Mount Justice, September 23, 6:34 A.M.
Diana had explained everything to Hunter. The androids had hacked Red Tornado who had suffocated them. After the explanations, Hunter walked off to a lone corner of the room and collected himself. He needed to process not only the attack on thr cave but the visions he had. He wasn't alone for long however as Conner was freed from his twisted metal prison and immediately rushed to his side.
Multiple members of the League arrived to aid in the repairs of the cave. The team was ushered to a table in the middle of the mission room. Green Arrow and Black Canary watched over them as the team reeled from last night's events. Looking around the table he saw that Wally and Robin were antsy, Artemis seemed bored but was just a frustrated as the others and M'gann looked calm, and Connor seemed on the verge of going on a rampage.
Hunter sighed as Green Arrow laid down a bowl of pretzels on the table. Wally looked at the bowl and frowned, "Thanks but no thanks."
"Yeah, what we want are answers about Red Tornado and his siblings." Robin stated.
"Exactly!" Wally concurred just before Green Arrow moved to take the bowl but he quickly grabbed it, "Leave the bowl." He quickly began to eat the snack.
Hunter sighed before he spoke, "Has it occurred to you that perhaps they are as clueless as we are? They can't give us answers they don't have."
"You knew!" Conner's voice suddenly boomed.
Everyone turned to see the clone grabbing Kladur before forcefully pulling him close, "That android and his maniac family nearly killed Hunter, twice!"
"Conner!" Hunter quickly reacted flying across the room and grabbed Conner's arm, "What's going on?!" He asked confused before he separated the two.
"Kaldur knew we had a trainer amongst us and said nothing!" The taller teen exclaimed enraged.
Hunter's icy blue eyes shifted to the Atlantean. He gave Kaldur a silent look before he saw that it was the truth. The rest of the team joined the conversation.
"You knew?" Robin demanded.
"And didn't tell us?" Wally asked accusingly.
"Is this true?" M'gann asked concerned.
"I tried to protect the team from-" Kaldur attempted to explain before he was interrupted.
"Protect us from what?" Artemis asked, "Knowledge that might've saved our lives?"
"You almost died!" Conner exclaimed looking at his boyfriend.
Hunter gave the matter deep thought. On one hand Kaldur shouldn't have kept such a secret from the team and on another hand revealing it could've alerted the traitor. The more he thought about it the harder it was to find the logical decision.
"Enough!"
Everyone turned around to find Batman standing with Green Arrow and Black Canary. The team ceased the arguing, for now at least as they approached the Dark Knight.
"With Red Tornado missing the team will now be overseen by rotating supervisors." The caped hero explained, "Captain Marvel has volunteered to take the first shift." He stated as the tall and bulky hero approached.
"I'm really looking forward to hanging with you guys." The captain said.
Hunter could tell that the man was genuine so he gave the man a slight smile before the team exchanged off looks.
Conner paid them no mind as he turned to Kaldur, "After I dismantle Red Tornado you and I are gonna-"
Batman approached the two before he sternly said, "Red Tornado is a member of the Justice League. That makes him a League responsibility. You will leave him to us." Conner didn't argue before Hunter took his large hand in his own, "I have another assignment for this team." He stated as holo screens appeared showing the cover of a newspaper.
"Gotham mayor kidnapped by Guerilla Gorilla?" KF scoffed.
"Was this the only thing you could find to distract us?" Conner asked before Hunter nudged him to stay silent.
"Batman, please." Robin implored, "Don't tell me you're seriously sending us on this joke of a wild ape chase."
"I never joke about the mission." Batman replied seriously causing the team to fall silent.
"Guys." Hunter spoke gaining their attention, "It's still a mission. We just need to suck it up and get it over with, we'll worry about everything else when we return."
Batman gave scanned over the team as they silently agreed, "I've checked the sources, studied the patterns. Mayor Hill's encounter is just the latest in a series of incidents." The caped crusader turned his gaze to the young Atlantean, "Aqualad, you and your team will depart for India and check this out."
