Edit: Fixed some errors!
This chapter was so fun to write! And I would like to take the time to thank all who reviewed and who keep reviewing, and to those who read in general! Seriously, I cannot thank you all enough! And to address some things:
Batmanfan2400: I'm sorry it appears that way to you. If you have any ideas on how to make the story feel less 'rushed', don't hesitate to contact me! :)
and knightmare1986: Even though I have already layed out the whole plot for the story, I'll try my best to fit in your idea. Thank you for the great suggestion and review!
P.S. There was some French in this episode, and since I'm not French in any way, shape, or form, please excuse my errors in the language. And any other errors, too!
Sorry for the long author's note! Let's get on with the show!
The rebuilding of the Cave had begun. The Green Lanterns were fixing the damaged property, while Martian Manhunter and Captain Atom were rebooting the Cave's security system.
Green Arrow set a bowl of pretzels down on the table, where all of us were sitting.
"Thanks, but no thanks," Wally told him.
"Yeah, what we want are answers! About Red Tornado and his siblings!" Robin added,
"Exactly!" Green Arrow proceeded to take the bowl away, but Wally wanted to keep it. Kaldur was talking to Bats about something we couldn't hear. We'll most of us anyway.
All of a sudden, Conner sprang up in anger, "You knew!" He pinned Kaldur to the wall.
"Conner, what are you doing?" M'gann flew over.
"Kaldur knew we had a traitor among us and said nothing!"
"You knew?" Robin repeated, while Wally said, "And you didn't tell us?"
"I sought to protect the Team from-"
"Protect us from what? Knowledge that might've saved our lives?" Artemis snapped at him.
"You almost died!" Conner told M'gann. As if she didn't know that already.
"Enough," Bats instructed, and Conner let go of Kaldur.
"With Red Tornado missing, the Team will now be overseen by rotating supervisors. Captain Marvel has volunteered to take the first shift."
A very muscular man with a white cape smiled, "I'm really looking forward to hanging with you guys!"
"Once I dismantle Red Tornado, you and I are gonna-"
Batman cut off the clone, "Red Tornado is a member of the Justice League, which makes him a League responsibility," He turned to the computer, "I have another assignment for this team." A newspaper about Gotham's mayor appeared.
"Gotham mayor attacked by Guerilla Gorilla?" Kid Flash read disbelievingly.
Is this the only thing he could find to distract us? Conner asked mentally.
"Batman, please! Tell me you're not sending us on this joke of a wild ape chase!" Robin cried.
Batman's eyes narrowed, "I never joke about the mission." That shut the birdbrain up, "I've checked the sources, I've studied the patterns. Mayor Hills' encounter is only the latest in a series of incidents. Aqualad, you and your team will depart for India and check this out."
The others didn't take that statement kindly.
"Heh. Your team," Wally scoffed as he and the others walked away.
I didn't want to leave our leader hanging, "Kaldur, I-"
"Lexi, let's go!" I cast a exasperated look at the Atlantian, then ran after our friends.
"You're coming with?" Robin asked Captain Marvel.
"Sure! We'll have a blast!" Captain Marvel said, then walked into the Bio-ship. Robin and Wally lingered, still talking. I was too far away to hear it, but Wally's reply was nasty. I just wished they wouldn't act this way. He was only trying to save us! Couldn't they see that?
It was dark when we arrived in India. Not surprising, since it was on the other side of the world. The Bio-ship let off Robin and Artemis first, to let them check the area. Then it dropped off all of us.
"All clear!" Robin reported.
"Switch to stealth," Aqualad instructed. We touched our symbols and our uniforms darkened.
"We will review mission parameters."
"Parameters? We don't need no stinkin' parameters!" Was Kid Flash determined to argue with everything Aqualad did or said?
"It's recon. We know what to do," Robin added coldly.
"Kid, Robin-"
"We started this team because the Justice League was keeping secrets from us."
"Or did you forget that, just like you forgot to tell us about the mole? Come on, Element," Kid Flash turned to me.
"What?" I asked, but the speedster already grabbed my hand, dragging me away from the others, Robin following. I twisted my head and mouthed 'I'm sorry!' to Aqualad. He didn't acknowledge it, but I think he saw.
We walked through the dense jungle, stepping over roots and ducking under leafy branches. I had a bad feeling that we were being followed, but I ignored it. After all, who would follow us in a creepy jungle like this one?
Turns out, birds would follow us. Giant, man eating vultures, with sharp claws that descended on us.
"I thought vultures only ate dead meat!" Robin cried, throwing a batarang.
"Yeah, some very proactive scavengers!" Kid Flash yelled back.
"Proactive and super sized! You thinking what I'm thinking?"
