"Welcome. I have a special mission for you both." Ra's Al Ghul said as he gave a sly smirk.
"What is it?" Renegade asked, determined.
"Two people that have been thorns in our sides for ages now." Ra's said, "You are to kill Shadow and Flash."
Renegade and Inertia both froze. Finally, Renegade choked out, "I-I understand Shadow, but why Flash?"
"He is what keeps the Justice League together, without him, the league will fall apart." Even Renegade knew it was true. She thought about the original team. If Wally had died, they'd have fallen apart as well. It only made sense that the League would be built that way.
Inertia was still frozen, so Renegade said, "As soon as we get back to land, we will complete our mission."
"Good," Ra's nodded approvingly. Renegade dragged her boyfriend off, heart pounding rapidly and loudly. She. Was. Screwed.
Their was no way she could kill Caitlin. It was impossible. Plus she couldn't bear to get her own cousins blood on her hands, she just couldn't do it. But June wasn't nearly as close to the level Caitlin was on for fighting. Caitlin had a lot more force in her attacks then June.
Once she dragged Bart to their room, she started to panic. "What are we going to do?! I can't kill Caitlin!" She said in a very panicky voice.
"It's going to be ok. Just think of something. I know you can do it." Bart gave her an encouraging smile. June smiled back, but it only helped her a little bit.
A few hours later
They have finally reached land. But June wished they never did. The second they stepped foot on land, they left to complete their mission. But of course they had to go separate ways. Bart went to Central and June went to Gotham. She had a feeling that Caitlin would still be in Gotham since she had nowhere else to go.
June found Shadow and Nightwing on a roof in East Gotham. She quickly hid and listened to their conversation.
"Where's Jason, Dick?"
"No names on the field, and probably at home or something." June smiled, at least Jason stopped being stubborn and moved back in.
"Robin?"
"Sick with the twenty-four hour flu." Oh, poor Tim...
"Bats?"
"With the league."
"Of course he is." Why is that he's always with the league?
"Well I'm gonna start heading to the west side for patrol. Are you going to stay here and patrol?" It was Nightwing's voice. If Shadow stays here, June had a better chance.
"Yeah I guess so."
"Alright if you need anything just let me know ok?"
"I'm not five, Wingding. Just go already." June heard the sound of a grappling gun being shot. June looked up and saw that Caitlin was now alone. This was her chance. She slowly and quietly climbed up onto the rooftop. She quietly got out her quiver and loaded an arrow on it.
"I know your here." Shadow said. That statement caught June off guard. Did she know that she was here the whole time? Shadow turned around and looked at her.
"I hope you know that this fight won't end till one of us is dead." Caitlin said as she brought out her scythes.
Renegade blinked a few tears from her eyes. "I wouldn't have it any other way." She let he arrow fly. Shadow dodged the arrow swiftly, rushing towards her with her swords drawn. Renegade did a back handspring to avoid an attack. She skidded slightly as she landed in a squatting position. Renegade drew her eskrima sticks that she had 'borrowed' from Dick and charged her cousin.
Renegade quickly dodged the first attack but got hit by the other. The second attack landed in her side. How did she not see the other attack coming? Shadow suddenly drop kicked her and renegade stumbled backwards. Renegade quickly grabbed another arrow and shot it. But when Shadow tried to dodge it, it managed to cut her side.
"Ah!" She yelled as she grabbed her side. Renegade could see that she was bleeding. A lot. How did the arrow manage to cut her that deep?
"Ok brat that's it. You just got a death wish." Caitlin said. She grabbed her katana out of the holding case. Renegade grabbed her bo staff and got ready to attack. They both charged towards each other and their weapons met with a 'clang'.
"Trust me, I had a death wish long before tonight." Renegade chuckled, ducking underneath a deadly swipe from her katanna. Shadow narrowed her eyes at her suspiciously, as if she had just given her a clue to her identity. Renegade thrust her staff forward and knocked Shadow near the edge of the building.
Shadow then grabbed a couple throwing needles and threw them. The needles sliced Renegades mask and her cheek. She noticed that Caitlin was near the edge of the building, she just needed to figure out how to get her closer to it. Renegade put her staff away and got in a battle position.
"You really want to fight me in combat?" Shadow said as she threw her sword to the side. Renegade then took her belt off and threw to the side. Shadow took off her belt and threw it. They got in a battle position and charged towards each other. They started to throw punched and kicks. Shadow managed to knock Renegade backwards just by a punch in the stomach. She noticed that Renegade stumbled a little bit.
'She isn't copying my fighting. What is she up to?' Caitlin thought to herself. Renegade managed to land a swift punch in the stomach, and suddenly Caitlin coughed up a little blood. She looked down and saw that Renegade used a knife in her punch. How could she not see that? Renegade stood up and yanked the knife out of Caitlin's body.
The stab wound wasn't very deep, and it clearly missed several major arteries. But it still hurt as hell. June watched her older cousin fall to the ground. She just managed to stab her, now how is she supposed to kill her? She has to do something.
But if she told her the truth, Caitilin would never forgive her. June wouldn't be able to live with herself then. A light bulb formed over her head. Live... She thought. Ex-assassin or not, some of Bruce's teachings must have rubbed off on Caitilin. She wouldn't let her die, not matter what she said.
Shadow swept Renegade's feet from under her, expecting the kid to just fall.
And she did.
Off the building.
Renegade knew she was taking a risk here, she wasn't sure if Shadow would really save her. June closed her eyes and let her body plummet several stories down.
With Inertia
Inertia was running around Central looking for Flash. He realized that he needed to cause some trouble, he is so going to enjoy this.
