Star City - Docks, July 17th, 23:16 PDT
In the cover of the night, two people are unloading a truck. As they remove the first long, flat, container an arrow drops between the two of them. Red fletching showing off and the nock blinks bright red before releasing gas. The two stumble and the container goes flying. Popping open to reveal a high-tech gun. Which slides to the feet of one of their associates. He takes aim, the barrel gaining three red streaks. He looks at the construction set up over his head, finally zeroing in on Speedy, who seems to have fully ditched the hat.
"You again!" Brick yells at the teenager. "I'm starting to get insulted Green Arrow not messing up my operation personally." Then narrows his eyes as he aims for Speedy.
The Arrow-themed protogé dives right grabbing onto next support column, just barely staying in front of the shots. As Brick shoots at the bridge that he nearly grabbed he drops down one level and runs across that bridge instead. Brick shoots just in front of the young man, who changes his momentum so he flips as he nocks an arrow and releases it. Shooting it right down the barrel, causing it explode in Brick's hand, even shredding his suit.
"Do you know what I pay for suit in my size?!" he yells even more angry at the Arrow-themed 18-year-old. "Scorch the Earth, boys." he commands.
The other four raise their guns to do just that, but a blur comes through and two of them are suddenly left weaponless. The other two turn towards where the blur ran off to, only for their guns to be knocked out of their hands. Robin swings into an opening in the crates with his happy cackle. Bring their attention right to Aqualad.
The Atlantean drops down with his water-bears turning into whips which hit the smugglers in full force. Knocking them into the back of the truck and to the ground, unconscious.
Brick lifts a chunk of concrete and throws it at Speedy who is also using the crates to his advantage as he waits to strike with his already nocked arrow. He comes to a stop, bracing himself in a downward diagonal with his foot on one of the crates as he launches an arrow that explodes as it hits Brick's massive shoulder. It doesn't stop the metahuman from throwing another piece of concrete at Speedy. However, this time Speedy jumps out of the way, nocking another arrow as Aqualad jumps where Speedy was with a mace and sword formed from his water-bearers. Chopping the concrete in two. Giving Speedy the opening to hit Brick with a gas arrow.
Speedy walks to the slightly out of breath Aqualad as he releases the magic that lets his water-bearers take shape. "The cave is perfect. It has everything the team will need." the Atlantean tell the older hero.
"For covert missions." Robin says dropping down behind Speedy. "You know, spy stuff."
Kid Flash runs up the crates and lands just shy of the edge with inverted half. "And wait till you see Superboy and Miss Martian." he says excitedly. "But I saw her first."
The gas wasn't enough to take out Brick, which is made clear as he lets loose another war cry and throw another piece of concrete at the four conversing teenagers. Speedy, Robin, and Kid Flash all dive out of the way, but Aqualad remains firm. Taking out the concrete with twin maces. Speedy uses two arrows that stick to Brick's chest and release three spurts of flame to knock him back. Though the villain just chuckles. "Tell Arrow he shouldn't send boys to do a man's job." Speedy nocks another arrow taking aim. Brick stands tall his arms out wide. "Go ahead." Speedy grinds his teeth as he shoots this arrow. Which hits and for a moment nothing happens, then foam releases from the capsule stuck to Brick and traps him in it.
Kid Flash skids to a stop crouched under Speedy's aim, just in case. "High-density polyurethane foam. Nice."
Speedy turns and walks away, but in order to fully get out of the docks, he needs to walk past Robin and Aqualad. Who stand on either side of two crates that create a path that will lead right out of the docks, if you know the way.
"So, Speedy, you in?"
"Pass." the oldest says strongly but does pause to give them the answer. "I'm done letting Arrow and the League tell me what to do. I don't need a babysitter or a clubhouse to hang out with the other kids. Your Junior Justice League is a joke." Aqualad stops leaning against the crate. "Something to keep you busy and in your place." Speedy growls looking right to Robin before walking off. "I don't want any part of it." All three can only watch as their oldest friend, and the one the three of them look up to not only turns it down but insults it as well. Then they turn to each other with shocked expressions.
Mount Justice, Happy Harbor, July 18th, 11:16 EDT
The Mount Justice Computer picks up the Zeta Tube usage, routing the users from North Carolina to the Mountain which the map shows in Rhode Island.
