Hi one, hi all.

I turn around for one minute (metaphorically speaking) and all of a sudden I have over a thousand reviews and two thousand followers. Thank you all very much for the support. I do apologise for the delay. I have had the worst case of writer's block for this story – funnily enough the problem wasn't Tech-Priest (or segments related to Tech-Priest) – it was the Justice League stuff.

That combined with a new job and other factors has made this chapter incredibly difficult to write.

As you can see, we are getting closer and closer to season 1, episode 1 of Young Justice.

Let's see where this goes…

Chapter 20

The sun was entering twilight over Mount Justice. Its corridors were quiet and most of their rooms were still closed. But the main briefing room is still in full use.

"How are the Americas' going?" Superman rubbed his tired eyes.

"All good from our perspective." The battle couple, Green Arrow and Black Canary noted. "We managed to put out the Amazonian forest fire."

"Excellent." Superman scrolled through the spreadsheet. It was horrifying; no matter how much of a dent the Justice League put in the damn thing, it kept growing. "Oceania?"

"All clear." The newly-christened Aquaman replied. "There was an oil spill and a couple of attempts at piracy off Thailand, but they were quickly put down."

"Good." Superman did one last check of the spreadsheet before he gave up. "I don't know about you but I'm beat."

"Just shy of 72 hours." Green Arrow sighed. "It's a new record. One which we seem to be beating with every shift."

"We are all under the pressure." Superman nodded in agreement. "Is there anything else before we hand it over to the 'night shift'?"

"Yeah." Green Arrow paused, wrestling with whatever he was going to say, but clearly he decided 'screw it.' "We need to discuss bringing on more members."

Superman's natural alertness kicked in. "I thought we agreed to hold off."

"That was last month." Green Arrow fired back forcefully but not aggressively; tired but not hostile. "This month is even worse."

"Gotham's grace period after what…happened…" Kaldur squirmed in his seat. "It's over. I did not think it was possible, but crime has somehow gotten worse. Robin is drowning."

"I wanted to flag something about that," Green Arrow leant forward, "we have been talking about bringing Speedy, Robin and Kid Flash on board. Now I admit I am not the best mentor in the world, but he's ready. I know the others are too."

"Zatanna…." Black Canary paused. "I think Zatanna is ready too. Despite Doctor Fate's…objections."

The Aquaman's expression brightened. "Really? As full members?"

"Maybe not as full members." Green Arrow pursed his lips. "But at least bring them into the fold."

"Not full members?"Kaldur paled in surprise. "But that's….insulting. If this is about age, I am no older than them and I am a full member."

"No one is questioning their age." Black Canary paused. "It's a…question of training, teamwork and experience. They are…not yet ready to run with us against the scale of the threats we deal with. Not yet at least."

"And me?" Aquaman struggled to keep his temper in check.

"Aquaman, I've seen you work." Green Arrow's next question was like a shot through the heart. "Are you really telling me they are on the same calibre as you? You say the word and I will push for full membership right now."

Almost on reflex, every muscle in Aquman's body burned. The pain of the training he endured still lingered in the back of his mind. But the pain almost answered Green Arrow's question for Kaldur.

"But there is another issue." Green Arrow continued. "We need to think bigger."

"What's up Ollie?" Superman asked.

"We need to reinforce the ranks." Green Arrow frowned. "We need to open our books."

"You mean a full recruitment drive?" Aquaman was surprised. "Have we ever done that before?"

"Not since '08, and even then it was six members." Superman furrowed his brow, he was chewing on the nail on his thumb. It was true; the Justice League was still at half strength, but crime clearly did not care. They were tired, even those with superhuman stamina were starting to feel the weight. "I suppose we have been putting it off. I'll talk to Diana when she gets in."

"But what about you?" Green Arrow prodded. "What do you think?"

"I don't know if now is the right time." Superman mumbled. "The UN Reporting Committee is still very angry with us and-"

"Clark!" Arrow leant forward even further. "We are pulling three day shifts! We're burning ourselves out! It's only a matter of time before one of us screw up and then-"

"Don't! Don't say it!" Superman dared not give life to what they all feared; the Justice League buried enough friends. "Fine, I'll support you Ollie. In whatever way you feel appropriate. But you have to raise it with Diana, she's the Chairman."

"I will." Green Arrow leant back in his chair, Black Canary patted him on the shoulder. "I'm sorry Clark, I'm just…I'm sorry."

