Teen Titans: Return of the titans

by Goldust15

After three years, the titans encounter their old enemy Slade once more after years of peace.

13. Protection

Teen Titans

Season 6 fan fic

Episode 13

Protection

By B. Borneo

Opening his eye, Slade struck the air with a sharp punch, followed by a high kick. Each motion was swift, precise, and deadly. He moved like a predator honing its instincts—calculated and relentless. The devices strapped to his limbs glinted under the lab's harsh lighting, transmitting every move to the computer that would imprint his skillset onto the Super Sladebots.

Across the room, Professor Chang, Gizmo, Sam Register, and Brother Blood watched intently. The monitor displayed a synchronized animation of Slade's movements while the camera captured every detail. Blood's eyes narrowed as he watched Slade's flawless strikes. His fingers tapped rhythmically against his crossed arms, the sound almost like a ticking clock. Slade's precision was maddening—a constant reminder of why no one dared challenge him. Yet Blood's lips curled into a faint, almost imperceptible smirk. He'd learned patience during his time at H.I.V.E., and patience always bore fruit.

"Impressive, as always," Blood said, his tone laced with feigned admiration.

Slade glanced at him briefly, his single eye unreadable. Blood held his gaze for a moment, then turned away, hiding the simmering resentment that churned in his chest. Someday, Slade's time would come—and when it did, Blood would ensure he wouldn't miss his chance.

Eventually, Slade ceased his exercise and turned to the others.

"Has the data been collected?" Slade asked, breaking the silence as he walked to the monitor.

"Yes, Mr. Slade," Chang replied, nodding quickly. "The data is already being integrated into the robots' systems. They'll replicate your skills perfectly."

Slade allowed himself a small smile beneath his mask. With the abilities of Nightwing, Beast Boy, Cyborg, Raven, Blackfire, and now himself, his army would be unstoppable. Yet, something still felt incomplete.

"Have you had any luck replicating Kid Flash's speed or Wonder Girl's agility?"

Chang hesitated. "Not yet, Mr. Slade. Their genetic signatures are elusive, and the data we have on them is... limited. It complicates replication."

Slade's fingers curled into a fist. He turned back to the monitor, glaring at the incomplete blueprint. "Find a way," he growled. "This army must be flawless."

Without the newer Titan's abilities, his army wouldn't be nearly a match for all seven opponents. He needed the army to be just as powerful, if not more so, than his foes, and nothing would stop that.

"Is there any possible way to replicate their abilities?" he asked.

Chang stroked his chin in concentration for a beat.

"Perhaps, but that is the least of our worries," he responded.

Slade raised his eyebrow.

"What is the most?" he asked.

In response, Chang typed on the keyboard, hooked up to the computer monitor, and pulled up a display of the Slade-bot's blueprints.

"Although Cyborg's armor is durable, the bots remain vulnerable to electrical interference, hacking, and sabotage," Chang explained, pulling up the schematics.

"And the solution?" Slade asked, his tone sharp.

Chang brought up an image of a silver, crater-like object on the monitor. "Cyporium. It's one of the densest materials ever discovered. There's a sample in Jump City, but it's heavily guarded. If the Titans interfere, retrieval could take months."

Slade rose, his shadow stretching across the dimly lit lab. The metallic hum of the computer filled the air as Chang typed rapidly, pulling up the prototype's activation code.

"If the Titans intervene, we'll keep them... entertained," Slade said, his voice dripping with menace.

A low hiss echoed as a Slade-bot stepped out of the shadows, its metallic frame gleaming under the fluorescent lights. It moved fluidly, settling into a fighting stance, its joints whirring softly.

Slade approached, cracking his knuckles. The sound echoed ominously. "If it's facing the Titans, it must match my every move."

It was early in the day at the Titan's tower. Cyborg had spent most of the morning repairing some of the tech, including the Titan comms, damaged in previous fights. Next to taking care of the tower itself, working on the tech was the second most burdensome chore Cyborg had to deal with regularly. But he did the task anyway, as their tech supported the team on their many missions. In a way, he felt optimistic about recent events: Beast Boy had successfully recovered from his depression; they had found the secret to defeating Slade, and Nightwing had regained confidence in his leadership skills. In a way, he was optimistic about how things were going lately: Beast Boy had successfully recovered from his depression. They found the secret to defeating Slade, and Nightwing regained his confidence in his leadership skills. As he continued to work on the gear, Cyborg heard a knock at the door.

"Come in!" he shouted.

Cyborg turned around and saw Nightwing enter the room.

"Hey, how's the repairs?" he asked.

Cyborg grinned.

"Going well. Speaking of which, I think I figured out how Light and his team found us," he informed.

Nightwing raised his eyebrow.

"How?" he asked.

Cyborg motioned for Nightwing to enter the room before pulling out the damaged Titan comm from their previous battle. Digging into the damaged interior, Cyborg pulled out a tiny square device with what appeared to be a microphone in the middle and an antenna on top. Nightwing looked confused.

"What is it?" he asked.

"It's an audio transmitter," replied Cyborg.

"It transmits anything we say to a listener."

Nightwing folded his arms.

"How did that happen?" he asked.

Cyborg shook his head.

He explained, "Someone must have switched your communicator for this one."

"They heard us talk about where the ring was, which was how they found us."

Nightwing observed the device for a few seconds before looking toward Cyborg.

"You think you could make me a new one?" he asked.

Cyborg nodded.

"Will take some time, but yeah, I can make one."

Cyborg returned to his worktable and continued his repairs on the tech. With the repairs going smoothly, Cyborg's mind drifted to the rest of the team.

"By the way, how's Beast Boy doing since we got back from the search?" Cyborg asked Nightwing.

Nightwing chuckled to himself.

"He's actually doing better than I expected. He's not locking himself in his room anymore, and he's been hitting the gym a lot lately. Seems like we got through to him."

Cyborg was happy to hear it. Beast Boy deserved a break from all the struggles he had to endure. After Nightwing and Beast Boy's breakdown in the prehistoric underground, Nightwing had been a little more attentive toward Beast Boy's mental health, and since he had learned lie-detecting skills from Batman, he could see Beast Boy was genuinely doing better with his emotions regarding their conflict. Nightwing himself had also felt a lot more optimistic about their predicament. Having obtained Raven's mother's ring, their answer to defeating Slade had come, and they were closer to their goals than ever.

"That's good to hear," replied Cyborg finally.

"So, when are we going to use the ring?"

Nightwing grimaced, his jaw tightening at the mention of the ring. The weight of their next move was clearly on his mind.

"Still figuring that out. We can't just break into H.I.V.E. headquarters. Slade and Blood likely have the place locked down tighter than ever. And with his powers, who knows what traps he's set? Luring him out might be just as risky; he'd probably see it coming.

Cyborg shrugged.

"At least we're a step closer to ending this war. I think our worries will soon be over."

Nightwing nodded.

"Yeah, I suppose. I'll check on the others," Nightwing said, his expression still distant, the weight of their next steps hanging over him like a cloud.

Cyborg, on the other hand, returned to his work.

"You do that. I'll be out in 20."

As Nightwing left, Cyborg returned to his work with a satisfied grin. Despite everything they'd been through, they were finally making progress. He tightened a few bolts on the comm and powered it up, listening to the hum of the reactivated device.

The Titans had faced overwhelming odds before and always found a way through. This time wouldn't be any different. Cyborg knew the tech, the mission, and his teammates inside out, and as long as he could keep things running, they had a shot at victory.

But for now, there was work to do.

At H.I.V.E. Headquarters, Slade had gathered his brotherhood in the mission room of the base to discuss with them his plans for distracting the Titans to allow his forces to get the element required for his robotic army. On the planning table was a hologram of where the element was currently being held.

"According to Professor Chang's research," began Slade as he leaned into the table and pointed to one floor of the building's hologram display, "The Cyprorium is on the heavily guarded 15th floor of the building. There are guards around the clock under maximum security."

On the farthest end of the table, Blackfire leaned in to get a better look at the building, folding her arms in intrigue. Her eyes narrowed toward the holographic display, and a smirk appeared on her face.

"I take it you want me to lead the heist?" Blackfire asked, folding her arms with a smirk as she leaned in closer to the hologram. Her eyes gleamed with interest as, studying the building's layout.

Slade gave a slow nod. "Indeed. You will take up to three members of the brotherhood. Use whatever methods you deem necessary to secure the element. I trust that won't be an issue?"

"Not at all." Blackfire's voice dripped with confidence, her smirk widening as she studied the hologram further.

From the side of the table, Gizmo raised a hand, a bored expression on his face. "Yeah, uh… what if the Titans butt in?"

Slade turned his head toward Dr. Light, who straightened up and stepped forward. "Allow me to answer that," interjected Light, as he straightened himself. He touched the control panel on the table to display a new icon.

"I've designed a decoy plan for such an occasion—an EMP disruptor device. It will distract the Titans long enough to make them think we're planning to knock out the entire city's power grid. Naturally, we'll have someone keep guard over it to make it more convincing. We'll plant it underground to keep them occupied while Blackfire and her team complete the mission. It should buy her enough time to secure the target and escape. I suggest we use some of our aces for this as well as make the bait more irresistible to them. If the EMP goes off, it'll be a happy accident for us."

"On that note, the good doctor will be the first member of your crack team to obtain the element. The other two will be up to you," interjected Slade.

With that in mind, Blackfire turned to the other Brotherhood members and folded her arms as she pondered who else would be useful enough to join her crack team. Blackfire noticed the anxiety in Gizmo's eyes and Mammoth's nervous fidgeting. The corner of her lips twitched slightly—it pleased her to know she could make them squirm. After around 30 seconds of thinking, Blackfire came up with her choices.

