Chapter 4 helping hand

Cyborg woke up and looked next to where he sat. Jinx leaned against his metallic shoulder and had her hands wrapped around one of his. He smiled and was about to touch her face when he realized how cold his free must be. He placed it on his forehead until it was warm. Cyborg reached over and touched Jinx's cheek gently and kissed her head. She raised her head and smiled at him. Cyborg's eyes grew as he saw a pattern on his shoulder imprinted on her face where she laid on him. Cyborg quickly turned away before he laughed out loud and woke everyone. "You o.k. Stone?" Jinx ducted her head. "Sorry, Cyborg."

He looked back at her seriously and said, "Jinx, I want you to call me Stone." She smiled at him and gave him a warm hug. "Did you know that used to my last name? Before I became a Titan." She shook her head with out looking at him. "Victor Stone...." He placed his arm around her shoulders to hug her back before standing up. Cyborg silently unplugged himself from the battery well, and looked at Gizmo and Mammoth. Both ex-HIVE agents were snoring on the bed. Mammoth's feet and arms hung over the edges of the bed and Gizmo snored sprawled out like a cat at the foot of the bed.

Jinx decided to drop what she was going to say, and went to kick her friends awake. "Hey wake up you bums. You slept long enough." Gizmo was kicked off the bed when Mammoth woke up with a start. "Geez, don't wake me like that!" Mammoth shook himself awake and stood next to Gizmo who was rubbing his baldhead.

"O.k. time to get food." Gizmo stretched and said, "Mammoth you get it." That immediately got both of them into an argument.

Jinx pulled Cybrog aside and said, "I don't think we should do any movements towards the Hive right now, I still feel Brother Bloods' eyes on me. It gives me the creeps. We need to make sure that I gotten us all completely free."

Cyborg looked at her before saying, "How would you feel if I brought in some outside help."

Jinx said, "You don't mean all the Titans do you?" She sounded more anxious than angry.

"Just one. She'll definitely be a big help." Jinx gave him hurt look. "Heh, don't get jealous Jinx. You're the only one for me." She reddened then nodded to him. He pulled out his communicator. "Raven. Sorry if I woke you up but I need your help."

Fifteen minutes later Black energy enveloped the room. When it left Raven stood in the middle of the room. "Sorry it took so long. The guys wanted to know where I was going and I told them I had to go help a few friends."

Jinx eyed Raven shrewdly. "Raven." She finally said curtly.

"Jinx." Said Raven in a level tone.

Cyborg looked at the two's battle of wills and said, "Will you two knock it off already? Raven just got here and we need help."

Jinx suddenly snapped out of her stare turned glare and said, "Sorry Stone."

Mammoth and Gizmo came into the room, "Hey guys! Chicken for breakfast! Who wants some!"

Raven looked at the two. "Hey what is Goth-girl doing here? What are you looking at pasty? Hey I am talking to you, not at you! Say something."

Raven simply looked at Cyborg before saying, "I do not mind who you make friend with Cyborg but if doesn't stop insulting me, he'll see how pasty he will get." Cyborg took the idle threat at face value.

"Raven is here Gizmo because we need her help, unless you feel like going back to Brother Blood as a failed agent."

Gizmo deflated. "Geez Stone, can't either of you take a joke?"

He hovered off to the table where he and Mammoth began to eat. Jinx walked over to join them. "Stone?" asked Raven mystified.

"Well, they are used to it and its weird for all of us to have me called Cyborg when they new me as Stone. Or something like that." Scratching his head.

Raven nodded. "I get it, Cyborg is a Teen Titan the enemy. Stone is a fellow HIVE agent, their friend."

"Er right." Cybrog said relieved that she understood immediately.

Raven smiled at him and said, "Go eat Cyborg." Raven looked to Jinx who eyed the two of them cautiously. Raven smiled and nodded at her. She stiffly nodded back before she continued to eat.

Cyborg was about to take a bite into his chicken when he stopped and then looked at Gizmo. "This isn't stolen is it?"

"Why are you asking me! Something might be stolen and you go strait to me? Mammoth was there too!"

Cybrog placed down his chicken. "Is it stolen Gizmo."

Mammoth simply placed another piece of chicken in his mouth and ate while he watched Gizmo squirm. "Not really." He saw Cyborg about to explode when he said quickly. "I made a tab! I'll pay it then o.k. Happy now?" Cyborg grunted and began to eat his chicken in earnest.

After the four ex-Hive agents finished eating Jinx described what she found in how the mind control worked. "Well there is no other way now than to try to mess with it. Cyborg come over here we need a you to be a base line to compare everyone else to." Cyborg sat down on a chair and Raven moved to his right side and Jinx to his left. Both Raven and Jinx closed their eyes when their hands began to glow slightly.

