.
How Far We've Fallen
.x.x.x.x.x.
Season 3, Episode 8
~The YoungJusticeFangirls~
The Academy, Alpha Team Dorms
January 28th, 11:00 AM EST
2022
As Harvard let out yet another groan, Julia felt her patience steadily wane even further.
"If it's this hard to get into the vault, how about I just blow it open?" She deadpanned. Had she known they'd be in the Academy's weapons room for this long, she would have just brought her sketch pad to pass the time. Glancing over at her teammates, Travis seemed lost in his own thoughts while Roman would ignite his nitroglycerin-covered fingers ever so often, letting out a bored huff.
"Do you really want to die that badly, Julia? I'm trying to get hot-stuff here a pair of limited edition gloves and you just want to blow it all open? Sure, let everyone within a ten-mile radius know that we're in here. Go ahead!"
"You didn't have to be so damn mean about it!" Julia snapped back, watching as the man whipped around again, glaring harshly. "We've been sitting here forever while you try to figure out the passcode!"
"These are highly valuable weapons! Not just anybody can get in here, so it's not going to take me five seconds," Harvard growled, his patience at its lowest too.
Travis put a hand on her shoulder, "Let it go. Now isn't the best time."
Julia glanced back at her combat professor, watching the way his fingers trembled like a leaf as he attempted to bypass the security.
"I didn't actually think he'd try and give up drinking. Man loved it so much," Roman muttered lowly so he wouldn't hear.
"I-I don't think he loved it. I think he needed it, was what it was," Travis spoke. "Mr. Jasper...Isn't the happiest man." The medic recalled certain periods during class where Harvard's temper would be fierce, but the emotional field around him would be as blue as ice. The sadness that lingered around him felt almost suffocating. More than once Travis contacted Genevieve out of concern for Mr. Jasper.
"Harvard's risking a lot for us, though," She exhaled, gaze dropping to the floor. "We can't let what happened to Genevieve happen to him."
"Well, for any of us to make it out alive at all we'd have to know how to beat Luthor's people. It took three of us to take down Leon, and Haru…"
"She trashed you, Gez, and Raven. I get it," Julia finished for Roman, earning an unamused glare from him. In turn, she gave her own implicative look to Travis.
Feeling her hesitant determination, the medic would try to dissuade her from what he assumed was her next move. "Julia...please don't ask. Not here."
But Julia did ask. "You don't know anything about Haru?"
"Why would he? He wasn't the one who fought her!" Roman scoffed, glancing between the two.
"No, I-I don't she left when I was very little. I was...devastated, and we all thought she was dead. Here she is, a decade later...And I don't know what happened to her," Travis explained softly, his shoulders hunched inwards. Though he had been dreading this conversation, realistically he knew it was coming. The time where he'd have to face the fact that his mom was the one trying to kill his friends. Travis wished Haru would have never left the White home. Maybe things would be better. Maybe more of his friends would still be alive.
"She must have gotten involved with Luthor after she left then. Great, a dead end," Julia muttered, sinking her head onto her palm in defeat.
Roman's red eyes were wide with surprise, opening and closing his mouth as he tried to formulate his thoughts. "You and that lady…"
"She's my m-mother." Travis stumbled over the word but forced it out. It didn't matter how much he wished she would be just his mother and not an assassin for Luthor; that was his reality now.
He was half expecting Roman's wrath. First, he was the mole, now he was the son of the woman who nearly caved in his chest. But the teen stayed silent, igniting his fingers and letting the flames sputter out again.
"I'm not mad. Can't blame you for this. Her actions are her own. You made your choice and you're with us. And...I guess I'm just happy for that," Roman exhaled, trying to word his thoughts in a way that made sense.
But, they made sense to Travis. He grinned widely, relief jolting through his veins. Roman— angry and moody Roman— was happy to have them on their side more than anything. Travis could feel a content glow erupt from Julia at that statement, the yellow filling his vision.
"Me too."
Julia took the words right out of his mouth.
The Academy, Cafeteria
January 28th, 01:00 PM EST
2022
The table hadn't always felt this empty. It used to be filled with giggling friends and classmates, gossiping or poking fun at each other. It's just what teams did at the Academy. Eight teams of kids in all, and none were as tragic as the Beta Team.
