TW: death, kidnapping, blood.

Six months later.

Artemis wiped her blade clean with a cloth before she placed it back into its sheath. She looked back at the bodies. Two men, late twenties with throats sliced clean. Silenced. They hadn’t even been able to scream. With a sigh Artemis pushed back her hair, crossing the room to the window she had entered from and slipped out, balancing on the edge as she took out her grappling hook. She shot it and it attached to another building and Artemis dropped down, swinging back up onto another rooftop and rolling as she landed. Back on her feet, she straightened up and twisted the watch on her wrist. “Who’s next?” she muttered to herself. A digital list sprang up from her watch with the names of targets she had that night. Artemis’s job was a simple one; Kill those who had found out about what the Reapers do. Anyone who had found out about the extraction of Mythic’s powers (mythics are people/creatures with special abilities of any kind) or any other crimes were to be killed. The Reapers slunk in the shadows and hid but Artemis knew they were building their way up on the podium and covering up their crimes. Artemis had always wondered how the Reapers were able to expand and have resources to do what they do, to have so many connections. Vincent told her he would meet with scientists and pay them for their labs so they could conduct research on Mythics. Then of course, he hired assassins to keep things quiet. Drugs, money and alcohol were in paychecks. People would do anything for a dollar in their pocket. It had been a cruel lesson to learn for Artemis.

She looked at the last name on the list. Strangely, it looked familiar.

Paige Neoma.

She couldn't remember where she had heard it before. Must still be loopy from yesterday's training..

She tapped on the name with a finger, the address springing up with the directions to where she was located. Artemis peered at the time then. Since she was trusted enough to go on assignments alone again she had a curfew; Midnight. It was eleven. Better hurry this shit up.

The location was one Artemis hadn’t expected. It was an abandoned warehouse. The building loomed over dead grass, decaying and old. She had visited here many times before. It was an escape, a place she could sneak out of when her father was drunk or passed out. Why are the directions leading here? No one lives here. I barely come here anymore. She chewed the knuckle on her index finger, her foot tapping on the crunchy grass. It must be another one of Vincent’s tests.. Her heart pounded a bit faster at that thought. Oh, God. If he finds out- if he found out I snuck out here back then..

She held her breath and took a step back, looking back at the rest of the city. Her throat felt tight. It didn't matter how long ago it was, he would still be pissed. He could be pissed for no reason.

I could get away. She turned around and looked out at the other buildings. No, they'd find me..

She shook her head and swallowed, pushing the thoughts away. She looked towards the big doors of the warehouse. She knew it was a trap. But once again, there was no choice she had.

Whatever happens.. I can take it. Whatever it is..I’ll take it.

Artemis exhaled slowly and walked back up to the doors. She then forced the doors open with a loud creak before she stepped into the old building. The doors shut behind her with a slam.

Inside, it was nearly pitch black. There was only a pathetic light bulb flickering on and off alongside the soft moonlight streaming in through the dirty windows. Inside smelled of mold and dust. But it was.. comforting. Better than the cleanliness smell of chemicals, trying to mask the stench of blood and torture at the Reapers base.

Artemis sighed and walked towards the middle, towards the light. The rest of the warehouse was completely dark, and she hated the way it looked like the shadows were crawling towards her. Goosebumps rose on her arms and on her neck.

She walked up to the middle of the room and stood there for a moment, looking around quietly. Before, Artemis would come during the day, when it was oddly welcoming. But now it was just menacing and.. honestly? Scary. Maybe because it meant Vincent might be lurking inside.

Artemis jerked her head around at the sound of a ruffling noise, her hand instinctively moving towards her bow. But she knew fighting against Vincent wouldn't help, so she lowered her hand. Her hand curled into a fist and her nails dug into her palms. Breathe.

But then she heard footsteps behind her and she turned, to see...Not Vincent. A girl had stepped into the dim lighting. She had black hair and stood tall, dressed in a black long sleeve with the sleeves rolled up. Artemis stared in a type of disbelief. Paige Neoma. The name came back to her then. She had seen it on the news back home- A girl who had gone missing. She was a Mythic- A dangerous one the reporter had said. But then again, all Mythics were deemed dangerous. Artemis stared at the girl. So this wasn’t a trap. Still, the unease didn’t fade. Artemis was never meant to kill Mythics; They could be useful. So why was she on the list? And why was Paige waiting for her?

"Artemis.." Paige said. Her voice was calm and smooth, laced with a strange accent Artemis couldn’t recognize. She took a step forward. Artemis took one back, eyes scanning over her in suspicion. “How do you know my name?” Paige was probably someone here to grab her for a ransom. Victor was one of the richest people and well-known. Most people knew who Artemis was an assassin personally trained by him; Valuable. A sick part of her felt..pride, almost in that.