He grinned, quickly finding some vacant buildings. He vibrated his molecules through them, causing the buildings to blow up. It had been a trick he learned from his aunt when he was younger. He certainly caused some trouble with THAT ability...
After a few minutes of blowing buildings up, the Flash was appeared right in front of him. "Alright kid you better stop what your doing now." Flash said. Bart couldn't help but chuckle. He could tell his grandpa was a tad more than the annoyance that showed on his face.
"Sorry, grandpa," he put the emphasis on the last word. "No can do. Catch me if you can!" He disappeared in a streak of blue. Flash chased after him, determined to catch the juvenile delinquent. Bart laughed running around Central.
He was hoping to have his grandfather chase him around until his hunger got to him and he would start to get weak. As Bart was running, he took out a candy bar and started to eat it. Bart started to run faster and faster.
Eventually, Bart stopped in Downtown Central. Flash stopped as well. "You're fast, I'll give you that, kid." he breathed heavily.
"You're gonna run out of energy sometime, old man."
"You are too," Flash said as he chuckled a little bit. He was still breathing heavy.
"I just ate so I'm bursting with energy." Bart said as he gave a evil like smile. Flash looked like he was going to kill the kid. How could he have a snack without sharing? That was cruel and unusual punishment.
"Aw, is Flashie going to tell on me?" Bart grinned.
"How could you not share?" He practically whined. Bart purposely took out a candy bar and chewed it, smirking.
Flash glared at him. "Who are you, kid?"
"Call me Inertia." He said, swallowing the candy and smirking more.
"Well, Inertia even if you do get more energy then me, in still going to take you down kid." Flash said as he smiled. Bart just scoffed outwardly, but was mentally praying his grandfather was right.
Bart started to hope that June figured out how to take down Caitlin but keep her alive. The light is probably going to have their heads if they find out they couldn't fulfill the mission that was given to them. "Well old man how are you going to do that? You have no energy what so ever. How can you keep up with me?"
Flash glowered and charged him. Bart dodged and blocked his attacks at superspeed. "C'mon, grandpa." he smirked.
Barry froze. Grandpa...? "B-Bart?"
"Who's Bart? I'm inertia." He narrowed his eyes. How could he have figured it out so fast? Well he is the Flash...
"Come on Bart. I know it's you. Why are you doing this?" Flash asked. Bart didn't know if he should answer him which would reveal his identity or just try to get rid of him.
Inertia didn't reply, instead rushing towards his grandpa and throwing a punch. As hard as it is to fight Flash, he was sure June was having a worse time. "BART!" Flash yelled, blocking all hits and trying to talk sense into him.
"Sorry old man but I'm not Bart. I'm not sure who Bart is." He said. Why is flash being stubborn? Bart's whole appearance changed! His brown hair was darker, his eyes changed from green to brown and he had freckles on his face. It would be kinda hard to compare Bart's old appearance to his new one.
"Bart knock it off. I know it's you. What other teenage speedster do I know that calls me 'grandpa'?" Damn he had a point. Bart seriously needs to quit that habit. It really gives away a lot of stuff. He started to wonder what would happen if he gave away his identity right now. But what would happen? June could be found out and it would spread that she wasn't reay dead.
"I just call old people grandpa. It's funny." He said as he let out a small chuckle. "Especially old geezers like you." he smirked at Flash, who looked annoyed.
"Bart-"
"I'm Inertia!" he practically exploded.
'What is wrong with this kid?' Flash thought sadly, 'What has Deadshot done?'
How did Deadshot even managed to get him to go rouge?
'I need to figure out how to get him back.' Flash thought to himself as he looked at Bart. Bart didn't look that much different except the fact his hair and eye color were different and had freckles. His face shape and features were still similar. He was a little taller, but except that he wasn't that different.
"Look kid, I don't know what deadshot did to you but I know it's you. You don't look that much different kid." Bart looked at him with a calm shocked look.
"Even if I was this Bart kid, how different would I look from him?" He had to try something. Maybe he could gain some time to think of a plan.
"Well you're face shape, your voice tone, the fact that your insults suck-"
"Hey!"
"-and no one is that thin. Especially a speedster." he finished.
"What- I'm not THAT thin..."
"Come kid how much do you even weigh? Like 50 pounds?"
"Look dude I weigh 98 pounds ok?! And what about you? 800?" Bart complained, completely forgetting his mission. Man his insults do suck!
"Please I weigh about 240 and I look perfectly healthy." Why is he getting on Bart's nerves? Man it's so annoying!
"God why are you so annoying?!"
"Because I'm Flash kid. I'm always annoying. I bet you just realized that." Flash said as he smiled. He was finally getting to the kid by annoying him. Hopefully this works.
Bart quickly realized what he was doing. "Sorry, you old geezer, but the League isn't coming to your rescue." He grabbed Flash and vibrated as fast as possible. "Because even Superman won't be able to get into the speed force." Flash gave him a wide-eyed look. Was Bart crazy or something?
"Kid what are you doing?!"
"What do you think I'm doing, idiot?" Bart vibrated faster and faster until the two of them were nearly blurs.
"Bart! This isn't you! Snap out of it!" Bart looked at the anger and fear in Flash's eyes. He needed a way out of this... but the only way was- Bart closed his eyes. 'I'm sorry, June,' he thought, guilt clearly weighing him down at the thought of abandoning his girlfriend on this mission. Bart stopped vibrating, and Flash and he were standing in the streets on Central City.
Flash caught him as he collapsed, breathing deeply. Flash scrambled to take his pulse, sighing in relief as he found a pulse. It was slower than probably was healthy, but he was alive. Trying to enter the speed force, especially while dragging someone else along, is tiring work for a grown man. But Bart attempting to was surely to drain him of energy.
Flash tightened his grip on Bart and sped off to Mount Justice.