The second-best team in school was full of potential; each member had their own unique talents and traits. A super-sleuth with suppressed telepathy; a timid reincarnate; an outgoing and video-game-obsessed pyrokinetic; a slightly insane glass manipulator, and a calm matter transmuter that just got far too close to the truth.
The tragic story of the Beta team, initiated by none other than Lediv Awbree. Each member played a part in helping the Alpha team. Each member had paid the price for it. Well, almost all of them at least— but Jace and David's reckoning were coming.
The table had been deserted for weeks now. With most of its members dead, the remaining two had been switched to different teams. Jace Karlstone sat at the far end of a table, picking at her food apathetically. It didn't matter that Luthor hired five-star chefs or that they ate on plates instead of trays; the food just didn't seem appealing.
Lediv rose from his own spot across the cafeteria, walking over to the girl. She looked up in shock as he sat down across from her, her fork clattering against the plate.
The cluster of kids at the other end one gave him a cursory glance before returning to their conversation.
"And how have you been holding up?" Lediv stabbed a pile of peas on his plate, his golden eyes steadily trained on her.
Jace rubbed her cheeks wearily, "I'm...Better. That's as much as I can say, Lediv," she mumbled softly.
"The team treating you okay? I don't have to beat any of the guys up, do I?" He joked, offering a modest smile. Despite the smile, he wanted to hit his head against the table. Small talk bored him endlessly. He didn't care about Jace or how she was doing. Honestly, if anything happened to the girl, she'd just reincarnate within the next week. Lediv had no reason to care about her life.
The girl shrugged, "Eh. They're okay. The girls don't really like to talk to me. Not like Ana did," her voice dropped to just above a whisper, her large hazel eyes tentatively flicking to the gaggle of teens.
"I...Know how you feel. It's only been a few months since I was transferred to the Alpha Team. Honestly, I've never felt so alone," Lediv took a sip from his water, staring off at the wall, as if he were deep in thought. "I miss Ana. She was so intelligent. Made me a little jealous at times. I could be that smart if I...only had the right combination of genes," he chuckled. Oh, the irony. He was that smart, all because Luthor had mixed traits from ten different people to create the perfect human. The athleticism of an Olympic medalist; the looks of a model; the charisma of a movie star. Oh, and Lex had cherry-picked intelligence from a world-renowned scientist. Lediv was everything the human population desired to be and more. But he was also not, he was everything they feared. Ambition, cruelty, deceit— "Devil" was in his project name for a reason.
"I can't help but be angry at how things turned out," the boy continued.
Jace gave him a strange look. "What do you mean?"
"Well, it's obvious isn't it? Kian 'leaves the Academy', Pheobe 'commits suicide', which in turn triggers Ana's latent powers. She was healthy before the incident. It just feels...Odd that she'd die so unexpectedly," Lediv scoffed, crossing his arms.
"They said it was too much for her body to take! All the stress. I mean, if I suddenly unlocked the amount of power she did under those circumstances, I don't think my body could handle it," Jace rationalized.
"Fair. I just think it's strange that there were no memorials from the school or anything. Not for Phoebe and Ana, just a week off to help cope. It's almost like they just want to keep it quiet. And, does it bother you that these strange things have happened to just the Beta Team? I mean, two tragedies and a weird departure—"
"You think something...Someone else did it?" Jace whispered frantically, her small hand clutching her pale blonde hair.
Lediv could hear the fireworks exploding just from that reaction; he didn't even need his extraordinary telepathy to find what he needed to know. Her face said it all. Internally, Jace had suspected the same thing as he suggested. Her response indicated that she'd been merely accepting what the Academy told her. Probably, the boy knew, to make processing the deaths of her friends easier. Tragic, yes, but it would ultimately make manipulating her easier.
"You want the honest answer? Yes. I found a file of Ana's final work...She suspected Luthor was arranging a team of assassins. She was tracking a few suspects. It would make sense that they'd want to stop her before it leaked to the public," Lediv muttered lowly, his fists curling around the edge of the table.
Jace's face crumpled, her eyes now squeezed shut. "Wh-What do we do, Lediv? Do we go to the police? Tell the news? How do we…"
"Jace, we can't go to anyone. If anyone finds out that we know this...I don't want us to end up like Ana, Phoebe, and Kian."
Her lip began to quiver, and a small whimper escaped.
