Two Days Later

Florida Keys

April 17, 2015 – 11:42pm

…

One of Black Manta's ships surface and docks opening up the cargo hold to load up another shipment of test subjects for the Reach. Security is the first to exit taking guard positions on the loading dock. Tigress is the next one off followed my Deathstroke, who stops center of the loading dock to keep a view on everyone. He points over too two large shipping containers to his far left. Tigress nods at his silent order and takes two guards with her to the containers.

As Tigress approach the containers with guards in tow, Cheshire and Nightwing drop from the sky and land about twenty feet in front of her causing her to stop in her tracks. A guard on the other side of the loading dock calls out in pain then goes silent. Tigress turns her head to the scream then back to the two in front her. An insanely strong gust of wind whips behind her nearly pushing her forward. She turns to her two guards to find them missing. She grabs the handle of her sword and draws the blade before a figure in dark red stands before her. Her eyes spot the large silver bolt of lightning across his chest and follows it up to his face. His face, strong jaw line, faced covered with cowl and judging by the red scruff on his face he hasn't shaved in weeks. Her sword, which was ready to strike, has lowered to her side as she fights the urge to reach out but he beats her to it.

The dark figure looks down on her, not in a hateful gaze but a calm demeanor as he raises his right hand to her. His fingers slowly enclosing themselves around a charm hung from her neck and with a simple tug the charm was removed, her hair changing from black to blond in a blink of an eye. He drops the charm and moves his hand to her mask slowly pulling it off, once clear he drops it to the ground as well. His places his hand on her left cheek his thumb slowly grazing over her lips to meet the rest of his fingers. Artemis closes her eyes and sharply takes in air as he touches her, her lips part when his thumb runs across her lips. Her left hand comes up to meet his as she opens her eyes and smiles.

"Promise me that you'll never leave me again." He whispers to her.

"Never. Never again will I leave you." She kissed the inside of his wrist and removes her hand from his. He smiles as he lowers his hand from her cheek as she turns back to Deathstroke. "Now, let's make these bastards pay for keeping us apart."

Cheshire steps up beside Artemis and Nightwing beside Dark Flash creating a blockade for their side of the loading dock as Conner, Zee, Rocket, and M'gann do the same on the far side keeping all eyes on the group of men, who are now looking towards Deathstroke for orders.

"This should be amusing." Deathstroke tells himself out loud.

…

The battle is filled with rage and fury, the Team still taking out men not being able to reach Deathstroke. All he does is stand and watches the show until M'gann and Zee in a combine effort block the pier with shipping containers blocking the soldiers running out of the ship from joining the battle.

This gives Artemis and Cheshire the opening they have been looking for and rush Deathstroke. Both sisters moving in time, their similar training by Sportsmaster shows by how well they move and operate together as one attacking unit. Cheshire is the first to strike but is easily blocked by Deathstroke as he deflects her sai and side stepping causing Cheshire to fly past him. Deathstroke now targets Artemis as she attacks him. He dodges the first three attacks before using his own sword to sword lock his and Artemis' blade together.

Deathstroke steps in closer to Artemis with blades still locked. "I have a special way of dealing with traitors." Deathstroke pulls a blade from behind him with his free hand.

Before Cheshire is ready to strike for a second time, she sees the knife and calls out to Artemis but Deathstroke is too quick in his actions. Artemis also catches sight of the blade but is too close to move out of the way. She pushes herself away but closes her eyes reading herself to feel the blade but it never comes. Instead he feels a strong push on her left side and feels the ground hit her on her right.

Artemis quickly reacts by rolling on the ground then up to a kneeling attack stance before realizing what happened. She was pushed by Wally who took Deathstroke's blade to the abdomen, his hand locked on Deathstroke's wrist.

"WALLY!" Artemis cries out in horror then leaps at Deathstroke with sword at the ready. Her scream catches the attention of the Team as Manta's men fall back ending the fight.

Deathstroke starts to move at Artemis reaction but is stopped when Wally grabs him by the neck holding him in place.

"This ends now, Slade." Wally whispers at him.

Before Deathstroke could respond he feels a paralyzing sting of two blades in his back, the strike came from Cheshire's sais. The next strike comes from Artemis, her sword piercing Deathstroke on his left side exiting through his right, the sword stopping at the hilt.

A small giggle comes from Deathstroke. "Well played children, but this is not over, Not. . . Yet." Deathstroke proclaims with his last breath.

Cheshire steps back pulling her sais out of his back allowing the now lifeless body to fall backwards. Artemis releases the handle of her sword grabbing Wally as quick as she can guiding him down to the ground on his back laying his head in her lap as members of the Team make it over to them.

"Wally. Wally , please, say something." Artemis pulling back his cowl.

"Hey Babe, looks like you got him."

"SHHH. Don't talk about that just be still. I'll take care of you."

"You always have beautiful."

Artemis runs her hand through his hair. "I can't believe you came for me."

"And pissed off a lot of people doing it." Wally gives a week smile as he glances over at the Team above him.

"I can't wait to hear it." She gives a smile trying to hold back tears.

"Just let me take a nap first."

"No, no Wally, stay awake. Come on, Kid Idiot, stay with me."

