"Okay," Wonder Girl said as she landed. "They're in a cave about a mile out."
"Good. Kid Flash, we need to know the set—" Red Robin broke off as Kid Flash dashed there and back.
"Okay," Kid Flash began. "IsawEnchantressPsimon—"
"Slowly," Red Robin reminded him.
"Right. I saw Enchantress, Psimon, and uh… Hondu—"
"Mordru," Red Robin corrected.
"Right, Mordru, standing in front of Raven. She's in some sort of machine, and she looks rough. Whatever they're doing to her is… not good. She's bleeding from her nose and eyes. There was some guy next to Psimon—he didn't look impressive, but you know…who knows? Klarion was pressing buttons on a console. I think that's where the EMP is coming from, and whatever he's doing, it's causing her a lot of pain. The other Chaos Lord was just sitting in a chair."
"Anything else? What about the fourth Chaos Lord?"
"Didn't see them."
"How'd they build all this with no one noticing?" Wonder Girl asked.
"The chaos attacks," Robin answered.
"Hm?"
"The portals, monsters, reverse gravity… it was all just distraction," Red Robin said.
"What are you thinking?" Beast Boy asked, looking up from his fox form.
"We work with what we have," Red Robin replied, turning to Kid Flash. "Where's the cave entrance?"
"Left side, and they won't be able to see us."
"Okay, this won't be easy—no tech, no backup, just us. Gather around. We're about 100 yards out now." Red Robin took a deep breath. "Wonder Girl, you're on Raven—break her restraints, whatever it takes to get her out of their machine. Kid Flash, Beast Boy, Robin, and I will be the distraction. Keep them busy, and…" He hesitated briefly, "try not to engage directly. Evasive maneuvers—just buy Wonder Girl the time she needs."
"But Bats said not to engage at all," Robin pointed out.
"Rob, she's in bad shape," Kid Flash said, putting a hand on his shoulder. Robin nodded.
"Miss Martian," Red Robin turned to her.
"They'll probably sense us coming," Miss Martian added. "I can try to mask our mental signatures, create a psychic veil. It'll be hard, though, and I won't be much help in a fight if I have to hold it up."
"Just until we get to the entrance," Red Robin said. "Once we're in, go invisible and get as close to Psimon as possible. He's their telepathic link, which means if you can disrupt him, the others might lose focus for a few seconds. That's all we need."
"This plan's risky," Robin said.
"I know," Red Robin replied. "But if Raven's in bad shape like Kid Flash said—"
"She is," Miss Martian interrupted, giving Kid Flash a confirming nod. "I can barely sense Raven's mind at all."
"All right, breathe," Red Robin said, more to himself than the others. "We don't know what we're walking into, but we've got this." The team shared a quiet, resolute nod. He couldn't shake the feeling of déjà vu. "All right. Let's go."
"How's it going?" Tannarak drawled, strolling up to Mordru.
"She is very strong," Mordru replied.
Strong indeed, Tannarak thought, eyeing the sweat beading on his forehead. "Well, the children are nearly here—a few yards out."
"We'll just make them forget again," Enchantress said with a smirk.
"Seriously?" Psimon shot Enchantress a skeptical look. "I can't hold my own against the Martian and demon concurrently."
"Then get out of her head," Enchantress snapped. "Headcase has already broken through four barriers."
"There are twenty more!" Psimon muttered.
Mordru and Tannarak exchanged weary glances. "This was fun at one point," Tannarak said, shaking his head.
"It's becoming more trouble than it's worth," Mordru replied under his breath. "Just prepare for the brats. Don't kill them—let's see what happens."
"They're here," Enchantress murmured, eyes gleaming.
The team moved into position with remarkable stealth, each member executing their part to perfection. They moved as one. Wonder Girl flew in, powerful and quick, straining to break the cuffs that bound Raven to the circular machine. Kid Flash swept through the area, knocking Psimon, Headcase, Enchantress, and Mordru off their feet before spinning Klarion in his swivel chair.