"Don't worry," Lediv's expression softened into one of empathy and determination. "I have a few ideas of what we can do. Let's get started."
The Academy, Alpha Dorms
January 28th, 01:30 PM EST
2022
"Do I-I really have to be the one to do it?" Gezie stammered, searching her friends' eyes hopelessly for any sign of wavering conviction.
"People aren't really my thing, or else I would. Gezie, you're the leader of the team. And besides, you're decent with people," Carla peered up from her book, trying to persuade her. Giving an apologetic smile, she'd continue: "You'll be fine. And besides, you're crazy passionate about this."
"People, sure, but not crowds! Why can't Jack do it? He has tons of practice. Or, Avi!"
"Me?" The mechanic guffawed from the end of the table where he steadily repaired the hole in his arm. "You're cute, Gez."
"I'm able to do it just fine, Gezie. Problem is that I lack the raw emotion that you're filled with. People are drawn to that. You also forget that I was Luthor's poster boy until I started breaking into his buildings and beating up his men. The public doesn't exactly trust me," Jack raised an amused brow.
"You're just exposing Luthor in front of the school and live television," Avi smirked at her. "How bad is it?"
Training her glower at Avi and letting out an annoyed huff, she'd lean against her chair in protest, crossing her arms. "I don't wanna do it." She offered a pleading smile. "Please, Jack?"
The teen glared at her in annoyance for a moment before relenting. "Fine, Gezie. But you're gonna have to get over the stage-fright. I can make the speech…" He grumbled.
"Thank you!" She sighed, relieved that was over. Now, it was time to expose Luthor's shady-ass through testimony. And what better team to do that than the one at the center of it all, Luthor's "superstars": the publicity team, the Alpha team.
"Now, to figure out what to say…"
Carla held up her latest thriller, jiggling the pages. "I've read enough of these to where I can help you formulate something. Don't worry about all the fancy stuff, you just be confident up there."
Gezie furrowed her brows slightly at the dreamy glint that flashed through the Druidess' eyes. Since when had she started looking at Jack like that? She never gave Avi or Julia that expression. Thinking of teasing her, the taunt quickly died on her tongue as she watched the pair stand up, already discussing how to organize it.
"I think David and Travis could really help, too. David's artsy so he'd be able to help with making it sound good. And Travis, well, he's an emotional kid so he might be able to give you some pointers on expressing emotion," Carla began talking animatedly, her hands moving with her energetic tone.
They offered a 'Goodbye' to their teammates, walking off towards the door and quickly leaving to find the others.
Gezie stared in confusion, her mouth slightly agape. "What...Just happened there?"
"No idea. I've been on a team with that girl for a while now," Avi pointed a wrench at the door, a screw hanging from his mouth. "And the only time she gets giggly like that is when she's making weird brews in her room, or she found a frog outside. That wasn't a typical Carla, let me tell you," he grunted, grimacing his teeth as he tightened a bolt. "Plus, those two are always going off to find someone or get something. Remember how she practically dragged Jack out to get the pizza last week? I think all the fumes from her potions are poisoning her."
She let out a hum of contemplation, considering Avi's words. Gezie gave him a wry look at his last statement. "I'm sure she's not being poisoned by her work. But, yes, I agree. That was pretty strange for Carla standards."
Avi patted his now repaired arm, polishing it with a dirty hand He sighed, a content smile on his face. "Mechanics. Reliable, no toxic fumes, and no frogs."
The Academy, Alpha Dorms
February 1st, 01:00 PM EST
2022
The moment he saw the limousine pull towards the back of the building, Jack could feel his pulse steadily gaining. First it was a little thrum, but as the moments passed- seeing the photographers, the security, and the crowds of people at the gates— he had a noticeable racing heart.
"Relax. It's going to be okay. We've all prepared for this and we're ready," Carla muttered softly, placing her hand on top of his clenched fist.
"Never in a million years did I think any of this would happen."
"I know. I thought I was coming here to learn how to use my spells. Definitely did not think I'd be organizing schemes to take down one of the richest men in the country," she snorted.
Hearing footsteps, she reluctantly retracted her hand and shoved it in her pocket, turning to meet Raven Aristato's grin.
"I cannot wait to hand Luthor his defeat on a silver platter. Once everyone knows what happened, maybe we'll actually go back to concentrating on school instead of...Well, nuclear weapons and unethical experiments," he sobered up, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.
