Chapter 6

"Uhh," Beast Boy sighed, toying with the straw in his soda. "We've got nothing after two solid days of looking. I'm starting to get depressed, guys."

Jinx giggled from across the restaurant table, looking up from a bowl of stew. "Our little clown? Depressed? Never thought I'd see the day." She chuckled again, her cat eyes closing gleefully.

Beast Boy glared at her. "Ya know, your laughing just rubs me the wrong way."

Cyborg stopped momentarily from ravaging his foot long sub. "Yeah, and your face rubs me the wrong way." He grinned and bit down on his sandwich before squinting thoughtfully as he chewed. "Wait," he mumbled around a bit of meat, "that didn't sound right."

Raven fingered her coffee as her eyes scanned the pages of her book. "Will you idiots shut up for a bit? Pip is reassessing his life." She tapped her book. "Great Expectations is to be read in depth. I need quiet."

"No, Raven, you need a life beyond books," countered Jinx. "Get your nose out of that heap of paper and talk to us." She pouted, her bottom lip sticking out. "Pwease?"

Sneak sat suspiciously close to Jinx's soup. "Books be goods fa ya. I weed lo'sa books back home. Leave Rae-Rae awone." He shoved his snout into the soup and began to lap it up with his pink tongue. "And 'sides, no fight'n. We needs ta get awong." He felt a pair of feminine fingers pinch the back of his neck and lift him away from the bowl to cat-eye level. The small Vulpinite tried a nervous chuckle before deftly squirming out of her grip and perching himself on Cyborg's broad shoulder.

The android sighed and glanced out the window to fourth level city street. A black car suddenly zoomed down through the traffic and to the lower levels. It was closely followed by a large group of squad cars. "We don't know anyone outside the Base and there's no easy way to get information. We haven't seen hide nor hair of our elusive pole-guy and Starfire may be in danger. It's like we keep running around in circles." He looked down at his half finished sandwich, but didn't pick it up. "It's practically hopeless. I'm about open for suggestions as I'll ever be."

Sneak glanced up from a bite of Cyborg's sandwich. "Maybe da pole-guy 's working fo some big guy. Ya know, guy wit lo'sa money." All eyes turned toward the little fox, questions in their eyes. Sneak shrugged and fluffed his tail. "Da way I see it, da pole-guy is shadow 'sassin, wight? Well, 'e must be very good and it would cost lo'sa gween paper ta use him. Da secuwity sys'em at da Base did not detect him for a while, wight? Top 'a da line, I'd say."

The teens all stared at the little fox in open amazement. Beast Boy scratched at his green hair. "He's gotta point, guys. Some big-wig on the seventh level must be using him to do their dirty work." His ears drooped. "But there're a lot a rich guys up there. We can't just go asking people if they hire assassins."

Raven shut her book and folded her arms over her chest. "I just thought of something. Starfire can use some sort of energy that she can throw, right." All heads nodded slowly. "Couldn't we track the energy her body emits? I'm sure her energy signature is far higher than a human's."

Cyborg sighed and shut his organic eye. "But Rae, it would take forever to scan the entire City. She might not even be in the City, for all we know. She could have been taken to the countryside or something."

"Whatever it takes," Raven retorted. "Starfire is my friend just as much as she is yours. If it takes all of our lives, we have to find her. Now, who's willing?"

Jinx scratched her pink tufts of hair. "I'm in. I always liked Starfire."

Beast Boy's hand shot up. "Most definitely."

Cyborg grinned. "Wouldn't have it any other way."

Sneak glanced around before raising a paw. "I hewp fwiends find fwiends." His little mouth smiled at the group as he polished off the last of Cyborg's sandwich. "We gonna stick tagefer." Wiping his whiskers of a few spare crumbs, the Vulpinite shrugged. "So, how we scan?"

The teens looked at each other and groaned.

-

Thump!

Starfire fell to the ground, holding the side of her head. Moaning softly, she clambered to her feet and faced her opponent. Nightwing clenched his jaw, keeping his lips in a tight line of frustration. "No no no! You have to block, not just stand there like a fool. Let's try this again. Throw some passion into this." He lunged, his padded fists extending in front of him. The dark man slammed a fist into her stomach a spit second before he grabbed her wrists and threw her into the floor.

