These Black Eyes

by P0ST

The ongoing adventures and experiences of the Teen Titans, as witnessed through the eyes of a silent newcomer.

106. Mad Movie part 3

106. Mad Movie part 3

"Noir!!!" Robin shouted from atop the higher tier.

"Cut!!!" A sphere flew in with Mad Mod's hologram. "Boy Wazzock, why did you interrupt the scene?!"

"Listen, you overdressed fruitcake!!" Robin pointed angrily at the sphere. "I'm not going to stand here—playing your mock film while my teammates bite the dust!!"

"His time was coming to him!" the hologram scratched his fingernails on his elbow and examined them. "The Critic said he was hogging the attention from Beast Brat's character so I had no choice but to rewrite the script! So take your blimey ego and sod off!"

Starfire stamped her foot. "But you need not truly extinguish him!! Noir has done nothing but ensure the fulfillment of your media project!! What sort of heartless monster would you be to treat him so cruelly?!"

I was quivering on the floor. Gasping. Blood was leaking out of my chest. Beast Boy knelt beside me, holding my hand.

"Don't get your knickers in a twist, lass! Whether or not he's meeting St. Peter is none of my business. I'm the director, not the technical advisor!!"

Cyborg gritted his teeth. "Why you lame-ass, son of a—"

The hologram pointed his cane and frowned. "Take one more step out of line, lad, and more of you will bite the bullet. Noir's character is done for, and I'd be thanking my lucky stars for the rest of the you staying in this gig. Do anything to halt the production, and you WILL be fired…in every sense of the term that you can possibly comprehend."

Cyborg glared.

The hologram (and the sphere) turned to face Robin. "Do I make myself clear?"

Robin clenched his fists and stared out of dark, glass lenses. "As soon as we figure a way out of this 'world' you've stuck is in….we….will…make…you…pay…"

"Oh, I'll be counting down the hours, mate. Surely I will. Ha ha!" Mad Mod had a good chuckle. "Now stand aside!!"

He pointed his cane.

I twitched once or twice before fading away like a cloud.

Beast Boy gasped. He jumped up to his feet and shook his fists at the sphere. "What did you do to him?!?! Bring Noir back!!"

"He's right where he should be!" the hologram exclaimed. "Who knows…in a second or two, a few of you may go and join him."

Starfire gasped and looked at the others. "The void!"

"Then he must be with Raven!" Cyborg said.

"But how'll she know he's there?!" Beast Boy remarked. "He can't say anything in that place!!"

"Can he die in that place?!"

"Mad Mod!!" Robin shouted. "This isn't over?!"

"By all means, my duckies!! The climax is a good way's off!! Now, commence with the scene! On your bike! The whole lot of you!! No time for breaks in this business. You should have inquired about acting unions at the front door! Ha!!"

Beast Boy looked down. He took a shuddering breath.

Starfire walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Compose yourself, Beast Boy. We shall take care of Noir as soon as we find a way outside of this absurd imprisonment."

"It's all my fault….somehow….," Beast Boy sniffed. "For being the star of this 'show'. For having Noir as my co-star."

"What?! No, Beast Boy! Do not feel guilty! It is not your—"

"Hey!!! Into positions!!"

Starfire bit her lip. She quickly gave the green elf a tender hug before shuffling back besides Cyborg and collecting herself.

Robin tried to settle down his shaking muscles of anger. He cracked his neck and took a deep breath, transferring the emotion into his villainous role.

Beast Boy himself was breathing heavily. His eyes were watery. He looked like he wanted to roll over and cry. But like the good actor that he was, Gar Logan flexed his arms, put on a fake look of bravery and---

"Action!!"

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

"You shot Noir, you heartless bastard!" Logan growls at Razor.

Razor lets out a fiendish laugh. The reflection of white from the surrounding ice shimmers off his cybernetic eyeglasses. "He had it coming to him. He's nowhere near the expert spy that you are, Mr. Logan. He should have known he was in over his head."

"And now you know that you are completely and utterly surrounded," Vic Stone grins. He grips Corina Anderson harshly from behind. "The girl is not yours to steal. She's going to go meet Madame Moonflame. And with her body as a key, we shall supply power to Ragnorak Machine."

Logan leans back and smirks. "If I was to say that you were completely and utterly wrong about 'all of the above', would you hold it against me?"

Razor's smile fades. A chopping sound. He looks up in the air.

So does Stone.

Corina Anderson gasps.

A squadron of British Royal helicopter gunships are flying in from the far horizon. They're armed to the teeth with hellfire missiles and they collectively zero in on the freight ship.

