Of Ice and Men (Young Justice. Icicle Junior SI.)

Chapter 52: Ice The Fun
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Roanoke Island
November 11, 9:17 PM EDT

“I am in position and ready to provide support.” Danette’s voice comes through our earpieces clearly.

“No Red Arrow?” Aqualad frowns as Robin pilots the ship towards the orange glow I assume to be our target.

“I wouldn’t have been able to fly fast enough with him. He told me to go alone and he would provide aid to Qurac.” She sounds more concerned about him than those of us about to face of with the mages and my lips quirk into a smirk.

“We brought some back up. I hope it is sufficient.” The Atlantean sighs under the weight of his new responsibilities.

The only one of us who doesn’t seem at all concerned is Tommy and he shares the reason for his overconfidence. “Boss will take care of everything.”

“Wish I had that kind of faith in myself,” Muttering under my breath, I just focus on my breathing beside Kyle.

“Borrow some of mine.” My fellow artist grunts as he focuses on making his little emerald robot walk across his arm. “Because right now I think pretty much anything is possible.”

Feeling bad about forcing him into such a crazy situation, I give him a chance to back out. “You really don’t have to do this. Shouldn’t have just sprung all of this on you.”

“Don’t even think about taking this away from me.” Kyle gives me a stern look, his jaw firmly set. “You might just want of a normal life. But this is what I’ve dreamed of since I was three.”

That’s why the ring didn’t react to me and you can carry the weight of the entire Green Lantern Corps. Nodding at his blazing determination, I let my guilt slide away in the face of someone who actually wants this kind of life.

“Thanks. I sometimes need to be reminded that everything isn’t my fault.” More than sometimes, I know I carry way too much unnecessary guilt with me.

The ship stops moving when we’re close enough to make out a lone figure inside a runic array. We all peer out the window at the mage of unknown power, with Aqualad taking charge.

“Superboy, do you see any heat signatures?”

The Kryptonian with a magic cloak scans the area and shakes his head. “Nobody but the mastermind.”

“Hit him fast and with everything we have.” Hexgirl seems to recognize the teen with hair curled into hornlike points.

“Klarion can take it.” Lieutenent Marvel launches himself out the yet to be repaired hatch, rocketing towards the target with his fist outstretched.

“What the-” The voice that comes out of the teen makes my blood boil in recognition.

He narrowly avoids Marvel’s attack, blasting the hero back with a wave of force. “Where did you come from?”

“End the spell and I’ll tell you!” Recovering quickly, Marvel throws himself back at Klarion.

“This isn’t fair at all.” Blocking a gout of flame from Firestorm, the source of the chaos realizes how close he has gotten to the edge of the array.

His eyes lock onto me, with a cackle that I recognize from my nightmares. “You really shouldn’t be here. This doesn’t concern you.”

“You concern me!” My rage breaks free with a furious roar.

His eyes narrow in frustration until he seems to get a source of inspiration. “Mortal Kombat is supposed to be one on one, isn’t it?”

“We aren’t going to just come at you one by one.” Aqualad sends a torrent of water at the source of all my problems.

“You’re all about to be a little to busy to help each other.” Snapping his fingers, the ground outside the array starts to shift.

The dirt and rock forms into humanoid shapes, enough for each of us to have an opponent. The transformation ends when they all take on very recognizable forms.

“Dibs on Sonya!” Robin throws himself at the earthy replica of the fighter, his baton tearing through her wrist as if it was tissue paper.

The rest of the teens are challenged by other characters from the games I took my identity. An imitation Scorpion roars his catch phrase at me, shooting out a brown snapping snake from his wrist.

It slams into my chest but doesn’t pierce my armour. Instead the magical earth crumbles against my chest. Klarion sees how easily the others are carving through his creations and snarls at me.

“You aren’t supposed to have weapons like that!” Klarion’s petulant voice rings across the battlefield. “You dirty cheaters need to be taught a lesson!”

The ground starts trembling all around us, with scores of imitation fighters forming. “You want to hack in some items, well lets see how you deal with endless mode!”

The swarm of Kombatants crashes against us and force us back. Not even our trump cards manage to reach Klarion against so many golems and the variety of abilities they have.

I ignore the sounds of my allies crying out in pain, my rage giving me tunnel vision. But no matter how hard I try forcing my way through the seemingly endless distractions, Klarion just cackles madly at our failure.

“Look at them run Teekl, they think they have a chance!”

Freezing a fourth copy of Johnny Cage, I don’t even bother shattering it as I move onto the nearby Kano. None of them have managed to really do more than knock me around and yet I’m pretty sure I’m farther than when I started.

A roar of determination makes me look over in time to see Superboy streaking through the air. His shield plows through the Kombatants that manage to leap in his way, none of them diverting the clone from his target.

