Note: Thanks for the reviews and stuff! I'm glad people like it so far...will try and update regularly. :)
CW: Violence, blood
Raven was suspended from what looked like a factory ceiling, held by handcuffs that were chafing against her wrists, both of which were oozing blood. Bruising on her face showed that she had fought, but without powers…Robin knew immediately that whoever had kidnapped her had the device that worked so effectively. The only reason they were no longer under its influence was because it had gone with her, wherever she was. She was, alarmingly, unconscious, but an ominous slash in her leotard suggested that she had not succumbed willingly. He felt sick.
"We're going to find her. Ideas?"
His voice had taken on the razor sharp edge he knew made his team slightly afraid of him. It was the voice he had reverted to all too often while hunting Slade, the voice that wasn't quite his because he was at the edge of control, fighting not to lose focus. Cyborg's tracker had been up and running before Robin had a chance to tell him anything, even during the search, but the little screen had been blank. He got her communicator. It was the first thing anybody familiar with the Titans would have done, crushed their primary form of contact. He didn't allow himself a second look at Raven, but instead glanced at Starfire, who was studying the screen with unusual intensity.
"I believe I know where this is."
Robin glanced briefly at the image, but was unable to focus on anything but the blood that was slowly congealing on Raven's arms. Starfire had closed her eyes and was frowning in concentration.
"There is a factory near the river…Raven and I crashed into it when we had exchanged bodies."
Her accent had lost its lilting quality and now just sounded robotic, as if she too was struggling for control. Robin's fingers twitched towards a pocket on his belt, one where he kept his most deadly weapons.
"Do you remember where it is?"
Starfire's eyes were dangerous as she gave Raven's body one last glance.
"I do. We will rescue her, yes?"
Robin was reminded of how she had looked at their first meeting, how her eyes had blazed green like they were now, and had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep his voice level.
"Yes."
A small clearing of the throat behind him made him turn, scowling fiercely.
"Problem?"
Beast Boy folded his arms across his chest.
"Well I'm as down for being scary and determined as you guys, but I kinda have to point out the obvious."
He jabbed his thumb behind him.
"The three of us won't have any powers."
Difficult as it was, Robin shut down the part of his mind that wanted to punch anyone not willing to go charging after Raven and conceded the point.
"That is a problem. How good are you with hand to hand?"
Beast Boy grinned.
"Been training."
Robin tossed him a few of his less priceless gadgets, namely two explosive boomerangs and a grappling hook.
"Hope so. Star?"
She looked uncharacteristically grim as she responded.
"The people of my planet are taught from a young age what it means to fight. I will do well."
Robin glanced helplessly at Victor, who had a muscle jumping in his jaw.
"If you think I'm leaving her there while you go charging to the rescue…"
"We need you. Can't risk you being killed."
His words were even more blunt than usual, but this was no time for tact.
"Loss of their powers – " he gestured to Starfire and Beast Boy " – doesn't shut them off. And Raven's going to need medical help."
After a thirty second staring contest, during which Robin nearly backed down at the heat radiating from his teammate, Cyborg acquiesced.
"I guess I'll be damned if my pride hurts Raven."
But he was still nursing said pride when they pulled up to the factory and jumped out of the car, leaving him to his music, gadgets, and the tense anxiety that had coiled in his stomach. Robin didn't waste any time once they were there. When tracking down their enemies was easy, the fight that followed was inevitably difficult, and he wanted it over and done with. Raven was shut in a dark corner in his mind, walled off from his strategizing. The thought of her, the image, was a distraction, and one that might cost her life. His adopted father had learned that lesson the hard way twice over, and he had passed it on to Robin: never let the people you love interfere with your ability to save them. It was a lonely way of looking at things, but he was thankful for it now as the factory door was blasted off its hinges in a burst of green light.
Garfield and Starfire paused in the entrance, both paler than usual. Garfield in particular seemed to be struggling; Robin paused to give him an inquisitive glance. He shook his head.
"It's like being in an invisible straightjacket."
Starfire's eyes widened for a moment as she stiffened. Robin grasped her arm until she recovered, rubbing her arms to ward off the cold that she had only just become aware of.
"I am all right."
"You're no-ot!"
The sing-song voice coming out of the darkness was ordinary, affable even. The man himself was also ordinary, at least in appearance. He wore a plaid shirt tucked into jeans, his graying hair was combed into place, and the knife he held loosely in one hand was completely at odds with the bland expression on his face. Robin couldn't help but glance over the shoulder of his new adversary, but he immediately wished he hadn't. Raven, no longer unconscious, was watching him with eyes that had aged a hundred years in the past six hours. Not for the first time, Robin was grateful for the mask and looked away quickly, not wanting to betray the strange, sudden feeling in his chest. Normally, he came up with something witty to say, something to hide his nervous energy before each battle. But he didn't trust his voice. It was Starfire who spoke, and Robin could practically feel her fighting spirit, the little part of her that thoroughly enjoyed the barbarism on her home planet.