"It's okay Ollie." Superman reassured him. "I know this has not been easy on any of you. But I can say how proud I am of all of you for enduring this…trial. Kaldur, would you be willing to talk to Robin, Kid Flash and Speedy? Feel them out? Apart from their mentors, you know them best."

Normally, Aquaman would have been chomping at the bit to give his friends the good news. But the way their membership was pitched gave him pause. All he could muster was a shallow nod. "I'll reach out to them once we hand over the shift."

0o0o0o

The sun was setting as Gate B1 opened. The Tech-Priest shambled out with his mechanical legs whirring, and a nervous acolyte in tow.

They met their insistent visitor, who climbed out of a rather sizeable truck; Cardsharp's internal database told him it was a M35 2½-ton cargo truck; a military vehicle. He was in his late-twenties, well-built and above average in height. He wore regular clothes, but his posture and the way he held his arms by his side told the Tech-Priest much.

"Who are you?" Cardsharp asked, already having a good idea who their visitor was.

"Specialist Andy Eldridge, Michigan National Guard." He answered, his voice a little off. If Cardsharp was a suspicious Tech-Priest (and he was), Andy sounded almost nervous. A more detail scan from the Manufactorum's sensors indicated he carried no weapons, and there were no chemicals or other materials that would constitute explosives in the truck. The adept felt several of his internal systems wind down. "I take it you are the Tech-Priest."

"I am." Cardsharp used this opportunity to practice his 'bedside manner' as his acolyte called it. Apparently going straight to business was a highly efficient attribute that the Adeptus Mechanicus took pride in, but it made normal people uncomfortable. According to John, if he was a little more casual the answers would come on their own. "Where are you from, Specialist?"

"I'm with the 106th Engineer Battalion up in Grand Rapids." Eldridge looked over his shoulder at the truck.

"You are a long way from your base." Cardsharp noted the two and half hour journey the Specialist took to get here. "You are also out of uniform, outside after lights out, and looking over your shoulder; I take it you are not here officially?"

"No." Eldridge shifted uncomfortably.

Cardsharp asked warily, already guessing what the answer was "And I take it, that you did not get permission for that truck?"

"No." Eldridge squirmed under Cardsharp's optics. "I've asked around and I was told I could trust you. I need your help."

Trust me? Cardsharp did not know how to feel about that. The way Eldridge was acting was atypical to say the least. "I don't understand, you are confessing to being AWOL and stealing government property." Cardsharp's mind was processing the different possibilities for this situation. "Are you here to turn yourself in?"

"No!" Eldridge shook his head. "No, I came here because I'm desperate, no one else will help me. Look…"

As Eldridge climbed into the back of the truck, Cardsharp remained impassive. Nonetheless, he whispered to his acolyte to get back behind the gate. The Tech-Priest radioed the three Skitarii on the wall to target their weapons. Sure Eldridge did not appear to have any kind of ill intent, but it never hurt to be safe.

Eldridge will never know how lucky he is. Cardsharp mused. I can only guess how this conversation would have ended if Commissar Gevin were here instead. There was some struggling and the scraping of something heavy. Specialist Eldridge finally parted the cover to reveal what he was moving.

It was 84.6 centimetres in length, sleek black with two continuous track treads on either side. In the centre there was a large robotic manipulator arm and a spectrum of sensors. "A Foster-Miller TALON." Cardsharp concluded as he walked closer to the truck. "A model 2, and very well used one." There were scars all over it, impacting the steel frame and the treads. It also looked like it had undergone several modifications, it seems there were a series of listening devices and a day-night colour cameras on the side. "Heavily customised."

"Yeah. Those are mine." The specialist patted the machine. "I've worked with her for nearly six years now."

"Her?" Cardsharp looked at Eldridge and then back at the TALON, a small smile creeped onto his face. "What's her name?"

"Haley." Eldridge pointed to a crudely drawn name in yellow in the rear of the robotic construct. Hmmm, Cardsharp smiled, nice to meet you Haley.

"Where did you work with her?" Cardsharp was so enraptured with the machine, he did not notice his acolyte walk up beside him sharing similar interest.

"Iraq, then Afghanistan. I'm an IED and EOD tech." Eldridge answered, surprised at the age of the young Irons. "Haley is my partner."

"Explosives." Cardsharp grunted in acknowledgement, as he scanned the battery systems. "A very dangerous line of work."

