A/N: Sixty-Five reviews... Wow... Everyone, I make no apologies for my long update times. Truthfully, this story is REALLy starting to tax me emotionally. To maintain the constant "depression" that I need to get into frame of mind is exhausting. Plus, I had to re-write this chapter twice and I'm not really happy with it. I know how it ends, this arc, but this arc is just really sagging me. I want to get this story over with, mainly because the longer I stay with it, the more depressed I get. I love the reviews, I honestly do... The love you guys give me is a bit overwhelming sometimes, and I will finish this story because of you. The final Arc will be much easier to write... I was always on the fence about this arc, to the point I nearly scrapped it this morning..
Maybe I'm being too over-reactionary about it.. I've been awake nearly 40 hours with only 5 hours of sleep lately, so that could be it too.
The Watchman
---
Early the next morning, the team of Vigilante and Watchman arrive in downtown Jump City to a pitiful sight. Several buildings in a three-block radius have been ravaged, their windows shattered and impacts from unknown attacks leaving craters in their brick and contrete walls. Fire crews try to extinguish several fires while the police keep news crew away.
"Sure looks like a fight went down here, that's for sure." Vigilante muses, looking about the battlefield.
Gar, already off the bike, inspects a scorch mark on the ground. Picking at it, the scent registers off his fingers. "Napalm. Someone brought some heavy firepower.."
"Whoever it was sure as hell didn't want us around. At least communications back."
".. probably a flamethrower of some kind. Suspect someone new. Who?"
"Hey kid, you ok?" Vigilante asks
"Need to find out who did this. Most likely had friends with technology. Jamming's clear, able to transport if you wanted to. Carefully planned.."
"I wouldn't imagine you know Question, would you?" Vig asks, curious at the tone.
"Picked up some of his odd habits. I think he stole some of mine too."
No laugh from that humor.
"In any case, what do you want to do now then? Whoever done shot this place up high-tailed it long and past!"
Looking up at the building before him, Gar sees what appears to be claw marks streaking into the dark structure.
"Four claws, large... Too big for scorpions.."
"Well that's a bit of relief. We don't need anymore bugs shootin' up the town."
Gar continues to examine the scratch marks, impassive eyes reflecting no trace of thought... but that's what poker faces are for.
"Vigilante, thank you for helping me..."
"Hey, no problem Watchman." Vig offers, tipping his hat again.
"... but I need to do this myself."
"Whoa, wait a minute. I thought we were doin' this together?"
Gar turns to the hero, a smile nowhere in sight "The man who set this up wants me. League is too stretched already. Go."
"Are you sure? I could be a heap of.."
A growl "Yes! Go, damn it!"
Starting the engine again, the older hero offers a bit of advice. "Ok, I will. You take care of yourself, Watchman."
Turning away from him, Gar starts to walk away from the cowboy "Thanks, I'll tell that to the guy who did this. He'll need the advice better more than me."
---
Inside the Tower, chaos runs free. Bad enough there's a witch in an armcast and a robot with scratch marks.. but now even Starfire seems ready to kill. With all of that rage floating around, who'd suspect a lowly fly on the wall?
"Cyborg, how long until we can begin the search?" Robin asks, already tied into a conversation.
Arm computer beeping, Cyborg announces "Once Raven finishes healing Argent, we can move out."
"Then maybe she can tell us where the goofy Australian came from!" Jinx growls, upset by having her arm managled by an attacker the night prior.
"I thought he only worked in Central City. What the hell was he doing all the way out here?"
"That bitch probably paid him too. My sensors picked up that jamming device coming from his super boomerang-thing..."
"More importantly is how she got all of them to attack us. Its bad enough Ripper and Slade are still on the loose." Robin mutters, holding his chin in thought.
"At least you did not have to deal with the flying man of fire." Starfire replies, face twisting in unusual anger. Loose strands of hair are missing, burned off...
"Firefly was supposed to be in jail. Rouge must have broken him out too." Cyborg points out.
