A/N: I said I would try to get another chapter out before the end of July, and I did it! I'm so happy! For once I kept you guys waiting a few weeks instead of several months! :)
Unfortunately, this is not the last chapter of Part Three like I had originally hoped. I was hoping to pack everything together into one massive chapter, but the more I was writing, the more I realized that I need more room to work. In order to make the final chapter of Part Three flow properly, I don't want to cram everything together. As I always say, quality over quantity. Nevertheless, I'm sure that this will still be an enjoyable chapter. The word count is shorter than most of my others, but a major event happens, so a long chapter wasn't necessary.
Anyway, I'll get on with the chapter. I don't want to keep my readers waiting anymore than I have to. Enjoy! :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans.
Part III: Secrets: Chapter Thirty-Three
It took endless walking down a steep slope, but eventually the spooky cave Adriel lead them to transformed into a spooky abandon mine from Metropolis' 1760's mining era. The ground leveled off, the metal tracks Adriel spoke of began to appear, and so did wooden archways along the cave's edges. When they stumbled across a large quilt and a flashlight that the Ground Badger had stashed here, it seemed a little too convenient to Damiana. She didn't question it, though. The three of them huddled together under the quilt and passed out almost instantly.
It is only after countless hours of deep, uninterrupted, slumber that Damiana finally starts to rouse. Color-changing eyes flutter open softly, though she doesn't sit up. She merely stares at the person beside her. Her brother's back faces her, revealing a head of tousled, gleaming gold, hair. He breathes heavily, revealing that he is in the deepest pits of unconsciousness. Saeran has always been a light sleeper. Seeing him like this lets Damiana know exactly how tired he got last night.
Smiling, she pulls the quilt high onto her brother's shoulders. Once he is tucked in, Damiana turns over. This isn't just because of a pebble that digs into her right side, but also because she is curious to see if Adriel is still sleeping.
Exactly like Saeran, the man sleeps more sound than the dead. Unlike Saeran, however, Adriel happens to be facing in her direction. Damiana didn't discover this until settling back beneath the covers, but there isn't much space between them. Adriel's face is so close that she feels the warmth of his breath on her cheek. His hair is loose from it's usual ponytail as well. Brown-red strands tickle her nose because of this. With anyone else, this sort of nearness would make Damiana feel horribly uncomfortable; maybe even embarrassed. This isn't the case with Adriel. Rather, the girl takes time to study him. He manages to look distressed even in the midst of slumber.
Her friend's eyebrows are knit together tightly, his forehead creased with anxiety. Adriel's jaw is locked, and his teeth are clenched. Damiana is afraid that a molar or two will fall out; especially when she notices the two sets of teeth grinding. Tiny droplets of hardly noticeable sweat form on his brow only to travel down to his cheeks. If the girl wasn't mistaken, she would assume that the Ground Badger is having a nightmare. Maybe a nightmare where he loses his job, his home, and becomes an aimless wanderer? That sounds about right to Damiana… If there is one thing that nothing could ever change, it is her guilt.
What exactly comes over her, Damiana doesn't know. Before she can process her thoughts, she is engulfing Adriel in a suffocating hug.
It is automatically assumed that he will stay asleep. Saeran always complained about how Adriel could sleep through alpha-male phoenixes fighting over territory. As Adriel's breathing becomes less rhythmic and more wakeful, however, Damiana begins doubting that claim. When cherry red eyes blink completely open, the girl immediately believes that claim to be false. He stares in a mixture of curiosity and confusion while coming out from the fog of unconsciousness.
"Dami? What's the matter? Did something scare you?"
His eyes should be changing to green due to puzzlement, but they do not. They remain the same blinding shade of cherry red.
"Sorry, Adriel. I didn't mean to wake you up. I was already awake, and it looked like you were having a nightmare, so I thought I would give you a hug." Realizing the ridiculous childishness of her actions, mortification starts to set it. As she continues, it isn't without a crimson blush. "Now that I think about it, that was a pretty silly thing for me to do…"
Much to the girl's pleasure, the previous distress in his features vanishes. Adriel gives quiet, happy, chortles.
"Actually, I don't think it was silly at all. Everyone could use a hug sometimes. You're never too old to comfort a friend." A brief glimmer of sadness passes through his gaze. "And you were right. I don't want to explain the details, but I was having a nightmare. I fought in a war, remember, and I had other experiences besides that. The memories don't just go away."
Damiana, who'd never actually let go of Adriel, tightens the embrace.
"Memories never go away. Memories are forever. You and Saeran fought in the war with Tamaran before ending up alone on Earth, so your memories are probably worse than mine."
"I wouldn't say that," he replies simply. "Sometimes the worst memories are in the past, and sometimes the worst memories are yet to come. Nobody ever knows for sure."
The girl responds with a sardonic laugh. "Don't jinx me. Even if I didn't fight in the war, I've been through enough. I don't know if I can take much more."
"You don't know, but the Fates do. The Fates have a reason for everything. For my past experiences, for yours and Saeran's, and for anything that happens in the future. Don't question the Fates, Dami. Trust them to guide you."
