Apologies in advance for how long this is, but I've already decided that every chapter will cover three locations and reveal important aspects of the story. Next update will be near the weekend. The next chapter however, won't be as long. But I'll try publish two chapters then.

BIALYA
June 20, 2017 14:20 UTC
8mins after the Northpole

A portal of dark red opened and loomed over a council of six. "You're late." A bald-headed man greets the horned boy and his tabby cat.

The boy angrily pouted at the man before crossing his arms and turning away. "You try bringing back a body from in between planes." He sticks his tongue out as a speedster came through the portal before it closed.

This prompted the other five members of the council to stand and approach the two boys. A woman adorned by a golden headpiece entered the line of vision of the speedster's blank expression and eyed him closely. "He's doesn't seem to be under."

The boy scoffed and raised one hand as if to dismiss her accusation, "Well, duh! He doesn't have a mind to be put under." This caused the queen to turn her wide eyes towards the little lord. He looked at her with one brow raised and then turned towards the man in the center. "When you told me why you needed the boy, I immediately assumed just his body would make do."

The man in the center, graced with three scars upon his face grinned. "You did well." All council members now turned to him. The little lord smirked at the man. "As long as we have full control over him."

The horned boy immediately showcased the amulet he had used to bring back the speedster. "Of course we do!" He conjured a string to tie around the loop of the amulet to turn into a necklace. "The boy only moves and talks if we will it! You know, as long as we have the pendant."

At this, the biggest figure in the room of extra-terrestrial origin pulled out his father box, "Your plans seems to be in order." The scarred-man turned to him. "I have no doubts that this experiment will work." He pressed the father box creating a boomtube in front of him. The others had their eyes on him now. "I will return to Apokolips to implant our new discovery upon our armies. But until you have succeeded in disposing the pests, my part is not yet needed here." He entered the boomtube and left the room to darken to its original light.

A cough at the far-end of the room drew back the council's attention. There, a man stood in green robes, "And who will be the one in charge of controlling the late protégé of the Flash?"

The little lord beamed, but before he could reply, the scarred-man answered, "We all know who can control the boy and maintain his unique personality," to which the little lord pouted. "Don't we, Sportsmaster?"

All eyes diverted towards the blonde man among them. The blonde man's mask did well in hiding his growing grin, "Why yes we do." He turned towards the shadow behind him and called out to her, "What do you say? Are you up for it, baby?"

A woman walked out of the shadows. She wore a uniform of dark orange and yellow with a tiger paw on her chest. "Of course, lover."

THE WATCHTOWER
June 20, 2017 11:20 EDT
1 hour after they left Central

Miss Martian stood in the command center facing the zeta tube that linked them back to Earth. She was hovering back and forth on the tips of her toes when Black Canary spoke from the main computer behind her, "Is everything alright, M'gann?"

Miss Martian quickly turned to the League's chairwoman with wide eyes and a forced smile, "O-of course!" She turned away tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Everything's peachy!"

Black Canary turned to Red Tornado beside her with a raised brow and an inquisitive look. "Perhaps she is waiting for Gamma to return," he whispered.

"RECOGNIZED. NIGHTWING B01. TIGRESS B07."

Two figures of light glowed into existence from the zeta platform. Tigress walked forward first with Nightwing behind her, lasagna in tow. Black Canary turned towards them, "That's definitely not Gamma."

Miss Martian quickly floated towards them and established a mind link, 'Finally! You're here!'

'What's going on, M'gann?' Artemis perched one hand on the hip of her Tigress uniform.

'I'm so sorry, Artemis. But we couldn't imagine not telling you-'

"And to what do we owe the pleasure?" Black Canary and Red Tornado stood in front of them just a little behind the floating martian. "I thought the two of you would be busy today," the black bird added solemnly.

'Don't tell them!' Miss Martian shouted into her heads.

"We were," Nightwing replied. "But it got a little too emotional. So we decided to bring the lasagna to the team." He smiled at Canary with the lasagna raised towards her.

Canary quickly winced at the smell, "That's lasagna? Nightwing, I didn't know you baked."

