Hellooooooooo! Wow, I'm SO SORRY that it's been so long! I never meant for it to take this long to upload a chapter, but it just kinda did ...

I want to promise that it won't happen again, but I don't think I can, but I can promise that I will finish this story! (Just maybe over an extended period of time!)

I don't have any other excuses other than mild writer's block, school finals, and all around personal crap. Yay! Love dealing with personal crap! (If you didn't catch it, that was sarcasm.)

Anyway, thanks for reading! If things seem out of character please don't judge. I really struggled to get this chapter out! Love you all so much! Please leave a review!

oOo

9: Not Exactly Laser Proof

May 29, 2016

The Warworld

The sensation of falling had lodged my heart in my throat, but somehow I was still able to scream. I flailed in the pitch dark, waiting for the seemingly bottomless pit to end. Suddenly, a hole of light opened up beneath me and I fell through, sprawling across a hard, cold floor along with Tye, Virgil, Asami, and Ed.

We all gave a collective groan, climbing to our feet. It was then that we realized that we were surround by a squadron of red-clad Reach soldiers. Rage boiled inside me at the sight of them, and I clenched my hands into fists. I probably would have attacked, if Virgil hadn't spoken first.

"Oh, we give up, we give up, please don't hurt us!" He yelped throwing himself on his knees and putting his hands behind his head. "It was stupid to come here! Stupid, stupid, stupid! I knew this wouldn't work, we are so sorry." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Of all of them, Virgil had turned coward? I was about to redirect my anger at Virgil, when Ed followed his lead, kneeling on the ground.

"He's right. We don't want any trouble, we just want to go home." It was then that it clicked in my mind. I got down on my knees, gritting my teeth. Asami and Tye quickly followed suit. The Reach soldiers approached us, keeping their blasters level with our heads at all times. One of them went up to Virgil, speaking in their strange clicking language and lifted Virgil up by the collar of his shirt.

"Fooled ya!" Virgil smirked as he used his electricity to bring his manhole cover around and slam the soldier holding him in the head. We quickly joined in. I enclosed the two Reach closest to me within a force-field, slamming them against the ceiling and them back against the floor.

"Woohoo! Now you gone done and woke up the big man!" Virgil yelled from behind me. I turned around to see that Tye had activated his powers, a 20 foot tall astral projection. He swiped his hand, batting four Reach soldiers into the air. I grinned. I had seen Tye's powers in action a couple of times the past few days, but it never lost its awesomeness.

I turned back to the task at hand, causing a force-field to ripple out of me and smash two of the Reach into a wall. Man this is so crash! I ran over to them and grabbed one of their laser guns. I turned, gun in hand, just in time to see a transport pull up, releasing at least forty more soldiers with laser guns on us. Swearing profusely, I fired a few shots into the horde. Three Reach soldiers fell, but they seemed to be replaced instantly.

I spun around, searching the room before my eyes locked on Virgil. I ran towards him, ducking under Tye's giant foot mid-stride and dodging the lasers of the oncoming Reach horde. I fired a few shot of my own towards them without really aiming.

When I reached Virgil he was finishing dispatch two soldiers, slamming their heads against the wall my ramming them with his manhole cover. Brutal, but affective, I mused. Asami rammed a couple of soldiers behind us with her energy blasts, making my ears ring at the close range. She landed behind me. I grabbed Virgil's arm before he could fly away on his manhole cover.

"We need to get out of here!" I yelled above the noise. He looked behind me and saw the quickly approaching horde. I was surprised at how alive he looked. Yes, his eyes held fear, terror even, but there was a glint of mischief there as well. He was in his element, even if the element was new and dangerous. I could see the hero coming out in him. Static had been born.

"Got it." He hopped onto his metal circle, swiftly moving away from the horde with me and Asami in tow. "Ed! Tye! Time to go!" He shouted at our comrades, who quickly realized the danger and ran towards us. Tye's astral form quickly caught up to us and took the lead, leading us farther into the Warworld and – hopefully – away from danger.

oOo

I panted as we ran, searching the bleak metal walls for a way out. Or a way to get rid of the soldiers on our tail. Either would work for me. There were just too many of them for us to handle. Suddenly, the tunnel in front of us opened up. On either side of the opening were more walkways, but straight ahead there was only a ledge. The ledge dropped off, probably going all the way to the bottom of the Warworld. If you were running fast enough… I thought, an idea quickly forming in my mind.

"Move!" I shouted at the group. Swearing at their confused faces I dropped my Reach blaster and thrust out my hands, pushing them back with a not-to-gentle shield. They fell hard to the right side of the doorway. I ran to the left and thrust out my hands again, just as the soldiers reached the door. I formed a shield behind them and forcing it forward, sending the soldiers stumbling over each other out the door and over the ledge.

My mouth switched up in a satisfied smirk when I spotted something dart out of the open doorway. I didn't even have time to react as the red-clad soldier pointed, aimed, and shot his blaster square at my chest. At the last possible second Tye jumped in front of me and kneeled, shielding me with glowing outstretched arms. At the same second, Virgil rammed the soldier in the stomach with his manhole cover, shoving him over the edge to join his brethren.

Tye descended as his astral form shrank back into his chest. I let out a shaky breath.

"Well, that was close," I laughed nervously as Ed, Virgil, and Asami ran over.

"Dude, did we know your, uh, long shadow was laser-proof?" Ed asked with raised eyebrows. Tye grimaced and held his stomach.

"Ugh, more like, laser-resistant. Those lasers stung," he groaned.

"Sorry. I didn't see that last one." Tye looked at me and shrugged.

"S'okay. You did just get rid of forty Reach soldiers." I laughed. Virgil caught my gaze, a question in his eyes. I smirked and nodded. I'm fine.

"I'm starting to think you're a bit crazy, Jade," Ed told me.

"You're just realizing that now?" He laughed, shaking his head.

"What now?" Tye asked. We all turned to Asami. She pulled the Father Box out from her pocket.

"Superboy, please." The device beeped and lit up, leading us to the left. "This way!"

oOo

The door in front of us slid open in groaning protest. The sight inside took my breath away, not that I had much to give. The Father Box had led us through a bazillion levels of the Warworld, making us run up and down, back and forth for the last fifteen minutes. It felt like an eternity. Luckily, we hadn't run into anymore Reach.

We crept through the doorway, taking in the strange sight of the gigantic dark chamber. The room was filled with prison cells, all glowing with red viewing windows. Rows upon rows of cells stretched as far as the eye could see, stacking upon each other to the roof. Most of them sat empty. But it was not the empty cells that captured my attention.

"Oh man! There they are!" Virgil voiced both the relief and panic that I felt. In the cells closest to us were the nine missing members of the Junior Justice League. They all hung suspended in the red chambers, their bodies still and eyes closed. I scanned the cells before finally finding him. Bart. He hung in a chamber to my right, his face slack of its usual teasing smirk. I stepped forward instantly, wanting to get him out as quickly as possible.

"Looks like they're frozen," Ed mused. I would have rolled my eyes in a 'thanks Captain Obvious' gesture, but my movements were steeled at the sound of a grating dark voice.

"They're in stasis." I turned swiftly in recognition. All the Beetles seemed to have similar voices. All dark. All smug. The others turned as well, taking in the looming black form with the gravely voice. "And you will join them soon enough."

oOo

So there you have it. Black Beetle in da house! Please leave a review! I really appreciate criticism and suggestions! I'll write as soon as I have more!