Disclaimer: I make no claims to any profits from owning the Teen Titans. Why? I don't own them in the first place!
------------------------------------------------
The secrete hideout, very late into the night.
The hallways are silent. Not a sound exhibited itself in the dimly lit atmosphere. A creepy feeling would envelope anyone brave, or crazy, enough to wander these halls at this time. But this creepy silence would not last long enough as a sound of a dinging elevator broke the atmosphere as it echoed down the long hallway. At one end of the hall, a double elevator door opened. Five familiar teens emerged.
The Teen Titans cautiously exited the elevator found at the end of the hallway, ready for a trap, an alarm, all the usual welcoming gimmicks found in these secrete hideouts. Fortunately enough, they are greeted by none such devices and the slowly progressed forward.
"Well…" said Beast Boy, "so far, no bodily injuries on our part. hehehe…"
The changeling's attempt to lighten the mode was ineffective as the team continued their slow trek forward, ready for anything.
"Alright, everyone," called out Robin, "let's get serious. Remember all that we talked about a while back and be prepared for anything comin' your way, understand?"
The team collectively nodded in affirmation to Robin's statement. They all knew the importance of this mission. Their success here and now could lead to the final break in the case.
"Alright, we'll split up and look fo--"
"Dude, no way we're doin' that!" exclaimed Beast Boy, "Don't you know splitting up never works!"
"Uh, I'm goin with BB on this one, man," concurred Cyborg, "I mean, these guys are pretty tough and no way we can take them alone, dawg."
"I would agree, Robin," agreed Starfire, "It would see that the most logical strategy in this situation is to stay as a collective."
"Still," spoke up Raven, "We could spend all night searching if we stay together like this,"
Robin slapped a palm to his face in frustration. His team has offered pretty good arguments but they we're also trying to save as much time as possible. With the unpredictable nature of their foes it would be recommended to find them and stop them as soon as possible. He found a compromising enough solution.
"Ok, fine," said Robin, "We split up in groups."
"Boo-ya, that's what I'm talkin' 'bout, dawg," said Cyborg.
"Starfire, you're with me," continued Robin, "Beast Boy, Cyborg, and Raven, you guys stick together. Are we all cool with that?"
The team gave their varying signs of agreement.
"Now that we're settled, let's move out!"
The Titans split into their assigned groupings. They all continued to move forward again down the hallway. The hall way was lined with multiple doors and the Titans didn't really know where to start. But they knew that they had to start somewhere in order to get this mission on the road so they simply picked at random. Robin and Starfire chose a door on the right side of the hall while Beast Boy, Raven, and Cyborg chose a door on the left.
After they had disappeared into their respective doors silence returned to the dimly lit hallway. The silence continued on for a moment when it is again broken by a sudden presence. From the area near the elevator doors, the notorious duo, Arsenic and Lithium appeared, seemingly out of nowhere.
"Looks like we managed to give them the slip," said Lithium, "especially that Goth chick, Raven. We can really hide from her emphatic powers now, unlike before."
"That just shows we can find ways around them," said Arsenic, "I got those two on the right."
"Good, I get the three on the left."
Lithium started to move forward to where three of the Titans disappeared into a door but she is stopped when her brother placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked behind to see what's up.
"Remember, we're on a time-limit," Arsenic said, "Check you watch."
The both faced each other and raised their respective left arms. They each wore a Casio G-shock Sports watch of the same type. Both were also showing the Timer function, counting-down in a synchronized pace.
37m : 48s… 37m : 47s… 37m : 46s… 37m : 45s…
"The Doc should be clear of the city by now," continued Arsenic, "Our main objective here is to try and stop the Titans from continuing this little 'cat n' mouse' game."
"By getting rid of the 'mouse' to chase" asked Lithium.
"Exactly. For the meantime we keep them busy. Once our time is up here, we'll let the fireworks take over for us in finishing job. They won't have anything to follow after that, and they'll stay out of our way."
"Perfect plan. Though there is still the off-chance that they can figure-out what we're up to."
"We'll make sure that stays an off-chance. Let's go."
The two nodded to each other in understanding. They moved forward and separated ways as they reached the doors from which their respective bounties have exited through. They disappeared into the doors. The hallway once again became silent.
------------------------------------------------
On Robin and Starfire's side.
The pair had reached what looked like a large space for storage. Piles of wooden boxes, some empty others filled with questionable content, littered the wide open space, some piles reaching a full two stories up. Most of the wood was discolored due t old age. The room's ceiling was about a whole two and a half stories up from the ground. The entire space was dimly lit by a scant few working lamps that were hanging overhead.
The room was particularly dusty and stank of rotting wood and gun powder. Signs of a long history in war. Now the place was desolate, so much so that not even the dirtiest vermin would not populate the dark, dusty, space.
All was quiet as usual.
"Looks like storage for weapons and parts," said Robin, breaking the silence, "This may be where they're getting most of their arsenal."
"Though, as you stated during the briefing, Robin," said Starfire, "most of the wares in this place have been cleared away since time's passing."
The two Titans moved forward searching the space for signs of life. They wandered around for a few moments having no luck whatsoever. Looking behind piles of wooden crates and finding nothing but useless junk got tedious really quick and Robin finally decides that they are simply wasting time.
"This is a waste of our time," concluded Robin, "Starfire, let's get out of here."
"Agreed," replied the alien girl, "Should we not also check on our friends' progress?"
"Good idea."
Robin took out his communicator and turned it on.
"Cyborg, can you hear me?" said Robin into the small device.
Nothing. He looked at the screen and noticed he had nothing but static on the communicator.
