16Hi everyone! Welcome to my brand new YJ fic, re-named BLUEBIRD! I hope you stick with this story, as it explores what happens between the missions... So, enjoy! And don't forget to review!
Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice. The only thing I own is the plot between missions/extra missions, any OC's you will be introduced to through this story, and on occasion Robin/Nightwing and Red Arrow ;)
Chapter 1: Independence Day and Fireworks
NORMAL P.O.V:
GOTHAM CITY
JULY 4TH, 12:00 EDT
A man was cooking sausages for his younger daughter and son when there was panic in the park. A cold breeze flew through the park, and froze anyone in its path. The man, his daughter and son, all looked up to the rock that towered over where they were seated for their fortnightly family picnic. Standing there was Mister Freeze. One of the most famous (if you call it that), ice villains, in the United States. The young boy ran into his father's arms.
"Enjoying family time?" Mister Freeze asked, his voice slightly muffled by the glass dome that encased his head, as the gun he held started to fire up for another blast of the coldness that settled around the park. Mister Freeze shot at the family, freezing them. "My family has other plans." He muttered, his voice slightly cold (mind the pun), towards his family. Mister Freeze slid down the ice slide he made, and aimed his attention toward the running and screaming civilians.
As the gun powered up, a batarang came out of nowhere, and hit it to the side to save the fleeing civilians. The man smirked slightly.
"Batman, I was wondering when…" Mister Freeze turned around and trailed off as he saw no one there. All he heard was two laughs echoing through the buildings that surrounded the park. Mister Freeze, turned when he saw a flash of colour came toward him. The glass dome that encased his head was smashed suddenly when two disc grenades were thrown at it. The man fell onto the ground and looked up at the two "children" who stood before him.
BLUEBIRD'S P.O.V:
I threw two birdarangs at the glass dome that encased the nutcase's head. Mister Freeze looked toward Robin and me.
"Oh, the Boy and Girl Wonder," He muttered, disappointed, as he lifted himself up off the ground. "The Bat sent you two to drag me off to prison. Frankly I'm underwhelmed." He muttered in the same, old, boring tone.
"Sorry to disappoint." I snarled, as I took a fighting stance.
"Great, but we're kinda in a hurry here." Robin snapped. I looked at him out of my peripheral vision, through my domino mask. I could tell by his stance that he was excited. Oh, who was I kidding? Who wouldn't be excited of going to the Hall of Justice, the Justice League's HQ!?
"Kids, always in such a rush. I would much rather conserve these moments, forever." Mister Freeze smirked, and fired up the ice gun. I could practically hear Robin roll his eyes.
"Hate to break it to you Freeze, but he's…" I began, as Robin finished.
"Not talking to you." He said in that sing-song voice that I had grown to get used to.
Freeze looked slightly confused, before he turned around. The shadow of Robin and I's mentor, Batman, blocked the sun, as he gave a well-aimed punch to Freeze's dome, and smashed the glass in the process.
WASHINGTON DC
JULY 4, 14:00 EDT
The Hall of Justice loomed tall in front of us. It was scary and nerve-racking, but exciting all the same. We finally got to see inside the League's HQ. I felt Robin's hand slip into mine, giving it a squeeze. To reassure me, or him, I didn't know. I squeezed back, as I felt a pressure on my shoulder.
"Today's the day." I heard Batman say from behind us. Robin smirked up at him, but my eyes remained on the incredible architecture of the building.
"Welcome to the Hall of Justice." I heard Green Arrow say from behind me. I looked at Speedy. There was no way to tell what he was thinking. Excited at finally being able to see inside, I wouldn't know.
"Headquarters of the Justice League." Aquaman added. This time I looked toward Aqualad. His posture remained straight, and strong, never once did he flinch at something. But there was one person missing.
"Aw man!" Right on cue. "I knew we'd be the last ones here!" I heard the one and only voice of Kid Flash complain from behind me. I just laughed and shook my head. Kid Flash turned his attention toward me and winked.
We then started walking. Kid Flash, Aqualad, Robin, myself and then Speedy. Behind us were Flash, Aquaman, Green Arrow and Batman. I was used to the flashes of cameras by now. How couldn't I? I was the only adoptive daughter of Oliver Queen.
I felt the eyes of Robin on me.
"You ok?" he asked, as his eyes slid over me, trying to identify any injuries I might have gotten from Mister Freeze.
"Yeah, I'm just anxious about seeing inside. This is the moment we've always dreamed about Robin. I don't know if we did it justice." I whispered. He tossed his head back in a laugh, at my choice of words.
"Blue, everything will be fine." He whispered back, as he gave my hand a gentle squeeze once again. I smiled at him.
"I hope you're right Robin." I returned the squeeze as I finally started to hear what people were saying.
"Is that Batman?" A man asked. Nah, really? Wasn't the whole pointy cowl thing noticeable?
"I see Flash, and Flash Junior." I heard a woman say. I snickered and turned my head away from Kid Flash so he wouldn't get mad.
"His name's Speedy." I heard another guy retaliate. They needed to learn our names.
"No, Speedy's Green Arrow's sidekick." Another corrected. Well, at least one of them knew.
"Well that makes no sense." Someone I could actually agree with.
"OMG, is Robin holding Bluebird's hand? Ah, that is so cute!" I heard a very feminine voice scream.
I went to pull my hand away, but Robin just held on tighter.
"But the public…" I began before he cut me off.
"Let them." He whispered simply, like it was the easiest thing in the world. Then he let go of my hand, and slung his right arm over my shoulder. I blushed and looked down at the ground, not trusting myself to not fall over my feet.
"Ready to see the inner sanctum?" I heard Green Arrow ask Speedy. Speedy smiled at him before replying. I sent my adoptive father a small smile and he smiled widely back.
"Born that way." I could tell he was excited. Roy sent me a look of excitement and I couldn't help but return the look with vigor. We were finally going to be seeing inside the inner sanctum.
"I'm glad we're all here." Aqualad said with a small smile. Kid Flash bounced around on the spot eagerly.
"Have all five sidekicks ever been seen in the same place at the same time?" He asked. I opened my mouth to respond, but Speedy beat me before I could even utter a sound.
"DON'T call us sidekicks," he replied angrily, "not after today." He finished, his eyes turned back to the Hall.
"Sorry," Kid Flash whispered, "First time at the hall. I'm a little overwhelmed." He finished. Robin turned to him.
"You're overwhelmed, Freeze was underwhelmed. Why isn't anyone ever just whelmed?" He asked. I shrugged my shoulders, which bumped into his arm. He looked down and smiled at me. It made me think of all those years ago, when I first arrived at Wayne mansion. But that's a story for another day.
All of us walked through the doors that led into the lobby of the Hall of Justice. There in gold, tall statues were the original, founding members of the Justice League. From left to right I saw, Aquaman, Flash, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter. I poked Robin in the ribs.
"Maybe that's why?" I asked, as I saw his eyes go wide.
We walked up to a set of automatic doors, the flashes from the paparazzi and tourists still going on beside us. We were met by Red Tornado and Martian Manhunter. Martian Manhunter took a step forward, and started to address us, as tourists and out mentors watched on.
