A/N Hello! I know this took awhile, all my later chapters are, but this one is YOUR FAULT. You guys told me to write an AU Teen Titans Highschool, and for the longest time I couldn't think of a plot. And now I did. So now I've written a couple chapters of that and pushed this off to the side, and then I check the web and was all OMG, I HAVEN'T UPDATED IDENTITY CRUX!! And there's also a HP one I've been having fun with writing, but that one I'm going to try not to touch until I get the TT one at least almots done. I'm trying a new method-writing all the chapters before posting the story, but doing it weekly so I can add all the new twists and things I want. 'Cause everytime I read this, I look at the earlier chapters and think, 'Oh! I can put a subtle clue in here!', and change it slighty, not fair to the people who have already read it.
cherrycherrylove: WHERE ART THOU? I pushed off part of this chapter for you! And my laziness, but the other reason sounds better...
Geojas378: YOU KNOW WHAT? I have something to combat the llamas. AMOEBAS, ATTACK MY MICROSCOPIC FRIENDS! xDD Rob/Terra just...no. Sorry. For me that's just /no/. With a capital /no/. Even for crack pairings. No. xDD I was worried about Terra being too docile, and almost had to rewrite the scene because it almost because too docile. And with the junkie, well, that just came to me, I must admit. -not trying to be shy- Heheh, Speedy. He's a wee bit out of character I think, only because their history is something I don't really bring up...I dunno. I might do a prequel or something to explain. Or a sequel. I dunno. Yay! Bring your friend! Tell her to review!
"ROSE, what the hell?!" Terra yelled. She was angry. Not only did she have no idea what was going on and Rose and Sam obviously did, they were probably lying to her and manipulating her as well. Hell, they were probably using her from the very beginning, ever since they saw her face. Not only all of that-she had to find a ride home.
The party had been shut down just as Jason/Richard/Robin ordered. Kid Flash and Jinx were so busy trying to get everyone out and cleaned up without spoiling their identities, that she left without any problems. Besides, they hadn't met before anyhow, so it wasn't as if they were long-lost friends.
She took a cab down to near the warehouse district, and got out far enough away so it didn't look suspicious. She was still trembling from the burst of power from before, but she just chalked it up to anger and ignored that warm throb in her chest that urged to her to use it.
It was the same warehouse they had met before, that had started all of this when Terra got her memories, but it had been considerably updated. To get in, there was a retinal, fingerprint and DNA scanner hidden so masterfully you had to know exactly where to look. Inside and around the corner, there was a huge computer screen along with many other ones where Sam currently sat, typing away and being the information gatherer and instructor of the team.
"Terra…" She had said, her eyes not moving from the computer. "This really is not a good time."
"Screw that!" Terra snapped. "What is going on, is there any reason I should listen to you-"
"Go talk to Rose. I'm busy." Sam looked at Terra, her eyes in a glare. Terra glared right back and huffed off, walking across the hide-out. There were various shelves and cabinets hiding all sorts of weapons and generally useful stuff, but past all that at the very end was the work-out area. Stocked with state-of-the-art equipment granted by Sam's dad over at STAR labs, not that he knew what his daughter had done. However, Rose wasn't using any of the new stuff. At the moment, she was beating to death a punching bag.
She was killing the thing, the heaviest bag they could find. Rose had it swinging like an empty piñata, back and forth, punching and kicking-the sides were already worn and any moment it seemed as if it would break. Rose was breathing hard, her white hair tied beside her, beads of sweat forming on her face. With a final kick, the bag fell from its hanging spot in the ceiling, flying halfway across the room.
"What happened back there?" Terra demanded, watching Rose lean forward with her hands on her knees to catch her breath. "Did you know Richard was Robin? Why didn't you tell me? We're supposed to be a team, and you don't even tell me that the boy freakin' wonder is right next to us, who could ruin your plan! And there has got to be more to your plan than just partying and doing everything you feel like! What aren't you telling me? You really are just like-"
Slap.
