Chapter 17 T.O. Morrow

After extracting all the data the computer could offer, the team pressed forward, their focus laser-sharp as they approached the final individual within the facility. Each step carried a blend of caution and urgency, the stakes rising with every passing second.

The air felt heavier, the faint hum of machinery vibrating through the dimly lit corridors, a low and ominous drone. Whatever lay beyond the next door held the answers they had been searching for—and possibly more questions.

[This is it,] Miss Martian said through the mental link, her tone steady but charged with certainty as she motioned toward the door. [The person with the weak mind is inside.]

Superior Spider-Man's lenses narrowed as he nodded. [Stay sharp. We don't know what's waiting for us.]

[Yeah, and after seeing the Red Tornado prototypes earlier, I wouldn't be surprised if we're walking into some Frankenstein-esque secret lab,] Kid Flash quipped, his usual humor tinged with unease. [This place screams mad scientist vibes.]

[Focus, KF,] Robin interjected, his tone measured but firm. [We're not here to narrate. Stick to the plan.]

[Relax, Boy Wonder, I'm on it,] Kid Flash retorted, though his voice carried a thread of uneasiness. [Just saying, this whole setup gives me bad vibes.]

The team moved seamlessly into position, each member falling into their roles with practiced precision. Spider-Man motioned silently, directing Robin to flank the door while signaling Kid Flash to remain ready for rapid entry. Miss Martian hovered slightly behind, her mental focus already probing the room beyond the door.

With a deft flick of his wrist, Spider-Man shot out a webline, pulling the door open just enough to peer inside without making a sound. The room beyond was dimly lit, shrouded in shadows and a chaotic clutter of rusted machinery, tangled wires, and scattered tools. The faint, rhythmic beeping of a medical monitor punctuated the silence, its sound both unnerving and poignant.

At the center of the room, slumped against a narrow bed and hooked up to an array of life-support machines, was the figure they had been tracking. The man was elderly, his gaunt frame barely supported by the tangle of wires and tubes connecting him to the machines that sustained his fragile existence. His chest rose and fell in shallow, labored breaths, his eyes closed as if lost in a dream—or a nightmare.

Kid Flash leaned closer, his voice crackling through the mental link. [Okay, I'm just gonna say it—this is creepy. Old guy hooked up to a million wires in a dark, creepy lab? This is exactly how horror movies start.]

[Enough, Boy,] Superior Spider-Man snapped, his tone cutting. [This is no movie. Focus on the task at hand.]

[Yeah, yeah, I know,] Kid Flash muttered, shifting uncomfortably. [But seriously, doesn't this feel a little too… convenient? Like we're walking into someone's trap?]

[Noted,] Robin replied curtly, his sharp gaze scanning the room. [But we're here now. Let's make sure it's not our trap.]

Spider-Man motioned for the team to gather around the frail man. Each member approached cautiously, their eyes scanning the machinery and the dimly lit corners of the room. The air seemed to grow colder the closer they got, the rhythmic beeping of the machines amplifying the rising tension.

Miss Martian stepped forward, her expression a mixture of sympathy and concentration. [I can sense fragments of his thoughts, but they're scattered—like his mind has been worn down over time, likely due to his age. He's alive, but barely clinging to what's left.]

Spider-Man's lenses narrowed as he observed the life-support systems surrounding the man. [Shattered or not, he's still the key to what we need. Martian, I need you to probe deeper—extract something useful.]

Kid Flash hesitated, looking at the unconscious figure with discomfort. [Are you sure that's the best call?]

[Look at him—he's defenseless and old,] Kid Flash added, shifting uneasily. [This feels wrong.]

Superior Spider-Man's voice was cold, unwavering. [The person who was working on the machine earlier will meet the same fate. We need every piece of information we can gather. I will not allow this team to act on anything less than complete knowledge. No action will be taken without thorough understanding.]

His gaze shifted to Miss Martian, eyes sharp with command. [Do it.]

Miss Martian nodded, her expression hardening with resolve. She extended her consciousness, diving deeper into the shattered fragments of the unconscious man's mind. The mental landscape was a tangle of disjointed thoughts and fleeting memories. With delicate precision, she sifted through them, each moment a fractured shard of a life once whole.

The atmosphere in the room grew thick with tension, each member of the team on edge, aware that the identity of this mysterious figure held the key to everything. They stood in silent anticipation, ready to brace themselves for whatever revelation would follow. 

After what felt like an eternity, Miss Martian's expression shifted, her eyes flickering with the weight of the revelation. She withdrew her consciousness from the fragmented mind, the shattered pieces of his life slowly coalescing into something far more significant.

[This... this person is the creator of Red Tornado—his father,] Megan said, her voice barely above a whisper, thick with disbelief.

[What?!] The team's collective shock reverberated through the mental link, each member except Spider-Man reacting with stunned disbelief.

Superior Spider-Man stood still, his mind already racing, dissecting the implications with clinical precision. His thoughts ran at full throttle, his scientific mind quickly processing the new information, analyzing the connections, and calculating what this revelation meant for their mission.

"Interesting," he muttered under his breath, his lenses narrowing as he continued to analyze. "The creator of Red Tornado… this changes everything."

[But how? Who is this person?] Robin's voice was sharp, his brow furrowing as he processed the information. [What does this mean for us?]