"Robin, Bluebird, Speedy, Aqualad, Kid Flash, welcome." Martian Manhunter turned away from us, and walked through the automated door. Robin's arm was still around my shoulder when I saw him and Kid Flash touch their knuckles together. "You now have unlimited access to the gym, our fully stocked galley, and of course, our library." We walked into the said library, and Flash turned to us.
"Make yourselves at home." He said, with his arms spread, and a giant smile on his face. Even if I wasn't trained under the world's best detective, I would still recognise the face of a proud mentor if I ever did see one.
Robin and Kid Flash flopped down into the armchairs, Aqualad sat in one gently, Speedy opted to stand, and I was pulled over to the arm chair by Robin, before I could really even think. I saw Speedy direct his gaze to the six members of the Justice League.
"Quick debrief to discuss the coincidence of four ice villains attacking on the same day. We shouldn't be long." Batman said, as he turned around. What looked to be a surveillance camera came out of a little hole in the room, and scanned our mentors.
Then in a robotic voice said, "Recognised: Batman-Zero-Two, Aquaman-Zero-Six, Flash-Zero-Four, Green Arrow-Zero-Eight, Martian Manhunter-Zero-Seven, Red Tornado-One-Six." After the scan was completed, the automated doors slid open.
"That's it?" I looked toward Speedy, as all the adults turned around. Uh-oh. "You promised us a real look inside, not a glorified backstage pass." Speedy crossed his arms, and glared at the league.
"It's a first step. You've been granted access few others get." Aquaman explained, to the slightly angered red-headed archer.
"Oh really?" He asked sarcastically, as he threw his hand up to gesture to the giant window which I only just realised was there. The flashes from the cameras were going off about every two seconds. "Who cares what side of the glass we're on?" Nope, he wasn't slightly angry, he was really angry. I looked down, and subconsciously started playing with Robin's fingers.
"Roy," I heard Green Arrow sigh, "You just need to be patient." He finished. His voice was calm like a father's, but it held a tone of leadership, control and command. Something that I wished I had. Roy just glared at him.
"What I need is respect," he snapped. I looked up in shock. Roy never spoke to Green Arrow this way. At least never when I was around. He turned towards Kid Flash, Aqualad, Robin and I. "They're treating us like kids, worse, like sidekicks. We deserve better than this." I understood what he was conveying, but I didn't want to go against Batman, and lose my mentor. I didn't want to lose the respect he had for me. As Batman, and Bruce Wayne.
Kid Flash, Robin, Aqualad and I all shared a look. I shrugged my shoulders, and looked back at Roy.
"You're kidding right? You're playing their game? Why? Because you think they play fair? Today was supposed to be the day. Step one in becoming full-fledged members of the League." He was starting to get really angry now. I was still playing with Robin's fingers, while listening to Speedy rant on and on about being in the League.
"Well sure, but I thought step one was a tour of the HQ." Wally said quietly. Bless his soul, for saying something first.
"Except the Hall isn't the League's real HQ!" Speedy cried. Green Arrow's face dropped, while Aquaman, Flash and Batman all glared at Green Arrow. Robin and I shared a look, and then looked at the adult members, equally shocked as each other. This wasn't their real HQ? "I bet they never told you that it's just a false front for tourists, and a pit stop for catching Zeta Beam Teleporter Tubes to the real thing, an orbiting satellite, called the Watchtower." I actually felt my jaw drop. Robin casually put his fingers under my chin and closed it for me. Tears stung at the back of my eyes. Batman was not just my mentor, but my father, why didn't he trust me enough to tell me this?
Green Arrow turned to Batman, and was met with the famous, "Bat-Glare" that Robin and I were trying so hard to perfect.
"I know, I know, but I thought maybe we could make an exception?" Green Arrow asked guiltily. The glare only intensified. "Or not." He corrected quickly.
I couldn't believe it. The only person who I had ever trusted, who was there for me whenever I needed him to be, had told Speedy about the Watchtower, but he didn't tell me. His daughter. Tears had sprung to my eyes and I found that I had tensed up. I had squeezed Robin's fingers so hard, that I saw him flinch, even if it was only slightly. I looked up to my father and glared at him as best as I could behind the mask. I wasn't supposed to give away my identity, considering I was under Batman's orders, with him being my mentor and everything, but that didn't stop me from wanting to scream at my father for making me believe what everyone else had believed. Speedy wasn't even related. I was.
"You are not helping your cause here son. Stand down or…" Aquaman started, before he was rudely interrupted by Speedy. I saw Aqualad tense in his seat, but he remained in the armchair.
"Or what, you'll send me to my room? And I'm not your son, I'm not even his. I thought I was his partner. But not anymore." He spat, with venom in his voice. Don't do it Speedy, please don't do it.
Speedy took off his signature hat, threw it on the ground, and glared at his mentor and my father, while Robin, Kid Flash, Aqualad and I all watched on in horror. He then walked past us.
"Guess they were right about you four. You're not ready." He said quietly. With that, Speedy walked out of the room, and out of the Hall of Justice. I felt a tear escape and slide down my cheek, only for Robin to wipe it away with the pad of his glove.
"Why did he just do that Robin? What did we do to make him leave?" I asked, as we both stood, and he pulled me into a slight hug.
"We didn't do anything Blue. It was Roy's choice to leave. We had nothing to do with it. He just wants to be part of the League more than us right now, and that's ok. He'll come back. Just you wait." He reassured. I sobbed quietly into the crook of his neck, while he rubbed soft and slow circles on my lower back. Batman looked at us both with sympathy. But at the moment, I didn't even care. He lied to both me and Robin and the Hall and this so called 'Watchtower'. Who was I supposed to believe?
Then a blaring noise sounded from the computer behind us, and a giant view of Superman came onto the screen.
"Superman to Justice League. There's been an explosion at Project Cadmus. It's on fire." He relayed. All the adult members of the Justice League crowded around the screen, whereas Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash and I just stood and stared at where Speedy was mere moments ago.
"I've had my suspicions about Cadmus. This may present the perfect opportunity to…" Another beeping noise was heard before Batman was interrupted by Zatara.
"Zatara to Justice League. The sorcerer, Wotan is using the amulet of Aten to blot out the sun. Requesting full League response." That sounded serious. What was the amulet of Aten again? I knew I should have listened to Alfred explain all of these random evil thingy-ma-jigs.
"Superman?" Batman asked him.
"It's a small fire, local authorities have it under control." Superman answered. I think it was just the way he answered the question, made me think that it wasn't just a small "fire" and that something really was going on at Project Cadmus.
"Then Cadmus can wait." Batman decided. He pushed down a button on the keyboard, and spoke. "All Leaguers rendezvous at Zatara's coordinates. Batman out." I felt Robin nudge me slightly, and all of us started walking toward our mentors.
"Stay put." Batman said simply.
"What? Why?" Robin asked. He wasn't the only one thinking it. Robin and I weren't just sidekicks to Batman. We were his partners, his family. Speedy was right, we did deserve better than this.
"This is a League mission." Aquaman stated calmly, his hands resting on his hips.
"You're not trained," Flash began, only to be interrupted by Kid Flash.
"Since when!?" He demanded.
"I meant you're not trained to work as part of this team." Flash finished. I've been working with Batman and Robin since I was nine. I'm pretty sure, I could work alongside the other members of the Justice League.
"There will be other missions. When you're ready." Aquaman followed. Now this was starting to be insulting. How are we not ready to fight for justice alongside our mentors?
