Arc 2 pt 2: The Queen and the Vampire
"My Queen, the Border Patrol has caught five of the Justice League Sidekicks."
Robin clenches his fists. It wasn't supposed to be this way.
It was a simple mission. Get in, get information, get out.
But it was all going downhill like a cheetah on roller-blades. Blisteringly fast and completely out of control. Though, with the Team's luck, it probably should've been expected.
It had been going perfectly at first. With Robin leading them, they got in without trouble, and made it to the Control Room easily, where he had hacked into the system and found out about this hanger and the shipment of recently finished tech. From what he was able to discover, they were reproducing cloning technology, with some slight differences that he couldn't figure out the purpose of. As a Team, they had decided to investigate deeper and maybe snag some of it for the League's labs.
That's when things started going wrong.
Phantom wasn't in the Mind-link. Megan couldn't even pick up his thoughts.
For a moment, they had all forgotten... Phantom was a ghost. He may have had a mind, but ghosts were emotional creatures by nature, and unless you cleared the "static" that they caused around themselves simply by existing, there was no way to connect mentally with them.
Then it had gotten worse when Queen Bee herself had sauntered in, followed by a ghost Robin barely recognized as the Wisconsin Ghost from the profile picture Batman had caught of him.
A solitary being by nature, all they really had on him was that he did not get along with Phantom – though the Ghost Boy himself wouldn't explain why beyond differing opinions. With that said, it was a wonder why he was teaming up with the Queen of Bialya.
(It couldn't be her mind-control like influence. Same problem between Phantom and Megan. It wouldn't reach him through his Emotional Field.)
And now, the third upset of the night's plan. Somehow, the rest of the Team had gotten captured, which means that the four of them on Team B would have to find a way to rescue their imprisoned friends, get a piece of the shipment's equipment, and hold off Queen Bee, her men, the Wisconsin Ghost, and the rest of the lesser spooks, all while not being able to communicate with Phantom properly without shouting out their movements to the world and messing up the group's rhythm.
Great. Just great.
Gazing down at the hostiles below, Robin knows they'll have their work cut out for them.
"Really, now?" Queen Bee stares at her soldier and releases the vampire-like ghost's arm (which was kind of gross, if you asked Robin, her holding the Wisconsin Ghost's arm like that) to walk closer to him. "Which ones?"
"The protegees' of Aquaman, Flash, and Icon, as well as Zatara's daughter, and Project Kr," he answers.
The queen hums quietly before giving her orders. "Increase the patrols. Tell them to keep their eyes out for the rest of those nuisances. Also, have them bring the prisoners to the palace and alert me when they arrive."
The man salutes again. "As you command, my Queen!"
The soldier leaves and the super-villainess turns back to the hanger as a whole, ordering the shipment to be loaded before the hour ends. She then leaves, dragging her strange arm candy with her.
Robin quickly signals his teammates to follow him, and leads them from the building to a relatively hidden spot behind it, away from cameras, where they can whisper clearly to each other so Phantom is included.
Once they're settled, Robin begin out loud.
"First things first. Phantom," he locks eyes with the ghost, "do you know how to control your Emotional Field?"
The teen spook blinks. "My what?"
"Well that answers that question." Artemis grumbles. "And why are we even talking about this? We should be trying to rescue the others!"
Robin takes a deep breathe as Miss Martian soothes the blonde girl. Shouldn't Phantom already know about this?
"Your Emotional Field." The Boy Wonder says. "It's the energy field that surrounds ghosts, created from emotions, both from the ghost in question and from the people around them – er, you. It's your food when you are not in the Zone. Well, that's what current studies are saying, at least."
"Oh!" Phantom deflates slightly and looks relieved. "You're talking about the whole Empathy Aura thing Clockwork's been helping me with." He rubs his neck sheepishly. "I'm not the best at it but, yeah, I can control it. Why?"
Robin smiles. That's one problem solved. "On missions, Miss M. links our minds together so we can talk to each other without the enemy overhearing . We didn't notice you weren't linked until you spoke in the hanger. Sorry."
Phantom returns it with one of his own. " 'S okay. Just give me... one... sec."
The buzzing feeling Robin had come to associate with Miss Martian's telepathy returns. For a moment, it's quiet. Then the green girl's "voice" comes through.
*Everybody online?*
*Robin, online.*
*Artemis, signing in.*
*Phantom here. Kinda freaking out over the whole "in my head" thing.*
Robin lets out a silent cackle. *'Astrous ! Now we just need a plan.*
~! #$%^&*()_+
The sky is clouded over tonight. A small glow, the only sign of the hidden moon, and an even shade of light stretching to the horizon is the reflection of the lamps below.
