TheRavenMyth: I dig your new name. And all these truck loads of cookies. I'm glad you liked the last chapter so much. Though in all honesty I was hoping for that cause the one before that was really just a filler. Just a little something for readers who need some serious RobStar moments here and there. Anyway, I'm just trying to make everyone happy so hopefully you are too. That way I'm happy…..you know what there's too much happy going on here I'm just gonna shut up and let you read the chapter.

Samanthe2121: I prefer da na na….dun dad a. lol. Man that was weird. And I intend to keep up my work, I leave it up to you whether it's good or not. Hope you like it. Laters!

StarfireLover: Really? Cool, its good to know its getting some kind of effect across. I'm happy to know you still like so much. And you know after I read your review I went back to read that part and it did feel that way. That's kinda cool. Well anyway, that's for the review and I can't wait to read your next one.

TTHPFan: Now you know you no matter how badly I want to tell you everything it's just nowhere near as fun as figuring it out by yourself, most of the time. Though I will tell you this, remember that anyone who has been made into a sortie has absolutely no idea it's happened. It could happen within mere moments of being in contact with shadow. So with that in mind I'll let you find out later.

Just reading about that makes me wish I had been there to see it. My friends and I loved that kind of stuff. Jason was always the one who could make the loudest and craziest noises, and they were funny as hell. And while we're on the subject of tests, they tried to fail me out of my English lab. I got a notice saying that I failed it because I was behind with my test, which I passed in the day before. Turns out the bone head of a proctor that was with me that day didn't write it down in their records (go figure).

I've only ever been to one midnight showing and that was for 'Lord of the Rings'. I really hope GoF is done better that Prisoner of Azkaban. Both the books were freaking awesome, but the movie in my opinion didn't do it justice. But maybe this one will be better. Have you heard anything about Spider-Man3? I usually make it a point to find out little bits about these movies but lately I've been too busy with school and what not. And thanks, we're still having to play our best in order to keep 2nd but soon I think will come out on top; what with the ginormous cookie you gave. LOL. Enjoy the update. Laters!

Itxprincessxlala: Too short? It's like three thousand words. Well, I'll try to make this one longer I guess. I'm sorry to hear your team suffered. I'm not sure if this is anything like it but when I ran cross country/track, we would depend on a single race to stay within the competitive ring. But sometimes we just wouldn't make it and we'd all be pretty bummed. Well I hope you and your team do better. Just work hard and don't give up, and you'll all do just fine. Hope you like my next chapter!

I've been getting so many cookies lately I feel like the cookie monster or something. You know it would be nice to get a s'more every now and then…gosh. Though a cookie is fine. :0 Enjoy the chapter!

Chapter Twenty

A friend Lost

Robin chuckled and allowed himself to be taken up by the beautiful Tamaranian. As they took flight however Robin frowned in wonder. Why was Starfire being so, relaxed? It was almost as if she was faking it.

RETURNING TO LEE AND RAVEN……………

Lee passed around in his small enclosure impatiently. Thus far the routine injections that he had been forced to receive kept his telepathy nullified just enough to keep him out of contact with Raven or anyone on the outside. He heard his door click open and young woman about his height entered. She wore a slim pair of prescription glasses and held a clipboard. The guard behind her closed the door.

"Good morning," she greeted him cheerfully. "My name is Dr. Elsa Zelanca. I have been appointed you psychological analyst." She stuck her hand out but Lee did not shake it. A little coy at his silence she sat down and cleared her throat. "How are you feeling today?"

"Is there a reason why you are here Dr?" Dr. Zelanca paused and read over a few notes on her clipboard.

"As I said I have been sent to evaluate you on a psychological level."

"Your here to determine if I'm crazy or not," clarified Lee. She lightly chuckled and nodded.

"Yes, that's putting it simply." She set her clipboard aside and laced her hands together in her lap. "So, why don't you tell me from the beginning what the problem is?" Lee closed his eyes out of minor affrontery.

"As I have said numerous times before, my companions and I are on the run from a powerful and highly organized cult that seems to have spanned all across the world."

"Why do you say that?"
"Because our esteemed Dr. Bilger is an agent of theirs." She removed her glasses and cleaned the lenses with a skeptical look.

"Don't you think that if the leading physician in this institution were involved in that sort of thing some of us would find out?" Lee nodded but then shrugged it off as if the argument had no merit whatsoever.

"Perhaps, or many of the trusted personnel here could very well be involved or manipulated to do so."

