Fan Fiction ❯ Anything, Anytime, Anywhere, For You ❯ Joker's Big Plan, Shady's Last Stand ( Chapter 5 )

Anything, Anytime, Anywhere, For You

 

Chapter Five

“Joker's Big Plan, Shady's Last Stand”

 

 

A/N: Firstly, a huge thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter. It is very encouraging getting so many and I send you all my best.

One quick note, Doug Miller's side-story will probably be over by either chapter six or seven. There are two reasons for this. One; it'll give me more time to focus on the actual plot of the story; and Two; Personally, I think it's just gone on long enough, and I've found a good way to end it; so I'm going too. If you were enjoying the side-story, I apologize. If you were annoyed by it; then good news for you I guess.

 

Now on with the regularly scheduled fanfiction already in progress.

---- ---- ---- ---- ----

 

Boom. Boom Boom. Boom Boom Boom.

 

As the sounds of a raging road song played over the undeniably cool speakers of the T-Car, the T-Car flew over the road - literally, Doug had taken that last bump so fast he was in the air - and soared down onto the pavement with a slight skid, a loud noise, and one hyperactive thirteen year old behind the wheel.

 

It hadn't been long since Red X had helped Doug take the care out, and at the time Doug had been iffy. He'd been iffy on trust X, and even iffier on leaving the super-thief alone at Titan's Tower; but not anymore. “Born to be Wild” was playing at full blast, he was tearing up the streets despite the fact he was still two-and-a-half years away from his license, and nobody had really gotten hurt by any of it - so how could he worry?

 

Well, if he started to think about it he could worry quite a bit. His mother would kill him if she knew what he was doing, that was for sure. Red X would probably make a mess of the tower and more than likely he'd go through the Titan's bedrooms (something Doug had been much too scared to do - Beast Boy had told him stories about Raven's room and; well to make it short he was much too terrified to go in there.); but that was okay. Robin was a good guy, and Doug still had a whole month to clean up.

Besides, he wasn't worried. It'd all work out. What could possibly happen?

 

“Cyborg, you need some refueling' sugar.” A smooth female voice suddenly spoke, which caused Doug to squeak and look at the dash. It was just another of Cyborg's little additions; rather than blink a annoying light whenever the T-Car was getting near empty, it simply told him it needed gas. The sexy female voice's purpose should be obvious.

 

“Out of gas? Uh oh.” Doug swallowed. He'd not counted on this. He needed to find a gas station and find one fast. If the T-Car broke down in the middle of town then he'd - Oh, there was one.

 

Doug's panic was cut short. He'd just noticed where he was. He was in quieter part of town, close to the shopping district but with the bay (and the Tower) still visible. A small blue and white gas station was located right at the corner, and Doug was able to pull up to the single pump without any incident; he even lined up the car right. It made him proud.

 

Unfortunately for Doug, that was the end of his good luck - and the start of a disaster.

 

As is the case with some Gas Stations, Doug found himself forced to pay before he could pump. A simple concept done to prevent cheapskates from driving away without forking over the dough. Doug had the cash in his pocket (being a paperboy wasn't a high paying job, but he had enough) and now he was on his way inside the Convenient Store to pay for the gas; and probably buy a snickers bar.

 

However as Doug entered the store, six pairs of eyes watched him. And once the door had closed, the conversation began.

“Did you just see some kid pull up in the Titan's van?” Mammoth asked as a smile began to creep around his face. The oversized and under experienced villain was squatting on the curbside across the street from the gas station, his head being used as an armrest by Jinx, who was the next to speak.

 

“I sure did, and it gives me a fabulous idea.” The pale, purple-haired bad girl was flicking her tongue over her lips in anticipation of the impending fun. Her body was leaned over to her right on her “armrest”, while her right leg was kicked back behind her left.

“No way are we stealing that car.” Gizmo interrupted immediately. “Been there, done that, not happening.” The third and final member of the trio was sitting at Jinx's left. His jetpack was on his back, although he'd added a small stool to it and was currently using it, along with the spider-arm feature, as a chair of sorts. Gizmo looked up at Jinx as if to argue, but she was still grinning.

