MoP
Harry Potter and the Myriad of Possibilities: Prologue
Chapter 33: Deception, Part 14.
Disclaimer: This is solely a not-for-profit fan activity and does not intend to infringe on copyrights held by Time Warner, DC Comics, Bloomsbury et al, and JK Rowling. Any characters that are original to this work remain the property of the author.
A/N: The Myriad of Possibilities Series primarily uses the background from the Harry Potter books but some elements and scenes have been borrowed from other sources – including the movies, Pottermore and my own headcanon – that will be covered where they fit into the narrative. The timeline of the DC Comics elements borrows heavily from Young Justice (2011) and may adapt elements and characters from the comics and several additional other media instalments – including but not limited to Smallville (2001) and Superman and Lois (2021) – and relocates events of Young Justice to the Eighties and early Nineties rather than the New Tens as screened and includes several 'legacy' and original characters as a result. Any other recognisable characters belong to their copyright holders.
A/N: Thanks to 6f5e4d for their help on this chapter.
Hall of Justice.
December 30, 09:15 EST.
"Recognised, Arrowette B-Zero-Seven."
"About time you got here," Wally griped. "You almost missed the beginning."
A black girl dressed in jeans, a white polo-neck and a lilac parka wandered over to Artemis. "Hi, I'm Raquel… Rocket."
"Artemis. You work with Icon over in Dakota City, right?"
Raquel nodded. "And you're based on the West Coast right?"
"I work with Green Arrow over in Star City when I'm not with the Team," Artemis confirmed.
Wally hushed them. "Big Blue's starting."
The entire group turned towards the main screen, which showed a news feed of the steps up to the front of the building. Superman had just stepped up to a podium that was littered with microphones. "The Justice League was formed for two reasons: First, as an acknowledgement that no single individual... no matter how powerful, can solve all the world's problems alone; and second, to uphold the values of truth, liberty and justice. That, uh, last one's even in the name."
This joke, lame as it was, brought polite laughter from the crowd, and he waited for it to subside. "These five heroes have sworn to uphold those values…"
The camera feed switched to a more distant one and the face of GBS anchor Cat Grant filled half of the screen. "You are watching live coverage of the Justice League's induction... of its five newest members," she declared. "It looks like almost the entire League has shown up to welcome the new blood… Everyone from Batman to Captain Marvel."
"I'm glad they didn't kick Billy out," observed Wally as he took a heart bite of an apple. "And I love the fact there's a ten-year-old on the League."
"There is?" asked Raquel, clearly surprised.
"Ow!" cried Wally as Robin elbowed him in the gut.
"Way to keep a secret, genius," added the Boy Wonder.
"Hey, she's on the Team now, right?" countered Wally.
"Superman is now handing out official League membership cards... starting with Doctor Fate... the Atom... Plastic Man... and Icon."
"I was the one who convinced Icon to become a hero in the first place," griped Raquel. "I should be celebrating with him, not hidden away in here!"
"Welcome to our world," said Kaldur.
"Well, I suppose there's an upside too," admitted the newest member suggestively.
"Finally, Green Arrow welcomes his former protégé, Speedy – now known as Red Arrow – to this roster of heroes."
"Way to go, Roy!" cried Wally, raising a fist in triumph.
"At last, he has his wish," agreed Kaldur.
"The first of us to make it," added Robin triumphantly. No-one'll call him a sidekick anymore."
"Wait, since when is being a sidekick a bad thing?" demanded Raquel. "You sidekicks were my inspiration."
"Well, see, six months ago..." Robin began, but then he was interrupted by a beeping noise from his watch.
Smokey Mountains.
December 30, 10:48 EST.
"Are you sure it's her?" asked Artemis as Bio-Ship closed in on the co-ordinates that Robin had provided. "I mean are you absolutely positive?"
"See for yourself," said Robin, and pulled up a holo-screen. "This is the security footage from the Ashfield Regional Airport. Facial recognition confirms that's Jade Nguyen, but you've seen her without her mask. What do you think?"
"It's Jade," agreed Artemis with a sigh. "Cheshire."
"Agreed, but focus on what she carries," added Kaldur. "Is that the case you saw in New Orleans… the one that got away?"
"Yes."
"Okay, I'm guessing from the mug shot that this Cheshire's the bad guy," interjected Raquel. "But what's so important about that case?"
