The SECRET Training: Young Justice Season 1
By: Malaizjan De Jesus
Author's Notes: Here is the last episode of season 1. I hope you enjoyed the ride and the best part is-I didn't originally write this episode. So I will not take credit for it. Look for more notes at the bottom!
Episode 26-Auld Acquaintance
Washington DC
December 31st
The train came at the battered Red Arrow, blaring its horn in warning. Bloody nose and mouth, he knew he had only one chance to get away from Green Arrow, Flash and Aquaman.
The train passed by.
The three "starro" controlled heroes looked at the opened grate at the blackness of the area below.
Red Arrow stuck to the shadows of the sewer system as he stayed quiet. He waited for a few minutes to see if they would follow. When they didn't, he ran to where his weapons cache was in DC.
It took some time for Roy to get to his weapons. He didn't know if he would be found by any of the controlled League or not, so he had to tread carefully. When he left Watchtower, he made one call. Payphone only, to keep himself from being tracked. So if he did it right, his sister would be waiting for him.
He darted inside the brick building and went to the top floor. He opened the door. An arrow hit the doorframe just to the left of him. Red Arrow smiled. "Nice shot, sis."
"Nice bow. Even I'm a decent shot with it," Stephanie told him. "Why did you call me here?"
"The League is under Vandel Savage's control. I was the mole; I handed the League over to him."
Stephanie's eyes widened in shock and horror. It wasn't true; it couldn't be true. It was written all over her face.
That was when Roy faltered. "I-I didn't know…"
Shadowcat took a tissue from her jean's pocket and dabbed at his nose. "How?"
"I guess once everyone was affected with the 'starro' tech, I was freed," Roy tried to explain.
"Starro tech? I don't understand," she told her 'brother'.
"Then understand this; the League is after me. They almost had me in the subway. I need help to free them. I don't know if Dick, Wally and Kaldur are okay or not. So I need you."
Stephanie was nervous. The full scope of what was happening hit her. She was needed for something major. She didn't have the experience her 'brothers' had. How could she help Roy?! She didn't know. But she would help-she wasn't just her mother's daughter-she was Batman's too. "O-okay…so…?"
"Go change into costume. Then we'll see if anyone comes here. If not, then we'll head to your condo and make plans." Roy placed a hand on Stephanie's shoulder. "We'll make it, Steph."
She left out a nervous laugh. She tossed Roy her first aid kit, grabbed her messenger bag and darted into the bathroom.
The doorknob rattled.
Shadowcat, now in full costume, took to the shadows, bow loaded and ready. The plan was simple-if anyone showed up, Roy would ask a question. And if was wrong, they both fire an arrow and dart out the window. She was faster than him, so she would go last. They would meet up at the private airport and get a plan over to Minnesota. The tubes were too dangerous.
Red Arrow stood between the two windows, one of those windows already broken. He aimed an arrow at the door.
The said door was kicked in.
Aqualad took two steps inside, shocked as to how he was greeted. "I have not come to harm or apprehend you. But the team requires answers."
"Me first," Roy bit out. He kept his eyes trained on Kaldur. "Tell me something you haven't told anyone. Tell me who broke your heart."
Kaldur sighed. Talking about it never made it easier to deal with. "Tula. The girl I loved chose my best friend Garth over me while my best friend on the surface world aims an arrow at my chest."
Roy waited a second before lowering his bow and arrow.
"Kaldur!" Shadowcat put her bow away into her quiver and came out of the shadows. She ran to Kaldur and hugged him.
Aqualad looked at Red Arrow as his waist was hugged. "You involved her?" he asked.
"I needed help. She knows what's going on. She's ready."
Kaldur wasn't sure. She was less experienced than them. But with Red Tornado incapacitated, they needed all the help they could get. "Stephanie?"
"Yeah?" She looked up at the Atlantean leader.
"Come meet some of the team."
On the Bioship…
"We were told you were the mole. But we have reason to doubt-"
"Forget doubt," Roy interrupted Kaldur. "I was the mole."
The rest of the team's shocked look was all too apparent. "Batman and Tornado said…you were a Cadmus clone-like me," Superboy told the other clone.
"That explains it." Roy sighed. "I was a sleeper agent; preprogrammed to infiltrate the League. I think…I think Sportsmaster was my handler. He had a key phrase-Broken Arrow- that can shut me down, put me in a hypnotic state to steal secrets for his superiors or incorporate further programming. I think carried out all orders subconsciously. I think one of those orders was to focus suspicion on you three. I'm sorry."
"How did Batman discover this?" Kaldur asked.
"He didn't."
"Okay. Now…who is she!?" Artemis demanded, looking at Shadowcat.
