Authors Note: I don't own the Titans, Or the Titans East, or anything else related. If I did, Beast Boy would be dating Raven… and Terra would be in a love triangle with Speedy and Aqualad. Hee hee hee…

Newscaster: Welcome to the morning report, here on 97.5, the rush. Today, we'll be talking to a pair of people who are certifiable. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we'll spend the whole show talking between ourselves… As well as discussing current events. On topic today is the current reign of terror who is causing so much panic throughout the city…

MANY MEETINGS

The streets of Steel City were not a forgiving place. Few, if any, ever managed to survive its brutal handling unharmed. It was a place of corruption and decay that sat throughout, lingering like the stench of dead meat. The slums were a place of decadence, filled with the worst sort of people who killed without cause, stole without reason, and sold themselves to the lowest bidder. No sin was unknown to its dark streets, and no deed would be revealed to the light of day if enough was paid to the right people. It was a city on the edge of madness, sickened from within until the very core had become a cesspool of filth. Cops were bought and paid for on a regular basis, and ever the courts could be made to dance to the tune of a puppeteer. The streets of the slums were filled with the hopeless, the weak, the despised, and the hated. Dead bodies, too, could be found if one searched hard enough. Gang wars were constant, and the people killed, injured, or maimed in them could be heard about over the news. Liquor, Drugs, and all other forms of entertainment thrived within the city. And now two teenage superheroes were searching it from top to bottom to try and find some trace of a madman who had nearly destroyed a city in the name of revenge. It was tough for the two to look at the city with any form of feeling other that a sense of depression. The city seemed beyond saving, no matter what way anybody looked at it. It was their duty to do what they could however, though doing even that seemed beyond the means at their disposal.

"Seems a little odd to name a city 'Steel City', doesn't it?" Karen Beacher's voice said out loud, not bothering to tone it down as they watched the city slowly turn in on itself as night fell. Karen turned to look at he companion, smiling. Few men would ever be caught dead wearing a leotard at any time, but she knew that no one would ever make a comment about it to Garth. He was six foot two inches, toned and muscular without looking like a weight lifter. Which was funny, considering he could bench press a car – with the people still in it. His blue shirt was much too tight for her tastes, though she couldn't help but admit that it did show off his body quite well, and it didn't clash with his nearly black hair, or the black leotards that covered the bottom half of his body. The one thing that did make her a little uncomfortable was his eyes – they were almost black, and seemed to absorb light. He had explained that it come from living in Atlantis, where the water was darker than even the darkest nights that they had been through. That truthfully hadn't been that many, considering that they had traveled together all of the way from Jump City, on the other coast of the USA. She had seen him in action a few times on the trip, and vice-versa, but it still seemed odd to her to call him Aqualad even in public. They were friends now, and calling a friend by a nickname was something she had always been trained not to do. It ran contrary to her nature to be rude. Again, this could be considered funny if you knew where she was coming from.

She was Bumblebee, a super powered teen, capable of shrinking her size, firing off electrical beams, flying, and with an enormous strength that rivaled most of the super villains she had ever fought. She was black, and proud of her five feet ten inches that she held on her thin frame. There were only a few that she had fought, but they had been a constant practice that had honed her reflexes to a sharp edge. She had been, for a time, a spy in an organization called the HIVE, a destructive school for gifted young villains, led by a dangerous psychotic madman named brother blood. He had been the driving force behind the school, though he wasn't the only one, and his first and second defeats had damaged both his reputation, and the image of the school. If they could just find the man, then this hunt would be over. That thought led her back to one she had been dwelling on for the past week – what would she do when this was over? She had no home to return to, and the Teen Titans didn't really need any extra help. Even if she did find Cyborg to be a hottie. Down girl! She thought to herself. Once again, she forced that thought into the back of her mind to be examined at a later date, when she wasn't hunting a dangerous super villain.

"It is a little gratuitous." Aqualad replied, a face that sat somewhere between a smile and a grimace grunted out, not knowing what to think about the City. Atlantis was the only undersea city, and Aqualad had been raised in a loving, sterile environment. It had made his adjustment to the real world a little more abrupt than most, and his understanding of both people, and why they committed their crimes, seemed to confuse him more often than not. He was innocent – a trait that Bumblebee admired and loved in him. He was a friend, and those were truly few and far between in this world, she had discovered. "Though the fact that it is their main industry does make it a little less so." He continued on for a moment, looking through the cloudy sky towards the red colored sunset, staring out towards the ocean longingly. He missed it almost as much as Bumblebee missed flying, which she did as often as time allowed. To fly was her greatest exhilaration. Now, however, night was beginning to descend, and it was time to get to work. Finding Brother Blood, Mad genius extraordinaire, was proving to be more difficult then either of them had ever imagined. It shouldn't be so easy to simply disappear, even in a city this big! She thought to herself, grumbling.

"Ready to go?" She asked, letting a little challenge slip into her voice, knowing that it was expected. She lived for a good challenge once and a while, and though today she felt less than ready to go for number one once more, she would never let a friend down. Besides, he enjoyed it too. No day was complete unless she had won at least a single competition with somebody. She was far too high strung not to feel that way.

"Sure. I'll bet that we've got a long night ahead of us, though." Aqualad said with slight smile, starring back out over the City. With a sigh, he stepped out off of the ledge, moving through the air with the same liquid grace that had made Bumblebee jealous as she had watched him fight. He landed, having dropped two stories without a hitch, and began to walk into the city at a fairly rapid pace, not running, but not waiting around. Bumblebee shook her head in amazement once more before she took off herself, pushing off of the rooftop out into the air, buzzing out into the sky with the grace of a dragonfly. While some people may have noticed her, no one made enough comment to be noticed by her. She remained aloof from the chaos of the streets below her. Flying above, she provided aerial coverage to Aqualad, and was able to watch the city for problems. It was a system they had worked out a while ago, and it worked like a charm. There were few things that would make them stop, anyways. They weren't here on a vacation, or to stop a regular thief if it meant going out of their way. If the trouble was more than the local cops could handle, however, they would get involved. Simple motivation for justice made them do at least that, and sometimes she wondered if they were putting too much on the shoulders of local authorities.

Without paying attention she had drifted off course slightly. She corrected herself with a sharp jerk in the right direction. She looked down at Aqualad, scolding herself mentally while she spotted him, reminding herself to keep her mind on the job. Now was not the time to daydream. Turning on her headset, she spoke to him again. "Where do you think we should look tonight? The docks? Personally, I think we should head over to the slums. We could shake up a few drug dealers." She said with a little bit of an edge, having a distaste for any form of drugs.

Below her, Aqualad rolled his eyes, not bothering to look up at the source of the comment as he had done so many times in the past. His ear had a small clip that was his head set, one much like the one most kids used while talking these days. He spoke, knowing that she would hear him loud and clear. "While I do what? Watch in envy? Try to talk to some fish in a pet store? No thanks. I think I'll stick with the docks for our intended target tonight. Besides, I'm sure you could find a drug dealer there if you look hard enough." He sounded a little smug, since the pair had agreed to switch out who chose where to look. It was his turn tonight, and he wasn't about to let her trick him into going through a group of run down old buildings. He had plans of his own – and besides, it had been weeks since he had been able to swim in any body of water. That always made him cranky, even if he wouldn't tell her about it. It was none of her business.

