01x13 - Alpha Male

[bunniefuu]

Indian tiger print, boys.

I told you Hamilton Hill didn't need any superstitious guide to lead us to big game.

"Devil beasts." Ha!

[TIGER GROWLS]

[ROARS]

What is that? Who cares? I just made my quota.

[GROWLING NEARBY]

[GROWLING]

[ROARS]

[MALLAH ROARING]

COMPUTER: Synchronizing Cave security protocols...

...with Watchtower mainframe.

Thanks, but no thanks.

Yeah. What we want are answers about Red Tornado and his siblings.

Exactly. Leave the bowl.

AQUALAD: It was during the Taipei mission with Red Arrow.

Sportsmaster revealed the possibility of a mole within the team.

In light of last night's att*ck, Tornado would appear to be the traitor.

Though whether he betrayed us willingly or was preprogrammed is still...

SUPERBOY: You knew? Unh.

That android and his maniac family nearly k*lled M'gann.

Conner, what are you doing?

Kaldur knew we had traitor among us and said nothing.

You knew? And didn't tell us?

I sought to protect the team from... Protect us from what?

Knowledge that might have saved our lives?

You almost d*ed. BATMAN: Enough.

With Red Tornado missing, the team will now be overseen by rotating supervisors.

Captain Marvel has volunteered to take the first shift.

I'm really looking forward to hanging with you guys.

After I dismantle Red Tornado, you and I are gonna...

Red Tornado is a member of the Justice League.

That makes him a league responsibility. You will leave him to us.

I have another assignment for this team.

"Gotham Mayor att*cked by Guerilla Gorilla."

SUPERBOY: Was this the only thing he could find to distract us?

Batman, please, tell me you're not sending us on this joke of a wild ape chase.

I never joke about the mission.

I've checked the sources. I've studied the patterns.

Mayor Hill's encounter is only the latest in a series of incidents.

Aqualad, you and your team will depart for India and check this out.

Heh."Your team."

Uh-uh, go.

You're coming with? Sure. We'll have a blast.

Translation, he blames us for Red Fiasco. He doesn't trust us.

It's a big club.

ROBIN: All clear. Switch to stealth...

...and we'll review mission parameters.

Parameters? We don't need no stinking parameters.

It's recon. We know what to do.

Kid, Robin. The three of us started this team...

...because the Justice League was keeping secrets from us.

Or did you forget that, like you forgot to tell us about the mole?

Come on, I'll keep you safe.

MISS MARTIAN: You're my boyfriend, not my keeper.

Stop behaving like a character from a '70s sitcom.

I just wanna protect you. Like Aqualad protected us?

I'm not sure your "protection" or your patronizing is good for our health.

Why didn't you stop them? You're supposed to be in charge.

I am.

Um, did I miss the part where you actually said what the plan was?

[SIGHS]

[GROWLS]

Guess this is where Mayor Hill's "monkey business" went down.

So at least we've confirmed his story, right?

Aqualad?

My apologies, captain. I am plagued by doubts.

Perhaps I was wrong to withhold...

[THUMPING NEARBY]

[TRUMPETING]

[GRUNTS]

[TIGER GROWLING]

[GROANS]

[GROWLING]

[SUPERBOY GRUNTING]

[VULTURES SCREAMING]

[BOTH GRUNT]

I thought vultures only ate dead meat.

Yeah, these are some very proactive scavengers.

Proactive and super-sized. You thinking what I'm thinking?

Kobra Venom? Yeah.

[CROCODILE ROARS]

[MISS MARTIAN GRUNTING]

[YELLS]

[SNARLS]

[ARTEMIS COUGHING]

Okay. Nearly drowning two nights in a row is way less fun than it sounds.

[VULTURES SCREAMING]

[GRUNTING]

[WHIMPERING]

[GROWLING]

[GROWLING]

[GRUNTS]

[ELEPHANT TRUMPETS]

[YELLING]

AQUALAD: Remove the collar! On it.

