Chapter Eight-Short Circuited

Cyborg went into his room, drained of energy. He laid down, plugging himself in to recharge, when suddenly every fiber and circuit of his being felt like it had caught fire. Cyborg let out an anguished scream that resonated throughout the tower. The blackness took him quickly.

Raven started when she heard the scream, dropping her book and gliding toward Cyborg's room. She was met by Starfire and Beast Boy.

"Dude, did you…?"

"I heard it."

Raven used her dark energy to move the door, then gasped at what she saw.

Sparks flew around his body, and the recharging cord attached to him shot the most sparks. Raven immediately severed it, and the three Titans moved closer, Raven in the lead.

"Cyborg…dude?" Beast Boy said attentively.

Raven bent down and examined him. "He's unconscious."

"Well, duh." Illusion stood in the doorway, having taken control again while Mirage panicked after the conversation with Robin. She leaned casually against the entrance to Cyborg's room.

"I made sure he would be. It wasn't that hard. You Titans are so dense."

Starfire gasped in shock. "Friend Mirage, how could you do this surely horrible and…"

"It's not Mirage," Raven growled.

Illusion smirked. "Robin told me—or should I say Mirage—that you had found me out." Her eyes lingered n Beast Boy. "It's too bad that you had to first meet my weaker side. She won't be a problem for long."

"She's not the problem."

Robin stood behind her, body tense in case Illusion decided to strike. He noticed a lengthening patch of shimmering air forming around Illusion's hand, becoming the same sword Robin had seen before. She turned quickly as Robin blocked her blow with his bo staff/

"What does the emerald do?"

"I'll be able to control Mirage, control our powers…and control the minds of others."

Suddenly Robin found fog rolling in around Illusion, and then she was gone.

"Dude, what happened?" Beast Boy demanded.

"She used her powers to place herself elsewhere. If she concentrates on making reality false long enough, she does so."

Beast Boy's eyes bugged out. "You mean she was here but now she's there because she thought she wasn't here? Dude, my brain cannot work that fast!"

Rabin paced. "We need a plan."

"Ok," Beast Boy started drawing furiously on a black board. "…Mirage is obviously the victim of a plot by, like, super advanced aliens to turn everyone into double-minded robots. The only other theory is that, like, she's been brainwashed by the vampire Queen, who wants us as her evil minions!"

Raven rolled her eyes. "Can we talk logically?"

"Dude, that is logical!"

Robin shot a long glance at Beast Boy, who sat down at length.

"Beast Boy said that when Illusion took over, it was like she was a totally different person."

"Maybe she is." Raven said slowly.

"But what does this have to do with Brother Blood?"

At that moment, the screen began to blink with the location of Illusion. Robin moved to the screen. He spoke half to himself, half to the rest of the team. "We need to get Illusion cornered. Mirage is inside her somewhere. We need to get her to listen."

Raven nodded silently and Beast Boy assumed the same expression. They knew they were the ones who would have to act.