Ch.18: Performance
East Potomac Park: November 25: 19:04EST
Superboy jumped off Sphere, in super cycle mode, and stalked over to where Lex Luther stood by his white limo.
"There was a tracker in that tin box you gave me." Superboy instantly accused after a long and stressful Thanksgiving.
"Yes, I assume you discovered it with your x-ray vision." Luther said, totally nonchalant. His nonchalant only made Superboy's anger sky rocket. "You initiated the cloning projects!"
Luther shrugged. "I wanted Superman to meet his match." Superboy glared at the man. "And you used both of us to locate the missing Genomorphs!"
Luther once again shrugged.
"A good business man has to keep track of his assets. But none of that really bothers you." Luther said and smirked as he continued. "Half of your DNA is human. Haven't you wondered who the donor was? Or have you just been afraid to acknowledge the obvious?"
Luther continued to smirk. "Face it son, you have much more in common with me than Superman."
Superboy's anger once again hit its peak. "That's a lie!"
Luthor had this in the hole. "What has he given you? Nothing, not even affection. Why? Because Big Boy Blue lives in the world of black and white."
Superboy turned away, not accepting this yet.
Luther continued though, despite Superboy's anger. "You were created by the bad guys, so there must be something wrong with you. But we both know that life isn't that clear cut. The real world is full of grays. Weren't you determined to free Match at all costs? Yet, ultimately, you wisely agreed to my suggestion to re-freeze him for the greater good of all. And though you think me a villain-"
Luther tore off the Shield on Superboy's arm.
"You still accepted my Shields. We're more alike than you care to admit."
Superboy turned around sharply with the box full of Shields. "Take them back."
Luther held up his arm in rejection. "They're a gift. From a father to his son."
Superboy grabbed Luther's tie and got close to his face. "I won't need them for this."
Luther wasn't so keen on that idea.
"Red sun."
A few hours later…
Superboy looked around and dropped Luther's tie. Wolf was waiting patiently in Sphere the super cycle. Superboy grabbed his head.
"Two words and he shut me down. What else can he make me do?" Superboy asked himself, staring at the Shields in his hand.
He saw the river ahead and got ready to throw them.
But he didn't.
He looked down, back at the Shields and put them in his pocket and walked to his two friends that always seemed by him through everything.
Gotham City: December 6, 03:44EST
"Artemis, is everything-"
"Fine mom." Artemis cut off her mother after a failed mission and broken trust.
"I just want to go to bed." She said and closed the door. Her eyes widened at her visitor.
Sportsmaster.
The assassin held his finger up to his invisible lips. "Shhhh, we wouldn't want to upset your mother."
Artemis instantly had a pointed arrow poised at the intruder. "What are you doing here?" She hissed.
Sportsmaster continued to lie on Artemis's older sister's bed. "Just curious to hear how your team took defeat. Blamed you, didn't they?"
He took off his mask, and the similarities between the two were unbelievable.
Artemis put her arrow down, as Sportsmaster got up. "Will they keep you around now that Red Arrow's joined up? And what if they learn the truth about the family ties you work so hard to hide?"
Artemis turned away.
"Would they ever trust you again?"
Artemis glared at her father. "Thanks for the pep talk, Dad. We should have these family reunions more often."
Sportsmaster walked forward to stand by her."You tried, Baby Girl. You can fight Jade. You can fight me. But you can't fight who. You. Are."
He pressed his finger to her chest with the last three words said.
The father lifted Artemis's chin to his face. "It's time to switch sides, Artemis. You'll never be one of them. You belong with us."
Artemis looked down and sighed.
Bruges: December 22, 20:08CET
People clapped and cheered as Haly's Circus started.
"Ladies and gentlemen!"
Sparks of fire went up from different sections of the ring and people cheered. Jack Haly, the ringmaster, came to stand in the middle through the smoke of the fire.
He threw his hands up. "Welcome to the Haly International Traveling Circus! Where the center ring is your oyster! And these are our latest pearls, the Daring Dangers!"
People 'ooh-ed' and 'awed'.
The spotlight found its way to a boy with black hair and blue eyes dressed in red and white standing on a trapeze stand.
"Dan Danger!"
The boy grabbed his bar and flew through the air. He let go and flipped next to a girl with red hair.
"Dawn Danger!"
Two more spotlights found a girl with blonde hair and a teen with red hair, both with bow and arrows.
"Diane Danger! Dane Danger!"
Another spotlight found a well-built boy with black hair and blue eyes throwing barrels in the air.
"Dean Danger!"
And last, but not least, a boy with black hair and green eyes holding a silver wooden flute, surrounded by a black wolf, a black tiger, a cobra, an eagle, and a raven.
"And Danny Danger with his amazing animals Ebony the Wolf, Malachi the Tiger, Anhur the Cobra, Gale the Eagle, and Banshee the Raven!"