"I'm sorry…But how is it you're no longer a slave?" M'gann asked.
"No 'starro' tech for starters. Just my Cadmus programming. Once I satisfied the final perimeters, my mind began to clear. I'm sure Savage planned to 'starro' me but he paused…to bask. So I escaped."
"I promise. I can clean any residual programming from your mind," Miss Martian told clone Roy.
'Miss Martian…are you in range?' Robin thought out.
'Here, Robin. Linking both teams and de-camouflaging.'
'Great. Because we really need to compare notes.'
Everyone exited the super cycle. Black Canary was placed in a corner, watched by Sphere and Wolf. Red Tornado's upper body was placed on the bridge so he wouldn't be left out.
Robin and Kid Flash's jaws dropped when they saw Stephanie sitting in a chair between Kaldur and Roy. "Shadowcat!?" they cried.
"KF! Rob!" Stephanie got up and hugged her 'brothers'.
"Okay. Look, who is she!?" Artemis tried again to ask.
"This is Shadowcat," Robin decided to explain. He was free from her hug but he had his arm around her shoulders. "She's part of our Brotherhood."
"Uh…Brotherhood?" Conner asked.
"Yeah. The Brotherhood of Protégés. We were the first 5," Wally told them.
"So…who's your mentor?" Zatanna asked.
Stephanie didn't think she needed to hide the truth. "It was Catwoman."
There was a collective gasp.
Red Tornado, as John Smith, stayed in his seat, watching the whole exchange. "Catwoman died 9 months ago."
"She did." Stephanie had tears in her eyes. She had a hand on her face mask, the one that her mother first wore. It was the one that covered her head and her eyes but left her mouth bare. "There should be no secrets here. Deathstroke killed her. That's how I met Red Arrow, Kid Flash and Robin." She pulled off her mask. "My name is Stephanie Kyle. My mother was Selina Kyle. And she was Catwoman."
Jaws dropped at that announcement.
"Hold up. Selina Kyle died of cancer," Rocket pointed out.
"That was the cover story," Robin spoke up. "But we need to pause here and compare notes."
"It'll be easier if I link everyone up," M'gann said.
Stephanie gave Robin a nervous look. "Um…"
Miss Martian smiled at her. "Don't worry; I won't intrude on your memories."
Shadowcat nodded, still unsure. But she still hung close to Robin.
Superboy noticed it. But he thought it was because Robin was thirteen and she didn't look older than 9. Then again, he wasn't even a year old technically.
It didn't take long to get everyone caught up on the day's events. M'gann even wiped out the residual programming from clone Roy's head. The teen Martian stayed away from Stephanie's memories, even though she was curious about the girl before her, respecting the girl's wishes.
So now everyone was up-to-date and there was a pause. A minute of silence. As if the teen group was thinking of a way out of this mess.
"The starro tech."
Everyone was startled when Stephanie spoke up.
"There has to be a way to reverse it. Because, let's face it-we can't take on the entire Justice League. An all-out-fight will get us killed."
"Agreed." Aqualad took charge, grateful that it was Stephanie that started the planning process. There was a small bit of a leader in her. "If we can figure out how this starro tech was made, we can reverse it. Then we can rescue the League."
"R.T. Do you know?" Robin asked.
"To ensure control over someone, nano technology would be involved."
"Sorcery too. It would explain the low-level mystic force I was able to sense," Zatanna added.
"Arty, can you remember who else was there when we were at that warehouse?" Wally asked the blonde archer.
"The Brain. And Ivo. Klarion. Sportsmaster."
"The Brain?" Stephanie asked.
"A brain in a jar," Conner told her.
"Literally?"
"Yeah. Literally," Artemis said, a little snippy.
"Eeeewww!" Stephanie commented.
"He's French," Wally said.
"Why are the gross villains French," she murmured.
Conner heard her comment. "Why do you say that?"
"Huh?" Stephanie didn't realize right away what he meant. "You heard me?"
"Yeah."
The others stared at them, confused.
"She said, 'why are the gross villains French.'"
"Oh, duh! Superboy-Superman! You're like his younger brother or something, right?"
"Something like that." Conner couldn't help but see how different Shadowcat was from them. "We'll need Doctor Roquette. She did nano research," Miss Martian suggested, getting to the issue at hand.
"And Queen Mera," Kaldur added. "Outside of Doctor Fate, she is the most powerful sorceress. No offense, Zatanna."
"None taken."
"But even if we get their help, we need a place for them to work."
Robin sighed. "The Cave is too dangerous to be at."
"STAR Labs?" Red Tornado suggested. It was hard to tell whether or not he was asking.
"The League would think to look for us there," Wally reminded the group.
"How about a place only Batman knows about?" Shadowcat suggested.
