30. Stone Golem part 2

I walked up a few ledges of rock and sawgrass clumps and ascended to the paved lot right in front of the garage door at the base of the Tower. I joined the already-gathered assembly of Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Robin as they stared up a the nearby sky. I joined their gaze with mine as the hovercraft gradually lowered to a hovering standstill a dozen safe meters away. Artificial wind kicked at our hair as the jets flared off one last time, making sure the hulking vehicle landed safely. Soon after, the cockpit 'window' lifted like half of a lid and a dark-skinned gentleman in his mid forties smiled over and gave a thumb's up. He was wearing sunglasses and had a smile to die for.

"Have to park in style, don't ya?!?!" Cyborg smiled and shouted above the noise to his uncle.

"That's not the half of it!!" the man shouted back. His voice was surprisingly youthful. He raised a finger and cackled: "Watch!!!" With that said, the jets retracted, the vehicle settled, and—with a loud whirring sound—a set of wheels popped down into existence and filled the space between the hovercraft and the ground. Before our eyes, the hovercraft morphed like some corny G.I. Joe toy from an airborne craft to a sports car, which revved its engines and ambled on towards us for a few seconds before parking and cutting off its engines.

A tall, lean man stepped out of his craft, switched the security system on with a click of a remote, and smiled at us.

Beast Boy smirked at me and said with the covert curve of a hand beside his lips: "I wonder if they're related…"

I sniffed out a chuckle.

"Got a license for that piece of junk?" Cyborg said with his hands on his hips.

"Depends. You're gonna arrest me if I don't?" Simon Stone replied.

Cyborg chuckled, walked forward, and greeted the man with a handshake. "Welcome to the Titans' Tower, old man."

Simon transformed the handshake into a hug enjoyed by all. "It's great to be here. And I didn't mind the trip." He patted Cyborg on the back of the shoulder and parted the hug. "STAR Labs can get so cramped at times. I swear, I should have chosen a field study in botany or something."

"Our family was never blessed with a green thumb," Cyborg stated. "The paths we chose are the paths we were destined."

The Uncle nodded. "Indeed." He looked up at the Tower. "Well…the place is still looking in good shape. Gotta hand it to you there, Vic."

Beast Boy made a face. "Vic??"

Robin cleared his throat.

"Um….," Cyborg sweatdropped and leaned into his Uncle's ear. "Call me Cyborg, old man. It'd be most appreciated."

"Ahhhh…..," the gentleman nodded. "I see…."

"Victor?!?!" Beast Boy cackled.

Cyborg glared back at him and then smiled at his Uncle. "Come on! I'll show you around the place!"

"Well, I don't know," the man said politely. "I wouldn't want to break any other 'rules of superheroism' or something."

Robin stepped up. "I'm sure that wouldn't be a problem," the team leader said and extended a hand upward. "I'm Robin. It's a pleasure to meet someone so close to one of my valued partners. Feel free to take as much of a tour of this place as you like."

"The Boy Wonder…," Simon Stone smiled and shook his gloved hand. "I've heard lots about you…even during your Gotham days."

"All in the past. I assure you."

"You're about as short as I imagined too."

"Yo!!" Cyborg nudged his uncle. "What's that for?!"

The old man chuckled, "Can't help myself!"

Beast Boy giggled.

Robin sighed and managed a smile. "I get that a lot."

Simon looked over, and walked towards Beast Boy. "And this is the changeling."

"Beast Boy at your service," the green elf bowed. "Think I can borrow your vehicle to go cruising for chicks sometime before you go?"

"Think you can get a license first?" the old man smirked.

"Cy!! He's as cynical as you are!"

"Don't bet on it," the android winked.

The old man chuckled then looked at me.

I politely smiled and nodded my head.

"I'm afraid I haven't heard much about this one," Simon thought aloud. He extended a hand towards me to shake, "Oh! But of course! You're the new fellow with the sword. Pleasure to meet you."

I shook his hand and continued smiling.

"If I'm not mistaken, the papers and media had a hayday in making you look scary. But in person, all you've got is just a lot of long hair."

I raised an eyebrow from under my shades.

"Don't mind him," Cyborg stepped in and said to me. "My Uncle knew a lot of hippies in his day."

I mouthed a silent 'oh'.

"I might as well get this over with," Robin cleared his throat. "Noir is unable to speak verbally. I don't know what the media said about that, and frankly I don't care. He's as much a Titan as any one of us."

