Chapter 4
"So, how do you know where Brainy is, anyways?" Element lad questioned Malainna, a mysterious gypsy that had appeared on the ship. Wildfire and Saturn girl were on monitor duty, and Superman, Sensor girl and Phantom girl were training for any surprise attacks. "Easy, I'm prepared for anything, including a backfire." She played with her earrings, fingering them preciously. "What do you mean, backfire?" She sighed with annoyance, and shook her head. "The backfire of Brainy's so called controlling of his emotions. I've been a personal fan of his for years, and thought that if I watched him, I could warn you of any outbreaks that could be considered deadly." Her tone was sarcastic, but was very genuinely concerned. "Well, thanks, super fan, but I don't think Brainy, or anyone, appreciates being spied on their whole life!" "You don't understand, do you?" Malainna put her hands on her hips and leaned in closer to Element lad. "Don't you know what he's capable of? Don't you know why Brainiac even wants someone who apparently has no powers, and is only two levels more intelligent than himself?" She breathed in deeply, calming herself down. "Look, I would guess that Brainy doesn't know, either, but he has tremendous power, more than you can imagine. He can still digitize, you know!" Element lad went silent. "What?" A frightened voice rang out through the hall they were standing in. From the main door, the rest of the team stood, staring at Malainna in disbelief. "What you mean, he can still digitize?" Superman glared coldly at her, expecting a valid answer, or else.
Brainy bounced the rubber ball he had collected in his travels against the steel walls of his jail cell. It made a sloshing sound, and he tampered restlessly with it. Eventually, it broke open to reveal a burning hot liquid. "OUCH!" He snapped, dropping the substance all over the force field. Quickly, it burned down the barrier, and also burned along the edges of the walls. He examined the rubber of the ball to reveal that it was no ordinary rubber, but Entarius, the Galaxy's only non burning rubber. "...Cool!" He grinned, and began to run, dodging all noticeable cameras and robot guards. Suddenly, he felt himself falling, and his lungs felt like deflated balloons as he hit the floor with a loud thud. Trying to get up, he was pushed down again by a heavy force on his spine. "It is most interesting how you think you can escape from me, Querl Dox." Brainiac glared at him with piercing eyes. "Almost." Brainy moaned. "Great, back to the cell that will no doubt kill me of boredom before you get to me." "Do not worry, Querl Dox. You will not be going back to the cell. Instead, we are to begin your mind hypnosis now." Brainy gulped. "Let me guess, no clapping or counting to three will break this type of mind control, right?" "Positive." Brainiac picked him up. "Hocus-Pocus, you will now sleep." Brainy moaned again, only louder. "Great, a sarcastic...sarcast...Brain..." He fell, silently sleeping. Brainiac lifted him up and carried him to a darkened corridor. "No more tricks, young one. Only total control."
Superman looked over the Legionnaires he was with. Everyone looked the exact same as they were when he left three years ago, only taller. As an add, new legionnaires had arrived, and were just as kind as the rest he knew. Sensor girl was quiet but very brilliant, and Wildfire, of Fire for short, was witty but loyal, a more fierce version of Sparky, or Garth. "What now?" Timber wolf stated. He had come to replace Phantom girl, who was needed desperately on another call, something about Brainiac's so called failed robot soldiers, running loose in the New Metropolis sewers. No one noticed him until he growled at Malainna that he had arrived. They were all too worried. Brin could also help with the tracking of Brainy, since Dawnstar, the Legion's second tracker, was off having her wings looked at. "Now, we try to find a decent parking space." Wildfire pointed to the planet they were coming up on. Saturn girl gasped. "Titan? My, my home? Why here of all places?" "For secrecy." Element lad came up. "Since no other Titan can read robotic minds, it was the perfect place not to be detected." Malainna scanned the area. "There! An opening in the ground, hidden among the trees." She smiled. "Wow, now I'm a tracker, as well. "Don't get comfortable," growled Timber wolf. "I sense jealousy." "And I sense the next person to get kicked this ship will be none other than yourself, you little-" "I see something!" Superman yelled, making Malainna and Brin jump. Down below, a dark blue robot snake, at least five feet long, slithered its way under the ground, completely unnoticed by people. "Well, let's land." Element lad gained the controls and steered the ship down behind some tall ever greens.
The Brainiac snake slid against the walls, barely seen by the following legionnaires. "Remember, we can't lose that thing, or we'll lose all traces of Brainiac." Wildfire had taken leadership, and was pretty good at it. The rest of the team crept behind him, making no sounds. Eventually, an open corridor was opened, and they sneaked in and hid amongst some leftover pieces of metal. Sounds of voices talking could be heard down a darker tunnel leading right. Brin sniffed the air, and his ears perked up. "I smell Medulas." "What's that?" Superman wasn't quite familiar with all of the...scents of the future yet. "It's a medicine wrap, used to heal broken arms and legs. I used some for Brainy's arm." Timber wolf smiled. "I admit, I'm a genius." Malainna rolled her eyes and walked over to the tunnel. "Well, let's go!" She ran off, leaving the rest of the Legion to catch up. Fire sighed, and signalled the Legion to "follow the crazed gypsy down the possibly deadly tunnel." She led them towards a large door, splattered in red liquid. "Is...is that..." Sensor girl stammered. "It's...paint." Fire held up an empty paint can, with the label "Red" in Interlac. Sensor girl hung her head sheepishly, hearing a stifle of giggles from Element lad. Pushing the doors apart, Superman rushed in, the others following with caution. "Where's the light?" Superman used his heat vision to alight a piece of wood he found. "There, in the corner!" Malainna ran over and flipped a dully painted grey switch. The lights lit up, momentarily blinding the group. Suddenly, a green cage fell upon the legionnaires, trapping them. "Malainna?" Saturn girl snapped at her. Malainna simply smiled. "Sorry about that, Legion. I have my orders." A loud scream of pain erupted from the wall to the right. "BRAINY!" Superman yelled. He punched the bars of the cage, but felt a rush of pain flow through his arm. "Oh, right, the kryptonite bars. Don't punch them, okay? They might hurt a bit." She turned. "Can't say I didn't warn you."
"AHHH!" Brainy screamed again. Brainiac 6 had him strapped down to a metal table, slightly angled upwards. Computer screens were filled with all the information Brainy knew about the Legion. "As you can see, whenever I electrocute your nerves, information is quickly spread around the mind, and stored in the computer files through the wires attached to your neck." Brainy glared at Brainiac 6 before yelling again as shots of electricity ran through his spine. "Once the Legion is down for the count, I can rule the galaxy without having to worry about any...rebellion that opposes me." Brainy struggled against the straps, but made no damage. Then, almost suddenly, he remembered something. "You said I had no powers, right?" He managed to talk with all of the pain ringing in his ears. Brainiac 6 nodded his head slowly. Brainy focused on the computers, trying to communicate with them. Slowly, all the information began to delete itself. Brainiac 6 bent his neck, confused at his computer's actions. "What is it?" Brainy sneered. "You were saying?" Immediately, his restraints burst open. He stood up, and placed his hand on the nearby ray gun.