"Time runs short." a male's voice says . "You must awaken." none of the teens even flinch. " You must awaken NOW!"

Kid Flash comes to, gasping for air and his green eyes flying open. The other three are just as alert now too. Their attention trained on the glaring Superboy before them.

"What? What do you want?" the speedster asks, his annoyance fighting his fear. "Quit staring. You're creeping me out."

"Uh, KF, how about we not tick off the guy who can fry us with a look?" Robin suggests to the seriously freaked out speedster.

Mockingjay looks at the boy before them. She studies him with interest.

"MJ, what are you staring at," Robin looks over at the girl.

"Hey, I know you don't know us, but -," MJ tells the boy.

"We only sought to help you." Aqualad tries to tell the clone, calmly.

"Yeah. We free you, and you turn on us." Kid Flash pipes up, clearly still annoyed at the minimum. "How's that for grat-"

"Kid, please, be quiet now. I believe our friend was not in full control of his actions." Aqualad tells the younger teen.

With the conversation gaining ground Robin activates a lockpick in the pointer finger of his glove and begins to work on his restraint.

"Wha-what if I..." he trails with an annoyed huff and sounding quite slightly scratchy. "What if I wasn't?".

"He can talk?" Kid Flash questions shocked.

Superboy's hand clenches into a fist again as he practically growls his words at Kid Flash. "Yes, he can."

The two look at Kid Flash who looks rather confused back at them. "Not like I said, "it"."

"Will you shut up," MJ says looking over to Kid with a glare. Hearing a mumbled "Glad she's not mad at me"

"Oh! you and I will have words later, Robin," she says looking to her left.

"Enough," Aqualad yells before turning back to the clone, "The Genomorph taught you telepathically".

"They taught me much." Superboy admits. "I can read, write. I- I know the names of things."

"But have you seen them? Have they actually let you see the sky? Or the sun?" Robin asks, knowing how much all four of them take those things for granted.

"Images are implanted in my mind," he admits, then looks down as if ashamed. "but no. I have not seen them."

Aqualad turns towards the more pressing matter. "Do you know what you are, who you are?"

Superboy stands tall. "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 last bit gets worried looks from all four of them.

"Not morbid at all," MJ says pulling her lips into a firm line.

"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." Aqualad tries to approach it calmly.

Once those words leave Aqualad's mouth Superboy gets angry. "I live because of Cadmus! It is my home!"

"Your home is a test tube." Robin says rather simply. "We can show you the sun."

"Uh, pretty sure it's after midnight, but we can show you the moon. Though it could be morning either way we can show you more than what has been implanted into your mind," Mockingjay persuades.

"We can show you, introduce you to Superman." Aqualad agrees with the young speedster, knowing how much that would mean to the teenaged clone before them. Superboy's eyes widen slightly at the prospect..

"No they can't." Desmond says resolutely as he, Guardian, and the female scientist walk into the chamber. "They'll be otherwise occupied." his tone is almost smug now, then he turns to the female scientist. "Activate the cloning process." the two men stop and she walks off to the left to do as he instructs.

"Pass!" Robin speaks up. "Batcave's crowded enough".

"And get the Weapon back in its pod." Desmond commands of Guardian.

"Hey, how come he gets to call Supey an "it"?" Kid Flash questions, seeming partially annoyed and partially saddened by the prospect. Mockingjay lets her head hang down in annoyance. She glances over to Robin who nods his head at her knowing what her look means.

Guardian steps up, placing a hand on Superboy's shoulder. Superboy looks to the four trapped teens.

Aqualad realizes the depths they have gone to. "Help us." he pleads with Superboy. The clone shrugs off Guardian's hand, looking to the older hero with an angered look.

Desmond walks up behind him. "Don't start thinking now." His Genomorph hops off his shoulder and lands on Superboy's shoulder. It hisses as it's horns glow red, taking telepathic control over Superboy. Only physically obvious as his eyes lose focus. "See you're not a real boy. You're a weapon, and you belong to me!" he pauses for a moment, realizing his mistake. "Well, to Cadmus. Same thing." he defends. "Now get back to your pod!"

