Hey guys! Sorry for the late update but here we finally are! First off I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed, followed, and favorited the story so far! Furthermore, I'd like to thank Ophelia'song for her support and insight in helping me when I had hit a couple of roadblocks in the process of writing this chapter. She's an amazing person, friend, as well as, an amazing writer and I encourage everyone to check out her Teen Titans Fanfic stories! They are amazing reads!
Throughout the entire story, as I continue to write it, I do go back and forth between 1st person and 3rd person from time to time. Just a fair warning so nobody gets confused. Now let's get to it!
Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans in any shape or form….But that would be freakin' awesome, though..
Chapter 2: Good cop/Bad cop
(XxX)
"Are you out of your mind!?" Scolded Raven to Robin's face.
The Titans were just outside of their Towers' own interrogation chamber which is a room that is comprised of two rooms. First is the observational room which has recording equipment, surveillance computers, and vital sign scanners. The room is complete with the center one-way mirror which peers into the bland interrogation chamber itself which is outfitted with irritable fluorescent lighting, a rectangle steel table, a couple of steel chairs, and one seated captive: Grim. Once the team had got back to the Tower and led Grim into the chamber, Raven had to finally let out her frustration on the team's credulous leader, regarding his choice of action.
"Hey, whoa, calm down, Raven," Suggested a confused Robin, wondering about what the instantaneous uproar could be about. "What seems to be the problem?"
"Problem!?" Scoffed Raven. "The problem is that you just allowed a reaper, of all things, into the Tower and you don't even know what he is or what he's capable of! What if it was his plan to get caught in the first place!?"
Starfire stepped to Robins' side, "Surely Robin wouldn't have done something like this and not have the reason for it, friend Raven." The sweet alien reassured her. Raven, however, only saw this as Starfire taking her beloveds' side of things. Raven glared at the fiery haired girl causing her to "Eep" and hide behind Robin's cape.
Robin put his hands out in front of him, "It'll be okay, Raven. I have it under control," he reassured. "I have my reasons." The demoness crossed her arms and just stared unconvincingly at the boy wonder. Seeing how Raven wanted a direct answer, he continued. "Okay, first of all, Grim claims that this is all a huge misunderstanding; I want to hear him out. Second of all, I didn't just want to hand him over, a supposedly all powerful being, to the police without him being properly looked over. Besides, if he does try anything, we're the Teen Titans! We can take him down." He finished with hammering his right fist into his left palm.
"You frighten me, Robin…Truly." She said in a sarcastic monotone.
"Either way, lives were lost tonight and I intend to get to the bottom of it!" Proclaimed the determined boy detective.
"Well if anyone is freaking me out right now, it's definitely this dude." Beast Boy nervously chuckled as he stood gaping at their stagnant prisoner from the glass. "Like, he's just sitting there like a statue," He added.
Starfire looked from over her boyfriends' shoulder with curious eyes, "Is he.. Unwell?"
"All his vital signs seem to be normal from what I can tell." Said Cyborg from the computer desk.
Raven's eyes widen with realization, "I didn't notice it before, but I'm not sensing any emotional activity off of him with my powers. He's completely closed off."
"Hm." Is all Robin said while stroking his chin, "Anything else you can tell, Cyborg?"
"He's breathing, for one, and-"He stopped for a moment as something has caught the robotic mans' eyes whilst looking through surveillance footage on a different monitor. "Uh, Robin, you need to see this.." Robin and Raven walked over to Cyborgs' side.
"What is it?" Questioned the masked leader.
"I found surveillance footage from a mounted security camera, from a building, that captured the events that our new friend was in." They kept quite as they, along with the other Titans, watched. The others viewed from separate monitors.
The black and white footage showed snippets of a fight between what seems to be their said convict, Grim, facing off against an unknown cloaked man with a scythe. During the fight, the cloaked being summoned a group of what closely resembled spirits of some kind but quickly scattered, leaving the given area. Before long, zombie looking creatures began to appear on camera to aid the dark, scythe wielding entity. The Titans observed closely as Grim fought merely two of the small hoard, only for the mysterious man to unintentionally kill off what remained. Eventually, the two topped fighting long enough to face each other for a moment. There wasn't any audio to be heard from the video but they deduced that the two were conversing with each other hence why they suddenly stood static, facing each other. Then, Grim turned facing the unearthly looking bodies as they began to change into normal looking people. Robin began to rub his chin as he then figured out why Grim said that, "It wasn't what it seemed." The team watched as the spirits, that they saw before, exit the fallen bodies and, for whatever reason, entered Grim's own body. Soon the cloaked man disappeared after Grim drew his own scythe. Cyborg stopped the video as the team began to see themselves appear on screen.
Everyone kept silent for a moment until Beast Boy spoke up, "Soo.. What does this mean?" The changeling asked with a look of uncertainty on his face.
