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Gotham City; September 22nd, 6:00 EDT

Inside an apartment complex an alarm buzzes, 6am showing on the screen. A hand reaches out and smacks the button to turn it off.

Inside the room are two beds, only one of them is occupied. The state of the purple sheets on both beds giving that away.

Artemis’ hand dives back under the blankets as her dark eyes open, looking over at the empty bed, then up slightly to the Alice in Wonderlandposter on the wall.

A memory overcomes her actual sight.

An equally dark-skinned younger teen, but with dark hair that fades into the shadows of the nightscape, walks in front of the poster. A crossbody bag on one shoulder, a black halter tank top, and dark pants make her really hard to distinguish. She drops her bag onto her bed.

A young Artemis, hair done up in her usual ponytail, wearing jean overalls and a white three-quarter length top, holding a bear in her lap begs with her sister. “Please. Please don't go!”

Jade pulls the drawer open. “Sorry sis. Mom's not getting out of prison anytime soon.” she takes a stack of clothes out of the drawer her voice turning angry. “And I refuse to live in this house with just Dad.”

“Dad and you and me.” Artemis tries. “We need to keep this family from falling apart.” the younger girl’s voice cracks as she nearly cries. (Honestly this hurt me.)

Jade turns her head, looking ready to say something over her shoulder-

“Artemis, get up!” a woman’s voice shouts startling Artemis out of her stupor, she opens her eyes to see a woman who looks a lot like Jade, in a wheelchair, in front of her door. The blonde sits up. “I will not have you late for your first day of school.”

Artemis falls back to her pillow, groaning before pulling her blanket over her head.

Gotham Academy

In the courtyard, Artemis stands by herself, while all the other students seem to be chattering, as she pulls on her short skirt as if that could make it longer. Unlike the other students her tie is loose, the top button undone and her suit coat not buttoned.

“Artemis?” another blonde girl, wearing a uniform with a sweater vest instead of a coat, checks as she approaches. “I’m Bette, your new student liaison. Welcome to Gotham Academy.”

“Thanks.” she says with a grateful smile. “Um, I’m Artemis- but you already knew that.” she struggles through her awkwardness.

A short raven-haired blue eyed boy, his hair slicked back and down, approaches Artemis from the back left. Only catching both Artemis and Bette’s attention when he grabs her shoulder and slides up next to her. “We'll laugh about this someday.” he assures, smiling as he snaps a selfie. The flash blinds her just long enough for him to duck out.

She looks around unable to find him as the bell rings. “Uh, who was that?”

“A Freshman.” Bette mutters. “Ignore him.”

Behind them a redhead leans against a pillar. “Dick, what was that about?”

He chuckles familiarly as he walks up next to her. “Nothing Barbara, just being friendly to the new girl.” Barbara says nothing as she walks away, Dick glances at his cellphone once more before following after her. (I fucking screamed the first time I saw Babs because it’s Babs and I love her.)

Mount Justice; September 22nd, 18:43 EDT

Inside the Cave, M’gann’s ship is docked on a platform above the small waterscape. While M’gann and Conner kiss in front of the hallway to the rest of the cave.

Sphere whirs as it rolls into view. Disrupting them.

M’gann chuckled. “Someone’s jealous.”

“Maybe.” Conner admits, looking down at Sphere. “Or maybe-”

“Hey guys!” Wally’s voice calls, heading up the stairs with an overstuffed sandwich in his hand. “You two sure spend a lot of time working on his bike. Obviously, you need the Wall-man’s expert help.”

Conner and M’gann share a look and small smile before patting Sphere thankfully.

Red Tornado and Aqualad are in the Training Center of the Cave.

“So you have told no one else of this mole?” Red Tornado asks Aqualad.

“I cannot be sure one exists. And if it does, if the team is being betrayed from within I must investigate without… tipping my hand.” Kaldur, as contemplative as always, still looks to Red Tornado. “But perhaps I should tell Batman?”

“Generally the Batman expects the team to handle its own problems, but the decision is yours.” Red remains a mediator, nothing more. “I will return after monitor duty on the Watchtower.”

“I thought you were exempt from monitor duty since becoming our… den mother.” Kaldur says, confused, as Red Tornado types in his Zeta Code and powers up the first tube.

