"Cain," Barbara said, smiling softly but I didn't respond. I started walking toward the locker room.
Kate stepped in front of me. "It's rude to ignore your friends." I stopped, glaring down at her. "That's rich. You two haven't said a word to me in five years, but were friends? Kate's jaw tightened. "Your father and Omni-Man along with your mother are the reason a lot people are dead."
"That's what some of the leaguers say but no one will gives me proof or tell what happened at all. Ever since that day , I've had someone from the League breathing down my neck every damn week checking one my meta powers or seeing if I got my other ones shown up yet. Like I'm some kind of threat just like right now."
Barbara gives me a tight smile as she approaches. "Don't be too hard on us, Cain. We just wanted to be sure you were doing okay. You've been a bit reclusive." "Reclusive? That's one way to put it. Another way would be 'minding my own damn business.'" My eyes flick to Kate, who stays a few paces back, arms at her sides but clearly on guard. "And clearly that's not good enough, since Big Brother is still watching, huh?"
Barbara looked pained. "Cain". Kate's jaw tightens. "We're not your enemies," she says flatly. "No one's spying. We check in for your safety and everyone else's. Standard procedure for... situations like yours." "Situations like mine," I echo, feeling a flash of anger flare in my chest. I take a step forward, uncrossing my arms. Barbara mirrors by stepping forward too, a hand slightly raised in a placating gesture.
"Cain, please. We don't want trouble," Barbara says softly her blue eyes searching mine ."We and Batman are just worry about you. After what happened with Mark, Omni Man and your parents we want to be careful. You withdrew we wanted to be there for you, but you pushed us away. So yes, maybe we've kept an eye out, because we care."
I clench my fists at my sides. "Care, huh? Is that why you bugged my house?" I snap. I wasn't supposed to know that detail perhaps, but I did. I had found multiple miniature surveillance devices lodged around the house. I recognized BatTech when I saw it. Barbara's face falls, confirming my accusation. Kate looks unfazed—she probably knew I'd figure it out eventually.
"That was... an error," Barbara says, cheeks flushing. "I argued against it, for what it's worth. But Batman". "Of course. Batman." I let out a humorless chuckle. Leave it to Batman to go full paranoid like his contingency plans for the league . I understand that but still this much for me is crazy when you hide things from me then expect me to play ball.
My eyes shift to Kate." And you? Do you sign off on this crap too? Peeping on me like I'm some dangerous animal?" Kate's face is unreadable. "I follow orders when they make sense. Monitoring a potential threat until we're sure of your intentions makes sense." Her tone is cool, almost cutting. Kate never was one to sugarcoat.
I feel a sting at her words despite expecting them. "A potential threat. That's all I am to you," I say bitterly. "Not the kid you and Barbara used to take for runs on the rooftops when I was learning to fly. Not the kid who fought beside you. Or helped coach for JROTC drill. Just a threat."
Barbara winces. "That's not true, Cain. You're our friend." "Friends don't spy on friends, "I haven't talked or seen you in 5 years Barbra I retorted, anger simmering into fury. My heart hammers and I realize I'm raising my voice. The gym goers started to look at us "Just how long did you all plan to keep tabs on me, huh? Until I prove that I'm a threat or that I'll never go evil? How the hell am I supposed to prove that?"
Kate steps forward now, her posture tense. "Lower your voice," she warns in a low tone. "This isn't the place for this conversation."
I fold my arms and speak a little lower . "Why? Afraid someone will hear that the Justice League or Batman is spying on people? That the dark knight doesn't trust the son of a Viltrumite?" I know I'm being a bit reckless saying this aloud in this public gym, but anger is riding me hard.
Barbara glances around nervously. "Cain, please, let's go somewhere private and talk. We can work this out. We don't want you feeling."
"Spare me," I interrupt, voice cold now. "You want to make me feel better? Back off. Tell Batman to back off. I don't need babysitters." I take a slow step closer to them. I see Kate's muscles coil, ready for anything. My eyes meet hers. "You know, Kate, if I really were a 'threat,' you'd need a lot more than the two of you to handle me."
"Is that a challenge?" Kate replies, voice steely. Her hand twitches ever so slightly in her pocket probably near some gadget or sonic device or whatever they think could stop me. 5 years ago, that gesture might have given me pause. Now? It mostly just hurts.
Barbara quickly moves between us, palms out. "Enough. Everybody calm down." She looks at me imploringly. "Cain, we're not here to fight. She's just being cautious."
I believe Babs; she genuinely doesn't want this to escalate. I sigh, pinch the bridge of my nose and try to rein in my temper. "Look," I say more quietly, "I appreciate that you might have good intentions, but this... this invasion of my privacy, treating me like a ticking bomb it has to stop. I'm serious."
Barbara nods slowly. "Okay. How about we arrange a meeting? You, me, Batman and some of the Leaguers and Titans who are on your side, talk it out officially. Set terms everyone's comfortable with." Ever the mediator, Barbara always tries to find the middle ground.
