"You've all but lost everything."

Sebastian Shaw sat in his comfy chair behind his nice desk. The words came from the mouth of Emma Frost, White Queen of the Inner Circle. He was the Black King.

"First, Young Justice attacked us and utterly defeated us," she continued. "A feat which should have been impossible. The aftermath of that fight saw Jason Wyngarde's brains blown out, Linda Danvers returning to the young heroes, and Contessa and Klarion, bum Bum BUM, the Witch Boy quitting. Then, Doom joins . . . and then quits, but not before exposing the traitors in our midst. Your personal assistant, Tessa, was an agent of Xavier's. As was Sunspot. They both left. Thunderbird, one of my Hellions, went with them. And Jason's daughter, Martinique? The one who, supposedly, assisted Young Justice in their attack against us, you do nothing against, and order me to do the same? Even though she probably knows that we know? And that she's secretly plotting against us? And to top it all off, you finally get the Sentinels approved . . . and send the first batch made against Young Justice . . . only to learn, as you have, that they defeated them? And here you sit with a smile across your face."

"You have a point?" Shaw asked.

Frost growled.

"You can always actively recruit more for your Hellions," he leaned forward. "Thunderbird, while full of potential, can be replaced. As can the Inner Circle. For the moment, I do not need a full circle. And, of course, you can't possibly blame all those mishaps on me. Cerebro was your job. You screwed that one up."

She growled again.

"My dear Emma, you must relax. There is a method to my madness. I sent the weakest Sentinels we made. They received a measure of the array of powers and abilities presented by the young heroes. They have absorbed and analyzed the data, and the next time they fight, they will be far more difficult to defeat."

"And what of the circle?"

"When the time is right, we shall rebuild," Shaw answered. "When the time is right . . . "

In one corner: The members of the currently outlaw heroes, Young Justice!

Chuck Barnes, a.k.a. Robin: mental and physical perfection, trained by the world's greatest detective.

Kon-El, a.k.a. Superboy: tactile telekinesis makes him invulnerable, super strong, and a flyer.

Bart Allen, a.k.a. Impulse: super speed's his move.

Sam Guthrie, a.k.a. Cannonball: the human rocket, protected by an indestructible blast field.

Cassie Sandsmark, a.k.a. Wonder Girl: ionically powered strength, invulnerability and flight.

Cissie King-Jones, a.k.a. Arrowette: mistress of archery.

Jennifer-Lynn Haden, a.k.a. Jade: able to create objects with her own force of will.

Linda Danvers, a.k.a. Firebird: telekinesis, waning super-strength and invulnerability, and increasingly strong fire-like wings of a psionic nature.

Hallie Takahama, a.k.a. Jolt: enhanced reflexes, speed, and electric shock punches.

Aaaaaand . . . umm . . . in the same corner! The members of Generation Next!

Thomas Palmer, a.k.a. Valor: invulnerable, super strong, flight, heat vision and more.

Jonothan Palmer, a.k.a. Chamber: fires psychokinetic biochemical blasts from a hole in his face and chest.

Suzy, the Secret: A body made of smoke that can be formed into anything, on top of teleportation.

Paige Guthrie, a.k.a. Husk: a shape changer who pulls off her skin and becomes something new.

Grant Emerson, a.k.a. Damage: fires concussive blasts.

Tony Monetti, a.k.a. Argent: creates and maintains objects with her own force of will.

Angelo Espinosa, a.k.a. Skin: six feet of extra skin is his to control.

And, this time, in the other corner . . .

[[Forgetting of course that, the world is round, and while outside, there are no corners . . . ]]

It's not literal, dummy! << ahem >> As I was writing . . . in the other corner:

He was Charles Edmond Parker, a.k.a. Golden Eagle. But now, he's transformed into a Sentinel: Prime!

"A Sentinel . . . Prime?" Superboy asked.

"Prime Sentinel," Robin rephrased. "I heard about them . . . they were rumors, though."

"Guess they're more than rumors," Damage frowned.

"He was one of ours . . . ?" Secret questioned.

"No, he wasn't," Paige frowned. "Bones and Shelley just dropped him on us for this assignment!"

