A/N: good day, everyone! This one's been ready for a minute, but real life issues forced us to postpone. We're in the final stretch here, so we hope you'll strap in for the next few chapters!

Mount Justice, November 16, 09:42 EST

"Recognize: Hawkeye, 1-4; Green Arrow, 1-0; Mockingbird, 1-5; Black Canary. 1-9." The Zeta Tubes announced, depositing the four aforementioned heroes into the briefing area of Mount Justice. All were dressed in their civilian attire, and began to approach Batman, Captain America, and Martian Manhunter.

"Thank you all for coming on such short notice." Batman greeted.

"Your message said it was urgent. Something happen?" Clint asked, and the League's co-chairs exchanged a look.

"Well…" Was it just them, or did Cap seem more than a little uncomfortable? "We think you all need to take a look at this. And just… try not to overreact." The others all raised an eyebrow, but said nothing as Batman summoned some video footage, displaying it on a holographic screen. The timestamp indicated that it was recorded the day before, in the evening. It appeared to be Black Canary sparring with Francis. They watched as the two exchanged blows, kicks and punches being perfectly parried, until Dinah managed to sweep Francis's legs out from under him, knocking him on his back.

"Ow…"

"Not bad. You almost had me that time." The Dinah of days past stated, as she helped Francis to his feet. "Still, I suppose that deserves some reward…"

Jaws hit the floor and eyes went wide as saucers as 'Dinah' wrapped her arms around Francis, pulling him into a kiss.

"What the f-"

"Oh, you little cradle robber!" Bobbi declared, spinning to glare at Dinah.

"Bobbi, I would never! That's not me! I wasn't even here last night!"

"That's what they always say, isn't it? Couldn't even-"

"Easy, Bobbi. I'm sure there's a perfectly reasonable explanation for all this." Clint reassured, as he and Ollie stepped between them before things got too out of hand. Clint looked over at Batman and Cap. "There is a reasonable explanation, right?"

"There is. Keep watching." Batman instructed, resuming playback. The embrace broke, and they all watched as 'Dinah' shifted back into M'gann. The four stood there in silence, taking in what they just watched…

"... Pffft! Ha ha ha ha!" Oliver burst out laughing, earning a piercing glare from his own girlfriend.

"This isn't funny! She… I… that wasn't…this isn't funny!"

"You guys didn't think to open with that?!" Clint asked, and Cap rubbed the back of his neck.

"We, uh… we weren't exactly sure what the best way to handle it was. There really was no easy way to describe it."

"Still, a little warning would have been nice." Bobbi muttered, taking a deep breath. "Dinah, I'm… sorry for reacting like that. I know you better than to think you'd do something like that."

"It's fine. Trust me, I'd have the same reaction." Dinah reassured, as J'onn stepped forward.

"Allow me to explain. On Mars, this is a common game. We all shape shift, reading each other's minds and picking up on our partner's thoughts. No one is misled, and I am certain that Francis was completely aware of what was happening."

"So what, this is just how teenagers mess around on Mars?"

"I don't know if you noticed, Oliver, but we're not on Mars!" Dinah answered.

"That may be true, but you have to understand, M'gann still does not understand that things are different here on Earth than on Mars."

"Then someone needs to make sure she understands. That they both do." Bobbi stated. "We'll handle Francis. Right, Clint?"

"Hold on. It's just a little harmless fun between kids, and as long as they're communicating and-" Clint was cut off mid-sentence with a look from Bobbi, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I'll, uh, I'll talk to him when we get home."

"And I'll handle M'gann." Dinah stated, and Bobbi nodded.

"Sounds like a plan."

As this exchange happened, Captain America leaned over to Clint and Oliver. "Gentlemen, I don't mean to intrude, but… well…"

"But what?"

"I understand this could be just me, but do either of you think that Dinah and Bobbi are… eerily similar sometimes?" The Sentinel of Liberty asked. The two archers raised an eyebrow, looking over at their blonde partners conversing.

"... What are you talking about?"

"Yeah, Cap, I don't see it at all."

"... Never mind." Captain America stepped back, only for Batman to lean in beside him.

"Trust me. It's not just you."

11:16 EST

"-lo, Megan!" Canned laughter emanated from M'gann's laptop as she sat on her bed in her human form, watching something on her laptop.

Knock Knock Knock

"M'gann? Are you in there?" Dinah's voice called from the other side of the door, causing M'gann to sit up. She closed her laptop, her skin shifting from Caucasian back to its usual green.

"Uh, yeah! Come in!" She called. On the other side, Dinah took a deep breath, opening the door and entering. A short while later, after a recounting of her conversation with the others an hour ago, Dinah sat on the bed next to M'gann.

"... So you can see why, among humans, that game could be very hurtful. If the wrong person had walked in at the wrong time and misunderstood what was going on, it could have caused serious trouble for all of us." Dinah finished explaining, and M'gann looked away, a shameful frown on her face.

"I'm sorry. I… I didn't mean to cause any trouble…" She choked out, and Dinah smiled as she placed a hand on her shoulder.

"It's ok. I'm not upset… anymore. It wasn't too long ago I was where you are now in life, and back then, the greatest lesson I learned was that all you have to do is be yourself." It was like a jolt went through M'gann. She bolted upright, jumping to her feet and knocking Dinah's hand away, and Dinah could swear she saw what looked like fear on the young Martian's face.

"This is myself! This is who I really am!" She all but shrieked out, and Dinah saw just how… afraid she was. The same fear she'd seen in their sessions following the simulation…

Before she could press any further, the loudspeaker's chirped, as Batman's voice came over the PA.

"Trickshot, X-23, White Wolf, Miss Martian, report to the mission area." The Caped Crusader ordered.

A short while later, the summoned Team members were suited up and gathered in the briefing area, as Batman summoned up the mission brief. Images of a Middle Eastern man and a map of Qurac appeared behind him, alongside an image of the man shaking hands with Bruce Wayne.

"Rumaan Harjavti is the democratically elected leader of Qurac. He's been a champion of human rights for years, and in addition to being renowned around the world for his work as a humanitarian, has been praised by his citizens as a fair, wise leader following years of oppressive regimes."

"Being a friend of Bruce Wayne's doesn't hurt, either…" X-23 muttered under her breath, as White Wolf crossed his arms.

"I have been to Qurac, and have met President Harjavti. Few men in his position live up to his reputation quite like him."

"Which makes his recent actions all the more concerning." Batman explained, as an image of Harjavti shaking hands with Queen Bee appeared behind him. "Five days ago, Harjavti allied himself with the dictator of the neighboring nation of Bialya, Queen Bee."

"Can't say I've ever met her in person, but nothing I've heard makes me inclined to be a fan." Trickshot stated.

"A fair assumption. Queen Bee is a powerful mutant, with the ability to enthrall any who are attracted to women. She is a tyrant in every sense of the word. One who, if I am not mistaken, President Harjavti has condemned multiple times in the past." White Wolf explained, earning a nod from the Dark Knight.

"Your memory's correct. For years, Harjavti has rebuked Queen Bee's baseless claim that Qurac and Bialya were once one nation. However, at a press conference three days ago, President Harjavti not only praised Queen Bee as a benevolent and fair ruler, but also announced plans for the country to reunify, two days from now." Batman explained, summoning footage of Harjavti's press conference.

"After the ceremony, I will step down as President, yielding control to our rightful ruler, her benevolent majesty Queen Bee." The footage then shifted to Bialya, of Queen Bee holding her own conference.