"Doubt it. The whole plan hinges on if the community believes us. Avi and Travis have been pulling together a real expose to release, but with limited time, we might not have sufficient evidence," Jack uttered solemnly, clasping his hands underneath his chin.
"And there's also the possibility that Luthor might react with force. If his forces are still with him after the expose, there is virtually no chance that we'll beat him," Carla inhaled sharply.
"I've fought so hard to see this man face justice for what he's done. I can't stop now," Gezie whispered from the doorway to the kitchen. Her teammates, startled at her arrival, looked up at the girl. "Even if it's a fight we can't win. So many lives hinge on his defeat, and so many lives were given so we could carry this fight until the end."
"I'm with you, Gez. I just...Don't know how we're going to win," Carla firmly assured her.
"Come on, guys. We don't know what will happen yet. Avi and Travis were still pulling our evidence together, and maybe the schematics for highly dangerous weapons he ordered might be enough to sway opinion!" Raven searched their faces for any signs of positivity.
The girls were quiet, but Jack let out a scoff.
"Maybe."
The Academy, Courtyard
February 1st, 01:00 PM EST
2022
"You really think your plan will be successful?" Haru asked skeptically eyeing the teen that sat across from her. Their limousine had just rolled to a stop moments ago, inside the gates of the prestigious Academy for the Gifted. Lediv Awbree stared out the window, deep in thought. Leon Coal was fixing his tie in the mirror of the vehicle.
"If the right variables play out, yes. I'm not really a gambler, but I'd say the odds are in our favor for this situation."
Leon let out a content hum, "I am a gambler, and I agree. The risk is worth the reward."
"The reward is very worth it. High pay, powerful positions from Lex Corp— once we succeed, of course- and you," Lediv grinned to Haru, "Will be able to have full custody of your son again."
"I'm not good enough of a mother to have full custody of Travis. He needs someone who can always be there for him; he's lost so many people in his life already. With my lifestyle, I don't know when my last day on earth is. I just...want to spend more time with him," Haru spoke wistfully, her head down as she fidgeted with the black bracers on her wrists.
"You, a motherly person? I would have never guessed—"
"He's my son, Leon. Not some random kid. Of course, I care about him," Haru scoffed back.
"Then you're with us?" Lediv prompted.
"For those rewards? Of course."
The Academy, Auditorium
February 1st, 01:20 PM EST
2022
'Alpha Team, Cameras are a go.'
At Avi's words, Travis felt a shiver run down his spine. It hadn't quite sunk in yet that their plan would unfold within the next thirty minutes. However, the ominous confirmation that their plan was ready to go startled the teen. Was this it? Could they really pull all of this off in front of the world? Although Travis had endless faith in his team's abilities, Luthor's own scared him immensely. Here they were, attempting to bring down the man who'd kept him an indentured since Travis' father committed suicide. Luthor claimed Travis had to "repay the debt", having no mercy for a child who'd lost both his mother and father in the span of a decade.
That sort of person was hard to corner. And yet, that was exactly what they were attempting to do today, and why he was out of his seat.
The teen had been assigned the job of checking up on everyone— medical puns not included. Making sure the communication line stayed clear for Avi's messages and that everyone was okay was essential. Last on his list was Raven and David, who would cover the right exits. If someone were to try and attack Jack, Avi would cut a few lights, giving Raven easy Shadow traveling access to where all the action was.
But, as he rounded the corner towards where his teammates sat, someone's voice stopped him.
"Travis?"
The icy annoyance that melted into adoration clued him into who was speaking.
"M-Mom?" He turned around in horror. Travis' empathy told him the hallway was mostly clear; everyone was inside, waiting for Luthor to start the event. But, still, why was she out in the open?
"What are you doing in my school?" He breathed, unsure of whether to keep her talking or just contact the team altogether.
"Bodyguards, Trav."
He flinched at that old nickname she had for him. He hadn't heard her say it in years.
"In a school full of superpowered people, he needs superpowered protection," Haru continued, her dark eyes catching on to the communicator latched on his ear. She bent down, leaning closer. "I would advise your team not to do anything rash. This place is covered, basement to roof."
"P-Please stop helping him. You know what he's doing, don't you? How could you keep working for him when you see what he does?"
