Teen Titans- Crocodile Tears
Teen Titans and all related characters are property of DC Comics.
A wet thud echoed through Slade's lair. A guttural growl echoed through the room.
"What are your orders, boss?" A deep baritone voice demanded.
"Mr. Morgan, your orders are to track down a blonde girl, roughly 15 years old. I want you to find her and bring her to me ALIVE." Slade replied.
"Yes, Slade. It shall be done." The baritone growled.
"Very well, Mr. Morgan. And if you run into the Teen Titans, make sure you live up to your name. It's your job now, Killer Croc." Slade replied.
*Cue Teen Titans theme song*
At Titans Tower, it was a relatively normal morning. Robin was sipping Turkish coffee as the sun rose. It had been quiet…too quiet. But then again, not having to wake up in the middle of the night to deal with the likes of Slade or whoever had decided to make the Titans an enemy had almost become routine. Elsewhere, a new drama was playing out…
"Tara Nicholson?" The teacher asked.
"Here." A blond girl replied.
Underneath the school, Killer Croc sniffed out his quarry. An earthy odor caught his attention. Yes, he would fulfill his promise to Slade…
That afternoon, Tara Nicholson left Jump City High School and headed home to Eden Plaza, an apartment complex some distance away. It helped that she was legally emancipated due to a lack of next of kin. Meanwhile, Killer Croc followed her home…
When she got back to her apartment, Tara noticed a threatening message on her door:
You can't hide from me forever.
I will take you back.
You can't run, Terra.
Tara Nicholson gulped. She didn't remember anyone named Terra. Was she Terra? Why was somebody looking for her?
Back at Titans Tower, Robin was listening to the police-band radio when the phone rang.
"Hello?" A woman at the other end of the phone asked.
"Teen Titans HQ, Robin speaking. State your name, address, and emergency." Robin replied.
"My name is Tara Nicholson. I'm currently living at Apartment 404 in Eden Plaza, and I need protection." The woman stated.
LATER:
The Titans arrived at Eden Plaza and were shown the note.
"So you think that someone's after you, Miss Nicholson?" Robin asked.
Tara nodded.
"If this means what I think it means, you're going to need all the protection you can get." Robin replied.
That night, the Titans settled down for guard duty. Robin took point at the apartment door, Cyborg and Raven watched the east stairs, Starfire overlooked the west stairs, and Beast Boy was in the courtyard.
The air was hot and still as the Titans kept one eye open in case someone tried to get past them. Suddenly, a large man emerged from the shadows. His gray skin had the texture of a crocodile's scales. Starfire sounded the alarm, and the Titans sprang into action.
"I'll get all of you!" The stranger snarled.
Starfire started shooting her starbolts, but the man's skin was almost like a hide- the energy blasts didn't seem to even tickle him.
"AZARATH METRION ZINTHOS!" Raven shouted, bolting in on the commotion.
Surprisingly, the intruder was relatively unaffected by Raven's dark energy construct. In fact, he just began marching towards the apartment door, knocking Cyborg and Beast Boy to the floor.
"Remember me?" The stranger asked Robin.
"I thought I'd never see your face around these parts, Killer Croc." Robin replied.
"I'm touched, Bird Boy. But this time, it's strictly business." Killer Croc snarled.
Robin leapt into action, bo staff spinning like a chopper blade. Croc raised his fists in response, letting loose a guttural battle cry. Robin quickly dodged the reptilian ne'er-do-well's fists. A Birdarang sliced through the air at Croc. However, Croc bounded back and pushed Robin to the ground.
"Say goodnight, Bird Boy!" Killer Croc exclaimed, raising his foot.
Suddenly, a beeping noise came from Croc's shorts. The crook reached into his pocket and produced a small cell phone.
"Mr. Morgan, have you secured our package?" A familiar voice asked.
"Teen Titans got in my way." Croc answered.
"Feel free to use lethal force." The voice responded.
Croc turned around and sent Starfire flying to the ground. Suddenly, Tara Nicholson's eyes began to glow yellow, and a large mass of rock shoved Killer Croc off the balcony.
"I'LL GET YOU!" Croc shouted as he fell to the courtyard below.
Robin was stunned by this turn of events.
"Thought I'd never see you again." Robin snarked.
Some hours later, Terra was in the main confinement cell in Titans Tower, with Raven and Cyborg guarding her. It had been Robin's idea to have the cell installed and to put Terra in there.
"I ask for protection, and I get caged? I demand out!" Terra demanded, her hands grasping the bars of the door.
"Word of advice- don't touch the bars. Robin can electrify them at any moment." Raven snarked.
Just then, Robin entered the room. He gestured towards the door, and Raven and Cyborg left. An interrogation session began.
"First question- have you ever heard of Slade Joseph Wilson?" Robin demanded.
"Who hasn't? He's wanted by the Justice League, Homeland Security, INTERPOL, and most counter-terrorism agencies." Terra answered.
Robin went for a more personal angle.
"What's the password for the tower mainframe?" Robin demanded.
"Excubiae iustitiae." Terra answered.
"So…you really are Terra." Robin muttered.
Just then, the alarm went off. Robin bolted from his chair and ran to get the other Titans.
Meanwhile, Killer Croc was tearing up the tower's sub-basement in his pursuit of Terra. While he was intently focused on his hunt, Robin took the opportunity to descend upon his old foe.
"Miss me, Croc?" Robin snarked.
Croc turned around and threw a left hook at Robin. Robin dodged the punch. Robin lured Croc out of the sub-basement and onto the ground floor of the tower- right where the other Titans were waiting.
"Titans- GO!" Robin yelled upon reaching the ground floor.
Killer Croc's face gained an expression of horror as Terra and all 5 of the Teen Titans descended upon him.
"AZARATH METRION ZINTHOS!" Raven exclaimed, summoning a dark energy construct in the distinct shape of a chainsaw.
Croc punched Raven in the stomach, thus destroying the construct. It was just then that a combat boot met his face. He looked up, and there was Terra standing over him. After being rammed into a wall by Beast Boy's rhinoceros form, Croc was punched in the face by Cyborg.
"Ready to throw in the towel?" Robin snarked.
Croc bolted out the window and swam back to Slade's base.
"Is he gone?" Terra asked.
"Croc's going to come back. And I think I know who he's working for…" Robin answered.
Back at Slade's lair, Killer Croc was reporting on his mission.
"So, Terra's back with the Titans now?" Slade asked.
"Yes." Croc answered.
"Very well." Slade replied.
Croc left the room, and Slade began to speak into his lair's intercom.
"Mr. Lawton, I have a job for you…" Slade began