Chapter 10

A/N: I join the league of fellow fanfiction authors who offer apologies for long delays in updating. I lost the inspiration for a time… and in doing so, I fear that as I attempt to resume this tale, it may not end as I intended. Flames will be understood as a reflection of your anger.


"Cowards!" Beast Boy declared towards Jinx, Gizmo, and Mammoth from within the H.I.V.E. "You're nothing but cowards!"


Before Omen left the tower to join the titans, she went to Cyborg's room where he stored his memory backups. With her level of mental abilities she merely had to appear to be looking at the disks.

An instant "search" through each backup showed her which disks contained recent memories of Beast Boy since his restoration. With her mental powers she erased the data.

She also went to the security room and erased the recent recordings of Beast Boy from all archived footage, including Robin's copy of the footage at the chemical plant. After that, Omen teleported from the tower to join the titans.


Robin stood up after Beast Boy vanished in pursuit of Johnny Rancid. He dusted himself off and shook away the anxiety of the incident he just experienced. Robin then pulled out his communicator.

"This is Robin. Come in titans."

His call was answered by Cyborg from the T-car, from Kid Flash running along side the T-car, and from Starfire flying above the T-car. Omen and Magenta rode with Cyborg.

"Any luck on locating the H.I.V.E.?"

"No sign of them yet Robin," answered Cyborg. He then realized Robin was stationary. "Where're you at? What's up with Rancid?"

"He's gone and Beast Boy went after him…" he replied then sounded cross, "with my bike."

"I can hurry after it, Robin," stated Kid Flash.

"Forget it. Whatever it is Beast Boy has to do with Johnny, it's his business. Just come and get me so we can find the H.I.V.E."

"Alright," Cyborg complied. "We're four blocks from your location.


At about the same time Slade was warning Rancid that he is in danger, Brother Blood contacted Jinx, Mammoth, and Gizmo.

"Be warned, my students. Your allies Killer Moth and Control Freak have met their doom at the hands of an enemy. For the instructions I am about to issue, I urge you to be on your guard."

"What are your orders, Headmaster?" inquired Jinx from her communicator.

"Locate the titans. If you must engage in battle, do not let yourselves be captured. Lure them to the school, as their current status will allow them to easily outclass your tactics. Kid Flash has joined them for the time being. The entire H.I.V.E. student body will back you up. Now, go and find the titans."

"Yes, Headmaster," replied Jinx. The communication ended.

"I don't get it," stated a baffled Mammoth. "What do you suppose got Killer Moth and Control Freak killed?"

"I don't know," answered Jinx. "But let's do as Brother Blood ordered and find the titans. I have a plan. In the hopes that Omen hasn't looked too far into the future, she won't know this. I want the two of you to draw the titans' attention. I'll use my powers to knock Omen out. That way when we leave to return to the academy, she won't teleport the titans there."

"And I've got Kid Flash covered," stated Gizmo. "I've bettered that level four containment field, so we'll be able to keep him from tailing us."

With that they began their search.


The titans found Robin. He boarded the T-car and they all resumed their search for Jinx, Gizmo, and Mammoth. They spread out in teams of three at one end of the city. Kid Flash ran in one direction, Starfire flew in another, while the T-car – which contained Robin, Cyborg, and Magenta – took the third direction. In the middle of the city they regrouped, only to report nothing, then spread out once more in the same fashion and met at the end of the city. Still their search cropped up nothing.

Then a great explosion happened. Everyone heard it and Cyborg's seismographic sensors read it. It came from the complete opposite side of the city where their search began. Kid Flash ran fast, Starfire flew high, and the T-car carried the rest to the scene.

When all were gathered there was a deep cavity in the street. Dust was still settling among the rubble. Minor flames were scattered about. There were no immediate signs of the cause for the incident.

A long drawn out cry of "Hey you guys!" came from Mammoth. He was standing atop a building ahead of them. They all looked up and caught sight of the brute.

There attention was drawn just as Jinx counted on, as did Gizmo. From her hiding place she used her hex power to loosen a beam and sent it flying at Omen. The beam hit, knocking her cold. The shock of the attack diverted the titans' attention more as an energy field from nowhere surrounded Kid Flash.

"I can't move!" he cried. "It's a level four containment field!"

Jinx stepped from the shadows and was met with Mammoth and Gizmo. "Our attack was a precaution on our part," she stated. "We don't want any of you getting to the H.I.V.E. before us. You want to catch us, here's where we'll be."

Jinx tossed down a locator pointing to the new school. Gizmo pulled out a device and pressed its button. A portal opened and the three villains stepped through it. The portal closed.

Starfire and Robin attended to the unconscious Omen. Her injury was heavy. She would not be awake any time soon. Cyborg and Magenta knelt by Kid Flash.

"Go on without me," said a crestfallen Kid Flash. "I'm useless to you right now."

"You seem to forget, Wally, that you helped me design the disabling device for the containment field," Cyborg assured him. "I've got it in the T-car."

Cyborg stood up and walked toward the car. "I'll be right back." The next statement he could not help but add. "Don't go anywhere," he joked.

"Just get the disabler, Cyborg," Magenta restated with disdain.

Kid Flash was freed in less than ten minutes.


Brother Blood received a transmission. "Beast Boy has just eliminated Rancid," Slade reported. "He'll be coming for the other three next. Get them ready."

Movement caught the headmaster's attention. He turned and saw the trio approaching his doorway. "My students have just returned."

"Very good. I'll be there shortly." Slade's transmission ended.

"The titans should be on their way, Headmaster," stated Jinx.