"You have no idea." Eldridge turned to the acolyte. "Who are you?"

"He is my apprentice." Cardsharp answered. "If you trust me, you can trust him."

"I didn't know you had a sidekick, Tech-Priest." Eldridge's face warmed into a smile, looking at the youngest Irons. "What's your superhero name?" The young boy blushed and was about to answer, but for his master.

"He is my apprentice." Cardsharp repeated, although his tone betrayed his annoyance. "Not a sidekick."

"Right." Eldridge lost his playfulness. "Sorry, sir."

Cardsharp nodded and resumed his inspection. "So why do you need my help?"

"Haley stopped working about 5 months ago." Eldridge explained. "I tried to fix her as best as I could, but nothing worked. Replaced batteries, new wiring; nothing. I need you to fix her." A broken Machine Spirit; now that got the Tech-Priest's attention. The Adept shuffled past the Specialist and knelt before the TALON in concern and curiosity. Internal scans revealed no preliminary issues; Hayley should be up and running.

But she wasn't…Cardsharp's internal processers buzzed. Most curious.

"Sorry." The acolyte asked. "But why don't you ask the manufacturer to fix it, or someone else in the military?"

"I've tried everything." Eldridge shook his head. "They either don't know or don't care. I know Foster-Miller don't give a damn…'not cost effective' or somewhat. They did offer the latest Model 3, but to hell with that."

"Why don't you just accept the upgrade?" The acolyte asked. Cardsharp hid his smirk under his robe. John was too young to know what was happening. He allowed the specialist to explain.

"I have served with this girl for 6 years. I know every inch of her. She may look busted, but I know there is still life in her." Eldridge explained. "Haley saved my life many times. We have literally bled together; oil and blood. I am not leaving without her."

It's a love story. Cardsharp recalled his talks with Master Kyriz, and he could feel one of his cybernetic hearts skip a beat.

But then reality brought him back. "Leaving?" The Tech-Priest looked up; he already had an idea of what was happening. "When do you deploy?"

"I received my marching orders a week ago. I deploy back to Afghanistan on July 5th." Eldridge frowned. "Which means I need Haley back by Independence Day. If not, they will assign me with some Model 3 junk. That is assuming of course they don't court martial me for taking government property."

"July 4th?" Cardsharp calculated the logistics. "It is going to be very tight. I am not expert on your military procedures, won't they notice Haley is gone in the meantime?"

"The armourer is a friend of mine, she's delaying her reports long enough for me to get Haley here and back." Eldridge waved off the concern. "As long as I get Haley back by July 4th, then I am golden."

Cardsharp said nothing, the only sound that could be heard was the humming of his cybernetics.

"So…." The Specialist sounded nervous again. "Will you help?"

"One last question, Specialist." Cardsharp stood to look at the military man in the eye. "Is she worth it? Is she worth risking your career and freedom?"

"I'm here, aren't I?" Eldridge scoffed "We're a team. Damn right, she's worth it."

"The correct answer." Cardsharp smiled, and signalled to nearby Skitarii. "Well Specialist, I think we can help you. We'll ensure Haley is fully operational in time for your deployment. You will need to come back in the evening of the 4th of July."

"Really?!" Eldridge looked as if he won the lottery. "Thanks Tech-Priest! I'll be here."

"Don't thank me yet, Specialist." Cardsharp parted to allow the Skitarii to take the new charge inside. "Now you head back to your base. You have a long drive ahead of you."

Specialist Eldridge once again thanked the duo and began to restart the engine. It was only when he exited the Manufactorum and was well into the street did Tech-Priest turn to his young charge.

"Well apprentice." If John did not know better, he could swear the Tech-Priest sounded almost… giddy. "We appear to have a new project on our hands; one of the highest priority."

"Master," John asked, "what about our other projects? The repair of the electrical infrastructure in Canton?"

"True," Cardsharp agreed, "but we have received a higher calling."

"How?"

"Hypothetical: You are of sufficient age to drive, your mother and father were grievously injured and there is no help in sight." Cardsharp turned to his acolyte. "You put your parents in the car and you drive to the hospital. You reach an intersection; there is a red light. No cars are in sight, but the law compels you to stop and wait for it to turn green. Time is of the essence; your parents' survival shall be determined in seconds. What do you do?"

John blinked in surprise, but his answer was immediate. "I run the red light, of course."

