Genesis, Part Five:
“History”
Mr. Smith hurried down the hall toward the room where a history class was currently underway. Barbara Gordon, the new tutor, was lecturing the students on the Battle of Hastings. “I apologize for the interruption, Ms. Gordon,” Smith said as he approached her desk, “but I need Mr. Curry to come with me at once.” ”Of course,” Barbara said. “Garth, please go with Mr. Smith.” Garth gathered his books and started for the door. “And Garth,” Barbara added, “I’ll send the homework assignment to your e-mail address.” ”Thank you,” Garth said, and then Smith was pulling him out of the room. “What’s going on?” he asked as they ran down the hall. “Mr. Jupiter needs you in the science lab immediately,” Smith replied. Garth swallowed hard. “Is something wrong with me?” ”I do not know,” Smith replied. “I am sure he will inform you of everything.” Smith led Garth into the lab. He gaped at the high-tech equipment that filled the room. “Mr. Curry!” Jupiter called. Garth saw Mr. Jupiter and walked to join him. “Sir, is something wrong with me?” he asked. Jupiter shook his head. “No. As a matter of fact, you may be our best chance. I was studying the reports from when you captured Mr. Logan in the gym’s pool and saw you used telepathy. When did you discover that?” Garth shrugged. “I don’t know. I was just in the library and thought it would be funny if the fish in the aquarium spelled out YMCA and they did. I just kept practicing after that.” Jupiter nodded. “I see. And have you ever tried to affect a human mind?” Garth shook his head. “Never! I… I just don’t know if it would be right or not!” “Don’t worry, Mr. Curry. I’m not accusing you of anything. I simply need your assistance.” ”With what?” Garth asked. Jupiter pressed a button and led Garth and Smith into a room dominated by a huge glass, water filled tank. Inside it, a girl bobbed up and down. Garth, unable to speak, walked forward and ran his fingers across the glass. “She’s alive,” he whispered. “Yes,” Jupiter said as he stepped forward. “She is breathing the oxygen in the water.” Garth would never forget Mr. Jupiter’s next few words. “Just like you.” Garth couldn’t speak as he studied the girl inside the tank. After class, Dick Grayson finished stuffing a few possessions into a backpack. He turned and ran smack into Roy Harper. “Where ya going?” Roy asked. “None of your business,” Dick replied. Roy smiled. “Oh. Is this a secret? Or can I just call good old Smithy and see if he knows?” Dick counted to ten silently before he spoke. “I’ve got some business to take care of in Gotham, okay?” ”Sure,” Roy said as he stepped out of the door and headed for his bed. “Have a good trip.” Dick cursed Roy in his mind and ran out the door. “Hi, Donna, what’s going on?” Wally asked as he ran laps around the gym. “Not much,” Donna replied as she jumped onto the rings in the gymnastics area. “I’m just missing Garth. He’s been tied up ever since Mr. Smith pulled him out of class today.” When she didn’t hear anything else from Wally, Donna looked down and discovered he’d left the room while she’d been talking. “Great,” Donna said as she dropped to the floor. “I’m going after him.” Donna stormed out of the gym. Donna stormed into the lab as the young girl was deposited on a slab. Smith immediately stepped in front of Donna. “What’s going on?” she asked. Smith frowned. “We have need of Mr. Curry’s talents to communicate with this young woman,” he explained. “Is Garth okay?” Donna asked. “Yes,” Smith said. He thought a moment. “You may stay, but remain back here with me. Mr. Curry needs to focus.” Donna nodded. “All right,” she said. Garth stepped forward to where the young girl lay on the metal table. He closed his eyes and reached out with his mind. He could feel Smith, Jupiter and Donna’s reassuring presences. He turned his focus downward to the girl. Her mind was comforting for some reason. Hello? he called. Can you hear me? He waited for a response. Suddenly it was like an ocean flooded up to swamp him. Fighting to keep himself coherent, Garth pulled back. The next thing he knew he was sitting