Chapter 47 – Infiltrator Pt. 4

August 8, 2010 - Happy Harbor, RI

Happy Harbor High School

21:57:06

And I thought the team needed a lot of work before…, Superboy groused to himself as he patrolled the moonlit grounds of Happy Harbor High School. It was a surreal experience; a closed school during summer vacation was already a liminal space. They were trespassing two times over; legally and spiritually, being inside an empty school at night felt wrong. The locale also dredged up gloomy feelings about his own aborted high school career, before the cancer had come back.

His reverie was interrupted by the brush of telepathy across his cerebellum.

Aqualass: Ms. Martian, link us up. Dr. Roquette as well. We do not want the Assassins intercepting our comms.

The connection stabilized and he could feel the invisible telepathic connection reaching up and away from him, to Ms. Martian positioned on the rooftop. From there, her psychic links touched the others, with her serving as the telepathic switchboard that let the mindlink work. He wondered if his psychic sensitivity was dialing up from his constant communion with Gizmo. The G-Gnome had been too tuckered out by their beach day to accompany the team, and was snoozing in his nest bed back at Mt. Justice.

Ms. Martian : Everyone online?

Apollo : Oh, this is weird…

The newcomer’s thoughts were discordant and spiky, almost like they were coming through harsh interference. Apollo was proving… prickly. Superboy schooled his thoughts, as Ms. Martian and Gizmo had taught him, least they slip out across the mindlink. He was already worried about Apollo fitting in with the team.

Dr. Roquette : And distracting. Coding a distributive algorithm virus on a kiddie computer with less ram than a wristwatch is hard enough. Now I have to hear teen-think in my skull?

The doc’s disgust at the mental contamination came unequivocally through the mind link. Her thoughts were sharp, bright and brittle, like chipped ice. She hadn’t stopped complaining since they had arrived at Trojan’s impromptu stash house to find her already hard at work on her counter virus to the Fog. The team  was spread out across the building; he and Ms. Martian were on perimeter watch. She was on the roof where she could maximize her flight, while he was roving the grounds and relying on his super senses to warn them of approaching Assassins.

So far, the only intruders he’d heard had been a family of racoons trying to raid the cafeteria’s dry goods stores.

The rest of the team was ensconced with the doc in the computer lab. Superboy could understand some of her frustration; Trojan had told her he was going to the Guild for help when he’d left her here. But the team wasn’t making its best impression on her so far.

Kid Quick: Lady, do you think you could be a little more appreciative when someone tries to help you?

Superboy rolled his eyes as he turned the corner on his patrol, remembering to keep changing his route and timing. Just as Wonder Woman had instructed in their first training session.

Apollo: Pot, kettle. Have you met?

Facepalming, for the third time tonight, he took a deep breath to calm himself as a repeat of the shouting match at the Cave began all over again.

Kid Quick: Hey, it was supposed to be a compliment!

And with that, it began all over again, just quieter and inside of his head so he couldn’t even tune it out. The mindlink was an incredible asset for the team, unless you wanted to get out of the group chat because your friends were having an awkward argument with a new teammate, plus a civilian they were meant to be guarding also in on it. Secondhand embarrassment was rising to a boil in Superboy. He wondered for the tenth time why Kid wouldn’t just apologize? She had tried walking back her comment at the Cave but it had set Apollo off like a firecracker. The Guilders had told her off, so had Aqualass, but she just got more evasive and defensive.

Worst of all, she kept looking towards him to defend her, which only pissed Apollo off more, glaring daggers at Superboy and daring him to say anything. He had been torn between wanting to defend Kid but not wanting to condone what she’d said. Nobody supporting her had only made her more evasive and defensive, and nothing had been resolved by the time they arrived at Happy Harbor High School.

Doing his best to tune out Apollo and Kid Quick’s recycled sniping, he focused on his own feelings about the night’s… unpleasantness. He hadn’t thought much of Kid’s comment, until he saw Apollo’s reaction. The red and gold archer had been furious, accusing Kid of misandry and worse things besides. She had walked it back and made excuses, but the way Apollo and Green Arrow had reacted, he felt like he was missing something. Having had time to stew on it, he knew what it was.

