What a day.
An unusual thought to cross the mind of Batman's original sidekick, the first Robin. He had seen and fought it all: interdimensional demons, monsters made out of concrete blocks, raw sewage and electricity. There were insect like chrysalis eating creatures, monsters that blasted you with sonic energy, radioactive monsters, gorillas with an IQ of 200 and heavy handed cops from the Centauri system that had no understanding of "jurisdiction". And there were the old classics: The Joker, The Scarecrow and Bane. He even got to meet the Tamaranian deity X'Hal. Yes, Dick Grayson had seen it all and he had dealt with it, usually with great aplomb.
And yet, he was now feeling overwhelmed.
The flight back to Jump City gave him time to reflect upon what Luthor had finally revealed to him. And to think that it went all the way back to when The Joining invaded the Earth, and did it from within, using Wayne Enterprises to build their invading robotic army right here on Earth under everyone's nose. Even Bruce was caught off guard, never suspecting what was happening right on his own assembly lines. Had it not been for the Martian Manhunter, who showed up out of blue and warned Batman, it might have been too late even for the Dark Knight to save the world.
And the destruction … it was devastating, and there was nothing Earth's military forces could do as they were hopelessly outmatched by the invaders and the world was saved by sheer luck and good timing by Batman. This lesson was not lost on the world's leaders, who unanimously resolved that Earth would never be placed in that precarious situation again.
The contract to develop a new global planetary defense system was secretly awarded to Lex Luthor. Because of its blunder with The Joining, Wayne Enterprises wasn't even considered for the task, and Dr. Sivana, well, he was in jail, busted by Captain Marvel.
This left Lex Luthor as the last man standing and he won the contract. And while the planetary defense was not yet deployed, the weapon systems that would be its backbone had been designed and tested … and were about to fall into Slade's hands, if they hadn't already.
And worst of all, they were now cut off from Slade. There was no hope of tracking him as he was no longer training Beast Boy and had returned Mark to the Titans. And when he contacted the Titans electronically he covered his tracks all too well. His phone calls, which were already few and brief, were sent over a combination of cellular, internet and old fashioned land lines. Try as he could, Cyborg was never able to trace them back to a fixed source. Invariably the traces dead ended at a prepaid mobile phone which would be later located via triangulation in a dumpster in a random location in the city. Slade didn't want to be found this time, and Nightwing's patience was beginning to wear thin.
Clad only in his boxers, Dick sat down on the edge of the bed he shared with his wife and attempted to use the meditative techniques that Raven had taught years before to calm himself. Adopting the Lotus position that had become the gray sorceress's signature pose, he began to hum a mantra he chose long ago. He repeated it over and over, to no avail; he was feeling as tense as before. He didn't give up and added the mental imagery exercises Raven had taught him and started over. Five minutes later he gave up and heaved an exasperated sigh.
"How about we deal with your stress my way?"
Dick jerked and noticed that Starfire had entered their room, changed into a revealing nightgown and was sitting next to him on the bed. He unfolded his legs and his feet fell to the floor as he sighed. She peeled off his mask and cast it aside.
"Have I ever told you that I miss the way you used to talk?"
"How did I talk before?"
He smiled. "You know, you would have said something like 'How about we deal with THE stress my way?'."
"I don't see how that is any different."
"And you wouldn't use contractions, you never said 'don't' back then, you would have said 'do not'."
She nodded. "Yes, when I performed the lip transfer with you back then, it was imperfect."
"Yeah … well … sometimes I miss that."
"Would you prefer that I readopt my old mannerisms?"
He shook his head and ran his hand over her midsection. "No, that's not necessary … so how's our little boy doing?"
"He hasn't kicked yet. Tomorrow Cyborg has an ultrasound scheduled."
"I'll be there; I wouldn't miss that for the world."
They shared a kiss, both of them closing their eyes. Between kisses he whispered: "You mentioned something about dealing with my stress."
"Yes … I did."
"I think now would be a good time."
She stood up and removed her nightgown, standing smiling before her husband in her full, uncensored, orange glory. He grinned like a child in a candy store. Even though they were approaching their 10th anniversary, seeing her in her birthday suit still sent shivers of raw excitement down his spine.
"Have I ever told you that you are a goddess and that even X'Hal herself pales next to your beauty?"
"Now, now, Richard." She teased him. "What have I said about blasphemy?"
