Summary: Cadmus Labs has added a new branch where they are testing on Meta-Humans. One in particular a young girl who's father is one of the Endless. So in an attempt to save the real Roy Harper the Young Justice Team(along with a few new additions) go and try to save him. But while at the labs the Gamma Squad, lead by the current Robin find said girl along with a speedster that claims he is from the future. After a weird experience Gamma Squad managed to save both captives. But that is only the beginning as Meta-Humans have been causing trouble throughout the world causing the Young Justice Team to recruit more members than ever and get old faces to join. All the while dealing with Teen Angst and possible Love. Will they overcome it? Well let's hope so...
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and my character.
A scream could be heard throughout the lab as a young girl cried in pain. She had been taken on an assumption of who her father could possibly be. Did she know? Of course not, her mother told her that he had walked out the second he found out about her. Did the people at the lab care though? No, they were convinced she was lying through her teeth. If anything she thought she was there because of her "talents". You see the young girl screaming her head off while being shocked could control dreams, not only that but make your worst nightmares a reality. It was enough to get her and start testing.
"You ready to tell the truth now Ms. Anders?" one of the scientist asked as they put the shock valve off. All Ms. Anders did to respond is cry. "Put her back in her room. I want her rested before we start testing the strength of her power again. Just don't let her fall asleep." A shadowed figured ordered as they left the room. As soon as the figure left Ms. Anders, better known as Lettie to her friends, was escorted out of the room and into one with no bed. The lights were bright, and seemed to make the all-white room brighter making it impossible for someone to fall asleep. And that was the point, Lettie's other "talent" was the ability to go into dreams and travel like that. She had even named it, calling it "Dream Hopping". There was even one case where she made someone fall into a reoccurring dream. Simply put, the person would always be waking up within a dream until the effect was taken off them. Lettie wasn't able to do it again but she tried. She'd been trying the day she was brought to the Lab. So far nothing, all she had been able to do was keep the Nightmares she manifested around for hours at a time without tiring her out anymore.
Soon Lettie was leaning against the wall in her "room" rubbing her wrists. She was beyond exhausted; it had been days since she last slept. It had been longer since she had last seen anything aside from the scientists and shadowed figures. All she wanted to do was sleep, and was on her way to do that too when a blaring siren ripped through the room, causing poor Lettie to cover her ears and grind her teeth until the siren subsided. It was how they were keeping her awake for days on end, anytime she showed signs of appearing to be asleep. This happened often.
Lettie yawned and kept rubbing her wrist as she closed her eyes. One thing she always checked for was anyone sleeping around her. No one ever was but she could hope. With a frustrated sigh she opened her eyes and leaned her head against the wall looking at the lights. Soon though she had to look away since her eyes started to burn. Again she started slipping into slumber, but before she could the door to her room banged open and the scientists escorted her to another room.
MEANWHILE AT MOUNT JUSTICE
"You will all continue your training today. I know it's a lot but we need to establish some more trust within the team. Now I'm not saying we don't have any, we just need more." Nightwing said as he looked out at his team. It had been a long week, missions were piling up steadily. To say the least he was stressed, and being pulling in too many directions. He had to keep up his appearances as Richard "Dick" Grayson, so Bruce would be happy. He had to make it on time for dates so Barbra was happy, and he still had to manage time to mentor Timothy Drake, the newest Robin so he wouldn't end up like Jason Todd did. Plus having to keep appearances as Nightwing in Bludhaven. Throw in the fact that he was now leading Young Justice along with M'gann and Conner with limited help from the Justice League. But that last part was normal enough so he didn't stress about that as much.
"Any questions so far?" He asked as Garfield Logan raised his hand like any 13 year old would. Inwardly Dick sighed, but couldn't help but smirk as he pointed at Gar. "Yes Beast Boy?"
"So like, are we going to do that trust exercise they make us do at school? Where we fall backwards in hopes that are partner will catch us? 'Cause if we are, I call Robin." Garfield said simply as he crossed his green arms across his chest as Dick tried not to laugh.
"Why me?" Tim asked a bit confused as he looked at Garfield.
