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New Teen Titans
Fragments
Book Oneby doctorquantum & libbylawrence
Donna Troy, the Teen Titan known as Wonder Girl, sat in the chair next to the hospital bed, silently praying for Kole's recovery from the coma she was in. She had briefly considered transporting the young woman to Paradise Island for a special healing treatment, but decided against it. She would be better off not being moved at the moment. Besides, the doctors were hopeful that she would recover soon.
And she hoped that she did recover soon. Kole's recovery would mean quite a lot to her; a bright spot in a very dark time. It was bad enough that her sister had been slain during the final hours of the Crisis, but the funeral ceremonies for Diana had taken a lot out of her. She had been one of this world's greatest heroines. And in the space of a few days, Earth had lost two amongst the greatest of them.
The funeral ceremony on Paradise Island had been the hardest one, though. She did not relish the thought of returning to her childhood home just yet. Not unless she had a good reason to.
Donna rose from the bedside, and bent over to kiss Kole's forehead. "Sleep well," she said, and walked out of the hospital. The weight of the world seemed to rest on her shoulders, now. She had been racking her mind, trying to decide whether or not to continue the legacy her sister had begun by becoming the new Wonder Woman.
There were other problems. Dick, Koriand'r and Joseph had left for Tamaran in the midst of the Crisis when the Princess Koriand'r (who called herself Starfire) had received a summons from her father to return home at once. After Dick Grayson, the former partner of Batman now known as Nightwing had returned, she found him in an awful state. He was unshaven, wore only a bathrobe, and apparently hadn't bothered showering for days. He gave her the news that Kory had gone through with an arranged marriage-of-state, and would be staying on her home planet. Furthermore, he quit the team, leaving it entirely in Donna's hands. Later when Donna confronted him about this, they'd had a... bit of a scene... needless to say, it had not ended well. He finally elected to search for their missing teammate, Raven, who had been missing since the Crisis, as well. It was reported that Raven had been kidnapped by Brother Blood and his "Church of Blood". Dick had gone off in search of her and had been missing ever since.
Joseph Wilson, a.k.a. Jericho, had been spending most of his time at his lover Kole's bedside, ever since his return from Tamaran to learn of her injured state, and was spending the rest of his time with his mother Adeline. He assumed that the team was now disbanded; he was not far off. Gar and Vic had gone off in search of the former's adoptive father, billionaire Steven Dayton, who as Mento, formerly of the Doom Patrol, had become mentally unhinged and was becoming dangerous. Victor Stone, the cybernetic hero known as Cyborg, had been seriously damaged in an ensuing battle with the crazed ex-hero, and was in critical condition at STAR Labs. Garfield Logan, the Changeling, had decided to call it quits. And Wally... well, Wally West was stepping into some big shoes of his own...
"Donna!"
She turned to see a red streak race up and stop in front of her. Well, speak of the devil, she thought. "Wally, it's good to see you," she said with a genuine smile. "How are things going with you?"
The young man dressed in his uncle's costume looked away for a moment. "Well... it's not easy, but... I guess you would understand, huh?" The new Flash looked back into her eyes. There was still a connection there.
"I understand totally," Donna replied, and reached out to hug her longtime, childhood friend. They just stood there, slowly rocking back and forth in a warm embrace. Dick and Wally were the closest things she had to brothers; and she suspected as well that Wally felt her to be the sister he never had. The bond they shared, now, though, had brought them closer together than they'd ever been before.
***
In the meeting room of the newly-rebuilt Titans Tower, which had been destroyed in a battle with the demonic being, Trigon the Terrible, Donna Troy and Wally West sat drinking coffee with her husband Terry Long, who had been waiting at the Tower for Donna's return.
"There doesn't seem to be much of a team left, does there?" she said morosely as she held the warm cup in her hands.
"I wish I could be of help, Donna, but my new responsibilities as the Flash will be keeping me busy for awhile," said Wally. Donna merely continued to stare into her cup. "Uh... but you can be sure to count on me for the time being, until the Titans get off the ground."
