Disclaimer: All rights of Young Justice go to the creators. Not us. All other characters belong to CT.

Young Justice: Vengeful Ice

By: The BatThing and CT

Chapter One:

It was late, and hardly the time for visitors, and yet he doorbell rang, telling Max Crandall that someone was at the door.

The man muttered under his breath, getting to his feet and paced towards the door. A bushy eyebrow rose as he glanced through a window, trying to catch a peek at who might be there. Yet he saw not a sign of human life.

'Probably some kids playing a prank.' The older man thought as he slowly swung the door open, slightly taken back at a brute of a man. Max shut his jaw firmly, forcing his lips into a smile. "May I help you?"

"This is the home of Bart Allen is it not?"

Max paused at the words, wondering where this was headed. "Yes it is, but I am afraid that-."

The man shoved Max out of his way, slammed into the room, and locked the door behind him, looking towards Max. "Where is he?"

"Who are you? What is wrong?"

The man stood at about 6"4, his blonde hair hung was short and firm. "Bartholomew owns me something. I have simply come to collect…now if you do not tell me where the boy is, then you shall force me to ruin everything that lies in the way."

"What does he owe you? I am sure that I can…"

"He owes me himself."

Max shook his head, taking a step towards the door, a finger pointy with accusation. "Get out of my house." He spat. "Get out now, or you will force me to call the authorities."

For a moment the man looked like he would have turned and done what Max ordered. Then, without a warning, he lashed out his fist, connecting it with Max's lower jaw. The man turned towards the hall, and paced down it.

"Stop!" Max yelled, he jumped to his feet and ran after the man. "I am warning you."

Bart woke with a start at the yell and sat upright, shoving a fist in his eye, trying to rub away the sleep. He heard Dox's collar jingle slightly, telling him that the puppy was awaking also. "What is going on?"

His door was shoved open, and the boy turned his golden yellow eyes on a huge man.

"Who are you?"

There was no reply, not even a smile to confirm. The man was on Bart, forcing the boy down.

"Get off him!" Max yelled as he flung himself at the man.

Bart felt the huge hands clamp around his neck, and he could smell the faint scent of a cold sweat. The boy vibrated, slowly gaining the understanding that this was no friend of Max. He gasped slightly as he tagged the wall, rubbing his neck, wincing at nothing.

Max was yelling again, and the man threw him off, slamming him into the wall, cracking the plaster.

"Do not…" He didn't finish, the glint in his eyes faded as he heard the distant sirens. "How…" he dropped max down and turned to Bart once more, looking the boy over.

Bart looked right back, not backing down at the challenge. "What are you doing?"

The man gave no answer, and stretched out an arm, grabbing the boy at the scruff of his shirt. "Taking you back."

Bart vibrated, and was behind in the man in less than a second, in his grasp the blanket to his bed. The boy had it over the man's head, yet was slammed into the wall as the man reared back.

"You little-."

Max was at him then, and the sirens were dawning closer and closer.

"I am sure your friends will miss your accompanying them." He spat, turning on his heels and walking away.

"No you don't!" Max growled, going after him. "You are not le-." He was hurled back, his head slammed against the wall.

And the man looked him over, then suddenly turned, looking over the shadows. His eyes were small as they darted about. He jerked a hand into the shadows and pulled out a black haired girl.

"Helen." Max whispered, looking nervously up at the man.

The girl said nothing as the arms squeezed her neck. She had called the police…

"Let her go."

The sirens roared, just a few blocks away. They were almost upon them.

"Don't try anything Crandall…" The man hissed as he made his way to the door, slowly opening it.

Bart was at Max's side now. His already large eyes were larger. "Max… Helen!"

Max shoved the boy away. "Stay put Bart…" The man advanced out the door, and looked down to where Helen was sprawled on the ground, slowly getting up. A loud roar was let out as a white van pulled away, speeding across the way.

"Max!" Helen yelled, going to her father. "He had… he had in the van… the misty girl. She was trapped in some container! Crying for help!"

Bart, who stood at the doorway, shot off, speeding after the van.

"BART!!!"

"That's it speed boy, come and save your friend." The driver said uneasily, as if unsure about what would happen.

Bart felt slightly cold, and he was on the trucks tail, reaching towards it. Almost touching it… he could touch it in just a few moments when-

"Bart, NO!" Max grabbed the boy around the waist, pulling him to a stop. "Don't… we need to…"

Bart's mouth fell open as he watched the van slow down, as if to taunt him. "Suzie is in there!" Flashing lights speed past them, and sirens howled. "We have to get her back!"

Max let the boy go. "Go home, I'll get her…"

Bart was already streaking after the direction the cars had gone though. Ignoring what he had been told…


"All gone… but these two."

"Just out of sheer luck I suppose."

"Cassie should have been able to stop him… I don't understand."

"Kon too."

Robin leaned against the wall, glancing down at Bart who was twirling his thumbs. The boy didn't like being stuck here, listening to debates going on. His friends had been taken, and he didn't understand how it was possible for the JLA to simply tell of their disbelief.

"We need to move, there is no choice but start with…"

The conversation was dry now, and Robin touched his forehead, trying to calm his anger.

"StupidstupidstupidiswhatIthink." Bart was muttering, looking up at Robin.

