AN: So, as I promised, here is the beginning of Independence Day/Fireworks. It will be long but I will try my best not to overdo it. Afterwards there will be a small break. I also decided on an idea concerning Searching for a Bird. It will be a crossover with the regular show. I won't say more than that since it's still in the works and I have other stories and school coming up.
Important: I am doing a double post today, maybe even a triple one. The next chapter is the continuation of this episode. Hope this makes up for the late update. I will proabably be updating some of my other stories soon so look forward to that as well.
My usual bottom AN will be in the next chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice.
Ch. 2: Independence Day
July 4th, 2010
Robin stared at the Hall of Justice looming overhead. He grinned when he felt Batman's hand on his shoulder.
"Today is the day," Batman said.
"Welcome to the Hall of Justice," Green Arrow said.
"Headquarters of the Justice League," Aquaman added.
'Yeah right,' he thought. He resisted the urge to glare at Batman. They had argued long and hard about the fact that they weren't actually taking them to the League Headquarters. Robin knew very well that the real Headquarters was the Watchtower. He had practically grown up there the last four years. He had his own room and had pulled hundreds of pranks on the League Members. He hated the fact that they were lying to Kid Flash and Aqualad (He was pretty sure Speedy knew).
"Oh man!" He turned as Kid Flash and Flash came running up to them. "I knew we'd be the last ones here."
As they walked between the roped off crowd, Robin did his best to tune out their comments. Instead he listened as Green Arrow leaned over to Speedy.
"Ready to see the Inner Sanctum?" he asked.
"Born that way." Speedy replied.
"I'm glad we're all here," Aqualad said.
"Have all four sidekicks ever been in the same place at the same time?" Kid Flash asked Robin.
"DON"T call us sidekicks," Speedy snapped, "not after today."
"Sorry," Kid Flash apologized. "First time at the Hall. I'm a little overwhelmed."
"You're overwhelmed. Freeze was underwhelmed. Why isn't anyone ever just whelmed?" Robin asked, hoping to distract the other teen superheroes. As they entered the Hall of Justice, he gaped in shock at the huge statues of the founding Leaguers surrounding them. "Oh," he said. "Maybe that's why."
He was the first to the huge metal doors labeled "Authorized Personnel Only". A second after everyone else joined him, the doors slid open to reveal Martian Manhunter and Red Tornado. They both took a couple steps towards them.
"Robin, Speedy, Aqualad, Kid Flash," Martian Manhunter said, "Welcome." He turned and led them into the room. "You now have unlimited access to our gym, our fully stocked galley and of course our library."
The library they were now in was nothing compared to the one on the Watchtower or at home. In fact, he was pretty sure the gym and galley wouldn't compare either. 'Especially against Alfred's cooking,' he thought.
"Make yourselves at home," Flash said. Robin immediately jumped into the closest chair. Aqualad took the one across from him and Kid Flash the one next to Robin. Robin mentally sighed when Speedy stopped in between them, a frown on his face. His attention was taken however by what Batman was talking to the other mentors about.
"Quick debrief to discuss the coincidence of four ice villains attacking on the same day," Batman said. His mentor turned his attention to them. "We shouldn't be long." He turned and a scanner came down from the ceiling.
"Recognized: Batman-02, Aquaman-06, Flash-04, Green Arrow-08, Martian Manhunter-07, Red Tornado-16."
The door in front of the League Members opened.
"That's it!" Speedy exclaimed before they could leave. He had walked up to them. "You promised us a real look inside, not a glorified backstage pass." Robin hid his agreement, knowing the others would find out soon enough.
"It's a first step," Aquaman said. "You've been granted access few others get."
'He shouldn't have said that,' Robin thought, knowing Speedy's temper.
"Oh really," Speedy said, raising an arm to point out the transparent glass above them through which several people were watching and taking pictures of them. "Who cares what side of the glass we're on!"
"Roy," Green Arrow said, walking up to his protégé. "You just need to be patient."
"What I need is respect," Speedy snapped. He turned to Robin and the other sidekicks. "They're treating us like kids," he said, his arms out wide, "worse, like sidekicks. We deserve better than this."
Robin resisted the urge to agree with him; instead, he shared glances with Aqualad and Kid Flash.