"There is greater trouble than just the titans. Call an assembly. Gather the other students. We must fight a great adversary who will be coming for the three of you."

The trio was puzzled by this. "Who is this adversary, Headmaster?" wondered Jinx.

"Worry not. You will have the entire student body backing you up."

Jinx, Gizmo, and Mammoth exchanged troubled glances, but bowed respectfully to Blood, then turned and left.


As they continued flying through the air, Beast Boy caught up to the raven. "So have you been the raven the whole time, Raven?" He felt glad she was with him again somehow.

"Beast Boy, all will be explained in time," she stated. "Right now you have to finish this."

"Do you know where the new school is? They've moved around again, I'm sure of it."

"Yes, I know where they are. Keep you mind on what you have to do. We're almost there."

The rest of the flight was spent in silence. After a few minutes passed Raven spotted the designated site and began her descent. Beast Boy followed suit. Both landed near a secured skylight that let out a bright light from inside. Both birds peered inside and saw a mass of the student body.

"So any suggestions on how we get inside?" asked Beast Boy.

"Why don't you just go on in? It isn't like they can hurt you."

"Okay, then. Here I go." With that Beast Boy restored himself to human form and donned his trench coat. Then he took a massive leap and stomped the skylight glass. It cracked and shattered, allowing Beast Boy to fall through and into the assembly room.

Everyone how occupied looked up at the sound of the shattering skylight and watched as a figured fell through. To their awe he landed quite easily on his feet. The figure was crouched in a position that concealed his face. Then he stood up straight. All were perplexed by his choice of a mask.

Beast Boy looked around the entire student body. His three objectives were nowhere to be seen. Then a voice from overhead called to him.

"Welcome, stranger," Blood called out.

The changeling turned around and looked up, spotting the cybernetic self-proclaimed headmaster. Standing around Blood were the three remaining adversaries he came for.

"That's a rather nice wardrobe you have… Beast Boy," Blood said with a smirk.

"There's no doubt he's a part of this," Beast Boy decided.

"Beast Boy?" Jinx gasped, who then looked to Brother Blood. "Beast Boy should be dead!"

"This is a special occasion for him, dear Jinx," soothed the headmaster. "He is restored to the living to strike back for what you did you him and his dear Raven last year."

"And you're going to give them up to me, Blood!" declared Beast Boy. "I'm only here for them!"

"Students," ordered Blood. "Attack him without mercy!"

Beast Boy turned to the assembly. "If you all insist on obeying his command, then I apologize in advance for what I'm about to do!"

There was only the briefest pause before the students charged. Beast Boy morphed, ready to retaliate. Jinx, Mammoth, and Gizmo leapt down while the headmaster remained above to observe.

Blood suspected it would be a fruitless battle, knowing what Beast Boy was. Blood smiled wickedly when he spotted the raven perched in the rafters above.

In spite of Beast Boy's transformations, the student numbers were overwhelming. He was caught and tossed about. The students were so caught up in the battle's intensity, they paid no mind to whether or not they were hurting him. They never noticed his wounds healing. All manner of powers, savageries, and strengths were used in an attempt to bring him down, but nothing worked.

In Beast Boy's mind he could not fathom why those who had nothing to do with his death were protecting Jinx, Mammoth, and Gizmo. As for those three, how could they not face him on their own? Just like before, they had help. It was no different this time. He had enough. With a savage roar of his own – in human form for that matter – he leapt back and away from the onslaught.

"Cowards!" Beast Boy declared towards Jinx, Gizmo, and Mammoth. "You're nothing but cowards!" This realization enraged Beast Boy so greatly, he began to transform. The trench coat, completely forgotten, began to tear apart as the changeling became the Beast.

From above, Brother Blood watched as this savage form slaughtered his students. The Beast slashed and bit into many, broke some, and crushed others. At one point he took down Mammoth. His second objective, Jinx, was finished soon after. But as the last hindrance fell, there remained Gizmo.

Enough rage had been released that the Beast regressed to the changeling. He scanned the room for the little genius. From a dark corner flew two miniature rockets. They impacted right in front of Beast Boy who was thrown several feet away from ground zero. Shrapnel and debris pierced his body.

From the area where the missiles were launched, mechanical spider legs carried Gizmo. He slowly approached Beast Boy who appeared to still be alive. The changeling crawled very slowly and seemed to be making a "painful" effort to remove the objects that should have killed him.

Beast Boy pulled the last of the debris from himself. He could hear the sound of metal tapping behind him. While still in a prone position he turned over to see the mechanical spider legs supporting Gizmo. The two front legs rose up.

"This time, when I kill you… stay dead!" Gizmo declared.

Beast Boy grunted when both spider legs came down and pierced through his lungs. He slowly reached for and gripped both legs. With amazing strength the changeling began to push on the artificial limbs… much to Gizmo's dismay. He was able to remove the legs and set Gizmo off balance, after which the little genius toppled over. The wounds through Beast Boy's lungs healed and he stood up.

"Gizmo," Beast Boy said sternly. "For just this once, I'm going back on my word to never eat meat."

Beast Boy transformed into a tyrannosaurus, much to Gizmo's horror. The prehistoric reptile roared and bent forward. Gizmo, along with his spider legs, was snatched up in between razor-sharp teeth. Only a brief cry of agony could be heard from the maw of the tyrannosaurus. This form finished chewing and spit out the spider legs and the tech pack they came from. Even the miniature genius' remains were spit out, as Beast Boy knew that once he restored himself his regular stomach would never hold the capacity of Gizmo's body.

Morphing back into human form, Beast boy set his vengeful eyes on Brother Blood above.


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