He shatters through Klarion’s hasty shield like a cheap window, only being stopped when a massive orange cat tackles him. “Good girl, you’re getting lots of treats when we finish.”

When Klarion turns his back so he can mock the struggling Superboy, he doesn’t react in time to a combined attack. Artemis unleashes some kind of plasma cannon on Klarion, while Kyle matches it with his own jade train.

The being of chaos manages to only stumble forward a couple steps from the energy attack. But the emerald locomotive carries Klarion the rest of the way out of the array.

As soon as the cackling teen is knocked away, Firestorm scours the glowing orange symbols with purifying flames. The air around us shimmers as Klarion screams in frustration, the Justice League suddenly appearing beside us.

They help us tear through the remaining Kombatants and we return the favour by restraining the four adult wizards. When we finish and realize Klarion isn’t coming back for his lackeys, Robin notices something strange.

“Anyone else seeing double?” His eyes darting back and forth between Artemis and someone else in identical armour.

“Artemis...” Ted’s voice doesn’t come from either of the matching suits and I see him standing over beside Hawkman. “Please tell me that’s not you in that thing.” Both face plates lower at the same time, with Artemis and her mother exchanging concerned looks.

“What do you think you’re doing in that thing?” Both yell at each other almost in the exact same moment, creating a weird echo effect.​

 

Interlude 30: Two For One Deal
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Mount Justice
November 12, 2:32 AM EDT

“Dismissed.” Waller sends the teens to bed after a debut performance in New York. “Except for you two.”

Serling and Guardian stay at attention, waiting for the others to filter out of the briefing room before they report. When the teens are gone, Nanite starts uploading select files to Waller’s PDA.

“Young Justice is being lead around by the nose, the same way as the rest of the world.” Annoyed at having to redirect her anger, Serling cannot dispute the information she downloaded from the missile silo. “They have no idea of the Justice League’s true intention to take over the world.”

“Just as Luthor said.” Amanda grimaces at the complication. “... Which means we need to at least try saving them first. They could still be useful once the true threats eliminated.”

“Using child soldiers to invade Bialya and France...” Disgusted by his former allies ‘true’ intentions, Guardian clenches his fists. “The League truly is beyond recovery.”

Happy to finally have a way to strike at the tyrants, Waller allows a slight smirk to appear on her face. “You had better get started on installing our own zeta system. We need it connected to the League systems, if you’re going to take the satellite from the so called heroes.

“They also had a spacecraft in in the base.” Nanite’s words bring an actual smile of surprise to Waller’s face. “I’m uploading the blueprints now.”

“Earth’s very own fleet.” Not one to think small, Waller’s mind is already racing through the possibilities. “We wouldn’t need to rely on heroes to save us from the next invasion. America can retake it’s place as the dominant force on Earth and ensure humanities safety.”



Watchtower
October 12, 4:51 AM EDT

The light of the zeta beam fades, to reveal a completely soaked Superman. “Poseidonis is back under Arthur’s control. But the Conservatory of Sorcery was left as little more than rubble.”

“Is this going to turn into a war?” Still riding high on his own protege’s successful surgery, the Flash is having a hard time keeping a straight face.

“It’s looking that way. The separatist cities have declared the southern ocean off limits to all surfacers.” Wonder Woman wrings out her hair, a concerned frown growing on her face.

“Joy.” Grimacing at the idea, John Stewart brings up his own concern next. “Hal and I still have no idea where Kyle’s ring came from. Can’t even get answers from the kid’s ring, not since the AI was burnt out by Alan’s weird lantern.”

“Do you even know if it ever had one?” Flash points out, stroking his chin in consideration. “Maybe he’s not even one of yours.”

“Ring’s the same model as they have been for the last billion years.” John shakes his head no. “They just aren’t meant to hold as much juice as Alan’s ring. Even if they have far better control over what they do have access to.”

Explaining that the Guardians want him to bring Kyle back to Oa, John is not looking forward to his sisters reaction to another trip away from Earth. She’s close to popping out my niece and I’m supposed to be here for that.

Knowing that the implants caused the death of Sub-Zero’s mother, Earth’s third Green Lantern has been terrified of what that means for his sister. Jefferson better look after Lynn while I’m gone.

“What are we going to do about these Challengers of the Unknown?” Superman asks the second Batman enters the room with Green Arrow. “And how did Cadmus get more of my DNA?”

The footage of Adonis was a perfect match for Clark in his teens. Even more than Superboy when he still had black hair, this is unmistakably a clone.

“I have no idea. We found nothing in the rubble of Cadmus,” Bruce reminds his friend that they did investigate. “They only had data on Project Kr.”

“What about the others?” Just as concerned about the origins of the other eight teens, Wonder Woman points to Wyynde specifically. “I don’t believe Arthur knows about him.”

