Third Person's POV

Santa Prisca, Mexico; July 19th, 00:43 ECT

The alarms blare in a warehouse, complete with red bubbling fluid in every tank. The source of the alarm is a group of intruders are Bane and two other men. 

Surrounded by guards on the ground and guards on the catwalks cocking their rifles.

"Nuestro Maestro sublime proclama que él saldrá de esta instalación... si... uno de ustedes derrota a su campeón en combate singular." A Kobra agent tells the trapped trespassers. (Our sublime Master proclaims he will depart this facility... if... one of you defeats his champion in single combat.)

Bane pushes aside the foot soldiers that came with him, walking to the gated door with pride. A buzzer goes off and Bane holds the door. "Solo que se interesante." Then he shoves the door open and walks in. (Just make it interesting.)

The soldier smirks as the door shuts behind Bane. Inside Bane sees that there are many more soldiers on the interlocking catwalks, all of them armed with rifles. A buzzer goes off, drawing the bodybuilder's attention to the door on the other side of the arena. Where two people stand. Both of them blonde brunettes with black pants and boots, and blue tank tops that cut off to expose their stomachs. Only the male walks through, but he's thin which gets Bane's attention, albeit with confusion.

Behind Bane, a black gauntlet with red tubes on it, attached to a long clear tube falls to the floor. He picks it up, confused. "¿Me devuelto mi mayor arma?" Bane asks, confused. "¿Cuál es el truco?" he questioned. (You give me back my greatest weapon? What's the catch?)

"Ningún truco. No sería una prueba de la destreza de su campeón si no estuviera en su mejor." the soldier says. (No catch. It would hardly be a test of his champion's prowess if you were not at your best.)

Bane attaches the gauntlet. "¿Quieres mi mejor?" he activates the venom feed as he connects to the back of his head. His pupils dilating as he grunts the Venom flowing through his body. As it finishes, he's panting and turning towards his opponent. "Lo conseguiste." He cracks his neck. (You want my best? You got it.)

His opponent hasn't moved, though the girl behind him steps up with a needle gun filled with a purple serum which she injects into his shoulder. The effect is immediate, his eyes shrink to pinpricks as his hair stands nearly on end. He stumbles forward, his head held in his hands as he falls to his knees. His shoulder grows massively, ripping his shirt. Bane watches closer. The choker around his neck rips off as he grows fangs, and his body grows to match his arm's size. His skin turns greenish grey with red slashes.

The girl closes the door. Panting, he gets off his knees, and charges at Bane with a roar. The downward punch is caught, Bane slides a foot or so back but doesn't fall. Returning the feat with a solid uppercut to his opponent's jaw. The cross Bane throws to his chest does nothing, and he smirks down at Bane. Grabbing the back of his neck in his hand before uppercutting him in the stomach hard enough to knock the wind out of him. Then following up with another uppercut and a cross to Bane's face before he can fully fall backwards Bane is grabbed by his wrist and thrown into the wall. Landing on all fours and his head on his arm.

Leaving no room to react, Bane is hit again as he stands, denting the pipe behind him shut and increasing the pressure in the pipe exponentially. Steam envelopes the two as Bane is grabbed by the back of his neck again and thrown out of the steam. His opponent jumping after him, nailing Bane in the face hard enough to create a Bane-sized crater under him. The power of the strike brings some people to stop, even one looks away. The power of the strike brings some people to stop, even one looks away. Bane groans, then falling unconscious.

"Hail Kobra." the soldier says. "Hail Kobra." he says louder.

All begin to chant. "Hail Kobra. Hail Kobra. Hail Kobra. Hail Kobra. Hail Kobra. Hail Kobra." above them Kobra stands arms crossed and pleased.

Outside the facility are even more Kobra followers, guarding the entire island.

-time skip-

Caribbean Sea; July 22nd, 20:08 ECT

The Team is in the Bioship and en-route to their first official mission.

"We're approaching Santa Prisca." Miss Martian tells them.

Robin is thinking back on the debrief.

-flash back-

"Isla Santa Prisca." Batman says, showing the Team the map of the island, all stand watching, but Kid Flash is also eating chips. "This island nation is the primary source of a dangerous and illegal neuro-steroid, a strength-enhancing drug sold under the street name Venom." the display changes to show the shots of the warehouse. "The infrared heat signatures indicate that their factory is operating at full capacity, but all shipments of Venom have inexplicably cut off. That's where this Team comes in. This is a covert recon mission only. Observe and report. If the Justice League needs to intervene, it will." Once again, the profile changes back to the island map. "The plan requires two drop zones." said drop zones appear on the map.

"So, who's in charge?" Robin asks getting Batman and Red Tornado to whip around and face the Boy Wonder before exchanging glances.

"Work that out between you." Batman commands, Robin nods a smile forming on his face. Which is still there as he refocuses.

