Terror Titans
By Iain R. Lewis
Disclaimer: Warner Bros. and DC Comics own the rights to Teen Titans and other affiliated characters. Used for non-profit purposes only.
Summary: The Teen Titans return! After the dramatic conclusion of the Technis Imperative -- what do you mean, you don't know what that is, pay attention! It was only the biggest event the Titans have ever been part of! -- and the seeming disappearance of our heroes, they're back.
Or are they? Not all is as it appears. There's a new world out there, and these Titans aren't here to be your friends. They're here to save the heck out of you.
Foreword: Why should Marvel have all the fun? Dark Reign inspired, but it's just a weird for-fun trip down memory lane for me. It's taken a surprising amount of effort to get this off the ground, but the concept should prove to be fun. The fake previous storyline is also amusing and should have a rewarding pay-off in the end. I don't have any hard and fast update schedule in mind for this, so will probably post as I get time. This won't be taking my other stories' places on any schedules, so don't worry. Also, I'm considering trying a Twitter Feed for Rose, just to add more to the story. Any feedback on the idea (or artistic help with it) would be appreciated.
Issue #1: Illusive
"I received the dossiers." The slanted light through the blinds fell uneven on the digital pad she left on the table. Meeting like this was dangerous, they couldn't be seen together, not while everything was getting put together, but her benefactor had insisted.
He waved his hand, he looked to her for her input.
"I don't know what I expected when you told me of this idea of yours, but I really wasn't ready for this. How do you expect me to get these -- these individuals to work together?" She picked up the pad and stabbing down on the screen with her fingers, pulling up the first dossier and scanned it again.
"The psych-eval on this one is just a mess. Loner, ego-centric, there are at least ten incidents where he's backstabbed multiple parties in a single dealing, two notable ones with the Titans prior. And don't get me started on his history."
Her benefactor grinned, he thought it would be good to give her a challenge.
"Not to mention that he's a thief first and foremost. He doesn't have any interest in the common good."
His cheshire grin grew longer, the low red glow that surrounded him seemed brighter all of a sudden.
"I'm not saying it's impossible, don't get me wrong. I've proved myself, haven't I?"
He nodded. She'd proved her worth more than adequately with her performance during the invasion.
"I'm just concerned. He'll cause issues, not all of them with us." She punched up another dossier, and looking it over to remind her of the details, she sighed, glancing out through the blinds. "This one's even worse. There's nothing but ego to this girl. If the planet doesn't revolve around her, then she's going to find a new one, or blow this one up."
She threw her hands up, "And speaking of planets, she's not even on ours. How am I supposed to recruit an alien who has been avoiding this sector of space like we're some sort of galactic equivalent of a leper colony."
It's been dealt with, her benefactor tells her, gently pulling at his fingers.
The girl looks back at him, waving her pad around angrily, "Do you expect me to cater to her demands? She's a literal flight risk, and not to mention she's not exactly too popular with galactic police and I'm sure she's shortchanged the local element too."
It won't be an issue, he assured her.
"I suppose not. As long as we remind her how much it gets under her sister's skin, she'll be willing to play along. I still, I just, I mean, I question it."
She didn't even need to look at the next one. She was a bit incensed about it. "And did you think I wouldn't notice you slipping him in there. He was a present, you know, I own him, not you."
She is invested in this project, too, he reminds her calmly,
"It still doesn't make it right. There are issues there, too. The best he can do is caveman speech, he's gigantic, and he eats everything he can get his systems into. He's practically a puppy dog. What place does something like that have on the Teen Titans." She grumbled angrily to herself.
That's not the issue, he reminded her, keeping his gaze level..
She hesitates, "I'm not sure where you're going with this. The next one is sensible, at least. She's been doing a lot to reform herself, but we've got a lot to hold her down. She'd be kissing her new life goodbye if even a couple of these got leaked to the right sources." She looked over the file, and grinned, "She's a naughty little witch. I guess some boys like that."
"Don't give me that look, I'm not jealous."
