The mission room was quiet, save for the faint hum of the zeta tube. The team stood waiting—Aqualad, Superboy, Miss Martian, Robin, and Samuel. Red Tornado loomed nearby, monitoring as always. Kid Flash was still at school, running late as usual.

Soon, the zeta tube lit up. A robotic voice rang out.

"Recognized: Green Arrow, 08. Batman, 02."

In a flash of light, the two Leaguers stepped into the room. But they weren't alone.

A third figure emerged behind them—clad in green and black, a bow slung over her back. Artemis.

Samuel immediately recognized her. The girl from Gotham Academy. The one who had tried to stop him from getting involved. The one who had helped bring down Ivo's drones. The one he had called the police on.

The second her eyes landed on him, she moved.

"You!"

Before anyone could react, she marched straight up to him and grabbed his collar, yanking him forward.

"You called the cops on me?! Are you serious?"

Samuel barely reacted. His expression remained blank, indifferent, as if her anger was nothing more than a passing breeze. He didn't even meet her eyes. Instead, he calmly looked past her—straight at Green Arrow.

The archer sighed, rubbing his temple. "Artemis—"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she continued, ignoring her mentor. "I help take down that psycho and his murder-bot, and your first thought is to sell me out?"

Samuel exhaled through his nose, still ignoring her. "Why is she here?" he asked flatly, directing the question at Green Arrow.

Artemis bristled. "I'm talking to you!"

Green Arrow finally stepped forward, placing a firm hand on her shoulder. "Stand down," he said, voice firm but not unkind. "I told you before—we're here for a reason."

She scowled but released Samuel, muttering something under her breath as she stepped back.

Green Arrow turned to the team. "Everyone, meet your new teammate. Artemis."

There was a pause. Then—

"Recognized: Kid Flash, B-03."

A streak of yellow shot out of the zeta tube, and Kid Flash skidded to a stop—only to immediately trip over his own feet.

"—The Wall-man is here! Now, let's get this party star—Unh!"

He hit the ground with a thud, his swimming gear scattering around him. A pair of goggles bounced off his head, and a damp towel draped itself over his shoulder.

Samuel sighed, side-eyeing him.

Artemis, watching the scene unfold, scoffed. "Wall-man, huh? I love the uniform." She smirked, arms crossed. "What exactly are your powers?"

Kid Flash scrambled to his feet, blinking at her. "Uh, who is this?"

"Artemis," she said simply. "Your new teammate."

He frowned. "Kid Flash. Never heard of you."

"Funny," she shot back. "Same."

Before Kid Flash could respond, Green Arrow stepped up. "Uh, she's my new protégé."

Kid Flash blinked. Then, without missing a beat— "What happened to your old one?"

The zeta tube flared to life once more.

"Recognized: Speedy, B-06."

A tall figure in red stepped out, his expression unreadable beneath his hood. His stance was firm, confident, but there was an edge of something else beneath it.

"Well, for starters," he said, scanning the room, "he doesn't go by Speedy anymore. Call me Red Arrow."

Samuel observed the newcomer without much interest. He had seen him in the news before—the ex-sidekick of Green Arrow. The one who rejected the team, supposedly because of his ego. Or maybe there was more to it. He didn't care enough to know. And the tension between Green Arrow and his former protégé? Even less of his concern.

"Roy, you look—" Green Arrow started.

"Replaceable," Red Arrow cut in.

Green Arrow sighed. "It's not like that. You told me you were going solo."

"So why waste time finding a sub?" Red Arrow's gaze flicked to Artemis, unimpressed. "Can she even use that bow?"

Artemis smirked, stepping forward. "Yes, she can." Her tone was more than just confident—it was challenging.

Kid Flash frowned, looking between them. "Who are you?"

"His niece," Artemis said at the same time Green Arrow stated, "My niece."

Robin grinned. "Another niece?"

Aqualad, ever the peacemaker, stepped in. "But she is not your replacement. We have always wanted you on the team. And we have no quota on archers."

