Hello all, I'm back. Sorry I was gone for so long. and sorry that I left things so incomplete on my way out.

Anyway, I don't own YJ or this would have been worked on a lot more than it has so far.

xXx July 9 xXx

It was angry. It hungered for death. It needed vengeance. No. No, he wanted revenge. He did. Not it. Never again it. Aaron focused on the window, watching as the soon to be late miss Gonzales continued working long after the janitorial staff cleared out. He could see that she was going over some documents most likely regarding a withdrawal of funding for Cadmus, the coward. She probably didn't even care about what they did to it. Miss Gonzales must believe that if she cuts ties now it exonerates her of her sins. Not that Eto'd let her escape justice.

K̷̢̡̡̢̧͕͓͇̺͇͕̳̣̗̻̬̩̪͔͙̭̪̱̲͎͚̠̱͋͗̍͊̈̅̈́͛͘s̴̢̛̼̮̥͍̦͓͙̲̫̘̖̯̳̬͇͔̟̮̼̳̬̽̋̈́̿͒̏͂͂͆͗͛̕̚͝p̸̧̢̮̜͕͚̜̖͎̙̳̜̘̝͑̐̈̿̄̄͊̿͆͆̄̓̍͑̆̒̀͝͝͠ḑ̴̡̟̞͒̽͊̅́̀̄̍̾̐̌̌m̵̢̡̙̞̖̭̥͇͓̎͊̉̀̐̃̓̄̅̽̃̍͛̈̂̑̂͗͌̔̚̚͘͜͜͜͝͝͝ ̶̳̟̟̤͈̤̤̬͐́̊́̋̄̓̇̐͒͊̚ͅY̵̞̮̣̫̱̲̖̋̂̈́̆̋͗́́̄͝͝p̷̡̡̛͕͖̮̜̟͉̖͇̙̈́̏̄͊̎͂̄͂͑̽̋̽́̑̏͋͌́͘̕̚͝͝͠ͅf̵̟͚͙̜̫̪͎͓̽̐̈́̉̆͒̀̓̌̑͗͋́͜f̵̧̢̞̰͙̲̜̙̲͓͆̈ͅ. Benjamin Turner. And Mikhail Arkadin. These men were paragons of moral virtue and character. Swinging through the streets of Ḩ̷̯͙̹̼͍̫͋̚ͅp̷̡̧̨̛̬̮͇͈̮͚͚̥̮̹̹͈͙̳̘͓͙͎̣͈̤͉͈̖͆̆̎̆̋̃̔͐̌̾͗͊̂̋͠͠͠ỷ̶̧̡̛͔̮͈͍͈̥̙̰̲͖̩̻͕̼̭̳͔̥͗̈́̇̈́̐̄j̷̗̯͙̥̖͓̘͙̮̻͓̫͖͔̙̖̙̣̭̱̻͆s̶̢̢̖͕̝̲̬͎̣͇̺̙͉̣̯͙̺͑͜z̸͚̞̳̭̗̗͖̒̿̋͋̊͜ to help bring brutal retaliation to the criminal scum. Hunting through the Jungles of his old home to find and rout the Shadows. Doing... some slightly questionable actions to uphold the flag he held dear to him, but never breaking his moral virtues in the process. Now, he'd eaten all three of these men. He had their memories and morals within him. Their integrity and character, which directed his moral compass down the righteous path.

And Aaron did not give a fucking damn about that.

None of it mattered. All that mattered was that Aaron would fulfil his purpose. He would kill, and it would be on his terms. He watched his target and was moments away from giving the office the Jackson Pollock make over when he heard two people land on the roof behind him.

The figure on the right, in a slight acrobat's stance, was dressed in a black and red costume that should have gotten copyright lawyers up in arms. This was the agile assassin, Black Spider. His friend wasn't anything special for the most part. Just a bulky guy in a black fisherman's coat. What truly set him apart was the dirty blond hair that hung around his neck, and the pneumatic cannon with a large hook loaded and prepped that he had for a right arm. This pirate looking fool was the appropriately named Hook.

"Gentleman. I was beginning to suspect that Ra's was misleading me when he said that I would meet my assistants. Heh, I was afraid that the years were finally catching up to the old boy." His casual dismissal of their lord and master infuriated both of them. But while Black Spider was insulted by the casual nature of his insults regarding his employer and by extension him, Hook was taking it much more seriously as a devout Shadow would. He was about to rush forward before he was held back by his partner.

"You insolent dog! How dare you insult the Great Master!" Aaron merely thinned out his fingernails to a fine edge and stood straight.

