In the company of Frankie, she began to experience fleeting visions of myriad alternative lives she might have led. These visions appeared so vivid that she felt as though she had actually lived through each one of them. Some were mere echoes of familiar moments, like the memory of a picnic with Miles, a recollection so detailed that it seemed to unfold exactly as it had originally.

However, as she delved further into this strange new experience, the visions grew increasingly divergent and transformative, leading her to contemplate the profound changes that might have unfolded across time and space.

There was one reality where instead of stopping herself, Magenta took over her personality, and even threw the magnetic balance of Earth off. It caused the death of thousands in the world. Including those of the heroes who tried to stop her.

But then there were other moments. This was one of the most painful ones.

Frankie cried out in pain as she woke up to find herself in a hospital bed with excruciating pain coming from her lower body. She looked and was shocked to see that she was apparently in the middle of giving birth.

"What the hell?!" Frankie couldn't believe what was going on. She seemed to be in labor and was being told to push by the doctors. "Oh, FUCK!"

This was the most painful experience she's ever had in her life. She couldn't believe how much pain her doppelgänger was in but knew she hijacked her body, and was now her responsibility to make sure that this kid was delivered safely.

"Come on, Francine." The nurse said, confusing Frankie since she's never gone by her full name like that before. "One more push!"

Frankie wasn't entirely sure what she was doing. Other people at least get a nine-month notice and a handful of classes that helped her understand this moment. But she also remembered the classes she went with for both Caitlin and Frost. She was there for a handful of their classes, she taught a class or two when she was still a teacher, and she was going to do this right.

Then all of a sudden, there was the sound of a crying infant. Frankie was beginning to catch her breath and saw as the nurse cut the cord before they ran a few tests and brought the baby to Frankie.

Frankie chuckled as she looked into the eyes of her child. She smiled and even teared up, seeing that she might get who the father was.

"She looks just like you." The nurse tells Frankie.

Frankie went to respond when she was then flung out of the bed, her doppelgänger returning to her rightful place. Frankie was then sent back out into the thousands of infinite timelines and tried to anchor herself.

"This can't be it," Frankie whispered as she tried to anchor herself. "I wanna go home!"

Frankie is then yanked once again, flowing into the time stream and wondering where she's about to be thrown.


Central City:

At the Young Justice base beneath the Frankie-May Foundation, Issac was escorted to a cell resembling those from STAR Labs, which had been heavily damaged. In response to the recent events, the team opted to modify the cells into more secure interrogation chambers.

Tina and V.I.V.I.A.N. engaged Karen in conversation to unravel the origins of the enigmatic bumblebee persona, while Tommy, Violet, and Ollie took the opportunity to speak with Issac and gain his perspective on the unfolding events. Meanwhile, Sub-Zero and Maggie remained by Sunshine's side as she underwent questioning by law enforcement in order to ascertain any pertinent information she may possess.

"I am...sure you have some questions," Karen said as she removed her goggles.

"We have a few," Tina confirmed.

"Where'd this suit come from?" V.I.V.I.A.N. asks. "I mean, we know- ran!" She couldn't believe she actually almost slipped up. She really is becoming more human. "We ran your record and saw you work for the Frankie-May Foundation."

"They got a supply of Dwarf Star alloy, but that was said to have all been used up," Tina commented, wondering what her employee has been keeping.

"Yeah, it was," Karen promises. "At least officially." She admitted to them. "I thought we used it all up in the equipment. Then...whilst cleaning out some storage, I found a small sample of it left over."

"So, you saw a dangerous substance with the power of a baby nuclear explosion, and you said, 'I wanna dress like a bee'?" Tina wanted clarification.

"I was wondering the same thing." V.I.V.I.A.N. agrees. "So, how does one go from acclaimed scientist to wannabe vigilante?"

"Well, I saw an opportunity to help my city another way," Karen explained. "I saw everything going on, lesser and lesser heroes, a lot of Metahumans around the world turning up dead or missing-"

"Wait, what?" V.I.V.I.A.N. asks.

"You haven't seen?" Karen was surprised to see they didn't hear about the news. "There's been about a dozen recent reports of Metahumans being killed and gone missing in recent days."

"Lyla?" Tina called out to the computers. "This true?"

"Searching..." Lyla said as she came to life and started searching the internet. "Whoa. Have no idea how we've missed that." She then pulled up dozens of reports of missing Metahumans and a few other aliens and even Mutants who had suddenly vanished or been murdered. "That is a lot of missing people. Mona Taylor, the Queen. Found dead. A single wound to the chest. Adam Fells. Found in pieces."

"Rag Doll." V.I.V.I.A.N. was shocked to see his name on the list of victims.

"Shawna Baez," Tina recognized the name. "Peek-A-Boo, killed by a... scorching incident."

"She burned to death?" V.I.V.I.A.N. asked in shock.

"How did this go unnoticed?" Tina wonders.

"Out of our city." Lyla shrugged. "There was no mystery to their death as it was summed up in accidents. Guess it just flew under our radar."

"This is something we need to look into later," Tina said, seeing they needed to focus on this current situation. She then closed it down, literally putting it in a file for later. "So, with everything going on, you decided to put on a super suit?"

"Well, if someone is killing Metas, I thought what better way to get to the bottom of it than to hide around waiting for it to happen?" Karen shrugged. "Shrink down and hide, wait for it to happen. Figured that this Firefighter was responsible after attempting to steal the power source."

