'Rorschach's Journal August 15th 1995
'Had another run in with the organisation that has the H badge, after failing to find any leads after Skywolf I had begun to think it was merely a badge he owned for sentimental reasons, however that change yesterday.
'The night before last, the 13th oddly enough, Commissioner Thatcher altered us to a prison break-out in progress by Cinderblock, a villain "Somebody" had trouble taking down once. I knew caution was advisable, but in the end we were all beaten. What did not help matters was that when Robin and Cyborg tried to pull of the "Sonic Boom" move to take Cinderblock down they messed it up, which resulted in the two getting into an argument over who was at fault, Cyborg got enraged and quit the team. While this happened Cinderblock caused a massive breakout, and also taking another villain known as Plasmus with him.
'Next morning we got a massively stern debriefing by Commissioner Thatcher over our action, however he did tell us that he thought it was wrong for Cyborg to quit. Contacting Cyborg proved a problem, even for me when we both knew each in our civilian lives for years.
'Anyway last night we were contacted about Plasmus. Wishing to correct our mistakes we went to fight him, however this proved frightfully difficult, not help by news that Cinderblock had begun causing trouble elsewhere, Robin told us to go to Cinderblock while he faced Plasmus by himself, Starfire refused however, knowing that the Boy Wonder could not fight Plasmus by himself, which the rest of us agreed with.
'We were able to reduce the villain down somewhat, however all of us nearly very well got our chips. Cyborg returned as our saving grace, and this time he and Robin successfully executed the "Sonic Boom" move, which consisted of Cyborg's sonic cannon and Robin's explosive, and defeated Plasmus.
'Once we'd recovered and apologises given that left the matter of Cinderblock, or so we thought. Cyborg revealed he had already defeated Cinderblock, quite how I don't know.
'Getting back to my point, on examination of the tied up Cinderblock I discovered another badge exactly like the one on Skywolf and with more time examine said badge I made the connection based on the visuals, the yellow and black colouring, the hexagonal shape and the capital H, I believe we are dealing with the HIVE organisation.'
A group of hooded individuals stood watching a screen observing the CCTV footage gotten of the fights between Cyborg and Cinderblock, and of the other Titans and Plasmus.
"So," one said "the first proper fight this team has and they win."
"It appears," another said "that brute force is not going to defeat them."
"Agreed," the one at the middle said, she turned to another "Brother Blood do you have the names of your top three students this year?"
"Yes," the identified figure said bringing up the footage of three teenagers fighting "but why send these them? Surely someone with more experience would be better."
"I have a backup plan, but maybe these Teen Titans need to face off people their age with as much agility as they do, yes, these three will do, tell Jinx, Gizmo and Mammoth they have their final exam."
"Right away mistress."
"Everyone else is dismissed."
"Oh man," Cyborg said searching around common room "it's got to be somewhere round here, I don't believe this.", Beast Boy as a bloodhound searched as well, Cyborg lifted the semi-circular sofa and looked around before looking at the changeling "How could you lose the remote?", Beast Boy changed back and looked over the pieces of paper scattered on the floor "What makes you think I lost it?"
"Cause you're you."
"Hey, just because I lost that video game…"
"And the toothpaste, and my football, and the waffle iron."
"Things disappear. How am I supposed to know where they go?"
"Well, how am I supposed to watch TV without a remote?"
Raven who sat in the corner reading one of her books, annoyed she shut it and glared at them "Simple. You just get up and change the channel.", the two boys stared at her before Cyborg spoke "Don't even joke like that."
"I wasn't joking."
"Good, cause it wasn't funny! Now either help us look for the remote, or go back to your nasty old book and…"
"This is a pointless argument over a useless device. You are wasting your energy and disrupting my concentration."
The door opened as the three continued arguing and Robin, Starfire and Rorschach walked it as she talked "…and that is the secret to traveling faster than light.", Rorschach lifted his hand to speak but Beast Boy's yelling cut him off, as did Robin "Whoa! Take it easy, Titans! Combat practice is this afternoon!", Starfire came up with an idea "We must mend your dispute by the sharing of unhealthy junk foods. I shall fetch them."
"I don't need food." Cyborg said.
"And I think I'll pass thank you very much Starfire." Rorschach following Robin to the three in the middle of the room.
Starfire opened the fridge, some mould inside it came to life causing the Tamaranean to shriek and blast the fridge with a Starblot splattering the mould all over the room. This stopped everyone. Rorschach groaned as he flicked the mould off himself "My suit, it doesn't help that I'm the only one who cleans up around here, I mean we're superheroes not college or university students."
