Chapter Six: Freak

Quick Sticky: I've barrowed Wolverine's powers and stuck them on my made up character so please don't say I didn't say so already. Adamantium doesn't belong to me either, by the way...

A big brother; that was what he would have been if fate had been kinder to him. Beast Boy sighed quietly enough so no one could hear him. The investigation brought back memories of Galtry, which in turn, brought back memories of his parents.

He remembered when his mother told him she was going to have a baby. He had been so happy about it. He had always wanted a sibling. It was lonely in Upper Lamumba where he lived in a remote area near a tribal village. He had friends like Zanta, but it was still lonely.

The prospect of a sibling made him happy. During those nine months, he had often talked to the baby, though a few people thought it was odd. Now that life was gone. Snuffed out with the waters that had taken his parents from him, and destroyed the person he had never had the privilege of knowing.

He was sitting on the couch in Titans Tower as Robin was once again pacing around the living room. "How could we let him get away like that?" he said to himself. "I should've stayed awake!"

"Uh, Dude, we didn't know he had the needle tranquilizer thingies with him," Beast Boy said.

"He's right, Robin, we weren't expecting that," Cyborg said. "I'm still dizzy from whatever he put in that thing."

"It was not whatever was injected into this Nicholas Galtry person," Starfire said. "We are still alive."

"How do we know that?" Raven asked. "We could have the disease for all we know."

"We don't have it," Beast Boy said. "He said he wouldn't kill us, remember?"

"I can't quite figure it out," Robin said in frustration. "If Dr. Death wishes to kill, then why did he not kill us?"

"I don't know, I mean, we want to stop him, why not take us out?" Cyborg frowned. This Dr. Death is a strange man, that's for sure."

"Strange indeed," Raven murmured. "Beast Boy you okay?" she asked. Beast Boy jumped. He'd been thinking about his parents during the conversation and had drifted into his thoughts.

"Uh—Yeah—I'm fine," he said hastily covering his embarrassment. "I was just thinking, that's all."

"Are you sure you're alright B.B.?" Cyborg asked. "You've been acting distracted lately."

"I'm fine, honest. I'm just a little worn out right now." Cyborg looked at him funny. This wasn't normal Beast Boy behavior.

"Well, maybe some pizza will make you feel better," Robin said. "Anyone hungry for some pizza?"

They all immediately said yes and piled into the T-Car. Driving down to their favorite pizza place, they stood in line. "What do you guys want? Robin asked.

"Veggie!" Beast Boy shouted.

"Pepperoni and Sausage!" Cyborg retorted.

"Whatever everybody wants," Raven said. "I would prefer olives on mine."

"I shall not say what I want lest I embarrass myself but if you must know I want pineapple since I have seen it on pizza before," Starfire said.

"Will you guys be quiet for a minute?" Robin asked. "I can hardly decide what to get without Cyborg and Beast Boy yelling in my ear!"

"Why not get a pizza with a little bit of everything on it?" a voice asked behind them. They turned around to see where it came from. Before them was a little girl. She had to be about 10 years old by Robin's guess and she had dark black hair and dark eyes. She acted uncomfortable with their eyes fixed on her, but managed to smile.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help it," the girl smiled. Robin gave her a grin.

"Thanks for the advice." She grinned at him.

"What's your name?" Beast Boy asked. "I don't think I've seen you before."

"Marie," the little girl replied. "And I just moved here."

"Welcome to Jump City," Robin shook her hand. "I'm Robin; this is Starfire, Beast Boy, Cyborg and Raven." He gestured to all his friends. "We're the Teen Titans."

"It's nice to meet you guys," Marie said quietly. When the Titans finished ordering their pizza like she suggested, she stepped forward and said simply, "A medium cheese pizza." She went to her table and sat down.

When her pizza arrived she quietly ate, all the while listening intently to the Titans conversation. "Well, Dr. Death may strike again at anytime. We have to stakeout Logan Estate as much as possible."

"Robin we can't stakeout Logan Estate, we have other problems to deal with besides Dr. Death!"

"Well we're gonna take him down no matter what and that may mean that we have to stakeout Logan Estate to do it." Robin said.

Marie frowned. She didn't know what they were talking about, but whatever it was, it was serous. She didn't know who Dr. Death was but he sounded scary. Finishing the last of her pizza, Marie looked up when a boy walked in.

"Hey buster, you have to pay first," the employee said when the bald, short boy ordered a pizza and didn't pull out any money to pay for it.

"Give me a moment, mister," The bald boy walked straight up to her and said. "Can I barrow some money?"

"Like, no. I don't know who you are and my Daddy says not to talk to strangers. Especially short, bald midgets like you! Now go away. I'm not old enough to let people barrow money from me. My Daddy would be really mad and I wouldn't give you money anyway, you ugly little midget!"

