Afterlight

Chapter Ten

"You play games with people's lives.(...) You forget that they are fragile."

― Patricia Briggs, Dragon Blood

March 23, 2016

Listening to Lagoon Boy rant was one of the most annoying things I had ever heard before. I turned to Kaldur, "Does he do this often?"

"And you! You traitor," Lagoon Boy spat, "You nearly ruined the Team. How can you kill for them and not think that what you're doing is wrong?"

"Yes, he does do this often," Kaldur muttered as the door opened behind us.

Black Manta stepped inside, "Why is this prisoner still on board? He should be with the others."

"I was seeing if he knew anything about Mount Justice," I intervened smoothly, "He complains too much to be of any use to us."

"I will deal with it personally, Father," Kaldur reassured him.

"Negative," He shook his head, "I have other plans for you, my son."

"You're not his son! You're his errand boy," Lagoon Boy shouted.

"I am aware of my role in the larger picture, L'gann. Are you?" Manta injected him with a sedative.

"I am so getting you back for this," He gasped out as he slumped to the floor.

"Pathetic," I murmured as troopers began to load him into the shipping container.

"Kaldur, you know my faith in you is absolute, but others require more proof of loyalty," Black Manta looked at me, "The Light is not yet satisfied with you."

"And they will not be until he has proven his worth. Just because he killed a former team member does not mean that he is loyal, Black Manta. I was foolish to assume this," I admitted, "We have another test for you, Kaldur'ahm."

"A test?" Kaldur pulled back in surprise, "What is it?"

"You will see, but I must know that you will do what it takes to succeed," Black Manta gripped his son's shoulders, "Promise me that."

"You have my word. I will do whatever it takes to enter the Light," Kaldur declared. I rolled my eyes at the display.

"Good. Assemble a team. You will be infiltrating the headquarters of your former team mates and retrieving acceptable specimens for the Partner," Black Manta pulled back, "Oblivion will monitor you of course, and accompany you."

"I will be an operative on this mission," I stated, "There will be too many targets for me to simply observe. You will give the orders, but if I issue one, then you follow it exactly as I say."

"As I have done in the past," Manta nodded, "Who are my choices for my team?"

"I have compiled a list of potential people," I began to walk out of the room, "You just need to pick the ones that will be most effective during the mission."

"And who is trustful," Black Manta glared at me, "And keeps their word."

I winced behind my mask. Black Manta believed that I had lied to him when I told him that I was approving Kaldur for the Light. It was a sore spot for him, and would likely cause me difficulties later on. There was nothing I could do about it though.

Perhaps I had been too quick to assume that Lagoon Boy was the most annoying person to listen to. The Terror Twins and Icicle Jr. were quickly taking his place as most annoying. They had been discussing our loyalty for the past few minutes or so, with Icicle Jr. hitting on Tuppence every few minutes or so. I gritted my teeth as the conversation turned to me.

"What about this Oblivion girl? Look at her, she gives me the creeps with her skull mask and black eyes," Tuppence jerked her head at me, "Who is she, anyway?"

"She's the League of Assassins' newest assassin. Trained by Talia al Ghul herself," Icicle Jr. crouched beside Tuppence, "Word is that she can take the entire Junior Justice League in a fight and win."

"But what about that failure a few weeks ago? Luthor wasn't so happy to find out that his prisoner was stolen out from under the nose of his hired assassin," Tommy leered at me.

"Oh, she got punished real good for that. Disappeared for a week and everything," Tuppence gossiped, "She learned her lesson."

"What if that failure wasn't a failure? What if she let the Juniors escape with the prisoner? She could be playing us," Icicle Jr. suggested, "She hasn't proven otherwise."

"Me? I'm more concerned about this Tigress. How come we ain't ever heard of her before?" Tommy leaned back in his chair.

"You know we can hear you," The disgust was evident in Tigress's voice. I looked at her, curious to see how she would handle this.

"That we do, missy. These are open questions, you see," Tommy turned around to look at her.

"So which one of you wants to ask your open questions of Black Manta? Which one of you wants to suggest to the Big Bad that his son and his son's handpicked right hand can't be trusted?" Tigress kept her voice light and neutral.

The Terror Twins turned around, having been put in their place. I smirked, "I have made mistakes, but I paid for them in blood. You have not done the same, so I would watch your step. The Light is less forgiving each time you fail them. What would they do if you failed this mission after failing so many others?"

