DRAMA! DRAMA! DRAMA!

Washington D.C.

December 30, 09:16 EDT

The team was gathered in the library of the Hall of Justice with their newest member Rocket watching the newest members of the Justice League be welcomed into the League on television.

"You are watching live coverage of the induction of the Justice League's five newest members. It looks like the entire League has shown up to welcome the new blood, everyone from Batman to Captain Marvel." The news reporter was saying on the television as the team stood around watching.

"I'm glad they didn't kick Billy out. And I love the fact there is a ten year old in the League." Wally laughed, munching on an apple.

"There is?" Raquel asked, hands on her hips.

"Way to keep a secret, genius." Robin elbowed Wally.

"Hey, she's on the team now, right?" Wally shrugged, chewing more apple.

The reporter told the camera that Superman was passing out official League membership cards. Raquel complained that she was the one to convince her mentor, Icon, to become a hero so she should be out there celebrating with him. Kaldur agreed.

"Well, I suppose there's an upside too." Raquel checked Kaldur out.

Pietro snorted from his place next to Zatanna, his girlfriend elbowing him lightly in the ribs. "What?"

"Pay attention." She hummed.

"They are just handing out cards." Pietro whined, earning a look from Zatanna.  He huffed. "Fine. I'll pay attention."

"Way to go Roy!" Wally cheered when Green Arrow gave Red Arrow his card.

"At last he has his wish." Kaldur spoke softly.

"The first of us to make it. No one will call him a sidekick anymore."

"Wait, since when is being a sidekick a bad thing? You sidekicks were my inspiration."

"Well, see, six months ago it - " Robin's watch beeped with an alert and he checked it out, telling everyone what it said. "We have a mission. Come on, let's go."

"Wait, I thought Batman gave us our missions?" Raquel asked.

"You'll learn quickly that we do things off book as well." Zatanna reassured her, chasing after the rest of the team as they ran towards the zeta tubes to the mountain. The team suited up, rushing to the bioship.

Smokey Mountains

December 30, 10:48 EDT

"A-are you sure its her? I mean are you absolutely positive?" Artemis asked after Robin filled the team in on the mission details.

"See for yourself. This is the security footage from the Ashville Regional Airport. Facial recognition confirms that's Jade Nguyen." Robin had pulled up images and videos on the screen at the front of the bioship. "But you've seen her without her mask, what do you think?"

"It's Jade. Cheshire." Artemis sighed.

"Agreed. But focus on what she carries. Is that the case you saw in New Orleans? The one that got away?" Aqualad asked.

"Yes."

"Okay, I'm guessing from the mugshot that this Cheshire chick is one of the bad guys, but what is so important about that case?" Rocket asked.

"The case represents unfinished business." Superboy growled.

"Not only that, but we were informed by Scarlet Witch - "

"Wait, isn't she also one of the baddies?"

"It's complicated." Quicksilver interjected. "Anyways, she informed us that the case is important to the Light's plans. We get our hands on the case and we possibly foil their plans."

"Who is the Light?" Rocket scratched her head in confusion. "I thought we were fighting against the Injustice League?"

"The Light is the group of people behind the Injustice League, the puppeteers, if you will. They have been the ones coordinating world events and causing havoc. They must be taken down." Quicksilver informed the new girl.

Miss Martian announced that they were approaching Cheshire's jet. When they were above it, it was a crash site. Artemis looked away, a pained expression on her face. "Looks like there were no survivors." 

The team departed from the bioship to examine the crash site, rummaging through the wreckage. Kid Flash asked why homeland security wasn't all over the crash and Robin explained that Cheshire's ID was a League alert and that her jet didn't follow the flight plan. Rocket asked why the League wasn't there and Robin said he arranged to get the alert first. 

"Where are the bodies?" Sueprboy asked, tossing aside a wing.

"Here's one. And it is stunning." Everyone turned to see Cheshire standing in costume with the case in her hand. Artemis smiled slightly. 

"I am flora, not fauna. I am foliage, not trees. What am I?" All eyes turned upwards to see the Riddler standing on top of the cliff side, along with Shadow foot soldiers, Shimmer, Mammoth, and Scarlet Witch. He snapped his fingers and pilons shot out of the ground, creating a force field around the crash site. "Hey, come on, you can get this. I am shrubbery, not grass. What am I? I - "

"Ambush." Robin deadpanned. 