He raised his hands. He wasn't implying anything.
"Still, it's going to be fun putting the screws into this one," she continued. "She's easy to control, the redemptive angle works --"
She is interrupted. There are other plans in place.
"So you keep telling me. The last one is going to be impossible, though," she said. She puts down the pad. "He's not going to play ball, and we don't have anything on him. Parents are deceased, powers were gained in a freak accident, possibly provoked by outside sources, he didn't even steal some experimental formula for kicks," she looked up, staring at him, "But you want me to recruit him."
Her benefactor smiled, it was a matter of gratitude. Now, he owed her. After all, she was the girl who found him.
"I don't think it'll be that easy."
It's taken care of.
"So you say," she said, "But one thing my master taught me was not to trust you any further than I could throw you. I can't throw you very far, you know."
She was wise not to, he agreed.
"Still. I suppose of all of the candidates, he's the best place to start. If he's even awake yet."
Even if he isn't, her benefactor urged her, visitng hours were about to begin.
"But one more thing. You said you had an angle, a way to make this all work without anyone getting suspicious, then you hand me a list of thieves, criminals, fugitives, and monsters and say to me, 'These are your new Teen Titans.' No one's going to buy it, you know. They'll see right through it."
People see what they want to, he says to her, what she sees as thieves and criminals can become heroes with the slightest of changes.
Then he sent her something. She looked at her pad, disbelief filling her eye as she scanned the images. "You can't be serious," she said. "This is your brilliant plan? I don't know where you got this, but --"
It will work, he assured her.
"I didn't say it wouldn't," she answered, "But this is low, even by your standards."
With that, he raised his arms, and the glow seemed to dim.
"Well, let's begin. I'll make the arrangements. Is the tower to your liking?"
Her benefactor smiled. He shook his head, slowly. It went beyond his expectations. She smiles at the compliment, and brushes her white hair away from the eyepatch over her right eye.
"I'm glad. To our continued good fortune."
He raises his hand like raising a glass, then leaving, he casts one glance back at her.
Light like blurs assaulted his eyes. He couldn't see straight, every part of him was on fire, a dull, aching heat and a slow burn down his spine. So he said the first thing that came to mind, "What hit me?"
A woman, in a blurry blue dress, nodded to the man in the blurry white coat, who looked to him with a blurry smile, "Finally back with us, I see."
"Yeah, I'm -- ow, I feel like something landed on me."
The woman in the blurry blue sun dress was beginning to come into focus. She wasn't really a woman, more of a girl, about his age, if he was thinking straight and remembered exactly how old he was at that moment, he'd be able to put a number on it.
In comparison, the blurry white coat belonged to a no-longer blurry doctor. His eyes were starting to adjust. "What?" he wondered, "Was it something I said?"
"Something did land on you," the doctor continued. "A rather large piece of a space vessel of some kind."
"That sounds painful," he added.
"Indeed." He looked to the girl, who nodded again. Who was she, anyway, he wondered, that doctor seemed to be taking her orders. "What do you remember?"
"Those big robot things," he said, running a green hand over his green hair, "Ow, they hit like trucks or something."
The girl smirked.
"Oh, uh, not that I didn't get a few hits in, myself! Yeah! Totally!" he flexed as best he could. The girl turned back to the window. She seemed focused on something else entirely. "So, uh, you're a doctor, huh? Guess I was out."
"You were. This young lady brought you in," he said, with a small, insipid smile. "Dr. Register, I've been looking after you for the past month."
"Beast Boy," he responded, "I've been your patient for whole month? Ah, man, I must have missed the Gutbusters marathon."
The girl furrowed her brow. "I'm sorry. I would have taped it if I'd known. Doctor, if I could have a minute."
The doctor seemed hesitant, but agreed. He left the room, and closed the door. The girl played with the curtains. "So, uh, do I know you?"
"No," the girl said.
"Well, like I said, I'm Beast Boy and --"
"I know who you are," she snapped. Beast Boy reeled back, and the girl's expression softened. "Sorry, I've been tense. Things have been, well, rough since the incident. All I meant is, who doesn't know who you are."