"Travis, darling…" Haru's breath hitched. "I'm not like you. I don't have your heart. Yes, I see what goes on inside Cadmus. Yes, I know why he hired your father. I was disgusted by it. But as long as you and I are taken care of—"
"You're willing to ignore it," Travis interrupted flatly, catching his mother off guard. "A-As long as the people in your life are taken care of, you don't care about anyone else."
Haru paused, swallowing heavily. "Well, yes. Have you ever heard about the Circle of Obligation? It is a theory that explains human behavior—"
"I-I-I don't care about your theories. They're not good enough," he stated bitterly, running a hand through his unruly red hair. Travis could feel himself becoming uncharacteristically upset, his trademark smile now twisted in a scowl. She was knowingly selfish, and she was okay with that? Travis couldn't believe that she was his mom; the two couldn't have been farther apart. "L-Leave my team alone, okay?"
He began to back away but sensed a glow of shame from Haru.
"Travis...I'm sorry you think so lowly of me. All I've truly wanted was for the people I love to be taken care of. I failed Conner...I couldn't fail you," Her words came out hollow, jaw clenched and head hung. Haru sounded unusually vulnerable and weak to Travis, and it soon leaked into her emotion, his vision colored a deep blue. "Leave the academy, Travis. Things are not going to turn out well today. I can feel it," she pleaded.
He regarded her with a steady, wistful look. "I wish you h-hadn't chose this, mom. Life would be better," he croaked, beginning to back away. "But the Alpha Team is my family now, more so than you. You chose Luthor and I choose them, over and over. I always have. We're family."
With that definitive statement, Travis turned, practically running off to find his teammates.
Shocked, Haru's hand fell to her side, watching him head off into the auditorium. Knowing that this could very well be the last time she would ever speak to her beloved son, Haru shut her eyes, preventing the tears from flowing.
The Academy, Auditorium
February 1st, 01:30 PM EST
2022
"Well, hello, students. It's certainly been a while."
A while for the rest of Raven's peers, but for the team, seeing Luthor didn't feel as unfamiliar. In fact, the man had practically consumed their lives during the last few weeks, he felt pretty inescapable at this point.
Lex Luthor was greeted to a kind rally of applause— even a few hoots and hollers from the back of the room, too.
"Thank you, thank you. I must admit...It's been a very unconventional year. I was hoping the first year of this Academy would go a bit smoother," the man admitted quietly, a regretful, almost sorrowful expression upon his face. "I have done everything in my power to ensure you the stability you need to thrive. Due to recent circumstances...I feel like I have failed."
The cameras rapidly flashed.
Raven blinked; admitting defeat? In front of the whole country? What was—
"Emotional vulnerability. Jack has a tough opponent." David leaned forward in his seat, staring intently.
"Friends have left and been lost. Like years prior, when the feeble Justice League abandoned us, a very dark period of time settled on our country. I felt its burden, but not so much as you, the students, who have faced these tragedies and their consequences. Today is about remembrance, yes. But today also marks a day of hope," Luthor paused, his emerald green eyes sweeping the audience.
Raven shivered as they appeared to hang on him for a moment.
"I have been working to restore order, stability. Over the last few weeks, I have been hinting at a band of heroes to help keep the peace in Metropolis. And, today, I am proud to announce the founders of a new team!"
Eyes widening, he watched as Leon Coal, Mercy Graves, and Haru Akiyama stepped out onto the stage, waving to the applauding students. Mercy and Leon seemed more put together than the last time they left them. Although, when the light hit Mercy's cheek just right, the teens could see a fading bruise from where Jack knocked her out.
"I'd like a big welcome for Flintlock, Flare, and Agent H!"
"I have to say, I didn't see this coming," David muttered underneath his breath.
Raven glanced at Gezie and Julia, then to Jack and Carla, finding that most of his friends had the same dumbfounded expression on their faces.
"Over the next year or so, we will offer opportunities to learn from and work with these incredible heroes! I have full faith that, with the Academy and this team, we will be able to begin a new era of peace the Justice League was never able to uphold—"
The microphone suddenly cut out, with Luthor tapping the device.
Raven could faintly hear him shout: "Are the batteries dead?" Before going to check with a nearby teacher. However, everyone on stage froze when the lights began to dim, and the house lights came up— namely, the general area around Jack Arsenault specifically.
