Wally: You know, just because you're writing a Young Justice story doesn't mean you have to use every episode.

Conner: Yeah, it's OK for you to skip a few.

Omarnosian10: Look, I get that it's odd that the main star won't be in the chapter, but this episode's important for a lotta reasons, especially for a certain subplot.

Artemis: Red wanting to bang my sister?

Dick: HA!

Omarnosian10: No, but that'll be teased. I'm talking about the consequences of the previous chapter among other things. ON WITH THE SHOW!

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice or Power Rangers. All rights go to Brandon Vietti, Greg Wiesman, and Saban. Before editing, majority of this chapter belongs to JokerCyclone. I only own Josh, his OC upgrades, and most of his rogues. Ownerships of OC Power Ranger teams are in Profile.

Chapter 11: Targets

(Taipei, Night)

"This is Cat Grant with the Fact Channel, reporting live from Taipei, where the peace talks between North Rhelasia and South Rhelasia have broken down." stated a shoulder-length blonde woman, and the newsfeed switched to footage of two Rhelasian men.

"As a last resort, Prime Minister Tseng of South Rhelasia and General Singh Mahn Li of North Rhelasia have resorted to bringing in an outside negotiator in the hopes of finding a compromise that could lead to progress in the reunification of Rhelasia. (feed switches back) Speculation has run rampant as to just who the arbitrator is. Rumors include the United States President, the UN Secretary-General, and even Superman! Though our source indicates that the negotiator will arrive by car, not cape." reported Cat.

'I'm pretty sure a lot of people are disappointed about that part.' Not too far from where the news report was happening, Roy was situated in an alleyway facing the hotel. He was in a black and white suit and dark sunglasses. He activated his earpiece, and the redhead waited for the other end to pick up.

"Aqualad."

"Red Arrow. I need access to the Justice League database." After Roy went solo, Oliver restricted his access to the Justice League support system. He still had access to the network of Zeta Tubes around the world, but when it came to everything else, like database access, he was on his own. Not that Roy minded all that much. If he was going to prove himself worthy on his terms, he needed to find his own way. But for this, he needed just a little bit of help.

"What do you need?" asked Aqualad. Roy could hear the unspoken question in his voice, but the archer chose to ignore it.

"Info on the height and build on the League of Shadows member known as Cheshire." Anyone else would have had a lame joke about Roy's love life ready to go, but Kaldur was remaining professional for the time being.

"Cheshire is 1.67 meters, with a slim, athletic build."

"With her other measurements being double B—"

"Steel!"

"Uh…" blushed Roy heavily. He did not need to know that part! Why is that kind of information even in the database?!

"Apologies, Red Arrow. You were calling in the middle of a spar between us. Also, 1.67 meters is roughly 5 feet, 6 inches." explained Aqualad.

"Unless she's wearing heels," added Steel. Given the type of character the assassin is, Roy doubts she'll be wearing any. Roy looked out over the crowd, activating his sunglasses. An old Queen Corp souvenir he'd swiped on his way out, the sunglasses began analyzing the height of every woman in the crowd.

"Cheshire is extremely dangerous. Do you require backup?" And just like that, the unspoken was spoken.

"The last thing I need is the Junior Justice League getting in my way. No offense to you or Josh," answered Roy. Out of everyone on the team, Kaldur and Josh are the only ones who are League material in his eyes.

"None taken. Good luck, my friend. Aqualad out." And with that, Kaldur was silent. And just in time, too, as Roy's sunglasses picked up a magazine vendor who was the exact height, build, and—

'****it, Steel!' Fighting a blush at the thoughts the Silver Ranger fed him, Roy made sure no one was looking or within earshot before taking out a P-Morpher with his emblem; gifted to him recently by Josh.

"RED ARROW!" Roy's costumed persona is in place in a flash of red light. Red Arrow pressed a button on his briefcase, causing it to fall apart and reveal his folded-up bow inside.

Unfolding it, Red Arrow saw a white car approaching, flanked by police. Green Arrow's former protege readied an arrow because this had to be the arbitrator.

"And the arbitrator is here, folks! (car stops in front of curb) And it looks like the special guest is…" trailed Cat. And that's when Cheshire made her move. Leaping on top of the magazine stand, the assassin aimed a missile launcher at the car. Cheshire lined it up, making sure it was in her sights as she began to squeeze the trigger…

Only for an arrow to hit the launcher and tilt it upwards just as she fired, sending the missile into the air.

"****it!" Cursing, the cat-themed villain spotted Red Arrow in the bushes and made her move as the Rhelasian security details took notice of her. She leaped off the newsstand towards the car, dispatching any who got in her way. One pulled a gun on her, but she effortlessly grabbed his wrist and snapped it before striking a nerve point on his neck, knocking him out. Two more rushed her, but the cat-masked villain easily dispatched them with no trouble. She ran at the car, pulling out her sais and slashing through a net Red Arrow fired at her. Cheshire leaped at the car, only for Red Arrow to tackle her to the ground. The two rolled around, with Cheshire ending up on top. Just when she was about to skewer the archer's face…

"[Halt!]" Cheshire looked up to see the security details pointing their guns at her, a few briefly aimed at Red Arrow at first when they didn't recognize him in his new costume. As good as she was, the assassin knew she couldn't take on that many men with guns. Not without some unwanted injuries, anyway.

