016

— a beating heart —

PANIC HAD TAKEN A SPOT IN HAZEL'S MIND AND AS THEY DREW CLOSER TO THE POLICE STATION, IT CONSUMED HER COMPLETELY. They had put their suits on, Hazel briefly saying goodbye to Cole before he sped back to his mothers, then they sat in big black SUV's and drove through the streets of Gotham. Kory and Dick had taken the first car, leading Conner who drove the second.

Hazel stared out the car window, watching the lights blur and flash by. Gar had watched her for a few minutes, debating with himself whether to grab her hand and tell her it was going to be okay, or just sit in silence. The first one was a lie, so he opted for silence, until Komand'r voice cut through the air, "On Tamaran it is called The Pit," Komand'r stared out the front window, counting the stars as they passed. "It's so dark. So dark you cannot even see your hand. Do you know what they call it in your legend?"

Gar furrowed his eyebrows, but Hazel quickly interrupted, "Gl'tzow Borkraj, unending misery. An endless labyrinth of pain and suffering. Torture that tears apart every atom in your body only to piece it back together again."

Hazel looked down at her hands and Gar reached for them before she could think too hard. His hand was larger than hers, completely encasing her skin in warmth as Gar squeezed her hands. Haze looked up at him through panicked eyes and he offered her a soft smile, "It's gonna be okay," Gar nodded.

"It isn't like that here," Conner reassured, his eyes moving to Komand'r beside him. "Right?"

"Right. Totally not like that," Gar nodded, his hand initially tightening the grip on Hazel's. "It's gonna be fine. Dick and Barbara have a plan. We're just gonna go in and out. This is really just all for show."

"We're gonna be together the whole time," Conner promised Blackfire. He took his hand in hers, holding her tight, "I've got you, I promise."

The cars came to a stop in the underground carpark, the exit blocked off with police cars leaving the Titans trapped in the concrete walls. Hazel stepped from the car, her legs ready to collapse the second they met the cold concrete. The panic had risen to Hazel's throat, and she pressed the heels of her palms to her eyes.

Gar walked to Hazel's side, gently taking her wrists and pulling her hands from her eyes. "Hazel?" His voice was soft, and she lifted her eyes to stare at him.

"How can you do this?" Hazel asked, keeping her voice soft. Gar furrowed his eyebrows and Hazel took her hands back, instead fisting his jacket as she tried to breathe. "How are you not losing your mind? How are you so you?"

"You don't think I'm freaking out? Cause I am." Gar took a breath calming his voice. "Every single bone in my body thinks the second I walk in there I'll see Mercy, or there's glass cages, or men lining the walls with guns. But I can't freak out right now cause you will, and you can't freak out because you're going to be fine."

Gar placed his hands on either side of Hazel's face, tracing her skin with his thumbs. His big brown, almost doe like eyes stared deep into Hazel's trembling gaze, "You're going to take a breath and we're gonna walk in there, will sit in a prison cell for 15 minutes then we're going back to your brothers. You're going to be okay." Hazel nodded softly and her hands dropped, hanging at her sides.

Gar's hands moved from her face to her arms, squeezing softly. Gar looked up at Dick who had waited patiently, and he nodded, Dick starting to lead the way.

Gar and Hazel walked side by side, following Dick into the station. Nearly three dozen police officers with batons and riot shields lined the walls, standing strong as they stared at the Titans. Another dozen stood on the second story, aiming their sights on the group. Hazel drifted closer to Gar, her shoulder brushing his. "This seems excessive," Kory spoke up.

"Barbara cleared it with me. It's all for show," Dick reassured. "They need to stand their ground."

Gar's eyes wandered up to the second story, staring at the man following him closely with his gun. "This is just optics, right?" Gar questioned.

"Optics," Dick repeated. Hazel followed Gar's gaze to the upper levels, more men running out with guns trained on the Titans. Hazel's breath hitched and Gar rested his hand on her back, trying to calm them both.

