Hello, all. I'm back.
Yes, I realize that I should have updated this forever ago, but the arrival of high school has taken up most of my free time. And also, my mother has passed away recently. Things have been tough.
So now, I respond.
To YourMoosyFate- well, to quote Men in Black: "A person is smart. People are stupid."
To Rosebud in Amber- :D
To FelynxTiger- it's not ooc? Huzzah! That makes me happy. And yeah, writing from the Agent's POV is fun, but it's also difficult because they don't have names :)
To Nyalowlo 625- thanks. And don't worry, I read your rant. While there's no way I could have known any of that (I'm not buying the comics, and is busted, so I can't read them), they're all good points. Maybe I'll go back and change some names around. Writing "Raven" all the time would be much easier than writing "Rachael" in the dialogue and "Raven" everywhere else.
To Beautiful Storm Dancer- Don't you just feel so sorry for them right now?
To FallingDarkAngel- Thanks
To Gingerstorm101- …
To Linzerj- Ah! Bad suspense! (slaps it with a rolled up newspaper). Don't worry, it'll be back…
Thanks for all the reviews! Keep 'em coming, and please be patient with me as I try to overcome my personal troubles.
Enjoy…
Raven woke up the next morning, but she hadn't really slept much the previous night. It was more 'returning to a full state of awareness' than 'waking up'.
She ran her hand through her hair and sighed. Yesterday had been a nightmare. First the Tower had been bombed, then she had spent the rest of the day recruiting. And… shopping… (shudder).
She swung her legs off the side of the bed and walked over to her dresser, proceeding to pick out an outfit. She settled on a simple set of jeans and a white T shirt with a swirling, black design on it. As she held it up, she remembered the conversation she had had with Beast Boy on the way home from the mall.
"Rachael… I have a question," Beast Boy said as he drove, eyes fixed on the road ahead of them.
"Yeah?" Raven asked, staring out the window at the trees sliding by.
"When those guys came to our house… why didn't you use your pendant and go to Azarath?"
Raven was caught off guard by the question, and her disguise faltered momentarily.
"What?"
"Why didn't you leave? Why don't you leave?" Beast Boy had turned to look Raven in the eyes. She waved at him to focus on driving.
"I… I thought about it… when they had first come in," she began. "But I knew that if I had, they would have shot you instantly. And even if they hadn't it… takes two days to open a portal from Azarath to Earth big enough big enough to fit a person through without my spellbooks. By then you could have been anywhere."
"But what about your pendant? If we were holding hands or something…"
Raven shook her head. "My pendant will only take me, even if someone else is touching me or it. That way, if I'm trying to run away and someone grabs onto my arm, I won't take them along by mistake."
Beast Boy nodded. "Sort of a safety system."
"Yeah…" Raven said. She was still focusing out the window.
"But the next chance we get, you're going to Azarath."
Raven violently shook her head. "No way. I'm not leaving you."
Beast Boy looked as if he was about to respond, but he didn't.
"Why me…" Raven muttered. She slid a hoodie on over her outfit and walked out into the kitchen.
Standing around the island was Robin, the perpetual early bird, Bumblebee, swigging from a huge mug of coffee, and Beast Boy, surprisingly.
"Hey," she said, walking up and giving him a kiss on the cheek. "What are you doing, waking up so early?"
"Waking up?" he laughed bitterly. "I never went to sleep. Me and Victor were up all night."
"Victor and I," Raven couldn't help but say. "But why?"
"Just something to help us get out of the city," Beast Boy said evasively. "Vic's out charging right now."
"Okay…" Raven said. "Where are Wally and Jenny?"
"Just getting up, I think," Robin said, rubbing his eyes. It didn't look like he had gotten much sleep either.
"When did they get here?" Raven asked. Once Beast Boy and herself had returned from shopping she had went right to sleep.
"An hour or two after you guys came back, I think," Bumblebee said.
There was a burst of sound and Flash was suddenly standing among them.
"Hey, got any…" he began to ask, but then he noticed what Bumblebee was holding. "I see you do. Got any more?"
"I don't think caffeine is a good idea for you, Wally," Robin said. "You're already hyper enough."
"Psh-aw" Flash said.
