Infiltrator
(Chapter Start)
(Gotham City)(Walker Incorporated, Rukido's Office)
Rukido sighed as he looked over the feed of a drone that monitored last weeks little 'incident' again. Corvus was finally out of the medical wing from slight internal bleeding and light burns along with a ruptured eardrum from Canary and Green Arrow respectively. He grimaced, when Corvus had gotten back he had promptly thrown up and then passed out in the medical facility. A deeper look had revealed a mild concussion and several fractured ribs.
He scowled noticing a call coming in from his 'associates' before answering as the window blinds closed. Seven screens popped up as his 'friends' appeared, their forms covered in shadow to prevent their identities being found out.
"Well, What is it." Rukido questioned as he crossed his arms.
"We're currently looking to plug a leak in one of our plans, a critical scientist was stolen and is most likely developing a countermeasure to disable the weapon that she developed." The heavily distorted voice said as Rukido sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Fine, I'll lend my operative to you again, but he is only for long range support on this particular outing." He said firmly.
'And why is that?' Another voice demanded.
"Because the creator of your little toy attracted the Justice League with his stunt and he was forced into a confrontation with two of its most experienced members." He snapped, his eye twitching slightly in annoyance as he dared them to demand anything from him.
'I agree to the terms, I have a team ready that is in need of another member.' One of the voices spoke diplomatically.
"You cannot b-oh but I am, now I suggest you cease your childish squabbling with our benefactor.' He said as Rukido nodded his thanks to the silhouette before they disconnected.
(Gotham City)(Walker Incorporated, Armory)
If one were to ask why a company like Walker Incorporated had an armory Rukido's answer would be protection of company secrets…as several less than successful Lex Corp. infiltrators found out.
Several found themselves shredded by automatic weapons as they attempted to make off with said company secrets while others were captured and interrogated with less than legal means. The now recovered Corvus remembered as he stood in the armory for his new gear, while he wasn't all that keen on long range support only…well his still slightly recovering body disagreed with the sentiment.
Corvus had never really had a need for guns but he couldn't deny the effectiveness of them as the gunsmith detailed his current loadout for the mission.
"A D101-Longbow Designated Marksman Rifle, bipod and foregrip, and an extended magazine along with a suppressor." He said planting the rifle on the table before reaching back again, Corvus raised an eyebrow seeing the rifle had no scope.
"Lightning Hawk Magnum. 7-round capacity, .50 AE clips, long barrel, red dot sight, and gas-operated action, which given is a bit unusual for a semi-auto handgun but damn if it doesn't give it power and accuracy." He explained flipping the gun around by the front and handing the back end to the operative.
"Last but not least are your new goggles. Thermal imaging, night vision, heads up display, and it links directly to your Tac-Pad and rifle! No scope glare. All from the boss himself as usual." He finished as Corvus settled them over his head with a grin as he thanked the man. Time to go meet his new friends.
(Mount Justice)
Kaldur, M'gann, Robin, and Superboy all make their way out of the cave and to the beach. Dressed in swimsuits, carrying a picnic lunch, a volleyball, and a bogey board. M'gann stands on the beach, her arms stretched wide. "Hello, Megan." She turned towards the boys over her shoulder. "We should hit the beach everyday."
Robin smiled then lowers his head and slumped. "First, a moment of silence for our… absent comrade." he said, his voice empty.
M'gann dropped her head. "Poor Wally." she echoed.
(Central City, Keystone High School)
Meanwhile Wally face planted into his desk at the morning announcement in Keystone High School.
M'gann and Robin splashed at each other in the water while Kaldur stayed out because…well that would just be unfair. Then Superboy jumped in with a cry of cannonball landing right between the two and drenching all of them. M'gann laughed as she tried to dodge the wave he created.
Wally stood in front of a bubbler, the pressure weak and uneven. As he leaned down it sprayed him in the face. Wally stood back up his jaw clenched before looking down.
Seeing that it made it look like he wet his pants he let out a shaky groan as he dropped his head back.
Hot dogs roasted on the grill that the Team has set up while an orange mush is placed on Wally's lunch tray with an apple and something brown that might be bread. Wally looked down groaning, more in disgust than anything.
