Brave New World: Stargirl

Chapter 10

"I thought I told you not to come down here and bother me." Dragon King said to his daughter when she entered his laboratory.

"Well I have a report that I think might be worth you making an exception." Cindy said and she could tell that she had her father's attention.

"Has there been a development with Henry King?" Dragon King asked.

"No, he's still as boringly human as ever. No, I'm talking about Yolanda Montez." Cindy said.

"What about her?" Dragon King asked, wondering if what Cindy was about to tell him had anything to do with something that happened so long ago that he'd nearly forgotten about it.

"She's like me. She has powers now. As in claws coming out of her fingers. I know because she used them on me by accident. Took everything I had not to show off my own accessories." Cindy said.

"Then you have more self control than I gave you credit for and it sounds like one of my experiments was more successful than I thought." Dragon King said.

"What do you mean?" Cindy asked.

"Do you really think I'd perform those experiments on you without first testing them on another subject." Dragon King asked.

"Yeah pretty much." Cindy said, making it clear that she had a very low opinion of her father.

"That's fair, but I'm not that cruel." Dragon King said.

"So Yolanda is like me. Another one of your experiments." Cindy said and Dragon King nodded.

"Yes, though unlike you, she was a failed experiment. Or at least, I thought she was." Dragon King said.

"I thought all your work was flawless." Cindy said.

"There is no such thing as one hundred percent success. Not in science. It's always a matter of trial and error. You were a success story, or at least I hope you will be in time. Your accomplishment today has brought you closer to it. And it appears that Ms. Montez may be one as well. Perhaps she could become an asset to us as well." Dragon King said.

"You realize that she'll never agree if you abduct her." Cindy said.

"I'm aware, not to mention it would draw too much unwanted suspicion. Jordan nearly killed me for the attention that abducting her the first time brought and before you ask, the reason no one remembers her going missing is because Dr. King and Mr. Sharpe took care of that." Dragon King said and Cindy nodded, honestly surprised that her father was telling her this much.

"So what now?" Cindy asked.

"Now I'm giving you an additional mission. Along with keeping an eye on Dr. King's son, you will now befriend Yolanda Montez, earn her trust and bring her to me." Dragon King said and he saw Cindy rub the back of her neck nervously.

"What is it?" He asked.

"That might be a bit impossible, since she'd most likely rather run me through with those claws of her's then come down here with me. I am the one who outed her." Cindy admitted and Dragon King could see the problem there.

"That is a problem. One that you will find a solution to and quickly for your sake, since I have enough to worry about with Starman's staff reappearing." Dragon King said.

"Permission to speak freely?" Cindy asked cautiously, since honestly, after hearing that, she had a better idea.

"Be quick." Dragon King said.

"Maybe you should let Montez go." Cindy said.

"Explain quickly." Dragon King said.

"If there is a new Starman, he'll likely be looking for allies. Maybe if we let him find Yolanda, she can lead you to him." Cindy said and Dragon King could see the appeal of that plan, since it did sound much simpler in terms of accomplishing it than his plan. Not that he'd ever tell her that.

"Maybe you would be a valued addition to the Injustice Society. Someday. But for now, get out." Dragon King said and Cindy knew that was as close to saying she did a good job that she'd ever get from her father and once again she found herself wishing that her mother was still here. She actually knew how to make her feel loved.

At the same time as Cindy was talking to her father, Pat Dugan was taking Courtney, Yolanda and Beth to his shop, since he knew that while Barb may want to keep them in the dark about his past, Yolanda's new ability made that impossible since she'd need help learning to control it and Beth had just happened to see it.

"So, what makes you think you can help me with this?" Yolanda asked Pat as she held out her hands to reveal her still active claws.

"This." Pat said as he opened the door in his shop to reveal the Stripe armor.

"Wait, you have a giant robot in your shop?" Beth asked.

"Yeah, it's a long story. One my wife will kill me for telling you two, since Courtney already knows." Pat said.

"And you guys can't tell anyone. Not even your parents Beth." Courtney said, since she knew that Yolanda and her parents were no longer on speaking terms anyways.

"I don't lie or keep secrets from my parents." Beth said.

"Well I'm sorry Beth, but you're going to have to, because this is a secret where if it got out, it would put people's lives in danger." Pat said.

"What is the secret?" Yolanda asked, wondering what all this had to do with both the robot in the shop and these strange claws on her hands.

"I'm getting to that." Pat said as he began to explain everything to them.

"So, you were a sidekick to a superhero and a member of this superhero team called the Justice Society of America and now you're training Courtney to become a superhero since she found and can use some kind of magic stick?" Yolanda said when Pat was done.

"That's about it." Pat said.

"Okay, Courtney your stepdad is a lot cooler than I thought." Beth said.

"I wouldn't go that far. Anyways, I thought that Pat should tell you the truth Yolanda since I'm hoping that he might've seen something that can help you control your claws until we can find a way to get rid of them." Courtney said.

"Right now, I'd settle for knowing how I got them." Yolanda said.

"I promise we'll find answers to that and I think I know where to start at least in teaching you how to control them. However, it is kind of out of the way." Pat said.

"Where is it?" Courtney asked, since she was also interested in this and Pat sighed.

"The only place I can think of that might have the equipment needed. The former headquarters of the JSA. We're going on a field trip." Pat said and all three girls nodded.