Chapter 26. F. F. F.

Alarms and sirens went off and could be heard throughout the tower. The three remaining titans made their way to the common room to the main computer.

"Who is it?" asked Raven upon arrival, Robin was already there and Cyborg came in running a few seconds after.

"Cinderblock and … Slade?"

"Slade?, I thought the dude died after that deal with Trigon. What can he be doing here now?" asked Cyborg as he too was at the computer checking the police status.

"I don't know but he wont escape this time… where is Starfire?" he said after turning around towards the door.

"I bet you she's probably already there… Rob, the attacks are right outside the park she's been going to and I have live reports that say Starfire has been knocked down by a missile of some kind.

"Then the location is no coincidence. Cinderblock alone could not have planned an ambush on his own" Raven said as she pulled her hood up and created a bubble of dark energy that surrounded them and phased thru the floor.

…

…

Starfire woke up to the rumble the ground made as heavy footsteps made their way towards her. The smoke and heavy dust made it difficult for her to discern her surroundings or her attacker, but as she was getting ready to get up, a massive fist made out of rock swung down towards her but she was able to slip off right before her assailant made the thunderous contact with the ground.

Her eyes glow green and she started to throw star bolts at her now known attacker. Cinderblock. Who's massive fists and arms collided with every building in his way trying to knock the flying girl out of the air. As the smoke dissipated, Starfire noticed from high above the endless amount of slade-bots making their way across the street towards a barely conscious Red X.

At that moment, the dark bubble of energy reappeared on the side of the street and the rest of the titans quickly looked around looking for their friend and her attackers in the middle of the mayhem. As soon as Robin yelled "Titans, Go!" they were showered with lasers coming from all direction.

Robin had seen Cinderblock a few blocks down the street, swinging his arms trying to swat the alien girl who was throwing star bolts at him, but was blocked by an small army of robots who didn't hesitate in using their laser guns at close range. Robin jumped, kicked, rolled on the floor and swung his bo staff at their heads and thru their chest. While some of them exploded on impact, others short circuited and started to convulse and fall to the ground. But more and more made their way to him.

Meanwhile, Cyborg was blasting as many robots as he could with his sonic cannon on his way to Starfire. Raven was able to fend off most of the lasers with her shields while she levitated. Throwing cars on fire and dumpsters to stop them.

Starfire was growing tired, her star bolts barely affected the goliath and his approach was more and more menacing yet still slow. So when he extended his arms ready to close them in to grab her with both hands, she flew backwards and made a full 360 degree circle just to gain speed and she made her way upwards towards his head and with all her might, used her right fist to punch the giant with a thunderous collision making him almost loose his footing and step backwards.

Once, twice, three, even four times she repeated her attack, using her speed to gain momentum in each blow, but her strength wasn't infinite and was starting to sweat and breath heavily from exertion.

Across the street, Red X was on his hands and knees trying to regain his balance. His back was sore and his chest from the crash on the wall. He got to his knees and shook his head once more before focusing on his surroundings. Strange robots were closing in on him as he tried to teleport but his utility belt was damaged from the fall, so he used his rubbery exes instead. The robots didn't hesitate and started to shoot at him. He rolled on the floor, kicked and jumped to knock out his assailants who didn't stop their attacks. The lasers however bounced off of his cape. Something he never knew until now and made a mental note to someday thank Robin for designing the suit that was now keeping him alive. But his arsenal was getting low and without his belt, his chances of advantage were slim to none, so he decided to use his bo staff and jumped in the air, swinging left and right to their heads.

He jumped over the shoulders of another one causing a second and third robot to shoot down the one that was holding him. Others did the same as the thief kept getting using them to shield himself. The robots never missing their target but a mighty kick on his back and a blow from a staff to his shoulder, made the thief loose his balance landing unceremoniously on the ground rolling on the floor to soften his impact and colliding on the wall that stopped his out of control landing. His own staff rolled to the side away from him.