"You're kidding, right?" Speedy asked in disbelief. "You're playing their game! Why? Because you think they'd play fair!" He slapped his knee. "Today was supposed to be the day. Step 1 in becoming full-fledged members of the League!"
"Well, sure," Kid Flash said. "But I thought Step 1 was a tour of the HQ."
'Here it comes,' Robin thought.
"Except the Hall isn't the League's real HQ," Speedy said. Robin put a surprised look on his face, knowing it wouldn't fool the Leaguers, but at least Wally and Kaldur. "I bet they never told you it's just a false front for tourists and a pit-stop for catching Zeta Beam Teleporter Tubes to the real thing: an orbiting satellite called the Watchtower."
'GA's in for it,' Robin thought as he watched Greed Arrow turn to Batman and Flash, the latter of whom crossed his arms. "I know; I know," the archer said, "But I thought maybe we could make an exception?"
'Since you already let Robin in,' Robin finished Green Arrow's statement mentally.
"Or not," Green Arrow said at Batman's glare.
"You are not helping your cause here son," Aquaman said, walking up to Roy. "Stand down or…"
"Or what, you'll send me to my room!" Speedy exclaimed. "And I'm not your son! I'm not even his!" He glared at Green Arrow.
'Ouch' Robin thought. He knew how hard that would be for Ollie to hear. He would never say that to Bruce.
"I thought I was his partner," Speedy continued. "But not anymore." Robin watched in shock with everyone else as Speedy took off his hat and threw it to the floor. The archer then turned and walked away. "Guess they were right about you three," he said as he passed them and they stood up. "You're not ready."
Robin bristled inside but didn't move to stop him. Roy had made his decision. As much as Robin's very being was screaming about the injustice of all this and being treated like sidekicks, he successfully struggled to hold it in. He was the original partner. He had paved the way for others to follow. He couldn't just let it go so quickly.
As soon as the door closed behind the ex-Speedy, the alarms began to blare and Superman's face appeared on a screen nearby.
"Superman to Justice League," Robin's pseudo-uncle said. "There's been an explosion at Project Cadmus. It's on fire."
Robin startled, not bothering to hide his reaction. The name set off something inside him. While he was familiar with it due to Batman's suspicions about it, this was something bigger. It felt like his mind was struggling to remember something it couldn't.
"I've had my suspicions about Cadmus," Batman said. "This may present the perfect opportunity to…" Another alarm interrupted him.
"Zatarra to Justice League," a voice said. Another window appeared on the screen. "The sorcerer Waton is using the amulet of Atem to block out the sun. Requesting full League response."
"Superman?" Batman asked.
"It's a small fire," Superman said. "Local authorities have it under control."
"Then Cadmus can wait," Batman said.
'For you maybe,' Robin said, a plan forming in his head. He, Aqualad and Kid Flash walked up to Batman.
"All Leaguers rendezvous at Zatarra's coordinates," Batman said through the com. "Batman out." Batman turned and walked up to him. "Stay put," he ordered.
"What!" Robin exclaimed. "Why?"
"This is a League Mission," Aquaman said, joining Batman and Flash.
"You're not trained," Flash added.
"Since when!" Kid Flash exclaimed.
"I meant you're not trained to work as part of this team," Flash corrected.
'They might not be,' Robin thought, 'but I am.'
"There will be other missions, when you're ready," Aquaman said.
'Oldest excuse in the book,' he thought.
"But for now," Batman said, his eyes narrowing. "Stay put." Robin knew he was talking specifically to him. There was a message in his stare that made Robin grin. Batman, Flash and Aquaman walked away.
"Glad you didn't bring You-Know-Who?" Green Arrow asked Martian Manhunter.
"Indeed," the Martian replied. They followed Batman and the others through the door that had opened before Speedy's big departure. Red Tornado was standing guard. Once they were through, he gave them one last look before entering after the others, the door closing behind him and leaving them alone. That was a big mistake.
"Hh," Wally huffed. "When we're ready? How are we ever supposed to be ready when they treat us like…like…sidekicks?"
Robin tensed, biting back his usual response to the s-word. It was like a trigger. Even when there was no reason to, it set him off. He knew Wally didn't know that, but it was starting to agitate him how often the word had been used that day. He was starting to get a really bad headache.
"My mentor, my king, I thought he trusted me," Aqualad said. The hurt the situation had caused him was written all over his face.
