Danny walked up some stairs, holding half a sandwich, Wally had said M'gann and Connor were working on a 'bike' over here. Danny honestly had no idea what a bike was but the speedster was still making his sandwich when Danny went to go find out.

He wasn't paying attention to where he was walking when he ran into something metal, he stiffened as his mind went directly to robot but he relaxed as it was just the bike. At least, he thought it was a bike.

He looked up and M'gann and Connor had their faces squished together. He tilted his head in confusion. The two jumped at the sudden noise of his entry, stepping apart with blushing faces.

"Hi Phantom!" M'gann said, waving her arm. Her core said she was nervous and a yellow coursed through her core. Connor's usual red was surprisingly also covered in a warm yellow, apparently the action they had been doing was pleasing to them.

"H-hi." he responded, his eyes traveling across the bike, searching for threats more like. Connor and M'gann gave each other side glances, Danny apparently didnt notice their kissing, or if he did, didnt make any comments about it. The relationship was still somewhat new, other team members began noticing, M'gann was pretty sure Artemis knew and Robin probably knew, he's Robin.

"What'cha doing?" The martian asked, Danny shrugged.

"W-Wally said b-bike this way." Sure enough Wally came up the stairs, his mouth partially full.

"Hey guys! You two sure spend a lota time working on that bike, obviously you need the Wall-man's expert help." Wally said, Danny scrunched his nose, not sure if Wally was actually an expert on the subject. M'gann and Connor exchanged looks, then sent Danny thankful smiles.

Wally finished his sandwich as Danny shifted closer to the speedster. A box of tools were off to one side, closer to M'gann than Wally. Wally knelt down next to the bike, evaluating and judging what was needed.

"Dork wrench." Wally said, M'gann lifted her hand, levitating a wrench to Wally's outstretched hand. Danny watched the floating tool with slitted eyes, if that wrench floated the wrong way Danny was going to disintegrate it.

"Thanks green cheeks." Danny gave him a weird look, he was sure that nickname hadn't been allowed by the owner, M'gann was just too nice to say no.

Connor had his hands on his hips in a business like manner, M'gann standing loosely. Danny twisted his head around at the sound of feet, Kaldur and his sea-grey core approached the group.

"I have been meaning to ask, any problems juggling school work with your responsibilities here?" Kaldur asked evenly/ Danny wasn't sure the others picked up on the underlying tone that said this wasn't an innocent question, Kaldur was suspicious.

"Nope." Connor said curtly.

"Juggling is just one of my many talents, socket wrench." Wally informed, hand out to receive M'gann's telekinetic transport. Danny snorted, he didn't believe Wally could juggle.

"Well, daily cheerleading practice has presented a challenge." M'gann started, "Oh but my first loyalty is always to the team." She then quickly added, "this team, not the bumblebees." Kaldur seemed that information was enough.

"Artemis starts school today, do you think she will have trouble maintaining loyalties?" Was school some type of cult? Why would they have trouble with loyalties and school? these questions filled the halfa's mind as he nibbled on his sandwich behind Wally.

The speedster then stood, "Nah, she'll manage all right, I mean, how much more hostile and annoying can sh-" An explosion shook the ground and suddenly the water reached out and grabbed them.

The water went away and everyone was soaking wet, Connor stood first, fists balled and core writhing. Kid Flash also stood, his eyes scanning for the little ghost boy. Kaldur raced down the stairs while M'gann shook her head to get rid of the headache she suddenly had. Danny shakily stood not far from Wally, his eyes darted about, trying to find the source of the attack.

A bad feeling rose in his gut.

The teens sped forward to the water, as if attacking it might help. Kaldur and M'gann raced up to a helicopter-looking pad, they stopped when a roaring fire was thrown at them.

Danny jumped onto Wally's back, similar to what he did with Robin. Kid Flash and Connor were soon underwater, it wasn't natural the speed in which it enveloped them. They all held their breath but Danny lost his when out of the murky water a red female looking robot approached.

It raised its arms and fire erupted out of it's hands, upon contact with the water some weird stone was made. It trapped Connor and Kid Flash, Danny was about to be knocked out by the lack of air he needed for his hyperventilating. The rock like substance covered him and he couldn't move, suddenly the water went down and he was able to breath again.

He coughed but quickly began to hyperventilate, there was A STINKING ROBOT ATTACKING HIM! Wally underneath him regained his breath.

