I don't own DC.
Chapter 13—
"Sounds like they had to work to get taken seriously in the first place." Trace—no Robin—laughed.
"Will you join them?"
He stopped laughing, "Join this team of yours."
"Call it keeping an eye on them for me."
"I'm sure." He murmured sarcastically. "I'm better alone; I extend only to you because you think in a similar way. How do I know if I can trust them?"
"I notice you don't disrespect their ability."
"I have analysed them all and, although, the pros and cons don't weigh heavily in their favour. There is…potential somewhere, but it will be a long path."
"Most of them are new heroes and know little, you could help them immensely; also, it'll help your…"
"It could improve my tolerance to annoying speedsters, small-minded half-kryptonians and naïve Martians among other things, but I can't see the benefit."
"Go on a limb."
"Brilliant advice, this better be good if you're not giving me a choice."
"Here's your choice, how do you want to make an entrance?"
His smiled bordered on evil. "Oh I have an idea."
That had been the conversation the night before, and today they were putting that plan into action.
Santa Prisca mission went down 'okay' but great improvement was needed and it was first of all clear that they couldn't stealth to save a life. Miss Martian was by far the best with her camouflage power, closely followed by Artemis who was agile from training with her Father. However, if they were to do anymore recons then they would need a teacher. Batman had just the right person in mind. Boy Wonder wanted to make an entrance, suggesting he infiltrate the cave; it would dabble as a test for the team to, fighting someone with unknown talents defensively.
So there they were, all the team lounged in the front room of the mountain, all doing menial tasks like cooking, reading or watching—was that static? Batman glanced over the group all in civvies, Artemis had her bow on hand and Kaldur had his water-bearers. The rest had their powers on hand. For a second, Batman wondered who would win. While Robin was skilled and unpredictable, he was also out-numbered by several super-humans. It was to test the both of them, in that respect.
He made his exit through the Zeta beam and signalled BW through his comm. the boy was waiting in Happy Harbour for his cue. He would hack the systems and sneak in. Maybe this way the team would see the advantages for stealth. Lastly, he told Robin to keep the cameras online; he wanted to watch his protégé work. He didn't know which side he rooted for, his team or his ward, most definitely the latter, however, he hoped the team did well. After all, Robin was still only thirteen.
With any luck, the boy didn't embarrass them too much.
It was quiet between the team, KF and Artemis weren't fighting and KF and Miss M weren't flirting. Superboy had reign on the TV once more and so, the speedster played on his phone. After a while he got bored and looked around. He plodded to the room he called his and searched for something—anything—to do. When he found nothing, he booted up the mountain's computer and scrolled through youtube, so that was why he saw the little alert in the corner; clicking on it, his mouth dropped open when he saw what it read.
He immediately sped back to the main room, startling everyone. "Someone's in the mountain."
"What?"
Before anyone could brush him off, he raced off, urging the others to follow. In the training room, he opened the alert for everyone to see. 'System defences have been shut down by unauthorised guest, mountain under lockdown.' Artemis' bow might as well have jumped into her hand at the speed she drew an arrow.
"The alert is dated ten minutes ago," she pointed out, "they could have done anything by now."
"Why haven't they then."
"We need to notify the League of the security breach." Aqualad slipped into leader mode.
"How? We are under lockdown."
"When the mountain goes into lockdown, it automatically sends a distress signal. They should know by now."
"I don't think so; we didn't get any alarm lights or sirens. Whoever did this has bypassed everything; they would know to cut out automatic communication." Kid Flash scrolled through the computer, his limited knowledge on computers stumped him at every turn.
"We can still try manual communication."
"I can't reach my Uncle, sorry." M'gann apologised, "he must be up on the Watchtower."
"I'm through." Kaldur announced, finger to the comm. piece in his ear. "Batman? Yes, the HQ has been broken into ten minutes ago, they hacked the computer."
"Why wasn't I notified ten minutes ago?"
"We were not aware of any intruders."
"See to it that the perpetrator is detained, I want to interrogate him while he's conscious though so no brassy tricks. Oh and don't fly a helicopter into the mountain."
"Understood."
"Did I hear that last bit right?" Superboy asked.
"I'm sure he refers to our last mission in Santa Prisca."
"You have to give the man credit for that small crack at humour."
"What do we do then?"
"We find out who it is first of all then apprehend them. We'll leave the interrogating to Batman."
"I can rake the mountain with my mind and Superboy can look with his visions."
"Go in teams of two, Kid Flash and me, Artemis and Miss Martian, Superboy you're invulnerable so you're good on your own. M'gann, can you set up the mind link?"
"Sure thing."
"Superboy, can you check the secondary training rooms. Artemis and Miss Martian, can you check the inner rooms and Kid Flash and I will check the common rooms."
"Gotcha."
"I'm ready."
"And go."
They all split up, clueless that their target was waiting in the shadows behind them, the training room was large and dark, the perfect place for his hideout spot but it Superboy had infrared vision then he'd need a better plan. As for the Martian, well, she didn't want to go near his mind, for her own health. He'd spent the first ten minutes getting used to the mountain's layout, helped greatly by the schematic that had been just waiting for him to hack in the computer's database. Now, they didn't have the home turf advantage anymore, he had every advantage that came with playing the offence; it was a game of cat and mouse now.