"Alright, I surrender," conceded Cheshire, holding her hands up as the security arrested her. Red Arrow smirked at his victory.

"You saw it here live, folks! An assassination attempt, right on live television foiled by Green Arrow's former sidekick, Speedy!" reported Cat, getting a twitching eyebrow from the archer. Red Arrow was helped to his feet, he couldn't help but look at the car of the would-be victim. The car door opened, and the archer narrowed his eyes at the man who stepped out. "And the negotiator is…"

He stood six feet tall. His black-and-white suit probably cost more than most people would make in a year, if not their lives. He carried himself with a restrained arrogance that most would consider humility if they didn't know better. But his most defining feature, beyond his sharp green eyes, was his shining bald head.

"…Lex Luthor?! (composed herself) A—as you can see, the negotiator is none other than LexCorp CEO Lex Luthor. For those of you at home, Mr. Luthor is a world-renowned philanthropist, known for his investment in the development of Metropolis." informed Cat. Lex nodded at his associate, an attractive caucasian woman with long brown hair. Without a word, she pulled her phone out, and Lex looked around the crowd, his eyes settling on Red Arrow.

The archer felt his skin crawl as Lex walked over to him. The billionaire cast a glance at Cheshire as she was pushed into the back of a cop car, before he arrived at the archer, his assistant hanging up her phone and nodding. The hero made direct eye contact with Lex, not batting an eye as the bald billionaire matched his glare. He looked at Mercy, who simply nodded.

"I must admit Speedy, with the lack of yellow in this new suit, I wouldn't have recognized Green Arrow's sidekick," commented Lex.

"Your intel's outdated. That's former sidekick Red Arrow." spat the archer, eyes narrowed. Lex didn't seem phased. If anything, he was rather amused by it.

"Ah, my apologies," spoke Lex 'politely'. Lex dismissed the police with a wave of his hand.

"If you're expecting an autograph, don't hold your breath." scoffed Red Arrow.

"Well, I expected at least a little hospitality," admitted Lex.

"I'm not in the habit of being polite to arms dealers," stated Red Arrow.

"My dear boy, I'm afraid I have no idea what you mean." raised Lex 'innocently'.

"Cut the ****, Luthor. You might have almost everyone here fooled, but I know what you really are. Do you think Brick just stumbled upon those prototype weapons? Not to mention all those attempts to kill Superman you financed?" retorted Red Arrow.

"And I suppose you have evidence to back up your claims? That I did indeed sell weapons to this 'Brick' fellow, or that I did financially sponsor super criminals that would threaten the safety of my city?" smirked Lex. Red Arrow's silence was all the answer that the man needed. "I'll admit, I was once a tad overzealous in my criticisms of Superman, but I did so only out of concern for my fair city."

"More like your own ego." scoffed Red Arrow. Lex simply sighed.

"Ah, how I've missed matching wits with the intellectual prowess of the superhuman community. (assistant catches attention) I'm not going to pretend to be a saint but trust me when I say I'm on the side of the angels this time. Now, if you'll excuse me, some of us have countries to reunite." waved the CEO. As Lex began to walk off, Red Arrow almost considered walking away. Whoever wanted Lex dead was probably justified, but there was a little voice in Roy's head urging him to stay. This was the right thing to do, and if nothing else, would at least get the League's attention…

'This better not come back to bite me in the ***…' Red Arrow sighed as he followed Lex and Mercy into the hotel, and even though he couldn't see his face, he just knew that Lex was smirking. As the three entered the hotel lobby, Red Arrow got a firsthand example of what the brink of war looked like.

"Northern cowards! Was there no one among your own troops willing to dirty their hands?!" demanded Tseng.

"Liar! This is clearly a Southern scheme!" remarked Li, offended. Tensions were running high, that much was obvious. Hell, Red Arrow figured what he was watching had been building up for decades; a powder keg getting ready to explode.

"We are receiving reports that troops are massing along the Rhelasian border. It seems like things could explode at any moment. It appears that Lex Luthor is our last, or only, hope for peace." reported Cat, getting a groan from the archer.

"Why should either side trust you?" asked Red Arrow skeptically.

"Because LexCorp is a company based on peaceful enterprise, continuing the generous work my father Lionel started decades ago." smiled Lex.

"Does that include selling weapons to both sides? I've got intel linking LexCorp shell companies to weapon sales in both Rhelasias. You're profiting off this war, so why bother with the whole Good Samaritan act?" asked Red Arrow. Lex simply flashed that know-it-all smile that was really starting to get on the archer's nerves.

"War income is pocket change compared to the profit that can be gained from ushering peace. Why make millions maintaining a war when there are billions to be made in creating a peaceful, reunified Rhelasia?" ranted Lex.

"So you spend years keeping the war going, just to reap the profits from ending it?" growled Red Arrow.

"It seems you're starting to catch on. (adjusts tie) Isn't peace in our time worth it, even if a scoundrel like myself profits?" smirked Lex.

"If you even live long enough to profit. Cheshire isn't some dime store mercenary in a Halloween costume. She's League of Shadows, meaning that this isn't over just because she failed." informed Red Arrow.