"Your condo." Aqualad nodded, agreeing with the young girl.
"Say what!?" cried Rocket.
"Steph's condo has a lab with a lot of state of the art tech. Only Batman knows about it." Robin smiled. "It's perfect. Miss M, set a course for Coon Rapids, Minnesota."
"I better let Peter know we're coming. We can have breakfast." Stephanie pulled out her cell from her utility belt.
"Route your call through Sphere," Conner warned her.
"Thanks!"
Coon Rapids, MN
09:16am
The Biochip, still in camouflage mode, was settled in the back of the condo. The team, minus Black Canary, who was still being guarded, was inside Stephanie's home. Peter, who was introduced to the rest of the team, was eating breakfast while planning their next move.
"I will journey to Atlantis with Miss Martian while Robin, Zatanna and Rocket get Dr. Roquette."
"And what are we going to do?" Artemis asked Kaldur.
"Set up the lab. And look after Stephanie."
"I am not baby-sitting!" Conner growled.
"Dude! Keep your voice down!" Wally replied harshly. "Come help me set up her lab." Kid Flash grabbed Superboy's arm and headed for the closet in the kitchen. He opened the door, hit a switch out of view and the back of the closet flipped open to a flight of stairs. Wally pulled Conner after him.
"We must move quickly." The two smaller teams then left to get their targets.
As soon as the others left, Artemis looked to the cloned Roy for answers. The "mole" sighed. "Ask away."
"How did you guys meet her?" she asked.
"Catwoman and Shadowcat had a run-in with Deathstroke."
"Deathstroke the Terminator!?" Artemis asked. "She wasn't joking."
"The one and only. Catwoman got a chip off of him. It was going to be used in a satellite for mind control. He poisoned her. She had Steph call Batman for help. But he was on a mission. Robin intercepted the call and we met. The rest is history."
"So Deathstroke let it go?"
"I wish. He tried taking her out. Batman had to help us save her. So he's the only one that knows about her mom. But he has no clue about her."
"Being Shadowcat? Oh crap. He's going to be livid at you guys."
"He also doesn't know she was Catwoman's protégé," Roy added.
Down in the underground lair…
Wally turned on the lights, revealing a carved-out training area/gymnastics room, an overly-large computer covered in plastic and a high tech science lab behind a see-through wall of glass with double doors, complete with scanners and an operating table.
Conner was frozen in place. His eyes betrayed the fear rooted in his soul. There was no pod; it wasn't Cadmus. He knew that. But a lab was still a lab. It creep him out, even though it wasn't threatening.
"Supey?" Wally snapped his fingers in his face. "You good?"
"Yeah." Conner kept calm. There were no scientists down here. He was okay.
"Look, I know Stephy's…different. She's 12 and part-Cat so just give her time," Wally told Conner.
"She's 12!?" Where on earth did someone deem it okay to have a 12 year old fighting for the greater good!? Then again, there was Robin.
"Yeah. I know. A 12 year old meta."
Conner couldn't believe it. She was only 12!? A cute 12 year old but still… "Is her hair really that long?"
"Duh! You've seen it. Really!?" Then Wally paused. "Are you crushing on her?"
"NO!"
"Dude, she's a kid. And you have a girlfriend," Wally added.
"No! Wally, I didn't mean it like that!"
Kid Flash studied the cloned Kryptonian for a minute before he realized that he was over-reacting. Conner wouldn't dare cheat on Miss Martian-he was completely devoted to her. "Sorry."
"No. Don't be. You're like a big brother to her." And Superboy did get it.
But she was cute. For a 12 year old.
10:16am
Kaldur and Miss Martian were the first to return, with Mera in tow. The Queen of Atlantis followed her former student down to what was Catwoman's secret lair. Stephanie was training with Red Arrow on the bow. She was hitting the out edge of the red center.
Artemis noticed them first. "Kaldur! M'gann, you're back!"
"Artemis, Red Arrow, Superboy, Shadowcat and Kid Flash, this is Queen Mera of Atlantis," Aqualad announced.
"Just call me Mera," the Queen said softly.
Shadowcat became suddenly shy. A queen! A true living queen was in her home! A giddy feeling enveloped her, and it was a good feeling too. She just hoped she didn't embarrass herself.
"So where is this "starro" tech?" she asked.
"In the lab." Kaldur led Queen Mera over to the lab area.
11:16am
Stephanie had to get out of costume for her online school. She threw on her pajamas and turned on her webcam so her teacher could see her.
She just made it. Roll call had begun. Online schooling sucked when the world was at stake!
The others were in the living room. She promised to show them her cats after class. Zatanna seemed anxious to see them, though the young girl didn't know why.
