Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans
Onyx opened his eyes. He found that the jet had landed. He grabbed his things and jumped out of the jet. He didn't have a lot. He knew that he needed to pack light so he only had a duffle bag. He still had his mask in his hand. He definitely didn't want to lose that. He knew that he was going to have to help his dad behind his back if he was going to help at all. Onyx didn't mind that. He was used to not being in the spotlight. That was how he worked best.
He walked out of the Bat Cave by taking the tunnel that led to the outdoors. After fifteen minutes of walking and still not seeing any sign of the outdoors he realized that it was going to be a long time by foot to get to the exit. He figured that Batman had made it long so that it was easier for the Bat Mobile to stop and not crash anything once it got inside. Onyx put down his duffle bag. He put his mask on the floor as he ruffled through the bag. He finally found what he was looking for, rocket skates. He put them on. He was going to be traveling at fast speeds so he also put on his mask so that he wouldn't accidentally swallow something. He then stood up and pressed a button on the back of the shoes. Flames started to erupt and they flung forward. He was startled at first by the sudden speed but he soon got his bearings and he started skating towards the exit.
He soon saw light. He then stopped moving his feet but they were still going forward. He carefully knelt down and pushed the button again. The flames started to slow down and then they stopped. So that he wouldn't fall over he got back up into standing position and started moving the skates himself. When he was finally at the exit the flames were all out and the skates were acting like any normal type of skates. He skidded to a stop.
He then pulled out his communicator. He had never been to Gotham City before but he did know someone who had, someone who knew the depth and pits in this town. He dialed for Teen Titans East. Sam picked up. Sam was also the superhero Sparky. She is the daughter of Cyborg and Bumble Bee. "What a surprise," she said. "What do I owe the honors?"
"Sorry Sparky, not a social visit. Is Iris, Sarah, or Lily there?"
"So you're not here to talk to your best friend?"
"No. Another time. I'm right now in Gotham City trying to find anyone that can tell me where the Joker is."
Iris then jumped into the screen. There is no mistake that she is the daughter of Poison Ivy. Luckily though, Iris is not evil like her mother. "Did I hear that right? You are looking for the Joker?"
"Yeah," Onyx says.
Iris screamed, "Are you insane!? The Joker is a psycho that will kill anyone in his path! I mean he tried to kill me and my two sisters just because we are the daughters of Poison Ivy! If he found out that you were related to Batman, he won't just kill you, he will torture you! Did you forget what he did to the second Robin!?"
Onyx knew that she was talking about Jason. "That was big news?"
Iris gasped, "Of course! It wasn't just big news in the hero world. It was talked about all over Gotham in the evil world. It was one of the only times that a villain was able to one up Batman. The Joker is talked about so much that everyone knows not to mess with him."
"Except for Harley, and wasn't there a team that worked with him, something about cards?"
Iris nodded, "Yes, but Aunt Harley is delusional, and the Royal Flush Gang was saved by the Joker."
"But he has worked with people in the past?"
"Yes, usually not with good results for the people working for him. I mean Harley is beat up all the time, and have you heard about what happened to the Royal Flush Gang?"
"Do the people in Gotham know that Red X is no longer a criminal?"
"No. All the villains that do know are locked up in special cells in Jump City away from the others so you can still do undercover work. Still, it's surprising how slow word gets around the villain world, except if there is a death involved. What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking that I need to figure out where the villains hang out in this town."
Iris sighed, "Do you want big villains or little villains?"
"Little. If the Joker is planning something big then he is going to want as many henchmen as possible."
Iris then smiled, "So they would be the people to ask. You know that this is a crazy idea, right?"
"Yeah, wouldn't be the first time," Onyx said back.
"Well there are three places where they could be, My Alibi, The Iceberg Lounge, or the Stacked Deck. You will find most of them in the Iceberg Lounge though. It is run by the Penguin. I can give you directions. I've been to the Bat Cave before with my younger sisters," Iris said. Iris knew that Red X was confused even though she couldn't see his face, "Don't ask."
Onyx then shook his head to get rid of any thoughts on the subject. Onyx then stared into the screen. "That will be perfect," Onyx said with a hint of an evil smile in his voice.
