Special thanks to my beta DarkUnderworld
He sat in one of the green armchairs in the far corner, his hair still damp as he waited for the others to arrive. Jaime sat, cross-legged and hunched forward; elbows resting on his knees. Making himself small, but looking outwardly relaxed. At least, he hoped he did.
He was more than aware of the time - 09:00 - and the fact that, still, there were only four members in the base. Megan had finally arrived from her room, which was located just out of the Team's area in the hallway next to the Leaguers' rooms. Connor stayed in one of them, as well as Bart - though he often bunked at the Flash's - and any other member who didn't have a place to stay
Jaime took the minute moment before Megan would make her way to the living room to quickly scan the rooms. Vitals were normal.
"Hey, Jaime!" Megan said much too brightly as she floated through the kitchen counter to sit on the floor by the coffee table.
"Uh, hey," he replied managing to not pull a face at the sugary cereals she had filled her bowl with. He also ignored the gnawing in his stomach; eating before a mission never went well for him, no matter how much it helped with his buzzing headaches.
"How was your week?" She seemed to be happily oblivious to his state of being; which was to have minimal interaction with anyone and to just do his job and get out.
"Usual."
"Oh, that's nice!" she replied, though he hadn't prompted her to. "I've been trying to stay up to date on my college's clubs and activities. I'm already the treasurer of two clubs! I watched Legally Blonde before the semester started and I think it's wonderful how schools here have clubs and activities! Don't you think?"
Jaime didn't respond, but he figured Megan assumed he nodded, as she had returned to her bowl halfway through her speech. She kept talking, between bites, her lips moving between chewing her food - but he was focused on something else. Her words were mere white noise in the background as he kept a constant vigil over his shoulder; knowing people passed by on their way to the cafeteria or meeting room, but he noticed that one heat print was making its way here. He wasn't very invested in the conversation, but was secretly glad Megan was doing okay.
Jaime turned around to eye the door just as it opened. In walked Connor, clad in his usual clothes.
"Hey," they both deadpanned. Connor smiled, Jaime snorted.
"Hey," Jaime repeated, slightly bemused; then turning back to staring at nothing and everything.
Nodding a hello once more, and an actual greeting to Megan, Connor left for the kitchen to make toast. Things were mostly quiet after that; the sound of preparing and eating food filling the otherwise silent room. Jaime didn't mind, with so many trusted people he felt more likely to let his guard drop somewhat. He still monitored the doors and knew when Artemis entered the showers and Bart left his room, but by the time Jaime had been warned, there was a blur of food, noise, and friendliness that was running to and from the kitchen and the living room, dropping crumbs everywhere. Jaime chuckled dryly at the scene that was about to happen.
"Ugh, dude! You're picking that up," Connor complained to Bart as he dropped a wad of yogurt on the floor.
"Heah, heah!" was his muffled reply, no doubt a ton of wet crumbs flying out of his mouth.
"EW! BART!" Connor growled - but Jaime could hear the smile in his voice.
All of this was pretty standard for a Saturday morning. It was loud, and familiar; and although he loved these people like a family, it was still too loud on all his senses. So, exactly like every morning at the base. Except for what Nightwing had told him earlier; making his head buzz even more painfully. You'd think Jaime was the one with super-hearing and not any of his metahuman teammates. Still, he managed to not turn tail or break down and yell at them to shut the fuck up. Seriously, there should be stories about how much of a saint he was. But then people would pray to him, and he had enough on his plate already.
Jaime tried to relax into his seat, resting against the soft material as he waited and ignored his hunger until Nightwing showed up. At 10:00. Someone asked Nightwing how long he had been in that corner - and he just smiled. Of course, Jaime knew he'd only just shown up.
Nightwing's smirk was quickly replaced with a professional mask as he stepped forward and pulled up his holographic computer. Everyone quieted down, watching the screens with rapt attention. A usual Saturday morning, almost.
"As I told Jaime earlier," Nightwing said, moving his screens aside so he could look at the Team. Jaime sat up. "We won't be focusing on patrolling tonight."
There was a collective silence; the air in the room feeling taut with the excited apprehension that came before every mission. Nightwing looked at them, maybe expecting a smart-ass comment, but without details, they all just waited for him.
"I've been investigating a series of thefts," he started; clips, photos, and newspaper clippings in multiple languages showing up on his holo-screen. "Aimed at aeronautics and navigation tech manufacturers mostly, but also at some weapon manufacturers and electronics engineering firms."
"A series? You mean all these are linked then?" Connor asked, leaning forward.
"Yes," he replied. Typing along his keyboard, some images changed while others zoomed in and enhanced. "They all share similar characteristics - though the targets themselves aren't that out of the ordinary so it was difficult to link them." He paused, highlighting the new images. "The same plastic explosive has been used to infiltrate each facility; a military-grade plastic explosive, but there's an ingredient in it-"
"So, it's a homebrew?" Artemis asked, coming in, somehow up to speed on the situation. Jaime pushed down the cold lump that formed in his stomach at her arrival.