"So…she goes to class on a computer?" Conner asked. If he had known that such a thing existed, he'd never have gone to Happy Harbor High.
"It's called home schooling. She does the work at her pace with no worries," Wally explained. He was eating some leftover meatloaf.
"But there is no social interaction," Kaldur pointed out.
"She was bullied," Dick pointed out to them. "And she couldn't hide her inner cat." He saw the confused looks so he continued. "Wally, Roy and I have seen it. Her eyes change and when she too emotional, her cat is triggered unintentionally. So, she does home schooling until she can gain total control of herself."
"Wow. And I thought I had issues with my powers," Rocket commented.
"And with Catwoman dead, there's no one to help her get control," M'gann mused.
"That is true, Miss Martian." Peter came from the kitchen with a tray of cold cuts and cheeses to hold the teens over until lunch. "But Master Roy, Master Wally and Master Robin have been training her. Her control is better."
"And her whip-wielding issue?" Roy perked up. The cloned archer had been very quiet up until that moment. Most likely brooding.
"A work in progress," Peter answered.
"She can't wield a whip?" Rocket asked, shocked. "I thought Catwoman used a whip?"
"She did. But Steph was never taught. I got the cuts to prove she needs to learn." Roy let a smile play on his face. It seemed like a lifetime ago when that happened.
"Perhaps I can help with that," Kaldur suggested. "She will be a great asset when we save the League."
"Hold up! I don't remember agreeing on her coming along," Artemis interjected.
"We need the help. We're hiding out at her house. It's her lab! WE can't just bench her now!" Wally cried.
"She's not experienced!" Zatanna added.
"There's no time like the present," Robin countered.
"You're going along with it!?" Conner cried.
"She cannot be penalized due to her lack of experience," Kaldur countered.
"She's 12!" Artemis added.
"Her age shouldn't matter!" Wally was getting mad at the discussion. "Rob's 13! How is that any different!?"
"He was trained by Batman!" Conner pointed out.
M'gann was torn. Both arguments were valid. She didn't want to choose sides. She felt Conner take her hand. 'Then don't.' he thought to her. She only wished it was that easy.
"Young heroes…if you need reassurances, ask me." Peter came around with mugs of hot cocoa for them. He sat next to Aqualad. "I have been in the Kyles' employment since before Stephanie was born."
"What makes her so special that they felt the need to keep her a secret?" Rocket asked bluntly, glaring at the four first protégés.
"Shadowcat was born a meta-human. The first Catwoman to be born with all the abilities given to her mother later in life." Peter made sure he had their attention before he continued. "Stephanie's affinity for cats at 2 years old made us realize that she was a meta. She was more agile than most toddlers her age. Not to mention she would hiss at the kids she didn't like just like a cat."
"How…how does someone become Catwoman?" Miss Martian asked.
That was a question that most often ask. And Peter knew more than what he would tell them. But some things had to kept a secret. "It is different for each woman but from what I learned, each woman is tested to see her worthiness of the Goddess' gift. Selina was proven to be worthy and when she died, the Goddess gave Selina a second chance at life."
"So…Stephanie's mom…died?" Zatanna asked.
"You must understand. This happened before Stephanie was born. Selina became wild, just like all wild cats. It took years for Selina to find control and keep it. I'm sure Robin can confirm that."
"Yeah. I've heard the stories of Batman and Catwoman going toe-to-toe," Robin admitted.
"When Catwoman left Gotham, she went on a 3 month good-time spree, being free of Batman and all. She got pregnant during that time. Almost 5 months later, Stephanie was born."
Robin grinned. He knew the truth about his sister. Of course, Peter was protecting the two of them. After all, the team wasn't ready to learn that his sister was Batman's daughter. Peter had proven over and over again that he can be trusted.
"Selina made the choice to go straight, start a company and be a force for good. Young Stephanie took Judo classes and later kickboxing to ease her cat half. When she was 11 ½ , Selina made a conscious choice to allow her daughter to become her protégé. Taught her all of her 'thief' skills and then some. She taught her to harness her inner cat. Shortly after her 12th birthday, her mother died, and now Stephanie struggles to maintain the balance with her inner cat. She may not have much field experience, but her cat side can help you all. All I ask is to give her a chance." Peter stood up. "You know, ever since Robin and Kid Flash told her about the team, she's worked hard for a chance to be on your team. All she truly needs is a chance to prove she deserves a spot." He then left the teens start lunch.
"I kinda feel guilty," Rocket said, breaking the silence.
"Me too," Zatanna agreed.
"Hey guys, I am free for the rest of the day!" Stephanie stood at the edge of the hallway in jeans, a wool sweater with a blue scarf and gloves. "Who wants to see some cats?"