Terry Long rose and placed his arms over his wife's shoulders. "Honey... these things seem to go in cycles, you know that. Just give it time, I'm sure that the New Teen Titans will be back again soon."
"Why?" she said simply. "Why should the Titans get back together? Is there a reason? Do you really think that New York or the world would miss us if we didn't reform?"
Terry and Wally exchanged glances. Then Wally spoke up. "Of course they would, Donna," he said, raising her chin up to look at him. "This Tower is a testament to that fact. If there had been no New Teen Titans, how do you think that our world would've fared against Trigon?" At Donna's skeptical look, Wally continued, "Oh sure, the JLA would've come up against him, and possibly the Outsiders too, but what if they had been too late? Because Raven was on our team we had foreknowledge of Trigon's coming.
"Donna, if there was no Teen Titans then, we wouldn't have been worrying about rebuilding this Tower... we would've been worrying about rebuilding this entire city," he emphasized.
Donna continued to eye him evenly. Then she broke the tension with a smile. "Thank you, Wally," she said.
Terry Long hugged her and rose for the kitchen. "Now, I'm going to fix you two some of my famous Long Island Clam Chowder. And I won't accept no for an answer," said as he turned around a corner.
"So how're you two doing?" Wally asked.
"It's been hard for him. I haven't exactly been a ray of sunshine in his life right now. But he's really been there for me. Wally, I never knew how much married life would mean to me until after I was married. He's been the rock in my life that I've desperately needed." She looked away, a determined look on her face now. "But the time for mourning is over. It's time for me to face up to my responsibilities. My legacy.
"I'm going to become the new Wonder Woman."
***
Dick Grayson, clad in an entirely-black outfit, scaled the walls of Brother Blood's compound on the island-nation of Zandia, in the Mediterranean. He had grown a beard, and with the bags under his eyes he looked far older than his actual age. He was sure that Raven was somewhere in this building, and had gained access to the compound by disguising himself as a security thug.
He stopped near a window, taking a quick glance inside using a small mirror. Three armed guards. And with the security patrolling below this would not be easy. He would try the roof. Rather than risk the sound of his grappling hook's servo engine possibly being heard by a guard or guards on the roof, he climbed hand over hand the rest of the way to the edge of the roof.
Only one guard here. He was in luck. The relaxed guard was enjoying a cigarette, and left his gun straddling his legs as he sat on the edge of the roof, a few feet away. Dick watched patiently for his chance.
The guard flicked the butt of his cigarette over the edge of the roof, and took a moment to watch it fall until he could see it no longer by the light of the silvery moon. It was the last thing he saw for a while as Dick took that chance to swing silently onto the rooftop and strike him from behind with a single, well-placed karate chop that plunged him into unconsciousness. It was one of the first tricks he'd learned from Bruce as a boy. Good to know he could still do it.
Dick made a quick decision to undress the man and wear his uniform. It was a good thing that Dick's naturally black hair and the tanned complexion he'd gained on Tamaran made him resemble the native Zambian somewhat. He even had a similar beard to Dick's. As long as he kept his head down and acted relaxed, he could pull this off, he reasoned.
Minutes later, he walked through the corridors in search of Raven. He'd passed by a couple of guards who made a couple of remarks at his appearance and smell, but he'd just responded with a casual laugh. His Zambian was rudimentary, but he'd understood it was a passing joke. Coming up to the room which he had been told by his source was the one holding Raven, he relieved the guard with the one Zambian phrase he'd practiced until it sounded perfect, waited until he left, and entered the room.
"Raven!" Dick said at the sight of his friend and former teammate. "Arella," he added at the sight of Raven's mother, "they've captured you, too?"
"Dick, it's not what you think," Arella started to say.
"Raven, what have they done to you?" Dick interrupted as he noticed his friend still unmoved by his voice. He knelt down and attempted to see her face. "Raven, look at me."