"You alright Danny?" He asked, if Danny went berserk he did NOT want to be this close. Danny was unable to answer, his mind was going to fast to hear his words. Superboy grunted as he tried to break the rock to no avail, they were stuck.

"Danny calm down, we'll get out of this." Wally said, he hoped he could get out of this. He couldn't shift his molecules fast enough to phase through anything, he would get a bloody nose if he did. But he needed a running start for that to happen, he definitely could not phase through anything at a standstill.

Danny's breathing just got louder and more shallow as the seconds passed. The three recoiled, or at least tried to, from a sudden fire.

"M'gann!" Connor shouted, the fire caught the attention of Danny. He hated being hot, it was the worst, cold was always better. The fire morphed into strips, and those strips converged into a cage, no doubt with M'gann and Kaldur inside.

Studying the fire gave Danny enough reprieve to calm himself, to at least not go into nightmare mode. He held his breath as he turned intangible, phasing through the weird rock and splashing into the water below.

Kid Flash tried to look behind him and was surprised by the lack of Danny behind him, he was actually able to move around a little bit. But his limbs were still stuck tight, there was no getting out without outside help. Danny popped his head out from the water, then yelped as he got sucked under.

The water around him forced him upwards in a giant column in the air, Danny might have missed a few years of school but he knew that water could not do that naturally. Danny had his cheeks puffed out with air, but he was slowly losing it, he concentrated again and he flew out of the column.

He didnt realize how high he was until he hit the ground, the same platform M'gann and Kaldur were trapped on. He coughed out the little bit of water he had inhaled and got to his knees. His head snapped up at the sound of metal footsteps.

Two shiny red robots with different yellow designs approached him. They looked like Red Tornado, but without the cape, and one was a girl.

"Phantom get out of here! Go find Rob or Batman!" Wally yelled, their only chance was outside help.

Danny was frozen to the spot, his mind was going a million miles per hour, replaying his worst nightmares. He began to tremble as the robots got closer, the speedsters words just now registered. Wally was right, he had to find Robin or Batman, hopefully both, but someone had to help!

Danny looked down, finding his hands and feet ACTUALLY frozen to the ground, the water that had been on him froze him to the ground. He easily broke the ice and unsteadily got to his feet. He backed up until he almost hit the fire surrounding his friends, the girl robot raised a hand and the fire leaped out at him.

The halfa ducked and ran to the side, he needed to get to the zeta tubes, his legs turned into a wispy tail as he flew towards the exit. He was stopped when a searing hot pain sliced at his side. A tendril of fire had wrapped itself around him like a rope, and it pulled him down to the ground.

He cried out in anguish and pain, the fire burned at his skin, he faintly remembered Wally calling his name. He was suddenly on the ground, the fire gone but the heat still there. He cradled his stomach and weakly looked up, he was in his own fire cage a few yards from the others.

The halfa hissed as his middle bombarded him with pain, alerting him to his probably burnt skin. The fire seemed to suck all energy from him, the heat was excruciating. He began to sweat and he huddled into fetal position, trying to keep his cool insides cool. He didnt know how but when he concentrated he could make stuff cold, and right now he needed that coldness. But the fire negated all of his attempts at cooling down, the head was too intense.

He tried to stay awake but his weary mind was tired from all the terror, so his eyes closed, succumbing to unconsciousness.

-0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0-

"Attention Robin, Attention Artemis. You have exactly ten minutes to surrender or the lives of your teammates will be extinguished."

Danny's radioactive eyes flickered open, his breathing hitched as he recognised the words. Robin and Artemis were here, they could help, but... so many of them had been beaten so easily, how were they going to do it alone?

He was taken out of his thoughts when the fire lady came over, flying with a wall of fire as her thrusters. She didnt get too close but her eyes glowed red and the fire got thicker. Kaldur flinched as the heat grew, M'gann unconscious in his lap. Danny's cage also got hotter, he whimpered and tighten his curled form, he hoped Robin would come soon.

The water dude lifted his hand and the water rose with it, it crashed down around Kid Flash and Superboy, they struggled but knew they couldn't get out. The water rose in alarming rate, soon they would drown.

"Nine minutes and 45 seconds."

-0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0-

Capeless Robin and a sputtering Artemis burst out of the water.

"LOOK OUT!" Superboy called, the two ducked and swam to the side as the place they used to be was scorched with a giant ball of fire.

They ducked again as they were fired at, going deeper until they came for air next to the trapped Kid Flash and Superboy.