"Didn't you think we'd be tipped you were on Cheshire's trail? We're tired of your interference kiddies. This is the endgame, ordered from above and executed by their master strategist, moi." Riddler continued with his speech.

Sestra, did you tell them we were onto Cheshire?

...

Right. I forgot.

Quicksilver looked around as Aqualad spoke through the mindlink.

Miss Martian, is everyone linked?

Yes.

Go.

"Ekahs siht ebolgwons!" Zatanna yelled, thrusting her hands outwards as the rest of the team jumped into action. A blizzard started up within the dome as the team fought with the foot soldiers. 

Superboy, the pilons!

Working on it.

Quicksilver ran around the foot soldiers, knocking them down and taking their weapons off them. He saw his sister leap down off the cliff side away from Riddler and go at Zatanna, the two of them leaping into battle against one another. 

SB, y-you're flying!

Quicksilver looked up and saw Superboy flying through the air with Mammoth in his hands, tossing the behemoth against the cliffside, punching him over and over again viciously. The cliffside began to shake and an avalanche started, right on above Zatanna and Scarlet Witch.

Look out!

Quicksilver acted on impulse, diving at the two fighting teens and grabbing one out of the way of the snow. He heard a gasp and looked behind him to see the snow being held up in the air, stopping it from crushing the girl it hovered above, her eyes glowing scarlet as she stared at her twin in disbelief.

Quicksilver looked down at Zatanna then back up at his sister, who was holding the snow back with her hex. "Wanda - "

You made your choice.  Live with it.

Scarlet Witch let go of her hex and the snow collapsed on top of her. Quicksilver squeezed his eyes shut, turning his head away.

"QS, we need to help our friends." Zatanna reminded him. "Come on."

Quicksilver nodded, rushing up the side of the mountain as Zatanna flew up using her magic. They met Robin at the top, who restrained Shimmer with rope. Zatanna put Riddler in a straight jacket and he yelped.

"Gag mih." Zatanna sighed, Rocket landing next to them.

"Is it always like this?" She asked.

"Yeah, pretty much." Zatanna answered.

Robin looked to Quicksilver. "Where is Scarlet Witch?" Quicksilver looked away, pointing down at the avalanche at the bottom of the cliff. Robin narrowed his eyes at the speedster, grappling down the side of the cliff to the pile of snow. Quicksilver followed his lead, the two of them digging through the snow to try and find Scarlet Witch.  The rest of team came up behind them, asking what they were doing. "Trying to rescue our only inside source."

Miss Martian put a hand on each of their shoulders. "I don't sense her presence here anymore. She's left."

Quicksilver looked to Robin, who sighed. "Alright. Let's get the case back to Mount Justice."

Mount Justice

December 30, 15:45 EDT

"Tell me if this sounds familiar. You hacked Justice League systems, disobeyed protocols, and endangered your lives. And your initiative resulted in the capture of three escaped felons, proving Warden Strange runs Belle Reve as a front for criminal activity. Well done." Batman complimented the team. "And then there is this."

"Biotechnology integrated with some form of nano circuitry. Though, I am unfamiliar with the species." Icon picked up one of the pieces of tech from the brief case. The bio component is clearly not of Earth."

"We'll take it to the Watchtower for further study." Batman closed the case and began walking away with Icon, Rocket flying after them to talk quickly with her mentor.

"You realize we were set up." Wally stated.

"Yes. Cheshire and Riddler were tipped and ready for us." Kaldur agreed.

"Not the mole thing again." Artemis groaned. "I thought we agreed that Scarlet Witch couldn't be trusted?"

"Mole thing? Again?" Raquel asked, confused.

"We had intel that there was a traitor on the team." Wally supplied.

"Mainly Artemis, Pietro, M'gann,  or me." Conner grunted.

"It is more complicated than that." Kaldur tried to soothe the tension. "But your recent behavior does concern me. Your attack on Mammoth nearly got Zatanna killed." Conner took a few steps away and grabbed his head. "Superboy?"

"There's something I need to do. Something I need to tell you." Conner turned back to the team. "Last month, on Thanksgiving, I went back to Cadmus, found a few things out. When I was cloned only half the DNA used was Superman's. The other half was humans. That's why I don't have, will never have, full Kryptonian powers."

"You sure? Cause you sure seemed to have them today." Robin mused.

"I've been using these. Shields. They suppress my human DNA. I get the flight, the heat vision, but I think I also get angry...well, angier. I'm sorry." Conner rolled his sleeve up to reveal a black shield on his arm.