This time Damiana's laugh is on the lighter side. "Is this your way of telling me that we never should have ran off on the Titans?"
"No. This is my way of saying that the future is already set in stone. The Fates just etched different crossroads into the stone. When the time comes, you'll have to choose from the crossroads that have been set out for you."
A long moment passes where Adriel and Damiana lock eyes. The expression on the Ground Badger's face is confusing to say the least. It is emotionless and completely unreadable. Raising a brow, she makes an additional inquiry.
"So you're saying that the Fates put the Teen Titans in my path for a reason, and I was bound to meet them no matter what. Now I have to choose whether I should stay away from them or go back?"
Despite the brief flashes of despair that appear in his cherry gaze, Adriel chortles softly once more.
"The Teen Titans actually don't have much to do with what I'm saying. All I'm saying is keep an open mind and an open heart." Adriel returns Damiana's embrace full-force. His hug is so tight that it startles her. "It doesn't make sense now, but you'll get what I'm saying later."
It takes several seconds, but eventually Damiana adjusts to the strength of the embrace. The Fire Phoenix girl and the Ground Badger remain like this for longer than they keep track of. When someone finally does let go, it is Adriel. Smiling, Damiana releases him in return.
"Are you going back to sleep?"
Much to her surprise, Adriel responds by moving out from under the quilt and standing up. The smile he wears is small. Far too small for a person like Adriel.
"Actually, my back is sore from the rocks. I'm going to check out the mines. Do you want to come?"
Before verbalizing any sort of response, Damiana's first reaction is a glance at Saeran. He is still snuggled under the quilt sleeping heavily. Furrowing her brow, she looks back at Adriel.
"What about Saeran? Shouldn't we wait until he wakes up?"
The man gives another small smile along with a shrug. "We won't be gone long. When we get back, I'm sure he'll still be asleep. That guy can sleep through two alpha-male phoenixes fighting over territory."
For the first time in what feels like ages, the girl gives an honest laugh. "Strange. Back on Dabnod, he used to say the same thing about you." Smile growing, she crawls out from under the quilt. "As long as it'll be a quick walk, I see no harm. Let's go!"
"It's no use. I checked every hotel, motel, and bed and breakfast on the westside of Metropolis. The desk guy at the Golden Oaks Hotel saw them for five minutes, but they walked out. The guy had zero information! It's like they completely disappeared."
The four remaining Titans sit huddled together in Adriel's living room. According to the face clock that hangs on the wall, it is currently ten minutes until nine. Roy has been scouring Metropolis high and low since four-thirty AM. In all that time, the only thing that turned up was a dead-end lead. Robin, Cyborg, and Starfire have also spent the early morning hours searching. Based on their dour expressions, they have had the same luck as the archer.
"The eastside wasn't any better. At least you got one lead. I came up empty-handed."
The frown on Cyborg's face matches Roy's to the letter. When Robin speaks, their expressions become more downcast than any of them thought possible.
"The northside is the business district, and the southside is all tourist attractions, so Starfire and I focused on the transit system. We might have gotten one lead, but we're not sure. A homeless man said that he was shoved onto the floor because the ponytail guy didn't want to be his pillow… That man was probably just delusional."
As hard as he tries, Roy can't stop the frustrated sigh that comes from his mouth. "I guess that's it, then. No leads at all! Just a crazy hobo and a crotchety desk guy! At this rate, we'll never find them."
Green and yellow eyes shining, Starfire rests a hand on the archer's shoulder. "Do not worry, friend Speedy. We shall find them. From the information we have gathered, they attempted finding refuge at a hotel and were turned away. They do not have a place to stay. If they grow desperate for shelter, they might come back to us."
"Black Shadow is still out there, too. They could always run into trouble and need backup," says Cyborg.
His response is a bitter scoff. "Great. That's exactly what I want to hear. Damiana is on the streets with an insane criminal chasing her!"
"I'm sorry, Speedy, but it's the truth. There's nothing we can do to change it. The only thing we can do is keep looking for them."
Robin's words cause another sigh.
"I know we can't change anything. Whether or not we can change their situation isn't the point." Pausing, Roy allows every ounce of worry to come out through his gaze. "I've said it before; I have a really bad feeling that I can't shake. If we don't find them soon, something is going to happen."
Meanwhile…
Light pours out of her palm, flames dancing on the rocky walls in a ghoulish fashion. Much to Damiana's surprise, the metal tracks have stayed fully intact without a single missing section. There is also a rusted miner's cart tipped over on the far left, collecting dust exactly like the track and wooden archways. Adriel saunters beside her quietly, cherry eyes locked onto the path up ahead. His gaze isn't one that is empty. Rather, he seems to be looking for something. The man's eyes are filled with a combination of uncertainty and trepidation.
Occasionally, Adriel will break his constant, unending, stare to glance in Damiana's direction. Every time he looks at her, it is with an uneasy smile. The girl can't help raising a mystified brow.
"What's the matter with you? You look like you're plotting a murder."
He laughs as if she'd just told a hilarious joke. Unfortunately, Damiana isn't laughing.
