Chapter 11

Robin landed his T-ship pod and parked it on stealth mode behind a pile of boulders. As the sun began to rise, lighting up the dark sky with streaks of red and gold, he waited patiently, leaning against the rocks until a figure appeared in his sight, at which point he straightened up and watched as it approached him.

"Robin?"

"Hi, Hotspot. I'm calling in a favor."


The computer beeped, opening up a window on its monitor. Batgirl swiveled her chair to see it.

"Uh-oh", she said. "Batman, we've got a problem."

As the Dark Knight made his way over to her, she explained, "There's been a breach in the security system of the Joker's cell. I'm trying to lock it down from here, but it doesn't seem to be working. If he's loose again…"

Batman was gone before she could finish.

"Oh, sure, leave me here to do the computer work", she muttered under her breath as she continued typing.


It didn't take long for Batman to reach Gotham Prison. The Joker had indeed broken out of prison, and it was evident in the hysterical laughter of the guards, which immediately alerted Batman to the fact that Joker must have an accomplice who slipped him the laughing gas. But maybe there was a chance he could prevent Joker from getting out of the prison compound. As he broke into a run, he hoped he could apprehend Joker and put him back in a secure cell. With Ruby on the loose, a rogue villain, especially one as dangerous as the Joker, with ill-timing could prove disastrous.

And the Joker had ill-timing.

Batman caught up with Joker at the gates of Gotham Prison. He was alone, which Batman hadn't expected, but he didn't let that throw him off guard. Joker was unaware that his greatest foe was behind him, as he didn't expect even the Batman to get there so fast. What the Joker didn't know, however, was that Batman's little trip to the future had given him enough technical knowledge to alter and build several instruments and devices that weren't available to the general public – such as a water-powered accelerator in the Batmobile and a short distance teleporter in his utility belt.

With the Joker oblivious until the last second, Batman took him out easily with a well-timed throw of his Bat-a-rang and lugged him back to jail. Even as he did so, however, one question kept bothering him, lingering in his intelligent mind.

Who had given the Joker the laughing gas that allowed him to escape?


"Whoa, hold on. Let me get this straight – you want me to trail Madame Rouge?" Hotspot looked incredulous. "Are you nuts?"

"As long as you make sure to power up around anyone suspicious, you'll be fine." Robin looked down at the crude diagram he'd etched into the gravel with a stick when he'd explained Ruby's presence to Hotspot (leaving out the part where she came from the 31st century).

"Hold on", Hotspot said suddenly. "How do I know you're not Madame Rouge?"

"Power up and see", Robin told him.

Hotspot powered up and kept his flames dancing about him for several minutes, but Robin relaxed comfortably on an upright boulder without showing the slightest sign of discomfort. Hotspot powered down.

"Okay, I believe you", he said. "But why are you asking me to do this?"

"Because you're probably the only one who can determine who Madame Rouge is when she's in disguise", Robin replied. "Plus, we're all up to our necks in tracking down Ruby and keeping Jinx safe."

"I don't suppose you're going to tell me why she wants Jinx?" Hotspot asked shrewdly.

"Sorry." Robin smiled wryly. "It's complicated, and it really would be best if you didn't know."

Hotspot sighed. "Okay, then. I'll track down Madame Rouge. Good luck on finding this Ruby person."

"Thanks for your help. And truth be told, I'm hoping Rouge will be hanging about with Ruby, so that if you find Madame Rouge, we find Ruby."

"I'll try my hardest then." Hotspot turned to go. "And you're welcome", he called back over his shoulder.

Robin wasted no more time in returning to his pod and taking off for Titans Tower.


"That's it! That's perfect!" Cyborg exclaimed as Taranee melted the edges of the metal sheet that was held in place by Cornelia's telekinesis in the middle of a metal panel.

"Well, finally, some compliments from you", said Cornelia as Irma cooled the metal until it was solid again. "I was beginning to think you were all orders and no praise."

"Sorry", said Cyborg, though he didn't look very apologetic. "I get like that when I'm building something."

"Good to know", Iris said sarcastically from her perch by the edge of the roof, her legs crossed. "I thought you were this crabby all the time."

