Chapter 3 – Drop Zone

July 22

The team had received their "first" mission, with no clear leader. They were to go to Santa Prisca and find out why the shipments of an illegal drug known as "venom," had stopped. Everyone was in their own little worlds, thinking about whatever worried them.

Go to remember to stay in control, no slipping up, Red X thought. Her thoughts moved towards a couple months ago… 50 faces flashed in her mind's eye, 50 innocent lives she had been forced to take in cold blood. There screams and begs for mercy haunted her nightmares almost as much if not more than the sickening thud of her parents bodies hitting the floor. Sighing she slouched a bit more into her chair.

Reaching drop point A; Aqualad dived into the ocean. Disabling the security system, allowing the team to move on, he began to move towards the rondevu point. The remaining teens continued on in the bio-ship until they reached their drop point. Standing up Kid Flash activated the newly installed stealth-tech in his suit.

"Pretty impressive, right?" he asked suggestively.

"Nice," Miss Martian then stood him up by transforming her "clothes" into a stealth version of her "uniform."

"Hey Supes it's not too late to get the new stealth-tech," KF told the Boy of Steel.

"No capes, no tights, no offence," Superboy said, emphasizing with some hand gestures.

"That totally works for you. In that you can totally do good work in those clothes," Miss M said, a blush dusting her cheeks, she then jammed her hood over her head.

Red X rolled her eyes, muttering "activating camouflage," her whole suit adopted the colors of the area around her, forming a blurry area that most would not see. If they hadn't known she was there, they wouldn't have seen her. Clipping the zip line onto her belt she said, "Well what are we waiting for an invitation?"

"Right, opening the hatch," Miss Martian said.

They descended quickly and just as they reached the ground they had to jump out of the way of an oncoming Superboy. "Knew I didn't need a line," he said.

"Yet causing a seismic quake didn't exactly help with the whole stealth thing," Robin sighed.

"Come on let's move," the disembodied voice of Red X commanded.

They spread out heading towards the factory. They had gotten a good distance from where they had landed when Aqualad had ordered them to check out there surroundings using infrared when they noticed Robin had disappeared.

"X, where are you? I'm not picking up your heat signature," KF whisper yelled.

"I'm right here, idiot, suits designed for stealth, of course it wouldn't be picked up on by infrared," X hissed straight into his ear, waking him on the head.

Activating her own infrared, she spotted something, "We got in coming bogies."

"I have sights on another squad, but they'll meet each other before they meet us," Superboy added.

"Wait here, I'll check it out," Red X sighed.

There was no actual sign that she had left, but she was a ninja and they failed to see the disappearance of the more visible ninja, how could they hope to notice the invisible one. Kid Flash started wading through the underbrush.

"What are you doing? She said to stay here," Superboy growled.

"Just a sec, I got to find Rob, besides when do you ever obey orders," KF pleaded before tripping and tumbling right into a fire fight.

Everyone stopped shooting for long enough that KF could say something stupid, before trying to make to make the speedster look like Swiss cheese. A battle irrupted right then and there and gun shots rang throughout the night. Superboy tossed goons aside and into others and trees, Kid Flash disarmed them while disorienting them so they fell in dizzy heaps.

Robin reappeared and started kicking some serious butt, "Why didn't you disappear into the jungle like me?"

"That's what you were doing? Well how are we supposed to know? We aren't mind readers!" KF demanded.

Thugs flew into a tree then collapsed at its base and several more fell down for no apparent reason, "Well not all of us anyway," Kid Flash corrected himself.

"Wait I thought I could only read the bad guys minds?" Miss Martian asked remembering previous conversations.

"I don't need to know what he's thinking to know that's what he was doing," X whispered into KF's ear.

He screamed like a girl, "Don't do that!"

"But it's fun!" Red X cackled as she wandered away.

Aqualad dropped from… somewhere, taking out the last two thugs, halting any fight that was about to happen. They began tying up the baddies to trees, any of the still conscious ones where freaked out by the randomly moving forms of their unconscious comrades. Kid Flash and Robin were arguing about being a leader and just generally being loud. Miss Martian asked Red X and Superboy if they wanted to be leader.

Superboy shook his head no; Red X said "I'd rather not," louder she said, "both of you shut up! You both made mistakes! Robin you should have known better! They aren't Batman, they can't read your movements, nor can they tell what you are doing without telling them! Kid Flash, you shouldn't have run of! You could have compromised the mission! If you want to find Robin ask me!" The two heroes at the other end of the tongue lashing had the decency to look ashamed, 'Dick, don't get cocky just because you have more experience than the others!'