-end of flashback-

"Drop Zone A in 30." Miss Martian announces, startling the thirteen-year-old and getting him to look back at her, and Aqualad. Who stands as the straps remove themselves. Even his chair disappears as he stands up.

He hits his symbol, and his suit turns from navy blue and red with black accents to dark grey and black accents. "Ready." he says, looking to Miss Martian.

"Putting Bioship in Camouflage Mode." she says as they come within eyesight of the island. 

Over the water a hole in the base of the Bioship forms, Aqualad dropping out and diving into the water below. Under the water, he avoids sunken mines and slices through a rope net with his Water Bearer that turns into a sword. He jumps out of the water and onto the raining beach, just out of sight of the cameras. Placing a silver and red disruptor on top of it.

"Heat and motion sensors are patched." he tells the team through his comm. "Data is now on a continuous loop. Move in."

Above him, the Bioship's outline is barely noticeable.

"Drop Zone B." Miss Martian says as they stop over a break in the canopy. All the remaining members stand as their straps and chairs fade into the ship's floor. Miss Martian raises a hand, and lines fall from the ceiling which Robin and Kid Flash don't hesitate to attach to.

Once attached, Kid Flash raises his hand to his lightning bolt emblem. The white turning light grey as the yellow turns to a darker grey and his goggles turn almost black, his red accents remaining as he looks it over with a smile. "How cool is this?" he asks, turning towards Miss Martian.

"Very impressive." Miss Martian says, before her own clothes change, her blue boots and skirt become a skin-tight full-body suit, all black and accented with the same red X and edging like on Martian Manhunter. Only her cape remains blue.

"Uh, that works too." he admits, stunned, then turns towards Superboy who kept the black t-shirt with the Superman S on it, black pants, and boots. "Hey, Supey, not too late to put on the new stealth tech."

"No capes, no tights. No offense." he says crossing his arms.

"It totally works for you." Superboy glances over at her, and she stands up straighter and stops leaning her head on her hand. "In that, you can totally do good work in those clothes." she covers, badly.

Star Sapphire giggles and he's still in his original uniform and his ring glows and his outfit changes slightly

Star Sapphire then looks at he boots "I can work with these" he says to himself. before dropping out of the ship. 

He, Miss Martian, Kid Flash, and Robin hit with small thuds. Realizing Superboy's not beside them, they glance up and yelp before diving to the side. Just narrowly avoid Superboy as he hits the ground hard enough to create a boom and a two-foot-deep crater. 

"Knew I didn't need a line." he says confidently.

"Oh boy" Star Sapphire shakes his head.

"And yet, creating a seismic event may not have helped us much with the "covert"." Robin grumbles as he stands up from the base of the tree, he threw himself into. Kid Flash comes out of the forest from the other direction and Miss Martian comes back down to the ground.

"Aqualad, Drop B is a go." Miss Martian says.

-with Aqualad-

Aqualad climbs a cliff with ease. "Head to the factory. I'll track your GPS and meet you ASAP."

-with the rest of the team-

"Roger that." Robin says, looking down at his Holo-Glove which has a map of the island, as Superboy and Miss Martian stand at their full height and look over his head on his right and Kid Flash is crouched over his left shoulder and Star Sapphire floats above everyone else.

Then all five take off to the factory. Passing through the forest, under a waterfall, before ending up back in the forest.

-scene change-

Back in trappable terrain, Robin pulls up his Holo-Glove which shows off mines that have been set around them, then the safest and straightest path to the factory.

There's rustling in the forest, but a snap of a twig catches Superboy's full attention and stops him short. "Did you hear that?" he asks.

Star Sapphire stopped as he places a hand on Superboy's shoulder "No, but what do you hear?" he asked the clone.

"Is this a Super Hearing thing?" Wally questions.

"We'll he has Kryptonian DNA, of course he must have enhanced senses in comparison with the rest of us" Star Sapphire points out.

"You do have great ears." Miss Martian comments. Neither boy comments.

"Okay, Rob, now what?" Kid Flash asks, but Robin is once again gone. "Man, I hate it when he does that."

"Superboy, Kid, switch to infrared, see if you're being tracked." Aqualad commands through the comms.

Kid Flash smirks and drops his goggles down over his eyes. Immediately picking up on heat signatures further down the trail. "Got a squad of armed bozos incoming." he informs.

The three, run further forward, but only because they can duck behind a rock and fallen tree to avoid being seen. Superboy looks in the opposite direction of Kid Flash. "Two squads." he corrects. Then expands his focus. "But they'll meet each other before they find us."

Gunfire commences. Clearly, they aren't on the same side, which is good news for the Team.

"No Super Hearing required now." Kid comments.

"Swing wide, steer clear." Aqualad commands as Kid steps forward to be next to Superboy.

