Things go to hell pretty damn quick after my bit of acrobatics, Superboy tackling Lobo outta the restaurant and down the street. Great work Kid Krypton, divide and conquer! Just, that's not quite how it works genius. I can just make the two heavyweights out, crashing through buildings in an orgy of violence. Can't tell from this distance if there's anyone in those buildings, though even if there aren't I hope they've got house insurance. All I know is I ain't paying for that.

Before any of us can chase them down the real cavalry arrive, the Justice League in all their mighty splendor. They make pretty short work of Lobo before sending us home, pretty unceremoniously. I'd be tempted to call them glory hogs, though the truth is we haven't really covered ourselves in glory here. One foe got away, the other one was allowed to cause extreme levels of property damage, damage that we contributed too, and then the grown ups had to come and clean up our mess? Great work team. 

We start trudging back into the T-Wing, though after I've grabbed the remains of Lobo's shotgun. Not sure if I was allowed to have it, so I covered myself by just not asking. Better to ask forgiveness than beg permission, I always said. As I'm walking up the ramp into the plane I turn to glance back at the battleground, and as I'm scanning I meet the Batman's gaze. We stand there, wordless, just watching each other. But just for a second, before we break the connection. Break it quick, before anyone see's. Before anyone figures out my secret.

The atmosphere in the T-Wing is quiet on the way back, each of my teammates silently obsessing on what had happened, where things had gone wrong, what they could have done differently. I sit pretty quiet too, but were the others are looking pretty damn glum, I can't help a smile forming. Pretty soon they'd all start playing the blame game, fingers getting pointed and accusations getting thrown around. It was inevitable really, especially when teens were involved. Nothing is ever their fault, especially not when it is.

Today wasn't my fault either, but that's beside the point. 

I pare off from the rest of the group when the plane touches down. I got things to do, and I have a feeling that Rose is just about to give us a bollocking anyway. Not like I need to be there for that. Nah, it'll probably be Superboy she gets pissy with. Fair enough, in my books. He thinks he's the strongest teen in the universe, he should be capable of shouldering his portion of blame. Maybe she can tell off Rufus for being a presumptuous prick afterwards.

I walk to my dead drop location, three-quarters of a mile away from the Tower. It's a pretty non- descript place, just a small clearing in a copse of stunted trees, nothing to recommend it but a tangle of thorn bushes and a couple big rocks. I was careful to make sure I wasn't followed, though I get the feeling I didn't need to be. Everyone's so concerned with how badly the mission went that they just don't have enough concentration left to wonder where I've gone. That and they're teenagers. Teenagers are so self absorbed that it makes performing clandestine black-ops around them pretty damn easy. 

I stash my pilfered shotgun in the dead drop, under an old rock. My [i]'benefactor'[/i] will find it there on his next collection. I'll request that he uses it to develop me a gun with a bit more [b]*oomph*[/b], see if I can't level the playing field a little. He's not a fan of guns, my contact, though I think he'll understand. He know what it's like to be a human standing amongst Gods.

That done, I amble back towards the Tower. I get back just in time to find them all cracking open the booze. This is more like it, Teenage alcoholism! Adonis offers up the booze, before cranking up the stereo. I turn him down, though it does take some doing.

"Sorry handsome, not big on eating or drinking from a shared fridge. You just never know where some people's hand's have been." Not that I'd mind getting a bit better acquainted with some pairs, I think, as the Godling starts to sway to the music. Nah, I've got some harder liquor of my own, smuggled into my room. I'll grab some of that later. For now I'm happy to light up another smoke and watch the others. 

Watch and learn.