Author's Note: wow. there are no words to describe way freaking late i was in getting up this chapter—well, besides five months late. O.o SRRY! so yeah, about the Titans show as of now? SERIOUSLY pissing me off! i mean, i think it's cool what they're doing right now, with all the new heroes and revists to comic-lore, it's actually fantastic…but these new episodes are all part of my FABULOUS, UN-THOUGHT OF IDEAS FOR OTHER FANFICS! errgh. like kid flash? yeah, i totally had that first…and i was going to do one where the doom patrol came back! even one when starfire and robin first met and began the team! FRUSTRATION. ah, well, for some things you just can't be fast enough…
anywayz, this is my xmas present to all who wanted one from me…sorry i'm flat-out broke…happy holidays!
(i didn't proofread, so sorry in advance if there's any atrocious mistakes…FINAL EXAMS SUCK. yeah.)
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in the Teen Titans show or comics.
"Hurry up, man, this is last fucking place I wanna be seen right about now!"
"Ah, stop your bitchin', I'm almost done…"
Two black figures stood inside the main security room at California's most advanced and first-rate containment area for the most maniacal and madman criminals of the state, low red lights flashing through the room as well as the hallways outside, a faint screeching alarm sounding throughout the compound. The red lights flashed reflections on the dull, lifeless eyes of the four guards that had been on duty, their limp bodies piled neatly a few meters away from the door. The two men to whom the voices belonged to were clad in all black, ski masks covering each of their heads, with an exception of their eyes and mouths. One was bending over the main computer console, typing furiously with one hand and holding a small slip of paper in the other, while his partner stood anxiously at the door, skimming the camera displays of the compound as the employees realized that when an alarm sounded, something more or less wrong was happening.
"I'm not bitchin', you shithead! The fucking alarm is going off! I'm being practical," the one standing by the door whined, his heart racing. He had been on missions before, but never anything as huge as this…he wanted to get home in one piece and live on the next day.
"Relax, bitch," the man typing sighed. "I've done this way too many times to not know how to do it…you're with a veteran, rookie. Jailbreaks are a fucking piece of cake. Specially in the fucking state of California." Suddenly a small beep issued from the computer, and the man stood up and stretched. "See, last code." He quickly punched a key labeled 'execute' and turned around to face the other as he stuffed the slip of paper into a hidden pocket somewhere.
"Can we split now? The fucking idiots finally figured out we're up here." The one by the door pointed at one of the displays of a hall near the room they were in, full of running policemen or guards or whatnot.
"Yeah, we better fly," the 'veteran' said dully. "The convicts can fend for themselves. They're in here cuz they're fucking homicidal maniacs or whatever, anyway." He jogged over to one end of the room, where an air vent was unscrewed from its place on the wall. "Let's exit the way we came. I drilled up and through while you were scouting ahead, anyway, so we can get out before the party really gets started." He got down on his stomach and slid himself through the opening and onto the path of escapade.
"Party my ass," the 'rookie' muttered, going over and following suit, but not before sliding the air vent back into place and screwing it loosely. He was in bad mood—he couldn't believe he was missing the season finale of CSI: Miami for a prison-break he was risking his life on…but at least the money in it was good…
When one of the guards finally hacked the new code on the security room one of the intruders had entered to buy time, all that was left as proof of trespassing were the four dead corpses of the prison's employees that had happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Another alarm quite similar in sound and nature sounded about two hundred miles away from the prison compound, breaking the dead silence of late night, wee hours of the morning. Its screeching tones blared through hallways in the dark of shadows, on the coast of southern California at the crime-fighting headquarters of Jump City, the Titans Tower. The inhabitants of the Tower sat up with a start from their sleep, wide-eyed and alert at the prospect of battle and danger. Trained by experience, each had thrown their covers back and were out of bed, ready to go minutes after being abruptly awoken, making their way down to the main room of the Tower so the situation they were being called to could be declared and be assessed.
Only one member of the Teen Titans had been awake since the first peal of warning, who happened to be the newest member as well: Kid Flash. Even though he had been in the middle of unpacking his possessions into his new room on the east wing of the Tower, not too far from Cyborg's own room, he managed to maneuver through boxes plus packing paper plus half-unpacked objects cluttered around the room and be in full costume, downstairs by the Titans leader in the main room literally in a flash.
