Titans West

"The Big Date"

Starring Terra and the Changeling

Gar Logan walked into the main lounge area of Titans West headquarters and found Tara Markov sitting there, staring at the television. "Hey, Tara," he said. "How are you doing?"

Tara looked at him. "How do you think I'm doing? I just had an evil personality of mine break loose and try to kill us all!"

Gar thought a moment. "You know, tonight's Mal's big reopening party at the Blue Note. I've been invited and could use a date. Interested?"

"Sure," Tara said, standing. "Just so long as the other Terra doesn't break out of my head and kill everybody." Gar watched as she walked down the hall and into her room.

In the monitor room, Mal Duncan was running some final checks on the newly rebuilt computer system when Gar entered. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for the party?" Gar asked.

Mal shook his head. "Nah. My manager's getting everything set and I know that I'd just get in the way. I've been putting this new system through its paces."

Gar leaned in. "What're you doing to it?"

Mal smiled. "Checking our email. We've gotten over twenty-six thousand since it got taken out."

"We get that much email?" Gar asked.

"Nope. Just don't have the mail filters online yet. Here we go." Mal flipped a switch and the number of messages on the screen dropped dramatically. "Let's see... we now have 2 messages. One's the invitation to the party my manager at the club sent out, and the other's from Oracle."

"Let's see Oracle's," Gar said. Mal pushed a button and the familiar mask of Oracle appeared in the room.

Hello, Titans, Oracle said. I just heard about your defeat of Terra and wanted to congratulate you. I'm glad to hear that everyone made it out okay. Mal gently touched his temple where a bandage still covered the wound he'd received during the battle. Give Terra my best wishes. Oracle out. The mask faded.

"What's she mean okay?" Mal asked. "I've got a serious boo-boo here!"

Gar grinned. "Hey, it improves your looks!" Gar changed into a rabbit and hopped out of the room as Mal playfully took a swing at him. "It's good to have everything getting back to normal," he thought.

Outside, a young man in a black leather jacket studied a newspaper photo of the team. Everyone's pictures except for Risk, Golden Eagle and Terra were circled. "This is perfect!" he whispered. "Much better than the others! Absolutely perfect!" Smiling, he walked down the street to a waiting taxi and drove away.

At 6:45 that night, Gar inspected himself in the mirror. He was dressed nicely, but not in a suit. He flicked an imaginary piece of lint off his shirt and walked out. He knocked on Tara's door. She opened it and was dressed in an attractive blouse and a skirt with a purse over her shoulder. "What's wrong?" Tara asked when she saw the look on Gar's face.

"Nothing," he replied. "I've just never seen you in a skirt before."

Tara smirked as she took Gar's offered arm. "So how are we getting down there?"

"Just one of the perks of being a member of the Questcorp board of directors. Private limo." Tara's eyes widened in surprise at this revelation.

On a roof across the street from the restaurant, a ball of light appeared and discharged the two remaining unimprisoned members of the Brotherhood of Evil. Phobia lifted a pair of binoculars and looked down at the crowd. "I don't see him yet," she said.

Warp was pacing back and forth. "I don't like zis," he said. "Ze Brain orders us to retrieve a device. While we're recovering it from S.T.A.R. Labs, ze Titans break it. Now he tells us to kill zeir leader?"

A thin smile crossed Phobia's lips. "I don't understand it either," she said. "However, I have learned something about the Brain while we've been working for him. He always has a plan. And if killing Gar Logan is part of that plan, it will be done."

"But it doesn't make any sense!" Warp thought a moment. "I've never seen ze Brain so distracted. It seems like he is grasping at straws!"

Phobia finally lowered the binoculars and looked straight at Warp. "If he is mildly distracted, that must mean that this plan is the largest ever. I know that there will be a large reward if it succeeds."

"But at what cost?" Warp persisted. "Plasmus and Monsieur Mallah are already imprisoned! And ze Brain has ordered us not to retrieve zem!"

"All that tells me is that those two lost their share of the rewards of success," Phobia said. She purposefully raised the binoculars and resumed scanning the crowd.

Below, Gar and Tara had just entered the restaurant. A beaming Mal stepped forward, Karen at his side. "Hey, guys," he said, clasping their hands. "I'm glad you're here. I've got somebody I've been wanting you to meet." Mal waved a man with a woman and a baby over.

"Gar, this is Jack Knight. He's the one who's been painting the portraits in the HQ." Gar and Jack shook hands. "Jack, these are Gar Logan and Tara Markov. Changeling and Terra."