Raven's eyes flew open as she felt Psimon's presence leave her mind. She turned to see Wonder Girl tugging at her cuffs. Everything hurt. "Hang in there, Raven," Wonder Girl urged, straining with all her might.
"N-N-No," Raven stuttered, panic rising in her voice.
"We got you," Wonder Girl reassured her. The machine gave just a little, and Wonder Girl smiled in response.
Behind her, Psimon regained his footing. A smirk spread across his face as he sensed Miss Martian's invisible presence lurking behind him. "This again?" he taunted, raising his hand to freeze her in place. "You did the same exact thing four hours earlier."
"What?" Miss Martian gasped, feeling a ripple of psychic energy wash over her. "Oh, no! Red Robin!" she screamed. "He's about to wipe our memories!"
Psimon's laughter echoed as he gestured, unleashing a wave of psychic energy. Kid Flash froze mid-run, and Robin staggered as it struck, his eyes clouding over. Red Robin felt it too—a deep haze fogging his thoughts. He gritted his teeth, fighting to remember. "No," he murmured, forcing himself to hold on to Raven's image. Red Robin, he heard her whisper in his head. He looked up, locking eyes with her. Rebmemer, the word echoed in his mind. But Psimon's power was overwhelming, and Red Robin felt his memories begin to fade.
Psimon cackled sadistically. "Predictable. Psimon says, 'Forget…again.'"
Mordru lifted the unconscious heroes with his powers. "What are you doing?" Klarion demanded. "Kill them."
"I will not kill them," Mordru replied, his tone firm.
"Why not?" Klarion whined, and Teekl meowed from his hidden spot. "Stupid cat! Useless."
"Fine," Enchantress said, lifting a glowing hand. "I'll dispose of them myself."
"You will do no such thing!" Mordru blocked her attack with ease.
"You dare—!"
"Silence," he sneered, sending a surge of power through the shield she had created.
"Ahh!" she cried out as she was propelled back, hitting the machine. Raven watched warily. Any other time, she'd use the emotional unrest to her advantage. Right now, however, she needed to prepare herself for the next onslaught.
"I will not kill them."
"Why?" Enchantress asked in a broken voice, struggling to regain her composure.
"Frankly, I don't trust you," he stated coldly. "I will dispose of them a ways away." His eyes shifted to Raven, who was watching the group intently. "It looks like we're going to have to start over."
"A-A-Actually," Headcase stammered, holding up a hand nervously.
"What!" Enchantress growled, her frustration boiling over. "And you don't have to raise your hand!"
"I-I-I have an idea… a way we can make Raven more susceptible to suggestion. Y-Y-You just have to build the foundation."
Red Robin groaned, his mind foggy. Where am I? Slowly, he sat up, his body aching. He opened his eyes. "Ugh." Rubbing them, he blinked to clear his vision, waiting for his HUD lens to reboot. Nothing happened. Weird. Red Robin looked around. Sand. That's all he saw. Just sand. And a full moon shining in the night sky. Where am I? His head was ringing. Rising shakily to his feet, he brushed sand off his legs. Looking around, he saw his teammates spread out, unconscious. But one was missing. Where's Raven? A groan to his right got his attention. "Robin?" Red Robin assisted the young vigilante to his feet.
"What happened?" Robin asked, his eyes scanning the desolate landscape. "Where are we?"
"I don't know," Red Robin replied. "Robin, are your HUD lenses working?" he asked, as his teammates stirred in the background.
Robin waited for a beat. "No." He lifted his wrist and pressed the button for his micro-computer. Nothing happened. "Uh, Red," he said. "My computer isn't working."
Red Robin took out his communicator. "Nothing." He began checking all the technology on his person. "Nothing is working." Pulling out a plain compass, he frowned. "Not even my compass is working." He brought the compass to his face. "Wait, there's a pebble stuck in there. It's pointed…" Red Robin looked around as the rest of the team joined him. "East. It's pointed East."
"So… does anyone know where we are?" Wonder Girl scratched her head. "And where's Raven?"