The Titan known only as Raven brought her hands up to her head and removed the hood on her white outfit. "Dick? It has been a long time, hasn't it?"
Dick gasped in shock. "Raven! Ohmigod, what happened to your face?" And he continued to stare, transfixed, into her altered visage...
***
"I can't believe this!" Donna shouted as she threw the remote control at the television.
"You all right?"
Donna Troy acted as if she hadn't heard Roy Harper say anything. "That -- that witch! She stole Diana'ss name! I was the only person worthy to inherit my sister's mantle, not that inexperienced pretender! What gives her the right?"
"Donna--" Roy started.
"Well, if that harlot thinks she's getting away with this, she's got another think com--"
"Donna!"
Donna Troy stopped in her tracks and stared back at Roy Harper. She stopped herself from saying something, and simply sat down on the lobby couch. Her head in her hands, she mumbled, "Roy, what the hell has happened to this world? Why did Diana have to die? Or Tula, Don, the Flash, or Supergirl, for that matter?"
Roy put his arms around her in an embrace. Wally had already warned him of her current emotional state, so he was prepared to be there for one of his long-time friends. "Wally and Garth -- and even Hank -- are probably thinking the same thing right now, y'know."
"Wally. Frankly, I'm not surprised that he's joined the JLA. He deserves it; but to be on the same team as that -- that-that--"
"Bitch?"
"--h-yeah," Donna laughed. "God, I must look so silly to you, right now."
"Not at all, Donna-girl, not at all," Roy replied, giving her a playful punch on the arm. "But it will be an inconvenience for us if Wally's gone. King Faraday requested a full team to help him out with his situation, didn't he? And speaking of which, you still haven't let us in on what this mysterious mission is all about, anyways..."
"It's almost time for the meeting. I've kept the others waiting, long enough. I should really tell you at the same time as them." At that, Donna and Roy walked into the meeting room.
The meeting room looked empty without the usual Titans lineup. However, some other old faces had shown up, along with a welcome newcomer.
Garth, also known as Aqualad, looked at Donna and smiled a friendly but sad smile, and said nothing. His loss in the Crisis was his only love, Tula, also known as Aquagirl. At the far end of the table, Hank Hall, the ex-Teen Titan known as Hawk stood in an angry, defiant pose. His brother Don, formerly his partner Dove, had also been killed in the Crisis, leaving him in a dangerously unstable state of mind. An eager but bewildered face shone out from behind Robin's mask. Donna still couldn't get used to that costume being worn by anyone but Dick. This youngster's name was Jason Todd, and he was Batman's new partner.
"Thank you all for coming," Donna said as she took her place at the meeting room table -- the place where Dick would be sitting if he were still here, and still leader. Now Donna was the leader, and she knew she had to summon enough strength to provide the leadership this incarnation of the Titans needed. No more emotional displays such as she had let Roy see would be acceptable now. She felt she needed to be strong, not only for herself, but for Garth, and even Hank, as well.
"So are we off to bash some Commies' heads in, or what?" said Hawk.
Donna knew this was going to take some patience...
Donna smiled as she prepared to explain the current mission to the gathered heroes. She had little doubt that she could rely on Garth, Roy, and Wally -- assuming the Speedster could finish his JLA duties in time to join them. Hawk was certainly capable -- capable of anything! He was naturally full of grief and anger at the loss of his brother. There had to have been things left unsaid between the odd couple of siblings that could now never be spoken. While Garth's sorrow was etched on his face, he would soldier on with his usual placid manner; Hawk, however, could explode at any moment. This meant he would need watching. As for Jason Todd, the new Robin, Donna could only judge him based on two certainties. One: If he wore that costume then he had been chosen and trained by Batman and Two: that meant that inexperience or not, he was very, very good.
"Actually, Hank, we're trying to save lives, not inflict damage. King Faraday has asked us to bring a super villain to the island nation of Porte Verde to stand trial for crimes he committed there," she began.