/
Dick got off of his motorcycle. He had borrowed it from Bruce's collection because the only mode of transportation that he brought was the jet. He walked to Barbara's apartment. Dick already knew that it was not going to be a pleasant welcome. He knocked on the door.
"I'm coming," Barbara yelled through the door. She then opened the door. Barbara eyes widen with surprise. "What are you doing here, Dick?" She did not say his name kindly.
"It's nice meeting you too," Dick said as he looked down at Barbara. No matter how many times he saw it, he never got used to Barbara being in a wheelchair. He wasn't going to let that show though. He walked past Barbara and into the apartment.
"Let yourself in," Barbara said sarcastically as Dick took a seat on the couch.
"What's that?" Dick said as he points to the open computer.
Barbara rushed over to the computer, "None of your business." She then slams the computer shut before Dick can see any important details. Dick however had already noticed that Barbara was using her computer skills to try and find the Joker. He was very quick at observing things. Dick decided not to talk about it until after Barbara had calmed down.
"Do you know where Maxine is?"
"What? We haven't talked for six years and already you're ready to get out the door."
"What are you talking about?" Dick was clearly confused.
Barbara sighed in frustration, "I haven't heard from you in six years. How hard is it to pick up a phone Dicky?"
"You know I don't like being called by that," Dick said. He always got irritated whenever anyone called him Dicky. Dick sighed, "Why don't we start over? Hi Barbara, it's been a long time. How have things been?"
Barbara sighs but decides the play along, "They've been good. I've been having a very good life as a social studies teacher at Gotham Academy. I've also been teaching computer skills as well."
"If you're a teacher at Gotham Academy, why aren't you there?"
"I am taking a few sick days that I have piled up. There is a substitute teacher right now taking care of all my classes."
Dick didn't ask why Barbara was taking sick days when she clearly wasn't sick. "Hmm, so what grades do you teach?"
"I teach U.S. History to eleventh graders during first and fifth period, computer skills to seventh and eighth graders during second period, World Social Relationships to ninth graders during fourth period, and American Government to twelfth graders during sixth period. Third period is my break time."
Both Barbara and Dick remembered that Gotham Academy had all grades, from preschool to twelfth grade. There was however four different buildings all were designated for different grades. One portable was for preschoolers and kindergartners. Building 100 was mainly for first graders through third grade. Building 200 was mainly for fourth grade through sixth grade. Building 300 was mainly for seventh grade through ninth grade. Building 400 was mainly for tenth grade though twelfth grade.
"What room are you in?" Dick asked.
"I'm in room 403 for my social studies and history classes and in room 312 for computers."
"Does it take that long to get from room 403 to room 312?"
"No, sometimes I get a little bit late but the students are very nice about waiting for me."
"That's nice," Dick said.
Barbara could tell though that Dick really wanted to talk about the reason that he was here, "Why are you here?"
"Excuse me?"
"Stop trying to do the small talk. Why are you here?"
Dick sighed. He goes straight to the point she gets angry, you try to do small talk and she gets angry. Sometimes it was easier to talk to Silkie then to talk to a girl. (Silkie is Starfire's pet in Teen Titans.) "I'm here because Batman needs help. I'm sure you've heard that the Joker has gotten loose."
"Why do you think I'm using up my sick days?"
Dick had already come up with that conclusion, "Then you know that the Joker is bad news and that Batman wants him stopped as soon as possible."
"Did he only call you?"
"Excuse me?"
"I just remember that Tim could also be called."
Dick remembered that Tim was the third Robin and his younger brother, "Tim is not doing any hero business at the moment. He is retired along with his wife Zatanna. After not being able to get her father back, she had a hard time recovering. Zatanna quit the business and Tim followed in her suite. They are right now caring for their twelve year old son, Houdini."
"Hmm and why aren't you with your children?"
"Because my oldest children are old enough to fight crime on their own, so they are right now caring for the younger ones that can't do that yet." Dick had a total of six children: Jane, Onyx, Blake, Caroline, Garnet, and Capri. Onyx is the only boy out of the bunch. "I also don't think that it is wise for them to go after the Joker. I don't think that they have enough experience to go after him yet."
"So they're not here with you?"
"No, they are back in Jump City with their mother."
"Starfire," Barbara said through cringed teeth. Even after all these years, Barbara was still a little bitter about Dick being with another woman. She however did not resent Dick for being happy though, nor did she resent the children. She just wished that things would have been different between her and Dick.