Recognize: Red Tornado; 1-6

Red Tornado turns back to Aqualad. “I agreed to cover for Green Arrow. He has an interpersonal event with Black Canary. A "hot date".”

(Honestly can’t tell if he’s just that underdeveloped when it comes to understanding slang or he’s actually teasing Ollie.)

Kaldur ignores Green Arrow’s bad habit and contemplates his dilemma further.

Artemis makes her way down an alley in Gotham under the cover of night, already in her costume, to a Out of Order phone booth.

“Artemis?” Robin asks, startling the blonde.

She jumps in her skin, gasping. “Robin! I uh…” she tries to come up with a good excuse.

“How random that you're in Gotham City, instead of Star City where your Uncle, Green Arrow, lives?” Robin taints as if he knows something.

“I'm-uh, here to see my cousin. She was in the state spelling bee. Here... In Gotham... City.” she stumbles over the faulty lie.

“C-O-O-L. Did she W-I-N?” Robin asks, purposefully spelling out the words.

Artemis is back with her usual confidence and looks annoyed at the boy. “N-O.”

“D-R-A-G.” Robin responds, unaffected.

“Yeah.” she huffs. “Let’s just go to the Cave.”

Robin bends his knees and turns theatrical. “Ladies first.”

“Your town. You go.” Artemis says sharply, putting her hands on her hips.

The Boy Wonder shrugs and opens the doors with a creak.

Recognize: Robin; B-0-1

The bright flash of the Zeta blinds Artemis for a moment before she too steps in.

Recognize: Artemis;

B-0-7 finishes as Artemis moves forward in the Zeta Tube.

An explosion off to her left gets her to flinch, but it isn’t until she hears Robin shout “Get down!” that she realizes it wasn’t something one of their teammates did on accident.

Barely managing to vault away from the fireball that comes through the smoke covering the rest of the Cave.

Robin jumps high out of the smoke, landing in front of Artemis and pulling to birdarangs from his utility belt.

Before either can explode another fireball comes launching at them.

THEME SONG!

Artemis jumps back as she fires an arrow, already pulling another from her quiver by the time she lands. Robin slides back, armed with birdarangs that he throws into the smoke screen. They clank against something, but another fireball is launched towards them. Both teens barely manage to dodge it as it hits the wall between the two Zeta Tubes and bursts out.

As metal clangs, two figures start to shadow in the smoke.

“Who are we fighting?” Artemis asks Robin, still firing arrows.

“Don't know,” the Boy Wonder admits as he comes to her side, throwing birdarangs. “but we're sitting ducks by the tubes. Head for the exit!”

The two of them run towards the hallway on their right, barely dodging a massive stream of fire. As they make it into the hallway, water crashes in before them.

“Or not.” he drawls.

The two try to outrun the wave, but still get caught by it and slammed into the wall with a resounding thud .

The water level falls to just a little bit of standing water as they push themselves back to stands and move to avoid being torched by another fireball.

Artemis slows to pick up her bow, a fireball landing mere inches behind her as she nocks another arrow.

She fires it and turns to run as three more fireballs rain down. The final fireball, close to another hall entrance, where Robin waits for her, blazes when it hits and then turns into a tornado.

Artemis and Robin run into a weight room, the door automatically closing behind them.

“Robin to Team.” he puts his finger to the communicator in his ear. “Come in.” nothing. “Aqualad!”

“M’gann, can you hear me?” Artemis tries to contact her via telepathy. “Are you there?”

Their attempt to call for help are cut off when fire blows in the door and knocks them off their feet. They’re quick to get back and continue to run from the fire tornado.

“Robin to BatCave. Override R-G-4.” Robin snaps into the comm. “Cave calling Justice League: H-O-J-slash-Watchtower; B-0-1. Priority: Ray.” he and Artemis turn on the showers as he continues to try the comms. When nothing happens he knows why. “Comm is down. Locked.” he informs as Artemis nocks another arrow. “At least the water's helping.” he sighs in relief as he joins Artemis in the center of the room.

The room seems to groan around them. Until the handles pop off the walls. A few tiles fall off as well, then so do the showerheads. The excess water floods the room. “Or not.” he mumbles just before the water sweeps them up.

