Chapter Seven — Darkest

"You cried wolf and I came running; am I the wolf or the savior?"


Wally's laughter rang out in the field they were in. Conner and Artemis and Dick's laughter's echoed behind them as they tossed about the freebie M'gann had brought with her. Arley's head was in M'gann's lap as Garfield hung upside down from the thick tree branch above them and Jaime and Kaldur spoke quietly to one another as Bart and Tim both goofed around with the soccer ball Tim had brought.

Zatanna and La'gaan debated magic at the picnic tables and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Mal and Karen kissed at the oddly placed grill and Rocket and Jade rolled their eyes at something Roy had said; Cassie and Barbra watched little Lian Nyguyen-Harper slip down the playground slide that was precariously placed in the open and endless field.

Though something in Arley's chest told the Lantern that later would never come she hummed when M'gann said something about how the adults— Arley and the others were all adults but the founding League members; the heroes who had raised them —would arrive later.

It was a dream— Arley knew it was a dream because it felt too good to be true, because there was a nagging in the back of her consciousness that told her it was fake; it had to be, she felt completely happy —and yet nonetheless Arley allowed herself to be enveloped by it.

She allowed herself to skin in under the feeling of M'gann's nails scratching against her scalp.

"Hey Megs?" Arley asked, her eyes open and she caught the underside of the Martian's green chin.

"Yeah Arley?" M'gann looked down at Arley.

"We can stay like this right?" Arley asked; Arley sat up and M'gann fingers fell from her hair as she looked to where Wally was grinning with the others.

Artemis was the first to turn and the archer— Arley's sister in all but blood —beamed at her. Artemis' smile was large and bright and when Wally saw Artemis smiling he turned in Arley and M'gann's directions and, overdramatically, blew her kiss.

"Of course we can," M'gann promised, slowly Arley lowered her head back into the Martians lap and once more the green skinned alien threaded her fingers through Arley's thick black hair. Later; Hal and Guy and John and Katma would be joining them later and though Arley's gut twisted and everything in the young woman's gut told her she wouldn't be seeing them later, Arley allowed her eyes to slowly close and be swallowed whole but the sounds of Wally West's laughter.

They were anchored somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico. Kaldur and Arley— Rosalie Dembitzer —crowded around the cell they were keeping La'gaan in. The fish-like Atlantean's knuckles were wrapped around the bars of his cell and his red eyes were narrowed at the three of them as he pressed his face in the spaces between the iron bars.

"How can you stand to look in the mirror?" La'gann spat at Kaldur. Arley stood silently behind Kaldur as she acted as his right hand, "Atlantis, King Arthur, the team. You betrayed us all. Neptune's beard! I can't believe I once idolized you!"

The door swung open and Arley's hand instinctively went to the chain scythe that was wrapped around her waist. The sword that was on her back shifted as she and Kaldur and the two Manta henchmen turned to see Black Manta— Kaldur's biological father —enter the room.

"Why is this prisoner still aboard?" Manta asked. Arley's hand stayed on the shaft of her weapon ready to defend Kaldur at a moment's notice. Arley had been undercover and aboard the submarine for just under a week and though Manta had not once even seemingly threatened Kaldur or raised his voice at the blonde Atlantean; it put the young woman on edge. She was waiting for Manta to snap and lash out at Kaldur; to hurt him. "He should be delivered at once to our partner. Prepare a pod."

"I will handle it personally father," Kaldur said.

"Negative," Black Manta shook his head, "I have other duties for you my son."

"Son," La'gaan scoffed, "You're not his son, you're his errand boy!"

Kaldur turned and pulled out an orange syringe from his belt, La'gaan snarled at the former team leader. Kaldur looked blandly back at La'gaan as he stepped forward.

"I am aware of my place in the larger picture La'gaan. Are you?" And then, Kaldur pushed the tip of the needle into La'gaans chest, just under his collarbones; La'gaan's knees began to wobble as Kaldur injected him with the anesthetic.