"You have evidence to support your claim," she asked almost eagerly.

"We've seen it before. I would not put it past Osiris to use any method to get his way. It is something I, along with my companions, have come to understand about these people; they're not people." Dr. Zelanca jotted a few lines down and returned her attention to the irritated samurai.

"Lee, in our terminology what you have been describing is what we call an intricate paranoid delusion." He rolled his eyes. "You, when I say 'you' I am only generalizing, you have feelings of persecution or paranoia and thus create an elaborate scenario on through which you are able to vent these feelings."

"I am not paranoid!"

"Please keep your voice down, there's no need to shout."

"Have you spoken to Raven-San yet?" She bit her lip and shifted around in her seat.

"I have not had the opportunity yet, to my knowledge she has been sedated further and I have not been allowed access to her."

"And you haven't found that suspicious," asked Lee incredulously.

"Well, n-not per say," she stammered while pushing her glasses back up her nose. "Should I?" Lee mashed his hand in his face in amazement.

"They keep feeding her drugs to keep her from thinking clearly because she has the power to escape and potentially blow the good Dr.'s cover."

"And what about you?"

"They haven't even opened my door before now. And I will tell you now, the first chance I get I'll fight my way through them until I have freed Raven-San." She bared her teeth nervously.

"Ohhh I would advise against that Lee, our captain of the guard tends to be a little rough in my opinion."

"Sure he is, why don't you watch just how he does his job?" She stared at him uncertainly. "You may find there's more to your colleagues than meets the eye." His words sunk in and she mouthed wordlessly when a tapping caught their attention. The guard looked in a clicked on the intercom.

"Dr, the session is over." She nodded and fumbled with her things.

"Well it was…interesting Lee. I hope we speak again." She moved to the door and when the guard cracked it open Lee immediately spotted his chance. In the blink of an eye he dashed forward and pushed the guard out into the hallway. A flabbergasted Dr. Zelanca stumbled backward while Lee made his escape down the hallway. With a frustrated growl the guard stood up and pressed an alarm on the wall. The halls were then filled with an ear piercing shriek that sent many of the patients to their knees in discomfort. Lee skidded to a halt at an intersection and began darting his eyes about trying to decide on a way to go.

"THERE HE IS!" He swiftly looked back and saw three more guards running up to him. He made up his mind and sprinted down a randomly selected corridor. As he rounded a corner he met two more guards and caught a nightstick being thrown at his face. With a firm grip on the man's wrist Lee quickly flipped him over onto his back and knocked the other in the gut. He left the two guards groaning on the floor and continued on his way. He didn't get far however for at that moment an arm appeared out of nowhere and close-lined him at the neck. Lee fell to his back and coughed out a few spurts. The captain of the guard stepped out into the hallway and brutally hit him in the side three times before slowly circling him.

"You know what they say about this place?" He kicked Lee in the stomach. "That it's everybody's own private personal hell, well guess what…" He bent down pulled Lee's face up by his hair just as he tried to crawl away. "I'm the devil!" He then sent a tremendous blow across the pained teen's face. His nose bleeding and his midsection badly bruised Lee was then hoisted up by two guards and carried away back to his room. The captain tucked his stick away and straightened out his collar. He twisted his head sideways and saw Dr. Zelanca watching him with a look of apprehensive scorn. He narrowed his eyes at her and she backed away around the corner. He turned to leave and came face to face with Dr. Bilger.

"My office Stephen, now." A little withdrawn from his previous state of superiority he followed the head doctor back to his office away from calming crowd. He walked in and Stephen closed the door behind him.

"Look sir about my methods-"

"Stephen I could care less what you do with him," interrupted Bilger. The captain nodded with excision. "What aggravates me right now is how he's even able to step out of his room. They are both supposed to stay hooked on psychotropic drugs, they should be barely aware of what color the sky is. Now why am I seeing different?"

"Sir you can be sure I am doing all that can to keep him in line but it's actually a miracle we've been able to keep just one of them incapacitated this long." Bilger blinked his eyes irritably.

"What are you talking about Stephen?"

"They both possess strong psychic prowess, more so the girl. It is difficult to dull such powerful minds." Bilger stepped closer to him emphatically.

"And do you really think he's going to accept that as an excuse? Stephen shifted about nervously. "As you may recall he recently had a good colleague of ours liquidated for his repeated failure, a useful agent within the CIA. Now if he's willing to sacrifice an asset such as Decker so readily do you think he'll feel any different toward a rent-a-cop security guard like you?" Stephen frowned in disdain but shook his head. "We can't afford to risk having that boy around anymore."

