Don't get used to this fast uploading. I had an idea and had to run with it before it slipped away…
Disclaimer: see chapter previous.
Chapter 11
The click of shoe heels on the highly polished floors rang out in the otherwise silent and well furnished room. The dark wood panels on the walls and the black marble tile swallowed up the floundering light. Nervous people shifted in their elaborate leather chairs, the sweat dripping down their backs glued them to their seats, and ties seemed to get tighter on the well-fed necks. At the head of the table, the person everyone's eyes had been locked on suddenly stopped his stride and spun to the table. Fists slammed down on the smooth surface causing several people to suck in surprised breaths. The shadows played merrily on the man's face, keeping his features silhouetted and sinister. The only gleam came from the top of his bald head and the metallic shine of his rage filled eyes.
"Someone care to explain this to me?" The deceptive calm of his deep timbered voice raised the hairs on the back of the other occupants' necks. Quick glances were shared; ties adjusted and shifty eyes examined all but the impressive figure in front of them. "No one? Fine." The voice dropped with the last word, it nearly coming out a snarl. Showing his displeasure, the man reached out a hand studded in gold and diamond rings to shove the chair reserved for him. The resounding crash of the chair up-ending with enough force to crack the wall it was propelled into instantly brought all attention back to the man. Silence reigned supreme.
"How about I tell you what I see?" Lifting a remote from the table, he aimed it behind himself the black wall behind him lighting up and revealing it to be a giant wall to wall television. The colors adjusted and an image took form, the feed a video link from a security camera. Nothing stirred or made a sound in the room save the image on screen and the man. "I see a feed from my laboratory in Jump City. The lab I pay you to keep in working order. The lab I pay you to keep my private studies private and operational. Now, can you image what I would have a problem with by looking at this video?" Once more no one spoke up, no one meet anyone's eyes, and no one dared to bring attention to them selves for fear of incurring the wrath of the man blacked out in front of the flickering images on the screen.
"How strange that you are the minds behind some of the most amazing and illegal break-through science anyone has seen and you don't have a single thing to say, it is most curious." With the continued silence of the group of scientist he whipped his remote behind him and lifted a lip in a snarl as it shattered against the screen. "Who is she? Where did she come from and how the HELL did she get all of the genetics research I have spent the last twenty years cultivating? What happened to your safe guards? Where was the security? You of all people should know what the research contains and if it is not recovered, I know you can't even image what I will do to you for your failures." Audible gulps resounded in the room, increased sweat trekked paths down shiny, tightened faces.
"Find her, or find me someone who can lead me to her. I don't care what you have to do to retain that chip. Lie, steal, kill, bribe. Get it done, or not only will you come to shall we say an unfortunate accident, but your wives, husbands and children shall too. Understood?" Finally the group stuttered to life nodding vigorously and stumbling out murmured comprehension. Seemingly satisfied he had terrified them into getting the results he wanted, the man turned away from the group staring at the stilled scene: a close up of a purple clad lady thief poised for attack in a darkened hallway. As chairs scraped back and the scientist began to edge toward the door, the man held up a hand signaling them to halt.
"Hubor, as lead on this project and seeing it was your identity she used to gain access to the lab I am holding you personally accountable for the loss of my material." Turning so he could look at the frightened elderly man trying desperately to hunch down by his colleagues, the man sneered. The other scientist fled from Dr. Hubor leaving him to his fate. Without warning, the man flicked out a wrist and a sliver blade whistled through the still air, moving fasted than Hubor had a chance to even acknowledge the danger presented to him. A sickening thump later and all the air left Hubor's lungs. His eyes unfocused and a gurgled sigh escaped his parted lips. His heart labored in vein against the honed metallic blade plunged through his chest and intruding into the hard working muscle. Blood seeped around the knife staining his white shirt oil-black in the dark. No one so much as flinched as Hubor stumbled and fell to his knees, bowing over his own body and slumping to rest with his cheek against the tiled floor. Glassy eyes stared blankly out of thick glasses, and suddenly Hubor knew no more.
"You know, I like your style." All eyes snapped to a particularly dark corner of the board room to the unknown voice. "But you need not go through hell to find the girl. I can lead you to your information, but first I want something from you." Sensing the entrance of not one but two great evils, the scientists fled leaving the door swinging behind them in their haste. Both men watched nothing but the other while keeping track of each movement going on around them. Finally, the bald man leaned back against the table and rolled his head on his shoulders adopting a thoughtful expression.
