Washington D.C.; July 4th; 14:00 EDT

The Hall of Justice

Before the Hall of Justice stands Batman and Robin, Green Arrow and Speedy, Aquaman and Aqualad, Mocking Jay and Superman. Batman turns to his sidekick. "Today's the day."

"Welcome to the Hall of Justice." Green Arrow continues.

"Headquarters of the Justice League." Aquaman finishes.

"Today's going to be all about you kids," Superman tells the group.

"Oh, man!" Kid Flash's voice cries out, catching all of their attention and causing them to turn away from the Hall for a moment. Flash skids to a stop first, followed closely by his sidekick. "I knew we'd be the last ones here." he gripes crossing his arms, causing Flash to raise an eyebrow behind his cowl.

As they walk down the area opened so that they can get to the Hall the crowd goes insane. One spectator who's particularly far off questions quite loudly. "Is that Batman, Superman?"

"I see Flash and Flash Jr." another calls out, this one female.

"His name is Speedy. Duh." someone objects, clearly having heard her get that sidekick's name wrong.

"No, Speedy is Green Arrow's sidekick." another, younger male, corrects.

"Well that makes no sense." a fourth spectator quips.

"Ready to see the inner sanctum?" Green Arrow asks Speedy.

"Born that way." Speedy says, with a minute glance back at his mentor.

"I'm glad we're all here." Aqualad says, turning the conversation towards the two boys younger than himself and the one older than him.

"Have all five sidekicks ever been at the same place at the same time?" Kid Flash questions, looking mostly towards Robin and MJ, because despite the fact that they are the youngest they would likely to know best.

"Don't call us sidekicks," Speedy commands, practically growling the first words. "not after today."

Kid Flash smiles. "Sorry." he apologizes, seeming rather sincere. "First time at the Hall. I'm a little overwhelmed."

"You're overwhelmed, Freeze was underwhelmed. Why isn't anybody ever just whelmed?" Robin asks, as they walk through the doors. MJ just shrugs her shoulders. "Oh." he manages, staring up at the statues of the initial Justice League members. "Maybe that's why."

They arrive at a large door with AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY written on it. It slides open, revealing Martian Manhunter and Red Tornado, a human-sized red robot. The two step out of the hallway and into where the Cameras can see them.

"Robin, Speedy, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Mocking Jay," he lists them off in order, his voice calm but monotonic and formal. "welcome." then he turns around, leading them inside. The two leading protogés, Robin and Kid Flash, fist bump with each other as they begin to follow him. Mocking Jay rolls her eyes at the two in annoyance "You now have unlimited access to the gym, our fully stocked gallery, and of course our library." the door opens revealing a massive library with massive computer and extensive amounts of books.

Flash turns back to the four teens. "Make yourselves at home." he says with a grand gesture and a smile. Robin and Kid Flash literally jump into their chairs, while Aqualad offers the only open seat to Mocking Jay, She declines and sits on the arms of the chair KF is on. Leaving Aqualad to take the seat one across from them. Speedy, however, remains standing. Looking directly at the mentors.

"Quick debrief to discuss the coincidence of five Ice Villains attacking on the same day." Batman then turns to the teens. "We shouldn't be long." Then he turns to another door, and a fisheye camera pops out.

Recognize: Batman; 0-2, Aquaman; 0-6, Flash; 0-4, Green Arrow; 0-8, Martian Manhunter; 0-7, Red Tornado; 1-6. The door behind the camera illuminates before opening reading out JUSTICE LEAGUE MEMBERS ONLY.

"Wait what," MJ asks in confusion.

"That's it?" Speedy demands his anger and volume catching all of their attention instantly. "You promised a real look inside not a glorified backstage pass." he crosses his arms since his eyes can't show his emotions as he has lenses in his mask.

"It's a first step." Aquaman speaks up, though calmly. "You've been granted access few others get."

"Oh, really?" he questions, gesturing up to a group of people taking pictures on the other side of soundproof glass. "Who cares which side of the glass we're on?"

"Roy, you just need to be patient." Green Arrow tries, even using his sidekicks civilian name to attempt to get through to the teenager.

"What I need is respect." Roy growls, before turning around to take a look at the other four protgés. Who are all still sitting down and not intervening in the conversation they were so obviously listening to. "They're treating us like kids." he tries to speak directly to them. "Worse- like sidekicks!" his anger is steadily growing but that one word makes it nearly double. "We deserve better than this."

All four exchange looks, Kid Flash looking to MJ and Robin, then to Aqualad, who exchanges a small glance to the both of them, then all four turning to Roy, but Robin's eyes have gone wide beneath the lenses of his mask.

Roy's voice drops. "You're kidding right?" the four don't object. "You're playing their game?" his anger is growing again. Worse this time. "Why?! Today was supposed to be the day, step one in becoming full-fledged members of the League."

