MoP
Harry Potter and the Myriad of Possibilities: Prologue
Chapter 3: Deception, Part 3.
Disclaimer: This is solely a not-for-profit fan activity and does not intend to infringe on copyrights held by Time Warner, DC Comics, Bloomsbury et al, and JK Rowling. Any characters that are original to this work remain the property of the author.
A/N: The Myriad of Possibilities Series primarily uses the background from the Harry Potter books but some elements and scenes have been borrowed from other sources – including the movies, Pottermore and my own headcanon – that will be covered where they fit into the narrative. The timeline of the DC Comics elements borrows heavily from Young Justice (2011) and may adapt elements and characters from the comics and several additional other media instalments – including but not limited to Smallville (2001) and Superman and Lois (2021) – and relocates events of Young Justice to the Eighties and early Nineties rather than the New Tens as screened and includes several 'legacy' and original characters as a result. Any other recognisable characters belong to their copyright holders.
A/N: Thanks to Dragon97, 6f5e4d and the members of the Caer Azkaban group for their help on this chapter.
A/N: I decided to take a little break from Rebellion so that I can close out Phantoms and get at least an idea what the plans for Targets are before continuing, but rather than go on a full hiatus I decided to go back and spend some time with one of my favourite Team members. I will be continuing with Deception until I catch up Rebellion, then I may alternate chapters or post full versions from each perspective depending on what fits the episode in question and where my muse goes up to at least Auld Acquaintance and potentially into some original Year One content.
Gotham,
August 13, 14:16 EDT.
"Have you got everything?" her mother asked as she watched Artemis zip up the red-and-white kit bag that she'd received from Green Arrow.
"I'm not taking much," Artemis told her. "Just a couple of changes of clothes, a few books, my old suit and quiver… it's not like I'm going to living there like M'gann and Superboy."
Her mother nodded and then rolled back to allow Artemis to move towards the door. "Do you know when you'll be back?"
Artemis shrugged. "If it's just a training session, I might be back for dinner, but if something comes up…" she trailed off.
"I understand," said her mother. "Can you let me know if you'll be late?"
"I'll try," Artemis agreed.
"Have fun."
Mount Justice.
14:58 EDT.
Artemis had was halfway down the corridor back to the Mission Room after stowing her gear in her on-call bedroom, when she heard the Zeta Tube spin up.
The rest of the Team and Red Tornado are all here, so that must be Black Canary… she thought, and sped up, eager to start sparring today.
"Recognised, Captain Atom One-Two."
Captain Atom? Artemis thought. Where's Black Canary?
When she reached the Mission Room, the rest were already there, and Kid Flash at least appeared to be thinking the same thing if the look on his face was anything to go by.
"Please be seated," said the older hero, indicating the series of desk-and-chair combinations that he'd set up on the training ring.
"Where's Black Canary?" demanded Kid Flash. "She's supposed to be training us, not you!"
"She is otherwise occupied with personnel business today," Captain Atom replied, his voice even, apparently not bothered by the outburst. "But she didn't want to leave you on the lurch, so she asked for a volunteer to step in temporarily."
"And we appreciate you taking the time, Captain," said Aqualad.
"Now, I'm not a hand-to-hand combat expert like Canary or Batman," continued the captain. "So, I thought that we'd cover another vital part of covert operations instead."
He summoned a holo-screen labelled 'Espionage 101' and began to talk.
It quickly became obvious to Artemis that while the captain was clearly an expert in the topic, he had zero talent in teaching it, and was probably the most boring teacher she'd ever had…
Mercifully, he seemed to realise this fairly quickly and changed tack. "All right let's learn in the field," he said, then with a hand signal he dismissed the 'Espionage 101' screen and brought up another screen marked 'Confidential; 475 92 0012; CLASSIFIED 02 25'.
How did he get that? Artemis wondered, as the file 'opened' to a picture of a chisel-jawed blond man in Air Force blues and a file headed 'Adams, Nathaniel C, Captain USAF'.
"This is a cold case," began Captain Atom. "Vietnam Era… Captain Nathaniel Adams, United States Air Force. Convicted in nineteen sixty-eight of murdering Clement Lemar, an Air Force general. Adams died in prison, but I've received a reliable tip he was framed. Your assignment: Investigate. Prove Adams' innocence or reconfirm his guilt and report back to me."
"Really? You need super-powered operatives for this?" exclaimed Superboy.
