The Wicked One

Chapter Seventeen | Lift-Off

Robin's motorcycle tore through the streets of Jump city, speedily interweaving between all of the car's and frightened people. The driver's masked eyes constantly switched from his surroundings to the radar that was integrated with his bike. He gripped the handle bars even tighter as he continued the search.

It had been almost two weeks since Beastboy had gone missing, and almost a week since Jinx and Kid Flash vanished. After several heated arguments, he finally allowed Cyborg to call in Titan's East for assistance in the search, though it would still be several more days before they would arrive, and Robin couldn't help but feel that they were already too late. Not that he would dare voicing his beliefs to the rest of his team.

Cyborg already wouldn't talk to him anymore unless they were arguing. Robin let it slide simply because he knew his friend was more angry with himself then he was at his leader. More than once Robin had accused Cyborg of being the one who let Beastboy get taken away, only to regret it an instant later. The girls were taking it all slightly better besides the fact that Raven spent almost every day locked up in her room now and Starfire's smiles came a lot less frequently with next to no brightness to them.

As Robin continued to search, he forced himself to push back his own worries. He had to get Beastboy back, not just for himself, but for the rest of his family.

"Starfire, any sign of Beastboy and the others?" Robin asked, slowing down slightly so he could pull out his communicator.

"I fear not, Robin. I have searched the entirety of the city and there is no sign of friend Beastboy, Jinx, or Kid Flash," Starfire immediately replied, and Robin couldn't help but note the tone of panic in the back of her voice.

"Can you check with Cyborg and see if Raven has come out of her room yet?"

"I had just done so moments before you called. Cyborg says that Raven will not even answer when he knocks on her door or calls her. Oh, Robin! What if Raven has been stolen from us as well?!"

"Raven hasn't been stolen, Starfire," Robin quickly assured, gritting his teeth at the sound of his girlfriend's distress. "She just isn't handling this very well..."

"I fear I am not handling this very well either," Starfire replied solemnly.

"I know, Starfire. I don't think I am either."

"Robin. Starfire." Cyborg cut in, his face replacing Starfire's on Robin's communicator, his expression matched his voice. Full of seriousness and concern. "I need you both to come back to the tower. Beastboy, Jinx, and Kid Flash are here, and they brought friends."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Robin retorted, the relieved feeling vanishing almost immediately as Cyborg's face remained cold.

"Just hurry back."

Cyborg's face then vanished, revealing a very troubled looking Starfire.

"Robin..."

"I'll see you there, Starfire," Robin replied before shutting off his communicator.

...

Robin and Starfire reached their beloved island in a matter of minutes, mostly spurred on by the Tameranian's joyfulness masked over by anticipation. Even before they landed, they could see the small group of people standing before the Titan's Tower while Cyborg stood right outside the entrance, facing them.

"Land us right behind them," Robin said to Starfire. His girlfriend only nodded in response, her emerald eyes focused on the small group.

"They have Beastboy and our friends..." she breathed, panic at the edge of her voice.