"Trust," Wally said, "they don't even trust us with the basics. They've got a secret HQ, in space!"
"What else aren't they telling us?" Aqualad asked.
"I have a better question," Robin said. "Why didn't we leave with Speedy?" The question caused silence for a few seconds.
Finally, Aqualad looked up. "What is, Project Cadmus?" the Atlantean asked.
"Don't know," he replied. "But I can find out." He walked over to the supercomputer and began hacking it.
"Acess Denied," came the first response as his friends joined him.
"Hhh," he scoffed. "Wanna bet?" He continued hacking. A few seconds later, he was almost in.
"Whoa," Kid Flash said. "How areyou doing that?"
"Same system as the Batcave," he replied, pressing one final button.
"Access Granted."
"Alright," he said, looking over the open file on the screen. "Project Cadmus, genetics lab here in D.C." He looked at his friends. "That's all there is." He grinned. "But if Batman's suspicious, maybe we should investigate."
"Solve their case before they do," Aqualad said. "It would be poetic justice."
"Hey," Robin laughed, "They're all about justice."
Aqualad sighed. "But they said stay put."
"For the blotting out the sun mission not this," Robin corrected. Batman had left that loophole on purpose knowing Robin would take it.
"W-wait," Kid Flash said. "Are you going to Cadmus? Because if you're going, I'm going." They both turned and grinned at Aqualad, knowing he was outnumbered and would give in.
"Just like that," Aqualad asked, "we're a team on a mission?"
"We didn't come for a playdate," Robin said.
'Plan achieved,' he thought as he saw Aqualad smirk. 'Cadmus better watch their backs.'
A while later, Robin and Aqualad watched as Kid Flash struggled to hold on to one of the windows of the burning Cadmus building.
"So smooth," Robin said.
"Does he always have to run ahead?" Aqualad asked in annoyance. "We need a plan, we…"
Robin ran ahead, not even bothering to listen to Aqualad. A part of him was spurring him towards Cadmus, to discover its hidden secrets. He was in his element.
He laughed as he jumped onto the top of a firetruck and used his grappling hook to swing into the open window above where Kid Flash was hanging. He pulled his best friend up, trusting Aqualad to get the civilians to safety and to take care of the fire.
He was hacking one of Cadmus's computers when Aqualad jumped into the room.
"Appreciate the help," the Atlantean said sarcastically.
"You handled it," he replied. "Besides, we're here to investigate. Poetic justice, remember."
'Brother, you have returned.' Robin jumped, abandoning the computer. That had been in his mind. He was distracted, however, as he and Kid Flash heard the sound of the elevator. They rushed out of the room to where Aqualad was standing.
"There was something in the…" he heard Aqualad say.
"The elevator should be locked down," Kid Flash said.
Without a second thought, Robin ran to the elevator and pushed the down arrow twice. The screen above the elevator showed that the elevator was going down. It should have come right back up when he called it. No, scratch that, it shouldn't even be working with the fire.
"This is wrong," he said, activating his portable computer. He resisted the urge to whistle when he saw the schematics. "Thought so, this is a high-speed express elevator. It doesn't belong in a two story building."
"Neither does what I saw," Aqualad said. Using his strength, the Atlantean was able to push the doors open.
"That's why they need an express elevator," Robin said, staring down in awe. There were a lot more than two floors to this building. Using his grappling hook, he attached it to the ceiling of the elevator and jumped, knowing the others would use the rope and follow.
He reached sub-level 26 when his descent stopped. "I'm at the end of my rope," he said.Swinging, he jumped and landed on the small ledge in front of the elevator doors. A few seconds later, Aqualad appeared and did the same. The Atlantean reached out and pulled Kid Flash over while Robin sat down and activated his computer.
"Bypassing security," he said, watching his red animated faces turn green on his screen. "There. Go!"
Aqualad used his strength to once again open the doors. Once inside, they stared in shock at the sight before them.
"Welcome to Project Cadmus," Robin said.
They spread out. Robin went right. Aqualad went left. Kid Flash, as usual, ran straight forward without thinking.
"Wait!" Aqualad cried out.