"But for now, stay put." Batman ordered, as he threw in one of his famous bat-glares. But little did he know, that both Robin and I were immune to it in a way.
"Glad you didn't bring, you-know-who?" I heard Green Arrow ask Martian Manhunter.
"Indeed," I heard him sigh in response.
Green Arrow looked over at me in that one moment and I crossed my arms over my chest before I turned away. He would know that I was mad and not only that, Dinah, the one person who I thought I could go to about anything also knew about the Watchtower and she didn't tell me either.
"When we're ready?" I heard Wally sigh in frustration. Looks like I'm not the only one who disliked Aquaman's choice of words. "How are we ever supposed to be ready when they treat us like, like sidekicks?" He threw his arms around in a flurry for effect. None of us liked using the word sidekick, but I guess to the Justice League, that's what we were.
"My mentor, my king. I thought he trusted me." Aqualad finally weighed in on this conversation. I could see the hurt in his eyes, and hear it in his voice. I couldn't help myself. I snapped.
"Wake up Aqualad! None of them trust us! They baby us, they wouldn't even tell us about their bloody headquarters, IN SPACE! Batman should know by now that Robin and I can handle ourselves! They trained us, so shouldn't they know what we can and can't do! Argh, I'm sick of them treating us like little kids! We've been doing these 'extra-curricular activities' for years, and they still think of us not being able to work alongside them!" I huffed and puffed, and then flopped tiredly down into the armchair, which Robin had conveniently vacated during my rant. All of them looked at me in shock. Robin cautiously walked over to me, got down to my level, and laid a comforting hand on my shoulder. He gave me a soft smile that I eventually returned.
"She's got a point Aqualad. They don't even trust us with the basics! They've got a secret HQ, in space!" Kid Flash's voice rose with every word he said.
"What else aren't they telling us?" Aqualad asked thoughtfully.
"I have a better question. Why didn't we leave with Speedy?" Robin asked. We all looked down, and were silent for a moment, before Aqualad decided to break it.
"What is 'Project Cadmus'?" He asked, confused.
"Don't know," Robin started.
"But we can find out." I finished. Both Robin and I walked to the huge computer, and started tapping away at the keys.
"Access denied," the robotic voice said. Robin and I looked at each other and smiled.
"Wanna bet?" Robin asked, a slight laugh hidden in his voice.
We started to tap away at the keys again, and a green box with Robin and I's hacking code came up. Kid Flash looked at it in awe.
"Whoa, how are you guys doing that?" He asked, obviously amazed.
"Same system as the Batcave." Robin laughed. I just rolled my eyes behind my mask, and clicked a few more keys.
The red box quickly turned green, and with an, "Access Granted" from the computer, Robin got set on digging up what he could about Project Cadmus.
"Alright, Project Cadmus, genetic research lab here in DC. That's all there is. But, if Batman's suspicious, maybe we should investigate." He said with a smirk on his face. I looked at him, and smiled a genuine smile. I knew what he was thinking, and I was in. I was tired of being treated like a little kid. I was almost thirteen for God's sake!
"I'm in." I whispered to him, as I leant my arm on his shoulder, and crossed my legs. He crossed his arms, as he looked at Kid Flash and Aqualad.
"Solve the case before they do. It would be poetic justice." Aqualad said, a slight smile worming its way onto his face.
"Hey," Robin started with a laugh, "they're all about Justice." He finished. Aqualad sighed.
"But they said stay put." He reminded.
"For the blotting out the sun mission, not this! Come on Aqualad, where's your sense of adventure?" I asked.
Kid Flash put his hand on Robin's shoulder.
"Wait, are you guys going to Cadmus? Because if you're going, I'm going." He finished, as we all looked toward Aqualad, with smiles on our faces.
"Just like that? We're a team on a mission?" He asked.
"This is our only way to prove to the League that we're not kids anymore!" I explained.
"Besides, we didn't come for a play date." Robin joked. A determined look washed over Aqualad's face, and it was at that moment I knew. There was no turning back.
CADMUS LAB – WASHINGTON DC
JULY 4, 14:48 EDT
The sound of sirens and the smell of smoke let me know that we were getting closer and closer to our destination. We turned down one road, to see the two story building on fire, and two scientists stuck on that floor, right next to the fire. Kid Flash raced ahead, as the building exploded, and blew the scientists right out the window.
He ran up the wall, and put both of the scientists on the roof, but at the last moment, lost his momentum, and slipped on the wall, having to hold onto the windowsill to keep himself from falling. One of the fire-fighters turned to the other.
"It's what's his name, Flash Boy!" He cried. To say that angered Kid Flash was a slight understatement.
"Kid Flash!" He yelled down, then to himself, "why is that so hard?" he finished.
"So smooth." Robin laughed. I laughed as well, and then took off while Aqualad was distracted, Robin following after me.
"Does he always have to run ahead? We need a plan. We… Robin, Bluebird?" Aqualad trailed off once he noticed that Robin and I were already gone. Robin did his signature laugh, and swung up onto the fire truck's ladder, while I swung into the building from the right using our grappling hooks. Robin helped Kid Flash inside, while I went straight in to start looking at the computers.
Aqualad raced onto the scene, his water-bearers at the ready.
"I need to borrow that." He told the fire-fighters, as the water-bearers were activated and started to move to his command. Aqualad made sort of like a water elevator, and went up to the scientists.
"Step aboard. Now." He commanded. Both of the scientists did as they were told, and got onto the fountain. Aqualad started to make it go down, and stepped off at the window where he saw us go through. He then lowered the scientists to the ground, safe and sound. Such a peacekeeper.
"I appreciate the help." He thanked us sarcastically.
"You handled it." I said, as I flipped through a stack of papers.
"Besides," Robin began, "we're here to investigate. Poetic justice, remember?" He then went back to hacking the computer.
Aqualad walked out the door, and looked toward the elevator. Kid Flash ran out after him.
"There was something in the…" Aqualad trailed off, as he walked closer to the elevator.
"Elevator's should be locked down." Kid Flash said, as both Robin and I ran into the hallway after them. Robin went straight toward it and looked at it, confused. We both did.
"That's strange. Isn't that a high-speed express elevator? What's it doing in a two story building?" I asked Robin, as he brought up his holographic computer on his wrist.
"This is wrong. You're right Blue, this is a high-speed express elevator, and it doesn't belong in a two story building." Robin finished looking at the blueprints of the elevator on his holographic computer.
"Neither does what I saw." Aqualad said, as he walked toward the elevator and forced the doors open with his insane amount of superhuman (or is it Atlantean?) strength.
"And that's why they need an express elevator." Robin muttered quietly. He got his grappling gun and shot it to the other side of the shaft. I followed his lead, and jumped before he could even contemplate asking. The air whipped around my face, and I could hear the flutter of Robin's cape above me. I came to an abrupt stop at sub-level twenty-six, and came to a conclusion. I was at the end of my rope.
"I'm at the end of my rope." Robin said. It was the most obvious thing in the world!
"Since when do our ropes end?" I asked him, as I swung myself gracefully and lightly onto the elevator shaft. I made room for Robin to swing himself over. But when he did, he bumped me. I started to fall backwards, until Robin grabbed a handful of my shirt, and pulled me flush against him. I blushed, and pulled away.