Red x quickly regained his consciousness and pushed himself from the wall and took a fighting stance in front of his opponent. A tall muscular man with a suit and armor, equipped with a bo staff and attached to his back were two swords. A mask like his own covered his opponent's face except that he only had one eye, half of the mask was black, the other half golden like the rest of his armor. Slade made the sign of "come and get me" and the thief restarted his attack.

A few blocks away, Cinderblock was almost defeated. Raven had come to Starfire's aid and with both of them together, the giant had less luck on his attacks. When he finally fell, Raven used her magic to pull an iron beam from one of the destroyed buildings and used it to wrap it around the legs and arms of the goliath.

Starfire looked to the ground to asses the situation. Robin was outnumbered as was Cyborg, regardless of his cannon fully loaded. But gasped when she saw Red X fighting Slade across the street so she started to fly towards him. Raven saw her intention and tried to stop her.

"Star wait. We cant take Slade alone"

"Neither can Red X but he's trying anyway. Go help your lover while I help mine" she said her harsh words with as much venom as she could and with narrowed eyes nodded towards Robin.

"What?!" Raven said taken by surprise but her question fell on deaf ears as Starfire was already halfway gone to help the thief. She shook her head, thinking that she would dwell on her friend's words later. Right now the guys needed help.

First she went to Robin who was now on the ground trying to fend off as many robots as he could from his disadvantaged point. During their training sessions, Raven had been trying a new way to use her dark magic and instead of just encasing objects, she could now use it to slice thru them like a knife with the form of a whip but never had she used it in real battle as it required concentration and great precision, especially if a living being was nearby as she could also cut them in half.

So Raven started with the robots that were scattered. Three and four at the time were falling in pieces at her feet. Carefully she made her way towards Robin and a last flick of her wrist destroyed many of the robots that were hovering above him and he was able to get to his feet and dispose of the remaining robots close by then both headed towards Cyborg who's cannon wasn't having enough results.

Starfire flew across the street towards Slade and used her speed to her advantage, but the criminal had seen her from afar and with a quick move, jumped out of her way making it impossible for the girl to stop her collision on the robots and immediately to the wall.

Robin had heard the commotion and watched in horror how the Tamarenean fell into her own trap. Robots were falling over her but the strength she posses is beyond anyone around, allowed her to send flying most of her assailants. Robin had come to her aid and when he approached the villain, saw who he was fighting against. Red X , who was bent over against the wall, hands on his knees, panting while Robin had his turn with Slade.

Robin threw a series of kicks and punches all with barely to none contact as the villain was faster and more agile. With a swing of his leg onto Robin's chest, Slade sent the Boy Wonder spinning a few times before he crashed into the wall but quickly recovered his footing and took a fighting position , staff in hand, panting and waiting for Slade's next move. But as he prepared to attack the villain again, Starfire crashed onto the pavement in front of Robin and Red X, both screamed her name at the same time.

She landed on a crater twice her size as someone had knocked her out of the sky with such a force that left them wondering who could be that strong to do just that. And out of a cloud of smoke appeared Blackfire, eyes glowing and star bolts ready with a sinister smile which from the back of her belt, produced a pair of strange shackles that she secured right before Starfire woke up.

Robin had tried to get to Starfire but Slade attacked him again. Red X tried a different approach but was weak and sore from the previous attacks and now, the evil sister had taken advantage and aimed her star bolts at him with enough force that he was now bleeding and forced him remain on the ground

The other Titans had tried to approach but Blackfire had showered them with star bolts and even managed to destroy part of Cyborg's sonic cannon and knock him out in the process.

Raven had gone to Red X side and lifted a shield right before Blackfire started her attack again, and although the star bolts had little success in breaking the shield, the force of her fists alone was able to break thru forcing the sorceress to fall backwards next to the thief who was now barely conscious. The evil sister then grabbed Raven by the neck with enough force that was blocking her airways and was soon limp on the ground.

"Rae…" was all Reed X could say before passing out.

Starfire regained consciousness and soon found her hands and feet tied and secured and started to panic when she realized that no matter how strongly she pulled, her binds would not give in and when she tried to use her star bolts, the material of her shackles prevented them from break thru and even reverted the effect making her grunt in pain.