"I will kill him myself."

"No, just disappear him for now. I'll consult the Arbiter and we'll go from there." The captain nodded and started to make his way out. "And Stephen…please don't screw everything up." Stephen ground his teeth and stiffly walked out.

KIORE'S APPARTMENT……………

"Alright Kiore, you and Beast Boy enter here." Cyborg point to a spot on a lay out of the nut house Lee and Raven were being kept. She and Beast Boy nodded and Cyborg continued on. "I'll quietly make my way on down this hall and, provided they get here, Robin and Star will recover Lee and Raven's stuff. The three of us will watch your six while you two concentrate on freeing Lee and Raven. Got it?"

"Sure, do you know what kind of resistance we might…meet," asked Beast Boy. Cyborg shifted his eyes to Kiore. She stared blankly at him for a moment then nodded quickly.

"Oh! Well they're not exactly equipped to repel an all out assault but if they do have agents of the Order inside then our task may be a little more difficult. Though they're outer surveillance is pretty strong."

"Don't worry I've got that covered; we've got someone on the inside who's asked if she can help."

"Sounds like a plan," said Beast Boy with a nod.

"And it can be done," said Cyborg. "Okay now I all I have to do is brief Rob and Starfire-" He cut himself short when his arm started beeping.

"What is it," asked Beast Boy. Cyborg smirked.

"We've got incoming." He strode over to the window and opened it wide. A few moments of silence and then at once Starfire and Robin flew in and tumbled down on the floor.

"Dude! Where you guys been," exclaimed Beast Boy. He gave them both a hand to stand up and Robin let out a tired breath.

"That's a story in and of itself."

"Well I wanna here it, soon as we deal with our other problem," said Cyborg.

"You have devised a plan of action yes," asked Starfire.

"You better believe it," stated Cyborg proudly. "Oh and this is Kiore, remember?" They both shook her hand.

"Cyborg can I talk to you and Beast Boy for a second," invited Robin. They both followed Robin to another room and he peeked past the door to make sure Starfire wasn't listening. Beast Boy folded his arms.

"So Rob what now." Robin scratched the back of his head and held a look of dismay.

"Shadow attacked Starfire," said Robin in his own thoughts.

"You mean guy in black, white face, creepy eyes…in need of a tan," prompted Cyborg.

"Yeah, that's him." Beast Boy looked past Robin and saw Starfire merrily chatting with Kiore.

"She's looks fine to me."

"That's the problem," said Robin. He looked as if he were trying to convince himself otherwise of something. "I think…I think Starfire may be a sortie." Cyborg and Beast Boy looked at each other anxiously.

"Man, do you realize what you're saying." Robin then snapped his head up at Cyborg with indignation.

"Cyborg don't ask me a question like that again. She's more important to me than my own life; of course I know what I'm saying."

Beast Boy furrowed his brow. "Well if that's true what or how are we supposed to do anything about it. If she is a sortie and she finds out that she can't complete her mission she's going to kill herself."

"Don't you think I know that Beast Boy," answered Robin fiercely.

"Hold up, if she is one of those things how come it didn't kick in when yall came flying on through the window."

"The sortie programming works on a trigger basis, if I'm right in that she's supposed to kill all of us, then she has to see all of us together in order to better her chances of doing so."

"So what do we do," posed Beast Boy. Robin sighed.

"We save Raven and Lee, and make sure Starfire only sees a few of us at a time."

LATE THAT NIGHT……………..

Lee lay on his bed staring up at the ceiling. This was certainly the last place he had pictured himself being in at this time. He lay there wondering if Raven was still in a chemical induced coma or if they extended some mercy and allowed her consciousness, if only for a moment. He let his eyes fall shut when he heard a tapping at his bared off window. He turned around in confusion and his mouth dropped when he saw Starfire waving at him.

"Star-San!" He jumped up, to the window and creaked it open. "Star-San what are you doing here!"

"We are here to rescue you, and Raven."

"I do not think that will be an easy endeavor." She smiled reassuringly.

"Do not fear, as Cyborg said we are being assisted by someone within these walls." Lee looked puzzled.

"Who?" At that moment he heard his door open and Dr. Zelanca cautiously poked her head inside. "Elsa?" She nodded.