"Don't jump to those sorts of conclusions, Dami. The only thing I'm plotting is a way to use my abilities without causing a cave-in. If not a cave-in, we're less than a mile away from the ocean. If I move the wrong rock, I might cause a flood…"
Giving a soft smile despite his odd behavior, she shrugs. "In that case, don't play with your rocks. Let's just enjoy our walk."
"I'm a rock user. If we're surrounded by rocks and I can't move them, then this walk is no fun."
Her soft smile turns into quiet giggle. "Really? You sound like a little boy!"
This time it is Adriel who shrugs. "I love using my powers. It isn't something I can help."
From here, the duo falls silent. Just like before, the Ground Badger returns to staring at the end of the path with intensity. Narrowing her eyes, Damiana stares at the end of the path as well. Even with the bright light of her fire, she hasn't the slightest clue what Adriel could be looking for. She especially can't tell what it is that's causing him to feel so on edge…
Fifteen minutes passes like this. The two continue walking, Adriel continues concentrating on the path, and Damiana continues giving them light. After a short while her hand starts to get tired, but she doesn't say anything. The flashlight they have with them may as well be a wet match compared to her fire. When he finally says something, Damiana expects it to be the suggestion of the flashlight. If not that, then about seeing a rock that he absolutely has to move! Surprisingly, it is neither of these things. Instead, Adriel grins widely while pointing to the wall on their right.
"Damiana, aim your fire over here! You have to see this!"
So excited is the Ground Badger's tone that she stops in her tracks. Turning toward him, the girl pumps more energy into her palm to strengthen the flame. What was previously a small handful of fire is suddenly brighter than the Olympic torch.
"I don't get it," she says while observing plain, gray, stone. "What am I looking at?"
He waves her over. "Come here. You have to get close to see it. Look straight ahead. It's at eyelevel; my eyelevel."
Despite feeling hesitant, she moves closer. At first she looks at the wall at her own eyelevel, but after lifting her gaze, she finally sees it. Barely decipherable golden sparkling. Lime green eyes widen.
"Is that gold?! I had no idea that there was gold down here! I thought something like coal was mined in early Metropolis!"
Adriel laughs. "Oh heavens no! There isn't any gold. It's iron pyrite; fools gold. When I worked at the museum, one of my coworkers told a story about how some miners marked the walls with it. Behind splotches of iron pyrite were hollow walls where valuable minerals were stashed. A lot of miners never made it back to their stashes. They either died in cave-ins or died in the Revolution."
She takes a long moment to study the wall before responding. "Do you really think there is a hollow wall behind there filled with jewels? The miners did that over two-hundred years ago."
He shrugs. "It's no use standing here questioning. Let's find out!"
With intense precision, he raises both hands. Rather than moving swiftly, Adriel goes through each set of arm motions slowly and cautiously. Gray stones are removed one at a time. Each stone is the size of a baseball or smaller. For an endless thirty seconds, Damiana fully believes that nothing is behind that splotch of fake gold. When the wall starts to shake, however, she falters in this belief. An entire section of the mine crumbles away from top to bottom, revealing a wide entranceway. No sparkling gems are seen, neither is there a wooden treasure chest. Rather, it leads to a separate tunnel.
When she glances at Adriel, his eyes are florescent green to match her own.
"Wow. I didn't see that coming. I was expecting a foot-deep hole with a little wooden box. This is a lot more exciting!" Smiling widely, he asks, "Do you want to check it out?"
She looks from the tunnel, to Adriel, and back again. They have been gone for a long while now. Saeran could wake up at any time. If her brother finds them gone, he will doubtlessly be afraid… As Damiana stares into the tunnel, however, she finds herself growing curious. Could this tunnel lead to something? If it leads to something important, it could make them rich enough to buy a house! And if they leave and come back, there isn't a guarantee that they will be able to find it a second time...
Despite her inner conflict, Damiana ends up nodding. "Yes. We should. Who knows? There could be something valuable that we might miss out on."
"That's the Dami I remember. Let's go exploring!"
Adriel's grin broadens as he takes two large strides into the mouth of the little tunnel. Damiana wavers, but when he looks at her with enthusiasm, the girl is unable to stop herself. Smiling, she saunters into the tunnel after him. They walk side by side at first, the slate gray walls creating just enough room for both of them. Twenty feet later, however, the cavern begins narrowing. Damiana ends up walking ahead as a result.
With the area's small expanse, the tiniest flicker illuminates every stone. Every stone, depressingly, is the same identical ashen color. Damiana spends countless minutes scanning the cavern walls for signs of shine or sparkle without the slightest bit of luck. The reason she does this is because, much like the wide cave they previously came from, this narrow tunnel seems to have no destination. There is not a room stashed with gold and gems like she'd hoped. It merely continues onward in a bizarre, winding, spiral like a serpent. A downward spiral, to be exact, that leads deeper underground.
Color-changing eyes filling with concern, Damiana glances behind her at Adriel. The entire time she fidgets with the contact lens case shoved in her jeans pocket anxiously.
"Should we turn back? I don't think there's anything down here."
The Ground Badger merely chortles. "Are you quitting so early? We haven't even been exploring for ten minutes."