"Thanks." I mumbled quietly. He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck.
"Uh, no problem." He whispered back. I thought he was going to say something else, but Kid Flash and Aqualad arrived before he could. He slid down the wall, and started to hack into the security systems.
"Bypassing security. There, go." He said. Aqualad pried the doors open again, and I couldn't help but be confused at what I saw. An empty hallway. No workers, no weird, creepy alien things, nothing. This place was pretty clean from what I could see.
"Welcome to Project Cadmus." Robin said.
We all stepped through the elevator doors, then Kid Flash took off down the hallway. His impatience would probably get us killed one day.
"Wait!" Aqualad whisper-yelled but it was too late. Kid Flash braked just in time to avoid being stood on by these giant creatures, that looked like elephants, but weren't actually elephants. I had to slap a hand over my mouth so I wouldn't call out his name.
A small creature sitting on the giant creature was looking straight at us, and I didn't think its horns were supposed to glow a bright red.
"No, nothing odd going on here." Aqualad whispered sarcastically.
We walked through hallway after hallway until we got to a door that didn't open automatically. Robin started to hack it instantaneously, while Kid Flash, Aqualad and I just lent against a wall.
"So what do we know so far?" I asked them. They all shrugged. I sighed. Boys are just so stupid!
"Cadmus has a high-speed elevator, with who knows how many 'sub' levels, they have creatures we have never seen before, and creepy, tiny alien looking creatures, that have red glowing horns. I think we've pretty much summed up, that Cadmus isn't all that it seems." I sighed as I leant against the wall again.
Robin finished hacking and the door slid open. I couldn't help but let my jaw drop at what I saw before me.
"Ok, I'm officially whelmed." Robin said quietly. We all walked through the door. A room full of test tubes and static-electricity were throughout the room in front of us, and I think it finally started to sink it that this wasn't a game, and maybe the League was right. Maybe we don't know what we're doing. But I wasn't going to be the first one to crack. No way. I was going to push through this, whether I liked it or not.
"This is how they hide this massive underground facility from the world. The real Cadmus isn't on the grid! It generates its own power with these, uh, things. It must be what they're bred for." Kid Flash actually said something that sounded smart. Has some alien virus infected me or something?
"Of course, even the name is a clue. The Cadmus of myth created a new race by sewing dragon's teeth into the Earth." Aqualad explained.
"So this Cadmus creates new life too. Let's find out why." Robin figured. He walked toward a small computer to bring up the stats of these creatures. "They call them Genomorphs. Whoa, look at the stats on these things! Super strength, telepathy, razor claws, these are living weapons!" He finished, while Kid Flash looked over his shoulder. I looked at one in a test tube.
"They're engineering an army." Kid Flash said seriously.
"But for who is the proper question," I said, weighing in on the conversation. I then turned to Robin. "So, let me get this straight. They're getting DNA from animals, and then mixing it with an unknown formula, to create these creatures, so Cadmus can remain undetected?" I asked, as I turned to the others.
"Precisely beautiful, you're so smart." Kid Flash winked at me, and I just brushed it off like I did with every other guy's advances.
"There's something else on here." Robin said. Aqualad peered over his shoulder to have a look at what Robin just found. "Project Kr. Argh, the file's triple encrypted. I can't…" Robin was cut off.
"Don't move!" A voice yelled. I jumped and turned toward the voice. A familiar man ran through the open door with those creatures running beside him, he also had one on his shoulder. I didn't think I could possibly be that close to one.
I finally recognised the man. It was Guardian. But what was he doing in Cadmus? Another question to add to the ever growing list.
"Wait, Robin, Bluebird, Aqualad, Kid Flash?" He asked.
"At least he got your name right." I turned to Robin, and flicked him on the ear, just before Wally started to glare at him.
Robin cried out in pain. "What the hell Bluebird?" He screeched.
"Don't be mean to him. It's not his fault he chose a ridiculous name for people to remember." I then turned my attention back to Guardian, and tried to ignore the snickers coming from behind me, and the glares that were being aimed at the back of my head.
"I know you. Guardian. A hero." Aqualad talked to him, so Robin could try to finish hacking Project Kr. There was something about that file that I knew; it was on the tip of my tongue, just waiting to spill out.
"I do my best." He replied.
"Then what are you doing here?" Kid Flash asked him. Oo, oo! Great question!
"I think that's my question boys. I'm chief of security," Wait, what? "You're trespassing, but we can call the Justice League, figure this out." He replied calmly.
"You think the League's going to approve of you breeding weapons?" Kid Flash asked him, almost disgraced that was what they were doing.
"Weapons? What are you…? What have I? Argh, my head." The little genomorph on Guardian's shoulder, and its glowing red horns, gave me a rough idea on what's going on.
"You guys, if he attacks, don't fight back too hard. He's being controlled." I said, as I watched his eyes snap back up to us.
"Take 'em down hard. No mercy!" Guardian ordered.
Robin and I both pulled out smoke pellets, and threw them at the Genomorphs.
"Robin, get out of here, try and get as much information as you can on Project Kr!" I yelled, as I did a roundhouse kick to a genomorphs face.
"Be careful Blue!" He yelled back, as he got his grapple gun and launched it onto a beam, and swung away. I honestly just wanted all of this to end! I could see Aqualad going head to head with Guardian. We all took off after Robin, and saw him at the elevator.
"Way to be a team player, Rob!" Kid Flash yelled, as Robin finished hacking the elevator.
"Weren't you right behind me?" He asked.
We all ran into the elevator to get away from the Genomorphs. I threw a flash grenade, and then closed the doors quickly.
"We're headed down?"
"Dude, out is up!" Kid Flash cried. He even pointed up for the effect.
"Excuse me, Project Kr it's down, on sub-level 52." Robin stated.
Aqualad pushed through them.
"This is getting out of control, perhaps… Perhaps we should contact the League." He said seriously.
"Stop it both of you! If we contact the League, they'll never let us fight alongside them! We need to prove to them, that we can do this on our own! If Robin is taking us down, then there must be a reason for it! You have to trust him, otherwise the whole mission will fall apart! I'm petrified of those things, and what we might find down there, but as long as I have you, Robin and Aqualad, I know that I'll be safe, because I know you guys won't let anything happen to me! SO PULL YOUR HEAD IN!" I cried. I was panting and sweat was stuck to my forehead, making my hair stick there as well, making it go curly. All of them looked at me. That was my second outburst today, and it wasn't like me to yell in the first place.
Robin wrapped an arm around my shoulders.
"You know I would never let anything happen to you Blue. Batman would have my head if I did." He whispered. Kid Flash placed a hand on my shoulder.
"You're one of my best friends Bluebird. There is no way in hell I am losing you in here." He smiled.
"I might not have known you as well as I know Kid Flash and Robin, but you are what I count as a friend, and I wish I could get to know you more." He said honestly.
I smiled at all of them.
"There is no way that I am losing any of you down here. If I lost anyone of you, I don't know what I'd do." I whispered. The elevator came to a slow, shuddering stop.
When the elevator doors opened, we all got into a fight stance, ready to attack anything that we saw. But there was absolutely nothing. Just an empty hallway, which made me feel sick, because I felt like I was inside someone's body. Let me tell you now, you don't even want to know what it looked like.
