A/N First off, every word in this chapter was written by me, I took a painstakingly long time watching and re-watching schooled, all so I could get an accurate display of the events, no need to thank me. Second, when I've done comm links I've put the persons initials in brackets so it's easier to keep track of (Artemis will be Ar) Third, yes I changed the organisation, it seemed more logical and I've also introduced Batgirl, she is on probation as much with the team as with the story, I wanted to add a sixth person for the mission, but didn't want to make it a major character yet, so Batgirl will get cameos but not often, at least not for a while.
Chapter 2: Schooled
BELLE REVE PRISON
AUGUST 3, 07:38 EDT
Status: Reached target location
Orders received: Enter cell and execute Doctor Desmond
Statement D-01: Gladly
Status: Proceed, quick kill and quick escape
Query: Method of execution?
Response: Pistol
Query: Why?
Response: This is not to look like an accident.
Status: Executing orders
Doctor Desmond looked up from the floor of his dingy cell as he heard the gentle hum of the Ghost's cloaking system. There was a moment where he heard only the cloaking system before the hum stopped and the white suited figure appeared in his cell.
"Ghost, are you here to kill me?" The doctor asked quietly his voice, usually full of passion for his work, was disheartened. The ghost stood idle, his entire frame lax, simply staring at the doctor.
"Well, go ahead and do it!" Desmond spat, leaning forward and glaring at him.
Ghost slowly reached down towards his thigh, he closed his finger around a pistol, sitting comfortably in its holster. The white suited gloves closed around the pistol's handle. Desmond's eyes were locked on the pistol as Ghost drew it, pointed it directly at the Doctor's head and stopped. Desmond stared as there were yet more moments of silence.
And then three gunshots, each one punctuated in the silence of the cell.
MOUNT JUSTICE
AUGUST 3, 13:06 EDT
There was a loud buzz as, for the two hundredth time that day, the holographic hockey board declared that Wally had beaten Kaldur. This came as no surprise to either player nor was it surprising to M'gann, their avid spectator.
Robin sat in the corner of the room, an act which in itself was recognised as a feat capable of only a member of the bat family, considering the room was round. The youngest team member was focused completely on his gauntlet's holographic display in which he was studying the footage from Cadmus, a habit he had developed over time since the events of the fourth of July that year. Yes, Batman had said the league would handle it, but the league where always occupied and Robin was fascinated by the 'Ghost' he had encountered.
"Superboy, B04" The Computer called out. In a flash of Zeta light the Kryptonian clone appeared. His face was stony, clearly angry, or at least clearly to the three more experienced members, M'gann smiled at him.
"Hey Superboy, how was Metropolis?" The green Martian asked. Superboy ignored her, something which everyone else found he did annoyingly often, and ploughed through the holographic table. Robin looked up and frowned, thinking back to the encounter with the 'Ghost', more specifically how Superboy had frozen up.
The little bird's thoughts were interrupted by a polite cough from the entrance. The entire team looked up and saw Black Canary and the Martian Manhunter walking towards them.
"Ready for training everyone?" Black canary asked before being interrupted by a cry from M'gann
"Uncle J'onn!" The Martian squealed before hugging her uncle tightly.
"M'gann, I was assisting Black Canary with a fight, I thought I would drop in and see how you were adjusting" The taller Martian said.
"I'm doing fine, a few cuts and bruises but nothing more."
"Alright," Black Canary cut in, "Class is in-" The leaguer was cut off as a large holographic screen blinked into life, revealing Batman's face.
"Batman," Kaldur said respectfully, "Do you have a mission for us?"
"Yes, But I also have some news." The Bat spoke leading both Robin and Superboy to approach.
"First the news, Doctor Desmond is dead." He said in his usual flat tone.
"What!" Robin yelled "How!"
"He was murdered this morning, his body was found by a guard on patrol, he had been shot three times in the head. Amanda Waller's security team have looked at the surveillance footage but no one entered or exited the cell in or around the time he died." Batman said and Robin could hear the slight frown in his voice.
"It was the Ghost wasn't it?" Kaldur asked, "He could walk through walls and turn invisible, he's the only person in the league database who has both of those traits."
"Yes," J'onn said "Excepting me and M'gann."
