Chapter One: Making Friends

July 4th

Chariot and the I arrived first out of all the other heroes that were meeting us today. We were told to meet at the justice league head quarters. Though, I doubted that the head quarters known to every tourist and fan was their actual head quarters. What hero would hide in plain sight? I feel like they are in for a great surprise.

I was so excited when I woke up this morning I packed all my bags, hoping to get out of the cave we live in. Hoping we won't be in the Scientist sight any longer. I was tired of that place. I needed to be free.

I wouldn't want to come all this way to not join the Justice League. Washington DC was kind of far from... Home, if you call it that.

We waited by the trees, near the headquarters to wait for the others. There were reporters and tourist already waiting for us.

"What's taking them so long?" Chariot asked. His huge muscular figure hunched down as he sat on the grass. He was so impatient, and in that position he looked like a white rock. The only time he talked was to complain, honestly.

"Be patient. I'll check..." I channeled through different TV stations and cameras throughout the world. I can't believe that I didn't scan news channels earlier. My right eye was like a tv and a computer all at the same time. It picked up radio waves and other signals. It was also my main tool. It was an X-ray as well as a heat sensor. I don't even know what else it does, but I'm sure it could be used for almost everything, even creep people out. "Ice related villains are all over the city. The others have it taken care of... But there are four of them..."

Today is the day... And everyone else is fighting.

"Do they need help?" The Chariot asked. His hero name was the Chariot, his real name was unknown to me... Though, I called him Helios at times. He seemed to like it, but I have never done anything to displease him either. He always seemed unnerving besides times like these.

"No, they don't." I'd only be in the way anyway.

Still... These appearances are more than a coincidence. Once Batman hears about the appearances I'm sure he'll find out what it's about. I don't have enough resources right now to connect anything.

After today I will be officially along side my friends Robin and Speedy. The Chariot and I had a few of our own bad guys to take care of, but sometimes we helped out Batman and Green Arrow.

According to what Robin said, there were others that we're along side us. We were the only non-sidekicks that were being introduced the the Justice League today.

News cast and sites everywhere question our work. They say we are too young and we don't know what we are doing. They underestimated us...

"Hey, Magician!" I heard someone say in the distance. "Sorry to keep you waiting." I looked and it was Robin and Batman. It was weird seeing them in the daylight. I've only met with them in their costumes at night.

However, I've seen Robin outside of costume plenty of times. He was my friend after all. We even knew each others secret identities. The same went for Speedy. I trusted those two with my life.

Soon, Speedy and his mentor walked along side two people I've never met. I could only assume it was Aquaman and Aqualad. Their fins, gils, and scales gave them away.

"Are you concerned that you're the only girl here?" Robin said, trying to seem sly.

"I'm tough enough... Besides there are a lot of powerful women in the Justice League!" I said in a snarky tone. Robin was always making fun of me, but, honestly, I was concerened I would slow the group down. It wasn't that I wasn't athletic or anything, I probably have the least experience of the group.

"Long time not see, Magician!" Speedy said in his cool manner. He was older than all of us rookies, but he wasn't as experienced.

I gave him a hug as he walked toward me.

"I don't think we've ever met." A blonde haired, dark skinned boy said. I wonder if this is what people mean when they say "Tall, dark, and handsome." though...I never understood sayings or people... I wouldn't say he as handsome though. I guess that's what people call "Not their type."

"No we haven't, I'm the Magician... Though I have many other code names."

"Aqualad."

"I've heard a lot about you, Magician." His mentor, Aquaman said. I heard these two were awfully polite. "I am Aquaman." Them they tried to introduce themselves to Helio.

"Uh- he doesn't talk much, but that's The Chariot, he doesn't have as much code names as me, but he is mostly called 'The Chariot.'" I quickly said.

"It's nice to meet you both." Aquaman said.

"I'm glad to see all of you are safe from fighting those ice villains." I smiled.

"Peice of cake." Robin said, he was always trying to act tough. Robin was about the same age as me, so it was easy to be close friends.

I felt another presence slowly closing in. My heightened sense didn't do me justice, I was always on alert, even in times like this where I just wanted to relax.

"I knew we'd be the last ones!" I heard someone who sounded very upset. "Woah... I didn't know there was a girl going to join with us."

"Watch it around KF there." Robin whispered toward me, but he was mostly joking.