Robin and I bolted out of the elevator toward where Project Kr was said to be. Kid Flash turned to Aqualad.
"We are already here." He shrugged his shoulders, and raced after Robin and I. There was electrical equipment everywhere. But nothing looked all that familiar to me.
Aqualad came up behind Robin and me.
"Which way?" He sighed.
"Yeah, bizarre looking hallway one, or bizarre looking hallway two. What do you think Blue?" He turned to ask for my opinion. I looked at the hallways, then to the guys and shrugged my shoulders.
"Halt!" A voice screeched. I jumped. A man, with the same horns as the genomorph came out of the shadows, and used what I thought to be telekinesis, to throw barrels of what I believed to be gasoline.
Kid Flash rounded the corner faster than I have ever seen him run before, and he crashed straight into a female scientist, and the door to Project Kr.
He picked up a tube, and stuck it between the doors to stop them from closing.
"Hurry!" He cried to the rest of us. We all picked up our pace, and jumped through the doors. Aqualad kicked the tube out of the door, which unfortunately locked us inside.
Robin was hacking into the door's mainframe, and tapping away at his holographic computer.
"I've disabled the door we're safe." Aqualad nodded, while I smiled. I discretely held my right hand to a gash I had on the side of my body. I hoped nobody could see the blood seeping through the cloth.
"We're trapped." Aqualad stated.
"Uh, guys? You'll wanna see this." Kid Flash pressed a button that lit up a containment tube in the middle of the room. But what was in it, shocked me to the core.
"Whoa." I heard Robin say from beside me.
Inside was what looked to be an identical version of Superman. This was impossible, because human cloning didn't exist. Did it? I mean, normal cloning was the production of genetically identical organisms through asexual reproduction. There was no way, human cloning actually existed. No way in Gotham!
"Big K, little r! The atomic symbol for Krypton! I knew it would come to me!" I bashed my right hand against my forehead, smearing blood onto my forehead. I quickly turned away, hoping nobody noticed. Robin gave me an odd look, but continued to stare at the 'clone'.
"Clone?" Kid Flash asked.
"Robin. Hack." Aqualad said simply.
"Right, right." Robin answered, still in a slight daze. He put the USB Cable into the computer, and started getting information on Project Kr.
"Weapon designation, Superboy. A clone force grown in SIXTEEN WEEKS!? From DNA acquired from Superman." He read. I snorted.
"Stolen from Superman." I corrected.
"No way the big guy knows about this." Kid Flash argued.
"Solar suit allows him to absorb yellow sun radiation 24/7." Robin read from his computer.
"And these, creatures?" Aqualad asked, as he pointed to them on the screen.
"Genomorph gnomes. Telepathic. Force feeding him an education."
"And we can guess what else." Kid Flash said.
"They're making a slave out of Superman's son. Does anybody besides me, think that this is really gross and incredibly unethical?" I asked, my hand still pressed up against the wound.
Robin looked at me.
"It is, but we're not sure what the geno- What is that on your face?" He asked, finally noticing the blood.
"It's nothing Robin." His eyes trailed down my body, and saw me pressing my hand into my body.
He walked over to me casually, and pulled my hands away from my body. I winced in pain, as his arms wrapped around my body, and gently lowered me onto the ground. He then opened his utility belt, and pulled out some gauze and a bandage. He lifted up my shirt, and put the gauze on it, and then wrapped the bandage tightly around my mid-section.
"Why didn't you tell me you were injured idiot? Did you forget the promise we made in the elevator?" He gave me a small smirk, before he stood up. He offered a hand to me, and I graciously accepted it, allowing me to stand with the team again.
"I was hurt in the elevator Dumbo. You just failed to notice." I said seriously.
"Now we contact the League." Aqualad said.
"About?" I asked kind of missing half the conversation.
"About the clone." Robin whispered in my ear.
"Oh, right, right." I nodded. Robin and I used our computers, Aqualad touched the buckle on his belt, and Kid Flash held a finger up to his ear. Nothing, but static.
"No signal." I heard Robin sigh.
"We're in too deep. Literally." No matter what type of time it is, Kid Flash will always make a joke.
I looked up to see the G-Gnomes horns glow a bright red. I didn't know if that was good or not.
"This is wrong." Kid Flash said, sympathetically.
"We can't leave him like this." Robin agreed.
"We can't not set him free, when we know he's here." I reasoned.
"Set him free. Do it." Aqualad commanded.
Robin mucked around on his holographic computer, and then the containment unit opened slowly.
Superboy moved surprisingly quickly, while the rest of us held our breaths in what would happen next.
His eyes snapped open as he launched at Aqualad. Kid Flash and Robin jumped on his arms, and tried to hold him back, but Kid Flash was thrown through a test tube and knocked out only two minutes into it.
"We're on your side." Robin managed to grunt out. I jumped in, and tried to distract him so Aqualad could get up. The injury in my side would prevent me from doing much, but I was going try my best to help my team.
"I don't want to do this." Robin stated, as he put a gas pellet in Superboy's face. That gave Aqualad enough time to regain his breath, and kick Superboy to the other side of the room where I was.
"Blue, move!" Robin cried.
"Come on Superboy!" He swung at me, I dodged. "We're just trying to help you!" I cried as I dodged another punch. I did a series of flips and twirls (courtesy of Robin), and dodged his punches and kicks. That only made him mad. After a while he figured out my pattern, and used it to his advantage. He aimed a kick, at my right side, and I was less than proud to admit, that he got me down.
"Bluebird!" I heard Robin cry.
Robin pulled out his taser, and launched it at Superboy, My vision started to get blurry, my head started to spin, but I saw that it only worked for a few seconds before Robin was pulled toward him, and pinned down by Superboy's foot.
"Robin!" I cried. I crawled over to him, to see he had blacked out. I saw Aqualad pull out his water bearers and attack Superboy.
"We are trying to help you!" Aqualad tried to reason with him. Superboy just kept attacking. What was wrong with us trying to help him? Did he know what help meant?
After a few moments of watching them battle, I blacked out.
"Time runs short. You must awaken. You must awaken, NOW!" A voice screeched in my head. I woke with a start, and screeched in pain, when I jolted my side. Robin and Kid Flash both looked over to me, with concern written all over their faces.
"Bluebird! Are you okay?" Robin asked, his whole face saddened, his voice not holding the cheer that I usually heard.
"I'm fine. Just a little tender." I smiled at him in reassurance. I looked up, and saw Superboy staring at us.
"What, what do you want?" Kid Flash yelled at him. Superboy just quirked an eyebrow in return. "Quit staring at me, you're creeping me out!" He yelled again.
"Ah, KF, how about we not tick off the guy who can fry us with a look?" Robin suggested. I nodded eagerly at Robin, when I noticed that Superboy had gone back to glaring.
"I agree with Robin, great plan Robin." I said, smiling slightly.
"We only sought to help you." Aqualad stated quietly.
"Yeah, we free you and you turn on us, how's that for gratitu-" I wanted to bash my head against the glass. If Kid says one more thing, I know that I won't be getting out of here, anytime soon.
"Kid, please. Be quiet now. I believe our new friend was not in full control of his actions" Aqualad interrupted him. Robin and I shared a look, and then proceeded to get out our lock picks. I started off slow, because knowing me, I'd drop it.
