School
Crossings
Part 3
"Hey Kon," Bart
called out, "What are you doing up there?"
"I'll
be down in a sec, okay? Just chill!" Kon responded.
It
was an uneventful evening for the members of the Young Justice team. Resting at
their temporary headquarters in the Pennsylvania Pocono, We can see Cassie and
Secret reading fashion magazines, while Bart is playing his Game Box with
little regard for the game. (Seeing as how he has beaten the game 671 times
already!) Kon-El has disappeared into the living quarters upstairs; prompting
Bart to call out, "Hurry up already! You've been up there for hours, and
you said you'd play me at pool again!"
"I
said I 'd play you again ONLY if you'd stick to playing just pool,"
responded Kon, "And not switch to a different game every two seconds! And I
mean, EVERY two seconds!"
"Yeah,
but I only do that when Al's here!" responded Bart.
"But
Al is here," replied Kon.
"He
is?" asked Bart, looking around. "Well, where is he then?"
"Right
here!"
And
there, at the base of the staircase, in a daring pose, was Robin. Portrayed by
a mannequin.
"'Have
no fear, good people!'" voiced Kon, "'I, Robin, will save the day with my
Bat-spectramagraphawhatsis. Evildoers, beware! Right Kon?'" "That's
right, old chum," said Kon, speaking to the mannequin. "Stand fast,
partner! We need to put the squeeze on Poison Ivy and Catwoman!"
"'But Kon! We're after the Joker!'" "Where's your priority,
man!?! Evil hotties always come before whacked-out psycho clowns! Wake up,
man!"
Bart laughs as Cassie looks up, "Oh,
grow up, Kon," she said, lecturing him. "Don't you ever get tired of
that?"
"Aw,
C'mon, Wondy!" defended Kon."When am I ever going to get a chance to
do this again?"
"You
do it all the time!" snaps Cassie.
"Yeah,
but this time I got the Actual costume out of his room for a change", said
Kon, pointing to the mannequin. "See?"
"I'll
take that," said Secret, manifesting behind "Robin". "You
know, Kon," Secret began, "You really shouldn't go into other
people's rooms without permission. It's just not nice."
"Oh,
yeah? And just where were you going to take that thing, huh?" questioned
Kon.
"Why
to his room, of course," answered Secret, before realizing the conflict of
interests presented before her. "Oh, right. Well, I'll just place it in
front of his door then. But first, let's get his costume off this thing
first." She started to unfasten the belt when she accidentally hit one of
the hidden switches on his buckle.
A static-filled voice was heard. "All units
please respond."
"Hey
cool!" said Bart. "It's one of those police frequency bands my
Grandma Iris told me about!"
"Quiet
Bart," scolded Cassie. "Listen."
"All
units, to the corner of 12th and 5th. Suspect heavily armed and hostile.
Acquire visual contact and wait for back up. Do not, repeat, Do Not approach
suspect."
"Hmmm,"
thought Cassie, "That's not far from here."
"Well
what are we waiting for?" asked Kon rhetorically. "Let's go lend a
hand!"
"Should
we call Robin?" asked Secret.
"Nah,
we can handle it," replied Kon. "Empress is out with her dad, so no
sense trying to call her, either. Besides, Rob's probably off doing something
important. Let's Go!"
I'd rather be anywhere but here, thinks Tim.
The
rave was kickin', all right. Buzz and Kelly danced up a storm. Sara seemed to
be enjoying herself, but Kip looked a little reserved. People danced on the
floor, on stage, anywhere there was open space. The band was great. I even have
an attractive date tonight. I don't think I can remember ever seeing Cissie
look more pretty than tonight. Her fan club sure thinks so; she's been hounded
for autographs since she walked in. Winning a gold medal in the Olympics will
do that, I'm sure. Under normal circumstances, this night would rock. There was
just one problem, though. Just a minor one, of course.
My
date isn't supposed to know who I am. At least not this way. Not as Tim Drake.
