Follows the events of Becoming Superboy 35: Interview Time
Interview Time II
888
A night ten years ago
He sat in the waiting room at the hospital all alone. No one questioned why he was there as long as he wasn't hurt or getting into trouble. All they saw was a kid who couldn't stop moving his feet. His papá told him to not leave. He really needed to go to the bathroom, but he had no idea how to get there and back. What if his papá came back while he was gone? What if he got left behind? After all, they had a new baby. Paco told him his parents would send him away because of the new baby. Brenda hit Paco and said he was wrong. Paco told her how come none of them had siblings. Not he, Tye, Brenda or Paco had any siblings. Brenda couldn't answer but still called Paco an idiot.
"Mijo," he lifted his head and saw his grandmother Elena.
"Abuelita!" he jumped to his feet and ran to his grandmother. She wasn't supposed to make it until next week.
"Ven mijo, tu mamá te está esperando," she said softly before taking his hand and leading him to his mother's room.
" Quiero ir al baño," he still needed to go to the bathroom.
" Niños," she laughed softly before taking him.
He washed his hands slowly. He didn't want to see his mamá. What if she no longer wanted him? She had a little girl now. Maybe he could go live with one of his grandmothers. Abuelita Conchi was very strict, and Abuelita Elena always had candies in her bag. The choice was an easy one. But, he would have to move and Abuelita Conchi lived in Washington which was closer than Mexico City which was where Abuelita Elena lived. He decided he would spend one year with each one of them and the holidays with his parents because he was going to miss them.
He walked holding his grandmother's hand ready to accept his destiny. Abuelita Conchi said accepting one's destiny was very important because part of that destiny was dying. His mamá got really angry when she heard her and then they started fighting in Spanish too fast for him to follow. At the end, his mamá told him he shouldn't worry about things like that because he was still a kid. But he still wanted to know why it was important to accept death. Wasn't death bad? It made everyone sad like when Abuelito Alejandro died. Even Abuelita Conchi cried and she never cried.
"Come here Jaime," he thought he was to lose his mamá when he entered her room and saw her. She was so pale and tired looking he thought she might fall asleep any moment.
"Mamá, are you sick?" he hurried to her before he spotted the little bundle lying to her side.
"I am just tired my Corazon¸ come here," she said before his papá picked him up and sat him on the bed.
"She is all red," he had a better view of the newborn.
"You were too when you were born," his papá laughed as he brought a chair for his grandmother to sit down.
"And she is tiny," he said looking at his mother with wide eyes. From the size of his mother's belly he thought the baby would be bigger.
"She will grow up so fast you won't believe it," his mother said shifting on the bed and brought the little bundle closer to him, "say hi to your little sister Jaime."
"Hi Milagro, I am Jaime," he told the sleeping baby. There was a little bit of hair on her head. It looked like his. It looked like his mom's too.
An afternoon five years ago
He had to get up half an hour earlier than he should just to get Milagro up. Since she started going to pre-school, he had to do this every single school day and sometimes also in the weekend. She had a lot of trouble getting up in the morning. More than once after making sure she was ready she would crawl back into bed and wrinkle her clothes. After school, he had to pick her up and listen to her yap on and on about what her little friends did. Didn't she realize he wasn't seeing his friends anymore because of her? Well, Tye was the only one left. Paco was gone and Brenda moved.
"I am hungry," she said pulling on his shirt.
Since Milagro started going to school and his mom finished with nursing school and started working, he had to feed Milagro when they got from school. His mother always told him to not go overboard, just to get her a snack. She should try telling that to Milagro.
"I know, I am almost done," he said hoping it wouldn't get burned again. Last time it did the little girl refused to eat it.
"I am telling mom you made a mess," she said peeking over the counter at the chopped leftover ingredients.
"And fed you, you are welcome," he told her picking her up and then sitting her far away from the stove.
"You are ugly," she poked her tongue at him.
"Have you seen yourself in the mirror," it wasn't a lie. There was no way anyone could think they weren't siblings when they saw them standing to each other.
"I am telling mom you are mean," Milagro said with a pout. He wondered if Tye could come over. His game console was old, but he would die of boredom if he had to spend another hour alone with his sister.
"Like I am not already grounded until next year," he said and placed the plate in front of her "there."
"I don't like tomatoes," she said pushing the plate away.
He took the plate back. Practice made perfect, right?
The morning the day before the interview
He locked his door and went through his emails from Kord Enterprises. Melody Case, the head scientist of Kord Enterprises and Ted's ex, had been sending him at least fifty messages a day on how he would never understand the importance her projects would have in the future. He deleted most of them without reading them. He already wrote to her he would be visiting the labs to see if the projects were worth keeping. Angela Revere, the company's CEO, had been sending him all the information they had been talking over the past few company meetings. She also brought up other topics he even hadn't thought about checking on.
"Jaime, I am going to work. Talk to you later," Paco called from outside of his door.
"Fine," he called back.
"You okay?" Paco asked.
"Yeah," he said trying to sound sincere but failing miserably.
"Okay" and one of his oldest friends left him knowing he still wasn't okay.
It wasn't like he hated his friend, but he needed to be away from him and the others for a while longer. A man died. They might have been able to save him. He believed they deserved some of this torture. His phone started to ring and he picked it up right away hoping to see Tracy's number. It was his parents.
"Can you get me an autograph from Superboy?" Milagro asked without a pause.
