"Ah, hahaha!" she laughed. Evilly. Loudly. She laughed, and as she did, she extended her glowing orange wings to an amazing length. Blasts of telekinetic energy knocked those around her to their butts and to the floor.

"Linda?" Superboy asked quietly.

Robin catapulted himself off his staff and launched into a kick. Flying into action, Kon-El intercepted him and knocked him down.

"What're you doing?" Robin demanded an answer.

"You can't attack Linda!" Superboy yelled.

"So what, we just sit back and let her kill us?"

The wings spread more and more, tearing apart the concrete, steel and rock that made up their hidden base. A blast of telekinetics punctured through the ceiling.

"There's gotta be something we can do," Kon pondered. But as he looked into her cold, uncaring eyes, he knew there was nothing. The woman they had come to depend on as a trusted teammate...the woman he had come to love...was gone.

And things would never be the same.

"Move, move, move!" he ordered. Christopher Aaronson held back, as always. Even with his powerful mind-damaging abilities as King Bedlam, he preferred to sit and watch his team go to work. Especially when training against Hellfire Club guards.

Tarot stood close to him, ever faithful, and also preferring to avoid the fight. Her powers were much more suited to avoid open conflict.

Magma's body glowed furiously with orange, red and yellow. A pair of fissures in the ground burst open, springing liquid hot magma ontop of black-spandex clad guards.

Bevatron and Thunderbird, using their superior muscle, jumped into the center of their attackers and pounded away. Roulette tossed around bad luck discs, ensuring that the guards would be kept from becoming too successful, while Empath did his best to keep their spirits low and their minds down.

Firestar took the small air space just below the ceiling and poured out waves of heat energy.

Within moments, the Hellions had the Hellfire Club guards on the run. However, it only took a split instant for a psionic bolt to tear across all their minds, dropping them to their knees.

A woman stood tall, her long blond hair flowing and her white lingerie her only covering. She spoke harshly. "For all your might, you still leave yourselves wide open for a telepathic assault. Bedlam, you are this team's leader for a reason. You scramble our opponent's minds the first chance you get. Just because you are facing Hellfire guards, don't presume you're only dealing with flat-scans."

"Yes, White Queen," Christopher mumbled as she released her telepathic grip on the group.

"Where are the others?" Emma Frost demanded. "I was told Linda, Roberto and Martinique would be joining you today."

"Beats me," Firestar shrugged.

"I will find out," Emma sighed. "Continue your training."

The White Queen of the Hellfire Club's secret Inner Circle was also the teacher and founder of the Hellions, the club's team of young mutants, to be used for their purposes.

Walking slowly, she soon passed a room where two voices were arguing. She stuck her head in the room to see what was going on.

"Perhaps you're having second thoughts?" Contessa asked. She didn't move from her hover chair, at least, as far as anyone knew. Legs crossed and always imposing, she had a way with most men.

"I'm not having second thoughts," Roberto DaCosta angrily replied. He was a mutant who could absorb solar energy and turn it into strength. For a time, he ran with the New Mutants and called himself Sunspot. That time has passed. "I'm just disagreeing with this."

"Disagreeing with what?" Emma asked as she stepped in.

"It's not your concern," Bobby frowned.

"I do believe a dispute between two members of the Inner Circle concerns me in every way," she said.

"Forget it," Bobby said. He stormed out.

"You handled that very well," Contessa said sternly.

"Quiet," Frost replied harshly. "Who peed in his cheerios?"

"Probably Klarion's cat, Teekl," Contessa replied.

"You forgot the bum bum BUM part," Emma said.

Contessa sighed. "The boy is just upset. He knew things weren't on the up and up long before he joined...he just doesn't believe our Black King's plan is right."

"The fool. He'd rather die with the blind masses than survive to rule."

"We should let 'Jason' have his way with him," Contessa grinned evilly. "Then I'm sure he'd see things our way..."

"Senator Gene Ha, another unsuspecting ally?" Lady Tessa stood by her 'master's' side.

Sebastian Shaw grinned. "At this rate, I'll control the majority of the House and senate in a matter of months. I already have the funding to produce the project's weapons, I just need the government's say so to use them legally."

"Though having approval has never stopped you before," Tessa replied.