"She has actually gone by Kori for a number of years."
"Of course," Barbara said. "How could I forget?"
Dick decided to get off the subject, "Well, Batman needs help in finding the Joker so he sent me to get Maxine."
"He didn't send you to get me?" Barbara asked.
"He must have thought that you were at work," Dick said. "He seems to know where everyone is."
"Except the Joker and Maxine," Barbara said.
"You know how elusive the Joker can be and I think that Bruce is respecting Maxine's space," Dick said.
"Why do you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Why do you call Bruce by his name?"
Dick shakes his head, "Because that is his name."
"You know what I mean."
Dick just shrugged his shoulders. "So do you know where Maxine is or not?"
Barbara sighs, "She'll be at work at Finnigan's."
"Isn't that a bar?"
"Yes, she is the new bartender there."
Dick then gets up and walks to the door. He turns around once he opens the door, "Thanks Babe." He then walks out.
Barbara then laughs to herself, "Guess that's the closest I'm ever going to get." She then opens up her computer and starts typing as she was doing before.
/
Onyx went into Iceberg Lounge. He surprisingly didn't run into any trouble as he walked in.
The Penguin walked up to him, "Red X. What are you doing in our wonderful city?"
"I wasn't getting much work in Jump City so I decided to have a little change. I heard that many villains like to have assistance in this town. Is that true?"
"Well many villains do in fact like to have a few henchman but aren't you a little up the bar? You after all are a well-known thief."
Red X laughed, "Well I thank you for the compliment but I don't really like stealing things for myself. Instead I like the challenge and just get hired by others."
"Well then, you will want the board down there," the Penguin said as he pointed to the lower floor. Red looked over the railing. He saw what the Penguin was talking about. The board was not an actual board; it was the word of mouth from scums, like the people down there. Iris was right; this was the perfect place to find out where everything was going down.
"I'll go down there myself."
The Penguin huffed. He then held out his hand and motioned for Onyx to hand him something. Red X reluctantly dug into his pocket and pulled out ninety dollars. There goes Onyx's allowance. The Penguin looked disappointed but left to handle other customers.
Red X then walked down the flight of stairs. He was met with stares. "What do you want?" asked one of the scums. This man was huge and clearly intimidating to a normal human. "You look a little young to be in the gig."
Red X sighed. He then pushed a button on his suit and a red X came out and tangled around the scum. He fell to the ground trying to get out of the red tape. "Does anyone else want to mess with me?" Onyx asked. Everyone shook their heads, even the ones that Onyx had originally deemed as a threat. "Good, I'm Red X. I'm new in town and I was thinking about hitting a job. Does anyone you know need any help with a gig?"
"Well, Harley Quinn was here earlier asking for henchman," said one of the not so smart scums. He then got glares from the other people in the bar.
"But you don't want that job. It's a job with the Joker," said one of the people that Onyx was keeping an eye on.
"Really," Onyx said like it was new news. "That seems like fun."
"Fun? Are you nuts?" said the same guy that tried to warn him off.
"Maybe, I just like a challenge and working with the Jokester seems like it would be a great challenge. I might also get some laughs out on the way."
"Yeah like laugh to death."
Red X scoffed. He then walked over to the not so smart one, "So are you going to give me any details?"
Most of the people then got up and walked up the stairs. Onyx could still hear some of the things spoken though. "I'm getting out of here." "I'm not getting involved." "Is this boy crazy?" "It's his funeral." "Does he know anything about the Joker?"
The scum that had been so kind about giving him the news started having second thoughts. His eyes started looking back and forth. Red X was starting to lose his patience so he pulled out a dagger and stabbed the table right in-between the man's fingers. "You were going to tell me something?"
The man gulped, "Yes. The Joker is planning on pulling a heist at the new museum. There is going to be a big opening and there is going to be a select few that are going to be there."
"Would that include the mayor?"
"Yes and also a few rich pompous kids from Gotham Academy." Gotham Academy, why did that school name sound so familiar? Maybe heard it from his dad somewhere?
"Good. Now would you be as kind as to tell me everything you know about this new museum and also where it is."
The man nodded his head. He then gulped before giving Red X every last detail that he wanted.
