A Story Retold [Rewritten Version]

Chapter 9

"Time runs short. You must awaken. You must awaken now!"

The three heroes simultaneously woke with a gasp. After her years in training and dealing with the villain in Gotham, Robin quickly accessed her situation. All three of them were being held in pods that were very similar to the pod where the clone was kept in. Their arms suspended on top of their heads and feets dangling, the cuffs on their wrists keeping them suspended from touching the bottom of the pod. So in short, definitely something not good for her broken ribs.

Standing in front of their tubes, was the clone. None of them dared to talk and just seemed to start a staring contest. After a few minutes of just staring at each other, Kid Flash had enough.

"What? What do you want?" he grumbled but when he seemed to get no reply, he just got more aggravated. "Quit staring, You're creeping me out."

"Uh, KF. How about we not tick the guy who can fry us with a look?" the Girl Wonder joked aloud though she wasn't sure if the clone in front of them won't do what she said. She winced slightly at the pain from her ribs but quickly hid it but wasn't fast enough since Kid Flash saw the momentary flash of pain.

"We only sought to help you," Aqualad told the clone.

"Yeah," the speedster said, his voice laced with anger. He already broke one of his promises now he wasn't able to keep the other. "We help you and you turn against us! How's that for grat-"

"Kid, please. Be quiet now," the Atlantean cut him off before he can make things worse. "I believe our new friend is not in full control of his actions."

Great, Robin thought. Would it be wise to bring him to the League if he could still be under the control of Cadmus? How would we even know if he is under their control completely or just did it on a whim? How would we know when to trust him?

"What– What if– What if I wasn't?" the clone stuttered, finally speaking up for the first time.

For someone who's never used his vocal chord before, he did damn well in his first time speaking, guess those genomorphs did force feed him some things. But at the same time, he did get the hang of some of his powers a while ago despite being in his pod the whole time since his creation. But that wasn't the time to think about it, quickly bringing out her pick lock and started to pick her way through her handcuffs. Hopefully, this place was high-tech enough to make the cuffs linked to each other.

"He can talk?" Kid Flash asked aloud. Robin rolled her eyes under her mask and would have laughed aloud at her best friend.

"Yes, he can," the clone said stiffly, glaring a bit at the redhead. Both she and Aqualad turned to stare at the other hero in exaggeration.

"Not like I said 'it'," he defended himself.

"The genomorphs taught you telepathically," Aqualad remembered what Robin had said earlier.

"They taught me much," the clone agreed. "I can read, write, know the name of things."

"But have you seen them? Have they ever actually let you see the sky or the sun?" Robin asked.

"Images are implanted in my mind, but no. I have not seen them," the clone disagreed.

"Do you know what you are— who you are?" Aqualad asked the clone.

"I am the Superboy, a genomorph, a clone made from The DNA of the Superman, created to replace him should He perish, to destroy him should he turn from the light," the clone answered like it was implanted in his brain.

The heroes exchanged looks with each other. Aqualad decided to speak up on their behalf knowing what they were also thinking.

"To be like Superman is a worthy aspiration, but like Superman, you deserve a life of your own beyond that Solar suit, beyond your pod, beyond Cadmus."