Blanket Disclaimer: Poison Tonic LX does not own the Teen Titans or any characters therein. Don't sue her, please, because if you do I won't have a home anymore…-Ralph, the muse
He was going way too fast to be safe or legal, he knew. But at the moment he didn't want to be safe, and he sure as heck didn't care if he was legal or not.
God he hated stupid people—hated them with a passion—especially when they made him think of his past…of That Man…and consequentially…of her.
(Flashback)
"Hello. My name is Epsilon. Epsilon Methuss."
He looked up warily at the man, a tall but fat and greasy looking fellow with slicked back brown hair and a sleazy business suit on.
"Caleb Dawson." He said hesitantly, not moving towards the hand the man had offered.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Caleb." The Man said, withdrawing his hand, and instead gave him a dodgy smile. "I saw you today, Caleb. You're quite talented for someone so young."
The hair on the back of his neck stood on end. He hed been caught? It had been years since he had been caught! And by this whack job, no less!
"Don't worry, I'm not going to turn you in." The statement didn't make him feel any better, especially when that smile widened. "Actually, I have a proposition for you."
A shiver ran up his spine. "What kind of proposition?"
"I've been looking for someone like you, Caleb."
"Call me Dawson." He hadn't been called by his real name in a long time, and he really didn't want this guy calling him by his last name, much less his first.
"Alright, Dawson." The Man put his hands in front of himself as a sign of peace, but that didn't settle him any. "I'm a businessman, Dawson. In fact, I'm president of my own corporation—Methuss Industries. And we've been looking for someone like you for a very long time."
"What for?"
"Settle down, my boy, settle down."
"I'm not your boy. Get to the point." He snapped.
"Alright, alright. I want to clone you."
"Clone…me? I thought you scientist types were still working on sheep."
The Man chuckled. "Well, let's just say Methuss Industries is a bit more…advanced than sheep."
"I'm listening."
"We want to make an army of super clones…to do whatever we like with. You'll train them, and when they're ready you'll get to lead them, too."
"Yeah, right. I might live on the streets but I'm not stupid. Once you don't need me anymore, you'll just get rid of me. Or lock me up in some room to get more DNA at your leisure. Thanks but no thanks." He turned to leave, but found himself blocked by two big thugs.
That funny feeling of his, the one that told him when something really bad was about to happen, was now officially going nuts.
"I'm afraid you don't really get a choice, Dawson." The Man said, chortling again.
He scowled. These blockheads couldn't hold him! He never got caught!
"Be reasonable, Dawson. It's not like there are many places for you to run." He turned back to look at the Man, and one of the thugs grabbed him. He cursed mentally.
The Man pulled out a syringe and, despite his struggles, stuck it into his arm.
"This is just going to be a sample…to make sure you're perfectly healthy and good for cloning." The Man explained as the syringe filled with blood.
He kicked once and managed to knock the syringe to the ground, and bit Thug1, causing him to let him go with a loud howl. Thug2 moved to get a better hold on him, but he hadn't gone this long on the streets without teaching himself how to fight. He kicked Thug2 where it would hurt and tried to run, but was stopped again when the Man grabbed his arm, holding it so tightly he knew he'd have bruises.
"You aren't going anywhere, you little brat!"
Thug1 took hold of his arm, and he leaned forward and latched onto the Man's hand with his teeth, smirking but just biting harder when the Man howled with pain.
Both thugs tried to dislodge him, and the Man hit him over his head over and over again, but he held on stubbornly even when he started seeing stars, just clenching his jaw harder, not letting go even as he felt skin and muscle give way to his teeth.
The Man screamed so loudly the thugs let him go in surprise, and he spit out the Man's thumb before running as fast as he could out of the alley, ducking into another a few streets down when he was sure he hadn't been followed.
His knees went weak and he collapsed behind a dumpster, scooping up water from a puddle that had formed thanks to the falling rain and washing out his mouth, not caring about whatever gunk might have been festering in the pool of water as he spit out the coppery blood.
Apparently, he should have been mindful of the puddle, or washed the blood out sooner, as his stomach rebelled and he vomited violently several times. Finally, the bile stopped rising, and he fell back, not bothering to move other than to wipe his mouth on his sleeve he was so tired.
"Hello? Is someone out there?" He looked up at the woman leaning out of her window, and she looked down at him, a sympathetic look entering her deep violet eyes. "Oh, hello."