Starfire whimpered into the gym mat. "I cannot. I do not wish to injure you and I do not wish to train."

Nightwing scowled, crouched down, and grabbed a fistful of red hair. Tilting Starfire's head back, he scowled at her from behind his glass band. "You…will…train." He shook her head a bit. Starfire cried out a bit. "You will learn how to defend yourself at the very least. I will not have you dying when we're on a job."

Starfire gripped his wrist and applied pressure. Nightwing was forced to release her hair. She stood up and glared down at him. "I will most assuredly not accompany you on your gruesome tasks."

Nightwing sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Look, I don't need you to kill anyone. If all goes well, we may never have to use you." Starfire continued to glare at him and he continued. "Fine, I'll make you a deal. You come along with me and pretend to do something useful. Then, I'll take care of whoever needs to die. But you need to be able to fight for yourself."

Starfire's expression softened. "Very well."

Nightwing stood up slowly, his face expressionless. Falling into stance again, he nodded his head. "All right, you attack me and we'll see what happens."

Starfire bit her lip as her eyes began to glow a powerful green. With a cry of exertion, she threw herself at Nightwing. The dark man met her head on with his own attack. They met in the center of the mat, each throwing a flurry of punches. Starfire's face creased in frustration as not one of her attacks landed. Nightwing dodged and blocked blows as nimbly as he placed them. He was as elusive as smoke. Starfire swung her leg up to trip him but found her leg caught in Nightwing's tight grip. He twisted her leg, causing her to spin roughly in the air before she came down on the mat, her speck eyebrows knit in pain. She stood up slowly and tried a small smile. "Well, that was a rather fascinating maneuver."

Nightwing didn't respond, and instead motioned her to come at him again. She obliged, this time far more warily. They circled each other, padded fists raised. Starfire tried to mimic the slow, weaving walk that Nightwing exhibited. Sidestepping, she nearly tripped on her own feet. The alien growled low in her throat, as if angry at herself, before she once again flung herself toward Nightwing. He didn't even flinch as Starfire barreled down toward him, eyes ablaze. Neatly sidestepping, he allowed her to pass partially before gripping her wrists, spinning her in mid-air, and releasing her toward the mat. She groaned before sitting up with her legs crossed. "You are far too powerful."

Nightwing sighed softly, letting his guard down. "No, I'm not. You rely on brute strength while I use agility and a simple application of physics. You won't always win solely on-" He was cut off as an amber body slammed into his without warning and pushed him down into the mat. The assassin looked up at a grinning Starfire as she pressed an arm into his throat.

"And you shall not always be victorious through martial tactics. There is something to be said about strategies." She grinned wider as she pressed her knee a little deeper into his stomach. Nightwing didn't flinch as he hissed angrily through his teeth. Without warning, he threw her off of his prone body, and reversed the hold. Pinning her hands to her sides, he smirked down at her, their noses nearly touching. Starfire gasped before blushing furiously. Nightwing looked at her quizzically before releasing her. "What?"

"N-Nothing," stammered the flustered alien as she rose to her feet, cheeks still rosy. "P-Perhaps we sh-should adjourn back to at the apartment. I am quite tired."

-

The apartment, however, was full when they returned. People walked in and out of the open door, laughing and flirting with each other. Suspicious liquid lay on the table, people grabbing a bottle or two before disappearing into the massive crowd that had gathered in Nightwing's cramped home. Starfire looked around, uncertainty plainly displayed on her features. "DID YOU INVITE ALL THESE PEOPLE?" she shouted over the pounding music. Nightwing, spotting someone in the crowd, gritted his teeth and stepped forward. Everyone turned and tipped their bottles at him before returning to their conversations or provocative dancing. The assassin ignored them all.

"WILL, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, YOU MORON?" shouted a very irritated Nightwing. Will, the hulking Irish assassin, smiled down at Nightwing's thin form. "JU'S INVITED SOME FRIENDS OVER. YA LOOK LIKE YA COOD USE SUM COMPANY."