Cardsharp held up a finger. "But you just broke the law."

"To save my mum and dad?" John scoffed. "They can sue me." Only then did his master's hypothetical start to make sense. "Oh."

"Exactly. That is what Specialist Eldridge has done." Tech-Priest gestured to where the truck had turned the corner. "He broke the law, to save his Machine Spirit; one of the most sacred bonds a human can have."

"But I don't understand." John's puzzled expression remained. "Why us?"

"Because no one would help him." Cardsharp shrugged. "Because that is the role of the Adeptus Mechanicus."

The acolyte looked up at his master and smiled, as if something just came to him. "'And as servants of the Ecclesiarchy guard the souls of the righteous, so too shall the Cult Mechanicus guard the Machine Spirits. For that is what it is to be a Tech-Priest.'"

"Aphorisms 27.32. Excellent." Cardsharp hid his pride. "I am pleased that you have found our situation in scripture."

John accepted the compliment gladly. "So what do we do now?"

"Come acolyte," Tech-Priest gestured, "Haley needs us; and we have much work to do."

0o0o0o

"Evening General." Said a woman in suit that can best be described as 'crumpled'. "Or should I say good morning? Thank you for coming at such an uncommon hour."

"Is that what 0100 is called in Fort Meade, Liz? An 'uncommon hour'?" General Eiling grumbled as he handed over all electronics, even his wrist watch. "You need to work on your humour."

"I'm sorry general." Liz smiled apologetically.

"Ah don't be." The general rubbed his eyes which were heavy with dark rings. "Sorry Liz, I've just been having a lot of late nights."

"Have you taken off everything electronic?" Liz gestured behind her. "Once we go through those doors, it won't work again."

"Yeah." The general patted down his pockets for the final time. "I won't make that mistake again." The woman called Liz gestured for the general to follow her. As they crossed the threshold, the general could feel the electronic signals send a small shiver up his spine. But they were now in one of the most secure areas in the United States, if not the world. "So what did you need to speak to me about?"

Liz did not say anything, but the subtle shake of her head was clear; not here. The general played along; Eiling served with Liz may years ago in the Gulf, and while she has since moved on to the world of SIGINT their trust in each other never wavered.

Row upon row of computer screens, staffed with row upon row of analysts who were undoubtedly all smarter than the general. They were all scrambling, pointing at various numbers and lines of code and speaking in a language that only the most computer literate could hope to understand. The General toured the floor before, it was always a busy place. But today seemed more hectic than normal.

It was only until they reached Liz's office, a quiet elevated space that overlooked the main floor, did they resume their conversation. "Is it me or are the nerds more anxious than usual?"

"I'm a nerd too, General." Liz smirked. "But yes, they are quite worked up. They have been for several months now."

"Well you know me, Liz." Eiling sighed. "I'm happy to help where I can but I have my hands full at the moment."

"Actually I think we can help each other." Liz paused. "I think our problem is Roanoke related."

General Eiling stiffened, but apart from his rigid posture he gave nothing away. Seconds dragged on.

"Security Clearance code Charlie Delta. Project 1138." Liz recited the credentials, which were meaningless except to a select few. "Croatoan X-P35."

"I did not know Roanoke was disseminated more broadly." Eiling grumbled.

"It's not. But due to this," Liz gestured to the primary screen on the main floor, "the Director decided to forward me some small details. But I have not communicated them to anyone else."

"Keep it that way." The General looked at a very crude map of the Earth albeit with a lot of interconnected lines. "What is 'this'?"

"Key internet infrastructure." Liz explained. "The internet backbone as it were. You know that purge of computer related crime?"

"The one that turned the mafia back into a cash business?" The General chuckled.

"Amongst other things." Liz nodded. "But something else popped up." Liz pointed to the every growing red lines. "Some kind of new program. The red lines indicate infrastructure which has been compromised."

What worried the General more than anything was the amount of red. "Go on."

"It looks like an operating system of some kind, but it is spreading like a virus." Liz explained. "It first latched on to illegal servers or the computers of organised crime. It stole all their data, all their money, everything. But it's now spreading into the civilian networks, banks, private servers – nothing malicious at this stage just observation."

"It sounds tricky." The General frowned. "But I am waiting for the catch."

