Author's Note: Hey there Whelmers! Hope you all are enjoying the story and are watching Young Justice: Outsiders! They wait was long but totally worth it.
I just wanted to take a moment and thank all the readers and those who've left their reviews for their feedback. It continues to help me in my progress in continuing Young Justice: Beginnings. It may not be coming out as fast as you or I would like it, but I continue it to the end. I also want to thank Jacob Poke for his reassurance of how well you guys are liking Kyle Rayner and for more ideas. Don't worry Jacob, I'm considering every possibility I can think of. Sign up and message me sometime if you'd like to hash out more ideas.
Remember, you guys are more than welcome to leave any suggestions, ideas, feedback or critiques in the comments. Like I said before, it'll help me so much with the story. Anyways, hope you all enjoy and remember to fight the Light!
Chapter 26: Targets
Taipei
September 7, 19:20 NST
This is not how I thought I'd be spending my night. Though it does give me something to do outside of home, and the country.
I'm standing behind a crowd of paparazzi and reporters. Far enough to not to get sucked into it myself. I'm wearing tennis shoes, black joggers, and a white shirt under a green hoodie. Nothing too fancy or rural to have me stand out. With me, I carry a backpack and a digital camera. Lets me blend in with the crowd in front of me, while also letting me look for any suspicious characters.
Okay, so the reason I'm in Taipei is because Red Arrow – Roy – is on protective detail during the Rhelasian Peace Summit. Apparently, he got wind of the League of Shadows sending an assassin – Cheshire – to the Summit. He believes she's coming to terminate either Prime Minister Tseng or General Singh Manh Li. Or both. He needed all the Cave's intel on Cheshire, so I decided to come with him. I figured it would be better to have someone there with him who knows what she looks like and how she fights. It took some convincing for Dinah to let me go to Taiwan, but she felt I would be just fine, especially with Roy watching my back.
If she does decide to come tonight, hopefully she won't recognize me without my costume. I do not need that can of worms opening anytime soon.
"White Canary."
"Go, Red Arrow."
"Have you spotted Cheshire yet?"
"Not yet", I say while I click my camera throughout the park. "But I will."
"Good."
"I know you're use to being a solo act now, but you could've brought someone besides me from the Team to help. They'd be more than happy to help. Well, maybe not Artemis."
"Please, the last thing I need is the Junior Justice League."
"Hey, watch how you talk about them. That 'Junior Justice League' is my team. They're my friends."
"The only reason I asked you to partner with me is because you and I work so well together already. And you're different from the others."
"How so?"
"You take this just as seriously as me. And you don't back down or show mercy to the enemy. No matter what."
"Whatever you say, Harper." I turn my head to the left of the park. My camera lens passes through the magazine booths, until I stop dead in my tracks. On the last booth before the building. In it I see a woman with black hair. I zoom in for a closer look. Getting in close enough, I spot her face right away. Jade.
"Roy, I found her. Last booth right before the building. Black hair, blue jacket and hat."
"I see her. Be ready."
"Got it." I drop my pack, unzip it and stuff my camera into it. I then pull from it my batons, hiding them in the back of my shirt.
As I zip my pack back up, an escort of five police motorcycles surrounding a white limousine make their way to the front of the building. I move to the trees behind me, making myself scarce for their sake and mine.
I look over to one of the columns of the building. I see Roy, crouching, wearing a black suit and tie, with a pair of black sunglasses on as well. In his hand, he carries his red compound bow. No good bowman leaves home without one.
The limousine and escort park in front of the building. I look over to the booth. No one is inside it. Cheshire's gone. Where did she—
Cheshire climbs up on said booth, while carrying a rocket launcher. She aims it towards the limousine, which is holding the arbitrator for this summit. Figures. She wants to stop the Peace Summit from happening.
Before she can fire it at all, a red arrow hits the launcher. Cheshire, unbalanced now, raises the launcher due to the arrow hitting it. She also releases the rocket too, sending it high into the sky.
People around the vicinity panic, screaming while running away from the site. The prime minister and general's security surrounds them, protecting them from any harm.
Cheshire drops the launcher and jumps from the booth. She begins attacking the armed guards, dropping them onto the ground. My cue to step in.
I take out my batons and make my way towards her. I see her with her sais now, running towards the limousine. She jumps from the ground, but I throw a baton towards her. It hits her in the gut, bringing her back to ground zero. I pick up my baton and piece them together, giving me my bo staff.
She stands back on her feet. Cheshire looks right at me. "The warrior in white. What brings you to Taipei?"
"Oh, you know. The food, the culture, you." I swing my staff at her, but she slides beneath it. Cheshire swift kicks me in the gut and punches me in the face.
"That was for the Fog."
