Hey, M'gann, Kid Flash mentally joked. Not that I don't love talking to you, but do you mind? I'm kind of in the middle of something.
Nearby, Mammoth grunted and lashed out with a giant fist. Kid Flash ducked around it, running circles around the larger metahuman quickly enough to kick up a cloud of dust from the dirty warehouse floor. It temporarily blinded both Mammoth and the various Billy clones surrounding them.
Kid Flash could still see fine through his goggles. He suspected that Gizmo could do the same.
Just what are you doing? Artemis demanded through the mind-link. One minute you were training with the rest of us, and the next, you'd taken off to go take care of some warehouse robbery, two hundred miles away!
Kid Flash ran at the nearest Billy Numerous clone at top speed, knocking it into two others. The clones all fell on one another in a clumsy heap, cursing loudly. Hey, in my defense, I told you guys not to follow me! Kid thought back defensively to his teammates.
He saw a flash of movement behind him and spun around. It was Gizmo again, zooming toward him in the air with his jet-pack. The boy seemed to have finally run out of missiles, but Kid Flash noticed that a few new chambers had opened up in his metal arm gauntlets, revealing a handful of small machines that looked suspiciously like tasers. The boy's arms crackled visibly with raw electricity.
"Well, that's new," Kid Flash muttered.
Gizmo came at him without a word.
Kid Flash thought quickly. He knew if he made contact with the gauntlets at all, he'd find himself electrocuted – but it wasn't like Gizmo was any more difficult to dodge than the others. They'd all clearly had extensive combat training, but that didn't make them fast.
Still dodging blows from all sides, Kid continued to chat with the rest of the Team through the telepathic link, cheerfully asking, So did you guys seriously follow me all the way here from Happy Harbor?
Duh! Of course we did, snapped Robin. We're in the Bio-Ship. I mean, come on, you took one look at the holo-screen and just – took off! What were we supposed to think?
Robin is right, Aqualad said in a tone that was somehow both warning and polite. Your behavior was suspicious, including telling us not to follow. We could not rule out the possibility that you were being blackmailed or were otherwise in danger.
Kid Flash rolled his eyes behind his goggles, flashing a grin at another Billy Numerous clone before punching him hard in the stomach.
Way to overreact, you guys! he said. It's nothing like that. I just recognized this specific group of criminals by their crime patterns, so I decided to go out and stop them before they could hit any more targets. It's nothing to worry about.
A flash of movement drew his attention back to the warehouse. Jinx, eyes glowing, waved her hand toward him from a safe perch several dozen yards away, still holding her head in her free hand. There was no fire or burst of light, but a second later Kid Flash found himself nearly tripping again. He had to improvise an impromptu half-flip off Mammoth's wide back in order to land on his feet again.
We kind of have a history together, Kid Flash added.
He didn't hear anything through the telepathic link for a while after that, which probably meant that the Team was either distracted with landing inconspicuously, or just really annoyed at him.
Kid Flash didn't mind either way. He had his hands full with the baddies – Gizmo nearly grazed him with his sparking arm gauntlets on the next strike, sending Kid Flash skidding back to avoid him. After that, one last hex from Jinx sent the speedster careening into an overturned crate nearby. Muttering curses, Kid Flash clambered free of the random piles of junk and knickknacks: but then he halted, his eyes catching on something nearby that could potentially be very useful.
"Hello, Wally!" he said loudly, unable to hold back a grin. He lightly slapped his forehead with one hand and reached out to grab a handful of the wiring cables with the other. "This ought to slow them down..."
When the Team finally snuck in, scarcely a ninety seconds later, it was only to find that half the bad guys had already been taken out of commission.
The warehouse certainly looked like a recent battle zone. The five teenagers glanced around at the upturned crates and scattered junk littering the ground, wary and ready for anything. Despite Kid Flash's words, they all knew better than to let their guard down in the presence of unfamiliar enemies. At Aqualad's command, the members of the Team fanned out, covertly investigating different sectors of the warehouse.
As for what they found…
A young-looking boy sat calmly near the center of the floor, his gauntlet-clad arms bound tightly with cables and crossed precariously close to his bare neck. He was clearly conscious, but still made no attempt to escape – in fact, he almost looked bored.
Next to him, a burly, familiar-looking hulk of a teenager lay unconscious with his beefy wrists tied securely to his ankles. The enormous muscles in Mammoth's extremities occasionally twitched, as though he'd been caught in the crossfire of some kind of electric attack. Perhaps even one instigated by a fellow teammate.
Hey, that's... Superboy began, eyes widening.