Above, she stuck her tongue out briefly, risking a bug in the mouth to silently veto the choice. The docks would be her last choice to search, as she hated large bodies of water. It was his choice however, and she would agree to it. "Okay, okay, keep your pants on, fish boy." She heard his sputtering over the intercom and couldn't suppress a smile. She loved to needle him about little things like that, and his reactions were always so fun to watch. "But it's not like I'm going out of my way to make druggies into informants. They're just the easiest to scare into spilling there guts." She started to notice a defensive tone of voice creeping into her words.

"Yeah. Rriiiiiiggghhhttt. And I can fly." The sarcasm in his voice was evident, and Bumblebee found herself running over the number of dealers who she had used in the last few towns. There weren't that many, were there? "Besides you haven't exactly left them in top condition when you're through with them most of the time anyways. Your normal session leaves most of them with at least one black eye. Not as if I don't agree with you some of the time, I do think that you get a little carried away." He looked up slightly as he finished the remark, and for a moment Bumblebee was tempted to nail him with a loogie.

"A little carried away? They can walk away, can't they? At least they can still eat or drink or…" She wandered off, realizing that he had her on this point. She had resolved not to put any crook into a medical center without having due cause any more, but she had come awfully close of late, not thinking of druggies as human. She hated to admit even a small point like that, but she wouldn't lie and say she had done the right thing by injuring that last dealer. She sighed, and then spoke again. "Okay, I admit, I've been a little tense and moody lately. I apologize if I've made you angry or pissed you off. Do you accept my apology?" She said with a little bit of remorse in her voice. She often was insensitive about things with her friend, and she wasn't completely sure when she offended him, or how for that matter.

"Yes, Bumblebee. Just try to play nice with them from now on. I don't want to go to jail for a lost temper." He said easily, his baritone voice sounding clear over the line. He smiled, knowing he had won a point, and let it lie their. He wasn't the type to beat something into the ground. As someone bumped into his shoulder, his attention to the crowd, many of which had began to reverse direction. His eyes narrowed as he began to hear screaming and his next statement cut off whatever she had planned on saying. "Bumblebee, I think something's going on ahead. Can you see the problem?"

"Just a second." She said with narrowed eyes, unable to see what the problem was. "I'll go check it out." She flew ahead, searching over a group of buildings, flying over the top of a bank. Her breath was caught in her throat as she saw a giant robot that had half of it sticking out where the arches should have been. The question of what had happened to the arches was answered a moment later as she was spotted and the robot threw one of the pillars at her. Instinct took over at that point, and she began to move out of the way of the flying debris. She found out that the robot wasn't stupid a moment later as it fired a beam weapon through the flying rock, sending hunks of it everywhere – including into her head. She heard Aqualad cry out, but the headset was damaged in the attack, and whatever he said was cut off in the ensuing damage. Her instincts kept her both aloft, and moving, avoiding the numerous shots fired at her person as she moved in closer, eyes now focused on her target. Using her training she had received in the HIVE academy, she waited until she was at peak distance to strike – about ten feet, where avoiding the attack would be impossible even for another superhero. As soon as she was in range she pulled out her 'stingers', a pair of bladed weapons capable of generating nearly ten thousand kilowatts of electricity without being previously charged. They were deadly weapons in the hands of an untrained person. In her hands, they were instruments of destruction. With pinpoint accuracy, she shot at one of the eyes, trying to disable the robot quickly. Its arms came up, blocking the attack after a moment, shielding it from the brunt of the damage, though it did stutter for a moment. Using its shielding technique to her advantage, she dropped onto its arms, using her super strength to pin them down, and then released an attack at point blank range. It began to tear through the protective covering with a remorseless vengeance, but the machine was not out yet, as it struck out with another pair of arms, smashing into her stomach and sending her flying back into a nearby car. The robot then stepped out into the street, revealing the full bulk of the monstrosity.

It was an eight armed ball, each arm strong enough to tear hunks of concrete from the ground and hurl the chunks people, as it showed her as it threw more rubble at her. As she flipped up, throwing herself over the flying debris, she noted that the main body was neither too big nor too small, measured out almost perfectly. The eight arms gave it an appearance much like an octopus, so she nicknamed the things 'Octo-bots' in her own head, letting her mind search through for other weaknesses the things might have shown. None came to mind as she felt the rock fly underneath her. She landed on her feet, looking at the robot, watching Aqualad, now around the corner coming in to land a serious blow. Only the fact that a second robot burst out in front of him, sweeping him aside with one of it's arms, saved the first robot from a crack in it's seemingly impervious armor. "Aqualad!" She cried out, worried that he might have been injured as his body was roughly thrown aside. Her distraction cost her as the first robot threw another hunk of material, this time scoring a hit and sending her into a nearby wall with a grunt. Okay, now I'm ticked. She thought to herself, throwing the rubble aside in time to watch both Aqualad rise, shaking his head a little, and to see another robot pop out of the other side of the building, bringing the total to three.

"Something wrong, Speedy? Too many friends to play with?" A grin rested upon the visage of an older man, striding out confidently into the street, coming to rest in front of the first robot. For a moment the look of smug superiority was obvious – at least until he looked at Bumblebee. Then his smile faded into a shocked look, amazed almost. "You're not Speedy." He said, sounding disappointed.

"I hadn't noticed." Bumblebee said, sarcasm dripping from her voice as she continued to scan the three robots for some other sign of weakness. Nothing came to mind, and she found herself looking back at the man. While not the oldest person she had met by far, the white in his hair had extended out almost to the tips of his hair, and there were deep wrinkles on his face. He was not so much flabby as he was lacking muscle, and he looked more at home with a computer than a costume – a fact made glaringly obvious by both the pale whiteness of skin and the badly made costume that was far to tight to ever be acceptable in any social circle. The bulge was far too obvious to miss, and it didn't help his case in the beauty department, where he appeared to be struggling. There was nothing threatening about this guy other than the robots he appeared to be commanding. "Run out of money for your Yu-Gi-Oh Cards?

His eyes narrowed at the hurtful words, angry that this lesser woman would dare to insult him. "You speak to the great Mechanic, woman. Show some respect!" He yelled the last, making a gesture – and immediately, one of the robots charged. She pulled her stingers up to make an attack, but both she and the robot were distracted by a twanging noise and a cry of complaint as the so-called Mechanic found himself caught within a metallic net. Her eyes shot over to the old man, then back to where the shot had come from, only to see an odd sight. Standing on top of a discarded piece of rubble, he was about five foot seven, slender build, wearing a red and yellow suit with a crosshair for a sigil over his right breast, and a mask covering a piece of his fair white face. Strawberry blond hair was cropped close to his scalp, though enough of it hung over to let him spike it. His eyes were brown, focused, and on his target, and a grin was on his face, much like a child who had caught his parents bringing him a wanted present.

"And here I thought you never thought about me." He said confidently, his eyes taking in the scene in a second, dancing with a suppressed humor.

