Camp Justice

Tainted Meat

Maya stared wide-eyed and stroked Goliath while Damian and I recounted the last time we had a run-in with Manchester Black. But before we started our tale, Damian had to show off by telling us that he figured out Black was involved by realizing the Ra's al Ghul he fought was a mental illusion created by Black to separate us.

We then finally got around to telling Maya about the day Batman and Robin showed up at my home back in Hamilton. Batman had the results of my DNA tests. "His powers should be fully developed," said Batman, "but they aren't. Something is suppressing them. I suspect it's the town's milk."

We all soon learned that Manchester Black was behind it all. He was psychically controlling all the people in the town, who turned out to be alien refugees (including Kathy). At one point, Black removed my powers completely and made me watch as he attacked my parents and cut off my mom's leg (which in reality was a mental projection to torment me further—Mom is fine and whole). Once the torture was done, he returned my powers but had also turned me evil. He forced me to fight my dad. I finally snapped out of it through the one thing more powerful than mind-control: your mother using your full name. I just shivered by the way.

Then, teaming up with Kathy—who'd managed to overcome the mind-control thanks to her own psychic powers—we were able to put the mental beatdown on Black.

"And apparently, his consciousness was trapped in the body of a cow," I finished.

"Talk about mad cow disease," said Maya.

"And that," said Damian, "is why I'm a vegetarian."

"That's a funny thing for someone who slaughtered a whole race of bat-dragons to say," I blurted. I quickly covered my mouth. "I'm sorry, Damian, I didn't mean to say that."

Damian gave me his version of the Bat Glare. "I'll let it slide, this time, seeing as you're being possessed by a psychotic psychic cow."

"We should tell the Justice League," said Maya. "Or at the very least the camp counselors...you know, the Titans."

"No," said Damian. "We can handle this. We don't need anyone's help."

"We should at least tell Kathy," I said. "I mean, she did defeat Manchester Black the first time."

"You just want an excuse to talk to your girlfriend," said Damian.

"Big talk coming from someone who couldn't stop his own team from mutinying against him." Once again, I covered my mouth. "Sorry," I whispered.

Damian glared at me in silence. Maya paused mid-stroke under Goliath's chin. Goliath shifted uncomfortably. I gulped. "Get the girlfriend," Damian finally said.