"Well, sure," MJ speaks up, looking to the other protogés. "but I thought step one was the tour of the HQ. I mean we have to start somewhere. We've never really been on our own, we need to work on ourselves before we can be a part of a team as big as the league," she says, sitting up straighter and looking to the older teen.

"Except the Hall isn't the League's real HQ." Green looks mildly surprised, while Aquaman's eyes bug in shock. Not to mention all four protogés' mouths drop open, Kid Flash's in shock, Robin's paired with surprise and Aqualad has his accompanied with confusion. "I bet they never told you it's just a false front for tourists" Green Arrows have gone wide, but he looks less surprised in a shocked kind of way and moreso like he can't believe his protogé is telling this in front of the other boys and Leaguers. However, Aquaman's shock has faded and as he takes one look at Green Arrow he calms entirely. "and a pit stop for catching Zeta-beam teleporter-tubes to the real thing," he gestures up with his right hand in indication for his next words. "an orbiting satellite called the Watchtower."

Green Arrows turns, showing off Batman's glare, which is probably what got him to turn towards the Dark Knight in the first place. "I know, I know, but I thought we could make an exception." Batman continues to glare. "Or not."

Aquaman steps up slightly. "You're not helping your cause here, son. Stand down or..."

"Or what?" he demands. "You'll send me to my room? And I'm not your son!" he snaps then turns to Green Arrow. "I'm not even his." his anger seems to die out as he speaks again. "I thought I was his partner, but not anymore." emphasizing his point by taking off the canary-yellow hat and throwing it to the ground.

All four younger protogés can only watch in wide-eyed shock.

"Guess they were right about you three." Roy comments as he walks between the three who stand up in an attempt to either say something or physically get in his way. "You're not ready." with that they all watch as he leaves the library.

They can't sit on it for long, an alarm begins blaring from the computer. Turning they find Superman on the screen.

"Superman to Justice League." the Kryptonian prefaces. "There has been an explosion at Project Cadmus. It's on fire."

The Justice League members all step up to the computer. "I've had my suspicions about Cadmus. This may present the perfect opportunity to in-" Batman begins, but is cut as another alarm comes through.

"Zatara to Justice League." this time the Magician shows up in a small screen in the lower righthand corner. "The sorcerer Wotan is using the Amulet of Attan to blot out the Sun." now he has their full attention. "Requesting full League response."

"Superman?" Batman questions.

"It's a small fire." the big blue boy scout assures. "Local authorities have it under control."

"Then Cadum can wait." the Dark Knight states, then presses a key on the massive keyboard below. "All Leaguers rendezvous at Zatara's coordinates. Batman out."

The three protogés step up to their mentors.

"Stay put." Batman states, barely even looking at them before he gives his order.

"What?" Robin questions, shocked. "Why?"

"This is a League mission." Aquaman says.

"You're not trained." Flash continues.

"Since when?" Kid Flash demands mere moments after the last syllable leaves his mentor's mouth.

Flash is prepared to clarify. "I meant you're not trained to work as a part of this team." he says, gesturing to the other two mentors beside him and in extension the computer with Zatara still showing.

"There will be other missions, when you're ready." Aquaman states calmly.

"But for now, stay put." Batman glares at the end to accent his point. The screen turns fully black behind him, making his lenses pop even more.

All three look sad, but as their mentors walk away anger comes over their faces.

"Glad you didn't bring you-know-who?" Green Arrow asks Martian Manhunter with a small tease in his tone.

"Indeed." the alien agrees rapidly.

They walk in behind Aquaman, Batman, and Flash, but Red Tornado looks at them for a moment before following. Then the door closes.

Kid Flash scoffs. "When we're ready?" he questions, looking between the two beside him. "How are we ever supposed to be ready when they treat us like," he's very animated, stepping forward and throwing his hands up, before turning around and glaring up at Aqualad. "like sidekicks." he too growls out the term that they are typically referred with.

"My mentor, my King, I thought he trusted me." Aqualad says sadly.

"Trust?" Kid Flash questions sarcastically. "They don't even trust us with the basics!" he points out the obvious. "They've got a secret HQ in space!"

"What else aren't they telling us?" Aquala questions, voicing what they're all thinking.

"Maybe they think we are not ready for something this big. I mean we haven't been on our own," MJ tells her fellow friends.

Robin sighs. "I have a better question: Why didn't we leave with Speedy?" Kid Flash crosses his arms and looks down, annoyed, while Aqualad looks down sadly.

"What is Project Cadmus?" MJ asks slowly.

"Don't know," Robin admits, then smirks at his old housemate. "but I can find out." he walks over to the computer, instantly typing out codes and searching for information.

The computer buzzes. Access Denied. The automated voice states.

Robin laughs. "Wanna bet?" hitting a few more buttons before he starts looking through codes of the files at nearly lightspeed.

"Whoa." Kid Flash murmurs surprised. "How are you doing that."

Robin smiles as he hits two more keys. "Same system as the Batcave." with that he hits one last key.

