Justice League Academy

Chapter 7 Plastic Man Begins

In a town a young orphan of age of 13 was trying to survive. He lost his dad and his step mother didn't want anything to do with him so she just kicked him out to the streets and didn't take him to an orphanage saying no one would want him there. His name was Patrick O'Brian. He was very sad. He didn't have much to go for. He was now homeless. He saw many families look happy and warm in their homes it made him feel sad.

He saw how people looked at him like he wasn't worth anything and looked right through him. It made him feel so alone in the world. He knew it was wrong to steal his father had taught him better than that, all he did was pick people's pockets.

The students were in the town investigating things because the heroes felt they were ready. They were investigating a string of major theft that had been happening. "I wonder what is happening with all these theft, major things had been taken and it is quite startling what has been taken," Terry said.

"Yes things like chemicals, it is quite a cocktail of them I can tell you, who knows what they can do to someone," Wild heart said.

"Wild Heart has a point someone could get really hurt," Dove said.

Then they saw something it was Patrick picking the pocket of a tourist and then running away. They decided to follow the pick pocket. They confronted him. "Why did you take that guys money?" Terry asked.

"Yes talk," Warhawk said.

"I am sorry, I just don't what else to do and I know it is wrong, I am just so hungry and I have no home, and I can go to the house I lived because of," Patrick said starting to cry.

"Whoa calm down," Dove said. "Mind telling us what happened?" he asked.

"It's kind of a long story," Patrick said.

"We got time," Wild heart said.

Patrick told them how he lost his birth mother at a young age and soon his father remarried and how uncaring his stepmom was towards him and then his dad died recently and his step mom kicked him out to the street and didn't take him to an orphanage to be cared for and told him no one would want a child like him who is a worthless piece of trash. It all start a couple of weeks ago and the reason he started to pick pocket because he was hungry and no one cared to help him.

"Don't worry we will find you help," Terry said.

"I know how you feel," Wild heart said.

"How could you know how I feel?" Patrick asked Wild heart said.

"Because my dad died too, I know how the hurt never really goes away," Wild heart said.

"Patrick do you know anything about the recent chemical thefts?" Supergirl asked.

"I heard of them and I think I may know where they hang out," Patrick said. "It was an old abandoned warehouse I remember so guys kicked me out of there I was using it as a shelter, then the next thing I know they kicked me out, then when I go by there each time to see if they left I smell strange things like chemicals." he said.

"Can you take us there?" Aqualad asked.

"Of course," Patrick said. "It's this way," he said.

He lead them to the warehouse and they looked inside and saw chemical vats. "No doubt about it they are doing chemicals here." Terry said. "It's all the chemicals on the list." he said.

"Oh my what are they planning to do?" Wild heart said.

"Look what we have here some snoops." a guy said and then the goons tied them up and took them down to the chemical area. Patrick was above a vat.

"What are you doing?" M'gan asked.

"We are simply going to test something for a new version of a special kind of worker who can handle the toughest of punishment. I remember I use to work for Stagg and I remember how his son in law got mutated. I came up with a formula to make a person like rubber and can handle and for his shape to look like any one or form his parts into to different shapes and be immune to electricity, he would be able to be the best under cover worker ever. I call it Plastic Man. But Stagg said he was through with using chemicals and would mutate others for his son in law's sake because after seeing how upset his daughter was with what happen to him and how his son in law saved his life. I insisted on it then he fired me. I now I came up with the compound to create Plastic man. I decided this child we kicked out would be the first test subject." the man said.

Terry was working on freeing himself.

"Let me go," Patrick said.

"As you wish." the man said and sent Patrick falling into the vat.

Terry freed himself and the others and they started fighting. Patrick was struggling in the vat he managed to pull himself partially out. Then Warhawk pulled him out.

They managed to tie the man's goons up but the man who did it got away. "We need to get Patrick back to the school he's not looking good," Dove said.

They made it to school where Patrick was being tended too. "What happened?" Metamorpho asked.

Wild heart explained the whole thing. "The guy used to work for Stagg," Wild heart said. "He said the name of the project was Plastic Man." she said.

"I will call Stagg to see if he has info on this guy who got away," Metamorpho said. He called Stagg.

"Hello Metamorpho what do I owe the pleasure for call from my son in law?" Stagg asked.

"It is important, involves a former employee of yours," Metamorpho said.

"Which one?" Stagg asked.

"It is about one who had a project called Plastic man, the students fought him last night and now a thirteen year he used as a test subject is being treated here in our infirmary." Metamorpho said.

"I remember him. His name was Leonard Tirn he was the one who came up with it," Stagg said. "He was determined to do it and I didn't want any more work with chemicals like that so I fired him," he said. "He apparently must've continued his research in another town," he said. "How is the teenager doing?" he asked.

"He's stable right now, we expect him to be alright," Metamorpho said. "J'onn says the chemicals had altered the kids body, making like rubber like Tirn wanted to happen, so the kid has to learn how to control his abilities and his new body, not mention learn to accept what happened, happened." he said.

"I understand," Stagg said.

A bit later students told the teachers all that happened to Patrick recently. "You mean he is all by himself?" Sapphire asked who was visiting with Joseph who was still trying to decide whether to join the academy or not.

"Yes," Hannah said. "He has been through a lot," she said.

"Poor kid," Metamorpho said.

Patrick woke up and had a lot on his mind about what had happened to him. After a few days he was starting accept what had happened to him. He was even training with his powers and was now a student. He was thinking about calling himself Plastic man because that was name of the project.

Then a lead came on Tirn's location. Patrick came with them.

They found turn who was trying to make more of the plastic man formula. The students came in to stop him.

Suddenly Tirn was about fall in but Patrick reached grabbed him and tied him up to let the authorities handle it. "Now Tirn is going to get justice," Patrick said.

They were proud of him. Patrick was proud of himself too he decided to go by Plastic man as his hero name. Now he also had a foster family Metamorpho, Sapphire and their son decided to take him in as a their foster son.

Things were starting look up now.

The Academy just keeps on growing.

To be continued.