Chapter 7

A/N: Erica is not mine, she's my friend's OC. And I do not own YJ or TFP; just this story.

/text or comm/

Bumblebee's speech

Telepathy

July 10 Star City

Men were unloading illegal weapons from a crate late at night. As they did an arrow landed next to them and released a gas knocking them out. A gun skid towards a rather large man in a suit, stomping down the pistol was knocked up into his hand. Aiming upwards, he saw Speedy looking down at him. "You again! I'm starting to get insulted that Green Arrow's not handling my operations personally!" he sneered shooting thermal blasts at the archer. Speedy weaved his way through the shots, not even getting singed by the explosions. Firing an arrow ha jammed the pistol just as it fired. The blast went back, burning away the man's shirt. "DO YOU KNOW WHAT I PAY FOR A SUIT IN MY SIZE?! Scorch the earth boys," he commanded.

Just then a yellow and red blur ran past, taking out one guy, as two bat-a-rangs took out the guns of two more. Above them Robin cackled as he flew over. They were about to run when one was slammed back by a green mace, and the other struck by a black and yellow shadow. The bigger man hurled rocks at Roy, but Aqualad jumped down in the way and sliced it in half with his sword.

"The cave is perfect," Aqualad said. "It has everything we need."

"For covert missions," Robin said as he and Emerald appeared. "Spy stuff!"

"And wait till you meet Superboy and Miss Martain! But I saw her first!" Kid Flash said running up.

The man hurled another rock, but Bumblebee jumped through it and landed next to them.

Emerald knocked him back with rock of her own. Getting to his feet the man laughed. "Tell Arrow he shouldn't send children to do a man's job," he sneered standing up leaving himself open for the arrow Speedy was aiming at him. "Go ahead."

Speedy fired and he was promptly covered in a thick foam-like substance that solidified. "High density polyurethane foam, nice," Emerald smiled.

"So Speedy, you in?" 'Bee asked.

"Pass, I'm done letting the League tell me what to do. I don't need a babysitter or a clubhouse to hang out with the other kids! Your Jr Justice League is a joke. Something to keep you busy, and in your place!" he snarled.

"You'll missout on missions against the Decpticons," Emerald taunted.

"Please, as if the League would let you fight Cons," he scoffed.

"We already have," Robin grinned.

"Yea, we've stormed the Nemesis, and fought Soundwave!" Wally grinned.

"And I'm guess you snuck along?"

"Well for the fist one…"

"Just as I thought, I don't want any part in it," Roy growled walking off into the shadows.

"That went well."

-.-

July 11 Mount Justice

"Recognized: Robin—B01, Kid Flash—B03, Emerald Lantern—B02, Bumblebee—B06," the computer announced as the group Zetaed in dressed in their civvies.

"Man, now I know how y'all feel in the groundbridge," Bumblebee said clutching his stomach. "…Hey, ya think I could change my number to B00?"

"Ha, ha 'Bee," Erica said laughing sarcastically. "Very funny."

"Did you ask him?" Robin asked.

"What did he say?" Wally continued.

"He's arriving now," Aqualad responded.

"Then what are we waiting for?!" Wally shouted as he sprinted off, leaving the others to chase after. They arrived at the forest entrance as Red Tornado landed outside. "Red Tornado!"

"Greetings. Is there a reason you intercept me outside the cave?" the android inquired.

"We hoped you had a mission for us," Aqualad answered.

"Missions are Batman's and Prime's responsibilities," he replied.

"But they haven't given us anything!" Erica said.

"You will be tested soon enough. For the time being, enjoy each other's company."

"This isn't a social club."

"No, but Prime told me social interaction is an important team building exercise. Perhaps you can keep busy by familiarizing yourselves with the cave," he said walking past.

"Keep busy," KF scoffed.

"Does he think we're falling for this?" Robin asked.

"Oh! I'll find out!" Miss Martain said trying to read his mind.

"Uhh…Miss M, he's an android," 'Bee reminded.

"Hello Megan!" she said slapping her forehead. "I can't read the minds of machines."

"Technically it's a processor."

"So…do you know what I'm thinking right now?" the speedster asked only to get elbowed by Robin and his cousin.