"Sorry to burst your bubble, Lex, but this year is about to get even more unconventional," Jack offered an apologetic smile, a mere consolation prize, to the man who stared at him in horror. "I'll keep this quick. You like attention, so you'll wither if I keep the spotlight off you for too long."
Jack rose from his seat, keeping his gaze steady and even with the man he'd worked with for years.
"I've worked with Alexander Luthor for years. Really, our whole partnership started when I was orphaned as a kid. Mr. Luthor took me in, gave me the best healthcare, schooling, and hero training I could ever want. Most of all, he gave me a way to use my meta-gene for the better. I bet most people would want to imprison me for my strength, chain me for my durability. Not Lex. He gave me an outlet, a way to do some good for my country. By letting me join this Academy."
A few security members who had emerged from backstage started to move towards the teen. At Lex's command, they slowed down and moved back to the stage. Lex, who had originally been dumbfounded at Jack, was now glowing with pride.
"But the one thing he truly gave me, the one thing that matters most, is the knowledge that evil people can disguise themselves as saints. I've seen this man order horrible things done to people and animals; I've seen him work with some of the slimiest human beings to walk the planet; I even know he's murdered kids at this school to keep his work silent. Hell, I've suffered at his expense," Jack rolled up his sleeves, revealing his faint burn scars.
All of the air felt like it was sucked out of the room. For a moment, everyone was frozen in place, waiting for the teen to continue. From his seat, Raven grinned.
'Come on, zoom in!' Avi growled through the receiver, trying to get the camera he hijacked to zoom in on the extensive burns that ran up and down Jack's arms. On his computer monitor, he could see the Academy's technicians trying to take back control of the system, and only chuckled in response. Victory was sweet.
"And, I know he's ordered hundreds of life-threatening weapons to be made by a close friend of mine. If he didn't cover-up what truly happened at the Metropolis Airfield a few weeks before Christmas, I bet every single person in the world would have heard about it. I'll wrap this up now, he doesn't seem so happy," Jack chuckled darkly, watching Luthor frantically whisper to the people on stage. "In short, thank you, Lex, for letting me join the Academy and do some good. Thanks for letting me give you your justice."
Jack flicked off the microphone, walking towards the exit. The silence only lasted a brief second more as the student's buzz of conversation rose, the auditorium filled with concerns and questions.
While Lex was trying to wrangle the situation back under his control and the Alpha Team began their retreat, a figure darted down the aisle, grabbing Jack's forgotten microphone.
"Wait," Lediv Awbree blurted, locking eyes with Lex Luthor. He flashed them gold for a split second and waved a calming hand to the man. He knew that Lex trusted him completely; he could tell by the way the tension in his joints slowly dissipated.
The clamoring students slowly quieted down.
"I have my own story to tell," Lediv gave a glare to the frozen figures of the Alpha Team, a twisted sneer that exuded hate. "Like the poster-boy, Lex gave me a life, too. I had everything I ever wanted through him. It was lavish, decadent, extremely fulfilling...Well—" Lediv locked eyes with Lex. "It would have been extremely fulfilling. Had Lex not created me with the ambition to rise through every action. Normal people, normal students have the luxury of being content with their achievements. Not me. Every step closer, the ambition grows," Lediv chuckled, watching Luthor's face go purple. "Oh, I suppose I forgot to elaborate on that one point. He created me. From ten different people. I was formed in a lab, grown from a clump of cells in a test tube. Everything the Alpha Team has said was true."
"Get him out of here," Luthor gritted his teeth, finally acting. He'd experienced one shock after another tonight, and he was not about to watch his career burst into flames. Lediv was supposed to have his back at every turn. What was this about? "Get him now!"
The security personnel lumbered forward, only a few feet away from the teen, whose glare of hatred never let up. It was at that precise moment, while the majority of security moved towards their unknown diversion, that Jace Karlstone leaped up from her seat from the side of the audience's front row. Dashing up to the stage, she would duck underneath the nearest guard's tackle, rolling forward, then popping up onto her feet.
The blade flashed underneath the lowlights once as she plunged it straight into Luthor's chest. Jace gripped the handle with both hands, shoving it further into his chest, twisting it until he howled in agony.
Immediately, the guard wrestled her to the floor, and panic broke out. As soon as she was pinned, she went limp, sobbing quietly. Younger students began to panic; older students were unsure of who to help.
