[07th September 2010]
[Mount Justice, Happy Harbour, Rhode Island]
"Soooo...they just picked it up in the desert and then...gave it to us to guard? Store? Whatever? K" I stated in confusion as I walked with Aqualad through the currently deserted Mount Justice. Still painfully unprotected Mount Justice, my room excluded of course, but it seemed nobody would consider my proposals in that regards sadly. Not knowing of my mental tangent he nodded and replied in that rather formal voice of his.
"Indeed, my King gave my only the sparest of details of their most recent mission, but the Sphere was recovered during its occurrence. Recovered, and seen as a prospective aid to the Team in the days to come he hath informed me. It has taken a liking to Superman, and to Superboy as well perhaps from their shared blood"
'Maybe, or maybe it's just a continuation of the standard Justice League policy of dumping inconvenient things all in the one place' I thought as we walked towards this *Sphere* of alien origin. And boy did that make me uneasy right now; being handed a possible McGuffin at the very start of a quest was usual a bad, bad, thing I'd found in life. Of course it could just be the fact the Justice League didn't want to store it on their super quasi top secret space station for security reasons, or lack of having a regular minder there. It was hard to guess the reasoning behind some of their decisions so I filed at the back of my mind for now.
"Yeah, maybe...though honestly it'd probably better for Connor if everyone would stop comparing him to Superman. Still trying to get him to change that t-shirt of his with the big red S on it" I replied with a sigh at that little ongoing drama. One that could be defined by him now being 'Connor Kent', a proud Irish citizen, and with a surname I knew came from League influence. What were those bloody idiots thinking suggesting that name? Connor had no bleedin' idea about Clark Kent, and Superman was still being...Superdickery about the whole 'relationship' between the two. So why 'suggest' that name at'bloody'all?
It just screamed of trying to have one foot in the door without having to do anything really in regards Superboy's mental well being. The training had helped, I think, in 'calming' him down a little and building the beginnings of team bonds. Even if I was likely thought of as a 'bad influence' at times judging by the interference that I was either imagining, or was just less subtle than intended. Annoying, but I wouldn't complain too much as it wouldn't do alot of good, and Superboy still hungered for 'Daddy's' affection so it wouldn't help with him either I expect. Aqualad gave the faintest of nods as I followed him around the corner...and there was that 'Sphere' he'd been on about.
'Wow it even rolls like a ball' I thought as it came towards us and I forced myself not to tense up and threaten the thing. Evidently it wasn't enough as it seemed to freeze mid roll towards us, then roll back and side to side with beeping noises. Static and beeps were emanating from it, then an almost mournful noise at its realising it was only the two of us. Oh Nine Hells it was whining at me, us, now. If it had an animal's face I'm sure it'd be giving me sad puppy dog eyes. I sighed softly to myself; oh heavens above don't let this be the team slimmer-animal-companion-whatever...or at least don't let it be too annoying to me.
'Well...at least it's not a monkey I guess' was my best thought on the matter as I glanced at Aqualad as seemed to agree somewhat with my view of the whole Superboy-Connor thing "While I am unsure of the benefit of such a change for Su...Connor's, garb it would perhaps for our teammates well being to do as you suggest. Perhaps his and M'gann's beginning their first day together in Happy Harbour's educational facility in an hour or so will serve well in expanding belief in his own strength. And this, as one can see, is the Genosphere that had been put in our charge"
"It's...very round?" I managed to say as he waved at large rolling burbling alien sphere. At my words he just gave me an impassive look; one that caused me to give a helpless expression back in return "...what do you want me to say? It's a big giant alien sphere that the Justice League dumped on us to babysit for whatever reason. Its impressive...I guess"
"You are being very cynical at times my friend"
I shook my head, folding my arms across my chest as we observed the 'Genosphere' as he'd call it burble and warble at us a moment before going back to...resting I suppose "I prefer to think of it being realistic about things. Anyway, did your King or any of the others give any idea on how they managed to end up with our new friend here?"
"Nay, save that it was a worthy, but shall remain forever unknown, battle according to what Robin has learned from Batman"
'Meaning they broke a whole rake of international laws most likely, and then told absolutely nobody about the damn thing' I groused to myself. Damn, but did I need a coffee soon. So somehow they'd ended up with a 'friendly' piece of alien technology, told no one...and then dumped it on us. Not that it mattered right now as the great alien device/creature had moved away seemingly searching for something, or someone. Connor I expected as it rolled out of the room in that direction. Definitely wasn't getting into my room, League or no League letting alien devices they found 'friendly' have free rein around this technically secret base.
Once again seemingly forgetting that I seemed to exist, or assumed for some bizarre reason I didn't report this sort of stuff to my own superiors across the ocean. Par for the course really though; I knew Bruce Wayne was Batman, but it was disturbing in some ways that I could do so from figuring out Dick Grayson was Robin...and then adding two and two together with his adoption by said Gotham based billionaire. It was rather weird actually in my opinion. Still...all I knew was that there was a mission, and it'd take checking international news to figure out where it had been, so I wouldn't know much beyond that anyway...