She looked over her shoulder, her gaze cool and unaffected. "So," he said, "You brought me in here?"
"Yes," she said. "Do you remember what happened at the upper east side of the city?"
How could he forget --
-- Pieces of the ship were breaking off, but not from any outside attack. They came to the ground, like meteor rain, the buildings had no warning, no time for evacuation --
-- sitting there, helpless, and watching left the distinct impression of the scene in his head, "We were too late. Those things were everywhere, they were taking people --"
"That's right," the girl said, "I was there, too."
She turned around, and for the first time, he got a good look at her face, and the eyepatch that was barely covered by her stark white hair. Beast Boy winced, and she frowned. "Something the matter?"
He couldn't help but stare, but he gulped down hard and tried to regain some composure, "No, not at all. Did that happen when --"
"My eye? Something like that," she said, "I came here to get it treated, that's when I brought you here."
"Yeah, but, where are the others? Cy's going to be eating tofu for a week when I tell him -- what?" She didn't speak, but handed him her digital pad. It was a newspaper article, dated two weeks ago.
"Hey, what's this -- only one member of the superheroes was found?" he counted himself as one, so, that left a grand total of zero others. "That doesn't make any sense. They wouldn't just --"
She took the pad back, and looked over it, continuing to read, "The Titans, witnesses say, boarded the vessel mere minutes before it suddenly broke off from the rest of the structure. Inquiries are still ongoing, and STAR Labs urges the world governments to remain vigilant for the Imperative's return."
"They were on board that thing?" Beast Boy rubbed his head again, "Ow, feels like I bumped my head really hard."
"Trauma to the head, fractures along most of the body, nothing serious, and they've been healed in the few weeks you've been in here. I've been hoping for this chance to talk to you."
"C'mon, this is a joke, right? Cy's just tryng to get back at me for that tofu comment."
She shook her head.
"Man, come on, this isn't funny."
"No, it isn't," she said. "I suppose you wouldn't want to discuss a business proposal right now."
"Look, if it's all the same, uh --"
"Rose."
"Rose, what I'm getting here is that I've been out for two weeks and you want to discuss business? I don't know."
"It can wait, I suppose," she said, "But it was in regards to your friends. I thought you'd want me to mention it."
He looked at her. "What do you mean."
"I have an acquaintance, we are interested in trying to find the Titans. He arranged Dr. Register to take care of you due to your unique physiology," Rose said, "And he is very interested in trying to fill the void."
"What do you mean?" Beast Boy said, defensively.
"He wanted me to offer you membership on the Teen Titans," she said, smiling, "We'd be honored if you'd consider."
"Wait, what? How can you offer me a spot on the team I'm a part of." He didn't look amused, Rose noticed, and her mind performed a quick backflip as she arranged herself.
"You own the name Teen Titans? Oh, that's a bother," she said, "I suppose we'll need a new name, then."
"Well, no --"
"-- then you know who does? I'd very much like to speak to him about acquiring it. It's a nice name, it has," she paused a beat to emphasize her next word, "Weight."
"No, but --"
"Then what's the problem with using the name? Is there some law I'm not aware of?"
"Not that I know of, it's just --"
"Then there's no problem."
"You're a scary girl," Beast Boy commented.
Rose just smiled, "Now, as I was saying. We're forming the new team to track down the original Teen Titans. We want you there, Beast Boy. We need an original Titan to give us some authenticity."
Beast Boy shook his head, "I'll just form my own team, thanks. We'll find them. Maybe give Jericho a call --"
The hair on Rose's back stood at end, "We couldn't find him, believe me, we looked. Pantha is currently preoccupied with efforts in Mexico, Steel City is in tatters after one of those ships crashed into the place."
"So, you're saying no one's available?"
"Everyone's got their own problems. This wasn't a single city's problem, Beast Boy, the world needs their heroes," she said. "And Jump City needs their Titans."