Komand'r turned, looking over her shoulder and froze as she noticed the large electric cages, one for each Tameranen. A man walked up and used his shield to knock her back, pushing her further along, "Move along."

Conner sped to her and steadied her footing, "I got you." Conner turned and glared at the man. "Back off."

"Easy. We're not here for a fight," Dick protested, holding his hand high.

The officers moved closer and shoved Hazel away from Gar, using a riot shield to separate them. "Hey- hey-" A loud tick and a heavyweight encased Hazel's neck and she froze, her fingers meeting the cold metal of the shock collar that encased her neck.

Gar grabbed her and pushed her behind him, a tight grip on her arm. "Hey! What's your fucking deal?" Gar snapped.

For a single moment longer it was quiet, and Hazel's eyes wandered to the animal control cattle prongs and large thick chains. They had walked right into a trap, each officer equipped to take even Conner down. Then a shout, "Move in!" In a frenzy the police officers rushed forward, raising their batons and shields high. Conner moved fast, pushing back the shields on one end, Dick fighting back against the other.

"Stand down!" Barbra shouted.

A man pulled out his gun and aimed at Komand'r, firing wildly. Conner blocked one bullet but the other bounced off his skin and pierced her torso, blood spilling over the silver armour. "No!" Kory screamed. Anger filled Conner and he ran at the officers and Kory waved her hands, slightly melting the officer's shields but never hurting them.

Officers swung chaotically as Gar and Hazel fought back against the growing crowd, but they had managed to force Gar into the corner each time he stepped back to try and remove his clothes to transform quickly. Hazel was able to immobilise a few men with vines but before she could do much more a call electric shocks pierced the air.

An electric current ripped through Hazel's body, pain flooding her body, forcing her to crumple to her knees. She clawed at the collar, trying to pull it away but every slight pressure against it pressed the metal prongs deep into the skin of her neck. Hazel screamed, blood leaking from her nose and ears as the lights through the building flashed wildly.

"Hazel!" Gar screeched. He tried to run forward but met the harsh swing of a police baton to his face, cracking his nose.

"Venom!" Dick's voice echoed. He sent another three to the ground as Kory knelt by the bleeding Komand'r and Gar was backed further into the corner. Hazel tried to stand but another round of shots went off, and three bullets pierced through Hazel's shoulders and torso, her body hitting the floor with a thud.

"Hazel!" Gar leapt from the officers as a tiger and rushed to stand over Hazel.

He growled, officers jumping back as Gar snapped at them. A man tried to rush forward but the tiger's jaws clasped around his arm, the tiger teeth breaking the skin and bone. Gar dragged him to the ground, removing his jaws only to snap at the man's face, tearing through his muscle and bone. The tiger lifted his face, blood dripping from his jaws but Gar kept his protective stance over Hazel.

Two shots rang out and tranquiliser darts pierced Gar's side. The tiger began to stumble but continued to roar and snap through pained winces. Hazel heard Gar's cries and pushed herself to her feet, light spilling off her body and toward the upper level, melting the stone and concrete. "Gar go!" Hazel screamed; her voice strained. Gar glowed softly but scaled the walls and ran from the building.

Hazel fell backward, the bright light rushing back to her body as the pain continued to consume her. Conner quickly grabbed her and pulled her back, resting her by the wall near Kory and Komand'r. "Hazel," Kory called, placing her hand over one of the bullet wounds. "Fuck. I can't carry you both out."

"Get her out, worst case scenario I die," Hazel tried to joke but every single cell in her body hurt. "Go."

Kory reluctantly nodded and hoisted Komand'r to her feet. "I need to get her out of here!" Kory shouted and the Dick turned towards her. "Cover us," Kory called, moving her arms to hold up Blackfire.

"Shit," Dick cursed. "Conner!" The officers moved forward as Kory and Blackfire ran, closing in on Conner and Dick. Three grenades were thrown over the riot shield barrier, but Conner quickly blasted them mid-air.