"No, are you home alone?" at that time both his parents were working.
"No, Tracy is taking me to the animal shelter. We are adopting a dog," she said in a sing-song tone.
"Mom won't allow it," he said yawning and glad he wasn't patrolling that night. They were taking off for Metropolis and staying at Conner's place.
"She already said yes," and he heard years' worth of mockery in her voice.
"But I asked her like a thousand times… until we got you. They are replacing me with a dog?!" he threw his chair back and stood up.
"You just called me a dog too!" his little sister shouted back; apples from the same branch.
"That is not fair!" he ran a hand down his face.
"You think? Now will you get me that autograph!" she shouted back but now she was laughing.
"No!" he started laughing "now go get the biggest dog they got!"
"The ugliest?" she asked with a giggle.
"The meanest too!" he shouted laughing so hard his throat was starting to hurt. He felt he hadn't laughed in a long time.
"Why are you two shouting?" Tracy was on the phone next.
"We are getting a dog!" he shouted unable to stop.
"I know!" Tracy shouted back. At that point, he was rolling with laughter on his bed.
"Let me, let me," he heard Milagro say before Tracy handed her the phone.
"I am not asking Superboy for an autograph," he said taking a deep breath.
"Will you be visiting soon?" she asked in the same tone she used with dad when she wanted something really bad and mom wasn't around.
"I don't know yet," it had only been a few weeks since he moved out. It seemed sort of pathetic to go home running so soon.
"Oh okay," she said no longer smiling. He could tell she was probably shifting her feet and pulling her lower lip.
"If you ask mom and dad and they say yes, you can visit me," he said running a hand through his hair.
"Really?" she asked and he knew her smile was reaching her eyes.
"Bring the dog," he could never say no to her.
888 Follows the events of Becoming Superboy 35: Interview Time 888
They were half way done with the interview and they hadn't done half bad even if he was the one to think it. Kid Flash was back from raiding the snack table, looking calmer than before and talking nonstop with 'Conner' who was in reality Miss Martian shaped like 'Conner'. He had to admit he had been afraid of how things would turn out with her and Superboy so close to each other. So far, they stayed away from each other's throats. If there were any doubts about Red Robin being the right leader they were all gone. He had remained calm the whole time.
Threat detected. Khaji Da announced. Great, probably a bad guy thought they could try to take them out in television.
Where?He asked ready to stop them before they could hurt anyone.
The Superboy
"Superboy?" he asked aloud before turning to see Superboy was clenching his teeth and fists as he glared at Lori Luthor.
"Ten, nine, eight…" the countdown started to return to the air.
"Superboy, what's wrong?" Kid Flash asked also seeing something was very wrong.
"Four… three…two," they weren't stopping the countdown. Had they not realized something was very wrong? Why didn't they stop? He saw Clark Kent on the other side of the stage trying to get to them only to be stopped by security. He knew who he was now thanks to Booster Gold which made it worse. The man looked authentically concerned and in pain. Whatever was affecting Superboy was also affecting Superman somewhat.
"Shut up," Superboy growled before he shouted "all of you shut up!"
The world became silent. They were back in the air and Superboy was looking at Lori with red shining eyes. It was as if he wanted to hurt her, which none of them had the strength to stop.
"What is that?" 'Conner' shook Lori before they all looked at Lori's hand and saw a ring with a red stone. It was shining with a bloody light. He realized then that Superboy wasn't glaring at Lori but the ring.
"Get that away from him," Red Robin said before Lori started to struggle to get the ring off.
"No," Superboy said starting to float. He extended his hands towards Lori before she started floating too. The poor young woman was scared out of her mind as she continued to try to take the ring off. "They want to see me like this, they want a show. I will give them one."
"Superboy, you are not being yourself," he said flying until they were face to face.
"This feels so great. It's like I am truly free. You should try it sometime Blue," Superboy got the ring off Lori's finger before letting her fall. 'Conner' caught the shaking young woman and stared up at them.
"Stop Kon, that rock is affecting you," Red Robin called from below.
"Or maybe this is the real him," the screens around the studio changed from showing them to the face of a man they all detested.
"Godfrey, afraid to face me face to face like a man?" Superboy said facing one of the screens as he toyed with the ring. He used his powers to change its form as if it was no better than dough.
"You are not a man or even a boy!" Godfrey said pointing at him with a sneer.
"I am so hurt," Superboy said rolling his eyes at the man before capturing the ring in a tight fist.
"You did this!" Kid Flash accused Godfrey.
"Exposing your true natures is my job, but I am afraid I can't take credit for that. I was just waiting for the right time, and here it is," the man said pulling back from wherever he was being filmed and opened his arms dramatically. "Children should not run around in Halloween costumes and putting people in danger. Things like him are not normal! They shouldn't exist!"
"We agreed to an interview with them, not you," he said motioning to the still watching young reporters.
"I want to know where he is going with this, let him," Superboy said descending and sitting on his chair with an air of condescendence.
"Are you crazy?" 'Conner' said sweating bullets. Miss Martian was probably sensing something they couldn't.
"Afraid?" Godfrey teased.
"Never!" Superboy said before using his powers to lift Lori and 'Conner' "Stay out of the way."
He sent them flying back faster than he could follow. Kid Flash went to make sure they were okay.
"I don't want to hurt you. Hand over that rock," he knew he didn't stand a chance, but he had to try. He formed both of his energy cannons.