"Which does raise a rather interesting question. The League of Shadows isn't simply a fanatical cult or a terrorist organization driven by pure zealotry. They're a business, and a business requires customers." explained Lex. Red Arrow's mind starts working in overdrive.

"Meaning someone hired them to kill you." realized the archer.

"And that raises the question of 'who'. Now, while I have no shortage of enemies, my presence here was a closely guarded secret. Not even my security detail was fully briefed on my identity until after I had arrived in Taipei." added Lex. The former Speedy's eyes widened.

"So you yourself weren't the target. Rather, it was whoever was going to be the negotiator…" concluded Red Arrow, and Lex nodded.

"My thoughts exactly. (nods and looks at the yelling Li and Tseng) Like I said before, there is profit to be made in war. Pocket change to me, but to others… a fortune." grinned Lex.

"I don't suppose you'd have any idea who hired them, do you? I thought all you bloodsucking arms dealers keep in touch." hoped Red Arrow.

"(chuckles) I'm afraid I've been left off the mailing list. I haven't the faintest idea, which is why I'd like to hire you to find out." suggested the negotiator.

"I don't want a cent of your blood money." scowled the archer.

"So you mean to tell me you're going to risk your life to save mine, pro bono? By all means, knock yourself out. (adjusts tie again) Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a hemisphere to save. Happy hunting." laughed Lex. And with that, he went and engaged the Rhelasians, effortlessly diffusing the tension with a photo opportunity.

'Honestly…' The whole thing made Red Arrow feel sick. Lex Luthor was as crooked as they came, selling weapons to both sides of any conflict, continuing a grand tradition that Lionel Luthor had started during the Cold War. Rhelasia was just the tip of the iceberg, as Roy and Oliver had gathered evidence over the years that indicated LexCorps' involvement in financing regime changes and civil wars in Bialya, Qurac, and others around the world. Not to mention all the supervillains that were created in Lex's attempts to destroy Superman when he first appeared over a decade ago such as Metallo, Kryptonite Man, and Barrage among others. Not that he ever faced any consequences, of course. There was always a patsy, a fall guy that Lex always managed to lay the blame on enough to satisfy the law.

But, as Lex had put it, he was the best chance at unifying Rhelasia, and if Roy really fancied himself a hero, he had to make sure that happened. And that meant facing the League of Shadows. For a moment, Red Arrow considered calling Aqualad and Steel for help but decided against it. All it would do is show the Team and the League that he wasn't the hero he knew he was.

And so he would show them otherwise. And the first step… was to see about a girl.

'O~h, boy…'

(Next Day, Batcave)

Dick sat in front of the Batcomputer, still clad in pajamas after breakfast, setting up files. If there was one thing that sticks with being Batman's sidekick, it's a tendency to never take chances. And with everything that Izzy and Javi told him during that "Freaky Amnesia" fiasco (dubbed by Wally), he's not willing to break that habit.

Jason Todd
Tim Drake
Stephanie Brown
Damian Wayne
Carrie Kelly

Yeah, the last one might have a lower likelihood than the others, but again, not taking chances.

"Do you not have school in less than an hour or so, Master Richard?" Approaching him from behind while holding a tray of clothes is the family butler; a slim Caucasian male, with gray hair and a mustache. He typically wears a three-piece suit, a black jacket, a maroon vest, and a white long-sleeved shirt with a black tie.

"I got time, Alfred." waved Dick, typing. Curious, Alfred looked at the files.

"May I inquire as to what you are doing that requires your full attention?" asked Alfred. Pausing, Dick contemplated before turning around.

"Last mission, I got some future intel, a bit of which includes my potential successors," answered Dick, gesturing to the names.

'Oh dear…' Alfred sighs. He is not looking forward to the heart attacks these successors will bring. Speaking of, two of their names caught his attention.

"This Stephanie Brown wouldn't happen to be related to Arthur Brown also known as Cluemaster, would she?" asked Alfred. Dick turned back and continued typing.

"From what I've been told and researched, she's his daughter, and they don't see eye-to-eye. And don't worry Alfred, I'm not gonna ask Bruce to recruit them right now or anything like that, just to look out for them," assured Dick. Alfred sighed in relief.

"Good to hear. Speaking of Master Bruce, who is Damian? Is he Master Bruce's and Miss Kyle's future child?" asked Alfred hopefully. Dick shifted around uncomfortably. That's sorta true… in a story a version of (ironically) Alfred was writing. According to Izzy and Javi, in most cases, however…

"Well… you're half-right; Bruce is the dad, but the mother who drugged him into helping her conceive the kid without letting him know about him… is Talia al Ghul," revealed Dick. Alfred didn't look surprised, only disappointed.

"And to think she held a torch for Master Bruce." sighed the butler. He then puts the tray on the table before heading out.

"Where are you going?" asked Dick.

"Preparing the paperwork for Master Bruce!" answered Alfred determinedly.

"Uh… Alfred, there's a good chance he might not even be born yet," suggested Dick. Considering Damian's supposed to be his fifth successor, that sounds plausible.

