Disclaimer: I don't own the right to the Teen Titans.
A/N: Exciting conclusion isn't it, in this issue; will Scarecrow succeed with his plan? Will Starefire figure out what is happening between Robin and Beast Boy? How will it all end? And lastly who makes the worst mistake of their life?
(Scarecrows POV)
"Driving down the b-b-broken roads of hell, the demons can't get me nope they can't. A-aint gonna catch me ca-ca-can't possibly do it. You know why they can't get you don't you Jonathan? Is it because of th-th-this vehicle you s-secured for our escape Scarecrow? No you idiot, it's cause they aint no bat, and that's the only one to ever catch us isn't it now? B-but what about R-R-Robin? Speak of the devil like bird!"
Slam and crash I fly through an invisible wall, I land, shoulder. Then hip. I hear snap. Skid and scrape. Finally still. Heheh… heheh… cough once or four times who knows by now. "HAHAHAHA!"
Corpse? "No corpses, they can breath you know. That can not b-be. It's Robin and some women…" standing turns to a stammering, stumbling walk. Wait a women? "S-S-Scarecrow that's not h-h-him."
(Robin's POV)
I pull over in an alley and take off my helmet, at one end of the alley is a pretty much abandoned street, on the other end the people are crowded around the road to get a good view of the parade. Suddenly I feel Beast Boy shift behind me brushing his lips against my earlobe then dismounting the bike. I pivot my head and gaze upon him. "Can you get a bird's eye view for me?"
"Of course I can dude." He states, swiftly I reach my hand out grabbing his. He stops and stares at the grasp then back up at me. "Um something on your mind Rob?"
I turn my gaze to his feet and try my best to find the proper words; once I have gathered them I return my eyes to meet his. "Please be careful, I don't want to lose you again." I know that my face is red as an apple not only by the snicker he makes but also by the sudden warmth that fills my cheeks. "I'm serious Gar." He just smiles and leans in close lightly pressing his lips against mine, I feel a current pass over my spine as I sink into the kiss.
He pulls away and then runs off down the alley shouting back to me. "Don't worry babe, I'll be just fine. I'll send ya a signal if I find anything." All the while I am speechless, as though with his kiss he stole the words from my mouth. Last glimpse of him that I see is a green hawk flying over head.
"It would seem that you and Beast Boy have become much more then just friends." My gut ties itself into a knot as I notice the voice. I peer down the opposite end of the alley to see Starfire walking towards me. "I used the 'tracking device' in your communicator to find you."
"Star I-"
"You can explain everything later." She cuts me off before I have a chance to even tell her I'm sorry. To be honest I have no idea what I would even say to her, I mean what could I say? "What is your plan to stop that 'Scarecrow' man?"
I look toward the crowd of people along the street then back at her; this seems like a bad idea. "Do you mind helping Beast Boy out a little?" she looks up at the night sky then questions.
"You wish me to do surveillance from the sky?" I nod my head still feeling the tight stink of guilt in my heart. "I can do that; I shall contact you if Beast Boy or myself find anything suspicious." She starts to lift up into the air then looks at me. "Robin I would very much like it if you and Beast Boy would talk to me after we have captured this man." I nod to her and she flies off leaving me alone with a bitter taste in my mouth.
I sit on my bike for a moment, trying to recompose myself. I can't allow myself to be distracted while I fight Scarecrow otherwise he will have the upper hand. After a short time I press a button on the console of the motorcycle activating the built in police scanner. I listen closely waiting for anything that might lead to Crane, so far its pretty quite nothing except a few minors vandalizing property and underage drinking.
Suddenly I hear a man state over the radio. "Any available units within the area we have a 480 on 7th and Queen Avenue, possible 10-54. I repeat, any available units within the area we have a 480 on 7th and Queen Avenue, possible 10-54." I place the helmet back on my head and start up my bike tearing out of the small alley onto the vacant road. "Officer's responding to the 480 on 7th and Queen Avenue, suspect is dressed in a burlap Halloween costume, be on the look out for any persons in burlap costumes." It has to be him, I continue my way to the accident I take the closest left turn. Suddenly I hear my communicator signal and I press a button on the helmet to activate it.
"Robin, Beast Boy and I think we may have found him." Starfire reports I take a sharp right and see a crashed painters van down the street. "We believe the Scarecrow to be within the Queen's Apartment complex."
"I'm right outside Star." I retort stopping by the van, I investigate the front of the vehicle seeing a kid and what I could only assume to be his mother lying motionless on the ground before it. "Where are you two at?"
"We'll be out front of the building shortly." I look down the street and notice that the parade is taking place on 6th Street. This apartment would give Jonathan a perfect vantage point of the parade, and the civilians. I dismount my bike taking off my helmet and glancing over at the complex's entrance. I see my lover and my ex walking out of the building leading a rather young looking female over to me.
"Who's this?" I query looking at the women accompanying them. She looks startled; she has black shoulder length hair and wears black slacks with a green button up top. My guess is she works at the front desk of the apartments.
"She told us she saw a man dressed in burlap talking to himself and carrying a knife." My green skinned lover mentions looking over to her with a saddened expression. I look at her as well, Star is rubbing her shoulder trying to calm her and her breathing is unsteady.
