in towards him, thinking of whatever she could to ease his mind. “The doctors said there’s a chance he could wake up-”

“And what kind of life is that?” Virgil snarled. His brows furrowed in self-animosity. “What would he be? A-a brain-damaged quadruple amputee?”

Dinah found herself at a loss for words. He was right. An inconsolable Raquel had spent the majority of the week at Dakota City General Hospital, latched to the bedside of her husband, Victor Stone. The explosion from the alien attack had left him in a coma; grasping for a hold on the earthly plane via life support. The doctors were unable to save his shredded limbs.

All because Virgil wasn’t strong enough.

Darkness overcame his expression. His words were deep and unfaltering. “For his sake, I hope he dies in that bed.”

“Virgil,” Dinah scorned, aghast. “How could you say something like that?”

“BECAUSE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME!” Virgil yelled, his voice hoarse with disdain. They echoed around the room. Disgust twisted his face. “OKAY? It should have been ME. I should have been hit by the explosion. I should be the one with no arms in legs. I should be the one dying.”

Finally the stream of tears Virgil worked so hard to bury, pushed through to the surface. They flowed down his cheeks with a stinging honesty.

“If he wakes up, what the fuck am I gonna do?” His words cracked as they tumbled from his throat. “How the fuck am I supposed to live with myself?”

Dinah tried to retort but was not quick enough.

“He had a family.” Virgil gasped, tears creating a squeakiness in his voice. “He had a little boy, and a wife, and a college scholarship, and a chance for a future. But you know who survived? Me.” He snarled as he grit his teeth. “Some no-name loser who barely has control of his powers.”

“Virgil-” Dina’s words were cut short.

“Some worthless shit bag who couldn’t even save one person.”

“You can’t-”

“And you know what the worst part is?” Virgil let out a small laugh in feigned amusement, astonished at the cruelty of fate. “I spent the rest of the day in bed,” he recalled. “After that explosion knocked me out, I spend the rest of the day unconscious and cared for while millions of people died.”

Virgil clenched his fist, squeezing his eyes shut. “What good was I? What good am I? I didn’t do anything. I didn’t save anyone.” He wiped away his tears on his sleeve. “Victor?” He sniffled. “He saved a lot of people. He’s the one who should be alive.”

“He’s not dead,” Dinah corrected.

“Not yet,” Virgil further corrected, his voice quiet and gruff. “Not like I should be.” His eyes fell to the floor as he gathered his thoughts. He shook his head, grabbing for his backpack on the floor as he stood up. “I don’t wanna be here.” He charged for the glass doors, swinging his backpack over one shoulder.

Dinah stood from her seat as she called after him. “Aside from the fact that Victor’s accident wasn’t your fault-” Virgil stopped short of the doors, he turned to protest her words but Dinah talked over him. “Victor chose to stay there. Victor chose to help people. Aside from that fact, you honestly mean to tell me the world would be better off with you dead? That the future would be brighter if you took Victor’s place?”

Virgil let out a scoff, one that worked to hide a rising sob, he turned towards the door once more.

“Virgil, just do me one thing.” Dinah’s voice stopped him again. Her words held a tone of truthful challenge. “If you can honestly tell me that the world, that your team, that your family would be better off if you were the one that died last week...you can leave.“

Virgil gave a glance at her over his shoulder.

Dina continued. “If you can tell me that you truly believe there’s no way you could do any good in your future, you can go. If you really believe there’s no possibility you would be able to save any lives in disasters and missions to come, then you can walk out that door.”

Virgil stood there for a moment, his minding lingering on her words and what answer he could truthfully give.

He turned around, tossing his backpack onto the ground as he slumped back into his chair.

“I’m still angry,” he told.

Dinah nodded as she sat back down. “You will be,” A small smile of relief pulled on her lips. “For a while.”

Infinity Island
March 11th, 2017
23:30 ECT

Arsenal found himself waking from an achy slumber. A distant hum grew in his ear. His eyelids and limbs were still heavy. He twitched his fingers with slow movements. His consciousness finally gave him the realization he was lying on his back. A stiff mattress lay underneath him. He could finally feel the air around him, but it pressed as heavy as concrete.

Voices trailed around him.

“I’d have much more room to work with someone hadn’t blown up my lab.” A voice rang high in someone’s nasal cavity. Arsenal tried his best to place it.

“Do you always bitch this much nerd?” The husky words of another person vibrated the air.

“N-nerd? Do you even realize how many degrees in the field of science I hold? How much my research has influenced the field of robotics?”

“Yeah. Like I said, nerd.”

An involuntary groan fell from Arsenal’s lips as he finally gained more control of his body. The banter around him stopped. His eyes fluttered open, easing the sting of the lights from the ceiling. His vision came into focus as he saw Professor Ivo and Red Hood staring back at him. His body and mind felt heavy, as if each thought and each movement took ten times as long to accomplish.

“Where...am I?” Arsenal asked, slow and forced. The room around him was decorated with dark and foreign draperies and furniture. A vast array of medical equipment sat next to him on his hospital bed.

“Home sweet home.” Red Hood greeted sarcastically.

“Red...red.” Arsenal began breathy, his mind trying to regain speed. Jason did not have his helmet on. But Arsenal still recognized him. Recognized him from the foggy two months of his post-surgery training with The League of Shadows.

Arsenal remembered that night in Gotham. The night where his careless actions killed a little girl. Red Hood approached him with a chance at redemption. A chance to relieve him of his liability. For he was nothing. Well, still is nothing. But at least by selling his soul to Luthor, he could prove useful as opposed to a worthless junkie.

Wait...Luthor? Or maybe...The League of Shadows? Ra’s al Ghul? The Light? Arsenal couldn’t quite pinpoint who exactly who it was he worked for now. He couldn’t remember. His memories were frosted over. As though he were trying to drive in winter with a poorly scraped windshield.

He knew what he was doing...what they had him doing was wrong but….he kept coming back.

Why did he keep coming back to them?

“Hood. Yes.” Jason finished for him. “At least you’re acting normal again.”

“I think we can finally undo these.” Ivo chimed. He reached for Arsenal’s wrists, unfastening the restrains.

“Ivo?” Arsenal questioned, eyelids heavy, body full of static. “Everything’s...foggy.”

“That’s the muscle relaxer.” Red Hood informed. “To make sure you don’t freak the fuck out again.” He crossed his arms, leaning against the wall. “You got some real anger issues.”

“And I would say you, Jason, are not one to talk.” Ivo chided, taking the IV out of Arsenal’s fully human arm.

A razored anger sliced down Jason’s spine. An instant irritation flared up in his veins as if he were the brunt of a joke that had gone on for far too long. He hissed through his teeth, “I told you. Don’t call me that.”

The Watch Tower
March 10th, 2017
14:00 EST

Footsteps echoed through the quiet of The Watch Tower. The sound of the Zeta Tube faded in the background. Barry walked alongside Bart, a firm hand gripping on his shoulder, prepared for the moment that Bart could dash away. He had already blown off two of his counseling appointments with Black Canary. Now it was time for Barry to escort him to it.

“I don’t understand why I need to be here,” Bart’s words were cold and firm. He looked straight ahead, never making eye contact.

“Yes, you do,” Barry answered, knowing deep down, Bart was not alright.

All week long Bart’s bizarre actions (or maybe...lack thereof?) left Barry with a chilling feeling of concern. Although it was not the happiest of times, no smile could be found upon Bart’s lips. No puns, to laughs, barely any words at all fell from Bart’s throat.

All he did, was cry. Not the healing kind that releases around the loved ones. Not the kind that stampedes through shaky words when the audience around least expects it. The kind the festers and poisons when one is alone, when one believes no one else can hear. The kind that numbs the heart while others are around.

Jay and Joan told Barry they could hear Bart’s tiny sobs late at night in his room. Only if they pressed close to his door; stood close in silence. When awake he hardly talked….he barely ate. Well, for his standards anyway.

But what disturbed Barry the most, was that since San Diego, Bart spent all his spare time with the twins. He could hardly be torn away from Don and Dawn. Bart would sit in their nursery, rocking them in silence for hours as he held them.

A day ago Barry tiptoed quietly up the staircase to the twin’s room. He peeked into the room to see Bart cradling Don. Bart’s quiet sobs brushed against Don’s head as he whispered: 'I screwed up dad. It’s all my fault. It’s all my fault.’

“I don’t wanna be here,” Bart complained, a chilling cold coated his words.

His voice reeled in Barry’s attention. “I don’t care,” he chided. Bart was going to do this whether he liked it or not. “I’ll be in the common area when you’re done,” Barry advised as he walked Bart up to the glass doors.

Begrudgingly, Bart walked inside.

“Hello, Bart.” Dinah greeted him as she motioned to the empty armchair in front of her.

“Hi.” Bart snipped, plopping himself onto the chair.

“You know why you’re here?” She asked.

“Bad stuff happened, we saw it,” Bart said with a shrug, crossing his arms. “Now we gotta talk to you.”

“That’s right.” Dinah found his cold demeanor bizarre. “You saw it happen first hand. That’s something I’d imagine would be hard to cope with. How have you felt this week?”

“I dunno.”

“Bart,” Dinah addressed him as she studied his face. Dark bags rested under his eyes. His slightly sunken cheeks accented his poking collarbone. He looked exasperated, defeated, withering. “When’s the last time you ate?”

“I don’t remember,” Bart answered quietly, looking away.

“That’s..pretty dangerous for a speedster,” Dinah warned. “Your powers are tied to your metabolism-”

“I know. I know.” Bart interrupted. “I just-”

He found himself unable to complete his thought. It wasn’t until she mentioned eating that he noticed the hunger pain in his gut.

Even if he could describe it to her, she wouldn’t understand. All week his thoughts festered in the back of his mind. Guilt and anxiety ate away at him until they overtook every other need, buried any need for survival.

Punishment. That was the word he was looking for. It wasn’t as though he forgot to address his hunger as best he should. It was that he felt like he didn’t deserve to eat.

Not now, since it was all his fault.

“Jay and Joan say you hardly sleep. They barely see you eat.” Black Canary’s concerned tone grabbed his attention. “They said that every time they see you, you look like you’ve just finished crying.”

A quivering lip jumped on Bart’s mouth. Water filled his eyes as he felt his composure slip out of his grip.

“Bart, please. Just tell me how you feel.” She pleaded, leaning forward to place and hand on his knee. “You don’t have to hide here. You can tell me anything.”

A quiet moment passed.

“I feel like…” Bart croaked out, he looked up at her with desperate, broken eyes. “Like a failure.”

His voice cracked. There was no going back now.

“I was supposed to save Blue and- and everything would be ok.” His breath rumbled in his chest. A wave of tears fell down his cheeks. “This shouldn't have happened.”

He sobbed. It shouldn’t have happened. The tragic sink of San Diego. It was an event that no history book ever held in his time.

No, history was altering. And Bart has been the only changing variable.

It was all his fault.

“I fucked up.” Bart squeaked as he tried to talk between sobs. “I fucked up Dinah I-”

He could almost run as fast as the speed of light.

But it still wasn’t good enough.

“I wasn’t fast enough.” Bart snarled at himself. If only he had been there a minute before. A minute faster. He could have stopped that White Martian from setting off the final seismic disruptor. “All those people.” They all died because of him. “I wasn’t fast enough.”

Bart’s lungs heaved in his chest. Panic rose inside of him as he was almost unable to catch his breath. “I couldn’t change it.” His wails coated each sentence. “I fucked it up. I fucked it up. It’s all myfaultIt’sallmyfault.”