"I'm so going to get you for this chum." La'gaan said heavily as his knees began to give. La'gaan stepped back from the bars and Arley had to plant her feet more firmly to the ground as she reminded herself that she couldn't move and catch La'gaan as he began to fall like a timbering tree.

When La'gaan was on the floor of his cell Arley stepped in front of Kaldur, her hand on her weapon; Manta's men moved from behind her and Kaldur— and around Black Manta themselves —and swung open La'gaan's cell door.

Each henchmen picked La'gaan up and dragged the Atlantean upright; La'gaan's head rolled forward and a third henchmen, with the same type of pod Queen Bee had been using to harbor the kidnapped runaways, entered the room. The two henchmen who had La'gaan placed the gilled Atlantean into the pod before the rolled him out; never once did Arley's eyes stray from La'gaan.

The henchmen and Manta could think all the want about how she was taking her job as Kaldur's right hand just a bit too seriously but she knew Kaldur would know her true intentions because it was the same reason his own eyes never left La'gaans unconscious figure; it was because they were worried for their friend and couldn't show it.

When La'gaan had been rolled out of the room and the backs of the henchmen could no longer be seen both Kaldur and Arley turned to Black Manta; Manta put his hand on Kaldurs shoulder and Arley twitched from behind her friend. Artemis had told her what her father had been like growing up and Arley herself could still remember the worst of her foster parents and maybe she had spent more years out of foster care then in it but that didn't change the fact Arley didn't trust Manta not to snap one day.

"Kaldur'ahm, you should know my faith in you is absolute, but others require further proof of your loyalty." Kaldur's brows pinched,

"You have my word father," Kaldur said, "That I will do whatever it takes to enter the Light."

Arley stood silently behind him.

It was Arley and Kaldur with the Terror Twins and Icicle Junior; the five of them had been sent out by Manta to capture Blue Beetle, someone the Light's new partner wanted specifically. Manta hadn't expanded on why the Light's new and mysterious partner wanted Jaime, nor had he explained who the Light's new partner was, just that by securing New Mexican teen both Kaldur and Rosalie Dembitzer would both be brought into the fold.

Arley liked Jamie— probably as much as she liked Billy —and the thought of some shadow organization that worked hand-in-hand with the Light wanting him made the undercover hero sick.

The dart gun she had tucked away in her left boot moved against her leg.

But she had to do it, her and Kaldur both did, though that didn't change the fact that Arley felt her stomach knot together as she and Kaldur and the three career villains that had been chosen to accompany them flew through the skies.

"Brother Tommy," Tuppence said, her voice airy and the southern twang was drawn out with every word, "I think we're plum crazy to throw in with this feller. I mean it wasn't two years ago Mr. Aqualad here was trying to lock up back up in Belle Reve."

"Well sister Tuppence folks say he had a change in heart over finding out who his pappy is," Tommy replied. Arley's hands curled around the edges of the control panel she was stationed at; she looked over her shoulder and glared at the blondes as Junior walked over to Tuppence and crouched down next to her.

"I heard it was over some girl," the ice villain said, "Which I totally get, you know, if it's the right girl." Junior dropped a hand onto Tuppence's arm and Tuppence sighed in annoyance as she picked Juniors hand up off of her.

"Step back Junior, you're giving me the chills." Junior smirked as he moved to stand behind Tuppence's chair,

"But in a good way, right babe?" Tommy snorted, he turned and Arley caught the larger Terror Twins eye. Arley's gaze sharpened and her lips pressed more firmly together; Tommy Terrors eyes sparkled maliciously.

"Me?" Tommy said, "I'm more concerned about this Morningstar. How come the Terror Twins ain't never heard of her before."

"Question," Arley sneered, the accent the glamor charm gave her rang out with every word, "Are you incompetent at whispering as you are at succeeding in life—" Tommy Terror spun around in his chair with a snarl and Kaldur sat forward. Tuppence and Junior turned to look at the undercover hero. "—Or was this just your take on subtlety?"

