So I take it the last chap was a success with what it did. Questions will be answered in upcomming episodes, I did not Nerf the Krypto/Martian couple but I did have Ravager and Scandal ready for them with the traps and gear they had with them, and it just may get worse for the heroes before it gets better. This is a demon-god they will be going up against so...
3.
Titans Tower
August 25
02:14 UTC
"We need to go after Luthor now!"
Stomping down the hall, Conner passed Barry, Red Tornado, and Zatanna who were going over what the intruders left behind. Being a forensics detective, Barry used his expertise to search for clues while Red Tornado scanned the computer systems and video feed. The League's magician used her abilities to go over the remote taken by Control Freak incase any magic was involved.
"Kon-El, calm down." Meeting his angered clone/younger brother in the living area, Superman got him to stop in his tracks before reaching the Zeta Beam platform.
"How can I be calm when he had those two take Carter?"
"Conner-"
"Clark," Conner said sternly but no less angered, "They took my son, you're nephew. They took him to Luthor. It's on the recording Red Tornado's looking through and-"
"You don't think I know that? I want Luthor as bad as you do but until we find-"
"He has to be at one of his buildings."
"And until we can narrow down where he took the child to, we cannot go off on any rescue mission until we know exactly where he's at." Joining the two Kryptonians, Batman and Red Tornado made their way over to the main console in front of the large TV.
"We can start at his main tower in Metropolis," Conner told them. "He's always there."
"But he was in Jump City earlier today with Queen Bee." Coming up behind her husband, M'gann placed a hand on his back as she held the small blanket Carter was wrapped in. "Uncle J'onn and I can't locate him anywhere in the city. It was a long shot, but we thought we could try picking up on his mental waves to find him when we couldn't find Carter."
Pulling up several images, Batman had them arranged in order based on time and location of Lex Luthor's whereabouts. "According to traffic cameras and security feeds from the buildings he was in, Luthor and Queen Bee parted ways and took two different limos to different destinations. His private plane was documented as taking off forty-five minutes after the press conference and heading to Orlando, Florida."
"And while there is no tower owned by Lexcorp present in Orlando," Red Tornado stated, "he may be headed for the one some forty kilometers outside the city."
"No magic on the remote, Batman," Zatanna said as she handed the remote off to him. "It's all electrical. But I found this."
Handing the Dark Knight a tiny button-like object, Zatanna placed the remote on the table nearby. "It seems to be a tiny transmitter designed for mapping out infrastructures. How it got by our screening-"
"We're ready to go."
Turning to the origin of the voice, the group saw Garfield, Terra, and Raven in full gear standing and waiting for orders.
"Be ready to move in-"
"No." Halting Conner's words, Batman dismissed both Red Tornado and Zatanna.
"What?" Conner asked the bat themed vigilante with M'gann staring at him puzzled.
"We have no idea where they took Carter," Batman told him. "He could be in the city shielded from being telepathically located, out of the state, or out of the country. Until we get a definitive lead-"
Turning, Conner got in the face of the Dark Knight, something hardly no one did. "That is my son. If it were Robin, or Nightwing, or Batgirl out there, you would be hunting Luthor down without anyone's help. We're going after him and-"
"Stand down" Batman ordered.
"We don't need you telling us when to act. We're going after our son and-"
"Conner, you will stand down until we know, without a shadow of a doubt, where Carter is."
"And what happens in the mean time?" M'gann asked. "He could be doing anything to him."
"This issue is not for discussion. Give me twenty four hours. I will put all of my resources on finding your son. Until then, stand down and do not under any circumstances, leave the tower until I give the go ahead. We need a location and plan to extract him from Luthor, understood?"
Refusing to move, Conner continued to stare angrily at Batman, not noticing the League member reaching under his cape. Beside the two, Superman saw the sly movement and had a feeling what was going on.
"The moment we know where he is, with or without you, we're going," Conner said with a sneer.
"Do so without League backup, and there will be consequences."
Sneering and without a word, Conner turned his back on the League veteran and headed back into the hall, turning in the direction of his and M'gann's bedroom.
"You would go if you had a child. Or if it were Robin, Nightwing, or Batgirl. Without backup." Leaving the room, M'gann followed behind Conner as Martian Manhunter passed her by.
"They're right, you know." Leaning in towards Batman, Superman asked in a hushed voice, "I know what you were reaching for. Think that was necessary?"
