Indigo Lantern

Chapter Two

We leave for Project Cadmus and of course, Kid Flash runs ahead. I use my ring to bring Aqualad and Robin with me, while I fly after him. Two scientists are falling from a window as an explosion shatters glass behind them. Kid Flash catches them and I set Aqualad and Robin down, before using my ring to make a platform for Kid Flash to land on so he can get off the ledge he’s hanging from after putting the scientists on the roof.

Kid Flash: “Thanks Indigo.”

Indigo: “No problem. Look where you’re running next time.”

Robin uses his grappling hook and acrobatics skills to join us as we go into the building. Aqualad joins us a moment later while Robin is hacking into Cadmus’ systems.

Aqualad: “Appreciate the help.”

Robin: “You handled it. Besides, we’re here to investigate. Poetic justice, remember?”

Indigo: “Sorry, Aqualad. I should’ve gone back for you after helping Kid Flash.”

Aqualad: “It’s fine.”

I watch Robin’s back while Aqualad and Kid Flash walk off to investigate. He stops typing on the computer and runs after him while I follow.

Robin: “This is wrong.”

He uses the device on his wrist to pull up the schematics for the elevator before us.

Robin: “Thought so. This is a high-speed express elevator. It doesn’t belong in a two-story building.”

Aqualad: “Neither does what I saw.”

Aqualad pries open the elevator doors with his bare hands. Once it’s open, we find an elevator shaft so deep we can’t see the bottom.

Robin: “And that’s why they need an express elevator.”

I make a platform for us and we all hop on before I let it float down. We get down to SL 26, where Robin hops off, even though we haven’t reached the bottom. I wait for the other two to hop off before allowing the platform to disappear. Robin hacks the door so Aqualad can pry it open.

Robin: “There, go.”

Once the door is open, we find a long hallway.

Robin: “Welcome to Project Cadmus.”

Indigo: “Guys, I have a bad feeling about this.”

Kid Flash takes off down the hallway.

Aqualad: “Kid, wait.”

We run after him and he skids to a halt, falling on the floor and almost gets stepped on by an incredibly large alien that he barely manages to dodge. A bunch of them walk through the hall and they look like they don’t even realize we’re here. Wally runs over to our side as we watch them go by.

Aqualad: “[Sarcasm] No, nothing odd going on here.”

We continue forward once they are all gone and Robin hacks another door open.

Robin: “Okay, I’m officially whelmed.”

We find a bunch of cylinders with aliens inside and electricity radiating throughout the cylinders. It’s quite a stunning sight. They seem to be fueling the whole building. There are so many of them, I’d have a hard time counting all of them.

Kid Flash: “This is how they hide this massive underground facility from the world. The real Cadmus isn’t on the grid. It generates its own power with these…things. Must be what they’re bred for.”

Aqualad: “Even the name is a clue. The Cadmus of myth created a new race by sowing dragon’s teeth into the earth.”

Robin: “And this Cadmus creates new life too.”

I’m trying to hold myself together and not look at all of these poor aliens being used by someone, trapped in cylinders their whole lives. It makes me want to cry and set them free, but we need to finish our investigation before we can do anything.

Indigo: “Let’s find out why so we can help them.”

Robin: “Already on it.”

Robin runs over to a computer, hooking up his wrist device to get all of the information.

Robin: “They call them Genomorphs. Whoa, look at the stats on these things. Super strength, telepathy, razor claws. These are living weapons.”

Kid Flash: “They’re engineering an army, but for who?”

Robin: “Wait, there’s something else. Project Kr. Ugh, the file’s triple-encrypted. I can’t-”

?: “Don’t move!”

We turn our heads to see Guardian and some aliens running toward us.

Guardian: “Wait. Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Indigo Lantern?”

Robin: “At least he got your name right.”

Robin continues downloading while the three of us stand between him and the aliens with Guardian.

Aqualad: “I know you. Guardian, a hero.”

Guardian: “I do my best.”

Kid Flash: “Then what are you doing here?”

Guardian: “I’m chief of security. You’re trespassing. But we can call the Justice League, figure this out.”

Robin’s download completes.

Kid Flash: “You think the League’s gonna approve of you breeding weapons?”

Guardian: “Weapons? What are you…”

The genomorph on his shoulder turns to look at him and his horns glow.

Guardian: “What have I…Ugh, my head.”

Suddenly he seems aggressive.

Guardian: “Take them down hard. No mercy.”

The genomorphs rush toward us and Robin throws down a smoke bomb concealing all of us. I fly up, knowing the indigo glow surrounding me would just give me away. Robin hitches a ride with me and I fly him over to the door, which he hacks open, just in time for the others to follow us through. We keep going and get to an elevator that he starts hacking into. Kid Flash arrives next to us.