It was five minutes into the search and Boy Wonder had been tailing Superboy since he would be the biggest threat, but he felt an imposing presence brush his mind. He welcomed it, and the Martian's mind entered his. However, she would only find a thick wall of resistance, Boy Wonder and Richard might as well have been two different people. While he was Boy Wonder, there was no use in searching for weaknesses though Richard when he didn't exist just then. So instead, Boy Wonder trapped her in that void, not letting her probe his mind but also keeping her there where he had ears in on their 'link' as they called it.
"No, they won't let me in."
He kept his thoughts from the conversation. It was better if they didn't know he was there.
"Do we have any idea what we're dealing with?"
"No, but I can sense him. He's near Superboy."
The said Kryptonian spun around and searched the shadows of the training rooms. Robin turned, thinking fast, he scrambled into the thick air-duct just in time to see the clone's brow's crease. Slipping the cover back and shuffling back into the safety of the mountain's ventilation, he breathed fro a beat then pulled up his wrist-computer once more. He checked the schematics, running through camera footage and the live feed to check on all members; then ran through the map of the vents in which he hid.
"I could have sworn I saw something, in the training rooms. I can still hear something, it is close."
He smiled to himself when he found the details on the vents: lead encased with thick layer carbon steel; the almighty Superman probably couldn't see into those vents, never mind that cheap knockoff. Just as well, Robin knew he could use that to his advantage. The team grouped up in the training room as back-up and, through the cameras, Boy Wonder watched them talk.
"He can teleport then, we need to know who this is, preferably fight them face to face. I feel chased; like a rat in the maze, and it is my own maze too."
Boy Wonder took to his computer, typing furiously and imagined the shock on the teen's faces when a message flashed up on the computers. 'But it's a good maze, Crock.' He managed to flick to the cameras just in time to see the Archer pale and step back. He had to stifle his evil giggle because the vent echoed any sound and with Superboy just metres away, the risk was too great.
"He's in our link." Kid Flash shrieked and visibly jumped. "M'gann, can you get at him."
"I can still sense him but he's still blocking me from communication."
"Not quite." Boy Wonder interjected, startling all of them.
"Hello." The Martian was clearly lost for words.
"Yeah, hi." He responded and started shuffling through the vent, if he kept them talking…
"Who are you?" KF asked hurriedly.
"I'm you from the future."
"You are?"
Even Robin paused at the stupidity but smiled slightly when he heard a reassuring smack, and Artemis growled, "Don't be stupid. Why does he sound younger than you?" She admonished aloud.
"Oh wait, I recognise that voice, you're…"
"Don't ruin my fun, human traffic light."
"Woah, woah, KF spill the beans."
"Nah, I think it'll be best if he played it his way."
"Are you betraying us?" Superboy asked.
"Nope." The speedster said innocently. "You just wait. I can live with being on his good side and your bad sides, but if I get on his bad side then I won't live at all."
When Robin reached the vent in the corridor, he jumped down and replaced the cover. He waltzed into the open door of the training rooms, right behind the teams. His feet made no sound but he did see Superboy twitch. He slid to stand behind KF and smirked; no one had seen him yet. It was brilliant! They needed to be more aware.
"Yep," he sneered, nearly giving him a heart attack, in fact the whole team jumped out of their skins, "You got that right, RAG."
Wally looked over his idol, taking note of the new costume. "I like it, what's the 'R' for."
"Robin, a name I gave myself."
"It will look better with a cape."
"I know right."
"Hey, are you two chums? I'll have to remind you then. He just broke into our HQ, he's knows everything."
"Artemis, Artemis. Take a good look at him, recognise anything." KF draped an arm around her, momentarily forgetting their all-consuming fights.
Robin slowly pulled out a marker and Artemis visibly melted. Recognition slowly flourished in each of their eyes while Artemis gasped and Wally wouldn't stop smiling. He seemed to be proud of the 'impression' he had fixed second time round. Robin strolled around the training room, found the computer hologram bank and hacked it once more, taking off the lockdown. Aqualad started forward from where he, Miss Martian and Superboy stood awkwardly watching the newcomer.
"So what made you visit…er…Robin?" He asked in the usual polite tone that Robin expected from him.
"Oh." Artemis babbled; Robin sighed inwardly.
"Your team has caught my attention."
"My." Is she okay?
"Does Bats know you're here?"
"God." The archer finished, and then repeated. "Oh my God! It was you! You're Boy Wonder!"
"Yes, I am aware of that fact. Batman does know I'm here. Call this a test—you all failed by the way."
"Testing what?" Superboy asked in a huff.
"How long until someone realised there was a threat, how you adapted once aware and your spatial awareness. It was all terrible. You took ten minutes to notice then you let me into the mind link and searched the place without any method and gave me time to lip into the vents. Then I was able to sneak up on all of you, even Superdeaf here." He nodded at the clone, who growled.
"Recognised Batman 02, Martian ManHunter 07, Flash 04, Aquaman 06, Green Arrow 08, Black Canary 1-3." The clipped computer voice announced the League; it wasn't long until the fastest man alive sped in to look over his nephew, with the rest of the senior heroes following.
"The mountain went into lockdown, Batman couldn't get it open. What happened?"
"Urm, Flash." Black Canary noticed the black and red clad ninja beside the speedster and couldn't seem to take her eyes off him, "Look a little to your right."
"Oh."
This went on longer then I'd planned so to split it up, there'll be a fourteenth chapter introducing to the League.