Nightwing pointed toward the door meaningfully. "GET OUT OF MY APARTMENT," he shouted over the pounding beat. "EVERYONE OUT."

Will scowled and turned off the music. Everyone abruptly stopped whatever they were doing and glanced at the furious assassin. They gulped and looked at each other. Muttering softly, they all slowly trickled out of the room, their faces dejected. Will looked sad as well. "Aw, we was havin' such fun. Whydja have ta go an' do that for?"

Nightwing stood in front of the enormous man, his anger ill-concealed. "Get…out." His shoulders shook in rage, his fists clenched tight. "Now," he said slowly, the fury shuddering out of his throat. Will back away, eyes wide, before promptly turning tail and running out the door. Nightwing made furious hissing sounds, his head turning this way and that. Stomping over to the table of bottles, he swept his hand out, knocking them all into a large trash can. His glass band turned toward Starfire, his eyebrows furrowed in anger. "Help me."

Starfire nodded and began to pick up empty bottles. She sniffed one and gagged. "What is this vile smelling liquid?"

"Alcohol," said the assassin slowly, his body still shuddering. "A liquid with depressant qualities. A legal drug, if you will." Nightwing slammed a fist on the table without warning, denting it. He yelled furiously and punched a fist through the wall, leaving a gaping hole revealing the metal underneath. Starfire cowered; afraid he would turn on her. He didn't. "One of the things I owe my current miserable life to," he said before looking at the hole in the wall, the emotionless mask falling back into place. "I'll have to get that fixed. He brushed past a very frightened redhead and slammed the bathroom door. Soon, water could be heard running. Starfire shuddered before bending to pick up another bottle.

-

"Scanning the entire city? My, my that's gonna cost ya." The small, green-suited midget cackled loudly, bouncing off the confined room. Parts and loose ends lay scattered over shelves, bookcases, filing cabinets, the large metal table, and even on the floor. The walls were peeling paint, exposing the horrible wallpaper underneath. A small, dust-tinted window overlooked the lowest section of the city, displaying the piled refuse beyond as if with pride. "How'd you idiots find me anyway?"

Jinx cocked her head at the small teen. "We did a little asking around. Turns out you're the best technical whiz around." She leaned forward, her lips beginning to twitch into an uncharacteristic frown. "So, can you do it? We can pay."

Beast boy nodded. "Yep, lotsa moola for ya if you help us."

The little man crossed his arms and averted his gaze arrogantly. "And why would I help a bunch of meta-human trash? I have better things to do with my time and it don't involve you crud-munchers."

Black tendrils of energy wrapped around his neck and lifted him into the air. Raven scowled. "Do these other tings involve breathing, you little waste of carbon?" The tendrils squeezed lightly. "So, what do you say, Gizmo?"

He gagged slightly before nodding furiously. "Gak, fine, ack, let go."

The empath released him, letting him fall in a crumpled heap to the ground. Gizmo looked up rubbing his neck. "You guys realize how long it would take to scan the entire City? That's over three thousand square miles of urban sprawl. And what are you scanning for anyway?"

Cyborg glared down at the small teen. "An incredibly concentrated source of energy in the upper levels."

Gizmo rubbed his smooth, bald head. "Uh, that could be arranged. But if it's the upper levels, you need to charter a plane because you'll have to scan from the air."

Raven nodded. "Flight is not a problem, right Beast Boy?"

Beast Boy looked up from the back of the ground, his finger shoved up his nose. He gasped before yanking his finger out. "Uh, yeah, sure."

Gizmo made a disgusted face. "I'm not shaking his hand." The group nodded slowly in agreement. Cyborg cleared his throat. "Um, about the scanner…"

The little bald techno-whiz nodded. "Right. I need to build it though. Might take a while." He flipped his goggles down over his head. "You know us tech people, very meticulous in our work." He grinned and pulled out a gas torch from out of nowhere. "Shall we begin?"

Yay for Gizmo. Gotta love the little rat. Stick around for the next chapter.

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Razvanor