41. Silence is Crimson part 3

The lab's medical bed besides Starfire's pivoted up. Beast Boy and Speedy helped a sighing, drained Cyborg rest against the platform.

Robin pressed a switch.

The bed lowered with a whir till Cyborg stared at the ceiling. Clamps closed around his limbs and held him steady as a network of wires snaked in and attached to various parts of his titanium exoskeleton.

"How's that, Cy?" Beast Boy smiled hopefully.

"Not….quite….," Cyborg mumbled. His human eye wandered over in Robin's direction. "Press the….blue switch…."

The Boy Wonder did so.

The walls of the laboratory lit up. The computers hummed to a higher factor of performance.

Cyborg's human eyelid lowered and his red optic faded to a deep, electric blue. His body glowed and then the monitor across the way from him and Starfire blipped to life, showing a frequency line that vibrated like an EKG.

"Ah yeah!" Cyborg's voice electronically emanated from the walls. "Now that's what I'm talking about!" the monitors flickered and flashed in cadence with his transient voice. "I can rest easy here while my nanoprobes repair the damage made to my power banks!"

"So you'll be…….okay?" Speedy asked, making a face.

"As snug as a bug!"

"Man…," Beast Boy scratched his neck. "It creeps me out that you can do this, Cy."

"Hey…this Tower was built by Stones too, ya know!" the walls spoke. "It's as much a part of me as that rust bucket you see lying on the table there!"

"Well then…," Robin winced and shuffled his bandaged shoulder. "…I'm glad to hear you're so happy."

"I'm fit Robin," Cyborg's voice said. "Not necessarily happy."

Beast Boy stared down at the floor.

"Let's go meet with Raven and Noir," Robin said to Speedy and B.B. He faced the computers. "Care to 'follow' us to the Main Room?"

"I don't see why not. I'm not letting this creep get away with all his atrocities. And I just bet you're onto something, aren't you, Robin?"

"Don't know yet…," the Boy Wonder muttered. "That's why I want to talk to Raven and Noir first."

"Communal detective," Speedy winked from under his mask.

Robin glared at him.

Speedy smirked.

Robin looked at Starfire.

The alien girl slept soundly.

"Don't worry, Robin," Cyborg's voice said. "I'll look after her."

"Didn't even need to ask….," Robin muttered and headed out the door with Speedy and the changeling in tow.

"I've heard of a 'housesitter' before….," Beast Boy mumbled, "….but this is ridiculous!"

"I heard that!"

"Crikey! You can hear everything! Shut up!!"

"Ha ha ha!"

Starfire slept still.

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

"Nineteen deaths….," Raven spoke as she spun a pair of inviso-gloves in her grasp. "All in a span of forty-eight hours……..what a massacre…."

I surfed the Internet on a computer station across the Main Room. I glanced over a news site that listed headlines of the horrific findings throughout the city—but chiefly the prison's West Wing. I took a deep sigh and glanced at her through my shades.

The blue maiden looked up. "I often wonder….what emotions spawn homicide to manifest itself in the hearts of fools and villains. All my life, I've valued the repression of desires and personalities that threaten to hurt me and those I'm around. I would like to think I've done well in maintaining peace and prosperity in spite of my many, carnal urges. So many hours a day spent in meditation…the careful control of thought and consciousness. I have invested so much of my life into a sort of mental security. When I see maniacs like this ghostly man shedding blood relentlessly….it makes me sick. It is a waste of not only spirit…but also principal and social ethic. Common decency is raped in the need of personal gain—or just plain lust."

A pause.

"It almost summons up the very same flare of anger I fight to suppress…," she mumbled.

I stared back at the computer. Try as I might, I could never begin to understand the restraint Raven had to practice. So why begin to try?

All I could do was listen. And that was fine for Raven—a girl who could only speculate, and never take part in the feelings of hurt and hatred forbidden of her.

"What's taking them so long?" Raven muttered, looking at the doors.

I shrugged blindly.

"I swear…ever since Speedy paid his visit…," Raven droned, "…the boys have been more….boyish."

I smirked at her. I cupped my hands together and did a girlish expression.

"Starfire?" Raven blinked at me. "What about her?"

I gestured towards the dark girl.

"No, I don't miss her," Raven said.

I stared at her.

"Um….th-that is what you insinuated, right?"

I folded my arms and smiled.

Raven huffed. She stood up and firmly turned around. "I need tea." She shuffled off towards the kitchen area. "Now."

