Tempest: Chapter Forty-Four: Caught By Surprise


Dick was used to getting texts from Amara randomly throughout the day; she had absolutely no concept of time, or maybe she just texted with her stream of consciousness. But Dick had started class again at Gotham Academy, which was also the day that Artemis began her first day there as well.

He might have surprised her with taking a picture with her, with them both in their uniforms and her having no idea who he was.

He'd sent the picture to Amara soon after he'd taken it and gotten an 'lol, that's subtle' in return before he'd gone off to join his friend Barbara Gordon.

He was half-way into his English class when he got a text that made him arch an eyebrow.

Babe, I think C & M are a *thing*

Honestly, that wouldn't have really been surprising, given the looks that Conner and M'gann had been sharing for the past week or so. But he didn't have time to text her back, so he quickly hid his phone back in his pocket in order to pay attention to his class. Besides, he could talk to her when he went to the Cave after class.

The hours crept by slowly, and it was an hour after school was officially out that he finally managed to make it to the hidden Zeta-tube, coincidentally around the same time as Artemis.

"Artemis?" Robin peered around the run-down telephone booth with a grin, startling the blonde-haired archer.

"Robin!" He was sure she'd jumped violently. "I, uh—"

"How random that you're in Gotham City instead of Star City," Robin continued with an almost knowing smirk, "where your uncle Green Arrow lives."

Artemis floundered and it was almost amusing to watch. "I'm, uh, here to see my cousin." Even he knew that was a flimsy excuse. "She was in the state spelling bee. Here. In Gotham City."

"C-O-O-L," Robin spelled out, still grinning. "Did she W-I-N?"

Artemis' eyes narrowed, like she knew he was being purposefully obnoxious, but that tended to happen. "N-O."

"D-R-A-G," Robin responded.

"Yeah, let's just go to the Cave," Artemis said quickly, jerking her thumb towards the phone booth, clearly wanting to put the whole thing behind her.

"Ladies first," Robin offered, but Artemis put her hands on her hips stubbornly.

"Your town," she said swiftly, "you go."

And Robin gave a small shrug before heading inside, letting the blue light scan over him before the voice uttered "Recognize: Robin –B01," leaving Robin to disappear in a bright light, with Artemis following soon after.

Something was wrong, that was the first thing Robin had thought when he appeared in the Cave's monitor womb to see smoke and fire and damage to the floor and ceiling.

A vortex of fire was headed towards him from within the smoke and Robin had to dive in order to avoid it.

"Get down!" he yelled to Artemis as soon as she'd appeared., activating two batarangs and flinging them into the smoke with hardly any accuracy that had mostly to do with not being able to see his enemy.

Artemis drew her arrows in quick succession, but it was difficult to hit their enemy when they couldn't see who –or what– exactly it was, though now they could faintly make out two silhouettes within the smoke. "Who are we fighting?" she demanded.

"Don't know," Robin replied, throwing a few more batarangs that hit something metallic, "but we're sitting ducks by these tubes. Head for the exit!"

They ran under another pillar of fire towards the exit in question only to find their way blocked by a wall of water. Just who were these guys?

"Or not," he said before the water knocked them back against the wall, giving them barely a moment to move before the fire attacks started again and then they were running again. They ran through the exercise room and both tried their hand at calling for help.

"Robin to Team," Robin barked with his finger against the comm in his ear, "come in, Aqualad!"

Artemis pressed two fingers to her temple, thinking hard. M'gann, can you hear me? Are you there?

The door behind them blew off from the heat of the fire and the force of it tossed them to their knees, and they scrambled to their feet to avoid the cyclone of fire following after them as they ran through the locker room, heading towards the showers.

"Robin to Batcave," Robin stated clearly as they went to opposite sides and began turning on each of the showerheads. "Override RG4. Cave calling Justice League. H-O-J-slash-Watchtower. B-01. Priority red!"

Artemis drew an arrow once more and Robin gritted his teeth a moment later. "Comm is down…but at least the water's helping."

