Young Justice Season 4 - The Red X Factor

Episode/Chapter 8 - Date Night

"Hey, Alacrity. Are you doing anything?" Bart asked as he ran up next to Alacrity.

"Bart, for the hundredth time, just call me Chris....or Christine, if you don't take nicknames." Alacrity chuckled, "but no. I'm not doing anything. Why?"

"Oh, well, the team doesn't really need a couple speedsters...I wanted to know if you wanted to go to...dinner with me?"

"Aw, Bart...you know I'd love to." Alacrity smiled, "But let me get changed first."

"Oh, nothing fancy. I'm pretty sure Bibbo's Diner isn't a fancy place." Bart shrugged, "of course, unless you wanted to go somewhere else?"

"No, no, it's fine. I like burgers and shakes!" Alacrity laughed, "I still can't go in my uniform. Let me go change first." Bart nodded just as Wally walked up to him.

"Smooth..." Wally smirked as he held out his fist and Bart fist-bumped it.

"I'm the man, as a fellow speedster of mine once said..." Bart nodded. Christine walked out all dressed casually.

"Hey Wally!" She greeted him, "we'll be out for an hour or two."

"I can cover for you." Wally said.

"Thanks." Christine thanked him, then turned to Bart, "race you there?"

"So crash!" Bart laughed, and they were both off.

"Where are THEY going?" Nightwing asked as he walked up to Wally.

"A date." Wally smirked.

"About time." Nightwing chuckled and fist-bumped Wally, "look, I need to send out a squad to the coordinates we got from Robin."

"I can go out." Wally agreed. He ran off, and in three seconds, he came back wearing his Kid Flash outfit, "So who's recruited for this mission?"

"On Alpha Squad? You, me, Miss M, Robin, and Blue Beetle are going out."

"Why not Red Robin? We can use a hacker..."

"He said he was busy."

"Where is everyone?!" Kid Flash looked around, and the cave was silent, "where's the flock?"

"Max told me she and the flock were visiting someone in Arizona." Nightwing answered as he pulled up the cave holocomputer.

"Okay..." Kid Flash nodded and turned to see Miss Martian, Robin, and Blue Beetle walk in.

"Are we ready to go, Grayson?" Robin crossed his arms.

"Hey, whenever you guys are ready." Nightwing shrugged.

"Yeah, we're ready." Miss Martian nodded.

"Where's Impulse?" Blue Beetle asked.

"A date..."

"About time, Hermano." Blue Beetle chuckled, and Nightwing smirked.

"Okay, let's go. The longer we wait here, the longer the three girls have to wait for us to rescue them." Alpha squad agreed and they headed to the Biohsip.

"So, Robin, what were you doing disobeying protocol, anyways?"

"Look, I was only helping you..." Robin said, "besides, you didn't even bother to take a sample of that red goop."

"Speaking of, where are we with the test samples?" Blue Beetle asked.

"Batgirl hasn't found a match. For some reason, there's nothing like it. She can't find a match anywhere in the world."

"We're here." Miss Martian announced.

"Okay. Everyone in stealth mode. We don't want to draw attention." Nightwing ordered, and everyone went into stealth mode.

"So, what's the plan?" Kid Flash asked.

"We go in at two different parts of the building. We look around and try to find where the three girls are being held. Miss M will put up the psychic link, so they can't intercept our radios. We'll split Alpha squad into Alpha and Beta. Alpha is me, Robin, and Blue. Beta is Kid and Miss M." Nightwing then pulled up his holocomputer, "Kid and Miss M, head to the North entrance, we'll take the south entrance."

'Deal." Kid Flash pressed his goggles over his eyes, "ready to go, Miss M?"

"I'll meet you there." Miss Martian said and put her hood up, then disappeared down into the ground. Kid Flash ran off and out of the Bioship.

"Let's go." Nightwing said, and he led Robin and Blue Beetle out of the Bioship. They made their way to the building and jumped up to the roof. Nightwing peeked over the ledge and saw some League of Shadows soldiers.

>> Miss M? The link's up? << Nightwing asked.

>> Yep. << Miss Martian responded.

>> Good. There are some Shadows below us. Stay quiet. Then we can-- <<

"Aaargh!!!" Robin yelled and he jumped down.

>> ROBIN!!! << Nightwing yelled mentally, but Robin didn't take that into account. He fell on top of one of the Shadows and knocked him out, then moved on to the second, and once he got onto the third one, he was ready to break his neck.

"Robin! Don't!!" Nightwing ordered as he and Blue Beetle dropped in front of him.

"And why not?! He deserves to die!!" Robin screeched. Blue Beetle stepped forward a little,

"Robin, what would your father do?!"

Robin stared at them, scoffed, then threw the Shadow over the rail and into the water.

"You're not a killer. None of us are." Nightwing told Robin as he walked past him and up to one of the Shadows, nudging his head.

"Well, yeah, none of you are, but that's not who I am." Robin said, looking at the ground, "let's just get those girls and get out of here."

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"Hahaha! Omg, you're so much funnier in person!" Christine giggled.

"You mean, you've known me?" Bart asked.

"Of course. I mean, I've heard so much about the team, and I was really hoping one day I could meet all of you! And I looked up to you...well, and I still do."

"It's really...different, to be looked up to..." Bart chuckled as he finished his burger.

"You kids ready for dessert?" Bibbo asked as he walked up to them, "we have a new special: the best apple pie in Metropolis!"

"Sure!" Christine agreed.

"A La Mode!" Bart added.

"Coming right up." Bibbo smiled, almost evilly, "but first, how about our best....chaos cake?"

Bart and Christine exchanged confused glances.

"Uh, I'm sorry, did you say 'Chaos Cake'?" Christine asked.

"You okay, Bibbo?" Bart asked.

"Yeah. Just peachy." Bibbo said, "why do you ask?"

Bart peered into his eyes, and he saw a glint of red, then he immediately stood up,

"Christine!! Get back!!!" But it was too late. Bibbo had turned into a giant red snake, and he lunged forward at Christine. Bart used his speed and moved himself and Christine out of the way.

"You okay?" Bart checked with Christine, who nodded as they gaped at the giant red figure. The snake split into two. One was the form of a cat, the other was the form of their old friend...

"Hey there, Armadillos! Did you miss me?"

"Bart..." Christine whispered, "who is....that...?" Bart glared at the young lord of chaos standing before them.

"Klarion... Chris...we may have a problem...."

-to be continued!!-