I spent the next few hours in the common area, subtly harvesting data while M'gann attempted a second batch of cookies. The television was tuned to a news loop of the "Cadmus Fire."
Bingo.
The rescue of Project Kr had happened exactly three days ago. Superboy was currently stashed in a high-security wing of the mountain, likely brooding or punching a reinforced wall. The Team was fresh, disorganized, and desperate to prove they weren't just sidekicks.
"Vex? Are you okay?" M'gann asked, tilting her head. "Your heart rate just spiked."
"Just thinking about the training," I said, leaning back. "Batman mentioned a mission. Something low-stakes?"
"An observation op," Robin said, swinging around the corner with his usual theatricality. "A shipment of illegal tech is moving through the Santa Prisca docks tonight. Not League-level, but perfect for us. And since you're the new 'guest,' Batman wants us to see how you handle yourself in the field."
"Santa Prisca," I thought. The home of Venom. The place where Bane broke the Bat.
"Don't worry," Kid Flash said, appearing instantly with a stolen cookie. "It's a ghost ship. We drop in, tag the cargo, and get out. Easy-peasy."
I nodded, but my mind was already calculating the geography. Santa Prisca was a powered by corrupt, industrial infrastructure. If I could get away from the group for even ten minutes, I wouldn't have to rely on the Mountain's throttled power lines.
The Bio-Ship was silent as we crossed the Caribbean. The interior was bathed in a dim red light. I sat toward the back, my eyes closed, simulating the upcoming terrain based on the maps I'd memorized in the library.
"Dropping to cloak," M'gann whispered.
The ramp lowered into the humid, salty air of the jungle coast. We moved in a standard diamond formation: Aqualad leading, Robin and KF flanking, and me in the center. I didn't use the Ring. I kept my hands in my pockets, relying on the Sharingan to track the heat signatures of the guards patrolling the perimeter.
"Four snipers," I whispered, the red of my eyes reflecting the jungle canopy. "Two o'clock, five o'clock, and a pair on the water tower."
Robin checked his HUD. "He's right. I didn't even have them on thermal yet. How'd you pick up the water tower?"
"The way the moonlight hits the glass," I lied. In reality, I could see the minute "magic" of their electronic scopes' power cells. "They're lazy. They're leaning against the rails."
"I'll take the tower," Robin signaled. "KF, clear the perimeter. Vex, stay with Kaldur."
As soon as the speedster blurred out of sight and Robin vanished into the shadows, I turned to Aqualad. "The shipping manifest is in the primary office, right?"
"That is the objective," Kaldur said, his twin water-bearers glowing faintly.
"I can get there faster if I circle the coolant pipes," I said, pointing toward a massive industrial array humming behind the warehouse. "I'll draw their attention if I stay in the open with you. Let me use the Ring to stay elevated."
Kaldur hesitated, then nodded. "Keep your comms open. Do not engage unless necessary."
I broke off, the Ring's emerald light a thin, needle-like thread that pulled me up toward the industrial piping. As soon as I was out of his line of sight, I dropped the "scared kid" act.
"Ring," I thought, landing on a vibrating transformer box that smelled of ozone and grease. "Status on external draw."
"Industrial transformer detected. Output: 50,000 volts. Compatibility: High. Warning: Unrefined energy will cause 15% degradation of construct stability."
"I don't care about stability. Absorb it."
I pressed the Ring against the cooling fins of the transformer. I didn't use a needle this time. I opened the Ring's intake wide. The green light turned a violent, jagged yellow-green as the Santa Prisca power grid poured into the secondary cells.
The vibration went through my teeth. My Sharingan spun wildly, recording the exact flow of the electrons.
Secondary storage: 15%... 30%... 50%...
"Someone's there!" a guard shouted from below.
I didn't panic. I looked down, the Sharingan mapping his center of gravity and the weight of his rifle. With a flick of my wrist, I created a small, dense green-light marble and dropped it. It hit the ground with the force of a bowling ball, shattering the concrete and sending the guard flying back from the shockwave.
60%... 70%...
"Vex! Status?" Kaldur's voice crackled in my ear.
"Just ran into a patrol," I said, my voice steady despite the lightning-hot pain in my arm. "Dealing with it now. Moving to the office."
I severed the connection. The transformer behind me groaned and showered the area in sparks as its internal fuses melted. I didn't care. I felt like a sun was trapped in my fist.
I looked toward the warehouse where the "illegal tech" was stored. I could see the energy signatures of the crates—they weren't just electronics. They were Reach-derivative components.
"Time to be a hero," I muttered, a cold smile touching my lips.
I launched myself off the pipes, a massive green-light glider expanding from the ring. I didn't need to hide anymore. I had the power to play the part.