Chapter 6: Enter the Cabal

Kai froze, every nerve screaming under Batman's stare. The man was a wall of shadow—cowl sharp, eyes narrower, like he could see through Kai's skull and pick apart every lie he hadn't even told yet. The alley felt smaller, the air thicker, and the morpher on Kai's wrist pulsed like it was nervous too. Nightwing stepped forward, hands up, playing peacemaker.

"Bruce, relax," Nightwing said, voice smooth but firm. "This is Kai. New in town, got some weird tech, but he's on our side. Helped me with those jokers just now."

Batman didn't blink. "Tech," he said, the word a growl. His gaze flicked to the morpher, then back to Kai. "Explain."

Kai's throat went dry. "I, uh… found it. It's a morpher—makes armor, boosts me up. I don't know where it came from, just that it stuck to me." Half-truths, but he wasn't about to spill Kaelric's ghost story to the freaking Batman.

"Stuck to you," Batman echoed, stepping closer. Kai fought the urge to back up. "Energy readings match an anomaly at STAR Labs last night. A break-in. You involved?"

"No!" Kai said, too loud. "I've been running from goons all night, not breaking into anything!"

Nightwing tilted his head. "STAR Labs? What'd they hit?"

"Classified prototype," Batman said, still watching Kai. "Unstable power source. If that—" he nodded at the morpher, "—is connected, it's dangerous. Hand it over."

Kai's hand clamped over the device instinctively. "It's not coming off. Trust me, I've tried."

"Bruce, he's not lying," Nightwing cut in. "It's bonded to him—sentient, maybe. We can figure this out without turning him into a lab rat."

Batman's jaw tightened, but before he could argue, a roar shattered the standoff—engines, multiple, closing fast. Headlights blazed from both ends of the alley, pinning them in a glare. Three vans screeched to a stop, doors slamming open, and a dozen figures spilled out—black tactical gear, masks with red visors, rifles gleaming. Not random thugs. These guys moved like a unit.

"Grid Seekers," the morpher chimed, voice clipped. "Hostile intent confirmed. Morph."

Kai didn't wait for permission. Armor snapped on, wolf form surging, claws out. Nightwing flipped backward, escrima sticks sparking, and Batman vanished—because of course he did—reappearing in a blur of cape and fists, dropping two Seekers before they could blink.

A voice cut through the chaos, amplified, cold. "Target acquired. Secure the morpher. Lethal force authorized." It came from a figure atop one van—tall, shrouded in a dark cloak, face hidden but radiating menace. Kai's gut twisted. That wasn't just a grunt. That was the boss.

Rifles barked, and Kai dove, claws raking pavement as bullets sparked around him. He tackled a Seeker, slamming him into a wall, then spun as another fired point-blank. The armor took it, a dull thud against his chest, but it hurt—like a punch he'd feel tomorrow. "Ow! Okay, not invincible!"

Nightwing vaulted over him, taking out the shooter with a spinning kick. "Focus, Kai! They're after you!"

"No kidding!" Kai growled, dodging a net launcher—seriously, a net?—and shifting to hawk form. Wings flared, and he soared, clumsy but fast, crashing into a Seeker on the van's roof. The guy went down, but the cloaked figure turned, red eyes glowing under the hood. Kai froze mid-move, a chill locking his joints. The morpher buzzed, frantic. "Warning: Grid corruption detected."

"Red Hood to the rescue!" A motorcycle roared in, skidding to a stop as Jason Todd—Red Hood—leapt off, guns blazing. He dropped three Seekers in seconds, grinning under the helmet. "Miss me, Dickie?"

"Always," Nightwing shot back, dodging a stun baton. "Kai, get that leader!"

Kai snapped out of it, wings retracting as he landed in wolf form again. He charged the cloaked figure—Eclipso, maybe, if the comics were a clue—but a blast of dark energy slammed him back, skidding him across the pavement. The figure laughed, low and guttural, and raised a hand. "The Grid calls you, boy. You'll answer soon enough."

Batman's batarang whizzed past, forcing the figure to dodge, and the vans revved up, peeling out as fast as they'd come. Seekers piled in, leaving their fallen behind. Kai staggered up, armor flickering, and Red Hood grabbed his arm. "You good, glowstick?"

"Yeah," Kai lied, chest aching. "What was that?"

"Trouble," Batman said, materializing beside them. His glare pinned Kai again. "They knew you'd be here. That device is a beacon."

Kai's stomach sank. "A beacon? You mean it's calling them?"

"Or they're tracking it," Nightwing said, frowning. "Either way, you're a target."

"Great," Kai muttered. "Any chance I can trade it for a normal life?"

Red Hood snorted. "Not in Gotham, kid. Welcome to the deep end."

The morpher pulsed, silent now, but Kai felt its weight—Kaelric's weight—pressing harder. Protect, it had said. But protect what? And from who? As Batman turned away, barking orders into a comm, Kai caught the cloaked figure's last words looping in his head. The Grid calls you. Whatever that meant, it wasn't good.

And he had a feeling this was just the warm-up.