Hey sorry for the delay I have been a busy bee. This will be either the second or third to last chapter it depends upon how much I am able to fit into the next chapter. That's all, enjoy xD
Chapter 7: The Hole
"Help me," Red Arrow cried out. Artemis was the first to break from her stupor and ran over to her fallen sister. Red Arrow placed the assassin to the ground and brushed some of Cheshire's hair back soothingly. As Artemis dropped to her side Jade looked at the two heroes with a smile.
"What's…with all…the long faces…" she laughed but soon found it to turn into a wheezing cough.
"What happened," Artemis asked as the other heroes came over.
"Talia and I were ambushed…I managed…to get away…" Jade said. She hissed as Aqualad applied pressure to her wound.
"We need to get her into surgery," Batman said and placed his finger to his com-link.
"Alfred, get Leslie on the line. Tell her we need an emergency surgery at the mountain," he said. He knew that Dr. Leslie Thompkins was the only doctor he could trust to bring to the cave. He couldn't count the amount of times he had to have her stitch him or Robin up from a fight. As soon as Alfred acknowledged the order Batman helped bring the cat assassin into the infirmary. The team and red Arrow was ordered to stay behind as the Justice League closed the door to the medical room.
As soon as they entered the den Red Arrow threw a punch at the wall creating a small crater around his fist. Artemis turned to him with a glare.
"What happened?" She screamed at the older archer.
"I don't know," he hissed "I was given a lead to the original Roy in San Francisco. All of the sudden Cheshire comes falling from a roof top and almost crushes me. I thought she was trying to attack me but she was just…just bleeding everywhere," he said as he tried to make sense of what happened.
"Did she say anything?" Aqualad asked "anything important."
"She said something about it being a funny coincidence that I was in San Francisco and then she just kept repeating 'I know the location,"
"I know the location?" Superboy said and crossed his arms in thought.
"You don't think she meant the location of where the Shadows are, do you?" M'gann asked. The team's eyes widen in realization.
"Maybe she did," Aqualad thought "we need to find out as soon as possible."
'Recognized Dr. Thompkins A0-1' the computer announced and without a second of hesitation Artemis ran pass the team.
"Artemis wait!" M'gann yelled for the archer to stop. Artemis didn't listen and ran to the med bay where she caught an older woman with grey hair walking into the infirmary. Artemis ran to the door before it could close and ran in. Her eyes widen at the sight of her sister on the table with blood dripping onto the floor. Green Arrow turned to see his protégé at the door.
"Artemis what are you-"
"Jade," Artemis cried out and ran to her side.
"Artemis you need to leave," Black Canary said gripping the archers arm. She shrugged the blond heroine off of her.
"Jade wake up," she said leaning over her sister. Jade opened her eyes and looked at her sister with haziness.
"Hey sis," Jade whispered "Looks like all that bad karma finally kicked in huh."
"You'll be fine," Artemis smiled sadly and brushed back some of Jade's hair. Jade coughed.
"…the location," Jade said but began to drift off. Batman's eyes widen under his cowl. He pushed his way next to Artemis.
"The location of what," he said grabbing the assassin.
"Batman," Superman said in surprise and reached for his comrade. Batman growled and asked again about the location. Jade opened her eyes again and pulled her head up to Artemis's ear and whispered something.
Artemis eyes widen as Jade closed her eyes again and the heart monitor flat lined. Dr. Thompkins pushed everyone away.
"I need to operate so everyone not helping get out," she said.
"Jade!" Artemis cried as Green Arrow pulled her away. As she was pulled out she spotted Wally on his own bed tossing and turning in his sleep with Flash next to him wiping a wet cloth across his head. Artemis slipped out from Green Arrows grasp and ran over to Wally. She bent down and crushed her lips upon his gripping him tightly. Flash looked at her with surprise.
"I promise Wally I will save you. Just hold on a little longer," she said in a low voice and ran out before Green Arrow could grab her again.
