[26th February 2011]

[Mount Justice, Happy Harbour, Rhode Island, United States of America]

"Fine! I'll take it with me" Artemis whined back to me throwing her hand up after attaching the pair of light metal close combat fighting batons on her back beside her quiver of arrows "See! Did as you wanted, first it's the armour now its weapons"

I gave a snort of amusement, arms folded across my chest and quirking an eyebrow at her "Hey now! I don't complain too much about the pointy stick launcher, and it doesn't hurt to have something to fight with up close...since you are an awesome close-quarters fighter after all, so best let you have something to use"

She puffed up at that, hands on hips before grinning "Well...yeah, I am, aren't I?"

"Eyup, now get your awesome ass over towards those Zeta Tubes before your left behind by the others" I replied stepping forward and patting her on the base of the back to move forward "...because then you'd be very mad at me at getting in the way of your mission"

"Oh, yeah I would" she smirked back deciding a smack on my butt was the appropriate response to my encouraging forward "...shame you aren't coming Skulls"

"Hey" I muttered back as we walked up the stairs and towards the exit area "...explained that already"

"Yup, I'm the hardworking woman and the you're the house-husband"

"Uh-huh, sure...then don't be mean, or no dinner when you come home Honey"

Artemis continued grinning at me, hands up behind her head fiddling with her hair and arrows as we walked along "Oh, I'll be a good girl...for now. Now where's my kiss?"

"Hmm...let's hope so, and here for you love" I replied leaning in and giving her the demand upon to the cheek...only to get her lips mashing against mine for a moment after an initial 'harumph' at my peck. I gave her a gentle smack on the butt this time as she broke away after a second or so "...okay then...Now, come back safe so I don't have to be healing your broken bones or cuts now? Okay?"

"Aww...you're worried about me!" she hummed back happily stepping a fraction away from me as we came into view of the other also arriving and she attempted to act more professional "...that earns you some brownie points for later"

"Good to hear" I muttered back as Artemis gave a wave to the others, thankfully she wasn't the last to arrive as M'gann hovered into view apologising a few moments later. Wonder Woman merely smiled, we were still technically early, and the response time had been decent enough for gearing up and being ready to deploy across the world. Since I wasn't heading out, but was on support duties today, I stood back and listened in on the quick briefing after checking that none of them required any of my particular services, or needed anything from the other stores were assembling in the Workshop/Laboratory.

"...at an archaeological site recently established by LexCorp at Olympia in Greece. Several hours ago the dig site was attacked by an unknown force, some of which were meta-human, and we are going in to see what was so important that Lex Luthor had armed guards on site, and another party was willing to attack in force..." Kaldur explained in the calm tone of his as he brought up the holographic interface and laid out the information current available "...currently members of local law enforcement have sealed off the area over objections of LexCorp, and have requested the assistance of the Justice League"

At a gesture from our, now properly official, Team Leader Wonder Woman nodded "Aye, and as the League is currently stretched investigating this matter in conjunction with yourselves is both the most effective method in the event of the criminals returning, or should something dangerous be hidden there, while also being a valuable training experience with working with both the League and local authorities. It is also the reason for selection of this particular team; Aqualad and myself for our knowledge of ancient Greek, and modern Greek, Zatanna for your magical education, M'gann you will cooperate with myself in interviewing the staff, and Artemis you will be overwatch and seek out any clues we might overlook in..."

It was total overkill for the mission at hand, but it was more of training exercise at this stage than anything else; and in part because certain of the Team had been whining about being cooped up since, well...I nearly died basically. Seemed the teenage superhero response to such things happening to teammates was the urge to go back out there and do hero things immediately afterwards, all while finding more theoretical training somewhat boring.

I really shouldn't be surprised since they'd signed up to vigilantes rather than law enforcement or military, so I waved them goodbye as they left through the ZetaTubes with the beeping 'B-X Person X' sounding as each of them left. Like unhappy mini-Batman standing at central holographic display and computer interface right, all grumpy-like as he played coordination, IT-guy, and support for this particular investigation. Donna Troy too, who grumbled a little at being left behind along with Superboy, but I waved that away as I began to move towards my own console near the Boy Wonder.

