Omni-X

Chapter 33

'Miss Martian, I need a telepathic link up with the entire Team. Now.' she hears the change in Aqualad's attitude almost instantly.

She brings two fingers to her temple, only needing to blink to complete the link. "Link established."

"Should he really still be giving us orders, and should you really be following them?" Artemis asks M'gann.

"Listen, please..." Kaldur tries, both Kid Flash and Robin visibly tense hearing his voice in their head again. Clearly disapproving of his presence.

"Oh good, Aqualad's voice in my head." thinks sarcastically, but his face is defeated. "I've so missed that."

As a stark contrast, Robin is surprisingly upbeat with his news. "Hey, Kaldur! KF and I were attacked by giant vultures. 'Course, since we're moles, you probably think we attacked ourselves."

"If he did, he wouldn't tell you." Artemis quips as she buckles her quiver back on, resting on one of the logs.

"Superboy, are you online, or just pouting?" Miss M asks curiously, though the edge is clear.

Conner grunts through the link, fighting off the giant white wold. " Busy. Call back later." he barely manages to think as he tries to pry the wolf's teeth from his shoulder.

Though a slight slip in his grip, due to trying to respond, gives the wolf time to sink in further and throw him across the clearing and into a large rock.

Kaldur walks through the vines to where a trap like what the tiger and Captain Marvel were captured in has already been sprung. "What gets me is how nonchalant he is about not telling us." KF gripes.

"He should be chalant. Way chalant. Extremely chalant !" Robin agrees easily.

Kaldur is barely listening to them as he sees two tracks in the ground from the trap.

"How are we supposed to be a team if he doesn't trust us with his secrets?" Artemis asks.

"Or if Conner doesn't expect us to take care of ourselves?" M'gann follows Artemis' train of thought, though a little too far.

Kaldur is still barely listening as he moves closer to the tracks, seeing something in between them. A five-fingered print larger than his hand.

"Did he really think you or I could've been the mole?" KF asks Robin, though clearly keeping Kaldur and everyone else in on the question on purpose.

"We've known each other for years!" Robin agrees.

"Trust is a two-way street!" Artemis pipes up, clearly realizing the dig the boys just made at her and M'gann.

"And you'd know they'd hate it if we kept secrets from them!" M'gann snaps.

Kaldur is beginning to lose his patience with the constant arguing in his head.

"Not that we'd ever do that. Never." Artemis gripes.

Finally his restraint snaps. "Enough!" that was all he needed to get their attention, but rips one of the pylons from its base, watching as the electricity crackles in the darkness, but nothing else happens. "Captain Marvel has been captured. And we must act as a team to save him!"

'Heh. Under your leadership?" Kid questions, his expression mostly deadpanned, though he and Robin clearly share in the sentiment of betrayal, despite his sarcastic tone. "I don't think s-"

"This is not up for debate!" Kaldur snaps, both Robin and KF's eyes go wide at the sudden switch from the Atlantean's normal demeanor. On top of the fact that insulting his leadership is the last thing you should do since nothing else seemed to set him off. "You all chose me to lead." M'gann and Artemis share a look. "When this mission is over," Kaldur looks over the tech in his hands "if you wish to select a new leader I will happily step down." Robin and Kid look down, ashamed.