"Yeah, yeah, just as soon as I find Rob." Kid tells him, then vaults over the tree, 

"Wait, Kid!" Star Sapphire tried as Kid Flash runs down the trail. 

The trail is wet, and he loses his footing, falling down the hill and right into the firefight. As he falls, he looks up to find a surprised Bane to confirm that he's seeing things right; he even lifts his goggles off his eyes. "So much for the stealthy."

Bane's surprise only lasts a moment before he starts firing rapidly at Kid Flash, running away doesn't help him much as it gains the attention of the Kobra soldiers as well.

Superboy charges ahead, taking Bane's blind spot and tackling him to the ground. Or at least attempting to, Bane gets himself over the teen and slams him into the soft ground. He goes for a wristlock on his captive right arm but finds Superboy overpowering him. Grabbing his shirt and throwing him into a tree.

Kid Flash continues to evade the bullets, and two of the men see a shadow pass over them, looking up Robin drops right on top of one of them. "What is wrong with you guys?" he questions, uppercutting the other and following up with a sidekick to get his bubble back. "Remember covert? Why didn't you follow my lead, vanish into the jungle?"

"Says the one who left unannounced" Star Sapphire responds annoyed.

"Way to fill us in. We're not mind readers you know." Kid Flash adds.

Star Sapphire looks at Kid Flash "she's the only mind reader of the group" he points at the only female of the team.

"You told me I could only read the bad guys' minds." she reminds Robin as she and Star Sapphire land.

Robin's attention turns, hearing one run away. He pulls out a disk to throw at him, but instead, the Kobra soldier is stopped short by Aqualad dropping right in front of him. Not sure what to do as the Atlantean places his hand on his chest, and his tattoos glow before he zaps him right in the chest. Stepping on the communicator that fell out of his hand, which crunches under his barefoot.

-scene change-

"I recognize those uniforms." Robin says, looking at most of the assailants that all now tied to the trees. "They belong to the Cult of The Kobra."

"I am certain Batman would have mentioned it if he knew a dangerous extremist was running Santa Prisca's Venom operation." Aqualad tells the Boy Wonder, not letting him leave his sight in fear that he will disappear again.

"Agreed." Robin says, putting no fault on his mentor. "And since there's no love lost between the cultists and those goons," he puts his hand on his chin as it all suddenly becomes clear. "I'm betting they came in and tossed them out. That's why normal supply lines have been cut off."

"We get it. Kobra wanted super cultists." Kid Flash says confidently. "Radio Bats and we'll be home in time for-"

"These cultists aren't on Venom." Robin cuts him off. Kobra's hoarding the stuff. We don't leave. Not until I know why."

"Until you know why?" Kid Flash questions, leaning forward to get right in front of the boy's mask covered eyes.

"This Team needs a leader." Robin says strongly, standing up straighter.

"And it's you?!" Kid Flash questions, annoyance clear as he steps into Robin's personal space. "Dude, you're a thirteen-year-old kid who ducked out on us without a word."

"Guys?" he calls

Robin laughs for a few seconds. "And you're a mature fifteen? You blew our cover first chance you got."

"Guys?" he tries again but still ignored.

To the side, Miss Martian and Superboy can only look on in silence. Until Miss Martian speaks up. "Don't you want to lead?" she asks breaking the silence between the two.

The Kryptonian shakes his head and scoffs, then turns to look at Miss M out of the corner of his eye. "You?" he asks back.

Miss M nearly leans back and puts her hand up as if to shove the idea away from her physically. "After the Mister Twister fiasco?"

Superboy smiles, looking at her directly. "You did alright."

Miss Martian's cheeks turn bright red as she looks away and tucks her hair behind her ear.

she looks at Star Sapphire "Star Sapphire, do you ever want to lead?"

the Violet Lantern thought for a moment before shaking his head "Leading a group feels overwhelming for me, is sweet of you thinking of me" he responds.

However, Superboy doesn't notice as he hears someone come to behind him.

His super-hearing picks up on the Spanish with ease. "Míralos, argumenten. Liberarte y asumirlos mientras están distraídos." (Look at them argue. Free yourselves and take them while they're distracted.) It's one of Bane's lackeys.

"Callate!" Bane hisses at the other man tied to the tree. "Por el momento lo llamaré. Y entonces me darán lo que necesito." (Quiet! For now, I'll call {play along}. And then they'll give me what I need.)

Superboy smirks, understanding every word and knowing just how to play Bane at his own game. Though he's mildly distracted when Kid Flash shouts again. "Yeah? You don't even have Superpowers!" he sees Kid Flash go to walk away from the conversation, but the Boy Wonder follows close behind.

"Neither does Batman!" is the thirteen-year-old's retort.

Kid Flash stops "Duh," he snaps, then rounds the Boy Wonder again, "you're not Batman."

