Young Justice: Annihilation

by CourtCourtTheShort

3 months after 'Endgame', The Team's investigations into Mars, Lexcor & Vandal Savage lead them to disturbing new findings. New allies and enemies are uncovered as they face violent metateens & strange alien attacks. But will their new allies help their investigation? Or will they unwittingly be their demise? Earth finds itself choking on the clutches of Apokolips.

20. All is Revealed Part 2

Mars

March 12th, 2017

00:30 EDT

A chill of anticipation ran through A'monn's spine as he listened to the broadcast on his military radio. He sat patinently in the walls of the safehouse, head twitching towards every sound. His wife was suppose to arrive at any moment, her final military mission ending hours ago.

Then, just as he thought he couldn't bear the apprehension any longer, the rooftop hatch swung open. A'morr floated down into the room with haste. A'monn greeted her with a loving embrace.

'Have you heard?' He asked, gesturing towards the radio. The announcer spouted announcements of Councilman J'ornell's betrayal, his suicide bombing on The Martian Council, and the deaths that followed.

A'morr chided him a mental tsk, her words caked with a smile. 'Who hasn't?' She unhooked the Apokoliptian laser gun around her shoulder, setting it on the table.

'I can't believe he actually did it.' A'monn remarked.

'You know Lord Darkseid's rules.' A'morr reminded, grabbing a rag off the table to clean her gun. 'Fail him, and you must take yourself out. Or he'll take you out.'

She chuckled to herself, remembering Bart's startled face as she revealed herself to him on the outskirts of San Diego. She smiled thinking of his panic as she powered up the final Seismic Disruptor the caused the city to fall prey to the ocean's claws.

'I'm just surprise it took a whole week for that human to squeal after our little chat.' She added.

A'monn gasped, his surprise turning into a laugh. 'You set J'ornell up. You knew that speedster runt would tell M'gann and she'd figure it out.'

A'morr growled. 'I always hated that bastard. Only an idiot would think that Vandal would hand pick him for a 'new world order'.'

A'monn approached her from behind, wrapping his arms around her. He nuzzled against the back of her neck, ever more in love with her savageness than the first day they met. 'So what do we do now?' He asked.

She listened intently to the radio. The announcer calling for the surrender for J'ornell's allies and a reward for any Martain who helped bring them in. 'We lie low.' She answered. 'Until Vandal makes good on the other part of our deal.'

Gotham

March 12th 2017

03:30 ECT

Cowardly squeals of pain reverberated around the concrete confines of the meth lab. Batman, Batgirl, Nightwing, and Robin made good work on one of their side investigations. It was no Spark lab, but they were still able to get a batch of narcotics off the street. And that was enough of a win for them for the night.

A final groan filled the room as Robin took down the final armed guard. He tied his arms behind his back. "Not bad for a Saturday night." He chirped, brushing off his hands.

Nightwing seemed amused. "That's when we get our biggest scores." A smirk rested on his face as he tied up the last of the ragged 'scientists'.

Tim's lips pulled into a smile. It warmed him to be on a patrol with just the four of them again. It seemed that every terrible turn of fate had piled high upon their shoulders. Everything from Arsenal, to the alien attacks, to San Diego laid into them one after the other. Little room to breathe. Little room to be.

But now, in their dark informs with Gotham's three symbols of hope on their chest, Robin finally felt at ease for a small moment. It was good to finally spend time with family.

Nightwing twitched. A course static ran through the speaker on his communicator. A sporadic buzzing filled their ears. They winced under the sound.

"Is something wrong with the com link?" Robin asked with a doleful tone, already knowing the answer. Bruce's equipment was the finest a billionaire could buy. It wasn't the hardware that was at fault. Someone was hacking their frequency. Someone who knew how to find their frequency.

"Hello Bats." A dark voice snaked their way into their ears. "It's been a while."

They looked between one another, trying to pinpoint the familiarity of the tone.

"Who are you?" Batman asked, eyes narrowing. "How did you get access to this connection?"

"Look at you." The man on the other side ignored his questions. "With Nightwing, Batgirl, and a shiny new Robin." A newly found savageness dripped from his words. "A cult leader always replaces his sheep."

"What do you want?" Batman snipped.

"Arkham Asylum." The man stated without pause. "You have 15 minutes to meet me here. Or I start slaughtering every one of these psychos in here."

"Who is this?" Bruce snarled.

"You warn the staff, I kill them too." He added.

"What do you want with me?" Bruce questioned, voice raised.

"Tick tock, tick tock." The man mocked. "See you soon Bats."

---

Gotham - Arkham Asylum

March 12th 2017

03:45 ECT

Jason Todd stood in the eerily spotless security room inside Arkham Asylum. His knuckles grazed across the computer keyboard. His eyes flashed around the multiple security camera monitors. He pressed a radio close to the mouth of his helmet. His lips formed a hit of a snarl as they flickered:

"Tick tock, tick tock. See you soon Bats." He clipped the radio into his hip, lost to his newly found focus.

Arkham's bare boned graveyard staff lay piled on the ground of the spacious security room: one doctor, two nurses, and four internal security guards. Groans fell from the unconscious bodies, their limbs tied together. He had already knocked out the two outside security officers and tossed them in the backyard shed.

Out of his pocket he pulled out a small rectangular device, no bigger than a USB drive. The edges glowed a daunting red. He placed the Apokoliptan technology next to the computer's hard drive. Its tiny appendages expanded and snaked their way through the hardware. The monitors flashed and fuzzed before illuminating with a dull red glow of their own. A virtual control pad flashed up from the back end of the alien "USB drive". Red Hood tapped away at it, flashing between cameras, tirelessly search for his target.

A shaken breath tumbled from his lips. The numbers on the label on the windowless door pounding against his retinas:

Patient 256

With clench of his jaw and a flick of his finger on the panel, he opened the cell door.

Arkam's security system had advanced alarmingly since his last run there in his old, caped costume. Each and every hallway, door, and doorway could be immediately sealed by the control panel. A setup designed by Batman himself to keep any escaped patients contained.

But for Red Hood, it made for an excellent mouse trap to mold beneath his fingers.

He sealed the hallway in Patient 256's wing. Then, with jolt through his spine, flicked open the patient's door.

There was a small moment of stillness. Jason's breath boomed in his helmet as he beamed at the monitors. Then, with heavy, cautious movements, a body emerged from behind the opened door.

Rage slithered through Jason's blood like a toxic oil spill. His heart pounded against his breastbone as every pain, every smell, every chill, every acidic taste of blood from the moment he died squeezed around his senses. For a quick, unknowing moment, Jason's eyes met Anton's through the camera. He could still see those eyes behind the skin mask. The cruel, monstrous delight they bore branded a firey grip in Jason's memory.

He tapped on the control panel, opening the door at the other end of the hall. Confused, and heavily drugged, Anton followed through the open door like a mouse in a maze. Jason slowly and patiently flicked open one door after another until Anton found his way into the massive game room in the middle of the asylum. His medically inebriated mind pulled to attention by a glowing TV inside the room.

A smirk flashed upon Red Hood's lip. His eyes were drawn into the subtle movements on the screen. A tiny flash of darkness. A swoop of something black in the corner of the screen. Maybe one of the security guards would have shrugged it off. But not Jason, he knew all too well what those nearly-unnoticeable moments meant. They were here. Batman and his pawns were here.

Jason pressed his radio up to his mouth again. Waiting until the precise moment that he knew they were inside.

"Follow the maze Bats," he taunted. "Come and find me."

He tossed the radio to the ground and pressed another button on the panel. An alarm sounded as every cell in Anton's wing flung open. The power cut off to only the emergency lights. The manic patients slithered from their cells, their hysteric freedom pulled shouts of excitement from their throats. Jason watched as they spilled from the wide corridor, Batman and his proteges already fighting the crowd head on.

Jason raised on of his gun towards the top of the wall, shooting off an air vent. He jumped onto the counter and climbed up inside. The creaking metal of the building's ventilation system swarmed around him as he worked his way inside it.

He crawled through the shafts, elbows working with furious determination. A map flashed in his head of the long ago remember layout of the ventilation system. His lungs breathed viciously as he powered through the vents. The loose patients would buy him just enough time. Just enough time to get to Anton. Just enough time to beat him to the brink of death. Just enough time for Batman stumble upon him.

Just enough time, for him to end it.

Their panting breaths echoed down the hallway in countertime with their sprinting footsteps. Batman, Robin, Nightwing, and Batgirl finally subdued the escaped patients. Against their better judgement, the followed the path Hood gave them. Although they knew they were stumbling into a trap, their determination tore through them with desire to finally put a stop to Hood's violence.

Their final footsteps echoed around them as they halted inside their destination.

A savage bolt of lightning tore across the sky, it's shining blaze leaving a haunting chill across the dully lit room. The glass roof leaving no room to hide under its illuminating path.

