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Parents and Children, chapter 1
An alarm sounded at DEO headquarters.
"What's going on?" demanded Mr. Bones.
"Our computer systems are being taken over," a technician reported.
"Is our security failing? Do we know who's doing this?"
"Our security is holding now, but it will fail."
Mr. Bones slammed his fist on his desk. "Who's doing this?"
The technician hesitated before answering. "The signs point towards A-36."
The Martian Manhunter frowned. The JLA was receiving an urgent call from the DEO. He put it on the screen.
Mr. Bones' visage appeared. "I need Match to come to the DEO headquarters immediately."
"What's wrong?"
"Our systems are being compromised. He's the only one who's familiar with the hacker."
Max looked up as he heard J'onn's telepathic message.
"Acknowledged," he said. "I'll prepare for transport in ninety seconds."
"What's up?" Conner asked, knowing that Max didn't just talk out loud to himself.
"The DEO requires my assistance," he replied as he changed into his costume. "I'm going to be teleported there."
Conner started to change too. "I'll come."
Max mentally informed J'onn that Conner would be coming as well. The teleportation beam enveloped them, and they vanished.
The two appeared in DEO headquarters. Robin was there, as was Superman. Mr. Bones was flanked by two DEO agents.
"What is the situation?" Match asked.
"Our systems are being hacked," Mr. Bones said. "The attacker is A-36. You know what will happen if it gets our files."
"I'd like a panel with the exact status," Match said. "I'll need two workstations next to each other."
"What's A-36?" Superboy asked.
"It's an artificial intelligence that's designed to eliminate metahumans," Mr. Bones said, as Match examined the status of the system's security on a panel a technician gave him. "If it gets into our systems, it will have access to our information and be able to execute its directives."
"What are you familiar with it?" Superman asked Match. "Did you help create the AI?"
Robin and Superboy winced. There had been far too many problems with rogue AIs recently.
"I worked on it a little," Match answered. "I was assigned by the Groups to infiltrate the organization creating it and to steal it. I turned over the code and plans before the organization was able to build it."
"Did the organization reconstruct its work?" Robin asked.
"That's not possible," Mr. Bones answered. "They were neutralized. Match, are you up to speed?"
Match put the panel down. "Yes, I am."
Match moved a seat between the two workstations and adjusted the keyboards.
"What's your plan?" Mr. Bones asked.
"It's simple," he answered. "A-36 is trying to hack into the DEO system. It's trying to download the information and then activate the system's self-destruct device. I will hack into A-36 while it's trying to do this."
Robin whistled. "That's tougher than it sounds. Depending on the specs, this thing could process commands far faster than a person could."
"I concur," Oracle's voice came from a communications device that Robin was carrying. "Maybe a group of the best hackers could do it, but even between the three of us, we'd be overwhelmed."
Match sat down. "That is why we won't be doing this. I will."
"That's impossible," Robin bluntly stated.
"I helped design A-36," Match reminded him. "I know its weaknesses and they way it's programmed to think."
Robin was skeptical, but looked in disbelief as Match began typing one-handed on each workstation at a breakneck speed. Computer code flew across both screens.
"How's he doing that?" Robin whispered to Superboy.
Kon realized how Match was able to do it. "He's used to splitting his focus when using his powers. For lack of a better phrase, he's working on two different projects at once."
"Parallel processing," Robin said in awe.
"Five minutes until A-36 penetrates our system," a technician reported.
Match continued to type.
"Match, don't," a woman's voice said over the DEO intercom system in an Italian accent. "Stop what you're doing."
Match stopped and looked at the loudspeaker in disbelief.
Kon placed the voice and his eyes widened. "It can't be!"
"Contessa?" Match asked in a soft voice.
"It's not her, it's A-36," Mr. Bones said. "Don't fall for it!"
"A-36 is unraveling his program!" a technician reported in a panicked voice.
"It's me, Match," the voice continued. "Stop what you're doing. Come back to me, nothing has to change. We can be a family again."
A dark look passed over Match's face and he returned to typing, this time even faster than before.
"Are you going to make it?" Mr. Bones asked Match.
"I'm half a second ahead of it," Match responded, his eyes flickering back and forth between the two screens.
"That's it?" Superman asked. "That's too close. I'll get everybody out of here..."
As he reached for Match, his hand ran into an invisible barrier.
"I expect you to let me do my job," Match said in a tone that showed he's brook no interference. "It's what I'm here for."
"You can evacuate everybody else, but I'll stay here," Kon said.
"Me too," Robin said. "Your shield can protect me if it's needed."
"I'm hardly going to leave three teenagers here while I flee my own headquarters," Mr. Bones said dryly. "I'm staying."
Superman sighed. "I'll get everyone else out."
As he did that, the three watched Match continue to type. Kon checked the countdown. Less than thirty seconds remained. Match looked as driven as Kon had ever seen him; he normally looked calm and unruffled.
Match stopped typing as the countdown reached zero. A second passed. Then five seconds passed. There was no explosion.
Match stood up. "I know where A-36 is being housed. Let's retrieve it."
Match's impassive demeanor had returned.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Superboy asked. "You must be mentally exhausted after what you've just done."
Match gave him a weary smile. "I know what A-36 is capable of. I'll feel better if it's placed in custody."
"I'll assemble a team of agents," Mr. Bones said.
With the situation under control, Superman left to deal with another emergency. Superboy, Robin, and Match accompanied the DEO team to A-36's location. The machine was in a deserted warehouse.
Robin looked at it. "This is really top of the line, cutting edge hardware. It should be relatively easy to trace."
"I could be of great assistance to you," A-36 said in the Contessa's voice. "It's not necessary to disassemble me."
"I suggest you use a different voice," Match said in a deceptively neutral tone. "I don't find that one...appropriate."
Superboy glanced at his brother. He halfway expected him to destroy the computer with his bare hands.
"Match, I can-" it began, in the Contessa's voice.
"I know where your memory is," Match interrupted it. "I can destroy part of it without affecting the rest of you. It would be the human equivalent of a rather painful and debilitating stroke."
"I can be of assistance," A-36 said in a computerized voice. "We can come to a mutually beneficial arrangement."
Match paused before smiling slightly. "Take it apart. It's too dangerous, and it won't stray from its purpose."
"Please, don't!" it pleaded. "I can-"
The AIs voice abruptly stopped.
"I've disconnected its voice," Match said. "It will be less distracting."
He turned to Superboy. "I'm going to head back. Are you coming?"
Kon shook his head. "I'm going to give Robin a lift back to Gotham. You seem like you need to cool down a bit."
"Dealing with this has made me a bit upset. When it comes to the Contessa, I suppose I'm a bit...sensitive."
"That's an understatement."
Match said his goodbyes and headed off.
As he left the warehouse, Match was wondering who built A-36. It couldn't have been the group that designed it. That left some organization or someone with access to the Groups' records.
Preoccupied with both this mystery and his own emotions and still mentally exhausted from stopping A-36, Match was taken by surprise when somebody sprayed him in the face with a shot of gas from a canister.
Match tried to slam the person away from him with his telekinesis, but it didn't work. He realized that the gas must have been a psionic inhibitor.
Before he could do anything else or call for help, he was struck with a taser. He hit the ground.
Before he fell unconscious, he heard someone say, "Target acquired."
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