Mammoth, Aqualad confirmed darkly. Who, if I recall correctly, should still be serving a lengthy prison term in Belle Reve Penitentiary.
Completing the pile were three identical, lanky black-haired youths in red bodysuits, tied together at the wrists and sprawled inelegantly in a heap by their fallen teammates. The clones drooled all over one another in sleep, slumped harmlessly on the warehouse floor.
Nice going, KF, Robin said appreciatively, doing a quick survey of the nearby battleground to guess at how the fight had gone. He seemed impressed enough to temporarily hedge his complaints. Looks like you've really got these guys on the ropes!
Less puns, more action, Artemis snapped, stringing her bow. She began to jog out toward the center of the warehouse, where a tell-tale yellow blur informed them that the fight wasn't over yet. If you guys are done making sure the coast is clear, I'll go help out Kid Ego.
Kid Ego, for his part, wasn't in any particular hurry for backup. "Hey, babe," he told Jinx with a winning smile, walking toward her. She stood alone and defiant, clutching a jeweled pendant in one hand, her back pressed to a stack of crates. "Are you going come quietly this time? I can ask the cops to go easy on you."
It clearly took some effort on her part, but Jinx smiled at him as he got close. Her legs trembled from the strain of keeping her balance, and a bead of sweat ran down her face as he watched. But none of that made her any less gorgeous.
"Come on, hero boy," she breathed with a laugh, leering up at him. They were the same height, but she was slipping down unsteadily against the crates, forced more than once to brace herself against them to keep from collapsing. Her lavender eyes were narrowed, pupils constricted to almost nothing, but her gaze was strangely unfocused. Possibly concussed, Kid Flashed mused to himself.
Yet even weakened, Jinx was proud. "Since when do I ever come quietly?" she purred.
"It's really a shame, you know," Kid Flash said. He was still flirting, but now his tone was a bit more honest, genuine. "You're really talented. You'd have been great as a hero. "
Jinx laughed at that, really laughed, and then Wally had to catch her: she suddenly staggered off-balance and fell against him, groaning in pain.
She must have been more hurt than he realized. Kid Flash felt a sudden stab of guilt at the realization, but he forced himself to push it aside. After all, Jinx was a criminal. And it wasn't like he'd wanted to attack her.
"You know you're better than raiding rich people's storage units with these losers," he told her reproachfully, shifting his stance to accommodate her weight.
"You always say that," Jinx muttered dazedly into his neck.
Wally smiled, blushing despite himself – and for a moment, he could feel her smiling back.
Then: "What an idiot."
He probably should have expected the groin attack.
"What an idiot!" Artemis snarled, rushing in and loosing an arrow in Jinx's direction. Suddenly reanimated, Jinx grinned widely and ducked down, leaping into a series of quick handsprings that put her out of range of the projectile well before it exploded.
Gritting her teeth, Artemis strung another arrow, glancing angrily down at at Kid Flash beside her. He was currently doubled over on the floor and wheezing hard to cope with the crippling pain of where Jinx's boot had landed.
"What were you thinking?" Artemis snapped at him, loosing a second arrow to no avail. Jinx easily danced around it with a grin, leaping like an acrobat. "You had that girl, Kid! How could you let her get away with such a stupid trick?"
"Sucker for a pretty face," the speedster gasped, shakily regaining his feet.
Nearby, Aqualad and Robin stood guard over the fallen Gizmo, Mammoth, and Billy Numerous. These three appear to pose no further danger, Aqualad said calmly through the telepathic link.
There's more, Miss Martian called to them in warning, flying above and surveying the warehouse from an aerial perspective. I don't know where it's coming from yet, but I definitely sense another presence here besides those four on the ground!
Huh? Kid Flash asked, glancing around the warehouse. Beside him, Artemis darted loaded another arrow into her compound bow and sprinted off in Jinx's direction. Kid nearly took a step after her, considering, but then he reluctantly backed off again, keeping his focus on the mental link.
No way! I definitely left Jinx for last, since she and I – uh, never mind. Deciding to change the subject, Wally peeled back his goggles and gave the warehouse another sweeping glance. He didn't notice any changes from before. ...But I already took out Gizmo, and Mammoth, and Numerous – and that kid with the eye-thing too, See-More. Where the heck did HE go, anyway? I know I knocked him out earlier.
Uh, KF? Robin asked. He sounded like he was trying to remember something. These guys are the criminals you told me about before, right? That group of kid thieves you used to fight all the time back in Central City?
Yeah, the H.I.V.E. Five. Kid Flash said, eyes narrowing as he zipped around the warehouse, looking for See-More. So?
