The hiss of closing steel doors sounded like thunder in the open library. Above them, the straggling civilians were reluctantly escorted out by their tour guide and Raven was more than thankful for the oversized cloak that encompassed her small figure that hid her from view. Particularly as she bent to collect Speedy's hat from the ground whilst Robin, Kid Flash & Aqualad stood stewing in their own thoughts

"…Tch! When we're ready?!" Kid Flash exclaimed, gesturing wildly as he paced. "How are we ever supposed to be ready when they treats us like—like sidekicks?!"

Cause…that's what we are? Raven thought, though she didn't dare voice them.

"My mentor, my king, I thought he trusted me…" Aqualad replied, downtrodden.

"Trust? They don't even trust us with the basics! They've got a secret HQ in space!"

Well, it does make sense to have it in space. Raven fiddled with the yellow cloth in her hands. More than half of the Justice League operates in space, don't they? Like the Lanterns, and everyone knows it's easier to watch over things when you have a bird's eye view.

"What else aren't they telling us?" Said Aqualad.

"Heh" Robin heaved a sigh, "I have a better question: why didn't we leave with Speedy?"

Because…he threw a tantrum like a baby? Mused Raven.

"What is" Aqualad hedged "Project Cadmus?"

"Don't know. But I can find out" Robin hummed as his expression turned mischievous as he strode over to the library's computer.

"Access denied" The computer sang when the detective tried to gain access to the locked files regarding Project Cadmus.

"Heh, wanna bet?" His fingers flew across the keyboard, barely grazing the keys as he bypassed the required password, impressing all present.

"How…are you doing that?" Raven asked, eyes alight in awe as she watched a flurry of green code flash across the screen. It almost seemed magical.

"Same system as the Batcave" Robin chuckled, chest slightly puffed up with pride.

"Access granted"

"All right, Project Cadmus, it's a genetics lab here in DC and that's all there is. But if Batman's suspicious, maybe we should investigate?" Robin read out.

"Solve their case before they do?" Aqualad replied as he picked up on Robin's line of thinking. "It would be poetic justice"

"Hey, they're all about the justice!"

"But—but they said to stay put!" Raven reminded them as she watched their expressions turn from solemn & self-deprecating to ones of curiosity & agreement. Of course, she too, couldn't deny that she was curious; who wouldn't be when a company named after dragons was involved?

"For the blotting-out-the-sun mission, not this!"

"Wait—Are you going to Cadmus?" Kid Flash grinned, "Cause if you're going, then I'm going"

"Just like that? We're a team on a mission?" Aqualad hedged as he blinked down at the twin grins and curious eyes staring back at him.

"We didn't come for a playdate" Robin added.

"But uh, Raven, you should probably stay here" Said Kid Flash.

"What?" Raven's head jerked up & over to the speedster as a look of utter betrayal flashed across her face. "Why?"

"You're too young—" Robin tried to excuse.

"—You're only three years older than me!" She retorted with a slight warning growl in her tone as she crossed her arms in irritation and just barely restrained herself from stomping her feet. "And do you even know how to get there?"

"Uh…" Kid Flash blinked dumbly as Raven's gaze flitted up to the screen which showcased an image of the fiery building.

"Nn!" Raven very maturely stuck her tongue out at the pair before she dove into the nearest shadow with Cadmus pictured in her mind. Ironically, that shadow turned out to be the speedster's.

"Hey! Wait up!"


4 July 2010
Project
Cadmus Laboratories, Washington DC

The Cadmus genetics lab blazed bright and the firetruck sirens wailed against the dark of dusk when the heroes finally found their location. Raven pulled herself out of a collection of shadows within the building, next to a singed house plant only seconds after Kid Flash ran ahead to save the day, only to end up needing help himself. "It's whats-his-name, er, Flash Boy!" Yelled one of the firefighters making Raven snort as she trotted over to help.

"KID FLASH!" The speedster shot back over his shoulder even as he hung loosely from the window ledge. "Why is that so hard to remember?"

"Need a hand, Flash Boy?" Raven snickered as she offered a hand.

"Oh, now you're just doing it on purpose" Kid Flash whined as Robin joined the witch at her side and helped to haul the speedster over the edge of the window ledge.

It was dark in the building with the fire seemingly knocking out the lighting, or perhaps it had been turned off for safety reasons, either way Raven moved about the place with ease whilst her counterparts stumbled about beneath handheld torches. It didn't take long for Robin to locate a working computer, nor for him to access it using those hacking skills which he had showcased earlier at the Hall of Justice. At the other end of the room, Kid Flash sifted through the various filing cabinets that lined the rear wall whilst Raven occupied herself with wandering through the halls of the building like some kind of horror film spirit.

Not two minutes later and they were joined by Aqualad who, with the help of some Atlantean magic, leapt inside after he had retrieved the ailing scientists from the roof and placed them on the ground where they were out of harms way. "Appreciate the help" Aqualad sassed as he entered the room only to find Robin bent over the computer and Kid Flash rifling through drawers at only a speed he could achieve.

