Iota #3
Volume 1. Story 2.
This Heroic Ideal

Chronology:
Pre-Young Justice #1

Deryck laid sprawled out on the floating chunk of dirt that exceeded double his height. He ran his palms through the soft blades of grass as he gazed upward towards the endless green skies with its darkened gaseous forms developing into a variety of shapes. Scrunching up his legs, he clutched his hands tightly to his knees and pulled himself up. His spiky black hair bounced as his back became straightened. With a smile he looked down at the blades, their darkened green hue, which he placed his fingers around and pulled gently before finally ripping from the ground taking traces of dirt with it. He pulled the extracts up to his face and rubbed his thumb up against it then let them fly into the wind; this world had become more real to him, "I'm dreaming," he looked up as a shadow was cast over top of him.

"You like it here..." the soft voice of a strange girl broke through to him. The gentle alien girl stepped down falling to her knees, her lightly orange skin contrasting the green skies with her pointed tip ears immediately betraying her origins while her green jumper outfit allowed for some conformity. She smiled slightly as she pulled her legs across one another and placed her hands on her lap facing Deryck.

"Kindred Emma..." Deryck let out an unheard laugh as he looked away from her looked down at the many earth rising platforms all rotating around a seemingly endless formation of particles. He turned upward to face her, "I want to be here all the time."

"Why?" her head tilted as she extended her back further upward.

"There's no pain here...I guess," his face scrunched up as she attempted to keep his eyes locked on hers, "none of this is real..." he saw her fall back a bit blinking sporadically while diverting her face from his, "I mean, your real though, right?"

"As real as you need me to be in this world," she responded in her soft tone as she looked back up at him.

"I'm not concerned about anything here, its a peaceful dream..." he turned away with a smirk, "blessed are the sleepy..."

"Pardon?" she questioned him.

"Nothing," he lowered his head while attempting to still look up at her, "I just can't wait to fall asleep...to be here..." he nodded his head and looked away, "forever," he said solemnly as they locked eyes, "no..." he rose sharply and motioned towards the edge of the platform, "whats happening to me..." he whispered under his breath.

"What's wrong?" her voice reached out to him sympathetically.

"I haven't finished...not...not in the real world," he turned back to her, "not in my world..."

"What does that mean?" Kindred Emma stood up and neared towards him.

"I need my revenge," Deryck clenched his right hand into a fist as he stared off into the distance. The glow of the atmosphere grew increasingly towards a darker hue of green. Steadily it had risen till the fog had appeared to have withdrawn but the change in other worldly appearance was short lived as the bitterness on his tongue subsided the moment he felt Kindred Emma's hand on his shoulder. A sudden calmness fell upon him resulting in a large deep breath as the small particles returned to form the cloudy skies lighted up by the paling green.

"You don't need to worry about that anymore," she pulled her hand up to his cheek as he found himself nearly embraced by her, "I'm happy where I am, aren't you?"

"But he killed you...and Gary," he shook his head in a small motion as to avoid losing her enduring grasp, "someone must answer to that crime...and I've been given the ability to do just that and I intend to follow through on it," he looked deeply into her eyes, "I have to...I must."

Kindred Emma's jaw dropped slightly as her eyes widened with the formation of sadness, "I want you safe, you know not of these worlds that we came from...please...I need you to stay with me."

"I will," Deryck contended, "But I have to do this, I feel it...don't you know?" He shook her off and circled around the platform contemplating the thoughts that swamped him. She let out a small sigh as her hands dropped to her sides.

"It's that ring isn't it?" she asked gesturing with the intent to pull him back to her, "it's in you, in here," she closed her eyes and tapped the sides of her thighs with the tips of her fingers, "it's full of hate...it wants you to give in to it..." she said opening her eyes to him, "it wants you to commit acts of violence...to kill...all these things I know couldn't be who you are," she raised her hands and rushed over to him. She placed her hands on his upper arms and lowered herself to look up at his downed head, "you can't become this..."

"I'm not becoming anything," Deryck's voice grew gruffer as the atmosphere once again darkened to a near black. He formed fists in his hands allowing for the blood to boil them red, "I'm doing what I should be...doing what's right."

"Revenge is such a devolved sensibility...you should overcome it."

"This doesn't have to be about revenge then," he let his grasp go, "let it be retribution then, for what they've done to you," he pleaded sympathetically with her, "Don't you understand what I'm going through here, what's happened me in such a short time of my life? I have no room to think about anything but this!"

"Let these feelings subside," she nudged forward, "all that this path of vengeance has brought upon many is death, and what good is it all then? What will you do when this is over?"

"I don't know...use this ability for good?" he shuttered a bit his teeth down while his eyes closed firmly.

"You need not concern yourself with this hesitation if you avoid this scheme, if you remain here with me you will have no worries for what happens out there...your decisions for the plight of good or the desires of evil will have no consequence."

"Stay here?" Deryck fell back from his footing leaving her outstretched arms, "but this thing," he raised up his hand outstretching its backside to show the full magnitude of the glowing ring, "this power...it's not like it will go away...there are voices coming from it..."

"The lanterns ring..." she placed her delicate hands onto his and felt up the long fingers holding the one possessing the ring which she proceeded to take a deep look into.

"You know of them."

"Yes," she briefly looked up at him before returning her attention back to the ring, "they were great heroes throughout the galaxy...ones of self-sacrifice...but I've never known this power to hold such force over anyone."

"Oh," Deryck's voice peaked up, "it's something new, the Lantern I'm with said it's something of its own, a mind."

"It is quite strong...its watching us now..." her eyes began to blink rapidly, "its influencing you...saying something," he head slowly tilted to her left shoulder as the pupils of her eyes began to glow green, "how could you seek revenge with such a history attached to them?" she looked up at Deryck and spoke quickly dropping his hand in the process, "these heroes would never seek to kill, they would never..." her forehead wrinkled as she attempted to pull Deryck back to him, "you would never kill, I felt that the moment I met you...neither would I...don't ever commit such a tragedy on my behalf."

"I can hear it...talking to me," Deryck continued turning his voice down to a whisper, "it wants it...I'm not a hero."

"Don't let it in."

He took a deep breath as he stared her down coldly, "but I want it in...such power," she fell back as Deryck pressed himself towards her, "you don't understand what I can do now...I can change everything with this," he raised his hand up and showed it to be glowing exceptionally bright blotting out the once dark logo embedded in its circular top design, "It wants this revenge as much as I want it...and its willing to make it happen..."

"But what of me then," she crossed her arms across her body and held her hands below her waist.

"I can find you, you home..." he commented softly as he dropped his intimidating posture, "but if I can't do this for your sake, at least let me do this for myself...and for Gary."

"Deryck," Kindred Emma's voice became sullen, "your leaving now."

"Leaving, leaving what?"

"I'll see you again soon," her eyes widened with sadness as Deryck fell to a knee. Looking up at her he found his senses to become dazed as the details of her person became blurry.

"Ah great your awake," a cheerful voice came from his side, "you enjoy your sleep?"

Deryck's head rose abruptly with a puzzled look. Keeping his body flat against the soft mattress he looked around his environment questioning who he was, where he was and how he had managed to come across this place. The room was quite understandably small being a long rectangular strip of inner living that was hypothetically duplicated on the opposing wall to form the floor of the building. To the side facing outside was a decently sized window where the sun shot a beam of light along the broad side of the room where Deryck found his body to be facing. Deryck was in a single person bed with thick dark brown covers over top of his lower body; a similar looking bed was nearby him closest to the window though unlike his, this bed went seemingly unused. Along the wall ahead of him was a large robust dresser that reached halfway up the wall and following along this wall path to the window was a narrow table that interceded on both walls where the lantern, Kyle Rayner, was sitting in plain black clothing typing away into a small black notebook that lit up in his eyes.

"What's wrong," Kyle turned around and raised an eyebrow.

Deryck looked back placing his right hand to his forward and scratching at the hair that firmly planted itself there, "I can't remember how I got here..."

"Oh," Kyle said with some resigned shock, "well, you were really tired when we got here..."