The "game room" sat in the very heart of Arkham Asylum. The walls standing four stories high before reaching the glass ceiling. Back in its civilian time, perhaps it could have been a ballroom, or maybe just a lavish guest room for an owner with big pockets and easily-bored friends.

But now the room sat lined with couches and a few televisions caged to the wall. Numerous tables and armchairs sat firm in the innards; askew and lonely in the darkness.

But in the back of the room, elevated slightly above the floor, rested a stage. A shallow "staircase" of three shallow steps wrapped around it. A place for desperate entertainers or bored inmates to amuse the patients.

Now, with the soft fill of emergency lights around him, Red Hood stood in the center of it. His daunting figure stood tall.

Anton Schott sat on his knees in front of him, his back to Red Hood. His hands tied behind his back. Blood trailed from his nose as quiet sobs dripped from his busted lip. Tears flowed over his black, swollen eyes. His tilted his to the side, wincing from Hood's gun pressed against his temple. Jason gripped Anton's receding hair with his other hand.

Red Hood made no movement as they quietly stepped into their room, filling around him. A sense of urgency danced in the toes.

"Put, The gun. Down." Bruce's firm but calm voice echoed around the room. He held his hand on his utility belt in warning.

A shaky breath filled Red Hood's throat. "Why?" He spat, pressing the gun harder against Anton's skull. "So I can just let him live the rest of his twisted life in a cozy, padded cell?"

"Don't. Move." Nightwing warned.

Jason made no acknowledgement of Dick. His eyes never strayed from Bruce. His rising emotion cracked his voice. "You let him live." He hissed through his teeth. "It's not fair." A childish tone snuck into his voice."Why does he get to live and I get to suffer?!"

The final word echoed across the laminate floor. His limbs trembled under his boiling anger. Nightwing, Robin, Batgirl, and Batman encroached with cautious steps.

"I don't know what he did to you." Bruce continued with calm words, holding a hand out towards him. "But I can promise it's not worth making yourself a killer over."

Jason's eyes went wide. What started off as a cuckle, grew into a manic laugh.

Dick, Barbara, and Tim exchanged nervous glances.

"Oh.-Oh. Oh that's rich. That's rich." Jason cackled. He released the hand on Anton's hair for a moment, pretending to wipe a tear from an eyehole of his mask. "I think you might be a little late on that."

"I know that you have some good in you." Bruce said, catching Hood off guard. He continued, "You gathered all the hospital staff and took them to safety before releasing the inmates. That's nothing any criminal that I've fought would have done."

Red Hood beamed at him with cold, relentless eyes.

"I don't know what he did to you," Batman added with a small shake of his head. "But don't make yourself like him. That's not who you want to be."

Red let out an agitated exhale through his nose. "You don't know what I am anymore."

They only greeted him with silence. The lack of sound grated against Jason's nerves. Anton yelped as he pressed the gun harder against his head. He snapped at Bruce, "Do you even know who this monster is?! Do you know what he did to me?!" A shaken breath rumbled from Jason's chest. "How do you not remember?"

"This guy's lost it." Robin chirped.

Jason was grateful Bruce couldn't see him fighting the water rising in his eyes. "He took me away from you." He snarled, throwing his arm in a sweeping motion. "He took me away from all of you. And you didn't even have the balls to take him out?!"

Bruce narrowed his eyes, a frighten curiosity stirring in his mind. "Who are you?"

"He slices open a kid's throat and all you did WAS THROW HIM BEHIND BARS!" Jason's voice was nearly manic.

A small noise of shock fell from Bruce's throat. Fearful intrigue filled his gut, unsure of how Red Hood knew of Anton's final kill. "How did you know?"

There was a small, sarcastic smirk behind Red Hood's mask. "Then again, you always did have a twisted sense of 'justice', didn't you?"

He let out a loud exhale, then bellowed across the room:

"Bruce. WAYNE."

A collective gasp fell from their throats. Their skin crawling with aghast disbelief at the sound of Batman's civilian's name.

"And you poisoned them." Red Hood hissed, beaming between Nightwing and Batgirl. "You poisoned Dick and Barbara with it too!"

"Who-" Nightwing began, eyes wide.

"How do you know-" Batgirl stumbled, mouth agape.

"WHO ARE YOU?" Tim's words were the only ones that stood strong against Hood. He gripped his hand tight around his staff, unshaken.

A quiet moment flooded between the walls around them. Only Anton's pitiful wines shattered the silence. With smooth movements, Red Hood raised his gunless hand up to his mask.

Click. Click.

The tiny snaps on the sides loosed with gutting loudness. And with a firm grasp under his chin, he tossed the helmet off of his head. It bounced and spun against the floor with a lonely vigor.

A crash of thunder rattled the glass above them. Unsure if the vibrations or the face in front of the was the source of their rattling bones. Their skeptics of his shadowed face annihilated as another bolt of lightning illuminated the room.

A screech burst from Barbara's throat. The sight of the ghost before her pushing her a step backwards. Her ankles shook under the weight of the impossibility. She clasped her hand around her mouth, her small cries of disbelief barely muffled by her shaking hand.

Dick's knees nearly buckled underneath him. A hand clutched at his chest, a foreign pounding ripped through his heart. His jaw dropped as he brought fingertips up to his lips. A tingle rose in his nose at the memories of a brother departed. Of a brother whose face he thought he would never- never should see again. Exasperated claims of disbelief fell from his lips.

Tim, alert and alarmed, beamed at Barbara and Dick with concern. The foreign look on their faces shot a panic through him. He turned back to Red Hood, clawing at his brain, desperate for memories or hints as to who might be standing before them. A cold pit rose in Tim's stomach as his gaze turned towards Bruce.

Bruce's stoic scowl crumbled into dust. His wide eyes, watery and unbelieving beneath his mask. A light tremble rested on the bottom lip of his slacked jaw.

"Jason..." The word fell from his throat with such unbelieving desperation. Bruce's haunting, alien tone so shatteringly broken that Tim had to fight the rising tear in his eye.

An audible shudder crawled from Jason's chest. At the sound of his name from someone from long ago. From a voice from long ago. From a love, from a father from long ago.

"Jason is dead." Jason spat with anguish. He sucked in a shaky breath, his pistol trembling in his grip. "You let him die." He cocked his gun, killing every final inkling of doubt. "The name is Red. Hood!"

A gunshot rang across the laminate floors. Their cries and shrieks useless as Anton's blood and brains showered the space before them.

Ringing. Ringing. Ringing filled their ears as Anton's lifeless body fell to the floor. For Bruce, Barbara, and Dick time swooned to a near halt. Their bodies and reactions slowed by the ghost of tragedies past.

But Tim had no chains of memories upon him. And as Jason raised his pistol towards Bruce, Tim snapped his hand on his utility belt. His Bird-a-rang cascaded towards Jason's hand. In the final moment before he pulled the trigger, his Bird-a-rang hit, knocking the gun out of Jason's hand. The bullet fired towards the ceiling.

Jason staggered back, gripping his hand in pain. Tim raced towards him, his staff raised and ready for battle. Jason caught his movement, pulled another gun from his waistline, and fired at Tim.

Batman, Barbara, and Dick were snapped from their trance by the growing sound of gunfire. They charged at Jason. And Jason found himself under attack by a barrage of Bat-a-rangs. The other pistol was quickly knocked from his hand as well.

It was possible that Bruce, Dick, and Barbra were trying to talk to him while they fought. But the heated rage in his ears only damped their words. He met their hand-to-hand combat with such ferocity and such familiarity that Jason found himself landing in more punches than he ever deemed possible. The sound of Bruce's groans beneath his knuckles fueled his desperate rage.

Then, out of the vast pit of his stomach, bubbled a well known sickness. Jason gasped as his chest heaved.

No. No. No. Not now.

His fists trembled with each punch as his movements slowed. A fine fever grew beneath his skin, sweat trickled from his brow.

When Ra's al Ghul brought Jason's cold, lifeless body to his Lazarus Pit, the side effects were beyond unknown. The beings would could survive the pit and remain whole, physically and mentally, were a rarity.

And unfortunately for Jason, The Pit's side effects included chronic sickness. Fever, shaking, vomiting, weak muscles; all side effects of his body trying to reject The Pit's gift. Side effects that had to be maintain with medication given to him by Ra's. Medication Jason thought he had taken enough of.

But as he stood surrounded by Gotham's finest, he quickly found his energy and his fighting skills deteriorating. His skin became sticky with the sweat of his fever. Promise of punishment and revenge quickly slipped from Jason's grip.

Tim took full advantage of Jason's distracted state. He ran up behind him, grabbing the bottom of his jacket as he lept overtop of him.

Jason found himself momentarily immobilized as his jacket and his arms were swung over his head. His muffled swears beat against the inside of the lining. He twisted out of the brown leather jacket, stumbling backwards. A fist landed in his face, taking advantage of his stumbling momentum.

Jason growled, he reached for his utility belt. His fingers fumbled for one of the grenades on the small of his back. He tossed it in the air. Cries of 'move' and 'look out' filled around him as they bolted away. The grenade fell just between the entrance of the room and the hallway before setting off.

