The Congo, 7 years ago

The Congo Rainforest is a tropical paradise teeming with life and wonder. In an outpost within its heart, one Dr. Samuel Register was too busy to notice any of that. He was a man on a mission. A mission being complicated by a rich couple and their tagalong son. Said tagalong was in his room, playing with some meaningless stuffed toy. He'd managed to convince the boy to keep the noise to a minimum. If he'd had his way, no one under the age of 30 would be allowed on this trip. Unfortunately for the doctor, he needed the funding and his "superiors" had assigned the Logans to aid him which meant they went nowhere without bringing their little brat along. For once, he had a moment's peace which was shattered when the front door was pushed open, the shrill tone of Garfield Logan greeting his eardrums once the boy knew his parents had returned.

"Anything?" Register sighed without turning around.

"Dr. Register, we're looking as hard as we can. Are you sure the Cercocebus Viridus even exists?"

"Undoubtedly." He responded, not even bothering to look up from his work.

Shrugging off his cold demeanor with an easy smile, Mark Logan went to the far corner to set aside their equipment.

His wife, Marie Logan, excitedly trotted over to her son, teasingly asking Register, "I trust you and Garfield had a good time?"

"Oh, naturally." He glanced up, voice dripping with distaste.

It was no secret to anyone but Garfield that Dr. Samuel Register wasn't the biggest fan of a child spending his days playing around sensitive equipment on a project he'd spent years working on.

"I'm not sure what to tell you, Sam…" Mark sighed, throwing his hands up.

"Dr. Register." He corrected him.

"…Dr. Register. But we've looked everywhere from the Rwenzori Mountains to Cyangugu."

Behind him, he heard his son laughing at the name as always and he felt tempted to join in.

Dr. Register didn't look nearly as amused, judging by the cold stares he gave both of them.

Clearing his throat, he continued, "Anyway, I think we might have to give up the search. Maybe it was a myth after all."

"No! I'm telling you, I saw it. The Green-Capped Mangabey is out there somewhere. It's not exactly common, so it's blood must have some special properties we can analyze. We could become rich off of this discovery."

"If you say so. Truth be told, I'm in this more for the adventure than actually finding anything."

"Well, it's no wonder why we haven't then, is it?"

Turning away with a sigh, Dr. Register rubbed his temples and headed deeper into the cabin. "If anyone needs me, I'll be in my quarters."

"Tell me again, why are we helping him?"

Mark turned to give Marie a quick kiss and then took Garfield from her, hoisting him on his shoulders.

Nodding in the direction of the front door, she followed him outside to the porch where he set Garfield down and gave him permission to play out front as long as he didn't go too far.

Sitting down in their lawn chairs, the conversation continued.

"We always said we wanted to go to Africa. Dr. Register's project gave us an opportunity to do that. Plus, imagine if this thing is real. It'd be an amazing find. Isn't that what we do this gig for?"

"True. I just wish we had a nicer partner with us." Waving a hand in front of her face, she added, "And less bugs."

Chuckling, Mark took her hand and laced his fingers with hers. "Well, Gar seems to love it out here. He's a chip off the old block, if I do say so myself."

"Cornball tendencies and all." He pouted in response, before she leaned over and kissed his nose. "Which is why I love you both."

"Is that all?"'

"Well…you do know how to show a girl a good time."

"Tell Gar that if he asks where babies come from again."

Giggling, she slapped his shoulder before sobering up. "We make a cute kid, don't we?"

"Yeah. Think we should give him a friend?"

"Mmm. As tempting as that sounds…."

Suddenly, her blood ran cold. Call it woman's intuition or maternal instinct. But Marie knew something was wrong.

Standing suddenly, she looked out to the field.

"Mark…where's Garfield?" She asked, worry creeping into her calm tone.

"Damn." He whispered under his breath. Cupping a hand to his mouth, he shouted, "GARFIELD! GAR?! SON, WHERE ARE YOU?!

….

Garfield knew he wasn't supposed to be alone, but it was the monkey's fault, not his.

He had been chasing a butterfly, minding his own business, when he had felt something staring at him from the bushes.

Whatever it was, it seemed to blend in with the veld and melt out of the environment.

A Green Monkey. Garfield had never seen one of those before. Come to think of it, he'd never seen any green animal before.

So, naturally, he had to follow it.

It was a shifty little thing but it finally paused at a clearing near a river. It stared him down almost tauntingly, daring him to come closer.

He lunged for it but before he could blink, it had leapt over his head and disappeared.

He turned in every direction, finding nothing. Confused, the boy was about to walk away when he felt something crawl up on his shoulder.

"Monkey!"