Beast Boy looked at her. "Why do you care?"
She was expecting this question, she really was, but the accusatory stare he was giving her was making her uncomfortable. She was good at running rings around him, she could confuse him and confound him if she needed to, and she even prepared to for this.
But she couldn't quite bring herself to, looking at him.
"Because the Titans are heroes," she said, quietly, "And for better or for worse, I've been given the opportunity to rebuild that. Crime's gone up in this city in the two weeks you've been out, over five hundred percent."
Which naturally begged more questions, she realized, so she added, "And you guys were the best we had."
Beast Boy sighed. "I'll think about it, okay?"
"That's all I can ask," she said, "I have several candidates all lined up for your teammates."
"Like who?" he asked, surprised, "You said that everyone was --"
"Not everyone," she said, "Trust me, the less you know, the better." He cocked his brow at that. "I don't want to disappoint you if I can't get them."
He looked a bit nervous at that. "If you say so."
He was going to be in for a shock. She just hoped by then she'd be able to convince him fully. She looked at his dossier, one more time. It said he was trusting, and he was awkward and confused around girls his own age.
She sighed. It would have been so much easier if he was a crook, she thought. Her mind went to the next name on her list. He would be much easier to convince, she thought, thankfully, and she'd feel a lot less bad about it. "Hey, Rose," Beast Boy said, as she was about to leave.
"Yes?"
"Why did you help me, anyway?"
Because he was a resource, "Because you saved so many others, who wouldn't help you when given the chance."
"Oh," he said, "Thanks. I appreciate that."
He shouldn't trust her, "You can count on me."
"Uh, so, you'll be back, right?" he asked, brushing the back of his head nervously. "I mean, it'd be nice to have someone to talk to about, y'know."
He shouldn't wish for that, "Of course. I wouldn't abandon you like that." The pit in her stomach just gaped wider with that, and she turned to leave as fast as she could. "I'll talk to you then."
"Yeah, 'course."
This was more her speed. "Status," she barked out to the security officers.
"Cargo is secure, ma'am," they said. Dressed in uniforms with hexagonal mesh, they looked like identical worker bees in a massive hive. The vehicle was going down the streets of Jump City without incident.
Rose cursed. "He better take the bait. We've been going around in circles all night."
"We've got a blip," one of the officers said. "Approaching at a fast speed. Could be our man."
"Could be anyone in this city," she muttered. "Do we have visual on it yet?"
"No, nothing yet," the answer was disappointing. She'd been expecting hiim to leap on this. It took her two nights to set everything up. She, acting as a concerned third party, contacted the thief in private. Their meeting was unremarkable. She mentioned her concern, how she needed to recover this package.
And she made a deal, and promised double should he recover it in one piece.
He'd leapt on the offer once she made it clear that whatever else he recovered would be his. What he didn't know was that this was a trap. At least, that was her hope. She imagined he was suspicious, paranoid to a degree.
That was good, she didn't want this to be easy, but she hoped the temptation would win out over his caution.
"Anything at all?" she asked.
"We've got visual. It's him."
"Speed up," she said, "Give him a right merry chase."
"Right, ma'am," the driver said, putting his foot down on the pedal.
As if on cue, he sped up. Rose smiled. He took the bait, hook, line, and sinker. Now it was time to reel him in. "Okay, find a place to stop. Make it sudden, I don't want to scare him away by just pulling over."
"Right, ma'am -- aah!" he shouted as the vehicle jerked. "Brakes are jammed," he cursed. "Can't turn, either."
"He's disappeared," the other guard said. "Orders?"
"He's not gotten far," she said. She heard the sound on the hood of the vehicle, and frowned. "He's going to try and get us while we're struggling to stop, make sure he's in for a surprise." She grabbed the wheel and spun it as hard as she could. The armored car jerked suddenly, and she could hear the person on the hood grab hold. "Don't shake him, but keep him on his toes," she ordered.
"Where are you going, ma'am?"