'Sorry' Robin thought-muttered, "Aqualad you should lead us, you're the only one with enough experience that's kept a cool head."

"Right, now that that's settled I think our masked friend has something to say," X pointed out, her personality doing a 180 while at the same time not giving their new 'leader' time to object.

Aqualad sighed, resigning to his fate, "What do we know so far?"

"For some reason Kobra's hording venom," Robin told him.

"Muy bien, very good, niños," Bane said from where he was tied up, "I can help you get inside the factory."

"What makes you think we want just take the information?" Aqualad gave a nod to Miss Martian.

Her eyes glowed faintly green," Augh, this will take a while, he's mentally reciting Spanish football scores."

"Here let me try," Red X offered, "You know alone?"

Everyone made their way some distance from the interrogation, "Hey there Bane remember me?" she smirked tugging at her mask so that the end was pushed up to her nose, revealing her mouth, "or is the new uniform confusing you?"

"The Ravager, how could I forget? You messed with my operations three years ago. Tell me what is someone as dangerous as you doing with the Leagues little sidekicks? You'd think the League would have locked you up the moment they set their eyes on you," Bane smirked back, "or do they not know?"

"You tell a soul and you'll be in Hell to greet me. If anyone asks I'm just looking out for number what if I have to play hero to get what I want?" Red X – or is it Ravager? – said coldly a sadistic grin on her face, "so you going to tell me what I want to know or do I have to force you?"

Bane's smirk faded slightly, "There's a mine that leads into the factory. Only I know about it. You need me to safely navigate through it," and the smirk was back.

"Well then I guess you just have to show us the way, huh Bane? You try anything when where there and you'll regret it, that is if your alive," Red X pulled her mask down, and called the rest of her team over, telling them the info she had gathered.

"This will give us the advantage, we will be able to slip under their security and find out the required information," Aqualad said.

"You're the boss," X said, giving him a mock salute before untying the masked criminal.

They trekked through the jungle, the team giving Red X glances every few steps.

"If you have something to say then say it," Red X said shooting a glare over her shoulder at the poor unlucky hero that was in its path.

Superboy shifted uncomfortably under the heated gaze, "We were wondering how you managed to get Bane to tell us where the mine is."

"Oh, well that's a secret~ but I will tell you this, this isn't the first time we've met," Red X started humming a tune, causing Bane to glare at her. Not a lie, but not the truth either.

They continued in silence, Kid Flash trying to get Robin to tell him since he knew one of the stories of their encounters. They reached the old mine shaft, Bane led them through the labyrinth; they came out just outside the factory. There where boxes full of what they assumed was venom.

"There's a deal going down tonight," Red X commented.

"But who's the buyer?" Robin mutters.

"Let's find out," They say in sync, "Bane."

"There's a secret entrance, follow me."

As they entered Red X, Kid Flash, and Robin disappeared, Bane charged a group of guards, the remaining team members followed. The "missing" members used the distraction to make their way to the control room. Knocking out the only person in there Robin hacked his way in.

Bringing up the chemical formula for whatever was in the crates, Robin grabbed KF's attention, "Hey KF what foes this look like to you?"

"Looks to me like they're combining the blockbuster formula and are friend, Bane's, venom," Kid Flash said looking at the diagram. "They're creating a more powerful, more permanent version of venom."

"They could build an army of super-soldiers using this," X thought out loud, "and if they get their hands on the tech in my body that army could be under the control of one man. He'd be the most powerful man on the planet if he succeeded."

"We can't let that happen," Robin said fiercely, no one and I repeat no one is taking the last of my blood kin.

"Don't worry little bro, I don't plan on getting captured, hell good luck getting me to a hospital," Red X said, picking up on her twin's feelings.

Bang! The door burst open, armed goons spilling in.

"We don't have time for this!" X yelled, "Go I'll cover you!"

She threw smoke pellets on the ground, blinding everyone. Attacking, the thugs had no chance, X was just a shadow, a movement in their peripheral vision, by the time they pinpointed her it was too little too late. She was already upon them and there was no escape…

Knee to the stomach; knocked the air out of him, head to the wall; unconscious. Next, pull arm back hard; dislocated shoulder, sweep leg; on the ground, kick to the head; KO. Next, catch arm, pull arm forward from behind, elbow to the face; broken nose, hook leg around opponents, pull; down, too much pain. Red X was vaguely aware of her team mates running out the door. Two more, vault up and over, behind him now, multiple pressure points; unconscious. Last one, kick to the neck; can't breathe, roundhouse kick to the head, too much force; dead.