"I choose Gizmo, Billy Numerous, and Killer Moth!" she stated proudly.

Dr Light raised his eyebrow in confusion and counted his fingers.

"But that would be four members of the team. Slade said only three," he pointed out.

Blackfire nodded.

"Yes, because my plan will require the four of you to complete it. Do I have your permission for an extra member, master?" she asked Slade.

Blood turned to Slade, hoping silently that Slade would deny the request and show some brutality toward Blackfire for bending the rules. Slade remained silent for a beat before finally speaking.

"If it assists you in achieving the task more efficiently, then yes, Blackfire. You may have four members on your team."

Blood's hungered expression turned to disgust upon hearing Slade's answer. He wanted to speak up and challenge Slade on his decision, but deep down, he knew it would only put him in a position worse than he could imagine knowing the power Slade Wilson currently held. Blood turned to Blackfire, who bowed to Slade, and with a quick motion of her hand, Numerous, Gizmo, Light, and Killer Moth came to her side and walked with her out of the room. Slade turned to the other members, looking anxiously for their next order.

"Resume your previous duties," Slade ordered.

The other members nodded and left the room until it was just Slade and Blood left. Eventually, Blood left Slade's side and started approaching the doorway.

"Where do you think you're going, Sebastian? There is much more we are to attend to." Slade asked.

Blood clenched his knuckles, the leather of his gloves creaking under the strain, his fury simmering just beneath the surface.

"I have some further H.I.V.E documentation I need to fill out. I'll join you later, Slade." Blood responded.

Slade raised his eyebrow for a beat.

"Very well. Return to my side in an hour."

Blood nodded and walked out of the room.

You think your methods will benefit you, Slade, but soon... I will prove that you've underestimated me, Blood thought to himself.

Slade watched him leave, his expression unreadable. Whatever Blood was planning, Slade intended to stay one step ahead.

Cyborg's excitement about his newest work was clear on his face as he walked down the hallway to the lounge. When he walked in, he saw Nightwing chatting with Starfire in the kitchen area, Kid Flash and Beast Boy playing video games together, and Wonder Girl and Raven chatting to each other on the other couch. Walking out to the counter, Cyborg pulled out the new Titan Comm he made and tossed it to Nightwing. Noticing quickly, Nightwing held his hands up grabbed the device, and observed it with a smile on his face.

"Thanks for the fix, Cyborg!" replied Nightwing with delight.

Cyborg winked and made his way over to the living area where he saw Beast Boy and Kid Flash playing a fighting game together. He folded his arms as he grinned at the pair.

"So who's winning?" he asked.

Beast Boy looked up to Cyborg with an agitated face.

"Him, but it's not fair because he's got faster thumbs than me!"

Cyborg turned to Kid Flash and noticed his thumbs on the controls were going up and down so fast they were disappearing into blurs.

"Sorry, kid! When you got the gifts, you gotta use them how you can!" snarked Kid Flash.

Cyborg chuckled to himself before walking over to the couch and lying on it with his arms behind his head. As he observed the room, seeing all of his friends enjoying themselves, a pang of an epiphany coursed through him. For the past month, with everything going on with their fight against Slade and his brotherhood of evil, Cyborg realized he never really took the time to sit down and reflect on his emotions and everything around him. He also realized that discovering Raven's mom's ring, their key to defeating Slade, would end the battle and change everything. As he looked toward Nightwing and Starfire, Cyborg remembered how on the night Slade had returned, the couple had announced they'd be departing the team to live their own lives together. Cyborg knew he should be happy and supportive of them, but it was difficult as they'd been like family to him for so long that the thought of the team dynamic changing made him nervous. After a few minutes, he heard an energetic feminine voice next to him.

"Doing some deep thinking, big guy?" it asked.

Cyborg looked next to himself to see Wonder Girl sitting on the couch with her arm resting on top of it. Cyborg shrugged in response.

"A little" he replied.

"Wanna talk about it?" asked Wonder Girl.

Cyborg sighed and folded his arms.

"Just was thinking about what's going to happen when this is over. Lot is probably going to change."

Wonder Girl angled her eyebrows in empathy.

"I get how you feel. Considering I've only been with you guys for 6 months now, seeing everything change will be weird.

She then placed her hand on his arm in assurance.

"Let me guess: afraid of not having anything to do after this is all over?"

Cyborg sighed and closed his eyes.

"Its not just that. We've been basically a family for about 6 years now and seeing us just separate like that… it's like a part of you is missing. And just waiting for the inevitable to happen feels like such a burden on me."

Cyborg then opened his eyes and turned to Wonder Girl.

"You ever feel that way when you left home?" he asked.

Wonder Girl shrugged.

"Yeah, a little. Life shifting is never easy. But there is one thing I promise I can assure you."

Cyborg raised his eyebrow

"What?"

Wonder Girl smiled

"No matter what happens, I know you can power through it. Whatever life throws at you, Vic, you'll find a way to get above it."

Cyborg half smiled before getting off the couch.

"Thanks, Wonder Girl. I'll keep that in mind."

Donna nodded.

"Hope you do," she replied.

As Cyborg got up, a beeping sound echoed from the counter. Nightwing picked up the Titan Comm, his brow furrowing as he read the incoming alert.

"Looks like we've got company," Nightwing said, turning to the group.

Cyborg's reflective moment faded, replaced by the familiar rush of adrenaline. He could push the thoughts aside—for now.

By the Jump City Research Foundation, a yellow and black van stood a few feet away. Seated near the side wall, Gizmo was hacking into the building's firewalls. In contrast, Killer Moth and Blackfire sat by the rear doors, waiting for results, while Mammoth sat on a bench, trying to remain patient. Billy Numerous occupied the driver's seat.

Eventually, after a few minutes, Mammoth, growing impatient, stood up, causing the van to shake with his girth, and marched toward Gizmo.

"Are we getting anywhere here? I'm tired of waiting in this stupid van!" he pouted.

Gizmo turned to Mammoth, scowling.

"Hey, I don't tell you how to destroy things, do I?" he snapped. "Besides, with Light distracting the Titans, we have plenty of time for everything."

Mammoth grunted, "Fine."

He walked to the back of the van and looked toward Killer Moth.

"So, is this like your first mission outside of headquarters?" Mammoth asked, trying to make small talk.

Moth sighed and nodded.

"For the past two months, all Slade has had me do is help breed more of my insect experiments so he can use them to assist his Sladebots in attacking the Titans. It's maddening! You guys get to go out and actually do things while I'm stuck surrounded by larvae, my daughter is off at boot camp, and my ex-wife is probably still suing to extend the restraining order she has on me to cancel all visitation rights!"

He panted for a moment, his rant having taken a lot out of him, before clearing his throat and straightening up.

"Sorry for that… rant. I just have a lot going on and…"

A feminine snicker interrupted him, and both he and Mammoth turned to face Blackfire, who was holding her fist to her mouth, chuckling.

"What's so funny?" Moth asked, confused.

Blackfire flickered her eyes toward Moth.

"I find it ironic that you think you've had it rough. My parents favored my younger sibling over me because she flew better, despite her weaker star bolts."

Moth raised his antennae.

"Not getting a throne is worse than losing your family in your eyes? You know, when I was a kid, I always thought aliens were more intelligent than us, but I guess you proved me wrong!"

Offended, Blackfire raised her hand, allowing a ball of purple light to form, with violet bolts hovering around it. She approached Moth and leaned toward him, her expression hostile.

"I'm sorry. Care to repeat that remark?" she hissed.

Moth remained undeterred.

"You want a piece of me? Bring it, sister!"

The two were about to get in each other's faces when Gizmo shouted from across the van.

"Hey! Chumps in the back! I'm trying to hack the security feed, and it'd go quicker without all this bickering! You hear?!"

Blackfire, Moth, and Mammoth stood in shocked silence at Gizmo's order. Taking a deep breath, Gizmo returned to his work and continued typing.

"Finally, some silence!" he muttered to himself.

Annoyed at being talked back to, Blackfire turned to Mammoth and Moth, who both looked away to avoid further conflict. Fed up, Blackfire marched toward Gizmo and pointed an angry finger at him.

"As Slade's apprentice, I'd expect you to be more respectful to your superiors," she hissed.

Gizmo ignored her and kept typing. Infuriated, Blackfire opened her hand, forming a black and purple Starbolt surrounded by lightning bolts. She raised her hand, about to strike Gizmo, until he finally spoke again.

"Hold it! We're in!"

Blackfire quickly allowed the energy to fade from her hand as she leaned over Gizmo's shoulder to see the computer screen.

"Really?" she asked.

Gizmo nodded.

"The cameras are down, and I've imported fake readings into the security systems so they can't trace it back to us."

Blackfire smirked as she folded her arms.

"Excellent. Our Master's plan is going exactly as intended."

She then turned toward Mammoth and Moth.

"You two! There's security at the front of the building. Keep them occupied. Got it?"

Moth glanced at Mammoth, who shrugged and then turned back to Blackfire. "Fine. But I'm only doing it because Slade demands it, not because you demand it! Understand?"

Blackfire didn't respond as she watched the pair open the van's back doors and jump out to create their diversion. She sighed and turned back to Gizmo.

"What's Light's status?" she asked.

Gizmo typed on the computer to check Light's status before responding to Blackfire.

"We set up the machine, and the city is already panicking. Our plan is still under the radar."

Blackfire grinned, satisfied. Everything was going according to plan.

In the middle of Jump City, many of its citizens and law enforcement were standing around the rim of a massive crater, dug into the sewers of the ground, awaiting their heroes to arrive. After a few moments of confusion and panic, engines could be heard, and the town turned to find a blue and black motorcycle and a white and blue car pull up and a green hawk that turned into a 19-year-old boy, a yellow blur of a man wearing a yellow jumpsuit, and a trio of women hover to the ground, ready for action. As Nightwing stepped off his motorcycle and placed his helmet on the seat, he ran over to the police, trying to keep the crowd away from the crater.

