"Don't do it, Jakey!"

"Stop, Jake! It's not worth it!"

"No! No no no!"

"Do you wish me to continue, young dragon…?"

Screams, echoing. Trixie's sobs, Spud's whimpers, Haley's shrieks. His grandfather's shouts and pounding, somewhere too far off to help.

A golden goblet, being held out to him ever so casually. The black claw attached to it holding it so delicately and carelessly, it might fall at any moment.

"Stop!" his own voice begged, and the cave fell into silence. Falling to all fours, then the ground, lowering his massive head submissively. "Please! I'll do anything – just stop! Stop hurting them!"

"Your flame, young dragon."

"What?" That didn't make sense…

"Set the goblet's nectar aflame, then drink."

"… What…?"

"Don't do it, kid!" shouted out Fu Dog's voice. Sounded so strange, like it was underwater...

"Do it," whispered the Dark Dragon's deep, commanding voice.

"Your dragon flame is linked to your core, Jake!" screamed his grandfather, pounding on the barrier helplessly. "Don't you dare!"

He took the goblet in his shaking claws, glancing up at the Dark Dragon's merciless black eyes for an explanation he knew he wouldn't get. To his surprise…

"It is an ancient contract, Jake Long. From before the creation of parchment or other man's writing materials. The initiator of the contract would light the goblet aflame, and the flame would be transformed into nectar. The acceptor of the contract would add his own flame to the nectar and drink, completing the contract."

"A contract? Didn't you want me dead?"

"Shall I continue with my… entertainment… while you consider your options?"

The dark shadows encroached on his best friends and baby sister. Their pale faces and bloodstained figures…

He would kill them anyway. They all knew it. Their eyes all cried the same truth, the deepest core of their argument for why the American Dragon should not to give in to his tormentor. There was no point. He could save no one.

Or could he…?

"A contract involves two parties," the young dragon said decisively, with courage and strength he felt none of. Before he thought any further, he breathed out a fireball and lit the purple liquid. It instantly turned into a swirling gold. Closing his eyes, and ignoring the screams and cries for him to stop, he drank.

And promptly collapsed, just barely conscious. Through a deep fog, he observed the rest of the proceedings as though watching a silent film.

The Dark Dragon laughing in delight, heading over to his friends and sister and holding out a claw to strike them… Then a look of puzzlement, shortly followed by rage, and quickly followed by laughter again.

"Well played, young dragon," the words echoed in his head, as if in a dream. "You added your own restrictions to the contract. But, in the end, I still win."

…

"A kidnapped kid? Seriously, Batman? Your first call in ever, and it's to tell the Teen Titans to catch some runaway and/or kidnapped kid?"

"Yes."

Robin sighed, feeling like banging his head against the computer counsel.

"Why?"

"That is classified."

"Of course it is. What will you tell me?"

"The boy is named Jake Long. Do the research yourself."

….

"So you didn't tell them?"

"How could I? The Dragon Council specifically ordered that we not let anyone outside of the original Justice League members in on their secret. They just want the kid returned, and they'll figure out a way around the magical contract on their own."

"Batman, please. If they're to be believed, that kid could be the spark that lights a war between dark magical creatures and all mankind. Regardless of the winner, the ending would be devastating."

"I know."

"But you entrusted the Teen Titans with this matter?"

"I believe a full scale assault on the boy would do more harm than good. We will do so only if the Teen Titans are incapable."

…

"Jacob Luke Long is fourteen years old, half-Chinese, half-Caucasian. Four-foot ten, one hundred five pounds. Full American citizen, resident of New York City, New York. Eighth grade, Fillmore Middle School, average attendance and so-so grades. Nothing notable except a couple skateboarding awards," said Robin neatly, tossing down a photograph of the teenager they'd been told to find.

The rest of the Teen Titans gathered around the photograph, passing it around as each examined it in depth. An Asian American teenager with spiky black hair with green highlights on the tips, dressed in a red jacket with a skateboard slung over his shoulder. A huge grin lit up the kid's face, his black eyes sparkling. Honestly, he looked perfectly normal.

"We've been instructed to locate the boy and attempt to speak with him. Once we have ascertained where he's staying, we are to report the situation back to Batman and the Justice League, who will take it from there."

"They don't want us to bring him in?" asked Cyborg, bewildered.

Beastboy giggled. "Maybe they think the kid's too much for us?"

Raven rolled her eyes. "Obviously, there is something huge they're not telling us."

"Regardless, our responsibility is to find the kid, and for that we need info. What we got on the kid's family, Rob?" asked Cyborg.

"Younger sister Haley Long, seven years old. Straight A student, takes ballet, piano, and art classes. Mother Susan Long, professional caterer. Father Jonathan Long, financial planner. Grandfather Luong Lao Shi also lives in New York City, owns and runs an electronics shop. Apparently Jake works there most afternoons. Immediate family owns no pets, but the grandfather owns one dog, a Chinese Shar Pei named Fu."

"The father married into the mother's family? Interesting," commented Cyborg, making a note of that. Not that it was likely to be very important or anything.

"Friends?" asked Raven.

