161. Whispers part 4

Robin, Starfire, and Tempest stood in a rear parlor of the mansion at nightfall. A cold autumn wind drifted in through the windows. The elder in charge shivered at a table, a blanket wrapped warmly around his soaked shoulders. He sipped from a cup of hot tea, exhaled, and said:

"Garet wasn't the first. Not by any means. Before him, Viper took down Mendleton. Berkley. Hu-Sung. Every major…..businessman in the region."

"Using the word 'business' lightly…," Robin uttered, his eyemask thin.

"But of course…"

Two or three thugs hovered at the door, shifting uncomfortably.

Tempest and Starfire kept an eye on them.

Robin leaned forward and interrogated the old man. "And what is it that Viper wanted from these creeps? Ransoms? Monetary demands?"

"He simply comes, murders, and goes…," the elder gestured with an empty cup. "Silent—of course—much like he is built to do." A lackey drifted over and poured the man some more tea. He sipped from it and leaned back. "Although….lately….Viper hasn't been quite as silent."

Robin stared. "What do you mean??"

"Well….one of Garet's men who attacked the assassin managed to live. He fell off his motorbike in the ensuing chase down the mountain side. Only a broken arm. He said that he heard Viper's electronic voice spouting off a whole bunch of nonsense before Garet was actually killed. And that's unusual. It's not like Viper to chat away before offing someone. He's changed. He's changed somehow…"

"Did he hear what Viper had to say?"

"Barely. A voice carries thinly over the treetops in this cold, Autumn air. It's hard to get a finger on…especially when it's an electronic voice," the old man sipped some more tea. He swallowed. "But…."

Robin leaned forward.

The elder stared at the Boy Wonder. "He supposedly….rambled on."

"About what?"

"Death. Death and being death."

"…………."

"I always knew Viper to be an obsessed individual. But not a foolish one. His passion has always dealt with the destruction of life. But even that sort of inflicted chaos had an order to it. Viper sought to suck the life out of a specific group of targets. Law enforcement. Judges. Police constables. Prison wardens. You are no stranger to this tendency of his…"

"Right…….," Robin nodded. "It deals with a vengeance factor rooted in his parents' deaths."

"Which is understandable. Believe me, Mr. Titan, when I tell you that I have seen many men in my life who live their days by vengeance."

"I can only imagine."

A beat.

The man leaned back. He said: "Viper once knew what his days were avenging. But….he's seemed to have lost track of that. He's fallen short of what he used to be…and in a sense…he's climbed up to a new state of being."

"How is that plausible?" Starfire asked.

He looked at her: "He no longer seems to care about who he kills….but only that he kills. The man has always been sadistic, and yes—he has taken pleasure in violence and ripping human beings asunder with that damnable blade of his. But everything now seems….indiscriminate. Immature. Spontaneous. He only seems to kill now because he can. And thus he has chosen the targets most readily available to him and unsuspecting of his wrath."

"Criminal organizations…," Robin remarked. "Garet's mafia for one."

"Please, Robin. 'Mafia' is such a stigmatic word…."

"So he's a traitor then?" Tempest gestured. "Was there something you guys did to piss him off?"

"For one thing….there is no 'us guys' in this situation, Mr. Sea-Dweller," the man pointed. "And for another….there is nothing Garet or myself could do to predict this action by Viper. It's more akin to lunacy than it is treachery. And yet….I would be lying if I said that I did not sense this string of murders coming."

"What do you mean….?" Asked Robin.

The man's eyes narrowed. "There is…a great spirit of evil in this land. Something destructive. Something fatal. Like the spirit of bloodshed itself. The color red." He gazed out the window, through which the cold air filtered in. "People are disappearing left and right. Either by the blade or by some dark shadow when nobody is looking. And the thing is…this has been prevalent long before Viper's string of murders. Viper may be a bloody madman….but he isn't the biggest threat in the land."

"He is….," Starfire blinked and held her hands together, "….a reflection of a greater killer?"

The man nodded. "Whether that killer is a man or a thing or an idea….Viper senses it. And he envies it. Assassins have their egos, I suppose. Viper won't settle for being the second best grim reaper in the land." He gazed at the Titans. "Whatever he's doing…whoever he's killing….Viper is trying to prove to the powers that be that he is the greatest wielder of fatality in the world. He'll go to any length he can to spread the essence of death. That includes turning on former associates……and slaying any pathetic cop he might happen to bump into on the highway."

Starfire bit his lip.

Robin frowned. "Viper hasn't killed anyone pathetic. He's a cold-hearted murderer, and the lives of everyone he's hurt deserves respect. We're going to bring him down, no matter what. And if you're so much as hiding vital information from us—"

"I've told you everything I know, Titan…," the man uttered. "You forget…I am merely a subordinate. The wonderful secrets that you are no doubt searching for perished along with Garet. The moment he was decapitated spelled the end of whatever conspiracy theory you may be after. It is beyond me what Viper may be doing at this moment and who or what he plans to target next. But know this…he will be targeting someone or something next. If I were you….I would be very concerned for my brothers and sisters in arms. If you're so much as conveniently within reach of Viper's blade….you will die. Only because you can be killed. Only because it would mean an extra roster on Viper's mortal scoreboard."

Tempest's communicator suddenly vibrated. He cleared his throat, whipped the device out with a Star Trek sound, and excused himself into a corner.

"Now…if you children would be so kind as to leave these premises before I start to get annoyed…….any discomfort would be avoided…"

"You're not in the position to give commands."

"Am I, Robin? Just tell me what proof you and your allies have against this organization on anything??"

"………."

"As much as the local law enforcement knows…we suffered a tragic blow from an insane assassin, and afterwards the Titans needlessly flooded the front room of this mansion with reclaimed water just to rough things up a bit."

Starfire snarled: "You are a dirty man who is most assuredly full of dirt!!"

Robin held an arm out, pushing her aside. "You told us what we came here for. We shall leave."

Starfire blinked.

The man nodded. "Wise move, Mr. Titan. That is why you're such a good leader."

His eyemask narrowed. "I'll be keeping an eye on this place. For since Garet died, I now know who's in charge of this 'organization' and I'll be sure to be here on a moment's notice with more cans of whoopass then you can pour tea on if ever you even think about breaking the law. THAT'S why I'm a good leader."

"…………"

"Come on, Starfire…..," Robin swiveled around. "Let's go."

"A-Alright, Robin…."

But as they went to leave the room, Tempest walked up in front of them.

"Just got a message from Beast Boy."

"Yeah? What about?"

"There's been an attack on the Wayne Enterprises Building. Many people are dead."

Starfire gasped, her hands over her lips.

Robin did a double take. "Wayne Enterprises??"

Tempest nodded. "Get this. It was Killer Moth…..and Viper."

"……….."

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

"What are we looking for, sir?"

Decker rummaged through recent files in a stack of paper in the corner of his office. The Lieutenant shuffled through memos, reports, and faxes behind him.

"We're looking, Lieutenant….for something so simple that I'll be kicking my ass so hard over it tomorrow that my buttocks will switch places with my head or else threaten my toes with a lawsuit…," the Commissioner mumbled. "Somewhere here I remember breezing through the report on Killer Moth's stolen vehicle…"

"You mean the stationwagon that was left on the Metropolitan Highway?"

"Yeah. That piece of shit. That piece of shit may be the piece of shit I need to—AH!! Here we are!!" Decker victoriously ripped a manila envelope out of a pile of collapsing paperwork. THWUMP!! "Ahh…phooie. Clean that up later, will you?"

"Er…"

"Good boy…," Decker strolled over to his desk chair. He ripped the envelope open and scanned through the pages. His eyes darting back and forth. "………." A blink. "There."

"What is it, sir?"

"Not what, who," Decker droned as he scanned the papers. His eyes thinned "God, I need glasses again. I swear." A beat. He glared at the Lieutenant: "Don't you frickin' tell anyone that either."

"No, sir."

