'Dr. Luke… I can't think of a solution to this whole mess, and I'm afraid I'm loosing my teammates- my friends along the way.' He thought as he hugged himself tighter.
"They seem so… disperse" Black Canary commented, as she watched the boy's in the cage not talking to each other after the slight disagreement.
"I don't think they agree with their leader." Aquaman added."They shouldn't even be facing this!" Flash said exasperated.
The interrogation room was ready, Aquaman, Flash, Superman and her were waiting for Batman's call, to begin the interrogation. When the approval was given Flash went to get one of the boys.
"So whose first?" Flash asked awkwardly, seeing the boys in the cage looking defeated and upset made him feel somehow responsible for everything they've been threw, even before they met.
L looked at the others, R kept his head down and his knees close to his chest, W seemed somehow immersed in thought as he looked at R, and S just glared at the senior speedster. L sighed and stood up with difficulty thanks to his bounded hands, catching everyone's attention. "Guess, it'll have to be me." He said, stretching up.
Flash nodded and left with L to the interrogation room, he entered a white room not too big, but not too small either, with a two metal chairs at each side of a metal table. Flash guided him to the one farther from the door, as soon as sat down a metallic ring appeared going around his stomach making him unable to stand or move too much.
He stared at the older speedster and said, "Really? Isn't it enough having this things." He showed his shackled wrists with the glowing red button at the center.
"Its just protocol at much, don't worry. I'll be back for you later." Flash said and turned to leave.
"WAIT! aren't you the one who's gonna make the questions?!" L asked, an uneasy feeling making its way to his stomach. That feeling intensified as he saw The Batman interring the room.
"No, I will be the one asking. Let begin." He said darkly, as the door closed, L gulped.
"What is your name?" The bat began
"Lightning." He said automatically.
"I meant your 'real' name." the bat pushed
"Wouldn't you want to know." The speedster said with a cheeky grin, though it fell rapidly.
At the other side of the glass Black Canary stood watching each and every gesture the boy made. She frowned looking at the slight uncertainty.
"What is the Light?"
"R told you already, they are our masters."
"What is their purpose?"
L sighed a bit exasperated, "Look Bats… I don't know, we don't know, heck, I think not even R knows. We just follow orders we are….." The speedster stopped and finally came to realization what R had meant, "we are just weapons."
Batman seemed to get the inner debate in which the young speedster was in, he sighed quietly.
"Who were you before CADMUS?" Batman asked.
"….nobody." the speedster half whispered as he directed his view to the table.
"You are a human being you-"
"Its more like I was 'a nobody' before, and know-" his hands turned into fists as he rose his head a bit looking at the dark knight, "and know it seems I'm nothing."
Flash stood at the other side of the glass alongside Black Canary, the heroine had her arms folded. She turned to Flash and said. "It is most probable that he was abused before he was taken to CADMUS."
Flash looked at her in surprise and then turned his sight to the glass, watching the boy, he then became angry 'Even before he went through hell in CADMUS he was already living one?!'
"This is not fair." He muttered darkly, Black Canary turned to look at him and was surprised as she had never seen Flash act so serious or look so pissed of as that moment.
"Lightning, did you know about Luke Evans, Josh Daniels, Peter Bark, and Gerald Woods being assassinated 5 weeks ago?" Batman asked expecting whichever excuse or him playing innocent, but what he got was a dark smile forming in the speedsters lips.
"As I said before Bats, we follow orders….Thats the first thing Peter taught me." He said still grinning.
"So you are ok with killing people." Batman said frowning.
"I'm comfortable with that, though I would prefer not too, I like fun missions, not bloody angst stuff." L said lightly.
The bat nodded and turned out to leave surprising the bound speedster.
"Is that it? Don't you want to know everything? Aren't you gonna use some detective tactic or mind controlling thing?! What about the bad cop act? A magic spell? Anyhow we've been through everything you know.. you won't get any information on the Light." The speedster teased.
The bat looked at the bound kid over his shoulder, "Lightning, we are not CADMUS or your so called 'Masters', to us you four are human beings."
