The heroes of Young Justice tracked him down accidentally while searching for the true origin of Wonder Girl's powers. To their horror, they learned Zola was responsible. He was working for the Imperial Forces of America, creating them super-powered henchmen to do their dirty work. The team fought and defeated the Imperials and Zola, but they managed to escape. Shortly after, Zola blew up his own castle to both hide his work and hopefully kill the members of Young Justice.

It didn't work. The team survived the explosion and escaped. Shortly after, however, the Department of Extranormal Operations tried to place them under arrest. They fought back and fled, Superboy leading the charge. Or at least, that's what they all believe . . .

For far beneath the ruins of the castle, a figure had slowly woken up. He wore a big 'S' on his shirt and a leather jacket over it. For he was Superboy.

Confused? After all, how can there be two Superboys? And which one is real?

The large ship had come from Egypt with some amazing new archeological finds from a newly discovered tombs. Finds like this had become more and more rare in recent years, but this one was paydirt.

This shipment to the Museum included an undisturbed body of a never before heard of Pharaoh!

"Big wup," Gus yawned as he and his crewmen unloaded the crates. "That's not so special."

"Are you kiddin'?" Bob asked. "It's the biggest news outta Egypt in years! And to think, they're sendin' it straight to us!"

"Big wup," Gus repeated, taking down the cart with the sarcophagus inside. "Hey, Bob . . . this crate lid's a little loose . . . "

"We should nail it down," Bob replied. "Don't want anything to happen . . . to . . . it?"

The crate lid burst off like there was an explosion from the inside.

"Holy &@#$!" Gus exclaimed.

"What do we do?" Bob asked.

A charred black hand rose from the crate, reaching the edge.

"Let's get outta here!!"

As the two, and many other frightened crewmen ran away, the casket opened . . . and the now living Pharaoh awakened . . .

"I can't believe you did that," Sam Guthrie said.

"I did what I had to do," Superboy shrugged.

"You decked the Red Tornado!" Cassie Sandsmark exclaimed.

"Keep it down," Jade said. "Last thing we need is to be discovered here."

Robin stood patiently, his head in his hands, thinking. It was some mess the team had gotten into. Following some major battles, the team had been grounded by their mentor, the Red Tornado. They broke their house arrest to find out the origins of Wonder Girl's powers, only to learn that she had been manipulated and experimented on by Arnim Zola, the Bio-Fanatic. They also picked up another girl, Hallie Takahama, who had been experiment on as well.

Unfortunately, the fight between the team and Zola had drawn them major attention . . . and the DEO had attempted to arrest them. Superboy started the fight and made the group flee, leaving Magik behind and the Red Tornado injured. The two were captured and imprisoned, and now Young Justice was on everyone's Most Wanted lists.

"Bring it on," Superboy shrugged at Jade's comment. "We can handle anything they throw at us."

"No, we can't," Robin spoke. "Vigilantism itself is outlawed in New York City . . . and our last major battles had been in here. That alone was enough reason for the police to come knocking with a warrant. Now? Now it's open season."

"Is there anything Batman can do?" Cissie asked.

"I might contact him," Robin replied. "But I might not. This isn't his business . . . and I can't use my usual contacts like Oracle, because I can't drag anyone else into this. We're now on the other side of the law . . . and I don't know how to get our names cleared . . . maybe if Kon hadn't attacked the DEO--"

"Oh, don't start," Superboy responded. "It's not my fault you froze! We needed a leader, and you weren't up to it . . . so I took charge!"

Funny . . . Sam thought. Not too long ago, he was tellin' me how he thought Ah was second-in-command . . .

"So you took charge?" Robin asked, almost yelling. "You didn't think at all! You didn't have any kind of plan besides 'Let's Hit Things!'. You left Magik behind and hit the Red Tornado! You attacked a Government Agency that was only doing their jobs!"

"Wanna talk about doing your job?" Superboy asked. "Some leader you are! Even before you froze today, you were so careless that you got us grounded! And then what'd you do? You abandoned the team to go solo, and when we broke the house arrest, you didn't mind at all! Some leader you are!"

"Hey!" Cissie called.

"Don't get involved," Linda Danvers placed an arm on Cissie's, holding her back.

"I don't think it's wise of you to choose sides," Cissie frowned. "We don't know how much we can trust your judgment."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Linda asked, angrily.

"Easy!" Cassie and Jenn stepped in, separating the two girls.