"I am nothing like him." Rose said, her voice sounding like a threat. She had hit Terra, and hard. Her head whipped around, the side of her face hot and throbbing as tears sprang to her eyes. She was
speechless, slowly turning her head back to face Rose. She felt the hot anger rising inside her, rumbling inside her like an earthquake, her eyes glowing warm against her face. And then she saw Rose's face. Tears were falling freely down her face, and Terra finally noticed she was shaking. She was trying so hard to keep herself together, and Sam had rushed over at the sound of the hit.
"Terra," Rose began, her voice shaking-with anger or sadness, Terra wasn't quite sure, but her powers calmed in a hurry. "Do you have any idea why Kid Flash came to Jump City?"
Robin was furious. It was a low, simmering anger, his lips pressed tight together as he sat at the table. They were in the living room, sitting on the couch where he had first met Maddox. Raven sat on the other side of the couch, wearing her blue cloak and her violet eyes focused in front of her. Tori sat on the couch across from Raven, next to their newest addition-Kid Flash. He had stopped by, in costume, to check on Tori, and had stumbled in the affair.
"Wow. I mean, you, and uncle Maddox-" Kid Flash began, breaking the silence. Raven's eyes darted to him in a furious, literal, four-red-demon-eyes glare. He shut up quickly. Tori's hair fell in her face, hair wet from a recent shower, the blonde dye in jarring streaks and combed perfectly straight.
"This…doesn't bother you." Raven said, a slight question in her voice. Tori looked up at her, her chin on her knees, and she didn't move.
"You weren't the first." Tori said with a shrug. "I mean, you're the first one I've known beforehand."
"Raven, what were you thinking?" Robin cut in, all of their eyes whipping to him. "Besides the moral implications, it's illegal-"
"-I turn eighteen in a month, clearly not important since the fate of the world doesn't rest on it anymore." Raven interjected, her voice dry with sarcasm. "And besides it being none of your business, morals are not something you should be talking about."
"Pull down your hood."
"What?"
"Pull down your hood."
Raven's eyes narrowed, but she slowly did was she was told. Her fingers gently pulled down the sleek fabric, and Robin's fear and anger were confirmed. The roots of her violet hair had turned bright red. He looked over at Kid Flash and Tori, Kid Flash's eyes were quite wide while Tori looked at her bare toes.
"What is it?" Raven asked, worry creeping into her voice as she looked down at the glass table, her eyes widening at the reflection. She slowly touched her hair, pulling at the pair to see the roots. "No-"
"Xenothium poisoning." Tori interjected, Robin gravely nodding. "Is she-?"
"No. We can take her to a specialist-"
"-what about the Tower? Can't she be helped there?" Asked Kid Flash.
"Xenothium is an unstable chemical, only certain methods will work and with her heritage-"
"-you don't know." Kid Flash finished, and Robin nodded, then looked to Tori. She was still looking at her eyes, and her eyes darted to him them back, and she began cracking her knuckles.
"But Red X would know." Her head darted up to him, her mouth slightly open in surprise.
"So that's why." Her surprised quickly turned to anger, her words acid. "You thought I had a connection to Red X, so you were going to get me to-" She clammed up, looking away, Robin saying nothing.
"Tor, you have to talk to them." Kid Flash pressured gently, but Tori shook her head. "Why not?"
"I was going to tell you everything." She said slowly after a while, tucking recently washed hair out of her face. The dyed blonde streaks stuck out against her other wet hair, jarring to the eye.
"Tell me what?" Robin asked, his voice cold.
"Why should I tell you? You-"
"-Your keeping secrets that could endanger the city, all of the lives in it, not to mention the one right in front of you!" He motioned to Raven, still stunned to silence, touching her hair.
"I-" She attempted, biting her lip.
"Go ahead. I'll be right here." Kid Flash encouraged, his baby blue eyes in a gentle smile. Tori took a deep breath and stood up, hugging the loose black sweater around her tighter.
"I have something to show you."
"What-" began Robin, but Kid Flash gently held out his arm, motioning for him to just follow. She walked them to Maddox's room, Kid Flash walking next to Raven, who was following but clearly numb and dazed. Tori turned the knob, which Robin had sworn was locked before, and entered the empty room. It was plain, white carpet, white walls, a couple paintings, a dresser, a T.V, a white bed neatly made.
