Taking Out the Trash

"Prove it."

Those two words elected a reaction that all had expected, Superboy huffing deeply, the glare on his face deepening as his frame tensed in anger. Wally wisely backed away quickly leaving Black Canary standing in the training ground as Superboy stalked towards her, yet she never once seemed nervous. She was calm and relaxed, even while injured and about to go against a Kryptonian of all things, Canary did not once seem nervous.

As the two stood face-to-face, both lowered into their fighting stances, Superboy's full of holes and Black Canary's with only one. A glaringly obvious hole that was quite clearly a trap and yet one, Superboy went for anyway with a powerful haymaker. The wind that punch produced washed over them all and it was strong making one thing clear to them all; if that blow had landed it would put Canary out of this fight immediately and perhaps, being life-threatening.

Yet, Canary knew that.

She knew the differences between her and Superboy, she knew that she couldn't hope to match him in strength or speed.

So, Canary did the one thing that would bridge that gap between them, create openings that even the most untrained of fighters could spot. For someone as arrogant and self-confident as Superboy, even though he knew it was a trap, he didn't care, didn't for a second believe it could be used against him.

It was that thought process that allowed Black Canary to avoid it easily.

But not in the way Esau had expected as his eyes widened, he and many others leaning forwards in amazement as they witnessed the sight unfolding before them. What she did, was nothing short of impressive, in fact, Esau had thought it impossible, yet here she was, doing the impossible as if it was as simple as breathing.

In his time fighting against some of the best in the world, Esau had seen the way they fought, the way they used their opponent's strength to their advantage. However, Slade and Batman, two of the best fighters Esau had ever seen had nothing on what he had just seen as Black Canary grasped hold of Superboy's extended wrist in both hands. Then stepped in sharply, twisting her entire body and putting it in the way, taking complete control of Superboy's forward momentum and using that to throw him against the floor.

It was a deft movement, so minuscule and Esau could only imagine was weak to someone like Superboy, yet it didn't matter as he was raised into the air and slammed back down, looking up to the ceiling in shock.

Esau was equally as surprised as Superboy and everyone else was, still trying to wrap his head around what he had seen.

It shouldn't have been possible for someone of Canary's strength, someone human to be able to throw someone like Superboy like that. But she had done so and with ease, now Esau would admit that perhaps Superboy's arrogance and his heavily choreographed punch were factors in why that happened, yet it should still be impossible.

However, Black Canary had done the impossible.

A single movement, a technique Esau had done and seen countless times.

A technique that he thought he had mastered, having learned from Slade, but not even Deathstroke or Batman had a technique that flawless or perfect. Perhaps it was because she was a woman, physiologically weaker than men that had forced Black Canary to focus so much on the technique to a point she had made variations that put it beyond what anyone had achieved before.

In his opinion, what Slade had shown him, what Esau had once considered the perfect technique, was now far from it. 'Perhaps, I still have things that I can learn.' The thought made Esau smile, clenching his fist as an eager feeling came over him, it was good to know that there was still room to grow and improve.

It meant there were higher heights he could still reach for.

This fight was also far from done, which meant there was still much more to witness and learn. "You're angry." Black Canar stated, watching as Superboy got to his feet, growling as he glared at the hero that had humiliated him so thoroughly in front of everyone. "Good, but don't react. Channel the anger and..."

Superboy was beyond reasoning at this point and charged forward with a roar, repeating the same move once more with a powerful haymaker. It was stronger and faster this time, a showcase of just how out of control the clone was becoming, but the look in Black Canary's gaze did not change. She was already in movement, flipping over the punch, landing in a crouch behind the clone who tried to stop his forward momentum, skidding to a halt.

He was off-balance.

Yet he came around, left fist coming around dangerously quick to the point that it destabilise him even further, his footing unsteady and already threatening to slip out from underneath him. All Canary did was give it a little push, Superboy's punch whistling just over her head as she spun, sweeping his feet, though it was more accurate to say that she simply sped up the process of his fall. In any other situation, her leg would have just bounced off of his, but in this single instance, it proved to give just that slightest push to send him to the ground.

It was masterfully timed though as like she had said, fighting was about control and it was clear to see that this fight was hers.

Superboy also realised it as well. "That's it, I'm done." He grunted the humiliation he had been served to remind him once more of his fighting against the Kobra Cult's Champion. However, whereas that loss had been acceptable in his mind, having been overwhelmed by a physically superior foe, a weapon of even greater strength, Black Canary was only human.

She had no enhanced strength and yet, he still lost.

It was humiliating.

