Batman watched the former Cadmus laboratories being reduced to mere rubble as he advanced toward the teenage sidekick emerging from the ruins. When the older heroes were within a few steps of them, a slight amount of relief could be seen on their faces.
Though that this was quickly drowned out by the uneasiness and nervousness of what would possibly be a major wake-up call to their rash actions.
And it had not yet given them reason to be truly nervous.
A large number of adult members came specifically to intimidate the teenagers into recognizing the seriousness of their actions. They may be young, but their recklessness will prevent them from living long enough to become the next generation of heroes.
Superman is the first to arrive closest to the young group, but to Batman’s surprise, the boy who steps forward is not one of their own. The two, the Man of Steel and the teenager, stare at each other in silence as Batman approaches alongside Superman.
Their staring contest is broken when the teenager lifts the tattered end of his shirt to reveal a surprisingly familiar symbol.
The teenager’s shirt has the characteristics of his co-worker. He doesn’t like the implications of this unknown boy with Superman’s face appearing in a subway lab, but he has to consider the worst-case scenario.
“Is it what I think it is?”, Batman asks to see if Superman came to the same conclusion.
He hears Impulse whisper aloud, “He doesn’t like being called ‘it’,” but that comment is quickly trumped by the stranger’s next statement.
“I’m Superman’s clone.”
Sometimes, Batman really hates being right.
While that only explains the similarities to Superman, it doesn’t explain why the clone is here, how he was released, what his programming is like, what his intentions are.
He’s about to demand they explain when Impulse speaks somewhat hesitantly “And uh, he wasn’t alone.” In the teenager’s arms lies a sleeping baby with pure white hair wrapped in some lab coats.
Of course. If the opportunity presented itself why clone one league member when you can clone two?
However, Batman hasn’t even managed to get his hands on Phantom’s DNA, how the hell did Cadmus get it?
Batman mentally sighs and begins to plan how to prevent any more cloning incidents from happening. For now, though, he has to do a little damage control.
As far as he can see, Superman is still unsure how to take the news of his cloning, but the ghostly hero who had accompanied them on his own has yet to comment.
Which is strange to Batman, since he’s just as boisterous as Flash.
His face did not change expression as he turned to find Phantom furiously typing away on a strange cell phone, oblivious to the scene.
“Phantom “called Batman with a heavier gravel than usual.
This leaves the youthful-looking phantom static, who quickly makes a failed attempt to hide the peculiar-looking mobile device. Some of the other sidekicks chuckle at the break from the earlier tension.
“Yeah-ah, Yes?” replies Phantom, cringing at the crack in his own voice. Batman feels a small pang of sympathy; every interaction with Phantom makes him thankful for not dying before the end of puberty.
With a sigh of frustration, Batman prepares to scold Phantom for his lack of situational awareness, but Robin interrupts him by placing the little clone in his own arms and moving toward the ghost.
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AcakThe young heroes took on an unassigned mission, they wanted to prove that they were capable of being independent. They never thought that a collection of information would become the rescue of two clones of two of the strongest members of the Justic...
