Three young heroes understood that Batman's suspicions about Cadmus were completely correct. First they got a glimpse at a creature that belonged to a hospital in some horror movie, then at an elevator, which, as they later found out, was way too fast for a mere two story building. There was something to be suspicious about. Why were they here in the League's stead? Well, the big guys had more important things to do. One of the villains planned to do something with the sun, the usual stuff and nothing out of ordinary.

But the League's orders were to 'stay put'. This caused Aqualad, Robin and Kid Flash's justified reaction at being treated like sidekicks, and thus they created a plan called 'Poetic Justice', increasing the usage of this word maybe too much. What's the point? To prove to their mentors that they were capable of independent operations. That's why they were currently making a visit to the facility.

They looked down the shaft of elevator. It was very deep, so most of it should have been underground. Robin took the end of the rope and climbed down, his friends following after him. They reached the Sublevel 26, when Boy Wonder began to hack the system, being in his element.

"Bypassing security...there, go."

The doors slided open, revealing the true face of the facility.

"Welcome to Project Cadmus"

It was sure an enlightening journey. Giant gray trolls half the size of the floor didn't exactly add to the normality of Cadmus. The fire above them, on the surface part, played into their hands, helping to stay unnoticed.

One attempt at hacking later, the group of heroes entered yet another creepy room. Several glass tubes reached for the ceiling, inside of them some gray creatures crackled with electricity. The blue light and the shadows it created let out an ominous feeling, and the main source of said light was a huge screen. Under normal, or at least as normal as it goes, circumstances, Robin would attempt to hack that computer, however there was a problem. He was not the only one with this idea.

The heroes froze and hid in the shadows. Meeting with anyone was the last thing they needed. Once there, they were able to get a good look at the people, the screen giving enough light to do this. A boy and a girl, about the same age as them, about seventeen. The boy had shockingly white hair, wearing black and white clothes: black costume with 'DP' emblem, silver belt, white gloves and boots. The girl had black hair, dressed in green dress, without shoes. Getting a better look, they saw that the dress seemed to be made of leaves. Robin was suddenly reminded of Poison Ivy.

"Flames above!" The boy hit the panel after receiving another 'access denied'. His baritone voice would fit a charismatic villain, "Ugh, why should it be so complicated?!"

The girl put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry so much, Danny. Calm down, you can do it," she said softly. He took a calming breath, then flinched.

"Did you hear anything?"

The heroes were paralyzed. Apparently newly labeled 'Danny' had a super hearing. His accomplice started to listen as well.

"Three of them"

To the heroes' surprise, the other intruders looked right at them.

"Alright, you look way too unusual even for a secret lab," Danny said with crossed hands, "So I can guess you are unwanted visitors as well. You better come out."

Looks like they could see in darkness, too. The heroes walked out of hiding with raised hands. Only now they noticed mysterious teens' eyes. Danny had neon green ones which glowed in darkness. The girl also had green eyes, but they were forest green, and one unnerving detail was that hers didn't have pupils at all.

"Who are you?" Wally, aka Kid Flash asked.

"We can ask the same question," the girl answered. The heroes raised eyebrows.

"You are kidding, right?"

"What, is that a crime not to know?" Inquired Danny.

"No," Kaldur, aka Aqualad answered, "It's just that people usually know about us and our mentors," he said the last word in a bitter tone. If the two teens noticed that, they didn't show it.

"Alright, hold on. You are superheroes, right?" They nodded slowly, "Then what in the two worlds you are doing in creepy underground lab?"

"We..." Wally started to say, but his mouth was covered by Robin.

"How do we know we can trust you two?" He asked.

"See that button?" Danny gestured to a red circle on the panel, "If we were against you then we would just press it and raise the alarm"

"Batman had suspicions about this place..."

Danny laughed, revealing sharp fangs.

"Seriously, you have a guy called like that?" Heroes' eyes widened in shock.

"Oh, look who is talking, 'Inviso-Bill'," the girl smirked.