"Do you remember the Injustice League?" asked Robin.
"And their giant evil plants?" she replied. "Uh, yeah."
"The Team and the League put them in prison, but their allies still scheme…" Kaldur added. "And whatever is in that containment case seems important to their plans."
"We had a chance to grab it in New Orleans, but someone screwed up," added Wally.
Artemis glared at him but didn't rise to the bait.
"Approaching Cheshire's jet," reported M'gann from the pilot's throne, then gasped.
Artemis heart lurched as she looked away from the broken wreckage of her sister's plane. What am I going to tell, Mom…? How am I going to tell her?
"It looks like there were no survivors."
"How come the FBI and NTSB aren't all over this?" asked Wally as they picked over the wreckage.
"Cheshire's ID was a League alert," replied Robin, who was examining one of the plane's 'black boxes', which had been shredded by the impact. "The authorities didn't pick it up, and her jet didn't follow its flight plan. Flew under the radar, literally. The Watchtower auto-tracked the jet and recorded the crash."
"Then why isn't the League here?" demanded Raquel.
"Because our Boy Wonder has hacking skills and arranged to get the alert first," declared Zatanna proudly.
"And because Cheshire and that case represent our unfinished business," added Kaldur.
"Where are the bodies?" demanded Conner as he picked up a section of one of the wings and threw it clear of the impact site.
"Here's one," said a familiar voice from above them. "And it is stunning."
She's alive, thought Artemis, her mood lifting briefly.
"I am flora, not fauna… I am foliage, not trees…" said another voice.
The Team looked up and saw that Riddler, Shimmer, Mammoth and a group of Shadows in winter gear were arrayed on the cliff above them. "What am I?" demanded Riddler, then with a snap of his fingers he summoned an array of shield generator poles and activated them, sealing them into the valley and cutting them off from Bio-Ship. "Come on, you can get this. I am shrubbery, not grass. I…
"… am bush," finished Robin grimly.
"Didn't you think we'd be tipped you were on Cheshire's trail?" continued the villain. "We're tired of your interference, kiddies. This is the end game. Ordered from above and executed by their master strategist… moi."
(Miss Martian is everyone linked?) asked Kaldur.
(Yes.)
(Go!)
The Team picked their targets and split off.
"Ekahs shit ebolgwons!" declared Zatanna, blanketing the valley in flurries of snow.
(Superboy, the pylons.)
(Working on it.)
Artemis was quickly approached by her sister, she fired several arrows in her direction, but Jade was able to block them and then closed to melee range. "It's like old times, dad pitting us against each other," observed Jade, seemingly almost nostalgic at the thought as they traded blows to a chorus of grunts, screams and yells around them.
"SB, you're flying," observed Robin, and moments later, a part of the cliff crashed down near them, with Artemis only avoiding being crushed due to her sister shouting a warning and tackling her out of the way.
"Okay, fine, we're sisters," Jade responded when Artemis flashed her a surprised look. "I don't actually want you dead."
Artemis didn't reply to that, but instead fixed her gaze on where her sister had stashed the case they were after.
Mount Justice.
December 30, 15:45 EST.
"Tell me if this sounds familiar? You hacked League systems, disobeyed protocol... and endangered your lives... and your initiative resulted in the capture of three escaped felons proving Warden Strange runs Belle Reve as a cover for criminal activity," he paused for a moment, and then smiled slightly. "Well done."
The Team looked at each other but didn't reply.
"And then there's this," continued the Dark Knight. Bio-technology integrated with some form of nano-circuitry."
"Though I am unfamiliar with the species, the bio-component is clearly not of Earth," observed Icon, removing a sample and inspecting it for a moment.
"We'll take it to the Watchtower for further study," decided Batman, and once Icon had replaced his sample, he closed the case and carried towards the Zeta-Tube, with Red Tornado and Icon following close behind.
"Recognized Batman Zero-Two," declared the computer as the Dark Knight teleported away. "Recognized Red Tornado One-Six."
Raquel hurried over to her mentor, causing him to pause at the mouth of the Zeta-Tube. "Congratulations on the League thing… sorry I skipped out."
"Yes, well… we both seem to have found teams that suit us," he agreed a little awkwardly.