"He, he hit that boy and that women." She mumbles and then points to the two victims. I hear the sirens of a police vehicle and an ambulance approaching the scene of the crime. "He wanted a pass card for the elevator." She continues and I hear the faint sound of her throat trying to hold something down. "I'm sorry I gave him my key card!" she spits out before breaking into tears.
"Did he do anything to you?" I ask, she just covers her face with her hands and shakes her head. "You're lucky. Tell the police what happened when they arrive." I then nod to my two comrades and we head into the building. "Let's take the elevator." I suggest and we look around the room.
As we stand in the middle of the deep blush colored lobby Beast Boy asks. "Why are we taking the elevator when we could just fly up?" I point to the metal sliding doors, next to them a card lays on the ground as if tossed to the side.
"Because we don't know if he went to the roof or if he had a room picked out in this building." I retort picking up the card and scanning it in front of a laser with a sign below saying. 'Scan card here.'
"So what floor you think he's at?" he continues as I press the up button by the scanner. The red digital number above the door reads twenty three.
"Floor twenty three apparently." I state pointing to the digital number as it starts to descend until it finally reads L. The doors open and we enter, after they close I press the number of our desired floor. I look around the small cart and notice a few drops of blood on the floor and a smear on the wall next to Starfire.
She looks at it then back over toward me and Beast Boy. "Is it his blood or another victim's?" she bluntly questions, we both don't reply just merely look up at the red numbers over the door. Silence fills the small room; the only sound is the digital beep signaling what floor we are at.
Twenty… twenty two… twenty three, the doors slide open revealing a small hallway with a door at the end with the title. 'Roof access, do not enter.' Underneath of the 'do not enter' part of the writing has been underlined with blood. It's fresh and most likely put there by Crane, if not then we have more problems then him.
I feel a slight amount of fear sweep over me as I open the loud metal door, not from the rusted noise the metal makes and not from the thought of fighting Scarecrow. I am afraid that something might go horribly wrong, and it will be all my fault.
(Scarecrow's POV)
A noise! Turning I see the three last monster's in my way of control. "H-help!" I screech, I back up toward the edge of the cliff. "Will do doctor, it's time you rested anyways."
That's much better, it always takes a bit for him to finally give up to the gas and let me take control. I rub my eyes and start to notice who the almost melted looking beings before me are. "Why good evening kids, and happy Halloween." I exclaim giving a bow.
"Give up Crane, you need help." Robin orders, finally a chance to take the one puppet I've been after during this whole show. I step on the raised edge of the building and peer down the street to my right.
"Dr. Crane is out at the moment, I'm sure he'd love to get back to you so long as you make an appointment." I reply, the jack is close I just need to buy a little bit more time. "Robin, I gotta know." They ready themselves as I point the rusted blade toward them. "Did you have a nightmare while you were inconvenienced?"
He growls and rushes swinging that metal pole of his at me. I jump over pushing off his back only to land face to face with a lion. So that's what the green imp can do, he's a shifter eh? I swing at the beast and he backs away from the slash, I follow it with a kick and he just barely manages to dodge it. "Hey scaredy cat, don't be afraid it will only hurt a whole hell of a lot!" I taunt swinging my other leg hard across his noggin. "Trust me I'm a doctor!" the blow sends him to the side a couple of feet. I put weight on the leg and then notice just how sore it has become from the attack, damn near broke my leg with that one.
"You're going down Scarecrow!" the bird boy barks at me, I have to play this one careful I'm too close to lose. I look back at the large balloon, its close enough; I just have to get there now! I guess I don't have much room for careful anymore.
"Do you know who rules the fright night lights?" I rhetorically question running past the boy wonder dodging a few swipes of his attacks. "The Jack of lanterns of course." I finish taking a leap of faith off the rooftop. "Now you will know your master is me, for I am fear!" I yell as I soar through the air at my target.
Suddenly I feel something grab my broken arm and swing me back to the building; I look up just in time to see the one Slade described as an alien tossing me back like some sort of rag doll. No I was so close; I make contact with the rusted door and fall to the pebbled roof. "Not tonight Scarecrow, the only thing your going to be master of is a whole new level of pain." The imp says as the surround me.
Robin moves closer with a pair of handcuff and I start to mumble. "Ya know what birdie." He doesn't answer; he just kneels down ready to restrain me. "Crows kill robins." I swiftly contort my arm into a backward slash to distract him. He takes the bait blocking a hit from my elbow but not noticing the blade until too late. I hear is puncture through his suit. My bone has snapped once more, two breaks on one arm is, like the green beast said, a whole new level of pain. "The bat…"
"Robin!" the imp yells and everything seems to slow, my vision is still blurred partly from pain mainly from the gas. Colors are fading once more a part of the combination. I know darkness is soon to come.
"…he will not forget…" the boy wonder coughs up some blood as I continue my last words. "…the second death…" suddenly darkness takes over and all is a loss to me. In the end I still controlled the outcome of the events though.
A/N: In this order folks; no, yes, Robin gets knifed, and of course Robin. Ok so this won't be the last chapter, the last storyline chapter will be up sometime soon hopefully. I do hope you all enjoyed this one, and please review with your feedback.
Next Issue: Robin's Dead?