Teen Titans #58: "Beguiled, part 1"

-1-

Eric Forrester smiled to himself in the mirror. He was dressed casually. He had considered dressing up for this first formal invitation to Titans Tower, but decided against it. They'd think he was just putting on airs to impress the ladies anyhow. What none of them yet understood was that he was always doing that.

Troia first, yes. Lovely lady. Vulnerable and needy, didn't think of herself as 'that kind of girl'. Perfect. But she would only be the start.

He checked himself. No need to get overconfident. One thing at a time, one girl at a time, one seduction at a time.

No one volunteered to bring him, not even Troia, which worried him a little. But he supposed this counted as “official business”. He was game for it; he had faced much harder challenges in his time than simple transportation. And he didn't want for money.

So he took a cab to the docks in Perth Amboy, and stepped up to the automated ferry to Titans Tower. Few had access, except on special occasions for the press; a cop and a couple dock walking whores eyed him curiously, and yes with some envy. He smirked at them all and gave them a sarcastic salute.

The cops didn't bust the whores, of course. Officially it was because they weren't vice, so it wasn't their jurisdiction. The real reason was much more basic, of course. He smirked to himself. On his own account, he had long since moved past whores, even when desperate he no longer had to pay for the privilege, and when not so desperate, as now, he preferred a challenge.

Yes, there was no need to push things with Troia. Things were going just fine as they were.

He punched the intercom. “Greetings and salutations, superfriends. The charm and color in your life reporting as ordered.”

“Ease up on the humor there,” Beast Boy's voice came through the intercom, trying to sound wry; but Eric could hear the annoyance beneath. “That's my department.”

Eric smirked. “Duly noted, good sir.”

The barrier slid back. “You may step up,” Beast Boy said through the intercom.

Eric stepped across. He had been here before, a couple of times now; but this was an official visit. He'd only used the Ferry once before, when the Titans brought him.

Across the dark night time waters he went, the Tower slowly growing in his vision, it's interior lighting oddly subdued. The cold Atlantic winds whipped across him, and he felt them through his thin jacket, but he paid them no mind.

He kept his thoughts neutral and inoffensive. Not the lust; surely that was obvious. But anything more complicated, he didn't think of. He knew that Raven couldn't read thoughts, but she could read emotions. And he didn't want her to get.....the wrong idea about him.

As the automated ferry pulled up to the island, the lights behind the main doors lit up. Still no one to greet him, though he was getting the feeling they were trying to psych him out. And he was not above admitting he was a little nervous, had anyone asked. But as far as head games were concerned? They were wasting their time. He knew that territory well enough. He was no coward, but bravery was a tool to be used, like any other. Better to be alive and considered a coward, then be a dead fool whom the living thought brave.

He stepped up to the door. He considered just pulling it open, but knocked instead. He was wondering whether he had not made a bold enough choice when the door opened. Troia smiled, and took him by the hand. He grinned back and stroked the back of her hand with his thumb.

She pulled her hand away. “Naughty naughty,” she chided him in a soft voice.

“Always.”

-3-

Troia carried him, in a calm businesslike fashion; he clung to her lowered arms as she flew. Her grip was firm, he was in no danger of falling. The fact that there was nothing romantic about it bothered him not at all; he could still touch her arms, and he knew she could feel their powers interacting through the connection. He knew she enjoyed that feeling; what it did for him, he couldn't begin to describe. Not to her, not to anyone.

Raven was also along for this particular mission, and he knew she was reading his emotions, probably Troia's as well. Not a problem. He had been playing this game for a long time before he had met the Titans. Even before he and that dreary David Nathaniel had been experimented on by Chaos, he had always known to shield his heart from the rest of the world. Whether they knew it or not, the Titans were just like him, deep down; it was simply that they wouldn't admit it to themselves. And weren't as good at it. And didn't have his...particular gifts.

They landed just off the Kensington Expressway, in what was nominally a residential area. Eric frowned; that alone was not right.

With Troia and Raven just behind him, he half ran, half jogged to an open house. Troia gently—for her strength—forced the door open and they entered within....