"Apparently she contacted Cyborg in the late afternoon and explained your situation and how she might be of assistance." Lee turned back to Elsa who had been staring at the floor nervously. He nodded back at Starfire and she flew back down to the ground. Lee closed his window and walked up to the agitated Dr.

"You didn't have to do this." She shrugged.

"Maybe, but then your friends would have a more difficult time getting you both out of this place. Raven is in an isolation room two floors above us." Lee took her shoulders.

"Elsa I thank you, but you need to leave now and go someplace far away." She pushed her glasses up.

"Do I really have to?"

"The sooner the better. Believe me when I say that very little gets past Osiris. If and when he finds out you helped us escape then they're going to come looking for you." She gulped and nodded her head.

"Okay." He bowed forward chivalrously.

"Once again, Raven-San and I are in your debt. Thank you." He then swiftly made his out and Elsa leant up against the wall.

Lee jogged down the hall swiftly and silently looking for any signs of his fellow Titans. He then caught sight of the unmistakable silhouette of a cat off in the distance. Seeing that the cat was a shade of green he casually walked up to it and looked around.

"Where are the others?" Beast Boy morphed back to human form.

"Kiore's right behind me, she's just making sure we we're followed."

"Robin and Star-San?"

"Liberating yours and Raven's personal belongings from the basement." He nodded just as Kiore came jogging out of the darkness just as lightly as Lee had. She saw him and smiled wide.

"Lee!"
"Shhhh!" Both he and Beast Boy hushed her.

"Sorry," she said quietly.

"Kiore will take you out," said Beast Boy. "I'm going for Raven. Did this doctor woman tell you where she was?"

"Yes, she's two floors up in an isolation room. My guess is she's still drugged tremendously."

"No prob. You two just get on out." They both nodded and Kiore escorted Lee down the darkened hallway. Beast Boy flipped open his comm. link. "Cyborg?"

"Go ahead," Cyborg's voice responded.

"Meet me two floors up."

"Gotcha." Beast Boy stuffed his yellow and black device and transformed back into his cat form. Now with the exceptional ability to see in the dark, Beast Boy silently sneaked past a few patrolling guards who were more sleep walking then doing their jobs. He made his way past another sentry and saw two men guarding a single door at the other end of the corridor. Guessing that only Raven would merit such an amount of watchfulness he steadily crept toward the two men. He innocently approached them and meowed cutely. They glanced at each other then jerked his head down at Beast Boy.

"Get rid of it." At once Beast Boy switched from cat to Gorilla and hit both their heads together. They slid against the wall and down to the floor just as Cyborg finally caught up with Beast Boy.

"Is she in there?" Beast Boy slid open a small screen and saw Raven lying motionlessly on a bed with an IV in her arm.

"Yeah she's in there but she looks pretty out of it."

"Alright stand back," pronounced Cyborg. Beast Boy moved away and Cyborg aimed his cannon at the door. After taking aim at the hinges he blasted two well placed shots and the door hung loosely on a single hinge. He strode and finished the job by ripping it out of the wall entirely. Beast Boy moved past him and walked up to Raven. Her mouth hung ajar and he could see her eyes moving beneath her lids. He moved her hair out of her face and scooped her up bridal style.

"Lead the way," he said to his half mechanical friend. Cyborg and Beast Boy trotted down the halls and winding staircases often times jumping back around corners from fear of being seen by passing sentries. Cyborg pushed open a creaky door leading them out to a yard outside with a single flickering light illuminating the pavement. They took five steps when…

"FREEZE! DON'T MOVE!" The two stopped dead and found themselves surrounded by at least two dozen guards. They all cocked their weapons and held them at the ready. Beast Boy held Raven tighter to him and did his best to hide her from them. The captain of the guard stepped up to the circle and shook his head.

"Didn't know she had friends coming. Guess we can make room for you to."

"Guess you can just kiss my ass!" Cyborg growled. Stephen smirked and seemed only a little put off.

"I'll only ask this once…where's the samurai?" He then heard a whisper in his ear.

"Here." He quickly turned around and saw only a fist colliding with his face. They all turned and pointed their weapons at Lee only to let their guard down as Robin, Starfire, and Kiore passed through the door. Beast Boy quickly pulled Raven out of the scene and back to the prearranged rendezvous point. Beast Boy ran farther and farther while the resulting battle took place behind him. Not keen on leaving the scene, though part of the plan it was, Beast Boy silently prayed he and Raven would not be the only Titans left.

