Staring at space between the fingers of her right hand, thumb of her left hand lifted her glasses up. Blurred. Glasses down. Cleared. Glasses up. Blurred. Cleared. Blurred. Cleared.

Buzz from the intercom ended her eye sight test.

Pressing the button, "Yes, Miss Bramn?" releasing the button.

"Miss Carroll to see you," came from intercom speaker.

Pressing the button, "Let her in," releasing the button.

Letting her glasses rest on her nose, she saw Alice enter.

"She's changed her hair color again," she thought noticing purple hair.

What was Alice's hair color again? Victoria was losing count.

Noticing the notebook, "Number of MIAs and KIAs?" asked Victoria.

Placing it on top of the desk, "Yes," sitting down as Victoria read the report.

Studying Alice's report, "The numbers don't add up, Alice," said Victoria.

"Don't think I know that, sex master. Spent six months of gathering testimonies, number crutching, checking and rechecking formulas, and it always comes out the same. Twelve percent survived. Leaving eighty seven unaccountable. Given the nature of knights. I figured thirty percent of hunters and knights are MIA."

"Knights are understandable, but hunters missing?"

"They're somewhere. Most of the HDC soldiers said they dropped their prisoners off and watched them be airlifted away. Where to? I don't know plus Big Brother hasn't picked up his locator. Either they're no longer on Earth or someone is hiding them."

"Don't like that line of thinking, Alice."

"Face facts, whip master. Chances are there still sleepers within the organization. "

"Like I said don't like this line of thinking," reading the names of KIA, "Burns, you two had rivalry over recruits," the next name hit her in the stomach hard, "Susan Pearce, tortured and killed by Kenaz. This bastard's died right?"

"Rath beheaded him."

"That's how they caught him," noticing a piece paper still in Alice's hand, "Got more to add."

"Hazara," placing the paper on the desktop.

Reading the paper, "Hazara?"

"A demon hunter with a death wish and Dragon Breath."

"So demon wanted her as sex toy only to curse her with poisonous breath. What about her?"

"One, I promised to cure her."

"When he reappears and she gets transferred under my command. And…"

"She needs a sparring partner."

"And you got recommendations."

Motioning towards the paper in Victoria's hand, Alice air drummed "Orion" by Metallica as Victoria read the paper.

"Are you sure of these names?"

"Yes. Jess as an example of hot headiness."

"And me?"

"Efficiency of a fighter plus gets you out of the office."

"Let me think about it. Dismissed."

Getting up, Alice curtsied. Watching Alice exiting, Victoria got up and headed towards a cabinet covered with a mixture Asian and African drawings. Opening the doors, she stared at the multiple drawers. Sliding one open, she pulled a leather bundle out. Closing the cabinet, she returned to her desk.

Untying the string, she rolled the bundle open. Her pink eyes rested on the broken hidden assassin blade. She knew a weapon smith that could repair it. Depending on her mood, Victoria knew she'll do it. Studying her appointment book, yes, she had an opening to visit Area 53.

Three months passed since Raven and Jake became an official couple. During that time, Jake became known as a Titan very quickly. They stopped Mad Mod and a rampaging Cinderblock. And in the way of demons, there were a few, nothing that Jake couldn't handle. He allowed Raven to keep his tags, that way he always have an excuse to come back and get them. Wow, romantic.

From what he heard, this is as peaceful as things tend to get around here. And that it never lasts long. They didn't have a clue.

Beast Boy and Nightwing were sparring in the training room. Everyone else was in the main room doing their thing. Starfire and Terra were in a corner talking over the contents of a magazine. Jinx and Cyborg were playing the Playstation as Cyborg tried to explain the finer points of gaming to her. Sitting on the couch, Raven was reading one of her books, a cup of tea on a table near her.

As for Jake, he had his feet were on the table, his hat was over his eyes, and snoring lightly. He had nothing better to do sitting and watching Cy and Jinx till his body just shut down on him.

He didn't hear the buzzer until five minutes later. He would've got up find out who was at the door. Someone knocked the back of his head, knocking off his hat and waking him up. Noticing it was Nightwing, he thumbed towards the door causing Jake see someone standing there.

"You, Jake?" he asked.

Looking him over as Jake stood up, Jake noticed his black hair had short spikes with green tips, dark sunglasses, and his dress reminded him of Dante in a way. He wore black pants and had on a fancy black, sliver, and grey shirt with a long black coat on over that.

