The team met up at the exact time in the main section of the cave. Batman, Red, and Green Arrow were already there.
"What's up?" Robin asked.
"We've called you here because-" Batman was cut off y the zeta-tube coming to life.
"Recognised: Kid FlashB03"
"The Wall-man is here! Now let's get this party star-" Wally came in, arms full of beach supplies and in his swim trunks. Unfortunately, he didn't see the group had been gathered, but he did once he tripped over a crack in the floor, sending the ginger speedster to the ground and the beach ball he had been holding went bouncing around the cave. "-ted..."
I didn't know whether to facepalm, laugh, or feel sorry for him.
Before anyone could do anything however, GA and Batman were pushed away from each other as a small, yet muscular blonde girl in a green leather uniform walked out from behind them.
"Wall-man huh, love the unifrom. What excatly are your powers?" The girl asked.
I like her...who is she?
"Ugh...who's this?" Wally asked.
"Artemis, your new teammate." The girl responded.
Thank you
"Kid Flash: never heard of you." Wally said, as Green Arrow came up and placed his hand on Artemis' shoulder.
"She's my new protege." Green Arrow announced, and my eyebrows flew up.
Oh this so wasn't going to end well
"What happened to your old one?" Wally asked, just as the zeta-tube came alive again.
"Recognised: Red ArrowB07"
"Well for starters, he doesn't go by Speedy anymore." Roy said as he walked into the cave. "Call me Red Arrow."
"Roy!" I exclaim, going to hug him but he holds his hand out as I near him, cutting me off from making any contact as he walks toward GA.
Okay, now that's just rude.
"Roy, you look-""Replaceable." Roy cut his ex-mentor off with a snarl.
See? Not good
"It's not like that. You said you were going solo." GA exclaimed.
"So why waste time trying to find a sub? Can she even use that bow?" Roy asked.
"Yes! Shecan." Artemis said, walking right up to Roy and staring right into his eyes, the obvious height difference of over a foot not seeming to bother her. It was evident this girl had some serious guts.
"Who are you?" Wally exclaimed.
GA and Artemis both explained, in perfect sync, that Artemis was his niece.
"Another niece?" Robin muttered, sounding amused.
"But she is not your replacement." Kaldur said, stepping up. "We have always wanted you on the team."
"And we can always have more than one archer." I said, finally getting close to ROy but instead of hugging him, I placed my hand on his arm.
"Even if we couldn't; you know who we'd pick." Wally said, and I sent him a look.
"Whatever Baywatch." Artemis smirked, walking forward. "I'm here to stay."
A moment of silence filtered through the air and I turned to Roy.
"I'm going to assume you came here for a reason?" I asked.
"Ya, a reason named Doctor Serling Roquette." Roy said, and the name seemed to strike a cord with Robin as he pulled up a file on his holo-computer.
"Nano-robotics genius at Royal University in Star City." Robin announced. "Vanished two weeks ago."
"Taken two weeks ago, by the League of Shadows." Roy said.
The name struck something in all of us. The League of Shadows were one of, if not the biggest group of bad guys the League has fought. They were a big deal, and if Roy had a mission for us with them in it...big news.
Most of the team looked excited, but I felt kind of terrified.
"You want us to save her from the Shadows?" Robin asked, ecstatic.
"Hardcore." Wally exclaimed, fist bumping Robin.
"I already rescued her." Roy said, making the boy's smiles disappear. "Only one problem...the shadows had already coerced her into creating a weapon. The doc calls it the Fog: comprised of millions of tiny little robots. Capable of eating through any substance in their way: wood, steel...Flesh, bone."
I shivered.
"But it's true purpose isn't destruction." Roy continued. "It's theft. The Fog is capable of eating and storing raw data, before giving that intel to the Shadows.
"Perfect for extortion, manipulation, power broking. Ya, sounds like the shadows." Artemis said.
"What do you know about the shadows?" Wally said skeptically, and Artemis smirked in reply causing Wally to yell out.
"Who are you?"
"Roquette's working on a virus that will render the Fog inert." Roy explained.