I exhaled and turned back to the face the computer---and was shocked to see a sudden IM Window open and glaring at me.

XraverGreen: Why's it always the dark gals that are most attractive?

I raised an eyebrow.

I looked around me. Through the darklit windows of night. Behind me at Raven. Back at the computer.

The screen name had typed and sent me a brand new line in the IM window.

XraverGreen: Oh, I see, you're not one to like being teased.

I cleared my throat, cracked my knuckles, and typed a reply. I hesitated momentarily before hitting 'send'.

-CLICK-

SpSquirrel: Do I know you?

Silence.

Faintly, I heard Raven behind me pouring herself a pitcher of tea.

Then…

XraverGreen: 'Squirrel'?? What a goofy name for you, Noir.

I couldn't help it. My heart jumped. I sweated—rather spooked—and typed a little to hastily:

SpSquirrel: Huh?


XraverGreen: Don't be alarmed, Noir. I've gotten closer to you than the Internet. And you know it, too.

My jaw dropped slightly.

I thought for a while….then typed:

SpSquirrel: Is this the Messenger?

Silence.

I leaned forward and stared at the screen through my shades.

Then….

XraverGreen: I am your friend, Noir. No matter the name. Now answer me this, are you scared?

I replied.

SpSquirrel: Should I be?

XraverGreen: Maybe. Maybe not. There is cause for concern lately, but you don't need me to tell you that.

I bit my lip.

I took a deep breath and typed:

SpSquirrel: What do you know about the assassin?XraverGreen: I know he's a snake in urban grass.

SpSquirrel: He's involved in marijuana shipment?

XraverGreen: lol! Gawd! Can't you take things figuratively?

I frowned.

SpSquirrel: Either say what you have to say or stop wasting my time.

XraverGreen: Okay! Okay! Sheesh, you're more grouchy than I imagined.

………

XraverGreen: Do you believe that crimefighting is a war in and of itself, Noir?

SpSquirrel: Yes.

XraverGreen: And does war have its casualties?

I rubbed my chin in thought.

I waited.

I sighed and typed:

SpSquirrel: Yes.XraverGreen: Then it is so. I am regretful of the loss you and the Titans have encountered. And yet, I am thankful and proud for your heroic efforts.

SpSquirrel: You're not answering my question.

XraverGreen: So greedy! To be honest, I wish I knew your assassin. He'd do a good job of scaring off trick-or-treaters while I'm reading comic books in the living room.

I grumbled.

XraverGreen: But it's hard to know a man who's invisible unless you had a big enough net.

I lifted an eyebrow from under my shades.

XraverGreen: Remember how I asked you to think figuratively? Well, imagine the City as one huge pool. The pool is full of leaves from the tree overhead. But it's a special tree, and every now and then a clear leaf falls into the waters. It's the job of you and your teammates to scoop the leaves out with the pool net. But how can you find one tiny, clear leaf on the surface of such a huge basin of water?

SpSquirrel: How??

A pause.

I felt my own heartbeat.

XraverGreen: Answer. You make waves. Eventually, the leaf will be shaken into your net.

I cocked my head to the side.

XraverGreen: Noir? Cat got your tongue?

I was about to type a response when the elevator doors behind me opened.

"Finally," Raven said between sipping tea. "Let's get this meeting over with. We have a killer to catch up with."

I looked back and saw Robin, Beast Boy, and Speedy walk in.

"Calm down, Raven," Beast Boy said. "We'll kick some butt eventually."

"Give us a break!" Speedy remarked. "We trudged through blood, fire, and sewage to get where we are now."

"And just where are we now?" Raven glared.

Speedy and Beast Boy blushed.

Robin gritted his teeth: "Ever a step closer." He headed towards me and the computer.

I turned around. I did a double-take.

The Messenger had left a few parting lines.

XraverGreen: It's been a pleasure 'talking' to you, Noir.

XraverGreen: If you want my advice…the next time Raven needs some tea, pour it for her.

XraverGreen: Peace out.

XraverGreen has signed off

A chill ran down my spine. I quickly closed the windows.

"Mind if I take over, Noir?"

I gestured: 'By all means.'

I stood up and offered Robin the chair.

He hopped in and typed furiously.

A subprogram popped up.

He clicked on something and the mainframes circling the Main Room lit up with blue intensity.

"How's that, Cyborg?" Robin spoke into the air.

I jumped—startled—as Cyborg's voice boomed down from the intercoms.

