"I should get back to Aquila. She had treatment today, and I'm sure she'll need help avoiding all the government dogs waiting for her outside the hospital." Cyborg waves to his fellow superheroes as the Rogues were taken away by police.
"You know, if you don't act fast, she might get swept away by another guy." Hal Jordan jokes.
The bionic man shakes his head. "She's only eighteen. I'm just helping out an old friend."
"And you're only twenty-four. Keep treating her like just a friend and she just might believe you."
A caramel skinned woman peeks through the closed blinds of her hospital room, her hospital gown brushing the tops of her legs. She briefly watches as several tall men in dark suits enter the building, her long black hair slipping over her shoulders.
She glances at the door to the two knocks. "Victor." She smiles.
He clears his throat. "You haven't changed yet?"
Aquila holds up her arm, showing him the brace around her wrist. "I was hoping you could help me with that."
He stumbles on his words, blushing. "It's just a wrist sprain, you can do it yourself." He looks away. She laughs, collecting her clothes and disappearing into the bathroom.
"You're no fun, Vic." She calls from behind the door.
They sneak down the hallway, Aquila pulling the brim of her baseball cap down and tugging up the collar of her leather jacket. Just as they made it out the emergency exit, one of the men in suits was waiting for them outside. He was propped up against the wall, smoking a cigarette.
"Ah…Agent Moreno…" Aquila sighed.
"You can't just keep avoiding us, Ms. Stewart." He said.
"Yes I can." Aquila pulled Victor along, trying to get away.
The man stands upright, putting out the cigarette. "Look, you'll be serving your country. There's tons of perks to working for the government."
"What, like selling my soul to be a dog like you? No amount of money is worth that."
Moreno moved toward her, Cyborg stepping in between them. "I think that's enough, Agent. Now if you'll excuse us…" He guided her away.
When they reached their neighborhood park, they sat at the swing set.
Aquila's powers had caught the interest of the government. They had been trying to persuade her to join the FBI, CIA, or the Military since she'd turned eighteen. "I don't understand what's so interesting about what I am."
"Well, you're extremely strong for your size, agile, and pretty intimidating when angry." Vic chuckled. "You're pretty smart too—all those chess tournaments you won as a kid makes you an expert tactitian. Perfect for covert affairs and infiltrations."
"Had I known helping out the Justice League with an undercover mission would lead to this, I would've just stayed home." She digs her toe into the ground. Tilting her head, she looks at him. "You really think I'm smart?"
"Don't push it." He smiles and pushes her playfully.
"I'm glad I have you on my side, Vic." Aquila pushes herself backward, beginning to swing. "I'd go crazy if I had to deal with this all by myself."
That's when their reality suddenly changed. In this world, a war raged between Themyscira and Atlantis. The rest of the planet was just struggling to hold their own as the war took millions of lives, wiping out most of Europe. Victor Stone became America's greatest hero, working for the government to try and dissolve the battle that threatened the fate of the world.
A few years prior to the war, when things were still peaceful, Aquila's abilities and intellect caught the attention of the government. With Cyborg being an agent, he naturally tried to persuade Aquila when she turned fifteen to become an ally to the country. When she reluctantly agreed, experiments were conducted on her to turn her into an instrument of war, one accidentally sending her into a feral state. She was uncontrollable and unforgiving; blaming Victor for the pain she suffered from the tests. The government sent orders for her immediate sedation, planning on attempting to erase her memories and start over. After thirteen months of hell, Aquila managed to escape the facility, disappearing into the night.
"She was one of our most valuable assets." The President stared out the window of the Oval Office. "Do you realize what we lost? The perfect agent. The perfect soldier."