'Miss Martian, I need a telepathic link up with the entire Team. Now.' she hears the change in Aqualad's attitude almost instantly.

She brings two fingers to her temple, only needing to blink to complete the link. "Link established."

"Should he really still be giving us orders, and should you really be following them?" Artemis asks M'gann.

"Listen, please..." Kaldur tries, both Kid Flash and Robin visibly tense hearing his voice in their head again. Clearly disapproving of his presence.

"Oh good, Aqualad's voice in my head." thinks sarcastically, but his face is defeated. "I've so missed that."

As a stark contrast, Robin is surprisingly upbeat with his news. "Hey, Kaldur! KF and I were attacked by giant vultures. 'Course, since we're moles, you probably think we attacked ourselves."

"If he did, he wouldn't tell you." Artemis quips as she buckles her quiver back on, resting on one of the logs.

"Superboy, are you online, or just pouting?" Miss M asks curiously, though the edge is clear.

Conner grunts through the link, fighting off the giant white wold. " Busy. Call back later." he barely manages to think as he tries to pry the wolf's teeth from his shoulder.

Though a slight slip in his grip, due to trying to respond, gives the wolf time to sink in further and throw him across the clearing and into a large rock.

Kaldur walks through the vines to where a trap like what the tiger and Captain Marvel were captured in has already been sprung. "What gets me is how nonchalant he is about not telling us." KF gripes.

"He should be chalant. Way chalant. Extremely chalant !" Robin agrees easily.

Kaldur is barely listening to them as he sees two tracks in the ground from the trap.

"How are we supposed to be a team if he doesn't trust us with his secrets?" Artemis asks.

"Or if Conner doesn't expect us to take care of ourselves?" M'gann follows Artemis' train of thought, though a little too far.

Kaldur is still barely listening as he moves closer to the tracks, seeing something in between them. A five-fingered print larger than his hand.

"Did he really think you or I could've been the mole?" KF asks Robin, though clearly keeping Kaldur and everyone else in on the question on purpose.

"We've known each other for years!" Robin agrees.

"Trust is a two-way street!" Artemis pipes up, clearly realizing the dig the boys just made at her and M'gann.

"And you'd know they'd hate it if we kept secrets from them!" M'gann snaps.

Kaldur is beginning to lose his patience with the constant arguing in his head.

"Not that we'd ever do that. Never." Artemis gripes.

Finally his restraint snaps. "Enough!" that was all he needed to get their attention, but rips one of the pylons from its base, watching as the electricity crackles in the darkness, but nothing else happens. "Captain Marvel has been captured. And we must act as a team to save him!"

'Heh. Under your leadership?" Kid questions, his expression mostly deadpanned, though he and Robin clearly share in the sentiment of betrayal, despite his sarcastic tone. "I don't think s-"

"This is not up for debate!" Kaldur snaps, both Robin and KF's eyes go wide at the sudden switch from the Atlantean's normal demeanor. On top of the fact that insulting his leadership is the last thing you should do since nothing else seemed to set him off. "You all chose me to lead." M'gann and Artemis share a look. "When this mission is over," Kaldur looks over the tech in his hands "if you wish to select a new leader I will happily step down." Robin and Kid look down, ashamed.

"But until that time, I am in command here." Kaldur throws down the pylon with a grunt, heading off in the direction the trails lead, for once the link is silent.

Kaldur looks over at Ben. "I could've used your help." He says to him.

Ben shrugs. "My leadership days are over. Plus you need to learn these things without my help. They may hate you right now but once they see things your way they'll understand." He said honestly. "Don't worry once this mission is over, I'll make them apologize." He added.
•••••••••••••••••••••••
Inside a windowless base, deep in the jungle, Captain Marvel comes to with a twitch at the growling and the feeling of something sticking to his face followed closely by something holding him down.

Looking down his nose he can see the tiger he was following to be the source of the growling

"Ze brain enhancement of this tigre already pay dividends, no?" a male voice with easy French accent questions. The tiger steps away from Captain Marvel as the voice continues. "For has brought us a prize most glorious. Le Captaine Marvel. "

"Why can't I move?" the hero asks in a calm tone.

"It is obvious, non ." a robotic hand hits a button to rotate a tray of sharp tools towards the robotic center. "Your collar is set to prohibit votre mouvement from ze neck down. I have allowed you to retain ze power of speech," the robotic hand pictures up a small circular saw. "as your reactions may be instructif during la procédure. " the saw blade spins at its full speed, but no sound can be heard from it.