"We should go too," said Black Canary as she joined them and put a guiding hand on Icon's shoulder. "We don't wanna miss the League's induction party."
"Recognized Black Canary One-Three; Recognized Icon Two-Zero," announced the computer as they too were spirited away.
"You realize we were set up?" asked Robin.
"Yes," agreed Kaldur. "Cheshire and Riddler were 'tipped' and ready for us."
"Not the mole thing again!" cried Artemis, burying her face in a hand.
"Mole thing?" asked Rocket as she walked back towards the group. "Again?"
"We had intel that there was a traitor on the Team," replied Wally.
"Namely Artemis, M'gann or me!" snarled Conner as he broke through the group and walked towards her.
"It is more complicated than that," insisted Kaldur as he moved to stop him, placing a hand on his shoulder which the Kryptonian shook off contemptuously and then walked away from their leader. "But your recent behaviour does concern me… your attack on Mammoth nearly got Artemis killed."
The Boy of Steel paused for a moment.
"Superboy?" asked Kaldur.
"There's something I need to do," Conner admitted as he turned back to face them. There's something I need to do, something I need to tell you. M'gann already knows about this, but I haven't able to bring myself to tell you all before now… Last month, on Thanksgiving, I went back to Cadmus, found a few things out. When I was cloned, only half the DNA was Superman's, the other half was human. That's why I don't have… will never have… full Kryptonian powers."
"Are you sure?" asked Robin. "Because you sure seemed to have them today."
"I've been using these…" Conner replied and removed a metallic case from a pocket and flipped it open, revealing several red patches. "Shields. They suppress my human DNA… I get the flight, the heat-vision, but I think I also get angry… well, angrier. I'm sorry."
"Where did you get those?" asked Kaldur.
"The Shield I used today was the first of a new batch that one of the Fortress robots cooked up," Conner replied. "But they originally came from my human father… Lex Luthor."
"Lex Luthor… is your dad?!" exclaimed Robin.
"He's summoned me to Santa Prisca."
"Ah, listen…" said Artemis, drawing the group's attention away from Conner. "Listen. Conner's not the only one suffering from bad DNA." She strode over the nearest holo-keyboard and brought up her family's mugshots. "My mother is Huntress, an ex-con. The rest of my family aren't even ex… My dad's Sportsmaster... and he's sending my sister – Cheshire – to fly me to Santa Prisca too."
"That's why..." gasped Wally. "Yeah," agreed Artemis, immediately realising what he was referring to. "I was so desperate to make sure none of you found out..."
"I knew," admitted Robin, drawing the group's attention to him.
What? When…? thought Artemis. Maybe the meet-up before the Reds attacked?
"Hey, I'm a detective," he reminded them. "But it never mattered. You aren't your family… you're one of us."
"So who's next?" asked Wally offhandedly as he wandered over to Artemis and slung an arm around her shoulder.
"I am," said M'gann quietly, hugging herself.
"I swear I was kidding," said Wally, putting his hands up in surrender.
"Queen Bee's been blackmailing me," M'gann explained. "She wants me in Santa Prisca too."
"Blackmailing? How?" asked Kaldur.
"She knows my true Martian form."
"Bald M'gann…" said Robin. "Who cares if...?"
"No," said M'gann, then sighed and started to shift.
The Team gasped as her true form – an almost quadrupedal chalk-white knuckle-walker that reminded Artemis a little of the Kobra-Venom subjects – was revealed, and several of them, Artemis included, stepped back a little in shock.
"Oh!" whispered Raquel.
(I realized you would never accept me if you saw what I really am,) she continued, then hugged herself, a very human gesture that looked odd on her very alien form.
"M'gann, did we truly seem so shallow?" asked Kaldur.
(I couldn't take a chance,) M'gann admitted. (Being a A'ashen – a 'White Martian' – on Mars, I endured constant rejection… I couldn't face that from...)
"From me?" suggested Conner, and then stepped forward and took one of her two-fingered claws in his hands. "I've known since we mind-melded last September in Bialya."
(But that was before we even became a couple,) she pointed out, confused. (Why didn't you say anything?)
"I figured you'd tell me when you were ready," he replied comfortingly.
"So, what do we do now?" asked Wally.
"We take advantage of this opportunity," declared Kaldur. "This is what we will do…"
Santa Prisca.
December 30, 18:00 ECT.