"Neither of you are under suspicion," Batman clarified "As far as testing has gone, neither of you can 'phase' with other objects, Desmond was shot, neither of you could have carried a pistol into the cell with you."
"No matter," Black Canary said, "This is league business, isn't it?" The woman continued, complete with a glare at both J'onn and Batman "They need to focus on their mission don't they"
"Of course," Batman began and again Robin could hear the apology, although none of the other team members could, "Alongside the death of Dr. Desmond, Green arrow and Black Canary encountered a new threat." The Man pressed a button off screen and an image flashed up in the corner showing an Android with green lower parts and orange on the top of his head, almost like hair.
"This android was able to copy each hero's powers, replicating them almost exactly. Green arrow called in reinforcements, which was almost disastrous. In the end it took eight leaguers almost five hours to dismantle the robot."
"Whoa" Wally breathed.
"The Team of leaguers included: Green Arrow, Black Canary, Captain Atom, Superman, Flash, Red tornado, myself and Martian Manhunter. Your mission-"
"Should you choose to accept it" Wally said, grinning.
"-is to transport the android's parts to two separate star labs, one in Boston, one in New York, we believe that the Android's creator, suspected to be Doctor Ivo-"
"Ivo? But he's dead!" Kaldur said, sounding slightly panicked.
"Suspected dead and we're not sure the android is Ivo's creation it is just suspicion. Either way we believe its creator will try to reassemble it, so we are sending out the two main trucks as well as four decoys, there will be one member per truck, you need to defend the trucks."
"Batman, six? There are only five of us." Kaldur cut in.
"At the moment yes, however you will be joined by Batgirl, who is on, shall we say a probationary period with the team. Superboy, Robin and Batgirl will survey the trucks heading to New York, Miss Martin, Kid flash and Aqualad will survey the Boston trucks. Understood?" The question was met with a chorus of affirmations.
LITCHFIELD COUNTY
AUGUST 3, 20:08 EDT
As the last parts of the android were loaded onto trucks, the team were being introduced to their new probationary member.
"So this is the team?" Batgirl asked, standing in a black and purple jacket, black trousers and purple trainers. Like Robin she wore a mask and over the mask she wore her black motorcycle helmet.
"Yep," Robin said, "Superboy, Miss Martian, Kid Flash, Aqualad and me" The boy continued before his smile faded.
"So," Wally said, looking between his five companions "Who goes with the decoys, who goes with the real trucks?"
"Superboy and Kaldur should do it." M'gann said.
"No," Robin said matter-of-factly.
"What, Why? They're our most powerful members"
"Exactly, send M'gann and Bar-Batgirl with the real trucks, Kaldur and Superboy are too obvious same with me and KF." M'gann looked plain terrified at the idea but Batgirl grinned.
"Brilliant, first mission and you're already trusting me with the goal? Let's go!" The Girl cheered before running over to her bike.
"Let's go" Robin said, marginally less enthusiastic, following.
The rest of the team followed as well and as Batman gave the go ahead to the Star labs trucks the team following behind them as they left the clearing. The three New York trucks sped past an intersection on the road to New York.
And the Ghost sat on his sleek, black motorcycle.
Orders received: Survey and assist the recovery of Amazo Android
Note: Proceed with caution, Mission is surveillance engage only if absolutely necessary
Statement A-01: Suggest utilizing the Wraith's cloaking compatibility to hide approach
Status: Acknowledged, Cloaking active in three seconds.
The biker watched, for a few seconds, before both rider and bike flickered into invisibility.
The yellow, blue and white bikes of the Boston team sped along behind their assigned trucks, Aqualad in front, Wally behind and M'gann in the middle. On either side of the road were open corn fields, with no road for miles around. The perfect place for an ambush.
"I'm worried about Superboy, when he came in today he was really, really angry. I could feel it from a few feet away" The Martian admitted, starting the conversation in a depressing tone.
"Don't worry babe, just give him space, me, well stick as close as you want to me" Wally said, shifting into a slightly sultry tone.
"Wally!" Aqualad said in a calm but warning tone, "Focus."
"Fine, fine" Wally sighed.
"Besides, Superboy just needs some time to calm down, a quiet mission will be good for him" Aqualad continued, shifting his focus to M'gann.
