The Hall of Justice conference chamber settled into a heavy silence as everyone took their places. The long circular table sat at the center, its polished surface reflecting the overhead lights. Around it sat the members of the Justice League, icons, legends, and gods among men. While behind them stood the Titans, allies, and those caught in the aftermath of everything that had happened five years ago.
And at the center of it all… Was me. I stood there, my arms at my sides, my jaw tight, and my heart rate steady but heavy.
This was it, and was doing my best to stay calm. Not from fear but from the anxiety of not liking what I might hear. But there was no more waiting, guessing, or being left in the dark. It's time to get my answers, and to break this chain the League has on me.
Wonder Woman stepped forward first. Her presence alone shifted the room. There was a calm authority in her posture, her voice carrying strength without needing volume. When she spoke, everyone listened.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank you for coming here today. Five years ago our world, like many times before was attacked."
"Not just Earth… but everything we stood for. The Justice League, the Titans, and countless innocent lives were targeted by agents of an empire beyond our world. Their two agents caused massive damage."
Her eyes moved across the room briefly before settling again.
"Both Omni-Man. And Invincible. Due to their attack we lost many heroes, love ones and more, and we lost something even greater…"
Her gaze then shifted toward me. "We… lost trust in our own."
I didn't move or react, but I felt it. Every word she said was powerful and full of weight and emotion.
Diana continued. "But in that same moment of devastation… we also incurred a debt." She raised her hand slightly, gesturing toward me. "To Caius Dawn ."
My chest was tightening slightly. The room's attention sharpened on me as she continued.
"Not only did he stop Invincible… he did so at the risk of his own life. He suffered injuries not only from his enemy… but from us. They very people who were meant to protect and guide him. And not all of those wounds… were physical."
That one hit different, as the silence followed. You could hear a pin drop from how quiet is was. If Wonder Woman was one thing, she was good at inspiring and passionate speeches. The kind where everyone was couldn't help but see the truth, and be inspired to be better.
She paused and when Diana's spoke, her voice softened slightly. "So I ask this of everyone here today… Please listen and open yourselves."
Her eyes moved across the League, the Titans, Debbie, Donald… everyone and it steadied back to me.
"Listen not just with your ears… But with your hearts."
Then she stepped back slightly, and gestured to me to come forward.
Now it was my turn. She gave me a good opening and I was gonna make sure to use it well. I walked to the center of the room. Making sure everyone of steps was measure, controlled and felt deliberate.
But inside my mind there was a storm. Just three days ago was when everything started to shift and now… I was standing in front of the people who had shaped, broken, protected, and betrayed my life all at once.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out the flash drive. I looked at it and new what I needed to do. "Ladies and gentlemen three days ago," I began, my voice calm but firm, "I broke into the Belfry and I accessed its systems."
That immediately got a reaction, a few League members shifted. Wally even let out a low whistle from the back. I noticed how Batman's eyes narrowed slightly.
I held up the drive. "And through that I was able to I retrieved something that should've never been hidden."
I walked over and handed it to Cyborg. Victor nodded once. " I got you man." He plugged it into the system. The massive monitor behind the League flickered to life.
Static at first and then. The Watchtower the footage began to played. Nolan and killing and destruction. Him fighting The League.
I didn't look away, but Debbie, Dinah they had a hard time looking. Every second must have been a reminder of losing the person they loved. Every detail was a reminder of that day.
Until, I paused it at the right moment. When my parents came into the frame. The flash of light from Batman. Omni-Man destroying something in Batman's hand and then static after Superman came into save him.
I turned and looked directly at Batman, and then Superman and spoke. My voice was quiet and controlled but sharp. "It's been five years and you were both there, so tell me what happened. I deserve answers."
There was silence. The league members were murmuring at what they saw.
"He's right." The Flash said. " Why was this hidden from us?"
Superman glanced at Batman, but Batman didn't respond immediately.
But that's when I saw it. That slight shift in his eyes. That moment where even he knew, there was no more avoiding this.
Superman then stood. "I think," he said slowly, "it's time we told him. Batman, not just him but the whole league."
Batman's voice cut in. "I thought we agreed to wait until we could fix this."
"Enough." I said in a calm, final tone.
"No more secrets." My eyes locked on both of them and I took a step forward. "I waited five years to hear anything about my parents. Can you understand the never ending hell of not knowing if the people you love are dead or alive, cause I can."
"Set me free from this pain. I want the truth."
The room held its breath and I could see eyes shift down. Batman looked at Superman again.
Then, "Go ahead."
Superman nodded and stepped forward slightly. "Caius… I 'am sorry for what you went through. We never meant to cause you so much pain."