"We all know what you're thinking right now," Erica scolded.

"And now we tour the clubhouse," Aqualad spat.

"Well, Superboy and I live here, we can be tour guides," Miss Martain offered.

"Don't look at me," Superboy said raising his hands.

"I already downloaded the schematics, so can I go?"

"No! You can help!" she said grabbing the young Autobot's arm.

"No thanks!"

"Besides, a private tour sound much more fun," Wally said.

"She never said private!" Robin and Erica said smacking his head.

"Team building, we'll all go," Aqualad said.

"So this is our front door," she began. As they walked through the cave she explained everything, until they reached the beach entrance. "And this would be the back. The cave is actually the inside of the entire mountain."

"It was hallowed out by GL and Superman in the League's early days," Erica said as they went back inside.

"So why abandon it for the Hall of Justice?" Superboy asked.

"The base's confidential location was compromised," Bumblebee stated.

"So they traded it in for a tourist trap? Yea, that makes sense," he grumbled.

"If villains know of the cave, we must be on constant alert!" M'gann realized.

"The bad guys know we know they know about the place so they'd never think to look here," Robin said taking her hand.

"What he means is, we're hiding in plain sight," Em said separating their hands.

"Ah…that's much clearer."

"I smell smoke," Superboy commented.

"MY COOKIES!" the Martian girl exclaimed flying off. Going up to the living room they saw her pulling out a tray of seared cookies onto the counter. "I was trying out Grammy Jones' recipe from episode 17 of—oh, never mind."

"I bet they would've tasted great," Robin smiled.

"Yea, he doesn't seem to mind," Erica said looking at KF

"Um…I have a fast metabolism," he said knowing that his excuse sucked.

"I'll…make more?" the telepath questioned slightly.

"It was sweet of you to make any," Aqualad said.

"Thanks Aqualad."

"We're off duty, call me Kaldur."

"I'm Wally. See I already trust you with my secret ID, unlike Mr. Dark Sunglasses over there. Batman's forbidden Boy Wonder from telling anyone his real name," the Speedster teased. "Ow!"

"Sorry about my idiot cousin," Emerald chuckled. "I'm Erica."

"Bumblebee is my real name, but due to the fact it is an unusual name on Earth I've decided to go by Brandon," he smiled shyly. "Just call me whichever works better for you."

"Me too!" Miss M smiled. "My real name is M'gann M'ortz. But you can call me Megan. It's an Earth name, and I'm on Earth now!"

Superboy started walking away. "Don't worry Superboy. We'll find an Earth name for you too," she said telepathically.

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" he shouted.

"What's wrong? I don't understand. Everyone on Mars communicates telepathically," Megan asked in complete confusion as the others grabbed their head. Both 'Bee and Emerald having some particularly bad memories with telepaths come forwards as she breached their lowered mental walls.

"Megan stop!" Kaldur ordered. "Here your powers are an extreme invasion of privacy."

"Besides, telepaths left a bad taste in their brains," Wally said pointing to Superboy, Brandon, and Erica.

"I-I d-didn't mean to—" she stuttered.

"Just. Stay. Out!" the clone snapped.

The stood there awkwardly for a moment before she smacked her forehead. "Hello Megan! I know what we can do!" she said flying off. The others fallowed, except Superboy who just sat on the couch. "Superboy? Please."

"Don't talk to me," he growled. Megan looked down sadly, noticing this he sighed and got up.

They went down to the hangar where a small red and black pod sat. "It's my Martian Bioship."

"I've heard about these," 'Bee said looking it over. "They're mostly organic and fallow mental commands right?"

"Yep," she smiled.

"Cute, not aerodynamic, but cute," Wally commented.

"It's at rest dummy," Em said as Megan woke it. It transformed into an actually decedent sized ship.

Going inside they all sat down in seats, only to jump as the seatbelts buckled themselves. "Wow."

"I know right!" Erica said high-fiving him.

"Red Tornado please open the hangar doors," Megan said taking the driver's seat.

"Incredible!" Robin said as they flew out.

"She sure is," Wally sighed as they all looked at him. "I-I mean the ship! And which like all ships is a she."

