The scarlet Phoenix

Chapter 22: traitors among heros

        I follow everyone else, yesterday I took down my mother and brother so I'm feeling pretty good. I was still a bit sore in places from all the fighting we did. This good feeling is not lasting because something in the pit of my stomach felt off. "We have reason to feel proud of yesterday's victory but one thing has not changed," said Aqualad grabbing my attention.
        "Somehow the bad guys are still getting inside Intel about us," huffs Dick.
        "Yeah but at least we know none of us are the mole," smiles Wally speaking way too soon. I look a head at Karma and he looks back at me blankly. Something was off with him, he seems paler and less talkative. "That's correct the mole was Red Arrow," said Batman totally taking me off guard. Roy? Seriously he is a devoted hero! I can't see him doing that, mind you I don't know him at all, we are mild acquaintances... "Roy?" asks Robin shocked as I was.
        "No way!" protests Wally clearly upset.
        "Batman that cannot be. He was Green Arrow's protege, we have all known him for years," says Aqualad defending the archer. "Unfortunately, the Roy Harper we have known for the last three years is another project Cadmus clone," explains Red Tornado and my jaw hit the floor. This was so wrong! "We have learned that the real Roy Harper had been abducted and replaced immediately after becoming Green Arrow's sidekick. The clone was pre-programmed with a drive to join the Justice League which explains why he was so mad about any delays to his mission and why he refused to join the team on so many occasions. This Roy Harper had no clue he was a clone or a traitor and his subconscious programming drove him to become League worthy. So that is why he struck out on his own as Red Arrow. When he was finally admitted his secondary programming kicked in and he attempted to betray the League to Vandal Savage," said Karma in a Batman-like manner.
        "Fortunately, I had already deduced that Red Arrow was a clone and we were prepared," adds Batman.
        "Savage was subdued but Red Arrow escaped. He is now a fugitive, armed and dangerous," said Red Tornado.
        "If you guys hadn't rescued me from Cadmus..." trails Conner rubbing the back of his neck.
        "Wh-what happened to the real Roy Harper?" I ask, almost scared to know the answer.
        "We don't know he isn't at Cadmus. We have to face the fact that the real Roy Harper may be dead," mourns Batman and all the guy's heads drop slightly in grief, I was going to go comfort Aqualad but a part of me told me to stay. This was not right! No one should be cloned or kidnapped for that matter. "The clone Roy the team will find him," said Aqualad with determination to avenge his friend. "Negative, Red Arrow is a League member now, leave him to us. I'm needed on the Watch Tower, you too Karma, Tornado stay with the kids," said Batman and I frown, he has never said that before has he?
        "Clone or no clone, Red Arrow was one of us," says Aqualad turning to us as Tornado shut down behind him. 
        "Tornado?" I ask.
        "What happened to him?" asks Conner as we all walk over looking at the motionless robot.
        "He's totally powered down," points out Wally inspecting the League member.
        "All functions are offline," reports Robin.
        "Guys I'm sensing a low-level force of mystic play at work here, I don't know if it cause his shut down, but, now that I think about it I was getting the same buzz off of Batman and Karma," said Zatanna and the realization hit me.
        "Batman! He called us kids," Robin and I said at the same time.
        "He never does that," finishes Dick as Wally pick up something from Tornado's hand.
        "Look one of those biotech chips we confiscated of Cheshire," says Wally.
        "Something is definitely not right," I say thinking back to that gut feeling earlier, I should have listened.
        "Robin, Kid, Zatanna, Rocket see if you can get Tornado back online. The rest of us need to find Roy-Red Arrow," directs Aqualad as we split into two groups. We get on board, one thing though I HAVE NO CLUE WHY I WAS PUT ON THIS TEAM!! I would have been way more effective on the ground getting Tornado back online, not in the air puking up the guts that warned of the danger. "Computer logs indicate that Red Arrow Zeta tubed from the Hall from the Watch Tower but he could be anywhere by now," says Artemis as I listen on too sick to contribute to the conversation.
       "After Roy went solo he installed equipment stashes in several major cities, one is here," said Aqualad going in alone to keep us from danger. "We were told you were the mole but we have reason to doubt," says Aqualad as we flew away with Roy aboard. "Forget doubt, I was the mole," he confesses.
        "Batman, Karma, and Tornado said that you were a Cadmus clone, like me," said Conner calmly.
        "That explains it," Red Arrow sighs, "I was a sleeper agent pre-programmed to infiltrate the League I think Sportsmaster was my handler. He had a key phrase; broken arrow that could shut me down and put me in a hypnotic state so he could steal secrets for his superiors or incorporate further programming. I then carry out orders subconsciously completely unaware of what drove me. I think one of those orders was to focus suspicion on the four of you, I'm sorry," he apologizes. I gave him a weak thumbs up and I think he sweat drops. "How did Batman discover this and prevent you from betraying the League?" questions Aqualad and I think we all know the answer.
        "He didn't." I groan on the ground, even more, this was going to be such a pain, we were going to have to take down the Justice League, the original fighters and the reason why most of us are here today fighting for what we believe to be right. I mean who can really judge what is wrong and right but what matters is what we fight for what we believe in. "I'm sorry but how is it that you are no longer enslaved?" asks Megan bringing me out of my little world.
        "No starro tech for starters only my Cadmus programming. Once I satisfied its last parameter my mind started to clear, I'm sure Savage planned to starro tech me but he paused to bask. I escaped," he finishes and I was to send my fist through the floor but that would hurt Megan so that was not an option. I feel bad I mean he has been cloned from another dude that may or may not be dead. He does not have his own identity and he never will because Cadmus did this to him. "I promise that I can clean any residual programming from your mind," assures Megan as the other team shows up. We all compared notes and came up with a plan that will hopefully get our mentors back, that or we will all die or become brainwashed by Savage. Let's just hope that does not happen because I like my own free will. We get in the Watch Tower and now its time to set our plan into motion.

