STEEL CITY
4:34 P.M.
March 15, 2012
"This is Bumblebee, checking in."
"Herald, checking in."
"Tempest, checking in."
"Hotspot, checking in."
"Leviathan, checking in."
"Mas y Menos, estamos comprobando en."
"Rughhughh!" Wildebeest said, if Wildebeest could really say anything.
"Titan communication is online and ready for today's patrol." Crusader said. The Titans decided to drop the "Teen" portion of the name, considering none of them were really teenagers any more. La'gaan had even changed his hero name to "Leviathan" and Kid Crusader dropped the "Kid" in his name. The Justice League didn't really trust them as a team, though.
THE WATCHTOWER
July 1, 2011
"I am preventing a list of potential disasters by denying your team formation under the League." Batman said, shuffling the pieces of paper that detailed his simulations in full. "Your respective mentors have all noted that you are not ready to make this jump yet." Batman was the current leader of the Justice League as elected. The members in session for this meeting were the mentors of the young heroes: The Atom for Bumblebee, Doctor Fate for Herald, Aquaman for both Tempest and Lagoon Boy, Black Lightning for Hotspot, Shazam for Mas and Menos and Vixen for Wildebeest.
"I have to disagree, sir." Karen stepped up from the line of her teammates. "We took down the Brain all on our own and stopped him from draining the Metropolis power grid. Superman wouldn't be alive if it weren't for us." She proudly said, but Batman was quick to quash her achievements.
"You performed that rogue mission without consent of the League. I should also remind you that your efforts almost allowed the Brain's plan to succeed and almost killed Superman yourself." Batman said, narrowing his eyes behind the mask. "You are not ready."
"Bats, give them a break." Shazam spoke up but Batman gave him the typical, "I'm the goddamn Batman" look.
"There are too many flaws within this team. Wildebeest is too reckless. There is a language barrier with Mas and Menos. Hotspot has too many wild emotions." In the line, Hotspot hand began to flare up but he didn't go full flame. He knew that would look bad.
"That is why I'm in charge, sir. Mas and Menos have no problem understanding English and therefore can be easily communicated with. Wildebeest's mind is heavily influenced by his animal instincts. He cannot lead the team astray because he is not leading at all. I am." She stood firm as Batman glared at her.
"Karen, Batman is only going off of his simulations. He believes you can do this, just not yet." Vixen said, attempting to calm her obvious irritation with Batman.
"Vixen, with all due respect, I cannot stand here and believe that. We did good work that night." Karen said. "If you don't believe the same, then I'm afraid we'll have to form the team anyway. Herald, take us away." Karen said, and began to walk away.
"Malcolm Duncan, if you open a portal, I will make you regret it." Doctor Fate, practically shaking the room.
"Malcolm Duncan, if you don't open a portal, I will make you regret it!" Apparently, Mal was more scared of Karen then he was of Doctor Fate.
STEEL CITY
4:45 P.M.
March 15, 2012
I flew over the city, using my hood's surveillance gear to listen to the local police scanner.
"10-32 in progress. Let me get it, I'll get this guy." From a young rookie's car.
"Code Orange on 13th Street." From a veteran cop who gave a hefty sigh.
"Whoa, what's that up there? Is that a woman?" A cop said noticing me above.
"Help! Please, help me!" A voice blared in my ear. I focused my goggle's tracking software to pinpoint the crime in progress.
"Crusader, I need a location on that assault." I yelled at him on the comm channel.
"Hold your horses, Bumblebitch. Alley going from Richards and Long." Crusader said, unenthusiastically. I left his attitude alone for now and I zoomed towards the address. When I got there, some punk was roughing up some woman in a purple suit.
"Hey, asshole. Back away from the lady, real slow like." I said aiming my metal stingers at the man.
"Who the hell are you? Get out of here, or I'll rape you too." He said, which really got me going. I lunged forward at him, hovering in the air for only a moment before sending him flying with a kick. I walked over to him as he regained what consciousness he had and I pin my boot on his neck.
"You will never threaten a woman again and if you do, I will not hesitate to put you through a punishment that hell would jealous of." He started to crawl away and I zapped a garbage bag behind him, making it explode. "Did I say you could leave?" I placed a finger on the comm-link in my hood.
"Crusader, contact a local police officer and tell him I've got a scumbag ready for pick up." I heard him click away on his keyboard. "Oh and if you ever call me Bumblebitch again, I'll zap your holy techno mumbo jumbo with so much juice, angels will scream." He stopped for a moment but continued.
"Dispatch, I've got a 10-16 via anonymous tip over on Richards. Over and out." I heard in my helmet. I turned to the woman who was just astounded by everything she saw.
"Who are you? How can I ever repay you?" She said, her hands practically shaking.
"No thanks are needed, ma'am. You can call me Bumblebee." I said, and picked up the dirty man off of the pavement. "You can just spread the word that the Titans are here to protect Steel City." I said as the officer pulled up.
"Here you go, officer. This scumbag was attempting to rape the woman in the alley." I told him but he pulled a gun on me.
"Put the man down and put your hands over your head!" I placed my hands on my hip.
"Excuse me? I just saved that woman back there, you pig." The officer fired a bullet but it hit the wall behind me. I instinctively shrank down to a height of three inches and flew away to the top of a building above the alley.
"What the hell was that about? Titans, report in." I called on the comm-link.
"Mas y Menos, comprobando en. La policía realmente no nos gusta corriendo alrededor hoy."
"The twins are right. Me and La'gaan were stopped by Harbor Patrol." Tempest said. "I didn't even know we had a Harbor Patrol."
"Titans report back to Titans Tower, immediately. Over and out."
TITANS TOWER
5:30 P.M.
March 15, 2012
"In Steel City, it is the police's job to protect citizens, not these so called, "heroes." Said police chief Riordan. "Their vigilantism will not be tolerated. If they are allowed to take the law into their own hands, how can we expect ordinary citizens not to endanger themselves in a similar manner? The police are put in the line of fire for a reason. The Titans are just as much criminals as the people they fight." Crusader clicked the TV off.
"El está loco!" Mas shouted out.
"You said it, fish fry." La'gaan said, crossing his arms.
"The good news is the little hero work we got done today went okay. The bad news is that guy. He's going all Amanda Waller on us." Crusader said.
"Yeah, thanks. I noticed." I said. "Team, we've got a city to protect. We cannot let the police deter us. We'll simply have to be a tad more careful." I said.
"How do we manage that, Karen?" Mal said. I had an idea.
"La'gaan, you run ops. Everyone else follow me." We ran out to seek out experts on living on the edge of extinction by the police: The Hive Five.
…to be continued.