“Bart no it-” Black Canary tried to calm him, but found her words falling flat as Bart pull something from his jacket pocket.

Bart felt his civvies were suffocating him. The contents of his jacket burning a fiery hole through his composure. He reached for his pocket, knowing all too well he could no longer hide what lay inside it.

“What is that?” Dinah’s eyes loomed over the contents in his hand. A chilling cold filled her belly. It looked like a small black crown. Its eerie shape and angles reminded her of...

“I can’t.” Bart croaked. “I can’t hide it. I gotta-I gotta-”

Dinah’s hair engulfed her face as Bart whisked himself away. “Bart wait!” She called out but Bart had supersped out of earshot.

“Grandpa I-” Bart came to a screeching halt in the common area. He struggled to regain his breath through his crying. He gasped, seeing that Barry was no longer the only other person in the room.

There, giving their post-mission details to Batman, stood Garfield, Emily, Conner, and M’gaan.

M’gaan...what would happen? What would happen once they knew? He tried to convince himself all week not to tell. For what would happen to her people if he told?

What would happen to M’gaan’s place on The Team? Would it mean war? Hadn’t he caused enough bloodshed already by tampering with the past?

No. He had to. He had to come clean. He had to bare his soul, to relieve himself of his poisonous secret.

“I have- I have to tell.” Bart felt all eyes on him as his panicked cries filled the room. “I have,” He swallowed the lump in his throat as his gaze met M’gann’s for a small moment. “I have to tell everyone. I’m sorry. I’m sorry I-”

“Bart slow down, breathe,” Barry ordered as Dinah came running into the room.

“I can’t-I can’t.” Bart couldn’t stop his tears and his broken words. “I’m sorry I kept it from you. I’m sorry it took so long. I didn’t want to believe it. I keep-” He held out the black crown in his hand. It shook with Bart’s trembling wrist. “I keep fucking everything up.”

Barry’s eyes fell to the crown and back up to Bart. “Bart, what is it?”

“I’m sorry Grandpa.” Bart sobbed.

“Bart, what is that?”

“I screwed everything up.”

“Bart,” Barry’s tone was much more serious. “What is that?”

Bart pulled the crown in towards his stomach. He shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut. “I know who attacked San Diego.” He took a moment to steady his shaking breath and looked back up at Barry. “I know who set up the Seismic Disruptors and destroyed the city.”

The others glanced at one another in confusion.

“We all do...” Barry answered, perplexed. “They were aliens.”

Bart swallowed the lump in his throat. “More than one type of alien.” He let out a long breath, one he didn’t know he’d been holding.

“It was a White Martian.” He stated, voice finally void of all broken tones. He swallowed hard. “I saw a White Martian set off the disruptors.”

Silence filled the room, thoughts buzzing at Bart’s absurd statement. There was less belief in their minds and more concerns for Bart’s mental stability.

“What did you say?” M’gann was the first to break the quiet.

Bart exhaled through his nose, the slight furrow of his brow threw away any doubts. “I saw a White Martian set the disruptors that destroyed San Diego.” His face softened as he turned towards Miss Martian. “She had a message for you.”

She looked at him with worried curiosity.

He continued.,“She said, ‘Tell that traitor M’gann she chose the wrong side’.”

M’gann’s lips curled into a snarl as her muscles tensed. “What did you say?” She hissed between her teeth. “What did you say to me?”

That was not the first time she had been called a traitor.

“What is that?” Barry’s voice lowered as he asked the question for the fourth time.

Bart was taken aback by his tone. “I don’t-I don’t know. It fell off of her head before she flew away.”

“I can find out.” Emily’s voice rang around them. She approached Bart, gingerly taking the crown from his hand.

Bart watched as she held it close to her chest. Her eyes glowed a warm light blue. He had completely forgotten about one of Emily’s psychic powers.

A loud gasp escaped Emily as she yanked herself from her trance. She snapped her head over to M’gann, eyes wide with disbelief as she said, “You’ve gotta see this.”

Mars
March 10th, 2017
13:15 EST

A quiet hum lulled in the chamber of the Martian Council, slight movements amplified by lack of verbal speech. An enthralling telepathic conversation rang in the minds of the Martian Councilmen. They sat at their round meeting table, bodies tense and expressive as they argued amongst one another. Their red and white ceremonial robes draped loosely around their bodies, traditional garments that carried historical tradition, much like those wore by The Supreme Court.

A telekinetic burst slammed open the heavy chamber doors. The ringing metal jerked everyone from their seats. Before they had a chance to turn their heads to see who had interrupted their meeting, M’gann’s enraged voice screamed in their heads.

‘J’ORNELL!’

The glow in M’gaan eyes died but the fury in them did not. She grit her teeth with a savage pressure. Her fists shook with a tight curl.

‘M’gaan what is the meaning-’ B’arzz O’oomm began. He had a seat right next to Supreme Councilman Da’len, just as usual.

‘No more games.’ M’gaan cut him off, her fierce eyes looking past him. ‘No more lies.’

'M’gaan,’ The Supreme stood tall, aghast at her violent interruption. ‘What is going on?’

M’gann charged towards the round meeting table. Emily, Gar, and Conner fell in behind her.

M’gaan struck a finger at Councilman J’ornell, who stood at the opposite end. She stared at him with cold, furious eyes.

‘Councilman J’ornell,’ She began, tone livid. ‘Has been working with two White Martian Militia Generals to fake attacks on White Martians, in order to initiate a civil war on Mars.’

Her astounding accusation weighed heavy in the room. Eyes fell to J’ornell as his face creased with a fuming irritation.

There was a small moment of quiet.

‘What proof do you have?’ The Supreme asked.

‘This.’ It was Emily whose voice struck the link. She slammed the black crown onto the table, challenging eyes never veering from J’ornell’s stare. She crossed her arms, her relentless gaze shooting bullets through him.

‘And what is that?’ Supreme Councilman Da’len asked, patiently.

‘This’ Emily began. She pointed her chin towards J’ornell. ‘Is what he called, a ‘brain wave disruptor’.’

If there were a way for a Martian to turn pale, J’ornell would have found it.

She continued, ‘It’s a headband made from Apokoliptian technology that can camouflage against the wearer’s skin and their cause brain waves to go out of synch. Making the wearer’s mind unreadable.’

Emily’s nostrils flared in anger and irritation. Her cold scowl never faltered away from J’ornell as she spoke. Her voice was stern and factual. ‘You see, one of my powers is called ‘Psycometry’. It’s a type of telepathic power that lets me view an object’s history and see who’s come in contact with it, just by touching it.’ She tilted her head, eyes narrowing. ‘But the most interesting part, it turns out, is if the object is made for telepaths, and used by telepaths, I can see and hear its history with much more clarity than I can with anything else.’

Then Emily proceeded to tell a story; a grueling and terrible tale babbled out to her from the mangled black crown, mouth loose knowing it was forever torn from his throne.

It wove her a tale of its creation, of a planet born of darkness and fire. Where the only light that showed were the savage yellows and reds of flame that nearly swallowed the surface. The crown, the Brain Wave Disruptor, spilled tale of its birth, crafted from molten metal and bloodied hands of weathered slaves. Delivered then with a vast array of weapons to Mars by Intergang.

A delivery, prepared for J’ornell.

A delivery, presented by Vandal Savage.

The crown whispered lines of their meeting. Of Vandal Savage and his assurances. Of his promises of ‘new world order’. Of his promises of power, and a throne as long as J’ornell threw Mars nervous chaos, inciting a civil war. Vandal bellowed his sweet guarantees until a greedy and power-hungry J’ornell was putty in his hands. He took the crown and the weapons. In exchange, he sold himself to Vandal for any favors required.

The first of which, was using Martians and their shapeshifting abilities to pose as Justice League members; inciting violence and therefore pegging their public approval and trust.

For this, J’ornell hired A’monn and A’morr A’mok: two vicious White Martian Militia generals. As he, a Martian politician quite outspoken about his Martian racism, would be less likely to be tied to them if they got caught. He promised the military couple a seat of power in his new world order. Promises of riches and safety for their children. Of no more death for their broken family.

So A’monn and A’morr made good on their end. Enlisting their children to help them pose as Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, and Miss Martian to harm civilians in the Chicago mall and kill Belle Reve prison guards. Damaging The League’s credibility as per Savage’s request.

That was why M’gaan could not read ‘Wonder Woman’s’ mind at the mall. A’morr had posed as her, wearing the Brain Wave Disruptor, giving off nothing but the sound of static.

A’morr wore it when J’ornell barked orders for her to place and set off the Seismic Disruptors that destroyed San Diego. An order given to J’ornell by Savage. An order J’ornell gave to A’morr in exchange for more Apokolips weapons. In exchange for more assurances of a new world order.

A tense air filled the room as Emily’s tale came to a close. A story so vivid and alive with detail, it carried a sickening weight of truth.

The sound of every eye moving on J’ornell was both inaudible and unbearable.

They could hear him shudder.

‘Such a large imagination, for so someone so small.’ J’ornell sneered, chiming in his last effort of a retort.

‘It’s over,’ M’gann spat. A raging fire filled her belly that she would not allow to be extinguished. Her hands shook with a raw rage that prodded just beneath her skin. ‘You’re not getting away with this. All she has to do is read that object while any of us are in her mind and we’ll see it too. I know. I’ve already done it.’

Tiny mumbles filled the room. J’ornell’s eyes darted amongst his fellow councilmen. A bubbling panic clenched his throat.

M’gann darted her finger at him in one final accusation. There was nowhere for him to go. Nowhere for him to hide. There would be no more lies. Though he may not have committed any of the heinous acts himself, his background work still sealed his guilt. For a poisoned apple shares its toxin from the tree it grows from.

‘You got these from Apokolips, delivered by Intergang. You received weapons in exchange for your services on Earth. You received the means to start a civil war. To fake an uprising. To fake violence. To incite fear.’ M’gann’s voice began to crack, the water in her eyes at risk of overflowing with her trembling body. ‘There was no violent attacks on Whites cities by Greens or by other Whites. YOU set those bombs. YOU set those bombs to kill MY PEOPLE.’

The last of her words were nearly a scream. Tears flooded down her face, filled with a sense of failure and confusion.

‘Why?’ Her voice now nearly a whisper, the anger expelled with her tears, leaving her only with confusion.

‘For what?’ She choked.

J’ornell looked around the room. The Martian councilmen all stood. Their conscious minds silent, but their subconscious minds whispering of belief and appalling betrayal.

His breath shook in his lungs. This body trembled with a knowing of failure. A sickness filled his stomach, as though his belly filled with blood. A rash of fear bumped his skin.

It was over.

Dear gods why did it have to end like this?

In a swift motion, J’ornell pulled away his robe.

M’gaan gasped as sparks flew in her mind. She reached her hand out to use to telekinesis to try to keep him from touching his chest.

Under his robe, a black chest piece clutched around him. The red light in the center of the armor was unmistakable. M’gaan had seen that alien suicide armor far too much.

‘FOR DARKSEID!’ J’ornell screamed.

She was too slow.

The last thing M’gann saw was Emily’s blue energy shield, just before the room was coated with fire and light. Before a smoky darkness poured around them.

Before the explosion and screams in her ears were devoured by ringing.

Ringing.

Ringing.

Infinity Island
March 11th, 2017
23:45 ECT

Ra’s al Ghul sat at his ancient oak desk, his mind lost in dark patterns of the wood. His eyes flickered to up to the security monitor to his left. He watched as Ivo diligently worked on Arsenal’s arm. Red Hood watched them both from the other side of the room.