La procedure?" Marvel attempts to repeat the foreign word, missing a little, but he knows what was said. "What procedure?"

"I have often pondered the effects of your powers on the cerebral cortex." the robot has now turned towards a screen, using one of the three-fingered hands to choose what sectors of Marvel's brain to look at. After selecting two it moves to his brain stem to see the readings there "I long to see le wisdom de Salomon up close. Monsieur Mallah, prepare for surgery."

The red beret-wearing gorilla, now wearing surgical clothes, grunts.

Birds call throughout the jungle but go suddenly quiet as shadowy forms run across the forest floor, and a camouflaged form flies behind them.

Robin moves through the tall brush up the sharp hill from the building that the Captain is being held in. Kid Flash slowly comes up behind him, sliding on his goggles and turning on the infrared.

Up in the tree behind the boys, Miss Martain's camouflaged form lands. She looks to her right to see Artemis and Aqualad slowly making their way down the hill, the blonde nocking an arrow. The only one missing is Superboy.

She looks over the open space before the structure, noticeably empty. "I'll fly over." she offers.

"Negatory." Kid says sharply. "The shield extends like a dome over the whole compound."

"Pylons are insulated," Robin remarks, looking at his holoscreen. "but one good shock could cause a momentary gap."

"I see a target." Artemis has her eyes set on a large red button in the outside wall.

"Then be ready to hit it. Be ready, all of you." Robin and Kid share a small look, with both their eyes covered the true extent of their emotions is hard to see, but they are both frowning.

Aqualad runs up to the nearest pylon, stopping less than two feet away before his tattoos begin to glow and he pushes the electricity into the shield.

Kid is watching the shield's integrity through his infrared and when he sees a small gap form over Aqualad's head he doesn't waste time. "Now!"

Artemis releases her arrow and it flies through the gap and hits her target right on.

The panel beeps and Kaldur pulls back the electricity as the shield deactivates. Then waves the rest of them forward.

     Kid races towards him, M'gann lands while still camouflaged, but as Robin makes his way out of the brush his eyes go wide. Seeing a howler monkey sitting on the roof, it has been watching them. He gets a sharp look at its enhanced size and the collar around its neck before it lets out a howl.

    The two older boys jolt in surprise, just before the actual alarms turn on and an entire pack of howlers charges at the team.

    From the camera that rises up, Mallah can see the team fighting.

    "Go, Mallah. Deal with these intruders." the robotic man speaks easily. "I can handle mon Capitaine brain extraction myself." bringing a sharp blade in front of the captain's line of sight, and speaking with complete nonchalance.

     Mallah growls, ripping off the clothes he's wearing and storming out of the room.

    A howler monkey screeches as it jumps at Kaldur, who has both his WaterBearers shaped like maces. The Atlantean takes a sharp swing at the monkey, knocking it several feet away. When the monkey stops skidding he gets a good look at the familiar collar around its neck.

    His eyes narrow as the monkey prepares to jump. Moving first, but to put his weapons away, the monkey jumps at him, but he catches it by the shoulders and slams it to the ground, his tattoos still glowing. When the monkey turns to try and bite him, Kaldur rips the collar off.

     The monkey looks confused for a few moments before scurrying away.

    Kaldur stands tall, looking to his team. "Remove their collars!"

    Robin, while struggling with two that is nearly as big as he is, grumbles. "Sounds easy when he says it."

Ben turns into Four Arms and starts ripping the collars off of the Monkey's.

    Artemis kicks the one closest to her, away, before pulling out an arrow and nocking it. Taking out the two attacking Robin.

    The collars fall off with a small spark, and Robin stays defensive as the two monkeys look around before running away.

    He turns towards Artemis, where two more drop down behind her. Instead of saying anything he throws two disks, taking out their collars.

    She yelps when they get close to her, but has enough time to see them scatter to know what he did.

    This when Mallah makes his appearance, coming out with another machine gun. He growls and sniffs as M'gann tries to sneak back him in camouflage.

     Just as she makes it through the doorway, he grabs her by the shoulder and throws her into the dirt. Knocking her unconscious.

    Mallah goes to grab her again when Kid speeds in. "Get your paws off her, you darn dirty ape." his voice a far angier growl than he's ever been before. He goes to shoulder check the gorilla, but the enhanced animal turns so that Kid bounces off his massive chest. 

