The DEO Chronicles: The Beginning of the Young Justice (Currently On Hold)

Chapter 3

Cassie kept up her pace with Conner, careful not to lose her step on the slippery, well furnished marble floor below. She suddenly noticed how silent Conner had become as he led Cassie to their destination; the room where they kept the memory serums. Cassie wasn't sure if they could pull it off, especially in a place which seemed to be heavily guarded. There were cameras adjusted around each and every corner of the pale white walls and every turn they took, Cassie couldn't help but feel a pang of fear build up in her chest. Wouldn't their sudden departure from the room where Cassie was kept "hostile" or so she thought arouse suspision? The DEO may as well have noticed her absense by now. Of course they had noticed. If Cassie was sure of one thing, it was the fact that the DEO had eyes everywhere, and she didn't have to look at Conner's grave expression to finally realise that. She dragged the thoughts out of her head and focused on the task at hand. Getting her memories back and find her mother. She believed Conner. She could see it in his eyes. If his conspiracy theory was somehow true, then the DEO truly wanted them for an extremely valuable reason. But why wait for Cassie? If they wanted to rebel, they could've done it ages ago. Why wait for this moment in particular? Oh wait, Cassie was the DEO's bounty.. well that's what Conner claimed anyways. Conner seemed to know a bit too much about Cassie, and the very thought gave Cassie the shivers. She wasn't merely implying that Conner was a stalker.. but the way he talked, the way he looked at her.. Cassie felt as if he had already known her and was simply acting on the DEO's behalf. She trusted him but she still had a number of unanswered questions, which she couldn't keep inside of herself no matter how hard she tried. She had to let them all out. Her thoughts were momentarily distracted when Conner suddenly came to a halt, in front of a double sized iron door with the words "DO NOT ENTER" clearly engraved on it. Well, that was comforting.. or not.

"Aren't.. aren't you gonna open it?" Asked Cassie.

"Shhh." He whispered and glanced around making sure no one was listening and then leaned closer towards Cassie, choosing his next words carefully. 

"There's something you're gonna have to do for me. You see that?" He gestured toward the iron door, wiping dust off of it to reveal a tiny computer screen. Where had that come from?

"Yeah.. yeah.. I see that. How did it--"

"Look, I'm gonna open that computer up. It requires a password. That's the easy part. The next part is where you come in. Nobody.. and I repeat, nobody is authorized to open these doors. The DEO made sure of that. But you can. To open the door, a thumb impression is required. So if my guess is correct, it needs the thumb impression of soembody who's not part of the DEO yet.. and that's you. You're the only person who can get us in. They never expected you to find this place, anyways. Now, I know that's betrayal on my part.. the DEO trusts me.. but we need you. Open the door, Cassie.. go and save us. Trust me."

"Wait, what?"

"Look." Said Conner patiently. "This is the place where they keep all the inaccessable things. These are things that the DEO wants hidden from everyone. And that includes the memory serum."

"Okay, so we'll go in together. Come on, do your magic. Let's get that door open."

Conner heaved a sigh, and looked up at Cassie, the weariness showing through his eyes. "I'm afraid you're going on your own princess, I can't go in with you."

"Woah, woah.. hold up!" Exclaimed Cassie, surprised by the exasperation in her voice. "There's no way in hell I'm going inside. I don't even know where to look. What if I get caught?"

Conner put his hands on Cassie's shoulder, and she could see the fierce protectiveness for Cassie surging through him. "I'm not gonna let anything happen to you. I'll be outside staying guard. I can't go in. I'm unauthorized. But you aren't. You haven't been marked by the DEO yet so you aren't their official member. I've waited too long for this, and I'm not gonna backdown. Not now. I need you, Cassie. We all need you."

Cassie looked down, unable to say anything. Were these people truly relying on her? Were they all rooting for her to make things right? She couldn't let them down. She had to do this.

"Okay." She said, breathing heavily. "I'll do it. Wish me luck, you scoundrel. And don't you dare leave me alone in there."

"Wouldn't dream of it, princess." He whispered, grinning toothily.

Cassie approached the door and pressed her thumb to the tiny computer screen. Without even asking for identification, the door burst open.. bringing forth nothing but darkness. Cassie gulped and stepped inside, barely able to see anything. She was just inside when the door closed on itself, leaving her alone in a gloomy and horrific place, filled with nothing but eerie silence. She suddenly felt afraid again. She put on a brave face and fished inside for her tiny flash light. Thank god she still had it in her pocket. Moving her flashlight through the room, she could make out nothing but heaps and heaps of books... they were all tattered, torn.. and well, ancient. No sign of a memory or any kind of serum... yet.

"Conner, I.. I can't find it."

"Cassie, you can do this." Said Conner through the door. "Just keep moving.. it's a big place. Just concentrate. Sometimes the things you want to find, don't want to be found that easily."

"Was that some sort of a joke because it was the lamest I've ever heard--"

THRASH. THUMP. THUD.

That's all Cassie heard before a new voice emerged, a voice of Conner yelling in pain from the other side.. and another voice addressing her.. a voice so cold, it sent shivers down her spine.

"Cassandra Sandsmark. This is Mister Bones. You should not have entered the forbidden doors, and especially under the assistance of a traiter. As for Conner Kent here.. well, looks like he'll have to pay the consequences."

So Cassie's disappearance hadn't gone unnoticed after all.

He then cackled loudly like a maniac. Cassie could feel her forehead beading with sweat.. she couldn't let Conner die. No way.

"Please, I beg you. Don't hurt him.. I'll.. I'll do anything.. just, don't hurt him, okay?"

"I'm afraid that is not an option. He will pay for his sins. The payment is death. He shall be executed tommorow. Now if I were you.. I'd keep my mouth shut because once we get you out of there, you'll be going through something far worse."

Cassie heard footsteps. He was gone. Cassie kept her calm. She was going to be patient.. she would not let Conner die. She would figure something out.. she would do whatever she could in her power..

Because the DEO had made her life a living hell in a matter of a day. And she was going to do whatever it took to bring an end to this god forsaken organization.