"You guy's ok? Where's Danny?" Robin asked, worry etched into his face as they treaded water. Superboy pointed upwards with his head.

"Forget us, help M'gann!" The clone insisted.

"Danny was with me and he tried to escape but he's trapped in the fire now." KF informed with a small frown.

"Aqualad! Is she alright? What about Danny?" Artemis yelled up.

Aqualad was sweating buckets, not good for a guy with gills, he needed that water. "She is unconscious, I fear sh-we cannot survive much longer." He glanced over at the curled form of Danny, he might have been conscious but he couldn't tell as the halfa had his back to him.

Danny stirred at the sound of Robin's voice, he was here.

Robin and Artemis ducked under as a flaming ball of fire came at them, KF and Superboy turned their heads from the flames. The two free teammates swam to the stairs, followed closely by the water themed robot.

They ran up the stairs, "For how often the mountain has gotten attacked these past few weeks it's kind of nice that it's not ghost related." Robin mumbled as he reached for more batarangs. Artemis scowled at him

"Not helping Rob!" She would have said more but the fire themed robot landed at the top of the stairs, blocking each exit. the robot formed balls of fire in its palms. "I'm almost out of arrows."

"Distract her now!" Artemis fired a smoke arrow but the robot seemed to walk through it harmlessly.

Robin threw two disks at the male robot but they just rebounded off of his metal plating. One went to the side, hitting right next to Wally's ear, he jerked his head to the side with a 'whoa'. The two robots fired at the teens simultaneously, they swan dived out of the way and the two elements collided.

They swam down to a vent and went in, their lungs were about to burst when they got to air. They crawled into the pipes, both panting with the effort of holding their breath for so long.

"What do we do now?" Artemis asked, her voice edged with panic.

"We save them, that's how it works." Robin stated.

"Maybe thats how its supposed to work, but those robots already took out five of our SUPER POWERED friends!" She summed up, her voice getting more panicked by the second.

"You seem distraught." Robin pointed out with a little smile.

"Distraught?! M'gann is dying! we have no super powers and I'm down to my last arrow! OF COURSE I'M DISTRAUGHT!" Artemis yelled, pulling out her single arrow with wide eyes.

"Well get traught, or get dead." he growled, his voice also raised. He wanted to panic too, but panicking didnt save anyone.

"How can you be so calm?" Artemis demanded, Robin turned and began crawling through the vents. If they stayed in one place too long they were dead meat.

"Practice," he said simply, "I've been doing this since I was nine."

"What good is that now? What chance do we have against unrelenting machines?" Artemis asked, Robin paused.

"Oh, Duh! They're machines! and one electromagnetic pulse will shut down any machine within range."

"Great! Except you better have an EMP emitter in your utility belt because I know I don't have one in my quiver." Artemis said with a scowl, to her surprise Robin smirked.

"I'm fresh out, but I'm betting we can make one."

-0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0-

Danny scrambled to his knees, the cage too low to stand in, at the mechanical sound of the male robots voice.

"Four minutes."

He looked around, the two robots were on either side of the larger fire cage, Danny was behind them on the male's side. If he really concentrated he could negate the fire with his cold aura, but his attempts to do so only ended in losing more energy than he had. He needed a different plan.

"Hey! Red Tomato! who's your girlfriend? Red onion?" Wally shouted. Danny blinked in his direction, what the heck was he doing?

"Yeah! by the way, worst death trap EVER!" Connor joined in, Danny was beginning to think the two had lost their marbles. "We can escape anytime we want!" Danny highly doubted that.

They continued shouting insults and stupid, and obviously fake, laughter. Danny ignored them as he scanned his surroundings, the robots were quite distracted at the moment. His eyes found Robin and Artemis in a cave-like hole, he had to put his hand over his mouth to stop from crying out.

Robin was going to save them! The boy wonder swung down onto a large metal thing and had his holo-glove out. He was messing with a weird panel on it while KF and Superboy continued to make weird comments. He mumbled something Danny couldn't hear as he turned to look at his caged teammates.

Their eyes met for a second and Robin gave him a reassuring smile, Danny gave him a weak one to let him know he was alright for the time being. Robin turned back to whatever he was doing and his frown returned. He rummaged through his belt and didnt notice a huge wall of water coming his way.

"ROBIN LOOK OUT!" Artemis yelled, but she was too late.

Robin half yelled as the tsunami washed over him, Danny squeaked in horror. Artemis fired an arrow but she missed because she had to dodge a fire ball thrown at her. The smoke arrow hit behind the water robot, really close to Danny.

