The Hunt ⋆ Young Justice (o.h.)

twelve : how to be human

( CHAPTER TWELVE : HOW TO BE HUMAN )

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STANDING THERE, WATCHING A LIVE FEED OF THE ATTACK ON THE INCOMING ALIEN SHIP, HEARNE KNEW IT WASN'T REAL. A simulation, one they had all agreed to. Distantly, in the deepest parts of her mind, she was screaming, clawing to escape, regretting her choice of letting them invade her mind. But it was too late, it had started, and her mind had been wiped of her anger towards it. Her mind felt at ease, the contents of her mind seemingly muddled, and in the haze of the simulation, she couldn't seem to mind it.

Even as the League members were being killed in front of her eyes, only a small part of her felt anything. Minuscule, and her mind kept stabbing her with the fact that even if it was real, she wouldn't feel anything for them.

Batman vanished, just as the others did, and a transmission from Zatara took the place of his feed.

"Tornado, did you--"

"Yes, Zatara, we saw. Celestial defenses have failed. Initiate all terrestrial measures."

"Affirmative. See you in the field."

Red Tornado turned as the transmission disappeared, his blank face staring towards them. "I must join the League. We will protect the planet at all costs. But should we fail, the responsibility falls to you."

With one glance towards his teammates, Kaldur spoke for all of them. "We stand ready."

Within minutes, Red Tornado was gone, leaving the Team in the common room.

"Guess it's time to check in with the world," Robin mused.

With a few clicks on his hologlove, a holographic screen appeared in the air, displaying a broadcast from GBS news, with Iris West-Allen. The Flash's wife, the reporter.

"This is Iris West-Allen, reporting live," she said, her tone firm. "The extraterrestrials have brought their relentless global attack to central city." A pillar hundreds of feet behind Iris fell to the ground, and Hearne watched as the people behind her vanished and she was swooped away be the Flash.

Distantly, from somewhere out of view, Zatara chanted, and the cameraman appeared in front of him, on a rooftop, where the Flash and Iris now stood.

"You should both be safe here," Zatara assured, but it didn't sound convincing, not to anyone. "At least for now."

"Thank you . . . Flash and Zatara."

The two heroes disappeared out of view of the camera, the sound of sirens filling the void.

"Denny, you okay?" Iris asked.

The cameraman offered a thumbs up, and Iris smiled.

"As you can see," she said, "the Justice League is attempting to hold the line." The camera turned to show a crowd of people on a rooftop, screaming, as Flash and Zatara rushed to help. Within milliseconds of their arrival, an alien ship fired on them, and the building began to crumble amongst the smoke.

Iris tearfully whispered incoherently as an alien ship appeared in view behind her. The screen split to show Cat Grant in their headquarters, frantic. "Iris!" she yelled. "Iris, get out of there!"

Iris' screen flickered and displayed a 'no signal' symbol, and Cat deflated. "I'm sorry, we're experiencing technical difficulties from our Central City feed," she said, and Hearne recognized the numbness in her voice. "We take you now to a devastated Taipei where another League contingent is having a bit more luck."