He began petting the creature, glad he'd made a new friend. He couldn't wait to show Mom and Dad.

His thoughts were broken by a searing pain running through his veins. Collapsing and crying out in pain, he watched through tear-filled eyes as the monkey dashed off into the forest with red dripping from its fangs.

As his eyes drifted closed, the last thing he saw was his parents coming towards him.

…..

Dr. Samuel Register was awoken by the slamming of a door and the panic-stricken cries of two parents whose child had obviously done something idiotic.

Putting his hands to his face and groaning, he hauled himself out of bed and got dressed, preparing to chew out his colleagues for their disturbing him.

What he received upon entering the laboratory was a quite interesting sight.

The boy, Garfield, was strapped down to an operating table looking quite worse for wear. Register couldn't help but think the boy should have been strapped down a long time ago for entirely different reasons, but alas.

The Logans hadn't appeared to notice him yet, hovering in the background. He idly looked at the data they had collected from their son's blood and his eyes lit up with intrigue.

The blood samples were clearly infected with primate DNA but unlike any primate he'd analyzed before. It appeared to be in the Cercocebus family. Stealing a glance at the unconscious child, he noticed the boy was looking rather green around the gills. Very green.

"You found it, didn't you?!" Register exclaimed, terrifying the concerned parents. "The Cercocebus Viridus."

Turning back to his son, Mark replied, "We didn't. Garfield did."

"So it appears." The doctor said, staring at the child as if he wanted to dissect him but at the same time didn't want to touch him with a ten-foot pole.

"It looks like he was bitten." Marie spoke out. "The infection's spreading rapidly. Do you have any idea on how we can reverse the process?"

"This is all uncharted territory for me, Mrs. Logan. Perhaps if we cannot save Garfield, it is best if we learn what we can from this and…"

A slap to the face stopped him in his tracks. "My son is not a lab rat. He's a little boy with his whole life ahead of him. I don't give a damn about learning anything about this except how to fix it."

Mark put a hand on his wife's shoulder, whose eyes were shining with rage and pain.

Rubbing his sore cheek, Dr. Register bit out, "Do you at least have an idea where the creature might have gone?"

Marie seemed to want to lash out again but Mark pulled her back. "Garfield was bitten by the river half a mile southwest of here. Does that help you?"

"Indeed it does, Mr. Logan. Seeing as I'm not needed here, I do believe I'll start searching."

"You bastard! You're not going to stay and help?"

"Oh, Marie, what help could I be to two world-class scientists? I'm sure under your care young Garfield will be as fit as a fiddle in no time."

On that note, he turned to take his equipment and head out the door.

As the door swung shut, Marie asked her husband, "Why would you bother to help that creep out?"

"I needed him out of the way. Our focus should be on Gar. Sam was getting in the way of that."

"You're right. I'm sorry."

Kissing her temple, he answered, "Don't be. I'm scared too." Shifting into business mode, he asked, "What's your prognosis?"

Wetting her lips, she answered shakily, "At the rate this is spreading, he'll be dead within the day. Any ideas?"

Looking down into his wife's eyes, a crazy option came to him. "It's stupid."

With a watery laugh, she answered, "Mark, our son's been bitten by a green monkey. Whatever you say can't sound that stupid."

Giving her a small smile, he explained, "If we can't flush this out of Gar's system…why don't we counteract it with something else?"

"Such as…?"

He moved to another workbench and began pulling out test tubes and beakers. "Over our time here, we've collected plenty of animal DNA samples. What if we…God, I sound like a mad scientist…but what if we inject them into him?"

"WHAT?!"

"Just hear me out. Register said the locals rumored the Green Monkey's blood to be the key to universal immunity, right? If that's true, the influx of the other DNA should slow down and hopefully stave off this…'Green Fever'. But at the same time, the Monkey's blood will keep him alive and fight off the other animal DNA from killing him. I know it sounds crazy, but I don't know if we have any other options."

Marie took her son's hand and looked back to her husband. "Let's try it."

…..

Even at night in Africa, it was still hot and steamy.

Dr. Register shouldered his way in through the front door, hoping that Marie Logan's hysteria had passed. Unfortunately, his efforts to find the Green-Capped Mangabey had been in vain. He supposed that was forgivable if the young lad had given up the ghost. One less nuisance to worry about.

Entering the lab, he couldn't believe what he saw when he walked in.

An exhausted but elated Mark Logan was sitting on the floor, his back to the wall, laughing hysterically.

His wife was next to him, stroking the hair of some green…thing.

"What…what is this?"

The creature waved at him, calling, "Hi, Sam!"