Robin jumped slightly as Kid Flash appeared out basically nowhere, the hiss of an opening door the only clue to Kid Flash's millisecond approach. No one on the team had quite yet gotten used to the rapid movements, entrances, and exits made by Kid Flash. Within the mere six days he had been with the Titans, each member had realized he did everything and anything randomly and swiftly. Cyborg so far loved him, since Kid Flash provided amusement in the form of Starfire shrieking, Raven fuming, and Robin jumping whenever he surprised them with his appearance. Cyborg had started more than a few times as well, but was quick to forget, like Starfire but unlike Raven and Robin. Raven was not amused by anything the new team member did, and regarded him with a distant, cold attitude; Robin was quickly tiring of Kid Flash's abrupt, impulsive attitude.
"What's up?" Kid Flash asked as soon as Robin composed himself, leaning against the couch in front of the huge screen displaying the area of trouble. The others filed in shortly after Kid Flash, gathering around Robin. Raven was the first to note that the flashing red dot on the screen was not in Jump City, but rather north and a good ways inland. She was also the first to analyze and realize what that meant.
"Great, what happened now?" Raven asked tonelessly before Robin could answer Kid Flash's question, earning a few blank stares from the others.
Robin, as usual, seemed to know exactly what she was asking about. He turned to the screen and made the picture zoom in on the exact location of the prison compound. "Prison break, California State Convict Institution, discovered exactly eight minutes ago."
"Craaaaaaaap," Cyborg moaned, covering his face with a hand. Starfire let out a small gasp while Raven's face remained void of reaction.
Kid Flash felt incredibly stupid, but asked anyway. "That's not good, is it?"
Robin shook his head, but Kid Flash noticed Raven flash an unexpectedly vicious glare at him, pure loathing reflecting in her navy orbs for a slight second. Taken aback by her ferocity at his question, Kid Flash blinked, wondering what the hell was wrong with her. Then he noted Robin was talking.
"…where all the super-villains plus lunatic convicts us and law enforcement catch are locked up. So yeah, a prison break letting out criminals like Adonis, Mad Mod, or Plasmas, is pretty much disastrous," Robin finished just as Kid Flash actually tuned in. Robin began naming off who would do what, rapidly, anxious to get to the prison. "We need to get there as quickly as possible—Raven and Starfire, now is the time to teleport or fly as fast as the speed of light or whatever. Cyborg, you and me are gonna take the Titan jet…we'll meet up there and try to get as many convicts as possible secure in the complex—"
"Whoa whoa whoa," Kid Flash interjected. "What about me?"
Robin looked at him skeptically. "This is big, and seeing as you haven't been on any other missions yet—"
"What better way to kick off my membership?" Kid Flash concluded, flashing a brilliant smile. "Nice try, leader, but I'm here to help you guys, am I right?"
Robin stiffened, and was about to start an argument when Raven suddenly wrapped her cape around her body, pulling up her hood. "We're wasting time. Let him go," she stated plainly, disappearing in a blanket of obsidian energy through the floor before anyone could refuse.
Robin turned to the door and began jogging towards it. "She's right," he called back. "You," he said, referring to Kid Flash, "run there. Cyborg, Starfire—Titans, go!"
Shrugging as Starfire flew through the door with Cyborg running to catch up with Robin, Kid Flash followed suit and zipped through and out of the Tower, flipping open his communicator to check the coordinates of where he was supposed to go. From the first time it was handed to him, Kid Flash noted the communicator had the had-been-tried-to-be-spoofed-up-but-was-still-second-hand look, scuffed up a bit and with words written in green sharpie smudged on the back. It showed him the correct coordinates, though, so Kid Flash was satisfied.
"C'mon, man, we've wasted too much time already," one of the intruders told his partner as he waited on a forested hilltop not far from the prison. White lights flashed through the night sky as guards gave futile attempts to keep track of the numerous convicts dashing or slamming through the complex and into the surroundings foliage. But the fact that the convicts were escaping in all directions and could be heading towards the criminal duo at any given minute wasn't what was bothering the complaining one—no, it was the fact that new flashes of light had joined in only moments before: streaks of light blue, discs of bright green, and billows of harsh orange.
His partner huffed as he finally made it up the steep slope leading away from the prison. "Aw, they've only been here five seconds. We'll be gone before it crosses the bastards' minds to even look for those responsible for the break."
