"How is he?" Aquaman wants to take him back to Atlantis. He wants his scientists and doctors to look him over. However, he knows they don't have the knowledge-technologically- to do this. "Any change?"

"From what we've gathered, "Martian Manhunter said, "His overall physiology is fine, however this may be some cause to worry."

"We have the Flash working on it." Batman said but glances at the video feed. " So far, we know there's a chemical compound in his system that has been administered several times in the past few months he's been gone."

"And these compounds have to do with the way he is now?" Aquaman guessed, "But what could do that?"

"There are trace amounts of mercury as well."

"That's...poison." Aquaman's eyes widen a bit. "To even give it to one of us is dangerous. What was he thinking?"

"He's not." Batman turns away, "In either case, the effects of this drug may just wear off, but we don't know the long lasting effects of it."

"And his memory?"

This time Martian Manhunter answers, " They are there, but have been blocked off somehow." He frowns at this, "I am unsure what was used or if it is simply Kaldur's own mind protecting itself. Perhaps in time it will return."


"Kaldur-"

"My name is not Kaldur." He said glaring at the white woman in front of him. "I do not know who this 'Kaldur' is but that is not my name."

Black Canary sighs on the other side of the bars that separated them. "Alright, what is your name then?"

He stares at her for a long time before turning his head, "Devil Ray. A person such as you cannot be fit to speak the name my Father gave me."

"A person such as me?" She raises a brow, "Because I'm a woman?"

"Your gender has nothing to do with it."

"Oh, it's because I'm white isn't it?" She resists the urge to smile grimly when she caught that look across his face. "That's it isn't it? You won't talk to me because of that?"

"Your kind is nothing but slavers. My Father has opened my eyes to this truth." He turns his head from her, "Be gone from my presence. I will not speak to the likes of you."


"Well," Black Canary says trying hard to get rid of this strange uncommon-yet it wasn't was it?- emotion that bubbled inside her. Like a constriction of the heart really. "Looks like you need to get someone else, Batman. He won't talk to me."

"I didn't think he would pass such a useless prejudice on to his son." Batman mutters, " Well, better call in Vixen and Stewart- J'onn as well. It might be more productive that way."

She sighs softly frowning at the video feed. "When he does get his memory back, do you think he'll remember the past three months?"

"Let's hope not."


"Alright, Jackson." John Stewart sits on the other side of the room from him watching him with the same interest as one would watch the weather. "Since you won't talk to Black Canary, you get me."

'Jackson' snorts before looking away to hide his smirk, "Really? That was her name? She does not resemble it at all. If she were called 'White' Canary, I would believe her."

"Bit racist there aren't you?" John raises a brow. "What does her skin color have to do with anything?"

"Everything." He says with conviction. "My Father taught me much about their people. I do not understand why you socialize with them. They enslaved us. Ridiculed us and our roots. Took away everything that made us human-for what?" He turns his head his gray eyes watching the walls with something of disgust. " I do not understand why people like you would be so friendly towards the likes of them."

"For one, they're my friends." John said even as the younger boy scoffs at him. "We've fought together in a lot of wars and battles. They've earned it. Didn't you earn yours?"

He eyed John for a moment before looking away, "I have no need of friends. My father will come here and you will regret not choosing the right side."

"Kid, you're going to regret a lot more than I will." John finally gets up feeling he wasn't getting anywhere with him, and left.

He watches him go and turns his head with a soft sigh. "They are nothing but slaves." He reminds himself.

That's what his father told him.

"Listen, Jackie," Black Manta-David that's his real name-said to him one night, "When you get out there with the rest of the men, you're going to have to fight against people like us."

"Why?" He didn't understand that. Why would their own people fight against them? They were doing something noble. Something good for them. "Do they not understand our cause and how just it is?"

"No, they don't." His father said with a grave tone, "They're just deluding themselves and others thinking they can get along with those people."

He nods slowly at that. "But do we have to kill them?"

"Some of them." His father said, "However, most will be too far gone to really understand the nature of our work. It's more merciful to kill them then anything else. That way they won't be slaves to the ones that have put this idea that they're really free in their heads."

"I understand."

He believes that. He really does. Closing his eyes, fourteen year old Jackson breathes out slowly and falls into a meditative state.

His father will come for him.


"I'm going to talk to him." Red Arrow said heading towards the cells, "If any of you would care to stop me-?"

"No." Robin mutters, "But I don't think it's a good idea. He doesn't know us."

"What my Uncle said is true. He really..." M'gann began.

"See this?" Red Arrow's hand was shaped in an 'O' "This is the many fucks I give."

Artemis elbows Wally in the side as he stifles a laugh. "Well you need back up. Just in case."

"Whatever." He turns and left them to follow him or not. It's been five days and nothing has changed.

Something has to give.


He opens his eyes and wanted immediately to roll them in disdain-or rather exasperation- when they came back. "What do you want?"

"To talk." The tall red head said. "That's all."

"Why should I talk to the likes of you?" He eyed them with particular distrust. "You put me in this cage."

"You were killing innocent people." The blonde- of course. Look at the blond that is held in high esteem, Jackie- girl says. Her dark eyes narrowing- but she's not the 'perfect' one with blue eyes, he thought to himself.- at him. "Do you think we'd just let you waltz around?"

"We have no limit on Archers on this team." The image was startling as hearing his own voice in his head. Why was he talking to him?

Still he turns his head, "I was merely setting them free of their mental bonds. They believed themselves to be free when they were merely slaves of the those people."

"Those people?" The red head exchanged looks with one of the others with him. "What are you talking about?"

"My father told me everything." He continues, "I am merely stating the truth."

"According to Black Manta, huh?" Wally shakes his head, "It's obvious he's lying to you. Or don't you think for yourself?"

"Of course, I do." He snaps. "I've seen what your 'police' have done to my people. I've seen how they're treated. Father-" He stops talking. "I have nothing else to say."

"So, who's the daddy's boy in this room?"

"Shut up Wally."

"Dude, they have a headquarters- in SPACE." Again with these annoying images. They seems to crop up more when these people were around him.

He needs to get away, but he must be patient.

There will always be an opportunity to do so.


AN: Everything is taking the cue from Black Manta's ways of recruiting people in the 60s-70s. He told them that they should leave the land and find a place under the sea-ie Atlantis- where they could live without the prejudice and ect that plagued them. It works for a while but of course Cal Durham (person Kaldur's named after) got fed up and saw through the BS (Black Manta didn't give two shits about anything but himself at this point) thus turned on him.

Thus Kaldur in this story is going to be pretty racist and irrational. (well..de-aged brainwashed. Poor kid's gonna be screwed.)