Yeah, OK so before I start, I just need to clarify some plot-lines and stuff I think... So in this fic, the Young Justice team definitely exists, but Roy never joined them and he wasn't a clone, he was just Roy... so there's no 'I'm just a copy' angst. I decided that his daytime occupation is just to clean up the streets as Red Arrow, but do that as a government agent, if that makes any sense. Like, only his boss and a few other people in the government know his identity. And then when he's done that, he does his stuff with the Justice League. When he's talking to people in public though, he just says he's a cop and doesn't go into detail because his identity is a secret and everything... I've also decided that besides a couple of her League of Shadows bosses, the only people who know Jade's identity are Artemis and her father. I want Paula to just know that Jade ran away but not have any idea what she's up to, and maybe not even know who Cheshire is at all... and Artemis doesn't tell anyone about her sister's ID because she wants to be part of the team... that's canon and hasn't changed... And in one of Nell Fratelli's fics, she put Star City somewhere in Michigan, and I like that idea, so yeah, credit to her... And this is a Young Justice story, not comic-verse, so the background comes from the show...My Jade is like the YJ, a BAMF but still pretty caring deep down inside. And she isn't as bitchy as canon, comic Jade... And last, but not least, I like killing things, so I may or may not kill off many characters, so don't take it personally or anything and it totally isn't canon... Okay, so i'm finished my authors note that's longer than the actual chapter now... Have fun reading, it'll probably take like three seconds compared to this, but now im rambling... okay yeah enjoy... ~Hayley~

Jade stepped over the lifeless body, smirking and wiping the bloody sai on her sleeve. There was nothing like a job well done, and she didn't even have to break a sweat. Although she had thought the Marine would put up more of a fight; it had seemed a little too easy, but Jade wasn't one to complain.

She had a tough job. It took and incredibly warped mind to kill (sometimes) innocent people and not get traumatized or feel guilty, but the slender assassin named Cheshire handled it with ease. The fact that she had trained for this ever since she was a child probably helped. The League of Shadows happily accepted her into their ranks when she was old enough, and she began making a name for herself, and not in the good way.

Jade sighed. The cops would probably arrive at any moment (and the Justice League with them), so Cheshire made herself scarce, vaulting through the window and jumping from rooftop to rooftop athletically. The Shadows were no doubt going to be traced back to this murder, and it wouldn't take a detective to figure out it was Cheshire who finished the man off. Very few people could kill a giant man like this with such finesse. Thankfully, Jade was great at hiding, and very few knew her identity. The few who did were either on her side or too afraid to tell. So life would continue as normal, and the murderer would never be caught.

Suddenly, she felt a buzz in her head, and then what felt like a brain freeze, but a little more extreme. She stopped on the roof of a hotel, hitting her forehead with her hand. Jade was used to this feeling; it was the tracer her bosses had implanted in her skull, as well as their main way of contacting her. She was one of the best (if not the best) assassin the Shadows had, so she was summoned often. She hit her head again, and a deep, familiar voice rang through her head.

"Cheshire, we have another job for you."

"I just finished this one!" she grumbled. "I thought I was allowed a break between missions."

"My apologies, but you're the only one qualified for this mission." The man told her. She could almost hear him smiling. "For this one you'll be undercover for a while before you make the kill, so it would be much like a break. Do you accept?"

She put her hands on her hips and looked out at the city. Like she had a choice. With the Shadows, you either did the jobs assigned to you or became the next victim. "Details?"

"You will use whatever means necessary to work your way into your target's life. Become romantically involved with him if you have to. Learn as much as you can about his family and friends, and then kill him. He has interfered with many of our operations, and we will not tolerate it any longer. First learn of his accomplices, then dispose of him. You have three months to get the job done."

"Where is he? Will I need an alias? What's his name?" Jade asked curiously. She hadn't gone undercover in a long time, and undercover missions were always her favorites. She loved pretending to be someone else to get her own way.

"We have sent a debriefing package to your apartment. Your mission will take place in Star City. I'm sure you're familiar with the area; you've been there a few times, have you not?" the voice chuckled. "You'll be working as yourself, not as Cheshire. You could use a fake name if you want, but it isn't necessary. "

Jade stretched. It would be nice doing a mission as herself and not as her ruthless alter-ego. "Sounds nice, but I still need a name."

"His name is Roy." The voice told her. "Roy Harper."

As soon as Jade got back to her apartment, she flipped through the file the Shadows had left on her bed and began packing a duffel bag. The League already had an apartment set up for her in Star City, so she didn't have to bring much, just some spare clothes and personal items. Her bag was completely packed in a matter of minutes, and she was in a car destined for Star City a few minutes later.

It was a large city, with five million inhabitants. Not the largest city Jade had ever visited, but pretty big, nonetheless. One would think it would be difficult to find her target in a city so large, but for Jade, this would be simple. If she could find a rogue assassin in Shanghai, she could find a government-agent-by-day-justice-league-operative-b y night in this place.

The apartment given to her by the Shadows was fairly nice; not super expensive, but not a dive either. It was about five stories tall with a fire escape winding down the side. The fire escape platforms were large enough to put patio furniture and planter's boxes on, as many of the occupants had. Jade walked inside, and took the elevator to the fourth floor, where her living space was supposed to be. Every window had a good view of the beautiful park below, and the rooms were very open and bright. Jade wished she could keep this apartment, instead of the piece of shit she lived in back in Gotham.

The assassin spent the next hour putting her things away and making the apartment look more lived-in. If she was supposed to bring this man home with her and have him stay the night so she could find out about his family, the apartment had to look like someone lived in it. Right then it looked too neat and empty.

Finally, at around ten o' clock, Jade decided she was satisfied with the setup. Turning off the lights in the apartment, she retreated to her new bedroom. Tomorrow she had to try to find Roy and figure out how to 'accidentally' meet him. She assumed it would be pretty easy, but you never knew what would happen. There were always so many things that could go wrong.