The leader nodded before the rest of the team began to make their way to the hangar. Kid stopped and gave Kaldur a dirty look, "Your team." He scoffed.
Hunter made a quick detour to his room and changed into his black and silver armor and took as his sword and shield. Returning to the others he was nearly trampled by sphere rolling down the corridor. Joining up with the team he entered a tense situation?
"You coming with?" Robin asked the older hero.
"Yeah, it'll be a blast." The man said excitedly.
The boy wonder turned to KF, "Translation: he blames us for Red Fiasco. He doesn't trust us." He whispered.
Wally looked over his shoulder to see Kaldur, "Big club." He sneered before the two of them entered the Bio-ship.
Hunter landed besides Kaldur before he silently continued in his way. Glancing over his shoulder he saw Kaldur's look of defeat. Hunter paused his stride before he spoke, "Kaldur, I understand that your intentions weren't coming from a place of malice or distrust but of caution, however, nothing good is born from secrets and lies. Especially secrets that could've endangered your teammates, your friends. Our trust in you has been. . .shaken and you must earn it back."
With that Hunter entered the Bio-ship leaving Kaldur to ponder his words.
Northern India, September 23, 9:36 P.M.
The floor of the ship opened before Robin and Artemis jumped out attached to lines. Landing on the damp soil they quickly fanned out and scoped the area. The Bio-shop silently landed before the hatch opened revealing the rest of the team.
"All clear." Robin announced as M'gann silently landed the Bio-ship in the middle of the clearing.
Opening the rear door the rest of the team flooded out. The tense tension of around the was thick enough to cut through. Captain Marvel wasn't oblivious to this but decided to act ignorant.
Kaldur switched his suit to stealth mode and began to give orders, "Switch to stealth and we'll review mission parameters."
"Parameters, we don't need no stinking parameters." Wally shot back.
"It's recon we know what to do." Robin states before the two them began to walk away.
"Robin, Kid." Kaldur called to his friend.
The two of them turned to face Kaldur, "The four of us started this team because the Justice League was keeping secrets from us." Robin declared.
"Or did forget that like how you forgot to tell us about the mole?" KF said sarcastically before they ran into the jungle.
Everyone else could only watch as the duo ran. Suddenly Superboy grabbed Wonder Warrior's arm, "Come on I'll keep you safe."
Hunter easily snatched his arm back, "Connor, I've trained for combat since I was a child. I'm not some porcelain doll."
"But I was just-"
"And I don't appreciate being grabbed like that." Hunter said before drawing his sword, "I can handle myself."
Superboy grew frustrated, "Fine." He grunted before jumping away.
"What a bust." Artemis muttered.
Hunter closed his eyes before taking a deep breath. He turned to Kaldur and said, "I can't let him go alone." With that Wonder Warrior flew away.
It was easy to spot Connor from the air as the clone repeatedly leapt over the trees. He flew faster catching up to the clone, "Superboy, wait." He called to his boyfriend.
"I thought you said you can take care of yourself." Conner replied before he landed.
Hunter landed next to him, "I can. That shouldn't suggest I want you to rush off into the jungle on your own."
Superboy began to walk away, "Well you weren't so eager to come with me, now were you?"
"I might've if you didn't grabbed me like I was a piece of property." Hunter shot back as he followed.
Conner grunted before he suddenly turned around, "It wasn't like that!"
"Well it felt like it." The prince stated before he sheathed his sword. He sighed before he said, "I just don't like it when my decisions are made for me."
Superboy's expression softened, "I didn't think of it like that. I just wanted to protect you." He admitted, "Especially after everything with Ares and Circe."
"I understand that, I really do but I chose to put myself at risk for the good of the world." Hunter replied, "Ares needs to be stopped and I know the risks involved in standing against him but I'm willing to face them."
A pair chattering laughs cut their conversation short. The two heroes looked into the darkness of the jungle. Hunter pulled out his lasso as the two of them stood back to back. They listened as the chattering stopped before they heard a series of growls.