"With his new abilities still fully unknown," Batman answered, "and his temperament, would you take a chance?" Removing his hand from a lead lined belt pouch, Batman left the piece of Kryptonite in its place.
Arriving in their room, M'gann saw Conner sitting on the corner of their bed with his fists clinched. She crossed the space between the door and bed and sat next to him, leaning her head on his shoulder while still holding Carter's blanket and asking him about what they were going to do over their mind link.
"I have an idea," he said mentally. "We wait for the others to leave then get Raven."
"Why Raven?" M'gann asked.
"Remember when Garfield first met her? He said she amplified the-"
"The mental signal he sent me." M'gann finished. "We could use it to potentially find Carter."
Conner nodded. "And then we go after Lex and the two who took him."
"And what do we do after we catch them?"
Turning to look at her, Conner gave her a look she had not seen before. She then matched it as they discussed their actions over their link.
"M'gann? Conner?"
Drawing the pair's attention to the door, Artemis entered and was immediately met by M'gann in a hug. "Sorry I couldn't be here sooner. When we got the alert, we weren't told what it was about to see if we could be of any use and when we heard someone took Carter, Wally and I thought Iris would be a target and got her to a safe house."
"Thank you, Artemis," M'gann said as they separated.
"So what happened? How did they-"
"They broke in through the windows in the living area," Conner told her. "They rigged the rooms to not open, somehow timed the computer room to lock and shut down the sensors. They got out through a Boom Tube and shorted out the device they used to create it."
"You're cut?"
"Yeah. Kryptonite sword."
"And the other one had a heat generator to use against me," M'gann added
"Two broke into the tower? Any idea who they are or who was behind it?"
"Luthor," both parents said together.
"Cueball? Any idea where he is?"
"Batman said he may be in Florida. I think he made it too easy to track himself to be there," Conner told her.
"Is there anything I can do? If there is, just name it and Wally and I will be right there with you."
"You can't," M'gann told her. we're told to stand down until the League can find Luthor and a plan to safely extract Carter is made."
Looking her friend's over, Artemis knew that was not an option for the two. Throughout the years, she came to know both aliens like the back of her hand. Conner was always impulsive, charging into any situation headfirst with the single mindedness to succeed at any cost. M'gann was more of a 'scope things out first' type of team member, perfect for scouting objectives as well as stealth. The looks the blonde saw on them made it clear they were more than willing to be the former with what was at stake.
"We have an idea," M'gann spoke mentally. "If you could just please-"
"I'll get rid of the League," Artemis told her. "Don't worry about that. Just promise me one thing when you two go after your son."
"What's that?"
"When you see Luthor, make him think twice before coming after our kids. It's our god given right to protect them as parents. I'll be on your side with what you choose to do, just make sure he never does this again."
Without a word, verbal or mental, being said, Artemis knew they both promised her, her request.
Bioship
August 25
03:16 UTC
Racing across the sky of Jump City, the Martian Bioship maintained its camouflage mode to blend in with the star filled sky. The large moon provided all the light the occupants needed as they made their way to their destination. Keeping somewhat low to the buildings, the aircraft kept out of chance contact with the high flying planes traveling late at night.
Occupying her pilot's chair, M'gann had her uniform on without her cape while Conner sat at the front of the ship in one of his old black and red long sleeve shirts, the reason being as it was not tagged with a biochip to monitor his whereabouts like the red Kryptonian cloth one he had. While he made sure his gloves were on tight, his wife never took her eyes off the large Lexcorp tower they were closing in on.
-A few minutes earlier-
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Raven asked. "Batman sounded pretty strict earlier."
"We're sure, Raven," M'gann told her. "Please. Help us find our son before Luthor does something to him."
"So we can do something to Luthor," Conner added.
Sighing, the Gothic teen girl took her hood off. She, like the others, had yet to change out of their uniforms when the members of the League left for Watchtower to continue investigating Carter's kidnapping.
"So what are they going to do?" Terra asked Garfield.
"When I first met Raven, we were attacked by Cyborg when he was evil and I needed to call sis. She was able to amplify my mental message to her and I was able to call for help outside of her normal range." Watching his blood sister and Conner join hands with Raven, he felt another twinge of guilt for what he said earlier. "Just be ready to go once they find him."