"You don't have the guts," Superboy said lifting him into the air faster than he could shoot.
He couldn't breathe. He clawed at his throat. Khaji Da started to thicken the armor around his neck which helped, but he could barely move.
"You have always been a coward too afraid to use your full power. Not that if you did you would stand a chance. You should let the armor take over Blue. You are just too human," then he felt his skin being ripped.
"Ahhh!" he screamed before he saw Superboy was tearing his armor revealing reddened skin.
"Let him go!" Kid Flash was back a moment later and punching Superboy as fast as he could.
"Kid Flash, stand down," Red Robin said only frowning. He had to trust him, he told himself. He would think of something.
"But Blue-" Kid Flash protested.
"Let Blue go, we will stay, but you won't hurt anyone," Red Robin told Superboy and he was dropped to fall in a heap on the floor.
"You okay?" Kid Flash was by his side the next moment and looking at his injuries. It wasn't for long since Khaji Da started to heal him right away and to close the gaps in the armor.
"Unlike what you might like to think you are not the boss of me Red Robin. Don't tell me what to do," Superboy said staring down at their friend.
"Fine" Red Robin said not losing his cool, "Superman, Supergirl; if you are watching this you must not come close to Kon. That rock might do the same thing to you."
At the edge of his vision, he saw Clark Kent freeze. The man looked at them with so much worry. They were on their own.
"You think you are so smart," Superboy sneered at Red Robin
"Godfrey, ask your questions," Red Robin told Godfrey as he too sat.
"We can't do this," he said to Kid Flash as he helped him stand.
"Yes you can," he and Kid Flash froze when they heard Miss Martian connect to them telepathically "I am trying to get hold of the Watchtower to get help, but I need you to keep Superboy busy."
"All he is going to do is try to rattle people by spinning facts out of hand and making statements without any proof. He is more of a clown than a reporter. After the fiasco with the Reach no one really listens to him," Superboy said looking extremely bored.
"You just gave them a reason to," he couldn't help saying as he glared at Superboy. He just tried to rip his armor off him!
"If I really had wanted to, I would have done it," Superboy said rolling his eyes at him.
"Still not crash," Kid Flash said.
"No sense of moral, or shame? Can you really trust these 'kids' if that's what they really are with your safety and that of your family?" Godfrey continued his relentless attack. He didn't doubt he would take every shot he could at them.
"We are not kids," Superboy said again through gritted teeth. His fists were clamped on the arm rests. There was something wrong, something besides the rock that was making him act like an ass. He remembered the flash drive he entrusted him with. Could someone be trying to tamper with his memories again?
"What he means to say is that we are human… most of us are full humans," he said after one glare from Superboy.
"Half is pain enough," Superboy said with a cynical laugh.
"How do we know that? What proof can you give us to show us that you are human? None I tell you because you have these secrets that you think are more important than our safety, so you can justify the destruction you cause without facings the consequences," Godfrey kept on going.
"That's stupid, that's like asking someone to prove they are not lying!" Superboy shouted before the chairs where Lori and 'Conner' had been sitting on before were thrown back. It was a fraction of a moment, but he saw Superboy flinch. Whatever was happening to him, he was trying to fight it.
"Miss Martian, I think Superboy is trying to fight this on his own. He is holding back," he communicated through their link. He could see it from the way he was fighting his own reactions. Maybe he chose to stay there because that's the place where he would cause less trouble.
"I can sense it, but he won't be able to break through completely unless you get that rock away from him," Miss Martian said not too far.
"I tried but he placed a barrier so I can't fully get to it," Kid Flash said.
"Still no answer from the Watchtower?" Red Robin asked.
"Only for a short time; all of the League members were out for exception of Aqualad who was looking after the Team and the Titans. There are multiple attacks through the world. This wasn't plotted by Godfrey," Miss Martian told them.
"That's just great," he thought on the mockery the interview had become.
"I think I am human, therefore I am," Red Robin said.
"What nonsense are you speaking about? You can't just make such a claim without offering any proof. A dog can't call itself a human and be a human!" Godfrey shouted at them as if they had just insulted his mother.
"But it is proof," he said knowing where Red was going with it.
"What would you do to define a human? Physiologically there is no living human that can be connected to all other humans that have lived at this time. We define ourselves as humans. No one gave that name to us but ourselves because of our need to label everything around us; to break into parts and to classify. That is part of being human and the one we can prove to you at this time," Red Robin said finishing with a smile.
"You have no right to pull that philosophical crap!" Godfrey shouted and pointed at them again at them. "This is serious and that is not a real answer!"
"Why not? Because you say so? Because it goes against your plan to make us look like idiots when we are not? That's a load of bull!" Superboy said.
"But he is right," he said before he got a shocked expression from everyone, including Godfrey "What is the point of saying what we are when we have already done it through our actions? What is more human than to forget yourself and give your all to the rest of humanity because you can?"
"No one is that selfless! Don't let them play with your mind! Otherwise, why won't you reveal your identities to the world?!" Godfrey said starting to sweat. They could claim they did it for the fame or whatever else they could conjure, but there was no denying the good they had done in the world.
"Godfrey, do you have someone you love?" he asked at once thinking of his family.
"What?" Godfrey looked dumbfounded. As far as they knew Godfrey didn't even have a family or friends who weren't looking to be in the same spotlight as him.
"Do you love someone man? It is not that difficult to understand. We all do," Kid Flash said scratching his cheek sheepishly.
