Chapter 6

"Mark?" Constantine said, staring.

"Uh what?"

"You must've dozed off. You said there was a message for me."

"Oh, right," he said dazed, his eyes half-closed.

Brother Mark blinked twice and shook himself awake, then handed Constantine a compact disk, probably a DVD. He pointed to a laptop on the table. Constantine gave him a funny look.

"Hey! It's personal. I didn't even peek." Brother Mark assured him

Constantine continued to stare expressionlessly. "Oh! Right. I'll be giving that sword a polish, if you need me."

Constantine shook his head, pressed the eject button, and inserted the disc.

A pretty Caucasian girl with green goggles and short red hair appeared on the screen. Below her head displayed the words, "This message is for Constantine."

The hologram began to play its message.

"Hey Cutie. I understand you've never wanted to get involved in this business, but we're at a difficult… er… stage right now and could use some extra help. I've read a lot about you and your work is awesome. But, let's just say that you're a little rough around the edges, and we'd be happy to give you some free training. Plus it'd clear your name! We'd think you'd make a great addition to our team."

Then floating head faded, and in its place, the words "Teen Titans" displayed.

The female voice was heard again, voicing over the displaying words. "If you're interested, here's the address. Meet me there at 6:00 on Friday."

The hologram of her head reappeared on the screen, winked at him, then faded out.

Constantine pondered this message, his knuckles of his right hand touching his chin. This was not the first time the Teen Titans offered him an invitation.

Mom never really wanted me to get involved. She always said the Titans were trouble, in one form or another. But I've put this off far too long, I should at least give it a try. I mean, I can't kill everyone I meet. Can I?

He walked back into the white room of the armory, to see Brother Mark finish his work with the sword.

"Oh that was fast. What'd they say?"

Constantine didn't answer, he took the new 'trinkets' and the sword. He walked through a pair of glass doors that opened at his approach. He turned back to the young inventor.

"Prep a jet."

Then he added,

"Please."

---

The familiar jet of the Knights of the Kingdom of God approached a large island, with a building structure in the center. Off on the edge was a circular landing platform, one that the pilot decided to use.

This jet that Constantine disembarked was the standard, but had been vastly upgraded since the time of his father. He checked and made sure he was at the right address.

He heard a voice behind him, "Hey, Cutie."

Without even looking, he responded, "Hello, Robin."

A girl appeared out of the mist made from the jet's landing fumes. She had light red hair, so it almost looked orange. She wore a pair of green goggle-glasses as a mask, and had a short yellow cape that went to the waist. She wore a tight red t-shirt that had a circled R on the left part of the chest. She had green shoes and bare legs.

"Glad you decided to show up," she said

"Am I late?"

"No. I just didn't think you would come."

"I thought I might give it a try."

Robin smiled. Constantine continued, "So, what's new?"

"Just about everything. The Teen Titans have become a global organization, separated into various factions. I'm a part of Faction A, located right here in this city."

Robin pointed to the new and improved Titans Tower. Which instead of being designed to look like one T, it looked like two TT. Either this meant for 'Teen Titans' or 'Titans Tower,' Constantine couldn't decide.

The doors opened, and Robin led him inside.

"It's a little quiet," Constantine said in observation

"Oh that? That's because we're on the ground floor. Upstairs is where the real party is."

Constantine noticed that this was much larger than his mother had ever described to him. Something about this place was very unsettling. They were in the main entrance room, which looked like it was hardly ever occupied. Robin pressed the button to the elevator at the end of the room, the door slid open, and the two entered. A light rock-music played as they waited for the elevator to reach the designated room.

Blip!

"We're here," Robin said happily, "I'll introduce you to the team."

She led Constantine into the living room. Robin pointed to a green skinned, African American girl, hovering in mid-air, somehow propelled by green light-energy emitted from her finger.

"That's Jade," Robin explained, "She's the newest GL."

"Hey," Jade said, not even looking up from the book she was reading

A black-haired Caucasian boy in a red, blue, and yellow outfit was watching TV. At the sound of his name, he pressed the 'mute' button and greeted the guest.

"I'm sure you've heard of Superboy," Robin suggested, Constantine had heard much about him, but whatever he did know was repeated by the red-haired Robin.

"Y'know? The clone of Kal-El. His real name's Kon-El."

"Glad you've decided to join the team," Superboy said as he extended a hand for Constantine to shake. After a few seconds, Superboy realized Constantine wasn't going to shake it, and put it down.

"Robin told me she's been wanting to recruit you for your various… abilities. Ever since we lost Aquagirl, we've been needing a fifth member."

"Fifth?" Constantine inquired as he raised an eyebrow, "Who's the fourth?"

A door off to the side, that led to the weight room, opened, and a teen with metal wings, clad in a silver armor-like costume and helmet stepped in.

"Hmph. So this is Constantine," he said with a slight tone of grudge, "Nice of you to show up after Robin made the same offer three times."

"I haven't agreed to anything yet."

"I don't really care if you do," he snorted about two inches from Constantine's face, "just don't get in the way."

"Is this the part where I'm supposed to be intimidated?"

Then Warhawk stepped back, noticing that Constantine wondered who he was, and filled him in.

"Rex Stewart."

Robin chimed in with "He also goes by Warhawk."

Then a middle-aged woman in a wheelchair rolled into the room, she had a stern look on her face.

Not knowing if she was going to say something, Robin introduced her anyway, "This is Oracle."

"Barbara Gordon," she affirmed as she took Constantine's hand and shook it.

Constantine drew back, and looked around the room.

"Only you five?"

"Actually, there's only four of us," Warhawk said coldly, "Oracle organizes and calculates the missions."

So that was it then, a team consisting of Superboy (Kon-El), Warhawk (Rex Stewart), Jade (a female Green Lantern), and a female Robin/

"Nothing really happens in our… jurisdiction. The other Teen Titan Factions take care of it most of the time."

"So how do you guys pass the time in here? Do you go to school?"

Everyone glared at Constantine at the sound of his question. They were surprised by his completely serious face when they thought he must be joking.

"We spend time training, playing video games, watching TV… y'know, teen stuff. What do you do on your off hours?"

"I hardly ever have time for… whatever, usually when I return from a mission I'm sent on another one. Either that or I'm running from someone who wants me dead."

"Well," Robin said eagerly, "How bout I give you a tour?"

"Oh. Okay."

Suddenly, the alarm went off.

"Time to go to work," Oracle announced

Warhawk pointed a finger an inch from Constantine's nose, who he had to reposition his head.

"Don't get in my way."

Oracle turned to Robin, and directed a thumb toward Constantine, "Take him with you."

"Does this buzzer always go off randomly?"

"Pretty much." Robin answered as she and he ran out the door.

"What triggers it?"

"I think it's better that you stay cute," Robin flirted, "and not ask so many questions."