"What if I-What if I wasn't?" Superboy asked. I nearly dropped my lock pick. I was surprised. Like super surprised.
"He can talk?" Kid Flash asked in shock and amazement.
"Yes, he can!" Superboy answered back angrily.
"Not like I said, 'it'." He shrugged. I leant forward and bashed my head against the glass.
"The Genomorphs taught you, telepathically." Aqualad started up the conversation again.
"They taught me much. I can read, write, I know the names of things." He shrugged, as if it was basic.
"But have you seen them? Have they ever actually let you see the sky, or the sun?" Robin asked.
"Images are implanted in my mind, but, no, I have not seen them." He answered.
"Do you know what you are? Who you are?" Aqualad asked him.
"I am the Superboy, a genomorph, a clone made from the DNA of the Superman, created to replace him should he perish, to destroy him should he turn from the Light." I was shocked that he accepted who he was, and what his responsibility was.
"To be like Superman," I began, "is a worthy aspiration, but like Superman, you deserve to live a life of your own. Beyond that solar suit. Beyond that pod. Beyond Cadmus. A life where you don't have to be called a weapon. You don't have to worry about being a clone. You can just be a normal teenager, enjoy life as you get to live it! You don't have to worry about any of this. All you have to worry about is what you're going to wear to school the next day, and what girl you're going to ask to your highschool dance, BO from playing football, getting beat up in the locker room and zit cream. We can help you get out of here, if you let us." I launched into a speech, desperate to get out of this tube.
"I live because of Cadmus! It is my home!" Superboy cried, as he started to get defensive.
"Your home is a test tube. We can show you the sun." Robin smiled reassuringly.
"Pretty sure it's after midnight, but we can show you the moon." Kid Flash came into the conversation again with that wise crack of a joke.
"We can show you, introduce you to Superman." Aqualad bribed. We were all trying to get him over to our side, so we could get out of these tubes. Because none of this is good.
Dr. Desmond, Guardian and another doctor I didn't recognise walked in.
"No, they can't. They'll be otherwise occupied. Activate the cloning process." Dr. Desmond told the doctor.
"Pass," I began.
"Batcave's crowded enough." Robin finished.
Desmond then turned to Guardian.
"And get the weapon back in its pod!" He cried.
"Hey, how come he gets to call Supey an it!?" Kid Flash complained.
Guardian walked up to Superboy and put his hand on his shoulder.
Superboy turned back to Aqualad and myself.
"Please." I murmured.
"Help us." Aqualad begged.
Superboy shrugged the Guardian's hand off his shoulder, and glared at him.
"Don't start thinking now," Dr. Desmond began, as his g-gnome jumped onto Superboy's shoulder, "See, you're not a real boy, you're a weapon, and you belong to me, well to Cadmus, same thing. Now get back to your pod!" Desmond finished, as Superboy walked out of the cloning room, with the g-gnome still on his shoulder. Desmond turned to the other scientist that was in the room, and nodded at her to start the cloning process.
Two metal arms, with four 'fingers' came out and stuck themselves straight into my body. We all screeched in pain, but me the most, because of the wound on my side. Robin glanced over at me every few seconds to make sure I was alive. I felt an electric shock go through my body.
"Where's Double X?" Desmond asked. The man in question came out of the shadows, making Desmond jump. "Lurking as usual. Get the g-gnomes downloading their memories, when that's done and you're sure the clones are viable, delete the source material." Desmond ordered.
"Superboy, you live. That gives you the right to follow your own path. A weapon or a person. The choice is yours. But ask yourself, what would Superman do?" I could faintly hear Aqualad talking, remembering that Superman has super-hearing.
The next thing I knew the door was being ripped off its hinges, and the electrical current was interrupted. I slumped forward, my whole body weak, but I was going to be strong for my friends, but more importantly myself.
"I told you to get back to your-" Desmond started but was interrupted when Superboy pushed him into a wall.
"Don't give me orders." He said.
"Are you here to help us or fry us?" Kid Flash asked. Superboy glared at us, but nothing came out.
"Huh, I don't seem to have heat vision, so I suppose helping is my only option." Superboy shrugged.
Just after Superboy said that, both Robin and I dropped onto the ground, and rubbed our wrists.
"Argh, finally! Lucky Batman isn't here!" Robin cried.
"He'd have our heads for taking so long." I agreed, as I rubbed my wrists.
"Seriously, that's what you guys are worried about? The whole League will have our heads after tonight!" Kid Flash yelled.
Robin came over to me.
"Are you ok?" He asked, as I pressed my hand to my side.
"I'm fine. I'm going to suck this up and deal with it. I'm not going to look like a pathetic sidekick who can't take care of herself. That's not what I want to convey to the world." I finished. Robin smiled, shook his head then turned to Superboy.
"Free Aqualad, I'll get Kid Mouth." Robin ordered, only to have Superboy glare at him.
"Don't you give me orders either." Superboy snarled as he went and got Aqualad out of the tube.
"Thank you." Aqualad smiled a genuine smile at the boy, before he was pulled unsteadily from the tube. All five of us ran past Desmond. Well they ran, Aqualad and I stumbled.
"You'll never get out of here. I'll have you back in pods before morning." Desmond's empty words floated through the air as Robin and Kid Flash pulled myself and Aqualad out of harm's way. I shrugged off their help. I knew that I was capable of getting myself out of there. I wasn't some helpless child!
"That guy is not whelmed. Not whelmed at all." I heard Robin whisper, as he threw four disc grenades at the blood that was collected by the cloning process.
"What is with you and this whelmed thing?" I heard Kid Flash ask Robin, as we all turned and ran out the door. I could faintly hear Desmond saying something in the background.
"Activate every genomorph in Cadmus." He growled. That was not going to turn out well.
"We are still 42 levels below ground, but if we can make the elevator…" Aqualad cried as we all ran toward it. My arm brushed against the dried blood on my uniform, as it started to throb. I gritted my teeth, and pushed onwards. I didn't want the others to think that I was weak. We were then attacked by genomorphs, Robin did flips and danced around them, as he threw disc grenades at the creatures. Kid Flash ran circles, Aqualad used his water-bearers, Superboy his strength, and me, well, let's just say they're going to feel that in the morning. Aqualad turned to the enraged Superboy.
"Superboy, our goal is escape, not to bury ourselves here." Aqualad reminded the angered clone. Superboy turned to him, eyes wide. I could almost see the anger in them.
"You want to escape!?" He cried, as Robin got the elevator doors open, and shot his grappling hook. I shot mine as well, and followed his lead. Superboy leapt upwards, with Aqualad on his side. But what we weren't expecting was for them to start falling.
"I-I'm falling," Superboy said faintly. I guess he was in shock. Robin threw a birdarang at the wall, for Aqualad to hold onto to keep them from falling. "Superman can fly, why can't I fly?" He asked, as Aqualad dropped down onto the side platforms in the elevator shaft.
"Don't know, but it looks like you can leap tall buildings in a single bound, still cool." Kid Flash replied
"Thank you." He whispered to Aqualad and Robin. I set a hand on his shoulder.
"I don't know why you can't fly Supey, but I promise you now, I will figure out why you only got half of Superman's powers." I promised. He smiled a small and shy smile, before we were called to attention by Robin.