Robin spoke "Maybe we should just go out for pizza."
Rorschach held the bridge of his noise as the argument over which pizza they should get continued, primarily Cyborg and Beast Boy over vegetarian or not. He had enough of this and shouted "Chaps.", the five looked to him as an annoyed shaped formed on his mask "We're having an argument over what type of pizza to have, this is frightfully ridiculous, especially in public, and by the way Cyborg pepperoni is a variant of salami, which can be beef or pork.", he turned to Beast Boy "And a numerous number of the animals you change into are themselves carnivorous."
Before anyone could say anything a horn sounded out, they all look around to see a coach bus hurtled down the street, Beast Boy looked down to see a buggy left in the middle of the road, with the sound of crying baby, which the bus speed straight towards.
"Titans Go!" Robin called and everyone jumped into action. Starfire flew in a pushed the buggy out of the way. Rorschach put up a force-field in front of the restaurant. Cyborg and Raven landed in front of Rorschach, the mechanical jock caught the bus, and began to slow it down. Raven used her magic to move the gears into park stopping it. Once he let go Cyborg notice something "Don't buses normally have driver?"
"And," Robin said looking at the buggy "don't baby carriages normally have babies?" he held a green teddy bear.
"Look sharp," Rorschach called out "I think we've been setup."
The teddy bear spoke with a childlike voice "At least one of you pit-sniffer isn't stupid." Then it fired a laser beam send, Robin, Beast Boy and Starfire flying.
Behind the other three the bus suddenly jerked and took to the air, before it crashed down on them.
From behind the bus and huge, about seven-foot-tall, and muscular person walked out wiping his hands.
"That was too easy." A child's voice said, the same voice from the teddy bear, a very short bald boy in a green jumpsuit and a mental backpack, and a goth girl with pink hair in the shape of horn appeared, the green boy spoke "What a bunch of cludge-heads. You guys want to get pizza?"
"This isn't over." Robin called as he dusted himself off, along with Starfire and Beast Boy.
"So," Rorschach said stepping out of the bus, followed by Cyborg and Raven as he spoke "you wanted it to be hard?" he cracked his knuckles "You asked for it."
"Who are these guys?" Beast Boy asked.
"We're the HIVE." The green one said.
"We're you worst nightmare." The brute said punching this palm.
"And this," the goth girl said "is attack plan alpha.", with that the three broke off, the green one went for Robin, Beast Boy and Starfire firing off lasers and causing parts of the building to collapse in front of them. The Goth girl fired pink magic energy at Raven and Rorschach. And the brute wrestled with Cyborg, "What do you call an idiot with a rocket on his back?"
"Oh no you don't." Rorschach shouted firing one of his energy attacks at the green one holding a rocket knocking him away and causing the rocket to blow up in the small boy's face.
The Goth girl looked wide eyed at the techno-mage "No one said you could fire energy blast."
"I don't use them often; it would make things too easy for me. Your power's luck manipulation I take it?", the Goth girl growled and jumped at him, Rorschach formed a force-field around her, she tried a luck spell but the magic bounced around and hit her, knocking herself out.
"Jinx!" the two male villain cried out. The taller one got slammed into by Beast Boy as an elephant, until the brute lifted the changeling up "Mammoth is going to make you extinct." Before launching the elephant into the air and then punch him. Beast Boy turned back to normal as he skidded on the road "Is it me, or are we getting our butts kicked."
"It's just you." Raven, Robin, and Rorschach said simultaneously before Robin continued "Listen up, team. I have a plan." Before he could say anything more the green villain fired off two shot taking out Beast Boy and Raven, "Gee, scrum-buffer." He said "Sure hope your fancy plan includes getting fried!"
"You'll just have to find out the hard way." Robin said before the green villain fired at the ground, a red square appeared deflecting the blast into Mammoth knocking him over, the green villain's eye widened before he felt his gadget backpack come off. He looked up as Rorschach pulled a USB cable from the backpack and switched off his computer gloves, "Now then," the Techno-mage said, the shape of his mask turning grim "you'll tell all you know about the HIVE or I will…" pink energy covered him and he flew off into the side, Jinx looked annoyed as Mammoth got up and the green boy picked up the backpack "Mammoth, Gizmo, retreat." And the three ran off.
Cyborg and Starfire came to Rorschach's aid "Thanks," he said "but I'm more disorientated then bruised."
The group entered the tower, Raven helped the limping Beast Boy to a chair in the entrance hall, "Dude tell me that did not happen."