Only one person here had the audacity to call him that to his face. Shakily waving back, he answered, "Hello, Garfield."

….

While Marie tucked her son in for the night, Dr. Register still had a few burning questions.

"It appears I underestimated you, Mark. Tell me, how did you do it?"

"I remembered what you said about universal immunity and all that so I got to thinking…we couldn't eliminate the infection so what if we slowed it? We had other animal DNA samples on hand so we diluted those and pumped them into his system. They counteracted the Green Fever but because of its properties the same thing that's killing him also keeps him alive. And apparently green. I guess he always will be unless we can eliminate it from his system for good."

"Brilliant, admittedly. Do you realize what we could do with this knowledge?"

"Actually, Dr. Register, I'd prefer if we keep this a secret." At his colleague's aghast expression, he clarified, "Just for a little while. We need to give him time to adjust before we throw him under the microscope. He's still a child. Besides, we don't know the full extent of the effects. All I'm asking is your patience."

"Very well. Further study certainly couldn't hurt. Goodnight, Mark." Nodding over his shoulder, he added, "Marie."

Mark whipped around to find his wife at his side. "You're not really going to hand Garfield's life over to that man, are you?"

"Of course not. I just told him what he wanted to hear. If I had my way, we'd keep Garfield away from the outside world for as long as we could. We do need to observe him, though. Who knows what this did to him?"

Wrapping her arms around his neck, Marie leaned up to give her husband a deep kiss. "You saved his life today, Mark. That's all that matters."

"We saved his life." He corrected her. "We'll figure this out. Together. Now I don't know about you but I'm beat."

"Same here. Although I hope you have enough stamina for one more nighttime activity…"

With an amorous look, he declared, "Believe me, I always have enough stamina for that particular activity…"

The next morning

When he blearily stumbled into the lab the next morning, Mark noticed something that stopped him in his tracks. The vial of Garfield's blood that they had kept for further study was missing.

"It's gone." He told his wife when she had joined him in the kitchen.

"Gone? But who could've…?" Marie's expression hardened. "Register. That son of a—"

"Mom? Dad?"

Both parents schooled their expressions to masks of calm as they turned to their young son.

"Somebody got a haircut on my covers."

Perplexed, his parents followed him to his room to find green fur all over his bedsheets. Monkey fur.

"Strange. Did the monkey come back?" Mark asked, scratching his head.

"Through locked doors and windows?" Marie responded. "Doubtful."

The rumble of a tiny stomach interrupted their musings.

Lifting his son on his shoulders, Mark teasingly asked, "Somebody's hungry, huh?"

As her husband and son exited the room, laughing along the way, Marie Logan couldn't help but wonder about the source of the sheddings in her son's room.

….

"Hon, have you noticed anything strange about Garfield today?" Marie asked, staring at nothing in particular.

"Well, he's green. But other than that…"

Slapping his arm, she chastised him, "You know what I mean. I'm just worried that there might be other side-effects."

"Like what?"

A flapping of wings alerted them to a cuckoo-hawk exiting their home and landing on the porch before them.

To their shock, the creature was completely green.

"Garfield…?" His father squinted.

In a flash, the bird shifted back into the giggling green form of their naked young son.

"Like that." Marie finally answered in response to her husband's previous question, reaching for her son and cradling him in her arms.

"He…he was playing with a flock earlier. He must've adopted their DNA signatures. I don't know how but…" Mark was too awestruck and confused to finish the thought. "This…this is…" He blanched in terror. "And Register has a sample of his blood."

"They're going to come for him." Marie somberly realized.

"Oh God."

Bukavu

"I'm telling you, Reginald, this blood sample will change everything."

"Yes, so you've said, Samuel, but if you don't have the actual monkey, then for all we know it could be snake oil. No monkey, no money."

Gripping the phone tightly, Register growled, "There are people who would pay good money for the information I have, Sanders."

"Then I suggest you waste their time instead of mine, Register. Good day."

Roaring in outrage, Dr. Register knew his "friends" in the scientific community weren't going to give him the compensation he deserved.

Very well. There were others in lower places who would pay up.

1 week later

Walking down the narrow alley, Register shuddered in revulsion at the conditions and the depths he'd had to sink to in order to find a willing buyer.

Suspiciously eyeing his surroundings, Register was greeted by the ominous sight of a giant in a trenchcoat.

"Monsieur Mallah, I presume?"

"You presume correctly. My partner is quite interested in your discovery."

"Well, he won't be disappointed."

"Indeed, I hope not." A monotone voice rang out.

Out of the darkness, a mobile unit resembling R2-D2 with a skull and a live brain in a jar wheeled itself into the picture.