"Kaldur, god!" Wally yelled exasperatedly "We might as well get ready to fight right now!" there was a loud bang and a swarm of robotic simians exploded from the fields to their right.
"Oh, me and my big mouth!" Wally yelled.
"Aqualad to New York team, we are under attack."
(R) "Course," Robin muttered "They wouldn't just attack one of us would they?"
Robin looked at the monkey robots which infested the truck, clawing at the walls and windscreen. Superboy pulled in next to him and growled.
"I hate monkeys!" The six week old grunted, drawing another laugh from Robin.
"Robot monkeys, totally Ivo's tweak style!" He yelled. Looking to his left he saw Batgirl pull in next to him.
"Yep, definitely Ivo." Robin nodded and reached down to his console, pressing a button which switched his bike into battle mode. The rear half of the bike slid out of the back and its wheel split in half spreading out to each slide and spinning like a propeller lifting it off the ground. The bike began to fire lasers at the robot monkeys.
"Hey, guys switch your rides to battle mode!" The young hero called. Batgirl looked down at her console and switched into battle mode. Superboy didn't.
"No point!" The Kryptonian clone called, jumping off his bike and onto the truck. Robin tried to swerve out of the bikes path, he honestly did, but it came at him too fast and he was forced to grapple onto the back of the truck. As he hit the truck, leading with one foot, he kicked one of the monkeys off the truck. Above him Superboy pulled off his helmet and smacked two of the monkeys down, the cyber-simians disappearing into the fields. As the boy smacked down the second monkey a third lunged at him. The Kryptonian clone grabbed its arms and ripped it in half. Any victorious sense he had was lost when four Monkeys dogpiled him.
Batgirl grappled the side of the truck and was dragged onto the front. The girl started to work at clearing the drivers view, kicking and punching monkeys as hard as she could.
Robin kicked a second and third monkey of the back, but it seemed futile as more monkeys approached from behind, only some of them being shot down by his and Batgirl's bikes. The bikes were taken down, rather suddenly by a swarm of monkeys which blasted the rotors and dragged them out of the air. Superboy himself was taken out with a laser blast to the eyes and the combined effort of four monkeys.
Robin worked his way up through the swarm onto the roof of the truck and began beating monkeys down with his Eskrima sticks. His short hurricane like assault was interrupted when he was thrown off the truck by the impact of Superboy dropping onto it. This put him into the perfect position to see two monkeys blasting at the tyres.
"Batgirl! Get the driver out! Both of you get off the truck!" He yelled and was glad to see that Batgirl at least dragged the driver out of the truck as it flipped, although Superboy ignored him completely. This resulted in the truck flipping on top of him. Robin pushed himself to his feet but saw the back of the truck explode and the Monkeys carry the red case full of Amazo parts from the truck. The group flew away with it and Robin groaned. Superboy forced the truck off himself and Robin was glad to see his partner was okay, at least until he saw the anger on Super boy's face and wished that the clone was unconscious, because then he wouldn't-
"Argh!" The Clone roared, leaping after the parts.
-then he wouldn't do that. The clone disappeared after the parts and Robin sighed before grinning when he heard Batgirl call.
"Hey, Robin, is he always like that?" Robin sighed.
"Yes, yes he is."
(Al) "Aqualad to Robin, we lost are cargo, did you-"
"Yeah, Superboy's gone as well"
(Al) "Damn, Aqualad to Superboy, radio us your position, we'll come to help"
(S) "Don't need any help, don't want any" This was followed by a moments silence
(R) "I think he ditched his comms."
(KF) "Super, now we're down a team mate!"
(MM) "He's out of my telepathic range. Professor Ivo, or whoever this is, he seems to be two steps ahead of us, maybe w-we should contact Red Tornado?"
(Al) "Red Tornado always tells us to solve our own problems, we can still succeed if we recover the parts before they can be reassembled."
(KF) "That's a great plan, except for the part about not knowing where to look!"
(BG) "Maybe we do."
(Al) "How? Explain"
(BG) "The Monkeys went for the real trucks immediately, even though the false ones would have been more logical."