"It means…" Robin paused, trying to gather his thoughts. "It means, that our friend here is perhaps telling the truth." Raven turned her head towards Robin and stared at him with disproving eyes.
"So Grim is the blameless?" Starfire asked hopefully.
"Innocent, Star, and yes, I believe so but I'm still going to speak with him. I still have some questions that I need answered." Robin walked towards the chamber door.
"Wait, I'm going in with you." Raven hurried near Robin with an intense look of, "Don't try to stop me," on her face.
Rather than stopping her, Robin concluded that it is probably for the best the she'd come along. If anyone knew anything about the supernatural, it's Raven.
(XxX)
How much time has passed? Seconds? Minutes? Hours, even? Time felt like it stood still as I'm sitting here in this annoyingly bright room with my own reflection in the one-way mirror as my only company. But the further I kept staring at myself, the more entranced I began to feel from the duplicate before me. Soon it felt like it was only him who is starring back. The room felt like it began to dim darker and darker all around me, yet, the image in front stayed completely visible. I started to wonder that this is how he always knew where I was or that he's been following me all this time through a reflection.
"Silly boy… You're becoming more and more like me than you even realize." Death's words echoed throughout my head like a bad migraine.
Perhaps… Maybe I am becoming more and more like him. Always seeing more of him than myself whenever I stare into a mirror.. I hate that man looking back at me.. I wish he would just disappear..
Reality tore me away from my thoughts as I heard the metal door slide open, revealing the team's leader and the hooded sorceress from before.
"Grim, was it?" Questioned the masked hero.
I respond with just nodding my head.
I watch as he began to sit down in the steel chair across the table from me. The hooded girl stayed behind with her back against the wall and her arms crossed.
"Well, I guess there are introductions to be in order. My name is, Robin and I'm the leader of this team. The lovely teammate behind me is, Raven." She let out an annoyed sigh at his comment and although she's wearing her hood; I could feel her eyes glaring at me.
"Where are the others?" I couldn't help but to ask.
"The others are currently on the other room, monitoring our conversation." He said pointing behind him with his thumb. "Now, before we begin, if you wouldn't mind, will you please remove your hood? I need to be able to see your face so that way, I can be assured that you aren't hiding anything."
I began to feel tense as my cuffed hands shot to my hood. I don't like anyone seeing my face. I have had too many people be startled and run away at the very sight of me. I hesitated but I complied. I slowly let down the black leather hood from my head, feeling more exposed than ever. Their reactions were subtle but I noticed Robin raising an eyebrow and Raven's head lowered a bit. I turned my gaze back to the mirror to get a better look at the so called monster that they are witnessing. To be honest, I've almost forgotten what I look like, I mean, I'm always wearing my hood and you could never see my face but, rather, just a shadowy void. Yet, the image is just what I'd expect it would be: a simple deathly pale white face, with two black eyes with piercing blood red irises, and messy black, medium length hair. I gaze monotonously back at Robin who's been staring as if he was studying me.
"..What?" I deadpanned.
Robin nervously chuckled, "Honestly, I kinda expected to see a skull starring back at me," he admitted. I raise an eyebrow and outstretched my cuffed, fingerless black gloved hands to his sight.
"You're the one who cuffed my hands. See? Normal fingers, not bone." I rolled my eyes.
He laughs, "I see. But I don't see why you should have the cuffs on any longer." Robin then goes to his belt and pulls out a small key and then reaches over to uncuff my wrists. I could tell that Raven was feeling uneasy about me being loose from the bindings.
Despite whatever she may think, a feeling of satisfaction sweeps over me due to the fact that the cuffs have been bothering my wrists. Thus far, Robin isn't so bad. I had half expected him to go absolutely ballistic over the people that were killed today and toss me around the room but he's actually a cool, calm collected guy. I suppose he knows something that I don't is why he's being easy with me. That girl, however, looks like she wants my head on a pike.
"I'm gunna go ahead and tell you now," Robin began, "That I believe you are innocent of the murders of the civilians earlier."
I just stare at him shocked, "..What?"
"What!?" Raven I practically say at the same time.
Robin turned to face Raven who is now stepping toward the table, "What do you mean, what? You saw the footage, it wasn't his fault!" He raised his voice, gesturing towards me.
My eyes widened with surprise, "Wait, footage? What footage?" I asked still dumbfounded, yet, this answers my previous question.
Robin then went on and told me that there was a surveillance camera at the scene that caught the whole fight. Supposedly, while I was being knocked around left and right; I had somehow missed Death summoning forth demons that later came back as those zombies that I only took out a couple of. Which.. Unfortunately turned out to be civilians once they had been killed off and resumed their natural form.
I slowly began to nod my head, taking in all that he had voiced me. "But.. I killed two of them.." I said as I gazed off into the corner behind Robin.
Robin shook his head, "Yeah, but they were already zombies when they were attacking you. Sadly, I believe they were already dead the moment they got possessed.. Is that possible?" He queried.