The blast deafened them for a few moments as smoke filled their lungs. A flame, vast and massive quickly shot up the old, flaky wallpaper and long velvet curtains. It quickly snaked through the wall of the game room and down the hall towards the inmates.

Bruce coughed. The heat of the growing flame nearly unbearable under his thick kevlar. His eyes flashed upon the ever-expanding fire. He thought of the trapped inmates and tied up staff in the security room.

"Better go save the them before they burn up!"

Bruce turned towards Jason's voice.

Jason gripped his side in pain, his teeth clenched and bloody. He didn't need to be a Martian to read Bruce's mind. Jason reached into his pocket, pulling out his Fatherbox. A rage of disappointment shifted through his bones. The knot of a losing battle was a hard pill to swallow. But with his skills dulled with sickness, there was no possibility of getting the bloody revenge against Bruce that Jason so desperately craved.

"Don't worry Bruce." Jason hissed with a cold glare. "We'll meet again," he assured. "We'll meet again."

Bruce watched as Jason was swallowed by a vortex of black and yellow. Just as quickly as he was taken from him the first time, Jason slipped from Bruce's grasp.

---

The Watchtower

March 13th, 2017

22:30 EST

Conner paced himself up and down the grand window of The Watchtower's common area. He ran his hands through his hair, unable to subside his nerves. The only sound to distract him was the clacking from inside the middle Zeta Tube.

Adam Strange grumbled as he worked inside the Tube. Malfunctioning since morning, he struggled to fix the uncooperative machinery.

Conner headed down one of the walkways, looking for something to distract his weary mind.

Nerves jumbled in his stomach. For being on the team for 6 years, this would be his few times leading a covert team on his own. They were due to arrive at any moment.

"Well heya' Conner!" Captain Marvel jolted Superboy from thought. He floated towards him, cape trailing just behind. "What's up?"

"B-Billy, hey. Nothing." Conner mumbled. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh just letting Rose into the Armory." He answered nonchalantly, pointing behind him with his thumb. "Oh, I'm headed to the cafeteria, you want-"

"What?" Conner interrupted him, aghast.

The Armory was a room in The Watchtower filled with The League and The Team's spare and confiscated weapons. Everything from ancient daggers to alien lasers. Only League and senior Team members were granted access. Access Billy just gave Rose full reign to.

"What are you doing letting her in there!?" He scolded.

Conner sprinted towards The Armory, fearful of what Rose might try to take. As Conner peel through the doorway, Captain Marvel laid a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Relax." He said. "Don't be so quick to judge. See?" He nodded towards Rose.

Conner turned his head to see her knives, daggers, and swords laid out on a table. She diligently placed them on the shelving along the wall. Conner took a few steps inside, his footsteps gaining her attention.

She finished placing her weapons on the shelving and worked her long ponytail through the back of her mask. She pulled it down over her eyes, readying herself for the mission.

"Kaldur said no blades." She said, turning towards him. "He doesn't trust me. So I put them where I can't get them."

Conner's jaw fell agape. "Wow, that's...responsible of you." He gave her a small smile "I'm really proud of you Rose."

"Thanks." She responded and allowed an awkward quiet to pass between them. "Sooo are we done? I gotta get ready."

"Yeah, go on." Conner answered.

Rose slipped by him, heading towards the common area.

Her heart pounded against her breastbone. A cool, vile turning danced in her stomach. A fire ignited in her steps as the LexCorp Detonation Cord she stole from the room sat heavy in her utility belt.

The Warehouse

March 13th, 2017

23:30 EDT

A quiet hum filled the air as Beast Boy and Emily made their way out of the rooms. Their uniforms sat snug against their skin. Garfield watched as she placed her communicator in her ear, her eyes drawn to the floor in sullen silence.

"Are you sure you-" Garfield began, wanting to make sure, yet again, that Emily was alright to do another mission.

It seem that each one she accompanied, found away to shatter her spirit more.

"Yes Garfield I'm fine." She snipped, annoyed, pulling her hair up into a ponytail.

"I just-" She added with a slight tilt of his head. He placed a soft hand on her elbow.

"I said I'm fine!" She snapped at him, her lips curling into a snarl.

His eyes went wide as he jerked back his hand. She glared at him for a moment before relaxing her face, realizing her outburst. She found herself like that alot. Irritable and overreacting to everything with violent words and tones.

Her lips pushed into a sad pout, her lidded eyes and sunken gaze flashing Gar the phrase 'I'm sorry.' She couldn't bring herself to say it, finding herself in a loop of outbursts and apologies. Outbursts Garfield always found himself the brunt of.

"I don't like it when you're not yourself." Beast Boy added in a soft, concerned voice. A boyish tone danced on his words.

Emily knew what he meant. Knew that he had as much distaste for this hostile, savage, morose Emily as she did.

"You need to talk to someone." His voice was calm and quiet. He tested her space, advancing when she didn't flinch. He cupped his hand on her cheek, trying to grab her eye contact. "Why don't you talk to me?"

She shrugged, finally meeting his gaze. "We hang out and talk all the time Gar."

He dropped his hand, giving her an annoyed look. "We don't talk. We just make out all the time."

She scoffed, turning away. "You're probably the first boy in history to complain of that."

He wasn't wrong though. Quiet days and late nights left Emily alone with her thoughts. Thoughts of her father and her mother and of her wretched uselessness drenched her in a aching sadness. Often culturing a panic in her nerves, a sobb in her chest. It was all too easy to slip down the hall or to the couch to find Garfield unaware and unprepared. It was all too easy to lose herself in his arms and the warm skin of his lips. It was all too easy to use his wanting and physical adoration to dispel the poisonous thoughts from her head, at least for a moment.

"You know what I mean." He grasped her hand, pulling her attention back to him. "How can I help you if I don't know what you're going through? If you don't talk to me, how can I-"

His lecture fell into background noise as her eyes slid down his throat. Her attention drawn the light twitch of a vein just underneath this skin. She counted in time with the rhythm, swearing that she could hear each pump of blood. Mouth watering at the nostalgic whiff of iron.

She discovered herself in this peculiar daze far often than not. Those who were unfortunate enough to place themselves too close to her, found themselves under her watchful eyes. Her gaze transfixed on whatever prominent vein prodded at ther skin. She swore she could hear the wave of blood as it burst from their hearts to the ends of their fingertips.

It was a strange fixation that left her teammates shooting her perplexed and uncomfortable looks. A fixation she easily brushed off with an apology. They assumed her bizarre stares were some kind for reaction to her pitiful, newly-found family history.

But what alarmed her the most, was the growing bloodlust. A lust that could no longer be satisfied by rare steaks and raw ground beef.

Every mission that resulted in broken skin, she had to immediately excuse herself from. She would see her teammate's split lips and broken noses and have to physically lock herself away in a room. The hunger. The hunger that overcame her at the smell of blood frightened her to her very core.

She wanted nothing more than to taste their crimson nectar on her tongue.

"I don't need help Gar." She snipped, interrupting him, turning towards the Zeta Tube.

The bloodlust. No, the bloodlust was not something she could ever let them know about. It was not something she could waive off as a 'newly heightened metahuman sense'.

She just needed to ignore it. To suppress it. To make it go away.

For what would they say if she told them?

They'd see her as a monster, just like her father.

She punched the coordinates to The WatchTower in the Zeta tube. Her lips pressed into a fine line as she shoved away her rising tears. "I just need to be left alone."

---

The Watchtower

March 13th, 2017

23:00 EST

"Is everyone ready?"

Conner turned away from his virtual computer to greet his team. Static, Blue Beetle, Kid Flash, Ravager, Beast Boy, and Emily all stood around him. They silenced their mumbled conversations when he spoke, nodding their heads in affirmation.

He pulled up a satellite image of two story building, squeezed into a middle of a big city block.

Rose's fist clenched in anticipation. She found it doubtful that the building's 'Candle Co.' sign in front was truthful to its order of business.

"From the information sifted through from the weapons lab," Conner continued. "We were able to find the location of yet another Cadmus lab in the south side of Chicago, just 5 blocks east of our Zeta tube. From the info we've gathered, this is a small, minimum security lab. Mainly for lab and bloodwork."

Ravager felt her chest clench with anxiousness. There were so few labs left. There were only a couple more labs to infiltrate. He just had to be in this one.

He had to. She could feel it.

"Our mission today," Conner went on, facing them with his hands on his his hips. He tried desperately to radiate the confidence that Dick had when he gave the pre-mission breakdown. "Is to sneak into the lab, copy information from their computers, and report any findings."

Superboy felt overcome with an awkward feeling. The atmosphere before missions was usually caked with excitement and nerves. But as he looked around at them, all he saw were tired faces and broken spirits. Their eyes either fell to the floor or to nothing in particular. Only shuffling feet and the occasional cough filled the quiet air.