"Training is mandatory." Canary stated firmly, going to place a comforting hand on his shoulder only for Superboy to shrug it off, glaring at her.

But before anything further could happen, a holographic message from Batman popped up. {"Batman to the Cave."} As the image of Batman took shape, appearing on a large screen in the middle of the training facility, everyone turned to look up. {"Five hours ago a new menace attacked Green Arrow and Black Canary. The attacker was capable of studying and then duplicating the power and abilities of his opponent."}

The image of Batman then shrunk, allowing an image of what appeared to be a humanoid robot with orange hair and pointed ears to appear. It then zoomed in on the figure, a video playing out of the robot snatching Superman's punch out of midair, then using the Man of Steel as a weapon to knock away Red Tornado and Flash. He then threw Superman away, discarding him as he fired numerous lasers from his eyes upon the approaching Batarangs causing them to explode harmlessly.

{"Green Arrow called in reinforcements which proved disastrous. As the menace gained more and more power with each new combatant."} Batman's words were ominous everyone felt a small shiver travel down their spine as the true weight of what they were being told dawned on them. There were, as Esau had come to learn very quickly from his study of the files, many members of the Justice League that possessed a power that was simply beyond human comprehension.

But even amongst the members that Esau could comprehend he would not want to fight any of them. 'But you're telling me there is someone who is able to replicate the powers of every Leaguer?' The thought was beyond terrifying to imagine. 'Yet I also can't argue with Arrow's decision.' On paper, the best way to deal with this robot was to rely upon only the unpowered members of the Justice League, but the problem with that is that number was very small.

Not only would a fight including them be dragged out, but the risk of casualties and collateral damage was high.

However, it would also not be smart to call in superpowered people.

At the end of the day, it was a lose-lose situation and Green Arrow made a decision he felt was best at the time, there was no faulting him for that.

After all, there was nothing more dangerous than an unknown threat.

{"In the end, it took eight Leaguers four hours to defeat and dismantle the android."} Another indicator of just how dangerous and powerful this robot had been was that it had challenged the Justice League in a way that Esau struggled to remember them having been challenged in recent years. In the early days, things like these had been commonplace and seeing the members of the Justice League giving them all was the norm.

But that had been when they were young and not with the reputation that they had now.

Things were different, the last few years the Justice League became an unchallenged force of absolute power within the world.

This was the most recent instance of them being challenged in a way it felt surreal.

The question on Esau's mind was who created this robot. "Who made it, T.O. Morrow?" Robin asked the question that was on his mind, and Esau had no clue as to who he was talking about. Another reminder that he still had a lot to learn about the forces in play in this world, even though he had read up on various villains and organisations the Justice League had encountered, T.O. Morrow was not one that had popped up.

{"Good guess, Robin."} Batman replied. {"But Red Tornado doesn't think so."}

Martian Manhunter then piped up. "The technology bares a signature to the work of Professor Ivo." Another name that Esau didn't know and one that made him frown.

"Ivo?" Kaldur muttered in disbelief. "But Ivo's dead."

"So we all thought." Black Canary answered. "Or hoped."

Batman once again took control of the situation. {"To make certain this threat is permanently neutralised where sending two trucks containing the android parts to two different facilities in Boston and New York for immediate evaluation."} Another screen popped up showing a map with two red blinking lights to show the location of the facilities. {"Every precaution is being taken. You'll have four additional decoy trucks to create confusion in case Ivo, or anyone else attempts to recover the remains."}

'A smart plan, but somethings off. If whoever had the technology to make an android that could copy the Justice Leagues' individual powers, then surely they should be able to track the individual pieces, right?' But at that moment, Esau noticed a glance from Martian Manhunter, a minute shaking of his head that went unnoticed by the rest of the team and instantly, Esau understood. 'So, this isn't just a protection mission. They know whoever's behind this is going to show his face and it's up to us to find out who.'

It was a smart plan.

But once more, Esau found his frustration with the way the Justice League operated, especially in regard to them, incredibly frustrating. It would be a lot easier to simply tell them the real mission objective rather than keep it secret, even more so when their lives were at stake. He was all for giving the team a kick in the ass to get them to take things seriously, but there was a difference between that and letting them walk into a trap.

{"You will split into two undercover teams to safeguard the trucks."}

"Yes, road trip." Wally joyfully cried.

Superboy on the other hand was not so pleased. "So now we take out your trash." He spat out and a Batman remained unmoving.

{"You had something better to do."} More than a few people winced at Batman's sharp words, all of them aware of how Superboy might possibly react. The clones' temper was wild and uncontrolled, the last thing they needed was someone to just light the fuse, which Batman seemed to be actively trying to do.