"Just nice, Robin! I can listen in on everything here."

"Why so shaky, Noir?" Beast Boy smiled, his arms folded.

"I think he's getting used to it…," Raven said, sipping at her tea.

"Sorry to scare you, buddy!"

I simpered.

"Okay, Raven," Robin spun in his chair and looked at her. "Let's start with you. What did you and Noir find?"

She gulped down some tea, swallowed, and spoke: "Plenty. Not only did the trip to the Crystal Palace confirm my suspicions about the circulation of Anderson's weaponry, it also shed light on the assassination attempt by that deranged sniper at the field day charity event."

"Oh yeah….," Speedy smirked. "When Robin and I nearly lost our heads."

Beast Boy glared. "In more contexts than one…"

"And then we found those," Raven pointed.

I walked over and held up a pair of thick, black gloves.

"Try them on, Noir," Raven said.

I nodded.

I slipped them on…then flicked my wrists.

Sparks danced down my body and limbs as I turned invisible.

Speedy and Robin gasped.

A security camera on the ceiling panned over to look at my ghostly figure and Cyborg also added: "Ooooh…now that's snazzy!"

I slipped the gloves off and reappeared as Beast Boy spoke:

"How're we sure Noir's not just turning into cloaked mode himself?"

"You give it a try, then," Raven said.

I smirked and tossed the changeling the gloves.

He snatched them and slipped them on.

With a dance of sparks, he was invisible. "Duuuude! Sweet!"

"Over your paws, perhaps," Raven said stoically. "But in the hands of our target---or any other individual getting ahold of the late Anderson's stash—it is a most deadly tool."

"How'd you go about acquiring them?" Robin asked.

"We found and interrogated one of the purchasers of the missing items at the warehouse," Raven said.

"And he just gave these things away?" Robin remarked. "And info too?"

"I was……most convincing," she said.

Robin's eyemask squinted at her.

She smirked ever so slightly.

"Hey! Guys!!" a ghostly Beast Boy invisibly chanted. "Guess which animal I am!"

"A rat…," Cyborg's voice muttered. "Now take those things off and let Raven finish what she has to share."

The gloves fell to the ground as a green rodent perched on the table and morphed into a pouting Beast Boy. "Spoilsport…"

"You said you went to an accomplice's apartment and found another murder…," Robin spoke to Raven. "What did you discover from that?"

"It's hard to say," Raven said. "The video of the man's last few minutes of living is quite……revealing. But it only makes things all the more confusing. Schauer kept speaking of a 'Balance of Morals' and a 'Grand Experiment'." A pause. "He mentioned 'Dagger' a lot…an individual in the crime circles that he evidently worked for. When the assassin appeared and finished him off, Schauer seemed to expect him. Though, he didn't know who the assassin worked for. He suspected Slade or Luthor."

"How deep the rabbit hole goes…," Cyborg's voice muttered electronically.

"Okay, dude. That's. Really. CREEPY!' Beast Boy cackled.

Speedy snickered.

"So, the assassin got the gloves from Schauer…," Robin spoke. "Somehow…I don't think Schauer was the only one expecting things to happen as they did."

Raven nodded. "The assassin had to have been onto him from the start."

"How old is the tape?"

"From the date on the recording—and the state of Schauer's decaying body, I'd say three and a half days at least."

"It's what the assassin needed to commit his murders…," Robin mumbled. "He's already as silent as death. He needed to become as unseen as death too."

"There's something worth mentioning….," Raven droned on. "…when the assassin appeared, there was a voice. Most likely, the assassin had an accomplice."

"Someone who could speak for him?"

"Yes," Raven nodded. "Since our enemy is apparently mute."

I blinked under my shades.

She glanced subconsciously at me and continued, unabashed. "Whoever spoke…his or her voice was somehow distorted. Like it was spoken through some sort of electronic filter."

"Creepy….," Beast Boy shivered. "Almost creepier than Cyborg right now…."

"I see green peeeeeeople….""KNOCK IT OFF!"

"Heheheh!!"

Robin glared at the computers. "Are you done?"

"I'm listening…"

Robin folded his arms and looked at Raven. "Schauer was working for 'Dagger', right?"

"Right."

"The assassin kills Dagger's man…," Robin thought aloud, "…then how could the assassin be working for him?"

"Slade's man, perhaps?" Speedy remarked. "Slade has a history of hiring bloodthirsty underlings from time to time."