It had been two week since the fall of San Diego. It had been two weeks since the country was brought to its bloodied knees at the hands of extraterrestrial terrorists. No matter the number of counseling sessions, guilt still weighed a heavy burden in their hearts. It seemed that The League and The Team were the only support they could turn to. For public opinion of all masked heroes had taken a steep downfall. They couldn't tune into a radio, television, blog, or even streetside conversation without hearing blame being placed on their 'negligence' and 'incompetence'. Several of them even experience violence from civilians while in uniform. Everything from stray bullets to tossed fruit.

It was not a heartfelt time to be a hero.

"Look, I know moral is low and…" Conner rubbed the back of his neck, his lip twisting in thought. "Everyone had been through alot lately. And this isn't a...'normal' mission grouping." He held out his hands to them in reassurance. "But you wouldn't be on this team I put together if I didn't believe in your skills."

"Yeah right," Virgil sneered, clacking his tongue against his teeth in disbelief. "You mean we're here because everyone else is too messed up in the head to work, and we're all that's left over."

Conner felt their wary eyes upon him. Virgil hadn't been completely wrong. They were the only Team members who weren't on PTSD leave or caught up in rebuilding their own cities.

"Times have been hard on everyone Virgil. I need you guys focused and working together." Conner ordered in a quiet voice. "No one wants to see anymore loss."

---

Chicago

March 14th, 2017

03:30 UTC

Noise of bustling the city filled the streets around them. The chilly Chicago air still held on to last remnants of winter. The Team dispersed, shaking the shivers off their spies and placed themselves on top and around the Candle Co. building. Their quiet steps and stealth uniforms, rendered them unnoticed.

Superboy jumped quietly onto the roof. He placed his finger on his communicator. "Alright Bule, you're up."

Blue Beetle flew high above the building. His armor blending with the night sky. He outstretched his arm, ordering The Scarab to scan the building.

"There's...six people inside. Looks like some lab techs and a janitor." Blue began. He squinted, trying to focus on the thermal reading. He confirmed Superboy's suspicions. "You're right about the sub-level. The scanner is picking up a hidden floor. Way underground. But I can't see how many bodies below. Too much heat from the water lines and equipment."

"Alright then, Static, your move." Superboy ordered.

Virgil stood patiently behind the building. He placed his hands on the outdoor fuse box. He fired a current from his fingertips through the building's wiring. Lights and computers hissed and hummed before flashing into darkness.

After the building went black, the remaining staff wandered outside, unable to work without illumination. The Team had no worries that the sub-level would be left without power. The hidden labs usually in housed their own power source.

Beast Boy, Emily, Ravager, and Kid Flash took the first floor. Static, Superboy, and Blue Beetle took the second. With the aid of their superhuman sense or night vision goggles, they swiftly explored the above-ground lab.

In their utility belts and pockets they carried a new device, courtesy of Robin's ingenuity. Red metallic discs that Robin introduced as 'Remote Hackers' could, well, remotely hack any computer hard drive by being placed on top of it. Using any nearby wifi signal they could hack a computer, hijack the nearest server, copy the data to one of Bruce's satellites, then finally to The WatchTower's computer.

It was a device that, despite his best efforts, Bart had no useful aid in naming. Being set on the terms 'Bat Hacks' or 'Robbin' Robins' to which Tim did not find as amusing as he.

When Superboy, Blue Beetle, and Static finished they joined the rest of The Team on the first floor by the elevator. Conner pried open the door, happy to find the elevator had stopped on the second. They quietly flew and grappled their way down the elevator shaft. It wasn't until they traveled 40 feet below ground that they finally reached the end of the shaft. Blue used his scanner to make sure no workers were close and Static used his powers to quietly open the doors.

In the sub-level, the elevator opened into a corner a hallway intersection. Four separate directions laid out in front of them. The term 'hallway' Conner found generous, if inaccurate. It wasn't so much a fully constructed lab, like the one he was created in. It was more like a crudely excavated cavern hastily created to resemble a working space. Metal beams and arches kept the ceiling from falling in. Lab equipment and workstations sat on and in the cave-like walls. They could tell that each of the four hallways had rooms on either sides of them. But the jagged stone walls and moist air gave it an alarmingly makeshift feel. Dimmed floodlights illuminated the floors in sporadic bursts. The angle of their placements left the high ceilings shrouded in darkness.

They split off down the four hallways. Superboy braved one on his own, Beast Boy and Emily in one, Ravager and Kid Flash in another, and Static and Blue Beetle down the other.

Virgil and Jaime glided down the shadowed hallway. The rooms they found were mainly empty aside from lab equipment and humming computers. They pocket several seal tubes of liquid and blueprints.

Virgil stepped back into the hallway, a faint yelp grabbed his attention to a door at the end of the hall. "Do you hear that?" He whispered to Blue.

They flinched, the sound of the screams growing in volume and severity.

Without hesitation they tore down the hallway. The Scarab's voice of reason fell on Jaime's deaf ears as he blasted open the door. Static pushed past him.

A bolt of panic jolted down Virgil's chest. Along the walls sat four podil cages. Two young men and two young women stood behind the glass coverings. Their wrists clasped beside their heads in metal restraints. Metal appendages sat inside the pods, their ends pressing needles and electrical currents into the prisoners' skin.

The air ripped from Virgil's lungs as his eyes went wide. His mind trailed back to his time with The Reach. To his days spent trapped in a tight pod prison, under the mercy of their electrical torture.

The scientist in the room startled at the sounds of the blasting door. It only took a moment for Virgil to see the teens in cages before he flushed with rage. He sent a bolt of lightning towards the scientist, knocking him unconscious. He slumped to the ground, this clipboard clacking beside him.

Blue and Static dashed towards the pods, pried open the doors, and torethe robotic arms off their hinges.

"Hey! Hey are you okay?" Blue cupped one of the girl's cheeks, trying to wake her up after the bolts left her unconscious.

"What are they doing in here?" Virgil asked, shaken. He worked on the young men's restraints.

The young, brown haired girl groggily gained consciousness. She squealed under Jaime's hand.

"It's alright, it's alright." He cooed. "We're not here to hurt you. We're gonna get you out of here okay?" He tackled the task of undoing her restraints.

"Help us, please." She begged in a hoarse voice.

"We will." He whispered, looking over his shoulder for a brief moment. "You gotta stay quiet okay?"

Virgil helped one of the young men out and lowered him onto the ground. He worked on freeing the other teenager. His brows knit together as he asked Jaime through grit teeth, "What does this look like to you?"

Blue's eyes flashed over to Virgil before helping the other girl. He let out an unsteady breath, "I know." The uncanny resemblance of the prisoners' pods and The Reach's left Jaime with an unshakable chill. "They're using their technology."

They helped the last two prisoners onto the floor, allowing them to gain their bearings. The brown-haired girl grasped Jaime's arm, she glanced at the clock on the wall. Her words were gruff and breathless. "Shift change...fifteen minutes." She took a moment to gather her wind. "Staff doubles….more people."

Jaime nodded, his voice boldly chiming in on the comlink. "Blue Beetle to Superboy. Static and I found four hostages." He flashed his eyes over to Virgil, he nodded. "We're getting them out." There was no questioning influx in his statement.

"Affirmative," Superboy answered. "Do so quietly."

"I think we need to move fast." Jaime added, taking the other girl's arm around the back of his neck as he helped her up. "One of the hostages said shift change is in fifteen minutes. They'll be a lot more people here soon."

He and Static lead the prisoners out of the room and quietly headed down the hallway towards the elevator.

"Affirmative." Conner answered. "Everyone clear? We have five minute to gather and get out."

In the opposite hall, Ravager's coarse swears filled one of the empty labs. She hammered away on computer's keyboard

"Fuck." She snipped, panicked. "That's not enough time." She growled, desperately searching through the computer's files. "That's not enough time."

"What are you doing?" Kid Flash questioned, annoyed.

"Just give me a fucking minute." Rose hissed back.

"We don't have a minute Ravager." His voice teetered with anxiousness, trying to rush her. He came up behind her, looking over her shoulder. "What are you looking for?"

An answer swelled in Rose's throat. She snapped her jaw shut as the door to the room slid open. An unaware scientist made a few good strides into the room before she lifted her eyes from her clipboard.

But by then, Ravager already had a hand around her neck.

With daunting swiftness, she pushed the lab-coated woman against the wall. Her screeching died in her throat as Rose pulled out her Energy Sword and placed it under her chin. The pulsing electricity sent tiny shocks across her skin.

Bart had never felt himself think with such sluggish thoughts. Even he had to take a moment to register Rose's movements; to register what she was doing.

He felt like an imbecile when the word "Stop!" finally croaked out of him.

But Rose paid no mind to Bart's protest. Her cold, hateful eyes beamed at the woman in her grasp. She pressed her Energy Sword closer to the underside of her chin.

"Scream and I slit your fucking throat," Rose snarled.