Kaldur served a volleyball getting it over the net where Superboy bumped it to M'gann who spiked it back at the other two.
In gym class Wally got hit in the face with a dodgeball. Groaning he held his arms up wanting to react, but can't. Mainly because waves of dodgeballs continued to come at him.
M'gann giggled as she pat the tip of the sand mountain, while Robin patted the other side. The mountain was built on a sleeping Superboy. While Kaldur held a red bucket, pouring more sand onto the side closer to Superboy's face with a smirk.
"YYYEEEEEAAAHHHH!" The doors to the school flew open as Wally sped out, coming to a skidding stop at the sidewalk and throwing his hands up in the air.
(Mount Justice)
Recognize: Kid Flash B03
Wally reappeared in the Zeta Tube, carrying everything needed for a day at the beach.
"The Wall-man is here! " he called out running in with his flip flops. "Let's get this party star-" he started before he tripped on the pole of his umbrella, falling flat on his face.
The beach ball bounced into the main room past Batman as he watched Wally skid towards them with a raised eyebrow. Wally lifted his head and saw them dressed for a mission. "...ted." he finished weakly.
All the other protogés looked to him with knowing smiles and eyes that held no remorse at him making a fool of himself.
"Wall-man, huh?" a new voice asked, Aqualad stepped aside so Kid Flash could see see her. She wore a costume colored in various shades of green with of a mask extending from the hairline to the cheekbones, a sleeveless top with a stylized arrow tip on the front, fingerless gloves, pants with black knee pads, and black combat boots. She had a black utility belt and pouch strapped on her left leg that were likely filled with assorted tools. She had tanned skin and blonde hair held up in a ponytail.
"I love the uniform. What exactly are your powers?" She snarked with a grin
Wally ignored her question as he steps up beside Robin and M'gann. "Uh, who's this?" he asked gesturing to her.
"Artemis, your new teammate." she said teasingly.
"Kid Flash. Never heard of you." Wally continued in the same insultingly teasing tone as Artemis.
"Um, she's my new protogé." Green Arrow said, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.
"Wha-what happened to your old one?" he questioned worriedly, but stopped as the Zeta-Tubes behind him flared up.
Recognize: Speedy B06
"Well for starters he doesn't go by Speedy anymore." Roy said as he walked out of the Zeta Tube. "Call me Red Arrow."
"Roy. You look-Replaceable?" Green Arrow began before Roy cut him off with a growl as he walked to the center of training circle, his gaze directly on Artemis.
"It's not like that." Green Arrow defended. "You told me you were going solo."
"So why waste time finding a sub?" Roy rhetorically questioned angrily. "Can she even use that bow?"
"Yes, she can." she said, almost chipper sounding as she got in Roy's face.
"Who are you even supposed to be?" Wally questioned.
"She's/I'm his/my niece." They said at the same time.
"Another niece?" Robin questioned knowingly.
"But she is not your replacement." Kaldur assured. Stepping up as Roy turned to look at him. "We have always wanted you on the Team, and we have no quota on archers."
"And if we did, you know who we'd pick." Wally piped up cheerfully.
"Whatever, Baywatch, I'm here to stay." She retorted.
"You came to us for a reason." Kaldur asked as Roy began walking away.
"Yeah, a reason named Dr. Serling Roquette." Roy admitted, looking at Robin who tensed at the name.
"Nanorobotics genius and claytronics expert at Royal University in Star City. Vanished two weeks ago." Robin said looking at his holo glove.
"Abducted two weeks ago…by the League of Shadows ." Roy corrected.
"Whoa. You want us to rescue her from the Shadows?" he asks as he and Wally looked to each other.
"Hard-core." Wally agreed offering a fist to Robin. Which the Boy Wonder hit on top then underneath then on top again.
"I already rescued her." He said walking towards the lined up holo-screens. "Only one problem." He pulled out a small grey box which brought up a larger screen in front of the ones Robin put up. "The Shadows had already coerced her into a weapon. Doc calls it the Fog, comprised of millions of microscopic robots, nanotech infiltrators, capable of disintegrating anything in their path- concrete, steel, flesh, bone. but it's true purpose isn't mere destruction. It's theft. The infiltrators eat and story raw data from any computer system and deliver the stolen data to the Shadows." He explained tensely.