Artemis faked a gasp as she opened the door of her sister's helicopter and saw Conner standing with Luthor, Queen Bee and their minions.
"Artemis?" responded Conner, his eyes going wide.
"The hero thing wasn't working out," she lied easily as she and her sister walked up to their father. "You get how it is… No trust." Sportsmaster placed a hand on her shoulder, and she let him draw her close. "This is where I belong."
"It's a fast-growing club," observed Queen Bee as Bio-Ship flew into the clearing and M'gann flew down.
"Why are they here?" cried M'gann, tension clear in her stance. "You promised!"
"I've kept your secret and my promise," claimed the Bialyan dictator archly. "Now, you keep yours." M'gann relaxed into a submissive pose. "Good girl."
"Give me more Shields, and I'm in too," said Conner.
Luthor walked over to Conner and considered him for a moment. "My boy, you're a terrible liar," retorted Luthor.
Conner started forward.
"Red Sun."
Conner froze, frustration clear on his face for a few seconds, then he relaxed into a upright pose, his hands by his sides.
"What do you want us to do?" asked Artemis, stepping forward and putting her hands on her hips.
"You two, follow me," answered Sportsmaster after a nod from Luthor.
"What about Superboy?" asked M'gann.
"He'll be fine," replied Queen Bee. "He simply requires a few… adjustments."
"Bring him along," ordered Luthor as the group began to split up.
Blockbuster roared agreement and walked towards Conner.
Well, I guess it's true what they say about plans and contact with the enemy… mused Artemis wistfully, then strode forward, drawing a foam arrow and firing it at Blockbuster, trapping him, then whirling to target her father. "Sorry, Dad. Wanted to play you like you tried to play me but I can't let them mess with Superboy's head!"
But before she could fire, she was seized by M'gann and telekinetically thrown into the air. "Ahh!" she cried, then used the momentum to flip over in mid-air and nailed both her father and sister with an explosive arrow.
(Queen Bee is down,) reported M'gann. (Superboy, you're safe from her control.)
Conner relaxed out of his stance and began to walk towards Luthor. "I might not be much of a liar, but I fooled you."
"And I'm so proud," drawled the villain as his bodyguard, Mercy, moved to block Conner's path. "I take it Miss Martian cleaned 'Red Sun' from your mind?"
"And confirmed Aqualad, Robin, and Kid Flash rescued me from Cadmus before you had time to install any other programming."
"All true," admitted Luthor casually. "Personally, I blame Dr Desmond."
As if motivated by the claim, Blockbuster broke out of his foam prison at that moment and with a roar, charged at Conner, grabbing him by the head and slamming into the ground.
Luthor said something in Spanish and then Bane's goons opened fire on the trio. This prompted Super-Cycle to come to life and return fire with her own much more powerful cannons causing them to scatter.
Good girl, thought Artemis before turning back to her father as M'gann flew overheard, drawing some of the mercenaries' fire.
"You have been a very naughty girl," said her father as he approached, swinging his meteor hammer on its chain and deflecting her first arrow.
(Guys, reinforcements time,) Artemis announced.
Seconds later, Rocket flew into the mercenary group, her forcefield glowing brightly and leaving a bright pink trail in her wake and scooped up one of them, then dumped him into the juggle canopy.
Wally burst into the clearing, slamming into several of the mercenaries, knocking them aside like ten-pins and Kaldur headed towards Luthor, who had picked up Queen Bee and was about to leave. "Luthor!" he cried. "Neither you nor Queen Bee are going anywhere!"
"Young man, if you expect to detain me… contact my attorney," replied the business mogul dismissively. Then before the Atlantean could react, Mercy stepped up and blasted him with her arm cannon, knocking him to the ground for a moment.
(I've got this!) declared Raquel a moment later as she flew towards their helicopter, but it fired several rockets at her, knocking her back. (I can still…)
(No, you are needed here.)
A blow from her father's weapon knocked Artemis down and brought her focus back to her own fight. "You know I don't tolerate disobedience, Artemis."
"Sure, Dad," Artemis agreed, turning onto her back and then sitting up, ignoring the blade that her sister was pointing at her. Jade doesn't really want to kill me… Dad I'm not sure about. "Jade and I learned that the hard way," snarled Artemis, half-glancing back at her sister, who was still pointing her blade at her back.
