Sylvia Wayne "Wildcat"
Cadmus
July 5th, 2010
Time runs short. I deep voice said in the back of my mind. You must awaken. You must awaken now! the voice ordered an my eyes snapped open. I could see my own reflection in a layer of glass just a few inches from my face. It was happening all over again. I struggled and fought against the restraints, but they were too tight. I released my claws and began scratching at the metal as the hyperventilation set in.
"What? What do you want? Quit staring, you're creeping me out!" Kid Flash shouted as I struggled to jam my claws into the cuffs, attempting to break them open.
"Uh, KF, how about we not tick off the guy who can fry us with a look?" Robin reminded Kid, but I growled in anger. I needed to get out.
"We only sought to help you." Aqualad said as I caught Kid Flash's gaze through the corner of my eye. But I noticed him turn away.
"Yeah. We free you, and you turn on us. How's that for grat-" Kid Flash was angry, but now wasn't the time for his big mouth.
"Kid, please, be quiet now. I believe our new friend is not in full control of his actions." Aqualad rationalized. I started to calm down, understanding that he could be under the same control as Guardian.
"Wha-what if I… What if I wasn't?" Superboy asked Aqualad as I heard the faint sound of Robin ejecting the lockpick in the pointer finger of his glove. I took the lead and tried to calmly use my claws to find a stress point to utilise.
"He can talk?" Kid Flash asked. I really wished I could face palm right then.
"Yes, he can." Superboy snapped at Kid, balling his fists once again. Everyone looked at Kid.
"Not like I said, it." Kid tried to defend himself as Robin and I continued to attempt to break free.
"The genomorphs taught you telepathically." Aqualad figured from the intelligent speech and the fact that they were trying to force feed him an education. We were all beginning to get a little interested in the process it took to create him.
"They taught me much. I can read, write. I know the names of things." Superboy explained to us, but it all sounded depressing.
"But have you seen them? Have they ever actually let you see the sky or the sun?" Robin asked, feeling bad for the clone.
"Images are implanted in my mind, but no. I have not seen them." The clone looked down, realizing that it was all wrong.
"Do you know what you are, who you are?" Aqualad asked as I found a weak spot in my cuff. Now all I had to do was figure out how to manipulate it to release me.
"I am the Superboy, a genomorph, a clone made from the DNA of the Superman, created to replace him should he perish, to destroy him should he turn from the light." Superboy recited it, like it was the first and foremost information and thought in his mind.
"To be like Superman is a worthy aspiration, but like Superman, you deserve a life of your own beyond that Solar suit, beyond your pod, beyond Cadmus." Aqualad was slowing getting to showing Superboy that he could come with us. It seemed like a nice way to get him to free us.
"I live because of Cadmus! It is my home!" Superboy tried to fight his conflicted thoughts. I was sure that deep down. Superboy knew we were right.
"Your home is a test tube." Robin was hopping on the bandwagon.
"We can show you the sun." I told the clone with a hopeful smile, trying to help him realize his life doesn't have to be this way.
"Uh, pretty sure it's after midnight, but we can show you the moon." Kid Flash offered with enthusiasm.
"We can show you, introduce you to Superman." Aqualad hit the jackpot with that one, but it was too late, the scientists returned with Guardian and their telepathing genomorphs.
"No, they can't. They'll be otherwise occupied. Activate the cloning process." The head scientist ordered to woman.
"Pass. Batcave's crowded enough." Robin quipped, but I got an idea.
"And get the weapon back in its pod!" The scientist ordered, Guardian moving forward and resting a hand on the Clone's shoulder.
"Hey. How come he gets to call Supey an it?" Kid Flash, half joked.
"Help us." Aqualad pleaded to Superboy, I guess it worked because he shook Guarding hand off of his shoulder.
"Don't start thinking now." The Scientist said as his genomorph leapt from him to Superboy, it's horns glowing. Superboy's eyes went blank as he lost all control. "See, you're not a real boy. You're a weapon, and you belong to me! Well, to Cadmus. Same thing. Now get back to your pod!" He ordered, Superboy walking away in perfect obedience. He then motioned the woman to start the cloning process.