Decker pointed at the pages: "The stationwagon was stolen from the Pine Breeze Lot twenty miles outside of Town. And yet…the owner of the car lot didn't report it missing. A co-worker of his did, and even still…it was well over forty-eight hours after the vehicle was supposedly stolen. According to these files, the owner of the lot works there seven days a week, four times as much as his subordinates. What would have possessed a person like that to wait so long before sharing such a major loss with local authorities?"

"Perhaps Killer Moth threatened him against alerting anyone?" the Lieutenant shrugged.

"Hmmmmm," Decker hummed. A beat. He slid the papers back into the envelope and stood up. "There's one way to find out."

"What do you have in mind, sir?"

"The same as always. Nothing and everything." The Commissioner glanced over. "Was there any testimony taken from the the car lot owner."

"Yes, sir. Including his name and number of contact."

"I just need his name. Never mind the contact. In fact…I think I'll stop by the records department before paying him a visit. Because if I remember the area around the Pine Breeze Lot……," Decker's voice lingered in mid thought.

"???" the Lieutenant leaned his head to the side.

"Allright," Decker half-smiled in an eerie fashion. I'm going.

"Want me to go with you, sir?"

"Nope. But tell you what I'd want you to do…."

"What's that?"

"Blue ink….go fetch me some."

The Lieutenant blinked. "S-Sir??"

"You heard me. Get your ass in first gear!"

"Third."

"Whatever."

The Commissioner was gone.

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

"…………….," the Boy Wonder stared.

'Wayne Enterprises' shimmered from glowing letters down the buildingsides of Downtown, resisting the darkness of night. The police and emergency lights strobed anxiously. Medics were still carting shrouded forms on gurneys out of the loading dock of the skyscraper's rear and into dark vehicles.

"……………."

"Robin?"

"……………."

"Robin??" Starfire softly uttered, leaning her head into the Boy Wonder's view.

Robin's eyemask thinned. He tilted his head down and folded his arms.

"What is it, Star?" he muttered.

She gulped. She held her hands together and leaned forward with concern. "You have been…..staring at the skyscraper for well over a Terran half-hour. Is something disturbing you?"

"……," Robin gazed over at the carted bodies. "………." He gazed back at Starfire.

She winced. "B-Besides that which is hampering all of our souls….."

A beat.

"It's nothing," he muttered. He marched past her.

She watched pensively.

Robin came to a stop in the midst of the Titans.

Cyborg stood halfway in the driver's seat of the open T-Car, finishing the attachment of his second arm. Raven floated quietly beside him. Beast Boy and I leaned against the vehicle's hood, applying our own shares of ice packs to a key spot on our persons. Tempest stood off by the edge of the courtyard within earshot.

Starfire walked over and stood patiently by Robin's side.

We all gazed at our leader.

He gazed back. "………" His shoulders heaved with a sigh. He asked: "All right. How many dead?"

"Eight," Raven droned. "And several more injured. Mainly cops from the mutant moths and the ensuing squad car crashes."

"Four of the dead were either guards or workers at the loading dock," Cyborg added. He finished adjusting his arm back onto his person with a KL-KLAK! He flexed Titanium fingers. "Three more were scientists in the basement laboratories of Wayne Enterprise's Science Department. Then there was an innocent civilian outside the loading dock at the neighboring bus stop. We're thinking she was killed first for reasons unknown."

Robin took a deep breath: "And just how many of these deceased victims were within close vicinity of either Kitten or Killer Moth and his creations?"

Cyborg gazed down. He muttered: "None."

"It was a distraction," Raven droned. "Kitten lured the police in. Killer Moth set up multiple traps to stop us from rushing in. And Viper…."

"He did all the killing," Robin exhaled…once again staring at the words 'Wayne Enterprises' glowing high above. "The eccentric, popular villains took center stage while the assassin wandered in the back door and performed the slaughter."

"Seriously bad, dude…," Beast Boy uttered.

Robin glared: "Do you even need to say that?"

Beast Boy recoiled, wincing.

Silence.

Starfire cleared her throat. "There was…..a p-point to this murderous escapade?"

"Damned if I know," Cyborg shrugged. "Maybe somebody's seriously pissed at Wayne Enterprises and it took Viper and that costumed freak to bring it out in the open?"

"Was something stolen?" Tempest asked. "Somehow…this all feels like one big heist. I've read up on Wayne Enterprises. I can't imagine anyone murdering his way into one of the company's establishments without wanting to pick up something expensive."

"………..," Robin gazed off.

"There aren't really any details right now," Cyborg said. "Those laboratories are absolutely crawling with City investigators as we speak. And to be honest….I don't think any of us should get in the way."

"Right," Robin uttered.

Cyborg glanced at the leader. "But supposedly a bunch of equipment was stolen. Viper was carrying something with him when he, Killer Moth, and that blonde hyena of his waltzed off in the dust storm."

I lowered the ice pack and gestured with my hands.

Cyborg nodded at me and translated to Robin: "Viper had a satchel with him. Like….a canvass bag. He passed it to Kitten on the way out. It looked to have a bunch of bumpy stuff in it. Like tools or high-tech gadgetry."

Starfire gasped: "Weapons???"

"No….not possible," Robin shook his head.

"How would you know?" Tempest asked.

"Because I do," Robin immediately faced Cyborg and said: "Killer Moth…..what sort of resources did he have available at his disposal??"

"How do I begin to answer that, dawg?!?!" Cyborg cackled. He waved his arms and uttered: "He had…like….worms that ate into my circuitry and globs of sticky goo made of some durable stuff that I don't even WANT to know about. Then the pollen and the backup moths……oye."

"How many moths?"

"Um…."

"Under a hundred," Raven remarked. "I counted."

Cyborg blinked at her. "How do you do that?"

"I'm observant.

"Yeah, but—"

Robin cleared his throat. "So….what I gather is…………Killer Moth had a counter for every eventuality."

"It was crazy!!" Beast Boy cackled. "I mean, I know we've fought the creep more than once. But for a bad dude who's been in prison so long since his last butt-kicking—which was pretty darn miserable on his part I might add—he sure knew how to predict not only the time we arrived but just how to royally make our day screwed!!"

I gestured again.

"Noir says that 'it felt like clockwork'," Cyborg explained. "Killer Moth must have possessed a cold, calculated mind of extreme focus to have pulled off such a trick."

"So……maybe he and the other two goons thought of it together!!" Beast Boy pointed. "Like….they put their heads against each other and came up with a way to kill people, bruise our egos, and spread pollen to boot!"

Raven stared boredly at Beast Boy. She raised an eyebrow. "Kitten……contributed to a good, villainous plan?"

Beast Boy blushed. "Well….most of their heads at least."

"Do I take it that the sort of thing that happened earlier today is not Killer Moth's style?" Tempest asked.

Starfire shook her head. "It is not, from the testimony being presented here." She gestured. "And if this atrocious event was not masterminded by Killer Moth…."

"….then Viper takes credit," Robin paced through the group. "I can't stop thinking about the fact that Viper performed all the bloodshed. Killer Moth's and Kitten's acts were merely the surface of what's going on here. The bloody heart of this matter lies in Viper's steps. And those steps were made quickly, coldly, and without regard for life. The three obviously wanted something from this whole ordeal. And in spite of everything thrown at them, they got it. They left as quickly as they came to the scene. What's to stop them from going wherever they want to next?"

"I performed an instant scan of the City as soon as the pollen cloud dissipated," Cyborg said. "And Raven sent out an empathic signal. But we couldn't detect the three fiends. They must have made like the wind as soon as we lost them. I hate to say it, Robin. But they're gone. Long gone. Not a soul was nearby to catch them in their flight."

"…….," Tempest shifted nervously where he stood for some reason.

I gazed at him curiously. I looked over towards the Titan leader.

"Well, that's just perfect…."

"……," I gazed back at Tempest patiently.

Sure enough, the Atlantean had his hand raised. "Uhm…..Robin? Leader, sir?"

Robin gazed over icily. "…………What?"

Tempest swallowed and simpered: "I b-believe I can find them.

"……….you can….huh?"