I shake my head. "No. No more meetings, no more terms. I'm not asking, Babs. I'm telling." I straighten to full height; I've got a good few inches on Barbara, and even on Kate with her boots. Using my height and presence is a trick I learned from dad and mom.
"The surveillance ends now, and stay out of my business." Kate crosses her arms, a scowl on her lips. "Or what?" Tell Bruce to remove his surveillance bugs from my house or The next time I find one, I go public. Everyone's identities. Bruce's and League members all of it."
"Cain!" Barbara gasps, genuinely alarmed. "You wouldn't... you wouldn't do that." "You're bluffing," Kate said coldly. I leaned in close my face was like stone. "Try me I'm done being the only one under a microscope. Either I get some trust and privacy, or the gloves come off."
My heart is pounding at my own audacity. Part of me can't believe I'm actually threatening the Bat-family and by extension the Justice League. This could blow up in my face horribly. But I'm fed up—fed up with being treated like I'm one bad day away from becoming Omni-Man 2.0. I won't let them control my life.
Kate's nostrils flare. "That's crossing a line, Cain," she says in a low, dangerous voice. I give a short, mirthless laugh. "Funny. I thought that line was already crossed when you bugged my home and tracked my every move."
My hands are trembling slightly, anger and adrenaline coursing through me. I clench them to steady myself. "I don't want to hurt anyone. I just want to be left alone to live my life and do some good on my own terms. Is that really so hard to ask?"
Barbara's face softens a touch. She slowly reaches up putting her hand on my chest a gesture of trust maybe. Her red hair glints under a gym lighting. "Cain... I'm sorry," she says quietly. "We should have handled this better. I should have fought harder against the surveillance. You have every right to be angry."
She shoots a glance at Kate. "We pushed him into a corner." Kate is still tense, but after a moment she nods curtly, acknowledging the point. "Perhaps," she admits.
I exhale, some tension leaving my shoulders. I hadn't actually expected an apology. Barbara always did have a big heart. "I don't want to be at odds with you," I say, softer now. "Either of you. Believe it or not, I... I consider you my friends. Maybe even family.
Those rooftop runs when I was a younger were always fun. Kate you always treated me like a little brother which I appreciated." My voice cracks just a bit on the last part, damn it. I clear my throat then I nod "So... we have an understanding?"
Barbara smiles gently. "I'll report to Bruce that surveillance is off. We'll all sit down and purge anything collected. I'll make sure it happens." Kate adds, "I'll speak to him as well. He listens to me, sometimes." She cracks a very slight grin. "Probably helps that I'm one of the few not technically under his command. Perks of being cousins."
Barbara reaches out and, to my surprise, gives me a quick hug. I return it, "Don't be a stranger, okay?" she says as she pulls back. "You still have friends… if you want them. "My throat tightens. "I'd like that," I reply softly. "Maybe… maybe I'll stop by the Clock Tower sometime? We can catch up."
Her eyes light up. "I'd like that very much. You know I always have cookies on hand for a certain speedster there's usually extras." She's referring to Flashes (Barry Allen) habit of raiding their snack stash, a little anecdote I remember. It makes me smile.
"Take care, Babs," I say. She nods, then I walk past them not stopping leaving the gym. Then heading to a back alley way making sure no one was around. Then took off in a blink to the sky making sure to wear a hoodie covering my face.
I inhale deeply, the cool night air filling my lungs. That confrontation could have gone a lot worse. I half expected a batarang to the face at one point or batman to come in with black canary and whole team to take me down if I got to roudy.
But I meant what I said. I don't want to be enemies with them. In fact, the thought of alienating the few people who might be on my side that understood me felt painful to think. I'm glad Barbara was there; she's always been the heart and brain to Batman and Kate's fists.
Tilting my head back, I let out a long breath. I think about Dad and Mom—how would they react if they knew about this standoff? Dad would blow a fuse at Batman for treating me this way, surely. Mom would probably march to the Watchtower and give everyone a piece of her mind and fist.
They've always believed in me, fiercely. But I never told them how deep the League's mistrust ran. I hope they are alive and ok. Besides that a part of me felt like I needed to do that for myself to truly earn my independence.
Independence. I chuckle under my breath. For a guy with super-strength and flight, and nearly invulnerable freedom has been oddly hard to come by. But tonight, I feel like I reclaimed a piece of it.
Gotham's city lights stretch out in a bright splendor. I could fly straight back to my house. but maybe a quick patrol wouldn't hurt. After all, I've got energy to burn and a newfound sense of hope lifting me.
Hope that I can chart my own path. Hope that I won't be defined by the sins of Omni-Man or the fears of the Justice League. With a faint smile, I rocket off into the night, a dark blur over the streets of Gotham, determined to carve a place for myself in this world of gods and monsters. The dawn of a new chapter in my life has begun, and I intend to face it on my own terms.