At that moment, Wally slammed into Jade, knocking her flying and giving Artemis room to manoeuvre, but his return run towards her father ended up with him being thrown into the shrubbery.
(Superboy, Miss Martian, move!) ordered Kaldur.
Artemis risked a glance in their direction and was just in time to see Kaldur and Raquel drop Blockbuster with alien tech that they'd taken from Bane's mercenaries, imprisoning him in quicksand. Conner strode over to him, cracking his knuckles as the behemoth tried struggled to free himself, whispered something that she couldn't make out, then knocked him out with a single punch.
She glanced back to her father just in time to duck a swing of his meteor hammer and fled into the shrubbery for a few moments.
(Artemis, now!) ordered Aqualad as she entered another clearing.
She spotted the branch a few feet above her head and immediately released what he had planned, so she leapt upwards and grabbed the branch, hanging from it as Kaldur's new weapon turned the earth under her father into quicksand. Artemis dropped down again, using his shoulders as a springboard to make it to dry land.
"Jade!" yelled her father again, then fell silent after Artemis kicked him in the head, sending his mask flying and knocking him out.
Wally staggered out of the jungle, breathing heavily and moved to her side, but not before stopping to pick up her father's mask.
"Souvenir," Artemis commented with a smile, which he eventually returned.
"It is always like this!" exclaimed Raquel as they joined the rest of the group.
"Told you," said Zatanna brightly.
"Hey, disaster averted," said Robin with a smile. "Feeling the aster."
"Agreed," added Kaldur. "This has been a good day."
Mount Justice.
December 31, 07:16 EST.
"We have reason to feel proud of yesterday's victories," declared Kaldur as the Team walked down the access tunnel from the living quarters to the Mission Room. "But one thing has not changed."
"Somehow, the bad guys are still getting intel about us," agreed Robin.
"Yeah, but at least we know none of us are the mole," Wally pointed out as they entered the Mission Room.
"That is correct," confirmed Batman, who stood in the middle of the training ring with Red Tornado at his side. "The mole was Red Arrow."
A holo-picture of the archer in costume flicked into view.
"Roy?" said Robin curiously.
"No way!" exclaimed Wally.
Artemis was at least a little surprised by the revelation, but kept her own counsel, waiting for the evidence.
"Batman, that cannot be," Kaldur insisted. "He was Green Arrow's protégé, we have all known him for years."
"Unfortunately... the Roy Harper we have known for the last three years... is another Project Cadmus clone," reported Red Tornado.
"We've learned the real Speedy was abducted and replaced... immediately after becoming Green Arrow's sidekick," continued the Dark Knight, and a picture of Speedy was added to the line-up. "The clone was pre-programmed with a drive to join the Justice League. Which is why he was so angry over any delays to his admission... and why he refused to join the Team. This Roy Harper had no idea he was a clone or a traitor, and his subconscious programming drove him to become League-worthy. So, he struck out on his own as Red Arrow. When he was finally admitted, his secondary programming kicked in... and he attempted to betray the League to Vandal Savage. Fortunately, I had already deduced Red Arrow was a clone. We were prepared."
"Savage was subdued... but Red Arrow escaped," added Red Tornado. "He is now a fugitive, armed and dangerous."
"If you guys hadn't rescued me from Cadmus..." said Conner thoughtfully.
"What happened to the real Roy?" asked Robin.
"We don't know," admitted the Dark Knight. "He isn't at Cadmus. We have to face the possibility that the real Roy Harper… is dead."
Zatanna turned to Robin, offering him support, Artemis wanted to do the same for Wally, but pulled back at the last second, not sure if the prickly speedster would appreciate it given their tempestuous relationship.
"The clone Roy, the Team will find him," declared Kaldur, his expression intent but passive.
"Negative," countered Batman. "Red Arrow is a member of the Justice League now, leave him to us. I'm needed on the Watchtower. Tornado, stay with the kids."
"Recognized, Batman Zero-Two," declared the Computer as he teleported away.
Kaldur turned and faced the Team. (Clone or no clone, Red Arrow was one of us… we will go after him.)
Red Tornado stepped behind the Atlantean and then a second or two later begin to jerk and stutter, then powered down with a mechanical whine.
(Tornado…) said M'gann, puzzled.
(What happened?) asked Conner.