They’re now trapped between drowning and a fire tornado.

Robin grits his teeth as he pulls a birdarang from his belt, swimming to the wall then setting it to detonate.

The wall blows out into another hallway inside the Mountain, the two teens hack and cough as they try to get air back in their lungs.

The two run down the hall to the kitchen/living room area.

“We need to get lost.” Robin tells Artemis.

Artemis looks around. “The air vent!” she realizes they have a lower one they could easily climb into since it’s over the stove.

“Good. Go!” Robin commands, Artemis runs straight towards it while he turns to a control panel.

Artemis jumps the island in the kitchen, condensing her bow and then attaching it to her belt before climbing on top of the stove to pull the vent cover off. “What are you-?” she starts, confused and drawn by the beeping.

“Downloading Cave blueprints.” he tells her. “Could come in…” he trails, then seconds later the metallic footsteps are loud enough to properly hear. “Go! Go!” he whispers as he heads towards the vent as well.

Artemis climbs up and Robin is quick to jump in after her.

Once they’re no longer climbing straight up Robin pulls up the blueprints. “Go left.” he tells her. She does and a fire stream just misses the heels of Robin’s boots. “Uh. Too close.” he mutters then keeps following Artemis. “Take the first right.” he pulls up the blueprints again. “There should be a vent cover right in front of you.”

Though it’s a vent cover, it’s not one that leads to a room, rather one that leads to a vertical tube that Artemis doesn’t hesitate to drop into.

Inside the boiler room a vent cover over a catwalk falls out and lands with two distinct clank s. The two teens are quick to follow after it.

Robin pulls out the map again. “This way.” he says he turns a full 180 and heads down the catwalk towards the staircase.

The pipe they just came out explodes behind them. From the explosion, fire falls to the catwalk. The most ominous part is that inside there is a shadowy figure that seems to be covered in it. They look around, raising their arms, and the fire follows the command, blooming out.

Robin and Artemis drop off the catwalk and between two large pieces of machinery.

Some beeping from the one to Robin’s left draws his attention as the green bar is taken over by red. The beeping increases in tempo as then abruptly stops as the screen crack. “That’s not good.” Robin laments.

Robin takes off in a pathway down the middle of the room. Artemis giving the now-sparking machine a hesitant look before following. Pipes burst overhead and gas starts to hiss out.

The figure, now completely concealed by the fire starts attacking them again.

Robin and Artemis take quick refuge behind another piece of machinery. Robin checking the map again. “I know that other access tunnel is here somewhere.”

“You mean this one?” Artemis asks as she drops into it.

Robin grabs another birdarang, arming it and mounting it the machine beside him then dropping into the tunnel as well.

Just as the figure comes close does it explode.

The two drop into the access tunnel as an explosion sounds above them.

“Hold on.” Robin calls out to Artemis who had already started moving. He pries open a control panel and plugs his hologlove into it. “Locking out Cave’s motion and heat sensors to prevent the enemy from tracking us.”

“And I ask again, who is the enemy?” Artemis questions, annoyed.

“Let’s find out.” Robin says with a smirk. “Downloading Cave security footage. There.”

Four frames show up, and he zooms in on the first one.

“Torque Wrench.” Wally calls out. M’gann uses her telekinesis to float it over to him. “Thank you Green Cheeks.”

Superboy stands with his hands on his hips as Kaldur finally joins the group.

“I have been meaning to ask, any problem juggling schoolwork with your responsibilities here?” he asks curiously.

“No.” Conner is quick to reply.

“Juggling is just one of my many talents.” Wally says pridefully with a slight chuckle. “Socket Wrench.”

M’gann gives it to Wally with her telekinesis as she talks to Kaldur. “Daily cheerleading practice has presented a challenge.” she admits, but is quick to turn towards Kaldur once Wally has the wrench to assure him. “Oh, but my first loyalty is always to the Team. This Team, not the Bumblebees.”

“Artemis starts school today. Do you think she will have trouble maintaining her loyalties?” Kadlur asks.

Artemis sends a glare at the screen.

“Nah, she’ll manage alright.” Wally says as he stands up. “I mean how much more hostile and annoying can she-” the camera and sound cut out.

“What happened?” Artemis asks worriedly.

