Freya's POV:

My phone buzzes in my pocket and I recognized the ringtone, quickly putting it against my ear. "Hello?"

"I hope you have some updates about her." Icicle spoke with slight annoyance in his tone. "Or else the deal is off."

"Relax, will you?" I scoff and look out the window, watching as we drove past the dozens of trees. "She's just researching more into what you can do."

"Is that so?" I hear something move in the background. "Then I guess I have to show her." The line clicks and I move my phone away from my ear before I shoved my phone in my pocket.

"Freya, did you send me the video?" Beth excitedly asked from the aisle next to mine.

"Like I told you a million times and right before we left," I sarcastically smile. "I sent it when we got on the bus."

"Nice. I can't wait for my parents to see." Beth turns to Joey who was sitting next to her. "Honestly, I think you should have won first place, Joey."

"I'm good with third, Beth." Joey assured with a confident smile, adjusting his posture as the bus got on the bridge. "I feel something. Like, my magic's getting stronger."

"How?" I ask with a scoff.

He shrugged. "I don't know. Call it a gut feeling." He answered with a smile.

"What the hell?" The bus driver exclaims which causes us to look forward, seeing the entire road coated in ice.

The brakes of the bus screech but the vehicle harshly swerves back and forth, causing Joey to fall off his seat along with the screams of terror from everyone else.

The side of the bus scrapes against the cemented wall, causing it to stop but the bus threateningly hung off the edge.

I watch as Joey begins to slide towards the back but I quickly dive and grab his hand, tightly clutching onto the seat and his hand so he wouldn't slam on the end of the bus.

"Crap, crap, crap!" Joey panicked along with the rest of the students on the bus.

"Quit squirming, Joey!" I grunted, using all of my might to hold him.

Suddenly, a ringing sound echoed inside my head, causing me to cry out in pain as it got louder.

I closed my eyes but instead of being met with complete darkness, I saw the sight of the bus slowly began to tip further and further to the edge.

However, I lifted my hand a bit, watching as the bus slowly tried to rise which caused my eyes to widen.

I try to lift my hand higher but felt the weight on my hand get heavier which made it harder to move.

I grunt, trying to force it to stay in place as it tried to sink further, but my surroundings began to darken.

"No, no, no." I frantically whisper and try to force it up, but instantly my vision switches back to where I was inside the bus, still clutching onto Joey's hand.

"Freya, I-I think I'm--" I feel my hand begin to slip from the seat. "Freya!"

My hand slips from the seat and instantly Joey and I slam on the back of the bus, practically giving the vehicle the final push over the edge.

The height of the water started to decrease until suddenly, Pat's robot comes into view as he holds the bus upward.

I sigh in relief but I look to Joey, seeing the frightened expression as he locked eyes with the red-eyed robot.

Soon after, the bright light causes us to look away from Pat's robot but felt the bus pushed back on the road, earning several grunts from the students on the bus once it was placed back.

"Is everyone okay?" I hear a teacher ask but I quickly push on the emergency handle and open the door, carefully hopping out of the bus.

"Watch your step, kids." I hear another teacher instruct as I helped Joey out of the bus since he was slightly shaking.

"Stay behind the bus." I say to Joey as he quickly sat down, leaning his back against the cemented railing. "Are you okay?"

He nodded, breathing heavily. "You...You saved me."

I hesitantly shake my head, rubbing my hands together to try to keep warm. "My hand slipped."

He quickly shook his head as he nervously fiddled with his cards. "No, no, before that. We could've died way before that if you didn't grab my hand."

"Oh. Well then...I guess I did." I shrug, not wanting to discuss it further.

He gives a small smile. "You're a hero."

I roll my eyes and nudge his arm. "That's a bit of a stretch."

"You know, now I feel like I owe you something. I'm basically in debt to you." He rambled off but I shook my head with an amused expression. "This is a sign of our friendship!"

I winced. "Okay, now you're being weird."

Out of nowhere, one of his cards slips out of his hands and it glides across the road. He tries to stand but I stop him. "I got it." He helps me stand up to my feet and I carefully walk to the road.

I struggled as I tried to pick up the card since my nails scraped against the iced road until I finally was able to pick it up. "Stupid card." I mutter under my breath but from a distance, the sounds of tires screeched close by.

Before I could turn, I feel a harsh shove, causing me to collide into the cemented wall which followed with shrieks of terror.

I turn around at who pushed me out of the way and see that Joey wasn't in his original spot which sent chills down my spine.

I frantically look around, hoping to god it wasn't who I thought it was but my worries were soon answered once my eyes landed on Joey's limp body that was a couple of feet away from the bus.

Oh my god.

.·。.·゜✭·.·✫·゜·。. *✭˚·ﾟ✧*·ﾟ*✭˚·ﾟ✧*·

"Joey was so sweet." Courtney tearfully rasped as Pat placed a blanket around her shoulders. "He was the first kid at school who was actually nice to me."

I was sitting on the couch beside her, tightly clutching onto one of the throw pillows. "It's all my fault" I muttered. "If I had looked for one second, he would still be alive."

"It's not your fault, Freya." Pat whispered but Courtney shook her head.

"No. It's Icicle's fault. I'm going to find--no." Courtney stated before she wiped the tears from her eyes. "We're going to find Icicle a-and..." Her voice trembled before she looked off to the side, another tear trickling down the side of her cheek.

Was Jordan aiming for me? There's no way, right? He had to be aiming for Joey. If had to be so his father would stay focused on the mission.