John checks with his ring before speaking. “The pale ones are Exxorians. The planet was attacked almost twenty years ago. The sector Lantern wasn’t able to stop then until after eight million people had been shipped off world as slaves.”

That news doesn’t sit well with anyone and even worse when Batman starts filling them in on the other origins. He tells them about the brilliant teen who had gone missing and now seems incapable of speech. It only makes everyone furious, when he points out the signs of brain surgery.

“The one known as Jinx, was in a coma for the last four years. Presumed never to recover after she tried to stop Psimon from hurting her father.” Batman’s voice is flat as he goes through he files with operational distance. “Gemini is the daughter of Madame Rogue, the right hand woman of the Brain.”

Smirking at his fellow baseline human, Green Arrow can’t resist the chance to needle the world’s greatest detective. “What about the kid with the skull mask?”

“... Red X is an unknown at the moment.” Everyone present can see how much it frustrates Batman to admit that. “But I will find out who he is. Cadmus and it’s Challengers are my top priority.”

“Any idea why only the alien bug thing duplicated itself?” Flash has a few ideas himself and wants to see if Bruce has anything different.

“When it bonded with the Crocks in each version of Earth, they created separate experiences.” Not completely sure, Batman shares his most likely theory. “When the worlds merged again, they could no longer call themselves the same sentience.”

Doing everyone a favour, Green Arrow asks for clarification with a tired sigh. “Kind of like a split timeline?”

“Essentially,” Agrees the League’s chairman. “Otherwise we would have had doubles of anything not in the same place.”

“At least with the Green Lanterns, we can call them by name.” Flash realizes something that is going to be an issue. “Don’t we have three Blue Beetles now and none have a public identity?”

“Ours is going to start calling himself the Silver Scarab. He feels it will be easier to rename himself, than try creating paint that will stick to Nth metal.” Smirks Oliver Queen, who pointed the very same thing out to Ted a few hours earlier. “Still not sure about the mother daughter duo though.”

“Is the Scarab as hard to repaint as the Hawk’s metal?” Flash feels like it’s obvious. But he also knows how easy it is for the brilliant minds on the League, to get stuck on a single train of thought.​

 

Chapter 53: Imperial Or Meltric
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Gotham City
October 12, 8:43 AM EDT

I get woken up by a brilliant flash of green light, followed by the sound of my window shattering. Rolling out of bed, I only peek up when I hear Kyle’s voice.

“Sorry...” He floats outside my room with a blonde man in an identical costume. “Still not quite used to this thing yet.”

The man who looks to be in his fifties, glares at me with crossed arms. “This is him?”

“Yeah.” Kyle nods slowly, giving me an apologetic look for this whole mess. “He gave me the ring.”

“I don’t care about that. What I do want to know...” A giant fist of blazing emerald light wraps around me, causing me to dangle over the lawn. “Is how you knew who I am and what was in my house!”

“I already told the League. Bad guys know a lot more than you would like.” My blasé attitude just makes his scowl deepen.

Kyle tries to intervene, only for the still to be introduced Alan to silence him with a green gag. “Well how about you tell me again. Because this is all news to me.”

Before I can think of an answer, a pair of energy beams crash into Alan. Kyle catches me before I plummet to the ground and I watch a pair of Blue Beetles rocket towards Alan.

“Stop!” My shout is enough to get the furious women to wait for answers. “He has every reason to be mad at me. I did get Robin to break into his house.”

“You admit it.” Alan’s eyes blaze with green fury.

I have no reason to lie, not when Kyle has clearly already been questioned. “I thought it would end up back in your basement when everything went back to normal. Spell must have given priority to whichever one was used last, so it should still be at Kord Tech.”

“Told you he wasn’t trying to steal it.” Shooting the elder Lantern a glare, Kyle floats me back into my room. “Again, sorry Glenn. I told him we should just knock.”

“We’ll see.” Alan doesn’t say goodbye or give my fellow artist a chance.

A green chain wraps around Kyle as Alan streaks shoots westward. Just below the speed of sound, the two Lanterns are out of sight in only a few seconds.

“What was that about?” Jade growls from the door to my room, a ready knife in her more twitchy hand.

“Something I thought would have taken care of itself when everything went back to normal.” I shrug at the strange rules magic has.

“Call Ted and Tell him to expect company!” My warning gets a wave of acknowledgement from Paula who I’m still amazed to see walking. “And don’t worry, I’ll pay for the window.”

Nora is the next to enter my room, now that the excitement seems to be over. “Of course you will. Frieses do not make our friends pay for our mistakes.”

I notice Jade scowling at me and I’m definitely not feeling patient enough to put up with her attitude this morning. “What?”

“So you gave that guy from the plane his ring?” She growls menacingly and takes a few steps towards me. “This world splitting spell ends and three people end up with alien super weapons. But for some reason, only two Crocks got one.” Jade is not happy with me in the slightest.