The computer on him right rang in a deep tone. A video call waiting for him on the other line. Ra’s answered it. Vandal’s face filled his monitor.

“What is it?” Ra’s asked him.

Vandal gave a huff through his nose. “I’m afraid I’ve received an update we didn’t expect to happen so soon.”

“Yes?”

“It seems The League is well aware of the White Martians’ involvement.” Darkness flickered in Vandal’s eyes. “Our key players are exposed.”

Ra’s tilted back in his chair, a brow perked in curiosity. “But isn’t that what we wanted?”

“Yes.” Vandal answered. “But we may still need them in the future. We may need to direct some of the attention away from them.”

Ra’s transcribed his coded words. “So what you are saying is...it’s time for another distraction?”

Vandal smiled, “Precisely.”

Ra’s nodded, disconnecting the call. His eyes fell to the security monitor, eyes lingering on his red-masked creation. He pressed a finger on his earpiece communicator.

“Jason, can I see you in my study?”

The Watch Tower
March 10th, 2017
17:00 EST

“I'm scared, Dinah.”

As she listened intently to Cassie’s voice, Dinah found herself afraid too.

She had an inkling that Cassie’s counseling session wouldn’t prove troublesome. She had a notion that Wonder Girl would come out and say everything that was troubling her. Dinah never worried that she would have to poke and pry her like she did the others. Cassie had always been boisterous.

But this Cassie. This Cassie terrified her. A sort of terror felt for the sake of another’s well being. The sort of terror she could never let seize her composure.

This Cassie. This...empty shell of a usually-spunky teen sat in the armchair, her knees brought into her chest. She wrapped her arms around her legs, chin resting between her knees as she stared at nothing. Her words were absurdly quiet. Her presence, usually confident and demanding, now shrank far away from the world. There was a certain deadness to her eyes, as though something had dragged the once-profound sparkle and tossed it in a grave. Her lips plastered a concrete frown.

Cassie had been on the front lines. Whisked away from her post in Washington D.C. to the crumbling San Diego. She watched in horror with the members as the city succumbed to the ocean. She was helpless. Useless. The fraction of lives she did save seemed moot compared to the million she couldn’t.

Helpless. Useless. Pointless.

“Scared of what?” Dina asked, her voice calm and curious.

Cassie did not look up at her. She merely gave a small furrow of her brows as she wrapped her arms tighter around her legs. “Of me...my thoughts.”

Black Canary stirred, uneasy. “What thoughts are you afraid of?”

Cassie’s eyes finally looked up at Dinah. They beamed with a desperate pleading. “You swear you won’t tell Diana?”

“Everything stays here in this room.” Black Canary assured.

Cassie found her gaze falling once more. Her words were cold and callous. “I fantasize about killing them.” She looked up at Dinah, her eyes ferocious and steady. “I want to slaughter all of those alien monsters.”

Dinah tried her best not to visibly twinge at Cassie’s response. Her stomach sank with the knowledge that White Martians had been involved. Knowledge that Cassie was not aware of...yet. She was on the same page as the majority of the world, believing that the fault lay on the mysterious intruders.

What would she do with the knowledge of White Martian involvement?

Dear gods, what would she do to M’gaan?

“How have you been dealing with these feelings?” Black Canary asked quickly, searching her brain for healthier coping mechanisms to relay.

“I haven’t,” Cassie admitted, nuzzling her face into her thighs.

Black Canary let a moment of quiet pass. She remembered one of the concerns Wonder Woman had that initiated Cassie’s counseling session.

“Diana says you’ve refused to join her for Temple services,” Dinah stated.

An all too noticeable twitch jarred Cassie’s body. She grit her teeth. Dinah was right. Normally Cassie was active in her ancient religion. Though the past week, she had downright refused to join Diana in prayer. She refused to make a trip to Themyscria with her to conduct the Mourning Ritual on the holiest of grounds. A ritual performed in Temple after major disasters. A ritual that asked the gods to give departed souls safe passage to Elysium. And begged to spare the souls of those barely clinging onto life.

“Stupid,” Cassie spat quietly.

“What?” Dinah asked with a tilt of her head.

“I said it’s stupid,” Cassie snipped. She bit her lower lip, shaking her head. “They are no gods.”

“But...you’re proof of that.” Dina furrowed her brow in confusion. “You are the half-human child of Zeus. Diana’s lasso is made magic by your gods.”

It became clear to Cassie that Dinah didn't hear her correctly.

“I said they are no gods.” Cassie corrected. She still held herself tight. Her face creased intensely. “The Team, The League...we are the Gods.”

Dina was taken aback by her statement. “What makes you say that?” She asked.

Cassie looked up at her with cold eyes. “You weren’t there. You didn’t see them die.” She shook her head, her voice cracking, lip trembling. “You didn’t hear them. You didn’t hear them cry. You didn’t hear their prayers.” Cassie’s breath shook as she held back the water in her eyes. “We were the only ones who answered.”

Dinah realized who she was referring to. The desperate civilians of San Diego. The ones who begged for salvation. And the ones they couldn’t help in time.

“What kinds of gods would let that happen?” Cassie’s words shook in her throat. There was something childish about her voice. “What kinds of gods would hear them, and do nothing?” Tears glistened in her eyes but did not fall. “What kinds of gods would let that happen?”

Dinah let out a small sigh through her nose. Her eyes filled with pity as she watched a little girl lose hold of everything she once believed in.

“The world is not always run by supernatural forces,” Dina explained. “Sometimes individuals, human or alien, make the choice to harm others. That is a consequence of free will whether we like it or not. But the gods can’t and shouldn’t control everything. We are given a choice.”

“Like how we chose to help. And they didn’t.” Cassie snarled, spite dripping from her tone.

Cassie buried her face into her thighs, finally giving up on her blasphemous rhetoric. Arguments of religions were tedious, tiring, and pointless. A shaky sob rumbled in her chest. She looked up at Dina with a wave of tears.

“I can’t sleep.” She croaked, finally admitting her more pressing and concerning issue. Her sobs rang around the room with a broken tone. “I close my eyes, and I see them die again.” Her composure crumbled beneath her. Fatigue finally forcing her to cry for help. “I hear them scream over and over. The nightmares won’t stop.”

Dina rushed towards her in comfort, placing her hands on her arms as she knelt in front of her.

Tears continued to roll down Cassie’s cheek as she whispered. “I just wanna sleep.”

Infinity Island
March 11th, 2017
23:35 ECT

“Yes?”

Jason bellowed his arrival as he shut the office door behind him. Ra’s stood with his back towards him, hands clasped behind his back. He peered out the wide windows to the vast ocean landscape. Moonlight danced on the waves below.

“Jason,” Ra’s spoke after a moment of quiet passed for too long. A tactic he used too often. A tactic he was too good at. Jason had an inkling he did it on purpose. When one controlled the tension of the room, one held the power of the conversation.

Ra’s continued without looking away from the window. “Have you ever wondered why I brought you to my Pit?”

Jason lost his voice, jarred by his question. A small noise of astonishment escaped his throat.

Rare was the conversation of Jason’s resurrection. There had been no need. Jason didn’t want to fathom Ra’s’s reasoning. He didn’t want to know what sick rationale The Demon’s Head had for bringing the murdered sidekick of his enemy to his Lazarus Pit; his mystic fountain of youth and resurrection. All Jason cared about was that he now had the freedom to fight crime the way he wanted to.

He didn’t want the truth.

“Not really,” Jason answered, monotone. “I don’t really wanna know.”

Ra’s turned towards him. Jason felt his stomach turn and bile rise in his throat as he had a feeling he was going to get it anyway.

“I felt sorry for you.”

The truth was far worse than he could have imagined.

Jason couldn’t stop the snarl before it pulled on his lip. His brows knitted with anger.

Pity?

Goddamnit, any reason would have been better than pity.

“How you grew up. How you were treated.” Ra’s elaborated. He paused, eye flickering from the floor and back up to Jason. “How you died.” Jason’s teeth clattered behind his scowl. He continued, voice dripping with feigned softness. “That was something no child should ever have to go through.”

Memories flooded Jason before he could toss his mental sandbags. His fingers twitched as heat rose in his chest in remembrance of a life long ago.

It was hard to remember his mother and father now. Without tiring concentration, their faces and voices were muffled sights and sounds; distorted. Their features: a bad cable connection. Perhaps it was because there wasn't much he wanted to remember about them. There wasn’t much happiness coated in their memories.

Jason couldn’t remember a time in his childhood without pain. Physical, emotional. Between an alcoholic father and heroin addict mother there wasn’t much room for both their chemical muses and their accidental son. Well, his father beat both him and his mother, at least that gave them something to bond over.

No, he wasn’t being fair. His father was a low life, but at least his mother tried. She tried so hard to love Jason, but her call for the needle stole away her heart and head more than she wanted. She tried so hard to love him. And she did. At times...when she could stand. When she was sober enough to form sentences.

He knew she wished she was stronger. He knew she wished she was strong enough to hug her little boy goodnight, every night, without the sting of fresh track marks as she wrapped her arms around him. But Jason couldn’t blame her for using. Not with the life they had. Not with the man she married.

Jason remembered the slew of thugs that would come in and out of their decrepit apartment above Crime Alley. His father had been involved in some shady things with some terrible characters. Drug dealing maybe? Perhaps that’s where his mother got her supply.

All Jason remembered was that it got his father killed. He assumed his father was skimming off the top of the profits.

They murdered him.

Jason found his father’s body crumpled at the end of the stairwell to their apartment. A bullet hole carved its way through his heart.

….Huh, looks like his father had one after all.

At that moment, he remembered breathing an unabashed sigh of relief.

Jason didn’t cry.

But the death of his father set aflame the further downward spiral of his mother’s weak sobriety. He watched her cling to the needle more and more as the piling bills and debt collector phone calls suffocated her sanity.

Jason did what he had to do to ensure their survival. He stole wallets, robbed homes, robbed hospitals, jacked cars. Anything he could to keep food in their bellies and a roof over their heads.

Late one night, after an evening of taxing looting, Jason opened the door to find the living room empty. His mother would usually turn her head from the television. Looking at him with glazed eyes and an inebriated smile. A lighter and a needle beside her feet. An entry he made every night that she never remembered.

But that night had no glossy greeting from the couch. He closed the door, searching to see if she went to bed early.

“Mom?” His tiny voice had called down the hall. There was no sign of her in her room or his. His eyes fell on the closed bathroom door.

“Mom?” He asked as he knocked softly.

No answer, he turned the knob.

It opened with an ominous creak. Jason’s breath rattled in his chest.

His mother sat on the bathroom floor, her back against the wall. Unmoving eyes staring at the toilet in front of her.

There was no movement.

There was no sound.

Just a quiet coldness.

Jason remembered finding it hard to swallow. His lip trembled with a rising sob.

“Mom?” His youth shown through with his cracking composure. He fell to his knees, hand trembling as he reached out to touch her.

Jason would never forget that icy, stiff feeling of death. His mother’s sullen expression in her exact moment of overdose, forever etched on her face.

Jason cried.

After an hour, he left the apartment and never went back.

It was a month later that the 13-year-old Jason Todd discovered a parked Batmobile buried deep in a dark alleyway. A sly grin slid on his lips as he thought how much money he could make by pawning Batman’s rims and catalytic converter. His stomach had rumbled in anticipation. He would finally be able to afford to eat for the first time that day.

Despite the speed that came with his skill, it wasn’t long Batman and Nightwing caught him in the act.