"Just like Noir…we agents of Her Majesty understand the value of comraderie. I may be a one-man army. Heheh…what less can you expect of Gar Logan?? But an army—no matter how small—has its shadow. And right now, that shadow's coming to blind you. There's nowhere to hide, Razor. Hand over Miss Anderson now…or you shall pay."

The guards shift nervously.

Corina glances back and forth between Logan and the villains.

A beat.

Razor smiles. "I've never been one to flee from a battle lost…" He whips out a huge, curved dagger with the flick of a wrist. He flings it down with a growl.

SW-SW-SW-SW-SWISH!!!!

CLANK!!!

"Nnngh!!" Logan grunts, being pinned to a cargo box by his suit. He yanks at the blade to free himself.

Razor bows from atop. "But I'm more than happy to run along and finish a war won."

That said, he flips off from the upper tier, lands, and runs across the platform.

Logan frees himself from the blade.

SMACK!!!!

Razor karate chops him across the face like a lightning bolt. He jumps, lands next to Stone and Corina, and forces them behind a rise in the ship's structure. A few henchmen follow.

The others circle around and assault Logan.

Logan grunts and tries to punch, kick, and shove his way through the rampaging crowd and get to the two leading villains.

The royal helicopters close in and fire at the deck.

RAT-A-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!!!!

The guards attacking Logan cry out and fall to the ground, holding their hands over their heads in surrender.

Logan dashes—panting—to the rear of the ship.

He stops in his tracks just before he could possibly fall over into a huge gap.

A launch bay has opened and yawns before him. A puff of bright light and then---

SHOOOOOOM!!!!!

A rocket containing a capsule with the faces of Stone, Razor, and Corina inside sails through the air and heads towards the southeast horizon.

Logan pants, watching helplessly as the ballistic zooms off.

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

Beast Boy turned around.

He looked at the spot on the 'deck' where the body of Noir used to be. Before he disappeared.

He gulped down a painful lump in his throat.

"Cut!! Beautiful! Absolutely beautiful!! Print it!!"

Beast Boy closed his eyes and shuddered.

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

"Rae?! Raven?!"

"Cyborg?! You're back already?!"

"Raven! It is urgent!"

"Have you heard from Noir?!"

"What?!?!"

"Noir, Raven!! He's been shot!! I think Mad Mod sent him back here!!"

"What do you mean he's been shot?!"

"It was part of the scene. Nobody expected it. One of the cues prompted him to jump in the way of a bullet. The martial arts sidekick character to Gar Logan is dead."

"And it looked like a real bullet too! Noir was bleeding pretty badly."

"Did he come here, Raven?! Are you alone?!"

"I……I-I have no idea! I…I haven't heard anything!! This place is like a lonely dream! You don't know if someone else is here unless they talk or something!"

"Have you heard…I dunno…labored breathing or gasps of pain or something?!"

"Ohhhh…I am most terrified that our friend is no longer with us!"

"Again, I haven't heard anything! I've been here…alone…trying to meditate. Trying to figure out a connection between Mad Mod and the electromagnetic pulse signal and—"

"Understood, Raven. Now everyone…be quiet."

"Yes, Robin."

"Noir?!?!"

Silence.

"Noir?!?!?!"

Silence.

"Noir, if you're here…please give us a sign!! Breath heavily!! Chatter your teeth!! Do something verbal to let us know you're here!!"

"I know you have to be in pain, man. But you gotta give us a sign!!"

"Please, Noir! We are your friends! We are concerned for your well-being!"

Silence…………

"He's not responding."

"How can he, man?! He's frickin' mute!!"

"Or he's dead………"

"No, Raven!! You must not say that!! Are you not concerned in the least?!"

"I am concerned, Starfire. As I would be concerned for all of my friends. But let us not panic. Noir has been through some pretty tough scrapes before. Even without us. I'm sure he's doing fine."

"Then why is he not responding?!"

"Well, it's not like we ever heard him before…"

"Besides…if I were him, I would be meditating right now. That means focusing all energies on resisting the mortality of the wound. Even his energy to talk—which he can't do."

"Noir, this is Robin. Hang in there, you hear me?! We're……w-we're gonna figure something out!"

"Where's Beast Boy?"

"I think he's still in the 'movie'."

"Mad Mod insinuated that the Critic felt Noir was taking up Beast Boy's spotlight as the story's protagonist, and for that reason Mad Mod rewrote the script. I feel that Beast Boy unjustly accuses himself of causing Noir's demise."

"Hmmm…the Critic isn't very mature or patient…is he…"

"Robin……man……the Critic had Mad Mod shoot Noir. The guy's a creep in my book. He should be in yours!"

"Did you gather anything from your first time in the 'movie' world, Robin?"

"Plenty, Raven. This place is fake."

"I thought as much."

"Fake?!"

