Pieces of the Puzzle

Alexnandru Van Gordon

Victor: Hello, ladies and gentlemen. I am here to inform you that Alexnandru will die soon due to his lack of evilness.

Alex: (Sitting beside Victor at desk) Excuse me? O.o? Where did that come from?

Victor: (evil grin.) Lately I have been conversing with a certain someone who seems to think that you are far too nice. Decide now, Alex—which one of three KO'd Titans are you planning to kill?

Alex: (Wide-eyed) How do you know about that? Oh…It was you that stole my note-book. But…why?

Victor: I have my reasons—and if it wasn't for your knee I would have done it much sooner. But I gave you a few days grace. But—knee or no knee—you can either chose my side of thinking or suffer. Now…which of three are you going to kill?

Alex: NONE OF THEM! How dare you! I'm not going to—

Victor: (Laughing) Enough, Robin. Turn around.

Alex: Quit using my real name. (Looks over shoulder and gasps.) Slade…

Slade: I believe you people call this revenge? (Takes Alex—who is struggling and shouting at the top of his lungs—ummm…away.)

Victor: (Opening book) I'm going to write what he has so far, but I'm going to add something—Oh yes, and the beginning quote was written by my dear cousin. I think he was discussing it with his English teacher when they read Macbeth. It's interesting and true…

DISCLAIMER: I most certainly don't own them, and this plot—and upcoming quote—belongs to Alex. Also, character deaths up ahead. You have been warned…

I hope you enjoy…

CHAPTER FOUR: Promises

—There is a part of human nature that we, as the civilized majority, deny exists. It is that which is associated with man slaughter—the thrill that grows within us after the horror of our first kill whether it came to happen by accident or through sure intentions. It cannot be helped and will only become greater to deny as we either continue to kill through our own free will or by force. You note the bravado of it and begin to see the interesting similarities or differences between each death, and that is part of why we continue until killing becomes a second nature to us…It cannot be helped—Robin J. Manning—

Robin was a smart kid—that he had heard from Wintergreen. He was smart…at least he knew how to even out the battle. But Jacob didn't have the time for this. He had to get this kid and get to the T-tower to steal the last piece of Slade tonight, and that wasn't going to be easy considering how exhausted he was. He just popped Batman to another place in the world and he still had to transport both the kid and himself around until they returned to HQ. It would have been a lot easier if Robin just stayed in Jump City…

He'd battle with Robin another day! He had to go!

In the dark, he reached to his belt and pulled out a small bomb. He tossed it to where he saw the kid last and waited as gas leaked out into the air. He could breathe just fine but the kid wasn't haven't too much luck. He was coughing his lungs up until a soft thud was heard, followed by a defeated sigh.

Bird Boy was out for the night.

He then pulled out a small flashlight of his own and looked around. The boy wasn't too far away from where he threw the smoke bomb, pretty close to the stairs. Any later and he would have lost him.

Sighing in relief, he picked the boy up with one strong arm and hoisted him over his shoulder. Then, concentrating as hard as he could, he visualized T-tower. It took him longer than usual this time, but he could finally feel his whole body go numb and soon felt as though he was falling forever.

Opening his eyes, he fell to a knee and dropped the kid to the ground. They were on top of the T-tower like he had hoped. He just had to wait a moment and gather his strength before trying else that night. He was absolutely drained.

"Damn you, kid." He muttered, sitting down beside the limp figure. "Why do you have to make life so hard for us villains? Or do you just hold a grudge against Canadians?"

HW-

They tower was silent and dark—and two bodies were lying in the doorway. Hw only say the T-tower once and she didn't know much about it, but she knew what was going on—someone was bound to be in the evidence room…wherever that was…

Landing, Starfire released HW and she ran toward the two JL members, Flash and Green Lantern. Blow to the head perhaps? She didn't have time to check when she noticed another body through the crack in the door. It was Beast Boy and he didn't look all too well…maybe even worse…

"Our friends!" Starfire gasped; her eyes on the brink of tears. "But what of Cyborg and Raven?"

