Camp Justice

Black and Blue

"Um, is this going to hurt?" I asked as Maya finished binding my arms.

Damian finished drawing the circle around me. "Totally." I gulped. "That's why we're tying you down."

"So, uh, what's with the circle?" I asked.

"A trick from the League of Assassins," said Damian. "It'll help focus what little mental power you have."

"Ha, ha. So...what's the plan?"

Damian was about to answer when Kathy stepped through the bushes. She quickly surveyed the place. "Nice," she said. Damian found an secluded area for us to work. Last night, he broke into the camp office to sneak a peak at the day's activities and using probability, human nature, and a few other odds and ends found a spot where there was a 89 percent chance that no one would go.

"So glad you approve," Damian said, voice full of an "eye roll." He took a moment to look over the group's handiwork then said to Kathy, "Time for you to live up to your codename, 'Beacon,'" he said it with air quotes and everything. "You are going to help keep Jon grounded, help him get to the mental plane, and help him battle Black."

"I don't know if I'm that strong," said Kathy.

"You're not," said Damian. "That's why I have the psychic circle. Plus, I'm going to give Jon a crash course in mental warfare." He focused his attention on me. "At one point, your father learned the Kryptonian martial art of Torquasm Vo."

"Sounds neat," I said. "How do I do it?"

"Years of practice. But anyone can learn. He taught it to your mother."

I decided to let the slight insult pass...this time. "Again, how?"

"No time. I'm throwing you in the deep end, but not without floaties." He glanced towards Kathy. He then left to gather some equipment to monitor Kathy and my vitals while we did this. Maya joined him.

"Are you seriously testing him right now?" she whispered.

"I need to know what he can do," said Damian.

Kathy took a seat near me; she reached out towards my hand then stopped. "I'll need physical contact to make the link." I nodded. Damian and Maya returned.

Soon, we were ready. Kathy and I closed our eyes and breathed out. Suddenly, we were standing on a red, barren landscape.

"Is this...Mars?" I asked. I could see what looked like two small moons.

"I think so."

"Why Mars?" I asked.

"Don't know. It's your mind after all." I scratched at my head while Kathy pointed. "What is that?" A short distance from us was a blue light. It looked kind of like a small fire.

"I see the gang's all here." Manchester Black's voice made us twist around in a small jump. "'Ello, love," he said to Kathy with a tip of an imaginary hat. He then jerked his hand and an invisible force threw her across the landscape. She skidded to a stop a short distance away. He followed up by holding his hand out like he was choking me. I floated into the air and began to gag.

***

Back with Damian and Maya, my eyes suddenly opened. Maya took a step back and Damian seemed unaffected. "Did you think I'd fall for the same ploy twice?" my mouth said, but the voice sounded much like Manchester's. My eyes also started to become completely black. My shirt started to morph into a Union Jack as Black used his telekinesis to alter the fabric. "Did you think two kids could face me? I, who controlled a whole town while suppressing the powers of the Boy of Steel? I, who gave Superman a stroke with my mind?"