“Was an emergency and I’m trying to get out of that life.” Trying to shrug of the anger, I don’t really see what the big deal is.

Scoffing at my words, Nora cuts right through my bullshit. “You’re doing a terrible job Glenn. Are you sure you really want to walk away, or are you just scared of failing?”

“Huh?” Not really my most eloquent sentence.

“You have all this potential and yet you hand out ice cream for free.” Shaking her head in disappointment, Nora makes me wilt under her stare. “You keep giving away anything that could make you stand out. Why are you fine with mediocrity?”

A wheeze of smug laughter escapes from Jade, who still hasn’t backed away from me. “Because he’s scared. Deep down, he still just wants other people to tell him what to do.”

I can almost smell the cockiness mixed in with her shampoo and feel my pulse start to race. “Whose been in charge the whole trip?”

“Ra’s.” Jade takes another step closer, forcing my spine right up against the wall. “You went everywhere he sent you. All because he scares you.”

The truth does hurt and I reel from the words. For almost a minute I waver in place, my eyes crossing as I lose focus on everything else.

She’s right. Glancing past her at Nora’s shaking head, don’t run away from this with more denials. Both of them are.

I wanted to be a hero, I think deep down everyone wants that. But I know it’s not the powers that make one.

I wasn’t anything special in my first life, just an average guy. So why would things be different in a world with actual superheroes?

“Tell you what.” Swallowing all of my self doubt, I decide to keep the honesty going. “Quit working for the Shadows and I’ll give you the next one I find.”

“I told you, I’m not the hero type.” Her scowl softens ever so slightly, as she seems to notice the change in my body language.

I know a quick kiss wouldn’t distract her the way it did when I was in the same position with Artemis. So instead, I make Jade a business offer. “I didn’t think I was either. But that’s probably how everyone is going to see me for a while.”

“You do have a lot of enemies.” Her chuckles make me blush a deep shade of purple. “Going to be even more after that broadcast.”

Meeting her stare once I fight off my blush, I make the offer. “I’m not helping the Shadows anymore.” The words are unplanned. But I mean them with every fibre of my being.

Shock appears on her face for a brief instance, only to be replaced by a blank expression. “Ra’s isn’t going to be happy.”

“Probably not.” Once I make my stance clear, I’m of no further use to the immortal. “Do you still want that demon exorcised? Because I’d rather just get this all out of the way, preferably before school starts.”

“Glenn...” Paula and her other daughter joined us at some point during the intense session of truth. “Are you sure you know what you’re getting into?”

I so desperately want to respond with ‘Mortal Kombat’. But I know this isn’t a time to joke and actually think about my answer.

“I’m already in the middle of it. Time to face my demons head on” Ra’s may not be a literal one. But Klarion may as well be, I’m going to need some practice taking out immortals.​

 

Chapter 54: King Of The Chill
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Gotham City
November 12, 9:06 AM EDT

“And have you figured out a way to do that yet?” Jade doesn’t reject my offer out of hand and watches me carefully. “Or is this just a bunch of big talk?”

“Do you know how Ra’s achieved his immortality?” Stepping forward with confidence, I make Jade back up or get knocked over. “Because all we need to do, is make sure his body doesn’t get found in one piece.”

Revealing information I’m definitely not supposed to have, I give Jade a confident stare. “He has a bunch of pits that will revive him. We just don’t let him get tossed in one.”

“How do you know all of this?” Artemis can’t remain silent anymore and cuts in with a hiss of frustration. “And you better not just say, ‘the bad guys know a lot more than you think’. Jade doesn’t know any of this.”

That revelation is enough for Jade’s brow to crease thoughtfully. “Artemis is right. You know more than a simple patsy should.”

“Joar decided his son was nothing but a complete failure.” I can’t get out of this without some kind of answer, so I try to keep it believable for the four women. “Psimon created me out of whatever was left of Cameron. But he filled in the gaps with his own information and now I seem to know a lot of things I probably shouldn’t.”

“I shouldn’t have stopped you.” Horror has contorted Artemis’ face, as she finally understands the true source of my hatred for Joar Makhent.

Paula shakes her head and hisses with disgust. “I always knew Icicle was nothing more than trash. But this is a whole new level of despicable.”

If I think back to a select few minutes of the premiere episode, I can remember seven blanked out faces talking to Doctor Desmond. Ra’s is working with six other big names and Klarion is one of them.

“That explains it!” Strangely happy, Artemis smacks her thigh. “None of us could figure out why every name on the list was right. All except for two of them.”

Considering I only puzzled a pair of them out on my own, I realize exactly who she means. “He didn’t want me to to know who Batman is.”

That means he’s just as involved in my existence and I only know one person who would care about keeping Superman all to himself. Luthor is going to die with the other three.

“And it really explains why Megan scared the shit out of you.” The younger Blue Beetle manages not to laugh, even if I can feel the hot air of Jade’s snickering.

