Chapter 10 – Star City Shadows
The mission briefing was short — too short for Gwen's liking.
Batman stood before the holographic map at Mount Justice, arms crossed, his expression unreadable as blue lines pulsed over the image of Star City's industrial docks.
"Kobra activity detected," he said flatly. "Possible arms exchange. Primary objective: intercept and secure the cargo. Secondary: identify the buyers."
His eyes scanned across the lineup — Aqualad, Robin, Kid Flash, Miss Martian, Artemis… and finally, Gwen.
Even with her hood up and mask on, she felt that gaze pierce through the layers. Batman didn't just look at people; he assessed them.
"Maintain stealth until engagement is unavoidable," he continued. "Local law enforcement is compromised. You move, you adapt, and you don't get caught."
He turned to leave but stopped mid-step. "Ghost Spider."
Gwen straightened. "Yeah?"
"You're new to the team," he said without turning. "Don't improvise. Follow orders."
She crossed her arms. "Copy that."
As soon as he left, Robin leaned closer. "Translation — don't steal the spotlight."
Kid Flash snorted. "Bats just hates when someone else gets better dramatic lighting."
"Enough," Aqualad said, calm but firm. "We leave in ten."
---
The bioship hummed quietly through the night sky, wrapped in its cloaking field. Below them, Star City sprawled like a web of steel and sodium light.
Gwen sat by the window, adjusting her web-shooters as Weaver-12's soft blue display flickered over her wrist.
> "Stealth systems calibrated," Weaver reported. "Web density increased by eleven percent. Shall I activate adaptive camouflage on deployment?"
"Yeah," Gwen murmured. "Keep it passive until we land."
> "Understood. Also… Artemis is staring at you."
Gwen glanced up. Sure enough, Artemis was watching her — expression unreadable, bow resting across her lap.
"You always talk to your tech before a mission?" Artemis asked.
Gwen shrugged. "Keeps me sane."
"Right," Artemis said dryly. "Talking to your clothes. Totally normal."
Miss Martian floated closer with a smile. "Don't mind her. She's just focused."
"Focused?" Kid Flash grinned. "That what we're calling it now?"
Artemis pulled an arrow halfway out of her quiver. "Keep talking, Wally. I dare you."
"Team," Aqualad interrupted smoothly. "Drop zone in thirty seconds. Robin, Kid Flash — flank east. Artemis, Miss Martian — overwatch. Ghost Spider, you're with me."
"Copy," Gwen said, tightening her gloves.
> "Engagement probability: seventy-one percent," Weaver said.
"You always know how to set the mood," Gwen whispered back.
---
The docks were quiet when they touched down — fog curling low over the water, the air thick with salt and diesel.
Gwen crouched beside Aqualad behind a stack of shipping containers, activating her camouflage. Her suit shimmered, then faded completely.
> "Thermal scan active," Weaver said. "Multiple hostiles ahead. Two main heat sources — heavily armored."
"Got it," she whispered.
Aqualad raised a hand. "Wait for my mark."
They moved like ghosts through steel corridors. Kid Flash zipped between shadows; Robin's grapnel whispered through the fog. Artemis perched high above, arrow drawn, and Miss Martian hovered unseen in the mist.
Then Gwen saw them — crates marked with the Kobra insignia. And two figures supervising.
Sportsmaster and Cheshire.
> "Confirmed," Weaver said quietly. "Combat probability: extreme."
Gwen smirked. "Good. I needed the exercise."
Sportsmaster slammed a crate closed. "Move it! Kobra pays double if this shipment's clean!"
Aqualad gave the signal.
Robin dropped a flash-bomb; light burst through the fog. Artemis's first volley of arrows hit dead-on, stunning half the guards. Kid Flash tore through the rest in a blur.
"Go!" Aqualad ordered.
Sportsmaster spun, staff crackling with energy. "You kids never quit, huh?"
He swung — Aqualad blocked, the shockwave rattling the pier.
"Robin, left!" Gwen shouted, firing webs that caught a guard before he could flank. Robin grinned, flipping off a container and landing beside her.
"You're pretty good at this, Ghost."