"Nature of the job at times, to not have deeds remembered. ...often for the best really..." I agreed from experience; both in this life and the last. Secrecy was an important thing, let alone the fact certain deeds had to be done in the dark if they became absolutely necessary for a society. Evidently it seemed we weren't going to have any chance to talk further on the matter as Aqualad's communicator beeped before I could say anything more.
"Aqualad" followed by a paused as he listened to whoever was in his earpiece before he moved over to the 'communications station' as I liked to think of it as, motioning at me to follow. Moments later the voice of 'Why Won't Daddy Love Me' Arrow came to my ears as Kaldur'am brought up the virtual interface with a movement of hands over what had been empty air.
"Red Arrow, I need access to the Justice League database. I need exact height on the League of Shadows assassin known as Cheshire?"
Wut?
"Checking..." Aqualad's voice echoed out as he brought up the picture of Artemis's sister, who we'd only managed to get arrested a month ago when I'd found Artemis' secret. So why was it showing her as at large on her rap sheet?
And if she was...why the fuck had nobody told me? Or Artemis and her mother for that matter?
"Cheshire is one point six seven metres...she is five foot six, and exceptionally dangerous. Do you require back up?"
Kaldur...don't be offering help when it's just you and me here right now. At least that's what I wanted to say as Red Arrow's voice came back over the comms. I resisted to urge to summon something to smash his smug filled reply.
"Please, the last thing I need is the Junior Justice League"
Arrogant 'I have daddy issues' prick. Still, since this was Red Arrow, I'm sure that was going to be proved wrong fairly soon. Frankly it was amazing that someone could survive long with that combination of lone wolfness, smug, and tendency to get into situations where a team was needed. Nine Hells but the dude evidently got himself that I'd try attack with support...and I was reality warping wizard while he was basically a red coloured elf without the ears.
"Just our computer"
Good, Kaldur, good. Passive aggressive the smug Legolas wannabe like he deserves. Still Aqualad was a better person than would have been as he paused only a few seconds before giving a friendly and seemingly heartfelt well-wishing to idiot on the other end of the line.
"Good luck my friend. Aqualad out"
He turned and glanced at me as I pulled out my black coloured smart-phone and began to type a note. His tone was questioning "John?"
"I'm making a note to keep tabs on those we arrest in future, because evidently theirs a revolving door system in effect over here. Did you know she was out? Are the others we arrested that out free? I suspect Dr. Roquette would like to know for instance"
Plus Artemis and her mother, but I couldn't exactly mention that to my other teammate here. Still without knowing about that titbit Aqualad frowned, nodding in seeming agreement with my statement.
"No, I did not know this. At least till our friend contacted us a moment ago and accessing the file revealed as such"
Great, just fucking great...it wasn't like we needed to know this information now was it? It wasn't like Jade Nyugen Crock knew who Artemis Nguyen Crock was, or what she did now?
Note made I nodded to Aqualad, who still had the holographic system interface open and active up in front of him "Okay then, firsts things first. Let's bring up footage of where ever Red Arrow's at. Then we best check how she got out..." jail break looked like from here "...and what's the state of play with any of the others we put away in the past few weeks..."
I sighed, this was just not going to be my day now was it?
"...and I'm going to tell my Bosses that there very well could be an international incident for us two to attend in fairly short order"
Because odds are we would. At least Aqualad seemed to agree by his silence on the matter while bringing up the requested files well as a live feed...from Taipei evidently. Mental Note; JL earpiece comms are traceable in some measure. Oh...and there is Ninja-Kitty wielding a missile launcher...
'And yet she still loses out to the guy with the bright pointy stick launcher. Oh Ninja-Kitty your just convincing your sister that bows are better than missile launchers somehow!' I thought with a shake on my head as a battle broke out between her and the irritating asshole who'd contacted us a little while ago. Honestly I'd have put my money on her beating the red clad idiot senseless...but evidently she was having an off day, or him good one, because she went down really bloody easy compared to when she'd had a go at me.
'Oh and there is Lex Luthor getting out of his limo with Mercy Graves at his side. Well isn't that just wonderful to see'. I glanced at my watch 'Yup, gonna be a long auld day Sean me boy, and it hasn't even started yet. Best give the auld bosses a buzz and let them decide if the mess is worth any benefit of sending me to Taiwan via schizo techy Zeta Tube thing with Aqualad'
--
[Two hours, fifteen minutes and forty seconds later]
'And there we go' I thought as Red Arrows face filled the screen, half-glaring at me, and half looking like he'd eaten some rather horrible food of some sort. That guy did not like me very much it seemed. Not that I was much of a fan of his of course, but I generally polite when we *rarely* interacted – despite his constant unsubtle info gathering attempts.
That and I was friends with Artemis...a big no-no I think thanks to her looking like his replacement with Green Arrow. Course it was really going to be fun telling her later in the day that her sister managed to escape prison, try kill Lex Luthor (and friends) before being arrested again before she or her mom even knew. Not something I was looking forward to quite frankly.
Red haired not-Legolas grumbled away at us without much of a greeting or preamble "Cheshire's escaped from prison..."
Oh for fucks sake! Come on, this is just getting ridiculous!
"...and met with Ra's al Ghul. Aqualad your presence and...your friend's...would be very much appreciated..."
--