 

“Who'd want to steal that piece of junk anyway? You'd have to be a real loser to be caught driving that nightmare.”

 

Gizmo growled in frustration and Jinx laughed. At that moment the bell on the door chimed and Doug returned from paying, mouth now crammed full of snickers. The youngster made his way over to the pump and began his task at hand, which caused Jinx to stand up straight and begin wiggling her fingers in anticipation.

“You see Gizmo, my bald little man; I have a much better plan than stealing the car.”

 

“Oh really.” Gizmo spat back. “Well enlighten us oh queen of good plans.”

 

“See that man smoking the cigarette?” Jinx asked, pointing one of her purple-painted fingernails at an older gentleman in a suit and tie who was lighting his cigarette as he walked in Doug's direction. “He really shouldn't smoke at a gas station. God only knows what could happen with a little bad luck.”

 

In a flash the knowledge of what could happen with bad luck suddenly extended to more than just God. Jinx's waves shot out across the street and hit the ground beneath Doug head on; which caused Doug to squeak and fall backwards. As he did he threw the gas hose out of his hand, and it flew directly into the smoking man's chest. The man fell backwards and landed on his rump; unharmed. However his cigarette and the still-pumping gas hose weren't as lucky. They both landed on the ground a few feet between the car and the actual pump - and then there was an explosion.

 

It was like a scene from a movie. The gas hose hit the ground, still dripping its liquids; and the cigarette landed in the puddle. Dancing yellow tongues of flame shot up and began to travel down the length of the rubbery tube faster than any human eye could have kept up with - and then they arrived inside the pump and the rest is painfully obvious.

 

People screamed, the cigarette's previous owner had to roll out of the way to avoid being crushed by the roof that had once stood strong over the pump and was now crumbling and falling to the ground. Flames were soaring in the sky over the sight of the blast and black smoke billowed into the air right alongside; alerting everyone that there were some seriously harmful things going on right now. Inside the convenient store the owner was frantically trying to decide whether he should call the police or fire department first.

 

And poor Doug Miller was standing in front of the T-Car, looking at it all with shock, awe and horror. He'd only wanted to buy gas - and now he'd blown up a gas station. Well, no more! Doug wasn't going to stand back and watch his mistakes, of which he knew he'd made many, cost someone's life. He may not be a real superhero, but he was going to stop this fire right here and now!

 

Doug reached down to the utility belt he'd been wearing since snatching it from Robin's room, extracted a long golden disc and then hurled it at the blaze. While the boy's precision was way off, it had been so Frisbee like that he'd managed to hit the target - and that caused enough of an effect for the flames to be frozen in solid ice and the crises to be stopped.

 

Doug blinked twice and looked up in disbelief. He'd done it. He'd stopped the fire and no one had gotten hurt. His shock was minimal next to the shock of the Hive Trio, though, who were now staring across the street in disbelief. Some kid had stopped them? Sure, they weren't the best villains in the world - but they could beat a snot-nosed brat playing dress-up, right?

 

“Man, that's embarrassing.” Mammoth sighed. “Beaten by some kid, how low have we fallen on the food chain?” The redhead's disappointment was quickly pushed back by Jinx's fury.

 

“We're not beaten yet! I'm not letting a half-pint make me look like a wash up! C'mon, we're going over there and we're going to blow up that van and that kid!”

 

Gizmo and Mammoth exchanged worried glances. On the one hand, they were worried about what would happen if they went over there, since this kid was obviously connected to the Titan's and finding him dead wouldn't bode well for them; but on the other neither of them wanted to second-guess Jinx when she was in this kind of mood and of course, cowardice in the present prevailed over worry in the future.

 

“I can't believe I did it.” Doug was now whispering to himself as he sank down into the seat of the T-Car. He'd actually cleaned up his own mistake for a change and it was a good feeling. Not that his fun time was going to last.

 

“Howdy kid.” Jinx's voice floated over to him, and Doug looked up. And then he gulped as he recognized who they were. For he knew. He'd seen them on the news - and the obsession with the Titan's also came with an obsession with their enemies. And now Doug was really worried; because he didn't think he could fight three supervillians, even if it was just these three.