The crowd watched in amazement as Dean threw a barrel in the air that Dawn and Dan flipped through. Diane and Dane let loose three arrows each and Dawn and Dan easily maneuvered around them. Danny's birds flew into the air and screeched as they flew by Dawn and Dan. Ebony and Tiger let out a fierce howl/roar.
"You will never see another trapeze act like this folks! All performed without a net!"
Danny started playing his flute in some random tune. Malachi got in front of Danny, the boy hopped onto his back and crouched, Ebony ran up and jumped onto Danny's back, the two birds flew down and landed on Ebony's shoulders, and Anhur slithered up Malachi and Danny and wrapped himself around Ebony's neck and hissed. You could hear the crowd cheering.
Danny's averted to Dan Danger who had maneuvered himself to try and catch Dawn's waiting hands as she hung upside down. He jumped too early and missed her hands and started falling.
"ROBIN!"
"Don't blow our cover!"
Danny rolled his eyes and the two birds jumped off of Ebony's shoulders.
"Saving your life ok?" Dean, or Superboy said, and threw a barrel into the air. Robin caught it and was rocketed into the air. The birds flew by him in a comforting manner. Dawn, or Megan's hands reached out, and Robin barely missed them. Megan's eyes glowed green and Robin floated the rest of the way up.
The crowd cheered at their success.
"What did I just say?" Robin said. He heard Danny let out an exaggerating sigh as he stood on Malachi's back and everyone cheered as Ebony balanced on his shoulders, and then got on her hind-legs.
"The crowd couldn't see me use telekinesis from below. Besides I've been using it all night." She said as she dropped Robin off on the stand. Megan landed next to him and they both waved. "I'm not exactly the acrobat you are."
Robin smiled at the crowd but slightly turned to Megan. "Yeah, neither am I right now. I think I caught that twenty-four hour bug that everyone's getting at the circus. But the show must go on."
Robin grimaced and started sweating.
Robin stood in front of a holographic map, the Team on the other side, except for Danny. "Advanced weapons tech has been stolen at manufacturing plants throughout Europe and each theft coincides with the tour stops made by the Haly Circus. Batman's sending us undercover to catch the thieves."
"Does this clown car have room for one more?" Red Arrow asked, walking up behind, and startling Danny, who ended up grimacing and holding his side.
"Uh… We've got this covered." Robin said, giving Danny a sideways glance. Red Arrow bent down low to Robin's ear.
"You got the mission covered but who's covering the four potential mole suspects you're bringing along."
"Put your hands together for Daring Dangers!" Jack said, as Artemis, Red Arrow, Wally, Danny, his Totems, Megan, and Superboy waved to the crowd. The animals let out their respected noises (howl, roar, screech, hiss).
"Didn't think I'd make it through." Megan said.
"Neither did I. Danny, can you help me backstage?" Danny nodded, let Anhur slip up his arm first and wrap his tail around his neck, and stood by Robin, his arm across his shoulders as the Ghost Boy led his partner to safety.
As they walked backstage, another act walked up to another act. (That sounds like the beginning of a joke.)
"Ray, have you seen my other torch?" The devil-looking guy asked. The guy passed it to the devil looking guy. "Here, you dropped it outside the train."
The devil looking guy looked at him graciously. "Thanks. You're a life saver!" The guy, Ray, got up and patted his shoulder. "Break a leg."
"Bear witness, ladies and gentlemen, to the Dragon's Breath!" Jack Haly announced and flares went up into the air by the entrance. The devil looking man appeared out of the smoke and blew fire.
Jack Haly went behind set to let the act go on, and saw a set of twins, both angry.
"Haly, what's the deal? You gave our slot to those Danger Kids!" One of them said.
"That's our slot!" The other said.
"Was your slot, until you missed that performance in Paris." Jack said.
Red Arrow bumped Robin's shoulder and the two turned their attention to the twins and Jack.
"Carlo was sick! He's better now!" Carlo's brother said.
"Plus, those Dangers are a sham! They say they're brothers and sisters, but they don't even look alike!" Carlo said.
Jack Haly shrugged them off. "Ah, you just don't like the competition."
Jack Haly was cut off by an Interpol agent, Agent King Faraday. "Oh for crying out loud, not you again! We're in the middle of a show!"
Agent Faraday kept calm and his arms crossed. "Then we'll talk after but we will talk. Another city last week, another tech firm robbed; another stop on your tour. If I prove you're responsible, I will shut you down."
Jack Haly looked at him sternly. "I got three minutes to gather props and get to center ring."
The ringmaster walked past Agent Faraday and went to the prop section. Agent Faraday watched him almost sympathetically.
The agent walked forward and stopped in front of the teens. He got out his badge.
"Faraday, Interpol. New act?" He asked.
"Yeah, just joined the tour." Robin said easily.
