Chapter 3
Five Titans snuck stealthily around the exterior of the abandoned warehouse. Empty and half-rotten wooden crates cluttered against the misshapen timber walls. Reams of torn fishnets and broken crab pots huddled in mounds. Puddles of water littered the concrete ground reflecting the moon that still hung from the sky. The smell of salt hung in the air and a mournful foghorn could be heard. Voices wafted from inside the warehouse and a light shone between the wooden beams of its walls.
A lone dog barked.
"Shut up, BB," Cyborg hissed, snatching the changeling by the muzzle and giving it a quick shake.
Beast Boy looked at him reproachfully before shifting back to normal. "Wasn't me," he said before shifting into a mouse and scampering through a small hole in the warehouse wall.
He reappeared out the same hole a few minutes later. "It's them," he muttered after he morphed back while remaining crouching on the ground. He flipped open his communicator. "It's them, they're in the middle of the warehouse. Cy said that there are only two heat signatures in there, which is all I can see too. There are quite a few metal and wooden crates for cover. There is some sort of big generator in there too. I don't think they expected us cause right now they're pretty distracted."
"Distracted how?" Robin's voice asked, tense with anxiety.
Beast Boy shuddered. "They're making goo-goo eyes and kissy face at each other."
"Um… right," Robin's reply came slowly. "Okay, Cyborg, you and Beast Boy make a side entrance, see if you can't take the generator out. Raven, through the roof. We'll hit the front door. Ready?"
"Yup," Cyborg said and activated his sonic cannon, leveling it toward the warehouse. Beast Boy morphed into a Triceratops and lowered his head ready for ramming.
"Titans, go!"
Two simultaneous booms rocked the warehouse. Dust and smoke choked the air, broken chunks of wood and metal were cast aside as the Titans led their assault, Raven swooping in through the roof, Cyborg and Beast Boy ramming through the wall and Robin and Starfire shooting through the main entrance.
The WeatherMan and the blond haired, red and yellow outfitted woman did in fact seem to be expecting them, despite what Beast Boy had believed. They sprang to their feet, lightning already surging from the WeatherMan's palm toward the main entrance and fire dancing from Allgera's fingertips as she threw a fireball to the side. A black shield arched before Cyborg and Beast Boy protecting them from the fireball while Starfire snatched Robin away from the lightning, delivering him onto the wooden rafters near the roof.
Beast Boy spotted Robin hunkered over in the beams above, throwing several exploding discs down at the pair below, before leaping to the next beam. The WeatherMan and Allgera scattered before the discs hit the floor. Beast Boy saw Robin spring after the WeatherMan, leaping from beam to beam above, Starfire hot on his heels casting several star bolts after the man.
"Azarath Metrion Zinthos," Raven cried, lifting up several crates and hurtling them toward a retreating Allgera, who dodged and weaved out of the way. She called over her shoulder. "Beast Boy, you're with me, Cyborg, get the generator."
Beast Boy nodded and morphed into a hummingbird, flying toward Raven before hovering by her shoulder. Cyborg charged for the generator located in the middle of the room, his arm already taking readings from it.
Allgera ducked behind several wooden crates. Raven used her powers to pick them up and toss them aside before shielding herself and Beast Boy from the fireball that followed. Raven turned her head toward Beast Boy and he zoomed out from behind the shield, morphed into a ram and charged Allgera.
Allgera turned her head toward him and belched out a fireball. Beast Boy instantly transformed into a mouse and dropped to the floor, the crate behind him set aflame. He scurried toward her and when he reached her ankles, morphed into a gorilla, picked her up and tossed her away before she could launch any more attacks.
"Azarath Metrion Zinthos," Raven cried again , casting out her power and enveloping Allgera's hands and binding her feet in black energy. Beast Boy in his gorilla form loomed over her, his hands on her ankles, ready to throw her again if she began to cast fire. "So," Raven said as she floated up to the bound fire starter, her eyes glowing with power. "You're the one who believes she's the daughter of Chath."