Apollo was viscerally offended, and from everyone else’s reaction, right to be. Superboy was grappling with why, exactly. Kid had been just as flirty with him from the night he’d arrived. It didn’t bother him at all, he found it flattering. Especially because he also found her attractive. But Apollo had reacted like a scalded cat.

The argument had once more reached its zenith and Apollo was storming off… again.

Apollo: How about I just help Ms. Martian and Superboy patrol the perimeter?

Aqualass : Good idea.

The team leader’s response was terse enough he could feel her aggravation, even beneath the controlled serenity she normally broadcast. He did not envy Aqualass one iota for the burden she took on as their leader. She hadn’t been refereeing the sniping much, which made him curious as to her motives. That seemed like what a team leader should do, but Superboy wasn’t one so he assumed she knew better.

There was blessed silence on the mindlink for a minute, presumably as Apollo repositioned to join them outside and no longer had Kid’s presence to set him off anymore. But then Robin cut in with a gentle attempt at peacemaking.

Robin: You could apologize…

Kid Quick: I did apologize!

Robin : But you keep saying it was supposed to be a compliment. That’s not an apology for saying it. That’s you sort of apologizing but also implying he shouldn’t have been offended in the first place. He also saved our butts against Darci when he took out the controller.

Superboy could feel Kid’s confusion as she rapidly parsed what Robin was saying.

Kid Quick: What? No, that was Green Arrow’s… arrow, right?

Robin: Not so much. Gold arrow, remember?

Kid Quick : Well… still not giving him the satisfaction .

Apollo: You know I can still hear you.

The archer’s smugness colored his message, and equally Superboy felt the spike of Kid’s embarrassment and Robin’s amusement.

And Aqualass’ long suffering patience running thin.

Roquette : I couldn’t get the Justice Guild…

Aqualass: The virus won’t be of much use if we cannot find the weapon. Can you track it?

Now he could feel Dr. Roquette’s brittle anger at the mention of the word ‘weapon’. But beneath that, he felt her worry and fear. She was afraid for her life, but burying it beneath her focus on her work and anger at the team’s bickering.

Roquette: My utility Fog is not a ‘weapon’. Its science, brilliant science! And of course I can track it, but I’d have to go online. Might as well rent a billboard with this address and ‘Assassinate Me!’ written in big neon letters.

The turbulent emotions that played across the mindlink had roiled them all up, but Aqualass projected a feeling that calmed the seas. The touch of her mind was like a gentle breeze that quieted the roaring surf. Once more, Superboy was reminded of why they’d elected her leader. Even Dr. Roquette’s razor edged thoughts dulled at the touch.

Aqualass : We will protect you.

With those simple words and the iron conviction that underlaid them, he felt Dr. Roquette’s spirits lift from her anxious pit and fill with a measure of hope. Then, a new feeling he hadn’t felt from her yet; resolve.

Roquette: Tracking the Fog now.

Superboy’s spirits lifted as well, now that the constant sniping had quieted and they had a course of action. Aqualass fed them the plan over the mindlink; as soon as Dr. Roquette had a location for the Fog, she and Robin would take Ship to the location and deploy the counter virus against the nanomachine swarm. That should, theoretically, shut the Fog down and render it harmless, preventing the Assassins from stealing anymore tech and secrets. That would leave Superboy, Ms. Martian, Kid Quick and Apollo to protect Dr. Roquette.

Robin : If we’re able to trace the Fog, the League of Assassins will be able to track us as well. And we’ll be splitting our forces.

Aqualass : Dr. Roquette’s life will not be safe until the League is convinced she is no longer a danger to the Fog. Either by eliminating her, or eliminating the Fog as an asset. Once it is disabled, they no longer have a reason to pursue Dr. Roquette.

