32 Productions Presents…
A Teen Titan Fan Fiction The Teen Titans in…"Caught in the Crosshairs"
Chapter Three
Downtown: Office Building Rooftop
Hit took aim at another person running across the street. Idiots…they should be hiding, not trying to run away. She aimed and fired, causing the woman's kneecap to explode in a shower of blood and bone as the bullet found its mark.
Hit: Good. Painful, but non-lethal. Next, aim for an elbow.
She aimed for somebody else when…it's aimed for your hand. Block it. She turned and knocked the incoming birdarang aside with the butt of her sniper rifle which she promptly dropped. She wore gloves and had bandages around her fingers tips to hide prints so they couldn't track her with it. For what she had planned, the gun would only hamper her. The Titans stood in front of her. Was it her imagination or did Robin seem upset that she blocked his attack so easily? Hmm.
Starfire: This time you shall not escape.
Robin: You'll pay for the innocent people you've killed, Hit.
Hit tilted her head.
Hit: Innocent people? You mean them down there? I didn't kill any of them. They'll need a deal of corrective surgery, true, but kill them? No, I did no such thing. Consider it a way to give them stories to tell the next generation.
The Titans didn't seem pleased with her explanation. That was just as well. She only said it so she had time to reach her remote hidden in her sleeve. She pressed the button and a section of the roof exploded. She dove into the whole it recreated. The Titans dove after her but it was pitch black inside, save for the light coming from the hole. It was a cloudy night you see. Cyborg turned on his shoulder flashlight and Starfire held up a charged bolt. It was a board room…empty.
Hit: Of course if you meant the individual in the movie theater, then I'm indeed as guilty as charged.
They looked around but couldn't find her. Beast Boy checked under the table.
Beast Boy: Oh.
It was a speaker.
Hit: I'll make you a deal. If you can successfully catch me, I'll confess to every murder, every crime I've ever committed. No need for evidence searching and that annoying nonsense. I'll give you everything you need. Just catch me. You can start at anytime.
The speaker fizzled and popped. In seconds it burst into flames and was quickly ash. Robin clenched his fists.
Robin: Split up and find her. Contact the others when you do. Got it?
The others nodded and they split up.
15th Floor Hallway
Beast Boy turned into a blood hound and began to sniff around. He picked up a scent and went after it. It had to be her. It smelled of gunpowder, chemicals, and he could vaguely detect a slightly fruity shampoo. Unless the CEOs around there had some strange hobbies, he had found her. He followed along the scent cautiously, ready to turn into something else at a second's notice. She was very close…almost there…huh? Her scent was gone! But how? His question was answered as something dropped down and jabbed something sharp into the back of his neck. He shifted into his human form and pulled the hypodermic needle out. Hit stood behind him, arms crossed patiently. Beast Boy's head began swimming. He tried to change into a gorilla and catch her, but it was too much of a strain. He fell at her feet.
15th Floor Board Room
It was a different one, just so you know. Why they had two board rooms on the same floor, Shade couldn't say. At the moment he couldn't say much of anything. The high pitch squeal that was coming from the small device he tripped when he entered the room was causing mind numbing agony. He couldn't move. Somewhere in the back of his mind he realized that this girl had booby trapped the place in advance to their arrival. Before he blacked out, he had one defining thought. This was a trap from the start.
Stairwell
Raven sighed silently. This was so obviously a trap. She was sure the others had figured it out by now was well. Suddenly she was overwhelmed with a sensation of pain. Shade was in trouble she turned to do something about it when she bumped into Hit who was standing behind her. Hit's hand shot forward, fingers wrapping around her throat. Raven gasped and clawed at arm, but Hit ignored it. Raven couldn't concentrate with her holding her like that, staring into her eyes with those soulless orbs and Shade's mind still reeling in pain. Her powers wouldn't respond. She soon passed out from a lack of oxygen.
