Zane's body hit the dirt hard.
Karen clattered beside him, the metal groaning under its own weight. His eyes rolled back, the adrenaline cutting out like a power outage. Blood trickled down from his temple, and then—
Darkness.
Standing over him, Artemis breathed hard. Her bow was gripped tight in one hand, the other arm raised as if to block another shot. But none came.
Because both attackers were staring her down now.
"Step away from the kid," came the smooth voice of Green Arrow, stepping closer, his bow already drawn with a tranquilizer arrow nocked.
He and Speedy had just been in the Arrowcave when the Watchtower pinged them with strange seismic readings in their City. It wasn't long before the whole neighborhood felt it—low rumbles like underground thunder, tremors that made the street dogs bark.
They'd arrived just in time to find the epicenter of it all—this kid lying unconscious, smoke in the air, scorched concrete... and her.
Beside him, Speedy had his bow up, no hesitation in his eyes, posture stiff. "You picked a real bad day to play hero."
Artemis didn't move. She didn't lower her bow, didn't flinch.
She was angry. Not just angry—furious.
Not because Zane nearly shot someone. She could deal with that, considering who her father was.
No—what had her seeing red was that he nearly got himself killed. That he went through all this alone. That he didn't trust her enough to bring her in.
'Stupid bastard. It's a damn good thing I slipped a tracker into that air filtration gadget I lent him.'
That smoke-clearing device he used in Cadmus? That came from her. Zane might've looted KGBeast dry, but even that psycho didn't carry every tool for every scenario.
So when Zane needed a little extra gear? He came to her. He never asked for much--and if he did he would use it right away--until recently. She didn't ask questions when he requested gear, not out loud. But deep down, she knew something big was going on. And she followed the trail.
Serling's house came first. Then here.
So she knew what was happening. She knew or suspected who Desmond was. And she knew why Zane wanted to pull the trigger.
"He's not your enemy," she growled. "He's trying to save someone."
Speedy's laugh was sharp and biting. "Yeah? From who, himself?" He gestured toward the half-scorched floor. "Newsflash—he was about to put a bullet in an unarmed guy's head. Real noble."
"Speedy," Green Arrow said, tone more measured. "Let's not escalate this."
Speedy didn't budge.
Green Arrow turned toward Artemis, lowering his bow just a little. His eyes softened. "Look. I get it. You and him—you're close. Partners, right? The two vigilantes we've been tracking. You probably think you're doing the right thing. But this guy—he's dangerous. He just brought down half a block."
Artemis didn't blink. "And you think that's the whole story?"
"I think people nearly died," Ollie said. "I think we've got a problem, a destroyed facility, and a reckless vigilante--based on our surroundings. That sounds like a bad guy on paper."
"He doesn't trust people like you," Artemis shot back. Her fingers tensed on the bowstring.
"Well maybe he shouldn't," Speedy snapped. "Not when the people like us are trying to stop him from blowing someone's brains out!"
"You weren't there!" Artemis shouted, voice cracking slightly.
A beat of silence fell.
"He's not some psycho out here murdering people," she went on, quieter now but fiercer. "You dont know what he's been though, maybe I dont either. But all I know is that you Justice League ways show up late to the party and start playig the blame game. Like your Above everyone else!"
Green Arrow faltered a bit. Speedy lowered his bow slightly.
Artemis looked down at Zane.
His chest rose and fell in shallow breaths. Cuts still fresh. Burns still glowing faintly. His mask, cracked on one side, still clung to his face.
She bit her lips, doing everything in her power to stop herself from just picking him up and running away.
Instead, Artemis said coldly, "You should've let him finish what he started."
Speedy's grip on his bow tightened, rising half an inch.
"Oh, so that's where we're at now? Guess you're both future murderers—figures. Just skip the trial and call it justice, huh?"