"I thought we agreed not to bring up that name, Sam" Danny moaned, "I hate media," Wally and Robin snickered, "Anyways, do you have a hacker? We could use one."

Robin walked to the computer and started typing.

"So, do you have any specific target?" the girl now known as Sam asked.

"No, we were looking for anything suspicious. And looks like we found it," Caldur answered, "But what are YOU doing here?"

Danny and Sam looked at each other.

"We are searching for something important. Old man said it should be here," Danny said, "I can assure you, it's nothing dangerous, and that scientists here won't even pay any attention to its loss."

"And what is it?"

"Guys, look at that," Robin interrupted. The screen showed the pictures of different mutants, some of them had already been seen by the team of heroes. Huge gorilla like monsters, small ones and not so much. Each of that species had own unique abilities: telepathy, super strength, speed, the list went on.

"Looks like they are breeding weapons."

"That's disgusting!" Sam spat, "They create life and use them as tools!" She was fuming on the inside and outside.

"Sam," Danny tried to calm her down.

"Wait, there is something else...Project Kr!"

"Do you think it has something to do with Superman?"

"You've got to be kidding me. And you said being called 'Phantom' is lame, Sam," Danny laughed, receiving not amused looks from the others, "We seriously need to look into the locals."

"Don't move!"

The teens turned around and saw a man in black armor and yellow helmet. He was followed by the group of G-nomes, as they were called in the documents. There was a small one, who was sitting on the man's shoulder.

"Alright, who the heck is that guy?" Danny asked the question which would never be answered directly.

"Wait, Kid Flash, Aqualad, Robin?" The man asked confused.

"At least he got your name right," Robin said to Wally, continuing to type.

"I know you. You are Guardian, a hero," said Aqualad.

"I do my best," he responded proudly.

"Then what are you doing here?" Wally asked.

"I can ask the same question. I'm a chief of security, you are trespassing. We can call the Justice League to figure this out," Guardian said.

"Are they aware that you are breeding weapons here?!" Sam crossed her hands.

"Weapons? What are you..." the genomorph on his shoulder started to emmit the red light from its small horns.

"Take them down. No mercy!" Guardian said and the creatures obeyed his order.

Robin threw a smoke grenade and dissapeared from sight. The others were immediately involved into fight with gray creatures. Danny, however, had a harder time, fighting with Guardian himself. Phantom did a hook, which was deflected, Guardian counterattacked, trying to hit his opponent in the head. Danny ducked and sidestepped him roughly. It wasn't as good as Danny wanted it to be, it only made Guardian stumble a bit. Choosing another strategy, Phantom managed to get behind his enemy and blast him with green beam.

"Danny!" Sam shouted. He turned around and saw that the rest of the company was retreating, so he followed. They stopped near the elevator. G-nomes ran right after them and Danny noticed that. He raised his hands as they started to glow with blue light. Danny shot double beams of the same blue color. The corridor started to freeze over, the ice wall blocking the way of mutants. The heroes stared at the display.

"It wouldn't take them long to find a way around," Danny said, his eyes returning to normal, "We should hurry."

They entered the elevator. After some time a realisation dawned upon them — it was going down.

"Why are we heading down?" Kaldur voiced everyone's questions.

"Dude, out is up!"

"We are heading to Project Kr, aren't we?" Danny deadpanned, leaning on the wall of the elevator. Robin nodded.

"This is getting out of control," Aqualad said, "Perhaps...we should contact the League..."

"Wait, so this 'League' doesn't know about you being here?" Sam asked. The heroes shared a look with each other.

"No."

The doors of the elevator opened and the group stepped outside. The decorator of this place was an anatomist in training from the seems. Everything around looked like the insides of an animal. Very soon the heroes and the unknown guests reached a crossroad.

"Hm, which way?" Danny asked.

"Bizzare looking hallway number one or bizarre looking hallway number two?" Said Robin sarcastically.

"Halt!"

