I don't own Young Justice or Jinx
Italic writing means Jinx's thoughts or Mind link.
Chapter 4
Mount Justice
August 8th, 08:50 EDT
I shot awake as a loud alarm blared throughout my room. As I realized that the sound was a fire alarm I quickly leapt from my bed and stumbled across the room. Slipping on a pair of white pajama pants from my floor I opened the door and grabbed my combat boots. I hopped down the hallway as I tried to put on my boots and move at the same time. Just as I turned down the hallway, straight into the kitchen, I skidded to a stop, looking at the scene in front of me in shock. M'gaan was hiding behind the island in the middle of the kitchen as a pan sat on fire on top of the stove. I stared at the pan for several seconds before screaming over the fire alarm, "M'gaan what did you do?"
"I was making breakfast to celebrate!" She shrieked staring at the fire in fear. Shaking my head I calmly walked over to the pan, grabbed the lid for the pan and slammed it on top, denying the fire of oxygen, smothering it.
"Fire Alarm Disable. Stove off." I shouted, loud enough for the computer to hear. The alarm stopped abruptly in the middle of its pulsing screech and the stoves indicator light flickered off. "You o.k.?" I asked M'gaan.
"Yeah." She mumbled shakily standing up from behind the counter. "Thanks, Martians don't really like fire."
"Why didn't you do anything!" I yelled turning towards the living room where Superboy sat in front T.V filled with white noise. He turned to me, his hands sliding from where they were clasped over his ears.
"Super hearing." He grumbled before turning back to the snow TV.
"Oh, so what are we celebrating?" I asked M'gaan.
"You officially moving into Mount Justice!" She smiled brightly. "I'm really excited having another girl around here. It's like having a sister. Well an earth sister."
"I'm guessing you don't really like the stench of masculinity. Understandable." I mumbled. "So since breakfast is obviously out of the question what are we going to do?"
"We were thinking it's time to hit the beach." A voice said from behind us. M'gaan and I turned around to see Robin and Aqualad behind us in, both of them wearing bathing suits and carrying gym bags.
"Hell yeah." I shouted as M'gaan gasped in glee behind me.
Minutes later we ran from the exit of the Cave and onto the beach. I stretched my arms high above my head and took in the hot sun and the smell of salt water. Clinging to my body was a purple bikini, outlined in black that tied in the back, behind my neck and at the sides of my waist. In front of me M'gaan stretched out her arms.
"Hello M'gaan! We should hit the beach every day." She shouted.
"Agreed." I said, nudging Superboy, who smirked at me.
"First," Robin started placing his hand on his forehead. "a moment of silence for our absent colleague."
"Poor Wally." M'gaan mumbled in remorse. I blinked at the two of them before speaking.
"Wait, where is he anyway?"
"Wally starts school today." Robin explained. I visibly flinched back and my expression turned to one of disgust.
"Urgh, the poor creature." I mumbled in sadness, closing my eyes. They snapped open a second later. "Wait, why do we care? We're free." Laughing, I leapt forward and knocked the volleyball tucked under Robin's arm away from him. It hit the sand just after I passed it, running for the ocean.
"Wait, up!" M'gaan yelled, chasing after me.
(**-**)
The rest of the day we hung out on the beach and messed around. At one point we had buried Superboy in the sand and I almost drowned M'gaan when I hit the ocean with a hex. Soon after we had finished on the beach we had all taken showers and gotten dressed in our costume. Yesterday, after hours of contemplation and with Megan's help I had finally found a costume. I was wearing a black off shoulder dress with long bell sleeves, and the ends of the dress were pointed in a witch like fashion. Underneath were purple and black striped tights. Around my waist was a thick purple belt that's colour matched my choker necklace which had a small pink pendent hanging from it. The pendent was the same colour as my hair that was straightened and was pushed behind my shoulders while my bangs hung just above my eyes.
The reason we were dressed in our costumes was because we were meeting our new team mate. We stood in a small little circle in front of Batman, Red Tornado and Green Arrow. Standing beside him dressed in a green uniform with a quiver filled with green arrows was a girl. I don't know what but something was off about her, not even seconds after meeting her I became suspicious. Oliver never said that he was training a new protégé and he would have told me. We weren't that close but we talked a lot.
A feeling went through my stomach as I thought about it. Maybe he didn't tell me because I wasn't at the Watchtower anymore. It hadn't even been a full week and I was already beginning to lose touch with the members of the Justice League. The people I thought of as family. They weren't talking to me anymore; maybe I wasn't as close to them as I thought.
I was roused out of my deep thinking when Robin nudged me. "You o.k?" He asked.
"I'm fine." I mumbled, shaking my head. "Stop thinking moron."