"The catch, General." Liz stressed. "Is that this system has a very powerful encryption. I have never seen anything like it. None of us have. We have thrown every resource at it, sanctioned and otherwise. We can't crack it and we can't read any server which is infected with it. Every time we even touch it, it splits off into more complicated systems and cyphers."

"I'm still a paper and pencil person Liz." The General hurried it along. "Speak to me in English."

"It means that we are being kicked out of our own infrastructure. We can't see or hear what is going on. It is scrambling phone calls, texts and emails. This…whatever-it-is, has already managed to get into three commercial satellites." Liz pointed to several insignias that represented government infrastructure. "Our defence capabilities are untouched at the moment, but if this thing continues to spread it will get to us eventually, and the more we fight it – the faster it spreads."

"How is this related to Roanoke?"

"Because," Liz pulled out a pad, "we managed to isolate a signature of sorts. It took a lot of work, but it is better than nothing. Look familiar?" The General looked at the image on the pad and the blood drained from his face; it was more than familiar.

It was the image of a two-headed eagle.

The Aquila.

The Imperium of Mankind.

"I was having such a good day too." The General whispered. "Dammit."

"Yeah, it's got to be Tech-Priest." Liz nodded. "I want to make it clear, the agency has absolutely no issue with him crippling organised crime and terrorist organisations. In fact, we have been lending a hand when we can."

The General's curiosity got the better of him. "How?"

"That's not important." Liz's response was a little too rehearsed, and it screamed 'mind your own business' - Eiling got the hint. "But now he is starting cross into national security. I need you to stop him."

"I have my own orders Liz." The General confessed. "I don't know if I am allowed to destroy him."

"Wade," Liz finally dropped the pretense, "I am not asking you to kill him. But if Tech-Priest keeps doing…whatever-the-hell he is doing, the agency will be blind and crippled. We will no longer have supremacy in SIGINT and cyberwarfare…but then again neither will our competitors. The internet will belong to Tech-Priest."

The General got the point. "I'll run this up the flagpole. He's still in Detroit?"

"Yeah, and it's pretty obvious. There are civilians trying to get a good look at him." Liz pulled up another file on the pad. "But you should see this. The internet infrastructure is completely compromised but it is also running hot. I don't know what Tech-Priest is doing but he is drawing a lot of power to do it – but I'll be dammed if I know where. Utilities have not experienced a power drain, if anything, they are in surplus."

The General was not the most scientifically inclined person in the world but he knew what a megawatt was…and that too many zeros for comfort. "So he's generating all that power by himself? At that scale?" Eiling's frown somehow became even more pronounced. "Nuclear?"

"If it is, Tech-Priest is doing a good job of hiding it." Liz shrugged. "AEC and NRC have got nothing."

General Eiling weighed up the sensitivities. "Who else knows about this?"

"The rest of Five Eyes." Liz started counting on her fingers. "I have no doubt my counterparts in China, Russia and Europe know it too. But this is becoming more of an open secret – anyone with an advanced understanding of computer infrastructure should have noticed as well. And they aren't the worst of it."

"Meaning?" The General raised a brow.

"Meaning the Tech-Priest has made a lot of enemies. The organisations he has brought down are pooling what little resources they have left to make a final stand." Liz checked her files. "There is chatter of a verylarge bounty, and they know where Tech-Priest is. Move quickly General – otherwise Detroit might find itself in the middle of a goddamn war zone."

"Thanks Liz, you have been extremely helpful as always." The General straightened the creases in his uniform. "Could you please see me out? I have a few calls to make."

0o0o0o

The silence was broken by the sound of a pressurized grapnel gun shooting a hook through the air. And a solitary figure was pulled itself up to one of the many rooftops overlooking Gotham City.

Another night of Hell on Earth. Robin pulled up a rusty chair and finally huffed a sigh of relief as he sat down. But his heart kept racing as heard over the police scanner about two dozen crimes in progress ranging from muggings to full on police shootouts.

Dick desperately pulled the earpiece out. He needed a respite, if not briefly. He breathed in deeply, remembering his mediation techniques. He could feel his aching joints and muscles start to relax, and his heart rate began to slow.

Only for it to shoot back up again, when he felt something suddenly buzz. Robin reflexively pulled out the phone and ignored the call, he wasn't in the mood for conversation.

Savouring the silence, the Boy Wonder pulled off his blood-red helmet. Dick's hair was a little longer than normal allowing the fringe to cover his forehead, which beared the unpleasant scar 'gifted' to him by the Tech-Priest. It was minor solution, but something to increase his chances of a life outside of the Robin persona.