The rest of the group waited and was surprised to find Artemis walking passed them now in her green uniform with her arrows stocked.
"Artemis?" M'gann asked as the archer came up to her.
"I need to borrow the Bioship," she said in a serious tone.
"For what? Where are you going?" M'gann asked.
"I know where Aamir is," she said.
"Where?" Superboy asked.
"You don't need to know, I'm going by myself," Artemis said.
"Not likely," Red Arrow said walking up to her.
"I don't need anyone else getting hurt."
"You cannot go up against Aamir he is to powerful," Aqualad said and Artemis looked away. She needed to find a way to get to the Shadows hideout even if that meant sneaking behind her friends. "But you will need help to stop the nuclear weapons," he finished with a soft smile. Artemis looked back at him in surprise.
"We are a team," M'gann said reassuring what her team leader was saying.
"So where are we heading?" Red Arrow asked. Artemis sighed.
"Jade whispered me it…Alcatraz."
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
The Bioship flew in silence to the edge of the California shore. M'gann settled the ship across from the large island. The group stared at the sight of the large cement building that lay upon the large rocky landmass. The clouds above it were ominous of a thunderstorm and the winds caused the tide to crash against the stone.
"He's in there," Artemis said with determination.
"Remember Artemis we are not going near Aamir. We go in, we stop the weapon, we get out," Red Arrow reminded the younger archer.
"We need to destroy that monster to save everyone," she said.
"No Red Arrow is correct," Aqualad said. "We are not strong enough to face Aamir alone. We need to just stop this nuclear attack."
"Unfortunately that's not going to be as easy as it sounds Alcatraz is the perfect fortress," Red Arrow said "they were smart to use it."
"Of course they're smart they're the Shadows," Artemis said reminding the team who they were up against.
"Maybe we should contact the league and wait for their help?" M'gann asked.
"They are in the middle of saving Cheshire and…we might not have time," Red Arrow stated "earlier today Cheshire She said they were moving faster than she expected. What if they unleash their nuclear weapon before the League even gets here?"
"He's right," Aqualad said "We can't take the chance but we can't run into this blind, we need a plan."
The group huddled together as the storm from the ocean began to get closer to the shore line. They devised a plan to get into the building; Aqualad and M'gann would swim under the water while Superboy and the two archers take the Bioship to the sky in camouflage mode.
Just as the three got into the ship the rain began to pelt down on Aqualad and M'gann like little ice shards. M'gann closed her eyes and her cape began to melt away and gills grew from the sides of her neck. They gave each other one last look before plunging into the storming water.
Superboy, Artemis, and Red Arrow flew in silence. The teen of steel steered the invisible ship over the large prison. Red Arrow glared out the window and growled. The amount of Shadows guarding the complex was enormous.
At the end of the island Superboy landed the Bioship and opened the hatch. The two archers ran out silently with their bows at the ready. At the other end M'gann shot out of the water invisible to the naked eye. Once she touched down she looked around and then held her hand out pulling Aqualad out of the water. She materialized and the two looked around ready to fight.
'Miss Martian and I have an entrance point. We are entering the building,' Aqualad said through the mental link.
'We've got a lot of shadows over here,' Red Arrow said 'It might take us a little longer.'
'Understood, if we find anything we will let you know,' Kaldur said as he and the Martian melted into the shadows and opened the door to the building. The two teammates moved slowly through the long dark hallways.
'How do we know we are even going the right way?' M'gann asked.
'We check everywhere,' Aqualad said back. M'gann nodded and as they continued to walk they found themselves in a hall full of cells all locked with bars. Each cell was empty until they reached the end. M'gann looked into one and gasped.
'What is it?' Kaldur asked and walked up next to her. M'gann pried open the door with her mind and ran in stopping next to a white hospital like bed in the middle of the small dark room.
'I can't believe he's here?' she said as she stood next to the sleeping body that was hooked up to different medical machines.