Beside the large windows overlooking the city across the harbor, the couple and Raven concentrated on finding carter. M'gann used her full abilities to locate her son with Conner adding what he could as the father. With the two centering their thoughts on their son, Raven used her powers to amplify what they could feel. Her body began to glow white as she recited her mantra with her cape and hair floating upwards. All three of their bodies became bathed in her black energy with the outline and details of their bodies lined in white.
Opening their eyes, which were pure white and glowing, Conner and M'gann seemed in a trance until both came to their senses and said Carter's name at the same time.
"He's here," M'gann said. "He's in the city."
"Luthor played the cameras," Conner added. "He's in Lexcorp and never left. He's been shielding Carter's thoughts somehow."
"He has Carter," they both said."
"Then let's go get him!" Terra yelled.
"No," Conner told her. "And do not alert the League or anyone."
"Why not?" Garfield asked. "You know where he is."
"This is our fight. Batman want's to have it a League matter. If Lex sees them go in-"
"He'll likely hurt Carter." Gripping Conner's shoulder, M'gann looked up at him. "He's scared. I could feel him."
"I could too."
Looking at the three Titans, Conner saw they were anxious to help. "Look, I understand and appreciate how you want to help us, but this is something we cannot have you do with us. We were told to stay in the tower and have the League carry things out. With Cissie on a school trip and Kyle on Oa, you three are all the city has in case there's trouble."
"Yeah, but, we're a team, right?" Terra asked.
"That we are," M'gann answered her. "And that is why we cannot have you go with us."
"The consequences Batman mentioned, we'll face them. We won't have you pay for our actions," Conner told them.
"Stay here and if you can, stall. Conner and I will be back as fast as we can." Turning to Raven, M'gann gave her a smile. "Raven, Rachel, thank you."
Flashing a small grin, Raven gave a curt nod.
"Come on. We don't have much time." Leading the way, Conner and M'ann hurried to their bedroom.
"M'gann!" Garfield shouted before his sister could leave the room and ran up to her. "I'm, I'm sorry for what I said. I was angry for what Queen Bee did and I didn't mean to say that. I-"
Hugging him tight, M'gann let him clutch onto her and sob a little. "It's okay, Garfield. I know you didn't mean it."
Kneeling in front of him, M'gann gave him a small smile. "We'll talk when we get back. Remember, we need you three to help us here incase anyone from the League calls or comes by. You three don't know where we went. Got it?"
"Ye, yeah. We'll cover for you."
"Thank you." She leaned in and hugged him again before leaving for her room.
"So we're left out." Terra said. "Great."
"No." Garfield said as he cleaned his face. "We're not. I have an idea."
-Bioship. Present-
"We're here." Taking the Bioship to the garage across the street from the Lexcorp building, M'gann quickly got out of her seat with Conner rising as well.
"Conner, are we really willing to do this?"
Looking at his wife, Conner flexed his hands a few times before making his way over to her. "Lex crossed the line tonight. He knows we won't cross ours. He took Carter, M'gann."
"I know. I just wanted to make sure we're willing to go through with this after we get Carter back."
Reaching out to him, M'gann wrapped her arms around his back as he wrapped his around her shoulders. "He's so little. He doesn't even have a way to protect himself or call out for help if we're too far away. He's defensless, Conner."
Hugging her tighter, Conner let out a heavy breath through his nostrils. "We'll get our son back, M'gann. And make Luthor pay."
Titan Tower
August 25
03:21 UTC
"You sure this is a good idea?" Terra asked as the three stood on the roof of the building. "They did tell us to stay put."
"But they need our help," Garfield told her. "They're going after Lex so we're going after Queen Bee."
"You sure this isn't part of your vendetta against her?" Raven asked.
"She was here for more than to support him with his campaign. She has to have been behind this too."
"So what now?" Terra asked. "We join hands and Raven does her mojo so we can find her?"
"No. When I was in my room, I found where she was staying on my Tpad. She has a penthouse near the center of the city. We can get there and back, in and out, to see what she really is up to."
"Think this is a good idea?" Terra asked.
"We're teenage superheroes, what is a good idea?" Raven answered.
Forming her black energy, she surrounded herself and the other two then lifted them into the air. "Okay, where to?"
Jump City Lexcorp Building
August 25
03:27 UTC
With the corridors of the Jump City Lexcorp tower brightly lit, the two Titan leaders had an easy time finding their way. Getting access to the building via an underground tunnel from the parking garage was easy as Mrs. Martian knocked a large enough guard out so her husband could slip into his uniform. With the lack of female security guards, she stayed near invisible and flew behind Superboy who used the stolen keycard to gain access to the rest of the building.