Recognize: Robin; B-0-1, Kid Flash; B-0-3
Both boys appear in their civilian clothes. Smiling brightly, then running out of the Zeta Tube to the room they're connected to. Finding Miss Martian, Aqualad, and Superboy standing before a holoscreen.
"Did you ask him?" Robin asks.
"What did he say?" Kid Flash follows up.
"He is arriving now." Aqualad tells the two of them as calmly as always.
Kid Flash friendly punches Robin the chest. "Then what are we waiting for?" before running off, Robin following close behind, and finally Aqualad. Leaving Miss Martian and Superboy, the redhead smiles at the clone as she puts her hands on her hips. Superboy turns, crossing his arms over his t-shirt before walking off. Miss Martian smiles and takes flight to follow the boys. They arrive at one of the entrances which is a ramp that falls down into the cave from the ground above them. All five walk up the ramp, as Red Tornado lands before them.
"Red Tornado!" Kid Flash calls out with a wave as the heroic android lands.
"Greeting." he offers. "Is there a reason you intercept me outside the cave?" his monotone voice makes it rather hard to discern the question portion of his sentence.
"We hoped you had a mission for us." Aqualad conveys to the hero.
"Mission assignments are the Batman's responsibility." Red Tornado states simply.
"But it's been over a week and nothing-" Robin tries, but is cut off.
"You'll be tested soon enough." the android states firmly. "For the time being, simply enjoy each other's company."
"This team is not a social club." Aqualad objects strongly.
"No." Red Tornado agrees. "but I am told social interaction is an important team-building exercise. Perhaps you can keep busy by familiarizing yourselves with the cave." Tornado says, walking past the five teens and into the cave.
All five can only watch as he does.
Kid Flash turns to Robin, punching him in the shoulder again. "Keep busy." the speedster nearly growls.
"Does he really think we're falling for this?" Robin questions angrily, catching Superboy's attention in his anger.
"Oh, I'll find out." Miss Martian says excitedly, then turns towards Red Tornado and her expression relaxes slightly.
Recognize: Red Tornado; 1-6
Miss Martian sighs. "I'm sorry, I forgot he's a machine, inorganic. I… cannot read his mind."
"Nice try, though." Kid Flash offers. "So, uh, you know what I'm thinkin' right now?" he looks up at with a flirtatious smile.
"We all know what you're thinkin' now." Robin grumbles and elbows the speedster's turned back.
"Ow." he complains, but only seeming half-hearted about it.
"And now we tour the clubhouse." Aqualad says sourly.
"Well, Superboy and I live here. We can play tour guides." Miss Martian offers, looking to Superboy.
Robin and Kid Flash instantly turn to Superboy. "Don't look at me." he tells them seriously.
"We won't. A private tour sound so much better." Kid Flash says, looking to Miss Martian again.
"Sh-she never said private." Robin objects.
"Team building. We'll all go." Aqualad says, breaking up the argument before it can even start.
They all turn to go back down the ramp, but Robin grabs Kid Flash's arm and yanks him back.
"So, this would be our front door…" Miss Martian begins.
"And this would be the back." Miss Martian continues as they come out on the other side of the mountain. "The cave is actually the entire mountain."
"It was hollowed out and reinforced by Superman and Green Lantern in the early days of the League." Wally explains what he knows about the history of the mountain.
"Then why abandon it for the Hall of Justice?" Superboy questions.
"The cave's secret location was… compromised." Aqualad explains.
"So they traded it in for a tourist trap?" Superboy questions, confused. "Yeah. That makes sense."
"If the Bad Guys know of the cave, then we must be on constant alert." she raises her hand in accentuation, thinking she's figured it out.
"The Bad Guys know we know they know about the place." Robin assures, grabbing her hand and turning her towards him, then putting his other hand on top of hers. "so they'd never think to look here."
"Uh." Kid Flash interrupts and removing Robin's hand from Miss Martian's. "he means we're hiding in plain sight."
"Ah, that's much clearer." Miss Martian still scratches her head, clearly still confused.
Superboy sniffs twice. "I smell smoke."
Miss Martian gasps. "My cookies." then flies down the hallway. Making it to the kitchen and removing said cookies, with telekinesis, before the boys can make it into the room. As she sets them down the boys enter the room, looking to the burnt-black cookies on the tray.
"I was trying Grammy Jones' recipe from episode 17 of-" she cuts herself off with an awkward chuckle. "Nevermind."
"I bet they'd tasted great." Robin assures then look back to the other three boys. "He doesn't seem to mind."