"Okay, Robin," Beast Boy rolled his eyes. "Rather quick on the draw there, don't you say?"

"What? I was only trying to—"

"No explanations needed, Mr. Robin," Simon said then looked again at me. "For every gap there is a bridge."

And the old man gestured to me: 'The bird is one who loves to peck, no?'

I brought a hand over my mouth to keep from smiling.

Robin's eyemask furrowed. "What?"

Cyborg cleared his throat and smirked. "Nothing, 'leader'. Absolutely nothing."

The Boy Wonder folded his arms and glared.

"We should get to know each other some time," Simon said to me. "I taught Vi—er, Cyborg here all he knows about sign language. I bet the two of you have carried on interesting conversations."

"He knows more than you give him credit, old man," Cyborg said. The then tugged on the gentleman's shoulder and led him towards the Tower itself. "Come on! I'll let you see the place! It's been a long time since your visit to the construction site with dad!"

"Cyborg, you were too young to remember that!"

"Well, I have pictures. And all the digitally accurate circuitry regarding the event that I could ask for!"

"You are a remarkable creature indeed. It's great to be related to you."

"Great to share the same blood with you too….blah blah blah….stop squawking and come on!!"

"A-Alright! Heheheh…just someone keep a watch on my hovercraft."

"Don't you worry about that…"

The two wandered off.

Beast Boy grinned at me. "I'm dying to see where this is going." He turned into a cheetah and went into pursuit.

I glanced at Robn.

"As much as I'd love to be a part of it," he said, "…I've still got to study up on the computer system and figure out why the power went out last night."

I gave him a thumb's up for his diligence and watched him walk off towards the entrance.

I was tempted to take a close look at Simon Stone's vehicle. I suppose it was the boy in me.

But as I turned around, the boy in me got cornered.

"He's definitely a lot like Cyborg," Raven said, having ascended from her area of meditation. "Open, socially tactless, and has a penchant for loud automobiles."

I rolled my eyes and smirked at her.

She saw it. "Noir….," she slowly turned to face me completely. "One of these days you're gonna realize—just like the rest of the Titans have—that I have an unnaturally accurate knack for seeing things in people. And in that man I see something beyond a stereotypical clone of Cyborg in older, more fleshy form. Whatever it is I see—though I can't put my finger on it---unsettles me."

I performed a mock gasp as if to exclaim: 'Oh my god! Raven boasted about something!'

Raven glared at me. Eventually she sighed and said: "The most frustrating thing about you, Noir, is that even now you're a mystery to me."

I smirked.

I'll take that as a compliment.

"But don't take that as a compliment."

Damn.

-T-T-T-T-T-T-

SCHLUNK!!!

"…and this…is our base of operations! This is where we bring up all criminal reports, locate current points of emergency within the City, and communicate with local authorities."

"Also a great entertainment system for the latest Playstation 2 releases," Simon Stone smirked.

"Huh?" Cyborg glanced over and frowned. "Yo! BB! I said hold off on that!!"

Beast Boy hammered away at a fighting game on the huge t.v. screen. "Sorry! I couldn't help myself! I got a new Action Replay disc and just had to try it out!!"

Cyborg sweatdropped and scratched his neck. "Um….he's not in charge of answering emergency alarms…"

"Yes, I suppose not," Simon said. "Now, are there actually any females in this Tower of yours? Or is this a gentleman's club of some sort?"

"Ummmmm," Cyborg blinked then scanned the Main Room. He smirked: "Why, there's such a creature now. Hey! Star!"

Starfire stood in the kitchen, humming quaintly to herself and working on a bowl of…….something extraterrestrial.

"Starfire!"

"Huh?" the girl looked up. She smiled, "Oh, glorious! The reunion has begun!" She blushed and hurried along in her cooking. "I must apologize for my tardy appearance in greeting your long lost relative, Cyborg. I was busy preparing a feast for such an occasion! Tamaranian Egg Stew!"

Cyborg bit his lip and waved, "I-I'm sure that's not necessary, Star. I actually love my Uncle and would prefer that he left with his stomach in tact and—"

"Eggs? I love eggs!" Simon stepped up to the kitchen counter. "Mind if taste a sample?"

"N-N-No!! Don't do it!!" Cyborg emphatically exclaimed.

Beast Boy froze in mid game and looked over.

Starfire beamed, her green eyes sparkling. "You mean it?"

"Certainly. Hand me a spoon."