Roy stood before the group, letting the horrible information fully sink in. "Providing them access to weapons, strategic defense, cutting edge science and tech." he finished.
"Perfect for extortion, manipulation, and power broking." Artemis picks up, ignoring the angry look from Wally and the knowing look from Robin. "Yeah. Sounds like the Shadows."
"Like you know anything about the Shadows." Wally scoffs, a smirk falling onto his face, but what he didn't expect was for Batman to cut in.
"She's right." He said simply.
"But-I've fought them on numerous occasions Kid Flash, I know their MO." The dark knight stated.
"Roquette's working on a virus to render the Fog inert." Roy said ignoring the conversation.
"But if the Shadows know she can do that…" Robin began quietly.
"They'll target her. Right now, she's off the grid. I stashed at her the local high school's computer lab." He said as he showed them the location.
"You left her alone?" Green Arrow questioned, a bit shocked.
"She's safe enough for now." Roy rebuttals.
"Then let's you and I keep her that way." Green Arrow offered stepping closer to the young man he mentored.
"You and I?" Roy questioned sounding angry. "Don't you want to take your new protogé?"
Before Green Arrow could say anything Batman placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping the blonde in his tracks. He glanced back at the Dark Knight before turning away. "You brought this to the Team. It's their mission, which means it's her's now, too." Batman said calmly
Roy scoffs. "Then my job's done." he says walking back towards the Zeta-Tubes as Batman shook his head.
"Recognize: Speedy-" "That's Red Arrow, B06, update." He said as the computer beeped and teleported him out. Batman narrowed his eyes.
"Computer, restrict Red Arrow's access, authorization Batman 02." The dark knight said as the computer acknowledged his request.
"Authorization confirmed Red Arrow's access is now restricted."
"Hey! Why did you do that?! Roy is one of us!" Kid Flash demanded.
"No he's not. He had his choice and he chose to throw a tantrum at not getting his way, while he is a hero he is not affiliated with the league or the team. If he has full access and someone finds out, it will not end well." Batman retorted. "Now then, consider this an official mission. Get going." He ordered and walked away, the team stunned silent.
(Happy Harbour, Walker Inc. Warehouse 9-A)
Corvus sighed as he waited for his new teammates to arrive, he'd gotten here early and was pretty bored. His hood was down, revealing his slicked back hair and his goggles were on his forehead, his face mask was up to his nose and covered everything below it. He sighed again as he tilted his head back, he'd checked and rechecked his gear for any errors and had played around with his powers a bit….now it was just the waiting game as he lazed about on a crate.
His eye twitched as he plucked a dart out of the air before a sword appeared in his hand and he swatted away several well aimed arrows before tilting his head to avoid a throwing knife. All without getting up.
Corvus grabbed a loose crate cover and used it as a shield from another arrow
barrage, he quickly rolled onto his back and used his arms to launch over his other attacker and swiftly landed behind her. The woman attempted to smash a kick into his midsection, Corvus was more than unwilling to let it happen and grabbed the leg before forcing it upward and making her lose balance. The woman let the force take her back as she sprung up again, chuckling as she appraised him. "Hmmm. Not bad…" She said.
"So this your way of a friendly hello?" Corvus asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Just making sure your up to par with my standards…if you died that would've been it." She said with a shrug.
"Fair enough." Corvus murmured as he held out his hand.
"...That's it? No outrage?" The woman asked with her head tilted before she took the offered hand with a laugh. "You can call me Cheshire our other teammate will meet you at the observation point." The now identified assassin said cheerfully.
"Call me Yami if you need me out in the field, Corvus in private." He responded in kind before looking at his Tac-Pad as it pinged their objective. "Welp looks like the doctors surfaced at…*sigh* Happy Harbour High School…"
Cheshire stared blankly at the information before she lightly facepalmed. "Really? T-they couldn't have found this out without having to wait for her to show herself?" She muttered to herself as Corvus pinched the bridge of his nose in agreement. Idly he heard a soft sigh of exasperation from above as they began their trek to the school.