Though, as he said that, everything around them creaked and shook and Robin and Artemis whipped around to look at the showerheads and the knobs on the walls, all of which shot off in order to release powerful spouts of water that filled the room quickly.

"Or not," Robin muttered again, before both disappeared completely under the water.

The way back would take them back towards the fire, so the only way left was forward, the trouble was, there wasn't another door. Robin took another of his batarangs, pasting it to the wall and floating back as it blew a hole in the wall, letting the water and the two sidekicks spill out into the hallway, coughing and spluttering before taking off running towards the nearest room, which just so happened to be the kitchen, and hiding quickly in the air vents, taking the vents out to the boiler room, but the figure within the flames followed them.

"We're not going to get anywhere if they keep finding us," Artemis hissed to Robin as the heat in the room grew with the fire.

"Way ahead of you," Robin muttered back as several pipes burst as they ran past only to duck around a corner. "We need an access tunnel."

He had barely pulled up his holographic computer from his gauntlet when Artemis directed his attention towards her.

"You mean this one?"

Then she ducked inside the tunnel and Robin followed after her, shutting the grate behind them as Robin detonated another batarang before they crawled further into the tunnel, only stopping to lock out the Cave's motion and heat sensors to keep the enemy from being able to track them down.

"Did you see who they were?" Artemis gasped, resting her back against the tunnel as she tried to regain her breath and Robin shook his head. "How are we supposed to defeat something when we don't know what they are?"

"We could always find out," Robin admitting, tapping his fingers onto his holographic keyboard. "Amy upped the security when she became Oracle, but there's an override code to get through…"

A moment later several screen popped up, five, all focused on different areas. The newest one being in the med-lab, since Batman had had Oracle's set up located there.

They went back an hour and Artemis could clearly see the others gathered in one screen while Amara ran a few cursory checks at her Oracle station with her phone kept to her ear by her shoulder.

"Don't worry, Mom," she said, "I'll be home in an hour…Wally and I'll grab something before we leave, I promise, don't miss your flight."

Then she headed out to join their teammates. She and Wally must have just come from patrol, because they were both still wearing their uniforms and they were the type to not spend much time in their uniforms when they could be wearing jeans.

Wally was evidently helping Conner with his motorcycle while Sphere kept close by Conner's side. "Torque wrench."

M'gann floated it to him and he grinned. "Thank you, Green Cheeks."

Artemis rolled her eyes at the endearment as Amara made her way into the frame.

"I have been meaning to ask," Kaldur said. "Any problems juggling schoolwork with your responsibilities here?"

Amara gave a careless wave of her hand. "All my schooling's online, so that's not an issue for me."

"Lucky," Wally grumbled and Amara laughed as he used a socket wrench that M'gann floated to him.

"Daily cheerleading practice has presented a challenge," M'gann conceded, and Artemis had to remember that she'd joined the cheerleading squad at the school she and Conner were now enrolled in. "Oh, but my first loyalty is always to the Team. This Team, not the Bumblebees."

"Artemis starts school today," Kaldur mentioned. "Do you think she will have trouble maintaining her loyalties?"

Artemis' eyes narrowed dangerously at that.

"Nah, she'll manage all right," Wally disagreed. "I mean, how much more hostile and annoying can—"

Then the feed cut off with a large explosion from behind, but the other cameras were short circuited as well.

Robin breathed out sharply through his nose. "I'm sure they're okay," he said in a voice that was so uneasy that Artemis couldn't believe it. "Just give me a sec to find the fastest route to the hangar."

"Yeah, they're fine," Artemis agreed weakly. "They've all got superpowers. They can handle anything."

Robin said nothing to that, because a freeze ray could stop Wally in his tracks, Amara had been taken down in a spray of arrows, exhaustion could weaken Conner, and M'gann and Kaldur were weak in the face of fire. But he mentioned none of that as he led them out of a grate in the ceiling of the library.