Jason shook his head of the memory. He pulled himself back into the present, Ra’s ever-watchful eyes beating upon him.

“Yeah, well,” Jason answered, clearing his throat. “Probably a mistake on your part. Not sure why I’d be worth a second chance.”

But Ra’s ignored his answer. He paused, as if to knit together his next question with diligence. “Do you remember how you died?”

A hard exhale escaped Jason’s nose as another snarl flashed upon his upper lip. He pulled it down, sliding his anger down to his clenched fists.

“You know that I know,” He answered in a low voice.

Jason found himself pulled under the blacked waves of his memories once more. Their sting fillings his lungs with an acidic nostalgia.

He could still feel the weight of his old Robin uniform. The flexible kevlar suctioned to his hot summer sweat.

He remembered the case. The missing children, their taxidermied bodies strewn across Gotham. He could still recall the chill of the wind on his face as he sped in his motorcycle to Ichabod.

He’d never forget the sounds of his own screams. How his bones shattered beneath the metal tools of The Dollmaker.

He’d never forget the sting of the rusted knife across his throat.

Bruce’s desperate, broken, pleading expression as Jason drowned in his own blood.

That foul taste of copper sat tattooed upon his tongue.

“Good.” Ra’s interrupted him, bringing his attention back to the present. “Sometimes the Lazarus Pit makes the memories fade.”

Ra’s pulled a remote from a pocket in his cloak. He pointed it to the large computer screen behind his desk. With a click of a button, the screen came alive with a live video feed.

Jason tilted his chin in interest. The live recording caught the night time movements of a large, dreary mansion. The iron gates snapped shut around its yard. Barbed wire sat atop to keep its residents inside as opposed to keeping people outside.

For no one would ever step foot in the place willingly unless they were patient or staff.

Or unless you used to be Batman’s protege.

“Do you know this place?” Ra’s asked.

Jason twisted his lip in agitation. “Enough with the 20 questions what the hell do you want?” Ra’s shot him a cold look. Jason pulled in his anger, berating himself for his sudden burst of disrespect. “Yes, of course I do.” He looked back up at the video. Even if he’d never been there, its name sat cast in an iron arch above the front gate. “Arkham Asylum,” Jason finally answered.

“Do you know who I discovered resides there at this very moment?” Ra’s turned to look at him, a cold scowl pulled on his face. “Who’s lived there for three years?” He clicked a button on the remote, the live feed switched from the front gate to a hallway within the Asylum. “Patient 256. Or…” He clicked another button, the cameras switching to the inside of one of the cells.

“Anton Schott. The Dollmaker.”

Ra’s wouldn't needn't said his name. Jason recognized those rabid, carnal eyes as they swept across the camera.

It was as though a sword of barbed wire tore across his insides. Whatever calm composure Jason built inside of him, crumbled with a primal rage.

Jason shook with a fury that rattled his bones. His jaw clenched so tight he nearly snapped teeth. Exhales of shaken breaths did little to ease his trembling muscles.

“He let him live.” Ra’s stated the obvious truth, eyes falling on the rising vein in Jason’s neck. He walked over behind him, his lowered voice nearly a whisper in his ear, mocking. “He let him live the rest of his life in a padded cell, while you bled dry.”

Ra’s slipped a new medication bottle in the pocket of Jason’s jacket. Jason's eyes never faltered from the screen.

Ra’s whispered in his ear, his own eyes shoot up at Anton. “What are you going to do?”

A low growl rumbled in Jason’s throat as he answered. Rage and malice dropped from the jagged edges of his words. He hissed through his teeth.

“I’m gonna kill them both.”

The Watch Tower
March 10th, 2017
18:30 EST

“Have you seen this crap!?”

Dinah jumped in her seat. La’gaan’s yell jarred her from her notes as he burst through the door.

“What?” She stumbled out, unsure of his anger.

“The news?!” La’gaan spat, as if her ignorance of his vague sentences were unacceptable. He talked with movements as boisterous as his words. “That-That piece of fishshit G. Gordon Godfrey!?”

Dinah blinked at him, astonished as she looked at him with a blank expression from her armchair. La’gaan hardly ever swore. Well, at least never in English. She wondered if Rose was rubbing off on him.

“No I-haven’t seen-” She began.

La’gaan growled in frustration, cutting her off. He waved his hand in front of him, bringing up the room’s floating computer. He clacked away on the virtual keyboard until he brought up a recording of Godfrey’s talk show segment from just an hour before.

The aura of the segment held a drastic difference from his prior shows. The dull lighting cast an array of shadows behind him. A spotlight shone on him as he sat in an armchair just left of center stage. A large screen behind him played a recording of an American flag, it danced in the wind at half-mast.

“It is a dark time in America folks.” Godfrey opened his eyes, looking out at the camera and the live studio audience. Dinah expected him to raise his voice. To scream and shout is opinions through the screen. But to her surprise, his tone never faltered. His voice sullen, strong, and subtle. “It is a dark, and sad, and frightening place. One week ago today within the span of an afternoon nearly two million of our people were lost. Taken away from us. Murdered in cold blood. By an alien threat to which we know hardly anything about.”

Godfrey stood, his arms resting behind his back. He tipped his head down, voice calm and reassuring. “I understand you are confused, and scared, and angry. But we should not take these feelings out on one another, no. Our blame has a proper place.”

All calm demeanor washed from his face. His nose crinkled with a snarl. “The Justice League.”

A picture of the JLA plastered across the screen behind him. Hate rained with his words, his hands became active as he spoke. “The group of superpowered individuals who swore to protect our earth and its people from catastrophic events like this one.” Now a montage of the devastating events during and after San Diego’s sink played on the screen. “The aliens that attacked our cities to provide a distraction for San Diego? They have been attacking us for seven months! And The League in all that time couldn’t find a lead. They had so much time to prevent this from happening! They assured us they were on the case, they assured us that they were looking into it. While we sat twiddling our thumbs based upon their assurance, aliens plotted decimating an entire city!”

Gordon retreated from his shouting. His lips pressed into a fine line as he shook in his suit. His furious eyes never looked away from the camera. “All the while their members attack our citizens.” He closed his eyes for a moment and opened them with a loud exhale. “I think it’s time to say what everyone is thinking about. I think it’s time to say that for the sake of America’s future, for the sake of the world’s future, we need to put an end to The League’s violence and incompetencies”

The volume in his voice escalated as he raised his fist in unity. “It is time for us to dismantle The Justice League.”

It was not his words that disturbed Dinah the most. It was the audience’s reaction. Their screams of approval seeped in around him, blasting from the speakers. They stood, hands clapping in standing ovation, battling with their shouts of agreement.

La’gaan snapped his hand at the screen, pausing the video. “Dismantle the Justice League?! Is he serious?!” La’gaan tore himself around to face Dinah. His claws poked holes in his palms as he clenched his fists with a savage grip. A hoarse snarl dripped off his words. “After everything we did! After everyone we tried to help! THIS IS HOW THEY THANK US?!”

“La’gaan! Calm. Down.” Dinah demanded, standing.

“No! No I won’t calm down!” La’gaan spat with a savage shake of his head. His body trembled with rage. His fist bounced as he spoke. “We put our lives on the line every single day. We try so hard every single day. And all they do is spout bullshit like that!” His voice began to crack. “We tried so hard to save those people. We tried so hard to save them. And they want to dismantle us? Discredit us?”

An eerie and sudden quiet filled the room. A trembling breath filled La’gaan’s throat. His jaw shook, exasperated with anger and grief. His eyes glossed over as tears rose, on the verge of falling free.

“We worked endlessly to save survivors in the water.” La’gaan’s voice changed. Now much quieter, nearly a whisper. As though speaking his sorrows meant he had to come to terms with them. “We searched tirelessly night after night. Even when they told us to stop. Even when they said it’d been too long. We kept going.”

There was another moment of quiet.

A small sob escaped La’gaan’s throat. Tears finally fell down his cheeks. His voice was broken and boyish, “Because all we wanted was to just see someone alive.”

It took all the composure Dinah had in her to not cry along with him. She realized now his heated intrusion. His emotional explosion upon entering the room. He had kept so much pack away for so long.

He had to stay strong all week to fulfill his ‘hero’ role.

But now, in that quiet room. La’gaan could finally grieve. La’gaan could finally break.

Memories flooded him as fast as San Diego had. Images of his, Kaldur’s, and Aquaman’s post-sink damage control played over and over in his mind.

“I have done nothing but pull up dead bodies for the past four days, just so their families could have something to bury.” Sobs escaped La’gaan as he tried to push out his words.

He cried as he placed his face in his wounded palms. His knees buckled underneath of him. He fell to all fours, tears cascading down his face. The weight of his memories, now too much to carry. “I just wanted to find someone alive. I just wanted to find someone alive.”

Dinah jumped from her seat. She never recalled a time when she moved so fast. She grabbed him as she knelt onto the floor, pulling him into her chest. She clung to him tight, his sobs bashing against the base of her throat.

The League had no idea of the consequence when they called for The Team’s help in San Diego. The had no idea of the beastly brutality of death and hopelessness that would coat their rescue attempts during and after The Sink.

It was so much to ask. It was so much so fast. It was so much to ask of beings so young.

They had forgotten that despite their powers, despite their experiences, they were still children.

Children watching other children die.

“I don’t want to go back out there.” La’gaan’s voice muffled against her. “I can’t go back out there.” He shook his face against her skin. “I can’t see another dead body.”

“You don’t have to,” Dinah reassured, squeezing him tight.

“Aquaman and Aqualad are going to be so disappointed.”

“No, they will not.” Dinah’s voice was firm, she pulled back from La’gaan a bit. She curled a finger under his chin, forcing him to look up at her. Her glossy eyes and slight tremble of her lip exposed the danger of her cracking composure. “You have been asked to do, and done so much more than anyone should have. You did everything you could, no matter what anyone else says. Do you hear me?” She waited until La’gaan nodded, then pulled him back into her. “Aquaman and Aqualad will understand.”

Dinah looked up at the screen. Stomach twisting in sickening, uncertain foresight as she looked up at G. Gordon Godfrey’s cheering audience. A small toned of doubt lingered on her words.

“And they will too.”

Chapter Text

Mars

March 12th, 2017

00:30 EDT

A chill of anticipation ran through A'monn's spine as he listened to the broadcast on his military radio. He sat patiently in the walls of the safehouse, head twitching towards every sound. His wife was supposed to arrive at any moment, her final military mission ending hours ago.

Then, just as he thought he couldn't bear the apprehension any longer, the rooftop hatch swung open. A'morr floated down into the room with haste. A'monn greeted her with a loving embrace.

'Have you heard?' He asked, gesturing towards the radio. The announcer spouted announcements of Councilman J'ornell's betrayal, his suicide bombing on The Martian Council, and the deaths that followed.

A'morr chided him a mental tsk, her words caked with a smile. 'Who hasn't?' She unhooked the Apokoliptian laser gun around her shoulder, setting it on the table.

'I can't believe he actually did it.' A'monn remarked.

'You know Lord Darkseid's rules.' A'morr reminded, grabbing a rag off the table to clean her gun. 'Fail him, and you must take yourself out. Or he'll take you out.'

She chuckled to herself, remembering Bart's startled face as she revealed herself to him on the outskirts of San Diego. She smiled thinking of his panic as she powered up the final Seismic Disruptor the caused the city to fall prey to the ocean's claws.

'I'm just surprised it took a whole week for that human to squeal after our little chat.' She added.