"I never said she was ugly. Just that you are more beautiful, I'm sure she won't hold it against me."
"We can only hope that she won't." She purred back at him as they immediately began their foreplay session, exchanging increasingly sensuous and intimate caresses and kisses. And Starfire really did purr, as her people descended from felines and not from apes. Dick knew there was a reason why she was so damn hot.
Their pre-coital playtime increased in its intensity, as it always did. It always culminated the same way, with her inviting him into her body. And this time appeared to be no different.
"Richard …"
"I'm ready babe."
"No … not yet" She replied between passionate kisses. "There is … something …. I forgot … to … tell you."
"What is it?"
"Jinx has invited someone over tomorrow … someone who can help us track Slade."
Suddenly the magic was gone and the electricity in the air fizzled away. Dick quickly sat up.
"Someone who can track Slade!? Did she say who?"
Starfire face palmed. You could have told him afterwards, you idiot!
"No, she did not."
Dick hopped out of the bed and slipped his boxers back on. "I'm gonna go ask her right now."
"RICHARD JOHN GRAYSON!"
Nightwing froze in his tracks.
"You will remove your underwear, get back into this bed and finish making love to your wife!"
He looked longingly at the door, his mind racing to find an excuse to go see Jinx, who was probably already in bed with her husband. After a split second he realized that he had nothing. He then wisely stripped down and got back into bed with his wife, who was looking rather cross. He placed his hand on her stomach and smiled.
"Sorry babe, I don't know what I was …"
BUMP!
They both turned to face her midsection.
"Did he just kick?" Dick shrieked.
"I believe that he just did and for the first time."
He leaned over and gave her a passionate kiss. "Star, you're amazing."
She smiled coyly at him. "Less talk and more action … circus brat!"
He returned her smile. "Yes, milady."
-( - )-
"Are you ready, Gar?"
The changeling sighed as he helped his son slip on his shoes.
"Just a sec."
The toddler smiled at his father, who still had yet to forgive him for spoiling what he felt was a well deserved round of nookie. He looked into the boy's eyes and his resentment slowly faded away.
"I love you, daddy."
He ran his fingers through the child's thick mop of hair.
"I love you too, champ. Now let's go, your mom, I mean Raven, is waiting for us."
The two Logan males entered the main bedroom, where Raven was waiting while she held Coraline.
"That took you long enough … I'm starving." Raven remarked as she headed to room's exit.
"Cyborg makes the best pancakes and he makes lots of them." Beast Boy remarked to his son.
"What? You don't like my pancakes?" Raven asked in jest, knowing she would never live down the day she made the inedible flapjacks.
"Uh … you make really good waffles." Her husband replied.
"You mean the wafflematic does."
As they stepped out into the hallway they almost bumped into the Graysons.
"Good morning" Raven greeted them in her monotone.
Mar'i glided over and inspected the infant in the sorceress's arms. "Baby Coraline is asleep."
"Yes, she is, but she's getting older and already is sleeping less than before."
Beast Boy noticed a small smile on Grayson's face.
Lucky dog, he got some last night. Why does the bad stuff always happen to me?
Mark ran up to Nightwing and looked up at his shrouded face.
"Why do you wear a mask?"
Grayson chuckled. "Because I have to."
"Why?"
"Because I have a secret identity."
"Why?"
"Because I'm a super hero."
"Why?"
Dick cast a glance at Raven. "I see he inherited your intellectual curiosity."
"In case you've forgotten, he's not my son."
Grayson blushed under his mask. "Right … for some reason, I forgot that. Sorry."
Raven gave him one of her signature tiny smiles. "No need to apologize, sometimes I forget it too."
They continued to walk to the common room.
"Who would have thought years ago when we built the Tower that someday we'd all be married and with kids?" Beast Boy remarked.
"Not me." Raven replied. "And last time I checked, Victor and Karen still aren't married."
"True, but I give them 6 months tops. And who would have thought that Wally and Jinx would ever tie the knot?" Nightwing added.
"Speaking of Jinx, she told me yesterday that we would have a guest this morning for breakfast." Starfire informed them as they approached the common rooms sliding doors.
"A guest? Did she say who?" Raven asked.
"No, she didn't. She did say that our guest could help us find Slade."
"Really!? That's awesome!" Gar enthused. "Now I can't wait to meet this mystery ally."
The common room doors slid open. The first thing Beast Boy saw was Cyborg, in the kitchen and he didn't look happy.
