Chapter 71: 71

Red Tornado had agreed to reside in the Cave, acting as the Team's overseer. Unlike the League's other mentors, who only checked in occasionally, he had taken up permanent residence in an apartment above the Mission Room. The space wasn't large—just a simple room where he kept his belongings and worked on his own projects. The only way in was through a hatch in the ceiling. Kori floated up, knocking lightly on the metal panel. There was a brief pause before Red Tornado's voice rumbled from within. "I am arriving." A moment later, the hatch slid open, and Red Tornado descended, his blue cape billowing slightly as he hovered down to the floor. The Team, already gathered below, perked up with anticipation. "When are we getting our first mission, right?" Kid Flash asked. Red Tornado landed smoothly, regarding them with his expressionless faceplate. "Assigning missions is Batman's responsibility. You will be tested soon. Until then, I suggest you use this time to strengthen your team dynamic." Aqualad's brow furrowed. "With all due respect, Red Tornado, this is not a social club." "On the contrary," Red Tornado replied. "Understanding one another is essential to your effectiveness in the field. Consider this an opportunity to familiarize yourselves more with each other." With that, he turned and strode away, the conversation clearly over. Robin scowled. "No way. We're just supposed to sit around and play nice while the League ignores us?" M'gann sighed in disappointment. "I can't read him." "He's a machine," Robin muttered. "There's nothing to read." "Even if he wasn't, I don't think he'd like people snooping in his head," Joseph commented. Kid Flash, ever shameless, sidled up to M'gann with a grin. "I don't mind if you wanna peek inside my mind, beautiful." M'gann blinked, confused. "But... why would I need to? You just said what you were thinking." Joseph stifled a laugh as Wally floundered for a response. With no answers and no mission, the Team dispersed, frustration lingering in the air. Joseph glanced at Kori. "Wanna spar?" She smiled. "I thought you'd never ask." ** | Caribbean Sea – July 22 The Bio-Ship glided through the clouds, sleek and silent. Inside, the seven members of the Team were seated as they approached their destination: Santa Prisca. The mission was simple. Infiltrate the island's prison, figure out what was going on, and report back to the League. If intervention was necessary, the League would handle it. Nova agreed with Speedy—this felt like busywork. Why were they just gathering intel? They were a capable team, yet they weren't trusted to do anything meaningful. Across from him, Wally leaned back with his hands behind his head. "Y'know, I just realized... we don't have a leader." Nova raised an eyebrow. "Batman said it's up to us to decide," Robin replied. Wally scoffed. "Come on, isn't it obvious? I should be leader." Nova barely held back a snort. "You?" "What? I've got experience!" "Yeah. Experience in getting caught," Robin muttered. Before Wally could fire back, Kori spoke up. "Guys," she said, drawing their attention. "This is supposed to be a recon mission. But most of us aren't trained in stealth, and we don't have much experience working together. If we're not careful, this will turn into a disaster." Joseph nodded in agreement. He'd already been thinking the same thing. Only he and Robin had stealth training. Aqualad gave Kori a thoughtful look. "It seems you have given this mission some thought. Do you have a strategy in mind?" Kori nodded. "M'gann can shapeshift and camouflage, allowing her to scout unseen. Robin can move ahead to ensure we remain undetected and warn us of anything important. Superboy and Joseph's senses are sharp enough to detect threats before we walk into them." Wally scoffed. "Please. We don't need all that. I can just run in, grab the intel, and be out before they even realize we were here." Joseph shot him a look. "And risk exposing us all? The terrain probably isn't spacious or stable enough for you to move effectively. If something goes wrong, you'll be trapped." Kori nodded. "Nova is right. We must be cautious." Wally frowned and Nova noticed Robin was frowning slightly too. It was subtle, but Joseph could recognize a bruised ego. Robin was Batman's protege, trained by the leader of the Justice League himself. He probably expected to take charge. But he didn't say anything. Joseph had no problem with Kori assuming the leadership role. She had already taken charge during the Mister Twister fight, and she had a natural grasp of both strategy and teamwork. Plus, she had been trained as a warrior and princess on Tamaran. It made sense to follow her lead. Besides... He wasn't interested in leading a team. It was too much hassle. He preferred working alone, getting things done efficiently without worrying about others. "We've reached the drop zone," M'gann announced. All thoughts of leadership were set aside as the Team focused on the mission ahead.