Chapter One

The Robbery

a/n First fanfic EVER! So, I'm a long time lurker on fanfic, and I dabble in many fandoms. Hopefully, this is the first of many stories! Constructive Criticism is welcome! And a very special thanks to my Beta, Taylor Hayes!

Kate crept forward through the darkness. She wasn't nervous- in fact, she was down right enjoying herself. Hunter had been even more overbearing, more 'superior' than ever, since the Ultimen. The few missions she was sent on were her only reprieve. She paused, hearing something in the alleyway outside the building.

She was at a WayneTech lab, in the south side of Gotham. Though Hunter- and Cadmus- had their own resources and contacts, they sometimes found themselves needing something Wayne or Luthor wouldn't part with. That was where she came in. Out of all of Hunter's 'advanced' kids, Kate was the only one whose ability was super-speed. She was also one of the few who survived the experiments.

After several more seconds crouched just out of the moonlight, Kate continued on her mission. Tonight, she was retrieving a chemical compound Wayne Corp used in an innocuous cleaner, but which had far more interesting possibilities in Cadmus' meta-gene experiments. This was her third run in Gotham in as many weeks, and she had no fear of the Bat- nothing he could do could catch her.

The cabinet she needed to get in to was locked, but it didn't keep her out for long. The quiet beep of the door opening was loud in the empty room. Out of habit, she looked around as she reached in. Stashing several vials in her belt, Kate glanced down at the pouch to make sure it was secure. She didn't want to give Hunter an excuse to punish her, if one broke.

All at once, the room seemed ...off. The hair on the back of Kate's neck rose, and she stared blindly at the open cabinet in front of her, before she noticed - something was blocking the light from the window. Something with tall, elegant horns - or ears. Though she knew the Batman couldn't catch her, he had seen her. It was time to leave, post haste.

Slamming the cabinet door shut with a BANG, Kate turned and ran towards the exit, knowing her super-speed would make it appear as if she had simply vanished.

A flash of red-and-gold fire at her side was all the warning she had before running into something. Something warm and solid, but with a disturbing give that felt too much like... a body. Strong arms clamped around her shoulders and gently pushed her back a step.

"Well, well, well. I must say, this I was not expecting."

Kate's mind stopped for a full second before she could even react. The outfit was crimson spandex, emblazoned with a striking bolt of lightning. It was THE FLASH. What was the Flash doing in Gotham? She'd seen Batman's silhouette- not the Flash's. Adrenaline flooded her system, and she jerked back violently. To her surprise, he let her go. Staring up at him, she was careful to keep her expression blank. A black gloved hand suddenly grasped her arm from behind, and her entire body flinched as she tried to jump away. Batman did not let go.

"Who are you?" Batman's low baritone voice echoed in the large, high room. She looked between the two of them, and wondered how she was going to get out of this. As the silence stretched, Flash's expression grew more incredulous and amused, as Batman's became darker.

"Look, kid," the Flash stepped towards her, reassuringly gesturing with a hand - he paused when she tried to step back away from him. She didn't get far, but he looked concerned. "Kid-" he continued, "We aren't going to hurt you." Kate frowned - Who was he to call her 'kid'? She should probably call for back up. Though Hunter was all for letting his soldiers hang, he still wanted to keep them, for as long as they were assets to the program.

Luckily, she still had a free hand. Un-luckily, they were both staring right at her - which meant no chance to signal headquarters without the two noticing. Kate went for it anyway. All of Hunter's soldiers had a small signaling device they took with them on missions, and hers was on her belt.

She barely had time to depress the button before the Flash wrenched her hand away.

"What was that?" Batman's voice took on a decidedly threatening tone, and when she didn't answer immediately, he practically tore the small device from her. He thrust it at the Flash with a harsh, "Get rid of this. NOW."

The Flash disappeared in a blaze of bright red witchfire. Eyes wide, Kate started vibrating and subtly pulling herself from Batman - now was her chance. He was male and strong. Yet she was faster, and just as strong, if not stronger. She hadn't really anticipated them taking the device from her - but then, she hadn't really expected to get caught either.

The nanosecond she was free of Batmans vice-like grip, Kate spun and rushed for the exit, letting her ability burst. Halfway there, she found herself pulled tightly against a familiar, warm body, arms twisted up behind her back.