“Explosion took out the camera. I’ll find another angle.” Robin informs, with a slight edge.

This new angle shows the water inside the Cave forming into three large streams before crashing into the dryland and taking out that camera.

The next shows the four others getting to their feet and charging only to overtaken by the water as the camera cuts out.

The fourth shows Kaldur and M’gann heading up the staircase, the water thrashing wildly behind them as fire takes out the camera in front of them.

“That's it. All four are dead.” Robin mumbles. Artemis looks at him appalled. “The cameras, I-I meant the cameras!” he assures, though his voice shakes. “I'm sure the others are okay.” he’s quickly back to his usual confidence. “Just give me a sec to find the fastest route to the hangar.”

Artemis falls against the wall of the tunnel. “Yeah, they’re fine.” she mumbles. “They’ve all got superpowers. They can handle anything.”

The two of them open a panel over the upper level of the Cave’s library. The two drop down and head down the stairs.

“There's a secret passage behind one of these bookcases.” Robin informs Artemis as he hops the railing and heads down the right side of the library..

“Seriously? Cliché much?” Artemis asks with a bit of annoyance.

“You should see the Batcave.” Robin says with a slight bit of a sarcastic chuckle and tone. (Point.)

The door to the library opens and the two are quick to arm themselves. When they turn around see nothing they move forward with caution until they take up a position in a row of books.

The metal clangs through the room, Artemis looks over the books to see through the shelving.

“Artemis, Robin.” a robotic voice sounds, as the familiar form of a male robot walks towards them.

Artemis brightens. “It’s Red Tornado.” happy to have an ally she comes out with a smile on her face. Which immediately falls when she sees that is definitely not.

As the robot  reaches out for her, Robin dives and pulls both of them out of the way and under a table. “Yes on the Red. No on the Tornado.” he all-but shouts as the table is destroyed by the Not-Red-Tornado.

Another Red Robot, this one having a female figure cuts off their escape. She creates fire from her hands.

Robin is quick to hop on top of a bookshelf to get away. Artemis follows. “Who- What are they?” she questions.

The fire blazes on the floor, which sets off the sprinklers in the room.

Robin drops to the floor, while Artemis takes a defensive position on the bookshelf and fires at the androids.

The male uses the water from the sprinklers to block the exploding arrow, while the woman punches a nearby bookshelf hard enough to domino.

Artemis jumps down beside Robin as the Boy Wonder pulls on the book The Mysteries of El Dorado opening a secret passage that Artemis and he jump into to avoid a falling bookshelf.

As the bookshelf slides back into place they run down a staircase then a hallway. Unfortunately, it doesn’t close fast enough and the androids see it close.

Robin and Artemis make record time down the hall.

“Did you know Tornado had… siblings?!” she demands.

“No.” Robin admits lowly. They come to T and Robin uses a few moments to check before getting read to head off the left.

Only for Artemis to grab him by the wrist. “So now what?” she questions. “Red Tornado is one of the powerhouses of the League. How are we supposed to take down two of him?”

“They do seem pretty user unfriendly.” Robin comments, trying to stop Artemis from panicking more than she already is.

“Don’t joke. They-” she snaps but is cut off.

'''“Attention, Robin. Attention, Artemis.” Red Torpedo (look the CC gave to me and I need some way to refer to the guy other than the male android.) '''announces over the Cave’s system. “You have exactly 10 minutes to surrender or the lives of your teammates will be extinguished.”

The two share a worried look.

Fire sizzles in a cage that surrounds an unconscious M’gann and a worse for wear Kaldur.

Sphere beeps as it can’t move from the crater it is stuck inside the wall underneath Kaldur and M’gann.

The fire android rides a wave to stop just before the cage. Her eyes glow red and the cage burns hotter.

Meanwhile Wally and Conner fight against some grey goop that keeps them stuck on the ground level of the Cave.

The Water android rises up from the cave’s naturally occurring water pond. Raising a hand to flood the dryland. Overtaking the stairs, and quickly rising up by Conner and Wally.

“9 minutes and 45 seconds.” he informs.

Both boys look worriedly at the still rising water level around them.

Robin and Artemis  run down the hallway. “Eight minutes” Red Torpedo informs again.