"And you also forgot your pants," Raven commented. Only then did Flash notice that he was only wearing white boxers with lightning bolts on them.
"Hehe… oops…" he muttered. He disappeared for second, there was a scream from Jinx, and then he was back, fully clothed.
"Better?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Much, thank you," Raven said.
Suddenly the door to the hallway opened and Cyborg came strolling out. His human eye had bags underneath it, but he was alive with energy. It reminded Raven of when he had first built the T Car.
"Hey there, BB, Bee, Wally, Rich and Rachael," he said, giving the men high fives, Bumblebee a kiss on the cheek and Raven a light hug. "How's it goin'?"
"Tired, but good, Vic," Robin said. "I think we're ready."
"Dude, we are so ready," Beast Boy grinned. "Wait till all of you see what me and Cy built."
"Cy and I," Raven muttered.
"Isn't that a drug?" Beast Boy asked, puzzled.
"That's Cyanide," Bumblebee laughed.
There was a pause as Cyborg popped some waffles into the toaster.
"Someone should probably get Jen and Kori up," Raven said.
"I'll get Kori," Robin said, heading for the hallway.
"…and I'll get Jenny," Flash added, following Robin. This time he walked, which was rare.
(…)
Jinx yawned and opened her eyes slowly. She had never been much of a morning person, and for some reason Flash's ability to wake up lightning fast made her all the more tired.
The door creaked open, and a tall lanky figure was outlined in the hall light.
Speaking of whom…
"Hey there, Jinxy-poo, time to get up," Flash teased. Jinx rolled her eyes and tossed a pillow at him. He caught it with a snap of his wrist and was suddenly sitting at the end of the bed.
"No seriously, we gotta run," he told her.
"Maybe you've gotta run, but I don't wake up that fast," Jinx muttered. "Give me a minute."
Flash watched as she slowly stretched and stood up, but his patience was short.
"Maybe a little light will get you moving," he laughed, and before Jinx could stop him, he ran over to the window and pulled the curtains away…
To find himself staring down the barrel of a tank.
"Oh no…" he whispered.
"RUN!" screamed Jinx, and Flash had picked her up and dragged her out of the room just before the shot blasted through the window and incinerated the room.
(…)
Everyone in the kitchen stumbled as a deafening explosion shook the house. Raven almost fell, but Beast Boy caught her arm.
"What was that?" Starfire asked, rubbing her head. She had tripped into a cabinet.
Suddenly Flash was in the room, covered in dust and holding Jinx under his arm like a sleeping bag.
"Tanks! Lots of them! Everywhere!" he stuttered as he put his wife back on her feet.
"Dangit, let's move!" shouted Cyborg, and then the wall was reduced to matchwood. Through the smoke Raven could see at least three tanks and about 5 rows of soldiers, all pointing their rifles at them as they fled deeper into the house. Standing in front of them all was-
Those men in the white suits! Raven realized. They're still chasing us!
Beast Boy grabbed her arm and pulled her along behind him, down the staircase to the basement and through a secret door, the path behind them being blasted to sawdust as they passed.
"Revenge later," he muttered. "Escape now."
They all stumbled into the underground garage where the T Car was parked. Dust fell from the ceiling and the bulbs flickered and crackled. They could hear soldiers in the actual basement above them as the tanks stood by outside.
"That's a lot of firepower," Robin remarked.
"So wait, where's this project you and Garfield were working on?" Raven asked, spinning in a circle. All she saw was the T Car, and that looked pretty much the same.
"Right here," Cyborg said proudly, patting his car on the hood.
"That's great, honey, can you turn it on and get us out of here?" Bumblebee said, smacking a rock away from her as it fell.
Cyborg frowned, obviously miffed that, despite everything, no one was taking more interest in his newest creation, but he dutifully tapped a button on his arm.
Raven gasped and Beast Boy smiled as the T Car transformed. The doors extended and thickened, blast shields rolled up over the windows, enormous tires spun out around the wheels, and a giant snowplow-resembling wedge unfolded from under the hood. The lights turned on and the engine started, and the tunnel shook.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Cyborg said happily, "say hello to… the T Tank!"