Cheshire continues towards the limousine. Red Arrow, finally joining the fight, shoots a net arrow at her. She slices it apart with her sais. But it leaves her open for him to tackle her in midair. The rocket crashes into the magazine booth, sending it to flames.
I get back to my feet. I run over to Red Arrow, who's pinned to the ground by Cheshire. She grabs for her sai and raises it above her head. I reach into my pocket and pull out one of my ribbons. I unwrap it and lash it at her hand. It wraps itself around her wrist, forcing her to release the sai.
Cheshire looks my way. Even though she's wearing that mask, I could tell she was giving me an ugly look right about now. She looks around her to find armed Rhelasians surrounding her. She places her hands behind her head, knowing that she's been beat. One of the Rhelasians grabs her arms and handcuffs her. He pulls her up, moving her off of Roy.
I walk over to Roy, still laying on the ground. "You good?"
"Yeah, I'm good." He raises his hand up. I grab a hold of it and pull him off the ground and on his feet.
"We stopped Cheshire from killing the arbitrator…" We both turn over to the limousine. A brunette woman in a suit opens the door. Stepping out of the limousine is a tall, bald man, wearing a black suit and blue tie.
"Lex Luthor?"
"Why would Lex Luthor be an arbitrator to a peace treaty in another country?" Lex Luthor is not only a corrupt businessman who makes money from black markets and illegal deals, he's also one of Superman's most powerful enemies. The last thing Luthor wants in the world is peace.
I look over to Roy and find three Rhelasian officers grabbing his arms and handcuffing him. They're arresting him?
"Hey! What're you doing?!" I walk over to them, but two more officers block me from moving any further. "Let me through! Roy!"
"I'm okay!" He says as he's detained.
"Well now", a cold voice speaks from behind. "What do we have here?" I turn around and find it to be Luthor himself. Luthor looks to Roy, probably wondering what we're both doing here. Then he looks to me. Blue eyes like mine, only when I look into his, I feel cold. Heart of ice cold.
"Mercy", he says, referring to the woman with him as he looks towards me. "Find out who this young man and his associate are." Mercy pulls out a phone, making a call. We wait for the next five minutes, awkwardly and impatiently waiting for this moment to be over.
Mercy hangs up the phone and nods towards Luthor. "It's been confirmed. This one's Green Arrow's pal, Speedy."
"It's Red Arrow now." Not the time for that now, Roy.
"He must be questioned", the Rhelasian police captain says.
"Lex Luthor vouches for him, captain. Release the sidekick." You don't wanna call him that.
"Ex-sidekick. And I don't need any favors from you", he says as he's been unhandcuffed.
"Apologies. I didn't realize you wished to join the young lady behind bars."
"Enough", I intersect. "Just be glad that you're not in prison now."
"I agree. And you are?"
"Not a friend. Your bodyguard couldn't find anything on me?"
"Oh, perhaps she has and I'm saving it for a more, opportune moment."
"If you had, you would've used it right now."
Roy steps forward next to me, in front of Luthor. "You may have everyone here fooled, Luthor, but I know what you are."
"Oh, I don't pretend to be an angel. It just so happens that this time I'm on the side of the angels." Luthor proceeds to walk into the Peace Summit. Roy and I follow him, with Mercy walking behind us. Why would Luthor be on 'the side of the angels'? Doesn't make sense.
Inside the Summit, we find the press and media have moved inside, continuing to cover the Summit and what just happened outside. The latter did not help with the peace treaty signing. Both Minister Tseng and General Li are arguing with one another, accusing each other attempting to assassinate the other with Cheshire. Reminds me of me arguing with Dinah, only without the death threats.
"Why should either side trust you?", Roy asks.
"Because LexCorp is a company founded on peaceful enterprise for all humanity."
"That's crap and you know it, Luthor", I tell Luthor.
"I've got intel into LexCorp's shell companies to the sale of weapons in both Rhelasias. You're profiting off this war."
"So why then would you want to help resolve and end this war?" I interject.
"War income is pocket change comparted to the billions to be made investing in a peaceful, united Rhelasia. And isn't it better to have peace, even if that scoundrel Lex Luthor profits from it?"
"That scoundrel may not survive to profit", Roy says. "Cheshire failed. But the League of Shadows won't stop until the contract is fulfilled."
"Which begs the question, who hired the League?"
"And were you really the target? Or was your death just a convenient way to sabotage the summit?"
"For all we know, either Tseng or Li could be the Shadows' true target."
"Allow me to hire you both to find out."
"No chance in hell."
"Your money has blood on it, and I'm not here to make a buck."
"Unlike some people", I say as I glare at Luthor.
Luthor chuckles at our remarks. "So you'll provide your services, but for free? I could live with that, heroes. Now, excuse me. I have a hemisphere to save." He walks up the stairs to meet Minister Tseng and General Li to 'talk peace'.
