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Astrals POV:
The guys and I had arrived at CADMUS labs by late evening. The sounds of screaming and sirens made my blood both pump with excitement and yet run cold in worry. I was kind of scared that I would mess up with these guys. I've never seen any one of them in action so I don't know how they think or move. 'Just try your best.' I remembered Black Canary would tell me when I suddenly felt unsure of myself.
We had all stopped behind a building adjacent to CADMUS, watching as local Firemen did their job. However, when KF saw that men were trapped up on the 2nd floor, he took off without a word. I parted my legs evenly, ready to help him as his level should he need it.
An explosion unexpectedly blasted from the same floor causing the men to be flung from the window they were hollering from. Thankfully, they both were able to catch the edge but now dangled dangerously.
"Hey, its whats his name....Flash boy!" One of the firemen exclaimed making me singularly snort in laughter. Wally began to run up the wall with his velocity. The fire spread and grew with every second making my breath quicken for the safety of my teammates. My hands then reacted instantly and raised to my face towards the uproar of flames. There was the feeling that the fire was right there, right at my finger tips but also a slim barrier that held it back from roasting my flesh. This was my power of fire or fire manipulation. Its easier to control when I'm mad or irritated but its still simple to handle.
"Sweet!" Robin exclaimed as they watched me as I bended the flames to my will. KF grabbed both men by their collars and flung them up to the roof while, under my command, I slowly forced back the flames until they would become manageable by the Firemen again.
The strength it took Kid to throw the men to the roof made him loose his speed thus forcing him to take the previous place of the men. "Kid Flash!" KF barked back and then looked to mutter something to himself.
"Does he always run off like that?" Aqualad asked though we remained quiet. "We need a plan." He added.
I nodded in agreement but when we turned to Robin, he was gone. I can tell already that hes just like a mini Batman....but with more emotion. We heard a distant laughter and saw that he had rushed off and used extreme acrobatics to climb up the nearby fire engine and leap from its extended ladder to the building where he helped KF.
"Get the men, I'll get the rest of the fire." I instructed to Aqualad. Atlantean's don't do well with fire.....at all. They easily dehydrate. So I need to make sure he's safe away from it while he retrieves the cizilians.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. 'This is happening. I'm actually on a mission where Hal or John aren't here to correct me or save me. I need to stay calm. I need to remember what I've learned.'
I psyched myself up and sprung my leather black wings from my back, ripping my T-shirt yet again. My wings are the easiest thing about my powers that I can control. It took barely anything in me to summon them both out and retracted back.
Aqualad had already started his action by using these water bearers on his back to form a structural tornado that he rode above on. Stolen from the hose from the fire engine.
I, myself, stretched out my wings, their muscles stretching and twitching in my back. And with a single pump, I was in the air and level with the roof. My hands reached out towards the ablaze. I narrowed my eyes as I scanned them over the building and wherever my palms faced, the flames retreated.
Aqualad had made it to the same level as me. I then saw that until he had shown up, the men that were trapped had their eyes on me with awe. I personally dont think I look anything special so I always blame peoples amazed reactions towards me as just a shock at seeing a new superhero.
It took moments for the Atlantean to secure the civilians as he sent them to the ground with the authorities while he was stationed on the same ledge KF and Robin entered from.
Once I made sure the fire was out, I joined all of them in the building. "Appreciate the help." Aqualad remarked sarcastically.
I shrugged my wings back into my skin and sighed contently. Robin looked to already begin hacking into the CADMUS mainframe through one of the non-destroyed computers. "You handled it. Besides were here to investigate. 'Poetic Justice', remember?"
I suddenly felt a rush of.....something. It was enough to make my stomach turn. It was like I was surrounded, a quick flash of claustrophobia. There were more, a lot more than just us in this building and I don't think its civilians trapped by the fire.
A small clash of metal brought me back to my senses. The boys had made their way the hall that was adjacent to the room. "There was something in the-" Aqualad started. "Elevators should be locked down." Kid said.
"Somethings wrong here." I added, nodding in agreement to Kid. "Robin."
"On it." He called back pulling up a holographic image from the tech on his arm and typing rapidly. (A/N: Never knew what that thing was.) "Thought so. This is a high speed express elevator," He informed lowering his arm. "It doesn't belong on a two story building."
"Neither does what I saw." Aqualad finished darkly stepping up to the closed doors of the elevator and tearing them open with a grunt of effort. We all looked down to see a seemingly endless pit straight down. "And thats why they need an express elevator." Robin observed. He quickly pulled something from his belt and shot it to the side of the shaft. He leaped from the side and held on as the rest of the rope lowered him down.
