"A robot?" Beast Boy stared at the two of them with querying green eyes, before he turned to Raven who was standing next to him. The two of them were the first Titans Cyborg and Kid Flash had run into as they had bolted to spread the news of their suspicions as they had just returned from digging a burial spot for Terra. Although he had allowed Raven to use her magic to clear the rocks, Beast Boy had insisted on being the one to manually dig it and his face was now smeared with the dirt to prove it. Raven had watched him wordlessly as he had caked himself in brown, determinedly digging the hole, and it had made her admire him even more. Plus, it hadn't hurt her to watch, especially when he had taken off his shirt.
"Raven, could that be true?"
"It could be." She said pondering the little evidence they had and shaking the other image from her mind. "It would explain why there were no fingerprints and the whole thing about strength."
"And it would still fit Slade!" Beast Boy perked up, reinfused with energy.
"Yes…but why would Slade go after Jinx?" Raven asked. "We know she was targeted but even though they were on the same side Slade had nothing to do with the HIVE."
"And she definitely had nothing to do with him." Kid Flash quickly put in to defend his girlfriend.
"So what we're looking for is some sort of connection between Terra and Jinx?" Cyborg asked. "I don't think the pair of them ever even met."
"That's not the only thing." Raven said and they all turned to look at her. "I've been thinking really hard on that feeling I sensed on Jinx and I have a suspicion about what it could be…but none of you will like it."
"Does that really matter right now? Tell us!" Kid Flash urged her and Beast Boy took a short step between them.
"Hey, calm down. She'll say when she's ready." He said firmly before turning back to her. He was unable to mask the worry in his face and she felt a flutter of panic in her stomach at what she was about to say. She didn't think she would ever be ready.
"I think…the reason I recognised it is because it was magic." She replied, her voice stilted. "Dark magic. There wasn't much, barely any at all, but there was enough for me to realise it was there."
"Shit!" Cyborg ran his hand over his head as he swore loudly.
"So does that get rid of the robot idea?" Kid Flash asked her as Beast Boy gave her a worried look and bit his lip. If there's any dark magic about, he thought, will it affect her? Will she be alright? I don't want her to get hurt…
Raven sighed. "I wish I had all these answers but I just don't. Dark magic isn't picky so anything is a possibility. That's probably why we couldn't get anything from Terra's body, it would have taken care of all of that."
"What would take care of what?" They all jumped, apart from Raven, as Robin appeared behind them as suddenly as if he had teleported. He looked around bemused at them all as the guys sprang away from him.
"For God's sake Dick, I've told you not to sneak around like that!" Kid Flash said whilst exaggeratedly gripping his chest. "You're going to give me a heart attack one day!"
"Sorry, I'm too used to it." Robin said, trying to hide how funny he found their reaction but not doing it very well. Raven also couldn't help giggling. "Too much time around Batman…anyway what were you talking about?"
"Raven's figured out what that weird thing she sensed with Jinx was!" Cyborg said. "It's dark magic!"
"It could be dark magic." Raven corrected him after seeing the alarm on Robin's face. "Kid Flash also suggested that it could be a robot. Both would explain why there was no DNA."
"And both would make sense." Robin said, growing serious again like he usually was. "They would each be strong enough, right?"
They all nodded grimly and they could see him mulling it over in his mind. "OK, I'm thinking." He finally said. "Raven, do you think whoever is behind this is still at the warehouses?"
"Possibly." She answered truthfully. "They are likely to be where their next target is and we have no clue who that could be."
"Yeah, we don't know what the link between Terra and Jinx is or whether there is one." Beast Boy pointed out. "It could be anyone."
"Anyone, hey?" Robin said and a crafty grin spread from under his mask. "Then we'll just have to bring them everyone! If we all go to the warehouses and attack at the same time, there is no way they can fight back against all of us!"
"Of course!" Cyborg said almost gleeful at the prospect. "If the dude's so cowardly he only goes after us one at a time, all of us will be able to beat him easily!"