"Well, out of everyone here you seem the most trustworthy. So it made sense." Garfield said with a shrug. This time Dick couldn't reign in his laughter, he waved his hand as everyone looked at him.
"Sorry." He muttered as he shook his head. "I just find it funny how Beast Boy can trust a guy who wears a mask and isn't allowed to reveal his alter ego. But no Beast Boy, this exercise will involve working together as a whole while in the field. Now what I want you to do is-" he began explaining until he heard the Zeta-Beam fire up and the computer system announce who it was.
"And this, kids is The Cave. Formally known as Mount Justice until I renamed it." Flash said as he was followed by an African American boy wearing a purple trench cloak, purple gloves, purple combat boots, a pair of purple goggles atop his dread locked hair, black pants, a white belt and white mask, and a black shirt with a yellow logo of a lightning bolt encircled. Followed by a Caucasian boy wearing a duo toned green outfit with a metallic backpack, knee and elbow pads, and an off green visor that covered his face. The two boys looked around in excitement as Flash just smiled like he'd done something right.
"You renamed it? I thought that was the League KF." Dick said smugly as Flash, or rather Wally West glared at him. The two had remained friends, though now it seemed like they were bickering brothers always riding on each other every chance they got. Not that anyone was really able to tell the difference, they always acted like this whether they were wearing their masks or they weren't.
"Well I am in the League Nighty, so by default I did nickname it The Cave." Wally said as he approached the newest Young Justice team, the two boys following behind. "Anyways, meet Static and Gear your newest members. Batman and Superman found them in Dakota protecting a city and thought it would be good for them to join this team. Plus it wouldn't hurt for them to get some actual training." He explained as Dick nodded and began sizing up Static and Gear as they went and began talking to different people throughout the team. They seemed like any other Meta-human teens that joined the group, happy to be with people who wouldn't judge them too much off what they looked like or what they could do.
"Ok, well welcome guys. I was just telling the team about a new trust exercise, it's designed for us as a whole to learn to trust one another while in the field. You two could join in, or watch if you'd like." Dick said simply enough as the two nodded at him. Dick had heard a few things about the two from Bruce, and even Tim seeing as he had met them. So he knew that Static had electric type powers and Gear had been a former vessel for Brainiac and since being it had acquired an inhuman like knowledge. They were good members to have on the team, but what worried Dick was their ability to work with the other members and the other members accepting them into the team. It was something only the leader or the League would worry about, but Dick had the upmost trust in Bruce that these two would be good in the team.
"Now we'll go into the simulation roo-" he began when he heard the Zeta-Beam fire up again and announce the presence of Batman and Superman. Dick and Wally were about to say hi to the World's Finest when they saw the shake of the head from the Man of Steel. "What's wrong?" the two friends asked at the same time concerned.
"We have reason to believe we may have found the real Roy Harper in a division of Cadmus' labs. Red Arrow is on his way now to meet up with your team so you may go and infiltrate it." Superman said as Batman pulled up a map they had retrieved recently.
"Why are we in charge of this?" Superboy asked curiously.
"The League has their own problem to deal with. Red Tornado and Cyborg will help you out any way they can while we are gone." Batman said coldly as was normal for him as a map was on the screen. "Now, the security seems to alter depending on the hour. There could be anywhere from one main group to ten. And those alter with members. Now this branch of Cadmus is new to us, we don't know how or why it was created, but we believe they are testing Meta-Humans to recruit them into an army. Maybe even clone them. It's still unclear to us on what they are doing. Your mission is to go in, find Roy and retrieve any information about this branch. Nothing more." He ordered as he turned to face the group in front of him. "You all understand?"
"Yes, we understand." Dick said as his mind began to race with battle plans as he glanced at the map. Batman nodded before motioning both Superman and Wally to follow him to the Zeta-Beam. And like that they were gone. "Ok. Batgirl, Wondergirl and Bumble Bee are with me in Alpha. We'll infiltrate the Lab from here, the swearers north of it. Red Arrow will join us; from there we will search for Roy. Miss Martian, Superboy, Blue Beatle and Gear you'll infiltrate the Labs from the south. There should be a fire entrance there. You will get any and all information you can, download it all into this flash drive. Robin, Beast Boy, Lagoon Boy, and Static you are Gamma. You will be in the east of the Labs, you'll infiltrate and find out what they are doing with the Meta-Humans. Nothing more. No matter what you see, you will not save them until we are cleared by the Justice League to. Everyone understand their missions?" he asked as he watched as every member in the room nod. "Gear I want you leading Beta, and Robin I want you leading Gamma."