"Uh huh," he nodded. "But I gotta get to it now. Before it's too late."

"Just what do you have in mind, Flipper?" Cyborg glanced at him funnily.

Tempest smiled and pointed at his head. "I've got some unique talents."

"Yeah, okay…," Robin gazed back at the emergency vehicles. "Whatever."

"I'm serious!!"

"We have no time for this—"

"No shit!" Tempest frowned and pointed: "What are you gonna do, Robin? Retreat to the Tower and call it a rest since you and everyone else here is completely clueless as to where our nemeses are?"

"……….."

"Well, I think you guys need some rest after all," Tempest smirked. "At the same time, I'll get to the work the only way I can. I promise you…I'll have some results by morning time!"

"Dude, you're working all night?" Beast Boy blinked.

"If it takes that!" Tempest remarked. He looked at Robin. "Come on, Robbie! What do you say??"

Cyborg snickered.

Robin glared at him.

Cyborg pointed: "He called your 'Robbie'. That's rich."

"Nobody calls me 'Robbie'," Robin muttered.

"I call you Robbie," Cyborg said.

"……….."

"…………from time to time."

"…………I don't see what this has to do with anything," Robin muttered.

"Heeeee!!" Starfire hugged him from behind. "He is Robbbbbie!!!"

Raven rolled her eyes.

Beast Boy giggled.

Robin shook his head, sighed, and said: "Whatever, Tempest. Go have fun."

"Aye, sir," Tempest gladly saluted.

Cyborg folded his arms. "Spoken like a true sailor."

"Shut up, Clunker," Tempest retorted…dashing away.

Raven chuckled.

"…….???" Cyborg glanced at her, surprised.

"Ahem….," Raven cleared her throat and adjusted her robe. "Sorry….."

"………..," Cyborg looked at Robin. "Can we go home now?"

"My thoughts exactly," Robin shuffled towards his R-Cycle. Starfire followed.

"Show's over, folks…," Beast Boy waved his arms before fluttering Tower-ward as a green falcon. "Tonight the bed, tomorrow the morgue."

I was smirking as I joined Cyborg and Raven in the T-Car.

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

Robin walked over to his R-Cycle and picked his helmet off.

Starfire floated behind him. "Robin…."

"What is it, Star?" he calmly replied. He gazed at her over his caped shoulder. "Did you want to ride again?"

"Perhaps," she leaned her head to the side. "But I was just…..wondering if you were okay."

"You're always wondering if I'm okay," Robin smiled softly. He gazed at the Tower once more, sighed, and glanced off. "Doesn't take a genius to know that I feel bad."

"About the deaths?"

"Bingo," Robin said. "I feel responsible for what happened here."

"It was not you who murdered those innocent people so mercilessly—"

"It's not just that, Star….," he gazed up at the letters atop the building once more. "It's….It's…."

"What, Robin?"

"………….."

Silence.

"It's nothing," Robin sighed.

Starfire hung her head. "Is it truly?"

"Sometimes…….Sometimes I wish I could tell you, Starfire…."

"Tell me what, Robin?"

"Everything…," the masked Wonder said. His back was to her. The autumn wind kicked at his yellow and black cape.

For a split moment, he looked like a photonegative in the night.

Starfire blinked, her lips agape. "R-Robin??"

"Never mind, Star…….," Robin shook his head and put his helmet on. He looked at her. "Did you want a ride or not?"

She smiled painfully. "I would……be glad to."

He offered a gloved hand.

She took it.

He helped her onto the back of the bike….but paused.

Starfire froze as soon as he did.

"……," Robin was gazing at her Tamaranian hand in his grasp. The half-naked, amber skin. The feminine softness of it. His eyemask narrowed.

"Is….Is there something you see, Robin?" the alien girl asked, slightly amused.

Robin's voice was deep, contemplative, and a bit lost in his gaze.

"Does it ever burn……Starfire?"

"Does what ever burn, Robin?"

"Your power. Casting starbolts. When you launch green fire from your hands."

"Actually…it somewhat tickles," she giggled. Her cheeks red. "Is that not amusing?"

Silence.

She blinked.

He was still holding her hand.

"Robin??"

"Viper….," he exhaled. "He…..didn't chop the hands off the victims in the Wayne Enterprises building….did he?"

Starfire slowly shook her head. "According to the initial police report, negative. He did not."

"But….But….," Robin slowly gazed up from her hand and into her face. "….that just isn't Viper. Where is the ego? Where is the extravagance? The penchant for a signature?"

Starfire's fingers flexed in his grasp.

She stammered: "Perhaps….P-Perhaps he is not in control of himself right now?"

"Or maybe…..," Robin gazed off in thought. "…..m-maybe he's not in control of anything. But is working to get that far?" He looked at Starfire again. "Viper isn't content. He isn't content because he doesn't have any of these bloody situations truly in his grasp. And when an eccentric villain isn't content….he has no time for making his signature."

"But Viper would desire to be content, would he not?" Starfire said. "And submitting to Killer Moth's camaraderie and devices is a way of achieving such a state?"

"Close….but not quite," Robin thought aloud. "Viper did all the killing, remember Star? No….No, Viper isn't working for Killer Moth. He's working to get complete control. Control of what? Who knows. But I'm thinking Killer Moth is near the top of the list."

"What is it that you are assuming, Robin?"

"The guy at Garet's place said that Viper wants only to prove that he's the greatest wielder of death and fatality in the land. So far, Viper's been meeting that description. He's been killing indiscriminately while working alongside Killer Moth. But I think he wants more. Lots more. And to do that…he must play the game as Killer Moth's lackey……until it comes time to off Killer Moth himself."

"But to what ends, Robin?" Starfire remarked. "What could be the advantage of empowering Killer Moth?"

Robin gazed off. He exhaled.

"Devices………….the devices of death….."

"…………"

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

North of the City….

Besides a cluster of forests where the roads branched out gradually into the mountainsides….

There was a stream.

And Tempest walked along the banks of this stream.

And the moon shone overhead.

The stars.

The ring-lit torch of the Milky Way's outer band.

Autumn wind turned it all into a kaleidoscope as the leaves waved and danced overhead.

Tempest approached the river.

He gazed into the stream.

He closed his dark, white-on-black eyes.

He stretched his arms out.

With an exhale….

His lungs closed.

His neck gills open.

Obsidian hair danced.

And---

SPLOOOSH!!!!

He fell into the water.

He drifted to the bottom of the river bed.

He rested his knees together.

He crossed his arms over his chest.

He lay back in the currents like an invisible coffin.

He drifted….

Drifted…….

Drifted…………

And while drifting…

His brow furrowed.

His forehead tensed…and was calm again.

The telepathic nerves in his Atlantean head shifted gears.

In a meditative state he reached out in waves of thought towards every fish.

Every bird.

Every mammal in the area.

Dreaming creatures in the forest woke up.

Reflecting eyes blinked open in the trees.

Schools of freshwater fish shook and thrashed into coherency.

Currents of water and air and soil shook together as one and let loose a mental gasp that bounced back into Tempest's soul and drifted him further beyond the invisible dividing line of consciousness and…

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

The wind-shaken eyes of a seagull.

Daylight.

A sunset City below.

Squad cars crashing into each other.

Dust rising.

Pollen.

Bodies coiling together.

A cloud of obscurity.

Three dark forms

Breaking through.

And……

A ruffle of feathers.

Dipping aside.

A horizon with a suspension bridge.

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

A canine nose digging through trash.

Echoing footsteps rushing down the alleyway.

Glancing up.

Sniffing.

Fleeing mice.

More sniffing.

Shadows.

In the distance……

Gray boots.

A yellow skirt.

More gray boots.

A dragging broadsword.

And……

Gone.

Barking.

Barking.

Barking.

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

Nighttime.

A beak digging into the guts of a field mouse.

A rustling of leaves.

A pivot.

A twist of the head.

Downward.

Branches glistening in the moonlight.

Three shadowed forms.

Bulbous bug eyes reflecting off the top of a biped.

A silver sword screaming back the moonlight.