The Cadmus pawn wouldn't know that the sword wouldn't kill her. But it made for an effective bluff on Rose's part.

"Where is Project J?" Ravager hissed, a fury bubbling inside her. Her limbs trembled as she felt the end of her rope creeping up on her. "Where is Project J?!"

The scientist only flinched and squealed at her words. Terror shooting through her at the sight of Rose's desperate, bloodthirsty eyes.

Rose tightened the grip around her throat and pressed the Energy Sword closer against her neck. The woman choked, tilting her head higher upwards in response.

Ravager trembled with furious limbs. "I swear I will fucking kill you." She hissed.

"I'll take you I'll take you!" The woman gurgled, struggling to catch her breath. "P-please. Please don't kill me." Tears flowed down her cheeks. "I'll take you to him, whatever you want!" She pleaded.

Rose released the woman. She shook, rummaging for her fallen glasses and metal clipboard. She felt Rose's sharp glare as she promptly stood. She squealed as Rose turned her around, placing a firm hand on her shoulder.

"Start moving," Ravager demanded, pointing her sword into her back. "Don't even think of running."

The woman nodded and lead them out of the room.

"What the hell are you doing?" Bart asked, aghast.

Rose paid no mind to him as the scientist lead her down the hall, the tip of Rose's sword between her shoulderblades.

Bart growled, running up beside them. "You're going to get us in trouble-"

"Shut up!" She snapped at him, making him stumble. "You don't understand." She hissed through gritted teeth. Her shaken breath rumbled in her chest. The rage in her eyes shimmered into pleading. "Just let me do this."

Bart opened his mouth to speak, then decided quietly against it. He nodded, the desperation in her words causing him to give her the benefit of the doubt.

The mousey scientist lead them to a room at the end of the hall. She opened it. The large room was lined with a computer and lab station against one wall, hazmat suits and safety goggles lined the other.

The sound of the door shutting behind them echoed up the tall, dark, damp walls. Bart placed himself next to Rose. He shuddered as his eyes crept up the ceiling into the haunting darkness above him.

Rose shivered, her uneven breathing filling the air around them. Her eyes fell on the chrome wall in front of them. The sliding doors locked at the center, a keypad sat to the side. Across the wall in daunting letters of yellow black read:

WARNING:

METAHUMAN TESTING

EYEWEAR MUST BE WORN AT ALL TIMES

"Is he-" Rose finally found her voice. Her grip loosened off the woman shoulder. "Is he there? Is he behind there?" Her tone high with a hope.

A soft chuckle fell from the woman's throat. "Did you really think it would be that easy?" Her course, darkened tone shot a chill down Rose's spine.

She stayed still as another snicker escaped her. A smile could be heard in her words. "Did you really think he wouldn't know you were coming?"

Rose's lungs filled with a gasp at the haunting realization of her words. Before she had time to blink a flash of metal danced in the corner of her eye. A sickening clank of metal filled her ear as the scientist spun around, striking her metal clipboard against the side of Rose's face. Rose cried out at the sudden pain, falling to the ground.

"Rav-" Bart began to call out for her. His words cut short at the feel of the woman's hand around his shoulder, pulling him forward. Dropping the clipboard, she pulled an Inhibitor Collar from inner pocket of her lab coat, snapping it around Bart's neck.

Bart squealed as the woman grabbed him by shoulders, tossing him against the computer.

The noise jerked Rose's attention. She jumped to her feet, her Energy Sword firing up in her hand. "Keep your hands off him!" She yelled, taking a swing at the alleged 'scientist'.

The woman dodge Rose's advantages, her moves poised and limber. She made a skilled backhandspring away from Rose, tearing off her lab coat. A tight black bodysuit and utility belt wrapped around her. A warrior in sheep's clothing.

"We're under attack!" Bart beamed into his communicator. He rolled over on the ground with a groan.

Bart charged at the woman, her Sword tight in her grip. She swung her electric blade, her sword slicing closer and closer to the woman's skin.

Bart's head pounded as their fight loomed in the background. He moaned, using the metal desk to pull himself up. Superboy's questioning jumped in his ear but the ringing inside it was overpowering.

He pressed on his communicator, guessing at his inquiry, "Some kind of-of ninja and-"

Bart's throat squeezed around the air in his lungs. His jaw dropped as a figure strode out of the shadows into the corner of the room. Planting himself firmly in front of the chrome door.

A scream filled the room as Rose's sword finally landed on the ninja woman. She fell unconscious on the ground. Ravager winced, rubbing the spots out of her eyes from the sword's intense contact flash.

"My, isn't a treat."

A wheezy inhale filled Rose's throat as she gasped. Her belly soured as she heard a deep voice ring around her. It had been so long since she'd heard it. And although she'd never show it, that voice still terrified her.

Bart whimpered, swallowing hard as he clawed at the dying words in his throat. A towering figure of black and yellow slithered from the shadows. Bart's finger trembled against his communicator as he finsihed, "Deathstroke."

Down the other hall, Bart's cries on the communicator went unanswered by Emily and Beast Boy as they too found themselves under attack. Two more of Deathstroke's ninja's cascaded down from the shadowed ceiling.

Garfield's ears twitched, hearing the ninja plummet towards him with a moment to spare. Beast Boy leapt out of the way, the Inhibitor Collar in the ninja's hand snapping centimeters away from his skin. He roared, morphing into a gorilla. He swung his heavy paws, his blows nearly landing on his attacker.

Emily screeched with surprise. She lifted up her arms, her energy shield falling around her just as the ninja brought down his blade. She yelled, pushing forward, heaving her attacker off of her. He tumbled to the ground, his sword flying down the end of the fall. The ninja sprang to his feet, his quick footwork catching Emily off guard. Her heart jumped in her throat as the attacker barraged her with an array of kicks and punches, inching closer and closer until a hit finally landed across her jaw. A flash of blood sprang from Emily's split lip and onto her tongue.

A lupine growl rumbled in Emily's throat. A shiver of rage danced down her skin, putting her hair on end. A sudden savageness clawed at her chest, the sting of the wound on her lip lighting a fire in her veins.

She snapped her head towards the ninja. Her vision blurring for a moment as her pupils pulled into fine lines. Her canines morphed into fine points.

A heat ran down the top of her spine to the tips of her fingers. A build up of energy released by her fury, struck through her. She snapped her open hand towards the attacker. He groaned. Emily's telekinetic powers halted his movements, pressing on every inch of his skin.

She roared, and with a swipe of her hand crashed the would-be assassin against the wall. She cried out again, bringing up her other hand. As she pulled her hand back, the ninja floated away from the wall. She groan, crashing him against the wall again.

She smashed him against the rock wall over and over. Each time the ninja's cries dulled, quieting. Each spurt of blood from his head enticed a snarl of thirst from her lips. A ravenous smile pulled on the corner of her mouth, eyes mulling over the crimson flecks.

Garfield finally knocked his opponent unconscious. A bolt of horror shot through him as he turned to see her savage attack. "EMILY!" He boomed, but his cry went unanswered.

A trial of saliva dribbled from her lip as the iron aroma seduced her hunger.

"EMILY! STOP!" Garfield shouted. He yanked on her arm with a firm hand, jerking her attention. The assassin fell to the ground, body limp.

A savage snarl spread across Emily's lips. A horrendous growl burst from her throat at the feel Beast Boy's pull. Her free hand swiped at him. A sting erupted down her fingers as her nails morphed into claws.

In her furious haze, a flash of green and red played before her. An anguished cry erupted from Garfield. He clutched his face, turning as he staggered into the opposite wall.

Emily gasped. The sound of Beast Boy's scream jolting her from her bestial rage. She shook her head, blinking away her blurred vision as her eyes morphed from slit-pupiled yellow, to green.

She held her hand up to her face. Watching with trembling limbs as her claws shrank back to nails. The ends of her fingers coated in the sticky film of blood.

An unsteady breath rumbled in her chest. She looked over at Garfield. He grimace as he clutched his hand over his face, blinking away the tears in his eyes. It wasn't so much the pain the made his eyes water, but the relentless sting that sliced across his face.

He pulled his hand away with a wince and assessed the lines of blood on his palm. Four of her claws left shallow lines of red, barely missing his eyes.

"Gar I-" She whimpered. A remorseful squeak to her voice rose with her watering eyes. "I-I'm sorry. I'm sorry I-" Her hands shook with a panicked trembling.

"It's alright. It's alright." He reassured, wincing again. He took his hand away, face twitching. "It's my fault. You didn't mean it."

Emily's shaky breath rumbled in throat. Garfield looked at her with sad, worried eyes as he saw her teeter on the edge of tears.

Emily felt the walls inside her crumble. Realizing the control she so desperate craved slipped further and further from her grasp. Day by day, bit by bit she had been feeling herself slip away. A dormant monster clawing beneath her skin.

And Garfield, Garfield, stood before her with raw wounds, taking the blame. The blood had yet to dry beneath her fingernails before he spouted an apology. Forgiveness for her savage outbursts, a pardon for her unchecked instability.