"And with pleasure!" Kid Flash and Beast Boy added at the same time. Beast Boy opened his mouth about to shout but a look from Kid Flash and a subtle "Don't you dare." made him shut it quickly.
"OK get everyone to assemble in the living room." Robin ordered. "We'll attack tonight before anyone else can get hurt."
"Got it!" Cyborg affirmed as they all split off. Robin was about to head after them when he saw Starfire walking down the corridor towards him. She appeared to be in a muddled daze and only noticed him when he called out to her. "Err…Starfire? You OK?"
"Robin!" Snapping out of it suddenly, she ran towards him and embraced him in one of her tight hugs. "Yes I am indeed fine, everything is fine!" Her voice went into an unnaturally high pitch as she remembered what Speedy and Aqualad had made her promise not to say but that made it even harder for her not to blurt it out. She and Robin never kept secrets from each other, they both knew that trust was key in their relationship and it felt wrong to keep it from him but the way they had looked when she had found them in that closet...
"Are you sure?" He asked her as he kissed her softly on the cheek. "You look preoccupied."
"I am just very worried." She told him and she wasn't lying-everyone in the Tower was worried.
"I know." She felt him pull her closer with one arm and she leant into him, her height advantage meaning she had to bend her knees a little. He smelt of the training room and hair gel. "But hopefully this will all be resolved tonight and this can all be put to rest."
"What do you mean Robin?" She drew her head back so she could see his mask. She tried to read it but he had always been a closed book even for her sometimes.
"Tonight, we're all attacking the warehouse district where Jinx was found." He explained to her. "The killer will be no match for all of us at the same time."
"Then they can be brought to the justice!" Starfire nodded.
"Yeah, then we can all feel safe again." She felt his hand running through her hair and she almost wanted to purr. "Y'know, I never thought I would miss those crazy villains like Dr Light or Mad Mod. At least you knew exactly who they were."
"I get what you mean." She replied, sinking her own slender fingers into his spiky black mop as they stood there, enjoying the closeness of each other. "It was so much simpler then, back when there was just the five of us living in the Tower."
"Simpler doesn't necessarily mean better." Robin murmured. "I didn't have you as my girlfriend then, did I? I would rather have you and a million complexities than an easy life without."
"Oh Robin." She whispered as he kissed her again, his lips soft and warm. "We will be OK after this, won't we? I'm scared for us…"
"Don't be, as leader that's my job." Robin said softly. "And the last person in the world I'm going to let get hurt is you."
"I know." She smiled at him as their other hands snaked into each other. "I have your back and you have mine."
He smiled back and trailed kisses down her jawline, soft pecks that still made her stomach flip no matter how many he gave her. "You and me, 'til the end of time Star. Always."
A few hours later, Robin was crouching in the shadows of a large building, feeling the cold metal biting at his back despite the numb feeling he had in the rest of his body. Raindrops were dripping down his face and some dribbled over his mask, making the world go murky, but he still remained stock-still, clenching his teeth so he didn't shiver. He must have spent entire months of his life like this living under Batman and oddly enough, the feeling was almost nostalgic. He flicked open his communicator and lowly muttered into it.
"Everyone in position?"
"We're all good to go Robin." Cyborg briskly told him. "I can see all of us on the heat scanners. The rain is messing with the signal a little so some of you are clearer than others but it won't pose a problem."
"Maybe some of us are just hotter than others." Beast Boy added and Robin heard a few groans over the system.
"Try to keep focused here." He snapped irritated; this was really the last thing he needed. "Remember everyone, keep the two people either side of you in sight at all times. Nobody goes it alone. If you can't see anybody, press the distress signal. Take no chances, we are not losing anymore of you."
"Got it." Over a dozen voices echoed back to him and he closed it, almost with a prayer. This could all end tonight, he thought with a shudder that had nothing to do with the rain. Think of that, it could all be over.
He stood up and made sure he could see Argent and Bumblebee either side of him before he moved out. They looked at him and nodded before they moved out as well. He stared out into the shadows and tried to remember who Starfire was with, he thought it was Kid Flash and Jericho. He almost wanted to look out and see her red hair flying like a flag amongst the pattering rain but above all he wanted her safe. Anything could happen to him as long as she was safe.