(He's powered down,) pointed out Wally.
(All functions off-line,) confirmed Robin after he scanned him with his holo-glove.
(Guys, I'm sensing... a low-level mystic force at play,) reported Zatanna. (I don't know if it caused his shutdown, but... now that I think about it, I was getting the same buzz off Batman.)
(Batman, he called us kids,) realised Robin. (He never does that.)
(Look,) said Wally as he spotted something in one of Red Tornado's hands. He pulled it out and held it up so that the Team could see it. (One of those bio-tech chips we confiscated off Cheshire.)
(Something is not right,) Kaldur declared. (Robin, Kid, Zatanna, Rocket… see if you can get Tornado back online. The rest of you with me to find Ro... Red Arrow.)
(The problem's hardware not software, but where do we start?) asked Robin.
(I have a thought…) mused Zatanna.
Washington DC.
07:32 EST.
"Logs indicate Red Arrow Zeta'd to the Hall from the Watchtower," reported Artemis as Bio-Ship flew over the Hall of Justice, its camouflage hiding it from view. "But he could be anywhere by now."
"After Roy went solo, he installed equipment caches in several major cities," countered Kaldur as they slowed to a hover over an apartment block. "One is here."
"Red Arrow is inside," reported M'gann.
"Then let's go," said Conner, rising to his feet.
Kaldur held up a hand to forestall him. "I will go alone. Be ready to back me up if necessary."
Conner didn't look particularly happy with the instruction but returned to his seat.
"We were told you were the mole," explained Kaldur once the two heroes had rejoined them. "But we have reason to doubt it."
"Forget doubt," replied Red Arrow flatly, all his usual bravado gone. "I was the mole."
"Batman and Tornado said you're a Cadmus clone," offered Conner. "Like me."
"That explains it," agreed the archer with a sigh. "I was a sleeper agent, pre-programmed to infiltrate the League. I think Sportsmaster was my handler… He had a key-phrase, Broken Arrow... that could shut me down. Put me in a hypnotic state to steal secrets for his superiors... or incorporate further programming. I'd then carry out all orders subconsciously... completely unaware of what drove me." He turned in his chair so that he was facing Artemis, Conner and M'gann. "I think one of those orders was to focus suspicion on the three of you… I'm sorry."
"How did Batman discover this and prevent you from betraying the League?" asked Kaldur.
"He didn't," replied Red Arrow. "I did betray the entire League to Savage."
"I'm sorry, but how is it that you are no longer enslaved?" asked M'gann.
"No Starro-tech, for starters," he answered. "Just my Cadmus programming, and once I had satisfied its last parameter, my mind began to clear. I'm sure Savage planned to Starro-tech me... but he paused to bask and I was able to I escape."
"I promise, I can clean any residual programming from your mind."
(Here, Robin,) said Miss Martian. (Linking both squads and de-camouflaging.)
(Great, because we really need to compare notes.)
"How were you able to escape being Starro-Tech'd?" Red Arrow asked Tornado suspiciously. "I thought the entire League apart from me was under his control."
"Even my inorganic brain is not immune to the effect," agreed the android. "But the process requires zero-point-one-six nanoseconds to integrate with its host's nervous system, which allowed me to create an internal subprogram... which would disconnect my power cells if I attempted to infect another person. Fortunately, the Starro-tech is body-specific. As John Smith, I am now free of outside control."
"Glad to have you onboard," said Red Arrow.
"Indeed," Kaldur agreed. "Such broadly effective technology will not be easily countered. It will require all the resources at our disposal."
"And then some," suggested Robin. "Where to first?"
"First, we should make contact with Atlantis," declared Kaldur. "The Conservatory has considerable resources that they can apply to the mystical element."
"And Dr Roquette might be able to help on the tech side," suggested Red Arrow.
"An excellent idea," said Kaldur. "Do you know where she is?"
"Maybe not where exactly," admitted the archer. "But I can contact her."
Earth Orbit.
December 31, 23:16 EST.
(We're approaching the Watchtower,) reported M'gann. (We should cross the sensor grid in sixteen seconds.)
Robin counted down and then confirmed. (We're through the grid, no sign we've been detected.)
(I'm reorientating to bring us parallel to the asteroid surface for docking,) reported M'gann, followed moments later by a solid 'thunk' and a slight shudder. "I have contact, opening a portal."