"But if the Shadows know she can do that..." Robin started.
"They'll target her." Roy agreed.
"Where is she now?" I asked, interest piqued.
"I stashed her at a local high school's computer lab." Roy explained.
"You left her alone?" GA exclaimed.
"She's safe for now." Roy shrugged.
"Then let's you and I keep her that way." GA tried to connect with his former protege.
"You and I? Don't you wanna take your new protege?" Roy said bitterly.
GA looked like he was about to say something, but Batman put a hand on his shoulder, making the blonde archer stop and think for a moment.
"You brought this to the team: it's their mission, which makes it her mission too." GA said strictly, making Roy sneer.
"Then my job's done." Roy said storming off.
"Roy, wait! You can still-" I was cut off by Roy updating his zeta-beam profile before he disappeared. I sighed in defeat and honestly felt like punching something before I felt someone lay a hand on my shoulder.
I turned to see Kaldur giving me a look that read 'I get it, but not right now'. I sighed again before nodding.
***
Nobody liked stake-outs. It's harsh, but it's the truth. We're superhero-teenagers: full of energy, adrenaline, and God knows what else that makes us all have low attention spans. Now normally this isn't a problem when we're fighting, because we're putting our energy to good use: but on a mission where we just stand and watch...Not so much.
But that comes with the job of being on a covert-ops team: lots and lots of stake-outs.
The plan for tonight was that Megan, Superboy and I do perimeter outside, while the rest of the team is inside with the doctor.
"Everyone online?" Megan asked as she formed a psychic link, making me close my eyes and chale away any pain that my new meds left before returning to my normal crouching stance.
"This is weird..." Artemis said.
"And distracting. First I have to code and distributing algorithm on a kiddy computer with less RAM then a wrist watch, but now I have to hear teens think in my skull?" The doctor exclaimed, making me hold back on eyeroll.
"Lady, do you always complain when people try tohelp you?" Wally asked.
"Pot, Kettle: have you met?" Artemis quipped back.
"Hey, I don't need attitude from the newbie that drove Red Arrow off the team!" Wally bit back.
"That is so not on me!" Artemis responded.
"Guys, maybe try to act a little more professional?" I said, trying to calm things over.
"She started it!" Wally exclaimed, making me facepalm.
"Maybe I'll just go help Superboy and Miss Martian withperimeter." Artemis said, annoyed.
"Goodidea." Kaldur said, sounding annoyed.
"You might wanna cut her someslack." Robin said, I'm guessing to Wally about Artemis. "It was her arrow that saved your butt against Amazo."
"No! That was Speedy-I mean RedArrow'sarrow... Right?" Wally stuttered.
"Not so much..." Robin answered.
"Well...I'm still not giving her the satisfaction." Wally pouted.
"You know I can still hear you!"Artemis quipped.
"Couldn't get the Justice League..."Doctor Roquette groaned.
But leave it to Kaldur to save the day.
"The virus won't be of much use if we cannot find theweapon."Kaldur stated. "Can you track it?"
"My Utility FOG is not a weapon. It's science: brilliant science." The doctor corrected. "And of course I can track it, but I'd have to go online. Might as well just rent a billboard with this address and 'assassinate me' written in neon."
A moment of silence passed before Kaldur worked his magic once again.
"We will protect you." He said kindly, and a moment passed before the doctor responsed.
"Tracking FOG now."
***
As Artemis and Megan took the north entrance and area, Superboy took the south as I took the sides via the roof.
Of course, it was boring so I ended up flipping through the air from side-to-side and after a while, Superboy leaped right over the school and onto the North side.
"Mmm...That boy." Artemis' voice said through the link and I almost fell mid-flip. My face blushed and I felt like nose-diving into the school.
Please tell me she didn't just...
"He can hear you! We can all hear you!"Megan growled, voice filled with wrath and envy.
"Oh, I know..." Artemis said in a smooth voice.
Yup, she was checking out Superboy.
And my face is now a flaming hot tomato.
