JustIce League: The Malignant Uprising

Out for Blood

Mount Justice

The Young Justice team eagerly awaited Batman in the center of the main hall as he zeta-tubed into Mount Justice. The hum of the machine and the white light made the team face the opening with anticipation. 

Nightwing moved from the group, holding up a hand to stop anyone else from following him, and met Batman face to face. 

"Anything?" Nightwing whispered. The team stared at the two dark heroes with worried eyes.

Batman glanced to the group standing behind Nightwing. They looked too young. How did he start this? He directed his thoughts back to his protégé and lowered his voice to a somber growl. 

"Nothing you didn't already know," spoke the Dark Knight. 

Nightwing's eyes widened in surprise from sheer awe. Batman raised his arm to put on Nightwing's shoulder, but was interrupted by Impulse zooming forward in between them.

"What's that supposed to mean? Huh, Bats? You look a little paler than usual...," Impulse said as he pointed a finger at Batman. Bruce only responded to Impulse by giving his usual unamused stair. Impulse's fast speech was like a bird being squeezed next to Bruce's ear.  

Impulse gave a scoff and leaned closer to Batman's face. "You look like your hiding something. You are soooo crashing the mode."

Before Nightwing could say anything to get his friend in line, Impulse ran away. It looked like he was gathering the rest of the team in a huddle of some sort in the center of the room.

Batman sighed and walked to the middle monitor, Nightwing following his mentor's lead.

It's about time they know, Bruce thought. 

Batman pulled up Beast Boy's and Wonder Girl's profile along with some of the details of the mission they were investigating.

The team eagerly shuffled toward him. Their confused stares made Batman full of remorse. His plans always led to this kind of thing.

"What's this?!" Me'gann rushed to the front of the Young Justice huddle, "Is it news?" 

Batman could almost feel the desperation etched into her eyes. He took a breath to speak, but stopped when Nightwing placed a hand on Batman's shoulder and squeezed. Nightwing stepped forward. Batman felt melancholy, in a way. Nightwing's voice was just like Batman's. It was the way he had taught Dick to speak with diction and confidence when things went bad.

Nightwing cleared his throat, "As you all know, Cassie and Beast Boy were on a mission to intercept the smuggling of scientific instruments and samples in the Irish Conservatory of Medicine and Technology. As far as we knew, they were illegally testing unknown substances and then selling the experiments on the black market. Their mission was to covertly shut down the operation and retrieve all new inventions and prototypes from the Conservatory."

Blue Beetle separated himself from the group and spoke in a rough tone, "What kind of tech were they messing with?"

Unfazed, Nightwing said, "the only thing we know is that the tech had microbiology metamorphose or the process of-"

Artemis, looking annoyed, quickly stepped in with her short temper, "Look, Ro-"

"Nightwing," he cut in.

"I don't care right now Mr. Bird," her tone was venomous, "all I know is that you just need to cut the crap and tell us what's going on already. We've been gathered in this room for too long without a clue of what's going on. You better start talking in English."