Identity **ON HOLD**

Chapter 16

Artemis's POV

Whoosh

I dodged to the right as a fist went through the air were my fist had been a second ago. I returned with another punch to my opponents face, but they managed to dodge me as well. Thinking fast, I dropped down as fast as gravity would allow me, stuck out one of my legs, and swiftly kicked my opponent's legs out from under them. Not expecting it, they fell hard to the ground with a loud oof.

Kaldur, Fail

I stood up and held out my hand to help the Atlantean up. "Nice move at the end there, Artemis. It was very quick and I did not see it coming," Kaldur said with a smile. I returned it as I heaved him to his feet.

"Thanks!"

"This is getting boring!"

Kaldur and I looked to the sidelines of the digital training pad. The rest of the team stood their in a haphazard line. Left to right, all dressed in civvies, was Conner, M'Gann, Zatanna, and Wally, who was also the one to yell out.

"And what exactly do you suggest we do then, Wally?" Kaldur asked the speedster.

"Something that isn't training! That's all we have been doing lately, and the last mission we went on in forever was a total dud!" he complained.

"It wasn't a dud, Baywatch," I sighed, rolling my eyes. "We just couldn't beat a guy who can teleport and turn invisible."

"We have someone who can turn invisible! And she couldn't even see him!" Wally further complained.

"That's not how invisibility works, Wally," M'gann explained, confusion written on her face for the fact that Wally didn't seem to get the point of invisibility.

"Still! We got our butts kicked and all's we got for it was a mini-lecture from Batman's shadow and no further information on how the case was going!"

"I don't think Robin really lectured us. More like stared in a way only a Bat can," Zatanna commented.

"Either way, I agree with Wally. We've been waiting for a mission for forever and when we finally get one it goes flop and the guy gets away with complete access to Wayne Enterprises," Conner grunted, arms crossed.

"We need some action," Wally said, rubbing his palms together.

"Don't get any ideas, Baywatch. We don't want the League to get mad at us for taking up some random mission," I said.

Wally frowned at my comment, looking to the floor in thought. The training room fell into a silence. That is, until Zatanna snapped her fingers. "I have an idea guys!"

"What are you thinking, Zatanna?" asked Kaldur, who had stayed surprisingly silent during the previous exchange.

"Artemis is right, the League will get mad at us if we take on a new mission. So, let's take on an old one," Zatanna said. But her words revealed pretty much nothing. Everyone in the room had faces of confusion staring back at the magician.

"Like?" M'gann finally asked.

"We got owned by Red X the other night, and it doesn't seem like Batman is going to give us any more information on the case. So, let's find someone who will."

"Who in the League is going to give us the information willingly, and without telling Batman?" Conner asked, speaking the exact question that flashed across my mind.

"We aren't going to be asking anyone in the League, silly. We are going to do quite the opposite, actually," Zatanna replied, giving a knowing smile. "We are going to ask Robin."

I scoffed in disbelief at what the magician had just suggested. I looked around to see my team's reactions. They shared a similar one, shock. "And how exactly do you think we would manage that, Zatanna?" Kaldur asked.

"Simple." Zatanna turned on the heel of her tennis shoe to face me, her hands clasped in front of her in a way that would remind of a villain concocting an evil plan. "Artemis will ask him."

Once again, I scoffed in disbelief. Crossing my arms, I asked in an incredulous tone, "And what makes you think I can even get into contact with the Boy Wonder?" Obviously, I knew how I would, but none of them needed to know that.

"It's not like we can just call Robin," M'gann pointed out, coming to my aid.

"We don't have to call him," Zatanna explained. "We just have to wait."

<~>

"Dick!"

I put my hands into the pockets of my brown leather jacket. I looked around the warehouse that had been dubbed H.Q. by Barbara, craning my neck to see if I could see the fourteen-year-old standing on the balcony somewhere. Luckily, he was just walking out of the door that led to his bedroom.

"Artemis," the boy greeted as he made his way down to the first floor to meet me. By jumping over the balcony and landing on the floor in a somersault, of course. "What's up?"

"The team and I need a favor," I asked, getting right to the point. Before I had left to come here, the team had formulated a plan to get back on the Red X case. This discussion was led by Zatanna, of course. She had the bright idea that I should just go out in my hero gear and try to catch Robin on patrol tonight, alone. From there, I was to ask him to bring the team in on his case, and not tell Batman. It was, after all, his case according to the Dark Knight. I had elected not to risk the infamous Bat to find me sneaking around Gotham at night as Artemis and just came to the warehouse to ask Dick in person.

After I explained what the team wanted to Dick, instead of automatically replying, he just looked at some obscure spot in the distance, folding his arms over his chest. I sighed, my hands still in my jacket pockets, and looked around the dojo-esque hideout Robin had for himself. I can tell he must have cleaned it between the mission a couple of days ago and now. It seemed less dusty, and the various weapons seemed to have a brighter shine to them.

"Well, Dick?" I asked after a few more moments of silence.

The younger boy still didn't answer for a few seconds, electing to instead turn around and head back up the stairs, actually walking this time, to the balcony. "I don't know if I can do that, Artemis," he finally said.

I looked at the young boy shocked as he walked along the balcony, disappearing into the door to the room that served as his office of sorts. "Seriously? The team could really use your help!" I yelled up.

Yet another few moments passed before Dick came back out to the balcony, flash drive in hand. "I don't know if I can do what you asked, Artemis. I probably can't go to the cave without permission from Bats. Imagine how the League would react if they found out," he explained.

"So you are just going to do nothing?" I asked. Dick had made his way back down to me as we talked and now stood in front of me. He held out the flash drive in his hands.

"I can't go to the cave without the League's permission, but that doesn't mean I can't give the team access to the Red-X case file made up by Batman."

I took the drive from him, staring for a few seconds before pocketing it. "Still working the system, I see."

Dick gave me a small smile. "Always."