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Robin and Zatanna were searching Kobra's old quarters when they heard the heavy footsteps outside the door. Robin held up a hand, telling Zatanna to stay still, and he silently walked towards the door to listen. Suddenly, everyone started yelling on the link, and Robin and Zatanna exchanged a grim look.
Before they could do anything, the door burst open and several armed Kobra soldiers ran into the room. Zatanna looked at Robin, asking if they should try to fight their way out. Robin gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head as the soldiers roughly pulled his arms behind his back. Zatanna took a calming breath and allowed the soldiers to put her own arms behind her back and push her down the hallways.
"Z and I just got caught," Robin announced calmly in the link. Every other group reported the same, except for Mallory and Tula. Mallory said, "I'm made, but we're not caught yet."
"Stand down, Inferno. Wait and see if they will bring the team together. You must also determine how all of you were captured at the same time for no apparent reason," Kaldur said.
"Stay sharp, though. Don't let them try any more possession rituals," Wally put in.
Zatanna sighed and continued to walk down the long hallway, eying each door, memorizing her way out. The soldiers pulled them to a stop, shoving Robin even with her. He looked at her, and she looked at him, needing the reassurance his calmness brought.
He locked eyes with her, and she felt the familiar butterflies under the anxiety as she stared into his blue eyes. Even she didn't see his eyes very often, and every time she did, she got the same inexplicable tug in her chest, and even now she fought a smile.
"What do we do with them?" One of the soldiers asked.
"He wants them in the temple," someone answered, and the group started walking again. "We're going to the temple," Zatanna told the rest of the team.
"Tula and I are in here with Cass. He's the one behind this, I think he's leading the cult in Kobra's absence," Mallory said.
Zatanna sighed. Great, so he would recognize them when they went in. Of course something would have to go wrong in their 'easy' mission.
Mallory stared at Cass as he slowly circled her, eying her gleefully. A second later, the doors banged open and Kobra soldiers brought the rest of the team in. Mallory didn't take her eyes off of Cass. Tula was taken off the platform and made to kneel with the rest of the team. Two soldiers stepped up to Mallory, and she prepared to struggle, but Cass held up a hand.
"Leave this one to me," he said, and the soldiers bowed and took a step back.
Mallory raised an eyebrow, even though the Kobra mask concealed much of her face. "Really? Last time you went up against me you were in the prison hospital for two months. You really want to try for three?"
Cass smiled. "Why, no, of course not, Havu. Kobra teaches his followers to be forgiving to those who may yet join the nest."
Mallory crossed her arms. "Right. I'm sure you were glad to find out that you have another shot with us," she said.
"Actually, I was thrilled when Brother John told me of your presence."
Mallory could feel the rest of the team's shock mirror her own as all eight of them looked up simultaneously to see John Gigliani step out of the shadows, no remorse or regret present on his face. Robin's eyes hardened as he realized the truth, but Megan still didn't understand.
"John, what about your freedom? You were so close to having a life again. Why would you throw that away?"
John scoffed. "A life? They wanted to take my life away, erase my very existence like I was a nobody. Kobra gives me protection and an opportunity to get even with everyone who has ever wronged me."
"Guys, what's going on?" Wally asked.
"Oh, nothing much, just that our inside guy set us up and now we're all caught," Artemis replied.
"Well, at least you know how you all got caught at the same time."
"Not helping, Conner," Artemis said irritably.
"What do we do? Do we fight back?" Garth asked.
"Not yet. We still don't know what the plan is," Robin replied.
"Actually, I think I do," Mallory said, glancing back at the team.
"Yes, Inferno found a map on the podium with Washington D.C. marked on it," Tula said.
"Not just Washington, the Hall of Justice. This isn't just a terrorist attack, this is personal," Mallory added.
"Wait, why would they want to attack the Hall? They don't have anything against the League, their problem is with the team," Garth said.
"Yeah, well, they don't know the difference, and we don't have a ridiculously public HQ conveniently in bombing distance of the White House," Mallory said.
"And Kobra is being held in the maximum security prison under the pentagon, so they can pick him up during the confusion," Robin put in.
Wally groaned. "Who thought it would be a good idea to put the country's important buildings all in the same city?" he asked.
"I'm sure it seemed like a good idea at the time," Zatanna said.
"We know what the plan is, so can we go now?" Artemis asked.
"Not yet. I want to know what Cass is planning to do with us," Robin said. Artemis groaned, but no one argued with him. Mallory turned her attention back to Cass, who was standing at the podium looking at the map.