"Don't get distracted."
Cheshire darted in, blades flashing. Artemis fired, but Cheshire deflected every arrow with surgical precision. "You'll have to try harder."
Gwen's spider-sense flared — she ducked as Cheshire's blade sliced through the air where her head had been. Gwen countered with a bio-electric punch, sending sparks across Cheshire's armor.
The mercenary hissed and spun, landing a kick that made Gwen slide across the slick dock.
> "Warning: damage to right forearm plating," Weaver said.
"I noticed!" Gwen hissed, firing a web to pull herself back into the fight.
Cheshire lunged again, but Gwen vaulted up, webbed her blades, and yanked them out of her hands. "You should really stop bringing knives to a web fight."
Cheshire snarled. "Cute. Die tired."
Across the dock, Sportsmaster hurled a crate at Aqualad; Kid Flash blurred forward to shove him aside, but the crate still clipped his leg, sending him spinning.
"Wally!" Miss Martian's voice echoed as she caught him telekinetically.
"I'm good! Just… dizzy!"
Sportsmaster's mask tilted toward Gwen. "You're new."
"Observant," she shot back, landing in front of him.
They clashed — staff against web, speed against brute force. Sparks and rain danced in the air. Sportsmaster feinted high, then kicked low, catching her side. Her suit flickered.
"Not bad," he said. "But let's see your face."
He slammed his staff into her jaw — the blow glancing off, but hard enough to tear through her mask. The right side ripped open, exposing part of her cheek and blond hair.
Her breath caught. "Weaver—"
> "Initiating self-repair," Weaver said. "Seal in progress. Camouflage disrupted."
The repair gel spread across the fabric, stitching nanofibers back into place, but the damage wasn't invisible yet.
Robin saw the flicker of her exposed skin — the flash of blue eyes — then turned away, throwing a disc to knock Sportsmaster back. "Cover your right side!"
"Working on it!" Gwen snapped, ducking under another swing.
Cheshire tried to rejoin the fight, but Artemis intercepted her mid-leap, the two colliding in a blur of arrows and blades.
Aqualad caught Sportsmaster's staff with his water-bearers, locking him down. "Now!"
Gwen leapt, flipped over Sportsmaster, and fired a charged web straight into his armor. The electric burst threw him back, smoke rising from his chest plate.
He groaned, pushing himself up. "You're getting better, kids. But not good enough."
Cheshire threw a smoke bomb at their feet. "We'll call this a draw."
By the time the haze cleared, they were gone.
Aqualad exhaled, lowering his blades. "The shipment is secured."
Robin checked the crates. "They didn't get what they came for."
Gwen touched the side of her mask — the nanofibers had sealed completely now, her face hidden again.
> "Self-repair complete," Weaver said. "Next time, recommend dodging."
"Thanks, coach," she muttered.
Batman's voice came over the comms. "Mission result: acceptable. Debrief at Mount Justice."
"'Acceptable,'" Gwen muttered. "He's a real motivational speaker."
Robin chuckled. "Welcome to the team."
---
The debrief was short and quiet. Aqualad reported the mission; Batman gave his usual one-word approval before disappearing from the screen.
Canary approached Gwen after the others left. "You've got talent. But you're running on instinct. That's dangerous."
"Instinct's what kept me alive this long," Gwen replied.
"I get that," Canary said. "But instincts get sharper with training. You in?"
Weaver's voice hummed softly. > "Statistically, mentorship improves survival rates by thirty-seven percent."
"Not the time, Weaver," Gwen muttered, then looked back at Canary. "Yeah. I'm in."
"Good," Canary said with a small grin. "Tomorrow morning. Don't be late."
As she walked off, Gwen stared at her reflection in the glass wall — the faint glow of her repaired mask staring back.
> "Mission emotional index: elevated," Weaver said.
"Yeah," Gwen whispered. "Guess we're really part of the team now."
"We?"
She smiled faintly. "You too, partner."
---
In Gotham, Batman watched the mission footage in silence.
Frame by frame — until the moment her mask tore.
Blond hair. Blue eyes.
He leaned forward slightly. "Gwen Stacy."
The screen went black.