32 Productions Presents…
A HIVE Team StoryThe HIVE Team In…
"The Chaos Theory"
Chapter Two
Titan H.Q.: Starfire's Room
Starfire examined her face in the mirror closely. No marks of any kind were visible. This was good. Constantly her beauty was marred by battle and each time a fear of scarring overcame her. Make-up could only hide so much...like the bandage. That was hard to disguise, but not impossible. Satisfied, she sat back in the chair in front of her vanity mirror. She smiled smugly.
Starfire: (Tamaranian) Perfection, thy name is Koridan'r.
To call Starfire vain is like calling the North Pole a bit chilly. Her high opinion of herself was matched only by her low opinion of the "common". The common are everywhere…going to work, doing their boring, mundane jobs, then going home only to repeat the process later. There were those who were not common. The HIVE…the Titans…they weren't like those insects. Yet that wasn't good enough. Only the strong…the good looking…the smart…were good enough to earn any respect from her. Each of her friends had at least one of those qualities going for them. The HIVE, while strong, weren't very good looking (well, maybe Sonic) and they fought for an idiotic cause which completely undermines their strength. In her life, she had met but one who has all three qualities. Robin was very smart, capable of taking all of them down (he's done it before), and extremely good looking. …but there were times…very rare times…where she wondered if there was something more to people then these three things. It was in those rare times that she thought about what she was doing. The killing…the destruction…she thought about all of it…and wondered if she was wrong. There was one time in particular. They were in the middle of a rampage. She couldn't recall why. Maybe they were bored. Maybe a sports game hadn't gone the way the boys wanted. It didn't matter. The HIVE hadn't shown yet. Starfire had lifted a car and was preparing to throw it into a building when she heard a soft noise behind her. There was a woman cowering behind a nearby mailbox. Sneering, she had prepared to throw the car at her instead when she saw that she wasn't cowering…she was shielding a small boy. The boy looked so very much like Jason once had, save his red hair. Jason's was white. Their eyes met and her sneer had faded. She threw the car into a tree and pointed toward a subway.
Starfire: Begone. Before I change my mind.
Wary at first, the woman took the boy and ran, thanking her. She watched them run. Part of her wanted to throw a starbolt at their retreating form, but again she caught the boy's eyes and the urge was defeated. Turning away, she wiped the tears from her eyes and returned to causing carnage. Why had she done it? Releasing a potential victim…she'd have been laughed at…jeered…maybe even hated by her teammates. And yet she had no regret whatsoever. If it was 'wrong' to spare a mere common…then why didn't she regret it?
Starfire: Stop it. Stop thinking about it. You've killed children before and you'll do it again. Who knows? Maybe his eyes had hypnotic powers and I was made to release them. It doesn't matter.
Starfire smoothed out her outfit and left her room in search of something to do. In doing so, she almost got bowled over by the much larger Cyborg. Starfire scowled and float up to eye level.
Starfire: Why do you not watch where you are going!
Cyborg just stared back at her. He COULD have been angry…but he was more amused then anything else. Starfire wasn't the most humble of people…but something about her told him she was in a unique mood.
Cyborg: Uh…you bumped into me.
Starfire: ...surely you do not expect an apology from me.
Cyborg shrugged.
Cyborg: Guess not. What are you up to?
Starfire: (sigh) I do not know. I am most bored. We have not caused the mayhem in some time.
Cyborg: Eh, you know Robin. Always waiting for the right moment.
Starfire: This is true.
Under the Junkyard
Gremlin scowled at the grinning woman from under his mask. She looked ridiculous. Cape…jump suit…doctor's coat…what kind of costume was that? The woman had wandered right into the building, whistling happily. She wasn't at all surprised to find his home, or to be captured by arms in the walls.
Dr. Chaos: You must be Gremlin. I'm Dr. Chaos.
Gremlin: Uh huh. And why should I care?
Dr. Chaos grinned wider and tilted her head.
Dr. Chaos: Because I have an idea for an EXPERIMENT and I need your help.
Gremlin sighed and gestured to the robots holding her.
Gremlin: Get her out of here and seal the damn door.