"Jack Knight?" Gar asked as Jack shook hands with Tara. "Aren't you-"

"Not any more," Jack said, smiling. "Now I'm just a husband and a dad. And a painter."

Gar nodded. "I do want to let you know that the paintings look great. They remind me a lot of the ones in the old Tower."

Jack smiled wider. "Thanks. I was afraid I'd be a little rusty, but I really enjoyed doing them." He saw the woman waving him over as a busboy stood beside her. "Looks like I've got to go. Good to see you guys." Jack shook their hands again and walked away to rejoin his family.

"Who was that, Gar?" Tara asked. "You acted like you knew him."

"Just somebody I met a time or two," Gar replied. "And somebody I'm glad to see doing okay."

Mal turned back to them and said, "We've reserved a great table for you. Jake'll show you the way." A young man in a waiter's jacket stepped forward and ushered them away. Mal turned to the annoyed Karen.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"You know," she said.

"Are you still mad about that?" Mal asked. "I said I was sorry! Besides, our anniversary's not over yet. Now come on. The owner gets the best table in the house, and he gets to share it with the most beautiful lady in the place."

Karen rolled her eyes as she took Mal's elbow. "You know, flattery will get you everywhere," she said.

"That's what I'm hoping for," Mal replied with a grin. Together, they walked into the crowded restaurant.

Phobia smiled. "Is he in there?" Warp asked.

"Oh, yes," she replied. "Let's wait a little while and then we'll take care of him."

"What are you talking about?" Warp asked.

"Everyone deserves a last meal," Phobia replied.

A short while later, Gar and Tara sat back and enjoyed a jazz set as the busboy cleared their dishes. Tara looked over at Gar and smiled. "Thanks for bringing me," she murmured. "I'm really enjoying myself."

Before Gar could reply, a ball of light appeared beneath his chair, causing him to drop into it.

He landed on the roof in front of Phobia and Warp. "I wondered when you were going to pop up again," Gar said as he rolled up his shirtsleeves. "Looks like I'll have to take you down myself!"

"I think not," Phobia said. "I have a message from the Brain. He says you are to die!" Before Gar realized what was happening, his eyes had met Phobia's.

Gar suddenly realized that he was fastened to a wall. Before him, he saw a gray version of himself! The gray Gar turned and smiled an evil smile. "Well, you're back!" the doppelganger sneered. "It's been a while." The gray Changeling turned and changed into a pterodactyl, which quickly bit into Terra's chest. Around them lay the remains of the other members of the team, Gar's parents, the Doom Patrol, and a few others he couldn't quite make out. Vernon Questor and Sarah Simms tried to hide behind debris as Terra suddenly quit moving. The gray Gar whipped its head pack and pulled her heart out. Sarah screamed as the blood sprayed her. Blood ran down the gray Gar's chin as he smiled at Gar. "Look at you! Everyone you've cared about you've killed!" The gray creature laughed as it finished devouring Terra's heart.

Tara Markov ran out of the dining room searching for a phone. "Why didn't I bring that stupid beeper?" she muttered. She stopped as she looked out the window of the restaurant and saw Warp's face illuminated by a security light on top of the building. She patted the bag that contained her costume and hurried into the bathroom.

Phobia stood confidently as Gar fell to the ground, trembling. "Good," she said. "He shouldn't have much longer until his heart gives out."

"I hope not," Warp said, looking around. "I don't like being out in ze open like zis."

Phobia smirked. "No matter. Before those Titans find us, we will be gone and their leader will be dead."

On the ground, blood began to flow from the twitching Gar's mouth as he bit through his lower lip.

In his mind, Gar watched as the gray Changeling turned into a lion and started toward Questor and Sarah. "Watch this!" it called. "And remember, you're doing this!" As it took a step, Gar heard the sickening crunch as it crushed Cyborg's skull.

"Shut up!" Gar screamed as he broke his shackles and lunged forward. "I never did any of this! I never wanted to be a hero! I never wanted my parents to die! I didn't want the Doom Patrol to die! All I wanted was to be me!"

Gar screamed again as everything shattered like a pane of glass and he fell to the ground.

Gar slowly picked himself up, realizing that he was naked. He started to brush his hair back and stared at his hand. His skin was white again. The hair on his arm was blond. Gar fell to his knees as tears of joy started running down his face. "I'm me again!" he yelled. "I'm normal!"