"Five minutes exploring was too long by itself. We should get back to Saeran."
"A few more minutes and we can turn back. We're in a secluded underground tunnel. It's not like there are too many places for us to go."
For a moment Damiana frowns, but then she forces a tentative smile. "I guess that's true. This tunnel can't go on for too much longer. A few more minutes shouldn't hurt."
"That's the spirit! Let's keep going."
From here, the two continue walking without conversation. How long passes, Damiana isn't certain. Another five minutes is probably closest to reality, though it feels more like forty-five. The rocks have changed slightly in color. Less of them are ashen, and more are chestnut. Aside from this, nothing of significance is seen.
Until Adriel speaks, that is.
"Dami, can you brighten your fire? I see something."
Ears perking, she halts in her steps. "You do? Where?"
"To the right. About six feet from us."
Both brows raised, she ignites a flame using her other palm as well. Once each palm is lit, the flames expand until the entire tunnel is washed in blinding light. Only then does she spot it. Sitting against the rocky wall is a bucket. For a long second Damiana is fully prepared to tell Adriel that it is nothing. An empty bucket. Who cares about an empty bucket? Upon looking at it again, however, the girl realizes something. It is undented. There isn't any rust, either. That bucket is new.
Adriel's eyes are a bright shade of lime green, letting Damiana know that the Ground Badger's thoughts are similar. He squeezes past her to move toward the shining, metal, object. He neither touches it nor reaches for it. Adriel merely gapes.
"I guess this abandon mine isn't so abandon."
Damiana moves toward the bucket as well. With or without her contact lenses, her face is plastered by astonishment.
"Someone built this tunnel recently? Who builds a secret tunnel inside of an abandon mine? That's so stupid! Why would they put themselves through that?!"
He frowns in befuddlement. "I'm guessing it's because of whatever is in that bucket. It doesn't look like much, but it must be important."
Eyes widening, Damiana peers inside of it. Certainly enough, Adriel is right. The bucket isn't empty. A small portion at the bottom is filled with miniscule scraps of metal. Each scrap is no larger than one of her fingernails. Extinguishing the fire in one of her palms, she bends down to reach inside. Once a scrap of metal is in hand, she raises it high for observation.
For a piece so small, Damiana is surprised by how remarkably sturdy it is. It bends easily, though it doesn't stay bent. It snaps back to it's original form the instant she lets go. The coloring is also a bit odd. Most of the piece is the color of dull copper. About one third, however, is mint green. The mint green portion is all on the same edge, the rest of it copper.
Adriel leans in so that he, too, can observe the metal. A long time passes while they stare, each Dabnodian as confused as the other. Between the secret tunnel that was built inside of a mine that was already abandon, and a bucket of useless metallic leftovers from the 1760s, Damiana has never felt more bewildered. Whatever is in this bucket, it must be unseemly considering the measures that were taken to hide it…
Whether it is the Fates whispering truth into her ear, or memories coming back from time spent searching the museum, Damiana doesn't know. The only thing she is completely certain of is that the thought that strikes her is the truth. In the closed exhibit that she searched with Cyborg, the exhibit with exceedingly rare metals, zenotrum was missing from its display case. The metal that she didn't get to see then…the girl has a strong feeling that she is holding it in her fingers now.
Her eyes grow wider than saucers.
As if being controlled by a remote, she releases the miniscule scrap of zenotrum and allows it to fall back into the bucket. She ignites a flame in her empty hand, lighting up the entire tunnel. Certainly enough, this isn't the only bucket. She sees five more in this area alone. Directly beside the closest bucket is something that had gone unnoticed before. A pair of tweezers. Also strewn against the cave wall are flashlights and magnifying glasses.
There is an entire team of people inside this hidden tunnel searching for scraps of zenotrum. Damiana only knows one person who would get an entire team of goons to search for a rare, long-lasting, energy source.
Both of her hearts beat rapidly.
On an act of pure impulse, Damiana picks up the bucket with both hands and grasps it close to her chest. Turning to Adriel, she stares at him sternly in the sudden darkness.
"Adriel, we need to wake up Saeran, get out of this mine, and go find the Titans. Don't question me! We need to go now!"
Much to Damiana's surprise, he takes the bucket from her in a single, swift, motion. Before she has a chance to protest, he is already speaking.
"I'm not questioning you at all. You focus on lighting our path. I'll carry the zenotrum!"
She gives no verbal response. Damiana's only reaction to the Ground Badger's words are creating an inferno of flames in her right palm and using the opposite arm to assist in her sprint. Adriel works his way into a run of his own.
"I agree that we should get out of here, but are you sure you want the Titans to investigate? We don't know for sure that Black Shadow is here!"
"There is a secret tunnel in a mine that's already abandon, and buckets are being filled with zenotrum! Who else could it be but Black Shadow?!"
Despite their situation, Adriel answers lightheartedly. "The Joker and Harley Quinn, Lex Luthor, The Brotherhood of Evil, The Riddler, Doctor Light, Two Face, an escaped prisoner… Planet Earth has a large abundance of criminals who would love a long-lasting energy supply."
