"Why me? Why was I dragged through to this world?"
He shrugged, his expression slowly turning to one of boredom. "You were just the one that came through."
"And what about the voice in my head?"
"A side effect from the first attempt linking your mind to mine. I imagine it's gone silent now? Since the second attempt was a success."
"But... I did hear it once more," I muttered, suddenly remembering when Wally had crashed into me, this voice in my head that I barely noticed because I was distracted.
"Ah, that must've been when we activated the link. A simple echo of what used to be."
"Why tell me this now?"
"I wanted you to be prepared. The more you know about this, the less you'll try to resist. I want your full cooperation, it'll make this easier. You'll know when you're needed. Until then."
||Washington, D.C
||December 30, 09:10 EDT
Standing in the Hall of Justice, I fiddled with the necklace Wally had given me, dragging the ring back and forth against the string, my mind elsewhere.
He noticed my fidgeting, his eyes going to the necklace. "You're actually wearing it."
"It was a gift, of course I am. I normally wear it but keep it hidden under my shirt."
"Noire, you should probably head out there now. It's about to start," Robin tells me.
I nodded and mindlessly made my way to the front of the Hall where every hero of the Justice League, including those being inducted today, were already gathered, waiting for Superman to give his speech.
"The Justice League was formed for two reasons. First, as an acknowledgment that no single individual, no matter how powerful, can solve all the world's problems alone. And second, to uphold the values of truth, liberty and justice. That, uh, last one's even in the name. These six heroes have sworn to uphold those values."
When Superman finished, he began handing out our official League membership cards. Then Green Arrow stepped in to hand Red Arrow his card. And finally, Batman walked over to me with my ID in hand.
"Thank you," I say to Batman, a smile on my face as I shook his hand.
"You deserve this," he told me, a small smile breaking out on his face for only a moment. "You've worked hard."
With that, the ceremony was over, a bunch of reporters shouting up at the Justice League members. Black Canary led us new recruits inside away from all the cameras flashing.
"Are you ready to see the Watchtower?" She asks.
"Born that way. Plus six months," Red Arrow says with a smile.
"I'm sure the team will wanna congratulate all of you first."
"You don't know Raquel, that is, Rocket," Icon says. "After making her wait inside, congratulations may not be the first thing in her mind."
As we walked inside, stepping into the library where the sidekicks should've been waiting, we found it was completely empty.
"I thought she would at least stick around."
||Mount Justice
||December 30, 15:50 EST
I stepped out of the zeta tube and into the Cave, finding the team standing around the mission room, talking about the mission they had left for during the induction ceremony.
"Noire? What are you doing here?" Megan questions, noticing I had shown up.
"Aren't you going to the party?" Robin asks.
"I'll catch up with them later. What's more important is what's going on here," I tell them, glancing at Conner who stood a little ways away from the group.
"There's something I need to do, something I need to tell you," Conner started, turning towards us. "Last month, on Thanksgiving, I went back to Cadmus, found a few things out. When I was cloned, only half the DNA was Superman's. The other half was Human. That's why I don't have, will never have, full Kryptonian powers."
"You sure? Because you sure seemed to have them today," Robin comments.
"I've been using these. Shields," he lifted his sleeve, showing a black patch in the shape of Superman's familiar emblem on his shirt. "They suppress my human DNA. I get the flight, the heat vision, but I think I also get angry. Well, angrier. I'm sorry."
"Where did you get those?" Kaldur asks.
"From my Human father, Lex Luthor."
"Lex Luthor is your dad?!" Robin asks, him and all the others surprised.
"I don't see why it's so surprising. This is totally something Lex would do," I mumbled.
"He's summoned me to Santa Prisca," Conner finishes.
"Ah... listen," Artemis sighs, bringing the attention her way. "Superboy's not the only one suffering from bad DNA."
She went over to the holographic computer, pulling up three separate photos. One of Sportsmaster, one of Cheshire, and one of a retired villain named Huntress.
"My mother is Huntress, an ex con. The rest of my family aren't even ex. My dad's Sportsmaster, and he's sending my sister, Cheshire, to fly me to Santa Prisca too."
"That's why..." Wally drifted off.
"Yeah. I was so desperate to make sure none of you found out..."
"I knew," Robin speaks up, a little bit of fright appearing on Artemis' face. "Hey, I'm a detective. But it never mattered. You aren't your family. You're one of us."
"Yeah, why do you think I helped you out back then?" I ask. "I know it can't be easy with a family like that, so I wanted to help you out in some way because you're still my friend."
"So you were in on it too?" Wally asks me.
"The going after them alone thing? No. But I knew I wasn't going to be able to stop her, so I tagged along in case she needed the help. But that time never came because you guys showed up soon after."
"So, uh, who's next?"
"I am," Megan said quietly, her arms crossed in front of herself.
"I swear I was kidding," Wally muttered, his hands up in defence.
