Blue down

Alternate part 2: Kora, the Pink Beetle

"Please don't fear," Jaime repeated.

"Not fear!" Bart screamed. "I'm gonna enslave the earth and murder everyone I love! And I don't even know why!"

"Why does Bart betray humanity?" Beast Boy asked.

"No one is sure why," Jaime explained. "All we know is that when the Quick Force first reveals itself to the world, Impulse joins them. His joining them was the turning point in their world domination"

"Quick force?" Nightwing asked.

"A group of evil speedsters." Jaime said. "They enslave the human race and either use them for labor or...use their them as batteries, sucking their life energy out. My...my adopted sister saved me from being a battery...at the cost of her own life."

"So...so the only way to save the earth is to...to kill me?" Bart asked.

"No." Jaime said. "The Impulse from my time in unfeeling, a maniac, and uncaring. He's not like you...not at all."

So, I think Bart joins Quick Force unwillingly. He is mind controlled or brainwashed...or something. Khajia-Da agrees with me."

"So, what does it? The brainwashing or whatever." Zatana asked.

"My guess, Quick Force." Jaime said. "But I'm gonna stop it from happening AND save Bart."

"WE all are." Batgirl said.

Weeks later

By this time, Jaime had joined the team as Blue Beetle. Bart had become very close to him.

Bart's parents had been informed of the future and were trying to help stop it from happening.

Bart had learned a lot about Jaime and his habits. He had an obsession with Chicken wizzies and always said Blitz, a slang word in his time.

Jaime and Bart were hanging out together at the park.

"You know Jaime," Bart said. "When I first met you, I didn't like you."

"I came informing you that you would turn evil and destroy all that you loved, shattering your life." Jaime said. "I can see why."

"Yeah, but all that has changed. You're one of my best friends." Bart said. "If...when you first showed up could you have...have..." Bart couldn't say it.

Jaime gently grabbed his face and made Bart look him in the eyes.

"Knowing you Bart Allen," Jaime said. "I could never ever harm you hermano."

Bart felt a warm blush warm across his face.

Suddenly, his dad called.

"Bart." His dad said gently. "I...we...just come to Mount Justice. Me, your Mom, and the team will be there."

"Oh no." Jaime and Bart said in unison.

The team were all gathered around the big screen in the middle of HQ along with Bart's parents.

Barry took a deep breath.

"Bart, when you were born, and their doctors were checking you out, a young woman stopped to talk to us. She gave us a slip of paper and a computer chip. She said "I know this won't make any sense but I need you to keep this for as long as you can. When you meet my brother, give this to him." And then she ran off."

"We were unable to read the paper or work the chip because it was written in a weird language." Iris explained. "We kept the stuff for some reason, we just had a feeling."

"Why is this important?" Wonder Girl asked.

"Last night, Jaime had dinner with us and showed us a photo of his family." Iris said. "The Girl we met was one of his sisters."