Worry and Mission
"I don't get it. She was just fine the last time we saw her."
"What happened to her?"
"Do you think she's hurt? I can try making cookies again, to make her feel better."
"Why don't we get the older GLs?"
My teams conversation filtered in through the door of the room I had at the mountain. The tone of their voices told me they were about to tear their hair out in worry but I couldn't bring myself to face anyone at the current moment. Something had happened since the last time I had seen them and I needed to figure it out on my own.
Just as we had gotten back to the cave from celebrating I had been called to Oa. Apparently there was this space biker gang (I didn't know that was a thing) and the Guardians wanted to send me with another Green Lantern to apprehend them.
When I arrived Kilowag and Tomar Re greeted me. "Hey Poozer. How's our little quiet girl?"
"I'm good, Kilowag." They just had stunned looks on their faces. At least I think they were stunned. Can't really tell with some of my friends on Oa. Anyway Kilowag grabbed me in an Uncle hug, squeezing me tight.
"Ha HA! I knew it would happen someday! What happened kid? I want to thank whoever gave you the courage to talk."
"I would like to meet them as well."
Before I had to go get my mission assignment from the midgets I told them about everything that happened. The little disagreement at the Hall, Robin hacking, breaking into Cadmus, finding out about the experiments they were preforming, Superboy, them trying to take our DNA for clones(Kilowag bashed his fists together at this and Tomar had a sharp look in his eyes), the breakout, lab coat going crazy, and the team being formed. They lightly scolded me for putting myself in unnecessary risk(I don't know why. It's nothing new.) but they were happy.
"When you're going home from your mission, we're going with you. Gotta make sure those Poozers you work with are good enough for you."
I was paired up with Sinestro for the mission. The red skinned man glared at me whenever he looked at me the entire time.
It took some doing but we finally managed to track the gang down. The leader of the gang stepped forward, either stupid enough or brave enough to face down two green lanterns. Sinestro gave him the chance to stand down but he arrogantly defied him. What Sinestro did next will haunt me forever.
He beat the leader to death with his bare hands.
He told the rest of the gang to get lost and that if they ever caused trouble again he would come after them. When they were gone he turned to me.
"Do you think will is strong enough?"
All I did was stand there. I couldn't find my voice. "Back to the silent treatment I see. Well I don't we need to strike fear into our enemies. Fear is too much power to go to waste. Someone needs to use it and the Guardians are fools not to see it. But I will fix that." At that he flew of, with me trailing behind moments later.
Everyone was so confused when I refused to speak when I got back. They asked the red man what had happened during the mission but he said he didn't know.
Kilowag and Tomar couldn't come with me to Earth, they were sent on a mission shortly before we were about to leave. So that left me to face the team without them.
M'gann was the first to see me when I got back. She excitedly greeted me, filling me in about what had happened while I was gone(something about a (?!)). She chatted away as everyone else gradually joined us. Robin jumped onto my back giving me a brotherly hug while KF tried to flirt with me. Aqualad smiled and Superboy nodded. Soon they started asking me questions about what I had been doing and they were shocked by what they received as an answer.
Silence.
"Hey come on Mini GL. I know Wally's pick up lines are bad but they've never forced anyone into silence."
"Hey!" That's when I found out Kid Mouths secret ID.
I still didn't say anything. I just couldn't find my voice and even if I could, I didn't know what to say. M'gann started thinking I was sick but Aqualad stopped her fussing.
"Green Lantern, what is wrong?" No reply. "Please talk to us." I shook my head, rubbing my face as I shrugged Robin off and walked down the hallway to the sleeping quarters.
That brings us to the next day and the conversation they're having right outside my door while I look through Sinestros file on my computer while I sit on my comfy construct. "I don't get it. She was talking just fine when I met her down in Cadmus and every moment she was with us up until she gets back from a Green Lantern thing. What's the deal?"
"Superboy there are many things that no one knows about her. According to the Senior Green Lanterns, she never spoke a word until she met us. When she met us it was like we unlocked something inside her. Something must have happened on her mission and we need to find out what so we can help her unlock her voice again."
