"Many of our viewers might remember the startling footage of the battle in Central Park captured mere weeks ago. A battle between Young Justice and, as far as anyone knew, their teammate Firebird. It was a battle the young heroes lost, and one which left much of Central Park scarred and burned.

"Not long after, in upstate New York, Young Justice supposedly went up against a terrorist organization called the Point Men, fighting on the grounds of a government military research base."

The camera cut to a short, bald man. Random people had been interviewed. "Fightin' against 'em?" he exclaimed. "More like workin' with 'em! I bet them Young Justices are all a buncha' stinkin' muties!"

"They were just trying to make themselves look good." Now it was a woman. "They staged the fight to get more public support, when it's obvious that they're just a bunch of confused teenagers who don't have any business being heroes."

"It hadda be real!" another man said. "I mean, cameras caught this one guy get gutted! He got killed tryin' to stop them terrorists!"

"But was it real?" Rogers continued. "Later, the member rumored to be Cannonball, also the one mentioned as being killed, was seen with the team in apparently perfect health. So what really happened?

"And who can forget when the Mutant Liberation Front held the World Trade Center hostage? Young Justice was right in the middle of that one, too. The building suffered heavy damage. And once again, people didn't hesitate to say the team was in league with the MLF, sighting that they probably were mutants. But does being a mutant automatically make you an outlaw?"

Another man-on-the-street p.o.v.: "Mutants are freaks of nature! They don't deserve to breathe the same air we normal people do! They should all be gathered up and taken out of the country!"

"Then there was the Hellfire Club," Rogers went on, a picture of the damaged and partially destroyed mansion taking over the TV screen. "Without any apparent reason, Young Justice attacked this venerable mansion, one which has always been home to the rich, the famous, and the politically powerful. Current owner of the club, Sebastian Shaw, has always been a powerful leader in pushing for mutant registration, a bill currently in congress. Emma Frost of Frost Enterprises is another member of this club."

"It was an outrage," the interview of Frost began. "We were attacked without provocation. They made no demands, but their purpose was clear. They were trying to send a message to Mr. Shaw so that he would stop supporting the mutant registration act. Young Justice is a team of criminals masquerading as heroes for God knows why. They should all be arrested."

"And then, after all that activity, another huge event struck. Power was cut all throughout New York City. All super heroes in the area swung into action, fighting back looters, rioters, and the general mass chaos that ensued. But Young Justice was mysteriously missing. Were they perhaps behind this? Were they showing their true colors?

"However, the urban legend called Robin was rumored to have been seen with a new costumed hero, rumored to be called the Spoiler. Are they connected to Young Justice? No one knows for sure . . . but we do know of one member, called Wonder Girl.

"Just yesterday Wonder Girl was at the heart of an incredible fire that covered an entire city block. Rumored members of Young Justice were there as well, possibly fighting the fire . . . but more obviously looking for their teammate. Did Wonder Girl start the fire? Was it an accident? Or is there something bigger at hand? The public wants to know . . . and this reporter means to find out."

[[That covers most of YJ 1-12, as well as the Manhunter Madness special - Paul]]

Cassie Sandsmark was floating in a high-tech energy containment field. Her powers as Wonder Girl had gone out of control.

"What's the word?" Robin asked cautiously. He, Superboy and Impulse were the ones who found her after the fire was put out.*

*(YJ #14)

"Her body, on a subatomic level, is bursting with ionic energy," the Red Tornado explained. He was the team's mentor, their guiding hand, and the robot who grounded the team. "She is completely composed of the substance."

"What?" Cissie asked. As a member of Young Justice, she was Arrowette. As Cissie King-Jones, she was Cassie's best friend. "She got her powers from a Norse God, Odin! Why would a God use ions?"

"Maybe it wasn't a God," Robin theorized. "Batman's been around awhile . . . and he hasn't seen any actions of any different pantheons of different gods. Wonder Woman is the only person he knows with any possible connection to a God."

"Wonder Woman, Wonder Man, Wonder Girl," Superboy frowned. "It gets confusing."

"Y'know, I think there's a Superman," Cissie commented. "But really . . . that begs the question . . . did Odin really give her her powers? And, no matter what . . . is she gonna be okay?"

"Only time will tell," the Tornado said finally. "I will continue to stay with her and run tests on her, to try and discover more of this situation."

"Alright," Robin nodded. "But I've got to go back out. While YJ's still grounded, I've gotta pick up the slack."

"Havin' a hard time?" Superboy asked with a smirk.

"I've had . . . a little help," Robin shrugged. "But I should get going . . . keep me updated."

Cissie watched as Robin left. A little help? she thought. The Spoiler's been fighting alongside you long enough to deserve some recognition. Oh well . . . maybe it's better this way. But I think I should go back home and change . . . and meet the little Boy Wonder in one of our usual stomping grounds.

Sometimes he's referred to as the Boy Wonder. Sometimes it's noted that he's been trained by the World's Greatest Detective. To some, he's nothing more than an urban legend used to scare little kids. To others, he's the effective leader of Young Justice. To himself, he's a hero. And to someone else . . . he might become more.