Faraday put his badge away. "That probably clears you. But don't get too comfortable. Haly's going down for this."
Robin narrowed his eyes at Faraday. Danny got up and walked over to Robin. He placed his hand on the Boy Wonder's shoulder. Robin looked at him and saw Danny smiling sadly. We'll get through this, his smile said. Robin hoped he was right.
"If Interpol's already on this, why are we bothering?" Superboy asked as they guarded a warehouse.
"Because Batman said so. Why? Do you have something better to do?" Robin asked harshly.
"How do we know the thieves will hit here?" Artemis asked, standing next to Red Arrow.
"There are more obvious targets." Red Arrow piped in.
"And Faraday will have them covered. But I've analyzed the tech already stolen and the pattern suggests this is the place." Robin said, watching the building intently.
"How are you feeling?" Megan asked.
"Yeah Rob, Isis keeps telling me I should heal you with her powers. I'm tempted to do it and suffer your hissy-fit which will surely come after." Danny piped, hair once again white.
"Lousy, actually, but I'll manage. And if you want to do that Danny, go ahead. I'm more then ok with it." Robin answered.
Danny glared lightly from his spot. "I need to be closer, moron. I'm across from you on the other side of the building across the street!"
Robin looked at weirdly. "You ok?" Robin saw him sigh.
"Sleeping does not come easily to me, we all know that. And I've got... Something on my mind." Danny said cryptically. (You little-)
Robin shrugged. "Fair enough."
Superboy scanned the street. "Contact, north east corner."
The person behind the robberies easily jumped over the chain-link fence by a graceful flip.
"Now we know why Carlo missed a performance." Superboy said bitterly.
"Could be Carlo, could be his brother. Keep an open mind and move in." Robin said and they did as told.
Before Superboy did though, he grabbed a Shield and stuck it on his arm. He hid it under his sleeve, and he bit back a scream when it activated. Instead, he groaned and jumped after.
"Do you see where he went?" Robin asked as Superboy landed, surrounded by the others. Superboy switched to x-ray vision and scanned the building.
"The warehouse." He said.
The robber opened the box with a crowbar and slid out the tech. He was about to leave but he heard a laugh. He looked up and saw the Team staring at him from the catwalk.
"Caught red handed." Robin said.
"Red faced too I bet." Danny said. Robin and Danny both chuckled in their weird, Bat-family way.
"Acrobatics won't get you out of this." Artemis said.
The robber got out a torch and started blowing flames at them. They all jumped out of the way, just in time. Superboy got hit, and had to keep his hands up to keep the flames away.
Red Arrow was about to shoot, but he saw something. A box with 'Live Ammo' in big, bold letters on the front.
"Those crates are full of live ammo! Move!" Red Arrow shouted.
It wasn't a second later when the warehouse blew. On the inside, Superboy and Danny moved the piece of debris out of the way, so they could escape.
"That guy is dead meat!" Superboy said angrily, and started after the robber.
"Superboy, no!"
The clone stopped and turned around.
"You need to get her out." Robin said, holding Megan.
Superboy pointed the way the robber went. "He's getting away!"
Danny wiped his hand across Megan's forehead and ice appeared on it. Robin looked at Superboy seriously.
"And that matters more than Miss M! The fire's killing her!" He yelled.
That seemed to snap Superboy back to reality. "Right, right."
Robin handed Megan off to Superboy, who easily picked her up and ran.
"Artemis, Danny, Arrow, find the thief." Robin said weakly and fell to the three friends were by him in an instant.
"Because he matters more than you." Artemis said.
"You're still off your game, pal. We're getting you out too." Red Arrow said. The two archers put Robin's arms around their shoulders, and hoisted him up.
Danny watched them nervously. "I'll make a path."
He searched for the nearest exit but found none. So, he found the nearest wall. His eyes turned blue and he shot his hands out. The fire in front of him froze and he moved it out of the way to make a path.
"This way!" He said and ran down the aisle, being closely followed by the other three as they ran after him, debris falling down behind them.
They came to the wall, and Danny turned to the others. "I'm going to faze us out, ok?"
The others nodded and Danny grabbed Artemis's arm. He waited for the tingly feeling to start but it never came.
"W-what? Come on, go intangible!" Danny panicked.
"What's wrong?" Red Arrow questioned.
Danny looked at him, practically losing his mind. "I can't go intangible."
The three friends in front of him looked at him in shock and had to dodge as the debris fell down some more.
Danny started sweating, and noticed his ice was melting. But that should be impossible. His ice was indestructible and never melting unless you put it in the sunlight for a few decades without fail. Danny turned to the wall. He started beating it, using his ghostly strength. The metal creaked and groaned but did not give way.
"Come on!" Danny shouted, and his attempts became more desperate. He felt a pain in his side that grew worse with each punch. He started coughing but didn't notice. The metal became covered in flames but he still didn't notice.
