章 369: 31
Chapter XXXI: Usual Suspects.
Last Time.
Now.
Washington DC, December 30, 9:16 EST.
"And almost the entire Justice League has come to welcome the five newest members. The only one that remains absent; is one of the Original Eight Founding Members, Kage."
Naruto, without his coat, watched Cat Grant report on the induction of Plastic Man, Atom, Red Arrow, Icon, and Dr. Fate into the Justice League along with the Team in their winter clothes.
"That's a very good point. Why didn't you accept your induction?"
Naruto looked to Artemis, who stood beside him. "Because right now my focus is on the Team. I'll join once everyone's a little older. More experienced." He looked to see Raquel Ervin A.K.A Rocket in blue jeans, and a blue coat.
He walked to the couch and put on his long-sleeved hooded trench coat Dinah gave him for Christmas and put it on. 'And that wasn't her best present. She is a screamer. Man, am I glad she can control her Canary Cry. I wasn't sure if my Silencing Seals would be able to hide that sound.' He thought with a grin before hearing Wally.
"And I love the fact that there's a ten-year-old in the League." Dick slapped him upside the head and glared behind his sunglasses.
"Dude! Way to keep a secret!" Raquel looked at them with a raised eyebrow before speaking.
"There is?!"
Naruto continued to watch the report, and sighed as he saw Red Arrow get his card "I still can't believe Ollie was able to convince the others to have Red join after I declined." He thought as Raquel was explaining her 'Heroes' are the sidekicks before the alarm went off. A few minutes later, Black Canary, Batman, Red Tornado, and the five new Members walked in and saw the empty room.
Smokey Mountains; December 30, 10:48 EST.
"You're sure it's her?!"
Artemis asked as Robin typed on his keyboard. "Yeah, it's Cheshi-!" He stopped seeing Jade in winter clothes walking on a plane with a metal suitcase.
The Team looked to both Naruto and Artemis. "What?" Naruto asked before realization dawned on him, and he snapped his fingers. "Oh yeah, that's right. I was planning on telling you guys today. Jade is MY mole in the League of Assassins. And before you ask, by August, they started keeping things within the 'Inner Circle' as they became suspicious when I started beating them before they even started their missions. Speaking of which let me 'fight' her in case they're watching her." Naruto finished before bringing Rocket up to speed on past missions.
Later, they came across a crashed plane and dropped down to search the area. Suddenly, Shadows in white costumes surrounded them as Riddler, Mammoth, and Shimmer stood above them and created a green shield to stop them from escaping. "I am flora not fauna. I am foliage, not trees wha-!"
"Am Bush! My God Nigma, get some new material!"
Naruto yelled as he got his bow out with Spoiler getting her staff. "Team, take them down!" Naruto yelled as Mary Marvel, Starfire, Wonder Girl, and Blackfire flew up to take care of the Shadows up top. Zatanna created a snowstorm as Naruto shot several explosive arrows at groups of shadows.
Spoiler jumped on his shoulders, and over him before throwing shurikens, and small explosive before dashing at a group, and attacked. Artemis fought Cheshire who pulled out two katanas as Wonder Girl and Mary fought Mammoth. Blackfire flew towards Shimmer, grabbed her by the waist, and flew down to the ground before dropping her several feet above, effectively knocking her out.
Naruto looked up to see Superboy fly to Mammoth, and fight him as Robin caught Riddler.
Mount Justice, December 30, 15:45 EST.
"KAGE!"
Naruto jumped as Batman yelled at him as he was berating them for taking the mission on their own. "Oh, I'm sorry. I get this buzzing sound whenever you go into 'Lecture' mode. I guess it works on your 'berating' mode as well." Naruto grinned as Batman glared. "Oh, come on I was this way back in my World too, you know."
"Well done." Batman finished as Naruto stared. He then sighed.
"Only you can start a 'good job' speech by berating us first." Batman and Icon looked at the oddly star-shaped chips in the suitcase.
