-couldn't find a good image for this one, so here's a meme to lighten the angst-

"I found out that one of the companies owned by Lexcorp, CADMUS, used my funding to create the clone of Superman. We replaced the directors of the facility, and I began trying to make contact with SuperBoy..." Lex was reciting, as prompted. "It wasn't Until recently I realized Superman wasn't the only unaware DNA donor.

"And the other donor was you." The skeezy otter-like tv reporter asked, holding out the microphone again.

"Yes" Luthor confirmed solemnly. "CADMUS's director at the time, Desmond was a close associate while We were absorbing CADMUS. I never thought he'd betray me like this, but since I realized Superboy was, in many ways, my son, I began trying anything I could ti get him back since the Justice League sent their children to steal him from CADMUS."

"Since Superboy shares powers with Superman, would it not be better if he stayed with Superman and the justice league?"

"The Justice League knew Superboy and I shared DNA before I did. Still, they didn't contact me, and kept superboy with them, where he was only neglected and mistreated by his other donor. Not to mention, Superboy has always been property of Lexcorp, but they kept him regardless, letting his other 'father', as it were, completely abused the boy and refused to accept his existence."

"Unlike you?"

"Exactly, I've been trying to help superboy where I can for months. While with the league Superboy lived with no parental figure or guardian, was left to fend for himself in almost every way. I also believe that he was not the only own of their 'little league', as people are calling it, who was forced to provide for themselves."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I can't be certain, Superboy still has trouble talking about his time under the league. I've heard that Superboy and another child were forced to lived together, feeding and taking care of themselves as the league sent them on life-threatening missions."

"Thank you, Mr. Luthor. Do you have anything more to say?"

"I think that we should all hold the Justice League accountable for their neglect, child endangerment, exploitation, and the kidnapping or not only a clone if superman, but my son."

"You intend to adopt Superboy then?"

The TV blinked off, leaving the room dark.

"MOM! I Was watching that!" The blonde sprung off the couch angrily.

"Artemis, you've been switching between all three channels to watch this over and over. You need to go to bed."

Her bitter expression melted back to the dejected state it had been harbouring the past week and-a-half. She collapsed back on the worn sofa. "I just want to know what they did..."

"I know." Her mother took on a more sympathetic voice. She approached her daughter. "But you can't do anything to help."

"I know."

"If you aren't meeting Green Arrow anymore, I want you to go to bed earlier." Paula tried, she knew that with her daughter's temperament, she would stay up as late as she needed in a state like this. "You have school, still."

"I know." Artemis relented, surprising her mother. It was usually a lot harder to get her to sleep, but she was really considering just giving up.

Green Arrow had grounded her, the team was temporarily —maybe permanently— disbanded, her friends were taken where she alone could not follow... How hard would it be to go to Gotham Academy, graduate, get into an okay college and become a lawyer or something? Now she had a good school and solid connections, she could probably live a relatively fulfilling life without the hero work...

"Come on, darling, you need to sleep."

"I know."

"I'm sure the Justice League can save your friend." She said, though she didn't sound terribly convinced.

"I know."

"Artemis, get ready for bed." Her mother said firmly. Artemis rolled off the couch and moped across the room. She wasn't in the emotional state to handle scary-mama-Nguyen.

She was probably right, the league was more experienced than the team, they could probably handle it. They would handle everything; Kaldur would be brought back on land, Conner would be freed, and they'd eventually let the team back together, even if it was on a tight leash.

But she couldn't reassure herself, if the league was handling this, why weren't they saving Superboy from Luthor? The team would have gone in to save him as soon as his capture was revealed.

But I guess that's why they're disbanded.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Conner awoke slowly, sluggishly, discovering himself on a cool, red floor. He didn't know what time it was, or how he'd gotten here.

The more he shifted in place, he realized that the entire room was red. He outstretched his arm and noticed it was red too, which lead his eyes upwards to a LED-plated ceiling, casting heavy red light on everything below it.

Where was Kaldur?

Wolf?

M'gann?

Sphere?

There was that twisting in his stomach, a burning in his chest. It got strong and stronger, until the door at the end if the room opened. He hadn't heard footsteps?

He turned, and felt his shaky stomach drop into his pelvis without distain: Lex Luthor, armed with a small cube of fluorescent green rock.