"Why me? I thought noobs just sat back and watched?" Gear asked, both shocked and delighted that he was chosen to lead Gamma squad.
"You are a Whiz at computers Gear; why else would they choose you for Intel Man?" Static said with a shrug and a smile as he crossed his arms over his chest. All Gear did was glare at Static before nodding at the truth behind the words. So he nodded and stood with his squad as they talked about what they should do.
BACK AT THE CADMUS LAB BRANCH
The spider blinked each of its eight-ish eyes one by one as it looked at Lettie. It opened and closed its pinchers before turning to the other person, a boy with ginger hair and blue eyes. "Stop doing that Colette, you know 50 foot spiders are one of my worst fears." He said as the spider shrunk in size and crawled closer toward him, causing him to twitch before the thing disappeared.
"Sorry Bart, I'm not thinking straight." Lettie said with a yawn like sigh. It had been hours since her earlier torture that day, and the rate the day was going she was bound to have another session with the shadowed figures. Now though she had time to interact with some of the other teens that were there. One being Bart Allen, a boy who claimed to be from the future and the grandson of Barry Allen. Like his grandfather he had super human speed. Lettie didn't question his claim, mostly because he hadn't judged her, claiming that she would survive this ordeal that had been dealt to her and became something great.
Hope. Something most of the kids needed in a place like this, no matter how small it was. Lettie glanced around the room, noting people here and there that would rather have her locked up than be free. Most of the Meta-Humans hated her, or found her talents to be even freakish for the likes of them. It was people like Bart that didn't mind, he understood she couldn't control most of it and what she could control she was being forced to use nonstop. Sure Lettie hadn't been there long, just for almost five weeks, and it was just recently that the shadowed figures and ordered to keep her awake. So far it had been six days, according to Bart that is. Lettie couldn't even tell you the time if she wanted.
"I can tell. Have they stopped asking you questions yet?" Bart asked curiously as Lettie shook her head and rubbed her eyes. He was about to add something when one of the guards announced that everyone was to get back to their rooms, or tasks for the day. "Guess I'll see you later…" he muttered as he and Lettie stood up.
It wasn't long until Lettie was back in her all white room, resting her head against the wall. Dozing off here and there but never actually getting to. Again, every time she tried too a siren would go off causing her to jump and cover her ears.
MEANWHILE WITH GAMMA SQUAD
Tim sighed, again Dick had entrusted him with a squad that was known for getting no action in the field. He knew there were good reasons; both Dick and Bruce were worried that he'd turn out like Jason Todd. The second Robin after Dick had become Nightwing. Jason had died at the hands of the Joker, a crowbar and a deadly bomb that also killed a doctor. Tim understood, he did really; he just wanted a little more leeway when it came to the team and leading a squad. If anything he would want to be in Alpha just once.
"Yo Rob, are we going in yet?" Static asked as he stood next to the Boy Wonder. Tim could honestly say he was close friends with Static, and with his alter ego Virgil Hawkins. They had met through Batman, when the Dark Knight teamed up with the young Meta-Human a couple times. One instant had Static coming back from the future. Though that was another story all together.
"Yeah. So we go in through the garage over there. Try not to draw attention to yourselves. If anything happens we meet back here and call for backup. Remember we aren't saving anyone today." Tim said as everyone nodded and they began on their way.
So far it didn't even look like there were any guards on duty. Or rather, none that actually wanted to be in this part of the building so late at night. Gamma squad was able to walk into the section of the Labs with ease, making sure their guard was up despite the lack of security or people.
