CHAPTER 33
[2016]
JIM HARPER RESIDENCE
Wally and Dick stood in Jim's living room, Jim looked so much like Roy except much more muscular especially now that he has let himself go looking for the original Roy Harper.
"So you both have noticed Roy's behavior lately how he's been losing weight a lot of weight becoming more irritable and refusing help from anyone even Cheshire couldn't handle it and that's his wife" Jim explained to them.
"What can we do? Roy isn't exactly the listening type plus he thinks we all abandoned him" Wally crossed his arms frustrated.
"Than let's show him we haven't, Jim you said Oliver and Dinah are in right? Well you can count me in too" Nighywing promised.
"Yeah me too anything to help the guy out" Wally sighed rubbing his hands on his jeans.
"I can't thank either of you enough" Jim smiled at the two heroes. They made their way out of his house, Wally shoved his hands in his pockets and began walking away.
"Wally wait up I wanted to talk to you" Dick grabbed his shoulder.
"Why you gonna headbutt me again?" Dick flinched at the memory.
"No and I'm sorry I know you were trying to help me and I was just so full of grief I" Dick was interrupted by Wally pulling his shoulder away.
"Let me stop you right there, you called me out for trying to help, broke up with me then proceeded to hook up with anything that had a pair of legs" Wally listed Dick's atrocities.
"I know you don't trust me not as a friend, a boyfriend and definitely not a leader" Dick pointed out causing Wally to stare in disbelief.
"Do you think I left the life because of you?" He asked causing Dick to shrug guiltily.
"My god you're full of yourself, I left because I got tired of seeing my friends putting their lives on the line Jason died, Ted died, Tula died Gar lost his mother because of the life" Wally wiped a stray tear from his eye, Dick tried to reach out only to have a glare sent his way.
"Wally, I'm sorry for everything I can't take back what has happened but I just want you to know I love you I never stopped, not even for a second" Dick stepped closer placing a kiss on Wally's firm lips. Wally wrapped his arms around Dick's waist and pulled him closer causing the former boy wonder to moan. Wally groaned pushing Dick against a wall harshly.
"Wally" Dick moaned as the ginger attacked his neck with kisses and sucks.
"No" He said under his breath pulling back, Dick stared at him lust and desperation in his blue eyes.
"I can't Dick I will always love you but I can't be with you not now" Wally ran off at top speed. Dick took a few deep breaths holding back his tears, he composed himself walking towards the stairs.
SKY
Superboy, Wolf and Blue Beetle are riding on the super cycle. The vehicle is soaring through the air very fast.
"So I know you just picked me because everyone else is busy, plus I can see how annoyed you get whenever M'gann and La'gaan kiss or act all cutesy what happened between you two anyway?" Jaime asked the kryptonian hybrid. This line of questioning caused Conner to give him a slight glare.
"Scans suggest the Superboy is initiating a hostile gesture sonic cannons will work best against his super hearing" The scarab's voice invaded Jaime's thoughts causing him to let out an annoyed groan.
"Okay so what's the mission? Seriously ese, I'm here to help" Jaime crossed his arms.
"Yeah okay" Superboy sighed pressing a button, a hologram formed in front of both showing Malina island.
" The bomb Aqualad used to destroy Milena island last month was of alien origin obviously the kroloteans who perished there didn't know anything about it. Criminal organizations like Intergang have a history of smuggling alien tech onto earth. I've been keeping tabs on Whisper A'Daire one of Intergang's top lieutenants tonight her boss Bruno Ugly Mannheim crawled out of hiding to meet up with her looks like they're heading to the hall of justice" Conner explained to the young hero.
ROOF TOPS
Roy glared seeing his foster father, Dinah, his clone brother and two of his 3 best friends.
"I have nothing to say to any of you" Roy's eyes widen seeing Oliver take out the wad of cash he lifted.
"It's not what it looks like, the store owner won't miss it he offered me a reward anyway plus I deserve it I need to find the real Roy Harper a search like that is expensive, especially when you've all given up" Roy clenched his teeth.
"Roy when was the last time you trained?" Black Canary asked him.
"Don't start I'm in the best shape of my life" Roy gritted out.
"Oh really?" She launched at him, he was thrown off balance but the sudden attack trying to dodge her kicks. She punched in the chest sending him falling off the rooftop his eyes widened as she gripped his shirt.
"Best shape of your life huh? That was me holding back way back" She pulls him off the ledge throwing him onto the ground.
"Roy you use to treat your body like a temple" She said softly.
"My body is not a temple just a cheap knock off a clone"
SKY
Superboy used his telescopic and infrared vision to try and detect what was in the briefcase Bruno was holding to no avail.
"Blue can you scan the case?" Superboy asked him
"Sure" Blue Beetle's armored hand turned into a high tech scanning device. The eyes of the armor turned blank as it attempted to detect the contents of the briefcase.
"Cannot scan contents not compatible" The Scarab stated
"Not compatible again? What do you mean?" Jaime asked aloud.
"Blue what do you mean who are you talking to?" Superboy asked annoyed at the silent conversations.