"I have never even heard of this Firefly and I wish to hurt him already!" Starfire curses, her fist ready to smash anything in her reach. "Why do the people of this planet have such a joy for fire anyway?"
"Because it can be used for good AND evil..." Gar's gravely voice remarks finally. The entire room turns to see him standing by the darkest wall in the living room, foot bracing him against the wall and eyes fixated on them all. "Lucky for him I'm not feeling good this morning."
"How long have you been there?" Robin asks, surprised by the former Titan's sudden arrival.
"Long enough. So the whore made her move, huh? Firefly, Captain Boomerang, and Rouge.. Anyone else?"
Cyborg, still not entirely used to the Watchman voice, cautiously replies "She had Cinderblock there too. Everytime we'd get close to her, she'd throw blockhead at us to keep us off center."
"Hmm, Cinderblock too. Interesting."
Robin watches as Gar's face drifts away from them and towards the floor, eyes focused but voice fading away. "Penny for your thoughts?"
"Cinderblock is from Jump City... Boomerang operates in Central, a Mid-West city.. Firefly's from the East Coast in Gotham.. The bitch comes from France... Make the connection."
"What connection?" Cyborg asks.
"Rhetorical question."
"Whatever, Gar. You're on to something and we'd like to know what it is!" Jinx yells across the room from the couch, eyes glowing pink.
"Ripper warned me of this attack. Said end of spring but came in the first two weeks. Rushed into action, something went wrong. Business deal defaulted..."
"Gar, you're starting to scare me man." Cyborg warns, not liking the way Gar's tone is picking up in speed.
"Do you know what is going to happen Watchman?" Starfire asks hopefully.
Turning from the group, Gar walks over to the window, pacing about as he does. The sunlight radiates down on him, casting a long shadow on the floor and furniture.
"Ripper could be controlling the group.. Brain abandons Rouge. She goes crazy. Ripper finds her, offers her work. Recruits a team for revenge. She attacks Titans while he comes after me? Possible? Probable?" Looking towards the door, opening to reveal two goth-looking women. Gar finds himself saying out loud "No."
"Gar? What are you doing here?" Raven asks, surprised to see the green teen after months of absence.
"We're bringing him up to speed about the attack last night. I think he's losing his mind." Jinx points out though with a smile. The look on Raven's face has more than earned this tiny bit of humor in a shitty situation.
"Rouge recruited three people from across the country. Fire, Earth, and Air.. She moves like water.. Elementals in effect.."
Raven walks over to him and shakes him "Gar, take a breath! You're going Question on us again."
Neither seem to notice the five teens below, watching in curiousity at the sight before them.
"Raven, think about it. Ripper confided in me that she was the whore of Bordeaux.. mocking the Whore of Babylon from the Bible. The connection of having all four as the nature elementals is an interesting mix. He's testing me again."
Quiet green eyes seem to be regaining their life, although its a fire that threatens to consume everything again.
"Gar, you don't even know if Ripper's controlling them." Raven counters. Damn it Gar, why can't you just be the way you used to be?
"He warned me on Christmas Eve of this. Last night was just the diversion.. I need a computer."
Breaking from her stare, Gar moves towards the main computer station and takes a seat. Not sure of what's going on but curious anyway, the Titans gather around the console. Typing with unreal speed, most likely learned from years of gaming, Gar brings up various bits of notes between the associates.
"Ripper may be testing me but he also betrayed something in his words. He's yet to lie to me the entire time he's spoken with me. He said they'd be attacking by the end of spring, as in June, right? Instead they attack at the BEGINNING of spring. This was told to me in Winter."
"So he was off a couple of weeks, what's your point?" Jinx asks irritably, the cast isn't fun when you're squeezed between a cyborg and a chair.
Typing up some data on a security camera of the battle last night, he finally hits the "ENTER" key and leans back in the chair.
"It seems the Titans and me aren't his only competition."
A collective gasp from the group echoes across the room. Fittingly, Robin announces the name with a sense of disgust.
"Slade..."
Gar's tone turns even darker "Ripper attacking the Titans didn't sit well with Slade. If things were bad now..."
"They're about to get much worse." Raven finishes.
Gar gets up to give the chair to Robin. Obviously the Boy Wonder has some research to do now that his nemesis appears to be involved in the plan. Flipping on the lighter a few times, Watchman informs them in a very Q-like way "Need to process this.." Hands in his pockets, he walks out of the room for the hallway leading to the roof.
His delicate hearing, even beyond the room, can hear the dry voice of Raven excusing herself from the room. Sometimes its scary just how easy he can predict her actions, almost like a wife..
What?
---
The metal door to the roof swings open and Gar comes walking out, painstakingly calm. Each step into the air feels like a step into the unknown.. Slade's involvement complicates matters. What could Jump City's most sadistic man want with a man who's very close to tying him for that title? Clash of territory... a clash of ideas... could he be watching him? Who watches the Ripper? Too many questions..
Lillacs.. fabric softener.. 5...4...3...2..1...
"Gar?"
Bingo.
"Sorry if I worried you." Gar offers. "Shit gets crazy in my head sometimes."
"Gee, I haven't noticed." You don't have to see her to know those purple eyes are rolling. "You're gonna give Rob a heartattack if you keep doing the Rorschach thing in front of him."
"Raven, how bad was the fight yesterday?" Gar asks, tone starting to show signs of emotions again.
"Honestly? It wasn't the worst fight we ever had. Firefly got a shot in on Starfire and Boomerang almost killed Argent... It could've been worse."
Gar turns back to face his dear friend, eye starting to water a bit. "I wanted to be there. Someone distracted me out in Nevada though. Troop convoy got attacked by some kind of mechanical/rock scorpion hybrid. A guy I was with got his face blown off."
Feeling the emotion radiating from Gar's body, she can feel bits of grief enter her own heart. "I'm sorry."
"People die everyday. They just seem to pile more on everyday though." Now he stares back at the bay, trying to will away the coming tears.
Time to change the subject before this episode begins again.. Gotham was a city of tears, Jump City doesn't need to be either. "Why don't you ever call? You used to before Gotham."
A whole-hearted laugh, surprising the Goth and Gar himself. "Why don't I call? Raven, I never thought I'd ever hear that coming from you."
"That supposed to be a joke?" Humor's only funny when the conversation's not serious.
"No. Just found it ironic. I never imagined you'd want me to call you, that's all." Why can't it be winter? At least you can blame the cold wind for burning feelings on your cheeks..
"I think I can handle a phone call from you now and again. It'd be nice not having to see you only in emergencies."
Gar flips the lighter on and off... Ears twitch, sweat starting to form... Eyes moving about faster than usual... Unsteady breathing, heartbeat up.. The urge to smile... Fear of loss.. Say something!
"Rae.."
As Gar turns to meet this woman so often desired from a distance, he sees the violet eyes widen strangely. Not a plesant surprise, nor one of care... One of alarm, of fear...
Heat at his back, smell of burning fuel. Three seconds to Purgatorio..
A shout, lighter remains on... Black stream of energy, lighter flame is hit.. Black-fueled flame connects against a napalm flame fired from Firefly...
Dropping to the ground, Gar turns back to his would-be attacker. No voice echoes from the domed helmet of the Gotham pyromaniac-for-hire.. No need for words when the air is being sucked up by the flame. Reality sets in.. what comes next is the element burning inside him: Anger.
Flamethrower cutting off to cool down, Gar leaps forward off of the Tower roof and catches the pyro in a bearhug. Ignoring Raven's calls to be careful, he spins his body, forcing the suit against its boosters and natural gravity towards the ground.
Crashing onto the rocks below, the suit is damaged and broken. Unable to fly, he's lucky enough to gather a flame in his weapon. Standing no more than five feet apart now, Gar can feel the heat radiating against his skin, sending sweat droplets pouring down. Red alarms go off inside of the tower but Firefly has enough time to get a few shots in.
Diving from rock to rock, Gar avoids the scorching heat while Raven gains her bearings, leaping down towards the attacker. A jet of red flame slams into her psychic shield and, within a few seconds, throws her back against the gravel herself.
"Raven.." Gar whispers. Although not hurt, Raven is indeed feeling the blast. Not burned but the force of landing back first into a pile of rocks is enough to cause anyone pain.
Before Firefly can unleash another blast, a red stream of energy snakes its way across the space between them. Along with the other Titans behind her, Argent lands before them with a look of rage in her own ruby eyes. "You want to play with fire, insect? Give me a try."
Stepping back, the pyro must be lamenting the loss of surprise. With his helmet damaged, he doesn't even seem able to communicate with the group either. Either unmask or unload in a futile effort, his back to the bay..
Never corner a madman!
Aiming his torch below him, and hoping to God his suit can handle the heat, he fires an intense blast of flame that forces the group to pull back quite a distance to avoid the inferno. Skillfully, the former technician aims the flames away from his body but at the same time creating a protective barrier for the meantime.
"Is that supposed to scare me?" Raven warns dangerously, stepping forward from the others. White eyes gaze out onto the cold water of the Jump City Bay.. A flood of water rises up above the flame and drops down onto the villain. In a second's flash, the fire is gone, replaced with steaming cinders..
"You were going to kill Gar, weren't you? You were going to set him on FIRE in front of ME, WEREN'T YOU?!"
Fear. Fear of the woman approaching... fear of the woman defending the target. They said she had issues.. This isn't issues, these are epics!
As she raises her hand, she asks "Which dimension would you like to go to? I'd send you to hell but you'd fit in, wouldn't you freak?!"
---
As luck would have it though, Firefly doesn't need to answer. A flying wing, shaped in a V comes streaking by the water and lands next to Firefly. An exit procured, the pyro jumps on the craft and flies off across the bay. Captain Boomerang's invention has just paid off in spades, much to the Titans chagrin.
"Bastard.." Raven curses, saving the feeling for their next encounter.
"Remind me to beat that Aussie's head in next time I see him," Cyborg growls before apologizing "No offense."
"New Zealand, remember?"
"Hey, where's Gar?" Rae asks as she notices the green vigilante missing from the rocks.
"He was just here a second ago.." Cyborg replies, looking around for the teen as well. How the hell did he just vanish like that?
Reaching out across the area psychically... Feeling... Where are you? .. Moving Northwest... Fast.. Too fast to be flying.. No!
"No!"
"What? Raven, what's wrong?"
"He's hitch-hiking on Firefly's back as a fly! If he pulls another Gotham, his mind's gonna snap for real!"
---
Flying over the city, Firefly is oblivious to the green bug holding on for dear life. She'll hate him for trying this again but he doesn't intend to play nice. Rouge wants him and this is the only way to keep them safe. Besides, finding the whore means finding Ripper... Connection made, questions answered, justice will be served.. Even if he has to rip that evil smile right out of his head!
---
A/N2: So, there it is. Gar's gonna Trojan Horse this once again.. but will lightning strike twice? It'll be nice to finally write ol' Bommerang, I liked his character. I always imagined that if he and Argent ever met, there'd be a Rumble-from-down-Under. And yes, Slade is finally in this piece.. but I GUARANTEE YOU its not the way you think. If he on Ripper's side, is he against him, is he the one planning all of this? You'll have to see.
Trivia:
- The comment about epics is based on a joke at my own expense. Someone once told me "Erick, you don't have issues, you have epics." Raven definitely would have epics.
Again, I'm sorry if this isn't as good as you would've hoped. With luck the rest of the story will come out alright in my head. I have off work Monday night, I might be able to wrap it up then... Arc Five, now THAT'S gonna be cool.