MUCH LATER THAT NIGHT……………

Beast Boy lay Raven down in the spare bedroom of Kiore's apartment. He paced around the living room nervously. 'I should've stayed,' he kept scolding himself. Just when he was sure he should go back he heard a small click at the door and Kiore moved inside closely followed by the rest of his friends.

"Guys," exclaimed Beast Boy in a hushed voice.

"Hey man," greeted Cyborg.

"How's Raven doing," inquired Robin.

"She's fine; she's sleeping in the other room."

"Wonderful news Beast Boy, I go check on her." Starfire glided off to the back room and Kiore sluggishly made her way into the kitchen. Robin, Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Lee then gathered near the couch.

"Now what is this I hear about Star-San," asked Lee.

"Rob thinks she's a sortie," said Cyborg. Lee looked slightly puzzled.

"Are you sure?"

"Well the problem is we can't be really," said Robin through a sigh. "She's unexplainably nonchalant, more than usual I mean. She hardly seems to recall what happened…a lot of the signs are there."

"What do you suggest we do then," asked Lee. Robin shook his head.

"I don't know. But we have to make sure she doesn't see all of us together at once."

"Robin…" They heard Starfire's voice coming through the door and they froze. She opened it; glanced back at Raven then fixed her eyes on them. They all stared wide eyed and apprehensive at her. "Raven has moaned something about needing green tea, please do we have any?" She stood awaiting an answer then felt slight unease from the four terrified looks being sent her way.

"Why are you all looking at me in such a way?" Beast Boy gulped.

"You don't feel any different right now?" She shifted her eyes about nervously.

"Noooo, should I?"

Cyborg moved his hands through the air trying to collect his thoughts. "You don't feel like…killing us all right now?" She backed away slightly.

"No! Of course not," she said with an amount of crossness. Robin leaned towards Lee.

"Then she's not a sortie," he whispered. Starfire began to get annoyed and a little freaked out.

"Please, what are you all talking about?" Robin turned to Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Lee.

"Has anyone else in our group been alone with Shadow lately?" They all shook their heads.

"Not that I'm aware," said Lee. Just then a thought crossed Cyborg's mind.

"What about Kiore?" They all slowly turned their heads toward the kitchen just as the girl slowly walked back into the living room. Lee cautiously moved toward her.

"Kiore, think we need to talk." She met his gaze and he saw her face to be extremely vacant. She put a ring with a red stone on her finger and stretched her hand forward.

"DOWN!" Beast Boy pushed Lee out of the way just as Kiore let a destructive red beam issue from her ring. Starfire squeaked and joined Robin and Cyborg behind the couch. Kiore's eyes darted to every corner of the living room searching for a sign of life. Her eyes locked on Lee and Beast Boy and without hesitation she raised her hand once more. In a forgetfulness of mortality Cyborg ran forward and leapt between Kiore and his two friends. The beam shot straight through his shoulder and blew it to pieces.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Cyborg shrieked out and fell back against the wall.

"What has gotten into her?" Starfire tugged on Robin's arm.

"Kiore's a sortie!" He jumped up and threw a bird-a-rang at the girl knocking her ring off her hand. Already having a backup plan Kiore reached behind her and pulled out her sai. Yet just as she was about to charge forward she felt Lee take hold of her wrist and as soon as she made eye contact with him he sent a powerful psychic blast her way. Her eyes rolled up and fell limp in his arms.

--------

They took Kiore to the nearest hospital and hoped that whoever took them in wouldn't ask too many questions. They all stood around her bed while a host of machines kept her alive. In order to stop Kiore from murdering everyone and eventually killing herself Lee was forced to put her in a deep coma. He stared down at her broodingly. Raven, finally able to walk, closed her eyes in remorse.

"I wish I was there. I could've helped." Beast Boy rubbed her shoulders.

"It's alright Rae." Lee stood by Kiore's side and rubbed her hand gingerly.

"What are we to do now," Starfire asked Robin. Lee set her hand down and strode up to his leader.

"I am unsure about the rest of you, but I'm going to find that third marker. Then I'm going to get the eye, and I'm going to kill Osiris." With a definitive stare Lee swiftly left the room leaving them staring after him with troubled looks.

Man this has got to be my longest running story. Mostly because between chapter's twelve and thirteen I didn't update for six whole months. Shame on me. But I'm back in groove so HOORAY! Hoped you enjoyed the chapter. Until next update!