"Oh, I assure you, your device will not change my ability to pound you into the ground, human. If you doubt me, you are foolish indeed."
Robin, despite himself, felt a flash of amusement at the sharp contrast between her words and her soft, lyrical voice. Beast Boy was less compelling.
"What she said. That's our friend you've got chained up there. Nobody hurts my friends."
To his surprise, the man didn't attack. Instead, he lifted his knife, cupping it almost lovingly against Raven's stomach. It flashed dull silver in the meager light of the factory.
"Woah, woah woah. I don't want to fight anybody. Let's just think about this."
Raven didn't react to the knife pressed against her abdomen. Her unresponsiveness made Robin's stomach clench. His hand, which had been at his belt, froze as he cleared his throat.
"Release her."
His voice was tighter than usual, and even he could hear the menace in it. Raven's eyes flickered when she heard it. She shook her head, almost imperceptibly. Robin ignored her. The man looked sorrowful. Robin was reminded of an affable mechanic Bruce had hired once or twice.
"I don't think so. She's my bargaining chip."
And he drew the knife across her stomach. The slight intake of breath from Raven seemed as loud as a gunshot to Robin, who pointed his grappling hook at the man's head.
"Hurt her again and this goes straight through your skull. And it's not as clean as a bullet." He paused, readjusting his grip. "I'm going for the eyes."
The man lowered his gaze, expression mournful.
"This city needs purifying. And you would kill the one strong enough to do it. You people…can't you see what you're doing is wrong? Inviting evil that we never even dreamed of to show up at our doorsteps..."
Robin didn't move.
"Let her go."
The man pulled a gun out of his belt. As quietly as he could, Robin slipped a throwing dart into his free hand.
"You know, that's exactly what I said."
Robin glanced briefly at Beast Boy and Starfire, both of whom had taken advantage of the factory's shadowy backdrop. Slowly, inch by inch, they were gaining ground.
"What are you talking about?"
"My daughter, she was tortured to death. By some monstrosity created by Jump City's very own superheroes." His voice was mocking, then abruptly serious. "But that's okay. It showed me a greater purpose. Superheroes, especially the spawn of Satan," he paused to give Raven a look of fear and loathing, "Deserve to die the same slow and painful death that you bring on the good people you 'protect.'"
At the words 'spawn of Satan', a tear coursed down Raven's cheek, which only served to intensify the feeling Robin had that something was fighting its way out of his chest.
"I don't have any superpowers. Me as well?"
"You, son, you're just misguided. And now look what you're willing to do. Kill a man." He crossed himself. "Now lower your weapons and surrender, or she dies."
Robin allowed himself a brief glance at Beast Boy, who nodded grimly.
"Oh, I don't think it'll come to that."
In the space of thirty seconds, Beast Boy had grabbed the gun, Starfire had slammed him to the ground, and Robin was sprinting to Raven's side, hands shaking as he tackled her cuffs with a lock pick. She was in bad shape, and breathing too carefully. Robin suspected broken ribs. He winced as the gun went off behind him. He heard Star's labored breathing and what sounded like vitriolic cursing from the man behind him.
"Can you stand if I release you?"
He had managed to free one of her hands, but it meant that she was hanging from an already bloody wrist. Carefully, he wrapped an arm around her waist, wincing as she flinched.
"Doubt it."
Her voice, at least was normal. As predicted, she collapsed inward when he got the other cuff free, and he found himself taking most of her weight. Half kneeling, with Raven's arm draped over his shoulder and one hand at her waist, he looked at Star and Garfield, neither of whom were entirely all right themselves. The handyman lay at their feet, a lump rising bloodily on the back of his head. Robin couldn't bring himself to care whether he was dead or not.
"Find that device and destroy it. I've got to get Raven back to the tower."
She was easy enough to lift, but when they got back to the car, it was to find Cyborg unconscious in the driver's seat. Robin swore.
"Do you think you can handle a motorcycle ride?"
She wasn't speaking, which alarmed him almost more than her physical injuries, but the look she gave him answered his question.
"Just get my powers back."
Sensing the effort words cost her, Robin tightened his lips and yanked open the car door with a violence that was perhaps unnecessary. Once Raven had been settled into the passenger seat, he managed to wrench Cyborg out of his frozen position on the driver's side, shoving him unceremoniously into the back seat.
"Sorry man," Robin whispered before taking his place at the wheel. He stole a glance at Raven. She was pale, even for Raven, and he noticed that her lip was trickling a steady stream of blood down her face. He looked away, taking a slow breath that did nothing to negate his desire to run back into the factory and beat the man there to death. Reading his thoughts on his face, as usual, Raven smiled slightly.
"Wouldn't help anyone Robin."