Again, the older hero didn't visibly react to the outburst. "Right, then… I'll continue with the lecture."
"NO!" chorused the entire Team, including Artemis herself.
16:16 EDT.
"Well, this could be harder than I thought," Robin reported to the rest of the Team. "The only information I've been able to find online is the trial transcripts and they're not much help. I've sent some questions to a couple of Batman's contacts to try and get clarification, but I haven't heard anything back yet."
"Understandable," noted Aqualad. "Is there anything that we can do in the meantime?"
Robin scanned the holo-screens in front of him. "Yeah, are a few people we could talk to… Adams and his wife are both dead, but his two kids are alive and living in Waikiki. They were only five and eight at the time, so I'm not sure how much they'll know…" He trailed off for a moment as he rechecked a couple of points. "… Randall's a rising Cadet First Class at Colorado Springs, rumour has he's going to be a flight commander for his squadron this year, so he might have some connections… the daughter, Peggy, just graduated high school, and is enrolled on a journalism course."
"She is unlikely to be of any assistance," offered Aqualad. "However, we should talk to them anyway."
"Agreed," said Robin. "The trickiest person to get to will be Wade Eiling, he was the presider of Adams' court martial, but he's a three-star general at the Pentagon now."
Aqualad turned to M'gann. "Miss Martian, do you think that you could…?"
"Impersonate someone and get in to talk to him?" she finished. "I'll need as much information as we can get on likely candidates, but as long as we find a female officer that's a similar body type to me I should be able to pull it off if we go in while it's quiet."
Robin moved to another screen and started typing. "How about her?"
Miss Martian moved to his side and glanced over the profile. A slim young woman with a blonde pixie cut. "Danielle Kelly, Captain… age 27, why her?"
"She recently transferred to the Court of Criminal Appeals after an initial tour as an area defence counsel out of Travis AFB in California," explained Robin. "Which means that she's not as well-known as some of the other advocates at the Pentagon."
"That makes sense," agreed the Martian.
"Then once you believe that you are adequately prepped, the two of you will Zeta to Washington and question the general," decided Aqualad.
"But I wanted to…!" started Kid Flash but was cut off by a hard look from the Atlantean.
Aqualad turned back to Robin. "Is there anyone else that we should talk to?"
"A definite maybe for a couple," Robin replied after considering the options. "Based on current information, the only other person that we should definitely talk to is Henry Yarrow, a former intelligence operative and Adams' defence counsel."
"Do you have a location for him?"
Robin checked his screens. "I've got a credit check from the Rampart in Las Vegas, it's only a couple of days old so he's probably still there."
"Then we will split up in to three squads," decided Aqualad. "Arrowette, you and I will take Bio-Ship to Hawaii and talk with Captain Adams' children."
Artemis nodded her agreement. "I'll think I'll go and get changed."
"Would half-an-hour be acceptable?" asked Aqualad.
"That'll work," she agreed and trotted off towards her room.
13:30 HST.
"Have you managed to make contact with Captain Adams' children?" Aqualad asked. "We will be arriving in Hawaiian airspace within moments."
"Yeah, I have," Artemis confirmed. "I told them that we're interns with Stars and Stripes."
Aqualad gave her an enquiring look.
"It's the official newspaper for the US armed forces," Artemis clarified. "I figured that that was our best chance to get them to talk but also our best chance not to get our cover blown."
"That does make sense," agreed the Atlantean. "Have you agreed a meeting location?"
"Kid Flash to the Team."
"Go ahead, Kid Flash," replied Aqualad.
"We found Henry Yarrow. Seems like a good guy… He wasn't able to tell us much we didn't already know… Lemar ordered Adams to take out a squad to investigate a smuggling ring… only Adams and Yarrow survived… he seemed pretty adamant that Adams had been drugged, but with the pathologist testifying that Adams was clean there was no way to prove it. I think he's suspicious of General Eiling though, he says that he thinks that Eiling marrying Adams' widow and taking in his kids 'stinks to high heaven'… and if you ask me he's not wrong. I'm being to think that Captain Atom's tip was on the money."
Kaldur nodded. "I am having similar thoughts. The question is… what to look into next?"
"Nothing here," Kid Flash replied. "You might get something out of his kids on Eiling though."
"Agreed," replied Aqualad. "Robin?"
"Worth a shot."
"If Adams was framed, then the next lead to check out is Shirley Mason, the medical examiner who said that he wasn't drugged…"
"Miss M and I are already on our way to her place," reported Robin.