"Hey!" a voice behind him yelled. Gar turned and saw a face he'd tried to forget. The green skin with the yellow eyes and red pupils…the red and black costume…and the Trigon seed worming through his mind.

The Changeling roughly kissed Terra - the original Terra - and turned back to Gar, who he roughly pulled to his feet. "Look at you!" he yelled. "Look at what you could have had! Look at what Mistress Raven could have given you! But, no. You want to be normal. You could have been a ruler. Now all you are is crap!" The Changeling punched Gar in the face. Then again. And again. Blood flowed from Gar's split lips and he still couldn't move.

Changeling smiled. "Maybe I should let you live,' he said. "No. I don't think that the Mistress would like to see a weaker side of her consort." Changeling started punching Gar again, and this time he didn't stop.

Terra ran out of the bathroom in the Blue Note in full costume. A moment later, she was atop a flying boulder, heading for the Brotherhood.

Gar fell to the ground as blood poured down his face. He coughed and spat out several teeth. Still, the Changeling would not stop. He started kicking Gar. Gar screamed as he felt his ribs start snapping under the onslaught.

"How much longer will it be?" Warp asked.

"Will you be silent?" Phobia demanded. "Don’t you feel the terror? It's so invigorating. It makes me feel so alive."

"It makes me-" Warp was cut off as a glob of mud splattered across the front of his helmet and hardened instantly. Warp fell to the ground, fighting for air.

"Leave him alone, you witch!" Terra yelled as she stepped forward towards Phobia.

"I think not," Phobia replied. "Let's see your terror."

Terra looked around the room she was in and saw hundreds of duplicates of her, all dressed differently. Each of them turned and pointed at her, and Terra realized that she couldn't scream because she had no face. "Who are you?" the duplicates started asking. Terra felt her faceless mask shatter and she smiled. "I'm me, and that's all that matters."

Phobia's eyes widened as Terra rose from her knee and started stepping toward Phobia again. "Nice try," she said, "but I've already been there and done that."

Phobia suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder that whipped her around. Before her stood a disheveled and bleeding Gar Logan. "I owe you this," he said as his fist slammed into her face. Phobia fell to the ground unconscious. He pulled out his cell phone and started dialing the police as Terra created handcuffs to hold Warp and Phobia.

"Are you okay?" Terra asked as Gar switched the phone off.

"I don't know," Gar replied. "Ask me tomorrow." Terra nodded as Gar walked away and sat down on the roof. As Gar wiped some blood from his mouth, Terra heard the police sirens growing louder...

"Talking With Charley"

Featuring Golden Eagle

Jason Parker carefully walked along the manicured grass until he found his destination. Before him stood the one thing he'd alternately wanted to see and dreaded. Before him was a marble stone with a bird in flight atop it. Engraved on it were the words "Golden Eagle."

Jason sat down on the grass. "Hi, Charley. Bette told me you were here. I've wanted to come and see you, but..."

Jason fought back tears. "It's weird. This is the closest we've ever been in our lives. I mean, Mom was pregnant with me when Dad took off and took you with him. I never even knew about you for so many years. Finally I tracked down that Bette who was one of your friends and she told me what had happened.

Jason paused. "I guess I'm doing all right. I'm in the pre-med program out at UCLA, so hopefully I'll become a doctor one of these days. Be interesting.

"I've also started wearing your old uniform and I've joined this group of Titans as Golden Eagle. I hope you don't mind. I just feel a lot closer to you. Maybe I can even start to understand you a little better.

"I've seen some of the old Titans West case files, and it's so weird to see you there. I mean, I know you'd hate this. You were always such a free spirit. Everybody I talked to told me that. You'd hate being stuck in one place like this.

"I really feel guilty for telling you this. I think I'm going to be staying with the team for a while. It's good having friends, but I think I'm really falling hard for Bette. I mean, she's just so much my opposite, but she really seems to bring out the better parts of me. I've actually been hoping that we'll team up together sometime on a case."

Jason stopped and looked up as a caped figure swung past on a line. He also noticed that the sun was rapidly setting. "I'm sorry, Charley. I've got to go. I didn't realize it was so late. I promise next time I'll stay longer. I love you, Bro." Jason slowly stood and walked out of the cemetery, trying to fight back tears and failing. He didn't see that in the dimming light, it looked as if a tear was running down the beak of the flying bird as well.

"Blast From the Past!"