"How do you mean, Robin?"

"I can't quite explain it. But it's not real."

"But Noir! He—"

"—was shot. Yes. I know. And as much as he and the rest of us are concerned, he is some very REAL danger. But it's a danger only relative to this fake world that we are in."

"Are you trying to say that some ambiguous wool is over our eyes?"

"Yes. That's Mad Mod's style. Director or school teacher or stigmatic Briton—it doesn't matter. He likes to screw with people's minds. Ours especially. Looks like—this time—he's got some 'Critic' to help him out."

"So you're saying that everything's in our heads?! Including Noir's gun wound?!"

"More or less, yes."

"Then what shall we travail upon doing?!"

"The only way to beat the system is to blend with the system…then shatter it from the inside out."

"Meaning……"

"We must find a way to sabotage the film. And right now, the film's bent around one thing. The Critic's will."

"And the Critic loves Beast Boy!"

"So if we get Beast Boy to……ruin his own role."

"This whole project will crumble on top of itself."

"Like a strike!"

"Exactly. But Beast Boy can't do it alone."

"We must do it……together??"

"Yes. Then Mad Mod won't have any material or resources to go back on."

"And the Critic will be angry. What do you think he'll do to us?"

"What worse could he do than what he has already done to Noir??"

"Noir……I do so worry for him……"

"Uh oh."

"What is it—aw crap."

"!!!! We are being summoned back to the 'movie' world!!"

"Raven!! Do you feel it?!"

"No!! I don't! He keeps taking you guys, but not me! Why am I being held back……"

"Stay here. Try to contact Noir. We're going to spread word to Beast Boy! We're going to work this out!"

"Good luck, Robin."

"The name's 'Razor' for now. I'm going in."

"Good luck……er……Razor……"

"……………"

"……………"

"……………"

"……………"

"……………"

"……………Noir?"

"……………"

"Noir……listen to me. You must keep focused, Noir. Keep ahold of your center."

"……………"

"Concentrate. Narrow your thoughts on your survival and your survival alone. I……I-I know we don't share the same meditation techniques…but you have a gift, Noir."

"……………"

"You have a gift to separate the destruction and construction that forms the synthesis of this world. You know Death far greater than most of the Titans…and at the same time I truly envy your knack for Life."

"……………"

"Don't. Die. On. Us. Be brave. Keep focused. Meditate. Meditate. Azarath…Metrion…Zinthos. Azarath…Metrion…Zinthos. Azarath…Metrion…Zinthos…"

Azarath…Metrion…Zinthos…

Azarath…Metrion…Zinthos………

………………

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

Beast Boy sat on the frame of a helicopter's side door. The sun hung low over a horizon of pure white ice.

He took a shuddering breath as spheres fluttered about over the shoulders of soldiers and 'extras' frozen in still motion.

Between takes, he looked up at the sky with watery eyes and hugged himself.

"You know…I…I've not been the same since Terra. I think I've….grown up. Really. I have. I know what it means to lose people as old as I am. It's not quite like when and where I was when you guys left. But that's okay. I….I really couldn't be myself without it all. Without loss. After all, it's loss that sorta makes us…strong or something. Cuz we fight for ourselves in the end, ya know?"

Silence.

He looks down at his dressed-up legs dangling over the edge of the parked helicopter.

"Terra taught me that friendship is more a matter of what one does to preserve something good…not what others do. Because no matter how good or nice of a person I was, she still hurt me and the rest of the Titans. And in the end…I realized I was far more of a friend to her than she ever could have been to me. And…maybe…maybe it was meant to be that way. Maybe I was…I dunno…meant to be a sacrifice. Because—Lord knows—Terra lost so much of her own. Quite possibly…even her own life."

Beast Boy sniffed and dangled his arms to his side, sighing.

A beat.

"After Terra left…I think I became even MORE annoying to the other Titans. If that's possible. Heheh…they're always telling me that I'm immature and that I should leave them alone and do more creative things. But that's just it. I can't leave them alone…"

He gripped his head and shook it while clenching moist eyes shut.

"I'm so pathetically desperate…to not lose anyone again. I don't care if they hate me or are using me or what. I just want to be with them. I want to have someone…anyone…on my side. Someone who could never leave me. And if that means annoying the heck out of them by telling jokes or being a total goober…then so be it. I just…don't' want to be alone. I don't want the loss to be all around me."

He sniffed and opened watery eyes. The landscape before him was blurring.

"But it's happened again. Noir was like a big brother to me. And by now, he's probably….he's probably…."

A beat.

Beast Boy sighed.

