"one track mind, one track heart. If I fail I'll fall apart. Maybe it is all a test, cause I feel like I'm the worst so I always act like I'm the best"
-MARINA
~~~
I watched as Wally ran up the side of the building helping to get two scientists that were previously stuck in the building to the roof. I saw him slip and almost panicked but it stopped when I noticed he got a grip on the second story window ledge.
"it's what's his name...FLASH BOY!" A fire fighter shouted and I chuckled a bit as I put my long black hair into a high ponytail.
"Kid Flash!" Wally yelled "why is that so hard?"
My brother and Aqualad showed up behind me "so smooth" I heard my sibling joke.
"Does he always run ahead?" Aqualad questioned. "We need a plan, we-...Robin?"
He looked at me and I just laughed, my chuckle lining up with Dick's as it echoed.
The Atlantian sighed looking at me, "go"
I nodded and shot my grapple to the top of the roof and it pulled me up, I let go just in time so I could flip and land in a perfect summersault near the desk Wally and Dick were at.
I looked at the hallway and started to walk down. Just as I did that I hid around the corner and something entered the elevator.
I ran down quickly just in time for the doors to close, I heard Aqualad call me from behind but ignored him for the sake of the mission.
I hacked open the doors for a second more and slipped inside just in time before they closed again, jumping silently on top of the elevator which was currently going a lot farther down then two stories.
"No wonder he was suspicious.." I whispered to myself as the lift went lower and lower.
I held onto the roof, shocked by the speed it was travelling at.
The elevator stopped and I waited till I knew the coast was clear and whoever was currently inside exited. I opened the small door at the top of the elevator and jumped down.
I opened the door and looked around to see a vent. I silently opened it and climbed inside without being noticed. I sat there and pulled out my holographic computer that was hidden in a bracelet I was wearing.
I hacked into the system and found a file. "Project Kr...?" I asked myself "Sub level 52..." I planted the destination in my mind then turned off the hologram as i made my way down through the vents.
I jumped out of the vent and walked around to find myself finally one sub level 52. This hallway was different though, the walls were all puffy and different shades of red, and at the end of it there was a large metal door.
I hacked it open and quickly slipped inside. In the centre back of the room sat a large glowing cylinder. Curious to know more, I approached it.
I stared up at a pod which held which looked like a younger version of Clark. He wore a white suit with a red letter S on it. I looked at the letters Kr on the glass in front of the boy.
"Krypton" I whispered to myself.
I started to hear voices shouting outside of the metal doors. In a panic I hid in a high dark nook in the high corner of the room. I waited just to see my teammates rushing in and the door slamming behind them.
I watched as they walked over to the glass pod and figure put everything themselves. Aqualad told my brother to hack into the system and so he did.
I jumped down and approached behind Wally then tapped him on the shoulder. Before I could even say anything I felt a sharp pain in the middle of my face.
"OW!" I shouted holding my now bleeding nose.
"oh my god, I am so sorry" Wally said panicking trying to find something to help.
"why'd you do that?"
"I didn't know it was you"
"well maybe you should have let me explain"
"well maybe YOU shouldn't sneak up on people"
"what was I supposed to do?! Get a theme song that plays every time I enter a room so people know I'm here?!"
"yes that would be helpful"
"Can you two get a room or something?" My brother said from the computer. We both shut up and Wally handed me a tissue mumbling one last sorry under his breath.
"Ok I got it. Weapon Designation Superboy, a clone force grown in...Sixteen weeks?!" All of our eyes widened "with DNA acquired from Superman"
"stolen from superman" Aqualad corrects.
"...well damn" I said.
"there's no way the big guy knows about this" Wally stated and I nodded in agreement.
"the solar suit allows him to absorb yellow sun radiation 24/7" Robin continued.
"and the creatures?" Aqualad asked.
"Creatures?" I questioned, Wally looked at me in shock.
"you mean you got in here no problem?"
