To: Broken Antler in Winter: The YJcrew likes their explosions lol.

To: not paranoid enough: I hope this new chappie soothes your patience :)

Notes: I'm still not finished writing. I keep being excited to reveal my 'secrets' but I'm also scared I won't deliver wonderfully.

"He hasn't checked in for the past six hours," Superboy continued, as we all headed our way towards the briefing room.

" 'Six hours'?" Black Tern asked, "It took the League six hours to realize one member is missing?"

"Dr. Fate insisted on doing his own investigation," I explained to my little brother before I aimed a raised eyebrow at Conner, "but still, it shouldn't have taken six hours to find out he's gone."

"His last check-in said that he might be delayed in getting another message to us," Superboy grumbled. We had reached the briefing room by this time and he preceded us into the room where a holo-screen showing Batman waited for us.

"Dr. Fate's disappearance doesn't change a thing," Batman began even before Damian and I settled beside the rest of the team. "The League and the Team are still considered under siege and no one is allowed to go alone. Everyone is still expected to make daily reports-"

Wally groaned at that but Batman pressed on.

"-and to account for any changes in their schedules using JL comms backup frequency. The BatCave has been compromised."

A few surprised gasps met his statement. Neither Wally nor I had managed to spread the word around with the suddenness of our sleepover. I mean, I know some of the Team (M'Gann, specifically) were curious as to why Black Tern and I were to suddenly stay in Mount Justice, and now Batman's announcement answered their questions.

With the League's current status, it was not a nice announcement to make.

And Batman wasn't done giving out those un-nice announcements either. "I've sent Zatanna and Rocket to track down Dr. Fate's last location. In the meantime, the rest of you not in the field will have to stay put. We can't risk more members going missing all at once."

"And what about the search?" Red Arrow spoke up from somewhere behind the Team. He'd been standing a distance away from the rest of us - far enough to be considered as separate from the Team but still near enough to hear the briefing. Ever since he found out he was a clone, Red Arrow had been making it a point to keep an even wider distance from us. He knew he needed the League's help to find the real Roy Harper but more and more he's been feeling...stifled, I guess, with all the failures we seem to keep getting. I think it won't be long before one final false lead will lead Red Arrow to break from anything League-related.

And I couldn't help but feel that day is growing closer and closer.

But I kept my thoughts to myself as I watched Roy's jaw grit tighter when Batman declared, "With no leads and too many risks, I'm suspending all investigations into looking for the missing members temporarily. In the case of Dr. Fate, I'm hoping Zatanna may be able to find a mystical trace to help us track him down." Batman's own jaw hardened. "For now, her investigation will be the only one I'll approve until we find more evidence. So let me reiterate, all of you will stay. Put."

I almost snorted out loud. Those two familiar words - the same words he'd used when he told Kaldur, Wally, and I to stay in the Mountain and not follow them as they answered Zatara's call for backup. It was the day when we were supposed to be 'inducted' into the grown-ups' League; but instead of the induction we were expecting, they just gave us a tour of the Hall of Justice. What. A. Letdown.

Damian lightly kicked my foot, bringing my attention back to the present. I'm never really sure how he finds out I was spacing, but he always manage to pull me back without even looking. It was almost like he was psychic or something.

Still, I'm glad he pulled me back because just as Batman was winding down his instructions, another holographic screen beeped into existence beside him.

"Green Lantern to the League," Lantern Hal was breathing hard as he shouted, "The League of Assassins is attacking the Star Labs hub! We need backup!"

"Acknowledged." Batman turned to us. "I'm sending the rest of the Team to assist. Batman out."

Everyone scrambled to obey Batman's orders. In just under a minute, we were all in the bioship and speeding towards Hal's location - Hal Jordan and Martian Manhunter, I remember belatedly. They had been assigned to check on Green Arrow and Artemis's disappearance so they were probably in Star City.