"He was a plant," Valor said. "We were set up."

"DESIGNATES: Generation Next," the Sentinel analyzed. "Ignore. DESIGNATES: Young Justice. Subdue."

"I'm sick of this stuff," Superboy frowned. He slammed a fist into the Sentinel's chest, expecting that to be enough. The Sentinel just stood it's ground.

"DESIGNATE: . . . Superboy? Query on genetics of Superboy. Log and save, explore later. Powers: Tactile telekinesis. Negated."

"Query on genetics?" Linda asked.

"Negated?" Superboy asked.

The Sentinel punched Kon in the chest, sending him flying backwards.

"Oh," Wonder Girl said. "Negated."

"This unit has adapted to your powers," the Sentinel continued. "Superboy, Impulse, Cannonball, Wonder Girl, Firebird and Jolt provide no more threat than the average humans, Robin and Arrowette."

"Average?" Arrowette asked.

"Maybe you Gen-Nexters might wanna assist?" Jolt asked.

"DESIGNATES: Generation Next," the Sentinel addressed them. "Do not interfere. Interference will cause this unit to defend itself. Note: Your powers, too, have been rendered ineffective to this unit."

The Sentinel then moved in a blur, physical attacking the members of Young Justice. Occasionally, it fired energy blasts from it's hands and eyes, hitting YJ with it's full force.

"We can't just stand here!" Secret exclaimed.

"We're gonna help, right?" Paige asked.

Valor paused. "I don't trust the DEO. If they did put this thing here . . . then they don't trust us, either. Young Justice isn't a group of criminals . . . they're heroes! Let's save 'em!"

The group leapt into the fray, attacking the Prime Sentinel with everything they had. That is, except for Skin. He hesitated. He had been with the DEO longer than the others . . .

"Generation Next," the Sentinel spoke, unaffected by Valor's heat vision or Chamber's psychokinetic blasts. "This unit is now forced to defend itself."

Cannonball blasted straight at the Sentinel. Though Sam knew he couldn't directly hurt it, he hoped he could at least move the fight away from the others. Sam grabbed hold of the Sentinel and carried it into the air, up and away.

"Ah'm takin' you outta this," Sam said. "Ah've about had it with these surprise attacks! Are you from the DEO? Are you from Shaw? SHIELD? What?"

"This unit will not answer your questions," it replied. "Soon, your powers will be completely negated. They will shut off. You will fall to your death."

"Ah'll take you with me, then," Sam replied.

"No." The Sentinel grabbed hold of Sam's arms. "This unit can fly. You shall perish."

Sam's eyes went wide as he slowed. Then, he stopped blasting altogether. "Oh, Lordy . . . "

The Sentinel dropped Sam. He fell.

"Got you!" Valor exclaimed as he caught Sam in mid-fall.

"Thanks," Sam answered.

"Anytime," Valor answered. "Why'd you take him away from the rest of us?"

"Ah didn't want him to hurt any o' y'all," Sam answered. "Hoped Ah'd be able to get him away and then take him out. Didn't go as planned."

"I think you've only made things worse," Valor frowned. "Now we've brought the fight into a more public area."

Sam smacked his head. "Ah'm so dumb . . . Ah wasn't thinkin' ahead at all."

Down below, the rest of the young heroes charged on to fight the Sentinel.

"I've got a plan," Robin said. "We're by power lines . . . we could use them to fry it's circuitry!"

"Worth a try," Wonder Girl said.

"Jade, Argent," Robin ordered. "Create some giant scissors and cut those lines! Everyone, steer clear!"

The two did as they were told. Soon, several city blocks were without power, and several lines were crackling with energy.

"Now we just gotta lure him there," Paige frowned.

"He's coming back for another attack," Chamber stated.

"Scatter!" Robin ordered. He stood, ready for the attack, right in front of the downed lines. He doesn't think me a major threat . . . but hopefully, just standing here as everyone else runs, I'll look easy . . .

