14. Disco Inferno.

It was horrible; the sheer level of destruction was staggering. The only good thing was that there had been so few people around, that had at least minimised the casualties, but even so Starfire could already see the small moaning forms of those caught in the blast, strewn around the entrance to the mall. She landed softly, causing the mounds of broken glass that littered the floor to crunch. She took a few short steps and crouched next to the first person, an elderly woman with a kind face.

"Are you injured fellow shopper?"

The lady smiled, as if she approved of her rescuer.

"Yes fine dear, don't you waste you're time on me, there are plenty more who could use you're help."

Starfire smiled and nodded, happy that such a fine and selfless person should be spared from this as yet unexplained destruction. She moved to the next crumpled form and tried to comfort the crying boy; he had obviously lost his mother for he clung to Starfire and buried his head in her shoulder, constantly calling out to his missing mother, as if his shrieks alone would magically return her to him.

Knowing the boy to be fine Starfire wanted to move on the next victim, but could not bring herself to prize the frightened child from her rapidly dampening shoulder. Instead she contented herself with stroking his soft blond hair and cooing comfortingly. Salvation came in the form of the kindly old lady, who having found her husband had regained her feet and was now trying to help.

"Here honey, give him to me, there are plenty more you could be saving."

Nodding, Starfire handed the crying boy to the lady, who with the skill of a mother, possibly a grandmother, silenced him with her comforting grasp. Smiling and with her heart warmed slightly by the kindly display, she moved on to the next victim, silently saying a prayer, as this one wasn't moving. To her relief the immobile man was breathing but had a massive bruise on his forehead where some form of debris had impacted on him. Turning she was tempted to help the now occupied old lady for help, though decided against it. Luckily a few short seconds later Beast Boy arrived in the form of a mighty stallion, Chris who had been forced to ride bareback was holding on for dear life, a look of grim determination on his face, as if he had seen it all before.

Beast Boy transformed and went outside into the smoke that was billowing just in front of the mall's entrance. Chris knelt next to Starfire, and placing two of his fingers on the man's neck closed his eyes for a moment in concentration. Then with speed that made her start, jumped up saying.

"He will be fine, he will have a headache when he wakes up but he will be fine."

Trusting her new friend without a moment's hesitation Starfire gave a split second glance at the old lady and the boy, now reunited with his mother, the kindly lady gestured and Starfire nodded, before following Chris into the choking black smoke.

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Beast Boy gagged on the dense swirling smoke, he had been outside for less than a minuet but he was already feeling dizzy, the fact that he kept stumbling into pieces of debris and thinking them bodies didn't help much either. Finally a gust of chilling wind cleared out a significant amount of the smoke, just long enough for Beast Boy to see a large crater in the road, like a meteor of some sort had landed with tremendous force. He shivered from the sight of the crater and from the cold, though was glad of the cold, had it not been for the low temperature then the streets would have been crowded, and fatalities would have been unavoidable.

Starfire and Chris came out of the mall, stumbling forward through the tinning smoke.

"Wow, that's a biggan."

Chris said kicking a piece of loose concrete into the great crater in the road.

"Please friends, what on you're planet could cause such destruction?"

Beast Boy looked at Starfire and pondered the question, it could have been a meteor he thought, maybe an underground gas explosion, he was just about to suggest these possibilities when Chris, who had been silently scanning the crater and surrounding buildings, spoke.

"This was a bomb, and a big one, not to mention badly done."

Beast Boy and Starfire looked at the Englishman and asked together.

"How do you know?"

Chris looked back and sighing pointed at the surrounding buildings.

"Look at the shrapnel marks in the walls, this was a car bomb, its bits of car that have torn everything up, that's why all the glass is smashed in the mall, it's a miracle that nobody got cut in half by a tire or anything."

Starfire looked puzzled for a moment and then asked.

"You said that this device of destruction was badly constructed?"

Chris stood for he had been kneeling at the side of the crater examining something.

"I didn't say it was badly made, I said it was badly done, whoever did this set the bomb up badly or on purpose to do limited damage."

Beast Boy couldn't see just how Chris could know this, and so asked.

"How can you tell?"