"If we did," Kid Flash added with a smirk, "you know who we'd pick."

Artemis scoffed. "Whatever, Baywatch. I'm here to stay."

Aqualad crossed his arms. "You came to us for a reason."

Red Arrow's jaw tightened, but he nodded. "Yeah. A reason named Dr. Serling Roquette."

Robin's expression shifted to something more serious. "Nanorobotics genius and claytronics expert at Royal University in Star City. Vanished two weeks ago."

"Abducted by the League of Shadows," Red Arrow confirmed.

Robin's eyes widened. "Whoa! You want us to rescue her from the Shadows?"

"Hardcore," Kid Flash muttered.

Red Arrow shook his head. "Already did."

Silence fell over the room.

"Only one problem," Red Arrow continued. "The Shadows had already coerced her into creating a weapon."

Robin's fingers twitched toward his gauntlet, ready to pull up files. "What kind of weapon?"

"She calls it The Fog," Red Arrow said grimly. "Millions of microscopic nanobots. Infiltrators. Capable of disintegrating anything in their path—concrete, steel, flesh, bone."

Miss Martian's face paled.

"But that's not its true purpose," Red Arrow continued. "It's not just about destruction. The infiltrators eat and store raw data from any computer system they touch. Then they deliver that intel straight to the Shadows."

Robin's expression darkened as he processed the implications. "Which means they'd have access to weapons, strategic defenses, cutting-edge science, government secrets…"

"Everything," Red Arrow finished. "Perfect for extortion, manipulation, power brokering. You name it."

Samuel exhaled slowly, closing his eyes.

Nanotech. Advanced infiltration. Information theft on a level that could dismantle entire nations.

And all it took was one kidnapped scientist.

Samuel opened his eyes again.

This world never failed to be absurd.

Samuel barely paid attention to the excessive discussion. These kids talked too much. He already knew the conclusion:

The team had to protect Dr. Roquette from the League of Shadows until she could create a virus to disable The Fog.

Unfortunately, Samuel was part of this mission.

Batman had explicitly told him to observe the team, and since most of the battles would be handled by them, he technically wouldn't have much to do.

He pointed that out. "This always leads to me doing something."

Robin grinned, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "Then quit whining and embrace the inevitable."

Before Samuel could resist, Robin shoved him toward the Bio-Ship. He couldn't understand why that little boy was so strong.

They arrived at the school where Dr. Roquette was hiding. The tension in the air was palpable. Artemis, still clearly irritated with Samuel for calling the cops on her, kept shooting him sideways glares. Samuel, as usual, didn't care.

The team split into two groups. Superboy and Miss Martian patrolled the perimeter while the others guarded the doctor inside.

To keep communications secure from the Shadows, Aqualad ordered Miss Martian to link them telepathically.

"Everybody online?" Miss Martian asked.

"This is weird," Artemis muttered.

"And distracting. Coding a distributed algorithm virus on a kiddie computer with less RAM than a wristwatch is hard enough. Now I have to hear teen think in my skull?" Roquette groaned.

Before anyone could respond, Samuel's thoughts cut through the link like a razor:

focusfocusfocusfocusfocusfocusonyourworkitisyourresponsibilitytostopyourinventionassoonaspossibleandwedonothavetimetohasslewithyourcomplaints

Artemis physically flinched, creeped out by the sheer precision of his mental command. It was cold, sharp, and overwhelming. Like a bunch of people were cursing someone.

Then, as if remembering why she was mad in the first place, she turned her attention back to Samuel.

"You—why did you call the police on me?!" she demanded. "You're obviously a vigilante too, so what gives?"

Samuel barely reacted. But for the tiniest fraction of a second—so brief that only Miss Martian felt it—something flickered beneath the surface.

Irritation.

"Rules are rules," Samuel stated, his tone flat. "I'm not a vigilante."

And just like that, he dismissed her, ignoring Artemis completely.

Dr. Roquette groaned. "The fate of the world is at stake, and you two are bickering. Fantastic."