Nightwing nodded. "It's still under analysis. It's a very heavy compound and we don't want to take too many risks in the lab, but we do know it's the same compound at every site; someone's calling card."
"Someone with chemistry or military training?" This time it was Jaime who asked, looking too intently at their leader.
Nightwing sighed as he replied, "Yes, so if you'd all stop interrupting me," he said with a smirk, "Though that isn't all. Obviously, every facility that's been attacked was armed with alarm systems - electronic with a generator as a back-up. We know the electronic systems were never alerted and there's no footage on the security cameras either."
"Could've been wiped," Connor offered.
"But if the electronic alarms weren't set off, it would mean either an EMP or a hacker, or that they were all inside jobs. But if they broke in with explosives, then why not simply destroy everything else to throw us off?" Artemis replied, walking to stand by Nightwing as she inspected the images. Jaime looked off to the side.
"All this is super interesting," Bart, of all people, piped up. "But does it really matter? We know they'll use plastic explosives to get in at the next target, so all that matters is that we intercept?"
After a beat of silence, people staring at Bart, Nightwing cleared his throat. "Exactly. I poured over all the details and put them in a file if you want to read about it, alright?" He looked around as he waited for an objection or comment of some kind. "Luckily, I have a few ideas on likely places to be the next target.
"The first one," he said, pulling up new images of cross-shaped logos, warehouses, and other buildings. "Is Ziegler, a firm in Switzerland, specializing in nanotechnology for medicinal purposes. It's currently working on a project called Valkyrie involving tissue regrowth and even regeneration at a meta-human rate. Miniaturization technology is part of the tech that's been stolen, so this firm would make a juicy mark."
"But if the tech is only related to medicine - like automated stem cells; then what would be the use for the thieves? Do we even know who is involved?" Artemis asked.
"I have a few ideas," Nightwing replied. "It's a likely mark, but I think just monitoring it will be enough for now. Since Queen Industries, Wayne Tech and LexCorps have not been hit-"
"What about STAR labs?" Wondergirl asked.
"Already hit; a prototype resembling Cyborg's white noise canon. Since the others have not been targeted - and none are currently working on aeronautics or weapons projects - I ruled them out. For now. No, the most likely target I've found is a Canadian aeronautics manufacturer; Can-Aero. It made planes beginning in World War II and since then it's been at the forefront of the field along with other similar companies.
"Recently they've joined forces with other smaller firms to start on a top-secret project. A miniature, one-man aircraft; though reading through their files it sounds like they're trying to make it all-terrain."
"Okay, I get why someone would want to steal that," Wondergirl piped up. "But at the same time, why would someone want to steal that?"
Blue leaned forward in his seat to look at her. "It's an all-terrain one-man craft; with the other thefts, it could be repurposed into just about anything from an expedition scout to a mini-tank..." he trailed off in thought, casting a glance at Nightwing. Suddenly the back of his head was abuzz and calculations and speculations flew through his mind at blinding speeds.
Nightwing nodded, and Jaime couldn't be sure, but he thought he could feel his leader's eye on him through the white lens of his mask... "That's what bothersome," he said. "If we were dealing with, I dunno, a team of geologists trying to make a scout it wouldn't be so bad-"
"-But as far as we know we're dealing with mercs trying to homebrew an Iron Man armor," Artemis finished. Jaime would swear up and down that as she said those words her eyes were boring into him.
"Ah man, I love that movie," Bart piped up, but was mostly ignored.
There was a beat of silence as the team took in the information - and the meaning of it. If someone managed to build a one-man, all-terrain, hi-tech tank that could fly, and it fell in the wrong hands; it could be like a rogue Blue Beetle. But the question still remained: who was behind the thefts and their purpose for the stolen items?
"We'll send one or two teams to the Ziegler site as a back-up," Nightwing said, waving away the holo-images. "But our primary concern isn't there. We'll be divided into four squads:
"Wondergirl, Beast Boy, you're with me on Alpha-squad; Tigress, Miss Martian, Batgirl you're on Beta-squad; Superboy, Blue Beetle and Kid Flash, Gamma-squad; we'll be coming to the Can-Aero site. Robin, Static, Bumble Bee; Delta-squad; Aqualad will be your backup. You're headed for Ziegler," Nightwing listed, before explaining the need for a designated techie on each squad - to disable or enable security as well as infiltrating the systems on-site or, if the hostiles should manage to acquire their mark, disable the tech.
Their departure time was at 12:00 sharp, mainly to stake-out the site and if they thought necessary, add security measures and the like. This left them one hour and thirty minutes for preparation or in some peoples' cases, relaxing and eating.