"Where did you get those?"

"From my human father, Lex Luthor."

"Lex...Luthor...is your dad?" Pietro stared incredulously at the boy of steel.

"He summoned me to Santa Prisca."

"Ah, listen." Artemis spoke up. "Superboy isn't the only one suffering from bad DNA." She walked over to the holo computer and pulled up three profiles. "My mother is Huntress, an ex con. The rest of my family...aren't even ex. My father is Sportsmaster and he is sending my sister, Cheshire, to take me to Santa Prisca as well."

"So, uh, since we are having a confession session, who's next?" Wally asked, putting a hand on Artemis' shoulder.

"I am."

"I swear, I was totally kidding." Wally muttered.

"Queen Bee had Scarlet Witch implant instructions in my head to go to Santa Prisca. They were subconscious instructions,  planted really deep in my mind, and I wouldn't have found them if Scarlet Witch hadn't...well, when she was in the mountain earlier this month, she psychically told me, while in her catatonic state, where to look and how to undo the programming she installed. The programming Queen Bee made her put in...it was horrible." M'gann wrapped her arms around herself. "If I resisted the programming, I'd be forced to reveal my true form."

"Bald M'gann?"

"No." M'gann sighed before transforming into an indescribable creature. "I realized you would never accept me if you saw what I really am."

"M'gann, did we truly seem so shallow?"

"I couldn't take the chance, being a white Martian among the green on Mars, facing constant rejection. I couldn't stand to face that from - "

"From me?" Conner stepped forward and took her hand, the couple engaging in a psychic conversation for a moment before looking to the team.

"Anyone else? Now is the time." Wally joked.

Pietro looked to Robin, who nodded. Pietro inhaled. "I'll go."

"Does everyone have a secret?" Wally whined.

Pietro shook slightly as he stepped to the front of the group, turning to face them. "Before I tell you this information, I want to preface it by saying being on this team has been the highlight of the last few years of my life. I have grown to care about each and every one of you. You are my family, but I doubt you will feel the same way when I am done."

"I don't have a good feeling about this." Raquel murmured.

Pietro squeezed his eyes shut. "Here goes...I lied to you, about a lot of things. My sister, she is not dead. She is still alive, in fact, you have all met her. My sister, my twin, is the Scarlet Witch."

The team stared at him for a moment, processing the information. "Okay, we didn't judge Artemis, we won't judge y - "

"There is more." Pietro gulped, feeling ill. "When we were eleven, we ran into Lex Luthor. He offered us protection if we did a few odd jobs for him and his...friends. We agreed, as we did not know any better. We were introduced to the rest of the Light members and things escalated quickly...what I am trying to say is, I was the mole. Wanda was my contact for the Light. They promised us that if we helped them achieve their goals, they would unite us once more and protect us from Sokovian authorities, but I realized during my stay at Cadmus that they were lying. They were never going to unite us. But Wanda...she so desperately needed to believe in our reunification by the Light that she ignored their lies and accepted their gifts without question. She is a good person she has just been led astray. Please, do whatever you like to me, but help my sister. Please."

The team stared at Pietro in stunned silence. "You...you were the mole? This whole time, we trusted you and you were selling us out?!"

Pietro winced, knowing he deserved that. "Not the whole time, only the first month or two. I told Batman early on, he has known for quite some time. I have falsified all information I gave Wanda, when we chatted it wasn't even about the team most of the time. I swear."

"Batman...Batman knew there was an actual mole on the team and didn't tell us."

"Yes. He said no one would benefit from the knowledge."

Sitting in silence for a moment, the team exchanged a look. "We are wasting time. We will discuss this later, with Batman present. For now, we need to all get to Santa Prisca, you too, Pietro."

As the team made their way to the bioship, Zatanna fell into step with Pietro. He glanced at her as she slipped her hand into his. "You're not mad?"

"I am a little bit. But I get why you lied. You were doing it for Wanda, everything you do is for Wanda." Zatanna stopped suddenly in her tracks, looking wide eyed at Pietro.

"What? What is it?"

"Pietro...you saved me earlier, from the avalanche. You saved my life."

"I didn't  - "

"You saved my life over your twin sister's. Don't you get it? You chose me over her, even if it was just that one time. You still did it."

Pietro froze, his blood running cold. He had done the one thing he swore to Wanda he would never do.

He chose Zatanna over her.

Oh, f-