"You know what they say Master Richard; hope for the best, prepare for the worst!" retorted Alfred. Soon, he left the Cave entirely. Shaking his head, Dick turned back to the monitor, starting a new file for himself.

Nightwing

(Hours later, Taipei Police Station)

Red Arrow stood in silence outside Cheshire's cell, much as he had been for the last ten minutes. He watched her go through Tai Chi as if she wasn't locked in a jail cell. Her smirk irritated him, but it also made him cautious, until finally…

"Aren't you going to ask me anything?" teased the assassin, keeping her pose while speaking.

"I think you know what I'm here for," snapped Red Arrow.

"Actually, I do. Do you?" retorted Cheshire.

"Who hired you?"

"Shadows."

"And who hired them?"

"I don't ask," shrugged Cheshire, stopping briefly to wink at him before going back to her stretching.

"What's your endgame? The peace summit or Luthor himself!?" demanded Red Arrow.

"Two birds… (made gun gesture at Red Arrow) One stone. (shrugs before standing straight) So, where are your little sidekick friends? They're always fun to play with, especially Ar~chery girl. I like her," smiled Cheshire like her motif.

"She… they, aren't in my league," stated Red Arrow flatly, which only made her smile wider.

"And you think you're in mine?" asked Cheshire, stepping to the bars reaching through, and pulling him against them by one of the straps that held his quiver, "Where's Green Arrow when you really need him?"

"I don't…" As much as he liked to pretend otherwise, Roy was still an 18-year-old boy. And Cheshire wasn't unattractive, and being this unexpectedly close to the admittedly attractive assassin… well, Red Arrow wasn't exactly thinking straight.

"Sure about that?" asked Cheshire, placing a hand on the back of his head as if to pull him in for a kiss. The redheaded archer didn't know whether or not he would have resisted, but he didn't have a chance to find out before she ducked down, hugging the bars.

"Oh, no…" Red Arrow facepalmed mentally, eyes widening as the wall behind her blew apart, sending him flying back into the wall. As the smoke cleared, a rope lowered down and a figure slid down it. It took Red Arrow a moment to recognize Black Spider, with blue armor pads on his waist and cast-like gauntlets. He had to applaud the leader after hearing an abridged version of Josh's encounter with Black Spider and why.

"Oh good. They sent you. (sighs) I thought they were going to send…" noted Cheshire.

"He's the one flying the chopper," stated Black Spider.

"Did they have to send him?" huffed Cheshire.

"Because of our last assignment together, they wanted me to have a partner, and beggars can't be choosers, (shrugs before extending hand to her) You coming or what?" asked the spider-themed assassin.

"No! She isn't!" declared Red Arrow, firing at Black Spider. Suddenly, four mechanical spider legs emerged from the armor pads and caught the arrow by the shaft.

"Not a bad shot, are you? Though you're no Green Arrow. (tosses arrow aside before flashbang tip goes off) Try harder next time." taunted Black Spider. With that, he and Cheshire slid down the rope with her winking at him before she vanished from sight.

"**** it!" growled Red Arrow, sprinting out of the room and to the roof. In the distance he could see a chopper, and sprinting along the rooftops towards it, Cheshire and Black Spider, the latter using his mechanical legs for extra speed. He drew a grapple line arrow and fired before sliding along the line, just across from the fleeing pair. Black Spider nodded his head towards Roy and Cheshire shrugged.

"What can I say, he's better than he looks. I admire the persistence, but…" trailed Cheshire before throwing a shuriken and cutting his line, sending Red Arrow tumbling onto a roof. He flipped in mid-air and managed to land solidly and continue chasing them.

"We need to go, he's irritatingly stubborn," sighed Black Spider as he and Cheshire boarded the chopper.

"Wouldn't have this problem if somebody had just done their job right," stated Sportsmaster, turning to Cheshire, who flipped him off. Below, Red Arrow used another shot to grapple onto the chopper. He was now dangling high above Taipei and slowly climbing up.

"Oh come on, are you even trying to lose this guy!?" demanded Sportsmaster.

"Sorry about this Red, but the asshole flying does have a point," sighed Cheshire before cutting his line with a sai and sending him plummeting.

Adjusting as best he could, Red Arrow drew another arrow and fired at his most likely landing point. It burst open and a red thick foam exploded beneath him. The landing wasn't perfect, but at least he was bruised, rather than broken. The former sidekick stared up at the chopper, with Cheshire giving a flirtatious wave as they faded away.

'That… could have gone differently.' Roy'd have been lying if he said he hadn't been expecting Cheshire to have some sort of backup, but he hadn't been expecting them to come for her so soon. Given the Team's last encounter with the Shadows, Black Spider wasn't much of a surprise aside from his new tech. He was half-expecting Hook to complete the set… but seeing Sportsmaster in the helicopter cockpit was unexpected, considering his preference for remaining freelance. Shelving it, he pulled a device out of his back pocket and flipped it open, revealing a black screen that showed a green dot.

'Bingo.'

(Minutes later)

The helicopter flew about two miles before setting down on an island on the outskirts of Taipei. The door slid open, and out hopped Cheshire and Black Spider, Sportsmaster getting out of the cockpit.

"You're welcome, by the way," stated Sportsmaster. Cheshire just scoffed from behind her reclaimed mask.

