I know how I got myself into this situation. Logically, I know that Cassie begged me to go on this mission and I agreed because she's my friend. That's the sequence of events that led me to this moment, I know that.
Yet somehow I have absolutely no idea how it came to be that I am currently tailing a camouflaged Martian bioship to an island full of assassins. Even more so I have no idea how I haven't been caught yet. I thought for sure someone - Miss Martian probably - would sense me nearby. Part of me is still anticipating them seeing me when we get to the actual island. I'm hoping I don't have to step in and fight anyone. Kal will kill me once he finds out I came. I told him and the team I'm going to Cassie's for a night or two, and if I have any luck on my side, this mission won't be longer than two days.
The bioship at last reaches Infinity Island and hovers above its shore. I watch as Alpha and Beta drop from the ship to the ground. I've got to hand it to them, they know how to make a silent entrance. I don't think I would have heard them land if I wasn't listening.
I decide to walk in the forest while I tail them. Flying would be quieter, sure, but Superboy will be using his infrared vision to look for Tim and see if anyone is approaching. If I'm on the ground, he'll most likely assume I'm an assassin, and just steer the rest away from me. Thank Rao he doesn't have X-ray vision.
I do a quick scan of the island and see an underground prison. There are multiple people in multiple cells, but I manage to find Robin. He's far, though, around the centre of the island. I guess Superboy deduces this also, because Alpha begins heading in that direction, while Beta goes a different way, attracting a bit more attention to themselves than Gamma. I look up and see Gamma on the bioship, still camouflaged, but if I use my X-ray vision, I can see a shimmering outline of the ship.
I'm staying closest to Alpha. Not only are they the ones primarily focused on getting Robin, but they don't have Superboy, and Superboy doesn't have telescopic vision; he shouldn't be able to see me.
I do have to be cautious of Miss Martian, though. If she decides to telepathically look for Robin, she could end up finding me instead. I try to keep my distance, but it's difficult. For all I know her telepathic range could extend to the entire island.
I get an idea, though, and fly quickly to the prison I saw Tim in. I don't think there's any way for me to get into the prison unnoticed - my power's aren't really known for being gentle or quiet - so I just wait for Alpha to reach my location.
While I'm waiting though, I see assassins lurking in the Shadows. I don't think they suspect we're here, but I manage to silently sneak up on a few and knock them out. I've got about five unconscious assassins in the woods, which probably isn't a lot, but it's five less assassins that will attack Alpha if they get caught.
I knock out any more I see approaching that might notice me and add them to the pile. It occurs to me after a bit, though, that someone might notice them missing. There's not a lot to do about that, though, so I continue looking out.
I then see Beta in a fight from across the island. I don't interfere, though. They can take care of themselves. That's why they're here. My priority is making sure Alpha gets in and out. Speaking of, they've finally reached the prison and I watch Miss Martian density shift through the ground and I quickly see her approach Tim's cell while the rest of Alpha looks out.
I hear her tell Tim they're going to get him out, but Tim protests. He says something about them not being able to leave without the ninja or Talia's son. I have no idea who either of those people are, or why Tim says they need to be rescued too, but it doesn't matter, because right now two assassins find Alpha and are about to make their move. They're not that far from me, though. Thinking fast, I blow as much ice as I can over them and watch them, frozen in a block of ice.
There's no way that goes unnoticed, though, so I prepare for more assassins to appear, or for Alpha to call me out. They don't, though. Instead I see them gesturing at each other, no doubt talking psychically. Beta, having fought off their attackers, are now heading in Alpha's direction. I'm prepared for a fight to break out, and it does, at least for Alpha and Beta. I hear someone trying to sneak up on me and immediately turn around, grab them by the throat, and pin them to a tree. They try all sorts of maneuvers to escape my grip, including throwing several kicks my way, but I don't move. Faster than they can blink, I turn them so my arm is around their neck, squeezing until they slip unconscious.
Two more approach me, though, and the one that charges at me is stronger than anticipated. He immediately breaks my grip and twists my arm. The other throws something in my direction. I assume from the blinking red light it's a bomb, but it's lined with lead. Kryptonite.
I throw it high in the air and bash the two assassins' heads together. The one that threw the bomb is instantly unconscious, but the other one just has a cracked mask. I can see the bottom of his face and he's smiling. I only have to wonder why for a second, though, because the bomb goes off and it's not kryptonite. A red light floods the entire island. I turn to throw another punch at the assassin, but he catches my fist and raises it above my head. To my surprise, it hurts. And I'm not strong enough to fight back. They threw a red sun grenade at me, and I foolishly threw it into the air, maximizing its effectiveness. The assassin throws one hard punch towards my face and everything goes dark.
What do you mean no, Tim? Dick says now that M'gann has linked him telepathically.
Talia's son - Damian. We need to get him off this island. We have to move quickly, there's not a lot of time to explain, Tim explains.
Tim, we need to leave now, Garfield exclaims. Two assassins just froze in ice in front of us, and if we don't move, we could be next!
What even was that? Cissie asks. Has an ice villain joined the Shadows?
