-1It had been a rough day for the Titans. Training had gone well, but three different bank robbery attempts really takes a lot out of a band of adolescent heroes. So it was a blessing to the teens when the last call was handled and they were able to take a load off for the night. Well, most of them did, anyway. Robin was at the main computer of Titan's Tower trying to figure any sort of pattern to the crimes, sure that they were somehow connected and kept growling and shaking his head every now and again. Finally, he pounded the console with his fist, startling everyone else who had been relaxing on the sofa watching TV.
"I don't get it! The robberies aren't coordinated in any way that I can see. Completely different locations throughout Jump, spaced out in different times, different guys every time!" He sighed and rubbed his forehead. He turned away from the computer for a moment and directed his speech at his friends. "I don't suppose any of you noticed any constants?" When everyone shook their heads, he sighed.
"Robin, maybe we just had a busy day. Maybe the crimes aren't related at all and you're just looking too hard for something that isn't there?" Terra suggested. A murmur of agreement ran through the others and Robin sighed again.
"It's entirely possible, I guess. I just find it hard to believe that we've had such a long period of calm and all of a sudden we have a crapload of crimes bust out in one day is all," He explained. He looked thoughtful for a moment, scratched his head and shrugged. "Then again, maybe I just need some sleep. I think we all could. I know I'm tossing in for tonight. You guys probably should here pretty soon," He added over the hissing of the common room door opening as he headed for his room.
"Leave it to Robin to look way too deep into a couple of bank robberies," Beast Boy said with a slight laugh. Raven smiled, silently agreeing with her boyfriend. Starfire frowned briefly, torn between amusement at Beast Boy's comment and Robin's annoying habits.
"Alright, I'm heading for the charger y'all. Goodnight," Cyborg said with a yawn as he stretched out and stood up. The others followed, saying their various goodnights. As she went to her room, Raven was somewhat troubled. She had felt as though someone had been…watching them during their battles with the robbers from the banks. Every time she had searched for the source and every time she failed to find one. With a final sigh she curled up into her covers and went to sleep on one final thought: Who would want to watch the Titans fight?
"DAMNIT!" The next morning had greeted them with a hold-up in the one bank that hadn't been hit during yesterday's little crime spree, and Robin was not happy about it. "Well Titans, hope you got a good night's rest. Let's go," He said, throwing his hands in the air and motioning for the door. Everyone shook their heads, suited up and began the flight across town.
"There!" Raven said as they descended upon the bank. The bank was being held up by, from what the Titans could tell, at least twenty masked men from the inside. "Great. Just great. Twenty freaks that we can see, probably more we can't and plenty of hostages for human shielding. Fucking peachy," Raven muttered. Then she felt it again. The feeling of eyes upon her. She took a quick look around, saw nothing again, and shook her head. "We'll get in through here. Grab hands," She instructed, pointing to the rear of the building.
Five minutes later, Raven had phased them through the wall leading into the mid-security vaults. And led them right into another gang of robbers. "Whoa… We're screwed if we don't think of something," Terra said as she looked at their opposition. Each of the masked figures were toting rifles except for a small group that were wielding butterfly knives and swords. "Rush 'em?" The geomancer asked?
"I say defense," Raven said.
"We've got more offensive power than defensive without ripping up the entire foundation. Rush 'em it is," Robin decided. He extended a staff and ran at the robbers, knocked some of their guns to the ground, and began to lay into the men with the weapon. Which would have been a fine strategy, had they been dealing with their usual scumbag criminals.
But the Titans soon found that their enemies had just as much skill in handling their weapons and hand to hand fighting as they did, if not more. But that wasn't their biggest disadvantage. No, that came from their sudden inability to use the powers they relied on so heavily. Beast Boy couldn't morph, Starfire was being reduced to average human strength and Raven's telekinesis was failing her. Soon, Robin found himself at gunpoint and Beast Boy had been knocked unconscious.
"Move and both of them die!" The Titans froze as one of the men aimed at Beast Boy's unconscious form. "On second thought, both of them die anyway," The gunman said with a hint of a laugh in his voice. Raven saw the finger tighten on the trigger and desperately tried again to telekinetically knock the gun loose. No use. Raven started to turn her head when she heard a sound that didn't quite belong. Something that sounded oddly like a gasp coming from the back of the room.
All heads turned to the source of the sound. One of the masked men was standing there, his face a picture of pain and horror. The reason was obvious; there was a blade sticking straight through his chest. The blade was quickly jerked back, and as he fell to the side the Titans heard words spoken in a childish voice that just didn't match: "Alright, assholes, playtime's over."