Robin had already stood to his feet. Looking at Gizmo he said. "Leave her alone, Gizmo. Or you'll have to deal with us." The rest of the Titans joined him, rising to their feet.

Gizmo activated his guns, aiming them at Marie. She didn't seem alarmed by this at all. "Please leave me alone," she said simply. I don't want to hurt you."

Gizmo chortled sarcastically. "You can't hurt me, Shorty. You don't even have a weapon!" The Titans moved behind Gizmo.

"Gizmo, you want to hurt her you have to go through us," Robin warned.

"Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself," Marie said. Gizmo looked at her and began to laugh.

"You think that you can beat me?" Gizmo snarled. "What do you think you're gonna do about it, little girl?" Gizmo prepared to fire, Robin rushed forward, Bo staff raised to block the bullet fire. Marie folded her fingers into a fist.

Hard metallic claws suddenly erupted from her hands. Slashing out she smashed Gizmo's machine gun to pieces as Gizmo wretched back in shock. The patrons of the pizza place gasped. Grabbing Gizmo by his shirt, she glared at him. "Don't mess with me!"

"Get out of here, you freak!" the manager shouted. Marie threw Gizmo into a wall, knocking him unconscious.

"I'm not a freak!" Marie retorted. "So don't treat me like one!"

Beast Boy came over to the manager. He put a hand on her shoulder. The claws snapped back into her hands as if they'd never been there. "Leave her alone. She's not a freak." He reassured her. "Let's get out of here."

"Yeah, get out of here you freak of nature!" another patron shouted as the Titans joined him. Together they walked out into the parking lot.

"You okay, you kinda startled us back there," Robin asked.

"Don't listen to those jerks," Cyborg said to Marie who looked uncomfortably. "They just don't understand you, that's all."

"How did you do that?" Starfire asked curiously. "I have never seen anything like that before."

"It's a long story," Marie replied. "I'll tell you later."

"When they come out, does it hurt?" Raven asked. She was a strange child, this Marie. She thought it was interesting that she didn't give them her last name. She had a sense of mystery about her.

"Every time," she replied. "But I got used to it." She looked at her watch. "I have to go home. It was nice to meet you all."

"It was nice to meet you too, Marie," Beast Boy smiled. She was a nice kid, and he liked her. She reminded him of himself when he was that age, when people would tease him about his green skin and appearance. "If you ever need anything, just call."

"I will. Good-bye, guys! I'll see you later," she walked off.

"She was nice," Beast Boy said.

"Why did those people call her a 'freak'?" Starfire asked. "She is like us, is she not?"

"Kind of, but she is…different," Cyborg said.

"No Cyborg," Beast Boy corrected. "She's special." Beast Boy watched her go. "She's special…"

Marie Logan walked back home. She was very happy. It seemed she had finally made some friends. Her Daddy moved around a lot. He said it was because of work, so she didn't make friends easily.

And then there was…her mutation, she'd grown up with the claws. But the adamantium, that was the result of her father's experiment to cure her Brittle Bone Disease. It was what made her different. What made her a freak. She hated it when people called her a freak. She wasn't a freak. She was special. Her dad told her so and she believed him.

Arriving home, she closed the door behind her. Her dad was always busy, tinkering and experimenting with his scientific breakthroughs he was constantly invented. Even adamantium was his invention. Because her dad was so busy, she didn't like to bother him.

"Hello, Marie. Enjoy your pizza?" Her dad looked up from his work.

"I guess. It was good. They called me a freak again."

"Did you…let them come out?"

"I had to, Daddy, honest!" Marie protested. "A boy tried to steal my money!"

"What'd you do to him?"

"Knocked him out. I met some people today."

"Really? Who?" Her dad always hoped she would make friends. He was troubled that she stayed by herself all the time.

"The Teen Titans," she replied.

"The…Teen Titans?" her dad frowned. But only for a moment, his lips creased into a smile. "That's very good. You could use some friends." He smiled at her. "It's getting late, you should go to sleep."

"I will Daddy," Marie promised.

"Come and give your old man a hug, eh?" Marie pulled him into a tight hug. Unbeknownst to her, Mark slipped a recording device onto her shirt. He now had the perfect way to spy on the Titans. He didn't care what it took to get them out of the way. He would have vengeance, he only needed to know what they were planning.

It didn't matter that he was using his own daughter as a spy. It didn't matter that he was manipulating her, all that mattered was revenge. Especially since he had nothing to live for since his wife's life was taken from him by Fate's cruel hand. It was unfair that he lost so much, but there was his son, and he was like his sister, special.