"I laud President Harjavti for his decision to acknowledge our shared history, and make the best decision for our people. I will be coming to Qurac personally to be crowned sole leader of our great, unified nation!" She announced, her silky smooth voice carrying a distinct smug tone.

"And the Quaraci people are just ok with this?"

"Hardly." The Dark Knight answered X-23, pulling up footage of protests in Qurac. "They're well aware of the brutality of Queen Bee's regime, and have taken to the streets to protest. However, Harjavti has silenced the press, disowned all legitimate forms of protest, and has even invited the Bialyan military in to assist in declaring martial law."

"This is not the man I've met. President Harjavti has always been a champion of free speech, not silencing his people with a boot on his neck. The only logical explanation has to be that Queen Bee is controlling him somehow."

"My thoughts exactly. As you mentioned earlier, Queen Bee is a powerful mutant, with the ability to enthrall anyone attracted to her, regardless of gender. However, all documented use of her powers indicate her power can't reach over long distances, and fades after a short period of time. And we have confirmation that she hasn't left Bialya at all during this."

"Meaning there's something else at work here." X-23 sighed.

"Yes, and that's why we're sending you all to find out what. Trickshot, you're team leader." Batman said, surprising the young archer enough he almost dropped his bow.

"Batman, are you sure? What about Kaldur?"

"Aqualad is currently working with Aquaman on another case, and before you ask, Scarlet Spider is currently off duty. He needs time off following the Doctor Octopus incident."

"I'm sure he's thrilled by that." X-23 sighed.

"No, he argued for hours, said he was fine, but Spider-Man ultimately made the call to take him off for now." Captain America said as he entered the room before turning back to Trickshot.

"Aqualad personally assured Batman and I that you were the best option in his absence, something we were inclined to agree with." Trickshot took a deep breath, before nodding.

"I won't let you down."

"I know. Now, we don't have time to waste. The ceremony will commence in Qurac the morning of the 18th. Once Harjavti signs the document, there'll be no turning back."

"Understood. Let's get going."

Qurac, 23:56 UTC+2

The Bioship flew through low Earth orbit, using the rotation of the Earth to cut a trip that would have taken around 10 hours to about three. As the bioship flew above the Quraci border, it silently glided over a patch of greenery.

"Didn't see this part the last time we were here." X-23 remarked, looking out the window to see animals below them.

"That's because we were further north, at a more heavily patrolled part of the border." Trickshot explained, and White Wolf looked out to see tanks rolling down barbed wire fences as if they were nothing, soldiers flanking them.

"A border the Bialyans don't seem keen to acknowledge."

"Not surprising. Batman said that Harjavti's practically rolling out the red carpet for them. No point in respecting borders when they're practically inviting you in." The team's mutant brawler stated, as Trickshot checked the read out on his smartphone-like device.

"Not that they'd get much resistance here, anyway. According to the maps, we're currently drifting over an animal sanctuary." He said scrolling through the information. However, once he read the part about an animal sanctuary, a set of green ears perked up.

"The Logan animal sanctuary!?" Miss Martian asked, perhaps a little too excited. Trickshot checked his device, reading the name.

"Uh, yeah, actually. You've heard of it?"

"I, uh, read an article about it!" Once he heard talk of an animal sanctuary, White Wolf narrowed his eyes. He pressed the side of his helmet, the red eyes of his helmet turning green as he activated his night vision. Below him, he saw a herd of wildebeests, running away from the Bialyans.

"Their incursion has triggered a stampede. And…" He saw something out of place, zooming in to see what looked like a woman and a small boy kneeling beside what appeared to be an orix. "And there are civilians in their path!"

"I see them. Looks like a woman and a small boy, probably… no older than nine, if I had to guess." X-23 stated, and Miss Martian looked at Trickshot.

"We have to help them! They'll be crushed!" She pleaded, and he frowned under his mask.

"That's way off-mission…" He groaned, before he sighed. "But that's never stopped us before. Deploy, but maintain stealth. This whole thing's pointless if Queen Bee knows we're coming. Plus, between the Americans, the Martian, and the Wakandan, I'd like to avoid starting an international incident tonight."

An hour ago, the only sound in the Logan Animal Sanctuary was the soft chirping of crickets in the night sky. Now, the air was filled with churning engines and rolling treads of the two tanks rolling across the preserve, flanked by the stomping of Bialyan boots as the soldiers marched across the sanctuary. Wildebeests scattered, running away from the massive death machines barreling towards them, nothing standing in their way…

Only for a red beam to fire out of the sky, hitting one of them on the side. The tank careened and swerved in front of the other one, the collision derailing the two.

"(What was that?)"

"(Our Queen's enemies! Be on your guard!)" The Squad commander ordered, but before they could raise their weapons, two arrows seemed to sail from the sky, landing in the middle and exploding in a cloud of smoke.

Thick smoke blanketed the area, and as the Bialyans tried to find their bearings, two black figures seemed to drop from nowhere. With their trademark skill and grace, X-23 and Trickshot made their way through the Bialyans, whirling blurs of punches and kicks as they made their way through the soldiers.

X-23 grabbed the shoulders of one man and slammed him onto the ground, using the momentum to launch into a somersault that allowed her to slam her foot into the head of another, before tackling a third.

Trickshot slammed his bow into the head of one man, delivered a right hook to the jaw of another, and performed a leg sweep that knocked the legs out from yet another. He nocked three arrows, firing them at the remaining soldiers outside of the smoke cloud. The trick arrows hit them square in the chest, electrocuting and knocking them out, as X-23 headbutted the last man.

The wildebeests' stampede continued, heading right for the woman and the young boy. The woman held her son close, throwing herself in front of him as the animals got closer…

Only for White Wolf to drop in front of them. Ethereal energy spread out in front of him, taking the shape of a lion that let out a mighty roar as he stared directly at them. The stampede veered around them, the boy's jaw dropping as he watched them spread around White Wolf.

"Whoa…" He gasped out, only for the orix to shake him away, as it ran into the stampede. "Orix, no!" He cried out, afraid he was going to watch the animal get trampled to death… only to watch as it was levitated out, as if by magic. "So cool…" The boy muttered, as the last of the stampede went past them, White Wolf turning to them.

"Are either of you injured?"

"No, we're fine."

"Mom, mom, mom! We were just saved by the Black Panther!"

"Er, White Wolf, actually." The Wakandan corrected, as X-23 walked up.

"That should be the last of them. I'm not smelling anyone else around, other than us."

"All the better." Trickshot stated as he walked up, White Wolf raising an eyebrow under his helmet.

"What took you so long?"

"Had to gather up my arrows. Can't leave any sign we were here."

"Oh, is that why you told me not to use my claws? I thought you just wanted to give me a challenge. Feels like it's been ages since I got to beat up a bunch of guys like that." X-23 responded, the boy's jaw dropping even further.

"Holy crap, it's Trickshot! A-and some kind of… Lady Wolverine!"

"Garfield, I told you to watch your language." His mother scolded, but the boy, now identified as Garfield, didn't have his excitement quelled.

"But mom, we just got saved by three actual superheroes!"

"Four. Miss Martian helped too." X-23 explained, as the oryx was set back on the ground. It came over to Garfield, who gave it a hug. The cloaked Miss Martian touched down next to Trickshot, who looked confused.