"I did not steal that power source." Issac defended himself. "Or attempt to steal it. You gotta believe me."

"A fire caused the crash," Tommy informed him. "You gotta see how the evidence looks against you."

"Am I really the only fire meta in the city?" Issac asks.

"The only one with a similar signature to the fire," Ollie said. "There is no one else in the system with your signature."

"You can either talk to us now, or we can get it out of your partner we have in lockup," Tommy stated.

"Who?" Issac asks.

"Sunshine?" Tommy asks. "Lyla, we got a name?"

"Name on our new girl?" Lyla asked as she pulled up the file. "Millie Rawlins, First Lieutenant. Seemed to have been born with the Metagenome."


In the dimly lit interrogation room, Detective Maggie leaned in, her piercing gaze fixed on Millie Rawlins. Beyond the room, Dawn and Aster, vigilant and poised, maintained watch. Aster, clad in his formidable Sub-Zero gear, exuded an air of readiness, while Dawn, a stalwart presence in her customary CCPD attire, remained unwavering.

Maggie, the indomitable sleuth of the group, harbored an unwavering resolve to unearth any potential ties between Millie and the enigmatic Firefighter. Their inquiry delved deep into the possibility of collusion, probing whether the two clandestinely conspired to lay claim to the very power source guarded with unwavering vigilance by Sub-Zero.

"You think she'll crack?" Sub-Zero asks Dawn.

"Well, I have seen Maggie get into people's heads before," Dawn shrugged. "That power to literally turn into people probably gives her an edge."

"well, yeah, turn into their partner, get them to spill the beans." Sub-Zero scoffed. "But still...you think Firefighter is guilty?"

"He ran away from you, didn't he?" Dawn asks.

"Yeah, but a lot of people run when innocent," Sub-Zero stated. "Remember Cable?"

"He hunted you," Dawn reminded him.

"Fair." Sub-Zero shrugged.

"So, what would a First Lieutenant, who rescued fourteen friendlies from an insurgent labor camp, want with a power source?" Maggie asks as she leans close to Millie. "You were missing for...a few years. Then you show back up in Central City, the place you were born and raised...and have Meta powers. I am starting to guess there is more than just a coincidence there."

"You don't know anything," Millie stated.

"I know that you seem to be the person who isn't pulling the strings," Maggie stated. "I've seen a lot of criminals in my time here. Murders. Crime Lords. You don't seem like a leader to me. You seem more of a... follower. Someone who is taking orders. Which means that you were indeed a member of a crew. Which means... Firefighter was likely not only your accomplish, but likely your escape in case of capture."

Millie looked at her like she seemed to be confused by what she had just told, but seems there was some truth in what she said. "Who is Firefighter?" She asked.

Dawn and Sub-Zero weren't sure if she was just covering for her partner or if she generally had no idea who Fire Fighter was. Maggie, however, was questioning if Millie was telling the truth and was then thinking if Fire Fighter wasn't her accomplish, and she indeed wasn't the boss, as she already figured. If Fire Fighter wasn't her accomplish...

And then there was a sudden smell of smoke, getting them to look and notice there was some sort of fire burning the wall of their interrogation room. Then there was an explosion, sending Millie and Maggie to seek cover. Dawn and Sub-Zero wondered what was going on, and she saw several cops come in, and she couldn't run into her Velocity attire. Sub-Zero walked in as he went for backup.

As the officers cautiously made their way into the room, they were immediately confronted by a mesmerizing display of emerald flames billowing through the dense smoke. In a swift and calculated move, Sub-Zero conjured an icy shield around his arm, successfully fending off the searing green fire directed at him. As the smoke began to clear, the enigmatic figure responsible for the fiery assault strode confidently into view, revealing herself to the room.

She stood tall and commanding, her striking features accentuated by her fair complexion and lustrous grass-green hair that cascaded in wild waves around her shoulders. Piercing eyes, the same enchanting shade of green as her hair, held the room captive. Her form-fitting attire, an X-verse green tank top paired with long gloves that enveloped her entire arms, effortlessly highlighted her statuesque figure. Adorned in green jeans cinched with a sleek belt and military-grade boots, she exuded an air of effortless strength and confidence. A green bandana adorned her head, complementing her green lipstick and captivating purple eyeshadow. The ensemble effortlessly showcased her flat, toned abs, as well as her long, shapely legs, leaving an indelible impression on all who beheld her.

Sub-Zero found himself momentarily entranced by her beauty as she entered the room, flames flickering at her fingertips. Reacting swiftly, he unleashed a blast of ice to counter her fiery attack before taking cover with Maggie.

The girl then seized the opportunity to snatch Millie and the power source, swiftly making their escape. Sub-Zero was quick to chase after them, shooting the wall with ice to ensure they wouldn't need to worry about that later.

As they left, Dawn burst into the room only to discover that Sunshine had slipped away; they had apprehended the wrong person. It turned out that the firefighter was innocent after all.

The dark, icy figure of Sub-Zero emerged from the shadows, his piercing blue eyes locking onto the new Fire Metahuman girl and Millie as they hurried through the parking lot of the dimly lit police station. With a swift and precise motion, Sub-Zero unleashed a blast of frost that narrowly missed as he only wanted to send a warning shot, sending a chill down their spines. As he advanced toward them, his hands crackled with icy mist, a silent but menacing warning of his formidable powers.

