A/N: I love Young Justice and Teen Titans. Those are great DC shows. Artemis was my favorite character so I had to write her a story. And her father was pretty committed to the Shadows, so I wondered what would happen if she and Jade were brought up in them.

Summary: Artemis Crock, sister to the notorious assassin Cheshire, daughter of the ruthless Sportsmaster and merciless Huntress. She was raised in the League of Shadows, groomed to become the killers like her relatives, but she didn't want that, not really. When the Justice League catches her, the Green Arrow offers her something she can't refuse. A chance at freedom. AU.

Chapter One: Almost Dazzling Light

"I cannot enter her mind without causing damage to her," stated the Martian, his tone never changing.

Martian Manhunter, informally known as J'onn J'onzz, could enter a person's mind if he wished at any given time. Only few have ever been able to resist his ability, but eventually they would always break under the invasion. Yet for some reason he didn't know, he could not enter the mind the young girl sitting in the interrogation room behind the thick glass.

"And you've tried everything," questioned the Batman, his focus on the girl behind the glass.

It had only been two hours since she had woken up after being treated for her injuries. Less than twelve hours since she was taken into the custody of League.

J'onn nodded, "I have tried all the methods I know. However, the last method I tried allowed me to briefly see her most recent memory of coming into the cell, only for the connection to be severed, the connection causing pain to her temples."

Batman acknowledged the Martian with a barely noticeable nod, "Our scans showed nothing out of the ordinary, except that she isn't in any system."

"You mean to say we are in the company of someone who does not exist," questioned the Martian, one brow raised.

While he knew of less than a handful of aliens could either resist the Martians mental invasion or not be invaded at all, the fact that this girl had a mental shield while being, for all intents and purposes, human concerned the Batman. Not to mention the fact that she does not exist in any system. No DNA matches, fingerprints, blood or facial recognition could name the girl. Though not the first time he had encountered someone of the sort, it was the first time he encountered a child in this manner.

He studied the girl through the glass. She couldn't be much older than Robin he guessed, young and near the beginning of puberty. Her head was down, blonde hair still covered in soot from the explosion hung loosely over her eyes and around her shoulders in a tattered mess. When she was brought here, she wore a cerulean blue eye mask with white lace on the ends. With the mask removed, her entire face was visible.

The girl lifted her head a moment later, her sharp grey eyes stared at the one sided glass, but she made eye contact with the Batman. She was far from afraid, that much Batman could tell. If he wanted her to talk, he was going to have show her that the Justice league was her best option. He would have to make her very afraid of the circumstances she was in.

*Flashback*

Are you in position?

The slightly static covered voice said into the girl's right ear. It was early in the morning, nearly two o'clock to be exact, with the moon sitting high above and a dark sky full of twinkling stars. There was nothing spectacular about the evening, if anything it was just another night with another mission that needed to get done. Crouched down on the rooftop behind a large wooden crate was a member of the Shadows, or really a daughter of a member of the Shadows. Her storm cloud eyes scanned the area once more, no one was nearby that she could see and she couldn't hear any footsteps close to her.

"Yes," answered the girl, her voice raspy by design, "I'm in position. Ready when you are."

The static voice replied, Good. Remember the plan.

The girl on the roof rolled her eyes behind her blue mask, "How could I forget? You've only repeated it a thousand times."

I'm serious Alice, we can't afford any slip ups, hissed the girl on the other end.

'Alice' huffed, defeated and annoyed, "Yeah whatever. Let's get this over with Cheshire."

The girl had decided she hated her codename the minute after she had finished her first assignment less than a decade ago. Why she listened to her sister instead of following her own idea, she didn't know, but it was too late now. Outside, she was dubbed Alice and it worked out fairly well considering the two girls shared the same hair color, blonde. 'Alice' stood from her crouched position on the roof, she cocked one arrow with rope wrapped around it's end. She took less than a second to aim and a second to pull back.

She let the arrow fly, the string making its usual snap sound in her ear. The arrow stuck into the building, just above one of the windows where Cheshire would no doubt breakthrough in a matter of seconds. It was stupid really. The archer knew she wasn't needed here and that her "partner" could have easily handled this assignment on her own. All Alice had done so far was take out a few men patrolling the area and be on the lookout for any unwelcomed guests. She had already taken care of her real assignment earlier in the day. All the intelligence she gathered was safely packed away in her chest pocket. Wordlessly, she let her fingers rest on the slightly higher part of her chest where the SD card was placed.

This card literally held her life. The information on here would secure her place in the organization she had been raised in, would hopefully insure the pride she desperately wanted despite how sick it made her feel to have. Whenever she did something he approved of, she knew deep down she had done the wrong thing. The red light forced Alice back to the present, followed by the blaring sound of alarms going off. Alice felt cold fear and burning anger go through her.

"You set off an alarm," she hissed through clenched teeth.

Wasn't me little sister, replied Cheshire, her tone not as sharp as earlier, looks like we have company.

Alice smirked, she'd been itching for a fight all day, "I could have a tea party."