 

“I'm a Titan, and the others are on their way right now so you'd better -”

 

“Save it snot-sucker.” Gizmo cut Doug off instantly. “If the Titan's were coming, they'd be here by now. And you're no Titan, either.”

 

“I am too!” Doug insisted in his lie. “And you're going to be sorry, the three of you. I'm stronger than I look.”

 

It was Mammoth's turn to speak, and to flex his muscles. He grinned as he did so too in order to add to the threat of impending demise that was now growing in Doug's mind. “Funny thing, so am I, isn't that a funny thing kid?”

 

Doug gulped again. This was it. The Hive Kids had obviously been responsible for the explosion, and now they were going to kill him. Unless some miracle came. Red X could always rush in a save him - but he doubted it. And Doug knew the Titans were a mere dream at this point. Still, he'd be happy to see someone, anyone -

 

“Excuse us.” A man's voice fluttered over the shoulders of the Hive Children and broke Doug's thinking session short. “Mind if I ask a few quick questions?”

The Hive Children apparently lost interest in Doug, because they all turned around and left him alone in the T-Car. Jinx and Gizmo both reacted the same way when they turned to see the owner of the voice - their eyes widened in something that could only be called respectful awe, and their voices seemed to die. Mammoth however was already speaking before he'd finished turning, and he'd already crossed a deadly line.

“You've got some nerve interrupting us right now -” This was point when Mammoth's eyes connected on the interruption, and his eyes widened too. Not just in respectful awe, but also in silent horror as the barrel of a large revolver was pressed against his temple.

 

As for the speaker; he was a legend, pure and simple. Everything from the top of his green hair to the tips of his sleek black shoes was infamous for being a ruthless criminal who never stopped stealing, never stopped killing and never stopped smiling. His gloves were chalk-white; and so was his skin. His nose was pointed as was his chin. His suit was a light lavender color, while the undershirt was orange; a green plastic flower was tucked into one side of the jacket and the tie in the middle was black with green stripes down the side.

 

“I don't like this one Harley; he makes me want to frown.” The Joker said at length to his companion, who still stood behind him.

 

The companion was Harley Quinn, and as she usually was she wore a skintight suit of red and black checkers, the hat of a court jester that was made in the same style; and her skin was just as white as her bosses; though it was only make-up for her and not the result of a chemical accident. She may not have the same appearance or reputation as the Clown Prince of Crime; but she was every last bit as insane and as her partner pressed the long revolver into Mammoth's head, she merely yawned. “There, there Mr. J; we don't need them all. Why don't you just shoot him?”

 

The Joker shook his head. “No, I'll be nice and let him answer the questions before I decide if I'm going to do that.”

 

Doug was watching all of this, and now the real gravity of his situation had sunk in. He wasn't a superhero, no matter how much he wished he was. And no amount of stuff was going to change that. And if he didn't start thinking like a scared kid instead of a wannabe hero, he was going to miss his chance to escape. Well, Doug Miller didn't want to die - that was for sure. So he took that chance. Hoping that the Joker and the Hive Kids would distract each other, he crawled forward in the seat as quickly and quietly as he dared. When none of them seemed to notice he slipped back into the drivers chair and put his finger on the X-shaped makeshift key that stood in the ignition.

 

Well, it was now or never. Doug's only chance to save his life. Gathering his last ounce of bravery, Doug turned that makeshift key and slammed his foot down hard on the gas. There was a screech of the tires and a roar of the engine and the T-Car jumped forward. Doug wasted no time in twisting the wheel and making a sharp turn.

 

As the car suddenly sprang into the life, the Hive Children were suddenly thrown into confusion. They had each been leaning on the car, and while Jinx and Gizmo had escaped unharmed, the still stunned Mammoth had fallen backwards and landed hard on the pavement. Now Jinx and Gizmo were at his side, trying to get him up; while Harley was trying to figure out what was happening. The Joker however was perfectly aware of it all. He didn't the cause; maybe because he was one of the most deadly criminals ever, or perhaps it was just a side-effect of being totally insane; but for some reason he'd focused directly on the T-car and was now aiming his revolver at it.