"Stop!" I shouted as loud as I possibly could. "You said the board would be pleased now that I'm in you're custody, why do you need to clone me when I'm you're original, and only success? The other's died, so don't you need me alive to figure out how I survived?" I asked, hoping it would work. Everyone looked at me, Aqualad confused, Robin realizing my plan, and Kid Flash… he was realizing that I'm the same girl he ran to the hospital. I kept that hidden from him for so long, but now wasn't the time to worry about it.
"What makes you think I need you alive?" He asked, keeping a hand up, making sure that the female scientist didn't activate the cloning process just yet.
"I survived all the experiments before, I can do it again. Kill me, it's not the same variables. Clone me, you risk losing the added abilities, then you're back to square one." I completely bullshitting him, hoping that he would take the bait.
"I'm sorry, I already have my orders. I would take the opportunity if I could, but I don't want to get on the wrong side of the Cadmus Board of directors." The scientist sighed and gestured for the other one to activate the process. Prongs rose up from the bottom of the pod and injected all of us with needles. The second it did so, electricity ran through my body at such a high voltage, I couldn't bite back the pain. The shrill, but raspy scream that escaped my lips hurt even my ears. But out of nowhere, Superboy broke down the door, forcing the automatic shut off of the cloning process.
"I told you to get back to your-" Superboy was orders, but he pushed everyone away.
"Don't give me orders." He snapped at them as he approached us.
"You here to help us or fry us?" Kid asked, Superboy trying to focus his eyes.
"KF, if I could slap you, I would." I told him in a low tone.
"Huh. I don't seem to have heat vision, so I suppose helping is my only option." Superboy has a nice yet twisted sense of dry humor. Immediately, Robin broke free and I managed to claw open my cuffs.
"Ahh. Finally! Lucky Batman isn't here. He'd have my head for taking so long." Rob said as he rubbed his wrists. I let out a laugh.
"Seriously, that's what you're worried about? The whole League will have our heads after tonight." Kid Flash barked at him. Robin just glared at him as he opened the other two pods.
"Free Aqualad. I'll get kid mouth." I told Superboy as I climbed up to Kid.
"Don't you give me orders either." Superboy grumbled at me. KF kept giving me this look as I clawed open his restraints.
"You're…" He tried to say it but I put a finger to his lips.
"I just don't want to talk about it, Wally. Let's just get out of here." I whispered with a small smile. His look softened and I helped him down from the pod. We all got moving together out of the room.
"You'll never get out of here! I'll have you back in pods before morning." The scientist threatened, but I just laughed at him.
"Sorry, but you already let the cat out of the bag!" I punned as I ran, Kid Flash laughing. Robin pulled out explosives and threw them at the spheres of our extracted DNA.
"That guy is not whelmed, not whelmed at all." Robin said as they exploded.
"What is it with you and this whelmed thing?" Kid asked, not having heard this thing before.
"He gained a new quirk, he found that he likes to play around with words." I explained as we ran.
"We are still 42 levels below ground, but if we can Make the elevator-" Aqualad started formulating a plan as we ran, but these massive genomorphs, like giant, frightening elephants, blocked our path. We all stopped in our tracks, looking back to see all the weird egg things glowing red as new genomorphs forced their way out of them, like breaking embryonic sacs. The massive genomorphs attacked, but Superboy took over with his unmatched strength. We all took the distraction and made it past, but Superboy's attack was compromising the hallway.
"Superboy, the goal is escape, not to bury ourselves here." Aqualad shouted, getting the clone's attention.
"You want escape?!" Superboy roared as he took one of the massive beast and threw it at the other two, following us to elevator. Aqualad forced it open himself this time. Robin and I shot our grappling guns and ascended with Kid Flash. Superboy took Aqualad and flew up past us, but decelerated at an alarming rate.
