Artemis

six

ARTEMIS WAS DISAPPOINTED. Not in her hunters (they were doing their jobs wonderfully), but in Tony fucking Stark, who had the utter audacity to call her wing woman and newest recruit into a trap under false pretenses.

Now, she wasn't even sure if he was right when he said he had found Thanos. It was less than likely they had pinpointed his location. Thanos could disappear if he wanted to. He still had the gauntlet.

Artemis took one look at Stark's 'advanced' tracking tech, and almost walked right back out the door. Men and their egos... when they wanted to be right, they would do anything to convince themselves.

"You idiot, if Thanos is anywhere in the universe, he's not going to be on Earth, especially if he knows you're still alive," Artemis sighed, dragging a finger along the cool metal surface. "He's definitely not in Jersey. I'd feel his presence."

"Oh, yeah? And why's that?" Stark challenged, puffing out his chest to make himself look taller, and utterly failing.

"My mother, the titan Leto, is Thanos' sister. He's blood, I'd know him anywhere."

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh. Now, if you'll excuse us, I have actual important matters to attend to, like my mortal enemy killing hunters to get on my nerves," Artemis huffed, crossing the lab to get to the door.

Tara's eyes widened. "Orion's killing hunters?"

Artemis sighed, nodding. "I started loosing contact with a few parties while Adaku and I were gone. Didn't think anything of it, but went to check it out anyways. He's targeting us to get to me. Stay here. I'll handle it."

Thor scoffed. "Like hell, Artemis. If Orion gets to you, it's over. Let your team help."

"It was over when Thanos won, Thor," she snapped. "I wonder who's fault that was?"

The door slammed behind the silver-haired goddess, effectively startling everyone in the room.

"Well, that worked," Tony said, getting a glare from the twenty hunters in the room. "What?"

"Artemis is gonna need our help," Tara said, rounding to face the group. "Adaku, do you know which groups were targeted?"

Adaku nodded. "There were groups on Xandar, Raylea, Ieturn, Thade 7JN8, Jubrars, and Veytov."

Tara nodded, running an analysis of each planet mentioned. "What do these places have in common?"

"Thanos targeted them?" Thor suggested, shrugging.

"Well, yeah, but what would make Orion target those places?" Tara's mind was working on overdrive. There was a connection with these places, she just knew it.

Quiang's head snapped up. "I was born on Veytov."

"I'm from Ieturn," said Genie, their fists clenching.

"I was born on Thade," Tara muttered, her mind connecting pieces faster than she thought was possible. "He's targeting birth places of her most trusted."

Thor shifted. "Then if Orion is targeting birth places, wouldn't he come here next? Both Adaku and Alethea were born here."

"Depends. Is he really that stupid?" Tara started pacing. "There's something I'm missing. What the hell?"

Suddenly, the lights flickered off, drowning the compound in darkness. Twenty one watches lit up almost instantly, showing the same message from Artemis: He's on earth. Stay with Thor. I'll be there soon.

"Orion's here?" Lilo whispered, heart pounding.

Alethea inched closer to the newest hunter, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Don't make a scene. Artemis will be here soon."

"Great!"

Everyone turned to the new voice that filled the room, sharp and sarcastic. He stood there, bow clutched loosely in his right hand, a quiver of arrows strapped to his back. No one dared to move, breathe, in case he snapped so soon.

"Orion," Tara ground out, pushing her way towards the front of the group.

"Oh, Tara, how I missed you."

"Choke."

Orion feigned hurt, pressing his free hand to his chest. "Ouch. What a way to greet an old friend."

Tony, who had been fiddling with a couple spare gears and bolts, spoke up, drawing Orion's attention from the group of girls in front of him. "You know, for someone Artie seems to hate so much, you're really not that threatening. Tell me, what did you do to piss off a goddess?"

Orion laughed, dry and without humor. "Artemis will tell you that it was my fault, that apparently, I fell in love with her and couldn't keep it to myself. I mean, that is true, but she reciprocated those feelings. She fell in love with me and she couldn't handle is, so she turned me into a stag, and killed me. She never tells the whole story."

Tara shrugged. "She told me everything except the killing you part, but I always kinda guessed."

"Yeah, me too." Everyone started chiming in, expressing their thoughts towards Artemis's side of the tale.

Orion clenched his jaw and rolled his eyes, annoyed by the loyalty of the group. "She's got them groomed. Fantastic."

"Grooming is actually when a pedophile gets all buddy-buddy with their victim so when they abuse the kid, they think it's normal. My hunters just know where their loyalties lie." Artemis slammed the door behind her, pulling a silver arrow out of her quiver as she stalked forward. "My, my, Orion. You look awful."

Orion snorted. "Sure, and you've been getting you're beauty sleep."

"I don't sleep."

"I know." Orion smirked at Artemis, a sickening joy spreading through him as he saw her shift uneasily. "What's the matter, sweetheart? You scared?"

"Of you?" Artemis glared at the man. "Never."

Artemis tapped her leg, trying to give the impression that she was nervous, but sending a message in morse code. Orion took no notice to the tapping, too invested in the staring contest.

Tara get back to lodge dont come back

The pattern repeated over and over, until Artemis heard a shuffle behind her. Her mouth twitched, and her fingers switched back to mindless tapping.

"Well, as much as I've enjoyed this face-off, I'm going to have to kill you now." Artemis said with fake remorse. She pouted at her old enemy, putting all her energy into pissing him off.

It worked. Orion's eyes narrowed, and he lunged, not at Artemis, but at the hunters trying to subtly exit the room.

a/n

yikes.

nOW we're getting into the swing of things lol. I've decided to wrap up the Orion storyline before moving on to IW because idk how that's gonna go yet???? Anyways thanks for reading!!!!