Chapter two: Escape
May 6 2005 15:46
"Give it up Cardiac, we don't want to hurt you" Robin landed in front of the colossal heart and raised his arm as a symbol of peace, it was "just a normal day at the park"; the sky's were clear, the grass green.
The gigantic red hart was pumping in a random pace; the blue vanes and arteries had some kind of liquid moving within them. A small child was trapped inside the hart after he was sucked in to it.
The heart charged forwards with its metallic arms spared towards the titan, sucking all the air that was next to him into himself with some leaves and braches, Robin wasn't caught off guard by that move, he started running towards the largest of tubes, working with the suction power to increase his speed he slammed his feet at the ground sending him over the air tunnel that was created by the villain. Inertia kept him moving to the center of the problem, he pulled his Bo-staff as he landed on the tube and ran to the source of the metallic pipelines, the over grown heart's metallic arteries burst out with smaller pipes, trying hopelessly to catch their illusive target; Robin kept going and going, evading the mass of pipes that was coming at him from every direction, he took hold of the staff with both hands holding it over his head and jabbed it into the surface of the pumping red heart with no effect visible, but Robin did not give up. Using his staff like a pole vault's pole, he leaped into the blue skies.
He pressed his index finger against his belt buckle; releasing one of his oh so familiar explosive disks catching it between his index finger and his cubit.
He repeated this action two more times filling the spaces between the other two large fingers, he moved his hand over his shoulder and threw the disks towards the villain in a whip like action, triggering an extremely violent series explosions which, again had no effect to the exceptionally large organ (A/N: Betcha didn't see that one coming, did ya?).
Metallic wind tunnels came out of the cloud of smoke, wrapped themselves around Robin's chest while he was in mid air and slammed him into the ground, slowly tightening their lethal grip at the boy wonder. An extra arm positioned itself towards Robin's legs sucking him into the massive heart.
"Cyborg, cannon, NOW!" this cry for help was answered in less then a mere second by a blue sonic beam hitting the creature in the center of its outer shell, sending it backwards, forcing it to let go of Robin and stop the suction power it was creating.
But an unexpected turn of events happened as the giant was pushed backwards by the impact of the cannon, it was engulfed by flames originating from beneath it, even though it was only for a two seconds, the intensity of the heat was strong enough to send a tree that was ten feet away from the creature in a burst of flames, even that Robin was far away from the tree in feared for his life he covered himself with his cape and found himself like the heart, engulfed in the very same fire.
The heat was unbelievable, but with the same amount of surprise that the flames came so did they go, Robin lowered his cape and looked behind him to see if Cyborg who hasn't moved a muscle his right arm was still up and aimed at his opponent that stopped beating or even moving and crashed into the ground.
"What happened to him?" inquired Robin sending Cyborg's mind back to realty and transforming his cannon back to an arm.
"I believe that the Cardiac had an arrest" Starfire, Raven and Beast Boy landed next to Cyborg and Robin.
"Where were you I called you half an hour ago?" asked Robin
"Control Freak felt like buying a new T.V. and things got out of hand" Replied the green shape shifter after turning from a green hawk.
"Can any of you help me get the kid out of there? I think he's claustrophobic" barged Cyborg while sending his hand into one of the giant heart's tentacles.
"Sure… why not" Replied Raven that went slowly towards the heart.
"Azrath, Metrion, Zinthos" the shell of the heart was bashed open by the shadow forces releasing the child from within the heart.
"O.K that was fun… can we go home now?" Raven walked towards her 'friends', but after walking a few steps she felt she stepped on something soft, something warm, something human.
She looked down to see what was the origin of the limb and saw it; under the mass of pipes and glass that used to be Cardiac, was a man.
"Umm, guys, I think there's something under it" she said to her friends as they walked away from the giant heart towards the T-Car.
"Of course there's something under him Rae" Cyborg covered his mouth with his hand to stop a wave of laughter "Grass" she shot him a glare
"Strange" she said, voice dripping with venom "This grass has a pulse"
One that statement was out. Robin, Cyborg, and Beast Boy who took the form of an elephant, helped Raven lift the giant mechanized organ. Once levitated, Starfire reached below it and extracted the boy who was trapped under it.