"Recognize: Kid Flash B-03." The computer said as the zeta tube behind us glowed.
"Wall man is here! Now let's get this party start…" He cheered just before letting out a loud grunt of pain as he tripped. I watched boredly as a beach ball headed for my face before I hit it to the side, causing it to bounce past Batman and Red Tornado. He sighed before finishing; "ted."
"Wall man huh. Love the uniform. What exactly are your powers?" The blond haired archer asked.
"Uh, who's this?" Wally asked, standing beside me.
"Why do you have so much sunscreen on your nose it's almost dark out?" I mumbled reaching up and wiping a small amount of his nose. His face turned red in embarrassment as I held the sunscreen covered finger up to his eyes before wiping it on his swim trunks. We looked at each other for a second longer before we snapped our heads toward the archer as she started talking.
"Artemis, your new teammate." She explained to Wally.
"Kid Flash. Never heard of you." He said.
"Uh, she's my new protégé." Green Arrow said walking up and placing his hand on Artemis's shoulder.
"What happened to your old one?" Kid Flash asked, just as the zeta tube lit up again.
"Speedy: B-06."
"Well for starters he doesn't go by Speedy anymore. Call me Red Arrow." Standing behind us was Speedy dressed in a costume different from his old one.
"Roy." I said in surprise, his eyes widened as he looked me up and down.
"Jinx?" He asked, sounding shocked. It was silent as he suddenly narrowed his eyes at me, the white part of his mask shrinking.
"Wait! You two know each other?" Robin asked surprised. I looked at the faces of my teammates and they all looked shocked. Just as I was about to answer Speedy, or Red Arrow, cut in.
"Yeah." He huffed out. "I see you got demoted, the League still telling you what to do?" I looked down towards the floor avoiding his gaze. "I guess they finally decided you needed a babysitter."
I wanted to tell him off and prove him wrong but he was right The League had always made my decisions for me. I went from working alongside them to being considered nothing more than a child, a sidekick.
"Roy, you look…" Green Arrow started from behind me.
"Replaceable." Roy said bumping my shoulder as he walked past. I kept my gaze down and grabbed my arm, squeezing to try and control my anger.
"It's not like that you told me you were going solo."
"So why waste time finding a sub. Can she even use that bow?"
"Yes she can." Artemis interrupted. I looked up as she stepped forward glaring at Roy.
"Who are you?" Wally yelled.
"She's my niece." "I'm his niece." They said at the same time. I narrowed my eyes at the two of them.
"Another niece?" Robin chuckled.
"But she is not your replacement. We always wanted you on the team. We have no quota on archers." Aqualad said walking up to Roy.
"And if we did you know who we'd pick." Wally told him.
"Whatever Baywatch I'm here to stay." Artemis said, annoyed. Roy turned around and started walking away when Aqualad stopped him.
"You came to us for a reason."
"Yeah a reason named Doctor Serling Roquette." Roy grumbled.
"Nano robotics genius and claytronics expert at Royal University in Star City vanished two weeks ago." Robin explained bringing up several holographic screens with info on the scientist.
"Abducted two weeks ago," Roy started. "By the League of Shadows."
"Whoa. You want us to rescue her from the Shadows." My eyes widened. If he wanted this team to fight the Shadows he was crazy. None of them had the experience or stealth to go against the League. The only ones (out of us younger heroes) that would be able to complete a mission like that would be me and Roy and possibly Kaldur.
"Hardcore." Wally said, bumping fists with Robin.
"I already rescued her." Roy said walking forward to stand in front of the screens. Another screen popped up. "Only one problem, the Shadows already coerced her into creating a weapon. Doc calls it the fog, comprised of millions of microscopic robots. Nanotech infiltrators capable of disintegrating anything in their path concrete, steal, flesh, bone. But its true purpose isn't mere destruction, its theft. The infiltrators can store raw data from any computer system and deliver the stolen Intel to the Shadows. Providing them access to weapons, strategic defense, cutting edge science and tech."
"Perfect for extortion, manipulation, power broking. Yeah, sounds like the Shadows." Artemis mumbled.
"Like you know anything about the Shadows." Wally said. Artemis smirked at him and he yelled out; "Who are you?"
"Quit asking that question it's annoying." I growled at him.
"Roquette's working on a virus to render the fog inert." Roy said.
"If the shadows know she can do that…" Robin started.
"Then she's as good as dead." I finished.
"I've stashed her at the local high school computer lab. She's off grid." Roy explained
"You left her alone?" Green Arrow asked.
"She's safe enough for now."
"Then let's you and I keep her that way… together."
"You and I - don't you want to take your new protégé." Roy grumbled as Oliver walked towards him. Batman stepped up and placed a hand on Green's shoulder, stopping him.