Robin gaped when he saw the strange, giant creatures. One of them stepped on Kid Flash, causing Robin to wince. It turned back and stood over the speedster. Kid Flash rolled out of the way of another of its punches (they had hands!). Robin was relieved when the speedster was able to escape what soon became a stampede of the creatures and joined him. No, it wasn't a stampede, Robin realized as he watched them pass. The herd was walking with a purpose. His eyes narrowed when he spotted a small white creature whose eyes and horns glowed red on one of the beasts' backs.
"No," Aqualad said sarcastically, "nothing odd going on here." The last of the beasts passed.
Robin frowned, his mind still on the creature he had seen. It was familiar somehow. That same part of him that seemed to recognize it also recognized that the color change of its eyes and horns meant they were in danger. It had alerted another of its kind who would alert the staff.
The door behind them suddenly opened. Robin who had been trying to open it, jumped. He looked up from his computer (which deactivated) in shock, which grew at the site before them. "Okay, I am officially whelmed," he said. In the next room were row upon row of pods. No, he corrected himself, jars. They were bug jars.In each jar was a bug-like creature that created electricity, which was fed to a huge conductor in the middle of the room.
"This is how the hide this massive underground facility from the world," Kid Flash said as he and Aqualad walked past the creatures. "The real Cadmus isn't on the grid. It generates its own power with these, things." Kid Flash stared at the creature he had stopped in front of. "Must be what they're bred for."
"Of course," Aqualad said as Robin walked up to them, having stopped for a moment. "Even the name is a clue. "The Cadmus of myth created a new race by sewing dragons' teeth into the earth."
"And this Cadmus creates new life too," Robin said, the familiar sense of something just out of his mind's reach returned, making his headache grow. He walked over to a nearby computer and plugged his portable computer into it. "Let's find out why." He frowned, struggling not to pass out as another wave of dizziness hit him. "They call them genormorphs." He touched the picture of one of them on his screen. "Whoa!" he exclaimed. "Look at the stats on these things!" He cycled through the information on each type, the sense of familiarity growing. "Superstrength, telepathy, razor claws. These are living weapons!"
'Like you are,' a voice said inside his mind.
"They're engineering an army," Kid Flash said, standing beside him. "But for who?"
"Wait, there's something else," Robin said, noticing something on his screen. "Project KR. Agh…The files triple encrypted. I can't…"
"Don't move!" a voice exclaimed. They turned around in shock as a man in a golden helmet came rushing in to the room with several genomorphs.
'Guardian,' he recognized in shock, unsure of how he knew.
"Wait," Guardian said upon seeing them. "Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash?"
"'Least he got your name right," Robin joked to Kid Flash before turning back to his computer.
"I know you," Aqualad said. "Guardian, a hero."
"I do my best," Guardian replied.
'For which side?' Robin thought.
"Then what are you doing here?" Kid Flash asked.
"I think that's my question boys," Guardian said. Robin noted how the man's eyes focused on him in both shock and worry. "I'm Chief of Security. You're trespassing. But we can call the Justice League. Figure this out."
"You think the League's gonna approve of you breeding weapons!" Kid Flash exclaimed.
"Weapons, what are you…what have I…" Guardian began to say in confusion. Robin frowned, noting the glowing red horns of the genomorph on Guardian's shoulder. A memory struggled to be remembered but he pushed it back.
'Let him go!' he thought, somehow knowing the genomorph would hear him.
"Ughh," Guardian groaned. "My head." When he raised his head, Robin knew the genomorph hadn't listened to him. "Take them down hard!" he exclaimed. "No mercy!"
Glad he had uploaded everything and detached his computer, Robin threw a smoke pellet, shielding them from the genomorphs' view. Using his grappling hook, he used one of the overhead beams to swing to the other side of the room. He rushed down the hallway trusting his friends to handle the genomorphs and Guardian. Activating his computer, he worked on once again disabling the security of a nearby door.
"Way to be a team player, Rob," Kid Flash said, appearing beside him.
"Weren't you right behind me?" he replied.
The door beside them opened and he and Kid Flash rushed through it, into the elevator. A few seconds later, Aqualad came rolling into it, having been chased by the genomorphs. The doors closed and Robin studied the changing numbers of the elevator screen.
"We're headed down?" Aqualad asked in surprise.
"Dude," Kid Flash said. "Out, is up."
"Excuse me," Robin said. "Project KR, is down, on Sublevel 52."