“We can access the hangar from here.” he tells her, but turns further over his shoulder when a distant sound catches his attention. When he stops and Artemis has at least enough common sense to know to listen to the BatInsticts. Gasping as water rushes through the room they were just in, and down into the hallway. “Or not.”

Artemis’ voice cracks as she turns to start running again. “Will you please stop saying that?” she almost demanded. (I’m with you Artemis, if I kept hearing that I’d be on edge too.)

As the water surges they both get swept off their feet by the force. Artemis losing her arrows out of her Quiver as the water makes both of them tumble.

Robin grabs a rebreather out of his utility belt. Breathing easily as he swims to Artemis. Helping her find her orientation before giving her the rebreather. Looking over his shoulder to try and keep them from being snuck up on.

Red Torpedo grabs Artemis by the ankle. She gasps, losing the rebreather, as he tries to drag her away from Robin. The Boy Wonder is quick to swim after her, as she hits Red Torpedo.

Robin swims just over Artemis’ left shoulder to hit Red Torpedo in the eye with an arrow.

He grabs onto Artemis as he fires his grapple to the far wall. Leaving a line of Birdarangs that start beeping before Red Torpedo gets thrown back as they go off one after the other.

Robin and Artemis break the surface of the water gasping for air.

“Look out!” Kid yells from a distance.

Both Artemis and Robin look up, taking a deep breath, before diving under the surface to dodge another fireball.

They surface, only to have to dive under again to avoid her second shot.

Kid and Conner look around as she continues to search for the two other Team Members. Until Robin and Artemis surface less than two feet from Kid.

“You guys okay?” Robin asks lowly.

“Forget us.” Conner snaps. “Help M’gann.” bringing their attention to the fire cage on the outlook.

“Aqualad, is she-” Artemis can’t bring herself to finish it.

“She is unconscious.” Kaldur shouts to them. “I fear she… we cannot survive much longer.” his own voice breaking shows just how much trouble he is in as well. (The one gripe I have about this show is how they treat M’gann’s imminent danger in comparison to literally anyone else’s in this show.)

Robin and Artemis are forced to duck below the surface again as more fire is thrown at them. The two make a break for it while under the water. Coming up by the stairs by Sphere.

Red Torpedo stands out of the water, blocking them from the water. While Red Inferno lands at the top of the stairs to block their way up.

Artemis is quick to pull an arrow from her quiver, but turns to Robin. “I’m almost out of arrows.” her voice mostly calm with only a slight edge to it.

“Distract her, now.” Robin snaps as he heads down the stairs.

Artemis fires her special tipped arrow at Red Inferno, the tip explodes, covering her and making it hard to tell if anything actually happened. Until she walks out of the smoke and the fire forms a hair like wave behind her.

Robin heads down the stairs, throwing Birdarangs at Red Torpedo. They bounce of the robot. One richoteting and coming close to Kid’s head.

“Whoa.” the teen speedster mumbles lowly.

As Red Torpedo raises his hands to form columns of water, Robin and Artemis back away from their respective enemies. Waiting for the moment the two are about to strike before diving into the water.

The water and fire meet and screech into steam.

Robin and Artemis dive deep into the water. Where Robin rips off a cover to the vent system. Letting Artemis in first as she makes her way to the first set of vertical pipes and follows them up.

Both break the surface high in the mountain, gasping for air. As they pull themselves out of the water and into the dry vent.

“Six minutes.” Red Torpedo calls out.

“What do we do now?” Artemis asks worriedly.

“We save them.” Robin says lowly, but even with his mask on the anger and edge are clear he’s not as calm as his voice implies. “That's how it works.”

“Maybe that's how it's supposed to work, but those robots already took out our four super-powered friends.” Artemis snaps, her emotions coming out fully.

“You seem distraught.” the Boy Wonder comments.

“Distraught?!” she almost screeches. “M'gann is dying. We have no powers and I'm down to my last arrow. Of course I'm distraught!” she yells at the younger teen.

“Well get traught or get dead!” Robin loses his cool as he snaps right back at her, the use of a not-really-English-word would be funny if it wasn’t that he was trying to make a joke.

(Reason #1 and the only reason I need for why Robin is NOT a native English speaker in Young Justice. If he knew how distraught actually worked as a word this would be a joke, but there is no way he’s trying to be funny here. He is just using the word that makes the most logical sense to him at the moment.)