on the floor, looking up into the concerned face of Mr. Jupiter. He was dimly aware of Donna grabbing Mr. Smith’s arm. Despite her strength, Smith was keeping her back. “I’m okay,” Garth said as he stood up. “She just almost overwhelmed me.” “Look,” Mr. Jupiter said, pointing at the table, “her eyes are opening.” Smith lost control of Donna and the four leaned over the table. “You,” she whispered. She jumped off the table and knelt in front of Garth. “It is you.” Jupiter’s eyes widened. “Why don’t we take five and then we’ll meet in the conference room.” “So it’s a girl?” Wally asked. “Yep,” Roy replied. ”How do you know this?” ”Simple. They didn’t know I was watching the whole thing through the window.” “So what happened next?” ”Garth flips over backwards. They all crowd in so I can’t see what’s going on, but I think she woke up. Then she hops off the table and goes down on her knees in front of Garth!” Roy grinned. “Why can’t chicks do that for me?” ”Make sure your shoes are tied?” Roy gave Wally an annoyed look. “You know.” He paused and saw that the blank look on Wally’s face wasn’t an act. “Don’t tell me you don’t.” Nothing. In great detail, Roy explained what he would expect a girl to do to him if they were in that position. Wally rubbed his chin. “Why would she do that?” ”Are you sure you’re not gay?” Roy asked. “Well, I am in a pretty good mood,” Wally admitted. “Thanks for asking!” A moment later he was gone. Roy just slapped his forehead. “That kid’s got to be retarded or something.” “Thank you,” the girl said as she accepted a glass of water. She was seated at the head of the conference table, with Mr. Jupiter and Garth on either side of her. Smith was also staying close, and Donna wasn’t letting this girl out of her sight. “Please tell us who you are,” Jupiter said. “My name is Tula,” the girl began, “but I am not important. You are,” she said, her eyes focused squarely on Garth. “Me?” Garth asked. “Why? I’m just a normal guy in high school who’s a swimming champ!” Smith smiled slightly at what Garth considered a ‘normal guy’. “You have lived among the drylanders for too long,” Tula said. “You are Prince Orin of Atlantis.” Garth’s jaw dropped wide open. “I’m a prince?” he whispered. “Yes,” Tula explained. “Your father was the king of Atlantis. Unfortunately, before your birth, a revolution swept the city. Your father was killed and your pregnant mother fled, along with some who still supported the royal family. We have heard nothing from Atlantis since.” Tula closed her eyes sadly. “But Mr. Curry was discovered as an infant. What happened?” Jupiter asked. “We refugees feared what the rebels would do to us. The queen decided that she would not inflict the pain on you that we had suffered. She left you to the care of the drylanders.” ”Then who are you?” Mr. Jupiter asked. “Were you sent by his mother to find him?” “In a manner of speaking,” Tula replied. She looked deep into Garth’s purple eyes. “I was chosen as the prince’s consort.” Jupiter coughed nervously. “Now, Ms. Tula, I don’t know how that word is used in Atlantis, but here it has a very specific meaning.” Tula smiled. “I know. I scanned it from your minds when I learned English. I was selected and promised to the Prince before either of us was born. My sole purpose in life is to bear your heir, my Prince.” Tula slipped out of her chair and knelt before Garth again. Garth’s head jerked around as he heard the door to the conference room slam shut. Donna Troy had listened to all she could stand. “I was chosen as the prince’s consort.” Tula’s voice echoed through Donna’s head as she ran into her room with tears flowing down her face. She slammed her fist into the floor, leaving a crater under the carpet. “He’s a Prince,” she whispered as she sobbed. “What could I ever offer a prince?” Donna sat alone in her room and cried. Next Issue: Robin’s in Gotham to take care of some old business, and the Titans have to try to keep him from making a mistake! Plus, just who are the masked heroes defending Gotham, anyway? Find out in the fight of Robin’s life! Previous Issue | Next Issue |