They avoided meeting my eyes. I felt the need to add something, "Oh, Terror Twins and Icicle Jr?"

They looked at me, "Suggesting that the apprentice of Talia al Ghul, the Demon's heir, isn't loyal to those she swore oaths to is cause for death in the League of Assassins. The Light would not be afraid to issue the same decree for you as well. Tread carefully in the future. There aren't many who would refrain from following that order."

The Terror Twins and Icicle Jr. flinched as I smiled at them. I snorted and turned to Manta, speaking to him in Atlantean, "They are idiots, but smart ones. They will not disobey your orders, not after what I said to them."

"I appreciate the gesture," Manta responded in the same language, "We will need a complete team if we are to succeed tonight."

"I am not happy about this mission," I spat, "This will bring the Justice League down on our heads. The game will become much more difficult. And we will be destroying the past tonight with our actions. They will never forgive us."

"Even if they do not forgive us, we will have stopped the Light. As for the past, there is nothing in there but trinkets. The real value is in the people we love. Our friends and family,"

"Then I have already lost everything," I replied honestly, "And this should be easy for me."

"You haven't lost everything," Manta argued.

"That explains things," I muttered. Manta jerked his head towards me questioningly, but was interrupted by the Terror Twins.

"I sure wished we knew what they were saying, Brother Tommy," Tuppence said loudly.

"They think they're special, Sister Tuppence," Tommy said to her, "It's awful rude."

"We were discussing the best ways to kill you. Manta favors a quick death to make you shut up. Me? Well, the League of Assassins has taught me to appreciate a slow death," I grinned savagely, "A very slow death."

"Perhaps we should focus on the mission at hand," Manta snapped, "We are approaching our target."

The view on the screen showed our targets messing around with each other. Manta guided the Manta-Flyer to a safe landing site and landed it there. We stepped onto the ground, the Terror Twins racing off to handle their part of the mission.

"Are you sure this the best way?" I muttered to Manta.

"It's the only way," Tigress answered before sprinting towards Impulse.

Impulse ducked under her kick and attempted to attack Tommy. The man simply stood there and laughed as Impulse bounced off him. Tigress shot a net at the superhero, entangling him in the metal cords. Blue Impulse had been subdued by Tuppence, who held him still as Icicle Jr. froze him in a block of ice.

"Blue!" The desperate cry of Impulse rang through the night as he burst free of the net.

I kept my eyes on Blue Beetle and watched as his arm turned into a cannon. I snarled, "You idiots!"

Blue Beetle burst out of the ice and fired his sonic cannon at the Terror Twins and Icicle Jr. Tigress was caught by an oversized staple that pinned her arm to a rock. Blue Beetle and Impulse quickly regrouped. I turned to Manta, "This is embarrassing."

"But necessary," Manta said, removing a device from his suit and examining it.

"Incoming," I called as Impulse raced towards us.

I threw up a wall of light as Impulse attempted to bowl me over. He bounced off it and kept going, "Oh, wow, you're here. Huh, at least that is different."

The superhero babbled the entire time as he annoyed Manta before taking the device and racing off. Manta and I exchanged knowing looks and walked over to the rest of the team. Tommy shouted at Manta, "Well, that's just perfect, chief! We let them get away with the tracking device. Now how do we find Beetle?"

Manta narrowed his eyes, "As it happens, the tracking device was nothing but a Trojan horse. I will explain more on the Manta-Flyer."

"What?" Icicle Jr. asked.

"Move," Tigress ordered as the man stopped in front of her.

"Yeah, yeah," Icicle Jr. waved her off as we tromped back to the Manta-Flyer.

We took our seats on the Manta-Flyer. Manta and Tigress carefully guided the Manta-Flyer through takeoff as I pulled the tracking device's location up on a screen. It was heading towards a zeta tube at a steady pace, meaning that Impulse had kept the device.

"They took the bait," I confirmed, "I expect that they'll arrive in Mount Justice in less than an hour. If we factor in the thirty minutes it will take for the device to disable all systems, we should be online in an hour and a half."

"What is going on?" Icicle Jr. demanded.

"I have to agree with the ice man on this," Tommy drawled, "We're getting real sick of being left in the dark."

"The tracking device they took was a Trojan horse. When Impulse and Blue Beetle enter Mount Justice, the device will disable all security systems," Tigress explained.

