Darkness had fallen on Jump City. Flashes of red and blue filled the street as news trucks and reporters came pouring in behind the police cars. This was a story the media did not want to miss. A sight they've never seen before. The Titans in handcuffs.
These weren't ordinary handcuffs either. They seemed to be electronic. They were just one solid piece with two crescent shapes where human wrists could fit perfectly. They appeared to be made of some kind of solid steel or a mixture of irons that could withstand something like an apocalypse. With just the push of a button the cuffs had a solid rod arc over each wrist turning the crescent shapes into full circles around their wrists. Once the rods locked in place forming an unbreakable seal, a light lit up on the devices with a red glow.
Each Titan had been isolated from each other. They were all leaning against at a different squad car at least 20 feet from any other team member.
Robin's utility belt had been removed from his waist leaving him with no weapons of any kind. His face was filled with rage. He felt he should've known this might be the end game of whoever was pulling the strings against them.
Cyborg had his hands bound in cuffs much larger than the average pair. They swallowed his forearms up to his elbows keeping him from using his cannons. After all... it's not like he could drop his weapons. They were part of his body. He had his head down deep in thought of where they went wrong and why this was happening.
Starfire had a pair of cuffs around her arms like Cyborg. These weren't the same as the ones the Gordanians used on her but very similar... almost stronger. She also held her head low with tears in her eyes. She felt like a prize once again.
Beastboy had a different kind of restraint on him. He had a collar around his neck and a pair of these electronic handcuffs around his wrists. He was told that if he tried to morph or run the collar would send 50,000 volts of electricity into his spine. His eyes showed no sign of life. Like he was completely broken inside. It seemed he lost all hope.
Raven had the same cuffs Beastboy and Robin did. She didn't seem to have any other form restraint on her though. It seemed as if they knew her power was to great to be contained and just hoped for her cooperation. But her eyes still hadn't left Beastboy. She was monitoring him closely. The energy coming off him was... different. It concerned her deeply.
As the police grathered a story from each Titan trying to piece a timeline together from the previous night of Terra's "abduction," they found that all their stories matched up perfectly. Each officer gave the information they recieved from each Titan to the detective in charge of the case. He was a tall and slender man wearing a dark blue collared shirt and long black khaki pants. He has his service pistol tucked into the back of his belt under his untucked shirt. His demeanor was professional and he looked like he'd seen one too many sleepless nights just like Robin.
With the Titans having perfectly matching stories this was going to be very hard for him to make a full and formal arrest on them. It was an ironclad alibi for the Titans. However, the detective was under orders and as much as he thought this was now a waste of time, he felt the need to press them on questions and decided to approach Robin.
"Hello Robin," he said as if greeting an old friend, "my name is Detective Smith. I'm the lead investigator of this case. I'd like to ask you some follow up questions," he sounded professional like he had done this many times before.
Robin looked up at him, made eye contact but then looked back down at the street where their most recent battle had taken place.
"Listen," the detective said sighing in frustration, "I appreciate the work you and your team do for this city, more than anyone. You make our lives here at the JCPD much easier," he paused and looked around. He saw the bank half destroyed and Dr. Light in cuffs in the back of a patrol car nearby. He understood that they were stopping him from robbing this bank and were grateful they succeeded, "but I have to take this seriously," he said looking back to Robin, "if no one holds you accountable to the same laws everyone else is, then what's to stop you from running wild?"
Robin looked up at the detective still ripe with fury, "if you really mean that... Then you already know none of this is true. We stop murderers and kidnappers. We aren't anything like them. Someone set us up."
Through Robin's mask the detective could see the passion and fire in his eye's. He knew Robin and the others were innocent. But orders were orders and if he wanted to keep his job he'd have no choice but to do this case by books like all the others.
The detective sighed and looked down before standing straight up and pulling out his notepad and pen, "what's your name and birthdate?"
Robin looked down at his feet and remained silent. He hadn't told anyone, not even his best friends that information. He wasn't about to tell some stranger.
"I don't wanna have to do this the hard way," the detective said sincerely, "so please... help me, help you. Just answer my questions."
Robin's face grew more aggravated. He was stuck. He didn't know how to handle this situation anymore. They both sat in silence for a long time before the detective finally spoke up once more.
"Alight," he said solemnly, "you leave me no choice," he motioned to two officers nearby and they walked over to where Robin and the detective stood, "remove his mask," he ordered the officers, "we will have to submit a headshot to dispatch for facial recognition."
Robin lifted his head and glared at the detective gritting his teeth. Everything he was and is was about to be spilled out in front of everyone. His face would be all over the news with all these reporters and cameras everywhere.
The officers were about to restrain Robin and remove his mask when they were halted by the screeching of tires coming to a stop behind the police cars. The passenger door was flung open as a ferocious scream echoed through the streets.