"It seems strangely quiet in here." Beast Boy exclaimed as the team made it to a long white hallway lined with doors on both sides. Beast Boy carefully peeked through one of the windows to peer in. He was met by deep brown eyes of a blonde girl. He gave her a small smile before wincing and covering his ears as an ear piercing alarm went off from a room down the hall and to the left. The team was all hunched over with their hands to their ears, but as soon as the siren had started it stopped.
"What was that?" Lagoon Boy asked as he, and the rest, stood up straight and removed their hands from their ears. Everyone shrugged though as each began looking through the windows of each door. Each saw their own fair share of kids in conditions that made their hearts go out to them. But what they needed was information, and they couldn't just do that while they were on the other sides of the doors.
"Ok, I say we each choose a room to go in to and ask what's going on. Sound good?" Robin asked as each member nodded, before again hearing the siren go off. This time all the team did was wince. "I'll go check out the room with that siren and see what's going on. We meet back at the beginning of the hall in an hour. Try to talk to as many people as you can." He said before walking to the end of the hall and peered into the brightly lit room where a girl with long dark brown hair sat leaning against the wall. She didn't look to be happy, and if anything Tim would say she looked like she hadn't gotten a decent night's sleep in a long time. Naturally he tried opening the door, but found you needed a key to get in. With a sigh and the shake of his head he reached into his utility belt for his key lock device he used to get into lock doors. It didn't have a name really, if anything the closest thing to it was "The unlocky thingy" that Beast Boy had deemed it a couple years ago. It wasn't anything special though.
Quickly and swiftly Tim went to work of unlocking the door in front of him. As he was about to enter he looked down the hall and watched as each of his squad members began unlocking the doors they had chosen in their own unique way. Looking back at his own door Tim braced himself before entering. Immediately the girl's attention went to him, her royal blue eyes fixed on him as closed the door a bit behind him. He had noticed that there was no door handle on this side of the door, so getting out would be a problem if the door was shut completely. Tim watched as the girl tilted her head at him and sighed tiredly.
"Who are you?" she asked in a tired voice as she stayed where she was. "You don't look like the rest of the scientists."
"That's because I'm not a scientist. I'm Robin." Tim answered as he moved in front of the girl and kneeled down to be on the same level as her. She looked to be about his age, with a build of that of Artemis when she was younger. He also noticed a lot of bruises and burns on the girl, not to mention how she kept rubbing her wrists where you could see where restraints had cut into her. It was clear that no one cared what condition this girl was in.
"Are you here to save me? Or the rest of the kids here?" she asked as she perked up. But as Tim shook his head she went back to rubbing her wrist and even leaned her head against the wall. "Then why are you here?"
"I just need to know what's going on here. Why have you all been gathered? Do you have any idea?"
The girl shook her head as her eyes began to droop down. "No, I don't. Each kid was taken for different reasons, but what we have in common is powers that someone wants to use for their own gain."
"So you don't know anything?" he asked with a sigh as the girl shook her head no. Well this was going nowhere fast, he just hoped the rest of the team were having better luck. "Can you tell me your name at least?"
"Colette Anders, but people just call me Lettie." Lettie said as she slowly opened her eyes and looked at the Boy Wonder. She opened her mouth so say something before she heard an all too familiar voice and face at her door.
"Lettie! I see Robin found you. Good good. Now come on we need to get out of here now." Bart said with a smile as both Tim and Lettie noticed the blood coming from the ginger's knee. Bart saw where the two were looking and shrugged it off. "I'm fine, already healed up and ready to get on out of here. Now come on before the guards stop focusing on the other squads and come rushing over here." He said before he went over and helped Lettie up. Tim stared on a bit wide eyed, trying to think things through. But before he could stop the two, they were out of the room leaving him to follow.
The siren had stopped, and Tim had a feeling it was because Lettie was not in the room anymore. But he wasn't all that sure as he followed the two captives of the lab to the end of the hall where the rest of the squad was. Static seemed to be explaining something to the rest, and then nodded at Tim when he joined the group.
"Like I said we just need to get these two out of here and I'll explain once I talk to Batman." Static said as the others just shook their head and both Bart and Lettie looked confused.