Manta nodded, "Which will leave them open for our attack."

"That we weren't told about!" Tuppence snapped, "What's the real plan?"

"We were getting to that," I growled, "We are taking Mount Justice."

"We can't take Mount Justice! Are you crazy? We can't take all of them," Icicle Jr. threw his arms in the air, "It's a suicide mission!"

"Do not underestimate our abilities," Manta warned, "Our skill set will make for an easy victory."

"How can you be so sure?" Tuppence asked, "Didn't Oblivion fail because of these guys?"

"That was a mistake," I growled, "That has been corrected. We will not fail as long as we stick to the plan."

"Which is?" Icicle Jr. folded his arms, "I'd like to know."

"In approximately one hour…" Manta began.

"Descending now," I announced as I guided the Manta-Flyer into the ocean. We plunged into the ocean and aimed for the opening to the loading bay. Tigress took over for the landing and stopped the Manta-Flyer a few hundred feet away from the entrance.

"Catch!" I tossed rebreathers to Icicle Jr. and the Terror Twins, "So you don't drown."

"How thoughtful," Icicle Jr. muttered.

"I need you alive until we get our targets," I explained viciously.

"Not thoughtful," Icicle Jr. frowned at me.

"We have a short window to do this in. Let's move," Manta ordered.

We swam into the loading bay. Manta surfaced first and got rid of Sphere before giving the all clear. The rest of us climbed out of the water. Tigress immediately went to the vents and disappeared into them, while everyone but Manta went for the maintenance tunnels.

I led them through the tunnels without using my map, having explored the maintenance tunnels before I had left for the League of Assassins. When we were by Beast Boy's room, I paused and pointed Tuppence towards the correct exit.

"How do you know where to go?" She hissed at me.

I smirked, "The League of Assassins has their ways. Now go."

Tuppence left and I began to walk again. When Tommy and Icicle Jr. attempted to speak, I shushed them and continued making my way to the Grotto. They snorted in annoyance but didn't speak as we snuck through the tunnels.

I stopped by the exit to the Grotto and raised my hand in a fist. They stopped and waited as I removed the grate covering the opening. Superboy, who was standing in the Grotto, turned at the noise and was met with a shot of ice.

Superboy dodged the ice and was tackled by Tommy. They slammed into the wall, where Icicle Jr. froze him into a block of ice. The ice held for a second before exploding as Superboy leaped out. I stepped forward and extended a hand, sealing the boy in cocoon of light from the neck down. I walked over to him and looked at him curiously.

I needed to be Oblivion. I reached out and traced his cheek with my index finger, "Watch yourself, boy, before you get yourself killed."

"You're one to talk, Astra," Superboy spat.

"I didn't get myself killed," I smirked, "I got myself a new life."

I stepped back as Tommy snapped the collar on and released my hold over the cocoon of light. Superboy turned and attempted to punch Tommy, but gasped as Tommy caught his fist and began to force him down. Superboy collapsed to the floor.

"Sorry, son, but the collar dun' cut off your strength," Tommy grinned at his shocked expression.

"And that's not all it can do," Icicle Jr. gave him a malicious smile as he pressed the remote control that was connected to the inhibitor collar.

Superboy screamed and crumpled over. Tommy smiled at his prone form, "I don't know about you, Junior, but I'm harboring some old resentments."

Icicle Jr. began to form a ball of ice, "Let's finish him!"

Panic welled up in my throat. I snapped out an arm, knocking them back a few steps with a stroke of light, "Leave them, cowards. There is no honor in killing a defenseless enemy."

"Enemy is the key term, princess," Tommy leered, "What's the matter, you have a crush on him or something?"

"No, but we'll get our revenge soon enough. Right now, we have a mission to complete. He is not the mission," I nudged Superboy with a foot, "Kill him, and you will answer to me. Am I understood?"

"Yes," Icicle Jr., growled, "Princess."

"Call me that again, and I will cut your tongue out," I tossed a blade of light from hand to hand, "I don't think anyone will mind."

"Oblivion and Icicle Jr., stand down. Deal with your issues afterwards," Manta stood by Tula's memorial, "We need to move on. Bring Superboy."

Tommy Terror threw Superboy over his shoulder before walking away. Manta led the way this time, carrying a small bag on his hip. I caught up to him and muttered to him in Atlantean, "Are you sure we will give them enough time?"