“It’s taken me a while to figure out who I am. I’m terrified what will happen if a psychic ever gets back inside my head.” How easy would it be for a powerful one, to just erase me?

“So the plan is to wage with the League of Shadows?” Nora closes her eyes and sighs. “The centuries old organization with hundreds of agents around the world?”

Nodding with growing confidence in my decision, I force my lips into a cocky grin. “Ones who have relied on a single master for their entire history. After he’s gone, the power struggle begins.”

“You don’t think they’re going to want revenge?” Jade rolls her eyes at my bravado.

“Not if you take over the organization for me.” I can’t just leave hundreds of assassins on the loose.

Jade could use the Shadows to ease the League’s workload. Thousands of criminals are still running free around the world and the bounties are only growing bigger.

Her eyes nearly pop out her skull and i let a genuine smirk appear on my face. “Or should I get Tommy to turn all the ninjas into knights?”

“Don’t you dare!” The elder Crock sister is right back in my face. “They would eat him alive.” Her glare shifts into a slightly disturbed expression. “Some of the creepier Shadows would probably even try to be literal about it.”

“So...” I hold out hand and watch Jade consider my lofty promises. “Partners?”

When she grabs my hand, I’m surprised to feel her arm shaking ever so slightly. “We’re going to need some help and a way to get to him undetected. Ra’s has far too many ways to vanish if he sees us coming.”

“Good thing one of us has friends.” Releasing her hand, I send a quick text for Tommy to head over. “And quite a few people owe me favours.” I just gave Superboy a spaceship, I’m pretty sure I can bum a ride.

“Is this really happening?” Paula’s chitinous armour retracts from her face.

“Don’t make such a big deal out of this.” Her eldest daughter whirls to face her, back stiff with tension.

Ignoring the request, Paula takes a cautious step towards her deadly child. “When do we leave?”

“Mom!” Artemis hisses at the offer. “Who was in a wheelchair yesterday?”

“Ask your Scarab how much that’s going to slow me down now.” Unable to mask the joy at being mobile again, Paula crosses her arms in an attempt to look stern.

Artemis does just that and goes silent for a couple seconds. “Khaji claims that nothing on this primitive planet can even slow us down. He also seems to think we should be the ones who claim the Shadows.”

“He is a bloodthirsty piece of tech, isn’t he?” A very amused Paula agrees.

“Is he telling you to steal Glenn’s freeze gun and assimilate it?” Artemis points at the high tech weapon in my closet.

“Six times since I came in the room,” Agrees her mother with a chuckle. “Make that seven.”

Stepping in front of my closest a tad defensively, I glare at the two Blue Beetles. “Mine.”

“Khaji wants me to let you know how many ways he can kill you.” Artemis rolls her eyes at the running commentary only she can hear. “He’s already listed a dozen and they’re all pretty creative.”​

 

Interlude 31: Turnabout Is Fair Play
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Infinity Island
November 12, 4:20 PM ECT

Cheshire’s words are enough for Ubu to hand his master the phone. “The boy has gone hero.”

“That is such a shame.” Tutting his tongue, the centuries old Ra’s accepts the phone. “I really did want Sub-Zero to join us.”

“Great One, we have a problem.” His agent’s voice is tense. “Makhent is going to Bialya to get help for an assault on the island.”

Frowning at the disappointing words, Ra’s reveals his true plan. “If Young Justice is done collecting my prizes, I believe it’s time to pick them up.”

“My sister and her friends are being debriefed by the League. You only have an hour for the silo to be empty.” Cheshire makes it clear her sister is not to be harmed.

“You have done well Cheshire,” The master assassin praises his agent for her loyalty. “I will have Lady Shiva set aside time for your training when you return.”

Her answer comes after a gasp of surprise. “Thank you Great One.”

Once he ends the call, Ra’s turns his gaze to the already assembled agents. Black Spider and Hook are long time assets and stand at attention beside the Shade.

Gizmo and Killer Frost however, prove they still need to be broken to his will completely. The genius teen has been muttering to himself the entire time, only making the icy woman angrier with each word.

“You know what the Great One wants. Do not fail him.” Ubu speaks for his master, growling at the agents with distaste.

“In and out.” Smirks the Shade as he makes the shadows start to swirl.

“We leave the bomb and come home with some alien tech.” Gizmo drools at the idea of to ships and the transforming Sphere. “Sounds like a great day to me.”

Smacking the over eager preteen for his insolence, Ubu makes the mission parameters crystal clear. “Sixteen minutes and not a second longer.”

“As the Great One commands,” The Shade promises with a smirk, as his inky black portal finishes forming.



Mission Silo
November 12, 2:38 PM CST

The shadows coalesce into a doorway, with five people emerging inside Young Justice’s base. As soon as they see the room empty of any heroes, the portal fades away.

