"We need Star Labs to finish a device to stop Fatherboxes soon," Nightwing said angrily at the news Alpha and Beta squads sent. Another metahumans attack occurred tonight. Small, no civilian injured but it will still make the news with Justice League speculation sure to follow.
"And we also need someone to defund Godfrey's TV show," I said as a small screen appeared with his face discussing the "details" from last week's attack.
Another attack occurred this time more severe than the last with several injured citizens, one in critical condition. And some news stations were already making speculations about metahumans terrorists and the Justice Leagues inability to apprehend them.
"We need to find another way," Kaldur said with the same tone of slight anger. "Incapacitate them before they can get away."
"How can we incapacitate them when it's a different combination with each attack?" I asked. "The team can't just bring a trunk full of inhibitor collars and hope we have the right ones."
"That also doesn't bode well with the small window of time they give us," Nightwing stated.
"And EMP inhibitors don't work," I said thinking about Robin's attempt in the last encounter. The squads arrived shortly, all in defeated moods, for debriefing.
After debriefing the others left while M'gann and Connor stayed. "So they appear, cause enough chaos to cause Justice League attention, and when or before they arrive, they disappear by a Fatherbox. Never the same group of individuals, never the same location, never the same circumstances," I said listing off what we know.
"And I couldn't read their minds," Miss Martian added, annoyed.
I pursed my lips. "So they have literally thought of everything," I state. "Great."
"There must be something," Connor said in retort.
"We can try to predict who will be in the next attack, the element twins are a high possibility," Nightwing said. "We can bring their inhibitor collars, apprehend one of them, and bring them in for interrogation."
"But one of them usually has the Fatherbox," I retorted.
"We are also assuming that they will be there when we arrive," Kaldur said pointed out.
"And if not when we arrive that we can possibly be at the next location they appear at," M'gann also pointed out.
"When I became a hero, I didn't plan for on-the-job gambling," I stated leaning against the back of my seat.
"My, my, they have grown since last month," Kaldur's father said as we walked into the room.
"Papa!" Alena exclaimed before releasing my hand and wandering over to her Grandfather. Manuel followed and both crawled into his lap.
"Yes, they are," I said in agreement. "They get their height from Kaldur, thankfully."
"And where is my son?" he asked looking over my shoulder.
"We are having some…issues on the mainland," I said with a grimace before replacing it with a smile. "So I am solo today, but Kaldur sends his greetings and sorrow that he had to miss his visit. I think it's because he wanted to defeat you at chess once again."
The man cracked a smile. "He fails to realize that I let him win."
I smirk. "As you keep claiming."
"How are they doing with their swimming lessons?" he inquired. Last time we were here I told him that the twins would begin learning to swim, since by Atlantian standards they were late.
"Amazing, of course," I smiled as the twins probably showed him the memories. "Kaldur really loves being able to teach them. Getting a house with a pool was a great decision."
"It's a rite of passage for a father to teach his young to survive," he proclaimed. "That is universal, transcending any species."
"I wish that was right of all men," I said remembering my biological father. "All Luthor does is involve himself in schemes that can kill his forgotten children."
"It is right of all men," he said defiantly. "Those with the genetic deposition to be men, do not have a guarantee of becoming men."
I smirked. "Insinuating that my biological father is indeed not a man is just another reason why I enjoy our conversations."
We stayed for a couple of hours before the twins began to fall asleep. First, Manuel was out for the count, coming up to me and crawling on my lap before leaning back and snoring seconds later. Alena fell asleep while her Grandfather was teaching her the fundamentals of chess, boring for any two year old.
"Before we leave, there is one thing I would just like to ask of you," I said after a moment of silence that formed once he realized Alena was no longer conscious. "You do not have to answer if you do not wish too, but curiosity and the strong urge to protect my family leave no other choice. Do you know of the Light's future plans?"
He stayed silent starring at the sleeping toddler in his lap. He looked at me moments later. "I wish it were in my power to help but I was unfortunately not as involved in the scheming as I would have liked to be. I was told what to do and what was occurring days or weeks before the plan was to play out."
I frowned. "I understand."