"Fast with his feet, not so much with his mouth," Robin snickered.

"Dude!"

Up in front Aqualad was talking with Superboy. "I may not have psychic powers, but I can guess what you're thinking. You overreacted and don't know how to apologize; just say sorry," he consoled.

"He'll come around," Emerald whispered.

"He doesn't seem to like me much," Megan sighed.

"Y'all do remember he has super hearing right?"

"Hey, how about showing us a little Martian shapeshifting," Robin suggested.

Megan hesitantly stood up before she turned into Emerald Lantern, uniform and all. She then turned into female versions of Robin, Bumblebee, and Kid Flash. "Is it wrong I think I'm hot?" Wally asked.

"So that's what I look like as a girl," Bee commented.

"Impressive," Robin said clapping. "But you know you won't fool anyone with those."

"Mimicking boys is harder," she said sitting back down.

"And your clothes?" Erica asked.

"They're organic, like the ship, they respond to my mental commands," she clarified.

"As long as they're the only ones," Superboy grumbled.

"Can you do that ghosting through walls thing Manhunter does?!" Wally asked.

"Density Shifting?" she asked. "…No, it's a very advanced technique."

"Flash can vibrate his molecules right through a wall," Erica snickered. "When he tries it: bloody nose."

"EM!"

"Here's something I can do!" Around them the outside of the ship began changing to match the landscape around them. "Camouflage mode."

"It's not completely invisible, we'll have to be careful," Bumblebee said flatly.

"Only you can make something this cool seem less awesome," Wally groaned.

"I do my best."

/Red Tornado to Miss Martian. An emergency alert has been triggered at the Happy Harbor Power Plant. I suggest you investigate, covertly. I'm sending coordinates/

"Received," she replied. "Adjusting course."

"Tornado's keeping us busy again," Robin muttered.

"Well, a simple fire led us to Superboy," Erica pointed out putting on her ring. "We should at least check it out."

"Think I know the cause," Superboy said. Looking where he was they saw a tornado coming at them. The landed and hopped out of the ship, staring at it.

"Robin? Are tornadoes common in New England?" Aqualad asked only to see that both the Boy Wonder and Autobot had managed to ditch them. "Guys?!"

"I hate it when they do that!" Emerald growled. "Freaking ninjas!"

At the plant several windows exploded, looking at each other and nodding they ran in to see Robin blasted back into a column as Bumblebee got hurled through a wall. "Who's your new friend?" Superboy asked landing next to the Boy Wonder.

"Didn't catch his name but he play's kinda rough!" Robin snapped as the clone leapt at him.

"My apologizes. You may address me as: Mr. Twister," the man in the robotic suit replied sending Superboy flying back.

Wally pulled out his goggles and put them on, charging the tornado-making man, a whirlwind erupted underneath him and sent him flying out of the building. Kalur and Megan charged together, but another tornado sent them flying back near where Superboy landed.

"I was ready to be challenged by a superhero, I was not, however, expecting children," Mr. Twister sneered.

"We're not children!" Robin snapped hurling several exploding disks at him.

Twister used more wind to knock all but one off their course, and the one that did land he just flicked off before it exploded. "Objectively you are. Have you not adult supervision? I find your presence here quite disturbing."

"Well we hate to see you disturbed! Let's see if you're more turbed once we kick your can!" Emerald shouted. Creating a giant whip, she sliced through an object above him, releasing tons of steam. Bumblebee and Superboy leapt together, but Twister raised his hands and sent both flying back into Emerald and Miss Martain. While they went down, Robin and Aqualad charged together, only to have two tornados come up under them and slam them together.

"Indeed, that was quite turbing," Twister said flying out.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY TEAM?!" Kid Flash demanded.

"Embarrassed them largely," the man replied before he made a larger tornado send in towards the building with KF inside.

As it slammed in Wally found himself floating above the ground. "I got ya Wally!" Megan said dropping him.

"I thought you would've all learned your lesson by now."

"WHAT DO YOU WANT?!"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm waiting for a real hero."

"Read his mind, find a weakness," Aqualad said.

"But I thought I wasn't supposed to!"