"For crying out loud! Nurse maidin' some punk isn't what the Hawk wants from a case!" grunted Hawk.
"Hold it, pal! Let her finish! If Faraday's calling us in, it must be big, because he is no lightweight himself. You may just get the action you're craving!" said the smooth talking Roy Harper.
Aqualad nodded. "Who is this villain? I take it he has some tie to the Titans?"
Robin spoke up eagerly, "Uh, would it be Arthur Light? I read in Batman's files that he last battled him on that same isle!"
Donna smiled. The boy was prepared and quick-minded, and reminded her much of Dick. Wasn't Jason also the child of circus performers?
She said, "Exactly. Dr. Light, who has battled both the JLA and us is the prisoner we are to take back to Porte Verde for trial. Faraday wants us to be sure he arrives safely."
"That old wimp! What's he gonna do, throw lightbulbs at us?" sneered Hawk.
"It's not Light himself that is the problem. Faraday fears that Light may have allies or enemies either attempting to free him or kill him!" said Donna.
Roy grinned. "Say, I think I recall old Arty being tied to some militant group led by a terrorist called Abhood. He betrayed this guy. I guess Abhood's pals are eager to avenge their leader."
Donna said, "True, that was when Supergirl and Batman fought Light and his pawns, the Children of Light!"
Hawk said, "Well, we'll turn off their lights!"
Later, as the heroes led the cuffed Dr. Light to their T-jet, Roy Harper scanned the area. He had been working for the government of late. This was not exactly new to the archer, since he had ties to the Drug Enforcement branch of the Justice Department. It was a personal way to combat a problem that he had experienced himself. His addiction was a thing of the past, but he never could forget the mental and physical torment it had inflicted both on himself and those who loved him.
In many ways he had seen more of life than the others and he was ready to act in case of danger. Still, nothing had really hardened him. He enjoyed most of what he did as Speedy and he felt that being with his old friends was a kick.
"You know, I wanted to call myself Speedy!" joked Flash as they took off.
"Gah! Slow down enough so a guy can actually see you enter the vehicle before you start small talk, huh? Sheesh! You took years off my life!" he replied as he greeted Wally West.
Wally smiled. "Sorry. How's Donna?" he whispered.
Speedy said, "Sensational as always. Still, inside I think she's really mixed up. What with Wonder Woman dying and all, her most recent partners scattering from Tamaran to who knows where... it's bound to take a toil, even on an Amazon."
Flash nodded. "I'm glad we're here for her. Times like these call out for friends."
"I hear you have some new ones. You up and joined the Geriatric League," said Speedy.
"Listen, they welcomed me. Hal and Ralph were a big help. I mean, they were close to Barry too. They knew what I was... what I've been feeling. It's not easy to fill the boots of a legend. It's not easy to lose your hero!" he said.
"Barry would have told you that he had faith in you. Listen, Ollie has told me that Barry couldn't stop smiling when he talked about you. Hero, nephew, physics student. Barry thought the world of you. He would not have wanted you to doubt that only you could be the next Flash!" he said. "But..." he said with a grin.
"Yeah?" asked Wally waiting for the punch line.
"If you still want the name Speedy, it's yours. I'm thinking of changing mine to something more adult. Human Weapon Adored by Millions has a ring to it," he said.
"You do seem to be carrying your own private arsenal," said Flash.
"Arsenal! I like that," mused Roy quietly.
Up front, Hawk sat next to Light as they soared toward the island of Porte Verde. "You know, for a guy who fought the JLA, you seem like a real spineless type to me," he muttered.
Arthur Light sniffed in disdain, "I fought Superman! I battled Batman. Don't give me any impudence!"
"You also had your head handed to you by a six inch man!" smirked Hawk.
In the back, Donna leaned over to Robin and said, "Thanks for coming. I appreciate this, Dick."