Access Granted. The voice states. Showing a two story complex, and all the data showing up around it.

"Alright. Project Cadmus." he states simply. "Genetics lab here in DC." then he frowns. "That's all there is, but if Batman's suspicious..." he glances at Aqualad. "maybe we should investigate." then turns to Kid Flash.

"Solve their case before they do." Aqualad gives a small smile. "It would be poetic justice."

"Hey." Robin manages through his chuckle. "They're all about justice."

MJ sighs. "But they said "stay put".

"For the blotting out the sun mission, not this." Robin says, smiling and putting his hands on his hips.

"Robin, I really do not think this is a good idea," MJ tries to reason with her slightly older team mate.

"Wait." the speedster starts, grabbing the younger's shoulder and turning him towards him "Are-are you going to Cadmus?" he uses his finger pointing skills to emphasize. "Because if you're going, I'm going!" both boys turn to Aqualad smiling, Robin utterly beaming and Kid Flash with a dash hope in his.

"Just like that?" Aqualad asks. "We're a team on a mission?"

Both their smiles die down, but Robin gains a smirk. "We didn't come for a play-date." Aqualad joins his with a look of pure determination, before looking over to Mocking Jay. She sighs before looking over the three boys with a smirk.

"Guess we are going on a mission," she said smiling up at the older boys.

The four young heroes arrive at the Cadmus lab and notice two people trapped on the second floor.

An explosion goes off behind them and the force of it pushes the two out the window. Kid Flash zooms onto the scene, running up the wall and getting both to the roof, but he's not fast enough to get there himself. He falls and manages to catch himself on the second story window ledge that the two scientists just fell from.

"It's what's-his-name, Flashboy!" the same firefighter yells, both glad to see him and proud at himself for seemingly getting it right.

"Kid Flash!" the speedster yells down. "Why is that so hard?" he wonders to himself.

Robin, MJ, and Aqualad finally arrive. "So smooth." the Boy Wonder says smugly.

"Does he always have to run ahead?" Aqualad murmurs, partially to himself and partially to Robin. "We need a plan. We-" he looks to talk to the younger boy, but finds the space beside him now empty. "Robin?" he looks around everywhere.

"I think the plan is to see what's causing this fire and saving who we can," Mj says before levitating to open window that Robin had just gone into.

Inside MJ is searching for any additional survivors, while robin pulls up the company's computer system. MJ comes back into the lab as Aqualad jumps in, Kid Flash is going through file cabinets.

"The building is empty," Mj announces.

"Appreciate the help." Aqualad says sarcastically.

"You handled it." Robin says, still looking rather smug. "Besides we're here to investigate." Aqualad steps beyond the KF and Robin, getting closer to MJ further into the building. "Poetic justice, remember?" as Aqualad steps beyond the desks, into the long hallway MJ just came from. He noticed an elevator door closing. The only thing visible is the blue skin and ivory horn protruding from it's head.

"I thought you said this building was empty," Aqualad said back into the room.

"It was-,"The clang of the doors meets draws the attention of the other three. Bringing them right behind Aqualad. "There was something in the-" he cuts himself off, still not entirely sure of what he's seen.

"Elevators should be locked down." Kid Flash says, standing straight.

Robin grabs his elbow and shoulder before moving past him without a word, then slipping right of Aqualad and MJ. Coming to the area of the elevator, looking at with scrutiny.

"This is wrong." He pulls up a holoscreen on his gauntlet. Giving him the specs of a Sliver Slip Express Elevator. Which is exactly what's in front of them. "This is a high-speed express elevator. It doesn't belong in a two-story building."

"Neither does what I saw." Aqualad states gravely, before forcing the doors open. As his strength is no longer needed at full capacity he looks down the elevator shaft, which seems to go on forever.

Robin ducks under his arm, keeling down to try and get a better look. "And that's why they need an express elevator." Then he stands, shooting his grappling hook into the top of the column. Once it sticks he jumps, letting himself fall. Aqualad and Kid Flash follow with almost no hesitation. MJ allows herself to gently float down the shaft beside Robin. The four watch as the level numbers run past them. Eyes widening as he pass SL22, SL23, SL24, and beginning to slow at SL25.

Then the pair comes to a stop at SL26. "I'm at the end of my rope." he tells the two above him. They stop sliding down and let Robin jump to the narrow platform with this level's elevator doors. He makes it with ease, then moves left so Aqualad could make it. MJ enters and levitates KF onto the floor.

"Thanks MJ," he tells the girl.

Robin pulls up the system security. "Bypassing security." he waits as his five little Robin heads go from red to green. "There. Go."

"Are you that into yourself, or do you just like having your face on everything you touch," MJ asked her eyebrow raised in disbelief. Robin looked over his shoulder with an unamused face.

"I believe we should focus on the mission," Aqualad tells the two younger teammates.

Aqualad pries the door open. All four of them walking out.

"Welcome to Project Cadmus." Robin announces. Kid Flash smiles before bolting.