The ride into Jump City was a silent one. Cyborg sat behind the wheel, his eyes locked firmly on the road. The anxiety weighted heavy on his heart. He had done everything by the book to save Beast Boy's life. Maybe he wasn't such a miracle worker after all…

As the mechanical Titan continued his mental torment, Robin sat near the window. His space was somewhat limited, as Starfire had squeezed in the front in order to give Jericho, Ravager, and Raven the room they needed. Looking in the rearview, the Boy Wonder noticed that the other Titans seemed pretty intent on giving the spellcaster as much space as she needed – they sat practically pressed against the doors, leaving a decent gap on both sides of her. He couldn't blame them, honestly. Raven had lost control of herself when Beast Boy was presumed dead the first time. Now, after being there to witness his death firsthand, none of them had a clue how long it would be until she blew.

"Alright," Cyborg said, breaking the silence. "Here's where the distress signal came from."

The heroes looked as they pulled up to an abandoned warehouse. This building hadn't seen anything productive in quite a long time…at least, not anything legal. This location immediately put the Titans on edge.

"Is it just me, or does that not look inviting whatsoever?" Ravager said as she stepped from the Cy-Car.

"You said it," Robin said, slowly. "Everyone, keep on alert."

"Don't have to tell me twice," Cyborg said as he emerged from the vehicle.

"You would have had to tell Beast Boy three times before he got it."

The statement turned all parties in attendance towards Raven, who had uttered the words. Noticing the eyes on her, she gave a faint smile.

"It's the truth," she said, with a small chuckle. Finding humor in Beast Boy's life was a way to deal with the pain, but Robin caught a glimpse of the single tear rolling down the lower half of her face as it emerged from the shadows. Quickly, the girl hid the rest of her face, but he knew. She shouldn't have come. Then again, given the emotional standpoint of the team, none of them should have answered that call. That wasn't a choice they could make. It wasn't the one Beast Boy would have made, and it wasn't one they could live with. Like he had mused to himself the day before, a day that felt like a lifetime ago, life would go on – at least, for the living.

Sighing, the young hero rotated his neck, cracking vertebrae as he did so. Time to go to work.


The old hinges on the door gave out a massive CREAK as Cyborg pushed it open. The interior of the building was fit only to be condemned at this point and time. Rust and dust lined the floors and the walls as the Titans entered.

"Well, it's just as inviting inside as it was outside," Ravager said. Then she cursed under her breath. Some of the dust had gotten into her eyes. Foregoing her better judgment, she paused to remove her mask and wipe her eyes.

"Rose, you okay?" Robin asked, turning back to look at her.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," she said. "Just keep-!"

That's when she heard the sound. It was soft, hard to catch, but the drug in her system allowed her to realize what was about to happen. With a split second to spare, she jumped back – and watched as an electronic wall encircled the other heroes.

"Shit!" she shouted. "Goddamn setup!"

"Thanks for the clarification," Raven said, shaking her head.

"Rose, see if you can find the power unit and take it out," Robin said. "We're sitting ducks in here!"

"Okay, okay, keep your shirt on," the girl said, looking around. "Or not, if you prefer…" she added with a mischievous grin.

"Watch your tongue," Starfire said, narrowing her eyes. "And find your own hero to faun over."

Robin looked over at the Tamaranean, an eyebrow raised. "Wow, that was…unexpected," he said, stunned.

The girl gave a rather sad smile. "Perhaps Beast Boy's attitude brushed off a little more than expected," she said.

"Yeah, well let's keep that attitude alive," Ravager said as she scanned the room. Strange, the wall seemed to emanate from the concrete. No power box, no apparent kinks in the energy. Whoever set this up was a professional. That list had dropped pretty quick with Logan's help. In fact, the only person who really had this type of talent was…

The girl's eyes widened. A cool sensation ran through her being as she realized who was responsible.

"Rose?" Robin asked, his eyes narrowing. He didn't like the look in the girls eyes. It was one of sheer terror. "Rose?! What's wrong?!"

Ravager's hands shook like leaves as she let out a shudder. "It's…it's him…" she shuttered. "God help me…"

"Rose, I don't understand…" The Boy Wonder trailed off as he noticed a strange smell in the air. 'Damn! Rose, you gotta get us out of here!"

To Robin's surprise, the Titan stood frozen in fear. Whatever was in the air, it was beginning to take effect. Shaking his head, the hero tried to fend off the drowsiness that was ebbing into his being. "Rose!"

To the Titans' horror, Ravager began stepping back towards the door. "No…no I can't," she said, her voice cracking. Tears fell from her eyes as she shook her head. "Robin…forgive me…"

"ROSE!" Robin shouted as the girl bolted out the door, leaving the heroes trapped inside the energy shield. As he watched the other slowly succumb to the poison, Robin's mind sought an answer for Rose's response. What could have frightened her so badly that she would run scared like that?

As the hero slowly slid to the floor, he was unaware that the answer would come to him soon enough. Until then, the darkness would win over the Titans.


As the heroes dropped into unconsciousness, a figure stepped from the shadows of the building.

"Shame," he muttered to himself. "And here I was hoping to catch all of them in one fell swoop. Well, the best laid plans…"

Reaching into his pocket, the figure procured a small remote. Pressing the button, the energy shield fell. The gas would dissipate soon enough. The respirator was working fine. Bit uncomfortable, but nothing he couldn't handle. Besides, he had gotten his wish: A chance to change Jump City forever. These heroes, these children in front of him would be the key.

"Time to plow the road," he muttered.