FudoTwin17: Well, it's been a year and a half. And someone asked for a Christmas miracle. How about a happy new year? (I'm sorry for any mistakes - boyfriend is sleeping in lap, so I only have one hand.)

Chapter 17

"My, my!" Murmured that woman, running a finely manicured hand down Superboy's chest, avoiding the blood that dripped steadily down his chin. "I'm amazed at how long your musculature has lasted. After all, you've been here how long?"

Robin and Roy shared a sharp glance as the woman twirled a kryptonite dagger by his skin. Of course, it was all for show. Without the kryptonite incorporated in the chair, they wouldn't have had a problem escaping. They wouldn't have spent god knows how long bleeding and crying and going insane in their cramped, dark cell. They wouldn't have lost Wally, Arty, M'gann -

Robin gritted his teeth and shot another look at the still limp, bleeding Kaldur'ahm. Roy shook his head.

Robin hoped against hope the Atlantean would wake soon. He was starting to feel a deep spike of anxiety in his chest whenever he looked at Kaldur, which seemed like both a blessing and a curse. It'd been a long time since he'd felt anything beyond cold and empty.

"Well, no name boy? What is today?" Her ruby lips glinted like blood.

"My name is Conner. Conner Kent." Conner murmured dully, not taking the bait. A dribble of blood and spit gooped onto the floor.

"That's not the name your father gave you. Either of them." The woman's eyes flashed like lightning in the dark. Like someone who'd gotten the exact answer they wanted. Like a nightmare. "You can say whatever you want. You haven't a name. Not an identity. Nothing. No one. You are nothing, no name boy. It's what your father would have wanted."

Conner couldn't justify a response. He had never been very good with words. But actions? He was more of a doer. Brown and red spit splattered on the woman's face, and a few drops landed on the sweetheart neckline of her dress. She had made the stupid choice to wear a glittering, white ballgown to a torture session. Her mistake.

Conner's lip split as he gave her the most exhausted yet fulfilled grin he could give her. Without a single word, she rose the glowing, green knife to strike. Robin called out. Roy hurtled curses. Conner?

Conner screamed.

Kaldur did not wake up.

. . .

"Miss Martian AKA Whirlwind." Robin didn't look backward as the slide shifted. He watched as the crowd reared backward at her wild eyes. Robin understood.

What he didn't understand was that he couldn't find Martian Manhunter in the crowd. Disappointment swelled in his chest. He thought that the other man would want . . . He thought . . . Batgirl was missing, too.

His eyes hardened.

"Martian Manhunter's niece. Be careful. She is very powerful. She has the ability to get in your mind, change her form, fly, telekinesis. And this was all when she was young. Untrained. Still discovering herself. When she had morals."

There was a scoff. Robin's eyes narrowed in on Green Lantern. Thin. Dark haired. Hal Jordan. "She was still a sidekick when she was taken. I'm certain we can -"

"Shut up." Robin stated. Hal stuttered to a stop. There was a bitter snort from Rocket as she looked away from him. A murmur went through the rest of the crowd. "Let's get one thing straight. First of all, I didn't ask for your help. If you want to laugh at us and demean us, your existence is both unnecessary and unwanted. Leave. Second of all, I'm warning you because she is the most dangerous of them. She can trick you with a word. She can transform into your best friend. She can fly. Superhuman strength. Invulnerability. Telekinesis. If you look down on her, you won't be a hero much longer because you'll be in a shallow grave. Understand?"

Hal let out a huff and gritted his teeth, but he gave a jerky nod.

"Her trigger . . ." Robin hesitated. "She's a white Martian."

Around the room, there was no reaction. Not one person seemed to understand. Except Starfire, whose eyes widened.

"On Mars, they're treated like nothing. Mindless, violent, empty monsters." Robin stated, cold. "That's her trigger. Her inability to accept herself. The fear that no one else will accept her. Be very careful. She was the second turned. She's had a year longer than half of the others."

