Chapter Three:

"Dust End City" couldn't have a population of more than fifty people. As Terra looked around, it was as if she stepped into the movies with a old run down town that had seen better days... maybe. Old mobile homes where rusted and scattered in some sort of neighborhood on one side, and on the other where just old stores. The place gave Terra the creeps as she remembered having to stay in places like this in the past. She noticed that the two biggest buildings where further off down the old road. With big neon signs, was a bar. Probably filled with things she wanted no part of. After all, she had just passed a old boarded up police station.

"Nice place." She muttered under her breath.

"For illegal information." Red X added in as he started for the large bar. Probably the only place that had a weed-free parking lot that got taken care of regularly. Somehow, Terra didn't doubt what X had said. The sun had set awhile ago, and a moon light shadow was casted over the mostly dark 'city,' and Terra didn't want to be caught out here by herself so quickly followed her new companion. Against the chilling night sky, the bar's name blinked in large hot pink letters:

"Dusty's Western Pleasure"

As they came up to the bar, Terra noticed a rather large usher at the fancy door. He was... big. Probably six foot, or taller. She didn't know, but his build reminded her those wrestling 'machos' she used to watch on TV. Only this guy had a suit on, and if the glint at his belt told her true, a gun as well. How could such a place exists out in the middle of a old no-good town like this? Unless they wanted to keep the business in there secret from the rest of the world.

"How are we going to get past him? I'm not using my powers... and no offense- but your probably not even half his weight." Terra mused with a smirk.

"Wont have too," Red X said quietly as he pointed towards the back. "Just trust me."

Terra followed X through the back and into the dumpster area. It stunk of beer and probably drugs, or whatever that other burning sort of stench was. But she just tried not to breath through her nose as she looked up at the window, probably eight feet up in the air. Flashy pink and blue lights shined from it, and Terra could hear the loud heavy metal music coming from inside, and though she usually liked the loud noise... it gave her a headache. A few dumpsters where parked side ways from the open window, they where probably four or so feet up in the air, and Terra already knew what Red X was planning before he easily jumped onto the green dumpster without a noise. Then quiet as a cat she watched his shadowy figure jump towards the window and quickly pull himself up.

Terra grunted before she pulled herself onto the dumpster with more noise then X had made, then looked towards the window. She let loose a nervous sigh before tensing up for the jump. Normally this wouldn't be anything... but again, months of her 'vacation' had really made her a... well bluntly put a wimp. She lunged herself into the air towards the window, but came just inches short. A black gloved hand caught her arm ,however, and swung her inside the building without much of any effort.

"Figured you wouldn't make it." Terra could hear the teasing in X's tone, it made her snort and jerk her arm free from his grip.

"Now what?"

"C'mon." Red X stood up straight and walked along side the wall. Terra followed him, looking around at the people as she did. Obviously they where on a second floor, a railing was to her left, and people where hung over it. Most of them had either a drink or a cigarette in their hands. Some both. The place stunk of alcohol and smoke, and Terra could just smell the drugs on the people when they walked past. The whole place made her edgy, and she hoped that X had a good reason for dragging her in here. Black lights casted purple shadows on everything, so that not only did this place smell horrible, the lighting made her head spin.

"Who are we looking for?" Terra ended up raising her voice towards the end of her words, since she found herself being drowned out by the music. She didn't get an answer though as they kept going down the hall. She followed him till they came to a opening, doored by plastic strips and into a quieter room. The walls looked like they where made of red pillows, and couches seemed built into them as well. A man in a black suite stepped in front of the two, and Terra thought he looked like someone from the Secret Service. With his sun glasses and wires sticking to his ear. She got a sudden warning chill from the air, but pushed it aside the same way she did with another stubborn piece of blonde hair.

"I need to talk to Phil." Red X said simply, and the man nodded and started to lead the way. Ahead was a door, but as Terra started to followed X turned sharply to her. "Wait here."

"Oh thanks, leave me with all the drugies." She whispered harshly.

"Just wait here." He said again before following the man into the room and making sure the door was shut behind him.

Well what the hell?

Terra stared at the door with crossed arms and a glare, as if she where blaming it. If this X guy could get any more annoying... maybe she would find a way to get rid of him sooner. Muffled voices came from the door and Terra raised her eye brow and grinned slowly. Her eyes darted around, no one else was in the room. Terra leaned forward against the door and put her ear to it, listening to what words she could make out.

"You have a week." Came an unfamiliar male voice. Just guessing, but probably in his late twenties. Probably "Phil."