"I never told you guys this…but I always wanted to be an actor. I didn't tell you when I was a kid…cuz…I thought it was silly then. Heh…I was a little boy and even then I thought my desires were goofy and pointless. I had no reason to act. Cuz I had nothing to hide. But when you two…went away. When that boat sank in the river and I was all alone…I didn't want anyone to know my pain. Not even myself. So I took on a life of acting. You would have been proud of me. Well…of the good stuff I did. I was only a little-known child actor before taking up the superhero business. But even now…the actor's guild calls to me."

Silence.

"But…it doesn't work anymore. Not like it used to. No amount of acting…will ever bring back Terra or Noir. Maybe…maybe I should just strike…..but…..that wouldn't be brave of me. I have very little else left to lose."

He ran a hand through his hair and shuddered. "Mom…Dad….someday, I hope you forgive me for being so pathetic."

He slowly stood up as the spheres gathered and a holographic Mad Mod appeared with a chuckle and ordered forth the next scene.

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

Helicopters take off, carrying arrested henchmen towards international penitentiaries.

Logan marches across the gathering of royal airforce and navy around the stranded ice breaker.

He speaks into a communicator in his grasp.

"So…tell me what you found, Guv'nor."

"Well, Gar, the rocket has some sort of sensor cloaking device on it. We could only guess its destination judging by its trajectory to half of the northeast hemisphere."

"Charming…"

"But while you were out chasing Miss Anderson on the ice, we lads back home have been working around the clock to find data that could possibly connect the woman to Madame Moonflame."

"And was that a successful breakthrough or are you wasting my eardrums again?"

"Just be patient, Gar."

"I'm trying."

"Madame Moonflame has been on the lookout—we believe—for a mysterious device called the Ragnorak Machine…."

"Which was built by Corina Anderson's father…," Gar states.

"Why…how did you know that, Agent Sixty-Four?!"

"Moonflame's latest lackey, Razor, is quite the chatty type."

"Well, Mr. James Anderson was attempting to create a new prototype for a fusion reactor. But the project only yielded unsuccessful results. It was later labeled 'project Ragnorak' because of its apocalyptic repercussions if ever it were used."

"That's a case for having something mothballed, if ever I heard one."

"He had a failsafe. Only people with his family's unique DNA could use the device."

"So the machine's still in existence?"

"He died before he could have it destroyed. And as of right now, only one member of the Anderson family is alive and capable of accessing the machine's operations."

"Miss Anderson……."

"And I feel that Madame Moonflame has already found the Ragnorak Project's machine and is planning on using her to flip the switch."

"To what ends??"

"The nature of the Ragnorak Machine is still a mystery. But it's assumed to be something of pure, destructive capabilities. In the hands of Madame Moonflame, that could mean utter devastation to society in the very least."

"And in the worst case scenario?"

"Well, the name will speak for itself. It'll be a battle that the force of life will lose in."

"Hmm….that'd make me a bit late for tea."

"Logan, you must stop Madame Moonflame from starting that machine!"

"I would love to help out. But at the moment, I only have a QUARTER of the globe to search."

"Don't sweat it. Our boys think we have something."

"And that is???"

"James Anderson's laboratory while working on Project Ragnorak was a platform in the Black Sea off of Turkey. An undisclosed location."

"Oh?"

"And you might find this also of interest. Red Dragon of the Hong Kong mafia circles has sent a few operatives into Turkey. We're inclined to think that they're on a search and find mission. And it's confirmed that Razor was part of the group."

"Hmmmm….," Logan scratches his chin. "Where exactly in Turkey?"

"Istanbul."

Logan smiles. "Ahhh…..Istanbul."

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

SHOOOOOOOM!!!!!

A jumbo jet soars in over the rooftops of Istanbul.

It touches down and Gar Logan, incognito, steps off the plane and wanders through the airport along with hundreds of normal travelers.

Thirty minutes later, he's taking a cab through the streets at sunset. An amber glow covers the brown buildings.

He's dropped off at a warehouse, upon which he slowly/casually makes his way to the rear while watching his back.

After a pause, a huge door to the warehouse opens and a previously-hidden BMW cruises out with Logan inside. He drives away from the dropoff point and heads for a run-down part of the City in the West.

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

Inside the lounge of a rusty old building, a light-skinned man sits at a desk with his feet propped up. His eyes scan a newspaper while an old electric fan tries its lingering best to spin next to him.

A wooden door creaks as a shadowy figure steps in.

"Well, aren't you the good little infidel??" the man utters in a British accent as he flips a page. "Ain't it evening prayers right now or something?"

Th-Thump!

A hand plants a pistol into sight against the desktop.

The man eyes it…then trails his gaze up.

Gar Logan removes his shades and glares: "Hello again, Arthur. I'll be needing your help in this part of town."

"Don't you mean this part of the 'world'?" Arthur smirks. He flips a page of the newspaper again. "Business is slow these days…but I'm still on the job. And that means I'm 'busy'. Be a good chap and chivvy along out the door, won't you?"

"Would it impress you enough to take some time off and help me if I started addressing you by your Internet name, Falcon Three?"

Arthur glares over his newspaper. "We'll be having none of that, now…"

"Wanted all over the world for digital espionage and hacking into international defense systems. Correct me if I'm wrong, but what are you up to now….eighteen life sentences?"

Arthur puts his feet down and sits up straight on his stool. Sighing, he tosses the newspaper away. "I suppose it'd help me if I could actually read Turkish." He folds his hands together and smiles tiredly up at Logan. "How can I help you, Guv'nor?"

"I'm going after a man. A man working for Red Dragon."

"Oooh…Hong Kong blood. Those are most smashing!"

"He goes by the name Razor. He has some kind of cybernetic implants over his eyes. Can't be hard to miss in a crowd…but something tells me the only reason he'd be in the crowd would be to assassinate someone."

Arthur smirks. "Well…why don't you ask your good friend Noir?! He'd be most helpful in this case….unless….haha…he wouldn't happen to have bitten the bullet, would he?"

Logan frowns.

SWOOOSH!!!—GRIP!!!

Logan has Arthur hoisted up by the throat.

The man hisses and wheezes for breath. "Nnnnghhh!!! Aye…just a joke, lad!"

"I'm…..not…..laughing."

"N-No…I suppose not. Sorry about the kung fu bloke. He would have been of great use here. Lots of roughnecks want to do me in good around town."

Logan drops Arthur to his feet. "There's only one roughneck you have to worry about, Falcon Three. And you're looking right at him."

Arthur rubs his neck. "Yes…well…that can be amended, I'm sure."

"I'm sure…."

"What information do you need?"

Logan leans forward and waves his pistol. "Razor. Have you heard of him? And if so…where's he been located?"

"Bayside. By the docks. He seems to be using water transport an awful lot. Heading north too."

Logan raises an eyebrow. "Into the Black Sea?"

"I would think so."

"What for?"

"Bloody Hell if I know. Reports are in of a huge crash off shore to the north of the country. Like a meteor landed or something."

"Or a rocket?"

"Perhaps."

"When did Razor appear?"

"Shortly after that. He's been wandering around town ever since."

"In Istanbul? Why?"

"I dunno…probably looking for something."

Logan narrows his eyes in thought. "Like what….?"

"Perhaps you, Mr. Logan," comes a voice from above and behind.

Logan turns around.

BLAM!!!!

A shot. A bullet whizzes past his face and slams into Arthur's chest.

"UGH!!!" Blood splatters and the man falls down hard.

Logan jerks to the side and aims his pistol up.

An open window on the second floor balcony of the old building is occupied by Razor's crouching form. The black-lensed eyes of the villain glare down through a sniper sight at Logan as the Hong Kong fiend chuckles: "You came here to find me, Logan. But let's see how good of a job you can do of CATCHING me!"

He drops the sniper rifle like it's useless and bounds out the window.

Logan fires. BLAM!! BLAM!!

Razor is gone.

"Bugger!!" Logan runs out of the building and into the dusty streets outside. He pants and looks all around with his pistol raised. Random citizens gasp in Turkish and go running. There's no sign of Razor. Logan sweats and glances back at the building. "So long, Arthur. Give my regards to Beelzebub. I owe her lunch right about now."

The sound of crumbling…

Logan's vision darts up.

The heels of a fleeing ninja appear at the rooftops of a four story building.

Logan holds his breath and blurs across the street. He scurries up the fire escape in pursuit. He gives into huffing and puffing as he reaches the top. Once at the ceiling, he whips out his gun and aims straight across the shingles. Gritting his teeth.

The head of Razor ducks down as he jumps to a lower building top across the way.

"Cram it…," Logan grunts. He takes off in pursuit.

He leaps down to the next building top and spots Razor darting around an A/C unit. He fires.

BLAM!!!

PING!! A bullet bounces off the a/c unit.

Logan pants. He gulps and creeps forward towards the unit with his gun outstretched. He reaches the metal structure, takes a breath, and blurs around the side of it…aiming.

Nobody….

Logan's eyes narrow in confusion.

A rustling…

He glances up.

Razor pounces down from atop the A/C unit.

"HAAAA!!!"

Logan shifts his weight.

WHUMP!!!

Razor lands—torso to torso—and slices downward immediately with a curved dagger.

Logan raises his pistol in one hand.

CLANK!!!!

Dagger meets gun barrel.

Logan twirls his body with a growl.

Razor is thrown off. He lands and slides across the rooftop to a stop.