"Keep us apprised," instructed Aqualad and closed the link. "You were very quiet just then?"
"I didn't have anything to say," replied Artemis. And I didn't want to set off Baywatch and get us distracted. "The Adams kids will meet us at their hotel bar at three o'clock local time."
"That is in less than thirty minutes," he commented. "But we should have just enough time."
14:00 HST.
Aqualad paused as they entered the lobby of the hotel.
"Do you want to me too…?" asked Artemis, sensing his uncertainty.
"Please," conceded the Atlantean with a brief sigh of relief.
Artemis led the way to the desk. "Can I help you, miss?" asked the uniformed woman at the desk. "Cal Durham and Alice Cook to see Randy and Peggy Eiling?"
The woman glanced down, "You're expected. They're waiting for you on the patio."
"How do we get there from here?" asked Artemis.
The woman motioned to another uniform man. "Wong, can you show these two to the patio? The Eiling kids are expecting them."
The man nodded and motioned from them to follow him. He led them through the restaurant and out onto a small, covered patio where their subjects were waiting. Randy wore his official dark-blue shell-suit with a white t-shirt underneath and Peggy wore a boat-necked red top with the sleeves pushed up to her elbows and yellow-lensed sunglasses
"Thank you for meeting with us," said Aqualad as they sat down. "I understand that this might be a difficult topic to discuss…"
Randy snorted; his expression impassive. "I'm only here for Peggy's sake," he replied, his expression softening momentarily as he glanced her way. Nate Adams is not a topic I would ever choose to discuss."
"Randy, you're talking about our father!"
"Ow!" Randy exclaimed and flinched away from her as she struck him on the arm. "Wade Eiling is our father. He raised us… Adams gave up his parental rights the day he betrayed our country and murdered his superior officer."
"Our mother never thought he was guilty!" reported Peggy. "And I don't believe it either!"
"I've seen the file, Peggy," her brother countered. "I didn't want to believe it, but there's no proof that Dad wasn't guilty, and evidence doesn't lie."
"Hah, you just called him 'Dad'," said Peggy, smugly.
Randy scowled and sat there silent sulking for the rest of the interview.
14:17 HST.
They had just left the Adams' kids, when a signal came in over their commlinks. "Robin to the Team."
"Go ahead, Robin," said Aqualad.
"Shirley Mason is dead, but we have a lead… a group photo with several familiar faces pictured with a North Vietnamese general called Trang."
"I've heard of him," Artemis added. "He was supposed to be a real hardliner, involved in some heavy-duty criminal activities too. As far as I remember, he disappeared after the conflict."
"He didn't disappear," Robin countered. "At least, not forever."
"You have found him?" Aqualad asked.
"Yeah, he's living it up just outside Annapolis, Miss M and I are heading there now."
"He's in Brazil?" Artemis asked, a little surprised.
"No, not Anapolis," clarified Robin. "Annapolis… in Maryland. Not far from the Naval Academy."
That… doesn't track… thought Artemis, but she had enough faith in Robin's sources that she didn't argue.
"KF and SB are going to meet us there."
"Be careful, my friend."
By this time, they'd reached the beach, which was mostly empty, but Aqualad wandered towards the edge, stopping only to remove his shoes and roll up the legs of his pants before he began to wade through the shallow water. Artemis slipped off her own sandals and followed him.
"Well, Randy's a little… intense," Artemis commented, as the silence began to get a little uncomfortable. "But at least's he realistic… biology hardly guarantees parental skills… or even basic honesty." As I know well from personal experience. When Aqualad didn't reply, she drew level and glanced towards him. "Nathaniel Adams may be guilty as charged." The Atlantean still didn't respond. "Aqualad… Aqualad?!"
"My apologies, Arrowette," said Aqualad, and glanced back in her direction. "My thoughts were in Atlantis with…"
"Your own parents?" Artemis asked, although she wasn't sure that was it. "What are they like?"
"My mother, Sha'lain'a, is a native of the Atlantean city-state of Shayeris. Her skin is nearly as golden as her hair…" Aqualad replied. "My father, Calvin Durham –"
"Cal Durham," said Artemis. "You're named for him?"
"Yes, although it is properly pronounced Kaldur'ahm in Atlantean," he replied. "My friends call me Kaldur. Alice Cook?"
"Not my real name," Artemis confessed, then paused, uncertain.