"There's a secret passage behind one of these bookcases," he said and Artemis flipped over the railing, just a touch exasperated.

"Seriously? Cliché much?"

Robin snorted. "You should see the Batcave."

But when they heard the sound of metal on the floor, they ducked behind the nearest shelf, only to hear a familiar artificial voice.

"Artemis, Robin."

Relief poured over Artemis. "Its Red Tornado!"

She rushed out before Robin could pull her back only to find herself looking on a figure that was very much like Red Tornado, but also, very much not. A metallic fist was heading for her head when Robin knocked her shoulder painfully with his, diving under a table and coming out on the other side.

"Yes, on the Red," Robin yelled. "No, on the Tornado!"

The second one blocked the door and bore a faintly feminine form to contrast the first's masculine one. Artemis and Robin barely had enough time to avoid their combined attacks in order to take the secret passage behind one of the bookshelves.

"Attention, Robin. Attention, Artemis," the voice that was identical to Red Tornado echoed overhead. "You have exactly ten minutes to surrender, or the lives of your teammates will be extinguished."

Robin and Artemis shared a glance.


They took a rather unconventional way in order to get to their friends, and it was in an effort to evade the one with water control. Artemis and Robin popped their heads through the water and only had a moment to take everything in: the cage of fire that Kaldur and M'gann were caught in with M'gann unconscious in Kaldur's arms, Wally and Conner caught in some kind of thick substance that prevented them from moving as the water rose, but there was no sight of Amara, just Sphere stuck in the wall, and another piece of the wall missing.

"You guys okay?" Robin asked as they resurfaced at Conner and Wally's sides. "Wait, where's Amy?"

"The wall fell on her." Artemis didn't think she'd ever seen Wally scared like that. "I think she got caught underwater; she's been under there for almost an hour, Rob!"

"M'gann and I cannot survive much longer," Kaldur's voice floated down from the cage of fire he was locked in and that only made Conner struggle more violently.

Robin and Artemis dived to avoid another ball of fire but Robin didn't head to where the water receded, so she followed after him, deeper until they found the piece that had fallen from the wall, and partially trapped underneath it was Amara.

Artemis could feel the blood draining from her face at the sight of her friend, her partner, not moving and her eyes just slits of green. Was she even alive?

There was a rebreather between her lips, but rebreathers only worked for so long, that much Robin knew. She had to be low on oxygen by now…and completely surrounded by water. Robin could understand her fear of drowning.

He swam closer and Artemis saw him grab her hand and pull enough to cause a bit of a response and Amara's eyes fluttered slightly. Robin removed the last rebreather in his pouch and exchanged it for the one Amara had used up.

Artemis doubted she was barely conscious enough to realize what was happening, let alone feel the squeeze he gave her shoulder before he and Artemis resurfaced once more.

Artemis was losing faith, but Robin had grown more determined as they ducked into another tunnel to hide.

"What do we do now?" Artemis asked almost despondent.

"We save them," Robin said firmly. "That's how it works."

And Artemis almost believed him.


Amara could only focus on the sound of the compressed air within the rebreather, but even that awareness was growing dimmer and dimmer the longer she was underwater.

She was barely aware of anything even when the weight was lifted from her legs and someone hooked an arm under hers, swimming up to the surface, and the moment her head broke through, the rebreather fell from her lips and the coughed viciously as she was pulled onto land.

"Amy!"

"Get me an oxygen mask!"

Amara could make out her father's voice just barely, mingling with Wally's in relief before something was placed over her face, but it did make breathing a bit easier.

She shut her eyes and tried to hold the mask to her face herself, but her arms felt too weak to move.

"It's all right, Amy," Dinah's voice was soothing. "I'm here. Your dad's helping Wally and then he's going to come over, all right?"

One of Amara's hands formed into a thumbs-up.

"I'm going to move you back so that you're leaning against the wall, okay?" Dinah asked, but Amara couldn't really respond, so her mentor just dragged her back until she could rest her back against the wall helping her keep the mask on her face with one hand and holding her hand with the other in an effort to calm her nerves, which Amara was grateful for because they were very frayed.