"Team, report to mission room for debriefing." Batmans voice came over the entire cave, alerting us that he had our first mission lined up for us. Getting up from the energy hammock I had created, I allowed it to disappear as went for the door. It opened to reveal M'gann holding her fist up. her eyes widened as I walked past her and the others without a word.
"Esla Santa Prisca. This island nation is the source of a dangerous and illegal neo steroid, the strength enhancing drug sold under the street name Venom. These heat signatures indicate their main factory is still running full capacity, but all shipments of Venom have been inexplicably cut off. That's where this team comes in." He turned around to give us a stern look as I noticed Wally is disrespectfully eating while he's talking. "This is a covert recon mission only. Observe and report. If the Justice League needs to intervene it will. The mission requires two drop zones." He pulled up a map of the island with two points on it.
"So who's in charge?"
Batman and Red Tornado turned around at Robins question. They looked at each other before looking back at us. "Work that out between you." That's when I decided to, not so subtly, make my opinion of who should be leader clear.
Everyone looked at me when they noticed a large green arrow pointing at Aqualad. I merely waved and went to charge my ring before we left. I sat in the front of the alien ship between KF and Robin to save energy for the actual mission. "We're approaching Santa Prisca." Pilot M'gann said, pointing out the obvious.
Looking back I saw Aqualad studying me, as if he was trying to figure out the way my mind works. Like that'll happen. He quickly looked down when he realized he had been caught.
"Drop zone A in thirty." When our green friend said this, our fish friend stood, pressing the little metal thing on his belt, causing his uniform to change colors as the seat melted away.
"Ready."
"Putting bioship in camouflage mode."
We started flying low and the floor beneath the atlantean opened, letting him fall into the water. I tracked him on the ships map, watching as he made his way to shore. When he made it he quickly went to where he was suppose to be. After a moment his voice came over the Comm, "Heat and motion sensors are patched, data now on a continuous loop. Move in."
M'gann mover the ship forward until, "Drop zone B."
We all stood up and hooks came from the ship for those incapable of flight. Robin and Kid Flash hooked theirs on and KFs uniform went black. He turned to the two female greenies. "How cool is this?"
"Very impressive." My red headed friend made her clothes change to a black, full body suit with a cloak, and I made a cloak our of a dim energy construct.
He blinked then smirked. "That works too." He turned to the only one wearing civil clothes. "Hey, Supey! Not to late to put on the new stealth tech."
"No capes. No tights. No offence." He crossed his arms, and I swear he looked upset at the suggestion.
"It totally works for you." He looked over a the Christmas colored girl, who was giving him a dreamy look. Did I miss something? She must have realized what she said because her eyes went wide and she held up her hands. "And you can totally do good work in those clothes." She gave him a thumbs up and he turned away with a neutral expression. She had this, 'Oh, no.' face on before she turned up the hood of her cloak, turning invisible. I did the same and we dropped from the ship. And we had to jump out of the way before Superboy crushed up.
"Knew I didn't need a line." He had this smug little smirk on his face that I would love to rub off.
"And yet nearly creating a seismic event didn't help us in the covert part!"
We all gathered our bearings as the Martian contacted our missing member. "Aqualad, drop b is go."
"Head for the factory. I'll track your GPS and rondevu ASAP."
And they wonder why I want him to be leader.
Robin pulled up his little hologram, wrist computer thing, checking something before dismissing it with a, "Roger that!" And we all took off.
We were slowly making our way down a path with Robin in the lead. He had been silent the entire time, checking the computer every once in a while. All of a sudden Superboy went, "Did you hear that?" His eyes were darting back and forth between the trees on either side of the path we were on.
Kid looked at him like he was crazy. "No." Then, "Wait is this a super hearing thing?"
"You do have great ears." I really feel like I'm missing something with this girl.
"Ok Rob, now what." We turned and saw no one in front of us "I hate when he does that!"
I want to know how he does that.