Kid Flash shifted uneasily, his usual humor completely absent. ["Wait a minute, this guy is Red Tornado's father? That's... a lot to unpack. How is that even possible?"]

Aqualad stepped forward, his expression as calm as ever, though his voice held an edge of concern. ["If this is true, we're dealing with someone with vast knowledge of robotics and artificial intelligence. This could explain the dangerous prototypes we've seen."]

Robin nodded thoughtfully, his mind already racing with the implications. [We need to contact the League about this. This changes everything.]

Aqualad's gaze remained steady, unwavering as he looked to Miss Martian. ["Megan, tell us more. We need to know everything."]

Megan nodded, her voice steady but laced with the weight of the revelation. [His name is Thomas O. Morrow. He's also responsible for creating the other hero androids—Firebrand and Red Torpedo.]

[The android we encountered earlier... it was one of them.] she added, the gravity of her words sinking in

Tension filled the space, as disbelief hung in the air.

Kid Flash blinked in shock, his voice faltering slightly. [Wait... Firebrand was a machine? But she was a member of the Justice Society! How is that even possible?]

Aqualad's brow furrowed, his voice calm but with an underlying note of concern. ["If Morrow was able to create androids that could pass for real heroes, then what's to stop him from creating more? How many of them are out there?"]

Superior Spider-Man's voice cut through the tension, his tone unwavering. ["That's not an issue for a superior mind like mine. I can track every android he's ever created, and his technology will be repurposed for our needs. Perhaps I can even make improvements to Red Tornado in the process."] His confidence was absolute, the idea of overcoming this challenge a mere logistical problem in his mind.

Miss Martian's voice was steady, but laced with the weight of her knowledge. ["You don't need to worry about that. Professor Morrow only created four androids—Red Tornado, Firebrand, Red Torpedo, and another android that mimics him completely. His memories, his actions... everything. It's essentially an android version of Morrow himself."]

The gravity of her words hung in the air, and the team absorbed the full extent of the situation.

Aqualad's gaze sharpened, processing the information quickly. ["So, in addition to Red Tornado, Firebrand, and Red Torpedo, there's an android that acts as Morrow himself? What kind of threat does this one pose?"]

Miss Martian hesitated for a moment, her expression darkening as she considered the implications. ["This particular android is modeled after Morrow's mind—his memories, his intellect, everything. It's as if he's created a perfect replica of himself, and that could be far more dangerous than the others. It's not just a machine, it's his thinking, his strategies, his knowledge of everything he's ever done."]

Superior Spider-Man's lenses gleamed with a focused intensity, his mind already running at full capacity, analyzing the possibilities. ["Fascinating. An android designed to replicate Morrow's intellect and strategies. That makes him more than just a weapon; he's a potential mastermind in his own right. We'll need to outthink him and counter his every move."]

Superior Spider-Man's voice remained calm and steady, a clear conviction underlying each word. ["We can turn this to our advantage. Martian, I want you to extract every piece of Morrow's knowledge—his expertise in robotics, artificial intelligence, his engineering principles. Implant it directly into your mind. With that knowledge, you'll be able to think like him, anticipate his plans, and most importantly, counteract his strategies before he even executes them."]

Kid Flash shifted uncomfortably, his usual energy dampened by the gravity of the situation. ["But isn't that dangerous? Morrow's mind, his knowledge… that's a lot to process all at once."]

Superior Spider-Man's lenses narrowed as he scanned the room, assessing the concern. His voice was unyielding. ["Yes, it's dangerous. But it's also necessary. The risk of knowledge overload is manageable. And I'm confident in my ability to track down the android replica. With my intellect, I can ensure we reach an inevitable victory."]

He paused, his gaze now focused on Miss Martian, his tone becoming more specific. ["I also want you, Martian, to empower your mind with Morrow's knowledge—synchronize it with your own cognitive abilities without losing your essence. I know it's a delicate balance, but with this, you will not only match his intellect, but also surpass it. You'll operate on an intellectual level that ensures you can outmaneuver him without compromising your original self."]

He leaned forward slightly, his voice firm with purpose. ["This is more than just intellectual enhancement. It will make you stronger, faster, and more efficient. You will move with precision, adapt to any situation, and think with a clarity that will give us the edge we need. This is the next phase in your evolution."]

His gaze swept across the room, locking onto each of his team members with unwavering focus. ["The mind is one of our most powerful assets. I want each of you to reach your full potential, to unlock every advantage we can. We will use every resource at our disposal—even if that means taking it from our enemies."]

The atmosphere in the room grew heavy, the weight of his words pressing down on the team. Uncertainty lingered in the air, each member silently questioning whether they were truly ready for the path ahead—whether they would become stronger or face the consequences of their choices.

The team exchanged tense glances, the fear of the unknown palpable. But with a shared nod, they affirmed their resolve, ready to follow Superior Spider-Man's lead into uncharted territory.

[Good.] Superior Spider-Man's voice cut through the silence, his tone sharp and commanding. ["Now, let's begin. Dismantle this lab. We'll take everything we can use—and leave nothing behind for our enemies to rebuild."]

His eyes gleamed with cold determination, his mind already calculating their next move. The team sprung into action, aware that every step taken in this place could shift the balance of power in ways they could not yet fully comprehend.