A/N: Just to clear up a couple of things. Robin isn't really in much trouble for getting caught with Cat. It's only his reputation that's suffering at the moment. Since the story is told from his pov he keeps mentioning it because it's bothering him that he got caught looking like he's doing something so stupid. It's his integrity that's coming under fire. As for Starfire seeming weak over the bullet, that was her friends making a big deal over her, not her. Robin overeacted. She would have been fine. But so far as I know she is not bulletproof. However, on the show we never saw her go up against gunfire so let's just say she underestimated how much it hurts.
The alarms went off as soon as the police landed on the shore. Grim-faced, we watched them scramble up the hill. Raven shifted restlessly. It would be easy enough for her to terrify them back to their boats, but it wouldn't work for very long. Cyborg pulled every angle of surveillance up on the screen. The helicopter was attempting to land on the roof, but our weapons defense system was engaged and a large laser was aiming toward the aircraft. The driver couldn't see to land or use his instruments because our programs were scrambling his equipment.
"So what's the plan?" Cyborg asked quietly. "They're not just going to go away quietly."
"We'll wait until they fall back a little, thenI will go talk to them. Whatever happens do not let them into the Tower." Not for one moment did I believe things had escalated this quickly over a couple of tabloid articles. Somehow it was all connected. I didn't have time to piece together just how big the conspiracy was, but the more I thought about it the more I realized that I had been set up. Someone wanted this siege to take place. But what was their goal? To arrest the Titans? To discredit us?
"Robin, you possess the head that is hard. I will speak with them!" Starfire took to the air and flew out of the common room so fast even the grapple I shot after her wasn't fast enough to catch her.
"No!" I hissed under my breath, leaping to follow her. "The rest of you stay here. This is a trap!"
"Well duh! They've kind of got us surrounded," I heard Beast Boy say behind me. I was running so fast that. I didn't have time to swerve before my shoulder struck. The opposite wall as I turned to go down the stairs to the garage. Starfire would beat me outside, but I couldn't let her turn herself in or whatever she thought she was going to do. My mind was going faster than my feet. From the beginning this had been focused at Starfire. But Star didn't have enemies on Earth. Whoever was behind this had planted Cat Grant in the penthouse suite as bait for me, which meant they had money and enough power to bribe one of the Daily Planet's more well-known journalists-even if she was just the gossip writer.
"Starfire, wait!" I shouted. I jumped the last five steps to the ground floor, but the natural light filling the usually dark garage told me I was too late. I ran to the open bay doors and looked out. She hovered about two foot off the ground, facing a trio of police officers that were edging toward her with their pistols drawn. She had her back to me so I couldn't see her face, but her hands were ignited and her posture seemed relaxed enough.
"Why have you come?" she asked, sounding every bit the queen that she was. The cop nearest her, a dark-skinned man with close-cropped black hair glanced uncertainly at his partners. I reached for a birdarang, prepared in case they made any move to fire their weapons.
"You need to come with us, Miss Starfire. You need to account for your whereabouts during the abductions that happened last year." He spoke calmly, as though he was trying to calm a wild animal even though Starfire seemed perfectly calm. She sighed deeply, and my gut clenched in silent denial. No Star, you don't owe them your story. But of course she couldn't hear my thoughts, and even if she could she wouldn't listen to me.
"What is there to say that cannot be said now? You wish to know what part I played? The Psions came to Earth in search of me. They were hired to track me down and transport me to the Citadel where I was to be tortured and degraded until I chose to take my own life or my life was taken from me." To her credit, her voice didn't shake, but I knew how hard it was for her to tell them. I had walked past her room at night during the days and weeks after we returned and heard her crying into her pillow. She had nightmares about it sometimes. Once, I'd even heard her screaming in her sleep. I hadn't been able to stand it and I went in to her room and woke her. She denied that that's what it was, but when I'd shaken her awake her eyes lit with her starbolts and I'd had to duck out of the way to avoid being blasted.
"Have you any way to corroborate this story?" the same cop asked. He lowered his gun slightly, though his finger remained on the trigger.
"You doubt my word?"
"Of course not, but without evidence it is a matter of he-said, she-said."
"And who is this 'he' who is doing the saying of things?" At last I saw a faint haze of green collect around her hands.
"If you will come with us to the station, all your questions will be answered."