I looked at the three of them confused "like it's hard?"
My brother looked at me "Dove we almost got killed"
"WHAT?!" I shouted starting to panic.
He cut me off before I could continue "we're fine, obviously" he continued "the creatures are called Genomorph Gnomes, they're telepathic...basically force feeding him an education"
"they're making a slave out of...well, super mans son" Wally stated looking at the clone.
"Now we contact the league" Aqualad ordered. We all tried to reach them but it didn't work.
"no signal" my brother stated
"We're in too deep" Kid Flash said, I looked over to him.
"literally".
~ ~ ~
"This isn't right" Wally said finally speaking up.
Robin looked at the three of us "we can't just leave him here" we all looked at Aqualad who looked at me, we made a silent agreement and he spoke up "set him free" he looked to my brother "do it"
It didn't take long before he was freed. I watched as his fists clenched and I stood in front of my younger sibling, not wanting him to get hurt.
We all paid close attention as his bright blue eyes snapped open, before we could process what was happening the clone tackled Aqualad to the ground.
I raced over with the other two as we did our best to hold back the Kryptonian. "Calm down supey!" KF yelled.
"we're on your side!" My brother yelled as we held his arms back. I watched as the clone hit an uppercut on my friends jaw then knocked him back through a display cylinder. "KF!" I cried as I saw him fall unconscious.
Before I could do anything else I felt myself get thrown back into the wall and my head hitting the cement wall.
My vision got fuzzy and I watched the outline of superboy fighting my brother, watching as Robin started to loose. I did my best to stumble over to my sibling who was holding his chest and caught him as he fell.
"You're ok, you're ok" I whispered, setting him down carefully. I looked around from my place on the ground.
Kaldur stood and looked at the clone, "we are trying to help you"
However, the clone didn't want to listen and I watched as the pair fought, unable to get up. The Atlantean put the would be Kryptonian into a head lock and sent electric shocks though him, only to enrage the clone and be knocked out.
The clone made his way over to the metal door.
"Don't do it" I managed to say, my voice more raspy than normal. He looked down at me as I tried to get up, successfully holding myself up with my arms and attempting to crawl over. "They're going to use you." Confusion spread across his face, "Use, do you know what that means? It means they don't care. You can get out of here"
For a moment I though he would agree with me as he walked over. If I had moved, it would've shown I didn't trust him, and he wouldn't trust me. I arched my neck up to look at him. He reached out his hand, and just when I thought he would help me up, he wrapped his hand around my neck.
I didn't have the strength to pull away and struggled as he held me up, choking me. I tried to scratch him but his DNA from Clark prevented that. He ripped open the door with one hand, breaking it in the process. In walked a scientist, an alien who I recognized as the silhouette I had seen in the elevator earlier and..Guardian.
I knew Guardian, he was Roy's uncle. We had met multiple times. What was he doing here?
"atta boy" The scientist praised before looking at me then to Guardian. "take care of this one"
As the clone put me down I took my split second of time as an opportunity. I slid under his legs in an attempt to get away but he grabbed my ankle before I could run any farther. Since I couldn't pull away I threw a smoke bomb at the clone which forced him to cough and let go.
I ran down the hall, searching for an exit. Guardian on my heel. I found a staircase and began to run up it, he wasn't far behind.
"You're fighting for the wrong side!" I shouted, running into a lab. I stopped in my tracks to mind many more aliens and what I assumed to be the G-nomes I was told about.
Someone grabbed my arm and I turned to see Guardian. I couldn't let him take me, I needed to get help. I was on a higher level now so I tried my comm.
"Dove it better be an emergency." Batmans voice said angrily.
I did my best to answer as I dodged and threw attacks at Guardian, "Need backup!"
"what do you mean you need backup? You were supposed to stay put" He lectured. It was so not the time for this.
"Yeah well, I'm currently fighting Guardian and the others aren't responding"
"aren't responding?"