"What's wrong, Tin Man?"
Cyborg looked up from the griddle, where he was cooking over a dozen pancakes, and frowned. "Guess who came to breakfast."
The old corner breakfast nook was long gone and was replaced during the remodel with a large table. Wally, his wife and the five trainees were seated and consuming copious flapjacks, all drenched in butter and real maple syrup. Nightwing was the first to notice the guest. It was a man, who had goggles on his forehead. He had what looked like about 3 days worth of stubble on his face and wore his hair in a short pony table. He was short himself, barely over four feet tall and was morbidly obese. The masked Titan, along with his companions stared at the unrecognizable stranger, puzzled and silent. Beast Boy sniffed the air, and his eyes opened wide in shock and amazement and he shouted in surprise.
"Gizmo!? What the hell happened to you? You're fat as a pig!"
The gluttonous midget finished his plate of hot cakes before responding. "Listen snot muncher, I don't give you any crap about going bald, so back off with the insults, OK? … Hey, rust bucket, I want more pancakes … now!"
Cyborg grumbled in the kitchen as he stacked some fresh flap jacks onto a platter, which he delivered to the table. "This time, leave some for everyone else … how can you eat so much away?"
The midget genius, whose legal name, unknown to the Titans, was Mikron O'Jeneus, transferred the entire stack to his plate and smothered it with maple syrup. Cyborg sighed in defeat. "I guess I'll make more."
"Gizmo is going to help us find Slade? Why am I having a hard time believing that?" Raven growled.
"He has his reasons." Jinx informed the group. "You'll have to trust me on this."
"I'd still rather know why he wants to help us." Nightwing replied.
Gizmo finished his plate again and let a loud burp fly, after which he wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "I'll tell you why, bird brain. Do you remember that time you busted me stealing Xenothium from Wayne Tech?"
"That was nine years ago." Starfire remarked.
"Oooh! The clutch brained princess can count, she's smart and pretty!" Gizmo shouted in a condescending tone. "Slade set me up so you'd bust me. I spent two years in jail until I finally escaped."
"So … we're collaborating with an escaped convict … nice." Raven grumbled.
"Do you want my help or not? And before you get any ideas, Jinx promised me immunity if I helped you pit sniffers, so don't even think about turning me in."
"Can you really help us find Slade?" Nightwing asked.
"Of course I can. What? Do you really think I just came here for a free breakfast and a chance to catch up with my old, two timing, double crossing boss?" He glared at Jinx.
"And just how are you going to find Slade?" Raven asked.
"Easy! I'll just trace his next call."
"Cyborg's already tried that."
"Yeah, except unlike Mr. Obsolete over there, I know what I'm doing."
Nightwing crossed his arms. "You'd better know what you're doing."
"Stop worrying, sludge head, I'll find him. It's payback time, Slade."
Nightwing slightly relaxed his posture. "I'll honor Jinx's deal with you, but only if you can lead us to him, otherwise the deal is off."
"Relax, bird brain, Slade's as good as found … I guarantee it."
-( - )-
"Slade, you double crossing son of a bitch, let me out of here!"
Alexa pounded repeatedly on the steel door, until her fists felt raw. After desisting and falling silent she trudged back to her cot and collapsed onto it. A sigh of despair escaped her lips and she dropped her head, resigning to her fate as Slade's prisoner. She sat there for several minutes, feeling the hopelessness consume her soul. She had been locked in the cell for days. She and her clothes were rancid and the food they fed her, which they slid under the door, was disgusting as well.
Her pervasive gloominess was suddenly interrupted by a heavy clunk as the massive door was unlocked for the first time since Rose tossed her into the cell. Alexa remembered the surprise she felt when she experienced just how strong Slade's daughter was. One of the memories that stood out in her mind was just how amazingly strong Garfield was. While he was an unremarkable lover, his muscles felt like steel the night she lured him into her bed. In hindsight it wasn't surprising; he was a former superhero after all. But Rose was even stronger than he was and she manhandled Alexa, who was taller and bigger than her, like she was a rag doll.
As the door opened she saw that it was once again Ravager. Alexa noticed that the girl looked different this time. She seemed distracted, distant, as if she was somewhere else. It was like she was a different person, that is until the young warrior grabbed her wrist so tight that it hurt.
"Let's go … dad wants to see you. You don't want to make him wait."