...and that was when Eric understood; it was not some professional installation gone wrong, but rather some kid's internet connection that had been compromised or hijacked.

Three teenage boys were rolling around on the floor, beams of lightning connecting them to a television screen. Burnt gaming controls lay forgotten, the console smoking to one side. One of those online MMOs had, by design or chance, spawned a real threat that was using this house as a base. It was trying to spread throughout the entire game network, and from there to the larger internet. It was relentless, but stupid; had it any wit, it would've hit the net proper long before now.

Eric nodded his understanding to the women, and stepped forward, stretching out his hands, letting his machine empathy reach out, glowing in his hands and eyes.

Two of the lightning tendrils reached out and attached to his hands. He didn't do anything so absurd as confront the AI personality directly, such as that personality was. He did nothing so direct if he could help it. Besides, the thing was stupid; he could easily work his way around it.

He did not see any kind of VR world while doing this. It was more instinctive, more feeling and texture. His powers always worked like that; like a blind man reading braille. He saw no visions, felt no pain or fear, only textures and nuances. He enjoyed this part, truth be known; it helped him to separate himself from his needs and wants, from the cares of the world. But that was the danger, if he used these powers too long, he gave up too much of who he was. That was something that none of the Titans, not even Raven with her demonic heritage, understood or had to deal with.

Both Raven and Troia drew back from him as his eyes and hand glowed, and he was dimly aware of that, but gave it no thought.

He 'snuck past' the monstrosity of the AI. It knew he was there, but not specifically where. It was hard to describe; he he any time to explain (which he didn't) only Cyborg would have properly appreciated it. In any case, he snuck past it and severed it's connection to the network. Not it was weaker, but knew exactly where he was. He did not try to scramble out of the way, instead he hid in the datastreams of it's own broken connection. It's attack still struck, but went through him as though he weren't even there, a ghost. He could have stayed in there to finish the thing off, but there was no need.

He disconnected himself from the energy tendrils, which were already weakening and fading. “The hostile AI is dying, but it will take a little while to burn itself out. The gamer console is corrupted, though. I'm afraid the kids will have to get a new one.”

“The kids,” Raven said coldly, “Are still comatose.” She gestured to the three prone forms. “You were supposed to save them!”

Eric flinched back from Raven's anger, hands up. “Whoa, whoa! They weren't in the net, I would've felt them!” And this was true. “They must still be in their own minds, however injured. Can you sense them?”

Raven looked down at them. “Yes,” she said. “I can.” And she could also sense the truth of his words, Eric felt sure.

“So, call the paramedics, eh?!” he tried not to sound confrontational, but the stress was getting to him a little. And that was all right; maybe it would make him seem more normal.

“Yes,” Troia said. “Of course, you're right.”

-5-

Later. Evening was growing on.

Eric was flirting with Troia in the lounge again. The Tower had various entertainment facilities of course, but Eric preferred a nice restaurant or his own apartment. Besides, it wouldn't do to have the other Titans looming over his shoulder during all this.

As it was, Raven, Nightwing and Kid Flash were looking on with various degrees of disdain. Raven shook her head.

Eric did his best to ignore them. “So, do I pass the test?” he asked her.

Troia smiled thinly. “You pass this test, yes. But there will be more in future.”

“Of course; I'd much rather deal with you guys than Checkmate or STAR Labs,” he said, entirely honestly.

“Right answer. Remember, we will be keeping an eye on you.”

“By all means do,” He said, touching her shoulder.

She smiled and closed her eyes, feeling the interaction of their powers. He knew she enjoyed it despite herself. She kissed his cheek.



“You have gifts,” Raven warned from across the room. “Make sure you use them correctly.”

“That's why I'm here,” Eric said, not taking his eyes off Troia. “But now I think it's time to leave, if Troia feels like accompanying me?”

“Of course,” Troia agreed. “I'll take you back to your apartment.”

They walked to the door together.

Behind them, Eric could hear the cute blonde, Terra, muttering to her own Beast Boy-toy that she hoped that Eric appreciated what he had with Troia. Indeed, Eric did; but not quite in the way she meant. Now was hardly the time to say so, of course.