Tigress walked into the main room of Deathstroke's current hideout. "You wanted to talk?"

The mercenary lazily pointed to a chair opposite the one he was sitting on. "Have a seat."

"Your new friend's...handler requested a meeting with me. Just a quiet evening at their place. Said to bring you too. What do you think?" He leaned back in his chair.

Artemis raised an eyebrow. "I'm going either way aren't I?"

"Well, that's true since you're my loyal... what did he call it? Apprentice? Well, since you're here of your own free will and don't want to be found out, you are. Consider it my way of looking out for you." His tone was of faux concern.

"Don't pretend like this doesn't affect you. If I get found out as a traitor you'll never get a seat at the big boys' table." She sneered.

"I did say it was my way of looking out for you." The mercenary replied with a smirk.

Artemis huffed. "Considering you haven't sold me out yet, you knew from the start." The mercenary nodded, looking smug. The realization hit Artemis like a truck.

"You wouldn't do something like this out of the kindness of your heart... It was Nightwing, wasn't it?" She took the man's smug silence as a yes. "What did he do to make you agree to this?" Her tone was accusing.

"Nothing that concerns you. It's a little known fact in your cape community that we have history. I'm just getting us even and maybe him a little in my debt." He said. "Now that we're finally on the same page, let's return to the matter at hand."

Artemis straightened.

"I know you're worried about the boy, but I have a feeling things aren't exactly as the story of abuse and blackmail they're trying to weave." Artemis looked scandalized. Did he not see the way Slade looked at Robin? "Oh, don't give me that look. Their behaviors are too well thought-out. Even in an actual victim-abuser situation there will be some things that don't add up, even if they're not trying to hide it. But theirs? The narrative is unquestionable. Like how an animator amps up the facial expression to convey the emotion better while still looking natural in the medium."

When Artemis still didn't look convinced, the mercenary sighed and continued. "Think about it, Crock. You've only seen him twice and you've reached this level of sympathy where you can't even question what's in front of your eyes. It feels wrong to even think about possible deception, you feel you are being unfair to him for thinking what he's going through isn't real. You've lost your neutral view of things. Isn't that what manipulation is about?" He said patiently, like he was talking to a small child. Artemis felt like one, if anything. She didn't want to believe the man but as annoying as he is, he was also a logical thinker. The mercenary made an amused face.

"I see you're considering, but still not sold. I got to give it to Grayson, looks like he's a great actor in any dimension." Artemis was once again quite surprised.

"I thought the same thing, but how can you be so sure?" She asked. The mercenary smirked.

"I have to admit the spiky hair threw me off a bit, but I'd recognize that flip anywhere." He turned to her, a serious look in his eyes.

"Everything aside, Crock, even though I have an idea I'm still not a hundred percent sure where they stand. I expect you to behave and consider that they'll be sizing us up as much as we are them, maybe more if I'm right about their goal. You're dismissed but keep this in mind: I've been referring to them as 'them' for a reason. Whatever they're up to, I guarantee you they're in it together."

———————-

Artemis laid in her bed, inside her black and orange themed room. Who would've thought the man used his costume colors for interior decoration? She would've laughed if she wasn't so deep in thought. She didn't want to completely discard the seemingly obvious truth in front of her eyes, but the more she thought the more it started to make sense. Of course she didn't have a 'normal behaviour' for Robin she could compare to the way he currently acts, but he seemed so genuine. Then again, even before she could never tell when Dick was lying. It was part of how they faked her death so well, or how no one but the four of them knew the truth about Kaldur when Dick was in contact with the team everyday.

She'd be on the lookout tomorrow, though. And as much as she hated to admit it, Deathstroke was right. She needed to keep a level head.

She sighed before getting up to grab a bottle of water from her desk.

Would Deathstroke and Slade have their apprentices sit with them as they talked? Would they be sent to another room? Maybe the two would make them spar as they watched, like it was some sort of a cock fight. The thought made her snort, but it could easily be true. She took a few gulps of water before laying back down to get a few hours of sleep in.

———————-

In the kitchen of their temporary residence two figures sat across eachother, sipping coffee.

"They'll be sizing us up as much as we are them." The younger one said.

"I trust that won't be a problem?" The older one replied with a slight twitch to his lips.

"Not in the least." Robin said, mirroring Slade's expression.

Nothing belongs to me. Hope you liked this chapter!