"Hey!" Sub-Zero called out, getting them to turn and face him. "You got something that doesn't belong to you!"

The green-haired fire metahuman sighed as she handed the suitcase over to Millie. "Go." She said as Millie ran off with the suitcase. The green-haired woman then turned to look back to Sub-Zero. "Look... I don't wanna fight."

"You should have thought of that before you blew a hole in the prescient," Sub-Zero stated as he gestured back to the escaping Sunshine. "And helped a criminal escape."

"I don't have a choice." She stated. "I owe someone a debt. I am not going back!"

"Going back?" Aster asks. "What is she talking about?"

"Then why not turn yourself in?" Sub-Zero asks. "Get yourself a deal? I got a few lawyers I can recommend."

"You don't get it." She stated. "My boss has cops in her pocket. I turn myself in, I'll be right back where I was if I am lucky. Or I could end up in a ditch somewhere where my flame dies out."

"Really? Fire puns?" Sub-Zero asks. "Come on."

"Like I haven't seen you make cold puns." She replied. "Look, I am trying not to hurt anyone. As soon as I pay my debt, I will disappear."

"And the power source?" Sub-Zero asks.

"Oh, that's for something the boss wants, nothing to do with me." She replies. "I am innocent in that."

"That is not how that works," Sub-Zero stated. "If you allow someone to cause chaos because of your actions, then it is your responsib-" He almost gagged when he almost finished that sentence. "Oh, my god! I sound like Dad."

"Good, you heard it, too." Aster was glad to see.

"Just...stay out of my way." She said as she then walked off.

Sub-Zero then shot ice again, this time aiming to hit her with it. She then turned to face Sub-Zero, her eyes beginning to flame with green fire in her eyes. "Not gonna happen, Fire." He decided to name her first. It's not the most subtle name, but his name is literally Sub-Zero. "Now, you are either going to turn yourself in willingly, or I will take you in myself."

The newly named Fire then quickly raised her fists and ignited flames in them as she was preparing to strike. "It's cute that you think that, cutie."

"Did she just call you cute?" Aster asks.

Sub-Zero wasn't sure if she was trying to throw him off or was actually flirting. "Okay, so I wasn't the only one who heard that."

Fire then shot a blase towards Sub-Zero, who quickly created an ice shield to protect himself from the flames and saw she was willing to go down fighting. The air crackled with the opposing forces of fire and ice as the two powerful beings faced off in an intense and dramatic showdown.

Her eyes blazed with determination as she focused her energy, conjuring swirling columns of fire around her. His icy gaze locked onto Fire, and frost emanated from his outstretched hands, creating an arctic chill in the air.

As the battle began, Fire unleashed a barrage of scorching fireballs, aiming to overwhelm Sub-Zero with her unrelenting assault. The sizzling heat filled the air, but Sub-Zero countered with sharp icicles and freezing blasts, deflecting the fiery onslaught with precision and skill.

Fire danced nimbly around the frozen projectiles, her fiery aura protecting her from the biting cold. With a swift movement, she launched herself towards Sub-Zero, wielding flaming fists that collided with his icy barriers, creating explosive bursts of steam and sizzling water.

Sub-Zero retaliated by summoning powerful blizzards and creating slick, icy terrain under Fire's feet, attempting to encase her in a freezing prison. But Fire fought back, channeling her inner heat to melt the encroaching ice, her fiery determination fueling her every move.

The battleground became a chaotic mix of scorching flames and icy blasts, each combatant pushing their powers to the limit. The air crackled with the clash of opposing elements, creating a dazzling display of fire and ice that illuminated the surroundings with an otherworldly light.

Sub-Zero, surrounded by a fog of smoke, clenched his fist, shaping it into solid ice as he lunged toward Fire. Anticipating his move, Fire swiftly sidestepped his attack, her eyes gleaming mischievously. With a sly smile, she began to trail her fingers along Sub-Zero's arm, diverting his attention and causing him to momentarily lose his focus.

Seizing the opportune moment, Fire skillfully heaved Sub-Zero over her shoulder and forcefully drove him into the unyielding concrete below. As she readied herself for a decisive strike, Sub-Zero retaliated by ensnaring her feet in ice, causing her to lose her balance and tumble onto him. Amidst shared laughter, Fire attempted to exert her dominance by seizing Sub-Zero's head and aiming to slam it onto the ground. Quickly reacting, Sub-Zero conjured a protective layer of snow to cushion the impact.

Sub-Zero retaliated by releasing a blast of freezing mist, propelling Fire across the vast expanse of the parking lot. "Man, I think I am falling for this girl."

"You are kidding me." Aster couldn't tell if he was serious.

Fire stood up and groaned as she felt her shoulder was getting frostbitten because of their fight. She looked at Sub-Zero and smirked. "See you around."

Fire then scorched into a giant ball of flames before she took to the skies and left the split personalities behind in the chaos. Sub-Zero got up and approached the location where she shot off just when Dawn finally sped her way over to them, getting Sub-Zero to scoff.

"Are you kidding me?" Sub-Zero asks. "What kept ya?"


NATIONAL CITY:

As the King of Wakanda arrived in the city, Alex felt a growing sense of urgency to ensure his safety. The possibility of outsiders seeking to obtain Vibranium and potentially sparking a global conflict by harming the king was a very real threat. With Azari being accompanied by the younger team members, Alex made the strategic decision to entrust the safety of the king to the Dream Team.