Hunter was the first to see it as he ducked under the blue of brown fur only for it to pounce on Conner. The clone easily knocked the beast off and got on his feet. The two boys watched to beast stand on its feet. It was a wolf, a rather large wolf.
"Wolves don't hunt alone." Hunter muttered.
As if on cue the rest of the pack leaped out from the darkness of the jungle. The two quickly began to fend off the wolves with Superboy grappling and punching them and Wonder Warrior easily avoided them and used his lasso to swing them into trees.
Hunter continued to fend off against the wolves when he saw something peculiar. He leaped over a wolf before ensuring it with his lasso. With a sharp pull, he quickly tackled the wolf to the ground and held it down. Now he had a clear look at what he saw.
"They're wearing collars!" Hunter informed, "Like the ones from Belle Reve!" He clarified before breaking the collar off. He unwrapped his lasso from the wolf and back away as the wolf whimpered before running into the jungle, "Superboy, aim for the collars they're being controlled!"
"Got it!" The clone replied as he slammed a wolf on the ground and quickly broke off its collar.
Together they subdued each wolf and broke off their collars. Each time they freed a wolf it fled into the jungle. Someone must be ordering them to kill on sight.
Finishing off the last collar they stood together, "We have to assume there are more enhanced animals with collars. The rest of the team might be in trouble." Hunter explained.
Superboy scoffed, "Maybe Aqualad got devoured."
"Conner can you please-"
Two brown beasts tackled Hunter to the ground before he could finish his reprimanding, "Hunter!" Connor went to aid his boyfriend but was tackled by a third animal.
Connor narrowly dodged the snapping of jaws before he grabbed on to the snout of the new animal. He saw that it was a wolf with white fur. It was much larger than the others and far more aggressive. He smirked as he realized this one was the alpha.
Hunter felt his arm become slick with saliva as the two animals pushed him back. The two animals snapped their jaws in his bracelets. Swinging his leg up he knocked the left one back before he slammed his fist into the next one's eye causing it to whimper and pull away.
The prince jumped back and got a clear look at the animals. They were two large spotted hyenas. They must've been enhanced since they were twice the size of a regular hyena. They snarled and snapped at him as they began to circle him. He switched his gaze between them before he noticed their mohawks.
"Green and purple." He muttered before he gasped, "Bud and Lou?" He wondered before the pair of hyenas lunged at him.
"Link established."
M'gann's voice distracted him allowing the hyenas to pin him down. He groaned as he dodged and blocked their gnashing teeth.
"Should he really still be giving us orders? And should you be following them?""Listen, please." Kaldur replied.Hunter was going to reply to Artemis's question before Lou locked his teeth on his boot and threw him across the clearing and into a boulder. He landed on his face before the hyenas were back on him. They gnawed and snapped at his armor trying to get through to his flesh.
"Oh good, Aqualad's voice in my head. I've missed that." Wally sarcastically stated.
"Hey, Kaldur, KF and I were attacked by giant vultures. 'Course since we're moles you probably think we attacked ourselves." Robin snapped.
"Will you two quit your whining!" Hunter exclaimed forgetting about the link as he used his shield to push off the hyenas.
"If he did he wouldn't tell you." Artemis stated.
"Will you guys shut up!" Hunter snapped at them as he slammed his shield against Bud's head knocking the hyena down, "Fighting for my life here!"
"Ditto." Superboy agreed before the wolf threw him into a rock.
"What gets me is how nonchalant he is about not telling us." Wally continued ignoring Hunter's plight.
Hunter stopped Lou's bite with his bracelet before twisting his arm and flipping the hyena on it's side.
"He should be chalant, extremely chalant!" Robin stated as Hunter tried to break Lou's collar only for Bud to drag him away by his foot.
"How can we be a team if he doesn't trust us with his secrets?" Artemis asked.
"Especially with secrets involving the team." M'gann added.
Hunter raised his leg and slammed his heel down on Bud's head. The hyena released him only for Lou to clamp down on his shoulder. He was shaken violently as the hyena swung him back and forth. He grabbed his lasso and wrapped it around the hyena's neck and began to constrict its windpipe.
