• "No, no- please!" A fist collided with the begging addicts jaw. He coughed, wincing. "I don't know anything!" he shouted.

    "Bullshit!" came the sharp reply. Robin hit the man again, low in the stomach, eliciting another cry of pain. "Everyone in this city knows that you deal from the corner of that street! There's no way in hell you didn't see anything!" The gaunt man cringed at Robin's sharp tone.

    "Look, I can't tell you anything that you don't already know." Robin pulled back his fist and he flinched. "Okay, okay! Just please, let me go." Robin eyed the man before stepping back, releasing the collar of the dealer's shirt. He immediately dropped to the ground, coughing and rubbing his neck. Glowering up at Robin, he muttered, "a*****e."

    "You want to end up back in Jump Penitentiary?" The man glowered up at him and shook his head slowly. "Then cut the crap and start talking."

    "Okay. I just made this deal with a neighboring um- 'businessman' when this real pale guy walks past me. First I think, 'Hey, new customer!' 'Cause the guy looked like a serious user who was jonesing for a rush."

    "He looked like an addict? Could you tell for sure if he was one?" The dealer shrugged.

    "Eh, he was pale, trembling, and a bit jumpy. Tell tale signs of an addict. But I don't know, I could be wrong. Anyways, like I was saying- the freak just walked past me and out into the traffic. People were real pissed off, honking their horns and stuff. One car slammed on their brakes to avoid hitting him. So he goes up to that car's driver door and smashes the window, pulling the guy right out onto the street. I figured it was just a car jacking, but then the guy leans down and bites the guys neck. Kinda like a vampire, but kinda like a zombie too 'cause he just pulled back, ripping the skin off. It was... it was sick. So I just turned and walked away, thinking, 'Screw sales, I'm not gonna stick around 'til the cops get here.'"

    "There. That enough info for you?" Robin nodded, heading his way out of the filthy alley.

    "Thanks for your help. I catch you out here dealing again though, I'm sending you in."

    Three hours later, five exhausted Titans trudged back into their tower's main room, collapsing on the sofa. Robin, however, went to the front of the room to look at all his friends.

    "Titans, report."

    "So far, Beastboy and I have not been successful at finding the terrible man." Starfire said, hanging upside down off the sofa.

    "We have no clue which direction he went when he fled the scene though," Beastboy pointed out. "so we're having to blanket the entire city. It's gonna take some time."

    "Raven?"

    "The witnesses are having a hard time retelling what they saw. I think they're in a bit of shock. I did get a few things. Nothing too substantial though."

    "How's your research so far Cy?"

    "This guy's practically a ghost. I ran the picture Capt. Hughes faxed me through the scanner and I did a few face analysis matches, but nothing is showing up. He's not in any mug shot books either. It's like he doesn't exist...Good news is I got an appointment to meet with the chief of police tomorrow."

    "You think she'd be able to help us dude?" Cyborg shrugged.

    "I don't know. But it's worth a try." Robin grinned.

    "Way to plan ahead Cyborg. Great work." The cybernetic man yawned in return.

    "Speaking of planning ahead, I think I'm going to get some rest before another long day of searching. I suggest y'all do the same." He cast a wary and stern glance at the group before heading out the door, keying in the tower's security code as he went. The Titans were like younger siblings to him, considering he was older then all of them. He felt very protective of them, and even though Robin was the leader, Cyborg often stepped up and played the parental leader role for the team. Hell, someone had to look after BB and Star. He mused about this, smirking slightly, as he walked down the long, twisting hallways to his room where he shut down for the night.

    Shortly after, Raven and Beastboy followed suit. Only Starfire and Robin remained. Starfire floated off of the sofa, anxious for some well deserved rest. She look expectantly at Robin, waiting for him to get up and join her. But instead, he moved to the large window that looked out onto the rolling ocean and coastline of Jump City. His well muscled arms crossed against his chest as a brooding expression that Star knew all too well came over his face.

    "Robin," she began softly. "staying up all night will not help us come any closer to the vampire man. If nothing else, it will only tire you and hinder your fighting capabilities."

    It seemed like Robin entirely ignored her when he said, "He could be out there right now. Killing. A child, and elderly person, anyone. And we can't save them because we have no idea who this man is."

    "Please," she begged. "do not make this an obsession. I don't want to lose you to him like we lost you to Slade." She saw Robin stiffen.

    "You didn't lose me Star," he growled. "I'm still here, aren't I?" Starfire sighed, giving up.

    "That's not what I meant..." Turning, she left the Boy Wonder to his own mind, to torture himself in the darkness for something he could not control. And as she was fading off to sleep, Starfire wept for him.

    "Thanks for your help." Cyborg said, accepting another file from the chief of police. "It's been impossible finding this guy."

    "Anything for a Titan." she replied, sitting down behind her desk. Cyborg flipped open the file and quickly scanned the papers inside. The criminal in the folder was a creep, definitely, but not the one they needed. "Anything?"

    "Nope." He placed the folder on the growing pile on the chiefs desk. "This guys MO is completely unique. You'd know it instantly if you saw it." He glanced up at the relatively young woman. "How long have you had this job anyway?"

    "I'm new. It is that obvious?" she asked, self consciously smoothing her suit and fixing her bun. Cyborg smiled.

    "No, it's just the Titans work closely with the police. You're a new face I haven't seen before." A knock came at the door, followed by a timid voice.

    "Chief?"

    "Diana, come in." A mousy woman opened the door and toddled in, clutching a sheaf of papers.

    "We think we may have found the solution to our problem." The chief grinned, throwing a glance at Cyborg.

    "We've found someone willing to talk?"

    "No, but we have the next best thing."