A/N: Ok, this chappie's a lot more action-orientated. I wanted to establish Gar starting to embrace a different style than his Titan style would. As the story progresses, I imagine him becoming more and more predatory instead of vocal. I also refuse to call him "Beast Boy" in my story simply because it sounded like a Titan/DP name. With this new attitude, he wouldn't need a childish name.
Disclaimer: None of the characters, locations involved in the story are property of Erick von Long, only the idea. Scarecrow and Teen Titans belong to DC Comics and Animated Series belong to Cartoon Network and the WB. Don't sue me, I'm broke as is.
The Watchman
---
Time Since Garfield Logan's Departure: Two days
Morning in Jump City casts a pleasant, cheery glow in the hotel residence of Garfield Logan. The ex-Titan's face, however, is anything but happy. Alarm clock coming to life, he is already sitting on the bed, gazing blankly at the discarded trench coat resting haphazardly on the coffee table. Although he swats the OFF button on the alarm, his gaze never changes.
"Am I doing the right thing?" he questions himself, eyebrows furrowed in thought. The trench coat, already faded slightly with age, seems worn and tired itself. Gar finds himself relating to that feeling.
"I doubt one night attack on a common street goon's gonna shake up anyone..."
Shaking his head to clear the thoughts, now's not the time for self-doubt. Today's going to be interesting to say the least with a five o'clock phone call and a date...
"Wow, me on a date already." he laughs now, tone changing for the better. He starts digging through his bag, looking for a new change of clothes. "I'm not out of the Titans for more than 2 days and already I have a date. Gar, you're the man!"
As he slips into a black button shirt with dark, purple buttons (a gift from the Doom Patrol perhaps?), he inspects himself in the mirror.
"Oh yeah, I'm looking good this morning! Now," Gar motions, pointing at the coat "the question is how many wolves can we scare out before I jam out tonight?"
---
Sitting, once again, on a bench outside of the hotel, Gar's eyes take in everything around him. The sound of city life and its thousands of citizens roll into a singular sound inside of his head. Exhaust from the cars, an odd scent of greasy cheese dogs from the vendor down the street, and the ever-present sea flood his nose, bringing Jump City further alive. Sometimes you have to slow down to smell the roses, or in this case an urban rose.
Five men rushing up the stairs of a building across the street catches his attention. White van parked, they all dress in black and charge into the entrance of Jump City Regional Bank. In Gar's mind, warning bells sound off immediately.
"Bank robbery. Odd time for a bank job? What the hell, no time like the present."
Standing up from his seat, he slips his coat collar up into his face and runs across the street.
---
Inside the bank, all of the lights are currently switched off with the doorways being blocked up. Only emergency lights keep the room illuminated but this does little to help the patrons.
"Ok ladies and gentlemen, lets not make this too complicated.." the lead burglar announces, brandishing an automatic machine gun in hand.
Surprisingly, one of the other crew yells out in a female's voice "Faces on the ground and wallets out!"
With a well-practiced precision, the five spread out across the bank, throwing employees away from their desks and subduing the security guards. The criminals seem to be more worried about keeping prying eyes from looking in rather than making a scene: A dangerous situation.
"Did the others get done on the roof?" the leader asks, waving the business-end of his gun around threateningly.
"Yeah, silent alarms and bells are offline. Cops won't know we hit this place." she replies, backhanding an overly brave customer down. Gun to the back of his head, she continues with as much casualness as possible "They're on the way down to the vault."
"Good, I want out of here ASAP. Cops, we can deal with..."
"You think they'd lock up?" Gar mentions the broken-open roof entrance, now finishing his climb on the fire escape. Checking his hat and coat one last time, he swiftly enters the door, closing it behind him.
The hallways are darkened, giving further evidence of an intelligent operation. "Seems like someone screwed up already, forgetting to lock the back door..."
Gracefully, he walks down the stairs with as much noise as a kitten's footfalls. His eyes, well-used to night-time vision, easily scan the entire area for danger.
"Alarms and lights are down. These guys are good.. Probably two-man job to shut down the digitals from the room with those five guys keeping the crowd busy. Jump's getting desperate these days if non-masks are robbing these places.."
Down in the vault, the two men on both men's minds are busy cracking into the safe, duffel bags by their sides. One works to override the reserve-powered digipad while the other cracks into the door's mighty, steel locking grid. Sparks fly on one side as steel constructs meet welding torches. On the other, a small console is plugged into the digital lock, trying thousands of combinations in an attempt to find the appropriate number.
"How's the techie doing?" the steel-breaker asks, mockingly.
"Two steps ahead of you and about to take the silver." the techie replies, green goggles reflecting light from the wildly flashing digipad.
"Silver?" the first man jokes "After this job, we'll be taking all three! No cops, no Titans? What more could we ask for?"
Not liking the man's tone, the techie answers "How about that steel bolt removed already? You're running behind."