He wiped his mouth again, blushing. "H-hello. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"
"No, it's alright. Why don't you come inside and get cleaned up?"
"O-okay." He said, nodding, and went to her front door (checking for the Man and his thugs, of course). He went inside when she opened the door for him. "Thanks."
"It's no problem." She replied. "My name's Tandi Summers."
"Caleb Dawson."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Caleb." She said, still smiling as she handed him a small pile of clothes. "These are my brother's, but you look like they won't be too big on you. The shower is down the hall, first door on the left. I'm going to make you some cocoa and get you something for your stomach. Does that sound okay?"
He nodded slowly, wondering about this girl as he followed her directions and found the tiny bathroom, turning on the water and taking a quick shower—it was the first he had had in quite some time, he was embarrassed to know.
He pulled on the clothes she had provided and gave his old clothes a hesitant look. "W-what do you want me to do with my old clothes, M-Miss Summers?" He called out of the bathroom door.
"Oh, just call me Tandi!" Her voice said. "There should be a dirty clothes hamper in there somewhere, just put them in there. I need to do the laundry anyhow, so I'll wash your stuff, too."
"Th-thank you!" He found the hamper and stuffed his clothes into the already stuffed thing. He left the bathroom and found her in the kitchen.
"You look much better without all that dirt, don't you?" She asked when she saw him, her smile widening. He blushed again. "The cocoa's almost done. Why don't you go in the living room and watch some cartoons or something? The baby's at the nursery right now, but my brother will be home soon and you guys can go outside and play."
"A-alright." He said, and she waved it off as she turned back to the stove. He found the living room and turned on the television, switching it to the news, which he made it a habit to watch whenever he was near a TV.
"And today, Epsilon Methuss, President of our very own Methuss Industries, has made yet another generous donation to charity, which brings his total donations up to an estimated three billion dollars—only topped by Bruce Wayne of Wayne Corporation's estimated three and a half billion dollars." The woman onscreen said.
He scowled and looked at the picture of the two businessmen shaking hands. He decided that even if he hadn't just been accosted by the Man, he would like Bruce Wayne better—the other multi-billionaire looked far more trustworthy.
"The news?" Tandi had joined him, handing him his cocoa and a small pill.
He nodded as he swallowed the pill and carefully sipped the cocoa. "I like to know what's going on in the world." He said, waving off her surprise.
She laughed. "That's nice—my brother just watches cartoons, and he usually takes up the TV whenever he's home, so I probably know more about that sort of thing than current events!"
He shrugged, turning back to the screen. "Cocoa's good. Thanks."
"You're welcome, Caleb." She said cheerfully, ruffling his hair, but he saw her frown at the screen from the corner of his eye.
"What?" He looked at her.
"Oh, nothing. I just don't see why everyone fawns over that sleazy Methuss so much." She said.
"Hmm." In his head, he agreed with her, but wanted to know how she knew him.
"He owns most of the town around here. Owns this apartment, even, and bugs us about rent no matter when we pay, the jerk." She explained.
"Oh." He looked at the screen again. "Wayne seems like a better guy."
"He definitely is. I wish he was our proprietor, but he's in Gotham. Methuss owns Bludhaven."
"Why don't you move?"
She sighed. "I should. It's much safer, what with Batmanand all—Bludhaven's superhero doesn't do much—but I don't have the money."
Money? Easy.
"I could help." He said.
She giggled. "That's nice of you, Caleb, but we'll stick it out here for now. It's not like Methuss has ever done anything wrong—he's just a jerk."
He nodded wordlessly, mentally scowling.
"Anyhow…"
"Taia, I'm home!" The door opened and slammed shut, a boy with short sandy blonde hair like Tandi's entered the house, throwing a backpack on the floor next to the door.
"Hey, Kylan." She said, standing. "This is Caleb Dawson. Caleb—my brother, Kylan."
"Hiya." Kylan greeted, as cheerful as his sister. "Nice to meet you!"
"You too." He said, and began to say something else, but was cut off when someone knocked hard on the door.
"Open up, Summers!" Came a barking voice.
His eyes widened. It was Methuss!
"Kylan, take Caleb to your room and stay put." Tandi said, pulling him to his feet and shooing them both down the hall before answering the door.
