"Cadmus will be investigated." Batman says drawing the teens' attention to him, Flash and Aquaman as they walk towards them. "All 52 levels but let's make one thing clear,"
"You should have called." Flash interrupted his speech, getting a glare from Batman before he re-focused towards the group of young heroes.
"End results aside, we're not happy." Batman said with an annoyed growl, "You hacked Justice League systems, disobeyed direct orders, and endangered lives. You will not be doing this again."
"I am sorry, but we will." Aqualad states strongly, with Robin slightly following him up, determined to support his colleague.
"Aqualad, stand down." Aquaman attempts to command his protege.
"Apologies, my king." Aqualad said, his voice laced with reverence towards his King for that moment, before going firm once more, "But no," This catches an eyebrow raise from the King of Atlantis,
"We did good work here tonight, the work you trained us to do. Together on our own we forged something powerful, important."
"If this is about your treatment at the Hall, the three of you-" Flash said, trying to understand what the group of young heroes were trying to say.
Kid Flash doesn't hesitate to correct him. "The four of us, and it's not."
"Batman, we're ready to do what you taught us, or why teach us all?" He speaks the quietest out of the group, but as he steps up to speak to his mentor it's obvious that he feels just as strongly about it as they do.
"You say four, yet I see a 5th right there. What about him?" Aquaman stepped forward and said, looking towards the boy who was being held in Aqualad's arms, drawing everyone's attention.
"We found him, but according to the files, he's much more potentially dangerous than him." Robin said, pointing towards Superboy towards the end.
"Give me three days, and I'll figure everything out. Bring that boy with us." Batman said.
___________________________________
The Justice League gathered in the Watchtower's observation deck, gazing through the reinforced glass at the mysterious boy with the golden gem embedded in his forehead.
He lay still, floating in the center of a containment field while Doctor Fate channeled his magic to inspect the boy. His hands glowed with mystical energy, tracing intricate patterns in the air as his magic swirled around the unconscious figure.
Wonder Woman stood near the front, her brow furrowed in concern. "A clone… of me and Martian Manhunter," she murmured, shaking her head slightly. "I didn't think that level of genetic splicing was even possible."
"It theoretically shouldn't be." The Flash chimed in, "DNA samples from people so powerful such as yourselves will cause the clone to completely destabilize. It was impossible, but made possible by that Gem. That already makes the Gem dangerous."
As the Flash spoke, his words sunk in, leaving everyone to have a moment of silence as they thought to themselves.
Martian Manhunter, arms crossed, stood beside her, still with his usually composed demeanor, a demeanor built upon his wisdom and experiences.
"It is not just his genetic makeup that concerns me," J'onn J'onzz said, his voice calm and composed, "While I was near him, I felt my psychic powers… dampened. Suppressed, as if they were being smothered. That gem, whatever it is, has extraordinary psychic abilities, far beyond anything I've encountered."
Batman, standing slightly apart from the others, analyzed the readouts on a nearby console, his mind already running through possibilities,
"CADMUS clearly designed him with a specific purpose," he said, his voice cutting through the air. "Project God-Killer. They intended him to be a weapon."
"God-Killer. I think we all understand how powerful he could potentially be from his DNA alone, but this Gem, what is it? How is it so powerful and dangerous to suppress Manhunter's psychic powers?" Superman asked with a grim face.
Today was a bit shocking for Superman. It was supposed to be a normal day, but he was greatly unnerved. He had a clone, someone made from his DNA, and he didn't dare face that clone.
He didn't want to, and didn't want anything to do with him. Now, there was a random clone of two of the most powerful league members, with an extremely dangerous gem.
Zatara, arms raised in contemplation, added, "Magic like this is ancient, possibly older than anything we've seen before. Whatever that gem is, it's not from this world. It's power exceeds the scale of extraordinary, even for us."
Green Lantern Hal Jordan floated nearby, keeping a close watch on the room, "We've seen plenty of things not from this world, but none of them felt like *that." He glanced at Martian Manhunter, then back at the boy. "If it can suppress you, J'onn, we're dealing with something on a whole new level."
Wonder Woman nodded, concern deepening, "The combination of my strength, J'onn's psychic abilities, and this gem's unknown properties… If CADMUS truly intended to create a god-killer, they might have succeeded."
Wonder Woman said, leaving everyone in silence once again. A God-Killer, a true one, just its potential power left them feeling conflicted.
As the heroes exchanged theories, Doctor Fate's incantations grew in intensity. The glow of his magic illuminated the room as he floated just above the boy's form.
Abruptly, the energy around the room stilled, and the helm of Nabu turned to face the gathered League members.
Doctor Fate lowered his hands and stepped out of the containment room, his voice echoing with the weight of ancient power. "The Lords of Order have never encountered anything like this gem before," he began, his tone heavy with significance.
"It is exceptionally powerful, its origins lost to time. What we do know is that it has psychic abilities to a degree that borders on the catastrophic. It's at least a Multi-versal level artifact."
