RR76: Sorry 'bout the long period of waiting. Here's my update.

Responses:

Queenie: Okay... hey, you're allowed to say stuff, but don't give away anything that'll happen to Terra.

The Desperado: Depends. Who do you think it is?

SaintH: Serious fic? Sounds... interesting. I'll be on the lookout.

EMBER91: Actually, she does kinda have a big forehead. No, I was not referring to Peaches.

rav90: This may or may not be Carson. You'll have to find out. No promises with the gore.

fourthelement: Really? Well, that's what people'll remember me by, huh? Vapid whore...hmm, I liked that one too.

im in a kill people mood: Belonged to Carson. He took it off of Johnny Rancid after unleashing his hellish fury on him. Cool, samurai training. No offense taken-- I thought it was better than the other chapters too.

The Wild Ambition: Sweater? Explainy.

Don't own, don't sue, don't flame. Or I'll sic my english and science teachers upon you!

"Are you going to stop being suspicious of me any time soon?" asked Terra irritably. Ever since Darkside's last apperance, Raven had been keeping a close eye on her as they searched the tower, not fully trusting the girl. True, Terra had proven herself when she saved Titan's Tower from destruction, and many times since then. Still, something was...off. Raven was a good judge of charecter, being the first to distrust Carson--hellish power notwithstanding--and something about Terra made her suspicious.

"As soon as you do something to make me want to, sure," the half demon said. Stupid girl, she thought. Thinking she's so high and mighty just 'cause she saved the Tower, and smashed Mumbo, and killed a giant scorpian, and has a green boyfriend... I've done more for this city than she has, but do I get smothered in affection? Nooooo...

Are you jealous? Raven's subconcious asked.

What? No! That's absurd! Raven mentally yelled.

Do I have to remind you of what you just thought?

Do I have to remind you that you have...a... a... ... stupid...face?

Oooh, stupid face, you wound me with your words. We have the same face, Ravie.

Don't call me that.

You realize you're talking to yourself, don't you?

...shut up.

"Hello? Raven? Still in there?" a voice said, pulling Raven out of her mental battle with herself.

"Huh? Yeah, hold the onions," said Raven.

"I said, you wanted to search the evidence room?" the geomancer said, rolling her eyes.

"...Whatever,"

"Look Raven--," Terra began, but an explosion cut her off in midsentance. The left wall toppled outward, almost crushing Raven with the debris. Terra caught the rubble with her powers and gently set them down. She extended her hand to Raven, but she slapped it away and stood on her own. "You're welcome," Terra muttered.

The two stepped into the evidence room and started to look around. Everything seemed to be in place... except a few items that had mysteriously disappeared.

"We're short one black cloak, ninja arsenal, and...mask?" Raven said, looking at the exhibit for "Makisaki," a ninja wannabe that had been the first villian the Titans toppled.

"Don't forget the knife," Terra chimed in. Raven stepped up next to where Terra was standing-- at the exhibit for Carson Elam. The cutlass was still there, glinting slightly in the moonlight. Also missing were five rounds of ammunition.

"So, obviously, this assassin is too cheap to get his own weapons, so he has to borrow the weapons of a dead merc," Terra examined.

Raven rolled her eyes. "Truly amazing, your powers of deduction,"

"Robin, we have searched this corridor seven times, and still we have not found any life threataning devices. Perhaps the danger has passed?" Starfire asked Robin, who was tearing apart a hallway for explosives, smoke bombs, etc.

"Someone is after us Star. You've fought mercenaries before; they don't just give up. This 'Darkside', whoever he is, isn't going to give up until we're all--" Robin was cut off in midsentance as a shuriken ninja star lodged itself in the wall next to him. The two turned quickly to see a woman, about 19 or 20 years old, standing, gripping a Japanese ninja sword. "I vill be your doom!" she shouted with a Romanian accent, and charged Robin and Starfire. She swung the sword in a vertical ark, aiming for Robin's torso. Robin pulled a birdarang and blocked the attack, hitting the woman in the stomach with his free hand. She stumbled backward with a grunt, and stared at Robin with fury. With a cry, she came at him again, only to be hit by a starbolt from the lithe Tameranian princess.

The woman fell to the ground, groaning. Robin held the birdarang to her throat and demanded "Who are you?"

The woman laughed bitterly. "You vould murder an unarmed and defensless woman? You disgust me."

Starfire stepped forward, her eyes blazing with green light. Starbolts appeared in her hands and when she spoke it was with a fire that Robin had never heard from her--one that frightened him.

"You are wrong," she said slowly. "He would not hurt you, an Earth woman. For whatever reason, it is against the code of conduct here. I, on the other hand, have no such reservations. Talk. Now!" Her hand was an inch from the womans face, and the heat from the starbolt began to make her sweat.

"Janna," she babbled (that's pronounced "YAH-nah"). "My name is Janna,"

"Who sent you?" Starfire demanded. The woman hesitated. Frustrated, Starfire punched her. "ANSWER ME! WHO SENT YOU?"

Janna began to sob. "Please, no more. I know nothing of my employer's identity, he keeps it a secret even from those closest to him. He told me only that I was to assist Darkside in any way I could."

The fury in Starfire's eyes began to fade, along with the starbolts. She began to tremble, as she realized what she had done, what she was about to do. Robin knelt next to Janna. "Listen. I could call the police right now and have you arrested for attempted murder. Now, obviously, you aren't the same person who attacked Terra earlier, or tried to gut me with the knife. But he is still out there, and we may need all the help we can get against him." Robin held out his hand. "If you help us, then I'll see to it that you never set foot in a prison."

Slowly, almost reluctantly, Janna took Robin's hand and he pulled her to her feet. "I...vill help you," Janna said. "There is something you should know. About Darksi--" A bullet struck the back of her skull, shattering her head from the force. Her lifeless body fell to the ground and Robin and Starfire saw Darkside standing, a smoking gun in his hand. Flames enveloped him and he disappeared.

"I don't think there's anything else missing," Terra said. "Let's get out of here and report to Robin," The two Titans left the room. As the door closed behind them, sealing the room in darkness, a spark flashed in the corner. The spark turned into a flame, casting the room in orange light. From this flame appeared a black cloaked warrior. "Janna...fool," Darkside said. "Your loss means nothing. The girl will die, and I will be her executioner--with or without your-"

The door creaked open. "Is someone in here?" asked Terra, poking her head in.

Darkside froze. "Oh balls, I thought you were gone."

RR76: Please review. Or...yeah. Sumpin'.

"You might be a redneck, if you walk around without a shirt on all the time and so does your husband!"-Jeff Foxworthy