They saw a gray humanoid figure, with long horns on a forehead, wearing a lab coat. Suddenly, its horns started to glow red and crates were sent flying at them. Sam raised her hands and the crates stopped in midair. Then they flew back at the sender. Danny shot a beam into the crates, causing them to explode. That allowed them to get away. After some time they got to the door, labeled 'Project Kr'. Danny needed to hold the door to keep it opened. After everyone was inside and Danny jumped in, Robin hacked the door to not let their enemies get in.

"We are safe," he said.

"Actually, kiddo, we are TRAPPED," Danny responded. "Well...you are, mostly. We go through the walls."

"Guys, you might want to see this!"

They looked at the center of the room. There was a glass pod, labeled the same way as the doors. There was a sixteen years old boy, with black hair, wearing a white suit with letter 'S' on his chest. Danny and Sam had an odd sense of déjà vu. Robin started typing on a panel yet again.

"Weapon designation: Superboy. Forcefully grown in...16 weeks. From the DNA acquired from Superman..."

"Stolen from Superman," Aqualad corrected.

"No duh," Phantom rolled his eyes.

"How was he grown so fast?" Sam asked. Robin raised an eyebrow.

"Nucleoacid solution..."

Danny quickly walked away, Sam following behind. There was another door, immediately closed behind them, leaving the rest of the group in the room. It wasn't big, with lines of shelves filled with different strange liquids and other unknown things. Danny and Sam started to search around. It was to no avail, they couldn't find their target. Then they heard the banging sounds, which meant there was a fight outside. They almost reached the door, but then they heard a voice in their heads.

"I don't recommend you to do that."

Danny narrowed his eyes at no one.

"And why shouldn't we?"

"Please, this is for better good. I'm not against you..."

The heroes soon woke up after hearing a voice in their heads. They were contained inside glass containers. And there was Superboy, standing in front of them and glaring.

"Would you stop that?" Wally said, "You are creeping me out!"

"Uh...KF, how about you don't make the guy who can fry you with his look angry?" Robin warned.

"We only sought to help you," Aqualad spoke.

"Yeah, and that's your gratitude?" Wally said.

"I'm sure he wasn't in control of his actions."

"And...what if I wasn't?" Superboy said.

"He can talk?" Wally asked.

"Yes he can, Kid," Phantom appeared from nowhere with crossed hands.

"So you are with them?" Kid Flash asked with a glare. Danny chuckled.

"I never said that. No, I'm on your side. But I want to talk with you, Superboy. And please, keep in mind that fighting with me will prove fultile. Tell me, who and what are you."

"I'm Superboy. A genomorph, a clone made from DNA of the Superman. Created to replace him when he will perish. To destroy him should he turn from the Light," Phantom shook his head.

"That's what Cadmus wants you to think, Superboy. You are your own person, not just a mere copy. And a person can not be held deep under ground, waiting before his master will let him go. For them," he gestured to the door, "You are a toy, a tool, which will be disposed of when they will lose need in you. Is that what you need? Come with us, and we will show you the world above, the sun, the moon..." His head shot up, "Flames," he cursed and disappeared.

The second he did it, the door slid open, revealing another scientist with genomorph-telepath on his shoulder, followed by Guardian. The name tag on the scientist's lab coat told that that was Doctor Desmond.

"Activate the cloning process," he ordered.

"Pass, Batcave is overcrowded enough," Robin said.

"And return the weapon to its cage," Desmond growled. Guardian put a hand on Superboy's shoulder.

"Help us," Kaldur whispered, knowing that the clone could hear him. Superboy shook Guardian's hand off.

"Don't start thinking now," little genomorph jumped on his shoulder, horns glowing red, "You see, you aren't a real boy. You are a weapon. You belong to me...well, Cadmus, same thing. Now get back to your cage," Desmond ordered.

Superboy walked away, eyes wide in trance. However on his way he heard a whisper.

"The choice is yours, my friend."

Superboy stood there for some time, before taking the genomorph off. He made his decision.

Meanwhile, the process of cloning was launched. The trio of heroes screamed in pain.

"Sir," Guardian said.

