"You think if recreational space flight becomes a luxury for rich people, we could convince the others to give us a free go?" Wally asked, head tilted back almost ninety degrees as he stared up at one of the models hanging from the ceiling.

"Kid, we get to teleport up to an actual space station," Barry said with no small amount of amusement. "That and the occasional trip in the Javelin aren't enough for you?"

"It's not the same!" Still looking upwards, Wally didn't notice when he inadvertently deviated from his uncle's side - not until he walked straight into another person.

"Oof!"

"Ouch! Watch it!"

"Wally?" The thirteen year old peered around the irritated girl he'd bumped into, and beamed upon spotting Dick and Roy.

"Hi guys!" He chirped.

"You two know this kid?" The girl with her long blonde hair in a ponytail raised an eyebrow at him, and Wally realized that she must have actually been walking around with his friends.

"Yeah, he's an old friend," Dick grinned. "Artemis Crock, meet Wally West, native of Central City out west. I met him once when the circus stopped there, and we've kept in touch ever since."

"And then they somehow dragged me into the acquaintance, too." Roy added in a dry tone. Artemis' other eyebrow joined the first, and she looked at Wally with a more appraising expression.

"Well, in that case, it's nice to meet you, Wally."

"You too! And uh, sorry 'bout walking into you like that. I was looking at the ceiling." He rubbed at the back of his head sheepishly as the other three all rolled their eyes.

"Wally? You okay? Oh, hello Dick, Roy."

"Hi Barry."

"Hey, Mr. Allen."

Wally quickly introduced his uncle to Artemis as well, before asking if he could switch to hanging out with his friends. Roy managed to send the man a quick warning look, something that said something minor was up. Barry agreed, but also said that he'd be hanging around within shouting distance. Wally caught the brief expressions of relief on his friends' faces, and also realized there was a problem brewing. He was quick to step away with the others in order to ask about it.

Eyes scanning the surrounding crowd, Barry reached into his pocket to activate the League communicator that would summon one of his teammates in civilian mode to his side. He kept close to the quartet of kids, checking them every so often in his vigil.

Soon enough, Bruce and Ollie homed in on his position, and the man filled them in on what he knew of the unknown issue.

"Is it this Crock girl they're worried about?" Bruce asked with a frown, glancing in his ward's direction.

"No, I don't think so. She had the same look on her face."

"Maybe one of us had better go check with them," Oliver suggested, equally anxious about his own boy. "It'd be more natural for Roy or Dick to confide in us rather than you, Barry. No offense."

"None taken." The other blonde gave him a friendly clap on the shoulder.

"Alright then, Barry, you keep watch back here. Ollie, go check with the kids, and I'll see about finding Ms. Bertinelli to see if she knows anything." They both nodded to Bruce's marching orders, and then split up.

-C-

"Argh, how many more hours do we have to keep this up?" Hawkling groaned as she and her father stepped down from their shared podium, hiding from the dispersing crowd.

Katar merely chuckled. "What's the matter, Kendra, don't you want to be a quantum physics professor full-time?"

"Fek, no."

The older Thanagarian laughed outright at his daughter's disgusted expression, and slung an arm about her shoulders. "Too bad, you'd have a knack for it. And for keeping unruly students in line too, I might add. One swing of your mace is all it would take!"

"In that case, I'd certainly never sign up for one of the kid's classes." Both Hol's turned to see Green Lantern approaching them, leading a rather nervous looking young man with a sketchbook clutched to his chest.

"Hello Lantern. Who's this?"

"Hawks, I'd like you both to meet Kyle Rayner, budding artist extraordinaire, whom I've commissioned to make some portraits of us all."

Kendra snorted. "You commissioned? Why do I get the feeling Green Arrow's more likely to foot the bill."

"Arrow?" Kyle asked, blinking. "Why him?"

"'Cause he's the only one of us besides Batman with cash to spare, and I doubt the Dark Knight would even consider springing for something like this."

"I dunno, kid, these are some pretty impressive sketches." Lantern warned her, snagging the sketchbook and handing it over. "Just think of what this kid can do with proper ink and colors."

And indeed, the drawings of the various Leaguers were impressive. First was one of Lantern himself, hovering in the middle of his light-construct display, which the man had already signed. Then there were three of the Kryptonians, a portrait each followed by a joint picture of both of them mid-air. There was another of Martian Manhunter, which mostly focused on him from the waist up but also had a great deal more detail in the shading and highlights. The final three were laid out like the Supers, with a single of each Hawk and a dual portrait catching both of them facing off in another heated debate.

"Oh, these are good," Kendra breathed, flipping back to the solitary one of her. Kyle had managed to capture the elegant lengths of her feathered wings with only a few scribbles, positioning them to frame her helmet, braid hanging over one shoulder. "My boyfriend would love this one."

Hawkman instantly stiffened and turned to face her. "Boyfriend?" He asked in a dangerous tone.

"Yes, and I'm not saying anything about him, so you don't have to bother asking, Father. I'll tell you when I'm ready."

Lantern guffawed, while Kyle looked ready to bolt in case another, more violent argument broke out between the Thanagarians...

-C-

When Roy finished explaining the problem to Ollie, the man looked ready to either faint or explode. "We're leaving. Now."

"But-"

"Don't argue with me, Roy, the last thing I need to deal with today is a stalker after you or Dick or both." He grimaced, running a hand through his hair. "I know you can't point this guy out to me without risking tipping him off, but when we go out the back exit I want you kids to give the security guards a description of him, see if they can locate the guy-"

"Uh, just one problem with that," Artemis cut it. "He's gone."

The boys all whipped their heads around to check, and sure enough, the white haired mystery man had vanished. Ollie muttered a curse under his breath, and immediately began hustling the four of them towards an exit.

"What's the problem now? If he's gone, it's a good thing, isn't it?" Wally asked.

"Not if it means that he's starting the countdown to something bad happening."

"Oh."

They hadn't gotten more than twenty feet when a series of rapid explosions rang out from above, followed by all the suspended models and exhibits falling from the roof.