July 4th
Belle had been kidnapped. Not that I was surprised or anything.
I killed people. People had friends. Friends wanted vengeance and friends had the technology to find me.
Not surprised. Phenomenally pissed off though.
Whoever brought my little sister into my work was going to die.
Grabbing my laptop and sitting at the cold kitchen counter, I started my research. Hacking into CIA population profiles was the first order of business. I already had 'borrowed' the mall's security camera tape and found the guy.
Middle age man with brown hair and glasses.
About half the population.
I filtered through facial features and attached a picture of the man. Then I let the CIA do it's thing.
Trudging over to the pantry, I grabbed a small cup of ground up coffee to put in the coffee maker and honey mustard and onion pretzels, yawning since I wasn't that worried. It had been an hour and Belle knew how to talk when in these situations. For all I knew that sweet face had already convinced the guy to turn him in and was waiting at the police station.
Not taking any chances though. He was gonna die either way.
I checked the laptop and luckily it had already found a match.
Dr. Mark Desmond. 42 years old. Works at Cadmus Labs. I skipped his childhood and college report and all the copies of his homework and paper he wrote in the 5th grade.
'Desmond tends to stay at Cadmus until late at night, sometimes staying the whole night.' The report read.
Well now I know where to go.
I tugged on my leather jacket, strapping on my knife sheaths to my thighs and making sure I had my knee high boots on, slipping several knives into each. One word: Bloodbath.
It was 20 minutes of speeding and evading speed traps later that I finally arrived at Cadmus.
"It's fucking on fire." I muttered to myself, screeching my motorcycle to a screaming stop.
A flash of red and yellow streaked up the building and I sighed. Great. Superheroes are already here. Cadmus must be serious shit then.
Parking my bike in a nearby alley, I snuck through the side, clearing the electric fence in no time. Compared to the countless times I had been exposed to the electric chair on jobs, this was nothing.
The inside was falling apart. Fire was everywhere so I went to the one place where there was no fire. Elevator.
I stabbed the controls when it wouldn't open, ripped out several color coded wires, and was surprised to see a wire already going down the incredibly hollow shaft.
Great. Competing intruders.
Judging by how still the cable was, I'm assuming that they were long gone. So I hiked up some of my jacket's sleeves as to not get intense rope burn (gloves provided either too much grip on my knives or too little, bare handed works better for me) and began sliding down floor after floor after floor. I stopped at floor 6 since it was my lucky number, hoping the scientists of Cadmus would have some sort of filing system.
There was.
I smirked at my good fortune, Bella would be safe, I'd get complete satisfaction of punishing the bastard who took my sister and we'd go home and watch Disney Princess movies and make Fried Oreos.
I ruffled through several stacks of paper, finding a lot of unsettling words and paragraphs. Genomorphs to cloning projects.
"Wonder if Sporty knows about this..." I definitely didn't want the mace wielding, hockey mask wearing, blonde supervillain using the weaponized life forms as killing machines, but then again, I murdered people for him so I guess that makes me a villain too.
Maybe I'm in the League's database.
That would be pretty cool. Being stalked by Plasticman or some random superpowered Leaguer.
Cool as a fez.
I started reflipping through the stack just to check twice and almost smacked myself when I found it was the third one in the pile.
Subject 51: Arabella Lawson
Age: 8
Holding Cell: Block 1, Room 1, Floor 52
Well that's gonna be a hell of a lot of sliding down a cable.
By the time I had reached the end of the cable I had caught sight of the elevator in the dark pit, by now it was 6 floors down. About a 50 feet. I could make it and be fine but the if people were in the elevator they would definitely hear me land.
Sighing at my dilemma, I concluded that I could most likely take on whoever was in that elevator. Flash Boy wasn't gonna kill me and I could take out several scientists in mere seconds.
I let go, the air whipping through my air for a few seconds as I fell, the landing came too quickly but I turned to instinct, bending my knees and letting my toes absorb the energy from the impact as well as letting my hands balance my crouched form.
They SO heard that.
I stared at the hatch that I had landed beside. To open or not to open was the question.
Why the hell not? Open. I needed to get to Floor 52 anyways and it looked like that's where we were going.
I inched towards the hatch, attempting not to alert them that I was moving. Clicking open the safety clips, I swung it open, jumping down once more and drawing four knives ready to attack.
The elevator was still moving so there was no escape except up for all of us and there were three of them and one of me. They looked trained and ready to take me down.
