The Sixth Titan | Teen Titans

Chapter Sixty-Five - Titans Together

    My eyes snap open as something hard makes contact with my spine, causing me to let out an involuntary yelp of surprise. Groaning, I roll over and find myself in a table position as I hold my stomach, waiting for the pain to subside before looking up to find the perpetrator.

    "Get" —I'm kicked again, but manage to hold my ground as I grit my teeth to stifle any noise— "up."

    General Immortus stands over me, his gun pointed directly at my face. I resentfully oblige, and slowly stand up with my hands in the air. The old man glares at me before jutting his bald head, then the firearm, behind him and turning around without a word.

    I take the time to observe my surroundings. It's taken me this long to remember what happened and realise that I'm at the Brotherhood of Evil's base. I'm alone. I've been defeated. I can only hope my friends weren't and are safe, even if it's at my expense.

    "Hurry."

    My attention is brought back to General Immortus as he points his weapon at me again. My eyes flare red as I try to melt the gun, but it doesn't work. I frown before trying harder, but the colour flickers out of my eyes and my jaw drops slightly.

    The general changes his aim slightly and fires. My eyes follow the bullet to the wall and I stare at the hole it left, wondering if it was a misfire.

    "No more warning shots," Immortus spits, once again gesturing to the door.

    I glance between General Immortus and the door before reluctantly following after him. I can feel his eyes trained on me cautiously, finger likely hovering on the trigger. Closing my eyes briefly, I ignore it and look down ashamedly as I walk through the opening in the wall.

    One word, whispered from a familiar voice, makes me look up.

    "Ember?"

    I almost refuse, but my instinct makes me meet the Boy Wonder's eyes. "Robin," I breathe.

    We stare at each other for what feels like an eternity, neither of us wanting to break the silence by talking. My eyes move to the restraints on his hands, and I'm taken back to those on Starfire's wrists when we first met her.

    "What's on your neck?"

    My gaze hardens in confusion. "What?"

    My hand ghosts over my neck to feel a hard, metal collar. That must have been why I couldn't use my powers to take out General Immortus. Somehow, the Brain has developed technology to counter my powers and I don't like it.

    "Certainly not her," the Brain continues from behind. His words fill me with the feeling that Robin and the mastermind had been engaged in a conversation before I had entered. "You will not win, Robin. You are out of moves left to play."

    "You underestimate us," I say, scoffing as I look down at the criminal.

    "I believe you do not know what you are up against, Ember." The way my name is enunciated in the Brain's distorted speech makes me shiver, but I don't show it. "Yourself and Robin are not the only two pieces we have captured."

    I glance at Robin as the Brain begins to move. "Pieces?" I mouth, but the boy shakes his head and gestures for me to watch.

    "Professor Chang?"

    From below, the aforementioned villain looks up from a detailed panel of various controls. His smirk is unsettling enough for me to look away, and that's when I see the Brain's collection of Titans, all of whom are frozen.