"Chuh, closest thing we've got." Robin retorts, he jabs his thumb at himself to prove his point.

As Bane finally gives his consciousness away to the two teens, both boys snap their heads in his direction. Kid Flash is still annoyed, but Robin's eyes go wide. "Such clever niños. But you only know half the story." Bane baits them. (Niños means young boys [or a co-ed group of young kids, because romance languages]) The whole Team now steps in so they can see Bane. "Let me show you the rest, get you into the factory via my secret entrance."

Miss Martian steps up. "There is a secret entrance" then she kneels down and places her hand on her temple to further concentrate. "But he's also hiding something." her tone goes sour, and her eyes glow white.

Miss Martian's eyes still glow but she loses her intensity. "Ohh." she groans, pulling out of his mind. "He's mentally reciting fútbol scores in Español." she looks over her shoulder at the boys. "This could take a while." she tells them.

Bane speaks up before anyone else does. "It's not complicated. The enemy of my enemy is my friend." behind Miss Martian, the boys exchange a look, then eventually nod.

-Scene change-

In the factory, they are still creating Venom. "Sublime Master, he approaches." one of the soldiers says as Kobra comes to a stop beside him.

"Activate the radio-jamming net. Nothing must interfere." Kobra instructs.

The soldier nods, bows, and leaves.

On top of a cliff, the Team and Bane can see the factory clearly. Bane stops about three feet from the edge, pointing. Both Robin and Kid Flash both step up to get a closer look. Kid with his goggles, Robin with a pair of binoculars. What he sees is a forklift and containers by a helipad.

"Look at all that product." Robin mutters, shocked. "A buy is going down." Bane walks away, but the Team remains. "But if Kobra's not selling to the usual suspects, then-"

"We need to identify that buyer." Aqualad states with conviction.

"Just what I was thinking." Kid Flash agrees, lifting his goggles as he stands up straighter.

"Yeah. You're the thinker." Robin says with a smirk as he stands up.

"Sarcasm?" Kid Flash questions, annoyed. "Dude. A real leader would focus on getting answers." all three are observing Bane as he lifts a giant rock away from the entrance to an old mine. The only point of his efforts is a few grunts. While Miss M and Superboy exchange a slight look of confusion.

"Answers are this way." Bane says simply, gesturing down the mine tunnel. All five teens join him to look down the tunnel. Bane says nothing as he heads towards the tunnel.

"So. Now el luchador is our leader." Kid Flash comments angrily and slightly sarcastic. Robin stalks past him, using the back of his hand to smack Kid Flash's cheek. Kid turns to Superboy, M'gann, Star Sapphire and Aqualad with a shrug.

The Team and Bane walk down the mine until they come to a metal door, which Bane uses his fingerprint to unlock. Which leads them right to a door on the factory floor.

Bane props the door open slightly, giving Robin just enough room to get a full look around the now confirmed to be empty floor. "All clear." he vocalizes before running out of the doorway. The others follow but, once they get to another hidden location Robin is nowhere in sight.

"Has that little fool already been captured?" Bane questions, annoyance at the possibility of their infiltration being compromised rising.

"No," Aqualad assures, but his own voice is giving away his own annoyance, "he just does that."

"That's Robin for ya" Star Sapphire agrees.

Kid Flash slides his goggles over his eyes with ease. "Stay put. I'll get our intel and be back before Boy Wonder." by the time he finishes the sentence he's already running.

Aqualad reaches out as he sees Kid Flash's movement but doesn't get a hold. "Wait, Kid!"

Bane watches as the grey and red streak disappears, looking to Aqualad with a smug smile. "Great chain of command." he continues his jabs at Aqualad with the sarcasm and the continued smugness in those four simple words.

The four remaining teens share a look. While over their heads Robin runs across the catwalk and up the stairs to the command center.

-meanwhile-

Inside the command center, a Kobra agent is working on the computers. There's a small swish before a Batarang hits the computer console beside him, causing it to spark. As he turns to look, green gas is released from the Batarang. The agent coughs then pass out. Robin holds no qualms as he grabs the back of his cloak and drops his upper body to the ground with a thud. Then taking the chair and sitting down at the computer.

-with the others-

Aqualad, Miss Martian, Star Sapphire and Superboy are all crouched behind an unused assembly line, while Bane hides in the shadows of a crate stack.

"It's a massive shipment." Aqualad observes with shock.

"Yeah, but they're only taking new product off the line." Superboy observes. "They're not touching this Venom."

As a forklift drives away, they turn towards each other. "Maybe freshness counts?" Miss Martian offers, unsure, but figuring a one-off guess is better than nothing.

Superboy's focus changes as he looks in the opposite direction they just were. "Helicopter's coming." he says, out of instinct the other two follow his gaze. Bane's eyes narrow as all four look out the small skylight.