"How did he get here?" asked Robin "I jumped over Cardiac and didn't see anything below it" Cyborg took a look at the boy
"Judging by the mask, he's another you wonnabe" he said. Robin slammed his fist into the ground
"Why can't these people leave heroism to the heroes?" he raged
Dude, it's so obvious" answered Beast Boy "you're Robin! You're like…the dictionary definition of coolness!" Robin did not answer.
"Are we not to take this man to a medical facility?" asked Starfire who was holding the man.
"I suppose we should… 'Saint Heller's' is five blocks away" replied the half demon with a touch of reluctance in her voice.
"And what about his weapon and the pack of the back?" Star nodded towards the sword the man had on his waistline.
"We'll put those in the car, now come on, he's losing blood fast!" the metallic man pointed at a red stain that was on Starfire's stomach slightly over her belly button that turned larger with every breath the man took.
Cyborg pulled the sword and backpack off the man and in a short yet understandable burst said "GO", Starfire touched off from the ground and disappeared behind a building a few seconds later.
"Hay Cy you wouldn't mind dropping me off at the hospital? The fire kind of burned my hand" inquired boy wonder, reviling his left hand from the cover of his cape showing that the color of glove protecting it was turned from green to smoking black with blisters covering the front side of the glove; where the fingers are located.
"Sure, why not, don't want Star to get buried under the paperwork"
As the remaining four members of the Titans got into the T-Car, a dark figure in a building across the park lowered a large pair of binoculars. Two white eye slits narrowed
"Titans Tower is open for business. First costumer, free of charge" said the shadowy creature shoving the pair of binoculars into a pocket and trailed off into the shadows from which it came from.
(S)
The smell of antiseptic was in the air of the E.R. The pair of automatic doors closed behind the young Tamaranian with a sucking sound. Nurses wearing white uniforms we're moving people in wheelchairs, a voice coming from a speaker over Starfire's head said "Dr John Smith to operation room number twenty two"
Starfire tried to catch the attention of one of the nurses but every attempt she made was in vain; all of them gave her the same reaction "I'm busy, you need to go to reception"
But when she tried asking where the reception is, the doctor mocked her and asked
"Can't you read!" and pointed at a sign that was hung over them with the words 'Operation rooms, Reception and Staff quarters' and an arrow to the location of the wanted option.
Starfire flew through the corridors with the man still hanging between her arms. She felt a warm spot a bit over her abdomen, knowing what was the cause of this sensation; she boosted her speed to such level that when she passed next to cart of papers, the papers were blown clear off the cart.
And there it was; the receptionist's desk with a woman sitting behind it, filling her nails.
She landed in front of the desk searching for her name tag, which was hopelessly lost under the previously mentioned desk.
"Excuse me. I would like…" she started but the receptionist stopped her.
"Neurology's that way" she said and pointed to her left "Cardiology's that way" she pointed to the right "and the bathroom's left, third hall to the right" once finishing, she got back to what's really important; her chipped crimson nails and filing them.
"I thank you, but I do not require…"
"Do you have insurance?"
"I posses no such thing but…"
"Then get out of here"
That was the last straw by Starfire. She slammed a fist filled with rage against the wooden desk, splitting it to two pieces that fell to opposite directions with a loud sound of breaking wood and ceramic.
"This man requires medical attention and he is to receive it in this facility" she demanded. The receptionist cowered in her seat, backing away from the raging Tamaranian
"Sure… just give me a second" she got up from her seat and went through a pile of paperwork and pulled a small box attached to an electric cord and pressed a small red button on top of it.
"Dr Tombstone to O.R number four" she released the button from her hold.
"Go down the hallway and get into the fifth room to your right, the Dr will be waiting, than get back here because I need you to fill the paperwork" the receptionist pointed to the hallway behind her and the young Tamaranian was off her feet, disappearing into the shadows of the corridor.
(S)
"Junction twenty three-C, take left, seaport access…God this place reeks!" he muttered as his Jet-Ski cruised through the sewer pipes at high speeds. Another left turn and he came face to face with the end of a drainage pipe, heading towards the ocean. The smell of the salty sea water was in his nose, he remembered the instructions that he got from his good friend Jacque; the old barman at the notorious Persian Cat underground bar.
"If you start smelling the sea, you're half way there" the Frenchman's voice echoed in his head, like the man was riding right next to him.
The thief was up to his ankles in sewer water that kept raising with each crash of the Jet-Ski.