1:16pm
Snow-covered teenagers piled into the condo, shaking off the snow that started to come down on their way back from Shadowcat's Cat Sanctuary. The team saw that young Stephanie knew her cats. Robin, Kid Flash and Red Arrow knew and met all of her cats. The others were nervous and she knew it. All but Cam were friendly. Cam was still skittish and stayed away but the others were on their best behavior. Well…as well as wild cats could.
Zatanna took to Oscar and his lame leg. It broke her heart when she heard his story. She wanted to heal his leg but none of her spells were powerful enough to help.
Only Doctor Fate could help.
Peter had lunch ready for them.
So the team ate soup with crackers and leftover roast beef, talking about the cats.
Kaldur had many questions for Stephanie. But he was happy that the rest of the team was taking to her. "You said Halfnote was your Familiar. So…what is a Familiar?"
"A Familiar is a guide of sorts. An anchor if you will," Shadowcat explained.
"Like Klarion and his cat," Wally pointed out.
"Exactly. Halfnote was the one that showed me that I was different. She was a month old when I first met her. I heard her thoughts. And as I realized in time, she heard mine too. We are inseparable. The death of one means the death of the other." Stephanie bit into her roast beef. "And she's the only one allowed in the house full time. I plan to get Icy in here too at some point."
"Hey!"
Everyone looked over at the kitchen closet. Doctor Roquette was staring at them. "It's done. We did it."
1:46pm
A struggling Black Canary glared everyone down as she saw Kaldur approach her. He held the 'curro' tech, as it was dubbed by Wally, in his hand. As per the doc's instructions, he placed the item on the side of her neck, which was absorbed into her skin.
"How long until we know if it works?" cloned Roy asked.
"An hour. If it does, we can duplicate them," Queen Mera replied.
"Then we must plan," Kaldur said. "Train. Prepare." He eyed Stephanie. "All of us will be needed to save the League, our mentors."
'My dad,' both Dick and Stephanie thought to themselves quietly.
"So I suggest we prepare now."
"If this works, then I can return to my body and I will assist the team," Red Tornado announced.
"Aqualad, a word." The Queen of Atlantis nodded a t Kaldur and he returned the nod.
Shadowcat snuck away. She needed the comfort of her mother's shrine to calm the sudden butterflies in her stomach.
3:16pm
"So, she's in there?" Zatanna asked as she and Robin stood before the double doors that once led to Catwoman's room.
"Yep. When Steph needs to be alone, she goes in for quiet time." He had a hand on the doorknob. Wally and Roy-cloned Roy- had been in once each. He's been inside lots of times. Being real siblings-him adopted and her being Bruce's kid-they understood the other well enough. That kind of sibling relationship would only get stronger as they got older. "Why don't you head back downstairs-this could take a while," Robin warned.
Zatanna smiled and squeezed his hand before letting go and headed back downstairs.
The Boy Wonder waited until the coast was clear before he used his signature knock on the double doors. A faint "come in" came to his ears before he darted inside. He found Stephanie standing before her mother's urn, her mask in her hand. "Peter's got us covered. We can talk," he told her.
There was a heavy sigh. "Dick, what if I mess this up for the team?"
"Sis, you won't. You're ready for this team," Dick assured her. He walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"What if dad gets hurt-like seriously hurt?" she asked her brother.
"That's why I'm going to make sure I'm the one that fights him. So he doesn't get seriously injured." Dick paused, waiting on Stephanie to respond.
She didn't.
Dick moved to see her face. There were tears in her eyes. He hugged her to him from the side, both arms wrapped around her. He felt her tears fall, so he stayed quiet. Sometimes, being an older brother sucked. But right now, it didn't. He had a major secret that he had to keep from the team. He didn't have a choice. Stephanie's life would be affected if anyone knew that they were sibs. That Batman had a kid. The Gotham villains would have a field day with that one. So he and Peter would do their best to protect her until she was ready to tell Batman herself.
"Dick?" she said after a few minutes.
"Yeah Steph?"
"Thanks." She looked at her brother's shielded eyes and smiled.
"Hey, big brother and all." Dick too her mask from her hand and pulled it over her head and eyes. "Ready?"
"Yeah." Both of them left the room to rejoin the team.
"Wait-let me get this straight. Savage had control of me!?" Dinah cried.
It did work. Right now, Red Tornado's body was in the process of being cured. And thanks to the genius of Doctor Roquette, they could not be re-infected once they had the "curro" tech.
"It is true, Black Canary. I was also a victim. The rest of the Justice League is still under his control. We must free them." Red Tornado's upper body (as John Smith) was next to his "hero" body, waiting to be back inside it.
"So this "curro" tech-?" she had asked.