Acting on pure instinct, I headed for the most visible and stupid looking one which happened to be Kid Flash.
He didn't have much room to move in so when I looked ready to give him the uppercut of his life, he was ready to counter. Too bad I feinted, dropping down on my right hand, sweeping his legs out from under him.
By the the time he had superspeeded his way back up on his feet I had side stepped behind him, grabbing his neck in a headlock.
"Nobody moves or Ginger gets his throat slit." I threatened, spinning one of my knives in my hand and holding it to his strained throat.
I pinpointed the next person I could attack as the smaller one. AKA Robin.
I seriously just attacked and threatened the sidekicks of some of the most famous Leaguers. I was definitely gonna be on their radar now. Yippee.
"I'd advise you to release our friend now." Aqualad looked strangely calm for someone who's friend could die any second.
The elevator dinged and began to open, "Not an inch." My words were icy, smooth and cold. Backing out of the door, I walked backwards, keeping Kid Flash in my headlock. He gasped for air, scratching at my arm helplessly.
I saw his head reel forward and I winced under the new weight. He should've had enough air to still be conscious.
But then it snapped back to life, zooming towards my own and head butting me.
"AGH!" I shouted. My knife clattered to the floor, and I landed on my butt.
I felt someone holding me down and I squinted my eyes, the light from the room was blinding. Emerald green eyes met my sparkling ocean blue. Coincidentally the only trait I shared with my sister.
Glancing over his shoulder I saw the other two jogging over, congratulating their friend. The red head got off me, surprising me in the least. Even weirder, he then reached out his hand, beckoning me to get up. I reluctantly took it, biting my lip.
Once I was up on my feet again, I gripped his hand, using my other arm to push up on his and judo flipping him. He fell to the floor with a loud 'ow'.
"That's for head butting me you jackass." I muttered. My head was still throbbing from his sudden attack.
I began to walk down the hall I needed to go to, "Hey wait!" The Boy Wonder called.
I sighed. What did they want?
I turned around, giving him a 'You better talk quickly before I flip you too' look and putting my hands on my hips.
"Why are you here in the first place? Even the League didn't know about Cadmus' 'downstairs'."
"That's for me to know, and for you to never find out." I smirked at the boy.
"Yeah... No. You're coming with us." He frowned.
I gave a dry laugh. "Yeah... No." I mimicked. "I'd probably end up killing you." I disappeared then, trying to look dangerous (which is very hard when you're 5'2) and making sure they didn't follow me.
Too bad an army of gigantic, gray, glowy beasts came around the corner. I sprinted back the way I came, grabbing onto Robin and Kid Flash's hands, pulling them out of the way. Aqualad wasn't far behind.
We all pressed into a small alcove in the wall.
"So why are you helping us now?" Kid Flash hissed at me.
"No particular reason." I bit my lip. A bad habit I needed to stop.
"Oh c'mon. You know you just wanted-" kid Flash's voice started to sound flirty but before he could talk out anything else I elbow jabbed him in the stomach. "Quiet." I hissed.
I now noticed they were more like elephants, and as they marched on by I was very glad they didn't pay us much attention.
As soon as they passed Aqualad dryly remarked, "Noooo. Nothing odd going on here."
Robin opened up the huge door in front of us and we were all met with the blinding electrical sight of, I'm guessing, genomorphs.
"So that's why this Cadmus doesn't show up. It isn't even on the grid! It generates it's own electricity with... Whatever these things are." The speedster thought out loud, giving is his thoughts.
"I was going through some filing when I was on my way down here, apparently they're called genomorphs. Which I'm guessing means genetically modified animal mutations." I saw Robin already searching through their database for genomorphs.
"The name is also a clue," Aqualad added to the conversation. "The Cadmus of legend created a new race by sewing dragon's teeth into the earth."
"I'm guessing that's an Atlantean myth?" I inquired.
My question was left unanswered when the door in front of us burst open, along with a man and several genomorphs.
He yelled out a stop which didn't seem to process in Robin's mind.
"Wait... Robin, Kid Flash, Aqualad?" The helmeted guard looked confused. Maybe he was disappointed his plot wasn't spoiled by real heroes?
"Wow. I feel noticeable." I absentmindedly spun a knife on my finger. I guess I'm not in the Leagues database then?
"I know you. Your Guardian. A hero." Aqualad accused.
