Blüdhaven || April 8 09:02 EDT ||
"The question isn't whether our worlds finest are the galaxy's most wanted, it's not whether they've been using secret, undercover, covert operatives against targets of their own choosing. No, it's not even whether these interstellar hoodlums have their own watchtower in orbit over our planet! No, old G. Gordon proved all that a week ago, didn't he? So the question is this... how long are you going to stand for this and do nothing to check these lawless heroes?" G. Gordon Godfrey asked and sighs heavily. "Well, I'll just wait here for you to make up your minds. Take your time. If you're not in a hurry, why should I be?" Gordon showed them the picture of Lex Luther and his partner, the Reach. "Meanwhile, Earth's true benefactors, the Reach, have been working openly and without fanfare for the betterment of all mankind. Exhibit 'A' Lexcorp Farms, where the Reach has partnered with noted philanthropist Lex Luthor to increase food production. Lexcorp and The Reach are even allowing public tours... just openness and an end to world hunger. Now, why didn't the Justice League think of that?" Nightwing paused the video before looking at the team.
"Obviously, any partner between The Reach and Lex Luthor is bad news, so Alpha Squad is going undercover to recon Lexcopr Farms." He briefs them.
Superboy, Mal, Impulse, Blue Beetle, Lagoon Bot, Robin and Hera are present in the moment. The cream-haired girl is free to join the Team back because Saber won't be available to them at the moment. She's going to take his place until he's back in action. Hera couldn't be happier to see familiar faces despite they're given them the mission.
"Robin, you'll be running Alpha." Nightwing gives Robin a job to lead the team.
"Me? Run Alpha?" Robin asked nervously and clears his throat. "Uh, right. Who's on the squad?"
"Hera." Hera smiles and fists bump to Robin. "Blue Beetle..."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Blue Bettle protests the idea of joining the covert mission. "I should not be in the field, ése. What if the scarab goes all Reach Apocalypse on us?" He asked nervously. "Why can't Luminous go? Speaking of her, where is she?"
"Luminous is unavailable for the moment." Nightwing answered and Hera knows Luminous reasons for her absence. "Your scarab has had multiple opportunities to betray us. It hasn't." He placed his hands on Blue Beetle's shoulder. "And right now, its connection to The Reach may be our best shot at identifying what they're up to."
Impulse stands in front of Blue Bettle while looking at Nightwing. "Well, if Blue's going, I'm going." He declared.
"I assumed as much. And last but not least, Arsenal." He declared the last member of the team as Arsenal showed up. Hera couldn't help but feel uneasy about him joining the mission. "But you'll have to travel lighter for your first mission... nothing that won't fit under civilian clothes. Any questions?"
"Just one." Arsenal spoke up while crossing his arms. "Why are we meeting in this dump?" He asked rudely and Hera didn't like his tone or his attitude.
"With the Cave and the Hall of Justice destroyed, we don't have many other options." Nightwing answered calmly.
"Except the Watchtower. It's national news now. You can't pretend it doesn't exist." He retorted back in a cold tone.
"Only Justice Leaguers and senior members of the Team are authorized for the Watchtower. You don't qualify." He explained calmly.
"Good to know where we stand." Arsenal narrowed his gazes at Nightwing coldly.
Hera wished Luminous is here to ensure no one is putting themselves in danger. If only Nightwing wasn't rough Celestial last night, Luminous would join them by now.
Smallville || April 8 16:38 CDT ||
"Please remain seated at all times while the tram is in motion." The tour guide informed them.
All of them are inside of the indoor farm and getting off the tram. Hera and the others are wearing their civilian clothes to blend in and avoid getting caught. The cream-haired girl stands right next to Robin and discreetly observing her surroundings.
"We've just entered one of our farm's hydroponics domes, where Lexcorp and The Reach are growing the food of the future." The tour guide explained happily.
"This could put the rest of Smallville's farmers out of business." The elder man pointed out calmly and crossing his arms.
"No, no. Not at all." The tour guide waves her finger. "The Reach plans to share their techniques with the entire agricultural community. Please, everyone, enjoy your choice of this new vitamin-rich, reach-enhanced produce." She showed them different types of fruits and vegetables.