"Whatever. You still shouldn't've stopped to fuck with that bitch back at the exit door…security probably caught it all on tape, asshole."
"Quit bitchin', shithead. I told you those bastards won't get it through their heads that we might still be here until we're gone." The man stretched and grinned evilly. "And that bitch was fucking tight, man, I couldn't resist—"
The man was cut off by a sudden gust of wind as a huge shadow, shaped in the form of a raven, emerged from the sodden leaf-covered ground. "So you that positive we're idiotic bastards, now?" a monotone voice drawled dully, seeming to come from everywhere and anywhere at once. The man who had insisted they were fine concerning time for escaping gaped and both went into shock as the purple-clad figure of a girl materialized from the shadow as it dissipated. The girl had a half-bemused, half-annoyed expression on her face, crossing her arms and waiting for the intruders' reactions. It came rather promptly:
"You fucking jackass! I told you!" The one who had been reportedly 'bitching' the whole time shrieked, whacking the other man on the back of the head.
Raven's lip twitched as she fought a sardonic smile as the two men split in different directions and started sprinting for their lives. Raven calmly jerked her hands up into the air as soon as they did so, reciting her infamous words of power with perfect vigor and rehearsed ease: "Azrath, Mentrion, CENTHOS!"
Columns of moist, dark earth erupted in front of the two men on either side of Raven, stopping them in their tracks. One flew into the column of dirt face-first, unable to find a proper foothold in the slick ground. The other, most likely the more experienced of the two, dodged the column just in time, his pace unbroken. Raven focused her attention on that one, knowing the other would have to gather his senses for a second—there would be a better chance he would still be there when she came back. Her hands gathered crackling black energy as she locked onto the fast retreating back of her target. Robin had told her to find and contain anyone that could have triggered the prison break if she could—she intended to follow through on that order with her normal almost-perfect execution.
Launching herself into the air on levitation, Raven sped through tree limbs and leaves as she overtook the running man and landed in front of him. He skidded a little bit at her sudden appearance, but quickly changed tact and started running to the left instead. Swiftly following him, Raven blasted twin beams of obsidian energy from her hands towards him, then two more above him. He jumped as he avoided the first power shots, dirt stinging the back of his legs as the ground exploded. Tree branches and leaves fell from the canopy Raven had struck, but the criminal merely ducked and brushed the litter away from him, actually catching a branch and managing to throw it with dangerous force at Raven as she came up behind him. She dodged it easily, and was summoning a little more black energy to trap his legs and finish the struggle when the man came up with an advantage she did not expect: he pulled out a gun from folds of his clothing.
Raven fell back and shot upwards as the first shot tore through the air she had been in minutes before. She already knew her cause was lost as she dodged two more bullets while the man's already vague figure receded into the forest. In a last attempt and surge of power, she repeated her meditation words and instructed all the trees in a slight radius around her snap back and ram forward, shaking a good few animals from their slumber. Her answer was a quick succession of six shots, all of which barely missed her as she dodged and stopped them in midair. Fed up and afraid she had just lost her only chance of catching the people behind all the troubles tonight, Raven prepared to fire a huge blast of energy in the direction of the shots—but was halted by an orange-yellow blur that zipped in front of her aim and came to a stop.
"You know, it wasn't too bright of you to leave an easy catch behind," the cheery voice of Kid Flash that Raven had all too soon learned to hate chastised. He stood in the way, holding the man who had collided with her first assault by the neck of his shirt. He winked at Raven as she slowly brought her hands down to her sides, obsidian energy fading from her eyes and body. He smiled charmingly as she landed, not seeming to notice she was more or less…enraged.
Raven's eyelid twitched as she fought to keep her anger in check, drawing up her hood in jerky, barely controlled movements. "Imagine that," she said through clenched teeth, desperately wanting to punch Kid Flash's face into the ground. "Lucky you left your duties assigned directly to you by the leader of the team to come help me when the rest of the team was most likely battling for their lives with some ruthless maniac or super-villain. Very noble."
Kid Flash's face fell, his brow furrowing together in anger as he threw the unconscious man he had been holding at Raven's feet. "Now look," he challenged, eyes flashing as dangerously as Raven's were. "It's not my fault that even though you think you can handle yourself macho-style and everything and you don't need anyone to help you out and you're oh so alone in the world with no one able to sympathize with your oh so harsh life, certain people—like, hmm, your friends, which I'm sure Robin and the rest qualify—actually care about you and would actually send someone to see if everything was okay the minute they heard gunshots. And I happen to be the fastest person on the team, if you notice?"