"Did he really think you or I was the mole?" KF asked.
"We've known each other for years!" Robin exclaimed.
Eventually, the hyena loosened its grip releasing Hunter from its jaws. Standing on his feet he heard Lou rushing towards him. Jumping into the air he narrowly dodged the next set of jaws and wrapped the other end of the lasso around the second hyena's neck. Landing he pulled both sides of the lasso forcing Lou on the ground next to his brother.
"Calm down!" He ordered as the lasso glowed gold.
"Trust is a two-way street." Miss Martian stated, "And you know they'd hate it if we kept secrets from them!"
"Not that we'd ever do that. Never." Artemis said.
"Enough!" Kaldur snapped, "Captain Marvel has been captured and we must act as a team to save him."
Wally scoffed, "Under your leadership? I don't-"
Kaldur wasn't finished, "This is not up for debate. You all chose me to lead. When the mission is over if you wish to select a new leader I will happily step down. But until that time, I am in command here."
"Well said." Hunter praised as he broke off Bud and Lou's collars, "So what's the plan?"
"Superboy, Wonder Warrior now!"
Hearing the signal through the walls both boys punched through the wall breaking it open. Anxious and angry, Bud and Lou rushed through the hole with chattering laughs. The white wolf followed after them with a snarl. The three enhanced animals tackled Mallah down.
Wonder Warrior flew at the gorilla and quickly flipped forward delivering a powerful kick to its chest. He grabbed its control and smashed it, freeing the rest of the team. The gorilla roared and stood up and grabbed its minigun. It unleashed a barrage of bullets and Hunter easily blocked them with his bracelets.
Superboy jumped up before thrusting his fist into the gorilla's face. KF dashed across the room before he kneeled down and slide across the floor and tripped the gorilla. Mallah attempted to stand up before Robin and Artemis launched explosives at knocking it back. Next, Miss Martian telekinetically lifted the gorilla before smashing it to the ground.
The gorilla tried to get up but Hunter ensnared it on his lasso before tugging it towards him. Superboy quickly joined Wonder Warrior at his side before the two simultaneously knocked Mallah down.
Kaldur groaned as his water shield was destroyed by the Brain's laser blast. He fired multiple shots at the Atlantean but the bolts were deflected by a round shield. Hunter glared at the brain before he pulled out his sword. The rest of the team surrounded him as Kaldur freed Captain Marvel who then freed a tiger from her collar.
The Brain looked around realizing that he had lost. Mallah was unaware of this as the gorilla stood up and roared at them. The wolf growled in return as did Bud and Lou.
"Try it I hate monkeys." Superboy challenged.
"Technically it's an ape." Hunter replied pointing his sword at Mallah, "But the point still stands."
The gorilla growled once more before the Brain said, "No Mallah this will not be out Waterloo." Everyone watched as the Brain's body opened up as if charging some sort of weapon, "Au revoir, mes amis."
"Get down!" Wally warned.
Hunter raised his shield and launched forward with a loud cry before the lights in the room suddenly died out. Hunter immediately halted his attack before he looked around in the darkness.
Once the lights came back on they saw that the Brain and Mallah were missing.
"Wait that big weapon thing was. . . a light switch?" Wally asked.
"A ploy." Hunter said realizing that they have been duped.
With the Brain and Mallah gone they had no choice but to declare the mission over. Before they could leave they knew they had to destroy the collars. They raked through the land, rivers and sky finding and freeing whatever animals they could find. Should the Brain return for them he would be in for quite the fight.
Having done that they've no choice but to return to the Bioship.
"What are you grinning at?" Artemis asked Wally.
"One word. Souvenir." He smiled proudly as he placed Mallah's beret on his head.
"Two words. Gorilla lice." The blonde replied walking ahead of the speedster.
Wally let out a sound of disgust before pulling the beret off of his head.
By the ship, Kaldur broke off a collar from a monkey who then quickly rejoined its companions in the trees. Captain Marvel kneeled and asked the tiger, "That's the last of the collars?"
The tiger roared in reply.