"These are open questions Missy—" Tommy said, Arley cut him off;

"—So subtlety," she snipped. "You're as good as that as I supposed you would be at spelling the word subtlety." Tommy's jaw clenched and Tuppence shifted her weight, as if she was going to pounce on Arley. "Nonetheless, are any of actually you going to ask these open questions of yours to Black Manta?" Tommy and Tuppence straightened in their seats; Arley continued, "Which one of you wants to suggest to the big bad-our boss, that his son and his son's hand picked right hand cannot be trusted?"

Though her mask hid it, Arley arched a brow; Tommy and Tuppence stared at Arley with hardened expressions before simultaneously looking away. Junior turned with Tuppence and crouched back down; his hand once more on her arm.

Arley turned back to her control panel.

"Don't look so defeated babe, I'm here for you."

Tuppence pulled away and glared at the living icicle.

"Will you cut that out," Tuppence Terror hissed.

"I can't help myself babe, been kind of obsessed since the first time I laid eyes on you," Junior smirked.

"This is the first time you laid eyes on me," Tuppence hissed and Junior shrugged.

"Only technically," Junior said, "See five years ago in Belle Reve this Martian girl was posing as you—" Tuppence grabbed the young mans hand that had been perched on her arm; her nails dug into his icy skin and Arley could have sworn she heard the ice splinter.

"—Then go give the skivvies to her," Tuppence snapped as she pushed Junior away. Junior stumbled back, and looked at Kaldur who he had stopped in front of, a sly smirk on his face and his abused hand coddled close to his chest.

"I'm wearing her down." Kaldur looked at the villain blandly.

"Perhaps we could focus on the mission now," Kaldur snapped, "We are closing on our target." Arley's heart leapt into her throat. Like always, she would do what she had to even if it made her sick.

Jaime was in the air; Arley could hear Bart Allen's voice echoing through the desert and the undercover heroes throat tightened. Arley had known Bart Allen for less then a month but he was— would one day be —family and she was going to have to fight him— hurt him —to keep her cover.

"Impulse, by Impulse, is that crash or what?" The future speedster asked happily. Tuppence jumped through the air and grabbed Jamie by his middle; the pair of them crashed to the ground. "Oh man, I spent one-point-six seconds on that self portrait. It was my masterpiece!"

Arley, who had been running up to the speedster jumped, her leg outstretched. Bart easily avoided her as she rolled across the ground; the boy ran at Tommy Terror only to bounce off the teens chest. Arley grabbed the crossbow that had been strapped to her thigh and shot the trick arrow that had been preloaded into the weapon at Bart.

A net exploded and wrapped around the auburn haired boy. Tommy rushed to his sister's side as she restrained Jaime and Arley leaned back on the balls of her feet, her finger hovering over the trigger of her crossbow.

"Hold him steady," Junior ordered; his arm glowed, "Now move!"

Tommy and Tuppence did and before Jaime could get away ice quickly encased the young hero.

"Blue!" Arley spun to see Bart vibrating out of the net that had been wrapped around him and she threw the bolas she had at the hip parallel to her chain scythe only to miss. The speedster was gone. The sound of ice cracking splintered through the air and before any of them had turned Jaime had broken himself out of the ice prison Junior had trapped him in.

The teen hero aimed his sonic cannon at Tommy and the Junior; knocking them both out. Jamie then fired at Arley; Arley jumped over the sonic beam Jaime had shot at her only to be thrown back when he fired a large stable her way. The staple caught Arley's hand and the young undercover hero hit the ground with a thud.

She heard another body hit the ground and saw Tuppence laying a foot or so away from Jaime's feet. Arley sat up and pulled at the staple keeping her down; a blur sped by her and Arley saw Bart standing beside Jaime, the younger boy's auburn hair was windswept and sticking out in several different directions.