(Happy Harbor, Happy Harbour High School)
Outside Happy Harbor High, M'gann and Superboy monitored the roof with the Bioship camouflaged over their heads, while Aqualad patrolled the hallway by the Computer Lab
"Miss Martian, link us up. We do not want the Shadows intercepting our comms." Kaldur requested as the Martian did so.
'Everyone online?' she asked.
'Ohh.' Artemis groaned, leaning on the desk Dr. Roquette is working at to keep from losing her balance. 'This is weird.'
'And distracting.' Roquette's interrupted as she continued her work. 'Coding a distributive algorithm virus on a kiddie computer with RAM no better than a wristwatch is hard enough.' she said as she stopped typing and made motions like she was speaking aloud.
'Now I have to hear teen-think in my skull?' she gripped her head in annoyance the headache she's bound to get.
Wally sat on the window ledge eating a granola bar while Robin looked out on of the partially opened blind of a window, hidden by a pillar. 'Lady, do you always complain when someone tries to help you?'
'Pot meet kettle, have you met?' Artemis jabbed, the team unaware of their viewers from afar.
"Two on the roof, the Martian and Kryptonian. The rest are inside, one patrolling the hallway, three guarding the doctor." Corvus murmured into his comm as he switched his goggles to thermal vision to see the heroes. "The three guarding are Robin, Kid Flash, and someone else…she's got a bow, Green Arrow's new charge then. That makes the one patrolling the atlantean"
"You can see all that?" A curious voice whispered from beside him. He looked over to his other new teammate, a relatively young looking woman named Lara. She had purple eyes, long black hair held up in a bun hidden under a hood like himself, however her's allowed a porcelain dragon mask to be seen underneath compared to his and garbed in the traditional League agent gear with a bow strung across her back. Simply codenamed Archer for the mission.
"It's the goggles, the boss makes the gear for me to use." He replied.
"It's still a bit impressive, I don't work with tech that much." She said.
"Heh I didn't either till the old man made me, sat me down and forced me to learn. I wouldn't know how to use any of the stuff he gave me if he didn't!" He quietly exclaimed with a chuckle, his teammate letting a small one also escape before they both focused. "Alright Cheshire, go…now!"
"You embarrassed Superboy." Miss Martian said with her arms crossed and turned away from the archer.
Artemis smiled at Megan almost managing to look innocent. Almost. "Didn't hear him say that."
Miss Martian turned towards the archer over her shoulder. "Must you challenge everyone?" Behind their turned backs, the woman in the Cheshire mask leapt silently over the fence.
"Where I come from, that's how you survive." Artemis said quietly, dropping the conversation there. Miss Martian's frown lessened slightly. The green clad assassin paused at that and looked back for a moment before continuing forward.
Kid Flash sighed as he leaned against the wall outside the classroom, he had swapped places with Aqualad since he was unable to stand the doctor. A shadow on the floor caught his attention and he followed after it to the intersection, seeing it at the end of that hall he used his speed to try and reach it. He ran into the pool area and skidded to a stop just before the pool, the shadow visible in the window for just a moment. He sped forward again, unaware of the small spheres on the already slippery floor.
He lost his footing and landed on his back with a grunt. He looked up just in time to see Cheshire raise her foot to kick him in the face before everything went black. The assassin then kicked his unconscious body into the pool past the three meter depth then ran off without another sound.
The door to the computer lab silently cracked open before a shuriken flew through the air towards the doctor's head, Aqualad hastily taking the hit for her. "Doctor, get down!" He cried.
Roquette looked towards the door only to see the grin of Cheshire's mask. Her eyes widened as two more shuriken flew towards her, Aqualad taking the hit again as he knocked the doctor to the floor. Cheshire then rushed in, a pair of sai held in a reverse grip as she charged a the pair. "Hmm. That had to hurt." She mused as Aqualad pulled the last shuriken out.
"Atlantean skin is quite dense." he said as he pulled out his Water-bearers to form a pair of swords just in time to block her sais.
"And my shuriken are quite poisoned." She retorted as she slashed at his stomach, then dodged under his strike at her head, the assassin lashed out towards his arm which he blocked once more and pushed her away before kicking her in the chest. She flips back through the hit, landing silently in a crouch on a computer table.