Artemis didn't flinch. Her eyes narrowed. "Spare me the lecture. If someone's gonna hit me with the whole 'heroes don't kill' routine, I'd rather hear it from the main hero—not his angry little knockoff."
Speedy barked a laugh, but there was no humor in it. "Oh that's rich—coming from the girl playing bodyguard to a psychopath."
"At least I'm not swinging on someone who's actually trying to make a difference," she shot back. "Meanwhile, you're out here pretending you're the second coming of Green Arrow, but all you've got is attitude and a fragile ego."
"You don't know a damn thing about me!"
"Don't need to. Your inferiority complex's doing all the talking."
That struck a nerve.
"I'm not a sidekick!" he barked, immediately turning red with annoyance.
Ollie pinched the bridge of his nose. "Speedy—"
Green Arrow sighed and took a few steps forward, lowering his bow slightly. "Let's all calm down. We're not here to hurt anyone."
"He's unconscious," Artemis said. "He's not a threat right now."
"Not now," Speedy muttered. "But what about ten minutes from now? Or tomorrow?"
Green Arrow looked down at Zane's prone form. "You don't have to protect him like this. We can help him. We've got connections—doctors, people who can figure out what's wrong with him."
"You mean hand him over to the League?" Artemis said, voice sharpening.
"Is that a problem?" Green Arrow asked gently.
Artemis faltered.
Zane seemed pretty beat up, there's no telling what could be wrong. Letting them give him prefessional healthcare did seem like the best option.
But....
She braced herself. "You're not taking him."
She doesnt want Zane to possibly go to Jail, even if it means fighting the Justice League.
Green Arrow sighed. "Didn't want to do this, kid."
Artemis moved first.
Her boot dug into the pavement, propelling her toward Speedy in a blur. Her shoulder slammed into him, throwing off his aim, and her bow lashed out to deflect Green Arrow's shot.
TWANG!
The arrow flew wide and buried itself in a tree. Speedy recovered fast, spinning back with a short baton drawn now. "Oh, so we're doing this?"
"Not my first time," Artemis spat, ducking under his swing.
Green Arrow, meanwhile, didn't even seem angry—just focused. He moved like water, fluid and relaxed as he circled to flank her.
"I don't know who you are beneath the mask, but you're good," he said conversationally. "Been trained?"
"None of your business," Artemis said, loosing an arrow at his feet to slow his step.
Green Arrow vaulted backward, using the edge of a bench as leverage. "That's fair. But maybe use some of that training to pick better company."
Behind her, Speedy surged forward. She turned just in time to parry, but he swept her legs from under her, sending her to the ground with a thud.
"Ngh—!" she grunted, rolling to avoid the follow-up.
She tried to stand—but an arrowhead hovered an inch from her face.
Green Arrow stood over her now, calm but firm. "This is over."
Artemis froze.
For a second, her eyes flicked toward Zane.
Still out. Breathing, but barely moving.
Damn it.
She let her bow clatter to the ground.
Speedy loomed over Artemis, scowling. "Should've led with that."
She didn't answer. Just breathed hard, hands still braced against the cracked ground. Not oaying speedy any attention, much to his annoyance.
Green Arrow scanned the area—then stopped.
His eyes narrowed.
"…Where's the guy he was trying to kill?"
Everyone turned.
The spot where Desmond had been pinned—busted concrete, crumpled steel, smoke rising in slow curls—
Empty.
No body.
No footprints.
No blood.
Gone.
"Damn it," Green Arrow muttered. "He slipped away in the chaos."
"He ran while you were trying to talk her down," Speedy snapped. "Told you we should've taken the shot."
Green Arrow didn't answer. Just exhaled sharply, then turned to Artemis.
"We're taking the kid in."
He didn't ask.
Artemis stayed still, still catching her breath.
She gave a small nod, but as the others looked away—her expression shifted.
Just for a second.
A flicker of a smile.
Then it was gone.
'You'll lead us right to them', she thought. 'I'll show Zane I'm not some useless sidekick.'