Impulse stepped in front of Superboy and Robin. "What she said."

Hallie Takahama sighed.

"That's enough," Sam sighed as well. "We've gotta work together if we wanna get outta this mess. Now, believe me, none of us are happy. Magik's been captured, probably sittin' in prison somewhere . . . Hallie, well, we just saved her, and here she is on the run . . . and well, none of us like bein' on the run at all! Ah'm a mutant, so Ah guess Ah'm a little more used to it. But we can't just stay out in the open and hope some solution falls into our laps."

"What should we do?" Jade asked.

"Well . . . " Sam paused to ponder. "First things first, we need to do some scouting. Find out what happened to Illyana and Reddy. Second, we need to know the status of our HQ. If it's compromised, we could look into the Morlock Tunnels. If it ain't, we can get to the files we've all made of our recent battles, and hand them over to someone like, say, the Avengers League, then they can see that we're being misunderstood. Third, we can turn Hallie over to the AL, too, since she's had no part in this whatsoever. No sense in gettin' her in trouble."

"Hey, you guys saved me," Hallie replied. "I'm willing to help out."

"Are you sure?" Robin asked.

"You bet!" she grinned. "I'd like to throw in with you guys! Consider me your newest member, Jolt!"

"I'm sorry to hear that," a voice said outside the alley.

"Eh?" Sam turned.

"My name's Guardian. This is the Super-Unit Police. Young Justice, you're under arrest."

"Sebastian?" Emma Frost asked, knocking on the door to his office.

"Come," he replied from his chair.

"I have some bad news," she said cautiously.

"Oh?"

"The equipment you stole from Xavier?"

"The Cerebro . . . yes?"

"The project didn't go as planned," Emma frowned.

"You mean, the Nimrod Project?" Shaw raised an eyebrow.

"Our scientists did achieve the artificial intelligence as you requested. But the program proved too strong. It escaped."

"It escaped?" Shaw's eyes went wide. "Was the programming finished?"

"No," Frost shook her head. "It currently has only one desire: Seek and Destroy."

"Hmph," Shaw frowned. "There are still other options with the Sentinels and Project: Wideawake . . . but Nimrod must be brought under my control. Prepare the Hellions to go find it. Lead them if you need to. Take DaCosta if you wish. Just find it and bring it back."

"Yes, my King."

"Whoa . . . " he rubbed the back of his head. He hurt. He wasn't used to hurting. "Linda? Bart? Robin? Cassie? Anyone . . . ?"

No answer. The darkness was thick. There was very dim lighting coming from . . . torches?

Someone's here . . . the figure thought. He looked around, discovering that the torches apparently led down a pathway. I feel really exhausted . . . never felt so drained . . . I might be able to punch my way out, but I don't wanna risk it . . . so I'll follow this path.

The figure continued forward. He wasn't surprised that his uniform wasn't damaged. It was the nature of his powers. But he was surprised that he felt sore. He wasn't used to feeling sore.

"Hello?" he called. No answer. I hope the others got out okay . . . after all, I'm invulnerable, and this sent me for a loop . . .

He moved slowly and cautiously. Though he was normally cocky and confident, there was something about the way he felt . . . it was unnatural. It was something, in all his short life, he had never felt.

"Weak," he said to himself. "How can I feel weak? I'm Superboy . . . "

This is so weird . . . like something off the Sci-Fi channel. I hope the others are alright. But then again, if I'm invulnerable, and it threw me for a loop like this, I hate to think of what happened to Arrowette or Robin.

"Is anybody here?" he called again. "Can anybody hear me?"

"If you yell loud enough, everyone will hear you."

"Eh?" Superboy turned around quickly. He found a strange figure standing behind him. It was of average height, wrapped in a red cloak. Pink hands stuck out from the long sleeves.

"My name is M'Reel," the figure spoke.

"I'm Superboy," Kon-El answered. "And you're . . . not human, are you?"

"No," the figure replied. "I am an extra-dimensional being. I serve the First One."

"The . . . first one?" Superboy asked, confused. "Uh, listen buddy, I'm just lookin' for a way out . . . "

"Come," M'Reel spoke, stepping in front of Superboy. He continued walking down the pathway.

"The exit's over there?" Superboy asked, following.

"Walk," M'Reel said, not turning around.

Superboy shrugged and followed. They continued forward in silence for a few minutes, something rare for Kon to achieve.

