Chapter 17: A Day to meet someone, A Day to know others and a day to plan a betrayal.

[Batman's Point Of View]

It has been roughly three years since a notorious serial killer has vanished from the face of the earth. His nickname is "The Corinthian". He was believed to have been a title that was passed down from one serial killer to the next through the years of his gruesome murders.

He traveled the United States, murdering young men, taking their eyeballs, and as I have uncovered subtly influencing others into indulging in homicidal impulses. They called themselves the Collectors, and the Corinthian became something of a celebrity to them.

He first caught my attention when he murdered someone in MY city. Once I began to investigate, I started to realize how wrong the authority's intel on him was. "The Corinthian" was not a title that was handed down through generations but in fact one single person.

He appears to have the ability to stay youthful. What worries me is that in the middle of my investigation, he suddenly disappeared and most of the Collectors turned themselves in while the rest took their own life.

I have yet to find any evidence that brings any of my hypotheses to a success rate higher than sixty percent of being correct. The only correct assumption that I have made is that "The Corinthian" is not a normal human if he is a human, to begin with-

"What kind of crimes are we busting tonight partner?"

A voice that I never heard before says behind my back. I immediately turn around and throw a Batarang to the intruder which knocks him down to his feet. I still kept my vigilance as I observed the seemingly unconscious intruder.

He is wearing a gold and dark blue suit with gold-colored goggles. Not something that could be used to blend in with the darkness. I immediately suspect that he either has a teleportation device or ability as he would have tripped the security alarms of the Bat Cave without them.

I will need to interrogate this intruder, find the method he used, and create a counter to such a method. I still can not let my guard down as it could have been worse, had it been my more skilled enemy such as Ra's Al Ghul, I would not have been able to defend against his surprise attack.

I could have also been trying to update the contingency plans and he would have been able to see them. I will need to secure the Batcave even more. I do not know why but I feel like I am going to have a major headache.

[Third Person's Point of View]

Batman did not know that he had made a mistake. He would focus on fortifying the Cave against the method used by the intruder instead of also focusing on fortifying his contingency against theft. This would later come to bite him in the ass.

[Mount Justice, Rhode Island. July 18, 11:16 EDT]

"Recognized: Robin, B-0-1. Kid Flash, B-0-3."

The computer announces the arrival of the two. The zeta tube powers down, and the two aforementioned heroes appear in their civilian clothes. They quickly approach the briefing area, where Aqualad, Miss Martian, and Supergirl have their eyes glued to the monitors, also in their civilian clothes.

"Did you ask him?"

Robin asks.

"What did he say?"

Kid Flash follows.

"He is arriving now."

Aqualad responds. He seems excited but due to his controlled nature, it does not show.

"Then what are we waiting for?"

Kid Flash asks while running towards the door to the Cave with Robin close behind. Aqualad follows with a slower pace. Miss Martian and Supergirl float after them. At the base of the mountain, the ground opens up, revealing a ramp to the Cave entrance.

The group of young heroes walks out just as Red Tornado lands. Seeing the red android, Kid Flash yells while waving his hand.

"Red Tornado!" 

"Greetings."

The red android replies in his flat and almost toneless voice before he adds.

"Is there a reason you intercept me outside the cave?"

"We hoped you had a mission for us."

Aqualad says as he arrives next to Kid Flash.

"Mission assignments are the Batman's responsibility."

Red Tornado reminds the young heroes.

"But it's been ten days."

Kid Flash says.

"Yeah, and nothing's b-"

Robin adds but Red Tornado cuts in.

"You will be tested soon enough."

Red Tornado continues as he walks past them.

"For the time being, simply enjoy each other's company."

"This team is not a social club."

Aqualad retorts.

"No. But I am told social interaction is an important team building exercise. Perhaps you can keep busy by familiarizing yourself with the Cave."

Red Tornado counteracts as he walks down the ramp to enter the mountain.

