"Way creepy," XS commented as they stepped into the huge graveyard, the city far behind and down below the hill they stood on, "why would Grimbor bring the King here of all places? Besides the thick mist, that is."

It covered their footprints, and it covered anyone else's. "He's close," Saturn Girl warned them, one hand on her head as she scanned the yard, "keep your eyes out."

"Through all this mist? Kind of hard to do."

Phantom Girl hushed them. The sound of digging could be heard through the mist. Carefully she phased out and flew ahead as the other two followed. Once the sound was close enough they hid behind taller graves as Phantom Girl moved closer. She found Grimbor digging out a grave, the King tied to another one beside him as he shoveled dirt out of a deep hole. "Soon enough you'll be dealt with, your highness."

"Saturn Girl," XS whispered out of Grimbor's hearing range, "are you sure we should have left President Wazzo alone? With all these villains around, what if we missed one?"

Saturn Girl nodded. "The people need someone to keep them under control while the King is here. President Wazzo is the only one who can lead them for now."

"Listen to me, people of Orando!" President Wazzo spoke to the crowds of the streets, hushing them as she stood atop a wooden cart. "I need you to stay calm and follow my orders. The Legion of Superheroes is here and is dealing with the enemies you face, but until they have finished we need you to calmly return to your homes until the problem is fixed."

The people took in every one of her words. She smiled proudly as they began to trickle into their houses. "If only Tinya could see this."

Phantom Girl moved over beside King Voxx, invisible to both him and Grimbor. She whispered into his ear, and he gave a quick nod. Closing his eyes the mist began to move around them.

"Oi," Grimbor jumped out of the deep grave and dropped his shovel, "I told you not to use your powers, or I will head back to the city and hunt down you people one by one."

"Not happening!" XS rammed into him at full speed, throwing him over the graves and smack into a thick oak tree. He slid to the ground as leaves rained down over his body. When he got up he looked in her direction. "…Unbelievable."

There were now ten XS in front of him, smirking and getting ready to attack. He pulled his chains out and swung at them, but as three disappeared four more walked out from the mist. "Now which do you think is faster," all XS spoke in unison at him, "me, or your heavy metal chains?"

Karate Kid and Projectra walked into one of the cruiser's rooms and sat down on a bench in front of a window. "We should wait here until the others return."

"You don't mind this? Just sitting here while they fight?"

He gave her another smile. "When one is given a responsibility, no matter how small it seems, that must be considered the greatest task one can do. Keeping you safe is my responsibility, and yours is staying here and waiting for the others to complete their missions."

She stood, and he awed as her dress shifted into a long purple cape and body suit. "I don't really own any dresses," she admitted, "this is much more comfortable. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all-!" He turned to the door. "…"

"…Is something wrong, Karate Kid?"

"…I," he wondered if it was just his imagination or some kind of paranoia, "thought I heard footsteps right outside the door…" He stepped up to it and tried to slide it open, but it wouldn't budge. "It's been locked from the outside!"

"We're trapped in here?" Projectra looked outside the window and gasped again. "Look, a ship!"

They darted to the window to see a small grey ship. "That is no ordinary ship," he told her, "that belong to the Dark Circle."

"The assassins? Why would they be on this ship? Unless…is someone trying to kill me while I'm away from me people?!"

"That," he grimaced, "or we've made a major mistake leaving Brainy alone."

"Bouncing Boy, have you found anything yet?"

"Not yet, Brainy," he told him through his flight ring, "this tunnel seems to go on forever, and this time it isn't an illusion."

"Esper can't be too far ahead of you. Keep going and call me back when you find them." He turned the communication off and kept watch of the citizens below on the screens. "President Wazzo seems to have things going quite smoothly down there."

He heard the doors open behind him. "Karate Kid," he turned back to find no one there, "…strange."

The doors closed but he was still alone. "….C.O.M.P.U.T.O, run a scan of this room for any lifeforms."

"There are currently three life forms in this room."

Brainy spun around. "I know you're there," he spoke to whoever was close by, "so show yourselves and tell me why you're here."

"Brainy," Karate Kid appeared on his ring, "we have reason to believe the Dark Circle is aboard the cruiser, and they've trapped us in a room near the back of the ship!"

Brainy formed and force field before him and threw it forward. It surged through the room and shoved an invisible assassin against the wall, destroying his camouflage. He then formed a long hand and pinned the assassin up.

"There's another one in here," he told him as he walked over, "tell him to show himself and I'll go easy on you."

The assassin chuckled. "You think they sent amateurs to collect a bounty as big as yours?"

"The bounty," Brainy realized, "I had nearly forgotten-"

A dark glove clamped over his mouth and pinned his arm to his side, freeing the other assassin. "And to think," he leaned into his face, "we not only take you in, but we also get to bring in the heir to the throne of Orando. How kind of you to basically giftwrap her for us."

The Dark Circle can sure be creepy when they want. Poor Brainy's got a rich bounty over his head, like a space pirate! Only he's probably not too happy about it...but he could dress up as one for Halloween, right? With an eye patch and all that. I mean, he could...if he survives his encounters with the Dark Circle and can save Projectra and Karate Kid in time.

Until the next chapter!