I turned around to see the red and yellow flash duo.

"Hey there." he began to flirt with me already. He looked straight at me. He didn't look away. I was surprised.

"You're not bothered by my scar?"

"You can have a lot of scars, but you're still a babe."

"Alright, alright." Speedy got in between us. He was like my big brother. It's good that he stopped him though, because Helio is protective of me as well. I could feel him getting angry.

"You're the Magician right? Kid Flash." he pointed at himself. "I heard a lot about you."

"Uh, thanks. I guess no introduction is needed." I laughed. I tried not to be so uncomfortable around him. Though, I was glad that he didn't care about my scar on my eye... When my creator experimented on me, he gave me a pernament scar that my healing couldn't fix... I'm stuck with it and it won't ever go away. I've been so self-concious about it.

"Let's go in, shall we?" Aquaman said.

We all walked along side the well-known heroes. It felt weird that the Chariot and I were there only people without mentors. Once again, I felt like I didn't belong.

"Welcome to the Hall of Justice, the head quarters of the Justice League." Green Arrow said.

We walked between two crowds of people taking pictures and staring at us.

"Who's that girl and that large boy?" Someone asked. I wasn't surprised that they haven't seen or heard of us. We don't operate near DC and we are quite stealth and secretive.

"Are they batman's other side kicks?!"

"Look it's Flash jr." They couldn't even get known sidekicks' names right.

"Have all four sidekicks been in the same place at the same time?" Kid Flash asked.

"Don't call us sidekicks." Red Arrow said. Suddenly he became really sensitive about his status as a hero. I remember when he started, he was eager to train along aide Green Arrow. I guess he was an adult now, legally.

"Sorry, I'm just a little overwhelmed."

"It's always underwhelmed or over whelmed. Why isn't anybody just 'whelmed.'" Robin said.

He is way too smart for his age. At least he is putting his brain to good use.

We walked inside and there were golden statues of the founding members of the Justice League. It was amazing to be infront of them. I saw the inside with my eye, but it was just more extravagant than seeing them from a distance. They looked like gods.

There were doors labled "Authorized Personal only" right under the statues I guess we were now officially authorized. The doors opened as soon as they approached them A green-skinned man appeared before us and called out each of our names and lead us in.

My eye recognized him as Martian Manhunter. He came from mars and is a hero of earth now.

We walked in and the so-called headquarters looked like a library with a small sitting area rather than secret headquarters. Especially since there as a viewing window where tourist were watching us. I felt like an animal in a zoo.

Batman was talking privately to the others and it seemed like he was talking about the ice villains. I was relieved that he was going to handle that right away.

Suddenly, another door opened and it poped a scanner which scanned the bodies of each hero.

"Wait, that's it!?" Red arrow suddenly yelled at the others. "You promised us a real look inside, not a glorified backstage pass. We're just on the other side of the glass. It seems like it doesn't matter which side we are on. We see what everyone else does." Then, he turned to us. "They are treating us like children, worse, they are treating us like sidekicks. We deserve better than this, we deserve respect."

The others looked at each other like they didn't have a problem with it.

"Really? Today was supposed to be the day. Step one, being full fledged members of the league."

"I thought step one was the tour of HQ?" Kid Flash said.

"You really think their headquarters would be out in the open?" I said. I tried not to make him seem inferior. I knw he was smart because according to my file he was able to regret the experiment that have The Flash superspeed.

"She's right. This isn't the real HQ! It's just a tourist attraction and teleportation device to the real HQ in space!"

Batman and the Flash looked at Green Arrow who looked guilty.

"I know, but I thought we could make an exception." Green Arrow said, trying to make a case for himself. Batman didn't look amused. "Or not..."

"Stand down, son." Aquaman said. Anything he said sounded so fancy, it's like he was from another time.

"Or what? You'll send me to my room? I don't need this. I thought I was your partner, but I guess not." He took off his hat and threw it to the ground and he walks away.

"Speedy!" I called out after him. He's been different lately, I don't know what to do. He's still nice to me, so I haven't said anything, but it's getting to me now...

I couldn't walk away with him, this was the only chance I had at a different home. Though, I wasn't sure I would get what I was promised.

"Superman to Justice League. Superman to Justice League." Superman showed up on the big screen, he was very muscular and the huge screen made him look like a giant. "There's been an explosion at Cadmus and it has caused a fire."