"This world would be a much better place without Lex Luthor."
"I agree, but we're not here for Luthor, Sara. We're here to keep the peace, and the leaders of Rhelasia, alive."
"I know. What now? Luthor won't talk to us, if he knows anything."
"He knows something, trust me. Let's just get out of here." He turns around and makes for the exit. I follow him.
"So, where to, Harper?"
"To the Rhelasian police station."
"What for?"
"To interrogate a Shadow."
Coast City
September 7, 7:34 PDT
"You guys gave Superboy the name Connor Kent? Well it does have a nice ring to it." I say to Kaldur over the phone. "What do you think?"
"I believe it will suit him well. M'gann took to it instantly."
"Course she did. How long do you think until those two actually become a couple?"
"If those two feel so strongly for one another, it won't take much longer them. And what of you and Sara?"
My face instantly becomes flush. "I have no clue what you mean there, Kaldur."
"Of course not. Anyways, hopefully their first day of high school should go fairly well."
"Let's hope so. Speaking of which, my first class starts soon. I'll see you later today."
"Okay then. See you later."
I hang up on my call and put my iPhone in my pocket. I sling my backpack over my back and walk through the school hallways of Coast City High School. It's nothing special, same as every other school. It does work together with Ferris Air in offering high schoolers internships and courses on how to pilot planes and jets.
"Kyle!" I turn around and see my two best friends (outside of the Team) come to see me: Thomas Kalmaku and Jillian Pearlman.
Tom is one of the smartest people I know and my best friend for, well, ever. If anyone came at him the wrong way, I stepped in and told them otherwise. He even did the same thing for me a few times, came out with a black eye. Smart and brave. Mathematically gifted and can repair anything, Tom has a gift for machines and knowing how they tick. Makes me wonder if ever given the chance, how he would far in taking apart and putting back together the Batmobile.
Jillian has only been in Coast City for the last two years, but she's most certainly made her mark here. Her first day here, she hogtied a guy who was all over this girl and wasn't haven't it. Jillian will most definitely stand up for others and still look amazing. She's wanting to take a few flying courses at Ferris Air. As long as she doesn't have Hal as her instructor, she should be good.
"Hey guys", I say giving them a hug. "What's up?"
"We could ask you the same thing, partner", Jillian says to me.
"Dude, are you okay? You know you can tell us anything", Tom says to me.
"Umm… Yeah guys. I'm fine. Why all the worry?"
"Because you've been more tired in classes, getting lower grades", Tom says.
"Cs and Bs are not that low. Least I'm not failing", I say walking through the hallways, with Tom and Jillian following.
"You may not if you take an internship with me at Ferris Air", Jillian says. "Not only will it look good on college recommendations, some teachers will excuse you of class and assignments because of it."
"Is that why you're doing it, Jill?"
"No, of course not. I want to fly. That's just an extra perk to add on to it."
"I don't need to take an internship to help with school, I'm fine. And besides, I'm not a big fan of flying anyways."
Yeah, they don't know who I really am outside of school. As much as I love them and would tell them anything, my secret is too dangerous for them to carry. Yes, I know I told my mom, but if I told them, I know they'd want to help me in anyway possible. Whether it be with Tom in the Cave or Jillian trying to rope the Riddler. No way am I letting them put themselves in danger for my sake. Not again…
"Okay, but at least let me help you raise your grade by tutoring you", Tom proposes. "You know I can, and will."
"If I say yes, will you both stop badgering me about this?"
"Yes!" They both say simultaneously.
"Okay, I will let you tutor me. And as much as I appreciate the worry, I'm good. I'm great actually. Getting back into my artistic talents."
"Really? You got any on you?" Jillian asks.
I reach for my backpack, pull out my sketchbook and hand it over to them. "Have a looksee."
They flip through my sketches as I zip back up my backpack. "Wow, Kyle, these are really good. D.C., Qurac, Atlantis… Makes me almost believe I'm actually there. Hold up… Who is this?" Jillian turns the sketchbook back to me and shows me a drawing of Sara. Sara!? I must've left some of my drawings of her in my book.
"Oh, umm, her. Just someone I met recently."
"How recent?"
"Like a week or so. I asked if she would model for a drawing or two. She said yes."
"Does this model have a name?" She asks, pushing the subject.
"Yeah man, where'd you find this girl? She is so fine." Jill smacks Tom over the head for that Wally-esque remark. "What was that for?"
The school bell rings immediately after. Literally saved by the bell. "Oh boy, time for class. Don't wanna be late, guys." I say as I take back my sketchbook and rush ourselves to the classroom.
"We're not done talking about her."
"Never said we were, Jill. And besides, what's there to talk about?"