"I do my best." Guardian shrugged. He went on to tell us that he could call the League and sort everything out.
"I'm not sure the League is going to approve of weapon breeding." I had glanced over Robin's shoulder a second ago. Even without the numbers I could see how these things were made to kill.
"I'm sorry I never caught your name."
"You can call me The Ripper." I felt awkwardly proud of myself for coming up with that in an instant. I hadn't really thought about a codename for myself. Jack the Ripper had always interested me though, so why not?
"Alright time to go!" Robin dashed off, Aqualad following him. Kid Flash grabbed my hand as I had earlier and sped away, dragging me with him.
I was thrown in the elevator, vowing never to travel at the speed of sound again. Rubbing my head, I realized with Kid Flash and Aqualad that we were going down.
The younger two argued for a bit before the doors were open and once again we were running for our lives towards what was known as project Kr.
A huge vault-like door was in front of us and Rob got to hacking it open. A lady running as fast as she could in heels was closing in on us, along with Guardian and guess who? Desmond. Lucky me.
"Leave this to me." I became relaxed, my shoulders going down and my sight cleared.
Putting the lady out of her misery, I threw a spinning knife towards her. The butt of the blade hit her throat, knocking her out for the next hour. Next was Guardian.
He was too close now for throwing knives so I slipped them back in the holsters on my thigh. He was going to feint a left swing at my face and then punch my stomach with his right. Side stepping behind him, I kneed him in the groin, letting him writhe in pain for a moment until I pinched his neck, rendering him unconscious.
Spinning around to see Desmond. He was practically shivering in his boots.
"You have something of mine." I growled. By now I was furious.
"You'll have to get it later." I heard the red head's now familiar voice. He grabbed me by the waist, zooming through the narrow crack in the vault door. Aqualad kicked out the canister holding it open, cutting me off from vengeance.
I have him a 'you did something completely unacceptable' look and clenched my fist. My attention was diverted by a huge gasp from Robin, in the center of a room was a cryonic freezer. There, a muscular black haired boy was forever frozen in time, Superman's big S emblazoned on his chest.
"I know I'm not apart of the League or anything," I began.
"Trust me we aren't either." Kid Flash remarked, looking bitter.
I raised an eyebrow. "...But I'm doubting the small chance that the big guy knows about this."
"Superboy: a clone made from the DNA of Superman-" Robin was abruptly cut off by Kid.
"More like stolen!" He corrected, crossing his arms.
By now I had come close to the pod, algorithms running through my head on what to do should we want to get him out. After all, the Boy Wonder and I were on the 'No Powers' team and then we had a hyperactive speedster and a fish out of water. Not really your ideal genetically modified weapon fighting team. If he really was Superman's clone... He should be on the good guy's side.
I put a hand up to the container. It was icy cold and I could feel the ice gripping my skin to the super strong plastic. Peeling it off carefully before I could self harm myself anymore, nobody had noticed me so close to the pod, and I hadn't noticed the pod opening. Blowing hot air on my hand in a desperate attempt to warm it up, I let my shoulders fall in victory as a small tingling sensation creeped into my hand.
"HEY!" A shout from across the room got my attention but it was too late. I felt a single hand grip my throat and I tried to speak but nothing came out. My hands reached for a shining hope of one of my knives but the cool surface slipped right out of my hands, the metal clattering to the ground. At least I thought it clattered. I couldn't hear anything anymore. My eyesight was also blurry and the somewhat familiar sensation of being knocked out washed over me.
I woke to the sound of Desmond's annoying, crazy voice.
"Begin the cloning process."
"I SHIT YOU NOT I WILL KILL YOU IF YOU TRY TO CLONE ME RIGHT AFTER I WAKE UP." I was not in the mood for having skin ripped off of me while suffering from waking up late at night.
Desmond seemed mildly freaked out by my sudden outburst. Probably because he thought I was still asleep, but it gave me the premature satisfaction of slitting his throat so he could choke on his blood.
Even Superboy widened his eyes at me. Believe me I would too, for a 5'2, 15 year old girl? That was pretty loud.
Apparently not loud enough though, as two, four pronged electrocuters surfaces from the pod and readied to shock me.
Gritting my teeth in anticipation, I screamed out in pain when it connected with my chest, writhing in my cuffs.
Uselessly struggling, I was surprised when the pain stopped, my cuffs ripped off.
Superboy moved onto Aqualad, doing the same to his restraints.