His voice carried weight and regret. I can genuinely believe he meant that, but I didn't react.
"Keep the apologies." I cut him off. "Are my parents alive… or dead?"
Clark paused just for a second.
Then, "They're alive."
The words hit me like a shockwave. My eyes narrowed instantly.
"…But?"
"They're not in this world anymore."
My frustration surged instantly. "What does that mean?"
Before Clark could respond, Batman spoke. "They're in the Phantom Zone."
And with that everything clicked. The footage. The flash. The device and it's destruction. I replayed it in my mind instantly. "…The Phantom Zone projector."
Clark nodded. "Yes."
I turned fully toward them. "So when Omni-Man destroyed that device… that was it?"
"Yes."
My jaw tightened. "Why?"
Batman answered this time. "I received a transmission from Green Lantern Hal Jordan before we lost contact with him five years ago. It was right around the time Omni-man was attacking the Watch Tower. "
John shifted slightly but remained silent.
"What did it say?"
His voice hardened. "The Viltrumites," Batman continued, "were planning to use Earth as a breeding ground. They were not allies, protectors, or guardians. They were colonizers."
Murmurs filled the room. Those words hit hard. Not that I was surprised after everything I knew.
"I believed," Batman continued, "that Omni-Man and your father were in conflict over control of Earth. I had to make a snap decision in the moment. So you made the call. I intended to seal them both in the Phantom Zone, until things could calm down and we could create a proper containment solution."
My fists clenched slightly and my eyes focused.
"But…"
Clark continued. "We later realized your parents were not aligned with Omni-Man."
My breathing slowed, It was hard to keep it controlled. "Did you try to bring them back."
Clark nodded again. "Yes."
"We've been trying for five years. But the project is one of the most advanced things Kryptonian's ever produce. Not my robots, fortress AI. Along with Batman, me, and Mr. Terrific haven't been able to make it work like before. Mr. Terrific said we would need twenty years if were lucky to recreate the technology possible."
Batman stepped in. "Either way with the projector was destroyed, and rebuilding it hasn't worked. We still kept pushing to make it work."
Clark added, "We did managed to open a portal once. It only worked for a few seconds and my cousin Supergirl was the one who came out of the portal. That was two years ago and we haven't been able to make it work since."
My eyes flicked to them and silence followed as I took it all in. Then, I felt it as my blood began to Boil. Not just anger or frustration, but from everything.
The air around Caius began shifting slightly. He was releasing a pressure, causing a few Titan members to tense instinctively.
They remembered that day, and that moment he lost control.
I then took a slow breath. I needed control myself, now more than ever. "Then why…Why did you treat me like that. Like a monster all these years?"
My voice dropped lower. The medical exams, the constant surveillance and monitoring."
Batman didn't hesitate. "We were in crisis mode and needed to be careful."
"That's your excuse?" I spat.
His tone didn't waver." Caius I saw the footage. What you did to Mark. You looked like you were going to kill everyone."
"I didn't. I got it under control."
"I know you did, but say you didn't. We couldn't take that chance"
I clenched my jaw. That answer surprised me.
Then Batman's voice softened. "We had already lost too much. What we did… wasn't to hurt you, even though it did either way."
"What we did… wasn't to hurt you."
That didn't make it better. But… I be lying if I said it didn't make a little sense. And that pissed me off even more. Because I couldn't fully reject it.
"But why…Why keep me in the dark about my parents?"
"It was my idea. I didn't want to give you false hope."
I stared at him. "That wasn't your decision to make. If anything you made it one times worse. No more lies "
He didn't argue that.
"I'm sorry. Caius your right."
That… Actually threw me off. I didn't expect that.
"I don't want to be monitored or be forced to do test or have check ups be league members." I said in a final tone.
"I understand but we did that because you might be a possible target."
I realized who he might be referring to. "You mean the Empire?"
"If the empire agents came to Earth, you'd be the first they'd look for. They would want to know about why their agents have been MIA all this time. Or because Omni-Man would come back with them in higher numbers."
Silence fell again.
"Five years," Batman said, "and nothing, that's the part that concerns me and it should concern all of you as well. Think about it, why no word after all this time, or even a invasion."
He paused.
"We've been either lucky or they been preoccupied with something more important."
My eyes narrowed slightly. He's not wrong, their numbers are few but the quality of their numbers especially with the hybrids might not be anything to laugh at. So why five years with no Anissa, or Conquest. Just what the hell is going on.
"I believe that might change soon if it hasn't already, so we must be on alert and prepare now."
Those words landed heavy, and the room felt it.
I stood there trying to process everything.