 

Back in the car Doug thought he'd made it. He was almost up the street and in the confusion behind him -- before that thought was ever finished, a gunshot rang out and the window to his left exploded into pieces. Doug screamed; all pride and “heroics” forgotten. A second shot whizzed by his ear and shattered the front window; which sent glass spraying everywhere. Doug crouched down and floored it even faster; speeding towards Titan's Tower and possible safety as fast as he could.

 

At the gas station the Joker was fuming with anger. This kid had just made a fool of him!? Not likely. “Get up Harley! You three idiots too! We're going to follow that kid and then we're going to kill him!”

It was not a request, and they all knew it. The Joker was already running back towards his own purple van, which was fully stocked and loaded with all his toys since he hadn't had a chance to commit any crimes since he and Harley had “released themselves” from prison. That of course was why they were here in Jump City, so far from their normal hunting grounds.

And really, what would you do? If you were the Joker and discovered that you're longtime arch-nemesis had left Gotham? He and Harley had followed Batman here, but had been slowed down along the way and arrived too late to catch his departure to Tamaran. When Doug had been busy escaping, Joker had been busy learning the location of Titan's Tower from the Hive Kids, and deciding that he'd check for the Bat there.

 

And now Doug Miller was speeding back to the tower, his confidence shattered, his skin cut by all the stray glass, and a van full of supervillians nipping at his heels.

And back at the Tower, Red X was still having his own fun; blissfully unaware of the hurricane that was about to hit him and the building he was in.

 

Because Doug Miller's adventure was almost over. Titan's Tower would be the place it ended, for better or for worse. And only one thing was for absolute certain.

 

The Titan's were not going to be happy when they got back.

 

---- ---- ---- ---- ----

 

Raven's eyes opened and as world around her came into a sleepy focus, her mind was clear and free of everything. Free from the constant nagging worry of the darkness lurking inside her, free of the fleeting moments of happiness that she had the tendency to cling too; and most importantly, free from memories of last night. However as it always did, this freedom came to and ending much too quickly as the post-sleep fog dispersed and it all returned in a wave.

 

Raven sat up in bed and yawned, leaning back on her shoulders. Her mind may be awake, but her body was not. And as she tilted her neck from side to side and worked out the kinks from sleeping in one spot the entire night, her brain began to replay her encounter with Beast Boy. She had told him they'd speak of the ordeal in the morning because she needed time to think; and now morning had come and she'd honestly not given the matter a single thought until now.

 

“Just great.” Her sarcastic voice cracked to herself as she floated out of her bed, wrapped herself in her indigo cloak and hood, and made her way over to the mirror on the wall. She had slept well, her slumber undisturbed by the usual nightmares or by the kiss she'd shared with Garfield Logan a few hours ago. Brushing a strand of her lavender-shaded hair behind her ear, Raven sighed and decided she'd give thought to the matters of Beast Boy and last night after breakfast.

 

However the second Raven opened her bedroom door she found herself, as she'd half-expected too, face to face with the short green titan and he was more than eager to chat from the looks of him. Beast Boy was literally bouncing up and down with some nervous excitement - actually he was like a small green Starfire.

 

“Please tell me you haven't been standing there all night.” Raven said at once.

“Raven, I really need to talk to you.” Beast Boy responded without a hitch.

 

“Yeah, we covered that last night; but can it wait until after Breakfast—”

 

“No!” Beast Boy shook his head. “I mean, no, this isn't about last night Raven. Remember those shoe-worms that Shady let on the ship?”

 

Raven's eyebrows rose a bit at this. Beast Boy was serious, not as serious as he'd been when he'd volunteered to die for her for last night - but close enough so that it caught Raven's full and undivided attention. “Hard to forget about a ten-foot pink snake; especially when one nearly sticks it's fang through your eye.” Raven replied, still sarcastic but obviously paying attention.