"It did happen. We cannot change the truth, no matter how much we dislike it." She leaned forward and called forth her energy over the changeling's leg, within moments Beast Boy felt better "Who knew we had a doctor in the house?" he smiled warmly at the blue witch "Thanks."
"No problem." She said.
Cyborg, Robin and Rorschach stood together discussing matters while Starfire floated close by.
"From what I know of the HIVE," Robin said "there an international crime syndicate the Hierarchy of International Vengeance and Extermination."
Rorschach scoffed "One of those group where the acronym was made first, then they work on making it fit.", Robin ignored the comment and continued "They tried to eliminate Superman."
"Well," Rorschach said "everyone tries to kill Superman.", the doors began to unlock taking everyone's attention "Who could that be?" Cyborg asked.
Rorschach made a pair of fists "Only Commissioner Thatcher and the Mayor have the code, or…", the door blew off revealing the HIVE trio, Gimzo having fixed his back pack and moving on four spider legs.
"Oh no." Beast Boy said.
"Oh yes." Jinx responded.
"Nice place," Gizmo said "we'll take it."
Rorschach groaned before shouting "Emergency procedure four." A cube force-field encase the three. The other Titans looked shocked, Cyborg spoke "When did you make a fourth emergency procedure?"
"After the fight with Cinderblock the other day." He turned to the three villains "Now where were we from this morning? Oh yes, you're going to tell us everything you know about the HIVE or I shall have to use force?"
"Like what you snot-eating loser?" Gizmo said, Jinx crossed her arm "I thought didn't use offensive attack?"
"Have you heard the phrase a good defence is a good offense? Four point one begin.", the cube started to closing in on the three villains.
"Crud!" Gizmo exclaimed.
"I can't stop it." Mammoth said trying to push his side. Jinx stared with horror in her eyes at the grim shape on the techno-mage's mask as well as some of the horrified looks his teammates gave him "Alright we'll tell, just stop this!"
"Cancel that order." Rorschach said and the cube returned to normal, the three villains let out sighs of relief.
"Dude!" Beast Boy yelled "You could have killed them.", Rorschach turned around "I wouldn't have, if they didn't relent the first time I would have cancelled that order, given another chance, if they didn't talk, I'd try again, third time I would mean it." Even Robin's eye widened "That's dark Rorschach, Batman would not approve."
"They attack us, no doubt trying to kill us, then they invade our home with plans of taking it over, I don't think so.", red sparks escaped his gloves causing him to look at them.
"Rorschach," Raven said "calm down.", the techno-mage sighed "I'll go contact Commissioner Thatcher, see what you can get out of them." Robin nodded as Rorschach walked away.
Over the next half hour, the three explained the HIVE, mostly the division they trained in, the Academy, it trained the next generation of supervillains.
"Great." Gizmo said once they finished "Now the HIVE going to make us start from scratch again and they'll call in Slade."
"Who's Slade." Robin asked.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Gizmo said.
"He means Slade Wilson," Rorschach said where he leaned from the corner "more commonly known as Deathstroke, Doctor Fate mentioned him to me so I did some research, a highly trained mercenary with enhanced senses and strength, in other words we're in for a massive heap of trouble."
The HIVE council viewed the failure of the three students.
"It appears we've underestimated the Teen Titans once again." One said.
The mistress turned to Brother Blood "I wouldn't even bother collecting them from the authorities they have fail us."
"Very well, will you call him in?"
"I contacted Wilson before the meeting however he refused to take the contract as I wouldn't pay in advance, so I have created an alternative.", a light shone on a teenage boy equipped in metal armour with bronze colouring "This is Slade Wilson's oldest son Grant, I've enhanced him in a similar way the United States Army did his father, his codename Ravager."
"I don't know Grayson," Josh said sitting in Robin's office as the Boy Wonder explained his plans "you're taking some frightfully large risks, primarily the other's trust, especially Starfire's, not to mention you going to take the name of a hero one respected and loved by this city and making it mud."
"You don't think I don't know that," the Boy Wonder said "but if you say Deathstroke's that bad…"
"He is."
"Then I need to stop him before he hurts the others, especially Star."
"Why do you want to keep this a secret from the other? If they knew then they wouldn't interfere, and they wouldn't be suspicious of me."
"That stunt with the force-field cube hasn't gone down well with any of us, doesn't make me want to use the emergency procedures if they can do that, so I imagine the other are already suspicious of you."
"I suppose your right about that, but you still haven't answered my question."
"If I told them they'd say it would be unnecessary and that they can handle Deathstroke, but from what's happened today."
"That's because only you, me and Starfire were persistent on training, I imagine now the others would be more than happy to train."
