Chapter Nine
Some of the theories Robin was researching to try and anticipate the next 'random' attack were proven correct.
What he hadn't anticipated, however, was for three more to happen simultaneously in one evening.
Logically, all of the Titans had to split up – even Red X joined in to help, because they needed more hands. However things started to turn south not long in, forcing Cyborg and Robin to call in reinforcements from Titans East.
Raven and Beast Boy were at a bombing location, currently saving inhabitants from the destructive fire and rubble that was causing the tall building to collapse.
Three people had died in the initial explosion, and an old woman passed before they reached the scene.
Cyborg and Starfire were currently utilizing their strength to search for survivors in a collapsed, four-level parking garage. There was no report of a fire or a bomb… just a massive quake, which destabilized the structure and started to bring it down.
Lastly, Robin decided that he and Shadow would take care of a hostage situation going on in a warehouse just outside of Jump City. The 911 caller reported a hostage situation at a warehouse down by the docks. None of the Titans were concerned about Robin and Shadow taking care of it alone. This was something the SWAT or Police would have been doing had there not been so many other events going on at the same time.
"Awww man… this is going to take all night." Cyborg rubs the back of his neck before bending to lift a large, iron beam from off of a car. Starfire then swoops in and carefully extracts a teen who was paralyzed in fear.
Cradling the girl in her arms, Starfire swiftly took her over to the ambulances where she could be attended to with the eight others they found in there.
"At least the building was not fully occupied, not that this is not terrible – but that would have been terrible awful." Looking behind her at the ambulances, police, SWAT and a few military vehicles approaching, she turns back and meets Cyborgs a-symmetric stare, "I wonder how leader Robin and friends Raven and Beast Boy are doing…"
"Yea, I know." Looking over at the incoming reinforcements (hopefully), he continues, "I'm going to chat with the man in charge, hopefully soon they'll have everything under control and we can help our teammates. "
"That would be for the best – I feel… uneasy not being around to assist them."
Grunting as he maneuvers through the rubble, he replies, "Yea Star, me too."
"Raven! Top floor – family of five!" Beast Boy shouts over the roar of the fire to his empathic teammate.
"On it." Was the monotonous response before she phases through the unaffected tile floor in the lobby of the building.
He hears a child's scream and then crying coming from behind him. Turning around he morphs into a German Shepherd and weaves his way through the burning beams and fallen pieces. Within a minute he changes back, hearing gasping and coughing mixing with the child's tears.
"I can't smell shit with all this smoke anyways." Eyes burning, he forces himself to go deeper into the flames and then nearly burns himself wrenching open a splintered door, seeing the children, a small boy and a girl stare up at him with wide eyes.
By instinct, compassion washes over his face as he coos at the children, bringing them into his arms. Standing up he feels a light, cool breeze coming from around the corner and the faint smell of outside air.
Hurrying through the mess, obtaining several burns from sheltering the two children, he eventually makes it a few steps out before he puts them both down. The girl runs off crying, and the boy turns around and desperately clings to the changeling's hand.
"Sir Beast Boy! My friend is still inside!"
Beast Boy looks up and sees that Raven had just phased out the family of five. She looks a little exhausted, but had no injuries as far as he could see. Looking back down at the child he answers, "My friend Raven got everyone out from upstairs. The building's going to collapse any minute, let's get you away from here."
"No! Please! He's still in his bed! His parents were gone at dinner! He's already hurt and he has machines that help him breath! He has to be alive! Please don't let him die!"
He drags the kid, who was struggling against him, further out into the lawn before dropping to his knees, looking at the kid seriously, grabbing his attention.
"What floor."
"Second to the very top. Over there." The blond boy points up towards a window, "That's his flat – but not his room. He'll be there."
"Go to the fire truck and get treated, I'll go get your friend."
With that, Beast Boy morphs into a leopard and charges back towards the crumbing building.
Perhaps a little overconfident, Robin drops into the warehouse alone – ordering Shadow to enter in around the back, and to sneak out any hostages he can.
The instant he sees the scene, he realizes that he was too late.
Corpses of murdered workmen and red, drying blood cover the cement flooring in the dim lighting. Suddenly to his right, he hears a laughter that sends a chill down his spine.
Gritting his teeth he steels himself, "Get out here! Show yourself!"
"Well you are certainly no coward… are you my boy?" a smooth, slimy hiss resounds throughout the space. Rolling his shoulders, Robin frowns. The voice reminded him of the snake's voice in the last Harry Potter movie they watched as a team. It was creepy then, and it's definitely creepy now.
Focusing on the inevitable upcoming battle, he growls and waits for the suspect to step into the light.
The clicks of healed boots create a harsh echo throughout the cold, dank warehouse. Robin tries to not react when he sees the man.
Crazed, bloodshot eyes lock onto his mask, paired with a curling, malicious smile full of jagged, yellow teeth.
"Who are you?! Why did you do this?!"
Seemingly rendered calm at Robin's outburst of rage, the crazed man folds his hands behind his back and begins to make a motion to circle the hero.
"Ah… Robin. Leader of the Teen Titans… here alone?" Eyes disappear as a large, brimmed hat is pulled down over his eyes.
"Stop with your blathering and answer me." Robin lowers his voice register to a threatening, demanding level. "All of these men… why?"
"Everyone gets what's coming to them, Robin. And believe me when I say, these men here," He gestures a bloody, gloved hand towards a pile of bodies in the corner, hardly distinguishable from each other due to the extent of mutilation, "These men deserved every laceration, decapitation, amputation and every gun shot they received."
Robin rears back, appalled, "You're mad!"
"Aren't we all, my boy?" snickering, the lithe, crazy son-of-a-bitch unsheathes two large machetes from his side, "All the others were just… casualties. As you are about to become one with me now."
"None of this answers why. Why kill dozens of people for the misdoings of a few. If they did you wrong, you go to the courts. The justice system – "
"THERE IS NO JUSTICE!" The man roars, sending a tremor throughout the building as he becomes more unhinged due to his rage.
"Why kill the innocents then? What is your name. What did they do to deserve this?!" Robin growls, hoping he can keep this man talking until Shadow appeared. For some reason he knew it wasn't wise to face this man alone.
There was an uneasy silence as Robin waits for a response, or for the villain to continue.
Slowly, another malicious grin curls on the man's crazy, filthy face. He chuckles darkly before he turns to face the Titans' leader head-on.
"Because I didn't want them to burn."
Robin stares at him in confusion, withdrawing his Bo staff in anticipation for an attack. He's about to ask for clarification when both of the room's occupants discover that they aren't alone.
A low, trembling snarl comes from the darkness. Robin is unsure whether or not to relax, not recognizing the threatening, malicious tone as one of Shadow's noises. He chances a glance at the villain to see that he doesn't seem very concerned. In fact, he seems pleased…
Like everything was going according to plan.
Author's Note:
I know, another short chapter... but if I didn't cut it here, it would have been too long.
R&R
Kallen