Chapter 4: Sonic Assault
After getting his gear from the Tower, Robin and Starfire double-timed it to join the others at the Wayne Enterprises R & D lab. Robin seemed especially driven to get there, perhaps because he had the unique position of knowing what kind of research was being done. It came as little surprise that the laboratory under attack was tied to multiple Defense Department contracts pursuing weapons research.
Robin could only imagine what would be in store for them if the lab's already high security were having trouble. Bolting from the R-Cycle, Robin ran to catch up with Starfire. They reconvened with the others mere minutes after Raven, Beast Boy and Cyborg had arrived.
"Nice of you two to join the party" Cyborg joked, a smile crossing his face. "You two lovebirds ready to kick some bad-guy butt?"
Robin blushed no more than a moment before he regained composure. "Alright team, keep your guard up. I know they're doing high-end weapons research at this lab so expect anything and radio back once you make visual contact with whoever's behind this. Raven, you and Cyborg check the Eastern compound. Beast Boy and Starfire, you take the Western end. I'll check the main Operations building and check with the security personnel and get back to you. Keep in touch. Titans, go!"
Their orders received, the 5 parted ways in a cloud of dust.
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Robin sprinted to the small central building linking the two larger research wings. Arriving at the door, he found it smashed in – apparently subtlety wasn't this criminal's strong suit. He cautiously picked his way through the doorway finding the power inside cut with only backup power functional, red emergency lights lighting the corridors.
Robin pulled out his communicator. Luckily Cyborg had uploaded the building's blueprints into the mapping function of the team's communicators. He located the backup generators contained in this section of the complex. He'd have to restore power if he wanted his team to function optimally.
He extended his bo staff and began sprinting towards the generator room, the dim red light glinting off the reflective metal. Whoever did this wasn't going to catch him unprepared.
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Cyborg and Raven came around the side entrance of the Eastern complex. The heavily reinforced titanium and impact-resistant Plexiglas entrance they found was locked to bar entry from anything short of a tank. Obviously the person behind this found another way into the lab. Fortunately there was an access terminal – all Cyborg would need to gain entry.
"Shouldn't be too hard to crack." Cyborg said smirking. He prided himself on his hacking ability that only came natural to someone with as intimate an understanding of electronics as he. His hand produced cables plugging into the terminal. As he connected a brief static charge shocked him. Barely enough to feel but Raven didn't miss it.
Raven smirked a bit, "That's a good sign" she said flatly, her sarcasm evident. Cyborg rolled his eyes, "Do you want in or not?" he asked. She raised her eyebrow. "Azerath…Metrion…" Suddenly the entire doorway became engulfed in dark energy. "Hey! Hey! Wait a sec! Just give me a second and I'll have the door open without ripping the building apart…Geez." Raven relented and the dark energy faded, the door returning to its chrome and blue-tinted coloration.
After running through various algorithms, Cyborg had the door open in moments.
The interior was dark, only emergency lighting illuminating the halls connecting the various labs and testing rooms. Cyborg turned on his powerful shoulder lamp and proceeded down the hall to the main testing room, Raven tailing close behind him.
Arriving at their destination, they found the door to be pried open. Cautiously stepping inside, they found the room quite large; about the size of a football field with high vaulted ceilings.
"I wonder what they were testing in here" Raven mused. Suddenly the sounds of weapons charging filled the room. "You just HAD to ask" Cyborg quipped.
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Beast Boy and Starfire decided to try the roof access of the western structure. Beast Boy transformed into a hawk and followed Starfire to the top of the 6-story edifice but they found the roof access locked. "Shall we search for another entrance, Beast Boy?" Starfire inquired.
"Nah, this'll be no sweat," Beast Boy grinned. He swiftly transformed into an ant and crawled through the crack at the bottom of the door – it being a much more conventional doorway than the high-security entrances at ground level. Beast Boy disappeared inside and Starfire heard a click as the unlocked door swung open revealing the green titan, his face covered with a wide grin. They proceeded inside, Starfire holding a bright starbolt held in her hand, just to be on the safe side. Power was functional in this section of the building.