Without waiting for an answer, he ground to a halt in the middle of the floor and cupped both hands around his mouth. "Hey, EYEBALL HEAD!" Kid called out mockingly, turning around as he yelled. "Where'd you head off to? You scared? I'd have thought you and your pals would be used to juvie by now!"
Hold up a sec! Robin pressed. There was something weird about the these guys that you mentioned before. They're called the 'H.I.V.E. Five,' but didn't you say there were actually six of them?
Kid Flash's eyes suddenly widened, remembering. "Oh, yeah, you're ri–"
At that moment, a steel-plated combat boot materialized out of thin air to kick him squarely in the jaw.
"OW!" Kid Flash shouted loudly, reeling backward. Tasting blood, he brought a hand up to his smarting jawline, running his tongue along his lower row of teeth to make sure he hadn't chipped any.
"Augh!" he screamed angrily, looking around wildly for the culprit. "You're gonna pay for that!"
He caught a fleeting, liquid-like movement out of the corner of one eye and spun around frantically so as not to lose it. As Kid Flash watched, heart racing, his attacker landed gracefully on the floor several yards ahead of him, feet hitting the floor with no noise whatsoever. The slight, familiar figure then sank warily into a crouch, teeth bared. From beneath his unkempt mess of long, uneven black hair, which obscured much of his face in shadow, a pair of angry blood-red eyes shone clearly through the darkness. A black, ragged cloak draped over most of the boy's rail-thin frame, hiding him almost entirely from view in the lightless warehouse.
Kyd Wykkyd.
"I – oh, right. You're the last resort guy," Kid Flash bit out accusingly, still rubbing his sore mouth. "Just how do I always forget about you?"
The younger teen merely hissed soundlessly in response, slowly backing away.
Who is that guy? Superboy demanded over the mind-link. I can hardly see him, even in infrared vision.
I...I can't read his mind, Miss Martian said, her telepathic voice sounding rather strained. At least, I don't think I can. I've never felt anything like this before...
Someone we need to be worried about? Artemis asked sharply.
Kid Flash looked calculatingly over at Kyd Wykkyd, trying to gauge his mental state. Well, the short answer is, yes and no, he told the others distractedly.
Robin, predictably, wasted no time getting to the point. What's that supposed to mean? he asked.
Before Wally could answer, Kyd Wykkyd suddenly sprang to life. The young teen ran forward several feet, swinging one arm back to throw something in his right hand: Kid Flash noticed distractedly that the motion caused several small blood drops to splatter onto the floor behind him.
But I haven't even hit him yet! Kid thought, darting to the side to avoid the object now hurtling past his head. How can he be bleeding?
He skidded to a halt, automatically turning his head to see what it was Kyd had thrown at him. He froze as the object on the ground registered, a jagged piece of insulated glass smeared with fresh and dried blood. It had come from See-More's helmet.
"Uh-oh," Kid Flash muttered, whipping about-face. The other boy was gone.
The suspect vanished into thin air, Aqualad said through the mind-link, running out from hiding to join Kid Flash at his side. The leader already had his Water-Bearers drawn. Be alert!
Kid – we need to know what else he's capable of! Robin said urgently.
Usually? Not a whole lot, Wally said grimly, nodding at each of his teammates in turn as they ran over to join him. Kaldur pointed each of them to a different corner of the warehouse and they split up at once, going to search. Kyd Wykkyd's the lookout guy. He's not a big fighter. The kid usually just builds a nest somewhere and hides out till the action's done and over.
Could've fooled me, Conner snapped. He sure looks ready to fight now!
Yeah, well, that would be because I took out all his running buddies, Kid said matter-of-factly, gesturing toward the teen villains scattered unconscious about the warehouse. I completely forgot he was here with them, or else I might have taken it a little easier on their sorry butts.
Why? M'gann asked.
There was a slight pause before the next answer arrived. Kyd's kind of messed in the head, Kid Flash finally said. He doesn't really get the difference between fighting to incapacitate, and fighting to kill. I think the only reason he's out here now is because he's afraid I'm going to go back for his teammates and finish what I star–
A harsh scream tore through the warehouse, interrupting their conversation.
"MISS M!" Kid Flash shouted, echoing the similar cries of his teammates. Wasting no time, he raced blindly toward the source of the noise at top speed.
M'gann had been camouflaged in her Martian form, but that hadn't stopped her attacker: she'd strayed too close to where See-More was sprawled unconscious on the ground, trickling blood from a nasty cut on his head where his helmet had cracked.
Kyd Wykkyd hadn't hesitated. He'd sprung from seemingly out of nowhere in the middle of the air, tackling Miss Martian to the warehouse floor and wrapping armored hands around her throat before she could retaliate.