"Looks like we can't contact them," he said, "Radio waves can't travel underground. We'll just have to meet up with them later, I guess. Let's go, Star."
Starfire nodded. They both started to walk in the direction of the door from which they entered. And just as they were about to reach it and make an exit…
"Leaving so soon…?"
A voice echoed through-out the space from an unknown origin. Robin and Starfire spontaneously halted in their tracks and did a complete one-eighty. The searched the surrounding area but could not find the source of the voice, though they recognized it immediately.
"Arsenic…" said Robin, "Come out and face us!"
Robin's voice echoed through-out the wide space but received no response for a while. The two Titans continue to search persistently.
"…I should commend you guys," Arsenic's voice said, "I'd never think you'd actually find our little den in the city."
A singular applause that could only come from the hidden teen could be heard. Robin and Starfire did their best to determine the origin of the clapping sound but the echoes made by the large spaces and piles of wooden crates made that practically impossible.
"No matter where you hide, we'll fish you out eventually," said Robin.
"And once we do, it will be, as it is said, 'game over' for you!" said Starfire.
The clapping stopped. Robin and Starfire got into fighting stances and started to slowly walk back into the darkness of the room, ready for any inevitability.
"What makes you think this ends here?" Arsenic voiced.
"We shut down your little operation right here and now!" said Robin.
"Heh, you mean 'Project: Maria'. Do you even truly know what it is."
"We know enough from what we've learned. This 'Maria' as you call her may be the biggest threat this city will face in a long time. She is potentially a biological weapon created by an ancient civilization that died out over a hundred millennia ago."
"Sing me a new tune bird boy. I'm asking you what it is…to me."
"…you think she is some kind of mother to you?"
"Think…? I know."
"I could understand what you might be going through but--"
"Aw hell, not that line again. When will you get it through your head? You will never understand, no-one ever will. Not unless you know what it feels like to be in our shoes. You were never used as weapons for some nameless administration who wanted nothing of you but to turn into the perfect tools of war. You were never orphaned since birth. You, at least at one point or another, had people around you that you can call 'family'…We never had that privilege"
Robin is silenced at that.
"Please," said Starfire, "we can sympathize with you but understand that our first priority as Titans is to ensure the safety of all who reside in our fair city. You repeated infraction to the law has forced to take apprehensive actions towards you. And if your project is truly as dangerous as we have been led to believe then we can not allow the continuation of it."
"You still don't get it, do you? We never wanted to involve anyone else. We don't want to hurt anyone else who has nothing to do with us. We're doing all this for ourselves and ourselves alone. All because we have nothing else left to hope for. How could someone like you, with everything to hope for, understand us?"
Now Starfire is the one who is silenced. By now the two Titans had reached the center of the room and have stopped.
"Let me make this as clear as possible. We've come too far, risked everything we had, to get to this point. We will succeed…"
A few moments of silence.
"…and nothing will stand in our way!" Arsenic's voice came directly behind the two Titans
Robin and Starfire's eyes grew wide. They turned around as quickly as they could to see behind them. But it was too late as all they saw was Arsenic charging headlong at them.
------------------------------------------------
On Beast Boy, Cyborg, and Raven's side.
The trio had found themselves coming down a relatively long staircase in side a dimly lit tunnel from where they entered through the door. They eventually make their way to another door at the bottom of the staircase. It was a thick, heavy-looking, steel door with a plaque on the side that simply read: 'SUB. DOCKS'. The party looked at each other with inquiry. Beast Boy then stepped forward and tried the door. It was unlocked. Slowly and cautiously, he opened it completely. The three entered the room in a similar fashion.
What awaited them was a very, very large space. They stood on a concrete floor that ran parallel to a very wide, very deep pool of sea water and another concrete floor on the far side. The ceiling was about three stories up. Above them, there were several cranes stemming from the high walls, slowly rusting away into oblivion.
One crane in particular, which was the one closest above the three, still carried a load of six empty tubes, probably missile fuselages. Evidence that this place was left in a hurry.
On the far side of the space, there were storage compartments with a few crates and containers strewn about. In the center of the space was long, wide, high metal bridge that connected the two floors, that stood about thirty feet above the water.
The Titans moved forward, taking caution. They made sure they were ready for the likely eventualities like a trap or an ambush. So far they were greeted by none such things but have yet to decide if that was really a good thing or something to be worried about.
The silence of the room was already worrying enough
"What is this place?" asked Beast Boy in a tone of voice that was neither too loud to echo nor too soft not to be heard by his teammates.
"Well," said Cyborg, "We already said this facility was used as a storage by the navy in secret back in the day. Looks like they docked submarines here as well."
"Makes ya' wonder what else this place was used for."
"All the more reason to find those two and stop whatever their doin', dawg"
"Speaking of 'finding', Rae, you feelin' anything over there?"
"Hmmm…I'm afraid not," replied Raven, "They've become quite adaptive to my empathic senses that I can't sense them unless their three feet away from me…"
"Bummer…"
"Let me try it my way," said Cyborg as he stepped forward, ahead of his teammates.
Cyborg stopped in the middle of the concrete floor. He places a palm on the side of his head. His electronic eye started to glow a bit brighter. He slowly swivels his head up, down, left, and right covering the entire space as best he can.
His colleagues, Beast Boy and Raven, watched patiently form behind him. They knew what he was doing. His electronic eye was also designed a scanner with multiple functions. They knew he was probably scanning the large area using various spectrums like infrared, thermal, night vision, ultraviolet, and the sort.
Cyborg scanned most of the room but seemingly found nothing to report. He turned back to his comrades with a forlorn look that the other two soon shared.
"Looks like this place is clear," said Cyborg, "We'd best clear out."
