Chapter 27

-[Dante]-

With matching grins, the two clones rushed towards the incoming mutation. Dante slid under its punch, the fist sailing through the air and slamming into Superboy, sending the clone flying.

Getting behind it, Dante telekinetically pulled his fellow clone towards himself. Going with the flow, Superboy cocked his fist back, throwing a powerful punch at the monster's jaw.

It stumbled backward, spinning slightly only to meet Dante's foot smashing into its torso. The force sent it back to Superboy who threw a punch at its back.

As it stumbled back to Dante, it was given no chance as Dante's fists smashed into its face.

The tempo increased as Superboy's fist immediately came burrowing into its side, accompanied by Dante's kick to send him back.

The barrage continued for a while, the monster getting battered from all sides until Superboy and Dante's fists came crashing into its face from both sides.

As they withdrew their fists, the monster fell unceremoniously to the ground, unconscious. "Well that wasn't too hard." Dante said, prompting a smirk from Superboy as they turned to the final opponent.

"Think I can take it in one shot?" Superboy challenged.

Instead of answering, Dante smirked, grabbing the clone with his telekinesis and launching him towards the monster. Already expecting it, Superboy had his fist primed, smashing it into the monster's chest as it disengaged from M'gann and Kaldur.

The momentum along with Superboy's half Kryptonian strength sent it flying into the wall. M'gann and Kaldur had been slowly chipping at it so the punch was enough to knock it out.

The two turned to Dante and Superboy who seemed to be getting along in slight surprise.

"Come on. We have to join the others." Dante said as they headed for the warehouse.

Upon entering, they found a bunch of goons unconscious on the floor. The large crates had bullet marks and holes in them, obviously from gunfire.

[Robin, where are you guys?] he asked through the link.

[We're below the warehouse and we found the hostages.] Robin said but his voice sounded a bit hesitant, something Dante picked up instantly.

[What aren't you telling me?] Dante questioned as they found a lift at the back of the warehouse.

Gesturing to Kaldur, M'gann and Superboy, Dante took the shortcut, density shifting through the ground.

[It's…You're not going to like this…] The boy wonder responded as Dante reached the underground level where he felt Robin's mental signature.

Upon reaching there, he froze at what he saw. It looked like some sort of lab with advanced equipment arranged in an orderly manner.

There were more goons unconscious on the floor, along with the five hostages standing in the corner.

What caught his attention the most were a despondent Robin and a horrified Kid Flash standing over Artemis who lay unmoving in a small pool of her own blood.

He just barely heard M'gann and Aqualad gasp as they and Superboy finally caught up.

-[Later]-

-[Mount Justice]-

"What the hell were you thinking?!" Dante yelled in anger, raising his voice for the first time any of them had ever seen.

The team minus Artemis stood in the mission room with Batman standing silently in front of them.

"Hey! I didn't mean t-" Wally tried to defend only to get shut up.

"Didn't mean to what?! You couldn't let go of your ego for one minute?! One minute! Damn it Wally, Artemis could have died!" He yelled, his anger not going down in the slightest.

He had gotten the run down from Robin, not allowing even the smallest detail to be left out. In his usual impulsive manner, Wally had run in without thinking, resulting in Artemis gaining a few bullets in her.

"Well what do you want me to say?! I know it's my fault!" Wally yelled in response.

"That's the thing, I don't think you do and I'm done accommodating your behavior." Dante said. His anger had yet to cool off but he still retained his focus. "So until you prove yourself mature enough, you are on probation."

Confused looks went around each member of the team.

"Probation? What does that even mean?!" Wally asked.

"It means that until I deem it necessary, you are not permitted to go on missions." He said firmly, getting a gasp from the speedster.

"What?! You can't do that!" He complained, turning to Batman who stayed silent. "He can?"

"Yes, I can." Dante confirmed. "And you better start understanding that."

"You're dismissed." Dante said, causing the speedster to frown.

"Fine." Wally said as he made his way out of the cave, the Zeta Tubes announcing his departure.

There was silence in the cave after that before Batman took the floor.

"Though your mission was unsanctioned, its results cannot be denied. Evidence and statements from the five scientists say that the Joker and Count Vertigo were both involved." He paused a bit before continuing.

"As you know, they had the scientists work on a new neo-steroid they called Titan. And as you also witnessed, its effects are far more potent than Kobra Venom. Along the numerous crates of Titan, there was also a record of everything produced. It's all been tallied and it's been determined that five crates are unaccounted for."

Dante frowned at that. "That means the enemy already has a decent amount of it. We were too late."

"That is true but it could have been worse." The dark knight said, confused looks going around.

They expected to be reprimanded seeing as how they weren't able to stop it. Seeing that, Batman continued. "Due to your interventions only five crates out of over ten dozen crates were taken. Many members of the league did not approve of this team's autonomy. Injuries aside, your actions and results today have proved them wrong. The probation period is over."

"Probation period. I don't get it." Dante said honestly before it finally clicked in his head.

"You were on a trial period. Although we did not foresee this incident, it has nonetheless served as your test." The dark knight explained.

There was no way he would simply agree to them working on their own just like that. 'I should have expected this.' Dante thought, cursing his own lack of foresight.

"We will expatiate on this in the morning. For now, dismissed." Batman then turned to Dante, motioning for him to wait behind.

As the others left, Batman's eyes narrowed. "Now, how did you know where the scientists were being held?"

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Author Rant: I gave up on dxd!

It basically became fan service with a hint of plot. I couldn't take it anymore…

On a totally unrelated note(probably), I have turned my attention back to MHA.