'M'gann, Kid, Artemis, we are under attack in the computer lab!' Aqualad called out.
Miss Martian and Artemis stormed through the entrance doors at the warning, Artemis knocking an arrow as they ran towards the computer lab. 'We're on our way.' the archer assured.
Miss Martian stopped, her eyes going wide before flying back to the hallway she and Artemis passed.
In the lab Cheshire slashed at Aqualad, who was keeping the doctor behind his Water-bearers. Having enough he formed his bearers into a shield and smashed her back, sent flying the assassin recovered before throwing one of her sai at the doctor, which she ducked under with a yelp. She faked a roundhouse and used the atlantean's shoulder as a launchpad and jumped into the air throwing her other sai at Rouquette, forcing Aqualad to turn his sword into a whip to change the trajectory of the sai. It still landed inches from her face, getting her to move and jump back with a yelp again.
"Almost." Cheshire said as she and Aqualad stood up, his Water-bearer becoming a sword once more as she unsheathed a knife. "Poison slowing you down?" she sarcastically asked as he slashed at her with both swords.
"Jellyfish toxin, I'm largely immune." he spat getting in her face.
She chuckled and smashed her masked head into his nose. Knocking him to the ground and both his Water-bearers out of his hands. "Largely." she agreed as she raised her knife. Only for it to be shot out of her hand, she turned to find Artemis ready with another arrow.
"Don't. Move." Artemis demanded.
"This gig's getting interesting." She giggled as she brought out a collapsible sword. Artemis let loose a volley of arrows, all skillfully sliced out of the air by Cheshire. "Maybe a little too interesting…" she murmured as a recovered Kid Flash and Miss Martian appeared.
"Yami…"
"Backup?" Corvus asked over the comm.
"Backup." Cheshire affirmed as the team looked on in confusion.
Artemis fired another volley only for them to be intercepted in the form of another archer sniping them off trajectory before dodging with the rest of the team. A now awake aqualad attempted to help but was unable as Corvus began suppressing him, forcing the atlantean to hide behind his water bearer for cover as bullets rained down on him. Cheshire threw several smoke grenades to aid in her escape as she leaped out a window.
Kid Flash jumped through the smoke hitting nothing but air and stumbled right into Artemis, both of their foreheads smashing together. Shaking the fuzziness he looked over to where the green clad assassin once stood as he scowled. "Gone." he grunted.
"She's getting away! You're letting her get away!" Roquette yelled to Aqualad.
"This was all your fault. You were on the perimeter! How'd that Shadow get in?" Kid demanded to Artemis, who's eyes merely narrow at him, enough to make anyone's skin crawl.
"That's not really fair." Miss Martian objected as she walked up to them. "I was outside too."
"Outside being distracted by her." he retaliated. "Besides I can't be mad at you." He said flirtily. 'You gave me mouth-to-mouth.'
"We heard that!" Artemis snapped angrily, even Aqualad was annoyed now.
Kid Flash turned and walked away. "Dang it!" he griped.
Miss Martian gave the newest member a genuine smile. "I didn't do half as well in my first battle." she said, placing her hand on Artemis' shoulder. "And I know you can't have been Green Arrow's sidekick for very long."
"Focus, everyone." Aqualad interrupted as Robin Detailed the horrifying effects of the fog on a Star Labs facility in Philadelphia. "The Shadows will be back.". He reiterated as he turned to Rouquette.
"Rescan for the fog. Find it." He said firmly and looked back to the team. "We're moving the doctor.
(Happy Harbour, Downtown)
Buoy Bells rang in the distance as Artemis walked behind the doctor while Kid Flash sat on top of the computer tower. The blonde came to a stop and glanced at him, receiving a glare and doing so right back.
'Stop it, both of you!' Aqualad's telepathic voice cut in drew their attention away from the glaring contest that was about to begin.
'What?' both asked.
'I can hear you glaring.' he informed them as he facepalmed. Then headed off towards the treeline. "Miss Martian, stay in camouflage mode and make a wide perimeter sweep." he instructs…aloud.