Red Arrow finally had to pull him away. "Stop it! You're going to kill yourself!"
Danny looked at his hands and saw they were bleeding with the burns. Artemis dragged them back. "I'm going to bring it down with an arrow."
Red Arrow kept Robin and Danny away as she shot. The wall exploded and gave out, but so did the roof. It fell down on top of Robin, Danny, and Red Arrow.
"NO!" Artemis screeched and tried getting them out. Superboy came around the corner and upon seeing the wreckage and hearing Artemis's screeches, instantly started helping.
The two moved rubble out of the way, and came to a liquid green shield, being held up by a very weak Danny. He groaned with the strain, but upon seeing his two friends, opened a hole so Red Arrow and Robin could escape. The shield flickered but Danny didn't move.
Just as the shield fell, Red Arrow grabbed Danny and pulled him out. The rubble came down around, and the teens escaped in a nick of time, as the rest of the building came tumbling down.
"Another weapons plant is hit, and once again the circus is in town. I don't believe in coincidences." Faraday said to Jack Haly, who would take none of it.
"I don't care what you believe! My people are not responsible! I did a bed check last night! Every single member of my troop was asleep in their bunks!" Jack yelled.
The Team, back in their circus costumes, eavesdropped.
"We sure weren't." Megan said.
"And if he's lying about us…" Artemis said, trailing looked down in disappointment.
They went back to their car in the train.
"So, two thief's right? The fire breather and one of the acrobats." Artemis said.
"Just in identical clothes." Megan said.
Robin looked at his computer, Danny looking over his shoulder. "Maybe not just two. Here's the Madrid security footage."
It showed someone easily bending metal bars to get inside.
"And now Paris."
It showed another person in the same clothes easily walking on a telephone wire.
"So the strong man and the clown too. If the entire circus is involved, Haly himself may be the mastermind." Red Arrow said.
"You don't know that." Robin said defensively. Danny placed a hand on the Boy Wonder's shoulders.
"It would explain his lies." Megan said.
Robin shrugged off Danny's hand and stood up. "I told you to keep an open mind!"
He angrily walked out of train car, and slammed the door behind him.
Megan bumped her head with a smile. "Hello Megan! I'll read Haly's mind!"
Red Arrow didn't share her enthusiasm. "I'm not sure we can trust you to do that without tipping him off."
Superboy glared at him. "Or maybe you don't trust her period." Superboy walked forward angrily and got in Red Arrow's face. "I heard you talking to Robin back at the Cave. I know you're only here to spy on the four of us."
Red Arrow leaned forward and got just as close. "There's a mole on this Team. And good reasons to suspect all of you. Both Artemis and Miss Martian have already been caught in lies. And you and Danny could be programmed by Cadmus and the G.I.W. without even knowing." Red Arrow countered, angering Superboy even more.
"Maybe I'll take your head off without even trying!" Superboy shouted angrily.
Danny sighed and stood up. "We're on a mission and this is how you choose to spend our time? So some of us lied, and some us were held captive-"
Danny gave Red Arrow a fierce glare that made him jerk back.
"But we're on a mission. We can discuss this later. I wish you'd stop playing the innocent card, Arrow. You've made mistakes too. You need to stop being so frikkin suspicious and open up a little. It's hard to trust you when you won't trust us." The Ghost Boy rebuked.
Red Arrow suddenly returned his glare. "Oh yeah, what about you? I've never seen you open up."
Danny shrugged, totally unfazed, and headed for the door. "I'm going to go spray-paint my hair again."
Maybe I never opened up because you were in the room."
Robin, in a jacket, walked down the line of train cars with posters on every one of them. He stopped in front of 'The Flying Grayson's!' He looked at them sadly and he could practically hear that day.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the Flying Grayson's!"
His com went off, and Robin pressed it.
"Uh, yeah?" He asked.
"Dude, where are you?" Wally's voice buzzed in.
"Confidential mission, from Batman."
Robin, no, Dick, continued walking down the line of cars.
"Wow, you know what I'm doing? Making a bologna sandwich, kind of like what you just did. I talked to Tornado, you aren't on a mission, not an official one anyway." The speedster confused.
Dick sighed. "A friend, Jack Haly." He said.
"The circus guy? From your old Flying Grayson days?" Wally asked.
Dick nodded. "Yeah, he's implicated in this global crime spree. Someone in the show's dirty but I need to prove Old Jack's clean or he could lose the circus."
"Then why not bring me along? I know your back-story. I know what that circus means to you. It's where you grew up. It's where you lost your…" Wally said sadly.
"I left you behind because you knew my back-story. I didn't want my best pal questioning my objectivity." Dick said.
"Dude, that's what a best pal's for."
Dick looked up at a poster with 'Haly's Circus' at the top, and moved on.
