Young Justice

Independence Day

Gotham City
July 5, 2012

My mentor, Hawkgirl, Batman, Robin, and I were involved in a battle.
I was a pure white, female cheetah mutant with huge, golden wings. My name was Catgirl. I use two katanas for fighting.
On the way to the Hall if Heroes, we were attacked by Freeze.
"Oh, Boy Wonder," he said, clearly not amused. "The Bat sent you and Cat to drag me off to prison? Frankly, I'm underwhelmed."
"Great. But we're kind of in a hurry here," Robin said.
"Kids--always in such a rush," he said.
"Not talking to you," Robin sang.
I growled. "He's got a point there, doofus."
Batman suddenly glided through and punched his glass helmet, cracking it.

Washington, D.C.
July 4, 14:00 EDT

We made it before anyone else. Next was Aquaman and Aqualad.
In front of us was a huge, gold building with Wonder Woman, Superman, and Batman in front of it.
Green Arrow and Speedy was next.
"Today's the day," Batman said.
Robin smiled up at him.
"Welcome to the Hall of Justice," Green Arrow said.
"Headquarters of the Justice League," Aquaman said.
"Oh, man!" Kid Flash complained from skidding to a stop behind us. He crossed his arms at his chest. "I knew we were going to be the last ones here."
"Quit complaining, Kid-KF," I said.
"Is that Batman?" a fan said.
"There's Flash and Flash Junior," another said.
"He's name's Speedy. Duh," another said.
"No, Speedy's Green Arrow's sidekick," another said.
"Well, that makes no sense," another said.
"Ready to see the inner sanctum?" Green Arrow asked Speedy, who was in front of him.
"Born that way," Speedy said.
"I'm glad we're all here," Aqualad said.
"Have all sidekicks been at the same place at the same time?" Kid Flash asked.
"Don't call us sidekicks," Speedy said, harshly. "Not after today."
"Sorry," Kid Flash apologized. "First day at the Hall. I'm a little overwhelmed."
"You're overwhelmed, Freeze was underwhelmed, why isn't anyone just whelmed?" Robin said.
I nudged him, looking at the statues.
"Oh. Maybe that's why."
The computer said the access codes for the League just as we sat on the chairs. I was sitting on the arm of Robin's chair.
"Quick debrief to discuss four ice villains attacking on the same day," Batman said. "We shouldn't be long."
"That's it?!" exclaimed Speedy. "You promised us a real look inside, not a glorified backstage pass."
"It's a first step," Aquaman said. "Granted access only to few others get."
"You're kidding, right?" Speedy gasped. "You're playing their game? Why? Today was supposed to be the day, step one in becoming full-fledged members of the League."
"Well, sure, but I thought step one was a tour of the HQ," Kid Flash said.
"Except the Hall's not the real League's HQ," Speedy said. "I bet they never told you it's just a false front for tourists and catching Zeta Beam teleporter tubes to the real thing; an orbiting satellite called the Watchtower."
Batman and Flash glared at Green Arrow.
"I know, I know, but I thought we could make an exception," Green Arrow said, innocently.
Batman gave him the Bat-glare.
"Or not."
"You're not helping your cause here, son," Aquaman said. "Stand down, or--"
"Or what? You'll send me to my room? And I'm not your son. I'm not even his. I thought I was his partner, but not anymore," Speedy threw down his hat.
The four of us looked surprised.
Robin and I looked at each other.
Speedy walked right past the four of us. "I guess they were right about you four. You're not ready."
"Glad you didn't bring you-know-who?" Green Arrow asked Martian Manhunter.
"Indeed."
Superman came on the screen that was in front of us. "Superman to Justice League. There has been an explosion at Project Cadmus. It's on fire."
"I've had suspicions about Cadmus," Batman said. "This may be a good opportunity to-"
Zatara came on the screen next. "Zatara to Justice league. The sorcerer Wotan is using the amulet of Attan to blot out the sun. Requesting full League response."
"Superman?" Batman asked.
"It's a small fire. Local authorities have it under control," Superman said.
