AN: Hi Everyone! Enjoy the story! Please review! Thanks! This author's note is so full of exclamation points!
I don't own teen titans.
Chapter 4: Taking What's Mine
Red X ran across the rooftops. He had changed without a hitch and everything was going according to plan. He was one block away. He was nearing the museum. He was… hearing the Titan's tower alert system go off in his ear. How had they known? He hadn't even entered yet. This was ridiculous. He was starting to think he would never try to rob the museum again. He knew he wouldn't have time to grab anything and get out before the Titan's got there. Not if they were being alerted this early. And if the museum knew then security would be on high alert.
Then he heard Robin's yell.
"It's the museum." Then he grew quieter. Red X couldn't hear his next few words but he caught the signature "Titans, Go!"
He moved away from the museum area. He could just leave, escape the scene. But maybe, maybe he could get it after the Titan's left. They'd think it was a false alarm since he wasn't there. They might not believe it the next time it went off. Red X stayed nearby. He'd already given up on this job once, the more he waited, the more likely it was that someone else would cash in on his prize.
But he was already too late because the Titans, they weren't after him.
They were after a much bigger enemy.
Jinx and Bumblebee had decided to make themselves useful and come with the team. Jinx was in the T car with Cyborg and Bumblebee flew with Starfire overhead.
"This will be your first time fighting against Slade won't it?" Cyborg asked Jinx.
"Yeah." She answered tentatively. She had to admit she was a little worried. Slade had scared her even when she was on his side. He'd sent her back to the academy. She had failed him. She remembered that moment when they went back to Slade, tail between their legs, after being defeated. He had told them it was "only expected" which made her angry. He had given them a mission he expected them to fail? Why? Was it because he didn't think they were good enough? And they still got sent back? Thinking about it made her angry. She was looking forward to this fight.
They got out and ran into the museum. Slade was holding weaponry they'd never seen before.
"Titans, I see you brought your friends. How nice. But you should really ask the host before you invite other people. It's not polite." With that he shot at Jinx and Bumblebee, strange light bursts coming from a strange weapon.
Red X heard the blasts, they weren't after him. Someone else was in the exhibit USING HIS MERCHANDISE! That would destroy the resale value and it was sure to be on the news. He wondered if it was worth waiting around for the depreciated merchandise. Still, it was nice to hear the weaponry in action. That blast must have been the MX-23. He could tell because of the almost shriek it made when fired. He couldn't move now. He was enjoying the show.
Starfire shot at the weaponry Slade was holding. Jinx caused the machines to malfunction.
"That's always the problem with technology, which is why I prefer good old hand to hand." Slade dropped the weapons and ran towards Beast Boy, knocking him to the ground in an instant.
Then, he went to Cyborg and although the Slade had a harder time taking the larger male down, it still was a one sided battle. Beast Boy was up again, running straight for Slade but not for long. However, Beast Boy provided merely a distraction as Robin knocked Slade from behind, knocking him forward. He turned to face Robin and then saw an opening that would allow him to gain what he wanted.
Red X thought his eardrums would break when Starfire's scream hit him. He heard the crash of something large, the shot of a zipline, the jingle of star bolts. He wished he could see what was going on.
"With you in my clutches," he heard Slade whisper. "Robin's sure to fall into my trap."
"The only way I could hear that," Red X thought, "was if Slade had Starfire."
He ran closer to the museum and saw Slade, leaving with Starfire thrown over his shoulder. Her eyes and mouth were covered, her hands and feet bound. How Slade had done this in the short time allotted was a mystery to Red X. A bigger mystery was why the Titans weren't following him. All he knew was that Slade was running away with Starfire, and Slade had just destroyed the exhibit that was set up to make Red X millions. Red X felt like ruining someone's day.
His kick landed squarely on Slade's back. Slade fell forward and skidded across the road, dropping Starfire violently onto the street in front of him. Red X shot an X onto his back, one that exploded shortly after Slade finally got up. Red X had hit him from high up and the momentum had punctured a hole in Slade's back. Red X was fighting one of Slade's many robots. He grabbed X's that worked like throwing stars and shot them at robo-Slade's neck. Then he jumped on it and ripped the head off, twisting it violently. He then turned to Starfire. He removed the coverings on her eyes.
"I didn't take you so don't kill me. I'm going to remove the rest of these now okay?" He asked. A strange sound came from the mic. They were too close together. He saw her brows furrow as she heard the reverb. He removed his mic and destroyed it, hoping he could get another. He removed her bindings and got up, hands in the air in a show of peace.
"Thank you." Starfire said, "maybe Bumblebee was right…" She thought aloud.
"Haha, I don't plan on making a habit of this. I made myself a powerful enemy. I was just a little mad that he ruined my plan." Red X chuckled, not thinking about how he was giving away his little spying mission. Starfire ignored it, too caught up in her own confusing thoughts.
"I should go back to my team." Starfire stammered out. "They got trapped in a strange device."
Red X thought about coming with her, to see the exhibit and find things still in the display cases, still worth something. But Robin would probably attack him as soon as he entered. It was unnecessary hassle. He decided he would leave and come back tomorrow… again. But first…
Red X grabbed Starfire around the waist and pulled her cheek to his lips, well his mask. She got the idea and turned bright red.
"I need to go!" She exclaimed, darting off into the sky.
Red X chuckled to himself. Watching her panic would never get old. Still she hadn't tried to kill him this time. Maybe there was hope for him after all.