She focused on breathing in and out slowly and her strength returned slowly. Fortunately for her, she had a quick recovery time, and it only took a few minutes for a bit more feeling to return to her arm so that she could hold the mask securely over her face without any help.

Then her father came to rest at her side and she could see his concern even without the cowl that covered his eyes drawn back.

"I'm going to get you something to drink, all right?" Dinah mentioned at her side. "Rebreathers aren't meant for prolonged usage, you're probably going to be a bit hoarse."

Amara could feel it and she gave a slight nod.

"Hey, sweetie, how are you doing?" Barry asked, and Amara looked down at herself to her soaking uniform and gave a vague gesture.

A half-smile formed on Barry's face and Amara drew off the mask faintly.

"No swimming pools," she rasped, "for at least two weeks."

Barry laughed as she fixed the mask back in place, her throat stinging.


It took an hour before Amara's oxygen depletion was no longer significant and for some of the most immediate repairs on the Cave to complete, though it would still take a few more days before it was completely repaired.

"I'm fine," Amara insisted despite the roughness in her voice as she drank her fourth cup of tea sweetened with honey. "Really, Dad."

Her father was hovering around and it had been sweet at first, but now it was just over-bearing.

"If you didn't have a rebreather in your utility belt, you'd be dead," Barry tried to point out the severity of the situation.

"But I did," Amara countered, "and Robin gave me one of his too."

Dick rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment when Barry cast him a grateful look.

"Did you tell him thank you?"

"Dad!" Amara groaned. "Of course I did! And I told him I'd buy him some new Eskrima sticks!"

"You don't really have to do that," Dick protested weakly only to be stalled by Amara pressing a finger to his lips before turning back to her father, completely missing how Wally sniggered and caught the image with his phone.

"I'm perfectly fine, and you've only got a few hours before work, remember?" Amara mentioned. "You said you were going to get an early night."

They were about two hours shy of an early night, and Barry had a lot of work to get done tomorrow.

Barry pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine," he amended. "But you come straight home when everything's done with Bats, all right?"

Wally leaned over from across the table when Barry had gone, nodding his head towards Batman. "You don't think he's really going to send us on a mission after what just happened?"

Amara shrugged. "Maybe he thinks we need to clear our heads?" she considered, glancing towards where Batman was standing with Kaldur, speaking in low tones.

"I need to go home and sleep it off," Artemis groaned into her arms and M'gann bobbed her head in agreement.

But all of them were distracted by Conner suddenly rushing towards Kaldur, and grabbing him and shaking him angrily.

"You knew?!" he demanded wrathfully. "That android and his maniac family nearly killed M'gann!"

M'gann was more obviously startled, and she flew over to the two boys as the others stood at a slower pace. "Conner, what're you doing?"

"Kaldur knew we had a traitor among us, and said nothing!" Conner was clearly still incensed and Amara's eyebrows rose as surprise and anger rippled through the Team.

"You knew?" Dick demanded.

"But didn't tell us?" Wally added angrily.

Kaldur glanced from face to face, but each seemed angrier than the last, barring Amara, who looked rather like she was puzzling through a problem she didn't quite understand.

"I sought to protect the Team from—"

"Protect us from what?" Artemis said sharply, anger bubbling just under the surface. "Knowledge that might have saved our lives?"

"You and Amy almost died!" Conner said to M'gann before being stalled by Batman.

"Enough," Batman said swiftly and all eyes turned on him and Conner released his grip on Kaldur's shirt. "With Red Tornado…missing, the Team will now be overseen by rotating supervisors. Captain Marvel has volunteered to take the first shift."

The man in question stepped forward, his golden lightning bolt rather obvious on his chest over the red material.

"I'm really looking forward to hanging with you guys," he said with an enthusiasm that couldn't have been faked.