"No, but we must go through with it. The Twins and Icicle are already suspicious. We cannot afford any more questions," Manta admitted, "I am afraid that we will leave death behind when we leave."

"I refuse to let that happen," I declared and switched to English, "Icicle Jr., go up those stairs. Tommy, through that hall. You know what to do."

"That we do, missy," Tommy sprinted down his hall as Icicle Jr. began to climb the stairs.

I turned to my chosen entrance, "See you on the other side, Manta. Don't screw this up."

"Then stay out of my way," Grim humor colored his voice.

I nodded and sprinted into a maintenance tunnel that would lead me to the other side of the zeta room. Once there, I peered through the grate over the entrance and watched as Nightwing cursed. He spun around, hand flying for his escrima sticks, but was knocked over as Superboy was thrown at him.

Icicle Jr. stepped into view and shot ice onto the floor. Impulse turned and raced towards him, while Blue Beetle's wings popped out. I smirked and threw open the grate, sprinting towards the surprised bug.

He was ten feet in the air when I lashed out with a golden whip that wrapped around his ankle. I tugged hard, which only encouraged him to fly higher. Gritting my teeth, I climbed the golden tendril and laughed as he struggled to cut it off.

"Get this off of me," He yelped as it tightened around his ankle.

I reached him and began to scale his leg and then his stomach. He began to fly faster in an attempt to knock me off, and when that didn't work, began to hit me with his arms. I smacked them away and pinched a pressure point on his neck that caused him to curl up and lose altitude.

His armor suddenly shifted and became scales that were dangerously sharp. I let go and hit the ground in a roll to absorb the shock. Blue Beetle immediately regained the altitude he had lost and began to blast the Terror Twins with a sonic cannon.

A frown slid across my face as I blew into my hands, creating a ball of light. I lobbed it at the bug and watched it explode into a bright burst of light an inch away from his face. He fell from the air and landed in a crumpled heap as he was stunned by the display.

To the left of me, Nightwing pushed Superboy off him and began to stand. Tigress struck him across the face with a hard kick, landed in a crouch, and spun to knock him off his feet. She straddled his waist and snapped an inhibitor collar onto his neck. Nightwing grinned and knocked her to the floor, but was electrocuted as Tigress activated the collar.

Blue Beetle stirred behind me, flipping over and backing away from me. I raced after him and was hit by an oversized stapler that pinned me to the wall. I grunted and shattered it with a blast of light, glaring at the bug that was now hovering in the air with a sonic cannon aimed at the Terror Twins.

"Stand down!" Manta's voice ripped through the Cave, "This battle is over."

"I don't think so!" Beetle shouted as he turned his sonic cannons towards Manta. I stepped forward, ready to subdue him if he attacked, "Traitor."

"Then rethink, Beetle." The scorn was evident in Manta's voice as he revealed the bomb stashed in the bag he had been carrying, "This is the same type of bomb that obliterated Malina Island. I am holding down the dead man's switch. If my thumb comes off this button for any reason, Mount Justice falls."

Blue Beetle paused and considered his options. Slowly, he descended to the floor with his hands in the air, "I'm standing down."

"Ugh," He grunted as I punched him in the stomach before snapping the collar onto his neck. The collar whined as it activated.

"A wise choice," Manta said approvingly.

Icicle Jr. coasted to the floor on an ice ramp and grumbled about being okay. Manta dismissed him, "Good, escort Beast Boy, Impulse, and Blue Beetle to the flyer."

"What about these two?" Tigress gestured to Nightwing and Superboy.

Manta spoke smoothly, "As hostages here, they hold value, but Nightwing is an ordinary human being and Superboy is a human-kryptonian hybrid clone. Neither category is of any interest to our partner."

Nightwing staggered to his feet, "Aqualad, you'll regret this! Both of you will, you and Astra!"

Manta walked over to Nightwing and punched him in the stomach. Nightwing doubled over, coughing at the force, "I believe that I have outgrown the name Aqualad and anything resembling regret. As for Oblivion, I believe she feels the same."

"I will leave the bomb with you as a souvenir. Oh, and the bomb has a five mile radius. Do not pursue," Manta led us outside, leaving the heroes behind.