"True," Shaw nodded. "But if no one has legal jurisdiction to stand in my way...not only will I be able to eliminate mutants who would stand against me, but I'd be able to have them strike on an unsuspecting populace."

"Project: Wide-awake," Tessa sighed. "If only we could be sure the ends would justify the means."

"Oh, it will," Shaw grinned evilly. "The steps I take will not matter...so long as I end up on my throne, atop the world."

"Good afternoon, my love."

She smiled warmly at his entrance. Jason Wyngarde was the man she loved. When she was around him, nothing else mattered. Her past with Young Justice...her feelings for Superboy...none even entered her mind. All she knew was that she loved him, and he loved her. That was all she needed.

Jason was a master manipulator. His reasons for Linda's joining the Hellfire club were purely personal in every way. Besides having a hot young blonde on his bed every night, 'Jason' knew of her extreme powers. He knew that, with a little tweaking, she could become the most powerful being on the planet. And with her at his side...he could rule all. Jason Wyngarde, not Sebastian Shaw.

"How are you feeling?" he asked her.

"Good, now that you're here," she grinned again. In some ways, that was the most torturous for her. Because somewhere, deep down, a part of her was disgusted...was hurt...was torn, knowing that something wasn't right. However, it was only one small part, buried deep down. Not nearly enough to resist.

The two kissed.

From beneath the balcony and far away, a young woman watched with relative disgust. Her name was Martinique Wyngarde...Jason's daughter. She knew that was not her real last name...but circumstances forced her to keep it.

Like her father, she had the ability to create illusions. Illusions so real that no one could tell them apart from reality. A power that she believed her father was abusing, especially in his love affair with a woman barely a year older than she was.

It just disgusted her. But she had no choice other than to sit back and watch...right?

Red Tornado stood tall, watching the large monitor before him. Images, and video clips fluttered before him. Images of his 'wife', Kathy Sutton, and his 'daughter', Traya.

Yes, he was a robot. Yes, they were real. But he was slowly becoming more human...and his 'family' welcomed him back with open arms. Was it possible? Perhaps. Was it probable? Definitely not. But did this robot want his humanity more than anything else? You betcha.

Sam Guthrie and Jen Lynn Haden watched him quietly from behind a staircase.

"What's he doing?" Sam asked in a whisper.

"He does this every once in awhile," Jen replied, her green skin almost glowing. "Just...watches stuff about his family. He's kinda like Data, from Star Trek...always seeking to be more human."

"Nice analogy," Sam said, still watching.

"So, what you told us about the Hellfire Club?" she asked, turning to face him. "That's all true?"

"Yup," Sam nodded, turning to face her as well. "Ah know Ah'm still new t o YJ, but the second ya'll wanna go after Firebird, Ah'll be more'n ready to help."

"Come on, let's leave Reddy alone," she said, grabbing his hand. The two walked off, leaving the red robot to stand and ponder.

"Whatever you say," Impulse continued. "Well, not whatever..."

Impulse's fists of fury moved faster than the eye could see, pounding upon Superboy's photonic 'S' shield.

"It's still holding perfectly," Superboy realized.

"Definitely made of some stern stuff," Robin replied, watching closely. "I bet Cap would be impressed."

"Yeah," Kon said.

"So long as you didn't go into a long speech about your powers," Impulse said, continuing. Superboy bopped him on the head, and he stopped. "Okay, okay...jeez."

"So, when will we get to see some action?" Magik asked. She, Arrowette and Wonder Girl were across the room, hanging out.

"Soon enough, I guess," Arrowette shrugged. "To tell you the truth, after our last battle as a team, I'm not too eager to go at it again."

"No kidding," Wonder Girl said. "We're so unprepared. You and Sam are still new...Jen's worried about losing her best friend, Rob's worried about losing a member of his team, Kon's upset because we lost Linda..."

"And you're upset because the Kid's so upset over Linda," Arrowette cut in.

"That was mean," Wonder Girl frowned. "He and Linda went good together...she made him happy. So of course I'm concerned...his heart's been broken."

"Attention, Young Justice," Red Tornado's voice poured out over the loud speakers in the base. "Cannonball and Jade need your assistance immediately. They are under attack!"