"Then Cadmus can wait," Batman said. "All Leaguers rendezvous at Zatara's coordinates. Batman out. Stay put." he told us.
"What?" Robin and I said in unison. "Why?"
"This is a League mission," Aquaman said.
"You're not trained," Flash said.
"What?! Since when?!" exclaimed Kid Flash.
"I meant, you're not ready to work as part of this team," Flash said.
"There will be other missions when you're ready," Aquaman said.
"But for now, stay put," Batman said.
They walked through the door that said League members only.
"When we're ready?" Kid Flash said, angrily. "How are we supposed to be ready when they treat us like-like sidekicks?!"
"My mentor, my King, I thought he trusted me," Aqualad said.
"Trust? They don't even trust us with the basics!" Kid Flash exploded again. "They have a secret HQ in space!"
"I have a question," Aqualad said. "What else aren't they telling us?"
Robin and I scoffed.
"Better question," Robin said. "Why didn't we leave with Speedy?"
"Robin, I have a question," I said.
"I may or may not have an answer, but ask away."
"What is Project Cadmus?"
"Don't know," he smirked, as he looked behind him at the computer. "But I can find out."
He hacked the computer after it denied the code.
"All right," he said. "Project Cadmus. Genetics lab here in D.C. That's all there is. Maybe we can check it out since Batman is suspicious."
"Solve their case before they do," Aqualad said. "It would be poetic justice."
"Hey," Robin chuckled. "They're all about justice."
Aqualad sighed. "But they said, stay put."
"For blotting out the sun mission, not this."
"Wait, are you going to Cadmus? Because I'm going if you are," Kid Flash said.
"So am I," I said.
The three of us smiled at Aqualad.
"Just like that we're a team on a mission?" Aqualad asked.
"We didn't come for a playdate," Robin said.
"You got that right, Boy Wonder," I said, placing my hand on his shoulder.
He started blushing like crazy after that.
We ran out of the building and of course, Kid Flash just had to not wait for us.
"So smooth," Robin said.
"Does he always have to run ahead?" Aqualad asked. "We need a plan. We--Robin?"
He was gone. He laughed in the sky.
"It's what's his name--Flash Boy!" a fireman yelled.
"Kid Flash!" Kid Flash yelled. "Why's that so hard?"
He saved two people and nearly fell off the building. But Robin made it there to help him.
Since it was concrete I was climbing on, I didn't have a good enough grip and I just about fell until Robin grasped my wrist.
"Did you think I was about to let you fall?" Robin asked.
"No, of course not," I said sarcastically.
Just as I climbed up, someone clawed my face. It was Canine Diablo, or Ruthie AnnSmuin.
I landed on the floor and caught the scent of wolf.
"Ruth," I said with disgust.
"Cat!" Kid and Aqualad gasped.
I stood. My ears went flat against my head, I growled, and hissed.
"I'm fine," I wiped blood from my mouth. "Robin, hack. I'll take care of this wolf."
"Do you need help?" Kid Flash asked.
"Better not," Robin said as he started hacking the computer.
"Why?"
"Because Catgirl's a cat, Canine Diablo is a dog," Robin said. "They have a history together. You don't want to get in the way of those two."
I kicked her in the face and she snapped her teeth at my foot.
My claws caught her hoodie and threw her to the ground.
She leapt up and knocked me into Kid Flash. We both hit the wall.
"Get out of the way, Kid-KF!" I stood, lunging back at her.
"Wow. Harsh when she's around her," Kid Flash said.
"Hehe. You do not want to see her at school with her," Robin said as he finished hacking.
"Miss Goodie-two-shoes has lost her grip," Canine Diablo said. "Wants to go home to her mommy? Oh, that's right. She's dead. Along with her daddy."
"I have a new family," I growled. "Which you will never be-"
A window broke through and Leopardstar leaped through, taking down Canine Diablo.
"Go, go. I'll handle her," she yelled. "She's my rival, too."
"Jaidyn, what are you doing here?" I asked.