He growled, sitting up and almost puking. "Let. Me. Go."

"I will, son, once I know you're of sound mind to make that decision.. I don't want you to run away and get yourself hurt." Luthor told him firmly. "I'm doing all this to keep you safe. I can see you, son; you're strong, brave, smart, you learnt morse code before you said your first word, you even share the smartest brain and strongest body in America-- the world!"

"I don't know what you're doing, but I want to go home!" Conner punched the wall, only to be met with an immovable force, and a sweltering pain in his knuckles.

Luthor looked down at him, pityingly. "This is normal. Victims frequently defend their abusers. It will take time for you to understand and accept that they were hurting you."

"They weren't abusing me!" Conner shouted, jamming his palms over his ears in protest, though it didn't do much.

"but that's okay." Luthor said. "We can help fix that. You'll never feel neglected ever again. You can live your new life here, where you're safe and wanted." He added softy, enticingly, breaking through Conner's attempts to block out his voice. "I care about you, son. 

"I'm not..."

"We'll need to give you a name. I can't call my own son Superboy; the name his neglectors labeled him." Luthor said, as if it were obvious. Before the words could process in his memory, the man continued. "Since it falls on the father to pick a name... how about Adam? my first and greatest creation."

"NO!" Conner shouted, cradling his throbbing hand. "I HAVE A NAME!"

"Yes you do, Adam. It will take time to get used to, but doesn't it feel so freeing to have a name that wasn't assigned to you? You'll get to feel that wonderful feeling more and more as you stay here with me."

Conner tried to ignore him. "I want to go home! You can't keep me here! My team will be here soon, and the league! You can't just keep me here forever!"

"But this is your home, son. You're safe here. And as for your friends... you needn't worry about them. After that footage was leaked... the Justice League knows better than to let children do their dirty work Ever again ...And if the know what's right for them, they won't step into the limelight any time soon." Luthor leaned in and put his hand in Conner's hair before he couldn't pull away. He leaned in, very close to Conner's face. "Because you're my son."

——————————————————————————————

"What's that?" Conner asked shakily.

"Just a failsafe. A safety net, if you will." Luthor watched, hands in his pockets as his assistant Mercy approached Conner, forcing his head still as she stuck two cold metallic devices to his temples.

"Why? What are you planning to do?" Conner ordered.

"I know that you're a good boy, Adam. This will just help... kickstart the process of leaving your old, bad life behind." Mercy finished attaching the devices, which whirred slightly, and began warming up.

"How? What do they do? Why do you want me to have them?" Conner asked, trying not to sound frightened. He was suddenly having a very familiar feeling. Deja vu. Something bitterly nostalgic: simultaneously horribly ill, and very young again.

"They're helping you adjust, reaching towards your real potential."

"Like what? Destroy the city? You're a  megalomaniac!" Conner did the most disrespectful thing he could think of; he spat at Luthor's feet.

Nothing would make him obey! Nothing!

"I don't want you using that tone with me, young man." Luther said with slow, deliberate words, eyeing him heavily. "You have so much potential, we're just trying to help you reach it..."

the android grabbed his weakened arm, dragging him across the floor. Conner barely made it to the corner when it hit him.

CADMUS.

Project Match.

υπακούστε στον κατασκευαστή σας

Kr.

Superman.

Who is Superman?

Patayin siya

Homosapian evolved from homoerectus.

Batman, Wonder Woman. Obstacles.

убей его

The bronze age began in 3,300 bc.

The Justice League. Obstacles.

Mátalo

Kryptonite hurts Superman.

Luister naar js vader

The roman empire fell in 395 ad.

Red Sun.

Freeze.

Red Sun.

Freeze.

Red Sun.

Freeze.

Red Sun.

Freeze.

Red Sun.

Freeze.

"I think that's enough time-out for now," He jolted back into his body, stumbling and stepping back out of the corner. He was gasping for breath, his clothing soaked (mostly, but not completely, sweat). "Have we learned our lesson, Adam?" Luthor asked. "I don't think you like getting in trouble, do you?"

Conner feverishly shook his head, not even realizing he was doing so. He was clutching his arms, shaking a little as cold sweat trickled down his back.

"Good boy. Mercy, clean him up. I have a lot of catching up to do with my boy." Luthor stood, and left the room.