"Get in, guys," Beast Boy directed, opening a heavily armored door and waving them all inside. Raven obliged, as did the others, and soon they were all crammed in on top of each other.
"Sorry for the tight fit," Cyborg apologized, sliding into the driver's seat. Beast Boy went shotgun. "We had to make room for all the weapons systems."
"What kind of wea-" Robin began, but was interrupted by a huge explosion rocking the room. Beast Boy turned on a small screen on the dashboard and studied it.
"They're right behind us, dude!" he exclaimed.
Cyborg grabbed a joystick and yanked it back. "Weapon number one: 20 inch proton cannon."
The T Tank rocked backwards on its impressive suspension, and Raven could barely see the far wall crumble to dust through the narrow windshield.
(…)
The taller of the two Agents nodded at the report he was receiving through his headset and turned to his comrade.
"They have been sighted inside the house, heading to the basement."
The shorter Agent nodded. "Surround them, but be careful. We don't want any more trouble."
The other man relayed the information to the troops. Both men were nervous; what if the Titans escaped again? They weren't sure how much longer their superior was willing to be patient.
There was more chatter of gunfire and the muffled booms of tanks, then the Agents jumped as the entire left side of the house disintegrated in a pulse of blue light.
"What now?"
(…)
Raven clutched her stomach and curled into a ball as the T Tank motored up the slope and out into the open. A constant wave of shells vibrated the walls, and the continual firing of the cannon above them sent them rocking all the more.
"Hey, Victor, can you drive a bit… smoother? Possibly?" Raven called above the noise as she fought back a wave of nausea. A tank shot hit them and the vehicle tilted dangerously to the side.
"Sorry, Rachael, I'm doing the best I can," Cyborg called back, not turning around, and Beast Boy shot her a sympathetic glance before returning his gaze to the battle. Raven clenched her teeth as they fired another devastating pulse from their primary weapon, then glanced at her companions. Robin, Starfire and Bumblebee were crammed against the walls, discomfort apparent on their faces, and Flash and Jinx were sitting in the middle, Jinx curled up and shivering in her husband's lap.
"What's wrong?" Raven asked, crouching down to see that Jinx's eyes were wide and constantly shifting.
"She's claustrophobic," Flash explained, hugging her tighter. Raven lay a light hand on her shoulder.
I can't believe this! Raven thought. This is the middle of Jump City suburbs, and the army is just blasting away! What about the crossfire? What if someone innocent gets hurt?
Well, they already are shooting at the blameless, she amended. What's a few more?
They all jumped as a well-aimed blast exploded underneath of them, sending them into the air for a split second.
"Dammit, we can't break free!" Beast Boy snarled. "Rachael, can you teleport us?"
Raven closed her eyes and tried to concentrate, but the loud and shuddering atmosphere kept her from doing so.
"There's too much action, I can't focus!" she called back. "Can you stop their shots for a little bit?"
Beast Boy glanced at Cyborg. "Should we use it?"
"Not here," he replied. "I'm not going to hurt anyone we don't have to, even if they are. Dick, Kori! What's the nearest open space?"
"The soccer fields," Starfire shouted back. "They're three blocks away."
With a loud battle cry, Cyborg slammed the gas pedal down as far as it could go. With a mighty roar the T Tank exploded forward like a racecar, sending soldiers scattering and a tank batted aside like an intruding fly. Jinx whimpered as the small, enclosed space rattled, and Raven buried her face in her knees, hoping the movement would just stop soon.
They had managed to violently bust through the offensive wall, but behind them the government forces were rallying and beginning to give chase.
"Garfield! Launch a Swarm Missile!" Cyborg shouted as he hunched over the wheel, jaw set. Beast Boy lined up a set of crosshairs on the rear-view screen and then slammed his hand down on a button.
There was a strange hissing sound, then silence.
Raven stared at the small screen on the dashboard as a shining star shot away from them and fell into the midst of the pursuing army. Almost as soon as it hit the ground, the missile casing broke apart and millions of fire-cracker sized explosives rushed out like a swarm of glowing bees and buried themselves into the folds of the soldiers' armor. As one they all detonated in a puff of smoke, and line after line of troops fell.