"Road kill moves faster then we are going right now." Argued Red X's voice. He didn't sound worried or anything... just annoyed at the time limit.

Time limit for what? Terra wondered to herself.

"X, your the best. And you have a week. Huffman wont wait any longer than that." Phil said. "Besides, the sooner the better, with those super-brats not far, we don't want to risk you two running into them."

"That wont be a problem," X said, still with a calm tone.

"I don't care how cocky either of you are, five against two isn't good. And we want her in reasonable shape." Terra heard soft footsteps coming towards the door and quickly flew towards a couch and threw herself onto the seat. Trying not to look guilty she crossed her legs and brushed her hair back with a bored look painted on her face, her blue eyes watched Red X walk in and give her a small glance. He then started for the door.

Knowing he wouldn't bother telling her to follow, Terra stood back up and trailed behind him with new thoughts in her head. "So what did you find out?" She asked as innocently as she could. But of course, he didn't answer. Terra narrowed her eyebrows at his back with an accusing glare. She didn't like he was hiding something, and she wasn't going to keep following like a lost puppy when she had a mission to carry out. Terra quickened her footsteps and matched his long strides.

"What was going on in there?" She demanded in a louder voice, knowing he had to have heard her.

"When we get out of town, we might be able to get some sleep before the sun comes up." He said. "Doubt you'll want to hang around here."

Terra knew her face was flushed with annoyance, she could feel it. "X, stop doing that!"

"Doing what?" He didn't even turn to her.

"Leading my questions off into something else!" She snapped with the glare still painted on her face. But her annoyance only flared again when he shrugged. This guy was downright impossible.

----------

The desert turned colder during the night, but not wanting to risk a fire being seen, Terra just wrapped her arms around her knees and hugged them close. Her back was against a tall and shaggy pine tree as she cocked her head up to look at the night sky. Part of her felt refreshed by the moment, she had missed the out-door sleeping really. After all the time of living that way... it had just become natural and preferable to her. The bugs didn't even really bother her that much, and what she loved the most... was listening to far off cries of coyotes. Before she had joined the Titan's, or met Slade... or any of that... this had been her life. Terra drifted into her memories as her eyes locked onto the speckled sky.

She remembered being sent to America, stolen away on a boat to avoid all the problems and dangers in her country. She was supposed to be picked up by 'trusted' people of the royal family-her family- but they had sold her over to Area 51. As a little pre-teen girl she was kidnapped and thrown in a truck then shipped off once more. That had been her first lesson of 'trust.' It really is a fragile thing to give away... yet people give it away so freely, Terra wondered if they even knew how valuable trust is. Trust is what breaks hearts, and ruins innocent lives everyday.

She sighed and shook her head before lowering her eyes then glancing over towards where Red X sat. Even during this time, he didn't seem to relax, Terra could see he was tense. She didn't trust him, heck... she didn't even like him. But Terra had a small speck of respect, and had a feeling he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

"So, why are you always by yourself?" The blonde asked, filling the lonely void in the air.

"Same reason you are."

Terra barked a short spurt of laughter. Not in amusement though. "Because you can't be on either side?" She half sneered.

"Neither works out." Red X said, looking up at her and resting his back against the other tree. "If your on the 'wrong side' then everyone hates you no matter what you do. If you steal something to save someone, your still in some wrong. But on the 'right side' then you have restrictions... and that means that you can't do what is always right. So you fail."

Terra stared at him. Not sure what to make of his words, and not prepared to have heard something like that from him. Her eyes turned downcast and she hugged her legs tighter against her chest as she leaned her chin on them. "So what does that make us?" Terra hadn't meant to say 'us' it had just come out like that.

"What's it matter?"

Why where his questions always so hard to answer or think about? Terra didn't want to think right now, but his words made her brain go into a thinking-mode. She stared hard at the dark brown earth, what was she? Who was she?... Did it matter? In everyone's eyes, she would always be seen as a villain, no matter what she did. Nothing could make up for her actions. Her life had been practically ripped away and thrown into the trash, and Terra wanted so bad to just do the same to the man who did this to her. These powers where forced onto her... this daily pain of being alone was its aftershock. Rage filled her heart once more... she could feel it. Like an unnamed beast clawing from the inside, snarling with a utter hate. Huffman would pay... he would have his life taken from him for what he had done... and no would stop her.

Four pages isn't long, but I was running out of conversation for this chapter xD I hope I am putting enough in here, and not just skimming over the detales, if so let me know and I will try to fit more in.

...Please Read and Review...