"Oh? Have I touched a nerve for the madman who uses such an outdated weapon as a hook? I would say that your choice of tool is a greater insult to Mr Al Ghul, but I doubt you have enough brain cells to actually understand me." Before Hook could commit to his usual response of shooting his weapon into them and carving them open, Black Spider stepped in between them and held his hands up.

"Now, now," he waved his hands between them so as to get their attention, "we are all on the same side here. We're supposed to kill the mark, not each other. Let's stay out of each other's way, kill the lady, and go for the jugular after you get her jugular. Hook, you look around and deal with any do gooders. Kid, stay up here and keep an eye out for anything. Is that good enough for you two?" They glared daggers at each other- or rather, Hook glared while Aaron examined his nails and changed their colours in amusement- before grumbling their agreement.

"...Fine"

"So long as the buffoon stays out of my way, I will hold no grievances against him."

As the Black Spider leapt acrobatically across the street dividing the buildings, launching a web to the building so he could more easily bleed off the momentum and reach his target, he missed his fellows share one last disagreement. Hook glared at Aaron as he walked away, shooting one last remark as he went to serve his master's will.

"It is no surprise that you have no knowledge of the Great Master's might and superiority over you. Even still, an ignorant beast will always bow to it's superiors." Aaron took a moment to process what Hook had said before he burst out laughing.

"It is funny," He said, not even bothering to turn away as he stared down the bastard child of a cannon and an anti-material rifle at the office, "I think that the only ignorant beast here is the one who dishonours his master with an inefficient tool." There was no response as Hook had already left after getting the last word in the argument.

When he realised he'd been had a few seconds later, Aaron merely cursed and slammed his fist into the tiles, cracking them, before he returned his attention to the target, grumbling under his breath the whole time. "Fisherman looking bastard thinks he can get one over on me, I'll damn well show him."

Aaron simply watched Black Spider, keeping track of the agile assassin from the small lump of Blacklight on the bottom of his shoes. A classic trick he'd learned years ago, when he had to follow the most paranoid pensioner he'd ever met. Guy was still running a damn spy network even into his twilight years.

Anyway back to the Spider, who had let go of the web line and spread his arms outwards for balance, before tucking his left ankle behind the right and spinning once twice and thrice in the air before he landed in a crouch on the glass of the skyscraper.

With sure footing and a firm grip, Black Spider leapt into action. Running upwards along the building as a sprinter at the Olympics, the only sign of his presence being the slight smudges on the windows as he approached his goal.

Before he could get beyond the twenty seventh floor, he saw a flash of metal out of the corner of his eye. He glanced at it and saw a grappling hook, with a fully taut cord. Reacting swiftly, he leapt backwards into a flying kick, glaring fiercely behind the mask as he fell towards Robin. In retaliation, the Boy Wonder drew his collapsible staff and knocked aside the kick, sending the assassin flying downwards.

"Maybe you should stick to something other than assassinations." Black Spider just laughed with a smirk, before aiming his hand at Robin.

"I don't think that sticking is a problem for me, how about you!" He then fired his web shooter and ensnared the young Hero's staff, allowing the Spider to wrench it from his grip, leaving Robin off balance and falling right into the assassin's fist. As the bruising and pain set in, Robin was too distracted to fight back as he was ensnared completely in a cocoon of webbing.

"Dammit, didn't want to get any attention on a simple job like this. Well, guess we'll just have to deal with you after getting the mark." With his piece said, Black Spider grabbed the webbing and finished his climb. Punching through the glass of Selena Gonzales' office and staring at her, his vicious glare obscured in his crimson lenses.

xXx

Aaron peered through the scope and stared at the scene before him. The job was all but done. Ms Gonzales was at the mercy of the other two, the sidekicks were tied up and indisposed. And here he was, with a luxury seat to watch the whole thing unfold. He would also have to stand by and watch as they killed his friends. But if his friends were freed, then they would try their best to stop him. But he couldn't allow anyone to stop him from getting his revenge. But he would never disgrace the debt he owed them.

Grrrr! Why did free will have to be so difficult? And why did circumstances have to be so irritating that he couldn't just kill her... and not... be... caught... Oh. "I guess it wasn't so difficult, huh. Of course it wasn't dumbass, you just had to be difficult about things."

Aaron threw aside his rifle and watched as Hook aimed the pneumatic cannon at Robin's head. That wouldn't do at all. Aiming his most reliable weapon, himself, he tapped against his palm impatiently, as his arm bulged and rippled until it took on a new shape reminiscent of a large eye the size of his fist. A new tool, intended to save his friends as they'd saved him.

xXx

Robin rushed his hands to try and use the small saw blade in his belt buckle to free himself from the ropes. He had nearly done it, but it would take time that they didn't have anymore. Not with that giant hook pointed at his face.