The foliage rustled behind him as a shadowy head appeared, Aqualad getting snagged by several red vines before he could even hope to react and brought up with a cry of shock. A struggle ensued before the atlantean was kicked out and slammed into the side of a parked van, leaving a dent as he fell to the concrete. Blearily looking up he sees the shadow leap out of the trees. As the assassin Black Spider lands in a crouch before the Atlantean, Kaldur tried to stand, only to get hit in the shoulder by a man with crane hook for an arm, accurately named Hook. It knocked Aqualad down and out as Cheshire landed beside them.
"The Martian could return any second, and I'm not keen on evening their odds." she told the men. "We end Roquette now." She said as they nodded and vanished, she held her fingers to her ears to receive her teammate's message.
"Cheshire, me and Archer are going to scan around, this seems a bit too easy…" Corvus trailed off, Cheshire couldn't help but agree. "Affirmative." She said before she too vanished.
In the building, Kid Flash watched over Roquette as she worked. The doors burst open and Black Spider flipped out and Kid flips to a similar position to face him. He ran over to the assassin trying to swipe out Black Spider's feet, but the man lived up to his title as he flipped up to the ceiling and clung there and began shooting red webbing at Kid.
The speedster quickly rolled out of the way and ran over to a trash can, he threw at Black Spider forcing him to drop back down to the ground. The assassin sprang forward attempting to punch Kid, who easily dodged and countered with a punch to the ribs.
Artemis went to shoot the assassin before the glass window behind her shattered and Hook dropped to confront her. She immediately changed her aim and began volleying her arrows at the white haired man, who deftly dodged and diving between the pews for cover. She knocked another arrow, while Roquette stops typing and fearfully turned to her. "Don't stop working." she instructed the doctor, before continuing to pin downHook. Roquette said nothing and turned back to the computer.
Cheshire lined up a crossbow shot at the doctor and fired it before a desk was telekinetically used to block it. "Martian's here. It's now or never." she commanded to Hook and Black Spider as she ditched the crossbow.
Kid Flash ran at Black Spider attempting to punch him, but the assassin managed a spin that pinned the speedster under him, allowing Black Spider to smash his knee into his stomach and toss him away.
Artemis readied another arrow to shoot at Hook but froze when she saw Cheshire drop down before Roquette, her distraction was rewarded by a hook slamming into her face. The hook returned to Hook's hand while Cheshire loomed over the fallen Roquette. She grabbed the doctor by her throat and twirled her sai, fixing her gaze and hold on her ready to slit her throat. Then the doctor's skin suddenly began to turn green and her face shifted to Megan, grinning at Cheshire. "We've been duped!" she called out in anger and alerting her fellow assassins.
Miss Martian returned to her original form levitating in the air over Cheshire and Hook's heads. "You'll never find Doctor Roquette." she told Cheshire.
"Never's such a long time." Cheshire teased. "Pursuing target. Keep 'em busy." she called out. With Hook launching his hook at Miss Martian to prevent her from following his leader.
Artemis was just getting to her feet when Cheshire ran by. She quickly got back to her feet. "Pursuing their leader." she called out.
Kid Flash is still fighting Black Spider, barely blocking his punches before he finally managed to break the assassin's guard and slammed his fist the assassin's face, knocking him down. "Take the rest down."
"You are so not the boss of me." Kid called after her, annoyed and purposefully dragging the words out.
"Just do it!" she snarled over her shoulder, not losing stride.
"Cheshire, me and Archer have found the doctor! We're at the Sandbar Cafe and engaging, I'm sending you the location now!" Corvus called over the comm as the woman smirked under her mask and hastily made after her teammates.
(Happy Harbour, Sandbar Cafe)
Aqualad grunted as Corvus and he clashed, his water bearers clashing with a spectral blade. Kaldur's adversary broke the stalemate by leaning back and shoving the bearers off to the side and smashing his left fist into Aqualad's cheek. The atlantean pushed back and a slammed roundhouse into the man's ribs as retaliation making Corvus' eyes widen in pain a bit, his still slightly recovering body screaming in protest, before Kaldur yelled in pain as an arrow landed in his back.