'Who is he?' Kaldur asked.
'You don't recognize him? It's Rick Grayson,' she said.
'Robin's uncle?'
'Yeah. I recognize him from the news.'
'But he is with Aamir is he not?'
"It must be a disguise…that's how they lured Robin away from batman," M'gann said out loud.
"Congratulations you figured it out," the two heroes heard a woman's voice behind them and turned sharply. They looked into the cell across from them in surprise.
"Who are you," M'gann demanded. The shadow of the woman behind the bars stood up but hissed in pain and she bent down.
"Sorry I am not in my best…I am Talia al Ghul," she said stepping into the light of the cell. She was covered in cuts and bruises and held her arm tenderly.
"You are Ra's al Ghul's daughter?" Aqualad asked.
"In the flesh," she laughed slightly.
"What is the meaning of this," M'gann said gesturing to the sleeping Rick.
"I told you that you figured it out. Rick had never woken up. We had some of our assassins pose as nurses and switched Rick's body with Clayface."
"Clayface?" the two heroes cried at the same time.
"But Batman took him down months ago. He should be in Belle Reve…"
"We are the shadows, you don't think that we wouldn't have someone in Belle Reve just in case one of our people was put in there," Talia laughed.
"Yes well your people don't seem to be on your side anymore," Aqualad said. Talia pursed her lips and glared at the Atlantian.
'Aqualad we have a problem,' Red Arrow said through M'gann's link. M'gann and Aqualad turned their backs Talia.
'What's wrong,' he asked.
Red Arrow stood back to back with Superboy and was surrounded by shadow assassins; his bow at the ready.
'We've been made,' Red Arrow said through the link. 'They know we're here.'
'Are you all alright?' M'gann asked.
'Superboy and I are fine for now but I don't know where Artemis went,' he said growling at the girl's name. 'She ran off probably after Aamir.' M'gann tried to reach Artemis with her mind but the archer had cut off her physic link. Red Arrow shot an arrow off at one of the lunging assassins and Superboy grabbed two hitting their heads together.
Even with their combined efforts the two still could not defend themselves against all the henchmen. An assassin threw a small detonator at the two heroes and it exploded. The prison rumbled causing Aqualad and M'gann to lose their balance.
"Superboy," M'gann cried out as the connection of her two comrades disappeared like a snuffed out candle.
"Having some hero problems," Talia said. "I can help if you let me go."
"You think that after what you did we could ever trust you," M'gann said in anger. Aqualad held her back.
"One of our comrades has gone after Aamir," he started.
"That was stupid of them," Talia said but was just met with a glare.
"If you take us to where Aamir would be or where the nuclear weapon is I will let you go," Aqualad finished.
"What makes you think I won't just run?"
"You won't," Aqualad said with a determined face. "Ever since you gave Aamir Robin you have been trying to help get him back. You want redemption and if you help us you will have it."
Talia sneered at the teen but he was right.
"Fine. I will take you but after that, I go my own way. I will not sacrifice myself for a suicide mission."
Aqualad nodded and broke the lock on Talia's cell. M'gann kept an eye on her as the daughter of Ra's al Ghul led them down the hall way and up some stairs. Aqualad looked at M'gann.
'We will find them. I am sure that they are all fine,' Aqualad said through the mind link.
'I just don't understand how this could all go so wrong so quickly. We were just going to stop the nuclear attack and now we might have lost-'
'Do not think like that,' Aqualad cut off M'gann's thoughts 'We will find Red Arrow, Superboy, and Artemis and if nothing else stop Aamir's plan. The only hindrance is that we might have to face our comrade.'
'But it's still Robin,' M'gann said sadly. Aqualad shook his head.
'The Robin we knew is no longer alive M'gann. It will be hard but we must stop him.'
On the other side of the prison Artemis snuck through the halls with her bow ready. After cutting off the link that connected her mind with the rest of her team she had no idea with what had happened. The team had left her with no choice.