Tigress snickered to which Nightwing glared at, "Trust me, it tastes just fine." He elbowed her in the side to stop before he turned his attention to Megan, "So, shall we get this reunion started?"

Megan nodded her head and floated out of the command room into the third hallway that led to the living room and the medical bay. Black Canary raised an eyebrow at the two who made to follow, "No room for Gamma? They should be back soon."

Tigress waved her hand at the black bird as she walked past her, "It's kind of a reunion special for the early members of the team."

Black Canary sighed, "I see." Nightwing smiled pass their two former mentors.

"I'm sorry to inform you that Zatanna will not be joining you." Both the former archer and robin stopped to look at Red Tornado. "She's currently pre-occupied by the search for Doctor Fate along with Captain Marvel and Rocket." The two former sidekicks raised inquisitive brows at the red machine. "Just an hour ago, Doctor Fate hastily left his team's post in Paris without informing the team where he was headed. They have failed to locate him since."

Black Canary closed her eyes and rubbed the back of her neck. She sighed, "We should probably go back to helping them track any spikes of sorcery around the globe." She opened her eyes and smiled towards her two former students, "I'm sure he'll turn up soon."

Both former sidekicks nodded and followed the same way Megan had exited. 'M'gann, care to explain what's going on?' Artemis was losing her patience.

Megan was waiting for them just few steps from the entrance. She floated slowly beside them, 'It's better if you saw for yourselves.' She rubbed the side of her arm with one hand while they headed closer towards Beast Boy's room. 'We couldn't believe it at first but then Tula started talking to Kaldur, and Ted's joking around with Gar-' Megan quickly turned to them to give an apologetic look, 'I'm sorry. Gar saw us bring them into the medical but he suggested we hide them in his room instead so that Black Canary or Red Tornado wouldn't find of them'

Artemis and Dick shared questioning looks while they kept walking. Dick turned back to Megan 'Miss M if the "fallen" are back then why aren't we telling the League?'

Megan floated down to the floor to walk beside them. Conner was in her line of sight now standing outside Beast Boy's room with another boy. 'Whatever you see or hear, Dick..' She turned to him specifically with sad eyes, 'Don't get your hopes up.' Megan levitated the lasagna from Dick's hands.

Dick raised a brow at Megan but he suddenly felt Artemis grab his hand. He turned to the rigid body of the former archer. Her wide eyes were locked in front of them. Dick followed her gaze and saw Conner talking to a young boy with his back towards them. The boy lacked a cape but his red tunic and black tights were visible to the former protégés. Dick could feel Artemis' hold tighten around his hand as the boy in front of them turned around.

Having felt the cloned kryptonian's attention falter from him to someone behind him, he turned. He beamed at the sight of his former mentor and teammate, "Nightwing! Arty!" He ran up to them and Dick took his hand away from Artemis in order to hug his adoptive brother. Dick wrapped his arms around him and lifted him from the floor, to which the younger robin chuckled, "Woah, Nightwing," Jason used his hands to create some distance in between them so that he could see Dick's shoulders, "Did you grow twice your size while I was away or something?" Dick suddenly frowned at the boy. Jason noticed and raised an eyebrow at his brother, "What's wrong, big bro?"

Dick's forehead creased, "What do you mean, while you were away?"

Jason smirked at the older boy's question, "Away in Vlatava." He watched his brother's confused expression, "I was babysitting Queen Perdita with Miss Martian and Zatanna just a few hours ago, don't you remember?" Nightwing's expression didn't change, worrying the boy. "You and KF were the ones who tricked me into accepting the assignment, telling me how pretty and rich she was and that she's my age." The boy quickly narrowed his eyes at his brother and poked his chest, "but forgot to tell me how much of a smart-ass she is."

Nightwing remained confused. Artemis put her hand on Nightwing's shoulder and nodded to let the boy down. Jason watched the exchange before he found himself standing on the floor with Artemis leaning down with open arms. The second boy wonder quickly hugged her as tight as he could before whispering, "I like your hair, Arty. Definitely won't get whiplash from it now." Artemis chuckled. "Does KF know you cut it?" Artemis shoved back Jason's shoulders from her own. She looked at him with wide eyes. Jason was surprised but quickly put his hands up defensively, "Woah," He then spoke with a more quiet tone, a bit reluctant, "I just thought.. KF loves playing with your long hair. Wouldn't he.." he bit his lips not wanting to go on. He instead turned to a more composed Superboy behind him, "Where is KF?"