It
wasn't too long ago that Batman let me show my true face to the other members
of Young Justice, under the condition that I don't give my real name out. So I
told Kon, Cassie, Bart and Secret that my name was Alvin Draper, a name I've
used to hide my identity from Steph when she needed my help and Robin couldn't
be there for her. I don't know why I never got around to showing Cissie my true
face. Maybe I just convinced myself that she didn't need to know, since she
wasn't on the team anymore. Maybe I just never got around to it. Or maybe I was
just trying to avoid her. I don't say this too loud, but ever since that day
when she kissed me I've been, well, thinking about her a lot. I thought maybe
there was a spark there, I don't know.
Something I need to avoid. I've already gone
down that road before; I really don't need to go down it again. Especially when
I don't know what my status is with Steph.
"Keep
you waiting?" asked Cissie, returning to the table.
"No,
not at all," Tim answered. "I could see you were busy."
"I'm
really sorry about that," said Cissie."I swear I never thought it
would get this out of control. I mean, I can't even go anywhere without someone
wanting an autograph!" She looked at Tim and said, "I probably sound
like one of those snobby starlets, don't I?"
Tim
smiled. "It's okay," he said. "I'm sure your mother doesn't make
it easy for you."
"Boy,
you can say that again," said Cissie. "I mean, it was one thing to
suggest trying out for the archery team for the Olympics, but..." she
paused for a minute and asked, "How did you know about the problems with
my mother?"
Oops,
thought Tim.
"I,
uh, saw that she was a suspect in that whole Tina Thomas scandal on T.V., and I
just assumed that problems came up because of it."
"Oh,
no, it went further back then that", Cissie replied. "The problems, I
mean."
Tim
let out a quiet sigh of relief. Jeeze, that was close, he thought.
"My
whole life I grew up living my mom's dream," Cissie began. "I was
told that I learned to throw darts when I was three. I could hit a moving
target when I was six. Everything I did, I did for her. I learned to dress
properly, talk properly, got the best schooling, everything she wanted me to
be, and I did. And yet she still pushed
me to live her life! I mean, how dare she! How...Oh, I'm doing it again. I'm
sorry, I don't mean to dump all this on you."
"It's
okay," said Tim. "Sometimes it helps to have someone to talk to about
things like this."
Cissie
smiled. "Thanks. You're sweet, you know that?" she picked up his hand
and said, "I don't know why I feel so comfortable telling you all this.
It's like we have something in common, you know?"
Boy,
you have no idea, thought Tim, blushing.
"Hey,"
continued Cissie. "You've been sitting here long enough, and I'm not being
a very good blind date by leaving you alone. Let's get out there and dance,
Okay?"
"Oh,
uh, sure," said Tim. "Why not?"
Tim
and Cissie got out to the dance floor. I swear I thought I slipped up back
there, thought Tim. Well, at least all this quick pace dancing will work off a
little stress there. Yeah, nothing like constant movement to...
"Okay
peeps," the DJ called out, "Now we're going to slow it up for the
ladies! C'mon, homeys get closer to ya honeys!"
Oh
great, thought Tim. What, is this happening on purpose?
Cissie
blushed. "Um, are you okay with this? I mean we can sit this one out if
you're not up for it."
Tim
nodded. "No, it's cool. Unless you don't..."
Cissie
held him close before Tim could finish his sentence.
Oh
Boy, thought Tim. I've been in tough spots before, but I really don't think
there's anything in the utility belt that covers this! Still, this does feel....
nice. Right even. But wrong, very, very wrong! I can't lead her on like this; it's
not fair to Cissie. But I can't tell her here, not right now.
Man,
what I wouldn't give for a super-villain type distraction right about now.
"Leave
me ALONE!!!" cried Scott.
A
police car was tossed back to the barricade. S.W.A.T. team vans were upturned.
The corner of 12th and 5th looked like a war zone. And Scott Page, in his monstrous
looking robotic cyber-suit, just threw aside policemen as if they were just rag
dolls.
"Just
get out off my way!!" demanded Scott. "You're wasting your time with
me anyway!"
Scott
picked up a patrol car and flung it aside. "You won't keep me from her! No
one can keep me from her! NO ONE!!"