Danny squeezed his eyes shut, trying to keep the tears inside as he concentrated. Robin needed help! He couldn't be dead! His body slowly became intangible as he sunk through the floor, the smoke from Artemis' arrow covered his escape.

Artemis backed away as he reached for another arrow, but to her horror her hand felt nothing. Her eyes wide she ran back to the vents, fire chasing her the entire way. Artemis shook her head to free of the buzzing in her ears, she crawled forward to a rip in the vent. She watched as Robin was pulled up in a column of water.

He was limp, tiny bubbles escaped his open mouth, his eyes slits in his unconsciousness. She gasped and scrambled backwards holding her head. Images of her dying teammates flashed through her head, Kid Flash and Connor close to drowning, Aqualad and M'gann burnt to a crisp. Robin floating like a dead body in the water, and Danny... Danny was nowhere to be found.

She had seen him in a smaller fire cage but when she looked down to see Robin Danny hadn't been there. But her imaginative mind thought him dead anyway.

"No, no, no, nononono." she breathed, hugging her knees to her chest and trying not to cry. She sat in the vents trying to keep herself from going crazy, she needed to think it through.

"If I surrender, I die with the others. But if I find a way out..." Artemis crawled forward, not particularly sure where she was going, hopefully somewhere near an exit. "out of the cave, I could, I can get help, call in the league- whoaah!" She yelled as she fell down a steep part of the vents.

She slipped and slid down the vents, then falling onto the ground into an unknown room.

"Three minutes."

Danny was lost, he had no idea where he was. He had snuck away unnoticed by the robots but he couldn't find anything familiar, he was on the verge of tears, already a few had slipped down his face.

He had found an open room with shelves on a wall, some weird stuff was on it but Danny paid it no attention. He found a corner and sat there, how could he help Robin? He couldn't fight TWO robots, let alone one without going into nightmare mode and accidentally killing everyone. But they would already be dead if he did nothing, he grasped his head in turmoil, what should he do?!

He flinched when a familiar body fell out of the vents, Artemis.

She groaned and mumbled to herself, propping herself up with a hand as he rubbed the shoulder she landed on. "The best I can do is hide, hope the League finds me before the reds do." She looked around the room and saw Danny. "Phantom!" She exclaimed, she, Connor and M'gann still didnt know his real name, Danny didn't like it.

"D-danny." He said, pointing to himself, Artemis blinked and rose an eyebrow.

"Your real name is Danny?" The archer asked, he nodded and stood.

"How did you get out? Are you ok?" She asked as the child walked over to her with his eyes hooded by his white hair.

His bottom lip trembled, he didn't know what to do, his brother could be dead and he wasn't doing anything. Artemis saw the tears streak down his face, she wanted to cry too, but maybe with Danny she had a chance. She pulled the halfa into a hug, Danny melted in her arms and cried.

"Shh, shh, It's..." she didnt want to lie to the kid, but saying everything would be alright was instinct. "not alright right now, but we can fix this ok?" she said, trying to convince herself more than Danny.

She looked up and saw Wally's souvenirs, one of them being her sister's mask. I know you understand, she said to herself, glaring at the mask.

"Haven't you learned anything? In this family it's every girl for herself."

The memory faded, back then she was younger and alone, but now she was stronger and had better friends than she knew possible. That might have been true about our family, but I've found a new family. She stroked Danny's white hair, he needed her, she wasn't about to let them down. And here, were all for one and-

"One Minute."

She was yanked back to the present by the robotic voice, Danny squeezed her tighter. She gently pulled the halfa off and stood, Danny sniffed and stood as well.

"Common Danny, I've got a plan." She grabbed her arrow from the shelf, the arrow she used to save KF that felt like lifetimes ago. Danny wiped the tears from his face, he had to help now, Robin needed him, as did the other teens.

-0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0-

"I surrender, stop the clock." Artemis said, her bow in hand and her single arrow in her quiver.

Aqualad turned over in the fiery cage, watching Artemis as she walked twards the two robots. She spied Robin to the side, out of the water but not moving. Kid Flash and Superboy sucked in a breath as the water reached their faces.

The male robot presented his hand, Artemis went to put her bow there but instead used it as a step ladder. She kicked the water robot in the head and the female's hand out of the way, sending the fire arching in the wrong direction. She flipped off the robot and shot her arrow in mid-air.