"To say hello to our new associate," she said. She opened the side door and climbed out of it. The cars were moving by them at impressive speeds, and there didn't seem to be any signs of the armored vehicle slowing. It veered through into incoming traffic, and nearly shook her loose as she climbed up to the top.
At the back of the car, the thief was busy setting charges to blow out the lock on the door. She felt the vehicle veer back into its lane, and saw the overhang coming. She ducked low, and proceeded up behind the thief just as he ducked into the rear.
He was good.
She was better.
Without a blink, she leapt into the back of the vehicle, right after him, and moved to the side as his foot came right past. She grabbed it and spun him to the ground. He refused to stay grounded, rolling and shifting back to his feet. "Not bad," he said. "So, what's the big deal?"
Rose smiled, "I'm glad to see you're in a talkative mood."
"The way I see it, you're the one who should be fighting back. One good kick and you're out of here." She saw it coming before he even shifted his weight. He kicked with all the force he could muster from his legs, but she wasn't there.
"Now the tables are turned, Mr. X."
Red X narrowed his eyes. "I thought it was peculiar that you'd be offering so much for something taken by the Hive, but I didn't want to disappoint a pretty lady."
"I'm flattered, really."
"The way I figure it, I'm no good to you dead. Unless you're some kind of vigilante. But you don't seem the type."
"I'm not very noble," she admitted. "But you're right, I need you alive. Think of this as a," she grinned, "Job interview. And I'm willing to offer you a position. Not many could keep up with a Hive Armored vehicle, nonetheless break into it while it's moving."
"I'm flattered," he said, "But not interested. I don't work for anyone, least of all you."
"No?" she said, "We have ways of making you cooperate." He thrust his hand up, but she grabbed it, looking so calm and collected. "And you can't win. I've been trained to read all of your moves."
"So you claim. Bet you didn't expect this," he said, red goo shackling her to him. He threw her back, and lifted her over the pavement that raced past. "I could make you a pretty little mess down there."
"You won't," she said. "The Red X suit requires expensive materials to keep running. Must be a hassle."
"Maybe," he answered, his expression carefully neutral, "Are you offering?"
"Yes," Rose remained equally as stoic, "My benefactor has access to more xynothium than you'll ever need. There's one hitch, though, he expects you to make a wardrobe change for a bit."
"Like what?"
"Consider it stealing an identity," she said. "I want to make you a Teen Titan."
He looked at her a second, and she stared back, smirking confidently. He pulled her in, and set her down. He stared at her again, and chuckled, "You drive a mean bargain, lady. I like that. Me, a Teen Titan? I don't know who your boss is, but he's got a sense of humor."
"Yes, he does. I take it you agree."
"Yeah, sure," he said, "Free xynothium for life, that's worth more than your life."
"Good," she said, flipping him to the ground and pinning him, "That was for before. Now we're even."
It took her a few days to fit a flight to Steel City in her schedule, but as soon as it arrived, she began to get nervous. Rose wasn't usually one to second-guess her own readings of people. Her training taught her to pick up on body language and she trusted the intelligence her benefactor gave he, but for some reason she was anxious about this meeting.
She re-read the dossier on her digital pad, frowning as she treaded over her benefactor's detailed speculation.
Possibility of ability evolution high, possibly omega level threat if true, that bit stuck out to her. An omega level ability on a girl she would need to blackmail to coerce into this job, it was almost like her benefactor was attempting to get her killed.
Her master warned her about things like this.
She'd arranged an innocent meeting, adding to the message a picture of her Hive Academy record, with certain parts very clearly legible, even on the low quality picture. She'd be here, and she'd not be happy.
She sat down at the restaurant they'd arranged to meet at, and just as she sat down, her phone went off. Putting in an earpiece, she answered, tiredly, "Are you following me?"
Her benefactor answered with an insincere denial. She scowled. She wondered which of his convenient minions was tailing her. "I'm waiting for her. I'd like to thank you again for updating me about her abilities. I really wanted to know that she could remove me from existence by really wishing for it."