“How can you be so calm?” Artemis asks as she has no choice but to follow him as he leads the way down the vent.

“Practice.” Robin manages a light smile, even if it is to himself. “I've been doing this since I was nine.”

“What good is that now?” Artemis asks. “What chance do we have against unrelenting machines?”

Robin slowly. “Oh. Duh!” he sounds lighter when he continues speaking. “They’re machines, and one electromagnetic pulse will shut down any machine within range.”

Artemis gives a bright smile and a very sarcastic “Great!” before her face shows how annoyed she still is. “Except you better have and EMP emitter in your utility belt, because I know I don’t have one in my quiver.”

“I’m fresh out.” Robin smiles despite his words. “But I’m betting we can make one.” he brings a hand to his ear. “Whaddya say, KF,

doable?” the younger boy’s voice asks through the Birdarang by his head.

The redhead smiles. “Totally doable.”

“Five minutes.”

He looks worriedly at the water level as he continues speaking. “Ya know, if you had more time.”

Robin pushes a panel open close to the floor, as he and Artemis step out. “Med Lab, X-ray machine.” Kid instructs.

(Also, thanks Wiki for NOT having this in here, oh yeah it’s not like I had to rewatch it TWELVE TIMES to copy down science info I only half understand!)

Robin makes his way through the lab, staying slightly hunched in case.

“You’ll find a small vacuum tube called a vircator” Robin opens a panel on the X-ray machine. Finding what Kid’s talking about. “that converts high energy pulses.” Robin plugs in his hologlove. “Reprogram the unit’s microwave conversion from X-rays to EMPs” Robin does as he said, then shuts off the holo before reaching to take it out. “with a cascading energy vector directed outward.” he turns it slowly before it pops out.

“A ripple effect,” Robin realizes. “like dropping a stone in a pond.”

He opens the holo again. “A stone with 10 to the twelfth power wattage,” Kid recites with a joking tone. “Yeah.”

“So I’ll need to hook it up to the Cave’s main generator.”

Artemis arches an eyebrow as Robin shuts down the holo. “Which is where?”

He says nothing as continues to look down.

Red Torpedo walks across the outlook, coming to stand beside Red Inferno.

“Four minutes.”

In a higher hallway, Robin and Artemis open a panel that the Boy Wonder lands silently out of. From here they can overlook the scene without being seen.

“Okay. Make with the distraction.” he tells Kid through the comm.

“Hey, Red Tomato! Who’s your girlfriend, Red Onion?” Kid yells, Conner looks confused but catches on easily.

“Yeah, and by the way, worst death trap ever.” he shouts. This gains the robots’ attention. “We can escape any time we want.”

“I can vibrate my molecules out of here before your binary brains can count to two!” Kid taunts.

(Like actually my fave line by Kid EVER, because holy crap I love delivery of this line, and as a science nerd- much like Wally- I know that binary coding deals in ones and zeros. Meaning that they never actually use twos in the coding. So props to Wally for actually being truthful in that statement. For now [he is not dead, fight me].)

“Cover me.” Robin tells Artemis as he hooks a grapple line to the wall, and swings over the generator. Artemis having nocked her last arrow.

“And you can’t drown a Kryptonian, dumb bots. We don’t breathe air.” Conner bluffs. (This is false no matter the universe Conner, I hope you know that.)

Kid laughs obnoxiously as Robin disconnects his cable.

“And Ms. Martian?” Kid continues as Robin pulls open the panel and sets the tech inside. “I can’t believe you’re buying her act.” Robin connects his hologlove.

“Rerouting power now.” he tells them lowly.

“Yeah.” Conner is quick to pick up. “You know how hot it gets in the cave of Mars?”

Robin looks over his shoulder, before glaring at the screen. “It’s not working.”

“That cage is just making her homesick.” Conner gripes.

“Duh!” Kid laughs again.

Robin sees the problem a small gap between the two components. “The circuit’s incomplete.” he puts the connecting cord back into his glove. “I need something conductible. A piece of metal or-”

“Robin, look out!” Artemis screams, just before a massive wave over takes him and the platform he’s on.

