Oh, you people better appreciate this chapter.

Chapter Four

Independence-Part II

WASHINGTON D.C.

July 4, 14:00 EDT

Superheroes have fans. Lots of fans; except they get our names confused. We got a great example of this as we walked down the pathway to the Hall.

"I see Flash and Flash Jr.!" One lady squealed.

"His name's Speedy, duh." A man reprimanded, who, according to the tremors running through my legs, stood next to her.

"No, Speedy's Green Arrow's sidekick!" Another shouted.

"Well, that makes no sense."

I shook my head, smiling. It can get pretty frustrating remembering who's who when all our names kind of correspond. Glad I didn't take "Sparrow" as a name, then people would have confused me with Robin.

"Ready to see the inner sanctum?" Green Arrow grinned over Speedy's shoulder.

"Born that way." Speedy answered, his smile wide and proud.

"I'm glad we're all here." Aqualad spoke up.

"It's kinda nice, isn't it?" I smiled up at him. His silvery eyes were unusual; they reminded me of my own gold-rimmed ones, which were currently hidden behind a black-and-white domino mask.

Kid Flash turned to us, excited. "Have all five sidekicks ever been at the same place at the same time?"

"Don't call us sidekicks," Speedy cut him off with a glare, his smile gone. "Not after today."

"Sorry," Kid Flash apologized. "First time at the Hall. I'm a little overwhelmed."

"You're overwhelmed, Freeze was underwhelmed, why isn't anyone ever just whelmed?" Robin sighed, walking a little faster, reaching the entrance before us.

"Oh," his white slits grew into oblong ovals. "Maybe that's why."

Eight huge statues formed a half circle above us. Aquaman, Flash, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter and Valor.

"Hey," I whispered, giving a little salute at my… real mentor. Like the other statues, she faced forward, her expression serious. What would she say if she could see me now?

Endeavour squeezed his grip on my shoulder, his sharp talons pinching my skin. "She'd be proud." He twittered in my ear. I arched an eyebrow at him. He was such a mind-reader sometimes.

A door slid open in front of us, and Martian Manhunter and Red Tornado stepped out.

"Robin, Speedy, Valiant, Aqualad, Kid Flash." His face was stoic, his red eyes unwavering. "Welcome."

He turned around, a gesture for us to follow him. I nudged Robin on the shoulder; I was still a little shorter even though I was older!

Kid Flash grinned at us, fist bumping Robin as we walked inside and the door shut behind us.

"You now have unlimited access to the gym, our fully stocked galley," we advanced into a room filled with shelves and shelves of books, "and of course, our library."

Flash faced us, his trademark grin wider than usual as he spread his arms out. "Make yourselves at home."

Kid Flash and Robin plopped down on the chairs while Aqualad calmly seated himself across from them. I spread my wings with a swish, leapt into the air and perched on the coffee table between Robin and Kid. Speedy remained standing, his eyes narrowed.

Endeavour flew off my shoulder and landed carefully on Batman's.

"Quick debrief to discuss the coincidence of five ice villains attacking on the same day." Batman faced us, his voice gravelly. "We shouldn't be long."

Our mentors went up to another door, and a small, mechanical orb slid out of the roof, scanning each of them.

"Recognized, Batman, 0-2,"

"Endeavour, 0-8,"

"Aquaman, 0-6,"

"Flash, 0-4,"

"Green Arrow, 0-9,"

"Martian Manhunter, 0-7,"

The door, marked "Justice League Members Only," slid open as the orb announced the last name.

"Red Tornado, 1-7."

"That's it?" Speedy snarled. All the members turned back around.

"You promised us a real look inside," he folded his arms across his chest, "not a glorified backstage pass."

"It's a first step," Aquaman spoke, "you've been granted access few others get."

"Oh really?" He waved a hand at an observation window above us, where tourists stood, gaped and took photos. "Who cares which side of the glass we're on?"

"Roy," Green Arrow stepped forward. "You just need to be patient."

"What I need," he spat, "is respect." He turned his back on his mentor, facing us. "They're treating us like kids. Worse, like sidekicks." He bent his head closer to us. "We deserve better than this."

I looked at Robin, Kid, Aqualad, and then back at Robin. I didn't really see a problem with waiting a bit longer to see the rest of the Hall, and I could tell that they didn't either. None of us said anything.

"You're kidding, right?" His eyes widened, his voice thick with disbelief. "You're playing their game? Why?" he demanded. "Because you think they play fair?

"Today was supposed to be the day," he slammed his fist into the palm of his hand, "step one in becoming full-fledged members of the League!"

"Well, sure," Kid Flash shrugged. "But I thought step one was a tour of the HQ?"

"Except the Hall isn't the League's real HQ."

What?

Everyone's eyes widened, my mouth and Kid's mouth formed a small "o", Robin sat up a little straighter, and even calm Aqualad looked surprised.

"I bet they never told you that's it's just a false front for tourists, and a pit stop for catching zeta beam teleporter tubes to the real thing," he raised an arm to the ceiling. "An orbiting satellite, called the Watchtower."

Endeavour lied to me? Disbelief pounded against my skull, despite the fact that my skull modeled after a woodpecker's and could withstand smashing into concrete.

Green Arrow turned to Batman, who folded his arms across his chest.

"I know, I know, but I thought, maybe, we could make an exception?" Green Arrow murmured, trying to crack a smile.

Batman said nothing, his eyes narrowing even further.

The smile disappeared, replaced by a frown. "Or not."