It was only speculative, it was unlikely that she'd be able to muster that, he reasoned. At least, with luck, he added with a snide tone.
"Luck is the last thing I want to deal with."
He didn't answer, simply cutting her off. She glowered at her pad, looking over the files she'd brought with her. She would be here soon, looking for a girl in blue. Rose noticed she stood out, even amongst other girls wearing blue, and for a strange second felt self-conscious.
When the girl entered, she was dressed as suspiciously as a suspicious individual could without being arrested, Rose groaned. "Jinx," she said, as the girl stopped in front of her. "Please, sit down."
"Don't call me that," she hissed, sitting, "What's the big idea? Where did you get that? What do yo want?"
Rose lifted a hand, silencing Jinx before her protestations raised in pitch, "Let's not worry about how my benefactor got a hold of your student record. It's interesting, a lot of these things haven't even come to light, yet. And that's only the beginning."
Jinx paled, noticeably, adjusting her shawl to make sure no one could recognize her. "Look, if this is about --"
"What this is about," Rose answered, lifting her hand calmly, "Is that I need someone with your skills."
"I'm out of that game," she said, "Finished. It's not me, anymore, got it?"
Rose grinned, "Don't knock it until you hear what I have in mind."
JInx scowled, "I don't have to take this, you know. It's your word against mine, and you know it."
"If that were true, you wouldn't be here."
Jinx stared at Rose, before muttering something under her breath. She sagged, and looked up through her shades to stare Rose right in the eye. Rose grinned, Jinx didn't look like she'd gotten much sleep. That was all the better. "What do you want me to do."
"That's more like it," Rose said. She produced a small communicator from her things, and threw it over to Jinx. "Recognize this?"
"It's a Titans communicator. They gave me one when I joined Titans East," Jinx said. "Kid Flash had one, too."
"Very good," Rose said.
"What do you want me to do with this one? Does it have a tracker or something? Radio bug? What?" she said, "I don't -- I am not going to sell out my friends to some creepy puppet-master, okay?"
"It's a completely normal communicator," she said, "I just thought you'd like one."
"Weren't you listening? I've got one." Jinx glowered, "Are you screwing with my head? This is a big joke to you, isn't it?"
Rose smiled, "You have one for Titans East. This is for the real Titans, not the spin-off."
"Who -- who are you?"
"Who I am isn't important, it's who you're going to be for me." Jinx got the look of a deer caught in the headlights.
"What does that mean?" she asked, her voice small despite her anger and confusion.
"Welcome to the Teen Titans. I hope you like the color blue."
"What do you mean, you have her?" Rose asked, frustration creeping into her voice as she leapt down the stairs from the basement of the tower. "What do you mean she's on her way here?" she nearly screamed.
"It's feeding time, you know how important that is to him," she nearly screamed. "I don't have time for some primadonna alien right now.;"
She put on her rubber gloves and grabbed a plastic container where she stored a conduit, the electrical charges batting towards her fingers as she lifted it up, as if hoping for escape. Her benefactor remained unflappable.
"I'll be there when I'm done. I'd really like it if you'd speak to me before you do anything. This is my operation. You have your own," she waved her hand, trying to grasp at straws within the nebulous web of deceit her benefactor had woven, "Things to do."
Her phone's connection became static as she approached the door. "Calm down, baby, mama's here," she said, cooing. "Snack time!" she deposited the plastic container at the door, and pressed a button.
The container was pushed through a small hole in the door. On the other side, a bright flash and then another crackled through the holes at the foot of the door, casting a shadow on her face as she watched with a motherly smile. "That's right, eat it all up so you can be big and strong!"
Her revelry was interrupted by the door.
Rose frowned, running up the stairs as fast as she could. There was a voice coming across a video-link set up outside, muttering in some alien language she couldn't understand. It was a large alien with segmented eyes, six limbs, and a slouching posture.
"Kanjar Ro does not like to be kept waiting," she picked up when the creature scowled again.