Robin : That could work. The League of Assassins are consummate professionals; they don’t keep pursuing a target over pride or revenge. As soon as their mission can no longer accomplish the goal they’ve been set, they’ll back off.

Superboy was pleased with a proactive plan of action; sitting around until the Assassins showed up and just took potshots at Dr. Roquette until they got her was a losing strategy. The team had to be lucky every time, and the Assassins only had to get lucky once. He was less thrilled by splitting up, especially with Aqualass and Robin being the ones to go. But he couldn’t argue with the division of labor; the away team needed Robin’s technical skills and someone with diverse powers to deal with the Fog. He offered to go with Robin, but Aqualass insisted that he was their blocker against nearly any threat. Dr. Roquette’s life was in his hands.

The team was now divided into Alpha and Beta squads; Alpha would be the away team, and Beta would guard Dr. Roquette. Now they were only waiting on the tracking to give them a hit on the Fog’s next target.

A rustle in the bushes disturbed him on his patrol. He froze, eyes scanning the undergrowth beyond the chainlink fence of the sport fields. Infrared vision showed no heat signatures larger than a squirrel, and all he heard was the rustle of the leaves in the cool night breeze. After a moment, nothing jumped out of the shadows or made a further racket, so he turned away to his patrol. Gathering himself, he leapt up on to the roof, landing lightly at the apex of his leap. Wonder Woman had been schooling him on how to utilize his mass and velocity with expertise and a deft touch; it was already paying off. Another leap took him across the rooftop, and then he hopped down to the other side of the school where Ms. Martian and Apollo stood sentinel.

Apollo was in a crouch, golden compound bow in hand, scanning the treeline at the edge of the property. As Superboy landed, Apollo’s eyes flicked toward him, and his lip curled.

Apollo: That boy…

Superboy was taken aback at the tightly controlled anger and venom that accompanied that look, making eye contact over his shoulder in confusion. Apollo kept glaring at him, even as he kept an eye on the perimeter. Ms. Martian looked shocked by Apollo’s rancor.

Ms. Martian: He can hear you. We can all hear you.

Apollo: I know.

He would have liked to ask what Apollo’s problem was, but duty called and Superboy continued on his patrol with a wary glance over his shoulder. Apollo still had his eyes locked on Superboy’s back even as he walked away. That brewing confrontation was dispelled by Aqualass’ next update.

Aqualass : Ms. Martian, Dr. Roquette has located the Fog. Reconfigure the Bio-Ship so that Robin and myself can pursue.

With a simple gesture and the verdant glow of her eyes, Ms. Martian’s instructions reached Ship and the alien biotech vessel shed its camouflage and descended onto the nearby baseball diamond, extending its ramp.

Ms. Martian: Ready.

Robin and Aqualass sprinted out of the doors and up into the ship as soon as Ms. Martian alerted them, and the hatch sealed shut behind them. Seconds later, Ship rose into the air silently jetted away to the south, until Superboy couldn’t see it any longer.

Aqualass : Ms. Martian, you have Beta squad. Protect Dr. Roquette at all costs. She needs to finish the virus before we can render the Fog harmless and her, safe.

Ms. Martian: Acknowledged. Beta squad, fall back on Dr. Roquette.

Silent telepathic assent broadcast from the rest of Beta as they fell back inside. Superboy arrived back at the computer lab first, where Kid was standing with her arms crossed, leaning against the wall, her face tight. Not wanting to send anymore telepathic chatter and spark some new fight, Superboy caught her eye and gave her a reassuring nod and a smile. She brightened, exiting her brooding pose, and smiled back. He threw his head towards the door and moved out of the way, signalling for her to patrol, while looking meaningfully at Dr. Roquette and moving toward her. The good doctor ignored their silent conversation and kept tapping away at her keyboard as windows and code flew by on the screen. Kid nodded her understanding, departing to patrol while Superboy stood watch over Dr. Roquette.