Logan spins his pistol, kneels, and aims.

BLAM!!!!

Razor backflips—smiling—and sails down over the edge of the building.

Logan rolls into a standing position and dashes to the edge. He looks down and aims with his pistol. His eyes widen.

SNNNNkkkkKKkkkkttttttt!! Razor shimmies with a staff down a telephone wire, flips off at the end of the cord where it reaches a pole, flips, and lands on the back of a speeding commuter train across the street. As the cold metal train car beneath him throttles off, he stands with the wind kicking at his hair and salutes Logan with a smirk.

Logan frowns. He holsters his gun and rockets down the line of buildings in full sprint. He jumps from building top to building top. Huffing and puffing. Darting his head to the left to keep an eye on the train he's running parallel to.

But the train is obviously ten times faster than he is. Logan is quickly losing his target.

In mid-run, he reaches a hand to his watch and punches a few buttons. A series of beeping sounds emanate and fill the air below his pants.

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

In a faraway street, the headlights to the BMW light up.

The engine roars to life.

The tires start to move as the car rolls on by itself.

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

Logan clicks a final set of buttons on his watch.

He reaches the edge of a rooftop with a taller building stretching up beyond it.

He lets out a shout and jumps across it.

SWOOOOSH-CLING!!!

He grips onto an edge of the fire escape steps at the last second. With teeth gritting, he pulls himself up and climbs onto the metal platform. He rushes up three flights of stairs towards the rooftop.

The train starts to get away…

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

People shout and run out of the street at the last second.

VROOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!

The BMW barrels down the road, squealing around turns.

Invisible hands turn the wheel.

A whirring sound, and the sunroof on the car's roof opens on its own.

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

"Nnghh!" Logan jumps onto the top of the roof.

He gasps for breath and blurs straight ahead.

A wide avenue yawns before him.

His sprint turns into a bound.

He reaches the edge of the rooftop.

He lets out a cry and leaps.

In slow motion, his body soars over into open air.

He flails his arms.

Inhales.

And stretches his limbs straight down.

He plummets to the street below like a mortar shell.

Headlights glare.

The BMW ramps over a turn and sails down the street.

Logan falls.

The BMW speeds under him.

Logan's body slips down through the sunroof.

POOF!!!

The driver's seat explodes thickly like a huge cushion.

THWUMP!!!

Logan lands with a jolt, but is safe.

Time results.

He takes a breath.

He presses a button.

The cushion mode of the seat cancels and the material retracts in on itself

PWOOMP!!

Logan grips the wheel, places his hands on the gas, and presses a button.

Manual control is regained.

He throttles hard and swerves to the left down a street.

SCREEEEEEECH!!!!!

The car smashes through a fruit stand and zooms on through a spray of loose produce.

Logan shifts into higher gear.

The BMW burns a path towards the railroad tracks.

Logan swerves to the right.

SCREEEECH!!!-VROOOOOOOM!!!

He drives the dusty road parallel to the tracks. The train cars are a fair distance ahead, but not out of range.

He swerves around trucks and cars and catches up to the vehicle on the railroad.

He stays on the median of the left lane.

At high speed, the tires bounce and the whole car bounces vibratingly.

Logan grits his teeth and rolls his window down…staring at the car parallel to him.

Razor is no longer atop the cars. But there's a hole in the top two cars down from the engine.

Logan whips out a grappling hook with one hand while steering with the other.

He eyes the telephone poles flying between him and the speeding train.

He bites his lip.

He looks ahead.

He spots an intersection coming up.

Logan holds his breath.

He grips the grappling hook with sweaty fingers.

He aims out.

He counts the seconds until the intersection—and the gap in telephone poles—arrives.

Cars honk and screech to a stop all around him.

He reaches the intersection.

The clanging sound of a railroad crossing fills the air.

POW!!!!!

The grappling hook fires out, strikes the side of the middle train car, and pulls taut.

Logan grunts and pulls the trigger.

YANK!!!!

He flies out the car---

SWOOOOOSH!!!

--barely missing the telephone pole on the other side of the gap.

Logan inhales, twirls his body around, and lands barely with his two feet planted against the side of the train. A window is 'beneath' him.

He holds onto the grappling hook with one hand and whips out his pistol with the other.

BLAM!!! BLAM BLAM!!!!

SMASH!!!!

He shoots out the glass, kicks the rest away, and snakes his way in.

Women and children passengers shriek once he's inside.

Logan brushes his suit off and looks at all the citizens staring at him.

He clears his throat and smirks…motioning out the window: "Traffic is a nightmare. Thought I'd take the train."

The sound of a crashing BMW from outside echoes through the window.

Logan winces, sweats, and refuses to look back.