[TRUMPETS]

Pretty sweet the way you figured out the problem was the collars.

But the collars indicate an intelligence behind this att*ck.

The rest of the team may also be at risk. Team, report status.

[STATIC CRACKLES OVER RADIO]

Ugh. Com is jammed.

And Miss Martian failed to establish a telepathic link before we split up.

Actually, you let everyone split up before communications were set.

They would not listen. I guess.

But back at the Cave, Batman stopped everyone from arguing with one word.

Because Batman is Batman. Hey, you don't have to tell me.

When I joined the league, all he did was boss me around.

And it's hard not to take it personally.

But I never disobeyed an order. And that's probably what kept me alive.

Batman takes command.

He has to, for the good of the league.

Thank you for helping me understand.

Hey, wisdom of Solomon.

MISS MARTIAN [OVER RADIO]: Aqualad, can you hear me?

Yes, Miss Martian. Report.

MISS MARTIAN: Artemis and I were att*cked by animals wearing collars...

...like those used on convicts at Belle Reve prison.

Cool, the tiger. I'll be right back. Captain, wait.

Hey, speed of Mercury.

[SNARLS]

[GROWLS]

Hey there, mister.

Bet you'd like good old Cap to take that nasty collar off you, huh?

[SNARLS]

[GRUNTS]

[ROARS]

AQUALAD [OVER RADIO]: Miss Martian, I need a telepathic link-up...

...with the entire team. Now.

MISS MARTIAN: Link established.

ARTEMIS: Should he be giving us orders?

And should you really be following them?

AQUALAD: Listen, please.

KID FLASH: Oh, good. Aqualad's voice in my head.

I've so missed that.

ROBIN: Hey, Kaldur, KF and I were att*cked by giant vultures.

Course, since we're moles, you probably think we att*cked ourselves?

ARTEMIS: If he did, he wouldn't tell you.

MISS MARTIAN: Superboy, are you online? Or just pouting?

SUPERBOY: Busy. Call back later.

[GRUNTING]

KID FLASH: What gets me is how nonchalant he is about not telling us.

ROBIN: He should be chalant. Way chalant. Extremely chalant.

ARTEMIS: How can we be a team if he doesn't trust us with his secrets?

MISS MARTIAN: Or if Conner doesn't trust us to take care of ourselves?

KID FLASH: Did he really think you or I could have been the mole?

ROBIN: We've known each other years. ARTEMIS: Trust is a two-way street.

MISS MARTIAN: They'd hate it if we kept secrets.

ARTEMIS: Not that we'd do that.

MISS MARTIAN: Never. AQUALAD: Enough.

[GRUNTS]

Captain Marvel has been captured, and we must act as a team to save him.

KID FLASH: Heh. Under your leadership? I don't think so.

AQUALAD: This is not up for debate.

You all chose me to lead.

When the mission is over, if you wish to select a new leader, I will happily step down.

But until that time, I am in command here.

[TIGER GROWLING]

BRAIN: The brain enhancement of this tigre already pays dividends, non?

For he has brought us a prize most glorious.

Le Capitaine Merveille.

Why can't I move?

BRAIN: It is obvious, mais non?

Your collar is set to prohibit tout le mouvement from the neck down.

I have allowed you to retain the power of speech...

...as your reactions may be instructif during la proc�dure.

La proc�dure?

What procedure?

BRAIN: I have often pondered the effect of your powers on the cerebral cortex.

I long to see le wisdom de Solomon up close.

Monsieur Mallah, prepare for surgery.

[GRUNTS]

MISS MARTIAN: I'll fly over. KID FLASH: Negatory.

The field extends like a dome over the whole compound.

ROBIN: Pylons are insulated, but one good shock could cause a momentary gap.

ARTEMIS: I see a target.

AQUALAD: Then be ready to hit it. Be ready, all of you.

KID FLASH: Now.