Aqualad started giving directions again. "Superboy, Kid, switch to infrared. See if you're being tracked." Wally smiled before pulling down the goggles he always had on his forehead.
"Got a squad of armed bozos incoming."
We ran behind some rocks and logs and SB started glaring in that direction. "Two squads. But they'll meet each other before they meet us." We heard gunshots coming from the direction they had been looking.
M'gann covered her mouth as KF remarked, "No superheroing required now."
"Swing wide! Steer clear!"
"Yeah yeah, just as soon as I find Rob." He jumped out from our hiding place and took off. I swear the only mature ones on this team are Aqualad and myself. I followed him down the path, hoping I would be able to keep him out of trouble. Instead, I got dragged into trouble with him. I was flying down next to him when the idiot tripped over his own feet. He grabbed me as he fell, sliding down the hill, and I couldn't concentrate long enough to create a construct. we flew over an edge and ended up in the middle of the fire fight which had halted when they heard Kid Mouth yelling. We looked up to see a very large man wearing a black and white mask and holding a gun. "So much for the stealthy." No duh. And it's your he said that they started shooting at us instead of each other. We leapt up and KF ran away while I flew up. Then Superboy came out of nowhere and punched the man we landed in front of. They started fighting as Kid and I dodged bullets. Well kid dodged bullets. I sat in a comfy energy sphere. "You could let me in there!"
The look I gave him clearly read, 'You got us into this situation, you suffer the consequences.' He just ran around, continuing to dodge. Then I saw Robin fall down on people from a tree. He started to smack down the thugs and chew us out at the same time. "What is wrong with you guys?! Remember COVERT?! Why didn't you follow my lead, vanish into the jungle?" Kid smacked down I guy in front if him as he listened to the verbal smack down we received.
"That's what you were doing? Way to fill us in! We're not mind readers you know!" He heard the girl who very well could read minds attack someone behind him as I took down some other punk. He looked at her. "Or, I'm not, anyway."
"You told me I could only read the bad guys minds."
Robin saw a guy trying to get away and was about to attack when Aqualad showed up and electrocuted him. He stomped on something the dude dropped, effectively breaking it before giving the orders to tie the thugs up. I made quick work of gathering the people into one place and Robin produced rope from his utility belt. Lots and lots of rope. I get the little metal discs and the grappling hooks, and all the other small fancy gadgets he puts in there but that really stumped me. How do you fit that much rope into such little space?
"I recognize those uniforms. They belong to the Cult of the Cobra." Cultists. Great. Jordan and I saw space cultists before. It wasn't a pleasant week.
"I'm certain Batman would have mentioned if a dangerous extremist was running Santa Priscas venom operation."
"Agreed. And since theirs obviously no love laws between them and those goons, I'm betting cobra came in and tossed them out! It's why normal supply lines have been cut off."
"We get it. Cobra wanted supper cultists. Mystery solved. Radio Bats and we'll be home in time for..."
"These cultists aren't on venom!" We can see that genius. "Cobra's hoarding this stuff!" Another obvious point. Please go on. "We don't leave. Not until I know why." No more Captain Obvious moments?
"Until you know why?"
"This team needs a leader!" There it is. And look, there is a green arrow that appeared in thin air pointing to Aqualad again.
"And its you? Dude, you're a thirteen year old kid, who ducked out on us without a word." No one's going to acknowledge the arrow? Too bad.
Robin chuckled. "And you're a mature fifteen? You blew our cover first chance you got! And you dragged our GL with you."
I tuned them out as I tuned into the other three team members. M'gann looked at SB. "Don't you want to lead?"
He shook his head. "You?"
"After the fiasco?"
"You did alright." Did he just smile at her? She looked at the ground blushing. SERIOUSLY! WHAT AM I MISSING HERE?!
Wait... . Sounds vaguely familiar.
I should probably pay attention more when they're telling me about stuff I miss.
Aqualad then asked me and asked me if I wanted to lead as Superboy got this look as he turned away from us.
Really? No one acknowledged arrows.
