At Titan Tower, Robin and Cyborg has just entered through the main access when Beast Boy burst out of the stairwell. Beast
Boy looked panicky and was shouting incomprehensible gibberish. Cyborg and Robin allowed themselves to be dragged
outside, where Robin grabbed Beast Boy and tried to calm him down while asking, "What happened? What's wrong?"
Beast Boy pulled away from Robin and answered, although his words were slightly garbled because he looked like he was
trying to rip out his own tongue. "Whaf wong? I'll tell 'ou whaf wong! Staf'ire twying to learn 'ow to cook!"
Robin was extremely puzzled, as was Cyborg, but sensing no real danger, Cyborg turned his blaster cannon back into his hand.
Beast Boy spat several times on the ground, and then proceeded to explain further, this time in a more normal voice. "Starfire
thought she could learn more about food on earth if she learned to cook, but someone has got to get her away from the stove.
That girl is a disaster in the kitchen, and she wanted me to try out all the food she cooked."
Suddenly, Starfire's voice came drifting outside. "BeastBoy! Where are you? This latest batch of brownies should be better!
They are purple!"
Beast Boy quickly changed into a crow and flew off. Robin and Cyborg glanced at each other before Cyborg said, "Purple
brownies? I think maybe we should follow Beast Boy."
On the shore of the mainland, Cyborg and Robin waited while BeastBoy was completely sick. He kept flicking through
creatures, trying to find something that could digest Starfire's cooking. After he turned into a shark, Cyborg couldn't resist
joking, "You're looking a little green around the gills there."
BeastBoy returned to normal shape just long enough to say, "You think this is funny? Just wait until I - URP!" Beast Boy
turned away and threw up again.
Later, after BeastBoy had thoroughly emptied out his entire digestive system, Robin filled him in on the morning's events.
"So what now?" asked Beast Boy, "Are we gonna go talk to the security people or try to do something else?"
Robin answered, "Yes, but I'd like to see if we can find out something more about the company first. The police chief said it
was called Morgen Lyn Inc."
"There's a comptuter store on the corner" mentioned Cyborg. "I'm betting anything that they've got a wireless internet
terminal I can patch into."
At the computer store Robin, Cyborg, and BeastBoy were greeted by a sales clerk who seemed completely overwhelmed by
having the three superheroes in his store. "Can I, uh, help you, um, sirs?"
"Nah, I'm just gonna stand around for a few minutes," answered Cyborg as he began to type on the small keyboard on his
arm.
BeastBoy's inhumanely short attention span was rapidly running out, until he spied an end-of-aisle display. BeastBoy let out
a squeal of delight as he dashed over and snatched up a copy of the game. Robin was forced back as Beast Boy shoved the
game in his face, all the time jabbering madly. "Dude, check it out! It's Biker Zombies from Mars 9000: The Return of Lone
Skull!" I've been waiting for months for this to come out, we just gotta buy it! Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease!"
Robin sighed in relief as Cyborg cut in. "All done. I've downloaded several articles into my onboard memory banks. Their
office is on Gulliver Street, between 22nd and 23rd."
"Alright" said Robin, "that's close; we can walk."
"But what about my video game?" Beast Boy was looked like he was on the verge of tears.
"This is more important, we'll pick up a copy on the way home."
As they left the store, Beast Boy grumbled under his breath, "I think you've got your priorities screwed up."
The main office building for Morgen Lyn Inc. was over 40 stories tall, with the outside designed with polished sheet metal and
large glass windows.
"So now what?" asked Cyborg. "It's a big building and we don't know exactly what were looking for."
"We should try and find someone who can answer questions for us." Remarked Robin
Beast cut in, "In my favorite detective comics the corporate villains always rule their minions and lackeys from high atop their
towers of evil!"
"Were trying to be serious here, Beast Boy" scolded Cyborg.
Robin, however, had a different opinion, "I think Beast Boy may be on to something"
"What!"
"Well, think about it; if we want answers, the best person to talk to would be the one who controls everyone else. I doubt that
any of the emplyees would be willing to talk to us in case their boss found out. Still, we do have to remember that this is the
security company, Its really unlikely they're the ones behind the robbery. Cyborg, who would be the manager of the
company?"
Cyborg, despite his surprise, recovered quickly. "Uh, yeah, well that's easy. One of the only names I got in a general search
of the company was Aaron Faserro. He both owns and manages the company." Cyborg brought up a display in his onboard
computer panel. "You should read some of what I found on this guy. In every article words like "brilliant" and "genius" pop up
all over the place."
"Well, lets go get this over with."
The three trooped into the lobby of the building, which was decorated with marble. A male receptionist sat behind a large desk
on one side of the lobby while 2 security guards lounged by the row of elevators. Robin marched up to the desk where the
receptionist barely glanced at him, giving the impression he was totally unimpressed. Rather than trying to be cordial, Robin got
Right to the point. "We want to talk to Aaron Faserro."