"What about Danny? He knows." Wally said.
Dick rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but he knows when to keep his mouth shut. Unlike you. And he lives with me. I couldn't just ditch him. He's also helping me lead at the moment. His knowledge is very helpful. He gives me tips when we're alone."
Dick heard Wally sputter at the end of the line and smirked.
"And that's our show! Farwell good people of Bruges!"
Jack walked back stage. "Pack up! The train leaves for Geneva in two hours!" He yelled.
Megan, Danny (who had spray-painted his hair black again), and Robin loaded up one car. Danny and Robin climbed in to move a few things.
Megan was picking up a case when someone else grabbed it and brushed against her skin. It was Ray.
"Need a hand?" The man asked.
Megan looked at him nervously. "I-I'm good. Thanks. Maybe one of the others could use some help. A lot of them seem to have that flu."
Megan shrugged. "Yeah, it's going around."
Jack Haly got onto the train. "All aboard, everyone, now!"
Red Arrow looked at the ringmaster suspiciously. "Someone's in a hurry."
Robin didn't say anything next to him.
Everyone got on the train, and it blew its horn and started moving. The heroes all shared one cabin together.
"You look better." Artemis said to Robin.
The Boy Wonder nodded. "I feel better. Sorry Me-Dawn, I hope you didn't catch it from me." Robin said, now playing Dan.
Megan was on the couch, a blanket around her, with a small fever and headache. "I feel silly. Who knew a Martian could be vulnerable to a human virus?" She said.
"Uh, H.G. Wells?" Danny and Robin said, and they looked at each other.
"You read that?" Danny asked.
Robin nodded.
Danny shrugged. "It was a good read."
Robin nodded again. "Twas."
The Boy Wonder and turned back to the group. "Look, when did you first feel sick?"
Megan looked at him wearily. "Just after boarding the train. It came on suddenly."
Robin nodded. "Same with me the other night. I remember Ray rubbed my head for good luck before we went on." He said.
"Ray?" Superboy asked.
"You mean that roust-about? He touched her before we boarded. Guy must be a walking pastry dish." Megan said.
Robin thought for a moment. "Yeah, yeah, maybe."
He left his car and stumbled out to see Jack Haly.
"Dan! You look refreshed!" The ringmaster said happily.
Robin smiled at the ringmaster. "Thanks. Uh, Jack, how long has Ray worked for you?"
The ringmaster thought for a moment. "Picked him up at the start of the European tour. Poor lads down with the flu like the rest of them."
The other teens came out of the cabin.
"We'll check on him. It's the least we can do." Artemis said, and headed down the hall.
Jack shrugged. "If you insist. Hey Danny, where are your amazing animals?" He asked.
Danny smiled at the old man. "They're in the animal car, enjoying their dinner." Danny lied, before heading off with the others.
Megan came out and tried to follow. Robin stopped her by gripping her arm. "You should stay in bed."
Megan smiled at him. "As a friend of mine once said, I'll manage." Megan said before heading after the others. Robin smiled and watched her go. Robin waved to Jack and ran after.
He didn't notice Jack become Ray, and walk away.
Artemis opened the door to Ray's bunker that he shared with a few others. Artemis and the others walked in, and noticed his bed was unoccupied.
"Guess he wasn't that sick." Superboy said.
Danny narrowed his eyes. "Or maybe he wasn't sick at all."
The Ghost Boy popped open the lid to 'elephant feed', but the last time they checked, there wasn't an elephant in the circus.
Danny stuck his hand in and brought it out. It was covered it black soot. "Ash, from the warehouse fire in Bruges."
Artemis found something in Ray's bed. "Uh, guys, I found Ray."
She pulled out a mask from under the mattress.
"Split up, search the whole train!" Robin ordered.
Robin walked down the hall and heard someone struggling. His eyes widened and he kicked open the door. Danny came in from the next car over.
"What are you doing?!" He whisper-yelled and ran over and looked inside with Robin. His 'you-crazy?' look turned deadpanned. "That explains a lot."
Jack Haly was tied up, only in under garments with a gag. Robin and Danny ran over and took the gag out.
"Who did this to you?" Robin asked, kneeling down with Danny.
"Ray! Ray the Roust-About! Right after the train left Bruges!" He yelled.
Robin and Danny shared the same anger and narrowed eyes. The two ran out of the room, leaving Jack.
"Hey! I'm not Houdini here!"
"M'gann!" Robin shouted in their heads but didn't receive an answer.
Danny pressed his com. "Dawn, come in."
They finally received an answer. "Uh, Danny?"
The Ghost Boy shrugged. "And Dan, but that's not the point!"
Robin took over. "We tried to reach you, the other way."
They heard Megan groan. "I think the flu's knocked out my other way." She said.