"You can't be serious." Register said in dismay.

"You dare disrespect my master?!" Mallah snarled, snatching him up by the collar with his…ape hands.

"What…what is this?! Who are you? A living brain and his pet monkey?"

"I am the Brain. And this is Mallah. We are the Brotherhood." The entity spoke. "Now back to business. Your story sounded quite intriguing. Tell us more about the young Garfield Logan."

"…And that's all I know, I swear to you."

"I understand your colleagues' reluctance to believe your story. Were it not for my own unique circumstances, I would be hesitant to take the chance myself. From what I have heard of the Sakutia Virus, the boy would be able to shapeshift into any animal form he desired so long as he has come within range or contact with it."

"Amazing." Register chimed in. "I never dreamed the Mangabey's blood could hold such power."

"Of course not. You think too myopically to grasp such concepts. Naturally, to verify your claims, we would need a test subject. A guinea pig, if you will."

"Who did you have in mind?"

"I believe you will do."

"What?! I don't…I can't…"

"I do not recall asking for your compliancy. Mallah, restrain him."

Gripping him as if he weighed nothing, Mallah hoisted the doctor over his shoulder, dragging him away.

"No! NOOOOO!"

Logan Compound

"Okay, Gar. Think big."

"'Kay, Daddy."

Concentrating with all his might, it was no use. Garfield couldn't turn into a manatee.

His eyes began to flood with tears of shame and disappointment.

Wiping them away, his mother cooed, "It's okay, honey. Remember, this is just for fun. Right?"

"Right." He smiled back.

"Besides, kiddo, you've got the hang of all the birds and a lot of smaller animals. Your Mom and I just wanted to see how far you can go. Like everything else, it just takes a little time. You ready for dinner?"

"Yeah!" The boy chirped back, his mood instantly lifting.

His parents took both his hands, leading him back inside.

The past few weeks, the Logans had been tutoring their young son on the usage of his abilities. So far, he was only able to get the hang of smaller animals and birds. Turning into most carnivores had been a major struggle for him, which was just as well. The last thing Marie wanted to deal with was a tiger running around or a lion dragging in its kill. Garfield really wanted to transform into an ape but the original monkey that bit him was the best he could manage.

They hoped to give Garfield all the time he needed to get a handle on his powers before letting the rest of the world inevitably discover his transformation. They couldn't think of a way to convincingly hide it so the secret would have to come out somehow.

So far, they hadn't heard anything about Dr. Register and his colleagues had told them he'd never returned home. As disconcerting as that was, they were secretly relieved that it meant the secret was safe for a while longer.

Still, they knew it was only a matter of time before someone came calling.

As they had suspected, one day their nightmare came true.

It was on a day like any other. The Logan family was outside in the jungle, laughing and playing in the sunshine.

For a moment, they could pretend the danger of the world beyond their shelter was far away and non-existent.

But when an ominous shadow fell over the family of three, they instantly knew that danger was close and all too real.

Looking to the foliage above them, their disbelieving eyes took in a giant ape, wearing a beret of all things with a military sash draped across its chest. It was hanging from a tree branch with one hand and cradling a jar with a skull design on it containing what appeared to be a human brain in the other.

Suddenly, in the brush in front of them, the shadows shifted and a dark-haired woman in a red uniform materialized out of the foliage. To her right, an old man in a military uniform stood as if he'd been there all along.

They were definitely facing down the oddest quartet they'd ever seen

"Professor Logan, I presume?" The jar asked monotonously.

"What do you want?" Mark asked, stepping back as the gorilla dropped from its perch in the trees.

"You are quick to the point, Professor Logan. I admire that. Through a mutual friend of ours, it has come to my attention that the legendary Sakutia virus rests within your son's blood. Acquiring and unlocking its secrets would be a great boon to the work I hope to complete. I'm sure you understand."

"You are not laying a hand on my son." He growled in uncharacteristic anger. "Like I told Register, if you really want the virus, look for the Mangabey yourself. My son is not an option."

"How noble. Dr. Register was not so cooperative either. It did not turn out well for him. I was hoping you would be more so."

"What have you done to him?" Marie broke in.

"He is my possession now. Just as the Sakutia shall soon be."

Marie hugged her son even closer to her at that statement.

"Marie, get behind me." Mark spoke, putting an arm across her chest.

"How noble, Professor Logan. But it won't save you. Hand over the Sakutia and this shall be no more painful than it has to be."

"Take Garfield and run, Marie." He whispered, not taking his eyes off of the monstrosity in the jar.

"Mark…" she whispered back, taking her son's hand. "Don't do this."

"Mallah. Please persuade the Professor."

