Kaldur'ahm – AKA Aqualad – January 21st, 2010 – 4:58pm

Twigs and branches cracked beneath Kaldur's bare feet as he ran, willing himself faster through the trees. Bullets soared passed the Atlantian, burying themselves in the dirt of the forest floor, reminding him of the severe consequences that awaited him should he allow his pace to falter. Of course, the deafening sound of the gunshots were far from reassuring, yet it was a relief that Kaldur had successfully drawn the attention away from his team. Superboy would recover from his injuries and rendezvous with the others back at the beach. He could ensure the rest of their Team found someplace safe to hide, so long as Kaldur could buy him enough time. As for the Atlantian, he was reasonably sure he could evade his pursuers with minimal injury. His thick, Atlantian skin was more resistant to their weaponry (perhaps not as resistant as Superboy, but far more than the humans or Martian on his Team) and he was one of the only protégés that could escape this situation without revealing his identity to those in pursuit. All he had to do was reach the ocean.

"He's heading up the cliff! Ha! We got 'im boys! The kid's run himself into a dead end!" The voice called out behind Kaldur, causing a sick twist in the Atlantian's stomach as he realized how much pleasure these criminals were getting from hunting a mere teenager down like some wild animal! There was no hesitation in their shots, nor any mercy in their aim. These men would not be satisfied with surrender. Kaldur knew that even if he were to stop running and face his adversaries, these cruel humans would only spare him if it meant prolonging his pain.

A fierce heat spread across Kaldur's arm as one of the bullets struck their target and the Atlantian stumbled from the sudden pain. He was mere feet away from the edge of the forest and the cliff his adversaries had mentioned was finally within view. They were right – there was no easy escape from here. The path ahead narrowed, tapering off to leave Kaldur completely surrounded. The steep, jagged cliff offered no opportunity to climb down safely, and the crashing waves and unforgiving rocks below would prove fatal for any human who was bold enough to dive. Even to an Atlantian, the path ahead was daunting.

"You wanna live kid? Why don't you stop running and give yourself up? We got some questions for ya. Else, you might end up like your little friend back at the crash site! Ain't that right boys?" the voice called out again, and Kaldur allowed himself to turn and face his pursuers. The man who spoke was vile, even in appearance. He was taller than Kaldur, with a fair amount of natural muscle hidden beneath a dirty, torn vest and ripped cargo pants. He had cropped hair and an unkempt array of stubble that did little to distract from the cruel smirk that crossed his face. The scars that stretched across his lip and covered the exposed skin of his chest and arms told of a violent past, but Kaldur could already tell this man's intentions by the assault rifle gripped firmly in his hands.

Kaldur took a tentative step backwards – his bare foot finding the edge of the cliff as the men closed in. Even with the pain from his arm, the fatigue from the crash and the chase, Kaldur knew he could put up a decent fight – probably take out at least four or five of the eight surrounding men before they took him down, but he couldn't take the risk. Fighting back now would reveal his identity as an Atlantian – a Superhero. The rest of his Team, still dressed in civvies and far too weary to protect themselves, would be exposed and Kaldur couldn't take that chance. M'gann, Conner, and Kaldur'ahm may have little to lose by being revealed, but Wally, Artemis, and Robin were only safe so long as their identities were kept secret. If they had any hope of a normal life once they returned from this island, their affiliation with the League must remain hidden.

"What's it gonna be kid? You gonna play nice or do we have ta send ya down with the fish?" The grizzly-looking man asked, stepping in front of his pack with his fingers longingly stroking the trigger.

"I believe, I will take my chances with the fish." Kaldur replied, capitalizing on the man's momentary surprise by diving off the edge of the cliff, into the treacherous waters below.

Kaldur'ahm – AKA Aqualad – January 21st, 2010 – 4:19 pm

Kaldur closed his eyes, allowing the soothing caress of the water to ease the pain of his burns. It had taken time, but he was able to find a small inland spring at the bae of the Island's tall peaks. This would provide the team with fresh drinking water, as well as a means to cleanse and tend to their injuries. The peak would offer a protective wall to shield them from the elements and offer a sturdy base for a shelter. Once the team was safe, well-rested, and tended to, Kaldur could scale the peak to see whether the additional altitude would allow them to send a transmission to the Justice League.

With his mission a success, Kaldur took a mere few moments to himself before contacting his other two wayward teammates about their own progress. He was anxious to see whether M'gann and Conner had found the food and supplies necessary to help Wally. Judging by Robin's uncharacteristically rash outburst and Artemis' blatant guilt regarding the Speedster's condition, Kaldur feared the only hope for a peaceful collaboration between the team was to get Wally back on his feet.

"Miss Martian, Superboy, report." Kaldur called through the mind-link, relieved that they had a method of communication that could not be hindered by whatever was blocking the other transmissions on this island.

