This Is My Future

Chapter 23

Artemis's P.O.V

I sat on a catwalk overhanging the ground floor of an old factory, keeping in the shadows like Nightwing told me to, with Tigress's crossbow in my lap and her bolt bag laying next to me.

"Good thing I'm ambidextrous," I grumbled quietly looking at my sling that matched my suit perfectly.

Nightwing said to stay out of sight even if a fight breaks out so I decided to listen and sat there, bored as hell.

I jumped when I heard something that sounded like a battle cry, my guess was from Tigress. I snuck to the edge of the walk, dragging the bolt bag and holding the crossbow in my good hand.

I looked down in time to see Robin drop out of nowhere and attack the old guy in the red robes, who Nightwing said was Brother Blood.

Tigress was swinging her sword like a little girl with a toy wand. She sliced through five giant, bulky men with her sword causing a bloodbath and then back flipped to two more of them. She swung her elbows back into each mans gut then whipped her arms up, punching both men in the nose.

"Gotta admit," I smirked. "That bitch is pretty badass."

I heard an enraged shout and scanned the floor.

Nightwing was fighting a huge man that was twice his size, but the fight looked odd, the big man didn't even look like he was trying to fight, he seemed to be trying to keep Nightwing in one place, I quickly realized why.

Holding the crossbow with my feet, I loaded a bolt as fast as I could. I grabbed the weapon, stood up and aimed it the best I could at a cloaked man in the shadows aiming a machine gun at Nightwing's back.

I shot.

The cloaked man jerked to the side then flopped to the ground; dropping the gun with a loud crack of metal and plastic. I frowned in confusion and squinted through the dark at the man. My eyes widened, "Oh my god..." I couldn't see because of the dark when I aimed and I aimed too high. I shot the man right through his head.

The crossbow slipped from my grip, I tried to grab it but I missed and it landed on the ground level.

It wasn't a very loud noise, but it was enough for Blood to look over. He undercut Robin quickly then looked at the crossbow. He glanced at Tigress who was across the room from the weapon.

She was covered in blood that obviously wasn't her own, swinging her sword and dancing 'hardcore' ballet.

Brother Blood dragged his eyes from the weapon and up at me.

I held my breath as he pointed at me and about ten men ran up the stairs to the catwalk. I dropped the bolt bag and ran.

I skidded to a stop when I saw more of the cloaked men in front of me. I looked behind me at the first group of men. I hate needing help but that didn't stop me.

"Nightwing!" I shouted; extending the second 'i'.

Out of the corner of my eye; I saw Nightwing look at me, take down the big man, and run to a set of hanging chains.

He climbed the chains swiftly like a monkey and swung in fast circles toward the catwalk.

"Duck!" He shouted.

I frowned in confusion. I gasped and dived down when the bottom of the heavy industrial chain vine swung up and rotated over the catwalk.

The chain raked through the men knocking them down in one direction like a set of dominos.

I screamed when one of the big cloaked men landed on top of me. Blood ran from the back of his injured head and ran to the front of his face. The warm, thick crimson liquid dripped off the man's face and onto mine.

"Nightwing!" I cried in horror realizing the man was dead.

Nightwing landed on the catwalk, grabbed the dead man by the hood of his cloak, pulled him off me, and without hesitation he threw the body over the safety rail of the walk. He looked down at me with a face of stone and he offered his hand to me.

I looked at his hand paralyzed in horror and shock, unable to believe that this ruthless monster standing over me, used to be that sweet, goofy, happy-go-lucky, genius kid that the Team might as well call it's little brother.

Nightwing got tired of waiting and grabbed my hand. He swiftly pulled me to my feet.

"Thanks..." I said quietly failing at hiding my nervous tone.

Nightwing frowned at me. He opened his mouth to talk, but he stopped when an enraged, blood curdling, scream erupted from the ground level.