"Or," Jamie said as Arley continued to tug at the staple, "Since they outnumber us four to two we could recommend tactical strategic retreat." Jaime's wings disappeared and the sound of his suit forming his jetpack could be heard.

Arley— with her hand free —got to her feet; she tossed the almost comically large stapled to the side. Bart nodded,

"Totally, but first," the speedster turned to Jamie, "How did they find us out here in the middle of—ah-ha." Bart cut himself off, his gaze fixed over Jaime's head and on Kaldur. Before she could blink, Bart was gone. Arley's head snapped up to the large rock overlooking the fight and saw Bart standing several feet from Kaldur.

She couldn't hear what the speedster said— Arley knew Barry and Iris West's future grandson well enough that he had to have said something —but she did see the glow of the sword Kaldur had formed with his water bearers swing forward.

Tommy and Junior and Tuppence stepped towards Jaime and Arley took two steps in Kaldur's direction only for Bart— with Kaldurs tracker in hand —to appear once more at Jaime's side.

"They can't follow us now!" Bart said as he pivoted, "Let's book!"

Jaime spun and with a jump the teen took to the air; dust traveled behind Bart as he ran below the blue hero.

Tommy turned to Kaldur with a scowl; Arley continued to approach her former team leader.

"Well that's brilliant chief," Tommy snapped, "You let him get away and with the tracking device! Now how do we find Beetle!" Arley blinked at the word device; she kept the comment about being surprised Tommy knew such a word to herself.

And for a second she still expected to hear a laugh echoing through her mind; but quickly— as ice and loneliness flooded her veins —enough she was reminded that Aniell was no longer on her finger but rather around Wally's neck.

"As it happens," Kaldur hissed at the hulking blonde villain, "We have another."

"If you had another one of them gizmos why didn't you just say so?" Tommy questioned once they were back on the Manta flyer. Arley could feel the cold that rolled off Junior from her seat a foot away and through her heavily protected costume.

"It is not the same," Kaldur told the male twin, "This one confirms that the first device acted as a Trojan horse. Impulse and Beetle brought it into the cave and remotely hacked and bypassed all security." The villains in the room smiled as genuinely as any villain could. "Mount Justice is ours."

It was almost painfully hypocritical; Arley had given Lucas Carr— Snapper, a hero who, sometime after the League had first been founded, had lead to the Mount Justice caves location being discovered by the Joker —hell over the years for what he had done and yet she had still snuck and helped lead three villains into the cave on the orders of Black Manta himself.

Arley had come through the ventilation shaft in the kitchen; the one that hung over the stove, only to see both Bodie and Wolf asleep on the couch. Wolf's head was over Bodie's and the vulpimancers tail hung limply over the arm of the couch.

Wolf picked his head up; Bodie followed suit, his orange tail perked up as Arley ducked behind the back of the couch. Arley didn't dare breathe Bodie let out a whine; Wolf let out a gruff-growled puff of air and the genetically modified wolf and the alien dog-like creature put their heads back down, Wolf's chin rested on Bodie's.

Arley waited a moment and quietly she stood back up; with the two inhibitor collars Kaldur had given her in hand Arley— with a rueful gleam in her eyes and a regretful twist of her lips —snapped the collars on her and Conners pets before moving on, down the hall and towards the hanger. When she found no one in the Hanger Arley took the elevator up to the gymnasium only to find that empty as well.

"Morningstar, Tuppence," Kaldur's voice said over the com-link; Arley paused mid-step. "Blue Beetle is with the newest speedster and Nightwing in the Meeting Chamber. Junior and Tommy are already there."

"Gotch'a," Tuppence said. "I got the green one-the monkey boy."

Arley's hands clenched; Garfield was a sweet boy and though Arley wasn't as close to the green skinned changeling as she was with Billy or Jaime bile still rose her throat as she thought of how Tuppence Terror could have apprehended the young green skinned teenager.

"On my way," Arley breathed before she took off towards the Meeting Chamber.