Wally lifts his hand placing it on Artemis left cheek. "I'll always be with you, Beautiful, always. . . . . ."Wally closes his eyes and drops his hand as his head falls on Artemis.

"Wally. . .Wally!" Artemis shakes her head no as tears flow from her eyes. "No. . . Baby. . .No" Artemis can only whisper out before wrapping her arms around his neck pulling the speedster close never wanting to let him go.

…

...

Wally opens his eyes seeing nothing but white. No walls, no people, nothing but white and vast emptiness. Wally turns in circles trying to spot anything, anything that could tell him where he is or how he got there. The last thing he remembers is pushing Artemis out of the way before Slade. . . . .

"Slade. I took his blade when I pushed. . ." Wally checks his stomach but sees no blood on his cloths and is in no pain what so ever. "My clothes, how did I get in civies?" He pauses and slowly starts to understands as he drops his hands back to his side. "I'm dead."

"Not yet, Kid." A familiar voice calls out from behind him. Wally quickly turns to see the man. Standing a few feet away is a man looking in his 50's holding a wooden cane with a gold handle. "But you've come close a couple of times."

"Kent, Kent Nelson?" He calls out.

"I see you remembered me. I'm touched."

"Where am I? How did I get here? And why are you here?"

"Calm down, Kid. One question at a time. Just because I'm a spirit doesn't mean I'm young again."

"Right, sorry."

"I'll try to explain in detail about what happened. You were tested."

"Tested?" Wally looked puzzled.

Kent sighs. "Looks like I lost you already. Okay lets try it this way, you remember Nabu and Klarion right?"

"How could I forget."

"Well after Nabu released my spirit from the helmet, I ended up with a new job sort of speak."

"Okay, I follow so far."

"Good. I went to work as an ambassador for the gods, well one god actually, and that's why I'm here."

"So, where do I fit in?"

"Like I was a servant of Nabu, it turns out you are also a servant of a god."

"Me, I never agreed to anything like that."

"Are you sure. Think back kid, didn't you recreate a experiment when you were 13 with the hope of something to happen?"

"That was Flash's experiment, and I got my speed out of it."

"Well that experiment wasn't the main cause of your speed."

"Okay, now I'm lost."

"People who are not incline to the mystic arts are considered grounds. Your experiment caused you to become a conduit even though you still rely on science and not magic."

"So what you're saying is I've become you but to a different Lord of Order."

"Not Order but Time. Epoch is the Lord of Time or the 'Speedforce' as you call it."

"I think I can understand that. So what happens now."

"Simple, you passed the test. You were given the power of a god and you still chose to sacrifice yourself to protect the one you love. The only thing left is for you to become a host of Epoch or not, choice is yours."

"Not meaning I go back and possibly die from Slade's attack."

"Who knows, but if you agree, you get the power of the Lord of Time and get the chance to do what you do best Kid, be a hero."

"You mean a Time Lord like Dr. Who?" Kent shakes his head and sighs as he looks down to his cane.

Wally takes a moment to think about his offer. With the power of Time, he could be the greatest hero of all. But then his mind starts to wonder on what he would be giving up. What Kent had to give up when he became Dr. Fate.

Wally looks back at Kent. "No. I won't do it." Kent looks back up at Wally. "Not if it cost me what I care about. I will not sacrifice Artemis for ultimate power. Call me crazy if you want but I won't do it. I refuse to do it."

"You never stop surprising me, Kid. Luckily for you, you don't have to make that choice. Unlike me, Epoch told me you could have it all, if you agreed."

"Ultimate power and I get to keep my life with Artemis?"

"Yep."

Wally nods. "Deal." Blackness starts to spin around him and Kent almost like being caught in a tornado. "What's happening." Wally looks back at Kent who is starting to fade in the black.

"Your deal. I hope you take care of yourself, Kid." Kent's image is almost gone. "Oh, one more thing, sorry about your nose."

Before everything goes black, Wally mouths Kent's last words before blacking out again.

…

...

"OW. . . .What?" he looks around the room as he rubs his nose. The living room is its usual mess ever since Artemis left. Apparently Wally fell asleep on the couch and fell off. Bruce trots in from the kitchen and licks Wally's face.

"Hey Bruce." He rubs the dog between the ears as he gives out a low whine. "You won't believe the dream I just I had." The dog jumps onto the couch and curls up in Artemis' spot still whining.

"I know. I miss her too." He hears a knock at the door. "I wonder who that could be?" He gets up to answer the door as Bruce remains on the couch.

As he opens the door, Wally is now standing in front of Nightwing, Superboy, with M'gann, Rocket, and Zee behind them. He suddenly loses his balance and grabs his head losing his vision. Nightwing and Conner catch him.

"Wally?..." Nightwing says.

"We have to get her out." He looks Nightwing straight in the eyes.

Nightwing looks over at Conner then back at Wally. "But we don't know where they are or how to reach her?"

Wally recalling his dream in detail as his eyes turn yellow, his voice vibrating with energy. "I do."
…

Current Location: PALO ALTO

Artemis and Wally's Apartment - 7:35pm

March 31, 2015

…

…

And The End. Welcome to the Speedforce, Wally. I hope you enjoyed the story. Also if you would, PM "Nardragon" and let her know how much you liked the story. Thanks readers and just to let you know, yes the dates are correct. Time jumping sucks doesn't it.