A'monn gasped, his surprise turning into a laugh. 'You set J'ornell up. You knew that speedster runt would tell M'gann and she'd figure it out.'

A'morr growled. 'I always hated that bastard. Only an idiot would think that Vandal would hand-pick him for a 'new world order'.'

A'monn approached her from behind, wrapping his arms around her. He nuzzled against the back of her neck, evermore in love with her savageness than the first day they met. 'So what do we do now?' He asked.

She listened intently to the radio. The announcer called for the surrender for J'ornell's allies and a reward for any Martain who helped bring them in. 'We lie low.' She answered. 'Until Vandal makes good on the other part of our deal.'

Gotham
March 12th 2017
03:30 ECT

Cowardly squeals of pain reverberated around the concrete confines of the meth lab. Batman, Batgirl, Nightwing, and Robin made good work on one of their side investigations. It was no Spark lab, but they were still able to get a batch of narcotics off the street. And that was enough of a win for them for the night.

A final groan filled the room as Robin took down the final armed guard. He tied his arms behind his back. "Not bad for a Saturday night." He chirped, brushing off his hands.

Nightwing seemed amused. "That's when we get our biggest scores." A smirk rested on his face as he tied up the last of the 'cooks'.

Tim's lips pulled into a smile. It warmed him to be on a patrol with just the four of them again. It seemed that every terrible turn of fate had piled high upon their shoulders. Everything from Arsenal, to the alien attacks, to San Diego laid into them one after the other. Little room to breathe. Little room to be.

But now, in their dark uniforms with Gotham's three symbols of hope on their chest, Robin finally felt at ease for a small moment. It was good to finally spend time with family.

Nightwing twitched. A course static ran through the speaker on his communicator. A sporadic buzzing filled their ears. They winced under the sound.

"Is something wrong with the comlink?" Robin asked with a doleful tone, already knowing the answer. Bruce's equipment was the finest a billionaire could buy. It wasn't the hardware that was at fault. Someone was hacking their frequency. Someone who knew how to find their frequency.

"Hello Bats." A dark voice snaked their way into their ears. "It's been a while."

They looked between one another, trying to pinpoint the familiarity of the tone.

"Who are you?" Batman asked, eyes narrowing. "How did you get access to this connection?"

"Look at you." The man on the other side ignored his questions. "With Nightwing, Batgirl, and a shiny new Robin." A newly found savageness dripped from his words. "A cult leader always replaces his sheep."

"What do you want?" Batman snipped.

"Arkham Asylum." The man stated without pause. "You have 15 minutes to meet me here. Or I start slaughtering every one of these psychos in here."

"Who is this?" Bruce snarled.

"You warn the staff, I kill them too." He added.

"What do you want with me?" Bruce questioned, voice raised.

"Tick tock, tick tock." The man mocked. "See you soon, Bats."

Gotham - Arkham Asylum
March 12th 2017
03:45 ECT

Jason Todd stood in the eerily spotless security room inside Arkham Asylum. His knuckles grazed across the computer keyboard. His eyes flashed around the multiple security camera monitors. He pressed a radio close to the mouth of his helmet. His lips formed a hit of a snarl as they flickered:

"Tick tock, tick tock. See you soon Bats." He clipped the radio into his hip, lost in his newfound focus.

Arkham's bare-boned graveyard staff lay piled on the ground of the spacious security room: one doctor, two nurses, and four internal security guards. Groans fell from the unconscious bodies, their limbs tied together. He had already knocked out the two outside security officers and tossed them in the backyard shed.

Out of his pocket he pulled out a small rectangular device, no bigger than a USB drive. The edges glowed a daunting red. He placed the Apokoliptan technology next to the computer's hard drive. Its tiny appendages expanded and snaked their way through the hardware. The monitors flashed and fuzzed before illuminating with a dull red glow of their own. A virtual control pad flashed up from the back end of the alien 'USB drive'. Red Hood tapped away at it, flashing between cameras, tirelessly search for his target.

A shaky breath tumbled from his lips. The numbers on the label on the windowless door pounded against his retinas:

Patient 256

With a clench of his jaw and a flick of his finger on the panel, he opened the cell door.

Arkam's security system had advanced alarmingly since his last run there in his old, caped costume. Each and every hallway, door, and doorway could be immediately sealed by the control panel. A setup designed by Batman himself to keep any escaped patients contained.

But for Red Hood, it made for an excellent mouse trap to mold beneath his fingers.

He sealed the hallway in Patient 256's wing. Then, with jolt through his spine, flicked open the patient's door.

There was a small moment of stillness. Jason's breath boomed in his helmet as he beamed at the monitors. Then, with heavy, cautious movements, a body emerged from behind the opened door.

Rage slithered through Jason's blood like a toxic oil spill. His heart pounded against his breastbone as every pain, every smell, every chill, every acidic taste of blood from the moment he died squeezed around his senses. For a quick, unknowing moment, Jason's eyes met Anton's through the camera. He could still see those eyes behind the skin mask. The cruel, monstrous delight they bore branded a firey grip in Jason's memory.

He tapped on the control panel, opening the door at the other end of the hall. Confused, and heavily drugged, Anton followed through the open door like a mouse in a maze. Jason slowly and patiently flicked open one door after another until Anton found his way into the massive game room in the middle of the asylum. His medically inebriated mind pulled to attention by a glowing TV inside the room.

A smirk flashed upon Red Hood's lip. His eyes were drawn into the subtle movements on the screen. A tiny flash of darkness. A swoop of something black in the corner of the screen. Maybe one of the security guards would have shrugged it off. But not Jason, he knew all too well what those nearly-unnoticeable moments meant. They were here. Batman and his pawns were here.

Jason pressed his radio up to his mouth again. Waiting until the precise moment that he knew they were inside.

"Follow the maze Bats," he taunted. "Come and find me."

He tossed the radio to the ground and pressed another button on the panel. An alarm sounded as every cell in Anton's wing flung open. The power cut off to only the emergency lights. The manic patients slithered from their cells, their hysteric freedom pulled shouts of excitement from their throats. Jason watched as they spilled from the wide corridor, Batman and his proteges already fighting the crowd head-on.

Jason raised one of his gun towards the top of the wall, shooting off an air vent. He jumped onto the counter and climbed up inside. The creaking metal of the building's ventilation system swarmed around him as he worked his way inside it.

He crawled through the shafts, elbows working with furious determination. A map flashed in his head from long ago, remembering the layout of the ventilation system. His lungs breathed viciously as he powered through the vents. The loose patients would buy him just enough time. Just enough time to get to Anton. Just enough time to beat him to the brink of death. Just enough time for Batman stumble upon him.

Just enough time, for him to end it.

**********

Their panting breaths echoed down the hallway in counter time with their sprinting footsteps. Batman, Robin, Nightwing, and Batgirl finally subdued the escaped patients. Against their better judgment, they followed the path Hood gave them. Although they knew they were stumbling into a trap, their determination tore through them with the desire to finally put a stop to Hood's violence.

Their final footsteps echoed around them as they halted inside their destination.

A savage bolt of lightning tore across the sky, its shining blaze leaving a haunting chill across the dully lit room. The glass roof left no room to hide under its illuminating path.

The "game room" sat in the very heart of Arkham Asylum. The walls stood four stories high before reaching the glass ceiling. Back in its civilian time, perhaps it could have been a ballroom, or maybe just a lavish guest room for an owner with big pockets and easily-bored friends.

But now the room sat lined with couches and a few televisions caged to the wall. Numerous tables and armchairs sat in the innards; askew and lonely in the darkness.

But in the back of the room, elevated slightly above the floor, rested a stage. A shallow "staircase" of three shallow steps wrapped around it. A place for desperate entertainers or bored inmates to amuse the patients.

Now, with the soft fill of emergency lights around him, Red Hood stood in the center of it. His daunting figure stood tall.

Anton Schott sat on his knees in front of him, his back to Red Hood. His hands were tied behind his back. Blood trailed from his nose as quiet sobs dripped from his busted lip. Tears flowed over his black, swollen eyes. He tilted his head to the side, wincing from Hood's gun pressed against his temple. Jason gripped Anton's receding hair with his other hand.

Red Hood made no movement as they quietly stepped into their room, filling around him. A sense of urgency danced in the toes.

"Put, The gun. Down." Bruce's firm but calm voice echoed around the room. He held his hand on his utility belt in warning.

A shaky breath filled Red Hood's throat. "Why?" He spat, pressing the gun harder against Anton's skull. "So I can just let him live the rest of his twisted life in a cozy, padded cell?"

"Don't. Move." Nightwing warned.

Jason made no acknowledgment of Dick. His eyes never strayed from Bruce. His rising emotion cracked his voice. "You let him live." He hissed through his teeth. "It's not fair." A childish tone snuck into his voice. "Why does he get to live and I get to suffer?!"

The final word echoed across the laminate floor. His limbs trembled under his boiling anger. Nightwing, Robin, Batgirl, and Batman encroached with cautious steps.

"I don't know what he did to you." Bruce continued with calm words, holding a hand out towards him. "But I can promise it's not worth making yourself a killer over."

Jason's eyes went wide. What started off as a chuckle, grew into a manic laugh.

Dick, Barbara, and Tim exchanged nervous glances.

"Oh.-Oh. Oh, that's rich. That's rich." Jason cackled. He released the hand on Anton's hair for a moment, pretending to wipe a tear from an eyehole of his mask. "I think you might be a little late on that."

"I know that you have some good in you," Bruce said, catching Hood off guard. He continued, "You gathered all the hospital staff and took them to safety before releasing the inmates. That's nothing any criminal that I've fought would have done."

Red Hood beamed at him with cold, relentless eyes.

"I don't know what he did to you," Batman added with a small shake of his head. "But don't make yourself like him. That's not who you want to be."

Red let out an agitated exhale through his nose. "You don't know what I am anymore," he said.

They only greeted him with silence. The lack of sound grated against Jason's nerves. Anton yelped as he pressed the gun harder against his head. He snapped at Bruce, "Do you even know who this monster is?! Do you know what he did to me?!" A shaken breath rumbled from Jason's chest. "How do you not remember?"

"This guy's lost it," Robin chirped.

Jason was grateful Bruce couldn't see him fighting the water rising in his eyes. "He took me away from you." He snarled, throwing his arm in a sweeping motion. "He took me away from all of you. And you didn't even have the balls to take him out?!"

Bruce narrowed his eyes, a frighten curiosity stirring in his mind. "Who are you?"

"He slices open a kid's throat and all you did WAS THROW HIM BEHIND BARS!" Jason's voice was nearly manic.

A small noise of shock fell from Bruce's throat. Fearful intrigue filled his gut, unsure of how Red Hood knew of Anton's final kill. "How did you know?" He asked, astonished

There was a small, sarcastic smirk behind Red Hood's mask as he asked, "Then again, you always did have a twisted sense of 'justice', didn't you?" He let out a loud exhale, then bellowed across the room, "Bruce. WAYNE."

A collective gasp fell from their throats. Their skin crawling with aghast disbelief at the sound of Batman's civilian name.

"And you poisoned them." Red Hood hissed, beaming between Nightwing and Batgirl. "You poisoned Dick and Barbara with it too!"

"Who-" Nightwing began, eyes wide.

"How do you know-" Batgirl stumbled, mouth agape.

"WHO ARE YOU?" Tim's words were the only ones that stood strong against Hood. He gripped his hand tight around his staff, unshaken.

A quiet moment flooded between the walls around them. Only Anton's pitiful wines shattered the silence. With smooth movements, Red Hood raised his gunless hand up to his mask.