"Keep busy."

Kid Flash scoffs, turning and lightly hitting the arm of Robin who asks a rhetorical question.

"Does he think we're falling for this?" 

"Oh, I'll find out."

Miss Martian says before turning to their supervisor. The Martian narrows her eyes, staring intently at the red hero but getting nothing out of him. As he passes the sensors, the computer scans him.

"Recognized: Red Tornado, 1-6."

Miss Martian sighs as Kid Flash walks forward to stand by her.

"I-I'm sorry, I forgot he's a machine, not organic. I… can not read his mind."

"Nice try though."

The young speedster says, leaning closer to the girl.

"So hm... you know what I'm thinking right now?"

He asks trying to become intimate. Robin scoffs as he destroys the atmosphere that Kid Flash was trying to create between himself and the girl who does not view him as he views her.

"We all know what you're thinking now."

He elbows his best friend in his back, who yells.

"Ow!"

"And now we tour the clubhouse."

Aqualad says, slightly bitter.

"Triton and I live here, we can play tour guides although I guess since he is not here, I will play the tour guide."

Miss Martian suggests while looking at the others.

"Where exactly is Triton?"

Supergirl asks.

"He went out this morning saying that he was going to train. We could... wait for him to come back so he can be the tour guide."

"We won't."

Kid Flash says turning back quickly to face the Martian girl of his latest fantasies.

"Knowing the guy, he will refuse to be a tour guide for us besides the private tour sounds much more fun."

"Sh-she never said private."

Robin protests as Miss Martian looks slightly weirded out.

"Team building."

Aqualad says as Supergirl comes between Miss Martian and Kid Flash. He then adds on.

"We'll all go."

Miss Martian turns to face the inside of the Cave as Robin shoves Kid Flash.

"So, this would be our front door…"

The Team walks through a door onto a bluff overlooking the sea.

"…and this would be the back. The Cave is actually the entire mountain."

The young Martian finishes explaining. The group now walks into the hangar, which also serves as the garage, pool, and storage room.

"It was hollowed out and reinforced by Superman and Green Lantern in the early days of the League."

Kid Flash tries to brag about his knowledge. Supergirl then asks.

"Then why did they abandon it for the Hall of Justice?"

"The Cave's secret location was… compromised."

Aqualad explains.

"If villains know of the Cave, we must be on constant alert!"

Miss Martian says in a worried tone. Robin grabs her hand before he speaks.

"The bad guys know we know they know about the place, so they'd never think to look here."

As he explains the reason for not to worry about the bad guys, Kid Flash puts his hand over Robin's and takes Miss Martian's out of his grip.

"Uh, he means, we're hiding in plain sight."

He says trying to take over the attention of Miss Martian.

"Ah, that's much clearer."

Miss Martian says as Robin gives Kid Flash dirty looks from behind his sunglasses.

"I smell smoke."

Supergirl sniffs the air.

"My cookies!"

Miss Martian gasps. She takes flight down the hallway towards the recreational area, which is a combined kitchen, dining, and living room. She lands in front of the oven and uses her telekinesis to open the door, levitating out a tray of burned and blackened lumps.

The other members of the Team enter the room and group around. She sadly puts the tray on the island counter, where Kid Flash awaits expectantly.

"I was trying out Grammy Jones's recipe from episode seventeen of- hm, heh, never mind."

Miss Martian says while looking at Robin.

"I bet they would have tasted great."

Robin reassures her before adding on to his point by pointing at the speedster.

"He certainly doesn't seem to mind." 

Kid Flash has one cookie in his mouth and two more in his hands. He turns to look at the others, then says in an embarrassed voice.

"I have a serious metabolism."

"I'll… make more."

Miss Martian says hesitantly.

"It was sweet of you to make anything." 

Aqualad compliments.

"Thanks, Aqualad."

Miss Martian says gratefully.