Surprised Miss Martian looks back up, finding Kid Flash eating her cookies.
With his mouth still half full and a burnt cookie in each hand, Aqualad and Superboy can only watch in stunned silence. "I have a serious metabolism." he offers weakly.
"I'll… make more?" Miss Martian seems unsure how to take that comment.
"It was sweet of you to make any." Aqualad tells her.
"Thanks, Aqualad." Miss Martian says, ducking her head slightly.
"We're off duty. Call me Kaldur'ahm." he insists. "Actually, my friends call me Kaldur." he clarifies with very little hesitance.
"I'm Wally." Kid Flash speaks up, leaning on the island. "See? I already trust you with my secret ID, unlike Mr. Dark Glasses over here." Robin frowns and glares at Wally as he puts his hands on his hips, annoyed by the speedster's slightly accusatory tone.
"Batman's forbidden Boy Wonder from telling anyone his real name."
"Mine's no secret." Miss Martian admits brightly. "It's M'gann M'orzz. But you can call me Megan. It's an Earth name, I'm on Earth now." she seems really excited about that fact.
Superboy remains slouched against the counter, then turns to leave which catches M'gann's attention."
"Don't worry, Superboy." she tells him telepathically.
The clone grunts in shock and his posture tenses, looking at the green skinned redhead in shock and possibly a tiny bit of fear.
"We'll find you an Earth name, too." she continues, smiling kindly and totally unaware of what she's doing.
Superboy's grips his head for a moment. "Get out of my head!" he shouts, gaining Kaldur, Wally, and Robin's attention in an instant. They all know what he does when he's angry, they look back to M'gann a curious expression on their features.
"What's wrong? I don't understand." she says, expanding her telepathic range to include Kaldur, Wally, and Robin.
All three react negatively to it. Robin physically grips his head with both hands, Kaldur turns away from M'gann closing his eyes and grimacing before finally putting his own hand to his head, while Wally brings his own hand to his forehead threading his fingers through his bright red hair, and Superboy's fists clench at his sides as he looks almost ready to pounce.
"Everyone on Mars communicates telepathically."
"M'gann stop." Kaldur commands anger clear in his voice. M'gann closes the link and looks confused and hurt, but listens to Kaldur continue. "Things are different on Earth. Here, your powers are an extreme invasion of privacy."
Attempting to lighten the mood Wally adds in his two cents. "Besides, Cadmus' creepy little psychic G-gnomes left a bad taste in his brain." saying the last part behind his hand as if that will stop Superboy from hearing him and as if it is some big secret.
"I-I didn't mean to-" M'gann tries.
"Just stay out." Superboy growls cutting her off, his eyes burning bright with rage as he walks into the adjoining room.
"Hello, Megan!" she says it brightly despite the fact that she hits her forehead with the heel of her hand. "I know what we can do."
She takes off flying, leaving the four boys to follow her. Wally turns to Robin who shrugs, but all three do follow her. Though Superboy remains behind, but M'gann stands in the entry to the hallway. "Superboy, please."
"Don't talk to me." he says, less angry and more instinctually annoyed. M'gann's face falls and Superboy looks out of the corner of his eye, seeing it. He looks back down before standing up. M'gann's face brightens, despite the fact that Superboy seems to only be doing this to not feel guilty about making a girl cry later.
Coming down the elevator they stop at the hangar. "It's my Martian Bioship." M'gann explains as the doors open. Leading the now curious boy towards a red oblong shape in the hangar.
"Cute." Wally offers. "Not aerodynamic, but cute."
"It's at rest, silly." M'gann smiles bright, reaching her hand out. "I'll wake it." as she does the oblong turns into a shape recognizable as a ship. She even spins 180° with just a motion of her hand. A small staircase comes off the back, showing off some of the insides. She walks towards it but soon realizes the boys aren't following. "Well, are you coming?"
All four hesitate and board with nervous expressions. Once inside the front opens up to reveal a captain's chair and four more side chairs.
"Strap in for launch." M'gann tells them. Kid Flash and Robin exchange bright grins before sitting down.
As he does Robin goes to lean forward as the chair moves, eliciting a "whoa" from the stunned- and possibly scared- Boy Wonder. The chair reaches out and creates chest restraints that hold the thirteen-year-old in place.
Kid Flash sits down next and now knowing what happens, doesn't panic. "Cool." he tells M'gann.
"Red Tornado." M'gann says, sitting in the captain's chair. "please open the bay doors."