"None have entered these chambers for over fifteen earth years," M'Reel broke the silence.

"I didn't exactly come here on purpose," Kon shrugged. "I was up in the castle with my friends . . . my teammates . . . and then it blew up . . . and I found myself down here."

"Perhaps it was chance. Perhaps it was not. There are strong powers in the universe . . . things like fate, like destiny."

"I've never really believed in stuff like that. I'd hate to think that my entire life has already been planned out and I'm just going through the motions."

"Perhaps," M'Reel replied. More silence followed as they continued forward.

"So . . . this First One?" Kon asked. "What's he all about?"

"He is down here as well," M'Reel answered. "I am bringing you to him, for only he is aware of the exit."

"Are there others like you in here?"

"No. I am the only one of my kind on Earth. I live to serve the First One."

"You don't mean Arnim Zola, do you?"

"I do not know that name."

"Good," Superboy nodded. "You don't wanna know him . . . he's a twisted psychopath."

The pathway finally widened to a large chamber. At the other end of the chamber were two doors, each twenty feet high, and apparently made out of some sort of metal.

"Whoa," Kon said, looking it over.

As the two approached, the doors slowly began to open outward, being moved by an unseen force.

"I have brought a visitor," M'Reel spoke.

Superboy entered the large room and looked about with awe. There was exotic stone furniture carved into the very walls, floor, and ceiling. Only there was no clear up or down.

One man, probably middle aged, sat in a chair at the other end. His hair was mainly black with white streaks. His eyes glowed white, and he wore a strange costume.

"Enter," the figure spoke. "Be not afraid. I have not had a guest in over a decade . . . I will not harm you. Come, sit. My name is Graviton."

"Uhh . . . Superboy," Kon replied.

"Superboy?" Graviton asked, raising an eyebrow. "That would lead me to believe you have super powers. Tell me . . . are you a . . . hero?"

"Yeah," Superboy nodded. "I'm also a member of Young Justice."

"Never heard of them," Graviton shrugged. "The last hero I ever saw was Thor."

"Are you a hero?" Superboy asked.

Graviton merely laughed. "Ah, it seems so long ago . . . I was merely Franklin Hall, an ordinary man. A high-engineering physicist working on an ill-fated teleportation beam. A power-spike caused the device to work for the first and last time, seizing an experimental anti-gravity element in a nearby lab, and scrambling my molecules with its energized atoms, giving me astonishing powers. I control gravity."

"That would explain the name."

"The first time I used my powers, I was drawn into an instant conflict with super heroes. Thor and I fought, and due to my inexperience, I was beaten. While I was unconscious, he somehow had me put in this underground chamber that at first, I found I could not escape from."

"Ouch," Superboy replied.

"I was angry . . . even furious. But I could not escape using my raw power. So I've had time . . . time to learn patience, learn control. Now I am a master at my power."

"So why've you been down here so long?" Superboy asked. "I mean, I bet Thor woulda understood if you had told him it was just a misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding?" Graviton asked. "Hardly. I was lashing out at the world, angry at what had happened. I wanted power . . . I wanted to be feared! And this is what I got."

Umm . . . Superboy swallowed hard. This guy's some kinda super-villain from the 80's that no one's ever heard of . . . and if he can control gravity, that would make him pretty powerful. And me? I'm not feeling up to top strength . . .

"I want my freedom," he continued. "And I have the means to achieve it. But I fear I shall once more be drawn into conflict with superheroes. But now you provide me with a new opportunity."

"Opportunity?" Kon asked.

"Yes," he grinned. "What is it you want?"

"I want to get out of here," Kon shrugged.

"No. I meant, what do you want out of life?"

"I . . . I don't know. I just live my life one day at a time . . . I have a purpose with Young Justice . . . with my girlfriend, Linda . . . "

"You lack vision," Graviton answered. "Once, I lacked vision. But fifteen years is a long time to search yourself . . . and I have my vision."

"Good for you," Kon nodded.

"I shall help you escape from these chambers," Graviton said. "But first, you must help me."

"Help you?" Kon asked. If this guy really is a supervillain, helping him is one thing I don't wanna do. But then again, I don't know what this guy's made out of . . . what kinda beating he can take. I mean, he fought Thor . . . and he did live to tell about it . . .

"I wish for you to tell me all about the world. What has happened in the past fifteen years? What heroes are there? What is the state of the world?"