Caught in this position in another fight, M'gann could have easily fought back, could have overpowered her assailant even without her powers – but now, without warning, something chillingly black and terrifying reared up in the boy's thoughts, paralyzing her mind and body. Her psychic senses were frozen.
why does It need another one for to help attack Them, the boy said, in her psychic voice, snarling noiselessly from above. not It has won enough of Their blood without Your help? only why because likes always that They- that We -ending up ALL PUNISH for this?
Miss Martian stiffened, eyes widening in horror with as his fingers dug harder into her neck. The boy's words were unquestionably his and not hers, but his lips remained motionless on his face, and the telepathic voice screaming now in her mind was completely identical to her own.
Something horrible sank its dark tendrils into her mind.
I don't understand, M'gann whispered telepathically, her words echoing through the minds of everyone in the warehouse, friend and foe alike. I-I don't...katchhaa, n'da, n'da, n'da, n'daaaaa...
Her words drifted off into broken, rambling Martian.
Kid Flash reached the them a second later. He slammed full-body into the smaller boy, to toss him away from Miss Martian by force.
"You leave her alone!" he growled.
Kyd Wykkyd looked up at him, eyes glowing faintly.
Nearby, Miss Martian let out a pained sob, slipping into unconsciousness. Conner was at her side in an instant, looking terrified.
"M'gann?" he asked worriedly. "M'gann, can you hear me?"
"Whatever you've done to her, knock it off!" Wally snarled. Kyd glared at him, then glanced warily at the remaining Team members who had gathered around, weapons drawn. He began to back away, tensed for an attack.
why always You come back for to hurt Them, the boy hissed at Kid Flash, still using M'gann's telepathic voice. The effect was eerie and wrong. alone sometimes the Lightning Man with You sometimes but always always You to attacking Us first!
"It wasn't like that!" Kid Flash shouted. "They're criminals! I was stopping them! Just LISTEN to me!"
Kyd didn't. With another sweep of his cloak, he was gone again – and Wally and his teammates could only pace the warehouse with bated breath, forming a protective ring around Miss Martian as they waited for the next blow to come...
So yeah. This story is still on hiatus, but I figured I could at least repost the rest of what I'd originally written for the anon meme back when I started it. I also wrote off a bit to round off the end of this chapter, but it's pretty sloppy, so I may go back through and heavily edit it when I get some downtime.
In addition, since you've all been so patient, here's some just-for-fun background/outline headcanon info I wrote up about Earth-16's H.I.V.E. Five, ages and ages ago –
(…I don't think Kyd Wykkyd actually knows he's a supervillain…)
Jinx: 17. The leader. Pink dreadlocks, wears gold jewelry on her arms and neck that help her focus her powers, which are elementally based but have a definite component of luck. Wears a dark blue strapless top with a starburst pattern on it that cuts off at her midriff.
Mammoth: 19. See TV. Was 'inhumanly' strong even before the Kobra Venom injection, but not to Superman-esque levels like the Terror Twins. Very asocial and surprisingly subservient. Thrill-seeking; doesn't mind getting into danger. Snarky attitude that he largely keeps to himself. Has a twin sister named Shimmer.
Gizmo: 10-year-old boy with severe problems emoting and socializing. Mechanical genius. Was very attached to Mammoth in the past; felt betrayed when he left to join the Cult of the Kobra.
See-More: 16. Wiseacre, but very mission-oriented. Something of a narcissist. Borderline sociopath, but still moderately friendly.
Kyd Wykkyd: 14. Mute boy, rail-thin. Codependency issues, especially toward See-More. Stronger than he looks but still physically the weakest besides Gizmo. Skittish and hates fighting, used to getting his ass kicked. Feral behavior when cornered. Has strange shadow-based powers that manifest in a variety of ways, but his control over them is instinct-driven at best.
Billy Numerous: 20. Best socialized among the group, but still has several troubling mental issues. Has self-esteem problems that he handles with outbursts of extreme anger instead of "typical" depression. Often fights with his clones and treats them as separate people. People he hates. Prone to irrational violence.
H.I.V.E. Master: ? Unseen cult leader who governs the actions of the group. Not aligned with the Light, wishes to remain a separate organization. Preys on young metahumans to boost the ranks in his cult; although he also employs many adults. Jinx and her crew are from the youngest "generation" of cultists and they're desperate to prove themselves.
Additional notes: Jinx and Billy are the best candidates of the group for rehabilitation in the 'real' world, away from the H.I.V.E cult and 'the life' of crime.