"It is being replicated as we speak. We have yet to come up with a plan to sneak aboard Watchtower."
"We'll need a distraction." Robin and Shadowcat came down the carved staircase and toward the gathered heroes. "If Savage is kept busy, then the team can sneak inside."
"Who is that!?" Black Canary asked, looking at Stephanie.
"This is Shadowcat. She opened up her home to us," Kaldur explained.
"She's the reason Robin and Kid Flash were disappearing all the time," Artemis added.
"We were training her," Wally admitted.
Dinah crossed her arms, sizing up the girl next to Robin. The mask was a dead giveaway, she'd seen it before. So the rumors she had heard were true; Catwoman had a protégé of her own. "Are you the reason Roy hasn't been around?"
"Yeah. He stayed with me from time to time," Stephanie admitted in her quiet voice.
"Catwoman died months ago. I saw Batman update her file."
"Yeah."
"So…Catwoman wasn't just a jewel thief."
"No. She left that life long ago," Stephanie told the blonde heroine. She felt uneasy with Black Canary for some reason.
Dinah was good at reading people. She could tell that this girl was green. But she helped the team when they really needed it. Perhaps Catwoman had redeemed herself after all. "I see. Any ideas?"
"One…maybe. Red Tornado, could you mask the team from all sensors when we get to Watchtower?" Shadowcat had to hide the excitement in her voice over seeing the heroes' home base.
"Yes. I will need 3 seconds to integrate myself into Watchtower systems to do this."
"Which means you will have to return to the tower before us." Kaldur began to think.
"Me, Canary and Tornado will provide the distraction." The cloned Roy told the team. He held up his hand to stall protests. "This is going to be our only shot of getting you guys in the tower without Savage knowing. We'll distract him."
"Then we need to know who's going up against whom." Zatanna looked nervous at her own suggestion.
"We will do team-ups," Kaldur told the group. If it was one-on-one, we will not get far."
"Shadowcat and I will take on Batman," Robin announced.
Stephanie looked about ready to faint at that announcement.
"Superboy, can you take Superman?" the cloned Roy asked.
"Yeah." Conner really believed he could. He wished he still had a shield left. Having only ½ of Superman's abilities was going to be rough. But he would manage. He didn't have to kill the man or anything.
"Then we need a plan B. Shadowcat and I will go the Bat Cave for plan B. You guys work out the details." Robin took his sister by the hand and back up to the steps before anyone could stop them.
"I can't believe he's taking her to the Bat Cave," Wally whispered tightly.
"Why does she get to see the Bat Cave before us?" Zatanna demanded.
"She's special," Roy said to stop the "suspect" comments.
"Special? What are you three hiding?" Black Canary demanded.
"Nothing," Wally said, shrugging his shoulders.
"Now I know you're hiding something."
"Recognize: Robin B-0-2. Shadowcat B-2-0."
Both heroes stepped out of the Zeta Tube and into the Bat Cave. Stephanie stayed close to Dick as the two stepped out of the alcove. "Don't worry. This place only looks scary." He took her hand and led her to a vault in a far section of the cave.
"This place is so massive," Shadowcat commented. It was also an understatement. It overwhelmed her. This was her other half of her legacy. This was so much more than her. "How long did it take you guys to build this place?"
"This was here way before I came along," Dick told her. He took off his glove to press against the scanner. It accepted his ID and slid open to reveal a metal trunk. He went to it, opened it and pulled out a green glowing rock. He placed it in a lead-lined pocket of his belt.
"Was that…"
"It is." Dick went to the huge Bat Computer and sat in the chair.
"Wouldn't that hurt Superboy too?" she asked.
"That's why it's plan B. Give me your gauntlet."
Stephanie did as she was told. She watched her brother hook up her gauntlet via USB to the Bat Computer. "What are you doing?"
"Updating your comp. Batman updates the info in here every other week. So you have every right to this info too. You're family."
"MASTER DICK!?" Alfred Pennyworth came down the staircase and saw the two young heroes at the computer. When Shadowcat turned , he tried to cover himself. "Uh, I mean-"
"It's cool. She knows. That's Agent A." Dick pointed at Alfred.
"Uh, hi?" she said softly. She didn't know what else to say.
"Miss…Miss Selina?" he asked.
"No. She died, Agent A." Stephanie pulled off her mask.
All of the color drained from Alfred's face. "You…you look just like her." He felt his heart tighten.
"I'm Stephanie, her daughter." There was just something about him that made her feel comfortable. He was just like Peter.
Daughter!? Alfred made his way quickly down the stairs and over to the Bat Computer to get a really good look at her. Young Stephanie did indeed look just like Selina. But her eyes weren't hazel. They were blue.
The same shade as Bruce's.