(I’m not going to pretend to understand how touchy an EMP emitter is with it’s connection, but most things would be- at that size- fine with air, or water [assuming it’s not pure water with no minerals in, which it’s Earth, it ain’t] to complete the circuit.)

Artemis takes aim, only to be knocked off course by a narrowly missed fireball from Red Inferno.

The arrow flies right past Red Torpedo and Red Inferno tries to hit Artemis again, but the archer is quick to duck away. Going for another arrow, only to come away empty.

She turns and heads back into the vent. Barely avoiding Red Inferno’s fire that licks at her boots.

She gets to a part of the vent that has been torn open from the events. By looking through another torn vent in front of the one she is in gives her the ability to see them while they can’t see her. Watching as Red Torpedo brings Robin to the outlook, still suspended in water.

He’s not fighting, and he looks like he’s not breathing.

She gasps and stumbles back. All the sights of her friends in danger flash before her eyes. Kid and Conner watching as the water gets closer and closer to overtaking them. Kaldur and M’gann trapped in the fire cage. Worst of all, Robin, still suspended in water.

“No. No, no, no.” is the only thing she can mumble as she curls into a fetal position. “No, no, no.” she almost sobs.

The water drops Robin onto the outlook, but he doesn’t even cough when he’s freed from the water.

The two robots look at him, while now Kaldur and M’gann are both unconscious.

Wally and Conner have to keep their chins up to avoid the water as Sphere beeps.

“I surrender,” Artemis murmurs. “I die with the others.” then something dawns on her. “But if I find a way out, out of the Cave, out of the mountain… I can get help. Call in the League.” the angle becomes too steep and she slides down the vent.

Falling from a ceiling vent into Wally’s room.

“Three minutes.”

Artemis sighs as she sits back up. “Oh who am I kidding? Best I can do is hide.” she rubs her arm. “Hope the League finds me before the Reds.”

She looks up, intrigued by what she sees. Heading right for Cheshire’s mask on the shelf.

“I know you understand.” she mumbles to the mask.

The world flashes and the poster in Artemis’ room is almost impossible to see in the dark.

“We have to keep this family from falling apart.” young Artemis tries.

Her sister looks over her shoulder, worried, before calming her face. Turning to face Artemis. “Toothbrush, duh.” she hits her head with a smile. “Knew I was forgetting something.”

“Dad will come after you.” Artemis says as she leaves the bathroom.

“Let him.” Jade says smugly, as she zips her bag. “I'll disappear like the Cheshire cat.” she puts on her hat and grabs her bag, heading to the door. “You should get out too. I'd let you go with me, but you'd slow me down.”

“Someone has to be here when mom gets out.” Artemis says with a surprising amount of conviction in a child that young.

“Haven't you learned anything? In this family, it's every girl for herself.” Jade closes the door between her and Artemis.

The blonde falls to her knees, but only hugs the bear tighter. Not crying.

Artemis takes a few steps forward to pick up Cheshire’s mask. “That might be true about our family. But I've found a new family.” her voice cracks. “And here, it's all for one and-”

“One minute.”

Startled out her thought she’s quick to put the mask back where it belongs. What’s next to it catches her eye.

The elevator door opens, Artemis has her bow in her hand and an arrow in her quiver, but doesn’t look ready to attack. The Reds turn to her instantly.

“I surrender. Stop the clock.” she tells them, her voice still broken.

Kaldur stirs from unconsciousness, looking at her as she walks closer.

Artemis sees him, but glances at Robin, then Wally and Conner as the water level covers them. She offers her bow to the Reds.

Red Torpedo holds out a hand for her to give it to him, she adjusts her hold on it before suddenly springing into action. Kicking Red Torpedo in the face, and landing on Red Inferno’s wrist to push the fire away from her. Flipping backwards and pulling the arrow from her quiver. Lining up the shot across the Cave to connect the circuit of the EMP emitter.

When it hits, electricity starts to crackle as the vircator starts to glow bright blue. Sound warps as a wave shoots out from the device. Everything starts shutting down, while the Reds crackle with energy before falling to the ground.

As their eyes go dark the fire dissipates and the water level drops, leaving Conner and Wally gasping, but conscious.

“Kaldur, how’s M’gann?” Conner asks worriedly.