"You can decamo now, Miss M. Goons are gone." Under the veil of camouflage, the Martian frowned, uncertain as she looked at the red haired woman across from her. She sighed, before removing her hood, returning her to the field of visible light. Garfield's eyes widened in surprise, but that was soon returned by his eager smile.

"This is so cool!" He exclaimed, but his mother didn't seem so thrilled, a frown on her face.

"I don't want to sound ungrateful, but you may have just made things worse. Bialyan border crossings are a way of life around here. Usually, they'll wreck a few fences, scare the animals, and move on. Engaging them like that might have just made us a target." The woman explained.

"I'm sorry. From what we've been able to gather, things around here have been a little out of the ordinary, and we couldn't take that chance." Trickshot explained, and the woman sighed.

"No, I'm sorry. You're right, that was anything but normal. They've never come this far over the border before, and never with tanks like that. I knew things with Bialya were getting tense, but I never thought they'd do anything like that." The woman explained. "I suppose I should introduce myself. You already met my son, Garfield, and I'm-"

"Marie Logan!" M'gann all but exclaimed, practically shoving herself to the front of the group. "I-I can't believe I'm actually meeting you in person! I've, uh, admired your work with animal rights for years!" X-23 raised an eyebrow at this, leaning over to White Wolf.

"Didn't she say she'd only been on Earth for six months?"

"That was my understanding as well…"

"Since when are you into animal rights?" Trickshot thought over their private mindlink, earning a blush from M'gann. The oryx whined, getting their attention.

"Is it hurt?"

"It's sick, and I'm worried about the wildebeests. I need to get back to my clinic."

"We can help with that!" Miss Martian popped up. "White Wolf and X-23 are great trackers, and Trickshot can spot anything from a mile away! They can help with that, and I can help with the fences."

"I don't know…"

"MM, that's not exactly the mission…"

"Mom, please!"

"Trickshot, please!"

Miss Martian and Garfield clapped their hands together to plead in unison, and Trickshot and Marie both let out a sigh.

"I guess we can help…"

"I guess we can use the help…"

Miss Martian broke into a smile, wrapping her arms around Trickshot as Garfield hugged Marie.

"You won't regret it!" They both declared in unison.

A few hours later, after a wildebeest hunt to make sure that none of them were injured, Garfield was leading Trickshot, X-23, and White Wolf back to the main house of the preserve.

"I have learned more about wildebeests than I've ever wanted to know…"

"Just be grateful you don't have enhanced senses. I'm gonna have nightmares about that for weeks…" X-23 groaned out, as they approached the house. However, a rustling of the trees got her attention, and she looked up just in time to see a small capuchin monkey land on her face. "Hey!" She exclaimed, the small enemy crawling around her, before jumping from her shoulder, to White Wolf's, to Garfield's.

"Oh, this is Monkey! I think he likes you!"

"I'm charmed…" She groaned, the four entering the house. It was a decent-sized house, the four of them entering a moderately sized living room decorated with pictures of animals, Garfield at various ages, and what looked like Marie with various people.

"So, it's weird about Miss Martian, right?" Garfield called as Trickshot shut the door behind them, earning confused looks from the three.

"First time meeting an alien? Yeah, it's always a little weird at first, but-"

"What? I'm talking about the way she looks." This did little to abate their confused looks.

"I mean, I think she looks fine…" Trickshot stated, getting a snort from X-23.

"Right answer."

"I'm talking about the fact that she looks exactly like Marie!" Garfield explained. "I mean, you guys saw it too, right? The red hair, the freckles… she looks exactly like my mom. Especially back when she was on TV."

"Wait, your mother was on television?" T'zari asked, and Garfield nodded.

"Yeah, she had her own show and everything! You guys have never heard of Hello, Megan?" Their ears all perked up at this.

"Heard that phrase more than we can count, but I never thought it was a show." Trickshot stated.

"I thought it was just a quirky catchphrase."

"It was. On the show." Garfield stressed, heading over to a shelf that had DVDs and VHS tapes on it. "Way before we were born, it only lasted one season. Can't even find it online, if you can believe it. Mom has some old tapes around here somewhere…"

As the young boy shifted through the tapes, the three exchanged a look. The animal sanctuary they stopped to help was run by a woman who looked exactly like M'gann, and starred in a show that had the same name as her catchphrase? This was one weird coincidence…

Back at the area where the Bialyans had crossed, M'gann and Marie had gotten out of a truck, which had several fence posts and a spool of barbed wire in the bed. Marie sighed, looking over the large section of damaged fence.

"Even with your help, this'll take us hours. And once the sun gets high enough, it's going to be beyond miserable. I was hoping to get this done by noon…" Marie lamented.

"Then it's a good thing I insisted on coming." M'gann reassured, her eyes glowing as she held up her hand. Fence posts telekinetically flew off the bed of the truck, setting themselves perfectly in the ground, evenly spaced apart. As soon as they were settled, the barbed wire unspooled itself, wrapping itself around the posts.

"Huh. Well, that just saved me about two hours." Marie commented, reaching into her satchel and pulling out her wire cutters. M'gann bit her lip, her smile evident even from behind, and Marie sighed as she knelt down. "Go on. I know you've been dying to ask me whatever you want to."

"What was it like? Being Megan?" The Martian asked, her voice dripping with excitement and eagerness. Marie's brow furrowed, as she knelt down to cut the wires.

"Uh, it was fun, I guess."

"Remember when you were supposed to bake cookies for the bake sale, and you thought it'd be faster to bake one giant cookie, and-"

"Uh, vaguely. Look, I hate to break it to you, but Megan Wheeler… she doesn't exist. She was a job I did, one that ended because a bunch of network execs decided that sitcoms about whacky cheerleaders weren't doing the numbers they wanted anymore.. That person you saw, the whacky cheerleader who almost burned down her house trying to make a giant cookie? She's not me, and I spent a long time trying to move on from her. The rest of the world was able to, anyway…" The older woman explained, and M'gann dejectedly looked away. Marie saw this, and sighed.

"Come on, we've got a lot more fence to fix before the sun gets too high. And… I guess for every section we fix, you can ask one Hello, Megan! question."

Back at the house, Trickshot and X-23 had sat down, while White Wolf helped Garfield look for the tape. "I am surprised to see so many VHS tapes, Garfield. I was under the impression this was outdated…"

"Well, it is. But we don't really have good internet all the way out here at the border, so we've gotta make do with what we can." Garfield explained, shuffling through the tapes. "Let's see… here we go!" He plucked out a tape with a faded logo, heading over to the television set and turning it on. T'zari sat next to Francis and Laura, all of them having removed their masks and helmets, as Garfield slid the tape into the VCR.

"Shame Nolan's not here. He'd have a stroke seeing that thing working. I'm pretty sure it's older than everyone here." Francis remarked, as the video clicked on. It was old and grainy, but relatively clear as the theme song kicked in. It was unbelievably corny, a throwback to a more simplistic era of entertainment.

But before it could go any further, Laura's ears perked up. There was no mistaking the low hum she heard, getting steadily louder by the second. She bolted right up, getting their attention.

"What's wrong?"

"Something's coming this way. Fast." Their faces turned serious, as Francis grabbed his bow. They headed towards the door, only for the archer to turn back to Garfield.

"Gar, stay put. We'll get you when it's safe."

"Uh, ok…" He agreed, as the heroes headed out the door.

They stepped out into the yard, looking around as M'gann and Marie walked up.

"What's wrong?" Marie asked, and X-23 closed her eyes as she focused.

"Something from the Bialyan side. It's closing in fast!"