        "RT did it wirelessly bypassed the security as soon as he arrived, Savage shouldn't know we're here," said Dick and I did a little dance. "Move out," commands Aqualad ignoring my little dance and everyone else sweat drops, probably at the fact that this was a really serious mission and I was goofing around. I get serious and create enough clones to go with each team. The only problem is they can pretty much be taken down by one punch. (ONE PUNNNCH! Sorry I had to). First was Plastic man followed by Hawkman and The Atom and Captain Atom (Is that his name? Idk I'm tired and want to get this chapter done). Taking down the adults was pretty fun actually, just the fact that we stood a chance against the Justice League was a major accomplishment if we took them on head on we would loose though. Megan manages to take down Doctor Fate but Icon and Captain Marvel avoid it and before Megan could get hit my clone took the hit so I don't know what happens next.
        With one of my other clones Wally, Artemis and Aqualad are fighting Flash, Green Arrow, and Aquaman. I push Artemis out of the way and manage to dodge myself ad we both head over to Wally. "I'm amazed we're still alive," states Artemis bluntly. "It's because they are being controls, they are moving by whoever is pulling the strings," says Wally.
        "If we were actually fighting the League in their right minds we would not have made it even close to this far," I state. "Artemis, Kid hold on and Kate get out now," commands Aqualad and I release the clone. The real me comes back to the fight I'm in. We manage to take down Hawk girl when I freeze her in place and then Rocket takes care of Wonder Women. "Can she escape your force bubble?" I ask as Wonder Women keeps pounding the blue barrier.
        "Not if she keeps punching it the kinetic energy only makes it stronger but I'm stuck here anything I do risks freeing her," she explains as Batman goes for the attack but Robin defends Rocket. A shadow catches the corner of my eye and I block a kunai that was heading straight for Rocket. Karma steps out with an emotionless look in his eyes. The same look from this morning. "Time stop," he said using a move I had never heard of before. The next thing I knew a barrage of punches and kicks hit me from nowhere. I stumble to get my balance and once I get my footing I yell, "Air blindness," sending a bunch of dust everywhere and creating a smoke screen. "Water Spike," I almost whisper and send it slicing through the air that clears away as I send the spikes out. "Earth gather," he replies and a mountain of dirt builds up and heads straight for me like a tunnel that Bugs Bunny made in those old cartoons.
        I jump to the side and to a back handspring while throwing ninja stars in Karma's direction. He pops out of nowhere right in front of me and I had no choice but to switch over to hand combat. He starts with a double roundhouse and a leg sweep followed up by an elbow to the side which all sadly hit its target and I was sent back in pain. I push him back with a back kick and follow up with a double front while bringing my hands up to his shoulder and then bringing my knee up to his stomach. I then grab his ankle and fist and sweep his leg from under him causing him to do a flip and punch him in the face. He teleports away leaving a cloud of smoke and the next thing I heard was, "A THOUSAND YEARS OF DEATH!" (If you do not know what this is, don't ask and if you do don't question it). I was sent flying and crash into a tree. "If you are going to play it that way then sexy clones," I yell and a bunch of half naked woman appears and he was so distracted and confused that I used this opportunity to hit him in the head with a flying back hook kick instantly knocking him out.

        I run and catch up with the others after placing an antidote on Karma, he is so going to kill me when he wakes up.         "Congratulations team you have won the day," says Tornado who was now limbless. "Happy New Year Justice League," said their computer playing some music. That's right it's the new year! Wally picks up Artemis and they kiss! My internal fangirl went off and the Megan and Conner went for it and I freak out more but some part of me was feeling like a single Pringle. Robin and Zatanna went for it and I was so happy for him! They finally made a move and Zatanna is a great match for Robin. I was kind of in my own little fangirl world when Aqualad pulls me into his chest. I look up at him to see him blushing. "Kaldur?" I question as his lips crash into mine and that's when the internal fangirl went berserk.