It takes a few moments, but then they start to be able to hear the helicopter's blades as it approaches.

-with Kid Flash and Robin-

The computer Robin's on is beeping away as he runs over the chemical formula for the agent. Listing off HB2Ca4, Cs2Ho4, PH4Mo8, and Ca1Hg6.

Kid Flash zooms in, skidding to a stop and taking a bite out of something, then proceeding to talk with food in his mouth. "What you got?" he asked.

"Chemical formulas." Robin says, hunching a little closer to the keyboard as if that would help him work faster. Ever the science nerd Kid Flash joins him at the computer. "I'm guessing it involves Venom, but..." he trails unsure, but also not even pausing as Kid Flash takes another loud bite out of the bar in his hand.

"This one's Venom," Kid Flash says, as if he's talking to a three-year-old and using his bar to point at the screen. As the screen shows another compound he continues. "This one's-" he cuts himself off. "Whoa. The Blockbuster formula from Cadmus." they watch as the two begin to merge on screen. "Mixed correctly, Kobra's new juice is three times stronger than Venom... and permanent." he realizes horrified. Then turns to Robin. "But how did Kobra get access to Project Blockbuster?"

"Our mystery buyer must also be Kobra's supplier!" Robin realizes. "Using the cult to create the Blockbuster-Venom superformula." Robin stands up, his hand going to his ear. "Robin to Aqualad we got﹘" Kid Flash turns away from the computer as he hears Robin stop. "... static." he mutters angrily.

-back with the others-

From out of the helicopter's opening doors the shadows clear, revealing a buff white man with blonde hair. In a black-on-black outfit and his facial features covered by a grey hockey mask. As he walks between two lines of the cult his matching forearm and shoulder-upper arm guards show.

"Lord Kobra." he greets.

"Sportsmaster." Kobra returns, as the girl from before steps up. "The shipment is ready." she opens the box to reveal the blue vials.

Sportsmaster takes one, holding it up to look at it. "The new Kobra-Venom?" he questions.

Kobra gestures to Blockbuster. "A complete success. Our friends will not be disappointed."

"This is a game-changer." Sportsmaster proudly states, flipping the vial to catch it in his fist. "Finally, we can go mano-a-mano with the Justice League."

Above them, Miss Martian uses her camouflage. "Aqualad, sending you a telepathic image of the buyer now." even though she is basically invisible her eyes begin to glow.

In the factory, on a catwalk. Bane, Star Sapphire, and Superboy keep watch while Aqualad has his eyes closed to see Miss Martian's telepathic image.

"Sportsmaster." he says, opening his eyes. "He is the buyer?" he questions, looking to Superboy shocked. Then brings his hand up to his ear. "Aqualad to Red Tornado. Do you read?" he gets the same results as Robin. He huffs in annoyance. "Can't reach the League, Robin, or Kid. Comm's jammed. We need a plan now."

Star Sapphire goes to Aqualad "Do you have one?" he asks.

Bane is all too pleased with his opening. "I have a suggestion." then jumps over the rail with a battle cry.

Two Kobra agents look to the source, shocked to see Bane. He lands just before them, shoving one to the side with ease and pushing the other's arm to ensure his aim is only to the ceiling.

"What is he-" Aqualad begins, only to be cut off by Blockbuster's battle cry and he charges at the window behind them. Shattering it and taking down the catwalk. The three boys land away from the rubble, but so does Blockbuster. Who roars to catch everyone's full attention.

"Destroy them." Kobra commands. In an instant Blockbuster charge at the Four infiltrators.

Star Sapphire gets outlined with pink light and flies away to create distance. Superboy meets him halfway, in comparison to Blockbuster, he's plenty small enough to get under his arms and catch his torso. However, due to the size difference Blockbuster grabs Superboy's waist from behind with efficiency.

Aqualad's tattoos begin to glow as he reaches behind his shoulders to take out his Water Bearers. The Kobra agents start firing on both him and Star Sapphire but can't land a hit as they crouch behind a shield and uses his other Water Bearer to fire non-lethal projectiles at their chests and knock them out. Star Sapphire shoots some energy blast at some other agents with his ring power.

Meanwhile, Bane hides, away from the action, chuckling to himself.

Miss Martian flies in and starts throwing agents around, but Sportsmaster can clearly see her despite the camouflage.

Aqualad and Star Sapphire continue to shoot projectiles while Superboy gets launched into a large container by Blockbuster behind him. Getting a massive uppercut that pins him back to the container, he punches Blockbuster in the face from his pinned position. Knocking his assailant back and giving him plenty of room to land back on his feet. Then charge at Blockbuster once more.