Artemis followed the boy's action and turned to the cloned kryptonian. Conner's forehead creased at the way Artemis' eyes were begging for an answer. Conner sighed and held Jason's shoulder, "He's out." He saw Artemis wince at the word. Conner gently pulled Jason out of Artemis' hold and led him to Beast Boy's room. "Why don't you join Beast Boy and Blue Beetle for a bit?"

Megan floated beside them holding out the lasagna, "They're probably hungry."

Jason frowned and turned around to Nightwing who watched him be ushered away. Jason quickly slipped out of Conner's hands and ran up to Dick for one last hug. Dick held him tighter than before, "I don't know what's going on, Dick. They said I can't go home yet." He lifted his head from Dick's shoulders. "Let's go home soon OK, big bird?" Jason whispered.

Nightwing winced but he nodded. He hugged Jason again and smiled. "I'll be in there in a second." Jason nodded and returned to Conner who opened the door to Beast Boy's room. He took the lasagna from Megan and entered the room. Voices of Beast Boy recounting tales of his adventures could be heard. They could hear Ted Kord laugh and welcome back Jason into the room with Beast Boy announcing the arrival of food. Before the doors closed again, they faintly heard Kaldur tell Tula she couldn't see Garth yet.

Nightwing helped Artemis off of the floor and squeezed her shoulders. Conner and Megan stood in front of them with apologetic looks. Artemis turned to Nightwing's more resolved expression looking back at her and realized how distraught her emotions were. She nodded and stood on her own. Nightwing took his hands off her shoulder and turned to his friends. He squeezed Artemis' hand giving her the courage to turn to their former teammates. "Start talking," she said.

Megan nodded. 'Not out loud. In case they're listening,' the lack of reply urged the martian to continue. 'I know he looks and sounds just like Jason but we haven't been able to verify who he really is.'

'What do you mean if that's really him?' Nightwing quickly interjected.

'And why not?' Artemis supplemented.

Megan sighed, 'Because I can't read his-their minds. It's like they don't have minds.'

Dick's lips pursed at the martian's thoughts. Conner quickly sided to her defense, 'What she means is that she can't read their mental activity because we don't think they have any.' This earned confused looks from the blonde and the acrobat, 'Just like M'gann, I can't hear their heart beats.' Artemis felt Dick's hold tighten. 'Kaldur didn't feel a pulse on Tula when he found her but she opened her eyes and spoke like she's.. alive.' Conner sighed, 'Look, Kaldur won't leave Tula's side but M'gann and I've been thinking and..'

'We think that maybe the three of them have no internal organs,' the martian girl finished.

Conner gestured his hand out, 'I don't have x-ray vision so we haven't been able to confirm it. But I can't hear anything within their organic structure. No heartbeat, no heat signature, no stomach acids-'

'We get it.' Artemis cut him off. She returned Dick's tight grasp, 'So what you're saying is, they're almost like hollow dolls.'

Megan shook her head, 'No, we don't think they're dolls. We actually believe that they might have taken tangible forms of their holograms by the garden.'

'That's where we found them.' Conner added. 'We replaced the projectors so Canary and Red won't notice anything strange.'

Artemis was on edge now. 'Wally's hologram is out there!' She hadn't meant the thought to be relayed to the others.

Megan quickly approached her with a sullen look, 'I'm sorry, Artemis. But when we found the others. Wally's hologram was still.. just a hologram.'

Artemis stared at her before she looked down in anger. She tried to pull her hand from Dick's hold but he kept her there. She turned towards him, glaring. But Dick looked at her firmly. He didn't give her an apologetic look. Nor a sad one. He looked at her with a firm gaze through his domino mask, but she could sense it. It was the same look he gave her for a year. The firm look among the sad gazes she received. And it was the look that told her she had to be strong, not for herself but for the people who only had sadness in their eyes.