"IT'S OK WITH THE BAD GUYS!" Robin corrected.

Megan tried to read his mind but found herself coming up blank; much like she did whenever she tried to read Tornado's, Emerald's, or any of the Autobots when they were on guard. "Nothing! I'm getting nothing!" she growled. "Hello Megan! Mr. Twister is Red Tornado in disguise! He's inorganic, an android. And how many androids do you know that can generate tornadoes?!"

"Red Tornado sent us here," Aqualad realized.

"After saying we'd be tested soon enough! This is his test! Something to keep us busy!" Robin snarled.

"Speedy called it! We're a joke," Wally agreed. "This game, so over."

"Guys?"

"We know who you are and what you want!" Robin snapped.

"So let's end this."

"Consider it ended," Twister said creating a massive storm with lightning and whirling winds.

"An impressive show! But we will not indulge you! We will not engage!" Aqualad declared.

"Guys!"

"Can Red Tornado so that?" Wally asked once they saw the lightning.

"You think I'm Tornado? Ironic," Twister said sending lightning at them, blasting them back. Both Bumblebee and Superboy got to their feet and glared up at him. Superboy was the first to jump, getting hit by lightning as he flew up. Bumblebee continued to evade shots on the ground, accessing part of the man's suit, he deactivated the lightning generators. Twister growled in anger before creating a tornado to send the teen flying through a few trees.

Megan was the first to regain consciousness. Seeing Twister float towards them, she summoned the Bioship and had it stand between them and him in camouflage mode, hiding them. Wally groaned but she slapped her hand over his mouth to silence him.

"Fine then. I won't deny you children have power. But I need to achieve my objectives so stay concealed. If you get in my way again I assure you I will show no mercy!" With that ominous threat, he flew off towards the town.

"What happened?" Wally asked sitting up.

"I placed the Bioship between us," M'gann replied.

"And that's supposed to make it right?" Superboy growled punching a rock. "You made us think that Twister was Red Tornado!"

"She didn't do it on purpose Superboy!" Emerald snapped, getting between her and him should his temper get out of control again.

"It was a rookie mistake we shouldn't have listened," Robin said. "We should've listened to 'Bee; who I bet was trying to warn us before we got blasted!"

"You are pretty inexperienced…" KF remarked. "Hit the showers, we'll take it from here."

"Stay out of our way!" Superboy snarled as he jumped off, fallowed by Robin and KF.

"I'll go find 'Bee," Emerald said flying off.

"I-I was just trying to be part of the team," M'gann said hanging her head.

"To be honest, I'm not sure we even have a team," Aqualad confessed before he too ran off.

-.-

People in town screamed as they ran away from the twisters wrecking the town. "Certainly this will get the required attention!" Mr. Twister snarled.

"YOU GOT OURS! FULL AND UNDIVIDED!" Wally shouted charging the man. He leapt up, and rammed his feet into the metal suit.

"Infernal and insufficient! You are a distraction I can no longer tolerate!"

Superboy released a battle cry as he landed where Twister stood a moment before.

Above them Miss Martian flew the Bioship. "The team really needs your help."

"If I intervened, it would not be to help," the android said. "Still it is an odd coincidence that this Twister shares my elemental abilities, and my immunity to telepathy."

"Hello! Megan!"

Down below, Robin and Aqualad leapt off a car, barely avoiding the tornadoes that kept being sent at them. One managed to get Aqualad and it sent him hurling into a building as KF got thrown over Twister by one before he kept running, dodging the exploding ones that resulted from Robin's explosives being caught inside. Twister then aimed another at Superboy, sending him flying towards Aqualad, before he got a boat out of the water sending it after. Seeing the incoming person, Aqualad dove out of the way as Superboy and the boat crashed into the building. Seeing the motor land next to him, the Atlantian picked it up and hurled it at the tornado maker.

Robin and Kid hid behind a boat; glancing back Wally scoffed as he saw his best friend pulling out his utility belt. "You brought your utility belt?"

"Never leave home without it. First thing Batman taught me," he declared proudly.

"Sorry we're late!" Emerald said landing next to them with 'Bee. "It took longer to get those trees off him than I thought it would. Seriously, how do you manage to get yourself pinned under eight trees?"