"Where's Maddox?" Robin asked, knowing he had to have come in sometime before they arrived home.
"He left." Raven said, her voice even more hollow than usual. "Work, he said."
"Rae, are you sure you're okay?" Kid Flash asked, and Robin wasn't going to point out she had never said she was.
Tori walked over to a door, opening it and revealing a walk-in closet. Clothes were hung neatly on hangers, folded on shelves, a hook on the ceiling to an attic, a wicker basket for dirty laundry, a rack for shoes. She held the door open for everyone to walk in, but Robin took the door and closed it behind him.
Her hand pulled away from his gloved hand as they almost touched at the doorknob, walking over to the belt-rack. She pulled out a belt and held it an inch from her face, an end in each hand.
"Whoa." Kid Flash breathed, and Robin had to admit he was impressed. A small ray of light came from the belt, scanning each eye. Without a sound the light was gone, and she took both ends of the belt and looped it around the hook in the ceiling. With one pull the trapdoor opened down, and she folded out a metal ladder while unhooking the belt.
"You first." Robin commanded, and she pressed her lips together before making her way up, gingerly walking on bare feet.
"It shakes." She warned. Robin followed her up with Raven behind him, Kid Flash carefully watching from below. It was good he was here-he had a good heart, and would watch Raven for the moment. Robin had to figure out what was going on, and solve it.
The room was entirely metal. Metal floors, metal ceiling, metal walls. But there was nothing in the room. Tori just stood in the middle, and Robin stood right next to her, as she watched Raven and Kid Flash enter the room.
"Well?" Robin asked, but before he had even finished the word a foot collided with his stomach. He flew back and the room was flashing blue and white, white hot pain surging through his body. Needles attacked his skin, piercing right to the bone as he grunted in pain. He heard Kid Flash's yelps behind him, and Raven's moans.
Robin was barely able to lift up his head, every small movement increasing the sudden pain. The sound of metal nails on a chalkboard grated at his ears, needles screwing into his bones. He tensed, on his forearms and knees, the entire room flashing around him. Tori wasn't effected at all. She was ignoring them all, walking to one of the metal walls and pressing her hand against it. A screen flashed onto the wall, and it took Robin a moment to recognize the face: Sam's.
"Hecate." Tori said, a wicked smile in her voice. "Got 'em."
"Sweet." Hecate responded, a gleam in her eye she had never seen before. "This'll cheer up Ravager."
"Yeah, good for Jade. Rose. Whatever it is this week. So we've got the deal?"
"Yeah, we've got a deal. Welcome to the Disear, Red X."
Robin's eyes widened. What? How was that possible? All the Red X showings came up when he was with her, let alone her being quite a 'her'. She clearly had the xenothium access, but other than that, she had no link to Red X. Except for Maddox, which Robin couldn't just knock out of the picture-he could be getting the xenothium however she got it. His xenothium poisoning was clearly worse than hers, and just his alibi on being on dates-he should know, after all, growing up with the Bat-fit in well, though apparently at least not all of them were lies. Tori had to be covering for him, it just didn't fit.
The screen vanished as quickly as it had come, along with all of Robin's theories and plans, leaving him with an aching sort of knowledge. Tori turned to him, walking across the room, the lights flashing and casting shadows across her face. She knelt down six inches away from him, and he could see slight satisfaction in her face.
"This is a level six prison." She said, crouching with her hands resting on her open knees. "Right now, it's only at level two for you. I've got one in the city at level nine. Meant to keep the only two omega-threats on Earth we have, and I'm sure, well, it wouldn't be good for you."
The pain was subsiding into numbness. It was a relief, to be sure, but he could feel anything, or move his limbs. He was trapped in his own body, only able to move his face, and much as he attempted to move his arms and legs. The flashing stopped, and he could turn his head to see Kid Flash and Raven passed out next to each other.
"They'll be fine. Focus." Tori snapped, the red in her eyes pulsing. She took a deep breath. "I need your help."
"Could have fooled me." He shot out, quickly pulling his composure and shock together. The mask hid it all.
"I'm the one with the level six prison, here."
"I'm the one you want help from. Turn this off."
She kept her eyes focused on his, her hands still. She didn't even nod, but he slowly felt feeling creep back into his body.
"Tell me why I shouldn't call the Titans right now." Robin said darkly, his fingers already moving to press together to activate the locator in his glove. He barely had time to struggle against Tori's hands, not that it did any good. She ripped them off with ease.
"It wouldn't do any good." She admitted, folding the gloves neatly and placing them on the floor beside her. "And I've got an idea."
"A deal, you mean." He translated slowly, and she nodded.
"True. You help me bring down my enemies, and I'll leave your city for good."
"No deal." Robin said instantly, not that there was ever any possibility for a deal in the first place. Tori sighed, running a hand through her thick locks.
"I guess 'please' wouldn't help?" She grinned, but his stony expression didn't change. She sighed. "Richard, Robin, I'm still me-"
"But you're also Red X." Robin interrupted, playing along, the aching feeling becoming almost unbearable. His gut stayed the same, even as the ache turned into stabbing throbs. "You always will be."
"I'm both. Like Robin and Richard."
"You're nothing like me-"
"I'm just like you."
She adjusted her seat, crossing her legs, that playful smile on her face, seemingly geared up to talk about the latest movie they had seen. She tucked her hair behind her ear and leaned forward, her eyes flickering to his body as he slowly adjusted his position, as not to put her on edge. True, she had no Speed Force, but she was still a heck of a lot faster than he was, and stronger.
"We like the same stuff. Current events, metahuman affairs, DDR, mystery novels, action movies, pizza, video games…" She trailed off, playing on his urge for normality as if two of his closest friends weren't unconscious in a nearby corner.
"Then tell me, Tori." He said, the coldness in his voice causing her to visibly stiffen. "How and why did you become Red X?"
"Oh. Fair question. Well, I stole the suit." Tori said, nodding her head. She spoke as if nothing had happened-their relationship, the party, the truths, the lies, the level two prison shock. She had pushed everything behind her, her anger gone in a flash, her eyes trying to understand him and somewhat succeeding. She beamed. "The power. God, Robin, you should see it. With the stuff, I can see every fiber of your clothes, hear the beating of your heart. I can outrun Olympic athletes and lift cars. I can feel it move through my veins, pulsing inside me, keeping me warm and safe. It's like magic."
"And the xenothium?"
"I'll need your help to tell you anymore."
"You're the one who needs help-"
"That's why I need you-
"It's killing you."
"No, it's making me alive-"
"It's sending you straight to Arkham."
She slapped him. Hard. His head whipped around and he could hear his neck cracking, and for a split second he was afraid she actually had mean to snap his neck. His cheek was already swelling, a hand-shaped bruise forming on his face. Her lips were pressed together once again, her chin held high, her eyes red.
"You know, I thought you could help me. I figured, hey, you're a Teen Titan! You help people, right? Maybe you could help me. I dunno what I was thinking. Of course you wouldn't help Red X, and not let
her explain her case." She leaned down, her face close to his, his heart pounding fast as her eyes narrowed. "You ever think we might have the same enemies?"
She shoved him away, sending him rolling across the floor with ease. His limbs moved in awkward directions, not having the feeling totally back, but he was able to push himself off the floor. Tori waited, her eyes on him as he stood up.
"I can help you." He said, lying through his teeth. He knew he could help her, when she was so happy the way she was. All he could do was protect her and others from herself. "But you're the one giving me no reason to."
"Since when did the Titans need a reason?" She shot right back, before taking a deep breath. "But you know what? You're already in this, and you'll be helping me whether you know it or not. This is bigger than any of us, Robin. Even you."
She snapped her fingers, and instant darkness blanketed Robin. One thing he was sure of, whether she was or just knew Red X: she wasn't Tori to him anymore.
"Ravager, I'm ready."
"Lovely, Terra. Hecate?"
"All set. So is X."
"Perfect. Let's get this show on the road."