Still fuming, Raven ignored his response and knelt down by the limp form he had graciously discarded at her feet, lowering her hood. She checked for a pulse, and finding one, turned the man on his back and slapped him as hard as she could. Raven took joy in the movement, putting all her frustration into it—and it woke the man. Sputtering, it didn't take long for the man to realize he was being examined by two Titans and for him to begin struggling. Raven, however, already had restraints of black energy around his limbs, trapping him to the ground as she put her hands to her temples, closed her eyes, and began to prod his mind. Kid Flash watched in fascination, his earlier anger already forgotten.
Raven sifted through memories of children playing on swing sets, dogs barking, adult laughter, a woman's grunts of pleasure, a man's frightened yell, searching for information that would unmask what the real purpose of the jail break was. Who do you work for, who do you work for, she muttered mentally. Then suddenly colors flashed before her eyes, uniforms, an underground facility of training, a rush of excitement at finally getting a first assignment, a figure began to form from swirling masses in Raven's mind's eye, then—
The thought flow stopped, abruptly and without warning, causing Raven to jerk back in surprise of the sudden black that met her mind. She stayed connected to the man's mind a few moments longer, searching for stray thoughts, feelings, anything…but all she found was a void. An endless cavity of nothing—nothing at all; and suddenly, Raven knew what had happened with a certainty that almost scared her. She severed the connection of her mind and the man's, just as she felt the start of the ghastly, inhuman tug of death at her own soul. Breathing raggedly, she opened her eyes to find herself on her elbows, dirt scuffed up where she had subconsciously pushed herself away from death. Kid Flash was clutching a slender dagger-like weapon, only about five or six inches long, in a bloodied hand, staring dumbfound at the now lifeless body of the intruder. For at least halfway into his neck was buried the same type of weapon Kid Flash had, causing to blood gush out onto the forest floor. Rapidly, Raven wrenched her head back to survey the trees around them, and saw what she was looking for. A shadow of a figure, barely there, was crouched in a tree not far from her and Kid Flash, silently tucking another of the weapons back into itself one way or another. For some reason, though she could not see anything other than the outline of the figure, Raven new beyond all doubt that second that it was the same perpetrator from the alley so many weeks ago. It seemed to recognize her too—for in that moment as Raven jumped up with an accusatory, "You!" ringing from her lips and echoing against the trees, it disappeared into the night, blending in perfectly and becoming literally invisible.
About to go after it, Raven was pulled back by a strong hand on her shoulder. "Whoa, sorry, but that guy's gone," Kid Flash informed her as she turned around and gave him a death glare for stopping her a second time. She knew what he meant, though, so sighed and drew her hood up again. She stared at the dead man lying beside them, then at Kid Flash's injured hand. He was still gripping the killer's weapon, but the blood had started to flow more freely from his wound.
She gestured towards it. "You know, it wasn't too bright of you to catch a flying knife," she stated in a monotone voice. She did catch a second-glance from Kid Flash, though, because it wasn't hard to miss the tease.
He let it pass. "Well, we all have our not too bright moments, you know," he replied, giving her a dashing smile.
Raven found to horror she was trying not to blush, and cast out for something else to say. "Look…" she started, pointedly staring at a bush in the opposite direction, "I'm…sorry about getting after you earlier. I have this issue with people, so in case you haven't figured it out yet, I'm more than a bit snappish most of the time." She turned back to him and gave him one more glare, just to prove her point.
He didn't do anything other than grin. "Ah, feisty," he drawled, tossing away the weapon. "I like 'em feisty."
Raven stiffened, and felt her temper rising again. She pushed it down, merely answering, "The last person who called me 'feisty,' had his ass kicked not even a second later and was thrown in jail. I suggest you don't ever refer to me using that word again."
Kid Flash snickered. "Right, you got it. But, you know," he continued in a mischievous voice, jerking his thumb behind him, "he's not in jail anymore, hate to break it to you…"
Raven glared icily, and Kid Flash took the hint to shut up. Quickly.
But as Raven turned away from Kid Flash, preparing to contact Robin to tell him of her turn-out, she couldn't help remembering with a frighteningly deep ache in her chest who exactly had kicked the ass of the last person to call her 'feisty'.