Considering that their codenames were from the child's book and movie, a lot of their codes were reference to the tale as well. A tea party meant a fight was coming, which Alice was excited to get into. Although she wasn't a particularly violent person, she loved to fight whenever she had the chance. It was one of the few places where her wild thoughts would settle down and she could focus on something besides the demons that haunted her days and nights.

You aren't ready for this tea party, Cheshire said in a somber voice.

Before Alice could open her mouth to reply, the voice in her ear and ever present pain her side broke through the glass window above. Cheshire practically soared down the rope. Alice could just make out her frame using the blinking red lights and the white glow of the moon. Cheshire wore an all black outfit, from her knee boots to the strap keeping her face mask in place. The costume didn't scream Cheshire cat, but Alice never said anything about it considering Cheshire was hardly ever seen by anyone.

Cheshire dropped right in front of her accomplice, but before she could say anything and warn her sister of what was coming, the party had arrived. Through her blue eye mask, Alice saw the Batman fly out the window with his cape lowering him to the ground. Though Alice had seen him up close before, she had never once in her life had to fight him or prepare to fight him. Even though she knew exactly who he was behind the cowl he wore, it did little to ease her racing heart rate. You don't need to fear anyone.

Trust your abilities and take them down without hesitating.

Those had been the words of her father, but they were doing little to help her now. And to make matters worse, following the Batman was not one, but two caped heroes who were invulnerable to humans.

"You're kidding me right now," Alice said as Cheshire grabbed her arm and pulled her away.

Three members of the Justice League were here. Not just any three, the Founders or Trinity as they were often dubbed. Alice had to question this as she fired an arrow, when it peaked it surrounded them in a thick cloud of smoke. Why were they here? Why would the essential heads of the heroes club come to this place? What had Cheshire taken to get their attention?

Alice felt a flicker of panic wash over her when she remembered the SD card in her chest pocket. Perhaps that was why they were here. Only they couldn't know she had stolen it and they never cared to help cadmus considering all the awful things they had done. Alice knew she should have gathered more information before she agreed to aid Cheshire. Now she feared that her sister had bitten off more than she could chew and both of them were about to pay the price for it-

*Present*

Hissing, the kind that came from doors that would slide open, brought the girl back to what was going on before her. Despite her usual control over herself, her body flinched when the door opened all the way. It was hardly noticeable, but she figured the dark clothed figure could tell she had done action. Whether from fear or surprise, she didn't know if he could tell the difference. It didn't matter to her. After all, she wasn't afraid of Gotham's Dark Knight. The creature, the vigilante they called Batman.

The girl kept her head down, but she did let her gaze glanced up behind her stray hairs to see the bat dressed hero for a brief moment to see how much information she could gather. The crackling of metal and wood burning echoed in her ears, the events of a few short hours ago present in her mind. The ache in her chest being the most noticeable, even though she had no physical wound there.

She only had a few minor injuries that she could pinpoint, bruising of her ribs and some more scattered all over her body, but that was nothing new. From what she could tell nothing was broken or sprained which was a good sign. No internal damage and no head trauma, or at least it wasn't serious. She may have a slight concussion and a gash on her right temple, which had bandaged and stitched while she was unconscious. Otherwise, the girl felt she was good to go. She lifted her head to look at the Batman, a sly smile spread across her face.

"Aren't you the designated interrogator? Why send in the notorious Boy Scout first then the mind reader," questioned the girl.

She was trying to act careless, but Batman could see it was forced. She may not have appeared scared as far as the Bat could tell, but he knew she was going to unravel. Batman didn't dignify her with an answer to either question. He knew Superman wouldn't get her to crack, but the Kryptonian insisted on trying a friendly approach considering the girl was so young.

"You haven't done anything since we placed you here," he said in a monotone and dark voice, "You escaped your cuffs minutes after they were placed on you, yet you made no move to leave while alone and none of us within your path."

The girl's brow furrowed for a moment, before she schooled her features. She lifted her arms until her hands were resting on the table, the magnetic cuffs in one hand and a… hairpin in the other.

"Maybe I'm waiting for the right moment to leave," said the girl, "or i'm curious about the superheroes club and want to see what you'll do."

"Unlikely, you could have escaped a total of four times since you woke up in the infirmary. So you are still here for a reason," replied Batman, his tone never changing.

The girl narrowed her eyes, "I'm here because you caught me."

"No, you're here because your partner, Cheshire, left you behind," Batman stated matter factly.

There was a flicker of something on the girl's face, it was gone too quickly for the Batman to identify exactly what it was, but he knew he hit a nerve.

"She left you behind and I highly doubt the League of Shadows will come for you, it goes against their policy of 'every man for himself'," Batman told her.

The girl winced at his words. She knew it was true, her options were very limited at this point. Batman had a feeling she was trained in the art of surviving torture and all forms of interrogation, especially when he recalled that the League of Shadows had people within the League of Assassins using their training methods. If he was going to get inside her head, he would have to find a different way to get her to talk.

"I won't betray the shadows," answered the girl.