"Yes…sometimes we fight them," Beast Boy muttered.

Speedy shrugged, "Whatever, man."

"Hmmmmm," Robin thought aloud. "It's very possible that the assassin is a man all for himself. Or maybe he was working for 'Dagger', and 'Dagger' needed someone to off Schauer."

"And then go after every official of justice in the City?!" Beast Boy remarked. "If I'm getting the right drift…this 'Dagger' character is one to hide in the shadows. I mean…we didn't know about him until just recently! Why would he suddenly go ballistic and send his men out to kill people and toss weapons around?!"

"Maybe it's all part of Schauer's 'sabotage' that he preached so much about…," Raven uttered. "You should have heard him, Robin. The man spoke like a prophet. He seemed uniquely aware of a change in events taking place that nobody else is familiar with."

"Until we find a pattern to fill in the missing pieces…," Robin said and spun around in the chair to face the monitor. "I've been having a hunch. And I think I've rounded up my own evidence to prove it. Allow me a second while I bring up some information on the computer—"

"Might as well ask me to do it, Robin," Cyborg's voice said. "I gotta be helpful somehow, right?"

Robin rolled his eyes under his eyemask. "Very well, Cyborg. Do me a favor and bring up a map and official information on Pakistan."

"Pakistan??"

"You heard me right."

"Okaaaaay," Cyborg's voice said. The monitors flickered through a dozen windows or so as Cyborg personally accessed the computer mainframe.

Glancing at the monitor through my eyes, I once again thought about my recent conversation with the Messenger. I shook it off momentarily and paid attention to events at hand.

"There!" Cyborg's voice said. The required information was on screen—most noticeably a big, green political map of Pakistan.

Robin stood up and paced before the huge monitor. He faced the four of us in the room and gestured to the image.

"In the Eastern Region of Pakistan, about two years ago, there was a series of grisly murders. I read up on it as I always try to keep focused on all major counts of homicide throughout the world. What made this so special and unique was the type of people victimized in the assaults."

Robin glanced at the monitor.

"Cyborg…bring up the file labeled 'RTHomCase4112002'."

"Will do."

Another window popped up, showing various text and photos of murder scenes. Bodies and pools of blood appeared in black and white.

"On April 11, 2002, the most gruesome of the murders took place. Fifteen police officers were having a meeting to discuss city ordinances. They weren't heard from overnight. A janitor walked into the building the next morning and found their bodies discarded in a pile in the corner. Their right hands were all cut off."

"Well…," Beast Boy blinked. "This sounds familiar."

"How come you didn't make a connection before?" Speedy said.

"I did," Robin said. "But I didn't think it was worth pursuing. This looked like an act of terrorism to me—on behalf of the constant stress going on between Pakistan and India in that region. I felt a radical or two ambushed the officers and attempted to create an uprising and incite conflict."

"It's interesting to note…," Cyborg spoke, "…chopping off the right hand means a heck of a lot in the Arab world."

"The whole eating-versus-other-actions-thing, right?" Speedy remarked.

The computerized voice of the android replied: "The right hand is the clean hand. I'm sure you've all heard of the stereotypical punishment of stealing involving the chopping off of the right hand yadda yadda…"

I nodded.

"So…whoever murdered those Pakistani cops…," Beast Boy remarked, "…they really meant for them to be disgraced."

"Perhaps," Robin nodded. "Notice there're two similar patterns at work here," he added.

"We've got the 'chopping off the hand' part," Speedy said.

"What's the other?" Beast Boy asked.

"Law enforcement…"

Everyone looked at Raven. Including me.

She continued: "Judge Carson. Warden Georgeton. The police officer, the security guard, and the M.P. The guards at the prison. They're all symbols of law enforcement."

"And, in a matter of speaking, so are we," Cyborg's voice said.

Beast Boy gulped.

"Okay then," Speedy folded his arms. "So these are serial killers whose signatures are to go after cops, judges, guards, vigilantes, etc. How do we know that these 'avengers of villainy' aren't anything but different, independent cases? I mean, we're talking about murders being committed two years and a world apart!"

"This is where I believe God gave me a photographic memory," Robin smirks. "For cases such as these." He turned back to the monitor. "Cyborg…can you bring up 'RTProfEtc156'?"

"One second."

The monitor flipped through a bunch of files and settled on a group photo.

It was dated July 8, 1999. A throng of people stood across a garden in rich clothing. It seemed like a special occasion: a wedding or a wealthy party of some sort.