Amara arched an eyebrow and smirked. She'd read his file; she knew that his civilian identity as Billy Batson belonged to a ten year old boy. How a ten year old had managed to get onto the Justice League in the first place was the most impressive thing about him.

"I have another assignment for this team," Batman added and an article appeared on the holographic computer.

"'Gotham Mayor attacked by Guerrilla Gorilla'?" Wally read out dubiously.

"Batman, please tell me you're not sending us on this joke of wild ape chase!" Dick interjected with annoyance.

"I never joke about the mission," Batman responded just a touch more coldly than before and the rebuke was clear. "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."

The annoyance that was aimed at Kaldur was palpable.


It was the first time an adult hero had accompanied them on a mission, but Storm Chaser got the feeling it had less to do with the League not trusting them on their own and more to do with Captain Marvel not being around kids that were closer to his true age.

"Switch to stealth," Aqualad said when they were all on the ground in North India, "and we'll review mission parameters."

"Parameters?" Kid Flash scoffed as his suit darkened. "We don't need no stinkin' parameters!"

"It's recon," Robin added. "We know what to do."

They turned away, ready to dart into the jungle when Aqualad called them back. "Kid, Robin—"

"The three of us started this team because the Justice League was keeping secrets from us!" Robin retorted.

"Or," Kid Flash added with a bit of a snap as he fixed his goggles over his eyes, "did you forget that, like you forgot to tell us about the mole?"

And then they disappeared into the jungle and Superboy grasped Miss Martian's arm. "Come on," he said, "I'll keep you safe."

But Miss Martian jerked her arm out of his grip and cast a glower in his direction as something silent was shared between them.

"I just want to protect you," Superboy softened slightly but Artemis jabbed him in the chest with one end of her bow, glaring.

"Like Aqualad protected us?" she replied. "I'm not sure your protection or your patronizing is good for our health."

Then they walked off in the direction opposite of Kid Flash and Robin.

"Why didn't you stop them?" Superboy demanded of Aqualad, like it was his fault that they'd gone in the first place. "You're supposed to be in charge!"

But then he leapt away before Aqualad could really respond, and that left him with Storm Chaser and Captain Marvel in the clearing.

"Do you wish to leave as well?" Aqualad asked Storm Chaser as she fixed her goggles over her mask in order to see better in the darkness.

"Nah, I think I'll stick around," Storm Chaser said, much to his surprise. "Besides, your powers and mine are pretty compatible."

Aqualad's shoulders sagged. "Is that all?"

Storm Chaser smiled and she moved forward to stand in front of him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "If there's anyone here that understands what it's like to keep secrets from the people you care about, it's me," she assured him. "What you guys don't know that I do can fill a book."

Aqualad gave another sigh.

"Don't worry," Storm Chaser added. "They'll come around once they realize your intentions were in the right place."

Aqualad wished he could have the same faith in himself that she did. "Thank you," he said sincerely.

"No problem," she responded. "The coordinates of where Mayor Hill was attacked are this way."

"Keep up, Billy, we'd hate to lose you!" she threw over her shoulder when Captain Marvel didn't move and Aqualad could have sworn the man had turned pink in embarrassment.

"Coming!"

Time passed slowly and silently, and Kaldur was careful to follow after Storm Chaser in a way that wasn't overtaking her, but it didn't take them very long to find the location. There were bullet casings scattered across the ground which had been trampled by creatures with large prints that Storm Chaser was sure would end up being gorilla prints.

"Guess this is where Mayor Hill's monkey business went down," Captain Marvel remarked and Storm Chaser had to stifle her snort. "So, at least we're confirmed his story, right?"

"Yes," Aqualad agreed, "though I believe it would have been hard to fake the injuries Mayor Hill suffered."

Storm Chaser tensed. "Something's coming."

The earth shook under their feet, almost as though they were in the midst of an earthquake and a moment later a large elephant had made its way through the trees, giving a mighty cry even before Captain Marvel had flown forward to push it back only to be thrown into a tree and Storm Chaser and Aqualad pressed their backs to one another as another elephant came to join.