He stood over her shoulder and briefly tried to follow what she was doing but immediately realized he had no idea what programming was supposed to look like, and focused on what he did know. He was ideally suited for the bodyguard role; his invulnerability meant few enemies could hurt him, leaving him safe to throw himself on Dr. Roquette from any threat. Plus, his super senses meant he had a unique ability to detect threats coming before the rest of the team. Unfortunately, it meant he had both a boring and vital role, and the responsibility tested him.

Looking down at Dr. Roquette as he worked, he considered how fragile she was compared to him. The League of Assassins were a legion of highly trained killers, from ninja goons to unique supervillains like Sportsmaster. Few of them had any powers, but Trojan had already stormed their island once. They’d know that Dr. Roquette had meta-human protectors now. Wondering who they would send to silence her occupied his thoughts and distracted him from thinking about how easy it would be for him to miss one bullet or knife. He rarely worried about his own safety since acquiring this body and its powers, but now he had a normal person’s life in his hands.

Focusing, he shut his eyes and opened his super hearing, tuning in to all the noises he normally tuned out. The wind rustling the leaves outside, the creaking of the building, pinging off the old piping in the walls, the ultrasonic whine of electronics around him in the computer lab, and the machinegun typing of Dr. Roquette. Trying to hear the things that didn’t belong, the sounds that might betray a hidden Assassin.

It was a task not made easier by the telepathic argument filling his head, he realized with  sigh.

Ms. Martian: Why are you antagonizing Superboy? You embarrassed him.

Apollo: Why does he need you to defend him?

Ms. Martian : Must you challenge everyone?

Apollo : Where I come from, that’s how you survive.

Superboy growled, causing Dr. Roquette to glance up at him before returning to her work. Tired of the constant bickering, he decided to put his foot down and squash this beef.

Superboy: Can we please just focus on the mission and have all the arguments we want later? When we aren’t on the lookout for a bunch of killer ninjas?

No one else answered, and he got the distinct image of Ms. Martian and Apollo with their arms crossed and facing away from each other. But that may have just been his imagination.

Then his hearing detected a thud and a splash across the school, and the bottom dropped out of his stomach.

Superboy: I hear something.

He strained his hearing, trying to pick something up. Focusing, he turned his aural attention towards the sound of the water, recognizing the lapping of pool water against the sides of the inground swimming pool by the gymnasium. And the lapping of the water against something else. WIth a start he turned toward the pool’s direction, realizing what was missing in the tableau of sound within the school.

Superboy couldn’t hear the patter of Kid Quick’s feet anywhere in the vicinity.

Superboy: Does anyone see Kid anywhere? Kid, can you hear me?!

She didn’t respond. His panic rose as he blasted out his telepathic query, and he felt the others' rising tension. Ms. Martian’s was spikey and aggravated, but Apollo’s smoothed its prickly nature and a cool confidence asserted itself. He felt nothing from Kid.

Ms. Martian: I’ll find her!

Fear lowered as Ms. Martian investigated, and warily, Superboy turned to survey room, searching the shadows for hidden Assassins. Ears perked for any sign of an intruder, he knew in his heart they were already here. He turned towards the door, putting himself between it and Dr. Roquette. It was open a crack, and his heart rate increased as the tension rose. He scanned in every direction, hearing strained to the limit as he tried to predict which direction the Assassin was coming from. He didn’t see anything, but he didn’t need to, as he located his target.

They were incredibly quiet as they moved, but they couldn’t silence the heartbeat in their chest. He had just enough warning of their presence to leap in front of Dr. Roquette as whirling blades flashed in the moonlight towards her. They impacted against his chest but he barely felt them. However their gleaming points stuck in his shirt and jacket, both black in his stealth mode. Looking down at them, he saw they were actual factual ninja throwing stars.

They were dripping a milky white poison on his shirt, he noted as his eyebrows tried to escape orbit. Thinking back to his lessons with the team and Wonder Woman, he barked out a command.

“Doc, get down!”

But Roquette stared up at him in bemusement, her eyes drawn to the ninja stars sticking out of his chest, staring at them as if they were a fascinating cultural artifact at a museum instead of a poisoned assassin’s weapon. He shoved her away from the computer desk and back towards the wall, putting him between her and danger again.

