Titans West

Donald Williams whirled around as the front doors of the bank exploded. He scowled as he saw three people in gaudy costumes entering, accompanied by a giant ape. First he was in there for a failed robbery by the Weather Wizard*, and now this.

(*Weather Wizard botched the holdup in #1 - db)

He started forward as a woman in green raised her hand and pointed at him. Donald Williams dropped screaming to the ground as the ground collapsed beneath him, dropping him into a bottomless chasm. The ground really hadn't broken up, however. Donald Williams was acrophobic - afraid of heights - a fact easily discovered by Phobia of the Brotherhood of Evil.

Warp strode forward, his golden armor glinting from the bank's lights. "The item is in there, mes amis," he said, pointing at the vault after consulting a small handheld device. The ape known as Monsieur Mallah nodded. "Remember ze plan. Plasmus?"

The pink human-shaped blob of protoplasm called Plasmus strode forward, leaving smoldering footprints on the bank's carpet. "Dis is no problem," he said, pressing his body against the vault door. The door immediately began glowing red and began to melt.

Phobia smiled thinly. "This is almost too easy," she said. "All we have to do is retrieve that one safe deposit box."

"Oui," Mallah said, "and zese two-legged sheep should present no problem." He swept his large machine gun back and forth in front of the cowering customers.

"Did somebody say sheep?" Mallah whirled around as a green sheep dropped from the ceiling onto Warp, knocking him to the ground. Mallah let out a growl and opened fire at the sheep, which promptly disappeared.

"That was the Changeling!" Phobia exclaimed. "He used to be one of the Titans!"

"Hurry, Plasmus!" Mallah yelled, as Warp slowly regained his feet. "Titans are coming!"

Plasmus didn't even respond as he continued pressing his way through the steel door.

Outside, a green flea landed beside a yellow boot. It flashed into Changeling, who stood in front of the assembled Titans West.

"Here's the situation," Changeling said. "Plasmus, Warp, Phobia and Mallah are in there. Leonid and Cody, you two are the only ones I want near Plasmus. He'll ignite anyone else. Bette, I think that you can distract Phobia. Don't look into her eyes, though. Terra, you shouldn't have any problem with Warp. I'll take care of Mallah. Karen, I want you to stay in reserve and keep an eye out if they try to get away. Jason, you're too new to take on the Brotherhood. Stay back here and help Karen. Let's go!"

Inside the bank, Phobia's head whipped around as the Titans smashed through the front window. "They're here!" she yelled as she fired her powers at them.

"Hurry, Plasmus!" Mallah ordered as he slapped a new clip into his rifle.

"Now, now, put that thing away!" a green ape chided as he grabbed the rifle out of Mallah's hands. "You'll hurt somebody."

With a roar, Mallah charged.

Warp glanced nervously around at Plasmus, who had almost finished melting through the door. He smiled as he saw Plasmus step back, leaving a hole through it. Then he got a face full of flying earth. As he sputtered to clear his throat of the dust, he saw Terra flying towards him on a large earth platform.

"Eat this, bozo!" Terra yelled as she readied to throw another earth projectile at him.

Warp's eyes widened and he quickly created a portal. "Au revoir, mademoiselle," he said. Terra let out a cry as she flew directly into it and disappeared.

"Hey, Phobia!" Flamebird exclaimed as she ran toward the Brotherhood member. "Check this out!"

"No, child," Phobia replied. "Try this!"

Before Flamebird could react, she looked into Phobia's icy green eyes. Instantly she was kneeling in the center of a dark room. Everywhere she looked, people's back were to her, walking away from her. Even Robin and Nightwing were leaving her. And beside them were Gar and the team. "Don't leave me alone!" Bette cried out as she collapsed.

"All too easy," Phobia said, smirking. She turned and walked toward the vault where Plasmus had stepped away and was facing Risk and Red Star. Moving stealthily, she stole into the vault.

"Vell now," Plasmus said as the two Titans circled him. "Who vants to die first?"

"Don't let me keep you waiting!" Risk said as he ran forward. His fists slammed into Plasmus's body, not connecting with anything. Red Star kept an eye on Risk as he slowly dragged shivering customers away from the pink blob of Plasmus.

"Now you burn, foolish child!" Plasmus said.

Ignoring the fact that his gloves were slowly igniting, Risk kept pounding. "Doesn't bother me!" he yelled. "You'll find I'm pretty tough!"

"Vell, now," Plasmus said. He stepped forward and engulfed Risk.

"Risk!" Red Star exclaimed as he laid a crying woman down.

"Let us see how tough you are ven you cannot breathe!" Plasmus started to laugh as Risk's fists tried to fight clear of his body.

"Release him, you maniac!" Red Star ordered as he ran forward. He grabbed Risk's arm and tried to pull him free.