"You brought this to the team it's their mission, which means it's hers too." Oliver explained.
"Pfft, then my jobs done." Roy said heading for the zeta tube.
"Recognize Speedy."
"That's Red Arrow: B-06, update." Roy said as the portal light swallowed him up. I narrowed my eyes and ran for the portal.
"What are you doing?" Kid shouted after me.
"Nothing I'll be right back." I responded and stepped through the zeta tube. Light flooded my vision and I was suddenly in a phone booth. I opened the door and stepped out. Walking away through the alleyway we were in was Roy. "Red!" I shouted. He stopped walking and turned towards me.
"What do you want?" He responded. I glared and walked forward.
"What is your problem?" I all but growled.
"I don't have a problem."
"You obviously do!" I said pushing pointing my finger into his chest. "You're acting like a real asshole!"
"I don't have a problem now knock it off." He yelled grabbing my finger and flinging it off his chest.
I looked at him in surprise, stepping back and saying, "Don't lie to me. I know you haven't always been the nicest person but the Roy I know has never and would never yell at me." He looked away glaring at the building next to us. "Please Roy your one of my closest friends. What's going on, you're not acting like yourself."
He stared down at me for several minutes before sighing. "Everything's fine J. Let it go o.k." He said. Roy placed his hand on my head and ruffled my hair. "I don't trust that new archer, be careful around her."
"Do you know anything about who she is?" I asked.
"I don't know but I plan to find out."
(**-**)
Happy Harbor
August 8th, 21:53 EDT
We sat in the local high school, Kid Flash, Robin, Aqualad and Artemis were inside with me. Superboy and Miss. Martian were walking the perimeter outside.
"Everyone online." M'gaan asked through the mind link.
"Urgh, this is weird." Artemis thought, looking at her hand.
"And distracting coding and distributing an algorithm virus on a kiddy computer with less ram than a wrist watch is hard enough NOW I HAVE TO HEAR TEENS THINK IN MY SKULL!" Doctor Roquette shouted through the link.
"At least when this is all over you'll never have them in your head again. I'm stuck with it." I grumbled. I sat next to Kid with my knees pulled up to my chest, flinching when he took a loud crunch of his chocolate bar.
"You don't have to sound so upset Jinx, you know you love having me in your head." Wally practically purred.
"You wish!" I snarled.
Wally huffed, pouting at me before turning back to the Doctor. "Lady do you always complain when someone tries to help you."
"Pot, Kettle have you two met?" Artemis asked.
"Hey, hey I don't need attitude from the newbie who drove Red Arrow off the team."
"That is so not fair!"
"Fate of the world. At stake here." The Doctor yelled.
"She started it!" Kid shouted.
"Red didn't even want on the team in the first place. Don't just blame people for his choice." I said.
"How about I just help Superboy and Miss. Martian patrol the perimeter." Artemis suggested walking out.
"Good idea." Kaldur said, sounding relived. Kid continued to chew on his chocolate when Robin spoke.
"You know you should cut her some slack. It was her arrow that saved your butt from Amazo."
"What! No, that was Speedy… I mean Red Arrow's arrow… Right?" Kid stuttered.
"Not really. I thought you were smart." I said, raising an eyebrow at him.
"Well… still not giving her the satisfaction."
"I don't think she cares enough."
"Jinx is right and you know I can still hear you." I flinched as Artemis shouted through the link. Kid let out a large groan of frustration and grabbed his head.
"I couldn't have gotten the Justice League." Doctor Roquette said grabbing her nose in frustration.
"The virus won't be of much use if we cannot find the weapon, can you track it?" Kaldur asked.
"My utility fog is not a weapon, it's science, brilliant science."
"Brilliant and dangerous, or are you forgetting that it can go through flesh. Don't try and delude yourself into thinking it's not a weapon. It's a weapon that could kill people if the Shadows wanted to use it that way." I hissed, narrowing my eyes. "And knowing the Shadows they most likely will. They are nothing but scum who like to hurt people and your apart of it. Every person they hurt with your weapon isn't just their fault but yours too." She turned and glared at me before looking back at Kaldur.
"…Of course I can track it, but I'd have to go online. Might as well rent a billboard with this address and the words 'assassinate me' written in neon." I watched as she leaned against the desk in exasperation. Now I felt bad. She was forced to make this weapon and now she wanted to try and stop it. But if we couldn't protect her she would die. I gripped my fingers in anger. The Shadows are nothing but lowlife scum. If she didn't make that weapon then she would have been killed, but now other people will be killed if she doesn't fix the problem.
"We will protect you." Kaldur insisted, placing his hand on her shoulder in comfort. She sat there for a second before reaching forward and pressing enter on the keyboard.
"Tracking fog now."