Suddenly, Mallah staggered back as if he'd been struck by an invisible force.

"Damn." The Brain cursed with no emotion in its voice.

A living shadow appeared out of nowhere and engaged the old man in combat, their dance almost familiar.

A winding purple-clad fist exploded from out of nowhere in the direction of the woman in red but she was prepared for it, catching it and yanking its owner towards them.

"Stand your ground!" The Brain shouted to his acolytes.

"Hey, lil' buddy!" A voice called out. "Remember me?"

Wheeling in the direction of the voice, the Brain was greeted by a hulking orange…

"Robotman…" The villain uttered with warning in his tone. "Do not dare…"

He was cut off by the giant kicking him over as if he were a children's toy.

"C'mon, Brainy, you know I can't resist." The metal man chuckled.

Screeching as if in anger, the Brain lay helplessly like a beached whale unable to get back to his "feet", calling out, "Immortus! Rain fire!"

The old man, "Immortus", pressed a button on his wrist gauntlet, and a drone ship appeared over their heads, unleashing a shower of mini-missiles.

The woman in red knocked her assailant into the crossfire, saying something in Russian.

The man who was psionically attacking Mallah screamed out, "Elasti-Girl!", leaving his foe to run for his master.

"Another day, Mento!" The jar-headed menace called out as Mallah carried him away. "Rouge, Immortus, we're leaving!"

"Rouge" blew a mocking kiss in Elasti-Girl's direction and scurried away.

The shadow morphed into a mummified man in shades who sprinted in the Logans' direction.

Curiously, he wrapped his arms around both of them ordering them to: "Get down!"

As they obeyed, they were amazed to find the shrapnel spreading around them was passing through them as if they weren't there.

"Our son!" Marie called out in fear. "You have to save—"

"Robotman's already on it." The mummy assured her.

In the distance, they could see the iron giant hugging Garfield to his chest, taking the impact of the shelling.

The man known as Mento had a mental force-field surrounding he and Elasti-Girl, keeping them safe from harm.

Finally, the ship above their heads stopped firing and zoomed off, presumably taking their attackers with it.

"You guys all right?" The mummy in shades asked them.

Shakily, they nodded and stood up to see Robotman heading their way, Garfield in tow.

"Here's ya kid, ma'am." He said, placing Garfield into Marie's arms. "I gotta ask: is the green skin a recessive trait or…?"

Trying not to stare too hard at the giant before her, Marie enveloped her awestruck son in her arms, grateful to these strangers for saving their lives.

The man apparently known as Mento walked over their way, Elasti-Girl in tow. "Is everybody all right?"

Hugging his wife and son close to him, Mark nodded in affirmation. "Yes. Thanks to you all."

Nodding back, Mento turned to address his comrades. "Those bastards always seem one step ahead of us. The one time we get the drop on them and…" Shaking his head, he commanded, "Let's move out."

"Wait a minute!" Mark called after them, looking oddly at their leader. "Do I know you from someplace?"

"No, I don't believe so." He answered quickly. "If you'll excuse us, we really have to get going.

Despite the response, Mark knew he'd seen that chiseled jawline somewhere before. Wait a minute…

"Steve Dayton!"

The stiffening of his posture told him what he needed to know. "Who?"

"Don't BS me, Steve. We grew up in the same neighborhood and we've frequented the same social circles for years. I know it's you. What's with the costume? Who were those people? Who are you people for that matter?"

"That was the Brotherhood of Evil. I'm Mento. And this…" he gestured behind him, "...is the Doom Patrol."

"Cheery. Can't say I've heard of you, though."

"That's the point. The Doom Patrol thrives on being under the radar. That's the way it works. Mark, you can't tell anyone about this."

"Sure. So long as you don't tell the world about my green son."

"Yeah, what is up with that?" Robotman asked before being elbowed by Negative Man.

Although it didn't hurt, the message was received. "Eh, sorry. But seriously…"

"It's called the Sakutia virus. Or Green Fever for short." Marie broke in. "Crazy as it sounds, he was bitten by a green monkey. The virus should've killed him but we counteracted it with animal DNA. Now he's a shapeshifter."

"And I thought we had some wild stories." Negative Man murmured in surprise.

"I'm guessing this 'Sakutia' is what the Brain wanted, isn't it?" Elasti-Girl asked, looking at the young boy with sympathy.

"Yes." Mark returned his gaze to Steve. "And I'm guessing they'll be back for him."

"Almost certainly."

Looking at his shaken wife and his awestruck son, Mark resolutely replied, "Then we should talk."

