And this is how it all began.... (open)

[Liz ' Zero' Knight]

It was that dreaded time of year once again. Back to school season. It seemed every parent in the city was bustling about the mall for all the sales on things for their kids. Little did they know things would not be going as smoothly as they hoped.

The sound of children screaming about wanting things or not wanting to return to school filled the air of the mall and was drowned out by other shoppers doing their power shopping. The sight on a normal day was comparable to a stampede but in the here and now...it was worse. More people were crammed inside of the building that was the mall all for the sake of these so called deals that companies used to get people in the door. To be honest, most were rip offs and going to be the death of people.

As the clock struck noon, the sound of the PA system went off with what everyone would assume was the usual announcement of "It is now 12 o'clock" or something to that extent, but the message never came. One by one, the lights would go out in the mall until all that remained were the emergency lights. In the eerie reddish orange bath of light, everything looked like halloween had come early this year. The moment that happened, all the doors simultaneously locked, holding them inside the building. On the PA system, the sound of static would come through as every TV and Monitor in the building flickered to staticy images of everyone in the building, one by one as if they were standing in front of the camera. And then the images all spoke in unison.

"I am Zero."

It was like everyone in the building had at one time recorded that one sentence and was having it played back for all to hear. All before the traditional tv "snow" flickered to change the image to someone wearing what looked like a black hoodie and a gas mask. The mask itself was distinct, the red lenses even more creepy in the current lighting. The hood was up, hiding any sign of the person that wasn't covered by the mask. At the same time, it was a very...common sweatshirt. There was nothing about it that stood out and could blend in easily in a crowd if the gas mask were off.

But that was just the beginning. When that figure showed up, the metal security gates would slowly start to come down. "You have all just received a text. That text when opened will send a detonation code to the various bombs scattered amongst the stores you were shopping in or even in the merchandise you bought. However, only one person has the real code. In one hour, if the bombs are not defused, it will detonate. Leave the building, and the bombs will detonate. Call or text anyone, and the bombs will detonate. For your safety, I have triggered the emergency lockdown protocol." Having this told to you over every speaker, tv, and radio in the building was not how anyone wanted to spend their last day. Once the monologue was over, the figure would vanish and the tvs would all go back to static. The lights would remain in the strange reddish glow of emergency lighting.

In the crowd of shoppers, a single girl in jeans and a dark blue t shirt would shake her head at the display. To anyone looking, it would appear as if this was the icing on the cake of a really bad day. She would pull her phone out of her jeans pocket and check it, when she saw the same message on her phone that everyone else had, she knew things were going accordingly. Since no one was going anywhere any time soon thanks to her display, she figured she might as well have a seat in the food court and watch the panic ensue.

[Athena 'Shift' Logan]

Well, that wasn't good.

The heroes of Jump City - the Titans, auxillary Titans, and pretty much any hero that wanted to show up and look good in front of citizens - had been invited out to the mall. In order to entice kids into thinking school shopping was somehow fun, the Titans had made an agreement with the city...and then asked their superhero friends if they wanted to come, too. Who didn't like a trip to the mall? So some of the heroes were milling around, while Shift manned the table that someone had set up for them. She wasn't sure where everyone had gone to - someone had said they were going to lunch, so she'd been more distracted by thoughts of a good tofu-burger than paying attention to what they'd been doing.

Shift looked up from the autograph she'd been signing for a kid as the light went out. She handed the picture back to the twelve year old as their mother pulled them away, saying something about a power outage, and didn't the mall realize they had shopping to do? Athena rolled her eyes as the rest of the group of civilians around the table milled about. She could see better than a baseline human in the dark, but that didn't mean that even she didn't think the emergency lights were a little spooky. Even heroes could get a chill up their spine every now and then!

Then the real weirdness started. The big tv screens displaying smiling child actors with parent-approved backpacks and t-shirts flickered out, replaced by...a gas mask? The red lenses made Athena squint as she looked up at the nearest tv screen, standing up and pushing her chair away, pen laying forgotten on the plastic table. This 'Zero' introducing themselves was a bad sign, but what was worse was the screech of the gates closing, followed by the clang of metal shades shuttering the windows. Precautions that kept out theives, usually, now used to trap the citizens of Jump City.

Almost immediately, they was a low hum of worried voices, crying and shouting. Some people screamed, others banged on the shutters or bars with their hands. No normal human could get through them, but it wouldn't stop some people from trying. Cupping her hands to her mouth, Shift tried to inject authority into her voice. "Everyone stay calm! The Teen Titans and our friends are here, we'll get everyone out safely! Everything is going to be fine!" She called out. The truth was, the shape shifter didn't know where the rest of her team was - if they were even on the same floor as her.

