Chapter 4: Skin Deep

Watchtower

July 6, 09:16

The next two days were much more relaxing than debut day. Ethan and Jackson had just been released from the infirmary, and were now playing video games with Colin and Ruby. Jackson was somehow winning, which infuriated everyone and, when asked how, said he could "hear the vibrations".

Zack and Kat were doubling down on their training in the meantime, both determined to be as good as their older team members, if not better. Superboy was almost ready to put a stop to it, for the sake of both them and the holographic opponents, but Lian said she'd supervise them. Kinako, on the other hand, was sat reading a book, occasionally looking down at her emerald pendant. Recreation was always good, but when the assembly bell rang, and it did, they all knew to gather in the briefing hall.

A few minutes after the warning, the eight of them were stood in a vague order, looking up at the holographic screen. After a short wait, Black Canary's face flickered into life, addressing the room. "Team, your first assignment is as follows. Reporter G. Gordon Godfrey is to deliver a talk at Coast City Hall later today."

Accompanying the sentence was a small picture of Godfrey. Everyone knew who he was though, and they certainly knew his biased slant towards the superhero community. He was around 70 now, but he looked quite a bit younger. "It's something of a tradition for the Team to do surveillance at his talks. After all, it's not hard to believe an alien might disagree with his comments."

"So we're protecting a racist?" Ruby asked, "Sounds to me like we should-"

"Personal feelings don't matter, Sparrowhawk." Canary interjected before she could finish her thought. "We must protect every life from harm when able. Your job is recon. Do not get involved. With either side."

And with that the screen vanished, leaving the team to turn to Lian. "Suit up." She ordered. "Bioship sets off in ten."

oOo

Coast City

July 6, 10:01

"I still don't like this." Ruby muttered into her earpiece as she flew through the clouds. She could see crowds and crowds of people, but from that high up the blended into one big mass.

"You don't have to." Zack said. He was stood in amongst the crowd, pulling his blue hoodie over his head. He glanced at Kinako, dressed similarly casually, before looking away. "Orders are orders."

"Plus," Colin interrupted, "He's still a celebrity. Pretty cool." He smirked at Ethan, to smacked him on the arm, before realising the mistake of hitting a Kryptonian. The two of them had been magically disguised as members of Godfrey's security detail, whilst the real ones slept off their headache in the boiler room. That way they're the first line of defence if an attack gets fired off.

"Guys," Jackson muttered, as he and Kat reached the rooftop, "Hearing's the best sense I've got so can you give yourself some time to breathe?"

As the comms went dark, his 'vision' returned, giving him a good layout of the place. Nothing particularly jumped out as dangerous yet, and Kat's thermal binoculars weren't doing much either. The moment had arrived now though, as Godfrey was escorted onto the stage with quiet applause. As he began his speech, the large speakers sent his voice over the crowd. Ordinary to most people, to Jackson it meant that the sound interfered with his senses, essentially transforming the audience space into one big blind spot. Raising his hands in an annoyed gesture, he instead focused on the stage, and the faint image of Ruby in the sky. Kat meanwhile was still useful, and spotted a faint pink light in the crowd. Tapping her earpiece, she said "Zack, Kinako, there's something at five and eight o'clock respectively. Might be nothing but…"

"En route," Kinako stated. She kept walking until she could see Zack. Looking around, she saw the same as Kat, a faint glow coming from a female figure's hand. A glance at her partner showed that he saw it too, and they shuffled closer. As they got closer, they also became much more noticeable, and the girl looked up, her eyes noticing them. In a panic, her arm glowed brighter and brighter, before a violet pulse knocked everyone away from her. Zack and Kinako were buried under panicked civilians, but they spotted the figure as she rose up into the sky, disguise torn away.

Her dark skin was contrasted by a tight, pink costume covering her body. It was hard to look at with the pick glare, but it clearly belonged to a Star Sapphire. Godfrey's personal detail opened fire at her, but the force field reflected the bullets effortlessly, before taking them all out with individual energy blasts. That left Ethan and Colin, still in disguise, to run forward and usher Godfrey to a safe room. That left Jackson and Kat to help evacuate people, and Ruby, Zack and Kinako to fight the Star Sapphire.

"This way, sir," Colin said, leading the trio down a flight of stairs.

"Erm," Godfrey objected, "The agreed saferoom is this way."

"Of course, sir." Ethan agreed, glaring at Colin. The two found the right room and barricaded it, guns trained on the door. They were watching the wrong side though, and soon a shock ran through both of them, bringing them to the ground. As Ethan slipped unconscious, his spell dropped, revealing the two of them for who they truly are. Colin was also blacking out, but as it happened he saw Godfrey holding a blaster. "Desaad, I need collection. Darkseid will want to see these two."

A/N: Hello! Me again! We finally have some action, and you've seen the debut of xXMysticMuserXx's OC Lacey Stewart! Did you like the new chapter? Were you expecting the plot twist? Let me know! Now, tow more notes:

As CrimzonNova brought to my attention, OC villains are more than welcome! Send them to me, with the non-Team sections of the form, and I might include them in future.

If you have any questions about plot or such, ask them in the reviews and I'll try to answer them next chapter.

Until next time!