Click. Click.

The tiny snaps on the sides loosed with gutting loudness. And with a firm grasp under his chin, he tossed the helmet off of his head. It bounced and spun against the floor with a lonely vigor.

A crash of thunder rattled the glass above them. They were left unsure if the vibrations or the face in front of them was the source of their rattling bones. Their skeptics of his shadowed face were annihilated as another bolt of lightning illuminated the room.

A screech burst from Barbara's throat, the sight of the ghost before her pushing her a step backward. Her ankles shook under the weight of the impossibility. She clasped her hand around her mouth, her small cries of disbelief barely muffled by her shaking hand.

Dick's knees nearly buckled underneath him. A hand clutched at his chest, a foreign pounding ripped through his heart. His jaw dropped as he brought fingertips up to his lips. A tingle rose in his nose at the memories of a brother departed. Of a brother whose face he thought he would never- never should see again. Exasperated claims of disbelief fell from his lips.

Tim, alert and alarmed, beamed at Barbara and Dick with concern. The foreign look on their faces shot a panic through him. He turned back to Red Hood, clawing at his brain, desperate for memories or hints as to who might be standing before them. A cold pit rose in Tim's stomach as his gaze turned towards Bruce.

Bruce's stoic scowl crumbled into dust. His wide eyes, watery and unbelieving beneath his mask. A light tremble rested on the bottom lip of his slacked jaw.

"Jason..." The word fell from his throat with such unbelieving desperation. Bruce's haunting, alien tone so shatter and broken that Tim had to fight the rising tear in his eye.

An audible shudder crawled from Jason's chest at the sound of his name from someone from long ago. From a voice from long ago. From a love, from a father from long ago.

"Jason is dead." Jason spat with anguish. He sucked in a shaky breath, his pistol trembling in his grip. "You let him die." He cocked his gun, killing every final inkling of doubt. "The name is Red. Hood!"

A gunshot rang across the laminate floors. Their cries and shrieks useless as Anton's blood and brains showered the space before them.

Ringing. Ringing. Ringing filled their ears as Anton's lifeless body fell to the floor. For Bruce, Barbara, and Dick time swooned to a near halt. Their bodies and reactions slowed by the ghost of tragedies past.

But Tim had no chains of memories upon him. And as Jason raised his pistol towards Bruce, Tim snapped his hand on his utility belt. His Bird-a-rang cascaded towards Jason's hand. On the final moment, before he pulled the trigger, his Bird-a-rang hit, knocking the gun out of Jason's hand. The bullet fired towards the ceiling.

Jason staggered back, gripping his hand in pain. Tim raced towards him, his staff raised and ready for battle. Jason caught his movement, pulled another gun from his waistline, and fired at Tim.

Batman, Barbara, and Dick were snapped from their trance by the growing sound of gunfire. They charged at Jason. And Jason found himself under attack by a barrage of Bat-a-rangs. The other pistol was quickly knocked from his hand as well.

It was possible that Bruce, Dick, and Barbra were trying to talk to him while they fought. But the heated rage in his ears only damped their words. He met their hand-to-hand combat with such ferocity and such familiarity that Jason found himself landing in more punches than he ever deemed possible. The sound of Bruce's groans beneath his knuckles fueled his desperate rage.

Then, out of the vast pit of his stomach, bubbled a well-known sickness. Jason gasped as his chest heaved.

No. No. No. Not now.

His fists trembled with each punch as his movements slowed. A fine fever grew beneath his skin, sweat trickled from his brow.

When Ra's al Ghul brought Jason's cold, lifeless body to his Lazarus Pit, the side effects were beyond unknown. The beings would could survive the pit and remain whole, physically and mentally, were a rarity.

And unfortunately for Jason, The Pit's side effects included chronic sickness. Fever, shaking, vomiting, weak muscles; all side effects of his body trying to reject The Pit's gift. Side effects that had to be maintain with medication given to him by Ra's. Medication Jason thought he had taken enough of.

But as he stood surrounded by Gotham's finest, he quickly found his energy and his fighting skills deteriorating. His skin became sticky with the sweat of his fever. Promise of punishment and revenge quickly slipped from Jason's grip.

Tim took full advantage of Jason's distracted state. He ran up behind him, grabbing the bottom of his jacket as he lept overtop of him.

Jason found himself momentarily immobilized as his jacket and his arms were swung over his head. His muffled swears beat against the inside of the lining. He twisted out of the brown leather jacket, stumbling backward. A fist landed in his face, taking advantage of his stumbling momentum.

Jason growled, he reached for his utility belt. His fingers fumbled for one of the grenades on the small of his back. He tossed it in the air. Cries of 'move' and 'look out' filled around him as they bolted away. The grenade fell just between the entrance of the room and the hallway before setting off.

The blast deafened them for a few moments as smoke filled their lungs. A flame, vast and massive quickly shot up the old, flaky wallpaper and long velvet curtains. It quickly snaked through the wall of the game room and down the hall towards the inmates.

Bruce coughed. The heat of the growing flame nearly unbearable under his thick kevlar. His eyes flashed upon the ever-expanding fire. He thought of the trapped inmates and tied up staff in the security room.

"Better go save the them before they burn up!"

Bruce turned towards Jason's voice.

Jason gripped his side in pain, his teeth clenched and bloody. He didn't need to be a Martian to read Bruce's mind. Jason reached into his pocket, pulling out his Fatherbox. A rage of disappointment shifted through his bones. The knot of a losing battle was a hard pill to swallow. But with his skills dulled with sickness, there was no possibility of getting the bloody revenge against Bruce that Jason so desperately craved.

"Don't worry Bruce." Jason hissed with a cold glare. "We'll meet again," he assured. "We'll meet again."

Bruce watched as Jason was swallowed by a vortex of black and yellow. Just as quickly as he was taken from him the first time, Jason slipped from Bruce's grasp.

The Watchtower
March 13th, 2017
22:30 EST

Conner paced himself up and down the grand window of The Watchtower's common area. He ran his hands through his hair, unable to subside his nerves. The only sound to distract him was the clacking from inside the middle Zeta Tube. Adam Strange grumbled as he worked inside the Tube. Malfunctioning since morning, he struggled to fix the uncooperative machinery.

Conner headed down one of the walkways, looking for something to distract his weary mind.

Nerves jumbled in his stomach. For being on the team for 6 years, this would be one of his few times leading a covert team on his own. They were due to arrive at any moment.

"Well heya' Conner!" Captain Marvel jolted Superboy from thought. He floated towards him, cape trailing just behind. "What's up?"

"B-Billy, hey. Nothing." Conner mumbled. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh just letting Rose into the Armory." He answered nonchalantly, pointing behind him with his thumb. "Oh, I'm headed to the cafeteria, you want-"

"What?" Conner interrupted him, aghast.

The Armory was a room in The Watchtower filled with The League and The Team's spare and confiscated weapons. Everything from ancient daggers to alien lasers. Only League and senior Team members were granted access. Access Billy just gave Rose full reign to.

"What are you doing letting her in there!?" He scolded.

Conner sprinted towards The Armory, fearful of what Rose might try to take. As Conner peel through the doorway, Captain Marvel laid a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Relax." He said. "Don't be so quick to judge. See?" He nodded towards Rose.

Conner turned his head to see her knives, daggers, and swords laid out on a table. She diligently placed them on the shelving along the wall. Conner took a few steps inside, his footsteps gaining her attention.

She finished placing her weapons on the shelving and worked her long ponytail through the back of her mask. She pulled it down over her eyes, readying herself for the mission.

"Kaldur said no blades." She said, turning towards him. "He doesn't trust me. So I put them where I can't get them."

Conner's jaw fell agape. "Wow, that's...responsible of you." He gave her a small smile, "I'm really proud of you Rose."

"Thanks." She responded and allowed an awkward quiet to pass between them. "Sooo are we done? I gotta get ready."

"Yeah, go on," Conner answered.

Rose slipped by him, heading towards the common area.

Her heart pounded against her breastbone. A cool, vile turning danced in her stomach. A fire ignited in her steps as the LexCorp Detonation Cord she stole from the room sat heavy in her utility belt.

The Warehouse
March 13th, 2017
23:30 EDT

A quiet hum filled the air as Beast Boy and Emily made their way out of the rooms. Their uniforms sat snug against their skin. Garfield watched as she placed her communicator in her ear, her eyes drawn to the floor in sullen silence.

"Are you sure you-" Garfield began, wanting to make sure, yet again, that Emily was alright to do another mission. It seemed as though each one she accompanied found a way to shatter her spirit more.

"Yes Garfield I'm fine." She snipped, annoyed, pulling her hair up into a ponytail.

"I just-" He added with a slight tilt of his head. He placed a soft hand on her elbow.

"I said I'm fine!" She snapped at him, her lips curling into a snarl.

His eyes went wide as he jerked back his hand. She glared at him for a moment before relaxing her face, realizing her outburst. She found herself like that a lot. Irritable and overreacting to everything with violent words and tones.

Her lips pushed into a sad pout, her lidded eyes and sunken gaze flashing Gar the phrase 'I'm sorry.' She couldn't bring herself to say it, finding herself in a loop of outbursts and apologies. Outbursts Garfield always found himself the brunt of.

"I don't like it when you're not yourself." Beast Boy added in a soft, concerned voice. A boyish tone danced on his words.

Emily knew what he meant. Knew that he had as much distaste for this hostile, savage, morose Emily as she did.

"You need to talk to someone." His voice was calm and quiet. He tested her space, advancing when she didn't flinch. He cupped his hand on her cheek, trying to grab her eye contact. "Why don't you talk to me?"

She shrugged, finally meeting his gaze. "We hang out and talk all the time Gar."

He dropped his hand, giving her an annoyed look. "We don't talk. We just make out all the time."

She scoffed, turning away. "You're probably the first boy in history to complain of that."

He wasn't wrong though. Quiet days and late nights left Emily alone with her thoughts. Thoughts of her father and her mother and of her wretched uselessness drenched her in an aching sadness. Often culturing a panic in her nerves, a sob in her chest. It was all too easy to slip down the hall or to the couch to find Garfield unaware and unprepared. It was all too easy to lose herself in his arms and the warm skin of his lips. It was all too easy to use his wanting and physical adoration to dispel the poisonous thoughts from her head, at least for a moment.

"You know what I mean." He grasped her hand, pulling her attention back to him. "How can I help you if I don't know what you're going through? If you don't talk to me, how can I-"

His lecture fell into background noise as her eyes slid down his throat. Her attention was drawn the slight twitch of a vein just underneath this skin. She counted in time with the rhythm, swearing that she could hear each pump of blood. Her mouth watered at the nostalgic whiff of iron.

She discovered herself in this peculiar daze far often than not. Those who were unfortunate enough to place themselves too close to her found themselves under her watchful eyes. Her gaze transfixed on whatever prominent vein prodded at their skin. She swore she could hear the wave of blood as it burst from their hearts to the ends of their fingertips.

It was a strange fixation that left her teammates shooting her perplexed and uncomfortable looks. A fixation she easily brushed off with an apology. They assumed her bizarre stares were some kind for reaction to her pitiful, newly-found family history.

But what alarmed her the most, was the growing bloodlust. A lust that could no longer be satisfied by rare steaks and raw ground beef.

Every mission that resulted in broken skin, she had to immediately excuse herself from. She would see her teammate's split lips and broken noses and have to physically lock herself away in a room. The hunger. The hunger that overcame her at the smell of blood frightened her to her very core.