"Genetically enhanced?" Hera couldn't help but ask curiously.
"There's been no tinkering with genes, rest assured." The tour guide explained and smiles softly. "The Reach have ways of drawing out an organism's full potential."
Robin and Blue Beetle are grabbing one of the food to examine them later. Hera noticed a big machine filled with purple liquid covered in a tube. The cream-haired girl taps Robin softly and points at the tube.
Robin discreetly nodded his head and approached the tour guide. "What's in those tubes?" He asked curiously.
"Just water, nutrients, and a little Reach/Lexcorp love." The tour guide answered and Hera remained silent but observing it. "Our next stop is the pluot orchard. That's right... Pluots, in April!" She walked away from them.
"She's way too cheerful for a tour guide like her." Hera commented with a nervous smile. "I'll see you guys later?"
"Don't get lost, Lyd." Robin teased the cream-haired girl and she smiled cheekily before leaving them.
"Time for a bathroom break." Robin informed the others since he knows Hera's hidden meaning later.
Hera's civilian outfit changed into her hero costumes. She's wearing an orange-white bodysuit with a black striped v style between her chest down to her belly button. Hair tied up into two circular metal armor and antenna headband to cover her ears. Wearing both arms and feet in armor with a long white scarf.
"Now to stealth mode." Some of her white parts turned into black and smiles in satisfaction. Hera exits the bathroom secretly without getting caught by the CCTV. Waiting for the boys to join her.
The boys changed their outfits into stealth mode apart from Blue Beetle once they join her. Robin kneels down and activates his hologram computer to scan the entire place. Arsenal shots the cameras to hack it down and avoid getting caught. Hera opened the door and they silently go inside of the lab while watching the Reach closely. None of them are able to understand alien language and Robin is looking at Blue Beetle.
"What's she saying?" Robin asked in a hushed tone.
Blue Bettle listens to their conversation carefully before glancing at Robin. "Ok. Uh, she's warning her technicians to go easy on the additive. Just a sec." He scans the places and found the main source of the purple crystal. "That's the additive." Robin is nowhere to be found and silently grabs the additive secretly. "Where did he-"
"Shh..." Hera covered Blue Beetle's mouth.
Robin comes back to join them successfully. "Got what we came for. Let's go." He ordered them as they silently leave the room.
Hera glanced back at their exit door before looking at her teammates. "There are two guards, one door hack and leave the place quick." She explained.
"Great job, Hera." Robin complimented the cream-haired girl. "Let's go." Arsenal stops him. "What?"
"Wait for it." Arsenal spoke and Hera gape in surprise to know his mischief plan.
"Are you out of your-" She was cut off by the loud explosions and able to recognize the culprit. Hera is starting to blame Nightwing for allowing Arsenal to join the stealth mission."What were you thinking!?" She asked angrily and wanting to wring his neck.
"This was a covert op! What were you thinking?" Robin asked angrily.
Arsenal smirks. "That I'm not about to let Lex Luthor and his alien buddies poison the world just because we don't know exactly what poison they're using. Plus, I enjoy making Lex miserable." He explained.
"How will you know it contains poison to kill us all?" Hera asked coldly. "You blew our cover and I pray to the heavens we're leaving this place in one piece." She's completely angry at his plan without warning them and compromises the mission.
"Impulse take the guards down." Robin ordered the future speedster and he knocks them fast.
"All clear!" Impulse informed them.
Robin immediately headed towards the door and begins to hack down the system. "You just don't get it, do you? You went off mission. That was a huge mistake." He lectured Arsenal.
"Funny, I was about to say the same thing." They look up to see Black Beetle.
Hera heard Luminous last rescue mission they stumble another version of Blue Beetle and a bad guy. It happened to be him and nearly killed the whole team if it wasn't for Celestial and Luminous help.
"He's bigger than I imagine." Hera commented in a low tone and narrows her gazes.