"You do not have to tell me," Kaldur assured her. "Your secrets are your own. As I was saying, my father is a surface-dweller like you… but he was genetically altered by Black Manta so that he could infiltrate Atlantis as a water-breather."
"Your dad works for Black Manta?!" exclaimed Artemis.
"He did," Kaldur clarified. "But his love for my mother caused him to switch sides. So perhaps we should reserve judgement on Captain Adams until all the facts are in?"
You're almost as much of an idealist as Peggy is, Kaldur, Artemis thought to herself. Not everyone is as good a person as your father was deep-down… my father had the same chance as yours, but he refused to even consider putting us first…
California Coast.
17:48 PDT.
"Robin to Aqualad."
"Go ahead, Robin."
"The Adams case just went from cold to red hot!"
"What happened?"
Artemis glanced back at him. The Atlantean wasn't the most relaxed person, but he was visibly tenser than usual.
"We were investigating General Trang, Miss M went in under stealth to take a look around, but an assassin arrived almost immediately… he slightly injured her, and SB moved to back her up, with KF and I not far behind."
"Is she all right?"
"She's fine," Robin confirmed. "SB had a bit of shock though, as the guy's sword was able to cut him, then bring a wall-hanging down on us long enough to get to Trang and kill him."
A sword that can cut Superboy? Artemis thought, worried. What is that made of? This could be bad…
"Are there any other leads that we can investigate?" asked Aqualad.
"Only Enos Polk, the initial responder for the SPs. He's in Metropolis."
"Then we will rendezvous in Metropolis and discuss the situation further," decided Aqualad after a moment's thought. "Does anyone know a good place?"
"Bibbo's Diner," suggested Superboy. "Food's good."
"Do you know the address?"
Superboy didn't reply for a moment, "Nineteen hundred block of Simon, Hob's Bay. Not sure the exact number."
"I'm sure that will be sufficient," Aqualad assured him. "We will meet you there within the hour. Aquaman out."
Metropolis.
21:45 EDT.
(Has everyone downloaded the annotated photo we found in the dead woman's hand?)
(Yes, Robin,) confirmed Miss Martian.
(Check,) added Kid Flash.
(Yeah,) said Artemis.
(Yes,) replied Aqualad.
(Superboy?) asked Miss Martian.
(What? Yeah. Photo. Downloaded.)
(Is it your wound? Does it still hurt?)
(It's a scratch,) he insisted. (I'm fine. Move on.)
Robin took him at his word. (Facial recognition software has identified almost everyone in the photo… which we think was taken in nineteen sixty-eight, the year Adams was charged with murder. The only players not in the photo are Nathaniel Adams himself and General Wade Eiling, who was the judge at Adams' court martial. Eiling sentenced Adams to life in prison, where he died… after which Eiling married Adams' widow and raised his two children, Randall and Peggy.)
(This boy… could he be the assassin? The one that Trang called 'Rako'?) pondered Miss Martian. (Trang said he had protected Rako since he was a child. But Rako said he was loyal to someone other than Trang.)
(It's a good bet that that 'someone' was our missing CIA spook, Alec Rois,) asserted Robin. (His dossier lists numerous nasty specialities, including brainwashing…)
(This photograph is looking more and more like a hit list!) exclaimed Artemis. (Somehow Rois and Rako found out we were investigating the Adams case…)
(And decided to tie up loose ends!) added Kid Flash. (That means either Sergeant Polk or Adams' old buddy, Henry Yarrow, are the next to die! And if so… it's kinda our fault!)
(So, what's our next move, Boss-man?) asked Robin.
(Our next move?) repeated Aqualad, clearly distracted. (We split the team. Half of us investigate Polk here in Metropolis… while the other half heads to Las Vegas to protect Yarrow.)
22:16 EDT
M'gann brought Bio-Ship into a hover over Polk's apartment building, then stood up, shedding the human disguise that she'd worn since the diner in favour of her Martian form. (I'll check it out.) she offered, then opened a portal in the floor and slipped down through it, turning invisible as she dropped.
"Do you have everything you need?" Kaldur asked Artemis once they were alone again.
"I've only got a handful of basic trick arrows," Artemis admitted. "But this suit was good enough against Ivo's MONQIs, so I expect I'll manage."
Kaldur nodded, and they waited in a comfortable silence for M'gann to report back.
(All clear,) reported M'gann. (The apartment's empty.)