"Good question," Red Robin replied, unease creeping into his voice.
"Does anybody else's head feel weird," Beast Boy asked, stumbling as he regained his footing, "like someone took a brick to it?"
"Is anybody else having trouble remembering… I don't know… the last two days?" Kid Flash asked. Everyone muttered their agreement.
"I can't even access my memories," Miss Martian frowned. "Do you mind if I take a look in everyone's head?"
"Go ahead," Red Robin said, as the others nodded their consent.
Miss Martian's eyes glowed red, and the others felt a gentle prodding in their minds. "Odd," she said. "There's no memory there. The memory is completely gone. Except…" She slowly turned to Red Robin. "Except for you. The memory is… in tiny fractures."
"Can you reach it?" he asked, a mix of hope and dread swirling in his stomach.
"Not without putting you in a catatonic state. This feels like the work of Psimon."
"Okay, so we don't know where Raven is, we don't know where we are," Wonder Girl spoke, her voice rising. "We don't know why we're here, or where Raven is… anything else?"
"None of our technology is working," Robin added, pointing to himself and Red Robin.
"And there's that."
"My compass is stuck on East," Red Robin said, trying to focus.
"Want me to run ahead?" Kid Flash offered, eagerness creeping into his tone.
"Not without knowing where we are," Red Robin said, frustration lacing his voice.
"If you put Red Robin in a catatonic state," Beast Boy asked, "would you be able to bring him out of it?"
Red Robin gave him a dry look as Miss Martian answered, "Technically, yes, but there would be residual side effects. Also, I don't think Red Robin wants me poking around in his head. It's very…"
"Invasive," Red Robin said.
"I was going to say intimate, but… yes."
"Oh," Beast Boy frowned, processing this new revelation.
Red Robin began pacing, anxiety pulsing through him. "You good, bro?" Robin asked, concern etching his features.
"It's just… it's just weird," he admitted, frustration bubbling within him.
"What do you mean?"
"It's… it's like… there's something at the back of brain… an urgency—like I'm supposed to do something. I just need to remember! Ah!" He fell to his knees as an acute pain shot through his head, memories flooding back in a chaotic rush. Gasping for air, he grasped his hair, fighting the overwhelming sensations. Raven, he whispered, his heart racing as fear clawed at him.
"What's wrong? Are you okay?" Robin kneeled beside him, worry etched on his face.
"I remember," Red Robin looked up at them, determination igniting in his gaze. "I remember everything." He rose. "I'll fill you in on the way, and I have a new plan."
Rachel watered the bright flowers in the window that were reaching towards the light. While she preferred dark purple calla lilies, her boyfriend had insisted on decorating their apartment with forget-me-nots, blue irises, and white camellias to brighten up their space. "A little color never hurt anyone," he'd said with a charming grin. Rachel had promised to do everything in her power to keep these plants alive, even if they made her uneasy.
Ding! The oven timer went off, breaking her from her thoughts. She hurried to the oven, grabbing oven mitts as the metallic scent of baking wafted through the air, both comforting and strangely foreign. She opened the door and almost jumped for joy at her perfect empanadas. "Yes!" she celebrated, pulling them out of the oven and setting the tray on the stove. Fifteen perfect empanadas, their golden crust glistening under the overhead lights.
Just as she grabbed the uncooked tray of sweet empanadas to pop in the oven, the front door creaked open. "Rachel!" a deep voice called out, sending tingles down to her feet while something in the back of her head buzzed.
"I'm in here!" she called back, the sound of her voice echoing slightly, as if the apartment were larger than it seemed.
A moment later, her boyfriend appeared with two bags. "Wow!" His eyes widened as he stepped into the kitchen. "You didn't burn anything. Impressive." Rachel smiled, though something nagged at her as she stared at him. Something about him looked…off. Like he didn't—the thought came and went when her eyes fell on the two bags. One was holding blackberry cake—the other held something mysterious. "What is in that bag?" she asked, curiously, ignoring the buzzing that was slowly dissipating.