Nodding, "And do I know you?" asked Jake.

He looked Jake over for a bit, then nodded.

"I'm a hunter, here looking for someone."

Raising an eyebrow, "Well, you've missed all the action if that's what you're here for."

Now he shook his head, "No, I'm looking for Brother Blood. I plan on being the hunter that brings him down."

Everyone in the room tensed up. Glancing over at Jinx, Jake saw her shudder from the memories of being held by him three months prior. She did smile when Cyborg put his hand on her shoulder for support.

Studying this guy, "And what makes you think you can even tango with Blood?"

Pulling off his sunglasses, reveling his eyes having red irises and dark silver retinas, "I was once a student of his," he said, "He turned me along with several others in one of the first realities he took over. He made me kill everything that was important to me," clenching his fists then stared Jake in the eyes, "That old bastard has lived too long. I will be the one who ends him."

Grinning at him, "Ok then, but answer me this, do you carry a spear?"

Grinning back at Jake, "I do."

"Then I know you, you go by the name Cray Von Blood."

Eyebrows went up at the mention of his name.

Bringing his hand up, "And before you ask, I have no relation with that human monster."

Shrugging, "Well, I have no idea where he is, if that's why you're here."

Nodding, Cray turned his attention to Nightwing.

"Do you know his possible location? I know that you have fought him before."

Shaking his head, "I don't because he no longer bases his operations out of Jump City," replied Nightwing, "But the Titans East in Steel City might have a few leads."

Nodding, "That is all I needed to know, thank you," turning to leave.

Stopping him, "If you want, we can give them a call and see if he has turned up anywhere."

Stopping, Cray thought for a moment.

Nodding his head, "That would save me a long trip should he not be there."

"Give me a sec to call them up," said Cyborg walking over to the computer.

As he was dialing up the computer, Jake detected Jinx talking to Cray.

"Um, if you don't mind me asking," she said, "how is it that you managed to get away from Blood?"

Looking at her for a moment, "You were also a student of his," he said, "weren't you?"

Jinx's head lowered and a weak 'Yes," came from her lips.

Staring at her for a moment, "A hunter came through, looking for Blood, trying to stop him before destroying the reality we were in," answered Cray, "That hunter and I fought, and then he managed to remove the possession on me. But, the possession that Blood had used was powerful, so powerful, that it changed me eyes to what you see know. But thankfully, when the hunter removed the possession, I became immune to Blood's psychic abilities," again staring at her for a moment, "Why do you ask on how I became free?"

Jinx was too deep in thought, so she didn't hear him.

"I freed her from Blood's control about six months ago," said Jake.

Looking at him for a moment, then back to her. It seemed he wanted to say more, but he held his tongue.

"Ok, something isn't right here, I'm not getting a connection," came from Cyborg, snapping everyone's attention to him, as his fingers flew over the keyboard.

"If you're trying their tower," asked Terra , "could they just all be out?"

Shaking his head, "No," answered Nightwing, "if someone were to call the tower here, and no one picked up, it would be rerouted to our individual comlinks. It works the same for the other Titans too."

Without turning his head, "I'm going to try and bring up the security cameras in their tower," said Cyborg, "see if we can spot anything," looking at the screen as it turned from static to the main room of the tower in East City.

They gasped. Robotic parts lay around the flood, scorch marks were covered the floor and walls. Other pieces looked soaked from water from a now empty pool that they barely saw.

"I think you have your answer, dude," remarked Beast Boy.

Following the tunnel downward, Jess and Rath found Nakano cross legged on a platform floating on water several feet from the shore. Looking at each other, they shrugged their shoulders then back at Nakano,

"Land on the platform without touching the water," said Nakano, "and you pass."

Getting ready to jump, Jess felt something clamped onto her shoulder. She shrugged it away. It still gripped her shoulder. Staring at the hand resting on her shoulder, her eyes followed the hand up the arm. Resting onto the face of one always preventing her from leaping before looking. It was Rath's hand gripping her shoulder.

"What?"

"It's a trick."

"So what? We pass or at least I do."

"Too easy."

"So it's easy. I'll take easy."

"We'll do it at the same time."

"Excuse me."

"That you can't brag that you beat me or claim unfair treatment."

"Fine."

Positioning themselves, "One. Two. Three," up in the air they went.

180 degree clockwise motion then pushing his palm forward, the palm power he applied caused a greater distance then planned by Jess and Rath.