Arley turned the corner of the hallway that led to the Mount Justice Meeting Chamber and saw Conner— with a collar around his neck —laying idly on the floor next to Nightwing; there was ice on the floor and Junior was knocked out, crumbled to the ground at Bart Allen's feet. Arley beat down a proud smile at the sight.

Jaime was in the air and Tuppence, at the other end of the hallway had Garfield thrown over her shoulder.

"That worked so nice I'll try it twice," Bart sang with a smile; one that reminded Arley of Wally and Iris and the rest of the West family.

Arley took out the third inhibitor collar Kaldur had given as Bart bounced off of Tuppence and into Tommy's grasp. Tuppence threw Garfield to the ground and Arley took two steps forward; as if she were going to catch him.

Bart held his hands out in front of them, shaking them as Tommy held him in the air with one hand. "My hands! What are you made of?"

"Snips and snails and puppy dog tails." Tommy smirked as he slapped the inhibitor collar around the speedster and Bart smirked.

"Nice try! I'll just vibrate right out of this—" Bart began trying to vibrate his body; his smirk fell, "Oh-no, no speed. I'm moded aren't I?"

Tommy didn't answer the time traveler and instead hit him so hard the young teen went flying across the hall. Bart landed near Garfield. Blue aimed his sonic canon at Tommy and the Terror twin flinched in pain as his hands clasped over his ears.

Dick rolled Conner off of him and Arley moved; the supposedly dead Lantern sailed through the air and landed a kick to the former boy wonders jaw. Arley landed in a crouch and spun her leg out; just as Black Canary had shown the team years ago in their first training session. Dick hit the corridors floor and Arley got on top of him; she clasped the third collar around her friends neck and Dick, with a ghost of a smile, looked up at her.

"Sorry," Dick said, as if Arley didn't know, "No super powers for your collar to turn off." With a smirk Dick's legs flew up and his ankles crossed— one behind her head and one over her neck —over her throat only for Dick to swiftly bring them down.

Arley's skull vibrated as she hit the cave floor but she sat up anyway; she was Kaldur's right hand, she couldn't be taken down that easily, though Arley supposed, fighting was easier when she had a ring that healed her almost instantaneously.

With the controls for the collar out Arley pressed a button and Dick— as the collar electrocuted him —fell to his knees.

"Stand down!" Kaldur shouted as he entered the corridor; Arley got to her feet and looked up at Jaime who's sonic cannon glowed dangerously in her direction. "This battle is over."

"I don't think so traitor!" Jaime shouted rawly; there was an angry wobble in his thick voice as he turned his weapons onto Kaldur.

"Then rethink Beetle," Kaldur said. He dropped to his knees and slowly opened up the duffle bag he had been carrying since they had tracked Jaime and Bart back to the cave; inside of the bag was a bomb. Arley turned away from the bomb and looked at Dick and Conner, she looked at Bart and Garfield and she thought of Wolf and Bodie, both of whom were still in the caves living room, sound asleep. "This is the same type of bomb that obliterated Malina Island. I am holding down the Dead Man's Switch—" Kaldur raised his hand to show Beetle and the other villains that he indeed was holding down the switch, "—And if my thumb comes off this button for any reason Mount Justice Falls."

Jaime hesitated for a moment before, slowly, he descended.

"I'm standing down," Jaime said. The sonic cannons retracted and the Beetle themed hero was left defenselessly with his hands raised over his head. Tommy moved and snapped a collar around Jaimes neck.

"Wise choice," Kaldur said. Junior slowly got up, a scowl marred his icy face as he walked up behind Kaldur.

"I'm fine, by the way," Junior said, "You know if anyone wanted to know."

Arley didn't; she didn't say that though.

"Good," Kaldur said. "Escort Beetle, Impulse and Beast Boy to the flyer."

