Part 28

She looked out the large window in the main room of Titan Tower. Her skin was cold her emotions were running overtime. There was no way she could risk the life of one of her titans. How were they even sure Robin and Cyborg were even alive?

It was pitch dark outside. She looked up in the sky to see the twinkling of planes flying through the sky. Life always moved on even if you're standing still.

How could she risk one of teammates lives? But what else could they do? They didn't know their assailant. They didn't know what their motive was, and they didn't know the location of Robin or Cyborg.

Where would they even plan such an event? It would have to be in an open field somewhere. It would also need to be a place where the rest of them could hide. But how would they even draw their new enemy there?

She rubbed her head, everything was a mess, and every time she thought of a solution another problem would arrive in her mind.

"I made you some tea," She turned to see Beast Boy there, tea in hand.

"I mean what I said earlier. If one of us needs to risk them selves in order to save the others then I want to be the one to do it."

She sighed and took a sip of the tea, "I don't need this, and I don't need you trying to find a way to kill yourself."

"Who said anything about killing myself. I'll be okay."

"Don't you see the risk that's involved?"

"Come on Rae, if I thought about risks I would not of taken this profession," He rubbed his hands up and down her arm.

"This isn't a game," Her voice just above a whisper.

He hugged her close, "I know," he uttered lightly.

"Why do you make things so difficult?" Her voice nothing but a soft whisper, she felt his breath touch her neck.

"Everything has its risks," His arms wrapped around her.

She turned to face him, "We're being stalked one by one!"

"I won't let anything stalk you, I can die a thousand times but I promise I'll find someway to keep you safe."

"You're just talking foolish, this is serious."

"Tell me something," He held her tight, "Don't you feel safe?"

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She searched herself somewhere there was some emotion that was vulnerable and scared but at the moment she couldn't find it, "Yes."

He kissed her cheek lightly, "Then that's enough."

--

Robin fiddled with the wires. "Alright now just gotta' wrap this green one around here and," He stretched his hand out trying to grasp a blue wire across Cyborg's hip, "And grab this wire and," he began tugging the wire, "Come on," he grit his teeth and got the two wires to touch, "There." He gave it several seconds and nothing.

"I thought if I re-routed the power coupler and moved it to the nervous system that would create something," he sighed and held his head, he was hungry, thirsty and tired.

"Come on Cyborg!" He yelled and almost kicked his disabled friend but stopped before contact and moved himself to the other side of the room. He grabbed his head and stomped the floor, "I HATE THIS! LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT!"

"You know I can't do that Robin."

Robin stopped – Slade. Robin stood up and looked around the room but all there was, was an observatory, "COME ON OUT SLADE! COME ON!"

Silence.

Robin let out a long breath and sat down against the floor again. He looked over at Cyborg, he'd give anything to see just a simple smile, but no this was hell. Where you are just a rat in a closed maze and not even given a piece of cheese.

--

Starfire hovered down the hall and made her way to the living area. There was no one there. She couldn't sleep. She sat down in one of the oversized chairs and sighed. She took a deep breath and bit her lip.

She couldn't sleep - she missed Robin too much. She looked over at the chair across from her and pictured Robin there. She several times made her way to his room expecting him there and then before getting there having to stop herself and observe the fact that he was gone.

She got up and made her way to the window. Somewhere out there in the darkness he was there. She spotted the church that was across the bay; she knew there was a cemetery next to it, all though it wasn't visible from where she was. She's been around the city enough to know where everything was – except Robin. That's what scared her most, that he was in a place she couldn't find. Sure this wasn't her home-world but this was the place she considered home and now that place was shattered, tainted with the distaste of not knowing where the one she cared for most on this world was.

She didn't want to think about the cemetery, Robin was out there she just didn't know where to look, but he was there. He wasn't gone! He was too strong, too brave, too much of a hero to be killed. They put their lives in the line way too often for this to be the time it catches up to them.

"Hate is what makes us strong, tomorrow lets us be for today."

Starfire turned around to see Jinx staring at her, "What do you mean?"

"It is a saying we had at the Hive. It made what we were doing important and gave us relevance in a world that dared turn an eye to us. We would lavish in the hate and believe in our plans. We didn't have a purpose so we created one."

"One can create a purpose at any point in ones life," Starfire sat back down in the chair.

Jinx leaned against the wall, one foot to the ground, the other on the wall, her arms crossed, "Not everyone makes a purpose. There are those who live and then die living a monotonous life with no real purpose, in-fact it's more likely that the majority of people live lives without reason, only because they were placed on the planet, but not always to serve a purpose."