While he is distracted by Kid, Four Arms attempts to sneak up to him and gives him one good punch.

    "You're not taking my brain." Marvel says sharply, as a container full of water comes out from the wall by his head.

    "Š'il vous plaît, capitaine, do not struggle." the machine moves through the shadows as the male voice speaks. "Brain extraction is largely painless," the machery over Marvel's paralyzed body moves to a new position. "but the benefits are enormous." the center peice of tech extends closer to Marvel, as the robot finally closer. "Just look what it has done for me." finally in the light, Marvel can see that the male voice is coming from the robot with a brain at the core processor.

    He gives the Brain a deadpanned look, before looking back up at the still extending laser. "That thing won't work on me." he comments.

    "Perhaps. But it works on solid steel so I'll try my luck." the laser continues to move, tracking out its course before it begins to turn on. "I'm told you have the courage of Achilles, non ? Perhaps you should have asked for his invulnerability instead."

    The tiger jumps the table and takes out the Brain, knocking his robotic body to the floor. It continues to growl at him as he moves back upright.

    "Traitor!" the Brain snaps. "You will suffer for that!" a compartment open on the side of the capsule, turning on the electroshock collar.

     The tiger snarls as it twitches on the floor in pain, while Marvel shouts at the Brain. "Stop it! Stop!"

     The wall behind the Brain suddenly breaks inward, the Brain turns to see Mallah having been thrown through it. As the Brain turns to the dust, as it falls away Miss Martian flies in. As she lands the rest of the Team joins her.

    "It's the Brain!" Kid is able to pinpoint who it is in a matter of moments, and suddenly the enhanced animals make sense.

    "Uh," Artemis scoffs. "I can see it's a brain."

    Kid grits his teeth as he glares over his shoulder. "Not a brain, The Brain."

"Who exactly?" Four Arms asks confused on who the brain is.

    "In the flesh, so to speak." the Brain confirms, then turns. "Mallah."

    The gorilla holds something in its hand, and when he presses the button, pylons rise up from the floor. Taking out the Team the same way he did Captain Marvel.

    "Miss Martian, Superboy, now." Kaldur commands.

    M'gann's eyes glow white as she telekinetically takes the remote from Mallah. Stopping it over her face so she presses the button to turn off the pylons, just as Superboy breaks through the wall on the other side of the hallway.

    The white wolf is at his side, snarling, as the dust clears. The Kryptonian doesn't need to say anything to get the wolf to charge at Mallah.

     As Mallah gets back to his feet, KF kicks him back, then dodges the gunfire as Robin swings high. Finally M'gann drops in and lifts the gorilla into the ceiling then lets him drop. Though it doesn't do anything to knock him out, only make him angry.

     Now he is focusing his firing on M'gann.

    Superboy jumps at his turned back, attempting to slam his fist into the gorilla, but Mallah's reflexes are just fast enough that he can dodge. While Superboy lands, Mallah takes aim to shoot Superboy back as he jumps. Though he doesn't get any marks, the shots move so fast and hit so hard that he lands by the wolf.

    As the bullets run out, Artemis launches an arrow at the pack on his back, causing it to release smoke.

     Robin comes up to her side and both pull out detonating weapons which fully knock the machine gun off of Mallah.

Without his weapons, Four Arms starts to punch Mallah. He tries to dodge all his attacks but he's using all his four arms on the ape.

    The Brain fires laser Kaldur's WaterBearer, which gives him enough time to dodge out of the way of it as the shield cracks under prolonged exposure. Then he narrowly dodges the next shot. Seeing that the Atlantean moves too quickly, the Brain switches to short, fast shots that still miss.

    He and Mallah end up surrounded by KF, Robin, Artemis, Four Arms and M'gann.

    While Kaldur snaps the collar off of Captain Marvel. "Thanks." he says brightly as all the restraints fall away then moves to the tiger. "Now, one good turn deserves another."

    The tiger rises in front of him, and Mallah turns towards the three of them as Kaldur pulls out his sword WaterBearers. Turning again he sees Superboy and the wolf guarding the hole in the wall.

    Mallah roars in rage.

    "Try it. I hate monkeys." Conner growls alongside the wolf as he cracks his knuckles.

    "No Mallah, this will not be our Waterloo." the Brain says as multiple compartments begin to open around his body. " Au revoir, mes amis ."

    "Get down!" KF yells as the humming hits a new pitch, almost drowning out his warning.