"This photo was taken in India about three years before the Pakistan murders."

"Heading a little bit east, are we?" Speedy smirked.

"This is important," Robin spoke. "Cyborg…zoom in on the top right."

"Okay……"

A rectangle appeared over the image, highlighted the upper right quadrant, and maximized the pixilated section.

"Clarify…"

"Read my mind……"

The pixels faded into each other and the faces became slightly more discernible. Smiling…happy…affluent guests. One face was whiter, paler, and thicker than the rest.

Robin pointed, "Zoom in once more….on the white face on the top right."

"Hmmm………" Cyborg's voice hummed aloud.

"What are we looking at?" Beast Boy muttered. "Isn't your high school reunion a little too far off from now?"

"Shhh!"

The picture zoomed in, became clear, and there was a slight gasp from some in attendance.

Raven and I were clueless.

"It's him!" Cyborg remarked.

"Totally!" Beast Boy jumped.

"I'll be damned….," Speedy mumbled.

"You mean….you guys saw his face?" Raven asked.

"Clear as day," Robin said. "Caucasian. Muscular. Thick neck. Balding head. It's him all-right."

"What about that disc-like-thingy around his throat?" Speedy remarked.

I raised an eyebrow.

"You mean this??" Cyborg made a cursor outline a dark line surrounding the white suspect's neck. "It's there, my friend. It has to be the guy."

"Doesn't seem like a true assassin if he shows his face…," Raven stated.

I nodded.

"Well, he did!!" Beast Boy waved.

"It's because we're not dealing with an assassin after all," Robin said. "Just your average, lunatic killer." He turned and faced the screen. "Vincent Patrick Matthew Thames the Third, I present you."

"Doesn't sound very….Indian," Speedy said with a twisted eyemask. "If you don't mind me saying."

"None at all," Raven droned.

"That's because he's English-Indian," Robin said. "That is to say…he's the latest in a line of an English family that colonized in India back during the Age of Imperialism. His household has survived the fall of the British Empire after the World Wars and the rise of the Indian populace to power in the middle of the Twentieth Century. Such survival is mostly due to Vincent's father, Vincent Thames the Second, and his constant embezzlement in organized crime and drug trafficking in the area. He was found out, though, early in Vincent the Third's life. Vincent the Second was discovered of his crimes in a government sting operation. As it turned out, Vincent the Second had performed more crimes against the Pakistani government throughout the last three decades. So a joint decision by Indian and Pakistani officials was to take him westward to answer for his crimes. Along the trip there, however, his plane transport crashed into the mountains. Thought it is unknown how—Vincent the Second's wife also perished around the same time. Vincent the Third was orphaned in his early teens because of all this. Since his father never got to answer officially for his crimes—and due to many other reasons—there was still a grand fortune for Vincent the Third to inherit. But it's then that his family legacy becomes even more vague, for Vincent the Third went into hiding. He hardly appeared I public—this photo being an example. Just five years ago, his family estate had been discovered abandoned. Vincent the Third had disappeared and been presumed dead. All his fortunes were auctioned off and liquidated. Everything about him…erased…almost magically. It's as if his father never committed any crimes to answer to."

"Maybe there was a powerful hand at play….," Speedy remarked. "To make his life vanish so easily."

"Or he could be dead," Raven suggested.

"If that face in the photo is him….," Beast Boy remarked, "…it's him! I can still see him now….clear as day!"

"How does this…'Vincent the Third' fit into all the murders?" Speedy asked.

"Think about it," Robin remarked. "A family history in crime. Roots in the geographic region. A possible motive for disliking Pakistani government and law enforcement—not to mention Pakistanis in general…"

"And why would he come all the way here to do the same sort of stuff?"

Beast Boy added: "And how come he's mute?!"

I blinked.

"Um………guys?" Cyborg's voice hummed.

"What is it?"

"I've been looking up subsidiary information on this Vincent the Third fellow while y'all have been talking…," the android spoke through the computer speakers and intercoms, "…and you might this very fascinating."

A photo popped up on the monitor. A middle-aged woman smiled into the camera. The image was labeled: "Mariah Vincent."

Speedy stepped up besides Robin and squinted. "A woman. Who is she?"

"Vincent the Third's mom."

"Husband to Vincent the Second, then," Speedy nodded. "Died mysteriously. Yadda yadda. What about it?"

"……," Cyborg spoke, "Check out her maiden name."

The photo blipped. The label was replaced. It read: "Mariah Anderson."