Chris was prizing something out of a lamp post and staggered backwards when it came free; he displayed the mangled licence plate as if it alone proved his theory. When the questioning expression remained on Beast Boy's face he placed the object down and pointed at the crater.

"Look will you, use you're eyes, this blast could have levelled the entire street, it nearly did with the shock of it, now that crater was made by some force, just imagine what would have happened if the blast had been aimed up or at the buildings, instead of into the floor, we would be in a world of hurt rather than looking at a minor traffic inconvenience."

Beast Boy nodded, what Chris said made sense.

He suddenly became aware of the thumping sound of the music from the club, still bellowing away, but there was something else, screams. Fearful terrified screams, screams for help. Chris and Starfire could here them now, they were looking at the building, which up until now had been obscured by smoke, but now it was apparent that it was on fire and the front of the building had in fact partially collapsed, being closest to the explosion as it was.

The chilling screams told the story well enough, the fire was burning the front of the building, which had collapsed as well, as a result the main entrance was impassable, and most clubs like this tended to have their back doors locked. Now the terrified party goers were trapped, and it was up to the Titans to do something about it.

"Starfire, can you drop me round the back?"

Chris asked, strangely calm. She nodded, and quickly grabbing him by the waist carried him over the building, through the plume of smoke and dropped him at the back entrance. Beast Boy followed in his eagle form and landed next to them.

"Now what?"

He asked, not wanting to actually make any important decisions. Chris it seemed was willing to save him the trouble.

"Starfire can you make you're way from the top levels down and clear it of civilians?"

She nodded and flew off with speed and unquestioning obedience that actually had Chris standing for a moment in stunned silence.

"Er, dude."

Beast Boy said, bringing Chris back to reality.

"Right come on, we need to get in there and get those trapped inside, out."

Beast Boy nodded and then watched as Chris threw his weight against the heavy door, and rebound uselessly, resisting the temptation to laugh, he nudged forward and simply said.

"Allow me; I think I have the correct key."

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The green rhino simply disintegrated the obstacle as its massive weight tore not only the door off its hinges but removed a significant portion of the wall as well, unfortunately the corridor on the other side was very narrow and the force of Beast Boy's charge took him through this wall and into the next room.

Standing in silence Chris watched the spectacle and was just able to comment.

"Er, nicely done."

He stepped into the building and was immediately thrown back as a stampede of panicked clubbers dashed out of the ex-door and into the clean heavenly fresh air of the stinking back alley. Getting to his feet he quickly asked one of the wide eyed panic stricken people.

"Are there more people in there?"

The person seemed not to notice; Chris shook the man violently and repeated the question. He nodded and Chris tore of into the smoking hole Beast Boy had created.

Inside the ceiling was hidden by the dense choking smoke, and people were crawling along the floor in order to escape through the new exit. Chris pondered whether Starfire was safe upstairs and alone; he decided that she could handle herself. He then began searching for Beast Boy who had disappeared through several walls and had not returned. Climbing along the path of destruction the rhino had left he eventually found Beast Boy on the dance floor in the form of a gorilla carrying an unconscious blond lady.

"Oi, King Kong, this is no time for charades, lets scarper, the whole place is going to come down!"

He shouted, dodging a falling piece of ceiling as he finished. The gorilla indicated the floor and Chris spotted several unconscious forms, grabbing one and pulling the unconscious male onto his back and then followed the gorilla who was carrying several victims simultaneously, and still moving with ease.

"Why couldn't you have gone easy on the party food mate?"

Chris growled as he struggled to climb some more debris that had fallen in is path, the dead weight on his back not making things simple.

"Let's dump him."

Suggested David.

"Shut up."

Chris responded out loud. Thirty seconds later and he emerged smouldering and coughing violently, Beast Boy was standing with those he had rescued, who now in the fresh air were beginning to magically regain consciousness. Chris dumped his charge non to gently on the floor next to the others and then wiped the soot blackened sweat from his face. It was at that moment that Beast Boy said something that would turn into a blessing and a curse, depending on how you look at it.

"Where's Star?"