"Can you contact Robin and Starfire and see if they found anything?" asked Raven.
"Sure thing, Rae."
Cyborg opened the communicator that was built in his arm. The small LCD screen turned on but all he could get was static.
"Hmm, looks like there's no signal down here, guys. We're gonna have to meet them later."
The three started moving back towards the door to leave. Above them, the crane still carrying its load of three empty missile fuselages seemed still, unmoving.
"…wait!" said Beast Boy all of the sudden.
The three Titans stop directly under the crane still carrying its load. Cyborg and Raven turn to look at Beast Boy who was standing stark still with a look in his face that said he's got something.
"You got something, dawg?" inquired Cyborg.
"I thought I…" Beast Boy didn't complete his answer.
Beast Boy turned around and looked back into the wide docking area. There didn't seem to be anything there at the moment. Beast Boy, however, still had that suspicious look of inquiry plastered on his face. His teammates wait curiously for some kind of insight from the animorph.
"I hear…something," said Beast Boy, "can't tell exactly where…"
Beast Boy immediately morphed into a rabbit. The green rodent stood on its hind legs, its long ears twitching every now and then. Beast Boy scanned the room with his long bunny ears hoping to pick up the suspicious sound he heard, or at least thought he heard, a second ago.
His picks up something. A sort of metallic tapping sounds, barely audible. Followed by something like ping sounds that were sequentially getting faster. He knows he's heard the sounds before. He can distinctively recall from memory that the pings that he is hearing right now are the sounds of… a steel cable slowly breaking apart… directly above him.
Beast Boy's rabbit eyes bulged. He looked up above him where the sound was coming from. He saw the cranes load, the three empty tubes, shake a bit. The sound was getting loader.
"Hey, do you guys hear that?" asked Cyborg, hearing the sound for the first time.
"Something is wrong!" said Raven.
Beast Boy quickly transformed back into his elfin form, pointed directly above them, and yelled the cliché but still effective warning: "Look out!"
Above, the crane's load was shaking uncontrollably until a load metallic snap echoed through-out the space. The load fell towards where the Titans were standing. Needless to say, the three heroes didn't stay in the same spot for long.
The three Titans dived out of the way as the heavy mass of debris came crashing down upon the spot the were standing on just a seconds ago. The impact creates a deafening bang as it hit the floor and kicked up a huge dust cloud that completely smothered the three Titans sprawled on the floor a few feet away.
The momentary chaos finally subsided as the dust clouds settle away. Beast Boy, Cyborg, and Raven pick them selves up from the floor. They dusted themselves and looked at the spot they where previously standing on. All they saw was a mangled wreckage of the fuselages sprawled all over the concrete floor.
"Thought you guys would never notice me."
The Titans eyes grew wide at the sudden, familiar voice that called out to them. The did a complete one-eighty and find exactly who they were expecting. Lithium was leaning against the wall, arms crossed in a casual way, one hand below, gripping a combat knife, the other hand slightly raised, twirling a second combat knife.
"We really underestimated you guys, thinking you would never find our little hideout," said Lithium, "You guys really do live up to the legends we've heard about you, before even coming to this city. Looks like I'm in quite a pickle tonight…"
Lithium stepped away from the wall and began a slow pace towards the Titans who correspondingly get into ready fighting stances.
"Well, you sure seem all calm and cool," pointed out Beast Boy, "You oughta' know what kind of trouble your in!"
"What does it matter now. The only point here is that you guys came here to stop us, right?"
"And stop you we shall," said Raven, "This ends here."
"You best just give-up, girl," said Cyborg, "You may have beaten us once or twice but we'll make sure we won't be goin' easy on you this time. Don't make us have to give you a harder time than you deserve."
"Hmmm, sorry but it's way too late for any of that," said girl still casually twirling her knife, "We've already gone too far and went through too much trouble already and we have no plans of throwing in the towel any time soon. We're just too close to our goal."
"Your 'goal' could potentially destroy all of western civilization as we know it!"
"What makes you think we'll just let this blow off and let you finish with your little experiment!" rhetorically asked Raven.
Lithium stopped twirling her knife and settled both her hands by her side.
"You should know that we never wanted anyone else's involvement in what we do," said Lithium, "Our goal was for ourselves and ourselves alone. We never wanted to hurt anyone else. We're not like those whacked-out nut jobs who want 'world domination' or some crap like that. We don't even really like the fact that we've been doing crimes to get what we want. We just want what has been denied us since the beginning of our existence."
"Maybe so," said Beast Boy, "But that is still a lousy excuse for endangering the lives of innocent civilians!"
"…Hmm, just like all the other's. It's people like you that prevents us and our 'mother' to be together. Nobody ever cares to look at it from our perspective, our point of view. Tsk! It's just as well I just talk to a wall if nobody even cares to understand us."
"But we do understand," said Raven "We can sympathize with you and your brother."
"Talk is cheap. Prove to me how you can understand growing-up being treated as a piece of equipment where all you have to look forward to are a continuing string of endless assignments to fight battles you can't even understand, to go through hardships without a clear reason. To look forward to nothing else the putrid stench of sweat and blood day after day. I never learned the meaning of affection until I was eight-years-old."
"Uh…umm…"
"Do you have any idea what it's like to feel like you've never been born yet?"
The Titans are silenced, they couldn't find a response.
"I'm wasting my time talking to you like this. Just as well, I simply cannot allow you guys to mess-up our operations any further."
Lithium got into a ready fighting stance.
"You're right when you said it ends here," Lithium continued, "And by that I mean: it's the end of the line for you!"
Lithium charges the three Titans, head-on.
------------------------------------------------
Back at the Storage Room.
