They all reacted immediately.
Kid Flash spun on his heel, stance squared.
Robin reached for a batarang.
Artemis pulled her bow.
Aqualad had a hand on his strange water weapons.
"Long time no see, Boy Wonder," I said through my mask, voice distorted.
"You…" Robin tensed instantly, fingers inching closer to his weapons. "Whatever messed-up plan you've got going—it ends here."
"Does it now?" I asked, turning my gaze to Artemis. "I see you found some backup."
Kid Flash blinked. "You know Mr. Edgy here?"
"He's the Vigilante who—" Aqualad began.
"Who I am doesn't matter," I interrupted, gesturing subtly toward the corners of the room with my chin. There were cameras. Robin noticed. So did Aqualad and Artemis. But Kid Flash was still in the dark.
"Only Artemis's answer matters. Do you still need me?"
She hesitated. Then nodded.
I smiled beneath my mask. Good.
Introducing myself mid-fight might've caused more problems than it solved.
"Fire up that scrambler of yours," I said to Robin, turning toward the lab. "Let's get moving."
But Kid Flash and Robin weren't ready.
"I'm clearly missing something," Wally said. "He's the Vigilante who did what?"
"It doesn't matter," Robin cut in. "Just don't let your guard down. He's dangerous."
"Thanks for the glowing endorsement," I said with a grin. "Now, are we going or what?"
Robin tapped a few things on his gauntlets and led the descent, firing his grappling hook into the top of the elevator shaft. Aqualad and Kid Flash followed. Artemis lingered behind.
"Really? You didn't tell them I was coming?"
She winced. "I hoped we'd talk somewhere less public. Given our history, can you really blame me?"
"I can," I said, then gestured to the vent. "After you, milady."
She slid down the rope, and I followed. The rope burn was practically nonexistent—not even enough to activate Inverse.
What was the rope made of? Must've been good shit.
We stopped at Sub-level 25.
Behind a reinforced door lay a long, sterile corridor with rounded edges. Huge monsters lumbered past us—over twelve feet tall, with massive tusks, bark-colored skin, and hands the size of tree trunks. They walked on all fours in tight formation.
Smaller, strange creatures clung to their heads—same features, oversized skulls, glowing horns.
They passed us without aggression. A few glanced our way, but none changed direction.
"What in the name of Charles Darwin…" I muttered.
"I don't know if we're lucky or if they're non-violent," Robin said. "Either way, we can't stay here."
We pushed deeper into the facility, navigating sealed rooms. Robin's handy holographic computer made quick work of security.
The latest door revealed a massive chamber lined with glass containers, each holding another species of those monsters.
"This must be how Cadmus stayed off the radar," Kid Flash said. "They're powering the place with these things."
"Even the name's a clue," Aqualad added. "Cadmus—monsters created from dragon's teeth."
"This Cadmus is doing the same," Robin said, tapping into a terminal. "Let's find out why."
"Look up Mark Desmond while you're at it. After all, it's the reason why we're here," I said, earning a sharp glare from Robin before he plugged in.
A few seconds passed.
The secrets spilled out.
The monsters were called Genomorphs—specialized species bred for singular functions.
The large ones had super strength.
The smaller ones—telepathy.
Thin, spindly ones had razor claws.
We were in the room with the final specie--the ones that generated electricity.
I whistled. "Breeding an army under Superman's nose. That's the kind of balls I expect from Luthor."
"I can't find anything on Mark Desmond," Robin said, "but I found something else—Project Kr. Hidden under multiple layers of encryption. I… I can't break through."
My eyes snapped to the doors—just as they began to open.
"Get ready for a fight," I warned.
Artemis raised her bow. Aqualad squared up.
"Don't move!"
A man burst through—gold helmet, shield in hand. Genomorphs followed him—razor-clawed variants, long and spindly.
He recognized Robin and Kid Flash instantly, but Aqualad recognized him too.
Guardian. A hero who had disappeared.
But something was off about him.
He called himself Chief of Security.
When Kid Flash challenged the ethics of this lab, something flickered across his face—confusion, horror—then hard determination. The horns of the Genomorph on his shoulder glowed.
"Take them down—no mercy!" he barked.
The Razor Claw Genomorphs lunged.
Robin threw a smoke grenade.
Kid Flash rebounded between walls, throwing flying kicks.
Artemis fired a binding arrow mid-leap.
I charged Guardian, who was flanking Aqualad.
He swung, fist and shield a blur—but I dodged, snapped an offending arm, and flipped him over my shoulder.
He landed smoothly and countered with a sweeping kick. I leaned back and fired my tranq gun at the Genomorph on his shoulder, nailing it in the chest.
It shrieked and flew off.
Guardian staggered, and I pressed my advantage, kicking him in the gut and sending him into one of the glass containers.
The remaining Genomorphs hissed and turned on me.
I drew a mace from Cursed Inventory. It was medieval-styled, with eight spiked planes.
I swung at half strength, sending two charging Genomorphs flying.
Then I dove into a closing elevator, just as Kid Flash finished chewing out Robin for leaving us behind. Artemis arrived seconds later, firing a boxing glove arrow that clocked another Genomorph mid-air.
"We're going down?" Aqualad asked.
"Dude, out is up!" Kid Flash protested.
"We've got maybe a minute before they regroup. We need to call for backup and get out of here," I said.
"I agree," Aqualad said stiffly. "It's time to contact the Justice League."
Robin looked betrayed—like siding with me was some kind of treason.
"I agree too," Artemis added. "But I don't think we should turn back. We haven't run into anything we can't handle."
I blinked. "Are you serious?"
I was starting to regret coming here.
"What we need to do is check out Project Kr," Robin said. "It's triple-encrypted, so you know it's gotta be bad. It could be Desmond… or worse."
"You know people use that same argument against superheroes, right?"
Robin gave me a hard look.
The elevator doors slid open, revealing a floor that looked like it came straight out of a horror movie—red, bulbous, shiny matter coated the walls, fused with tech that looked too advanced to be human.
"What the hell…" I breathed.
"Whoa," Kid Flash echoed.
"Well, since we're here…" Robin stepped forward.
Aqualad sighed, resigned.
I wasn't.
I blocked the exit with my body.
"What the heck, dude?" Kid Flash protested.
"What are you doing?" Robin demanded.
"Saving you from yourselves," I said. "Kid Flash hasn't even picked a side yet. You still haven't called the League."
"Who died and made you leader?" Robin snapped.
"No one," I said. "But if you want to lead, act like a damn leader. It's not just your life you're risking. It's everyone's."
Robin deflated.
Before he could respond, Kid Flash spoke up.
"I say we go," he said, glancing at me, then at Robin.
I shook my head.
In for a penny…
Aqualad's gaze swept over us before he clicked his communicator. The Aquaman signal lit up red. Static buzzed.
"Is it supposed to do that?" I asked.
"No," Aqualad replied. "We're too deep underground. The signal can't reach a tower."
"Perfect," I muttered, staring down the corridor.
"Now will you move?" Robin asked.
I looked at him, silent under my mask, then stepped aside.