Rose didn't wait for an answer and dragged Alexa out of the cell and threw her at a Slade-bot, which caught her in its mechanical arms. Rose walked away without saying a word and the robot, dragging Alexa behind it, followed its master.
"What does he want?" Alexa snarled defiantly.
"You know what he wants … he wants the password to decrypt the flash drive you gave him."
"If I give it to him, he'll kill me."
"You have our word that won't happen."
"Really? I have your word? And since when do I trust the word of a couple of psychotics?"
Rose snatched her from the Slade-bot and slammed her into a wall. Alexa groaned as she saw stars from the impact.
"Don't you dare call me a psychotic!"
Alexa gritted her teeth. "You've killed people in cold blood, people who never did anything to you except refuse to cooperate. What do you call that? Normal?"
Rose back fisted her across her jaw. Alexa cried out in pain. There was a metallic taste in her mouth and she spat out some blood.
"Don't get self righteous with me, Doctor. Some of us don't have fancy degrees or cushy jobs working for billionaires. Ever heard of the survival of the fittest?"
While tempted to reply, Alexa decided that she wanted to keep her teeth intact. Rose grabbed her by the collar of her blouse and dragged her to a door at the other end of the hallway and shoved her into the room. The first thing she saw was what looked like a medical examination platform that was tilted into an upright position. It had thick leather straps dangling from it and a small table was next to it, covered with strange and unknown instruments, as well as a few scalpels and syringes. Her eyes widened when she realized what they were going to do to her.
The far end of the room was dark and shrouded in shadows, from which Slade emerged. He gestured at the torture table, beckoning her to take her place.
"If I tell you the password, you'll get rid of me. I'll be a dead woman."
"I promise you that won't happen. But if you withhold that password from me, I guarantee that you will beg for death."
Two Slade-bots grabbed her and strapped her to the platform, which they tilted back so that her head was lower than her feet. Alexa look terrified. "I won't tell you." Her voice warbled.
Slade covered her face with a small towel and turned to his daughter. "I propose that we borrow a page from my former employer, the United States government."
Ravager nodded. "Water boarding … sounds like a good way to start."
Slade grabbed a small bucket and began to pour water onto the towel. The blond coughed violently and instinctively in a futile attempt to clear her breathing passages of the liquid. Slade removed the towel
"Doctor Pontone, just tell me the password and we can avoid this unpleasant situation."
"No." She coughed.
"As you wish." Slade replied as he restored the towel and resumed pouring the water.
-( - )-
Cyborg delivered another platter of piping hot pancakes, twelve flapjacks high, to the table. Gizmo licked his lips and raised his fork, ready to grab even more, when in a yellow blur they vanished. Mikron frowned at the suddenly empty serving dish before he noticed that the pancakes had materialized, no doubt courtesy of Bart, on the five trainee Titans' plates.
"No fair!" He protested.
"Aw c'mon … you already ate like twenty of them and we still haven't had seconds yet." Speedy rebuked him as she poured maple syrup on her own stack.
It was then that Gizmo noticed that the senior Titans were congregated in the kitchen. He glared in their direction as he banged his cutlery on the table. "I'm still huuuuungry!" He bellowed.
"Keep your shorts on, I'm making more!"
Beast Boy scratched the back of his neck while glancing at Jinx. "I thought Mammoth and Billy Numerous were the guys with the bottomless stomachs … since when is Gizmo such a pig?"
"The guy's in his 20's and he's never had a girlfriend." Wally remarked coolly. "He's making up for it at the table."
"If he keeps eating like that, he'll never have a girlfriend." Raven remarked. "But we don't really care about that … what I want to know is why we're so desperate that we're asking him for help."
Cyborg glanced at Nightwing. "Now is as good a time as any to tell them."
Grayson nodded and proceeded to explain to them about how Alexa had stolen the plans for the new ultra weapons Luthor developed for planetary defense.
"Azar! If Slade gets his hands on those plans …"
"Exactly, Raven, and we can't allow that to happen." Nightwing interrupted. "Recruiting Gizmo wasn't my idea, it was Jinx's. I'm not crazy about this, but right now we need all the help we can get since time isn't on our side."
"So now we have to risk our necks to rescue that bitch … for all we know she's Slade's accomplice." Raven complained.
"I don't think so." Starfire interjected. "If she was, Slade would have traded her for the memory card, and used her to spy on us. That he chose to give us Mark instead is proof that she is his prisoner and is still very valuable to him. She has not delivered the plans for the weapons to him."