Yet, Superboy didn't react violently or aggressively, instead his eyes averted, looking away from Batman.

Feeling his phone vibrate, Esau pulled out to see the coordinates of the trucks. "Right, let's go." Esau ordered before using Superboy's moment of almost docile-like behaviour to his advantage.

He doubted it would last but he wasn't about to let this opportunity go to waste.

-X-

Tuesday 3rd August 2010, 20:00.

Connecticut,

Litchfield County.

Looking to his left, he checked on the others, each of them hidden in the tree line like him as they watched over the android being packed away by various men and women from Star Labs. They in turn watched over by a few members of the Justice League such as Superman, Flash, Captain Atom and a few others.

"Miss Martian, link us up." He ordered and as quickly as he said it, he could feel the minds of the others on his team in contact with his own. {"Everyone on?"} He received various agreements and grunts from the members of his team in response. {"Good. Aqualad, you and your team follow truck B, me and mine will follow truck A. Keep in contact for sightings of anything suspicious. Avoid radio contact with the League unless absolutely necessary. We need to keep this quiet."}

Again, Esau received a number of affirmations from the team members and as the six trucks took off, half going one way and the other half going the other, the teams set off.

Maelstrom, Batgirl, Miss Martian and Kid Flash going one way with Aqualad, Robin and Superboy the other.

They cruised along the road for a while till they reached a junction in which the lead two trucks peeled off with the rear truck continuing on straight. With a nod of his head to Kid Flash and Miss Martian they turned off following after the two two decoy cars, an extra precaution Esau had taken to throw off any pursuers. Esau trusted Batman and the League's tactical thinking with the decoy trucks, but it was by no means perfect and he was going to throw people off the trail as much as possible.

That was why he had Kid Flash and Miss Martian peel off.

They would continue down that road for about five miles before making their way back onto the highway, which would hopefully cause some pursuers to break off and follow Miss Martian and Kid Flash. On the other hand, it might make them confident enough to try and attack the convoy with just him and Batgirl here to defend it, forcing them out into the open.

Even if that happened, Kid Flash and Miss Martian could get her quicker than either he or Batgirl could have had either one of them gone with the decoys. It was by no means foolproof, but it was a risk Esau was willing to take considering no trackers had been found on the parts as Esau had initially thought.

Though that was the case, Esau still couldn't help but feel like this was too easy and by the looks on the faces of a few Leaguers, so did they.

"So Ivo, who exactly is he?" Esau asked over the radio to Batgirl.

"You don't know?"

"Besides the fact that he creates androids and should be dead? No, don't know him." Esau only knew that much because of what he'd picked up from the Cave earlier.

"Well, he's a mad scientist that's obsessed with immortality or was before he died. Talk about ironic." The snark in her voice made Esau laugh shortly. "Actually, he achieved one if you can believe it? He created some sort of immortality serum. Don't know the whole story behind why he gave it up, but he died."

But one part stood out to Esau more than the other information. "An immortality serum?"

"To be completely honest, I'm just as confused you as to how that's possible as you." Batgirl agreed to Esau's dubious question. "But after all the shit I've seen, I'm inclined to believe it's possible."

Esau couldn't help but agree with her. "If you've fought undead ninjas from an organisation that was nothing more than a scary story your parents told you, then I'm open to anything at this point." Batgirl laughed in complete agreement with his words as they continued to ride down the winding road.

"Yeah, hard to believe how much stuff has gone down since then."

There was silence between the two, both of them realising just how little time had actually passed.

When considering how much had happened in the space of a year and a half, especially those first three months.

"You..." Esau began but hesitated. "You ever wonder what life would be like if we didn't do this shit. Just lived normal lives."

"Honestly, if you asked me back before everything started, I would have said no." Barbara admitted. "I never considered what life would be like, because it never really crossed my mind outside of a few exceptions here and there. But now, I think about it more and more, I don't know whether this is what I want from my life anymore. You?"

"I doubt my life would be much different. I'd either still be living in fear of Black Mask or I'd eventually snap and become Black Hood anyway. I don't see how my life could be any different to how it is." Esau admitted sadly, knowing a normal life for him just wouldn't be possible considering his circumstances.

A fact they both knew very well.

"For what it's worth, I think you're stronger than you think. Not many people could live their life and not snap. Most that do become every bit as bad as Black Mask." Esau snorted, finding the statement amusing despite Batgirl being completely serious.

Yet that moment was interrupted when a number of robotic monkeys that glowed green burst from the cornfield and swarmed the truck. {"Miss Martian, Kid Flash, get here now!"}