Jason frowned and looked at her. "I'm Jason! Easy mistake, what with years of habit and the hair dye. Thing is, Batman and I were talking about my look. We might add a hood or something so I could keep my natural hair color. It's hard to step into Nightwing's role."
Donna nodded. "I know. I keep wondering where he is now. He has always been the rock of this group."
Aqualad sat silently and thought of Tula.
***
A troubed man talked to the dead. He spoke to phantasms that existed only in his deluded mind.
"It was not my fault! The survivor always has guilt, but that's all. I am not to blame. Rita, you should have left those freaks. You and I never belonged with Steel and Caulder and Trainer. Stop haunting me!" he roared.
His name was Steve Dayton, and he currently wore the gold, blue costume and mental energy boosting helmet of Mento. He spoke to the ghosts of the late Doom Patrol, which included his spouse Rita Farr. They had died heroes (or most had died) while he lived on as a mentally ill man of power and wealth... and malice!
"He's getting worse!" said a uniformed guard.
"No matter!" replied a woman in a lab coat. "His genius still served us well by bringing us the prometheum. Ironic name, considering our plans for it!" she laughed.
Elsewhere, a young man worried about Mento. His name was Gar Logan, and while he lived in opulant splendor at the estate of his step-father Steve Dayton, he was not enjoying the good life. The green hued youth had failed to calm and secure his maddened step-father and his efforts to do so had left his best friend Vic Cyborg Stone injured.
He knew his pal would recover. Still, he felt guilty about how it had come to pass that the strong, fast, smart, and tough Cyborg had been injured. It was all due to his own failure to appease Dayton's twisted mind.
Questor, the family butler, appeared with his usual almost inhuman quiet, and coughed gently.
Gar looked up. "Oh, Questor, what can I do for you? Don't tell me we're still getting bills for Donna's wedding?!"
The butler retained his placid demeanor. "No, sir. Not to my knowledge. I have ascertained the possible whereabouts of Mr. Dayton. His financial records indicate that he recently journeyed to Greece."
Gar jumped up. "Then, I'd better get going!"
***
Flash returned to the T-jet after making a sweep of the area in which they had landed in sunny Porte Verde.
"I can't get used to being so slow. When I was a kid, I could have hopped across the isle and back by now! Maybe I should use my lottery wealth to place an ad for a 'designated runner'!" he joked.
Donna caressed his cheek. "Listen, I hate to earn my reputation for being a real Mary Tyler Moore/Marlo Thomas perky type, but let's look on the bright side here. At least you were cured of the disease that was hurting your health each time you ran."
The newly-named Arsenal grinned. "Yeah, that Anti-Monitor made a better doctor than he did world beater!"
Flash frowned and said, "I'd better check on Light. Hawk may have him in tears by now!"
Roy slapped his own head. "Me and my big mouth! I should have known that any reference to the A-M would also make Wally think of Barry. I only meant that it was the energy used by Wally in getting to the battle that cured him. I need a license to use this mouth!"
Donna said, "He understands. This is a tough time for us all. I still want to ring Nubia's neck, while Wally feels guilty to admit that in their brief JLA contact, she seems sincere about taking on Diana's role."
Roy shook his head. "Man, I can't even figure out where Ollie's head is these days. Did you see that JLA press conference where he and Hawkman almost came to blows?"
Aqualad stepped up "I can tell you that Arthur too carries some Crisis scars. He blames himself for the loss of the former League. Vixen, Gypsy and the rest."
Robin helped Hawk lead Light out of the craft. He felt odd being with the older heroes and he worried a bit about exactly why Donna seemed to defer to him. She was associating him with Dick.
Jason missed Rinna, his new girlfriend, and hoped that Bruce would be okay as he battled the freed inmates of Arkham and dealt with the aftermath of the Swamp Thing incident. He also wondered what had happened to his adopted mother Natalia. He had tried to send her to safety during the Crisis when the Nightslayer stabbed her, but didn't know her ultimate fate; Batman had assumed that she had died, but he continued to hope she was still alive. He missed the enigmatic woman of the shadows and tried to live up to the legends of several father figures.
