Susurringly- Young Justice

A Hero, yet a Villain

"Remember, team," Aqualad said, "rescue Dr. Roquette no matter what."

"She should really stop getting herself into trouble all the time like come on!" Kid Flash complained.

Artemis rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "It isn't her fault, Wally!"

"Superboy and Miss Martian, you will lead the diversion," Aqualad reminded the team. "Wally and Artemis, you two will run in through the front entrance. Robin and I will enter through the back. Whoever finds Dr. Roquette will get her to safety as your first priority. Is that clear?"

"Let's just get this over with," Superboy said, opening a hatch to the bioship and leaping out.

"I guess that's my cue," Miss Martian said while changing her uniform to its night form. She followed Superboy out with a much subtler approach.

"You okay, Rob?" Wally asked. "Is it about Zatanna? Her dad is just being overprotective. You'll get to see her again."

"No, it isn't that," Robin typed furiously on his portable wrist computer. "It's-"

"Something's wrong! We're fighting people like my uncle J'onn," Miss Martian yelled through the telepathic link.

"And Superman and, ugh," Superboy said and let out a groan of pain. "The Flash."

"We need help," Miss Martian said.

"Wally, I will need your speed," Aqualad responded telepathically while rising from his seat. "The two of us are on our way. Artemis, Robin, it's up to you."

Aqualad nodded at the two of them and dropped out of the ship.

"Don't have too much fun without me," Wally joked and saluted Robin.

Something was terribly wrong. If what Miss Martian and Superboy said was true, the team was in for one hell of a ride.

"Two hundred feet until we reach the complex," Artemis said, snapping Robin out of his trance. "Hey, they'll be fine."

"I know," Robin nodded. "What's the worst that could happen?"

''You should not have come," a familiar voice rang out in Robin's earpiece.

Artemis must have heard it, too, since she looked up at Robin. Someone had hacked the frequency.

Artemis retrieved her bow and whispered, "Let's go. Leave the earpiece."

Artemis ditched her earpiece and Robin followed her example. More words came through the miniature communication devices, but they were unintelligible from Robin's distance from them. Artemis jumped down from the bioship. Robin was definitely not feeling the aster.

---------------------

The complex was more of a warehouse from the inside, but it was built into the nearby mountain which easily camouflaged it. The battle outside echoed throughout and gave Artemis an uneasy feeling.

A few men chatted beyond the corner. The group talked about a serum that they were 'dying to get their hands on.' Typical.

The unusual part was the effects of the drug. It could give you any superpower? That would mean trouble.

Another voice joined the group. She recognized the voice the instant it emerged: Sportsmaster.

Robin beside her narrowed his eyes and nodded to her. He jumped out into the open and began the attack. Artemis trailed him and kept her distance. She released arrow after arrow, firing upon the squad of men.

Robin fought three men hand to hand, but the fourth, Sportsmaster, aimed to take on Artemis.

Sportsmaster approached her, forcing Artemis to back off a few steps. She aimed an arrow at his shoulder. After all, she did not want to kill her own father. Sportsmaster caught the arrow and laughed, "You think a silly arrow will take me down. That's cute, little girl."

Artemis gritted her teeth as she shot another arrow. Her elbow smashed against the wall behind her, causing her arrow to miss its target.

Sportsmaster laughed and swung the metal chain of his hammer. He released it upon his daughter, but she barely managed to dodge the assault.

"We're losing out here," Wally said, telepathically.

"Get the doctor and let us go, NOW!" Aqualad ordered through the link.

"We're on it," Artemis said to the team.

"The doctor should be just ahead," Robin said, aloud. "Let's end this."

Artemis dodged a few more attacks and rolled away from Sportsmaster.

"A little help?" Artemis said with a hint of annoyance.

Artemis backed away from Sportsmaster. A scatter of balls flew through the air toward Sportsmaster.

"Let's go," Robin said, helping Artemis to her feet and down the hall.

The tiny balls exploded, forcing Sportsmaster to stumble and fall.

Robin's guys lay scattered on the floor and Artemis mumbled a few choice words at the sight.

The pair sprinted to the end of the hall and turned a corner.

"In here," Robin said, ushering her into a room.

Robin immediately barred the metal door from Sportsmaster who proceeded to bang on the door. The yelling continued for a few moments before stopping. Either Sportsmaster had given up, or he was going to get back up, Artemis assumed the latter.

Artemis scanned the room before a shape moved in the darkness. Artemis notched an arrow and aimed it at the figure. The poor lighting did not help to see who the presumed assailant might be. Robin stood poised on the ready.

"Step into the light," Artemis commanded.

Without hesitation, the figure emerged into the light to reveal Susurringly in all her glory. Artemis recognized the girl from previous encounters. Artemis had trained with the girl under her mother, Huntress. Susurringly was too secretive and too unpredictable for Artemis' liking.

"I told you to both to get out of here," Susurringly said, narrowing her eyes.

"Sorry, we lost our earpieces," Artemis tightened her arrow, ready to let it hit Susurringly. "Our bad."

"It's a setup," Susurringly said. "Your friends are already captured. I told you if you had listened."

"What do you mean?" Robin whispered. "Dr. Roquette is her. The tracker-"

"It was a ploy," Susurringly said, angrily. "They want Miss Martian and Superboy. They're running out of blood."

"What?" Artemis questioned.

"Blood goes into the serum. That's how it works so effectively," Susurringly said. "Now, I can get you out of here, but only one of you."

"Only one? Why not the both of us?" Artemis demanded.

Susurringly stared at Robin, waiting for his decision. She completely ignored Artemis.

"She wants me to play her game," Robin said, answering Artemis. "She could get us both out of here, but she doesn't want to. That's why everyone calls her an anti-hero. She plays the part, but only to a certain extent."

"You know me so well," Susurringly smirked. "Now, who's it gonna be? You or her?"

"I hate you," Robin whispered. "Her."

"You know you couldn't, even if you tried," Susurringly said, grabbing Artemis and shoving her toward the window.

Artemis climbed out onto the fire escape and waited for Susurringly to follow. Susurringly hopped out and hung on the ledge of the window for a brief second to hear Robin say,

"No, I really do."

Artemis saw the brief hesitation in Susurringly before Susurringly hopped fully out of the window. Her pursed lips revealed a new fact to Artemis about Susurringly. 

Strange, Artemis thought. She had never thought Susurringly could have feelings.

 She grabbed two bars from her back that was held together by a thin material. She clicked a button and it expanded to reveal a purple hang glider.

"Time to go," Susurringly said, curtly.