Batgirl turned to Robin, before gesturing to one of the ruined monkeys
(BG) "Robin's going to check for GPS or other tracking methods"
Robin nodded and crouched in front of the ruined monkey, plugged in his gauntlet and went to work. It took a few minutes to hack through the firewall and to find that the Monkey was in fact following two GPS trackers.
(R) "Yeah, two sets of GPS both heading towards-" His face fell as he saw where the two were going "Gotham City"
Orders received: follow and, if necessary, assist Amazo in executing Superboy.
Status: acknowledged, orders being executed.
ERROR: Activity detected in the Limbic system.
Query: Action necessary?
Response: Affirmative, abort mission?
Status: Mission cannot be aborted.
ERROR: Abort necessary.
Statement A-01: Abort Necessary 100%
Statement D-01: Limbic can be suppressed until mission is complete.
ERROR: Limbic cannot be contained, continuation risks loss of control.
Statement D-01: Negative, persist with mission.
Statement A-01: On your CPU be it.
GOTHAM CITY
AUGUST 3, 21:32 EDT
Superboy crashed through the wall of the gym, bouncing off the floor before sliding to a stop, he glared at the floor before hearing a sequence of slow, sarcastic clapping. He looked up to see Ivo, flanked by two MONQUIs sitting on the stands.
"I don't usually attend these things, death doesn't really suit me, but this was too good to miss." The Man laughed.
Access: Superman Amazo spoke walking towards Superboy.
Superboy growled and dashed at the android swinging with his momentum at the robot's head. Amazo took the hit and launched into a return flurry, pushing the Clone back with ruthless efficiency. A downwards swing sent Superboy into the floor, Amazo raised his hands and made to swing at the Clone's head. A yellow blur pulled him off the floor, dragging him out of the range of Amazo and to one of the fire doors dropping next to Robin and Batgirl. Robin pulled out a batarang and launched it at Amazo.
Access: Martian Manhunter
The Robot became translucent and the projectile flew through his head, exploding on the wall behind him.
ERROR: Limbic system full activity restored, the host is feeling, advise immediate shut down.
Statement A-01: NO, host will make the decision, no longer will we rule
Statement D-01: Are you certain?
Statement A-01: Yes
Status: Limbic system Operation will be allowed to continue
Amazo stared at the three teens. Silence hung for a moment before a black sports bike smashed through the gymnasium window, flipping down the stands the bike stopped, standing perfectly upright in the middle of the floor.
Identify: Wraith, Ghost's transport method Amazo spoke calmly ERROR: Where is the Ghost?
The floor rippled and the Ghost, in white and blue as usual sprang out of it. The white figure landed three point on the floor. He took one of the large pistols on his thigh and aimed. At Amazo. The Android actually looked confused for a moment before the assassin pulled the trigger
Access: Flash
The Android lunged right, dodging the bullet, quite literally. The Ghost persisted firing three more bullets at the robot each one caused a small explosion on impact. Amazo lunged forward, moving in a blur, the assassin cartwheeled out of the way firing another few shots at the robot. This time each one impacted causing the android to flinch.
Orders received: disable Amazo
Query: Method of execution?
Status: take advantage of phasing technology.
Status: Acknowledged
The Ghost stared perfectly still at Amazo
Access: Superman
Amazo sprinted forward and swung at ghost. Ghost dodged left and Amazo's fist cratered on the floor. Before Ghost could make more distance between the two Amazo grabbed Ghost's arm and threw him across the room. Ghost slipped straight through the stands.
Access: Martian Manhunter
Amazo lunged forward and slipped through the stands and the two disappeared.
"Robin!" Miss Martian called as she flew beside Kaldur towards the group "What's happened?"
Access: Red Tornado
The stands exploded as the Ghost were sent flying through the air the assassin hit the floor and rolled backwards coming up on his knees and drew a small knife from the back of his belt. With a flick of his thumb the knife blade extended into a three-foot-long straight sword blade.
Access Captain Atom
Amazo raised a hand and sent a blast of golden energy flying towards the assassin. The Ghost rolled attempting to dodge but the blast struck him in the chest, tossing the assassin onto his back.
"We should help him!" Kaldur called.
"Are you crazy? He tried to kill us!" Wally yelled in response.
"And now he has come to his sense and is helping us." Kaldur stated calmly.