Sportsmaster's eyes continue to narrow as he brings out a rod. Which then extends to form a sharp point that he throws at Miss Martian. She just barely manages to dodge, but it blows up right beside her. Knocking her away and hitting her hard enough to turn off her camouflage.

Superboy and Blockbuster continue to exchange punches as Robin runs along the catwalk over their head. Kid Flash runs behind him and both come to a stop to watch over the chaos. Kid Flash runs off, while Robin remains, and he gains a mischievous look before he runs back the way he came.

Star Sapphire flies away from Aqualad and attends to get closer to Miss Martian "Miss Martian!" he calls only to be stopped by Sportsmaster.

"A Male Star Sapphire, talking about once in a lifetime" he said before throwing another Rod at the Violet Lantern. 

Star Sapphire gasps before pulling up a forcefield around him taking the hit but the impact was great that forced him to hit his back on a nearby wall.

Aqualad is now standing upright but is being backed up despite his shield and projectiles. Ducking behind some piping he can put down his Water Bearers, but then finds two more Kobra agents on his other side.

Before they can fire Kid Flash runs in and slams his feet into both their chests to knock them out and back. Only for three more to arrive on the catwalk over where the two now lay unconscious. He barely ducks behind a pillar to avoid getting shot.

Aqualad reaches for his comm, but then remembers it's jammed. "Miss Martian, radio is jammed." he tells her, since at this point, she's the only one that doesn't know. "Link us up!"

Behind the men shooting Aqualad she's slowly coming to. Her eyes widen as she processes what she heard, bringing her hand to her head. "Everyone online?" she asks.

Superboy growls through the punch that hits him in the face. "Yeah." he replies, his dislike all-too obvious.

Star Sapphire struggles to get up "You better start getting use to this, Superboy" he adds.

"You know it, beautiful." Kid Flash says with a smile, despite the fact that he's getting shot at, still.

"Not the time, Kid Flash!" Star Sapphire scolds the speedster.

Aqualad ignores that. "Good. We need to regroup."

"Busy now." Robin's voice cuts in.

Aqualad uses his Water Bearers to create long whips and take out many of the still shooting Kobra agents. "Strategic retreat. Kid, clear a path."

Kid Flash takes out seven Kobra agents, Aqualad running behind him and Robin grappling above and behind the Atlantean's head. Miss Martian flies in behind the Boy Wonder. As he drops from his line she returns to the ground, as Superboy continues to hold off Blockbuster. Finally getting a proper hold he throws Blockbuster into amassing Kobra agents to give him time to get away as well. He makes it through the door then slams it shut. Star Sapphire shoots a beam at the door covering it with Crystals.

"This will buy us enough time" The Violet Lanterns states as he and Superboy catches up with the other members of The Team.

He and Superboy are the only ones who have to take off and run/fly, which they don't wait on as Blockbuster knocks the door in.

Catching up the rest of the Team Aqualad shouts a command. "Superboy, the support beams."

He punches out three in succession but wasn't expecting the cave-in to be so rapid. Thankfully, Miss Martian And Star Sapphire grabs the back of his shirt and pulls him away from the debris.

"Thank us, later" Star Sapphire said to the Kryptonian.

Forcing the Kobra agents to the same on the other side of the cave in. Blockbuster takes one look and walks away.

Aqualad snaps a glow stick to create a light source. Robin stands with his back to Aqualad, looking to the cave in, while Kid Flash leans heavily on the wall, Superboy calmly stands on one side, and Miss Martian is on the other side with Star Sapphire standing next to her.

"How can my first mission as Leader go so wrong?" Robin questions.

Aqualad sets down the two pieces of the glow stick, before looking to the youngest member. "You do have the most experience. But perhaps that is exactly what has left you unprepared." Kid Flash stands and the whole group has their focus solely on the Boy Wonder's body language. "Fighting alongside Batman, your roles are clearly defined. You two do not need to talk. But this team is new. And a leader needs to be clear, explicit. He cannot vanish and expect others to play part in an unknown plan." he explains.

Robin turns and physically swipes the idea away. "Oh, so I'm supposed to hold everyone's hands?" then looks down with a pained groan. "Ah, who am I kidding?" he questions, entirely to himself and with a note of pain in his words. "You should lead us, Kaldur. You're the only one who can."

"Please!" Kid Flash shouts. "I can run circles-"

"Wally, come on." Robin cuts him off, even using his secret ID in the field. "You know he's the one, we all do."

"Hello, Megan!" Miss M says, placing her hands on her hips. "It's so obvious."

Star Sapphire giggles "I mean, he does seem like the best candidate out of all of us" he states.

"Coulda told ya." Superboy concurs, leaning against a support beam slightly behind Aqualad with his arms cross and actually smiling. He turns his attention towards Kid Flash with a frown.

Wally brings his hands off his hips and over his shoulders as he shrugs, then brings his hands back to his hips and smiles. "Okay."

