Invaded
Chapter Eight: Satisfaction
Guest: I usually leave it up to the readers! Thank you.
Guest145: Miss Martian and Superboy are currently not together.
PrettyKitty: As always, a pleasure.
Author's Note:
Hello, I hope you're enjoying my story thus far. If you are, please review.
Royal Memorial Hospital, Star City
March 21
02:22 PM PDT
"So, let me get this straight. While I was on ice, you found another Roy Harper, the sidekicks formed their own team, aliens invaded the Earth, and Ollie grew that dopey goatee?" Roy Harper rubbed his chin.
"Well, we try not to call ourselves sidekicks." Red Arrow corrected as I crossed my arms over my chest, adding, "We're a covert-ops team."
Ollie questioned, rubbing his goatee, "You don't like the goatee?"
"So missing the point! You three have been talking around it all day." Roy Harper exclaimed. "Now, I want answers." Roy Harper demanded, "What happened to me? How can there be another Roy Harper? And what happened to my arm?" With each question, Roy's voice rose with anger.
Red Arrow lifted up his hands in mock surrender, "Okay, okay. We wanted to wait till you were strong enough and when all of us were here. But I guess the moment is now." Red Arrow sighed.
Slowly, my eyes landed on Roy Harper's bandaged stub. In the chaos that was the past eight years, Speedy had finally been found more or less safe.
"Moment's pass so get to it!" Roy snapped.
"What is the last thing you remember before we found you in Tibet?" Red Arrow questioned. Roy's angry face softened as he turned away, staring at his bandaged stub. "I've been trying to piece that together," Roy admitted.
"I remember investigating a Lex Corp shell company that we suspected of smuggling weapons to Northralaysia. Some Lex Corp goons got the drop on me. I remember feeling… embarrassed." Roy concluded. Ollie shoved his hands in his pants pocket, his blue eyes locked onto Roy's figure.
I recalled the same mission; while Green Arrow and Speed were investigating Lex Corp, Black Canary and I had been investigating a privately owned warehouse we suspected Lex Corp was storing the weapons.
The mission had been successful on our end. It had been one of my first real missions.
"Then, nothing." Roy added, frowning. Ollie stepped closer to his bed, sighing before continuing, "That's right. They grabbed you." Ollie sighed, rubbing his neck nervously, "Thing is, Roy," Ollie paused, "that was eight years ago."
"What?" Roy exclaimed.
Red Arrow leaned forward in his chair, continuing his explanation, "Lex Luthor and the Light, this criminal organization he works with, abducted you. They amputated your arm."
"Why?" Roy asked. "To keep me from using my bow?"
It was almost pitiful how innocent Roy still was― how naïve he was to this world's evil.
"No. They needed an endless supply of your DNA to perfect their human cloning process." Red Arrow explained. Roy glanced down at his stub before returning his attention to Red Arrow, "So, that's what you are: a clone."
Red Arrow's gaze fell, "Yeah. They grew me― or rather force grew me. In a matter of months, I looked your age. They programmed me with all your memories and skills and… and worse."
Ollie sat on Roy's bed, "Then, they spoon-fed me clues to your location. I thought I was doing detective work, but in hindsight… you'd been missing three months. I'd been going crazy so when I found you-him," Ollie corrected himself, sighing. "I didn't question the good fortune. I had no idea it wasn't the real, the original, you. No idea Luthor had stored you on ice all this time." Ollie concluded.
Roy glanced around, staring at us each before speaking, "So, what you're saying is… you took my place. You've been living my life for eight years."
I countered, "And he's been tirelessly searching for you five of those." Red Arrow shot me a grateful look.
"Huh," Roy paused, "but not you or Ollie."
I furrowed my brow, shooting Roy a confused look. "You gave up on me, Ollie."
Red Arrow stood from his seat, "I don't want to be the cause of more conflict between you and your family." Red Arrow admitted. "I'd understand if you never wanted to lay eyes on me again."
Roy stared at Red, "I don't know. Seems to me the clone didn't do anything wrong. He didn't ask to be created. Plus, he found me. I can't blame him for this. But I can totally blame you two!" Roy exclaimed, leaning forward and grabbing Ollie's arm.
"Roy, I―" Roy cut Ollie off.
"We were partners!" Roy shouted, "Friends! You were in the process of adopting me! How could you not know I'd been replaced? How could you leave me in Luthor's hands for eight years?"