"You handled it" Robin shrugged, barely looking up from the keyboard. "Besides, we're here to investigate. 'Poetic justice', remember?"

"Hello?" Raven called from where she lurked in the dark hallways, catching the boys' attention. She'd spotted something—or someone—standing in the light of the elevator that had goosebumps decorating her arms. The silhouette of the horned creature that was illuminated by the light of the elevator, reminded her of the ones in her father's domain and it sent a shiver up her spine. That was not a place she liked to remember.

"Raven?" Aqualad trotted into the hallway at the sound of her voice. "What is it?"

"Aqualad?" Stormy eyes peered at him from the dark.

"Raven? What is it? Did you find something?" Kid Flash peppered the witch with questions as he & Robin joined them.

"There was something—someone in the elevator" She pointed towards the device, despite the fact none of the boys could see in the dark like she could.

"That doesn't make sense" He replied as Robin slipped by, "Elevators should be locked down"

"This is wrong" The boy wonder puzzled, bringing up blueprints for the elevator's model, for all to see.

"What?"

"Thought so! This is a high speed express elevator. It doesn't belong in a two-storey building"

"Neither did that—that…thing" Raven replied. Mind seemingly made up, Aqualad squared his shoulders and pushed through the trio of young heroes as he made his way over to the closed doors. With an almighty heave, the screeching doors were pried open.

"Oh, so that's why they need an express elevator" Robin hummed as he crouched next to the edge and peered down into the long elevator shaft.

Latching a grappling hook to the ceiling, Robin dove into the shaft with a shit-eating grin and a silent chuckle on his lips without a second thought. Aqualad & Kid Flash followed soon after, each twining themselves around the cable whilst Raven simply stepped off the edge and plunged into the darkness below, her cloak fluttering around her. "I'm at the end of my rope?" Robin puzzled when he found that his cable would unravel no further. It was the only warning the others got before he swung over to the nearest ledge on sub-level 26. Hugging the wall, all three teens eventually clambered onto the same ledge and moved to pry open this door as well.

"Uh, Raven?" Kid Flash called into the abyss when the witch sailed passed them.

"Coming!" Raven sheepishly called as she flew back up the shaft and hovered over the abyss without much struggle. At the same time, Aqualad was able to pry open the steel doors once more, thanks in part to Robin who bypassed the security system.

"Welcome to Project Cadmus" Robin hummed as the four sidekicks stepped out into a dimly lit hallway that was unlike anything the upstairs building held. Strange compartments lined the walls, long pipes ran along the ceiling and everything was painted in a rusty hue that made Raven wonder if they were trying to hide it or to recreate some sort of barren environment. As she hovered in front of one such a compartment, pressing her face close enough that her breath fogged up the dark glass, Kid Flash sped off in search of further clues about what had Batman so suspicious about the place. Well, more suspicious than several sub-levels hidden beneath the earth.

"Kid—wait!" Protested Aqualad, hand held out in vain to halt the speedster from leaving. The yellow & red flash had barely zipped around the corner when a startled yelp sounded, followed by heavy footsteps that thundered in the empty hallways. Raven's head jerked up at the noise, dragging her attention away from the dark compartments and over to the hallway where Kid Flash had disappeared, brows furrowed in concern. No sooner had the noise sounded, did they shoot after the speedster, much slower than he, and found themselves facing a strange sight.

Kid Flash had apparently tumbled over his own feet as he lay sprawled on the ground off to the side whilst, tall horned troll-like gremlins with mammoth tusks meandered down the halls. Upon their crowns sat smaller monkey-like gremlins whose horns glowed crimson as something prodded at the sidekicks' minds like a two-pronged fork. "No…" Aqualad hummed, his eyes blank and voice dull as if he were in a trance. "Nothing odd going on here"

Raven tried to shake off the feeling of the creature poking at her mind, despite how part of her was telling her to leave it. It was like a large weighted blanket had been draped over her mind, making her feel both lethargic and boneless in a way that just felt odd. The sight of the gremlin creatures also made her shudder when she was reminded of the demons that lazed about her father's domain; much like the one in the elevator had done. Part of her wondered if the elevator went all the way down to Hell—surely, it must, if these were the kind of creatures that were wandering through the upper levels of the sub-terrain.

Once the parade of gremlins had passed however, that feeling soon vanished and though the boys appeared to show no outward appearance of recognising what just happened as they raced for the locked door at end of the hallway. However, she did notice them shake their heads and wring out their ears as if they were trying to clear a popping sensation from them. "Okay…" Robin blinked dumbly when he was eventually able to open the door. "I'm officially whelmed"

Whelmed? Why would he be drowning? Raven puzzled over the odd word choice even as her wide eyes took in the rows upon rows of electrified bugs which stood in jars twice her size. Oh, maybe that's why.