“Set the bomb Gizmo.” Shade hisses out his orders. “And Frost, make it look like Sub-Zero is the one responsible. The rest of you, secure the vehicles.”

The bald tech expert scampers off as the ice villain starts covering the walls in ice. Hook and Black Spider, start climbing the ramp into the Thanagarian ship.

But the moment they reach the still in need of repair hatch, both are sent flying by an energy blast. The Martian ship reveals itself and Young Justice pours out of both ships.

“Shade! Get us out of he-” Killer Frost is cut off when Superboy slams her into the wall she just covered in ice.

The shadows start to swirl around the startled Shade, only for his staff to be snatched from his hands by a blue blue. Sonic appears beside Hex Girl and hands her the magical weapon. “You should probably hold onto this.”

“Traitor!” Snarls Gizmo as Jade kicks him back into the room.

Paula dashes over to make sure the bomb is deactivated, as Tommy’s knights restrain the Shadows. “He hasn’t turned it on yet. But I don’t really want to keep this thing in the base.”

“Put it on the ship.” Sub-Zero calls out as he stalks towards the Shade. “I’ll return it for you.”

“Just be careful with her.” Grumbles Superboy with a scowl at the bomb being brought on board his ship.

Ratcatcher and his rodent friends file onto the ship behind the older Blue Beetle, with Jade and Sub-Zero giving promises of being careful to Artemis. Keeping true to his promise, Tommy rounds up the knights with a few french commands.

“You got that thing figured out yet?” Robin nudges the magician as she controls her shadow with the confiscated staff.

“It’s pretty easy actually,” Brags Hex Girl, making her shadow start dancing with the acrobat’s. “I don’t think he fully closed the portal as a way to save energy. But that’s made it super simple to trace back to it’s last location.”

Batman drops down from the bioship, landing silently on the concrete floor. “Good work. All of you.”

“I’m impressed they actually called us.” The newly renamed Silver Scarab lands beside him with a slight ringing sound.

“I know how territorial you are.” Sub-Zero pokes his head back out the hatch. “But I’m only giving you a chance to convince his daughter to come quietly. You two shouldn’t even be coming to a sovereign island.”

Everyone present knows the Justice League can’t afford any bad press. Not with Lex Luthor sponsoring a team of his own heroes now.

“No way I’m letting you do this alone.” Ted Kord stares directly into Paula’s visor, a thousand words passing unspoken between them.

“Okay...” Pretending to gag at the interaction, Jade eventually gives Ted a look of respect. “You have my approval on this one Mom.”

“Does this mean no more booby traps when I come over?” Incredibly relieved and just a tad doubtful, Silver Scarab stares down Cheshire.

Nodding at the scientist, Jade starts tapping her foot impatiently. “Not unless you make her cry. They’ll never find enough to identify the body if you do.”

“Can we go fight the ninjas now?” Tommy eagerly interrupts.

The Gotham Knights are behind him and are all clad in the steel armour provided by the Penguin. It’s clear they think Sub-Zero is some kind of demon possessed man. But they seem far more interested in the wealth he has them guard and the golden coins he pays them with.

“Whenever you’re ready.” Zatanna raises the staff with almost no visible doubt in her abilities. “Just don’t expect me to be able to bring you back the same way.”​

 

Chapter 55: Snowmore Mister Ice Guy
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Infinity Island
November 12, 4:53 PM ECT

Young Justice wishes us luck with a variety of emotions on each face. Some like Dick and Artemis, very clearly want to be part of the strike team. But the rest seem more relieved than anything, at the command to sit this one out.

Can’t really blame them, assassination is not really something they should be a part of. I know Batman is only allowing it because he doesn’t actually think I can pull it off.

He thinks the plan has a chance to succeed or we wouldn’t be going at all. But he doesn’t think I have a way to get rid of an immortal. Or maybe Batman just doesn’t think I can do something that he’s already failed at several times.

Zatanna waves the staff like a conductor, covering the alien ship with inky black magic in only a few seconds. The shadows muffle the lights on board, leaving us in nearly total darkness for the trip.

When the shadows peel away, I peer out the window with growing excitement. I’m going to be free soon.

We’re in a courtyard with a couple dozen Shadows waiting for the delivery. When nothing else materializes, the entire group approaches the back hatch.

None seem alarmed, with no weapons entering any hands. Or at least they can hide it a hell of a lot better than I can.

“I’ll handle the bomb,” Ted clutches the deactivated device to his chest, following Batman to the hatch. “Don’t want one of you setting it off accidentally.”

“I’ll let you know when I find Talia.” Pulling out a few pellets, Batman takes point as we wait. “Maintain radio silence unless it’s an emergency. You can’t give the Shadows a chance to surround you.”

