Sorry for not updating sooner! I've actually had this chapter typed out for a while, but due to a family emergency wasn't able to post it. Now that school's started i'm not sure how consistent i'll be, but i'll do my darndest! *puts hands on hips as dramatic fanfare explodes behind me*

Hope you enjoy this chapter! I'm exploring a little more with what Jade's powers can do, but it will be more explained in later chapters. Enjoy!

oOo

11: A Warning

May 30, 2016

The Warworld

I surveyed the heroes in front of me, all nursing various injuries and of course the disorientation of stasis. In all we had broken out nine heroes; Bart, Superboy, Bumblebee, Wonder Girl, Robin, Batgirl, Wolf, Guardian, and Beast Boy (Whom I finally learned the name of.). Of course, there was also my team,making us a force of 14. Normally, a group of this many supers would be a force to be reckoned with, but everyone looked a little worn. Virgil and Ed seemed relatively unharmed, but Tye seemed protective of his chest and Asami sported a large bruise on her forehead.

"Jade, what's your plan for getting out of here?" Bart asked, his fingers twitching nervously at his sides.

"Uh …" I looked to Asami, who shrugged. I wasn't sure if the boom tube could take all of us. "We hadn't really thought that far." Bart groaned loudly.

"Seriously? You don't even have a plan?" Bumblebee hovered in front of my face, annoyance in her voice.

"Honestly, I didn't expect us to get this far," Ed admitted. I glared at him. Let's try to keep moral up shall we?

"What are you doing?" someone shouted behind me. I turned to see metal-arm-guy, who had run up from behind a row of stasis cells. "Move it!" That works, I thought.

"Let's go!" I shouted, waving the group after me as I broke into a jog and followed Mr. Prosthetic. Bart jogged beside me. "So, what do I call you, now that you're a full-fledged superhero?" I asked playfully. He grinned at me.

"Impulse."

"Hmm, I like it. Not to flashy, still unique, fits the no-filter way you talk –" I laughed when he stuck his tongue out at me.

"What about you, Princess? Got a name yet?" I gave a half-hearted smile.

"I'm pretty sure I won't be regarded as a hero when this is all through." His smile balked.

"You're seriously not still planning to –"

"Bart, have you ever known me to give up on something I've made my mind up to do?" I was answered with a moment of painful silence.

"Jade, you can't –"

"C'mon, Bart. Let's just focus on getting out of here, okay?" I pleaded, searching his eyes and forcing my voice to sound upbeat. He pursed his lips and looked forward.

"Okay." I stared at him a moment more before looking forward. Fortunately, it was just in time to not run into grumpy-metal-guy. He had stopped us in front of a large metal door, his finger hovering above a keypad.

"Okay, get ready," he announced to the group. Is it possible that he looks angrier than before? "There's a squad of Reach soldiers waiting for us behind this door." I tensed, coiling in preparation, and saw the rest of the group do it as well. Metal-arm-kid pounded on the keypad and the doors hissed open to reveal … Nightwing?

The group froze for an instant, slightly stunned. From behind Batman's protégé stepped Miss Martian and Sphere. A sense of relief seemed to settle over the group, or at least, the heroes of the group. I was still as tense as ever.

"Hey fearless leader. Better late than never," Metal-arm-guy greeted, walking over with cocky familiarity.

"Arsenal," Nightwing replied. "Everyone safe?"

"For now," Metal-arm-guy – or I guess, Arsenal – scoffed.

"The Crystal Key?" I stared at the serious face of Nightwing. I get that the first time I met him hadn't been under ideal circumstances, but I had really expected him to be different. My parents had described him as being more congenial, not so blank-faced.

"Gone. And we better get gone too before one of them," Arsenal gestured behind him to the fighting aliens, "declares a winner."

"Right, move out," Nightwing ordered.

"All aboard. We're almost home free!" Miss Martian announced with a smile, gesturing to the ship behind her. The Bioship. My parents had talked about the Bioship, even showed me pictures, but – wow! The red body was so sleek and perfectly aerodynamic.

"Kinda cool, huh?" Bart asked, elbowing me in the arm. Grinning, I gave him a shove back.

I moved to the side of the hall to allow the Young Justice team to enter the Bioship. They seemed a little more on the injured side, so getting them help was a priority. Bart stayed by my side, but I couldn't tell if it was because he was glad to see me, or if he was guarding me. Nightwing turned back to the group, standing at the Bioship's entrance with Miss Martian and Bumblebee.

"I think congratulations are in order," Nightwing announced, surveying the group. I avoided his gaze, doing my best to hide behind Bart and Arsenal. "No training, no guidance, and yet you pulled it off. When we get back, after a debrief, there might be a place for all of you with the team."

"Wow, really?" Virgil exclaimed, making me smile. I knew he was going to make the team.