"Relax, I'm about to break through." A quick snicker on his part sounds next. "I can practically SMELL money!"
"Vault Team, report?" the leader from upstairs calls in on a walkie-talkie.
"Code will be broken in twenty seconds. Meathead's making contact now on the final lock."
"Make it quick gentlemen, time is money." The lead's voice emphasizes the severity of their efforts. "Out!"
"Contact! We're through!" the lock breaker announces, lock falling apart with his words.
"Digital code cracked, automated security system also down. We're in!" The techie announces, slightly more amused than before.
"You're right..." a gravely, growling voice whispers behind the technician. As the voice forces his attention away, a gloved hand pounds its way through the thief's left cheek, snapping his head back. With a swift motion, Gar grabs his left arm and throws him violently at the now-stunned partner rising to his feet. The combined blow of nearly 400 pounds sends both cracking into the wall opposite the safe. Unconscious, the techie cannot move in time for his partner to properly attack in time. Gar lifts the man by the throat and throws him against the safe.
"Names..." Gar whispers, still with the promise of death in his voice. "Who sent you?"
"What the fuck man? I thought this place was...?"
The answer does not appease Gar at all who responds by flipping the man hard onto his back on the cold, unforgiven floor. The crack sends a scream of pain bursting from the man's lungs.
Kneeling on the man's chest, Logan asks once again with substantial ferocity. "WHO?!"
A cough. "Your mother..."
The answer is repaid in kind with a sickening back-forearm shot across the man's face, sending him to join his friend in darkness. "Wrong answer."
Standing up, Gar dusts off his coat and spots two of the duffel bags. An idea enters his head but he also smiles looking at the techie's goggles.
"Hmm, interesting specs. Don't mind if I borrow them."
Logan slips them over his eyes before changing into a Gorilla, clothes apparently shifting as he costume would.
"What's taking them so long?" the female thief mutters, impatient at the delay. With good reason as every second they delay, the chance of their discovery becomes likely.
Three of the remaining crew keep their guns trained on the customers, also feeling the clock against them.
One gets bold enough to kneel down before one of the patrons and ask "Are you scared?"
His victim, a woman no older than 30, with tears down her face, meekly shakes her head in positive.
A grin crosses his face "Do I make you scared?"
"Y-Y-Yes..." she whispers.
Gun under her chin, he tells her "What's that? I can't hear you.."
"Oh give it a break!" the female burglar yells at him. "Getting your rocks off on a heist? Seriously, you're pathetic."
"Gotta kill time somehow until those two goons back up here." the first man answers, evil twist in his bass voice.
"Then get off the floor and go check on them!" the leader yells at him, annoyed his own crew would waste time like this.
"Don't bother!" a voice yells from the darkened stairwell. With a distinct snap, all five burglars inside turn on a heel and aim their guns. Darkness is all that's seen.
"Finally! Christ, what took you two so long?!" one of the goons yells out, easing his aim a bit.
"Trouble with the door.." the voice echoes again, a loud thud as one of the bags is thrown across the lobby in the middle of the group.
Together, they swarm the bag and check inside.
"Back away!" the leader yells, reaching for the money first. With a cautious zip, he opens the bag before his face changes into horror.
"Ray? What the fuck did you..?"
As the group turns back towards the shadow, the other bag flies from the dark and hits a burglar, knocking him off of his feet. At the sight, the four remaining thieves open fire towards the darkness. Round after round is sprayed into the abyss, scaring the hell out of the hostages.
"Hold!" the leader orders, raising his hand.
"Fuck me! What the hell did that?!" one of the group yells, surprised and panting from the activity.
"Quit asking and keep looking!" the woman bites back, furious at someone getting the drop on them. How true are those words a second later.
A green blur leaps from the darkness, pouncing on one of the more distant burglars. A quick slash tears the man's mask off, followed by a sharp rip of flesh from the man's right ear. His screams startle the burglars into firing madly again as the insanely-quick enigma dodges back into the dark.
The three remaining bundle together in a back-to-back-to-back huddle, looking for the attacker with the best their eyes can.
"Who's idea was it to black out the building?!"
"For once I agree... We gave this guy cover all over the place!" the woman laments, elbowing the leader.
"Cry later, kill now."
"Surrender first." Gar calls out from the shadows, voice echoing across the silent hall.
"Anyone see him?!"
"Yeah, he's in the building somewhere!" the leader sarcastically retorts, looking for SOMETHING to shoot at.
"Either way, he's trapped inside with us. He's screwed either way." the female answers for the two bickering men.
"Actually..." Gar remarks, "you have it wrong." The sound appears to come from one side of the building, spinning all three to face towards the doorway.