"Oh yeah? Exactly what do you propose?" An ominous chuckle left the other's lips and his eyes flashed malevolently.
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Across town, Emilia sat awake in the early morning light with her feet curled beneath her staring blankly at the morning news. The anchor-woman was ungodly peppy and it was taking a concentrated effort on Emilia's part not to shatter the TV screen just to experience the thrill of shutting her up. However, it was at that moment the celebrity watch came on and despite herself, Emilia found she was tuning in.
On screen, a picture of a roguishly grinning Richard, a sly looking Riley and a disdainfully scowling picture of herself flashed. The bold white letters beneath the pictures made her jaw drop. Three to Tango? Focusing Emilia raised the volume and sat stunned.
"The beautiful Miss Emilia Ramsey is one lucky girl. Last week Emilia was spotted at the exclusive Autolycus (1) Restaurant on the arm of her current beau, the handsome Richard Grayson, sole heir to the Bruce Wayne fortune. While most women would be hard pressed to even garner that most sought after catch, it seems that our lovely Miss Ramsey has not one but two of the city's most eligible and rich bachelors panting at her heels. During a steamy tango, things nearly caught fire between the nineteen year old heiress and the dreamy owner of Autolycus, Mr. Riley LeCroft seen here." Emilia's face heated up as a shaky video obviously taken on a camera phone showed her risqué dance with Riley. The particular shot they were showing made it seem like the two had eyes only for each other as Riley pulled her flush against his body and slid his hand down her side to cup her thigh and draw her leg around his waist. The feed cut there and she gaped at the plastic smile of the blonde anchor-woman.
"So, the question on everyone's mind is Emilia, honey, with a sizzling attraction like that to the foxy, bad-boy LeCroft is your passion for Grayson melting, or are you playing the Queen of Hearts and having your cake and eating it too?" The black plastic surrounding the screen imploded at that moment while the glass shattered out sending a wave of shards to impale the furnishing all over the living room. Seated on the couch untouched, a black enshrouded woman glared death into the spot the television once occupied. The lights around the house flickered and burst raining down viscous fragments. The walls shook and trembled with the afflux of power her rage created. The blonde was going to be a smear on the sidewalk if the angered woman had any say in it, especially since she wasn't sure of her feelings on the subject matter the news was carelessly spreading to the world.
Rising, the winds of dark power around Emilia whipped her hair around and tugged violently on her clothes. Her feet hovered above the ground and her toes dragging along the carpet. Heading out of the room the glass in the picture frames along the hall shattered and spider-webbed, some falling from their perches and plummeting to the ground. In the distance the phone began to ring, the shrill noise echoing around the large space but unable to penetrate the dark Emilia had been cast into. The door to the practice room slid shut locking out the world and locking in the loud explosion and bellow of rage that attempted to leak out.
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For once the dark did not seem a comforting friend, its inky blackness a mocking hindrance to the figure creeping along as it made its way silently down the docks. The metallic chime of a bell atop a mast made the shadow freeze in anticipation, sweat rolled down a clammy back. She was uneasy. Red X might be setting a trap for her, but that she highly doubted. No, her fear reared its ugly head because she knew this wasn't a trap. This meeting was taking place because the thief was every bit as interested in her as she was in him. And to make her more guilty, she hadn't informed the Titans because once she was honest with herself, she wanted to, no needed to, see what he had in store for her and the Titans would only interfere.
'Breathe.' The mental reminder was enough to alert her to just how wound up by this she was. All day she had been contemplating the differences between Richard, Riley and Red X. During her thoughts it occurred to her she might have a thing for R's. Next she realized that they all shared similar attributes. Arrogance, a cock-sure attitude, strong convictions, even stronger competitiveness, and a born leader quality, despite the fact that X worked alone his take-charge approach told her more than she needed to know. The most startling thought she had come acrossed while soul searching today was that logically, she should stay away from them all. Painful as it was, they had one more thing in common, an undeniable way to get under her skin and affect her emotions like no one she had met up until now. For safety sakes she knew she would be wise to cut them all lose and make a run for it while she still had an option. Yet, here she was sneaking off to a clandestine meeting with a notorious thief since she knew even if she left them, they wouldn't leave her.