Meanwhile, Kara and Peter navigated their way to the Department of Extranormal Operations (DEO) after ensuring the well-being of the twins at the Watchtower, where J'onn was keeping a vigilant watch over them following his return with M'gann.

"We heard what happened," Kara said as she approached her sister. "What's this about Wakanda?"

"Well let's say that we are now on thin ice with another nation thanks to the kids," Alex explained.

"How did they manage that?" Peter asks.

"On a routine mission, they may and or may not have assaulted the prince of Wakanda," Alex explained.

"How did they manage that?" Kara now asked.

"In their defense, they thought he was stealing evidence from the scene Alex explained. "But...now we've learned someone stole a shipment of Vibranium."

"The same stuff as Morgan's shield?" Kara asks.

"God, we were gone less than a day," Peter sighed. "The Syndicate see anything?"

"I have them patrolling the ship, waiting to hear back," Alex said, seeing they have gone dark for some time. "Actually...it has been quite the moment." She then approached the computers and sent a signal to the ship. "Syndicate. Report in."

Nothing but static came back.

"Syndicate? Carolyn? Musty?" Alex called out, seeing nobody answering made her worry. "You guys mind being a response team for me?"

Kara and Peter signed as even though they were still on minor duties, they hated leaving the twins. Especially recently. "We'll check it out."

"Where's the Dream Team?" Peter wonders.

"Since the whole incident, I have them stationed to keep eyes on the King to make sure that whoever stole the shipment of Vibranium wouldn't go after him. He is planning to give a speech at the National," Alex explained. "But now I am worried about the Syndicate."

"We'll let you know what we find," Peter said as they walked off to then blast off toward the ship.


Meanwhile, Roberta, Angelica, and Cessily were in the Watchtower as J'onn stepped out with the twins. With his capability to fly and become invisible and his intangibility to keep an eye on the twins, he took Richie and Astra out to the park. The others were however trying to figure out what they were meant to do with the Prince since there was no sign of anyone after Vibranium so far.

"So...what do we do?" Angelica asked her friends.

"How should I know? This is the first time I am entertaining a prince." Roberta stated.

"That is the last time I leave you guys alone," M'gann tells her friends.

"So, what is it you do all day?" Azari asks the girls. "You patrol the city? Train your powerset?"

"We...kinda only go out when Lyla tells us there has been an emergency," Cessily explained.

"Yeah, otherwise we just...uh... hang back," Roberta explained. "We..."

"Look, guys, we can handle this," M'gann said to her friends, using their psychic connections. "Not much is going down, so...maybe we could just show Azari the sights."

"Sightseeing?" Roberta asks. "Not a bad idea."

"Hey, Azari," Angelica called out to the guy. "Wanna do a little sightseeing?"

Azari looked over at them and shrugged. "Why not?"


Central City:

Back in his cell, Issac was pacing anxiously, the sound of his footsteps echoing off the cold metal walls. Suddenly, the heavy doors creaked open, and April, with a confident stride, entered the room. She nonchalantly disengaged the dampeners, allowing Issac's fiery powers to surge forth unrestrained.

"Well, turns out you were right," April tells him. "There is someone else out there with powers like you."

"Told you." Issac sighed in relief. "Who is it?"

"We are still pulling up data," April said. "Lyla, our AI, is having trouble with the cameras and running her face through surveillance."

"Not anymore," Tina said as she came in. "Come with me."

The trio made their way to the central gathering space, noting that the rest of the group was already there, anticipating their arrival. Tina settled into her chair while Karen and Isaac remained standing behind her. Curiosity hung in the air as they all awaited Lyla's discoveries regarding their newfound adversaries.

"Well, you are not going to believe this, but our new fire meta was an army veteran," Lyla said as she pulled up the file on their enemy. "Meet Beatriz Da Costa." She said as the file showed a blonde, who had her hair up for a professional photo. "What took me so long to find her is the fact she is reported as dead."

"What?" Tommy asks. "Dead?"

"Reported dead three years ago after a squad...well, she and her squad died in the fire," Lyla explained.

"She seemed pretty alive to me," Sub-Zero stated.

"False death?" V.I.V.I.A.N. asks. "Maybe she survived."

"No, she said something that stuck with me," Sub-Zero said.

"That you were cute?" Aster asked.

"Yes." Sub-Zero let slip. "No! She said she was never going back. She was paying off a debt."

"We thinking that she was captured?" Ollie guessed. "Experimented on?"

"It does make sense," Armando said.

"But who broke her out?" Violet asks.

Then there was an alert as they looked over to the portals. "01, Black Cat." The announcer warned them.

Ashley approached through the portal that leads to F.E.A.S.T. "Hey, guys." She said, not realizing there were newcomers in the room. "Sorry I am late, Miles needed a hand. So, I heard there's a new gang on the loose?"

"Cat!" Dawn called, gesturing to Karen and Issac who were in the room still.

"Wait, isn't that the scientist you hired?" Ashley asked, looking to Tina, who facepalmed at the fact her sister gave her away. Bad luck for real. "What?"

"We never told them who we were," Tommy explained her anger.

Ashley then realized what she had done. "Oh..."

"Wait. Tina?" Karen asked as she looked over to her boss.

Tina sighed and removed her mask. "Hey, Karen."

