A/N: This idea actually came to me when I posted the last chapter, and it actually justifies something that'll happen later so I'm excited to write this! Enjoy!

The next morning saw everyone in the same spot as yesterday with the addition of Wally. He and Robin were discussing something that sounded vaguely scientific, but Artemis was pretty sure she heard 'Hulk' in there somewhere. Kaldur and Megan were discussing book they had found and read. Conner was sitting next to Megan, just listening. He hadn't been very interested in reading and was content to just sit and watch to two. Artemis and Roy were both polishing their arrows and quietly arguing about who was the better archer.

Zatanna, who was sitting next to Robin and trying to follow along with their debate, first heard it.

"Do you guys hear that?" All conversation stopped. In the distance, a faint rumbling could be heard.

"What is that?" Megan's eyebrows furrowed.

Robin stood, looking faintly alarmed. "It's a truck. A big truck, probably, but…"

Robin didn't need to say anymore; everyone knew what he meant. Somebody was driving, which meant…

"I'm going to check it out." Roy moved towards the ladder.

"Be careful." Kaldur spoke, watching worriedly.

Roy climbed and poked his head out of the hatch as little as he could and still have vision. His eyes widened at the sight of multiple vehicles—armed vehicles—plowing towards their little safe haven. He lowered the hatch and dropped down. His expression told the group everything.

"Conner. Wally." Kaldur suddenly ordered. "Go get our weapons."

"Kaldur, this is not a fight you're going to win." Robin now seemed calm as he spoke, stepping towards Kaldur, who looked down at him dismally.

"I know, but there is nothing else we can do. We cannot get everyone out of here in time. I am sorry to have brought you into this."

Robin's face hardened. "I'm sorry too. " He ran off towards the bedroom he had been staying in, presumably to get his stuff before leaving.

"Robin!" Zatanna yelled, shocked. He was going to leave them? Just like that? She made to go after him, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her. It was Artemis.

"Let him go. He's not going to help us." Artemis' jaw was set. She knew not to trust the little brat, though she couldn't exactly blame him. He had only been around for two days—that was not enough time to get attached—and Hell seemed to have broken loose. Had it been her, she probably would have run too.

Conner and Wally came back in with the weapons and passed them around. Wally looked around when he realized Robin hadn't come to pick up a gun.

"Hey, where's Robin?"

"There's no time for that now." Like Robin's earlier, Kaldur's gaze had hardened as he took his twin machetes and a pistol. "Artemis. Roy. I need you up on the roof. Wally and Conner—at the windows." The windows had been broken long ago, and a board on each window were removable in case of situations like the one currently happening. Kaldur didn't voice what he wanted Zatanna and Megan to do right away. He didn't want them fighting just yet if he could help it.

"What about us?" Zatanna asked, pointing to Megan and herself. Sure, she didn't want to fight and probably die, but she wasn't going to hang back while her friends fought for her.

"You'll be our defense." Kaldur said. "If anyone gets in, you shoot them."

"We don't have enough guns though." Megan spoke finally, starting to panic.

"I have a pistol in my room." Artemis was climbing the ladder—Roy was already on the roof. She tried smirk, but it resembled more of a grimace. "It helps me sleep."

"I'll go get it!" Megan ran off.

Kaldur held the last gun to Zatanna, who took it with trembling hands.

"I would not ask this of you unless it was absolutely necessary." Zatanna nodded solemnly at Kaldur, trying to put on a brave face.

The rumbling suddenly stopped, and a tense silence filled the air. The teens waited with bated breath. Zatanna tried to put on a brave face but the tremble of her bottom lip gave away her struggle not to cry.

"Hello!" A male voice suddenly boomed from a megaphone, causing everyone to jump—Wally nearly pressed the trigger of his gun. "My name is Slade Wilson! We have had our eyes on you for a while now! We have a community with food, people, and walls to keep the dead out! I have come to offer you a place in our home in return for your cooperation and contribution to the community. Everyone does their part in Belle Reve."