"Don't worry, Taia will get rid of him." Kylan assured him as he pulled him into a messy room.
"I guess…" He said skeptically, and both of them stayed close to the closed door, listening.
"What is it, sir?" Tandi's voice asked. "I paid rent for this month already."
"That's not why I'm here, woman." A smack rang out. "I'm here for that little brat!"
"My brother?" Came Tandi's slightly pained voice. Both he and Kylan clenched their fists.
"No, that brat Dawson! One of my people saw him come in here!"
"I don't know what you're talking about. They must have seen one of Kylan's friends. They're always coming around here for snacks." She lied coolly for a girl, he thought.
"Don't lie, wench!" Another slap. "Where is he?"
"I don't know what you're talking about!"
They heard the cocking sound of a gun and gasped
"Tell me where he is now, Summers. I'll kill you and your brother—you know I will."
He looked at Kylan, whose eyes were wide and scared, and before the other boy could stop him he had left the room and gone into the living room.
"No! Caleb, come back!" He didn't listen.
"Leave them alone, Methuss!" He growled, smirking a bit when he saw the bloody rag wrapped around the Man's hand.
The gun was turned on him. "Shut up! You're coming with us, Dawson!"
"No he's not!" Tandi spoke up, stepping in front of him.
"Tandi, don't—"
"Be quiet, Caleb." She interrupted him. "I'm not about to let this jerk take you and hurt you or whatever it is he wants with you."
"Stay out of this, woman!" The Man said, and pulled the trigger.
Tandi gasped and crumpled to the floor, a blood stain appearing on her stomach, and another shot brought a second pool to her chest.
"Taia!" Kylan screamed, but flew backwards when a third shot went through his head.
"You bastard!" He yelled, tackling the Man and grabbing the gun when it toppled out of his grasp, lifting it to point at the Man. "Leave! Get out and don't come back!"
"You won't shoot me—"
He pulled the trigger and caught the Man's leg. "I said leave!" Tears blurred his vision.
"You little…" The Man stopped short when he saw his grip tighten on the trigger again. "Fine. I'll go. But I'll find you again, Dawson. And remember—if it wasn't for you, these two innocent people would still be alive!"
He fired off another shot, but the door had already closed.
He started to shake and dropped the gun, both he and it falling to the floor.
"C-Caleb."
He turned. Tandi was still alive!
"I'm not going to be around for long, Caleb."
He started to cry.
"Don't do that, Caleb. You have to…you have to run. Run away and don't ever come back to Bludhaven again! Don't look back! Don't ever let him catch you!" She gasped hoarsely and groaned, clutching at her stomach with both hands.
"No. No, Tandi, please." He wept. "I didn't mean for you to get hurt. I didn't know he'd…I'm so sorry, Tandi! I didn't know! If I'd known I never would've—"
"Shh. It's not your fault. He's a sick man, Caleb. If he ever finds you again…promise me you'll have friends to help you out again. Okay? Don't run away forever because it won't do you any good and you'll just end up…oh God…"
"Tandi, please…"
"Promise, Caleb."
"I…I can't, Tandi. I can't let anyone else get hurt like this…"
"Don't be stupid, Caleb! Running won't do you any good!"
"Please…"
"Promise!"
"I c-can't…I can't…"
She started to insist again, but suddenly drew in a ragged breath and went limp.
He picked her up and clutched her to his chest, sobbing harder. "I'm sorry…I'm sorry…"
She didn't reply, her eyes staring forward at nothing.
"I won't run forever…not forever…I promise, not forever…please, you can run with me for a while, Tandi. Don't die, please. Please. No one's ever been nice to me before, Tandi, I don't want you to die. Please, please. I promised, so please don't die…please…"
(End Flashback)
He could feel tears burning streaks down his cheeks as he came into the garage. He didn't bother hitting the breaks, and made a sharp turn, getting ready to turn around, leave the Tower, and go out into the town again, but the turn was too sharp and his bike turned onto its side, screeching shrilly across the floor.
He pushed it off himself as he and it continued to screech across the ground, and his helmet fell off as he finally came to a stop. He began to sob like he hadn't since that day when he was eight, curling up into a tight ball as the burns from his slide began to hurt through his adrenaline.
He cried until he passed out from pain and exhaustion. 'I kept my promise, Tandi…'
(THE RUSH)