They all backflip from his surprise attack and swats Robin like a bug. Impulse uses his speed to punch and kick Black Beetle before he scans him. Black Beetle managed to lock his target and about to punch Impulse but Hera gets in a way.
"Hah!" She punches Black Beetle hard and he flies off to crash every plant. "If you've crossed over many darknesses." She sings while attacking Black Beetle.
"Is she singing while attacking Black Beetle?" Arsenal asked with a disbelief look on his face. He never meets anyone who can sing while battling someone unless you're in a tv show.
"To activate her abilities? Yes!" Blue Beetle dragged Arsenal away from the tornado.
"You can see the dawn sky the light points to" Hera bends down and grabs Black Bettle's arm and throws him up in the air. "So many emotions carved into my heart"
"Gah!" Black Bettle blocks her punches. "You pesky brat!" He growls in anger and grabs her leg to throw Hera down.
Hera gasps in pain and crashed to the ground. The cream-haired girl immediately rolls over to dodge the punch and kicks Black Beetle. "The memoria burned into it are more than just pain!" She backflips and raising her fists up.
"She matched Black Beetle's skill." Impulse commented with an awestruck and lucky enough to have someone who can keep up Black Beetle. He wished Hera is the same age as her in the future. However, she's old in 64 years from the future and no one carries her legacy.
"For what? For who?" Throwing her punch to create a huge tornado and glaring at Black Beetle. "What do my instincts say?"
Arsenal helps Hera out to hit Black Beetle by shooting a mini-missile. Black Bettle glared at the culprit and approaching him slowly but someone throws a tomato at him. "Now, that's just a waste of good fruit. Unh!"
"Get to Heart! Get to Heart!" Hera dashed forward and sucker punch Black Beetle. "Let my strike burn!" Silently giving Arsenal a signal to shoot Black Beetle again.
Arsenal shoots Black Beetle a laser but he has self-healing regeneration. Black Beetle isn't pleased by their cheap trick and Blue Beetle shoots him a plasma. It isn't effective for Black Beetle but Hera punches the ground below to make him lose balance. "Can you hear me (burnin'!) Heart (Burnin'!) Soul (Burnin'!) This song!"
"Tch, you always get in my way!" Black Beetle growled in anger and Hera ignored him.
"No weight will dwell in a fist without hesitation." Hera crosses her arms by the sudden sonic boom. "Just hold the answers that connects in your hands" She pushes herself forward and fly. "The journey continues to know its true meaning." Gathering all her energy in her arms before connecting the fists against Black Beetle's fist to create a huge smoke.
"Woah!"
"HERA!"
"The wind pushes me forward!" Someone crashed the ground to reveal Black Beetle and Hera landed safely on the ground.
Atlantic Ocean || April 9 00:13 EDT ||
Eris is standing with Magnus to guard an empty shell Kaldur. Magnus complains a lot about guarding his beloved's ex-lover and wanting to end his life completely. Black Manta, the father of Kaldur, forbids anyone who dares to kill his son.
"I don't mind guarding someone if it's not that pesky Kaldur'ahm." Magnus grumbled under his breath while crossing his arms.
"Acting childish now already Magnus?" Eris teased the dark fae mage and he glares at him. "You kill him and it won't end well."
"He stole my Aaliyah away from me." Magnus grunted angrily and Eris rolls her eyes. "Don't you dare roll your eyes at me, young lady! You're fortunate enough I didn't punish you like Lust!"
"Oh, my!" Teasing Magnus more to irritate him. "Kinky are we? Sorry, Magnus. I'm here to fight the strongest mages."
Just when Magnus is about to give Eris a threat someone opened the door to reveal Black Manta and Vandal Savage.
"I've brought visitors." Black Manta announced their appearance and placing his hands on Kaldur's shoulder. "Robbed of life, even of noble death. I will have my revenge on the Martian witch that did this to him."
"As a father myself, I understand your pain." Savage spoke up and observing Kaldur's blank look. "And the opportunity for vengeance will come. Magnus and Eris do any of you can get him back?"
"I'm afraid not sir." Eris lied and keeping her magic healing secret or she might blow her cover. "Neither of us has the possessed to fix someone's minds or healing."