All I did was raise an eyebrow at him and write words in the air, saying:
'I'm an antisocial girl with issues. I'm not a great strategist, I'm not good at communicating, and I'm not the best at putting with arguments. And it seems everyone has decided to ignore the fact that every time the subject of a leader for a team has come up, I create an arrow pointing at you. Who do you think I want to lead?'
He studied me for a moment before he looked away and I think I saw a red tint on his cheeks. Finally the arguing friends crept back into my hearing.
"Yeah, you don't even have superpowers!"
"Neither does Batman!"
"Duh, you're not Batman."
"Duh, closest thing we've got!"
I finally had enough of them so I created constructs over their mouths and chained their hands and feet. After a shocked half minute I heard laughter.
It was the man with the mask. "Such clever niños. But you only know half the story. Let me show you the rest. Get you into the factory, via my secret entrance."
M'gann kneeled down in front of him. "There is a secret entrance but he's also hiding something." She put a hand to her temple and her eyes started glowing a bright white.
"Ah, ah, ah, Chica. Bane is not that easy." She stopped with a groan.
"He's mentally reciting football scores in español. This could take a while."
"It's not complicated. The enemy of my enemy is my friend." Ok, whenever a bad guy says that to a good guy, the good guy should not say yes to whatever the bad guy is offering. It's usually the bad guy trying to get something from the good guy. I learned that on my first mission with that annoying Green Lantern, Guy Gardener or something along that line. Long story short, Guy is an idiot, taking idjit pills, with a drink filled with stupid. And he has a dumb name.
Despite this, Aqualad nodded. So I cut him free from the rope, 'accidentally' bumping his head with the flat of the ax.
Bane led us to a cliff high above the factory, and allowed us to look down at it. The Boy Wonder used his ultra powerful binoculars to zoom in. "Look at all that product! There's defiantly a bid going down. But if they're not selling to the usual suspects then..."
"We need to identify that buyer."
"That's what I was thinking."
"Yeah, your the thinker."
"Sarcasm? Dude, a real leader would focus on getting answers." I thought these two were best friends.
I heard the shifting of rock and saw Bane opening a tunnel. Holding his arm out to it he said, "Answers, are this way."
We all gathered at the entrance as Bane went in. "So, now El Luchador is our leader?" Robin gave Kid Mouth a small smack before following our guide. We went down the tunnel until we reached a metal door that Bane had to use his thumb print on to open. As he opened to door Robin peered out.
"All clear, let's go." He rushed out into the room. When we followed him he was gone,
"Has that little fool already been caught?"
"No. He just does that."
"Stay back. I'll get Intel and be back before the Boy Wonder!"
"Kid wait..." Too late. He was gone. It was like Cadmus all over again, only this time we had more people. First Robin goes, then Kid Flash goes, then we follow to keep them out of trouble, next thing you know we'll be finding a clone of Wonder Woman.
I really hope that doesn't happen.
It would probably be bad if a cult figured out how to clone someone.
"Great chain of command." My three remaining companions and I looked at each other. This was turning into a fine mission. We'll get a medal of honor from Superman himself.
Nope. We'll get stuck with cleaning the cave, the Hall of Justice, and the homes of our mentors for three months straight for sure.
Our nice guide led us to the docking bay to see the Venom that was being packed. "It's a massive shipment."
"Yeah but they're only taking new product off the line. They're not toughing this Venom."
Maybe the buyer wants it fresh?
"Maybe freshness counts." ...great minds think alike.
"Helicopters coming." We all looked up to look for the choppers.
Aqualad sent Miss Martian to find out who the buyer is as the chopper lands. We move to the catwalk above the cultists to wait. Soon Miss M sends a message. "Sportsmaster? He's the buyer?" I've heard of him. "Aqualad to Red Tornado, do you read?" He grunted. "Can't reach the League, Robin or the cave. Comm is jammed." Pretty sure he only tried Red. "We need a plan. Now."
