A/N: Well I'm back! This arc needed a couple revisions in my head (mainly plot-line) but here we go. One full arc NOT involving Gar (for good reason). This chapter took a small life of it's own, mainly through writing the (technically) main character ot this piece. I'm starting to wonder just how profound an effect Gar's had on people, both good and bad. Sure on a superficial level he's always made an impact but in the context of the past 10 months, he may have influenced more people than he's realizes. Oh, by the way, not to spoil the surprise in this chapter, but to my long-time readers (a.k.a. Watchman drafts 1 and 2), you'll be happy to see some old faces back in the Bay Area. Enjoy!

A Bad Moon on the Rise...

November 30, 2007.

The cell block seems so much colder than the comfortable breeze outside. Gray floors, steel bars, barely any sunshine worth mentioning to raise the spirits of California's most notorious criminals. Not that these people deserve to have their hopes raised but even from the darkness, the light can still shine...

A guard stands before an inmate, his gun never too far from his left hand while he clasps a collection of keys in his right. "Arthur Light."

Without his power suit, Light looks nowhere near the threatening "villain" he might've boasted about. It seems five months in prison had other effects as well. The gleam in his eye, one of determination and intelligence, seems long gone, his demeanor one of gloom and boredom. "Yeah?"

Inserting the key, the guard begins unlocking the steel door. "You're being released as of this moment."

That's a shocker.. Narrow eyebrows skyward, the doctor of illumination rises to his feet in surprise. "Released?"

Door opened, the guard gestures towards the end of the block. "The D.A. called in, said they had a clerical "hiccup" with your case."

Stepping up to the guard, Light dares to ask "They're letting me go on a technicality?"

Gruff expression on the officer's face, this isn't how justice is meant to be served, he regretfully admits "Apparently. You got some luck for a felon."

Months ago Light might've sneered, even laughed at the man's anger at seeing a "criminal" go... But all he can muster is "I'll have to turn this luck into an opportunity then."

The last gate to freedom opens, the smell of the ocean growing stronger by the second. Five months of dusty, stale air giving way to a multitude of salt, surf, and... life! No more "lights out", no more "contraband checks", and certainly no more fools "dropping the soap". If Watchman could reinvent himself in six months, why shouldn't he be able to? Besides, the air smells so much better outside, it's hard to imagine being without it for so long. With only the clothes on his back to his name, the former villain looks out to the future with arms wide open.

...

Then again, the man in the blue and white suit catches his attention. Leaning on the side of a black Mercedes, the sly smirk on his face raises warning flags in Light's mind.

"What are you smirking at?" the evil genius warns, a glare leveled as well for good measure.

"And a g'day to you too, mate."

Australian accent? That's different given the "swagger" these Jump City types speak with. "Do I know you?"

"C'mon now, I know a couple months in the pen hasn't made you slipp'ry." Offering a hand, the man introduces himself. "The name's Boomerang, Captain Boomerang."

Eyebrow raising a bit higher than a glare, Light suggests "A little far away from Central, wouldn't you say?"

Frowning, put off by the lack of a return to his handshake, the ace criminal offers "And you're a long shot away from the top of the heap yourself. Listen, I didn't come here to argue, I came here because we thought you might be interested in a job."

"Sorry but I've had my fill of crime as of late. I just got out from a technicality and the last thing I want to do is ruin this chance."

A snap of the fingers, Boomer informs the good doctor. "You mean that little number I pulled on the D.A.'s database? Such amateurs, you Jump types, never saving the important stuff on paper..."

Now that's a surprise indeed, more than the sight of seeing one of Flash's rogues this far West. "So you're the reason? Awfully generous but why would you go and do that?"

"Three can be a triple decker, mate, but four of a kind can be down right lethal."

"Four? Who else is involved?" Not the world's best sales pitch but if it gets him out of serving time...

"It'll be better if you make your introduction in person, make them feel like you're a member of the team." Gesturing towards the car, Boomer calls Light to get into the vehicle. "Trust me, you'll have a blast."

Looking towards the car, and the potential to do something that's certainly not law-abiding... or walk away to an unknown future of civilian-hood.

"... Yeah, maybe it'll brighten my day."

"So, why'd you end up in the pen? No one ever filled me in on the details."

The car rides so smooth, you'd never even know Boomerang came inches from cutting off a tractor trailer. Light, however, hasn't missed this fact in the slightest. "Long story short, got involved with Scarecrow during one of his runs through the city. Got hopped up on his Never Fear gas and decided to destroy City Hall and the Teen Titans all at once... The building was destroyed but I never got killed by two of those Titans."

"Funny, I heard the Titans don't kill people."

"They don't but one of them was only helping them defeat me. He's a bigger threat right now than they are."

School buses shouldn't be taking the left lane up, it's a speeding lane! "Ah, the rogue Titan? What was that bloke's name... Beast or something..."