(**-**)
Minutes later I stood outside the front entrance with M'gaan and Artemis beside me. My eyes scanned the area in front of us, searching for any signs of movement. Someone landing behind me caught my attention and I turned to see Superboy walking away.
"Mmm that boy." Artemis hummed staring at Superboy's ass. I turned to glare at her; Superboy wasn't a piece of meat.
"He can hear you. We can all hear you. " M'gaan said, her voice laced with jealousy.
"Oh, I know."
"That's it. We need to talk. M'gaan keep an eye out." I hissed grabbing Artemis's arm and dragging her away. She struggled but I kept dragging her until we were out of hearing range.
"What is wrong with you we have a job to do." Artemis growled as I came to a stop and pulled her in front of me.
"I know that and you're creating problems."
"I'm creating problems? Are you forgetting about that speedster? Kid Flash is the one that keeps starting fights with me. He doesn't trust me… and I'm guessing you don't either." She finished with a small glare in my direction.
"I know that and that's because he can't let things go. He likes to whine and complain that is why he is called Kid Flash. You are obviously a mature person so you should know better than to fight back. Also Superboy isn't a piece of meat. Like you said we have a job to do so ogle him when we're done." She opened her mouth to speak but I cut her off. "No don't say anything. I want to tell you that you're right I don't trust you and for good reason."
"Why? I haven't given you any reason to not to!" She growled.
"But you haven't given me any reason to trust you. I know for a fact that can't be Oliver's niece because he doesn't have any siblings. He might trust you but I don't because I know nothing about you. You are going to be with this team for a while and you have to act as a team player. I used to be just like you. I used to and still do like to work alone but you have to get that the team is here to back you up. We expect you to do the same but we can't unless we trust you completely. Gain our trust and respect by not staring needless fights and letting us get to know you. If you keep acting the way that you are, none of us are going to want to know you." With that I turned on my heel and headed back to M'gaan, Artemis following seconds after. Just as we got there Robin and Superboy ran past us for the bio ship.
"Doctor Roquette found the weapon. Superboy and Robin are going to stop it." M'gaan answered, looking at me with caution.
"Everything's o.k." I reassured her, patting her shoulder. We stood there, the two girls standing in front of me, for a few minutes before M'gaan glared at Artemis.
"You embarrassed Superboy." M'gaan grumbled.
"I didn't hear him say that." Artemis said cockily.
"Must you challenge everyone!"
"Where I come from that's how you survive."
"Artemis what did we just talk about." I groaned. Her head snapped backwards and she glared at me.
"Listen I don't care what you think. The little speech you gave me isn't going to make me see things differently. If you can't learn to like me then oh well. I can take care of myself. It's the way I was raised."
"What were you raised by wolves?" I whispered to myself when suddenly I felt something wrong in the pit of my stomach. Spinning around I stared at the school behind us, I tilted my head and scanned the windows. I didn't see anything but that feeling was still there, so I walked inside.
(**-**)
My footsteps were quiet as I shuffled down the hallway. I kept a close watch on everything around me. The darkness around me was unsettling and every shadow that moved made me want to hex this school into pieces. Suddenly I heard a loud grunt. I spun around to stare at the hallway beside me. With a gasp my skin sparked and my eyes flashed pink, my magic telling me something was wrong. Suddenly I was moving forward and running down the long hallway. When I turned the corner I saw an open door with a small sliver of light shining out. I slowed down and cautiously walked towards the door. Inside was a large pool that filled the room with a glow of blue.
I felt a small round object under my foot and stepped back. Bending down I grabbed the object and lifted it in front of my eye. "What the…" I mumbled. My eyes were drawn to the fuzzy background behind the small black ball and I saw something floating in the pool. I gasped and the ball fall from my hands as I ran forward. In the middle of the pool floated Wally, face down. I dove from the side of the pool into the water. My body hit the water and slowed down, my body arched and I swam to the surface, right beside Wally. I used all my strength to turn him over and I grabbed him. My one arm was under his armpit and grabbing his shoulder while the other rested over his shoulder and grabbed the other one.
"Wally!" I shouted in his ear. "Come on wake up! Wally!" As I struggled to keep afloat and drag him to the edge my hand slipped to his neck, checking for a pulse. I clenched my teeth as I felt what his fast speedster pulse should have been was barely there. "Wally! Oh, I am so not giving you mouth to mouth wake up!" My hand slipped down from his neck to right between his lungs. Focusing my energy my hand glowed pink and I let a small pink hex slip from my palm. He awoke coughing and sputtering, the water spitting past his lips, hitting my arms.
"Argh, watch where you're spitting that." I grumbled.
"J-Jinx." He sputtered, choking.
