Chapter 4

AN: hey thanks for the reviews guys. I really am interested in knowing what you think about my new story ideas or to help me get unstuck on different stories. Anyways here we go, chapter four!

"Aqualad...Aqualad," Hot Spot shook the blue-suited Atlantanian. "Hey, snap out of it!" Hot Spot gripped his shoulder with another shake. Slowly his face relaxed from the nightmare induced state and Aqualad slowly opened his eyes.

"Oh...what, what happened? Hot...Hot Spot? Where are we?" Aqualad asked, checking out the four stone walls, enhanced to hold them inside.

"I don't know for sure. The Brain sent a team to ambush us and we were taken down as we arrived to help Argent. They brought your group in later, all of you in these nightmare like trances. I've been trying to shake you out of it but so far you're the only one I've woken up." Hot Spot explained as Aqualad glanced at the others lying around him. "I've tried my hardest to wake her up; her nightmares seem worse than anyone else's." Aqualad followed where Hot Spot pointed to Starfire lying on the ground looking petrified; her face was sopping in a cold sweat, red hair sticking to her face.

"What about your group? Uhh..." Aqualad felt sick after coming too and his attempt at standing only made it worse. He felt like his head has been beaten into the cement floor a couple of hundred times and his stomach, like he would throw up any moment. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths hoping if the room quit spinning it would ease the nausea.

"Hey now, take it easy. You don't look very well." Hot Spot placed his hand on the pale boy's shoulder. "We took a beating, they've been unconscious since I've woken up." Aqualad nodded trying to regain his composure while he took a head count of how many of them were captured: Hot Spot, Argent, Killowat, Thunder, Lightening, Speedy, Menos, himself and Starfire. His heart broke a little as her forehead scrunched harder and tears ran down her cheeks.

When Cyborg had come to Steele City, to help Titans East build their tower, he had spent time talking more in depth about each Titan. When it came to Starfire and Raven, Cyborg didn't share much on their pasts aside from they rescued Starfire from being enslaved by a cruel, lizard-like, alien race that were tasked with delivering her to a more cruel alien race as a prize. He remembered asking Cyborg why Starfire was an enslaved prize but Cyborg either didn't know or was respecting her privacy and not sharing. Aqualad sighed seeing the sweet, bubbly girl in such a distressed and pained state. She trembled on the concrete ground and from the looks of her jaw, was grinding her teeth to keep from making any noise.

"Aqualad," Hot Spot brought his attention back from the girl. "Before they got me Cyborg sent out a message. He said Titans Tower had been compromised and ordered for radio silence. He told us all we knew where to meet and if we could to find him there." He explained, watching Aqualad digest this information. "Do you think Robin is there? Why didn't he send the message?" He pried.

"Robin could have been busy, most likely looking for Starfire. She and Speedy were the first to go missing and Cyborg probably had to force Robin out of the tower. Half of our combined team is here, so they must have been trying to stop from losing anyone else."

"He does care about her, doesn't he? Do you think he will come for her, if he knew where to look?" Hot Spot reached over as Menos began to whimper, in an attempt to soothe Aqualad's team mate, Hot Spot began rubbing the small boy's head.

"Robin would come for any of us," he assured Hot Spot. "As for those two, it's obvious to everyone except them, I can't imagine he is taking her capture well. Almost makes me glad to be here with her instead of him," he gave a soft chuckle just imagining how uptight and stressful it must be on Robin's side.

"We have to try to get out of here but Robin never gave me the coordinates. When he gave me my communicator we were being attacked by The Brain's right hand, Madame Rogue; where did they go?" He asked.

"I don't think 'here' is a safe place to discuss that. Don't worry, I think everyone else knows, just stick with one of us. As for Madame Rogue, I heard you easily melted that old lady," he winked.

"Old lady? She didn't seem old when we fought her! I barley won with how fast and strong she is. Actually she," Hot Spot began to yell as the door opened and Monsieur Mallah walked in behind The Brain and Phobia.

"Greetings Titans," The Brain interrupted. "Aqualad, I trust you have experienced and met Phobia."