"O.k., Mammoth come over here now. Move Cyborg." Raven said very seriously. They repeated the process with Mammoth. This time their hands glowed brighter before stopping.

Raven looked at Gizmo but didn't say anything. "Didn't know you could hold a grudge Raven. Gizmo get over here." Jinx smiled easily when Raven turned to look at her, but didn't refute her comment.

When they were done Raven sat down a little tired. "I am amazed you were able to do this on your own Jinx. I never seen mind control like this." Cyborg, Mammoth and Gizmo all looked like they wanted to ask questions. Raven answered them before they could ask. "Well, with normal mind control of any level the control catalyst, for a lack of a better word, is usually in the motor functions of the brain and rooted in that one spot. With you four, it covers your entire brain. Think of it like ink being put into water. It spreads and stains the water. Your minds are like that right now. What Jinx did to herself and to the two of you." She pointed to Gizmo and mammoth. "is literally burn off some of his influence, but there is still a lot there. He can't control your mind now since that is where she concentrated her power, but he can still control your body, or your powers. And with what Jinx had told me what happened to her yesterday, even your dreams. Which isn't good, specially for people like her and me who manifest out powers through our minds."

"So what can you do about it?" Mammoth said before Gizmo said anything stupid.

"What me and Jinx can do is the same what she did on her own, but one of us will need to burn and the other watch and protect your minds. This is where you all make a choice."

Jinx knew what was coming and inhaled. "You need to choose who you want for which job. Your minds are already tensed just by Raven being here. So you will need to decide if you want me to protect your mind, or burn what's left of the mind control that is still in your mind. If you tense up with me either being open to you or rebel to me entering your mind it could be dangerous. This is the same for Raven."

Mammoth said, "How dangerous Jinx?" Jinx stepped forward and said, "You might not be able to work as any kind of agent. Your body would not work the way you would tell it to. And for this kind of work..." She did not finish.

"And your not worried when it has to be Raven by your self?" Gizmo looked at her skeptically.

"No i am not, its not death and I have alreay chosen that this would be my last mission." She looked meaningfully at Cyborg who smiled back.

"Oh great, the one person I would trust with anything doesn't even care if this works for herself." Gizmo threw his arms into the air.

"Then why do this then? What is the point if there is a chance you will fail?"

"Either way we would not fail in removing Brother Bloods' influence, it would just be a side effect if we do not do it properly." said Jinx while she and Raven moved to stand next to the bed.

"So we Choose or stay like this with the chance Brother Blood will mess with our minds." Mammoth scratched his head still weighing the options. "Well I hate having someone mess with my mind either way, but at least it would be Jinx and not Brother Blood. I am in. Jinx will be my burner."

"I'll need to do this two right?" asked Cyborg.

"Yes, even with your little contact with brother blood, its is as bad as you three, that was why I was worried when i first went to see your mind, I was worried theirs might be worse. " Gizmo and Mammoth both looked surprised. "The computer half of your mind keeps hold of your higher brain functions, but we still need to go through and make sure all influence is gone.

"I'll take Raven as my burner. Jinx take care of me." He said lightly. Jinx tried very hard not to blush.

"Well, since everyone else is doing it I guess I'll do it to. That didn't sound right did it? Damn it. Jinx you'll be my burner." Gizmo moved to the other side of the room to mess with his computer pack.

"Cyborg you will be first. Guys I don't know how long this will be but after a few hours get some food for everyone." Mammoth nodded and commented that he will even pay for it. Raven, Cyborg and Jinx shared an exasperated look.

"They were like that before I knew them." said Jinx half heartedly. Cybrog and Raven laughed.

Cyborg laid down. Raven and Jinx stood over him. Both concentrated for an instant and Cyborg was unconscious. Why didn't you tell them Raven?

Raven proceeded as if she didn't hear it but thought back to Jinx. What would you want me to tell them? I have far more control over my powers than you and should just do all the burns? It wouldn't work they would try and rebel against me, well not Cyborg.

Jinx wouldn't relent. But the difference in our powers in control is huge. Its like comparing a butter knife to a scalpel.

Raven nodded, But they don't know that and belief in themselves and their friends is what's going to carry them through this. If Mammoth and Gizmo decided to have me be their burner because we said I was better at it, I guarantee that they would have had side effects when we finished. I think you will do fine with the burns. I have seen what you have already done. She looked at Jinx then thought to her. You will do good. Trust, is what is going to see them through not skill.

Jinx nodded finally with out looking at Raven instead looked at Cyborgs' face. "I am ready Raven." Jinx's hands glowed violet over Cyborgs head.

"Alright but remember to pace yourself, we will still need to go through three more people after this." Ravens eyes and hands light up with black light