Speedy took in the scene with some humor. The Mechanic had been attacking the city for almost a full month now and he had been unsuccessful in even slowing him down most of the time. He had stopped one of his machines about a week ago, but he had admitted to himself that it had been mainly luck that had done it. He hadn't managed to catch him since, despite the two other robberies in the area, and he had thought that he wouldn't be able to get here in time. Now, however, after seeing the two other people dressed in costumes who he assumed were heroes (He hadn't seen the other teenager in action yet, so he reserved judgment until he had seen her in action.) whose presence could work to his advantage in the fight, he felt far more confidant. The girl looked at him questioningly, but he had no chance to respond as the Mechanic called out to his machines. "Get me out of here! Now!" His voice seemed strained, almost as if he was afraid. Speedy ran over towards the robots, pulling an arrow out of his quiver and firing at one of the robot's eyes. He saw it deflected, but all of the robots found their movements hindered as attacks came from all sides. The young lady shot electrical blasts from some sort of weapons in her fists, and Aqualad threw a couple of hunks of rocks at the other robot, throwing them like most people threw a paper, hurling them with tremendous force.

He continued to fire and move, running towards the young lady in the black and yellow striped shirt and black pants, which went quite well with her frame and skin color. "Can you fly?" He yelled out over the numerous attacks, noticing that her other friend was also moving in closer. While a part of him realized the wisdom in this move, he also knew it was placing them closer together, making them a bigger target. While a part of him wanted to tell the other boy to move away, he was loathe to be so rude and unmannered.

"Yeah, I can. What do you have in mind?" She responded, glancing at him for a quick moment before looking back at the robots once more. She seemed focused, and Speedy found himself grinning. If her battle training was any indication, than not only had he found other superheroes, he had found intelligent ones, ones who might be able to stand up for themselves in a fight if necessary. Since becoming the protector in this town, he had found himself overwhelmed by the duties. If they wanted to stay, he would be more than willing to help them in whatever means necessary.

He shot another arrow at the robots as he spoke, letting his attacks mask any attempt the robots made to monitor his words. "Can you get him down to the dock? These things are weak against water. It fries their systems." He said in a normal voice, trying to keep the robots or the Mechanic from finding out what he said. She gave her companion a dry look, one that matched his own, and for a moment Speedy felt confused. Why were they staring at each other? A flash of humor sparked in both pair of eyes for a moment, then she looked back at him, and another pair of eyes were right behind those.

"Can you give me some cover?" She said in a challenging tone, sounding much like she didn't think he could. He found his eyebrows rising in amusement, and he grinned despite himself.

"Just give the word, my lady." He let the sarcasm enter his voice, and, one dry look later, she shot off like a bullet from a gun, moving between the arms of the robots, heading straight for her target. Speedy let loose a barrage of arrows, shooting off nine in the space of three seconds, and her companion threw a large piece of blacktop at the other robot, forcing them to defend themselves rather than try and block the speeding female. A moment later she came shooting out of the back, climbing skyward effortlessly, moving off towards the docks while skimming over the rooftops, the Mechanic in a bag beneath her screaming. His robots, commanded to protect him first and foremost, did the only thing their programming allowed – they took off after him, leaving the two young men behind, racing after her almost as fast as she was flying, running at a speed that seemed more organic than not. Without missing a beat, the two gave chase, knowing where the monstrosities were going, and they found themselves running side by side towards the docks, Speedy leading the way just slightly. Silently they ran, until he felt the silence had become oppressing. "Long time no see, Aqualad." He said without pausing in his stride, a grin popping onto his face. He remembered him from the competition all of those months ago, and he remembered the battle. It had been a difficult fight, and he had some respect for the teen in the black leotard. "Anything interesting happening?" He forced himself to sound like he didn't find the current situation to be a big worry.

"Not really. Same old, same old." He said, sounding much more convincing than he had, making him envy his cool attitude. How did he do that? He never felt that cool, even in battle. "How about you?" He said, glancing over at him.

"Nothing much. Been a little busy lately." He said, trying to maintain his cool, even with the pace they had set. The two robots were beginning to fade into the distance, and the thought of that young lady alone with the three robots brought goose bumps to his entire body. He felt a little winded, but had run much farther before, and had no plans of slowing down anytime soon.

Aqualad glanced over again, giving him a withering look. "This bozo has been giving you trouble? You must be out of practice. I would never have let him get away from me." He had a grin on his face as he finished talking, looking a little smug. He knew he had scored a point with Speedy, who was always competitive.

Speedy simply grunted, acknowledging the hit to his pride. He ran on silently for another minute, and then finally spoke again. "I hope your friend is okay…" He trailed off, unsure of how to continue. She had followed his advice, and if anything happened to her, he would be wracked with guilt.

Aqualad glanced over, more serious than before, and spoke again. "Bumblebee can handle herself. Don't worry. She'll be fine." He said it with a grim smile, and Speedy simply nodded a moment later, he spoke again. "I'm going to head this way. See you there." He suddenly shot off down an alley, and Speedy almost followed him. However, he wanted to stay behind her in case something happened. Besides, it was fairly easy to follow the path of destruction that had been left behind by the three robots. It wasn't like they were trying to hide their departure…

It had been a long time since Bumblebee had flown in such a way. She wasn't used to the twists and spins, the loops and twirls that were common in the maneuvers she was now making, her training having become rusty on the trip. It would have been simple had it been a straight flight, but the three robot were continually taking pot shots at her with whatever might be handy. The first car they had thrown had nearly hit her, and fancy flying was the only thing keeping her both ahead of the crazy machines, and from becoming a smeared bug. She shot down the street, not bothering to see the stunned look on the faces of the everyday people around her, and focused on moving faster. She had topped eighty at this point, and couldn't for the life of her figure out how the three robots were keeping up with this frantic pace. She looked over her shoulder at the things, noting how they seemed to flow up the street like rolling water. Gizmo would have been jealous at the sight and would have vowed to build something capable of destroying them, had he ever seen them. They were defiantly the work of a professional, she had to admit. The Mechanic might be a joke, but his creations were far from it. She noticed another piece of debris thrown in her direction by one of the three things and twisted once more, dropping down slightly to let the object pass overhead, then shooting forward out of range of another piece of rock. She continued to move, flowing down the street at a reckless pace, skimming the ground at some times, and then heading up to the rooftops at others. Finally she saw what she was looking for – a sign pointing towards the docks. She had changed course half a second later, turning down a large, long avenue, catching the robots off guard as they skidded into the turn, not having expected their quarry to turn from her course. She gained a few feet, escaping the range of all but the most determined projectiles, and speed ahead with a renewed effort. She could see the docks in the distance, and her goal was in sight.