Robin and Arsenic were currently dueling it out kung-fu style. Robin took a swing at Arsenic with his bo staff. Arsenic managed to duck out of the way and countered the attack by sweep kicking Robin off his feet. Robin fell on his back with a thud.
"Oof!"
Arsenic took this chance to make an attack. He brings his foot up high and readily slammed it down towards Robins sprawled figure. Robin saw the attack coming and managed too roll out of the way just as Arsenic's boot makes contact with the concrete floor.
Robin quickly swung his legs upward, flipping himself back into an upward standing position. Robin held his bo staff at ready. Arsenic came t the boy wonder with his combat knife. Arsenic swung down as Robin blocked with his bo staff at a ready horizontal position. The blade and staff made contact. Using his super strength, Arsenic managed to push Robin down to his knees by pushing his knife down on the hero's staff. Robin did his best to struggle against Arsenic's push.
Luckily enough for Robin, it was then that Starfire made a move. Starfire came soaring down on Arsenic with green charged fists. Arsenic saw the Tamaranian princess as she came barreling down at him a little too late. Starfire slammed directly into Arsenic, yelling out a war cry, pulling him away from Robin.
"Yaargh!" "Dah!"
The two entangled teens blazed a green trail as they flew across the space and crashed into a pile of wooden crates. The pile exploded into splinters that flew across the floor. From within the crash site, Arsenic had hold of Starfire's hands and was steadily forcing her off of his figure. He created enough space between them for him to insert a leg in-between their two forms and kicked her off.
"Argh!"
Starfire flew backwards and crashed into another pile of crates. Arsenic pulled himself out of the mess and stood back up on the floor. He turned his head in time to spot a particular boy wonder heading for him, bo staff at ready.
Arsenic decided to launch an early attack at Robin first. Arsenic leapt forward into a sipping kick. Robin stopped in his tracks and rose his staff soon enough that it is able to meet Arsenic's airborne foot that was directly heading his way. Arsenic's attack was not able to get to Robin but was more that sufficient to force Robin to release his grip on his bo staff.
The staff flew off of Robin's grasp and rolled into a far spot on the floor. Arsenic landed in a near-crouching fighting stance. Robin got into a similar stance, ready for an offensive.
Arsenic leapt forward at robin with a flurry of jabs, hooks, and kicks. Robin was able to dodge, block, and parry in accordance with Arsenic's attacks. Robin even managed to gain an offensive at one point.
Arsenic threw a punch that missed Robin by a mile. Robin, not throwing away a good opportunity, grabbed Arsenic's outstretched arm and used his leverage to flip Arsenic's figure above him and slammed down to the floor, all by the arm.
"Dahh!"
Robin continued to hold on to Arsenic's arm as he sprawled on the floor. Robin brought a foot up and threw it down at Arsenic's sprawled figure. Arsenic saw it coming and brought his other hand up to catch the incoming limb.
Robin was caught by surprise by this. Arsenic countered Robin's tactics by swinging both his arms forward, effectively tossing Robin's figure off of him. Robin flew through the air for a short distance before ha corrected himself in mid-flight and managed to land in a crouch.
Robin quickly got up and turned around to look back at Arsenic. A little too late though as the said aggressor was already charging at him with an open palm thrust. Robin barely had enough time to block the attack with his own arms. Arsenic's palm thrust met Robin's block with enough force to send the Titan leader flying backwards, wailing.
"Daaahh!"
Robin's figure flew all the way into another pile of wooden crates. The impact sent the pile and whatever contents crashing around Robin's figure, trapping the boy wonder under a hill of dust and debris for the meantime.
Arsenic stood surveying the area. From behind, another pile of crates exploded upwards. Starfire emerged from the cloud of dust. She charged a starbolt on each hand and threw it at Arsenic's direction. Arsenic saw the bolts of green energy and quickly flipped out of the way as the bolts exploded on the ground. He came to a stop just a few feet from his original spot and stared up at Starfire who was staring back.
"You are most aggravating, Arsenic," said Starfire, "I now humbly ask you to discontinue this pointless battle and surrender yourself!"
"That the best you can do, Princess?" replied Arsenic.
He dashed towards the spot underneath the floating Titan. Starfire quickly responded by flying backwards and throwing a flurry of starbolt in Arsenic's direction. Arsenic evaded with ease by simply side-stpping in his dash to avoid the green-hot bolts of energy. He leapt up using his great strength all the way up to Starfire's current height. In mid-air, Arsenic performed a spinning kick into Starfire's figure. Starfire, however was able to dodge the attack completely by quickly flying to the side and Arsenic's foot met nothing but air.
Arsenic reoriented himself in mid-air from the from the failed attack and managed to land on top of a pile of crates. Starfire turned around in the air to face her opponent, simultaneously preparing a starbolt in each hand.
"What is it that you're fighting for?" asked Arsenic.
Starfire responded with nothing but a blank stare.
"Tell me. What is your reason for being a Titan? Why fight like this?" asked Arsenic.
"…I am a Titan because I choose to side myself to the principles of truth and justice. It is my duty to protect the lives of innocent people to the best of my abilities."
"So that's it? You chose your duties, huh?"
"Is it not everyone's freedom to make the choice of their duties?"
"I've never had that freedom. All my life I've been stuck in a rut not knowing what my purpose is or why I should even exist. Everything I did, I did out of someone else's orders and I reaped no satisfaction from them whatsoever."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"I asked you what was your purpose. Doesn't it go further than just defending this city and it's people?"
"What else is there for we to strive for?"
"C'mon princess. You telling me that you don't want to hit it off with boy wonder-butt over there?"