"If you're expecting a thank you from me after everything you've pulled, you might wanna get your head checked, old man," responded Cheshire. "The only reason you're not dead right now is because I'm a professional. If I wasn't on the job right now—"

"A job you wouldn't even have if it wasn't for me," interrupted Sportsmaster smugly. "Don't think I didn't notice how you cashed in on my name when you got started. So how about a little gratitude?"

"That is enough," A new voice spoke, one that commanded an ancient sort of wisdom. Black Spider and Cheshire immediately kneeled, but Sportsmaster remained standing as he turned to the new arrival. He was a tall, daunting man with sharp green eyes, black hair that had streaks of grey in it, and a long mustache that was rivaled only by his eyebrows. He wore a high-collared green cloak with golden buttons on it, over a black vest, white undershirt, and a golden sash along his waist. "Tonight's agenda called for creating discord between nations, not my assassins,"

"My apologies, Lord Ra's." groveled Cheshire. Said Lord crossed his arms behind him.

"Tell me, Cheshire, do you apologize for your sharp tongue, or for your failure earlier tonight?" asked Ra's.

"I… I apologize, my lord. I didn't anticipate the presence of Speedy." bowed Cheshire, gripping her knee tightly.

"Hm. The unexpected presence of these so-called 'superheroes' does tend to create all sorts of complications. It is a lesson I have learned at the hands of the Detective many times," stated Ra's.

"Ra's al Ghul?" whispered Red Arrow in worry, hiding on top of a building with a pair of binoculars in hand. This is bad. The man is dangerous enough to be on par with Batman (there were even rumors of the Caped Crusader having trained under him) and never got caught. And that's not even counting the Lazarus Pits Ra's has access to.

"Nonetheless, Luthor has been a thorn in my side for too long. Peaceful countries rarely call upon the League of Shadows. (paces back and forth) The job is clear. With the three of you working together, you should be able to overcome any obstacle in your way…" paused Ra's, turning his head to where Red Arrow was observing them. "…starting with that boy."

"… ****." That was all Roy managed to say before the three assassins turned their attention to him. He unfolded his bow and fired an arrow at Ra's, but Black Spider jumped up and blocked it with a mechanical leg as Cheshire and Sportsmaster moved in.

Ra's stepped back into the shadows, as Red Arrow jumped from his perch to a lower one. He fired a few arrows at Cheshire, who dodged, jumping from one statue to another to join him on the roof.

Drawing two sai, she charged, cutting one of his arrows clean in half. As he went to fire another, she jumped, closing the gap between them and forcing him to backflip away… and right into a kick to the back as Black Spider joined the fray, knocking him towards Cheshire who slammed her knee into his gut.

Gasping slightly for air, and now pretty sure two of his ribs were at least bruised, he just managed to start blocking their attacks with his bow, the spider legs slipping in now and then. What he had missed was Sportsmaster getting a running start before pole vaulting into the air, and tossing a discus. Cheshire dodged Red Arrow's attack and then shifted slightly to her right.

The discus came flying in and Red Arrow instinctively raised his bow to defend. It worked… mostly, as the discus didn't cave his head in, but it did splinter his bow to pieces. A fact he had two whole seconds to register before Black Spider's knee slammed into his face. He was forced backward. Turning the momentum into a flip, he landed near the edge of the building. He stared at the long drop behind him and the three assassins in front of him.

"So, I hear you go by Red Arrow now… More like Broken Arrow." chuckled Sportsmaster humorlessly. Roy's vision tunneled for a second, probably thanks to the concussion he definitely had now, but then it was back to normal, and he was acutely aware of the three assassins cornering him.

"Oh come on, that's the best you've got?" taunted Black Spider. Red Arrow's eyes narrowed, trying to figure a way out of this. He was given no time as Cheshire gave him a slight wave when he glanced at her. That split second nearly cost him. Black Spider shot a web pellet near his feet and exploded, just as Red Arrow leaped over the side and into the water below. Sportsmaster ran up and hurled a javelin in after him. Red Arrow hit the water a few seconds before the weapon did. There was another loud explosion as the water rippled out from the impact area before rushing back. The three assassins stared down, but Red Arrow didn't reemerge. Satisfied if not a little disappointed in a few cases, they headed back inside. On the other side of the water, Red Arrow burst out, panting as he crawled onto land. Throwing up a little excess water (along with his pride), he tapped his comm.

"Hey, it's me. So, I may… possibly be in over my head,"

(Taipei Penthouse)

In the penthouse of the luxury hotel, Lex Luthor was finishing preparations for his evening. Red Arrow stood off to the side, arms folded.

"The League of Shadows wants you dead," informed Red Arrow seriously. Luthor looked as though he may as well have informed him that his meal would be a little late.

"Doesn't every League?" retorted Lex.

"Funny, but it's not just Cheshire and this Black Spider. Ra's the one who hired them, and after that little display outside, he's brought in Sportsmaster and got all three some new gear," informed Red Arrow.

"Interesting, though I can't say I'm surprised. Ra's is something akin to a business rival of mine. And I suppose peaceful countries have no need to call upon the League of Shadows." replied Lex, his last sentence ringing alarm bells in the archer's head. Nonetheless, he couldn't do anything about it for the moment.