Ollie's shoulders slumped in sadness. "And, how did I not see how useless you are?" Roy questioned. I uncrossed my arms, snapping, "That's enough."
Roy ignored me, uttering, "Get out."
Ollie's eyes widened as he began to protest. "Get out!" Roy shouted repeatedly as he pointed to the door. Ollie stood, sighing, before trudging through the door.
I gritted my teeth, gripping the edge of the bed angrily. "I said―" I cut Roy off.
"Ollie risked his life numerous times trying to find you. We all did. You've been missing for eight years. It's not Ollie's fault that you were too hardheaded and stubborn to understand basic commands. So don't blame Ollie for your carelessness. Blame yourself." I snarled.
Roy leaned back in his hospital bed, glaring back at me. As soon as I noticed the tears, I softened my glare. The room grew uncomfortably silent. Red Arrow glanced between Roy and me until, finally, I decided to leave.
I pushed open the door, hesitating. "Look, Roy," I paused, gripping the doorknob and glaring at my boots. "You're going to need support to get through this. We're always going to be here for you, even if you don't want us to be."
Mount. Justice
March 21
5:33 PM EDT
"Aquaman has all of Atlantis on the case. He's saying they're 'searching the 7 Seas for Lagoon Boy and his captors'. It's a big planet and that's a lot of water." Mal said as Conner placed a hand on his shoulder. They stood in front of the large, rotating holographic display of the globe.
Nightwing and I stood, arms crossed, a few feet away.
"We'll find La'gaan." Conner promised. "And Aqualad." Mal added, darkly.
"I want his fish head on a platter for what he did to Artemis."
"That doesn't make us any better than him." I noted. Conner sighed, "I don't suppose we're any closer to identifying the Light's new partner. Nightwing? Where is everyone?" Conner questioned. Mal pointed in the direction of the living quarters, "Well the girls are all hitting the shower. The rest… they're down in the Grotto."
I clasped my hands behind my back, walking to the Grotto. We had built it after learning of the original Blue Beetle's death. I walked down the stairs slowly, taking note of the solemn silence and Bart's occasional crunching.
"Uh, sorry. Mourning makes me hungry," Bart chuckled. Jaime tugged Bart into a corner near Tula's memorial, "You stole those freeze-dried chicken whizzies from my locker, didn't you?" Jaime asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Hey, hey, hey. Where I come from, it's not stealing, its scavenger rights. The point is we don't have chicken whizzies, freeze-dried or otherwise, in my era, so blame Kid Flash. He got me hooked." Bart explained. Jaime face-palmed, muttering, "Forget I asked."
"Hey, Phe," Gar smiled, waving his tail at me. Tim, Jaime, and Bart finally noticed my presence. I smiled softly, standing on the last step.
"So, why is this here?" Bart questioned. "I mean, it's pretty and everything, but these people are heroes. In the line of duty and all that. They should have giant statues, big, crashy memorials in the Hall of Justice, or something." Bart argued.
Jaime nodded, "Yeah, I asked that, too. Captain Atom said the League doesn't want or need a public shrine to its fallen. But I don't know. Seems to me they just don't want to advertise we're not immortal."
I chuckled, disputing, "We never said we were."
Jaime sighed before replying angrily, "The handful of people who've seem me in action, they think I'm this guy in a new costume." Jaime gestured to Ted Kord's holographic statue, "They world will never know about Ted Kord's sacrifice."
"But you know. And I know." I responded. "The entire Team and League knows."
Jaime lowered his head in disappointment as Bart continued, "And you're carrying on the grand Blue Beetle heroic tradition, right?"
Jaime scoffed, glaring, "I wish. It's such a total rip. Superboy as Superman. Wonder Girl has Wonder Woman. Robin has Batman, Nightwing, and Batgirl. You've been in this era, like, what, five minutes, and already you have three Flash mentors- one who feeds you junk food- and Phoenix!" Jaime exclaimed.
"But me? I've never even got the chance to meet the guy who should've been my mentor." Jaime gestured toward Ted's memorial. I placed a hand on his shoulder, "The senior members of the Team are your mentors, even if we can never fill Ted's shoes."
"You know, we have more in common than you might think― our love of chicken whizzies, for example. Let me buy you some to replace the bag I salvaged. We'll hang. It will be totally crash." Bart excitedly said as he pushed Jaime towards the Grotto's south stairs.
