A/N: Standard Disclaimers Apply

Chapter Twelve: Twenty Questions

"Argent!" Starfire yelled at the blank space where her silver-skinned friend once was. The alien girl's eyes flared green and she turned, her face masked with rage.

Control Freak smacked his remote in his palm several times out of frustration. It wasn't supposed to be Argent, that little punk wench. He wanted the willowy beauty! The squatty villain adjusted the remote control and brandished it again. Suddenly he was staring into a bright green sun and his zombie minions vaporized.

Donna, Jinx, Bee, and Raven all stared at Starfire in complete shock. Steam hung around her head like an aura, and her eyes still glowed fiercely. Starfire growled like a pouncing lioness and leapt for the stunned Control Freak. The villain's eyes widened with horror as he saw the Tamaranian charge. He raised his weapon and hit any button he could. Pause. Starfire hung motionless in the air.

"Um, sorry for interrupting your party," Control Freak said as he backed toward the door. "I'll show myself out."

One half of the sliding door became engulfed in black energy, the other washed in a lavender aura, and the doors slammed shut. Control Freak squealed in fear and turned only to see Bumble Bee. He spun again and nearly ran into Donna. Wonder Girl picked up the villain by the collar with one hand.

"What did you do to Starfire and Argent?" Donna demanded.

Then, somehow, at the back of Control Freak's mind he realized something. Yes, these girls were some of the most powerful Titans, but he had something! He finally had a card he could play against them! Not one, but two hostages! A strange laugh burst out of the fat villain, and Raven, Bee, and Jinx traded worried glances. Donna's blue eyes narrowed darkly.

"You can't hurt me, Titans!" Control Freak snarled. "Not if you want to keep your lovely little friends safe!"

Wonder Girl pulled back her fist, and Control Freak's world suddenly went black.

…..

Scores of ambulances and police cars descended on the docks washing the entire area in red and blue lights. The fifteen men all suffered from extreme dehydration and malnutrition. The Titans helped the frail men out of the container and to the waiting arms of interpreters and medical technicians.

Robin ground his fist into his hand angrily. Three days of cracking heads led him here, and although he felt a small amount of pride in rescuing the men, he was filled with anger that the smuggler's operation was still largely intact.

"So it wasn't a weapons cache," Cyborg said. "Still, we did a lot of good here."

Robin snarled, "Did we? We just caught some minnows. The big fish are still out there."

"We'll get them, that's what we do," the robotic Titan said warmly.

The Teen Wonder glanced up to his friend and nodded. "Yeah. We're done here."

…..

The world slowly came into focus, and Control Freak blinked his eyes several times. The girls were now in their uniforms and surrounded him. Starfire was still trapped in suspended animation.

"I still say we pull out a few fingernails," Jinx said.

"Jinx!" Bee said in disgust.

"Ha! Titans! You may have caught me, but only I can free your friends!" Control Freak said nastily.

Wonder Girl approached the trapped villain. She smeared something very warm and sticky on his forehead. "Raven and Bumble Bee are right, Jinx. We shouldn't do anything permanent."

Control Freak looked up and widened his small eyes. "Wh-what are you putting on me?"

Wonder Girl smirked and put a cloth over the hot, sticky substance. "Just a little wax…"

…..

Argent stumbled and fell against heavy timbers. The smells of oak, pitch, and salt spray filled her nostrils. Her eyes widened as the room rocked to the left. The silver-skinned girl glanced around and discovered she was no longer in her bedclothes. Instead, she wore a loose shirt and linen trousers. Her feet were bare and a bandana tamed her spiky mass of black hair.

Voices echoed above her, and one of the voices seemed familiar.

The Titan climbed a set of wooden stairs and found herself on board a sailing ship. Her eyes darted from one end of the ship to the other. Crewmen scrubbed the deck, sewed patches into the spare sails, or wove more rope. They glanced up to her like she had always been on board and went back to their work.

"Oh my god," she gasped as she saw the tall, dark haired youth walk back from the prow.

"Jack!" he called as he walked past her.

It couldn't be.

"What is it, boy?" a gruff voice returned.

"Oh my god!" Argent squealed happily.

It was… him!

God bless that idiotic little man, Argent told herself as she shadowed after the handsome William Turner.