Project Dahlia: Damian Wayne's Adventures

Project Dahlia: Chaotic Missions

The mission had barely started, and chaos was already brewing.

"Okay, we're in," Cassie whispered through the comms, scanning the dimly lit hall. "How's it looking, N?"

Ned's voice crackled through. "You're good. Cameras are down for now, but don't push your luck."

"You do know who you're talking to, right?" Damian quipped, smirking as he silently took out a guard. "Pushing luck is literally our job."

"More like pushing everyone's patience," Ned muttered under his breath.

"Hey, I heard that!" Peter's voice came through as he clung to the ceiling, webbing up a couple of cameras. "We are very patient."

"Uh-huh," Penelope added, firing a web at a nearby door to seal it shut behind them. "Like the time you and Rogue decided to race through an active mission zone? Or when Robin started a fistfight with that gang leader for 'fun'?"

"I won," Damian interrupted, clearly proud of himself.

"I didn't know that being 'quiet' meant starting an explosion," Michelle's dry voice cut in. She was lurking in the shadows nearby, blending perfectly with her surroundings. "I'm just saying, one of these days, N's going to quit and leave us hanging."

Ned groaned. "No kidding. I feel like a babysitter."

"We prefer 'overseer of chaos,'" Peter suggested with a grin.

"Focus!" Damian hissed, though even he couldn't suppress the slight amusement in his voice. "We need to find that data."

Cassie was already on it, hacking into a terminal with one hand while keeping an eye on the door. "Almost got it. Just—Robin, guard incoming on your left."

Without hesitation, Damian spun, knocking the guard unconscious before he could react.

Cassie rolled her eyes.

"Guys, I'm reading a bunch of guards converging on your position," Ned's voice became tense. "You need to move now!"

Peter zipped down from the ceiling. "Got the hard drive!"

"Good, let's get out of here before things get messy," Penelope said, already moving toward the exit.

"Too late," Michelle deadpanned as the door burst open, guards flooding in.

Cassie sighed, "Looks like we're improvising, as usual."

Ned's exasperated groan echoed in their ears. "Can you guys go one mission without causing chaos?"

"Where's the fun in that?" Peter laughed, webbing a guard to the ceiling as they all sprang into action.

The fight was swift, fluid as Cassie and Damian tore through the guards with precision, while Peter and Penny swung and webbed up everything in sight. Michelle stayed in the sidelines, picking off stragglers.

"Mission complete," Cassie said as the last guard hit the ground.

Ned's exhausted voice came through the comms. "You guys are insane. Please tell me you didn't blow anything up."

Silence.

"...Guys?"

"I might have accidentally set off a minor explosion," Damian admitted, with a grin.

Ned sighed dramatically. "I quit. I'm too young for this level of stress."

"Don't worry, N," Peter said with mock seriousness. "You'll be fine. You've survived this long."

As they sprinted out of the building and back to safety, the team laughed while Ned muttered complaints about finding a new job.

As they made their way back to the jet, things hadn't calmed down.