"There!" White Wolf pointed to the east, and they turned to see three unmanned drones flying towards them. The chain guns fired and bullets ripped through the landscape, sending dirt and grass flying everywhere. The truck exploded as bullets ripped through it, and Marie braced herself as they approached her, only for X-23 to shove her to the ground.

"I understand you're not used to getting shot at, but it's usually a good idea to get out of the way of the gunfire!"

"I've lived here for five years, it's not my first time!" Marie stated, only for her eyes to widen as she saw the open door to the main house. "Wait, where's Garfield?!"

"I told him to stay put."

"Have you ever met an eight year old?! They don't do orders!" Trickshot whipped his head around, looking for any sign of the young Logan, only to see him opening the barn door on the clinic.

Garfield grunted, pushing the door open. "Come on Oryx, get out of here!" He pleaded, and the sick oryx from earlier galloped out. He grinned, pumping his fist in the air. "Yes!"

"Garfield, look out!" The young boy barely had time to look up before the drones circled back around, bullets whizzing out of the gun… and striking the propane tank next to the clinic. It exploded, and the clinic was consumed by sound and fire.

"No!" Marie shrieked out, and Trickshot grabbed her to keep from running after him.

"Megs!"

"I've got him!" Miss Martian reassured, flying over. Her eyes scanned the scattering rubble, splinters and equipment flying everywhere… and spotting the limp body among it all. A telekinetic hand reached out, grabbing Garfield and pulling him over to her. Miss Martian caught him, blood pouring from cuts all over him, and the distraught mother looked up at the Martian.

"Is he…?" She asked, and M'gann watched closely… only for Garfield to groan.

"He's alive!"

"Oh thank god…" She gasped out, looking over to glare at Trickshot. "I told you there'd be consequences!"

"There always are. And the least we can do is make it right." He grimly stated, looking over at X-23 and White Wolf as Miss Martian landed, handing over the groaning Garfield to Marie. "You two, get them inside!"

"What about you?" X-23 asked as the drones circled around.

"As much as I hate to say it, you two aren't much help in this situation. We can handle this." Trickshot stated, and the two nodded, escorting Garfield and Marie. The three drones circled around, the young couple watching as they grew closer.

Trickshot pulled an arrow from his quiver, nocking it and aiming at the flying drones. "On three?"

"On three. One…" They were getting closer…

"Two…" The drones' targeting systems continued to lock on, getting them in their sights…

"Three!" Trickshot loosed his arrow, the projectile flying and landing on the lead drone. Once it attached itself to the outer hull, a localized EMP was activated, frying the electronics in the drone. As it careened into the ground, Miss Martian grabbed the other two telekinetically, slamming them together and destroying them.

Once they ensured that no more drones were incoming, the two went inside, following the trail of blood through the house to the second story. They found an open door with a sign that read "Gar's Room", looking inside to see White Wolf and X-23 helping Marie hook life support devices up to Garfield.

"How is he?"

"He's alive, which is about the only positive thing. He lost a lot of blood, and he's in shock. We're lucky I had some spare equipment in here." Marie stated.

"He needs a transfusion, but for obvious reasons, it's not like she has extra blood on hand." X-23 sighed.

"Blood types, do you all know yours?" Marie asked desperately.

"I'm A positive." Trickshot stated.

"B negative." White Wolf grimly answered.

"The Facility didn't exactly tell me, but I think I'm AB Negative."

"You're also a mutant, and I don't know how a human body would take to that." Trickshot admitted, and Marie frowned.

"It'd have been too easy otherwise. Not that I'm surprised, it's the hardest to match. I kept some spare blood in the clinic, including O negative, but that's obviously out of the question… you guys got here somehow. Don't you have a ship or a jet or something?"

"The nearest hospital's forty miles away, and the only one guaranteed to have O negative blood is an hour and a half away by Bioship. We can't guarantee he would make the trip safely, especially if the Bialyans have wisened up to our presence here. He would need other equipment we don't have here." White Wolf pointed out.

"I'm afraid we're going to have to risk it." Trickshot stated. "Marie, can you prep him for-"

"I can help." Miss Martian spoke up, drawing their attention. "Martian shapeshifting occurs at a cellular level. I… think I can morph my blood to match his."

"You think?" Laura asked, and M'gann frowned.

"I've never tried anything that precise. If something goes wrong, or I don't get the composition right-"

"Then he'll die anyway." Marie grimly stated, looking M'gann in the eye. "Do you honestly think you can do this? Can you save my son?" She asked. M'gann looked at Garfield on the table, his breathing shallow and uneven, before she adopted a look of determination across her face.

"Yes, I can, but I need to focus; no distractions at all." Marie gave her a nod, before turning to the others.

"All of you, out! Now!"

"Uh, right. Come on, let them work!" Trickshot agreed, getting everyone out, even taking care to grab M'Gann's comm link and shutting the door as they left.

M'gann stood over the wounded boy, wiping a bit of blood from his nose. She held the bloodstained finger up, her eyes glowing green.

The red blood was absorbed into her green skin, taking it into her body. Being a shapeshifter meant controlling each individual cell of her body, instructing each one to change into the form she desired. Once Garfield's blood was inside her, M'gann was able to hone in on the composition of the blood, instructing her body to mimic the composition of the new foreign agent. Bit by bit, blood cell by blood cell, the change happened. Her green Martian blood began to change, blood cells and platelets changing shape, slowly but surely, changing to red. In order to accommodate the new blood, she even changed the shape of her heart, sweat beading on her forehead.

Marie stood in place, her heart hammering in her ears as she watched her younger doppelganger's eyes glowed green. She had no idea what was happening, if it was even working. But after a minute that stretched into an eternity, M'gann's eyes turned red, and the glow ceased.

"I'm ready."

Downstairs, Francis paced the living room, running his hand through his hair. "Talk about a mess…"

"They'll pull it off. They have to." Laura stated, and Francis sighed.

"And to top it all off, Harjavti's stepping down in 24 hours. Meaning that what happened here is what's going to happen all over Qurac if we don't put a stop to it."

"We will. Of that, I have faith." T'zari reassured.

"Here, let's find a news station. At least that way, we'll know if Queen Bee's calling for our heads yet." Laura stated, picking up a remote and attempting to press the power button, only for nothing to happen. "Huh, I think the remote's busted."

"Oh, this is like the TV at my grandparents' house. You've gotta turn on the TV, then the cable." Francis explained, picking up another remote. "Let's see, it should be… this one." He pressed the power button…

"Hello, Megan!" The TV chimed, as the title card appeared. The theme music kicked in, something sickeningly corny that called back to an era of television long past. They watched as an exterior shot showed a school, zooming in on… Megan Morse, exactly as they knew her. The red hair, the freckles, the red and white outfit, even the skin tone, was exactly what they were used to.

But this wasn't Megan Morse. Instead, their confusion only grew, as the credits flashed on screen to announce: "Starring Marie Logan as Megan Wheeler!"

"What the hell…" Laura muttered, as T'zari sat down.

"It appears that Garfield's assumption was not unfounded…" He stated, as the opening theme song showed a variety of scenes, the song talking about how the world seemed to revolve around Megan. Various scenes of her antics were shown, Francis's eyes widening as he recognized some of the cast members flashing on screen.

"Holy crap, how old is this…"

"'Featuring Simon Williams as Connor Sloane…' Well, that answers where she got Connor's name from." Laura remarked, as 'Megan' held 'Connor' close.