"I have a suggestion." I don't like that smile. Really don't like it. Then he jumped over the edge with a roar and started attacking cultists, causing gun fire that probably caught the attention of the people outside.
"What is he..." Aqualad was cut off by another roar and a large, tan, humanoid creature with cracks in its skin crashed through the window, making us bail the catwalk and land near Bane.
"Destroy them!" At the head cultists orders they all charged. Superboy took the creature, which oddly reminded me of lab coat after he went crazy and swallowed that blockbuster thing.
The regular cultists started shooting at Aqualad and I. My fishy friend who is way out of water at this point made a shield with his water bearers to protect us from the rain of bullets coming at us. While he shot them individually through the shield, I took out several at a time with energy waves. I also noticed several cultists being thrown through the air by seemingly nothing. Their confused and terrified faces were highly amusing. I smiled so that Miss M could see from wherever she was. I also noticed Bane was gone. The sneaky little(big) son of a... I refuse to elaborate further.
Suddenly, Sportsmaster threw a javelin through the air and it exploded midflight, sending M'gann flying. Above, I could see Rob and Kid on the catwalk. They went different directions. I saw Aqualad was cornered behind some pipes and about to become Swiss when KF body checked the cobras. "Miss Martian, radio is jammed! Link us up!"
A few seconds later I felt a presence in my mind. "Everyone online?'
'Yeah'
'You know it beautiful.'
I pulsed green energy to let her know yes.
'Good. We need to be...'
'Busy now.'
'Robin, NOW!' Aqualad lashed out at the cult members as he gave orders. 'We need to retreat. Kid, Green Lantern, clear a path.'
We did so with zero problem. We all raced to the tunnel and we locked the door. It didn't help much. The blockbuster replica busted it down easily.
"Superboy, the support beams!" SB knocked the wooden beams away, causing the ceiling to collapse, and Miss M helped Superboy out before he got crushed. We were now safe.
If anyone is doubting my choice in a leader now I will hurt them.
I used my ring to light the cavern, so we could see our surroundings. Robin was sulking in the corner.
"How could my first mission as leader go so wrong?" He's kidding right? Aqualad was the one giving orders the entire time.
"You do have the most experience. But perhaps that is what left you unprepared. Fighting alongside Batman your roles are...defined. You two do not need to talk. But this team is new. A leader must be clear, explicit. They cannot disappear and expect team member to play a part in an unknown plan." Well said. Well said indeed.
"Oh so I'm suppose to hold every ones hands?!" He looked away and groaned. "Oh, who am I kidding? You should lead us Kaldur. You're the only one who can."I'm going to assume Kaldur is Aqualad. And what does he think I meant by the arrows.
"Please! I can run circles round..."
"Wally! Please! You know he's the one. We all do. Mini GL realized it first though. She voted for you from the start. Maybe, over time, you can even get her to talk to us about her problems."
"Hello, Megan," What now? "It's so obvious."
"Coulda told ya."
I gave a thumbs up.
"...ok!"
Kaldur went forward to Robin. "Then I accept the burden. Until you are ready to lift it from my shoulders. You were born to lead this team. Maybe not now, but someday." That put a smile on the little birdies face. "Alright, our first priority is preventing that shipment from leaving this island."
"Funny, I had the same thought." We started running down the tunnel, Robin talking as we go, looking through his files. "Sportsmaster is the supplier and buyer but it doesn't track. He doesn't have the juice to get the blockbuster formula or make cobra do his dirty work."
"And neither of them have the chops to bond blockbuster with venom. That took some major nerdage."
"I believe the expression is, tip of the iceberg."
Then Bane came out of nowhere. "Halt niños. I'm feeling explosive." We looked up to see explosives on one of the supporters. I KNEW IT!
"You betrayed us! Why?"
"I want my factory back." 'Kid you need a running start.' Kid started backing up slowly. Sneaky. "So I forced you into a situation where you would take down my enemies or die trying. If the latter, the Justice League would certainly come to avenge their sidekicks, and when the smoke cleared, Santa Prisca would be mine once more. Blowing the tunnel with you inside, should have the same effect." The detonator vanished from his hand just as his thumb went down, and missed due to the vanishing trick. He looked down, shocked.