Not there that was much of a chance of happening now. Grayson sighed as he surveyed the Gotham lights, and the undoubtable chaos within the city. It is absolute bedlam in Gotham.

Every criminal element waited on bated breath for months. Had the Batman they had so long feared finally gone down the road no one dared imagine? A Dark Knight with a body count? Was he waiting in the shadows for some poor sap to cause problems before ending them in very public and unpleasant way, just like he did with the Joker?

No one, not even the dreaded 'Rogue's Gallery' in Arkham wanted to test that theory.

Eventually someone did. It all started with the robbery of a liquor store. The owner was killed in the ensuing scuffle. The robber, whoever it was, probably waited for days for the Dark Knight to show up.

But he never did.

Then another happened. A mugging where the victim was stabbed in both eyes. It wasn't even for the purposes of identification. He was stabbed simply because. The mugger, likely a junky, waited for hours for the Batman to come.

But he never did.

After that it was open season. The grace period that was afforded after the Amusement Mile Standoff, was finally over.

That was 2 weeks ago.

Robin ended his 'exile' in Star City and returned back to Gotham. He's been fighting non-stop ever since. Dick even took leave from school for 'personal reasons'. Not that it mattered – crime has gotten so bad it spilled over into the daytime resulting in most things, such as schools, to close down.

Now, Dick Grayson was facing the Gotham criminal element, more ferocious and insane than ever, alone.

A sudden gust of wind blew past him. "So who was on the call?"

Well…almost alone. Robin grumbled as he pocketed the phone. "Alfred."

"Shouldn't you call him back?" Kid Flash leant against a nearby wall. When Robin decided to take on the monumental (i.e. incredibly stupid) task of bringing order back to Gotham – Kid Flash, bless him, volunteered almost immediately. Robin knew for a fact that he would have died within the first 48 hours of this new mission if not for the speedster.

"Don't need too. I know what he will say." Robin leant back in the chair. "Too much work, not enough time. I have to get back out there soon. I just needed a few minutes."

Kid Flash licked his lips, being careful with his words. "Everyone needs sleep. Capes or otherwise."

"Not everyone has superhuman stamina like you Wally." Robin kept his voice measured.

"Come off it Dick." Kid Flash leant forward obstructing Robin's view. "I didn't mean it like that and you know it. I'm just saying…why don't you at least regroup in the Bat Cave or whatever you call it?"

Robin's eyes winced at the mention of his old stomping ground, but he kept his face neutral. "The Bat Cave doesn't feel like home anymore."

Kid Flash quickly, and transparently, changed tactics. "Well where the hell do you shower man? I mean have you smelt yourself? Jesus! And what about your uniform? I can't think of any dry cleaner in the state that can wash that thing!"

Oh Wally, you are a treasure. Robin did his best not to smile, with marginal success.

It was true, his uniform was soaked head-to-toe in sweat. It wasn't just because of the work, but he had yet to fully adapt to his new suit. His unpleasant encounter with the red-robed cyborg, coupled with his return to Gotham taught him much. The first was that his standard red, black and gold 'spandex' wasn't going to cut it. Dick modified his uniform, removing most of the colours and including a lot more reinforced armour points, especially around the neck and head. There was significantly extra-padding around the knees and spine. His tunic was replaced with a tougher Kevlar-polymer. It was safe to say that Robin's uniform became less 'spandex' and more 'armour'. It made him stronger and more durable, but heavier and slower. The only remnant was his bright-red helmet, in namesake to the bird that he embodied.

"I suppose I can always go to the same place that washes the Flash's uniform." Robin chuckled. "Thanks for helping me Wally. I couldn't have done it without you."

Kid Flash blinked in surprise. "Where did that come from?"

"I just wanted to say it." Robin leant forward, messaging his temple. "You and Speedy have both been there from the beginning. I am grateful to you both."

"Aww, I'm touched." A voice called to them.

They both turned to the source. A tall man in his late teens with auburn hair and a bright red tunic. He leant against the wall, arms folded and a very smug smile on his face.

"Speedy!" Kid Flash grinned.

"No seriously." Speedy mockingly clutched his throat. "I'm so choked up."

"I regret everything I just said." Robin sighed.

"And I regret not recording it." Speedy quipped. "I would have played it throughout the city whenever you got uppity, and every Thursday."

