The Sixth Titan | Teen Titans

Chapter Ten - Mad Mod

"Now, now, dearie." I look around, but I can't find the source of the voice, though I know it's the villainous Brit's. "Pay attention to the teacher!"

"What?" I mumble as the chalkboard in front of me reveals itself to be a hypnoscreen, and I look away instinctively.

"Look at the screen, dearie," Mad Mod's voice echoes. "It's for the best, naturally. Without a brain, you'll be the best student in the Institute!"

"No..." I say to no one, my voice rising to a shouting command. "Let go of me! I'll—"

"Ember!" Robin's voice interrupts me, but I close my eyes even further in case it's a trap. When nothing happens, I open one eye cautiously, only to find Robin beside me, hunched over my chair in order to release me.

"What was that?" I ask curiously, still dazed.

"Come on!" He grabs my hand as the plants around us come to life, and we rush out of the room.

    Once we're out, I dust myself off. "Thank y—"

    "Don't thank me yet," he says offhandedly. "Mad Mod still has us right where he wants us. I know we could take him if we could just get our hands on him. But every time we get out of one trap..." Just as he says this, several statues of Mad Mod surround us, each readying a different weapon to trap us. "There's another one waiting."

    "Without his gadgets, he's just an old Brit," I note as we run away.

   "Run, my duckies!" Mad Mod says as we run further into one of the many illusions. "Run all you like, but you'll never get out!" We somehow fall down a hole, landing in a Science room. "It's no good procrastinating, really, because sooner or later, you'll both end up like him." As Mad Mod says this, we spot Beast Boy, sitting in his chair without moving. I let out a gasp and we both run to the boy.

    "Beast Boy!" Robin yells.

    "Ah, yeah," Mad Mod comments. "A model student, that one. Lovely. Sits there, quietly, never thinks about misbehaving, matter of fact, he never thinks at all!"

    "Beast Boy!" I repeat before turning to the hypnoscreen. "What have you done to him?" My eyes glow red, as do my fingers, and I'm about to blast the hypnoscreen when Robin lays a hand on my shoulder.

    "Wait! Trust me." The chemicals overflow, swallowing the chairs behind Beast Boy. Robin hands me the green boy as he continues to drool, and I grimace. "Here's your hall pass. Meet you outside." I fly to the door and watch as Robin jumps over the chairs to avoid the chemicals. He closes the door to the exit and runs off, gesturing for me to follow him.

    "Robin!" I shout, before looking at the boy in my hands. The drool has now completely covered my fingers and I heat my hands up for a second to evaporate it. "Beast Boy? How did... How do I..." I struggle to wake him up, but nothing works. "Beast Boy! Please!"

    "Ah, Em?" Robin says as I finally cave in and fly over. "I don't think that's working."

    "But what will?"

    "Mad Mod! Come on!" Robin whispers, hiding behind the staircase. I fly over with Beast Boy and hide by the staircase with Robin. "We'll hide here and then take him by surprise."

    I look around at the illusions everywhere and frown. "He probably has cameras all over the place."

    Robin points to Beast Boy. "Any way to keep him quiet?"

    "None that I'm all too excited to do," I say, before freezing my hand and placing it over Beast Boy's mouth. Despite the ice protecting my hand from Beast Boy's drool, I still shut my eyes and shudder.