"That clinches it. Dane, Dean, Diane, come in. We're chasing someone who's stolen Dawn's act, her whole shrift, if you catch my drift." Robin said.
"And that's why you have me." Danny said in their heads.
Where Superboy was looking, a door opened and he hid behind some tables. The guy looked an awful lot like a clown rolling something. Superboy grabbed a Shield and placed it behind his vest on his chest. He groaned as it activated.
He came out of hiding and narrowed his eyes, turning on his x-ray vision. He saw a large machine inside the case he was rolling. The clown put it down, and lifted his hands up. All the tables followed and were thrown at Superboy, who easily punched them out of the way.
"I got him, but he's on to me. Exiting the dining cart now." Superboy said, running after the clown freak. He looked up and saw the flash of a figure. "He's gone top-side!"
He easily jumped up after, and the clown turned to him. He was thrown over the side with the telekinesis, but Superboy used his flying to get back on top.
He landed on the other side of the circus freak.
"That won't work on me clown." Superboy said, angrily. Robin and Danny jumped up behind the freak.
"That's no clown!" Robin said.
Danny glared. "That's the Parasite, the guy who once stole Superman's powers!"
Parasite smiled. "As if you kids are who you claim to be. Please!"
Parasite's head went from freaky to freakier, with a clown suit still. Superboy stalked forward.
"Stay out of his reach! There's no flu going around! The weakness comes from physical contact and then he feeds off of the powers and abilities of others." Robin informed.
"I have been a little glutton today." Parasite said. "Chow down on nearly every loser in this shroud, but oh my, thepièce de résistance was Dawn Danger, or whatever her real name is. Thought I'd munch on her trapeze skills. Imagine my surprise when she tasted like Martian Manhunter instead, ummm. She made a lovely appetizer but guess who I want for my entrée."
Superboy was sent forward with Parasite's telekinesis, and his chin was caught in Parasite's hand. "Mmmm, now that's the full-bodied Kryptonian flavor I love!"
"Everyone, stay whelmed! Subdue, but keep your distance!" Robin yelled and the two archers both got ready to shoot, but one blast of heat vision destroyed their bows.
"You know, I almost never say this but I'm sated. Hate to eat and run." Parasite said and flew into the air, but Robin jumped up and onto Parasite's case. He jumped up and tried attacking.
"Sorry, no hitchhikers!" Parasite said and easily punched back to the train car.
Danny shot off after Parasite, and Robin was sent off the side of the train. Megan grabbed his hand but she started slipping. They were crossing a bridge and Megan tried with all her might to get Robin up but she couldn't with her weakened state. Her hand slipped.
Red Arrow and Artemis walked over to help, and as they were reaching for Robin's hand, it slipped out of Megan's grasp and he started falling.
"ROBIN!"
Danny stopped mid-flight and swiftly jerked to the side and saw Robin's falling figure.
"ROBIN!"
Danny shot off down the bridge. He stopped his flight and fell after his adopted brother. Robin reached outwards and so did Danny. Then, as his falling picked up speed, Danny put in a blast of flight and grabbed Robin's wrist.
He maneuvered upwards and dragged the Boy Wonder into the air. They looked around and saw the others ahead, helping Superboy. Danny flew towards them and dropped Robin onto the train car, following after.
The girls immediately attacked the two in a hug.
"Don't ever do that again!" Megan screeched.
"I didn't want to!" Robin complained. Then the girls dragged the two adopted brothers down below to scold them, and Red Arrow followed to keep the two alive.
As they left, Superboy took off the Shield on his chest. He looked at the Shield box in his hand.
After much yelling and trail, the whole 'Robin almost fell to his doom' thing blew over, the teens got into their real costumes they had brought along and started discussing the matter in their cabin.
Robin smirked as he brought out a flash drive. "It's not a complete debacle. I picked Parasite's pocket. I've got this flash drive."
Danny smiled at him appraisingly. "My brother has finally learned the ways of pick-pocketing."
The other's looked at him weirdly.
Robin plugged the flash drive into his computer and he sat by Danny, already knowing he was going to want to watch. Robin easily hacked into it.
"Looks like Parasite's working for Inter-gang. Everything he's stolen, they're all pieces of something." Robin said.
Danny made a go on gesture. "Don't you dare leave us hangin like that Rob, we want to know what the something is!"
Robin glared. "I was getting to that."
Danny glared back. "Didn't do it fast enough, we both know I'm impatient."
Robin rolled his eyes. "Anyway, they're putting together a weapon that generates… black holes!"
Danny's eyes rolled back in his head comically and he fell back. "That's as bad as trying to destroy the Ghost Zone. And to those who don't get it, it means we're doomed."
Red Arrow wasn't convinced though. "Oh come on, to build that you need a particle accelerator."
Robin turned to him, glaring. "Like the Boson Collider in Geneva?"