"I-I'm falling." Superboy fretted as Robin threw a batarang into the wall for Kaldur to grab onto. "Superman can fly. Why can't I fly?" He was so confused, as were the rest of us.
"Don't know, but it looks like you can leap tall Buildings in a single bound. Still cool." Kid said as he helped Superboy onto the ledge.
"Thank you." Superboy said with shame to Aqualad. The elevator was coming down towards us.
"Guys, this will have to be our exit." Robin shouted over the noise. Superboy kicked down the elevator doors and we all ran into a hallway as the elevator rode past us at a speed that would have killed us. We were forced down another hallway as Genomorphs began chasing us.
"Go left! Left!" Superboy suddenly instructed us, we all followed him.
"Right!" He shouted and we all turned to a dead end. I saw the air vent and ignore the others and Kid Flash opened his big fat mouth once again. I ripped open the vent cover and climbed in, Everyone following suit.
"At this rate, we'll never get out." Kid complained angrily, but I just swatted him as Aqualad and Robin passed me to take the lead.
"Shh. Listen." Superboy looked back. I heard it too, the genomorphs were coming. We slipped out of another vent just as Robin smiled and pulled out his holo computer. They passed right by us and crashed out of another vent cover.
"I hacked the motion sensors." Robin had his mischievous grin plastered to his face.
"Sweet." Kid Flash was getting optimistic, as was I.
"Still plenty of them between us and out." Robin reminded everyone.
"But I've finally got room to move." Kid put on his goggles and ran into the stairwell. The rest of us followed him up. It helped that he went first as he was just barreling through genomorphs like a human cannonball.
"More behind us." Robin alerted. superboy waited for Aqualad and I to pass before stomping down one of the staircases, blocking them from following.
"Oh, crud." Kid said just seconds before he crashed into the barrier keeping us from escaping.
"We're cut off from the street." Aqualad was getting aggravated. I just went to KF to make sure he was okay.
"Thanks. My head hadn't noticed." Kid Flash said as I helped him off the ground. Superboy and Aqualad tried to rip the barrier open as Robin tried to hack it.
"Can't hack this fast enough. This way!" Rob shouted as he found another route. We went through a door and found ourselves surrounded. Everyone got ready to fight our way out, but the little genomorphs' horns turned red and each of us came crumbling to the ground. I opened my eyes to Kid Flash pulling me to my feet.
"Feels like fog lifting." I heard Guardian say, the genomorph no longer perched on his shoulder.
"Guardian?" Aqualad asked, knowing the task was still to escape.
"Go. I'll deal with Desmond." Guardian was letting us escape. But I heard another pair of footsteps. I caught the scent of Dr. Desmond a little too late.
"I think not." The genomorphs parted like the red sea at the sound of his voice. "Project Blockbuster will give me the power to restore order to Cadmus." Desmond downed the vial of glowing blue liquid and immediately started to change, his glasses falling off and his joints cracking. He fell to the ground and his labcoat and shirt ripped open, even the skin falling off. He stood up and roared in an attempt to display his power.
"Everyone back!" Guardian ordered as he charged the monster, but it just swatted him away with a single blow. Superboy yelled as he attacked the monster, maintaining an upper hand until the Blockbuster monster met him mid air and crashed them both through the ceiling.
"Ok. That's one way to bust through the ceiling." Rob shot his grappling gun and took Kid up with him.
"You think lab coat planned that?" Kid questioned as he ascended.
"I doubt he is planning anything anymore." Aqualad curled his arm around my waist and took me with him as he leaped up and through the hole in the ceiling. The second we made it up there, Blockbuster threw Superboy at Aqualad. I dove out of the way just in time for Superboy to take Aqualad with him. We all followed to stay in a group to try and make a plan. the monster charged, so we did the same. Kid Flash ran ahead and slid between his legs, crouching behind him, and Aqualad and Superboy attacked, forcing the monster to trip over Kid.