Slowly progressing.

Slinking like a snake.

Westward.

Darkness.

Pivot.

And…

The innards of a field mouse.

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

Bounding across the road.

Shadows of antlers shaking in the light of a highway lamppost.

A black and white blink.

Through the underbrush beyond the median.

A rustle.

Freezing.

Looking up.

Still.

Three shadows.

Approaching a metal fence.

The moonlight overhead.

A glint of silver.

Acid pollen.

The fence crumbles.

Three figures pile on through.

A blink.

And……

Rushing back through the underbrush in the opposite direction.

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

Early morning sunlight kissing the horizon.

The sounds of chirping birds.

Rushing down the back of a tree with an acorn.

Crouching on a branch.

Tearing the layers of flesh off the acorn.

Chiseling teeth.

Panting.

Panting.

Panting.

Pause.

Glancing down.

Jerking.

Sniffing.

Three figures poised.

Three figures lurking forward.

Three figures swiftly darting through the grass and across a parking lot.

An office building bordering a huge factory with trees and hills in the distance.

A huge sign.

Human font.

'Dayton Chemical Works.'

'Central Plant.'

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

It was morning time when Tempest's wet face finally broke the surface of the stream.

And he gasped.

Dark eyes wide.

Lungs filling up with air.

"I know where th-they are……"

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

CR-CRACK!!!

The door flew off its hinges.

Two office workers jumped up from their desks inside the carpeted building besides the factory.

Killer Moth stepped in.

Kitten followed with a shotgun which she promptly aimed at the ceiling, pumped with much gusto, and--

BL-BLAM!!!!

Fiberglass and dust flew.

One of the workers shrieked.

They both crouched low to the ground.

Kitten giggled madly.

Killer Moth pointed and growled: "I want access to the alcohol containers!! NOW!!!"

"Y-You need the p-proper authorization!!" one of the workers chanted. "We're just the business d-department!! This isn't the factory!! Even w-we don't even know how to get you in there!!"

"How's this for authorization??" Killer Moth produced a handful of pollen and blew it in the workers' direction.

The dust flew, congealed in the air, and wrapped around the victims in sticky, binding cocoons.

"Nnnnghhh!!" they struggled and strained in the suffocating grip.

"FREEZE!!!"

Kitten spun with the shotgun, panting.

"……," Killer Moth gazed over.

A security guard stood in the doorway with a revolver. He fingered the trigger and squinted one eye. "Nobody moves!!"

Killer Moth stared past him. "You're the only one who doesn't have to move."

"……..??" the guard raised an eyebrow.

CHIIIIING!!!!

A blade protruded outward through his chest, lifting his body.

"SNKKKTT!!!" he gurgled.

Viper leaned around him from where he stood with the piercing blade. He smiled and kissed the man's ear.

"…….," the man shook on the blade and spit up blood.

Viper held his mute breath, spun, and swung the man's corpse off his broadsword and out the nearby window.

SMASH!!!!!

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

VRRRMMMMMmmmmmm………

Decker drove his squad car to a stand still.

"………," he gazed out through the dashboard.

The Pine Breeze Lot was scarcely an acre in size. It was more like a sandbox clustered with three or four half-rusted cars side by side with aged signs slipped into the windshields. There were two portables located next to the highway-side bargain trap. One was decked with flapping, blue flags of plastic in the breeze. The other was beaten down and dilapidated. The first must have been the office. The second must have been the owner's home.

"………….," Decker sighed. "Well. Nice business."

He popped the car door open.

He shuffled out.

He shut it behind him.

He adjusted his autumn coat.

He ran a hand through his hair.

He slowly marched through the dirt, gravel, and sparse grass of the median towards the gnarled, wooden door of the lot's office. He knocked on it.

Thap. Thap. Thap.

Decker stepped back.

He rested his arms by his side.

A beat.

He folded his arms behind him.

A beat.

He looked once again at the old cars.

A beat.

He gazed at the door he just knocked on.

A beat.

Grumbling, Decker stepped back up and raised his fist--

Creeeeeeeak.

The door opened.

A dark-haired man stared down. Olive skinned. Gangly. His green eyes blinked.

"It says 'come in'," he uttered.

Decker smiled. "I like to grab attention."

"…….."

Decker cleared his throat. "Mr. Smith? Mr. Allen J. Smith?"

"Yeah, that's me."

Decker showed him his badge. "I'm Commissioner Decker. Pleased to meet you in person."

Smith blinked. "Commissioner Decker??"

"I take it you've heard of me…."

"I….uh…."

"Good. Now that that's over with…," Decker gently forced his way in.

Smith stepped out of the way.

Decker stood in the center of a claustrophobic interior. The office was a thin place partitioned into two compartments. One: a 'sitting area' with home-printed brochures and a thin skeleton of a metal desk serving as Smith's work area. Two: an unseen part of the office on the other side of a wall of velvet curtain. The makings of a coffee machine and a television could be seen on the otherside.

"Even the smallest of establishment's has a breakroom," Decker smirked and pointed beyond the curtain. "That where you sell your best premiums?"

"Nothing important," Smiths shrugged.

"Ah. I hear ya."

"Can I help you, Comissioner?"

"Oh yeah. I heard this thing about….oh….a stolen vehicle. Killer Moth was involved. Yeah. He kinda sorta snuck into your lot and took off with a stationwagon, do you remember that?"

"…………."

"If I must refresh your memory, it was three days ago."

"I suppose it was," Smith droned. "I already answered a report about it."

"Yeah, you did," Decker finished pacing and glared at the man. "It was less than a day ago."

The man shrugged. "So what?"

"So…..," Decker slowly stepped towards the man. "….if you had filed the report about a missing vehicle sooner, then maybe my men and I could more easily have tracked it down and prevented the deaths of a certain handful of innocent people over the last sunrise and sunset. You ever think of that?"

"…….," Smith stared boredly at the Commissioner. "Am I supposed to repent of something now?"

"You're supposed to tell me why you took so long to make a report like a good little boy."

A beat.

Smith simply shrugged. "I was threatened."

"By whom?"

"Killer Moth."

"…….," Decker leaned a hand on his hip. "So….Killer Moth threatened you."

"Yes sir."

"And you didn't mention this before because—"

He shrugged. "I was too scared," he droned.

"And boy….do you certainly look like the type to be scared shitless."

"………," Smith merely glared.

Decker scratched his neck and looked around the business. "Nice place you got here. How often do you get a good deal through?"

Smith again shrugged. "Just enough."

"How good is 'just enough'?"

"Just enough to get by."

"Heh….I thought as much," Decker nodded. "Don't take this the wrong way…but…working in a place like this must make you beg for some breathing room. But….what do I know? It's a good thing you sell a random, rusted Beetle every now and then, huh? Not the kind of thing losing….oh…an entire stationwagon can put a wrench in. Right?"

"Commissioner….," Smith groaned. "I don't gripe about the job you're doing. So why should you gripe about mind?"

Decker stared the man closely in the face. "And just what bothers you about the job I'm doing, Mr. Smith?"

"…………," Smith took a deep breath. "I suggest you leave, Mr. Decker."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"Or else I'll file a report….," Smith droned.

"Ah….a report….," Decker nodded. "Wouldn't want one of those…would I?"

Smith shook his head. "No. You wouldn't."

"I'll just….keep in mind that….you were scared by Killer Moth," Decker nodded.

"Exactly. I didn't want to tell the police what was stolen from my lot or else I could be in grave danger."

"I see. Then….you wouldn't know why Killer Moth chose this piece of crap business of all the spots on the highway to pillage?"

"Look….didn't I just tell you that—"

Decker waved the suddenly irate man off. "I get it. I'm leaving. You should learn to calm down."

"?????"

Decker walked halfway out the door.

He paused.

A beat.

He turned around on the outside steps.

"By the way. When you keep the cars of your lot outside for display…..do you leave keys in the glove compartment? Cuz after Killer Moth and his daughter fled the scene of the Metropolitan Highway—"

Thwap!!

The door to the portable shut.

