Chapter 10: Trouble in Jump City

Disclaimer: Stop making me admit that I don't own Robin's soul! Stoppit stoppit stoppit! …but I don't… it's so sad…. I don't own any of the other characters, either…

Rating: M for "My God That's Sick!" You probably already have begun to realize this...

Author's Note:

First, about that last chapter. xrockinrobin totally pointed out to me that the whole "losing bodily functions" thing was very "brave" of me. It was actually the one thing I was worried about at this point, but did decide to go through with it. I'm all about that whole realism thing, and so many times I watch a movie or something and I'm like "Okay, so, how the hell did those guys use the bathroom?!" So yeah. Realism. It makes it so much more... real... and it hits a little closer to home for us, doesn't it? I mean, look at that. Robin's only human. He poops!

Anyways... Time for a little English lesson!

I want to talk to you students today about the idea of dramatic irony. Dramatic irony is a literary device that authors like to use for suspense. It's where the audience or reader is aware of something important that the characters in the story are not aware. It happens to be my faaaavorite literary device. That, and cliffhangers. I know you've noticed the cliffhangers

As usual, Read, Review, and Rapture!

It was day three and still no sign of Robin. The Teen Titans had searched every lead, run down every underworld connection, but they were no closer to finding their lost friend than they had been the first night.

The growing anxiety was beginning to take its toll on the Titans with every hour that passed. Starfire paced around the command center, playing absentmindedly with her hair and murmuring to herself in her native language. Cyborg spent much of his time at the computer doing research, contacting other Titan members that were scattered across the globe, reexamining the evidence they had, checking in with people to see if anyone had any updates. Raven remained in her room, looking through spell books, trying to figure out how to better establish a connection with their lost friend, but so far having little luck.

And Beast Boy sat at the couch in the main room, watching Starfire pacing, feeling completely useless. He had spent the past few days trying to help out anyway he knew how. He tried to aid Cyborg in his research, but the older boy ended up just snapping at him for breaking Robin's communicator even more. He tried to keep Starfire's mind off of things by making her laugh, but he ended up doing just the opposite the day before and made her shove him away in tearful anger. And Raven, of course, didn't want to have anything to do with him. He knew the best way to help her was to leave her be, although sometimes he felt that his mere presence in the tower was enough to tick her off.

The clock on the wall struck 9PM with nine gentle dings. He flopped backwards on the soft cushions, a foot slung over the back of the couch, and he stared at the dark metal ceiling. This was just too much, the waiting, the uncertainty, the worry. They needed to find Robin. His disappearance was going to rip the team apart, or at least, that's how it felt to Beast Boy. He wished he could be the one to make the big breakthrough and find Robin. Then, he would be the big hero. Then, he wouldn't feel so completely useless.

A blaring siren startled him from his thoughts. He cried out and tumbled backwards off the couch, landing on his neck painfully as red flashed around them.

"Trouble!" Cyborg announced needlessly.

"Perhaps it's Robin!" Starfire gasped, her voice threaded with hope.

Beast Boy somersaulted upright as the others ran by him, not even telling him to hurry up as they headed for the door.

"Wait for me!" he gasped, turning into a cheetah and scampering off after them.

Three days with no sign of Robin…

Would they finally find him?

"Looks like a robbery is in progress at the Wayne Enterprises building downtown," Cyborg said into the commlink on the dashboard of his T-Car as he swerved through the dark, deserted streets of late night Jump City. Starfire and Raven followed him from overhead.

"What's up with that company always getting robbed?" groaned Beast Boy from the passenger seat.

"Can it, Beast Boy," Cyborg snapped. His patience had long run thin. He turned back to the communicator. "You two girls go in from the top, we'll go in around back and catch whoever this robber is."

"Right," came in Raven's voice. Beast Boy crossed his arms and leaned against the car door, staring out the window glumly, watching the two female Titans fly on. Ahead of them, he could see a tall office building, bright white neon letters spelling out "Wayne" on the side.

"This was the same place Robin robbed when he was Slade's apprentice," he muttered under his breath.

"Yeah, it is," said Cyborg.

"Think it's him again?"

Cyborg kept his eyes ahead of him, watching the road. He was actually driving better than usual. "I don't know," he admitted. "I sure hope so, but I doubt it."

Beast Boy sighed. He rarely ever heard Cyborg sound so pessimistic. He looked back out at the looming building, just a block from where they were. He hoped there were some answers to be found…

And then suddenly, the building was gone. With a sonic boom, a gigantic fireball engulfed the entire building, causing the earth to tremble beneath the car.

"What the hell?!" Cyborg gasped. He slammed on the brakes as debris began to fall, a huge boulder of concrete and twisted steel landing just short of the hood of the T-car as it screeched to a halt.

"Abandon ship!" the green changeling shouted as he saw another hunk of steel above them, falling straight down. Beast Boy transformed into a crow and shot out through the window while his mechanical friend kicked out the door and bolted for it. No sooner had they cleared the car then it was crushed beneath iron and rubble.

"It blew up!" Starfire's voice crackled on the transmitter at Beast Boy's belt as he touched the ground and changed back.