"What's the situation?" Nightwing asked.

"About a half hour ago, Dr Light showed up with a giant drill and drove into the ground. He didn't say what he was up to, but judging by how big the compartment at the back of his drill was, he's probably bringing something down with him."

In response, Nightwing turned to Cyborg.

"Cyborg, can you get a scan on anything?"

Cyborg looked down at his wrists and pressed a few buttons activating his radar. After a few seconds, he shook his head.

"Nothing. Light must have found a way to block my scanners."

Nightwing frowned before turning to the officer.

"Keep everyone back. We'll go handle this."

The officer nodded before pulling back the police blockade and allowing the heroes to pass through and walk up to the hole. The group looked down and saw it was very deep, to the point it was too dark to see the bottom. After staring for a beat Raven walked up to Nightwing.

"This feels very random for one of Slade's plans, don't you think?" she pointed out.

"I'm with Raven on this one," chimed in Wonder Girl.

"Slade's usually more precise than this. Dr. Light isn't exactly the subtle type."

Nightwing thought for a beat before shaking his head.

"Maybe but we don't have time to think about that now. We gotta stop Light from whatever he's up to. Titans Go!" he shouted as Starfire cuffed her hands under Nightwing's arms and began lowering him into the hole, being followed by Cyborg being carried by Raven, Kid Flash being carried by Wonder Girl, and Beast Boy having turned into a sparrow flying himself down.

Reaching the bottom of the pit, the Titans landed on the stone concrete at the bottom and looked around the dark room. Reaching into his belt, Nightwing pulled out a flashlight, and flicked it on, projecting a white beam of light around the cave. Cyborg followed similarly by tapping the side of his head and a red light beam came out from his robotic eye. Looking around, the pair eventually noticed, near a bed of sewer water, a massacred trail of broken rubble from the drill Light had used.

"Let's go this way," said Nightwing as he motioned his team to follow him as he went to the front of the group.

They walked down the path for about five minutes, with Nightwing and Cyborg scanning the cave with their lights, but all they found were endless stone walls.

In the back, Kid Flash was getting restless.

"You know, this would be way easier if you'd just let me run ahead and scout," he quipped, crossing his arms.

Nightwing rolled his eyes but didn't break his stride.

"No. We stick together. For all we know, Light's setting up a trap and splitting up makes us easy targets."

Kid Flash groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "Yeah, yeah, 'stick together, don't get separated.' Real fun."

He kept walking, kicking a stray rock down the path. After a few beats, the trail of rubble ahead of them halted. Nightwing frowned, sweeping his light to the right. The beam revealed an oval-shaped hole in the wall, sewer water rushing into it.

Turning the corner, he spotted a dimly lit chamber with a deeper tunnel stretching beyond it. Nightwing shut off his flashlight and turned to the others.

"Looks like he's going further than we thought. Stay close," he commanded.

The others nodded and followed his lead for a few minutes. Eventually, Cyborg ran in front and put his arm in front of Nightwing, stopping him in his path.

"What is it?" Nightwing asked.

"I'm sensing some weird signature readings," explained Cyborg as he looked around the tunnel in concern.

To get a better look at the dirt-covered ceiling in the tunnel, Cyborg switched his eye light back on, and the light revealed that there was a series of ball-shaped objects attached to it. Before Cyborg could react to the situation, the spheres emitted a rapid and urgent beeping sound, which was immediately followed, in a mere instant, by a fiery explosion that erupted from the ceiling above. The impact of the shockwave preceded the catastrophic failure of the floor beneath his feet. The ground rushed up to meet Cyborg, then slammed into him, plunging him into unconsciousness.

When Cyborg came to, he blinked a few times to get a better sense of his whereabouts. His vision returned, Cyborg saw multiple rocks and boulders surrounding him and very little light except for a few cracks between the stones. With his head lifted, Cyborg saw he had a severed leg below the knee, the stump sparking and sparking with wires. He looked closer and saw the other half flattened beneath a boulder in front of him with broken metal sprinkled about. Grunting in annoyance, Cyborg attempted to lift his left arm, but when he tugged, it felt as if something was clasping it. Cyborg looked to his side to find his left arm pinned down by a pair of boulders. Gritting his teeth, Cyborg tugged several times, but to no avail; something held his arm too tightly. As he made another attempt, Cyborg then faintly heard a voice in the distance. He listened closer and could hear a voice call his name.

"Cyborg! Cyborg, are you ok?!" he heard it cry out.

It was Nightwing's voice.

"Yeah, but my leg's gone, and my arm's pinned!" Cyborg yelled out in a weary voice.

"Ok!" responded Nightwing.

"We'll get you out—"

"No!" shouted Cyborg.

As much as he knew he was in critical condition, he figured their mission would be more important in this case, as helping him would take too much time.

"No! Keep going, I'll find my way up!"

"…Are you sure?"

"Go! That's an order!"

A pause. Then, reluctantly, "Alright. If you're not up in an hour, we're coming back."

Cyborg thought about it for a few seconds before deciding.

"Yeah! Alright! Just keep going!"

He then heard footsteps and, as far as he could tell, the Titans had moved down the cave path. Sighing, Cyborg turned to his pinned arm and decided he was going to have to sacrifice it if he was going to get out. He knew what had to be done. Gritting his teeth, Cyborg braced his good hand against the rock and pulled. At first, nothing. Then—metal groaned, wires stretched and snapped. A sharp jolt of pain shot through his body as the socket tore from his shoulder. He clenched his jaw so hard it hurt, but he kept pulling. More metal screeched, until—With a final, sickening CRACK, the arm came loose. Cyborg gasped, rolling to the side as sparks burst from the severed joint, before falling onto another slab of rock down below, painfully. With a grunt, Cyborg used his one arm to push himself up, his head lolling as he spotted a gap in the rocks. Smiling, he crawled himself over toward the opening as hard as he could. It was difficult for him as he had to drag his weight with a single limb, but Cyborg knew he had to push through it to get out of his predicament. As he struggled through the opening and moved through the darkness of the path, Cyborg couldn't help but think how he had gotten here. Not in this predicament persay but in the whole situation of being a half-human made to fight crime. His mind was racing and his heart was pumping. He remembered the night it all happened. He was a senior in high school, halfway through the semester. Being a star player on the football team, Victor Stone was pumped up for the championship game coming up that week. There was just one problem: his father. Victor's father Silas was a renowned scientist at S.T.A.R Labs: a scientific research facility, focusing on the research and development of metahumans, and worked to provide technology to secure and handle threats to society. Victor's father worked a lot there. Too much for his taste. Victor couldn't remember the last time his father had ever been to one of his games. This infuriated the young athlete as he gave into a lot of his father's wishes such as joining the coding club, which, he initially was skeptical of, but he ended up liking, yet his father couldn't give a little time to support his son in his favorite hobby. Annoyed with this, Victor decided to confront his father about the situation. The day before the game, Victor went to his father's place of work at S.T.A.R Labs. Silas's fellow workers tried to stop Victor from interrupting his work, but the young teen was not deterred. He rushed into his father's office, who was at his desk, examining some research for an important metahuman project.

"Dad! We need to talk!" Victor demanded.

Silas turned to his son and sighed.

"Victor. I'm in the middle of some very important work" he stated.

"But dad.." continued Victor.

"You can't miss tomorrow's game. It's the championship! Scouts were even there today during practice! Coach said they were offering out scholarships."

Silas raised his eyebrow in confusion.

"Why would you need it though? Isn't me paying for your school enough?" he asked.

Victor shook his head.

"No, Dad, I don't need that money! I can play football for them! Even Metropolis State University was there-"

Silas held his hand up, cutting Victor off as he sat up and approached his son.

"M.S.U is a fine university I admit, but you can't waste your time playing games." he stated.

Victor felt his blood pumping at the response.

"But I like it, dad! I'm good at it!"

He then dug into his pocket and pulled out a ticket, gripped tightly in his hand.

"I even got you a ticket for tomorrow's game!"

"Open your eyes son!" exclaimed Silas, his voice now getting louder and his finger pointing towards his son's chin.

"Look at the world we live in today! It's the birth of a new race of people! Super-humans! Men who can fly, create objects with a ring, outrun vehicles! They will make what you can do obsolete. Do you understand? Catching balls and touchdowns are nothing less than a bad joke!"

Victor didn't say a word. The words his father had uttered hit his core hard that he felt there was nothing to say to that. In his mind, Victor had always believed a parent's dream was to watch their kid succeed no matter what, but seeing his father's reaction, the controlling finger pointing at him, and the narrow-minded look on his father's face told Victor that his belief was but a lie. Shoving his ticket in his pocket, Victor marched quietly to the door before stopping one last time to ask his father one thing.

"You're never going to come to my games, are you?"

There was silence for a few seconds before his father's voice uttered in a cold, bitter fashion, "No."

With that, Victor stormed out of his father's office and walked home that night in a defeated huff.

The memory lingered on Cyborg as he desperately crawled through the tunnel and path. It was only the start of his downward spiral to what led him to what he was, but he shook his head as he knew he had to get out of the wreckage and get back to his friends.

"I gotta make it," he said to himself as he continued to crawl.

Outside the Jump City Research Foundation, a group of five guards stood outside the front of the building, making sure nothing got in or out of it. After a few minutes of guarding, a red car being hurled in front of them onto the streets, upside down on the pavement, startled the guards. The guards snapped their heads left. A towering brute with wild red hair and a cocky grin stood amidst the wreckage, golden-rimmed arms crossed over his chest.