"……….," Decker turned and gazed down the highway.

Silence.

No cars.

"……….," Decker turned. He looked down the other end of the highway.

Silence.

No cars.

Morning stillness.

A beat.

"Allright…," Decker groaned. "Enough with this shit."

The Commissioner spun, whipped out a pistol from beneath his coat, approached the door, raised his foot, and--

WHAM!!!!

CRACK!!!!

It flew off its foundation.

Smith spun around on the inside.

Decker stomped towards him, the gun raised sideways.

Plant!

It plopped coldly against Smith's forehead.

Finally the man gasped and his green eyes flew wide.

"What are you doing?!?!"

"Shut the Hell up," Decker grunted and kept stomping forward.

Smith stumbled in reverse. "Wh-What are you doing?!?! What are you doing?!?!"

Decker shoved the man back with the pistol.

Smith crashed through the curtain wall. The fabric and its metal support plummeted along side him as his body sprawled into the half of the portable beyond. Decker now stood above the man, surrounded by a revelation of mountains of grimey magazines, dirty VHS tapes, film reels, and a splendid array of t.v. monitors, VCRs, and even a projector assembled together into a 'theatre' of sorts.

"Tell me, Smith…," Decker reached down, grabbed the thin man harshly by the collar of his shirt, and hoisted him up to face the cold pistol again. "….how much business does a fellow like you get this far down the isolated highway?"

"Nnngh….," the man shook and gritted his teeth. "Let go of me!!"

"Not today…"

THWUMP!!!

Decker slammed him into a chair and pressed the gun to his neck.

"A-Are you insane?!?!" Smith gasped.

"I bet you get your best business at night?? Don't you??" Decker frowned. "You sell your best deals at night when nobody in his right mind would be driving along this pathetic road to see your customers coming to visit you for late night premiums." He reached a hand out, grabbed a magazine full of provocative photographs and—without looking at it—waved it nakedly in front of Smith's face. "What better way to serve a motherload of child pornography to half the perverts in this City??"

"I….I-I….," Smith eyed the obvious mountains of magazines and VHS tapes around him. He gulped. "H-How did all this get here??! I have no clue!!"

Decker smirked. "Real smooth, shit-for-brains." He dropped the magazine, grabbed the man by the collar again, and hoisted him up. WHAM!!!! He slammed Smith against a wall, knocking over DVDs and VHS tapes.

"Nnghhh…," the suspect winced.

Plant!!

The gun was to the back of his neck.

Decker hissed into his ear: "Answer me this, Smith. Are you just the distributor of this crap?? Or are you also the cameraman??"

"Wh….Wh-What?!?!" the man gasped.

"You heard me, punk. How many of these children have you actually filmed? Have you gotten to know 'personally'??"

"Stop bullshitting me!!"

"You're only bullshitting yourself, son," Decker pressed his weight and the pistol into the man's back. "Your name's not Smith. I looked into your records at the police department. Every detail about you is the fitting end of a puzzle that began half a decade ago. You're really Alex Diotrephes. You spent four months as an elementary schoolteacher until parents started calling into the principal and complaining about how long your 'tutor sessions' were taking. You were convicted on at least eight counts of child molestations and twice as many incidences of possessing illegal pornography. Just being the slippery weasel that you are was what got you out from under the radar of law enforcement's nose. You turned up missing on a highway not far from here, your vehicle abandoned. Some people wanted to confirm you as dead…but not a neighborhood full of parents. No…any Joe on the street could figure out that you weren't dead. You were just in the area. Keeping it low. But a guy as horny and as pathetically dumbass as you can't keep it down, eh Diotrephes?? Sooner or later…you were gonna attract attention with this….'business' of yours."

The man wheezed: "I….I-I was going to quit it! Honestly…I was!!"

Decker fumed: "Tell that to the sixteen-year-old freshman stuck in Gotham City having to raise a three year old baby boy on her own, you yellow-assed son of a bitch."

THWUMP!!!!

Decker shoved him across the room by his hair.

The man plowed through two rows of VHS tapes.

Cl-Click!! Decker pointed his gun down at the man.

Diotrephes crawled backwards, white as a ghost, panting. "You…Y-You can't be serious!! Just take me in, man!! Don't shoot me!! Y-You can't shoot me!!"

"Can't I??" Decker glared. He curled his finger around the trigger. "Nine out of ten bullseyes a week in target practice tell me different."

"You're a City Commissioner!! They'll fry your ass for offing me!!"

"Speaking of fried asses……………tell me, Diotrephes….," Decker continued aiming the gun, slowly marching towards the crawling man. "…do you believe in a God?"

"…….," Diotrephes panted.

"How hot do you think Hell burns for a little turd like you?"

"What do you want from me?!?!"

"Certainly not what your clients want," Decker said. "Truth be told, I'm curious about your biggest client of all."

"……."

"Of course I'm talking about Killer Moth," Decker grinned. "But he doesn't want what all your other clients want either. Rather…I think he knows you all too well, and he wanted to exploit that. Since….well…..you knew Drury Walker back in Gotham City. You were both in the same college, dipshit."

"I…I….," Diotrephes' panicked eyes thinned. "How did you know that??"

"Gee…what a small world we ejaculate in," Decker said. "I do my homework. And the one thing in my career that never fails to amaze me is how ridiculously stupid criminal punks like you continue to be. Gotta cover your tracks, kid. But I guess it's too late for that. Prepare to burn…."

And he started to pull on the trigger.

"N-No!! Please!!!" the man waved his arm amidst the mountains of evidence. "D-Don't!!"

"Why not? It'll finish a lot of things."

"N-Not for you it won't!! All right?! I…I did it!!"

"You did what? Speak up."

"I gave Killer Moth the damn car!! Okay?!?! He threatened to turn me and this whole place in if I didn't cooperate!!"

"So you weren't so much scared by Killer Moth as you were by the national allegiance of soccer moms finally catching up with you and ripping your blueballs off??" Decker aimed the pistol closer. "Tell me something I don't know."

"Like what?!?!"

"Where is Killer Moth at??"

"What?!?!"

"Where's his base, Alex?! Where's his damn home-sweet-home?? Where's that lovely nest of his??"

"I can't tell you that!!!"

"And I can't shoot you, right?!?!" Cl-Click. "SPILL IT!!!"

"I….I….."

"There're people turning into bloody corpses all over my god damn City, you selfish little pig!!!" Decker shouted. "Killer Moth is the link to the one man in this world cold enough and merciless to even give me nightmares!! So spill it!! NOW!!!"

"The mountains!!!" Diotrephes shouted. "He's in the mountains!!"

"Wake up!! We're in the mountains!! Be specific!!!"

"Vines!! V-Vines and….an underwater cavern!! He said something about nests and an underwater cavern!! I'm not m-making this up!! I swear!! He's so eccentric and big mouthed!! He's in some cave somewhere!!"

"Where?!?!"

"Less than ten miles from here or something!! Real close, man!! He took the station wagon to the highway just so he could pick up his bimbo daughter!! That's all I know, okay?!?! Now please, for the love of God, don't shoot me!!!"

"………………….," Decker continued aiming the gun at the man. "……………………..okay then. That's fine," he lowered the weapon.

Diotrephes let out a huge breath of relief.

And then Decker raised the gun again. "But you still piss me off."

"!!!!" the man gasped--

Thssssssshh!!!

A long squirt of blue ink shot out from the barrel of the gun and stained the man's shirt, soaking his chest.

The man panted….heaving….blinking.

"…………..," Decker smirked.

"A….A…..A w-w-water p-p-pistol??" the man shivered.

Decker lowered his 'gun'. "You caught me."

"Y-Y-You were b-b-bluffing all along?!?!" he blinked. "Y-You weren't really g-gonna kill me??"

Decker shrugged. "Everyone is full of it these days. I thought I might join the crown."

The man suddenly frowned up at him. "You…..Y-You ass!!"

"Whoops," Decker waved. "Just in case you start to like me too much…."

And the Commissioner swiftly slammed his shoe into Diotrephes' groin.