"Pull yourself together! I can't do this all on my own, you're too heavy." I said smacking him with my palm. Just then I felt mine and Wally's bodies being lifted into the air. My head turned to the side and I caught a glance of M'gaan floating above the water, her arms out. "Couldn't have gotten here before I got all wet?"
Kid let out a little laugh and I glared at him. "Not funny."
"Don't blame me I almost died." Wally mumbled, as the two of us were dropped to the ground outside the pool.
"We have to hurry. We're under attack!" M'gaan yelled flying out the door. I stumbled up and ran after here, Kid right behind me. Suddenly I was lifted into the air and into Kid's arms.
"What are you doing?" I shrieked in surprise.
"You're too slow." He laughed running faster. Seconds later we burst through the door to the computer lab and Kid set me down. He quickly rushed forward and blocked a stray arrow from hitting Doctor Roquette. I jumped forward and was about to attack when I saw the assassin in front of me.
"Maybe a little too interesting." The assassin said. My eyes narrowed at the girl with the Cheshire cat mask on.
"Cheshire." I growled, my voice filled with hatred.
"Long time no see… Little Jinxie." She purred. I let out a growl and lunged for her. She dodged to the side and I stumbled past her. As she lashed out and tried to strike downward with her sai I grabbed her wrist, my eyes glowing pink. I felt my magic bubbled over and the metal of the sai started to melt; the liquid metal from the blade dripping to the ground.
"Still as rash as ever." She said, lifting her foot and kicking me in the stomach. I was shoved backward and stumbled into Artemis. Cheshire reached towards the roof and threw down a smoke bomb, shrouding herself. Just then Kid rushed forward and flung himself through the air hitting nothing. He rolled on the ground and slammed into me. On instinct I wrapped my arms around him to keep him upright. Tripping backwards I slammed into the wall, my eyes closed in pain and Kid covering my body. When my eyes opened I was staring straight into his green eyes. We stared into each other's eyes and after a second he smiled at me. My eyes widened before narrowing as I threw him off of me, causing him to fall backward and hit the ground.
"She's gone." I hissed.
"She's getting away. You're letting her get away." Doctor Roquette yelled at Kaldur.
"This is all your fault!" Kid yelled turning on Artemis. "You were on perimeter, how'd that shadow get in!"
"That's not really fair. Jinx and I were outside too." M'gaan said.
"Outside… being distracted by her." Wally stuttered. "Besides I can't be mad at you and Jinx." "Jinx had my head against her chest."
"We can hear you." Everyone shouted.
"Pervert." I hissed at him.
"Dang it." He yelled walking away.
"I didn't do half as well in my first battle and I know you can't have been Green Arrows sidekick for very long." M'gaan said placing a hand on Artemis's shoulder.
"Yeah I mean my first mission with the team I let out a hex at a robot, it missed, and headed for Kid Flash. The hex was powerful enough for a robot to handle not a human. Kid would have had a heart attack if it hit him." I smiled at her.
"Wait, what?" Kid shouted in worry from the other side of the room.
"Focus everyone the Shadows will be back." Aqualad said, before listening to his comm. A second later he turned to us. "Star labs has been hit."
My eyes widened as I gasped out; "Victor."
"We scan for the fog, find it, we're moving the doctor."
(**-**)
Within minutes all of us were hidden away in a different location. Kid Flash and Artemis were inside and Kaldur was in the forest across the street, scanning the perimeter. I sat underneath the desk where M'gaan, pretending to be the good Doctor, sat typing.
"Stop it, both of you." Kaldur said suddenly.
"What!" Both Kid Flash and Artemis said at the same time.
"I can hear you both glaring."
"He's not exactly wrong." I grumbled shifting in my uncomfortable position. "Why am I the one stuck under the desk?" Unfortunately I didn't get an answer to my completely logical question. Why do we even need anyone under the desk? I slowly tapped my fingertips against my leg and sighed. Suddenly the doors were slammed open. Seconds later something was thrown and then the roofs top window was smashed open.
"Don't stop working." Artemis shouted to the fake Doctor. A second later an arrow could be heard being released and being stopped by something. I rolled out from under the desk and stood up. I sent a hex at the desk that had moved in the way to stop an arrow from reaching M'gaan, it exploded into pieces and the hex dissipated before it could reach Cheshire.
"The Martian and Witch are here it's now or never." She shouted to her henchmen, one of whom was attacking Kid and the other attacking Artemis. Cheshire jumped onto the desk as M'gaan ran away; her foot lashed out and kicked me to the ground before she jumped from the desk and landed on M'gaan. I smirked as Cheshire twirled her sai above M'gaan, whose head turned completely around to the look at the assassin. She snapped her head towards me and I shrugged my shoulders. "We've been duped." She yelled.