As the bay doors open two control towers form by M'gann's hands.
Once open the Bioship flies out at impressive speeds, only to slow just above the surface of the water and begin a near 90° upward flight, before barrel rolling to face towards the mainland once more.
"Incredible!" Robin tells M'gann, more likely impressed with the responsiveness and her piloting skills than anything.
"She sure is…" Wally agrees, but is entirely focused on M'gann, once she turns towards does he realize what he said. "I-I mean the ship, which like all ships, is a she."
Robin is the first to point out Wally's crappy attempt at covering up what he said. "Fast with his feet, not so much with his mouth."
"Dude!" Wally yells, mostly embarrassed, but clearly still at least a little annoyed with the smaller raven.
Kaldur turns to Superboy. "I may not have psychic powers, but I can guess what you're thinking." Superboy looks at Kaldur out of the corner of his eye. "You overreacted and you don't know how to apologize. Just say sorry." Kaldur treats it as if this happens regularly around him. Superboy doesn't say anything, merely looking out at the view once more.
"He'll come around." Robin offers to M'gann, clearly knowing what the conversation between the two oldest- physically- members was about.
"He doesn't seem to like me very much." M'gann says sadly.
"You guys remember he has super hearing." Wally interrupts, and proving his point by not bothering to whisper. "Right?" sure enough Superboy heard every word.
"Hey, how about showing us a little bit of Martian Shapeshifting?" Robin asks, changing the topic. M'gann nods subtly, thanking him for the change, before stepping up and gaining Kaldur and Superboy's attention as her clothes begin to change. Making her look like a girlish version of Robin, costume included. Catching Wally's smirk she turns into a girlish version of Kid Flash.
"Is it wrong that I think I'm hot?" Wally questions.
No one responds to him, and Robin applauds M'gann. "Impressive." She turns back into herself. "but you know you're not exactly gonna to fool anyone with those."
M'gann smiles softly as she sits down. "Mimicking boys is a lot harder."
"And your clothes?" the Atlantean questions.
"They're organic like the ship. They respond to my mental commands." M'gann explains, pulling on her jacket slightly.
"As long as they're the only ones." Superboy says darkly not caring that he's heard by all of them.
"Can you do that ghosting through walls thing Manhunter does?" Wally asks.
"Density shifting?" M'gann questions, though her smile doesn't return. "No, it's a very advanced technique…"
Robin leans forward. "Flash can vibrate his molecules right through a wall." Then chuckles before gesturing to Wally. "When he tries it, bloody nose."
"DUDE!" Wally snaps, annoyed that he would tell her that.
"Here's something I can do." M'gann says brightly, then the entire ship disappears from sight. "Camouflage Mode."
"Red Tornado to Miss Martian. An emergency alert has been triggered at the Happy Harbor Power Plant. I suggest you investigate covertly. I'm sending coordinates." all four are on high alert as the ship bings.
"Received. Adjusting course." M'gann says.
Robin scoffs. "Tornado's keeping us busy again."
M'gann replies optimistically. "Well, a simple fire led you to Superboy. We should find out what caused the alert." as she takes the Bioship down and mere feet above the surface of the parking lot.
Superboy turns out the side window. "I think I know the cause." he says, right outside the Bioship is a tornado. Heading right for them. M'gann attempts to alter their course so not to be swept up but is unsuccessful and the Bioship glitches out of Camouflage Mode as they get fully entangled in the tornado.
Trapped inside the tornado all of them hold on and grunt as the wind whips them around. M'gann manages to open her eyes and reorientate herself, as she does her brow drops in concentration and her hands firmly press on the control towers, illuminating them as she gets them out of the tornado and to the parking lot. Where Robin, Kid, Miss Martian, Superboy, and Kaldur all drop out of a door created in the bottom of the ship.
At the Power Plant all the works are evacuating and screaming in fear.
"Robin, are tornadoes common in New England?" Aqualad questions, hearing no response he turns to where the Boy Wonder just was but finds the space between him and M'gann now empty. "Robin?"
The Boy Wonder's laugh echoes, but none of them can locate him.
"H-he was just here." M'gann objects.
Their attention turns back to the Power Plant where the windows are being blown out.
Inside the Power Plant is a red and black exo-suit, with blue tubing running from his shoulders, up and to his lower back, and a brown scarf covering his mouth. Tornado-like funnels coming from each hand.