"Ravager, listen, about earlier-"
"Terra, it's cool. I wouldn't have expected anything less."
"Really?"
"Duh. If you can't think, I don't want you."
"So it was a test."
"Yeah, look, I just needed to be sure-"
"But no more tests."
"No more tests. You have my word. We're friends?"
"Yeah, we're friends. But God, about Kid Flash-"
"Please don't, Terra."
"Okay. But you think we can actually get away with it?"
"I know we can, and Hecate's stats are always right."
"Naturally. Alright, I'm all plugged in."
"Time to get this show on the road."
"He's waking up."
"Alright. You sure I shouldn't-"
"She's long gone, Flash."
"I mean call the Titans."
"I already did."
Robin groaned, finally opening his eyes. His face hurt, and his entire body was throbbing. Raven's hands were over his midsection, glowing, and she didn't move them as he propped himself onto his elbows.
"Raven-stop." He said immediately.
"Robin, we're going to need you at full strength to handle Red X." She persisted.
"I'm talking about you-" He said, moving her hair back to get a better look at the roots, still red. She stopped, her hands not glowing anymore. "And how do you know about Red X?"
"Maddox told her." Kid Flash explained.
"When? How long have you known about Tori?" Robin demanded, quickly standing up and looking Kid Flash in the eye. Kid Flash's eyes widened.
"Tori? We're talking about Maddox. What are you talking about?"
"Tori's Red X. She's behind all of this, her and Sam, or Hecate-"
"Oh, shit."
Robin and Raven paused. Neither of them had heard Kid Flash curse so…seriously before. Without anger, without rampant emotion, the exact emotion the simple fraise brought up. It was never a good sign, and Robin instantly stiffened.
"Robin, remember when you asked why I wanted to come to Jump City?" Kid Flash asked, and Robin nodded. Raven slowly stood up, brushing off her cloak.
"You knew about Maddox." Raven supplied.
"No." Kid Flash said, putting up a finger. "I came to Jump City 'cause I was following a lead. The Disear were looking for new members."
"Hecate accepted Red X into the group." Robin acknowledged, and Kid Flash winced.
"Hecate's the one with all the tech connections, let alone being a brilliant hacker, her identity buried so well I doubt she even remembers." Kid Flash explained, pacing, his face contorted into a stony glare to rival Robin's. "And then there's Ravager."
"Red X called her Rose. Or Jade." Robin instantly made the connection. "That also means Terra's with them."
"Rose has many aliases, although never really bothering that much-"
"About Terra." Raven cut in, pulling up her hood again. "Why would they want her? She doesn't have her powers…" She caught Robin's glance, and bit her lip.
"Wait. So the girl who nearly destroyed your city and betrayed you multiple times with the massive rock powers is back?" Kid Flash confirmed, and Robin nodded. "Just checking."
"So what are the Disear looking for? Money, power?" Robin asked, and Kid Flash shook his head.
"Neither, really. They steal only what they need, and get everything else from their…parents."
"They're parents? Who-"
"Hecate's father works at STAR Labs, but there's no connection that he's helping her. Maddox has his xenothium connection-"
"-xenothium connection?"
"He works for Lexcorp, Advanced Research Laboratory. Experimenting on xenothium since the late sixties-"
"The sixties." Raven deadpanned, and Kid Flash slowly nodded in confirmation. "I'll be waiting to the Titans downstairs."
"-and has been exposed to it ever since, way before the idea of xenothium poisoning ever came out. That's why he's as hyped-up as it is."
"Flash, xenothium radiation couldn't make someone Red X." Robin explained impatiently. "There has to be an injection site for this, we've run tests at the Tower, and there has to be balancers within the chemical so it doesn't overload the body."
"Which Maddox created."
"And Tori's using. Making them partners, if she's not working alone."
"Then can you tell me why? They're stealing from all the companies, even Lexcorp, the one he's working for."
"Maybe they got a better deal."
"Not likely. Clearly you haven't seen the payroll."
"Or they were angry at the company."
"Still too risky. If they were found out, Lexcorp would permanently black list him."
"Maybe they have enough money it doesn't matter."