She clutched her hands to her chest. Her eyes falling from Beast Boy to the limp body beside her. The assassin's face spilled with blood. The only solace she found was in his rising chest. Her knees buckled underneath her, a sob spilling from her throat.

What was happening to her?

What was this monster growing inside her?

"I was wondering when you'd finally show up."

Rose chilled to her core. Her lips pulled into a firm scowl as she tried to keep her composure. Unsure if she should scream with terror, or with rage.

There, standing tall in his back and orange uniform was Deathstroke. He leaned, cocking his hip with a care-free causality. A black pistol rested in his left hand, atop his crossed arms.

"Imagine my surprise when a little doggie told me my own flesh-and-blood traitor was still alive."

Rose narrowed her eyes at him. Was he referring to Wolfpack? Emily's father? She paid no mind of his recognition of her at the weapons factory. She thought he'd perished in the explosion. Apparently she was wrong.

A flicker of a snarl flashed on her lips. "Sorry to disappoint."

Deathstroke pulled himself to a firmer stance. He aim his pistol towards Ravager, barrel lined with her forehead. "Hello Rose," he greeted.

"Hi Daddy," she responded, words dripping with disdain.

A gasp choked in Bart's throat. His eyes shot between them. A stinging realization rising in his mind. Every time Rose lashed out, every memory he had of her hitting a little too hard, fighting a little too ruthlessly, all came hurling towards him.

The resemblance was uncanny now.

"You're here for the brat, aren't you?" Deathstroke asked.

"He's not your plaything." Rose snarled, taking a step towards him. "He's not your science freak." She pulled out her Energy Sword, the electric blade tilted down towards the ground. She stopped in front of him. Her head inches away from the barrel of the pistol. "I won't let you do to him what you did to me."

Deathstroke gave a small huff, raising an eyebrow under his mask. "Strong words coming from someone using a sword against a gun."

But Rose did not respond. She merely gazed up at him with cold, determined eyes.

Deathstroke couldn't tell if she was brave, or stupid.

He cocked his gun.

"Say goodbye Rose." He advised.

"Goodbye Daddy." She responded.

The blast of the gunfire echoed around the stone walls with a deafening reverberance. Bart gaped, astonished, as Rose managed to dodge the gunfire. She dashed to the side, swinging her sword towards his outstretched arm. Deathstroke cried out, the pistol clanking as it fell to the ground.

His injured arm went limp at his side. Rose swiped at him again, to which he dodge. He reached for his own sword with his good arm, engaging Rose in a searing battle of steel and electricity.

Bart used the distraction to place a Remote Hacker on the computer. A gutted cry snapped his attention towards the fight. Rose lay on the ground, clenching her stomach. Deathstroke approached her with a prudent stride. He stood before her, bringing his sword high in the air.

Before he could bring down his blade, a heavy crash boomed from the entryway.

No longer burdened by his own ninja attackers, Superboy raced to Rose and Bart's aid.

He leapt at Deathstroke, crashing him into the chrome doors. The impact morphing open the seal with a small opening, snippets of the other room danced on the other side.

Rose's heart jumped in her throat. She grabbed Deathstroke discarded gun, waiting for he and Superboy's battle to stumble them away from the door. Rose took her opportunity and bolted to for the damaged entrance.

Her heartbeat rang in her ears. A steady pulse of anger and fright pumped through her veins.

Inside the lab, aside from computers and equipment, rested another pod. A tiny, weathered body of a young blonde boy stood inside it. Wires and needles and tubes protruded from his skin, sending readings to the computer on the left wall. Restraints held his wrists and ankles against the back wall of the pod. A thick metal cap protruded from the back of the pod as well, covering the top of his skull to the bridge of his nose. He struggled to move his head in the contraption, the noise from outside grabbing his attention. He trembled on his shackles.

"Who are you!?"

Rose turned her head towards a feminine voice. A brunette Cadmus scientist gawked at her with a stern tone. "You can't be in-"

Her words were cut short as Rose raised the gun to her, closing the space between them. Her strides were urgent and fierce. "Open the pod!" Rose shrieked, the pistol trembling in her hand.

The woman shook with fright, frozen by the sight of the pistol. Rose growled. She grabbed the woman by the collar and tossed her towards the computer and control panel. The woman yelped as Rose clutched the back of her neck, pushing her towards the computer screen.

On the other side of the chrome wall, an injured Deathstroke was fighting a losing battle with Superboy. He managed to gain function of his right arm again, but his sword was no match for Conner's Kryptionian skin. A voice rang in Deathstroke's communicator.

"Let them go." Lex Luthor's tone was short and simple.

"What?"Deathstroke beamed back.

"Let them have the boy."

Deathstroke tried to protest, but Lex continued.

"We will get him back in due time, it's time to plant the final seed."

Deathstroke smiled. And with a final groan brought his sword down upon Conner, to which he caught in the air with his bare hands. His muscles twitched as Deathstroke pressed down harder on his sword. He brought his face in close.

"Looks like we'll have to finished this another time," He smirked. "Do give my daughter Rose my warmest regards."

Conner flinched, taken aback. "D-daughter?" Conner stumbled.

"Aww she didn't tell you?" He mocked with feigned ignorance. "Lies and deceit. Looks like the apple didn't fall far after all."

Deathstroke twisted his sword, knocking Superboy's hands to the side. He kicked him in the chest, sending him tumbling backwards. Before Conner could scramble to his feet, Deathstroke pulled out his Fatherbox, and he was gone.

Conner and Bart snapped their heads towards one another, only needing a small moment to know what was on the other's mind. They bolted through the chrome door.

They weren't sure what startled them most. The small boy trapped in a podia torture chamber. Or Rose, shaking with rage. One hand gripping the back of a woman's neck and the other with a pistol to her skull as they haunched over a computer.

"Open the goddamn pod!" She spat with fury. The scientist whimpered as Rose tightened the grip on her neck. The click of the gun cocking drummed in her ear. "Open. The fucking. Pod." Her voice a hoarse whisper.

The woman reached for the keys in her pocket. Placing it in a keyhole on the control pannel. A small plastic cover flipped backwards, revealing a red button. She pushed it.

The pod sprang open, the boy falling to the floor as his restraints released. The needles snapped from his skin, small drips of blood ran down his skin.

The boy pulled himself up onto his hands and knees. With a slow movement of his head he looked up at them with large, terrified, green eyes. Dark bags rested underneath them. A bloodied chapping sat on his trembling lip. His think, ragged blonde curls fell down to just below his chin.

"Kid, are you alright?" Conner asked. Bart and he approached him with cautious steps, their arms open.

The boy gasped, flinching backwards at their advance. He fell backwards onto his rump trying to scramble away. A panic filled his frenzied gaze.

Conner's cooing reassurances fell on his deaf ears as his wide eyes darted all around him. They fell to the table on his left. Glass instruments sat on top of it. He reached for one of the glass beakers, smashing it against the edge. Desperate and terrified,he swiped the now-jagged neck of the beakerat Superboy.

Conner retreated, jumped away from his crude weapon. "Woah woah easy easy!" He took a step back. The boy fell back a few steps, but still swiped with madcap movements.

"We're here to help!" Bart tried to reason."What's wrong with him?"

"Stop! Stop it! He's mute, he can't talk!" Rose howled behind them, racing towards them. She yanked Superboy him back by the back of his shirt. "Leave him alone! He doesn't know what he's doing!" She hastily shoved Bart to the side.

Rose placed herself in front of them. "Back off, back the fuck off!" She yelled as they flinched back. She gave them a snarl before turning towards the boy.

He shriek at the sight of her, taking another step backwards. He stared at her with wide, terrified eyes. The broken beaker trembled in his hand.

"Hey," she cooed. "Heyheyhey it's alright it's ok. It's ok." She brought herself down on one knee.

The boy swung the glass at her advance. She shook her head, holding out an open palm in pacificity. "Look look! It's me." She tapped her other hand on her chest. He lashed out again. "It's me!" She cried, tearing the mask off her face.

The boy froze, air chilling in his lungs.

Rose's breathing hitched, her hoarse voice nearly a whisper. "It's Rose. It's me." She swallowed hard, desperation rising the with pleas in her voice. "Please remember me. Please, please remember me." She hoped she wasn't too late. She prayed desperately that whatever they had done to him hadn't destroyed his mind.

As his eyes soaked in her face, there was a moment of still quiet.

"Joey." Rose's voice cracked. The blonde boy twitched at the sound of his name.

Rose grasped for her composure, fighting against her rising fears. She tapped on her chest once again. "It's Rose. It's your sister. Do you remember me?"

It felt like an eternity before the boy, before Joey, breathed an audible inhale. His eyes widened in sudden realization. The beaker shattered against the ground as he let go, feet sprinting on the dirt floor as he charged towards Rose.