"Don't leave now, the party hasn't even started!"

Somehow, it seemed to Kate that, though the words and tone were friendly, she could tell the Flash was getting frustrated. She swallowed thickly as he frog marched her back towards Batman.

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Wally frowned. He could tell there was somehow more to this situation than met the eye. She was trembling in his hands - practically vibrating. Why would she be so scared? When Bats had called him to help with something in Gotham, he'd been incredulous at first. The Batman did not ask for help, especially in his own city. It was the city he would keep everyone out of, if he could. It just...didn't happen. Ever. When he saw the girl, he had been even more confused - it was just one little girl. He estimated her age to be around 16, or 17 at the most. Then she had moved, and he'd understood at once. No wonder Bats had called him, it was a miracle the Gotham protector could predict her movements at all.

But, from what he'd heard, this was her third robbery in Gotham. The thefts didn't really smack of a conspiracy to Flash - maybe she just needed money? If her metabolism was anything like his, he could understand that. But if it was just desperation, why was she so frightened? She was more likely caught in something bigger.

He stopped in front of Batman, holding her arms securely, trying to be patient. For the girl's sake, if nothing else. Batman was pissed. The dark figure got right in the tall girl's face and growled, "Who do you work for?"

Silence.

"Why did you try to run?"

Silence.

"Who are you?"

Batman moved aggressive towards her, and she sank back against Flash - almost like she was seeking protection. Wally decided to play Good Cop to Batman's Bad.

Tugging her around slightly, so he could see her face, he was dismayed to find a complete lack of expression that was rather...distressing to him. Where had she learned that? Why?

"Hey, relax okay? I told you, we aren't going to hurt you. But what you've been doing is wrong. We want to help you, miss."

Still nothing. This everlasting silence was going to kill him.

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Batman watched impassively as Flash attempted to charm her into talking. He could tell it wasn't going to happen - not here. Reaching forward, he took the vials she'd stolen from the pouch on her belt, and replaced them in the cabinet. WayneTech didn't need to loose that product, not now. Luthor Corp was being extraordinarily obnoxious lately.

He stayed there for a moment, letting Flash's attempt at soothing and charming become a background noise. Whatever the device she had activated was, Flash had not seen it as a threat, or he would have said something. That meant it was most likely a signaling device. So, who would have the resources -or motive- to send a meta to steal from WayneTech? Luthor was a possibility, but the cold professionalism in someone so young...Lex could not afford to be connected in any way to child soldiers, meta or not. No other companies he knew were quite so ruthless. He couldn't think of any other governments that would want the items she'd been stealing, and that was what puzzled him the most. Clearly, she was a child soldier. But what would any military want with-

He paused. The chemicals she had been taking, had attempted to take, were generally used in fairly harmless commerical products. However, Batman knew of only one other use they would all have in common. Genetic Engineering. That had to be the connection. Someone was experimenting with the metagene, most likely. On children, if this girl was any indication. His hand tightened into fists, leather gloves creaking. No one messed with kids on his watch. No one.

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Kate was, against her better judgment, irritated. By all rights, she should be angry, or at least a little frightened. But this Flash guy wasn't getting the message. Clearly, she didn't want to -and wasn't going to- talk. Not to someone who was a threat to the program. He had rightly assumed it was because she was afraid of someone, but that was only a small part. He...didn't seem to realize that he was the enemy. No good soldier breaks in interrogation, no matter how nice and understanding the enemy seemed. And despite this, stopping the shaking seemed impossible.

She blamed Hunter - he and his white coat minions had been focusing the tests on her for a few days. They'd been thrilled with the abilities she'd been acquiring, and couldn't wait to give her an opportunity to try them out. As a result, her body was stuck in a state of constant flux, still trying to incorporate the new changes.

Tuning out the Scarlet Speedster's rambling, she ran an internal check. For once, she wasn't hungry. Nauseous, yes. Muscle tremors, disoriented thinking - though that might be the panic. And panic made it hard to think.

Crap.

"Miss? Miss?" The Flash's hand touched her face, turning her to him. Kate flinched away, irrationally pleased at the hurt look on his face. Served him right. And then he looked past her.

A chill ran down Kate's spine as the cold shadow covered her.

"Take her to Metro. We'll continue this line of questioning there - for as long as it takes."