"Learned that one in kindergarten." KF quipped as the fight continued. Robin flipped over Kid and tried throwing explosives, but Blockbuster just swatted them away before slamming Superboy into one of the pillars. Aqualad tried to help him but the monster smashed him into the ground so hard that the floor cracked beneath him as he yelled out in pain. I rushed forward and leapt onto his shoulders and he tried to stomp on Aqualad. I did my best to cover his eyes and try clawing them, but it was like scratching at Superboy, I couldn't do any damage. Wally came to try and help, but Blockbuster grabbed him and Aqualad and threw them at the far wall before throwing my off of his back and into a display case. Blockbuster went on to slam Aqualad through a pillar, destroying it in the process. Debris began to fall from the ceiling.
"Of course. KF, get over here!" Robin called. Kid detoured and grabbed me off the floor and brought me to my brother. Robin held me up with one arm as he ran through a plan of getting Blockbuster to take down the building. "Go!" Robin ordered after they confirmed the plan. Kid ran and grabbed the leftover skin off of Blockbuster's face, a smile creeping across his own.
"Got your nose!" He laughed as Blockbuster began to chase him.
"Superboy, Aqualad!" Robin called, showing them the plan as Kid Flash zigzagged across the room.
"Come and get me, you incredible bulk!" He shouted. Blockbuster smashed a pillar next to him, but a heavy chunk of debris hit him in the back. Blockbuster finally go close enough to hit him.
"Kid!" I shouted, running through the pain and attacking Blockbuster, giving KF enough time to get moving again as the Monster threw me once again. This time, I hit a wall. Robin grabbed me and dragged me into place as he directed Aqualad and Superboy. They smashed their pillars as Robin planted bombs in the others.
"Sorry. Try again." Kid Flash laughed as Blockbuster punched another pillar, missing Kid. My vision was going dark around the edges as I saw Robin draw a large 'X' with chalk. Aqualad sprayed it with water as Kid led Blockbuster into place. Superboy knocked him onto the ground as everyone got out of the water. Aqualad knelt down and electrocuted it, the electricity traveling to Blockbuster.
"Move!" Robin ordered, his bombs going off. Kid Flash grabbed me as Aqualad and Superboy shielded us and Robin from the debris of the collapsing ceiling. After a few moments, Superboy and Aqualad pushed the debris off of us and stood up. Robin and Kid Flash had smiles on their faces as Kid propped my head up on his knees. I was still disoriented, but I was getting better.
"We did it." Aqualad marveled as I notice how shredded everyone's uniforms were.
"Was there ever any doubt?" Robin said as he and Kid Flash panted. They tried to high five, but they each receive pains in their sides, causing me to laugh at them despite the pain in my chest. Kid just rested a hand in my hair and just looked at me for a moment before pulling my arm over the back of his neck and helping me stand up. Superboy was making sure Blockbuster was down when Kid Flash caught his attention.
"See? The moon." He smiled, Superboy marveling at the full moon surrounded by stars and the night sky. "Oh. And Superman. Do we keep our promises or what?" Kid land I laughed as the man of steel landed before us. But the mood went away when the rest of the League appeared, the entire league. All eyes were on us. The second I saw Batman, I let go of KF and stood on my own, as hard as it was. Superboy approached Superman in silence. When he showed him the symbol of his chest, the man of steel grew angry.
"Is that what I think it is?" Batman said out loud in his rough voice.
"He doesn't like being called an it." Kid said, but I elbowed him in the side. We shouldn't cross the League any more than we already have.
"I'm Superman's clone." Superboy snapped at him, the news shocking each and everyone of the Leaguers. But the rest of us stood our ground.
"Start talking." Batman orders and we all explained in detail. Kid almost spilled about Desmond being one of the ones involved in my kidnapped two years ago, but I stopped him and said I would talk to Batman about it later. After everything was said and done and some of the Leaguers took away Blockbuster, Superman approached Superboy.
"Well, uh… we'll figure something out for you. The League will, I mean. For now, I'd better make sure they get that Blockbuster Creature squared away." Superman rushed his speech, uncomfortable in the presence of his own clone.