They advanced through the myriad halls turning up no trace of the assailants. Nearly giving up, they rounded a corner to reveal a pale light emanating from a nearly dark lab. They slowly crept to the open door peering inside. There was an array of computers and several overturned file cabinets and office chairs. They cautiously entered the room and caught sight of the sole occupant.
A middle aged man, hair disheveled with a large bruise around his left eye, he shrieked upon spotting the titans "No! No more! I told you everything I know, please just leave me alone!" The man was pinned by his clothing to the walls by several knives. Beast Boy sat down to one of the still functional computers, which had blueprints and inventory documents opened on the monitor. Obviously this employee had been spared for information in his possession.
"Please calm yourself, we do not wish to harm you we are friends," Starfire said, spotting his nametag, "Tell us what happened…Dr. Hoffman" she said, removing the knives which pinned him to the wall. Collecting himself, he managed to stammer "Y-y-you're not wi-with them?" Starfire shook her head. "Some guys, they broke into the complex and they were trying to get into some of the experimental weapons…I tried to get security but they got here first. They needed my codes to unlock the weapons lockers in the East wing. I didn't want to give them up but they threatened to kill everyone in the building." Starfire listened intently, picking up his fractured glasses and handing them to him. "What weapons were they after?" Beast Boy asked locating the weapons locker on the computer. "My division was working mainly on sonic weaponry, we had the first production line on some handheld sonic pulse rifles and even a tank mounted version."
"Did you say 'tank'?" Beast Boy asked. Hoffman nodded his confirmation. Starfire and Beast Boy both gulped and raced to warn the others.
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Back in the operations structure connecting the two facilities, Robin had located the backup generator room. The eerie red lighting illuminating the windowless corridors and rooms would be unnerving to any average citizen but Robin had faced down vile criminals and unspeakable horrors and always led his team to victory.
He cautiously edged into the room, a quick scan locating the console to activate backup power. He collapsed his bo staff, attaching it to his belt before walking to the console. Whoever was behind this wasn't here. A few keystrokes and Robin had restored power to the both of the laboratory complexes and the operations center. He began heading for the control room to use the internal surveillance systems to locate his team and check on their status.
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The lights came on in the east lab, illuminating the room as the power was restored. Cyborg and Raven scanned it quickly to reveal no less than thirty armed delinquents sporting high-end weaponry. "Not good" Raven said flatly, guarding Cyborg's back as he powered up his sonic cannon. "Any chance you guys want to go to jail peacefully?" The serious looking lawbreakers were silent save for a soft chuckle and the sound of the weapons reaching full charge.
"Robin. We're in the east lab - I think we found the problem…" Raven said succinctly into her communicator.
"I'm on my way," came the reply. A sonic pulse flew just fee from her body. Locating the offender she readied herself, "Azerath, Metrion, Zinthos!" she said, dark energy engulfing the man's weapon before using the weapon to force the man into the back wall hard. "Guess we're doing this the hard way" Cyborg cracked, smiling as he fired off a beam from his own sonic cannon, scoring a hit.
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"Starfire, Beast Boy! Cyborg and Raven are under attack in the East lab. I'm uploading the coordinates to your communicators now." Robin said into his communicator. "Got it" came Beast Boy's reply. "We are already on our way. We will be there shortly," came Starfire's.
He turned to leave and join the others when he was faced with a shadowy figure stepping from the doorway. Wearing jeans and a skull t-shirt, the young man pulled a knife from his vest and with a wild look in his eyes, coolly said, "Hi, I'm Jack."
"The pleasure's not mine," Robin replied extending his bo staff, "and believe me, you don't want to try that."
"Oh? That sure are ya?"
Before Robin had the chance to respond, Jack had gone from a relaxed stance to throwing his razor sharp blade straight at his head. If not for Robin's equally fast reflexes using his bo to deflect the blade, the villain's aim would have been true.