6 months later, The Logan Estate

Living Room

"…And in the wake of the surprising merger of Dayton Industries and Logan Enterprises, one has to ask the question: why?"

Muting the TV, Steve Dayton was having the same thoughts.

"I have to confess, Mark…I'm still asking myself the same question." He spoke after a moment.

Worriedly, his friend responded, "I'm telling you, Steve, I just had a feeling. A bad one. I figured if we at least put our resources together now, we can have something left for Garfield when he gets older. Just in case we…" Mark couldn't find it within himself to finish the thought.

Rising up from his position on the couch, Steve was having none of it. "And I keep telling you it won't come to that."

"But if it does…" Mark insisted. "…there's no one else I can trust more than you to handle all this if Marie and I are…"

"What are you two boys talking about?"

The men turned to see Marie and Rita walking into the parlor, platters and glass in tow.

"Just about how lovely our wives are." Steve responded with an easy smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Good answer." Rita smiled as she leaned in to give Steve a peck.

"Brought you gentleman some refreshments, courtesy of Questor." Marie smiled, setting down a platter of hors d'oeuvres and wine.

"Speaking of whom, where is he?" Her husband asked, beginning to snack.

"Trying to stop Cliff and Garfield from tearing up the lawn." She responded, not bothering to hide her smirk.

"Unsuccessfully, I might add." Larry broke in, phasing through the wall. "Ooh, hors d'oeuvres? I hope you all were planning on sharing."

"Larry, we all know you don't have to eat." Steve deadpanned.

"Just keeping you on your toes."

Vernon Questor had been Mark Logan's right-hand man and financial advisor ever since he had first broken into the business world. As much as he loathed being called such, some days he was a glorified housekeeper trying to keep the estate in order while the Logan family was away.

The familiar sound of Questor's exasperated shouting could be heard down the hall along with heavy footsteps and the pounding footfalls of someone running down the hall.

Turning the corner was Garfield with Robotman not far behind him.

"Relax, Vern. What's a couple hedge sculptures here and there?" Cliff was saying as they joined the others.

"Hedge sculptures that cost more than you'll earn in a lifetime." The man sniffed with disdain, pushing his glasses up his nose.

"Honestly, Vernon, it's fine." Mark intervened, waving a hand nonchalantly. "The hedges are replaceable. Besides, it was time for a remodeling anyway."

Reaching down and scooping up his son, Mark cleared his throat. "Anyway, since we're all gathered here, we wanted to tell you all we were planning to go back to Africa. We kind of had to cut the trip short last time."

"Are you sure that's the best idea?" Rita asked, furrowing her brow.

"Rita, we're going somewhere different this time. The place is called Upper Lamumba. We met some good friends there who we'll be staying with. We're only giving you the village's location."

"You'd trust us with that?" Steve asked.

"I'm trusting you with my fortune and my son's life. Besides, you're superheroes. Who could be more trustworthy? Plus, it doesn't hurt that you're Garfield's godfather."

Smiling at the boy, Steve answered, "All right. When do you leave?"

"In about a week. You and Questor already have the necessary instructions. We'll be fine."

Upper Lamumba, 3 weeks later

The time spent in Lamumba had been bliss. The locals were accommodating, the scenery beautiful, and the time well-spent. Teaching Garfield and watching him grow was one of the greatest experiences Mark and Marie had ever had. They'd been documenting and recording everything, knowing how precious these days were. Logically, they knew they should be safe in the heart of the jungle. But the sense of dread in their hearts told them differently. Until, finally, the day came.

They had been walking back from a hike through the mountains, basking in the sunshine and trekking through the rainforest when they heard rustling.

Cold fear gripped their hearts like a vise.

Leaning down and gripping her son's shoulders, Marie whispered, "Garfield, you have to run."

Blinking in confusion, he asked, "Why?"

"They're coming for you, Gar." Mark explained, his breathing becoming shallow. "You have to get out of here. Stay hidden. Someone will come find you. I promise."

"But Dad…"

"Sweetie, please. Trust us. Run. NOW. Please." His mother intoned desperately.

"O-ok." Morphing into a toucan, he fluttered away into the tress.

Sighing shakily, the Logans prepared themselves for the inevitable.

Before they could even register what was happening, Marie was weightless for a moment before finding herself in Madame Rouge's grip and Mark was wiping his bloody mouth from a punch courtesy of General Immortus.

"Hiding was a wise decision, if not a cowardly one." The robotic voice of the Brain rang out, Mallah entering the scene behind it. "In the end, it was ultimately futile. You knew this day was coming, Professor Logan. Tell me where the boy is."

"Over my dead body." Mark spat, turning around with fury burning in his eyes.