"The scarab the device stuck to my spine that gives me that armor and the powers it is an AI built by Ted Kord before the Light killed him ya know the previous Blue Beetle" Jaime explained.
"Yeah I knew him good man" Conner sighed remembering the death of yet another colleague.
They didn't notice Bruno start up the device which brought the apellaxian husk to come to life and combine as the Golem.
"Go time" Superboy and wolf leaped into action attacking the Golem from the front while Sphere attacked Bruno's device. Blue Beetle hovered in the air his armored arm becoming a sonic cannon.
"NO!" Conner screamed but it was too late the crystal absorbed the sonic attack and redistribute it sending them all flying. The Golem quickly grew wings and flew off.
ROOF TOP
"I know how hard it is to come to terms with being a copy of someone else you're not the only clone on this rooftop but that is why I stopped being Guardian so I can find out who Jim Harper is, We never found Roy because cadmus protocol was to delete the source material he's dead brother which is why you must live" Jim tried to comfort his brother.
Wally touched Nightwing's shoulder, the acrobat nodded understanding the implication.
Roy took a seat and smirked
"What are you even doing here West? I thought you ditched this life" Roy said with alot of spite.
"Ditching the life does not mean ditching my friends and before you rebound off the whole clone thing let's face facts the original Roy Harper was never our friend" Wally crossed his arms.
"We all did the math he was taken before any of us met you're the Roy we knew and trained with you're our friend being a clone with anger management issues doesn't change that" Nightwing informed him.
"Seriously have you met Superboy" Wally added the two looked at each other a small smile forming on their lips.
"That's cute rekindling your romance by helping a damaged friend" Roy laughed standing up.
"Roy" Wally glared.
"Save it, you want a friend to save? Go save Kaldur I hear he could use some course correcting but leave me out of it" Roy walked off leaving his family to worry.
"I'm going to make sure he gets home safe" Green Arrow stated stalking off silently followed by Black Canary.
"That didn't go as I'd hope but I think he at the very least knows we're here for him," Jim said he squeezed Wally and Nightwing's shoulders before taking his leave.
Nightwing sighed pinching the bridge of his nose.
"How did things get this messed up" Wally chuckled to himself.
"Wally Roy has lost faith in us in me I ...I don't want that with us I know we're not together anymore but we were friends first you think we could be again?" Nightwing held out his hand to shake.
"Dick you know we'll always have a bond deeper than that" Wally shook his hand.
"I do wish you didn't leave though" Dick stroked the back of Wally's hand with his thumb.
"I think it's what's best for me going to college to college and making something out of Wally West not Kid Flash, I mean look at Garth he's training to become an ambassador for Atlantis and Troia is trying to become one for Themyscira, Freddy and Mary are trying to live a normal life too, Dick I'm sorry I left but I just couldn't handle another tragedy
The Light attacked Ted at work and killed him
Jason let his personal issues and his superhero role combine and Joker took advantage of that
Tula sacrificed herself I know she did it to save us but can you really say she had a choice? Dick there is a point where this life the burdens it causes become too much to bare" Wally explained himself thoroughly.
"I understand, I do but this life it's me" Dick held Wally's hands tenderly.
"I know Dick" Wally kisses his hands before walking away.
"I love you" Dick said to the retreating figure.
EL PASO
Conner parked the Super Cycle a few blocks away from Jaime's town.
"Blue are you alright?" Conner patted the teen's back.
"I….I'll be fine watching that thing die wasn't exactly the highlight of my day" He began walking towards the city. Conner sighed feeling how anxious Jaime was.
"Thanks, I know I wasn't your first choice here but I'm glad you treated me like a partner" Jaime smiled at the senior team member. Conner smiled back at him nodding, Jaime suited up and flew towards El Paso while Conner took off in the Super Cycle.
WEST/CROCK RESIDENCE
Artemis walked towards the refrigerator placing four boxes of pizza inside. She hummed to herself before walking towards the wall seeing a picture of herself and Zatanna, herself and the original team, her mother, Jade and herself.
"Where did the time go?" She touched the picture of her family tenderly until she heard the door open. An exhausted Wally entered dragging his feet.
"Hey West, pizza's in the fridge, save some for Conner Mal told me he had a crappy night and may be stopping by" Artemis looked up as Wally slumped onto the couch letting out a groan.
"I guess that means the talk with Roy didn't go well" She sighed expecting as much. She had hoped the original sidekicks and their mentor could convince her brother in law.
"He's lost Artemis, lost and damaged I just don't wanna have to bury another friend" Wally ran his fingers through his hair. She crossed her arms she hated seeing him like this.
"So this was the first night you saw Dick in a while, wanna talk about it?" She asked him.
"Does Superboy ever wanna talk about Miss Martian?" Wally attempted to joke.
"Point taken, I'm gonna heat up the pizza for you two sad sacks" She walks towards the kitchen.
"Flavor?" He asked hopefully.
"Meat lovers" She called out.
"You're the best Arty" Wally smiles.