"Then maybe I should stand aside and let you all take each other out?" scowled Red Arrow.

"(chuckles) Your stab at pragmatism is adorable, but the summit and the peace are at stake here too, remember? We'll increase security, though if they think you're dead, perhaps we can surprise them?" asked Lex.

"I've got some better surprises. Don't worry, you just focus on the peace you so 'deeply desire'." responded Red Arrow. Luthor shrugged as they set out for the peace talks.

(Summit)

The peace summit was now in full swing in the top-floor meeting area of the hotel. Well, if one considered a yelling match a peace summit.

"Reunification is impossible! We have nothing in common!" shouted Li.

"For once, we agree. (folds arms) While once we were one, those days are far behind us. We might as well be night and day!" retorted Tseng. all the while Lex simply smiled from between them and chimed in.

"Gentlemen, this is mere rhetoric. Despite your differences, I'm sure you can find some common ground. For instance, an appreciation for the exquisite art of the Rhelasian tea ceremony?" Lex snapped his fingers, Red Arrow had to keep from rolling his eyes at Lex's showmanship from his spot standing behind Luthor. A woman in a red dress and white facepaint wheeled a tea cart into the meeting room, heading towards the heads of state. She was prepared to push her way through the crowd of reporters to get to them, only for one to turn towards her.

"That is far enough, Cheshire," stated Aqualad, removing his waterbearers from his blue jacket. Cheshire simply narrowed her eyes, before smirking. She pressed a button on the handle and prepared to push the cart, only for a silver energy blast to fly out from the rafters and hit the cart. It knocked it over, and Cheshire barely had time to backflip away before it exploded. Aqualad activated his water bearers just in time, channeling the water from the nearby glasses and moving it to form a shield. The Atlantean grit his teeth as the blast threatened to tear through the water shield, but he maintained it, though the heat and force still destroyed his jacket, revealing his red shirt underneath.

"You ok? (lands beside SOC) That blast looks like it was a lot," commented Beast Morphers Silver, Striker Morpher in hand.

"I am fine. Though I fear this is not over," remarked Aqualad, releasing the shield. Red Arrow jumped down next to them. The smoke cleared to reveal Cheshire putting her mask on as two helicopters ascended to the blown-out windows. The doors opened on one to reveal Sportsmaster flanked by Black Spider and a whole squad of League of Shadows soldiers.

"Kill them all," ordered Sportsmaster while leaping down with Black Spider next to Cheshire. As Aqualad's shield fell away, Red Arrow readied his bow.

"Transport; Striker Saber! (swaps weapons) Since my nephew ain't here, mind taking the lead, Aquaboy?" teased Beast Morphers Silver. Aqualad felt his eye twitch and noticed Red Arrow holding a laugh out of the corner of his eye.

"I shall handle Sportsmaster. Silver, Black Spider is yours to deal with," ordered Aqualad.

"Ah, putting the insect up against an arachnid? How humorous." chuckled Beast Morphers Silver, spinning his Saber. However, both of them knew the real reason for this matchup.

"Red Arrow—"

"You do whatever you want. Cheshire's mine," scoffed Red Arrow, arrow ready.

"So territorial, and only our third date," teased Cheshire.

"Geez, are all ginger sidekicks desperate to get laid, or is it just you and Kid?" commented Beast Morphers Silver.

"Shut up, Silver!" blushed Red Arrow angrily. Soon, the Shadows made their move. Aqualad and Beast Morphers Silver rushed to meet them as Red Arrow fired on Cheshire. She easily deflected his arrow as Beast Morphers Silver flipped clean over her and barely managed to block a leg stab to the face. Black Spider was there to meet him while Aqualad made a break for Sportsmaster.

"You might not be the Ranger that broke my hands, but since I heard you call him nephew, then taking your life will be the next best thing," growled Black Spider, shooting red web pellets. If Steel had a mouth, it would be frowning. The guy even sounds like Spider-Man. If they hadn't checked the database, they would've assumed the guy was an evil counterpart. If Josh knew that, no doubt more than just his hands would've been broken.

"Your hands look fine to me." shrugged Beast Morphers Silver, cutting the pellets.

"Only because of my new gear; otherwise, it would've taken longer to heal!" shouted Black Spider, pulling back and striking with the mechanical legs.

"I noticed. (blocks some stabs and gets hit by others) Speaking of, mind telling a guy who's your supplier?" asked Beast Morphers Silver, his Saber then clashing with the assassin's mechanical limbs.

"You'll be dead before you can find out." shook Black Spider before the two rushed each other again. Meanwhile, Sportsmaster was easily taking out the security team as they tried to rush him. He dodged, ducked, and weaved, taking them out with swift punches and kicks until a water mace struck his mask; courtesy of Aqualad. Sportsmaster let out a growl and began blocking the attacks with a javelin. As they each tried to get a hit in on the other, Red Arrow fired on Cheshire again who dodged and cut the arrows.

"You called in a robot and one of your little sidekick friends. I thought you said they weren't in your league?" asked Cheshire casually. The Silver Ranger almost lost his focus at the comment but kept his head in the fight. Aqualad, however, lost his and was met with a clothesline that flipped him clean over. He hit the ground hard as Sportsmaster pulled a mace of his own and tried to take Aqualad's head off, forcing the SOC to roll to avoid the attack.

