Chapter Four

The Oasis Academy is proud to introduce this year's top graduates. Ping- able to manipulate the metal around him into various creative ways. Drum- able to produce glass shattering sound waves and even capable of breaking rocks. Wave- able to vibrate the air around an object to its very breaking point, causing it to explode. And our valedictorian, Cross- able to control blood to the extent that he can cause these tendrils to wrap his opponent, form hardened weapons with the iron platelets, or even cause the blood within his opponent to thin out to the point that they fall unconscious. Well-organized, highly trained and combat-equipped these Oasis agents are the perfect fighting force. And for the right price, they can be yours.

Deep within the cavern beneath Jump City Tier watched the video that bared a strange resemblance to a video that his brother had seen when searching for H.I.V.E. students.

"Impressive." Tier stated to the school's headmaster, Aimer. "But can they handle what I have in store for them?"

"I assure you that whatever the challenge, they're up to it." Aimer responded for his students.

"Before I fill you in on the main details of my plan, I first require prove of both your allegiance to me and your skills. Find those students from H.I.V.E., and destroy them. If you succeed in taking them out, I will take you under my wing and include you in my plans. Fail, and the H.I.V.E. will be receiving my business."

"No problem." Cross answered for his team. The group bowed as they exited the cavern.

This was turning out better than expected. Tier thought. Not only would he have revenge on those who destroyed his brother, but he would also have the power to exert his influence all over the country. Tier laughed out loud as Raiserus entered the lair.

"I've returned Master." Raiserus stated as he was followed by two more figures.

"Alumnus and Silence I presume." Tier said to the mysterious figures.

"That's us." Alumnus answered for the pair. Tier smiled as his thought train continued on: yes, everything was going better than his original plan, and soon he would be unstoppable.

In a dark, starless night with only the humming white fluorescent lights to guide them, the trio of thieves moved over the roof of Jump City's bank. The smallest one, placing his goggles over his eyes, began to drill into the metallic plate that led to the air vent. Nodding to his comrades, he signaled for them to go ahead while he went around to the side.

The pair of thieves, one much larger than the other, dropped into the air vent as the girl cast a spell to allow them to levitate over the vent leading right outside the vault.

"It's all clear." Came a voice through her headset. Releasing the hex on herself and her partner, they fell into the bank, well…the larger of the pair fell, the girl landed quite gracefully on her feet and into the light.

"Go ahead." Jinx said to the larger thief. Mammoth stepped forward and grabbed either side of the vault door and ripped it off, as if it was nothing. They both hesitated a moment to see whether or not their third companion had succeeded in disabling the alarm. He had. Smiling to themselves they waltzed into the vault and began to load their bags with money.

"Hurry up down there." Gizmo said from outside. "We don't have all day!"

Jinx and Mammoth just shook their heads as they continued to collect their loot. As soon as they filled their bags to capacity, Mammoth took most of the bags while Jinx carried the lighter ones and exited through the side door of the bank.

"How'd it go?" Gizmo asked anxiously.

Mammoth replied by tossing a bag filled with money at him. Gizmo smiled widely as the trio turned to exit.

"Where do you think you're going with that?" a mysterious voice asked from the darkness.

"Who's there?" Jinx asked.

"Your replacements!"

In Herald City, in a small apartment on the southern side of the city, the Titan's South self-elected leader, complains about their lack of activity.

"This is boring!" Lightning complained to his brother. "Let us go and have fun!"

"Protecting the city isn't fun enough for you?" Hotspot joked.

Suddenly an alarm went off in the square apartment that they called home.

"Finally, some excitement." Lightning exclaimed. "Let's go!"

Lightning, Thunder, Hotspot and Wildebeest raced from their home and into Herald City. Lightning, Thunder and Hotspot flying through the air, Thunder carrying Wildebeest. As they arrived in the city Lightning was disappointed to see that it was only a robbery that they would be stopping.

"Oh well." He thought. The four of them positioned themselves in front of the store to apprehend the villain as he exited. What lunged from the protection of the store, was not what any of them expected.

Back in Jump City, a brown haired teen jumped from the shadows and landed in front of the trio of H.I.V.E. students. Before they had a chance to register who was attacking them, Wave pulled down his goggles over his eyes and stretched his black gloved hands at them. As he concentrated, Gizmo's backpack began to vibrate.

"Whoa, whoa whoa!" Gizmo yelled as he tossed his pack into the air as it exploded.

"Get him!" Gizmo yelled to Jinx and Mammoth. Mammoth lunged at him, with Jinx on his back. Mammoth thrust his fist at Wave but was disappointed when Wave easily dodged the clumsy attack and kicked Mammoth in the face. Jinx crossed her arms to cast a hex but Wave tossed a pair of metal cuffs at her wrist, locking them in place. Struggling against them, Jinx tried valiantly to free herself but merely fell to the ground when another set of the metal cuffs locked around her ankles. Mammoth, now recovered from the first attack, once again lunged at Wave.

"You never learn do you?" Wave taunted. Slamming his hand into the ground he sent a vibration through it that caused it to lurch upward, knocking Mammoth back to the ground.

"Hurry and finish them!" A voice commanded from behind Wave. The grin that had dominated his face was replaced by a look of seriousness as Wave once again took on his trademarked concentration look. Both Mammoth and Gizmo threw their hands to their heads as the vessels within their brains began to shake out of place. Had Jinx had the free use of her hands, she would have followed suit. Screaming in pain, the able bodied students tried to run, but did not get far before they collapsed onto the ground. Tightening his fist, Wave created a large hole in the ground that swallowed the trio of students, as if they were never there.

"Let's go." The commanding voice stated. Before Wave turned to leave he grabbed the bags of money that were deposited on the ground.

"Thanks." He said sarcastically, saluting the spot where the H.I.V.E. students were buried.

The large black haired, demon-possessed Alumnus stormed out of the store, seemingly holding lightning in either hand that he blasted at the unsuspecting Titans South. Lightning and Thunder were able to jump out of the way but the blast hit Wildebeest squarely in the chest, knocking him into the building parallel with the store. Lightning began to blast back but Alumnus only absorbed the blast before retaliating with his own, knocking Lightning into the slowly recovering Wildebeest.

"Brother!" Thunder called. Hotspot sprinted at Alumnus, firing fireballs at him. Alumnus dodged them will firing lightning blast back at them. Both Hotspot and Thunder were knocked into their fallen companions.

"This isn't even a challenge!" Alumnus growled. Holding his hands above his head, Alumnus formed a large energy blast and fired it at the nearly defeated Titans. Wildebeest jumped up in front of the blast, protecting his teammates but taking the blast point blank, full force. When the smoke subsided, all that remained of the hero was a fragment of his horn. The others stared in disbelief at what had just happened.

"We need to get some help." Thunder told the others. They nodded in agreement as they flew off. "Where do you think you're going?" Alumnus yelled. He launched himself into the air and stopped the trio in mid-flight. "You're not going to get away that easy." The others braced themselves as Alumnus prepared to fire another attack.