"Opps." I smirked. M'gaan flew into the air, transforming back to herself.
"You'll never find Roquette." She yelled.
"Never's such a long time." Cheshire smirked, running to the door. "Perusing target, keep them busy." The white haired henchmen attacked M'gaan while I scrambled to my feet.
"Perusing their leader. Take the rest down." Artemis yelled running for the door.
"You are sooo not the boss of me." Kid shouted after her.
"Just do it!"
I narrowed my eyes and jumped onto the desk, flipping over Kid Flash and running for the door. "What are you doing?" Kid shouted but I was long gone. I burst through the door and ran around the van parked outside. Running down the block was Cheshire being chased by Artemis. Just as I was about to follow I was slammed into by something and thrown across the street. Shouting out in pain as I rolled on the ground. Just as I was about to look up at my attacker I was dragged to my feet and black filled my vision. My stomach dropped and a feeling of nausea filled me as one minute I was standing in the middle of the street and the next in the middle of a forest.
Ripping myself from the grip of the person holding me I dashed forward and twisted to look at my attacker. My eyes widened in shock and a hand flew to my mouth as I stuttered out, "Cain."
The boy in front of me was very slender and tall. A mop of blue hair stood out on his head, contrasting with his pale skin. His large eyes were pure black with no white was visible. Sticking to his body like a second skin was a black sleeveless shirt that covered from his nose down. Overtop was a black leather jacket with a hood. and brown cargo pants covered his lower half and black shoes his feet.
"Hello Jinx. It's nice to see you again." A male voice said, its words echoing through my mind.
"How… How are… You're." I stuttered unable to get the words out.
"How am I alive?" Cain asked in my head. "Turns out the Lazarus Pit does more than just heal injuries. I was thrown in hours after my death so my mind is… mostly… intact."
My eyes dragged up and down his body in disbelief. "Are you working with the League of Shadows? Even after all that they did!"
"They did more for me then you did!" He shouted in my head, his eyes narrowing in hatred. "You and the others just let me die!"
"The Pit must have done more damage to your mind then you think." I snarled out at him. "You don't think I didn't want to go after you. Enchantress told me to get out. She told all of us to run.
"You should have tried harder!" He screamed. "You and the rest just followed orders like the good little dogs the Justice League made you."
"We had no choice. All…" I started.
"You had a choice! Obviously we didn't mean that much to you. June must have not meant that much to you. You let her die." He cut me off.
"Don't you ever say that to me!" My eyes glowed in anger and pink magic energy snapped and crackled off of my skin. "June was my mentor. She took me in as a child and kept me from thinking my powers made me nothing but evil. With her help and training I was able to learn to control my magic. She was like a mother to me. Enchantress saved me; she meant the world to me so don't you ever think that I didn't care about her." My voice ended as a low threatening whisper as my magic formed an almost invisible, pink tinted bubble around me.
"I see she didn't teach you as much control as you think. Your power is nothing but bad luck. You can't change the fact that your power is nothing but a tool used for destruction. She took you in so that no other magician could have you. Every magician was and still is interested in your magic. They want to harness and use your power. The most destructive magic that hasn't been seen for over a hundred years flows through your veins. It's also why the League keeps you on a tight leash. Who knows when they'll need to use you?"
"Shut up!" I growled, gritting my teeth so hard they felt like they might break. "You know nothing. I have more control than you think. And June loved me like a daughter. She was my family."
Cain let out a little chuckle before looked behind him then turning back to me. "Looks like I have to get going. Say hi to the old team for me." I reached out as he turned to walk away. "By the way… you really think you have that much control. Look around." His voice echoed in my mind before suddenly he was shrouded in black and completely disappeared from sight. As soon as he was gone I clenched my fists trying to calm down. After releasing a deep breath my eyes opened and then widened in shock. In a gigantic circle around me was nothing but dead grass and trees. I looked down at my hands as they shook before squeezing them closed.
"Hey Artemis." I shouted across the Mission Room. Artemis turned from where she was standing by the zeta beams. "Mind if I talk to you for a sec?"
She looked me up and down before slowly nodding. When I finally reached her side I spoke. "I know who you really are... or at least who your parents are."
Her eyes widened and I saw fear pass over her expression. "H-how?"
"I knew Oliver and Bats were lying to the team and I wanted to know about you." As I said this the fear in her eyes turned to pure rage.
"You had no right to do that!" She yelled as she pointed her finger at me.
"...I know and I'm sorry. I just had to make sure you weren't a danger to the team." I mumbled looking down at the ground.
"If Green Arrow and Batman and the rest of the League can trust me why can't you." I raised my head to speak up but she cut me right off. "What is with you anyway? My business is my own. I can handle myself and the others are starting to trust me so why can't you."