"We aren't supposed to take anyone with us Static. Remember? Those were the orders." Tim said simply, though he had to admit he would have found any reason to get at least someone out too.
"I know that, but we can't just leave Barry Allen's grandson here. And he won't leave unless he has this girl with him. So we have to take them." Static explained simply, he didn't want to cause anything but he knew that if for whatever reason Cadmus tapped into whatever powers both Barry and Bart had, it wouldn't end all that well. Besides he was shooting Tim a look that said to trust in.
"This have to do with future stuff?" Tim asked after a while of both he and Static starring each other off.
"You know it. Just trust me, we need to get these two out of here before someone finds out we were here." Static said again as the rest of the team just stared on.
With a sigh Tim just nodded and motioned for everyone to head on out. It wasn't until they were halfway down the hall when they heard Nightwing tell everyone to abort the mission though the telepathic link Miss Martian had set up for everyone at the moment. He nodded as everyone seemed to pick up the pace, well everyone save for Bart who zoomed out of the place faster than a speeding bullet. Guess that settled Static's claim on who he was.
They were almost out when a group of buffed men clad in all white stood in there way, each holding some type of weapon that was foreign to Robin. Each hero was about ready to attack when Lettie stepped in front of them and fixed her gaze on each man. One by one they seemed to drop to the floor in pure fear, and for a second Tim swore he saw her hair turned from the deep brown it was to different shade of black and white. Like a dark night with the stars coming out, but as soon as it had happened it was over. Lettie was rubbing her wrists as each man seemed to be frozen in fear on the floor.
"I think we should keep going now." Lettie said as she continued forward just as Bart returned with something as he handed it to Lettie and continued to lead the way out of the Lab. No one really questioned her, well aside from Beast Boy who was asking a million and one questions but everyone followed her out.
Soon they were out of the lab just in time for it to vanish.
"Well….that's convenient. How are we supposed to find it now?" Beast Boy questioned just as they spotted both teams coming their way. The first to arrive was Nightwing and Superboy, who didn't look all that happy. Though their moods seemed to worsen when they noticed both Bart and Lettie, though Superboy's anger subsided quickly. He was glad they had gotten someone out of there, even if it was just two people. He was able to relate just barely with the two. Nightwing on the other hand just looked plain mad.
"I thought I said recon. Nothing more, did you guys really think they wouldn't notice two kids not there?" Nightwing all but yelled causing Lettie to wince. Nightwing saw this and took and deep breathe in an attempt to calm himself. Last thing he needed was to scare the poor girl off after who knows what she'd just been through.
"Nightwing, we needed to get them out. Bart here is just someone they shouldn't have and I'm sure Batman will back me up on this one. But it's my fault we took them out no one else's." Static said, earning him a harsh look and sigh from Nightwing.
"Well we can't change anything now. Guess we should get them back to The Cave and figure everything out." Nightwing said as the whole team gathered together, each taking in the two newest additions in their own ways.
"Did you guys find Roy?" Blue Beetle asked as he looked around, only spotting Red Arrow who didn't seem all too happy.
"No, he was here but they moved him." Red Arrow said bitterly as Lettie's ears perked up.
"You mean Roy Harper?" she asked as she got a look from everyone.
"You saw him?" Miss Martian asked gently as Lettie nodded.
"Yeah, well all the kids meet together." Lettie spoke as she noticed everyone looking at her to continue on. "Uh, he didn't look that good. Was missing a forearm, but he said that they never kept him in one place for too long. That and half the time he's asleep in one of the pods." She explained as she watch Red Arrow get mad and storm off, saying something about how he'd find Roy sooner or later. She didn't quite understand but figured it was for the best to just keep quiet.
"Thanks. Now let's get you two somewhere safe." Nightwing said with a small smile, his bad mood starting to fade slowly as he had Miss Martian call her aircraft.
"So, who are you guys anyways?" Lettie asked as the ship arrived and landed.
"Oh, you know. We're just the Young Justice." Beast Boy said with a huge grin as he entered the ship.
And there you have it, hope you guys liked it. So R&R, I somewhat promise that chapters won't be this long all the time. It just all depends on how everything I have plan out goes with each chapter.