"So now that we saved your butts, you're cool with us not being STAR Labs guinea pigs?" Tye challenged angrily. He crossed his arms defiantly, not relenting even when Asami put her hand gently on his arm.

"Chill out," Virgil told Tye. The Native boy grunted and glared back at the future hero. Their staring contest went on for a few seconds before they both looked away and went silent.

"Before we head back we need to talk about Blue Beetle. He betrayed us," Arsenal growled. Bumblebee flew right up in his face and started yelling, but I wasn't listening.

My head suddenly felt very foggy, as if someone had thrown a blanket over my brain, keeping me from seeing my thoughts. I was no longer aware of my surroundings, only the slowly growing pressure inside my skull. Instantly I knew what was happening. There was someone tampering with my mind.

The pressure reached its peak of intensity, feeling like a hot spike had been thrust into my head. Instinctively I formed a shield over the only part of me that I was aware of: my mind. The other presence vanished from my mind with a high-pitched yelp. I opened my eyes to find myself back in my own body, sitting on the floor within a bubble-shaped shield. Bart, Virgil, Asami, Ed, and Tye all knelt around the shield. I looked past them at Nightwing, who was supporting a quivering Miss Martian. I stood up, glaring at her and hesitantly letting my shield down. Instantly I felt energy drain out of me. Getting her out of my head had affected me just as much as her.

"You have no right to tamper with my head, Martian!" I spat venomously. My friends' eyes all turned to the shaking green girl.

"I – I didn't recognize your mind … I thought … you might be a Reach …" her eyes met mine, beads of sweat rolling down her forehead.

"Miss M, you can't just –" Bart started in my defense.

"Actually she can," Nightwing interrupted. "The Warworld is infested with Reach, and regardless of that, I wouldn't exactly call her a friendly," he gestured to me, his voice remaining cold and even as he lectured Bart. "You've told us almost nothing about her and from the behavior she has displayed, she's closer to being arrested than being congratulated." The former-Boy Wonder looked at me, eyes narrowing beneath his mask.

"Hey!" Ed protested.

"Without Jade we wouldn't have rescued anyone!" objected Virgil.

"That may be, but for now –" Nightwing started.

"You're really going to kill him, aren't you?" Miss Martian's voice cut in quietly. My stomach dropped. Having the Justice League knowing my purpose in the past was not part of my plan.

"What did you see?" I growled.

"Everything." I glared daggers at her, both rage and panic filling my chest.

"You shouldn't have been in my head, Martian!" She ignored me and leaned into Nightwing, whispering something into his ear. While I couldn't hear her, I was miraculously able to read her lips.

"She needs to be taken in." Nightwing responded with a ghost of a nod and turned back to the group.

"We can discuss this more when we're not behind enemy lines," Nightwing ordered. "Now let's get aboard and get out of here." Bart moved his hand to my back, urging me forward. My hand's clenched into fists and I planted my feet, glaring at the heroes.

"Not much left to discuss, is there, Grayson?" I asked with a smug smirk. He turned, eyes wide beneath his cowl. "Nice strategy though. Get me all nice and cozy in the Bioship before arresting me." My friends gaped at me. "Sorry, but I don't feel like spending my immediate future in a cell."

"What you're planning is pre-meditated murder!" Miss Martian cut back.

"How far would you go to save the world? What would you sacrifice to save your family?" I spat at her. She narrowed her eyes, glancing at Nightwing. Bart stepped forward, placing himself between me and the two heroes.

"Look, we can't do this here. Let's discuss it once we've gotten out of here," he pleaded. His peacemaking wasn't having the desired effect.

"Not much left to discuss, hey, Nightwing?" Arsenal bit out.

"Look, we respect what you heroes do and all," Virgil started, his expression changed from the excitement of before to a guarded, protective gaze. He stepped beside me protectively, quickly followed by Tye, Ed, and Asami. "But we have our own way of doing things."

"Yeah," Tye gave the three heroes a glare to rival Batman's. "We wouldn't betray the people who just rescued nine of our teammates."

"See, we don't need your help to get back to Earth, amigos," Ed announced.

"And we definitely don't need your offer to join the team," added Tye.

"Hmm, sounds like you guys know what you're doing," Arsenal mused. "Mind if I join you?" I opened my mouth to protest, but Ed beat me in response.

"Sounds like a plan." A muscle jerked in my cheek. I did not trust Arsenal and definitely didn't want him with us. Asami brought out the Father box. Nightwing's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Wait, is that a –"

"G'bye, Bart," I said, looking him straight in the eyes. He shook his head. "Please don't get in my way."

"Home, please," Asami announced, and we were swallowed in a flash of golden light.

oOo

So, that's that. Jade threatened Bart (meanie) and Arsenal has joined the gang! Yay! Please leave a review as I love to hear from you! Until next time ...