[GRUNTS]

[FIELD POWERS DOWN]

[SCREAMING]

[ALL GASP]

[ALARM BLARING]

[AQUALAD & KID FLASH GRUNTING]

BRAIN: Go, Mallah. Deal with les intruders.

I can handle mon capitaine's brain extraction myself.

[GRUNTING]

[SCREAMS]

[GROWLING]

Remove their collars. Sounds easy when he says it.

[GIBBERS THEN SNIFFS]

[MISS MARTIAN GASPS THEN GRUNTS]

[MALLAH ROARS]

Get your paws off her, you darn dirty ape.

You're not taking my brain.

BRAIN: S'il vous pla�t, capitaine, do not struggle.

Brain extraction is largely painless. And the benefits are enormous.

Just look what it has done for me.

That thing won't work on me. BRAIN: Perhaps.

But it works on solid steel, so I'll try my luck.

I'm told you have the courage of Achilles, mais non?

Perhaps you should have asked for his invulnerability instead.

[GROWLING]

BRAIN: Traitor! You will suffer for that.

[GROANING]

Stop it! Stop.

KID FLASH: It's the Brain.

Ugh, I can see it's a brain.

Not "a brain," the Brain. BRAIN: In the flesh, uh, so to speak.

Mallah.

[ALL GASP]

AQUALAD: Miss Martian, Superboy, now.

[GRUNTS]

[GROWLING]

[ALL GRUNTING]

Thanks. Now, one good turn deserves another.

[ROARS]

Try it. I hate monkeys.

[SNARLS]

BRAIN: No, Mallah. This will not be our waterloo.

[SPEAKING IN FRENCH]

Get down!

Wait. That big w*apon thing was a light switch?

What are you grinning about? One word: Souvenir.

Two words: Gorilla lice.

Huh? Oh, man.

[GROANS]

That's the last of the collars?

[GRUNTS]

And I can count on you to keep the other animals out of trouble?

[GRUNTS]

Good. I'll be back for a visit. I promise.

I think I'll call him Mr. Tawny.

SUPERBOY: Rest of the pack has gone. What are you still doing here?

I think he wants to stay with you. Can I keep him?

Heh. First the Sphere, now this beast?

Dude, you sure make a habit of collecting strays.

Maybe because he's such a stray himself.

Aren't you?

SUPERBOY: M'gann, I'm sorry. I was just worried.

MISS MARTIAN: And that's sweet, Conner.

But on a mission, I'm your teammate, not your girlfriend.

- Agreed? SUPERBOY: Yeah.

Well, he's gonna need a name. Uh, how's about Krypto?

[SNARLS]

Pass. Besides, isn't that taken?

Look, I need to know. Why did you keep the mole intel a secret?

The source of the tip was Sportsmaster.

What? You can't trust him.

I do not. It seemed possible, even likely...

...that he was attempting to divide the team with false information.

And given how this mission went, he nearly succeeded.

But you had to consider it might be true.

Yes. As leader, I did.

In which case, I did not wish to alert the traitor.

Hate to say it, but makes sense.

I am still prepared to step down.

All in favor of keeping Aqualad as leader.

Guess it's unanimous.

See you tomorrow. You're not coming back with us?

No. Gotta fly.

So, what are you gonna call him? What's wrong with Wolf?

KID FLASH: Generic but acceptable.

[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING ON TV]

[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING AND CHEERING ON TV]

Well, boy, how'd it go? Ah, it was so cool.

The team's way more fun to hang out with than the league.

And they go on these covert ops missions that rock.

And I got nabbed by the Brain and I met this tiger and...

Okay, okay. I'm glad you had fun, sport, but it's getting pretty late.

Brush your teeth and hit the hay. Okay, okay, I'm going.

[CLEARS THROAT]

Aren't you forgetting something?

Nah. Just seeing if you were paying attention.

Shazam!

[YAWNS]

Good night, Uncle Dudley.

DUDLEY: Good night, Billy.