Raven put a hand over her mouth, and Beast Boy noticed.
"It's non lethal, trust me," he said. "It'll just give them a nasty burn and a large bruise."
Raven was about to respond when a tank shell slammed into their back, throwing them up. Everyone in the back fell to the metal floor with a loud bang, and Cyborg bashed his head against the ceiling.
"What street are we on?" Robin asked as he shakily tried to stand.
Cyborg peered out the window. "Cypress!"
"Good, turn right and we should be there!"
Cyborg threw the wheel to the right, and suddenly the ride got even bumpier as they rattled over the grass. Shots kicked up the sod behind them and a few tanks put large craters disturbingly close to their sides, sending up large fountains of flying earth.
The brakes were applied, and the T Tank skidded sideways and rocked to a stop. The army instantly surrounded them and began to close in, guns raised.
Starfire peered out of the microscopic back window at the advancing soldiers. "Cyborg…?" she said warily. "They're getting closer…"
It was strangely silent. Raven could feel her heartbeat in her temples as the troops got closer and closer. She looked up to see Cyborg hunched over with his finger hovering above a button. His attention was focused out the window, sweat running down the human side of his face.
One soldier's hand had reached out to touch the car. It was drawing closer, closer, it was inches away…
"NOW!" Cyborg shouted, and slammed on the button.
A blue energy dome burst from the T Tank, rapidly expanding and pushing the troops, the tanks, and a few surrounding trees away from them. Loud noises of burning energy, crashing metal and shouts of surprise rang out in the air. It was as if time had been stopped, then suddenly put on fast forward to make up for what had been lost.
"Rachael, now! We've got 15 seconds!" Beast Boy shouted. Raven instantly put her hands on the sides of her head and squeezed her eyes shut, concentrating.
Outside, the shield had stopped growing was beginning to shrink, and many of the soldiers were getting back up.
It's no good, Raven thought. The effects of that claw are still here, I can't use my powers!
"Nine seconds…" Cyborg said. One of the tanks had landed upright, and was now turning to face them.
"Rachael…" Beast Boy said. "Any second now would be great…"
Come on, come on…
"Five seconds…"
The shield was now only five feet beyond the tank, and the soldiers were following it on its edge, waiting for the defense to disappear.
Why won't this work? I'm so close…
"Three seconds…"
"Come on, Rachael!" Flash said.
I can't do this…
The shield faded away with a hissing sound.
"Rae, please!" Beast Boy begged. "You can do this!"
No I can't!
"They're right on top of us…" Robin breathed.
"Rachael!" Starfire shouted.
There was a sound of light thuds as the soldiers began attaching things to the car. Was it explosives?
"Now or never, Rae!" Cyborg said.
"You can do this!" Beast Boy said.
COME ON!
There was a flash of white, and the entire tank was turned into a silhouette. In a puff of dust it disappeared, leaving the grenades behind. The men in white wore identical looks of disbelief.
"Not again…"
(…)
The man in black walked down the hallway. He was normally a level-headed man, but now beads of nervous sweat were beginning to form on his forehead, and his tie was making it ever harder to breath than usual.
There had been too many failures. He was now reporting to his boss for more orders.
And his boss terrified him.
He reached the door at the end of the hallway and stopped. It was large and imposing, made of dark wood, and with a small symbol of an eagle printed by the handle. The man reached out, grasped the eagle talon knocker, and swung it down three times.
"Come in."
The man swallowed, straightened his collar, and entered the room.
The room was dimly lit, and it was almost impossible to see. He could just make out a glass conference table in the center, with the silhouette of a large man sitting in an armchair at the end. The man in black snapped to attention.
"At ease. Your report?"
"Targets proved to be too difficult to capture, sir," the man in black said quietly. Why was his throat so dry? "Mission was unsuccessful."
"That's too bad," said the velvety voice from the shadows. "You may go now."
The man in black, scared even more by this quick and blunt dismissal, preformed a salute and silently left the room.
The man at the end of the conference table leaned over and spoke into an intercom.
"I'm sorry to say it's time to resort to unwanted help," he said. "Release him."
"And the weapon, sir?" came a grainy response.
The man paused, thinking.
"Send them both."