I do not own Young Justice or any of the characters.
Forced Hand
Cassius spun around Cassandra's punch and passing her on her left, but she instantly spun away from him, swinging a right windmill kick at him. A goo arm burst from his chest, catching her foot and swinging her into the air, only for her to flip, slamming a kick into his goo hand's thumb to free herself, then flipped to the ground. As she landed, she charged, rolling under his punch and standing grabbing him by the arm and bending him forward, holding a knife to his throat, only to stop as a third arm bearing goo claws pressed to her abdomen, hovering there and ending the fight in a tie.
"Well done," Cassius said. "You were close that time. You have a hard time reading my goo's movements don't you?"
"There's no body language to read," Cassandra signed.
"I suppose," Cassius nodded.
"There you are," Cain said, looking to Cassandra. "Go change."
She nodded and ran off instantly.
"You're not there to kill the target," Cain said. "You're there to make sure she completes the mission, then bring her back."
"Understood," Cassius nodded. "However, I need you to understand that I will not be allowing myself to be compromised during this, so I'm going to borrow your pistols and impersonate you. I can't jeopardize my position with the Justice League's team."
"Fine," Cain said, handing him the pistols, only for Cassius to press one to his forehead instantly.
"Oh how I wish these didn't have filed down firing pins," Cassius said, pulling the trigger and getting nothing but a disappointing click. "Some day."
"We'll see," Cain said. "I trust you can make them work with your goo."
"If I need to, yes," Cassius said, transforming into a replica of Cain. "I'll have her back by tomorrow."
Cain nodded and Cassius holstered the pistols. He accepted the folder with the job's information and walked over to the door to wait. After a moment, Cassandra walked over dressed in a black gi, pants, Chinese martial arts shoes, and a cloth mask to cover her nose and mouth, currently pulled down around her neck. The thing that caught him off guard, however, was Cassandra actually smiling up at him the moment she saw him, both letting him know that she knew who he was instantly, and also making him wish they were going somewhere else. Anywhere else. After a few minutes, they got onto the League of Shadows' helicopter and the pilot took off.
"Are you ready?" Cassius signed.
Cassandra nodded, and he handed her the folder. She read through it quickly before nodding. The target was a fat white bookkeeper named Faizul who had been skimming from an organization that the Light owned. The organization's security were all League of Shadows grunts, meaning that this was as much a final test for Cassandra as it was a hit. Cassius scanned through the folder again, glancing at Cassandra.
"Tell me about the target," he signed.
"He's the fat man in the picture," she signed back. "He stole money from the League of Shadows, and he has Shadows grunts protecting him that have all been bought off and are traitors, but they'll be dealt with at a later time."
He nodded and burned the folder, taking care to stay away from the flames. Then, they waited. After several hours, they were flying high above the building, and Cassandra pulled her mask up before they both dropped out, Cassius holding Cassandra and using his goo to land silently on the building. The helicopter left as soon as they landed, and once it had, Cassius followed Cassandra into the building. They stuck to the shadows, both slipping past dozens of sets of guard before finally taking an air shaft into the man's office. Cassandra took a breath to ready herself, then dropped in and shot forward, drawing a knife and knife and slashing his throat deep enough that when he tried to scream, blood flooded into his windpipe, letting nothing but a soft, wet gurgling, choking sound out. Cassius dropped behind Cassandra as she stared at the man, her eyes wide with surprise. As the man stared at her in terror and clutched at his throat, fear blossomed to fill Cassandra's eyes. Then, as the lights faded from Faizul's eyes, Cassandra staggered backward, dropping her knife and covering her mouth as she let out a sob. However, at the same moment, an alarm began to scream. Cassandra didn't react, so Cassius turned her to him, hands on her shoulders.
"Cassandra!" he snapped, pulling her back to the present. "We need to leave!"
"No!" Cassandra signed, shaking her head as tears flooded down her face. "Don't take me back! Please! I can't! I can't do this again!"
"I-"
A bullet punched into his side and he snarled in rage, turning to get between her and the Shadows running toward them, blocking several more bullets with goo covering his back before a second upper body formed from his back and swung its arms, sending spears of goo spraying out into the shadows, slaughtering everyone in view.
"I'm not taking you back to Cain!" Cassius said urgently as he retracted the second upper body. "But we need to leave! I'm taking you back to the Justice League team I'm on. You can join them if you want, or you can live a normal life. Either way, you won't have to kill ever again."
