Teen Titans Fan Fiction ❯ Project After ❯ Threats ( Chapter 5 )

CHAPTER FIVE

 

Robin woke up feeling very woozy. He felt as if a stampede of elephants had just trampled all over him. As his vision returned, he discovered that he was in a really dark room, chained and bound to the walls, and devious man was gazing down at him. “Greetings, Robin…” he grinned evilly. “So glad you could join us.”

 

Robin, suddenly, remembered what happened. He was overpowered and kidnapped by a large band of Project After members. It was obvious where he was now, “So you're the one behind all this.” he sneered.

 

The other man nodded. “At your service.” he joked, “I suppose you wish to know who I am. Well, names aren't very important around here… but I suppose you can call me Master of After.”

 

Robin wasn't able to free himself, all his gadgets were taken form him, and the chains were strong; really strong! “I don't know what you're up to… but you won't get away with it.” he grouched, but The Master only chuckled at this remark, “Oh, how cliché, Robin. I think someone's been watching too many Saturday morning cartoons.”

 

Robin didn't understand that…

 

The Master then showed him, by monitor, how more and more of his agents were robbing more stores, theaters, arcades, museums, anything at all that dealt with fantasy. “I don't get it. Why would you do this?” Robin demanded to know. The Master was hoping he would ask that. That's when his grin faded into a very serious, sour stare. “I'll tell you why…”

 

He explained that, he and his friends all had a vision of a “Perfect World”, but instead the world around them was a terrible place and growing worse. Modern society was plunging into a downward spiral toward oblivion. People were getting lazy, and mindless. Thinking more negatively, and not taking time to do the right things.

 

The Master concluded the one horrifying conclusion that all the war, pollution, disease, world hunger, natural disasters, and the crumpling of society. “They all stem from the same vile source: …FANTASY!”

 

Robin was speechless, but mostly outraged. “You blame fantasy and creativity over The World's problems?”

 

“That's what I said.” replied The Master, and he angrily turned to his desk were a whole pile of novels were sitting. “GRR…!” he furiously picked them up and tossed down and incinerator shaft. “Worthless pieces of JUNK!” he shouted.

 

Robin could suddenly catch onto his master-plan. “So you hate all fantasy… and you're getting rid of it in hope's to make the world a better place?”

 

The Master shook his head, “No!” he snapped. “I plan on doing more than just destroy all fantasy… I plan to make at is if it never existed at all, and I will!”

 

He believed it was time to share with Robin the details, and lethality of “Operation Big-Blast”

 

“Now…” he said as he showed Robin more images. “Look at how nicely our little masterpiece is coming along.”

 

The masterpiece turned out to be a satellite in orbit around the Earth. A powerful super-weapon armed with a special ray that could affect the brainwaves of anyone that got shot by it. “One little shot… and the people will forget all they ever knew about video-games, costume-parties, fantasy novels, and everything will be perfect and normal.”

 

For the first time in a long time, Robin felt like he was going to be sick. A world without fantasy, everyone boring themselves to death with nothing but work, school, and chores…! Robin knew that there was no point in convincing this deluded maniac that fantasy was a good thing. The Master was already proven to be extremely unreasonable.

 

The satellite was nearly set for its giant task, but it still needed charging; it needed energy. Project After discovered a way to convert everyday objects and items. That was why they kept stealing all those things. Their way of getting back at fantasy, and rip it all to shreds.

 

The more they stole and burned in the incinerators, the more material they would gain to transfer power to their computers, and up to the satellite. Soon it would have enough energy to wipe out all the fantasy in all the minds of everyone in the entire country, and then another, and so forth… until no fantasy remained on the Earth.

 

“Still think I'm crazy?” The Master sneered. “Life would be so much richer without all this bull, and if this is the only way to get it… so be it.”

 

Robin gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes in anger. “You're so full of idiocy!”

 

The Master said nothing, and took his leave. As he exited the dungeon, he motioned of two guards to come in. “Soften him up. He needs to learn respect.”

 

The two big guys marched in and began to punch and pummel Robin all over. “Someday… Someday you'll thank me.” The Master replied. Then he walked down the halls.

 

He lit another cigarette as he passed by the main control-ops where the ladies greeted him, and then continued their monitoring. The Master trekked up the stairs, passed the long row of gasoline tanks, and into his office where Captain Cone was waiting. “It won't be much longer now, Captain.” He said as he sat down. “A new, better world is just around the corner.”

 

Cone agreed. “But what of the other Teen Titans?” he asked, “Surely they will be coming for Robin… and for us.”

 

The Master was counting on this. He wanted The Titans to come, that was why he was keeping Robin alive, for now. “By now… I'm sure his team is just beginning to find our little message…”

 

…

 

The Tower was in a big mess. Windows were shattered. Bits of rubble and debris lay all over the floor. Tables and furniture were tipped over, and worse. Beast-Boy and Cyborg were read to fall down and blubber. “Dude…!” cried Beast-Boy. “They took all my tunes, and my boom-box.”

 

Cyborg sniffled as he held a few simple wires. “My game station…! My games…! This is not happenin'!”

 

Starfire was easily the most upset. Her husband was gone; taken away. All that left of him was his communicator that got left behind. Tears were already running down her cheeks, but she felt too pained to cry.

 

Copy-Cat place a warm hand on her shoulder and said “Be brave, Starfire. We will find him.”

 

Starfire sadly nodded, “But I fear we may be too late.” she peeped softly. “We know not of where to even begin to search.” That was what she believed, until, while poking thought he mess, Raven found something unusual. “Hey, what's this?” she asked.

 

Everyone huddled over, and what Raven found turned out to be an ordinary black cube that was flashing. “I don't recognize thing.” Terra said. She bent down to pick it up, but suddenly, “WHOA…!” The cube gave off a big flash of light, and there right before them appeared a holographic image of the leader of Project After, which was in fact a message for all The Titans.

 

“Teen Titans… So nice to finally be able to speak to you! I am The Master of After.”

 

“Dude…!” snapped Beast-Boy, “What have you done with Robin?”

 

Cyborg ushered him to keep it down. “He's just a holographic message. He can't hear us.”

 

“Now listen carefully for I will only say this only once.”

 

“As you are, by now, aware, we've taken Robin from you. A fitting punishment for all the trouble you've caused us, and getting in the way of a better world. If you want to see him alive and well again, then by all means, feel free to visit our facilities, and admit that you lose.”

 

“Coordinates follow, but that's all you'll get.”

 

The image faded into a map of the entire country around the areas that were hit by the robberies. Small dotted-lines pointed to an area far to the East, away from all the cities.

 

“What's the matter? Can't figure it out?” the message replied, “Then you guys are as brainless as you are pathetic, just like all heroes are.”

 

“Later Losers, and you may want to throw this cube out the window. Heh-heh-heh…!”

 

The image vanished completely, and then the little cube began to puff smoke. “It's gonna blow!” cried Cyborg.

 

“Get it out of here!” cried Terra.

 

Copy-Cat quickly grabbed the cube. “Hot… hot, hot, hot!” and threw it hard out the window and into the water where it exploded causing a small wave. “Wow! For a little thing… it packs a big bang.” Beast Boy joked.

 

The question now was did they dare follow the instructions?

 

“It's a trap. It has to be.” Terra said. “Why else would they deliberately invite us into their lair?”

 

“Still… we cannot simply ignore this opportunity.” added Starfire. “Robin may be in terrible danger.”

 

No one could really argue with that. “Then I guess it's decided…” added Cyborg. He already knew the location from the map they had just seen. “We're goin'”