"Now, now, both of you work with Wonder Woman, you all the time Donna, so it makes sense for both of you to be on reserve for it. She's the muscle for any fight should it crop up, and Kaldur too, so it wouldn't make sense sending both of you as well..." I began not mentioning that part of what Wonder Woman wanted to do was, I suspected, was allow Donna get more time with the rest of us with her fellow Amazon around. That and it left two heavy hitters within the Mountain for defence, and for deployment for other missions should they crop in the mean time. Villains seemed to love doing that for some reason; there was either no crisis, of multiple ones at the same time "...like Robin's on computers with Kare...I mean Bumblebee, and I get to sit around to act as on site liaison should magical stuff need researching"

Connor gave a faint huff of irritation "Maybe. M'gann got to go though"

I shrugged in response as I heard the unspoken I want to spend time with my new girlfriend in that short statement "So did Artemis, name of the game sometimes. So I'd suggest heading over to Canary and getting a bit of light training in while both of ye can...hopefully I'll be joining you in an hour assuming things go well on this little excursion. I really want to practice my staff fighting after all"

My ever present shadow smirked at that, seeming to appear out of nowhere, but really just from the kitchen where she seemed to have drinking a coffee after leaving myself and Artemis some space "Oh, I shall train those skills into you eventually do not fear. Now, since there are two of these youngsters and only one of Black Canary, I would offer myself as sparring partner till you are free from your monitoring duty?"

'Well, she still hasn't pulled the Young Master crack too much within earshot of the others so be happy me boyo' I remained myself with a smile, glancing at Connor and Donna who seemed to like the idea. Paula likely just wanted to test them out in terms of ability, but it was also likely she just wanted to let off some steam while I got delayed doing the research thing "So, guys, Huntress here will torment you a little while looks like. Aren't you lucky?"

"I would like to test you" Donna Troy said simply, and I waved them off as the trio moved off towards the training area where Black Canary should be teaching my merry duo of teenage apprentices some basic self-defence lessons as part of our deal. Karen Beecher, in her new superhero garb of Bumblebee gave me a nervous, but friendly, smile as I joined her and Robin at the little relay comms area and sat at a proffered chair. I smiled back, tapping at the weird holo-interface that was just odd in a world where computer tech was so hilariously schizophrenic between consumer goods and what a bunch of super-powered kids had access to.

"So, what have we got so far?"

Robin rolled his eyes behind his eye mask "Not much, and not being on the ground doesn't hep"

"No, I suspect our resident computer genius would have better information with access to the most modern computers rather than sitting around a dig site surrounded by dust and ruins"

"Hmph, I'm whelmed you acknowledge my brilliance!" he smugged back at me, and I sighed shaking my head at the tone turning to mildly whining as well towards the end "...but it'd still prefer to be in the field"

"Oh, it's just one mission Boy Wonder, this is about honing your detective skills..." I began scrolling through the limited information that was available; believed shrine to a minor deity or elemental "...and I hope we're not called into the field on this since Crazy Greeks and me don't like to mix, and being called in on something like this indicates something way worse than Luthor seeking out some old magical powers like we think. That and it'll be good to see how things work with one team in the field for coordinating than if we have to deploy our newly expanded numbers to different areas"

Bumblebee looked at me "Why do you say that? About LexCorp I mean?"

I shrugged tapping on one news headline and associated data-feed "Best I can figure, Luthor seems to be a fight with..."

"Vandal Savage" Robin supplied and I shrugged again.

"...and whatever's left of the Shadows apparently. Magic is out in the public eye again, and he's a rich and influential businessman who works every angle as we've seen like in Rhealasia. Fund a few dig sites, find a few old arcane artefacts, and he might gain certain powers or abilities from it. Or is simply trying to deny it to his enemies...but whatever the case vampires are out to get him, research indicates LexCorp investment into the arcane, and we've seen several attacks on his 'black sites' over the past two-three months...so someone didn't want him finding something I'd reckon, so..."

Robin held up his hand and I fell silent as he listened to someone on the other end while his fingers danced over the keypad before him and a map of Greece, then zooming in towards Athens, and then city blocks appeared on the screen before us "Looks like whoever went after the dig site might be trying to rob the Museum of National History in Athens. Sending list of known artefacts to your device Skulls, Bumblebee I need you to coordinate with the Team and I'll direct them towards cops on site..."

--

Note:

This is from canon, though not the series itself and a few years earlier than in the canon timeline.