Corvus stumbled back cursing as he let Lara take his place, he unholstered his magnum to fire before his eyes widened as Superboy crashed through the ceiling. "Oh crap…" He muttered to himself.
The clone grinned seeing his hooded adversary as he punched his fist into an open palm and cracked his neck. "Hey there! Round two?" Superboy cheerfully asked.
"...Raincheck?" Corvus attempted, nervously laughing as he reholstered the hand cannon.
"...No." Connor replied, still grinning as he charged at the man.
Aqualad glared down Lara as she approached him. "You're in the way…move." She demanded.
"I'm afraid I cannot do that." The atlantean resolutely replied.
"...Eliminate."
Lara murmured calmly as she pulled out a knife and engaged aqualad, the atlantean having an advantage with his water bearers. It didn't deter her as she acrobatically flipped around her opponent and made shallow cuts. She leaped back from Kaldur's water bearers in hammer form as he smashed down at her before immediately launching back towards him and slipping past his defences. Aqualad's eyes widened in pain as the knife dug into his midsection before she yanked it out and jammed it back into his shoulder.
Now on the ground, Aqualad held in a yell of pain as he blocked the knife, in exchange it went through his hand. He grimaced as he clenched his fist around the knife and yanked the woman off of him, catching her in an arm lock before she slammed her head backwards. Aqualad stumbled back and hastily dodged another slice as their clash continued. She jammed the knife into his arm and yanked him forward, slamming her knee into Aqualad's stomach and roundhouse kicking him in the face, sending him stumbling back.
Corvus was panicking, if he took a hit then endurance or not his wounds would probably open up again. He barely dodged a barrage of punches, one of them clipping his shoulder, which was currently in pain. He grunted as he slid past a punch that cratered the ground and kneed Superboy's nose before kicking him up into the air. He grabbed the clone's leg before spinning and sending him flying through several tables with a yell. Corvus quickly unslung his DMR from his shoulder and began firing, meanwhile Connor had stood up and winced as he held his arms in front of his face at the barrage.
Corvus hissed as the rifle clicked empty and Superboy charged at him again. So he did the only thing that he could think of he drew his arms back…and he threw his rifle at him. Connor was stupefied and didn't react as his head snapped upwards from the rifle impacting it and was unable to respond as Corvus twisted around his charging foe and threw the clone over his shoulder. He smashed his fist directly into Superboy's nose before grabbing him by his hair and began slamming his head into a pillar repeatedly before turning him around and raining down punches on him. He pulled back, letting Connor fall to the ground disoriented before booting him completely through the pillar. The agent quickly followed after, picking up his rifle on the way, and slamming the butt down on Superboy's temple, knocking him out.
Corvus quickly slid another magazine into his DMR before taking aim at Kaldur's unprotected backside, Aqualad was completely unprepared for the bullet that slammed into his shoulder blades let out a silent scream as Lara sliced his leg sending him to the ground as Cheshire arrived and landed in front of him before she fired three darts, hitting his chest.
"Let's test the limit of your Jellyfish immunity, shall we?" Cheshire taunted.
He quickly stood up, dizzy as he swiped at Lara only for her to leap on his shoulder and slam a kick to the back of his head. His head down, Cheshire ran forward and flip kicked him into the air where Corvus slammed his fist into the atlantean's back and knocked him out with a rifle smash to his head.
"There, limit tested." Corvus snarked as he gave his teammates a thumbs up. Cheshire giggled slightly and Lara gave a small smile under her mask, the kimono clad assassin then turned to Doctor Rouquette.
"Now, doctor, time for my appointment." she said, bringing out a sai and getting Roquette to fearfully move away from her.
All while the upload was being processed.
Cheshire continued to back the nervous doctor up away from the unconscious Aqualad and Superboy. Her allies following behind her, she grabbed the front of her shirt eliciting a gasp from the doctor as she closed her eyes, expecting her end. Before that she looked to the computer with the download progress showing.
Cheshire cocked her head and followed the woman's gaze. Just as the bar shows full download and the computer beeps.
"Huh…well would ya look at that." Corvus said staring dully at the computer.