Damiana scowls as if it's Speedy she's talking to. "That just gives us more reason to get out of here! Whoever is down here digging around can't possibly be good!"
She somehow manages to jump over rocks and weave around corners while keeping her fire intact, not once slowing her pace. Adriel keeps up well, not a single scrap of zenotrum getting lost in the process. Or at least this is what Damiana hopes for.
When the entrance to the primary mine finally comes into sight, the girl feels both hearts increase in tempo. The small tunnel's exit looks lightyears away, but in reality, it is only a short twenty feet. If they make it that far, then there's hope that they could also get as far as Saeran. The idea of Saeran asleep by himself with Black Shadow hanging over him not only gives her the chills, but also horrifies the girl to the bone. Why didn't she assert herself with Adriel and go back to him?! Come to think of it, why didn't they wait for Saeran to wake up? All three of them could have gone for a walk together! Curse Adriel for leaving her brother behind!
As twenty feet becomes ten feet, relief floods Damiana's veins. They're going to make it back to Saeran! He's going to be okay, they'll get out of the mine, and they'll make it back to the Titans so that they can show them the zenotrum. Everything is going to work out fine!
That exact same instant, however, is when every single one of her hopes are destroyed. They are destroyed more abruptly than she ever could have imagined.
Shooting out from the most remote section of the tunnel, a section that the two Dabnodians never made it to, is an inky tentacle. Neither of them sees it. With their freedom a mere ten feet away, and with the uneven dancing of Damiana's self-made light, focusing enough to notice it is impossible. Of course, if they had been focusing, then perhaps the tentacle wouldn't have had time to wrap around the Dabnodian girl's waist. One second Damiana is on her feet. The next she is flying through the air against her will, the fire in the palm of her hand quickly snuffed out.
For the longest, most heart-wrenching, second of any person's life, the only sound heard in the pitch black is a shrill, horrified, screech. The next second, long bursts of fire illuminate the darkness. They are not from Damiana's hands, but rather, from her mouth. An additional tentacle sprang up during the brief spell of darkness to confine her arms. Nevertheless, this doesn't do much to stop the girl. So hot is the bright burst of flames that Adriel is forced to jump back.
Damiana breaks through the shadowy tentacles for five seconds of adrenaline-filled running only to be recaptured by her ankles. The sound of the hit she takes to the stomach hurts Adriel almost as much as the actual sensation.
"Face me in an honest fight, you coward! I'll burn you to ashes!"
She sends rapid flurries of fire disks into the darkness, as well as an additional stream of flames using her fire breath. The tunnel is somehow blacker than a cloudy midnight during a new moon, even with her relentless attacks. She gets brief glimpses of the inky tentacles. Unfortunately, none are long enough for her to locate their exact position. They constantly slither and shift. As a result, Damiana is left fighting blind.
Sinister laughter fills the air, unnerving Damiana as she releases streams from her palms in places of the disks. She manages to disintegrate one tentacle, but it is no use. It is immediately replaced by one twice as thick. Four more shoot rapidly out of nowhere, binding her arms, waist, and mouth along with her ankles. Horror penetrates Damiana to her very core.
Suddenly, she is no longer so afraid for Saeran.
"What brings the fiery death goddess to the mines all by herself? Where's Green Arrow's spunky redhead and my favorite half-man half-robot mutant? After you destroyed my hydra, I was hoping to whip the three of you up something more challenging!"
Damiana fights with every ounce of strength she can muster. She forms small burst of fire with her hands, hoping that it might be enough. Sadly, it isn't. Every time she has fought Black Shadow in the past, Speedy has been at her side with his bow and quiver. Without Speedy, there is no fighting Black Shadow. Without any of her teammates, there is no fighting this criminal.
It hits Damiana like a bolt exactly how stupid it was to leave the Titans.
Out of nowhere, the unseen Black Shadow laughs once more. This time it is an odd combination of dark and apologetic.
"Silly me! I covered your mouth! You can't use your dragon breath, but you can't talk either. I'm sorry. Here's some talking room, Sunshine."
The tentacle still covers the girls mouth. It merely loosens a smidgen. Luckily, the smidgen happens to be enough to allow her to speak.
"Speedy and Cyborg aren't here. Neither is the rest of my team. Unfortunately, it's just the three of us."
When the criminal replies, he sounds smug. Damiana swears that he is wearing a Cheshire Cat grin. Sadly, the truth of his words is more painful than the smugness behind them on any day.
"Three of us? There aren't three of us. Your rock-using friend ran off. Probably to report my location to the Titans." He gives an unnecessarily lengthy pause prior to continuing. "Friendship is a strange thing. He didn't even try to help you."
Saeran feels truly happy for once. It took driving across the country and betraying the youths that he'd fought beside for so long, but he has no regrets. Saeran has his baby sister back. Not only that, but he has his best friend back, too. True, because they betrayed the Titans they are now without shelter and sleeping in the dirt. Yet, it is worth it no longer to be alone.
Damiana and Adriel, they are Saeran's last piece of home.