"I've had my suspicions about Cadmus. This may be a perfect opportunity to-" Batman began.

"Zatarra to the Justice League. Requesting full league response." Zatarra, the real magician, interrupted.

"It's a small fire, it could wait. Local authorities have it under control." Superman reported.

"Then Cadmus could wait." Batman decided. "Stay put." Batman told us.

"What?" Robin exclaimed.

"You're not trained to fight with this team." The Flash explained.

"So stay put." Batman ordered and left. The others followed him.

"What? We're not ready. They just keep treating us as sidekicks!" Kid Flash yelled.

"You sound like Speedy..." I said as I picked up his hat from the ground. I couldn't help but worry about him. What was he going to do now?

"Well, they don't even trust us with the basics! They have their headquarters in space!" Kid Flash said, expressing his outrage.

I looked at Chariot, and of course. He seemed unnerved. He just sat on the couch and listened to us without giving any comment on anything.

"I have a better question, why didn't we leave with Speedy?"

"Rob..." I sighed.

He immediately looked like he regretted saying what he just said. He knew exactly why I wanted this, I needed this.

We all stood their in silence for a little while.

"What is 'Cadmus'?" The Chariot said. Everyone, including me, looked at him. He actually said something.

"Don't know." Robin smirked.

"Actually..." I started saying. "It's a bit of a coincidence. Checking out Cadmus is at the top of my to-do list..." I was smiling mischievously at Robin who began hacking into the league's computers, he was rejoiced to know that the system was similar to the systems they used in the Batcave.

"Okay, Cadmus. A genetics lab located here in DC."

"That's it? I could have told you more." I sighed, disappointed int he lack of information that Batman had. But, I had no problem being covert and spending my free time gaining knowledge. "Cadmus approached my radar a few months ago. But, it seems there is more than the three floors on the surface..."

"Meaning?" Kid Flash said.

"A basement?" Aqualad asked.

"If your basement is near the Earth's core, yes. And with more hidden floors comes more secret projects. It seems T.A.R.O.T. is on a mission with a few friends." I said, smiling at the Chariot.

"Tarot, like the cards?" Kid Flash asked. I didn't blame him for not knowing. He probably didn't know I existed before today.

"Explanations later. Let's go." Robin said, giving me the same smile.

Aqualad, Kid Flash, Robin, and the Chariot went on site to pretend to help put out the fire while I went in the building to make sure the coast was clear for them to enter. I didn't know if I liked the idea of being on a mission with people I haven't been with on a mission before. Robin has teamed up with me. It's the other two I am worried about. Still, we are here to prove a point... Though, I just thought about it and told them quickly before I actually went in the building. I could have done that better.

Actually, I wanted the Chariot to stand down and watch outside to see if anything would happen besides the fire clean up, but he insisted on going with me to protect me... He was stubborn.

I set up my micro cameras in doors and rooms in the building previously. I just haven't been able to get to basement level. Through my eye, I was able to see that Robin and the others have entered into the top floor. I quickly met with them as I saw Robin looking into a computer for information.

"There was something..." Aqualad said I looked over and he was staring at the elevator.

I tried to rewind my footage. I saw something, but it was dark. "It was definitely not human."

"What?" Kid Flash was confused. "How did you even..."

I pointed to my eye. "Explain later, I promise."

Robin went to the elevator and scanned it through his holographic computer on his wrist. I got to get me that...

"It's a high speed express elevator." Robin said. "Magician, you were right."

"You doubted me?" I teased.

"No, never." Robin smiled.

Aqualad opened the elevator doors while we were talking. We looked down, and the depth to the elevator was too great.

Robin attached his hook to the top and grabbed me. "Hold on." He said.

"Wait, what about...?" I began to ask, but he jumped down anyway.

"Hey, Rob. No fair!" Kid flash said after us. I didn't really know what he meant by that.

The others quickly grabbed on to the line and slid down after us. Helios was quickly climbing the walls down. He was quick and he was strong and agile enough to scale the elevator shaft. He's done it before... but not in an elevator this long...

"Don't let go, Esther." Robin said quietly. I can't believe he said my name on a mission, but it made me look at him.

We were both so young, but being so close to him made me have a funny feeling in my chest. I tried to ignore it. We were in so many missions together before this. What am I feeling? Am I sick?