Then their enemy revealed herself. Bursting through the door was a female figure in a green tunic, cut and fastened like a qi pao with long sleeves, but slit up to her hips and ending at mid thigh. She showed off tantalizing lengths of pale legs, her modesty covered in matte gold booty shorts beneath the forest green tunic. There was a lighter green silk sash wound around her waist, with a black weapons belt over it carrying a pair of sai among other weapons and equipment. She wore armored matte black thigh high boots, and matching armored gloves that disappeared up her voluminous green sleeves. Most curious was the wild mane of black hair and the grotesque mask she wore, some kind of Asian design in white and with cat eyes that were darkened lenses, and an impossibly wide, grinning and fanged mouth.

As she came into the room, she hurled a fistful of shuriken towards Roquette and he threw himself in the path of those as well. They bounced off him harmlessly for the most part, but a few stuck in his clothing. He scrambled back to block for Dr. Roquette as the strange Assassin drew her sai and advanced.

“I don’t suppose you’re feeling woozy from all that jellyfish toxin, are you?” She purred as she leapt onto and over a table to come flying at him with both sai thrust forward, aiming for his eyes. He twisted away and simultaneously brushed a fistful of shuriken off his coat and shirt, and onto the floor where they fell with a chorus of tinks. He twisted around towards her and threw a punch that she ducked beneath with embarrassing ease. Superboy traded more blows with her, but she simply wasn’t there wherever his blows landed, flowing around him like water.

“Sorry, lady, I’m immune. You’d have to cut me first, and I don’t like your chances.” Superboy stated with a certain false bravado. He wasn’t sure if she could hurt him; he hadn’t exactly tried stabbing himself in the eye yet with human strength. Not being eager to find out, he dodged and weaved to avoid her vicious stabs. She maneuvered him expertly, and he found himself being turned away from Dr. Roquette. Seeing her opportunity, the green clad Assassin feinted with one sai and then hurled the other like a dagger right for Dr. Roquette’s face. Seeing her fate unfolding, he threw himself with all his possible speed and felt the sai impact against the back of his head and went flying off across the room.

“Tsk.” The Assassin said simply, and drew a short knife from her back to pair with the remaining sai and charged forward, trying to slip around Superboy to get at Dr. Roquette. He threw himself into Dr. Roquette’s protection, not letting harm come to her at all. He threw a few clumsy counters but the Assassin never stopped moving, so he abandoned offense and just did everything he could to step between the doc and the Assassin. Just as he felt he was being overwhelmed and Roquette was doomed, there was a twang and hiss as an arrow struck the sai in her hand and sent it flying.

Apollo began a steady rhythm of arrow fire, shaft after shaft loosed towards the assassin. She abandoned her sai and knife and drew a folding blade that snapped out of the handle and unfolded into a short slashing sword. As Apollo fired arrow after arrow at the target, she in turn focused on her own defense as they put pressure on her. She sliced and batted aside arrow after arrow. She advanced toward Apollo, and Superboy returned to guarding Roquette, glad to have the squirrely assassin occupied.

She kept advancing grimly toward Apollo as he drew, pulled back and fired, over and over. Just as she got within sword range of him, Kid Quick and Ms. Martian also burst into the room. At the sight of Kid, Superboy’s heart soared, seeing she was safe. Kid wasted no time jumping into the fight, taking a superspeed running charge at the Assassin, who leapt over her and sent her careening into Apollo. The two sprang up, pushing each other out of the way. Taking one look at the gauntlet of foes arrayed before her, the Assassin drew something from her belt and hurled it at the floor.

The last thing she said chilled Superboy.

“This is getting interesting… a little too interesting. “

She hurled a pellet down and smoke billowed through the room and blinded them all. Superboy kept Dr. Roqueate from danger, covering his mouth as the smoke filled the room. Then, when the smoke cleared, she was gone.

If you find any errors (non-standard content, ads redirect, broken links, etc..), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible.