Meanwhile, Superboy, Wonder Girl and Ravager headed to Dakota to find out why one of Static's rogues had wandered so far from home, unaware that Bedlam was planning on take over Static's body and control an army comprised of his most vicious rogues...
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#7
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“The Big Bang Theory” Part Two
L.A.
“Are these considered normal clothes?” asked Seren as he looked down at the blue jeans, orange tank top and sandals that he'd been given to wear.
“Normal enough to pass for someone who doesn't live in the ocean,” Jay told him as they walked down the streets of L.A. Behind them was Vince, who was wearing a trenchcoat, fedora and glasses to hide his smoky form. “So, what do you guys feel like doing?”
Jay watched Seren as he ran across the street and looked in a restaurant window, where several lobsters were in a tank. Pulling out his trident, Seren got ready to shatter the window.
“Do not fear, brothers, I shall liberate you!” Seren shouted as Jay grabbed his arm.
He looked at all the people staring. “We're-we're practicing for a movie audtion,” Jay laughed as he pulled Seren away.
“Those sea creatures are in danger!” Seren told Jay as he struggled. “I must free them!”
“Dude, you've got a lot to learn about living on the surface,” Jay said with a sigh as he continued to pull Seren away.
Dakota
“Okay, this town is supposed to be populated by super-powered teens,” Connor said as he leaned against the wall of an old building. “So where is everyone?”
“Maybe it's a holiday,” Cassie replied as she looked around. “Hey, where's Rose? I thought she was here a minute ago.”
“Does it matter? Let's enjoy the peace while we can,” Connor told her. “Hey, Cass, did you notice that Vince looked a little...nervous when the word Dakota came up?”
“Not really,” Cassie told him. “You think he's from here?”
“I don't know, it just seemed like he jumped at the chance not to come,” Connor replied. “Maybe something bad happened to him here. Maybe this is where he died or something. Maybe he was one of those high school students who got fried when the last Specter got his ass handed to him by Lilith.”
“Poor guy,” Cassie said with a sigh. “We'll have to ask him about it when we get home. But first we have to find Static and make sure everything's all right here.”
Meanwhile, Rose was in a nearby alley, searching for clues. She had broken away from Connor and Cassie and started following Static's trail herself, finally ending up in the alley where Static had been taken hours earlier.
She picked up a piece of debris and looked at it. “Found you.”
Several miles away, Bedlam stared up at the captive Static, who was still trapped in the energy bubble floating high above the ground.
“Not even the Teen Titans are going to be able to help you,” Bedlam told him with a smirk. “Soon I'll take over your body and be all powerful!”
“Why are you waiting so long? What's the matter, too weak to take me on now?” Static asked.
“On the contrary,” Bedlam said. “I can take you whenever I please, I'm just waiting for the right moment. Have patience, Static, you will be mine soon enough.”
As Bedlam turned away, Static started looking around the room for a way to escape. “We'll see about that.”
Connor and Cassie were trying to find Rose when they turned the corner and saw a teenager holding a flaming ball in his hands.
“Look, a meta,” Connor said as the boy tossed the fireball at them. Connor grabbed Cassie and pulled her out of the way as they saw more teenagers appear behind the flame thrower. “Well, I guess that's where all the super powered teens are. Maybe we should dress for the occasion.”
Connor pulled open his shirt, revealing the 'S' logo, while Cassie spun in place at hyperspeed. When she stopped, she was in her Wonder Girl costume.
“You've got to show me how to do that,” Superboy said as Wonder Girl pulled out her lasso.
“Later. Let's get to work,” Wonder Girl told him as she took his arm and pulled Superboy towards the fight.
Ravager arrived at a factory near the docks, having traced the debris she found there. Sneaking inside the factory, she found Static trapped in a bubble several feet above the ground.
“Static? Who did this to you?” asked Ravager as she pulled out her sword.
“Rose, get out of here before –” Static started to say as Rose saw a reflection in her sword. She turned and used the sword to deflect a blast from Bedlam.
“Silly little girl, you shouldn't have come,” Bedlam said as his eyes started glowing with purple energy. “Now I have to destroy you.”
“I'm not scared of some kid who dresses like Barney's bastard offspring,” Ravager said as she ran at him with her sword. She brought the sword down, but Bedlam vanished in a puff of purple smoke. “Parlor tricks.”
“I don't do parlor tricks,” Bedlam's voice echoed all around as Ravager tried to clear the smoke. “I am the most powerful being in this universe!”
“You're a pompous brat who needs a good ass kicking,” Ravager told him as she looked around, wondering where he was going to attack from. “Show yourself, you coward!”
“As you wish,” Bedlam's voice said in an even more demonic tone as the entire building started shaking. Pieces of the roof started falling as Ravager dove out of the way. She hit the ground just in time to look up and see a large, purple, genie-like entity floating over her.