"Miss Martian, Doctor Roquette had located the FOG." Kaldur said, coming to the rescue. "Reconfigure thebioshipso Robin and Superboy can pursue."
***
With Robin and Superboy gone: our troops were smaller then before, so it was decided that I should be moved inside so that the doctor would more immediate protection when it was needed.
So there I was, waiting in the computer lab with Kaldur and the Doctor as Kid waited in the hallway and the girls covered outside.
Suddenly however, Kaldur flew in front of the doctor and stood there as ninja stars imbedded themselves in his arm.
Right after, a thin womanly figure in a green kimono and white mask with a smiling cat design appeared, running into the lab.
"That had to hurt." She said in a silky tone.
"Atlantan skin is quite dense." Kaldur shot back as he pulled out his water-bearers and formed his swords. Alongside him, I summoned my winds in preparation.
"Kid, Miss Martian, Artemis: we're under attack in the computer lab!"I exclaimed through the mental link.
"On our way!" Artemis' voice responded.
"And my shuriken are quite poisonous." The assassin said as she went for Kaldur, but this time I was the one to step in front as I used my wind to pick the figure up and throw her into the wall.
She was able to stand back up and flip back, aiming for Kaldur who used his knives to deflect her attacks and protect/follow the doctor who was backing up.
Kaldur finally got a good hit in but it caused him to hit the floor as well, and the woman threw a sai at the doctor, but I was able to use the wind to blow it away.
"The girl's covering for you. Poison slowing you down?" The assassin asked as she and Kaldur crossed swords.
"Jellyfish toxic, I am largely immune ." Kaldur growled, and I kicked the assassin's feet from under her. Unfortunately, she was able to position herself so she fell onto me. I was able to blow her off of me, but Kaldur fell forward at he same time and they crashed into each other. The woman gracefully stood up and positioned her sword at me and Kaldur.
But we were saved by an arrow flying and knocking the sword out of her hand.
"Don't. Move." Artemis growled, bow still aimed.
"This gig's getting interesting." The woman says as Kaldur and I stood up and prepared our attacks.
Artemis sent a flurry of arrows at the assassin, but the enemy was able to deflect them, but both stopped when Megan and Kid came rushing in.
"Maybe a little too interesting..." The woman hummed, before throwing down a smoke bomb and disappearing.
"She's getting away! You're letting her get away!" The doctor yelled.
"This is all your fault!" Wally yelled at Artemis. "You were on perimeter!"
A moment passed as Artemis gave Wally a glare that rivaled Batman's.
"That's not really fair." Megan said. "I was outside too."
"Ya, you were out...Being distracted by her!" Wally argued. "Besides I can't be mad at you. You gave me mouth-to-mouth."
He said the last part telepathically.
"We heard that!" We all exclaimed through the link, making Wally groan.
I walked up to Artemis and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"The first mission is always the hardest, and it never goes perfect for anybody." I said, using my nice-older-sister voice. "And we know you can't have been training for very long, so don't worry: that assassin will be back, and we'll get her."
Artemis looked troubled, but smiled slightly and nodded.
"Robin to Aqualad." The coms suddenly came to life with Robin's voice. "We're over Philadelphia. We've located the Shadow's next target: STAR Labs...We're too late: it's completely destroyed. The FOG decimated it."
"This is bad." I hummed, thinking back to a file I had read. "STAR Labs is a prime ali with the League. They have info on things that only them, and the League should know about: not to mention the mass amounts of cutting edge science they held."
"And now that intel is in the hands of the enemy." Robin agreed. "What's our next move?"
"Rescan for that FOG." Kaldur ordered. "We're moving the doctor."
***
The new plan was a lot sneakier then the old one. Wally and Artemis were in a fishing store with Megan who was in disguise as the doctor, while I was in a cyber-cafe with the real doctor. Kaldur would go out into plain sight and not-so-subtley tell a fictional Megan to do a perimeter sweep in camo-mode, so that the Shadows will think Megan's not a problem. They'll attack the fake doctor: and as Wally put it: They've been hoodwinked.