In his slumbering mind, the water user yearns for more. He doesn't want the three of them to live on Earth together. More than anything else in this starry universe, he wants to go home to Dabnod. In addition, he wants Adriel and Damiana to go there with him.
In the midst of unconsciousness, he sobs unshed tears. "We shouldn't be here. Dabnodians belong on Dabnod. We need to go home."
The sacrifices that Saeran would make for even the tiniest glimpse of his home planet…
"Saeran, wake up! Naptime is over! We need to go, and we need to go now!"
Sudden, violent, shaking thrusts him out of his slumber faster than Knight Master Urrvink during a training exercise. One large hand grasps each shoulder, shaking Saeran so hard that his brain nearly turns to jelly. The man was in a stupor of unconscious yearning a moment ago. Now, his only action is ceaseless yawning along with an exhausted chuckle.
"It gives me honest joy that you're happy to see me, Adriel. I'm more happy that the three of us are reunited than I've ever been about anything! Can't you wait until I'm awake to talk to me, though?"
"For the love of the Fates, would you get over yourself? I'm not happy to see you. This is an emergency! Black Shadow is here mining zenotrum! That maniac took Damiana!"
Adriel's panicked words cause the water user's eyes to pop wide open. A single instant is all it takes for Saeran to leap straight to his feet. Both hearts pound rapidly in unison. For the longest moment he thinks he misheard the Ground Badger. Even with the hopeless frown on painting his lips and the charcoal black that overtakes the normal cherry red of his eyes, Saeran still believes this.
"What do you mean Black Shadow took Damiana? You've been inside this mine before! You've spent an immeasurable amount of time here! There is no way a master criminal could be here without you learning about it!"
Charcoal eyes bore into him. "Dami and I took a walk and ended up taking a detour. We ran into Black Shadow there. He's collecting zenotrum samples." Shoving a shiny, tin, bucket into his face, he declares, "See?! What I'm saying is true!"
The water user goes an endless minute without reacting. When the sight of the bucket finally sinks in, as well as the lack of his sister, his face pales. Shortly after, it reddens.
"If you ran into Black Shadow, how did he get Damiana?! Why didn't you protect her?! You got away with Black Shadow's zenotrum samples! You should have gotten away with my baby sister, too!" Exhaling with such intensity that his breath creates snowflakes, he glares sharply. "How did you end up taking a detour if you know the mine? You should know where all of the paths are at!"
"Dami's fire is brighter than my flashlight. We discovered a hidden entrance to another tunnel. How was I supposed to know it was made by a criminal?!"
"Maybe because it was a hidden entrance? Nobody creates a hidden entrance if it isn't meant to be kept secret!"
Adriel doesn't respond, nor does Saeran say anything more. The two Dabnodian men stare each other down, neither appearing to know what to do next. Eventually Adriel is the one who continues the conversation.
"I'm sorry about this. I am deeply, sincerely, sorry, Saeran. What's happening to Damiana can't be helped now. The only thing I can think to do at this point is go back to the Titans. I imagine that they're still at Monique's belly dancing studio."
In truth, the water user doesn't like the idea. Not one bit. He would much rather storm Black Shadow's hideout and save Dami himself. The Titans have been an irksome thorn in his side from the day he met them. Crawling back to them and pleading for help sounds about as appealing as cannibalizing his own arm.
Yet, in light of their vast shift in circumstances, Saeran finds himself nodding. Irksome or not, the man would do anything to save his baby sister.
"You're right. We need to go back to the Titans. We can't go after her all by ourselves."
"Get some sleep, Speedy," Robin told him. "We'll all be in better shape if we rest."
Roy tried with every ounce of his being to follow this piece of advice. In the end, he was only able to sleep for a few hours. Even then, it was a fretful few hours. No amount of fluffing his pillow, tea, or turning over was able to plunge him into the depths of unconsciousness. The sleep he got was light as well as minimal. It is for this reason that the fatigued archer ends up in the kitchen. Ginger locks are tousled, and bags bedeck his forest green eyes, but Roy doesn't care. He grabs a chocolate Poptart out of Adriel's cupboard. While munching on it, he pours a glass of milk.
A note written on lined paper is stuck to the fridge using a magnet. It isn't from anyone important, though. Roy already read it. Apparently the owner of the dance studio popped in while the Titans were away on their search. It stated that Adriel wouldn't be blamed for the damaged mirrors. Monique's ex-boyfriend most likely broke them, because that wasn't the first time he'd damaged her property. If anything else in the studio gets vandalized or if any threats are made, Monique stated that he should give her a call. There was also a brief footnote in parenthesis that she would try to get the mirrors replaced by the end of the week, and that all classes would be canceled until then.
After an entire plethora of bad luck, that is one thing that makes Roy somewhat happy. With belly dancing classes cancelled, the four of them have been able to stick around longer. While they feel bad trespassing on someone else's property, it gives them a decent base of operations until they can figure out some sort of strategy. Things keep going from bad to worse. They don't want to worry about finding a different place to hide on top of their other problems.
Roy saunters wordlessly to the table and sits down. He finishes off his Poptart, and then empties the tall glass of milk he'd poured for himself. Once the food is gone, Roy doesn't move. The archer simply continues sitting there, lost in thought.