"Oh, I am so fired," Karen whispered.


GOTHAM:

As Terry made his way through the office, he was on a mission to find Kate. She was in the midst of discussing the recent peculiar security incident that had everyone on edge. There were concerns about a potential breakout attempt by the most dangerous prisoners in the world during transport, and this had created a palpable sense of unease among the staff. The thought of these notorious individuals escaping during transport was a risk too great to contemplate.

"We need to take this seriously." The guard tells Kate.

"Well, I've heard that Starrware Industries isn't having any issues," Kate commented. "I don't think this is anything to worry about. It might even be a trick by the inmates themselves to try and postpone the transfer. But I understand your concern."

"Then what do we do?" The guard asks.

"Let's get them to the RAFT for a second transfer." Kate offers a solution. "I know someone who works there. I'll get it so that they'll get to the RAFT, and make sure the transfer goes smoothly. But their court dates... well, I know a few lawyers."

The guard nodded and walked off. Terry watched him leave and approached Kate. "Everything good?"

"Hard to say," Kate said. "You got the Batwing fueled to head out to see the transfer?"

"Shy not leave it to the guys in Central City?" Terry asks.

"Strength in numbers. A few more helpers wouldn't harm anyone." Kate shrugged as she took a seat. "So...did you get it?"

Terry chuckled when he saw how anticipated Kate got at asking the question. "Yeah, just picked it up." He then showed that he got a ring that he was planning to give to his girlfriend Dana Tan. "I plan to propose later tonight."

"No Dark Knight tonight?" Kate asks, wondering how he will answer.

"Well, I think the city can survive one night without him," Terry shrugged. "Even Batman needs a night off."

"Don't jinx yourself, kid," Kate warned him. "Every time someone says that, something will happen. Remember when I proposed to my girlfriend?"

"In defense, you should have held off until we had Clayfacd in custody," Terry replied with a smile.

"I could fire you." Kate reminded him,

"Well, I will take my chances," Terry said as he strolled off. "But do call if there is trouble."

"I was gonna do that anyhow." Kate proclaimed as he left.

Terry chuckled as he headed off. But as he was heading out, he almost bumped into Mia Queen; who was standing outside the office. Karen Staar was also there, and she was there mostly for security purposes, at least that was the explanation.

"Oh, Karen, Mia, hey." Terry was surprised to see her. "What are you two doing in Gotham?"

"The tech for the security cells needed to be checked, so I came by," Karen said.

"Well, I'm here for the mayhem and chaos obviously," Mia stated with a smile. "That, and I tracked down a possible lead to a robbery that happened in my city."

"What happened?" Terry asked.

"Someone broke into the remnants of Queen Enterprises, and stole some old gadget my dad used to have," Mia explained.

"It was like some sort of old skeleton keycard or something, capable of accessing any lock." Karen finished explaining.

"And you tracked them here?" Terry asks.

"Yeah, don't know what's here that they couldn't find in Star City," Mia commented. "Came here, thinking Kate might have a way to help."

"Well, let me know if you need any help," Terry said. "I'd be more than happy to help."

"I might take you up on that," Mia said as she strolled into Kate's office.

"See you guys later." Karen said as she walked off.


National City:

At the assembly, King T'Challa was getting ready to give his speech about the recent attack on Wakanda. Morg'Ann, Nia, and Gwen were keeping themselves busy keeping all of the potentially dangerous people out. They weren't going to risk going to war with a nation as powerful as Wakanda.

"Spotters on north and south report all clear."

"Copy that."

"The delegate from Sokovia was caught in traffic but is now en route."

"Do we have an ETA on her?"

"Stay alert. The next speech is about to start."

Back inside, T'Challa was about to walk out on stage while Morg'Ann was watching from the side of the stage. "Thank you, General Assembly, for the warm welcome. I am T'Challa, king of the African nation of Wakanda. Wakanda is an isolated nation, a private sanctuary, an independent kingdom that has thrived for thousands of years."

While that was going on, an armored truck was barreling its way down the streets and heading for the front gates. The guards fired upon the approaching vehicle, but they weren't able to stop it as the truck slammed into the front doors, getting the people to scream and run in panic.

When the doors opened, they saw the culprit was Brock Rumlow Crossbones. At a young age, he was the leader of the Savage Crims gang on New York's Lower East Side. he brutalized fifteen-year-old Rachel Leighton, two of her brothers assaulted Brock and he killed them. Rumlow fled, entering the Taskmaster's school for criminals, and within three years he became a mercenary.

He wears a dark grey sleeveless army uniform with bones making an X on the chest, a belt dark grey gloves, and combat boots his mask is black with a skull face on it with the eyes being white around the black outline of the eyes on the mask.

It didn't take long until he was quickly surrounded by guards and police. They all raised their weapons at the mercenary, preparing to take him out.

"Freeze!"

"Hands in the air!"

"Get on the ground, now!"

Crossbones only laughs, seeing the demands. "Which is it? Feeze, get on the ground, hands in the air? Come on, guys." He then pulled out a pistol and quickly shot at one of the guards. "Make up your minds."

"Both sections, we have a developing situation."

Morg'Ann saw that this was a situation and contacted her team, preparing to head out. "Stay here until I give the order."

"Protect the delegates." Nia said, following Morg'Ann as they ran to help."

