Ten Seconds: Reunion-Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Beast Boy searches through the Rx cooler in the Titans' infirmary. He slides several bottles of unmarked fluids aside, groaning as he struggles to locate the one he seeks. After a few moments of searching, he finds it. A small container, no bigger than a Tylenol bottle, filled with a neon green liquid. He holds the bottle in his hand and stares at it. After a few moments, he places it in a pouch on his belt.

"So I guess you plan on going all out..." He hears a voice comment. He carelessly looks over his shoulder to see his leader, unusually dressed in a black and grey variation of his costume.
"What, no cape...?" Beast Boy remarks.
"No. It would just slow me down... "
"Slow you down...?"
"The one that hurt Starfire will be there..."
"So what will you do when you find him?" Beast Boy asks.
Robin slings his utility belt over his shoulder and exits without responding. Beast Boy slams the cooler and follows after. Soon, they have met up with the rest of their team in the living room.

They look over at Cyborg who is loading up several small devices into his chest compartment. Geo-Force tugs at his newly developed Titan armor, courtesy of Cyborg. "It is small..." He complains.
"You're big..." He retorts.
"Geo-Force,Cy: You ready?" Robin asks. The two teens nod their heads. "Let's go, then..."
"Wait!" Terra shouts. "Why are you guys leaving me!? I can help!"
"We need someone to watch over the Tower and Starfire... You're the only one who can do that, Terra..." Robin explains.
"And you are still a valuable asset to Markovia... I cannot allow any harm to come to you... Stay here until we have smashed the resistance, and conquered all that lies before us... THEN WE SHALL RISE UP AND TAKE OUR RIGHTFUL PLACE AS RULERS OF THE-"
"Dude...!" Beast Boy interrupts. Geo-Force looks around to see the Titans all gawking at him.
"Sorry... Sorry... I got a little... Um... Yeah, so we should probably get going..."
"Terra..." Beast Boy looks into her eyes. "Please, just stay here... If we need backup, we'll call, ok?"
"......... Ok, Beast Boy..." She hesitantly agrees.

The boys set off, bent on having an all out war. Beast Boy tightens his fist as his mind is flooded with disturbing thoughts. He feels remorse and he's worried... But more than anything, he's angry. The fury he feels swelling up within him is unfamiliar. He knows it's unwise to go into battle with hatred in his heart, but he finds that he is unable to cleanse himself of these negative emotions.

Upon reaching the bottom floor of the tower, Cyborg opens a wrist compartment and a miniature screen deploys. He pushes a few buttons on the touch screen. Seconds later, the sound of a large vehicle's engine roars through the stillness of the garage. The same truck from a few hours ago pulls up.

"So, we are to just drive up to the enemy?" Geo-Force questions.
"Somethin' like that..." Cyborg smiles.
"THEY turned Raven's communicator back on meaning they WANT us to find them..." Robin adds.
"And we are just going to give them what they want!?" Geo-Force demands.
"Don't worry..." Beast Boy says as he places a hand on Geo-Force's shoulder. "We've got a plan..."

"Question is, can this... thing... hold up...?" Robin inquires as he investigates the multiple dents and holes that now adorn the tank of a car.
"She'll do just fine..." Cyborg smiles as he gets into the driver's seat.
"What is this thing anyway?" Beast Boy asks as he takes his seat behind Cyborg.
"I think I finally have a name: The T-1 Humvee..."
"Eh... Needs a little more flare..." Beast Boy says.
"That'll have to wait until later..." Robin interrupts.
The boys nod their heads in agreement as the humvee speeds off.

"Where are we headed?" Cyborg asks.
"South, by southeast 37." Robin opens up a holographic wrist com and taps in the coordinates. A large, crumbling building is shown.
"So that's it?" Beast Boy asks.
"I believe so. Says here it used to be a storehouse facility, but was abandoned a few years back. The workers claimed that it was haunted."
"Haunted? You're joking..." Beast Boy comments.
"I couldn't get much out of Starfire. She was far too injured for a long conversation, but she did tell me that the guys that abducted Raven had powers like hers."
"Wouldn't be hard for them to fake a haunting." Cyborg adds.

"So we have got a real fight on our hands..." Geo-Force states.
The brakes of the humvee screech as the lumbering vehicle comes to a stop. The four boys exit and stare stone-faced. They look on at the corroding building, knowing that it may well be their mausoleum.

"You guys ready...?" Cyborg asks.
Before anyone can answer, Geo-Force creates a stone battering ram and knocks the front doors clean off of their hinges. The dust around them swirls as the dim lights illuminating the warehouse sway.

"Well, that didn't take long..." A slightly sadistic voice comments. Before them stands a tall, tanned boy. He wears a silver-ish armored shirt and black jeans. His steel-toed combat boots shine even in the darkness. He raises his hands and the lights intensify.