Pulling out her gold-and-black Titans' communicator, the green skinned shape shifter flipped it open, tapping a few buttons and trying to get a signal. "Hello? Can anyone hear me? This is Shift, at Jump City Mall...we're locked in by someone calling themselves Zero. I need some backup, everyone - anyone who knows how to defuse a bomb would be handy!"

words: 495 | tagged: Liz ' Zero' Knight, heroes, open

[Liz ' Zero' Knight]

The calm demeanor of the citizens slowly unraveled into chaos. The only people that remained calm were those in the general vicinity of Shift. The sound of banging on metal would echo throughout the mall, encompassed by the worried voices of the citizens. Those that weren't trying to escape had pulled out their phones. The noise from their phones was like a drill to the head and yet none heard or felt it but one person. In the darkness, the fact that another girl was stumbling about was about as normal as everyone else in the area.

Pausing for a moment and leaning against a nearby wall, Liz would close her eyes. Focusing, or so they called it. She could feel the frequency of a distress call on a different signal than the phones. A Titan? Here? Even better... The thought crossed her mind and a flicker of a smirk touched her lips. Honestly, she wondered how long the Titan would play her game before destroying even more public property. Or was that a bit harsh? Letting the smile fade, she would make her way towards where she felt the distress call. It would take some time considering how everyone seemed to just love shoving others out of their way for a feeble attempt at escape.

Once she had made her way to the small crowd that gathered near Shift, the PA systems would echo again.

"Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. I see you're wasting time."

As the voice echoed on the PA systems, all of the tvs would display the same thing. A room. Not just any room mind you. But the security office. Based on the angle of the shot, it was from the security camera just outside the room. A small handful of guards were in the process of breaking down the door and would easily succeed. But inside the room was nothing. Just an empty security office where none of the technology was responding. "Did you really think it would be that easy?" The voice wasn't exactly mocking them. It was simply pointing out the obvious and remaining collected the entire time as if this was a normal thing.

It would be then that Liz would step closer to Shift, her gaze falling on the comm in her hand. "Aren't you one of those Titans they have on the news? Aren't you going to do something? Or you gonna just let us get blown up?" She asked, a bit of an English accent staining her words. Her tone both confused, annoyed, and a bit angry mainly from the amount of nonsense people STILL did on their phones in a crisis.

[Athena 'Shift' Logan]

That voice was really starting to grate on her nerves – and with so many civilians around, panicking and trying to escape, the added noise and panic when Zero mocked them on the screen again wasn’t helping. Their costume was simple, but undeniably eerie; Shift preferred as little coverings as possible, thanks to her fur, so she couldn’t imagine putting something like that gas mask on her face. And seeing red all the time? It was bad enough she was green! But she could wince at their costume choices later – right now, there were more important things to worry about. Turning away from her communicator, setting it down on the table where her team had been signing pictures, the Titan turned to help calm and corral some of the younger children when she nearly ran over a girl.

Inwardly, she fought to bite back a sigh – it was only through dint of seeing the security team trying to break into the control center that the Titan knew why she wasn’t being hounded by ten security guards, and she did not need a civilian trying to tell her how to do her job. But she forced a patience look on her face, trying to look if not optimistic then at least patient with the dark-haired young woman. Athena had to admit, the English accent was a little surprising to hear in a coastal American area like Jump City, but they had civilians, heroes, and villains from all over the word, and she’d had to decipher much thicker ones before.

“Yes, I’m a Titan – I’m Shift.” It wasn’t often she had to point out who she was – being the only green member of the team, and the leader, by definition she stood out from any crowd. Still, Athena was willing to admit the Titans might not be exactly world-famous again, like the older generation had been in their hey-day. “Of course we’re going to do something – don’t worry. Everyone will get out of here just fine. I’ve got my team and our friends working on finding the bomb right now.” Or at least she hoped they were, since nobody had responded to her distress call – the one she’d only sent a few seconds ago, after all.

“Now, unless you know something about bombs, you’ll need to try and find your friends and family, anyone you came with, and try to stay calm.” She stressed the last two words, trying to brush past Liz – she didn’t look so young or panicked that she needed coddling, and there were things to do.


words: 427 | tagged: Liz ' Zero' Knight

[Liz ' Zero' Knight]

It was one thing getting brushed off because there was panic but when it felt like you were being talked down to…now there’s a problem. She watched the green hero Shift start walking away and hoping for some back up. Maybe just maybe if things were played right, this would work to her advantage. Of course she knew how to handle bombs. Though the kind she dealt with weren’t your average explosive type. All but one of the kind here were duds. But no one needed to know that. “Then how about you check that store on the first floor…the one that kinda has a support beam in it.” She advised the hero, it would be one of the first places any normal person would look considering that there was a support beam present. “Saw some shady people there earlier…” She added to her previous statement. Shady people in malls…it was believable. There were shady people everywhere but the two most common places were where there was no one and where there was everyone.

