Fraust and Mr. Freeze continued on their way to Neo HIVE's secret facility with Static and Starfire as their semi-willing captives. Fraust and Freeze had said nothing since the last exchange. Static had tried to talk to Starfire, but the alien girl was lost in her own world. Giving up, Static fell to silence as well.

Suddenly, Starfire stopped. Freeze, taking no heed, continued on. Fraust glanced back quickly, but didn't abate her pace. Static stopped and turned back.

"Starfire! What-?"

"I feel it."

Static looked at her sideways.

"Um...feel what?"

"The heat of a Tammaranian. Flaar is close by."

Static looked at the trees around them.

"I don't see-" He looked up. "Star! Look out!" He dove into her side and the two of them rolled away as an alien missile swooshed by them.

BOOOOOMM!

Dirt and dust flew up into the air like a bomb had gone off. A pair of glowing green eyes pierced through the dust and, a moment later, Flaar stepped out of crater he'd made and through the debris.

"Flaar!" Starfire exclaimed. "I've been look-"

"Hah!"

ZAF! ZAF! ZAF!

ZZZZZZZZZZ

I inputed the code into the control panel mounted on the wall and stepped through sliding doors. Inside were both Chang and Booker seated in front of a large control panel. I walked up behind them.

"I've gathered some help to turn back-"

I stopped when I saw past the two eccentric men. They were watching black and white screens from security cameras mounted in and around the facility. One screen showed Mr. Freeze and Amy...Fraust...walking through the forest very close. Another, showing a place a little further off, showed Robin's group heading this way. Jonny was with them.

The last screen was hard to make out, because it would flash over and over again. I made out three figures. I finally recognized one. Flaar.

"They're too close." Chang decided. "Do something, Booker!"

"Calm down, 'bad boy'. I'm activating the security cannons."

"You can't do that!" I told them. "Flaar is still out there! Those cannons will target anything."

"Then perhaps he should have responded to your summons faster, hm?" Chang cackled. His face turned serious. "The boy is not more important than this facility. Priorities must be kept in order."

Booker looked away indifferently.

"But-"

"Don't you have a job to do?"

"..."

I turned on my heel and walked out.

TTTTTTTTTT

ZAF! ZAF! ZAF! ZAF!

Static ran, hopped up on his magnetized disc and flew away. Starfire strafed to the side, just above the ground as star bolts exploded around her.

"Flaar! Please listen to me!"

The alien boy swooped at her, his red braid flapping behind him.

WHAM!

Static, on his disc, plowed into him from the side. Turning towards the distraction, Flaar laced his fist together and sent Static spinning to the earth.

"Ooof!" Static bounced and shook his head.

"Virgil!"

Flaar flew high into the air, just above the treetops. His hands glowed green as he readied another downpour of star bolts. But then he stopped and they flickered out. He turned to the north, looking in the direction of the facility-

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

"AUGH!"

Flaar fell limply from the sky, his body smoking from the incredible cannon shot. Starfire moved to catch him-

ZRRRRRTTT!

Mr. Freeze lowered his ice pistol. A moment later, covered in ice from the neck down, Flaar smacked into the ground. Starfire, her face tight with concern, flew over and knelt beside him.

"Flaar! Are you-" She stopped when, deep in the ice, she saw a green glow.

She gasped.

ZAF! CHINNGGGG!

The ice exploded, flinging her back like a rag doll. Static caught her under the arms before she could hit the ground, but Flaar was already in the air, retreating.

"Star! Are you okay?"

"Ugggh...Flaar! I must go after him and-!"

"You must do nothing but obey me." Mr. Freeze's electronic voice told her. He turned and started off again as if nothing of consequence had happened.

"But..."

"C'mon, Star." Static urged her. "I have a feeling both Flaar and us are going to the same place."

Starfire looked longingly up at the sky, but finally nodded.

"O-of course. Let us go, Virgil."