'What the hell is going on in there?!' Avi sputtered through the com device.
In the pandemonium, a few teachers took action.
"Everyone to the gymnasium!" Amun Rashid screamed at the top of his lungs, beginning to usher children out of the auditorium. The shouts grew louder as kids pushed to get out, unsure if this was a solo attack or something more sinister.
"Meet us in the lobby!" Jack bellowed, his voice carrying over to Raven, David, and Travis.
"Stick together!" Gezie shouted.
Jack grabbed Carla's hand, pulling her towards him in an effort to keep their trio together.
The Academy, Auditorium
February 1st, 02:00 PM EST
2022
The auditorium was empty now, students and media long gone, and all there was to hear was Luthor's pained groans and the muttering of nurses as they tried to stop the bleeding.
"What the hell was that, Lediv?" Amun Rashid snarled, stalking towards the boy. "I have half a mind to kill you where you stand."
"Go ahead. My 'disappearance' will only reinforce everything Jack said. It would only deepen the hole. Then again, if he dies, there's no image to preserve, so you can most certainly take your chances," Lediv gestured to the large puddle of blood soaking into his shirt.
"Lediv! Come on, we were supposed to be a team," Mercy shouted, from across the room, worriedly watching the nurses as they whispered between each other. Seeing his smug smile, she stormed over to him, fists shaking with anger. "I told you. I told you to stick to his plan; I told you not to betray Luthor like this. When he recovers—"
"If he recovers, he'll be livid at me. And livid at Haru and Leon, when he finds out they're with me too," Lediv's eyes glinted with malice.
"W-What did you say?"
"You heard me. You're in the minority. They recognize who the true leader of LexCorp should be. Lex Luthor is cowardly and lazy. His organization has yet to truly reach its full potential, and it's all because he is a weak leader. Either you work for me, or get out of the way."
Mercy hesitated, glancing at Haru and Leon's impassive faces with uncertainty.
"If you'd really like some time to mull it over, you can ride down with Lex to the hospital and tell me how you feel later. Deal?" Lediv rolled his eyes cooly, and across the aisle, Harvard Jasper walked into the room, seeming drained already
Mercy took a step backward, giving him a wary look. "I...I'm going to watch over Luthor. I don't know if she was acting alone," she gestured a hand to Jace, who was being led away by security.
Lediv knew that Jace was most certainly not acting alone today. In fact, the real mastermind of the crime was the one standing free. It hadn't been hard to manipulate the girl into stabbing Luthor; her already strong emotions were easy to strengthen. Jace had done his dirty work, and all it took was one lunchtime conversation to do it.
"Good," He offered a smile, then turned his attention towards Harvard. "Yes?"
"Is Lex gonna make it?" The man asked bluntly, his fingers trembling.
"Depends. He may be severely injured for a period, but his image certainly won't be making a rebound after today's events," Lediv shrugged calmly. "Oh, and Harvard, I know we were coworkers at one point. And, I can actually tolerate you on some level. I suggest you leave the Academy within the next, oh...twenty minutes?"
Harvard's expression transitioned from one of deep concern to placid calmness within a second. "I...Understand. Thank you for the notice. I owe you." With that, he calmly turned around, exiting the room.
Lediv watched him go. He could only hope Harvard was as cowardly as reading his mind had previously revealed. Telling someone else about the impending detonation would only result in his death, he had to know that. And Harvard was too cowardly to risk it.
Satisfied, Lediv walked towards Leon and Haru, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Let's get out of here. We wouldn't want to be in the building when that bomb goes off, right?"
The Academy, Front Lobby
February 1st, 02:30 PM EST
2022
Harvard's heart was going a mile a minute. If what Lediv had implied was true, the Academy would be nothing but rubble in less than a half-hour. That meant hundreds of lives were at risk, including his. Lediv told him out of loyalty, from the fact that they had been on the same team at one point.
But after all this time, Harvard knew better. Lediv only kept useful people around. With his abilities, Harvard fell into that category.
As the man entered the lobby, he heard snippets of the Alpha Team's conversation
"I found my mom right before the presentation started. I-I knew something was up, but I never imagined…"
"Your mom?" Gezie asked, startled.
