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L.L.A.P

~Laces

Chpt.25

"Have you seen Athena?" Dick questioned to Bruce once he was finally able to get away from the women chasing him, due to the fact that everyone was leaving. Bruce raised an eyebrow.

"I thought she was with you." Bruce stated.

"She was until Dr. Maxwell's twin daughters laid their eyes on me. Athena and I got separated so I figured she found you." Dick explained.

"I've been talking to people about Wayne Industries latest development. I haven't seen Athena since I introduced her." Bruce informed, and Dick's eyes widened.

"Do you think she's okay? Maybe she's with Alfred." Dick said, quickly running off to find the older man.

Something wasn't right. Bruce could feel it, and when the last of his guests tricked out of his home, Bruce ran straight to Athena's bedroom to see if she was there.

He looked around the room seeing the girl's CDs, and Ralph, but there was no trace of her.

"Alfred says he hasn't seen her." Dick informed, running up to Bruce. The man took in a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves.

He ran down to the Batcave with Dick following him. Bruce quickly turned on the computer to the recorded video footage of the manor from his cameras, and started rewinding them.

"You have the place bugged?" Dick questioned in surprise.

"Would you expect any less from me?" Bruce said as his eyes were glued on the screen. He then hit play when he saw Athena walking through the crowd.

He could see Vikki Vale talking to her, and Bruce could see from Athena's body language that she wanted to get away.

Bruce sighed when he saw his childhood friend walk into the frame. Bruce was happy that Tommy was there to get Vikki Vale to back off.

Wait… why didn't I see Tommy there? He never said hello. Bruce thought, then watched as Athena's contacts fell out, and how Tommy looked intrigued. Bruce then watched as Tommy took Athena outside, and they never came back in.

"Wait, did that guy just…" Dick started, but Bruce already had his phone out, calling Tommy's phone.

"Tommy? Tom?" all he got was his old friend's voice mail. Bruce turned to look at Dick.

"Call in all the help we can get."

~*~*~*~*~*~Elsewhere~*~*~*~*~*~

Athena slowly blinked her eyes open and realized that she had handcuffs binding her wrists behind her back and she was in somebody's arms.

She looked around the room to notice that it looked like a lab. There were tanks of water, and tools scattering desks along with new weapons that looked like they were still in their prototype phase.

She also felt her black hair brushing against her cheek, meaning her wig was taken off, and she could feel that her contacts were out. Her disguise was completely gone.

She looked up at the man holding her. It was Thomas Elliot.

"Mr… Elliot?" she questioned, confused. Elliot acted to kind to her at the party, and he said that he was one of Bruce's friends. Why was he doing this?

"Yes. Otherwise known as your other DNA donor." He grinned.

"Other? So you're partially my fa-"

"Not for long." He stated, cutting her off. He obviously didn't want the girl to call him father. He looked at her as if she were that annoying piece of gum under his shoe. "I will not be associated with a failed project." He stated as he dropped the girl onto the floor. Eliot then looked up passed Athena , and smiled.

"Project Power, I believe you remember Dr. Milo."

Athena followed the man's gaze to see Dr. Milo in the flesh, walking calmly into the room. He looked at Athena and smiled at her.

"Hello Project Power. It's been awhile." He nodded, but he didn't look too happy that Elliot managed to find her before one of his men.

Milo had two Cadmus guards reach down and pick up Athena so that she was standing on her feet.

"Let me go!" Athena shouted as she struggled against the guards holding her. She wish she knew how to activate her super strength.

"My, you have gotten quiet verbal since you've last been here." Dr. Milo informed with a smirk.

Athena glared at the scientist, and this made Milo chuckle in amusement.

"Well, why prolong this any further?" Elliot questioned. "I believe she knows about the incinerator."

Milo smirked at the girl.

"Yes, she does. She knows that the incinerator is the best way to get rid of a failed project." Athena's anger boiled over.

"I AM NOT A FAILED PROJECT!" she screamed, throwing one of the guards across the room, and the other she threw right into Elliot.

Her eyes then settled on Milo, glowing red.

"Now… Now P-project Power…"Milo stuttered, backing up, and the girl exclaimed,

"It's Athena!"

"Athena." Milo stated quickly. "D-don't do something you'll regret." He warned.

"I'm not going to kill you." Athena growled, but then her eyes laid on one of the unconscious guard's guns.

She picked up the weapon and Milo's eyes widened.

"N-Now… Pro… Athena… you should put that down… it's a dangerous weap-AH!" Milo exclaimed as the girl shot him in the arm.

"I know what this is!" Athena exclaimed, shooting him in the arm again. "It's similar to the gun you used to shoot me!"

Athena then grabbed the man by his hair and dragged him over to a tank of water. She quickly floated above it, carrying the scientist with her, then dropped him in the water.

As he went under, Athena pressed on his head, refusing to let him come up for air. After several moments passed, she pulled the man out of the water, coughing and sputtering.

Athena then threw him back on the ground and wrapped her hands around his neck, squeezing slightly. Her eyes narrowed and her hands shook as she held Dr. Milo by his neck.

"Do I look like a failure to you know!" Athena exclaimed.

"No!" Milo stammered. "N-No Project Pow…"

"I'm not a project!" Athena screamed, and Milo was shaking, truly terrified of the girl.

She brought the man closer to her face.

