Chapter 29: Escaping Cadmus

"We're still too deep underground, it'll take a while before we can make it to the surface," Toneri said as they ran through the hallway.

Toneri suddenly perked up, sensing the displacement of aura in the air. "What's that?"

"We are still 42 levels below ground," Aqualad responded. "But if we can reach the elevator, we can get out."

Unfortunately, that plan was quickly thwarted as Genomorphs surrounded them on both sides of the hallway. Five massive G-Trolls stood in front, and medium clawed Genomorphs emerged from their organic pods behind them. The team had to get past the G-Trolls to reach the elevator. They dodged one of the G-Trolls' massive fists as it attacked. Superboy roared and lunged at the G-Troll, knocking it on its back with one punch. The others managed to get past the creatures and were about to run to the elevator, but Superboy remained busy fighting them.

"Superboy!" Aqualad called out. "Our goal is to escape, not to bury ourselves here."

"You want escape?!" Superboy roared, grabbing the knocked-out G-Troll and throwing it at the others.

'Too much aggression,' Toneri thought as he watched Superboy. 'Well, he is practically a newborn, unable to completely control his emotions.'

While Superboy fought the G-Trolls, Toneri moved forward. He raised his palm at the elevator doors and released a blast of air, blowing them open. There was no time for the elevator to pick them up. Robin shot his grapple, Toneri floated upward gently, and Kid Flash leapt onto a ledge. Superboy grabbed Aqualad and jumped several yards high just before the G-Trolls grabbed them. Superboy appeared to be flying, but at the tenth level, he began to fall.

"I-I'm falling," Superboy said with widened eyes.

Seeing them fall, Toneri floated back down and caught Superboy and Aqualad. His clothes moved gently in the air as he descended, dropping them onto a ledge.

"Superman can fly; why can't I fly?" Superboy asked, not recovering from his confusion and disappointment.

"Don't know," Kid Flash said, "but it looks like you can leap tall buildings in a single bound. Still cool."

Superboy turned to Toneri. "Thank you for catching us."

"No problem," Toneri replied.

"Guys, this has to be our exit," Robin said, referring to the floor they were on as the elevator came down at them.

Superboy then kicked the door open, and the five of them dove through just before the elevator came down on them. They looked to see more Genomorphs heading toward them from the left hallway, so they went through the hallway straight ahead of them.

"Turn left, brother," a voice said in Superboy's mind. He wasn't sure who it was or if he could trust it, but he decided to take the chance.

"Quick, go left!" Superboy said. After they did, Superboy heard the voice again.

"Turn right."

"Right!" Once they did, they stopped at a dead end.

Toneri glanced at Superboy before thinking, 'Is he getting directions from someone or does he already know the layout? No, he's definitely being directed by someone, but who…'

"Great directions, Supey," Kid Flash said sarcastically. "Are you trying to get us re-podded?"

"No, I… I don't understand," Superboy said.

"Don't apologize; this is perfect," Robin said, looking at an air vent in the wall.

A few seconds later, the Genomorphs reached the same dead end, finding nothing but the vent's grate on the floor. In the meantime, the five heroes were all crawling through the air vent.

"At this rate, we'll never make it out of here," Kid Flash complained.

"Shh, I hear something," Superboy said, looking back.

"What is it?" Toneri asked.

"The Genomorphs. They got the same idea as we did; they're following us through the vents right now," Superboy answered.

With every second that the kids roamed the building alive, Desmond grew more and more irritated. He, Guardian, and Dubbilex ran down the hallway with a squad of Genomorphs. Desmond tracked the intruders on his datapad.

"Someone, Robin, I'd wager, managed to hack our systems and deactivate the internal security cameras. But he neglected the motion sensors!" Desmond said as they followed the signal, which led them to a men's bathroom. "The Genomorphs are closing in; we've got them cornered."

A few seconds later, the vent popped open, but it wasn't the five teenagers who flew out; it was the pursuing Genomorphs, who fell out on top of Desmond and the others.

Desmond angrily pushed the Genomorph on top of him away. "He hacked our motion sensors," he growled.

"I hacked the motion sensors," Robin said as he closed his holo-computer.

"Sweet," Kid Flash said.

"But there is still plenty between us and them," Robin said as he got up on his feet.

"But I finally got enough room to move," Kid Flash said, pulling down his goggles.

Kid Flash then ran up the stair at high speed, already making it to the 6th floor before a bunch of Genomorphs stood in his way. Kid Flash rammed right through them, while the others followed.

"More behind us!" Robin said.

The Genomorphs followed behind them, but Toneri looked back before pointing his palm like before and blasting out air, knocking them into the wall and some over the stairs. Then Superboy slammed his foot on the stairs, causing them to fall so the Genomorphs couldn't follow. The two then ran towards the others.

Inside the high-speed elevator, Desmond and his group hoped to make it to the top floor before the young heroes.

"We can cut them off on sub-level one," Guardian said.