"And I can count on you to keep the animals out of trouble?" He asked.
Once again the tiger gave an affirming growl.
"Good." said Captain Marvel as he pets the tiger, "I'll be back for a visit. I promise."
With a parting growl, the tiger ran into the jungle.
"I think I'll call him Mr. Tawny." The Captain said aloud.
Hunter walked up to Conner who still had the white wolf licking at his face, "The rest of the pack is gone. What are you still doing here?"
"Isn't it obvious?" asked Hunter, "He wants to stay with you."
"Can I keep him?" Superboy asked excitedly.
Wally laughed, "First the sphere, now this beast?"
"Well, we kept you didn't we?" Hunter replied placing a hand behind the wolf's ear.
Artemis laughed, "Remind me why did you keep him?"
Wally glared at the blonde before he said, "Anyways he gonna need a name. How about Krypto?" He suggested.
An unpleasant memory went through Hunter's head as the wolf growled, "I don't think he likes it." He said before much more pleasant memories came to mind, "I once had a dog whose fur was white as snow much like this ones."
"What was his name?" Conner asked standing up.
The prince smiled, "Rex. Rex, the Wonder Dog."
The wolf howled before he licked Hunter across the face. Superboy laughed, "I think he likes it. Rex, the Wonder Wolf." He placed his hand over Hunter's and sighed, "I meant what I said. I'm sorry."
Hunter returned a smile, "I know and maybe I shouldn't run face first into danger without a second thought."
"On that, we can agree on." He leaned down and kissed Hunter who kissed back.
The two quickly pulled away when Wally cleared his throat, "Let's go home."
Everyone was walking back to the ship when they heard Robin ask, "I need to know. Why did you keep the mole a secret from us?"
The whole team stopped in their tracks before looking at Kaldur. The Atlantean looked between Robin and the team before he replied, "The source of the tip was Sportsmaster."
"What? You can't trust him!" Artemis suddenly exclaimed.
"I do not." replies Kaldur, "It seemed possible, even likely, that he was attempting to divide the team with false information."
"And given how the mission went, he nearly succeeded." Robin replied, "But you had to consider it might be true."
"Yes. As leader, I did." Kaldur acknowledged, "In which case, I did not wish to alert the traitor."
"Hate to say it, but. . . makes sense." Robin relented.
"I am still prepared to step down." Kaldur stated.
"All in favor of keeping Aqualad as a leader?" Wally asked raising his hand.
The rest of the team, including Captain Marvel, raised their hands. Aqualad looked at Robin who had his hand raised as well. He nodded affirmatively before Captain Marvel stepped forward.
"I guess it's unanimous." He said shaking Aqualad's hand, "See you tomorrow." He turned to fly around.
"You're not coming with us?" Kaldur asked curiously.
"Nope, gotta fly." The older man said before he flew away abruptly.
"He seems odd," Hunter commented and the rest of the team agreed.
"What are we gonna do with the ferocious furry duo over here?" Wally asked as Bud and Lou began to snap at each other.
Hunter looked down at the rhino-sized hyenas before he smiled, "I know exactly what to do."
Gotham City, September 24, 2:40 A.M
Harley Quinn has just broken out of Arkham Asylum once again. Ivy had broken her out using her plants allowing others like Freeze, Scarecrow, and Zsasz out. With them out hardly anyone will be looking for her. Ivy said she'll catch up with her later as she needed to do something important.
She snuck into one of Mr. J's old hideouts. It was an abandoned theater in Amusement Mile. She looked around to find it empty. She sighed relieved to have some peace and quiet to herself. She cartwheeled her way backstage where she found some of her old stuff.
Rummaging through her old outfits she heard a pair of familiar growls. She gasped and quickly stood up to see her babies, Bud and Lou, "Babies! Mommy's back!" She opened her arms to hug them before two mountains of fur tackled her down. She could hardly see as slobber blurred her vision. Pushing them away she saw that her babies have grown. She gasped, "Babies you're all grown up! Yes you are, yes you are." She cooed at the two large Hyena who were happy to be reunited with her as she is with them.