Young Justice: The Mimic Contingency (A Young Justice Fanfic)

A Mission With Artemis - Part III

GOTHAM CITY - July 27th

10:40 PM

Desmond had felt different perceptions of time in his life. Slower time in boring high school classes, faster time when he played his video games or even both when he mimicked the powers of the Flashes.

But never had time seemed more disordered than the moment Artemis started to fall to the floor after she was brutally shot right before his eyes.

"ARTEMIS!!" Desmond screamed out.

The guns stopped as Desmond rushed over to her.

"The girl has been neutralized!" one of the men cried out. "Move!"

In an almost synchronized manner, the men put away their guns and began dashing towards them.

Artemis groaned in pain. Desmond looked down to see that the bullet had only gone through her arm.

She'd be alright, but he was bleeding out and in a lot of pain.

"Artemis..." Desmond asked worriedly. "Are you OK..?"

She looked up at him with a weak smile.

"I'll pull through, worry about yourself for now..."

The men were down the roof and were two roofs away. Sportsmaster's helicopter was landing.

Artemis slid her head weakly along the ground, her blonde hair falling into disarray.

"Looks like we're cornered..." she noted sadly, looking towards the men.

Desmond's heart sank.

"Yeah..." he admitted sadly.

He realised that this might be it. That he could die right here on this grimy rooftop while Artemis is kidnapped and taken somewhere she might never escape.

The men were now one roof away. Desmond could hear their footfalls and panting breaths.

"It sucks y'know..." Artemis coughed. "All these different ways to go, but all lead to nowhere but down..."

She scoffed slightly and coughed again.

"Sucks that neither of us can run down walls..."

Desmond was about to nod in agreement, but then it hit him.

"Run!" Desmond exclaimed. "That's it!!"

Artemis looked up at him with confusion.

"What?"

Desmond quickly looked over the ledge. There was a small dim light, one that he was barely able to see, telling him that they were too high up.

Desmond realised that even if he did something, Artemis would be a sitting duck if he didn't put her somewhere safe. She needed to be away from the gunmen for this to work...

He began to make some small calculations to himself.

"Artemis." he asked quickly. "How much do you weigh?"

She looked at him with a mix of dizziness and confusion.

"Um..." she shut her eyes and tried to remember. "120 pounds, I think?"

Desmond quickly began to make more calculations.

"There..." he suddenly said.

He moved towards Artemis and scooped her up. She immediately winced and grunted in pain but Desmond kept moving towards the ledge.

"Artemis." he began. "Batman gave me a tablet, one I think is supposed to give me Flash's powers, but I'm not sure what will happen..."

She looked at him with concern.