Cats Eat Birds - Damian Wayne/OC

45 | WHO TO CALL

SAN FRANCISCO BAY; TEEN TITANS TOWER | 11:41 AM | CRISTEN

     FROM A DISTANCE, Titan's Tower was one of the most beautiful buildings Cristen had ever laid eyes on. The further she got into her vigilante career, the cooler headquarters she encountered—but it was here that felt the most normal.

Normal for Cristen was, apparently, the relentless glitter of light of the building's seams, glass and steel mimicking long drags of white paint upon a sunny canvas. Such an intense reflection made the choppy waves off the island's coast into a dramatic mirror. A tower like that was less of a home and more of a declaration of hierarchy and presence, like a king's banner spread wide across the gates of his castle. When Cristen called it normal, she meant that it was the only out-in-the-open base that Stray could think of.

All things considered, it was perfect for a group of teenagers with superpowers. ...A group of teenagers also getting their asses handed to them by a giant piece of concrete.

Even the view from the plane made the battle seem destructive. A garden on the property was in absolute tatters, trees torn in plotted strips and the grass shredded free in long drags. Boulders wedged into the shore had now been wedged into the building. Damian tried to radio in, but he only got scattered declarations of anger off of Starfire's com-unit. A burst of green light emanated from below. Cristen was pretty sure a com-unit didn't survive that.

"Cinderblock," he scowled. "He's one of our lamest foes! How are they losing?"

Cristen could take a guess. From what she'd read up on him, he wasn't one for wearing collars, and whatever was wrapped around his neck was definitely assisting in his attack on the Titans. Danger wafted off the island like a desperate radio signal.

"Since I can't fly the jet, you'll provide cover fire," Cristen pulled the zipper of her uniform up to her chin in one smooth pull, stepping into a battle plan before she could think much of it. "I'll go down to observe and help."

Despite being ordered around, Damian flicked the button that opened the underbelly of the ship on her command. "I was going to say that. But I'll be feeding you information—and you better listen to me."

Unclipping a spare whip of Selina's from her belt, Cristen fastened her goggles over her face. She did not look back at him. "Aye aye, Cap'n."

(He said foes. He'd used the word foe in an actual sentence. Cristen was really, really in love with him.)

There was a long pause, the wind whirling into the plane and devouring their peaceful atmosphere. Expecting something more, Damian turned his head, only to find himself in solitude inside the jet—and in the complete company of no missing parachutes.

"Damn her."

On the way down, Cristen recounted what she knew about the current Titans roster. They'd taken on a lot of new kids in the past years, but a lot of the second-wave Titans like Cyborg and Starfire had stayed on as councilors of sorts. Since it was the week-day the Tower would only be filled by them and those that lived there. With Wonder Girl and Raven taking the younger Titans out for a training exercise, the Tower was mostly empty. Kon-El was the only Titan that Cristen knew.

These days, he was back to protecting Hawaii again. A lot of the team-members that Cristen remembered from cereal boxes and Saturday-morning cartoons were retired or grown out of the teen part of things, but Kon had mentioned that he and other ex-Titans flew back to the nest for parties or hang-outs. If Cristen hadn't been revving up to impress them before, then she certainly was now.