jla_watchtower | For the sake of the children... (cont.)

Current Location: Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco

Entry tags:

For the sake of the children... (cont.)

The auction is heating up. Some of the items have fetched handsome prices from anonymous bidders via cellphone proxies or the organization's website. The next item due on the auction block is a limited-run Flamebird figure (Bette might recognize it - she got a box of them for her birthday earlier this year).

But this is San Francisco, and it's almost Christmas, and when the Titans are around, something is almost guaranteed to go wrong.

And it does; quickly, suddenly, and loudly, in the form of a huge Santa sleigh, replete with animatronic reindeer, crashing through an adjoining wall from the set of a movie being filmed just outside.

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The injured have been given medical care, with the most serious cases being taken to the nearest hospital. The holes in the walls have been hastily blocked and the temperature inside has returned to a more comfortable level. Thanks to Jesse Quick's efforts, the vast majority of the merchandise is undamaged.

Moscone Center staffers have found a new podium and microphone for Mr. Cantu, and he steps forward, blotting his forehead with a red-bordered handkerchief. "I'm pleased to report that no one has been too seriously hurt in this accident," he says, which draws a scattering of applause from the remaining audience. "I'd also like to say thank you to the Titans for all their help--" More thunderous applause, mixed with the high, thin cheers of the children. Mr. Cantu lets the applause continue for several minutes, then raises his hands for silence. "Because of the Titans, it looks like we'll be able to move forward with tonight's auction--"

A staffer hurries up to the podium and whispers in his ear. Mr. Cantu looks startled, but puts on a jovial smile. "In fact, if the Titans could come up here, I'd like to thank them individually, while my assistant starts the bidding on our next item, lot 57, which is a 1993 issue of Hero Beat in very good condition...." Still smiling, Mr. Cantu steps away, and his assistant replaces him at the microphone.

When the Titans gather near the stage, they can see Mr. Cantu is very worried, despite his smile. "I'm afraid I have more than 'thank you' to say," he tells them in a low voice. "The Beast Boy action figure is missing. My staff haven't been able to find it in what's left of the display case." He blots his forehead again. "Please, if you could help ... we've already had a number of potential bidders asking about the figure...."

She allows herself to breathe, going from winged bear to blond young woman in a few seconds and steadying herself with a chair back.

Okay. Sleigh's hauled out. Crisis over. she looks over to the gathering of the sick and injured youngsters, including Ms. Campbell and Beth, who's back in a wheelchair and looking very upset to learn the figure of her hero is gone.

Wait a minute - where's Joseph?

"Of course we'll help, Mr. Cantu." Starfire is visibly distressed. "Please, continue the auction--we'll try to find the action figure before it is due to appear on the block." She turns and sees Fauna. "Have you seen the Beast Boy action figure?"

"No, I haven't, Starfire. Sorry. I'm thinking, though, that someone may have grabbed it in the confusion."

She scowls. "I'm trying to find Beth's older brother. He wasn't among the injured, but I can't seem to spot him."

Just then, a dusty Joseph joins his mother and sister. His mother hugs him tightly, closing her eyes against the possible tragedy she had braced herself for, then begins brushing the dust from his clothes.

Having just made herway down from the sleigh, Flamebird makes her way over to Joseph and Beth and their mother. "Hey, you all alright?"

Bart darts here and there, searching the premises for the missing action figure.

"Not here." Whoosh. "Not here." Whoosh. "Still not here."

"Yes, we're fine," replies Mrs. Campbell. "Your teammate--Fauna, right? She saved me and Beth, and Joseph--" She reaches out to hug her son. "He's so good at taking care of himself."

Flamebird looks over at Kid Flash as he wooshes here and there, looking for the action figure. There is a glint in her eye as she nods. "Well, most everyone looks okay, amazingly enough."

She has a suspicion but she doesn't know how to go forward with it.

"Perhaps the security footage?" suggests Mr. Cantu, a little doubtfully, looking anxiously at his watch. "I don't know how long that would take...."

Flamebird makes her way over toward Joseph. "Hey, you wanna come with me for a second? I think I'm going to need a bit of help over here." There is a pleasant smile on her face as she's asking.

"Uh...." Joseph looks at his mom, but it's his sister who speaks up first:

"Joey's a great big brother. He's good at helping." She grins that gap-toothed smile at him.

"Uh, I guess." He looks at his mom again, then joins Flamebird.

Flamebird makes her way over toward where there are fewer people but still some debris that needs taking care of, starting to stack it. "So." She pauses, "Do you want to tell me something or am I going to have to start asking questions you don't want me to ask?"

He freezes, then looks like he wants to bolt. "Uh ... huh?" His breathing picks up and his eyes get bigger.

"Kiddo, don't freak out on me. I completely understand but..." Flamebird looks at him directly, "I know you want to help your sister. I know you want to make her happy but..." She shrugs, "We can do our best to do it the right way."

"And maybe you can be a hero for finding it."

Joseph stares at her, then drags the back of his hand across his eyes. "I can't save her," he says, sounding much younger than his actual age. "Buh-big brothers're suh-s'pposed t'save their little sisters fuh-from bad stuff."

Carefully, very carefully, Flamebird wraps her arms around him, crouching down to better allow him to put his face against her shoulder if he so desires. "I know. I know. This is very, very hard for you and you just want to help her." She's really trying to keep her voice even.

All she can think of is Tamara, the girl at the hospital, much like Beth sitting just feet away from here. "I can see what I can do about that, okay? I think we can get enough together for it between the Titans here." Not for the first time today, she really wishes Gar were here.

He snuffles against her shoulder, shaking with the tears he doesn't want to shed in public. "Ruh-really? You'd do that for her?"

Flamebird carefully runs her hand down the back of his head. "We're the good guys, Joseph. This is what we do." They don't cry in front of the kids.

No. They do that later, on their own.

She looks to see Bette taking Joseph aside, and kneels down to look at Beth. She really is a pretty girl if you look past the ravages of illness.

"Bet this was more excitement than you bargained on, huh?"

Beth nods enthusiastically. "It's been so cool. I got to meet Titans, an' Joey said he'd play Justice League with me later, an' then we're gonna have Christmas next week--"

From the look on her mother's face, this is expected to be Beth's final Christmas.

It makes Aurora a little sad. She's seen that look on the Morgans after they lost River.

"Glad you're having fun, sweetie. I know Beast Boy couldn't make it, but he's the one teaching me how to do things like grow wings and stuff."

Beth's eyes widen. "Really? What else does he teach you?"

"How to be brave," she admits. "Spent a lot of time being scared of what I could do until I met him."

Fauna puts her hand on the girl's. "Maybe you can answer something for me. I've learned a lot about what it means to put on this kind of costume, risking my life for others, helping out when things go crazy."

She looks at the T-shirt before continuing. "But I don't know why little girls and boys look up to folks like the Titans so much. Maybe you can tell me?"

Beth pulls at her t-shirt, looking at the smiling face of Beast Boy. "'Cause you're brave, an' you help people, an' you do good things like this." She looks up, puzzled. "Isn't that what heroes are?"

For the sake of the children... (cont.)

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