Raven pursed her lips. "This is so frustrating."
"Helloooo! Where are my pancakes!?" Gizmo shouted from the table. Cyborg was just stacking the latest batch on a plate when Bart once again zoomed in and confiscated them.
"You've had more than enough, punk." Cyborg barked at him. "It's time to get to work."
"Stinkin' crud munchers." Gizmo muttered under his breath. "Fine … I'm ready … what's for lunch?"
"Ribs." Cyborg replied.
"Metropolis style?" The gluttonous midget asked.
"Is there any other way to make 'em? But you don't get any until the new call tracing system is up and running."
Gizmo continued to grumble under his breath as he rose from the table and grabbed his tool bag.
"Let's do it, but if I have to gut the whole system, and knowing the kind of junk you make I probably will have to throw the whole thing out, it might not be ready by lunchtime."
"You guys get to clean up." Cyborg shouted at the rookies as he tossed a dish cloth at them, before he left the room with the midget. Beast Boy stared at the now empty serving platter.
"Hey, we didn't get any pancakes!" The green Titan complained in a whiny voice.
Raven picked up the spatula. "It's OK, I'll make some more." She volunteered.
"NO!" Nightwing and Beast Boy shouted in unison.
"How about if I make them?" Wally suggested.
A collective sigh of relief was heard.
Starfire leaned towards her gray friend. "I do not understand their protests, you make delicious pancakes: crunchy and burnt on the outside, raw on the inside."
Raven shook her head and smiled. "I'll never live down that day, will I?"
-( - )-
In the comics, Gizmo is a middle aged midget with a huge beard and mustache, and his name really is Mikron O'Jeneus. Unlike TV Gizmo his specialty is improvising things using junk (a la McGyver). Much later in the comics, in an obvious nod to the TV how, Mikron has a son he names after himself that bears an uncanny resemblance to the Gizmo from the animated series.
Also, in the comics, Raven says "Azar" a lot, especially when she's startled or surprised. And she doesn't say "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." That phrase is unique to TV Raven, I'm surprised that haven't brought that back into the comics. BB didn't have pointy ears in the comics until the show began. There have been other comic book nods to TV Raven. For instance, the first time she kisses Beast Boy, she's wearing a leotard for the first (and I think the only) time. In the comic book finale (before the New 52 screwed everything up) when they reconcile and become a couple, she's wearing her traditional long dress with the long slits on the side.
Also, this story still has legs. It's approaching the 80,000 view mark and we're almost reached 1300 reviews. It seems like just a few days ago when we reached 1000 reviews. Thank you, loyal readers and reviewers.
And now the mailbag:
chica13 – Ah the life of a super hero. Doing what's right, even when it involves a personal conflict.
acosta perez jose Ramiro – Welcome back!
TomMaier – Thanks!
gabylokita41 – I try to not make a chapter long just for the sake of making it long.
EnriqueIglesias – I don't believe in Lemons. I think they are boring and predictable.
Kidstandout – Rose is one of my favorite characters in the comics. She is so troubled and torn between her past and what she wants to be.
Sweetums14 – Thanks. Starfire was also super sweet in the early comics, but she changed in the Geoff Johns era and became tougher and more Amazon like. In "A Kids Game" she gets into a brawl with Wonder Woman. She holds her own quite well against Diana.
7SheWolfShaman7 – I think every fan of the show should read Terra's entire story, which is contained in the Omnibus vol 2.
Just a Reviewer – I think Mark has become my new favorite OC.
Soulsurfer2112 – Raven would never allow her feelings to affect her personal integrity.
titanfan45 – Raven sure seems to have warmed up to Mark.
The Cretin – Rose is at a cross roads.
krostovikraven1 – Getting "cock blocked" by your kids! Ah the joys of parenthood.
BartWLewis - FWIW, Slade's character changed a lot for the show.
Anoymous136 – That is a good question. Rose is going to learn more about her mother.
Hairul The Nightrage Beast – Poor BB, he didn't even get that.
JasonVUK – My sequels have always sucked.
Bluedog197 – It makes you wonder just what is in that inhaler.
DeeThom - That's right. Slade is the master of deception.
Dragonkyng – Well, someone definitely should, but he always gets away.
SuperNolon – I feel sorry for Rose too.
Shadico – I confess, I go out of my way to make Mark un bearably cute.