(Then we shall join you,) said Aqualad.
Two lines dropped from the ceiling, and they were able to lower themselves to the fire escape outside Polk's apartment.
The entire place was trashed.
Artemis turned back to the window and examined it, then turned to M'gann. (No signs of forced entry here… You opened it psychically?)
The Martian nodded.
(That doesn't necessarily mean much though,) Artemis noted as she picked through the wreckage to the front door, which was also intact.
(Do you think that Rako or Rois have been here?) Aqualad asked after watching her investigation for a few moments.
Artemis considered the question for a few moments as she continued around the apartment, then shook her head. (Unlikely,) she replied. (There are no signs of a struggle or a body… and no assassin is going to take the time to hide a body, scrub the place and then potentially attract attention by trashing the place.)
(A robbery then?) asked M'gann.
(That makes even less sense,) Artemis replied. (The windows and door were locked, a robber would have had to force them, which didn't happen…)
(Perhaps…) said Aqualad, but then trailed off, apparently not sure what he wanted to say.
(Besides, a robber might have trashed the place, but they'd also have taken anything portable when they left, and his laptop and several other similar items are still here,) Artemis continued. (Nothing decorative like pottery or paintings either, but he retired shortly after the Adams affair, and according to Robin's intel hasn't had a steady job since, maybe he just couldn't afford them.)
(Some people don't like that sort of thing,) offered M'gann.
(That's true,) agreed Artemis and returned to the bedroom. (No, I think Polk just skipped town in a hurry. Most of the mess in here, around the desk and dresser…)
(Which is where you would go for clothes, papers, money and other essentials before leaving,) Kaldur finished.
(Exactly.)
(What do we do now?) Artemis asked Kaldur.
(There is little point in remaining here,) Kaldur replied. (And we can do nothing in Las Vegas that Robin's squad is not already doing, I suggest we return to the Cave and get some rest so that we can be as fresh as possible to respond to new developments.)
Salt Lake City.
23:16 MDT.
"I've spotted the others," reported M'gann. "Bringing us in to land, now."
The three boys entered a few seconds later. Kid Flash smirked as soon as he saw her outfit. "Stop at a pageant on the way?"
"Nope," retorted Artemis, feeling her temper rise as it always did around that… irritating boy… "And I saved your butt from Amazo wearing it!"
Kid Flash didn't reply at once, and Kaldur stepped between to forestall any further argument. "Enough, we must focus on the mission, not fighting amongst ourselves," he turned to Robin. "You said you found a new lead at Mr Yarrow's residence?"
"A couple," Robin confirmed. "We think someone… I'm not sure who but I've got a pretty good idea… is trying to play us. We found documents for a location, a warehouse in St George, about two-hundred and sixty miles southwest of here… It could be a trap…"
"Then I say we spring it," said Superboy and Kid Flash nodded his agreement. "We can handle them."
"Our previous engagements do not necessarily support that statement," pointed out Kaldur. "However, I believe you are correct. This is what we will do…"
St George.
23:26 MDT.
"You must be that CIA spook… Alex Rois," Artemis declared, not taking her eyes off the sneering, moustached man in brown pants and a black blazer that stood to her left.
"Alex Rois is dead," claimed the man, his hands not moving from his pockets.
"So, you're his 'ghost'," replied Artemis without missing a beat. "Whatever."
"That just leaves the big boss," said Robin.
"Henry Yarrow," finished Kid Flash angrily.
"You don't seem surprised," observed the old man from the gantry above them. "Did you also guess that you were walking into a trap?"
"We did, actually," confirmed the speedster. "Not much of one, though… since we outnumber you six to three."
"After over a decade in the arms game, kid… let me offer you a little tip," said Yarrow. "Quality trumps quantity… unless you're talking about explosives."
At that moment, Rois smiled and took his hands out of his pockets… which revealed an explosive switch clutched in one fist.
(M'gann…?) said Artemis.
(Ready.)
"My friend is holding a dead man's switch," explained Yarrow, his voice confident. "If anything makes him unhappy… or causes him to let go… this whole thing goes boom. You keep that in mind, son. I see that 'S', can guess what it means… but your little pals aren't invulnerable, even if you are…"
"Him?! Invulnerable?!" snorted Rako from behind her. "My sword proved otherwise!"
"You proved nothing, Rako. Your sword was forged with our stolen government X-Ioniser… it could cut the real Superman."