"We're off duty. Call me Kaldur'ahm. Actually, my friends call me Kaldur."

He replies.

"I'm Wally."

Kid Flash says smoothly, leaning on the counter with his elbow.

"See, I already trust you with my secret ID. Unlike Mr. Dark Glasses over here."

He adds while gesturing to Robin, who scowls and places his hands on his hips.

"Batman has forbidden Boy Wonder from telling anyone his real name."

"Mine's no secret."

Miss Martian says proudly.

"It's M'gann M'orzz. But, you can call me Megan. It's an Earth name. And I'm on Earth now."

She smiles.

"My actual name is Kara Zor-El."

Supergirl says before adding on.

"And since he is not here to tell you guys, Triton's actual name is Acnologia."

"You sure, it's okay for us to know that?"

Robin asks.

"He won't care."

She shrugs her shoulder as the Boy Wonder looks at Kaldur for confirmation.

"That would be within his character to not care about what others think of him."

Kaldur says before M'gann adds on.

"Oh that's good then, I was worried about who knew his real name and who did not."

"Did he say where he was going to train by any chance?"

Robin asked to which M'gann shook her head. Seeing that a silence had begun to form M'gann searches her mind for something to make everyone feel better.

"Hello, Megan! I know what we can do."

M'gann says suddenly, slapping her forehead. She floats down the corridor to the hangar again. Robin shrugs, and they all start to follow the young Martian again, but not before Wally grabs the last of the cookies.

The Team takes the elevator up to the aerial parking section of the hangar. When it opens, M'gann holds her hands up.

"It's my Martian bioship!"

Wally and Robin exchange unimpressed glances as they all walk forward to where a red and black pod about the size of a mini-Van rests.

"Cute..."

Wally comments before adding on.

"Not... aerodynamic, but cute."

"It's at rest, silly. I'll wake it."

M'gann says, waving her hand. Instantly, the pod grows and shifts into a large spaceship composed of an oval cockpit with long arrow-shaped wings extending out to the front and back of the craft. M'gann waves her hand again and it rotates to display the opened entryway in the back.

The rest of the Team stands in shock as M'gann walks forward. She pauses before entering.

"Well, are you coming?"

The others slowly move forward, in awe of the Martian ship. Once inside, seats and control panels mold themselves from the previously smooth surfaces of the interior.

"Strap in for launch."

M'gann says. Wally and Robin exchange glance while grinning, then dash to seats on opposite sides while Kara and Kaldur are more reserved in showing their excitement

"Whoa."

Robin exclaims as the seat belt wraps itself around him.

"Cool."

Wally enthusiastically responds. Kaldur and Kara find seats in the front. M'gann takes her place in the pilot's seat.

"Red Tornado, please open the bay doors."

As the sunlight begins to stream into the dim garage, short poles rise up on either side of the pilot's seat, each topped with a cantaloup-sized orb of seafoam green, and M'gann places her hands on them.

With no discernable movement from the pilot to the naked eye of a human, the bioship smoothly rises and takes off, soaring over the ocean and up into the sky.

"Incredible."

Robin comments while looking outside

"Ahh, she sure is."

Wally sighs dreamily, looking at the Miss Martian. M'gann gives him an odd look. He tried and failed to come up with a save.

"Uh, I mean the ship. Which, like all ships, is a she."

Robin laughs as he quips at Wally's blunder.

"Fast with his feet, not so much with his mouth." 

"Dude!"

Wally yells in an embarrassed and slightly betrayed tone. Another silence takes place.

"Hey, how about showing us a little Martian shapeshifting?"

Robin suggests to break the silence. M'gann smiles gratefully and stands up. Kaldur and Kara turn in their seats to face M'gann. From her feet up, she shapeshifts into Kara.

"Not bad." 

Kara says as she thinks of something.

'This is giving me an idea for a good prank.'