"Uh, sure." Jaime agreed.
I turned, watching Garfield and Tim exit the Grotto. I sighed, staring at Artemis' glowing figure.
I stared at her stern expression, reaching out. I sighed as my hand caused the hologram to flicker. I promise this will be worth it, Artemis.
Dakota City
March 21
08:11 PM EDT
"That waiter was totally flirting with you," Karen argued, glaring playfully at me. I shrugged, leaning back in my chair.
Aunt Dinah added, "I think you should give him your number."
The table of girls erupted in agreement before Karen announced, "M'gann and Zatanna are here!"
The table erupted in excited greetings as we settled in. "Happy bridal shower, Raquel." M'gann smile, placing her gift on the table. Raquel smile, "M'gann! Oh, you shouldn't have."
M'gann sat beside Barbra, revealing, "Actually, it's… it's from Artemis, too. We bought it together."
All eyes landed on the empty chair beside Zatanna and M'gann. Aunt Dinah placed a hand over mine as I lowered my eyes.
"What am I doing? Having this shower? How-how can we celebrate so soon after―" I cut Raquel off. "Because Artemis would so be kicking your ass if you weren't." I retort. Raquel gripped the gift bag before nodding, agreeing.
Raquel lifted her glass, toasting, "To absent friends."
I lifted my glass of water the restaurant had set for us before we arrived.
We all looked at Artemis' empty seat. "To absent friends." We echoed. "And to the bride." M'gann added. "To the bride!" We echoed louder, rising to our feet.
"You're getting married!" I shouted as the waiter approached our table. He set my drink down, smiling nervously at me. Aunt Dinah bumped her shoulder into mine, silently encouraging me to flirt with the waiter.
If I were being honest with myself, the waiter was cute and maybe an interaction with a civilian would relax my mind from the stress it's under. The only problem was I still had feelings for Wally, even if I wasn't ready to give up the hero gig for him yet.
A loud, blood curling scream erupted over the music as ice encased a truck in front of the bank across from the restaurant. The whole table stood, scouting the area for the ice-villain. We shouted as the ice grew, encasing the whole block. I ignited an orb around us, protecting us from the ice.
We began to strip, revealing our uniforms underneath our civilian clothing.
Zatanna shouted a spell, breaking the ice around us. I lifted us up, lowering the force field to a mere platform.
Captain Cold stares at us in disbelief as he drops his pick-axe.
"I'm completely doomed, aren't I?" Captain Cold questions, rhetorically. "One hundred percent." Rocket says before we charge at him.
Metropolis
March 21
08:58 PM EDT
Green Arrow and Red Arrow halt a block away from Lex Corp. Black smoke filtered out of what used to be Lex Luthor's office and into the sky. I flew higher, attempting to scout the area. A helicopter spewed water into the burning office, attempting to put out the fire.
"No. We can't be too late." Green Arrow shouted, "I cannot have failed him again."
I flew down, landing behind the two archers. "No, wait, look!" Red Arrow pointed to Lex Corp's parking garage which spewed black smoke too.
Roy, dressed as Speedy, emerged from the black smoke holding a silver briefcase.
"Hey, guys. What took you so long?" Roy questioned, smirking. We ran to Roy, skidding to a halt. Green Arrow asked, "Roy! Are you alright?"
Roy answered sadistically, "I'm good. Well, better than I've been in eight years, anyway." Roy lifted his stump. "You didn't―" Roy cut off Green Arrow. "Kill Luthor? No. Not tonight."
Red Arrow gestures towards Roy's silver briefcase. "What's in the case?" Red Arrow asked.
Roy grunts as he lifted it, responding, "Satisfaction. It's not elegant. Won't fool anyone into thinking its actual flesh and blood. But it's more powerful and versatile than the model Luthor gave his own bodyguard. And it will literally make me a living weapon. No one's putting me on ice, ever." Roy stated darkly.
"Speedy? Are you sure you're okay?" I asked. Roy removed his mask, continuing darkly, "Speedy died eight years ago." Roy tossed the domino mask then closed his briefcase. Gripping the handle, Roy stared at all three of us before finally saying, "But I kind of like the sound of… Arsenal."
Author's Note: I just edited this whole thing on my cracked iPhone screen so leave a nice review.