"You are nothelping your cause here, son." Aquaman interfered. "Stand down, or-"

"Or what? You'll send me to my room?" Speedy quipped with biting scorn. "And I'm not your son! I'm not even his." He glared at Green Arrow. "I thought I was his partner, but - not anymore." He flung his hat to the ground.

I could feel the entire room tense, and shock radiated from each and every one of us. Speedy's indignance and resentment seemed to soak into the ground before re-vibrating into my legs, inky and uncomfortable.

Oh my God, Speedy. Don't quit! Don't leave! Something childish and faint woke in me, something I didn't really want to remember. Don't go!

He marched past us, ignoring the looks of astonishment. "Guess they're right about you four." We got up from our seats, watching him walk towards the exit.

"You're not ready."

We all stared after him, none of us really sure what to do.

Speedy's gone? How could this have happened? Five minutes ago we were talking and laughing together and now he was – gone?

An obnoxious alarm declaring an incoming transmission saved us. Superman appeared on the computer screen.

"Superman to Justice League. There's been an explosion at Project Cadmus. It's on fire." He stated the emergency, expressionless.

"I've had my suspicions about Cadmus," Batman, along with the other Leaguers walked over to the screen and keyboard. "This may present the perfect opportunity to-"

Again the alarm sounded, interrupting Batman. A small square appeared in the corner of the screen, showing Zatara's profile.

"Zatara to Justice League. The Sorcerer Wotan is using the Amulet of Aten to blot out the sun. Requesting full League response."

"Superman?" Batman questioned.

"It's a small fire. Local authorities have it under control."

"Then Cadmus can wait," Batman pressed a comm key on the keyboard. "All Leaguers rendezvous at Zatara's coordinates, Batman out."

I walked up to them with Kid, Robin and Aqualad beside me, ready for the mission.

"Stay put." Batman growled.

"What? Why?" Robin complained.

"This is a League mission," Aquaman answered, as though it being a League mission was a perfectly acceptable explanation.

"You're not trained." Flash threw in.

"Since when?" Kid spread out his arms in indignation.

"He meant you are not trained to work as part of this team." Endeavour's golden eyes shone as he spread out a wing, indicating the League.

"There will be other missions, when you're ready." Aquaman nodded.

"But for now," Batman eyes narrowed even further, "stay put."

They walked towards the door with the others on their heels.

"Glad you didn't bring you-know-who?" Green Arrow teased Martian Manhunter.

"Indeed." He replied, before disappearing after the rest of the Leaguers. Red Tornado stayed behind for a second, staring at us, before following Green Arrow and Manhunter, the door sliding shut behind him.

Kid scoffed, breaking the silence. "When we're ready?" He squeezed his eyes shut in frustration before opening them again. "How are we ever supposed to be ready when they treat us like – like," He threw his arms into the air in annoyance. "sidekicks?"

"My mentor, my king," Aqualad sighed. "I thought he trusted me."

"Trust? They don't even trust us with the basics! They've got a secret HQ - in space!" He threw his arms into the air again.

Is he trying to fly or something?

"Look, I'm just as upset as you guys are," I cut in. "But don't you think we should consider this from their point of view?" Endeavour wouldn't keep secrets without reason.

Unless Batman forced him to.

"Their point of view? What's there to consider? They lied to us!" Kid shouted in my face.

I narrowed my eyes, my arms folded across my chest. "You ever think they kept the Watchtower a secret to protect you and themselves?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm just saying," I shrugged my shoulders. "If there's one thing I've learned is that even when you trust someone, usually, for their own good, you can't tell them everything." And boy, have I learned that lesson.

"Then what else aren't they telling us?" Aqualad stepped forward, interrogating my answer.

Robin sighed, joining in the conversation. "I have a better question. Why didn't we leave with Speedy?"

Kid crossed his arms over his chest again, and we studied the ground for a second.

Fear, uncertainty, and doubt pulsed through my legs. For once, I wished I could shut them off. I didn't need to know others' emotions when I had them myself. Stupid hollow leg bones!

"What is Project Cadmus?" Aqualad broke the ice.

"Don't know," Robin murmured, as a wide grin settled onto his face. "But I can find out."

He walked over to the computer, the three of us right behind him, and started to mess around on the keyboard.

"Access denied." The computer announced as Robin paused in his frantic typing.

"Heh, wanna bet?" He grinned even wider.

The screen, which had been glowing green, started to scramble through files and binary numbers.

"Whoa, how are you doing that?" Kid stared in astonishment.

I wanted to scuffle Robin's hair. My little bro, an expert hacker.

"Access granted." The screen shone red for a second, and then green again, and a file on Cadmus opened up.

"Alright, Project Cadmus, genetics lab here in D.C." Robin read aloud. "That's all there is. But if Batman's suspicious," he stepped away from the computer, glancing back and forth between Kid, Aqualad and me, his grin still wide, "maybe we should investigate."

"Solve their case before they do." Aqualad finished.

"Total poetic justice." I add.

"Hey, they're all about justice," he grinned at me, a laugh in his breath.

Aqualad sighed, shaking his head. "But they said stay put."

"For the blotting-out-the-sun mission, not this!" Robin pointed out.

"Wait, a-are you going to Cadmus? Because if you're going, I'm going!" Kid grinned up at Aqualad at me, his hand on Robin's shoulder.

Aqualad glanced at me.

"Massive rationalization. But I'm going." I walked over and stood next to Kid and Robin.

Aqualad smiled. "Just like that? We're a team on a mission?"

"We didn't come for a play date." Robin smirked.

I nudge his shoulder as excitement flurries through my legs. This is gonna be awesome.