“Still not impressed,” Ravager said as Bedlam reached for her with a hand that was larger than her entire body.
Superboy and Wonder Girl had flown into the construction site, with the small army of meta-humans following them. Bedlam was mind controlling all of them and had sent them to destroy the Teen Titans.
“Alright, I get that these guys don't like us, what with us being the good guys and all,” Superboy said as he rammed a wolf boy and a teenager with snake scales into each to knock them out. “But how did they manage to coordinate an entire gang to come after us this fast?”
“I wouldn't call this coordinated,” Wonder Girl said as she attached her lasso to a flame throwing teen, tossing him around and letting him go into a wall. “It's like they're not in the driver's seats, and someone else is calling the shots.”
“You're right, this is far too easy,” Superboy said as he flew to a cement truck and began dumping the wet cement over the attacking metas. He flew back up and used his breath to harden the cement, ending the fight for now. “Think this is why that fish guy decided to high-tail it out to L.A.?”
“I think we need to find Rose,” Wonder Girl said as they flew off.
Bedlam picked Ravager up, laughing as she struggled. “Now, little girl, we end this!”
“No, now we're just getting started,” Ravager smirked as she pulled out her sword and stabbed Bedlam in the eye. He fell back, screaming in pain.
“I don't understand, nothing can harm me!” Bedlam screamed.
“Oh, didn't I tell you? My sword's made of Nth metal,” Ravager told him as she landed on her feet. “Rare substance, you might have heard of it. My father had it made especially for me. I can cut through magical bastards like you all day long.”
While he was watching the fight, Static saw his opportunity. He saw some metal shards and used his magnetic powers to pick them up, flying them toward his bubble to pop it. Static landed on the ground and saw the body of Matt Stuart, Bedlam's current vessel, laying on the ground.
“Rose, it's the kid's body!” Static shouted. “The two are linked!”
“Meaning if we kill the kid, we kill Bedlam,” Ravager said as she rushed toward him with her sword. “Time to take the genie out of the bottle…permanently!”
“No!” Static shouted as he got between her and Matt. “We can do this without killing him!”
“Sorry, Virgil, but this thing has to be stopped by any means,” Ravager told him as Superboy and Wonder Girl burst through the roof, only to be smacked down by Bedlam. Wonder Girl fell to the ground, while Superboy landed on top of Ravager.
“Static, I presume?” Superboy said as he looked up.
“Wonder Girl, I know how to stop Bedlam but I need a distraction,” Static told her.
Wonder Girl took to the air again, tossing her lasso around Bedlam's hand. “Stupid girl, you think you can tie me up?” Bedlam asked as Wonder Girl smirked, letting loose the full electric shock of the magic lasso's lightning into him.
“Alright, I hope this works,” Static said as he held out his hands, zapping Matt Stuart's body just enough so that Bedlam would feel it.
“No!” Bedlam shouted as he turned back into a purple mist and flew toward Static. “Stay away from my vessel!”
“Now!” Static shouted as Superboy flew in at superspeed, trapping Bedlam in a vortex before he could escape. He funneled Bedlam into a giant cylinder before sealing it closed. “Good luck getting out of there. It's a conductor tube; it'll hold you for a long time.”
Later, Matt Stuart's comatose body and the tube holding Bedlam were being loaded into S.T.A.R. Labs transports as the Titans stood watch.
“The kid is heading for the L.A. lab,” Wonder Girl told them, “and Bedlam's going to New York's branch. Maybe they can find a way to break the link between the two.”
“Thanks for coming out here to help me,” Static told them. “I wasn't even sure I was even on the Titans radar.”
“Are you kidding? We've heard all about you from Robin, at least before he cut off contact with us,” Superboy told him.
“Really? Because I just talked to Robin a few days ago, and –” Static said as he looked at them. “He's just going through some stuff right now, but I'm sure he'll contact you soon.”
“In the meantime, how would you feel about joining the Teen Titans?” Superboy asked. “Membership's open if you want it.”
“Really? Me? A Teen Titan?” Static smiled as he looked at them. Then he looked at Ravager and frowned. “I don't know.”
“Oh, her? She's only here temporarily,” Wonder Girl scowled at Ravager. “The first chance we have to get rid of her, she's gone.”
“Way to make me feel at home, blondie,” Ravager replied with a sneer.
“Alright, let's head home, then,” Superboy told them. “We'll give you a tour of the tower and you can meet the rest of the crew. Speaking of which, I wonder how the others are doing without us around?”
L.A.
“Well, Jay is dead,” Vince said as he looked at a smoldering pile of ash on the floor of the theater they were visiting. He looked at Seren and asked in a flat tone. “Think the others will blame us?”
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To Be Continued
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