"JUST GET HE-" a hand was placed over my mouth and my comm was taken and crushed. Guardian had managed to trap me in a hold I couldn't escape, I struggled as he carried me back to the others, my adrenaline finally starting to run out as I felt how much pain I was really in.
I payed my eyes open and watched as the clone placed my brother and friends in pods. I struggled once more before feeling a pain in my neck, suddenly my body went numb and I could no longer fight back.
"This one's a fighter" Guardian advised the scientist as I was placed into a pod of my own, unable to do anything. I felt weak. "She's tough"
"Nothing we can't handle" The scientist said and my pod door shut. "well done, Superboy."
~ ~ ~
I heard a course of mumbles and groans, indicating the others had finally woken up.
"What? What do you want?!" I heard Wally shout "stop staring, you're freaking me out!!"
"KF" I groaned
"yeah?" He asked concerned
"shut up." I finished, I could practically hear his eye roll
"yeah, how about you don't tick off the guy who can fry us with a look" I heard my brother suggest.
"We only want to help you" I listened to Aqualad say calmly.
"yeah we free you and you turn on us. How's that for gratitu-"
"kid please be quiet now" Aqualad firmly said to Wally cutting him off "I believe our friend wasn't fully in control of his own actions"
I started to use a lock pick from my bracelet to unlock my restraints, certain my brother was doing the same.
"What...What if..." I could tell he was struggling to speak. Had he even gotten a chance to speak before this? "What if I wasn't?" He questioned.
"he can talk?" I heard Wally question and watched as the clone made his hands into fists again.
"Yes, he can."
Wally looked over at the three of us who glared at us. "What" he asked "its not like i said 'it' "
I stopped listening to the conversation as I noticed there were voices outside the door. I watched as it opened and in walked the scientist, another scientist and Guardian.
"activate the cloning process" the main scientist ordered and the female scientist followed the instructions.
"Pass!" I heard my brother shout "batcave's crowded enough!" I rolled by eyes at his childish behaviour. I normally would have laughed but not in this situation.
"Get the weapon back in its pod" the scientist commanded
"hey how come he gets to call supey an it?" Wally said and I just shook my head at him.
Aqualad got in two last words before superboy was mind washed and taken out of the room "help us"
I watched as robotic arms entered the pods we were in and tried to get away but no luck. I felt a sharp pain as the prongs inserted themselves into our chests. Our screams filled the room as my brain got fuzzy again.
Another thing about me, I'm terrible with needles. My vision slowly went black and the screams quieted down.
~ ~ ~
<dicks pov>
I tried my best to listen over our screams and I noticed I couldn't hear my sisters.
I heard loud crashing and all of the sudden the pain went away. I opened my eyes and look to my left to see Dove passed out in the pod between Wally and I. She seems to be breathing, thank god.
"are you here to save us or fry us?" Wally asked the clone.
I looked over to him to see him glaring directly at my friend. "Huh, I don't seem to have heat vision, so I suppose helping is my only option".
I quickly got my restraints undone and jumped down "lucky batman isn't here, he'd have my head for taking so long"
"Seriously that's what you're most worried about?" Wally asked as i opened their pods and went to get him out. "The whole league will have our heads after tonight"
I opened his restraints and replied "actually I'm most worried about my sister, so if you could please help me." And with that we both got Dove out of her restraints and Wally picked her up bridal style. I wouldn't normally let someone else do it, but he is bigger then me so it's probably easier for him anyways. Plus he's faster and can get her to safety quickly if anything happens.
We all got up and started to run out of the building looking for an exit. We raced to the elevator and I started to hear Dove wake up.
~ ~ ~
<rorys pov>
I groaned and opened my eyes. I looked around to see myself being carried by Wally as he ran with the others. I look up at him confused.
"well hello sleeping beauty"
"hi...put me down " I demanded.
"yeah, no. One second princess" He held onto me as he and the others went into the elevator raft, getting off at the ledge of sub level 15.