Cassandra nodded just as more shadows stepped into view. Cassius swung a hand, slaughtering them too, but as he held his hand out to retrieve his goo, Cain suddenly dropped from the vent they'd used, slashing with a machete and taking his arm off at the elbow. He shouted in pain, staggering away and pushing Cassandra behind him.
"I knew you couldn't be trusted!" Cain snarled. "And you, you little failure. We'll get to your punishment for not being able to complete your mission after I've dealt with him."
"You won't touch her," Cassius snarled, pulling his severed arm and goo spikes back to him as he drew Cain's pistols, Cain having a backup pair strapped to his sides. "You'll never hurt her again!"
Cain snarled angrily and lunged forward, only for Cassius to sweep the blade upward with one pistol, spreading goo into both to replace the section of firing pin that was filed down. He moved to shoot Cain, but Cain stepped out of the way, the three bullets killing the last three Shadows grunts in the building instead. Then, Cassius extended a third arm, punching Cain and sending him staggering away before turning to shoot him, only for Cain's machete to slash through his forearms, making him drop both guns before he flipped backward over several buildings, landing on the ceiling as he reconnected his arms and formed goo over his body to help with the bullets, then formed a goo broadsword. He leapt off the roof, slashing downward at Cain and Cain deflected it, then slashed Cassius across the back and left side. Cassius spun, slashing at Cain, only for Cain to deflect it over himself and hurl a small sphere. Cassius dove out of the way and it exploded into an inferno against one wall. The heat slammed into Cassius instantly, and Cassius grunted. Cain slashed the goo sword out of his hand and sent it into the fire, only for it to turn to ash before it hit the wall. Then, Cain slashed Cassius across the chest, knocking him away from the flames. Cassius groaned, ducking under the machete and ignored his agony, stepping forward and drilling a fist into Cain's jaw. Cain was holding nothing back this time, so he couldn't either. It was either him or Cain. Only one could survive.
Cain slashed at him from the side and Cassius caught his hand, slamming a fist into his gut and moved to break his arm, only for Cain to kick him between the legs and stab him in the side. Cassius shouted in pain, then forced his goo to respond, once again ignoring the agony doing so caused, and slammed a backhanded fist into Cain, launching him backward into the room all the dead Shadows grunts had been. Fortunately, Cassius had broken all of their guns.
He ripped the machete out of his side and hurled it through the window to his left, shattering the window and getting rid of the blade. A moment later, a knife stabbed into his shoulder, Cain only just behind it. Cassius shouted in pain, staggering toward the flames, only to stop himself and dive out of the way of Cain's punch. He twisted, shoving Cain into the flames and Cain shrieked in agony, staggering out of them before slamming into a 10 gallon water jug, punching it and breaking it open, the water cascading over him and putting out the flames that had clung to him. Cain stood as Cassius staggered to his feet, only for Cain to hold up a detonator, pressing the switch. The ceiling above Cassius and Cassandra exploded and Cassius grabbed Cassandra, hurling her out of the way, then moved to jump after her, only for a broken piece of water pipe to impale him through the gut from behind, stabbing into the floor and stopping, keeping him suspended a couple feet up. Because it was the pipe it was, however, it also caused the water sprinklers currently failing to keep the fire from spreading to shut off. Cassandra screamed in fear and dismay as she saw Cassius, only for Cain to punch her for making noise.
"I see he's been teaching you more than fighting," Cain snarled. "Fine. I'll beat silence into you again. But first, I'll kill him."
He turned, walking toward Cassius, gripping the knife and ripping it out of his shoulder.
"Stop!" Cassandra shrieked suddenly, Cain freezing.
He turned to her, livid, only to stop as he saw her holding a pistol aimed at him, tears flooding down her face and the pistol trembling. "You little bitch. Put that down!"
"Stop!" Cassandra said again, more forcefully this time, though she was still hysterical.
Cain narrowed his eyes. "You won't shoot me."
He turned, moving to slit Cassius's throat, only for a gunshot to ring out. Then another, and another. He dropped the knife, eyes wide with shot as shot after shot slammed into his back. He staggered past Cassius as Cassandra's gun finally clicked, Cassandra dropping it and falling to her knees, sobbing. Cain turned toward Cassandra, staring for a moment before tipping backward and falling into the flames. Within seconds he was shrieking in pain, Cassandra covering her ears against the sound. Cassius groaned, feeling himself starting to burn as Cain's windpipe was cauterized closed, cutting off his screams.