"What is it?" Desmond asked annoyed.

"There were two more kids, we can't find them."

"And when were you going to tell me, you idiot?!" He shouted, "Who was that?"

Suddenly Superboy burst through the door.

"I told you to return..." he punched Desmond, while Guardian was thrown away by some invisible force.

"Don't give me orders," Superboy growled. Danny appeared again, laughing.

"Nice one," he said as they approached the prisoners.

"So, are you here to save us or fry us?" Wally asked. Superboy narrowed his eyes.

"I don't seem to have a heat vision, so I guess helping is my only option," he said. Danny gasped.

"You just made a joke! We seem to be making some progress," he raised his hands sheepishly as Superboy glared at him. Robin was able to pick his restrains by that point.

"Finally, lucky Batman isn't here. He would tear my head for taking so long," he said, rubbing his sore wrists.

"You should seriously look into your priorities, Birdie."

After releasing the others, they ran to the exit.

"I'll get you in the pods before morning!" Desmond shouted after them.

"This guy is not whelmed," Robin said as he blew up the DNA pods, "Not whelmed at all."

"Uhm, what?" Danny asked.

"People can be overwhelmed and underwhelmed, so, I stay whelmed."

Danny looked thoughtful. "That's some language butchering."

They continued their marathon to the exit, meeting more genomorphs on their way. They were coming and coming from everywhere. Danny repeated the same trick of freezing the hallway. The huge gorilla like creatures tried to ram the ice.

"For how long should it keep them out?" Kaldur asked. Danny shrugged.

"It melts only with hellfire, which I doubt they have. And it's as hard as diamonds, so it must really hurt."

"It brings another question, what the heck are you?" Wally asked. Others were curious as well. Danny shook his head, chuckling.

"If I told you, you wouldn't believe me anyway."

They reached the elevator and opened the shaft. Robin used his grappling hook and Danny floated in the air.

"Now he is floating, what's next?" Wally deadpanned.

Superboy grabbed Kaldur and jumped high in the air. It went well for some time....before they started to fall. Danny noticed that and grabbed Superboy's hand. He had a shocked look on his face.

"Superman can fly, why can't I?" He asked.

"I don't know," Danny said, "Jumping sky high is good as well," he then chuckled, "Don't worry, you are awake for...one hour? When I learned to fly, it looked pathetic to say the least."

They heard the sound of elevator going down. In a blink of an eye they got out at the nearest floor. To be greeted by more genomorphs. And they continued running.

"Go left!" Superboy shouted. Everyone followed him, because they didn't have much time to think, plus maybe information was planted in his mind.

"Turn right!" They came to a dead end.

"Great directions, Supey," KF said sarcastically.

"I...I don't understand..." Superboy said, confused.

"Don't apologize, it's perfect!" Robin responded with a grin on his face. Before anyone could ask what he meant, Robin opened the air shaft and climbed inside. Everybody followed him.

"At this rate we will never get out," Wally groaned. Danny stopped abruptly.

"You hear that?" He asked Superboy, who was behind him.

"Genomorphs"

"Not a problem. I hacked motion detectors," Robin said.

They leaped outside in another hallway. It became just plain annoying. Speedster ran ahead, leaving them running behind. Genomorphes followed them. Danny grinned, it would be hell of a fun. He turned around and put a finger on a staircase. It became intangible, making the creatures fall on the ground, causing Phantom to laugh. With a voice like his it sounded downright creepy. The group came to a metal door, out of reflex, Danny became intangible and phazed through the door.

He blinked a few times before he realized his mistake. Danny returned and noticed a hole in the wall. Looks like the others found their way out. Danny went there. And saw a horde of genomorphes and Guardian, with the rest of the group lying on the ground. Except Superboy, who seemed to be talking with that telekinetic guy from a while ago. The gray man looked at Danny.

"And you, I want to show my gratefulness for listening," Phantom nodded slowly, still confused, "but there was a girl with you, where is she?"