"Because the last time I trusted someone I lost two people I loved!" I hissed, glaring into her now shocked eyes. When I saw her expression change I turned my head to the side to stare at the wall. "Since then I haven't trusted anyone without having doubt gnawing at the back of my brain. Please don't take it personally. I have nothing against you, there's just only a small group of people I trust completely. And that group doesn't include you... or the rest of the team yet. Please just try to understand, I will eventually trust you guys but it's going to take awhile."
"I'm sorry, but that still isn't an excuse for..." She started before I cut her off.
"I know and I'm sorry. You were right I should have trusted the Leagues judgment. I've been burned before but..." Sighing I ran a hand through my hair. "Look can we just start over."
She looked at me with a blank expression before her mouth tilted up in a small smirk. "Sure."
I smirked back and put my hand out, shaking hers. "I feel like me and you are going to get along really well. Also don't worry I won't tell the others it's not my secret to tell but you should know that they're good kids, they'll understand."
"I hope so, but I don't think I'll be telling them the truth for a while. Thanks though." Artemis said letting go of my hand. "By the way, what's with the civies?" She asked as the two of us turned towards the zeta beams. I looked down at myself wondering if what I was wearing was somehow wrong. My clothes consisted of ripped blue jeans, black converse, a red tank top and black leather jacket.
"Why do they look weird? I don't get out much often so..."
"No it's fine I'm just wondering where your going."
"To visit an old friend." I told her just before I stepped into the zeta beam.
Star Labs
August 8th, 12:47 EDT
"It's only going to take a few months to rebuild everything so calm down." A man in a security uniform grumbled down at a short black woman in a lab coat. I watched in amusement, from my spot on a nearby building, as the woman, a scientist I knew as Sarah Charles, turned to him with a fire in her eyes.
"I know the building can be replaced but the information that was stolen is irreplaceable and very dangerous. Years of research, development and time all sent down the drain, gone, and you want me to be calm! Get out of my sight!" Sarah yelled waving her hand at the security guard and turning back to the rubble of the once proud Philadelphia Star Labs. As the guard walked away, grumbled some less than kind words about the scientist, Sarah slid her glass off and rubbed the bridge of her nose.
I waited until the guard was gone before I jumped from my spot on the roof and landed on one near by, one that was closer to the ground, before flipping off of that one. Casually walking past the few strangling scientists and guards I stopped right behind Sarah, putting my hand on her shoulder. She jumped and spun around to look at me surprised.
"Jinx! W-what are you doing here?" She said staring down at me with wide eyes.
"Came to make sure you guys were alright. I heard about the attack and knew the two of you were working on a new project here." I mumbled staring at the rubble. "Did everyone make it out?"
"...A few people were hurt but no one was killed." Sarah nodded towards the police cars, fire trucks and ambulance that's lights lit up the entire area and surrounding buildings. "The place was practically empty except for a few workaholics staying late."
"I take it that includes you and him." I stated.
"No actually. I convinced him to finally get some sleep. He's been up for days working on our latest project. Which is now... completely gone." She sighed looking down at the ground.
"Don't you guys have backups?"
"Yep we have backups of the backups, most of which were in there." She said pointing to the destroyed building. "And the rest of them are pretty much useless now that someone else has the plans."
"Shit. Sorry."
"Language!" She snapped at me, smacking the back of my head lightly. We both laughed a little before she turned somber. "Thanks, though I'm probably not the one you should be saying that too. I may be upset but he's ten times worse."
"...Where is the big guy anyway?"
"First warehouse on the right." She said pointing over the shoulder towards the back buildings.
"Thanks." I responded before patting her on the should one more time and heading to the specified building. When I got there I pressed the black button next to the giant metal door and watched as it slowly slid up. Typing echoed out through the warehouse and in the very back of the building, behind a partial wall of boxes and tech, was a bright glow. As I walked toward the glow the sounds of my footsteps halted the typing. Just as I walked around the wall I heard a familiar voice ring out.
"I just want to be alone right now Sarah." A male voice said. When I stepped forward I was hit by the bright glow of several computer screens and the typing had started up again. Sitting in a chair in front of the screens was a hulking figure of a man who had a body of mostly metal. I watched the back of his head which was part shiny bald and the other metal.
"Sorry to disappoint but it's not your girlfriend Cyborg." As I said this the man froze up and then quickly shot up from his chair, turning to face me. I smiled as I looked into his one red cybernetic eye and his other real eye.
"Ashmi." He said smiling. "Or do I still call you Jinx?"
"Victor Stone. Were not hero's right now so my real name is just fine. Long time no see Cyborg."
"Hey, if I have to call you your real name then you have to call me mine." I smirked at him as I walked forward and hugged him.