"No, you'll answer our questions now," I said, striding out of the garage. The other two cops jumped and raised their guns to aim at me, but Starfire made a strange hissing noise that made both of them pale visibly and step away from her. "Who is feeding you information?"
"That's classified," said the cop, Officer Davis, according to his name tag. I held up my communicator.
"Do you see this? If I tap this button here, it sends a distress beacon straight to the Justice League. Do you really want to explain to Superman why you're attempting to take us into custody without even attempting to contact our guardians and-"
"You don't have guardians," snapped the middle officer named Styles. "You're just a bunch of punk kids. You think you're special, but really you're just a high-powered gang with resources. You cause this city more damage in a week than ten drug dealers on the street." My eyebrows shot up. Oh really? Did he want to go there?
"All right, the next time Slade tries to take over the city you guys handle it. Let me know how that works out."
"The only reason the meta humans even come to Jump is because of you,"Styles fired back. He was a young cop, probably fresh out of the academy. I knew there was a subsection of low enforcement that envied the superheroes for being able to take on the criminals they couldn't. Styles had the athletic build of a former high school and college jock. Beneath his hat, his hair was parted and styled to the side, and his badged was polished until it shone. He was sizing me up as well, and I could practically see him comparing us in his mind. He was taller by about four inches, his shoulders broader and more heavily packed with muscle he probably spent hours sculpting in the gym. For a moment he actually considered trying to take me, I saw it in his eyes. I smirked. I couldn't help it. Try it. I dare you, I taunted silently.
"There is no need to argue. If my presence on Earth is the problem then know that I intend to return to Tamaran, and I-"
"No!" Styles said sharply, before glancing at his partners. I moved closer to Starfire. So there was a bigger conspiracy in place. The other cops looked uncertain now. Davis glanced over his shoulder at the helicopter hovering overhead.
"I'm afraid our orders are to bring you in...all of you."
I hit the distress beacon in my communicator and drew my staff. Starfire, looking confused, moved behind me. With a triumphant look on his face, Styles pulled out a pair of handcuffs.
"Robin, the Teen Titans are under arrest. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of oomph!" As he closed in on me I swung the staff in an arc that knocked the handcuffs out of his hand and as he bent to retrieve them. I catapaulted myself over his head to take down the other two.
"Robin!"
It was lucky Starfire was with me or else I never would have noticed the sniper hanging out of the helicopter and aiming his gun at me. My cape is moderately bulletproof, but it's not something I prefer to count on if I can help it. As the sniper rifle fired, I cartwheeled out of the way. Starfire shot into this sky to deal with the helicopter herself. My head whipped around when the gun fired again. A jet of green light fired back.
Suddenly strong hands grabbed me from behind. I grabbed the wrist to twist it in a defensive counter attack, but it didn't budge. The hand forced me face-down in the dirt with unyielding strength. Spitting out grass, I looked up just in time to see Wonder Woman tackle Starfire out of the air as the sniper fired at her again.
"Officers, care to tell me why you are attacking these children?" Superman asked mildly from where he stood over me. Styles looked as though he'd had a Psion probe shoved up his backside at the sight of Superman. His face was so funny I didn't even mind that Superman had called us children.
"They are resisting arrest, Sir," said Officer Davis a little breathlessly. While the Titans were pretty common around Jump, it wasn't often that the League came to town, and Superman and Wonder Woman were the two most impressive members. Batman was up there, but he didn't have the same people skills that the other two did.
"The Titans fall under Justice League sanction. Any disciplinary action taken against them is the responsibility of the League. What crime have they committed?" Wonder Woman asked imperiously. She touched down behind Styles, making him whirl around. She drew herself up to her full height-she had an inch or two on him-and fixed him with her steely blue stare.
"We have received reports that they were involved in a situation that occurred last summer..." The third officer finally spoke up, but his words shriveled on his tongue as Superman looked down his nose at him.
"The League has already given an official statement on what happened last summer. The Tit and are to be commended for leading the rescue efforts, not arrested."
"The law is the law, Superman," said Styles, puffing himself up. Clearly he puffed himself up by disagreeing with the Man of Steel. "These kids are resisting arrest. These two have just attacked these officers. It is our right to take them into custody."
Superman stared at him for a long moment, his expression undecipherable. It was almost as if he was reading the man's thoughts, which unfortunately was not one of his powers. I don't think Styles knew that though, and he quickly broke eye contact.