The League listened intently, absorbing Fate's every word, yet what he said made them even more conflicted. Catastrophic? Multi-versal level of power? It all seemed so insane, even to them.
"This gem," Fate continued, "is not merely attached to the boy. It has merged with him, completely. His very being and the gem are one. They are inseparable. And because of this, the power it holds is also his."
Martian Manhunter's expression darkened. "So you're saying the boy is the gem. And vice versa."
"Precisely," Fate replied. "It is a bond that cannot be undone. Should he lose control of his abilities, the results could be disastrous, not only for him but for anyone nearby."
Superman's voice was tense, "How dangerous are we talking?"
Doctor Fate paused, choosing his words carefully,"Imagine a being with the combined strength of Wonder Woman, the psychic capabilities of J'onn J'onzz x10000, and a power source that draws from unknown supremely powerful sources. His potential is nearly limitless. He could reshape minds, control entire populations, or worse, destroy them."
Batman spoke up. "Then we need to find a way to ensure he never loses control. If he's this dangerous, we can't let CADMUS or anyone else manipulate him."
Wonder Woman stepped forward, her eyes fierce as she looked towards Batman. Call it a mother's instinct, but she knew Batman was already looking at the boy like a potential weapon, and she couldn't have that.
No matter what, he was born from her, and she had a will and need to protect him.
"We cannot treat him as an experiment or a weapon. If he has my DNA, J'onn's, and a mind of his own, then he deserves the same care and training as any of us. But we have to prepare for the possibility that others will try to use him."
Martian Manhunter nodded, "He will need guidance, especially with the power that gem grants him. Psychic power of this magnitude, if untrained, could break his mind."
Superman looked through the glass at the boy, empathy clear in his eyes. "We've all seen what happens when someone with too much power goes unchecked. We need to help him before anyone else tries to use him as a weapon."
"We'll do everything we can," Batman said, turning to the others. "But we need to stay vigilant. The moment he wak...."
Before Batman could finish his sentence, a sudden jolt of energy rippled through the room. The lights flickered, and a faint hum filled the air. The boy's body twitched, and then, without warning, his eyes snapped open.
~BOOM~
The containment field shattered like glass, as did the transparent glass they were viewing him from, sending shards flying that were swiftly stopped by Doctor Fate's magic.
Shockwaves boomed across the observation deck, as the boy leapt from the bed, his eyes wide with confusion and fear, yet before he could actually speak, his hands clutched at his head as a torrent of psychic energy erupted from him, swirling like a storm.
Martian Manhunter tried to telepathically communicate with the boy, was jumped back in fright. The boy's mind was like a solid fortress, absolutely impenetrable, and if he delved any deeper, Martian Manhunter felt his own mind might've been annihilated.
"Everyone calm down!" Martian Manhunter shouted out.
The boy staggered back, his breathing labored, "What...what's happening to me?" he gasped, his voice thick with pain and terror.
His powers, vast and unrestrained, began bombarding him with an overwhelming flood of information, thoughts, emotions, data from every mind or piece of technology in the Watchtower poured into him all at once.
Martian Manhunter felt the impact immediately. His psychic abilities, usually unmatched, were abruptly and completely sealed. He winced, gripping his head as the psychic suppression hit him like a tidal wave.
"He's losing control!" Wonder Woman shouted, moving to step forward, but Martian Manhunter raised his hand.
"Wait, let me try."
With great effort, Martian Manhunter pushed through, stepping forward closer to the boy, speaking as he tried to gently talk to the boy, guiding him.
"Listen to me son," J'onn spoke, his voice steady and soothing. "You're not alone. I can help you control this. Focus on my voice. Focus on the sound, the rhythm. Block out the noise."
The boy's eyes were wide with panic as he looked around, his mind still absorbing every stray thought and emotion from the League members.
He gasped, stumbling backward as his knees buckled. His hands trembled as he struggled to regain control, but Martian Manhunter's calm presence began to cut through the chaos.
"That's it," J'onn encouraged. "Breathe. Focus. Push back the noise. You can control it."
The boy clenched his fists, squeezing his eyes shut as he forced himself to follow Martian Manhunter's guidance.
Slowly, the psychic storm in the room began to dissipate. The swirling energy around him calmed, and the weight pressing down on the minds of those nearby began to lift.
After what felt like an eternity, the boy managed to stand upright again, his chest rising and falling with deep, shaky breaths. The gem on his forehead pulsed softly now, no longer radiating wild energy.
His eyes, still filled with uncertainty, met Martian Manhunter's gaze, and then the rest of the League's, who were looking at him with concerned looks.
Silence fell over the room as the boy took a cautious step forward. His expression was one of confusion and vulnerability, as though he were waking from a long, unsettling dream. He swallowed hard, glancing from one face to another.
Finally, his voice, though shaky, broke the tension,
"Who...who are you?"