 

“I've been thinking about this a lot, and I don't think Shady let those worms in. I know, I know, he's a traitor and stuff, but why would he? I mean, if he's luring us into a trap on Tamaran; why would he kill us on the way their? Wouldn't that just make him look bad when he arrived with a ship full of dead bodies? And if he was going to kill us, why use those worms? How does he know they won't just decide to eat him too?”

 

Suddenly, to Raven's horror, she figured it all it out. The shoe-worms, Shady, Beast Boy's idea - when added up and analyzed it could only mean one thing. She made quick work to grab Beast Boy's hand and float the two of them down the hallways and into the kitchen as fast as she could - her eyes now darting around every shadowy corner of the ship for any sign of her new reality.

 

Once they burst into the kitchen they found, much to Raven's relief, the others were busy at breakfast. All of them stopped eating and turned their attention to her however, as was to be expected. She released Beast Boy's hand and stepped forward to make the horrific announcement. “We're not alone on this ship.”

 

“What do you mean?” Robin asked at once, now every bit as grave as serious as Raven. Everyone at the table was tensed up in their own usual routines, save Batman who had leaned back and looked rather calm about the entire thing - though from his eyes it was clear he was studying the two teens.

“It's the shoe-worms; I don't think Shady was the one who let them in.” Raven explained.

 

Robin quickly shook his head. “No, it had to be him Raven. We talked to Star's parents; they checked the ship for shoe-worms themselves just before they let Shady on. He's the only person who could have done it.”

Raven paused for a moment, in hesitation. She slowly turned back to Beast Boy, her mind racing for answers. She was still doubt free. Robin may make more sense; but she was right about this. She turned back to Robin and spoke in a grim voice. “That proves it then. We're not alone on this ship. Shady didn't let the worms on, and they weren't already here. And like you said, no one but Shady could have had access to the ship - unless they were already aboard. Robin, someone snuck onto this ship when it was still on Tamaran. I don't know how they got past the King and Queen; but someone did. Someone who wants all of us and Shady dead.”

 

“Wait a second.” Cyborg interrupted, waving his hands. “How do we know Shady didn't do it? I mean, he is the traitor, so why -”

It was Beast Boy who answered this one. “Because dude, he's a total coward. If he released those shoe-worms, they could have killed him too.”

 

There was a long pause after this. Everyone seemed to be thinking about it. Trying to decipher what this meant. Shady was undoubtedly guilty - however it was becoming clear that while he may want the Titan's dead, he didn't want them dead yet. Raven's theory about someone else on the ship seemed to be golden. Finally the silence was broken by Batman, who spoke in a voice almost as grim as the one Raven had used to announce this latest twist.

 

“Then the only question left is who did release them; and are they still here?”

 

“Oh that doesn't matter anymore mate.” A new voice had suddenly joined the fray - and new figure had suddenly appeared at the entrance to the kitchen. It was Shadarias himself this time, dressed the same as always; though his face was crestfallen and his eyes wore a strange emotion. It was a nameless thing, somewhere between pity and despair. The kind of emotion one finds in the eyes of a solider that'd been to war one too many times and wasn't planning on going again. “None of it matters; my treachery, you're knowledge of it, the Trails; all of it's mute.”

Robin was out of his seat in a flash, bo-staff extended and anger pumping through his face. The rest of the group followed right at his heels. “Shady, explain yourself; now!”

 

Shady grinned once again; this time the grin of a man who'd reached the end. “I just told you kiddo, its mute. I'm done. Don't you get that? It's over. Do you know how many people I've double-crossed? I've forgotten myself actually. There's the all of you, Starfire's parents, that bloody Slade back on Earth, Trigon the Terrible; and that's only the ones involved in this incident. So I'm done with it all.”

 

Robin was shaking, trying to steady his voice and control his anger at the same time. Shady had put him, his friends, and Starfire through hell on this trip - and now he had the nerve to think he could just end it? “And what? We're supposed to just sit back and let you walk away from all of this?”