The funnels hit Robin directly and slam him into the support pillar nearly eight feet off the ground, then him fall to the ground. Hitting his back both times.
The other members of the Team running in through the loading bay doors, Superboy jumping the stairs to land beside Robin as the Boy Wonder sits up. "Who's your new friend?"
Robin looks to Superboy, grimacing at the motion. "Didn't catch his name." The clone jumps at the villain. "but he plays kinda rough." he finishes, warning the clone.
The exo-suit wearing villain stands ready, air pulses still coming from his wrists, though the bright blue tubing is now confirmed to be going to the tops of his wrists as well. "My apologies." he says, revealing his robotic tone. "You may address me as Mr. Twister."
Mr. Twister then throws both his hands up, creating two more tornadoes, which Superboy withstands, but before he can gain anymore ground Twister redirects the tornado, grabbing Superboy before launching him into the wall, a good fifteen feet off the ground. As he hits the wall dents and he falls to the metal floor, unmoving.
Now on the main floor with Aqualad and Kid Flash, M'gann turns the two more experienced boys. From his pocket, Wally pulls out his goggles sliding them over his eyes. As Robin gets back to his feet in front of him the barefoot Atlantean looks to M'gann then nods. Understand the Martian nods back. All three taking off as a group around the Boy Wonder.
Kid Flash speeds through a front handspring before aiming with both his feet at Mr. Twister's chest. He doesn't quite make it as Mr. Twister raises his hands to create vortexes that stop him in his tracks. Then turn 180° and launching Kid Flash out the bay doors, where he skids across the parking lot.
Unamused, Twister turns back in time to create twisters under a flying M'gann and a charging Aqualad, knocking both of them back and eliciting a yell. Aqualad hits a corner of one of the support beams, while M'gann narrowly misses and crashes into the raised grated walkway another ten feet behind the Boy Wonder
"I was prepared to be challenged by a superhero." Twister goads, as Robin pulls a disk out from under his jacket. "I was not, however, expecting children."
"We're not children!" Robin yells launching a small bomb then the disk.
Twister counteracts the bomb with dual vortices, causing it to explode at a harmless distance, thinking the Boy Wonder faked one of his moves he lets the vortices drop, giving the disk the opportunity to land in the center of his chest plate. Which the villain flicks away with one finger. "Objectively, you are." Only then does it explode. "Have you no adult supervision? I find your presence here quite disturbing."
Well, we hate to see you disturbed." Robin bites back, bringing Twister's attention back to the standing five members of the Team. "Let's see if you're more turbed once we kick your can!"
With that M'gann reaches out with her telekinesis. Destroying the fixture over his head, creating a steam barrier that Superboy jumps through. Even with the barrier Twister still reacts fast enough to catch Superboy before he can land a hit. Throwing him back and causing him to hit where the ceiling changes height, then bounce off to fall into a flying M'gann. Both Robin and Aqualad dodge without missing a beat. The Atlantean's hands charging with electricity. Twister says nothing as his hands begin creating vortices, that then become miniature twisters than pick up Aqualad and Robin before slamming them into each other.
"Indeed." the villain says, rising off the ground. "That was quite turbing. Thank you." then leaves as the Team groans back to consciousness.
Outside, in the beginnings of the forest with the evidence of his crash surrounding him Kid Flash comes to. Seeing Twister leaving he runs in front of the villain, then rolling to change direction and rolling through two more somersaults to stare down Twister. "What have you done to my team?" he demands.
"Embarrassed them, largely." Twister says, then bringing both his hands together to form a singular twister that snatches Wally up and is heading right for the outside wall of the power plant.
As the wind clears Wally is braced for impact, but not slamming into the wall.
"I got you, Wally." M'gann assures, her, Robin, Superboy, and Aqualad stepping out of the last of the dust.
Wally straightens out of his balled position, eyes opening. "Ohh." he sighs in relief and drops the three feet that M'gann lets him drop with ease. "Thanks."
"I would have thought you had all learned your limitations by now." Twister speaks to the Team.
"What do you want?!" Aqualad yells angrily at the villain, who rises into the air.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm waiting for a real hero." Twister tells them, proving his thoughts that they are not that.
"Read his mind, find his weakness." Aqualad throws over his shoulder to M'gann.
"I thought I wasn't supposed to do that." M'gann objects, now slightly hesitant and equally confused.
"It's okay with the bad guys." Robin tells her.