12th Floor Lounge
Just so you know, there are several minute intervals between these things. She's not teleporting or multiplying. Terra felt a little ashamed of herself as she bit into the candy bar she had stolen. She was quiet enough when she smashed the snack machine, but…stealing was wrong. Of course, she'd just say it was smashed when she got there. Then who could blame her for wanting a quick snack? She almost gasped and dropped her candy bar when she saw Hit at the end of the hall, facing away from her. Now was her chance. She'd save the day and TOTALLY be forgiven for stealing the candy bar. Everybody wins. She crept up behind her and swung her fist. Gas exploded from her and Terra accidentally took in a lungful before she realized what was happening. She coughed a few times before collapsing. Her last thought was that she was REALLY going to be in trouble for the candy bar…if anyone found out. Hit stepped out from the room next to where the "dummy" was placed and put her costume back on. Almost finished.
7th Floor Presentation Room
Starfire floated around the room, looking for anything suspicious. So far she hadn't found anything at all. She was beginning to think it was a…a…crazy fowl chase? No…that wasn't the term. There was a soft click behind her. She just had enough time to realize she had hit a tripwire in the air when two stickers launched out and stuck to her back. She screamed as the voltage shot through her and she fell to the ground.
4th Floor Offices
Robin came back out of the office he was searching and discovered a horrifying surprise. Starfire was tied up and hanging from the ceiling.
Robin: Star!
Robin started to move towards her when Hit's monotonous voice cut through the air.
Hit: Stop. If you continue to approach her, I'll kill her.
Robin froze. He couldn't tell where she was. Her voice seemed to come from his right, but all that was there was a wall. She must be able to throw her voice. He clenched his fists. What could he do?
Hit: If you want me to leave her alone, kindly inject the contents of the needle on the floor into your arm.
Robin looked down. Next to his foot was a needle all right. He picked it up.
Robin: You expect me to inject myself with a needle when I don't know what's in it?
Hit: I expect you'd wade through a pool of acid to save this girl.
Robin sighed. He put the needle into his arm and pressed the plunger down. In seconds he was out like a light. Hit stepped out and nudged him with her foot. Good. She was ready to move on. Slade wanted something more…specific to happen with Cyborg, no doubt because he somehow knew about the time she had spent with him and how close she came to actually enjoying herself. The Slade-bots she was told to take with her took them all where she told them to take them.
1st Floor Security Room
Cyborg had to pat himself on the back for thinking of this…at least he thought so at first. He was trying to get the camera's to work, but apparently they had all been destroyed. He sighed. So much for that plan. His communicator went off. Great. Now somebody had caught her before he could even see her.
Cyborg: You find her?
Hit: They all found me, unfortunately. I'm afraid that it didn't quite go as they planned it, however.
Cyborg clenched his fist.
Cyborg: What did you do to my friends!
Hit: They're alive, for the moment. There's an abandoned monster truck stadium. I believe you fought a red and gold plated robot there once. That's where I am. Come quickly if you wish to see your friends alive again.
She cut the transmission. Oh, Cyborg was going to be there alright. Oh how he'd be there.
Abandoned Monster Truck Stadium
Hit was glad to see that strange spherical devices she found still functioned perfectly. The Titans she captured didn't even try to get away. Something about having been through it before. She fastened the extra padding on. If she was to take on Cyborg head on, she'd need better protection. She already had a few weapons to rely on. The Titans were silent, having figured out the orbs were now sound proof. She had done some remodeling. Hit hid in the stands, waiting. Cyborg arrived soon thereafter. The Titans yelled to him, but he couldn't hear them.
Cyborg: Relax guys. I'll have you out in a minute.
Shade formed a shadow in his hand and pressed it against the side of the orb, a pissed expression on his face. The shadow formed a sign.
Cyborg: (reading) You idiot, she's got a rocket launcher in the st…
Cyborg turned as Hit stood up with a shoulder mounted rocket and fired. Cyborg turned his sonic cannon on it. Hit went down, groaning. Cyborg would take care of her in a minute. First he had to release his friends. It seemed easy enough. There was a panel in front of the orbs with a red and green button on it. Red usually meant close so green would open it. He pressed the green button and was sprayed with a fine dust. It got into his joints and quickly stiffened his body. Hit stood up and popped her arm back into place as Cyborg fell over.
Hit: Mission complete.
Her cell phone rang. Hit answered.
Hit: Yes? Good. I hope you found my performance to your satisfaction. Should I kill them now? Hmm. Very well.