"Thanks." I gasped, falling to the ground.
I took off trying to flee from their attention so I could get to Bella.
"Where are you going?!" KF yelled.
"Business!" I smiled for the first time in forever, not counting when Bella graced my presence.
They were too busy to run after me so I referred to the map I had saved on my phone.
"If the room were we in is 52Kr and I'm now in... This hallway, then Bella's room should be near the elevator. Perfect." I whispered to myself, gasping for air after running as far from everyone as I could.
Making my way to Bella as covertly as I could, I didn't encounter anything. Arriving at her door, I picked the lock with a mere bobby pin (I'd expect higher security from this place...) finding her sleeping peacefully on a metal table. They must've drugged her pretty heavily because she didn't wake up when I heaved her onto my back.
It didn't take long to make it back above ground but I knew something was terribly wrong when the ground shook beneath my tired feet. A mutilated Frankenstein looking monster burst through the asphalt, sending me and my unconscious sister flying.
I watched Bella hit the ground like a ragdoll, my body rushing over to hers once I had touched down to the ground. I saw no blood, and she didn't land on her head. Shouldn't move her though... What if her spinal cord was hurt?
I guess that gave me clearance to eliminate the... Thing so I couldn't shake the ground anymore.
Gauging the situation, Robin, Kid Flash and Aqualad's uniforms were torn and ripped and even though I enjoy the sight of muscular boys as much as the next girl I didn't have time to stare. I slipped some super thin titanium cable through my blades, dashing at the monster with the billowing string of knives glistening in the moonlight.
The boys didn't notice me until Kid almost sliced himself in half when he ran into my cable that had embedded itself in the back of Mr. Frankenstein. He yelled an annoyed 'Hey!' At me but I ignored it, as I was jerked through the air once more when it pulled the punctured dagger out of his back.
I let go of my titanium airline and took one knife, stabbing it into his bloodshot eye. It shrieked out in pain but I put it out of its misery, kicking it as hard as could but that wasn't enough and Superboy saw it too, the monster was already falling down to the ground and the clone, with his superhuman strength, knocked out the mangled heap of steroid-ed muscle.
I tried to highfive him but apparently he didn't get it, looking at me quizzically so I settled for a thumbs up instead. "Thanks Supey." I gave a small smile to the black haired clone.
"Is this what you were looking for Jackie the Ripper?!" I rushed over to Robin and my still unconscious sister. What kind of drugs let you sleep though this kind of situation?
"As I said before, none of your business." I smirked at him. So maybe tonight was a little more action filled than I expected, it was fun. Even if we were on different sides and they didn't know it.
I walked over to KF, Superboy and Aqualad. One last goodbye?
"See? The moon!" Kid panted, his emerald eyes staring in awe at the huge white floating sphere that was suspended in space.
I zoned out for a minute, content with relaxing for just once, adjusting my grip on Bella.
As soon as I could blink I was yelling at the Dark Night of Gotham.
"And for you young lady." Batman glowered at me. "I'm going to have to ask you to hand over your sister."
My eyes widened in surprise. I didn't expect him to demand Belle. "What? No! You can't just-" I started to blab, knowing deep inside she would be taken away from me and I'd probably go to prison for my crimes.
"She's in a coma, just incase you hadn't noticed."
"That doesn't mean you take her away! I can-" I was cut off once again.
"You can what? Make her wake up? Take care of her? No. You can't. You also can't pay for her medical care. She'll be under League care from now on." Batman's words looming over me, making me seem as if this was the apocalypse.
Tears pricked my eyes but I blinked them away as fast as I could. Batman would not see me cry. I faintly registered someone carrying away Belle onto an ambulance, what looked like Black Canary talking to the paramedics.
A sense of hopelessness washed over me and I could feel my jaw stupidly hanging open. Gotham's hero stalked away, deeming the conversation over.
Then came the anger. "YOU CAN'T DO THIS!" Now that his emotionless mask wasn't facing me I dropped to the ground on my knees, tears streaming down my face.
Tada. after over a year (I think. I'm not a Timelord...) of hiatus-ing I'm back new and improved with a new passion for writing. Lucky you. Please review and gimme some alerts! I'm already writing the next chapter and oh my god you will not believe what I have planned for the timeskip and season 2. I'm pretty sure I'm a genius. I'll say it once more because I worked really hard on this BUT PLEASE REVIEW.