"This is how they hide this massive underground facility from the world…!" Kid Flash breathed as they shuffled inside, Robin headed straight for the computer whilst the others inspected the glowing tubes. "The real Cadmus isn't on the grid! It generates its own power! With these…things. Must be what they're bred for"

"They kinda look like mosquitoes" Raven hummed, floating in front of one that lay on the shelf closest to the door.

"I guess…"

"Even the name is a clue" Aqualad piped up over the sound of the clacking computer keys behind them. "The Cadmus of myth created a new race by sowing dragons teeth into the earth"

"And this Cadmus must create new life too. Let's find out why" Robin agreed as files flashed across the wristwatch screen. "They call 'em genomorphs—whoa! Look at the stats on these things! Super strength, telepathy, razor claws—these are living weapons!"

"They're engineering an army" Added Kid Flash as he came to peer over the boy wonder's shoulder.

"But for who?" Raven asked, receiving only a shrug in reply.

"Wait—! There's something else" Robin piped up. "Project Kr—Ugh! The file's triple-encrypted! I—I can't—"

"—DON'T MOVE!" Bellowed a voice from the doorway, making Raven flinch at the sudden noise. Looking over at the door, her brow furrowed in confusion when she noted the golden helmet of Guardian, a lower-lever Leaguer, who stood surrounded by several of the battle-ready genomorphs. "Wait—Robin? Raven? Aqualad? Kid Flash?"

"Least he got your name right" Robin teased the speedster.

Kid Flash barely reacted to the taunt as he moved to stand beside the Atlantean, where the two older sidekicks subconsciously placed themselves in front of their youngest members—one who was still downloading any files he could get his hands on.

"I know you" Said Aqualad, keeping his stance loose but ready. "Guardian, a hero"

"I do my best" Guardian smiled as one of the smaller crimson-horned genomorphs perched itself on his shoulder.

"Then what are you doing here?!" Kid Flash demanded.

"I'm Chief of Security"

That would've been nice to know! Raven nibbled at her lower lip as her shoulders hunched up towards her ears, fingers curling up into claws at the scent of blood lust coming off of these strange creatures.

"You're trespassing, but we can call the Justice League and sort this all out"

"You think the League's gonna approve of you breeding weapons?!" Kid Flash retorted.

"Weapons? What are you…? What've I…? Eurgh! My head!" Guardian began before he was interrupted by the genomorph on his shoulder. Now that Raven knew these things were capable of telepathy, she could only imagine what it was feeding him, telling him to do. "Take 'em down! Hard! No mercy!"

The genomorphs needed no other command as they launched themselves at the sidekicks with the fury of rabid dogs. Jaws snapped around threatening growls, tails agitatedly whipped back & forth and claws dug into any surface they could find which allowed them to hang perpendicular to the floor. Raven squeaked when one of the genomorphs launched themselves at her; dodging out of the way she called for the shadows as she dropped from her invisible perch. The darkness around her surged upwards at her call & swallowed her whole just as Robin disengaged from the computer and put up a smoke screen for the boys to get lost in.

Severely outnumbered, Raven made no move to emerge from the shadows as she travelled through the dark, using the fights above her as her point of reference on where (not) to go. Eventually, she recognised the sound of Kid Flash's hurried footsteps pounding against the linoleum which she followed out of the generator room and back down the hall where another elevator stood waiting. "Way to be a team player, Rob!" Kid Flash sassed as he skidded to a halt next to the detective who was busy hacking the elevator.

"Weren't you right behind me?" Robin glanced up at the irate speedster.

"And where's Raven?"

"Here" She called, head popping out of the shadowed wall where she found herself situated between Robin & Kid Flash's shoulders.

"Ack! Don't do that!" He gasped in fright, hand clasped over his racing heart.

"Sorry" Raven shrugged unapologetically as she emerged.

Her boots had barely grazed the floor before the elevator dinged open and she was yanked inside, serenaded by growling genomorphs. Stumbling over her feet a little as she crashed into Robin's chest with a muffled curse, Raven had barely pulled back to nurse her aching nose when Aqualad dove in through the closing doors. Silence reigned as the four sidekicks spread out amongst the four corners of the elevator to catch their breaths. Raven clenched her hands around the railing at her back, mentally cringing at how clammy it felt beneath her fingertips and she hoped that that was just her nerves and not the metal itself.

The further into this mission that they went, the more Raven was starting to have doubts that they could actually make it out alive. When she worked with her mentor on missions, they were mostly covert, need-to-know or simulations in which to train; but none of them had ever been as intensive as this. Though she had yet to actually fight, the constant running & plot twists were tiring enough as it was, and yet, they didn't seem to be done. "We're headed down?" Aqualad noted the ticking numerals to the right.

"Dude! Out is up!" Added Kid Flash, gesturing to the ceiling as he turned on his best friend.

"Excuse me?" Robin quirked an unimpressed eyebrow at the speedster, "Project Kr? It's down! On sub-level 52"

"This is nuts!" Raven agreed with the elder two, much to Robin's chagrin. "Maybe—maybe we should contact the League?"

DING!