Sorry I've been away for so long. I probably don't have any readers any more but I really didn't want to force this story. I couldn't just squeeze the chapter out. I want this story to worthy of the fandom and the people who read it. I'm thankful to all of those who have supported me. I've only received one flame. That's amazing! Still don't have a beta though. If anyone's willing to put up with my crazy writing habits, I'll gladly take the help. I promised I would finish this story and I keep my promises. Only two or three more chapters left. Don't know when they'll come but rest assured, they will.

Chapter 23

"Louisiana? You're sure that's what she said." Black Canary asked for the thousandth time. Robin was so tired, it was possible he could have misheard.

"I wouldn't say it if it weren't true and I weren't sure. I was taught better than that." Robin rolled his eyes, glad they were hidden behind his mask.

Black Canary pursed her lips. This was too good to be true. How'd they found a location so quickly? "It could be a trap." Black Canary pointed out.

"Quite possible. Then again, it's all we have. We can't not take the risk." Robin pointed out. They had a viable lead. If they ignored it and it turned out to be right, the destruction of the world would forever be on their shoulders.

"And if more people die?" Black Canary demanded. She couldn't believe she was about to argue with a thirteen year old.

"We'll die anyway. This is a war. You have collateral damage. I like to think you would know that by now." Robin crossed his arms and leaned back in his seat. Wally was proof enough of that. If he died, at least he died a hero.

"You sound like Batman. Always willing to give anything for the mission, no matter who gets hurt in the process." Black Canary appraised him quietly.

"You think I don't care? My best friend is dying and yeah, it's killing me but that doesn't mean I can just give up. More people are dying. More kids are dying and it's only going to get worse. We have to do this. We have to save the world."

"You're a child, Robin. You shouldn't have to worry about things like this." She sighed.

The boy had grown in the years she'd known him and it seemed that this ordeal had matured him even more. 'Tainted', Klarion had said. They couldn't use the League's children because they'd seen too much. They'd lost their innocence. Black Canary shuddered at the thought. Were they doing the right thing? Raising soldiers? Taking kids before their time?

She'd watched Roy develop into a man much too soon, the boyhood literally stripped from him. She and Ollie had always chastised him for acting childish, for not taking what they were doing seriously.

And now…Roy had self-destructed. The drugs? How had she missed it? Ollie? Sure. She could believe him blind. Sometimes, she believed the man couldn't even find his way out of a paper bag. But her? Really? Batman had to knock on her door after six months and tell her that Roy was using. The look he'd given her. She'd never been so ashamed. If they hadn't pushed him into manhood before his time, maybe he would have been okay. Maybe she would have heard his cries for help.

Sure, he was slowly piecing himself back together but he'd crashed and burned right before her eyes. She'd left him to his own ruin, not a tear to shed. And now he was consorting with an…assassin.

"It's not your business, Dinah. God, it's my life. You didn't give a crap about what I did before! I'll do what I want. No, I'm not flipping using again! Are you spying on me?" He'd almost seemed insulted when she'd voiced her concerns.

Now, Roy was willing to lay down his life for the betterment of the world because of what he was taught. Had he told his girlfriend goodbye? Had he warned her of the impending doom? Was he scared for her? She knew next to nothing about his life now.

Wally had practically already given his life to the cause. They'd seen too much, been through too much. This was wrong. Horribly, miserably wrong.

"Canary?" Robin questioned. The woman seemed lost in space, a grim expression on her face. "Dinah?"

"Hm?" She replied slowly.

"You spaced on me? You alright? I can take the controls if you're getting sleepy. It's not that long of a flight." Robin sighed. She suddenly looked like she needed to lie down.

"You can fly a javelin?"

"Learned when I was ten." Robin chirped proudly.

"Impressive. Just another thing we've done wrong." Black Canary had never felt so drained.

"Wrong? You think Batman was wrong in teaching me?" Robin rubbed his temple. Why was she suddenly being so serious? It was like the mood in the ship had suddenly done a one-eighty. Now Canary was pissed at him for telling her what he really thought. They were soldiers. This was war. He knew what he was getting into. So his parents had died. It was sad and yes, it still hurt. But now wasn't the time to dwell on it. Bruce had told him time and time again that there was a time to push his grief aside and fight for the good of the world. This was one of those times. He had to believe that it all was going to turn out right in the end. Wally would be okay. Roy would be okay. They would win. They had to win.

And if they didn't…

He would have to die trying.

"You're thirteen, Robin."

"I am." He replied tersely. "I've also been a hero longer than most members of the League. I know what I'm doing. I know who I am. And I know what I have to do." Robin stood and walk back to M'gann's station.