"If you ever need me, just call," Dick had said when last they met. The young hero called Nightwing had been the one who initially met Jason when he was with the circus, and it was Dick who considered adopting the orphan. Thus, he felt no guilt about taking the Robin role. It had been Dick who had brought most of the new life he lived about to begin with! He hoped Grayson was safe.
***
Dick Grayson cradled Raven in his arms in a cell in Zandia. Her mother warned him that all was not what it appeared to be in the cells of Brother Blood's cult. Arella was battered, and Dick gasped as he saw how roughly the woman had been treated. "You can trust me to get you two to safety. Don't think I'll let this madman hurt you if I can stop him!" he said softly.
Raven smiled almost beatifically. "Richard, he has the truth in him. All he says, all he does, brings that which is good. You must learn to embrace the ways of Blood."
Dick frowned. "Hitler also had all the truth as his warped mind determined it. She's under his sway, isn't she?" he said to Arella.
"Yes. In some ways, Blood has her in a grip as tightly as ever did Trigon!" she said tearfully.
"Now it is time for us to show you the light!" said Raven as she called for guards.
Dick whirled to face a squad of men. He estimated distance and speed of weapon use and acted with a single swift motion. He knocked the first man into the path of the others and spun to kick him flat. Three quick flips enabled him to crash into the rest.
"She is not going anywhere!" said a woman from the shadows. "I am Mother Mayhem. Welcome to your initiation," she said softly.
Dick realized that Raven would not leave and with the number of guards and Arella to consider, he had better play for time.
"Okay, take me to your leader," he said with the barest hint of the punning daredevil he once had been.
***
As the Titans in Porte Verde prepared to transfer Dr. Light to his local justice officials, he smiled. "I appreciate your protection. My past actions have left me with some enemies," he said.
Wonder Girl said, "I understand your concern. Abhood's Children of the Light must have taken your manipulation of them rather seriously!"
Dr. Light nodded. "It is just as well that I am out of the business now!"
Arsenal frowned. "Wonder Doll, trouble on the horizon!"
Wonder Girl whirled as Flash sprang into action. "Looks like trouble! Those goons wear the emblem of a sun, and I sure don't think they are recruiters for a Japanse ball team!" he said.
"They must come from Abhood!" cried Light.
"Shut up! The Hawk'll pull his own personal Hiroshima on them!" snapped Hank Hall as he rushed forward.
Robin cried, "I'll get Light inside!"
Donna nodded. "Aqualad! That craft they're in, can you stop it?"
Garth nodded. "I'm on it!" He rushed for the sea.
The Flash sped around the shore to cut off the incoming uniformed Children of the Light. He sent a steady spray of sand at a high impact speed into the thugs. "I feel just like Charles Atlas!" he joked.
As they gasped and tried to see through the blinding spray, Hawk crashed into them with fury. He pounded them back with raw power. "You punks make me sick! It takes what -- ten of you to off a loser like dim-bulb over there?" he scoffed and slammed two of them directly into one another.
Aqualad went deep. He dropped into the warm waters and easily reached the boat. He truly was in his element. Literally, the purple-eyed hero knew his surroundings and was at ease in them. He scanned the ship for markings and noted that none were in view.
Middle Eastern types on board. Definitely the Children of the Light! he mused as he rounded the prow. He strained for a moment and then climbed aboard the boat.
Within minutes, Garth had found and subdued most of the remaining crewmembers. Most of them were fighting his allies on land.
"Senseless acts of revenge. Nothing they do to Light can make their leader a free man. Just like nothing I could do to the HIVE or those Shadow demons can bring back Tula!" he frowned.
Arsenal effortlessly fired a series of arrows toward the charging goons. They dropped directly in front and behind of the thugs who sneered at his apparent flaws until a strong fiber expanded from the shafts to form a net across them.
He smiled briefly as this old trick still had a certain appeal. He glanced back to see Donna tossing three goons across the sand with her normal zest.