Instead, he cocks his pistol and rushes into the next train car.

One through the sliding doors, he pauses with his gun.

People see him, gasp, and duck in their seat.

The train car wobbles.

The clankity-clank of railroad cars vibrate beneath him.

A strobe of passing shadows shoot across the window spaces.

Logan narrows his eyes.

He slowly creeps forward down the aisle between the seat.

He glances left.

He glances right.

Cowering citizens.

Mother and children.

He looks forward.

A rattling door to the cargo car.

Slightly ajar…

He raises an eyebrow.

A pitter patter.

Logan gasps.

He spins around.

Razor blurs towards him.

Logan's pistol raises.

SWISSSH-CLANK!!!

BLAM!!!!

Razor's downswinging dagger knocks the barrel towards the floor.

POW!!!

The bullet explodes a hole in the carpet.

A woman screams.

Razor shouts, grips Logan's wrist with one hand, and swings up with his dagger.

SWISH!!!

Logan ducks his head, lurches back, and lurches forward with a head-butt.

THWAP!!!

Razor stumbles back.

Logan smacks his dagger hand aside and aims at his forehead.

BLAM!!!

In a blur, Razor forward flips impossibly from his bent position. In slow motion he vaults over Logan's body and lands with his legs in Logan's rear.

THWUMP!!!

Time resumes as Razor leaps off his foe.

Logan falls chest-forward to the ground.

Razor lands, twirls around, and flings a curved dagger. "HAA!!!"

SW-SW-SW-SWISH!!!! The blade twirls down at the hero.

Logan splits his legs.

CLINK!!!!

The jagged blade imbeds between his thighs.

Logan growls, spins up like a break dancer, and kicks the dagger off the ground with the heel of his boot.

CLANK!!!—CONG!!!

The blade spins up I the air, deflects off a metal support pole on the side of the train, and twirls at Razor's head.

The ninja ducks.

SMASH!!!!

The glass of the sliding door to the next car shatters behind him.

Logan is on his feet, growling, charging.

THUMP!!!!

He shoves the two of them through both doors.

SM-SMASH!!!!!

The sliding doors shatter off their hinges.

The two tumble harshly into the cargo hold. Crates and luggage jiggle all around them in the bouncing car.

Razor flips up to his feet and gets into a fighting pose.

Logan stands up and raises his fist.

A breath…two breaths…

SWOOOOOSH---Razor rushes.

Logan raises elbow.

WHAP!!!

Razor's incoming chin flies up with a spray of saliva.

Logan twirls and slams his fists into Razor's chest.

The ninja slides back.

Logan runs, jumps, kicks---

Razor grabs him leg first and flings him through a pile of crates.

SMASH!!!!

Logan dizzily rolls to a stop amidst splinters of wood.

"YAAAAAH!!!" Razor jumps high, pushes down from the ceiling, and sails down at Logan's prone body with a descending kick.

Logan raises his legs. He meets Razor's kick flatly with the soles of his feet. He flips the fiend over him.

SWOOOOSH!! Razor slams hard against a wall. THWAP!!!

He slumps to the ground, clutching his side. Sweating.

Logan gets into a kneel and grits his teeth…also exhausted.

"You…."

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

The holo prompter urged Beast Boy along.

The green elf in his smashing suit had a hard time complying. Regardless—as the good actor as he was—he forced himself to hiss across the train car at Robin's character:

"…you killed Noir, you heartless bastard."

"Temper Temper, Mr. Logan," Robin sneered under his dark lenses. "It isn't typical of a secret agent to lose his cool."

"I've had a very…very….atypical week," Beast Boy growled.

"Awww…I suppose I'm a vacation, then?" Robin smirked.

"Yeah…," Beast Boy nodded, following the prompter. He reached back to his concealed pistol. "A real tip-toe through the tulips."

Robin shrugged with a devil-may-care grin. "Poppies….." SWOOOSH-PFFT!!! He whipped out a tiny pistol and shot a dart lightning-quick into Beast Boy's neck.

The changeling blinked. "What did you just do to me?!"

"Consider yourself a guest of Madame Moonflame's brand new home," Robin said as his image got fuzzier and fuzzier in the green elf's vision. "Why else would I have let you catch up with me unless it was an invite??"

Beast Boy wheezed. He pulled his gun out…but it dropped to the floor as he slumped down like a ragdoll. Heaving.

A pair of helpless green eyes looked up at Robin.

The Boy Wonder did something out of character. He mouthed compassionately: 'Don't worry, B.B. Just sleep.'

And Beast Boy was down for the count.

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

"Easy….easy…."

"Awaken, Beast Boy! You are undamaged!"

"You okay, B.B.? Speak to us??"