"Yeah, it was a blast," he rolled his eyes sarcastically. "What do you want?" He held his arm out to keep Hot Spot and, nightmare induced, Menos behind him.

"I have come to offer your freedom in exchange for information." The Brain plainly laid his request open to the two awake Titans.

"I won't give you anything," he hissed shakily standing to his feet only to fall back on his knees. Aqualad swore if the room would quit spinning for five seconds he could concentrait long enough to find water nearby, in any form, and wash away his stupid robotic voice.

"The side effects of Phobia are practically as potent as the real nightmare, are they not?" Mallah explained as Aqualad breathed heavily trying to control his pounding head and queasy stomach.

"Leave him alone," Hot Spot demanded standing to his feet between them and Aqualad showing his heroism by defending the boy.

"Contact Robin and we will let you go." Mallah answered.

"So you can trace it, not a chance." Aqualad growled from the ground behind Hot Spot.

"Phobia," was all The Brain spoke. The woman's eyes rolled back, turning from white to black.

"It would be easier if you simply obeyed," Mallah crossed his arms over his chest as Starfire's back arched sharply and her scream froze Aqualad's blood. No one could understand her as she spoke in her foreign tongue, but the tears pooling down her cheeks and fingernails scraping into solid concrete were clearly translated.

"Stop! Leave her alone, please!" Aqualad begged crawling towards her, with one hand holding tight to his stomach. He couldn't stand the thought of any girl in pain; call him weak, but he would take any attack for Starfire or Argent.

"Contact Robin and all these unpleasantries will end," The Brain again explained.

"Stop! I can't!" Aqualad screamed. "Cyborg cut communications. Until he turns them back on no contact can be made. Please, hurting her won't open the communication signals." He begged pulling her body into his chest as she thrashed about. "They have to first communicate with us to turn them back on." He explained, wiping sweat soaked strands of hair from her cheeks.

"Take him," the brain ordered and in one quick swoop Mallah threw Hot Spot over his shoulder and with Phobia and The Brain exiting first, locking the door behind him.

"Hot Spot!" Aqualad screamed reaching helplessly towards the door as Starfire calmed back into her original unrest, in his lap.

"Keep the others under, we do not want them to suspect anything." The Brain ordered as Phobia stayed outside the door obediently.

"You're plan has failed," Madame Rogue stretched herself off Mallah's shoulder onto the floor, dusting her outfit off.

"You cannot take their comments so personally. A Titan would not defend one such as yourself," Mallah chided her, or previously losing her temper only to receieve an icy glare in response.

"The only thing that has failed is a mere strategy. In the game of chess one is always prepared with another." The Brain reminded his team. "Remove the real Hot Spot. I want the Titans to be unaware of his location at all times. Bring out the queen and place her in the seat of honor. These inexperienced pieces shall willingly walk into surrender for her sake." He ordered.

(Back In The Forest Of South America)

"Dinner is ready!" Kole announced. "Gnnark gathered most of it from outside. Fruits and berries are best fresh. Plenty for everyone and not against any diets here." She smiled setting the last platter of sliced fruits and berries on platters in front of them.

"Great work," Bumbleebee praised. "I'll take two plates to our door guards," she winked at Kole as she scooped a random assortment onto two plates before buzzing off so the line could continue.

"Here," Bee buzzed up and handed a plate to Beast Boy. "It's almost the top of the hour, I'll take over. Go grab some food Pantha," she suggested.

"My stomach is hungrier for more than what's on your plate. Sounds good to me." She smiled and happily stomped down the hall towards the kitchen.

"Need to talk?" Bee asked biting into a piece of banana, getting straight into why she was here.

"Yeah, thanks for the food." He nodded, keeping his eyes fixed on his plate. She watched him slowly chew a prickly red pear. She hadn't ever seen the boy at such a loss for words.

"Robin ordered the watch be changed every hour," Bee reminded him.

"You sent Pantha away early. I have a schedule set in place like he wanted. Más is scheduled next." He crisply answered.