"Boy, when you pick a guy up..." began Arsenal.
Donna smiled back and high-kicked an approaching thug in the face. It was nice to be with Roy and the others. It made her recall a simpler time when she didn't have troubles like Raven's fragile emotional state, Kory's passionate feelings, and the growing disenchantment of the usually steady Nightwing to deal with on her own.
She noticed that Robin had already secured Light within the courthouse as local police swarmed across the front door. Hawk did not bother to duck or avoid blows, he merely slugged his foes relentlessly and ignored any pain or damage to his own body. This could not be healthy. Donna herself rolled down into the sand as a white energy beam struck her suddenly.
Flash shattered the odd force bolt projector the Children of Light had assembled as Arsenal raced over to help the lovely woman to her feet. "You okay?" he asked.
She nodded. "Nothing hurt but my pride!"
Arsenal noticed the waving form of Aqualad on the boat. "Looks like Garth just captured their ship!" he yelled.
Then he looked back toward the courthouse. "Hey! This was too easy!" he said and ran around the old building. He fired an arrowline and swung inside as young Robin went down before an agile and silent foe.
Dr. Light and his two police guards also lay still on the floor before the lethal woman who had used the frontal attack as a distraction. She might have killed Light already while her goons kept the Titans occupied.
Arsenal cried, "Hold it!"
"Odd choice of words from you!" she purred as her green eyes flashed.
"Jade!" he gasped.
She kicked his bow out of his hand and caught him with a right hook. "I'm Cheshire when I'm working!" she hissed.
He grunted and swung out himself as they wrestled to the ground. "I never knew you were Cheshire until after we parted! I had to get close to you for a case. It turned out to be more pleasure than business," he explained.
"Your pleasure left me with child! Too bad little Lian must grow up without a father!" she said as her shiny nails clawed for his eyes.
He blocked her attack and reeled backward acrobatically. "A child! You mean that I... that we...?" he sputtered.
Cheshire laughed, "You seemed to have a better grasp on the facts of life when last we met!"
He hurled a small spherical object at her and as a bright light burst from the tiny flaire, she winced.
"The Children of Light sent you to kill the Doc here! If I had not come to stop you I might never have known! Where is my daughter?" he said.
Cheshire used the sound of his voice to connect with a left hook. She said, "Lian needs me. I'd just lay down and left me do what I must do if I was you!"
Roy smirked. "That's what got us in trouble to begin with! Tell me about her," he asked as he dodged a second swing.
Robin stirred and slowly rose to his feet. He lifted Light, who muttered, "Oh, the pain! The pain!"
The Boy Wonder said, "Oh come on! She just decked you! You'll be okay." He helped Light stumble across the room even as Cheshire pounced for them. Robin jumped in her path, and down they went.
Arsenal rubbed his jaw and tried to aim a clear shot. The arrow sliced neatly between the pair, and as they separated, he connected with a blunt headed arrow.
Cheshire fell hard and didn't move.
Robin said, "Gosh! She was a real wildcat!"
Arsenal grinned ruefully, "You're telling me!"
Dr. Light made a frantic break for the rear as the heroes regrouped. He no sooner rounded a corner than he was grabbed by dark suited figures. "Oh no! You're with the Children!" he shrieked.
They grasped him tighter and activated a teleporation signal. "True. And we want you," said the man.
"I know! You and Abhood's cursed Children of the Light terrorist group want to kill me!" he sighed.
"No, good sir. You mistake us. We're not with those killers. We are Children, but of the Sun, not the Light. We seek your help, not your death!" laughed the second man as they vanished.
***
Elsewhere, a beautiful young girl slept in Olympian splendor. Her long red-gold hair framed delicate and lovely features that were all too contorted in worry and fear as she tossed fitfully under gossamer sheets.