A Tale of Flamebird

Bette Kane stood on the roof of the building overlooking the cemetery where Charley was buried. She watched Jason for a moment, then fired her line and swung away. In just a couple of hours, a drug dealer she'd been wanting to nail for a long time was coming into town. She had to hurry to make it to her surveillance post over his headquarters. She smiled as she thought of how thrilled she'd be to take him down.

As she swooped in for a landing, she saw another caped figure in the spot she'd selected to watch from. She scowled as she stepped in. "Figures they'd have metahuman help," she thought. She started to pull a throwing disk from her belt as the figure whirled around, a staff in his hand. Bette frowned as she saw the golden R on his chest. "Wonderful," she muttered. "It would have to be him."

Robin motioned her over. "You must be Flamebird. You after this guy, too?"

"Yeah. I've been waiting for him to come back for a couple of months."

Robin nodded. "He's been spending a little time in Gotham. Batman was tied up with other things, so he sent me out here to take care of him. I'd be glad to have your help." Robin looked at Bette and noticed the weird look on her face. "Is something wrong?" he asked.

"No," Flamebird said quickly. "I'm just not a big Robin fan."

"Really?" Robin asked. "That's not what Nightwing told me."

"Nightwing." Flamebird muttered. "You know him, I suppose."

"Yeah," Robin said. "I thought that you were nuts about him."

"I was," Flamebird replied, "but it's a long story."

Robin pulled his glove down and checked his watch. "Looks like we've got a while," he said. "The guy's flight was delayed in Gotham because of the weather. Why don't you tell me about it?"

"Well, I used to be a huge Robin fan. That was when he was wearing those little shorts with those hot legs!" Embarrassed, Robin let out a discreet cough. "Oh, sorry. Anyway, I was in a beauty contest and saw him and Batman. I just knew that he was ready to fall in love with me.

"That's why I first became Flamebird. I just wanted him to care about me. Well, it was so much fun, too. That's why I kept doing it. You have fun doing this, Kid?"

Robin smiled slightly. "Yeah, I guess so. I know I've gotten to do a lot more than I ever would have otherwise. Travel... Even getting to work with the Titans and Young Justice. I hear good things about Titans West."

"Yeah, we've faced down our share of weirdoes. Our first case was one where the Weather Wizard was trying to rob a bank."

"How long did he last?" Robin asked.

"About thirty seconds. Of course, after Risk hit him, it was more like two seconds."

Robin rubbed his chin. "I remember Risk. I met him in the old Teen Titans. Him, Mirage, Prysm... Old times."

Flamebird smiled. "You know, you're not like him. Nightwing, I mean. He's so dark and moody. You're more like me. I think you like the light more than the dark."

Robin shrugged. "I enjoy it when I can. Still, I'm always ready to go after trouble in the dark, too."

"Looks like you've got your chance," Flamebird said as she pointed. Down below, a limousine had just pulled up and their target was walking toward the building.

"Ready?" Robin asked.

"Wait," Flamebird said. She gently kissed Robin on the forehead. "Don't ever change, Kid. Keep heading toward the light."

"Always," Robin said, smiling. Together, the two stepped off the roof and started swinging downward.

"Thoughts of Dad"

With Red Star and Risk

Karen Duncan walked out of the Titans West headquarters as the sun was getting ready to set. Cody Driscoll and Leonid Kovar were in the middle of a serious game of one-on-one on the outdoor basketball court. Karen walked over.

"Looks like you guys are running out of time," Karen commented. "Sun's setting."

"That's okay," Cody replied. "I don't think we're ever going to make it to 21 anyway."

"You look very nice tonight," Leonid commented. "Are you going to Mal's party?"

"Yes," Karen said. "I wish that you two would come. Still time for you to shower and get changed..."

"Nah," Cody replied. "No offense, but that's just not my kind of music."

"And one of us must remain here to ensure that Cody's restraint does not malfunction," Red Star added.

Karen shrugged and smiled. "Your loss. I'll try and sneak something back here for you guys to eat." She walked to her car and drove away.

Cody paused and dribbled with one hand and pushed his hair back out of his eyes with the other. "So, you've got to baby-sit me."

Leonid shrugged. "I would not say that," he said as he feinted for the ball. Cody grabbed it away and ran down the court.

"What would you call it, then?" he asked as he jumped and shot.

"Monitor duty," Leonid replied, smacking the ball away before it went in. Leonid recovered it and started down the court.