"This is not good," Storm Chaser muttered and Aqualad thought that was a rather accurate assumption, and they both dived out of the way. "I don't know about you, but I'm pretty sure these guys were sent after us!" she yelled as she took to the air and Aqualad couldn't fault that logic; he doubted elephants were generally this violent.

Captain Marvel rejoined them and Aqualad couldn't help but notice the collars around the elephants' necks, and they were identical to the inhibitor collars used in the Belle Reve penitentiary.

He whipped out his water bearers and surged forward, the water worming into short flexible tendrils that wrapped around the collar, pulling it loose with a yell, and the elephant's advances were stopped just like that.

"Remove the collar!" he yelled to where Storm Chaser and Captain Marvel were flying in circles around the elephant, and a moment later it fell to the ground.

Storm Chaser examined the collar closely when the other elephant had gone. "It's just like the ones at Belle Reve," she concurred.

"You're sure?" Captain Marvel asked and she gave him a dry look.

"My biological father is locked up there," she said. "I'm sure. But I'm not sure why anyone would want to put collars on animals in India when there's no one around for miles."

"Yet there is some form of intelligence behind this attack." Aqualad frowned thoughtfully. "The rest of the Team may also be at risk." He raised a hand to the comm in his ear. "Team, report status."

But the comm gave a high-pitched beep in his ear. "Comm is jammed…and Miss Martian failed to establish a telepathic link before we split up."

"I'll check and see if I can spot them from the sky," Storm Chaser offered, before shooting up into the air on a cloud.

It was easy to see everything so high up, but not everyone. There was a lake that looked as though there'd been a kind of disturbance, so it was possible that one of the members of the Team had been there, but with comms down it was harder to triangulate position.

Then a voice echoed in her head: Link established.

Should you really still be giving us orders? came Artemis' short-tempered tone. And should you really be following them? She was no doubt speaking towards Miss Martian.

Listen, please, Aqualad insisted.

Oh good, Kid Flash remarked dryly. Aqualad's voice in my head. I've so missed that.

Wally, Storm Chaser remarked with a frown.

What? He demanded defensively, but all she could do was shake her head.

Hey, Kaldur, Robin added. KF and I were attacked by giant vultures. 'Course, since we're moles, you probably think we attacked ourselves.

If he did, he wouldn't tell you, Artemis pointed out sourly.

Superboy, are you online or just pouting? Miss Martian asked and Storm Chaser bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing as she floated back down to where Aqualad was.

Busy, came Superboy's curt reply. Call back later.

Storm Chaser gave Aqualad a questioning look before making a lightning symbol over her own chest and then he made in the direction that Captain Marvel had headed off in.

What gets me is how nonchalant he is about not telling us, Kid Flash added in annoyance.

He should be chalant, Robin said as they pushed through the branches to see three metallic structures situated in a triangle and within were paw prints and drag marks that only a grown man could have made. Way chalant, extremely chalant.

Storm Chaser couldn't help but feel uneasy.

How can we be a team if he doesn't trust us with his secrets? Artemis added like Aqualad wasn't listening.

Or if Conner doesn't trust us to take care of ourselves? Miss Martian's words were rather pointed.

Did he really think we could have been the mole? Kid Flash asked Robin.

We're known each other for years! Robin added.

I mean, Amy, I could understand, Kid Flash added.

Hey, Storm Chaser complained.

Dude, you keep secrets for a living, Kid Flash pointed out. And then there's that questionable relationship you have with an assassin.

Questionable? Storm Chaser spluttered.

Hey, Robin interjected, you're the one that made out with Cheshire in full view of a camera.

Color rose high on Storm Chaser's cheeks and she could imagine Artemis' face at the mention of that kiss. One, we did not make out, no tongue was involved, thank you very much, and two, don't be such a goddamn Dick!

Only Robin and Kid Flash caught the 'Dick' bit and it was saying something if Storm Chaser was annoyed enough to use the nickname that she never did.