The receptionist replied, "I'm sure you would, but I doubt Mr. Faserro wants to see you. He's busy at the moment."
A bit taken back, Robin tried again, "We have some important questions for him."
"Are you working for the police?" before Robin could reply, the man continued, "Mr. Faserro has already told the police he is
not answering any questions."
As the receptionist turned back to his computer, Cyborg decided that Robin's tactics weren't working, so he decided to try
some of his own. He leaned over the desk and lifted the receptionist out of his seat by the collar of his jacket. "Where's
Faserro?" he growled.
The receptionist was now visibly terrified, and pointed down the hall.
Still carrying the receptionist, Cyborg headed down the hall with Beast Boy and Robin trailing in his wake. As they passed the
security guards, one whispered to the other, "Should we do somethin'?" "Uh, no…" his companion replied, "I mean, they're
the good guys, right?"
At the end of the lobby, the hallway split to go in three directions. Cyborg simply glanced at the receptionist and the man
began stuttering, "End of th-the hallway, th-th-through the d-d-d-double d-doors." Cyborg walked to the end of the hallway, were he
smacked open the doors without pausing to stop. As Robin and Beast Boy followed him into the room, all three stood still in surprise
at the sight. Instead of an office they were looking at what appeared to be a giant gym. The ceiling was almost 50 feet high, and
exercise equipment of every kind was set up all over the huge floor-space.
Their eyes were drawn to the single figure in the entire place, as the person flipped twisted through a series of flips on a set of
uneven bars. With one last double flip, the figure landed gracefully on the mats that covered the entire floor. One they stopped
moving, it was easy to see the person was a young man. He had dark blond hair, and was dressed in a white T-shirt and white
training pants, with bare feet. As he sauntered towards the Titans, he managed to look bored, disdainful, and annoyed all at once. Cyborg
dumped the receptionist unceremoniously on the floor and, before anyone else could get a word out, he began babbling to the other
man. "Sir these people just barged in here demanding to see and the security were no help at all and I'm terribly sorry…" up until
then, the young man had been staring intently at the Titans, but he shifted his gaze the receptionist, who quickly realized the best
course of action would be to shut up. Through all of this, the young man hadn't said a word.
Beast Boy suddenly jumped in with his thoughts. "You're Aaron Faserro? But you can't be more than 20!"
When the man spoke, his voice lacked any emotion. "My age is irrelevant. You have barged in here uninvited. Now leave."
Before Cyborg could do anything rash, Robin cut in. "We just want to ask you some questions."
"Well I don't want to answer them."
Cyborg changed his hand into his sonic cannon, and put it right up to Aaron's head. "How about you talk or I shoot."
Aaron seemed completely unfazed. "With what justification? I have done nothing wrong."
Robin put himself between Cyborg and Aaron, while trying to defuse the situation. Speaking to Cyborg first he said, "He's
right, we need his cooperation." Robin waited until Cyborg had retracted his blaster before turning back to Aaron and asking,
"Why don't you want to talk with us?"
"Because," answered Aaron, "I'm on my break. I guarantee your not here on a social call, so you must want to talk business. I
get one hour a day that's business free, and this is it. I have a company to run, so I take my relaxation when I can get it."
While Robin was trying to think of something else to say, Aaron turned the receptionist and spoke only two words, "Get out."
The man made an undignified scramble out of the room, slamming the doors behind him. Aaron turned his back on the Titans
and walked several steps away. Stopping, he asked, "You're not going to leave easy are you?" He glanced back to see Robin
shaking his head. Letting out a little sigh, Aaron said, "How about a deal then." He walked over to a compartment in the wall
and removed two long, wooden staves. He tossed one to Robin, who caught it deftly. Aaron turned to face the Titans and
twirling the staff in his fingers said, "If Robin can convince me that my workout doesn't need to take a full hour, then I'll have
time to answer your questions."
"Let me get this straight," replied Robin, "You want me to fight you?"
Aaron pointed his staff right at Robin and nodded. "Either that or leave."
"Alright," agreed Robin, "But I hope you know what you're getting into." Robin twirled his staff expertly in his fingers,
getting used to the feel of the weapon. It was slightly lighter and less flexible than he was used to.
Aaron showed his first sign of emotion as the corners of his mouth were tugged upwards into a small smile. He whipped the
staff in circle around his arms, legs, and chest, making the air hum. Then he snapped it up, so it spun like a buzz saw and almost
hit the ceiling, then dropped back down. Just as the staff was about to hit the floor, Aaron reached behind his right hand behind
his back and, without even looking, caught the spinning weapon. "Don't worry, I can take care of myself."