"Monitor duty?" Cody asked, slapping the ball away. "I guess you could think of it like that." Cody recovered the ball and faced a solid wall of Leonid between him and the goal.

"Still, it is less exciting with you than with Baby," Leonid teased. Cody threw the ball so hard it embedded itself in the metal backboard of the far goal. "Apparently that is the end of the game," Leonid observed as Cody snatched his shirt off the side of the court and started walking toward the building. "Cody!" Leonid called as he quickly caught up to him. When Cody didn't respond, Leonid grabbed his shoulder and spun him around. "What is wrong, Cody?" Leonid asked.

Cody sat down hard on a metal picnic table. "It's just so weird for me," he said. "I mean, you being a dad and all. I mean…I never even knew my father."

Leonid nodded and sat down beside him. "I understand. My own family has never exactly been the Cleavers, either."

Cody looked over with surprised eyes. "How do you know about the Cleavers?"

Leonid shrugged. "I have been in this country for several years now. Long enough to discover that there is nothing else on television at two in the morning. But my viewing habits are not what upset you."

Cody looked down and screwed his eyes shut. A tear escaped and fell to splash on the table. "All my life my mom had told me that she didn't know who my dad was. I mean, that's cool. I respect her for having the guts to tell me that. Then I get abducted by aliens and find out that my dad wasn't even human! Like I'm some kind of alien freak or something!"

Leonid thought a moment. "I can understand, believe it or not. I believed that my father died when I was a young man. I was recalled to Russia a couple of years ago and discovered that my father was building mechanical monstrosities to take over the country! He even tried several times to kill me. Finally an...associate of mine killed him.

"And of course, life was never normal with Pantha and Baby around, either. I remember how Baby teethed on telephone books and smashed through wall after wall at Steve Dayton's home."

"You miss them?" Cody asked.

"Yes," Leonid replied. "I always think of them and care for them deeply. Still, I know that I cannot be around Pantha while she is like she is. Ever since I was shot, she has become more feral than I can ever remember her. I had hoped that my departure might help to settle her. Apparently I was mistaken."

"I just wish I could see how my mom's doing," Cody said. "I really miss her."

"You are close to your mother," Leonid mused. Suddenly he stood. "Come on."

"Where are we going?" Cody asked.

"You are going to get cleaned up and dressed nicely and then we are taking a trip." Leonid firmly led Cody toward the building.

An hour later, a hospital door flew open and Cody stepped in. "Mom?" he whispered.

"Cody?" she asked as her eyes fluttered open.

In the hall, Leonid smiled as he watched the reunion. He quietly closed the door to give them some privacy and settled down to wait for Cody.

"Happy Anniversary!"

For Mal Duncan and the Bumblebee

Karen Duncan finished reading Red Star's note and smiled. Mal grinned and sat down at the computer. "Just let me check a couple of things and I'm all yours," he said. Karen turned and walked out of the monitor room, removing her earrings. She put the bag of food into the refrigerator in the kitchen and walked out, yawning.

"So, it looks like we're all alone," she mused as she shut the light off. She dropped her earrings as an alarm started sounding from the monitor room. As quickly as she could in her heels and dress, Karen ran down the corridor to the monitor room. When she arrived, she saw Mal's chair overturned and a flashing indicator on the screen.

"Mal?" Karen called as she stepped forward. There was no answer. Karen pushed the button on the monitor as a masked face appeared on the screen.

"Greetings, Titans. I am Loki. To repay the dear Herald for his defeat of me years ago, I have kidnapped him and taken him to a place in the past most musical! You are, of course, welcome to try to rescue him, but be warned, any who try will suffer his fate as well!" Loki broke into insane laughter as Karen slapped the button to shut down the screen.

"Oh, Mal," Karen whispered. She hurried through the deserted headquarters. Once in her room, she quickly changed into her Bumblebee costume and flew out from the hangar area. As she flew, she worked over Loki's clue in her mind.

"A place most musical," she mused. "An opera house? The symphony? A coffee house with open mic night? There's too many places!" Karen forced herself to take a deep breath. "Let's see. Loki called Mal the Herald. Of course!" She quickly altered her flight path and headed toward one certain building.

Bumblebee quickly landed on a roof across the street from the Blue Note. If she had looked behind her, she would have seen spatters of mud and a torn necktie from a battle earlier in the evening. "He's got to be in there," she thought. "Before Mal redecorated the place and opened it as the Blue Note, it was a disco. We had another one back East. This one was called the Gabriel's Horn. The Gabriel's horn, that Mal carried as the Herald. It all fits!" Bumblebee clicked on the infrared lenses in her helmet and looked around the area. "No guards."