"The world is becoming a smaller place, and it brings all peoples closer together." T'Challa continued his speech, connecting to a small device on his wrist that contacted Azari. "But our future will be on our terms, not yours."

Azari was enjoying the sights with the others when she got an alert, warning him that his father was in danger.


Crossbones was making his way to the doors, charging his pistol to kill. But as he did so, Morg'Ann came charging and rammed the door, sending herself flying into Crossbones and sending him flying. Gwen was quick to shoot some webbing and wrapped Crossbones up, followed by Nia coming in and creating a whip to keep him from escaping.

"Crossbones!" Gwen sounded cheery to see him. "I don't suppose you're here to be inspired by the speeches."

"Someone paid me to eliminate the king," Crossbones stated. "But you, Cap? I'm taking you out for free."

Then some device went off, blinding Nia and causing her to lose focus on her illusions. Gwen saw as Crossbones broke free of her webbing and opened fire. Gwen leaped out of the way to dodge the attacks, tackling Nia in the process to keep them both safe. Morg'Ann luckily had her shield, so she was able to keep the bullets from hitting her, as well as the guards she was protecting.

Crossbones began to approach them, but he was struck by the sudden appearance of another shield coming to strike him. Crossbones was knocked down and was sent flying by Roberta coming in on her wings from her suit. Crossbones groaned and prepared to strike, but M'gann came out from the ground behind Crossbones. She worked fast and grabbed his fists, keeping him from reaching his pistols. But she was struck by electricity coursing through his armor, causing M'gann to let go and faint in the process.

"You got your shield and I got mine," Crossbones stated.

Then he grabbed M'gann, throwing her into the ground. She groaned in pain, Roberta flying in fast to get Crossbones off of her. Crossbones was sent skidding backward, where he was quickly able to get back up and prepared to strike.

But with a quick swift motion, and Crossbones was sent flying and was trying to find who attacked him. Then all of a sudden, he was clawed, and his mask was sliced in half. Azari stood tall in his Black Panther armor and was revealed to be the one who attacked.

"It would be wise for you to surrender," Azari said, preparing to strike with his claws. "But I hope you don't."

Crossbones made it clear he wasn't going to go down without a fight as he got back up. But when he did, two web strands hit his arms, causing him to turn and see Super-Arachnid as she leaped and yanked her webs, launching Crossbones into the air. Angelica then slammed Crossbones into the ground, knocking him and his armor out of commission.

"Did he say he was hired by somebody?" Angelica wanted to clarify.


Peter and Kara glided over and touched down on the vessel, which appeared to be nearly deserted. Peter conducted a swift assessment and discovered an anomaly that was interfering with the functionality of his gear.

"Well, that's what stopped Alex from contacting," Peter commented as he strolled over and noticed a few shots that seemed to have been fired. "Something went down here."

"Yeah, I'm getting the same feeling," Kara said, beginning to use her powers. "I'm getting a faint sound. Sounds like an alarm."

"Check it out, but stay on alert," Peter warned her, scanning the marks to see how things went down with some reconstruction. He saw that the mark came from a spear, which was an odd choice of a weapon. Then again, it could easily be from when the Dora Milaje showed up and surrounded them. "You've got anything?"

Kara was strolling down the hall, and what she found was that the crates were lined with lead, meaning she couldn't see through them. "Not much. Seems they're lined with lead."

"Well, that's not ominous," Peter commented, flying downward and then searching down the halls of the boat. "No sign of the Syndicate." He then found the source of the EMP and shut it down. "Got our comms back. Find the Syndicate?"

"They wouldn't be stupid enough to try and escape, would they?" Kara asked, happy to have comms back. "They know we'd just..." then she stepped on something. She looked down and saw that she stepped on what looked like glass. "Glass?" She knelt down and picked up a small fragment. "Hey, was there anything to do with glass on the ship?"

"Not that was important to us," Peter said as he contacted the DEO. "Alex? We've got comms working, but no sign of the Syndicate."

"They're not stupid enough to ditch us," Alex stated. "They were on good behavior, hell, there were even talks going on of letting them go. Have them try and live their lives without the DEO watching over their shoulders forever."

"What's that smell?" Kara asked, smelling remnants of the chemicals Kraven used.

Kara then looked over the fragments of glass, trying to figure out what it was. But when she then found a giant piece of glass, she turned it around and found there was something that shocked her. She gasped, dropping the fragment and causing the piece to split into three pieces. What she saw was the face of Keemia on the other end of the glass.

"Oh, my god!" Kara cried.

"Kara?" Peter asked, running down the halls. "Kara?!" But as he was running, he froze when he caught a glimpse of blood on the floor. "Oh, god." He instantly found the source of the blood, finding Francine with a giant wound in her stomach. "Alex? Electro's dead."

"What?" Alex asked in shock. She then turned to her men in the office. "Get their trackers up, now!"

Peter then began to hear faint beeping, as did Kara. They didn't take long to find where the trackers were homing in and found that the entire team was slaughtered.

Kara walked over and kneeled to Rebecca in sorrow. Rebecca was the most innocent and was only a victim of circumstances. She was thrust into this life and was forced into a life of crime by others' intervention. She didn't ask for this to happen to her, or to become Death Locket, but she turned over and did all she could to make up for her past.

Peter found Misty before running up to find Kara holding Rebecca in sorrow. "Alex... we found them," he said in sorrow. "They're dead. All of them."