"Rita Farr as well? They must have just begun their careers." T'zari remarked, earning a raised eyebrow from Francis.

"You get Rita Farr movies in Wakanda?"

"You forget, my mother grew up in America. I was raised on those movies." T'zari remarked, as the theme song closed. The episode proper commenced, canned studio applause playing over a scene in the Wheeler house. Mrs. Wheeler was dusting, as 'Megan' came down the stairs.

"Mom, I'm heading down to the library to study with Rita!" The fictional Megan stated, only for her mother to place her hands on her hips.

"Now, Megan, didn't you invite a certain someone to study over here?" The doorbell rang, and 'Megan' slapped her head.

"Hello, Megan!" Canned studio applause and laughter broke out at the catchphrase, and Laura raised an eyebrow.

"This is supposed to be funny?"

"Gar said it only lasted one season, so I guess not." Francis stated, as 'Megan' opened the door to reveal 'Connor.'

"That man looks familiar, but I cannot place it…"

"Who, Simon Williams? He's starring in that crappy Spy Smasher remake out next month, can't turn on a TV back home without seeing him. Word of advice, do not ask Cap what he thinks about it." Francis remarked.

"You're taking all of this… remarkably well. If that was Jason on the screen, I know I'd have a bunch of questions."

"It might be that we have bigger concerns than what M'Gann chooses to look like." Francis sighed before a voice came from behind them.

"It's done, all we can do now is wait." M'Gann's voice said from behind them heading down the hall as Francis hastily changed the channel to the news before she could see the show. The newsfeed was hardly surprising, showing Harjavti praising Queen Bee. They were going to pass it off, but Francis noticed something.

"Wait a second…" He trailed off, hopping off the chair to approach the television. He leaned forward, looking closer at a man in the back of Harjavti's entourage.

"What? Do you see something?"

"Yeah, something I never wanted to see again." Francis stated, pointing at a pale faced man in a brown coat, standing behind Harjavti. "Unless I am mistaken, that is our old friend Psimon."

"Wait, the guy who scrambled our brains the last time we were in Bialya? I thought we left his ass in the desert after we got Sphere out." Laura asked, as M'gann frowned.

"That's him, all right. I'll never forget that face."

"He was under Queen Bee's employ during our last visit, and I do not think it is too much of a stretch to assume he is doing so now. Telepathic manipulation would explain Harjavti's abrupt change in personality." T'zari theorized.

"And how she made it happen without ever setting foot in the country. If we can get Psimon away from him, we might be able to stop all this."

"But we've gotta be careful. Last time we went up against Psimon, he brain blasted all of us. I don't know about you guys, but I'm tired of having my head messed with." Laura stated.

"We were unprepared last time. Next time we take him on, I'll be ready." M'gann firmly stated, and they were kept from further discussion by Marie clearing her throat behind them. "How's Garfield? Is he…?"

"He's not out of the woods yet, but he's stable."

"Good, because we have our mission." Trickshot stated. "We're sorry we brought this to your door. We promise, we-"

"Save it. You're here to stop the Bialyans, right?" Marie asked. The Team exchanged a glance, before nodding. "That's all I need to hear. You're free to stay here, however long you need."

"Ms. Logan, we appreciate it, but we've imposed enough. We're sorry for-"

"If you're going to apologize for Garfield, don't. If you hadn't dropped in when you did, it would've been much worse." The veterinarian explained. "Feel free to stay as long as you need. Just… just promise you'll stop them. Before they do this to any more children."

"We promise." M'gann stated, getting a nod of approval from Marie.

Dhabar, 22:11 UTC+2

The capital city of Qurac had undergone many changes in recent years, having blossomed into a city with a bustling bazaar that never quite seemed to settle down. Now, however, Bialyan soldiers roamed the streets, tanks rolling down once busy roads. Any who were spotted out of their homes were detained, no matter the reason. What was once a beacon of freedom in the region was now under the iron grip of a tyrant, one that had been invited in by their own president.

Who was currently sitting in his office at the Presidential Palace, looking out his window over the eerily silent city. However, where one might have expected pride, shame, or even anger at the current turn of events, President Rumaan Harjavti's face was instead a blank stare, eyes glassy as he stared slack jawed at the city. He gave no reaction as a small wire camera was inserted through a hole in a ceiling tile, allowing the oversized rats scurrying around the ceiling to survey the room.

"Harjavti's alone. I'm not seeing anyone on thermal or infrared." Trickshot stated over the Team's mindlink.

"Any sign of Psimon?"

"No. If I had to guess, he's moved into Harjavti's room for himself." Trickshot thought, as the camera retracted.

The ceiling tile moved aside, and down dropped the infiltration team, Miss Martian levitating above them in stealth mode. White Wolf moved to Harjavti, shaking his shoulder.

"President Harjavti?" At the calling of his name, Harjavti blinked, his glassy eyes regaining a bit of spark within them.

"Hnnn… that voice…" Harjavti groaned, rubbing his eyes. "I… know that voice. You… you are King T'challa's son…"

"I wish the circumstances could have been different, Mr. President. How are you feeling?" White Wolf asked.

"My head… feels like a fog…" Harjavti winced. "Where… where is my daughter? Where is Psimon?"

"Forget him. We need to get you out of here." Trickshot stated, and X-23, her nose twitching.

"Wait. Something's wrong…" She trailed off, before her hands balled into fists, her claws popping with a snikt. No sooner did her claws leave her hand than the doors burst open, soldiers swarming into the room, all of them armed with highly advanced black weapons with glowing red lines. Cannons, staves, and some sort of packs lined the room, bearing down on the members of the Team.

"Well, well, well…" A voice scolded, as the Bialyan commander waltzed inside. "What have we here? American superheroes, caught in the midst of trying to assassinate our beloved President Harjavti? Truly, is there no respect for democracy?" He mocked.

"Anyone recognize these weapons?" Trickshot asked, his hand on an arrow in his quiver.

"No, but they look exactly like what Superboy and Vision said they went up against a few weeks ago. Apokolips tech, I think they called it." X-23 stated, as White Wolf's eyes narrowed.

"Perfect to murder Harjavti with and place the blame on us. This was a trap from the very start."

"Isn't it always? Form up on Harjavti, don't let them get a clear shot." Trickshot instructed, as the cloaked Miss Martian slipped behind a soldier, slowly making her way to the door.

"They haven't spotted me yet, and…" She closed her eyes, slightly opening up her mind. He was there, no doubt about it. His putrid, strangling grasp, subtly there in the minds of the Bialyans, no doubt watching them through their eyes. In fact, she was willing to bet that he'd been watching through Harjavti's eyes all along. She could feel him probing, testing the boundaries of the mindlink, seeing how far he could push before M'gann would push back.

"Psimon's here, in the building. I'm going after him!"

"Don't go without backup. Give us a second, and-"

"That's a negative, X-23." Trickshot cut off, eying the soldiers in the room. "Our mission here is to protect Harjavti. Something we can't do if we get in a rush to help out Miss M." He thought, looking over where he knew Miss Martian was. "She doesn't need our help, anyway."

Miss Martian gave an invisible smile, giving a small squeeze through their private link, before she headed through the door. She found the probe, that putrid tendril pushing against her mind, and she focused. Since the simulation-gone-wrong, M'gann had been training with both her uncle and Jean Grey, helping to bolster her psychic defenses. And that included how to find invading telepaths.