Bumblebee carefully landed outside and reached into a pocket on her uniform. She pulled out a key and unlocked the door. She quietly stepped into the darkened restaurant, keeping her infrared lenses active. Scanning the room, she saw a chair tipped over. She quietly hurried to it and set it upright. Beneath it was a unique-looking tie. "This is the tie Mal was wearing tonight!" Karen thought. "He is here!" She tensed as she heard a scratch from back behind the stage. Quietly, she ran onto the stage and wrenched the curtain aside. She saw a light go out under a door in the back.

Karen sneaked up to the door and checked to make sure her stingers were primed to fire. She threw the door open and jumped into the office. She quickly scanned the room, seeing no one there. Karen tested the window, making sure it was still locked. "Where could he have gone?" she whispered. Suddenly inspiration hit her. She turned to the bookcase and searched for one book. When she reached a copy of ‘Behind the Mask’, she pulled it out slightly. With a click, the bookcase swung open.

Karen hurried down the exposed stairs into the former headquarters of Titans West. She kicked the last door open, her stingers up and prepared to fire. Inside, she saw one man laughing. She clicked her infrared goggles off so she could aim better and was surprised by what she saw.

Mal stood there chuckling. On the table before him was an elegant meal with two large candlesticks gently lighting the room. "Well, I see it didn't take you long to figure it out after all," he said.

Karen shoved her mask back off her head. "What do you mean? Where's Loki?"

Mal grinned as he popped the cork on a bottle of champagne beside the table. "Think about it for a second. Who was Loki?"

Karen's eyes closed as the truth hit her. "The Norse trickster god. You set this all up." She numbly sat down as everything kept clicking into place.

"Yeah," Mal said. "I wanted to be sure and give you an anniversary to remember." He poured her a glass of champagne, then took one himself and sat down at the other side of the table. "And you thought I forgot."

Karen shook her head. "I can't believe you did all this." Her shoulder started shaking as she laughed. "You jerk! I was worried about you!"

"I know," Mal said. "Now all I've got to do is figure out how to top this next year." Mal raised his glass. "Here's to us." Their glasses clinked together and they both sipped the champagne. "I think you'll like the dinner. I had the cook prepare your favorite."

"This is incredible," Karen said. "How did you do all this?"

Mal shrugged. "Wasn't hard. A little video and audio manipulation and a little overtime for the kitchen staff can work wonder." He leaned forward and kissed her. "I love you," he whispered.

"And I love you, too," a smiling Karen replied. "Happy anniversary."

Epilogue

The Last Goodbye

NOTE: This story occurs shortly after Deadshot #3 – db

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust," the preacher was reciting. Leonid Kovar, Red Star, was not hearing him as he stood amidst a group of mourners. Before him were two coffins containing what would have been his family had things turned out differently. Leonid blinked back tears as he remembered his battles of wits with Pantha, and the drawings that Baby had done that he'd always cherish.

Gar Logan looked around nervously. So far the one person he was hoping to avoid hadn't put in an appearance. He tensed, ready to shift into a cockroach, ant, or some other small creature to stay away from Dick Grayson.

Bette Kane stared at the grave. She'd never known Baby or Pantha, but she'd heard Leonid's stories. Her thoughts kept turning to the grave back in LA where Charley Parker lay. Suddenly she saw Leonid's shoulders start to shake again. Bette stepped forward and put an arm around his shoulders.

Mal Duncan held his sobbing wife Karen. They'd gotten to know Leonid through their work at S.T.A.R. Labs, and felt like they knew these two from his stories. Mal thought that it might have been easier for Karen if not for her situation...

Tara Markov didn't hear a word the preacher was saying. She had positioned herself so she couldn't see it, but she could feel it behind her. She didn't dare turn to see the tombstone with a replica of her face on it. Not after that Terra had come back and nearly killed all of them.

Cody Driscoll shuffled nervously. Red Star was his best friend among the team. He'd relied on Leonid almost like a father figure - one he'd never had. Now he felt concern, seeing Leonid shaken to his core. Cody knew that he wanted to reach out and comfort his friend, but didn't know how.