Gar's chest cackled as he let loose a whoop of a cough as he pulled his light jacket closer to his body, battling the cool breeze whipping through the city streets as he walked through the crowded sidewalks of bustling people. In his company were, as usual, Michael and Kassie, along with Tye Sulivan. They had just gotten out of school, book bags still on their backs, and were heading to the main hang-out of the Badboiz band: a coffee house of one kind or another owned by the Stofbeckers' uncle. Michael and John had consistently bothered him over the past couple of days to come to the band's average hang-out to hear them play—the two wouldn't stop talking excitedly about the gig Kassie had gotten them into, and wanted input on their latest song along with the others. Eventually Gar gave in, wanting sincerely to get out and actually do something seeing as he had stayed holed up in the apartment during his free time ever since the IHOP incident. He didn't know why he hadn't gone anywhere; Kassie and Michael had invited him numerous times to numerous places. Each time he just couldn't bring himself to say yes, coming up with excuses that sounded barely reasonable. Steve had called him lethargic, earning a blank stare from Gar, then he called him a flat-out lazy bum, earning a chorus of defenses from Gar.
Currently, Michael and Tye were having an animated conversation about night clubs ahead, while Kassie was venting to Gar about a bad grade she had gotten on a paper in Carson's class. Gar wasn't really listening.
"And since when is separate spelled with an 'a' instead of an 'e'? Since never, as far as I'm concerned! He shouldn't even be docking off points for spelling, it's not my fault spell-check didn't catch it, instead he should be focusing on the essence of the paper! My thesis was totally plausible, why couldn't have Edgar Allen Poe been having an affair with his stepmother while he was married to his cousin? I had plenty of brilliant resources, and examples of guilty feelings bleeding through his poems! Why wouldn't there be? I mean—"
"Are we there yet?" Gar interrupted, giving a slight shiver. With a growl from his stomach he had suddenly realized he was hungry since he hadn't eaten lunch, and was now hoping the coffee house served more than coffee.
Still glowering, Kassie gestured towards a bright yellow one-story building coming up on their right that looked extremely out of place among the multi-story brick stores, condos, offices and whatnot. "It's right there," she grumbled, knowing Gar hadn't been listening to a word she had said. As she pointed, Gar began to hear the faint chords of an electric guitar.
As they got closer to the building, Gar saw in huge, neon-lighted orange block letters 'Mark's Coffee Diner'. Steaming cups of coffee and sandwiches were painted in vibrant colors against the yellow walls, an 'open' sign hanging crookedly on the inside of the glass doors leading into the building. Glass windows lined the front, looking out onto the street, and people laughing, talking, and eating could be seen through the windows, sitting around round tables of different colors. It looked like the local diner of this area of downtown Jump City, people going in and coming out continuously.
Expecting to go in through the front doors, Gar was somewhat surprised when Michael and Tye, still talking, made a sharp turn down the alley beside the building. Glancing at Kassie, who followed them boredly, Gar did the same and saw a door propped open by a stool, the sound of voices drifting out. Now he knew exactly where they were going. As soon as the four walked through the door, Michael and Tye threw their backpacks down against the wall, and Kassie dropped hers on a chair nearby. Gar stood in the doorway for second, allowing himself to observe the official hangout of the Badboiz.
First off, the room was incredibly orange. All the walls were painted the bright color, with a purple ceiling to top it off. The floor was plain cement, polished a little to give it some character. The next thing Gar noticed was a yellow stage directly across from the door he was standing in; it wasn't very tall in height, only about six inches or so, but it did take up most of the wall it was based against. On the stage various instruments and such took up space. In the very back sat a drum set, plastic semi-walls to deafen the noise placed around it. Next to the drums, though a little bit forward, were two mikes and two guitars—one a glossy black, one slightly smaller and dark red with flames decorating the space beside the strings. In front of all of it, in between two colossal speakers, was a single mike and a black-and-white guitar.
On the left side of the stage far into the room's corner was a computer and a desk of notebooks and paper, crowding each other. Sitting further down was one of the round tables Gar had seen in the coffee shop with its own set of chairs, presently occupied by Benji, Nick, and John, Michael and Tye now standing beside them. There was also a door next to the table, which Gar was pretty sure lead to the actual diner owned by the Stofbeckers' uncle. To the right of the stage stood what suspiciously looked like one of those huge recording microphones, and piled beneath it was various recording equipment. Not to far from that, a dark-green couch took up the space by the wall, its cushions sagging from use but looking comfortable at the same time. Gar was impressed with the place.