"Haru's his mom," Julia confirmed for the medic, before questioning Travis. "So...You saw Haru. Did she say anything weird? About Luthor's speech, Lediv's...part, or the assassination attempt? Any clues?"
"All she told me was that I should l-leave the Academy and that bad things were going to happen...But she's said that before…"
Harvard cleared his throat and nine pairs of eyes shifted to him. "Hate to interrupt the detective work, but we have an issue."
The Academy
February 1st, 02:45 PM EST
2022
"A bomb."
His knees went weak from fear and he steadied himself by holding on to Jack's arm.
"You're sure?"
"Yes, Avi. I am fairly certain that's what Lediv meant. If it's not a bomb, we can't take any chances," Harvard urged them, his jaw clenched. "We have no time to waste. Avi you need to disarm it. You can create weapons; I'm certain you're just as good as disabling them."
"I-I…"
"I'll go, too," Travis spoke decisively. "We might have a better chance if we're working together, Avi. W-We've worked on tech before. Now…"
"The stakes are just higher," Avi hissed through his clenched jaw. "We have no choice. Raven, Harvard… You two need to start evacuating people. The rest of the Alpha Team needs to chase down Lediv and the others. We can't let them get away this time."
"Don't worry. This ends today," Gezie assured him firmly. "Just...Be safe, okay? Don't do anything stupid."
"Me? Stupid? Gez, come on," Avi offered her a smirk, backing away from the group slowly. "Let's go, Travis. We gotta find this thing."
The two tech-geniuses ran off to search for the bomb, and Harvard regarded the other kids.
"Stay alive. Hopefully, I'll see you kids when this is all over." He spoke, a lump forming in his throat.
"No, you will. Get everyone out. We'll meet you by the front gates," Gezie said firmly before the group split apart to do their respective tasks.
.x.X.x.
Hey, all! Quick update, am i right? I pumped this chapter out like a boss! Anyway, SO MUCH HAPPENED in this chapter! This chapter was surprisingly dialogue dominant and I don't know if I like it, but this is what you get so deal with it. Last chapter was very battle-scene dominant so I guess they somewhat even out that way?
Anyway, a solid 50 percent of this chapter was not planned, so I guess things turned out pretty alright. In this chapter, Harvard was able to provide a temporary solution to Roman's acid problem. Which is good, he'll be less miserable. Yay! Travis got to have a final chat with his mother before all hell broke loose. We all knew Jack had slowly been cutting his ties with Luthor, but he made it official this chapter.
Harvard's taking his chance and informing Alpha team about the bomb! Yaaaay he's on the good side!
And, Lediv, our wildcard. It's been revealed back in Episode 4 that he wasn't too happy with Luthor's methods and seemingly relaxed goals compared to his. This chapter he acted upon it. He totally used Jace to do his dirty work, smeared Luthor's image as a leader further and directly aided the Alpha team, and now he's going to trash his image even further. By what, you may wonder? Staging a tragedy in Luthor's school.
The stakes are very, very high for the Alpha Team this time. They aren't fighting for themselves or to arrest Luthor. They're fighting to stop a terror plot and put some super bad people away.
Will they succeed? I think you have an idea of where this finale is going.
The next few chapters will be a little brutal, but I don't want to give anything away.
In terms of the Next two chapters: My state is relaxing quarantine on the 1st. I also have to pick a college by then. And, finally, the rest of my senior year has been canceled. It is very unlikely that I will finish those chapters as quick as this one, but one can try. I'm already well done with the next chapter, but it's still gonna be tough. I am about 4,000 words through episode 9 and after that only one more chapter, i believe. I am aiming to finish this story by the end of May. For now, though...Time to pick a college
Wish me luck, it's adulting hours now. Super stressed about college so give me some good vibes.
Check my profile for story updates.
Hope you enjoyed it!
~the fangirls
Questions:
1. Is there criticism or feedback you have for this entire story, all in all? Anything I, as a writer who will major in Creative Writing, should work on?
2. And, finally, are you ready?
For You:
Over the course of this story I have asked you many, many questions about your thoughts. I know they're probably annoying, but it was great feedback for me personally.
Now that my questions are pretty much over, do YOU have any questions for ME? Ask me anything. Ask me about character development, plot things you don't understand, how i wrote certain things, who I worked with— anything.
You can ask them in a review or a PM. But, here is your chance to ask anything you want.