The trip to the expo center was just as tense as the one to the Lamadary, but for much different reasons and thankfully Frost stayed quiet this time around. The center was already surrounded by police cars a few news vans when they landed. North ignored the questions shouted by the reporters as they exited the Sleigh and he walked over to the officer in charge. Bunny hung back, double-checking his weapons and listening in to the conversation. Frost was hanging back as well already noting the stares from officers and reporters as well.
"So what are they saying?" Frost asked sticking close to Bunny as he watches the curious reporters.
"Not much we didn't already know." Bunny answered "Silent alarm went off about 15 minutes ago. Center isn't due to open for a few hours so there were only a few guards inside. Heat sensors indicate there's still people inside, most likely Pitch's men as the guards are all accounted for."
"No potential hostages for Pitch then." Frost murmured, tapping his staff against the ground "Guess that's good news. When do we go in?"
"Right now." North interrupted, as Hummingbird and Sandy drew close." Hummingbird and I will take the back entrance, Bunny, you and Frost take the front, and Sandy, you come from the skylight."
Bunny groaned as Frost grinned, "Cool we're partners Bunny."
"No, I'm just keeping an eye to make sure you don't steal anything while we're in there," Bunny growled back. "Now let's move, if Pitch is paying attention at all he already knows we're coming."
With a quick nod, North headed off with Hummingbird while Sandy flew to the roof. Bunny sighed, signaling to Frost to follow him as he headed toward the entrance. He didn't even have to look to know Frost was flashing a grin at the crowd and smirking as he followed. He was looking forward to meeting up with Pitch, unleashing some copious violence, and ending the entire team-up with Jack Frost.
As they began working their way through the expo center Bunny found himself grateful that Frost was being quiet for once. Stealing a few glances Bunny watch as Frost moved, tense and alert without his usual bounce and cocksure grin. Apparently he actually took Pitch Black seriously. Maybe he wasn't completely insane.
They reached the main exhibition hall, Bunny frowned at the maze of booths and displays tensing as he smelled blood. "You know where that part is being displayed?"
"Yeah, it's the highlight of the expo so it's way at the back." Frost said, peering into some of the booths before stopping. "I see someone by the wall." Bounding off, staff at ready in case of attack.
"Frost wait!" Bunny reached out to stop the teen but just missing him. Following he saw Frost kneeling beside a slumped figure. He looked over at Bunny looking paler than normal, hands clenched tight on his staff.
"I think we found who triggered the alarm."
Bunny's eyes flicked over the fallen black-clad figure, face thankfully hidden by a mask and yellow-tinted goggles. But there was no hiding the mess of the man's throat, sliced to the bone, or the blood staining the wall and carpet.
"Looks like we did." Bunny reached out to grasp Frost's shoulder. "Come-on, North is going to want us to hit Pitch all at once to take him down."
Frost nods, "Right let's go."
They headed off again, Bunny reluctantly allowed Frost take the lead, instincts wanting him to be first in the line of fire. His ears alerted him to trouble first however as he heard several voices. He quickly reached over to pull Frost behind him as he ducked behind a booth for cover, and grabbed his communicator to tell North he had found Pitch and they were in position.
"Will you hurry up." Pitch hissed at the man working on the safe Bunny assumed held the nanotube conductor Frost talked about. "Thanks to that fool we can expect some unwelcome company soon."
"Got it boss." the man said triumphantly opening the safe's door and pulling out a small box, handing it to Pitch.
"We have to stop him." Frost whispered, half-rising from their spot.
Bunny grabbed Frost's arm, "Wait till the others are in position."
"You wait. I'm stopping Pitch and getting Carlotta back." Frost hissed back, jerking his arm away. The boy stood stepped away as he fired an ice blast at the nearest of Pitch's men. "PITCH! Give me Carlotta back!"
"North you better get here soon, Frost is being stupid." Bunny said into his comm, before stepping out and throwing a boomerang at one of thugs preparing to attack Frost. Then the room descended into the chaos of battle. Bunny lost count of the men he knocked down wondering where Pitch had been hiding all of them. Frost was still chasing after Pitch with his staff sending out blasts of ice at the dark man.
"Jack Frost? What are you doing here?"
"I told you Carlotta isn't supposed to hurt people! Give her back!"
Bunny lost sight of the two as they moved between the booths and displays. Dodging a kick from a black clad man, Bunny grabbed him by the front of his shirt pulling him close for a punch when he caught a vaguely familiar scent.
"Haven't I knocked you out already?" Bunny said as he glared at the man who just kind of shrugged at him. Bunny punched the man before dropping him. "Stay down this time. I am not in a good mood."