"Now all you need to do is…get out of pipe and you are as they say home free. Just keep your eye out for the pesky coastguard"
"That I am, Jacque, that I am" he gunned the last section of the pipe, the burst of sunlight overcame him for a few seconds and all he saw was white. He turned his eyes to the left and narrowed them at his target, the target for his biggest robbery, which he had planned for weeks now
The huge, tall T on the tiny island known as Titans Tower.
Hiding his Jet Ski between the jagged rocks that welcomed him, he proceeded forward, not standing inches in front of the tower, he looked up high and reached for his back, withdrawing red and black grappling hook.
"Going up" he fired the device, hoping to hit a window ledge, something his hook can grab on to.
He was lucky enough as the crimson X shaped hook jabbed itself between the support poles of the Titans' satellite dish, he was pulled upwards by the grappling hook's engine. He was passing floors one at a time with tremendous speed, reaching the roof of the tower within seconds, he pushed himself up. He was standing on top of the tower looking down from a safe distance; he saw the hundred feet drop over the edge.
"Lesson number one with tall buildings, NEVER look down!" he told himself and turned around, looking for the roof access, finding it in front of him, he slowly walked towards the hatch and looked down at it. He pulled something out of his pocket, something with a silvery cover around it.
"A must in any breaking entry kit" he thought to himself while he pulled out the content of the object; a piece of white bubble gum. Stuffing it under his mask, into his mouth, he reached for the opening lever, pulling it and opening the black door with a mechanical sound. As the hot air from inside the tower mixed with the cold sea air, it created a thin layer of white fog, revealing a crisscross of red beams; laser tripwires
"Not bad kid, not bad" he thought and unfolded the bubblegum wrapper that was in his other hand. He knew all the beams were just bounced off mirrors on the walls, all he needed was to block the main beam, and the whole defense grid would become useless. A piece of duct tape glued the bubblegum wrapper in a certain distance from the main projector, and the red beams vanished. He gabbed on to the ledge and slipped in, landing in a cat-like manner on the floor and scanning his surroundings; the tower was dead silent, and dark, except for the occasional sound of the thief's footsteps as he approached the living room, and the main computer.
"One pit stop first" he told himself and picked the keypad lock of Raven's room. As the door opened, he swooshed in, quickly scanned the room, picked up the first object his eyes rested on; a black hand mirror with a styled frame, and left the room
"For souvenir" he hummed.
"And now for what I came for" he said to himself and ran down the hallway keeping himself in the shadows, moving when the security cameras weren't in his way.
The living room door opened with the sound of air being released, X walked into the room looking around for the only reason he actually had to break into the fort that was known as Titans tower; the Titan mainframe the only place where all the criminals files were kept, all the information about any robbery, any crime ever committed was kept in that computer.
He found it right in front of him, slowly; he walked to the giant computer and pulled out the keyboard.
"Now where's the on button?" he thought to himself, he looked around him but he didn't even see anything resembling an on button.
"If I was the kid where would put the on button?" he sat down on the sofa and started wandering about the answer and then it hit him; on the top side of the screen was a tiny silver button hardly seen from where he was standing.
"Bingo" he said to himself and pressed the button. The screen was on with a blue background and the word 'Welcome, Titans' was displayed in neon cyan, followed by a demand for five different access keys
" 'They're working on Microsoft…Every three year-old can hack their system…' Last time I'm getting my info from that Control Freak guy" he started typing a series of codes and pulled out a disk from his makeshift utility belt. The words 'system crusher' were written with a red marker and crude yet unmistakable flames were painted on it.
"Thank you Jacque" was heard throughout the tower. X inserted the disk into the driver and three seconds later he was in the Titans search system typing his name.
The word 'Searching' appeared on the screen and a few seconds later a small beep sound came from the speakers.
"Search completed, to view search results, hit Any Key" said a voice, Cyborg's. With no second thought, his finger jumped to the X key. A large red exclamation mark appeared on the screen and Cyborg talked again
"The Any Key, fool! Any Key!" X raised an eyebrow and hit Return
"Beast Boy, you idiot! The Any Key!" screamed the speakers. The screen now displayed a diagram of the Titans' keyboard and a red arrow pointing next to the Esc key
"Overactive Terminator wonnabe, I got a good mind of turning you to scrap on our next little meeting" he muttered and hit the key.