     Conner tenses, Robin and Artemis back up, Four Arms ducks and then suddenly everything goes dark. When the lights start to turn on again, they're gone.

    "Wait, that big weapon thing was... a light switch?" Kid asks, confused as he straightens up.

    As the sun begins to pinken the sky over the trees the team is back at the BioShip.

    "What are you grinning about?" Artemis asks KF.

   KF holds the red beret in his hands. "One word: souvenir." then put it on.

    "Two words: gorilla lice." she says right back.

     "Huh?" then he processes what she's saying. "Oh, man!" he takes it off and holds it away from him as he groans.

     Kaldur removes the collar from a howler monkey, watching as it leaves.

    "That's the last of the collars?" Captain Marvel asks the tiger.

   It growls lowly.

     "I can count on you to keep the other animals out of trouble?" he checks.

   It growls again.

    "Good. I'll be back for a visit. I promise." he pets the tiger before standing and watching as it heads into the jungle.

    "I think I'll call him Mr. Tawny." Marvel says brightly

"What a...interesting name for a tiger." Ben says, who walks up to him.

"I know right." He grins happily.

    The tiger runs past M'gann, Conner, and the wolf on his way out. "The rest of the pack is gone." Conner tells the wolf as he pets it. "What are you still doing here?"

    "I think he wants to stay with you." M'gann tells him.

   "Can I keep him?" Conner asks her, sounding like an excited child.

    Wally lets out a laugh in the background. "First the sphere, now this beast. Dude, you sure make a habit of collecting strays."

    "Maybe because he's such a stray himself." She says easily with a smile.

    "Aren't you?" she asks him telepathically.

    "M'gann, I'm sorry. I was just worried." he tells her honestly.

    She kneels down beside him, placing a hand on his knee. "And that's sweet, Conner," she puts her hand on the back of his neck. "but on a mission I'm your teammate, not your girlfriend.  Agreed?"

    Conner smiles at her. "Yeah." he says with a bit of teasing annoyance in his voice.

    "Well, he's gonna need a name." Wally pulls them out of their personal conversation. "Uh, how's about Krypto?"

   The wolf growls. "Pass." Conner says instantly.

   "Besides, isn't that taken?" M'gann asks.

    Robin stands on the ramp up to the BioShip, clearly waiting for Kaldur.

    "Look, I need to know, why did you keep the mole intel secret?" Robin just as Kaldur goes to pass him on his way up.

    Kaldur stops and everyone else slowly moves towards the BioShip for the conversation. He doesn't turn away from them as they all wait for the same answer. "The source of the tip was Sportsmaster." he says simply.

    "What?! You can't trust him!" Artemis snaps.

    "I do not. It seemed possible, even likely, that he was attempting to divide the team with false information." Kaldur informs them simply.

     "And given how the mission went, he almost succeeded." Robin realizes that he and KF were betraying someone they had known for years as much as they felt betrayed by him. Not to mention Kaldur had a whole other level to put the tip through as the leader. "But you had to consider it might be true."

    "Yes, as leader, I did. In which case, I did not wish to alert the traitor." he looks directly at Robin as he speaks, knowing that the Team will one day fall to him and explaining this will help him.

    "I hate to say it, but it makes sense." Robin says with a one sided smile.

    "I am still prepared to step down." he says simply.

    Wally raises his hand. "All in favor of keeping Aqualad as leader?" M'gann, Conner, and Artemis all raise their hands instantly.

    As Kaldur turns to Robin, his hand is raised too and he shows a few his teeth with his smile. The Atlantean nods silently.

    "Guess it's unanimous." Captain Marvel says easily as he places a hand on Kaldur's shoulder then removes it and offers a shake. Which the teen takes. "See you tomorrow." he waves off.

   "You're not coming back with us?" Kaldur asks, confused.

   "Nah, gotta fly." the JL member says as he takes off.

     They wave him goodbye and head into the bio-ship. "So what are you going to name him?"

    "What's wrong with Wolf? Connor ask innocently

    "Generic but acceptable." Wally pipes in again

    They get themselves seated into their seats and head back to the mountain.

"We'll since you've all forgiven Kaldur and see why he kept it a secret, I think you all owe Kaldur an apology." Ben says to the team.

Connor looks down and doesn't say anything.

"Sorry Kaldur, even if we were upset, we shouldn't have insulted you the way we did." Robin apologizes.

"Yeah, I'm sorry too." Wally also apologizes.

"All is forgiven." Kaldur says.

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