The Rider of Young Justice Season 1: Beginnings

Downtime Part 2: Together

Gotham City: 6:17am, August 27th, 2010

P.O.V Change: Ghost Rider

"Come here!" I shout as I swing a chain but hit nothing. A blob of brown clay hits my face as I am sent flying into the wall. The crack of the wall forms as a piece drops on my head. "Oww." I say as I feel Matthew groan. "Can't you be more careful?" He asks as I just growl in response. I see Kaldur'ahm is sent skidding across the ground and thumps against the wall. Everyone else is out of it, completely knocked out. The clay monster simply known as Clayface walks into the light as the skylight shatters, revealing Batman. He throws two batarangs which sink into Clayface and explode, blowing his left arm off. Batman lands and dodges out of the way as Clayface tries to crush him. Batman fires a tazer at Clayface which makes him scream in agony and drop down into a clay puddle. "That was easy." Matthew says as I push the rubble off my head and walk over to the group. Batman narrows his eyes at Aqaulad and at me, oh boy.

Mount Justice: P.O.V Change: Matthew Spectre

"I need to talk to Aqualad and Ghost Rider." Batman says as we walk out of the zeta tube. "The rest of you, hit the showers and head home." Batman continues as Superboy gestures his arms open. "I am home." He says as he walks past Batman. Kaldur and I stand in front of Batman, I notice that Robin is also here. "Just Aqualad and Ghost Rider." Batman says as he narrows his eyes at Robin. Robin looks at us before walking off, leaving us with the Caped Crusader. "You first, Kaldur." Batman says, Kladur hangs his head low. "I am sorry you had to intervene. I know the team performed poorly and-." He doesn't finish as Batman interrupts. "The team performed adequately. The problem was you. You're their leader and your head wasn't in the game." Batman says as Kaldur perks up. "No, you are-." He doesn't finish as I nudge him in the ribs. He looks at me while I give him a knowing look. He sighs before turning to Batman. "You're correct. Of late, I am not even convinced I belong on the surface world. The mission with we had to the Tower of Fate has made me question my faith in myself. With the Rider fallout, I had the opinion that I could have done better and while it isn't a good enough excuse, it is the truth. I don't know if I am really ready to lead this team or be on the surface. I have........doubts." Kaldur says quietly as I can feel the self disappointment and sadness at himself after my......episode. I put my hand on his shoulder as he looks at me. I give him a comforting gaze. It's alright mate. "Your doubts are what makes you a good leader. To know when you believe you have made a mistake, it's your rates and friends that are there to make sure that you are pulled back from the brink. You have home fever Kaldur, he want to go to Altantis, that is your right. You can split your time between the surface and sea but your mind has to be in the here and now. Either you are here 100 percent.....or you walk away. It's that simple......make a decision before someone makes it for you." Batman says as Kaldur hangs his head. "I need to speak with Matthew, give us the room." He says to Kaldur who nods and heads to the common area of the mountain.

Batman pulls a switch and clicks it, a transparent bubble forms around us as I look around. "What's this?" I ask. "Sound absorbing and diverting Bubble. This was made by myself and Superman for conversation that requires absolute secrecy. Now, tell me about this Jade Nguyen." He says as I prepare myself. "Jade is Artemis's sister, she was the one that was hired to assassinate Dr Roquette a few weeks ago and she and myself have been in correspondence for the past month." I say as Batman narrows his eyes. "You have been in contact with a criminal and an assassin for over a month and you did not think to tell me." He says angrily as I raise my hands. "I was going too. The first night that we met up, I was going to tell you. But she approaches me about keeping an eye on Artemis." I say as Batman just stares at me. "Myself, Artemis and Jade already met about two years, during the gala. Artemis already had a run in wirh Zarathos, which is how she got the scar on her stomach. For about a year, I tracked her but I wasn't able to find her, not until Jade approached me. She asked me to find her and report back to her about her sister." I say. "Why would she do that? Why wonluld she go herself?" He asks. "Jade believes that coming back into Artemis life will not only ruin her standing in the Shadows, plus she felt that Artemis was better off without her." I say. "How can you know that? Did she tell you?" He asks as I shake my head. "She didn't need to. Zarathos can read souls and feelings, you can't lie to him. After meeting, I thought what the hell, I've been trying to find Artemis for about two years anyway so it wouldn't be too bad. So every few days, I would go to Gotham, after finding where Artemis was staying, and check on her. I would come back and find Jade in my apartment and we would talk and I would tell her about Artemis and that was it." I say as Batman hmms. "But a few days ago, during my episode, she approached me at my apartment. I wasn't in the mood and we fought. I didn't bother fighting fully and she was just trying to make sure that I didn't break her in half. After a while, she told me that coming to talk to me about Artemis wasn't the only thing that she wanted to talk about." I say.