The closer to the building she was to meet him in she got, the more each shifting shadow made her pause, each sigh of the wind through sails made her flinch and each creak of a board made her jump. If she didn't calm down she was sure to shatter something with the still raging power in her veins. Spotting her target, she felt her muscles tighten then release and she realized she was just as nervous about seeing X as she was that Robin might have followed her. Guilt slammed into her with the force of a blow and she knew what it felt like to be a cheating spouse; a thrill of adrenaline and a surge of self deprecation. Entering the rickety building, she slinked to the nearest stack of moldy tarp covered wooden crates. Nestling between the boxes, she crouched down to wait.
A subtle shift in the air around her was the only warning she got before an arm snaked out from the darkness behind her and secured tightly about her waist.
"Looky! I caught myself a siren." Silent Night didn't have to try very hard to image warm breath against her neck even though she had on her suit and the way the deep voice was modulated she knew he did as well. It was the most difficult thing she had to do to shove against him and gain her release from the suddenly comforting cage of his arms. It was hardly surprising to either that she barely pushed and he easily released her. She rose to her feet and spun slowly to face what she knew to be a grinning thief.
X leaned casually against the dusty boxes behind him with all the lithe grace of a panther. Night admired him in quiet letting him show his hand first. Never one to disappoint, Red X tilted his head and took the lead.
"Since you showed I know two things immediately." The casual comment made her spine stiffen in defense. Glaring now, she took a step forward and entered his personal space intentionally, the last few days and her earlier trespass against Red X just that morning making her edgy and confrontational.
"You don't know the first thing about me. And I would love to hear what you think you have figured out." At that moment nothing she even thought she knew about herself was true anymore. Not even four months ago she knew right from wrong. Stealing was wrong, wanting three men was wrong. Nothing about what she was doing felt wrong; in fact the opposite seemed true. This, whatever it was, felt right. So why did she feel the need to hide from it, to run away and push all three of them away?
"I don't pretend to even begin to understand you, Emilia. I like that you keep me up in the air. You spin me about and challenge me at every turn. But I do know you. Because you showed up I know that you will never back away from something no matter how dangerous and terrifying it is for you. Coming here took guts. I have the upper hand. I know who you are and since we are both thieves I know how important it is to keep your identity secret to yourself." Red X straightened up, his height suddenly dwarfing Night. As he spoke he took a step forward with each sentence, and mesmerized, Night stood still till inches separated their bodies. X tilted his head and stooped to catch Night's eyes, both breathing harder than the simple situation called for.
"Then why shouldn't I kill you and get back my identity?" The words were brave, but the breathy way they came out belittled them. X didn't seem to notice. He cocked his head to the side and seemed to study her for a minute.
"That brings me to the next thing I know for sure." He caught her attention with his soft words, drawing her to meet his eyes behind the mask and search out the man himself. "When I came here tonight I had nothing to lose."
"What makes you think that? I could have come to kill you, I still could. This may not be a trap for me, but maybe it is for you?" A soft chuckle emitted from Red X, catching Night off guard.
"You can't kill me. Just by showing up I know you couldn't do it. You are as interested in me as I am in you." His hand rose and traced the line of her cheek like the gentle caress of a butterfly, it trailed down her neck and she unconsciously leaned into it. Finding what he sought, X suddenly jerked up on the Night's helm tearing it from her and leaving a startled Emilia exposed to his hungry gaze. "Whatever this is between us it's drawing you to me and you don't want to fight it, you can't."
Something snapped inside of Emilia without warning, she launched herself at the unsuspecting Red X and gained the upper hand pinning him between her body and the crates behind them. Using the adhesive rope from her wrists she bound X's hands together and snarled in his masked face.
"I can fight it. I am fighting it. I'm in control, not you, not Richard, no one else." Even to her own ears she sounded desperate. In her moment of self doubt, X shoved against Night getting some space between their bodies and raised his hands above his head before bringing the loop down around Emilia's shoulders pressing her against his chest. Emilia brought her arms up and found her hands splayed across the well defined muscles of Red X. Shock and anger warred in the snapping sapphire eyes of his captive.