I look up at Raven and then back to Robin, "I personally didn't notice him dispatching the demons.. I missed that part. All I know is that I was being knocked around like a ragdoll for a bit and then those undead looking beings showed up," I honestly stated. "But depending how powerful those demons were, they could potentially kill a person upon possessing the body if they weren't careful. In this case, they weren't." I added, matter-of-factly.
Robin nods with understanding but then I see his mask squint slightly, "Which brings me to my next question."
My head tilted to signal him to continue.
"Who's that guy you were fighting? I mean, who's, him?"
I notice Raven crossing her arms the split second the question was posed. I suspect she already knows very well who he is.
My eyes narrow, "I think you already know the answer to that question.. He's exactly who you think he is."
"You mean, he's the Reaper?" Robin's mask widens. Though, I can't see her face, I assume Raven's expression stayed the same, confirming to me that she already knew.
"..He goes by a few names but all of Hell knows him best as, Death.." I look back down to the table. I swear, every time I even mention his name, it sends a shiver down my spine.
Seeing that he got a hold back on reality, he cleared his throat and continues, "So why is he hear in Jump City?" He probes but Raven immediately leans onto the table and interjects.
"More importantly, why are YOU in Jump City?" She said in a cracked patronizing tone.
Slightly startled from her sudden outburst, my eyes then shift back and forth from between the two trying to decide whose question to answer first. I look to Robin, "Well for one, Death is everywhere. He's never truly in one place." My eyes shift back to the blue clad sorceress, "And two, I was tricked to come here." I stated practically.
Robin raises an eyebrow, "Tricked? Why-how were you tricked?
I outstretched my hands as a reassurance that I wasn't going to do anything stupid, then I reached to my silver chain wallet with my right hand while keeping the other raised and pulled the wallet out. Now inside my wallet, I pulled out the small crumpled note that I acquired in Gotham City.
I clear my throat to speak, "I, uh, received this note from an anonymous tipper when I was in Gotham a few days ago." I handed over the note to Robin as he then began to read it.
Once he looked it over, I saw his face scrunch with questions.
"Zoulthiem?" He questioned in a tone of uncertainty.
Hearing the name caused the still sorceress to jump.
"Give me that!" She quickly snatched the note out of Robins' gloved hands as she then started reading it carefully.
Seeing how she was about to jump to conclusions (also noting that she knows who Zoulthiem is); I quickly reassure her that it was a ruse to lure me into a private meeting with Death and that Zoulthiem isn't really coming. I told the two heroes that I didn't figure out that it was a trap until I was in the same open space with that damned skeleton.
"In the note, it refers to me as Grim.. No one else knows me by that except for him but it was my mistake that I didn't think to question it at the time." I said plainly.
"So why did he want an audience with you?" Robin asked.
I slightly gritted my teeth having hoped that he wouldn't have asked that question. It was inevitable, I suppose, but I wasn't ready to disclose that information to anyone anytime soon because, I don't want to give them anymore of a reason to think that I am a possible threat. Hell, how am I even going to explain this? "Oh, yeah, I'm also the beloved Anti-Christ that has been foretold to bring forth the end of days and burn everyone! I hope you haven't been naughty because, I hear God is supposedly coming into town, too!" Splendid, that'll do the trick.
I sat in my seat uncomfortably trying to think of something to say but then I started hear a bit of a muffled repeating noise that I could tell would be obnoxiously loud if the door was let open slightly.
"Robin, get in here! The crime alert went off." Said a voice over an intercom that I haven't noticed.
"Alright, I'll be right there." His head turned towards his hooded teammate and nodded for her to come along.
I watched as the two ran out the sliding door to only find myself alone again with my reflection in the one-way-mirror. I let out a sigh of relief that I got lucky when that alarm went off when it did. I need to use this new found time to plan out what I'm going to say when they bring up that issue again about my little chit-chat with Death because, there is no way in literal Hell that I'm going to tell them that I'm the supposed Anti-Christ. That's just a disaster waiting to happen. Suddenly again, the door slid back open revealing Robin.
"There is no reason to keep you in here anymore since you've proven innocent of the killings," he said as I gratefully got up from the hard chair and started shaking the pins and needles out of my legs. Robin gestured me to come out with him and I'm instantly greeted by the faces of the other Titans waiting in the next room.
"I will properly introduce you to the other members later but right now the crime alert went off so we have to leave to go deal with the situation." He said, speaking in his leader tone of voice. "I'm leaving Raven here to look after you while we are gone."
"What!?" Raven shrieked. "N-no! I'm not going to babysit him! What if you need me?" Raven reasoned as she glared at Robin.
The little green guy merely chuckled, "Come on, Rae, it's just Control Freak. He'll be a walk in the park, as usual." He chuckled again, sporting a toothy grin.
She began rubbing her temples to help calm herself down.
I'm honestly not to thrilled about the arrangement either, besides, I can tell she'd rather soon see me be taken away by him than share a room alone with poor ol' me.