Recognition dawned on him. "How old are you, young lady?"
"12."
It all came together. She was Bruce's daughter. This explained the secretive Robin he's witness over the last few months. That meant that she had been most likely conceived before Bruce convinced Selina to leave Gotham to escape Joker's wrath. "Does he know?"
Stephanie was shocked at how sharp and quickly Agent A figured it all out.
"No," Dick answered for her. "Selina didn't want him to know. She didn't want his mission interrupted. So she's my secret. And Wally's. And Roy's and Kaldur's."
Alfred chuckled. All of the first protégés knew about her. But he also understood what Selina meant too. Bruce did tend to obsess with his missions, to the point of deafness to the rest of his life. But at the same time, he made time for Dick since the young boy came to live with them. So he understood before now. "And now?"
"How many Gotham villains would love to kill me to spite him?" she asked.
Alfred cringed. He knew the answer; ALL of them. "I will not tell. But you two need to understand that this secret cannot be kept for long. He has every right to know."
"We know," they said at the same time.
"Done." Dick disconnected Steph's gauntlet and handed it off to his sister. Shadowcat placed it back on her arm, then pulled her mask back on.
Alfred then hugged her, which made her go stiff. "Do not be a stranger, Miss Stephanie."
"I'll try not to be," she promised.
"We better get back to the team." Robin got up. "Alfred, I'm gonna be late. Be asterous!" He leaped off the chair and landed perfectly on his feet 15 feet away.
Stephanie clapped her hands for him before running after him to the Zeta Tubes.
Alfred went back upstairs, humming as he went. He knew there was something between Selina and Bruce. No one could withstand Catwoman's charms.
Not even Batman.
Watchtower
11:20pm
While Red Arrow, Red Tornado and Black Canary tried to distract Vandel Savage, the team boarded the tower.
"RT did it. Wirelessly reprogrammed the sensors the moment he got here. Savage shouldn't know we're here."
"Then move out. Shadowcat, stay with the ship. If we need you, we'll call."
Stephanie glared at Kaldur for several seconds before sighing. "Fine." She watched the team leave to start saving the League. She waited until she no longer felt Miss Martian in her head. She turned in the opposite direction. "Like Hell I'm staying put." Shadowcat pulled up a map of Watchtower. She followed the map to where she felt Savage was at.
He was going to pay for going after her dad.
11:27pm
Shadowcat stayed to the shadows as she neared Vandel Savage. She hadn't run into any 'possessed' Justice Leaguers, and she thought she was home free.
A green beam of energy came at her. She jumped up to avoid it but it bounced off the closest wall and slammed her against the floor before returning to its owner.
Stephanie slowly pulled herself up. She tasted blood on her upper lip. She saw who it was that blind-sighted her.
Green Lantern. Jon Stewart.
"Ah, crap. I just had to get a Lantern! Where's Plastic Man when I need him?" She pulled out two of her brother's bird-a-rangs and threw them, her heart pounding hard in her chest. She wasn't a match for any Green Lantern, let along the stronger of the two in the League.
GL put up a shield to block those bird-a-rangs. But Shadowcat already jumped up to tackle him as soon as he dropped the shield to the floor. They landed on the said floor hard. She then punched him in the jaw and heard the crack of bone.
Man, her hand hurt!
Jon Stewart raised his arm up to blast her but she grabbed his hand and pulled his ring off of him. Oh, he was pissed! He grabbed her throat with one hand while trying to reach for his ring.
Stephanie knew she'd have to endure some pain but this Green Lantern was too tough for her. She fisted the ring and punched him as hard as she could in the jaw, which knocked the Green Lantern out. She felt her hand break and she bit her lip to keep from screaming and alerting the rest of the team. She placed a "curro" tech on his neck and it was absorbed. She then stood up and pried open her broken hand to reveal his ring. She placed it back on his finger. "I'm sorry," she said to the unconscious her.
"Who is that!?" Klarion demanded.
"Catwoman's protégé. Impressive for one so young." Vandel Savage was grinning. He knew she was coming for him. He was prepared to take her on. "let her meet up. She will not survive."
Klarion grinned wickedly.
Shadowcat knew she was walking into a trap. She hadn't come across any more possessed Leaguers and even she knew something was wrong with that picture. Her hand continued to throb without mercy.
She came to an opened doorway and saw Black Canary, Red Arrow and Red Tornado hurt and out on the floor. Stephanie ran down the steps and came face-to-face with Savage and the Witch Boy. "So we meet again."
"Indeed. This is Klarion, an associate of mine."
"A Lord of Chaos, an associate? Seriously?" she taunted.
"Goody. My rep precedes me."
