The night hung heavy over Star City's docks, the only sound the distant hum of cargo ships and the gentle lapping of water against the pier. Zane stood on the edge of the concrete, checking the small speedboat's engine one last time. Artemis was already crouched in the bow, quiver strapped across her back, her hands flexing over her bow's grip.
"You ready?" she asked without looking up.
Zane's fingers traced over the seams of his armored hoodie, making sure his robo-arm's circuits were primed, each miniature motor whirring faintly. "Always, Route is already plotted. We'll hit the southern cove and approach under radar coverage. Cameras, patrols, and sentries—I've memorized their schedule down to the second."
Artemis smirked. He was always so prepared, always seemed to know more about the enemy's situation than he should. She has always been curious on how he does that to be honest.
Anyway, it doesn't matter.
They cast off, the speedboat slipping into the darkness, water spraying faintly against the hull. The Caribbean night was a velvet black, only punctuated by the stars and the occasional distant lightning flicker over the horizon. Zane leaned back, feeling the subtle vibrations of the engine through his legs, calculating the distance in his head.
Roughly 650 miles from Star City to Santa Prisca. At 50–60 miles per hour, factoring in waves and avoiding shipping lanes, the trip would take just over twelve hours. He knew from experience of course.
He used his cheat to travel there on his own a few times an just reset whenever he was seen by the patrols near the island.
He spent a short while to memorize all their patrolling routes on sea before resetting. Now that he knows all thier blindspots, he and Artemis can silently infiltrate.
...
They didn't speak much. There was no need to, they had a far better chemistry now than they had before.
Zane ran a few mental checks: His EMPs, bombs, smoke bombs, Robo-Arm etc. Making sure everything was in good condition.
Artemis did the same, testing her bowstring quietly, flexing her fingers and imagining the trajectory of each arrow, mentally noting where the patrol paths would intersect their approach according to Zane.
Hours passed with only the hum of the motor and the occasional splash of sea spray. By the time dawn tinted the sky with pale oranges and pinks, the silhouette of their destination came into few.
Santa Prisca rose from the horizon like a jagged tooth. Dense forests climbed the ridges, broken only by concrete slabs and the angular steel roofs of the Venom production facility.
Yes, this was his goal! Instead of being at the Light's Mercy and constantly being targeted, Zane decided to mess with thier plans!
He remembers something about how Bane makes Venom on this island. The very same Venom that he uses to enchance his strenght to a considerable degree.
He also remembers about how Bane was overthrown by some Cult who also had a strength enchancing drug. And they planned to combine their drug with Venom and provide the Light with the new drug.
Although he doesn't remember the exact plot, Zane wouldnt allow the Light to get any stronger than they already are.
Can you imagine someone like Vandal Savage with Superhuman level strength?!
He would rather stop it in the bud, and maybe also get these drugs for himself and see if he can't use them or even improve them. Anyways, he had all the time in the world.
Clearling his thoughts, Zane narrowed his eyes, adjusting his visor. A digital overlay displayed patrol paths, camera angles, and the location of high-security doors.
They reached the southern cove—hidden behind a ridge of jagged rock—and Zane dropped the throttle. The boat coasted to a stop, and they crouched low, scanning the perimeter.
"Three sentries at the fence line. Cameras on two towers, motion sensors covering the west corridor. Nothing in the open areas," Zane whispered.
Artemis nodded. "So, we go low and fast. I'll take overwatch while you clear the path."
Zane's lips curved faintly. "Copy that."
He moved, and within half a second, he was across the cove, silent as a shadow. His visor caught the glint of a guard's knife, the subtle ripple of muscles under the uniform, every detail clear.
A flick of his wrist, a swift neck chop, and the first sentry crumpled silently against a rock, unconscious. The second and third followed in quick succession.
Artemis's arrows flew, cutting ropes, triggering small traps to block cameras and trip alarms, all without a single warning shot. Zane's reflexes let him anticipate their exact movement, dodging a rotating floodlight with a spin of his body, landing lightly on the edge of a guard tower.
They moved as a single entity, silent predators on the fringe of the Light's and Kobra's plans. They slipped into the underbrush on the edge of the facility. Here, the real test began.
A small patrol, no more than five cultists, rounded a corner, heading toward a supply depot. Zane dropped into a crouch, muscles coiled like springs.
With one motion, he launched himself forward at great speeds, a barely perceptible blur to the naked eye at night. He swept two of the cultists off their feet with a single motion, tossing one into a crate and the other into a tree with a shoulder tackle.
The remaining three spun, knives raised, but Artemis moved like water, arrows flying with lethal precision. One arrow clanged against a guard's knife and sent it spinning, the tip embedding into the wall behind him. The second hit a guard in the shoulder, electricity sparked through his body, knocking him out.
Zane's robo-arm whipped forward, hydraulic pistons hissing as it slammed into the cultist that lost his knife, sending him sprawling backward, knocked out.
Artemis was not far behind, and knock the other uncounsious with a swift blow from his bow.
"I got three, I win." Zane jokingly mocked her, as he tied up the cultists.
" Wow", Her breathing was steady, precise, controlled. "What an 'amazing' boyfriend I have, boosting my confidence like that."
He smirked beneath the visor. "I have to keep you confidence so low, you might just leave if you get too cocky."
For a brief moment, they paused, watching the facility. High towers loomed ahead, with motion sensors blinking faintly. Shipping containers formed a maze along the docks, hiding trucks and crates labeled with Venom chemical codes. This was the heart of Kobra's operation.
He whispered, "We have to move fast. Cameras cover the main entry. Motion sensors along the west corridor. We hit the tunnel on the east side."
Artemis nodded, leading the way. They moved with absolute precision, subduing two more guards at the east entry point.
Zane slowly got more and more cautios, after all. This was already unknown territory for a while now. He had only gotten past the outer perimeter in his last run, he couldn't go much deeper on his own unless he just used his Echo Form.
But he didn't do that, his goal was to keep it a secret for as long as possible so he could have a trump card, so he decided to do the rest with Artemis.
Any as he exlected, they worked very well together, easily getting last obsticals he would've had a harder time on his own.
Getting rid of his distracting thoughts, Zane realized that they already approached the maintenance tunnel that would give them entry to the main.....
Zane froze.
Movement. Multiple figures approaching from the north ridge. He counted quickly. Six silhouettes, advanced gear, someone familiar. His visior quickly zoomed in and scanned, locking onto their forms.
Young Justice. Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Superboy, Speedy and Megan. All moving in formation.
Artemis's hand went to her bow. "We're not alone."
Zane raised a hand. "Stay calm. We observe first." He tried to keep his voice low, after all there was a kryptonian with them..... They quickly retreated into the shadows, crouching behind a stack of crates.
But shadows only go so far. They weren't Batman. They didn't have his impossible knack for vanishing even under the gaze of gods.
A sharp inhale cut through the night. Then—
"Wait…!"
The voice carried across the ridge. Not one voice. Two.
Connor's deep tone overlapped perfectly with Megan's lighter one. Both had stopped mid-step, their eyes narrowing on the darkness where Zane and Artemis hid.
Zane's pulse spiked. His visor confirmed what his instincts already screamed: they'd been seen.
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Also, just so you guys know. In this Universe the Characters are obviously gonna be stronger than their Young Justice Counterparts. Wally than can only run at the speed of Sound?? Nahhh, not gonna happen.
My goat Wally wont be embarrassed like that!!!