"Guys this will have to be our exit!" Robin cried, as the elevator started to come down at a rapidly increasing speed. Superboy forced the elevator doors open, and we all started to run down the hallways, not having any idea of where we were going.
"Go left. Left!" Superboy suddenly cried. Both Kid Flash and him turned left, leaving Aqualad, Robin and I to turn left after them.
"Right." Another order came from Superboy. We all turned right. Now my side was really throbbing, there must have been something on one of the genomorphs claws. We came to a dead end, with nothing but a vent into the air ducts.
"Great directions Supey, you trying to get us re-podded?" Kid Flash yelled at him. I placed a hand on his shoulder, and got between them both.
"It's a simple misunderstanding KF." I reasoned.
"No, I don't understand." Superboy whispered, obviously confused. Robin just looked up at the air ducts with a giant grin on his face.
"Don't apologise this is perfect!" He yelled, as he turned to Aqualad. "Give me a boost. I'll take the vent off, and then give Bluebird a boost." Aqualad put his hands together, and gave Robin a boost up to the air-vent. He took the vent off, and started to crawl through. Soon enough Kid Flash started to interrupt the growing silence.
"At this rate we'll never get out, but at least I have a good view." He mumbled. I stopped dead in my tracks, and turned my head back to look at him.
"Do you want to rephrase what you just said?" I asked in annoyance. He flinched, and then shrugged his shoulders as best he could in this small space.
"You're hot?" He stated it as a question. I kicked out my leg, and heard a satisfying grunt, as it came into contact with his stomach.
"Geez, you know how to kick." He breathed out, slightly winded.
"I'm the Girl Wonder Wally, when you don't have superpowers, you need something to be able to kick the bad guys into shape." I rolled my eyes, as I followed after Robin.
"Sssh, listen." My banter with Kid Flash was interrupted by Superboy. The growling of genomorphs, filled the vents, and I instantly knew that we were a huge step away from safe. After a few left turns and right turns, Robin finally removed the vent from an air duct. He immediately brought up his holographic computer and started hacking the motion sensors. I followed his lead, except I was working on the security cameras, and heat detectors instead.
"I hacked the motion sensors," He began with a triumphant grin.
"And I hacked the heat detectors and security cameras." I finished, as I shot a grin at Robin.
"Sweet! You guys are incredible at this!" Kid Flash cried.
"But there is still plenty of them between us and out." Robin reminded us.
"Yeah, but I've finally got room to move!" Kid Flash cried, as he slipped his goggles over his eyes, and took off up the staircase. We all followed suit, eager to get away from the looming sensation of going into another fight with the genomorphs.
"More behind us!" Robin yelled, as he looked at his holographic computer. Superboy dealt with those, as Aqualad and Kid Flash dealt with the ones on the staircase. We came out into a hallway, Kid Flash and I leading, as we rushed to get to the door that lead out onto the street. What I wasn't expecting was for red sirens and alarms to start flashing around the place, and for the place to go into lockdown.
"Oh, crud," Kid Flash cursed as he ran head first into the door. The speed he was going and the force of the impact pushed him backwards, to make him land on me. I grunted as the wind got knocked out of me, and hit him on the chest. Aqualad, Superboy and Robin came up behind us.
"We're cut off from the street." Aqualad announced, as he stated the obvious.
"Thanks, my head hadn't noticed." Kid Flash sat up and rubbed his head.
"Well my ribs sure did." I mumbled, as I took the oxygen in greedily in big, steady gulps. Robin gave me his hand. I took it, as he pulled me up onto my feet.
"Sorry Bluebird." Kid Flash said, as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"It's ok KF." I replied, as I gave him a small smile.
"I can't hack this fast enough," Robin started, as genomorphs filled the start of the empty hallway. "This way!" He cried, as he kicked open a door. We all raced through, only to be surrounded by Genomorphs, quickly afterwards.
A searing pain filled my head, as it made me clutch at my head. I got dizzy for a few seconds before I everything went black.
We all started to awaken, as the pain in my head slowly subsided into just a dull throbbing. I saw Superboy look up to the man with horns on his head, who looked to be in charge of all the genomorphs in Cadmus.
"I choose freedom." He said simply, while he stared at the man.
"Feels like fog lifting." Guardian whispered, as he held a hand to his head, as his genomorph hopped off his shoulder.
"Guardian." I nodded to him silently. He looked to us and smiled, with a nod of his head.
"Go, I'll deal with Desmond!" Guardian said, as he tried to dismiss us with a wave of his hand.
"I think not, Project Blockbuster will give me the power to restore order to Cadmus." I heard Desmond to the side of us, as he held up what looked to be a vial of neon blue liquid, that didn't look safe to touch, but Desmond popped the cork out of the tube, and downed the whole thing in one gulp. He started to shake violently, before his glasses fell of and smashed on the ground, his clothes ripped, even his skin ripped, to reveal a different skin underneath.
"Ew! Nasty!" I cried. "That shade of blue, is so last season!" I cried, while I pointed at it, with I bet a disgusted look on my face.
"Everyone back!" Guardian cried, as he rushed toward Desmond, only to be swatted away into a wall like a mere fly. Superboy rushed at Desmond, and started to fight him, but what we didn't see coming was Desmond grabbing him and jumping through the roof.
"Ok, that's one way to bust through the ceiling." Robin smiled quietly. He gave me a quick boost through the ceiling, before following after me, and Aqualad following after him.
"You think lab-coat planned that?" Robin asked Aqualad, as they started to throw themselves into him. I was getting my gas pellets, disc grenades and my two eskrima sticks, and running at him, not worrying about the throbbing in my side.
"I don't think he's planning anything anymore." I faintly heard Aqualad answer, as they both started to weigh in on this battle. I saw Kid Flash trip Desmond, as I threw a gas pellet in his face.
"Learned that one in kinder-garden." I heard Kid Flash boast loudly. I just rolled my eyes, and jumped back as Desmond took a hit at me. Instead of actually hitting me, he hit one of the building's supporting pillars, knocking it to the ground and making the whole building unstable.
"Of course!" I heard Robin cry, "Bluebird, KF, get over here!" We both raced over, leaving Aqualad and Superboy to keep Desmond busy. He explained that we had to knock down all the supporting pillars to make the building collapse to knock Desmond out. But we needed him in a specific spot, to make sure most of the rubble fell on him. "Got it?" Robin asked.
"Got it!" Kid Flash and I cried simultaneously.
"Go!" Robin cried, as we all got into position. Kid Flash raced up to Desmond, and grabbed a handful of skin from his face. I looked on disgusted, as did Kid Flash, before he quickly recovered.
"Got your nose!" He cried, before he had to quickly duck out of the way of Desmond's fist.
I leapt into the air and gave a kick to his nose. I landed on the floor with a grunt, then quickly rolled to the side, when his fist came down onto the ground, where I was only seconds before. I stood up and put my hands on my hips, the cocky side of me coming into play.
"Come on, you big blue brute, that the best you got?" I yelled, as I looked up at him. I saw Robin snicker slightly, before he threw his bombs at Desmond.
I was distracted for a few seconds, but that was enough for Desmond to hit me with his fist, and knock me into a wall.
"Bluebird!" I heard Kid Flash and Robin yell.
I stood up, and wiped the blood from my chin.
"My grandma hits harder than you, and she's dead!" I snarled. I was angry. There was no denying it.