WHAM!!!!

"!!!!!!!!!!!!" the man curled into a fetus position, his thighs crossing. "OHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhh………."

Decker dropped the water pistol to the floor. "There we go….that's putting things to good use," he pulled out a cell phone. "Now with this info….time to touch base with a few kids of nicer ilk." He pointed down at the suspect. "You. Stay put."

"………," the man whimpered on the floor, rocking back and forth slowly.

Decker dialed a number.

He held the phone to his ear.

He waited.

A beat.

"Hello, Lieutenant?"

A beat.

"Patch me through to Titans' Tower."

A beat.

"Yeah, I got some potential development on Killer Moth's HQ after all."

A beat.

Decker's brow furrowed. "Say what?"

A beat.

"The Titans went where??"

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

SWOOOOOOOSH!!!!

I blurred to a stop, perched atop a tall tree branch.

I held Myrkblade, staring out at the factory site surrounded by fence.

A part of the metal barrier had been melted and shattered, forcing an opening.

In the morning light, the sign: 'Dayton Chemical Works' glistened over the treetops in the background.

"………."

I held up my communicator and listened in as everyone took their places.

"Titans! Remember! Form a circle around the place!! I want all eyes peeled for if any of the three creeps show up!!"

"Raven and I have got the north and northeast side!!"

"Tempest here. I'm in the creek to the south."

"Got the air in the East covered. Noir's between Tempest and myself."

"And I am located within the western quadrant."

"And I've got northwest. Let's make this a coordinated effort, Titans……"

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

Robin stood at the edge of the fence surrounding the factory, speaking into his communicator.

"…We outnumber them seven to three. We mustn't let our perimeter break up. If and only if Killer Moth, Kitten, and Viper approach one of us….then we'll swallow them up by maintaining formation and zeroing in on their location uniformly. We just can't all rush in one direction to the rescue. Got it?"

"Affirmative."

"Loud and clear."

"You got it, dude. But……wh-what about raiding the factory and stuff? Aren't there people inside?"

"I've already radioed in the police," Robin said. "They're on their way. As soon as they get here, we'll let them set up a perimeter and we'll work a way to sneak inside. It'll require stealth, since there may be hostages in involved. Raven. Noir. That'll be up to you two."

"Understood," Raven said.

Dash, dot, dash, dash. Dot. Dot, dot, dot.

Robin took a deep breath and pocketed the communicator away.

"Hope it doesn't get too….quiet…," he murmured.

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

"Do you smell something?" Raven uttered.

A few feet away, Cyborg peered over hedges with a robotic scope over his red eye. "Not a thing. Why?"

Raven shook her head. "Never mind. Just testing my senses."

"You work on your empathy, cutie…," Cyborg remarked. "I'll do the rest of the senses. That way…we equalize our talents and the best results are guaranteed."

"I don't think you want to know what my empathy is telling me…," Raven droned.

"Do I ever?" Cyborg smirked. "Go on and tell me, Rae…."

Her violet eyes narrowed. "Something is wrong here."

"How could I guess?"

"Seriously. And it's not just because it's 'too good to be true'. It's a good thing we got here this quickly. Tempest's search was expedient and helpful. But this is feeling too much like yesterday. Like the Wayne Enterprises Skyscraper."

"You think this is a trap?" Cyborg glanced over from the hedges. "Raven…we're forming a perimeter around the site. If there's any tiger pit to fall into, it's at least a hundred feet radius away from each of us."

Raven squinted her eyes.

"Whatcha lookin' at?"

"Those tanks….the chemical storage facilities in the factory…," she pointed. "They wouldn't happen to store volatile explosives, would they?"

"This is a processing plant for household products, Rae…," Cyborg smirked. "I seriously doubt they'd have that sort of stuff here."

"But still…..," her voice lingered worriedly.

"What would Killer Moth and Viper possibly gain in raiding a place that had highly explosive tanks unless…they……..wanted……………to………………," Cyborg blinked.

BOOOOM!!!!!!!!!

A flash of bright light.

A plume of flames shooting upward.

A shockwave---

FWOOOOSH!!!

"Nnngh!!" Raven fell back into the dirt.

Cyborg's titanium form braced the concussion.

He winced.

He squinted his human and robot eye into the mayhem.

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

Starfire gasped.

From where she floated, a tall plume of flame rose high from the far edge of the factory.

The air singed with a barely tolerable heat.

And for some inexplicable reason….the Tamaranian sniffed something odd in the air.

Her face scrunched up.

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

"Whoah!!" Beast Boy stood up from the shockwave knocking him down.

He rushed up to the clearing in the forest and gazed at the flames.

A strange smell filled the air.

Suddenly…inexplicably….his eyelids started to grow heavy.

"Ugh….what….in th-the world??"

He placed a hand against his head, feeling dizzy.

His legs gave way.

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

"Ughh….," Robin shook his head.

He moaned.

"The air….it……wh-what??"

Dizziness started to overcome him.

He fell to his knees, panting.

He began fumbling around in his utility belt for something….

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

"Cyborg…..what….what is it??" Raven choked as she fell to her knees, wheezing.

Cyborg was halfway slumped down several feet off.

Wincing for breath, he popped open a console in his left arm and performed a reading in the air.

He gasped…not quite so much for air that time.

He uttered: "Pollen…..synthetic pollen in the air…………an allergen….it's increasing melanin levels in our body by two hundred and fifty percent…."

"It what??"

"It's putting us to sleep, Rae…," Cyborg wheezed. "It was in the air the whole time! I-I just hadn't s-sensed it before. The fiery explosion….the combusting oxygen must have t-triggered a chemical reaction in the pollen…."

"……..I……..so…….nngh….," Raven plopped down to the earth.

"Rae!!" Cyborg shouted. He fell on all fours. He wheezed. He coughed. He paused. Ch-Chtunk!!! His titanium cheeks opened up and his 'breathing mask' slid out and formed over his mouth. Breathing filtered air from tiny tanks in his armor, Cyborg got a second wind and stood up. He rushed over and nudged Raven…feeling her pulse.

She was asleep in his arms.

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

"……," my black eyes were thin.

I rocked back and forth on the tree branch.

I loss grip of Myrkblade.

Son of a………wh-what did those creeps do this time??

My eyes closed.

They reopened.

My shades fell off as my head tilted violently back.

Sunlight.

Stabbing.

Then---black as I fell.

Spiraled…..and barreled through a tree branch.

CRACK!!!!

That's going to hurt when I wake up……if I wake up.

THWUMP!!!!

I struck the earth and was out like a light.

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

"Beast Boy?!?! Raven?!?! Noir?!?!" Starfire panted desperately into her communicator.

She floated easily among the treetops.

Unaffected by the allergen.

Tamaranian immunity.

"Friends!! Please respond!!" the amber-skinned girl uttered.

Silence.

She gulped.

"R-Robin??"

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

"Robin, please tell me that you are safe!!"

The Boy Wonder had pulled a breathing mask from his utility belt.

It fit snugly over his lips.

There wasn't much length of breath left on the tiny white tank attached.

Nevertheless, the Titan Leader got up to his feet, frowned, and spoke back into his communicator: "It's a gas of some sort, Starfire! It's putting us all asleep!"

"I seem not to be affected!"

"Good. Different planet, different lungs…I guess," Robin ran towards the factory in the center of the place. "Tell me from how high you are….do you spot anyone exiting??"

"I shall keep my eyes on the peel!!"

"You do that!! I'm—"

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

"—running in on the scene as fast as I can! I bet they're making a run for it now!!"

As Tempest listened to the communication, he sniffed an awkward odor in the forest air.

The Atlantean gasped.

In a split second, he shut down his lungs and opened the gills in his neck.

Holding his 'breath', he spun and ran towards a creek.

He dove in to where it was safe from the pollen-gas.

SPLOOSH!!!!

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

Starfire floated high over the scene, still panting worriedly.

She twirled around the cloud of dark smoke piling upwards and upwards from the factory building.

Then….

Something white caught her green eye.

She glanced down.

