Teen Titans In The Field (3)

Moving Out

Charlie Kimichi

"NO! No, Absolutely NOT! How could you two invite your friends here! This is! NO!" Wonder Woman was rather peeved at me and Starfire, and as such we were getting a Dressing Down.

In the background, Supergirl and Lena moved heavy boxes, while Penelope and Claire packed them. Ray was helping to put the electronics for the TV, Game consoles and computers back in the boxes they originally came from.

"But, they are good friends! It is not like we'll show them the new Base! They're just checking out our old one before we leave!" Starfire argued.

"Yeah, and don't worry. Like, Penelope's parents are heroes! For all we know Penny will join the Titans in a year or so!" I argued as well. That got a derisive snort from Wonder Woman, who watched the packing up with the distrust of a rodent watching a snake! I resisted the urge to argue back and I hunkered down while Wonder Woman paced in front of us, "Look, we aren't doing this lightly. Lena said she can check all our gear before we set it up in the new place. You don't need to worry about some supervillain using this as an option to bug us."

"And they wouldn't Anyhow!" Starfire was not standing at attention either, but floated a few inches off the ground with a pained pose and expression. "Claire is my friend, and a good person. Yes, she didn't tell me she was doing villainy earlier, but I'm told that's normal! She would not do anything evil or take advantage of us like that!"

Both myself and Wonder Woman perked up at that little drop. Had Claire and her friends been patsies for the Inscrutable Machine? Certainly Penny's clockwork mechanisms would qualify as a power, and reputedly Claire was getting pretty close to inheriting her mother's seductive powers.

"Is Lena positive there's no way those three can bug our tech?" was Wonder Woman's curt question.

"The answer is, not right now but definitely later!" We all turned, Ray had come up behind us, helping by moving the TV. It was a large tv, but apparently pretty light. "Any tech penny has on her is clockwork, if it were running you'd hear it ticking. If we were being used to deliver something higher tech, then there are many ways to detect wireless signals. Even I know that, Lena could rig something and have it monitor for out-going wifi or radio signals and triangulate them!"

Lena pitched in with that point, "No, yeah and that would actually be a really good idea in general. As big as you said the base is, being able to identify and track signals around it would be all kinds of useful!"

"Have you thought of making a passive array, something that picks all radio frequency, picks up anything that has a pattern, then compresses and re-transmits it through an encrypted .... aaaah..." Penny's trail of thought pealed off, then she began a smooth process of slapping the sides of her head as though shaking out the thoughts. "Claire, remind me of that later!"

"Will Do!"

Stress dropping out of Wonder Woman's voice, she waved myself and Starfire off, with Starfire promptly flying over to where Claire was. Wonder Woman followed, placing a very firm hand on Penny's shoulder. "I trust this means absolute respect for the Truce from you."

That got quiet nods from both girls, before Wonder Woman left.

We packed in light silence for a moment, moving stuff in groups and soon had the main area we'd been living in packed up. Not long after we heard the sound of trucks backing up. "So, everybody!" This was robin calling out. "These buildings will go back to being classrooms once we leave. We don't have to help bring in the tables and chairs and shit, but I'd like to! Job well done and all that!"

Myself, Star, and Ray nodded, leaving with Robin to let the other girl to the pack.

"Soooo." Ray asked, as moving men who were twice our height, probably had low level super strength and were more than capable of doing the job without us, began doing exactly that. Shifting to make myself bigger, I let Robin and Ray load me up with stacks of furniture, before grabbing smaller amounts themselves.

"Sooo. I heard that a certain ex-assassin in holding a Ninja course and that you know her?" Ray got Robin's attention. "I was wondering if I could get an invite. I'm not a heroes kid, but I'm eager to learn and my mother has worked with the league before!"

"You mean the crash course Lady Shiva is holding? Yeah. I suppose, what about you Sharkie?" I shrugged, but only slightly since I was loaded with tables.

"Not my kind of skill set. Did get an offer from Hench4You. Probably not gonna take it." I hedged, I'd been thinking heavily over what happened at the botched crime me and supergirl was at.

Blood in the water. When there was Blood in the water, I'd done exactly what my old man said. I turned against the hero, and protected a villain. It had been the right call. "Still trying to figure out where I fit in here!" I told them. Which was true, "Definitely I'm the muscle!"

"Aww, never think you're just that Charlie. You're a pro, a pro player and a pro hero. Claire has started calling you 'The Heart of the Titans'!" I blinked, we'd reached our room and I let the boys unload me. Starfire was piloting in a teacher's desk, and cabinets and stuff.

"I'll think about that." I replied simply. We kept moving stuff in and out the old school for a while, before eventually saying goodbye to our friends. All our stuff had been loaded in a mix of trucks and Wonder Woman's jet, which were all set to make their way to the new base.

Ray, Penny and Claire left before the trucks did, at least I thought so. As we loaded up the last of the gear I was surprised to hear Starfire hissing: "Claire, no! Bad Claire!"

"Oh, for. Can't you at least pretend you don't hear my heart!" I snickered, following the voices, so Claire hadn't left straight away. We were near the Jet and quietly peeking my head in and around the back ramp, I found the two girls inside the jet.

Starfire did not seam pleased, "You said you would behave. If you can't tell me about your crimes, I can't let you see our base!" She stood with hands on hips, and low and behold the stars had parted and hell must have frozen over because Claire Lutre, known throughout the school as the girl with no sense of shame; was blushing!

"I... no no, it wasn't like... aaaah!" Her hands waved, her foot tapped as she looked nervously at the roof of the jet and then we attempted to wave the accusation off with her hands. "I was only trying to find out where you'd be living. I want to keep in touch!" At this moment I watched Starfire put her arms around the girl and squeeze, gently, so as not to break her.

"You are my friend, so please be a good friend now and leave?" The hug went on for a bit, with Claire relaxing and hugging back. I walked away, trying not to laugh. I'd had a feeling we'd be safe inviting those three. "I will find a place we can meet outside of work, I promise!" was the quiet reply.