A quick stop at the directory showed them Lex's office was not accessible from the top floor, making their earlier assumption of him being more protected correct. The only way to get there would be to make their way upward through the elevator shaft and down a long hallway to where his office was located. The two just found it strange how there seemed to be no guards in the building, considering this was Lex's building they were infiltrating. Then again, this WAS Lex's building they were in.
"Sure this is the one?" Mrs. Martian asked once they arrived at the elevator marked 'Executives Only'. "It seems too obvious."
"He knows we're here," Superboy told her. "He has to."
"Yeah. No way he'll just leave his building this empty without a reason."
Prying the doors to the elevator open, Superboy inspected the empty shaft before going in. Mrs. Martian was right at his side as they both flew upwards to the top floor when the attack began.
Powering up, the sides of the elevator shaft grew bright as electrical currents fired between nodes arranged along the edges. Once charged, they began to slide down together at the two heroes. Reacting fist, Mrs. Martian held her arm out and forced the moving trap to come to a halt. Superboy shot ahead and smashed a few nodes to break the current between them when another batch of electrified nodes powered up beneath them. Before they could do anything, a solid transparent panel of red light formed between the two, separating them with an intense burst of heat to force the Martian woman to get away quickly.
Trying to get to his wife, Superboy attempted to get to where the light originated from but was forced back as it delivered a powerful electrical shock to him.
"Conner, we have to split up!" Mrs. Martian called out.
"That's what he wants!"
"He won't stop until we are. I'll phase through this floor and join you once I'm on the other side."
Not liking this, Superboy gave a huff. "You better."
The two then made their way into their respective floors where they were met with an entire new round of obstacles.
Jump City - Queen Bee's Penthouse
August 25
03:32 UTC
Within the darkened penthouse of Queen Bee, a door separating the outside terrance from a large gathering area slowly opened. Quietly, a green hand with light fur on the arm, moved the once locked fringe door open enough for he and the two female Titans to enter the luxurious room. With the moon providing some the light they needed, there was no need for a flashlight as Terra could see using the night vision filter in her goggles, Beast Boy had his eyes reflect light like a cat's, and Raven had her's glowing white to enable her to see clearly.
"You'd think there would be a guard in here. Or maybe a robot of some kind." Separating from the two, Terra checked inside an adjacent room but found it to be empty.
"I've had enough of robots for a lifetime," Raven dryly said as she made sure the kitchen, large in size, was clear. "M'gann would have a field day in here."
Keeping as quiet as he could, Beast Boy carefully glanced inside the hallway when he saw a dim light like that from a fireplace.
"Psst," he whisper yelled. "Over here."
Joining the Titan field leader, the girls saw the light and took positions behind him. Raven moved her cloak from around her shoulders, letting her have full use of her arms without obstruction while Terra walked along the side of the wall and tightened her gloves. She was thankful there seemed to be enough potted plants in the area for her to use and even carried several marble sized stones in a pouch.
Morphing into a wolf, Beast Boy silently stalked towards the dimly lit room until he and his partners were just outside the door. Sniffing the air, he picked up on an all too familiar scent and bared his teeth.
"Garfield," Raven whispered, knowing his enhanced hearing would pick her voice up. "Don't."
Shaking his head, the green animal came back to reality and morphed back to his hybrid form. "She's in there," he told her and Terra.
"Then let's get in there." Removing her goggles, Terra palmed several stones, ready to use them.
"Yes, do enter. It would be most kind if you do."
Snapping their necks to the room, the three identified the voice as that of Queen Bee.
"I see three of you out there. Has no one taught you to look for cameras before entering the villainess' home away from home?"
Shrugging apologetically, Terra mouthed 'Sorry' before they entered the room where the Bialyan dictator occupied.
"How nice it is to see you again so soon," Queen Bee said from her place beside an ivory colored fireplace. The orange light lit up her beautiful features, making her even more alluring. "Drink?"
Seeing the three keeping their eyes on her, the woman gave a sly smirk. "It's only apple juice. I know how you heroes want to set good example and are a bit underage. But you should really live a little."
Moving from the fireplace to a single Victorian chair decorated in red and gold fabric, Queen Bee took a seat and crossed her legs. Around her, the heads of various wild game could barely be seen in the firelight as could a case lined with hunting rifles.