She understood they were just looking out for her safety but she didn't travel across the country just to stop the weapon; she was here to face Aamir. For once she was happy to have been taught by her father on how to be an assassin because that's exactly what she needed to be right now.
She peered around a corner and spotted two men guarding the large doors. Artemis raised her bow ready to surround the two in gas and knock them out.
"Don't even think about it," she heard behind her and felt the cold metal of a gun behind her back. With a growl she dropped the bow and arrow and slightly raised her hands in surrender. The guard pushed her forward and she walked with his command. As they got to the doors the two men she was about to knock out let them through. She guessed this was another way to get to Aamir but she would now have to stop him without her best weapon at hand.
Once the doors shut behind her she stopped short. At the other side of the large, high ceiling room, sitting on large chair was Robin dressed in a sherwani of reds and gold's (1) and it was the first time she had seen Robin since the day they were in Metropolis. Next to him stood Ra's al Ghul but that wasn't made her stop. It was the sight of Red Arrow on his knees beaten, bloody and struggling to get out of one of the guards grasps. Next to him Superboy stood straight and unmoving with no one holding him back. She looked at the black haired teen in confusion.
"Superboy what are you-" she began but was cut off by Aamir.
"Don't worry your Superboy didn't betray your team. He is under my control," the demon said and gestured for the guard to bring the archer forward. As she past Superboy she noticed his eyes were no longer the light blue they have always been but a deep red.
"What did you do to him," she demanded. Aamir laughed as Robin always did before pouncing on his enemy's. In reflex she flinched ready for him to strike her.
"Lucky for me this body knows all your weaknesses and where to find them. Lex Luthor had a small amount of red kryptonite and was kind enough to give it to me…on loan of course," he said as he pulled a chain out from around his neck; a red stone dangling at the end.
"Red kryptonite?" Artemis asked in confusion. The only kryptonite she ever heard of was the green one.
"Oh yes it's a great marvel. It allows me, the possessor to control the mind of any Kryptonian at will. I find it to be much more suitable to control Superboy then to merely destroy him. The Green Arrow wannabe on the other hand could go," he said and nodded to the guard. The assassin nodded back and pulled Roy's head back by his hair. Red Arrow grunted as the assassin pulled out a knife and held it to his throat.
Artemis's eyes widen in horror and shouted. Grabbing the guard's arm that had his hand on her shoulder she tossed him forward onto the ground. She lunged towards Red Arrow while grabbing something from the black pouch on her thigh; her own small knife. She then did the one thing she swore she would never do.
She plunged her knife into the assassin's chest and kicked the man back. Red Arrow crumpled to the ground as he was released and Artemis threw herself over him protectively. She held the knife out to keep the now advancing guards at bay.
"Stop," Aamir demanded and the guards ceased. Aamir snickered. "You are much more entertaining than I thought you would be. Not as flexible as your sister but definitely faster than your father."
"Don't talk like you know me," Artemis growled. Aamir smiled.
"Oh but I do know you. I know everything that Dick Grayson knew and that was pretty much everything. Your father, Sportsmaster used your mother, Huntress as a scapegoat. She got shot in the back while leading the police away from him and was paralyzed. She then spent 6 years in prison where the only contact you got from her was in her letters twice a month. I know your sister abandoned you when you were only nine and now the only one that you have every truly loved is in a hospital bed slowly losing his mind because of me."
Artemis went to attack him but was stopped by Red Arrow's grip.
"Stop he's just…temping you…he's too strong…get out," he said with a cough.
"Yes run like you always do. Run back to the Justice League. By the time you get to them half the world will already be vaporized." Aamir laughed.
"No!" Artemis shouted and stood up. "You're the coward hiding behind your powers and Robins memories. Fight me without your powers you piece of scum," she said and whipped the knife outward. It extended to a small sword and held it out letting the blood of the man she killed drip to the floor. Aamir growled.