"Yeah!" Deryck shot up pushing away the covers just before his knees, "the fairgrounds..." he looked off into the wall analyzing the cream coloured drawers that stretched throughout the dresser, "did we find anything?" Deryck looked back at Kyle.

"You were there for hours, looking at nearly every inch," Kyle responded unenthusiastically, "you know it would help if you told me what exactly you were looking for."

"I don't know..." Deryck looked down at the small aquatic coloured dots that worked into a stringy pattern that comprised the carpet floor, "I'd rather not think about it now."

"Alright," Kyle responded turning back to this screen to continue his work.

"Where are we exactly?"

"I had an industrialist friend back in the day, Ted Kord..." Kyle smiled as he reminisced, "he had some places set up throughout the country for some of his buddies to use whenever they were in town and needed quick shelter."

"Couldn't he have made something with a bit of luxury?"

"He was an inventor and superhero, luxury was not on the agenda when it came to founding some quick safe houses...and..." his head nodded around a bit from side to side, "he wasn't exactly the most accomplished business man."

"The way you appear to live your life I bet it'd be fair to say you guys don't have much time for business ventures let alone personal lives..." Deryck stated attempting to convey some sympathy for their lives.

"No," Kyle responded reaching a more serious tone of thought that manifested in a deeper vocalization, "there are just some people who weren't cut out for a natural human life and the life of a hero..."

"You gave up on yours?" Deryck leaned forward pushing the covers off his barren legs.

"For the better cause I'm told," he turned to look at Deryck and allowed a small smile to react upon his face, "I hope to change that now that I'm back home...I hope you don't mind but I'm going to try to weasel my way back into a more honest living..." he turned back to the computer screen and stretched his hands over the glass panel beneath it which glowed up the letters and number notations, "going to see if I can find a place to live first."

"You really don't mind taking care of me?" Deryck swivelled from his seating position and allowed for his bare feet to drop over the edge and land on the spotty floor between the two bed, "like, how long am I going to have to be around?"

"As long as you've got that ring on," Kyle continued to look at the screen, "if its bonded there's going to be some difficulty, especially since your human and one so young...you've got all these strange emotions and feelings clouding your thoughts, but it's likely that the guardians could take it off if they found it necessary."

"Wait, why would a lantern ring want to bond anyway?"

"Normally they don't, I can take my ring off at will...the rings have somewhat of a mind programmed in them; they choose the wielder whom is most suitable to them. I can only assume that the young state of your rings mind was easily adapted to you when you picked it up...Kai-Ro is supposed to meet with us latter to discuss the situation in relation to the guardians..."

"That the real lantern?"

Kyle scrunched an eyebrow back up as he turned to look down Deryck, the young teen in a tardy black shirt and shorts looked back at him awkwardly, "you know, I was lantern of this planet too!"

"You say that like you're not even from here...are you?"

He turned back to his screen, "I've spent a lot time elsewhere...the lantern system will do that to you..." his voice began to fade off, "even your home becomes just another number among the multitudes in this universe."

Deryck circled around the bed keeping his head down and pressing hard against the floor. He found the door at the end of a small hallway which existed only by the presence of a smaller wall which possessed a slightly ajar door leading into a bathroom. He recognized the widening thick fabric of his shoes with his pant legs surrounding it which he proceeded to bend down to pick up and determine whether it was still suitable for wear. "Where are you headed?" Kyle asked feeling momentarily distracted by the boy's movement.

"I need to go back to the fair ground with a clear head..."

"I thought you said you were done with that?"

"Did I?" Deryck raised himself and looked at the door way leading out.

Kyle swivelled his body around the chair and looked across as Deryck back noting his clenched fists and angry ridden posture, "You know I can be of help, if you want it..."

"I need to deal with this...on my own..." Deryck continued as he proceeded to make his way to the door clasping the circular gold coloured handle and turning.

"I'll need to be keeping my eye on you till Kai-Ro returns, that kind of power you have there..." he tilted his head, his eyes betraying sympathy, "we can see about getting that ring off."

"I could use it...for now," Deryck opened the door and proceeded out into the hallway.

"Either way, I need to be coming along..."

The door slammed on its self, Deryck analyzed each side of the hallways feeling the cold breeze running along the thin red carpet and continued running up along the pale yellow stained walls, "what do you mean you're saving me?" Deryck crouched low and looked at the ring on his hand once he had felt that he was fully alone, "saving me from what?...tell me?"

Deryck flew above the fairgrounds: its small rocky grounds, its quiet amusement park and cold brown exterior of the large octagonal shaped arena being gently lit up by the tired sun regaining its form in the day. The large two metre high caged fence circled around the large miles wide grounds stretching from the distant large rides to the parking lot whereby his eyes darted along towards the garage where more recent past memories quickly flooded and distilled his flying behaviour. The aura around him grew a strong green while the temporary lantern uniform, the green bulky boots clasped tightly to his feet and the finger follow through hard edged gloves continued up his forearm coming to a stop at the top of elbows allowing for the shoulder bands and octagon shaped decals on each end and in a large variation upon his chest like a logo lacking in any individuality.

Deryck kept his head up with the rest of his body naturally orientated to head downward, legs extended with hands raised and spread out from his body to help him gain balance in his descent; thinking of his actions and the results of those thoughts were still difficult to grasp. Each foot came to land on the small rocky texture of the ground allowing for his boots to sink in as the green aura left him. The jagged edges of his mask that stretched from cheek to temple continued to glint from the oncoming sun rays. He placed the free fingers of his right hand against the gate and proceeded to walk along it towards the large gates that continued in the cage pattern. The bars that ran vertical to each other at the centre of the wide spanning gates were carefully shut but metal circular bands that shot all the way up within foot intervals of one another. He paused in his steps and felt the line formed between the two bars fused together and reflected on the situation. Turning his head to look down the way further he noticed an attachment to the outside of the gate, a square device that was firmly attached to one of the steel beams. He pushed himself away from the gate and stepped towards it taking the device in both his hands. It was a computer console of some sorts; a simple screen embedded into a square plaque which showed to him one red rectangular button at the bottom of the screen and above it text relaying the information regarding the fair grounds. He placed a finger on the button and let go of it, "zzzt-" the device started up, "This site is slated for demolition on Thursday, September 6th at 20:15..."

Deryck's head tilted to his shoulder as he analyzed the text that affirmed the console's words, "they sure we're able to move fast..." he commented to himself under his breath.

"Have you found anything new of interest?" Kyle's voice interjected in the boys thoughts. He came from above, his right leg aimed forward to the ground with his left bent slightly at the knee while his hands kept straight to the sides of his body fully as he hovered down.

"This wasn't here last night was it?" Deryck turned slightly to look at Kyle as his feet firmly came to the down and the shield power that the ring provided quickly dropped.

"There was a whole lot of nothing," Kyle commented as he took steps to suck in the distance that separated him from his companion, "It's possible that we could have missed the issuing of it."

"So fast?" he turned back down the console, "wasn't this place always so busy?"

"I wouldn't know," Kyle commented with humility on his tongue, "I'm sorry to say that places like this do not exactly hit me like the way they do anyone else...it's a lost form of entertainment for someone who's been away for so long...besides I never lived around here even when I was around."

"On earth?" Deryck raised an eyebrow as he looked back at Kyle.

"Yes," Kyle smiled as his arms raised and crossed one another across his chest. Deryck placed his ring hand on the cage and slumped lowly taking a deep look into the background of the fair where the square trailer like apartments lined from wall to wall with a few grounded homes in between, "is your head clear enough to tell me what exactly you're looking for...or at least what happened here?"

"It's all moving too fast," Deryck quickly shot back with a monotone drawl, "I show up, something happens...but it all goes far too quickly before I can realize just what it was that was going on..."

"And now..." Kyle approached the cage.

"And now," Deryck continued, "I only feel what must be a lasting pain...I don't like it...I have to do something about it."

"Deryck," Kyle started with suspicion, "what happened here...?"

Deryck blinked rapidly before regaining focus, "let's check out the inner grounds..."

