Worst Case Scenario

Chapter 13: Judas

The four prisoners each took the news differently.

Red Arrow looked angry, like he was wishing he'd shot Artemis back in that alley when he'd first confronted her after she'd joined the Team. Probably because he was.

Aqualad seemed resigned, like the this was one more nail in the coffin but the day wasn't actually capable of getting worse.

Rocket was more confused and shocked than anything else. She hadn't even known they'd had a spy until... well, however long ago the crash had been.

Robin on the other hand, almost didn't seem surprised.

"You. Little. TRAITOR!" shouted Red Arrow. "When I get out of here, I'm going to..."

"Quiet, Roy" said Robin, cutting him off with surprising force.

"But why...?" asked Rocket, quietly.

"It's because of her family" said Robin. He turned towards Artemis. "So you decided to work for the other side like your dad. After all the things we did for you."

"Hey!" said Cheshire. "Don't forget about me!"

"Her dad?" asked Rocket.

"My dad is Sportsmaster, Cheshire's my sister" said Artemis, shrugging her shoulders. "My mom used to go by the name Huntress. So this is kind of the family business. You know how it is. Need to pick a career my family approves of."

"And you knew about this?" shouted Red Arrow, facing Robin as best he could with his arms shackled above his head.

"Did you really think Batman would let her on the Team without a background check?" asked Robin.

"And he still let me in! How's that for dumb?" said Artemis, laughing. "The World's Greatest Detective must be getting old."

"He trusted you" said Robin, his eyes narrowing. "I trusted you."

Artemis smiled. She smiled. She'd betrayed the entire Team and she was smiling.

"Well, look where that got you" she said, shrugging.

"So that's why you sabotaged the mission in New Orleans" said Red Arrow.

"And why you allowed Cheshire to escape when we were protecting Dr. Roquette" continued Aqualad. "Because she was your family?"

Artemis yawned, almost as if she was bored with the questions. "You have to stick with your own flesh and blood. What else is there?"

The Atlantean stared at the ground.

"What about your friends?" shouted Rocket. "What about helping people? What about doing what's right?"

"You know, heroes always talk about 'what is right' and all that junk. The hypocrisy of the whole 'better than you' act makes me sick."

"So it was all an act" said Robin. "You never were a hero. Not even when you saved me back in the Cave? When I mistook one of the Reds for Red Tornado in the library?"

Artemis nodded. "I had to bail you out even then, Bird-brain" she remarked.

"Or when you saved my life in Geneva" said Red Arrow. "All of that just to trick us?"

"Well, I really didn't want to get sucked into a black hole, to tell you the truth. I hear it's not a fun way to die, and I've still got some stuff I want to do. But honestly? I save your life once, and suddenly Mr. Suspicious trusts me?"

"I was a fool" said the elder archer.

"Yeah, you we" said Cheshire, speaking for the first time since Artemis had begun.

"Tonight, you were the one who attacked me" said Red Arrow. "And here I was coming to rescue you!"

Artemis nodded. "You barely even put up a fight."

"And then you lured me out of hiding" said Rocket, putting the pieces together. "That's why they attacked us right after you showed up. You led them there!"

"Pretty impressive thinking there, Rocky" taunted Artemis in a way that she had definitely picked up from her sister. "But did you guys figure out that I was the one who baked a liquid form of Joker Toxin into Flash Jr.'s snack bars? Idiot never saw it coming."

"You monster" was all Red Arrow could think to say. He was stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid!

Rocket seemed stunned into silence at the revelations. Aqualad was still staring at the ground, in what almost looked like shame.

"Where are Zatanna, Superboy and Miss Martian?" demanded Robin.

"The Martian didn't make it. Poor thing died in the crash" said Artemis, with something almost resembling sadness, or maybe pity. "I'm not allowed to talk about what they're doing to the clone. As for magic girl, well, you'll find out soon enough."

"Why do all this to begin with?" asked Robin. "What's the endgame? Who are you all working for?"

Artemis started to open her mouth, but Cheshire interrupted. "Now, sis. We've really got to get going." Artemis nodded and they both turned towards the door.

"Wait!" said Rocket. "Why are you telling us all this?"

Artemis thought for a second.

"Well, to be honest, I doubt you'll ever see the light of day again, so I thought you should know. And I really wanted to see the look on your faces when you learned the truth."

"Artemis" said Red Arrow firmly. "You won't get away with this." Robin almost rolled his eyes in spite of the situation. Cliché much?

"Watch me, arrow-boy" said Artemis with another smile as she walked out the door, Cheshire right behind her.

"Oh, and one last thing. I'm going by the name Tigress now."

And then the door swung shut.