Chapter 37

He moved with strength, athleticism, and determination, dodging attacks while moving closer to his opponent. He was trying to get in range to ensure his enchanted silver trumpet would work properly, sending the offender into some unknown dimension. Beast Boy watched him work from the alleyway, ready to help if necessary. It didn't seem to be. The criminal, though he was charged with some kind of electrical energy, was dumped one final time to the ground, groaning as authorities moved in to slap cuffs on him.

Herald watched with a faint glow of pride as the area was secured. Beast Boy knew his time frame was limited, and he had traveled too far to lose the guy now.

"Nice work," he said from behind the blue-suited hero. Herald turned abruptly, a smile taking over his face.

"Beast Boy, nice to see you. It's been a while. I haven't seen the Titans since..." he trailed off, realizing his error.

"Since the funeral," Beast Boy said flatly, forcing the words past his lips with as little emotion as possible. The past wasn't important, not now. "Herald, I need your help."

"What can I do for you?" he asked cautiously.

Beast Boy pursed his lips. He had rehearsed this over and over in his head, but his mouth didn't want to form the words now. "I need you to take me to wherever you sent Malchior," he blurted, not breaking eye contact as he said it.

As he should have expected, Herald's brow furrowed. "Who?"

"The giant purple dragon," he clarified.

"Ahh," he drawled in understanding. Before he could answer, Beast Boy cut him off.

"I know you sent him into whatever dimension you can send him to when we fought the Brotherhood of Evil. I read Robin's report. But I need you to take me there, because I need to talk to him."

"Well that won't be much of a problem," Herald replied when Beast Boy stopped rambling. "It's not like I could just leave him in my home dimension. He's sitting in maximum security prison right now in Paris, right where I left him."

Oh. "That wasn't in the report," Beast Boy mumbled, letting out a sharp sigh as he kicked his feet against the ground.

"No, it wasn't." Herald looked at him, though Beast Boy couldn't see his gaze. He could feel his curious eyes probing him. "If you don't mind me asking, what do you need to talk to the guy about?"

"It's a personal thing," he rushed to reply. He looked up at his comrade, who still stared at him expectantly. "It's about Raven."

He regretted the words as soon as he said them, especially when Herald's face contorted into a sympathetic, pitying look.

"Beast Boy, if you're looking for some kind of closure, I'm not sure that will help."

Under normal circumstances, the condescending, sympathetic approach Herald was taking would have had Beast Boy enraged. Who was he to say what would help? But right now Beast Boy tossed the words aside, focused only on his objective.

"I know what it sounds like. I just need you to help me get to Paris."

Herald sighed, which only furthered Beast Boy's irritation. He understood why his friend was hesitant, but it didn't mean he had to like it. "I'll help you in any way I can," Herald answered, pulling out his horn. He blew into the mouthpiece, sending waves through the air that opened a circular portal in front of them. In the portal was an image of the La Santé Prison in Paris. Beast Boy's heart beat a little faster.

"Thank you," he said simply, looking Herald in the eye.

He nodded. "Good luck."

Eager to find his target, Beast Boy stepped through the portal without a glance behind him.

"Beast Boy?" Robin called hesitantly through the metal door. He received no reply. "Beast Boy?" he tried again. He sighed, the lack of response confirming his suspicion. Beast Boy had already left, without even saying goodbye.

Starfire's not going to take it well, he mused as he took a step inside Beast Boy's room. It was a mess, as usual, though Robin wondered if it was just because of his regular habits or his apathy over the past few months.

He couldn't tell what Beast Boy had taken, leading him to deduce that he didn't pack much. Maybe he does plan on coming back soon, he thought, though the sentiment didn't carry much hope.

When Robin first thought of Beast Boy taking a vacation, it was a lot more positive than what was happening now. He envisioned his friend taking a few weeks off, traveling, clearing his head; whatever he needed to do. Robin thought of it as refreshing, something he would need if he were in Beast Boy's shoes. What actually happened was Beast Boy storming out on an indefinite quest to perpetuate his grief and solitude. Robin held his thumb and middle finger to his temples, squeezing slightly.