"Still, it would be easier and quicker this way. Also what you said about them not interfering, that's also a problem; it would arouse Deathstroke's suspicion."
"I see, and you asked me to design the suit."
"I'm not that good with designs."
"I can see that you walking target." Robin grimaced as Rorschach chuckled.
"Just keep it from the other Josh."
"It's your orders so mums the word." Josh got up and replaced his mask. The techno-mage respected the Boy Wonder so in this case he would go against his persistent honesty.
He looked at the wall of Robin's office, on it were newspaper cuttings of the fights and crime that had occurred, including the one with the HIVE students, and most recently a piece of paper with the name Deathstroke as the header. Robin looked at this piece of paper tapping his chin.
Josh sighed and existed the room, he passed Starfire "If you looking for Robin don't, he's in his office thinking."
"About what."
"Deathstroke."
"I see, I am worried, I want to spend time with Robin, but I fear this research on the man Deathstroke will take up the time and I…"
"Be patient Starfire, he's working out a plan, if it goes well then Deathstroke may not be a problem.", she smiled slightly "I hope so.", Rorschach nodded and walked off "I'm going to visit my parents, I'll probably spend the evening with Sasu, I may not be back until tomorrow morning. And tell the others to clean the living room."
In the local prison the HIVE trio sat in separate cells with force-fields instead of bars. Gizmo had all his technology removed and his cell specifically alter so he couldn't get into reaching distance of any technology. Mammoth sat with a straight-jacket like restraint made of the same material as Robin's cape, impossible to rip apart. Jinx wore a pair of hand restraints similar to those the Gordanians put on Starfire, the result she couldn't use her bad luck magic.
"What's taking the HIVE so long," Mammoth said "we should have been out hours ago."
"Isn't it obvious?" Jinx said "We failed our final exam, so the HIVE's abandoned us."
"What?" Gizmo exclaimed "They can't do this to us, we're the year's best students."
"They have Gizmo, I'm as much annoyed as you are."
In the corridor a boy about Jinx's age, dressed in a very Batman like costume appeared. He unfurled his cape revealing two other boys, one in red suit with a division symbol, the other wore a green helmet with cyclopean eye. Jinx blinked and smiled "Kyd, Billy, See-More."
"Didn't think we'd just leave you?" the cyclopes name See-More said "Stand back we're busting you out.", he twisted a dial on his helmet and fired a laser out from his eye across the edges of Jinx's cell and the force-field stopped.
Kyd Wykkyd covered himself with his cape and disappeared, reappeared in Gizmo's cell covered himself and the small genius in the garment and again teleport out.
Billy Numerous created two extra versions of himself, the clones looked at the control panel for Mammoth's cell, "What do you reckon the code is Billy?"
"Haven't a clue Billy.", the original Billy got feed up "Out of the way Billy let me try." And he punched the panel, the force-field switched off, one of the clone look to the original "Well done Billy."
"Yeah, very smart Billy." The other said.
"Thank you, thank you." The original said bowing.
"Will you stop playing about." Jinx said as Gizmo picked his way through the lock on the cuffs, when it came off Jinx smiled then turned to the three newcomers "So did the HIVE send you."
"Ah no," See-More said rubbing the back of his neck "Brother Blood told us that you'd failed against the Teen Titans and to forget about you three, but I couldn't, so did Kyd and Billy.", Jinx blinked "So you sacrificed your training to get us out? What about Kyd and Angel?", See-More looked to Kyd Wykkyd who waved it off "I think he and her can make it work."
"Right" Jinx nodded "Now we need to get past the guards."
"No need," a new voice said, from the door to the wing they were in came a seventeen-year-old with a bushy stubble beard, denim trousers and a blood stained shovel slung over his shoulder in his other hand he held Gizmo's backpack, "I've taken care of the guards.", he said grinning like the Joker as he nodded to his shovel.
Jinx blinked and covered her mouth "Who are you?"
"Gravedigger, the protégée of the Undertaker, I've got a deal for you.", the six looked at him in fear and awe, Jinx nodded so he continued "Undertaker asked me to assemble a group that could act as the supervillain Titans, plus with me on board you've got seven members, one up the Titans."
"I like the idea," Jinx said, "but I don't want a serial killer on my team."
"Fair enough, but given its Undertaker's idea I've still got let him know how thing are going."
"Well," Jinx said "why don't you visit are headquarters on a weekly basis.", See-More leaned in "We have a headquarters?" he whispered.