He asked the shuddering and now dry retching form of Chris. He looked up at the top floors of the building and saw that there was now dense smoke billowing from those windows as well. Inside Chris bean to realise that he had abused his trust, he had told Starfire to do something and she had obeyed, not because Chris knew what he was doing, not because he was superior, but because she trusted him, and now she could be trapped, in the burning club. The sounds of approaching sirens told him that help was on its way, but not quick enough for him.

"Stay here, if I need help I will call you, ok?"

Chris shouted waving his Titan communicator at Beast Boy as he blundered into the darkened interior of the club once more.

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She was sure that she had successfully evacuated all those from the upper levels, but even so she was unwilling to depart until she was absolutely sure. Starfire hovered gracefully round the next corner and was faced with a wall of flame, her first instinct was to simply fly through it with speed and emerge on the other side unharmed. However she hesitated for a moment, examining her frail but pretty earth clothes for a moment, she sighed and sped through regardless.

On the other side she hovered, singed and in three locations openly on fire. After extinguishing these mild flickering flames she continued her search. While the top floor had been some sort of apartment, and the two people in there had been easy to find, but now, on the first floor, which was mostly stock rooms with tiny corridors creating a smoke and fire filled maze. One in which it would become easy to lose ones way, and so Starfire was adamant that she would not leave the crumbling building unless she had searched every room.

Turning into another smoke filled stock room she discovered a frightened couple in one another's arms, she smiled triumphantly as she realised that she had been right. Landing softly next to the shivering form of a teenage girl cowering in her boyfriends arms Starfire said softly.

"Do not fear, the Titans are here, you will soon be safe."

The male looked up and smiled, the said comfortingly into the girl's hair.

"See, told you."

The girl looked up and stared wide eyed at Starfire.

"St, Star, Starfire?"

She managed to ask. The alien princess in question smiled at her recognition and gave a tiny bow.

"Yes, it is I, but there are others present, Beast Boy, and our new friend Chris, you can not be in safer company."

With that the couple stood and were guided out of a nearby window, which Starfire reduced with one of her powerful star bolts. She carried the couple under her arms and deposited them among the group Beast Boy was attending.

"I have completed my task friend, and we have achieved another success with no problems or strife it seems."

She said winningly to Beast Boy who was now looking worriedly at the now burning back entrance, his Titan communicator held anxiously. Starfire looked at the door also, she wondered just what was wrong, but then became distracted as she saw the two people she had just rescued, they it seemed were very happy about their rescue and were celebrating, doing what lovers do best. Starfire blushed, for a moment she had envisaged two others standing there. Beast Boy spoke breaking the spell.

"Star, Star, Starfire, are you even listening to me?"

A full minuet had passed with that pleasant thought, but now Starfire was being dragged back to the cruelness of the real world.

"Wha, oh, my apologies friend, is there some information you wish to relay to me?"

Beast Boy thought for a moment, then nodding asked in a slightly panicked voice.

"You didn't see Chris, did you?"

Starfire for a moment glanced from Beast Boy to the burning building.

"No, why?"

"Because he went back in to see if you were all right."

Behind her the building gave a protesting groan and then simply seemed to implode as the weight of the walls fell inwards on the weakened floors.

"Oh dear."

She simply said.

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Chris didn't like the look of this, he was staring at the DJ's platform beside the far end of the bar and he could hear a faint voice coming from behind it, the only problem was that the entire area was engulfed in flame, so anybody he found would be horribly burnt, then again if he hesitated, all he would find would be a dead person. Feeling guilty as he prayed that it would be almost anyone other than Starfire, he climbed onto the bar and ran its length to avoid the flame covered floor. Knocking several bottles over as he did so, he would regret that.

Reaching the end of the bar he slipped on some spilled drink and then had the misfortune to put all his weight on an empty beer bottle, which was only too eager to roll away and send him crashing down behind the bar.

Landing next to some of the DJ equipment he was amused, horrified and annoyed all at the same time by what he saw. The 'faint voice' he had heard was here, and he was glad that it wasn't Starfire; he was also enraged by just what it was. Lying there was a damaged stereo that was slowly singing a song in a distorted voice.

"Burn baby burn, disco inferno."