"Superboy, Aqualad!" I heard Robin shout, so that Aqualad and Superboy could start destroying some pillars and getting into their places for the plan.
"Come and get me you incredible hulk." Kid Flash's and my teasing was really starting to tick Desmond off, and you could see it. He was not enjoying being pushed around.
"This one and that one." Robin instructed. I watched out the corner of my eye, as I saw Superboy punch a pillar.
"Sorry, try again." Kid Flash kept playing dodge with Desmond, and to be honest, it was kinda funny. Aqualad put water all over Robin's white "x", and Kid Flash slid in it, patiently waiting for Desmond to step into it. It didn't take long, and as soon as he was in, Kid Flash stepped out, and watched Aqualad put electricity all through the water.
"Move!" Robin cried, as the three disc grenades went off at the same time. Robin covered my body with his, then Aqualad covered his. Superboy had covered Kid Flash's with his own.
It wasn't long after the building collapsed when Superboy pushed the rubble off us. Robin helped me up with his hand, and grimaced in pain. I was lightheaded, and dizzy, but I was still able to stand upright. Sort of. Aqualad turned to us.
"We, did it." He panted, as he shared a smile with us both.
"Was there - ever - any doubt?" Robin asked, as he high-fived Kid Flash, and then they both flinched in pain. Our uniforms were ripped and dirty, so I knew we were going to have fun mending them. Kid Flash then turned to Superboy, and gestured up to the moon.
"See, the moon." He pointed to it, and watched closely at Superboy's expression. His eyes squinted, so I looked up as well, and saw a few figures flying down toward us. Uh-oh. It's the League. I shared a look with Robin, and shifted uncomfortably on my feet.
"Ha, and Superman. Do we keep our promises or what?" Kid Flash asked, with a sense of laughter in his voice. Even after everything we've been through tonight, he still has the energy to joke. I looked at the ground to avoid looking at any of the League.
"Is that what I think it is?" Batman asked, as Superboy walked up to Superman, and moved the "S" to cover his chest. The entire League stared wide-eyed in disbelief.
"He doesn't like being called an it." Kid Flash warned in a whisper. Superboy, obviously having enough scrunched up his fists and took a deep breathe.
"I'm Superman's clone!" He growled angrily. The whole League was in incredible disbelief.
"Start talking." Batman ordered. Robin and Aqualad took him aside and explained what happened here, while I stayed with Superboy and Kid Flash. That's when Green Arrow came over to me.
"Are you alright?" He asked, a concerned look on his face. I could see Dinah talking to other members of the League and so I focused solely on the person who has been raising me for the last three years.
"Depends. Does being betrayed by the one person who I thought would never betray me count as being okay?" I snapped, my eyes had narrowed behind my domino mask and I saw him sigh slightly.
"Blue-" he started, but I cut him off.
"No, you don't get to start with the whole parental thing. You told Speedy about the Watchtower, but you didn't tell me. How do you think that makes me feel?" I asked, my voice in a hushed whisper so that nobody could hear me, but with Superman and Superboy around, that was a risk that I hadn't thought through. That's when Superman came up to Superboy.
"We'll figure something out for you. The League will I mean. For now, I better make sure they get that Blockbuster creature locked away." He turned away, clearly uncomfortable, and flew up after the Green Lanterns, and the Hawks. Batman, Flash and Aquaman all came over to us.
"Cadmus will be investigated, all 52 levels. But let's make one thing clear," Batman started, but was cut off.
"You should have called!" Flash cried, clearly angry at his protégé.
"End results aside, we are not happy. You hacked Justice League systems, disobeyed orders and endangered lives. You will not be doing this again." Batman started using what Robin and I called the Bat-Voice and the Bat-Glare. We all shared a look, and nodded to Aqualad.
"I am sorry, but we will." Aqualad said, as he stood up to our mentors.
"Aqualad stand down." His king ordered, but I knew that it would be tough for him to disobey a direct order.
"Apologies my king, but no. We did good work here tonight. The work you trained us to do, together, on our own we forged something powerful, important." He finished.
"If this is about your treatment at the hall, the four of you," Flash started, but was cut off by a determined Kid Flash.
"The five of us, and it's not." He corrected.
"Batman, we're ready to use what you taught us," Robin started.
"Or why teach us at all?" I asked, my hand coming down to rest on Robin's shoulder. He was taking most of my weight due to my BP being in my boots.
"Why let them tell us what to do? It's simple, get on board or get out of the way." Superboy snarled, as he walked away. We, being sort of smart at the time, followed him.
MOUNT JUSTICE
JULY 8, 08:04 EDT
"This cave was the original secret sanctuary of the Justice League. We're calling it into service again. Since you five are determined to stay together and fight the good fight. You'll do it on League terms." Batman said, as the Cave was getting fixed up. I can't believe we were going to be doing this for real now! "Red Tornado volunteered to live here and be your supervisor. Black Canary's in charge of training, I will deploy you on missions." Batman said seriously. Were they going to be real missions though? I think Robin had the same idea.
"Real missions?" He asked Batman. I felt his arm snake around my waist, and pull me closer to him. Batman didn't seem to mind, because he was used to seeing us like this.
"Yes, but covert." He sighed, as he gave in. Nobody could resist both mine and Robin's puppy dog eyes at the same time. Especially Batman.
"The League will still handle the obvious stuff, there's a reason we have these big targets on our chests." Flash explained, as he stood behind Kid Flash, who had now changed into civilian clothes, becoming Wally West.
"But Cadmus proves the bad guys are getting smarter. Batman needs a team that can operate on the sly." Aquaman stated. I was super excited, I couldn't wait!
"The six of you will be that team." Batman said. What?
Cool!" Robin started.
"Wait, six?" I finished. Batman motioned to something behind us.
"This is the Martian Manhunter's niece, Miss Martian." He introduced. The Martian Manhunter walked in with a girl in a blue, white and red costume, green skin, and auburn hair.
"Hi." She said shyly with a small wave. Wally nudged Robin in his side.
"Liking this gig more and more every minutes. Welcome aboard. I'm Kid Flash, that's Robin, Aqualad and Bluebird, it's cool if you forget their names." Wally introduced us all, but even I could tell that he was trying to flirt with her. I pulled away from Robin and walked toward her.
"Thank you for saving me from being tormented by being the only girl on this team! Now with you, I can't be tormented by them leaving the seat up." I whispered.
"Hey!" Robin and Wally cried, as a blush slowly spread over their cheeks. Both Miss Martian and I laughed.
"I'm honoured to be included." She said, as she directed her attention at all of us once again. The boys all came forward except Superboy. Robin noticed this, who pulled me away from Miss Martian, and into his arms again.
"Hey Superboy," he called, "come meet Miss M!" He finished. Superboy gave a small smile and walked over to Miss Martian, whose white and red top turned black and red. She looked at Superboy.
"I like you t-shirt." She whispered. Robin elbowed Superboy in the ribs, Wally raced around him, and leant on Superboy's shoulder, I was wrapped up in Robin's arms, and Aqualad just stood to the side, and smiled at us all. I looked around at my new friends, and then up at Robin. Today, I stood up for myself. I gave all female sidekicks a new name. I knew I always would.
"Today is the day." I breathed out a sigh of relief.
REWRITTEN AS OF 27/9/2017