Determination sets in as M'gann sets out to do just that. "Nothing. I'm getting nothing." then she breaks her concentration, knocking her head slightly. "Hello, Megan. Mr. Twister is Red Tornado in disguise." all of them look up to the 'villain' in hurt shock.
"He's inorganic, an android." Aqualad turns to M'gann. "And how many androids do you know that generate tornadoes?" now both Robin and Kid Flash turn towards her as well.
"Red Tornado sent us here." Aqualad agrees.
"After saying we'd be tested soon enough." Robin agrees continues. "This is his test, something to keep us busy."
"Speed called it." Wally says, then hangs his head sadly. "We're a joke."
Aqualad makes a noise of frustration before slamming his fist into his hand and turning back towards the 'villain'.
"This game." Wally vocalizes, as he and Robin step up to join Aqualad. "so over." the three stand alone before Twister.
"We know who you are and what you want." Robin accuses.
"So let's end this." Aqualad confirms.
"Consider it ended." Twister says darkly, raising his hands over his head and the two funnels begin creating dark clouds and a massive full sizes twister. As this happens, Robin's resolve gives slightly. A small amount of worry causes his lip to drop.
"An impressive show." Aqualad calls out, before exchanging glances with Kid and Robin. "but we will not indulge you." all three face back towards Twister. "We will not engage."
Lightning cracks into the eye of the storm, Mr. Twister. Kid Flash turns towards the other two now nervous. "Uh, can Red Tornado... do that?"
"You think I'm Tornado?" the lightning gains intensity. "Ironic." Twister says darkly before the lightning strikes the ground and hits just before the young heroes.
The only who remains standing is Superboy, his coat is scorched, and he rips it off to fully show off his Superman t-shirt, before launching himself at Twister. The weather villain, barely glances down as he hits Superboy with twin bolts of lightning from his hands. Knocking the clone into the ground with enough force to cause trench behind him.
Twister approaches, prepared for the final shot.
As he does the only who regains consciousness is M'gann. She looks up at Twister's web of lightning before all five disappear from sight. He backs off. "Fine, then." M'gann remains crouched as six of them are hidden by the camouflaged Bioship. "I won't deny that you children have power," Wally comes to- his goggles now pushed to his forehead by the force of Twister's previous strike- with hand to his head and groan, but the groan barely begins before M'gann covers his mouth. "But playing hide-and-seek with you will not help me achieve my objective." Wally and M'gann stare right at Twister, but he still cannot see them. "So stay concealed. If you confront me again, I will show no mercy." emphasizing his point with a clenching of his fist to create lightning sparks does he finally leave. Heading for the town of Happy Harbor.
Robin, Aqualad, and Superboy all stare up in shock.
"What happened?" Wally questions, confused.
"I placed the Bioship between us." M'gann explains.
Superboy stands and releases to hook punches on an unsuspecting rock formation. "And that's supposed to make it right?" all three other boys stand up as Superboy stalks towards as still sitting Miss Martian. "You tricked us into thinking Twister was Red Tornado."
"She didn't do it on purpose." Kaldur says calmly.
"It-it was a rookie mistake." Robin agrees. "We shouldn't have listened."
"You are pretty inexperienced." that catches M'gann's attention. She turns straight to the other ginger, his head drops slightly. "Hit the showers. We'll take it from here."
"Stay out of our way." Superboy says darkly as he walks between M'gann and the two younger boys.
M'gann's face falls as she watches Superboy accelerate into a run, then jump. Just behind him, Kid Flash chooses that same spot to book it to supersonic speeds. Robin uses the dust cloud to disappear from sight.
"I was just trying to be part of the team." M'gann says sadly, her bangs falling in front of her eyes.
Kaldur stops a few steps in front of her and at least three to her left. "To be honest, I'm not sure we have a team." then he too takes off.
The town of Happy Harbor is under siege, or nearly, twin twisters blow through the small town, triggering car alarms and panic. One rips across the harbor, picking up boats and dropping them in the town square before that same twister runs through a building. Taking it down with ease. The three twisters are destroying what there is of the postage stamp town.
Twister stands in the center, controlling the destruction. "Certainly this (won't have) will get the required attention."
"You've got ours!" Kid Flash shouts, gaining Twister's attention. "Full and undivided!" the goggle-wearing speedster rips down the road, hitting Twister hard enough to knock him back a good three feet.
"Immaterial and insufficient!" Twister proclaims. "You are a distraction I can no longer tolerate."