Robin finally broke out into a small smile. "It's good to see you."

"You too." The archer nodded.

"How's the quasi-solo thing going?" Kid Flash asked.

"It's going okay." Speedy walked towards them. "Thanks to the League at half-strength, I've kind of had the keys to the city. I've been thinking of changing my name."

"Really?" The speedster raised a brow. "What's wrong with Speedy?"

"It's a sidekick name, Wally." The archer sounded exasperated.

"So what brings you to Gotham?" Robin casually gestured around them. "Finally got tired of those C-listers in Star City and want to try the big leagues?"

"Not really." Speedy's expression returned to neutral, a sign of business. "I was asked to make an introduction." The archer jerked his thumb behind him around the corner came none other than-

"Kaldur?" Kid Flash zipped forward. "Where have you been hiding? How's it going?"

The Aquaman, who looked more tired than ever, smiled warmly. "Good to see you again Wally."

"Hey Aquaman." Robin, realising he's never going to get his rest, slowly stood back up. "What's it like in the big leagues?"

"Everything I expected, and yet not even close." Aquaman sighed. "Sorry for the dramatics. But I knew Speedy would have an easier time finding you than I could."

"Makes sense." Robin rubbed a bruised arm. "So what's up?"

"It might be easier if I just be blunt." Aquaman put on his 'business face', it was tough doing around them considering how they 'grew up' together. "You always mentioned a desire to join the Justice League, I was asked to check in and see if that was still the case."

Kid Flash, Speedy and even Robin, who always had a quip in reserve, were stunned. But that was short-lived, and Aquaman should have guessed what happened next.

"What?" All three spoke simultaneously.

"I know it seems sudden." Kaldur sounded as passive as possible. "But-"

"Are you kidding me?" Speedy was the first to launch. "After all the crap, they pick now?!"

"Speedy has point." Kid Flash agreed. "Why now? And why this way? Flash didn't say anything? Did Green Arrow say anything to you Roy?"

"Nothing." Speedy crossed his arms again. "But then again I have not seen him much. Him and Black Canary."

"Aquaman…Kaldur." Robin finally spoke up. "What is this really? Is it because we are truly ready to become part of the league? Or is this some kind of pity gesture? Be honest with us."

Kaldur's eyes wavered as he thought how to respond. But he owed it to them. "I think it is desperation. The League is drowning. They can't be everywhere all at once. There is talk of reopening the books."

"What, like restocking the ranks?" Kid Flash asked.

"No." Aquaman squirmed. "I'm talking expansion. A full recruitment drive. But it is still in discussion."

"Jesus." Kid Flash bit his lip.

"So that's it." Speedy groaned in frustration. "Out of desperation the League is bringing us into the fold, but as what? Are we actually going to be full members or is this just some glorified PR stunt?"

Aquaman knew this question would come, and it caused him no less discomfort. "No. Not full members."

"I knew it!" Speedy was fuming. "I knew about the Watchtower before anyone else did. If the League had their way, they never would have told us. Not even you, Kaldur." Speedy prosecuted. "The League always considered us sidekicks."

Aquaman looked at them. Robin already knew he was thinking of a response, one that was measured. When he finally spoke, it was slow and deliberate.

"I won't claim to understand what any of you have gone through. Especially you and Robin." Kaldur reflexively shook his wrists. The pain of his training…even now it still lingered. "But my King… he pushed me through hell and back. To my limits and beyond."

The trio scrutinised the 'Lord of the Sea', he never really explained what happened to him, and the training he was put through to become the new Aquaman. "If things were different, I don't know if I would have been pushed into the League so quickly. I might have been in the situation you're in." Kaldur straightened. "But I went through a trial the likes of which you can never imagine. Now I'm the new Aquaman. In time you will earn your place. Now are you still interested, or not?"

Speedy, Robin and Kid Flash didn't know what to say. They stared at each other silently, the only sound they could hear were the sirens of Gotham City signalling another dozen crises. You can't stop them all.

0o0o0o

A/N –

And there we go. I hope it met your expectations.

Sorry for the long delay, but this chapter (and future chapters in progress) are absolute sonofabitches to write. Writing OCs are easy. Trying to write the actions of pre-existing characters in a way that is realistic is incredibly hard.

I don't know when a new chapter will come out.

All I can say is that even though I don't logon often, - I am still here in some shape or form.

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Review as always.