The green flow of energy quickly enveloped Deryck's body as he began to raise letting go of his moorings on the fence. When his feet came to the top of the fence he pushed his soles forward tapping onto the ends of the wire and pressing upon them for leverage and he propelled himself forward towards the stadium back wall. Keeping at a quick hovering pace he circled around the frontal wall and headed down the hallway turning at the proper way leading down to the entrance into the main arena. Kyle followed suit heading along the cavernous brick walls leading inward, "you searched this place for hours..."

"Did I?" Deryck feet came to clasp down on the light dirt coating of the otherwise soft tar like circular grounds. His hands fell to his side while he walked towards the centre ring through the open inside, the empty benches of the stands appearing all the more menacing with the understanding of His and Kyle's green hued aura being the sole lights save for some sun light shades that took close to the grounds circulating around the entirety of the building.

Kyle landed on the ground and took firm steps towards Deryck, his feet forming deeply into the substance that comprised the floor, "you haven't said much about what happened here..." he paused in his steps and crossed his arms just short ten paces from Deryck whom had dropped to the ground placing his hands firmly into the dirt, "do you not remember any of this?"

"Between fighting off a monster that want to kill me..." he looked back at Kyle, his head still lowered with shame having overwhelmed his conscious, "I just haven't processed what happened yet..." he nodded his head with strong dissatisfaction looking down at the ground.

"Start with me!" Kyle said sternly.

"What do you mean?" Deryck beckoned back with a weakened voice unable to turn his vision away from the ground before him.

"I don't like that look in your eye...blind vengeance," Kyle continued to stare down at the young man, "I've seen this before in other wielders and I've never liked the consequences its taken, that power in your hands now...that's not what's its used for," Deryck looked up with a wide frown, "It won't help you accomplish your goal here."

"What are my goals lantern?" Deryck turned back away from the towering lantern.

"I don't know..." Kyle's voice became dry and emotionless, "but they aren't a part of the lanterns code and ethics."

"I didn't join your team..." Deryck spat back, "the ring bonded to me...it chose me!"

"Then it choose you for a reason," Kyle reached out his arm sympathetically, "the ring is built of morals as a agent of just causes, it selected you ...whatever is going on in your head right now, that can't be why it chose you to be its wielder."

"Why not?" Deryck breathed deeply as he fell down to his armoured knees planting them down into the dirt feeling the soft flooring engulf their caps, "because of this code you people follow?"

"Precisely."

"No you don't understand," Deryck pulled his arms to the side of his head and clasped it, "its talking to me...it wants me to think like this, to follow through on this mission," he bit down on his bottom lip as the seconds lapsed each other in silence, "this is justice," he spoke calmly as he rose, "this is what it wants of me..." he turned towards Kyle and pulled his hands to his chest in a cup like manner, "my acts of vengeance are justified."

"Well then," Kyle looked firmly at the young man before him taking quick deep breaths, "then, what is it that you're looking for here? I'm here to assist, let me know what happened here and I can help."

Deryck nodded in understanding. Following a deep breath, Deryck shook his shoulders loose and looked down to the ground at his side, "I was found by this man...Shilo, he brought me to the fairgrounds...I don't know why," he looked up and watched Kyle as he drew closer to him, his eyes grew wide as the formation of lies formulated with the aim to convince a point, "he came to find me...he was human, at least I think he was?"

"What do you mean human?"

"Well..." Deryck's head wavered as his eyebrows juggled, "the entertainers and the maintenance crew...they were all aliens..." the words turned to a bit of disgust at the full concept realization, "but then there was this girl, this person from another world..." Kyle's interest peak as he came to stand on par with Deryck at the centre of the arena, he looked up at the lantern, "we got to know each other really fast...she was nice," his voice wavered.

"Great," Kyle nodded unconvincingly, "but what happened?"

"She...she died," he looked away from his while his weak voice continued, "there was some other alien guy...not a part of the people here..." Kyle stepped up his attention level as Deryck planted himself stronger into the ground looking straight ahead of himself, "the councillor, the leader or whatever, he failed to live up to a deal that he had made," he clenched his right fist and threw it down into the open palm of his left hand, "so this Slimy monster came and took everyone as his slaves...I tried to interfere!" he looked up at Kyle once more with the vengeance in him shining through, "but he wasn't going to take that, this alien, he wanted me dead but then this girl...and her friend...they took the dive for me...they died so that I could come back one day and take this guy on...kill him myself and free everyone he's ever enslaved."

Kyle stood silently off to the boy's side attempting to assess the situation at hand, his head shook slightly from side to a side as his eyes looked upon Deryck but seemingly went straight through him; "this ring," Deryck continued, "it called out to me, it's telling me that this is why it choose me...my drive to do what's right...my acts shall be justified."

"Alright then," Kyle responded calmly, "let's look then..."

"How did they leave here so quickly with everything?" Deryck questioned as he began to pace the circular centre pulling his ring hand upward to shine a small circular light in the direction of the ground and the walls all around it.

"Not from this world correct?" Kyle questioned gaining the attention of Deryck.

"Yeah, does that mean anything?"

"All the physical evidence has probably been taken care of quite efficiently," Kyle affirmed himself as he raise his ring hand in a fist up to his face watching it glow, "perhaps they used something a little more than a few ships to travel in which case the ring can be of more use than just a flashlight...Ring," Kyle spoke into it, "Analyze all forms of energy exempting other lantern forms," his fist extended outward and shone out the flashlight stream of green and proceeded to step around in a circle as the circular point at the end of the light grew larger and encompassed the ground and rose up to the tops of the building.

"What are you doing?"

"The ring is something of a crime lab in of itself..." Kyle started as he continued his scan which seemed to be reaching closer to the centre, "it will pick up on any sign of your pals if interstellar teleportation was involved..."

"Well," Deryck voice beckoned while his head wobbled from shoulder to shoulder, "did you find anything?"

"It would appear so," Kyle's ring aimed down towards the centre causing Deryck to move slightly out of its path, "you know," Kyle hunched an eye up to look at Deryck as the rest of him drew closer to the centre crouching ever so slowly as he reached, "you could learn how to do this yourself, your ring is more than capable..." Deryck attempted to nod but could only manage a stare down at the green highlighted centre. After a few moments of this in depth analysis, Kyle's light came to a stop and he stood up straight, "I've encountered this energy before," Kyle's voice fell into deeply serious tone, "but it can't be..."

"Where does it come from?" Deryck questioned sternly making his way close to his new mentor.

"It's a form of teleportation alright," Kyle's voice returned to its upbeat attitude, "its call boom tubes...the lanterns haven't encountered any of these signatures in long time, the league even more so...who could have tapped into this technology?"

"What do you mean?" Deryck became puzzled as wrinkles formed along his forehead.

"There was this kind of war...nothing I was involved in; it was sort of something that just happened..." Kyle raised his head towards the roof and tilted to his left shoulder, "or will happen," he fell back down, "either way, all the beings that used this kind of technology are either dead or trapped in another realm."

"So how did that freak get it then?"

"I don't know...but this has quickly become something of interest," Kyle's voice became serious as he started straight ahead of himself seemingly ignoring the young boy to his side, "we should get some more information about the staff that used to run this place...I'll have to contact the league headquarters."

"What am I getting out of this?" Deryck stepped up to come on par with the taller muscular lantern attempting to gain his visual attention but coming up short.

"Well, you've already help us by bringing me here, seems only fair that I give you your opportunity to achieve your goals."

"So we're working together then...?"

"Just the way I wanted it," Kyle finally turned his attention to the boy, "something terribly wrong has happened here. An attempt to investigate further must be undertaken..." Kyle paused attempting to gain some thoughts.

"So what do we do now?"

"The League and I have a friend who lives in town here..." Kyle's voice grew shallow, " he might be able to help us out..."

"Friend, heh," Deryck arched his back and watched his foot kick deeper into the dirt, "I wouldn't have gotten into all of this if Shilo had stayed...where did he go?" he muttered lowly to himself.

"Who?" Kyle spoke up.