Darn it, Tim knew that if either Dick or Jason were tied up like this, they'd have already gotten out and been kicking ass. If he just had their skills in fighting instead of just being such a damn nerd, they wouldn't be in this mess.

"Hush Spider, I'm dealing with the interlopers. Consider yourselves honoured you unworthy, for in death you shall serve the Great Master." As he pointed the arm at Robin's head and prepared to fire, Tim rushed to think of anything he could say to stall for time. Anything at all.

"Hey, before you kill us, don't you want to know your mistake? Or next time your 'Great Master' will be displeased with your failure." Hook froze and marched over with heavy footsteps, while Black Spider merely stood in the background and pinched the bridge of his nose, grumbling irritably to himself as he paced back and forth in frustration.

"Not again. Dammit, why is he always like this?" Ignoring his partner, Hook dug the edge of his blade into Robin's neck, a few drops of blood spilling out as the zealot stared Tim dead in the eyes.

"Speak insolent bird. How am I failing the will of the Great Master?" Apparently failing to get the memo to stop putting his foot in it, Kid Flash opened his mouth and snarled at the dangerous, fanatical assassin.

"Maybe you smelling like a hobo on the beach offends his senses. Ever heard of Axe?" Hook had a most refined and dignified response to this. He smacked the blunt side of the Hook in between KF's eyes, and grabbed the top of his head in his left hand, squeezing it as tightly as he could before placing the blade to Wally's neck.

"Speak heretic, or your fellow will suffer for his transgressions against the Great Master sooner rather than later." Tim tested the strength of his bonds and saw how weak they were. Realising that this was his best chance, he nudged both Kid Flash and Aqualad to get their attention, and prepared a witty one liner.

"Well unlike the TSA, you forget to check for my belt." As Hook blinked in confusion and Black Spider in realisation a moment too late, Robin's immediate escape attempt was aided as the sound of shattering glass and the shearing of metal rang out.

As Robin tore the weakened ropes apart and kicked Hook away from him, he looked to see what happened. The assassin was staring at his hand in a daze, or what was left of it. The titular hook had been shot, the metal bent and shattered leaving only a small, sharpened piece of metal. The small knife that had embedded itself into the wall across from them had also torn away part of the external shell, showing the long, wound up length of chain he used, as well as several components of his damaged pneumatic canon. The assassin raised his arm in shock as he stared at the twisted metal in a daze. He considered the arm to be a gift from Ra's Al Ghul for his devoted service, considering even the slightest scratch to be an unforgivable transgression against his Great Master.

"You... dare. You dare. YOU DARE DESTROY HIS BOON TO ME!" Hook was frothing at the mouth with rage. With a great roar, he rushed at Robin, only to find himself the victim of a barrage of lightning fast punches to the jaw. As Hook was forced on the defensive, Aqualad used his Water Bearers to knock back Black Spider while the assassin was distracted, taking charge of the situation.

"Robin, with me. Kid Flash, keep him busy. Miss Gonzales, try to get out while we keep them busy."

Hook was opposed to this. He roared with fury and smashed a desk next to him, before grabbing the larger piece and throwing it at Selena, forcing Kid Flash to rush over and grab the projectile. This left him open for a tackle from Hook, who knocked him the ground and held his broken blade over KF's face, pushing down furiously in the hope of stabbing him. The jagged metal kept going closer and closer until it was scratching the surface of his mask just above his eyes. Hook was just moments away from throwing all of his weight into one final stab, before Robin jumped and grabbed his neck in between his arms to try and choke him out. Hook was forced to stand, grasping and clutching at Robin's arms, before rushing back first into a wall to try and dislodge him. This simply gave Wally the chance to get enough leverage to run into a slide that knocked Hook face first into a desk. He was out cold.

While this was going on, Aqualad was holding his own against the Spider. He used his water bearers as a shield, gathering up the webs that had been sent his way to restraint him, before launching them back in a jet blast at the Assassin. The Spider merely jumped over it- right into a second beam that fired through the window and knocked him off balance. Robin took this as the best time to rejoin the fight, throwing a pair of bolas to ensnare his legs, while Kid Flash grabbed a chair, spun it thirty times in the span of a few seconds, and threw it into Black Spider's face, knocking him out cold and shattering his lenses.

As they caught their breath at the end of the fight, Aqualad took charge of the aftermath. "Robin, help me restrain them. Kid, go find miss Gonzalez and make sure that she's alright." Before he could even try and voice his complaints, Aqualad silenced him with a stern glare, causing a sheepish, red blur to vanish down the stairway.