The robots began to comply.
Dr. Chaos: It involves the Titans!
Gremlin froze.
Gremlin: …cancel that order.
The robots stopped moving. Stepping over to her, Gremlin grabbed her by the coat.
Gremlin: …what do you know about the Titans?
Dr. Chaos: Lots of things. I lived with them for a week.
Gremlin was tempted to strike her. It had to be a lie. He was Starfire's SON and he didn't stay there that long.
Gremlin: You're lying.
Dr. Chaos: The main room is big and connected to the kitchen. There's a TV in front of a large couch. To the left of the couch is an armchair. In front of the couch is a BIIIIIIG coffee table with a small bloodstain on the side of it and several rings because they don't own coasters.
Gremlin almost dropped her. That was correct. She had been there…and longer then him.
Gremlin: …why were you there?
Dr. Chaos: (shrugging) They had an experiment in mind…now I want to experiment back.
Gremlin was intrigued now.
Gremlin: Let her go.
The robots released her. She stood up, rubbing her wrists where she had been held.
Gremlin: …now…what kind of experiment did you have in mind?
HIVE Tower: Blackfire's Room
In contrast to her sister, Blackfire was fairly humble about her looks. She didn't brush her hair for very long. She really didn't have to. If she was injured, she bandaged it up and that's it. She didn't try to paint the bandage the same color as her skin. Unlike Starfire, she didn't throw fits if she got her face messed up. This was good because she was currently pretty banged up. Running her hands through her hair made her wince when she encountered the spot where she had received a nasty two handed blow.
Blackfire: Damn it, Gizmo…
The training robots were tougher now. In her opinion, maybe too tough. They WON of course…but not without getting beaten up a bit. Jinx seemed absurdly pleased with the whole thing, but Blackfire wasn't so happy. Training against strong opponents is great, but what if a crime breaks out afterward? They'd rush in all exhausted and lose for sure. It was just plain stupid. But alas…what did her opinion mean? Truth be told, Blackfire was worried about Jinx. What was it that was driving her friend so hard? Her kidnapping? The brainwashing of Shade's doctor? Maybe it was how Krystal reacted to the death of her mother. It was hard to say. Honestly, if anyone was to be pissed about the last one, it was her. Krystal wasn't right for weeks. It took days for her usual grin to reappear on her face. Yet could Shade really be blamed? Wasn't it the abuse that woman caused that drove him to become what he is today? Blackfire lay down on her bed, thinking.
Blackfire: Come to think of it…if she hadn't abused Shade, Shade wouldn't have gone mad. If he hadn't gone mad, Krystal would have chased after him. If she hadn't chased after him, she never would have come to Earth. …so if their mother hadn't abused Shade…I wouldn't know Krystal.
It was absurd to think. Did she actually…OWE that monster her current relationship? …it was selfish as well. People have died, many of them. Most, if not all of them innocent. What's her own happiness compared to all those lost lives? She could have met someone else. Blackfire scowled. That was a thought that should never cross. She was perfectly happy with Krystal. Then again it was entirely hypothetical. Hmm.
Blackfire: Stop it, stop it, stop it. Krystal would be utterly devastated and she's been through enough. Besides, I love her…don't I? Of course I do. Damn it, think of something else.
Red X. Yeah, she should think about Red X. The poor girl had been through a lot. Hell, until recently they didn't even know she WAS a girl. Blackfire frowned. It was kind of sad now that she thought about it. To be force to deny who you are. How many guys had she been attracted to, but could never act on it? How many times did she have to put up with Sonic pointing out girls for their…assets and not be able to rebuke him for it? Blackfire would have smacked the living crap out of the boy. Finally she can be herself AND she meets a cute guy in spandex. Then it turns out the guy is a creep who was actually hired to break her heart. To top it all off, she accidentally kills the bastard. No big loss, but Red X probably felt extremely guilty. Blackfire wouldn't have, that's for damn sure. She didn't like to…in fact she would do everything in her power to avoid it…but if she had no choice, she'd take a life and not regret it. It had to be done. It's the way of her people. Tamaranians were a warrior race after all. You can't be a good warrior if you're afraid to kill. Her sister, however, took it to extremes.