Once again, she found herself wondering how she had managed to get in this situation, unable to believe that she was flying away from three giant monstrosities at top speed without even the slightest bit of sweat on her brow. It was times like this that made her wonder about herself some times. It was also times like these that often got her in trouble, and she found herself crying out in pain as a smaller piece of flying rock collided with her shoulder, defiantly causing bruising, and leaving a mark that would make any normal person fall. She almost fell to the ground, but was able to pull up even as she came close, pulling herself back into a flight path, ignoring the pain that filled shoulder and back. She chided herself as she flew back up, knowing that she should have been paying attention to her surroundings. She was better than this, yet she had managed to make at least two rookie mistakes within the last hour, if not three. Honestly, girl, you should be ashamed… She thought to herself, shaking her head and keeping a weather eye out for any more rubble flying in her direction. The robots seemed hesitant to throw anything else, though, and she couldn't figure out why for a minute until the fact that she had almost dropped the Mechanic came into her mind. They won't hurt him… The thought made her smile grimly even as it ran through her head. So, they did possess some measure of intelligence. Good. She felt the grin widen slightly, then looked back up towards her target. The docks were just ahead. Now all she needed to do was slow down the things so that her friends could catch up, and they could play hot potato with the guy she had in her bag. She zoomed through into the huge stacks of containers that were stacked maze–like around the whole dockyard. She shot towards a wall up ahead of her, not noticing the robots spreading out to catch her within the maze. She took a turn at the first wall, shooting off to the right without a moment's hesitation. Almost a full second passed before she realized that the alley was blocked by one of the robots, standing with pincers ready to grab both her and him, and to rend her limb from limb. Only one idea entered her mind as she considered how to escape, and she put it into effect almost instantaneously. Without changing course or speed, she flipped her body around and extended her right leg in a kick that both sent the robot falling towards the ground with a loud crack, but also sent her racing back down the alley in the other direction, negating the surprise that the machine had gained by dropping in on her.

At least, that's what she thought, until another robot popped out in front of her, also ready to catch her in its snare. She gave it the same treat as the first, angling her body upwards, planning on going over the stacked freight – right until the third appeared overhead, boxing her in. Once again she kicked off of the machine, but this time she forced her brain into action, coming up with a split second plan. Smoothly, as she descended towards one of the walls, she dropped one of her hands from the net that contained the Mechanic and pulled one of her stingers out. Kicking off of the wall even as two of the machines kicked into action, she shot towards the other side of the alley, her hand extended, and with a quick blast, she blew a hole in the thin steel large enough to fit both her and her prisoner through. She was through it, and the next one, within a matter of seconds, twisting down one of the alleys with a laugh. That laugh ended a moment later as one of the robots began punching its claws through the containers, attempting to grab her, while another robot burst through the steel behind her, and the third threw itself overhead, giving it an opening to strike through the containers on the other side. Sheesh, I didn't even get properly introduced and they're all over me. Her demeanor was grim as she raced towards another wall, and she found herself wondering how she was going to get past the robots up ahead. She fired back with her stinger at the pursuing robot, trying to slow it down, but it felt like it was a wasted effort against what seemed like a hopeless situation. That is, until she noticed a shadow overhead. One glance gave her renewed hope.

Aqualad had chosen that moment to show up, and he was starting the show off with a bang. Without making a big fuss, he grabbed one of the containers that had been sitting in front of him and threw it at the robot directly behind her. Unable to change course quickly enough, the robot was crushed beneath the load, even as it brought its arms up to attempt to deflect the load. Though it continued to move after the crate was thrown off, it had been stopped for a moment, and the cylindrical shape now resembled more of an oval. It also seemed a little wobbly, as it seemed to have a hard time starting back up again. Bumblebee was grateful, but was too busy to say anything about it as she passed through the hole he had just made in the wall in front of her, zooming ahead with her goal in sight. Ahead lay the ocean, and there wasn't a boat in sight. A loud noise behind her reminded her that she wasn't alone in the containers, and she looked back at the robots. She found herself wincing as they knocked aside a bundle of empty steel crates, watching as they fell on top of Aqualad, hiding him from view. She knew that it took much more than that to stop him, however, and she wasn't afraid that he had died. Having seen him take tougher blows than that from other villains, she had no worries about him getting crushed. His tough, water tested body would see him through, and he would be back in the fight momentarily. All she had to do was keep the toy soldiers entertained for a little bit longer.

As she came out of the crates, one of the robots went airborne, trying to get ahead of her to cut her off. It was intercepted mid-flight by a pair of arrows that exploded on impact, damaging the robot's eye, leaving it a little more vulnerable as it crashed among its fellow machines, forcing all of them to the ground. As they stood, Bumblebee took another shot with her stinger at the oval one's eye. Seeing her attack, Speedy also shot one of his arrows into the same eye, and finally they managed to damage one of the machines, causing smoke to pour out from multiple orifices, and the robot to come crashing down, deactivated and short circuited. The other two seemed to hop their friend and ran at the two young super heroes, forcing them apart, both under attack from a robot. Bumblebee was about to attempt to get physical with the thing when Aqualad reappeared, diving through the planking underneath the robot she was fighting, and grabbing a limb and pulling it under the water in a second's notice, ready to pull the thing apart now that it was in his ballpark. Instead, she focused on Speedy's robot and began to attack, sending a line of electricity across it's shell, causing little more than cosmetic damage, but more importantly, distracting the machine as it brought it's arms over it's head to ward off another attack. Speedy took advantage of the situation and fired a trio of arrows at the robot's eye, which were barely deflected as it threw its arms over it. Which left the thing's back open to attack once more.

She focused on one area in the robot's back, and watched as the metal grew hot, thinning slightly as she got its attention once again. Again, Speedy struck out, and the robot, now confused, threw itself to one side, turning back to face the young super heroes and charging its beam attack. Neither gave it a chance to use it, as it found its front raked by both electrical fire, and by numerous exploding arrows. Step by step they forced it back, until the thing found its back up against one of the containers. With a smile, Bumblebee figured out how she was going to finish the robot. "Catch!" She yelled, throwing the Mechanic into the air, her other hand grabbing for her stinger as soon as the burden was lifted. The robot looked up at its creator, attempting to figure out how to catch him – and that's when she struck. Both stingers lanced out with a volley of bolts, and a trio of explosive arrows also hit their target, breaking through the casing and into the more delicate equipment. A moment later, she shot forward and caught the so called super villain, not even paying attention as the robot tumbled to the ground in ruin. She glanced over at the smoking pile, and then looked back at Speedy. "Nice workout." The superior tone in her voice should have sent him up a wall, but instead she watched as he grinned impudently at her. Yeah, he's a good kid. She thought to herself.

"A warm up maybe." He said with a grin. He looked over at the hole Aqualad had made, and then spoke again. "Do you think he needs help?" She would have responded, but the answer came in the form of the robot, beat nearly apart, came flying up out of the very same hole it had been pulled into, followed a moment later by Aqualad himself, looking refreshed by the swim. "Scratch that." He said dryly, looking at him with a spark of humor in his eyes. He watched as Bumblebee set the Mechanic against the grate, and then wielded the metal netting to the thing. It would hold him until the police arrived, and that would keep the local population safe for now. "I see you've done this before." Once again, the dry humor could be heard loud and clear in his voice.

"More often than you could imagine." Her voice was dry, and the three of them shared a look of familiarity, one that could pass only between heroes. They all knew what they risked when they entered this line of duty, and it was a common bond between heroes, one that would make any hero stand up for another, should it ever become necessary. "You don't look like a slouch in the fighting department either." A smile appeared on her face as she openly appraised him. He chuckled, but it wasn't him that responded.