Hit pulled out a remote and pressed a button. Robin was freed from his sphere. He got ready to fight, but she simply handed him her phone.
Hit: It's for you.
Robin stared at her warily but took the phone. Hit pressed the remote again before he could move and he was trapped. He swore and put the phone to his ear.
Robin: …uh…hello?
Slade: Hello Robin. I'm back. Just thought you should know.
Robin: Slade!
The phone clicked as Slade hung up on the other end. After disappearing at the "end of the world" Slade had returned. The spheres opened again, but Hit was nowhere in sight. Robin swore and threw the phone down.
Starfire: Robin? Who was it? What has happened?
Shade: What happened? Star, we got our asses kick, that's what happened. We were humiliated, that's what happened.
Robin: And Slade is the one who hired her to do it…
Terra: Uh…guys?
Beast Boy: Dude, you'd think after what he went through, he'd retire.
Raven: I guess being dead doesn't have the profound impact you'd think it would.
Terra: Guys?
Robin was pissed. Slade had made a fool of them all…again! He HATED that.
Terra: Guys!
Robin: What! What is it, Terra!
Terra was keeping Cyborg's stiff body upright.
Terra: Can somebody help me hold him up so I can get the dust out of his body already!
Cyborg: (muffled) Thank you!
Underground Lair: Center Chamber
Hit stood in front of Slade with her arms folded in front of her. Slade leaned his face onto his chin.
Slade: You did very well. Taking all seven Titans down, even if it wasn't all at once is impressive.
Hit: If you ever need me again, simply call.
Slade: Didn't you lose your cell phone?
Hit held up another one.
Hit: Call the second number.
She walked out.
Titan Tower: Main Room
Shade sighed and massaged his temples. His head STILL hurt from the damn noise thing. Terra came in and sat down next to him.
Terra: …did Raven apologize to you yet?
Shade: Huh? No, why?
Terra: She said she wanted to, but didn't know how to do it. It's so like her, really.
Shade stared at her, not sure whether to believe her or not.
Shade: Why are you telling me this?
Terra: Because sometimes I think she's a little too hard on you. I forgave Beast Boy already.
Shade rolled his eyes. Of course she did. Like she could resist getting "active" with the green twit for long anyway. Fortunately his sunglasses hid his eyes.
Terra: I know we act like we don't get a long and all, but Raven is a friend. I don't want her throwing away a good relationship over her own insecurities.
Shade: Hmph. Whatever. I'll wait for her to say something.
Terra: It could be a long wait.
Raven: This is laughable. Weren't you the one who told me NOT to apologize?
Terra froze. Raven stood at the door, arms folded. Her expression was one of annoyance. She approached the couch and leaned over until her face was in between the two.
Raven: Leave.
Terra: (squeaking) Right. See ya later, Shade.
Terra got up and was out the door in a flash. Raven walked around the couch and sat down. Silence reigned for a moment. After a while Shade sighed.
Shade: Raven, you don't have to say anything about anything. Just start talking to me again longer then a sentence each time.
Raven: …do you believe what she said?
Shade shrugged.
Shade: I dunno. Should I?
Raven sighed.
Raven: …I'd have run too. Let's just pretend this never happened and move on.
Shade: Agreed.
Raven reached over and grabbed his hand. They sat in silence.
Melissa's Apartment
Melissa was putting her costume away when her other phone rang. She answered it.
Melissa: Yes?
Cyborg: Uh…Melissa? It's me.
Melissa's expression remained the same, though she was a bit surprised.
Melissa: Ah, hello Cyborg. I'm a little surprised you called so soon.
Cyborg: Yeah, well…something bad happened today and I just feel like talking, you know? The others are just as upset as I am so there'd be no help there.
Melissa: So you want to talk to a neutral party, I take it?
Cyborg chuckled a little. Melissa didn't realize it was a joke.
Cyborg: Yeah, something like that.
Melissa: Alright, I'm all ears, Cyborg.
Cyborg: Call me Victor. It was my name before…you know.
Melissa: …will Vic suffice?
Cyborg: Sure. Anyway, it all started when…
THE END