"Where did he go? That..." Kyle nodded his head as his foot continued to dive deeper into the soft grounded rubber, "what did he want from me anyway...this isn't my fault then," he raised his head in approval of his latest thought.

"Who are you going on about?" Kyle's voice slurred as he attempted to bring Deryck back to reality.

"Shilo..." Deryck pulled himself up straight and motioned his hands up and down, "he's this escape artist...he found me and brought me here...I don't know why."

"An escape artist?" Kyle said lowly under his breath.

"He must have wanted something, to draw me in for some reason," Deryck shook his head violently, "reasons?"

"What did he say to you? Deryck?" Kyle became more serious and monotone.

Deryck tilted his head towards Kyle, "I don't know really..." he began with evident uncertainty, "he was looking for someone to help him...be his assistant or something," he waved his right hand and looked away from the glare Kyle had forced upon him, "a successor? But he knew so much about me...he had files," his eyebrows rose causing crinkles on his forehead, "files on me..."

"Alright," Kyle shot in snapping Deryck's puzzlement, "let's go see my friend, he can probably shed some light on this situation you've gotten into."

"do you know something," he took deep short breaths as he found Kyle's tall and strong posture to be intimidating.

"let's go see my friend."

"OK," Deryck nodded his head in affirmation.

The decaying region of the city was dutifully explored, pausing upon the taller nine story brick structure with metal bands that circled around the structure attached to the tall similarly grey shining pillars that connected on every corner of the squared building. Square windows of near two foot sizes spaced one another as six on each end but were all adequately boarded up. A wooden fence took to the perimeter of the building with no entrance while extending down over four blocks and prevented from reaching across the horizon by two near deserted roads which stood littered despite the evident waste bins on the far reaching lampposts. The illustrious mid-twentieth century buildings of various sizes stood lengthwise against the road with their open shop appearances but all too well trodden paint that exposed their age.

The tall green glowing figures hovered down from the dark clouded skies reaching down towards the dry cement and over top of the wooden panelled fence. The boot of the taller muscular lantern stepped upon the inner cemented arena formed within the the fence and stopped by the brick building which ahead had only a set of stairs leading downward while the windows continued all around.

Deryck let out a disgruntled punt of air, "what kind of the friend lives in this place?"

"This is a sensitive area," Kyle firmly responded as he pattered slowly across the hard ground towards the steps.

"Sensitive? This is dirt hole!"

"It's not too much different from say Gotham..." Kyle nodded his head but bit his lip at the thought of the comparison. He shook his shoulders circling them up and down, "there just some parts that are so immersed in the peoples mind... a culture sort of forms in these regions."

"Still a dirt hole!"

"We won't be here long," he took his first two steps downward before turning back to look up at the nearing Deryck, "it's probably best that I should warn you about his eccentricities..." a silence followed, "probably best you don't say anything or touch anything..."

"Who is this guy?"

"He's more of a question."

The two lanterns entered a strange room that was oddly difficult to look into being that the only source of light came from a small fireplace some distance away at the centre of back wall. Every step towards this source turned into a trudge as they found littered on the floor various hard bound books piled upon one another, classical sources of information with print found upon papers some of which were so old that the bindings had given up and the slips of paper there within had fallen slightly out of the hard cover wrappings.

Three small buckets stood raised above the ground three feet held there by a wooden bar that connected from the corner of the right wall to the back wall, from them arose a unpleasant aroma that could only be found duplicated on the hopeless inner streets. Deryck rose his hand to block his mouth as he felt the taste of the drugs causing him to develop concerns for this 'friends' state of mind. Above the books plastered on the deep brown canvas walls were various photos and strips of newsprint of the kind that Deryck could not believe still existed. He stood and examined these strip and the red bars that had seemingly been placed over top of them and connected information, he paused in his steps to analyze more closely and discernible writing or perhaps an acquired printing date while Kyle pressed forward towards the fire place.

As Kyle drew closer, an unsteady formulation of breath came upon him as a smallish man in a long coat could be made out next to the fire place which glowed beyond the wood that gave it fuel. The beings arm reached out across the wooden ledge while his head aimed downward at the ground, the dark fedora upon his head being aimed down nearly to the nasal region obscuring any facial features.

"Where...are..." the voice shoved through at short two second intervals between words while his head nodded from shoulder to shoulder but unfixed from the floor, "our desires?"

"I'm look for information," Kyle strictly spoke with little emotive.

The man curved his head slightly towards the towering Kyle, "friend seeking my help once more?" he continued in his unusual paced tone while his head continued bop around on its neck.

"I've met this boy here, Deryck."

"He is not a lantern..."

"No," Kyle leaned forward as he realized it wasn't a question asked.

"Still...he has the ring."

Deryck, having overheard his name said, began to make his way closer to Kyle above the littered papers stepping on the little open spots that were scarce at best, "yes, he came into a contact with a man named Shilo, an entertainer at-"

"Hub City fair grounds," The man raised his head with the interruption. He turned to face Deryck and Kyle immediately causing a sensation of pain through the young boy's body. The man's face was blank, no discernible features, a raised platform for a nose but ever so lacking in a region for the mouth and soulless empty eyes. The skin was of a pure light hue that continued through the entirety of the man's face up his ears which were simple with not even the smallest of normal design of holes present, "I know of Shilo..." he tilted his head to his left shoulder, "has he left this world? Is this why you are here for me?"

"His name sounds familiar with his profession," Kyle interjected, "I was certain you might know something of Shilo or at the very least the work on the fairgrounds..."

"What do you know!" Deryck stepped around Kyle and lunged himself towards the mysterious individual.

"Deryck," Kyle snapped as he grabbed the boys shoulder and brought him back towards him, "don't interfere."

"Who is this guy?" Deryck spat out his question looking upward at his mentor.

"That's the proper question," the darkened figure responded in his whispered now with his hands appearing to waddle around on the barrings of his wrists.

"He's the Question," Kyle firmly responded his stern gaze never turning from the figure ahead of them illuminated ever so slightly by the graceful fire.

Deryck face scrunched up as he attempted to think this realization through, "I thought the Question was a woman..." he turned back to the figure still hunched well onto the wooden ledge above the fire.

"She..." his chin fell down to his chest, "has been retired for some time."

"Oh," Deryck head rose as he looked upon the Question figure.

"Deryck then," the Question's arm fell from the ledge and came down to his side. He came to face the adjacent wall to the lanterns right as he placed his hands behind his back gripping tightly to his wrists with his right hands, "the troubled child outside the law receives the greatest weapon in the universe designed for the quest of justice...will he use it so, that is question."

"What do you know about me!" Deryck returned to his acquired disrespectful tone.

"The boy asks questions once more," the Question retorted as though Deryck were not present. Deryck attempted to restrain Deryck pulling him towards him with his hand tightly gripped upon his shoulders, "though since he is of the asking nature...I shall abide him so with answers from my findings..."

"You know of Shilo...?" Kyle interjected with his question.

"Indeed," the expressionless face turned towards the two appearing over his shoulder, "we had been in close contact...for two years."

"I suspect he came to visit you recently...he sounded familiar but I can't seem to place my finger on it."

"Indeed. He visited this past Wednesday at four fifty," A pause in the conversation ensued before the Question took command once more; "he is perhaps more thoroughly recognized for his former position as Mister Miracle."

Deryck froze in a bit of shock which was followed by a small creeping smile, "the one whom escaped the event horizon's black hole?"

"Wait," Kyle interrupted, "didn't he disappear like two decades ago?"

"That would be a correct response," the Question continued with his paced words, "there was a war some time back..." Deryck nodded his head understanding the correlation with the war he had just learnt of, "he used to be a part of your league of heroes whom hire me for my adequate findings on these such matters..."

"Yes, but I don't seem to remember him and I've been a member for most my life and I know of the war..."

"That much is true," the Question raised his right hand and protruded his index finger, "this war however...Shilo, though a native of this planet, belonged to another order of beings on worlds above ours, the physical plane you understand..." his hand dropped down to his side, "when the war above the physical forces commenced it was necessary that he go into hiding, with the exception of a few key individuals, the public consciousness of his identity outside of Mister Miracle turned to moot."