Over their shoulders, they don't see a man in a coat, hat, and goggles behind them. Their faces widen in fear as he whispers harshly
"You're trapped inside with ME"
---
Outside, the gunshots have attracted police and Titan attention. Within moments, the two groups are assembled outside of the building in a barricade formation. Robin can be seen asking for details while SWAT prepares to move in. Suddenly a wave of people exit the building, catching the group off guard as they move in to direct the hostages away. One of them warns the police and Titans not to enter yet, at request of their rescuer. Surprised, Robin inquires who. A note is handed to him, words scribbled on the company-branded sticky note.
---
After another ten minutes of tense waiting, the Titans and SWAT are given the go-ahead to enter as per the note's request. The room bursts open with light now, sending a stream of sunlight into the dark abyss. All around the room are broken desks, tables, and chairs. Glass from office windows and lights litter the floor, a testament to a brutal fight with guns and fists moments prior.
On the floor, six of the burglars lie either unconscious or shivering in fear. Their groans and pleads for help surprise the officers and heroes but they do not ignore them. In the middle of the room, however, the heist leader is seen in a bloody heap by the branch manager's desk. His face is covered in crimson blood, his eyes white and fluttering. As Robin leans in to inspect the body, he sees a familiar note on his chest.
" - Beast"
---
Outside along with the rest of the hostages, a single figure walks away from the group, his coat flapping in the wind. As he steals a look behind him at the scene, a small, toothy grin pierces his face.
"Have fun filling out THAT report, Rob."
A smile enters his face fully now as he lowers his coat flap, removes the goggles, and slips off his hat. Breathing the air, he's happy at another good deed. Of course, as he fingers a lighter in his pocket, he muses to himself.
"Lets hope my five o'clock's more cooperative than those goons..."
---
At Five, a phone rings outside of the bar from the night prior. This time, a man in a raggedy suit with two bodyguards stands waiting.
"Hello?" the suited man asks, picking up the phone.
"Five O'clock, do you know where her murder is?" Gar's growling voice wouldn't be as terrifying if the man didn't see the smiling teen across the street in a local laundromat. In one hand is a public phone while his other is holding a bottle of brown liquid.
"Listen you little shit, when I find you, I'm going to ring that skinny neck of yours! You think you're so tough, huh?!" the veins begin to pop out of the man's head already at the insult thrown his way.
"Wrong answer. Last chance. Name or location or things are gonna get heated."
"And this is your last chance, shithead! Tell me who you are or.." Click. "Son of a bitch, he hung up on me!" he screams, bashing the receiver back into place. Both men beside him slip out their sidearm pistols, ready for a threat unseen to appear.
What they don't see until the last second is a flaming projectile coming in towards them from the roof of a building seconds later. Jumping out of the way, the bottle lands behind the phone, setting the sidewalk and part of the bar's wall on fire instantly. Quickly the smell of burning gas floods the area, startling the trio long enough for Gar to run off into the distance without being spotted.
The bartender inside sees the trouble and rushes out to help put out the flames with an extinguisher. It takes a few minutes but soon the blaze is under control.
"Fucking prick, when I find him..." the suited man starts but the sound of the payphone ringing shuts him up quick. Reaching for the ringer, he curses into the phone "I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!! YOU TRIED TO SET ME ON FIRE, DIDN'T YOU!?"
"Tomorrow, seven o'clock. I want his name and location. Refuse and I burn down your house. Talk to you tomorrow."
---
Two hours later, the crowd outside of the main hall of the hotel has become swelled. However, one person seems to be out of place with a glare on her face. Kris, without Gar, looks ready to kill.
"Figures... probably scared the shit out of his green ass. He thinks he can get away from me? I know where he's staying! When I find him, I'm gonna.."
"Gonna what?" Gar asks her, entering the room behind her. He laughs a bit as she jumps in surprise.
"Dammit Mr. Logan, don't do that!" she gasps, holding a hand to her chest from the shock.
"Please, Kris, call me Gar." Looking her over once, the blue dress she's wearing seems to be a bit more classy than his own apparel. "You look good tonight." he proudly admits.
Smiling now at his candor, she answers. "You don't look so bad either. Trendsetter, I imagine? The only guy at a semi-formal event wearing jeans, sneakers, and a shirt?"
Offering his hand, he reminds her "I'm a vagrant guest, I wasn't expecting to have good company while I was here."
Taking his hand, the two walk into the party.
"So, did you behave yourself today?" she playfully asks.
"Who, me? Of course. Its not like I was out starting fires or anything."
---
A/N2: Like? Gar's starting to establish the basis for fear. Ask Batman, he doesn't just go "Boo!" and everyone fears him, he starts by scaring the little guy and working up. The bank job just happened to present itself.
His first major hurdle is coming soon however. No good deed goes unpunished.
Trivia:
- Yes, I borrowed a Rorschach quote. "I'm not trapped in here with you, YOU'RE trapped inside with ME". GREAT scene in Watchmen
- Outside of the hat, Gar's attire is homage to the Laughing Man of Ghost in the Shell (Rolled-up coat) and Alucard from Hellsing (goggle-style glasses)