"Why the changeling and speedster? I thought our mission was to collect the Beetle?" Arley asked before she could stop herself; the room turned to her. Tommy Terror's brow arched and Arley's heart sped up under her uniform. Lie; her mind screamed, Lie! "I read the changelings file, he was an ordinary human before that Martian gave him blood, what use is he to the Light's partner-and the speedster, we know nothing about him, why might the Light's partner want them?"

"Because they both have something the Lights partner wants," Kaldur replied tersely. Arley nodded, she looked down at Conner, who was still sprawled out across the corridor flooring and Nightwing who struggled to his knees.

"Then what about these two?" Junior arched a brow; his arms crossed over his chest from behind Kaldur.

"As hostages here they have value but unlike Beast Boy, Nightwing is an ordinary human and Superboy is a Kryptonian-human hybrid clone; neither of those categories is of any interest to the Light's partner."

Arley nodded. She moved so that she could pick up Bart; she cradled the unconscious teen in her arms, his head lolled to the side.

"Aqualad!" Dick shouted; Arley turned to see Dick on his feet. "You'll regret this!"

Tommy pushed Jaime towards the caves exit and Tuppence— with Garfield once more over her shoulder —followed. Junior paused to watch with Arley; the pair of them watched as Kaldur calmly walked up to the Bludhaven hero. Kaldur reeled the arm that wasn't holding the Dead Man's Switch back and hit Dick hard enough in the gut that the former boy wonder doubled over; Arley's shoulders pushed themselves back as Dick let out a wheezing breath.

Kaldur spun on his heel; "I believe I have outgrown the name Aqualad. And anything resembling regret." Kaldur paused. "I will leave the bomb with you, as a souvenir-oh, and the Dead Man's Switch has a five mile range. Do not pursue us."

And with that Kaldur brushed by Arley and Junior; the pair of them followed after, guarding his back; Tommy and Tuppence and Beetle waited outside the cave, Jaime's wrists had been bound together in front of him and Arley had— reluctantly —passed Bart to Tommy Terror.

Junior pushed the boy forward and Arley glared at the ice villain from the corner of her eye; "Move it Bug."

Jamie grunted as he took three steps forwards, towards the Manta flyer.

"Not much choice is there?" Jaime asked.

"No," Junior said, "None at all."

Jaime took two more steps forward before his inhibitor collar sparked and the red lights went dead.

"What? No you can't!" Jamie shouted— most likely at his scarab —as his hands formed into blunted mace-like weapons and he spun. Jamie swung and knocked Junior several feet away and then, before she could move to dodge the hit, he hit Arley as well before he turned and spun to fire a blast of energy at Kaldur.

The former team leader was knocked back and the Dead Mans Switch flew out of his hand.

"No!" Jaime seemed to freeze; with a baited breath Arley saw the teen waiting for the Mount Justice cave to fall only to see nothing happening. "You're right!" Jaime said to his scarab; "It was a bluff! Get him!"

Jaime lunged; before he could make contact with Kaldur the Atlantean raised his arm and blasted the teen with several thousands volts of mystic energy; Jamie— with his armor open —stumbled back. Arley untucked the dart gun she had in her boot and blew a dart laced with enough horse tranquilizers to put Superman himself to sleep at him.

Jaime hit the ground and Kaldur stood up.

"I was not certain that would work," Kaldur said. "But it seems Beetle is indeed vulnerable to mystic energy and sedatives." Kaldur turned to Junior, "Bring him aboard."

Junior scooped the bug themed hero up and dragged him aboard the Manta Flyer.

Each of the three young heroes were tied up and deposited in front of the cockpit; Arley and Kaldur had brought three of the pods Queen Bee had been using only for the Atlantean to forgo them; Kaldur had told the Terror Twins that leaving the three back there in the pods— even with one of them acting as guards —allowed the heroes a chance to escape and that it was better for them all to be where they could be seen.

Slowly, one by one, the teens woke up.

Arley stood next to Kaldur; Tommy leaned his head back, "I can't believe we didn't end Superboy when he had the chance."