"Hey, lookie! It's our fabulous mate Gar, felluhs!" Nick loudly exclaimed as Gar began walking towards the table after he coughed once more, his observation done. Grinning, Gar gave a casual wave to John and Benji as Nick moved from his seat to give Gar his usual greeting. Nick was an interesting guy, that Gar had decided—he actually had an assigned greeting for each person he knew. To Kassie, he gave a bear hug when possible; he always tripped John, Gar had seen him do it more than once at school; Benji was given what Kassie deemed a 'guy-hug' (A/N: for those of you who don't know, the description of a guy-hug is given at the end of this chapter, to clear any confusion); Tye and he always did a weird high-five thing; Michael and he high-fived and missed; and Gar…
He steeled himself as Nick swept over him and put him in a headlock, digging his knuckles into Gar head in a big-brother 'hey there, sport,' fashion, shouting, "NOOGIE!" as he did so.
The boys exploded into laughter, Gar ruffled but laughing as well when Nick released him. The ritual was repeated every time Nick saw him, but it never hurt—the only person Gar had ever seen Nick inflict bodily harm upon was John, and Nick didn't know John wasn't adept at catching a football. Sometimes it annoyed Gar slightly when he wasn't feeling the greatest, but each time the rest of the guys seemed to enjoy it more and more…
Kassie rolled her eyes back in the corner with the computer, busily typing in passwords to boot it up. "You guys act like it's the first time you've heard Nick do and shout a ridiculous thing every single time," she chastised as the laughter died down, Gar dumping his backpack not too far away from Michael's and Tye's.
"Yeesh, Benji, get your kitty declawed before she tears all of us to pieces," Michael commanded Benji, resulting in a glare from Kassie and a snort from John. Benji raised his eyebrows.
Nick suddenly started over to where Kassie was, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "I know what me Kassie needs," he started, stretching his arms out wide as he closed in on her. "She 'asn't had 'er dose of Nick today!"
And with that, Michael, John, and Gar laughing as Tye and Benji looked on with amusement, Nick buried her in his trademark bear hug, her barrage of insults and threats muffled. After a few moments of suffocation, he released her only to swing her out of her chair and onto his shoulder. "If yah don't mind, mate, I'm gonna borrow your girlie for a tic," Nick told Benji impassively, walking towards the door leading into the diner. He winked at the laughing group as he disappeared through the door, Kassie sighing as she propped her elbow against Nick's back so she could rest her chin on her hand. "Boys," they heard her grumble as the door shut.
"Now that the show's over," Benji said, rising from the table as the last of the laughter from Gar, Michael, and John died down. "What's up?"
"Nothing much," Tye responded, "just had to wait on Michael here after school, the reason for us being late." He jerked his thumb at Michael.
"Hey, wasn't my fault the teacher didn't think shooting spitballs qualified as kinetic energy," Michael grumbled. John snickered.
"You should've known it would've landed you in detention," Tye retorted. Benji grinned at Michael's rolling of eyes as he headed over to the stage.
"Whatever," Michael said, shrugging it off and turning to Gar. "So I brought you here so you could hear the band play…" He glared in the direction of Tye, John, and Benji. "…though they're not showing a lot of enthusiastic jump-to-it about them."
"Right, man," John chuckled. Jumping onto the stage, he went over to the red guitar and swung the shoulder strap into place around his shoulder as he picked up the guitar from its stand. He fished in his pocket for minute, pulling out a guitar pick. "We haven't switched on the volume yet, just listening to some demos," John informed Michael, Tye, and Gar, strumming a few quiet chords.
"I can fix that," Tye chirped, heading over to the desk. He opened on of the drawers to reveal a control panel packed inside. After twiddling a few nozzles and buttons, Tye flipped a switch, causing a couple of lights to begin flittering on the speakers. "Try that," Tye said over his shoulder to John, who plucked a couple strings. They came out of the speaker in loud, rounded notes, but not loud enough to blow windows or anything. Nodding, Tye shut the drawer and walked over to his backpack, taking out a pair of beat up, white-tipped drumsticks.
