THE CHRONICLES OF VALKYRIE CAIN:

It often amazes me how most adults will give no mind or thought to children. It's not that they don't know they're not there, it's more of the fact that they won't think it will matter. Children are innocents, naive, easily swayed. Why would anyone bother being wary of them? It was therein that lay my advantage. If one could but display a perfect mask of the average child: Wide eyed, dumb, and incapable of following a simple conversation, then the rest would fall unerringly into place, leaving the adults one the wiser.


The fire began in one of the labs. It could be so easily mistaken as an accident, a byproduct of a power overload or the like. And that was what made it perfect. She knew that he was suspicious of the labs, and with good reason, and would leap at the chance to investigate in depth. All she had to do was wait. And hopefully not be seen. Usually it would be a given that she could avoid detection, but she was tired and worn, and at this point couldn't afford any mistakes. She could wait. They would be here soon.


"Sir" "What!?" Dr. Desmond snapped.

"We have captured the girl sir"

"Good bring her in"

The door hissed open to show three guards, two of which held something in between them. With a grunt they threw it to the ground, a flash of white following the action.

"You idiots!" Desmond yelled as he crouched beside it "If you have damaged it the board will have your heads"

The guards started to mumble an excuse but Robin wasn't really listening to them. He was staring at what was now identified as a young white-haired girl, because Robin had seen something that only a protégé of Batman would notice. He had seen her tense, then deliberately relax. She was awake but what was she waiting fo- Wham! In one fluid motion that screamed she had training the girl had punched Desmond in the face, knocked him onto his back, jumped over him and had made a run for the door. But she had forgotten about the guards, Kid Flash tried to yell a warning but it was too late, the guard had pulled out his Taser and used it. The girl dropped to the floor. , (cradling a broken nose) gestured towards an extra pod and told them to put her in.

"Start the cloning process" he instructed"

"Pass" Robin said dismissively "the Batcaves crowded enough", "and get the weapon back into its pod" Desmond snapped as though Robin hadn't spoken.

"Hey" Kid Flash objected "how come he gets to call supey an it?"

Superboy hesitated, his eyes on the only girl of the group, who was somehow still conscious. She met his gaze with purple colored eyes that flashed defiantly as though asking 'well watcha gonna do 'bout it?' Desmond scowled "Don't go thinking now" he warned as the g-Nome on his shoulder jumped onto Superboy's. The g-nomes horns glowed red as SB straightened abruptly, all emotion emptying from his face. He walked quickly to the door and exited. As soon as he was gone needles extracted from the tops of the pods and began to extract the teen's blood. It was very painful. Very. But suddenly it stopped. Aqualad, Robin, and Kid flash looked up and saw Superboy standing over a fallen Dr. Desmond.

"Don't give me orders" he growled, then met the surprised gazes of the sidek-ahem, Partners.

"Are you here to help us or fry us?" Kid Flash asked.

Superboy squinted at him for a moment before relaxing, "Well I don't seem to have heat vision so I guess helpings the only option".

'click'

"Finally!" Robin exclaimed "If Batman knew how long it took me to escape he'd have my head"

"Dude!" KF yelled "that's what you're worried about? The entire league will have our heads for this!"

Dropping to the floor Robin ordered "I'll get Aqualad, you get Kid Mouth"

"Don't you give me orders either" Superboy warned before ripping the restraints off KF's wrists, letting him drop to the floor. Aqualad walked over to the fourth pod where the girl hung by her wrists, her head touching her chest.

"Do we take her with us?" KF asked shifting from foot to foot, eager to run. Aqualad studied her for a moment then nodded, Superboy stepped forward and broke her wrist restraints. The girl fell forward with a groan and Superboy caught her then carefully gave her to Aqualad to carry. The group turned toward the door. "You won't escape" Desmond croaked "I'll have you all in pods again before long." Robin frowned.

"That guy is not whelmed" he said, shaking his head "Not whelmed at all"

Throwing an exploding birdarang at the tanks of blood the teens ran from the room. Dr. Desmond watched them go, then turned to the g-Nome on his shoulder "activate all of the g-nomes in the facility" he told it. The g-Nome nodded and its horns glowed red.

...

"Don't be mad" Robin said "This is perfect"

"One problem" KF said "how do we take the girl with us? We can't drag her"

Robins face fell as he realized this flaw in his plan.

"You won't have to" a weak voice called out. The teens turned to see Aqualad gently place the girl on the ground

"Can you make it?" he asked with concern, she nodded and walked over to the air vent. Robin went first since he had the map, then the girl, then KF, then Aqualad, then Superboy. They crawled for a while then stopped so Robin could hack into the system to throw them off.

"I hacked the motion sensors" he crowed with his signature grin. Leading them to an exit he kicked grate out, jumped down, and then turned to help the girl down. Robin looked around and frowned

"There are more between us and the way out"

"Who cares?" KF said pulling down his goggles "Now I've got room to move"

There was a yellow blur and he was gone. The others followed with Aqualad helping the girl at the front and Superboy at the back. They turned a corner and found Kid Flash on his back having, apparently, ran into the huge, thick metal door.

"We're barred off from the street" Robin said with a frown.

"Really?" KF asked sarcastically "Because my head hadn't noticed"

Robin ignored him and instead started to work on opening the door "This'll take time" he warned "Time we do not have" Aqualad replied. Scooping up the girl bridesmaid style he and the others continued to run until they found themselves surrounded by g-nomes big and small led by Guardian and Dubbilex. The teens suddenly keeled over save for Superboy, unconscious. "I choose freedom" Superboy told Dubbilex hesitantly, as the horned man nodded acceptance the teens awoke and Guardian put a hand to his head

"Feels like fog lifting" he said thickly "Go" he continued , lowering his arm, determination in his eyes "I'll deal with Desmond."

"I think not" the doctor replied appearing from the shadows, "Project Blockbuster will help me restore order to Cadmus" he declared, lifting a tube with a glowing blue liquid in it and drank it all down. Then the muscles appeared, rippling across his body.

VALKYRIES P.O.V

I watched in a mixture of interest and disgust as the thing that used to be continued to swell and grow with muscles.

"Go!" Guardian yelled as he charged the... Blockbuster, I guess we'll call it. He was flicked away like he was no more than a pesky fly. Aqualad (I'm pretty sure it was him) shoved me away then charged the thing himself. Crouching behind a pillar I had a short mental battle with myself before giving in. 'Screw incognito, they need my help', and with an outward sigh I drew on my powers, causing shadows to creep up my body to cover my clothes and replace them with my costume. When the shadows dispersed I was in a floor length black cloak with a deep hood and cowl that hid everything but my mouth. Underneath it I wore a domino mask (in case my hood came off) very similar to Robin's, Under my cloak I wore a deep purple colored gymnasts uniform like Canary's but it continued up the neck with no sleeves until it covered the throat. On my feet were black boots that reached a little below my knees, fingerless gloves covered my hands.

I looked around and noticed that the fight had moved away from me and topside. Flying through the new hole in the roof I paused and looked around. Seeing no immediate danger I floated higher and turned to look behind me. That's when Blockbuster was thrown into me, with a yelp of surprise I 'ghosted' through him but not before shooting back eight feet. Climbing to my feet I was met with the surprised gazes of Superboy, Robin, Kid Flash and Aqualad.

"Who are you?" Aqualad demanded. There was a whoosh of air from behind me and I immediately tackled them to the ground, dodging the chunk of rock Blockbuster had thrown at us.

"Fight now, talk later" I replied quickly

"Fine" Robin agreed "But what's your name?"

I looked at him for a moment then said "Valkyrie Cain"

...