At its core, telepathy was the broadcasting of thoughts, from one mind to another. The mind of every living thing was the result of electrical signals and processes generated in their brains and most of the team, each being's minds were their own. However, certain brains, such as Martians and certain humans, had evolved to broadcast their thoughts like a signal, with other brains acting as a receiver. And with enough training, just like it was possible to track down phone signals, it was possible to trace those mental signals back to their source.

Miss Martian did just that, following Psimon's putrid signal through the Presidential Palace. She followed him through hallway after hallway, flying undetected through the Palace until she traced it to a large room. The Martian recognized it from the press conferences, the briefing room from which Harjavti had announced his plans to 'reunify' the country. Now, completely empty with the lights turned off, M'gann couldn't help but think the whole room was a tad creepy. Not at all helped by the feeling of Psimon just around the corner. He was in this room, there was no doubt about it, but where?

This was soon answered by the blast of telekinetic force that blasted her out of the air, knocking her among the chairs. Her hood was pulled off her head, and the Martian decloaked. She grunted as she got up, the sound of boots stomping on the ground echoing around her as she looked to see Psimon, stepping out of the shadows of the main stage. His pale face was obscured by the hood he wore, but even now, it was clear he was smiling that naseauting grin.

"Tsk, tsk. One would have thought you'd gotten better at hiding your presence after our last encounter." Psimon telepathically lectured, as Miss Martian got to her feet. "That little telepathic trace is a cute trick, but you should know it goes both ways. Of course, I knew you were here from the moment you entered the city, but a little effort never hurts."

"Did you ever stop to think I wanted you to know I was here?" Miss Martian telepathically shot back, staring Psimon down. "Skulking around in the shadows is a lot harder if someone knows where to look."

"Oh, you'd know quite a bit about keeping things in the shadows, wouldn't you?" The telepathic mutant chuckled out, causing Miss Martian to tense up.

"This isn't going to go like last time, Psimon."

"Oh, of that I have no doubt. Credit where it's due, your defenses are a good deal stronger than the last time we met. But you've still got a ways to go before you're anywhere in my league." Psimon stated, and M'gann could feel it. He was pushing against her defenses, and she was shoring them up as best she could. But Psimon was relentless, brute forcing his way through her defenses. Even her dissolution of the mindlink couldn't shore up her focus, and she grit her teeth as she pushed back.

"You see, M'gann M'orzz, I'm not like the Manhunter from Mars, or Jean Grey, or Emma Frost, or that blowhard Wyngarde. I don't make a show of knowing what you're thinking, I don't just slip idle thoughts into your mind. No, I invade every crevice and corner, turning over every stone you've put down, every secret you hide from even yourself. I know more about you than you do. I know every dirty little secret, every shameful little thought you hide from. I know everything you're afraid of, and I know exactly how to use it against you."

Sweat beaded on her forehead, eyes flickering green as she tried to push back. But what he was saying, what he said he knew… she couldn't focus. She couldn't hide away her fear, couldn't keep him from feeling that fear. And that was all Psimon needed to worm his way inside. He was in her mind, Miss Martian gripping the sides of her head as she fell to her knees.

"No…"

"Oh, yes." Psimon grinned, removing the hood from his head as he unleashed a full powered brain blast at the Martian. "Psimon says… show me what you really are."

"No… no… NO!" But it was too late. The thought was in her head, dominating all rational thought. Slipping away was the constant discipline needed to keep her cells in their desired arrangement, as her body began to return to its natural shape.

Her fingers began to elongate, lengthening and fusing together into hands with three long, elongated fingers. Her body seemed to rearrange itself, growing in size as the stealth uniform of Miss Martian faded away, replaced with a hunch back and a pale white body that sported a large red X. Her legs bent and changed, becoming much longer and the feet fusing and rearranging back into their natural shape. But the most harrowing change was her face. The red hair and freckles faded away, her green skin turning pale as her face elongated and changed shape, the cheerleader visage of Megan Morse twisting into a squat, white face, with exposed teeth and gums, and red eyes, red membranes appearing around her body.

"Naugh!" Miss Martian shrieked out, a smirk on Psimon's face.

"Now, doesn't that feel better?" As soon as he said that aloud, the door to the side of the briefing room slammed open, and in poured Trickshot, White Wolf, and X-23.

"Find her, and-" Trickshot had barely entered the room when they all winced in pain, a brain blast invading their minds and shutting down their senses, before a second brain blast knocked them all out. Psimon watched as they fell to the ground, only to begin to laugh.

"Oh, now that is good entertainment!" He said telepathically, beginning to clap as Miss Martian staggered to her feet, glaring at Psimon. "Psimon says well done! Brain Blasting your own friends so they don't see who you really are? I'm impressed! I wouldn't have thought you had it in you!" He remarked, before he shrugged. "Well, I wouldn't have if I hadn't already gone for a walk through your head. If I hadn't seen how desperate you are to hide the truth. And don't worry-" Psimon pulled a small remote out of his coat, pressing a button and causing the screens around the briefing area to turn on, revealing a live feed of their encounter. "-this whole thing's being recorded for posterity. Don't want your friends missing out on the fun, do we?" Miss Martian's eyes widened, her jaw dropping.

"No…" Her eyes narrowed, and her face twisted into what could only be a Martian scowl. "NO!" The shriek let out a telepathic blast, far stronger than anything she had unleashed before.

Had Psimon been a split second slower, he hesitated to wonder what would happen. But he didn't have to, as his telepathic shield blocked the blast. "There's that raw strength! But, I'm afraid you didn't say 'Psimon says'. Let's try it again. Psimon says…" He flicked a finger at her, firing her brain blast back at her mixed in with one of his own. "FACE THE TRUTH."

Miss Martian tensed up, bracing as the blast hit her…

And knocked her into the sand. Sand that hadn't been there a second ago. The Martian looked around, seeing a vast desert of red sand stretching in every direction. She looked down, seeing she was back in her 'human' form, her uniform a bizarre inverted coloration "This is…"

"The Mindscape. Your mindscape, to be precise." Psimon's voice echoed, and M'gann braced herself as he appeared before her. "Looks familiar, does it not? The red deserts of M'arzz, home sweet home. Though, I must say, I'm a little surprised. Lying to yourself, even inside your own mind? You're more deluded than I realized."

"You don't know anything about me! This is who I really am" She spat, unleashing a psychic blast at the telepath. He wasn't even phased as a shield appeared around him, blocking the blast.

"Oh, but I do. Were you not paying attention to what I said a minute ago? I know everything about you, M'gann M'orzz." The telepath stated, dispelling the blast she fired and retaliating with one of his own. The attack knocked her back, sending her out of the red deserts and into a sort of abstract representation of the Cave.

"I know all about your childhood on M'arzz. Just another pitiful little A'ashen, treated like garbage by the G'runn and the B'ladunn. Ever the outcast, ever the black sheep–now there's an ironic phrase–looked down upon by even her own family. Remind me, what was the breaking point that made you run away? Was it when M'kahl specifically said you couldn't come to his big Manhunter ceremony? Or was it when M'ree included everyone except you in her wedding?"

"Shut up!" She retaliated with another blast, but Psimon just batted it away.

"And then poor little M'comm. You were all each other had, and you just abandoned him! You were so desperate to run away, so full of self hatred, you abandoned him to the very same torment you were escaping, all so you could live out your little sitcom fantasy here on Earth!" She didn't even dignify that with a response as she unleashed another blast, but Psimon didn't even bother to block it as his projection dodged it.