"Master I will fight her. Do not let her taunting bother you," Ra's al Ghul said.
"No," Aamir said calmly. "I will fight her and I will show her why I am the demon of order and she is nothing but a replacement archer." He held his hand out and a sword from one of his men flew into his hand. Artemis took a step forward and Aamir matched it.
"I will make you suffer for everything you have done," Artemis said.
"Please, I have seen the spars you've had with Robin and you have never won. Now I have his fighting skills and flexibility. Now is the time to get dis-traught Artemis Crock," Amir laughed. Artemis lunged at him and sparks flew as the two blades hit. It went back and forth each getting a lead and then falling back. Artemis had sweat drip down her face as she ran back at him. She was about to swipe him in the side but hesitated allowing Aamir to catch her in the arm.
She screamed in pain and staggered back. She knew in her head that it wasn't Robin but in her heart it was; how was she supposed to kill him. He was the first to except her telling Wally to cut her some slack on their first mission. He showed her how to fight her fears and even though she didn't know it was him at the time, gave her a friend outside of the hero business. She thought it was going to be easier to defeat him than this.
"Having difficulties," Aamir teased as he ran at her again. A gleam of the red kryptonite caught her eye from around Aamir's neck as their swords clashed once again. She pressed herself against Aamir and like Robin had done with Superboy in there last practice spar used Aamir's body to jump into the air and land behind him. Unfortunately she was not as graceful as the boy wonder and landed on her ankle wrong causing her leg to buckle from underneath her. She fell to the floor and turned quickly as she breathed heavily.
"You thought that you could beat me with the simple moves Robin taught you," Aamir sneered. Suddenly Artemis began to laugh. Aamir's eyes widen in confusion. "What are you laughing at you sniveling little witch."
"You…" she said with a cheeky grin. "I'm laughing at you. You might know all of the moves that Robin taught me but you don't know any of the strategies," she said and held the gold chain with the red kryptonite by her fingertips. Aamir grasped for his chest seeing that the necklace was indeed gone. Artemis quickly hobbled onto one leg and stood straight. She threw the kryptonite to the ground and swung her sword into the necklace. The red crystal shattered and Aamir shouted. He leaped towards her with his sword pointed at her chest. She was crouched to protect herself but Aamir was thrown sideways by the brute force of Superboy.
"Superboy," Artemis cried in surprise. He ran over to her.
"Are you ok?" he asked his teammate.
"I'm fine, how about you?"
"Dizzy…and angry," he growled.
"What's new," she teased causing the dark hair teen to smile. The guards rushed the two teammates while Ra's al Ghul ran to help his master to his feet.
"Let me go you buffoon," Aamir said. He saw the two teens fighting his men and heard a punch from behind him. Turning around he saw that Red Arrow had also gotten up and took his dead guards sword. With a limp the red archer fought off more of Aamir's assassins.
"Give me the remote," Aamir demanded to Ra's and the older man handed him a small device in surprise.
"It's never ending," Artemis said throwing another assassin onto the growing pile of unconscious men.
"Where are Aqualad and M'gann?" Conner asked.
"I haven't heard from them since I split from you guys. I disconnected the link?" She said striking down another guard.
"Why would you do that?" Superboy growled throwing a guard into another one.
"Because I knew you guys would keep nagging me about staying away from Aamir and I need you all out of my head."
"You see now why we didn't want you to go up against him," Superboy shouted.
"Enough!" Aamir bellowed before Artemis could answer. Everyone froze and stared at the demon with the remote in his hand. "I have had enough of these so called heroes. I am putting an end to it now so say goodbye to each other now."
Red Arrow made for the remote in Aamir's hands but it was too late. Aamir pressed the red button with a laugh. Aamir frowned as the large room was filled with a defining silence.
"Was something supposed to happen?" Artemis asked looking around.
"What?" Aamir shouted and pressed the button again but still nothing happened. "Why did the warhead not go off?"
