Power Play (Birdflash)

Overload and Bottoming Out

    What could Bats want with the Power Cells now? And how are we involved? Have they found a new one? Or did one of the old survive?

    I skim over the teams expressions and engraving them into my mind. Most were curiosity or pity. Wally’s was excitement. I can’t help but smile at the older boy. He seems so happy...He doesn't notice my staring, to absorbed in Bats explanation, and I return my attention to the files.

    It’s strange talking about something Bats had me sware I would never breath a word about. It was nice to be responsible for hiding one less secret from them. They were my friends and I hate lying to them. I still had millions more to hid but every little bit counts.

    Bats starts going over the effects of bottoming out and I watch as a good portion of the team adopts a sympathetic look. My expression remains blank. Bottoming out never seemed as bad an overload. Bottoming out was relatively painless, manifesting in the form of flu symptoms until the power cell passed peacefully in their sleep. And it didn’t pose any threat to the conductors around it.

    An Overload was violent, agonizing, and if there weren't enough conductors to sustain the energy in the immediate vicinity it would flood the bodies of the conductors present giving them more energy then then they could really handle. It ultimately led to the death of both the power cell and the unlucky conductors around it.

    If I had to choose between the two, bottoming out seems like the much better way of going.

    An alpha overload would be devastating. The amount of conductors needed to level it out would be immense. And even then there was no guarantee they would survive the shock.

    The theory, more like myth, bats would never let me forget flutters through my mind. The scientists studying the power cells noticed that each of the subjects had a different max capacity, distinctive only to them. Same with the conductors.

    They kept spewing nonsense about how they thought every power cell had a conductor that matched their max energy level perfectly. Like a soulmate. I never believed it though. Is sounds like something the scientists made up to comfort the cells.

    I mean theres no way someone would be able to sustain the max level of an alpha. Not on their own. It’s just not possible. And I never found much point to wishful thinking.

    “And that’s where all of you come in.” I’m snapped out of my thoughts be Bats’ words and actually start  listening to what he’s saying, excited to finally get to the mission. The Dark Knight flicks his hand so the files switch places, bringing the list of cells to the front. He scrolls down to the third on the list and enlarges it. A picture of a girl about Wally’s age is displayed to the right of the stats and traits the scientists noticed. She has long brown hair and golden eyes. Strange eye color is common among power cells. I got lucky with just a hyped up version of the color blue.

    “We have reason to believe that this omega power cell survived what we thought was a bottoming out. Her and her brother have been spotted in gotham and your mission is to track her down without drawing any attention to her location.”

    “Ah. That must be why you need the team. The justice league knocking on your door is bound to draw a crowd. But so would a bunch of kids in costumes. Its not halloween so what’s the plan?” I ask not letting my voice betray my excitement. This power cell might be alive. This could be my chance to finally talk with one! A real, living power cell! o-other than that alpha I mentioned before… Bats nods before answering my question.

    “I agree that going as you are now would draw attention, so I have made arrangements for you to go in with you secret IDs. Which brings me to my next order of business...” He turns to me and my eyes widen as I realize what he is going to say before he says it, and dreading the words that I know he will say.

    “You’ll be sitting this one out, Robin.”