"That used to be his name but now he goes by Watchman." Light's eyes might be looking forward but the image of Raven advancing on him, white psychic power breaking down his xenothium-powered attack... the roof tearing up, unable to move...

"Watchman?" more intrigued than aloof by that name. "Awfully brash name for a minor, huh?"

"He's more interested in taking down organized crime than masks, he shouldn't be a problem."

A pause for a moment before the master inventor asks, startled a bit. "Wait... is he the one that went missing last month?"

"What?"

"Yeah, I remember that story. They said "an ex-Titan" was taken to the hospital because of a fight with the Baptist. Real tore up, he was.. He was there almost two weeks before he disappeared one night. No one's seen or heard from him since."

This is an interesting development for Light, news was a little hard to come by in his cell. Looking across the Bay Bridge towards the city, he contemplates this fact in his mind. Maybe the gangs got to him afterall? Even Watchman said that only God was unstoppable... Such a shame, he was starting to show potential... "Killed or not, he hasn't been seen since, right? That'll make whatever you people are planning easier, right?"

"Now you're catching on. Starting to wonder when you'd sound like your old self. Hell, they told me you were a bumbling, drug-ridden nutjob."

Eyes narrowing, that horrible legacy still on people's minds. "I'm not the man I used to be. Those five months will prove that."

With the Titans down to five for the first time in over a year, the team's daily training exercises have taken a harder edge than the previous 6-person format. Not that seven years of practice hasn't made their styles into artforms but, like the Boy Wonder (and perhaps Batman) would suggest, "there's always room for improvements".

Then again, just because it's "mandatory" training, doesn't mean they need to stay together afterwards. While the other four split off towards the living room, Raven backs away towards her room. Back to the gloomy abyss, the sun only peering in through dark curtains. Books neat and organized, the bed pristine, just as comfortable as a person's bedroom should be... So why the hell does this feeling persist? The curtain's just begging to let the sun in, the window open to let in the smell of the sea, and perhaps maybe it'll bring some life into this damn place!

Floating over to the bed, the source of her internal conflict rests on top of the sheets, staring back at her. The worn cover, marked with scratches and the word "JOURNAL" in writing clearly not of her own. Just as it rests on her own bed, so did it lie on his in the same fashion when she arrived on scene. He had vanished, the security cameras disabled, and the police arriving too late to stop his abduction. And now, a full month after his disappearance, there's still no clues as to who might've gotten to him. The gangs haven't stepped forth to claim their kill, the police didn't arrest him, and he hasn't called...

Levitating over the bed, cross-legged, she opens to a page half-way through and starts reading again as though reading one of her dozens of normal books. She made sure Robin didn't get a chance to read the pages; each page was an entry into Gar's mind. Knowing Robin, he'd twist the words into potential clues for investigations, the names for suspects... and totally miss the heart of each paragraph. It's not unexpected that stress of leadership can make a person harden.. but a blow to one's pride at having lost two teammates as well as "the reputation" of his team might've pushed his friendship with Gar off the cliff.

"Who would've thought one person could... change so much in the space of ten months? When he left, he was the wise-cracking, goofy, caring person he'd been probably all his life. In almost a year though he'd been put through hell, living a life of vagrancy and vigilantism, and all to do what we do but without asking for the benefits. Maybe he had this side in him all along? He never went into detail about his early life so it's possible he was stronger than we thought he'd be...?"

Startled, the sound of a knock brings her mind back from the pages and to the person at her door.

"Yes?"

"Raven, it is me. Are you not feeling well?"

A sigh on her lips, the alien princess must be bored... Robin must be working overtime today. "I'm feeling fine, Starfire. You can open the door you know."

Promptly the door does open, closing behind her. Shy, even after this long knowing each other, she apologizes "I know you do not like people coming to your room."

"Well you're already in here so," closing the book, putting it under the pillow, she continues "what's on your mind?"

Rubbing her arm, the princess floats as Raven would, Indian-style but seeming more nervous than anything. "I am becoming worried about Robin. He seems to be.. distant the last few weeks."

"He probably has a lot on him mind, Starfire. It's been a hectic two months for him." Not to mention "burying" two of his former teammates doesn't help.

"Perhaps you are right... But it's more than just stress I feel. When I ask him about Be.. Garfield, he seems to grow cold at his name. It is as though he does not consider him to be our friend."

"How so?"

An inward shiver on her part, perhaps a memory unspoken? "He believes that Garfield chose to leave without telling us where he was going. He even went as far as to say he believes he is hiding from the police because of that woman's death in North Jump City."

The pages still fresh in her mind, the woman named Kristine's death wasn't full of details but if only he knew her connection to Garfield. "Star, no one knows what happened to him. Robin doesn't, the police don't, even I don't know. I'd use my magic but if he wanted to be found, he wouldn't be hiding this long."