Using his larger size, he knocked them both to the ground, catching their fall on his arms and cushioning the blow to the petite brunette. Enraged, she snatched his mask and lifted it up to his nose revealing grim set lips and a lightly scruffy chin, cheeks, and upper lip. Jerking his head back, X preserved his full identity at the last minute, frustrating the woman in his arms. Emilia shrieked in rage and disappointment, her plans foiled, but didn't attempt to try again. X captured her lips in an inflaming kiss, searing her to her core and calming the torrent of wild emotions whirling inside her. New, lustful emotions brewed, bubbling to the surface and exploding in a series of tingles over her skin.
The soft shink of a blade was heard, causing Emilia to stiffen in his arms and stare coldly up at a neutral face. Her eyes a moment ago dark with passion aflame with accusation.
"You could never claim me X, and you don't have quite the upper hand you think you do." The words were icy, not the least bit affected by the blistering passion of a moment ago. A muscle in X's jaw ticked, a thin white jagged scar becoming visible with the movement. Roughly, a strand of Emilia's hair was tugged forcing her face up to his before he brutally plundered her mouth again, attempting to gain dominance. Emilia realized he had only used his blade to release himself from her ties and felt suddenly foolish for thinking he could be capable of turning the weapon on her even for a second. Attempting to redeem herself, she bit down hard on his lip, drawing the metallic taste of blood into her mouth and gaining a hiss from the man above her.
A growl she would be proud of tore from him before he clamped his hand about her jaw and lead her through a bruising kiss. The demon in her reveled in the rough handling and tore to the surface, a mewing purr rumbling deep in her chest. Before she knew it, she had her legs wrapped around his waist and her back arched with his warm hand planted firmly against her breast. For his part, X grunted in encouragement to her sighs and pants while nipping and licking his way down the column of her throat. Suddenly, X ground his pelvis into her and shots of arousal raced in tingling arches up and down her body before sense was slammed back into her with his sharp white teeth sinking deeply into the tender flesh of her neck.
Rearing, she knocked the surprised and aroused man from her and scrambled along the floor to a safer distance, a hand wrapped tight over the throbbing bite mark. Beneath her fingers she could feel the sunken impressions of his teeth and knew without looking the mark was deep purple and would bruise. X sat up slowly, planting one foot on the floor and stretching the other leg out in front of him. Where as Emilia looked panicked with her wide eyes and flushed cheeks, he appeared to be the picture of unruffled bad boy, save for the erection he sported.
Rising to her feet, Emilia didn't even spare a glance in his direction as she bolted for the door, her mask clutched in her hand and her footsteps echoing off the beams overhead. X didn't try to stop her or call out to the fleeing woman. He let her go, watching her grace in each step and reliving the way that body felt writhing beneath him.
Suddenly, he grinned to the darkness around him. Rising to his feet, he called out to no one in particular, perhaps the gods since none other was around, perhaps to himself.
"Run while you can, and don't you dare make this easy. I accept the challenge you are and if its war you want, know I plan to win."
XxxXxxXxxXx
Deep in the darkness of Emilia Ramsey's secret room a whirling machine came to a sudden stop, a neon blue light flickering on and off cast objects on the computer consol into harsh relief before plunging them back into sheer black. Among those objects were scattered tools, plastic debris, an innocently sparkling piece of jewelry, slides, q-tips, and several bottles of potent liquids. With the fourth flash the machine went dark, and the computer flashed on, a loading screen visible. 'Match confirmed' ran over and over on the screen before a hidden icon clicked and a file opened. 'Information processed and transferred to remote location' appeared before swiftly disappearing as it had come, being once more replaced with the results to the test recently performed.
(1)- Autolycus is in Greek mythology a revered thief and known by several as the King of Thieves even though it is only implied that he gained the title, where as his Father was never said to actually lose the title to Autolycus.
AN- Holy crap! A hot make out session, revealed bad guys (can you guess who they are?), a mysterious machine with even more mysterious results, and a betrayal? Damn that was a fast paced seven pages, huh? For fun see if you can figure out the bad guys identities, what Rae did that was so horrible, what results to the tests being run could possibly be and of course what happened to her computer…See I WILL get my reviews somehow. :D OH! Before I forget. I am toying with the idea of getting a beta. I know I get ahead of myself and some of my spelling or grammar pays for it. Anyone interested?