The little bear's trembling finally caught Thea's attention. Did I overdo it? She quickly released the spell. Beast Boy's reaction was remarkably quick. The moment he sensed freedom, he transformed into a cheetah and charged at the window.
In his mind, once he broke through the glass and got outside, he'd have escaped the lion's den. He was familiar with the surrounding environment—definitely enough to shake off this mysterious woman.
The plan was good. Reality was cruel. With tremendous momentum, he crashed directly into his own window. The glass that could normally be broken with a tossed coin was suddenly as hard as rock today.
CLANG! A dull sound, and Beast Boy sat dumbly on the ground, staring at the window with despair written all over his face.
Thea laughed until she was nearly breathless. She didn't dare hit the wall—her strength was too great. This simple house, which she'd sealed with basic magic, couldn't withstand her current power level.
Just as Beast Boy wondered whether he'd live to see tomorrow's sun, a phone call temporarily spared him from her grasp.
Thea glanced at the phone—Batman calling. She shouted at Beast Boy, "Transform back! Stay put and behave! You can't escape from me!" Only then did she answer.
Batman's voice came through unchanged. "I've already found Buddy Baker and his family. What's your situation?"
Thea's super-vision saw Beast Boy searching everywhere for an escape route. Unfortunately, he didn't understand the mysteries of magic. She replied calmly to Batman, "I found someone, but it's a child. I still need to talk to his parents first."
Garfield Logan was only nine years old. Villains could just kidnap people, but heroes still had to maintain some image.
"Then hurry." Batman ended the call concisely.
Hearing her phone conversation finish, and having failed to find any exit, Beast Boy had no choice but to release his transformation and shuffle out reluctantly.
Green hair, green skin, green eyes, wearing a red tracksuit—Beast Boy saw Thea sitting on his family's sofa, her gaze constantly sizing him up. Frightened, he stood far away.
"I said it before, but you probably didn't hear. Let me say it again—the world has encountered a major problem, a huge crisis that needs your power." This time Thea was more serious, though amusement still lingered between her brows. A nine-year-old child couldn't detect it.
Beast Boy was young and occasionally silly, but his brain was quite clever. To him, someone as powerful as Thea needing his help meant the trouble she mentioned must be incredibly dangerous.
He immediately shook his head. "I'm still small. I can't do anything." His voice was careful, and he looked like a child about to be abducted.
Thea examined him carefully without speaking. Animal Man was the legitimate chosen one of the Red. This kid was like Poison Ivy—someone who'd found a loophole and gained some of the Red's power. Either way, bringing him along couldn't hurt.
Looking at his family's circumstances, they weren't exactly well-off. Yet despite having such strong abilities, he hadn't done evil—clearly a natural-born superhero.
Thea's skill at persuasion was nearly maxed out. She immediately began analyzing the severity of the current situation, pointing out how valuable his abilities were. From the height of all humanity, she elevated his importance to an unparalleled level.
"Even if this crisis passes, you still need training related to your abilities, plus basic social interaction, schooling—these are all things you need."
At the mention of school, Beast Boy looked downcast. "The students at school all avoid me. My skin..."
Thea suspected there was far more to it than he was saying. America had no shortage of bad kids. Meeting someone with green skin and not bullying them a bit? That would be ridiculous.
Superman, Flash—pick any one, they were all bullied as children. With Beast Boy being this obviously green, facing some cold stares, harsh treatment, and beatings was perfectly normal.
Those with poor character who later gained power became villains. Those with strong hearts became heroes. This was an important part of their life journey.
She had no intention of interfering with others' growth processes. Instead, she sat quietly on the sofa, waiting for something.
"What are you waiting for? To save the world? In San Francisco?" Beast Boy asked tentatively.
"I'm waiting for your parents. I'm not a bad person—many things need to be clearly explained to them. Also, you need to come with me to Metropolis. All the resistance forces are gathering there."
Beast Boy's mind instantly filled with images of righteous heroes fighting monsters. His inherently good nature found that very appealing. But soon he realized something else. "My parents get off work very late. They won't come home this early."
"Don't worry. Three minutes ago, I purchased the shipping company your father works for and the supermarket where your mother is employed. They're on their way home now." Thea said it lightly. A few million—barely worth mentioning.
Beast Boy's jaw dropped as he stared at her in shock. Still young, he didn't understand what all this implied.
Thea closed her eyes to rest, waiting about ten minutes before a middle-aged couple walked in.
Mr. Logan had developed a large beer belly in middle age. His expression showed some worry, and his face bore no mutton chops—nor would adamantium claws emerge from his hand bones. Thea felt much more reassured.
Unlike nine-year-old Beast Boy, the couple recognized Thea—at least they'd seen her on television. Now hearing her speak so seriously about the world crisis, about needing their son's help, left them dizzy and dreamlike.
Thanks to Lois's fearless reporting, many citizens knew the world had experienced some strange occurrences. They just felt it was distant from themselves, treating it as casual conversation fodder.
Now, with Thea—a heavyweight figure—personally meeting with them, even directly purchasing the companies they worked for and having company leaders urge them home to discuss this matter, the couple felt as if the survival of all humanity rested on their shoulders.
Beast Boy's sense of justice was inseparable from his parents. The couple quickly made their decision, agreeing to let Thea take their son.
"I'll bring him back safely, don't worry. An adult is the main force—Garfield Logan's power is just insurance." Thea comforted the middle-aged couple. Her celebrity status was quite useful. Though still concerned, they let Thea take their son away.
Teleporting in front of ordinary people was too unconventional, would increase the couple's psychological burden. They'd think their son was going to do something extremely dangerous.
Thea pulled Beast Boy along, walking until they were completely out of the couple's sight before activating teleportation.