As Tye made his way onto the stage while John warmed up on his guitar, Benji picked up a notebook that had been laying on one of the speakers. "We have most of the songs together that we're gonna play at the gig," Benji reported over string runs as Michael and Gar joined him beside the speaker. "But there's this one song that's not totally put together yet—Nick is still making up his part on whim every time we play the song. We wanna try to run through the first verse or so today."
Michael held out his hand for the notebook, and began reading the scribbled words in it when Benji handed it to him. Gar leaned over Michael's shoulder, assuming the words were the lyrics.
After they both finished scanning the words, Michael gave the notebook back to Benji. "Sounds cool. Let's run it!"
Benji stepped onto the stage, grinning. "You got it!"
It didn't take long before all three musicians were done tuning and ready to play, microphones switched on and the speakers turned even farther up. Michael and Gar had retired to the round table, waiting. Gar was wondering where exactly Nick and Kassie had gotten to when Benji suddenly spoke into the microphone. "All right guys, here we go," he warned, stringing a couple notes. He yelled a countdown at Tye and the drums began shaking the room, but not loud enough to cover the trills and chords of the two guitars. Fascinated, Gar watched John's and Benji's fingers fly across the handles of the guitars—the tune was a catchy, half-punk one, and Benji's boyish voice fit the music perfectly as he started to sing:
You're screaming silently within yourself
And you want somebody to hear you
You're screaming silently within yourself
And you want somebody to save you
Suddenly the music grew louder, the strumming of the guitars almost violent and the drums a cascade of patterns—still, it wasn't harsh to the ears, maintaining its beat and actual tune.
PULL ME OUT…I'M DROWNING IN BLOODY WATERS
PULL ME OUT…I'M SWAYING IN A MAKESHIFT FORTRESS
PULL ME OUT…I WANT SOMEBODY TO SAVE ME
PULL ME OUT…I want somebody to love me
Feeling empty in this so-called life
It's a miracle I'm not passing away (away, away)
Always running from reality
Please, just let me be
PULL ME OUT…I'M DROWNING IN BLOODY WATERS
PULL ME OUT…I'M SWAYING IN A MAKESHIFT FORTRESS
PULL ME OUT…I WANT SOMEBODY TO SAVE ME
PULL ME OUT…I want somebody to love me
The music faded, John holding out one last run, and Michael began to clap. Gar followed suit and whistled, succeeded by a hoot from Michael. "And that's all, folks," Benji said into the microphone jokingly as John gave an exaggerated bow. His guitar almost hit the stage.
"I would throw roses, but I'm not the right guy for you," Michael told John as he came up from his bow. John searched for something to throw, but decided his pick was better than nothing. Michael gave a yelp as it swiped him in the ear. Gar collapsed into his chair laughing.
"That was awesome!" Gar told Benji as Michael threw the pick back at John.
"Yeah, well, we try." Benji waggled his eyebrows.
"I'm hungry!" Tye exclaimed from behind the drums, his voice muffled a tad from the plastic walls.
As if in answer to his whining, Kassie and Nick appeared through the swinging door, each carrying plastic bags full of take-out boxes. Under his arms, Nick carried a six-pack of soda. "An' here's our answer to your prayers," Nick brawled happily as Tye immediately scrambled off the stage. Benji and Michael followed suit, John staying behind to play some more on his guitar.
"We got on-the-house classical subs for everybody," Kassie announced, the boys cheering. "I hope you don't mind bologna and cheddar," she added to Gar as the others began to dig through the bags and popping soda cans. Tye didn't wait for anything, chopping into his sandwich before the rest had even begun to be unwrapped.
"Aw, man," Michael complained as a big glob of mustard dripped onto his hand from Tye's sub as he had been reaching under for a drink. "Someone give me some napkins so I can line the room before our walls are painted with mustard, mayo, and tomatoes!"
Nick smacked a hand against his forehead. "Dammit, mate, I knew I was forgettin' something!"
"I'll go get some," Gar offered, going to the door that led to the restaurant.
"They'll be in a dispenser on the counter," Kassie instructed over her shoulder as Gar walked through the door. He waved to let her know he had heard her.
The diner was alive with the buzz of conversation, peals of laughter or exclamations rising above here or there. Clanks of silverware and plates could be heard from behind the counter in kitchen, plus the occasional ding of a timer going off or a rush of hissing steam. Waiters and waitresses scurried about the place, filling in orders and refilling cups. Gar found it amazing that a place could be this busy at only four-thirty in the afternoon.