"Back on Gamma-squad, eh?" Bart asked, zipping to Connor and Blue after people went to do their pre-mission preparations. He popped some chicken-wheezies into his mouth. "Been a while since we haven't been on Beta."
Blue snorted softly. "And here I thought we were moving up in the world," he replied dryly. "Do we know where we'll be stationed?" He didn't really care. As long as he wasn't on Tigress' squad it wouldn't be weird.
"Beta-squad are handling perimeter and coordination and Alpha-squad is the second line of defense just inside the factory," Connor said, turning them and putting his phone away. "So, that leaves us deep inside the factory, possibly even in the lab."
Blue frowned in thought. Usually Gamma-squad handled secondary ops, distractions, and generally speaking, the least important tasks. "That means they think they'll stop whoever's doing this before they get inside?"
Bart looked at Connor. "Possibly," the latter replied. "I don't know many people who can get through Artemis or Nightwing, but if they were to get through both, it means we're dealing with someone who needs to be hit heavy." His phone dinged, alerting him of a message and he started typing away.
Connor's words resonated in Jamie's mind. How come, in all his justifiably reasonable paranoia, he had not gotten wind of any of this? These thefts? And now he learned that not only Connor was apprehensive, but so were Artemis and Nightwing?
As Bart rambled on, Blue studied Connor, who was still texting; his heart rate had picked up as well as his stress levels. Every now and then - while texting - he would glance at Blue. He didn't need a supercomputer to notice the closed-off look on Connor's face.
Part of him worried the Team still didn't trust him after everything that had happened, and he couldn't blame them. There were times where he didn't trust himself either.
"Hey, you been listenin' man?" Bart knocked on his head several times before Blue even registered it.
"Hey! Stop that," he told him grouchily, taking care to move away. "No I wasn't. Who could even try without your speed to match?"
Bart chuckled but launched right back into what he had been saying, at the same speed as before; unfortunately. Blue looked back at Connor.
He seemed obsessed with his phone; not looking at Bart very much and now even less at Blue. It unsettled him. He was sure it was because the others were still uneasy around him. Well, most of the others; Bart and Megan were just as nice, if not nicer than before.
In any case, some part of Blue was happy that the full responsibility of keeping himself in check might not rest solely on his shoulders. Even if knowing the others felt this way worsened his headaches...
A solemn silence hung in the air as Gamma Squad flew to the objective; all three members were riding Sphere, even Blue Beetle. Superboy, the squad leader, had insisted they all stay together.
The back seat was cramped and Blue could tell Kid Flash was getting restless. He slapped his hand atop his teammate's to stop them from tapping again.
Stop, he told him through the mind-link, shooting him a glare.
Sorry! Restless y'know? Sitting still isn't- Kid Flash was interrupted by Superboy.
Both of you: shh! He even turned around to glare at them, a finger to his lips. After a moment, he turned back to look at the sky; their destination growing closer ever so slowly. The mind-link always felt crowded just before a mission began; like a buzzing beehive.
It was driving Blue Beetle mad. Despite not being anywhere near as impatient as a speedster, being out in the open like this definitely made him restless; and he was already short on patience. Also, flying in another vehicle made him queasy for some reason.
He begrudgingly admitted to himself that he was secretly terrified that bad guys were flying somewhere behind them in a cloaked ship. Of course they weren't; Blue had been scanning their surroundings nonstop since they had left base.
Blue, Superboy interrupted his thoughts. You can infiltrate the security systems?
He could.
Alpha and Beta Squads will open the way for us. They'll leave back-doors; use 'em. You're in charge of safeguarding any sensitive info, got it?
Blue Beetle nodded. Clear.
KF and I will handle anybody who comes; Blue, hang back unless necessary.
With the game plan in place, the squad fell back into silence; though for two thirds of them it was much less stressful than before. Blue, for his part, was already working double-time tracking Alpha and Beta's progress, as well as probing the cyber-security system while they flew.
This would the worst time to get a migraine, and although his head already felt like it was in a vice; keeping busy alleviated the pain somewhat. Kept him from going catatonic because he couldn't concentrate. He was notified when Beta temporarily disabled the locks and cameras long enough for Alpha squad to make their way to their destination.
Alpha's in, they heard over the mind-link. Superboy started descending as they neared the mark. Gamma Squad was to head to the Spec R&D workshop, sub-basement five.
Gamma heading in, Superboy told the other squads as they, too, infiltrated the facility.
Blue had been keeping the back doors in mind; ready to use them the moment they were ready. Locks and cameras are momentarily disabled, he warned Kid Flash and Superboy. The three entered the facility through the rooftop entrance; letting Sphere hang back until they were ready to leave. Not a second had gone by since the door clicked shut behind them that Blue warned them, exterior locks re-engaged.
The squad made its way to a floor with an elevator.
