Just to be clear these stories take place literally between each episode, like how the 16th is between the 15th and the 17th.

I'm going to do one for between each episode in Invasion.

This is the second part of the Tigress mission story.

Beneath is the episode where the all female team infiltrates Bialya

Before Beneath

PALO ALTO

Wally West POV

"You agreed!" I yell in shock spitting food out of my mouth. There were many things that I was not expecting.

I didn't expect my best friend to ask my girlfriend to do anything behind my back.

I didn't expect him to ask her to go on an undercover mission with our apparently not-traitorous friend.

I didn't expect him to ask her to fake her death and upend the life we made after retirement.

But the thing that has me so mad has nothing to do with that... Dick. It's that Artemis said yes.

That why she made my favorite meal (a bunch of everything) tonight!

"Kaldur needs help," Artemis tells me slowly, as though that will somehow make me feel better about this.

"Then Dick should help him, Aquaman should help him, Garth should help him, somebody besides us!" I yell holding her hands. "We're retired we don't-"

"Wally that's an excuse, and there is no excuse not to help our friends, especially when I might be the only person who can."

"I don't believe that we are the only people that can-"

"But we are!" Artemis interrupts me. "There are four people who know the truth about Kaldur, he is surrounded by his enemies, his friends have turned against him, and he is getting deeper and deeper into an abyss every day! I think I might be the only person who can help him."

Artemis argument, the fact that she fought back didn't surprise me. Once she sets her mind to something she's going to do it. But what I head from her just now isn't her. I know her, asI know him. She didn't make her own argument, she made his!

"How did Dick tell you about Kaldur?" I ask her. Artemis seemed puzzled by my train of thought.

"He just..." she paused for a while. "Just came out and told me when I sat down."

"That Aqualad was on a secret mission?"

"No. Actually he didn't plan to tell me that." That leaves me puzzled.

"What did he tell you?"

"Well first he said that Aqualad had betrayed us to work with Black Manta... because... he's Kaldur's father!" She said that last part with a dramatic reveal. That would probably push me to the dark side too. Artemis examines me for a second and I feel defensive. "You don't seem surprised to learn Black Manta is his father." Artemis crosses her arm.

"Wellllllll... Kaldur told me," I said quietly afraid of what will follow. "[GULP] He needed to help him." I say instantly regretting my words.

"Then Dick should help him, Aquaman should help him, Garth should help him, somebody besides you!" Artemis says smirking, channeling me from earlier.

"Well... Aquaman always knew and just chose not to tell him, so not the person he wanted to go to." Artemis eyes widened at the reveal that Kaldur's mentor hid something like that from him. "Like from birth!" Both of us are probably thinking: Would our mentor have done something like that! "Yeah its messed up."

"Ya don't say."

We just stare at each other for a while before I speak up.

"Back to this stupid crazy insane idea of yours! What did Dick tell you after Kaldur's betrayal?" I ask Artemis.

I take a step back to think about everything Dick has done recently.

He's spent the last month informing every hero associated with the Team and the Justice League that Kaldur has betrayed us and that if we come into contact with him don't trust him. But I'm the last person he chose to inform! The guy whose known him longer than anyone on the team, the guy who CO-FOUNDED the team! I'm the last person!

Now I learn that Kaldur's a double agent. I'd be chill with that, and actually quite happy, because Kaldur's not a traitor. I'd be fine if he didn't tell me for Kaldur's safety, but why did he tell Artemis and not me? Sure she was part of the team but the three of us and Red Arrow go way back.

And now I learn that he had a meeting with my girlfriend where he somehow talked her into FAKING HER DEATH to join Black Manta's organization. Why couldn't they have just had an affair?!

He could have told the two of us together, but instead he arranged for a meeting where only she could be there. A meeting where she came out with the idea that she should FAKE HER DEATH. No mater how many times I repeat it to myself, I just can't believe Artemis would agree to it. Especially after the life we made here.

He did this all on purpose.

Dick talked her- manipulated her! Into agreeing to FAKE HER DEATH.

"Huh. Ummmm-" I stop imaging what I'm going to do to Dick once I can get ahold of him to listen. "He actually tried to ignore the Kaldur thing, then we started some boring conversation over..." Artemis ponders what to say next. "...something irrelevant about what we do here." Irrelevant about out life here? Is Artemis bored of civilian life? Is that why she- No that can't be enough to push her into something like this. She would just do a small patrol around the city not a 3 month mission. There has to be something else. "But then Dick just broke down mid conversation."

"Dick broke down?" Dick has had his emotional moments, but breaking down? I don't think he would break down in a Starbucks. Unless he wanted the sympathy. To make people susceptible.

"Yeah he felt very guilty about sending Aqualad undercover."

"But Dick didn't feel guilty about sending you undercover," I reply. That's a big inconsistency.

"Wally I suggested that Kaldur needs a partner," Artemis sprang to Dick's defense. Artemis suggested it?

"Are you sure?"

"Am I sure? Of course I know what I said."

I want to tell her that she doesn't know that. That there is somebody out there that get you to do things by making you think its the only way, that its the right thing to do, that it was your idea. But after the falling out Dick had with Batman, the reason he became Nightwing… I didn't think he would do that to Artemis. That he would brainwash her!

Artemis come up to me and gives me a hug.

"Babe. I know that you just want to keep me safe, but I have to do this."

"You'll regret it."

"You don't know that." Artemis says as she walks away from me.

"I think I do." I sulk into my lap, clenching my fist.

I can't talk her out of this... but maybe I can talk Dick out of it.

MANTA FLYER

Black Manta POV

"Father," Kaldur calls my attention as he walks into my office. "I have compiled a list of potential assistants." I put down my coffee at this pleasant surprise.

"What made you change your mind?" I ask my son. A week ago he was resolved to work solo, not wanting somebody who may try to usurp him.

"I figured you were not going to let this go." Kaldur pulled up several files. "I figured it was best to start as soon as possible." I smile at my son as I picked up the files he compiled. "All of them are well-trained and can be hired for the right price."

"Kaldur, greedy subordinated do not make good subordinates." I teach my son. "Perhaps they can help in a pinch but you want long-term employees." Based on my son's facial expressions I can tell that he took the lesson to heart.

"Of course father." Kaldur looks through the files and removes nine of the sixteen. "I believe these would make the best choices." I look at the seven left over. They are all well trained and disciplined assassins from the ages of 18 and 25. All of them are listed as having their own vendettas against members of the Justice League. Though one of them catches my eye for what was not on the file.

"This one has no photo. Why?" I ask my son.

"Tigress? She takes stealth very seriously," he tells me. A bold move coming from this Tigress. But one that displays professionalism. "When I met her-"

"You already met her?" I didn't expect my son to take the initiative to interview potential candidates.

"Her mother was paralyzed during a fight between Green Arrow and a drug cartel run by Brick."

"And she blames Green Arrow?" I ask my son seeing if he can answer the actual question.

"It was Green Arrow's explosive Arrow that pushed her mother off a building, she's trained ever since." That's the type of motivation I look for in an employee.

"When can you hire her?"

"Father! There are six other candidates we should consider."

"There are six other candidates with insignificant motivation." I hold up several of the files. "Petty arrests by the League, mistakes of their own making, and insecurities drive these other six candidates. No my son, what you need is somebody with true motivation."

"[RING]"

"I have a meeting to attend." I put on my helmet and head to the conference room.

"Very well father," Kaldur responds. As I walk through the door he says, "I believe she will be able to join us after the Earth Mars Satellite is destroyed."

I'm sure Kaldur can see me smile through my helmet.

Thanks for reading.

Next time: How did Bart get a time machine?