Madame Rouge tightened her grip on Marie. "Or your wife's."

Looking his wife in the face, he caught her silently mouthing, "It's OK."

"You do what you have to do." He sighed, closing his eyes tightly. "We're not giving up our son."

"I grow weary of your bleeding-heart sentiments." The Brain electronically sighed. "Mallah, show me how his heart actually bleeds."

"NO!" Marie called as the ape pounced on her husband.

After a few moments, the pain became a distant, dull sensation in the background. All Mark could see in his peripheral vision was his wife crying and calling out his name. As his vision started to blur, his world became his wife and two giant fists pounding into his chest.

For a few blessed moments, the assault stopped long enough for him to turn over and retch up his own blood.

He lay for a moment in his own blood and vomit before being yanked up by his hair.

"I'm giving you one last chance, Logan. Tell. Me."

For one horrible millisecond, Mark was tempted to give in. But even faster, he remembered the day his son was born. His first steps. Raising him, playing with him. The joy he brought he and Marie every day. His innocence.

He wouldn't let this monster take his son's life before he even had a chance to live it.

"You…already know my answer." He grinned, through a blood-stained and bruised face.

In a final act of defiance, he spit a flood of crimson from his mouth onto the Brain's dome.

"A pity. We'll just have to find young Garfield ourselves. I'd so hoped you would've learned your lesson. Do it, Rouge."

Madame Rouge's grip tightened and the Logans knew what would happen next.

"DON'T DO IT! YOU BASTARDS!"

"Mark! It's all right! I love y-"

She never got to finish as her windpipe was crushed in one swift, cruel movement.

"NOOOOO!" Mark cried, crawling towards his wife. "Marie! Marie, stay with me! Please!"

The light began to fade from her eyes but her eyes told the story of what she meant to say.

The last thing she ever saw was the final blow delivered to her husband's spine: a fatal blow he never saw coming.

Eyeing down the deceased couple, the Brain would have curled his lip in disgust if it were possible. "Well, that was a fruitless endeavor. Eventually, we will find the boy. Another time. The Doom Patrol shall be here soon. They can handle the cleanup."

Later

"The distress signal emanated from here! C'mon!"

Mento's heart felt ready to burst out of his chest. The Doom Patrol had come as soon as they'd gotten the lead on the Brotherhood's whereabouts. He just hoped they weren't too late. They all had split up to search for the Logans but so far they hadn't found any sign of them.

"Mark?! Marie?!" The jungles of Upper Lamumba were deadly silent.

Farther down the trail, Cliff was the unlucky one who found Mark and Marie's bodies.

"Jesus…" Robotman muttered.

If he was still able to throw up, he was certain he would have.

"Guys…I found 'em." He radioed solemnly.

"Those bastards went too far this time." Larry spoke quietly when they all had regrouped.

"Where's Garfield?" Rita fought to keep the quaver out of her voice. "You don't think they…?"

That seemed to snap Steve out of his trance.

"We have to find him."

…..

"Garfield! Son, where are you?"

"Kid, come out! It's Uncle Cliff and Larry!"

"Steve!"

Rita's panicked cry made the others rush over.

"Oh no." Steve gasps.

Rita was currently kneeling and clutching Garfield to her chest, stroking his hair and whispering assurances in his ear. The kid didn't seem to be all there. He seemed to be looking through them more than at them. With a pained grimace, Steve looked away, realizing Garfield must have seen what had happened.

His eyes fell on the river before them and the sight of his own reflection only made him feel more ashamed.

His godson's heartbreaking sobs only made him feel worse and in that moment, he would've done anything to take away the boy's pain.

Eyeing the river again, Steve realized maybe there was a way he could…

Present day

8 years later

Doom Patrol Headquarters, Training Room

"Garfield! Keep your guard up!" Mento barked. "Larry should never get that close, understand?!"

"No, sir! I-I-I mean, yes sir, I mean…"

Before he could finish his sentence, Garfield was knocked to the ground.

Rita put a hand on her husband's shoulder. "Why don't we call it a day, Steve? He worked really hard today."

"In a real fight, it wouldn't amount to much."

Taking off his mask, Garfield retorted, "Well, how am I supposed to know when you never let me…"

Mento's dangerous look stopped him in his tracks. "Never mind."

Rita's imploring gaze won out. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Fine. Hit the showers, kid. We start again tomorrow at 0800 hours. Are we clear?"

"Sir, yes sir." He saluted, before turning into a mouse and scurrying away.

"We walk in this house, young man!"

Morphing back, he called over his shoulder, "Sorry!"