I looked at the walls as we kept sliding down and they read, "SL 24...25" The floors were endless and who knew how large each floor was. At 26, Robin ran out of rope and it smoothly stopped. I was always impressed by how athletic Robin was, though, it shouldn't since I knew that he came from the circus.

"Hang on." He said and his acrobatic self was able to swing himself to the doors. "You okay?"

"Of course, I balanced myself on the little space we had while giving room for the others to get on the ledge. Robin was hacking the securities. He was good, I wish my eye could hack computers as fast as him.

Helios was trailing along and slid down the rope finally. He was afraid that the rope would get loose if we slid on it as well.

"Open the doors... now." Robin said and Aqualad forced them open.

We looked at rows of some strange alien technology. My eye was not familiar with them at all.

"Welcome to project Cadmus..." Robin said.

"I was right to be suspicious... this is strange stuff." I told him.

Kid Flash started running down the rows.

"Kid...wait!" Aqualad said after him and Kid Flash looked like he was about to be run over a bunch of gigantic elephant-gorilla hybrid mutants.

"What?" I was surprised and I tried to scan the creatures. They were all clones of each other. And they seemed to have something smaller on their backs. It was a different kind of creature but it had the same genetics as the larger mutants. "This is beyond anything I have ever imagined..."

We kept exploring and it felt like I was in a horror movie, I didn't know what was coming at me and the suspense was going to kill me.

Cadmus created creatures to support their own research such as creatures that generate electricity. It was a smart ploy to hide from the rest of the world.

"I expected weapons, honestly."

"Well, your expectations are on the mark..." Robin said as he continued to look at the computers. "These...'Genomorphs'...have super strength, telepathy..."

I sighed. "Why am I on the mark?" This is scary. If someone is able to produce mass weaponized creatures, then what else am I not aware of?

"Wait... there's something called project 'Kr.'" Robin read.

"Kr?" I immediately began scanning references. The only thing I could thing of right away was Superman...

"Don't move!" Someone said, and I saw a bunch of those clones and Guardian.

"What is he doing here?" I asked myself. Guardian was Speedy's uncle, a good guy. What's going on?

"Wait... Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Magician...? I'm calling the Justice League."

"Great, calling the grown ups..." I said.

"The League isn't going to approve of what you're doing down here!" Kid Flash said.

"What?" Guardian seemed genuinely alarmed.

I looked at him suspiciously. "The things you are next to are weapons..."

"What... I..." Suddenly he looked as if his mind was erased for a minute. I looked at him and I could tell he was being controlled.

"He's being controlled" I yelled.

"Helio, hold him off while I plan an escape route." I told him telepathically.

He nodded and began fighting Guardian as I got out of there, taking out as many of those beast fighting along side Guardian as I could. Having one of ours fight along side them... that's when you know it's gone really bad.

Robin was already running out of there.

"You got the escape?" I asked him.

"Of course." He said.

"Hurrry." I told the others.

"What the..." Kid Flash was alarmed at my telepathy and he got out of there and ran behind me. "Did I just...?"

"Yes, I am a telepath... kind of." I said as I ran towards Robin who was already opening a door to an elevator. "Remember, later." The doors closed as Chariot got in, and it closed just in time. Nothing else got in.

The elevator began heading down to the forties.

"We're headed down? Uh, hello, to get out of here we have to go up!" Kid Flash said. A part of me had to admit that this was getting too dangerous, but the spy in me wanted to find out what this project was.

"Project KR is on sub level 52!" Robin said, trying to defend his case.

"Perhaps we should contact the league." Aqualad said.

Before we could think about it, we were on sublevel 52.

"We can't contact them down here where we don't have any signal..." I said. "Let's hurry up and get out..."

The others agreed as they prepared for the worst on the other side of the elevator doors.

The floor was indescribable. The walls looked like they were alive, or alive once.

"I'm sensing life..." I told Robin as he was running beside me.

"I'm here too, babe!" Kid Flash said, getting in front of us. I kinda wish he would stop saying that.

"I sense something else."

"Halt!" Something said and it looked like another genomorph. He was skinny and had large horns from his head and they glowed as objects raised around him.

"Telekinesis..." I said and we all began running down another hall. At the end of the hall was a door and it was labeled the thing we wanted most. Before the doors closed Kid Flash put something in the door way so it wouldn't close all the way.