No longer in the mood to reminisce about his mistakes, Robin left Beast Boy's room quietly and headed towards his own.

Everything was wrong. Somehow, Robin had managed to lose two team members, two friends, in one huge mistake. He was a few seconds off. Had he been earlier that night, had he heeded the warning signs around him, he might have been able to save her. The guilt from that, from letting his friend die, hung around him like a fog every day. It hung on all of them, to an extent. Hell, Beast Boy wasn't even able to function because of it.

He must have loved her, Robin thought as he ambled through the hall. It was the only explanation for why he was so broken. Starfire had explained over and over again that they were together before the gala, but Robin didn't realize how together they were. He had to wonder how Raven felt, especially knowing what was going to happen to her. Their relationship was something he didn't even want to get started thinking about. It was all questions he would never know the answers to.

The minute Robin turned the corner, his eyes instantly focused in on the white paper taped to his door amidst the grey of the walls around him. His lips turned to a frown as he pulled it from the door and read the hastily scribbled writing on the front.

Robin-

Change of plans. Raven knew what she was doing, and there's a way to bring her back. I'm sorry I don't have time to explain, but I have to do this. Alone.

I'll be back as soon as I can.

Beast Boy

Robin read the note again, his frown growing deeper and his eyes wider as the information fully sunk in.

"Damn it!" He reached into his pocket and pulled out his communicator, turning down the hall and reaching a sprint towards the common room.

"Titans!" he called into the device, summoning what was left of his team. "Meet me in the common room. We have a problem."

It was moments like these when Beast Boy was especially glad he was on the right side of the law. The prison was all stone and concrete, light streaming through scarce, heavily barred windows and from flickering florescent lights overhead. Spending years locked up in a place like this? He understood why some prisoners went crazy.

"Explain this to me again," the woman said, her strong accent sharp and condescending. Though he hadn't heard the verdict yet, Beast Boy knew his odds didn't look good.

"I need to speak with him. I have information regarding a murder that he knows something about." Beast Boy tried to sound official as possible.

"Yes, yes, the Jump City shooting. We have already established that the case was solved. Put to rest." Beast Boy drummed his fingers against the chair in impatience. The warden's office might be the nicest room in the joint, but he still didn't want to be spending any more time here.

"Yes, well as I said, I have new information—"

"And as I have said, you come here without any documentation, any support from the United States government, or any specific reason for speaking with one of our highest security prisoners, yet you expect our full cooperation. I regret to inform you that I must deny your request."

"Listen, I only need to—"

"I am sorry, but there is nothing we can do to help you."

"Please! It's a matter of life or death! Raven, the victim, your prisoner might be able to bring her back."

"As believable as that sounds I must ask you to lower your voice and desist your protest!" Beast Boy clenched his teeth so hard he thought they were going to shatter. He never broke eye contact with the woman, even as she rose from the desk she was previously seated behind.

"I'm sorry we cannot help you. The guards will escort you out now." Her tone left no room for argument. Beast Boy didn't move for a few seconds, then stiffly and reluctantly rose to his full height.

"Thank you for all of your help." He turned and strode to the door he had come in from.

The way back to the entrance was a course through a maze, complete with multiple iron bar checkpoints and twisting, turning, seemingly endless halls. It didn't matter to Beast Boy: the long route was just more time inside the prison to observe. That would help him with what he was planning.

It was obvious he couldn't bypass security as a human. As a fly, though, he didn't see any problem making it into the cell he needed. There were bars instead of doors and seemly plenty of vents.

Raven could come back. He could hold her again, touch her again, hear her say his name. He wasn't going to let a maximum security prison stand in his way of that.

The way he saw it, there was only one option: he was going to break Malchior out of jail.