"Wha-….what??" Beast Boy's eyes fluttered open. He gasped and sat up straight. "Where am I—Noir?!"

"Shhhh," Starfire lowered him back down.

"Still unaccounted for, man," Cyborg sighed. "None of us have been back to that void place or whatever.

Beast Boy's eyes tiredly eyed his surroundings. "Where are we?"

"On the set for the next scene," Robin said. He gazed up at the lights reflecting off his black lenses. "Some sort of….base or something. Typical James Bond cliché."

"Wonderful…," Beast Boy tiredly looked at the frozen set. A metal maze of platforms and computer equipment with aerodynamic ceiling and elliptical windows looking out into…..dark blue obscurity. A handful of guards and henchmen and evil scientists were frozen in the middle of whatever they were doing. The spheres were nowhere to be seen.

"How long till the curtains rise…?" Beast Boy asked, rubbing his temples.

"No way of knowing," Cyborg shrugged. "It's been a good ten minutes since we all came here. Mad Mod seemed agitated…but not with us."

"What was it, then?"

Starfire clasped her hands together: "He seemed to be most frustrated with meeting the Critic's demands. It would seem that the Critic is becoming impatient and demanding. I feel that Mad Mod's directing skills are not living up to the standards set out for him."

"This show might hit the bottom without us even lifting a finger," Robin shrugged.

"Well, that sucks. We put so much into it," Beast Boy said. He then smiled slightly. "Thanks for not kicking my ass too much back there, Robin."

The Boy Wonder folded his arms. "I was playing my role."

"Suuuuuuure," Cyborg smirked.

"You know….I'm beginning to think more and more about it," Beast Boy sat up. "Cyborg….you got no metal left."

"Uh huh."

"Starfire, you look human and your hair is short."

"That is correct."

"And Robin……..er……..you look like an anorexic Robocop."

"Your point?"

"And Noir was an Asian kung fu guy with short hair! And look at me!!" Beast Boy pointed to his chest. "I'm still green and with pointy ears! What's up with that?!"

"Perhaps Mad Mod felt that your true form was most suitable to Agent Sixty-Four?"

"Or maybe the Critic is playing favorites?"

Everyone stared at Beast Boy. "……"

"Come on! I'm not bragging! Think about it…all I've ever been so far is myself! An actor! I'm the only one that's had acting experience! And I'm the star of the show! The center of attention! The Critic even had my sidekick……..he even had Noir shot…"

The Titans hung their heads at that.

Beast Boy took a deep breath. "I'm the star of the show…and I don't like it. I want answers now."

"Well…maybe we'll get some soon," Robin said. "Soon, we'll all be together and we'll get to Noir pronto."

"Together???" Beast Boy made a face. "I don't see Raven anywhere, do you guys?"

"She should be hear soon."

"What makes you say that?"

Robin stared at him through his lenses. "Because this is 'Madame Moonflame's lair'."

"…..," Beast Boy blinked. "Dude……this is gonna be rich."

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

………….

………….

………….

…………..

…………..

……………"Jordan?"

I gasped.

Pain.

Shearing pain.

I doubled over, wheezing.

It felt like my chest was melting apart from the middle.

Tears poured out of my eyes.

"Jordan……"

I gasped.

I looked up.

She smiled at me. A blinding light was melting the sides of her golden frame. And yet she stood there. Resolute. She extended a hand.

"It is not real pain……"

I panted, staring at her.

My whole chest throbbed.

My lips parted.

She leaned over gently.

"You……you know what real pain is………"

I gulped.

"Construction and Destruction……merging as one……you can see the dividing line. You can feel it."

I took a deep breath. A warmth spread through my system. Flooding the throbbing ache away.

My eyes enlarged.

The pupils sunk into blackness.

My hair grew long and hung down my back.

I grew inches taller.

Ana took my hand and helped me to my feet. She walked backwards into the light.

"And if you know real pain……then you can know real joy……for you know me, Jordan. And I still……know you…"

She melted away finally into the brightness.

I called out for her name…but the scar on my neck was back.

I panicked and plunged through the brightness. Ana!!!!

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

CLAMP!!!

My metal hand palmed something smooth and cold above me.

I gasped.

Everything was bright.

I narrowed my black eyes.

I panted.

I was in an enclosed space.

I was still dressed in my sweaty, training gi from the spar in the Titans' gym.

And glass….glass stretched above me.

There were wires in my arms and legs….and head.

Attached to sensors.

Tiny, sparking sensors.

I squinted through the brightness and saw a circular chamber outside the glass tube.

Six other glass tubes stretched along a wall beside me.

And outside a thin stretch of windows, I saw blackness….and stars.

Twirling and twirling.

I exhaled.

Where in the Hell was I???