"Then focus." Samuel's thought cut through the link again.

Artemis, frustrated, huffed. "Whatever. I'm going to help Miss Martian and Superboy patrol the perimeter."

Aqualad nodded. "That would be wise."

Kid Flash snickered. "Nice work dealing with her, dude. I don't usually approve of snitching, but if it's someone stealing Red Arrow's spot? I'll allow it."

Samuel exhaled sharply.

Dr. Roquette did the same.

"I can still hear you." Artemis snapped.

Samuel shut his eyes. This was going to be a long night.

"The virus won't be of much use if we cannot find the weapon. Can you track it?" Aqualad asked.

Dr. Roquette huffed, her fingers still flying across the keys. "My Utility Fog is not a weapon. It's science. Brilliant science. And of course I can track it, but I'd have to go online. Might as well rent a billboard with this address and 'Assassinate Me' written in neon."

"We will protect you," Aqualad assured her.

Samuel scoffed quietly. Not a weapon? The nanobots disintegrated anything in their path and stole classified data. If it was truly meant for beneficial purposes, there were far simpler ways of implementing it.

But it seemed Aqualad's words were enough to give Roquette some courage. She let out a breath and focused.

"Tracking The Fog now."

Samuel straightened slightly. Now it was important. The moment she accessed the network, the League of Shadows would be alerted. Assassins were inevitable.

He sighed, then issued the next move. "Miss Martian, Dr. Roquette has located The Fog. Reconfigure the Bio-Ship so that Robin and Superboy can pursue."

Miss Martian acknowledged the order. In moments, the two boys left for the target's location.

Meanwhile, Artemis and Miss Martian weren't exactly getting along. Artemis...said something about Superboy, and Miss Martian wasn't so happy about it. Samuel didn't focus on what she was saying so he had no big idea.

"You embarrassed Superboy," Miss Martian said, her voice edged with disapproval.

Artemis smirked. "Didn't hear him say that."

"Must you challenge everyone?"

"Where I come from, that's how you survive."

Samuel tuned them out. But while it happened, something infiltrated through the fences.

A presence. Small, but fast.

Kid Flash, stationed in the hallways, sensed movement and took off after it, his speed sending a blur through the darkened corridors. He followed it to the school's indoor pool.

The moment he entered—

Clack!

His foot slipped. Small, round beads scattered across the floor, impossible to notice at high speeds. He lost his footing, crashing down.

Before he could push himself up—

A swift, precise kick slammed into his head, knocking him out cold. His body went limp.

Then—without hesitation—the attacker grabbed him by the collar and tossed him into the pool.

Kid Flash hit the water, sinking fast.

And then, the attack began in the computer room.

Shurikens—thin, black, razor-edged—whipped through the air.

Samuel barely reacted, raising a hand.

[Samuel used Protect!]

A translucent barrier flickered around him, deflecting the projectiles. The sharp clinks echoed in the room as the weapons hit the floor, useless.

Another set of shurikens flew toward Roquette.

Aqualad stepped forward, raising his arms. The metal blades embedded into his gauntlets. He barely flinched. Instead, he pulled out his weapons, his grip firm.

From the shadows, a woman stepped forward. Green fabric draped over her sleek, agile form, and a white, feline-shaped mask concealed her face.

"Hmm," she mused, tilting her head. "That had to hurt."

Samuel's eyes flicked past her, toward the hallways.

If she got this close, the building was compromised.

Which meant—

"Kid Flash is down."

Miss Martian and Artemis froze.

Samuel didn't wait. "Patrol team, recover him. Now."

As Miss Martian and Artemis took off to locate him, Samuel turned back toward their new threat. His mind calculated options. The fight was inevitable.

His status screen flickered as he wished to see the new moves he got.

New Skills:
Steel Iron Defense (12/15)
Normal Encore (5/5)

Samuel rolled his shoulders.

"Alright," he muttered. "Let's see how much of a problem you are."