Artemis' glare subsided and she nodded, "I'll head down to the garden."

"I'll come with you," Dick replied.

Artemis shook her head, "To be honest, I kind of wanted to spend today alone." Artemis placed her free hand on her hip and raised a teasing brow at Dick, "Besides, didn't you promise a certain boy wonder you'd be in there soon?" She signaled towards Beast Boy's room. "Give him a kiss for me, will you?"

Dick smiled and let her hand go. Miss Martian stepped closer to Artemis, "Are you sure you don't want company?"

Artemis turned to the martian with a smile, "I'll be fine." She lifted her hand from her hip and placed it on the martian's shoulder as she walked past her, "And I'm pretty sure Kaldur needs you guys more than me right now." 'And find out what's going on,' she mentally added. She felt them nod. She was a couple of steps away from the door when she heard it open and close. She heard Jason shout Nightwing before she turned a corner towards the garden.

Her trip towards the garden seemed quicker than her last. She walked past the holograms of Ted, Jason and Tula without turning to meet their gaze. She stood in front of the blue hologram of her beloved speedster and instantly met the hologram's eyes. "Happy death anniversary, Wally." She smiled at the transparent figure in front of her. "If this is all a prank, it's about damn time you jump out of the bushes and say so. I mean, a year should probably be enough to say we can't live without you."

Artemis' smile faltered and she looked down on her feet, "I graduated last month, Wally." She choked back a sob. "Mom and Jade are still missing so they weren't there to celebrate it with me." She looked back up to the hologram with a smaller smile, "But your parents were. They've been so good to me, Wally. They let me move in with them after the graduation. Bart was pretty happy about that, too. It probably feels like having a tutor for a housemate. " She scoffed. She waited for a reply as if expecting the hologram to laugh with her. Artemis looked down again but continued to smile, "Bart looks good in your uniform, Wally. But I know he doesn't feel comfortable wearing it around me." She raised her eyes again with a hand out as if to gesture an explanation, "That's why we've decided to work separately. We asked Kaldur to keep us in different teams." She pulled her hand back to wrap her arms around her forearms, "But he mostly works with the team-"

"Tigress?" Black Canary snapped her out of her monologue.

Artemis coughed before she answered her communicator, "Y-yeah?"

"I'm sorry, sweetie but we need someone in Central STAT. I think Flash and Kid Flash turned their comms off. Since you are the Flash's newest partner in Central City, I thought your presence wouldn't be out of the ordinary. And with the JLA in Rimbor for their annual apology, Zatanna looking for Doctor Fate, and the others-"

"Canary, I'm already in uniform." She took one last look at Wally's hologram before turning around to head back to the command room. "What's the problem?"

"There's a break-in."

Artemis stopped walking just by the entrance into the hallways, "just a break-in? Why can't the local police handle it?"

Canary paused before replying, "Facial recognition system of S.T.A.R. Labs confirms that it's Sportsmaster."

CENTRAL CITY
June 20, 2017 11:52 CDT
2.5Hs after Bialya and 1.5Hs after their arrival at the Watchtower.

Sportsmaster lounged in the middle of the control room of S.T.A.R. Labs. He sighed as half his henchmen round up the scientist into one room while the other half collected and sorted through the lab's computers. The henchmen were too preoccupied with the data that they didn't notice the red and yellow bolts of color floor it into the room. As quick as they had come, the henchmen on the computers were tied to the floor and the scientists were nowhere to be found. Both speedsters stood tall before the lounging Sportsmaster. He scoffed at the smallest of the two, "Heh! I thought you were dead."

The shorter speedster winced and clenched his fist. "He was your daughter's boyfriend," he angrily whispered.

Sportsmaster laughed at him and took off his mask, "Last I heard, she's dead, too."

It was the older speedster's turn to wince now and glare at the man laughing at his own blood's false demise. "Listen, Lawrence. Whatever information you intended to steal from here.." the Flash gestured around the room, "Clearly, it's not going to happen anymore." He took a step forward with his hand reaching out to the blonde man and a sullen look. "After everything that's happened this past year. I think that we both know your daughter really needs you right now."

