Chapter XI Revised: Small Scale Trouble

Robin woke up in the middle of the night, fully alert. He immediately knew something was wrong. Quickly he dashed down the hallway, making no noise. Around corners he went, waking nothing. Finally he found the door he was looking for, and thrust it open.

Then Robin closed it behind him and went to the bathroom.

Somewhere else in the tower, Fayrii woke up for no reason. He yawned, and went back to sleep. It was a pity he didn't notice the figures hiding in the shadows. The figures raised weapons and shot. Tranquilizer darts shot forth and stung the two brothers. Later the figures would learn that the tranquilizer didn't affect them at all; they stayed asleep of their own accord. But they didn't know it now, and they sped along hallways. They silently stepped into Cyborg's room. One of them shut off Cyborg's recharge machine. Then they made their way to Raven and Beast Boy's room. Darts were fired, and there was a flash.

The figures dashed to Robin and Starfire's room. There were darts shot, followed by another flash. Their mission accomplished, the figures flew towards the exit. They stopped at the sound of a toilet ahead. A door opened, and Robin stepped out. He looked at the figures. It was dead silent for a moment, as a half-asleep Robin tried to contemplate why there was a field trip in his tower. Then he spotted his daughters in one of the figure's arms. The figure realized where Robin was looking. He looked around frightened, and then gave the babies to someone else.

Robin's voice bellowed throughout the tower, "KIDNAPPERS! SOMEONE IS KIDNAPPING THE BABIES!"

Instantly there was howling as those were formerly asleep charged towards Robin's voice. Robin's Bo staff was out, and he flung himself forward, slashing at the first guy he could with it. The figures moved to defend themselves against the charging Titans who had joined Robin. Beast Boy changed into a tiger and leaped at a figure, now identified as a robot. Cyborg's cannon shot forward ripping through ranks. Raven's psychic powers lost control and began to shred anything she saw. Starfire in her rage forgot about her starbolts and threw robots out of the way. The robots were beset upon by such ferocity that hadn't been seen before.

And still the babies were asleep.

But the tranquilizers from before were kicking in. The Titans were slowing down. They weren't as fast. Guns were released and lasers burst through the air. Robin continued to fight strong, not having been tranquilized. Darts began to fly with the lasers. A couple hit Robin, and he began to slow as well. Finally a laser finished him, knocking him out. The robots' numbers were half of what they had been. But they had won. Now that they wouldn't run into trouble, they walked towards the exit. The door opened to show Fayrii and Jack. Fayrii was in his white and black, Jack in his white.

"Brother," Jack said coldly. "I think I'm about to break my training."

"I don't blame you," Fayrii answered. They shrieked in foreign tongues and threw themselves at the robots. Black magic burst from the older brother's hand, while Jack used white magic to send a crippling field of electricity through them. Their psychic powers combined and formed into a bluish-green monster head. The head shredded through robots before exploding. In retaliation the robots fired darts. They hit the brothers.

Fayrii lifted a hand and walked forward, shouting. The robots came in range, and he swiped, ripping through them. Then the robots parted and to show a giant plasma cannon facing Fayrii. It fired. The plasma shot forth and knocked him out in one blow. Jack looked at his brother before looking back at the cannon. It fired again. Jack made a psychic shield. The plasma smashed into the shield. Jack was slowly driven back, before the plasma burst through the shield and slammed Jack into the wall, knocking him out.

Only 24 of 297 robots remained. But the babies were still asleep, and they left the tower, carrying their prisoners with them.

Beast Boy moaned as he got up. The sun was shining directly in his face. Odd, BB thought, Raven usually wants me to keep the curtains closed. Then he opened his eyes, and remembered what had happened the night before. He hopped to his feet, and saw Raven.

"Raven!" he shouted kneeling beside her. Raven moaned as she rose. She looked at Beast Boy. Then she looked around. Robin and Starfire were getting their feet. Cyborg was sitting up. Everyone's mind started working.

Robin flew through the doors of the tower, his Bo staff in hand. He knew who had done it: Slade. Only he could be so cold. Once he found him, Robin was going to put him through such pain that he'll beg to have never existed.

Lover Robin> Starfire asked. Her feelings were black.

Yes?> Robin asked.

You will not do those things to Slade. I'm going to> Starfire said.

"First one to him wins," Beast Boy said, walking forward. Cyborg looked at the walls.

"It won't be these two," he said. The other four came to see what he meant. Fayrii and Jack were still unconscious against the walls.

"Don't worry about them," Robin said. "I'm certain they'll understand." He turned to look at the city. "Right now we have bigger meat to kill."

The babies looked around, scared. They were locked in a cradle, with laser shields preventing them from getting out. Bluefire spotted someone off to the right. Slade walked forward out of the shadows, and sat in a chair.

"Good morning, my new apprentices," Slade said. The babies cowered a little, and Slade laughed.