Kyle looked down at Deryck whom was rocking back and forth on his feet with the grin still firmly attached, "are you alright?" he paused to question.

"I met Mister Miracle..." Deryck responded as a small giggle escaped him as short steam.

"So the boy has a story worth investigating..."

"What?" Deryck said shockingly as he tore at Kyle's arm.

"This may be so," the Question raised his arms turning his body to face them and let his wrists lay limp at chest height, "he was under the suspicion that someone had found him..." he tilted his head and seemingly looked down at Deryck, "has left this planet already?"

Deryck let out a deep breath, "yeah," he scoffed, "he just left me here. Left me with this mess..."

"A pity," the Question stated with neither a single emotion at either end of the spectrum present.

"What did he want from you?" Kyle pestered his question further.

"He asked for some information," the tilting of the Question's head grew even more prominent as his fixation turned down to Deryck puzzled features, "information on a Deryck S. Ethreal...?" Deryck let out some deep quick paced breaths as he clenched down his teeth understanding now how Shilo managed to gather intelligence on his being.

"No, no...but for what reason?" Kyle continued his questioning.

"Unstated," The Question retorted quickly, "though..." he raised his hand once more extending the long gloved index finger, "since I fear this to be a matter most suited to your capabilities...Shilo's encounter with me has lead me to believe there be reason to further investigate the hub city fair grounds..."

"And...?" Deryck puzzled himself with enthusiastic glee that followed the evident pause in the discussion.

"I found them all to be missing...less than two nights back.""

"Yes, they we're taken..." Deryck solemnly spoke.

The Question raised his left arm and placed it gently on the mantle and hunched himself above the fiery display below bowing his head lowly, "I...wasn't the only person making investigative claims into the Fair Grounds...another, much crafty individual or group has decisively broken into league intelligence to find all record of the grounds and the employment there in."

"The league would have picked it up."

"Indeed," The Question retorted, "The Manhunter achieved in blocking the server of the individual or group as soon as I had alerted him of the information in question...it is very unusual that someone would concern themselves with investigative work like myself and not consult the proper authorities on the matter."

"Someone was trying to delete the files..." Kyle interjected.

"It would appear so, make the disappearance a full one indeed and the individual or group nearly achieved such."

"We found some energy residue from boom tube technology, it was rather faint. Do you have anything we can use that corroborates with that?"

"I do not have any such information," the Question returned with short words, "now what exists of the beings who lived there are the files have stored here...will you take them to the Manhunter?" his head raised and aimed towards Kyle, "they will be most necessary to the Manhunter..."

"What do you mean?" Kyle spoke deeply as his body began to rock slightly.

"I do not doubt that someone has witnessed your presence at the grounds...as they have witnessed my own interaction thereof...I have no desire to be a part of these unearthly matters...they do not concern my intelligence, still if the question of ethics is at hand...I do believe you may be more mildly suited to 'return' these persons safely..."

The Question pulled down his left arm and turned slightly to motion his hand towards a pile of books that formed a table like placing some short distance away from them. Deryck immediately turned around from Kyle and headed towards the region quickly dropping to a knee and pulling away at the cream coloured folders that sat gently stacked on top of one another easily blending into the books, "paper...you could have easily fit all these on-"

"I Will Not Be A part Of Your Techno-Babble!" The Question immediately shouted out with his hands forming into clenched fists deviating from the intervals between the words that characterized his speech, "Look What This Technology Has Done? Your Files So Easily Accessed And Now Possibly Gone For Ever! I Never Lose What Books I Have...You Young Ones Have Forgotten...!"

"Well I don't know," Deryck responded with some cheekiness, "what if there's like a fire...?"

The Question, though obscured in all proper features, appeared to Deryck as though he was blowing steam off with his fists ever so gently moving outward and inward from his as he rocked even more so slightly from his toes to his heels.

"Deryck please," Kyle nodded his head down towards the boy raising and hand up towards him, "I'll make sure the Manhunter receives the files," he stated turning up to the Question whom was slowly calming down.

"Very Well," the Question snapped back quickly, "I must...know of your progress."

"I'll be sure to notify you..."

"I know I am of very few connections...but Shilo was a friend of mine as he was once a friend for many of your teammates but my intelligence in these unearthly matters..."

"Don't be too concerned," Kyle firmly responded strapping down his hands to his thighs, "we'll do our best to find him."

"So?" Deryck fell down onto cement sidewalks and leaned up against the wooden fence. Bending his knees upward, he pulled up the foot high stack of folders that were bound together by twine, "there's probably like a hundred files here..." Deryck looked up watching Kyle gently glide down over top of the fence, "all kind of small though...does the league keep files on everyone."

Kyle came to a stop on the ground and examined Deryck whom was carefully undoing the twine that held the folders bounded, "only on persons not native to this world...and some people of more notable interest," he let out a sigh as his body relaxed its posture, "we're not exactly like what the conspiracy theorists attempt to make us look...at least I don't believe it was such when I was around...its been some time."

"No time for memories..."

"Sure," Kyle shortly responded.

Deryck began to rip away at the documents at hand, opening the first slips to reveal an assortment of text bound sheets with the occasional photograph that appeared more as a immigrant mugshot. Extraterrestrials of strange colours, some of whom Deryck had recognized, appeared in these folders but he was uncertain as to how helpful this would be to his investigation, "there's nothing on Shilo..."

"I figure as much, the Question rarely shows respect for anyone," he neared his sighting down at Deryck whom became shocked upon recognizing this, "if this Shilo was trying to escape something, I'm certain he would have achieved complete anonymity."

"Well," Deryck's head fell back against the fence dropping the bulk of the files that had already been looked through to his side, "what do we do now?"

"I'm going to contact the Manhunter," Kyle faced down the boy, "maybe he's worked out an source address for our hacker."

"Yeah," Deryck leaned forward a bit repositioning his bottom with both hands extended into the hard ground, "whose this Manhunter person?"

"Not surprised...he kind of sets up all the missions for the league, he doesn't get out much himself..." Kyle looked away from Deryck to find an area in which a quick communication could be made, "but I'm certain he knows something about this by now."

Deryck leaned at his fullest extent against the fence, pulled up his hands to his thighs and held open one of the smaller files. He breathed a deep sigh as the top of his head came into contact with the wood. He ran the palm of his right hand over the smooth glossy sheet of paper as he narrowed his eyes down to look upon it over the tops of his cheeks, "is that the friend you lost?" Deryck refocused upon Kyle whom he saw having leaned in over top of him with his hands held behind his back, head aimed downward towards the file while keeping a small unintelligible smile across his face.

Following a short nod to Kyle, Deryck bowed his head down and crossed his hands across the folder locking fingers blocking out much of the text underneath the top third which held an obscure photograph in lighter tones of black, grey and white, "yeah," he breathed out deeply, "she took a bullet for me," his right eyebrow raised as he looked up at Kyle's shock, "yeah, literally...I'm still not entirely sure as to why."

"There's a reason for everything," Kyle bent his knees and came to squat down in front of Deryck whom looked across at him with wavering vision, "we'll figure this out for you alright?" he said with much seriousness when their eyesight came to lock.

"Purpose?" Deryck responded shortly, "what does that make me? Two near death opportunities blocked by the deaths of two others..." he tilted his head upwards and let out a confused giggle under his breath, "I'm never going to die..."

"Yeah, not the kind of purpose I was thinking..." Kyle responded with similar jest seeped in sarcasm. "Alright..." he stood up and slapped the inner plates of gloved hands across one another up and down, "I'll make that call up to the Manhunter...see if he can point us in a direction you might find desirable."

"OK," Deryck mumbled out as the top of his head fell back against the fence once more.

"And then after that, we still have to be meeting with Kai-Ro later tonight..."

"You mean the real lantern," Deryck jumped himself forward causing the remaining folders to fall of his side towards the others.

"OK look, how many times must I tell you" Kyle threw his hands out with a foot of space between the outstretched palms, "I was the lantern of Earth before...In fact I was the only lantern when I started!" his evident disgust for such notions regarding his inactivity in recent earthly heroics becoming ever more exemplified in his movements, "I was the lantern!" he restated looking away from Deryck pulling his hands down to his hands forming them into fists.