Outside, Jason and Karen sat on top of a building across the street from the bank. "Why can't I go in there?" he asked. "I'm Golden Eagle! I can help!"

Karen rested her hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry about it," she said. "Gar's right. You haven't had a lot of practice with those wings. It takes time to get ready to do this. It doesn't just fall into your lap." She looked up as she heard screaming. Karen saw a familiar light portal fading and Terra dropping fast.

"Terra!" Karen exclaimed. "Come on!" Bumblebee shot up as Golden Eagle got to his feet. She grabbed Terra, but still felt herself falling. "Jason, hurry!" Karen looked frantically for Jason. "I can't hold her!"

Inside the vault, Phobia hurriedly scanned the safe deposit boxes. She smiled as she found the one they were looking for. She quickly produced two keys and opened the door, then grabbed the box. She ran outside to Warp. "I've got it!" she told him.

Warp produced a portal. "Let's go, mes amis!" he shouted. Phobia dove into the portal, clutching the box. Mallah swatted Gar aside and followed.

Plasmus smiled a grotesque smile. "Ve shall haff to play again later," he said, disgorging Risk, who fell to the ground gasping for air. He lumbered into the portal as Red Star rushed to Risk's aid. Warp followed Plasmus and the portal closed as Red Star quickly patted out small flames on Risk's costume.

Golden Eagle swooped up and grabbed Terra's other arm. "Don't worry about it. I'm here," he said, smiling a smile that was too familiar. Gently, he and Bumblebee laid Terra down on the roof where they had been conducting surveillance.

Terra's eyes fluttered open. "What happened?" Bumblebee asked.

"Brotherhood..." Terra rubbed her head. "Man. That Warp's portals really take it out of you."

"Come on!" Bumblebee yelled. "We've got to get in there and help them!" Jason jumped to his feet and the two flew down to the street level.

They stepped into the bank and saw Gar, back in human form, kneeling down and holding a still-trembling Flamebird. Red Star was helping an unsteady Risk to his feet. "What happened?" Bumblebee asked.

"The Brotherhood just took us apart and got away with whatever they were after," Gar said. Bette nodded that she was okay and stood.

"What do we do now?" Jason asked.

"We help these people until the ambulances arrive. Then we head back to HQ and try to figure out what's going on." Gar knelt down by a woman who was still shaking. Outside, ambulance sirens could be heard drawing closer. "It looks like Phobia used her powers on these people. We need to make sure they're okay."

Back at Titans HQ, Mal was seated in front of the computer when an alarm started sounding, showing an intruder. He jumped up, grabbing an experimental stunner pistol on loan from S.T.A.R. and ran down the corridors, stopping in front of Terra's door. He sniffed and smelled smoke. He quickly threw the door open and saw that the room was empty. Mal stepped over a small pile of dirt and confirmed that the window was still secure. He reached over and shut the alarm off, while shaking his head. "Man, I just fixed that stupid thing," he muttered as he closed the door and returned to the monitor room.

When Mal reentered the room, a mask-like face was on the monitor. He sat down as it spoke. Hello, it said. My name is Oracle. I serve as a sort of data central. I came across some information about the robbery a few minutes ago that may help you out. The safety-deposit box that the Brotherhood stole was rented to a Don E. Yates from Vermont. I've not been able to find any more information about what may have been in that box or its owner yet, but I'm still working on it. Feel free to contact me if you need assistance. Mal quickly copied down the information as the Oracle recited it. Good luck. The face faded away, leaving behind the regular monitor screen. Mal had jotted down the Yates name and was staring at it when he saw movement on a screen. Looking up, he saw the team was back and heading for the conference room. He jumped to his feet and started down the hall as well.

After the meeting, Karen Duncan stretched out on the bed in the room that she shared with Mal. Feels good to get out of that costume, she thought. She looked up as the door opened. Mal sat down on the bed beside her. "How're you doing?" he asked.

Karen smiled. "I'm fine," she replied. "I was watching the perimeter and keeping Jason out of trouble. We didn't even get in there before the Brotherhood was gone." Mal nodded. "I wish I could've been there to help."

"I know," Karen said, patting his arm. "You know, I think you loved being the Herald more than I ever did being Bumblebee. To me, it's just like a job. I don't really mind it, but you... I don't think you'll be happy until you're suited up again."

Mal smiled. "Maybe someday." He leaned over to kiss his wife on the forehead and looked up as an incessant beeping started.

Karen grimaced. "Great. That's me. I wonder what they've messed up now down at the lab." She picked up her beeper and read the display. Her eyes widened and she ran out of the room.

Gar Logan was scanning through the database in his room when Karen burst in. "Gar! My office just beeped me! The Brotherhood's there!"

Gar jumped to his feet. "Get the others!"

Phobia smiled as she looked around at the cowering S.T.A.R. lab workers. "Just one more component," she said.