"I'm on your team," she said, while fighting Canine Diablo. She fell to the ground.
I started to run to her, until she yelled.
"Go! Just go! I'll handle it from here!"
We walked to a corner where something went down the elevator.
"There was something in the--"
"Elevators should be locked down," Kid Flash said.
"He's right," I said.
Robin and I pushed past him.
"This is wrong," Robin said.
"What is?" I asked.
He pressed a button on and his holographic computer came up. "Thought so. This is a high-speed express elevator. Doesn't belong on a two-story building."
"You're right," I said.
"Neither does what I saw," Aqualad said.
He ran over to the elevator and wrenched it open. It was empty inside.
"That's why they need an express elevator," Robin said, kneeling beside it. He shot his grappling hook up to the top to let him go down farther.
I used my claws to help me down. Kid Flash and Aqualad slid down Robin's grappling hook.
"I'm at the end of my rope," Robin said at one point. My claws scraped down to where he was.
Robin jumped over to the tiny edge.
Aqualad and Kid Flash followed us.
Robin knelt down and brought up holographic computer. "Bypassing security. There! Go!"
Aqualad wrenched the door open and we went in.
"Welcome to Project Cadmus," Robin said.
Kid Flash sped past Aqualad and I.
"Kid, wait!" Aqualad yelled.
Kid Flash was almost mashed by elephant-like monsters.
He rolled out of the way just in time after he fell and sped back to us.
"No. Nothing odd going on here," Aqualad said.
Robin opened a door with his holographic computer.
"Okay," he said. "I'm officially whelmed."
Inside were big, blue and black cages with weird creatures inside. And a ball-like substance that was flashing white and blue.
"What is this place?" I wondered aloud.
"This is how they hid this massive underground facility from the world," Kid Flash said as he walked forward. He turned to face us. "The real Cadmus isn't even on the grid. It generates its own power with these...things. Must be what they're bred for."
"Weird and gross," I said.
"Even the name is a clue," Aqualad said. "The Cadmus of myth created a new race by sewing dragons' teeth into the earth."
"That is crazy," I said.
"It is history," Aqualad said.
"And this Cadmus creates new life, too," Robin said. "Let's find out why." he pulled a cord from his glove and hooked it up to a computer. "They call them Genomorphs. Whoa! Look at the stats on these things--superstrength, telepathy, razor claws. These are living weapons!"
"Good heavens," I gasped.
"They're engineering an army, but for who?" Kid Flash asked.
"Wait, there's something else," Robin said. "Project Kr. Ugh! The file's triple-encrypted. I can't--"
"Don't move!" someone yelled. There were aliens behind him. "Wait. Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Catgirl?"
"At least he got your name right," Robin told Kid Flash and he pulled up his holographic computer.
"I know you. Guardian, a hero," Aqualad said.
"I do my best," he said.
"Then, what are you doing here?" Kid Flash asked.
"I chief of security. You are trespassing. But we can call the Justice League, figure this out."
"You think the League's gonna approve of you breeding weapons?" Kid Flash asked.
"Weapons? What are you--what have I--ugh, my head," he looked up. "Take them down hard! No mercy!"
The aliens came running at us.
Robin threw down a smoke bomb and we disappeared.
He shot a grappling hook up and pulled himself up. I followed, nearly getting hit by one of the aliens.
We ran to a safe spot and he pulled up his holographic computer.
Aqualad and Kid Flash caught up with us.
The aliens followed.
"Way to be a team player, Rob and Cat!" Kid Flash said angrily as he stood beside us.
Robin looked at him. "Weren't you right behind us?"
The screen he was hacking turned red and the elevator door opened.
We ran in, Aqualad was the last one. He shut the door behind us, cutting off the aliens.
"We're headed down?" Aqualad asked.
Kid Flash looked at Robin. "Dude, out is up."
"Excuse me?" Robin raised an eye behind his mask. "Project Kr.? It's down on sub-level 52."
"This is out of control," Aqualad said, placing a hand on his head. "Perhaps-perhaps we should contact the League."