"Sorry, dudes!" the man said in a sarcastic tone.

"It was in a handicapped spot, and I didn't feel like waiting for a tow truck!"

Scowling at the brute's arrogance, two guards exchanged looks with their comrades, a silent nod confirming their next move. Guns drawn, they rushed toward him. The other three continued to stand guard when suddenly, one guard felt a slight tickle on his nose, as if an insect had landed on it. The guard brushed it off and saw it land in his palm. Squinting, the guard saw it appeared to be a locust. The locust twitched, its beady eyes flashing an unnatural red. Then its jaws unhinged, revealing rows of needle-like fangs. The guard screamed and tried to wave his hand to get it off, but it was no use, and his comrades looked on in confusion at their associate's distress. The locust then sank its fangs into the guard's hand, causing him to scream once more before slamming his fist on the locust on his palm. Breathing heavily, the guard lifted his fist to see a bite mark where the locust attacked, and the locust itself now squished from the slam and blood oozing from its guts. Before he could further react, one of his companions tapped his shoulder, and all three men looked up to see a swarm of menacing locusts, each with glaring red eyes, fangs, and terrifying hissing sounds. Panic took hold. The guards barely had time to scream before instinct overrode duty. They bolted, their shouts drowned out by the swarm's ravenous hiss. With the entrance cleared, a trio of people walked up to the front of the building. In the center was a woman in her 20s with a silver cowl, flowing black hair, and a black and orange costume. On the left was a short bald boy wearing a green outfit and donning a brown beard, and on the right was an insect mutant with the resemblance of a moth. They called the three Gizmo, Blackfire, and Killer Moth.

"Well, Moth, if you intended to impress me, you've succeeded," admitted Blackfire.

Killer Moth grunted.

"Tch. Can we move this along already?"

He was about to walk up to the building when Blackfire put her hand out to stop him.

"Not yet, you fool. The doors are more than likely rigged with a hidden alarm in case of unlawful entrance," she explained.

Moth folded his arms.

"So, how do you propose we get in then?" he demanded.

Blackfire responded by pointing upwards, and Killer Moth followed her direction to see she was pointing towards one of the upper levels of the buildings.

"The upper levels have far less protection than the lower levels. We must fly up there and get through the vault's security to obtain the material. However, we must act swiftly and discreetly in case more security arrives."

Moth raised his eyebrow in skepticism before sighing.

"Fine. Just don't boss me around while we're doing this."

Blackfire smirked.

"Fine," she replied.

She then leaned down and grabbed Gizmo before she and Moth flew to the top floor of the building.

Down below the city, the teen titans continued their way through the lengthy passage Dr Light made as they searched for him and discovered his diabolical scheme. Leading the group in front, Nightwing still felt a pang of concern for leaving Cyborg beneath those boulders from the trap earlier, but knew deep down he could more than likely find a way out himself. It wouldn't be the first time one of them had gotten into a sticky situation. As he continued to lead, Starfire walked up next to him and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

Nightwing turned and raised his eyebrow.

"What?"

"I know it must have been hard for you to have to leave Cyborg down there and carry on with our mission and are probably worried about him," Starfire explained.

Nightwing looked forward again and nodded.

"You're right." He confirmed.

"It was hard, and I am worried. A lot. But he was also right. We can't afford to waste time getting him out and we have to keep going. Besides, I know he'll find a way out of this. He usually does."

Starfire was both shocked and proud of his response. She could tell her beloved had come a long way from being closeted about his deeper emotions and feelings to where he couldn't take it anymore to being open and truthful with her but remaining the strong, brave man she loved. It helped give her extra confidence that the pair and their friends would make it out ok from their skirmish. When they got deeper down the tunnel, Nightwing noticed something and halted the others. Getting closer, he saw in front of them a massive room where a crevasse was in the middle, and within the crevasse were two halves of a subway train split apart with sparks flickering out of the exposed wiring, and on the wall across was another massive hole and a deeper tunnel. Kid Flash's eyes widened, his breath catching in his throat as he took in the devastation.

"By Hera!" exclaimed Wonder Girl as she assessed the damages.

"I can't believe this!" chimed in Kid Flash.

"He could have killed whoever was in that train and he didn't care."

"You expected him to care?" asked Raven sarcastically.

Kid Flash clenched his knuckles in disgust.

"I suppose not, but I still can't tolerate this," he explained.

"Well, we must help anyone injured in the accident. Come on, guys!" ordered Nightwing.

The others nodded, ran with him to the site's ruins, and looked into the one-half. The Titans stepped into the wreckage, the scent of burning metal and scorched wiring thick in the air. Something had ripped the subway car open like a tin can, twisting its sides outward and leaving jagged edges jutting into the dim underground tunnel. Overhead lights flickered weakly, casting erratic flashes over the destruction.

The impact caused the seats to break free from their bolts. The floor beneath them trembled as the last remnants of the train's energy fizzled through broken circuits, sending occasional sparks crackling into the gloom.

Passengers lay sprawled across the wreckage—some groaning, others eerily silent. A woman clutched her arm, blood dripping between her fingers as she tried to push herself upright. A man in a business suit sat slumped against the wall, his glasses cracked, a gash running down his forehead.

A child's cry pierced the air. A fallen section of the ceiling trapped a little girl near the center of the car; her small hands reached out, and her sobs hiccupped between panicked breaths. A little girl lay trapped beneath a fallen section of the ceiling, her tiny hands reaching out as panicked sobs hiccupped from her throat.

One civilian looked up and saw the Titans looking in.

"It's ok!" Shouted Nightwing down below.

"We're here to help!" chimed in Starfire.

The civilians appeared calmer now, knowing the strangers to them were here to rescue them. Nightwing motioned to the others as he jumped into the car on the right with Starfire and Raven joining him, as Beast Boy, Wonder Girl, and Wonder Girl tended to the car on the left. The Titans worked quickly, pulling passengers free as smoke filled the air, their hands moving with practiced precision. One passenger Starfire had rescued was a young, sobbing three-year-old whose mother was still stuck in the left car. Wanting the child's fear of uncertainty to cease, Starfire sang her a tamaranean lullaby in her native language, succeeding, and earning gratitude from the child's mother once rescued. The group rescued the passengers after a few minutes, but noticed several injuries.

"Want me to go up and try to get them medical attention?" asked Kid Flash.

Nightwing thought to himself. He knew the passengers needed medical attention, but he also knew that if they stalled any further, whatever Dr Light had planned would come to fruition easily without their interference. Before he could say anything, one passenger chimed in.

"Excuse me," he said.

"I'm a doctor. I can do what I can for these people until proper medics arrive."

Nightwing turned to the others, who shrugged before turning back to the doctor.

"Yeah, that will be fine," he responded.

Nightwing then motioned to the Titans to follow him and they continued along their path towards Dr Light and whatever he had in store for them. As they walked along the path, Beast Boy held his arm in nervousness. Cyborg's fate worried him. Beast Boy clenched his jaw. Cyborg was tough—he had to make it. But the longer they went without hearing from him, the harder it was to ignore the sick feeling twisting in his gut. He wished he could have stayed behind to help get Cyborg free, but, as Cyborg had said earlier, their mission was the most important task at the moment and he knew he had to keep to his mission. Taking a deep breath, Beast Boy kept his chin up as he continued walking down the path.

Down in the rocky crevices of the lower sewer levels, Cyborg did his best to crawl with his one good arm down the rough passage. He strained, pulling himself further into the dark. Eventually, he heard a sound that sounded like running liquid. And he looked down to find he was now in a shallow section of traveling water, shifting down the path ahead of him. Cyborg smiled. He was getting closer to finding a way out. Pulling on the ground harder than before, Cyborg hauled his body further down the bank until eventually, he could no longer feel the water and tumbled down the spout, plopping onto the side walkway below. He tried to lift his neck, but it hurt to move it. Sighing, Cyborg lay his head back down and shook it. How did he get there? How could all this have happened? He couldn't help but think back to the day when was fully human for the last time in his life. It was the championship game at his high school. His football team had won the game, but Victor Stone was still unhappy despite this. His father had kept his word and refused to show up to the game. Victor's mother, Elinore, had shown up and agreed to drive him home. While he was grateful for his mother's kind gesture, Victor still couldn't get over his frustration with his father. On their ride home, Elinore tried to cheer her son up, promising that his father cared about him and to be proud of winning the game that night. Victor tried, but it wasn't easy when your father gave off the sign he cared about his work more than his son. Before he could stew any further, Victor saw a pair of blinding lights out the side window of his mother's car coming towards them quickly and suddenly, all went dark. When Victor woke up, he found himself in a dimly lit room, red lights casting eerie shadows over black floor paneling. Dazed, Victor tried to remember what had happened. All he could remember before blacking out was car lights heading toward him. He figured the lights must have screwed with his right eye, as all he saw through it was a red tint. Nothing he couldn't have fixed with his next optometrist appointment. Victor attempted to move, but something was holding him down. Not only that, but his body felt strange. It felt as if he could hardly feel anything. As if all the sensation had left him. Out of curiosity, Victor looked down at his stomach and chest, and his eyes widened in horror. Where there should have been a dark-skinned chest and stomach was instead a series of white, gray, and black metallic plates covering his body. His feet were massive and also covered in white metal coverings.

"What is this?" Victor asked himself.

"What is this?!"

Panicking, Victor wrenched his wrists forward and, after a second of struggle, could free himself from the clamps that held him down and fell to the ground. He held out his metal hands and braced himself from the floor, emitting a clanging sound. The cold, unfeeling metal sent a shiver down his spine—except, could he even feel shivers anymore? Getting to his feet, Victor looked at his hands and body with shock and horror.

No... no, this isn't real. It can't be! He thought to himself.