He groans as he pushes himself to his rest on his right elbow. “She breathes. I believe she will recover.” he looks over her head. “What of Robin?”

Artemis drops her bow and skids to her knees beside the Boy Wonder. Cautiously touching his head and his chest.

(This would change nothing, if someone is not breathing after spending a long time underwater, check to see if their breathing at all with the back of your hand. If they’re not, do it for them. If after five they’re still not breathing, check to make sure they still have a heartbeat, if they do, use a one-handed compression [NOT AS HARD AS CPR YOU WILL HURT THEM] on their diaphragm to help get the water out of their lungs between sets of breaths.)

He hacks, but thankfully (or not) no water comes out. “He- he’s breathing too.” she says, teary.

Robin continues gasping until his breathing regulates. “Way to get traught.” he tells her with a smile.

Relief sinks in as she falls back to sitting.

(Speaking of which, Kaldur how are you?! I mean I know you stayed conscious through most of this, but I still just want to make sure YOU’RE OKAY!)

Robin, Kaldur and Artemis stand before Wally and Conner who are still encased. M’gann leaning heavily on the Atlantean. The still disabled Reds are now on the same level as them, while Artemis holds some type of cutter that has no power.

“Figured my only shot was to surrender, pretend to drown before I actually did.” Robin says confidently. “Blacked out though.” he shrugs.

“M’gann.” Conner asks worriedly, taking her hand in his.

“I’ll be fine.” she assures, though her voice isn’t as strong as it normally is.

(“Kaldur? How are you?”// “I am alright.” // “Oh, good to know I figured I’d just be a HALFWAY DECENT HUMAN BEING SINCE YOU ALSO HAVE A WEAKNESS TO FIRE!”)

“Will you quit playing with that thing and cut us free already?” Wally demands of Artemis.

She gives him a deadpanned look. “It’s not working genius. EMP shuts down all machines, remember?”

“All machines present at the time.” Red Tornado’s voice speaks up as he makes his way across the room, landing beside Wally and Conner. Only when the tornado stops whirring does he continue. “What has occurred?”

“Had a little visit from your family.” Robin looks at the Reds, putting his hands on his hips.

“Your extremely nasty family.” Artemis is quick to gripe.

“I was not aware I had relations.” Tornado remarks.

“Where have you been?” Conner demands.

“Monitor duty on the Watch Tower.” Tornado remarks, making his way over to the other robots. “When it became clear that Cave communications were down I attempted to investigate, but your Zeta Tubes were also nonfunctional.” he kneels down beside the two. “I transported to Providence and proceeded here.”

Sphere starts to whir, catching his attention. Managing to himself free.

“Hey boy.” Conner greets and gets beeps in return.

The machine- a laser- turns on in Artemis’ hands.

“The pulse has worn off.” Kid and Robin say in unison.

Red Tornado reaches out to Red Inferno, and a zap connects their fingers as her eye light back up.

Red Tornado’s eyes glow in return. Before turning towards the Team and using a tornado to raise him up, and two aimed at them.

Artemis drops the laser cutter, clutching her neck.

Kaldur drops M’gann in surprise as he holds his neck as well.

Robin stumbles, as he loses his breath.

Conner and Wally can’t fight back and slump in their holds.

Finally Artemis falls to her knees. “Can’t… breathe.” watching as Robin falls over before her own world tilts and goes black.

“Artemis. Artemis can you hear me?” she groans as she opens her eyes to find Superman above her. He looks to the side, towards the source of the buzzing. “She’s alright.” she grunts as he helps her stand up.

Before her are Green Arrow, looking to her. Batman, who is talking to Robin. Flash, who is using the same tool she had to help Kid out. Atom, who is melting Conner out. Martian Manhunter, who is kneeling beside a still sitting M’gann. Black Canary, who is watching over them. Finally Aquaman, who is speaking to Kaldur.

“What happened here?” Superman demands. (So you’re actually just terrible with teens in general, good to know.)

“What happened?!” Artemis demands back. “The Reds happened. Tornado and his…” she stops trying to figure out a way to describe them when she realizes something’s missing. “Wait, where are they?”

“Gone.” only then does Robin turn towards her. “All three of them.” he is clearly beating himself up over it, but the malice in his voice is obvious. “Gone.”