"I am the daughter of Chath," Allgera spat, her blue eyes flashing. "All other demons bow to him and he bestowed upon me the power of fire."
Beast Boy shifted back to his natural form. "You know, I just can't imagine Trigon ever bowing to anyone," he commented to Raven with a cocky grin.
"Daddy doesn't," she said deliberately. "I know all about demons, fire starter. Like can sense like and you're not demon spawn. So tell your lies to someone who cares."
"Fuck you," Allgera cried, showing no sign of recognising either the name or the connection. Fire spewed from the walls, several snakes of flames winding through the air, setting alight everything it touched. The heat was unbearable. A snake of flame twisted its way through the air heading for Raven's back.
Beast Boy caught the movement of the snake of fire from the corner of his eye. He turned his head and his eyes widened in fear. "Raven!" he screamed, leaping for the girl. She looked at him in surprise as he caught her around the waist. As they tumbled to the floor, the streaking fire snake engulfed Beast Boy's leg. He shrieked in pain as his clothing began to burn. Raven instantly pulled her cloak around and covered his leg, suffocating the fire. She turned her furious power filled eyes toward Allgera and dumped numerous crates on top of the hapless woman.
The fire snakes winked out, but anything they had touched continued to burn, black smoke clouds wafting upward and clogging the air.
Beast Boy gritted his teeth against the pain crawling through his leg. He pushed himself up onto his elbows to look at the damage. The pant of one leg below the knee was gone, burned away or melted against his skin. His green skin was covered in leathery red marks crusted with black edges and littered in swelling blisters. His head rolled back and he lay on the floor and groaned in pain.
"Damn, Beast Boy," Raven said, her hand glowing white as she placed it over his leg. Beast Boy felt a different kind of heat spread through his leg. He propped his head up once more as the pain began to feel more manageable, watching as Raven pulled pieces of material out of his leg with her powers. "I can't heal all of this right now," she muttered, her eyes glinting. She tore off the bottom of her cloak and wrapped it around his leg as a makeshift bandage. "But you should be able to walk. Don't shift, you might do more damage."
He sat up and took her hand. "Thanks Rae," he said as he struggled unsteadily to his feet, pulling Raven up as well. He shifted his weight on his good leg, lifting the burnt one off the floor. Raven stepped beside him and offered him a shoulder to lean on, slinging one hand around his waist.
They heard a groan from beneath the crates and Raven clenching her fists in anger. "Get back to Cyborg," she snarled. "I'll take care of this."
Beast Boy tightened his arm around her shoulder. "I'm not about to let you go by yourself," he said, giving her the ghost of a cheeky grin. "Besides, I'm your anchor."
Raven turned her head and stared at him, before nodding in agreement and giving him a half smile. Turning back toward the groaning mound of crates she held out her free hand. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos."
The crates lifted off the ground and Allgera staggered to her feet. Raven gathered more crates in her power as Allgera thrust forward a flame tipped hand. There was a surge of energy as a sonic boom slammed against Allgera chest and knocked her backward against a wall. She slumped to the floor unconscious.
"Thought you might need a hand," Cyborg said, coming up to stand beside the pair as Raven placed the crates back on the ground. "BB, you okay man?"
Beast Boy grimaced and tightened his grip around Raven, feeling woozy from the pain. "I've been better."
Cyborg nodded, before walking toward Allgera, pulling out a strange metal contraption. "I'll secure Allgera." He snapped the band of metal around her neck, before securing her wrists and ankles. He picked up the unconscious woman and slung her over his shoulder. "Where's Robin and Starfire?"
TTTTT
Robin chased after the WeatherMan, jumping from beam to beam in the rafters above. Starfire flew at his side, casting star bolts after the man.
Robin pulled out his grappling hook as he leaped to the next beam and aimed it for several beams ahead, before using the hook to swing toward the WeatherMan. He slammed his feet into the WeatherMan's back, sending the man sprawling to the ground.