In this situation, it wouldn’t be unheard of for some shady characters to be lurking about a mall. It was a rather common occurrence and a viable story. While Liz spoke, the only change on the tvs was a now ticking timer in deep red against the black screens. “Do you really think anyone that knows bombs would actually admit to it?” Directly referencing the fact that Shift had actually asked her about it even if it was a rhetorical question. “I’m just a bartender, but I could probably help you find your culprit if I had enough time. Give ‘em a drink and people tend to talk.” It was in a sense a backhanded offer, playing on the fact that most ‘heroes’ tend to not want any sort of help from a mere civilian. If it was accepted, who better than to give false leads while gathering her own intel than the person behind Zero to begin with.

As she offered to help Shift, Liz would have had that flicker of a smirk on her lips. She honestly wondered how prideful the Titan was. Shift wasn’t as prideful as most considering she had already called for help. The dark haired Brit would walk over to the railing and look over it at the crowd below. Based on what she could see some of the more…idiotic…teenagers were contemplating checking the message that ‘Zero’ had sent out. If they did then maybe they’d trip the sensors of the right one. Or was it the wrong one that would end horribly. Who knew? But if the single live bomb was found, then there’d be a catastrophe for one reason.

It was known to everyone that 99% of all hackers prize information. And who’s information are they after? Yours. A ticking timebomb before everyone’s information here was swiped, erased, or much worse… Some of these kids had wished for excitement. Seems they had no idea what they were wishing for.

[Athena 'Shift' Logan]

wildly lawful

The girl’s voice called out to her as Shift started walking away, pulling at the communicator on her hip to try and get a hold of one of her teammates’ again. The girl wasn’t calling for help – she was offering it. The heroine turned to eye Liz as she spoke. After placating the civilian, she hadn’t thought much past that – not about her being able to help the bomb efforts. Still, any news was good news at that moment, and the furry Titan would take all the help she could get. “The one with the support beam…? – oh! I know the one you’re talking about.” She repeated, then interrupted herself as she remembered which one Liz was talking about. The store worked with the beam, putting tables and things around it to display candles and little gift boxes – the perfect place for someone to stash a bomb. Nobody looked under those tables, not even the staff that worked there.

While she debated whether to check the tip out – it came from just some random lady she’d bumped into in the mall, after all, not one of her teammates or an ally, but any lead was a good thing in this situation – Liz spoke up again, distracting the shape shifter from her whirling thoughts as the sounds of clanging metal and chattering, quiet tension rang through the mall. She had already offered up a tidbit of information, and now she was offering to help? If she’d had her team with her, or if it hadn’t been such a high-stakes situation, Athena no doubt would have turned the self-professed bartender down. Any bit helped in a time like that – especially when they were short on time. So after a moment of hesitation, Shift nodded, serious-faced. She wasn’t expecting much from Knight, but if she could get them even a little bit of info, if anyone had seen anything, something they wouldn’t want to bother a hero with but would spill to someone more casual…well, desperate times, and all that.

“…Alright. We – I – appreciate the help. What did you say your name was, again?” Shift asked, hesitating for a moment longer as she mulled over all the many ways this could go badly. Very badly, if the hacker wasn’t just bluffing, and there really were all those live bombs. If they could find even one, and learn how to disarm them, then they were on the right track. Anxiety always made her fidgety, and the Titan followed the dark-haired Brit to the railing, eyeing the people below from beside her. People were milling around, looking through their bags and talking in low voices to one another. Villains attacked all the time in a place like Jump City, but everyone always thought it would happen to someone other than themselves.

credit to Dark Raveness of adoxography

words: 475 | tagged: Liz ' Zero' Knight

[Tara Strong]

Tara was high over the city, hovering in mid air and watching the busy streets below. he was invited by Shift to come to the Mall, but she refused. She just was not ready to meet with a lot of people at once. 
She was enjoying the buy commotion, watching as she streets where packed with cars, people and live. Suddenly her Titans communicator alerted her, and after she removed it from her utility belt of sort, she opened it. She heard and saw Athen in it. Tara grow alarmed. She pressed a few buttons, having little idea, of how that sort of communicator worked and spoke into it with a low voice. "Yes, this Tara, i am on my way." She spoke in a low voice, and hoped that her message got threght. She lost focus for a long second, accidentally falling somewhat, but then regained her focus and flew towards the mall. She approached the mall in a low altitude, and landed at one of the back entrances, When she saw that a fence of sort was locked, she grabbed the edge and yanked the fence open. breaking it and tearing it off, accidentally. 
Tara did not want to do that, and and grunted softly. She however tossed it aside and made her aw into the non public area of the mall. She again took her comm and spoke into it. "I am inside the Mall. " She spoke in a low tone. Now accepting the earlier invitation to the Mall was a very bad idea, it seemed. She was angry at herself, she sent a strong punch into a wall from dissapointment and anger. Her punch accidentally left a pizza sized hole in the wall. She cursed in Tamaranian as she made her wa towards, where he heard all the breathing and low talking from. She was also a little confused as to why everything is to weak on Terra, like she is handling some cardboard box or something.  