Rose scowled. She was already off to a good start. "Kanjar-Ro? I'm sorry, should I know that name?"
The alien's curses didn't translate, but from the tone of it, Rose was glad that they didn't. "He is waiting to deliver your package. An alien princess, even in exile, demands a high price. If you do not watch your step, we may decide our business was better placed outside this backwater sector."
"And if you do, I'll have to let the Corp know about your little operation, selling prisoners in backwater systems where it could so easily be overlooked."
The alien grunted, and nodded. Two disc-shaped devices descended to meet them, and he stepped on one. Rose looked at it, a treacherous and poorly balanced looking device, but she stepped on it and found that it adjusted to her balance very quickly.
Only a brief shimmer hinted that a ship had cloaked overhead, and the opening of the airlock exposed a fairly large vessel. "Coming to this planet like this wasn't particularly smart," Rose grinned, "We're still a bit burned by the Technis Imperative."
The alien didn't respond, simply stepping off of the disc and heading through the airlock. As he left, another alien, with segmented eyes and a weasel-like nose appendage, stepped in, flapping his arms around wildly, "Welcome, welcome!"
"Kanjar Ro I presume." Rose studied him, something seemed off, something in his face.
"You presume correctly!" he said, grinning, "We're just waiting for your transaction to clear. But while we wait, allow me to show you around our ship, let you take a look at our selection."
Kanjar Ro had the disposition of a used car dealer, Rose blanched, and was dragged near forcefully by her armed entourage past holding cells. "A rare find," he'd point out, "Very dangerous."
"A starfish?" Rose said, raising her brow.
"Not any ordinary starfish," Kanjar Ro answered, grinning, "Capable mind, in it, able to enslave people to his will, also possibly grow to larger sizes depending on their environment."
"I'm just here for the one we agreed upon."
"Of course, you say that now," Kanjar Ro said, giving her a sleazy smile, "But you never know what you're going to need."
None of these, Rose muttered under her breath. He showed her various creatures, beasts of war and sentient beings alike, giving her a spiel about their effectiveness. "I don't really care for this, slaver," Rose muttered.
"Just a few more and we'll see to you about your package," Kanjar Ro said, looking nervously at his wrist.
"What's the matter?" Rose said, "Late?"
"No! Not at all! All the time in the world. You haven't even seen the rate we've got on our Daxans, yet. Going at a fine rate, very tempting, yes?"
"Take me to the Tamaranian," Rose said, "Or I walk."
"Oh. Uh," he paled, "There's been some confusion."
"Confusion? What sort of confusion?" Rose said, "Do you have her or not?"
"Well," Kanjar Ro muttered, "Yes and no."
Rose grabbed him by the shirt, dragging him to her with surprising strength, "Which is it? Yes or no?"
"We have her, but we don't have her," he said, noticing her glare stronger, he rubbed his forehead and said, "She's on the ship, at any rate."
Rose laughed. "You mean she broke out?" A desperate laugh, but it was better than crying from frustration. "Take me to her, now."
"That could be, uh, dangerous. She's got some strange modifications, never seen a Tamaranian firing out big blasts like that before. Usually more about tearing limb from limb, made capturing very risky, containment even riskier."
Rose produced a pair of tonfas from her belt, "I can handle myself."
"Your funeral. I get the money either way," he said, shrugging. He led her down to the heart of the ship, where the sounds of explosions and Tamaranian expletives rang loud. The slavers' cries followed another large explosion, and the door received a large fist shaped dent.
"Oh no," Kanjar Ro stuttered, "This isn't good." He fumbled with a blaster, "Knew I shouldn't have trusted those Gordanians. Shoddy restraints --"
Fist shaped dents climbed up the middle of the doorway until two hands popped through the gap, tearing the door open with sparks and fire. Blackfire stepped out, her eyes glowing a malevolent pink, casting shadows across the rest of her face. The room behind her was destroyed, slavers laying unconscious or worse strewn through the room.
And when she saw him, Blackfire smiled. "Long time, Kanjar Ro. Too long. I've got to thank you for the hospitality."