Leonid stared at the coffins. Inside the swirls of the wood, he glared at the face he saw. Deadshot. The assassin had killed Pantha and Baby in cold blood while they'd gone after him. They were attacking him because he'd shot Leonid during a raid on S.T.A.R. Labs. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up into Bette's gently smiling yet teary face. He allowed her to hold him.

After the service, the mourners began to drift away. Gar was walking away when he heard a voice call his name from behind. Gar turned and saw Victor Stone walking toward him.

"Hey, Vic," Gar said as he gave Vic a quick hug.

"Good to see ya, Greenie. Just wish it could've been under better circumstances." Victor looked around. "Man, this is bad. I can't believe that they're gone. Seems like you turn your back and half the team's dead by the time you turn back around."

Gar nodded. "I know. There just aren't as many of us from the old days left as there used to be. I mean, we've lost Kole, Joey, you, Raven..."

Vic smiled. "Yeah, but me and Raven just keep popping back up. And I seem to recall losing you for a while, too."

"Yeah, but I didn't die. I just got controlled for a while."

"How're you doing with that?"

Gar shrugged. "It's weird. I know all that time passed, but I really don't remember it. I talked to Thunder and Lightning not long after that all ended and they don't remember it either."

"And good luck getting anything out of Deathwing or Frances Kane." Vic paused and looked around. "How's the kid holding up?"

"Terra? Long story. Why don't you swing by our HQ some time and I'll tell it to you?"

"I'll try. I've just been snowed under in Keystone. I miss the days when I didn't have a job."

"I know. Of course, now I'm on the Questcorp board, so I may as well not have a job!"

Vic smiled. "Come on. I seem to remember a good little place around here, and I'm buying you a drink."

"Okay, but Coke only. I've got to fly the T-Jet back to California."

Smiling, the two friends walked out of the cemetery.

Bette Kane walked up to Tara, who was now transfixed on the old Terra's grave. "How're you doing?" Bette asked.

"I don't know," Tara replied. "It's just that being here, well, it just really sinks in. I've got the soul of a dead psycho stuck in my head."

"Do you feel her?" Bette asked.

Tara shook her head. "No. I guess Raven was right when she said that I wouldn't. Still, it's almost like a small tumor, I guess. You know it's there, and you wonder what it's doing even if you can't feel it."

Bette put a hand on Tara's shoulder. "Maybe, but your doctor said that this tumor's not causing any more problems. She's locked away forever."

"I hope so," Tara said. Bette gently led Tara away from the grave. On it was a small white rose that she had placed there earlier.

Cody strode up to Leonid, who still stood staring at the graves as the caskets were lowered slowly down. "How're you doing?" Cody asked with his hands in his pockets. "I promise you," Leonid was whispering in Russian. "I will find him. I will find him and I will kill him."

"Leo?" Cody asked.

Leonid turned and Cody was shocked to see the rage in his eyes. "My family has been murdered and I cannot avenge them. My government has ordered me to return to Los Angeles after this service. They are afraid I will cause an...international incident." Leonid turned again and saw the caskets vanish into the earth. "Bozhe moi, my family." Leonid was unable to stop the tears from flowing from his eyes. He instinctively reached out and grabbed Cody. "My family."

Cody awkwardly patted Leonid on the back as the pain finally sunk in.

Outside, Mal, Karen, Bette and Tara had found each other. "So, are we heading back to base?" Mal asked.

"That's the plan," Bette said. "At least it was before Gar bumped into Vic Stone. Now I don't know when we're going back."

Karen dabbed at her eyes again. "I should be thrilled. We're in New York, but I just don't feel like doing anything."

Bette thought a moment. "Let's grab a bite to eat. I'll wait for the guys, and we can meet up at the restaurant." The other three walked away as Bette stood by the gate and waited.

Cody and Leonid finally came out. Together, they walked to the street and hailed a cab.

Behind them, the gravediggers began filling in the graves.

Okay, it looks like there are a few events up above that may need to be explained:
1) The gray Gar appeared during Gar's nightmare during the Trigon storyline in New Teen Titans (2nd series) numbers 1 through 5.
2) Gar was possessed by the Trigon seed in New Titans #115 (or thereabouts) and remained under Evil Raven's control until the book's final story from 126 through 130
3) ‘Behind the Mask’ was a book written by Jonathan Law. Law became a hero known as the Tarantula during the forties to do research for this book. It was a best seller.

Well, hope that explains a few things that may have been confusing. See you back here next time for Titans West #8!

The End...

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