"I don't see you helping out", Cyborg retorted.

"My dear Cyborg", Iris said patiently, as if she were speaking to a child, "I know the theory of building machines such as this, but I have not had any hands-on practice. You wouldn't want my inexperienced hands to ruin this when you need it so desperately to find Ruby, would you?"

Cyborg grunted but didn't respond. At length he voiced, "You know you're sitting really close to the edge of the roof, don't you?"

"If you're worried that I might fall off…" began Iris with an arched eyebrow.

"I'm not", Cyborg said quickly.

"Don't be. I can take care of myself and I assure you, I will not be hurt even if I happen to lose my balance and topple – of which the chances are very low."

"Hmph."

Cyborg continued working, filling the metal pocket with a sulfuric iron oxide solution and inserting a pliable brass wire surrounded with an insulating rubber sheath into the chemical liquid. Taranee then sealed the last edge and Irma doused it, cooling the heated metal and letting it harden against the rubber-sheathed wire. Then they repeated the procedure on the other side of the metal block.

As the sky began to darken, Cyborg called the work to a halt and mopped his sweaty forehead. "All right, that's it for today. No sense working in the dark."

"Are you going to need us to come tomorrow too?" Taranee asked.

"I'm not sure, but if I do, I'll give you a call", Cyborg replied with a grin.

Just then there was a loud splashing noise from below. Iris, being at the edge, saw what had caused it before anyone else.

"Oh look, Robin's back", she said lightly.

"Well, finally!" exclaimed Cyborg as he watched the T-ship pod sink into the underwater hangar. "I have some questions and he's going to answer them, whether he likes it or not."


"No."

The monosyllabic word was said simply, firmly, childishly, whiningly. Ruby tapped her foot impatiently.

"Why ever not?"

"Because", Control Freak replied, "why would I want to live in a world without heroes? That's no fun. I like the Titans – in the sense that I can keep challenging them, annoying them, evading their capture, and I can continue to manipulate them in my own alternate reality world of television!" He laughed gleefully.

"Yes, that all seems to have worked rather well so far, hasn't it?" Ruby said dryly. "How many times have you gone up against them and how many times have you ended up in the same jail cell for your trouble?"

Control Freak shrugged. "I lost count."

"You kind of missed the point."

"No, you're missing the point", argued Control Freak as he stood up, drawing himself to his full height – which wasn't much. "I enjoy our game."

"What game?" Ruby asked, trying to be patient. Madame Rouge was waiting outside with a rented car in case something went wrong and Ruby's ruse was discovered, but she wouldn't wait for much longer. Ruby had been in here almost ten minutes already – and this childish, third-rate villain was still nowhere near agreement.

"The game I and the Titans play", Control Freak said in response. "The cat and cat game."

"You mean the cat and mouse game."

"No, I mean the cat and cat game." Here Control Freak began to dramatize in a ridiculous way, creeping around the table in the visiting room and gesticulating with both arms and legs as he explained. "We chase each other around in a series of battles, challenging each other and seeing who comes out the victor – just like a video game. We have different rounds where we fight, different locations, different circumstances, and different elements. Sometimes I win, and sometimes they win. I have fun trying to defeat them. When it's my turn to string them along, I enjoy watching the Titans struggle through my obstacles. It's like reality TV!" He grinned.

"Ai", sighed Ruby. No wonder Control Freak spent more time in jail than out. He saw villainy as some sort of game? What a heinous thought!

"Listen, Control Freak", Ruby said, all traces of patience gone. "If you help me, we can create a world where villains rule, and you don't have to lose at all. There will still be some heroes around who will foolishly think they can contend against us, and you can play your game with them. The only difference is that when you do, you won't have to lose. You'll win every time – but only if you help me." There! If that didn't do it, nothing would.

Control Freak seemed to be thinking hard. "I'd win every time?"

"Every time", Ruby affirmed.

"And they'd lose?"

"Oh, yes."

"Will there still be Titans for me to play with?"

"I'm quite certain a few of them will be left."

"All right", Control Freak agreed. "I'm in. Now get me out of here!"

"Ssh!" Ruby hushed him. "There are cameras…"

"Oh. Right."