Aqualad jumped to the rope next followed by KF and lastly was me. "Hey, why didn't you just fly down?" KF asked as we slid down the nylon cord. "The space is too small. I could have broken a wing." I replied simply.
"Oh." I grinned at his tone of pure stupidity.
We had finally gotten to the end with Robin standing balanced on the ledge of the closest door. Aqualad jumped to the edge of the door and helped both me and Kid do the same.
"Bypassing security." Robin narrated on his wrist tech again. I noticed there were small heads on his screen that resembled his face. One by one, they changed from a shaking angry red to a smiling happy green. "There! Go!" Aqualad ripped open the second door and we were in. "Welcome to project CADMUS."
Kid suddenly took off again sending out a gush of wind. "Kid, wait!" Both Aqualad and I shouted in a whisper. We all ran after him as he zoomed out of sight around the corner. I felt large vibrations in the floor meaning something was close and it wasn't on the tiny side.
The three of is turned the corner but the first thing we saw wasn't Kid but these huge creatures that walked on all fours that resembled an ape yet their skin had no hair of any kind and was a pale gray color. There were miniature ones on their shoulders as well. They walked in alignment by twos but the line was nearly endless as a pair kept making itself known from the way.
I looked into the eyes of one of the smaller ones placed on its shoulder and felt my body change. This is what happens when I 'adapt'. My body practically forms a mind of its own and comes up with this magical power that will almost always assure my survival. All five of my senses work in tandem to make sure this happens.....sometimes weather I like it to or not. It used to do ut all on its own without me but after years of training, I have a pretty good hold on it. My mind enhanced yet went on total and complete lock down. I could feel a new kind of power that didn't have to resort to physical limitations.
"No, nothing weird going on here." Aquadlad said with sarcasim yet amazement at what he was seeing. It was then I saw that Kid was huddled close to himself on the floor on his side. He too was staring at the huge things that were nearly tramping him. "Kid! Move before you get yourself killed!" I reprimanded. He finally snapped out of it and sped himself back over to us.
"What are those things?" Robin asked.
"Who knows?" I said my voice lowering an octave. "But lets get outta here before they decide we're not welcome." The all nodded and we began to run our way down the halls where Robin directed from his tech.
We had come up to a large door that Robin hacked to get open but we never would have guessed to what we would see inside. Capsules with new strange looking creatures dwelled inside that looked to be sleeping. Electrical shocks sparked from every tube and they were stacked upon layers to the ceiling and reached from wall to wall that had to be half a mile long.
"Ok. I am officially whelmed." Our youngest hero admitted.
"This is how they must have hid this massive underground facility from the world. The real CADMUS isnt on the grid. It generates its own power with these things. Must be what their bred for." KF percieved.
'Huh, I guess Kid can be smart when he wants to be.' I thought as I listened to his explanation.
"Of course, even the name is a clue. The CADMUS myth created a new breed of warrior by sowing dragons teeth into the earth." Aqualad added.
"And this CADMUS creates life too." Robin joined as he walked over to a computer panel and pulled a cord from his tech to connect the two. "Lets find out why." He pulled up an armory list of these things. From big to little, it gave me chills looking at 'em all.
"They call them 'Genomorphs'." He scrolled page to page. "Whoa! Look at the stats on these things! Superstregth, telepathy, razor claws! These things are living weapons!"
'The telepathy would explain my body's change. My mind is being protected from their ability.'
"They're engineering an army. But for who?" KF wondered.
"Better question, Kid. What do they need them for?" I finished.
"Wait, theres something else," Robin informed gaining all our attention. "Project Kr." He then groaned in aggrivation. "The files triple incripted, I cant-"
"Don't move!" We all turned suddenly yo the doorway to see a man with a golden mask on running at us with Genomorphs at his side and a small one on his shoulder. I knew who he was instantly. James Harper or 'Jim' as he liked it. I spent time with him as well, a downgrade of hand to hand combat with Bats and BC but he was still good. But why does he have a genomorph with him?
"Wait, Robin? Aqualad? Astral? Kid Flash?"
"At least he got your name right." Robin joked looking back at his screen.
"I know you. Guardian, a hero." Aqualad said.
"Is this your new gig?" I asked knowing how people asked him to often be a sentinel for a very important person or place.
"Yes. I'm chief of security. You're tresspassing. But we can call the Justice League, figure this out." He stated calmly.
"You think the Justice League is gonna approve of you breeding weapons?!" KF snapped back.
I saw Jim's eyes widen like he didn't know what we were taking about. His face, you cant fake that must confusion, I knew something is wrong here.