The girl didn’t answer her question. “I need to speak to you.” “Could you have done it in a less creepy way?” Artemis narrowed her eyes. “What’s going on here?” “I need you to come with me.” So it was a trap. “Who are you, a fuckin’ cop? Cause if so, that’s a shame because you’re pretty cute.”

Paige looked perplexed and her demeanor shifted to one of mild surprise. She just shook her head. “No, I’m not a cop-” “That’s exactly what a cop would say.”

“What? Wh- Whatever. You need to come with me. I’m not taking no for an answer.” “Sure, then.” Paige stared again. She looked even more surprised, but she nodded slightly. “Right, then.. Follow me.” She began to walk, turning her back to Artemis. Artemis could see a sword on her back in it’s hilt. When the moonlight hit it it almost looked like it was glowing. “Just kidding! God, how stupid can you be? I have a curfew, miss.” Artemis pulled out her grappling hook and swung up to the rafters before Paige turned around. She balanced on a rafter, right beside a window. She turned and opened it, before the corner of her eye caught a blue flash. Artemis glanced back behind her and her eyes widened. There, Paige was below. But now she had wings. Her wings were large and the blue faded on the raven feathers. The inside of her wings were black and the outside one of the purest whites Artemis had ever seen. “Motherfucker-” Artemis turned and pushed herself out the window, her grappling hook swinging her away from the building. A line shot out from the gun and connected to the building, and Artemis soared into the air, swinging up high. When she was really up there the line retracted and shot out again, as she flipped and continued to 'fly' around the city. She moved smoothly in the air as she fled.

As she was swinging she glanced behind her and saw Paige, her wings spread, flying towards her quickly. Artemis grinned and turned back around, attaching to another building and making a sharp turn to the right. Her hair blew back out of her face. She hadn't had this much.. fun in a while.

She was grinning, weirdly. When she was swinging around the city like that, it was like the wind rushing against her simply blew all her worries and issues away. And her heart sped up, but always in a good way. Not in fear or terror.

The chase continued for a while, and Artemis glanced back once more, to find that the winged girl was no longer following her. Satisfied, but a little sad at the end of the chase, she turned back around in front of her-

To find Paige directly in front of her, slamming into her. Artemis's eyes widened and she let go of the gun. She squeezed her eyes shut as they collided, wind rushing through her ears. In the next second her back slammed down onto something hard- a roof-and she tumbled with Paige.

The two girls rolled on the roof Paige had tackled Artemis upon, and when the two finally stopped Artemis opened her eyes and wheezed, and the two girls scrambled up onto their feet. Artemis whipped out her dagger and aimed it at Paige’s throat the same time Paige’s sword blade rested on hers. Artemis’s eyes ran over the blade and then to Paige’s face. The ringing of the sword being drawn echoed away. The girl tilted her head and her eyes bore into Artemis. They were blue, the same shade as Vincents. Artemis stared at her nose instead.

"Go ahead and do it, Neoma," Artemis said with a playful smirk. "You won't get what you want if you do. But I will. I'll die so it's a win for me-"

Paige's eyes narrowed slowly. "And if you kill me, you'll create extra problems for yourself, won't you? You aren't allowed to kill me.”

"No. But what makes you think I won't drag your ass back to my people? Huh?"

At that, Paige's eyes softened and she half smiled, matching Artemis’s smirk. "You won't. You don't even want to wear that uniform, do you?" With her other hand, she gestured to Artemis's white uniform. She moved her blade up and sliced the mask she was wearing. It fluttered to the ground in the cool night breeze.

Her eyes widened slightly and she flinched away from the blade slightly. She pressed the blade against Paige's throat tighter. Yet, the winged girl didn't move an inch, not even when a drop of blood appeared on the surface of Artemis’s blade. Artemis glanced down at herself, to the mask, then at Paige. She held the blade even tighter. "You don't know anything about what I want, lady. And frankly, I don’t know what you want.”

Paige sighed, cutting her off. "Look.. one more chance to come willingly." Her head tilted to the side. Artemis wanted to twisk her neck. “I’ll explain once you come with me.”

Artemis tilted her chin up and arched one eyebrow. "Tempting.” There was a silence. She could only hear the wind blowing in her ears, and the noises of the city below.

Paige smiled wider. “Come on. Don’t you want to come with the pretty lady?”

“We haven’t established if you’re a cop or not yet, so-” “What police department would let me be a cop? I’m a mythic, remember?” “That’s true.”

There was a small beep and Artemis’s watch flashed. Fuck. Midnight.

In the next moment, Artemis grabbed the sword blade and yanked Paige closer, despite the blade cutting her hand. As Paige went forward Artemis slammed her knee into her stomach, before shoving her down and turning. She ran to the edge of the roof and pushed off without a moment’s hesitation. When she was mid-leap, she heard a loud whooshing noise. In the exact same second, arms wrapped around her as a body slammed into her. Son of a-