Chapter 5: 5- Superboy
Quickly running through the last two tests, we found that I didn't have heat vision, but I did have frost breath. It wasn't any way near Superman's level, but I still had it.
After that Eve took me down to the cloning floor, where we were now. Standing in the main chamber, we were looking at the sleeping image of my little brother, Conner.
'Though I guess he doesn't have that name yet.' I glanced at Eve and the other researchers who were discussing Superboy's vital signs among themselves.
Then I looked at my genomorph. "What time is it bud?"
The answer came nearly immediately. '3:41 PM. Jack sleeps in.'
"I sleep a lot huh? When did I wake up?" I asked the genomorph, but I didn't pay attention to the answer. I was thinking about what was going to happen tonight.
'Actually, the fire should be starting soon enough.' I was thinking this because Superboy was never woken up in the Young Justice series. 'When that happens, I think I might start the escape early. No point in dragging it out.'
And right on queue, alarms started ringing throughout the building.
BEEP
BEEP
Eve was the fastest to react, quickly turning to me. "Jackson, I'm going to have to put you in your stasis pod for a bit okay? Theres a fire above us and the pod will protect you."
I played along, pretending to be scared, nodding, and jogging over to my pod. I knew the fire couldn't hurt me, but I also knew this was probably the world trying to fix the narrative a bit by putting me into a pod-like Connor.
Laying back in the pod, the doors slid shut and Eve stood in front of me. "You'll just take a little nap and I'll wake you when the fire's out okay?"
I gave her a nod, to which she activated the stasis mode. The glass doors faded to black and I heard as the sleep gas was pumped into the chamber, strong enough to make me drowsy.
'Must have some kryptonite in it.' I made a mental note of that, it was important information.
Relenting, I drifted to sleep. Waiting for the misfits to come and wake me.
---
[The Hall of Justice]
"Why do we have to listen to them? They just want to give us a glorified hall pass!" A kid in a red archer outfit with a yellow cap yelled to his friends.
"They're treating us like kids, worse- like sidekicks!" He continued, clearly frustrated. "We deserve better than this."
The three kids in front of him glanced around at each other for a moment before the one in yellow spoke up. "Sure, but I thought today was just a tour of the HQ?" Kid Flash said, shrugging.
Speedy only became more incensed at that. "That's just the thing, this isn't their headquarters! It's just a pitstop for catching zeta tubes to the real HQ- A satellite in orbit!"
The League members gathered looked surprised that Speedy knew about the Watchtower. The Flash, Batman, Aquaman, and Martian Manhunter all looking at Green Arrow for an explanation.
Batman crossed his arms, showing no emotion on his face yet somehow silently showing disapproval.
"I know, I know, but I thought maybe we could make an exception." He shrugged, looking guilty but also not at the same time.
Batman's only expression was to narrow his eyes at Green Arrow. "Or not," Arrow said, deflating like a balloon.
Aquaman stepped forward, speaking in a baritone voice. "You're not helping your case here son. Stand down or-" But he was interrupted.
"Or what, you'll send me to my room? And I'm not your son." Speedy said indignantly. "I'm not even his. I thought I was his partner." His voice softened, looking at Green Arrow.
"Not anymore." His voice grew harsh again as he grabbed his archer's cap and threw it to the ground, leaving without another word to them.
The other three kids were all surprised at what just happened, but before they could say anything the alarm went off.
"Superman to Leage. There's been a fire at Cadmus." Superman's face popped up on the big screen of the supercomputer.
"I've been suspicious of Cadmus, this may be-" Batman spoke, but was cut off when another alarm from Zatara requesting a full League response.
Batman confirmed with Superman before calling the League to Zatara's location. He then turned to Robin. "Stay put, we won't be long."
"What? Why can we go?!" Kid Flash asked.
"Because you're not trained to fight with us. But when you're ready, you will." Aquaman explained gently, leading the pack to the door.
It was silent for a moment before Kid Flash yelled out again. "Ready? How can we be ready when they treat us like... like sidekicks?!"
Aqualad looked serious for a moment before his expression crumpled into something like a sad puppy. "I thought they trusted us..."
He was quiet for a moment before he saw Robin messing with the League computer. "What are you doing?"