Superboy doesn't even show that he heard Desmond, only beginning by walking back down the way they came. The Genomorph's horns still glowing red.

Once the door closes with a thud behind Superboy, Desmond nods to the scientists at the control station. She hits two more buttons on the control station, causing robotic arms to come out of the base of the four protogés' pods.

Kid Flash reels back, attempting to maneuver away from them, but he still restrained completely.

The tops of the arms break apart into four fingers, two prongs on the tips of each one. With no hesitation and a slight electrical buzz they plunge the prongs into the teen's chests. All four scream out, which only increases as the fingers begin to pull out a reddish gas which then fills the spheres below their pods.

"Where's Dubbilex?" Desmond asks Guardian and the other scientist. Only to see the Anthropoid shadow coming out of the darkness. "Ooh!" he gasps, taken off guard. "Lurking as usual. Get the G-gnomes downloading their memories. When that's done, delete the source material."

There's a boom that echoes through the containment room. Catching Desmond's and Guardian's attention and turning it back to the door. Which is being crinkled as Superboy removes it, then holds it over his head with ease. As he does the torture devices on the four teens power down. Then he throws the door away and stalks into the room. Desmond, Guardian, and Dubbilex all make their way towards Superboy.

"I told you to get back to you-" Desmond begins, but is cut off as Superboy's right-hand swipes him away and his left takes out both Guardian and Dubbilex. Guardian getting thrown into the wall, while Dubbilex and Desmond hit the ground with a thud.

Superboy stands tall and glares down at Desmond. "Don't give me orders." he nearly growls, then steps up to be back in front of the teen heroes.

"You here to save us or fry us?" Kid Flash questions, seeming actually sincere in the question. Honestly unsure what the clone will do.

Superboy glares for a moment, but nothing happens. "Huh. I don't seem to have heat vision, so I suppose helping is my only option."

Robin manages to get his wrist restraints open, then jumps from his pod. "Ahh. Finally!" he says, annoyance in his tone as he rubs his wrists. "Lucky Batman isn't here. He'd have my head for taking so long."

"I'm about to have your head for taking so long," Mockingjay tells the not much older teen.

"Seriously, that's what you're worried about?" Kid Flash deadpans. "The whole League will have our heads after tonight." he snaps angrily.

Robin ignores him and goes to the control station. Hitting one of the buttons, which retracts the arms from Kid Flash, Mocking Jay, and Aqualad. The doors to their pods opening. He turns to Superboy. "Get Aqualad. I'll get Kid Mouth."

"Glad I don't need help. We don't have enough helpers," MJ says with a smirk. Using her eyes turning pink and her powers to break the bonds on her hands.

"Don't you give me orders either." Superboy growls but does go to release Aqualad anyway. Ripping the restraints apart with ease.

Weak from the torture Superboy has to catch his shoulders to keep the Atlantean from falling to the ground below the floor of his pod.

"Thank you." Aqualad tells him sincerely. MJ goes to the help with Aqualad getting him to his feet.

Superboy nods but doesn't say anything. While Robin gets Kid Flash's restraints open, letting both of them drop to the ground.

"Anyone need healing," Mj questions the other teens.

"No, save your energy. We may need you to use more than you normally do to get out of here. If you can," aqualad tells the girl.

"Yeah I have enough to get us out of here if in desperate need. I may need someone to help get me out after though," she tells the older teen honestly.

"I'm sure we can manage that," he tells her placing his hand on her shoulder.

"You- you'll never get out of here!" Desmond shouts, but the teens don't listen, they only continue to run. "I'll have you back in pods before morning."

Robin turns at the doorway and pauses, causing Kid Flash to do the same. "That guy is not whelmed." he mutters then launches four disks back into the room. "Not whelmed at all."

"What is with you and this whelmed thing?" Kid Flash asks as they turn to leave.

The four disks hit all three of their DNA containers and begin to beep, then explode, destroying the material they would've used for cloning and the pods themselves.

In the hallway, the five are running down the once cream colored bumps in the wall begin to glow the same red color as the horns on the G-gnome.

"We are still 42 level below ground." Aqualad says, not even panting as he runs at full tilt. "but if we can make the elevator..." he trails a G-trolls block their way, first two further away, then more and steadily getting closer to them.

