A couple days later the still unofficial Titans North looked at the site where their tower was being built. Construction was conspicuously fast, but, then again, construction was always fast when it involves superheroes or villains. The foreman told them that the tower would be finished in about one more month, weather permitting. The new Titans simply sat and watched the construction for a while before leaving.

At the same time Jacques and Ferris arrived in Fairbanks, waited for a truck, and set off into the wilderness.

Jericho was tuning his guitar back at the hotel. The cold made it go out of tune much more than normal. Bushido, finally having gotten his katana back from the FAA, sharpened and oiled it to keep if from rusting or growing dull. Argent, meanwhile, was trying to quickly learn with Kole how to understand sign language. Kole, Argent found, learned things very quickly, much more quickly than herself. Soon Kole and Jericho could have actual conversations. Argent wasn't quite as quick, but she was getting there.

Gnarck was a different story.

The caveman couldn't understand Jericho, was somewhat afraid of the stoic Bushido, and inadvertently annoyed Argent too much. Not to mention how… technologically challenged (and phobic) Gnarck was. Life had grown hard for him since he and Kole had left the prehistoric paradise.

At dinner, now that Kole could understand Jericho and Argent could to a lesser extent (Bushido did not say very much), the new Titans could finally really get to know each other. Jericho was the most interested in conversation.

I thought you and Gnarck did not want to leave your cavern in the Arctic. He signed to Kole.

"We didn't, really." Kole sighed. Gnarck drooped his head. "There was an earthquake and the entire cavern collapsed. We didn't really have a place to go, so we went down to the Teen Titans and lived in Jump City for a while. Then Robin suggested we form Titans North, and here we are."

Robin is a good person. I'm sorry about your home; I wish I could have seen it. It sounded beautiful.

"It was." Kole said.

"Gnarck."

"Weren't there dinosaurs in there too?" Argent asked.

"Mostly velociraptors."

"That's so neat!"

"Gnarck!"

Weeks passed. Jacques and Ferris returned from their trip to the wilderness, rested in Fairbanks, then returned to Anchorage. And at last the new tower was complete. The very next day the now official Titans North could finally move in. Bags already packed, everyone was restless. Gnarck was fooling around in the lobby when a hotel worker handed him a note. The caveman couldn't read, however, so he gave it to Kole.

"Gnarck!"

"What is it Gnarck? A letter?" She said, opening it. As she read it her eyes opened wide. "Hey! Everybody! We've got a problem here!"

The other Titans ran in. "Kole, what is it? Something wrong with the tower?" Argent asked.

"No, it's this letter. We've already got something big happening." Kole replied. "I'll read it aloud:"

Titans North, a man once used one shot from a shotgun to cause millions of dollars in damages. By shooting the Alaskan Oil Pipeline, he not only caused millions in damages but also ruined entire acres of valuable wilderness. All that with a single shot. You can imagine, then, the kind of damage that would be caused if one were to detonate seven powerful bombs against the Alaskan Oil Pipeline.

We have those seven bombs at seven locations along the twenty-two thousand miles of pipeline, and if you'd like us not to detonate them then you will follow our instructions closely and meet our demands exactly as specified. You will not contact any other heroes, not the Teen Titans or the Doom Patrol or anybody else. You must act entirely in secret. You must not attempt to locate and diffuse the bombs. You cannot try to follow us or anybody connected to us or we will detonate the bombs. If you tell the Teen Titans or anybody else about this once all transactions have been complete, the bombs will be detonated. You will meet our demands as follows:

1. One or more deceased cows that exhibited the following symptoms before death: Jerky movement, inability to stand properly or at all

2. A copy of all data stored on all discs, flash drives, and computers owned by Fiers Moslow, 11453 Blietter St. in Bedcuine, Luceme, without his knowledge

3. The entire city design map used by power companies and water companies of Ottawa, Ontario

4. A copy of the blueprints and schematics of the Canadian Capital Building

5. The name, address, and number of a person under alias "Rainforest" at ISP ABCE1569

You will leave 1. at Morningtide Trail's entrance within the truck that will be waiting. You will leave 2. at 93485 Clover Avenue in an enveloped marked Peter Jensen. You will leave 3. at 84226 Kayfabe Road in an envelope marked Mark Theiss. You will leave 4. with 2. and 5. with 3.

If you should attempt to track down or follow anyone involved, we will detonate the bombs. If you attempt to look for all records of Peter Jensen or Mark Theiss then the bombs will be detonated. If you follow all instructions we will tell you the locations of the bombs.

We want all demands met within two weeks.

The Cabal

"They want a cow?..." Argent muttered to herself.