"Not today, gentlemen." And there was no arguing with Superman. Especially not when Wonder Woman was standing just behind his shoulder with a glare that promised an investigation into the police's conduct. There was a part of me that hated asking for help, even from our allies, but the bigger part was grateful I had such powerful friends to draw on in a time like this.
"Come, I will escort you to your boat," said Wonder Woman in a tone that allowed no resistance. The cops signaled to their friends in the helicopter, who nodded and turned the aircraft back toward the shore.
"Thanks, Superman, we-" but Superman held up a hand to stop me. He tilted his head toward the departing cops, signaling that whatever I had to say had to wait until they were gone.
"Princess," he said unexpectedly. Starfire floated closer to us, looking suddenly apprehensive. "I'm sorry that you had to deal with that. The League is very troubled by how many of the other victims are beginning to call what they witnessed on the ship. I'm afraid this will get worse before it gets better."
"It is the alright. I have received word from my planet that a suitor has been chosen for me. I will return as soon as I am healed enough to make the journey." She deliberately didn't look at me as she said it, but her cheeks reddened noticeably as I stared at her in horror. Superman glanced at me, seeing the shock on my face before I quickly concealed it behind a mask of indifference.
"I see no need for any rush..." He said diplomatically.
"I do. Staying will only bring more trouble to the ones I lo-care about most." It didn't skip my attention that she stumbled over the word love. I decided not to read anything into it. It didn't matter anyway.
"Robin, if Starfire does intend to return, I think it best that she have an escort. As I'm sure you're aware, something is not quite right here. Someone is working against your team, and until their plan comes to light I think it wise that you stick together." Clark knew what he was asking of me. There was enough apology in his eyes to tell me that.
"Wha, cool! Superman!" Beast Boy burst into the yard with his arms waving in greeting. Superman's serious expression slipped into one of mild amusement.
"What's going on?" Raven asked, obviously annoyed. She folded her arms across her chest waiting for an answer. Her hood was up, casting her face in shadows. The. Titans and I looked at Superman, waiting for an explanation. Wonder Woman returned. She cocked her hip and rested her hand just above the lasso on her belt. Over the years I've gotten used to her suit, the full cleavage, the high-cut spangled briefs, and the calf-hugging red boots, but she was blessed with all the beauty of Aphrodite and even next to Starfire she was a little distracting.
"The Titans have an enemy on Earth. Somehow, someone is reawakening the witnesses memories of what happened last summer when they were all abducted. Whoever is doing this is using it to turn public opinion against the Titans. We haven't managed to discover whom how, or why they are doing this, but as you can see from today's little demonstration things are escalating quickly."
"Princess Starfire has just informed me of her plan to return to Tamaran for her upcoming wedding. I think it would be best if your team went with her. It would allow the league time to investigate this matter further without raising the suspicions of whoever is behind this.". I bit back an argument. No one should be investigating threats to my team but me. Still, I understood his reasoning. And...I'm not going to lie that I wasn't going to pass up the chance to see the guy that had been chosen for Star. As much as it hurt, I needed to know who I was losing her to. I don't know what I was hoping for.
"So...we're going into space again?" Beast Boy asked, spinning to look at everyone. Wonder Woman and Superman exchanged a look.
"We think it would be best."
"Sweet! Dudes, I've got to go pack!" He skidded to a halt and his ears drooped suddenly. "Um, there won't be any of those mean, ugly, aliens this time, will there?"
"No. We are going to Tamaran. I have made it absolutely clear that under no circumstances are the Psions or Gordanians allowed within ten kerglorks of our planet. Oh friends, I will be most excited to show you my world as you have shown me yours!" Starfire clapped her hands together and practically squee-ed with delight. When she opened her eyes again she looked shyly at me.
"You will be treated as guests of the highest honor."
I should have said thank you or told her it wasn't necessary, but I didn't. I didn't know what to say about any of this. Suddenly, Cyborg reached out and punched my shoulder, giving me a knowing look.
"Guess we should get packed, eh?"
"Robin, before you go, there is something else I wanted to say to you...in private," said Superman in a low voice full of hidden meaning. Dread filled my stomach with lead.
A/N: an extra long chapter since I haven't updated in a couple of days. Sorry about that.