"With what? This trigger thingy?" Bane yelled and he was about to hit the ginger when he was lifted off the ground. He floated in the air as we approached.
Superboy had a smirk on his face. "Finally. Drop 'im." M'gann, or Megan is what I'm guessing from the comment earlier, obliged and Bane fell right into the Kryptonians fist. Then I started to play table tennis with him until Kaldur told me not to be cruel, but I could see the hidden laughter in every ones faces.
Aqualad came up with a plan as we ran, or flew, to the helicopter pad. A marvelous battle(that I don't feel like describing since it's almost one in the morning) ensued. But we stopped Sportsmaster from getting any of the super drugs and we blew up the factory. Bet Bane's not happy from where he's tied up.
"We picked the right guy to lead. Automatically making you the right guy to explain this mess to Batman." He started cackling as he walked away and Kaldur looked away.
I honestly didn't think about that.
The next day we were at the cave receiving major chew out session. "A simple recon mission. Observe and report." Kaldur looked down when Batman said this close to his face. I feel bad for the guy. "You each will receive an evaluation, detailing your many mistakes. Until then, good job."
What now?
Everyone looked at him, surprised.
"No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy. How you adjust to the unforeseen determines success. And how you choose a leader, determines character." I saw Aqualad smile at Robin around me before I pull them both into one armed hugs. They're surprised but Robin leans his head on my shoulder and my gilled friend places his arm around my waist.
We walk out of the mission room, each of us going to do our own thing. I'm not sure where the others went, but I ended up falling asleep on the couch alone.
3rd POV
"We should not be doing this." Kaldur'ahm stood hesitantly in the doorway of Tanya's room as the four other teammates entered.
"Come on Kal. We know you respect privacy and you don't want to disrespect your girlfriend in anyway but we need to find out what's been bugging her."
"She is not my girlfriend Superboy. And we could wait until she's ready to tell us."
"Dude, Kal, it took her years to say anything to anyone. We may not have the time to wait for that. What if it's life threatening? So get traught and get in here."
"Guys, who's Sinestro?" They all look at Megan and Wally as they look at the screen of the alien computer. The file pulled up was of a red skinned man with black hair, pointy ears, and a Green Lantern uniform.
"This must be the GL database. It says he went with Mini GL on the mission she came back from two days ago. Maybe he knows what happened!"
"Too bad we can't contact him. Or any Green Lantern For that matter. I heard the older Earth Lanterns will be away for a month or two."
Everyone groaned. Even Kaldur was into this now. Then Robin started flipping through the files. "Hey! I found Mini GL! Tanya Stewart. ...she was adopted by one of the older GLs."
Then Wally was a symbol to the Green Lantern insignia but in yellow. "Hey what's that?"
Robin pulled it up and read, "Yellow energy of fear. Rival to green energy of willpower-at least we know what the green is about now-anyone exposed to yellow energy risks corruption, and preforming actions that will haunt the audience for the rest of their lives and feeding off their fear."
That sent alarms off in Megan's head. "Hang on, pull of the file on Sinestro again." Robin did so. She read the file and gasped. "Years ago, Sinestro was exposed to yellow energy. Behavior has been off since. Under close supervision."
"Close supervision...phht, WHAT GOOD IS THAT GONNA DO?! IF HE'S GOING TO HURT PEOPLE WHY WAIT UNTIL IT'S TOO LATE?!"
"This is troubling but we don't know if this is the cause of Tanya's recent silence. All we can do is wait and see. Now can we please leave. I do not want to invade her room longer than is needed."
They all nodded, M'gann flying off to make cookies for GL, Wally and Robin going for video games, Superboy going to sit in his room, and Kaldur going for a swim. The entire time he couldn't stop thinking about the fuzzy feeling he felt when Tanya had pulled him to her in the mission room. He liked the feeling but he was confused. What about Tula?