"Then I accept the burden," he says as he walks towards Robin pausing as he places his hand on the smaller boy's shoulder, "until you are ready to lift it from my shoulders. You were born to lead this team. Maybe not now, but soon." Robin is smiling the whole way through the speech and confirms the terms with a small nod. He turns away and looks at all of the Team. "Alright, our first priority is preventing that shipment from leaving the island." they all gather around.

Robin laughs, crosses his arms, and takes on a Wally-like smirk. "Funny. I had the same thought."

-scene change-

On the helipad, Sportsmaster is in the chopper while Shimmer and Kobra remain outside listening to it creak and stutter, but not start.

"Sabotage." Sportsmaster states, considering it was running fine when he left. "Robin?"

"Undoubtedly." Kobra agrees, his annoyance showing before he turns to Shimmer. "Find the problem. Fix it." she bows and walks off as Sportsmaster steps beside Kobra and one of his agents and Blockbuster join the two.

"Master, shall we send search parties after the intruders?" he asks.

"Don't be absurd, they'll come to us." Kobra snarls, walking away.

-with the team-

"Sportsmaster's the supplier-slash-buyer." Robin says as all five run down the mine tunnel. "But it still doesn't track. He doesn't have the juice to acquire the Blockbuster formula or to get Kobra to do his dirty work."

Despite having superspeed Kid Flash remains beside Robin, though both are in the lead, with Aqualad and Superboy behind them, Star Sapphire and Miss Martian the furthest back and in the air.

"And neither of them have the chops to bond Blockbuster with Venom." Kid Flash agrees. "That took some major nerdage."

"I believe the expression is "tip of the iceberg"." Aqualad states, coming to a stop as they see Bane standing in front of their exit. Something long and metal dropping from his grip. Joining at least half a dozen more just like it on the ground.

"Halt, niños." Bane commands, something bright green sticking out of his left hand. "I'm feeling explosive."

"You betrayed us. Why?" Aqualad asks, sounding honestly confused.

"I want my factory back." Bane states simply.

"Kid, you'll need a running start." Aqualad says through the mind link, the ginger does as he's told and slowly starts taking steps backward.

"So, I forced you into a situation where you would either take down my enemies or die trying." he smirks proudly before continuing. "If the latter, the Justice League would certainly come to avenge their sidekicks. And when the smoke cleared Santa Prisca would be mine once more." he holds out the trigger. "Blowing the tunnel with you inside should have the same effect." he didn't notice the blur and went to hit the button on to find it missing.

"With what?" Kid Flash's voice asks from behind the supervillain. Leaning smugly against a nearby tree as Bane turns to him. "This trigger thingy?" he continues to question, showing Bane the still intact trigger in his hand.

Bane went to go punch the ginger but was pulled back and away by an unseen force. Or rather M'gann's telekinesis. Now being held a good ten feet off the ground the others join her where Bane can see them.

Star Sapphire creates a construct of a baseball bat and then crystalizes it as Superboy drops into a fighting stance. "Finally." sounding both pleased, amused, and some frightening degree of desperate. M'gann looks to him and fully settles into his stance. 

"Drop him." Both Super Boy and Star Sapphire stated.

She looks up innocently as she drops her hand, the force holding Bane diminishes and he falls right into the hard uppercut/homerun swing from Superboy and Star Sapphire.

-with Kobra and Sportsmaster-

The helicopter is now up and running again and they're loading the product once more.

"The helicopter is operational, exalted one." an agent states the rather obvious. Sportsmaster walks back down towards the chopper with the silver box from before. Only to be stopped as Kid Flash runs in and takes out the two furthest agents in the rows on both his sides, then over to one of the agents now shooting at him. Kicking him in the chest and knocking him away from the gun.

"Take the shipment!" Kobra commands. Two more agents come up behind him, and as Sportsmaster goes to leave Superboy drops in, cracking the concrete mere feet away from the helicopter.

"Go again?" he asks Blockbuster. The monster roars, Kid Flash takes out one other Kobra agent between the two Superstrong forces, just as he gets within striking distance a stream of water takes out the monster. "Sorry. Not the plan." then looks over to ensure that Aqualad isn't being ambushed as he holds the water stream.

Sportsmaster gets behind Superboy, using the cover of the helicopter, and hits him with a bright red blast from his gun on the teen's back. He gets two more shots, then starts rapidly firing as he manages to force the clone backward. In his distraction, Miss Martian goes unseen. Until she tries to swoop in and help, only for Sportsmaster to hit her hard, disabling her camouflage and get her in a chokehold. All while still shooting at Superboy only to be shot by Star Sapphire forcing him to let go of the Martian.

Kid Flash takes out one of the few remaining cultists' guns, swiping his mask in the process. "Souvenir." then continues to run as the agent falls unconscious. Shimmer and Kobra taking a step back.