"………..," Speedy stared.

"Crud," Beast Boy gripped his temples. "I'm gonna get a headache!"

I gestured emphatically to the ceiling.

A camera whirred.

"Yup," Cyborg's voice replied. "American. Born in Westhaven. Went to college only eight miles away from where the Tower now stands. For crying out loud, we have our connection! How'd you assume it, Robin?"

"I keep a mental note to watch over the developments and fate of all and any rogues of interest around the world," he said. "I knew Vincent the Third's disappearance was too good to be true." He turned and looked at us all. "From the photo…his mother's relation…the similar nature of the murders that could very well be connected to him, I believe we're dealing with the son of the English-Indian crimelord. Somehow, he's mastered the art of killing. Unlike his father, he faces his enemies first hand, and then proceeds to chop off their hands…followed shortly with a murder. A most grim and bloody murder."

"But why?!" Beast Boy pulled at his hair. "And why's he mute?!"

"I think we should stop considering reasons behind this 'Vincent' character," Raven stepped up and said. "And instead, we should start focusing on 'how'. As in, 'how do we catch him'?"

"Those gloves Raven and Noir nabbed could be of help," Cyborg's voice said. "If I just copy down their electrical signatures, I might be able to use the Tower's scanners to find where another pair is being used in the City. Since our suspect is so fond of blending in with the shadows, it seems natural we'd find him doing it again somewhere."

Raven nodded, "True."

"There're too many electronic devices being used in a mobile fashion all over the place," Robin said. "It'd be impossible to track down two technological gloves among that urban mess!"

"Anderson's technology doesn't differ enough to hold its own?" Speedy remarked.

"It does…but not enough."

"How about if I narrow down the search of electronic signals to courthouses, police departments, prisons, etc?"

"Good idea in theory," Raven spoke, "…but not practical. By the time we narrowed down enough electronic signals, we could possibly be too late in preventing another bloody murder."

"Well, we've got to think of something!!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

I was half-listening to the conversation at this point. My dark brain was swimming in an invisible pool full of leaves. The leaves bobbed up at the surface, brown and disgusting. In my mental world, I extended a net at the far end of a long pole into the waters and dragged the leaves out. Yet, no matter how many leaves I pulled out, more leaves fell in from the trees shading the pool above. And yet, none of them was the leaf I was looking for. For my leaf was clear…invisible on the surface of the waves…elusive.

"If only we had another factor to cross-reference the electrical signals with…"

"Yeah! That could work. But it'd have to be a reading far more accurate than what we're using now."

"Like what?"

I looked at the monitor. The Messenger's words burned in my black eyes.

I glanced to the side, let my vision trickle down, and let it land on a T.V. remote resting on a table.

A pause.

I brightened.

I jumped forward and gestured to everyone emphatically.

"What is it, Noir?" Robin asked.

I beamed.

I had a plan.

"He has a plan……"

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

I led the way down into the dark cellar, opened a few doors, and then walked up to a bulkhead where Control Freak's intrusive, huge vibration devices still resided. I gestured to the machines and smiled.

Robin, Speedy, Raven, and Beast Boy stared.

"What the heck are those things?" Speedy remarked.

"Control Freak's…," Beast Boy remarked. "He planted those there under our noses. He used them to shake the entire metal frame of the Tower and….er…..'pirate' the sonic transmissions of the government so that he could have secret access to classified information."

"Snazzy," Speedy said. "Must have caused quite a stir."

Beast Boy whimpered and clutched his skull. "You have no idea…"

"Why didn't we take these things out of here?" Raven muttered with a frown.

"Guess we got lazy," Robin said. He held a communicator out beneath him. "Or just simply busy. Give me a moment in the last month when we had time to do anything else but beat up bad guys??"

Raven held her tongue….until she said: "How about that big trip to the mall."

"You mean the 'Pink' incident?!" Beast Boy said, then giggled madly: "Hehehehehehehehehe!!"

Raven glared fiery eyes at him.

Speedy smiled and folded his arms, "I'm interested…"

"No," Raven gave him the glare too. "You're not."

I gestured towards the devices and symbolized 'waves' with my hands.

Robin stared, "You're suggesting, Noir, that we use sonic vibrations as a second detector of Vincent?"

"Like sonar?" Speedy suggested.

"Only one bigass sonar!" Beast Boy said.

I nodded and smiled.

"You getting this, Cyborg?" Robin exclaimed into the air.