A diagram of the suit appeared on the screen explaining its capabilities.
"I didn't know it does that, or that and I didn't even know I didn't know it does that, but that's for later, now to business" he took the mouse, dragged it to the belt and left clicked it. All kinds of charts and graphs were displayed on the screen showing its capabilities.
"That's great and all but where's what I need?" he clicked Current Info and a white page with the Jump City P.D logo appeared, with a 'Level V-5 Security Clearance Required to View Desired Information. Access Denied' notice in the middle, followed by the traditional stop sign. X scrolled down the page, a little trick he learned from Overload. And there it was; on the bottom of the web page, it said 'Property of the J.C.P.D Confiscated Weapons Storage Facility, All Rights Reserved'
"Too easy" he said to himself and shut off the computer, preparing to leave, he printed out a sewer map and a city map and headed towards the exit.
(S)
The smell of antiseptic was in the air of operation room four; the doors were slammed open as the doctor and his three assistants entered the room; all of them were wearing the exact type of clothing; green robes, hairnet hat thingies(A/N: don't know the name, you'll have to settle for hairnet thingies!) and white gloves.
The four people walked to the operating table one of them pulled a pair of glasses from his pocket with one of his hands, while he was putting them on the other three started attaching their current patient to a E.K.G machine after putting his glasses on the man picked up a board that had a piece of paper attached to it and read what was written on the paper.
"Lets see what we have today…" he began
"Multiple broken bones, exposure to extreme heat, a broken rid cage and his ribs are in his lungs" he put the board on a nearby table and took his glasses off.
"Chances are one to twelve he won't leave this place by himself… but lets do this" he said and stretched his gloves.
"Yes doctor" The man walked to cart covered by a green cloth next to him, he pulled it to the table and unveiled medical instruments among them was a syringe filled with a transparent substance.
"Antistatic" declared the doctor one of the assistances gave him the syringe he shoved it into a vane and pressed releasing the substance into the man's blood flow, the Dr returned the syringe to the cart.
"Help me with his shirt O.K?" he asked as he took hold of the caller of the shirt from both sides and pulled to opposite directions tearing it right in the middle exposing the mans chest that had the letters 'I.M.' tattooed all over his chest, in the space between the two letters was a small silver spot that seemed to be melted on the man's skin.
"Well at least we know that he was exposed to heat" said one of the assistances.
The Dr looked at his watch and tapped it twice to check if it's working.
"Well… time to get slicing" he said and stopped to take a breath.
"Scalpel" the assistance gave the Dr a small knife which he took in his right hand, placing his index figure on it and pushed it close to the mans skin but before he could start cutting flesh he felt that his hand was grabbed. He looked down and saw that the man wasn't just holding his hand, he started bending it forcing him to let go of the knife that dropped on the man's chest.
"That wasn't nice, now was it?" the man asked while taking the knife with his other hand and releasing the doctor from his grip, one of the assistances ran for a red button on the wall pressing it with his fist, activating an alarm that echoed through the building and joined his friends and the doctor who fled the scene.
"Well, this didn't go as planned" the man said to himself while he got up from the operating table and closed his shirt, walking through the open space that if the doors weren't slammed open would cover.
(S)
The sound of the alarm woke the titans as they were awaiting their leader to come out from behind the white curtain and say that he finished his meeting with the doctor and that all is well.
"What the…?" asked Cyborg as he heard the alarm and saw two armed guards running down the corridor with their weapons drawn.
"Titans, go!" came from behind the curtain; a few seconds later Robin appeared from behind the curtain and ran out of the room, sweeping his team with him, joining the two security men.
"What's going on?" inquired Robin who caught up to the security men.
"Some nut job woke up during surgery, and started going haywire" stated one of the guards who pulled the top of his gun and released it, loading a bullet to the chamber.
"And now we need to take care of him" finished the other doing the same as his partner.
"Then you guys wouldn't some company, would you?" shouted Cyborg from the back.
"Fine but don't get in the way" announced both of them.
They were coming up to a turn; both security men motioned the titans to stop and ran into the corridor with their weapons drawn in front of them, waiting to shoot if anything would even look not right. The word 'Freeze!' was heard, and a shout 'put the knife down!' came a few seconds later with a blood chilling scream filled pain the sound of gun shots was heard the sound of two metallic objects hitting the ground, the sound of bones cracking, and the two security men guns appeared in front of them like they were kicked aside. Robin couldn't stand the fact that him the man who kept the city in peace, something that before he came wasn't even close of being achieved, was kept out of taking care of a simple menace.