Abandoned Carnival: Three Days Later
Gremlin sighed. Even with the cooling device installed in his suit, he was sweating. He had exhausted himself building everything Dr. Chaos had asked for. …man that was a stupid name. Of course, had he known she had killed somebody, he probably wouldn't have agreed to help…probably. Dr. Chaos watched, eating an apple. Where she got the apple, nobody knows…well, she does, but that's not the point. Her ever-present hallucinations stood by her side, watching Gremlin and his robots work.
Dennie: Maybe you can ask him to fix up the Merry-go-round! And the Ferris Wheel!
Dr. Chaos: Nah. Don't want to piss him off, what with all the robots around.
Denise: Isn't that what chaos is all about?
Dr. Chaos swung at her, slapping her across the face.
Dr. Chaos: Don't you patronize me, woman! Chaos is about the unexpected! Not being stupid!
A G-9 drone floated over to Gremlin.
G-9: Now she's swatting imaginary elves. You're working for a crazy woman.
Gremlin: First, I'm not work FOR her. I'm working WITH her. FOR implies payment. Secondly, crazy or not, her idea is interesting to me.
G-9: You say that like you think she can pull it off. Look at her! She's yelling at thin air!
Gremlin sweatdropped.
Gremlin: Actually, I think I'm happier if I DON'T look. …you know…I think I recognize her from the asylum.
G-9: Doesn't surprise me, sir.
Gremlin: No…I think she was a doctor. The make up makes it hard to tell…but she does look very familiar.
G-9 paused.
G-9: One moment, sir. …file found. Recent escape from Jacob Asylum. One Doctor Denise Steiner. Symptoms include acute schizophrenia, hallucinations, rambling, and sudden acts of violence or seduction attempts. Mildly dangerous.
Gremlin: I see. Eh, it hardly matters now.
G-9 floated away as Gremlin got up and approached the woman who was still arguing with nothing.
Dr. Chaos: So what if he does? That doesn't mean anythi…oh, hello.
Gremlin: Finished.
Dr. Chaos squealed and danced around like a hyperactive child.
Dr. Chaos: Oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy! Thanks a ton, Gremlin! What do I owe?
Gremlin: …no charge. I'm not some hired hand. All I want is to see the results.
Dr. Chaos: No problem! You'll get every minute! Buy some popcorn. Bring the kids!
Dr. Chaos shrieked with laughter as Gremlin walked past her, the G-9 drone following.
Gremlin: Uh huh. I'll bait your trap and I'm done. You're on your own.
Titan H.Q.: Main Room
Robin slammed his fist down on the chair's arm, denting it…and hurting his hand but he ignored that part.
Changeling: It's gotta be a bluff, dude. There's no way.
There was a simple message on the screen on their computer. It stated that whoever sent the message knows where they live and will send everyone who would care the location if they didn't come to a certain place. The coordinates for said place was listed afterward.
Cyborg: Don't bet on it, Changeling. If they could send us a message, they know where we are.
Starfire: So we shall simply "chat" with this individual and make them change their minds.
HIVE Tower: Main Room
Red X frowned, wrinkling her mask. This reeked of a trap.
Jinx: …we have to check. There's no choice in this.
Red X sighed.
Red X: I knew you'd say that. I agree.
Krystal: We all do.
They too had received a message. It said that the sender knew the Titans location. If they came to the coordinates listed with the message, they'd be able to find them. Sonic stared at the message a while before turning to Mammoth.
Sonic: …so how was your chat with Mr. Finkleburger?
Mammoth: Shut up. She's a girl I tell you.
Gizmo: What the hell are you two talking about?
Sonic: Oh nothing.
Steaming Jungle?
Robin groaned and held his aching head. What happened? The last thing he remembered was going into that factory where they were told to meet that person…whoever it was. The air was thick…and…
Robin: What the…?