"Weapons? What are you-? What've I-?" The genomorph on his shoulder began to glow red on his horns and looked at his ride along. 'What does that mean?' I asked myself as I studied the little creature.
Jim hissed and grunted in pain reaching for the side of his head. "My head." He complained. In a second his eyes narrowed back on us. I realized it was the little G-gnomes psychic powers influencing him.
"Take 'em down hard! No mercy!" He shouted sending the larger Genomorphs into a frenzy.
Robin suddenly through a smoke bomb in front of us. I coughed violently at the inhale of fumes. And when I opened my eyes again, there was a Genomorph standing before me with its claws armed and fangs dripping with drool.
'Master said attack but brother said no harm. No harm must come to them.' I heard a grumbled voice echo in my head. My eyes widened and I looked in the red hues of the creature before me.
"Who is your brother? What do you mean by 'no harm'?" I asked. It was the creatures turn to widen their eyes. It hissed from the back of its throat. I could hear grunts and noises of battle beside and to the back of me.
'Brother watches over us, does what he knows will be best for us. He is our protector. He will lead us to peace, no fighting.' It answered.
"Let me -us- continue our mission and we will help. I swear we will give you peace." The words were quick and I wasn't really sure to myself if they were only formed to try and produced an escape. But its voice, even mentally, was true, honest to me. It hesitated for a moment before it nodded and stepped aside.
I was just in time to meet Aqualad and KF at the end of the hallway. We all turned to see the Morphs rushing at us but I knew that with our deal they would only chase, not attack. Robin was further down to the elevator door waiting for it to open.
We ran. Well, me and Aqualad, as Kid ran in front as usual. We jumped in just in time for the doors to close of the Morphs.
The number dial on the elevator showed we were moving down. Why would Robin be taking us down? "Dude! Out is up!" KF yelled at Robin.
"Excuse me? Project Kr is down on sub-level 52!" Boy wonder snapped back.
"Enough, you two!" I barked shutting them both up.
"This is getting out of hand." Aqualad sighed in destress. "Perhaps....perhaps we should contact League."
Before any of us could answer, the elevator dinged in knowledge we had reached our floor. The doors opened and Robin had gone ahead.
"We are already here." KF said before he went in suit of Robin. Aqualad sighed while I placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry. We'll get outta here fine and with knowledge the League can use. We'll be heroes they can finally respect." We both smiled and he gave me a curt nod. We then sprinted ahead to our allies and hid quietly with them. Their were two paths in front of us but each were sketchy to trust, to saw the least
"Which way?" Aqualad asked agrily.
"Yeh, bizarre hallway #1 or bizarre hallway #2?" Robin gestured to each.
"Halt!" We all looked in alert to see a Genomorph that was different from the others. It walked on two legs and wore a sort of lab coat.
His horns glowed red like the others as he rose his hand and a pair of tanks floated up. He was using telekinesis, Martian Manhunter taught me how to deal with this kind of situation.
I stood up to use my own power when a cry filled my head. "Dont! My brother has told me that you wish to help us. Let me do the same."
I realized it was coming from the 2 footed Morph and retreated from my defense. 'You're the brother the other Genomorph was talking about?' I sent back. 'Yes, but you must leave now!'
He threw the tanks above us and they exploded on impact causing the room to shake. KF, Aqualad, and I ran but Robin threw a arial object at the Morph but it stopped with his power.
The Morph threw another pair of tanks behind us to get us moving. With KF ahead we trusted he would be ok and continued.
Around the bank of the hallway we saw the door only barely remained open with a gas tank and there was a woman on the ground.
Sadly to my own self, I ignored her and ran with the others through the door where Aqualad kicked the tank out and the door closed.
I caught my breath for a moment then looked to Boy Wonder who was tapping on his Tech again. "I've disabled the door. We're safe."
"We're trapped." Aqualad corrected.
"Uhh guys? You'll wanna see this." Kf said pressing a single button on a board that rested before him. From his action, lights illuminated the room. And in the middle was a pod with single boy inside of it and three small Genomorphs resting above his head.
"Whoa." Was all Robin said. The boy had a plain white shirt on that shined in the lights but what got all of us was the fact that the shirt had the superman symbol on the front.
Kid walked bravely up to the pod. "Big K, little R! The atomic symbol for Krypton!" He pieced together. "Clone?" Was his question.
"Rob, get to work." I said sternly.
"Right, right." He replied quickly linking up with the computers. "Weapon designation; Superboy. A clone force grown in...16 weeks?! From DNA acquired from Superman."
"Stolen from Superman." Aqualad corrected yet again.