Even if they did manage to track down the real doctor: Kaldur and I could take them. Even if Kaldur was slower with the poison running through his systems, making me worry while also making himself open to DEATH.
Ya, okay, so I'm worried about him: so sue me.
"They'rehere." Artemis said through the link.
"Virus is almost complete."The doctor said.
A couple minutes later, a thumping noise was heard from the roof.
"We have company!" Kaldur said, sounding panicked.
"Uploading!" The doctor said finally. "And by the way: you said you'd protect me."
Kaldur and I prepared for the attack, and from my peripheral I saw part of the ceiling open and something aim for Kaldur.
"Aqualad!" I warned, but he still took three poison darts to the chest.
"Let's test that jellyfish immunity shall we?" The woman said, leaping down from the ceiling. I guarded the doctor as Kaldur went for the assassin. Of course he didn't last long before she kicked him, and he fell straight on the darts. He didn't get back up.
"Immunity tested." The woman said and I glared.
"I really don't like you lady." I growled.
"Oh Darling, you're breaking my heart." She hummed sweetly before taking out her sword. "Now move aside and let the grown up woman talk. I have an appointment with the doctor."
She came at me but I pulled the same trick as before and grasped her with wind and threw her around the room. Not hard enough to do any permanent damage, but it wouldn't be painless.
When I dropped her, she groaned: her masked cracked.
"For such a sweet girl, you okay rough." She said in a tone that annoyed me.
However, our battle was interrupted by a small beep from the computer.
"The virus had been uploaded." I said with a smirk. "You lose."
"The virus may have eliminated the need for the doctor's elimination, but not the entertainment value..." I glared and increased the wind in my control. "Fortunately my orders are clear. The shadows may find another use for her..."
She threw down another smoke bomb before I could do anything.
"Artemis."
"I got her."
Trusting the assassin to Artemis, I ran over to Kaldur. Flipping him over, I pulled out the darts and checked his pulse.
"Is he..." The doctor muttered and my mind went blank when I found his pulse was almost un-findable.
"I need water! Now!" I exclaimed. The doctor ran over the counter and filled up a container with water from the sink. I placed Kaldur's head in my lap before taking the water and putting it to my friend's lips. Once all the water was gone, a moment passed before Kaldur began coughing.
I let out a huge sigh of relief and Kaldur opened his eyes.
"Lina?" He groaned, and I smiled.
"Hello again." I said happily.
"How did you fare?" He asked, and I helped him sit up and let him lean against my body.
"The virus has been uploaded, but the assassin got away before I could stop her. Artemis is taking her on outside." I explained
"Then we must...Go." He groaned, and he tried to stand up but almost fell. Thankfully, I was able to catch him and pull him into a human-crutch carry.
"Easy there Kaldur." I said as I gently lifted him up to his feet. "Don't need you almost dying on me again."
I motioned the doctor to open the door for us and we walked out together to see Wally and Megan with two new captured assassins and Artemis with a distraught face.
"She...Got away." Artemis admitted.
"What? From you? Big surprise!" Wally mocked.
"Kid! Stop!" I said strictly.
"Her mask." Kaldur noticed on the ground, and I too recognized it as the woman assassin's smiling-cat mask. "Did you...See her face?"
"It was dark..." Artemis explained and I sent her an understanding smile.
"It's okay. The Fog has been rendered, we all got out alive, and the world is once again saved." I explained optimistically. "We can deal with one runaway gun-for-hire another night. Tonight: we celebrate...After Kaldur gets some antidote and we send the doctor home."
The team all smiles and nods.
"Well said." Kaldur said with and smile, before turning to Artemis. "Welcome to the team."
"I've always wanted a sister..." Megan said to Artemis. "On Earth anyways...I have twelve back on Mars but trust me, it's not the same."
"I wouldn't know..." Artemis hummed.
"Hey! What about me!" I exclaimed, and Megan looked panicked before I laughed. "I kidding!"
A moment passed before Megan hits Wally on the arm. The ginger groans before shaking Artemis' hand. "Ya, welcome."
"Is it just me..." I whisper into Kaldur's ear. "Or would they make a cute couple?"