"That's true, alright. He's managed to beat me in one on one combat before, so slouch is the least of things I could call him." Aqualad said. That earned a raised eyebrow from Bumblebee, but she didn't say anything – at least, not yet. "I didn't know that this was the area you were patrolling. I thought you were covering another place, like Detroit." He said it without any malice, so the comment lost any sting it would have had. Aqualad was smiling as he spoke, taking off any edge that it might have had.

"I was for a little while, but I moved to Steel City about four months ago, looking to help out more here. Besides, Detroit's got other super heroes. Steel City's got no one, besides me at least. And you too, for now." Speedy leaned back slightly as he spoke, looking up towards the sky, and for a moment, Bumblebee wanted to discuss the real reason that they were here, but after a moments thought, decided against it. It was bad form, especially considering that she was still in front of a super villain. "So, what are you guys doing here?" he asked with a sly glance over at her.

"Let's keep that a secret for now." She said without a moment's hesitation, not giving Aqualad a chance to blurt anything out. She tried to push the topic aside, and quickly brought another matter to attention. "Shouldn't we be getting out of here? Won't the cops be arriving soon?" As if to stress her point, siren wails could be heard in the distance, closing in on their location. It wasn't a pretty sound, but it never had been.

"Yeah, we should be going." Aqualad said, a little bit of remorse clearly present in his voice. He wouldn't say it, but Bumblebee knew that he would be very disappointed if they left right now without him. Even though, personally, she could care less, the guy did seem nice enough. "Anyways…" He trailed off, not sure of what to say.

"Do you guys need a place to stay?" Speedy blurted out, catching both of the heroes attention. Neither had slept anywhere but rooftops recently, and even the though of taking a shower sounded heavenly to Bumblebee. "I've got a place not far from here, if you're interested." He seemed eager to spend more time with Aqualad as well, and even though she wasn't completely certain, she was willing to give him a chance – as long as he had a shower she could use. That alone would make him all right in her book.

Both of them looked at each other for a moment, and then they looked at him. "Sounds good to me." Bumblebee said, smiling. She wanted to rest a little bit after this crazy adventure they had just been through, and taking care of any injuries would be better done in a home or an apartment rather than the street.

"When can we get there?" Aqualad said, smiling widely, glad to be able to take a break himself. Though he was tough, getting a chance to eat would be great, and bathing would be a definite plus. Besides, after the crazy day they had just been through, they really needed some time to rest and relax. "I'm definitely past ready."

Once again, Speed found himself grinning. "Let's go then." He said with a sly tone of voice. They were in for a surprise, and he loved surprising people. As the police cars began to close in on their location, the three super heroes took off, flying, jumping, and running away from the docks, heading out into the night. The Mechanic was left behind, almost forgotten, and soundly defeated. He grumbled at being dismissed so easily, and quietly swore to himself that he wouldn't ever let such impudent children defeat him ever again. He would be great. He would rise again. When the police found him, he was ranting and raving with the endless sound of one who has lost his mind.

Speedy felt a grin fill his face as he stared at his new friends faces. Sure, they would probably have their revenge, but he didn't think that he would mind all that much. Besides, this moment of sheer shock plastered across their faces was priceless. They had probably thought that he had meant apartment when he had said home, not the small thing he was living in right now. After all, it wasn't nearly as big as the place his mother was living in right now, and she had actually made the place smaller than she had originally planned. This was just his personal hovel, nothing special, to him at least. Obviously they though differently.

"You live here?" Bumblebee looked flabbergasted at the sight. She was starring at his two stories, five bedrooms, three baths, indoor swimming pool equipped home. That was counting out the hidden rooms and weapons stashes he had hidden therein. "How can you afford to live in something like that!" She sounded a little offended at the thought, though he could also see a little bit of envy in her eyes. For a moment he wondered if she thought he was flaunting his money, and then he shook it off. He hadn't chosen his mother, or his father, and his luck was just the luck of the draw. "I could never pay for rent on something like that!" She seemed in shock, but he hoped she kept it down. He didn't want her disturbing the neighbors – they had enough complaints about the weird actions and friends he kept.

"A little flamboyant, don't you think?" Aqualad added in a moderated tone of voice, sounding only mildly surprised at his home. The look on his face hadn't been quite as shocked as Bumblebee, but it had been close. His comment made Speedy's eyes narrow. Didn't they realize that he had cut back quite a bit on the so called necessities in his life already? He would be utterly lost without his own spa – he needed those relaxing hours to ready himself for the coming day. "Would not something a little smaller have been more pragmatic? This seems…" He drawled off, unable to figure out what to say that wouldn't offend his friend.

Bumblebee had no such reservations. "Wasteful? Pointless? Showing off? It's so much bigger than one person needs…" She trailed off, shaking her head, and Speedy found the smile that had been running across his face disappearing. Did these people have no sense of style? No flair? He sighed and shook his head.

"It's not much, but its home." He said, giving her a warm grin that spoke volumes. "I hope you'll take full advantage of my many relaxing trinkets in there. As for myself, I think a shower would be great right about now." He began walking down the driveway, not bothering to even attempt the frantic pace he had been moving at earlier. His legs already felt like rubber, though he had been through worse, and he couldn't wait for a chance to relax, if only for a moment. Aqualad followed immediately, and after a moment, so did Bumblebee, if a little less willingly. She caught up after a moment, and they walked up the driveway in silence, reaching the door without incident.

As he opened the door, Bumblebee asked a single question. "Does anybody live here? Besides you, I mean." She sounded slightly nervous, and for a moment, he had no clue why. Then it hit him. She wanted to talk, and in a bit more controlled environment, and if no one else was around, it would be much more likely that he would be able to figure out what was going on. Though he had enjoyed his little surprise, he would have put that aside without question to find out what the two of them were doing here.

"No. I live by myself. Come in, come in." He opened the door after a moment, having unlocked it while he spoke. He gestured for both to go inside first, and smiled, knowing that courtesy would make the two feel a little more at home. "Are you hungry? Or thirsty, maybe? If you are…" He found himself cut off as the door closed, and he turned around in time to see both of his guests plop down on the furniture, exhausted. Rolling his eyes, he locked the door and joined them, heading over to a very comfortable chair.

"So, I think we can exchange some information here." Bumblebee said, having lain out across the couch, nursing a bump on her head. Speedy sat up a little straighter at the comment, much, if not all, of his weariness cast aside. This was what he had wanted to know from the first time he had met them. They had dodged the question with the agility of a neurotic chimpanzee, avoiding the matter until this point. Why were two young superheroes in Steel City? What had drawn them to a town even the Justice League would approach warily? "First off, don't call me Bumblebee in private. My name is Karen, and in private, that's what I go by." She sounded a little tired while saying it, and he wondered how many people had a problem calling her by her first name. Especially since she had become a super hero – so many people seemed to think that life didn't exist outside of their heroism.