"So you've finished the virus…" she stated, turning back to the doctor. "...eliminating the reason for your elimination…" despite her words the sai got closer to the doctor's neck. "...though not your entertainment value…" she said as she got right in front of her and watched the blonde's eyes go wide. Cheshire released her grip, sending the doctor to the ground. "Lucky for you, my orders are clear. You live to program another day. After all doctor, the Shadows may find another use for you." she shied away from the assassin, the final statement more terrifying than any proceeding it.
They left through the doors before several arrows landed in front of them…beeping. Corvus' eyes widened. "OH CRAP NOT AGAI-" He started before being drowned out. The grinning Cheshire mask skidded out from the smoke, broken.
"Don't move a muscle." the archer snarled as Lara froze while Cheshire tried to move from her downed position.
"Wow." she murmured as she stood despite the warning, she turned to face Artemis over her shoulder. Her eyes the same murky brown as Artemis' own. "I am completely at your mercy."
Artemis' eyes widened slightly as she gasped. "You."
"I suppose now you bring me to Justice. Let your new friends interrogate me….but I wonder if your position's secure enough to survive them learning everything I know." She taunted.
There was long pause where none of them so much as breathe. "Oh by the way…you're missing someone." She said as Artemis immediately noticed the lack of a black coated figure. She fell forward as Corvus slammed his rifle onto the back of her neck.
"...you know what I am too damn tired to think of a one liner, you two ready to call it a night?" He asked with a sigh as he slung his weapon, Cheshire giggling again as she and Lara nodded. "Alright well…considering the circumstances I think the boss would be more than welcome to have you lay low at Walker." He said as they clambered up onto a rooftop.
"Oh? Inviting girls back to your place after only just meeting them? Are we that attractive?" Cheshire teased in good fun.
"Ha ha, but if you must know, yes, I do find you very attractive." Corvus said casually as he looked to Cheshire in particular. She looked stunned, her face burning with a blush as Lara barely held in her laughter.
"Anyway, this is our ride." He said, jerking his head as a VTOL decloaked and hovered silently before them. They climbed in, with Corvus sliding into the pilots seat and the other two in the passenger hold.
"You do know how to fly this right?" Lara asked nervously for...well for just Incase, she'd had several bad pilots in the past.
"How do you think I got here?" He responded sarcastically as they took off.
Meanwhile down at the cafe a dead tired and battered Aqualad helped Rouquette carry out Superboy before bending down to wake his other teammate up. "Artemis, Artemis where are the assassins?" he questioned.
"She, uh- she got away." she stuttered out quietly, still groggy.
Kid Flash and his big mouth were right beside her in an instant. "Oh, from you?" he taunted. "Oh, big surprise. Notice we got ours."
Miss Martian lowered the still knocked out assassins to the ground.
He looked down and his eyes lit up, a small smile on his face. "Cool." He said as he picked up Cheshire's mask. "Souvenir."
Aqualad recognizes it instantly, managing to stand without Rouquette's support. "Her mask?" he questioned, wincing as he yanked one of Cheshire's darts out. "Did you-" he cut himself off as he ripped out another dart. "-see her face?" he finished, yanking out the last dart.
"It was dark." Artemis defended as she looked away.
"It is fine." Aqualad assured. "Robin neutralized the Fog, and Dr. Roquette is safe, thanks in no small part to you."
She glanced over her shoulder before turning to face him as Miss Martian landed beside Kid Flash.
"Welcome to the Team."
She gave a small smile in return.
Aqualad stepped up and offered his hand. She hesitated for a moment before taking it.
"I always wanted a sister." Miss Martian said sincerely. "Here on Earth, I mean. I have twelve back on Mars, but trust me, it's not the same." she clarified, even Kid Flash was willing to get close to the 'newbie who kicked Red Arrow off the Team'
"I wouldn't know." Artemis decided to say, though a small chuckle did come through. "But thanks."
Miss Martian elbows Kid Flash in the chest. "Ow." he grumbled, no one said anything. "Yeah. Welcome." he said begrudgingly.
Artemis offered her hand, he only hesitated slightly before taking it. Though he did look at it the whole time like he thought it was going to either explode or eat him.
(Chapter End)
A/N: Thank you for reading! Review if you enjoyed or have advice!