"So, sorry, Blackfire, this was just business -- nothing more!"
"Good answer," Blackfire said.
"Phew, for a second I thought you were going to --"
The blast struck him clean in the chest, and he hit the wall with enough force to illicit a loud crack from the back of his skull. He fell to the ground. Blackfire looked at Rose. "Too bad for him he made it personal, right?"
Rose remained neutral.
"You his friend?" she asked, "Or his employer."
"Me? His friend?" Rose said, "Kill him for all I care. He's a worm."
"Very good answer." Rose's expression didn't lift. She just waited, waited for her mind to leap to action. Blackfire's focus was on Kanjar Ro, and she lifted a hand, its glow malevolent when cast by firelight. "It's too bad we're in atmosphere. This thing would have exploded beautifully by now if we were in a vacuum."
"I'm not complaining," Rose said. "Aliens are trouble."
"Ooh, I think I like you," she said. "Cool, collected, knows what she wants. Reminds me of me." She frowned, "It's too bad that I'll have to kill you, too. Slavers, nasty business, right?"
"All my benefactor paid him for was to bring you to Earth. Kill him, you save him a bill and do me a favor. Like I said, he's a rat."
"So we're on Earth? Okay, here's the facts, quick. You may think Tamaranians are airheaded, or totally tourists, or whatever from my little sis, but make that mistake with me, and I won't be nice about it."
"That's fine," Rose said, "I'm not a fan of your sister. Neither is my benefactor."
"So, why bring me in?"
"We wanted to offer you a job. It'll pay well."
"I don't like taking orders," Blackfire said, "Pass."
"And it'll get under your sister's skin like you've never done before."
Blackfire paused, "Listening."
"Welcome to the Teen Titans, Blackfire."
It was all there.
Every piece fit, perfectly, forming a mosaic puzzle that only he could see. Why was everyone so blind? The clues, they were everywhere.
He flattened the newspaper clipping he attached with a thumbtack to a large bulletin board he hung across the back wall of his tiny one room apartment. Looking at it, scanning it, remembering the words he highlighted in red.
"Defense contracts, research on Technis platforms," he muttered, reciting them. He didn't need to read them, he knew it by heart. A red string connected it in a spider-web to several new clippings. Magazine covers, interviews with celebrities, puzzle pieces in red and red, and he was the only one who could see it.
"Someone is organizing this, new organization -- secret society? Cabal of -- who knows, The Illuminati, maybe. Not the free-masons, can't be them, not their style."
He traced the lines, he needed to retrace his step. "Something is missing, one more piece."
He looked out the window. It looked into another building, and he tapped his fingers against the glass. He was so close, he couldn't stand it, if only he could find that last piece he could --
A knock at his door. He suddenly jumps.
"Henry, it's just me," the man on the other end, his land-lord. Good man, naive, but that was all. Everyone was unaware of the web of deceit their lives were trapped in.
"Coming," Henry said, coughing raspily, "What is it, uh, sir."
"Package for you," the landlord said. He opened the door, the man's broad face broke into a nervous smile as Henry's slim head peeked out.
"Package? Didn't order any package." He looked at the thing, treacherously, "Who sent this?"
"Man who sent it said something about your letters to the Herald Initiative --"
Henry grabbed the package and dragged it inside. "Thank you," he murmured before shutting the door. This was it, the piece he was looking for. Inside this innocent looking box, he would have answers --
He tore it open, and found a series of canisters filled with red, and a note. He read it aloud, nervuosly, "Keep on the trail. Watch for the signs. It is coming."They were cut out, pasted on a magazine clipping. He recognized the article.
He looked on the back. There was a picture of the Teen Titans from the interview they gave a year back.
He blinked.
"Yes, the heroes, they must have a part in this somehow."
He placed the clipping on his chart. It filled the hole perfectly.
Every piece was in place, all that he needed now was something, a cypher -- he would be ready for the signs.
Next Time: Justice! Like Lightning.