"Hello sister dear, missed me?"

"Blackfire" she said thru gritted teeth.

Robin in the main time, had been still fighting Slade but the moment Starfire woke up, got distracted and Slade made his move sending the Boy Wonder to the wall where four robots took hold of his legs and arms. Exhausted from fighting, Robin had no choice but to remain in his place.

"What do you want Slade?" asked Robin with such sour taste at the mention of his nemesis.

"You know Robin, if I didn't know better, I would say you're inside that suit again" he said nodding towards the thief while he walked calmly towards Robin with his hands behind his back.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Robin said as he struggled to get free.

"Ah Robin, you have so much to learn but all I can tell you is that you are no longer needed for my plans"

"hello Robin, long time no see" Said Blackfire as she approached them carrying a bundled Starfire who was now wearing something like goggles over her eyes to prevent her from using her lasers at them but still allowed her to see thru blurred glasses.

"Blackfire? You're working with Slade, since when?"

With a smile and a sensual sway of her hips walked over to Slade and placed a hand on his chest while she turned to Robin. "Since my little sister overthrown me from my rightful place in my planet but… I've been doing more than working with him, dear. "

"You cant be serious"

"Robin, Robin… one of the things you still have to learn is that, tamareneans are… how should I say it… wild in bed. If any of you makes it out alive, I recommend you try it" Slade said nodding towards Starfire.

"No dear, the wild one is only me. My little sister wouldn't know how to please a man even if she wanted to. But you know Robin, seeing you like this and how much you've grown in so many… places…" Blackfire taunted, she had walked in front of Robin and was running a finger along his chest, stomach and had stopped just above his groin. "… I could give you a demonstration… Wouldn't you think sister dear? That way, he'll know what to expect"

Starfire could not see clearly but the silhouettes and colors, and could tell where Robin and her sister were. "Leave him alone Blackfire" she yelled trying in vain to get free while Slade watched In amusement the entire scene.

The ground started to rumble and Raven was waking up, coughing.

"Quickly dear, put the witch in her shield before she wakes up" and with the push of a button on Slade's arm, a bubble like shield enveloped Raven and lifted her in the air, the same with Red X and Starfire who never stopped struggling.

The ground rumbled louder as if heavy steps were approaching, and that's when they heard the mighty roar of a T-Rex coming from around the corner a few blocks away and then a second one coming from the opposite side, one green and one brown respectively, stomping on the many slade-bots trying to stop them. They swung tales and bit them in half as they approached.

"That idiot is still alive… how?" Growled Blackfire and her eyes started to glow, but Slade stopped her before she took off.

"Not now Blackfire, we got what we came for, its time to go"

He ordered another batch of robots to come out and shoot missiles at the prehistoric animals while they made their escape. One of them exploded right in front of Beast Boy who jumped, turned into a falcon and flew just above the robots that had the heavy machinery and turned into a whale and fell on top of them. Then turned into a kangaroo and with strong hind legs, kicked the ones holding Robin down while Meliah swung her tail, then turned into a rhino and charged at the remaining robots on the other side of the street.

Robin and Beast Boy run to help Cyborg who was until now regaining consciousness.

"Cyborg, you ok?"

"B? Boy am I glad to see you man" Said the metal man while he rubbed his head and his human eye stopped being blurred. Meliah came running after the last robot was destroyed and kneeled next to him.

"Victor, you're hurt" she said with a worried frown. Cyborg was about to protest and demand why was she calling him by his real name but when he saw her worried expression decided to let it pass for now.

"Nah, nothing that I cant repair. I still have a good hand so it will take me no time to be repaired.

"Dude, was that really Slade.. After all this time?" asked Beast Boy incredulous, looking around the chaos around them.

"Yes, and he's not alone. Blackfire is with him and they took the girls and Red X"

"What!?" said the other three in unison.

"Don't worry guys, I have a new trick under my sleeve and this time he wont be able to escape.. "