In a second a bola wraps around her body and knocks her to the ground. Looking to the source Kobra glares at Robin. "I know you hate getting your hands dirty." the Boy Wonder snarks as if he did the cult leader a favor.

"True," though he reaches up and takes off his cloak. Revealing his shaved head and matching pale body. "But sometimes even a God must stoop to conquer." Robin smirks and charges at Kobra, bringing a knee up with a high jump. Only for Kobra to block it with one hand. His eyes widen, but narrow as he drops back down and goes to sweep out his feet. Kobra only needs to lift one leg. Robin pushes off the ground once more, a roundhouse aiming right for Kobra's face. Which the Cult Leader catches with a singular hand, then front kicking the teen in the chest and watching as he flips to land on his feet once more and slide back a few feet. His teeth clenching, but he doesn't attack again. "What's wrong, boy? You look disconcerted."

Kid Flash runs around, taking out three more Kobra agents standing in a semicircle. The fourth remains and goes to shoot at Kid Flash only to be knocked out by the Violet Lantern who then walks up to the speedster "is this really part of the plan?" he asked looking at what Wally got for souvenir

"Well, originally the plan was not being ru-" he notices something in Star Sapphire's hand "is that a sandal-shaped crystal?" he asked.

"Oh yeah, watch this" Hayden throws the crystal like a boomerang hitting three more Kobra agents knocking them out cold "Still got it!" he cheered making Kid Flash chuckled at the enthusiasm.

'So cute' he thought before realizing what he thought "what did I just call him?" he asks himself.

Aqualad continues to push Blockbuster farther with the water stream. Putting away a Water Bearer his hand sparks like the eel that his tattoos mirror would. He touches the water to conduct the electricity. Lighting the monster up like a Christmas tree. His tattoos turning back to black as he puts his other Water Bearer back.

"Thanks for the workout, but I gotta fly." then pauses in his firing long enough to throw Miss Martian into Superboy and knock both of them to the ground.

Both of them don't even move as the chopper takes off. Miss Martian shows the trigger that they took from Bane to Superboy with a smile. Then depresses the top.

Sportsmaster doesn't even know the explosives are there until it detonates. Setting the loading bay of the chopper on fire and blowing out the back. With that much of the chopper wreaked, Sportsmaster loses control, seeing where he's going to crash, he jumps out of the helicopter. The chopper lands directly on the factory, destroying the whole thing.

meanwhile Bane can only watch as he's tied to a tree on the cliff by the exit to the tunnel. Anger showing, even through his mask.

Robin gets knocked to the ground, and Kobra's massive foot stepping onto his chest. Despite being the Boy Wonder he can't move the foot keeping him pinned. 

"I am plagued by mosquitoes!" Kobra proclaims, glaring down at Robin.

"Good," Robin says, smirking as he feels the pressure release slightly, "because this mosquito is mighty concerted over your pain!" he executes dual helicopter kicks to fully knock Kobra's leg off his chest, then rolls into a handstand and springs back towards the rest of the team.

The six stand ready to fight, Kobra glances to the side, then steps back calmly. "Another time then." then he disappears into the shadows.

Robin attempts to follow but is shocked to find only shrubbery and darkness. He walks back to find the other five still waiting, though Miss Martian and Star Sapphire come back to the ground.

"We picked the right guy to lead." Robin tells Aqualad sincerely. "Automatically making you the right guy to explain this mess to Batman!" then walks away laughing.

Aqualad can only look down in thought as Star Sapphire gently pats the darker skinned teen's arm giving him an apologetic smile.

-scene change-

Mount Justice, Rhode Island; August 4th; 13:06 ED

"A simple recon mission." Batman gets within inches of Aqualad's face as he berates him. "Observe and report!" then backs off. "You'll each receive written evaluations detailing your many mistakes." Batman walks past all six, who stand at full attention. Coming to a pause beside Superboy, who is the last one in their line. "Until then: good job." all of their heads snap up in shock, then look to Batman out of the corner of their eyes. "No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy." all of them relax and stand slightly more comfortably. "How you adjust to the unforeseen is what determines success." they all watch him as he continues and starts walking away. "And how you choose who leads determines character." Robin smiles, and Aqualad looks down at the smaller boy and does as well.

-somewhere else-

"All I managed to recover is a single vial of Kobra-Venom." Sportsmaster holds it up to prove his point.

"Peut-être... the formula can be reverse-engineered." a projected voice says, with a slight accent. "Mias what of these Heroes?" the voice comes from a screen which looks to contain only a container. "First Cadmus, then Mister Twister. Now, Santa Prisca."

"Once is happenstance." another agrees, his voice dark, and turning darker as he continues, "twice is coincidence. But three times is enemy action, and enemies of the Light must not stand."