"I know I saw!" Cyborg screamed, diving into an alleyway away from the fire and flame. Beast Boy dodged falling, flaming bits of debris, searching for safety. He dove behind a huge dumpster and kept his head covered.

"What the hell was that?!" he yelled.

"I'll tell you what that was – the sweet, burning aroma of destruction," answered a voice above him, cool, dark and stern. Beast Boy looked up and gasped.

"Slade!!"

The masked villain stood peering over a fire escape above him. He leapt off of it, falling right toward Beast Boy, who ducked out of the way as Slade landed on the dumpster, crushing its metal cover in.

"I knew it was you!" Beast Boy snarled. "What did you do with Robin?"

"Robin?" Slade asked, his one eye widening a little. "You mean he's missing?"

"Don't act so surprised! I know you have him!" Beast Boy shouted before changing into a huge mammoth and charging at the criminal, who easily dodged him.

"I don't have him, actually," Slade said coolly as he ducked away from a charging green lion. "I'm actually rather disappointed that he's not here. I had a whole monologue prepared for him… This is unexpected."

"Cut the crap, Slade, and tell us where he is!" screamed Cyborg, shooting a laser blast at the masked villain. Slade leapt up back onto the fire escape, narrowly missing getting grabbed by Beast Boy's giant octopus tentacle. He jumped again before the fire escape exploded in a bright blue blast, but was suddenly grounded by a bolt of black energy.

"Now, you're down. Start talking!" Raven called out as she swept in from above, eyes blazing with energy and her arms outstretched, her powers keeping Slade pinned to the ground.

"I really, honestly, do not have him," Slade said coldly. "Why would I take him and not show off my prize? You all should know me better than that…"

"…You know, he kinda has a point," Beast Boy said, bewildered.

"You must have some information about our missing friend!" Starfire growled, eyes charged with green light. "If you do not begin with the talking…"

"Sorry, but I have nothing of the sort," Slade murmured with a shrug. "Tough luck, kids."

"I know you know something, Slade! I know it! TALK!" Cyborg shouted. Beast Boy looked over at him, eyebrows high. The robotic Titan was shaking with intense rage and seemed ready to lose it.

"Don't worry," Slade told them all, voice deep and careful. "He certainly wasn't in that building that just exploded."

Cold fear doused them all. It was the hint of sarcasm in his voice that told them all the same thing. Starfire gasped in horror. Beast Boy looked over at the burning remains of the building. It couldn't be… Slade wouldn't….

Cyborg snapped. He reared back with a yell and whipped out his laser cannon, pointing it straight at Slade's head. Before anyone could stop him, he fired, blinding them all momentarily with a brilliant light. Beast Boy threw an arm over his eyes to shield them, and when the light vanished, and the dust settled, he peeked a look.

Gears and wires stuck out from what remained of the one-eyed mask. Just another Sladebot. Beast Boy's shoulders slumped. They hadn't gotten any information out of the wretched villain, and in all honesty, he felt that Slade really didn't have anything to tell. Once again, they were without any leads.

"NO!" Cyborg screamed in fury, pointing his gun at the shattered robot. With cries of crazed rage, he fired at it, again and again, reducing it to parts.

"Cyborg!" Starfire cried out, grabbing the large teen around the shoulders from behind, pulling him back. "Please, enough with the firing! It's not doing anything!!"

But Cyborg was gone, lost in anguish. Starfire continued to struggle with him, causing wayward laser fire to hit nearby buildings. Raven ran forward and grabbed his arm, and both the girl's efforts forced him down to the ground. He was crying out Robin's name, weakly struggling to pull free from the two girls. The tears on Starfire's cheeks glimmered from the flickering inferno as she held Cyborg to her, muttering in strained words that Robin was okay, trying to calm him down. Beast Boy stared at them helplessly, not sure what to do, what he could do. He felt numb, broken. He looked over at the fiery ruins of the tall office building, the sound of firetruck sirens whining far away.

"Robin…" he breathed sadly. Could Robin really have been caught in that explosion…? Was he… was he dead…?

He could hear his own heartbeat in his ears as he dropped feebly to his knees, his body filling with icy dread. This wasn't happening… it just wasn't happening… was it?

"He's not dead…"

Beast Boy looked up. Raven was standing there, her eyes closed, the orange from the inferno dancing across her pale skin. The other two Titans looked at her as well.

"What?" Cyborg whispered, his voice full of emotion.

"He's not dead… he wasn't in that building…" she opened her brilliant purple eyes and looked around at them, her eyes falling on Cyborg last. "I would know it if he was. But I can feel him. He wasn't in the building…there's still hope."

Beast Boy heaved a sigh and fell back on his heels, his heart still drumming in his ears. He looked back at Slade's destroyed robot, a new fire in his heart.

"We will find him," he said sharply. "We're the Teen Titans. Nothing has ever stopped us before." He glanced up at Raven. "Not even the end of the world. We'll find him."

Starfire smiled weakly and nodded. Cyborg stared into space ahead of himself, still shaken. Raven looked up towards the sky, seeing stars twinkling through the billowing smoke.

"Yes, we will," she hummed, closing her eyes.