"STOP!" Terra was sprinting to Robin's defense but she was stopped by the officers before she got to the detective, "what do you think you're doing?!" Terra said as the officers held her back.
The detective looked at her confused. Who is this girl? He thought.
"These five have been accused of attempted murder and kidnapping," the detective said regaining his professionalism, "we're detaining them," he explained, "we need their stroy and we have to ID them and bring them in until there's more information we can work with."
Terra stepped back and shook off the police officers who stood in between her and Robin ready to detain her as well, "DO I LOOK DEAD OR KIDDNAPPED?!" She screamed at them. The officers faces went cold almost as if embarrassed, "they saved my life!"
It also dawned on the detective that this young girl in front of them was the Terra Kane. Her father, Carver, walked up behind her in support and decided to speak up as well.
"It's true," he said calmly, "my daughter wouldn't be here right now if it weren't for these brave young heroes."
The officers looked at each other as if they were saying I knew it and turned back to the detective for further instruction.
"Who are you?" The detective asked Carver trying to verbally confirm his suspicions.
"My name is Carver Kane," Carver responded putting a hand on Terra's shoulder before she burst out again, "this is my daughter Terra," he raised his voice looking back at the news cameras that were fixed on Robin and the officers, "and as much as the media would have you believe..." He made sure he was loud enough that they could hear him and turned back to the detective, "my daughter was never kidnapped, the truth of the matter is... she is their friend and went to see them of her own free will."
Terra looked up at her father with a glimmer in her eyes. She had never been more proud to call this man her family. She looked back at the detective following her fathers example, "they are innocent," she said calmly, "in fact..." she paused looking back to her father. He looked down at her and knew exactly what she was about to say and his eyes pleaded that she didn't. But Terra felt she had no choice at this point and she sent him a silent apology before looking back at the detective, "in fact, if you're going to arrest anyone... it should be me."
The officers and news crews all started murmuring to each other wondering what she meant.
The Titans eyes all went wide. They knew now Terra wasn't the cause for all of this. She was risking her freedom to save theirs. A similar sacrifice she's made once already.
Beastboy's face reanimated with life as he watched Terra in a trance. He couldn't believe what he just heard and he hated himself for thinking that he had been betrayed again by this girl. He starred at her in awe as if his ears just heard something he never thought he'd hear.
Even Raven's face filled with remorse. She might not have liked Terra but Terra really was a good person and she was defending them as best she could at the moment. Raven lowered her head as she filled with sadness.
Terra looked at the others and she knew what she had to do she walked to the center of the street where all the Titans now surrounded her in their restraints. She turned to the camera crews and began shouting.
"Hey!" She shouted gaining their full attention, "why don't you get this on camera?!" All the news crews fixed on her and waited for what came next. They weren't about to miss the story of a lifetime.
Terra took a deep breath and looked up at them with fierce look, "my name is Terra. I was the apprentice to this city's most notorious criminal... Slade," the news crews and officers all let out a silent gasp as they began to converse amongst themselves, "I helped him bring this city to its knees and I tried to destroy the heroes you see around me," she motioned her hand to the Titans and lowered her head before looking back up and continuing, "but even after all that... those same heroes... the heroes you think are evil... saved me and this city from a tyrant!" She raised her voice showing how serious she was, "they never tried to kill me! And they never tried to kidnap me! They aren't the monsters you should fear... I AM! So if you want to arrest anyone... ARREST ME!"
The air fell silent around them. She was serious. She was willing to take their place behind bars. All the Titans had their eyes wide and mouths agape. They couldn't believe this girl was willing to endure more suffering just to keep them from ending up behind bars.
"Terra..." Beastboy said as his voice began to tremble.
She turned to Beastboy with a small smile and sadness in her eyes, "I'm sorry Beastboy... for everything," she sounded just like she did in her dreams but this time, she was in control of the words she said, "but let me make it up to you... right now."
Raven's heart sank. She may have believed Terra didn't deserve Beastboy but after hearing what Terra just said and seeing what she just saw... it changed everything. Terra had done the impossible. She earned Ravens forgiveness. Raven's eyes began to water over as she watched Terra continued to fight for their freedom.
Terra turned to the detective and started walking towards him putting her left hand out as if asking for handcuffs, "I'm turning myself in-"
Before she could finish, a loud thud shook the ground as a creature with a familiar mechanical face appeared out of no where from the sky, landing hard behind her. Terra whipped around, eyes wide in horror looking up at this creatures face. Its haunting red glow starred right back at her and just as Terra was about to run it picked her up off her feet, throwing her over its shoulder like a rag doll. It quickly looked around and jumped to the nearest building and began climbing to the top.
"No!" Carver screamed in panic running past the police trying to get to her but the detective grabbed him knowing there was nothing he could do except get himself hurt.
"TERRA!" Beastboy yelled desperately. He tried to change into something that could chase after her but the collar he wore sent 50,000 volts down his spine preventing his change and dropping him to his knees.