"They ate something bad?" I offered.
"Nah, Kobra Venom," Kid Flash told both of us.
"Yeah!" They dodged another set of claws, but I wasn't so lucky. The edge of a talon snagged on my shirt, and I staggered, only to have my foot trip on a root. The beast took the advantage, and wrapped its claws around my ribcage, then took flight. Its massive wings drowned out all noises as it soared way above the ground.
"Burn it, Element, burn it!" Kid Flash called from below.
"I-I can't!" I choked out. I blew a gust of air at it, but it only seemed to worsen my condition. Getting frustrated and scared, I raised one of my arms, and the ground, even from here, moved at my command. A large rock rose into the sky, and I smashed it upon the vulture's head. It cried out in pain, and detached its claws from my torso.
I felt relieved, only to panic when I realized I was falling from hundreds of feet! Forgetting that I had powers, I screamed, but before I hit the ground, I felt arms catch me.
"I got cha," Robin said, but I was shaking too hard to reply. He set me on the ground gingerly, then ran to fight. Kid Flash had turned himself into a human cannonball and shot himself, taking out one of the vultures. Robin took out another with a few of his exploding disks. Thankfully, there were no others.
Link established, Miss Martian's voice danced in my head.
Should he really still be giving orders? And should you really be following them? Artemis's cold voice cut through like a claw.
Listen please-
Oh good, Aqualad's voice in my head. I so missed that, Kid Flash rolled his eyes at us.
Hey Kaldur! KF, E, and I were attacked by giant vultures. Of course, since we're moles, you probably think we attacked ourselves.
Lexi almost died! The redhead added, his body tensing.
If he did, he wouldn't tell you, Artemis responded to Robin.
Superboy, are you online, or just pouting?
Busy, call back later, There were no more words from him.
What gets me was how nonchalant he is about not telling us.
He should be chalant. Very chalant. Extremely chalant! That was Robin.
How can we be a team if he doesn't trust us with his secrets?
Or if Conner doesn't trust us to take care of ourselves. Was Superboy the only thing Miss Martian thought about?
Did he really think you or I could really be the mole? Kid Flash asked Robin.
We've known each other for years!
Trust is a two way street!
And you know they'd hate it-"
I got so angry with the negative thoughts, that I turned and punched a hole into a tree. Robin and Kid Flash stared at me in shock. My knuckles split and blood flowed, staining my glove, but I ignored it.
ENOUGH! The thoughts ceased. Kaldur did what he did to protect us, or all you that stupid to realize that? I expected better of you. All of you. I gave a pointed look to my two companions. I don't know about you, but I still think Kaldur is the perfect leader for this team. I will always fight by his side. And if you have a problem with that, you can quit.
I think I shocked them all into silence.
Thank you, Lexi. I am most humbled by your words. Aqualad said, but turned serious, Captain Marvel has been captured, and we must act as a team to save him.
Under your leadership, I don't- I stared at the green eyed hero with my own wide. Did my speech do nothing?
This is not up for debate! You all chose me to lead. When the mission is over, if you wish to select a new leader, I will happily step down. But until that time, I am in command here. No more words from Kaldur. I think he was the one who really shocked us all
We all met up again, and found an old foundation deep in the forest. Kid Flash checked out the place on his goggles.
I'll fly over, Miss Martian offered.
Negative, the fueling stands is acting like a dome over the whole compound, He warned her.
Pylons are insulated, but one good shot could cause a momentary gap! Robin mused.
Artemis took aim, I see a target.
Then be ready to hit it, Aqualad told the archer, then told the whole team to be ready.
The dark skinned teen leaped from his hiding place and faced the dome, spreading it so a gap was large enough for Artemis's arrow.
NOW! Kid Flash ordered, since he was the only one who could see the hole. We watched as the arrow sailed right onto the target, disabling the force field. We all advanced through, but was stopped by a terrible screech.
Alarms sounded, and monkeys jumped from the roof. We were on high alert now. I gathered a huge amount of water and shot it at a monkey, then freezing the particles. It dropped with a thud.
"Remove their collars!" Aqualad told us. I unfroze the monkey's neck, took the collar off, and unfroze its whole being. It ran away without another glance. I threw a small rock at the collar of another, and that one ran away too.
Just then, a door opened, and out came a gorilla…wearing a hat and carrying a machine gun. Well, I guess I've had crazier days.
It turned, and grabbed an invisible Miss Martian. It threw her to floor, and she wasn't so invisible anymore.
"Get your paws off her, you darn dirty ape!" Kid Flash ran at the beast full speed, but just bounced off. Miss M got up, and sent the gorilla flying through the wall, breaking it.