"Like-like I would tell you!" Godfrey shouted starting to turn red.
"Exactly, the moment we tell the world who we are the bad guys will know who we love and they become targets. You can call us monsters, aliens, freaks; we don't care. Protecting those we love is also important to us," he said starting to feel confident. They could do this; they could face this man and keep their heads high.
Godfrey looked lost for a moment before he ran a hand through his hair. He looked collected again before looking at the camera with an intense glare. "Good people in you homes. I ask you as you look at those around you. Can you really trust those responses? These 'kids' claim they are human, yet they are not giving us any solid proof," Godfrey said to the audience.
"Oh shut, do we have to repeat ourselves," Superboy said, "we don't have all day."
"It is up to the real reporters to reveal the truth of your nature," Godfrey said fixing his tie.
"Yawn," Superboy said.
"As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted! You are not qualified to protect anyone! All you are doing is making young impressionable people think is fine to put themselves in danger. You and the League have never told the truth about what happens when you fail. Kid Flash, you are not the first to use that costume, what happened to the first? Or in the case of Red Robin, how many of you have there been and what happened to them? I will tell you what does. The League puts kids in deadly dangers and when they die they just get replaced," Godfrey said taking the breath away from everyone watching.
"How dare you!" Superboy stood up before he shot lasers through his eyes and destroyed one of the screens. None of them had known Jason back then or Wally before he retired for the exception of Superboy.
"The first Robin became Nightwing," Red Robin's calm voice said shocking the whole studio and he imagined the country too. "The second Robin was tricked and killed by the Joker. After Batman told me he wouldn't take me in as the new Robin. I went on my own. I almost got myself killed. I was more of a danger to myself than any thug with a knife. That's why he let me become Robin. I would have continued on my own and I am sure I would be dead had that been the case," Red Robin remained calm the whole while as he said this, "and even after knowing death might be the ultimate sacrifice, we still choose to leave the protection of the League."
"You…" an image of a bloodied crowbar appeared in some of the screens.
"You knew," he said with wide eyes. Godfrey had known about how Jason had been killed and had been ready to expose them when they denied it. He didn't count on them telling the truth.
"Oh look, we ruined his surprise. So sorry," Superboy collapsed back on his chair laughing.
"And they say we are thoughtless," Kid Flash said crossing his arms.
"All of Arkham knows about what happened to my predecessor," Red Robin said as he operated from his wrist computer. He brought up images of the many men and women who lived in those halls. "But they are not that crazy to go and talk about it. For once, because he was a kid and it is of bad taste to talk of the death of someone so young as if it was just gossip. Second, because when Batman caught up to Joker he broke every single one of his bones. I can only think of someone crazy enough to tell you this and that is the most pathetic pile of evil, death-worshiping garbage we know; the Joker. You went to a real monster and asked him of how much he enjoyed killing a boy," it wasn't a question, but a statement.
"A reporter is never afraid to expose himself to danger to get to the story," Godfrey said glaring at Red Robin.
"Right, it's not like Joker it's a psychopath who takes pride in every life he takes even if they are children and will tell everyone who asks," Kid Flash said.
"You are one to talk, what happened to the first Kid Flash," Godfrey said going after Bart, "the League claims he retired, but your kind never stays away long unless something else happened."
888 Backstage 888
She messed up so bad. Pretty much threw her whole life away because of a pretty rock. No one would ever trust her again. She might as well join her uncle in the family business and she didn't mean technology innovations.
"I swear I don't know," she said coming back to reality. Godfrey just asked an unfair question; big surprise, "the ring was in my dressing room in a basket with gifts. I didn't know it would do that"
"It's okay Lori, I believe you," Conner said looking at her worried. His eyes were different somehow as if they could see something they couldn't before.
"Did you find anything?" Clark asked when they saw Lois coming back.
"Cat won't answer my calls. Seems she is too busy bathing in the limelight. Wouldn't be surprised if she knew this would happen and before you start defending her she just sold the stocks of ClarkCatropolis to the highest bidder," Lois said before passing her phone to Clark.
"What?" Clark said reading the article with wide eyes. He didn't look angry just surprised.
"No one will tell me anything. It looks like Edge removed all my clearance until this is over. How are the kids doing?" Lois said looking at one of the available screens.
"They are naïve, but that's working in their favor," Conner said looking at the screen with narrowed eyes.
"I think they are doing great," Clark said handing Lois her phone back. He didn't look overly panicked about what Cat Grant did. She knew she would be looking for Cat like crazy if she had done that to her.
"Clark, I am going to check out Lori's dressing room for clues," Conner said already walking away.
"Wait Conner, I am going with you," she went after him.
"You don't have to," Conner said never slowing down. She had to almost run to keep up with him.
"You mean you don't want me in the way," she said before she bumped into his back.
"It's not that Lori. I just don't want to see you hurt," Conner said turning around with a worried look.
"Yeah, like everyone will not be after my head after this is over. I have to clear my name somehow," and when she said those words, they felt true. She hadn't given up yet. Yes, she was a Luthor but that just meant she was as stubborn as they came.
"I am sure Superboy and the rest will clear your name," he said placing his hands on her shoulders. It was strange.
"That guy hates me; he is just too nice to say it," she kept thinking of Superboy as a creep for telling her off at her uncle's tower, but the truth was she was the creep. He was right to not want anyone to know he also had Luthor genes.