He put me down and we watched as superboy started to sink. "I'm...falling" he said. Quickly i threw a batarang so Aqualad could grab on and get themselves on our level.
"superman can fly. Why can't I fly?" The clone questioned.
"I don't know, but it looks like you can leap onto tall buildings in a single bound. Still cool" Wally said beside me as my brother checked to make sure I was ok and I did the same for him.
the pair jumped down onto the small ledge and I looked up to see the express elevator speeding down. "Um boys, i think this will have to be our exit" I stated and watched as Aqualad and Superboy took out the doors so we could get out.
The five of us exited the shaft just in time to see tons of larger G-gnomes headed towards us, in the form of elves and trolls.
"left! Go left!" Superboy shouted, we all followed his instructions and I held my brothers hand as we sprinted.
"Right!" He shouted and we all took a tight turn to see a dead end.
"Oh yeah great directions supey, are you trying to get us repodded?" KF said sarcastically and I slapped the back of his head. You'd think someone as smart as him would have enough common sense to give the poor clone a break.
"No...i don't understand" Superboy said confused feeling guilty.
"don't apologize, It's perfect!" My brothers said as he opened the vent and we all climbed inside, first myself followed by Robin and the others.
We continued to try and find a way out of the building when Dick got an idea.
I watched as my younger sibling hacked the motion sensors and we climbed out of the air vents one by one.
The five of us kept running until we found ourselves cornered by g-gnomes and the scientists we faced earlier. Slowly my head felt dizzy and everything went black again.
i could hear the mumbling of superboys voice then all of the sudden the feeling in my head was lifted and I sat up next to my brother. I helped Dick stand up and we heard Aqualad speak.
"Guardian?" He asked, looking at the hero
"go" answered Guardian "I'll handle Desmond"
"I think not" I heard Desmond snarl "project blockbuster will give me the power to restore order to Cadmus" and with that he opened a blue vial and drank it.
Guardian stood in front of the five of us but we still managed to watch as Desmond turned into a monster.
We watched as Guardian failed to win a fight and superboy and the monster "blockbuster" started their own war. Then they both practically flew up through the many levels leaving a huge hole.
"That's one way to burst through the ceiling" Robin said as we both shot up our grappling hooks to the main floor.
"think Labcoat planned that?" Wally asked as he held onto my brother and they both zipped up.
"I doubt he's planning anything anymore" Aqualad answered as he jumped up and I followed using my grapple.
We all stood on the main floor watching as Superboy and Blockbuster were still having their battle.
I watched as Aqualad was knocked down by superboy being thrown.
We all continued to fight Blockbuster after that, until my brother and KF started talking. I watched as Wally planted my brothers discs on the support beams and I understood exactly what was happening.
Wally distracted the monster as the rest of us planted the discs. We worked together and got blockbuster knocked out. I watched as the discs started to flash green and red.
"we gotta go. Now!" I ordered, but there wasn't enough time for us to get to the door. The building started to crumble around us as the explosives went off and I held my brother underneath me so he wouldn't get hurt, feeling another person on top of me as the building fell over us.
~ ~ ~
I started whispering reassurance to my brother in Romanian, I knew he was going to be fine, the reassurance was mostly for me if I'm telling the truth.
I saw light shine through the rubble as superboy pushed the large pieces covering us all away.
"we did it" someone mumbled panting though I couldn't tell who.
"was there every any doubt?" Robin said smirking, him and Wally high fived but quickly regretted it due to their many injuries.
I hugged my brother and held him a bit close and whispered to him, not bothering to hide my Romanian accent "there was...a bit of doubt" he smiled and hugged me back.
"see?" I heard Wally say "the moon!" We all looked up at to see supermans shadow cast over it. "Wow and superman...do we keep our promises or what?!"
I looked around to see the whole league flying down and the green lanterns forming a pad for the members who couldn't fly.