We rushed in and saw a brain in a container. Ok, definitely weird.
"It's The Brain!" Kid Flash cried.
"Uh, I can see it's a brain," Artemis replied sarcastically. Do they ever stop?
"Not a brain. The brain!"
"In the flesh…so to speak," The freaky thing had a French accent, and it turned to the gorilla, "Mallah."
The ape pressed a button on a controller, and weird stand looking things came out of the ground. They emitted a blue pulse, and I was on the floor, paralyzed from the neck down. My team wasn't any better, them being sprawled across the floor.
Miss Martian, Superboy, now! Kaldur commanded.
Miss M's eyes glowed, and the controller was whisked out of the gorilla-Mallah's- hand. It floated towards her, and she deactivated the pulse, leaving us fully functional again.
The wall behind Mallah broke, and there was Superboy, and behind him was a giant snow-white wolf. It snarled hatefully at The Brain, then sprang, jumping on Mallah's back. That was our cue to take action. Each of us hit Mallah with everything we had, Miss Martian even levitated it, smashing it to the ground. Artemis and Robin shot explosives, making the animal lose its gun.
We all cornered the two, and when Aqualad freed Captain Marvel, and in turn freed a tiger, there were even more of us.
Mallah roared a challenge, which Superboy rebuked, claiming he hated monkeys.
"No, Mallah. This will not be our waterloo. Au revoir, mesa me!" The Brain had all these gadgets on him, and was charging.
"Get down!" Kid Flash cried, and we crouched. Artemis had an arrow trained, ready to shoot at a moment's notice.
The lights went out, then came back on. They revealed that The Brain and Mallah had escaped.
We all relaxed a little, while Kid Flash said, "Wait, that big weapon thing was a light switch?"
The stars looked so pretty when the clouds rolled past, revealing a slightly lighter sky.
"What are you grinning about?" Artemis asked Kid Flash.
"One word: souvenir!" He held up Mallah's red hat, and put it on.
"Wait, KF, I think-"
"Two words: gorilla lice," Artemis cut me off, and a disgusted Kid Flash took the thing off in a hurry.
Aqualad finished taking the collars off of every animal, while Captain Marvel was talking to a tiger. Well, he did all the talking, but the tiger listened. It ran away, and Captain Marvel said, "I think I'll call him Mr. Tawny!"
"The rest of the pack is gone! What are you still doing here?" Superboy asked the wolf, who was nudging his hand.
"I think he wants to stay with you!" Miss Martian said.
"Can I keep him?" Superboy sounded like a little kid.
"Haha! First the sphere, now this beast? Dude, you sure make a habit of collecting strays!" Kid Flash laughed.
"Maybe because he's such a stray himself," Miss Martian told him fondly.
"Well, he's gonna need a name! How's about Krypto?"
The wolf snarled, while the clone said, "Pass."
"Besides, isn't that taken?" Miss M asked.
"It doesn't matter, the beauty needs a name," I said, brushing the animal's magnificent fur. The wolf yipped happily.
"He likes you, Element!" Kid Flash said,
"I have a way with animals," I smiled.
"Maybe you should've been called 'Beast Girl'!" He smiled back.
"Look, I need to know," Robin said, startling all of us. We walked over to see what he was talking about, "why did you keep the mole Intel a secret?"
Aqualad glanced at him, then back at all of us, "The source of the tip was Sportsmaster."
"What? You can't trust him!" Artemis exploded. What was her deal with him?
"I do not," Aqualad reassured her, "It seems possible, even likely that he was attempting to divide the Team with false information."
"And given how this mission went, he nearly succeeded," Robin figured out, "You had to consider it might be true."
"Yes, as leader I did. And which case I did not wish to alert the traitor."
Robin sighed, "I hate to say it, but, makes sense."
"I am still prepared to step down," Aqualad said.
"All in favor of keeping Aqualad as leader?" Kid Flash raised his hand. As did everyone else.
"Guess it's unanimous," Captain Marvel shook Aqualad's hand, "See you tomorrow!"
"You are not coming back with us?"
"Na, gotta fly!" And he did, becoming a speck in the sky.
We all entered the Bio-ship, and Superboy decided to call the wolf just that. Wolf.
"Lexi," I turned, Aqualad was still standing there, "I wanted to thank you. You were the one who stood by me this whole time."
I stared at him, my leader. Did he consider me the mole? I guess I couldn't blame him, me being new and all. But it also angered me, I haven't proven myself yet? Way to build more walls than needed.
I shrugged with a smile, "There's no need to thank me, but you're welcome. It's just what teammates-friends-do."
I walked away from him. My friends seemed to have made up, but how long before something set them off again? And, who was the mole? It wasn't me, that's for sure.