"Magic!"

"Listen to me. All of you," M'gann said inside their heads.

"What did we tell you?!" Superboy snarled.

"I know! And I know I messed up, but now I'm very clear on what we need to do, please trust me!"

"Alright I'm in, what's the plan?!"

Red Tornado flew in and landed right in front of them. "Hit the showers. I was hoping you could handle this, clearly you cannot."

"But we have a plan now," Robin protested.

"The subject is not up for debate," Tornado replied as they looked sullen and walked off.

"I was beginning to believe you'd never show up," Twister sneered.

"I'm here now." Sticking out his hand, a tornado formed and he sent if after the attacker. Creating his own, Twister sent rocks at the android, but found them deflected by another twister. "We're evenly matched Twister." A tornado formed behind him and rocks flew at the imposter.

"No Tornado we are not!" he snarled slamming his fist into the ground creating a wind column blocking the stones. Due to his lightning generators being shorted out, he sent heated air columns after the flying hero. One managed to hit a boat, making it explode and toss the hero into the ground. "Remain still." Several cords exited his fingertips and connected to his ports. "Reprogramming won't take long."

"Longer than you might think," Megan smiled turning back from Red Tornado.

"No!"

She sent him flying back with a telekinetic blast, right into a tornado which flung him away before dissipating to reveal KF spinning. Superboy punched a few holes in the suit before tossing him up to where a green race car track appeared. The car hit him and shoved him down the track into the water, where Aqualad waited. Swimming up with an anchor, he shocked the bad guy, before blasting him out to where Robin hurled two more exploding disks at him, before Bumblebee came in and started deactivating everything. The systems shut down, and he even somehow made the arms fall off. The suit sat up and opened, before a man with greying hair was flung out.

"Foul! I call Foul," he said sheepishly staring at them.

Miss Martian lifted a rock telekinetically, before holding it over him, and crushing him. The others stared in shock before Robin stormed over. "DON'T KNOW HOW THINGS ARE DONE ON MARS! BUT ON EARTH! WE DON'T EXECUTE OUR CAPTIVES!" Robin scolded.

"You said you trust me," she said lifting the rock revealing a broken android. "That's why I couldn't read his mind!"

"You're telling me I could've saved us all the trouble from the start?" 'Bee groaned.

KF walked up and plucked an eye off the ground. "Cool, souvenir!"

"We should've had more faith in you," Aqualad apologized.

"Yea. You rocked this mission!" Wally grinned. "Get it? Rocked?"

"Ignore him," Emerald said smacking him upside the head.

"We're all just turbed you're on the team," Robin smiled.

"Thanks guys."

-.-

Unknown location

"Now, Bron, aren't you glad I didn't let you wear the suit?" a doctor asked.

"Extremely, but you're not upset?"

"I'm convinced our tracking program was operational, and that the real Tornado was somewhere in the vicinity. But you know science is always changing. Even failure can be instructive, and I say we learned quite a lot today."

-.-

Mount Justice

"It was clearly created to sabotage or destroy you," Aqualad said as they examined it back at the cave.

"Agreed."

"Is that why you wouldn't help us?" Megan asked.

"No. This was your battle, it is not my place to solve your problems for you, nor should you solve mine for me."

"But if you're in danger…" Erica began.

"Consider the matter closed," Tornado said walking away.

"Batman, Aquaman, GL, and Flash; they would've all jumped right on in to fix things," Wally grumbled.

"Guess if we have a babysitter a heartless machine is exactly what we need," Robin muttered.

"Robin," Brandon scolded as he continued looking over the tech.

"And inaccurate. I have a heart: carbon-steel alloy," Tornado replied. "I also have excellent hearing."

"Right…I'll strive to be more accurate," he said with a slight smile.

"And more respectful," Erica said slinging an arm over his shoulder.

"Speedy was so wrong," Wally commented as they began leaving.

"This team thing," Aqualad said.

"Might just work out," Erica and Robin said. "JINX!"

"Ha! I win! You owe me a soda!" Erica laughed as she walked away.

As Superboy turned to leave he looked at Megan. "Sorry."

A/N: please review.