Before anyone spoke up, the Tunnel lit up. "Authorized: Jade Nguyen A04."
Cheshire walked in as Canary looked at Naruto. "Everyone... This is the mole I had in the League of Assassins." Naruto said as Jade walked up, wrapped her arms around Naruto's as she took her mask off, and rests her head on Naruto's shoulder.
"Hey there, sisters." Jade greeted both Canary, and Artemis before Batman, Red Tornado, and Icon left with the suitcase in hand.
Black Canary walked over to Naruto as the Team talked to each other. She kissed him before walking away with a sway in her hips. Naruto missed Conner wincing before he spoke up. "There's something I need to do."
Santa Prisca; December 30, 17:57 ECT.
Superboy landed the Super Cycle and saw Lex with a cane standing with Mercy and Queen Bee. "Superboy. I'd like you to meet my associate; Queen Bee." He said before Blockbuster, Sportsmaster, and Cluemaster walked up to them. "And Bane, who was kind enough to let us use his Island for this small gathering." Superboy narrowed his eyes before speaking.
"So, the In-Justice League was just a distraction. You've been behind everything." Suddenly, a helicopter landed showing Artemis, Spoiler, and Cheshire before Miss Martian, in her stealth costume and hood up, floated down. "I'll join. For more of those shields."
Lex chuckled just chuckled at that. "You're a bad liar... Red Sun." Superboy froze as Lex looked at Blockbuster. "But after some... Tweaks, then you'll join."
Suddenly, a red flash hit Blockbuster revealing Fury. "No one tweaks MY man!" She yelled before Artemis, Spoiler, and Miss Martian attacked the Light.
(Flashback.)
Mount Justice; December 30, 15:50 EST.
"There's something I need to do."
Naruto walked in front of the others as Conner lifted his right sleeve above his now black shield patch and explained about Cadmus, and how Lex just contacted him to go to Santa Prisca. "I knew. It was on the computer that Donna gave me about Megaera. Everything except any info about those shields." Naruto said before Artemis, and Stephanie sighed and brought up the computer.
Pictures came up of their parents with a younger Paula in a bodysuit that's burnt-orange and brick red. Around her waistline, her costume has two, large tiger stripes that are also seen on her shoulders. On her sternum lies the marking of a feline paw-print. She has a large tiger stripe that runs down her neck and black facial paintings around her eyes and upper cheek.
Naruto looked at her old code name, 'Huntress', and shook his head and they explained that Jade was to fly them out also. 'There's that Deja Vu feeling again.' He thought as Robin spoke up.
"I knew about them... Hey, I'm a detective, remember? You're not your family... You're one of us." Kid dashed over and leaned on Stephanie's shoulder.
"Anyone else?" He asked as M'gann hugged herself.
"Me."
Kid waved his hands before speaking. "I swear, I was just kidding."
M'gann shifted into her true White Martian self as she explained Queen Bee was using that information to blackmail her into giving secrets about the Team, and that she was also meeting her in Santa Prisca.
"We're your friends M'gann... Do you think of us as being that shallow?" Aqualad asked as M'gann shook her head.
"I couldn't take that chance. On Mars, I took constant rejection. I couldn't handle that fro-!" Naruto walked up to her and grabbed her larger hand in his.
"From Me? M'gann I knew since September, back in Bialya."
"But that was before we even became a couple. Why didn't-"
Naruto interrupted her again. "I was also the Naruto that helped you in your battle with Psimon last month. Like I said then. You'll always be beautiful to me. I was just waiting for you to be ready to tell me yourself." He motioned her to lean down. When she did, he surprised her by kissing her, 'teeth', having her revert back to her green Martian form. "I love you M'gann," he said as he gently stroked her cheek.
M'gann couldn't help but smile as tears fell from her eyes.
(Flashback End.)
"Your man?!"
Wonder Girl asked Fury who nodded. "Once he realizes he's too good for you and comes to me."