"I'm going in!" he said and ran towards the corner, ready to fight. He was a step away from seeing what was going on but in an unexpected manner, a small portion of the wall he was trying to pass exploded and a metallic object was jabbed right in front of his eyes, Robin looked at the object stuck in front of him, it wasn't a part of any wall; it was a surgeon's knife. He turned his eyes to the wall and didn't see any sign of an explosion except for a small hole in an alignment with the knife.
"Titans, go!" he cried out and charged in, but Cyborg who didn't stop to see the knife like he did, changed his arm to his oh so loved sonic cannon and fired.
Robin looked in and saw the man standing with his face to them, but he was looking at the two security men that were on the floor knocked out.
"Titans?" the man looked up just in time to see Cyborg's well aimed shot before it hit him right in the chest throwing him backwards causing him to crash into a near by food cart, turning it upside down.
The man who landed on his back was dragged a few feet before he arched his body and got up, the man reach with both hands to his lower back and pulled something from the waist line. He moved both his hands forwards towards the titans reveling two large guns with the inscription 'DESERET-EAGLE.50' the man pulled both triggers causing two fierce boom sounds and jumped into a near by room with Cyborg's sonic waves missing him by inches, the two bullets hit Cyborg's shoulders and bounced off of them to the walls.
The man's head and upper body appeared from behind the doors and started shooting towards the titans.
"Raven, guns!" said Cyborg while shooting at the man who retreated back into the room, a few seconds later again the body appeared and the shooting continued. Raven nodded
"Azerath, Metrion …" the two guns were painted black, but a few seconds before Raven could complete the incantation, time seemed to slow down for her. She saw everything in slow motion; two small silver balls were headed her way from the man's direction, the balls were revolving around themselves and then everything got back to normal. Raven felt how the two bullets tore through her flesh and came out from both her shoulders; she fell down on the ground. the pain was unprecedented, her brains were screaming with pain and agony at the two burning holes of pain in her shoulders.
"Cyborg, with me!" exclaimed Robin and withdrew a handful of smoke grenades from his belt. The android followed him as they both ran towards the half open door, behind which the man was hiding.
As the armed man peeked out to take another shot, he was blasted full force by Robin's grenades, filling the entire room with smoke; he stepped back, away from his hiding place and was greeted by a series of punches and kicks delivered by Robin. Robin sent a well aimed punch to the man's face, and when he blocked it with his open palm, they were both thrown back by an explosion.
"B.B, Star, get Raven and everyone else out of here, this guy is rigged!" screamed Cyborg. The two complied and raced down the hall, holding their wounded comrade in their arms. Robin shook his head, before the punch was blocked, he could almost swear he heard the exact same sound Starfire's Starbolts make when they're charging. He shook that thought away and threw a couple of Birdarangs towards the criminal, who in response, held up the tipped over dinner cart and blocked the two projectiles.
"You're good" commented the Boy Wonder and extended his Bo-Staff, pointing it towards the man
"Wrong, I'm the best" he replied and pulled the two Birdarangs from the cart, smacking them together and creating the Robin-Blade
"How did he…" Robin didn't even finish the thought and was forced to defend himself from a series of swipes by his own blade. He back flipped and split his Bo-Staff into two batons and charged again, forcing the man into the room in which he hid. A few more blocks and attacks, and he was backed against the large glass window. The man looked down from the sixth floor to see the ground below
"Throw down the sword, it's over" Robin hissed and readied himself for another attack
"Oh, contraire, this is just beginning" the man shot back
And jumped out the window
"NO!" Robin was able to let out when he realized what his opponent was about to do, but it was too late. He stepped out of the room with his head down, to be faced with Cyborg's glaring eyes
"So did you get him?" he asked. Robin turned sideways, to allow his friend to see the empty room and broken window
"Oh…" he said, understanding the failure, but just then, some screams from the ground caught they're ears, they peered out of the window, to see an interested crowd, standing in a circle
"Dude, he, like, jumped into the manhole!" said one of the people
"More like flew into it" said another. Robin ground his teeth
"That's the second one we lose" he said and punched the ledge
"It won't happen again"