"Oh, now that was just pitiful. You're off your game. Struck a nerve, did I?" Psimon rushed her, grabbing her face and slamming her into the wall. "Let's get to the root of the problem and find out what you're really afraid of, shall we?"

Shadows enveloped the area, and soon, M'gann was in her 'true' form. She couldn't see anything, couldn't feel anything. She was ready for whatever Psimon was ready to throw at her…

"Get back!" Except that. Except for the sound of X-23's voice as M'gann turned to see her, Vision, Aqualad, Superboy, Artemis, and Robin stepping back.

"What is that thing?!"

"It's some kind of monster!"

"I'm gonna be sick…"

"No…" All M'gann could do was watch as White Wolf, Wonder Girl, Batgirl, Scarlet Spider, Iron Knight, and Kid Flash took their place.

"Never seen anything like it…"

"Horrible…"

"Disgusting…"

"Awful…"

"Please… make it stop…"

"Well, that makes sense. Your friends, repulsed at the very sight of you. Hard to blame them, I suppose. Even I'd be horrified seeing the pretty cheerleader turn into a horrible monster." Psimon's voice commented from above, as Captain America, Red Tornado, and Black Canary appeared before her.

"We made a mistake trusting you." The oddly judgemental voice of Captain America chided.

"No wonder you didn't want to be yourself. Who would?" The harsh words of Black Canary rained down.

"Then you're kicked off the pep squad! Oh, how our secrets always bite us!" Psimon remarked, as they shifted into Martian Manhunter.

"Disgusting. Disgraceful. I cannot believe I was proud to call you my niece. You are nothing but a filthy A'ashen. There is no place for you on Earth now…"

"Uncle J'onn… please…"

"Oh, teenagers and their uncles. Such a sacred bond. So sad to see it go away. I suppose that's what you get for hiding the truth…" The telepath derided. "But that's not the scariest thing, is it? Being rejected, disowned, and shipped back to Mars isn't the thing you're most afraid of. No, that's… oh, I'm going to be sick."

"Please… make it stop…" M'gann pleaded to an uncaring god, as J'onn faded away. Her blood ran cold, fear gripping her as the last image took shape. Shadows coiled around and twisted into the shape of Francis, his back turned to her. "Francis… no…" He barely looked back, disgust evident on his face.

"Love you? How can I ever love a monster?"

"Make it stop… MAKE IT STOP!" She shrieked, falling to her knees. Sobs echoed throughout the mindscape, the false Francis fading away to be replaced by Psimon.

"Oh, what you wouldn't do to prevent that, right? What was it you said back when we first met? That you have people around you who treasure each other, who build each other up, and that you'd do anything to protect that? Well, you certainly weren't lying about that. Probably the only thing you were truthful about." Psimon mocked, his projection towering over her.

"... You're right." M'gann muttered, and Psimon felt the mindscape begin to shake and rumble as she rose to her feet.

"Now, now, let's not do anything we'll regret. I'd hate to-"

"Shut up." Cracks began to appear along the mindscape, Psimon's jaw actually dropping as it returned to the sands of Mars. This was her mind, but Psimon was in control. Everything in here, every grain of sand, every rock formation, the color of the sky, even the damn hairs on her head (or lack thereof), was what Psimon wanted her to see. But taking control like this, changing the shape like that… it shouldn't be possible. Even telepaths that had trained for years shouldn't be able to just wrest control away from him like that!

"You don't know me, Psimon. You don't know me at all!" Her eyes glowed red, and the center of her forehead glowed green. Before Psimon could react, a mindbeam shot out, nailing him in the chest. "You want to see what I really am? You want to see the real me?! Be careful what you wish for!"

The beam began to widen, gradually destroying Psimon's astral body. He tried to fight it, tried to push back, but he couldn't. No matter how hard he tried, there was no fighting against this. Psimon didn't have his hooks in Miss Martian; Miss Martian had her hooks in Psimon. As his astral body was shredded, Psimon realized what his mistake was. In their first encounter, Psimon had felt her raw potential, but simply thought it was a reservoir. But this was no reservoir.

No. This was an ocean, one that was bearing down on him with its full force. And as the ocean washed him away, all Psimon could do was scream.

Later

"...cis? Francis?" M'gann's voice called out, Trickshot groaning as his eyes fluttered open behind his mask.

"My head…" He groaned as Miss Martian helped him up, X-23 and White Wolf in similar states of waking up. "What happened…? Last thing I remember was… getting rid of the guys in Harjavti's office, coming to help you, and then…"

"And then Psimon brain blasting all of you." Miss Martian finished, perhaps a little too quickly. "I stopped him before he could do any permanent damage."

"That's putting it lightly…" X-23 remarked, looking across the room. Laying in a pile of destroyed chairs was Psimon, but he wasn't unconscious. His eyes seemed… empty, staring into space as drool trickled out of his mouth.

"I…" Miss Martian closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, before opening them. "I did what I had to. He didn't leave me any choice."

08:15 UTC+2

"What do you mean, the President won't see me?!" Queen Bee demanded, staring down the guards outside the palace. The press that had gathered to witness the Reunification were watching with barely held interest, cameras snapping every moment. "He personally invited me!"

"Not of my own free will!" Harjavti's voice bellowed out, everyone looking to see him on the balcony. "Your telepathic stooge is no longer here to whisper your bidding into my mind! But now that I am free of your thrall, the Quraci people will never suffer under your tyrannical rule!"

Logan Animal Sanctuary

Marie and a now awakened Garfield were watching the press conference, enjoying seeing the Bialyan ruler get her comeuppance. Garfield in particular laughed as Monkey crawled around him, his blue eyes having turned a bright, vibrant green…

Dhabar

"Mark me, Harjavti, you will suffer for this! Qurac will be mine!" Queen Bee declared, as the palace guards grabbed her and led her away.

"And mark me, witch! As long as my body draws breath, Qurac will never be yours!" Harjavti declared, as the Quraci people cheered at his declaration.

A short while later, Harjavti, his daughter, Trickshot, White Wolf, and X-23 were in Harjavti's (destroyed) office, and it wasn't long before the door opened. In stepped Queen Bee, as striking and attention grabbing as ever… before she shifted back to the red hair and green skin of Miss Martian.

"How'd I do?"

"You should go out for the school play when we get back. You'd be a natural." X-23 remarked.

"Well, I figured shapeshifting is a hell of a disguise. Plus, you hit the right amount of over the top for a megalomaniacal dictator. Should be enough to convince folks that Queen Bee was behind this." Trickshot complimented, as White Wolf turned to Harjavti and his daughter.

"Queen Bee's scheme may have been thwarted, but I'm afraid that you are not out of the woods just yet."

"You are correct, young man. It may have been Psimon's thoughts controlling my actions, but it was still my face, my words, that allowed Queen Bee and the Bialyans to run amok in our country. As convincing as that display was, I am afraid it will take more to mend the hearts of the people." Harjavti stated, as White Wolf placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Trust in your people. Trust that they will have faith in you, and that they will see the truth."

"Hopelessly optimistic, but you remind me of myself." Harjaavti commented, turning to the others. "And thank you, all of you, for your aid. Had you not come along-"

"Save your thanks, Mister President. It's just another day at the office for us." Trickshot stated, earning a scoff.

"Yeah, we totally save a country every day."

"Trust me. After the second time, saving a country loses its luster." White Wolf remarked.