Alex froze in fear when she heard that. The Syndicate were criminals, but at this point, they were basically reformed criminals. Basically, they were unofficial DEO agents.

"Oh, my god," Alex whispers. "How? Who?"

Peter walked over and tried to figure out what happened. "It's... it's hard to say. It... it was a trap. They were led here, far away from people, they were alone. This was an ambush."

"Oh, my god," Kara said, taking notice of something. "One of Doc Ock's tendrils is missing."

Peter looked over to Rebecca, noticing that her arm cannon was missing. "So is her arm."

Kara seemed to figure out why they were missing. And so did Peter. The question as to why they were missing however sent a chill of fear down their spines.

"Trophies," Peter said in fear.

"Alex, whoever did this, they're taking trophies," Kara said in worry. "We're looking at some sort of serious monster level here if they could kill the Syndicate."

"But who?" Peter asked in worry. "I don't know who could have this much power, and waste it on the Syndicate."

"Or were they just the warmup?" Kara asks.

Peter then got a chill down his spine as he wondered if this was indeed a one-off attack. "Alex, you need to contact everyone. Call everyone we know. Let them know... we might have a serial killer on the loose."


Central City:

Peter was sitting at his desk, looking over at the many pictures he had taken over the years. All of them were the many memories that held such an important moment in his life.

The first photo was of him and May when he graduated college. The one next to it was of him, Ronnie, Cisco, and Caitlin celebrating their engagement. The next one was of him and Barry, and Cisco, the three of them just hanging out at STAR Labs. Next to it was when he and Frankie started to get along, back when he first adopted her. Then came the wedding day of him and Caitlin, the birth of the twins, Aster's birth, and so many moments.

"Hey," Miles called, getting Peter to jump and see he was in his office. "You doing okay?"

Peter sighed as he leaned down in his seat. "Not much really going on."

"Yeah, I can see that," Miles said as he saw the projects Peter had been working on. "Thinking about her?"

"Always," Peter stated with a sigh. "Five years... can't believe how long it's been since that day."

"Yeah, I know," Miles said with a sigh as he approached Peter. "Heard Barry had some mishap with his powers."

"Yeah, our resident Scarlet Speedster is beginning to get old," Peter said with a chuckle. "But he doesn't seem to wanna believe that."

"Yeah, heard he's testing his speed in the basement," Miles said. "I was down there before coming up here. I wanted to check in on you. We... haven't really had time to talk. A lot has been going on at F.E.A.S.T. reveling, especially with the expansion coming along."

Peter nodded with a smile. "Frankie would be proud, you know?"

"It's what reminds me this is all worth it," Miles said. "What do you say we go out? Just...get something to eat? I know you don't have the same appetite you used to, but you're still human."

Peter nodded and seemed to agree. "Yeah, sure, I could get some food." He then stood up and dusted his clothes. "You mind getting a head start? There's a certain project I gotta check on before heading out."

"Yeah, sure, I'll meet you down there," Miles said, starting to head out.

Peter nodded silently as he watched Miles leave the room. As soon as his old friend was gone, Peter walked over to the shelves filled with picture frames. Among them, he noticed one in particular that caught his eye. It was a photo of him and Frankie on her high school graduation day. Moving closer, Peter ran his hand along the frame and discovered a concealed mechanism. With a simple push, the frame tilted downward, revealing a hidden compartment within the wall.

Upon activating the mechanism, a secret passage was unveiled, replacing the old safe that had once housed the gear of the notorious Sinister Six. Peter stepped into the room beyond and found himself in front of a container surrounded by monitors. Locked within the container was a sight that he was all too familiar with - a symbiote, but this one was different. It wasn't of alien origin this time.

For a long time, Peter had been toiling away, dedicating countless hours to perfecting this endeavor - Project: Synthetic Intelligence. The goal was to create an artificially engineered symbiote that would grant him all its formidable powers without the adverse effects of its alien nature. As he approached the containment unit, Peter carefully extended his hand, observing in amazement as the creature within mimicked his every movement.

"Is it ready?" Peter asked someone.

Then out of one of the computer monitors, Chester P. Runk was revealed to be the one who was behind the computers. He was looking over information on the computers and shrugged. "It seems like we might have finally made a breakthrough. It will work just like the original. Mental control, just without the alien influence."

Peter nodded as he then walked over to the controls. "All that's left...is a field test."

"You sure that is a good idea, boss?" Chester asked, watching Peter disable the security protocols. "I mean, you said that this thing is for extreme emergencies."

"Five years, Chester," Peter said with a whisper. "For five years, I watched my family go out there, risk their lives, while I sat on the sidelines, unwilling to risk my powers, I forgot my biggest asset. My company." He disabled the last of the security protocols and approached the floating Symbiote. "And with this...I can get back what was taken. I can become who I lost..."

The symbiote slithered over Peter's hand, wrapping around it and gradually spreading across his body to form a new suit infused with its synthetic essence. The suit was mostly black, featuring large white spider symbols on the chest and back, a departure from the traditional smaller motifs. The spider's legs extended, with the frontal emblem reaching the slim black outlines of the suit. The underarms of the suit were also white, while the gloves remained black. From the torso downwards, the suit was entirely black, revealing the symbiote's influence from Peter's previous encounters with it.

"So... how do you feel?" Chester asks in worry.

