Ok, I've finished my first songfic and have now returned to finish this baby off! Most humble thanks to everyone who reviewed Automatic for the People and gave my ego a healthy boost!
Chap. 9
Night Shift
After Brett heard about the problems that were going on, things between the BRATS and the Titans calmed down. The guys promised to try to keep their habits under control. So for the next day, everyone got along. But on that night, things began to change.
WHOOOOOOOP! WHOOOP! Blasted the alarm throughout the Tower. Robin through back his sheets and leapt out of bed. Looks like it's time to go to work. He thought as he pounded on everybody's door, making sure that they were up. Of course, this was met with more then a few "I'm up, I'm up." "Shut up, I'm coming." and a couple, "IT'S THREE IN THE MORNING!" But eventually, everyone was up and standing with Robin in the control room. The boy wonder's hands flew over the computer as he tired to isolate the signal. "Are you sure you hooked the tracer up right?" he asked Martin. "Positive." he replied. "Brett showed me how to do it." "Hey, where is batboy anyway?" asked Beast Boy as he rubbed his eyes. "He must still be out." Bart answered. "He slept through the alarm and Robin pounding on his door?" asked Raven. "Hey, Brett's like a rock when he's out. We once got so bushed, he fell asleep at a Metallica concert." said Milhouse. "Well somebody's got to go get him. Beast Boy..." said Robin. "Aww why me?" "He's a man-bat, and you're the next best thing. You probably know how to wake him up somehow." muttered Robin, as he pushed Beast out of the room and into the hall. "But why can't one of the BRATS.." said Beast Boy as the door slammed shut on him. Grumbling, he began to make his way down to Brett's room.
"Brett! Wake up dude! Come on, we've got an emergency!" Beast Boy pounded on the door as hard as he could, but nothing was working. Sighting, he pulled the door open and walked in. As the door shut behind, he realized that he was stuck in perfect blackness. "Where's the light switch?" he muttered as he felt along the wall. But strangely, he couldn't seem to find it. "Fine, I'll do it the hard way. How far can his bed be anyway?" Slowly Beast Boy began to make is way forward. But he had barely gone three feet when he bumped into something hanging from the ceiling. In his surprise, he lost his balance and fell down. As he started to pull himself up, there was a yawn and then Brett's voice saying, "I don't know what time it is. All I know is that you'd better say that either the Tower's on fire, Slade's made his move, or something just exploded." "Number two, actually." replied Beast Boy as he got up. A pair of red eyes suddenly opened in front of him, and Brett said, "Lights." The light then came on, revealing to Beast Boy one of the strangest sights he'd ever seen. Brett was right in front him, but he was upside down. He'd wrapped himself in gauzy wings that unfolded from his arms, and using his clawed feet, he'd been hanging upside down from a pipe that ran from the ceiling. As Beast Boy watched, he unwrapped his wings, spread them out for a minute, and then with a quick flick of the wrist, caused them to fold up along his forearms. Then his feet let go of the pipe, causing him to land on his hands. Thankfully, he'd been wearing pajama bottoms, so Beats Boy was spared a horrible vision. With a quick flip, he righted himself and was looking right at Beast Boy's face. "I take it everyone else is up?" he asked. "Yup." "Okay then." said Brett, as he started to walk out of the room. "Ah dude," said Beast Boy. "Shouldn't you put something else on?" Brett paused in the doorway, and hen said, "Good idea." The black-blue flames covered him again, and when they vanished, he was wearing jeans, a black T-shirt, and a torn vest. "Let's ride." He said as he walked out the door. Beast Boy followed, asking, "So about the ceiling thing..."
"Sorry, I'm late." said Brett as he met the groups in the garage a minute later. "Don't worry about it, let's just head out." said Robin from the inside of the BRAT's car. Brett quickly shifted gears and became Nightstalker once again. Heading to the passenger seat, he quickly jumped in. "Hold on." Said Bartamn, as he revved up the car to it's max. Finally removing the brake, he shot the car out the door and shifted it to fly mode. As it flew along, Starfire suddenly asked, "Can the car hover while standing still?" "Yeah, why?" asked Heatstrike. The young alien pointed to the window, where a green-skinned monkey was hanging on for dear life. "I knew we forgot something." said Cyborg, as Bartman slowly stopped the car and allowed Beast Boy to hop in.
Minutes later, the car landed on top of the Jump City Historical Museum. The two teams quickly exited as Robin began to look around for a way in. "Whatever happened to the big windows they used to have on the roof?" he muttered when he realized there was no way in. "If I might offer a suggestion?" said Bartman suddenly. The purple-clad hero walked over to a spot on the roof. Kneeling down, he suddenly pulled his arm back and drove it into the roof. A large, circle shaped section popped out and headed for the floor, but Bartman managed to grapple it before it hit. "Well that's one way to get in." said Cyborg. Robin fitted his grappling hook to a nearby pole and started to climb down. Turning to Bartman, he said, "Next time, can you please not destroy public property?" "Hey man, it worked didn't it?" was the reply.
When everybody had gotten inside, Robin asked, "So where's the gem being kept?" "The guide said it was in the west wing." said Neuron. "According to my sensors, that's where we are now." said Cyborg. Suddenly, Beast said, "Look!" Everyone turned to see a display case, just like al the other in the museum. Except this one had nothing inside. Polar went over and read the inscription written on the card. "It was the gem all right." He said sadly. "UHH!" cried Robin as he pounded his fist into his hand. "We're too late!" "Maybe not." said Raven. She knelt down and picked a folded piece of paper near the case. On it was Slade's symbol. "Let me see that." said Nightstalker, taking the note from her hand. Unfolding it, he began to read.
Dear enemies,
It was a pleasure to learn that I would be would be facing not only the Titans, but my old friends the WILDB.R.A.T.S as well! Since both of you have managed to work together so well, I've decided to give you a fair chance to stop me. My hideout is in one of five different places in the city's north, west, east, south, and dock sections. You have until eight a.m. to find me.
Warmest personal regards
Slade
Finishing the note, Nightstalker crumpled it up and threw it away. "Great. So we've got five hours to search the entire city. How is that playing fair?" "Dude, he's the bad guy." answered Beast Boy. "Besides," said Robin. "this does tighten the search. All right, we're going to have to split up. Bartman and I will take the north. Starfire, you and Whimpernel take the south. Beast Boy and Neuron, east. Cyborg, take Polar and Heatstrike west. Raven, you and Nightstalker head for the docks." "Ah, can I get another partner?" asked Raven. "Well, won't this be fun." Sighed the man-bat. "All teams, we've got five hours, let's get going."