"Still haven't heard of you..."

"I was a lantern before you were even born..." Kyle landed his hands on his waist as an unconvincing grin formed, his eyes however darted away towards the wooden panels of the fencing.

"And now you feel old..."

"Maybe I am," the elder lanterns head nodded off in slight odd rotations. Reforming himself, Kyle began to look across the dirty streets, "let's get out of the place, I'm starting to recognize the source of your criticisms."

"Yes," Deryck responded slowly and sheepishly as he pulled up the file folders placing them back into a coherent pile.

"Kyle, where are we going?" Deryck clutched the large bundle to his chest.

"You've really taken to this flying ordeal," Kyle responded with some enthusiasm looking back at his new lagging colleague. The two ring wielding lanterns had taken to the air and were passing through the clear skies above the concrete jungle below and on occasion coming into contact with the higher buildings which immediately echoed their appearance in their glass surfaces, "sure you don't want me to keep a hold onto those files for you?"

"Yeah...I mean no," Deryck moaned. He kept his legs apart ever so slightly as he continued to propel forward at a steady pace upward towards the elder lantern, "I'm not having any balancing issues," he spat out with some disgust, "it just kind of seems to come natural now..." he slowed in his voice as he looked below at the incredible distance. The high hanging sun shared the world below them, the intricate black strong streets and their sidings which contained the near free roaming hovering vehicles, and the sidewalks that allowed for the civilians of different classes walk in peace from the rumbling beside them, "this is a much more 'advanced' part of the world?" he stressed out with uncertainty.

"It's a lot different from Hub City isn't it?" Kyle responded. His arms sprawled out and his toes curled downward as he too took to a steady pace upward to the clear blue skies, "it's clean..." he muttered to himself, "I love it."

"Kind of creepy," Deryck's eyes seemed to grow under his mask as he continued to examine the floor, "there all staring up at us...they're stopping and starting," his pace of flight began to swell to a stop as he began to feel uncomfortable despite his immense power.

"Yes," Kyle firmly responded before taking a deep breath, "took me some time to understand that kind of reception..." he looked down and let himself exhale, "take it while you can, it doesn't last for long...and it's not always like this elsewhere..."

"Are we there yet?" Deryck questioned as he picked up a decent pace working his way to come on to par with Kyle.

"We're not going to start that are we?" Kyle let out a short held laugh.

"As much as this flying thing is fun and everything," Deryck pulled his chin to his chest looking away from Kyle, "but I feel really stuffy up here for some reason...like I'm not feeling any of the air or anything and I must be travelling pretty fast...am I doing it wrong?"

"Fortunately, no..." the response came but Kyle continued to aim himself forward, "the ring automates your air supply when its surrounds you entirely...if you didn't have that you'd have passed out already up here and plummet..." Kyle through his strong right arm down as if to signify the impending death below.

"So, when I lose this thing...I'm not going to want it to be when I'm flying."

"As it is...no."

"Well, then if you're completely interested," Kyle finally twisted his neck to look back at Deryck, "we're almost there, it's just below now..."

"Wait, I know this place..." Deryck immediately took a dive downward heading towards the Earth as Kyle, with a smile sprouting, darted in the same direction towards him.

Below the glowing green shapes was the cleanest green ground in a wealth of the cold buildings, above which sat in place a scenic building that was the Justice League's ground headquarters of this region. It horseshoe design wrapped around the extent of the grounds and reached three stories high save for the ending two points with rose into tall multi-panneled cobalt blue towers that curved and stretched out from the back and slanted on the ends facing outwards that soaked the sun's rays effectively. A near dozen white classical pillars stretched across the centre piece upholding the the arched roof carved of stoned but as in accordance with the towers, it had above it the familiar sun bent panels.

Deryck came to a shoddy landing scraping along the blades of grass allowing for the friction to take hold before reaching the dug in stone pathways. He worked up an open smile but kept his arms clutched to the folders as he slowly turned around in a circle examining the inner sides of the structure and the gardens with their various plant life both earthly and foreign, "The Justice League Headquarters..." he giggled a bit as he watched Kyle land nearby but with the much desirable experience.

"This is just one of the many offices throughout the world..."

"Still..." he turned to look through the pillars at the electronic glass doors just waiting to open when he drew near, "we always feared this place...but now I have a free pass to get up close...and maybe go in?" he turned back to kyle and lowered his head keeping a suspicious smile.

"What do you mean?" The elder lantern raised his chin and looked back with a counter stare.

"We're going inside right?"

"Yes, in a manner of speaking," Kyle's head fell and he crossed his hands across his chest and shook out his right leg, "but that's just the civilian branch, all the real work is..." he tilted his head with a curved smile as he pointed down to the ground, "underground."

"Well that hurts," Deryck spat back in momentary disgust, "you got your prisons down there also hero?"

"Alright, Manhunter?" Kyle held a black rectangular device to his ear, "we're here..."

The strip of light shot up vertically between the door panels which proceeded to stutter somewhat as they opened, "wasn't there a more scenic root?" Deryck, having dropped the emerald energy field, called out with anger, "you know some place that wasn't just a bunch of doors and empty hallways?"

"I'm glad you loved it so much, everyone's childhood dream," the likewise depowered Kyle responded with the absolutist form of sarcasm he enjoyed.

The two entered a rather deeply blue tinted room that was more vertical than square despite the square panels that decorated along the floor. The leftist most side of the room was completely empty in line with the hallways that they had passed coming in but to the right was an unusual contraption, a rectangular platform that was raised upward a near metre and possessed above it a large neck groping chair which sat upon a pipe that jutted up from the platform. Ahead of this arrangement was a large monitor screen that extended near wall size and seemingly curved at the edges, upon the screen however appeared smaller monitors along the sides all displaying natural fires and human caused events that sought out attention and gained so from various new-stations that neither of the two recognized.

"It is excellent to see you back on earth Mr. Rayner," a light commanding voice boomed down to them from the region of the monitor. Deryck watched with some intense curiosity as he saw black clad legs drop at the front of the chair and landed squarely on the floor.

"Thanks," Kyle responded firmly conveying a seriousness, "I was hoping to retire here at some point, this boy might give me the chance to sort some affairs..."

"What am I your pawn?" Deryck looked up bending his elbows so that his hands faced outward on his waists.

"What did I tell you about talking?" Kyle returned the look and the posture but kept his voice lower.

"I know of what you speak," the voice returned, "and of it I have found within myself some great interest...especially in your new friend..." Deryck and Kyle looked up at the chair as it began to swivel on the single pipe that kept it upright, "your investigation...I am quite relaxed now that you have taken it upon yourself..." the chair came to a stop so that the martian faced both of them down, "I believe your experience will come in quite applicable to the matters I have learnt of..."

"But he's..." Deryck's breaths became shallow and quite loud but became permanently stopped when Kyle threw the back of his hand into folders producing a loud thump that echoed in throughout the room.

"Does my appearance...frighten you?" The martian rose, the light ones of the blue lighting glancing upon his body revealing every detail backed behind a blue cape. The black tight suit reached down from the soles of his feet up to his neck and cut off at his shoulders, a red cross of fabric stretched upon his chest, sewn in place, and rode down near to his waist whereas the tops reached disappeared behind the blue cape that extended upward around his neck and down just short of his feet; yellow buckles held the cape tightly to the red straps. His fingers were long and seemed to possess dagger like apparatus on each tip though they blended so well with his skin tones; likewise, his eyes were red and menacing with a forehead that had three noticeable angles heading behind him like spikes. The colour of his skin was a pale white.

Kyle shot down a glare at Deryck whom immediately picked up on it, "No..." the boy shot out quickly in a barely audible tone.

"I believe those are the files that The Question asked for to be delivered," the Martian raised out his sharp hand as he said so but Deryck became quite fascinated with the jagged teeth of the Martian who stood above them. After a moment's pause and rapid blinking on the part of Deryck, he stepped forward a few paces and knelt down leaving the folders on the ground. With a small smile he looked up at the Martian and proceeded to fall back in line with Kyle whom had already let out a sigh at the incident that had just unfolded in front of him, "very well, I shall retrieve them on my own strength."