Exiting the training room after Garfield, Larry couldn't help but agree with the kid. "You know, he has a point, Steve."

"Larry, we've been over this. When he's ready, I'll be the first one to let him off the leash. And that's not happening until I'm sure he can handle himself."

"Sometimes a trial by fire's the best way to go, Steve-O." Robotman added, inserting himself into the conversation.

"We were adults, Cliff. And we had the Chief." His eyes flickered with sadness for only a moment. "And you know how he pushed us. I want him to have the same level of preparedness. And I promised Mark and Marie I'd take care of him."

"We all did." Rita reminded him.

Unbeknownst to them, Garfield was around the corner, listening in.

"Anyway, the way it stands right now, if he didn't have us watching his back, that kid couldn't find his way out of a wet paper bag in a real combat situation. He's unfocused, undisciplined, not to mention unfit thanks to the junk food somebody's been slipping him."

Robotman shrugged sheepishly. "Guilty."

"My point is, he's nowhere near ready. So he'd better shape up soon because it only gets harder…from here."

He turned to see an upset-looking teen returning his gaze before storming off angrily.

"Garfield, wait!" Rita called. "God, Steve, did you really have to drag him through the dirt like that?"

"He shouldn't have been eavesdropping."

"That's not the point! He's a 13-year-old boy. You know how sensitive kids are at this time. He already feels like you undervalue him. And you're doing nothing to prove him wrong."

Rita shook her head and started in the direction of Gar's room.

"Somebody's sleeping on the couch tonight." Negative Man remarked, pretending not to see Steve's glare his way.

…..

"Garfield?" Rita tentatively knocked on her stepson's door. "Garfield, sweetie, it's Rita. Can I come in?"

"Sure." He muttered.

Stepping inside, she gave a quick glance around the place. His posters of Batman, Superman, and the Flash were beginning to peel at the corners from all the years they'd been there. The comic books he hid in a shoebox under the bed were scattered all over the floor. She knew he kept some junk food and sodas in the closet. And judging by the smell and laundry strewn everywhere, she could tell Gar wasn't too different from any other teenage boy.

The young man in question was on his stomach, laying on the bed, facing the window. She sat next to him, stroking his hair as she'd done since he was a boy.

"I know he has a terrible way of showing it, but he's trying to help you." She broke the silence at last.

"Yeah, I'll bet. Talking about me behind my back. Real helpful." He responded sullenly.

"I see you're growing some muscle, young man. Imagine how much stronger you could be if you cut out the junk food."

He chuckled. "Don't think of it as junk. It's an energy boost. Y'know, like fuel."

They laughed together before a comfortable silence befell them.

He sat up on the bed, eyes still fixed on the skyline. "How am I supposed to be able to handle myself if I'm always stuck on recon and crowd control?"

"Honey, give it time. You're only getting older. And the older you get…"

"…'The more experience you'll have.' Yeah, I know. You've been telling me that since I was 6, Rita."

"And it's no less true now than it was then. You've come a long way from having us chase you as a rabbit for cardio."

"True. But I know I can do more than 'scout the perimeter' and 'clear the area'." He said, puffing out his chest when he would imitate Steve.

His stepmother laughed at him before leaning in and kissing his temple. "I know. And I know you'll show him that someday."

She stood up and made for the door. She gripped the handle and turned to ask, "Will you be all right?"

He looked at her for the first time, his emerald orbs shining with determination as if he'd made an important decision. "Yeah. I think I will be."

"Goodnight, Garfield."

"Goodnight, Mom."

Steve sighed. Usually, he adored being in bed with his wife but right now sharing a room with an angry Rita Farr was the last place he wanted to be. After giving him a deadly look when she entered the room, she had kept her back turned coldly to him, not saying a single word.

"Honey, I'm sorry. I don't know how many times I have to tell you."

"Don't tell me, Steve. Tell Garfield."

"For all I know, the kid's probably asleep."

"Well, 'Mento', there is a way you can check."

Sighing in frustration, he told her, "The helmet's in the equipment room."

"There's always the old-fashioned way."

Grumbling all the way, he made the trek to the changeling's bedroom and knocked quietly. "Son? You up? Gar? Garfield?"

He eased the door open to take a peek, then flung it open in surprise.

"Oh, no."

Nestled on Garfield's pillow was a note: "If you need me, I'll be finding my way out of a wet paper bag."

"Damn that kid."

Jump City, California

"Whew, flying 7 miles as a parakeet is exhausting. Note to self: next time, try a bigger bird."

Standing on the pier, Garfield took in the skyline of downtown Jump, eager for some action.

"Now let's see if there's any paper bags I can get into." He grinned, rubbing his hands together.