"Sounds good." Speedy said, leaning back slightly. He didn't want to seem too interested, or she might try to get something out of him for it. Although, since she had already given him some blackmail, he felt it only fair to give him some as well. "I'm Arthur. And you're Garth, right?" He said, looking at Aqualad for conformation, having gotten his real name when they had met earlier during the tournament. He nodded, and Arthur smiled at him. He didn't answer the unwritten question that was on Karen's face, and instead, he asked one of his own. "So, what are you two ding in Steel City? Not that I don't mind the help…" He said trailing off and shrugging his arms, "As you can see, I could use it."

The two looked at each other for a moment, obviously uncomfortable to bring the subject up. Finally, Garth looked at him, after taking a moment to shrug to his companion, and said, "We're looking for a Super villain. He goes by the name of Brother Blood." Arthur's eyes narrowed and he found himself wondering more about this person they appeared to be chasing. "He's one of the most dangerous villains we've ever fought, well versed in many forms of combat. He has a lot of contacts in a lot of places, and we believe that he has been controlling a couple of nationwide gangs, controlling them and making ruthless power bids and such. He also has strong ties to the HIVE Academy, which, although you might not have heard of it, is a place specially created to train young super villains." He made a face at that, and Arthur had to agree with the feeling. And we don't have enough trouble already with the Super villains that are already on the street, do we? It was a bitter thought, one that made him grimace slightly.

Karen continued on, taking Garth's speaking place and continuing to explain. "We managed to unravel his latest plot, and we separated him from the rest of his underlings. He managed to elude us, however, and the Teen Titans sent both Garth and me here after him, to try and to catch up and capture him." She stopped for a moment, a shadow falling over her face, making her hazelnut features seem darker, more threatening. Arthur wondered quietly what left such a mark as to darken her face like that before she spoke again. "Since then, we've been chasing him all around the continental US, going from town to city, and everywhere in between as well. Our last stop, we managed to find information pointing us in this direction. After a little time spent verifying it, we came here." She stopped again, sighing.

Garth once again took on the narrative, even though Arthur wanted to break in and ask some questions. "We've been here about a week, but we haven't found a trace of the slimy leech, and it isn't helping either of our attitudes. We've both checked every contact we can find, but we've had no luck. Nobody seems to know where he's gone." A look of annoyance crossed his face, and he stared out into the air.

Arthur waited for a moment before he broke in. He leaned forward out of his seat, looking at Karen, and said, "Are you sure he came here? He could have gone anywhere, really. He could have gone back to Jump city, even." He found himself shrugging as she gave him a steady glare. "It's not like there's anything really all that important here. There's not much in the way of electronic or chemical advancement that happens in Steel City. There's too much corruption going on around here." He had never been impressed with many of the cops or judges round about the area, except for the few who actually did any work. Having lived in the City for a few years, he had come to the conclusion after watching some of the most corrupt and evil men he had ever known escape justice time and again. It was what had drawn him to the superhero business in the first place.

Karen looked at him, giving him eye contact, not letting his eyes drop away from hers. "Our leads were solid, and we'd know if he returned to Jump city. The Titans would have called us A.S.A.P. to help bring him in. He's become one of their top priorities, and we wouldn't give him the satisfaction of simply letting him rebuild his lair." She seemed a little perturbed at the notion, even as she debunked the idea in front of him. Once again, Arthur wondered if there was a reason she seemed so tense when she talked about him. He didn't ask, however, and let her continue. "We've been hounding him too tightly, though, and I don't think that he's had time to come up with any big plans. His last few seem to have been slipping, and I wonder if he thought we were getting too close. As for the reason he's here… I couldn't even begin to fathom the reasons he might have. I don't think any superhero can." She sounded a little less bold as she spoke, and Arthur found himself wondering if it was the truth, or if she was still hiding something.

One thing at a time however. "Why are you so centered on finding this guy, Karen? Is there something personal about it?" He asked, looking at her. He wondered if that was a question he should have left alone, as her eyes met his once again. Though her face seemed impassive, her eyes were a whole other story. They burned with a fire that seemed ready to leap out and burn him and his house to cinders where they stood. At the same time, there was a cold sadness that lay quietly in the back of them, one that made the fire in front seem more intensified than before. It almost frightened him – which, considering that he fought monsters and super villains on a daily basis was impressive.

Garth broke the tense silence that had built up between the group, and Arthur forced his gaze away from Karen and looked at him as he spoke. "Karen was a spy in H.I.V.E. for us for quite a bit of time. She helped us stop Brother Blood's plans in Jump city, and she's been helping ever since. She hated him, and his school, with a passion that could be considered unholy. I would say that she's his worst enemy, and I probably wouldn't be all that far off." He smiled slightly at her, even as she gave him a blank stare. "I wouldn't want to be in his shoes when she gets a hold of him. You couldn't pay me enough." He grinned at her, and a small smile appeared on her face, one that was genuine. She sniffed at the last comment, but didn't say anything about it being incorrect.

"So, how long are you guys planning on staying?" Arthur said, trying not to sound too interested about it. Truthfully, the longer they stayed the better. He needed all the help he could get in this town.

The two looked at him, smiling easily. "Why, need some help or something?" Karen asked, obviously being challenging, almost saying what, can't take the heat? Garth, even if he didn't say it out loud, had the thought spinning through his eyes. It was almost insulting.

That is, it would have been insulting, if it hadn't been the truth. He needed all of the help that he could get at this point. He was being overwhelmed, and he was running out of the strength to fight back against even some of the weaker villains. There was just too much work for someone his age. "Yeah, I could use some help." He said, looking at them without expression. Both of them looked at him seriously, all traces of humor pushed aside. If he would swallow his pride enough for that statement, they would both put aside their usual feelings and help him out for at least a little while. "Things here have been getting out of hand recently – I'm barely able to protect a quarter of the city at a time, and it's more than I can handle right now. If you guys could help…" He trailed off. It wasn't pleasant to say that he wasn't able to handle it, but he wouldn't let his pride get in the way of any decision, especially when the people of the city were at stake.

"We'll be here until we find Brother Blood, or where he's move to. After that… Well, we'll see what happens. I won't make a promise I can't keep." She looked him in the eye, not boastful in the least. She was utterly serious, and it made him smile. At least it would help him keep the city in order for a while, and that would help him immensely. "Now, about those bathrooms… you have any showers?" She smiled at him, looking towards the rest of the house.

With a smile, he gestured her forward, playing the good host. "Of course – There's one for each of us. There's also bandages and antiseptics in case either of you were hurt worse than it looks like. And, of course, beds and such, in case you two are tired…" He continued to ramble on as he led them into the house, getting both of them more comfortable. In no time, they were all readied and in bed, dead to the world.

The morning light was what woke Garth in the morning. That, and the sound of fried eggs and singing in the background. While he wasn't exactly a morning person, he appreciated that their host was kind enough to make breakfast for them. He looked over at the nearby clock, and then adjusted his thoughts. Okay, it's good of him to make us brunch. A smile slowly slid on his face, and he quickly dressed and headed out towards the kitchen. He entered, looking amused – and found himself struggling not to laugh. Arthur had apparently forgotten that he had invited guests into his apartment last night, and he was now cooking breakfast in nothing more than a pink pair of loose boxers. Had it been tighty-whities, Garth would have probably had a hernia in his laughter, which would have left him rolling on the floor, something he was tempted to do now. It couldn't get any more perfect than this – he had blackmail that he would never live down.