Peter gazed at his clenched fist, watching in amazement as the Symbiote materialized an array of deadly weapons. Curious to see what else it could do, he experimented with creating tendrils, which swiftly extended from his back, snaking out to ensnare various objects in the vicinity.

Next, he extended an organic web and swung into the air, effortlessly hanging upside down. It was evident that he now possessed the ability to do so without relying on his innate powers. Notably, his wristwatch did not register the use of any of his abilities, indicating that the Symbiote was truly compensating for them. It was an incredible achievement. He had successfully created a fully functional Synthetic Symbiote.


Beatriz and Sunshine returned to the docks with the power source. She signed in relief that they managed to get the job done without killing anyone. Sunshine was more than willing to kill for the job, but Beatriz wasn't as willing. She was doing all of this because she owed someone a favor.

"We got the energy source," Beatriz said as she made her way inside. "And got your favorite assassin back."

"We were starting to get worried," A female called, getting them to look over and see another Metahuman come out of hiding. This was Millie Rawlins, one of Black Hole's assassins they created. She goes under the name Dr. Light. Kimiyo has the power to emit extremely bright starlight. She is also able to use her light power through a photon rifle she carries to make it more lethal. "Boss was about to send reinforcements."

"Well, we managed to get the job done without you," Sunshine said as she took the power source from Fire. "So, where is the boss?"

"Look, I kept my end of the bargain," Beatriz told them. "I told you I wasn't into this mission. I got you the power source, so now I am-"

"Plans changed." A new voice called, getting them to look upward and see someone hiding in the shadows. "We've caught some heat from the Justice League. Young Justice. Whatever the hell they call themselves."

As the peculiar woman proceeded down the staircase, each step resounded with a distinctive clunking sound that hinted at the weight of her protective gear. The intricate armor she wore bore a striking resemblance to a beetle, with its predominantly silver coating complemented by accents of violet or light red, complete with vivid green eyes that seemed to stare back at anyone who beheld them. She held the mask in her hands, keeping her face in the shadows.

"They're planning to disrupt our agenda," she declared, emerging from the shadows. Her long black hair, a trait inherited from her mother, contrasted with her unusually pale skin from her father. "We need to remove them from the scenario."

"How do we do that?" Sunshine asks.

"Flash seems to be losing his speed. So, that's one less threat." She said as she walked over and took the power source. Placing it in the chest component of her suit, she began to feel the energy flowing and the suit was gaining functions. "My family was torn apart by these heroes. Now...they are going to pay."

Beatriz was a little worried by the ideas that were going on with this never being part of her deal. "Janice... I did my part. This is where I call it quits."

Janice then aimed a plasma cannon that formed in the armor towards Beatriz. "You are done when I say you are done." She proclaimed in anger. "One last mission, Beatriz. And our score will be settled."

Beatriz didn't like the sound of that but knew she didn't have much of a choice. "What do you need me to do?"


YEARS AGO...?

As chaos erupted and people scattered to avoid the falling debris from the Thinker's satellite, a shimmering breach opened up. Out stepped Frankie, adorned in a striking silver and blue costume complete with an eye mask.

With focused determination, she began to use her powers to slow down the dangerous falling debris, capturing the attention of everyone around her. Despite her best efforts, she struggled to halt a particularly large piece of debris.

"Guys, I can't stop the big one!" Frankie warns when the Flash passes her and is speeding towards the satellite.

Barry landed his eyes on the largest piece of satellite, gauged the distance, and then took off. While Cecile was lying in a gurney, Caitlin in front of her, giving her last giant push, Barry was using a building as a launch point and shooting towards the satellite. Using the surrounding buildings, he launched himself through the air and extended a fist.

Right before he made contact, a flash of purple caught in his sight. Everything was happening too quickly to concentrate, but Barry was almost positive there was another speedster beside him as his fist connected with the machine.

Then the satellite exploded, and Barry was sent hurting back down to Earth. Before he could hit the ground, however, Peter came in swinging and saved him. As they make it to the ground, everyone stops and cheers for them and Metalla.

They return to the labs and see Barry's suit got torn up and they start to hear baby cries coming from the labs. Cecile was sitting up, holding a tiny bundled baby in her arms, Joe in the back of her.

Cisco cautiously made his way through the dimly lit, echoing halls of STAR Labs, exhaling a sigh of relief as he believed the mayhem had finally subsided. Suddenly, his heart leaped into his throat as he rounded a corner and was met with a shocking and horrifying sight.

There stood Frankie, the same one who had been flickering through time, now appearing right in the center of STAR Labs. Cisco's blood ran cold as he let out a horrified shriek at the unexpected sight of her, while Frankie, realizing she had landed in the past, urgently tried to reassure and calm him down amidst the chaos.

"Cisco! Cisco! Calm down!" Frankie tried to get him to relax. "It's me! It's Frankie!"

Cisco was still terrified and was even preparing to attack her with his vibe powers. "What!?" He then looked down the hall where he had just seen Frankie getting out of her uniform and even saw that the Frankie before him was wearing a variant of the uniform he had made for Frankie. "Frankie!?"

"Yeah, I know this is a lot to take in..." Frankie tells him, but knew that Cisco and maybe some others might be her only hope of getting home and fixing everything. "But you need to listen. Because it will be hard to understand. Trust me..."


Summer Bishil as Janice Lincoln

Ashley Olsen as Beatriz da Costa / Fire