"Do you believe he is still alive then?"

Star's hopeful expression seems a contrast to Raven's grim realism... Still, it won't do the team any good for their one ray of sunshine to be overcast. "I bet he's alive out there, probably living in an old factory somewhere. He'll be back Star."

"I hope he returns soon. Perhaps he can make things better around here again. The Tower has become very serious since he left..."

Ain't that the truth. "I know what you mean, Star." Well, if Robin isn't going to entertain his girlfriend... perhaps one time for her friend won't be too far out of her comfort zone. "Tell you what, how about you get Argent and the three of us will go out to the mall?"

That changed the mood in a heartbeat. "Oh you mean it?"

The grin sliding onto Raven's face, however small, is just what the mood needed. "Don't get too excited Star, you'll fall out of mid-air there. And yes, I do mean it."

Mercedes pulling into the open doors of a Jump City Docks warehouse, Boomer turns off the engine and exits the vehicle. Light inspects the warehouse as he vacates the car, noticing the dusty windows cast a shadow on most of the building. It seems these people aren't willing to shill the money for decent lighting; hopefully they're not skimping to the point of robbing purses and parking meters.

"Follow me."

Across the open space, through the receiver's office, and finally into the front office, the pair reach their destination. Computers are set up, wireless radio detectors and televisions... Looks like a sophisticated hub for basing a small-time HQ.

"Well, I'm impressed. Did these fall off a truck somewhere?" Light remarks with a hint of sarcasm.

"No..." the smooth, foreign drawl of a woman's voice beckons to their side.

Two pairs of eyes look up to the sight of a man wearing a white fire-proof suit in the shape of a firefly... and to Light's amazement, a woman with dark hair and piercing eyes stands with her hand on her hip. Not the world's greatest looking woman but it's one thing this woman doesn't give a damn about.

"Hey I know you." Light remarks, pointing and trying to get his mind to spit out a name. "You worked with the Brotherhood, didn't you?"

The name tastes like acid to her, best not to say it and further the sting. "Formerly but now I've moved on to better things. As you might've heard, my name is Madame Rouge.. You've already met Captain Boomerang.. and the man to my right, you can refer to him by him as Firefly."

The fire-toting mercenary doesn't offer a hello or anything, only turning to Rogue and asking sharply "Think it's safe bringing him into this? He's been in prison since the end of June."

"He'll do his part to the best of his ability just as you better do your's. We're not here to get into a pissing match, we're here to make some money."

"And how do you propose to do that?" Light asks, bitter at Firefly's lack of respect towards him with the prison remark. "You have some tech here but you'll need more than that in this city."

A derisive laugh from the other three only agitates the doctor further. Rouge speaks up for the men by retorting "This city is nothing compared to Gotham or Central. It's been shielded by the League for so long that it doesn't know what a true criminal threat even looks like. That's why it's the right place to set up operations."

"And we don't just have technology, chap." Boomer chimes in. "Unlike the kids who run amok in this town, we happen to have years of experience under our collective belts. Between Firefly's hot-head, our brilliant minds, and Rouge's expertise, we'll be running this town by Christmas."

An honest point, even for Light to admit. A pyro, an inventor, a shapeshifter, and a physicist might be a stretch but it could do some damage in a city like this...

... But where does it all lead to? Is it worth going back to robbing banks like the JCRB? No, there has to be a greater meaning to all this or it'd be a waste to even stay out of jail... Good thing inspiration comes in the weirdest of places... or people.

"You say you want to make some serious money, right?" Light asks, judging their collective reactions. "I don't mind making money myself and I don't mean a nine-to-five either. But I can tell you the only money in this city worth gaining doesn't hold itself in a civilian bank."

Rouge's dark grin grows slightly by this statement, seeing between the lines. "Then where do you propose we get it from?"

If the Watchman couldn't defeat the gangs with firepower, maybe Light can kill those drug and gun peddlers with economics...

A/N2: There you go! The Fatal Four are back once again (Slade isn't in this version for reasons which will be shown later). Madame Rouge, Firefly, Captain Boomerang, and (a somewhat reluctant) Doctor Light. I think Gar's revelation that a person can change affected Light, especially after the incident with Scarecrow and (earlier) with White Rabbit. A man can "choose" his path, not always the destiny, but never-the-less his path. So instead of taking up a small path (robbing simple banks and department stores), Light's about to take revenge on the people that made him the "Junkie" he was rather than go after the people that "made him go crazy"... for now.
Robin seems to be growing colder as of late...

Trivia:
- Arc name a reference to "Bad Moon Rising" by Creedence Clearwater Revival. The lyrics are perfect for that feeling of dread before a night out.

Rhetorical:
... Raven seemed to hide that journal faster than I would've thought normal...