"We found what we were searching for, so she returned home. And before you ask, it was a very reliable plan"

"Very well," the heroes started to get up. The genomorph turned to Superboy, saying something to him telepathically.

"I choose freedom," Superboy answered confidently.

"Feels like...fog lifting," Guardian mumbled as the monkeyish type jumped off his shoulder, "Go, I'll take care of Desmond"

"I don't think so," Desmond stood there, a vile of glowing blue liquid in his hand, "Project Blockbuster will give me power to restore the order in Cadmus," he drank the contents.

Immediately his body started to change. His muscles grew rapidly, Desmond was becoming taller and taller, until he became twice as tall as most of them. His skin was torn to shreds, leaving only a few pieces and showing dark gray interior. He roared loudly.

"Stay back!" Guardian ordered and attacked the mutant, but he just tossed him to the side. Then Superboy lunged at him, but Blockbuster responded with the same. When he repeated his attempt, the mutant grabbed and threw him up through the ceiling, jumping right after his opponent.

"Well, at least we have exit now," Danny shrugged, flying up in the air.

"Do you think Lab coat planned this?" Wally asked as he and Robin used the grappling hook.

"I don't think he is planning anything now," Aqualad answered, grabbing Danny's hand.

There Blockbuster was beating up his opponent. He threw Superboy right into them. In one swift motion Danny caught him. Kid Flash and Caldur attacked the monster, which resulted in more cracks on the pillars.

"You think about the same thing, Birdie?" Danny asked, smirking.

"Yep, KF, get over here!" Wally did as was told.

"See this pillars, Kid?" Danny said, gesturing to one of them, Wally nodded, "we need to break them, distract this guy for a while, got it?"

"Got it!" He ran away.

While Aqualad, Superboy and Kid Flash fought with the mutant, Danny and Robin started destroying the pillars. The second one planted explosives, Danny shot the beams of ectoenergy, using them as a saw.

"Aqualad!" He called. The named hero got near, "make a big enough puddle there," Caldur nodded. Danny turned to the Blockbuster and cracked his knuckles.

"Hey, Incredible Hulk!" (You wouldn't believe, but this phrase was really said by Wally in Russian dub)

Blockbuster turned to him and lunged at him with another roar. He prepared another punch, but Danny beated him to it. Literally. He knocked the mutant's head hard. He stumbled from a force of the hit, which created a sound wave. Blockbuster still managed to get a hold on Phantom, preparing to repeat the process. When he almost pinned Danny, he became intangible, going through the pillar and making Blockbuster hit it with full force. Phantom appeared in the air some distance away. Blockbuster attacked again. Stepping in the puddle.

"Now!" Danny shouted, flying through his enemy's hand. Aqualad sent an electrical surge in the water. As people know, water and electricity don't mix well. The mutant screamed in pain.

"Everyone, get close!" Phantom said. The others did as was told. Danny raised his hand and created a green dome above them. Only now they noticed a green ring with a skull engraved on it, "Blow up, Robin!"

The building crumbled around them, burying the mutant under debris.

-Lateer-

Some time later a green explosion sent the rocks flying away. It was Danny, who dissipated his dome. Almost everyone was panting in exhaustion.

"We...did it!" Aqualad said.

"No doubt about that," Danny chuckled, "Hey, Sup, look up"

Superboy looked and saw the Moon, shining in the night sky. A feeling of happiness overcame him, he didn't show it as much, though.

"Daniel Phantom always keeps his promises," Danny winked with a smile.

Suddenly he noticed a few adult figures, flying down from the night sky. The one in the lead was obviously 'Superman' Danny heard about, since he had the same symbol on his chest as Superboy. There were also people, which immediately got nicknames from Danny: 'Dark and Gloomy', 'Robin Hood', 'Green Guy', etc.

"Well," Danny clapped his hands once and calling the adults' attention, "I think that's farewell for now. It was pretty interesting"

He dissappeared in a cloud of smoke, leaving confused adults and awed teens behind.

A.N. Another story? *shrugs* Don't judge me.