A small noise drew Kaldur's attention to Wally. The poor teen looked like he was going to hyperventilate. He was staring at the boards unseeingly. Kaldur whispered his name a few times before Wally's eyes slid over to him.

"Kaldur." Wally whispered harshly. "We can't go with him. We can't. Please."

Kaldur wanted to ask why—of course he didn't want to join the man either, but why was Wally of all people so adamant about not going? Did he know the man?

Kaldur took a deep breath and spoke loud enough for the man outside to hear. "Thank you for your consideration, but we are happy with where we are now."

Dead silence. Wally was sweating bullets now. Conner peeked out through the window and frowned. "He does not look happy, Kaldur."

"Well." Kaldur could practically feel the temperature dropping with the man's stone-cold tone. "That's a shame. And I can't leave anyone knowing about our little town. You may want to steal from us from the future, so I guess that means you have to die."

Zatanna and Wally let out a choked sound while Kaldur's eyes widened. They didn't have time to do anything else before their home was being littered with bullets.

"Get down!" Kaldur shouted. Zatanna let out a shriek as she did what he said. A grunt to his right showed Conner wincing as a bullet grazed his shoulder. He heard a cry of pain from above—male, Roy. He crouched, trying to keep any panic he felt from his expression. He couldn't let the others see. He was their unspoken leader. He had to remain calm for them.

"GRENADE!" He heard Artemis shout from above. Conner was able to force himself away from the wall, but Wally was frozen in shock. Kaldur grabbed him and yanked him away before an explosion shook the ground. Wood splintered and showered over them as dust rained from above. Zatanna was crying now.

He heard another cry of pain from above, this time female, and the gunfire stopped. No one moved. Zatanna was quietly sobbing in Conner's arms as he aimed a gun at the fragile door. They waited, hoping that the archers above them were still alive and anguished that they couldn't check on them.

The door was kicked in and Conner fired, but no one was standing there. A shot sounded and Conner yelled, dropping the gun as a splash of red burst from his hand. Five men walked in, the leader obviously being in the front. Kaldur could tell from the way the man held himself, as if he had all the power in the world. Kaldur did not like those kinds of people.

The leader, Slade, walked up to him—Kaldur was still crouched—and sneered down at him. "Are you the leader of this little group?"

Kaldur's eyes wandered over the room. He saw his friends—terrified, covered in dust and and wood fragments—and nodded grimly. The man's eyes hardened, and he violently kicked Kaldur in the head. He crumpled to the ground, hearing Zatanna screaming as his head swam. He felt another kick to his stomach. He faintly registered two of the other men starting in on Conner and tried to protest, but a kick to his mouth stopped him. Blood filled his mouth.

"Stop!" He heard Wally yell—no don't, Wally—and the kicking stopped. Kaldur cracked his eyes open and saw Slade staring at Wally.

"Well, what do we have here? Is that little Wally West? I thought you had died the last time I saw you." So they did know each other.

"Yeah, 'cause of you." Wally spat, and Kaldur wanted to stop him—tell him not to antagonize the man.

"We'll agree to disagree." Slade grabbed Wally and yanked him up. "Change of plan, boys. We're going to take them in."

"But Sla—Dea—"

"Shut up." The icy tone was back, shutting up the man, practically a boy, who had spoken.

"Cameron, take Kobra and get the two off the roof. Bane go grab some more men. We need to take them back to base. And search the place. There could be more of them." He turned towards Wally and smirked. "Don't worry about this one. I'll deal with him personally."

"No…" Kaldur moaned and tried to get up. He got another kick in the head and collapsed.

"Kaldur? Kaldur!" One of Slade's men picked up Zatanna and carried her out as she kicked and screamed. Another man picked Kaldur up and dragged him out, but he could barely feel it. He was losing consciousness.

His last thought before succumbing to darkness: I hope Robin got away.

A/N: Sweet! I got it done! I do have a paper due next week so it'll take me a bit of time before I upload the next one. I really liked how this one turned out though. Let me know what you guys think!

Love,

Browniesarethebest