The communicator in the Boy Wonder's hand crackled forth: "Yup. And I'd say it's a marvelous idea. From what we all saw, I can estimate our suspect's body weight and stature. I'll cross-reference the readings of the sonar with that of the electrical signals…"

"And we'll have the path of our killer," Raven finished.

"Woo hoo!" Speedy cheered with one jerking arm. "Now that's what I call action!"

Beast Boy pouted. "Must you really turn this thing on? Like…soon?"

"Deal with it, B.B. There are lives depending on this. On us!""I knowwwwwwww," he whimpered. "If you'll excuse me, I'll be upstairs getting the cotton for my ears."

Beast Boy sauntered up the stairs and out of the cellar.

"I'll….um….follow him," Speedy remarked and was gone.

"Got all the info you need, Cyborg?" Robin spoke into the communicator.

"I think so. It'll take a while to do, of course. I'll let you know as soon as I get any results in the region of the City. Over and out."

Robin flipped the communicator closed and took a deep breath. "We'll have some time on our hands, I guess." He glanced at me. "How'd you think of it, Noir?"

I smiled. I mouthed while gesturing with my hands: 'Make the waves shake out the leaf.'

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

"It's starting…," Beast Boy sat on the roof of the Tower at night and clutched his head. He squinted his eyes shut. "I can feel it!"

Speedy walked up, knelt down, and offered a soda can. "Root beer?"

Beast Boy popped an eye open and glanced at the beverage. "Huh?"

"Always calmed me down during a migraine," Speedy said as he sat down by Beast Boy on the roof's edge, dangled his legs, and popped his can open for a drink.

"You get migraines?" Beast Boy asked, straining.

"Yeah," Speedy sighed after taking a swig of root beer. "I think it comes from squinting so much in the line of duty."

"I see…," Beast Boy muttered. "It must not be fun having your life depend on arrows."

"The same can be said for tentacles and claws."

"Touche."

Silence.

"So how's it relaxing, exactly?"

"Pardon?"

"The root beer."

"Oh…," Speedy smiled and held up his can. "It's not as….hard as other soft drinks."

"Not as hard as other soft drinks?" Beast Boy looked at him. He clutched his head and closed his eyes. "Stop using oxymorons….it doesn't help my head."

"Let's just say, root beer lives up to the 'soft' in the 'soft drink'," Speedy said. "I've always thought of the quaff as having a personality. The reason it foams so much is that it's too lazy to hold its own weight in liquid, so it turns it all to bubbles. You get me?"

"Kinda…," Beast Boy whimpered under the clutch of his hands.

"Go on…try it…"

The green-eyed changeling looked forlornly down at the can, considered it, and gave in. He picked the can up, popped the lid, and took a swig.

Speedy watched.

Beast Boy blinked. "Darn it, now I'm hungry for pizza."

Speedy chuckled: "Would that chase away your headache?"

"I dunno," the changeling replied. "It makes me think of Italian restaurants."

"Those stereotypical, red-plastic cups, right?"

"Yeah."

"Me too."

A pause.

"Are you hypoglycemic?" Speedy asked.

"Huh?"

"Never mind."

"…."

"…."

"….it's working, I-I think."

"Is it?" Speedy asked.

"Y-Yeah….it tastes good. No more headache," Beast Boy smiled.

"Heheh…good."

Silence.

Then…

Beast Boy hugged his knees to his chest. "Think drinking root beer will chase away a killer with a huge ass sword?"

Speedy breathed. "No. It won't."

The night's wind kicked at them.

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

Raven stood in front of a monitor in the Main Room, displaying the functioning schematics of the machines down below making the Tower vibrate. She glanced at me.

"Funny…"

I did a double-take over at her from whatever I was doing. I mouthed: 'Funny??'

"For me, it actually is," she said, deadpan. "Here we are using Control Freak's devices to find a madman. If he hadn't attacked Kobayashi Tower, kidnapped Robin, and endangered national security weeks ago like he did, we wouldn't be able to stop this bloody murderer like we're attempting to now."

I nodded.

She was right.

"It seems—now—that everything is coming full circle…"

I glanced at her, my head cocked to the side.