She nearly fell backwards as he jumped into her arms. His pining, desperate fingers grasped at her uniform. Arms clutched tight around her. His face creased with relentless, unrepentant sobs. No cries could fall from his throat, but the ghosts of the wails that should have been held a heavy grip about the room.

Rose grasped her fingers around his back and in his hair. Tears fell down her cheeks as she fell down onto both knees, crushing him closer into her. "I've got you. I've got you." She reassured with a shattered voice. "I got you now." She held him tighter, pressing a sob into his hair. "They can't hurt you anymore."

Conner and Bart stood with slacked jaws. Their eyes fixated on the scene in front of them.

Rose finally pulled out of her embrace with Joey. She lightly brushed the hair out of his face, examining his pale skin for wounds and bruises. Her soft voice asking if his was alright.

"He's your…" Bart tried. "You have a…"

"You knew he was here, didn't you?" Conner's voice grabbed their attention. He stared at Rose, nearly unbelieving. "You've been looking for him this whole time."

Rose stood in solidarity. Joey's hand slipped into hers. She stared back at Conner with a dark expression.

"He goes back with us to The Watchtower." Her voice was firm and unyielding.

"What?" Conner breathed.

Her face creased with further demand. "He's going back with us to The Watchtower."

Bart's wide eyes turned to Conner.

Conner held Rose's gaze. "I'm not letting some strange kid into a top secret-"

His lecture was cut short as small click flicked through the air. Rose swiftly undid one of the snaps on her utility belt. She reached inside, grabbing hold of the stolen LexCorp Detonation Rope and tossed it through the air. The same one that Arsenal had threatened Lex with not too long ago. It wrapped around Bart's leg, red lights shining with grim activation.

Bart's breathing hitched as he realized what had clutched itself around his leg. He flashed his wide eyes up at Rose. A cold, savage, desperation dripped off of her. She beamed at Conner with an unwavering glare. A tiny, daunting deadman's switch trembled in her right fist as she held it out between them.

"Joey goes back with us to The Watch Tower." She repeated, struggling to keep her composure as her words cracked. Her eyes watered with anger. "Or I blow his fucking leg off."

Conner's words died in his throat as he stared at the switch.

"Tell everyone else to retreat." Rose ordered, making sure no one could come to Bart's rescue. "Tell them to Zeta to The Watchtower and we'll be right behind them." Her limbs trembled as Conner made no sound. The only answer he gave her words was an aghast, gaping jaw.

"DO IT!" Rose boomed. Joey started at the sound, gripping her tighter, pressing his face into her back.

Conner's eyes flicked from her to Bart's terrified face. Bart's hands trembled beside him, eyes glued to his leg. He craved more than anything to phase out of the Cord, to ensure the survival of his limb. But the collar around his neck left him at the mercy of Rose's brash instability.

Conner's nostrils flared with anger. He swallowed his pride, knowing what must be done for the well-being of his teammates.

He placed his finger up to his earpiece communicator. "Everyone, retreat. Now!"

Rose's eyes widened in surprise, taken aback my Conner's quick cooperativeness.

Their Teammates' concerns and questions chimed in on the link. Conner's voice overpowered them as he belted his order. "I said retreat. All of you! Get to The Watchtower. NOW!"

Conner waited for all their affirmations, bringing his arm down to his side. A disappointed scowl pulled on his lips. "You know it's over for you right?" He asked. "There's no way Kaldur is going to forgive this." His eyes flicked over to Bart then back to Rose.

Her lip twisted in a disapproving manner. She shook her head, water rising in her eyes. "I don't care, it was worth it." Her lip trembled with her shaky breaths. Her hand gripped tighter around Joey's. "He was worth it."

Conner watched with wide eyes she carefully hoisted Joey into both of her arms. He wrapped his arms around her neck, feeling weightless in her strong arms. His small size giving his age an air of ambiguity. She kept a knuckle whitening grip on the Detonator in her hands.

The sound of closing voices caught Superboy's attention. More armed guards were headed their way. "Let's get out of here." He said, cold.

Rose nodded. She turned towards Bart. Her sudden closeness making him jump. "Leave my sightlines and you lose your fucking leg." She warned with a snarl.

Bart swallowed the lump in his throat.

Rose snapped her head back towards Conner. "Now let's get the fuck out of here."

---

The Watchtower

March 14th, 2017

00:10 EST

A light tapping filled the common area of The Watch Tower as Nightwing rapped his thumb against the kevlar on his chest. He gazed out the massive windows, eyes flickering at Batgirl's and Robin's troubled reflections.

They stood in nervous anxiety. Their eyes on the floor or in the vast emptiness of the air. They waited, possible deliveries of their inevitable conversation racing in their minds.

The man at Arkham Asylum, now without a shadow of a doubt, had been Jason Todd.

Dick stared at the results of the DNA test for a good fifteen minutes before his hands subsided their shaking. The events of that night left him all spooked, shattered. And left Bruce, utterly and completely mad.

Bruce said no words to them that night as tore back Wayne Manor. The singed rubber of the Batmobile's tires leaving a crazed trail behind him. He wasted no time in digging up Jason's grave and flinging open the lid. Only to find an empty coffin.

Dick tried to steady the wobble in his knees. A sickness grew in his belly as he waited for the rest of the original team to arrive.

Jason had been apart of their team. Jason had been a part of their family. Dick knew they would never forgive him if he kept this from them.

The Zeta Tube sprang to life.

Recognized Miss Martian, B05

Zatanna, 25

Aqualad B02

Dick's stomach fell to a bottomless pit. He, Barbara, and Tim watched with wary eyes as Z, Kaldur, and Miss M walked towards them. Adam Strange took no notice of them. Hands and mind still diligently working on the middle Zeta Tube.

"What's up?" M'gann asked, taking a place amongst them. "What's this meeting about?"

"We have to wait for Conner." Dick answered. "He should be back from their mission soon. Where's Artemis?"

A small smile crept on Zataana's face as she answered. "Couldn't make it. She's going to the Registrar's office in the morning. She's enrolling back in school."

Dick let out a frustrated sigh. He felt Zataana's eyes on him like daggers. "Are you serious?" He knew he should have handled the announcement with a little more excitement. The fact that Artemis was taking strides on living a normal life again showed that she was improving.

But the flashes of Jason's face in his mind only boiled the frustration in his blood.

"Yeah.." Zataana answered, skeptical. "Why what's up?"

The Zeta Tubes announced more arrivals. Dick found his attention drawn towards them, head cocked in inquiry.

Conner's teammates stumbled with boisterous concern and confusion into the common area. Bursts of 'what happened', 'is everyone ok' and 'what's going on' rang about the room. The rest: an incoherent jumble of flustered conversation. Voices tumbling over one another.

Dick raised his brows with concern. Something was wrong. Something went wrong.

They joined the rest of the distressed team, trying to make sense of their worried states.

Superboy finally materialized on the Zeta Platform. He charged off of it, quickly snapping around to face the Tubes. A cold stiffness ran through him as his muscles flexed. Arms hard with boiling anger.

His gaze held firm until the Zeta announced the incoming of the final three arrivals.

Conner's fist clenched tighter at the sound of the Zeta Tube's voice. Enough anger pumped through his veins that not even the bright light could make him flinch.

All three of them arrived. Rose materialized with a firm scowl, face determined and intense. The tiny blonde in her arms buried his face in the crook of her neck as she hoisted him onto her hip. His arms and legs gripped tight around her. The Detonator sat firm in her hand still.

In the other hand, Rose pulled back on Bart's collar. He shuddered and choked. His back arched under her strength, hands desperately gripping on his neck. His small pleas were lost in his throat.

Her eyes met Conner's.

"Let him go." His voice rose. The rest of the voices went quiet. His commanding timbre grabbing every eye in the room.

Conner's did not stray from the Zeta Tube. His face tilted downward, a heavy darkness crept in his eyes. "I kept my bargain now you keep yours."

Rose's nostrils flared with a snarl. She shoved Bart forward, releasing him from her grasp.

Gasps and small exclamations filled the room as Bart stumbled forwards. He tripped over the two stairs that lead down from the Zeta platform. He slammed onto his elbows and knees with a chilling 'thud'. He whimpered, pushing through the jolting pain in his joints to turn his head towards Rose.

She never graced him with a sorrowful look. Her fierce eyes still transfixed on Conner's livid gaze. She shuffled Joey to her other side. His face burrowing as quickly into the left side of her neck as it had the right.

Eyes unwavering, she held up her hand in front of her. The debtonator shaking in her grasp.

She tossed it at Conner's chest. His eyes followed it from the point of impact between his breasts to it's small 'clink' on the floor.

His eyes flicked back up to her. Her other arm wrapped around Joey as she tilted her head down in a small, sullen moment. A tiny scowl pulled on her lips.

Conner's jaw fell agape. Agasp at her bluff. The bomb was inactive. He was unsure if he was more disappointed in Rose's actions. Or at himself, for actually believing her.