"Oui," Mallah replied. "Ze device ees een a storeroom down zis hall. We shall retrieve eet and return to ze Brain." Mallah suddenly staggered as Bumblebee's energy stings slammed into him.

"Ze Titans!" Warp exclaimed as the team attacked.

"Let's dance again, Pinky," Risk said as he dove at Plasmus. Plasmus smiled.

"Dese young ones…so eager to die. Do not let me disappoint you!" Risk jumped backward as the pink tendrils extended again and grabbed Red Star, who calmly placed his hands inside Plasmus's mass.

"Starfire once told me of how she overloaded you. Let me show you what I can do!" Red Star said as he ignited his nova flames on his hands.

"Fool! I absorb energy! You are only making me stronger!"

"Let's see how strong you are, Mr. Stay-Puft!" Risk said, ripping a live power cable from the wall and sticking it into Plasmus's hide. As the electricity raced through him and combined with Red Star's flame, Plasmus screamed. A moment later, he exploded, coating Red Star and Risk in viscous pink goo.

Phobia ran down the hall into the storeroom, followed by Warp. "Hurry!" she barked. "Plasmus is down and Mallah can't keep them occupied for long." The two frantically searched for their item.

In the hall, Mallah sprayed the team with machine gun fire. He only stopped when a large earth column rose up from beneath him and slammed him into the ceiling. Golden Eagle swooped in and grabbed the flying rifle, getting it out of Mallah's reach. Gar, who'd shifted into a green ape, smiled and punched the other ape as hard as he could. Mallah went flying.

"Hurry!" Warp yelled nervously as he wiped sweat from his forehead. "We don't have long left!"

"Found it!" Phobia exclaimed. As her fingers closed around the box, the door exploded inward under the force of Mallah's body.

"Watch out for flying monkeys!" Flamebird yelled as she vaulted over Mallah. "Now, I owe you this, tall, pale and creepy!" She ignited her flash directly in front of Phobia.

"My eyes!" Phobia screamed. "I can't see!" She doubled over, covering her eyes as the box hit the floor.

A nervous Warp had had enough. He snatched up the box in one arm. "We have to get out of here," he said as he grabbed Phobia. A portal of light appeared before them. "Another time, Titans!" Warp and Phobia hurried through and the portal disappeared.

Flamebird smiled as she pulled a promethium cable from her belt and bound Mallah's hands together. Gar soon appeared in the doorway. "Everything okay in here?"

Flamebird nodded. "Phobia and Warp got away, but I did get this." She held up a small piece of metal. "It fell out of a box they were after."

In another location, Warp stepped out of the portal, with Phobia under one arm and the box in his other hand. Before them sat the silver metal form of the Brain.

"Deed you get it?" the Brain asked. Warp nodded and started to open the box before the Brain.

"Oui. Unfortunately, Monsieur Mallah and Plasmus were captured," Warp reported.

"Zat does not matter as long as zis device is in our possession," the Brain replied as Warp finished opening the box. He looked inside and felt all the color drain from his face. He then showed the Brain the inside of the box, now filled with metal shards. The Brain's rage was palpable as he turned and slowly rolled away.

And yet, the Brain himself, a man's brain placed inside a robot body, could only helplessly think one thing over and over again which would not make it to the voice speakers. "Help me. Help me. Help me."

Gar held out a hand and helped Flamebird over the fallen ape. In the hall, STAR technicians were already using wet/dry vacuums to collect the pieces of Plasmus. Risk was fidgeting as two techs cleaned the villain off of Red Star and himself.

"Gross!" Bette said, sticking out her tongue slightly. "Is he dead?"

"I don't think so," Bumblebee said. "Apparently they only stunned him. I've already noticed pieces pulling back together. We've got techs collecting all of him. We'll put him inside a sealed room and that should hold him. We've got another room that should do nicely for Mallah, as well."

"I just wish that Phobia and Warp hadn't gotten away," Gar said.

"I'll get started looking into what they got. Maybe that will give us a clue," Bumblebee said.

"Don't worry," Flamebird said. "I've got a piece of their doohickey, so it probably won't even work."

"Can I see that?" Flamebird handed Bumblebee the piece of metal.

"What is it?" Flamebird asked after a moment.

"If this is any sign, it's extremely broken," Bumblebee replied. "Looks like the good guys win again."

"Great! Can we go now? I could really stand a shower," a nearly Plasmus-free Risk said, still trying to get away from the vacuuming techs as his hair was being sucked into one nozzle. Red Star, already finished, stood off to the side and chuckled.

"Why not?" Gar asked. "Let's go. I think we'll catch up with those two another day." He smiled and led the team out, followed by Risk as he finally escaped the technicians.

Next Issue: What was the Brotherhood really up to? We'll find out soon enough! In the meantime, be here next time, as the Titans West has to face off against the Diabolical Dr. Light! And meet his deadliest foe - Dr. Light?

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