"He wasn't being nice when he threw us out the stage. Besides, he is not the kind to keep resentment without reason," Conner said before they kept on walking, but now side by side. This was the Conner she knew. He never left her behind.
"But there is a reason," she said. She had to tell someone. She was sure Conner would understand since he came from a family with expectations too. Though, they were not the same type of expectations.
"Lori," a deep frown appeared on his face. It was as if he already knew what she was going to say.
"My uncle… he made him… we are…" there was no easy way to say her evil uncle tried to clone Superman and also added his own DNA into the mix.
"He told you?" Conner asked not looking so shocked but worried.
"You knew?!" she asked him.
"The-there is no time for that! Hurry!" he took hold of her hand before they started running. The entrance to her dressing room was open and they saw a short man with a gabardine come out with the basket.
"Who's that?" she said feeling something was very wrong. The man was also wearing a large hood which seemed to be ripping at the seams.
"Simon," Conner said stepping forwards.
"You… why did it have it to be you?" Simon dropped the basket and pulled back the hood to reveal a pale face and a transparent cranium.
"Conner?" she asked stepping back. This guy had to be a bad guy. No one would willingly go around showing the top of their brain without looking to be a bad guy.
"He will explain to you later, stand back," Conner said looking ahead and never away from the man.
"Whowha!" she was about to ask who was 'he' before Conner started shifting before her eyes. He became she with skin as pale as paper, a tight black body suit with a red X across her chest and a red belt and gloves. His dark hair turned the brightest red she had ever seen tied into a ponytail and his…her face gained sharp feminine features and red eyes.
"Miss Martian, so it's true you decided to show more of your true nature. How interesting," Simon said with a mocking smile, "I wonder what your teammates think of it."
"Lori, go into the dressing room and don't come out," Miss Martian said to her never looking away from Simon.
"O-okay," she said not wasting a moment and running into the room.
"Catch!" she turned around to barely catch the basket the man had tried to take away. She looked the door and started going through the contents as fast as she could. Outside everything was so quiet it was unnerving. She thought maybe they left, but in that moment the door groaned as if something very heavy was leaning on it. She scurried with the basket to hide behind the couch and kept looking for something that might help her, but the rest of the contents were ordinary.
"He wouldn't have tried to take them away if they weren't important," she heard the voice of Miss Martian and closed her eyes. That thing could get inside her head. "I don't appreciate being called a thing; also I am only on the surface. You would know if I was really trying to get inside your mind."
"Where is Conner?" she remembered some years ago aliens tried to take the place of some people.
"He needs our help, but to do so we need to find who sent that basket," Miss Martian said before the link went quiet. The door opened and she saw the man called Simon at the door. Then, he dropped to the ground unconscious, "he never learns."
"Who… what?" she scooted back as much as possible against the wall.
"Calm down Lori," said the creature before she started shifting again. The next moment she had taken the shape of a red headed young woman, "you can call me Megan if you like and I am here to help. Conner is also my friend."
"You are that girl that was with him this morning," she had also seen three young men. Something was staring at her straight in the face, she just knew it was!
"He wasn't kidding; he said you were very observant," Miss Martian said with raised eyebrows.
"Where is he?" she asked again.
"He is going to be mad you learned it this way," Miss Martian said with a sigh before looking at the screen in the room. It came on and she saw the interview was still ongoing.
888
"Do you really want to know why the League or any of us for that matter never talks to the public about those we lost? Well, today is your lucky day. Some of us always hated that practice. Those who are gone did it fighting to protect others. That's how the first Kid Flash died. He died being a hero. He died trying all he could to protect the Earth when the Reach tried to erase it from the universe. You remember the Reach, right? Old friends of yours," Kid Flash said glaring at Godfrey, "You know want to know who the first Kid Flash was?"
"You are-" but Kid Flash didn't give Godfrey a chance.
"He was someone's fiancé. He wasn't a kid anymore. He was also someone's son. Besides being a speedster, he was also brilliant. He was also my cousin. I am not going to apologize for not grieving in front of you or the world to us because that's what he would have wanted!" he was pulled back to the conversation they had when they first met.
"So, you admit kids die doing this!" Godfrey went around the point Kid Flash was trying to make and attacked them again.
"We told you not to call us kids," Superboy said rolling his eyes at the man.
"Yes we are," he said to Godfrey.
"Shut up Blue," Superboy said taking hold of his wrist. He had an iron grip.
"No, you shut up," he said pulling his wrist free. It hurt like hell.
"Say what you have to say Beetle," Godfrey said leaning forwards with a leer.
"Shut up Godfrey. Yeah, we are young, and yes we can die. But that's the same reason why we are working together. We are protecting each other as well as others. We might not agree on everything but something we always will agree on is in protecting each other and our right to live. Even with Superboy under the effect of that rock, he still gets angry when you try to hurt us. We started doing this as a team. And now that's who we are essentially; a team. When one of us dies, nothing is stopping us from quitting but we choose not to. We choose to honor their memories instead," he had thought about quitting when the Reach was defeated by staying away a few weeks. He found he couldn't. He was worried for his teammates and the people he could have been helping.
"Those are some impressive words from someone who allied themselves to the Reach! Don't think we will ever forget about such a betrayal! Humans are not-" Godfrey was worse than a dog with a bone.
"I am proud to be the third human to be called the Blue Beetle and it's up to me to make sure there is a fourth when I am gone by telling you right now that no matter what you say or do we always will be more than just kids; we are the Teen Titans," he said keeping his head high.
