14.

The team jumped to the ground behind Aqualad, landing on the warehouse ground in the middle of Bane's men. The warehouse was thrown into instant chaos, Artemis almost didn't know where to focus. But then she saw the shapeless red-and-yellow blur that was Kid Flash, rounding up a group of men and herding them into a circle. Artemis shot an arrow into the fray and trapped the men in foam. Kid Flash grinned at her.

"Nice!" he shouted, and she couldn't help smiling.

"Thanks!" She shot another arrow, this one a net-launcher, and trapped another group of henchmen. Aqualad was fighting off a few others with his water-bearers, Robin had a handle on his own group of nasties, Miss Martian had disarmed and incapacitated three more, and Superboy was working on the rest. Artemis whirled, searching for a place she was needed. Nobody seemed to need any help. She turned to look for Bane. She knew Aqualad said they would take him down together, but maybe she could get a head start.

"Artemis, look out!" She barely had time to pay attention to Kid Flash's warning when she was grabbed from behind by an impossibly strong pair of arms. Bane crushed her in his grip, and Artemis's air supply was cut off. She dropped her bow and grabbed at Bane's arms, trying to free herself, but it was no use. She couldn't breathe. She was starting to see spots.

Come on, little girl. You're giving up that easily? Her father's voice snarled mockingly in her head, and Artemis grit her teeth. With all her strength, she bit down on Bane's arm. Hard. She tasted blood in her mouth, and Bane dropped her. She grabbed her bow, rolled a somersault, and came right side up facing Bane. She shot an electric shock arrow at him. It barely even seemed to affect him, and she made a noise of frustration.

Robin came up beside her and threw something at Bane. It landed on the ground at his feet, sticking into the warehouse floor. Artemis heard a creepy, childlike laugh from the device, and then it exploded, throwing Bane across the warehouse.

"Nice," Artemis told Robin, who was grinning. She grinned back at him.

"Superboy, a little help over here," Robin said, and Superboy took a flying jump onto Bane. Artemis watched him pummel the villain with his fists. She saw a spurt of blood fly from Bane's face and his head loll on the ground. He was knocked out. Artemis didn't much like the look on Superboy's face and the way his fists were still clenched, but she didn't say anything.

"Now let's tie him up," Robin suggested. Miss Martian found a rope and used her levitation powers to tie it tightly around Bane, securing his arms behind his back. Aqualad surveyed the scene with an unreadable look on his face.

"Why so glum, chum?" Kid Flash asked, patting Aqualad on the back. "Mission complete. We did it."

"I suppose," Aqualad said uncertainly. "We will see what Batman has to say."

Robin's eyebrow twitched. Artemis stretched her arms up and winced, holding her side. "Ow, ow!"

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?" Miss Martian flew over to Artemis's side in concern.

"I think Bane broke one of my ribs," Artemis said, speaking through her teeth. It wasn't the worst injury she'd suffered, but it still hurt.

"We should call the League and get back to the cave," Kid Flash said, and Robin nodded in agreement. "They can pick these guys up. Artemis should get to the infirmary."

Artemis winced when she tried to walk. She had hit her knee pretty hard when she landed on the ground, and it hurt a little bit to walk. She felt pathetic. Her first mission and she had nothing to show for it. She'd gotten captured and injured by Bane, and she'd barely done anything to help take him down. She was angry with herself.

"Do you need any help?" Miss Martian asked as Artemis limped towards the exit.

"No. I'm fine," she snapped. She didn't mean to sound so snippy, but she was pissed. She should've done better. None of the others had a single scratch on them.

Way to prove yourself, Artemis, she thought to herself. What would her father say? Her sister? They'd both be mocking her, jibing her, telling her she was weak. She'd made rookie mistakes today, mistakes that Cheshire would never, ever make. Artemis would do better next time.

"Hey, are you sure you're okay?" Kid Flash was at her side, trying to help her walk to the bioship. "I can, uh, I can carry you? I mean, if your leg hurts - " He blushed and ran a hand through his hair. "I mean, you know - "

"I said I'm fine," she gritted out. "Thanks."

Kid Flash glared at her. "Fine. Just trying to be friendly."

"Whatever." She was in no mood for friendliness. She felt a little bad, but she didn't let it make her feel guilty. She stalked to the bioship and rummaged around the aircraft, searching for something to wrap her knee with. There had to be some medical tape in here or something. She knew how to treat her own injuries, and she wrapped up her knee and her ribs while the others made contact with the League to inform them of a successful first mission. Successful for them, anyway. For Artemis, it had been a failure.

She hated that she kept seeing her father's face in her head. She wanted to stop thinking about what he would say. It didn't matter. The only people's opinions who mattered were the League's. Batman and Black Canary, and especially Green Arrow. She hated to think of what her mentor would say about her failures.