Naruto jumped down from the Bio-ship as Mary flew to Bane who used Venom as Artemis, and Spoiler faced their fathers as Cheshire walked with him. She suddenly stopped and jumped at them as Naruto flashed beside her. "Cheshire! What are you do-!"
Sportsmaster stopped as Starfire picked him up while Blackfire picked Cluemaster up. Cheshire removed her mask and pulled Naruto in for a kiss before smiling up at her father. "I've never been working with you, Dad.. I've been working with Naruto. Well, that and he's been working me over quite strenuously. Every. Single. Night." she emphasizes by burying a blushing Naruto's arm in between her breasts.
Sportsmaster's eyes twitched with rage. "Why you backstabbing little ska-!"
He was stopped as Starfire and Blackfire slammed them down hard and knocked them both out. Spoiler stood there, her father unconscious before her. Kid Flash rushed beside her, "Hey... You okay?" he asked.
She looked to him, then took Cluemaster's bandanna mask. Smiling under her mask, she hands it to Kid Flash. "Souvenir." She tells him as he returns a smile to her.
"Well... I think you made your point quite clear to him, Jade." Naruto said looking down at Jade. She smirked at him and began leaning in for another kiss, but he suddenly placed a finger on her lips and turned his head, noticing Queen Bee attempting to avoid the conflict as best she could. "Hang on to that for me until we get home. I've got some business to settle." Naruto pulled out a Hiraishin arrow and fired near her.
Queen Bee turned around only to be shocked as Naruto flashed in front of her. "So, let me see if I have this right..." He trailed as he began walking toward her, and she responds by backing away from him. "You threaten to take the life of a boy. A boy who, by the way, thinks of my lady as a sister. Then just for good measure, you take advantage of her insecurity to blackmail her." he states in an increasingly threatening tone.
Queen Bee does her best to put up a brave front. "You can threaten me all you want, Kage. I know you've got a soft spot for beautiful women, so I know you won't lay a hand on-GURK!" she was interrupted when Kage punched her in the throat.
She falls to her knees, wheezing in and out. "That was for Garfield," he said, followed by kneeing her in the face, breaking her nose. "And that was for M'gann."
Fury flew high in the air with Blockbuster before flying down and had him hit the ground head first creating a crater as the others fought Bane's men. After the fight, Wonder Girl walked up to Fury. "Sis. Can you please come back with us-OOFF!"
Fury punched her in the stomach before floating up. "No, dear sister. Not until I settle things with you. Soon, it'll just be the two of us. One-on-One." Naruto walked over and helped Wonder Girl up. "Fury. You need to know that you might have a shut-"
"A shutdown phrase?" she interrupted, surprising both Donna and Naruto. "Yeah, Cadmus was saving that short leash for the clones that they were planning to put to use. That's what happens when you only get a fifty-fifty chance of being chosen. One's given a chance at life... The other ends up waiting to take that chance herself." she says in an angry tone.
Donna and Naruto could only look on with a sorrowful look as Fury turned around. "Megaera... If you ever need your mother or I.. Please, don't hesitate to ask."
Fury said nothing as she flew away after Lex, who was flying in the helicopter with Queen Bee, escaped.
The Watchtower; December 30, 23:46 EST.
Batman was going through information about the chips as they came up on the holo-screen. "Not joining the party?"
Red Arrow asked walking in before putting a chip on the back of Batman's neck. It sunk in, and Batman's eyes widened for a second before he and Red Arrow walked out to the main entrance where the other Members stood at attention facing each other in two groups.
As Batman and Red Arrow passed each line, the Members turned to face the tunnel as Batman typed on a holo-keyboard. "Override, Batman, 02."
The tunnel lit up as the computer spoke. "Recognized, Access Granted. Vandal Savage A05." Everyone minus Red Arrow, who shook his head, kneeled to Vandal who walked down the steps.
"I... I was the mole?" Red Arrow asked as Vandal nodded.
"Yes... Yes, you were." Vandal replied walking to a window and watched the sun set behind Earth.
And missed Red Arrow run to the tunnel.
To Be Continued.
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