Starfire stared blankly before deciphering the statement. When she did, her eyes grew wide and her face turned beat red in a huge blush. Thus leaving her guard completely down. Something Arsenic readily took advantage of.
He leapt off his perch and tackled Starfire's floating figure. Both teens crashed into, and straight through another pile of crates. Afterwards, the inevitably hit the ground, Starfire first.
"Argh!"
Arsenic pushed off of her as soon as he himself felt the impact. Hi flipped in the air and landed a few feet in front of Starfire. The Tamaranian princess quickly got up and faced Arsenic once again. Arsenic merely grinned at her and pointed behind her. Starfire then noticed a creaking sound from behind her. She took a quick second to see what it was a saw the pile of crates crashing down upon her. She couldn't react in time, hence she was buried under a pile of ruble.
Arsenic stood triumphantly before he himself notices a weird sound. A swishing sound came from behind him. Knowing what those sounds might entail, he reflexively rolled to the side dodging three birdarangs as they impaled themselves onto the concrete floor.
Arsenic turned around to the direction from which the projectiles came from. Three more of the same came flying at him. Thinking fast, he quickly drew his .45 pistol and shot all three birdarangs out of the air. The three projectile weapons disintegrated as they were hit by powerful .45 caliber rounds.
"Yargh!"
That came from behind Arsenic. He turned around quickly just in time to block an attack from Robin's bo staff with his pistol. The bo staff was hooked between the .45's trigger guard and the lower barrel making it impossible for Arsenic to take a shot at Robin. Not that he wanted to anyway.
"What's your point with all this 'purpose' and 'freedom of choice' crap, Arsenic?" asked Robin.
Arsenic summoned enough of his strength to push off the boy wonder. Robin skidded a few feet away from Arsenic but quickly recovered and held his bo staff at ready. Arsenic similarly recovered and aimed his .45 threateningly at Robin, though he knew he didn't want to use it in this way.
"My point?" replied Arsenic, "My point is that we all have an underlying goal. No matter what kind of excuse we give it like 'duty' or some crap like that. There is something we all desire deep within ourselves. That thing is our purpose for living, for existing, Wouldn't you agree with me, Robin?"
"Maybe, but that still doesn't explain why you're doing all this."
"If you could the thing you desire the most, would you give less than everything to have it?"
"…Tell me then. What is it that you desire the most?"
"…To have meaning. To exist."
Arsenic quickly holstered his weapon and charged headlong at Robin who was ill-prepared for that sort of attack. Arsenic managed to grab onto Robins bo staff eliminating the boy wonder's leverage with the weapon. Arsenic yanked the staff out of Robin's grip and tried to jab at Robin. Robin, sensing the release of his weapon jumped back immediately avoiding Arsenic's attack.
Robin got back into a fighting stance as Arsenic tossed the bo staff away. Arsenic got into a ready fighting stance as well, prepared to take on the Titan leader.
"Aargh!"
From behind Arsenic, a sound of a war cry and crashing debris erupted. Arsenic looked behind him to see that it was Starfire recovering from her collapsed state. She hovered a few feet above the ground preparing starbolts in each hand. Arsenic looked back at Robin in front of him, who was still in a fighting stance. He was surrounded.
Arsenic simply grinned and, with his hands, motioned for the two Titans to have at him once again. The two annoyed Titans complied. Robin charged forward simultaneously with Starfire barreling down on Arsenic's figure.
------------------------------------------------
In the Submarine Docks.
Cyborg charged at Lithium with a flurry of jabs whish she easily blocked and parried using her twin combat knives. Cyborg threw a punch but missed Lithium completely as she seemingly just disappeared. Cyborg went bug-eyed for a moment before deciding to look down. Lithium was crouching low smirking up at the metallic hero. She sprung up in an upward slash with Cyborg barely evading.
Cyborg stumbled backwards a bit as Lithium landed. Cyborg looked down on his chest area to find a long diagonal gash in his armor. He looked back up at Lithium who was simply smirking at him. She charged him. Cyborg went into a stance usually taken by basketball players in defensive positions. Lithium was about to come close enough for Cyborg to grab her but she dropped down to the floor at top speed into a slide She slid in between the Titans spread legs which caught Cyborg off guard. He had no time to react as she stopped in her slide, hoped up, spun around, and delivered a swift but powerful kick into Cyborg's back.
"Daaah!"
Cyborg fell face first onto the concrete floor. Lithium landed back on the ground. She noticed a noise from behind her a turned around to look. A green lion was charging towards her. She quickly sheathed her knives and readied herself. As Beast Boy in lion mode pounced her, she grabbed his tow out-stretched paws, rolled backwards on her back allowing Beast Boy to fly over her, placing foot on Beast Boy's mid-section and kicking him off of her. Beast boy flew backwards and landed near where Cyborg was recovering. Lithium stood over the two.
"Azerath, Metrion, Zinthos!"
Lithium heard the distinctive chant of Raven just to her side. Raven was floating above Lithium firing bolts of black energy. Lithium started flipping backwards to evade Raven's continuing attacks with her black telekinetic bolts. Lithium was almost too agile to be hit at all as Raven has absolutely no success in hitting her.
Lithium stopped momentarily giving Raven a chance to get a solid hit. Raven threw one last bolt of black energy towards Lithium. Lithium countered by holding both her palms out and 'catching' Raven's attack. A scenario that seemed very familiar to the sorceress floating above. Lithium threw the black bolt back into Raven's floating figure. Not being anyone who gets beaten by the same trick twice, Raven immediately dodged to the side as the bolt flew into oblivion.
Raven was however off-guard for those few moments so Lithium took the moment to attack by jumping up into the air and delivering a downward karate chop towards Raven's cranium. The dark Titan managed to raise a barrier of black energy with her arms to block just in time. Still, the force of the blow brought her down to the ground on her butt.