The WeatherMan flipped onto his back as Robin crouched on the ground a short distance away and unleashed two lightning balls simultaneously. Starfire was ready; she instantly fired two star bolts, each one intercepting a lightning ball that exploded in a shower of sparks. Robin drew his bo staff and spun it expertly as the WeatherMan leaped to his feet. Starfire floated above his shoulder, star bolts at the ready.
"So, the little birdie and his jewel, we've been expecting you. All upset that we came to your little town? Are you going to scream for me this time pretty jewel?" the WeatherMan asked sinisterly as he tossed a lightning ball from hand to hand.
"I shall not give you the satisfaction," she said mildly, startling Robin at her choice of words. She cast a star bolt almost absently; it whizzed through the air and smashed into the little box on the WeatherMan's hip. "It is not me that you have to be concerned about," she said with a smile as the lightning ball died in his hand.
The WeatherMan took a step backward.
"It's me," stated Robin standing up from the crouch and readying his staff. "Did you honestly think you could come here and threaten my girl, again, and think you could just get away with it?"
"Did you honestly think I'd come here without backup?" the WeatherMan snorted. "Allgera! Now!"
Robin did not remove his eyes from the WeatherMan's face, trusting Starfire to deal with whatever came. But nothing did.
The WeatherMan's face clouded in confusion. "Allgera!" he called again, worry etching his voice.
"Can't hear you," Robin snorted. "She'd be a tad busy with our friends. I doubt it will take them long, she didn't look like much of a challenge."
"Raven is rather irritated by people who claim to be half-demons," Starfire added.
The WeatherMan narrowed his eyes and raised his fists. "I'll not have you insulting my lady."
Robin raised an eyebrow. "Oh? So it's okay for you and not for me?" he asked as he darted forward, swinging his staff toward the man's head. The WeatherMan managed to duck out of the way of the staff, but could not evade the foot that followed. Robin heard a satisfying grunt as his kick landed. He dropped to the ground and swiped at the man's feet, knocking him onto his back.
The WeatherMan scissors his legs, catching Robin's ankle between his feet and then flipped on to his stomach. Robin was forced forward and placed his palms to the floor, his bo staff clattering away. The instant his ankle was released spun his body, his legs parallel to the ground, kicking out at the WeatherMan before going into a handstand and pushing himself back onto his feet.
"So, you have some skill," Robin commented as the WeatherMan lurched to his feet. Robin charged forward, pummeling the WeatherMan with his fists. The majority of hits were dodged or blocked, the man grunting in pain with those hits that connected.
"What?" the WeatherMan panted as he ducked and dodged Robin's blows. "You think I'm one of those one-hit wonder villains? Once my main attack is incapacitated, I'm useless? Hate to break it to you, pigeon, you caught me by surprise last time, it's not going to happen again." The WeatherMan spun into a roundhouse kick and smacked Robin in the head.
Robin went down hard. He propped himself up and put a hand to his mouth, his fingers coming away bloody. "You'll pay for that one," he muttered.
The WeatherMan took a menacing step forward and a star bolt exploded on the ground between the pair. Robin used Starfire's momentary distraction to leap to his feet and charge once more. He completed a series of high and low spinning kicks, the final kick landing squarely on the WeatherMan's chest, forcing him backward into a stack of metallic crates. He slid to the floor unconscious.
Starfire and Robin exchanged a glance. "Well, that was anticlimactic," Robin stated , a puff of breath escaping him in annoyance.
"Indeed." Starfire came to float by his shoulder, passing him his bo staff. She placed her hand on his chin before inspecting his lip clinically.
"You guys about done over there?" Cyborg called from not too far away.
"Seems like," Robin replied, gently brushing away Starfire's hand and prodded the prone WeatherMan with his staff. He reached down and began to bind the WeatherMan's hands. "Damn it. No fair, I was just getting warmed up too."
"Good," Cyborg called. "Allgera's contained but we have a run away fire going here, did anyone remember to call Aqualad?"
Robin groaned in exasperation, grabbed the WeatherMan by the cloak and dragged him toward Cyborg's voice.