"Enough with the drama," Superboy said with a dramatic sigh and ready to leave "you guys are making things too complicated. It's getting boring."
"You are right Kon," Red Robin said standing up, "Let me put this as nicely as possible. We don't care if you call us heroes or villains or freaks or whatever. We don't care if you like us or not. We only care about what is right and like hell we are going to let you tell us what that is."
"It's that so?" Godfrey said with an air of superiority that made him want to punch him.
"Guys can you hear me!"their communicators came to life for the first time with news from the Watchtower. It was Beast Boy and he sounded worried.
"Beast Boy? What is it?" Kid Flash was the first one to answer.
"Everyone has gone crazy!" Beast Boy shouted as the connection started to break.
"What do you mean?" Red Robin asked with a frown.
"Nice Tigress… hurry!" Beast Boy shouted before the signal went dead.
"Something is wrong," he said looking at the rest. Even Superboy seemed worried. The fist where he held the red rock tightened audibly, resisting letting go.
"I will tell you what is wrong! This!" Godfrey shouted before they saw a battle like they had never seen. "Your kind only knows how to destroy and this is proof!"
The screen showed the rest of the Titans engaged in a fight against the members of the Team.
Supergirl was fighting in the air against Wonder Girl, punching each other with all their might. The sound rumbled like thunder threatening to deafen those around them before crashing into a desert and creating a crater. Supergirl stood up with a snarl and eyes bleeding red with energy before she shot at Wonder Girl who deflected the deadly laser with the bracelets. Wonder Girl then jumped into the air with the fluidity of seasoned warrior and threw her lasso around Supergirl who tried to break it. Wonder Girl pulled her towards her before punching Supergirl square on the face with a roar. Supergirl screamed as she was thrown back but not before taking hold of the lasso and then using it to slam Wonder Girl back into the crater.
Bunker, Lantern, Red Star, Skitter, Solstice, Tempest, and Thorax were all also engaged in combat against Bumble Bee, Lagoon Boy, Static, Black Bat, Empress, Nightwing, and Aqualad. The sight was terrifying and senseless. They were supposed to be watching them all together.
"Blue, you and I need to get to the Watchtower" he was shaken into action by Red Robin.
"Alright," he said with a nod before taking a deep breath to concentrate and open a rip on the Bleed.
"Kid Flash, they are in Sonoran desert at the edge of the Coachella Valley. See if they can be reasoned with and try to stop them."
The portal was open and ready, but he knew it would have to wait. Superboy was looking down Red Robin with an obstinate look.
"You are better than this Kon," Red Robin said extending his hand to the clone.
"Don't talk like you know me bird boy," Superboy said through clenched teeth. He was still fighting.
"They are your friends, your teammates," Red said pointing at the screen.
"Not my problem," Superboy said taking deep breaths, but his hand holding the rock extended until it was over Red Robin's.
"You already know what to do," Red Robin said before Superboy let go of the rock.
"Whatever," Superboy said weakly before he flew out of the stage.
"Let's go Blue," Red Robin told him before he pulled him through the Bleed.
He hated using the Bleed because there was always the chance they could land somewhere else in some other time. Taking a stroll between dimensions and time was not easy but they weren't even sure the Zeta Beams were working at the time with all that was going on. They appeared in the mission room from which the Team operated from.
"We should have brought Miss Martian," he said remembering she had been in the studio.
"She is investigating the source of that rock, that's just as important," Red Robin said going to the control panel as soon as possible before pulling the footage from the TV room. It showed them the Team and Titans sitting together watching the interview. They all seemed to be having a good time until Lagoon Boy entered the room and started saying something to Supergirl. At once the rest of the Titans stood up on her defense. Kaldur was able to diffuse the confrontation but from that point the two teams sat apart from each other and didn't speak to each other.
Then Beast Boy left the room with the bowl of popcorn. He guessed to get more. In that moment, Nightwing entered the room and placed a hand on Kaldur's shoulder. The other young man tensed before receiving something from Nightwing and then walked to stand behind the Titans while Nightwing went to stand behind the Team. They placed something on the back of their necks.
"Starro-tech," Red Robin was fast to declare.
"But everyone in the Team was immunized against it," he remembered they were immunized against other things he never thought he would have to worry about.
"It's a new strain. We need to get a sample to get a cure," Red Robin said before a small green monkey landed on the controls.
"I can help with that," Beast Boy said shifting into his humanoid form.
"Beast Boy, are you okay?" he asked when both saw his arm was injured from what was clearly an arrow wound.
"As fine as I can be with Artemis hunting me through the whole base," Beast Boy said looking over his shoulder.
"We need to secure a sample from her. Blue, you know where to find the Cure-tech," Red Robin said before they left to lure Artemis out.
He hurried to the medical bay where they kept the Cure-tech always in stock. When he entered he found every single patch destroyed.
"Of course they wouldn't leave them intact," he said leaning down to pick some of the remains.
Shield Jaime Reyes
Without pause, Khaji Da created a force field around him keeping an arrow from reaching him. It wouldn't have pierced him but at the tip he spotted what he believed was the new and improved version of the Starro-tech.
"That means Beast Boy…" the injury on his arm wasn't just an injury.