The smoke bombs explode in the faces of the first couple ninjas, giving us a chance to end things fast. Batman drops four of them before I even reach the ramp, with only a few enemies even having a chance to cry out in pain.

“Intru-” Is all the last Shadow still conscious gets a chance to utter. His voice all I need to aim a frigid beam and cover him in an inch of ice.

The smoke clears with only a little bit of coughing on the knights’ behalf, showing off a few very creative take downs. Did Tommy go bowling with those ones?

“Don’t let the fodder slow us down,” Warns an incredibly tense Jade, her eyes watching the door to the castle. “We can’t let Ra’s escape.” Her growl is dangerous enough to make a pair of knights step away from her. “Once the alarm sounds, we have maybe ten minutes to reach him.”

“That enough time for you Batm-” I realize the detective vanished already and trail off awkwardly.

Tommy repeats the orders with his slowly improving french, which I really do need to make time for. “Hey Boss, you want me to get a few of the boys to watch the ship?”

Considering the pros and cons as quickly as possible, I eventually give a stiff nod. “Probably a good idea.”

We leave Ted and his bodyguards behind, with the scientist completely focused on the suitcase sized bomb. Jade leads the way and let’s her mother cover our rear.

The few Shadows we encounter are completely unprepared for a hostile force. We’re going to pull this off.

Anyone who doesn’t fall to Jades blades or Tommy’s shining sword, gets swarmed by Ratcatcher’s friends. The rats on the island are already joining his horde, creating a carpet of moving fur that follows us.

I’m left with the job of sealing every door we pass, leaving the ice even thicker than the stone walls. Hope that’s going to slow down reinforcements for long enough to pull this insanity off.

“End of the hallway and down the stairs!” Jade slams a ninja’s head against the castle wall, his group actually ready to face us. Not that they had the skill.

But it means Ra’s knows we’re here and time is running out. As we storm down the stairs, the realization really starts to sink in that Ra’s could have almost anyone working for him.

The knight in front of me charges into the cavern with steel drawn, ready to face the lone challenger. The Shadow blocking the bridge to Ra’s and his best Shadows seemingly explodes. Only for a river of clay to surge towards the us before everyone can react.

Clayface buries a couple of my time displaced fighters too slow to get out of the way and roars his challenge with a barely intelligible voice. Impressed at the resolve of both restrained warriors, I rise to the challenge. Better not be any spikes at the bottom of this bridge!

I know Jade needs to be the one to take down Ra’s and swords aren’t going to be very useful against this blob. So with a bellow of my own, I cover myself in my familiar ice armour.

“Cover the ladies and put that geezer in the ground!” My quick rising wall, is just in time to shield the rest of the knights from a follow up attack of even more clay. “I’m calling dibs on this one.”

With more confidence than I should probably have, I draw Clayface’s full attention by launching myself over the wall. Tendrils of ooze lance towards me, only to freeze solid in the face of my azure beams.

From each finger I fire as many quick blasts as I can, peppering the monstrous clay with at least a hundred. He’s massive and the attacks really only serve to cover the others and the dash across the bridge.

The french battle cries drown out the other voices, while the mass of living ooze blocks my sight. Not being able to see the engulfed knights anymore, I know I can’t keep screwing around.

Changing tactics, I send a pair of continuous frigid beams at the sentient mud. My arms start shaking from the strain even as Clayface starts to retract in on himself.

My gasping knights are some revealed and I let out a sigh of relief. But as soon as I start to get cocky, a primal scream of rage echoes out of Paula’s mouth.

The buzz of energy cuts right through the din of battle, an explosion following only a half second later. The cloud of billows away from Paula and whatever roused her fury like that.

A sinking feeling was already building in the pit of my stomach. But when my eyes lock onto the sight of Jade’s motionless body, my heart nearly stops.

I’m confused at the sight of two smoking feet near the rapidly growing pool of blood and it takes a few seconds to realize whose absent.

The rest of the Shadows try to avenge the vaporization of Ra’s al Ghul, foolishly turning leaving themselves exposed to my knights. Even the bald one called Ubu, leaves himself open to Tommy’s steel sword through the back.​

 

Chapter 56: Stealing Your Tundra
​

Infinity Island
November 12, 5:39 PM ECT

By the time I reach the battle, only one woman is still fighting off my knights. She’s already hacked through five of them before she acknowledges her allies have fallen around her. “Are you going to offer me terms, or do I need to carve a path through the rest of you?”

Jade showed me Lady Shiva’s profile before the attack, along with a handful of other high ranking agents. The woman has more than proven herself as deadly as the rumours and so I decide not to give the distraught Paula a chance to do something stupid. That’s Roy’s job.

“Tell us where the Lazarus Pit is and I’ll even give you a ride back to the States.” My jaw clenches tightly as I watch Paula lift the bloody body of Jade.