 

Shady's face changed into a dark smile, as if he'd been hoping someone would ask him that. “I never said anything about walking away, mate. I was thinking more along the lines of setting off the bomb I had installed in the engine room and just blowing us all straight to hell; SOUNDS LIKE FUN, DON'T IT BUGGER!?” As his temper exploded Shady tore his arm out of the pocket of the trenchcoat he always wore to reveal a metallic cylinder clenched in his fist. At the top was the familiar red button that undoubtedly made it a detonator.

Everyone took a collective step backwards, and many held their breath in anticipation. Shady was serious about this, and they had to stop him. However it seemed everyone was frozen waiting for the other side to make the first move. In reality it all took a matter of seconds; but it seemed an eternity before Batman finally leapt forward, calling out Robin by name as he did so.

 

It was something the two of them had done before; many years ago in Gotham. The scenario was very different; but the outcome the same. Batman flashed a lightning quick hand over his belt and let a bat-a-rang fly from his wrist as hastily as possible. The bat-shaped, razor-sharp flying disc hurled through the air much too quickly for someone as far gone as the suicidal Shadarias to see or stop; and it did its job. Shady's wrist was neatly severed in two, and his oddly-colored hand and the detonator inside it fell away from the rest of him.

 

Around the same time that Shady began to scream and cradle the remaining portion of his hand, Robin had moved into place and collected caught the detonator before it could hit the ground and go off. Everything moved so fast that no one could have seen it all; but they were all aware of it. Robin stood up and turned to the others, breathing slightly heavy but holding the detonator up in triumph.

 

“That brings back memories.” Batman announced as he took in the situation, realized the danger had passed, and smirked to his former apprentice. Robin returned the grin weakly, although he wasn't quite as amused as Bruce. Then again Bruce's shirt wasn't covered in alien blood either.

 

“Yeah, you two reminisce, I'm gonna go check out this engine room bomb Shady mentioned.” Cyborg announced both in humor and in full serious swing. However before he could take a step; Raven blocked his path.

“Bad idea. You're the undisputed pro with our technology, but when it comes to Tamaran's you're still a rookie.” The goth told him with a perfectly straight face. Cyborg was annoyed by the brutal honesty - but it was just that. He nodded his head and returned his attention to the group.

“We can contact the King and Queen later.” Batman stated in his attention-grabbing voice; the same one he'd used at dinner and on the Communication Sphere before. “Right now let's keep our focus on him.”

 

All eyes that had been turned away from the floor now returned to it. And they all noticed the same changes. Shadarias was no long lying on the cold floor, crying and clinging to the bloody remains of his hand. Now the alien was sitting against the wall, and he no longer seemed bothered by the loss of his limb - which bothered everyone else.

“I wouldn't worry about the bomb in the engine room mate.” Shady announced as his grin spread onto his face. “You know me; I've always got a back up plan. And not all bombs need a detonator to blow. Ten, nine, eight --.”

 

Shadarias, still counting and grinning like the madman he truly was, flicked his brown trenchcoat open. Beneath the coat was a black belt fastened to his chest; and fixed to that was a cold, metallic timer that could only be a second bomb. A small black window and red digital numbers were counting down in sync with Shadarias; who had now reached “six, five, four --.”

 

There was no hesitation left; and no time for mistakes. Raven locked her eyes directly on the annoying alien and they flashed with the usual black lights as she shouted “Azarath Metreon Zinthos!” as loud as her lungs would let her. Black light engulfed her hands and confined Shady and his bomb inside a large bubble; and just in time too. The bomb had gone off and it was bigger than any of them had expected.

 

If someone had thought Shady was kidding about taking them all down, he hadn't been. The explosive was a powerful matter disrupter that completely destroyed any atoms it could touch; or in laymen's terms it turned everything into nothing in seconds flat. Raven wasn't aware of this fact; and she didn't care anyway. She was having enough of a time just trying to contain it; adding trying to figure out what it was to the mix would've just been cruel.

 

Finally however Raven was able to summon up the rest of her strength. The blast was diminishing and she used every ounce of energy she could afford to spend in the last push. The black bubble around the blast became smaller and smaller until finally the entire thing disappeared with a pop. Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief; and a moment later Raven's leg gave way and she fell backwards. Luckily for her Beast Boy had been behind her - and somehow he'd managed to pay attention to catch her.