The Martian then shapeshifts into a female version of Robin in his hero suit. Pausing only for a moment, M'gann twirls and shapeshifts into a female version of Kid Flash.

"Is it wrong that I think I'm hot?"

Wally wonders with a lopsided grin.

"Depends on who you are asking."

Kara retorts.

"Impressive."

Robin says, clapping and ignoring Wally. Kara claps as well before the Boy Wonder continues.

"But, you know you're not exactly gonna fool anyone with those last two."

He points at her chest. M'gann turns back into herself as she sits down before she speaks.

"Boys are hard."

She meant mimicking them but someone else thought otherwise.

"I sure am."

Wally thinks out loud.

"Keep it in your pants."

Kara says to which Robin adds.

"I think that's where he is keeping it."

Feeling embarrassed, Wally tries to change the subjects.

"Can you do that ghosting-through-walls thing that Manhunter does?"

He asks enthusiastically.

"Density-shifting? No, it's a very advanced technique."

M'gann says disappointedly.

"Flash can vibrate his molecules right through a wall. When he tries it..."

Robin laughs and gestures to Wally.

"... he gets a bloody nose."

"Dude!"

Wally protests.

"Here's something I can do."

M'gann says, changing the subject. The orbs that are the bioship's controls glow a little, and the ship disappears from view.

"Camouflage mode."

"Cool." 

Kara whispers, looking out the window. The ship is completely invisible from the outside.

"Red Tornado to Miss Martian."

Red Tornado's voice says over the on-board communication link.

"An emergency alert has been triggered at the Happy Harbor Power Plant. I suggest you investigate it, covertly. I'm sending coordinates."

"Received."

M'gann responds before adding on.

"Adjusting course."

[??? location]

Formerly known as just Nezha, he was the son of then-powerful Chinese Warlord Li Jing, but fell in battle at a young age while searching for the fable "Mark of Destruction". Something that would grant whoever had it the power to defy anyone who opposed them regardless of their status.

His father, distraught by the loss, preserved his body and scoured the globe in a way to revive his late son, lowering his fortunes to naught. He was eventually reduced to servitude, scrubbing the floors of a reputed magician, in a faint hope the man could help him.

After years had passed, the magician finally showed mercy and rewarded Li Jing with the knowledge that allowed him to create an "elixir of eternal life", using his literal blood and tears. He then entered Nezha's tomb and administered the liquid, successfully resurrecting him.

Hearing his father's tragic tale of sacrifice, Nezha grew not grateful or saddened but enraged at what his father was reduced to and beheaded him, promising to never follow such a path. Doing good upon his word the Nezha rebuilt his fortune and power over the years becoming attuned to various magics and weaponry.

He became known for his cruelty as the Devil Nezha. He had managed to find the Altar of Creation where one could be bestowed the mark of destruction but he lacked the key. He secretly searched and searched but he could never find the key or its location.

Eventually, the Gods of China intervened, offering Nezha a chance at redemption. They brought him to the Heavenly Realm and gifted him an empowered red sash that suppressed his impulses and bound the hate within him, allowing him to take human form and keep his evil at bay.

Nezha eventually chose to remove the sash, returning to his vile ways. He was sealed by the House of Ji's mystical warriors after a cruel and long fight. Now after nearly four thousand years of imprisonment, he was free but just as he was planning on taking over the world he was approached by a mysterious group who offered him a partnership.

He knew where the Atlar of Creation was located and they knew how to find the key. They proposed an alliance. Both would work with the other until the doors of the Atlar of Creation were opened then it would be every side for themselves.

Normally, Nezha would not have agreed to this, he would have fought them and taken what he wanted from them but at that moment, his thirst for the Mark of Destruction was rekindled. It felt just like when he learned about it for the first time.

He agreed and joined their group. Even blinded by his rejuvenated thirst for power, he still had a plan, he would help them make the key and then he would betray them before even telling them the location of the Altar of Creation. Ironically, the other group had a similar idea to his.