Much to his surprise, he isn't alone long. Heavy footsteps make their way through the dance studio's front door and to the kitchen. When the kitchen door swings open to reveal a human-looking Cyborg holding a box of donuts, the redhead takes a second to stare. Cyborg sets the donuts down on the table prior to deactivating his holographic rings. Flesh being replaced by metal, the robotic man gives a joyless smile while seating himself next to Roy.
"I know Rob told us to sleep, but I got a craving for donuts. There's a bakery right up the street."
He gives an emotionless nod. "I've seen that bakery. It looks nice."
Shoving the box open, Cyborg grabs three donuts. Two of which are jelly-filled. When he talks again, it is with a full mouth.
"Want a donut? I couldn't decide which kind I wanted, so I bought two-dozen. I have glazed, unglazed, chocolate, regular, sprinkles and no sprinkles, and I also have three kinds of filling. There's strawberry filling, cream filling, and raspberry. Or if you don't like filling, I also bought regular."
Shrugging, Roy points at the first donut that catches his eye. "Does that chocolate one with the sprinkles have strawberry filling?"
He shoves the box in his direction. "It sure does. So does that plain one with the glaze."
The archer helps himself to both without comment.
"I wonder if Rob and Star are having better luck sleeping than us. If they are, I'm surprised. I can shut down my systems and force myself to sleep, and I still don't feel like sleeping!"
"I feel your pain, Cy. With everything hanging over us, sleeping is impossible." Pausing, he adds as an afterthought, "Thanks for the donuts."
The metal man responds, this time with a sincere smile. "No problem."
Silence lapses after this. Luckily, neither man seems to mind.
A minute or so later, the door leading from the kitchen to the upper level creaks open. Peeking out from the stairwell is Starfire. She appears hesitant to enter, but Cyborg and Roy welcome her instantly.
"It's okay, Starfire. You can come sit down," says the archer.
"Have some breakfast. There's plenty to go around, and if there's not, I'll just make another trip to the bakery."
The Tamaranean smiles politely while floating across the room. Before she can sit down, footsteps are heard descending the stairs. A short time later, Robin emerges looking about as well rested as the rest of them. Seeing everyone gathered together causes the Boy Wonder to frown.
"So much for the sleep I suggested."
"Sleep isn't always as easy as it sounds," states Roy while motioning him over.
"Our minds are far too troubled to sleep, boyfriend Robin. Perhaps we should use this time to continue with plans for our mission."
Starfire has five donuts piled on the table in front of her, though nobody seems to notice. Rather, Robin gives a distressed response.
"How are we supposed to continue our mission? We're missing two members of our team! Even if we knew where Black Shadow is hiding, it wouldn't help. We can't take Black Shadow on with just the four of us!"
More than anything, Roy wants to make the obvious suggestion that they keep searching for their lost Dabnodian teammates. To his complete astonishment, however, the words never come. The front door of the dance studio is thrown open, causing an echoing slam. Each Titan sits rigidly in their seat, eyes glued to the kitchen's entrance as footsteps echo throughout the vicinity. When the wooden door is shoved aside, not a single one of them is able to say who they expect to see. Perhaps Monique, a neighbor, or one of the studio's students. It is for this reason that the duo loitering in the entryway is flabbergasting.
Towering over them, faces grim and eyes blacker than the night, are two of the missing Dabnodians. This is exactly the thing that strikes the Titans as odd. Only two of the missing Dabnodians are present. Not to mention, Adriel and Saeran appear particularly downcast.
Roy's heart plunges into his stomach. They couldn't possibly have come back for a good reason.
Eyes onyx and his hair soot-colored to match, the hero known previously as Frostbite gazes at them desperately. His tone of voice is unlike anything they have ever heard from the ice-cold water user. Saeran sounds horrified.
"We need your help."
Cyborg asks the question that all of them are wondering. "What happened? If something brought you back here, it's gotta be bad."
Roy makes the next inquiry. The expression on his face is filled with the same horror as Saeran's. "Where's Damiana?"
Something else happens to astound the group. The icy solo hero's eyes fill with tears. He makes no effort to hide them.
"Damiana got captured! That's what happened!" The man turns an enraged glare on his friend. "This…this…naxdathen scinae escaped with an entire bucket of zenotrum and left my baby sister to fight Black Shadow alone!"
Shock gleams across each Titans face at Saeran's explanation. They gawk at the two Dabnodian men. Eventually, their gazes shift to Adriel. Unlike the water user, he doesn't seem torn up. Downcast, perhaps, but not nearly as grieved as Saeran.
Roy can't find the strength to ignore Adriel's nonchalance.
"You had a run-in with Black Shadow and left Damiana behind?! How could you leave her?! You fought Black Shadow with us at the museum! He's dangerous, and you know he's dangerous! What made you think it was a good idea to let her fight a hardened criminal alone?!"
The archer doesn't know when he moved. Somehow, he is standing a mere inch from Adriel with a finger pointed at his face. His temper is hotter than the July sun.