Chris closed his eyes and swore, it made sense somehow, mainly because it just couldn't happen to anybody but him. He now wished he had checked the bottom floor first, instead of looking round the upper levels. What didn't improve his mood soon followed, though not because he wished Starfire any harm.

"Chris, Chris are you there, respond."

His communicator exclaimed at him. Grumbling he plucked the device out of his pocket and gazed angrily at the tiny image of Robin.

"Yes?"

He answered his new leader with no particular niceness to his voice.

"What's our status?"

Robin asked.

"Well, the place has been evacuated, I think, and Beast Boy is out the back with about two dozen of the clubbers, but I cant find Starfire, I have looked everywhere, in fact I think she must have got out, why where are you?"

Robin's face disappeared and Chris saw an image of the front of the club, which was now surrounded by fire fighters.

"We are in front of the building, and you're right, we saw Starfire take two people out of a window and land behind the place, she is probably with Beast Boy now."

Chris frowned and swore internally.

"My thoughts exactly, can we go now, you know, before we get burnt to death?"

Asked David, not helping Chris's mood.

"Of course she is."

Chris said darkly. Robin frowned.

"Ok then, so if the place is empty get yourself out of there now, the fire marshal says the whole building is going to come down."

As if to emphasize his point a large beam collapsed across the centre of the room, bringing boxes filled with alcohol crashing down, thus worsening the fire.

"Time to go."

Said David, a hint of panic in the figments voice.

"Right, I am on my way."

Chris said to Robin's miniature image and then pocketed the communicator, at his feet the grating voice singing the most annoying song continued, Chris couldn't have known it, but he was about to do something that he would very much regret. In anger and frustration he kicked the stereo, sending it sailing along the inside of the bar. Unfortunately it struck several bottles of alcohol, smashing them and causing their contents to catch fire, cutting off his route of escape that way, he quickly climbed onto the bar and was just about to move that way when the alcohol he had spilt earlier ignited and turned the bar top into a raging inferno.

Cursing his actions that had led to this point Chris pondered what to do, not helped much by David's comments.

"Nice one, you have officially killed us."

Chris was in no mood and as he charged up a staircase behind the bar he shouted angrily.

"Well as long as I take you with me!"

Turning the corner at the top of the stairs at the run, Chris was thus not able to stop before he fell through the hole in the ceiling left by the beams earlier collapse. Screaming with frustration and pain he was once again crashed down on the ground floors hard wooden deck. Rolling away from the swirling flames, he jumped the bar and was placed back in his temporary refuge where he had contacted Robin. Crouching there below the choking smoke he studied his options. Deciding it was better to live with a dent to his pride than burn to death, he began frantically manipulating his communicator.

"Chris, what are you still doing there?"

In no mood for questions Chris answered quite sarcastically.

"I'm at the bar."

Robin's image frowned.

"Why haven't you left, is there someone trapped in there?"

Chris sighed before answering, above, the noise of loud creaking and snapping wood could be heard.

"Yes there is, me, I'm trapped behind the bar, the stairs lead nowhere so I cant go up and the main dance floor is a miniature hell, I can't get out."

Robin's face nodded, the other side of the bar a stool was crushed as two beams came down at the same time. Chris looked at the ceiling and could see the angry red lines spreading between the beams above his head.

"You might want to hurry any plan you have, I am about to be branded."

He said in an urgent voice to his communicator.

"Don't worry; Raven is coming to get you."

Inside Chris four things happened, firstly he felt relived that he was being helped, secondly he felt content and safe at the mention of his favourite Titan, not to mention that it was her coming for him. Then the negative side struck, being rescued by Raven seemed more embarrassing than any other, and also he wanted nothing less in the world than for her to risk herself, especially for him, it was like the conversation on the roof was coming back to haunt him.

"Told you so, now look, first little thing and you not only manage to kill yourself, and me lets not forget, but you actually succeed in taking a Titan with you, and that particular Titan as well, that's a new low even for you."

Chris was suddenly afraid, not for himself, but like before that another would suffer because of his actions and mistakes.

"No, don't risk anyone for me!"