"oh no" I mumbled as i fixed my long black hair that fell out of its ponytail. It had more of a grey tint to it now dud to all the dust around us. Wally chuckled a bit next to me and put his arm around my shoulder as the league members approached us.
Batman, Superman and Flash all stood in front of us
"is that what I think it is?" Bruce asked us.
"Actually he doesn't like being called an "it"" Wally stated pointing at Superboy.
Bruce glared at him, moving his eyes to Wallys arm. He noticed this and quickly removed it from my shoulders.
"I'm supermans clone" Superboy spoke gaining a shocked look from almost everyone.
Bruce narrowed his eyes on Dick and I.
"Start talking"
~ ~ ~
Wally and I sat on top of some rubble while the league spoke amongst themselves about what we told them. We laid side by side staring up at the stars.
"so...how are you feeling?" He asked me still looking up
"honestly...tired, and hungry" I answered
he chuckled a bit and nodded "same"
I felt his gaze redirect to me but I stayed in the same spot, "you're staring at me"
"you have stuff in your hair"
"yeah that happens when a building falls on top of you"
"shut up and let me get up" I felt him lean over and pick it out. Only I seemed to notice how close we were, if not he was really good at hiding his emotions.
Suddenly we heard Bruces voice and looked over. "Cadmus will be investigated" he told us. We both got up and stood up next to the other three.
Aquaman and Flash walked over as he continued "all 52 levels but let's make one thing clear-"
"you should have called!" Flash butted in.
"end results aside we're not happy. You hacked Justice League systems, disobeyed direct orders, and endangered lives. You with NOT be doing this again" Batman finished and all I could think about was how much trouble I was gonna be in once I got home
"I'm sorry, but we will" Aqualad stated, I stood tall besides him hiding my fear effortlessly.
"Aqualad stand down" ordered Aquaman but he didn't listen.
"apologies my king, but no. We did good work here tonight, the work you trained us to do. Together on our own we forged something powerful, something important."
"if this is about your treatment at the hall, the four of you-" Wally cut off his uncle, "the five of us. And it's not."
"Batman, we're here to do what you taught us, or why teach us at all?" I heard my brother stand up, confident but definitely the quietest.
I looked at Bruce dead in the eyes speaking louder then my younger sibling "we've been doing this for years now. So don't tell us we're to inexperienced to make this decision, because then it was all for nothing."
"why let them tell us what to do?" Super boy asked. "It's simple, get on board or get out of the way."
~ ~ ~
I stood next to my brother and team mates surrounded by working league members and our mentors. We were all dressed in our normal clothes but Dick and I wore sunglasses just to hide our identities.
"this cave was the original secret sanctuary of the Justice League. We're calling it into service. since you five are determined to stay together and fight the good fight you'll do it on League terms. Red tornado volunteered to live here to supervise you, Black Canary will be in charge of training. I will deploy mission" Batman told us as we stood in the middle of the main room.
"Real missions right?" I asked
He nodded "yes but covert"
"The league will handle the obvious stuff" Flash spoke up from besides Wally "there's a reason we have these big symbols on our chest"
"but Cadmus does prove the criminals are getting smarter. Batman needs a team that can operate on the side" Aquaman spoke up.
"the six of you will be that team" Bruce said
"cool...wait six?" My brother questioned.
We followed his gaze and turned around to see Martian Manhunter standing there with a green teenage girl with ginger hair. "This is Martian Manhunter's niece, Ms Martian."
She smiled and waved at us "hi" I smiled and walked over, introducing everyone and starting a conversation with her.
"Hey superboy come meet Ms M!" Dick called out to Superboy who walked over.
I watched as Miss Martian turned her shirt from white and red to black and red to match the clones. "I like your shirt" she said shyly and he gave her a small smile.
I felt a small gust of wind and Wally put his arm around mine and my brothers shoulders smiling. I looked up at Aqualad and he smiled at me,
"Today's the day"
~ ~ ~