Sure enough, what was once Golden Eagle took the bait. It charged for Robin at a high speed. Just as it was about to hit him, Robin grabbed it's arms and flipped him backwards into the downed power lines. The electricity began to flow into the robot's systems, but it, too, had grabbed Robin, and wasn't letting go. The electricity coursed through both of them.

"Rob!" Arrowette exclaimed.

"No!" Secret yelled as well. She flew to Robin and instantly smoke jumped him and herself away. When they reappeared, Secret was screaming in pain.

"Suzy!" Chamber yelled, running over to her.

"Rob!" Arrowette said again, running to him.

"I . . . d-don't like . . . e-e-elec-electricity," Secret said, matter-of-factly.

"You s-saved my life," Robin said to her.

"I . . . d-didn't want you t-t-to . . . g-get hurt," she answered.

Robin smiled at her, though his teeth chattered slightly from the intense electricity. They exchanged a quick glance of relief. "Thanks."

"It's dead," Impulse said, happily pointing to the fried remains of the Prime Sentinel.

"Good," Valor frowned.

"Was he sent after us by the DEO?" Husk asked.

"Ah don't know," Sam frowned. "Ah hope not."

"Seems like we'll have to ask our superiors," Valor frowned again.

"What're we gonna tell 'em?" Damage asked.

"That we got attacked by Sentinels while trying to apprehend Young Justice," Valor answered.

"And that they helped us when Golden Eagle changed," Secret said.

"And that, after the confusion, they got away," Paige added.

"Sounds good to me," Wonder Girl grinned.

Skin stood in the back of the group and said nothing.

"Sam, I . . . " Paige started. "It's good to see you again."

"Good t'see you, too, sis," Sam answered. "How come y'don't talk like y'used to?"

"I phased out the accent," Paige grinned. "I didn't want to be a country bumpkin."

Sam laughed. "You're one weird gal, Paige."

"Says the guy who just went Hyuck-Hyuck!"

"Ah do not say that!"

Valor and Robin shook hands.

"I'm sorry we attacked you," Valor said.

"You were only following orders," Robin replied. "I'm just glad that you came to your senses. Are you sure you're going to be able to explain this okay to the DEO?"

"No," Thomas replied with a grin. "But they'll have to deal with it."

Jolt stood next to Impulse.

"Y'notice how eager Cissie was to get to Rob when he was hurt?" Hallie asked.

"I guess," Bart replied.

"You think maybe she has a thing for him?"

"A thing?"

"Yeah, like a crush."

"A crush?"

"Yeah, when a girl likes a guy . . . "

"Ummm . . . sure. I think I had a dream like that once . . . "

[[Sorta . . . in Detective Comics #11 - Paul]]

"What do you think about girls?" Jolt asked.

"What's there to think about?" Bart asked. He gave Hallie a funny look.

"Nothing, nothing," Hallie said, grinning. "Nothing at all."

"Well, we'd better get going," Valor said. "We've been at this longer than expected."

Robin nodded.

"Are you sure there isn't anything we can do for you?" Secret asked. "Can't we help them?"

"It's probably better that you don't," Robin answered. "We'll get ourselves out of this mess. But it is nice to know we've got friends."

Secret smiled. "I hope we'll stay friends."

Chamber gave her a funny look, wondering at her curiosity about Robin.

"Alright, team," Valor called, "let's go home. Young Justice . . . good luck. You'll probably need it."

"Thanks," Robin said.

"Yeah," Arrowette added. "We are gonna need it."

Mister Shelley and Mr. Bones frowned.

"What will become of this?" Bones asked.

"Whatever I decide shall come of it," Shelley replied. "This was exactly what I figured would happen. They are tighter together than what they ever could have become in the training room. They went on a mission and stood toe to toe with a real team. Nothing was lost and everything was gained."

"And what about the Golden Eagle business?" Bones frowned.

"Simple," Shelley said. "We deny any knowledge that he was a Sentinel. It all is better than expected."

"If you say so, sir."

"Don't worry," Shelley grinned. "This will all work to our advantage yet . . . you'll see."

A young DEO agent walked into the office.

"Director, can you sign these papers?" the young agent asked.

"Not now, there are more important things right now," the director said with a smile.