The green eyes widened slightly, his mouth set on a thin line, those last words lingering in his mind. Flash entered not saying a word, freeing him from the chair and guiding him to the cage were the others still sat unmoving. As they walked neither said a word, L turned to look at the hero's face, he was confused as to why he had change from his extremely happy and carefree way to a stoic almost murderous being. He entered the cage looking bit uncertain and laid at the back. 'What's with them really…' He looked at R who now looked forward deep in thought. 'Maybe I should apologies.' The speedster pondered.
Flash called on to the next prisoner, "Water."
The atlantean nodded and guided him to the interrogation room. The same protocol was repeated, Aquaman got at the side of Black Canary and Batman entered the room.
"Water." He addressed and the other nodded.
"You are more alert than L" Batman began.
"I am indeed cautious, even more when it's about my team." He said.
"I thought R was the leader." Batman pushed.
"He is, however, in my opinion he is not mature enough to take everything on his own."
"You care about him." The hero stated.
"I care for everyone."
"Were you always this close?" Batman asked.
Water thought for a bit, "No." He admitted.
"When was the team formed?"
"Not much time ago." Water frowned.
"Even if you were in CADMUS for a long time you were kept separate until the day you were joined to form a team." Batman concluded.
"….We were each taught differently… to help us with each individual skill we posses."
At the other side Black Canary frowned, she looked at the cameras behind her where you could see the cage. R caught her attention, the boy still hadn't moved…. 'Water indeed seems better for leadership.'
Aquaman nodded, "I get what you are thinking Canary, a natural choice for team leader, calm, collected, cautious, firm but also compassionate.
"Do you doubt Renegade's leadership?" Batman asked
The atlantean thought for a bit "Our master's orders are absolute, we don't have a say in the matter, R's skills and knowledge surpass us, but I do wish the burden wouldn't have fallen to the youngest, I am the oldest therefore I see-."
"Age does not fully determine maturity, and to our eyes, you are all too young to be doing this." Batman frowned…silence.
"About Dr. Woods-" the hero began.
"It was justice." Water said without hesitation
"..Killing is never a choice, even though it was an order, seeing it as justice-"
"Is natural for us." The atlantean said, eyes narrowing slightly.
"I doubt R truly feels that way, or L and S… We are done here." The dark knight said before turning to leave.
"What? What do you mean?" he said confused but the hero offered no response as he left.
On his way out he caught the calculating eyes of Aquaman as he neared the interrogation room, "A leader should not let his feelings haze his decisions, you have to keep it together for everybody's sake and not only for your side."
Seeing the king's imposing figure and serious expression W could only feel respect for the hero… "I -I understand" he said coming to realization, 'R does not only follow orders, or cares for us, he seeks for the best outcome for everybody, we've been carrying him more with all the doubts and protests, and even so he still keeps it all in and makes everything work. " He had found a new admiration for his leader and for the justice league.
Water was guided by Flash again to the cage. R looked at the atlantean as he entered his expression as grim as it had been since the fight with L. Water could only think how tiresome and frustrating R may feel, but before he could give some supporting words Flash interrupted.
"Renegade" Flash called, he seemed more on guard with the small raven haired than with the others. The two left to the interrogation room. R soon found himself with his enemy, they hero he was in charge of defeating, head of the League, The Batman.
The silence was defeating as each assessed each other until finally the dark knight began…
"R"
...silence.
"What is your real name?"
….silence.
"This is not a game." Batman said, glaring slightly.
"….So because I'm the youngest you are gonna treat me like a kid, bet you didn't with the others." He said pouting which caught the dark knight of guard.
"You should stop acting like one then." he grounded earning a glare from the other boy.
"You are all too young."
"It's not like we had a choice don't you think?" R said in bitter humor.
The bat nodded ….."Renegade what is CADMUS?"
After a moment the boy talked "In the outside its a normal genetics research laboratory, on the inside a cover for a secret underground genetics facility operated by The Light, and experimentation center. But I blew it. "
"How many members does the Light have?"