Red Arrow put the pieces together. "The circus's next stop, but now that Parasite can fly; he can get a head-start on us."
"Sorry." Megan mumbled. Robin powered his computer down, and Danny got back up.
"Not your fault." The hybrid said.
"But this thing can wipe out entire cities. We need to hurry." Robin said, getting up.
"You and I need to hurry. Without their powers, the others would hold us back." Red Arrow said, grabbing his spare bow.
Danny got up defensively. "I have my powers. Don't see where you're coming from."
Artemis also didn't approve and held up her cross-bow. "You're not the only without a back-up bow, either."
Superboy punched a hole in the punch. "And my powers are back."
Robin and Danny looked at him in shock.
"How?" Robin asked.
Megan got up. "I'm still-"
"Kryptonian's must heal faster than humans and Martians." He cut off, rubbing his arm.
Megan smirked. "Don't even think about leaving me behind."
Red Arrow frowned but didn't object. (Not like he could...)
Geneva: December 24, 00:37CET
A cop groaned as he laid on the ground, bent down next to him and narrowed his eyes.
"A trail of destruction. This way." Robin said and ran head first inside with the others following close behind. Superboy hung back, took off a dead Shield, and replaced it. He hardly groaned, before following.
Parasite did some typing on a computer, and he held up a little fancy outlet. He frowned.
"This would be a whole lot easier if I had my flash drive." He commented and plugged the outlet into the keyboard and the red letters turned blue. "There, now let's fire this baby up and see what's left of Geneva when we're done."
Parasite did some more typing and his black hole generator started up. A black hole appeared above the Boson Collider and the wind started picking up. Parasite continued typing, watching his progress.
Robin looked at his computer with Danny leaning over his shoulder.
"We need to take him down, or at least lure him away so we can safely disengage the outlet." Robin said.
Danny gave him a dead-panned. "No, I thought we were going to have a tea party. Seriously Rob, we do this for living. What kind of people do you take us for?"
Robin smacked him upside the head.
Superboy ignored their banter and roared. He ran forward, despite Robin's protests, and destroyed their hiding place.
Parasite looked pleased at this. "Seconds? No, I couldn't."
He brought Superboy forward with his telekinesis and right as he was about to grab him, Superboy punched him.
Parasite frowned, rushed forward, and punched him back. Then he decided to throw Superboy around like a rag doll.
"What's wrong with-"
"Wait." Megan said, cutting off Red Arrow before he shot. She had an idea.
Superboy was thrown into the roof, into the floor, and then into Parasite's hand.
"Ooo, what a rush. How do you do it kid? Even Superman never recharged this fast." Parasite said. Superboy groaned, tried to get away, and then went limp. Parasite threw him away.
The generator gained more time to charge up. Thunder outside cracked, and lighting spider webbed near the Boson Collider, obviously reacting to the black hole.
"Alright Dangers, come on out. Only a couple minutes before this baby's done warming up and eats Geneva." Parasite said smugly.
"What do you think?" Megan asked, after telling the Team her plan.
"Pretty big risk to take on a theory." Red Arrow commented.
Robin thought for a moment. "Do it. Go."
Megan walked forward and placed her hands on her hips. "What do you have against Geneva anyway?"
Parasite turned to her. "Never liked the food. But the menu keeps improving." Parasite started bringing her forward.
"I'm just the appetizer, remember?" She taunted.
Before Megan was touched, she ducked and somersaulted behind him.
"Here's the main course!"
She did a leg sweep and easily took Parasite down. He got up but was hit with a foaming arrow that trapped him. Parasite looked at Red Arrow angrily.
"Foam? You think foam can hold me?" Parasite's eyes went green, and he took Red Arrow's bow and brought him into the air.
"Or stop me from crushing you with a thought?" Parasite continued with a smirk as Red Arrow struggled. "Combined Martian and Kyrptonian powers here!" Parasite broke out of his prison easily.
"But do any those powers free you before I sabotage your death thingy." Robin said, already on it.
Danny smirked next to him. "Can they break out of my specially designed prison?" Foam became ice and caught Parasite, leaving his head untouched though.
"This one does." Parasite said and used heat vision, making Danny and Robin jump out of the way.
Artemis landed behind and tried using her cross-bow but she had to jump out of the way of hot beams. Parasite didn't notice the ice melt instantly until the foam blew up.
Red Arrow dropped out of the sky and landed painfully on the ground.
Parasite got up from his spot in the flames. "So clever. Trick me into igniting flammable gas, but you forgot. The doofus has double dosed me with invulnerability. Fire… Can't… Touch me…" He said weakly, near the end.
"Unless you make a meal of my powers."
Parasite turned to Megan.
"And my weaknesses as a side dish." Megan said and waved.
Parasite caught on and looked at the flames in horror. "No, no!"
Parasite collapsed in the center of the ring of fire.