Robin noticed a strange bracelet attached to his arm. There was a beam of energy that acted like a cable, connecting him to…Red X? It was then he got a better look around him. Humid…large foliage…the sounds of numerous animals in the brush…it looked like the rainforest or something from the Congo. There was a soft groan as Red X started coming to. Robin glanced back at the thing around his arm. …it would be a pain to drag her body along. Red X saw who she was chained and didn't react favorably to it.
Red X: You! What the hell do you think you're doing!
Robin: Me! What kind of idiot are you? Why would I chain myself to YOU?
Red X sucked her teeth and examined the thing on her arm.
Red X: …no lock.
Robin: I'm more concerned about this…
Robin pointed to a small monitor on his bracelet. It gave a list of Red X's stats, including heart rate, brain waves, and lung activity.
Red X: …mine has yours on it. Does this mean we have to kill each other to get it off?
Robin: Hmm…wait a second…
Examining the bracelet at the point where the energy reached, he found something…
Robin: …this is a bomb.
Red X: What!
Robin: I'm guessing that if one of us dies, the other goes up in the explosion. …next question. How'd we get in the jungle anyway?
They both thought about that puzzler for a while. Red X spoke slowly.
Red X: …I don't think this IS a jungle. Listen…the sounds…they repeat themselves. Same noises, same pitch…it's a complete loop right down to how long it takes for the next noise to start.
Robin frowned. He should have noticed that.
Robin: So if it's fake…maybe there's a way out within walking distance.
Red X: Do we have a choice?
Robin stood up, Red X following suit (because nobody wants to be dragged along).
Red X: Wait a sec…
Red X fumbled for her communicator and typed a bunch of buttons.
Robin: What are you doing?
Red X: Text message. Not all of my teammates are bright enough to examine these cuffs and tell what they are. I assume you have a similar problem?
Robin was silent. He wasn't going to admit that he questioned his teammates' mental competence at times. They started walking, both aware of a simple fact. You don't attach a bomb with a heart monitor to somebody unless there's a reason for their hearts to stop. Said reason came in the form of vines whipping around, heading straight for them. They both tried to leap out of the way, but selected the opposite direction from the other.
Robin: Hey! Where are you going, idiot!
Red X: Left, you twit! It's the only logical direction since I'm right handed!
Robin: What's that have to do with…URK!
The "URK" was from Red X getting up and darting away from the vines. Robin slid along the ground.
Robin: Stop it, you bitch! What are you trying to do? Pull my arm out of the socket!
Red X: Shut up and move, would you?
Robin groaned and managed to get to his feet. He liked it better when Red X was an emotionless male. At the same time, they turned and flung bladed weapons (birdarangs and X-rangs). The hit the vines with a clang.
Both: Crap…
They continued running, dodging the vines as they sprang from the walls and trying desperately not to trip each other up. Finally they made it to a clearing. The vines, unable to proceed further, just whipped around. The pair sighed and started to catch their breath. After a while, they started pushing forward again.
Robin: Why'd you disguise yourself as a guy anyway? You one of those "men trapped in a woman's body" or something?
Red X: It was simply a much better way to hide my identity. What's it to you?
Robin: Just curious.
Red X scowled at him from under her mask.
Red X: Yeah? Well, I'm curious. How'd you go from a hero's sidekick to a psychopath?
Robin's fists clenched. Apparently he didn't like to talk about it.
Robin: What's it to you?
Red X: A lot, actually. When you were Batman's sidekick, I looked up to you. I respected you. When you ran off and became a wanted killer, I was crushed. It was the reason I donned this costume.
Robin: …who says "donned" anymore?
Red X: Shut up! I'm being serious!
Shrugging, Robin shook his head.
Robin: And I really don't care.
Before Red X could pursue the topic further, robotic panthers jumped down from the tree around them.
Robin: …I've had enough of this.
Red X nodded and they both took similar stances. Being chained together hampered their retreat, but if they used it right, it could benefit them in combat. Red X formed two X blades from her palms and tossed one to Robin. The robots circled them slowly. The pair just watched…waiting. When the jaguars attacked, they met with the blades head on. They looked down at the fallen robots.
Robin: Simple enough.
More jaguars leapt down.
Red X: …it's never simple.
END PART TWO