Turning around, Victor saw one of the metal clamps he broke out from on the ground and he rushed over and grabbed it, holding it to his face. In his reflection, Victor got his answer to his one eye seeing red. Half his face was now covered with more technical enhancements and a new robotic eye. Mortified, Victor dropped the clamp in terror, before holding his hands to his head in panic.

"Victor?" a voice suddenly said.

Turning around, Victor was facing his father by the doorway into the room, his face plastered with concern. Seeing him, Victor put the pieces of his predicament together and clenched his knuckles tightly. This was his doing. First, he neglected his son and now he lobotomized his son's body. Without thinking, Victor rushed toward his father with rage and fury in his heart, his steps now emitting further metallic clanks and his body faster than ever.

"Now, listen, Victor. I know this is a lot to take in but.." before Silas could finish, Victor grabbed his coat, hauled his father off his feet, and shoved him onto the wall angrily.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!" Victor shouted in passionate rage.

Victor had expected his father to react with a cold, stern expression, but to his surprise, Silas' expression was more sad and remorseful. This took Victor aback than a beat, but not much further as his anger overcame his reasoning.

"What did you do?! Why would you do this?!"

"Victor!" Silas finally spoke.

"Victor, please—just listen! I didn't have a choice!"

Before Victor could give his father a chance to speak, his eyes widened as another memory returned to him.

"What a minute! Where's mom?! What happened to her?"

Silas, upon hearing the mention of his wife, sighed depressingly, looking away from his son in regret.

"If you can relax…"

"WHERE IS SHE?!" Victor shouted impatiently.

"205 Meadow Ave!" Silas finally answered desperately.

Determined and desperate, Victor released his father and allowed him to slide to the floor as he bolted toward the doorway.

"No! Victor, wait!" Silas shouted, but it was no use as Victor had run through the doorframe and most likely found his way out of the building itself.

Victor could hear the metallic pings as the rain showered down on him. Each drop rang out like a ghostly reminder of what he'd become. What haunted him most, though, was the absence of feeling — the cold rain that once would have soaked his skin was now just noise against steel.

He shook off the thought and kept walking, his heavy footsteps clanging faintly on the sidewalk. As he went to cross the street, Victor caught sight of headlights bearing down on him. Panicked, he curled inward, raising his hand in reflexive fear.

Then came a sound — metal shifting, gears clicking, pieces locking into place.

When he looked at his arm, his jaw dropped. His hand was gone. In its place, a mechanical cannon extended from his forearm, aimed directly at the approaching car.

He barely had time to process what had happened before the driver slammed on the brakes, skidding to a stop in front of him. Heart pounding, Victor ran to the driver's side and yanked open the door with his still-human hand.

"Hey, man, are you okay?" Victor asked.

The driver's face twisted in terror. Instead of answering, the man scrambled across the seat, clawing for the passenger door.

"No! Stay back! Don't hurt me!" the man shouted, fumbling with the lock.

Victor hurried to the other side, arriving just as the door swung open.

"Listen! I'm not gonna hurt you! I just wanna know if you're—"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" the driver screamed before bolting into the night.

The words hit Victor like a punch to the gut. For a moment, confusion flickered in his mind. Then understanding sank in — the man saw him for what he was now: a freak.

Victor raised his hands to his face, watching the rain cascade off the metal. He felt nothing. But deep inside, a remaining part of him felt everything. Pain. Rejection. Guilt.

He closed his eyes, took a slow breath, and forced himself to focus. He wasn't out here to dwell on his fears — he was here to find his mother.

Suddenly, his robotic eye flickered to life, displaying the address his father gave him. A digital GPS line appeared, mapping out his route.

For the first time since waking up like this, Victor found something useful in his new body. With a determined breath, he ran back onto the sidewalk, his footsteps clanging softly as he followed the glowing path.

The rain poured harder. Cars splashed past him, and more than a few pedestrians turned to stare — but Victor didn't stop. Every turn brought him closer, until finally, the GPS guided him to a wrought-iron fence enclosing a shadowy field.

Victor slowed, confused. The place was dark and quiet, far from the spot he expected to find his mother. As he approached the gate, his stomach twisted into knots.

Jump City Cemetery.

His heart stopped.

"No… no, no, no—God, please tell me this isn't what I think it is," he whispered.

And then he ran inside.

Victor ran past several rows of tombstones, squinting hard to see any signs of what he was looking for. Eventually, he noticed the pattern of the tombstones by their last names and ran toward the aisle with last names that start with the letter "S".

Please don't have her name. Please, do not be what I think this is.

He didn't want to find it, didn't want to read her name. If he didn't see it, there was still hope. But every step down that row made his stomach twist tighter until breathing hurt. When he found the row, Victor felt himself churn in nervousness. He wasn't sure how to handle the discovery if his mother was here. Suddenly, at the end of the row, a flash of lightning illuminated the way for a few seconds, showing a name on the final headstone. His breath caught in his throat. His legs locked up, stiff and unresponsive. When he tried to take a step back, his metal knee buckled, sending him crashing down onto the wet grass with a metallic thud.

He stared at the name carved into the stone, willing it to change, to be anyone else — anyone but her.

His fingers dug into the mud, trembling, as a faint grinding noise came from his joints. He wasn't sure if it was the rain, his broken body, or the sheer weight of grief forcing his system to glitch.

"No…" he whispered, his voice cracking. "No, no, no…"

Here Lies Elinore Stone. Loving mother and wife.

Victor fell to his knees in shock and horror at the sight. Wanting to cry, he was unsure if these new enhancements would allow it. He wasn't even sure if he had a heart to be broken anymore. He eventually heard a voice behind him.

"When we found her in the crash, it was too late. There was nothing we could have done."

Victor turned to find his father standing behind him, holding an umbrella.

Victor's teeth gritted in anger. His fists clenched hard and his anger boiled. Getting to his feet, Victor marched toward his father and pointed at him in fury and rage.

"You! This is your fault! You couldn't have just been there for me when I needed you and now, because of that, she's gone! It should have been you in that crash!"

"You're right!" he heard his father say.

Victor's eyes widened in shock at the response, and he slowed his hand.

"I am?"

Silas nodded.

"I spent the past few years dedicated to what I thought was my greatest work. My breakthrough. And, I ignored what truly was my greatest work. You. I'd love for nothing more than for me to have been the one driving you home that night and being the victim of that crash and your mother being the one to live. She told me I needed to spend more time with you and I ignored her."

Suddenly, a tear strolled from Silas' eye as he tilted his head.

"This is the consequences of my actions and mine alone. After she passed and we found you in the wreckage, barely alive, I vowed I would not let what should have been my priority end up in the ground either, so I spent half of my resources, nearly bankrupting my division trying to keep you alive the best I could. I don't expect you to forgive me for any of this. Nor do I believe I deserve any. But I'll never apologize for saving my son."

Victor didn't know what to say. To hear his father, say these things was almost fantastical toward the young athlete considering his father's past cold treatment. Victor looked down at his hands once more, then to the headstone, and finally back to his father. It was over. His entire knowledge. Everything he knew. Everything he had worked for. Everything that he was, had now come to a sudden end. There was no going back. Victor's breath hitched. He wanted to scream, punch something, curse the man in front of him. But all he could do was fall apart — and somehow, his father was the only one left to catch. Buckling to his knees, Victor placed his face in his hands, sulking in his predicament.

"I…. I don't know what to do. What to say." He muttered in sadness.

Silas walked toward his son and placed an arm on his shoulder, unsure if the sensation would register, but confident his son would notice.

"Come home with me, son. Please. I know I don't deserve you, but I don't want to lose you, too."

Cyborg remembered the painful memory as if it were yesterday. He had lost everything, from his humanity to the love of a mother, and now he could lose any chance of returning to his friends. The people whom he now considered a family. Cyborg couldn't live without them, though a part of him wondered if they could live without him. Pushing the thought out of his mind, Cyborg turned to a nearby ledge and crawled toward it before grabbing the ledge and pulling himself up with all his might. Making it up, Cyborg continued his journey back to his friends.

Several miles beneath the Earth's surface, Dr. Arthur Light stood alone in the dimly lit cavern, the only illumination coming from the blinking lights of the dummy EMP machine he had just finished assembling. Sweat beaded on his forehead — from both the heat of the drill and the knowledge that failure was not an option.

The silence was oppressive, broken only by the faint hum of the machine and the occasional creak of shifting earth. Light paced restlessly, boots scuffing against loose gravel, until the buzzing of his comm jolted him back to attention. Snatching it up, he pressed it to his ear.

"Is the device in position?" came Blackfire's voice, sharp and impatient.

Light forced a thin smile, despite no one being there to see it. "Yes. It's ready." His smile faded. "Have you secured the element yet?"

A sigh crackled through the speaker. "Not yet, but we're close."

Light's fingers curled into a fist, trembling slightly. Hours spent boring through solid rock, only to find himself at the mercy of their timetable — it grated at him. "You'd better hurry. The Titans could show up any minute, and once they destroy this thing, the whole operation falls apart."

"Relax. We'll make it." Blackfire's voice dripped with dismissive confidence. "And if you're thinking of running, remember — Slade doesn't take kindly to cowards."

The threat hit its mark. Light's grip loosened, his pulse quickening for a different reason now. Slade's punishments were legendary — cruel, creative, and permanent. There was no escape.

"Fine," he muttered, voice bitter.

"Good." The line went dead, leaving Light in the flickering half-light once more.

He glanced at the machine, then to the dark tunnel ahead, where the Titans would soon arrive. All he could do now was wait — and pray the plan worked before Slade's wrath became his problem.

Further back in the tunnels, the Titans pressed on, having finished evacuating the subway passengers. Their focus was now locked on stopping Light before he could activate his device and put the entire city in danger. The air was damp and heavy, every footstep echoing off the narrow walls.