"Oooff!"
Lithium landed just a few feet away from Raven who had yet to recover. Lithium prepared to attack the sorceress when she was distracted by the sound of thunder. She looked behind her to see the origin of the sound. It wasn't a welcoming sight.
"Boo-ya!"
Cyborg was riding on top of a large green elephant, charging at the two girls. He was also aiming a sonic cannon in Lithium's position. He fired. Lithium, along with Raven who just fully recovered, jumped out of the way as a beam of blue sonic energy illuminated the air. The beam struck bare floor.
Cyborg continued to fire on Lithium where she landed, not having much success. After the last blast, Lithium stopped jumping backwards and dashed towards the charging green elephant. Beast Boy gave a trumpeting sound from his trunk and gained speed. As the two were about to clash, Lithium leapt into the air up and over Beast Boy's elephant form and delivered a swift kick to Cyborg who was riding in top.
"Oooff!"
Cyborg fell off backwards onto the concrete floor. Lithium landed just in front of him. Ahead, Beast Boy skidded to a halt. He transformed in to a bull as he turned around and charged again at a faster speed towards Lithium. Lithium simply stood, smirking. Just as Beast Boy in bull form. She side stepped just in time to let the bull pass her. With momentum carrying him, Beast Boy was unable to stop before colliding into a recovering, make that yelping, Cyborg.
"Yaah!"
The two Titans crashed into one another and sprawled over the floor. Lithium stood watching the two boys in amusement when she noticed a movement from behind. Raven had snuck-up on Lithium by teleporting through a dark portal on the floor. Raven delivered a swift kick that nailed Lithium in the mid section and sent her sliding a few feet back.
"Argh!"
Lithium recovered soon enough to see Raven telekinetically floating towards her with ready kicks. Lithium blocked with her arms as Raven delivered more kicks to Lithium's figure. Lithium managed to tough it out with her arms long enough for Raven to get tired. Noticing the slack in Raven's following kick, Lithium made her counter-attack by grabbing onto Raven's leg, spin her around, and tossing her into the air.
"Woah!"
Raven flew through the air flailing, unable to gain control of her flight, so she ended up making a splash as she fell into the giant pool in the center of the huge space. Lithium smirked amusedly as she stood over the pool of water.
"Hey, if anyone is gonna do that to Raven, It ought to me!"
Beast Boy's recognizable voice yelled out closer to Lithium than she would have wanted. She turned to see that Beast Boy had transformed into a Silverback Gorilla, throwing down it's giant muscular arms down to crush her. Lithium jumped backwards in time to avoid being turned into pizza. She landed a few feet away from the giant primate and readied herself in a fighting stance. Beast Boy beat his chest and roared out loud. Beast Boy charged at her.
Meanwhile, Raven was already exiting the pool after her impromptu dip. She floated above the water and landed near the edge of the concrete walkway. She shook off some of the water loose from her figure but still remained mostly soaked, much to her annoyance which showed clearly on her face. She turned her head to see Beast Boy in gorilla form wrestling with their female aggressor. She also saw the fallen debris that came from the crane and fell. She focused a telekinetically glowing hand on the debris.
"Azerath, Metrion, Zinthos."
A moderately intact missile fuselage was surrounded in black energy and slowly lifted in the air. It reached a height of about fifteen feet off the ground. Raven swung her hand towards where Lithium and Beast boy were currently entangled. Lithium had her back to the object and couldn't see it coming plus she was also too busy trying free herself from Beast Boy who was grabbing onto her shoulders. Beast boy on the other hand had a clear view and reacted immediately by letting go of Lithium and backing off. Beast Boy then quickly transformed into an eagle and flew straight up with a loud squall.
Lithium was a baffled by this until she looked behind her to see what was going on. Her eyes bulged out of their sockets as she saw the piece of metallic ruble glowing in black energy coming at her. The speeding piece of missile came at her horizontally and left for no room to evade so she did the only thing she could do. She narrowed her eyes and stood her ground. She reared up a fist and held it a ready. As the tube came within striking distance Lithium threw her fist at it.
"Yaaargh!"
The fuselage nearly disintegrated form the middle to both ends. It broke off into multiple fragments, some sprawled on the floor, some fell into and sank in the pool. Lithium stood with an outstretched fist. She calmed down and relaxed her stance by standing straight back up again. She turned around. She side step to evade a bright blue sonic beam that came at her.
Some twenty feet from her, Cyborg had an outstretched cannon arm aimed at her. Standing on either siden of him were Raven and Beast Boy. Lithium stood there calmly staring at them from the distance. She began to smirk and chuckle softly.
"Having fun yet?" inquired Lithium.
"Is this what this is all to you?" retorted Cyborg, "A game?"
"Can it be anything else? Life is nothing but one big game when you think about it. Only those with true skill and determination are the ones who survive leaving the weak behind in their dust. The only victory is when you finally gain what you live for. When you live your purpose"
"What are you saying?" asked Raven, "That those who are weaker than you, you can just trample as you see fit!"
"I don't really want to bother with the lives of other people. They can do whatever the hell they want, I don't give a damn. I'm only after what I'm after, that's all."
"And you don't care if other people get hurt!" inquired Beast Boy.
"I never wanted to hurt other people. I don't have any reason to do so."
"But what about this little project of yours!" said Cyborg, "From what I hear, it's a catastrophe waiting to happen. And you don't seem to care who's in danger here!"
"Tsk! It's always the doomsday scenario with you people. You think everything is out to get you, nothing is safe to you. Always afraid of change."