"I'm on it!" HW said and dashed down the hall toward the elevator. She knew the evidence room was on one of the upper floors…the highest floor, she thought.

While Starfire called an ambulance, HW jumped into the elevator and pushed the top button. They didn't say where they went, probably in case someone unknown was running amuck in the tower. She just prayed she could get to her friends before it was too late…

Tapping her foot impatiently, she cursed under her breath at the slow machine until it came to a jolted halt. The doors slid open and revealed to her a set of stairs leading up…

Huh?

Oh well, she might as well check it out.

She took the stairs and came to a door, discovering then that she was on the roof. She would have turned back and took the elevator down a floor, except there was Robin! And someone else…

How did Robin get here?

She'd ask later. Hands cackling with electricity, she warmed up for another strike of the century when her enemy turned his head to face her and attacked. He lunged at her faster than she thought possible and caught her around the waist as they went tumbling down the stairs. She hit her head at the bottom and sat dazed until she could see again, but by then her opponent had a small dagger in his hand, the blade to her throat. It was quite the predicament, for she had both hands charged and one of them wrapped around his throat.

The masked man laughed. "Well—if it isn't the girl next door!"

"What?" She asked, more confused then ever before—especially when he took his dagger from her throat. "Do I know you…?"

Girl next door…JACOB!

"Jacob!" She yelled and hugged them, almost knocking him down form heir sitting position on the floor. "What on earth are you doing in America? And where's my brother?"

He rolled his eyes. "John's still in jail, but I got out."

She couldn't believe this…her cousin was out of jail—at his own discretion, no less. That's what happened when you had weird relatives. The strange thing was that only she, her older brother, and Jacob possessed powers in the family. Her brother was able to control fire, she had electricity, and her cousin had the ability to transport himself and anything else with him to just about anywhere in the world. But they all had their limits, and when the two guys took the life of criminals, they failed to survive. That was partially why she couldn't figure out why he was here. He had to have had help.

"Ummm…" He gazed at her, eyeing her costume. "Why are you dressed like that kid? I had no idea Americans celebrated Halloween at a different time of year."

This was the hard part.

"He helped me escape punishment, Jacob."

"But he's a hero!"

"And so am I…" She paused. "Well, I'm still a trainee."

Her answer caught him by surprise and he could only stare at her for the longest of times. "YOU—doing good? I knew you always had a thing for the thrill of a good fight—but this is ridiculous. I also knew you weren't perfectly sane, but this really does it, Kiddo. Do they know you're not perfectly sane?"

She stood and headed back up the stairs toward Robin. She would have some explaining to do if she didn't return with him.

"Don't turn your back on me!" Her cousin exclaimed and ran after her, grabbing her arm when they reached the top. He turned her around gently, and even with a mask she could see his distress either than what was evident in his voice. You could read him by his eyes. "Sheesh, kid! Why them and not our side? You promised that—come what may—you would never pick a side opposite than what your brother and I chose. You're insane, but I know you have a thing about keeping promises."

She was insane, and she was ashamed to admit it. That's why her parents didn't oppose her when she left for America to become a hero. Better that than a villain, even if she was going to die in a fight sooner or later.

"I'm sorry, Jacob…I don't know."

He sighed and passed her toward Robin. He gazed down at him once before opening his mouth to speak—but was interrupted by the sound of a helicopter. She could guess that it was his getaway transportation.

"Keep the kid as a small gift." He said and walked to the edge of the building. "But the next time we meet, Kid…either your on my side or I'll be forced to kill you."

"I'd be forced to kill you too."

He laughed. "I don't think you'd have the guts."

"I've killed before."

He paused and she regretted letting her fire head get the better of her. Well…she didn't actually know if Slade's assistant was still alive, but a shock like that should have done him in. He was pretty old, regardless of how hard he hit. They never did find the body…

"I see you're serious." He whispered. "Very well then. Just think about it, kid. I don't want to break our promise. Just remember—a promise is a promise."