Before he can act on his annoyance Superboy drops with a battle cry and hits Twister hard enough to knock him back three or four times the distance Kid Flash did. As he comes to a stop, both boys stand ready.
Twister unleashes another twister that is going straight for them.
In the Bioship, on the way back to Mount Justice, M'gann has Red Tornado on the line. "The Team really needs your help."
"If I intervened, it would not be to help." Tornado tells the green teen. "Still, it is an odd coincidence that this Twister shares my elemental abilities and my immunity to telepathy."
M'gann looks away for a moment before hitting her head once more. "Hello, Megan." now there's a smile on her face.
Robin and Aqualad vault/jump over a parked car, coming at Twister's back as he throws a boat at Superboy. However, he turns right to them, creating small twisters. Which Aqualad dodges with ease and continues for the elemental villain. Before getting caught in a disk spiral and launched at the Town Hall building and crashing into the railing of the second story deck.
Kid Flash speeds at him, only for Twister catch him as well. The villain brings him over his head and Wally finds his opening. Dropping out of the current and rolling into a crouch he takes off as Twister creates another twister. Which heads right for Robin. Who evades and in his place the twister explodes. He launches three more at Twister, which are deflected, but leaves the villain barely enough time to avoid Superboy's punch that dents the ground.
In his evasion, Twister can summon another twister, which picks up the clone and launches him away. Right to where Aqualad is just getting himself out of the rubble from his own fall. Twister sends a boat right after him.
Aqualad moves out of the way, knowing Superboy is invulnerable. Though the boat's motor lands mere inches from here him. Due to his Atlantean physiology, he has minimal troubles lifting the heavy piece of equipment then throwing it at Twister.
Robin hides behind one of the other thrown boats and Kid Flash speeds around to join him. Robin pulls his yellow utility belt out of his jacket sleeve and throws it over his shoulder.
"You brought your utility belt?" Kid Flash questions, sounding more annoyed than surprised.
"Never leave home without it-" Robin confirms and defends, clipping it together. "First thing Batman taught me."
"Yeah, right after don't go to the bathroom without it." Wally grumbles.
"Listen to me." M'gann's voice comes over the mental link.
Robin grabs his head in his hands as does Kid Flash, though his eyes noticeably clench shut as well.
Aqualad gets thrown back by Superboy, who managed to get himself out from under the boat. "All of you."
Superboy grabs his head. "What did we tell you?"
"I know, and I know I messed up." M'gann admits. "but now I'm very clear on what we need to do. Please trust me."
Two citizens are still running around the town. A police officer is directing everyone. "Get Back! Everyone clear the area!" unaware of the twister headed right for him.
A citizen running away watches as Red Tornado flies over him, and he smiles.
Red Tornado comes to the center of Happy Harbor where Robin, Kid Flash, Aqualad and Superboy now stand just out of Twister's range. The villain stops as he sees Tornado. "Hit the showers, boys." the Leaguer instructs, landing. Though not accompanied by his usual red tornado like he used when greeting the Team outside the Mountain "I was hoping you could handle this. Clearly, you cannot."
"But we've got a plan now." Robin objects with a frown.
'The subject is not up for debate." Tornado tells them. All them say nothing as they walk away.
"I was beginning to believe you'd never show up." Twister tells Tornado.
"I'm here now." Tornado says, his right hand reaching out beyond his cape to create a twister he sends right at Twister. Who counteracts it, but as Tornado attempts an attack on his turned back, Twister sends another at the Leaguer.
Tornado disperses the attack before any damage can be done. "We are evenly matched, Twister." Tornado says, using both hands to create a tornado behind him to throw at Twister.
"No, Tornado, we are not." Twister emphasizes his point with a punch that blocks the rubble with a wall made of air before shooting lightning at the Leaguer.
Tornado dodges and takes flight, guiding the lightning to one of the crashed boats which explodes into him knocking him to the ground as he sparks.
Twister lands beside him. "Remain still, android." all his fingertips become computer connectors which fall around the back of Red Tornado's head and neck. "The reprogramming won't take long."
Tornado grabs the wires, turning his head towards Twister before turning into M'gann's head. "Longer than you might think." her voice hers once more.
"No." Twister gaps, then M'gann launches him back with her telekinesis, ripping out the wires from his hand. Into an oncoming twister, which catches the villain and sends him over her head. As it comes to a stop, Kid Flash was the one creating it, by spinning.