"Trixie Carter, young African American girl in the same grade, and Arthur Spudinski aka Spud, Caucasion, also same grade. The three share most of their classes and have been together for over five years, often on the same teams, in the same groups, and participating in the same contests. The girl has average grades, with exceptional talent in sports. The boy has a genius IQ but below-average grades, apparently deliberately. Unlike the other two, his physical education scores are only average. The threesome are known to go skateboarding at a local skate park every weekend and are apparently 'in' with the hip-hop crowd. Jake and Trixie are considered quite the rappers."

"Perhaps his friends might know something, if they are so close?" asked Starfire inquisitively. Certainly she would have told her friends if she was planning to run away.

"About as much as his family – or so I've been told. Apparently that's a dead end. We've been instructed to not 'waste our time with that angle'."

"So, mix it all together, and what have we got?" asked Beastboy.

"A skater-punk," said Raven dismissively. "Average intelligence, probably doesn't care for school or authority figures. Something of a rebel. Probably also an adrenalin addict and attention hog, considering the rapping and extreme sports."

"I'd add in loyal," contributed Cyborg. "He's stayed with his friends for quite a long time, and most kids would refuse to work part time at all, even for a family member."

"He looks like Robin," added Starfire, examining the photograph. "A young warrior. And he has a pretty face."

Everyone looked at her in surprise. Robin blushed, though he wasn't so sure if he approved of the comparison.

"So, athletic and possibly popular with girls," summarized Raven.

Robin wrote down their summary on a post-it he stuck on top of the full report he had, paperclipping the photograph on top. All the information was already in their computer system, but he knew from experience how useful having a hardcopy around could be.

"Any guesses as to why he's run or who took him if he was kidnapped? Or even any reasons for one over the other?" asked Cyborg, frowning at the stack in Robin's hands. Something wasn't adding up here.

"Considering how ambiguous the Batman was over that question, I'd say a bit of both," concluded Robin. "Probably he was threatened to go along with something."

"I get it!" said Beastboy, eyes widening. "Like when the hero chooses to work for the bad guy rather than let his loved ones get hurt!"

Everyone's eyes turned towards Robin, whose own narrowed at this further comparison between himself and this Jake Long. He'd never be able to forget Slade cornering him into being his apprentice, even without Beastboy's reminder.

"Extremely unlikely to be anything of the sort," Robin said dismissively. "There's no record that he's any sort of metahuman or genius, and there's nothing in his files about any sorts of talents those sorts would be interested in. More likely he got mixed in with the wrong crowd."

"So why'd the Batman pull us in on this then? There has to be something special about this kid. And what's with those wacky instructions anyway?" asked Beastboy, practically exploding with curiosity. He made a good point though.

They all thought for a moment, Raven eventually coming up with the perfect solution.

"It must be linked to a case in Gotham the Batman's working on. Probably the kid's fallen into working for one of its famous crime organizations, and the Batman wants the kid to give us inside information, maybe even use him to get to someone further up the chain."

"Of course," agreed Starfire. "We would not want to interfere with such an intricate plan. It is regrettable the Batman had not simply told us as much."

Robin almost snorted, but caught himself. The Batman didn't trust anybody, of course he wouldn't trust them with a plan to take down one of Gotham's criminal kingpins. It was incredible that he was even trusting them to root out a possible source.

Cyborg noticed the tenseness in Robin's frame and decided it was a good time to wrap up their meeting. "Sounds good, everyone. Let's grab lunch, then come up with a list of places to search for the kid. He's probably here in Jump, since the Bat called us in on this."

"Agreed," said Robin. The rest nodded and got up from their seats.

…

Jake looked around carefully before slinking under a fence and towards a cave in the side of one of the mountains outside Jump City. He was in his human form and had snuck out to check out what the city had to offer in the way of teen entertainment.

The Dark Dragon would so not approve.

But he was so bored.

Why were they even so close to a human city? Surely the Dark Dragon should know that Jake would sneak out if they got close enough where the contract wouldn't injure Jake if he slipped away for a bit.

Ever since he'd woken up after accepting the goblet, he'd followed the Dark Dragon across the country to various magical hot spots, collecting the darker magical denizens and any with whom the idea of a war with humans rang sweetly. They'd avoided major metropolises like the plague.

Pah, the big double-D probably was afraid the AmDrag would talk his new followers out of the war. As if he could. The contract forbade it.

If not for that damn contract, he woulda been outta here first day! With Fu Dog working on some sort of antidote to that freaky contract potion, the Dark Dragon woulda been running away with his tail between his legs…!

But no, instead he found himself the Dark Dragon's pet. The first word spoken to him on regaining consciousness, thousands of miles from NYC in some secluded mountain range, had been "Kneel." And he had, despite how he raged about such an action inside his head. That was before the resignation. And the depression.

By this point, about a month and a half since that night in the cavern, he'd come to a much greater understanding of the power the contract had over him. Exactly what demands of him the Dark Dragon had placed into the contract.

He had to obey the Dark Dragon's every spoken word to the letter. He could not stray more than a five mile radius from his new 'master', otherwise he'd get these terrible cramps that only increased in pain as the distance grew. He could not speak to any magical creature unless ordered otherwise, and he was completely incapable of making any attempt to contact his family or friends.