"Queen Bee's been blackmailing me. She wants me in Santa Prisca too."
"Blackmailing? How?" Kaldur questions.
"She knows my true Martian form."
"Bald M'gann?" Robin asks. "Who cares if-"
"No."
Megan sighed before turning into her true form. A large white creature with long arms and legs, the red X still going across her body. Everyone backed up at the sight, but I couldn't help but smile.
Megan hugged herself as she continued. "I realized you would never accept me if you saw what I really am."
"M'gann, did we truly seem so shallow?" Kaldur asks.
"I couldn't take a chance. Being a white Martian among the green on Mars, I endured constant rejection. I couldn't face that from..."
"From me?" Conner cut in, taking hold of her hand. "I've known since we mind melded last September in Bialya."
"But that was before we even became a couple. Why didn't you say anything?"
"I figured you'd tell me when you were ready."
"Anyone else?" Wally asks, his eyes glued to mine, almost like he were challenging me.
"Wally, don't push it," Artemis scolded.
I sighed, irritatedly scratching at the back of my head. "Fine. Alright. I've got something to say, too."
"You too?!" Robin exclaims.
"Yeah. And this has to do with Luthor as well. Not long ago I met up with him, and he explained everything to me. How, from the start, I was always just a puppet. Everything I've been through is because of him. My powers, my parents dying... and on top of that, he claims to have done something that would allow him to control me. Martian Manhunter has already looked, he couldn't find anything strange implanted in my mind. Batman also looked and found nothing technology related."
"Isn't it possible he was just lying?"
"No. He wouldn't need to lie. Whatever he did, it's very well hidden somewhere within me. And I don't know what to expect because he's never used it."
"If you're bringing this up now, then that must mean you have also been summoned to Santa Prisca?" Kaldur asks.
"I believe Luthor is holding off on controlling me. I can't promise you all I'll be willing and able to cooperate with a plan. So, please, if I lose control and suddenly start attacking you, do whatever it takes to stop me."
"Whoa," Robin gaped.
"That's... that's not all."
"What else is there?" Wally asks me.
"Um... well... I guess I'll start by saying Conner is technically... my brother."
The room grew dead silent, everyone staring at me in a state of shock. Especially Conner. I sighed and separated myself from the group, moving to stand on my own away from them. I hugged my waist as I turned back towards them, a frightened look in my eyes as I scanned their faces.
"Out of all of you, I have so many secrets that I've kept hidden. So much that I couldn't explain, stuff I never even believed myself. This is just one of many things I've never told anyone."
"Does that mean you're a clone?" Wally asks, breaking the silence of the group.
"No. Luthor is my biological father. Before I was even born, he... he ran tests on my mother. Using a Kryptonian's DNA. More specifically, Superman. Now that I think about it, that's probably also why I get so angry at times. The Kryptonian DNA isn't necessarily natural in my body and it makes me angry."
The tension seemed to grow with every word that left my mouth. With all eyes on me, I was terrified of how they would react once I was finished.
"I don't remember him being in my life growing up. Wether that was purposefully done or not. But I do believe he was there. The next thing I remember is Cadmus. Those experiments they put me through, they were... fine tuning what had been done to me in the womb. Because when I was born, the experiment wasn't perfect. Luthor had planned for all of it."
I started to pace back and forth, staring down at my boots as I nervously fiddled with my hair. It was difficult to keep still, my nervousness taking over as I did my best to get this all done and over with.
"And I've only just learned the truth myself. I haven't even told Batman or Superman about this because it was only just brought up. You're the first people I've told. I know this is a lot to put on you, it's a lot for me too... I'm sorry," my voice broke and I lowered my head into my hands, my feet stopping. "It's just too much."
It was silent for another moment before I heard someone moving closer, stopping in front of me as they gently placed their hand on my shoulder, attempting to be of some comfort.
"Noire, we do not blame you," Kaldur spoke softly. "If there is ever anything you need to get off your chest, we are all here for you. We are here to help."
"That does explain why your powers are like Superman's. What else are you hiding?" Wally asks. "You said there was a lot more."
"It's not entirely important right now," I said, lifting my head. "There are other things we need to worry about."
||Santa Prisca
||December 30, 17:57 ECT
"You can come on out now," Luthor called out.
I walked out from the trees with my head down, not wanting to look at my old teammates who had also gathered on this island. Miss Martian was with Queen Bee, Artemis with Cheshire and Sportsmaster, and Superboy standing ahead of Luthor and I.
"Give me more shields, and I'm in too," Superboy told Luthor.
Luthor took a couple steps forwards, a smirk on his lips. "My boy, you're a terrible liar. Red Sun."
Superboy stood on the spot, the words said by Luthor keeping him from doing anything. It had all been a part of his programming as a clone. Artemis stepped ahead of her family, hands on her hips.
"What do you want us to do?"