On the ground, soldiers scurry about like ants, patrolling (hey, if 'patrolling' is to keep watch over an area by regularly walking or traveling around it or through it, then how come 'trolling' has to do with starting arguments and/or fishing? Never mind.) and whatever else guards did.
Off in the distance, getting ever closer, was a convoy of headlights traveling over the desert sand.
Soon, the vehicles were driving through the palace gates and to a stop before the staircase entrance way where the Queen and her vampire ghost are waiting.
Robin stares down upon them from his hiding place on the roof, watching as more men exit the covered jeeps.
*Miss M.?*
*Linking the others now.* A pause, then an inaudible click as they join. *Is everyone alright?*
*M'gann.* Aqualad sounds relieved as he answers. *I am afraid only Superboy and I are the only ones who can move at the moment. The others are unconscious.*
*No worries, dude.* Phantom says. *We'll have you guys out in sec.*
There's a silent sense of acknowledgment and the line goes quiet.
Robin stays in his spot as the soldiers pull out a scowling Superboy, then the two girls and Kid Flash, all three of whom lay limply in their captures arms, and finally the Atlantean, who looks a bit dehydrated, but fine.
Queen Bee and Plasmius (Phantom had told them his name) descend the stairs arm in arm, coming to a stop before Aqualad, who meets her gaze calmly.
"Tell me, little hero," the Queen lets go of the ghost's elbow to caress Aqualad's cheek. "Where is the rest of your Team."
Robin relaxes his body and steadies his breathe. Here we go. *Now, Artemis!*
An arrow streaks from the sky to strike the ground between Queen Bee and the Team leader, forcing the villainess to jump back from him, lest she get hit.
Don't you just love the Bio-ship's camo-mode? 'Astrous shot.
Robin leaps into action while the Bialyans are still frozen in shock, throwing one of his ghost proof exploding birdarangs (with a net hidden inside) at the vampire ghost hovering at the bottom of the steps.
Once he lands – after making sure the spook was trapped (he was) – the Boy Wonder charges the soldiers guarding his captive teammates. As he easily dispatches the men, he glimpses a see-through Phantom picking up the knocked out Team members and flying upward to the cloaked Bioship as the half Krytonian and the Atlantean join the battle.
*They're clear!* Artemis reports.
*Fall back, Team!* Robin calls.
Miss Martian swoops over to him. Robin raises an arm so she can carry him to the Bioship.
As they got to the ship, Artemis grabs his free arm to pull he and Megan out of the way so they don't get crushed when Superboy, carrying Aqualad, jumps into the entrance.
Over by the windshield, Phantom looses a growl. "Plasmius is getting away with the helicopter of tech."
"Get 'traught, Phantom." Robin smirks at him as he raises his hand held detonator. "Remember the plan?"
Phantom returns with a smirk of his own and nods.
Robin presses the detonator.
Off in the distance, the helicopter explodes with a big BOOOM.
Aqualad walks forward to his seat. "Let's head home, Team."
~! #$%^&*()_+
"Good job, Team."
Robin can't help but to preen at his mentor's words. Hearing the Dark Knight so pleased (even if the Boy Wonder is the only one who can tell he's pleased) had always made him feel warm inside.
"The League will look over the new Cloning Technology and see if we can discover why it's different." Batman turns to leave, Black Canary, who had been standing off to the side, following after him.
The teens begin to disperse, starting with Phantom, who claims he needs to get back to his town, followed by Artemis, also needing to get home, Megan and Conner, who disappear farther into the Cave, and Wally, citing his aunt cooking dinner.
Robin turns to leave as well, looking forward to some of Alfred's chocolate chip cookies and a glass of milk, when Kaldur calls out to him.
Robin faces him. "Something wrong, Kaldur?"
The Atlantean puts one of his hands on the smaller teen's shoulder. "Nothing, my friend. I simply wanted to congratulate you on a mission well led. Soon, you will be able to lead this Team by yourself."
Robin swells at the praise. "Thanks, Kal. I'm looking forward to it."
~! #$%^&*()_+
(AN)
Here you are, chapter five. A bit longer then the last. I have to admit I was disappointed that everyone guessed correctly, but I shouldn't be. I made it kinda obvious. (Smiles sheepishly) Oh well.
Thank you all for reading, and to those who fav'ed, followed, and reviewed. And to those who left suggestions. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to ask you all to stop asking for Danny to learn to use new weapons/martial arts. He will be learning new moves once Black Canary gets her hands on him, but it would just get repetitive to keep adding and adding things in the Intermissions.
What I will ask for is more ideas for little Team bonding moments. I would really appreciate it.
Thank you all. Until next time.
Same Bat-Time. Same Bat-Channel. Only on .