"Like my den? It reminds me of the good ol' days. Oh, how I loved spending time in Quarc. Hunting wild game with my subjects. Of course, we had to get past a pesky fence every now and then, but what's life without a few obstacles?"
Hearing Beast Boy beside her, Raven wanted to tell him to calm down. He was already losing it as he growled just loud enough for her and Terra to hear him. "We want to know what you're doing with Carter."
"Carter? The brat Luthor wants? Now, why would I want a thing like that?" Grabbing a glass on a table beside her, Queen Bee took a sip and seductively liked her lips with the tip of her tongue.
"You know what Lex want's with him," Beast Boy said with the growl in his voice. "Why did he go after him?"
"I think the bigger question is, how well did the two who broke into your little clubhouse know the layout? How did they know how not to set off the alarms? Who could have given them that information in the first place?"
"What are you talking about?" Terra asked. "You believe one of us would give that information out?"
"You already did."
Looking at each other, the Titan group had no idea what she was talking about. As they did so, Queen Be snapped her fingers and two figures came from out of the shadows, Ravager and Scandal.
"Let me do the math for you. You see, I and my colleagues are on the verge of tipping the scales of power in our favor. My, ability to enthrall people can only do so much. But now, any person I come across can and will fall under my power. It was so easy."
Looking at Terra, the dark skinned woman gave an evil smile. Have you ever thought why you were in Brazil in the first place? Why was it you were captured but not tortured and killed like the others? You have a unique gift, Terra. One that proved useful to us as a means to get you onto a little team."
"What are you talking about?" Terra asked. "I was-"
"You were chosen by us as a logical recruit for your little friend's squad of do gooders and locked in a cage where we knew you would be found. I was able to force you under my thrall as a test of my, newly acquired abilities granted by a being you know nothing about. Not even your Amazon ropes, Martian mind probes, nothing could pick up on it. It was part of the deal, to have you believe a lie so much, you felt it was the absolute truth. In fact, everything you thought you knew or felt is all an illusion."
Taking a step back, Terra shook her head before feeling a pain rip through her head and falling to the floor. Instantly, Beast Boy and Raven came to her side to check on her.
"What did you do?!" Beast Boy yelled.
"I'm finished with her. You see, it was my idea to have her take a liking to you, Mister Logan. It was not hard to tell who you were under the green tinted skin. And seeing as you spend all your time with the Martian and the Kryptonian, as well as seeing them leading another team of misfits, it was only a matter of time before you were put in a position of power yourself. And seeing as how you were so, how should I put this, naive would be the pleasant way of saying it, having a pretty girl flirt with you would guarantee a more trusting nature you would have with her. And because of that, she was able to give us all the information we could want."
"Y, your'e lying." Beast Boy said as he held Terra. "She couldn't do something like that. She's our friend."
"All the time alone she spent in the computer room? Having her own private access to an electronic device to message anyone she so chooses? Actually liking a little orphan beast who should by all rights be dead with his pathetic mother so she could get closer to your little team? And wanting to be on your team in the first place? You're just as weak minded as your mother, boy."
"So you used Terra," Beast Boy said, "like my mother?"
Feeling something unfamiliar, Raven looked up at Beast Boy.
"You got her to be a mole and broke into the tower to steal my nephew."
"Garfield," Raven said in an effort to calm him down.
"An old plan made better," Queen Bee told him. "Only she unwittingly rigged the Tower to provide us access while believing she was taking care of normal consistencies. Now, if you would be so kind, keep your blood off my rug after Scandal and Ravager finish with you. They tend to get things a little, messy."
With Terra coming to, and her two Titan partners backing up with her behind them, Scandal and Ravager unsheathed their weapons when a deep growl occurred.
"You called me a beast earlier," Beast Boy said with his voice growing incredibly deep. "But you're the only beast I see."
The green youth began to grow taller. The sound of bones cracking and sight of long green fur growing had everyone in the room grow afraid suddenly. Sharp claws matched equally sharp teeth as his face changed to something between a wolf and a man. Pointed ears poked out from his head as it became more predatory looking until he was a massive creature staring at Queen Bee with yellow and red eyes.
"Garfield!" Raven and Terra yelled once they saw and heard him give off a roar of power.
"Kill the beast!" Queen Bee ordered as she backed up after getting to her feet. "Kill him and the girls!"
With their weapons ready, Ravager and Scandal got into attack formation as the now Beastial Boy locked his sights on Queen Bee.