"This is out of control," Aqualad said. "Perhaps…Perhaps we should contact the League."
Not even a few seconds later, the elevator reached Sublevel 52 and the doors opened. They prepared for an attack, but found nothing except a fleshy surfaced floor different from the others. Still, Robin found it familiar. He rushed ahead.
He was in what looked like a laboratory when Aqualad caught up.
"Which way?" the Atlantean asked.
"Yeah," he replied. "Bizarre Looking Hallway 1 or Bizarre Looking Hallway 2?"
"Halt!" a familiar voice exclaimed. It was the same one he had heard back in the main building. An oddly familiar grey humanoid genomorph appeared, his horns glowing red. Large canisters rose in the air and Robin dodged as it almost hit them and exploded. He threw a bird-a-rang at the genomorph which was stopped by its telekinesis. The genomorph levitated two more canisters. Not waiting, Robin followed Aqualad and Kid Flash down one of the hallways.
"Hi Doc," he greeted an oddly familiar female scientist that Kid Flash had knocked over.
"Robin!" she exclaimed.
"Hurry!" Kid Flash exclaimed, he had blocked the mechanical doors leading into KR's room. Following the speedster, they entered the room.
"I disabled the door," Robin said to Aqualad after the Atlantean had kicked the door closed just in time to stop Guardian and his genomorphs from coming in. "We're safe."
"We're trapped," Aqualad corrected.
"Uh, guys," Kid Flash said. "You'll want to see this."
The lights in the room turned on and Robin stared in shock with the others at the occupied pod before them.
"Whoa," Robin said.
"Big K, little r," Kid Flash said, walking up to the pod and the slumbering boy inside it. "The atomic symbol for Krypton." He turned to them. "Clone?"
"Robin, hack," Aqualad ordered.
Robin looked up, he had been in a daze, the familiarity of the room getting to him. "Oh, right…right." He hacked into the main computer. "Weapon designation: Superboy," he said. A clone force grown in…16 weeks! From DNA acquired from Superman."
"Stolen from Superman," Aqualad corrected.
"No way the Big Guy knows about this," Kid Flash said.
'How many more clones are there?' Robin thought to himself. 'Who else did they do this to?' For some reason he felt sympathy for the clone.
He looked down at the data he had collected. "Solar Suit allows him absorb yellow sun radiation 24/7," he said.
"And these…creatures?" Aqualad asked, pointing to the image of the genomorphs on the computer screen.
"Genomorph gnomes," he said. "Telepathic, force-feeding him an education."
"And we can guess what else," Kid Flash said. "They're making a slave out of…well, Superman's son."
Robin winced. He knew what that was like. He frowned. No he didn't. Ugh, Cadmus was messing with his head.
"Now we contact the League," Aqualad said.
They each activated their respective communicators.
"No signal," Robin said.
"We're in too deep," Kid Flash said. "Literally."
They stood there in silence.
"This is wrong," Kid Flash said, staring at Superboy.
"We can't leave him like this," Robin said.
"Set him free," Aqualad ordered. "Do it."
Robin activated his computer. Only a few seconds later, the doors to the pod opened. They all watched as the part-kryptonian woke up. Immediately, Robin knew what was going to happen as he noted the genomorphs' red horns. They had ordered Superboy to attack them. Sure enough, Superboy immediately lunged at Aqualad. They tried to stop the half-alien from pounding their friend.
"Whoa!" Kid Flash exclaimed. "Hang on Supey."
"We're on your side," Robin said.
Kid Flash's hold broke and Superboy's punch made him fly across the room, breaking a large glass tube.
"I don't…want to do this," Robin said, pushing a pellet into Superboys face. The noxious gas was enough to allow Aqualad to kick Superboy after Robin had let go. The part-kryptonian landed near his pod. He coughed which let Robin send two electric wires at him. They didn't affect the superhuman though. Superboy simply pulled on them, which sent Robin flying towards him. A punch sent him to the ground. Superboy's foot kept him from getting up.
"Enough!" Aqualad exclaimed a few seconds later. He came flying at Superboy with a water-mallet which sent Superboy flying into the support structure of his pod.
Robin groaned as Aqualad tried to help him up but dropped him as Superboy came towards them.
"We are trying to help you," he heard Aqualad tell the clone before he blacked out completely.