Superboy hits the off-balance villain with a hard punch to the kidney area, before hitting him hard in the stomach as he grabs the massive arm under his own and hitting him twice more in the chest. Causing smoke to start coming out of the seams in the metal plates. Then he reels back hits him straight in the face, knocking him into the harbor with an impressive splash.
As he sinks, he turns to find Aqualad waiting for him, impaling the two points in the metal he's using into his already damaged chest area. Then his tattoos begin to glow and electricity passes into Twister. The explosion brings him back to the ground. One of his arms missing. M'gann uses her telepathy to bring him off the ground and rip his other arm off as Robin throws exploding disks which knock Twister to the ground.
Even with no arms Twister rises to his knees, only to find the whole Team before him. The chest panel opens, revealing a man, forty (ish) , medium length brown hair in a green and white suit. He falls out of the exo-suit and to the ground. "Foul. I-I call foul." he stutters.
M'gann steps up, an angry look in her eyes, before telekinetically reaching over to pull up a massive slab of the ground. Realizing what she's doing Kaldur attempts to stop her by forcing her arms back to her body, but at that point it was already over the man. The rock hits, crushing him before their eyes.
Wally and Robin stand stunned before Robin gets angry and steps up the girl three years his senior. "Don't know how things are done on Mars, but on Earth we don't execute our captives!"
M'gann seems undeterred. "You said you trust me. Lifts the boulder to reveal another android, though now it's in crushed pieces. "That's why I couldn't read his mind."
Wally steps up and grabs one of the eyeballs. "Cool. Souvenir." flicking in so he can catch it in in his fist as he looks to M'gann.
"We should have had more faith in you." Kaldur tells her sincerely.
"Yeah, you rocked this mission." Wally agrees. When no one says anything he has to ask. "Get it? Rocked."
As the android's eye turns red Robin mutters an "ignore him." then continues in a brighter tone. "We're all just turbed you're on the Team."
M'gann chuckles. "Thanks. Me, too."
The live feed from the eye is transmitting to a lab. A man in a blue work suit stands before the screen and a scientist in a white lab coat steps up to him with a chuckle. "Now, Brom, aren't you relieved I didn't let you wear the armor?"
"Brom" turns revealing he is the one the android inside the exo-suit was based on. "Extremely, Professor," he admits shakily. 'but you're not upset?"
"I'm convinced our tracking program was operational," this 'Professor' says, he's a taller, slightly tanner man than Brom, with black hair a small mustache. "and that the real Tornado was somewhere in the vicinity. Besides you know science advances in fits and starts." Brom is still very tense. "Even failure can be instructive, and I'd say we learned quite a lot today."
Inside Mount Justice, the Team is conversing with Red Tornado.
"It was clearly created to sabotage or destroy you." Kaldur tells the Leaguer.
"Agreed." Red Tornado says, looking over the pieces of the android and the computer readouts.
"Is that why you wouldn't help us?" M'gann questions.
"No. This was your battle." Tornado says simply. "I do not believe it is my role to solve your problems for you. Nor should you solve mine for me."
Robin, Wally, and Superboy all pause in their work thinking over what their supervisor said.
"But if you're in danger…" M'gann objects.
"Consider this matter closed." Red Tornado states then walks off.
"Batman, Aquaman, Flash, they'd all have jumped right in to fix things." Wally comments as they all stand to watch him go further into the mountain.
"Guess if we're going to have a babysitter, a heartless machine is exactly what we need." Robin says.
"Dude! Harsh." Wally hisses but doesn't object to it in any other way.
"And inaccurate." both boys stop dead. "I have a heart, carbon-steel alloy. I also have excellent hearing."
Kid Flash's eyes clench closed and he frowns, just opening one eye to look at the Boy Wonder. A silent 'help ME!' gesture that he doesn't want Tornado to see.
Robin forces out a nervous chuckle as. "Right. I'll strive to be... more accurate."
Kaldur grabs Robin's shoulder and brings the Boy Wonder's attention to him. "And more respectful."
Red Tornado says nothing more as he walks away, but M'gann stands at the entrance of hall as the boys head to the dorm section of the Cave.
"Speedy was so wrong." Wally says happily. "This Team thing…"
"Might just work out." Kaldur agrees.
Superboy goes to follow but stops as he catches M'gann looking at him. He looks down with a small amount of concentration coming over his face before he looks back to her. "Sorry." then leaves.
M'gann, smiles softly.