"So..." Kyle began once more in his firm tone, "what have you got on this fair ground, alien refugee camp was it?"

"In a manner of speaking," the Martian placed his hands behind his back and grasped them together creating folds within the cape, "the league had come into contact with a perform and business man whom called himself the Councillor...his home world had been consumed by war and he desired a safe haven from it, we were willing to oblige and there was an easy agreement that he, along with whatever staff he acquired, would keep quiet about their workings as beings from other worlds...most of whom had experienced wars like he had..." Deryck nodded his head in affirmation thinking back to the conversations he had with Gary and Kindred Emma.

"Well, there had to be some issue...?" Kyle continued.

"Indeed, following their acquired status on Earth, they experienced an influx of momentary gains...sums I have only been learning of in recent activities. You must understand that it was a business venture and a haven for these beings, it was not to be of league business unless that strict private policy was obstructed," Kyle nodded, "it's a far bit outside what any other fair would have achieved in decade, yet they had managed to do so in a six months..."

"But what of the files?"

"When the Question had notified me of the disappearance...since it's become apparent he knows all happenings within his city...I had noticed that a lower frequency hacking device had been implemented on the justice league computers."

"Did you block it?"

"I attempted to do so but only proved partially successful...they managed to delete the individual files on the residence there," the Martians head bowed down, "I have not seen this form of technological abilities since the days of Luthor..." he looked up at them, "it's more likely than not foreign to this planet and no doubt since we become knowledgeable of their existence...they will be more than willing to finish the job."

"OK," Kyle nodded his head while looking from side to side. Deryck looked up at him confused, "why don't we just get some real league members and work out something..."

"That's a negative," the boom of the Martians voice set him in his place, "we don't know the full extent of this oppositions abilities...only myself, the Questions and you two are aware of the happenings at the fairgrounds. If these beings are a strong as I believe them to be currently, then we are in dangers...why else would I have us meet at the centre core of this structure?"

"What about the Question...?" Deryck stated first looking at Kyle and then towards the bemused Martian.

"The Question is a special case...but he has never been shown to be an admirer of digital formats...I sincerely doubt they shall ever find him."

"Yeah, dudes weird..." Deryck jutted in.

"While sophisticated," the martian raised the index finger of his right hand, "I've managed to work my way back into their system and have obtained an address...its probably just their computer resource block, regardless I'd like for this particular operation to be halted and properly investigated lest they attempt to break in again for whatever reason."

"No," Deryck stepped forward and asserted himself, "I want the guy behind all this...I don't want to be running your JLA errands...no matter how schway they are...give us something to actually work with!"

"Perhaps that time will come," the Martians stare caused Deryck to fall back his two paces, "but the process is rife with difficulties and steps, your objective can only be achieved if we work together and this task is quite high at hand."

"What?" Deryck hunched his shoulder and opened his eyes wide.

"He'll scratch our back," Kyle turned to respond, "if we scratch his..."

"What?"

"We'll investigate it Manhunter," Kyle refocused on the figure, "and remove whatever we find to be endangering to league security."

"Excellent," The Martian pulled his arms back behind his back causing the cape to rattle, "I'll have the coordinates sent to your communicator, keep me posted on your status."

"Very well."

"He's a white martian!" Deryck exclaimed. He kept his hands forward and his legs tightly bound together as he propelled forward towards the blue sky and above the dominant steel structures that obstructed his complete vision of the jungle.

"You have an issue with that?" Kyle grew on par with the younger lantern and formed a similar posture.

"Yeah," Deryck looked back to Kyle and nodded his head rapidly, "even I know what they are, they're a bunch of killers...!" his open hands formed into fists.

"I agree with you as much on that," Kyle responded lightly, "but not all of them ended up like that, the Manhunter was a student of a Green Martian who taught a more peaceful aspect of the world...but I suppose now you realize why he doesn't go out much...the reaction you gave him...it's frightening to him just as it is to you..."

"Yeah, but I don't have this history as being humanities tormentor..."

"Sure you do..." Kyle nodded as he took the lead, "species wise, I'm more certain that humanity has caused its own greatest atrocities."

"He's a shape-shifter though...why doesn't he just assume a more...pleasant form?"

"I don't know..."

"So...where is this place?" Deryck questioned as he pulled his hands to his chest and covered himself, "this flight got boring five minutes ago."

"It's just further down the coast," Kyle raised his left hand and motioned it towards the coastal regions to the east of them, "Manhunter's map says it's some sort of business depot, rooms probably rented out to them."

"Any chance we'll encounter something to punch into the ground?" Deryck smiled his light delightful tune pulling his hands into fists and throwing them out ahead of him.

"It's just computers..." Kyle returned his dry sentiment, "let's not give our hopes up."

On the dirty coasts of the eastern seaboard, tall rectangular buildings stretched out over the horizon all neatly packaged and surrounded by the mixing parking floors which carried a large assortment of crafts. The shinning men came to a resounding stop at the edge of one particular building that stood out among the rest for the window angular panels on its broadest sides were deeply hued dark and only served to reflect a disturbed image of them as they floated near to it. It was not much of the towering structure, but was shaped in such a way that unlike the straight paths of the other buildings made along the coast, it was crooked with one smaller end faced outward towards the sea at the slightest.

"This the place?" Deryck turned his head to the lantern as they hovered to the sixth floor up, just three short of the stocky roof.

"It would appear so," Kyle responded taking a quick glance at the rectangular device in his right palm, "time we took a direct approach," he leaned his head forward as his body contorted into a running pace on air.

"What?" Deryck froze up as he allowed himself to float some distance away from the unusual posture of his fellow lantern.

With barely a moment's peace, Kyle ring hand began to glow exponentially as he pulled it back behind the bulk of his body. Soon, large block like appendages grew out from the glow and stretched out and flowed back down into a large fist. With lightning speed, the established lantern lunged forward with his magical fist crackling hard into the tinted glass producing the loudest of obnoxious noises as the metal and glass began to quickly deform, crack, shatter and fade away all around the extended fist dropping with the force of gravity revealing a hole broken through from floor to ceiling. Kyle recoiled his hands as Deryck watched with interest as the fist dissipated in simple contours and lines before disappearing completely upon his hand forming a cup around his waist. Kyle raised his back and nodded his head but kept his focus on the happenings indoors.

Deryck quickly floated over to the hole and tipped his head in slightly to take a look in. He curled his free fingers around the sharpened edges of the broken glass feeling the thick quarter inch panel as he pulled himself in free floating in space, "what's going on here?" he paused to question letting his jaw drop in awe of what lay before him.

Save for this window side, the walls, floor and ceiling were decorated with thick foot thick black wires that organized themselves along one another as straight rows thereby preventing the ascertaining of any coherent end or beginning. Disrupting these flows however were four raised silver rectangular boxes that reached halfway up from the floor causing the wires to be piled upon one another in their curvy pattern.

"Well, someone's been hard at work here..." Kyle commented as he placed his hand upon the edge and pulled himself forward within the room, "wonder how this works?" he quietly pondered to himself as he allowed his feet to drop to the ground and find supports on three of the thick wires that cascaded lengthwise along the floor, "someone should have noticed something, this being installed...someone should have got concerned," he spoke up as he turned to watch his young companion hop in.

"Well, come on," Deryck retorted quickly, "let's do whatever here and get moving on with the important matters."

"I don't even know where to start..." Kyle continued. The elder lantern bent his knees crouching to the floor allowing for a more careful examination of the floor. He placed his hands on the wire ahead of him and attempted to raise it through force but found himself to experiencing some great difficulty in doing so.

"Let's do it," Deryck quickly came to complain, "lets whip up some magic scissors and start cutting this stuff hard." The young man clenched his teeth down and pulled up his ring hand in a fist and concentrated upon it forcing out of it a strong celestial glow and overwhelmed his hand and shot out two beam of light which circled around each other awkwardly before forming circular handles that extended in metre long angular blades that held themselves quite closely by reason of a green bolt. His breath dropped heavily as the formation of scissors became evident.