He dived further along the wall, letting the darkness be his cape as he moved without a sound. The whole place seemed to be encased in black and at times he struggled to see anyone unless they moved. He was guided by the golden flash of Bumblebee's stingers and the small bursts of red from Argent and as they got further and further into the maze of identical-looking warehouses he felt like the night air was almost closing in on them, breathing down his neck like a predator.
He looked up at the moonless sky and cursed under his breath. The one night I actually wanted there to be some moonlight… he thought before he heard a crashing noise coming from his right. He turned sharply to face it but there was nothing there.
"Argent? Bee? Did you hear that?" He hissed but there was no answer. He looked around but he couldn't see them or any other signs of life. The shadows loomed out at him as he realised he was alone.
Damn it! He thought as he searched around. I swear they were here a second ago… He made to run but another sound, much lower and louder, came from the darkness behind him and sent a chill through his body. He grabbed his communicator to try and see where he was but the screen was fuzzy and buzzed loudly when he repeatedly smacked the distress button.
"What? I thought Cyborg said…" He muttered aloud before he realised it was no longer raining but he could still hear it.
Suddenly the darkness around him started to swirl around him like he was in the middle of a tornado. He again tried to run but his limbs felt heavy as lead and he couldn't move them. They then clamped to his sides and he felt himself being yanked into the air though he couldn't see by what. He strained and strained against the invisible bounds, calling out for help but he heard no response. The blackness around him started to spin faster and faster and he heard a set of heavy clunking footsteps walking towards him from behind followed by a delighted low hiss that made his skin crawl.
"The leader." The dark voice purred as he heard it get closer. "The very cream of the crop. How very perfect."
"Enough with the niceties!" Another much harsher voice spat out. "I can feel it burning in him…oh, this one is powerful."
"It's such a shame really…" The first voice drawled right behind Robin. "He could have been so useful on our side…but you must feed master."
"Yes. I must." The second voice growled and as he spoke Robin felt a great pain spike in his throat.
"Argh!" He tried to scream but a hand pulled over his mouth and held it shut.
"Now, now." He heard it say right in his ear as he tried to squirm away from it. "Yelling will only make it worse for you…"
Robin's body jerked in pain as his muffled cries only appeared to delight his captor. A searing pain was spreading down his body from his throat which got worse as his skin violently tore. He felt warmth pouring down his front like he was in a shower and he realised it was his own blood.
"Yes…yes," The darker voice rumbled like thunder in his ear and his voice felt like it entered his skull. "Stronger…stronger…"
Robin yelled in agony as the hand left his mouth and roamed down his body, reaching for the wound that he already knew was a perfect match to the ones he had seen on Jinx and Terra. His chest was pulled apart and his vision started to go blurry as his lungs heaved fruitlessly for air. He was going to die here, he thought. He was going to die with this mad laughter ringing in his ears…
"Robin!"
A voice cut through the pain and he felt the hands withdraw as he flopped to the floor. He tried to get up but he didn't have the strength to even look around.
"But we have not finished here Master…"
"Go! We shall not get caught…"
"Robin!"
"Go!"
The black stopped whirling around him and he felt rain on his face again, the drops gentle on his face like kisses. He gasped out as he felt his body convulse again then go very still. Blood was still oozing from him, its bright red shocking against the watery pavement. He had never felt this weak before, so weak he could barely keep his eyes open as everything around him started to fade to white. He heard more voices calling out to him in a great fog of shouting and panic but he felt distant from it even as two strong arms picked him up from the ground. Then one voice, the same heavenly voice as before was back in his ear calling to him.
"Robin! Stay with us Robin! Don't go, I am here, I have your back!"
He kept his eyes open for a few seconds longer as he looked up into the face of an angel, an angel with red hair, green eyes and tears on her cheeks like diamonds as she held his face in her hands.
"Starfire…"
Oh the plot thickens! I love it! Please leave a review it will help this story get finished quicker!