The five stop and look back the way they came the glowing orbs now have pale white figures moving inside them. Genomorph Elves come out in a large group. The teens are trapped.

The lead G-troll strikes from behind and all five jump back to avoid it's crushing blow. Aqualad and MJ move right around it, while Kid Flash and Robin go left. Superboy glares and jumps to cross it in the jaw. Knocking it down, but he is then surrounded by three more and is brought down as one pins him to the ground with its massive paw.

Another drops low on all fours and swings its head towards Aqualad and MJ, attempting to hit them with its large horns. Aqualad jumps grabbing MJ into a backflip over the assault, giving Robin the chance to get in front of it and take its attention as he grabs his horn to follow Aqualad over the G-troll's shoulder.

Kid Flash has another tailing him and runs it into the wall, before running along it to end up beside Aqualad, MJ and Robin. The four turn as they hear the hallway shake and crumble. Their attention lands on Superboy who is fighting off G-trolls and slamming them into the wall and using his full strength. Despite the fact that it's causing the hallway to begin to fall apart.

Aqualad speaks up, nearly yelling, but just so he can ensure that he's heard. "Superboy, the goal is escape. Not to bury ourselves here."

Superboy turns to the three with an insane look, but also anger playing across his face. "You want to escape?" he demands, grabbing an unconscious G-troll's arm and throws it into the two that are coming towards him with a battle cry.

As he does Aqualad pries the elevator doors open, this time taking no care in the fact that he's bending the doors. Kid Flash and Robin join him, looking at the twelve story drop below them, and the seemingly never-ending darkness above them.

Kid Flash jumps to the side of the column, while Robin uses his grappling hook to get a couple stories above them. As a G-troll comes to take out both Superboy and Aqualad with a mighty punch the Boy of Steel grabs Aqualad's waist and jumps into the elevator shaft. Attempting to fly, and getting nearly 30 levels before gravity begins to pull them back down.

Shock shows on Superboy's eyes, while confusion shows in Aqualad's." I-I'm falling." he realizes numbly.

MJ who had not started the descent, but quickly uses her power to catch the boys and help levitate them and herself to the same level as Robin..

Superboy's eyes have sadness and confusion filling them "Superman can fly. Why can't I fly?"

"Don't know," Kid Flash says, drawing the Boy of Steel's attention to him and Robin who are standing on the level beside them. "but it does look like you can leap tall buildings in a single bound. Still cool".

"Ah, thank you." Superboy murmurs to the girl.

"Yes, thank you Mockingjay. Hope you aren't draining too much power," Aqualad tells the youngest member.

"A little bit, but it is much better than the alternative of having to explain why you and superboy were turned into pancakes," she tells the atlantean with a chuckle.

A whir from above them catches Robin's attention. "Guys, this will have to be our exit." above them, the high-speed express elevator is coming down.

Aqualad and Superboy take out the doors, now showing that they are on SL-15. All five of them just making it out of the column in time. G-elves are attracted to the sound and make their way towards the four teens in a squad of five, followed closely by a G-troll.

"Go left! Left!" Superboy yells out.

They all follow him, as he follows the directions.

"Right." all five make the tight turn, only to lead them to a dead end. The only thing available is an air vent a few feet below the ceiling.

"Great directions, Supey." Kid Flash says sarcastically. "Are you trying to get us repodded?"

"No. I, I don't understand." Superboy confesses as Aqualad, MJ, and Robin finally catch up to the two faster teens.

"Don't apologize. This is perfect!" Robin says excitedly. Quickly opening the air vents and going in.

In the vents Robin leads the way, followed by Aqualad, Kid Flash, Mocking Jay then Superboy bringing up the rear "Ugh, at this rate we'll never get out." Kid Flash complains.

"Shh." Superboy shushes, coming to a stop and so do the other boys. "Listen."

Within the vent system are the G-elves, coming after the five attempting-escapees.

"I hacked the motion sensors." Robin says as he continues advanced keystrokes on his hologlove.

"You may just keep your head yet," MJ says brightly.

"Still plenty of them between us and out." Robin grumbles, but they are also right by the emergency staircase.

