Secrets and Lies

Darkest

Gulf of Mexico
March 23, 16:03 EDT
Kaldur'alhm rode in the pilot's seat of the Manta sub-ship.  Alongside him were Icicle Junior and the Terror Twins.  "Brotha Tommy, ah think we're plum crazay to throw in wit' this feller.", Tuppence said.  "Ah mean, it wasn't two years ago Mister Aqualad here, was tryin' ta lock us back up in Belle Reve!"  "Well, Sista Tuppence, folks say he had a change of heart after finding out who his pappy is.", Tommy explained to her.

"Me?  I'm more concerned with this 'Hunter' fella.  How come the Terror Twins ain't ne'er heard o' 'im before?"  In the corner sat a young man if around twenty years, with soft, curved features.  He had dirty blond hair slicked back with hair gel.  He wore a dark brown assassin uniform with black horizontal stripes, with black leather straps crossed over his chest and long black fingerless leather gloves.  He had a leather utility belt fastened around his waist, long dark brown pants, and thick black leather boots.  Over his face, he wore a black eye mask, framing his gorgeous dark chocolate brown eyes.  Tied around his neck was a black silk ribbon with a gold drop hanging from it.

"You know we can hear you?", he said in a clear, mature voice.  "That we do, mister.", Tommy gloated.  "These are open questions, ya see."  The Hunter turned around in his seat.  "So, which of you want to ask your 'open questions' of Black Manta?", he asked, quirking an eyebrow.  "Which one if you wants to suggest to the Big Bad that his son, and his son's hand-picked righthand can't be trusted?"  Instead of answering, Junior and the Terror Twins turned back around to their controls.  "Thought so."

El Paso
March 23, 20:21 MDT
"Impulse, by Impulse!", Impulse said, displaying his rock arrangement.  "Is that crash, or what!"  Blue Beetle nodded, grinning in amazement as he hovered midair.  "Crash!  Totally crash!"   All of the sudden, Tuppence Terror came soaring through the air and rammed into him, taking him crashing into the ground with her.  Impulse frowned.  "Hey!  I spent one point six seconds on that self portrait!  It was my masterpiece!"

Hunter and Tommy Terror charged at him.  He ran into Tommy's chest of steel as the Hunter used a shot gun to wrap him in a net.  Jaime wrestled between the Twins as Junior stepped forward.  "Hold him steady!  Now move!"  The Twns stepped away as Junior shot an icy blast at Blue, encasing him in a giant block of ice.  Impulse, seeing his friend in trouble, vibrated out of the net and fought off Hunter.  Blue got out his cannon and shattered the ice surrounding him.  He pointed his arm cannon and blasted Tommy and Junior with sonic boom rays.  He tried to blast Hunter, but he dodged the attack.  So Blue shot a giant blue staple at him, pinning his arm to a boulder, and knocked Tuppence a few feet away.

Impulse ran to his side as they got into position.  The advantage is ours.  Recommended tactic—evisceration.  "Or, since they outnumber us four to two, we could recommend tactic, strategic retreat!", Blue said, forming a jetpack on his back.  "Totally!", Impulse said.  "But first, how did they find us out her in the middle of the-". He looked up and saw Kaldur standing on a nearby cliff.  "Uh-huh."  He zoomed over.  "So, you're Aqualad!  Working with the bad guys, I see!  Taking their alien tech to track our friend Blue?  Not crash, dude.  Not crash at all."

Kaldur swung his sword at him, but the speedster kept dodging until he pinned his arm and swiped the tracker from his hands.  "Uuuhh, swink!  Loaded!"  He zoomed back to Blue Beetle.  "They can't follow us now!  Let's book!"  He raced off, and Blue rocketed after him.  "Booking!"  The villains all looked after them.  Tommy stormed up to Kaldur.  "Well, that's brilliant, chief!  You let 'em get away!  With the tracking device!  Now how do we find Beetle?"  Kaldur looked at him.  "As it happens."