Alive.... My parents are alive in the Phantom Zone. That was something I could work with. There were ways to access the phantom zones, but I need to figure out more about how things work in the galactic part of this universe. Magic, New God tech, or if I need to I will use the Legion.
I exhaled slowly. "What about Mark?"
That shifted the room instantly, a lot of the Titans face's clearly shifted. And Debbie's eyes narrowed, at Donald as he stepped forward adjusting his glasses. " I can actually explain that. Since everyone here is familiar with the GDA, and or me I don't need to introduce myself. Mark Grayson has been undergoing re-education at the GDA headquarters for the past five years."
Debbie stiffened immediately. "Excuse me?"
Donald looked at her directly. " I'm sorry we kept this a secret from you Debbie, but he's made significant progress over the last five years."
Debbie stood up her voice cracked as she spoke. "Why the hell am I just hearing about this now? Why was I kept away from my son?"
She was clearly angry and hurt.
"Cecil had no right. Cecil stopped answering my calls, revoked my access to the headquarters."
Donald had a somewhat sad look on his face. " Debbie you wouldn't have recognized your son if you saw him as he was."
"That's not your decision! I'm his mother"
"He was a monster Debbie. The things he said and talked about would have only broken your heart more."
Those word hit her hard, her eyes filled with more anger and tears.
"He was my son Donald, I should have been there to help."
Donald exhaled. "Cecil wanted to spare you that pain."
She stepped forward. "I didn't need to be spared, I needed to be able to make my own decision's regarding my son, I needed to be there."
I placed a hand on her shoulder. "Debbie…" She was shaking.
"I wanted to see him for so long. To know he was okay"
Donald nodded. "And You will, Cecil said your access will be restored so you can see him."
"When?"
" Mark's currently on a mission to prove he's made changes. We also have precaution incase things go wrong."
That made me raise an eyebrow. I looked at the Titans and no one looked happy.
I thought about that. Could this Mark be redeemed after everything he said and did? Well that might be a good thing. If he can help with the Viltrumite invasion and the other events in the DC universe this could be a very good thing.
Worse case scenario I will have to kill him this time. But the real question is can I. I never killed before and it's not like I don't know Mark, he was my friend, and his mother is like my mother.
I sighed, this is alot to think about all at once.
" I think this might be good for him to proof himself. Not that it will come anywhere close to fixing what he's done. That will have to be path he choses to walk on his own. And it won't be a easy one at all."
Debbie didn't respond immediately, but she didn't argue.
Donald then turned to me. "Cecil also would to speak with you. He believes you have potential and wants to make up for the incident at your home. Or at least explain himself"
I snorted lightly. "Of course he does, but I hope he's knows I have no plans on working for him."
Donald didn't argue. " That's fine he would still like to have a word with you. I believe you won't regret it."
"I'm sure you do."
I then turned back toward the League. "I'm also not working with the League either."
That got attention. " If I'm gonna work with you all I'm gonna do it with my old team.'
Dick smiled slightly behind me and so did the others.
"So your coming back?"
I nodded. " Titan's Together Always."
Superman tilted his head. "So you're choosing a team?"
"Yes. I'm the most familiar with how they work, and know I can trust Dick to lead things and catch me up on what I missed."
I stepped forward slightly. "And as of today…I am no longer under the Leagues or GDA's surveillance. And that's not a request."
I looked directly at Batman. "I also need full access to Zeta-Tube transport."
Batman nodded. "That can be done, we were already going to give you that. Do you have any other demands."
I then reached into my jacket and pulled out a folded paper, and handed it to Batman. "Consider this a show of goodwill trust."
Batman opened and read it. And for the first time today, his expression shifted. "…How do you know this?"
"I have my ways, if you doubt my information ask detective chimp or anyone else from the elite group of detectives. The Mystery Analysts, or whatever they call themselves."
He looked at me for a moment longer. " I see. I will look into this and if what this says is true, I will reach out to you again for follow ups."
Well that's a good reaction.
"I just hopes that helps you."
I looked around and everyone looked confused.
"Mind sharing with the class?" John asked
"It's a personal matter Green Lantern. Not to bring more secrets into this situation, I just wanted help out Batman with a personal matter. This won't affect anyone in a negative way I promise."
John nodded. " If you say so kid."
I nodded once. "Good glad to hear we have no more problems. I do have some question first. When it comes to the empire, and universe as a whole I am pretty ignorant. Can you tell us what's going on out there and how the empire is viewed ?"
John nodded and stood up, His ring lit up instantly as green light filled the room. And a projection formed.
Its showed galaxies and stars.
"Buckle up, this is going to take a while."