I walked behind the Terror Twins and listened for any trouble from Blue Beetle. He paused frequently and seemed to be talking to himself. I listened closely to his words. A cry of dismay left him as the inhibitor collar shorted out. I spun around and watched as Blue Beetle took out Tigress and Icicle Jr.

I sprinted towards Beetle and surrounded myself in a shield of light as he shot at me. I was knocked to the side as the blast bounced off my shield. The shield disintegrated and gave me a view of Manta being knocked into a rock from the next blast of Beetle's plasma cannon. The fake dead man's switch flew from his grasp.

"No!" Blue Beetle shouted and turned towards Mount Justice. When the blast didn't come, he narrowed his eyes, "You were right, he was faking! Let's get them!"

I intercepted Blue Beetle as he ran toward Manta and slashed through his armor with a sword. My swords sung as I advanced on the bug, the blade pulsing with light that easily cut his armor. He winced with each cut and desperately blocked the blows. I continued to close the distance between us and maneuvered him so that he couldn't see Manta.

"Aah!" Blue Beetle shouted as Manta placed hand on his back. I pulled back and watched the electricity coursing through the bug.

He stumbled away, only to be shot in the back with a dart filled with sedatives, courtesy of Tigress. The teen stayed up for a second more before fainting. Manta looked at him with satisfaction, "I was not certain that would work, but it seems that Blue Beetle is indeed vulnerable to mystic energies, sedatives, and pure energy."

I inclined my head at the acknowledgement and gestured for us to board the Manta-Flyer. We secured the prisoners and took our seats. I guided us through the takeoff sequence and set the Manta-Flyer to auto pilot.

When were out of the blast zone, I looked at Manta, "They've had enough time."

Manta sighed and turned to Tigress, "Do it."

Tigress removed her mask and stared at both of us, "Are you sure?"

"Do it," Manta repeated. I felt a surge of pity for them as Tigress looked at the switch in her hand.

She pressed the button down and looked out the window as Mount Justice exploded. Beast Boy and Impulse cried out at the blast. They struggled against their bonds, but neither one could escape. Still, they were annoying. I walked over to them and pressed a pressure point on their necks until they fell unconscious.

The others looked at me. I shrugged, "What? Did you want to listen to them for the whole trip?"

March 24, 2016

"And you believe he is ready?" Ra's al Ghul and the rest of the Light filled the screens.

"Yes, there is no doubt. Everything he has done in these past months have been for the Light and no one else," I confirmed as I knelt before them, "He is ready."

"We believe you," Queen Bee said sternly, "But you will remain aboard the Manta-Sub."

"Remain aboard?" I asked uncertainly.

"As a representative of the Light and League of Assassins," Ra's al Ghul clarified, "You will be an operative on Manta's team."

"I see," I hesitated, "For how long?"

"Until we say so," Vandal Savage surveyed me with calculating eyes, "You seem to doubt us."

"I do not," I shook my head, "I am merely surprised. That is all. I will follow this new order until my next is issued."

"Very good, child. Send the boy in," I rose and bowed, fist pressed to my heart. At their nods, I left.

I was changing into my sleepwear when someone knocked on my door. I peered through the peephole and pressed the button once I realized who it was. Manta stepped into the room, clad in loose pants and a shirt. He jumped when I closed the door behind him.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I took in his slumped form.

"Forgive me, I do not know why I am here," Kaldur made for the door. I slapped my palm over the control panel and frowned at him.

"What's wrong?" I repeated, "Tell me."

He took a seat on my bed. I sat next to him and waited for him to answer me, "I am to meet the Partner."

"That's bad? Isn't that what you want?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, it is. It is just," He paused, and I watched as the calm expression on his face crumpled, "Oh, Kyara, what have we done?"

I jumped a bit as he used my name and watched as he pressed a hand to his eyes. I looked away and pressed my eyes closed, drawing in a deep breath. When I opened them, his hand was still pressed to his eyes. In a surge of movement, I wrapped him in a hug.

"I don't know," I admitted, "But whatever it is, we have to finish it."

I drew in a shuddering breath and dropped my head onto the top of his, "We have to finish it."

Author's note: Hello, everyone! This will be the last update of the year, as I will be out of the country for the rest of the month. Chapters yet to be published will also be undergoing major revisions as I solidify the plotline. You wouldn't believe how many discarded chapters I have right now. I hope everyone has a happy holiday. See you all next year!