'Intriguing.' From the head table of the room, Luthor watched very carefully, making sure no one noticed the very sparse eye contact he was making with Ra's, who was watching from the helicopter. Red Arrow grunted as he was kicked back against a large piece of debris, narrowly bringing his bow up in time to catch a stab from one of Cheshire's sais to keep it from finding a new home in his head. He broke the stalemate and moved back just in time to avoid a gyroscopic kick from Cheshire, who used it as an opportunity to leap backward with a handspring. When she landed, the assassin threw both her sais at Red Arrow, who blocked them with his bow. Meanwhile, Sportsmaster was engaging Aqualad with a fencing rapier, attempting to skewer the Atlantean with a series of quick thrusts, all of which he avoided. Aqualad stepped back, using the water bearers to form two mimic Striker Sabers.

"For second fiddle, not bad, Lad. (circles Aqualad and vice-versa) Shame you didn't bring the rest of your team. I was looking forward to seeing how your new Ranger girl compared to the original. Guess I should've been in Bialya." taunted Sportsmaster. The last word caused Aqualad's eyes to widen. He could dismiss Cheshire's 'robot' comment as a guess with how advanced tech is, but knowing about that mission is no guess.

"How do you—?"

"Let's just say I've got an inside source. Very inside." chuckled Sportsmaster sinisterly. Before Aqualad could ask any more, the sports-themed villain charged him. Red Arrow leaped up onto a piece of rubble that offered him a clear vantage point of the battle, noticing how the Rhelasian guards were being overwhelmed by the Shadows.

"Aqualad, Silver, it's time to end this!" yelled Red Arrow.

"No arguments here! (leaps away from Black Spider) Transport; Beast-X Ultra Bow!" Replacing the Striker Saber is a large mechanical bow with the Cycle Zord's head at the center. Instead of grabbing it, Beast Morphers Silver kicked it toward Red Arrow while almost getting skewered.

"Thanks!" shouted Red Arrow, catching it. A little heavier than he's used to, but nothing the archer can't handle.

"No prob, red!" nodded Beast Morphers Silver… before yelping and falling on his back, his legs wrapped in red webbing.

"What a stupid move!" laughed Black Spider, the mechanical legs letting him tower over the Ranger. "Any last words, bugman?"

"Yeah… (takes out Striker Morpher) Open wide!" Beast Morphers Silver fired an orange energy bullet… that went by Black Spider's head.

"You missed!" laughed the spider-themed assassin, preparing two mechanical legs to skewer the Ranger. Before he could launch them… a drop of water struck his lens.

"Wasn't meant for you, reject!" Above everyone, the sprinklers were set off from the energy hit. A seemingly pointless action, had it not been for Aqualad's glowing tattoos. As the water began swirling around him, Aqualad pointed his bearers at the enemy, gathering the assassins in a dome of water. The Atlantean then sent the water to the front of Red Arrow, forming a scope. Smirking, the archer had the Ultra Bow primed and aimed at the villains.

"Beast-X Ocean Bolt!" Red Arrow released the arrow, unleashing a massive navy energy bolt into the scope. In the end, the bolt tripled in size and became surrounded by water and bioelectricity. As the bolt headed towards the villains, Cheshire pulled out a smoke bomb and threw it at the bolt, which detonated on impact. As smoke filled the room, one of the last remaining Shadows saw his chance and leaped toward Li, Tseng, and Luthor.

"Someone really wants to die for their cause. Mercy," frowned Lex. Without another word, Mercy held her hand up and pointed it at the soldier. Instantly, her hand slid up and her arm opened to reveal a small cannon that fired an energy blast that hit the Shadow square in the chest, killing him. As the ninja's body fell to the ground, the three heroes turned back to where the villains had been and saw that Cheshire, Black Spider, and Sportsmaster were gone, leaving behind a platoon of wet, electrified, and unconscious Shadows. As Mercy's arm returned to normal, Lex turned to a stunned Li and Tseng.

"Gives a new meaning to the term 'arms race', doesn't it?" smirked Lex.

"That technology is most impressive!" commented Li. Tseng nodded in agreement.

"See, I knew you two could agree on something. Mercy here is but the first in LexCorp's newest wave of military technology. The applications are limitless… something I'd be more than happy to discuss in further talks." As Lex continued to talk with the leaders, Beast Morphers Silver got himself loose from the wet webbing.

"I'm normally not one for swearing, but are you ******* kidding me?! All that work we did, the weapons I showed off, and they're impressed by the ******* Mazuma knockoff?!" screamed the Silver Ranger.

"Only that man could turn an assassination attempt into a business opportunity," groaned Red Arrow, nodding in agreement while returning the Ultra Bow. The three entered an elevator to the ground floor. While the elevator went down, a silence filled the air. Once they were on the ground floor and exited, Red Arrow cleared his throat.

"Look, Kaldur… (gets Aqualad's attention) About what Cheshire said earlier, about you guys not being in my league… I just wanted you to know she's wrong. I respect all of you, even Artemis. You're all walking your own paths, figuring out what kind of heroes you are on your own terms. Even if it is for the Justice League." sighed Red Arrow.