"C...Cassan...dra," Cassius wheazed.
"Cassius!" Cassandra sobbed, running over and trying to pull the pipe out of the ground.
"Cass...stop," Cassius said. "I need...you to pull me...off the pipe...then...get us out of here. I can heal...after we're...away from the fire."
Cassandra nodded and stood, gripping him before yanking upward. A shriek of agony ripped out of Cassius's throat as he came free of the pipe. Then, Cassandra leapt out the window, pulling out a grappling gun and using it to swing to the roof of a different building several buildings away. As they landed, she lost her grip on Cassius and he bounced and rolled along before rolling to a stop, gasping and panting for breath, barely able to do it from his numerous wounds that were barely healing. Cassandra knelt beside him and looked at his wounds worriedly, but he reached up, gently brushing away her tears.
"You...saved me," he smiled. "Thank...you."
Cassandra nodded, forcing a smile, only to begin crying again. He reached up, pulling her head to his chest so he could hold her, since he couldn't stand, and they remained there for a long while as she sobbed. Finally, after nearly an hour, his wounds had healed and his goo was responding enough for them to leave.
"Come on, Cassandra," Cassius said, standing and forming himself a pair of wings. "We need to go. We're going to take Rose Wilson with us."
Cassandra nodded and Cassius picked her up, sticking her to himself with goo, Cassandra holding him tightly anyway, and took off. He grit his teeth, holding in a groan as every cell in his body burned, along with every bit of goo. he was going to need to rest for another weak again. But he could worry about that after he knew Cassandra and Rose were safe.
He finally landed outside Deathstroke's home and sighed, retracting his wings and forming goo over his body. "Stay behind me, no matter what."
Cassandra nodded and Cassius kicked the door in, being greeted instantly by a dozen bullets. Cassius grunted in pain and launched himself at Deathstroke, slamming a fist into his face, only for him to flip, landing in the training room beside a weapons' stand where he picked up his personal broadsword and drew it. Cassius formed himself a goo sword instantly and lunged forward, deflecting several slashes before Deathstroke's ridiculously shiny blade caught the light, blinding him before he drove it through Cassius's heart, then turned, slashing his way out through Cassius's right side, taking his right arm off as well. Cassius shouted in pain, staggering backward and falling. Deathstroke laughed.
"Looks like Cain managed to deal some damage after all before you took him out!" Deathstroke smirked. "Well, at least you can rest easy knowing you killed one of the people you wanted dead!"
He moved to finish Cassius off as Cassius retrieved his arm and goo sword. Then, Rose slashed at him with one of her two katanas He blocked it and she shoved his sword out to the side, slashing at him, only for him to block it with the top of his pistol. Then, Cassandra leapt over Damian, slamming a kick into the side of Deathstroke's head, hurling him away. He dropped his gun as he staggered and Cassius shot past both of them, slashing at Deathstroke rapidly with three separate goo swords, held in his three sets of arms, two sets of which were entirely goo. He used everything Deathstroke, Cain, and Lady Shiva had beaten, shot, slashed, and stabbed into him, forcing Deathstroke back rapidly. Then, he spun, allowing Cassius to stagger past him before slashing across the back, splitting his spine and briefly paralyzing him.
Cassius began to heal instantly, seeing a weapons rack in front of him with a pair of wakizashi on the bottom of it and a belt of explosives just above it. He pushed himself up, grabbing the wakizashi and smirking at the familiar weight. They were the first real weapons he'd used with Deathstroke, and he had gotten good with them. Meanwhile, he still couldn't make anything but a broadsword with his goo. He turned to Deathstroke just as Cassandra managed to duck under his sword and jumped, slamming an uppercut into the underside of his chin, sending him staggering backward at Rose, who jumped and spun, kicking at him from his right. His left hand snapped up, catching her foot before swinging her around at Cassandra. Cassandra leapt over Rose, allowing him to hurl her aside, only for him to move to stab Cassandra. Her eyes went wide with fear, only for Cassius to slash the sword upward, making it miss her. Deathstroke instantly leapt away from the other wakizashi, narrowly avoiding the blade, then turned back to him and charged instantly.