"I see..." Savage nodded his head. "In the meantime, let's focus on making Kaldur'ahm whole again." Someone covered with a hood joins them and removes it to reveal Psimon. "I've borrowed Psimon from Queen Bee for you and your boy." Eris masks her nervousness and remained curious. "He'll sift Kaldur'ahm's mind for every fractured memory, every buried thought. By the time Psimon's work is complete, your son will be whole, and Psimon will know more about Kaldur'ahm than his own father." He explained.
Eris can only think Kaldur's cover is going to expose sooner than she expected. Once Psimon goes into his head, Kaldur's cover will expose together with Artemis. She needs to figure it out fast before anyone finds her motive suspicious.
Hera and the others manage to escape the place. The cream-haired girl leans on Impulse and breathes heavily. She's completely covered with scratches and few bruises unlike them.
"Did a quick recon. Want the options?" Impulse asked Robin curiously. "Cornfield or cornfield?"
"There are too many cornfields in here." Hera breathes heavily and shook her head.
"Hera, can you catch up?" Robin asked her worriedly.
"Ye-yeah." She answered and gulps with a tired smile but with a determined look. "It's been a while I fought strong opponents. Let's go."
Robin leads them right through the cornfield. Robin and Arsenal get their weapon ready. "We'll double back, maybe lose him." The new boy wonder suggested.
"That doesn't seem likely." They turned around to face Black Bettle.
Blue Beetle steps back and hits something. He turned around to find another Beetle but its color green. "Are we expecting to have rainbow color Beetle next?" Hera couldn't help but ask sarcastically.
The five of them are starting to get close to each other. "Form up. If we go down, we go down fighting. We can't rely on Hera to defeat them by herself." Robin informed them and it warms Hera's heart he always has her back.
"I'm betting that sounded way more inspirational in your head." Impulse commented.
"Where is Celestial when we need her and the spirits?" Hera muttered under her breath and Robin discreetly nodded his head.
Green Beetle's hand changed into a blade and stars attacking Black Beetle. It surprises them that Green Beetle is fighting against Black Beetle not them.
"Warrior, you dare attack me?" Black Beetle asked Green Beetle while clashing their blades. "You scarab rejects are coming out of the woodwork tonight."
"Better to be a reject than a slave." Green Beetle retorted back.
"Uh, this guy?" Impulse asked out of the blue. "Not in history books."
"Then who is he behind the mask? Or better yet, what is he?" Hera asked curiously while watching their fight. "Black and Blue didn't have telekineses whereas the Green does."
Green Beetle did density shifting to avoid slicing his body before shapeshifting half of his body. "Density shifting, shapeshifting, all the powers of a Martian except..." Robin was cut off by telepathy.
"Heroes of Earth, I established this link to better coordinate our attack." Green Beetle informed them.
"Telepathy. That clinches it." He grips his bo staff tightly.
"This guy's the Blue... Green Beetle of Mars." Impulse commented.
"So another alien? Do we leave them to fight it out?" Arsenal asked them curiously.
"We can't leave him alone to fight Black Beetle." Hera spoke up and cringed to see Green Bettle got hit by the plasma. The cornfield is covered with flames and Green Beetle starts to get weaken.
"Move in, Blue and Hera. Frontal assault. Keep Black busy." Robin ordered them as they move out to attack Black Beetle. "Impulse, put out the fire. Arsenal, use your laser on that plasma cannon. I want it out of commission." The future speedster puts the fire out quickly.
"Right." Arsenal answered.
"Be prepared to move."
"Take this!" Hera gathered all her energy in her right fists before punching at Black Beetle's face Before Arsenal shoots plasma at him.
Robin, Impulse and Arsenal help Green Beetle to stand. They froze to hear Black Beetle's laughs and all his injuries are completely healed. "I was kind of hoping that might have had a more lasting effect." Arsenal explained.
"I'm in ignite mode and nearly in my limit before reverting my original armor." Hera explained and sighs softly. "It would give us time to escape."
"Are you sure about this hermana?" Blue Beetle asked worriedly.