"Hiya, stranger," the Spoiler grinned as she leapt down onto a rooftop alongside Robin.

"Hey," he answered, not moving his gaze from the city below him.

"Nice to see you, too," Spoiler replied. Robin was unaware that Spoiler was the same person as Arrowette, the same person as Cissie King-Jones. His teammate and the girl he thought he might have been falling for . . . until Spoiler debuted.

"Sorry," he shrugged. "I've just been doing a lot of thinking lately."

"I guess, since your little team's sorta disbanded, you've had the time," Cissie shrugged. She was thankful for the mask that not only covered her face, but changed her voice slightly. Still, he's one of the best detectives in the world . . . how long will this charade really last? "Penny for your thoughts?"

"Ahh," Robin shook his head. "Batman stuff. You wouldn't be interested."

"No, I am," she replied. "Go ahead!"

"It's just, well . . . to see the man in action, it's breathtaking. He's gotta be the best there is at what he does. And one of these days, I'm supposed to replace him. Sure, it's probably a long ways off . . . but it could be tomorrow morning. And . . . I don't want that. I like Batman, and I appreciate everything he's done for me . . . but I don't want to be him."

"So . . . what? You want to give up the excitement of being Batman's sidekick? If you could just be normal, would you quit the super hero game?"

"In a heartbeat."

"No way!"

"If I were no longer Robin . . . that would mean that no more innocent people were being threatened. No more criminals were going around breaking the law. No one was living in fear of their lives. No more crime or wrongdoing. It would mean that mankind had entered utopia, and I'd be happy for humanity. Because that would be the only circumstance under which I'd quit the game."

"Whoa . . . that's deep."

"How about you, Spoiler?" he turned to her. "You haven't given me your reasons for entering the game . . . and are you planning on staying? Is this going to become your full time job?"

"I . . . " Cissie started. Tread carefully . . . "Someone once told me . . . that this isn't a job. It's a war. Thousands have died . . . millions . . . but we can't fight for vengeance, can't fight just to even the score. We have to fight for justice. For those living; for those who'll suffer and die next, if power hungry madmen and psychopathic criminals aren't stopped. And once you started down that path, it never ends. Take down one madman, and there'll be another. Another battle to be fought, another injustice to be redressed. Pick up this burden and it'll never let you go. I was told that there were three choices. Fight for vengeance and let it twist me into something as harsh as what I fight against. Walk away, while I still could. Or recognize that it's a war, and it'll never end."

"That's deep, too," Robin nodded. "But what did you decide?"

"I haven't yet," she frowned beneath her mask. "Sometimes vengeance seems like the best way to work . . . other times this hero business scares me so much that I want to give it up and run away. But a part of me . . . a part of me knows that what I'm doing . . . that I'm fighting for justice . . . is right."

Robin smiled. "You've the makings of a true hero. Actually, you remind of someone I know . . . "

"Oh?" Cissie asked. "Is she a . . . friend?"

"I . . . I don't know," he frowned. "We were friends . . . but there was something there, maybe for a little while . . . but, well . . . you've entered my life, and . . . things haven't exactly been the same."

Oh my god, Cissie thought to herself. I've actually created a love triangle . . . between two people! But now I don't know whether to be mad at Rob for liking this fake me more than the real me, falling for him because he actually likes me, or mad at myself for getting in this stupid position in the first place!

"Spoiler?" he asked.

"Huh? Oh, sorry . . . lost in thought. You were talking about . . . me?"

"Yeah," Rob smiled. "I was. But I was hoping the conversation might head more towards a topic like . . . us . . . "

"I . . . " Cissie stopped. What would she say? How could she play this? "I . . . look!"

Robin's head jerked quickly, following the direction Spoiler was pointing at. Two men with guns and bags were running out of a bank, obvious robbers.

Robin turned to her. "To be continued . . . "

He leapt off the rooftop and pulled a solid wire line from his utility belt, catching it on a lamp post and swinging down to the street, kicking one man in the stomach and knocking him back. Following the kick, he released his grip on the cord, using a double back-flip to land smoothly. In one fluid motion he grabbed a trip rope from his belt and flung it, lead balls on opposite ends of the rope swinging. They caught the second man's feet and caused him to fall face first into the pavement of the street.

The first guy got up, picked up his gun and aimed it at Robin. Spoiler landed on top of his back, tackling him from above and both disarming him, and rendering him unconscious.

The second guy managed to roll over, gun in hand, and fired several shots at the two. They both scattered, Robin grabbing a woman and her little girl and getting them out of the line of fire. A Robinwing went flying, hitting the guy in the head and knocking him out as well.

"That was easy enough," Spoiler shrugged.

"Knowing my luck, someone will say it was some mutant scheme," Robin frowned, recalling a news report he had seen earlier.

"Well, we can find that reporter and give her a stern talking to sometime," Spoiler grinned.

Robin grinned back. "It's a date. Come on . . . let's go."

"But shouldn't we wait for the police?"

"Nah. Besides, those two aren't going anywhere. And there's plenty more guys to kick around."

"Probably," Cissie grinned under her mask. "The night is young . . . "