"No," Kyle immediately rose and he turned around but he found himself too late as Deryck had immediately set the tips of the blades to the wire based surface and began to puncture. Without much of a warning available, Deryck felt a strange force hit his outer emerald shield forcing his head back resulting in the loss of control of the scissors which immediately ceased to be. His back arched and his legs jolted upward as he fell from the building above. In split seconds his head twisted and turned looking down to a impossibly hard landing and upward again at a black humanoid figure whom had wrapped the straight edges of its hands upon his neck but failed to puncture through the hard shield to get to this soft human flesh.

Kyle forced himself to turn on the dime as he quickly attempted to shout out the boy's name only to come into contact with a similar tall muscular black entity that seemingly rose up from the ground to contest Kyle's appearance in their dwelling. It raised its harms and opened its hands stammering its feet into the ground, one slightly forward ahead of itself. Kyle immediately produced a circular shield from his ring as the entity crashed into him fists ahead. Preparing itself effectively it began to punch rapidly and Kyle took the steps back, steadying himself for the many blows that came his way. Rather than waste his time however, he took to the production of a short sword for his opposing hand and immediately began thrashing out the bundles of wires below his awkward footing. At first cut, he found himself puzzled by the entities sudden panic attach, pulling its hands to its head and dropping to one knee, "You don't like that much do you?" Kyle strut out forcing the sword upon the ground touching the thick wires enough to cause punctures along the surface, "no intelligence then I guess?" he questioned himself at the realization of the fictitious nature of the entities.

Deryck free fell to the earth feeling the force of his enemies hand against his head pushing him further down. Though time seemed to freeze all around him, Deryck could not muster the strength, the will power, to save himself but his inaction was quickly compensated for the force that secured and cradled his body mere feet from the hardened ground. Deryck felt around this saving device soaking into the wide assortment of identical springs that formed a mattress of comfort. He let his head lay limp and became fully indulged in its safety as the force above him continued to pummel him down. Moving his head to the side that sourced this mattress, he looked up to see the one true lantern, hovering down upon him, ring hand forward and ablaze and his legs neatly bent across one another sharing his absolute calmness in battle. In the full black suit with green wrist guards, boots, shoulder tops and the logo largely emblazoned upon his chest, his appearance was found to be inspiring for the Deryck as he felt a second wind come upon him.

A grin crossed over Deryck's face as he felt the minimal force exerted upon began to dissipate. Looking upward, he found the entity to be now clutching its head, in agony but no screams knowledgeable on account of its absence facial patterns. He rapidly placed his hands upon the entity and pulled them away from its head and with a significant force, felt the will power return to him as he used the springs as a suitable source of propulsion pushing first heavily down and catapulting himself and his foe high to the air ahead of the building roof leaving the true lantern, Kai-ro is absolute awe.

Kyle stepped out to the edge of the window he had shattered moments before and saw for a glimpse of a second Deryck pumping upward with his foe quickly losing the traction that kept it humanoid. It was high above the ground, ahead of the tallest reaching buildings in the region, that Deryck began to notice the foe in his hands was seemingly disintegrating. His hands fell through the slimy being and knocked into one another causing Deryck to lose his concentration and stop in his continual ascent.

"I am sure there is a reason for these actions?" Kai-Ro hovered up along the building to come on par with Kyle whom continued to stand at the entrance way, one hand on the edge formed.

"League business," Kyle responded quickly, "the martian sent us."

"But the boy? He is not experience for this kind of conduct..."

Kyle looked across at the Green Lantern but quickly bowed his head, "the boy had been through some ordeals prior to obtaining the ring...the Martian and I were investigating for him..." the glare of the wide eyes lantern was quickly upon him when he raised his head. Kyle attempted to shrug this off, "I've got nothing better to do really till the guardians call upon me...besides," he looked away, up towards Deryck whom was quickly descending, "my original orders were to protect the ring and its development, and the boy has it, perhaps this is the best way to test it."

"If that be your judgement," Kai-Ro's eyes quietly felt to even slants as he placed his strong right hand to under his chin.

"So what's going to happen to me?" Deryck flew down and came to a stop standing on the air like it was ground.

"Come up with me," Kai-Ro, not looking once at either of the lantern near him, began to rise upward towards the roof top which he disappeared over. Deryck nodded across to Kyle and then the both of them quickly followed in pursuit.

Upon the roof, Kai-ro dropped his feet down to a standing posture allowing the aura of emerald energy drop from all around him, he tensed his muscles and soaked in his surroundings feeling the wind around him as he watched across the aching ocean sea as it reflected the closing sun, "it is nice to have you return to earth Kyle after so long a stay abroad, have you made any plans here?"

"I was hoping to retire here at some point..." Kyle commented lightly as he too fell to the top of the roof as a normal being would. Deryck quickly followed suit behind him, "perhaps, Deryck will give me this opportunity to do so." Kai-Ro's head seemed to jerk which was followed by a sudden turn to face the two fellow lanterns, "I'm trying to steal your position here...I'm getting old," Kyle continued and nodded his head appropriately, "I don't want to have to believe that the best way out of this business is to die...sure there's still some good years left in me, but like I've told the guardians...I don't want to spend them guarding borders or fighting questionable conflicts...I want to be able to come home at some point and help the people here...our people."

"Your reasons are perhaps noble," Kai-ro responded in quick tones, "but I do not suppose that is the purpose of the power that the guardians have endowed us with.

"Well, maybe it's time to change."

Kai-Ro bowed his head down and smiled affectionately, "maybe... but of Deryck, he should be properly initiated for the time being...till the guardians are prepared to call upon him...what say you Deryck?" He looked across at Deryck but he was staring off glazed into the watery distance.

"It's great...but will it ever come off?" he continued to stare outward with his question.

Kai-Ro found this response to be most puzzling, "that is very unusual for someone granted such abilities...I do not believe the guardians even have that ability..."

Kyle and Deryck both jumped at the same moment, "what do you mean?" Kyle immediately questioned.

"You should know well, this ring is of a new design, it has a tie to the central battery that not even the guardians found willing to intercept, this is the purpose of the ring...to remain when all has been corrupted."

"Yeah," Kyle jokingly began, "I kind of skimmed over the details..."

"Why have you not taken our emblem young Deryck?" Kai-ro calmly asked the younger lantern, "the ring and you are slated to be together for a long time..."

"I guess I don't really want to be a part of your team..." Deryck responded with a uncertainty in every syllable.

"What concerns have you?"

"From what's happened to me recently, all I can think about revenge..." he looked over at Kai-ro attaining the eye to eye attention he desired, "I'm not exactly the most noble person in the universe, I'll feel I'd only use these abilities to commit acts that I never characterized either of you," he looked to Kyle, "doing...your heroes, I don't think I want... I can't be a part of that...it's not who I am."

"No...I doubt that very much," Kai-Ro firmly responded, "as I have said to you before, I sense within you an iota of good, a light shining amongst the multitudes of darkness..."

"An Iota...?" Deryck felt his body become weak and slump over his ailing legs.

"There is much to learn, there is a way of which we conduct ourselves...you may not understand now but it is for the betterment of the universe that we do so...you have the capability to rise above those feelings and embrace justice just as myself and Kyle has," Kyle shook his head affectionately with a smile which got Deryck racing through his mind rapidly, "there is an oath that we take, one that grants us our power and assures the will of our beings...your reluctance does not go unheard, but consider this option we present you with...don't fulfil the actions of your past, change yourself for the future..."

Deryck looked to his feet examining the shiny glass like strength that surrounded them, "how does it go?" he questioned looking up.

Kai-Ro pulled up his ring hand and proceeded to produce a bubble in the loose circle that they formed. Soon the solid strength of the bubble turned away into a translucent window revealing within it a lantern like the one that he had seen with Kyle a day before. It was glowing at its centre, its smooth edges rising into the circular ends. It hovered there between them, "In brightest day, in blackest night..."