"That ain't right! We only fear what we know to fear. What your bringing to us could potentially wipe us out. We are Titans. Our job is to ensure the safety and survival of the people. We know what you and your brother must be goin' through here but you have to see that peace and security comes first. If you let us we can send you guys somewhere where you can get some help--"
"Just shut up already!"
Cyborg, along with the other Titans, is taken back by that response.
"I'm getting sick and tired of everyone telling me what my problem is but nobody ever does anything to help me. The only thing people have ever done to me is to order me around. Nobody ever gave a damn about me, about how I feel. I'm so sick of it I can puke. Right now, there's nothing left for me but to look out for myself!"
Lithium quickly drew her knives and stood in a fighting position. The Titans similarly prepared themselves for action.
"I've spent too long a time not knowing my meaning in this world," said Lithium, "I won't wait any longer, and I won't let anybody else get in our way!"
Lithium charged the three Titans.
------------------------------------------------
Back in the Storage Room.
Robin was swinging his bo staff relentlessly at Arsenic who was blocking and parrying with his combat knife. Arsenic jumped back from one of robin swings and landed ten feet away from the boy wonder. Robin charged at Arsenic. Arsenic countered this by coming to a nearby fallen crate and kicking it like a football into Robin's face. Robin swatted away the wooden crate away with his staff which left him momentarily off-guard. Arsenic took this opportunity to come at Robin and deliver a swift blow to the chest.
"Ooof!"
Robin flew back away from Arsenic's position. From above, Starfire flew into the scene with glowing green eyes. She shot forward an optic blast towards where Arsenic stood. Arsenic dashed to the side avoiding the green beam of light as it trailed him. Arsenic ran up another pile of wooden crates, vaulted off towards where Starfire was floating. Starfire gasped as Arsenic was about to bring a foot down upon her. She was able to block in time with her arms but the impact still forced her back a distance.
"Dah!"
Arsenic landed on top of another pile of crates. He heard a swishing sound coming from the side. He turns to see a bunch of birdarangs headed his way. He readies himself and batted away the projectiles with his combat knife like they were flies. To his side he notices Starfire about to throw a starbolt. Arsenic hopped off the top of the pile just as Starfire let loose her starbolt. The ball of green energy impacted with the wooden crates and turned them into splinters.
Arsenic landed below some few feet away. Robin readily met him with bo staff at ready. Starfire came floating down beside Robin preparing a starbolt in each hand. Arsenic went into a fighting stance. Arsenic was about to charge them when suddenly…
Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!
Arsenic immediately turned his attention to the watch on his wrist. He carefully looked at what was displayed on the little LCD screen of the thing. The Titans looked on curiously, worriedly. Arsenic looked back up with a slight smirk on his face.
"I'm sorry, looks like our time is up here.." said Arsenic.
"What!" asked Robin, taken aback by the comment.
"I have places to go to at the moment."
"You're not going anywhere until we finish this1"
"I'm really sorry to disappoint you bird boy but I really need to be somewhere else at the moment," said Arsenic as he reached into his belt behind his back, "and frankly, I think you do too."
In slow-motion, Arsenic pulled a flash grenade from his belt which Robin immediately recognized. Thinking quickly, the boy wonder reached into his own belt just as Arsenic released the grenade. Robin pulled out a small black chip from his belt and prepared to toss it just as Arsenic was covering his eyes with his arm. Robin tossed the chip. It flew into Arsenic attaching itself onto one of his boots. The flash grenade exploded and an extremely bright light blinded the Titans momentarily.
By the time Robin and Starfire regained their vision, Arsenic was long gone. The two Titans look at each other curiously, contemplating about Arsenic's actions and exactly what he meant by that last comment.
"Um, Robin," started Starfire, "What did it mean when Arsenic said that we too would prefer to be somewhere else?"
"I think we need to get out of here Star," said Robin.
Just then a quake erupted that shook the floor nearly tipping over Robin where stood. Starfire, who was unaffected because she was floating grabbed Robin to help him regain balance as the quake subsided as quickly as it had come in the first place.
"And we need to do it fast!" continued Robin.
Both Titans dashed towards the exit.
------------------------------------------------
Back in the Submarine Docks.
The quake was also felt by everyone in the room. The Titans and Lithium stopped fighting and stood still from where the were currently standing. A quick hush falls over the small crowd as they all swung their heads around in curiosity. Lithium looked at her wrist watch.
"Whoa, that late already?" said Lithium, "Looks like my time is up here."
"Hold up!" exclaimed Cyborg.
"Yeah, what do your time's up!" asked Beast Boy.
"Our little game is over for now," said Lithium, "I have to be somewhere else at the moment."
"Wait a minute!" exclaimed Raven.
"Sorry, till next time we meet then," said Lithium as she reached behind her back, "That is if your still alive after tonight."
She threw whatever she had into the ground and covered her eyes with her arm. The object was a flash grenade. The Titans gasped as the grenade exploded blinding them with an intense bright light. They regain their sight a few moments later by when they do, Lithium is nowhere to be seen.
"Dude, she bailed on us!" said Beast Boy.
Another quake rocked the floor they were on. The Titans struggled to maintain balance as the shaking subsided quickly.
"And I think she had good reason," said Raven.
"Yo! We gotta get outta here, now!" exclaimed Cyborg.
They all rushed to the exit.
------------------------------------------------
Back outside in the hallway.
All five off the Titans simultaneously pop out of their respective exits. They completely startled each other. The get into fighting stances out of panic, Robin holding a fan of birdarangs, Starfire preparing starbolts, Raven with black glowing eyes and hands, Cyborg aiming a sonic cannon, and Beast Boy transformed into a turtle hiding in it's shell shaking in fright.