"Not bad kid" Jack taunted, taking another blade from his vest. Robin had his work cut out for him. Not only was this guy armed with deadly weapons; he could use them well and had speed near Robin's own impressive reflexes.
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Starfire and Beast Boy burst into the East lab testing room to find a small battle in progress. Cyborg and Raven were dodging sonic pulse blasts and returning fire at the thirty some thugs in the large room. Starfire immediately took to the air, unleashing a punishing rain of starbolts on the assailants, taking down a number of them and causing more to divert their blasts skyward. Beast Boy transformed into a green-hued rhino, charging down the main line of attackers, scattering them left and right.
"Azerath…Metrion…Zin-" Raven was cut off as the concussive force from a sonic pulse struck her back. Cyborg leaped into the air, bringing a heavy fist down upon the perpetrator. "Booyah!" Cyborg shouted before being hit himself. Staggering to his feet, he fired a wide sweeping blast knocking several attackers down. Starfire swooped in delivering a mighty blow to a nearby punk. As several of the outlaws were closing on a wolf-shaped Beast Boy, Starfire unleashed two lime-shaded beams from her eyes, blasting the attackers to the floor.
While many of the attackers had been defeated, there were still a core group left, rallying the remainders and leading a more concentrated assault on the clustered team. "Azerath, Metrion, Zinthos" Raven got out quickly, erecting a shield of dark energy around the team just before a volley of pulse blasts left rippling impacts upon the black shield. Just then a bright light burst through the ceiling, throwing the survivors off-guard. What could only be described as angel, seemed to be gracefully falling upon the concentrated attackers. Wielding a sword composed of pure light, he rendered several of the sonic pulse rifles into useless pieces. The four teens could only watch awe-struck at this turn of events. The remaining few aggressors turned their rifles upon the angelic being. They fired a withering volley but the angel drew his glowing tendril-like wings over his body like a shell, sliding backward from the force on impact but otherwise unharmed. He drew back his hand and with a swift extension unleashed a burst of light, knocking the remaining villains against the far wall, unconscious. He then calmly approached the others. "Greetings, I'm Archangel," he said.
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Back in operations, the duel was a stalemate. Robin and Jack struck at each other with equal aggression, but neither gaining the upper hand. Jack took a wild swing with his knife that caught part of Robin's cape, leaving a slash mark. Jack paused for the span of a blink but it was enough time to bring his staff about and deliver a sweeping back swing across Jack's torso, sending him back towards the door.
Robin let an explosive disc fly towards his foe. But Jack ducked deftly, pulling a strange looking blade as the disc exploded against the back wall. Robin saw him turning something on the handle but before he could press his attack, Jack had thrown the knife at him. Robin dodged but realized Jack hadn't thrown the knife at him but into the ground in front of him, a light on the handle was flashing. "Time to call it a day," Jack grinned, bolting from the room.
Before Robin could give chase, the flashing handle went solid and a bright flash blinded the room. "Damn!" Robin cursed under his breath, blinking his eyes trying to regain composure. When his vision returned, Jack was gone but a loud crash announced his exit. "Robin! Come in Robin!" Starfire's voice spoke over the communicator. "Starfire, is everything all right down there?" Robin asked, a tone of urgency in his voice.
"Yes, we are victorious, though there is someone that you may wish to meet. Are you all right? We heard a loud crash and were concerned for your safety."
"Yeah, I'm fine. A bit shaken but I'll meet you there." He said tiredly, running for the east compound.
Author's Note: Phew, that was a long one. I'm not used to doing fight scenes so I hope that came across ok and was coherent. That chapter took me awhile but I was really committed to getting it out within the week. I was shooting for a couple days ago but hey, not bad ;-D I dunno, I kinda liked that chapter but let me know what you guys think…Definitely felt good to get some dialogue to the other characters so it wasn't just the Rob/Star show, lol. But there's plenty of Rob/Star fluff ahead so buckle up. I'll try and have another chapter by Christmas or the day after if I can swing it and stay motivated. Thanks to RxS4Lyfe for reviewing. As always, reviews and comments are appreciated. Take care everyone