Raven walked slightly behind the others, her cloak brushing the rocky ground. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Beast Boy trailing at the back of the group, his shoulders slumped and his expression far from his usual goofy grin. She tried to ignore it — comforting people wasn't exactly her strength — but after a few more steps, she sighed and gave in. Quietly, she drifted closer, resting a gloved hand on his shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Raven asked, her voice softer than usual.

Beast Boy didn't answer at first, just staring at the ground. Raven's brow arched slightly.

"Hey," she nudged, "remember what we talked about? After we found the ring? You said you'd try being more open with us."

"I know," Beast Boy mumbled. His ears drooped slightly.

Raven didn't need to read his mind to figure it out. "You're worried about Cyborg, aren't you?"

Beast Boy gave a small nod, glancing up at her. "Yeah… I'm scared he won't make it back. Maybe we shouldn't have left him there. What if—what if he can't reach us?"

Raven took a breath. She knew that feeling — the gnawing, helpless worry when someone you care about is in danger and all you can do is wait. Walking beside him now, she kept her eyes forward but her attention fully on him.

"I get it," she said. "But you know Cyborg — he's made it through worse. A cave-in will not stop him. He's too stubborn for that." Her voice softened. "All we can do is keep moving and trust he'll find his way back."

Beast Boy's lip quirked in a half-smile, but the worry still lingered in his eyes. "I guess you're right."

"You know I am." There was the faintest trace of a smirk in Raven's voice.

The conversation left Beast Boy feeling a little lighter — not completely, but enough. What stuck with him even more, though, was her. Ever since they met, Raven had always seemed distant, a little cold — someone who tolerated him rather than liked him. For a long time, he figured it was his fault. Maybe his jokes annoyed her. Maybe he just wasn't the person she could ever warm up to.

But now? Now he saw her differently. Raven wasn't cold — she just hid her warmth beneath a thousand layers of dry wit and sarcasm. And when she let that guard down, even just a little, she was one of the kindest, most caring people he knew.

Whether or not he deserved her kindness didn't matter. What mattered was that it was real. And right now, that was enough. Walking further, Nightwing held up his hand, halting the group.

"Hold on, Guys," he said.

For a beat, the sudden stop confused the Titans; then they looked down and saw Nightwing's foot on a panel that had sunk slightly into the floor. Cautiously, Nightwing lifted his foot, and the panel rose and suddenly, the walls moaned and a few small devices shot out of them and projected a series of laser beams in front of them.

"Huh, for a guy who was in a hurry to set up this device, he sure had a lot of time to rig these traps against us," pointed out Raven.

Nightwing shrugged.

"Maybe. But we can't worry about that now. We need to get past these beams!"

Stepping forward, Nightwing observed the laser beams for a few seconds before concluding.

"Judging by the width of the lower beams, I'm assuming those are the most dangerous ones. The thinner ones will most likely create a less dangerous consequence. When we try to get through, be careful about the thicker ones. Got it?"

The other Titans nodded.

"Good!" responded Nightwing.

Nightwing then stepped forward and took a deep breath.

"I'll go first."

With that, Nightwing leaped forward, twisting his body in mid-air to avoid a pair of horizontal beams. He landed in a crouch, then carefully slipped under a low-hanging beam. His acrobat reflexes guided him through the maze-like trap, as he carefully calculated each step.

"Ok, Starfire. You are next," he called back to his team.

Starfire nodded and stepped forward to prepare to counter this obstacle. Levitating, Starfire quickly flew to the other side, gracefully dodging every beam coming in her direction.

Behind her, Beast Boy gulped.

"Guess it's my turn."

His body shimmered green, shrinking into a tiny gecko, easily scampered across the floor, sliding under beams and clinging to the wall to dodge others.

"Ha! Easiest thing ever!" he chirped—right before one of the thinner beams swept past, triggering a series of mini-drones that popped out of the walls and fired small electric blasts at the group.

"Okay, I take it back!" Beast Boy yelped, diving into cover.

Nightwing sighed before turning to Raven.

"Raven! Your turn."

Raven nodded and levitated herself from the ground. Her eyes glowed as a mystical shield surrounded the mystic, allowing her to shield herself from the lasers. Raven walked through, as her energy shield blocked the lasers off. After a few seconds, she successfully made it to the others.

"Good job, Raven." complimented Nightwing.

"Kid Flash?"

Kid Flash smirked. "Pfft, lasers? Please. This is easy mode."

Before Nightwing could warn him, Kid Flash took off in a blur. He zigzagged between the beams, shifting his momentum at the last second to avoid even the tiniest ones.

For a split second, he thought he was in the clear—until his heel barely grazed a thinner beam.

The walls hummed ominously, and small sections of the floor suddenly retracted, revealing pressure-sensitive mines underneath.

Kid Flash gulped. "Oh… that's not good."

Thinking fast, he planted one foot on the stable ground and used a burst of speed to 'air jump' between the laser beams, hopping between small ledges and pipes along the tunnel walls until he finally landed safely on the other side. Knowing it was her time, Wonder Girl stood up, ready to get across. Eyeing the lasers, she took out her lasso of truth and looked at the ceiling of the passageway, and saw a loose pipe. Wonder Girl tossed the lasso, and it hooked around the pipe. Donna then swung forward with the lasso and narrowly dodged the ceiling lasers before landing on the other side with her friends.

"Well, that was easier than I thought," Donna noted.

Nightwing nodded.

"Maybe a little too easy. Why does it feel like Light isn't trying as hard as he usually does?"

Suddenly, the tunnel trembled, and the dim overhead lights flickered wildly. A low, ominous hum echoed through the underground, growing louder with each passing second.

"He's starting his machine!" Kid Flash pointed out.

Nightwing's eyes widened with horror.

"Ok, let's go stop it, guys! Titans, go!"

At the Jump City Research Facility, Blackfire, Killer Moth and Gizmo were hovering on the top floor of the building and looking through the window, trying to figure out how to get in.

"Any ideas of how to get in?" asked Moth.

Gizmo smirked.

"Get me closer," he commanded Moth.

Moth shrugged and neared the glass, holding Gizmo in his arms. Digging into his satchel, Gizmo pulled out a pair of welding tools and placed them on the glass, causing sparks to fly as he sliced a circle in the glass. Placing his tools back in his satchel, Gizmo carefully removed the circle from the glass, leaving a round hole in it.

"Piece of cake!" Gizmo remarked.

Moth rolled his eyes and flew through the hole, followed by Blackfire, and the two landed on the floor before turning toward the vault the material was in. The safe was about 6 feet tall with 3 high tech locks on its side, giving it higher security to get into it. In front of the vault was a laser grid security system crisscrossing on the floor. Gizmo snarled.

"Crud! These guys thought of everything, haven't they?!" he hissed as he dug in his pocket.

Gizmo then pulled out a small device and aimed it toward the lasers. Blackfire lifted her eyebrow in confusion.

"What is that supposed to do?" she asked.

Gizmo sighed.

"This is meant to disrupt the lasers. If we step on them it will alert the police we are in here. Now sush!"

Blackfire sneered at the remark and was about to reprimand Gizmo until a ping sound was made on his device. Looking up, Blackfire saw the lasers flicker for a beat before fading away entirely.

"There! Problem solved!" exclaimed Gizmo.

Blackfire smirked before cracking her knuckles.

"Time to collect!" she exclaimed as she walked to the vault and grabbed the side of the door, only for Moth and Gizmo to grab her shoulders.

"What are you doing?!" Moth asked, annoyed.

"If you rip it off, it could trigger an alarm and make things more difficult! These guys aren't idiots!" chimed in Gizmo.

Blackfire sneered in response.

"Then how do you intend we get the material?" she hissed.

Approaching the vault, Moth held his hand near the edge of the door where the hinges were, and suddenly, a series of termites emerged from his fur and crawled from his arm into the cracks. Moth then stepped back and folded his arms as Blackfire and Gizmo looked on in confusion. Suddenly, they heard clicking noises; then the locks sprung open, and the vault opened. The termites remerged from the cracks and crawled back up Moth's arm.

"All in the wrist!" Moth exclaimed proudly.

Blackfire rolled her eyes.

"Could have done that myself," she mumbled to herself.

She then shoved Moth out of her way before looking into the vault. On a shelf was a gray, rock-like substance that glittered and glowed like a shining star. Blackfire smirked.

"This is it! We got our material!"

Blackfire reached in the safe and grabbed the Cyporium and held it in her hands. Its glowing features and rough shape mesmerised her. It was like a rare mineral from Tamaran in her eyes. After a few seconds, she felt a moth tap her shoulder.

"You done admiring your handiwork? Can we go now?" he asked.

Blackfire frowned toward him.

"Mind your manners, Moth. I am still in charge of this mission."

"Well, whoever's in charge, we gotta go soon. Those cops will come back any minute now and see what wee've done!" informed Gimo.

Realizing Gimo was right, Blackfire ran to the window, quickly picked up Gizmo and shoved the material in a satchel on her side.

"It will be a pleasure to see my sister and her friend's faces when they discover we mislead them."

Beneath the city, Cyborg dragged himself through the filthy sewer water, his movements slow and strained. The damp air clung to his skin, heavy with the stench of rot and rust. His remaining arm ached from the constant exertion, his circuits felt sluggish, and each breath came in ragged gasps. His body wasn't the only thing that hurt—his spirit was just as battered.

He was alone. His friends were out there fighting, and he couldn't even stand beside them. He had lost half his limbs, and now Dr. Light was about to unleash chaos upon the city. No matter how much he pushed himself forward, doubt weighed him down like a stone.

How much more could he take?