Shadows don't spontaneously freeze their own, Dick says. SB, how far are you from our location?
We're on our way. Be there in two minutes, Conner replies.
No! Tim cries. Listen, I don't have much time. You need to get Talia's son. Him and that red hooded ninja. He should be down here-
Tim, we can't kidnap some ninja who works for the Shadows and bring him back to HQ. Especially if he doesn't want to leave, Dick proclaims.
You don't understand, Dick. The ninja- Tim is cut off when an explosion goes off and red light fills the night sky.
What is that? Cissie asks.
Red sunlight, Dick answers. They must've known about SB!
Superboy doesn't answer. Guys, we've got to go, before more come. Gamma, be ready to grab us.
Uh, guys, Bart says. SB is gone.
What? What do you mean gone? M'gann shouts.
He's gone. One minute he was here now he's not. I ran around the perimeter but I couldn't find him.
Look harder. He can't have just vanished. How long is this stupid red sun supposed to last anyway?
M'gann soon shoots up from the ground, holding a very sickly looking Tim. She flies him up to the bioship then returns quickly to the ground. "I can't sense his mind touch," she exclaims out loud.
"He's probably unconscious," Dick tells her. "Easy to knock out a Kryptonian when they don't have any powers."
"We have to get him back!" Garfield shouts.
Superboy isn't the only one gone, though. "Where's KF?" Jaime shouts, landing on the ground.
The two teams have reunited, but three members have now gone missing. "Arrowette's gone too!" Garfield cries.
Soon, an overwhelming number of assassins begins to crowd around what remains of Alpha and Beta. Dick, M'gann, Garfield, and Jaime all stand ready to fight, but it doesn't come to that. Emerging from the crowd is Ra's Al Ghul.
"Nightwing," he says calmly and steadily. "We must stop meeting like this."
"What did you do with the others?" Garfield shouts.
"Please, child." Ra's sticks out his palm, silencing Gar. "The adults are speaking." He returns his gaze to Dick. "The archer and speedster will be returned to you, so long as you swear to leave the island and not return."
"What about Superboy?" M'gann demands.
"You'll forgive me if I don't wish to relinquish the Kryptonians. They will prove to be rather useful to the Shadows."
"Kryptonians?" Dick repeats. "How many do you have?"
"Just the two," Ra's replies. "It was clever, really. Making the girl travel separately. With her variety of abilities, we might not have even noticed her here had it not been for the several guards missing from their posts. She might have even been able to power through the red sunlight grenade had she not thrown it into the sky to illuminate the entire island. But it did aid in obtaining the half-breed, I'll admit."
It takes Dick a moment for everything to click, but when it does, his brows furrow and he says exasperated, "Supergirl."
"I take it you did not know of her presence? All the better then. You need not care where her fate lies."
"You're mad if you think you get to keep either of them," M'gann shouts.
"Ah, Martian." Ra's's eyes narrow in on her. "You may attempt to reclaim the Kryptonians, you may even succeed. But both are without powers right now, and it would take but one fatal sword to the throat to separate their heads from their bodies. Not even the Lazarus Pit could resurrect them. And I assure you the two are nowhere near each other. Are you willing to take that chance?"
M'gann stays silent.
"That is what I thought. Now, if you would all be so kind as to climb into your camouflage Bioship and leave. You have what you came for, though it may be a while before you have him completely, and who knows? Perhaps your Superboy will return sooner than you think."
Wondering what to make of this, the four of them flee to the Bioship after having been returned an unconscious Bart and Cissie.
There's a loud bang and everyone turns to see Dick's fist against the wall. "Sorry, Bioship," he mutters. "They did not get the upper hand on us again." Dick throws one of his batons hard across the ship. It was odd seeing him like this. Usually, he's the level-headed one, bringing everyone back from their rage and impatience. But he has clearly had enough. He slumps down into a seat and rubs his thumb and forefinger between his eyebrows. After many silent moments, he finally looks up and says, "I can't believe she followed us here. She wasn't even in the Watchtower when we were discussing the mission."
"Cassie must have told her," M'gann tells him. "You know how worried she was when you pulled her off the team."
"I said they could be prepared for Kryptonians. And they were. God, how did we not notice her tailing us? This is all my fault."
"Dick," M'gann says gently. "We can play the blame game all day, but it won't change anything. You did everything you could. Everyone did. None of us thought something like this could happen. Cassie and Kara probably thought they knew what's best-"
"They're kids. They were my responsibility."
"They weren't just your responsibility."
"Guys," Tara says, making her way over to Dick and M'gann.
Dick looks up. "How's Tim?"
"You should see."
They follow her to where Tim is lying with Ed. His eyes are snapped shut.
"He won't wake up," Tara says.
"He's probably just tired," Dick justifies. "Being trapped for weeks couldn't have been easy-"
M'gann cuts in, her eyes fading from a bright glow. "His mind isn't dreaming," she says.
Dick is silent for a moment. "Well he-"
"Dick," M'gann says firmly. "He's in a coma."