"I don't know master?" Ra's al Ghul said.
"Then go find out," Aamir hissed his eyes now turning red in anger and fangs protruded from under his top lip. Ra's al Ghul ran to open the doors but was thrown back by a large amount of water. He hit the wall on the other side of the large room and coughed up the water that he swallowed. In the entrance way stood Aqualad with a water sword and M'gann standing to his side.
"Your plans have been foiled Aamir," Aqualad said and held a small box with wires in his other hand. "We stopped your missile that was set to hit Washington D.C. Now give up peacefully or we will be forced to stop you."
"You idiots," Aamir shouted his voice now laced with a deeper groggier undertone, his pupils now bright red and surrounded with black. "I will destroy you all." He held his hand up towards Aqualad and the teen was pulled towards his grip. M'gann gasped and with glowing eyes grasped a hold of Aqualad with her telekinesis. Aamir growled and with his other hand flung the Martin to the side.
"M'gann!" Superboy shouted he went to run to his girlfriend but was stopped as Aamir threw Aqualad into the Kryptonian. The two grunted and flew into a wall.
"You all took me for a fool but now I will crush you like the insects you truly are!" Aamir shouted and walked up to Artemis. She took a step back abut suddenly found it hard to breath. Aamir had his hand out and was crushing her throat with his powers.
She slowly lost her footing and fell to the floor blacking out. This isn't the way she wanted to go. She wanted to help M'gann bake one last time and spare with Kaldur. She wanted to teach more of the outside world to Conner and race on the roof tops with Green Arrow. She wanted to have another argument with Roy and go on another mission for Batman. She wanted to race through Manhattan with Zatanna again and know more about Raquel. She really wanted to 'laugh about it someday' with Robin but most of all she wanted to feel Wally's lips upon hers again, to hear him make a joke and call her name one last time.
"Artemis, hey Artemis," she heard Wally through her unconsciousness. Just like that, that's what she wanted to hear. "Artemis wake up," she heard him again and felt herself being shaken. Slowly she opened her eyes with a groan. A blur of yellow was shoved close in her face and when her eyes finally focused she realized it was Kid Flash. With a gasp she sat up quickly and banged her head against his. They both hissed in pain.
"Wally!" she shouted and with a grab of both sides of his head pulled him in for a kissed. Wally smiled into the kiss but broke them apart.
"Watch out!" They heard Green Arrow from behind them and Kid Flash lifted her and ran just in time to miss an array of bullets. Once Wally put her down against a wall she looked at the fight going on in the middle of the hall. The Justice League was there and now fighting the guards with Superman and Wonder Woman going up against Aamir and even though they were throwing some punches she could tell that they were holding back. Like her the thought of fighting the former boy wonder put a strain even on them.
"What happened?" she asked in a daze. "How is the Justice League here, how are you better?"
"Well because of my metabolism I was able to detox the Lazarus elixir faster than it could kill me. I woke up a little after the doc finished patching up your sister."
"Jade made it?" Artemis asked with tears of relief.
"Yeah she's going to be fine. As for the Justice League being here well…"
"Next time you want to go out on a secret mission make sure you don't say the location where a security camera can pick it up," Artemis heard behind her and jumped back as Batman slammed a guards head into the wall next to her. Artemis suddenly realized that she told the team about Alcatraz right next to one of the plainly seen security cameras and suddenly felt like hitting herself in the head.
"Batman I'm…I'm…"
"Not now," he said and turned towards the chaos glaring at the sight of his protégé. He quickly shook off his emotions and ran towards the fight. "Now we stop Aamir."
1) A long coat-like garment worn in South Asia like India. If you don't know it just Google it and you'll get plenty of pics.
I threw a lot in there so I hope I didn't confuse anyone. I will try and get the next chapter out as soon as possible.
*Story spoiler…kind of*If you wanted to see what happened when Artemis was knocked out don't worry I will be rewinding slightly in the next chapter
Review kindly please xD