"I heard that." Gravedigger called "Don't worry, Undertaker's thought of that." He pulled out a card "Here's the address" Jinx took at the Gravedigger walked away. She looked at the card, "Main entrance, 377, Crown Street, p. s. it's an underground base, Kyd can you get us there?", the teleporting bat kid nodded and unfurled his cape to cover the team of six.
They arrived at the house and opened the door, immediately meet with a lift. With Mammoth it did become a squeeze but they got in. They enter a corridor and the lights came on, Gizmo looked around "Nicely built, this could be way better than those idiot Titan's Tower."
"I thank you for the compliment." An aged voice said on a PA system "before you ask, I am Mitchel Winker, better known as Undertaker, and I welcome you to this home, Gravedigger informed me this arrangement and while not entirely pleased by this it shall do."
"Thank you for giving us this chance sir." Jinx said "Can I say I admire your type of villain, the old and experienced, the ones whose shoulders we sit on."
"Thank you Jinx, I think you'll make fine leader of Tartarus."
"Tar-what?" Billy asked, Jinx turned around at him annoyed "Tartarus, don't you know Greek Mythology? It's the place in the underworld where the Titans were imprisoned."
"Precisely," Undertaker said "fitting don't you think? The part of the criminal underworld that shall be the downfall of the Teen Titans."
"Why those clutter-brain Titans?" Gizmo asked.
"It's more Rorschach specifically, I've found evidence that he is the son of "Somebody", the hero that knocked me from my throne and then destroyed it."
"So that's why he seemed so well trained." Jinx said.
"Not quite, the magic is new to me, his father was merely a costumed vigilante with a few gadgets and sufficient intelligence on how to fight, taking down all the rival syndicate in Jump City and some of my subdivision."
"You had subdivisions of your gang?"
"Is that not common knowledge in Jump City? I ran the so called Order of the Long Knives, Mantis, the Fifty Thieves and the renowned NMT as well as my namesake group."
"NMT," Jinx said amazed as the others looked astonished as well "but they…"
"Became the HIVE yes, I presume they wanted me back in control, but as I had decided to hideaway for several years they couldn't find me, thus they had to evolve, I do not hold that against them. Now rest, and prepare, I want you to get used to Tartarus before you face the Titans, and done my way understood?"
"Yes sir." they all said.
"Good, goodbye for now.", the PA system switch off and the team of child villain continued down the corridor, and entered the living room. Immediately the boys broke off, See-More, Kyd Wykkyd and Billy Numerous went to the television in the room and started a video game, Mammoth spied the fridge and made a b-line for it, Gizmo jumped on chair and fired up the computer while Jinx looked around the room 'I think I'm going to like it here,' she put her hands on her hips and grinned 'I'll show the HIVE what they've lost, we'll take down the Titans and rule the criminal underworld of Jump City.'
Undertaker grinned and switched the PA system to his base off and getting out his chair, grabbing his cane and put his top hat on his head "Gravedigger take over the base watch please?"
"Okay boss." The killer said sitting down in his mentor's place and chuckled at what the cameras showed "There really breaking the place in aren't they?"
"I haven't needed that base for a long time, they can use it away they want."
"Let's hope that doesn't come back to bite you.", Undertaker glared at his underling before walking way.
The aging criminal mastermind entered a gothic room, in the middle stood a table, at one end a gorilla and on the other end a large pepper pot shaped robotic casing with a brain seen through a clear dome, the two appeared to be playing a game of chess, the Brain spoke in a robotic monotone voice "You have added more pawns to the game have Undertaker?"
"Yes, simply as a backup plan in the unlikely event we fail, if we don't then we can recruit them at a later date."
"Agreed, for now we shall wait until the time is right."
"They are weak at this very moment." A far older voice then Undertaker said as a man far into is nineties and beyond dressed in a military uniform walked in "It wouldn't take long to defeat them."
"Have you forgotten our goal General?" the Brain asked "The Teen Titans are only six in an entire generation of heroes. We must allow them to put all their eggs into one basket in order to crush them all."
"While it was my idea and I would like to take revenge on "Somebody" as soon as possible." Undertaker said tapping his finger on his cane "I agree with the Brain, if we take down only the Titans then some other child hero will avenge them."
"Agreed, our vengeance shall be fulfilled in due time, but the game is not yet ready."
Author's Notes
I know I'm slightly messing with the Brotherhood of Evil plot but I thought it best to set them up and have them be a background threat until the final arch of the Titan's story.
I have plans to continue the story into Justice League, however I wonder if it should be one story or a couple, or a few depending if I plan to do Young Justice too, probably with Rorschach and Sasu's child.