“Ubu and Talia are the only ones who know where it is...” The world’s most deadly baseline woman watches me for any sign of aggression. “At least now that Ra’s is dust.”

My eyes slide over to the bald body at Tommy’s feet and he blushes bright red. “... Oops.”

“Hey, Ratatouille.” Grabbing one of the Demon’s feet, I toss the still steaming appendage towards a renamed Ratcatcher. “Have Martin and your friends trace the Demon’s steps please.” The surviving knights recognize that word and suddenly seem far prouder of the fight.

“You remembered his name?” The beady eyed man blinks a few times, a wide grin revealing his buck teeth.

“You cared enough to introduce him to me.” Shrugging awkwardly at the praise, I try to brush it off as no big deal. “Seemed like the kind of thing friends should do.”

The rat squeaks out an answer of his own and even gives me textbook perfect salute before scampering off. Hundreds of his fellows follow and I know the magical bath will be discovered soon.

“Still getting used to what real ones are like,” Admits the Paris based man with a sardonic chuckle. “But Kiteman has started taking me out to karaoke on Tuesdays. That’s pretty fun.”

“Just remember, I have dibs on all the Vanilla Ice, Ice Tea, and Ice Cube songs.” My teasing smirk gets a grim snort.

Tommy relays my command to the knights and they rush to pick up the fallen among them. When a very smug rat returns, Paula marches after him before I can even give the word.

“So Shiva...” I know Ra’s ruled through a combination of fear, desperation, and indoctrination. “Why are you working for the Shadows and not running your own secret ninja clan?” But I want nothing to do with that kind of management style and decide to try the carrot instead.

“Ra’s provided challenges that test me consistently and was ensuring my successor would be ready when the time comes.” The extremely capable woman keeps her words vague, even while answering the question in it’s technical entirety. “Your champion defeated the Demon’s Head. The Shadows are yours.”

“No they aren’t.” Frantically my head shakes in denial. “I’m her muscle.”

My finger points at a startled Paula and the Jade’s body, making Shiva nod with misunderstanding. “She did defeat him in single combat. The rest of the Shadows will fall in line once she finishes of his daughter as well.”

“Uh...” Realizing she thinks I mean Paula, I wrack my mind for a quite response. “She has a different plan for Talia.”

The sound of rocks sliding against each is all the warning we get, as the floor splits apart. A spiral staircase is revealed, carved right into the very bowels of the island.

“Ladies first.” Tommy mumbles and lets Paula lead the way into the eerie passage.

“Jade first and we wait for the madness to pass before reviving the knights.” I remember how crazed Ra’s was in Batman the Animated Series when he emerged from a pit.

That seems to intrigue Shiva, who peers back at me with curiosity in her dark brown eyes. “You really intend to revive expendable lackeys?” Her words echo my own taunt towards Jade and I fill a worm of guilt wriggling inside me.

“Boss looks after us.” Tommy growls at the dangerous woman, daring her to argue further.

“He give you that sword?” The deadly weapon in the shape of Lady Shiva points at the gleaming blade in his hands.

“Made out of space metal and everything.” An incredibly proud twin holds it up for Shiva to get a better look. “Cuts right through magic.”

“And what would I have to do to get one of those?” The way Shiva asks, makes me more than a little concerned for Tommy’s long term safety. At least I finally have a carrot to dangle in front of her.

Paula takes the bait before I have a chance to decide if it’s worth getting Artemis something else for Christmas. “Teach Jade how to be better than you and I’ll make sure you get any weapon you want.”

“That will take a while.” Smirks the incredibly smug Shiva. “She had more than a few openings against Ra’s.”

“The every day it takes, is one more before she confronts her father to confront her father.” Paula is first into the living room sized cavern and the glowing green pool it contains.

“That has to be radioactive...” Ratatouille plugs his nose as the stench of boiling flesh assaults us.

Shaking my head to assuage Paula’s sudden worry, I watch her drop her daughter into the Lazarus Pit. “Just magic.” But I guess that doesn’t actually make it safe.

Jade’s hand emerges from the green ooze and reaches for the edge. I reflexively grab it and pull, only remembering the madness too late to let go.

“Expendable?!” The feral shriek is filled with betrayal, fury, and the promise of never ending pain. “I’ll show you exactly how expendable I am!”

We thankfully remembered to remove her weapons, so I only have to block a karate chop to the throat instead of dodge Nth metal. I can feel Jade’s hand break against my mouth guard and see her eyes shine with emerald ferocity.

“You aren’t expendable to me Jade!” Knowing she’s just going to keep raging until the effects have run the course, I tackle Jade in a bear hug.

The two of us slam against the dark rocks and I can only hope she hasn’t broken something else underneath me. Her eyes are flashing wildly with uncountable emotions, my words slowly starting to sink in.

She struggles in my grip in one final attempt to break free and I’m forced to freeze our hands together. “No one I care about is!”​