She wanted nothing more than to taste their crimson nectar on her tongue.

"I don't need help Gar." She snipped, interrupting him, turning towards the Zeta Tube.

The bloodlust. No, the bloodlust was not something she could ever let them know about. It was not something she could waive off as a 'newly heightened metahuman sense'.

She just needed to ignore it. To suppress it. To make it go away.

For what would they say if she told them?

They'd see her as a monster, just like her father.

She punched the coordinates to The WatchTower in the Zeta tube. Her lips pressed into a fine line as she shoved away her rising tears. "I just need to be left alone."

The Watchtower
March 13th, 2017
23:00 EST

"Is everyone ready?"

Conner turned away from his virtual computer to greet his team. Static, Blue Beetle, Kid Flash, Ravager, Beast Boy, and Emily all stood around him. They silenced their mumbled conversations when he spoke, nodding their heads in affirmation.

He pulled up a satellite image of a two-story building, squeezed into a middle of a big city block. Rose's fist clenched in anticipation. She found it doubtful that the building's 'Candle Co.' sign in front was truthful to its order of business.

"From the information sifted through from the weapons lab," Conner continued. "We were able to find the location of yet another Cadmus lab in the south side of Chicago, just 5 blocks east of our Zeta tube. From the info we've gathered, this is a small, minimum-security lab. Mainly for lab and bloodwork."

Ravager felt her chest clench with anxiousness. There were so few labs left. There were only a couple more labs to infiltrate. He just had to be in this one.

He had to. She could feel it.

"Our mission today," Conner went on, facing them with his hands on his hips. He tried desperately to radiate the confidence that Dick had when he gave the pre-mission breakdown. "Is to sneak into the lab, copy information from their computers, and report any findings."

Superboy felt overcome with an awkward feeling. The atmosphere before missions was usually caked with excitement and nerves. But as he looked around at them, all he saw were tired faces and broken spirits. Their eyes either fell to the floor or to nothing in particular. Only shuffling feet and the occasional cough filled the quiet air.

It had been two week since the fall of San Diego. It had been two weeks since the country was brought to its bloodied knees at the hands of extraterrestrial terrorists. No matter the number of counseling sessions, guilt still weighed a heavy burden in their hearts. It seemed that The League and The Team were the only support they could turn to. For public opinion of all masked heroes had taken a steep downfall. They couldn't tune into a radio, television, blog, or even streetside conversation without hearing blame being placed on their 'negligence' and 'incompetence'. Several of them even experience violence from civilians while in uniform. Everything from stray bullets to tossed fruit.

It was not a heartfelt time to be a hero.

"Look, I know morale is low and…" Conner rubbed the back of his neck, his lip twisting in thought. "Everyone had been through a lot lately. And this isn't a...'normal' mission grouping." He held out his hands to them in reassurance. "But you wouldn't be on this team I put together if I didn't believe in your skills."

"Yeah right," Virgil sneered, clacking his tongue against his teeth in disbelief. "You mean we're here because everyone else is too messed up in the head to work, and we're all that's leftover."

Conner felt their wary eyes upon him. Virgil hadn't been completely wrong. They were the only Team members who weren't on PTSD leave or caught up in rebuilding their own cities.

"Times have been hard on everyone, Virgil. I need you guys focused and working together." Conner ordered in a quiet voice. "No one wants to see any more loss."

Chicago
March 14th, 2017
03:30 UTC

Noise of bustling the city filled the streets around them. The chilly Chicago air still held on to last remnants of winter. The Team dispersed, shaking the shivers off their spies and placed themselves on top and around the Candle Co. building. Their quiet steps and stealth uniforms rendered them unnoticed.

Superboy jumped quietly onto the roof. He placed his finger on his communicator. "Alright Bule, you're up."

Blue Beetle flew high above the building. His armor blended with the night sky. He outstretched his arm, ordering The Scarab to scan the building.

"There's...six people inside. Looks like some lab techs and a janitor." Blue began. He squinted, trying to focus on the thermal reading. He confirmed Superboy's suspicions. "You're right about the sub-level. The scanner is picking up a hidden floor. Way underground. But I can't see how many bodies below. Too much heat from the water lines and equipment."

"Alright then, Static, your move," Superboy ordered.

Virgil stood patiently behind the building. He placed his hands on the outdoor fuse box. He fired a current from his fingertips through the building's wiring. Lights and computers hissed and hummed before flashing into darkness.

After the building went black, the remaining staff wandered outside, unable to work without illumination. The Team had no worries that the sub-level would be left without power. The hidden labs usually in-housed their own power source.

Beast Boy, Emily, Ravager, and Kid Flash took the first floor. Static, Superboy, and Blue Beetle took the second. With the aid of their superhuman sense or night vision goggles, they swiftly explored the above-ground lab.

In their utility belts and pockets, they carried a new device, courtesy of Robin's ingenuity. Red metallic discs that Robin introduced as 'Remote Hackers' could, well, remotely hack any computer hard drive by being placed on top of it. Using any nearby wifi signal they could hack a computer, hijack the nearest server, copy the data to one of Bruce's satellites, then finally to The WatchTower's computer.

It was a device that, despite his best efforts, Bart had no useful aid in naming. Being set on the terms 'Bat Hacks' or 'Robbin' Robins' to which Tim did not find as amusing as he.

When Superboy, Blue Beetle, and Static finished they joined the rest of The Team on the first floor by the elevator. Conner pried open the door, happy to find the elevator had stopped on the second. They quietly flew and grappled their way down the elevator shaft. It wasn't until they traveled 40 feet below ground that they finally reached the end of the shaft. Blue used his scanner to make sure no workers were close and Static used his powers to quietly open the doors.

In the sub-level, the elevator opened into a corner a hallway intersection. Four separate directions laid out in front of them. The term 'hallway' Conner found generous, if inaccurate. It wasn't so much a fully constructed lab, like the one he was created in. It was more like a crudely excavated cavern hastily created to resemble a working space. Metal beams and arches kept the ceiling from falling in. Lab equipment and workstations sat on and in the cave-like walls. They could tell that each of the four hallways had rooms on either sides of them. But the jagged stone walls and moist air gave it an alarmingly makeshift feel. Dimmed floodlights illuminated the floors in sporadic bursts. The angle of their placements left the high ceilings shrouded in darkness.

They split off down the four hallways. Superboy braved one on his own, Beast Boy and Emily in one, Ravager and Kid Flash in another, and Static and Blue Beetle down the other.

Virgil and Jaime glided down the shadowed hallway. The rooms they found were mainly empty aside from lab equipment and humming computers. They pocketed several seal tubes of liquid and blueprints.

Virgil stepped back into the hallway, a faint yelp grabbed his attention to a door at the end of the hall. "Do you hear that?" He whispered to Blue.

They flinched, the sound of the screams grew in volume and severity.

Without hesitation, they tore down the hallway. The Scarab's voice of reason fell on Jaime's deaf ears as he blasted open the door. Static pushed past him.

A bolt of panic jolted down Virgil's chest. Along the walls sat four podil cages. Two young men and two young women stood behind the glass coverings. Their wrists were clasped beside their heads in metal restraints. Metal appendages sat inside the pods, their ends pressing needles and electrical currents into the prisoners' skin.

The air ripped from Virgil's lungs as his eyes went wide. His mind trailed back to his time with The Reach. To his days spent trapped in a tight pod prison, under the mercy of their electrical torture.

The scientist in the room startled at the sounds of the blasting door. It only took a moment for Virgil to see the teens in cages before he flushed with rage. He sent a bolt of lightning towards the scientist, knocking him unconscious. He slumped to the ground, this clipboard clacking beside him.

Blue and Static dashed towards the pods, pried open the doors, and tore the robotic arms off their hinges.

"Hey! Hey are you okay?" Blue cupped one of the girl's cheeks, trying to wake her up after the bolts left her unconscious.

"What are they doing in here?" Virgil asked, shaken. He worked on the young men's restraints.

The young, brown-haired girl groggily gained consciousness. She squealed under Jaime's hand.

"It's alright, it's alright." He cooed. "We're not here to hurt you. We're gonna get you out of here okay?" He tackled the task of undoing her restraints.

"Help us, please." She begged in a hoarse voice.

"We will." He whispered, looking over his shoulder for a brief moment. "You gotta stay quiet okay?"

Virgil helped one of the young men out and lowered him onto the ground. He worked on freeing the other teenager. His brows knit together as he asked Jaime through grit teeth, "What does this look like to you?"

Blue's eyes flashed over to Virgil before helping the other girl. He let out an unsteady breath, "I know." The uncanny resemblance of the prisoners' pods and The Reach's left Jaime with an unshakable chill. "They're using their technology."

They helped the last two prisoners onto the floor, allowing them to gain their bearings. The brown-haired girl grasped Jaime's arm, she glanced at the clock on the wall. Her words were gruff and breathless. "Shift change...fifteen minutes." She took a moment to gather her wind. "Staff doubles….more people."

Jaime nodded, his voice boldly chiming in on the comlink. "Blue Beetle to Superboy. Static and I found four hostages." He flashed his eyes over to Virgil, he nodded. "We're getting them out." There was no questioning influx in his statement.

"Affirmative," Superboy answered. "Do so quietly."

"I think we need to move fast," Jaime added, taking the other girl's arm around the back of his neck as he helped her up. "One of the hostages said shift change is in fifteen minutes. They'll be a lot more people here soon."

He and Static lead the prisoners out of the room and quietly headed down the hallway towards the elevator.

"Affirmative," Conner answered. "Everyone clear? We have five minute to gather and get out."

In the opposite hall, Ravager's coarse swears filled one of the empty labs. She hammered away on computer's keyboard.

"Fuck. Five minutes?" She snipped, panicked. "That's not enough time." She growled, desperately searching through the computer's files. "That's not enough time."

"What are you doing?" Kid Flash questioned, annoyed.

"Just give me a fucking minute." Rose hissed back.

"We don't have a minute Ravager." His voice teetered with anxiousness, trying to rush her. He came up behind her, looking over her shoulder. "What are you looking for?"

An answer swelled in Rose's throat. She snapped her jaw shut as the door to the room slid open. An unaware scientist made a few good strides into the room before she lifted her eyes from her clipboard.

But by then, Ravager already had a hand around her neck.

With daunting swiftness, she pushed the lab-coated woman against the wall. Her screeching died in her throat as Rose pulled out her Energy Sword and placed it under her chin. The pulsing electricity sent tiny shocks across her skin.

Bart had never felt himself think with such sluggish thoughts. Even he had to take a moment to register Rose's movements; to register what she was doing. He felt like an imbecile when the word "Stop!" finally croaked out of him.

But Rose paid no mind to Bart's protest. Her cold, hateful eyes beamed at the woman in her grasp. She pressed her Energy Sword closer to the underside of her chin.

"Scream and I slit your fucking throat," Rose snarled. The Cadmus pawn wouldn't know that the sword wouldn't kill her. But it made for an effective bluff on Rose's part.

"Where is Project J?" Ravager hissed, a fury bubbling inside her. Her limbs trembled as she felt the end of her rope creeping up on her. "Where is Project J?!"

The scientist only flinched and squealed at her words. Terror shooting through her at the sight of Rose's desperate, bloodthirsty eyes. Rose tightened the grip around her throat and pressed the Energy Sword closer against her neck. The woman choked, tilting her head higher upwards in response.

Ravager trembled with furious limbs. "I swear I will fucking kill you." She hissed.