The man listened and stayed still Bunny caught a flash of red, gold and green that marked the arrival of the others. "What kept you?"
"Small ambush. Easily handled. Now we take care of Pitch." North chuckled casually as he backhanded a thug away.
Bunny smirked as he turned toward where Frost was still yelling at Pitch. The four of them converged behind Frost, joining him in glaring at their shared enemy.
Pitch glared right back, eyes looking over each of them, settling on Frost. "You went and joined the Guardians, Frost. I thought you were better than that."
"What did you expect me to do after you broke into my lair and stole Carlotta?" Frost replied, voice dripping with venom.
"I expected you to be smart and leave the city. It would be a shame for some-one with your potential to be lost with this doomed city." Pitch purred. "You really should come and join me Frost. We would have such fun together. And I do know how you like to have fun."
"Yeah, that is never going to happen. Your idea of fun just doesn't go with mine."
Bunny had to bite back at chuckle at the sheer amount of scorn and disgust contained in Frost's voice. He'd be lying if he tried to say the idea of Pitch and Frost teaming up didn't terrify him, but it looked like it would be a cold day in hell before that happened. North wasn't able to hold back his laughter as he placed a hand on Frost's shoulder.
"You made a big mistake Pitch. Going against the Guardians and Jack Frost." North declared. "Now surrender Pitch and end this easily."
Pitch shot a sneer at North before he leveled he gaze back at Frost. "Indeed. I should have taken the inventor along with the invention. But for now I have another appointment to attend."
Bunny felt his fur rise at that statement, throwing one of his boomerangs at Pitch as the man stepped into a shadow melting away. He heard Frost shout at the same time as he fired his own attack the wall was covered in ice. They were both a second too late, Pitch was gone.
"NO!" Frost moved to where Pitch had been, kicking at the shadow. "Damnit! He was right here! We almost had him!"
Bunny watched the minor tantrum growling to himself for a moment, wishing he could indulge in similar behavior. They had been so close to capturing Pitch. Then the implication behind Pitch's words hit him. Bunny stepped over grabbing Frost's arm and pulling him away from the shadows.
"Stay out of the dark Frost." Bunny said "Pitch can move more than himself through shadows."
Frost glared at Bunny, stepping away as he wrapped an arm defensively around his thin torso. "I know what Pitch is capable of. I don't need you telling me that, or telling me what to do."
"Enough!" Hummingbird interrupted them. "We don't have time for this. Pitch is going after the one of the lenses and we have no way of knowing which one. Now settle down the two of you."
"Hummingbird is right. Bird, you and Sandy fly to Gloss medical labs and guard the lens there. Bunny, Frost and I will take Sleigh to the university." North said quickly taking charge.
Bunny saw Hummingbird and Sandy nod before taking off. Frost nodded as well, throwing one last glare at the empty shadow.
Exiting the expo center to the flashes of camera and questions of reporters was humiliating, knowing Pitch had gotten away. Bunny was thankful they didn't have time to answer questions. North shouted to the policemen gather to go arrest the thugs they had left unconscious before the three of boarded the Sleigh and took off once again.
Bunny didn't think it was possible, but the trip to the university was even more tense. Frost was fidgeting, constantly tapping his staff against the floor. North called ahead to campus security to make it easier for them to get into the lab. Considering Pitch's words, Bunny wasn't sure if he wanted the man to show at the school or not. He did not want that man near Frost right now.
Bunny could see a few of the campus guards waiting for them as they landed. North went to speak with them, Bunny could hear them arguing to go with them into the lab. North shot that down in a hurry, before convincing them to let them in.
They reached the lab using the security card to enter. North gasped as he went in. "This cannot be."
"What's wrong North?" Bunny asked following with Frost right behind and immediately knew the answer. The lab had been ransacked. "Oh no."
Frost darted around Bunny looking over the lab and confirming what they already knew. "The lens is gone? How did Pitch get here and steal it so fast?" He looked over at Bunny looking lost and confused and Bunny wished he had an answer.
Instead he asked a question of his own, "How long will it take for Pitch to make the changes to Carlotta?"
"A couple hours, depending on how good his techs are." Frost gulped.
The lights went out.
Frost yelled, and Bunny could hear his staff clattering to the ground. Bunny reached out to grab Frost, or strike whoever was attacking. He felt his paws grasp the hem of Frost's cape which fluttered into his hands with no resistance.
North finally pulled an electric lamp from his utility belt illuminating the room. Bunny looked at the blue hooded cape in his hand then to the floor where Jack's staff and belt laid. Bunny felt his stomach twisting into knots. Pitch now had Carlotta, the parts and Jack Frost.
"Bloody HELL!"