I tried to run faster as I slipped through the doors, the others fell in behind me and i heard the door shut.

"Oh my god..." I said as I was trying to process what was in front of me as I got in. A bright tube was in the center of the room and there was someone in it. He looked a lot like Superman, like he was his kid. "Krypton...Kryptonian... Kryptonite."

"Of course!" Robin hit his head. "Kr..." He went straight to the computers to find out more.

I walked in front of the tube to examine him. He was something else. I was captivated for some reason.

"Weapon designation, Superboy. A clone force-grown in...16 WEEKS! DNA acquired from Superman." Robin Started saying.

His cells were fairly new, but his cells were also different from Superman. He had human DNA too...

"More like stolen..." Aqualad stated, he had to be right. "What are these?"

"They force feed him an education." Robin said.

I had to confirm that, I tapped into his mind too. I saw a fast movie of pictures and words. I screamed.

"Magician!" The Chariot ran next to me.

"I'm alright..." I assured him.

"What was it?" Kid Flash asked.

"They are giving him quite and education, that's all I can say." I said. There was something else about Superboy that made me just mesmerized with him... we were alike in so many ways. This room, this laboratory was my cave... It was like the only home that I didn't want to belong to. "Set him free, NOW!" I demanded.

Robin only gave me a look of approval, everyone else seemed to approve too.

The tube began to open and he flew past me and attacked Aqualad.

"Superboy!" I yelled. "Wait!"

The Chariot got in front of me to protect me. I looked back and the little telepathic bastards were sending him signals.

I glared at them. "Hold him off. I got this..." I began blocking the mini-morphs signal. It was tough, I never had to do something like this before. I concentrated hard. It was three against one at this point. Also, it didn't help that the others were fighting in the background. I blocked them and I put them to sleep, but Superboy was still fighting the others. "Superboy!" He threw Robin to the side and looked at me. "No... Robin!" Before I knew it, it was me and Chariot.

Superboy charged at me and Chariot punched him, sent him flying to the wall. That only made Superboy angry as he pushed off the wall and punched Chariot back. Superboy proved to be too strong and Chariot was knocked out.

I gasped as Superboy was now walking toward me and he threw me against the wall. If my body wasn't enhanced by my experiments, I would have died. I tried getting up, even though it hurt and it seemed impossible. He walked over to me. He grabbed my arms and lifted me.

"Stop... Calm down!" I said as I got a hand out. "Calm..." I began to say but I couldn't breathe.

He could have crushed me by now, just him lifting me hurt me. This had to be the first time he was awake ever... It was a shock and the telepathic signals that the clones were giving him probably didn't was like an animal, being controlled and could only release anger.

I reached out my arm to him and touched his face. "I won't hurt you, I promise." I waited a while. "Superboy... please. I won't." He seemed to calm down, and for a second he looked at me as if he didn't know what he was doing? I wouldn't hold it against him. He loosened his grip. "It's okay." I calmly said and smiled. "It will be alright." He gently put me down. If he held on to me any more I probably would have died for sure...

He didn't say anything at first, he just looked at me and put a hand on my cheek where my scar was. "D-did I do that?" He suddenly asked.

I was alarmed that he was concerned about my status. I shook my head. "No." I smiled. "Are you alright?"

He didn't look angry anymore, he actually looked like he trusted me, but he looked like he was in pain. And I knew that look... His blue eyes looked into mine. I saw deep sorrow and misery, like he was sinking to the bottom of the ocean. I wonder if he sees the same thing in mine. "I'm fine..."

Before I could tell him anything or check on the others the doors opened and the scientist and the other clones came in. I wanted to reassure him that we were good and we were going to get him out...

"Superboy!" I got in front of him. I felt silly, getting in front of him. I probably couldn't do anything, he was the boy of steel...

The clone with the long horns came in front and tried using his telepathy. His horns glowed.

"Sorry, doesn't work..." I smirked.

They all glared at me. I knew I didn't have a chance though. One of the scientist shot something at me and it sent volts throughout my body. Damn it... I'm officially done.

Before I closed my eyes, I saw Superboy's deep blue eyes above me. I was sinking right now. I wonder if he sees it now. I was losing light, like I was really at the bottom of the ocean with deep-red Blood.

No, that red color was my hair in my eyes.