He picked up the sample and took into the air ducts just as a rhinoceros charged into the medical wing. On his back was Tigress. With his luck, Red Robin had been also infected and if that was the case he had to get out of the air ducts as soon as possible. He came out into the ship bay and hid on one of the ships. He had to get out of there and take the sample to a lab that could help them, but he couldn't leave those three to do as they wished in the Watchtower. What if they decided it was a good idea to crash the place into the Earth?
"Blue?" Red said appearing from the shadows.
"Stay away, you could be infected too," he said creating his stapler gun.
"I am not. I got away when I realized it was a trap," Red Robin said raising his hands.
"Nice story," he said deciding it would be better to get away and take his chances.
"I will prove it to you," Red Robin said as he kneeled down and rolled a familiar metallic ball towards him. "I got that from Jason in case the Reach ever placed you on mode. It's the same kind they used to shut your armor down. If I was one of them I would just use it on you."
He picked it up but didn't put down the stapler gun down until Khaji Da was done scanning it and confirmed it was what Red claimed it was.
"I got the sample, but they destroyed the Cure-tech," he told him, "Batman wouldn't have some at his place, would he?"
"He does, but those two…" Red Robin knew it was also dangerous to leave the Watchtower with only them.
"I know," and he had no idea how they would contain Beast Boy. He could shift into any living creature and bypass any cage, or grow immensely and break any barrier. Artemis was trained by her villain father and the League. She probably had some tricks under her sleeves they had no idea of.
"How many more jumps can you make?" Red Robin asked him as he started working on his wrist computer faster than his eyes could follow.
"With you, only one," he couldn't risk getting them lost in the Bleed and landing a hundred years in the future in the center of the sun.
"What about on your own?" Red Robin asked him.
"Two, but I don't know where Batman's place is?" and he didn't want to leave Tim behind. It didn't set right with him.
"Go to the Wayne Manor and tell Alfred I sent you for the Cure-tech," he said shutting off his computer and looking at him with the same calm he had possessed through the whole interview. "You have to," he said knowing well he didn't want to leave him behind.
"Fine, but don't get infected," he said opening another tear on the Bleed and jumping thought.
He appeared high above Gotham City and told Khaji Da to find the Wayne Manor. He knew Batman's identity because of their trip to Bart's time, but he never imagined their base would be at the mansion. He always imagined it would be somewhere in the middle of the city. As he flew as fast as he could in the direction Khaji Da pointed him to, he saw there was chaos below. Khaji Da hacked into the police's radio and found Arkham asylum had a breakout. So, that's what was keeping Batman busy. He wished he could help, but he knew the Dark Knight would just turn him away.
When he landed at the doorstep of the Wayne Manor he removed his armor and knocked. He felt like an idiot, but he didn't know what this Alfred would do if he just barged into the manor. If he was an allied of Batman's he was sure the man could probably take him down.
"Mr. Reyes, come in," the door was opened by an English butler. Not who he had been expecting.
"Red… ehm Tim sent me. I need to get some of the Cure-tech patches," he said stepping into the manor feeling underdressed even under the circumstances.
"I imagined as much, follow me," the man moved fast but kept a cool head. He wondered if Tim hadn't actually learned that from him. He led him to a small infirmary before opening a cabinet and pushing something inside. The cabinet and part of the wall slid to the side to reveal a top of the art medical room, not much different from the one in the Watchtower. The butler went to a safe on the wall and after punching a code brought out a small metal case and handed it to him. "Make haste Mr. Reyes, Star Labs has assisted the League with similar issues."
"I have to get Tim first; he is still in Watchtower," he only had the energy for one more jump.
"Master Tim can take care of himself, now go," the butler gave him a glare that could compete with Batman's.
He nodded accepting it was the course of action. Besides, Tim never said he had to go back for him. He appeared close to Star Labs in Taos but only found guns pointed at him.
"Take another step and we will shoot!" one of the guards shouted. He didn't move a muscle fearing they would destroy the samples.
"Your kind is not welcomed here anymore!" another one of the guards shouted before making a warning shot. He didn't know if they were also under the effect of the Starro-tech or if they actually believed the nonsense Godfrey spewed, but he knew they would not help him.
He had never tried to go through the Bleed more than three times, but this was no time to doubt. He opened another portal to the only place he could think he might get some help and not be compromised.
Angela Revere fell off her chair when he appeared on her office.
"Jaime?" she asked picked over the large mahogany desk. Her pink tainted glasses crooked.
"Call me Blue please," he said hoping the room didn't have any cameras.
"So-sorry!" she said doing a face palm, "of course, what can I do for you?"
"I need your best," he told her unable to help his cringing. Their best was Melody Case, brilliant and also temperamental top scientist of Kord Enterprises.
"She is not going to let us live this one down," Angela said taking hold of her cell phone before taking his hand dragging him out of her office. Every person they passed looked shocked and he couldn't blame them. The petite Angela Revere was pulling the Blue Beetle along as if he was no better than a seven-year-old.
"Yes, I am serious!" Angela said over the phone. "They want the best, they want you," she said trying to play along with Melody's ego. "We will be there in two minutes, thanks."
They reached the elevator before Melody punched the lowest level of the building.
"So, what exactly is happening?" she asked as they went down.
"Mind controlling parasite," he showed her the samples he got. "The upgraded version; the League already had a cure for the original one. It's supposed to make us immune but…"
"Thank goodness," she said with a sigh before realizing the look he was giving her, "I mean, it's terrible but at least you kids aren't really like that. Shot! Sorry, I shouldn't call you kids."