Sorry, he thought apologetically, but Storm Chaser ignored him.

Enough, Aqualad said sharply, ripping through one of the metallic rods, making it release sharp sparks of electricity as it short-circuited. Captain Marvel has been captured, and we must act as a team to save him.

Hmph, Kid Flash snorted sarcastically. Under your leadership? I don't think—

This is not up for debate, Aqualad cut across him with more determination in his voice than he'd had since their mission had begun. 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.

Silence followed that pronouncement.

"Wait to go, Kelpie," Storm Chaser muttered before tossing him a grin.


It didn't take them long to find the hideout of whoever had taken Captain Marvel. It didn't appear to be guarded at all, but there was more than one way to guard a hideout, and those metallic rods situated around the compound were vaguely suspicious.

I'll fly over, Miss Martian suggested when they all took up locations in the trees and tall grasses.

Negatory, Kid Flash was quick to counter. The field is stamped like a dome over the whole compound.

Pylons are insulated, Robin was checking his holographic computer, but one good shock could cause a momentary gap.

I see a target. Artemis nocked an arrow in her bow.

Then be ready to hit it, Aqualad said, taking a step forward only to be stalled by Storm Chaser's hand on his arm.

No, I'll go, she said, my body's better for dealing with the level of voltage the perimeter has.

And then she darted past him until she came to a stop at the edge of the dome. Storm Chaser took a sharp breath in through her before raising her arms, the electricity rolling off her arms in waves to connect painfully with the dome. Storm Chaser gritted her teeth, feeling it burning the tips of her fingers before a small opening formed that Artemis was quick to shoot her arrow through, and a moment later the dome had deactivated and Storm Chaser was shaking out her fingers.

Are you all right? Miss Martian asked in concern, floating up beside her.

I'll be fine, it just stings a little, Storm Chaser assured her before monkeys bearing the same inhibitor collars as before, each giving a cry that was the same as an alarm.

"Dammit," Storm Chaser bemoaned. "Why can't things ever go as planned for us?"

"Where's the fun in that?" Robin gave a cackle and Storm Chaser rolled her eyes at the sky before drawing her batons and leaping forward.


"You got lucky."

"I know."

"Be more careful next time."

"I will."

"You ever thought Captain Marvel would look small in front of Amy?" Robin asked Wally as they were preparing to head back home after rescuing Captain Marvel from having his brain removed by The Brain and his gorilla companion, Mallah.

"No," Wally snorted, leaning against the bio-ship, "it's kind of scary when you think about it."

Amara checked her watch. "I think your uncle is expecting you back soon," she mentioned.

"Oh, yeah, he is," Captain Marvel admitted sheepishly, tensing his legs and preparing to shoot off into the sky. "It was nice to see you again and thank you!" Then he shot off with enough speed to ruffle Amara's hair.

Amara sighed before making her way back to the others only to notice they were all staring. "What?"

"Lecturing Captain Marvel?" Artemis arched an eyebrow. "You've got balls."

Amara rolled her eyes before leaning down to pet Conner's newest stray, a pure white wolf that he had aptly named Wolf.

Now that they were all calmed down from their anger at Kaldur, Robin asked: "Why did you keep the mole intel a secret?"

And it was something they were all rather eager to hear as well.

"The source of the tip was Sportsmaster."

Amara watched Artemis' whole body language change to defensive at the mention of her father. "What?" she demanded. "You can't trust him!"

"I do not," Kaldur said. "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," Dick realized before cocking his head just slightly. "But you had to consider it might be true."

"Yes," Kaldur agreed, as leader, I did. In which case, I did not wish to alert the traitor."

"Hate to say it," Dick sighed, "but…makes sense."

"I am still prepared to step down," Kaldur insisted, only for Wally to put the matter to vote, in which it was unanimous.

Amara patted his arm when she walked past him on the way into the bio-ship to head home. "See," she said almost knowingly and Kaldur couldn't help but smile.