"I noticed. First hour was you and Bushido at 3pm, then you and Jericho at 4pm, then you and Pantha at 5pm, and next you and Más at 6pm, followed by again you but with Tramm at 7pm then...oh you again but with Gnnark at 8pm. Funny how you've chosen people that either don't speak your language: Bushido, Tramm, Gnnark and Más," she counted on her fingers. "Don't speak at all: Jericho." She watched as he simply continued to eat. "Or control the conversation about themselves, like Pantha."

"In case you haven't noticed, we are lacking a lot of team members to choose from. I'm doing my job." He cut her off with a sharp tone.

"Hey, I'm not accusing you of not doing your job," she gave him the same sharp tone in response before pausing and taking a deep breath. "What I'm saying is you need to talk, get it out." She spoke more sincerely.

"Fine, I'll put you and Raven at 9pm, you two have the first three hour night shift." He replied, continuing to nibble on his plate. Bumblebee felt her face redden in frustration, her insides screaming for trying to help but she kept her composure.

"Well, Sparky sent me away from coms. He and Robin seem to be just as dedicated as you. Raven finished medical supplies and has spent all her time meditating in a corner. Kole has food under control and Tramm has gotten the bunk beds all ready to sleep. Seems this place is running well, so I figured I can just hang here with you since I'm here until 12am now." She smiled, crossing her legs and letting her wings buzz her to the ground where she took another bite.

Resting her back on the wall she watched him chew his prickly red pear with more vigor until he swallowed and sunk to the floor beside her, letting his plate rest on the ground.

"We both went through those nightmares. We both lost teammates. If anyone is going to understand, it's me." She tried and let them fall into a comfortable silence.

Beast Boy hung his head, placing all 10 fingers into his hair and scratching at his scalp. Looking at his plate he and couldn't even bring himself to take another bite. Everything he had already eaten sat heavy in his stomach.

"I was so useless... Everything fell apart and I could barley even hold Mas like Cyborg asked me to do back at the tower," he finally admitted. "I was standing right behind Starfire when those lights went out and didn't even notice she was taken." He sighed, his head falling deeper into his chest. "When I came out of that nightmare all I could do was hold Más just to keep myself together and even then I still felt weak and sore." He tore himself apart.

"Listen, from one animal to another you were the first taken down. You have animal instincts and you were right next to Starfire. She had no choice but to take you out. Heck, whoever was near Speedy didn't get taken down and they didn't even notice. When it hit us, Robin and I we were useless too. Cyborg only pulled himself together because he is mostly machine and even so, the only thing he could do was order a retreat." She saw Beast Boy perk up a little, his shoulder rise.

"Have this pity party and guard the door like everyone's life depends on it but you were taken out first. You always take out the biggest threat first." She smiled when Beast Boy turned to meet her eyes. "You're from the Dooom Patrol! If anyone knows these guys it's you, The Brain himself probably suggested she knock you out immediately." She felt relief as he picked his head up fully, with a sheepish smirk. "You cool?" She asked to which he nodded.

"Yeah, thanks. I needed that." He picked his plate of food back up. "I do know them and I'm not useless. I know just how far they will go and how evil they are. They should have taken me when they had the chance," he practically growled in determination.

"Yes he should have, but I'm glad he didn't." Bee smiled and popped a berry into her mouth. "I lost all of my team but one, I'm just glad I can help with who is left."

"You'll get them back, we'll save your team." He placed his hand on her shoulder now seeing Más walk towards them, very slowly, for his shift.

"Yes we will. See what you can do for him, will ya?" She winked standing to her feet with her plate and walked past Mas towards the main room. Walking out of the hallway she jumped out of her skin when a voice surprised her.

"Thanks," Robin stated glancing down the hall behind Bumblebee. She had no idea how long he had been leaning on that wall, listening but it was the first time she had seen him away from the computer.

"I'm just glad I can help." She responded. "Have you eaten?"

"Raven is making sure I do. Usually..." He trailed off for a moment of silence before a stone face replaced his moment of gratitude. "I need to get back to work," he cut their conversation off, instantly walking away, leaving Bumbleebee curious and confused.