Logan Animal Sanctuary

"...and I assure you, the Wayne foundation will pledge its full support to aid Qurac in its rebuilding." Bruce Wayne announced at his press conference, shaking the hand of Harjaavti as the Team watched the press conference.

"Dang, this Wayne guy got here pretty quick. Then again, I've never met a billionaire who could pass up a photo op." Francis remarked. "Still, weird how he knew just when to show up…"

"*snrk*" Laura snorted, getting his attention.

"What, did I say something funny?"

"It's nothing. Just reminded me of a little inside joke I have with Jason."

"Okay…"

"Shouldn't we collect some sort of souvenir? The last time someone came back without one, Kid Flash complained for a week." White Wolf said swiftly changing the topic.

"Right, I think I have the perfect thing." Laura said, walking over and picking up the Hello Megan! tape before stopping in front of Miss Martian.

"You want to talk to us about this?" She asked gently, and M'Gann sighed, looking around to Marie as well as her friends and boyfriend as she gathered her thoughts before speaking.

"Growing up on Mars was… not a happy time for me. I was alone for… for a long time. But then I started watching the broadcasts my Uncle J'onn sent to teach us about our sister planet. As corny as it is, when I saw Hello Megan, something just clicked… with me. Maybe it was the similarities in our names, maybe it was the way that all her problems could be solved in twenty-two minutes. All I know for sure is, Megan helped me smile through a lonely childhood. So, when I came to Earth and had to adopt a human form, I chose you, or rather Megan." Miss Martian said, glancing at Marie.

"That does lead to a bit of an uncomfortable question, one that you do not need to feel any obligation to answer, but… what do you really look like?" T'zari asked.

Miss Martian stood up and, after a second, shifted again, her freckles, eyebrows and hair retracting into her head. Her red lips turned a slightly darker green than her skin, her face becoming more round, ridges appearing along the side of her head, as she stared at them all.

"Huh, you know, you actually pull the bald look off well." Laura said before giving Francis a slight nudge as he stood up, walked over and took both her hands.

"You know, you don't have to put on a mask for me right?" He asked, surprised when she stepped away shifting back to the form they were all used to seeing her in.

"I don't do it for you. I do it for me, this is who I am on the inside. Please, Marie, don't be mad." M'Gann said, looking to the older woman, who smiled.

"Mad? How could I be? I'm a little surprised, sure, but mostly I'm honored. M'Gann, you saved my son. He says he's your blood brother now, and I have to agree. As far as I'm concerned, you're family. Besides, the reason I went into showbiz was because I wanted to leave an impact on people. Knowing that that silly little show I did thirty years ago meant so much to someone… it warms my heart more than you'll ever know." Marie said with a smile.

M'Gann walked over and the two hugged, "Thank you! You have no idea how much that means to me." M'Gann said softly.

Later that night as the others made sure they had gathered every trace they had ever been there, M'Gann headed inside to say goodbye to Garfield and promise him she would pop in for a visit. She cracked the door open cautiously hoping he hadn't already gone to sleep.

"Garfield? I just wanted to say…" She began pushing the door open and freezing in place as she found Garfield sound asleep, with Queen Bee sitting beside him, waiting for her.

"Shh. It would be a shame to wake him, he might make such a fuss I would have to make him damage himself." The Bialyan ruler whispered, sounding almost bored at the thought.

"What are you doing here?!" M'gann demanded in a hushed whisper, her eyes glowing green.

"Ah ah. If anything happens to me, I've already instructed him to do just that." Queen Bee warned, as the glow receded. "I simply wished to congratulate you on your performance. You laid it on a little thick for my liking, but I suppose it got the job done. Though, I suppose you haven't had as much practice being me as you have being Megan." M'gann's eyes widened at this, her jaw dropping.

"I don't-"

"Oh, let's not beat around the bush. Psimon's not the only one who knows your little secret. And if you don't cooperate, I'll make sure everyone knows what you are." Queen Bee stated, rising off the bed. She crossed the room to M'gann, towering over the Martian.

"What… what do you want?"

"In due time, my dear. I just need you to make sure that, when I call, you answer. In return, I'll make sure that your true face stays between you, me, and the vegetable you turned Psimon into." Queen Bee purred, a deliciously sadistic smile gracing her face. "Do we have a deal?"

"... Yes." M'gann squeaked out, averting her eyes, and Queen Bee chuckled.

"Good girl. Now, run along. You have a long trip home after all…"

Bialya, 18:16 UTC+2

Queen Bee was in her throne room, surrounded by screens portraying the seven silhouetted figures of her co-conspirators in The Light. "...and after that, the Children departed." Queen Bee finished, having just given a report on the Qurac operation.

"The loss of Psimon as an asset is regrettable, but for our goals, we shall have to make due without him." Vandal Savage stated. "There are still various loose ends to be tied up before we commence the final phase of our operation. Mind your operations, and soon, all shall see the Light." With that, the meeting concluded. Queen Bee watched as the screens flicked off, one by one, until eventually, she saw that the screen belonging to L-5 was still active.

"Well now, this is a surprise. If you wanted to talk, all you had to do was schedule an appointment, Victor." Queen Bee remarked, watching the pixelated silhouette of Doctor Doom.

"You seem hesitant to consider the consequences of your failed conquest. Even now, my sources in the UN indicate they are discussing sanctions for Bialya."

"Let them. Luthor has already pledged to arrange financial support, should such sanctions arise, as have Madripoor, Bagalia, and Corto Maltese. Discreetly, of course. Can I count on Latveria's support, should the need arise?"

"... I am afraid not. Following the failed coup attempt, the hidden eyes of the world have been on Latveria. I am afraid we shall have to keep any official connection to a minimum, to avoid unwanted suspicions. Our plans are at too crucial a juncture to risk discovery."

"Of course, all for the sake of our plans. I suppose you always were a pragmatist." Queen Bee stated, a small smirk gracing her lips. "Though, if I didn't know you like I do, I'd be quick to assume this is some petty reprisal. But you're above those things, I suppose." Her voice purred, and she smirked as she saw the silhouette shift.

"I bear no feelings towards our past, either of nostalgia or bitterness. We simply fulfilled a purpose for one another, just as we do now."

"Well, I personally thought that our arrangement in the past was a bit more fun, but I suppose that's the difference between you and me." The Bialyan dictator stated. "Speaking of which, how is Victoria?" Although she couldn't see his body, she could see the shift in the body language, the change in the stance.

"She is of no concern to you."

"Do I not have a right to ask about my own daughter? I do so rarely get to see her, after all."

"An arrangement that is a consequence of your own decisions; your choices." Doom's voice, ever stoic, showed signs of emotion, of anger, of defensiveness. Exactly the reaction that Queen Bee had hoped to elicit.

"Ever the overprotective father. If you sent her to visit me more often, she could become better even than she is now, a little more tough love would do wonders. An open acknowledgement of her parentage could do great things for both our countries."

"And that is why she remains in my care. She deserves better than to be treated as a tool for your ambitions." Doom stated, and Queen Bee gave a soft hum.

"Careful, doctor. That almost sounded like a genuine emotion." She teased. "Was there something else you wished to discuss."

"... No. Until the next meeting."

"Until then, Victor. And do give Victoria my love, will you?" The screen winked off, the smirking Queen left alone.

Doom. Harjaavti. The Martian. Even her fellow conspirators in The Light. At the end of the day, all of them were puppets, play things for her own amusement. And Queen Bee knew exactly how to press all of their buttons.

A/N: Quite a few revelations here! As always, leave a review, and we'll see you all next time!