He shouted, but he needn't have bothered. Two things happened there and then, firstly the ceiling above him simply seemed to shatter like glass as the weight of the upper floors finally came crashing down. Chris looked up and saw his death coming to greet him, but was strangely calm and content; at least this way Raven wouldn't end up hurt trying to rescue him. Then the second thing which happened, and with hindsight, the most welcome by far, took place.

From the wall to which he had his back pressed there was a strange phasing sound and Chris suddenly felt the wall disappear, before he could turn around two slender and dark blue clad arms wrapped themselves around his torso and pulled. He was once again pulled into that dark and silent non-zone, where he felt like so much, yet so little. The sensation lasted longer this time and Chris examined it more closely, he could still feel Raven clinging to him, but in a way it was like neither he nor she was really there. Puzzled Chris was just about to try and work this out when he suddenly found himself sitting on the cold concrete roadway in front of the mall.

The most welcome and comforting arms disappeared and he felt a moment's sadness for it. Turning around he saw Raven standing in front of him with a bored if slightly concerned look on her beautiful face.

"You ok?"

She drawled in an unconcerned voice, as if she was asking about the weather. Chris smiled and nodded, glad that he was still alive enough to see Raven show actual concern, however mild for his wellbeing. Robin and Cyborg walked over, and behind them Chris could see Starfire and Beast Boy land.

"You ok man?"

Cyborg asked, Chris severely hoped he wasn't going to be asked that question again.

"Fine, thanks to Raven."

Robin began to say something but then stopped. Chris didn't know why but he had a feeling that what had just been held back would be discussed in private later. Starfire leapt at him and crushed his smouldering body in a hug.

"Oh friend, I feared that we had lost you, and I am so very grateful and ashamed that you felt the need to enter the house of party to check on my safety."

Chris prised himself free.

"Er, no problem."

Beast Boy waved his communicator at Chris and said in mild annoyance.

"How come you didn't call me, I thought you said if you needed help then you would call me."

Chris shrugged, he hadn't meant to not contact Beast Boy, it was just instinct that made him report to his immediate superior. Grinning he decided to go for comedy, Beast Boy would appreciate that he thought.

"Well I would, but I was starting to resemble a packet of Smokey bacon crisps, I didn't think you would approve."

Beast Boy and Cyborg laughed, Starfire looked confused and the two 'birds' exchanged looks of frustration, apparently not impressed by Chris's light hearted attitude with his own near fiery death. He looked at Robin and then said.

"This was no accident you know; it was a bomb, a car bomb."

Chris indicated the licence plate he had pulled out of the lamp post; Robin looked up, and then glanced at the crater.

"I know, there is more to this than meets the eye, we better get back to the tower and start studying this, if it happens again we have to know all we can."

He turned, and followed by most headed of to speak with the head fireman. Chris remained, for no other reason than to avoid the inevitable conversation. That and of course to stay close to Raven, with whom this latest development had done nothing to ease his feelings for her.

"Raven."

He said in as unswerving a voice as he could. She looked up from the licence plate that she had picked up using her powers. Deciding it was best to be blunt before his legs turned to jelly, he ploughed ahead with what he knew and so desperately wanted to say, though not quite all of it.

"Thanks, again, you're making a habit of saving my life."

She gave the faintest hint of a grin and then turning to follow the others said.

"You're welcome, but don't expect me to do it too often, especially if you didn't get me my book."

Chris closed his eyes as he realised where he must now go. But it didn't matter, he was alive, he had done some good, and he was one step closer to achieving his goal of absolving his own sins. He sighed and followed his team mates, his friends, his very family.

Life wasn't that bad really, a pity it had a habit of ending unexpectedly.

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There you go; my first 'action chapter' please send you're complaints to the committee. Hope its to you're liking, but I wont get my hopes up, please continue to R&R, you're opinions matter, also thank you to those who have read and been kind enough to send in their thoughts, as well as those few who have added my story to their favourites, or put an alert on it, though I suspect one of them was a mistake, either way thanks, accidental pity is still a plus in my book.

Thanks, keep on reading and please send me some advice and ideas, as they are becoming thin on the ground in my head.

Take care, bye.