"Now, listen closely. Here's what I want you to do…"


When Robin finished explaining his 'secret mission', the conversation turned to Iris, who, along with the Guardians, had gone home for the night – wherever her home was.

"So what do you think?" Lightning Lad asked. "Can she be trusted?"

"I don't know", Cyborg said. If she can't, she's awfully good at acting. But I still think there's something off about her."

"You and me both." Beast Boy lifted his feet to the couch. "I mean, anybody with that skin tone who dyes their hair black must be completely color blind."

"She dyed her hair for a reason, and it may not be one we'd like to hear", said Raven. "What if it's a disguise?"

"We're always going to be having this conversation if we don't learn to trust Iris", Robin pointed out reasonably.

"But everyone has some doubts about her", Lightning Lad stated. "How can we trust her if we aren't sure of her?"

"I say we trust her concerning her machine, but keep our eyes and ears open concerning everything else", declared Cyborg.

"I too have doubts about Iris", Starfire admitted. "And though I wish I could trust her as I do my friends, I must agree with Cyborg."

"So do I", put in Kell-el.

"That does seem to be the best option", Robin agreed. He checked his watch. "It's seven forty", he noted with a hint of concern in his voice. "Shouldn't Saturn Girl, Phantom Girl, and Timber Wolf be back by now?"

"Maybe they ran into traffic", Beast Boy joked. Raven glared at him. "Sheesh, okay, okay. I was just trying to lighten things up."

"They should", Lightning Lad agreed, looking worried.

"Those three aren't the only ones missing", Cyborg grumbled. "Where's Brainy? I haven't seen him since we went up on the roof. Don't tell me he's still programming that satellite power grid for the machine."

Kell-el nodded in confirmation. "He is. He said that he would have completed it by tomorrow and would have more time to help you with the machine."

"I hope he's planning to sleep", said Lightning Lad. "He seems to forget that he's human now, and he needs his rest."

"Tell me that story, please", Starfire requested politely. "I have long wondered how he can have become human when you stated that he was once a robot."

"It's a long story to tell by myself", Lightning Lad replied. "But if you insist…"

And he launched into a retelling of the Brainiac 1.0 incident. While the Titans listened intently, Starfire was the most drawn in. She oohed and ahhed with breathless anticipation in all the right places. Lightning Lad found that quite gratifying.

By the time he finished the tale, it was already eight thirty, and the sky had darkened completely, largely thanks to the thunderstorm raging outside. Brainy joined them at eight thirty-five, holding a soft drink in his hand and joining in the conversation, but by eight forty-five there was still no sign of Saturn Girl, Timber Wolf, or Phantom Girl. The Titans, Lightning Lad, Kell-el, and Brainy were very worried by now.

"They should have been back an hour and a half ago", Lightning Lad said, biting his lip. He hated it when people went missing – especially Saturn Girl. And it was raining cats and dogs.

"You don't think something could have happened, do you?" Beast Boy asked worriedly.

"I don't know", Brainy admitted. He was worried too – and he hated not having the answers. He was a twelfth-level intellect, for heaven's sake!

"There must be something wrong", Starfire said. "Surely they would have called if they were going to be late?"

No one answered her. They were all too busy trying not to think about the worst possible scenario, but the thought made it through anyway.

Had Ruby caught up to them?


A/N: Evil cliffie, much? Don't worry, next chapter out tomorrow! I tell you, I love updating daily as much as you love getting a new chapter everyday. Maybe it's because updating everyday means I get reviews everyday (shameful, I know, but I enjoy knowing people are enjoying my stories). Oh, and just to clarify, I will be using the names Iris and Ivy interchangeably when referring to Poison Ivy. She'll be Iris when she's acting like Iris, and Ivy when she's being herself. Hope you don't get too confused. Thank you, as usual, to The Violet Rose, lovegarth-1105, TheEclipse, Devilbunny, DangerZone, and leath for reviewing. Special thanks to lovegarth-1105 and Devilbunny for reviewing on every single chapter so far, and also to The Violet Rose, who, judging by her track record, would probably have also reviewed on every chapter if she hadn't found the story late.

Disclaimer: However much I wish I did, I don't.