A huge freight truck was pulling out of the nearest warehouse. Four huge white tanks of chemicals rested in the back of it.

The vehicle groaned with diesel weight and rolled towards the exit of the compound.

"Robin! I see them!!"

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

"Someone is attempting to depart from the site with stolen materials of the gaseous form!!"

Cyborg looked up from cradling Raven's body.

He saw the vehicle groaning down the road.

He gritted his teeth beneath his mask. "This is Cyborg!" he spoke into a communicator. "I'm on their asses!!"

He gently lowered Raven to the Earth and stood up.

Kl-Kl-Klak!!!

He raised a sonic cannon and prepared to sprint.

"Just give me a moment to get a good shot in and—"

A finger tapped his back.

"….," he blinked and turned around. "Huh?"

A pale smile.

Bulbous eyes.

THWACK!!!!

Viper slammed his broadsword hard into Cyborg's back.

ZZZZTTTT!!!

The blade stuck in only partially, causing the android Titan to short-circuit.

"AAAAAAUGH!!!" Cyborg screamed and convulsed.

He slumped to the ground with a smoking groan and was out.

"……," Viper stood above him. He had on a translucent gas mask preparedly hugging his mouth. He looked down at Raven.

A beat.

He twirled his broadsword and aimed it at the girl's wrist.

A pause.

"………."

Viper withdrew his blade.

He grinned and ran off.

His lips moved as he made for the Tamaranian girl.

'Not now.'

'Later'.

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

SWOOOOSH!!!

Starfire soared down at the truck, both arms stretched out.

Killer Moth was at the wheel.

He glanced up through the window.

A gun-toting blonde in the passenger seat glanced too.

The father and daughter were both equipped with breathing apparatuses.

"How disturbing…," Starfire remarked as she dove down at the slow-moving vehicle. "You are almost too easy to strike."

And her eyes glowed bright green.

Her wrists charged a starbolt.

Killer Moth and Kitten didn't even flinch.

Regardless, Starfire summoned the energy blast and let it loose—FLASH!!!

The starbolt sailed directly down at the front tires of the truck and--

SWOOOSH!!! CHIIING!!!!

Viper dove in, swinging his broadsword.

CLANG!!!!

The starbolt flew back up into Starfire's face.

"EEEEP!!"

POW!!!!

The Tamaranian girl recoiled from the blast.

She fell hard to the ground, forming a slight crater on the edge of the property.

SMASH!!!

"Nnngh….," she groaned.

Footsteps.

Silent footsteps.

Quick--

Starfire's eyes bulged.

She glanced up.

"!!!!!" Viper flew at her, blade swinging.

Starfire flinched and shot two strong beams of heated emerald from her eyes.

ZAAAAA-AAAAA-AAAAAAP!!!!

Viper split the two beams with his blade.

He straightened his legs and weathered the constant stream.

Starfire's upper body shook and her arms flexed convulsingly as she poured more and more energy into the optic blast of Tamaranian fury. Her teeth grit and her hair danced in a billowing updraft of heat.

Viper merely smirked beneath his breathing mask. In the midst of his and Starfire's first confrontation, he shifted his weight masterfully, twisted the angle of his silver broardsword, and deflected half of the beams into the ground at Starfire's feet.

FLASH!!!

"Augh!!" Starfire fell back from a second smoking crater.

Th-Thwish!! Viper twirled his blade. He pounced serratedly down at her.

Starfire flinched--

SWOOOOSH!!! "YAAAAAUGH!!!" Robin pounced in.

WHAM!!!!

The Boy Wonder tackled Viper's body. The two tumbled and rolled across the green field until Viper got the best of him and kicked the black-haired acrobat off him.

Robin spun in the air, landed on his feet, took a deep breath of his oxygen mask, and whipped out his staff—snkkktt!! He twirled the rod and dove in, swinging hard: "RAAAAUGH!!!"

Viper raised his blade.

CL-CL-Cl-CL-CLINK!!!

Robin's rod twirled as a fan.

Viper deflected.

Robin pivoted and stabbed hard at Viper's gut.

Viper jumped back, spun, and pounced forward with a heavy swing.

Robin rolled to the left.

CHUNK!!!!

The earth divided from the weight and serration of the assassin's blade.

Robin rolled to his knees, hopped up, bounced off the broadside of Viper's earth-stuck sword, spun, and slapped his steel-tipped boot across the creep's face.

WHAP!!!

Viper spun, tumbled backwards, bounced off a tree stump, and nimbly leapt forward.

Robin ducked the diving man.

Viper dove past his stuck sword, grabbed the hilt, landed in a roll, yanked the blade out, jumped to his feet, twirled the sword, and pounced on Robin again.

Robin knelt and held the width of his rod up.

CRACK!!!!

Viper broke through it with his blade.

Robin fell awkwardly on his butt with a gasp, holding two severed rod pieces.

Viper stabbed down at him.

CHUNK!!!

Robin somersaulted backwards safely from the blow. He jumped up to his feet and twirled the two halves like miniature batons.

Viper charged him with a huge jab of the broadsword.

Robin gritted his teeth and brought his two rod halves together, grinding the assassin's sword to a stop with a splash of sparks.

CL-CLANK!!!

CRKKKKK!!!

The two struggled against each other.

Viper gritted his teeth.

Robin took a breath and…..shoved forward.

THWOOOSH!!!

Viper stumbled back.

Robin spun towards him, his arms stretching out, the rod halves spinning and striking with each flick of the wrist.

Th-Th-Th-Th-Thwish!!!

Cl-Cl-Cl-Cl-Clank!!

Viper swung low once.

Robin deflected the broadsword lower. He lifted his foot up and kicked Viper in the sternum.

The assassin recoiled, gritting his teeth in frustration.

Robin rushed at him.

Viper lifted his foot.

WHAM!!!!

It met Robin's face.

The Titan fell back.

Viper twirled his sword, raised it high, and made to cleave the Boy Wonder's head in two--

FLASH!!!

A starbolt struck him hard in the side.

Viper tumbled across the green field.

"…..," Starfire hovered over with hot wrists of green.

"Good one," Robin grunted.

"I welcome you—"

"!!!!" Robin dashed at Viper.

Starfire blinked.

"RAAAUGH!!" the Boy Wonder plunged at the man with both rod halves stabbing downward---

Viper lifted his feet while lying back.

He kicked the Boy Wonder up.

"!!!!"

Viper stood up and raised his free hand.

GRIP!!!

He grabbed Robin by the cape on the way down. With his other hand, he ripped the breathing mask off the Boy Wonder's face and tossed it away.

Robin gasped--

Viper threw him into the advancing Starfire.

SWOOOOSH!!

THWUMP!!!

"OOF!!"

"EEK!!"

The two Titans tumbled down a slope in the pasture.

Viper re-gripped his sword, cracked his neck, and ran off after the truck….which had speeded into the forested path leading out of the Dayton Chemical Works compound.

Starfire flew up, hands glowing. "Hurry!! They escape!! We must endeavor to catch them and—" She glanced over at Robin and did a double-take. "R-Robin!!"

He wheezed, his eyemask thinning. His body growing limp. "You….go……a-after them……Star…."

"Robin!!!" the Tamaranian flew over and cradled him, her eyes wet. "Do not die on me!! I insist!!"

"Dammit….," the Boy Wonder winced. His voice hoarse. "I'm merely falling asleep, remember!!"

"…….," Starfire blinked innocently. "Oh. Rest easy, then."

"Star….the truck…."

"It is gone! I must not abandon my teammates!!"

"Nnngh…why d-do you have to be……s-such a good friend…….?" he was out cold.

Starfire bit her lip. "I am…..s-sorry?"

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

VRRMMMMM!!!!

The heavy freight truck barreled down the country road.

"……," in the creek just a few lines of trees away….Tempest peered through the surface of water at the vehicle. "……" He quietly dove back into the river, twirled about, and viciously kicked his legs so that he propelled his Alantean body into a swift, underwater sprint parallel to the vehicle.