"Leaving Damiana isn't something that I wanted to do. He didn't give us any warning. We were exploring the mine, and he came out of nowhere. If I would have stayed, I would have gotten captured, too. I figured she would be better off if I left to get help."
In a rush of fury that would surprise Roy's calmer self, he grabs Adriel by the collar. To his frustration, the belly dancer stares blankly.
"Did that bucket of zenotrum you're holding come out of nowhere, too? You must have known that he was lurking around there! You should have made a plan to work together, not leave one of your friends with a psychopath!" Before Roy can activate his filter, he is spewing out a cold theory. "It's really ironic that Black Shadow found you guys only a few hours after you ditched us. Was that a coincidence, or did you plan it that way? You let Damiana get captured on purpose!"
Adriel appears surprised by his accusation, but not necessarily appalled. This reaction immediately strikes Roy as strange. Anyone else would protest in revulsion at that very thought of that suggestion. Not the belly dancer. The belly dancer's only expression is surprise.
Before he can find a way to respond to this, the archer is being shouted at.
"Speedy, get ahold of yourself! Taking this out on Adriel won't help!"
The archer's immediate reaction is shooting Robin a brutal scowl. Upon receiving disapproving stares from Cyborg and Starfire, however, he sighs in defeat. Turning back to Adriel, he gives the Dabnodian man a final, knowing, glare. Only after letting that sink in does he release his collar.
Eventually Roy makes his way back to the table and sits down. Once his team is seated and calm, Robin speaks again. Even with the Boy Wonder's unshakable composure, his voice flows with interest.
"Adriel, Saeran, where were you last night and early this morning? You said that Black Shadow attacked you inside of a mine. How did you end up there?"
From here, the duo dives into a lengthy tale of everything that happened. As much as he tries, Roy can't help training boiling, emerald, eyes on Adriel. With every detail the vivacious belly dancer shares, it confirms his theory. Adriel set Damiana up to get captured. He has been playing her for a fool since day one.
"I don't like this, Robin. I don't like this at all. If we're going through with this, we need to leave Adriel behind. I don't trust the guy."
The tiny, isolated, backroom of Adriel's upper story apartment has become a type of conference center for the adolescent heroes. Last night this is the room they used to the tell the Titans in Steel City the shocking news about Frostbite and Firelight. This afternoon it serves as a place of discussion. The Dabnodian men remain in the kitchen, waiting patiently for them to come to a decision. Roy is certainly happy that the two are patient. If he has anything to say about it, this discussion will be a long one.
Robin answers from his spot leaned against the wall. His frown alone is a confession that he concurs with the archer.
"I don't trust him either. Their run-in with Black Shadow seems a little too coincidental. A person doesn't bring their friends to an abandoned mine and discover a criminal's hidden zenotrum supply on accident. Not if they've been inside the mine before and are familiar with the layout." The Boy Wonder grimaces. "Firelight's entire capture was planned."
Silence ensues. Not heavy silence. Rather, it is filled with deliberation.
"I think it was planned, too, but I don't think Frostbite had anything to do with it. You could tell by the way he was talking. That dude's innocent," says Cyborg at last.
"I believe that Firelight is also innocent. Even the bravest of warriors would not willingly surrender to a vile criminal such as Black Shadow," Starfire puts in.
Roy leans against the wall directly across from Robin. Upon hearing their teammates' remarks, the two exchange glances.
"It looks like we can all agree on one thing. The real person we need to watch out for is Adriel."
Robin gives an immediate nod. "It doesn't matter if it's here or inside the mine. Whatever happens, we can't let him out of our sight."
An involuntary scowl bedecks the redhead's features. Cyborg and Starfire give similar reactions.
"What are you saying? That Adriel is coming with us on our rescue mission?"
"We don't have a choice," he states bluntly. "Whether or not he's on our side, Adriel knows the mine. A member of our team is in danger, so we're going to have to make a hard choice. Either we turn our backs on Firelight and retreat to Steel City to think of a better strategy, or we go now."
Again, the room turns silent. This time there is no deliberation. Instead the air is thick with a mixture of anxiety and foreboding.
"Rob, if we go now, we'll be walking into a trap."
Cyborg's single, hazel, eye bores into the Boy Wonder with a harsh dose of reality. Nonetheless, he nods without reluctance.
"This wouldn't be the first trap we've walked into. The important thing is that every trap has a way out."
"You're also forgetting that one of our own is in trouble." Roy's forest green eyes turn so frigid that he could almost be mistaken for Frostbite. "If we're walking into a trap, so be it. We're going to save Damiana, and if there isn't a way out, we'll make our own."
A/N: That's it for now, folks. I know this chapter was shorter than some of my others, but a major event happened. Adding anything else to this chapter would have taken away from the intensity of it. Besides. The next chapter really is the last chapter of Part Three, and a lot is going to happen. This short chapter will be worth it for the Part Three finale!
An interesting fact about this chapter, I was hungry for donuts while I was writing it. Thus, that scene with Cyborg xD.
Anyway, thank you all for reading! I hope you enjoyed! I will try to get the next chapter out in a few weeks. Hopefully I can manage it. Until next time!
Forever and Always,
~OCQ