While Robin and Aqualad secured the two criminals, Kid Flash burst in through the stairwell once again, this time carrying a bloody and shivering Selena Gonzales in his arms as she hugged tightly to him, seeking comfort in the horrific experience she had gone through.

"She's alright, but she's scared." As he held her shoulders awkwardly, he smiled at Robin. "Congrats on another mission well done."

xXx 3 minutes prior xXx

Selena ran out of the front doors and into the street. She'd barely made it ten paces before a claw like thing grabbed her by the throat and dragged her away. She felt the air rush past her as the thing around her neck rocketed her away, coming to a stop in a dimly lit alleyway across from the building, her body aching from the sheer force she had undergone in her trip.

She felt the pressure on her neck loosen before she fell to the ground in a lump. Blinking away the blur from her eyes, Selena stared at the one who dragged her here. They were slim, and tall, an even 6ft that glared down at her with an unnatural hatred in his unnatural, orange eyes. Any more than that was impossible to observe because they were almost physically one with the shadows. Their entire body enshrouded within an impossible blackness.

"Miss Selena Gonzales." He, and it was definitely a he with a voice as deep as that, was practically spitting out the words as if it was physically difficult for him to speak them, "you were one of several businesses that has been funding Cadmus Labs for 8 years the coming September. It was a tax write off but you did it to claim a desire to help the people." As he said Cadmus something must've happened to him as his voice took on a more effeminate tone, reminiscent of a teenage girl. He also seemed to shiver at that, with something moving around in the shadows behind him. Selena blinked as she realised what this was about.

"Are you from Cadmus, is this because I'm cutting my funding?" The figure bristled at that, before straightening their back and running both hands down their front to smooth out any creases.

"Yes." She smiled, seeing a way to get out of this alive.

"Look, if you want, I'll cancel the order. In fact, I'll double, no triple the funding. Is that what you want?" The figure just stood still for a moment, before their arm stretched further than it should have and grabbed her neck, slamming her back into the bricks behind her. She choked and futilely began to slap and claw at the limb crushing her throat.

"It is precisely because you cut funding that we are here. Because you assumed that stopping payment exonerated you from your sins. You thought the wrongs you inflicted upon us could be forgotten and must now pay." The figure let go and watched her slide down. "you are so pathetic. Mewling pitifully as you try to change your fate, a helpless victim to those above you to the bitter end." They leaned forward out of the shadows and she looked deep into a pair of burning orange eyes, and she saw only death. They threw her to the wet concrete below and she watched as their right arm bulges and swelled, taking on a metallic sheen before it thinned out and formed a vicious needle blade that was held centimetres above her eyes. He pushed forward, drawing blood as the metal parted skin and scratched at the bone, before moving through it unimpeded.

"You will repay your debt for what you did to us." And with that, they raised their blade, her fear-stricken face reflected in it's edge, with Aaron's orange eyes staring parallel in the image.

xXx

RING-RING-RING-RING-RING CLICK

"Ah, hello there DX1118-C. I was just about to call you and congratulate you on a job well done. I just heard the news of Miss Gonzales taking a trip to recover from the assassination 'attempt'. Thank you for being so ready to do the deed that you also managed to cover up any trace of our involvement."

"The job is done, and I have ensured that there will be no investigation into her death for some time." Ra's merely chuckled at his attitude.

"And that is precisely why I hired you. That wonderful talent of yours. Just to let you know the money isn't actually in New York. Simply go to Gotham Municipal Bank and request that you be allowed to view the account of your mentor and employer, Henri Ducard. If you claim to be a Mr Tate, any first name will do, you will be allowed to view it." Ra's was about to hang up, before thinking better of it and placing the phone back to his ear.

"By the way, I will be recommending your services to several other friends of mine, and calling this number again later in the future. If you do well enough, I can even give you the names of the ones who got away. Ones who had left and had all mentioning of their names censored from the project files."

"I have served. And I will be of service." Ra's merely responded with a dial tone. Aaron merely smirked, a spark of bitter spite in his eyes.

"And so it begins." Soon, he would have his revenge. And after that day, he would have to thank Araki sensei for his inspiration of the Flesh Buds.

I'll be completely honest. This chapter has been hell to write. Especially the fight scene, which has been kicking my ass a lot more than it was supposed to be kicking Hook's ass.

Anyway glad to have gotten something done. Hope it's acceptable. I'll try to come back to this and improve it at some point in the future. Sorry but IRL is being hell right now.