(This is the part where my mom breaks out into song with my sister and dad and start singing Johnny Cash…)
"Ah, poor baby. Something you ate?" Megan taunted. Robin and Danny walked up to the computer and started shutting it off.
The black hole outside dispersed. The wind died down and the storm moved on.
Robin sighed in relief.
"We'll take it from here." Agent Faraday said, walking in with two other agents. They extinguished the fire and put an inhibitor collar around Parasite's neck.
Agent Faraday turned and smiled at Robin. "Thanks for the tip by the way. Defiantly helps to prep the inhibitor collar in advance."
Robin smiled back. "Glad to be of service."
Red Arrow pushed himself and saw Artemis's out-stretched hand. The two locked eyes. Then Red Arrow smiled and took the hand and allowed himself to be helped up.
"Wow, he chances himself to touch the hand of a suspected traitor." Artemis commented.
Red Arrow kept smiling. "Mind open. I guess I never really saw you through the filament before."
The other's walked over. "Superboy's a hot head. And I know I'm not one to talk. You each could have betrayed us here. You didn't. I'm sorry I doubted any of you. There is no mole."
Danny smiled brightly. "Awesome! Just don't do it again!" His happy demeanor went from happy to annoyed. "I'm really tired of it."
People unpacked their things and got ready for their performance in Geneva. Robin, as Dan Danger, talked to Jack Haly in his office.
"So, the show will go on and I have a feeling I have you Dangers to thank." Jack said.
Robin smiled and shrugged. "I don't know what you mean."
Jack chuckled. "Course not, but I guess that you'll be leaving now." Jack shook Robin's hand.
"Time to move on." The undercover teen said.
"Well, Dick, I'll miss you."
Robin looked at him in surprise. "It's Dan, Dan Danger."
Jack placed his hands on Dick's shoulders. "Son, you've grown but some things never change. Like the sight of a Grayson on a trapeze. You can't fake that. Can't hide it. So, do an old ringmaster one last favor?"
Dick smiled widely and nodded eagerly.
Jack nodded. "Still excited like you used to be. Say, who's the black haired fellow you've grown attached too?"
Dick smiled widely. "He's my new adopted brother. Bruce says we look a lot alike."
Jack smiled at Dick again.
That Night…
Jack Haly entered the center ring. "Ladies and gentlemen, the farewell performance of the Daring Dangers!"
Dick waved to the crowd around him, and hopped into the air holding the trapeze bar.
Lovely. Though that last chapter had some... Interesting reviews.
Kadzait: There was so much yelling!
It was funny. *laughs*
Thanks to these people for favoriting and/or following: ploThief and Drednaught.
Thank you to Sina Xiel and Drednaught for favoriting and/or following me!
Reviews:
Breyannia: Hahahahaha! Danny's dying~! And you can't do anything~! Why am I singing? Someone explain to me why I am singing about death. (Kadzait: Doesn't surprise me actually...)
Hitmoi-tama: *sniff, sniff* That means so much to me.
KuriMaster13: You have asked me that nearly chapter. What do you think? XD
McKennaTennyson-Harper12: As I said to Kadzait, if I do, I do it subconsciously. Frankly, this is NOT the worst I've done to him. You don't want the worst. (Kadzait: *shudders*)
Lexosaurus: DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING, DID YA FOOL?! NUH-UH! I BROUGHT ON A PLOT TWIST! *dances*
Supaherolena02: HAHAHAHAHAHA! I'M SO EVIL!
TomgirlBre: I actually quite enjoyed your rant. I sat back in my chair, clapped sarcastically, and thought "This is something I would write in a review." You're so much like me in the violence department! (Kadzait: Pray these two people never meet for fear of the apocalypse.)
Azorawing: Yeah. A lot of people shared your reaction. Some were positive like 'OH MY GOSH! A PLOT TWIST! THE ADDICTION IS REAL!' while others were like (*in demonic voice*) 'VLAD WILL DIE FOR TREACHERY!'. It was quite comical. XD
GreenDrkness: Ooo, fun-ness. I saw your name when I opened my message and I was just like "Oh crap... What's this dude gotta say?" Your reviews are so interesting. XD
BringbackDannyPhantom: *face-palms* IF I KILL DANNY, WOULD I HAVE STORY TO WRITE?! XD
Bibbledoo: Both questions will be answered in due time. XD
The Keeper of the Worlds: Yep! XD
Lee: I'm glad you think so. *evil smile*
IWasNeverReal: Yeah Vlad does need to die. You should go to the reviews and check out TomgirlBre's review. She had a looonnngggg rant about how Vlad's gonna die. You should gang up with her. XD
Sina Xiel: Hahahahahaha! A lot of people wanna kill Vlad. Just go check out the past reviews. Ya'll can gang up and kill Vlad! WOO!