Kid Flash: “Way to be a team player, Rob.”

Robin: “Weren’t you right behind me?”

He opens the door and the three of us get in and wait for Aqualad, who is running after us with the genomorphs hot on his tail. I use my ring, making a wall that pushes the genomorphs back as the door closes.

Indigo: “I guess it’s a good thing I didn’t free those genomorphs from their cylinders.”

Aqualad: “You think.”

The elevator starts moving down.

Aqualad: “We’re headed down?”

Kid Flash: “Dude, out is up.”

Robin: “Excuse me? Project Kr. It’s down on sub-level 52.”

Aqualad: “This is out of control. Perhaps…Perhaps we should contact the League.”

Indigo: “And tell them what?”

Before I can continue or anyone can respond, we arrive at sub-level 52. As the door opens we prepare to face off with the genomorphs, but find what looks like we are in some kind of alien’s intestines. Robin runs forward and I fly after him with the other two, until we reach a point where there are two paths before us.

Aqualad: “Which way?”

He doesn’t seem too happy we’re doing this.

Robin: “Yeah, bizarre looking hallway one, or bizarre looking hallway two?”

?: “Halt!”

A genomorph appears from one of the hallways and telepathically throws some stuff at us. We quickly run down the other hallway. I make a shield behind us to stop any objects from reaching us. Kid Flash runs ahead and uses an object to hold open the door to Project Kr which was shutting fast. Once we are through, Aqualad kicks the object out of the way, allowing the door to shut as Robin hacks the door.

Robin: “I disabled the door. We’re safe.”

Aqualad: “We’re trapped.”

Indigo: “It’s okay. We’ll figure a way out of this.”

Kid Flash: “Uh, guys. You’ll want to see this.”

He touches a button turning on the lights to a big cylinder in front of us where a teenage boy is sleeping with the Superman emblem on his chest and Kr on the glass in front of him.

Robin: “Whoa.”

Kid Flash: “Big K, little r. The atomic symbol for Krypton. Clone?”

Indigo: “Oh my god. Did they clone Superman?”

Aqualad: “Robin, hack.”

Robin: “Uh, right, right.”

He hacks into the panel in front of us.

Robin: “Weapon designation Superboy. A clone force-grown in…sixteen weeks? From DNA acquired from Superman.”

Indigo: “There’s no way.”

Aqualad: “Stolen from Superman.”

Kid Flash: “No way the big guy knows about this.”

Robin: “Solar suit allows him to absorb yellow sun radiation 24/7.”

Aqualad: “And these creatures?”

Robin: “Genomorph Gnomes. Telepathic, force-feeding him an education.”

Kid Flash: “And we can guess what else. They’re making a slave out of…well, Superman’s son.”

Indigo: “That’s just cruel.”

I can’t help but feel sorry for this clone.

Aqualad: “Now we contact the League.”

He attempts to contact Aquaman, but it’s not working and I attempt to contact Hal Jordan, but it won’t go through.

Robin: “No signal.”

Kid Flash: “We’re in too deep…literally.”

We take a second to think about our options and I can’t help but step closer to Superman’s clone, putting a hand on the glass. I hate that someone did something so cruel. He doesn’t deserve this, even if he is just a clone. I can sense his heartbeat with my ring.

Kid Flash: “This is wrong.”

Robin: “We can’t leave him like this.”

Indigo: “Can we let him out?”

Aqualad: “Set him free. Do it.”

Robin quickly uses his wrist device and opens the capsule containing Superman’s clone. Once it’s open, The clone’s hand moves and the genomorph gnomes’ horns glow before the clone’s eyes open. He rushes toward us and I form a shield around myself, before I get knocked back into the wall and he goes for Aqualad.

The clone pins Aqualad to the ground and starts punching him in the face. The three of us rush over, grabbing his arms. Kid Flash takes his right arm, Robin his left, and I use my ring to wrap a rope around his middle, all struggling to hold him back.

Kid Flash: “Whoa! Hang on, Supey.”

Robin: “We’re on your side.”

Indigo: “We won’t hurt you, so please stop attacking.”

He punches Kid Flash, sending him flying, and Robin clings onto his back, placing a smoke grenade in his face. It explodes as Robin gets away from him and I release my hold on him, knocking the super-clone back. He gets up, coughing from the smoke while Robin uses a long distance taser that has no effect on him. He grabs the cords, pulling Robin toward himself before slamming him on the ground and stepping on his chest. Robin is in pain and I rush toward them. Making a hammer with my ring, I knock the clone off of Robin.

Indigo: “Stop!”

Aqualad rushes over to Robin while I get closer to the clone to see if he’s okay. When I land in front of him, he instantly rushes up, hitting me in the chin with an uppercut before I can react at all. I fall to the ground, my vision fading away as he approaches Aqualad.