The police open fire on the creature. Their bullets stuck the building all around it sending little bits of smoke and debris flying all around Terra and the creature that carried her.
"CEASE FIRE! YOU COULD HIT THE GIRL YOU IDIOTS!" The detective screamed while holding back Carver.
All the firing stopped and the officers watched helplessly as this thing reached the top of the building carrying off a small girl.
"Let us go!" Robin yelled to the detective holding out his cuffs, "a real kidnapping is happening right in front of you! We have to save her!"
The detective hesitated for a moment. He looked from Titan to Titan seeing their faces filled with desperation as they stared back at him. They needed to save her. They couldn't stand by as she was taken away to her death or worse. He looked down closing his eyes knowing he would most likely lose his job for what he was about to do next. He reached to his side and pressed a button on a small remote he had connected to his belt. All the restraint's glowing red lights went out and the rods went flying open causing the cuffs to fall to the ground including Starfire, Cyborg, and Beastboy's, specially made restraints.
"TITANS GO!" Robin yelled with all his might.
All the Titans sprung into action with a burning passion to save their friend. Starfire and Raven began flying after it as fast as they could. Cyborg and Beastboy got into the T-Car and the cars booster jet blasted off sending the car flying over the barricade of police cars and news trucks before landing in the street and taking a hard right on the next street in pirsuit of the creature jumping from building to building. Robin sprint over to the R-Cycle that lay on the ground where it had come crashing down.
"Robin!" Detective Smith called out. Robin turned to face him, "you might need this!" He threw Robin's utility belt to him, stocked with all his gadgets.
"Please!" Carver yelled as Robin whipped his belt around his waist, "bring her back to me," His face was littered with tears. As a father... he felt he failed to protect his little girl.
"We'll bring her back," Robin said softly with confidence, "I promise."
Robin picked his bike up off the ground and the engine roared to life as he took off with intense speed dodging in between the small gaps of the barricade that the many police cars made.
Starfire and Raven kept a visual on the creature but it was just as fast as the last one and kept a fair distance away from them. It leapt from building to building as if not even trying and once it reached the outskirts of the city it jumped off the last building, disappearing into the trees of the neighboring forest Beastboy had just been in.
The T-Car came to a screeching halt as they approached the trees. Beastboy jumped out of passenger seat and changed into a cheetah. The fastest land animal he could think of and started sprinting full speed.
"Go BB!" Cyborg said encouraging his friend, "we're right behind you!" His voice sounded fierce with determination.
The passenger door shut and Cyborg floored the gas pedal trying to get around the forest keeping a close eye on where Beastboy's communicator was headed. Robin pulled up next to Cyborg and they sped together trying to figure out a way to follow their friends.
Raven and Starfire flew over the forest trying maintain their visual on the creature, and now Beastboy, through the thick of the branches. they had no idea where this thing was headed until they saw a clearing in the distance. The only building they could see for miles and it looked like an old run down factory.
The creature was still running full speed as it reached the facility. It jumped through a broken window on the second floor vanishing into the darkness.
Beastboy slowed to a stop and returned to his normal form as Raven and Starfire landed behind him. Something about this felt familiar. An ominous feeling of dread washed over them as they stared at the abandoned building.
Cyborg and Robin came speeding in on the only road that led to this building through the trees and they all regrouped in front of what seemed to be the main entrance that was boarded up with 2x4s and planks of wood. Robin moved to the front of the team and took a long look at this building knowing fully well they were about to walk into a trap.
The team looked at Robin eagerly waiting for instructions. They also knew they were walking straight into their enemy's plan. But they didn't care. They were going to save the former Titan if it meant risking their lives.
"We're not leaving here without her," Robin said to the team angrily. He turned to face them with a look of determination the Titans had never seen before, "stay together and be prepared for anything. If there's another one of these things there could be more," he turned back to face the building and the team started to break a sweat not knowing what they were about to face.
Inside the darkness of the building a TV screen lit up a single room where a hooded figure sat in front of it watching the news from the scene where the Titans had battled Dr. Light.
In a bizarre turn of events the Titans appear to be innocent as the alledged kindnapped young girl was claiming the Titans actually saved her life. She was taken hostage by an unknown source earlier this evening. The Titans are currently in action to retrieve the missing girl. We will bring you more details as the story develops.
The hooded figure turned off the screen and stood up walking to a window of the 3rd story of the factory with his hands crossed behind his back.
Melissa stood behind him. She wanted to know what they were going to do now seeing as how the city has been exposed to the lies she built, "that was unexpected," she said trying to get him to speak.
"Yes. Most unfortunate," he respond in a dark monotone voice, "it appears we have to accelerate our plans. But first... let's give our guests a warm welcome," he stared down out the window towards the entrance of the building where the Titans stood ready to go in for a fight.