Kid Flash brings his goggles down over his eyes. "But I've finally got room to move." then opens the door and starts running out at super-speeds.

"More behind us." Robin calls out to Superboy. As Superboy gets to the platform he stops and slams his foot down on the connecting stairs. Knocking the whole staircase down and all the G-elves on it.

~Fast forward to getting to Ground Level~

After getting to Sublevel 1 the five teens were surrounded and the doctor turned himself into a creature. Guardian helped with our escape. Superboy made a way out to the ground level though the ceiling with the help of the creature, the other four teens following after.

All six now standing on the main floor of the building. The four teenagers watch as superboy and blockbuster fight on before blockbuster tosses Superboy into the other teens. Kid Flash and Robin are just barely missed, but Aqualad and Mockingjay gets slammed into hard.

After losing a lot of ground in the fight, Robin quickly came up with a plan to take down the building with the help of his team members.

Robin places an X in the middle of the room and all teens begin taking down the columns around. With BlockBuster trapped in the middle Robin detonate the last three columns. Quickly all five teens run for the exit before realizing they will be buried in as well. Superboy jumps over Kid Flash, while MJ places a barrier around herself, Aqualad and Robin. The entire building now having crumbled.

Superboy lifts the debris off of Mockingjay, Robin, and Aqualad. Mockingjay sits back in the rubble tired and drained. All five now have evidence of their injuries in their torn suits, but they're okay.

Breathing heavily Aqualad turns to MJ, Robin and Kid Flash. "We... did it."

"Was there... ever any doubt?" Robin questions, barely exchanging a look with Kid Flash before they high five, but are forced to drop it as they aggravate their injuries on their sides/stomachs. Mockingjay give a small chuckle before grabbing to her side as well. Superboy steps fully out of the rubble they were covered in and looks to the still pinned Blockbuster. Then he turns back to the girl companion and help her out of the ruins.

"See?" Kid Flash questions, drawing Superboy's attention away from the girl in his arms and using his thumb to gesture. "The Moon."

Superboy can only stand and take it all in, but then a figure appears in its light, cloaking him in shadows. Superboy squints slightly, trying to see who it is. As he slows and turns perpendicular to the ground it's obviously Superman.

"Oh. And Superman." Kid Flash comments, surprised. "Do we keep our promises, or what?"

Martian Manhunter, Zatara, Captain Marvel, and Red Tornado fly behind the Big Blue Boyscout. Followed by Captain Atom, Hawkman, Wonder Woman, Hawkwoman, and the Green Lanterns . The second Green Lantern brings a platform for the Leaguers who can't fly; Black Canary, Aquaman, Batman, and Green Arrow.

As Batman steps up to Superman, Flash zooms in, standing to Batman's left. Superboys lets the girl in his arms gently down letting her stand on her own. He then steps up to Superman gaining a glare from the man. Superboy lifts the torn front of his suit, revealing the same S that is mirrored on his own costume. Superman's eyes widen in shock, while Superboy's features soften. Only for Superman's gaze to turn hard and cold, bringing on an annoyed look of confusion on Superboy's face. He then turns his gaze to the girl beside the boy with a questioning look.

"Is that what I think it is?" Batman questions.

"He doesn't like being called an "it"." Kid Flash says stepping up and putting his left hand to face towards Superboy as speaks.

"I'm Superman's clone!" Superboy speaks up, gaining a shocked look from Kid Flash. While Martian Manhunter looks to Captain Marvel, Flash looks to Green Arrow, and Aquaman and Black Canary can only look on in shock.

Batman's eyes zero in on his protogé's. "Start talking."

Both Green Lanterns have Blockbuster trapped inside a sphere, while Hawkman, Hawkwoman, and Captain Atom fly alongside them.

Superman is having a conversation with Wonder Woman and Martian Manhunter. Nothing is said for a moment, then Manhunter places a hand on Superman's shoulder, causing Superman to meet Superboy's gaze. The clone's look is curious, while Superman's is hard. The clone looks away, then glances back, seeing Superman look down and away from him before finally turning and walking towards him.