Now what would the League of Assassins want in Star Labs? Batman regularly checks on the researches being done there - whether open to the public or not - and certain researches were supposed to be red-flagged on the League's systems if it was deemed 'attractive' to villains. And by attractive, I meant load-up-for-giant-mutant-alien-bear-and-raid-the-place kind of attractive. But as of last check, Batman hadn't mentioned anything sensitive being worked on.

Or maybe the League of Assassins was after all of the Justice League members and targeted Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter.

Then how could they know the two heroes were in Star City?

Despite the bioship's speeds, it still took us a little less than ten minutes to reach Hal and J'onn. The sight of several areas of wreckage had me recalling Hal's words when he called for help. I remember he only mentioned the League of Assassins - and it made me wonder why an alien and an Oa-approved Guardian would have trouble with a bunch of powerless ninjas.

And then a blast of yellow barely missed hitting the bioship's flank - showing just why Hal and J'onn had difficulties.

"Klarion!" Wally shot up from his seat, his fists clenched as the horned, suited teenager flew past us with a jaunty wave.

Wait. Klarion's waving with just one hand, while the other...

"M'Gann! Hard left!"

The words were barely out of my mouth when something slammed down on the ship. M'Gann screamed, everything spun crazily, the seat restraints dug into my shoulders and stomach. It was dizzying but I pushed that to the back of my mind to deal with later and shouted for M'Gann to land us somewhere!

It took nearly a minute for the ship to right itself in the air and we quickly lost altitude to aim for the closest open area. And following behind us, not helping at all with his consecutive blasts of fireballs, is Klarion.

I really hate it when he becomes this annoying.

The ship hurtled to the left from another glancing hit and I decided we might as well join the fight early. We were low enough in the air for the non-flyers to land safely now.

"Everyone out!" I hollered as soon as I could. Everyone scrambled to right themselves and the bioship spat them out quickly. I was one of the last ones out so the others had already engaged Klarion by the time I dropped in.

And they were getting their asses kicked.

It shouldn't come as a surprise; with Dr. Fate missing and Zatanna looking for Dr. Fate, we didn't have much in the way of any mystic-capable offense. The best we had was Aqualad but he was one of the first gone missing. Miss Martian was limited in what she could manipulate with her telekinesis while the rest of us...

And then I had a plan.

Klarion's familiar, Teekl, had dropped to the ground to join the fray as was currently wrestling with Superboy. It was the best opportunity I was going to get.

Red, I called through the mental link Miss Martian quickly set up, flash arrows on Klarion's line of sight! KF and Superboy, lead the cat as far from Klarion as you can!

Red Arrow nocked and let fly three arrows in rapid succession. We each shielded our eyes or glanced away to keep the arrows from blinding us as they detonated.

Tern, smoke bombs.

Damian and I tossed enough bombs to fill Klarion's space with choking smoke before he could recover.

Miss M! Keep the smoke in a bubble surrounding him! We'll drive the cat away while he's disoriented!

As things stood, we couldn't fight Klarion if we came at him head-on. So our best bet is to make him panic by attacking his familiar while he's distracted. He may be powerful, but he always leaves the fight if we threaten his familiar too much.

Thankfully, my ploy worked.

"Teekl!" Klarion shrieked and shot several bolts in all directions to break M'Gann's telekinetic bubble. Then he zoomed out of the covering smoke and raced to pick up his familiar.

"How dare you gang up on a cat!" He glared at us while cradling his cat. "And I was starting to have fun. Come on, Teekl, we're done here anyway."

A portal opened behind him and he jumped through it to who knows where. But I only paid it half a mind as his parting words repeated again and again in my head.

Kid Flash zipped to a stop beside me. "That went quicker than I expec-"

Everyone turned towards me when I swore loudly.

"Rob?"

"We need to get to GL and Manhunter!" I told them, "Now!"

We ran for the last coordinates the two League members sent us. But even before we got there, I knew we were too late.