"It's fine," he couldn't help laughing. Soon the doors opened and they were in Melody's top notch, probably overstocked lab. They really needed to look at that budget.
"I don't have all day," the stunning Melody said marching towards them with blazing green eyes and strawberry blonde pixie haircut.
He was fast to explain what happened and how they needed her help.
"Alien bio-organism, nano-technology, and magic," Melody said not shocked but excited, "fascinating."
"You can keep that sample as long as you help us with a new cure," he would make sure later she didn't use it for something she shouldn't.
"Leave please, you are distracting," she said turning her back to him and starting to walk away.
"No, my friends are out there putting their lives at risk. My armor is alien tech, I will help you," he didn't have magic, but he had the next best thing.
"I don't need anyone's help," Melody said giving him a side glance.
"Put your damn pride to the side Melody! Those kids are in danger!" Angela shouted making both of them jump where they stood.
"Fine," Melody said after the shock passed, "but if you get in my way I want you out of my sight."
The next few minutes were excruciatingly slow. He helped decipher the alterations to the alien bio-organism and found it was a different creature. It was the same one they had found in Smallville weeks ago; the Unity. He didn't doubt the light was the one behind the whole thing. Thankfully they didn't know his Reach database covered the Unity in extent as they were once one of the Reach's greatest adversaries. Melody was a master of nano-technology and took no time figuring out how the creature infected the host and how it varied from the original.
"Will it really be okay if we don't know how the magic part works?" he asked himself more than her.
"What's magic but events science has yet to decipher," Melody said finishing the first of the new altered patches.
"I have experienced magic first hand and I can tell you it has nothing to do with science, but the rest can't wait. I need to get this to them," he said feeling hours had already passed, but actually it had only been close to half an hour.
"I need more time to get more done. We don't have a mobile lab," Melody said giving him an exasperated look.
"There's the Bug," Angela said.
"The what?" Melody asked with a frown. Angela looked taken back remembering Melody wasn't supposed to know any of that.
"Ted Kord used to help the previous Blue Beetle. Some of his stuff are still here," he said covering for Angela, "Ted always complimented your work to the previous Blue Beetle. That's how I knew that you would be able to help me."
"That asshole! He never told me!" no matter the amount of compliments, Melody was still a scorned woman.
"Not the time Ms. Case. Please take us there Ms. Revere," he said starting to pick as much of the equipment they would need.
They got into the elevator where Angela pressed her thumb to the side of one of the levels. The elevator started going farther down. There was at least three other levels underground which Melody was already trying to make a claim to.
"They belong to the Blue Beetle, meaning him," Angela said, "that's what Ted wanted."
"You were actually in love with him, weren't you?" Melody said as she glared at Angela.
"I wasn't," Angela said looking down and lost in her memories, "he was a very dear friend."
That made Melody very quiet. He wasn't sure what happened between those three, but he didn't want part of it. It seemed very complicated. The elevator door opened and before them stood a large cave filled with the equipment of the previous Blue Beetle. That included a ship shaped like a beetle, which also happened to be the same tone of blue as his armor. The two women were motionless for a moment looking at the ship. He had to guess it brought back memories. He hurried to the ship and this seemed to snap them into action.
Once they were in Angela jumped to the controls and started bringing the ship into life. He and Melody started getting the portable lab up and running.
"Half of this stuff is outdated," Melody complained though they could still make use of it.
Angela stirred the ship easily into a pond behind the ship and then they were in the Lake Michigan before they shot into the sky. They started accelerating, more and more and it didn't seem to stop. Khaji Da was starting to get worried which was never a good sign.
"Ms. Revere, how fast can this thing fly?" he asked as he helped to keep things from falling.
"Top speed is seven," she said eyes fixed ahead.
"Seven what?" he asked fearing the answer.
"Mach," Angela said as if it was nothing.
"Ted built a ship that can go at Mach seven! If he wasn't dead I would kill him!" Melody said as she worked frantically.
"Get working geniuses, we will be at the Coachella Valley in no time," Angela said still keeping her eyes in the front, but from her tone he could tell she was enjoying this. He didn't blame her. She was piloting the fastest aircraft in the world. Ted Kord really was something else.
"Blue, can you hear me?" his communicator activated with the voice of Red Robin.
"I am here, I am on my way with the cure," he said glad to hear his friend sounded okay, "how is everything up there?"
"I had to knock them out and transported Red Arrow into the Watchtower. He will look after them. I am heading there. Red Robin out," and the communicator went out again.
"We will be there in a minute," Angela said as the ship started to slow down.
"Okay," he said taking a deep breath. He was sure Superboy was already there with Kid Flash, and maybe even some of the League members. He could count on them and they counted on him.
"Kid, are you having an anxiety attack?" Melody asked.
"No," he said using a calm tone. "I know we can do this. We have faced worse."
"You capes sure like to lead strange lives," Melody said handing him the last of the patches.
They landed a few miles away from the fight. All the way from there they could hear the thunderous confrontation. Supergirl and Wonder Girl were probably still at it. He couldn't ask Angela and Melody to get any closer or they might get hurt. Heck, he was sure he was going to come out of this one with quite a few bruises and some broken bones.
"We will stay around just in case," Angela said with a friendly smile while Melody complained, but one serious glance from the usually gentle Angela was enough to calm her down.
"Thanks," he said before he took flight.
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Next part in Kid Flash's Not so Easy Path 22, Interview Time III