Sportsmaster narrowed his eyes at the man clad in red, "You have no idea." The blonde man took a small remote form his pocket and pressed it. Suddenly the two speedsters were covered by a titanium net that was weighed down by 50 tons of metal balls. Sportsmaster stood up to bend down and face the Flash who struggle under the weight of net, "Listen here, bud. Just because you're the one in my daughter's graduation photos doesn't mean her family wasn't there."

Barry raised his brows at the man's retreating figure, "Lawr-" The blonde man raised a flashdrive in front of the speedster. Barry glared. "Oh, yousonofabi-"

Both men's gaze were suddenly obscured by a black smoke. A girl in an orange and black uniform dropped down from the ceiling, driving her feet into the blonde man's chest. She kicked off of him and back flipped towards the two speedsters. She crouched beside them with narrowed eyes. "What? Supersspeed can't vibrate you out of titanium nets?" she snapped.

The two speedsters' grinned at her before vibrating through the floor. The girl's attention was suddenly drawn back to the blonde man who approached her, "Been a while, baby girl." He smiled at her before donning on his mask again, "I like your hair. Reminds me of.. your mom."

Artemis gritted her teeth at him and stood up. "Do you even care where she is?" She clenched her fist and narrowed her eyes, "Or Jade?"

Sportsmaster patted the drive that was now secured in his pocket, "Why do you think I'm here?" He then turned and ran towards the door behind him. Artemis quickly made to follow him but three henchmen blocked her path. One of them made a move towards her while the other two drew weapons.

While Artemis fought with the man in front of her, she caught a glimpse of yellow and red headed towards the other two. Artemis quickly blocked the man's punch by pushing it to the side. She quickly executed a roundhouse quick to the side of his knee, making the man fall on his head. She quickly turned to the two speedsters who tied the other two henchmen, "We need to go after Sportsmaster!"

The two speedsters nodded and followed Artemis into the door behind them. They were met by a hallway full of henchmen. Bart groaned, "Ugh! I told you we missed some!"

Barry quickly turned towards Artemis, "We've got this." Artemis nodded and quickly turned her attention to the door a little to their far left that led to the stairs. They could hear the faraway engine of a helicopter from the distance. "Hurry!" Barry ordered.

Artemis quickly evaded through three henchmen and exited through the door. She quickly sealed the door shut before running up the stairs. As she ascended, she could hear the copter's noise louder. She finally reached the top of the stairs and burst open the doors to the roof. She saw Sportsmaster with one foot on the copter and a lady dressed in a white coat in his grasp. "Sportsmaster!" She shouted before shooting a crossbow that grazed the side of his pants, ripping it.

Sportsmaster turned around and scowled at the girl, "Haven't I taught you better, little girl?" He stepped onto the copter with both feet and the woman. The copter ascended.

Artemis quickly ran towards the side of the big 'H' but the copter already hovered towards the side of the building, "Let her go! You've already lost!" Sportsmaster laughed at her but ceased when she saw her bend down and hold out the flashdrive. He quickly patted the rip in his pants and fumed.

"You're not the only one with a crossbow, girlie." Sportsmaster took out his own crossbow and shot at Artemis' own equipment, bruising her hand in the process. "Let's see how you play hero without your toys."

Sportsmaster turned to the woman in his grasp, she panicked, "No, please-"

"Sorry." He interrupted, "You're no use to us now." He forcibly pushed the woman from the copter.

"No!" Artemis ran up to the ledge of the building and watched helplessly as the woman fell down the side of the building.

Suddenly, there was a bolt of yellow and red among the crowd that formed below. It ended right below the descent of the woman who now ceased her screaming. There was a great cheer and flashes of camera shots directed towards the yellow and red figure below.

She saw the bolt come from a different direction. It didn't come from within the building. But the moment she watched two more bolts of red and yellow exit the building, and slowly walk towards the third man in yellow and red, she was certain. "Wally?"

Is Jason/Queen Perdita a thing? Can it be?