Chapter Nine-


After the close call in the airport involving the death of the pilot of the jet, two bodyguards, and another shot through Barbara's arm, Batman had stepped up security. Artemis was in the cockpit of the plane Samuel Grant was flying.

She crossed her arms over her chest, self-conscious of how she looked slouched down next to the male pilot.

Everything was peaceful until the Ural Mountains. The plane shook. Artemis ignored it, figuring it was turbulence. That and she didn't want to open her eyes. She hated flying if she wasn't the pilot. The plane shook again and she opened one eye, glancing at the pilot.

He was shaking the controls, diving straight toward the ground.

Artemis jerked up, slamming him into the wall and tilting the plane upwards.

"Dlya matushki-Rossii!" he yelled, pulling out a pistol.

Artemis slapped it out of his hand and punched him in the face. He slumped to the ground unconscious. Artemis turned and grabbed the controls, turning the plane towards the ground.

"Fasten your seat belts, we're going down for an emergency landing." she said into the radio before turning her attention back to piloting the plane. The russian tried to get up once, but she kicked him in the face and he fell back into unconsciousness.

Artemis landed the plane gently on the snow. She got up and dragged the pilot to the door. She opened it to see the rest of the staff with AK-47s pointed at her face.

"Cant trust anyone." she muttered.

A black blur came from behind the staff and landed a swift kick to each of their heads.

"Where's the real staff?" Artemis asked Red Revenge.

"Dead." Revenge said. "I think these guys could do with some fresh air."


A few moments later, the four guards were laying on the snow. Revenge was kneeling on the ground doing something.

"What are you doing now?" Artemis asked, walking over to him.

"Setting a signal for someone to come pick these guys up." Revenge said. He stood up and rammed Artemis in the forehead. She collapsed to the ground.

Revenge dragged her inside and emerged a moment later with Samuel Grant.

"Get some fresh air and hurry." Revenge said.

Grant nodded, walking about looking queasy. Red Revenge walked back inside the plane.

Grant continued to walk. Suddenly, the green-black clad assassin landed in front of him. "Hello!" she said with a devilish grin. She sliced him on the face and knocked him to the ground. Grant slid backwards a ways before looking up, terror and fear in his eyes.

Holly pulled out a pistol and pointed it at the boy laying in the snow. She grinned and put her finger on the trigger.

But hesitated.

The smile slowly disappeared from her face as she looked at the terrified, helpless boy in front of her. He had done nothing wrong to deserve his life to be cut savagely short by a girl his age with a pistol in her hand.

And was she a murderer? Would she kill in cold-blood? She could give him a gun and shoot him. But it wouldn't be the same, would it? She knew that he couldn't defend himself. It was the same thing.

Slowly, Holly lowered the pistol.

Revenge leaped from the cliff face and pinned Holly to the ground from behind, handcuffing her hands together behind her back. He pulled her up and stood her up.

"I want you to see something." Revenge said. He pulled out a dagger and threw it into Grant's chest. Holly stumbled back. Revenge detonated the dagger. Snow and wiring flew everywhere. When Holly looked back, a pile of fizzling computer chips and hardware was laying there.

"Always hated that robot." Revenge muttered. "C'mon, missy. Let's go."

Holly looked in horror at the vigilante before it dawned on her what had just happened.

"You used it as a test to see if I would kill him." she said.

"Good job, Einstein." Revenge said. "Let's see how long it takes you to figure out where you're going?"

"Jail?"

"Close."

Before Holly could inquire what Revenge meant by that, the archer emerged from the plane looking extremely mad.

"I'll explain in a minute." Revenge said, walking past her. He took Holly to the back of the plane and locked her in, bolting the door shut with three different locks from the outside.

Artemis punched him in the mouth when he emerged from the plane.

"I knocked you out because you would've tried to save the fake Grant. My test was whether she would actually kill him or not."

"I'm surprised you didn't kill her." Artemis replied. "Then I remembered you like her."

"Watch your mouth, blondie."

"You could've explained the plan at least!"

"Would've taken too long."

"Batman is going to want to interrogate her. It isn't going to be a nice thing to watch."

"That's why I'm not telling Batman."

Artemis raised an eyebrow.

"Don't tell the League or the Team."

Artemis frowned.

"Please?" Revenge spit out the word as if it were poison.

Artemis's expression didn't change.

"Will you not tell the Justice League or the Team, please?" Revenge asked, still bitter.

"I guess that's as nice as you get." Artemis said. "Fine."

"Thanks." Revenge said, walking back into the plane.

"Coming?" he asked.

"I think Red Revenge can handle Samuel Grant. Besides, I've got to call in the JL for these guys."

"I owe you one."

"Don't forget it." Artemis replied.

Revenge grinned beneath his mask and shut the door. A moment later, the plane took off, headed back for New York.

"Don't tell the Team or the League." Artemis mocked.

"I said League first." Revenge's voice came over her earpiece.

Artemis growled and crushed it.



TO BE CONCLUDED...