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There are some parts where there is internal dialog, but the identity of the person speaking should become apparent.
Brothers in Arms, chapter 2
I had thought he changed. I really did.
I guess I'm too trusting. My trust in others has gotten me into trouble before (like with Knockout), but this betrayal feels different somehow. It feels more disappointing.
Kon-El couldn't believe the tape that Group I was showing him. On it, Match was tearing through the building, destroying quite a lot and defeating anyone who tried to stop him. He was shouting "kill him."
"You can see why we wanted you to be aware of this," Thames said. "He's become dangerously unstable, and we think he's coming after you."
"I thought he changed," Kon said.
"We did too," replied the other Group I agent named Seine. "That's why we're contacting you."
They were in the JLA Watchtower, accompanied by Superman. Kon was fairly sure that he heard Batman lurking around too.
"If you find him, please let us know," Thames said. "We want to get him. He hurt a lot of good men."
"We've provided a signal," Seine said.
After leaving the signal device, the two Group I agents left to be teleported back to Earth.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Superman asked.
"What's to talk about? He's a baddie. We'll go out and stop him."
Those words sounded fake to me, and I was the one who said them. I didn't suspect them to fool either Superman or Batman.
"He's dangerous," Batman said. "It's best if we deal with this."
"No!" Kon shouted. "I need to do this!"
After the two Group I agents were back on Earth, Seine asked, "Do you think this will work?"
Thames replied, "It'll take care of a problem. I have no doubts."
Conner was stumped. He couldn't figure out where Match was hiding. If his intention was to kill him, then he should have done something to lure him out. He was forced to consider the possibility that Match had figured out his identity as Conner Kent. That meant the Kents could be at risk.
He had to solve this and solve it quick.
Conner was not the only one working on finding Match. Superman has been patrolling the East Coast for him, and Batman was trying to puzzle out where he had gone.
"Oracle, I need a copy of what Group I had shown Superboy."
"You think there are clues on it?" she asked.
"It's more data," he said, simply.
"I can construct a copy from the JLA's surveillance equipment, but it'll be rough. Do you want me to get you a good copy too?"
"Yes. I need it to be as close to the original as possible."
"I'm on it."
I'm still trying to figure out why this bugs me so much. When Knockout did it, I was upset, but not this upset. Why does Match get under my skin like this?
Was it that he saved my life? Was it that he really seemed to have been my friend?
I think that's it. Looking back at it, Knockout was never my friend. She used me, her "pup." She never disguised her feelings. Match did.
Still, I'm surprised that he trashed Group I. I mean, he's always followed orders and been the good soldier. What could have caused him to do this? Does he hate me that much?
A couple days later, Conner was still trying to piece together where Match was when it came to him. People went to places to which they had an emotional connection. It made sense that Match would return to the place of his creation: the remains of the Agenda's Alaskan base.
Conner finished school and sprinted home. He left a note for the Kents and changed into costume. He remembered to pick up the signal device and flew to the ruins of the Agenda's base at his top speed.
It took him a little more than an hour to get there. It looked pretty much like it did when he left, a wrecked mess. He recalled that there were supposed to be elevated levels of radiation, but he wasn't going to be around long enough for them to affect him. He felt a surge of victory as he saw fresh footprints in the snow. He activated the signal device.
Batman was working when Oracle contacted him.
"We have a problem," she said.
"What is it?"
"I cleaned up Group I's little presentation. I noticed some anomalies in the audio. It was doctored."
"Were you able to reconstruct the original?"
"Yes. Fortunately, fragments of it were still in the active memory of the JLA computer."
"What did it say?"
Oracle played the audio for him. The true audio of the tape had Match going "I won't kill him!"
Batman said, "We need to tell Superboy. Notify Superman and have him contact him."
"I'm on it. Crap!"
"What?"
"Superboy just activated Group I's signal device. They're in Alaska."
"Inform Superman at once."
An agent of Group I said, "We have Superboy's signal."
"Excellent," said Thames, smiling. "Launch the cruise missiles."
"Yes, sir. They're launched and will hit in two minutes thirty-seven seconds."
Superboy made his way through the remains of the base. It was pretty much one giant room. One giant, wrecked room with rubble everywhere.
"Come on, Match, I know you're here," Superboy called out.
Match stepped out from behind a chunk of rubble. "Superboy? What are you doing here?"
I got angry. He was still lying to me. He was out to kill me and just pretending that everything was okay?
Kon snarled and lashed out with his heat vision. A look of surprise was evident on Match's face, but he recovered in time to bring up his powers to defend himself.
"What do you think you're doing?" he demanded. "What's come over you?"
Kon charged, and Match dodged out of the way. He took to the air and hovered there.
"Stop lying to me," Superboy snapped. "It's bad enough you want to kill me, but do you have to lie about it too?"
"What are you talking about?" Match returned to the ground and looked cautious.
Superboy threw several punches at Match that he either dodged or blocked.
Match jumped back. "Answer my question! Why did you come here?"
"Group I told me you wanted to kill me!"
Kon leapt at Match, and it was that moment when the cruise missiles struck. The walls and ceiling started to collapse. A wicked looking metal spike fell at Kon and was going to impale him.
"Look out!" Match shouted, shoving him out of the way.
Why did he save me? What was going on?
The spike buried itself in his gut. He collapsed on the floor.
"Match!" Kon shouted, rushing over to kneel by his side.
Match's eyes were glazed in shock. "Group I...wanted me to...kill you. I...couldn't...do it..."
"Match, don't you die on me!" Kon shouted.
The rubble continued to collapse, burying both of them.
Thames sat back and smiled at Seine. "Two problems have been taken care of."
Seine looked at him. "Get it confirmed first."
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