She arose and pressed her hands to her face. She was used to such dreams and knew very well how accurate her visions often were. She steeled herself for what must come and smoothed down the extremely tiny silver shift she wore customarily since her ascension to Olympus. She tied silvery sandals on her bare feet and hurried through the splendor of lost Olympus to find those who could help her.
She turned a corner and passed ornate columns and magical pools until she found the palace of great Zeus himself. She was well known and thus was allowed to enter without comment. She presented herself before the throne room door of the King of Olympus.
Zeus sat regally next to his beautiful bride Hera. Beside him sat his own sire, the Titan called Chronos! Since the Titans of myth had been freed from their long imprisonment, they had lived in harmony with their Olympian heirs. Zeus smiled in affectionate greeting as the pretty woman entered. She curtseyed and he said, "My child, speak what thoughts disturb your brow!"
The woman said, "I hava had dire visions of terrible danger to Earth and to us all. They center around... my mother, Thia! Her legions of other children hold powerful positions throughout the Earth... mayhaps throughout space! They seek to restore her. These other Children of the Sun -- these demi-gods and demi-goddesses are a danger to all! I beg you let me return to Earth and stop them! I seem all too strongly linked to them and feel that the responsibility for stopping their madness should be mine!"
Zeus was silent. "'Twas ever my goal for you to remain here among us; however, there is a justice to what you say. 'Tis right that you seek out and end the threat of Thia's other less benign offspring! I grant you this boon: return to Earth and use your gifts to stop the Children of the Sun... then return to us when you will, dear maid!"
The beauty called Lilith Clay smiled in appreciation and prepared to return to Earth...
***
Donna shook her head. She had raced into the building just in time to see Dr. Light vanish in the arms of the elegantly dressed pair. "He escaped, yet he seemed frightened of his rescuers. They weren't wearing the Light emblem, but they could still want him dead," she said.
Flash nodded. "I wonder if they left any type of energy signature when transporting that we could trace?"
Hawk said, "You sound like a physics student, alright!"
Robin and Arsenal greeted them. "I found more than just a would be assassin. Cheshire -- that's her name. She and I go back a bit. The fact is, we were involved. She claims that we have a daughter named Lian," said a pale Arsenal.
Donna gasped, "You're joking?"
Flash said, "And I thought I was fast!"
Hawk said, "Well, you always say you never miss!"
"Okay, enough! There are kids in shorts around!" sputtered Arsenal.
Robin grinned. "She was pretty tough, too."
"Donna, I have to check this out. Since the authorities will hold Jade -- that's her given name -- then I havee to do the right thing and... raise my child!" said Arsenal.
Flash said, "Listen, pal, we'll help you locate her. Even at reduced speed, I can provide doorstep delivery."
They walked out slowly, with much to consider.
Hawk said, "You know, those creeps didn't even give us a good workout!"
***
Gar Logan joked incessantly... and weakly as he explained his need to depart to his friend Cyborg.
"I need a break. School is getting me down... so I can be closer to my grade point average! Mrs. Wormwood has it in for me!" he said.
Vic Stone sat up suddenly. "I know when you're telling a lie. You turn a sorta off-green like bad cabbage. What's really goin' down?"
Gar hesitated. "I may have a lead on Steve Dayton's location. Questor traced his financial use of certain resources to a Greek isle."
Cyborg stood up slowly. "When do we leave?"
Gar said, "You don't! You need to rest, to recover. It was my fault that you got so banged up to begin with."
Vic said, "I'm my own man, slash-PCU. It wasn't your fault. You can't help the actions of Dayton just cause he's family. I mean look at me. My pop was so into science that he messed me up by that interdimensional research he did. Other folks died then too, or later when that thing tried to get back here. I blamed him, but even then it was just an accident. He never meant to hurt anybody. Same goes for Dayton. He's ill. That don't mean he's free of any responsibility, but it sure means that you don't have to carry his burden for him!"
Gar grinned. "You're a regular Dr. Joyce Brothers, or is that Dr. The Neville Brothers?"
"Either way, I'm with you" said Vic.