"Elevators?" Superboy asked.
"Disabled," came Nightwing's reply over the comm units. They heard some shuffling. "Security for the elevators is disabled, sorry."
One short elevator ride later - Nightwing reactivated the security measures in the elevator afterwards - Blue hacked onto the mainframe for the sub-basement.
"Sub-basement five security disabled," Blue notified his and the other squads.
They entered the actual workshop - and despite himself knowing this room was absolutely safe and empty - Blue couldn't help but scan the surroundings and look at every corner of the room. The room occupied most of the floor - he'd seen the floor plan on their way over and was glad that his scans didn't reveal a secret room of some kind. The only way in or out, aside from the locked elevator and stairwell, was the ventilation system. Still, somebody could sneak in through there; somebody like Bumblebee. The vents themselves were too small for a human and Blue made sure to never de-activate those measures. He also knew the vents were secured with very specific filters and sensors.
The main room had a high, exposed ceiling with neon lights, cement floors and walls, all covered with cluttered worktables and blueprints respectively. If Blue thought his sister's room was messy, this was hell. However, nothing unsafe was left out. Truly, this space was the physical representation of organized chaos.
In the middle of the floor - still devoid of life, save for Gamma Squad - there stood what Blue supposed was the prototype the company was working on. Tigress had been pretty damn close with her Iron Man Armour guess.
The suit itself wasn't anywhere near as refined or streamline as Blue or even the actual Iron Man Armour; it was big, bulky and unsightly. It wouldn't even fit through a garage door it was so tall; and a preliminary scan revealed the joints were still very restrictive. Probably to prevent user-injuries.
"This thing," Blue began, his eyes glued to the suit as Kid flash and Superboy inspected the floor, "in the wrong hands could be like a primitive Beetle armor. Why is this even being made?" He approached it, and after making sure no one was looking; Blue released a small drone to keep track of the armour...
Blue's thoughts were cut short as Superboy tensed. He thought he was being sly, but Blue saw the minute movement - Superboy was looking at him and his heart rate picked up slightly. Sudden paranoia gripped Blue as he made inventory; he was still in control of everything - and even the normal painful buzz in the back of his mind did not feel out of place.
Then his sensors went haywire.
The home brewed plastic explosive should have been expected - but despite everything - Jaime had not picked up the charges in his scans.
Blue didn't have time to cry out; something was blown in his face just as he turned around and suddenly he was overcome with fire. His mouth and throat burned, no matter how much he hacked and coughed; sniveled or snotted, it would just not stop. Even with the armor trying to purge the substance, Blue felt like he was blistering on the inside. Deathstroke kneed him in the stomach several times; pounding through the armor, somehow knocking the wind out of him. How could one human be so strong? His armor could withstand re-entry! But apparently, concussive impacts weren't something the armor could take without warning. Blue steeled himself for the next hit, but it never came. What? Instead, Deathstroke pushed him to his knees and he heard the sound of a sword being drawn.
"N-No..." Jaime rasped, panting and immobilized from the pain; his tongue felt swollen but cracked and dry at the same time, despite the amount of saliva his mouth was producing.
"Nothing personal, kid," Deathstroke replied, and he swung down. Blinding pain took over Jaime's body as he hacked at one of the antenna on Jaime's back. "Tch, they weren't kidding; this stuff is tough," he grunted, "Time to take out the big guns." Before Jaime could ask, or even react to what the merc had said, the sword was put away. Deathstroke grabbed the antenna in one hand, and a moment later he slammed his foot against the already cut-up part savagely.
A sickening crack like Velcro tearing, mixed in with a wet squelch followed. He tore Jaime's antenna right from his back, twisting and yanking at the filaments that still held it attached; like leftover bits of nerves and tendons.
" A̸̡̼̘͍͔͖͙͋̑̏ͥ̇̆̀̚Ų͎͖̠͓ͯ̈́͊͟Ŗ̭͉ͪ̍̉̃̂̔̓̚G̛̱͇̹̮̮͔̻̪ͬH̸͉̘̼̣̱̻̣̍̀̃ͩ̓ͧ̅ͤ͠" Jaime screamed, his voice breaking, tearing out his own throat with the pain.
̣͎̿̈́ͪ
Everything around them quieted; slowed down as the teenager screamed his lungs out, rolling, writhing in agony; trying to crawl away while blinded by the pain and the tears. He whimpered and grabbed at nothing in a childish attempt to alleviate the suffering.
Rough hands hoisted him up and the next thing Jaime was aware of was the murderous howl of one of his teammates and the clash of steel. After that, everything was a blur of pain and flashes of light as his body flushed out whatever the mercenary had attacked him with...
A/N: I know it's been a while since I've updated, but I wanted things to be just perfect. It still isn't, but it's good enough! Expect more frequent updates this summer! Don't forget to leave a review!