"Usually Starfire does," Raven finished for him, appearing on the other side of Bumblebee, again startling her.

"Is this a thing your team does? Sneaking up on people?" Bee asked holding her plate with one hand and her chest with her other.

"I heard we have the first night shift; until then." Raven nodded and levitated towards Cyborg and Robin.

"Crazy Titans, sneaking up on people likes it's perfectly normal." She mumbled under her breath, walking towards the kitchen to see if Kole needed any help. "You just recovered from your worst nightmares, here let's scare you from both sides." She complained.

10:00pm struck and most of the Titans were in bed, either asleep or trying to fall asleep. Raven and Bumblebee were guarding the entrance while Robin and Cyborg continued scanning for communication waves or criminal sitings. The next pair to guard the door was Pantha and Más from 12am-3am followed by Tramm and Bushido from 3am-6am when Kole and Gnnark would start breakfast and Herald and Jericho would pull 6am-9am before returning to hourly rotations with Beast Boy guarding it almost every shift.

"You both have to sleep at some point tonight," Raven portaled up from the ground between them both.

"You're suppose to be guarding the door," was Robin's only reply as he changed the world map to zoom in on the Guatemalan Islands.

"And what happens if you stay up all night and then tomorrow The Brain sends us exact location coordinates? You both will be useless," were her last words as she sunk into the floor leaving the two alone.

"She's right. I have everything in place. If my scanners find anything it'll wake me up." Cyborg reminded Robin who seemed very uninterested in the thought of sleep or resting, not when there was still work to be done.

"You can sleep. I'm not tired. She's out there Cy..." He still hadn't spoken her name as he pulled up details on the same scan he checked five minutes ago.

"She is," he agreed carefully. "They all are, and they are counting on you to be ready." He reminded him before yawning. "I'm going to charge up and catch some rest. Make sure you do too." He reached his arms over his head stretching. Robin could feel Cyborg standing behind him waiting for an answer.

"Look," Cyborg started.

"Midnight, when the guard shift changes." He agreed not even turning to look at him. Cyborg shook his head not believing him but with his power at 63% he wanted to be fully charged for whatever came. Turning he left for his bed Tramm had specifically set up for him near a charging port.

Robin opened maps and charts trying to isolate a location where The Brotherhood of Evil could be based. He worked better alone and better under pressure. He was sharper and more precise. He fought a yawn before glancing at the clock to read 10:04pm. Taking a moment to shake his head and the sleep momentarily from his eyes he went back to the map.

He had five locations circled for possible areas they could be hiding based on geological aspects, information he had gathered from Beast Boy over the past few months and his gut. He circled Germany, France, the Guatemalan Islands, Italy and Hawaii. Scrunching his forehead he scratched out Hawaii wondering why he had even allowed that to be a thought. Far too many tourists and far too close to their tower. The best hiding place was always right under your very nose but Hawaii definitely wasn't the Brain's style.

"Four more locations. I will find you Starfire, I promise." He whispered and began pulling up basic crime reports from his four remaining reasonable choices. With any luck having a crime team like The Brotherhood of Evil, would leave a trail of crime in its wake. He just had to find out where there trail began and ended.

All day long he had heard whispers of the team mates missing and how much he was most likely missing Starfire. Of course he was, he would work this hard for any of his team. What baffled him was how they never thought, even in this tiny room, that he wouldn't hear their conversations.

Starfire had been right though, losing her...her smile and joy. Her enthusiam and excitement she gave the team and strength she gave him was indeed a moral blow to the team. No one other than Kole kept a happy outlook. Raven and Bumblebee were trying but Raven being happy and Bumblebee not being sassy and sarcastic was like a fish trying to fly.

AN: so friends, how are we doing? I'm excited about the next couple of chapters. It's something thing that I had thought up and made me want to write this story! I thought the Bee/BB moment was cute, hope you guys liked it. Please and thank you for reviewing it always makes my day. Until next time!