But for Bart, despite her bluff, everything felt real. Every blood pump of terror and every cold sweat bead of anxiety still rapped against his skin.

"Jesus Christ!" He shrieked, arms tearing at the rope as soon as the trigger left Rose's palm. He sat on the cold tile floor, desperately clawing at the rope and tossing it to the side. He shuddered, breaths course and shallow as he folded his legs in front of him, his face falling into his palms as he rocked himself. The sticky smooth sting of terror still clawing at his skin. An image of his leg blown to bits ran a loop in his head.

Jaime called out to him, running to his side. "Are you okay?" He asked, kneeling beside him. His palms gentle on his shoulders. "What's on your neck?"

"Who is that?" Kaldur's sharp voice vibrated off the floor. He took a few steps to stand close behind Conner, his eyes soaking up the scene before him.

Rose took a few brave steps forward. Her soles now a foot in front of the base of the stairs. She looked small without a perch.

"That….is Joey." Conner stated, still staring at Rose. "He was one of the test subjects at the lab." He turned his head to his left, a side eye gazing back at the rest of the team. "He's...Rose's little brother."

There was a breathtaking silence.

Their stares felt like a wild stampede across Rose's battered skin.

A soft step echoed around the room as Kaldur's bare feet walked towards her. She stood stoic until Kaldur took a step past Conner, making him the closest person to her in the room.

Depending on whose opinion you asked, one of the most notable, noble, and stupid things Rose was known for, was never backing down. Not from an enemy, not from an ally, not from an encroaching challenge.

Even when that challenge was a skilled, muscular Atlantian man who held a foot over her in height.

So when Kaldur stepped towards her, his brows perked in surprise as she took a step back. He expected her to close in the space. To tilt her face up to meet his in a readied brawl.

But this Rose. Whoever this Rose was that stood in front of him, recoiled. Her foot fell back behind her as she turned Joey way from him. His advance greeted by only her exposed side and fierce face.

He challenged her again. But his step forward, was only greeted by yet another one of her retreating steps.

"You have an explanation to give." Kaldur beamed, ceasing his advances.

Rose bit her lip, suddenly all too aware of Joey's trembling limbs. "Can I get him an IV first?" She asked.

But this wasn't a time for compromise. This wasn't a time for kindness.

All she was answered with was piercing gazes, confused tilts of heads, and firm scowls. The wheels of her teammate's heads turned as they finally pieced everything together.

It was over.

Fuck it was finally over.

"What do you want me to say?" She snipped, a shuddered breath rattling in her lungs. "You're all smart. You can probably already guess."

But Kaldur's eyes did not falter. He knew. Everyone now knew. But he wanted her to say it.

"I used you." Her words began to crinkle as she struggled to keep her composure. "I used all of you. Used the team to get what I wanted." She steadied her breathing, arms wrapping tighter around her brother. She looked back at him, her face full of his golden curls before she turned back towards Kaldur, her face impenitent.

"You want an apology?" She snarled, a glossiness of rising water filled her eyes. "You're not gonna get one. I'm not sorry."

A sudden coolness graced the skin on her neck as Joey raised his head. With slow, small movements he daringly peeked out from the shelter of Rose's collar to see his surrounding.

His frightened, vibrant green eyes bolted between every body in the room. His tear-stained cheeks shined under the fluorescent lights. He was a cold, broken, withered pile of a boy. A tiny pale vessel of sunken cheeks and sickening ribs that slid just below scarred and bruised skin.

Wind fell from The Team's lungs as the scene finally cultivated a daunting realness.

Rose turned her head to meet Joey's. His eyes fell onto her. A flush filled his chest as, in the quiet calm, everything became real. This place, this place that wasn't that horrific lab was real. Rose was real. His rescue was real.

The end of his scientific enslavement was real.

His chin erupted with dimples as a quiet sob fell from his throat. A choking breath escaped him as fat, shameless tears ran down his cheeks.

Rose rested her free hand against the back of his head and Joey's desperate grasp clung to her forearm. As their foreheads touched, brazen squeaks and gurgles escaped his throat. As much sound as a sobbing mute could make, he did, unapologetically.

Rose's composure crumbled at the sight of him. At the feel of him. At the reality of him finally, finally, safe in her arms. Her own sobs falling along with them.

And Kaldur became overwhelmed with a notion that he was a blasphemous onlooker in their private prayer of gratitude.

Joey finally retreated his head back into the crook of Rose's neck. His shoulders bobbed and shook with his silent bawling.

Rose's uneven breathing escaped her louder than she intended. She turned her head towards Kaldur, tears still trickling down her face. Her fierce eyes nullified by the tremble of her lip.

An apology rested light years away.

"I'm not sorry." She repeated, shaking her head, a dare resting in her timbre.

Adam Strange peered out from behind the broken Zeta Tube. His attention pulled into tense scene.

But then a tiny noise caught his attention. A buzz from a shorting wire? He swept his gaze above and around him. His eyes following the subtle sparks flashing in the Zeta Tube.

Confusion overcame him as he backed away from the inside of the entrance. He watched, head tilting as the darkness in the middle Zeta Tube flickered with tiny sparks. They faded quickly, nearly going unnoticed. Slight turns of the inner metal spirals inched at a snail's pace.

Adam's brows furrowed. The sparks quicken in pace, a steady hum of electricity now unmistakable.

A thunderous, crackling roar of electricity flashed in the tube. The blast knocked him backwards and sent him crashing onto the floor. The Team snapped their attention towards the noise, shielded their eyes. Adam back away with a frenzied, fumbling crawl, as electrical bolts zapped in a wild tango the Tube. Bolts crept out of the entryway. The spiraling gears whirled at a savage rate. The metal rattling and grinding under the intense movement.

The Zeta Tube's feminine voice boomed its repetitive warning through the room:

Energy Overload. Energy Overload. Energy Overload.

"What's going on!?" Nightwing called out. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Adam climb to his feet, pulling up the virtual Zeta Control Panel.

"It's-it's as though there's a-a foreign frequency trying to Zeta in." Adam answered, one hand rattling away at the panel while the other shielded his eyes from the intense light.

"What?" Dick called out, voice barely heard over the sound of the Zeta's voice. He closed the space between them "What does that mean?!"

"I-I don't know, I mean-" Adam's overwhelmed mind had him at a loss for words. He shook his head in perplexity at the readings on the panel.

The Zeta's voice roared again.

Danger. Energy Overload. Danger. Energy Overload.

Adam turned his head towards Dick, voice cracking over the collective noises belting from the tube. "I think-I think someone's trying to hack the Zeta Tube." He answered, pointing towards the reading. "That's what it looks like."

"Where?!" Dick yelled, as he approached the panel. He brought his elbow up towards his eyes to shield them from the light of the relentless bolts of electricity. "Where's it coming from?"

"What?" Strange's jaw dropped. "That doesn't-it doesn't-" He rose his voice to be heard, turning towards Dick again. "It says it's being hacked from this location."

Nightwing looked at him with furrowed brows, unable to comprehend his words.

"Somehow the entry and exit Zeta points are the same." He tried to explain. "But it-it's still trying to transport." He pointed towards the Zeta Tube. "That's why it's short circuiting."

"Then shut it down!"

"I'm trying!" He snipped back as he clacked furiously at the virtual keypad.

A massive white light filled the entire common area of The Watch Tower. Bright enough to paint the insides of their eyelids white. The Zeta Tube roared with energy. Bolts of lightning desperately grasped for grounding points.

The light snapped away as an explosion burst through the center of the Zeta Tube. They were all knocked off their feet from the aftershock. Coughing filled the air as smoke circled around them. Their hacking lungs now the only noise in the room.

They tried fiercely to blink the vision back into their eyes. Furious spots of white danced in their pupils.

Tim expelled the dust from his lungs. Through the lashes of his squinted eyes, he made out a figure in the smoke. Movement staggered from inside the Zeta Tube.

A cold drop of his stomach chilled his insides. "Who's there?!" Tim called, his hand reaching for his staff.

Heavy breathing poured from the intruder's mouth. His lungs grasped for air with furious claws.

Out of the smoke, a shaking, weathered hand gripped the rim of the Zeta Tube. Knuckles raw and scarred.

Second by second, the smoke cleared. And face emerged behind the cloudy haze.

"Dios Mio." Jaime wheezed. His ribs clutching tight around his lungs. Eyes wide at the sight of the ghost before him.

"There's no way." Garfield's voice cracked. His forehead creasing with fearful astonishment. He took a trembling step backwards.

"Is that..." Tim's soft words fell from his lips. His head brows furrowed in disbelief.

Dick's jaw fell open. His head shook. His voice of reason telling him that his eyes were deceiving him.

Bright against the faded dust in the air, a distinctive shade of red hair, seized every eye in the room

Lip trembling, Dick's voice curled around a name he never thought he'd be able to call out for again:

"Wally?"

The voice of the Zeta Tube echoed around them, pushing to regain normal functioning

R-R-R-Recognizzzed, Kid Flash. B03.