Luthor nodded to Sportsmaster who then started giving out orders to Artemis and Miss Martian. "You two, follow me."
"What about Superboy?" Miss Martian asks.
"He'll be fine. He simply requires a few adjustments," Queen Bee assures her calmly.
I followed quietly behind Luthor as we all got ready to move. But Artemis used this as her chance to attack, shooting an arrow at Blockbuster that encased him in a thick foam.
"Sorry, Dad. Wanted to play you like you tried to play me, but I can't let them mess with Superboy's head," she said.
Sportsmaster lunged at her but Miss Martian was faster, using her powers to pick Artemis up into the air. While Artemis spun around in the air, shooting more arrows at Sportsmaster and Cheshire, Miss Martian telekinetically threw Queen Bee back into a tree, knocking her out.
"Queen bee is down. Superboy, you're safe from her control."
"May not be much of a liar, but I fooled you," Superboy said, making his way towards Luthor.
"And I'm so proud. I take it Miss Martian cleaned Red Sun from your mind?" Luthor asks.
"And confirmed Aqualad, Robin, Kid Flash and Noire rescued me from Cadmus before you had time to install any other programming."
"All true. Personally, I blame Dr. Desmond."
As if hearing his name made him even angrier, Blockbuster broke free and charged at Superboy. Luthor said something in Spanish, Bane and his men starting to shoot, Sphere fighting back.
"Guys, reinforcement time," Artemis said.
I was about to run in myself. I had a clear shot at Luthor but as he picked up Queen Bee, he spoke up in a calm voice.
"I imagine you've told them what you know?"
"Mostly."
He chuckled. "That means you're here to thwart our plans as well."
"And what'll you do about it?"
"You don't seem concerned about the fact that I could turn you against them. Help us escape and I won't make you kill them just yet," he orders.
"I hate you," I seethed.
"Luthor!" Aqualad shouted as he jumped down in his path. "Neither you nor Queen Bee is going anywhere."
"Young man, if you expect to detain me, contact my attorney," Luthor told him.
Mercy, the robot assistant that always seemed to be at Luthor's side, shot Aqualad with a blast from her arm gun. With everyone else distracted, they walked through the trees, me trailing behind as they got in a helicopter.
"I got this," I heard Raquel say, flying after the helicopter.
I quickly flew in front of her, making her stop her chase to prevent running into me. "No. You don't."
"What are you doing?!" She shouted at me.
"Sorry. I can't risk it. Focus on the fight down there and let Luthor go."
She clearly didn't want to listen to me, prepared to argue further, but flew back down to help in the fight below. I watched the helicopter fly off into the night sky
"Brianna, come here," Luthor's voice rang in my head.
I hurried to catch up with the helicopter, flying alongside it to see Luthor. He had his usual smirk on his face, his arms crossed in front of him as he stared out at me.
"You wondered why the voice had gone quiet."
"How'd you do it? The supposed mind control?"
"You see, young minds are very easily influenced. It's not hard to make a child not want to disobey. Psychological methods are just as effective as any other methods. And there's nothing more controlling than fear."
"Ever since I was a kid..."
"It took so many years of your life. And now, with both phases finished, there's no way you can disobey with my voice in your head. All it takes is one word, and you can't help but want to follow orders. Brianna, be a good girl and go back to your ex-team, I'm sure they're waiting for you."
I flew away from the helicopter, watching it vanish from sight as I thought about everything he had said. I knew I couldn't go against whatever he ordered, no matter how much I wanted to, because I was scared of what would happen if I did.
"So many years... the years I never lived. Whatever he did, it was during those years I can barely remember."
As I made my way back to the group, I was lost in my own head, trying to think of some sort of solution. I joined the others on the ground, my eyes locked on the forest as I spaced out.
"Disaster averted. Feeling the aster," Robin said.
"Agreed. This has been a good day," Aqualad agrees.
"Noire?"
"Huh? What's up?" I ask, suddenly pulled back to reality.
"Are you okay?" Aqualad asks. "Luthor didn't do anything to you, did he?"
"No. No. He did threaten me, though. That if I didn't help him escape he'd make me kill all of you."
"That sort of explains why you wouldn't let me go after him," Raquel muttered.
"I'm sorry, I should get to the Watchtower, I need to talk to Batman."
"Go on back to your new team, little miss Leaguer," Kid Flash tells me.
"I can't tell if that's supposed to be sarcasm or not."
"Why'd you get picked?!"
I scoffed, floating closer to him. "Seriously? Can't you just be happy for me?!"
Kid Flash quickly pushed Robin in front of him, using him as a shield, probably thinking I was going to attack him or something. I floated a little hire to glare at Kid Flash over Robin's head.
"Noire, we're all happy for you, he's just jealous you got picked," Robin speaks up.
"Whatever," I scoffed, flying up into the air. "I'm leaving."