"Boss here still has a soft spot for his old team."

Arley knew what she and Kaldur had to do; ever since Manta had given them the bomb they'd known what they had to do and yet the undercover heroes still shared a look. Arley's hand rested on Kaldurs forearm.

Arley had blown up thousands of ships as a Lantern; she had killed more aliens then she would ever be able to count. She still woke up with the heat of blazing ships prickling her skin, but that was the price she paid for the job she did.

"Do it," Kaldur said. Arley's fingers curled around Kaldurs arm.

Every cell in her body told her to leave the denotator in her pocket; everything inside of her told her not to— she thought of all the memories she had of the cave, she thought of how Bodie and Wolf were asleep on the couch and how Dick and Conner were in the hallway last time she had seen them —but Lanterns always completed their missions, so Arley took the denotator out of pants pocket and with her gloved nails biting into Kaldurs armor she— hesitating for a moment —pressed down on the button.

Mount Justice exploded a second later.

Mount Justice burned just as bright as any ship Arley had ever destroyed before; she could almost feel the heat of the blast through the Manta flyers windshields. She could hear her teammates' laughter echo through the deafening sound of the blast and she could see each and everyone of her past memories play out in the bright light of the explosion.

"No!" Bart and Garfield exclaimed; Bart struggled against his bonds.

Arley's hands shook; she couldn't afford to think about Dick and Conner and Wolf and Bodie not getting out in time, she couldn't think about them laying under the rubble of Mount Justice or burned alive in the blast. She couldn't think about them dead at her hands when she had a mission to do; but she would, later that night.

Arley knew she would.

When Arley, Kaldur and the others got back to the main Manta ship no longer was it anchored in the Gulf of Mexico, but rather the Atlantic ocean.

Black Manta and a squadron of men met the team of five young villains at the door, half a dozen of the armored henchmen rushed into the Manta Flyer with their weapons needlessly at the ready; Jaime, Bart and Garfield had each been placed in the pods they had brought along when the Manta flyer first began to connect itself to the main ship.

Arley stood behind Kaldur as the three young heroes were wheeled out by the squadron of Manta's henchmen.

"Come with me, the both of you," Manta said to Kaldur and Arley. The aquatic supervillain led the pair down the submarine's corridors and to his office where a large floor to ceiling computer screen was at the ready. There were several familiar faces on the screen and if Arley didn't glare at Vandal Savage's image it was only because he didn't catch her doing so.

"Allow me to introduce you to my son Kaldur'ahm and his right hand Morningstar," Manta said proudly. "He has succeeded in every mission and then some. He and his right hand not only captured Beetle as instructed but also captured two bonus meta's as well."

Arley's blood turned icy; not only was there that word again— meta —but they hadn't needed to capture Bart and Garfield, the boys had been extra? The dead Lantern's shoulders straightened and her tongue caught between her teeth.

"And as for the destruction of Mount Justice well…" Manta trailed off as he looked at the pair.

Ra Al Gul tilted his head up;

"Indeed we appreciate initiative, vision, and—" Ra Al Gul looked solely at Kaldur, "—Strong family ties. Welcome to the light Kaldur'ahm, Morningstar. It is time for you to meet our partners."

Kaldur's lips curled up appreciatively and slowly the screen split once more and an alien— a green and teal alien who wore a black and white shirt that's large collar stopped half way up it's face —appeared on the screen.

The alien smiled politely; "You are Black Manta's son?" Kaldur nodded.

"Yes, this is my right hand Morningstar." Arley stepped forward and bowed her head.

The alien on screen smiled dangerously down at the pair and every hair on the undercover hero's body stood up. Arley had been a hero since she was eight years old and she had been throwing herself into danger long before that and yet never before had her body told her to run more than it had in that moment; the aliens' eyes sparked the same way an atomic bomb would.

"I am the Ambassador of the Reach." Arley's heart dropped into her stomach.

No, she thought mournfully, No.