"Damit, I slipped up," X gasped the adrenalin leaving her system, starring at the latest victim guiltily, she turned and began running after her companions she found them battling in what was most likely the hanger.

'Retreat, we need to regroup and come up with a plan!' Aqualad's voice sounded in her head.

Changing course, Red X made her way towards the hidden entrance, but not before sending out some shuriken to take out the lights. Kid Flash and Robin where waiting on the other side, the others arrived soon after, but Bane was gone. The ninjas led the others out, having elliptic memory came in handy a lot. As they exited the passageway, they were greeted with the sight of their new "friend."

"I was hoping you would just kill each other off, saves me some time. But if I kill you, your mentors will come here for revenge, my problem will be taken care of either way," Bane declared.

"You relies you shouldn't declare what you're planning to do or else the 'heroes' could come up with a plan to counteract it. For example, I know you plan on using a trigger to set off bombs set up around the entrance shaft. Therefore, I know your using a signal; I can intercept said signal, terminating it, before it reaches the bombs," Red X disembodied voice echoed around the area.

Somewhere between point A and point B she and Miss Martian had camouflaged and gone ahead. Bane whorled around and was introduce to the bottom of Red X's boot, Miss M retrieving the trigger. Stumbling back, he didn't notice Robin come up and trip him. He was lost to Lala land as Miss M mind blasted him.

"Okay, so what now?" Kid Flash asked no one.


The team had a plan, sort of, now let's hope it works. Red X was watching from the shadows. The buyer/supplier was Spotsmaster, Good it's not old Deathstroke. Hmm… wonder what Grant's up to… She gave the signal and Miss Martian flew around silently placing bombs in strategic places. The others – minus Robin, who was placing other bombs around the factory – charged and began distracting the guards.

The three concealed members where soon drawn into their own fights. Red X and Robin had teamed up against the Kobra leader, who for some reason was completely bald and wore no shirt.

"Bald men are creepy," X said ducking under a punch.

"And why isn't he wearing a shirt?" Robin added flipping of his back.

Kobra was getting annoyed, quick as the snake he had named himself after; he grabbed the Boy Wonder and his twin. Robin was thrown to the grown and stepped on. Red X, who's right arm was held captive by the "god," was struggling to escape or at least help her brother. Kobra lifted her and threw her against a tree.

"Augh, I'll be feeling that in the morning," X muttered.

Before Kobra could finish off either of the ninjas, the factory as well as the helicopter exploded, "Till next time Boy Wonder."

"Gee what am I invisible or something?" X deadpanned.

Everyone made their escape and met up at the bio-ship. Robin and Aqualad were discussing something outside in private.

"Are you all right?" Miss M asked when she saw Red X clutching her shoulder.

"Yep might of dislocated my shoulder, X answered absent mindedly, shifting her hand slightly, she winced, "make that definitely."

"Do you need any help?" the Martian girl said, worry creeping into her voice.

"Nah, I've had worse," X said, not even gasping when she popped it back into place.

"You know, considering what exactly out mission was, we're going to be in so much trouble," Kid Flash moaned.


"This was a covert mission, meaning observe and report. Not completely level the place. You will all receive a list of what you did wrong, but until then, good job," Batman was lecturing them, at their surprised faces he continued, "Things don't always go as plan during a mission, it's how you adapt and how you chose your leader that determines your abilities." With that he swept out of the room.

Everyone was staring at where the Dark Knight once stood.

"Did that really just happen?" Superboy said in awe.

"Did he just congratulate us?" X asked stunned.

"Did Batman just show signs that he's human?" KF twitched.

"Who wants breakfast?" Robin said, trying to distract them.

That succeeded in getting everyone's attention, Robin and Red X, who were the best chefs, made everyone food while the rest migrated to the living room. Chatter filled the room as the teens decided on a movie to watch. Picking Ironman the team watched the awesomeness that is Tony Stark while at the same time eating scrambled eggs. So engrossed in their movie no one noticed Red X slip away to her room and place something in her fridge. No one suspected a thing… except maybe Batman, but he's Batman and doesn't really count…


Augh, this chapter is to short... Next one has to be longer!

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