Robin didn't even glance back at him when he explained. "Looking up what Cadmus is. If they don't trust us, then we'll just have to prove that they can."
Kid walked up beside Robin. "Finish their mission for them, I like it."
"Aaaaaand got it. Come on, let's go!" Robin ran for the door, clearly excited.
"If you're going then I'm going." Kid was practically shivering in the excitement of going on a mission.
"Then I guess the three of us are a team then," Aqualad said, following behind them.
---
[Cadmus]
[Sub level 53]
Jackson felt the fog lifting from his head as he woke, blinking rapidly. Shaking his head, he could see that the glass doors of his pod were already clear and opening.
And in front of him were three heroes, Kid Flash, Aqualad, and Robin. But before he could process this, his whole body suddenly felt numb.
Before the heroes could react, he and another figure beside him rushed out of the pods, attacking them. Jackson watched from in his own body as the three were quickly knocked out, not able to fight two Kryptonian hybrids.
At that moment, Jackson felt his control come back to him. He quickly snapped his head towards the genomorph on his shoulder and growled at it. "Never do that again."
The little thing didn't respond, only curling up into a ball on his shoulder. That dealt with, Jackson turned to his right to see his younger brother already staring at him.
There were no mirrors down here in Cadmus, but he was sure that he looked similar to Superboy. He had black hair, blue eyes, and a deadly scowl.
"Hey, lil bro!" Jackson smiled and waved a him, choosing to ignore his anger. "Do you have a name yet?"
His brother's frown only deepened at that. "No."
Jackson crossed his arms across his chest, raising one to his head and tapping the side of it as if to think. "Hmmmm... How about Connor? I'm Jackson by the way."
Connor only grunted seemingly not caring about it, but nodded anyway. Jackson smiled at him, then went to pick up Robin.
Kneeling to pick him up he whispered in his ear, so quiet that only he and his brother could hear. "I know you're awake. If I help you escape, will you let me go?"
Connor frowned at his words, seemingly confused as to why he wanted to leave but stayed quiet. Robin didn't react, but Jackson could see a very slight nod of the head.
Jackson smiled mischievously seeing this, turning to Connor. "Do you wanna go see the sun?"
"What? Why? Isn't this our home?" Connor's frown deepened.
Jackson gave his little brother a gentle smile. "No buddy, this isn't a home. This is a lab where they want to control and turn us into weapons."
As he spoke, Jackson could hear the Genomorphs approaching the door the heroes had locked. He also noticed Kid Flash stirring, clearly waking up.
"I mean, you felt it, didn't you? Your body went numb, then started moving on its own. Do you want to be controlled? Because I know I don't." Jackson continued, standing.
"No! No one can tell me what to do!" Connor became incensed at the notion of being controlled.
"All right then, it's decided." Jackson smiled, excited to start breaking out. He looked down and kicked Robin. "Come on, it won't be long before they break through that door."
Jumping up from the floor, Robin flew across the room to the vent, ripping it off. "Wake those two and follow me." Disappearing without another word.
Picking up Aqualad, Jackson slapped him across the face, shocking him awake. "Huh?!"
"Sorry about attacking you, but wake up speedy here so we can go!" Leaving Aqualad there, Jackson ran towards the vent.
Just as he was about to crawl in, he turned back to see the three of them still standing there. "What are you doing? Hurry up!"
Shaking his head, Kid Flash muttered to himself as he rushed for the vent. "Well sorry for being kind of stunned when you just knocked me out."
Crawling through the vents, Jackson could hear the genomorphs enter the vents with them from other points. "Hey Robin, they're tracking us through here!"
Robin, who was just crawling out of the vents ahead of them, called back to him. "I know, I'm hacking into the motion sensors right now."
He kept typing on the console he tapped into as the rest of the kids crawled out of the vent.
"What's the plan, Rob?" Kid Flash asked, running up next to him.
"Get to the elevators and either take them or go up the shafts. Once we're out we call for back up." He said, finally finishing what he was doing on the console.
Jackson stepped up, waving for them to follow him. "Come on, elevators are this way." He said, remembering the floor plans the genomorphs had put in his head.
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
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stone