"I salvaged few supplies. Not much. Almost everything burned." Conner curtly replied, but the strain of his tone suggested that the Kryptonian was still sifting through the heavy mangled metal from the bioship. M'gann's response held more reassurance.

"I found some fruit. We were lucky, this island seems pretty plentiful. I've got quite a bit already, but I can gather more?"

"Negative. Miss Martian, take what you have and return to the beach. More can be gathered later as needed, but for now our priority is Kid Flash. Once he is stable, we will move him to…"

"Conner?" Kaldur had no need to ask the reason for M'gann's interruption. He had felt it too – the wave of tension that wafted over the mind-link emphasized by the utter silence of Superboy's mind. Both waited anxiously for the Kryptonian's answer, not surprised to hear the caution in his tone.

"Someone's here. They have weapons." What do I do? The unspoken question lingered in the air and Kaldur knew, as leader, this was a decision he must make on behalf of his team.

"This may be dangerous territory. The fact that they are armed does not necessarily make them dangerous… nor can we afford to assume they are friendly. Miss Martian, return to the beach with the food you have gathered. Superboy, stay hidden. Do not engage. I am on my way to you."

Kaldur had hoped he could reach the Kryptonian and assess the situation before passing judgement on these strangers. If these people were willing, Kaldur could certainly use their help sparing his team. Everyone, excluding Conner, required medical attention and these people may have the means to contact their mentors and arrange for transportation off this island. That all depended on whether these strangers were friend of foe.

The sudden eruption of gunshots proved these were the latter.

Kaldur darted into the smoke-filled clearing in time to see Conner take three bullets to the chest and stumble to the ground behind the shell of the bioship. With the Kryptonian's impenetrable skin, Kaldur knew the fall was more from surprise than physical injury, but in order to protect their identities, their enemies needed to believe otherwise.

"Conner!" Kaldur shouted in a panic, drawing the attention of the shooters away from his fallen ally.

"Superboy, play dead! I will draw these men away. Find the Team and get them somewhere safe!" The Atlantian added through the mental link, relieved to see that Conner was going to take his orders without dispute. As the ebony collapsed motionlessly to the ground, the shooters turned towards their next victim, giving Kaldur the chance to play up his fearful act and dart away from the crash site. Just as he expected, the men began their pursuit, leaving Conner with an opportunity to escape. His Team would be safe in the Kryptonian's hands; now all Kaldur needed was a way to lose his tail.

Kaldur'ahm – AKA Aqualad – January 21st, 2010 – 5:15pm

The force of hitting the water from such a height felt as though Kaldur had struck concrete. His body ached from the impact and the salty-seawater bit at his open wounds, but Kaldur couldn't deny his relief at being back in his element. The zip of several bullets surged past him and the Atlantian knew his pursuers wouldn't be satisfied without proof of his death. Fortunately, the blood from his arm stained the water with a sickly crimson, and Kaldur kept himself submerged far longer than any human would be able to survive. Eventually the bullets stopped, giving Aqualad the confidence to leave the site unseen. He kept to the depths as he swam back towards the beach where his friends were waiting, and couldn't help the smile of relief from gracing his face as the voices of his concerned teammates filtered through his mental link.

"Where is he?"

"Kaldur?"

"Aqualad, can you hear us?"

"They stopped shooting… you don't think…?"

"Peace, my friends. I am fine." Kaldur interrupted their anxious questions as he pulled himself out of the ocean waters and stepped out onto the sand. He was greeted with a concerned arm around his shoulders and a barrage of inquiries – what happened, was he alright, how did he escape, were they in danger, what was their next move – all of which the Atlantian silenced by raising his hand.

"We will discuss this matter as soon as we are safe. Those men may be combing the beaches in search of survivors. I found a secure location a few kilometers north of here. There, we shall regroup and plan our next move."

Kaldur gave his orders, pleased to see that though the crash had taken its toll on the Team, it did not impair their ability to work together. Superboy carried the barely conscious Speedster, while Miss Martian focused her telekinetic abilities to stabilize Kid Flash's injured leg as much as possible. Robin and Artemis seemed to have put their differences aside for the time being, and were supporting each other through the hike, leaving Kaldur free to lead the way and see to his own injured arm. Guiding his Team, Kaldur focused on keeping his composure so as not to alert the others to the gravity of their situation, but he was not without his own internal fears.

The Team was stranded, injured, and exhausted on an unfamiliar island. They had few supplies, no direct method of leaving the island and no means to call for aid. Aside from the ongoing struggles of building shelter, gathering food, tending to injuries, and keeping the group rested and hydrated, they must also keep a constant vigilance of their surroundings. They knew not what unfriendly beasts may inhabit the surrounding forests, but were very aware of the sadistic villains that actively hunted the survivors. The Team, as weary as they were, was forced to work together to defend from these unkindly men, while maintaining their civilian identities to prevent further consequences when… and if… they ever made it home.

Kaldur'ahm was not typically one for pessimism, but considering their current situation… I am ashamed to say, I fear for us all.