 

Everyone from the Starfire, who'd been wide eyed and clutching onto Robin's shoulder the entire time; to Batman who'd been more frightened in the last few minutes than he had in years - was out of breath and they seemed to reach an unspoken agreement that words could wait a few minutes. Raven was the worst off of anyone and seemed to be struggling not only to catch her breathe, but to stay awake.

“So. . .” Beast Boy finally broke the silence after what seemed like an eternity. “What does this mean?”

 

“Nothing.” Robin replied at once, turning his eyes to the group which had now turned their eyes on him. “It means we know a little more about who Shady was working for; but in all honesty nothing has changed. We're still on our way to Tamaran and we still don't know if we're alone on the ship or not. Now isn't the time to lose our edge.”

 

“Robin?” Starfire asked her voice full of hopeful optimism. “Though I am horrified by his betrayal, and by his manner of ending of his life; I must ask, does Shady's death mean the trails are no longer a trap?”

 

Robin sighed. He knew the answer to that, but he didn't want to destroy the hope Starfire had built up. The Trails had meant so much to her throughout all of this, but with each passing moment and each new revelation it seemed like they only become more and more hazardous not only for the two lovers; but for their loved ones as well. “I don't know Starfire. But there's something else bothering me. When Shady was talking about all of his bosses . . .” Robin trailed off; but Raven, as tired as she was, picked up without missing a beat; though she made no attempt to leave Beast Boy's arms.

 

“He mentioned working for both Trigon and Slade; and flat out told us they're both involved in this somehow. Yeah, sucks don't it? Lose Shady, gain Slade and Trigon. We really scored on this deal.”

 

Raven's strength seemed to fade again and she let her head lean backwards into Beast Boy's chest. She'd already been irritated with her father for the most recent of his attempts to invade her mind; but now that she knew he was connected to Shady somehow it only furthered her aggravation towards him.

“This thing's out of control.” Robin sighed to himself, shaking his head and leaning into Starfire's shoulder. She made quick work to wrap him in a comforting and surprisingly gentle one-armed hug when he did so.

“It's not all bad news.” Batman announced. “With Shady gone I can attach my Batcave Uplink to his computer and access all of his information; which may provide some answers to our latest questions.”

“You sure you can hack the Tamaranian technology?” Cyborg asks, although what he was really asking was `Can I watch you hack the Tamaranian technology'.

“I could hack Lex Luthor's computer if I had the time.” Batman responded with a half-sarcastic, half-serious grin. “And I'd welcome the help.” He added as an afterthought, which caused Cyborg to grin a genuine smile at least.

 

“There's still someone else on board the ship; or at least there was.” Robin hated being the one to remind them of what they'd been discussing before Shady's suicide, but it seemed like he had too.

 

“Then let's just get this over with now.” Batman replied to his former apprentice. “We'll split up and search this ship from top to bottom in teams of three. Robin, Starfire and I can take the front; Raven, Beast Boy and Cyborg can handle the back. We'll be so methodical and so surgical that if there is anything on this craft besides us - shoe-worm or something worse - we'll find them. And after that I think we should all get some rest; I hate to remind you, but we're not even on Tamaran yet.”

 

They were all tired, drained physically and mentally. They'd just seen a strange alien kill himself and attempt to do the same to all of them. Raven was on the brink of passing out and would have much rather skipped the methodical search and gone straight to the rest. However they all knew wisdom when they heard it; and the idea of being able to rest until they reached Tamaran was too good to pass up.

 

So no one disagreed. The final search of the ship was about to begin.

 

This suited the assassin hiding on board just fine. He was getting tired of sneaking around anyway.

 

---- ---- ---- ---- ----

 

A/N: Well, that's it. Longest chapter yet; over 6000 words including title and notes. -yawns- Chapter seven's outline is already underway, I have access to the computer all day, and nothing better to do; so an update in the near future is a good possibility. As always reviews will make me smile, thank you for reading, and I'll see you soon.

 

- Brandon Rice