Getting told off

By the time I returned to the mountain with Weasel in tow, I knew I was about to get chewed out. The hangar doors slid open, revealing Batman, Superman, Green Arrow, and Red Tornado standing there, arms crossed, their faces as grim as I'd expected. I could practically feel the judgment hanging in the air like a storm cloud, and I didn't need telepathy to know they were pissed. They didn't trust me—and they sure as hell didn't trust Weasel.

Weasel, of course, was having a field day with it. He slinked behind me, his wild grin never faltering, yellow eyes darting around the room like he was sizing up prey. His claws clicked against the floor, and he scratched at his matted fur absentmindedly, like the whole thing was a joke. Even as Batman's hard gaze locked onto him, Weasel barely blinked.

I sighed, the frustration already rising. "Look, I know how this looks, but—"

Batman didn't even let me finish. "Do you have any idea what you've done, Jack?"

Before I could respond, Weasel let out a sharp, barking laugh, crouching down like some feral animal. "What's the big deal? The guy was just out having a little fun." His eyes gleamed as he shot a grin at Batman, clearly enjoying the tension. "You all need to relax a bit."

Superman's expression was hard as steel. "This isn't a joke, Jack. You broke protocol. Wonder Woman was handling the situation. You put yourself—and others—at risk."

I ran a hand through my hair, already feeling the anger creeping up my spine. "I get it, okay? I know it looks bad, but I had to help him." I gestured toward Weasel, leaning against the wall, smirking like this was just some game. "He helped me when I first woke up in this body with no memory. I owed him."

Green Arrow raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "So your way of repaying that debt was to tear the doors of a police van, shapeshift into an officer, and break a criminal out of custody?"

Weasel let out another sharp laugh, crouching lower, his claws scraping against the floor. His eyes flicked to me for a second, briefly confused, but he stayed quiet. "I didn't ask for the luxury escape, but I'll take it."

I winced. It sounded so much worse when Green Arrow laid it out like that. "I didn't mean for it to be a scene. I was just trying to help. You guys do this kind of thing all the time."

Batman took a step forward, his eyes like ice. "You didn't just make a scene, Jack. You left evidence. If I hadn't personally wiped all the footage from the police van and the surrounding streets, you, your powers and you breaking the law would be public knowledge right now."

My stomach twisted. I had forgotten how much surveillance was everywhere. "You erased everything?"

"Yes," Batman said, his voice cold and unyielding. "There were videos of you using your powers to break a suspect out of custody. If I hadn't covered your tracks, the consequences would've been far more severe."

Weasel, still crouched low, let out a sharp laugh again, "The Bat cleaning up your mess? That's rich."

Batman's eyes snapped to Weasel, his voice dropping to a deadly tone. "You find this amusing? You're lucky Jack stepped in. If it were up to me, you'd already be on your way to Belle Reve."

For the first time, Weasel's grin wavered, a flicker of something like concern flashing through his eyes. "Belle Reve, huh? That's a little extreme, don't you think?"

"It's exactly where you'll end up if you keep this up," Batman said, his voice hard as iron. "You attacked four officers—one of them is in critical condition. Jack saved you from that, but next time, there won't be a second chance."

Weasel's chuckle was low, less confident than before. "Alright, Bats. Point taken. No need to go full dark knight on me."

Superman stepped forward, his eyes shifting back to me. "This isn't just about him, Jack. What you did was reckless. What if someone had seen you? What if Batman hadn't been able to erase the footage in time?"

I was biting back my frustration. "You all act like I'm some kind of kid, but I didn't ask for this, any of it. I'm still trying to figure out what's going on with me, and maybe I messed up, but I'm not some child that needs to be babysat."

Green Arrow shot me a look, his arms still crossed. "No one's saying you're a child, Jack."

Batman's voice was colder than ever as he added, "No, but you are a clone."

I felt Weasel's confusion ripple through his mind, though he stayed silent. His eyes darted between me and the heroes, and I could see him piecing things together in his head. He had no idea they thought I was a clone.

Superman's expression softened, though the tension didn't leave his voice. "You are physically an adult but you are still a clone and you still have so much to learn."

I clenched my fists, fighting back the urge to snap. They didn't know the truth. They didn't know that I wasn't a clone. Weasel's gaze flicked toward me, a mix of surprise and confusion in his expression, but he didn't say a word. He was smart enough to keep quiet.

"Right. Clone," I said flatly. "That's your big theory."

Red Tornado finally spoke, his voice calm but authoritative. "Regardless of your origins, Jack, your powers come with responsibility. You must learn to control them. Today's actions endangered more than just yourself."

Weasel, still restless, finally piped up again, trying to mask his confusion. "Jack's loyal. More loyal than most people I've met. And powerful. That's gotta count for something, right?"

Superman's eyes narrowed at Weasel, clearly unimpressed. "Power isn't the issue. It's about how you use it."

I sighed. "Yeah, I get it. I messed up. It won't happen again."

Batman's voice was cold as Mr Freeze. "See that it doesn't. We won't always be able to protect you."

Green Arrow let out a long sigh. "You've got potential, Jack. But you need to be smarter about how you use it. If this happens again, we might not be able to help."

Superman's expression softened again, though his tone was still serious. "You have abilities that could change the world, Jack. But with those abilities comes responsibility. Next time, think before you act."

I nodded, keeping my anger in check. They thought I was a clone, a weapon. And they were treating me like one. But Weasel and I knew the truth. We weren't ready to correct them—not yet.

Weasel stretched, cracking his neck, his claws clicking against the floor as he stood up straighter. "Well, this was fun. So… I'm free to go, right?"

Batman's gaze snapped back to Weasel, colder than before. "No. You're staying here—for now. But if you cause any more trouble, Belle Reve will be your next stop."

Weasel's grin faltered again, but he quickly recovered, flashing his sharp teeth in another smile. "Got it, Bats. No trouble. Promise." He shot me a knowing glance, still clearly confused but playing along.

The League gave us one last look before they turned to leave, leaving only Red Tornado behind.

I sighed, motioning for Weasel to follow me toward the kitchen. I still had a quest to complete, but there was a lot more at stake than just that now.

(There will be more action in the next one😋)