YJ

"It is almost done, yes?" Queen Bee paced back and forth down across the terrace of Vandal Savage's home, the click of her heels the only sound in the room. They had the weapon pointed towards the sky, ready to fire.

"All in good time, my dear. Come, have a glass and celebrate with us. Victory is at hand." Lex Luthor extended an arm to her, a flute of champagne in his hand.

"I will celebrate when it is over and I am sitting on my thrown. The Witch Boy is in their hands! How do we know he will not talk? You know as well as I that he is the one with the least self-control." She demanded angrily.

"Klarion is mad and his madness will run the League around in circles. He will never tell them the true nature of our plan. You know this. Why do you think it took them so long to capture him? He wants the chaos this destruction will cause. It was promised to him after all." Savage stepped out onto the terrace with them. "Such a beautiful night. Fitting don't you think? Not a cloud in the sky. The perfect day for our new world to begin."

"Yes, yes, it is very beautiful. We have enough of the energy! Fire it now before they come for us. I personally have no desire to rot in an American prison." Queen Bee snarled as she waved her hands wildly, her anger flaring.

"You should behave like as lady would, my dear. This behavior of yours is most unbecoming. What would your people think if they could see you now, hm?" Vandal Savage took another sip of his champagne. "Such an expensive bottle and you won't even have a taste? There is nothing to fear. The weapon is indeed charged, even if the League does come, there is nothing they can do to stop us. I have plans in place."

"Of course! We all have plans! We always have and we have failed time and time again. The time is now while the way is clear! We must strike when we cannot be stopped!"

"While I do not support hysterics, I cannot help but concur. If we have the opening, we must act." Ra's al Ghul stated, setting down his flute. "She is correct. With Klarion outside of our control, we have no idea what he will say. For all we know, we are already being hunted. Klarion's spell keeping the children away may fail. Who knows what they might have learned on their excursion. They could have already returned, secrets in tow."

"See! We would be foolish to wait. Begin the process, suck the last brat dry and set it off. Once the flare has been activated and the bomb detonates, we will be rulers! I will have no more of this sitting about like a servant! I am a queen!"

"She does speak the truth. Perhaps now is the time and I would so enjoy fireworks." Lex held up his flute. "A toast?"

"Yes, a toast to victory."

"To the future."

"The best and the brightest."

"To the Light."

YJ

"We're going to Louisiana." Conner leaned over the back of Clark's seat.

"M'gann apparently gleaned the information from Roy's mind so that's where we're heading. It's the best lead we have." Clark told him honestly.

"Then we'll stop the bad guys and we'll head back right?"

"We'll do whatever you want to do, Conner. It's your life." Clark promised him.

"I know you've said it over and over but I just…I just keep thinking that it's not real. I can't possibly have a home." Conner rested his head on his hands.

"You have to get rid of those doubts, little brother. I'm not just going to up and leave you and I'm not going to let anyone ruin this for you. I promise." Clark smiled at the clone. "We'll go stop the Light and then we'll be on our way."

"On your way to what?" Barry stepped into the cock pit. "You're not still letting him come back with us are you? I thought we told you that was a bad idea." The blonde sighed.

"Yeah, and he told you to butt out." Conner snapped at him.

"Don't take that tone with me! You actually think they're just going to let you walk away? You're a fool. If your Batman is anything like ours, you'll have to give up this little fantasy you have planned in your head. It's not going to happen. Nothing ever goes according to plan anymore." Barry growled out.

"Stop it! Really! This has nothing to do with you! And Batman will do what's right. Even though he believe I order, he'd never see a kid miserable. Especially the one from the world. Or do you think Robin just appeared?" Clark snapped at him.

"You're both delusional. It's official." Barry rolled his eyes.

"I'm glad you've made your opinion known and that you've learned absolutely nothing from this entire process. Nothing." Clark shook his head.

"If I've learned anything, it's that things should have just been left alone. If they had been, Wally would be okay. He'd be fine. He'd be alive." Barry stared out the window, grief slipping into his voice. "That's why Superboy has to stay here. No one else can die."

"Wally's still alive. We're going to save him. You can't just keep blaming yourself for something that wasn't your fault. And you can't assume that I'm going to end up the same way." Conner said quietly.

"And if you do?"

"I trust the League."

YJ

"Do you see that?" Diana pointed out the window. There was a bright flare of light shooting straight up into the sky.

"Yeah, kind of hard to miss." Batman replied.

"Batman! Do you see what we see? We're too late, they've already started it up. It's drawing a solar flare! My readings are off the charts!" Robin's voice came over the comm.

"Any idea how to shut it down?"

"I don't think it can be shut down. Batman…We're too late. It's over."