His strength was failing, and his mind was screaming at him to stop. So, for just a moment, he let himself rest. Laying his head against the cold, slimy wall, he let his thoughts drift—back to the last night of his life before he became a Titan.

The last night he truly felt human.

It had been nearly two months since the accident. Two months since his mother's death. And in that time, Victor Stone had become a ghost in his father's apartment. The world believed him to be dead, and he let them. Better to disappear than face the stares, the whispers, the reminder that the life he once had was gone forever.

He couldn't graduate high school.

Couldn't play football.

Couldn't even walk down the street without seeing his reflection and hating what stared back.

So he hid. He sulked. He ate to pass the time.

That night had been no different. Victor sat at the kitchen table, idly scooping cereal into his mouth as he skimmed the newspaper. His eyes barely skimmed most of the headlines—more crime sprees, more superhero drama. Same old, same old. But one article caught his eye.

"BATMAN GOES SOLO?: Gotham's Dark Knight Operating Without Sidekick. Batman Gives No Comment."

Victor blinked at the headline, momentarily intrigued. He had always been interested in Gotham's masked vigilante, though not enough to follow every story. But Robin? Robin was missing? That was a surprise.

He leaned back, crunching another spoonful of cereal, letting the thought sit in his mind for a moment before shrugging it off. It wasn't his problem. Heroes, villains, sidekicks—it was all just another world he didn't belong to. Hearing a door open, Victor turned around and saw his father enter the apartment, having just returned from work.

"Eating another bowl of cereal?" his father asked as he hung up his lab coat.

"Wasn't breakfast enough?"

Victor grumbled before turning back to his bowl.

"What's it to you? Not like I can do anything else. Not that I can taste most of it."

Silas sighed as he approached his son and placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Son, I know things have been hard lately but I really think you should do something outside of just feeling pity for yourself." he suggested.

Victor sarcastically laughed to himself.

"Why? What's the point? So I can be called a freak? A monster? To be reminded that I'm not who I was before?"

Silas frowned at that statement.

"You have always been who you are from day one, Victor. You know this,"

Victor nudged his father's hand off his shoulder, placed the spoon down in the bowl, and sat up from the table.

"No, dad! From day 1, I was Victor Stone! Now I'm….. I'm like a Cyborg!" he muttered.

He held his hands to his face and lamented about what they were now. Silas' face dropped upon seeing that and once again tried to approach his son.

"Victor, if you'd just take my advice.."

Victor felt his blood boiling at that point before snapping.

"You know what?! Fine! I'll go out! If it makes you happy, that's all that matters right!" he exclaimed.

Victor then grabbed a hoodie on the nearest couch and brushed past his father as he placed the hoodie on himself and stormed toward the door.

"This isn't about making me happy, Victor, it's about helping you reconnect with life again. Having these new implants doesn't mean your life is over."

Victor stopped for a beat, taking in his father's words before shaking his head and storming out the door in a was after that walk that his life changed for the better. That was the night he met an ex-sidekick, an alien princess, a mysterious girl with magical abilities, and a green shapeshifter—people who would become the greatest family he'd ever known. The formation of the Titans marked the beginning of something new, an adventure that gave Victor Stone a reason to move forward.

He called himself Cyborg.

Now, trapped in the sewers beneath the city, battered and broken, Cyborg sighed. He clung to those memories, trying to force a smile. For a brief moment, he let himself believe in that happiness.

Then he heard it.

A mechanical whir, gears grinding to life, something large powering up on the platform above.

Dr. Light's machine.

Cyborg's eyes widened. His heart pounded.

No. He couldn't stop now.

Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself toward a set of pipes running up the wall, wrapping his remaining hand around one. He paused, thinking through his next move. Climbing would be a challenge with half his limbs gone—but he wasn't about to give up now.

Bracing himself, he crouched as much as his body would allow, then used his leg to push himself upward, dragging his weight along the pipe. The first push was the hardest, but he kept going.

One step. A pull. A push.

Higher.

His body screamed in protest, but he ignored it, his determination outweighing the pain.

Higher.

Again. And again.

Cyborg felt a small smile creep onto his face.

He was going to make it. His problems were about to be solved.

Dr. Light stood beside his dummy machine, fingers twitching in anticipation. He knew this was only a diversion—just a trick to lure the Titans away from the real threat. But that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy himself.

The sound of rapid footsteps echoed down the corridor. He smirked, straightening his stance.

Right on cue.

Seconds later, six figures burst into the room, instantly falling into their battle stances.

"This ends here, Light!" Nightwing declared.

Dr. Light chuckled, crossing his arms.

"Oh, I highly doubt that."

The Titans remained firm, but Beast Boy tilted his head toward the machine.

"Okay, but what is that thing even supposed to do?"

Dr. Light glanced at the machine, then back at the green shapeshifter, his grin widening. "An EMP disruptor. Capable of wiping out the city's entire power grid in one burst—plunging Jump City into an eternal blackout."

Nightwing narrowed his eyes. "And what does that have to do with whatever Slade's up to?"

Dr. Light's smirk twitched. He raised his gauntlets. "That's for me to know—"

Without warning, twin blasts of searing light erupted from his hands.

"—and me alone!"

With the beam heading towards the group, the Titans reacted quickly and leaped out of the way of the bolt as it struck the floor. Gaining her composure, Starfire rose in the air and allowed her eyes to turn emerald green as she threw Starbolt after Starbolt toward the evil doctor. After noticing the tactic, Raven used it, and she rose and blasted black energy in Light's direction. Light, unmoved by the attacks, held up his gauntlets and allowed the energies of both heroines to be absorbed by his utility. He then launched them out, blasting the two into the walls on either end, knocking them to the ground. Light then turned and saw Beast Boy, having turned into a green tiger, charge at him swiftly. Light's swift hand movement conjured a yellow energy wall, sending Beast Boy bouncing toward the cave entrance, where he reverted to his human form and collapsed. He then turned to face Wonder Girl and Kid Flash, who were about to prepare for their attack. Feeling confident in his tactical plan, Kid Flash, with incredible speed, zipped around Light, his rapid dashes creating a circular blur that surrounded Light, thus leaving Light with virtually no opportunity to escape. Light, almost dizzy from watching Kid Flash run so many times around him, looked up to find Wonder Girl in the air, swinging her lasso around, ready to nab the villain. Wonder Girl tossed her lasso into the vortex, and it looped it around Light's wrist, and she tugged, attempting to remove Light's gauntlet. Light smirked as he timed his move perfectly, using Wonder Girl's momentum against her, sending her crashing into Kid Flash, ending the circular blur and knocking the two Titans down with ease. Curious of the status of his machine, Light turned around to find Nightwing rushing towards it to disable it. Needing to keep the Titans thinking the situation was authentic, Light took action by sending a blast of energy toward Nightwing, knocking him onto the wall. Light's beam pressed Nightwing against the wall, burning through his suit as he gritted his teeth, struggling against the force pin. The energy blast tore and fractured Nightwing's costume in the front, exposing part of his stomach and chest as he slumped to the ground. Struggling, Nightwing pushed himself up and tried to pull himself toward the machine and reach out toward it, only for his hand to be stomped on by Light.

"Accept it, Titans! Your city's fate is inevitable!" Light announced as he turned toward the other Titans struggling to their feet.

The group was all weak from their strikes laid upon them by Dr Light and could barely get to their feet. What was worse was Light's machine was now whirring alive, showing it was about to activate and disable the city's power and cripple it. Light then raised his gauntlets, preparing to make another strike against the Titans, when suddenly, a big blue blast of energy soared towards him and struck him in the side, sending him to the floor in a heap. Pushing himself up to Light, he rubbed his head in pain as his vision returned, and his eyes widened with who he saw was the one who struck him. It was Cyborg, leaning on a wall with his armless side and his remaining arm in front of him in its arm cannon form, smoke emitting from the barrel as Cyborg was trying to balance on his remaining leg.

"Boo yah!" exclaimed Cyborg proudly as he grinned at Light.

The other Titans were stunned to see their teammate alive and well, even in his broken form.

"Cyborg!" shouted Nightwing happily.

"Your ok!" joined in Beast Boy.

Cyborg nodded.

"Yeah, and I'm ready to kick some butt!"

Light attempted to get up again, but he was met with another blast by Cyborg, who sent him into the wall again. In pain, Light thought to himself what to do for his next move before deciding that keeping the rouse was pointless and it was best to escape. Getting to his feet, Light ran to the cave exit as fast as he could.

"This won't be over!" he shouted toward the cause of his demise as he fled.

Afterwards, Cyborg aimed his arm cannon toward the machine and turned towards the other Titans.

"Get clear!" he shouted to them.

His friends complied and stayed clear of the machine as Cyborg's arm cannon emitted a large blast of blue energy, striking it and blowing it straight to pieces. Cyborg stumbled forward as smoke curled from his arm cannon, his systems struggling to recalibrate. His legs wobbled before giving out, sending him crashing onto one knee before finally collapsing onto his side. Nightwing and Kid Flash ran up to Cyborg and hoisted him up, with Nightwing placing Cyborg's remaining arm around his neck.

"You ok there, buddy?" he asked.

Cyborg weakly nodded his head.

"Yeah, man. I'm fine. Kind of."

"Glad to see you made it!" said Raven.

"I was so worried about you!" exclaimed Beast Boy.

Cyborg weakly smiled.

"Yeah, well... I'm okay now. Not gonna lie, though—blowing up death machines without a full body? Not as fun as it looks," he responded.

As the Titans gathered around, helping Cyborg to his feet, he glanced at them—his family. He'd gotten them out of this mess, and they'd been there for him. That's what mattered. As they turned toward the exit, he muttered with a tired grin, "Let's get home."