It was a stroke of luck that he'd discovered he could still transform into a human and communicate with them, even if he was unable to tell them anything about himself.

It was another stroke of luck that he'd discovered his desperate attempt to add his own conditions to the contract had worked. The Dark Dragon was not able to order him to kill anyone, nor could he kill anyone himself! And his family and friends were still safe – he'd overheard Councilor Chang, the dirty traitor!, arguing about that with the Dark Dragon. Apparently the Dark Dragon, to his followers' complete shock, had ordered that the Longs, Fu Dog, Trixie, and Spud, were 'untouchable' and anyone who went against his order would be considered traitors and placed on the execution list.

He was pretty sure the Dark Dragon had found a few dozen ways to kill people around Jake's restriction in the contract. The easiest of which was just making one of his followers do it. Jake hadn't thought that through enough in the second between coming up with the idea and gulping down the contents of the goblet. But it was still hilarious to see the Dark Dragon splutter and rage as he slashed his great claws at an opponent, only for them to halt a hairsbreadth from the throat.

Outside the current hideout, Jake stretched and transformed back into his dragon form. It was becoming easier and easier every day, no longer requiring any real concentration at all. As if this was his true form, rather than his human body. As if these powers, this magical form, was the truth – not the body he'd 'coincidentally' been born in.

Perhaps that very point was what the Dark Dragon was trying to prove to Jake by having all the dragons on his side parade around in their dragon forms 24/7. Further solidifying the divide between themselves and humans as they prepared for war.

Yeah, he could do without the training for war. Apparently the Dark Dragon intended Jake to be one of his top commanders. And while he could not order Jake to kill anyone, he could train him to kill anyone. So he did, to Jake's horror and disgust.

Another reason he had to escape to spend some time with humans the first chance he got. Even as the Dark Dragon's voice, lecturing him on the quickest and cleanest way to kill the 'inferior' beings, echoed through his head.

A small voice in his head wondered if this was how Rose had felt, being forced to work for the Huntsclan.

A stronger, angrier voice raged that Rose had always had a choice, even if she hadn't believed she did. He would've stolen her away from the Huntsclan without all that drama, had she let him. He would've protected her from anything they could've dished out. She wasn't under some freaky magical contract binding her very soul to her evil master! And the Huntsman was peanuts next to the Dark Dragon anyway.

Maybe that was a little unfair, but he was past caring. Rose was gone anyway. He'd been alone that way even before the Dark Dragon came along with his stupid goblet.

"Did you have fun?" asked a deep voice behind Jake as he slipped through the entrance to the cavern.

Jake flinched and whipped around. "Say, what?" he exclaimed, his slang slipping in with his surprise. "Who could have any fun in this dark hole you-"

"Kneel," came the order.

Jake yelped as he slammed to the ground, all fours bent as deep as they could, his head bowing low. No matter how many times that happened, it still caught him off guard.

"And show more respect. You went to the city, young dragon."

Oh, crap. He had totally guessed right. So not happy…

"Did you have fun?" the voice continued, deeply sarcastic and malicious.

Ah, man… thought Jake, even as his mouth opened and he said, "Yes, master."

"Where did you go?"

Flinch. Do I hafta…?

The Dark Dragon merely waited. The contract would only allow so much delay.

"I went into the human city, master. Somewhere I should not have been. I apologize."

"Don't apologize unless you mean it," growled the Dark Dragon. "More specific, now. Where did you go that was so fun?"

There was a long pause as the young dragon fought the affects of the contract.

"I hit the skatepark," he finally mumbled.

The Dark Dragon held out a claw and a glowing deep purple orb appeared above it.

Jake glanced up and groaned at the sight of himself within that orb, playing at the skatepark not even an hour ago, showing off his skills, flirting with pretty girls, picking a fight with some punks – and winning, of course. There was little need to take a beating in a city on the other side of the country from the place he called home.

A chill ran down Jake's spine. His escape, his tiny bit of rebelliousness, his private time… the Dark Dragon knew it all. And maybe had been watching the whole time. He hadn't really escaped at all.

"You did not attempt to make any friends," stated the Dark Dragon thoughtfully.

Of course not! thought Jake heatedly. What was he supposed to do if anyone started asking where he was from or what school he went to? He could not allow anything to get remotely personal.

"I'll allow it," concluded his master.

Jake's head jerked up in shock. "Wha - ? Did you - ?"

"It could even be considered reconnaissance. You were planning to 'hit' some clubs and parties, I presume?"

"Uh…" Having his plans spelled out so bluntly was a little embarrassing.

"Good. I'll have a list of names and photographs of people I'd like you to attempt contact with."

"Seriously?" Jake was having a seriously hard time following all this.

"Of course, young dragon. I have long planned this very matter as your first mission. You'll receive further information as needed."

Crap. How could he foil an evil plot, while still obeying his master's every word, while he didn't know the whole plan?

"The… those you wish me to contact… are human?"

"Mostly."

"I thought…"

"I desired the extermination of the human race? Not entirely. A rare few possess noteworthy abilities. They have their uses."