"No way the big guy knows about this." KF added.
"Solar suit allows him to absorb yellow sun radiation 24/7." Robin listed.
"And these creatures?" Aqualad pointed to the Morphs.
"Genomorph gnomes. Telepathic. Force feeding him education."
"No doubt more than that." I scoffed crossing my arms over my chest.
"They're making a slave out of......well, superman's son." KF struggled to say. It sounde really weird to hear that. I knew superman always wanted a kid but a clone probably wasn't his go-to.
"Ok, now we contact the League." Aqualad stated.
"No point." I called quickly. "52 stories below ground means no connections."
We all fell silent and stared at the sleeping boy in the pod.
"This is wrong." Kid stated followed by Robin. "We cant leave him like this."
"Set him free." Aqualad quickly decided. "Do it."
Robin did his thing. The pod opened and I saw that 'Superboy' had flexed his hands then fisting them. And it was only then did I see the horns on the three Gnomes were glowing red.
"Oh no." I breathed. His eyes suddenly opened and he lunged for the first person in front of him.
Unfortunately, that happened to be me. His forced knocked all the wind out of me and I cried in pain as his super strength arms pushed straight into my stomach. I can swear I'll have a broken rib or two.
Thats the bad thing about my powers. If I get hurt before my body changes, its like that until it heals at a normal human rate. Yep, no rapid healing with this special armory of powers.
"Astral!" I heard the guys yell. We tumbled for a minute but it was enough time for my contact of his skin to reenforce my own. When we stopped, I had my back against the floor and he mercilessly began punching my face that I now hardly felt. But I still struggled to keep him off me.
He stopped and I was able to look up to see each of the guys holding him back. "Hey, Suppie!" KF begged. "We're on your side!" Robin included.
Superboy looked like he couldn't care less as he flung away KF and Aqualad away. KF was knocked out instantly after he crashed through the glass cylinder looking to be full of viles. Aqualad hit hard against the wall.
"I don't wanna have to do this!" Robin said but placed a object next to Superboys mouth and it exploded with a gas.
It flung my assailant back into the computer board crushing it instantly. I flexed my abs to get me up but gasped and whined in pain that spread all the way through my core. I saw that Robin tried to disable him with a tazer but was no use.
"Robin!" I yelled desperately. Superboy grabbed the tazer lines and pulled Robin to him. He easily grabbed the
Boy Wonder and threw him to the ground. He placed his foot on Rob's chest and began to press down.
'Pain comes with the occupation, Astral. Its your job to work through it and protect those who need you.' Hawkman's voice resonated in my subconscious. I took a deep breath and pushed myself up slowly but steadily until I was on my feet.
Suddenly, Aqualad leaped out and smashed Superboy with a hammer he made out of water with his Bearers. "Enough!" He cried swinging with all his force and launching Superboy back and on the back rest of his pod.
I wobbled my way to Aqualad where he turned and caught me before I could take another step. My breath was heavy and uneven as I tried to hold back the pain. "Are you alright?" He asked.
I didn't even get a chance to answer before we were separated by Superboy flinging us back easily with a swing of his hands.
We weren't even on the floor as we traveled to opposite sides of the room. My back suddenly hit the wall and it bent under my hard skin.
Superboy locked his eyes on an unconscious Aqualad who was basically implanted in the metal wall. "Dont touch him!" I seethed at the mini krytonian yet I still didn't move.
He didn't acknowledge my outburst and ran at Aqualad with a fist ready. My instincts reacted above my survival and in an instant, there was a field around my teammate. An impenetrable field that stood strong as Superboy tried pummeling it.
But with each punch, I could feel my energy slowly deplete as it struggled to keep it working. My eyes grew heavy and my muscles slumped deathly still.
'Thats it!' I snapped mentally at Superboy. He retreated back clutching his head. I was practically mentally squeezing his 16 week old brain.
'Stop, please! He is not of right mind. Stand down and I will take care of him.' I recognized the voice of the lab dressed Morph from earlier.
"He tried to kill my friends!" I barked back intensifying my pressure. Superboy grunted louder and in pain.
'I deeply apologize for that but if you will believe in my swear, I will make sure you and your friends escape this place.' His words were steady but held truth. I looked back at the pained Superboy and hissed to myself.
"Fine." I grumbled through gritted teeth and released my hold. He sighed in relief and found stable footing for himself.
'I am aware of the fatigue hidden in your tone. Sleep," He cooed. 'and I will awake you when the time is right.'
"Please keep your word." I begged in a whisper just before my eyes closed to the sight of the blue eyed mini Kryptonian reaching for my still figure.
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