"Perhaps we might return to the matter at hand…?" asked Aqualad.
"Apologies, old men are so easily distrac…" said Yarrow. "Wait a minute… where's the flipping Boy Wonder?!"
"Flipping your way now!" replied Robin.
"Rois! Blow this popsicle stand!" ordered Yarrow as he hit the floor.
(I've got him!) reported M'gann.
"I'm trying!" yelled Rois, who was struggling with his detonator. "Something's holding my thumb down!"
My turn, thought Artemis and quickly fired an arrow at the former spy, encasing his hand in a rapidly solidifying foam.
"No!"
"Yes!" declared Kid Flash as he flipped towards the ex-spy and kicked him in the side, knocking him down.
With Rois secure, Artemis turned towards the other threat at ground level, the samurai Rako, but he and Kaldur were already facing off.
"You young fool! No sword stands up to mine!" he boasted.
"Then I will not use swords," Kaldur declared, then shot two streams of water from his water-bearers into the man's face, knocking him off balance, then sent an electrical charge down the stream, knocking him out.
Seconds later, Artemis' attention was drawn back to the gantry as Yarrow, having recovered a little and got back on his feet, had opened fire on the Boy Wonder.
Superboy leapt up to the gantry, placing himself between them, and they ricocheted off his chest, one of them striking Yarrow himself.
"Huh," said Yarrow. "Guess the kid… was… invulnerable…" he noted, then collapsed onto his back.
M'gann flew down to the gantry and settled next to the villain.
Mount Justice.
August 14, 07:57 EDT.
"It begins and ends with Nathaniel Adams…" M'gann told Captain Atom as they and the rest of the Team stood in the training ring. "Adams uncovered evidence of a weapons smuggling ring… he brought intel of a weapons drop to his superior officer, General Lemar. Unfortunately, Lemar was part of the ring and saw Adams' intel was an opportunity. Lemar could get rid of Adams and the head of the ring, Henry Yarrow. Yarrow was only a lieutenant, and the general resented taking orders from him… so Lemar tipped off their North Vietnamese contact, General Trang… Yarrow was told Trang had simply been instructed not to show at the drop… but Lemar secretly ordered Trang to ambush the squad instead. All were meant to die including Yarrow… but Adams spoiled Lemar's plan by heroically saving himself and Lieutenant Yarrow."
Kid Flash took up the report at this point. "Now Yarrow had two problems… his incorruptible buddy Nate, who knew Lemar was part of the ring… and Lemar himself, who had tried to have him killed. So, Yarrow pitted one problem against the other… it wasn't hard to get Adams riled up against Lemar… or to drug Adams' drink either… Yarrow sent Adams to confront Lemar… the drug took care of Adams and Yarrow's man Polk took care of Lemar, using Adams' knife in order to frame him. The trial that followed was a joke… nearly everyone involved – Yarrow, Mason, Blankly and Polk – was a member of the ring…"
"What about Eiling?" asked Captain Atom. "The judge at the trial?"
"Eiling wasn't in the photo of the conspirators," Robin replied. "As far as we know, he truly believed in Adams' guilt."
Captain Atom turned to M'gann. "Yarrow's psychic 'death bed' confession didn't confirm that?"
"I'm knew at reading a non-telepathic mind," M'gann replied. "And Yarrow died seconds after we linked…"
"Yeah, for the second time," Artemis interjected. "Of course, the first dead Yarrow was actually Polk, who had the same tattoo."
"When we searched Polk's home, we were meant to think that he'd packed a bag and fled," added Aqualad. "But the height of the body at Yarrow's residence matched Polk, not Yarrow."
"And when he found intel amongst the debris tipping us to the airfield in St. George… We knew it was all too easy. We knew we were being set up."
"Team, I'm impressed," said Captain Atom as he and Superboy shook hands. "You did good work."
"Yeah, work that comes too late to help Nathaniel Adams," said Artemis bitterly.
Captain Atom released Superboy's hand and turned to put a hand on Artemis' shoulder. "But not too late for his kids," he reminded her, which brought a smile to her face. "Go tell them what kind of man their father really was."
"It's night-time there at the moment," Artemis pointed out. "So, I think I'll get some sleep and get in contact with them in the morning."
"I will accompany you," said Kaldur.
"I'd appreciate the company," Artemis told him.
"I'll fly you!" offered M'gann.
"Sure," agreed Artemis. "Wake me for lunch?"
M'gann nodded.