It was nighttime at H.I.V.E. headquarters. The corridors were dimly lit, casting long shadows that stretched across the cold, metallic floors. In his private office, Slade sat in silence, the hum of distant machines the only sound. He waited for his Brotherhood to return with the substance he needed. Soon, he would have achieved his goal of perfectly developing his Slade bots and finally conquering the city for himself. Hearing a door opening, Slade turned his chair to face the doorway, to find Blackfire, Billy Numerous, Killer Moth, Mammoth, Gizmo, and Dr Light enter. Blackfire reached into her satchel and retrieved the silver hunk of rock, placing it gently on the desk. Slade grinned from beneath his mask at the sight of it.

.

"Once again, you have exceeded my expectations," he remarked.

"Were you caught?"

Blackfire shook her head confidently.

"No complications," she said confidently. "By the time they realize it's missing, it'll be far too late."

Slade's smile widened beneath the mask, though his thoughts were already ten steps ahead.

"Good. Take it to Professor Chang. Once it's fused into the Slade Bots, the city won't stand a chance."

"Take the element to Professor Chang and have him infuse it to the Slade Bots. In a few weeks, it'll be the city's bane."

Blackfire bowed before grabbing the element and motioning her accomplices to follow her out of the room. Walking into the hallway, the group split off, with Blackfire, Light, and Killer Moth walking down the left hallway and Gizmo, Numerous, and Mammoth walking down the right. As Gizmo walked down, he accidentally bumped into Brother Blood, causing him to drop a book he was holding. Gizmo's eyes narrowed at the words "Ancient Azrathian Secrets and Lore." His tech-savvy mind didn't deal in magic, but even he knew Azarath wasn't something to mess with.

"Yo... this some kind of voodoo crud?" he muttered.

Brother Blood snatched the book back, glaring.

"Business that does not concern you," he growled before storming off.

Gizmo watched him go, unease creeping up his spine.

It was mid-evening, and the metallic hum of tools buzzed softly in Cyborg's room. The smell of soldered circuits still lingered in the air as he secured the final weld on his leg. Adjusting his newly welded leg, Cyborg heard a knock at his door as he turned toward it.

"Come in!" he shouted.

The opening door surprised Cyborg when he saw Wonder Girl enter the room.

""Hey, Vic. Just wanted to check in—after everything in the tunnels, and, well…" she glanced at his arm and leg, "looks like you've had a rough time."

Cyborg grimaced for a beat before chuckling and shaking his head.

"Yeah, I'll be alright."

Wonder Girl nodded and went to leave the room.

"Hey," Cyborg called for her.

Wonder Girl stopped and looked back toward him.

"Yes?" she asked.

Cyborg sighed and held his hand behind his head.

"When I was down in those tunnels, I did a lot of thinking. Remember how we discussed earlier about things changing with us as a team? I thought back to how my life changed, and honestly, I realized... not all change is bad. Some of it's scary, yeah—but sometimes, it's the only way to grow."

Wonder Girl smiled, a soft glint of pride in her eyes.

"Took you long enough to see that."

She gave a small wave as she turned to leave.

"Glad you're back, Vic."

She then turned and left the room, allowing Cyborg to continue adjusting his replacement limbs.

Having finished her conversation with Cyborg, Wonder Girl headed to the kitchen near the lounge area of the tower to grab some food—only to hear Beast Boy shout from the couch:

"Guys! You might want to see this!"

Wonder Girl and the other Titans, except for Cyborg, gathered around the couch.

"What is it, Beast Boy?" asked Nightwing.

Beast Boy didn't answer—he just pointed to the TV.

On screen, a woman with brown hair and glasses delivered the evening news.

"In other news," she said, "while the Teen Titans prevented what could have been a citywide blackout today, they unfortunately could not stop Jump City's most recent robbery."

The screen cut to a grainy camera angle from ground level, showing a shattered upper window of a building.

"According to Research Security officers," the reporter continued, "a large individual—possibly the criminal Mammoth—lured guards away from their posts, while a swarm of locusts scared off the others. Upon their return, it was discovered the newly discovered mineral Cyproium was gone."

An image of the silver rock-like substance appeared on the screen.

The Titans stood frozen.

Their mission wasn't a mission.

It was a diversion.

"I can't believe it…" Nightwing muttered.

"It was a setup. It was too easy on purpose. Light needed us out of the way so the Brotherhood could carry out their real objective."

He placed a hand over his face and exhaled.

How could he have missed this? He thought they were finally regaining their footing—and now this. He felt the sting of failure press down on his shoulders. But before he could speak further, a voice cut through his spiral.

"Wasn't a total loss," Kid Flash said.

Nightwing looked up, confused. "What?"

"Yeah, sure—turns out the whole EMP thing was a hoax. But we still made a difference. The people in that subway? If we hadn't been there, they could've been seriously hurt. We saved lives."

"That is true," Starfire added, her tone hopeful.

"We may have failed to prevent the theft… but we succeeded in protecting innocent lives from the fallout of their scheme."

Nightwing opened his mouth to counter, but the words didn't come. The truth of their words hit him.

They were right.

It was a failure. But not a complete one.

Straightening his posture, Nightwing turned toward his teammates with renewed resolve.

"You're right. We may have lost the Cyproium—but we saved lives. That's what matters most."

The Titans nodded in agreement, their spirits lifted.

"However…" Nightwing added, "…we can't ignore the fact we were duped. We need to be sharper. More analytical. We won't make the same mistake twice."

With that, he turned and left the room.

Raven watched him go.

"Looks like he's pulled himself together," she noted.

Starfire smiled gently.

"As I knew he would."

Having finally adjusted his replacement limbs, Cyborg decided he had finally earned himself a break after a long day and decided to turn in for the night. As he got into bed, he began to remember the end of the day he became a titan. It had been an hour since he and his new friends had defeated the alien invaders that threatened their city and formed their new team, and Victor Stone, now christened Cyborg, ran home quickly to tell his father the good news. When he got to his apartment, Victor ran in quickly and turned to the living room where he found his father watching tv.

"Dad! Dad! Youre'e not going to believe what happened while I was out tonight! I ran into these kids and…"

Before he could finish, Victor found Silas stand up and move away from the tv which was displaying Victor and his new friends being celebrated by the city with the bottom headline, "Jump City welcomes the Teen Titans! Newest superhero team!"

"I am already aware of your adventure tonight." Silas replied calmly.

"And I can't tell you how proud I am that you managed to find a purpose despite your situation."

Victor half smiled as he held his arm behind his back in nervousness.

"Thanks, it really wasn't much," he said mildly.

Silas softly chuckled before placing his hand on his son's metal shoulder.

"My son, you have entered a world of the fantastical and cataclysmal. A world others both love and fear. One that will shape your future for either the better or worse. This is going to mean a lot of responsibility for you and your friends. You think you're up to the challenge?"

Victor thought for a beat before nodding his head.

"Yeah, dad. I think I do."

"Good," replied Silas.

Silas then looked toward the tv for a few seconds before redirecting his attention back to his son.

"Now that you and your friends are a team now, youre' going to need somewhere to operate. Somewhere to hone your skills as a team."

Victor raised his eyebrow in confusion at what his father was possibly implying.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

Without a word, Silas motioned Victor toward a nearby laptop and pressed some keys on the keyboard, prompting an image to appear of a large T-shaped building resting on an island somewhere off the coast of Jump City.

"This tower was originally made as a new metahuman research lab for S.T.A.R. We were forced to abandon the project once costs got to high for further funding. Luckily I was able to still acquire a stake in the tower's ownership for possible further usage." explained Silas.

"As of now, I offer the tower up to you and your friends as your new headquarters."

Victor's eyes went wide in shock. He couldn't believe what his father was saying to him right now.

"What?! You're kidding?! A whole tower just for us?!"

"No, I am not kidding," Silas declared calmly.

"But… but… what about the tower's mortgage?" Victor asked, still trying to process it. "What are we going to do for money and food and stuff there?"

"Leave all that to me," Silas replied.

"I luckily have enough in our trust fund to be able to pay for all your team's major needs in terms of food and shelter."

He paused, then added more seriously, "Though I do ask one thing from you, Victor."

Victor raised his eyebrow once more.

"What is it, dad?"

Silas closed the laptop and once more placed his arms on his son's shoulders.

"Insurance on the tower is a little tight unfortunately so I'll need you to do your best to try and keep it in good shape as much as possible. You think you can do that?"

Victor hesitated. As nice as the pros sounded, the con of having to be ever reliant on the building's structural integrity was something he wasn't sure if he could a hundred percent handle. After a beat, Victor decided that he would try his best to handle the task, if it meant helping out his father and his new friends.

"Yeah, dad. I got it." Victor finally responded.

"Good." affirmed Silas.

"I suggest you get packing now if you and your friends are going to move into the tower soon."

Victor nodded before walking toward his bedroom while Silas returned to the living room to continue watching the broadcast of Jump City's newest heroes. Suddenly he then heard his son's voice once more.

"Dad?"

Silas turned to see Victor's head poking out from the hallway.

"Yes?"

"I just want to say, thanks. Thanks for not giving up on me and for helping me see that I still got a purpose."

Silas felt warmth in his heart at his son's gratitude. He wasn't sure if he deserved it after the way he had neglected his son, but Silas knew that was all in the past and now, he could only be happy he had done something right for his son for once.

"Always, Victor."

Victor then returned to his room and began packing his belongings for the new life ahead of him.

The memory was fresh in Cyborg's mind. He was grateful for it. Grateful for everything that came out of that night. His father truly did care for him and no matter what, his friends would always be there, whether they were on the team or not. Cyborg let the memory fade as he closed his eyes, the city glowing faintly in the distance. Whatever tomorrow brought, he knew he wouldn't face it alone.

The end.