"I'll take you I'll take you!" The woman gurgled, struggling to catch her breath. "P-please. Please don't kill me." Tears flowed down her cheeks. "I'll take you to him, whatever you want!" She pleaded.

Rose released the woman. She shook, rummaging for her fallen glasses and metal clipboard. She felt Rose's sharp glare as she promptly stood. She squealed as Rose turned her around, placing a firm hand on her shoulder.

"Start moving," Ravager demanded, pointing her sword into her back. "Don't even think of running."

The woman nodded and lead them out of the room.

"What the hell are you doing?" Bart asked, aghast.

Rose paid no mind to him as the scientist lead her down the hall, the tip of Rose's sword between her shoulder blades.

Bart growled, running up beside them. "You're going to get us in trouble-"

"Shut up!" She snapped at him, making him stumble. "You don't understand." She hissed through gritted teeth. Her shaken breath rumbled in her chest. The rage in her eyes shimmered into pleading. "Just let me do this."

Bart opened his mouth to speak, then decided quietly against it. He nodded, the desperation in her words causing him to give her the benefit of the doubt.

The mousey scientist led them to a room at the end of the hall. She opened it. The large room was lined with a computer and lab station against one wall, hazmat suits and safety goggles lined the other.

The sound of the door shutting behind them echoed up the tall, dark, damp walls. Bart placed himself next to Rose. He shuddered as his eyes crept up the ceiling into the haunting darkness above him.

Rose shivered, her uneven breathing filling the air around them. Her eyes fell on the chrome wall in front of them. The sliding doors locked at the center, a keypad sat to the side. Across the wall in daunting letters of yellow black read:

WARNING:
METAHUMAN TESTING
EYEWEAR MUST BE WORN AT ALL TIMES

"Is he-" Rose finally found her voice. Her grip loosened off the woman's shoulder. "Is he there? Is he behind there?" Her tone was high with hope.

A soft chuckle fell from the woman's throat. "Did you really think it would be that easy?" Her course, darkened tone shot a chill down Rose's spine. She stayed still as another snicker escaped her. A smile could be heard in her words. "Did you really think he wouldn't know you were coming?"

Rose's lungs filled with a gasp at the haunting realization of her words. Before she had time to blink, a flash of metal danced in the corner of her eye. A sickening clank of metal filled her ear as the scientist spun around, striking her metal clipboard against the side of Rose's face. Rose cried out at the sudden pain, falling to the ground.

"Rav-" Bart began to call out for her. His words cut short at the feel of the woman's hand around his shoulder, pulling him forward. Dropping the clipboard, she pulled an Inhibitor Collar from the inner pocket of her lab coat, snapping it around Bart's neck.

Bart squealed as the woman grabbed him by shoulders, tossing him against the computer.

The noise jerked Rose's attention. She jumped to her feet, her Energy Sword firing up in her hand. "Keep your hands off him!" She yelled, taking a swing at the alleged 'scientist'.

The woman dodge Rose's advantages, her moves poised and limber. She made a skilled back handspring away from Rose, tearing off her lab coat. A tight black bodysuit and utility belt wrapped around her. A warrior in sheep's clothing.

"We're under attack!" Bart beamed into his communicator. He rolled over on the ground with a groan.

Rose charged at the woman, her Sword tight in her grip. She swung her electric blade, her sword slicing closer and closer to the woman's skin.

Bart's head pounded as their fight loomed in the background. He moaned, using the metal desk to pull himself up. Superboy's questioning jumped in his ear but the ringing inside it was overpowering.

He pressed on his communicator, guessing at his inquiry, "Some kind of-of ninja and-"

Bart's throat squeezed around the air in his lungs. His jaw dropped as a figure strode out of the shadows into the corner of the room. Planting himself firmly in front of the chrome door.

A scream filled the room as Rose's sword finally landed on the ninja woman. She fell unconscious on the ground. Ravager winced, rubbing the spots out of her eyes from the sword's intense contact flash.

"My, isn't a treat."

A wheezy inhale filled Rose's throat as she gasped. Her belly soured as she heard a deep voice ring around her. It had been so long since she'd heard it. And although she'd never show it, that voice still terrified her.

Bart whimpered, swallowing hard as he clawed at the dying words in his throat. A towering figure of black and yellow slithered from the shadows. Bart's finger trembled against his communicator as he finsihed, "Deathstroke."

***********

Down the other hall, Bart's cries on the communicator went unanswered by Emily and Beast Boy as they too found themselves under attack. Two more of Deathstroke's ninja's cascaded down from the shadowed ceiling.

Garfield's ears twitched, hearing the ninja plummet towards him with a moment to spare. Beast Boy leaped out of the way, the Inhibitor Collar in the ninja's hand snapping centimeters away from his skin. He roared, morphing into a gorilla. He swung his heavy paws, his blows nearly landing on his attacker.

Emily screeched with surprise. She lifted up her arms, her energy shield falling around her just as the ninja brought down his blade. She yelled, pushing forward, heaving her attacker off of her. He tumbled to the ground, his sword flying down the end of the fall. The ninja sprang to his feet, his quick footwork catching Emily off guard. Her heart jumped in her throat as the attacker barraged her with an array of kicks and punches, inching closer and closer until a hit finally landed across her jaw. A flash of blood sprang from Emily's split lip and onto her tongue.

A lupine growl rumbled in Emily's throat. A shiver of rage danced down her skin, putting her hair on end. A sudden savageness clawed at her chest, the sting of the wound on her lip lighting a fire in her veins.

She snapped her head towards the ninja. Her vision blurring for a moment as her pupils pulled into fine lines. Her canines morphed into fine points.

A heat ran down the top of her spine to the tips of her fingers. A build-up of energy released by her fury, struck through her. She snapped her open hand towards the attacker. He groaned. Emily's telekinetic powers halted his movements, pressing on every inch of his skin.

She roared, and with a swipe of her hand crashed the would-be assassin against the wall. She cried out again, bringing up her other hand. As she pulled her hand back, the ninja floated away from the wall. She groan, crashing him against the wall again.

She smashed him against the rock wall over and over. Each time the ninja's cries dulled, quieting. Each spurt of blood from his head enticed a snarl of thirst from her lips. A ravenous smile pulled on the corner of her mouth, eyes mulling over the crimson flecks.

Garfield finally knocked his opponent unconscious. A bolt of horror shot through him as he turned to see her savage attack. "EMILY!" He boomed, but his cry went unanswered.

A trial of saliva dribbled from her lip as the iron aroma seduced her hunger.

"EMILY! STOP!" Garfield shouted. He yanked on her arm with a firm hand, jerking her attention. The assassin fell to the ground, body limp.

A savage snarl spread across Emily's lips. A horrendous growl burst from her throat at the feel Beast Boy's pull. Her free hand swiped at him. A sting erupted down her fingers as her nails morphed into claws.

In her furious haze, a flash of green and red played before her. An anguished cry erupted from Garfield. He clutched his face, turning as he staggered into the opposite wall.

Emily gasped. The sound of Beast Boy's scream jolting her from her bestial rage. She shook her head, blinking away her blurred vision as her eyes morphed from slit-pupiled yellow, to green.

She held her hand up to her face, watching with trembling limbs as her claws shrank back to nails. The ends of her fingers were coated in the sticky film of blood.

An unsteady breath rumbled in her chest. She looked over at Garfield. He grimace as he clutched his hand over his face, blinking away the tears in his eyes. It wasn't so much the pain the made his eyes water, but the relentless sting that sliced across his face.

He pulled his hand away with a wince and assessed the lines of blood on his palm. Four of her claws left shallow lines of red, barely missing his eyes.

"Gar I-" She whimpered. A remorseful squeak to her voice rose with her watering eyes. "I-I'm sorry. I'm sorry I-" Her hands shook with a panicked trembling.

"It's alright. It's alright." He reassured, wincing again. He took his hand away, face twitching. "It's my fault. You didn't mean it."

Emily's shaky breath rumbled in her throat. Garfield looked at her with sad, worried eyes as he saw her teeter on the edge of tears.

Emily felt the walls inside her crumble. Realizing the control she so desperately craved slipped further and further from her grasp. Day by day, bit by bit she had been feeling herself slip away. A dormant monster clawed beneath her skin.

And Garfield, Garfield, stood before her with raw wounds, taking the blame. The blood had yet to dry beneath her fingernails before he spouted an apology. Forgiveness for her savage outbursts, a pardon for her unchecked instability.

She clutched her hands to her chest. Her eyes falling from Beast Boy to the limp body beside her. The assassin's face spilled with blood. The only solace she found was in his rising chest. Her knees buckled underneath her, a sob spilling from her throat.

What was happening to her?

What was this monster growing inside her?

************

"I was wondering when you'd finally show up."

Rose chilled to her core. Her lips pulled into a firm scowl as she tried to keep her composure. Unsure if she should scream with terror, or with rage.

There, standing tall in his back and orange uniform was Deathstroke. He leaned, cocking his hip with a care-free causality. A black pistol rested in his left hand, atop his crossed arms.

"Imagine my surprise when a little doggie told me my own flesh-and-blood traitor was still alive."

Rose narrowed her eyes at him. Was he referring to Wolfpack? Emily's father? She paid no mind of his recognition of her at the weapons factory. She thought he'd perished in the explosion. Apparently she was wrong.

A flicker of a snarl flashed on her lips. "Sorry to disappoint," she said.

Deathstroke pulled himself to a firmer stance. He aimed his pistol towards Ravager, barrel lined with her forehead. "Hello Rose," he greeted.

"Hi Daddy," she responded, words dripping with disdain.

A gasp choked in Bart's throat. His eyes shot between them. A stinging realization rising in his mind. Every time Rose lashed out, every memory he had of her hitting a little too hard, fighting a little too ruthlessly, all came hurtling towards him.

The resemblance was uncanny now.

"You're here for the brat, aren't you?" Deathstroke asked.

"He's not your plaything." Rose snarled, taking a step towards him. "He's not your science freak." She pulled out her Energy Sword, the electric blade tilted down towards the ground. She stopped in front of him, her head inches away from the barrel of the pistol. "I won't let you do to him what you did to me."

Deathstroke gave a small huff, raising an eyebrow under his mask. "Strong words coming from someone using a sword against a gun."

But Rose did not respond. She merely gazed up at him with cold, determined eyes.

Deathstroke couldn't tell if she was brave, or stupid.

He cocked his gun.

"Say goodbye Rose." He advised.

"Goodbye Daddy," She responded.

The blast of the gunfire echoed around the stone walls with a deafening reverberance. Bart gaped, astonished, as Rose managed to dodge the gunfire. She dashed to the side, swinging her sword towards his outstretched arm. Deathstroke cried out, the pistol clanking as it fell to the ground.

His injured arm went limp at his side. Rose swiped at him again, to which he dodge. He reached for his own sword with his good arm, engaging Rose in a searing battle of steel and electricity.

Bart used the distraction to place a Remote Hacker on the computer. A gutted cry snapped his attention towards the fight. Rose lay on the ground, clenching her stomach. Deathstroke approached her with a prudent stride. He stood before her, bringing his sword high in the air.

Before he could bring down his blade, a heavy crash boomed from the entryway. No longer burdened by his own ninja attackers, Superboy raced to Rose and Bart's aid. He leaped at Deathstroke, crashing him into the chrome doors. The impact morphed open the seal with a small opening, snippets of the other room danced on the other side.

Rose's heart jumped in her throat. She grabbed Deathstroke discarded gun, waiting for he and Superboy's battle to stumble them away from the door. Rose took her opportunity and bolted to for the damaged entrance.