Robin glanced over at his friend and managed a nod, yet his eyes were on Batman. He cleared his throat nervously. "Maybe Bart… but I don't know what else we can do but wait to see what the adults think." The boy whispered, lowering his head.

"Adults think to slow, I already have the answer… they should ask us what we think."

Wonder Woman glanced over at the boys, and then away.

Bart shook his head, causing his thick brown hair to get in his eyes. "I know the answer." He repeated, this time louder.

Max shot him a dirty look, and then returned to his conversation with Wally.

"Could we please meet in the other room for a few moments?" Superman suddenly announced, looking towards the two boys, and added. "Just the adults please."

Robin, who had started to follow, stopped in his tracks, scuffing a foot against the floor, and then took a few steps back.

Bart remained taking about how unfair this was, and how much he thought that they should go off by themselves and save the others. And the more he talked about his idea, the more Robin was considering it.

Soon enough, the door swung open and the small group of heroes adjourned.

"We spoke about what happened, and well… we think it best for you two to remain here while we go and find this man." Superman explained, his huge figure, towering over them.

Bart seemed not to fear him, as he was up on his huge feet in no time. "That's not fair, these are our friends!"

"As these are our own partners…I understand that you both worry and care for them, yet it is obvious that this man wants you two also… and this all could be some trap…" He slowly cleared his throat. "It would be safer if you simply stayed here."

Robin was looking to where Batman stood, then to Bart.

"This isn't fair, I am not waiting around here while you all get the action!" Bart let out, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Bart…this isn't about fun and games…" Came a sudden warning from the boy's mentor and caretaker.

"Son, don't worry about your friends… they will be fine." Superman added, placing a large hand on the small shoulder. "Now lets get started…Plastic Man agreed to stay with you two, make the boredom a little less… sufferable."

Robin rubbed his tongue against the back of his teeth. 'More like to make sure we don't try anything stupid… stupid adults…' He silently told himself, tightening his jaw, showing his frustration.

"Plastic Man!" Bart let out as he shoved his hands into the front pocket of his sweatshirt. "I don't believe this. Its obvious that you can't trust us…"

"That is because we cannot."

Both boys glanced over to where Superboy's odd-looking mentor stood, standing tall. "I can read your mind, young Allen… you forget."

Bart shook his head, glancing around the room for any support. His eyes fell on Max Mercury. "But Maaaaax. You can't just leave us here, just alone… just… kinda'… without…"

Max gave no comfort, instead he was stuck out his jaw, and his eyes glinted. "You have Plastic Man…he can watch you, and Bart. No funny stuff. I mean it."

Bart oddly took the same stature of his mentor, in a mocking way, yet said nothing.

"Lets head out." Superman ordered, and the group filed out of the room, leaving four people. Bart, Robin, Plastic Man, and Batman.

Batman looked down at a shifting eye Bart, who seemed nervous of him. The black figure found that rather comforting, yet his mission was not to see how nervous he could make the boy… He looked towards Robin, with silent words, causing his protégée to look away and nod.

"I won't… I won't…"

"I know you won't." The thing hissed, walking away, leaving a shrinking Bart, a shivering Plastic Man, and an angry Robin.

"Can't stand that guy, never see him change his expressions… never…" Plastic Man was muttering, more to himself than to the boys. "Hey, how about we, er…"

Bart looked up at him.

'That kid scares me…' Plastic Man told himself as he tried to smile. 'He's going to do something so impulsive that he'll kill himself and I'll be the one to blame.'

Robin was looking at him, with a slight glare.

"How about a little ball?" Plastic man questioned, forming into a goal post.

"No thanks, I don't like feetball…" Bart answered, turning to Robin. "This is stupid."

"It's football." Plastic Man was saying.

Robin watched Bart, zwip away, dashing all around the HQ, searching around everything.

"No! Bart, please… don't touch anything… you both were entrusted into my care and-." Plastic Man was yelling, hurrying after the boy. "Impulse!"

Bart stuck his head out of a doorway. "Hehehe, look what I found." He jumped out into plain sight, wearing a shirt that had a Bat with a 'X' over it. "Batman might get real mad if he saw this out in the open… he might actually say a few things."

Robin did not find this funny. Instead he found it to be extremely dull. If this were what the night held, he would rather do homework.

Impulse darted around the room, looking behind him at where Robin was crouched, working with the computer system. Beside him was an unconscious Plastic Man.

"It's a good thing Batman give you those knock-out thingy's." Impulse let out as he poked a finger at the adult, an innocent smile plastered across his face.

"It's a good thing Batman is going to kill me when he hunts me down." Robin muttered under his breath. "God! Stupid system. I don't think anyone can break into the JLA's computers Bart."

Impulse skidded over to his friend and shrugged. "It's to bad they thought ahead and blocked us from the transmitter, huh?"

Robin looked up with a stupid expression at his friend, thoroughly annoyed. "We can't get out any other way."

Impulse put his hands on his hips, and shrugged. "That's what you think." He began to vibrate, and let out a small laugh.

"Bart…" Robin said with a slight smile. "Well, lets go find Kon and the others…

"Won't they be glad to see us?" Impulse let out in a high-pitched voice.

"Won't they be glad to see us beaten to a pulp by the adults…won't Nightwing have a time with that."

Impulse gave a confused smile. "Ready?"

"Ready to die."

"Good!"

To be continued...