"Positive." Hera stares at Black Beetle with a hard look. "Ha!" She dashed off and the gear of her arms change. Before punching in the air to create a torrent of fire colliding at Black Beetle's face and crashing him on the ground. Emerge from the fire and transforming the gear of her leg to activate the propulsor. To deal the fatal blow with a burning kick and causes another explosion.
"You didn't do it on the final blow back there?" Blue Beetle asked the cream-haired girl curiously. "My scarab says he won't stay unconscious for long."
"Now we run!" Green Beetle gets the signal and uses his telekinesis to levitate Robin, Arsenal and Hera as he leads them away from Black Beetle.
"Dude, where are we going?" Impulse asked curiously while he's being carried by Blue Beetle. "Wherever we're going, I could totally get there first. Uh, where are we going?" No one replied to his answers.
Mr Kent, the adopted father of Superman are lending them his farm to hide. Nightwing and Superboy meet the others and Hera's outfit reverts back to normal.
"Thanks for the use of your barn, Mr Kent." Nightwing thanked the older man. "Until we check out this Green Beetle, we can't afford to bring him to our H.Q. Lost too many of those already."
Mr Kent smiles softly. "Well, he's not the oddest thing we've had in this barn." Mr Kent explained and glancing at Superboy to place his hand on his shoulder. "And I'll take any excuse to see one of my boys."
"My name is B'aars O'ohm. And obviously, I am of Mars." Green Beetle finally introduced himself to everyone.
"Obviously. But it's the beetle thing that's got us wondering." Robin spoke up. "How are you connected to The Reach?"
Green Beetle glances at Blue Beetle. "I imagine my story is not dissimilar to yours. On Mars, I am what you would call an archaeologist. Two of your Earth years ago, I stumbled upon a scarab which attached itself to my person." He explained his story.
Blue Beetle scoffs. "Yeah. That last part sounds familiar."
"From the scarab, I learned of The Reach and their plan for the galaxy." He explained calmly. "Millennia ago, they sent out one scarab to every planet sporting primitive life. The scarab bonds with, and takes full control over its native host, giving The Reach an advanced operative for their inevitable invasion."
"But my scarab malfunctioned and didn't take full control." Blue Beetle explained his scarab's situation. "That's why The Reach wants to reboot it by killing me."
"So, did your scarab malfunction, too?" Arsenal asked Green Beetle curiously.
"No." Green Beetle answered calmly. "But it was not prepared for the martian physiology, which allowed me to take control of the scarab instead of the other way around."
Hera pursed her lips before looking at Green Beetle. "You haven't explained your situation how you ended up here." She pointed out. "You came out of nowhere to help us take Black Beetle down and retreat."
"For decades, the one you call Martian Manhunter has sent communications from your world to ours..." Green Beetle explained. "Television signals. They are quite entertaining." Hera's lip twitches in amusement.
"All Martians love television." Robin commented with a smirk.
"Indeed." He completely agreed. "But when it became clear that The Reach were on Earth, I believed my assistance here would be required."
Nightwing stares at Green Beetle. "The Justice League will need to confirm your story." He declared and stay precautions whether he's telling the truth or not.
"But, for now, thanks." Robin thanked Green Beetle and he bows his head at them.
Nightwing silently asked Robin and Hera to join him as they walked away. "So, other than our new friend here, how'd the mission go?" Nightwing asked them curiously.
"Disaster because it didn't go what we planned." Hera answered bluntly and she was nominated silently by Nightwing to be the co-leader in Luminous place temporarily.
Robin nodded his head. "Arsenal... is a little rough around the edges. But I guess it all worked out, and we brought back a sample off the alien additive for analysis." He showed him their evidence they gather.
Nightwing accepts it. "Can't ask for more. Good work." He complimented them and they smiled in return.
Hera needs to speak privately regarding Arsenal's action. It's too early for him to get back in the field when he got himself in a coma for a long time. She didn't want the mission to get compromise and lose another member of the team. Arsenal's behavior could bring everyone in danger and he needs to do a psych evaluation. To identify whether he's ready to get back in the field or not.