"I'm, too sexy for my shirt, too sexy for my shirt, So Sexy it hurts…" He moaned out with the song, pitch perfect. It was enough to make him cover his mouth, trying to hold back the laughter, and the tears.

"Arthur!" A shocked, embarrassed voice called out over the kitchen, making the skinny teen jump in shock and embarrassment. His face turned a bright red color, and Garth could take it no more. He dropped to the floor, laughing and rolling, trying not to pee on himself as he burst a gut with his peals of laughter. As soon as he gained enough control to look up he sat up and looked for Arthur, hoping he had time to make another comment. However, it appeared that he had already left, running to his room, more than likely putting his clothes on. He glanced over at the stove, where Karen had taken over the cooking, and looked at her grinning face. She looked at him and spoke again. "What a morning, don't you say?" She was blushing slightly, but other than that, she was dressed normally, in her pajamas.

"Looks like it." He replied, still grinning widely. He looked down towards where Arthur's room lay and listened as a beeping noise came through the wall. He couldn't help but wonder what was going on in there. "What's cooking?" He asked, suddenly hungry after the prolonged laughter. He hadn't laughed like that since Karen had been caught sneaking a kiss with Cyborg in a closet. That, and watching them chase Beast Boy around after he had taken a picture of the scene had been almost as good. It was sad that he had been unable to escape before they had destroyed the camera.

"Eggs, and it looks like he already cooked up some sausage. Want a piece?" She held up a link, eating another piece herself, and waved it in front of her. Garth was at the counter a couple of seconds later, and he engaged in a quick contest, trying to grab the slippery link out of her hands. She tossed it up, about to let it fall into her mouth, and he snatched it out of the air, putting it in his mouth even as her mouth closed around empty air. She looked at him with a pouting face, and he glowered in victory, happy to have won that little game. They were about to start dividing it up when Arthur came out, dressed in full gear, quiver and all. One look at him and Karen was all business. "What's up?" Her voice was no nonsense toned, and her eyes were focused on him.

"I just got a call from the cops. A Super powered villain just escaped transport about half an hour ago. He's tearing up the south side highway, and the cops are totally out of their league. I'm going out to try and stop this guy. You guys want in?" He grinned grimly, and was stretching even as he was talking. "If not, I can probably…"

"Give us three minutes, brief-boy." She said with enthusiasm, getting a blush from Arthur even as he stared bullets – well, arrows, in his case – at her. Both of them were running to their rooms, all thoughts of breakfast pushed aside. They would eat at McDonalds or something on the way back if they were that hungry and they were always ready to stop a crazed villain. After a minute, both of them came out of their rooms, hastily dressed and ready to go, both armed with their usual gear. As Garth headed for the door, Arthur grabbed his shoulder and spoke.

"Let's use my ride instead. It'll be faster." He grinned and pointed towards the garage, opening the door swiftly. Inside, a one wheeled bike stood ready to go, two helmets on the large seat. Garth felt his eyebrows go up. This was his ride? You have got to be kidding me… "If you don't mind flying…" He said, looking over at Karen, looking somewhat amused.

"Better than riding on that contraption." She said, sounding derisive. She grinned at Garth, even as he was pulling his helmet on, and sniggered at the paleness of his face, which earned her a glare. "So," She said to Arthur with a casual tone, "What's this villain's name?"

"The police called him Cinderblock…"

The downtown highway was usually bustling at seven o'clock in the morning. Normally, bumper to bumper traffic, with construction sites and workers blocking half of the lanes carelessly, was the worst that the police ever had to tangle with. A snarled fender bender, a speeding motorist, those were things that were normal for the police force of Steel City. A major accident even happened occasionally. Today was anything but normal, however, as most of the cops of the city had discovered. And it wasn't because of some bad construction. Destruction, in fact, was the major concern at this point, and the police's biggest concern was keeping everyone, themselves included, alive.

About ten minutes ago, a truck had collided into another eighteen wheeler, cracking open the cargo case like an egg. This would have been routine, save that the only passenger on board the truck had been a super villain, one who was built much as his name suggested. While not overly intelligent, the creature was nigh invulnerable, bullets having no effect on his hulking exterior, and his strength was equal to that of a two ton metal crusher. It was used with considerably less discretion, and soon cars, rubble, and the occasional lamppost lay strewn about the area at large, rendering the traffic in the area, those who hadn't already fled in terror, into incapacitation. Even as they watched, the hulking creature seemed to be bearing down on a lady and her child, who were frozen by panic as the hulking creature came closer, step by step. "My baby, My baby!" She yelled over and over as the monster stepped closer, and Officer Holly Sampson couldn't help but flinch away, with one final thought as she prepared to watch the woman and her child be killed by the thing. That is such a clichéd line…

A moment later she discovered that her prediction about the woman wasn't going to come true – at least not at that moment. A blur of yellow movement snatched the woman out of the way at the last second, flying her out of harms way, dropping her behind police lines after one final scream. Confusion lit up her face, even as she moved in to prevent the woman from screaming and drawing the monster over to her lines she had set up behind the crudely build barrier of police cars. She looked back a moment later to see a number of explosions rock the monster back on it's heels, and after a second, in which an odd, one wheeled contraption rocketed by, a skinny lad, dark haired and thinly muscled, dove in and landed a blow on the villains chin, sending it staggering backwards even more. The boy then threw another punch, but this one was blocked, and a moment later one of the creatures large paws sent him flying into a car on the other side of the bridge, making Holly wince in sympathy. "Aqualad!" The voice of the first blur called out in concern, and she found her eyes drawn upwards by the effeminate voice. One look was enough to tell that she was looking at a young woman, a fact made obvious by the top, which she though was too tight around the girl's bodice. She was also skinny looking, but was also holding a deadly looking pair of weapons and had a pair of wings sprouted from her back. It was an amazing sight, one that was made even more spectacular when she fired a pair of electrical attacks at Cinderblock.

The monster had more than enough experience to know how to protect itself, however, and it threw its hands up in defense, blocking both her electrical attack, and a series of arrows that Speedy, the local young hero, fired in its direction. After the attacks stopped for a moment, both hands dipped into the rock beneath them and scooped up two portions of highway, throwing them in their general direction, attempting to crush the two offending pests. The girl moved up and away, and Speedy was able to avoid the debris, jumping and pirouetting, but his bike wasn't as lucky, as a chunk of rock slammed into its side, throwing it aside like a child's toy. Speedy took one look at it before he spoke. "Hey! I just detailed that!" He screamed at the creature, only to notice, seconds too late, that it had approached within striking distance. He was educated a moment later as he was backhanded and sent flying away, landing about eight feet away in a heap. Once again, Holly winced in sympathy, and she couldn't help but feel sorry for the boy – that had to hurt. The girl dived in a moment later, attempting to keep the creature occupied as her friends recovered. A right hook to Cinderblock's face, followed by another couple of punches, each of which were clearly heard by everyone nearby – the sound of cracking stone was not one you could ignore. She shot back as the monster attacked – but once again, it showed an insight that went beyond any mindless creature. It slapped its hands together, causing a shockwave that disrupted her flight, sending her back into the blacktop. It rushed forward, eager to crush the small thing that was before her and was right on target – that is, until the young man, dressed in black and blue, rushed in and smashed the creature away with a mighty blow that sent it stumbling to the right, a loud crack heard as his fist connected.