[Liz ' Zero' Knight]

It was rather obvious that Athena had been thinking rather hard about something. What didn't exactly matter though it wasn't difficult to assume that it was regarding their current debacle. A flicker of a smirk eased on Liz's lips as Athena spoke, agreeing to the help. That old saying about desperate times and desperate measures really was true, it seemed. Her gaze remained fixed on the people walking in and out of that particular store. As Athena walked up to take a look as well, Liz pointed out something barely visible from their position.

In the store, concealed beneath a table but slightly sticking out of it's hiding spot was a piece of metal. "There. Looks like metal. I'll go talk to the staff if you want to check it out." Her tone wasn't exactly asking, it was more stating what she was going to do. As she spoke she moved towards the stairs. "Think you can keep up with a norm, Titan?" She asked, joking slightly to try and lighten the situation as she walked downstairs.

Soon after reaching the floor in question, she slipped into the crowd. Purposely, hoping to get lost among the people so that Shift didn't quite pay attention to her. There were things to do and time to kill. What was needed however was a false lead and somehow she needed to pull one out of thin air.

[Jian]

It was such a fun day. Well, maybe not for /everyone/ involved. There were so many people to observe, and so many secluded corners at the same time! Truly today was a wonderful wonderful day to the young vampiric girl called Jian. A useless communicator was set on her belt, the battery letting out silent beeps as it died quickly, despite having been charged before she disobeyed common sense and came to the mall for Hero Day, or whatever it was called. After all, the girl wasn't the most popular for a few certain, physical, aspects.

However, not everyone was frightened of the creepy girl. A loud gasp from an excited little girl that hopped around the Titan girl yelling something. "YOU'RE LIKE HALLOWEEN BUT FOREVEHHHH!" she cried. Though Jian didn't quite understand what it was, the energy of the little girl brightened her up, and they began hopping in circles together, as best as Jian could at least on her stiff legs.

And then the lights went out suddenly, and evven to the little girl that had been so excited, Jian was no longer a welcome presence. Light helped mask her monstrous nature, but in the dim lights, her fogggy yellow eyes shone clear, and her needle sharp teeth glistened in the emergency lights that clicked on. Much more shadows on an already sunken face.

Luckily, there was a distraction for everyone involved, in the form of all the monitors clicking on suddenly, and the grim warning caused everyone to hold their breath, anxiety and anticipation filling the air. Jian disappeared in a swarm off shadows as she left the girl she'd been havingg such a nice time with. Duty called.

----

Meanwhile, in the dim of the emergency lights, a laughing sounded out, genuinely entertained by this entire thing, belonging to that of a small woman with a mess of black hair on her head. The mirth plain in her voice made others question her sanity. Even more so when the girl was among the first to flip open her phone in her area. A little burner phone with a false identity on it, and prepaid minutes, though she had kept this one for awhile.

Sure enough, a text on even such a phone, that was far more than simple hacking could ever hope to achieve. The black haired girl hit the call button with little more hesitation, it dialed to an automatic operator, though a collect call wasn't what she had done such a danger for. "Oo, you're good, or maybe just a fake. Probably," She commented into the transmitter. Maybe it was to no one, or maybe to this oddly named individual.

----

Jian reformed some distance away, with comments following behind her off the bats, likely in reference to her shadow swarm. An open smile on her face, though in the darkness, her nature shown more clearly than in day, appearaing much more like a snarl. She stood at the bottom of a set of stairs, staring up at them, hands held out in front of her, keeping the balance on her stiff knees.

"even at a dead stop, we can." The titan's eyes followed Liz as she pushed down the stairs, looking to disappear into the crowd. At the bottom, did Jian, claws outstretched, their sharp points glinting.

Jian's raspy, dry voice seemed to carry even amongst the noise of the surrounding crowd, strangelycoming from either side, though even Euro the aid of directional hearing, it was pain as if she was standing in front of liz again, who was speaking. "Eh-hee," a proud little grin played on Jian's breath, as she hopped forward towards the crowd liz sought refuge in. Joke was successful, Jian wondered if the girl got it. Jian could explain if she didn't.