Gar tore his eyes away from the customers and employees, looking along the counter for the dispenser Kassie had mentioned. There were actually ten or twelve in various places, but Gar headed for the closest one, happily taking in the hurried and busied air of the diner—he didn't know exactly why, but Gar felt more comfortable in crowds and situations with people bustling about than in a solitary, few-people setting. Steve had said he was simply a people person; his foster dad had actually more or less given a sigh of relief when Gar began hanging out with Kassie, Michael, and the others more—Gar thought Steve had been worried about his son not getting out more, since he had always wanted to do stuff non-stop with Steve whenever they had gotten together. Even in the Tower, Gar had usually been the one to invite the rest of the team to move around.
Pulling out all the napkins he believed would supply Tye and Michael well enough, Gar pushed the last thought from his head before he could regret thinking about it. Gar had decided to come here and have fun with his…friends, not sit and sulk about the past. Nodding to himself, Gar was about to turn around and make back for the door when he froze, the hairs on the back of his neck rising—and without a doubt, he knew someone was watching him…it had become a familiar feeling once he had turned twelve or thirteen, after all. Gar casually searched the crowd, but he didn't think whoever it was would be looking directly at him.
He was wrong.
There, on the other side of the restaurant, was a woman seated at the countertop, staring directly at him through a pair of heavy shades. He didn't know how, but Gar could sense her eyes boring into him through the sun glasses. She was a mysterious figure, like the kind you see in movies—even though there was only a slight nip in the air outside, she wore a calf-length black overcoat and a black turtle neck under that. Her legs were crossed in a very sophisticated manner, polished high-heeled boots flashing in the light as she tapped one foot methodically up and down on the tiled floor. Her midnight-black hair was let loose in a wild wave of curls, covering most of her face. As Gar observed her, she suddenly gave a crooked grin, showing bright white teeth between rose-red lips. And just as suddenly, Gar experienced an extremely strong urge to turn and run as fast as he could in the other direction. The woman's grin widened, as if she realized the discomfort she was causing. Once again, Gar didn't know exactly where the feeling was coming from—but as soon as the woman lazily lowered her sunglasses from her eyes, Gar immediately knew what is was.
In her wide, hazel eyes, a dangerous, insane light danced, one like Gar had never seen before…and it scared him to death, directed at him.
"HEY! Gar! Mind grabbing some salt and pepper, too?"
Gar started at John's voice, turning around wildly to catch a glimpse of John's smiling face as he waved at him. "Sure," Gar shouted back at John, who nodded and ducked back into the door that led to the hangout. Gar remained staring at the door for a second later, then slowly turned back around, afraid of what he might find.
The woman was gone.
There was no trace of her ever being there, no empty plate or crumpled napkins or spots on the counter—just to ever-slowing twirling of the cushion on the stool where she had been seated. Watching the stool stop spinning, Gar sneezed extremely violently, causing him to almost fling the napkins he was holding across the room. Like the sneeze had jolted him back to logic, Gar grabbed the salt and pepper shakers beside the napkin dispenser in his free hand and began making his way back to the door. Sniffing, he concluded he had either been imagining things or was really paranoid, or both. There was no reason a crazy woman would be stalking or carefully watching him, an average, high school kid—because that was him now, living an ordinary, life-with-no-green life.
Gar missed a step, realizing the full impact of what he had just thought. Then, out of the blue, his steps became more confident and sound than they had been for the past month or so. Something had clicked within Gar, and he smiled. Pushing the door open with a foot, Gar exclaimed happily to his friends, "Al-right, someone take this pepper before I drop it and everyone starts sneezing!"
A/N: so hope you guys liked it! hopefully another installment will be coming A LOT sooner than this one came…thanx for all of you who have encouraged me with your reviews! but now for your reference, a 'guy-hug' is thus:
1. guy #1 gives a 'what's-up-dawg' high-five to guy #2
2. guy #1 pulls guy #2 into a bear hug of some sort, so guy#1 can clap guy #2 on the back with a resounding thud and vice versa
3. you will have most likely seen this illustrated at a pre-game, gating party between your dad and his best friend
if you don't know what a 'what's-up-dawg' high-five is, you don't deserve to be actively taking part in today's society
that is all.