Cyborg flipped to the next slide, looking up to cringe at the black and red clad blonde. He could still feel the breath of wind when he had just missed one of her arrows. The look in her eyes when he'd looked at her. He let out a breath as Robin continued. "Artemis. Tigress. Her parents were Sportsmaster and Huntress. After her mother was injured in a robbery, she was paralyzed. She took care of Artemis and her sister as a single mother. This is her trigger. Reality. Her mother was paralyzed in an accident, but the woman wanted Artemis to believe it was her father. Remember the truth. Stay consistent."

Robin motioned to continue, but Green Arrow spoke up. "Wait. Sorry, but have you contacted Paula? Err, Artemis's mother?"

"No." Robin stated.

"Well, do you think we should? If her Mom were to say it, then maybe . . ." Green Arrow hesitated, waiting for Robin to speak.

"No." Robin stated, not unkindly. "Not yet, at least. If we can get her back without bringing up Paula's past, we should. And if we fail, we don't want to give Paula false hope."

"She would want to know." Green Arrow said. "She's her mother."

Robin didn't say anything, but he gave a slow nod.

The slide changed.

"Zatanna." Breathed Zatara.

"Zatanna Zatara." Agreed Robin, not looking at the blurred, crazed figure on the board behind him. "She goes by Golden Dawn, an occult she and I took down just before our capture." Robin didn't pause, rushing through. "Her trigger is her father's suicide."

All eyes turned to Zatara.

Zatara pursed his lips, but he said nothing.

Robin did the same. The slide changed to a stern looking figure with a backwards superman symbol standing out like blood on his chest. "This is Conner. Superboy turned Anti. I'm assuming Anti-Superman. As a reminder of his trigger."

"Which is me." Stated Superman. Heads turned and whispers erupted. Superman kept his blue gaze on the cold whites of Robin's mask. "It's my fault."

"What? No." Kara snapped. "It's her fault. Not yours."

Batman tried to catch his eye, but Superman kept his shoulders back and his eyes straight.

Robin still said nothing. But then he said "Then is Kaldur'ahm. He was Aqualad. Now he's Typhoon." The image behind him changed to Aqualad, clothed in dark blue and his tattoos -

"What have they done to him?" Whispered Aquaman, knuckles white from clutching his trident. "His tattoos are poisoned."

"His best friend is dating the woman he fell in love with. That's his trigger." Robin stated.

Aquaman's gaze turned on Garth. Garth didn't have it in him to meet his mentor's eye.

"And last. Roy. Red Arrow AKA Black Arrow." A figure draped in black appeared on the screen. "He was in a relationship before . . . Before. With an assassin. She goes by Cheshire. Cheshire was pregnant with his child."

Green Arrow looked shocked and red in the cheeks, but he swallowed that down. "Shame? Roy knows no matter what, family is family. We wouldn't turn on him for that. Even with an assassin. How could that be his trigger?"

"It's not." Robin stated. "She miscarried."

A shock went through the room. Wonder Woman gave a sorrowful look. Many of the younger members shifted. Many bowed their heads. Green Arrow bit his lip, tears in his eyes. But none spilled over.

"I'm sorry." Robin let out a shaky breath, the only sign the whole meeting that he was struggling. A little dry blood flaked off his cheek. "This isn't going to be easy. And I know that was a lot, but it's not over." Robin stepped aside.

And Red X took his spot, front and center in a room full of the most dangerous people in the world. Underneath the mask, his lips were trembling.

But they didn't know that.

"You knew when Young Justice disappeared. You noticed. You searched. But this isn't the first time a league group of teens went missing. The only difference is you never searched for us." Red X stated, a bitter note in his voice. "None of you except for one." Red X looked at Batman, his eyes softening. "Thank you."

And right there, Red X took off his mask.

. . .

FudoTwin17: I'm sorry if it's not up to par for the rest of the series, but it is a step forward. Happy 2020, friends!