She did so, dipping it into the viscous mystery quaff, and handed a mouthful to Simon. "Do be kind. I have not yet added the Blorgik stomach fluid, which makes the dish twice as palatable on my home planet."

To the boys' horror, Simon greedily swallowed a lump of the stuff, swallowed, and thought aloud: "Hmmmm….could use some salt or something, yes. But sure beats home-made chilly where I'm from."

"Chilly?"

"Mexican dish, ma'am."

"Oh, rapture!" Starfire giggled. "Thank you for your heartfelt critique! I am most complimented to know that my interstellar dish rivals that of the Yucatan Peninsula!"

Cyborg whimpered: "I've never liked Mexican…"

"So…," Simon leaned forward. "Are you really an alien?"

Starfire looked down at her cooking. "Well….yes. Are you really an earthling?"

"Don't mind me," the Uncle smirked. "In the last ten years or so—starting with Superman and stuff—aliens have become a fascinating new culture on our world. I'm happy that we've learned to embrace your kind so easily. Our planet could do with more beings of your…..beauty."

Starfire blushed. "W-Well…..hehehehehe….it comes with being foreign to Terra Firma….I-I suppose…."

"Stating the obvious…," Simon stated. "Innocence and culture shock mixed into one. You are one intriguing creature, StarfFox."

"Starfire," the girl corrected with even a bigger blush. "That is my code name."

"My apologies, dear. It was a mistake that I assure you will never happen again."

Cyborg stepped in between the two. "Ahem. Uncle. My man. Heheheheh…….um…..I think it's about time I showed you my Baby."

Beast Boy smirked at his game. "Here it comes."

Simon's eyebrow raised. "Your Baby?" A pause. "Is Starfire here the lucky girl?"

She again giggled and blushed.

Cyborg put his hands on his hips. "Keep your hormones at bay, old man. Lemme show you what I'm talking about. You'll practically kill me with envy!"

"I can't wait…," the Uncle smirked.

-T-T-T-T-T-T-

"Oh….my….tap dancing….Lord…."

Cyborg smirked. "Ain't she a beauty?"

Simon Stone stumbled across the length of the garage and met the T-Car in the middle. He about drooled all over her exquisitely smooth exterior.

"It's….I-It's like an extension of you!"

"Nowhere near as durable, of course," Cyborg winked a human eye and gestured over. "Come on…I'll let you sit inside her."

He opened the driver's seat for his uncle and got into the passenger side himself. Both inside the car, the android decided to show off its many features.

"Nitro, evasive devices such as smoke screen and oil slicks, an ejector's seat, frontal shielding, water-tight environmental conversion…."

"Did you build a car or a tank?"

"This is no ordinary automobile," Cyborg smiled. "It's the main form of land transportation for the Titans! It gets us the power and push necessary to chase down the most violent of criminals, and yet at the same time fits in a drive thru. Oh, and it's got a five disc CD changer as well."

Simon chuckled and patted his nephew's shoulder. "Always a knack for the creatively subtle. You are much like your father. When it comes to the good things, that is."

"Yeah….so I hear," Cyborg replied, his gaze trailing.

A pause.

"You know," Simon smirked and leaned back in the driver's seat. "Your father did have a lot of good qualities, Victor. And you inherited every one of them. You're a true Stone to the very core of your being. Beneath both blood and circuitry, you were made for a purpose."

"I wish I could see it that way, old man…," Cyborg leaned forward, his muscularly titanium arms resting against the dashboard. "Life has seemed to be nothing more than twisting fate. It's fate that ended my mother's life. As well as brought me to this point in life."

Simon was quiet. Eventually he said the inevitable: "It wasn't fate alone that made you who you are---"

Cybog jerked to face Simon. "Don't say that, Simon," he glared. "You know what it means when you say that."

"Care to reeducate me?" Simon retorted, his arms crossed.

"I became who I was for the same reason that my mother died," Cyborg said. He sighed. "And behind both reasons….there's my father."

"People make mistakes, Victor. Even fatal ones."

"My father was not a man of making and accepting mistakes. He was a man of careful planning and humane experimentation. And as far as I'm concerned…," he frowned at his uncle, "…the man who was once my father 'died' on that fateful afternoon in STAR Labs. He died before my mother's last breath. And he died long before the last fusing of circuitry to blood vessel was complete in my new shell of a body."

"He saved your life, Victor," Simon said. "And I helped him."

"As far as I'm concerned, old man," Cyborg sighed and leaned back. "It was all you. You hear me? It was all you."

Silence.

"I would have thought you'd changed, Victor."