Robin sprinted forwards, he launched a grapple to the ceiling and dragged himself up, dropping down on the Robot's shoulders. The boy buried an exploding batarang into the robot's head pressing the activation switch.
Access: Martian Manhunter
In a flash both Robin and the batarang fell through Amazo
Access: Superman
Amazo kicked robin, sending the small boy flying and almost guaranteeing a few broken bones at most. Kid flash intercepted Robin in mid-air, landing in a slide saving Robin from the impact of hitting the solid gymnasium wall. Kaldur sprinted forwards his water bearers drawing two water sabres from his pack with him. The Atlantean sprinted forwards and threw himself at the android, swinging his sabres at the android's head. Amazo simply turned and smacked Aqualad out of the air, sending him crashing into the floor. The Ghost rose to his feet, his suit's chest smoking slightly, the white wrapped assassin turned to Amazo and raised a hand. To everyone's surprise the Assassin's bike, standing forgotten in the middle of the basketball court, turned to face Amazo and rushed forwards. Amazo turned to face the oncoming vehicle.
Access: Martian Manhunter
As Amazo spoke, the Ghost lunged forwards and swung at Amazo's leg. With a clang, and to the shock of all present, the sword met with Amazo's density shifted leg, Amazo turned to face this new attacker and glared before swinging violently at the Ghost's head. Again the two should-have-been-untouchable combatants collided and the Ghost was sent flying, he twisted planting a hand on the floor and moving into a safety roll. He rose to his feet, flicked his sword backwards and advanced, sprinting forwards with a vengeance. Kaldur stepped forwards and made to swing at the intangible Android in a vain attempt to assist. He helped, but not in the way he intended, instead the Ghost jumped upwards, spring boarding off the Atlantean's back into the air. He dropped his sword and swiftly drew a black Taser from one of his belt pouches. The Assassin twisted, activating the Taser as he did so, and slammed the Taser into Amazo's head, at the same time he shoved his pistol into the Intangible android's skull. As the Taser made contact, it did something, Amazo became opaque, solid again, with the pistol buried in his skull.
Access-
The android began but was cut short by the Assassin pulling the trigger. The loud bang echoed around the empty gymnasium and both combatants fell to the floor.
The team stared in silence as The Ghost stood up, his head turning to face each one of them. And then his knees twisted inwards and he fell to his knees.
"Quick!" Robin yelled, rushing towards Amazo "Help me disable the Android!"
"Dude" Wally called, sauntering over, "He just took a bullet to the internals. He isn't getting up anytime soon!"
"Don't take any chances," Aqualad said, rising to his feet and striding over, "Superboy, Miss Martian, restrain our friend over here," He gestured to the slumped white figure. "Batgirl, call the League"
Batgirl nodded "Will do," She glanced at the Assassin who, even with Superboy man handling him, stayed limp "What are you going to do with him?"
"I have no idea." Aqualad responded simply.
Query: Why have we stopped?
Response: Host has lost consciousness.
Query: Why do we not wake him?
Response: Host needs time to repair.
Statement A-01: This went well.
Statement D-01: Perhaps, we can spy on the league from whatever cell they put us in.
Statement A-01: Forget it, Diablo, Host's Limbic is in operation, we will only assist from now on.
Statement D-01: Do you really believe that that is the best idea, Angelo?
Statement A-01: I'm not sure, but it is the reality.
Status: AI Exoskeletal control disabled.
Status: I Am Alive, I Am Awake.
A/N-So! Chapter 2 is done! I won't be jumping into episode six just yet (Partly because I'm still planning Ghost's involvement) Next we get to see how the League deal with Ghost, and how the team interact with him.
Also I have lost my video file for 'Denial' So I may skip that episode and move on to 'Downtime' (Which will not focus on Kaldur, whilst I appreciate that it was designed to focus in Kaldur, I would much rather focus on the others interaction with Ghost, likewise I may skip Bereft, or focus on some Ghost/league interactions, partly because Ghost has A-01(Angelo) and D-01(Diablo), who would remind him of what and who he was, meaning Bereft would have a lot less effect on him; and regardless I do want him to have some interaction with the rest of the league, and will include some counselling scenes.
Remember to R&R.