"What's wrong with this picture?" Cyborg asks as he looks around the room.
It's clean. The walls are a brilliant white, without a single cobweb or crack. The polished linoleum floors sparkle as if they had just been waxed. This interior was definitely not what they had expected when looking at its horrible exterior.

"You like it?" The boy asks. "I knew we'd have some guests so I thought it'd be nice to tidy up the living room." He mocks.
"Stop joking around!" Beast Boy shouts. "WHERE'S RAVEN!?"
"Raven, Raven... Oh yeah! She's strapped down to a sacrificial alter on the bottom floor."
Beast Boy looks at him, confused at first. Then rage takes him over, changing him from his usual carefree self to a being of pure fury. "I'LL GUT YOU!" He shouts as he changes into a tiger and lashes out at the boy.

He leaps into the air and then begins to hoover several feet up. "I look forward to it..." He says with a smile.
"Why tell us where you're keeping her?" Robin asks.
"Simple, none of you will make it past me... So knowing doesn't really do you much good." A wicked smile forms on his lips.
"Wanna' bet!?" Cyborg yells as he changes his hand into cannon mode. He fires a blast at the boy, who again dodges.
"Man, you're bad at this! The orange girl from earlier had much better aim!"

Robin's eyebrow twitches. "Orange girl...?" He mutters. "Would you happen to be Jacob...?" He asks.
The boy drops from the ceiling and lands on his feet. "I'm touched. Am I REALLY that infamous, already?"
"I asked you a question..." Robin grunts.
Jacob glares at him in irritation, but shrugs it off. "Yep, that's me! I'm Jacob!"

"So you're the one who hurt Starfire..."
"The orange chick? She's still alive? Go figure..." He laughs.
"... Beast Boy... You and the others go on ahead..." Robin says as he begins to tighten his gloves and utility belt.
"What? You think you can take me alone?" Jacob sneers. "Please, I could handle you ALL by myse-"
A crimson, x-shaped blast slams into his face, forcing him to plummet to the ground. Jacob hacks and wheezes as he coughs it up. "IS THIS FOAM!?"

"High-density foam to be exact..." Robin says coldly.
"This woulda' suffocated a human being..." He says as he gasps for air.
"That's the point..." Robin says as he slowly approaches.
"Whatever! It's still not gonna' save you!" Jacob shouts as he lunges towards Robin. The boy wonder vanishes into thin air. Then re-materializes  under Jacob, delivering a powerful upward kick.

Jacob falls back, blood pouring from his mouth. As he crashes to the ground, a tooth flies from his mouth. "That-That would have broken a human's neck!" He yells through his hand cupped tightly over his mouth.

"Again, that is the point... You aren't human... So I don't need to hold back..."
"Robin..." Cyborg interrupts. "That isn't what I think it is... Right?"
"It's a modified version of Red X's power belt..."
"THAT'S A ZINOTHIUM CORE INSIDE OF THAT THING! If it goes nuclear-"
"It won't! I'll have buried this guy way before that would happen..." He says through clenched teeth.
"Dude..." Beast Boy can only manage to say.
"You guys need to get going... If you stay, I can't promise that I won't draw you into the cross fire..."

Beast Boy stares at his leader. He's never seen such hatred in his eyes before. He knows that this fight will be to the death. "Ok, Robin! Just don't lose!"
Robin gives him a thumbs up in response. Then returns his attention to the foe before him.
"Did you flash-kick me...?" Jacob asks, wiping the remainder of the blood away.
"I intend on doing much more than that..." Robin says as he turns the x-shaped dial. "Before this day is over, I will have slain you..."
Jacob looks on, not sure whether he should feel fear or amusement.

"And before then, I will be God!" Jacob shouts. He fires blasts of black energy at Robin, engulfing him in the dark flames. "That's it...?" He asks. "That's the best you could do!? PATHETIC!"

Jacob continues to gloat, but is cut short by the impact of a metal bo staff on the back of his skull. Robin stands over him, weapon drawn and anger unmatched.

"You should really take this seriously..." He says coldly.
"YOU AREN'T WORTHY!" Jacob shouts as he forms a hand of black energy and claws at Robin. "TOO CLOSE TO VANISH THIS TIME!" He shouts.

Robin carves through the energy hand, shattering it in the process. "Don't underestimate me..." He says as he slams his staff into Jacob's side.

The half-demon jettisons several away. He grasps his side as he growls at his foe. "Don't get cocky! You can't defeat me!"

"You must not have heard me earlier..."
"What...?"
"My goal isn't to defeat you..." He cuts his eyes at Jacob sending an unfamiliar chill up his spine. "It's to claim your life..."