The elevator landed on Floor 52 and opened. Inside was bizarre-looking.
"We are already here," Kid Flash said.
Aqualad sighed. "Which way?"
"Yeah. Bizarre-looking hallway one, or bizarre-looking hallway two?" Robin said.
"Halt!" an alien walked by. He looked like those aliens we saw, but he had horns that were glowing.
"Telepathically, he moved two barrels towards us. We dodged them. It exploded on the wall.
Robin pulled a batarang out of his utility belt and threw it at him and we bolted, and the explosion was behind us.
A door opened up behind us and a woman walked out. Kid Flash slowed down so he wouldn't trip her, but he did. He fell, too.
He stuck a barrel in between the door so it wouldn't close.
"Hurry!" he signaled us.
We jumped through and Aqualad kicked the barrel out of the way so it would close on them.
Robin hacked the computer door. "I disabled the door. We're safe."
"We're trapped," Aqualad said.
"Uh, guys. You'll want to see this," Kid Flash said. He pressed a button on a computer.
There was a cage in front of us. Inside was a person who looked exactly like Superman, but younger.
"Whoa!" Robin said.
"'Whoa' is right," I said.
Three Genomorphs were over his head.
"Big 'K' little 'r'," Kid Flash said, walking up to it. "The atomic symbol for Krypton. Clone?"
"Robin, hack," Aqualad said.
"Oh. Right, right," he said. "Weapon designation, Superboy, a clone force-grown in... sixteen weeks?!"
"Good Heavens!" I gasped.
"From DNA acquired from Superman," he said.
"Stolen from Superman," Aqualad said.
"That seems right," I said.
"No way the big guy knows about this," Kid Flash said, his eyes wide.
"Solar suit allows him to absorb yellow sun radiation 24/7," Robin said.
"And these creatures?" Aqualad pointed at the beings above the clone's head.
"Genomorph gnomes, telepathic, force-feeding him an education," Robin said.
"And we can guess what else," Kid Flash said. "They're making a slave out of Superman's son."
"Now we contact the League,, Aqualad said. He pressed the symbol on his belt.
Kid Flash pressed the comm link in his ear as Robin tried to call them on his holographic computer and I used my watch. We couldn't get a thing or any signal.
"No signal," Robin said.
"We're in too deep. Literally," Kid Flash said.
"Yeah," I said.
The aliens' horns were glowing red.
"This is wrong," Kid Flash said.
"We can't leave him like this," Robin said.
"He's right," I said. "That wouldn't be fair."
"Set him free," Aqualad said.
Robin pressed a few buttons on the computer and the door opened, steam hissing from it.
The clone's eyes opened and he cracked his knuckles.
Aqualad narrowed his eyes.
The clone took him down and started punching Aqualad's face.
Kid Flash, Robin, and I held his arms back.
"Whoa! Hang on, Supey," Kid Flash said.
"We're on your side," Robin said.
Superboy knocked Kid Flash into me.
"I don't want to do this," Robin said. He pulled a smoke bomb out of his utility belt and shoved it in Superboy's face. It exploded, white smoke filled the air.
Aqualad kicked him in the stomach and Superboy went flying into the console.
Robin tried to electrocute him, but Superboy pulled the cord to him, smacking Robin down and putting his foot on his chest.
Robin grabbed Superboy's foot and Aqualad hit him with his water-bearers that turned into a hammer.
"Enough!"
Superboy hit the wall.
I stood back up, rubbing my head.
Aqualad helped Robin up to his feet when I made it over there, but Robin fell back down when Superboy walked up to us.
"Oh, no you di'int," I said.
"We are trying to help you," Aqualad stood.
Superboy missed hitting him and Aqualad pushed him aside.
Superboy kicked him in the stomach and he went flying.
They started punching each other. I ran up there and clawed him, but his skin was like steel. Superboy hit me and my head hit the hard floor next to Robin.
Aqualad hit the floor farther away. Then, the light went out. I don't remember anything after that.

For all YJ fans such as myself, never give up hope.
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