Another group of police officers rushed in but before they could raise their guns everyone crumpled to their knees, holding their heads in agony. Hazel looked around, noticing even Conner and Dick forced to the ground.

Purple lightning raced through the building acting as cover as Cole threw the doors open, rushing towards Hazel. Hazel tried to speak but his arms were around her, hauling her to her feet, pulling her from the building. "Dick and Conner-"

"It's me," Cole explained, holding onto Hazel tighter. "I couldn't tell who was who, I just sensed you."

"What are you doing here?" Hazel gritted out, limping weakly along with Cole as he walked her through back streets and different alleys.

"I felt your panic, then your pain, then I lost you," Cole explained in a rush, looking back over his shoulder. "I had to find you, can't leave my big sis out there all alone." Hazel slipped in his grip slightly, but he was quick to catch her, and notice the sticky blood spilling onto his fingers. "Are you gonna die on me?"

Hazel pressed her hand to stomach, trying to focus on her steps. "It's a high probability," Hazel murmured.

Cole groaned and hoisted Hazel further into his arms, "Just hold on a little longer yeah? Few more streets." Hazel nodded her head dropping. "Nope, keep your head up. Eyes open. What's your favourite movie?"

"What?"

"I need to keep you talking, I know blood loss is gonna be a pretty awful thing, but if you pass out and I have to figure out what's wrong you won't be able to tell me if it's the electricity, the being shot or the fact you're burning at like 100 degrees," Cole rambled on, watching Hazel's feet fumble. "So, what's your favourite movie?"

"Uh, I like monster squad," Hazel mumbled.

Cole shrugged softly, "Interesting choice."

"Gar and I watched it a few weeks ago. Gar didn't want to watch the original Frankenstein-" Hazel cut off with a cough, blood spilling from her mouth.

"Keep talking."

"He didn't wanna watch Frankenstein so I said we could watch Monster squad. It's basically the comedic monster mash." Hazel took a short wheezing breath. "Cole, I'm gonna pass out."

"Try and stay awake Haze."

"Trying-" Hazel's words cut off with a groan as she fell to her knees.

A second set of hands hoisted her up, pulling her left arm over their shoulder. "Try harder," Terran ordered.

"Terran?" Hazel questioned, trying to look up at her.

Cole's head snapped to the left, staring at the brunette girl. "Terran! Hi yeah, Hazel, talk to Terran," Cole ordered. "Two more streets."

Terran and Cole pulled Hazel all the way to the Coffee Shop, Cole's mother throwing the door open and helping the two drag the half dead Hazel to the bathroom. Nina started to curse and pray as Terran inspected Hazel, Cole watching her cautiously. "What are you doing?" Cole questioned.

"Nina, isn't it?" Terran asked, glancing back. "I appreciate the hospitality, but this is about to be really gross, and you don't have to see it." Nina mumbled an agreement and slipped away, closing the door. Terran looked up from her bloody hands towards the door and let out a heavy sigh, "Cole you in or out?"

"What are you doing to her?" Cole asked, kneeling beside Hazel.

Terran paused as she looked up at Cole. He nodded softly and she turned back to survey their half dead sister. "I need to find the bullet that's killing her, because once I do, I'm going to use that to kill her."

Cole's eyes snapped up and his hand shot out to grab Terran's wrist, "You're going to what?"

"She won't die like this, her body is trying to heal her," Terran explained, and Cole took his hand back. "We take the collar off now and she is going to be in pain for hours as her body tries to fix itself. If I kill her using something that's already killing her that pain will be reduced to a 57 second window and then two hours after that she'll have achy pains, not I was shot at three times kinda pain."

Cole moved Terran's hands aside and he gently pressed the skin around the bullet hole near her chest. "The bullet pierced her Ascending aorta; it's leaking blood into her lungs."

"I plead to God you do not mean we have to stop her heart-"

"We have to stop her heart."

— rage —