"Why didn't your skin deflect the bullets when I shot you, Milo? Why? And why can't you breath underwater, Milo? Why can't you do the things you forced me to endure? Should I throw you in the incinerator as punishment for being such a Failure. It's obviously your fault that you can't do those things." She looked at the man was pure hatred and disgust. "Such failure."

Athena watched as the man who made her childhood a living hell started to sob.

"You are a sad pitiful man." Athena growled, squeezing the man's throat harder, making it difficult for him to breath.

"You wanted me to be some kind of weapon, a killer." She stated, then threw the man on the ground.

"But I won't kill you." She glared at the man who was gasping for air like a fish out of water on the ground. "You won't make a killer out of me." Athena growled, fists shaking, fighting with herself eternally. She wanted to kill him so bad.

"No matter how much I want to kill you, I won't."

She looked down at her hands, that were red from the blood that was oozing from Milo's arm where she had shot him.

She didn't like the feel of the blood on her hands. It made her stomach feel sick and she got a sour taste in her mouth.

"Well that's a shame." Elliot stated, picking up a gun from the guard that crashed into him. "That means that even though you have abilities, you'll be no use." He shot his gun, and it hit Athena's shoulder. However, it crumpled on her skin and fell to the ground.

"You are one of my fathers and you want me dead?" Athena questioned, and Elliot looked at her, shocked that her skin was able to deflect the bullet. He then gave her a small smile.

"Yes." He chuckled darkly. "I don't like family too much. I killed my father, I tried to kill my mother. And you, my created somewhat daughter, are a complete failure. A weapon that doesn't want to kill and at first wasn't even capable of it at all. Of course I want to kill you." He informed as he slowly backed up to a desk where several new weapons were.

"You're a horrible man." Athena stated, and this just made Elliot smile even more.

"Thank you." He grinned, then grabbed one of the guns on the table and shot it at her. It looked like an energy blast, and Athena wasn't sure if she could deflect it.

However, in a blink of an eye, somebody was in front of her, deflecting the bullet.

"Conner?" Athena whispered, but then noticed the suit. "Superman?" she questioned with surprise.

"Batman decided to send everyone out to find you. He said that you managed to somehow get yourself kidnapped again." Superman stated, and Athena frowned. He didn't sound too relieved to see her still alive.

"Ah, Superman." Elliot chuckled. "Milo created just the thing for you." He reached back behind him and grabbed another gun. "A kryptonite gun. Sure, it's still in the prototype phase, but I think it'll get the job done." He smiled, and shot the green bullet.

Athena saw how Clark was weakened by the chunk of rock's presence. He probably didn't feel it before due to the lead lining in the gun.

Superman couldn't move quick enough to get out of the bullet's way. But Athena knew she could.

Athena jumped in front of Superman, and the bullet sunk into her stomach, making her cry out in pain.

"Well that was unexpectedly pleasant." Elliot smiled, then ran out of building. He knew that Superman wouldn't chase after him when he had to worry about Athena.

Athena groaned as she could feel the kryptonite burning inside of her. She felt as if the rock was scorching her insides as if it were on fire. She might have had some munity to the rock at a distance, but close up she was just as weak as Superman was with the rock.

"Athena?" Superman questioned shocked that the girl had just took a bullet for him.

"I don't feel good." Athena whispered, and Superman held her gingerly in his arms.

"You were hit by a Kryptonite bullet." He informed in a small voice, but the girl didn't seem to comprehend it. Her face showed the pain that she was feeling. Small tears streaked her face, and she was twitching slightly as blood seeped from her wound.

"Conner?" Athena questioned, feeling dizzy. Superman shook his head.

"No, this is Super… this is Clark." He informed in a gentle voice, however, Athena didn't seem to hear him.

"Conner… is S-Superman okay?" she inquired. Her right hand was gripping onto Clark's arm tightly.

"Yes… I'm fine Athena. but you're hurt." He stated. The alien could see the kryptonite in her stomach, but he knew he couldn't remove it himself. Where was Bruce when you needed him.

He needed to get her to a hospital. Clark still felt weak from the kryptonite's presence, but he could still fly.

"Conner?" Athena questioned while Clark was flying.

"It's Clark, Athena." he corrected, but the girl couldn't comprehend that it was him.

"D-Do you think Sssssuperman loves m-me?" she inquired, and Clark's heart sank.

"Of course I love you, Athena. I just… I was… I wasn't being fair to you. I thought you weren't to be trusted, but you proved yourself Athena. I was wrong."

Athena's body softened slightly along with her grip on his arm, and Clark's eyes widened.

"Come on Athena, stay with me. we're almost at the hospital, just stay with me." he pleaded.

"I-I am happy… to ha-ve been conssssidered a p-person." She stuttered in a weak voice. "Can I b-be burrrrried like one t-to?"

"Don't give up, Athena!" Clark exclaimed.

"Athena Laurel Prince." She whispered. "I-I liiiike th-that name. C-can it be on m-my tombssssssssstone. In… instead of p-project power?"

"Athena, we're almost there!" Clark exclaimed urgently.

"I-I am hap-py to have l-lived. T-to have b-been cre-at-ed." She whispered, the slowly closed her eyes.

"Athena? Athena!" Clark laid eyes on the hospital and busted into it. People stared at the man of steel in surprise, but he didn't care, and shouted,

"THIS GIRL NEEDS MEDICAL HELP NOW!"