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Word 13 - Missing

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There was something very odd about the Titans Tower. Usually, at this time of night, the lights would still be on. The tower would stand as a beacon of hope and high-electricity bills, illuminating the lake in which is stood. But not tonight. There could not be a single light seen through any of the various, and rather large, windows. Which could mean only one thing.

The titans were missing. Gone on one mission or another, leaving Jump City alone and vulnerable. It wasn't the first time.

The first time that this had happened, the team was still learning more about each other. Bonding, if you would. They had been gone all night-nothing had happened that first night. None of the crooks were willing to risk their freedom at the time. The titans were new, but they were feared by a lot of the petty criminals. The headlines that next day, when the Titans had returned, said where they had gone. Deep underwater, to find the person who was wrecking all the ships coming to or leaving Jump Harbor.

The second time, people witnessed a great ship blasting off into space. Nobody took the chance for granted this time. The HIVE members, Jinx, Mammoth and Gizmo, had helped themselves to heaps of technology and jewels. The police force couldn't handle things like magic, super-strength and highly intelligent mechanisms. Only the titans could have stopped them. But the Titans Tower was empty, the Titans themselves fighting for Starfire's safe return.

They disappeared under the ocean again, flew off into the vast space, and once even flew in the direction of Steel City. Leaving the police to handle things that only the five of them would have been able to. Nothing against Jump City Police Force, but they simply became sort of...dependant...upon the Teen Titans. They caught the bad-guys, and then police would step in. They did their job, sure, but not as well as they should have.

The Titans didn't leave the tower too often. But when they did, it was with no warning. All anyone knew was that when the tower was dark, crime would increase. There were a lot of criminals who wouldn't take this chance, but just as much would. The ones without faces, the ones who didn't like making a big show of things. People like Control Freak, the HIVE, Slade's various minions, Mumbo, and Dr. Light on the other hand, were usually at bay during these times. They wanted to fight the Titans, it made it more fun. It was easy to break out of Jail for them anyway.

All while the Titans were away, when the heroes were missing and no trail was left behind. That was when they were needed. When they weren't there, bad things happened. It was kind of funny that when they were there, even worse things happened though. The citizens of Jump City didn't know this. The Titans didn't notice this.

The "villains" of this story did though. They laughed about it all the time-in prison, in the streets, underground, anywhere. They laughed all the time, because of the irony of it all. The titans didn't seem to understand what was so funny; it wasn't maniacal laughter, it was outright mirth. Then again, maybe it was better the Titans didn't know that. Then it would be less funny.

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Disclaimer: Teen Titans is of no property of mine. This drabble on the other hand, is.
Notes: Can we say, bad ending?