"It's good to see you Vic." I laughed as he hugged me back.
"Geez, what are you doing here short stack?" Victor said as he let go of me and lightly punched me in the shoulder.
"Came to make sure my best friend was okay."
"Wait Argent's here?" He laughed.
"Funny."
"How did you know I was here anyway?"
"Bats told me you and Sara had been transferred to the facility down here for a few months. I asked him if he could keep tabs on you guys for a while."
"So Batsy told ya? Why am I not surprised?" Cyborg said with an amused grin on his face. "So I heard it didn't take you long to get a new team. You forgotten about us already."
"No way you guys are too annoying to forget. How'd you know about the team?"
"I still have access to the League's database, plus I asked Batman to do the same thing."
"Good, cause I'm gonna need your help." I mumbled, and with that Cyborg's face turned serious.
"Ashmi you okay? What's going on?" His one good eye scrunched up as he tried to get a better look at my face.
"No…" I started. "I saw a ghost from our past tonight."
"…Here." He said pulling out his chair and rolling it over to me. I sat down in it as he leaned against the desk. "What's going on?"
"It's… It's Cain. He's… alive." I said with my teeth clenching together. I clasped my hands together as they started to spark with rage. After several moments of silence, I looked up at Cyborg to see him just staring at me. "You don't look surprised."
He stood there for a minute looking at me with a blank face before he spoke. "…Jinx have you been going to the league therapist?"
I started at him in disbelief. "You've got to be shitting me Victor. I think I'm nuts!" I shouted shoving the chair harshly and pacing back and forth.
"Jinx this isn't the first time you've seen not only him but June too. It's just your mind imagining them to cope with your guilt." Cyborg said soothingly as my hands began to crackly with pink energy. "We all felt guilty about that night but it wasn't our fault."
"This is not like before!" I snapped. Suddenly the computer screen behind Cyborgs head shattered and pieces of it went flying. He flinched slight before reaching up and swiping some pieces off of his shoulder. "Sorry." I mumbled, calming down and rubbing my hands.
"Still not so good with the electronics I see."
"Cyborg. I've gotten over that. Last time it was just my magic conjuring up their images to try and help me. This time it wasn't that, I know what I saw. He… He's with the League of Shadows."
"What?" Cyborg said with a wide eye. "…He's really alive. That doesn't make any sense my sensor picked up no life signs. I spent weeks running facial recognition scans and searching through hospital records hoping to find either of them alive and I found nothing. And even if he was alive he would never work for them. Not after what they did and how they operate."
"Well he is. The Lazarus pit brought him back. The League of Shadows brought him back. In his eyes they saved him, while we… to him we're the assholes who left him behind to die. We killed him. No matter how many people keep telling me it wasn't our fault and there was nothing that could have been done I know the truth. It's our fault. It's mine."
"… I'm not saying that I completely believe you, at least not till I can see it with my own eyes. If what you saw was right, then what do we do."
"Nothing. There's nothing we can do. But if Cain is angry at us the League of Shadows probably knows everything about us. Cain could be on a manhunt. We have to get the others together and warn them. It'll be better if we're all together, that way we can watch each others backs and we'll have the Justice League to protect us if anything happens. I'll talk to Argent and Hotspot you talk to the others."
"That'll be a problem." Cyborg said standing up from his spot on the desk.
"Why? I thought you'd been keeping track."
"I thought Batman was keeping track of them for you."
"Well he hasn't been able to find those two idiots. He always was good at hiding himself and if we find him we'll find her."
"Can't believe their able to hide from Bats and me." Cyborg laughed.
"Come on you and I both know Jericho may be a sweetheart who plays the guitar but it doesn't change the fact that he was raised by his father. Deathstroke trained him to be a good assassin, good thing he's on our side. And he and Kole are so smitten with each other that there's no doubt they're with each other. I think I miss them the most."
"You just miss having another pink haired person around. The one thing I hated was how you, Kole and Argent did nothing but gossip, giggle and shop most of the time. You were so annoying."
"Oh please. You had Hotspot and Jericho. What was annoying was the amount of time you guys spent playing video games. And you with the shouting of 'Booyah' every time you won." I smirked weakly. He was just making fun of me to get my mind off of Cain, but it wasn't working well.
"We should be able to find them. Talk to Argent and Hotspot, tell them what's going on and see if they know where they are."
"Okay I'll talk to you soon." I said just about to head for the exit. "By the way get some sleep. I know Sara's worried about you. Also take her out on a date sometime don't be one of those weird workaholic couples that's only quality time is when they're working. Night." And with that I walked out on my way to the closest zeta beam I said a quick goodbye to Sara ready to get home, have a long chat with Argent and Hotspot and then take a very long nap.