They took a moment to recognize who was who in the mix-up. Slowly they lowered their armaments and Beast Boy crept his head out of his shell. They all breathed a sigh of relief but only for the moment.
"Dudes, you almost gave me a heart-attack!" exclaimed Beast Boy back in elfin form.
"I could say the same the same to you guys," said Robin.
"Yo, Rob," called Cyborg, "I think we relly need to high-tail outta here! this place isn't gonna last long!"
Another instantaneous quake nearly topples our heroes.
"Point taken, Cyborg," said Robin, "Everyone to the elevator!"
They all dashed to the elevator which they took to come down here in the first place. Beast Boy was the first one there and he automatically went for the call buttons. He pressed furiously but received no response from the device. It would seem that the elevator is malfunctioning. The Titans arrive concluding the same thing.
"Dudes, it ain't working!" Beast Boy announced. "What do we do now?"
"Alright step back y'all!" said Cyborg as he transformed his arm into a sonic cannon.
All the Titans got behind Cyborg as he prepared to fire into the elevator doors. Cyborg let out a powerful sonic blast that hit squarely in the center of the doors. The doors couldn't handle force of the blast and imploded into the elevator shaft.
"Boo-ya!" exclaimed Cyborg in triumph.
They walked up to the dark and empty elevator shaft. They found the elevator car a floor down, the electrical wiring that connected the car to the control system was clearly severed and sparking in the dark. No need to be a genius to guess who did that little piece of handy work. The Titans then looked up. It was a good five or six stories to the surface. It would be a long climb up should they choose to climb.
A rumbling noise came from behind the party of five. The Titans looked behind them. Down the hallway a good distance away, there was a bright and massive fireball roaring it's way towards the teen heroes. The Titans go bug-eyed.
"Titans, up the elevator shaft now!" exclaimed Robin.
Starfire grabbed onto Robin's arm and pulled him along as she zoomed upwards the dark empty shaft. Beast Boy transformed into a crow and soared up the shaft. Raven quickly created a little black energy disk with her powers that Cyborg used to step on and they both flew up the shaft as well. Just as the fire ball was about to reach them.
------------------------------------------------
Outside.
The Titans stormed out of the warehouse like bats out of hell. The scrambled to get away from the building as fast as possible. And with good reason too. The rumbling and the sudden quake are radiating on the surface.
Suddenly and without warning, the entire warehouse exploded in a gigantic fireball. Pieces of the building flew every which way. Fiery pieces of debris rained down from the sky all over the vast shipyard. The Titans, who by now have reached a safe distance, looked back at the inferno as a lit up the early morning sky.
Underground, the entire subterranean structure that was the villains hideout was collapsing in on itself. The great many unused spaces within began to implode. If one would stand with in the structure it self as it was collapsing one could see the ocean flowing in. As the structural integrity of the facility failed, seawater rushed in from the many cracks and holes that formed on the walls and ceilings.
From the surface of the water, A large plume of water jetted upwards into the sky signaling that the underground structure has indeed caved in on itself. Meanwhile the warehouse on the docks has completely collapsed as well. And there was nothing left but a huge burning pile of rubble.
In the distance atop another warehouse, the Teen Titans stood, staring at the awful sight.
------------------------------------------------
In the water, a good two miles out in the ocean.
Riya and Sakura look back at the sight of their ruined hideout. They were on a powerboat which was reserved for such an occasion. They continued to stare at the sight with forlorn looks of their own.
Ever since they came to this city almost two months ago to start their operation, that place had been their home. There they got started on their set-up and gathered, as well as acquired all their collective resources there. Now it's nothing but a pile of rubble underneath the ocean.
But that was just fine. That place was never meant for the final set-up. They were now going to where the last pieces of the puzzle would be put into place. They didn't need their old home anymore. It has served its purposes quite sufficiently. Now, it's time for them to find their purpose.
Riya and Sakura turned their sight away and returned to their respective seats; Riya in the driver's seat with Sakura on shotgun. Riya started the motor of the boat once again. The seventeen-hundred horsepower motor revved to life and the vehicle sped off into the vast ocean towards whatever destination.
As he drives, Riya is oblivious to the small black chip stuck on his boot that was transmitting a tracer signal.
------------------------------------------------
In the city.
The Skyline Tower Apartments was too far north of the city for anyone in it to see the ocean. However on this particular day those with apartments facing south could definitely see a large plume of smoke coming from the southern docks.
Many of the tenants have actually gone out into their balconies to see what was going on having been woken up by a loud explosion in the distance and a quake that followed that probably registered a good six points or so on the Richter scale. They were all standing on their balconies, some dressed in bathrobes while other's are in their pajamas, looking at the scene with mixed feelings of curiosity and horror.
However one such tenant did not share such feelings.
Dr. Allen Cannes stood on his personal balcony in a coat and casual wear rather than sleepwear, looking at the scene in the distance. He had an anguished look on his face. Below him, he could hear fire trucks speeding southward towards the blaze.
"Nikolai…" he said, "You cannot be allowed to continue this madness. I'll make sure of that."
He reached into his coat and pulled out a piece of paper.
"If not for this city, then for their sake."
He looked into the piece of paper. It was a photo of a boy and a girl, probably five and four years old respectively, standing besides each other, their features slightly familiar. Dr. Cannes looked deep into the photo for a good long time.
In the distance, The sun began to rise.
------------------------------------------------
Author's note: Sorry for the long wait. Had to spend most of the holidays with my family and away from computers, oh the horror! Well anyways here's my thirteenth update! Pretty long so it took me quite some time.
Anyways, please R&R! next update might come in sooner if you do!