Superman sighs as he meets his cross-armed clone. "We'll, uh, we'll figure something out for you. The League will, I mean." he corrects himself quickly. "For now I better make sure they get the Blockbuster creature squared away. Mockingjay I expect you to go straight home after being checked over" then he flies away with a swish of his cape. Leaving Superboy following him with shocked, hurt, and confused eyes.

"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 pipes up, even catching Batman's attention.

"End results aside, we're not happy." the Dark Knight growls. "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, even Robin steps up slightly.

"Aqualad, stand down." Aquaman attempts to command the older teen.

"Apologies, my king," he even makes reverence as he speaks, then his voice goes 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 four of you-" Flash tries to understand where they're coming from, but is completely off.

Kid Flash doesn't hesitate to correct him. "The five of us, and it's not."

"Batman, we're ready to do what you taught us, or why teach us at 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.

"Why let them tell us what to do?" Superboy questions, his arms uncrossing as he too steps up. "It's simple. Get on board or get out of the way." all four protogés were watching him, but they all turn back towards their mentors. Standing tall, proud, and defiant.

Mount Justice; July 8th, 8:04 EDT

Green Lantern and Captain Atom are flying large pieces of equipment around the Mountain, but in the Center stands all five teens, now dressed in civilian clothes, Batman, Aquaman, Flash, Hawkman, Black Canary, Red Tornado, and Captain Marvel.

"This cave was the original secret sanctuary of the Justice League." Batman tells the four boys and one girl. "We're calling it into service again. Since you four are determined to stay together and fight the good fight you'll do it on League terms." All five watch as Batman walks slightly away from center of the room. "Red Tornado volunteered to live here and be your supervisor. Black Canary's in charge of training. I will deploy you on missions."

A pair of sunglasses covers Robin's eyes, clearly there to protect his identity, speaks up. " Real missions?" he checks.

"Yes, but covert." Batman confirms stepping back to be closer to the boys before him.

"Well, I guess it is a start," Mockingjay says. Her eyes covered by a pair of sunglasses as well to cover her crystal blue eyes. Her hair down with the tips half pink, half baby blue.

"The League will still handle the obvious stuff." Flash speaks up from behind Kid Flash's right shoulder. "There's a reason we have these big targets on our chest."

"But Cadmus proves the bad guys are getting smarter. Batman needs a team that can operate on the sly." Aquaman continues, then turns his head towards Batman to continue the flow of conversation.

"The six of you will be that team." Batman states.

"Cool! Wait." Robin does the very simple math and realizes the problem. "Six?"

Batman only looks over his protgé's shoulder and all four turn to see Martian Manhunter stepping out of the shadows with a green skinned, red haired teenaged girl. "This is the Martian Manhunter's niece. Miss Martian."

She raises her left hand, giving them a small wave and smile, then a shy "Hi."

Kid Flash looks down to Robin as he puts one hand on his hip, Robin in turn looks up at Kid Flash. "Liking this gig more every minute." he steps up, minorly blocking her view of Robin and Superboy. "Uh welcome aboard, I'm Kid Flash." using his thumb to point at himself. "That's Robin," the smaller raven steps to the side and giving Rock 'n' Roll sign. "Aqualad." the Atlantean gives a small nod, but says nothing more. "It's cool if you forget their names."

"I'm honored to be included." Miss Martian says sincerely, clasping her hands in front of her to enunciate her point.

"Excuse Kid Flash, he forgets his manners. I'm Mockingjay. It's great to have another girl on the team," Mockingjay tells the new member walking up to her to shake her hand.

Aqualad, Robin, and Kid Flash all walk to talk to her with less of their mentor's listening in. However, Superboy stays behind, something Robin notices is paired with a downcast expression. "Hey Superboy come meet Miss M!" he calls out.

Superboy walks over to the rest of the team; Miss Martian uses her shape-shifting ability to change her shirt color from white with a red X to black with the same red X, even going so far as to remove her cape. She looks down before speak. "I like your t-shirt." she admits Superboy gives her a small smile, which causes Robin to nudge his elbow into his chest with a smirk on his features. While Kid Flash zips to his other side with a bright smile.

Robin inclines his head slightly to Aqualad.

"Today is the day." the Atlantean says proudly. They all know it's true.