"But xenothium, you know that you have to store it in specific conditions, impossible to do outside a lab. They couldn't stockpile it. And this isn't about just Red X anymore! Those girls need help, but they won't admit it."
"Red X sure did."
"What? And I'm guessing you just rejected her right off the back. Perfect. First she won't come to me, her own cousin, and then you reject her, no doubt going to be filtered back to Ravager who's going to believe all this time I've been trying to manipulate her-do you know how long I've been following her, trying to track her down?"
"Does Jinx? You said Hecate had connections with STAR Labs, Red X with Lexcorp, we know Terra doesn't have any, what about Ravager?"
"Oh, man. I was hoping you'd forget." Kid Flash admitted, scratching the back of his head and wincing. "Her father, too. And you're going to be pissed."
"Who?" Robin asked, scanning his mind for possible answers.
"Slade, Rob. Slade Wilson was her dad."
Robin was silent. Of course, even through a new obsession, Slade would always come back in one form or anything. Frustration and anger swelled within him, feeling trapped in a cage, his hands clenching into fists. Kid Flash took a step forward, but Robin suddenly looked towards the trapdoor where they had entered. Listening to the downstairs, he held his finger to his lips, Kid Flash looking confused, creeping towards the ladder. Without a sound he made his way down, Kid Flash following, stalking through the closet and bedroom before peeking in through the door to the hallway. He could barely see Raven's feet, but she was on her toes.
"Maddox, you have to leave." She whispered. "We're here-the Titans. They're going to-"
"I already know, thanks for trying to warn me." Came the all-too familiar voice of Maddox.
"But I can-"
"It's okay-"
"Maddox Menville, you are under arrest for harboring and enabling a wanted fugitive." Robin cut in, entering the hallway. Raven's eyes widened, and now that he could see the full picture, he was shocked. She was clinging to Maddox, her hands in his shirt, desperation in her eyes. He gently held her hands, looking not a day over twenty one, a sad smile on his face.
"Alright, but I won't be much help in jail." He slid in smoothly.
"You'd be surprised-"
"Robin, listen to him." Raven pleaded.
"What I can do in two months even without Lexcorp, you couldn't hope to do in two years." Maddox said, not a hint of darkness or malice in his words. "However, I still nee resources-"
"For what, to make more of the xenothium compound you're injecting into your own daughter?"
"Robin, chill." Kid Flash whispered, putting a hand on his shoulder. Robin shrugged it off.
"To stop her." Maddox said, his eyes narrowing. "Look in my briefcase. Inside there's a prototype compound, purifying the massive amount of xenothium out of her system overtime. It won't help with the addiction, but it gives her body a fighting change."
"Question," Kid Flash announced, having the green tube in his hands in a moment, flipping it over and back to watching the liquid move inside. "How is she not alright if she's able to be Red X? I mean, you've got be pretty healthy to do all your crazy ninja stuff."
"There's still a lot unknown about xenothium, but one of the side-effects is that it sort of enhances just about everything. You don't age on the outside, obviously, but your inner organs take the damage of the drug. Of course, I'm sure you know about it."
"Do you know where she is?"
"…No."
"And you're going to just leave Raven like this?" Robin asked, pulling out the guilt card. Maddox just held onto Raven tighter.
"Yes, because her healing factor will take care of it. You weren't really scared-were you?" He looked down at Raven, who looked away, and he pulled her into his chest and wrapped his arms around her. He rested his chin on her head and gently rocked back and forth with her, her eyes squeezed shut, and Robin could hear Kid Flash shifting uncomfortably behind him.
"So, uncle Maddox, what are you going to do now?" Kid Flash asked, and slowly Raven pulled herself from the embrace.
"That prototype should tell you everything you need to know about xenothium." Maddox answered. "Other than that, I'll probably be moving somewhere where it snows."
"You're not walking away from this." Robin said, and Maddox just smirked. He kissed Raven's cheek tenderly, before letting go.
"You won't get rid of me that easily." He lifted up the end of his shirt, exposing an almost-bulky black belt, and pressed it. It was a clearly modified version of the Red X belt, and he was gone in an instant.