Cyborg glanced at him.

Simon was unwavering. "After all these months. These costumed charades with the Titans. The ever-distracting 'task' of crime fighting. I thought you would have changed your perspective. I thought the experiences you've gained would have matured you faster for your own good…so that you would realize that your father was sorry for what happened. He took the shame of his misfortunes with him to the deathbed. I know, Victor. I know because I was there when he died. I think at the time, you were still too angry with him to even visit him for his passing…"

Cyborg's fists clenched. "Is this all you came here to do?! Make me feel bad for a dead fool's irresponsibility? Look, you try being a freakshow twenty four hours a day! You try being turned down from every American institution because nobody can officially declare you a 'human being' anymore! Just see how warm-hearted you feel. Simon…he took my mother from me…and my life from me. That never settles well with a person. Never. You talk as if you were here for me from the beginning. You were only there for the 'new' me, Simon. You may be my father's brother. But that's as close to me as you'll ever get."

Simon's face was full of a sorrowful sort of compassion as he sighed deeply and said: "If only you knew…how wrong you are…"

Cyborg looked at him. His glare left. He exhaled and looked out the window into the garage.

A beat.

"I can tell things are still too sensitive to change," Simon said. He fumbled for the door handle. "If you want I'll be on my way—"

"No…..n-no, Simon. Please….you can stay. It's just that…."

"What, Victor?"

"I don't hate you, Simon. You keep trying to make me change. Each time you visit, it's the same thing. I wish you realized that I already have changed. I'm no longer the hateful, angsty teenager lost in a metal body like I once was. I've found a purpose. A reason for living in a world that can't define me!"

"….the Titans."

"I know you think it's just a passing fad and crap. But after you've fought for your very life alongside these heroes….you can't go back. Going back would mean de-evolving, in a sense. Becoming less of a person than you've already grown to be. I've changed, Simon. I've changed for the better, and in that sense I've grown. And you—of all people—should know what the doctors and physicians and even my father said about my likelihood of ever 'growing' out of this infernal shell."

Simon chuckled. "They said it was impossible. Against all laws of nature. That the cybernetics would inhibit any possible form of maturation in your person. Of course they were speaking in the physical sense, but—"

"But they were wrong." Cyborg smiled. "And I'm mature enough now to declare that without any qualms or misgivings." A pause. He sighed. "I'm trying, Simon. I'm trying to hate my dad less. I feel bad that he left without us being on good terms. I do. But…things like that need a lifetime to heal. Not a few years. So please….please stop trying to rush me. You have my eternal respect, Simon. If that means anything. You really do."

Simon smiled. He patted Cyborg's titanium shoulder. "I've always thought of you as a son, Victor."

The android smiled.

"You and I….," Simon continued, "…we're all we have left, Victor. We're the last of the Stones. We're the last of….the family."

Cyborg gripped Simon's hand. "And if all else fails…we'll end it with a bang."

"Hell yeah!"

"Boo yah!"

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

"Heheheheheh…"

-T-T-T-T-T-T-

I ducked my head into the computer room.

Robin sat at the console with its line of multiple monitors. He squinted at the screens and typed every now and then a string of digits. He was busy at work with the backup data and seemed completely engrossed in the matter.

I turned around and was about to leave when he said without looking: "Step on in, Noir. It's allright."

Shrugging it all off, I walked inside and stood patiently behind him.

The Boy Wonder sighed amidst his flurry of typing. "Here we have the grayer side of crime fighting," he mumbled. "The monotony….the monotony…the monotony…" He finished one string of typing, cracked his neck, and swiveled around to face me. "You wouldn't happen to have some caffeine on you, by chance?"

I simpered and shook my head.

"Lame attempt at a joke," he apologize and faced the computer once more with a slump. "Uggggh…why can't I just say it was 'all the thunderstorm'."

I raised an eyebrow.

"The power outage," he exclaimed. "It doesn't show any signs of a complete shutdown. The data here is severed in such a way that it's far too complex for a lightning strike. Even if both the reserves and the regular power banks were brought down. I've been spending hours hypothesizing and testing avenues of possibility. And I've narrowed the situation down to three possible things.

I listened.

"Number one," he said, rubbing his eyes through the mask. "There was an overload in the power banks that actually caused the rupture in electricity to degrade over time, while keeping the illusion of an instantaneous shutdown."

I nodded, dazedly.

"Number two, some third party hacked into the Tower's mainframe and shut it down from a remote location."

I winced.