"I want to show you guys something." Pat spoke and gestured for us to follow him to his robot.

The next thing I knew, Courtney and I held on to the bars on the back of the robot as Pat flew us to who knows where.

I look around as we flew above the clouds, practically shivering since it was windy but it gave me a sense of peace for a moment as I stared at the city lights below us.

Once we stopped by a building, Pat landed the robot where no one else would find it. Courtney and I carefully hop off of the machine as Pat opened the hatch to the robot to get out as well.

We walk up to the front door where it had a pin code on the side and he quickly types the numbers until the latch opened, letting us inside.

"What is this place?" Courtney questioned as we walked inside the darkened hall but at the end of the hallway seemed like there was a large room since there was a little light from outside.

"It's the headquarters of the Justice Society of America." He answered as he walked up to the large table covered with a drape along with the chairs covered as well.

He pulls off the blanket, revealing the words 'JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA' that were engraved on the table. The lights around us slowly begin to turn on and I look around the room, seeing several posters of each of the members in the JSA as well as their artifacts and suits for their abilities.

"Woah," I whisper under my breath.

"What is all this?" Courtney gestured to the artifacts that were placed on individual podiums.

"Each of the JSA members had abilities, powers, tools, like your Cosmic Staff," He gestured to Courtney. "and they used them to protect the world against people like Icicle."

A bright small gleam flashes my eyes and I turn, seeing the golden helmet that rested on the podium.

I walk over to the podium and see the small label in front of it that read 'Doctor Fate's Helmet of Nabu'. My eyes trail to the poster, seeing the man dressed in gold and blue with the helmet over his face.

I don't think they've ever mentioned this guy being in the JSA.

My eyes trail to his golden cape until the realization hit me.

This was the person in my dream.

Letting curiosity get the best of me, I pick up the helmet from the stand at ease but barely saw my reflection due to the dust.

I wiped it with my sleeve and see my reflection a bit clearer, feeling something stir in my stomach. Almost as if I was finally reunited with the Helmet of Nabu.

Huh.

I put the helmet back on the stand but see Courtney staring at the poster of Wildcat as he made the pose to crack his knuckles. "Who's that?" She points to the poster.

"Wildcat. His real name was Ted Grant. He was a heavyweight champion." Pat answered before he let out a sigh. "He gave me my Big Boy keychain. It's the closest thing he could find to a Stripesy action figure. Said it was good luck."

I walk up to the podium and see Wildcat's mask and suit. "He sounds like he was the comedian in the group." I try to lighten the tension and Pat gives a small nod.

"Hourman..." Courtney spoke up as she went to the poster next to Wildcat.

"The Flash," Pat added, pointing to the man with a lightning bolt on his suit. "Doctor Fate," He pointed to the one I was previously looking at first. "they're all my friends. My family, really."

"Woah, is this thing real?" Courtney questioned which caused us to turn, seeing an owl perched on the wooden stick underneath Dr. Mid-Nite's poster.

"Yeah. It's Dr. Mid-Nite's owl." Pat answered as we both walked closer to the animal. "There's something special about him. I don't know what, but every time we'd come here, that owl, he'd fly right to Dr. Mid-Nite and land on his arm."

I approach the owl as it hoots and almost out of habit, I hold out my hand and it nuzzles its head into my palm. "Hey..." I whisper as it continued to hoot.

"He doesn't know Dr. Mid-Nite's dead. He's been waiting for him for years." Pat sadly explained and I worriedly glance back at the creature, a sense of guilt hitting my heart.

All alone for years. Just because the ISA killed his master. Why do I feel so terrible for them?

Courtney walks away to go to the next poster but Pat stays in his spot. "Dr. Mid-Nite's not coming back, Court. None of them are. Icicle and the Injustice Society killed them all." Pat continued but Courtney stopped in front of Starman's poster. "The truth is, you and I don't stand a chance against them."

"What if we had help?" Courtney slowly turned away to look at both of us. "I'm the new Starman, so why couldn't there be a new Hourman or a new Dr. Mid-Nite?"

Pat shook his head. "No. No one can take their place."

"That's what you said about Starman, but then the staff picked me." She reminded.

"Court, these guys," He gestured at each of the posters. "I mean, they were the best in the world."

"Did they start out like that?" She raised a brow.

"No, but still with years of experience they couldn't defeat the Injustice Society, do you understand that?" He asked, his voice laced with a bit of frustration.

"This stuff shouldn't be sitting here, collecting dust." She gestured at Doctor Fate's helmet before she walked over to a different podium. "It should be in the hands of possible heroes."

She tries to grab the pink pen but Pat immediately stops her. "Don't touch the Thunderbolt! That's the most dangerous thing in here." He scolded and she slowly moved her hand away from the pen.

I furrow my brows in confusion. "A pink pen?"

"Just," He pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance. "listen to me for once. Everything in this room is dangerous, all right? This life is." He sternly spoke before he let out a breath. "A kid died today. A child. That's why we can't go on."

"A kid died today and that's exactly why we have to, Pat." She stated as she approached the large table in the middle of the room. "This is our destiny."

"You...You saved me." Joey's words echoed in my head. "You're a hero."

I worriedly look at Pat and see the solemn expression on his face. "You know, that's exactly what Starman said to me the night he died." He spoke and nods for me to get Courtney. "Come on, we're leaving. Until I say so, no more Stargirl and Stripe."

He starts to walk back to where we came from and I nudge Courtney for her to follow, seeing as she still looked around in awe. "Come on." I whisper, breaking her stare and she nods, following Pat soon after.