Bio-Ship's deck flowed open to expose the rocky surface of the asteroid.
(Zatanna, you're up,) said Kaldur.
The teen sorceress took a couple of deep breaths to steady herself and then walked over to the portal. "Ekam a eloh!"
A hole began to form in the rock almost immediately, quickly cutting its way into the concrete-like inner hull below and then opening out in a corridor of the station.
Once the hole was large enough and the edges had cooled, the Team made their way inside with Robin in the lead and M'gann bringing up the rear.
(RT did it,) reported Robin after scanning the area with his holo-glove. (He was able to wirelessly bypass security for us as soon as he arrived, so Savage shouldn't know we're here.)
(Move out,) ordered Aqualad and the Team split up in several squads and headed for different areas of the station. Artemis and Wally headed towards the storage areas and were easily able to take down Plastic Man, but almost immediately faced a stiffer challenge when they were located by Aquaman and their mentors.
(Too bad Cure-tech doesn't work as fast as Starro-tech,) commented Raquel. (We could use these guys.)
(It is a small miracle Queen Mera and Doctors Roquette, Spence and Vulko were able to re-engineer any cure and vaccine in such a short time,) Kaldur reminded her.
(If you guys aren't busy...?) asked Wally as Flash accelerated towards them.
(On my way,) declared Kaldur. (You three rendezvous with Robin and Superboy.)
(Uh, I'll be right behind you,) said Zatanna.
Artemis fired a pair of arrows at Flash, but he easily caught them and slammed into Wally, knocking him off his feet. I can miss this one, Artemis thought, switching to an explosive and detonating it under the older speedster's feet, sending him tumbling head over heels.
But her mentor had a similar idea and detonated an explosive arrow against the wall behind her, sending her staggering across the room, until she regained her footing next to where Wally was standing. (I'm amazed we're still alive.)
(They're being controlled, they're limited by whoever's pulling their strings,) Wally reminded her. (The very thing putting us in danger is the only thing giving us a chance.)
That's ironic, Artemis thought as Kaldur ran into the cargo bay and slammed the door behind him. (Artemis, Kid… now.)
Artemis fired a grappling line into the door, and the pair moved closer together.
(Hold on,) ordered Kaldur as he gripped the door handle tightly and then mashed a red button on a wall panel with his other fist.
(Holding,) agreed the pair as they grasped Artemis' bow, Wally almost hugging her from behind as he did so.
Almost immediately, alarms began to sound.
"Warning… cargo bay venting atmosphere," declared the computer as the external doors began to open, sucking all the area out of the bay.
Artemis and Wally were pulled off their feet by the force of the out-draft, but they managed to hang on long enough for the adults to be swept off their feet and slam against the external doors as they closed again. They both hit the ground hard, but Wally was back on his feet almost immediately and had administered the Cure-Tech to all three heroes before Artemis and Kaldur were able to join him.
"Apologies, my king," said Kaldur, then turned and lead the way out of the cargo bay.
23:59 EST.
They reached the main level just in time to see the League's puppeteers – Vandal Savage and Klarion – teleport out of the room.
"Congratulations, Team," said Red Tornado, as Kaldur crouched down beside his limbless form. "You have won the day."
"Happy New Year, Justice League," declared the Computer and manifested a holo-banner above the heroes heads, to the strains of a tinny, electronic rendering of Auld Lang Syne.
Wally put his arm around Artemis and swept her into his arms, bridal-style. "I should've done this a long time ago."
"No kidding," she agreed and put her arms around his neck and kissed him. As they broke apart she noted that Conner and M'gann and Robin and Zatanna had had the same idea, and even suspected that Raquel might have stolen a quick kiss from Kaldur given their proximity.
"Human customs still elude me," noted Red Tornado, but the Team ignored him as the various League members regained consciousness and joined the party.
A/N: And that's a wrap for the "Prologue" of Myriad of Possibilities and Young Justice's first season. I'll be taking a break from prose writing for a least a week or two to sort out my timeline for the "timeskip" (which I probably won't be posting publicly, but may make available if requested directly), then the story will be picking back up about nine and a half years later with Contagion which will continue the adventures of the Team alongside exploration of Hank Lang's pre-teen years, including his first forays into training in the magical arts.