"We'd better, or the board will have our heads," Desmond replied, then placed his hand on his head. "My head."

Without warning, Desmond hit the emergency stop on sub-level two. "I need to get something from 'Project Blockbuster,' just in case," he said. "I'll meet you all at sub-level one!"

As Kid Flash was about to head to the door first on sub-level one, it suddenly closed on him. He tried to stop but ended up slamming right into it and fell back with a groan. The others then showed up when that happened.

"Let me guess, that hurt?" Toneri asked rhetorically with amusement in his tone.

"No kidding, you seem to always enjoy my suffering, Toneri," Kid Flash said while rubbing his head. "Not only that, we're now cut off."

Aqualad and Superboy both tried to pry the door open, but it was too thick, and they barely made it budge. While Robin thought about hacking the door, Toneri pointed his palm at it, charging up a concentrated air blast. His concentration was broken when he saw more Genomorphs heading their way.

Toneri turned around and blasted the incoming Genomorphs with a powerful burst of air, knocking them back. But more quickly rounded the corner, pressing the attack.

"We'll just find a different way to escape then," Robin said, turning off his holo-computer. He then kicked open a side-door. "This way!"

Once they entered the room, Guardian, Dubbilex, and several Genomorphs confronted them. Toneri formed a chakra rod before shifting it into a bo staff and slamming it onto the ground, causing a slight tremor. Aqualad took out his water bearers while Superboy, Kid Flash, and Robin got into fighting stances.

"Now what?" Kid Flash asked.

Just as a fight was about to begin, the G-Gnomes' horns glowed, and Aqualad, Kid Flash, and Robin passed out from the telepathic attack. Superboy was affected but only brought down to his knees, unable to fight back. Toneri, however, felt their presence trying to invade his mind. He looked at them impassively as the force attempting to enter his mind was pushed out with an immeasurable force. Activating his Byakugan, he locked eyes with Dubbilex as his chakra pulsed out. Dubbilex fell to his knees in terror.

'What is this?' Dubbilex thought, his mind reeling from the overwhelming force.

Cutting off his thoughts, Toneri spoke up. "I don't feel any malicious intent from you, but try that again, and your mind will witness the concept of oblivion."

Toneri finally let Dubbilex go, who started to breathe heavily before getting back up and looking at him apologetically. "I am sorry; it wasn't my intention to cause any harm. I am here to offer help instead."

Toneri raised an eyebrow. "Hmm, so that's how it is. I see," he said with a tiny smirk. He then watched as Dubbilex walked up in front of the Genomorphs, his horns glowing, and began talking to Superboy telepathically. "Perhaps for the sake of all Genomorphs, our brother Superboy should make his own decisions," Dubbilex said through telepathy.

Superboy's eyes widened. "It was you."

"Yes, brother," Dubbilex confirmed. "I started the fire and lured your new friends into Cadmus, woke them up when they were in danger…"

"And guided me," Superboy finished. "Why?"

"Because you are our hope," Dubbilex said. "The Genomorph hero. You will blaze a trail for our brothers, showing us the way to freedom."

Guardian, who was incapacitated by the G-Gnome on his shoulder, shook his head as the little creature jumped off his shoulder.

"What's going on?" Guardian said weakly.

"Well, brother, what is your choice?" Dubbilex asked.

Superboy glanced at Toneri, who looked at him, anticipating his reply, and then at the other heroes. They had risked their lives to save him and treated him like an actual person rather than a weapon. He knew right away whose side he should be on.

"I…choose…freedom," Superboy said. Dubbilex nodded and freed the others from his mental grip.

'Looks like he's finally taking his first steps,' Toneri thought with a smile.

"Feels like… a fog… lifting," Guardian said slowly while recovering. He then looked at the young heroes in front of him.

"Guardian," Aqualad said after he, Robin, and Kid Flash got back up on their feet. "Are you feeling alright now?"

Guardian nodded. "Yes, sorry about the trouble I caused. Now go; I'll deal with Desmond."

"I think not," Desmond said, appearing behind the Genomorphs while holding a vial of light blue liquid. "Project Blockbuster will give me the power to restore order to Cadmus."

Before anyone could stop him, he drank the solution in the vial. Immediately, he kneeled down in pain. His body began to change; he grew up to ten feet tall, his muscles expanded, his eyes became black with red pupils, and his skin began to peel off, save for a few patches on his face, revealing rock-like gray hide. With a loud roar, he was no longer Dr. Desmond; he was now the true figure of his creations used as weapons, Blockbuster.

"Everyone get back!" Guardian shouted before charging at the behemoth.

However, Blockbuster easily backhanded him into a wall. Superboy then lunged at him next, punching him in the face, but Blockbuster managed to counter with some blows of his own. He knocked Superboy down to the floor, skidding. Superboy jumped up high but was intercepted by Blockbuster, crashing them both through the ceiling and into the Cadmus lobby on the first floor.

'It's not just the outward appearance; his life force has undergone a significant change as well,' Toneri thought, narrowing his eyes.