The arrow sped past the robots and into the slot where Robin said needed metal. The circuit was complete and a blue wave of electricity spread out through the cave. It hit the robots and they sparked and fell to the ground, their red eyes dimming.

The fire dissipated and the water fell, KF and Connor taking deep breaths. Danny ran up to them and grabbed Wally's shoulder and phased him out of the rock.

"Kaldur! How's M'gann?" Connor yelled up, Danny approached him hesitantly before phasing him out too.

Kaldur rose weakly and answered, "She breathes, I believe she will recover. What of Robin?" Danny flew with surprising speed to his brother, Artemis discarding her bow and racing to the young vigilante's side.

Danny and Artemis hesitated before putting a hand on his chest and head. Danny would have phased him out of the water in his lungs but he wasn't that good at it yet, he might end up phasing his lungs out and Robin would definitely die.

The boy wonder began to cough.

"He- he's breathing too." she said as Robin got his breath back.

He turned his head and saw her, he smiled weakly, "Way to get traught." She sat back and sighed with relief, then laughed a little as Danny practically tackled his brother.

"Danny!" Robin exclaimed, hugging his little brother. Wally and Conner came up the stairs, the clone heading directly for M'gann. KF helped Aqualad up and they both looked over with amused smiles as Danny clung to Robin like a koala.

"Hey Danny? I kinda need to breath." Danny sniffed and released his brother, tears of joy now ran down his face.

The group moved together, Connor held M'gann who had not yet returned to the land of the living. Danny refused to leave Robin and held onto his hand as the teens compared notes.

"Figured my only shot was to pretend to 'surrender' before I actually did. Blacked out though." Robin stated with a shrug of shoulders.

M'gann stirred in Connor's arms, "M'gann," He breathed, she lightly groaned and looked up at him.

"I'll be fine..." She said weakly.

Wally had his hand to his earpiece, "No luck on communications." he informed, Artemis rolled her eyes,

"EMP shuts down all computers, remember?"

"All machines present at the time." Came Red Tornado's voice, Danny stiffened. "What has occurred?"

"A little visit from your family..." KF said with a sharp look in the robot's direction. Robin frowned at Red Tornado's entrance.

"Your extremely nasty family." Artemis added.

"what are you doing here anyway? Batman said you shouldn't be here." Robin said with a scowl as he placed his hands on his hips while Danny hid behind him.

"I calculated comeing was worth the risk considering the number of times the Mountain has been attacked, and I was not aware I had relations."

"Where have you been?" Superboy said grumpily, he should have come sooner, Batman threat or no. Red Tornado moved past him to the two red robots on the ground.

"Monitor duty at the watchtower, when it became clear cave communications were down I intended to investigate but your zeta tubes were also non functional I transported to Providence and proceed here." The animatronic crouched down to his 'family' as he spoke.

Everyone turned when Wally yelped, he took off his communicator as it emitted a high pitched noise. Wally and Robin exchanged quick looks.

"The pulse has worn off!" They said together, they both looked at the robots.

Red Tornado went to touch the hand of one of them, electricity arched between their plating. Their eyes began to glow, spreading it to Red Tornado. He stood and flew into the air with his signature tornado, then began to suck the air out of the room.

M'gann went down first, Aqualad joining her on the floor after gasping for air. Artemis had her eyes wide as she clutched her neck, Robin tried to move towards the robot but he was stopped by the lack of air. Danny gasped as he tried to breath, his sight grew fuzzy before he fell next to his brother.

Kid Flash and Connor fell simultaneously, Artemis fell to her knees and watched Robin fall with his hands around his throat. Artemis slipped into unconsciousness.

-0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0-

"Robin"

"Robin. Can you hear me?" Robin's eyes cracked open, met with his mentor's permanent frown.

"Batman." He said. Batman helped the acrobat up, Robin blinked a few times to steady his swimming vision. He looked around and saw the other teens with their mentors, Artemis was still unconscious but Superman was helping her up.

"What happened here?" Batman asked with his gravely voice, Robin opened his mouth to answer but the now awake and fuming Artemis said it for him.

"What happened? The reds happened! Red tornado and his- wait, where are they?" Artemis asked with wide eyes, not seeing the three robots.

"Gone." Batman said, "All three of them."

"Where's Phantom?" Robin asked his mentor, he didnt see Danny among the throng of people.

Batman looked uncomfortable, at least, Robin saw he looked uncomfortable. To everyone else he was still his mad, broody self.

"Gone as well."