"Out of loyalty or fear," Batman asked, his eyes never leaving hers, "I'm going to offer you a deal. If you tell us everything we want to know, we will provide protection for you from the Shadows."

Her eyebrow raised in surprise and confusion, he had caught her off guard with that one.

"What makes you think I need protection from them instead of you," she replied harshly.

Batman said nothing, she knew he was right. Though she would never admit it out loud, she had wanted to get away from the Shadows, but she knew that would never happened. However here could be a chance- she instantly cut off her train of thought. The SD card she stole, that would secure her freedom, but within the shadows. Her father would be proud of her, her mother would free, her sister would think she were good enough, she would be initiated into the league. All of her goals would finally be accomplished.

How could she possibly throw that all away?

"Think on it," Batman told her, "No one is going to come for you. You're partner is gone, the Shadows won't come for you per their policy is everyone for themselves and you have nowhere to go, except a prison cell. I would think long and hard about your decision and what you do next."

The girl watched the Bat go, her memories of earlier replaying through her mind.

*Flashback*

The fight had been decent for the two girls, the founders had yet to lay a hand on either of them. Though Cheshire was knocked away by one of the bombs from the Batman, however she was able recover quickly enough to not be deterred. The fight had only just begun, Alice had mentally calculated perhaps they were near two minutes into the fight. There was no denying the Founders of the league, or the trinity as they were so often called, could beat them in a matter of seconds.

This lead to Alice wondering why they hadn't been injured or subdued yet. Although the two girls were doing a great job of using the smoke cover Alice had provided, the heroes should have taken them down by now. So why hadn't they? Alice couldn't wonder for too long. The golden lasso narrowly missed her bow, forcing Alice into action and fire an explosive arrow in it's direction. The low grunt told her she had distracted Wonder Woman for a moment, which was enough for Alice.

Alice, I've got plan, Cheshire hissed into her ear piece trying to avoid Superman.

"I'd- love to hear it," said Alice back flipping away from Wonder Woman.

Batman had completely vanished into the fog, neither Alice nor Cheshire had a clue as to where he went. Cheshire, though not religious, prayed he stayed away from Alice. Her keen ears barely picked up on the Bats footsteps, as he walked with the light steps that reminded her of Alice. Cheshire threw marbles in his direction, once they picked on his heat signature, they exploded. The smoke wouldn't last long though. With the smoke beginning to fade, Alice was able to make out Cheshire narrowly avoiding the 'attacks' from Superman and her haphazard attack at Batman.

None of the heroes were fighting at full strength or even half strength. Why? The only thing Alice could think of was that the heroes needed the two girls in custody, most likely for questioning or really interrogating. Being momentarily distracted allowed Wonder Woman a chance to get her lasso around Alice's ankle and pulling her down. Alice fell with a gasp, her earpiece coming out. She had moments to get our the lassos hold before she was either captured indefinitely or killed.

"Surrender to us, you will not be harmed if you cooperate," said the female super hero.

Alice fought the urge to scowl. Without a seconds hesitation, Alice threw a disc at Wonder Woman. The hero responded by blocking it, just as Alice knew she would. In the span of a two seconds, Alice had distracted Wonder Woman long enough to throw a dart in Cheshire's direction. The small projectile had a small coating of concentrated Kryptonite which get the Superman to back down from her partner. Her father had insisted that she and Cheshire always have a weapon against each of the heroes at all time.

"I doubt that," hissed Alice calling on her anger at people like the Justice League.

It was because of them that her mother could never walk again and was still in prison. Alice, knowing she had to get away from the hero shot a grappling arrow behind her. Once it connected with the wall, it pulled her away and out of Wonder Woman's grasp. Little did the girl know that this action would cost her, her freedom.

The next few moments happened in a blur. One moment, she was safely away from Wonder Woman only to be attacked by the Batman. The next moment she was forced to the ground by the trembling building and succession of explosions. The final moment left Alice on her stomach underneath fallen debris, her head pounding and ears ringing. The yellow and orange light bounced off the fallen objects and the smoke beginning to fill the world around her.

"Al!"

Alice lifted her head as she pushed herself into a pushup position.

'Jade!'

Alice had shouted in her mind as she stared at her supposed partner through the orange, yellow glow and fallen debris. Jade's expressionless mask faced her, unmoving and uncaring with its sinister smile. Cheshire moved in her direction, maneuvering around the fallen concrete and metal poles in the way. "Hang on, I'm coming!" Alice tried to move to get up, but the rod only a centimeter above her forced her to remain down. She had to crawl or pull herself forward, but she was too stiff and shocked to do anything.

Her father would be disgusted and disappointed in her. A tremor went through the entire building, causing more poles and blocks to fall to the ground between Alice and Cheshire. There was only a small opening that allowed Alice to see Cheshire masks, she wasn't going to make it to her. The words weren't spoken, but Alice could hear them echoing in her mind.

In this family, it's every girl for herself.

No sooner had the thought finished in her mind did Cheshire turn around and disappear into the flames and the fog of smoke. The last thing Alice saw before the darkness claimed her, as well as arms, was an almost dazzling light of the fires destroying everything.

I failed.