"Number three, blame it all on Raven's powers."

I wanted to giggle.

"So far…," Robin spoke, "…the first one gives me the headache, the second one scares me, and the third one scares me even more." He glanced over at me. "Want to be the one to ask her if she skipped meditating for a day?"

I vehemently shook my head 'no'.

"Me neither." He yawned, stretched, and sighed. "I almost wish Cyborg wasn't too busy showing his uncle around. He could really help out here." A pause. "Heck, his uncle too. I bet he's pretty gifted on this subject."

A beat.

"Am I boring you, Noir?"

A beat.

"Noir?" he turned around.

-T-T-T-T-T-T-

I stepped into my cellar room and relaxed in its entrancing blackness. I took my shades off, rubbed my onyx eyes, and rested Myrkblade on the mantle. I was beginning to think a relaxing shower would do me good when—out of the blue—there was a knock on my door.

I turned to face it and signed: 'Come in'.

A beat.

I smacked myself in the head. I walked over and opened the door to greet--

"Hey there, Noir," Cyborg spoke. "Do you have a minute?"

I blinked at him. I nodded with a gentle smile and let him in.

He leaned against the foot of my bed and folded his arms. His eyes gazed beyond the floor.

I looked at him, concerned, and gestured: 'What's up?'

"I'm….taking a break from showing my Uncle around," he said. "He's upstairs in the meeting room. Probably eating more of Starfire's crap..or getting on Beast Boy's bad side, if he's anything like me. Heh."

I stared at him.

He looked up to face me. He took a breath and then asked, "Noir…do I seem….the angry type?"

Hoo boy……how do I answer that?

I simpered and fumbled for a response.

"Be honest."

Okay……

I gestured a reply.

Cyborg chuckled. "Yeah…I suppose I only have myself to blame for that."

I cocked my head to the side.

"My father…he was a well-respected man," Cyborg explained. "From his induction into STAR Labs, the construction of this Tower, his expertise in cybernetics…" the android sighed, "…he became a god in the world of science. It's only natural he expected the same for me when I'd grow up. But before I got big enough for all that…the worst thing happened. My mother she….she….."

He was silent.

I waited patiently.

"It was all an accident. And I know it," Cyborg huffed. "Just…so tragic. So careless." He looked over my way. "One of my dad's experiments was with transdimensional teleportation. One day, he succeeded in opening up a portal. And that one day, the portal gave way to a hideous extraterrestrial who launched upon the first organism it saw inside the laboratory. My mother—who was visiting that day—was such a victim. I followed second. I had been there that day too. Scientists managed to ward the creature off, but the damage had been done. My mother died shortly after. And I…well, what was left of me got salvaged into this golem you see here," he held up a titanium arm. "Screw the days of my athleticism and science dreams. I had become a mean machine. And it was all thanks to my father. He was saving my life, or so he says. I can't help but think I was just another experiment to him. After all that his work had done to destroy my mother and ruin my existence…he had to extend himself through me again. With nuts and bolts. So I….I…..I grew angry at him. And I distanced myself from him, even when bad health took his life a year after. I only had my Uncle to tell me the old man's fate. My Uncle was also there for my reconstruction. So, naturally, I switched my respect of my father to a respect of old Simon. And everything seemed fine. But, like an old ghost, Simon is always haunting me every now and then with memories I'd rather not have. And…..well….it can really consume one's mind after too much exposure, you know what I mean, man?"

I nodded slowly.

Saying nothing….

Cyborg rubbed his fleshly temple with two fingers. "Jeez….I don't know why I'm telling you allt his. I know I'm probably breaking a whole motherload of rules that Robin has laid out with that nutty 'Confidentiality Agreement' of his. But…telling you won't be of much harm. Would it?"

I smirked and gestured: 'No.'

If only he knew he wasn't the first.

Garfield………

"Noir, I'd like to show you something."

I snapped out of it and pointed to myself.

"Yes, you, punk!" he smirked, nudged my shoulder, and headed for the door. "Grab your shades, man."

I nervously complied.

-T-T-T-T-T-T-

The automatic doors to one of the Tower's laboratories opened.

Cyborg led the way while I awkwardly followed.

I recognized the room as where Cyborg chose to 'sleep' at night. He had a medical table to the far side where he linked up to power cells and rested for the evening.

He walked towards the far side of the room—at a titanium console—and imputed something into a keyboard.

There was a hiss, and a hole opened up in the floor at the center of the room.