Ahead, in the shallow waters of the creek, the jagged root of a saturated tree jutted out into the currents.

Tempest frowned and reached an arm out.

SNAP!!!

He effortlessly broke the limb loose and carried it with him through the water like a huge club.

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

"Woo hoo!!!" Kitten stripped of her breathing mask as they were a safe distance away on the road. "What a heist or what?!?! Man, talk about crushed egos!! Those Titans will be bedwetting for months!! And not the good kind!!"

"Kitten! Darling…put your mask back on!!"

"Nuts to you, DADDY!! We're safe! Aren't we?!?!"

"Why must I have such an impatient daughter…," Killer Moth grumbled as he drove the speeding truck over an old wooden bridge.

"Why must you talk in some creepy third person??"

SPLOOOOSH!!!!

Beneath the bridge, a dark figure leapt up and out of the water.

Droplets trailing, Tempest flew and landed on the hood of the truck.

THWOMP!!!

He immediately snarled and swung the wooden branch into the windshield.

CRACK!!!!!

A spiderweb fracture formed.

Kitten shrieked.

"HOLY!!!" Killer Moth shouted and swerved left and right.

Tempest grunted and slammed the windshield repeatedly with the club.

CRACK!!! CRACK!!! CRACK!!

"DADDY!!! THERE'S A FISH ON THE HOOD!!!"

"I see that, Kitten!! I'm trying to drive!!"

"DO SOMETHING ABOUT HIM!!!"

"I WILL!!! JUST—"

SWOOOOSH!!!!

Tempest looked up.

Viper was pouncing down at him from the opposite side of the truck, broadsword first.

SLASH!!!!

Tempest gasped and swung to the side.

SLIIIINK!!!

The Atlantean lost a lock of long, black hair.

Viper then kicked his awkwardly bent body.

WHAM!!!

Tempest flew off the side of the truck and into a tree on the side of the blurred path.

WHAP!!

He then ricocheted off the side of the speeding truck.

THWAP!!!

And rolled to a dusty, groaning stop along the dirt road.

"Nnngh…."

"WOOOHOO!!! YEAH!!!" Kitten cheered from the passenger seat. "Score one for the How-Do-You-Like-Them-Apples Dumpling Gang!!"

Killer Moth chuckled and steered the truck back on a straight course.

Resting nonchalantly on the hood, Viper smirked and sheathed his blade.

CHIIING!!

And the truck was gone.

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

VRRRRRM!!!

Commissioner Decker pulled his squad car up to the perimeter surrounding the charred Dayton Chemical Works site.

He was the first cop on the scene.

He opened his car door.

He stepped outside.

He marched through underbrush and came to a stop on the northeast side of the compound.

"…………."

He stared down.

Cyborg and Raven's bodies lie quietly beside each other.

Asleep and unconscious.

"…………….," Decker sighed. "Friggin' perfect."

He shrugged.

He pulled out a cigarette and a lighter.

Flick!!

He produced flame.

He lit the cigarette in his mouth.

"Can't catch every lecher in a single day," he muttered.

The Commissioner stood there between the two downed Titans for a few seconds.

Then something happened in the air around his lit cigarette.

The man blinked once…twice….then fell asleep where he stood.

THWUMP!!!

He lie on the ground between the two.

"Zzzzzzzz……."

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

Killer Moth rolled the truck to a stop outside the cave.

Kitten jumped out, cheering and doing a hilariously pathetic dance.

Killer Moth cackled loudly and raised his gloved hands to the noonday sky.

Viper smirked behind their backs.

He jumped down and walked till he stood amongst them, arms folded.

"This is perfect….absolutely PERFECT!!!" Killer Moth convulsed happily in the clearing besides the earth face and vines. "Nothing so well calculated has been so successful for me!! NOTHING!!! This day marks a turning point!! I can't believe it…just one more heist and we'll have all we need for the greatest threat to this infidelic City the world has ever known!!"

"YES!!! IMAGINE ALL THE TABLOIDS!!!"

"Enough with the tabloids, Kitten. We're through with them. We'll be making the World Report from now on!! Since we'll end up owning HALF OF THE HEMISPHERE!!!"

"HA HA HA HA!! I KNEW WE'D DO IT SOMEDAY DADDY!!!"

"Kitten?"

"Yes, Daddy?"

"Shut up."

"………"

Viper shook his head.

Six spots in the shadows of the vines and overgroaned earth glistened.

"????" Viper raised an eyebrow. He turned his head. He gazed into the shadows.

"Hey?? What is it, genius??" Killer Moth muttered.

Viper squinted his eyes.

He spotted something in the shadows.

Something tall and with gangly limbs.

Spread all around.

The assassin's lips parted.

'What???'

Kitten sniffed the air. She gasped. "Oh my!! Is it???"

Killer Moth looked at her. "Is it what??"

"SNOOKUMS!!!"

"Snookums?!" Killer Moth recoiled, the bug-eyes in his mask seemingly contorted. "You don't mean to say……aww criminy."

"?????" Viper glanced at them.

SWOOOOSH!!!

The figure in the shadows dashed out…directly at Viper.

Viper had his blade out in a second.

CHIIIIING!!

CLAMP!!!!

A set of four drooling mandibles encircled the edge of the blade.

Six black eyes across an exoskeleton slope of a head—broken intermittently with hairs—stared directly at Viper.

Viper had a disgusted look on his face.

And then…eight giant spider legs from around the bulbous head snuck around and gripped Viper's neck all at once.

"!!!!!" Viper wheezed. He was lifted up. He nearly dropped his blade.

A hissing sound. And….

Viper kicked his legs out.

WHUMP!!!

He struck a human torso.

The spider legs dropped the assassin.

The six eyes blinked and drooped back.

Viper fell to his feet, twirled his sword, and dashed straight towards the figure prepared to swing with a mute scream--

"NO!!! WAIT!!!" Kitten stood in the way.

Viper's eyes twitched. He skidded to a stop before his blade could rip through Kitten's blonde cranium.

SPLOOOSH!!! A web of sticky silk flew out and drenched Viper's figure.

WHUMP!!!

He flew back against a wall, pinned to it by adhesive strands.

He snarled mutely and kicked and thrashed to get loose.

At the same time, Killer Moth and Kitten were fighting to keep steady a…….mutant.

A man's body with a spider for a head.

"FANG!!! Control yourself!!!" Killer Moth growled.

"That's our friend you're attacking!!"

"Friend?!?! Friend?!?!" Fang, the arachnid crook snarled with dripping mandibles. His six eyes narrowed. "You call that madman your friend?!?!"

"……," Viper's eyes narrowed.

"RRRGH!!!" Killer Moth violently shoved Fang back across the clearing and shook his gloved fist. "What's a matter with you, boy?!?! Don't you know that it's all thanks to him that I've gotten this far since breaking out of jail?!?!"

"Yeah!! Where have you been?!?!" Kitten planted her hands on her hips, frowning.

"On my own….," Fang seethed. "And watching the news on T.V." He pointed at the bound assassin. "I saw you associating with that bloodlusting creep and thought I'd do the wrong thing by coming to the rescue."

The assassin wasn't 'bounch' anymore. Viper swiftly cut himself loose of the strand sand stood, panting, seething, with his blade leaning by his side against the ground. He frowned directly at Fang.

"So he's a little violent….that's his style," Killer Moth shrugged. "All that matters is that he's helping me create a thriving haven for my children one heist at a time!!"

"What?! You mean you're actually working with him?!?!" Fang exclaimed. "You crazy old coot, you have no idea what you've gotten yourself into…..HAVE YOU?!?!"

Killer Moth frowned.

Kitten blushed. "Snookums….you're embarrassing me…."

"YOU IDIOTS!!!" Fang pulled at his exoskeletonous skull. "How completely ignorant are you?!?!"

"What's the point of you barging in and hounding on our new teammate anyways?!?"

"Didn't you ever keep track of things while in prison, old man?!?!" Fang cackled. He pointed with a human finger. "That's Viper!!"

"Viper??"

"Who's Viper????"

"………," Viper smiled.