"Oh,
we beg to differ with ya, metal man."
Scott
turned around. There, in front of him, was Superboy, Wonder Girl, Impulse, and
Secret. The team of Young Justice.
"This
affair doesn't concern you," addressed Scott. "Leave, and you won't
get hurt."
"Oh,
now see, that's where you're wrong, cyber-jerk," Kon countered. "It
always concerns us when someone decides to play hacky-sack with a police car.
Oh, by the way. You dropped this." He placed the tossed police car down.
"Very
well," continued Scott. "I see that you also stand in my way. Then
prepare to face, the Cutting Edge!"
Bart
and Kon looked at each other and snickered.
"The
Butting Head?" asked Bart.
"I
thought he said the Fluffy Bread," retorted Kon.
"You
sure it wasn't the Falling Ledge?" Bart snickered.
"Maybe
it was the Burning Hedge!" laughed Kon.
"Oh,
enough!" snapped Cassie. "Let's just take him down before he hurts
anyone else."
"I'll
do it," responded Bart, as he raced headfirst toward the cyber-monster.
"Impulse,
wait!" cried Cassie.
But
it was to late. Scott fired a concussion flare in front of Impulse, blinding
him.
"I
can't see!" hollered Bart, his arms flailing about. Scott swung his staff
at the young speedster, knocking him into a pile of overturned cars.
"Impulse!"
shouted Secret.
She
started toward the Cutting Edge at an increased pace. "You'll pay for
that!" threatened Secret.
"The
mist-girl. I got something for you," countered Scott. He fired a cylindrical-looking
device straight at Secret. It passed right through her.
"Hah!"
laughed Secret. "Is that all you got?"
Scott
sneered. "Activate!" he shouted.
The
cylinder's lid opened and emitted an energy stream straight at Secret, drawing
her into the canister. "Wh-what's happening?" cried Secret. "Oh
No! Noooo..."
But
it was too late. Secret was absorbed into the canister and sealed in. Scott
laughed. "That was actually designed to absorb tear gas! But I guess a
more appropriate phrase would be, 'I ain't 'fraid of no ghosts.'"
"Secret!"
shouted Cassie.
"Wondy,"
Kon said, "Quick, let's double-team him!"
"Right,"
affirmed Cassie. They flew headfirst at him, fists clenched.
"Mistake
heroes!" proclaimed Scott. He fired an expanding net at the approaching
heroes. Kon evaded it, but Cassie wasn't so lucky, as she flew into the net and
tumbled to the ground.
"Wonder
Girl!" shouted Kon.
"You
think a net's going to stop me? Think again, Tin-Boy!" claimed Cassie.
"No,"
countered Scott. "But maybe this will. E-C Now!"
The
net cackled with electricity, dropping Cassie to her knees. She cried out in
pain. If not for her God-like powers, she would surely be dead right now.
"Don't
even try to move, little girl", challenged Scott. "That net
electrifies on movement. Move and not even your dental records will identify
you!"
"You
sick freak!!" shouted Kon. He reached over and grabbed the cyber-suit.
"Now you're going to taste tactile-telekinesis! Say bye-bye to that tin
suit of yours, psycho!"
"I
don't think so," sneered Scott. The suit started to glow.
"Hey?
Wh-what's happening?" questioned Kon. "I'm getting w-weaker...."
"This
suit has a built-in energy absorber," explained Scott. "The more
power you use, the stronger this suit becomes!"
Tendrils extended out of the suit's torso and
ensnare Superboy, tossing him over to the same location that Impulse was
knocked over to, leaving him unconscious and drained.
"You
see!?!" shouted Scott. "You can't stop me! No one can stop me! I'm
coming Kelly! No one will keep me from you! NO ONE!!!"
And
with that, the cyber-suit known as the Cutting Edge makes its way to the city,
leaving behind the battered bodies of the Young Justice team, as well as a
decimated 12th and 5th street corner, and towards an unsuspecting crowd
gathered at a local rave.
End
of Part 3