And then he was gone—disappearing into thin air. She did intend to keep her promises always, but what about the promise she made when she became a hero, to protect the people and risk her life no matter what for the better of the world. She couldn't join him…could she?

She walked to Robin and sat beside him. He was still unconscious and she would have to take him down sooner or later, but right now she just wanted to cry.

And she did.

W-

The box was rather easy to open. After he took the piece and placed it in a lighter box, he left the room in a flash. Too bad he had a run-in with another one of those brats—and this one he recognized.

It was the redhead alien girl Slade kept prisoner to kill. Well, he was supposed to kill her until that electric witch shocked the hell out of him. He expected to die that day, but somehow he didn't.

He didn't waste his time on her. He called the copter in and he had to leave before anyone else arrived to stop him. If Robin showed up that would be perfect, but he was tiring and would lose any upcoming battle if it was with another JL member. The two outside were taken by surprise and that was the only way he was able to take them down with such ease.

"Please stop—I do not wish to hurt you unless you fail to—"

He flipped over her and heard her squeak. Luckily for him, a window was located at the end of the hall—and this was only the second floor. Gaining speed, he ran toward it and went through the glass in a skilled jump. He actually landed not too bad outside, and just as the helicopter threw down the ladder. He didn't have time to scale it now and so he just jumped on as it took of. The strange girl was still after him.

Somehow managing to hold onto the ladder, he reached to his belt for a smoke bomb and tossed it over his shoulder at her as she hovered behind him. She was caught in the explosion and discontinued the chase—all the better for him.

The moment he was certain she was gone, he climbed the ladder and got safely into the helicopter, slamming the door shut behind him. To his surprise, his hired man was also there.

"Where have you been?" He snapped, brushing himself off and putting the package off to the side safely before sitting down beside the young man.

"I've been busy with the Titans East and that mentor of the kid. I came here to get the last piece, but I see you've already done that."

Touchy.

"And the kid?"

"He got away."

Dammit! That blasted kid was going to get it one of these days! He couldn't run for long!

Oh well, he had the rest of Slade and now he could resurrect his friend. It wouldn't take very long—maybe under a day if they were lucky—and then the real fun would begin.

But he couldn't help but sense the young man's distress. There was something wrong and he wanted to get to the bottom of it.

"What happened?" He asked abruptly. "Did you run into someone you'd rather have killed?"

"Somewhat…"

So…this was going to get interesting…

St-

Losing the man, she floated back to the tower and reentered the building through the broken window. They were losing so badly tonight and she hadn't the slightest idea why. Ever since Slade showed up the second time, everything began going downhill.

It was then that she noticed the small light above the elevator.

The medical services were here and she could leave the others to that. She quickly spoke to them ambulance service through her communicator and informed them of Cyborg and Raven. When they arrived at the evidence room, she locked up the room and moved toward the elevator.

There was someone on the roof.

Pressing the buttons, she got inside and went to the roof level. There was a stairway and then a door which she took, but she found she couldn't go through the doorway when she saw what she saw. There was Robin, and next to him was a crying HW. But what had upset her? She had Robin, didn't she?

"Friend H and W?" She asked, using the name she first called the girl upon meeting her. It startled the girl, but HW smiled and wiped away her tears, attempting to hide the fact that she was crying a moment ago.

"I need to talk to you, Starfire." She said and Star came to her side. She sat between the girl and the now waking boy. Robin stirred, but he did not wake.

He'd come-to later.

"Yes…" She said. She was quite eager to know what was on her mind. "Is there something wrong?"

"Can you keep a promise?"

"Of course!"

"Then you can't tell anyone what I'm about to tell you…"

V-

Well, my cousin is still gone, and I cut his story a little short. Personally, I think he writes too much and makes his chapters too long. Slade still has him somewhere and I'm sure my cousin will have to fix the mess I created with his story later. Until then, I hope you enjoyed the little taste of what betrayal is about to come—and remember—a Titan will die!

Bowing

Victor Van Heiring

and

An absent

Alexnandru Van Gordon