((I decided to shift the focus a bit with this one; get some more insight into Star's situation. But never fear, there is plenty more of Mad Mod in this one! Thanks for the reviews again!))


3

"Where is she?"

The screen simply remained blank as the question was demanded, not particularly to the machine itself but as a question thrown out to the world. A fist was slammed down in immediate response; the machine crackled and fizzed in reply. There was no answer.

He ran his hand through his hair as his form became limp against the chair, a frustrated groan heaved through his body. It had been three, long days since Starfire had disappeared. Three nights ago she was captured during an ambush attack in the city, her powers rendered useless through the use of gas technique and a heavy set of binds applied to her ankles and wrists. The other titans didn't see it coming; nor did they find out until the battle had ended.

It was Robin who blamed himself the most.

The last days had been spent questioning every villain he knew of, whether the questioning was peaceful or decidedly not was not a qualm to him. He searched every place, every hideout in Jump City, relentlessly and tirelessly. But there was no sign of her. Not a single trace had been found.

It was then that he knew he had only one option to turn to, as much as he hated to admit it.

Batman's computer system.

The highest in technology that he knew of, The Dark Knight had given him a few hours alone with the system, but those precious hours produced nothing. Every villain he typed into the computer was a dead end, none of them displaying the qualities of the attack on Starfire, each of them either too selective or simply too mad to apply the techniques he had heard of. Not one of them could have done it. Even the ones who he had written off as defeated or gone into hiding. It was an impossible attack, done by an equally impossible opponent.

"You're not looking in the right places." He felt a hand place itself on top of the chair, a shadow falling over his form. Robin sighed.

"I've looked everywhere, there isn't anywhere else to look!" As if to demonstrate his point he waved a gloved hand at a screen that was displaying the results of various villain hideouts, each one with a cross through them as he went through the list. There was a long pause between the two, the figure behind him choosing to remain silent in his friend's frustration. After a few moments, Robin spoke again, his voice suddenly showing signs of tiredness. "You were my last resort. I didn't know where else to turn. I hoped that maybe..."

"Your thoughts were in the right place. But your mind isn't." The figure shifted coming to stand next to the black chair in which Robin sat. He watched as the cloaked man stared up at the screens. He knew how his mind worked, and that was why Batman respected him, why they made the perfect team. Used to make the perfect team.

He shook his head, pushing himself out of the chair. "Thanks for the use of the computers." It was shot back over his shoulder as he began walking towards the stairs leading out, but a firm hand pressed into his shoulder, holding him back. Robin knew what was coming.

"Let your mind think. Don't let other thoughts try to lead you." And Robin knew he was right. He was always right. It was if the man shrouded in black was the little voice in the back of his head, telling him to start thinking straight, to think logically. But it had been so easy to let his heart do the thinking, and that was why he had let three days pass after her capture.

The hand was released from his shoulder, the shadow moving back towards the computer. He thought of turning back to say something. But he knew the silence was all he needed.

- - - -

She had put the dress on.

It made her hate it even more.

It hung loosely from her, no sleeves covering her arms, and the bow the only thing that tied the top part of it together. There was no mirror in the room and she was thankful for it. She didn't think she could stand seeing herself in the bizzare checkerboard pattern, reminding her of the awful things he had done to her friends through the hypnotic screens that he had made them watch. Still, the dress hung to just above her knees and the boots came to just under them, leaving not much skin on display. It was ugly, but bareable, she thought.

It was just the matter of what she was supposed to do now. She had no idea when he would come back, and he did say he would. She had put the dress on as asked...was she simply supposed to wait in the white coloured room? She sat down on the bed with a sigh as she curled her hair around her shoulder, weaving a hand through it. She could not shake the odd, nervous feeling from the pit of her stomach, if not from the black and the white colours in the room but the way in which he was going about holding her captive. She had expected something to the likes of what had happened last time; swirling walls in which made her mind go blank, restrains clasped tightly around her wrists and legs. But then again, he hadn't done that when Robin was under his guard, even though he had grown wrinkled. It confused her. And she didn't like it.

If he wasn't going to keep her under guard, make sure she was tied back and watch her struggle, then what was he going to do? Did he not want her to suffer? Perhaps suffer in a different way. Yes, the pain in her head had been bad. That was suffering. But he had offered to take it away...and she had accepted. But what had she had accepted? He had never been clear to his meaning, though -

A cold hand suddenly gripped her own, pulling her abruptedly off the soft bed and face to face with the very reason her stomach had been turning with sickness.

" 'Allo love, I see tha' dress 'as found its way onto you! No' bad, no' bad at all." Equally cold eyes scanned her from head to toe just as before, a more admiring look adoring his features this time. How had he gotten here so fast? Her mind was beginning to grow dizzy from the abrupt movement from sitting to standing, and his ability to take her by surprise yet again. She wondered if perhaps he was some sort of advanced hologram like before...but no, she could feel his touch, cold as it was.

"Care for some tea then, my pet?" He had finished looking at the dress while she lost herself in her questioning thoughts, the hand now moving to her arm as it placed it into the crook of his elbow. Oddly, the material of his jacket was soft against her warm flesh, not at all what she expected. But she could feel that the arm that lay beneath it was almost paper thin; he was thinner than she was. Her gaze snapping away from their arms, she bowed her head at him, not wanting to give him the wrong answer. She wasn't even sure she knew what tea was. Was it what Raven liked to drink? Raven. The knot in her stomach suddenly became tighter. She hoped her friends had not been harmed by this man.

" 'Bit quiet for a no-gooding superhero, aye? Well no' to worry, Moddie will ge' you chirpin' like a bird!" She watched with confusion as he grinned down at her, pushing his glasses up on his nose as he chuckled. She did not know what to expect out of him next; one moment he was threatening her with her friend's lives, the next he was laughing like he was sharing a joke with her.

She nodded again, hoping she was doing the right thing. But instead of expecting him to walk her off to some other bizzare, white and black room, he made no movement. His eyes had begun looking her over again as a self-knowing smirk curled onto his lips. The smirk was as cold as his gaze. It made her shudder inside. As she blinked, trying to focus her eyes instead on the white space in front of them, she felt that same, cool hand gently touch her face. A finger traced down her cheek and over her jaw until it lay on her neck, making a shiver travel down her spine. She could stand being held captive, but to be touched so closely by one who was not permitted -

"Do not touch me." She moved his hand off her, dropping it to his side. Her eyes glared back at his suddenly surprised gaze, but one that turn back into a smirk soon after.

"A challenge, my duckie."

Without warning her arm was jolted along with his as he pulled them towards a door now opening in the wall, his arm holding on tightly to hers.