"Cadmus will be investigated, all 52 levels, but let's make one thing clear-" Batman was angry, at least, Robin and I could tell, he was furious. But it almost helped that Flash interrupted him.
"You should have called." He reminded us. But they knew from what we told them that we were too far underground to contact them. By then, it was already too late.
"End results aside, we are not happy. You hacked Justice League systems, disobeyed direct orders, and endangered lives. You will not be doing this again." Batman was cold, but I stood tall, showing him that I wasn't afraid or ashamed of what we did.
"I am sorry, but we will." Aqualad stepped forward, as the rest of the stood with conviction.
"Aqualad, stand down." Aquaman ordered his protege.
"Apologies, my king, but no. We did good work here tonight, the work you trained us to do. Together on our own we forged something powerful, important." Aqualad spoke out about what we thought of our actions.
"Couldn't have said it better myself." I said harshly, looking my father dead in the eyes. From the behavior of the people around him, I had his glare spot on.
"If this is about your treatment at the hall, The four of you-" Flashe tried to rationalize our disobedience, but Kid interrupted his mentor.
"The 4 of us, and it's not." Kid's voice deepened as he corrected his mentor.
"Batman, we're ready to use what you taught us, or why teach us at all?" Robin questioned him. I refused to open my mouth, afraid of the scene I would cause, but I held my ground as I stared down Batman.
"Why let them tell us what to do? It's simple. Get on board or get out of the way." Superboy spoke like a leader. We all faced the League, ready to follow our own path. Batman focus his angry glower, the silence deafening.
Mt. Justice
July 8th, 2010
"This cave was the original secret sanctuary Of the Justice League. We're calling it into service again. Since you five are determined to stay together and fight the good fight, you'll do it on League terms." Batman stopped his pacing and made sure how serious he was about all of this. "Red Tornado volunteered to live here and be your supervisor. Black Canary's in charge of training. I will deploy you on missions." Batman finished explaining the basics of this operation.
"Real missions?" Robin asked, hoping to ensure our validity.
"Yes, but covert." Batman clarified.
"So we're doing the stuff you guys keep secret from us?" I asked with a slightly excited tone, but my dad just looked at me.
"Yeah, the League will still handle the obvious stuff. There's a reason we have these big targets on our chests." Flash tapped his emblem.
"But Cadmus proves the bad guys are getting smarter. Batman needs a team that can operate on the sly." Aquaman continued the explanation.
"The six of you will be that team." The second Batman finished the sentence, I was ready to call him out on the mistake, but Robin beat me to it.
"Cool! Wait. Six?" He questioned as everyone looked behind us.
"This is the Martian Manhunter's niece, Miss Martian." Batman introduces as a green girl with brick red hair and brown eyes walked in, her costume white and blue, but with the same red 'X' as her uncle.
"Hi." She greeted us nervously.
"Liking this gig more every minute." Wally whispered to Rob before stepping ahead of everyone else. "Welcome aboard. That's Wildcat, I'm Kid Flash. That's Robin, Aqualad. It's cool if you forget their names." I smacked the back of Wally's head when he finished flirting with the new girl.
"I'm honored to be included." She smiled before looking to me. "Wasn't Wildcat a member of the Justice Society?" She asked and I sighed.
"Yeah, but I took on the mantle in Gotham since I'm feline." I smiled, making sure my eyes flickered between human and feline.
"Hey, Superboy. Come meet miss M." Robin called the Kryptonian teenager over. The second he walked over, she shifted her white shirt and cape to be a black shirt, still with the red 'X'.
"I like your t-shirt." She smiled, referring to Superboy's black t-shirt with a red superman symbol. Robin elbowed Superboy while Wally sped over to his other side and gave Miss Martian a smile. I just sighed.
"Today is the day." Aqualad said to me and I got over my irritation with Wally, joining the other's in the excitement of today.
Author's note: Hi! I hope everyone is enjoying the story, if so please review! I would like to hear some feedback to make the story better if need be:)