Cassius moved to meet his charge and ducked under his sword, slashing upward at him. Deathstroke spun around it and slashed at Cassius, who ducked under it, moving to slash Deathstroke. However, before he could, Deathstroke released the sword, allowing it to spin away before jumping over Cassius's blade. Cassius's eyes rose to Deathstroke just as he drove his short metal staff, which had a retractable tanto blade inside one end, down into his back, the blade stabbing Cassius through the heart. He ripped it out a moment later as Rose slashed at him with his own broadsword. However, he stepped forward, sweeping her legs, then spun, slashing at Cassandra with the blade, forcing her to leap away, the blade slashing across her abdomen shallowly. A pair of goo arms exploded up into Deathstroke's face, hurling him backward, just as Rose charged, slashing at him rapidly, Deathstroke fending her off with his staff. Cassius sent out a strand of goo to the weapon rack, grabbing the explosives and a pair of longswords with gold guards forming a "Y" with the grips. As he stood, Deathstroke used the back end of his staff to knock both of Rose's blades aside then slashed with the other. She stepped to the side to avoid it, but Deathstroke transitioned into a stab perfectly. Cassius's goo caught the staff a split second too late and Rose screamed in agony as the blade drove itself into her left eye. Cassius roared in rage, slashing at Deathstroke and he leapt away, then shouted in pain as Cassius's goo sent his staff stabbing into his abdomen, tacking the explosives to him.
He swore harshly ripping the blade out and hurling it and the explosives away as Cassius sprinted out of the building, a set of goo arms holding both of the girls to his chest. Then, as the bombs exploded and blasted a massive hole in several floors, Cassius got outside, forming a set of wings and taking off. As he flew, he looked back, vision telescoping to see Deathstroke stagger out of the ruined house, glaring up at him, holding a hand to his gut. Cassius allowed his vision to return to normal and pushed himself to fly faster, using goo to stem Rose's bleeding, though her sobs turned to screams of pain for a moment as his goo applied pressure to her ruined eye.
"I know," Cassius said. "I'm so sorry."
"It's not...your fault," Rose said through gritted teeth, struggling to calm herself.
Cassandra gave Rose her hand to squeeze and Rose clenched it instantly, slowly managing to calm down. Finally, Cassius reached Happy Harbor, flying low and exploding through the wall of the hospital, landing inside the room they kept the medication. Several doctors ran in, only to stop.
"I need help!" Cassius snapped. "She's been stabbed in the eye!"
The doctors hesitated, so Cassius sent out a goo arm, grabbing a nurse and pulling her over to them.
"How do you treat a stab wound to the eye!?" Cassius snarled.
"Uh...s-stitch it closed and wait for it to heal!" she said. "And use a lot of pain killers!"
He released her, shoving her out of the way, then turned to Rose. "This is going to hurt."
"Go ahead," Rose said, Cassandra once again giving her a hand to squeeze.
Then, two tiny strands of Cassius's goo reached up and drove itself into her eyelid. Rose shrieked in pain instantly, but within a few seconds, he was done and had stitched her bisected eyeball back together, then did the same with her eyelid. Once he was done, he retracted the excess goo and looked around, seeing everyone had fled. He turned, searching through the medicine storage before finding several strong types of pain killers, and antibiotics. He grabbed several of each and filled a syringe with one dose of morphine, turning and injecting it into Rose's arm. Relief flooded her face instantly and she sagged against him. He picked her up just as Megan suddenly flew up into the hole, Kid Flash and Robin appearing at the door to the room, and Cassius's clone used its goo to pull itself into the hole, Artemis following a moment later with her grappling crossbow.
"What...What the hell!?" Robin asked. "Cassius!?"
Cassius reabsorbed his clone then pressed a bandage to Rose's eye, beginning to wrap more bandages around her head to hold it in place.
"Robin, Kid Flash, Artemis, allow me to introduce you both to Cassandra Cain and Rose Wilson," Cassius said. "Cassandra is the daughter of David Cain, now dead, and Lady Shiva. Rose is the daughter of Slade Wilson, better known as Deathstroke. For a little more than a year, I've been training Cassandra to fight and dropping by to check on Rose when I had time. That includes my time with the team. I pretended to act as the League of Shadows' mole in order to protect the two of them until I could get them away. However, Cain forced my hand and I had to take both now. Cain is dead. Deathstroke isn't. If you want specifics, I'll tell you after I talk to the Justice League, particularly Batman."
He stood, lifting both girls with two sets of goo arms before dropping out and forming wings, flying them both to the Cave. Within minutes, the rest had arrived as well, and Cassius walked to the briefing room, finding Red Tornado, who turned to him instantly.
"Who are those two?" Red Tornado asked.
"Get Batman here right now," Cassius said. "He and I need to have a chat concerning these two and the League of Shadows."
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