Ingenious >>>(Young Justice/Dick Grayson)<<<

Chapter 25

October 16th
16:01
The Watch Tower

"Good luck." Covert nodded to her team mates as they teach took their places. Her gaze lingered a bit longer on Robin, and she offered her best friend an extra vote of confidence in the form of a smile. She stood with Batman behind Martian Manhunter.

It took less than a second for the Team to drift off into a telepathic reality. "Remind me why we're going through with this." She asked.

Batman appeared to stand without any motion, but she knew his eyes were jumping back and forth at the now unconscious teenagers. "We want them to be ready for anything, the end of the world included."

Parker knew why she was not being included in the exercise. No telepathy could get into her mind, much less run a scenario through it while connected to six others. Besides, her mind would easily tell her that she was in a dream. She knew she could not help it; she was untrained. Still, to see her friends all participate in such a thing was kind of hurtful. She would not complain, though. It was not in her personality to whine about things that cannot be changed.

Manhunter stepped back towards them. "I feel the operation is running smoothly."

"Can you tell us what is going on in the simulation?" Batman asked.

The Martian looked at one of the Team members before answering. "Everyone in the Justice League has perished at this point, and the Team is heading to Antarctica."

"So," Covert spoke up. "I am dead?"

"No," Red Tornado answered. "We decided to keep you alive a little longer than the rest of the League. You should be at the Watch Tower." He looked to Martian Manhunter for confirmation.

"Actually, you are waiting for them back at the cave." J'honn corrected. "You caught a zeta there before the Watch Tower was destroyed."

Parker nodded, accepting it. "Will I die eventually, though?"

"Yes," the Martian admitted. "Everyone will die. That is the only way to wake up."

"Hmm." The youngest among them thought. "That's a weird thought."

Whatever was going to be said next got lost in the sudden shift in Manhunter's behavior. "Something..." He paused. "is wrong." He ran to the center of the circle.

"Get them out." Batman ordered.

Parker did not know what to do just then. She felt like she needed to help in one way or another, but how could she? She watched helplessly as J'honn's eyes glowed green. Then, his niece began floating. M'gann clearly had done something. Manhunter walked towards Miss Martian and placed his hands on either side of her head. Then, he collapsed.

Batman caught the Martian before he hit the floor. The four remaining members looked to each other, hoping the others would have answers. None of them said a thing at first. It was the Batman who took control of the situation. "Check their vitals." He ordered Tornado. He then placed Manhunter in the ground. "Get Canary, then grab a med kit and blankets." He told Shazam.

Parker realized that she had heard very little of whatever had been said. Her mind could not comprehend the situation. She could not understand what was happening, and therefore she was panicking.

An undeniable fear of the unknown began haunting her. So many 'what ifs' played in her head. What if her friends were hurt or worse? What is they did not wake up? What could she do? She had no answers. Adrenaline had been activated and injected into her bloodstream without permission. Her heart beat fast, and she could not get enough oxygen.