I watched with curiosity as a cylinder arose with a glass case atop it. Inside the case was a 'T' shaped electrical device of sorts. It looked like an awkward combination of a taser or an electric plug.

I scratched my head and looked up at Cyborg for an answer.

"I've only shown this thing to Robin before now…," he said. "Robin is the team leader. And for that, I must respect him with the knowledge of this thing." He tapped a button. The glass case opened up. He grabbed the plug device and held it out to me. "Go ahead. Just hold it. It'll be allright."

I reluctantly did so. The object was heavier than it looked. Whatever it was, it had to pack quite a punch. I lifted it up and down in my grasp, feeling its weight. Testing it out. I glanced back up at Cyborg.

"That, Noir," he pointed, "…is my Destabilizer."

I raised an eyebrow.

He firmly explained: "It's what anyone would use to shut me down with a push of a button."

I had the sudden impulse to drop it and smash it into bits with Myrkblade. Twitched as I did, I managed to keep it in my grasp. Maybe it's a good thing I had left my weapon downstairs on the mantle.

"Don't be so shocked, Noir," Cyborg said. "It's for emergency use only. As much as I don't want to admit…I'm not all flesh and blood. And because of that, I'm much more susceptible to foreign control than anyone else in this Tower."

I swallowed and nervously looked up at him.

"It's true," he nodded. "And because of that truth, I have that thing. If ever a bad person manages to hack into my system and use me for bad…I want the Titans to take advantage of this thing. The cylinder that holds it is programmed to pop up out of the floor like this whenever my neurological frequencies change dramatically enough to signify takeover. In such a situation, I could be very….very dangerous." He reached out to take the device back.

I gladly handed it back to him.

As he put it away and retraced the cylinder back into the floor, he spoke to me: "I've shared this secret with Robin because he's the team leader. And I respect whatever initiative he might take to use this thing if the worst stuff happens. I've shared it with you, Noir, because I've come to trust you."

I looked at him in awe.

"I trust you because you trusted me," he said. "I knew you didn't want to leave the Tower when you first ran into us. I knew you didn't want to be on your own again. You gave me the chance to talk you into our flock instead of giving us the cold shoulder, Noir. And that was what it took to make me believe in you. To make me understand you weren't just one of those two-bit, rogue superheroes out there with nothing to do but make infrequent cameos and scare the living crap out of enemies and allies alike." He walked over and put a hand on my shoulder, "You humbled yourself to us. And I've not seen any greater reception to the cause of being a Titan. Not even among the others."

I swallowed and bowed my head ever so slightly.

He smirked, "You're a close friend to me, Noir." His face turned solemn. "Do me the favor of using that thing if you have to."

I politely nodded. And in so doing, I made a promise.

Suddenly, lights flashed. Sirens went off.

The two of us jumped. We looked all around.

Cyborg dashed over to an intercom. "Robin?! What's going on?!"

"Come up to the Main Room! Quick!"

I was already rushing out the door as Cyborg joined me.

-T-T-T-T-T-T-

"How exciting," Simon remarked smirkingly under the blaring alarm. "Is this what you Titans have to look forward to every week?"

Raven walked into the room, glaring. "Hardly…"

Cyborg and I entered.

"What's up?!" the android asked.

"Newcomers," Robin said, standing in front of a monitor showing maps and schematics. "Two of them. And these thugs appear to have superpowers."

"Of what kind?" Starfire inquired.

"Not sure yet," Robin remarked. "All I know is, two cars and a bus have exploded in their wake, and now they're holding hostages at a bank in downtown's Central District. I'll have their profiles downloaded before we get to the scene of the crime, but we've got to move now."

"What about him?" Beast Boy gestured at Cyborg's uncle.

"I'll sit tight," Simon smiled at his nephew. "This is your life, after all."

The android smirked.

"Titans! Move!" Robin dashed for the corridor with the pole.

Cyborg grabbed Raven's shoulder, "Shall we dance?"

"Pfft…why not."

"I'm getting a strange feeling of déjà vu!" Beast Boy said before flying out the window in albatross form.

Starfire stood at an open window and blinked at me. "Who's this 'Déjà Vu'?"

I smiled and waved her along.

She flew off with a green streak.

I made away for the stairwell to blur down to ground level and speed to the scene---but paused. I looked over at Simon.

The man stood by the monitors with his arms crossed. "I'll hold the fort here. Don't you have butt to kick?"

I gave him a thumb's up and took off.

Okay……maybe the two are slightly alike…