Savage chose that moment to attack. Stephanie meet and deflected each attack and struck back when an opening presented itself. Savage blocked her blows as well.
Klarion was bored watching the two. "Teekl, kill her," he yawned.
The Familiar cat leaped from her master's shoulder and ran at Stephanie, growing bigger and into her true form.
A quick jab to Savage's throat sent one villain back in time to avoid the first swipe of the cat's paws. Shadowcat didn't get lucky on the second swipe. Those claws from the evil Familiar caught her shoulder, ripping her costume there. "Teekl, sit and don't move!" she commanded.
The cat was forced to sit and obey the girl.
Both Klarion and Savage gawked in surprise.
Ignoring the pain, Stephanie readied herself for more. She had to. The team had to be nearly done by now.
"Free my cat! NOW!" Klarion's face turned demonic.
"Make me," came Shadowcat's defiance.
Klarion send red magical discs at her. She ran from them and they followed.
Shadowcat ran right at Savage, ready to give him a world of pain. Her nails became claws and he came at her with a fist. She lashed out with her claws and cut Vandel's fist to ribbons.
He was shocked.
So was Klarion that he forgot his red discs until they struck Savage.
Stephanie took advantage and kicked Savage in the balls. As he howled, she jumped up and kicked him in the head. She twisted her body, pulled out her final bird-a-rang and threw it at the laughing Klarion.
It nailed him due to his distraction and he lashed out at her.
Shadowcat got blasted back into the wall and she fell forward, unconsciously, to the floor.
"ENOUGH!" Savage cried to stop Klarion's laughter. He stood up. "Show me the progress the children are making."
Teekl was free the instant Stephanie was unconscious. She returned to normal as she rejoined her master.
Only Wonder Woman remained.
"Time to go."
"C'mon! We can take'em!"
"Yes, but in the process, you'll lose control. Perhaps even destroy this station. And whether or not they are in our thrall, the Light still needs the Justice League alive for phase 2."
"I wouldn't lose control!" Teekl meowed to correct Klarion. "Okay, yeah, I'd bring the chaos." Klarion raised a hand and a red and black disc engulfed the three just as KF, Kaldur and some of the team showed up to stop them.
Aqualad was pissed, seeing the damage done. Then he saw Red Tornado, minus his arms and legs and kneeled before him.
"Congratulations, team." Then Robin and the others showed up. "You have won the day."
Then the computer announced the New Year.
Wally picked up Artemis into his arms. "I should have done this a long time ago."
"No kidding." Artemis told him before they kissed.
Zatanna pulled Robin to her and kissed him.
M'gann and Conner kissed.
Raquel kissed Kaldur on the cheek. "I'm liking this team more and more everyday."
"Human customs still elude me." Red Tornado gave the teens a few more minutes before clearing his mechanical throat. "I do not wish to ruin the moment but look toward the far wall."
They all just did that.
"SHADOWCAT!" cried Robin.
Watchtower
January 1
"Everything I thought I knew about myself was a lie. I'm not a hero or a sidekick. I'm a traitor. A pawn." The loathing in the clone's voice was palpable.
"Roy, it'll be al-"
"I'm not Roy! I don't know what I am. All I know is that I have to find the real Roy. I need to find Speedy."
"Guardian is already searching Cadmus."
"Something else is wrong," Kaldur said as Dinah and Oliver walked away with Roy-uh, cloned Roy.
"The League was under Savage's control for a little over a day," Robin told his leader. "We've accounted most of that time but these six were gone for 16 hours not accounted for."
"16 hours…What did we do?" Batman asked rhetorically.
"What now?" Kaldur asked after several minutes.
"Who is Shadowcat?" Batman asked. "Why is she in the med bay?"
"She helped his us when the League was sent after us," Kaldur explained. "I do not know why she left the safety of the Bioship."
"We should check on her." Wally was up and out of his chair in a second.
But Robin beat him to the door and down to the med bay. Kaldur and Wally were moments behind him.
Alone, Batman got up and stood before the window, looking out at the vastness of space. Selina's death still weighed on his mind. She had a protégé. He was rather surprised that she did. She said she worked better alone.
Then there was the strange behavior of Roy-well, the cloned Roy- Wally and Dick. And now Kaldur. The four of them were aware of something that he wasn't.
But he was going to find out Shadowcat's secrets.
As for her identity…well, he had his suspicions.
END OF SEASON 1
***Well, here it is! The last of season 1! I did change up about what happened to Green Lantern, Jon Stewart. I didn't like that we didn't see him fight at all. He's my fave GL so I changed that piece! This will be continued as soon as I do some research, which will take time! I want to thank everyone that has followed this fic! So everyone, Look for 'The SECRET Training: AU Season: the 5 Year Gap. ****