"7 self proclaimed enlightened members and only a very select group of individuals that work with them.…."
At the other side of the glass Canary stood with flash and Aquaman by her side, Superman at the far corner, "He is very cooperative.." She said and the others nodded.
"Do you know their goal?…..Renegade." Batman said trying to get the attention of the boy.
"Other than defeating you, I won't tell." the young boy answered looking at the glass, eyeing the other leaguers. "What can he see us?" Flash half whispered. Black Canary narrowed her eyes, "No, but he knows we are here."
Batman frowned "So they do have other plans after that."
The young boy turned to the dark knight giving an automatic answer just as the others, "Our order is to defeat you and take control of your cities."
Batman crossed his arms, "..Then you get back to pods."
The raven haired tensed a bit and turned silent.
"Are you okay with that?" the bat pushed.
"Of course not!" He said a bit loud, "Thats what I'm trying to prevent." The boy said with gritted teeth his eyes had darkened "L, S, and W don't know about it…. I think thats why we tend to disagree. I just want us to be free, free from the Light, free from our supposed purpose, free from the pods."
The Dark Knight nodded ".. Then, we have that in common."
Blue eyes widened in surprise, he was left without words staring at the figure of the batman leaving the room, he could have sworn he saw the Batman smile, but besides that….. he felt as if he could trust someone for the first time since long ago, when his family vanished in front of his eyes.
Superboy now sat on the chair as each of his teammates had done till now. The Bat entered with his usually grim expression.
Without being asked a question he began talking "I am a clone created by CADMUS, meant to replace Superman."
Batman nodded, "Who are the members of the Light?"
"I won't tell you either, you are losing your time with us. We were just created to follow orders." The clone answered looking at side.
Batman frowned, S continued "S, L and R told you right, we are just weapons."
"Each of you is your own person with the right of following your own path." The hero stated.
"Maybe R, W, and L are… I'm just a a clone." S admitted in defeat and continued, "I don't get it, R seems to want to choose a new path even if this is impossible. "
The dark knight seem to think things over before asking, "Do you have every power Superman has?"
S answered though not looking to the hero, "No, I-I can't fly, I don't have x ray vision, neither super speed.. Superman is… well Superman"
"Superman the kid seems to admire you." Aquaman called above his shoulder, to the far side of the room where superman rested against the wall with his arms crossed.
"The boy will need you-" Black Canary began "-NO! He needs you, all of you, I'm just a constant reminder of what he is not." Superman said leaving the room. The other sighed.
"He is still in denial." Black Canary commented.
"Do you want to be Superman?" Batman asked
"I… I've always wanted to meet him, but he- he doesn't appear to like me."
"…Superboy, answer." The hero insisted.
"I - I would prefer not to. I wouldn't want to kill one of the few people I .. look up to, even though I'm expected to replace Superman, I don't want to." He admitted.
"You would like to choose your own path then….thats what R would say no?" Batman offered.
Superboy came to reason 'R' he nodded a determine look settled in his face. The dark knight turned to leave but not before saying, "And Superman….. he'll come around."
After he returned to the cage he saw W and L starring at R who would not usher a word or even make contact with him. He knew they had all done wrong and even though they come to disagree very often, he now felt like he understood the young boy more and by the look on L and W's face they had understood now.
Superbly stopped in front of R, he sighed and said, "We choose our own path." R flinched in surprised and looked up to his teammate in surprise,
Lighting stood up and placed himself beside Superboy, "We are not weapons, you are right, Ren"
W then followed the same actions and added at last, "You are the leader R, the right choice since the beginning, we are sorry for the last days."
Renegade just stared bewildered at the whole situation, he stood up taking Superboys offered hand, 'For the first time I could feel each of them in the same page, heading to the same direction-'
'GUIDANCE RENEGADE01' R's eyes widened as the code sounded in his mind stopping every thought as black spots filled his vision, he could only whispered something to alert his teammates.
The other knew something was wrong as their leader tensed, before whispering 'Guidance' and collapsing in Superboy's arms.
"REN/ RENEGADE/R!"
"Is natural for us." -W