"Umm . . . well . . . "

"No, no, take your time," Graviton said. "There is no need to rush. Patience is a virtue. You shall tell me about the world . . . and when I am satisfied with the knowledge you have given me, I shall let you go."

"And then what?" Superboy asked.

"Vision, my boy," he replied with a smile. "Vision is key . . . "

The Red Tornado and Illyana Rasputin were in their cell.

"You know, even with all this fancy equipment, I could still get us out of here," Illyana frowned.

"I know," the Tornado replied. "I could easily break us free as well. But it is the principle of the matter. Young Justice has caused too much damage as it is. From in here, we may be able to do more good for the team than being with them. We can tell our story to anyone who will listen . . . "

"It still stinks," she sighed.

"We do what we must," he shrugged.

"I wonder what the team's up to right now . . . "

"I'm more worried over Superboy. His actions were very unlike him . . . "

"We don't want a fight," Sam said cautiously.

"Good," the Guardian answered. "Then surrender."

"Not a chance," Superboy replied.

"Very well," the Guardian shrugged. "Even though we're not with a full roster, I'm confident we can make you kids show some respect."

"Here we go again," Arrowette rolled her eyes.

Superboy launched forward, only to be decked and knocked back by Doc Samson, the gamma-powered psychologist.

The Trapster quickly made use of his codename, using his glue gloves to stick Cissie's arrows to her bow and stop her from firing.

Photon quickly turned herself into electricity and struck at Impulse, who dodged.

The Guardian flung his shield with incredible aim and speed, hitting Wonder Girl head on and knocking her back.

"Guardian, please!" Robin called. "I know of your dealings with Batman, there must be some way to work this out without a fight!"

"I don't think so," the golden avenger replied, swinging a punch that Robin ducked under.

"Don't bother trying to weasel your way out of this fight," the Trapster grinned as he began to trap Jade in a cocoon. "The only outcome is your loss!"

"We don't have time for this," Cannonball sighed as he tackled Samson.

"No kidding," Impulse replied. He began to spin around the Trapster, who was trying to trap Bart. The wind speeds generated caused the glue to reverse itself onto the SUPman, capturing himself in it.

"Just remember we didn't want this," Firebird replied, hitting Photon with a dose of her own fire and her telekinetics, affecting her even in her electric state.

Samson punched Cannonball out of the way and swung at Wonder Girl, knocking her back as well. However, he was not expecting Superboy, who tackled him from behind and sent him straight into a concrete wall.

While Robin and the Guardian engaged in a fist fight, Jolt snuck up behind the golden 'hero' and gave him a shock punch!

"Ahh!" he yelled, rolling from the attack. "You teach these kids to fight dirty, or was that the robot?"

"No one's taught me anything!" she yelled. "But these guys saved my life . . . and I'm not gonna let you hurt them!"

"Let's wrap this up!" Sam said.

Jade used her powers to cut herself free from her cocoon. Firebird used her telekinetics to remove the gunk from Arrowette's equipment.

Wonder Girl and Superboy began piling on the hits to Samson, but he kept shrugging them off.

"Jeez," Cassie said. "Makes me wish I got my powers from gamma rays instead of ions!"

"Don't worry, we can make him fall if we hit him hard enough!" Superboy exclaimed.

Jade encased Samson in a large green bubble and held him up in the air away from the fight.

Impulse burst over to the Guardian and pummeled him with incredibly fast punches.

"Get Samson outta here!" Sam said.

Jade made the bubble go flying away.

"Let's find cover while we still got the chance!" Cissie said. "Morlock tunnels?"

"Follow me," Sam ordered. The nine heroes headed off towards the sewers, leaving the Super-Unit Police temporarily dazzled.

The investigation team the DEO left behind had nearly completed their search.

"What's in this room?" one agent asked.

"Same as the others . . . freaky experiment stuff."

"But this one's got big, like, bio-chamber type things . . . what're they used for?"

"Probably matter manipulation. Or cloning."

"Cloning?"

"Sure . . . take a DNA sample, run it through here, add in the right chemicals . . . and you're set. We've got a few of these back at base."

"Wow," the first agent said. "I wonder if they've been used lately?"

"Hmmm," the second agent looked at the chamber's monitor. "Actually, it was used rather recently . . . maybe a couple of minutes before we first arrived to arrest Young Justice."

"Really? Who d'you think got cloned?"

"Beats me," the second agent shrugged. "But I'd hate to have a clone of myself running around . . . "