"Everyone is relevant. Some just have more of an indent on other people's lives than others, but everyone matters. If nobody mattered then there would be no point in risking our lives, but we risk them in knowing that those who we protect are those who help everyone in the future. I come from a planet of constant war, it served no real purpose, and people's purposes were to create technology or learn to destroy.

I came to this world and found beauty in its simplicity. Even the trees are alive with flourishes of color and vibrant life. Everything here supports one another. Everything has a purpose even a simple blade of glass ends up serving a purpose even if it's just to provide nourishment for another creature it is still serving a purpose.

This is how I know Robin is out there. Because he serves a purpose., and he is strong and brave and can not perish so soon, it is unjust."

"Children die each day, there is no reasoning behind that," Jinx looked past Starfire to the darken sky, 'Sure there is purpose with a lot of things but purpose in death," she shook her head, "There is no explanation for it."

"Robin and Cyborg are not dead," Starfire said sternly.

"You have no way to prove that to me," Jinx replied.

"If Robin or Cyborg were to have died they would not have been snuck away and taken with us not having any remains."

"Or the person knows we would react the way we're reacting and be in a better position to destroy us all."

"We will not be destroyed."

"Then why aren't you sleeping?" Jinx large eyes blinked and her stare turned from the window to Starfire.

Starfire was going to repeat her self but didn't say anything; she simply looked down, not knowing what to say.

"Thousands die each day. Men, women, children, infants, there is no rhyme or reason on why so many die. There is no explanation that is suitable to offer a family who loses someone. Trust me if I could bring them back I would, but all I can do is cause havoc with these powers."

"You can do good," Starfire replied.

"That's what everyone keeps telling me," She rolled her eyes. "Anyway what if Cyborg and Robin are gone and I mean gone, gone. What does your team do then?"

Starfire narrowed her eyes, "They are not dead!"

"You ever heard of Robert Frost?"

Starfire shook her head.

"Nature's first green is gold, her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf's a flower; but only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, so dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay."

She shook her head, "I don't understand."

"It doesn't matter how good Cyborg and Robin are, all good things come to an end, they may be gone."

"How can you just say things so," Starfire poked her chin not knowing what word she wanted to use, "So callous to say such things?"

"I've lost a lot in my life. That's why you never get close to something, because in the end it'll only cause you pain."

--

"OW!" Robin jumped back and flew his hand back and forth after shocking himself. "Guess those cables are active," he kneeled back down and began connecting cables here and there. Suddenly out of nowhere Cyborg's eyes opened up and scared Robin.

Cyborg moaned, "Ugh," he looked around, "Hey Robin!"

Robin tilted his head, "Okay your memory is intake."

"Where are we?"

"Jump City observatory, or as I call it hell on Earth."

"I can't move my ligaments," Cyborg said annoyed.

Robin sighed, "Yeah well your body is not an easy thing to repair."

"How did we get here?"

"I don't remember the particulars but Slade is the reason we can't get out."

"Ugh doesn't he ever give up?"

"How did you get here?" Robin asked.

"A man in black shot me, as you can guess took out my systems."

"Do you think you can repair yourself back to your normal self?"

Cyborg looked down, "Yeah with your help think I can."

Robin gave a small grin, "Good cause your sonic cannon should be enough to get us out of this place."

--

The Titans and Jinx collected themselves in the main living area, "I've come up with a plan," Raven said looking at all of them.

She looked at Beast Boy, "You better be willing to back up what you've said earlier, because you are our bait."

He gulped and then gave a small nod.

"Thought you wanted to avoid the whole bait thing?" Jinx asked.

"I did but baiting feeds into what the attacker seems to want. Both attacks have happened in the east part of the city so that's where Beast Boy is going to be, and his communicator is going to be on the entire time. We're going to plant ourselves so that we're not ever three blocks away from one another. Beast Boy I want you to go to where Cyborg was taken and turn yourself into a dog and begin sniffing. Don't go onto any side streets. And the last thing is us girls are getting a make over."

Starfire and Jinx raised their brows.

"We're going to dress up as civilians so we don't draw any harm. We're going to plant ourselves close to Beast Boy at all times, and we're going to keep our communicators on so we're constantly aware of where Beast Boy is." Raven looked around, "Any questions?"

Nothing.

"Good, let's play dress up," Raven sighed and said in a very emotionless tone.

- end of part 28