"Seriously….it intrigues me," she said. "Over the last month, we've found most—if not all—of our adventures intersecting in some fashion or another. Simon Stone's visit was decisive in Anderson reaching his end. Anderson would not have been around to end had it not been for yours and Beast Boy's escapade in the Westhaven Opera House. Anderson's relation extends to Vincent the Third, who is now committing murders at will throughout the City. We're locating him through the same device used against us by Control Freak long before the Westhaven incident culminated. And we're also using a set of technology that—beyond being supplied by Anderson—is being distributed through means of this mysterious 'Dagger' character."

I took a deep breath. It was a brain-full.

"Schauer's words keep echoing in my head…," the dark girl said. "How there's an "Experiment' going on. How some 'Balance of Morals' is being threatened. These are all ambiguous terms…but somehow, I feel…I just feel that there's a connection in the meaning. Especially in regards to events as they've culminated as of late."

I pointed at her heart from far away.

Raven blinked. She spoke, "You're right. I've only predicted trouble for myself when I rely on what…I 'feel'." She sighed. "For once in my life, I am confused over whether or not I've been 'thinking' too much or 'feeling' too much."

I gave her a compassionate smile.

She frowned at me. "Wipe that smile off your face."

You bet I did.

A beeping sound.

I looked over her shoulder.

She turned to face the monitors. Her posture changed. "I'm contacting Robin….this may be good. And at the same time, it may be bad."

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

"We may be making progress…," Robin spoke quietly. "Raven…Noir…Cyborg….we've all put our heads together. Beast Boy and Speedy have been supportive as ever. Beast Boy actually saved all our necks as we exited the tunnel in Speedy's getaway boat. You should have seen him. You would have been proud. Heck, even I'm proud."

Starfire slept soundly on the medical bed.

Robin knelt beside her in the lab.

"You know…," he began, faltered, and smiled for strength as he continued: "…if everything goes well, and this character gets locked up or whatever, it's gonna be tough telling you all about it. I mean truly telling you. You may zap me for saying this out loud, but I'm glad you weren't awake to see what this man has done, Star."

Silence.

The girl was peaceful. She breathed gently.

"After our first battle with H.I.V.E., I thought we were changed forever. Then came Slade, and I realized I was wrong. We were still changing. Maturing. Evolving. I thought we had reached our apex. And then….Terra….." Robin took a deep breath and skipped that subject. "Again…things are changing. The City runs crimson with blood. I can't bear to think about the faces of the family members whose loved ones will never again enter their embrace. The Titans have done the best they can. And….it just doesn't feel right. It doesn't feel like a loss. But I know it is. I keep telling myself it is. I've seen the blood. I've seen the pain. I even have a scratch to show for it," he waved his bandaged shoulder and sighed. "I guess I can't accept the fact that we're imperfect, Star. We provide salvation to the people of this City…but it isn't an omnipresent salvation. God help us, we are so mortal. So damn mortal."

Silence.

"It…I-It would really bless me, Star, to see you awake soon," Robin said with a deep sigh.

The intercom went off. "Robin. It's Cyborg."

"Yes?"

"Come upstairs, now. Raven just told me the data is in."

"And?"

"See for yourself."

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

"The police department?!?!" Beast Boy gasped.

"Looks like it," Raven folded her arms. "The signal has been tracing around the blocks over and over again. Like he's scooping the situation at hand and waiting for a perfect time to strike."

The Titans watched the monitor in the Main Room as it displayed a beeping signal encircling the police department's building.

Robin gritted his teeth: "He's waiting for us."

"Is that what you think he wants out of all this?" Speedy inquired. "The Titans?"

"I'm sure of it," Robin nodded. "Nothing against the cops, but we're the most….flashy form of justice and law enforcement in this vicinity."

"Point made," Speedy nodded.

"He keeps inching closer and closer to the building, Robin," Cyborg's voice said. "Waiting for us, he might be. For all we know, he was doing that at the prison too. But when he waits too long…"

"He grows impatient and kills people," Raven spoke. "To see if that rouses us any."

"Lovely….," Beast Boy gulped.

Robin glared at the computer screen. He looked at the inviso-gloves.

I watched his gaze. I was on the same page as him…or so I felt then.

"Speedy….Noir….," Robin spoke as he spun around. "The three of us will be paying the police department a visit."

"Fine by me," Speedy nodded. "Maybe we can get this over with."

Robin squinted. "Maybe."

"Wait!" Raven extended a hand. "You can't be serious! The last time only a limited number of us faced this madman---"

"I have a plan," Robin emphasized.

"You need all of us," Raven said firmly.

"And I still plan to use all of you," Robin smiled. "Please….listen to what I have to say."

And so we did.

Myself included.