"I assume you've seen our plans," he said casually. Mallory didn't answer, and Cass sighed and shrugged. He walked off the platform and slowly walked in front of the line of young heroes. He stopped in front of Robin, squinted slightly, and tilted his head to the side. "Search this one," he told the soldiers.
Mallory felt a shock of alarm pass as the soldiers roughly pulled her teammate to his feet and ripped the robe off. A moment later, one of them handed Cass the signature yellow utility belt. Cass examined it carefully, then looked at Robin and sighed.
"Well, the Boy Wonder. A pity we were not able to finish the job at our last encounter. Oh, well. Perhaps we can remedy that this time around." He started to reach for Robin's mask.
"Ecaf snibor no ksam eht peek!" Zatanna said hastily as Cass's fingers tightened around the face mask. When he tried to pull the mask away from Robin's face, it wouldn't budge. He tried for a moment, but gave up and moved to stand in front of Zatanna.
"So, the magician," he said, then he turned to his men and added, "gag her." The soldiers did, and Cass turned to Mallory. "Tell me, Havu, where is your outspoken speedster friend?"
Mallory narrowed her eyes, and Cass sighed. "Oh, Havu, don't be like that. Don't you know that all we ever tried to do was help you?"
Mallory scoffed. "You beat me up every day for a week, tried to kill my friends, and tried to get me possessed. What part of any of that is trying to help me?" she asked.
"What are we waiting for? We know he's planning on killing us, let's just go," Artemis said.
"Wait, Robin's right. They're up to something, or they wouldn't bother with all the talk," Wally pointed out.
"We were trying to get you to accept your greater calling. Clearly, though, I failed you," Cass said.
"Mal, ask him what he wants," Rocket said.
Mallory sighed. "What do you want with us?" she asked.
Something lit up in Cass's eyes, something that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. "Well, as a matter of fact," he said, walking back up the stairs of the platform, "I want an escort."
Mallory narrowed her eyes slightly, waiting for him to continue. He was directly in front of her now, and smiling down at her.
"I want Inferno, Metropolis' daughter, Superman's beloved partner, to lead the attack on the Hall of Justice. I want the sidekicks strapped to the plane that destroys everything the League has worked to build. And I want you, Havu, to publicly pledge your allegiance to Kobra after he is released amid the chaos."
Mallory's eyes widened as she stared up at the man. "You're crazy," she said simply.
Cass sighed. "Well, if you need more convincing," he said, and he snapped his fingers. Mallory saw the soldier standing behind Tula cock his gun and hold it to her head. Panic shot through her, and her eyes glowed red as she prepared to fight.
"Wait," she said, and Cass held up a hand, stopping the soldier before he pulled the trigger.
"Are we ready to go?" she asked.
"Yeah, we can go now. Mind getting my belt for me?"
"Sure. Hey, KF, Kaldur, Conner, I think it's time to call in the calvalry," she said.
"We are on our way," Kaldur replied.
Mallory turned to Cass. "I have a confession to make," she told the man.
Cass arched an eyebrow. "And that is?" he asked.
Mallory smiled slightly. "We could have escaped any time we wanted," she replied, and she flamed up, burning the robe off and revealing her costume underneath.
"Kill them all," Cass ordered, but a gust of wind came in, and the next thing anyone knew, Kid Flash was dropping the collected guns in the corner of the room.
"Hey, Cass. I heard you missed me," Kid said with a grin. Mallory snatched Robin's belt out of Cass' hand and threw it to the Boy Wonder, who had already broken out of his restraints. He happily snapped it back on and started freeing the rest of the team, and Kaldur and Conner came running in to assist, immediately starting to take out the soldiers. Mallory put Cass in a fire jail and grinned.
"You don't learn, do you?" she asked. The next thing she knew, something struck her in the back and she stumbled forward slightly.
"Actually, I do," Cass said. Mallory turned to see John Gigliani standing there, a gun aimed at her.
"I won't let you take this from me," John said.
Mallory narrowed her eyes. "John, put down the gun. I don't want to hurt you," she said.
John let out a laugh that sent shivers down her spine. "You already have," he said, and he cocked the gun.
"John, put down the gun. We can fix this. The League can help you get your life back, your old one, not the one the government was going to give you. But If you pull that trigger, I can't help you."
The man was gasping for air. "You wouldn't be able to help me either way," he said, and he pulled the trigger.