Speedy proved he wasn't out of the fight either as he fired a pair of explosive arrows into Cinderblock's knee, causing the giant to buckle and cry out in pain. The girl, having gotten aloft and flying over the villain, drove its face into the ground with her feet, flying into the back of its head with both of her feet, forcing its head deep into the blacktop. With a bounce she flew upwards, propelled by more than just her legs, and she had swung around and begun to circle even as the monster started to get up again. Cinderblock once again attempted to clap his hands together to shock her out of the air, but this time she landed on the ground and wasn't knocked around by the buffeting winds. She blasted him once again, aiming for his face, and Cinderblock was forced to defend himself, backing away from the nearby cars. The boy, Aqualad, moved in once again, lancing in for a few quick blows, Dodging the returning punch, and was blasted back by an arrow that wrapped around his body, entangling his arms in a super strong cord. Without stopping, the team landed blows in unison as the creature struggled to free itself. However, like all good things, it had to end. After almost a dozen blows, the monster managed to turn into one of Bumblebee's shocking attacks, and after flexing his arms, he broke loose. Bumblebee and Aqualad both regretted that, as a moment later, the monster grabbed his right leg and her left and began to swing them around like a pair of toy dolls. Speedy proved invaluable, as a moment later one more arrow exploded, this time the arrow exploded into a wet goop that covered its face. Both hands immediately flew to Cinderblock's face – where they became stuck. Bumblebee and Aqualad both moved in and landed a combined blow on his gut, sending him flying backwards, and with a sickening crunching sound, and its hand were ripped from its face with a noise that made Holly's ears cry out for mercy. The team flew together for a quick moment of conference, and then flowed back apart, ready for battle. The boy in blue finally spoke then, calling out to his team mates. "Bumblebee, let's finish this!" He called out, Speedy providing a distraction with another barrage of arrows that were aimed at its face.

There was a grin on her face as she replied. "Defiantly! Let's finish this creep off!" Her voice was strong, even across all the distance between them, and the boy nodded. As the creature got to its feet, a rumbling sound could be heard. Holly felt her eyebrows rise up as she watched the boy extend his arms, wondering what he had planned. A groaning sound made her drop to her knees, instinct kicking in – one that saved her from a deluge of water. The fire hydrants that were nearby, four of them, burst simultaneously, and the water, instead of following the laws of physics, sprayed, in unison, into Cinderblock, drenching him and causing him to stumble. He roared in defiance as the water suddenly stopped, angered at the latest assault and he was able to take one step forward before Bumblebee struck. With pinpoint accuracy, she fired both electrical attacks into the monster. No one had realized the plan that had come into effect before hand, but it became startlingly evident as electricity coursed through its water soaked body, hitting every nerve simultaneously. After a couple of seconds, she let the attack stop, and the creature fell, unable to stand or move, knocked out by the currents that had run through its tough body. After a moment, a cheer went up from the crowd that had gathered to watch the proceedings. The three moved in, seemingly oblivious as they checked the villain, the boy in blue taking a piece of steel and bending it around the creature's hands, much like a pair of hand cuffs.

Holly couldn't help but be impressed by the decisive attacks and team coordination that had brought the creature down. If she could find such things in the station, she could clean this town up. As the two boys gathered the villain, bringing him over to the vehicle the police had commandeered – a tow truck – and the girl – Bumblebee, if she remembered correctly – began following them. With a quick movement, she started after them. "Hey, wait!" She called out, trying to get their attention. She was grateful when Bumblebee turned around, and she started to talk to her. "Excuse me, miss…"

The girl broke in then. "What can I do for you, officer? If you want to arrest me or my friends…" She sounded tired as she spoke, and Holly realized that she had only stopped to try and deal with a problem that had cropped up before. If she continued down that path of thought, she might not be able to get a line into the new group of super heroes.

"No, no, that not why I wanted to talk to you." She stopped for a minute, her eyes catching her unit's movement out into what looked like a war zone. They were moving with a uniform precision, taking the creature called Cinderblock into custody, driving off with him in tow. The rest of the force moved as quickly as possible to allow traffic to flow once more, directing cars past holes in the ground, trying to prevent the traffic snarl from becoming a nightmare. They moved with an efficiency that was born from both training and experience. "Would you step aside with me for a second?" She gestured to a somewhat empty section of roadway and started over herself. Bumblebee followed a moment later.

"Okay, what's up?" She seemed somewhat amused, a smirk having settled onto her face. It was a grin she was used to seeing on young people when they had some bit of information that she wanted. It was usually quite irritating, but she repressed any animosity that it might have left her feeling.

"Well…" After so long, it took her a moment to organize her thoughts, to let her idea out into the open. "I was wondering if I could get an inside line to you guys." She said, putting her idea out into the open. The look on her face was one of surprise, followed by her eyes narrowing a moment later. "I think it would give both of us an advantage."

"Why do you want a line to us? And what would we be getting out of this anyways?" She sounded a little wary and suspicious as well. Not surprising, considering the fact that the request was so unusual.

Holly felt a smile creep on her face despite herself. She knew exactly how to make the morsel seem juicy enough that it would tempt the young super hero to bite. "I think we could use your help with some of those cases that are considered 'Unsolvable.' And an inside line into the police office is always considered a good thing, especially when you're looking for information of some sort." Bumblebee's eyes flashed at the last statement, and her eyes narrowed again. Quietly, Holly wondered what was going on in the girl's mind. Whatever it was, it would have been interesting to know about. "Besides," She grunted out, wishing she didn't sound so bitter about it, "I don't quiet think that Commissioner Rayson has your – or the city, for that manner – best interest at heart. He takes one too many paid trips to Hawaii, if you know what I mean." She grimaced at that, her face matching Bumblebee's for a minute.

Bumblebee looked to be deep in thought for a minute, and then nodded to herself. "Okay, how about a compromise for now. Trade you cell numbers?" She offered, and Holly was forced to suppress a desire to dance in glee. Hook, line, and sinker. She couldn't stop the smile that swept her grimace away, and she pulled a card, with her number, out of her pocket, and handed it over. She also grabbed a second card, and flipped it over her other hand grabbing her pen.

"So who do I ask for?" Humor was the most obvious thing that could be heard in her voice as she spoke. This was something she had wanted since Speedy had jumped into the hero work in Steel city.

"Either me, or Aqualad for now. If we let Speed join our current number…" She trailed off as she looked at him, and she saw faint lines of amusement in the girl's face. "Anyways…" She handed the card back and flew off, moving off to join her friends as they moved off. One look at the retreating group left one impression in Holly's mind. Things were going to get interesting in Steel City. With a smile, she turned back to her job, getting to work. There was much to do. And, considering the way today was going, it was going to be a long day anyways.

NEXT CHAPTER: Bumblebee becomes entangled in a twisted plot, and a pair of kids appear, making life a little more interesting…