"Westvleteren 12," his blue eyes shone as he beamed. "It's brewed by Trappist monks. This Belgian Quadrupel is one of the most highly rated beers in the world. It's known for its rarity, full-bodied flavor with rich malty, dark fruit, spice notes, and—"
"Cost?" Rachel finished for him as she leaned on the counter, smiling shakily.
"I'm trying to get on your father's good side," he laughed, storing everything in their spacious kitchen, the shadows flickering oddly.
"You're buying his love," Rachel teased, but the words felt heavier than she intended as she stood on her tiptoes and draped her arms over Tim's shoulders.
"Of course," Tim smiled, leaning down, meeting her lips halfway. His lips were not what she expected to feel. The texture felt…wrong. "Your father is terrifying," he chuckled, wrapping his arms around Rachel's waist.
"You survived my brothers," she said, her small smile growing, though the thought of her father brought a chill. "You'll survive my father."
"I adore your faith in me," he gazed at her, but something in his expression hinted at doubt. "Turn off the oven," he smiled, kissing her sweetly.
"What?" she asked, her heart racing unexpectedly.
"Turn off the oven or they'll burn."
"What do you mean?" Rachel laughed, but the sound felt hollow in her ears. Tim joined her as he reached behind her, expertly turning off the oven. "Tim, but…" The protest died on her lips as Tim kissed her passionately, pulling her even closer. She lost herself in the moment, but a small voice nagged at the back of her mind, whispering that this was almost unreal.
Tim lifted her up by her thighs and began walking out of the kitchen as she wrapped her legs around his waist. "Tim," she gasped, pulling away with a laugh, though her heart raced for a different reason now. "My parents will be here in two hours."
"We've got time," he said, kissing down her jaw as he walked to their bedroom. "We've got time." Yet as they moved deeper into the apartment, the brightness around them seemed to dim ever so slightly, shadows lurking in the corners of her vision, and she couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.
"Wow," Enchantress stared at Raven. Raven's eyes were fully glazed over—gray and devoid of emotion. She seemed eerily calm, looking at nothing in the distance. "I didn't think it would work. Impressive." Enchantress glanced at Headcase, who was straining a lot less than before.
Headcase smiled hesitantly. "There's a little opposition, but if I continue, I think I can get her subconscious to accept the new reality."
Enchantress nodded, turning her attention to Psimon, who was taking a small break, she raised an eyebrow. "Don't worry," Psimon said, a sly grin forming on his lips, "I'm still in there. See what happens when you contribute?"
Enchantress shot him a glare. "Now, how do we get her to open the portal if she's living in la-la land?"
"We only need a few more moments," Psimon reassured her.
"We don't have a few moments," Enchantress snapped, her frustration palpable.
"Someone's impatient," Klarion complained, spinning in his chair. "I'm so bored."
"Just keep the superhero children out of the way," Enchantress ordered. "They should be here any moment."
"Pfft!" Klarion scoffed. "It's been five hours. The sun has set. They're not going to get here anytime soon." He turned to Mordru and Tannarak. "Back me up here, guys."
"Childish," Mordru replied with a dismissive wave, while Tannarak shook his head in disgust, clearly unimpressed.
"Meow," came the familiar sound from Teekl, who flicked his tail impatiently.
"You're right, Teekl. Who needs those two?" Klarion quipped, dismissing their importance with a wave.
Enchantress peered at the three of them, her irritation simmering. "Where did you say Xanadoth was?"
"We didn't say," Mordru replied, his tone unyielding.
Enchantress was about to respond when Headcase spoke up, his voice steady but slightly strained. "Okay," he said, "She's accepted it. She's ready." The air thickened with anticipation, a tension that felt electric. Enchantress's eyes narrowed as she sensed the shift in energy around them. "Finally. Time to open a portal."
"Remember the plan," Red Robin said to Kid Flash.
"I know, dude. Relax. We're going to get your girl."
"Uh… I… We aren't… never mind."
"All right," Kid Flash replied, adjusting his goggles. "It's hero o'clock."
"Shut up and go."