"Thank you, my friend." smiled Aqualad. "I know—"

"Which is why I'm not going to pretend I didn't hear what Sportsmaster said back there. He knew things about your missions, and Cheshire even knew Steel's identity, which I'm guessing isn't public knowledge in your universe?" started Red Arrow.

"No, it ain't." shook Beast Morphers Silver. "In fact, only high-ranking Plumbers and a small number of people know about me and the others… and we rarely go out in public as ourselves, mostly in ID masks."

"My point exactly. (nods) These are things they shouldn't know. You think there's a mole on your team?" asked Red Arrow.

"Why a mole? Couldn't someone on the Team have been bugged without knowing?" asked Beast Morphers Silver. If Wally or Dick were here, they would point out the irony of the question coming from him.

"Nah, and you have the Zeta Tubes to thank for that. (waves off) Batman had them fitted to send specialized EMPs that fry all kinds of bugs to keep stuff classified." explained Red Arrow.

"A shapeshifter then?" added Beast Morphers Silver.

"Nah, Manhunter helped with Zeta Tube telling the difference between imposters and the genuine articles." shook Red Arrow.

"…OK, I got nothing, right now." shrugged Beast Morphers Silver.

"I… (folds arms) cannot rule out the possibility. I will have to investigate myself before I make any conclusions or tell the others," answered Aqualad.

"You're not telling them?" raised Red Arrow.

"Only Josh and that is because of his previous occupation. Doing so to anyone else would not only unravel the unit, but it would tip off the mole. If he or she even does exist." answered Aqualad.

"What about if there's more than one?" asked Beast Morphers Silver. That hadn't crossed the Atlantean's mind.

"As you surface dwellers say, I shall cross that bridge when I get to it." countered Aqualad.

"Well, good luck with that," stated Red Arrow. As he began to head out, he stopped. "And Kaldur? Steel? Either of you tells Artemis that I said that; I'll deny it ever happened,"

"My lips are sealed," smirked Aqualad.

"I don't have lips, and even if I did, they wouldn't be!" chuckled Beast Morphers Silver, bringing out his Morpher as a phone.

"Even Artemis."

"Steel… (stiffly turns around) Delete that or else…" threatened Red Arrow.

"Oh, I'll do you one better." shook Beast Morphers Silver, fiddling with his Morpher.

"I—respect—Artemis."

"I wonder how everyone will feel about you when this is shown." laughed Beast Morphers Silver. Face red in anger, the archer lunged at the Silver Ranger, bow in hand.

"STEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEL!"

Artemis: Oh that is rich!

Dick: Trust the author to bring in the humor.

Omarnosian10: *Elvis impression* Thank you, thank you very much.

Conner: Gotta admit, the stuff you added near the end was well thought out.

Omarnosian10: Well, the 'mole' stuff was mainly implied and never certain. More on this subplot will be explored than canon in future chapters.

Artemis: Why'd you include Black Spider in the chapter?

Omarnosian10: To give him more of a personal vendetta with the Team with how Josh trampled him in their last encounter.

Josh: No regrets.

Omarnosian10: And before anyone asks, no; Black Spider's new tech isn't a reference to Iron Spider. Rather, it's based on Ultimate Spidermonkey's UAF design.

Wally: Still sucks that OV took the extra legs away for gorilla arms.

Omarnosian10: No kidding. In a matchup, I'd say UAF has the superior advantage in speed and agility while OV is stronger, but the extra arms' bulk and the inability to retract them slows him down and limits his moves in tight or crowded.

Artemis: Regular Spidermonkey's bread and butter.

Omarnosian10: Haven't brought this up in any of my Ben 10 stories yet, but an in-universe explanation there is on the differing Ultimates is that Albedo's OV Ultimatrix stabilizes him instead of transforming, and the Polymorphic Crystal, along with some other components, differ from the original and result in different Ultimate forms than the original.

Dick: That makes a lotta sense.

Omarnosian10: Other arguments could be made, such as the original being a rush job to explain the small amount of Ultimates.

Artemis: If I remember right, didn't Ben try to go Ultimate Rath in one of the comics, but failed?

Omarnosian10: Hence, the rush job and incomplete list of Ultimates. With Albedo's OV Ultimatrix, he made it so that he could use Ultimate forms Ben never had access to before, like Arctiguana's or Rath's.

Wally: Speaking of Ultimates, any idea what an Ultimate Kryptonian or Martian would look like?

Omarnosian10: Few theories on the former, almost nothing on the latter.

Kaldur: I believe we are getting off-topic of sorts.

Omarnosian10: Oh, right. Sorry about my rant on Ultimates. Anyway, I included Steel for both the humor and the screen time. Remember, by the time this episode was taking place, it was a school day.

Kaldur: And I already completed my home's equivalent of high school.

Wally: Lucky bastard.

Omarnosian10: Speaking of, how much is anyone willing to bet that Roy dropped out after the Young Justice premiere?

Others: Sucker's bet.

Omarnosian10: Now if you excuse me, I gotta prepare a version of "Terrors". SMOKEBOMB!