Bending her knees to her chest allowed her to position her sword sheathe under her feet. Pushing off the sheathe, she gained the distance needed to land on the platform with her sword in her hand.

Throwing his sword sheathe at the water, his feet landed then bounced off the sword sheathe. His momentum caused the hilt to bounce into the air allowing Rath's hand to catch it.

Landing at the same time on the platform with their legs crossed like Nakano. They rested their swords across their thighs.

Smiling, "You, both pass," said Nakano.

"Do you think it was smart to let that Von Blood guy run off on his own," asked Terra.

Shaking his head, "No," answered Jake, "but I got a feeling that he would be too stubborn to listen to us. And that scene in the other tower is just screaming trap to me."

Nodding in agreement, "I agree with you on that Jake," remarked Nightwing, "but we don't know where the Titans East are, or where Blood is for that matter."

Agreeing with Nightwing, Jake hated not knowing the important things. Cray was an idiot for running off the moment he saw the other tower, swearing the Blood was behind it. Something Jake would do. From what his brain recalled, Cray was a cocky fighter, getting into large fights, and focusing on his own goals, mainly finding Blood, rather then work the assignments given to him by the organization. Now, he was good in a fight from what Jake heard, but Jake also heard how he rushing into things without thinking them through. Jake found his long lost twin brother and still not his wallet. Cray running off to Titans East Tower made that rumor cement into fact for Jake.

"Soooo, what are we going to do now?" asked a still worried Jinx.

If Jake needed to replace Raven, Jinx would prove a worthy replacement. Having to go through with what her so called best friends did to her. Sure, they were possessed, doesn't mean they couldn't fight their own minds to try and stop. She feared Blood would take her freedom away from her.

Nightwing thought for a moment.

"Jake, how well do you think Cray can handle Blood if he is there?"

Taking a few moments to recall what he knew about both Blood and Von Blood, "Cray is a good fighter from what I've heard of the guy," said Jake, "but I've never seen him in combat. Blood, on the other hand, I have seen. Blood tries and takes over a person's mind, which Cray is immune to. If I had to take a guess, I would say Cray has a fifty/fifty chance in winning, less if he's fighting more then Blood."

"Being that," remarked Nightwing, "I don't want Cray fighting alone, especially from what you've told us about Blood, and if he has the Titans East and whatever Hive students still under his control."

"Does Blood ever summon demons to do his bidding?" asked Raven.

"No, he prefers to have things from the reality he's in to do his bidding, rather then summoning help. Which mean you all can dish it out if we have to fight anything he throws at us."

"Are you, ok?" asked Cyborg.

She just shook her head, but stayed silent.

"Jinx," said Nightwing, "I want you to sit this one out."

Looking at him, shock written on her face.

"What, why, don't you trust me?" she cried out.

"Jinx," remarked Jake, "do you even think that you can fight Blood, or even fight Gizmo or Mammoth?"

Looking at Jake, she turned her head.

"No."

Approaching her, "That's why Jinx," said Nightwing, placing his hand on her other shoulder, "you have earned our trust, but if we have to fight them, we need everyone to pull their weight."

Nodding, she excused herself and left with her arms crossed across her stomach.

The rest of the Titans stared at Cyborg with a look to kill on his face, muttering under his breath, "I'll kill them Jinx, I swear it."

"Not to repeat a question, boy who is friend, but what are we to do?" asked Starfire.

Looking around, "I think we're going to split into two groups," commented Nightwing, "one will stay here and watch the city incase Blood turns up here, the others will go to Steel City and investigate the Tower."

"You sure that's a good idea," replied Jake, "Blood's a tough S.O.B. You think split our strengths is a good idea?"

"No, but having someone in both places in case he does show up. I don't like it, but we have to go that way."

"Can't we call in the League to watch the city?" asked Terra, "They do owe us a big one."

Shaking his head, "They got some big problems in gamma quadrant or something like that in space."

"So, if we are splitting," asked Raven, "who's on what team?"

Thinking for a moment, "I think myself, Jake, Cyborg and Starfire should go to the Steel City," said Nightwing, "the rest staying behind."

"You want me in full S.W.A.T. gear?" asked Jake.

"Best if you do, not knowing what we might run into."

Jake headed to his room to get his gear ready. Hoping for one hell of a fight. If Cray wasn't already died, Jake was going to bring down Blood. He'll be lucky if he sees the next sunrise after he goes toe-to-toe with Jake. Wish full thinking there, Jake.