Chapter Fourteen: Crying
"Getting in won't be much of a problem, but I have a feeling we won't be welcomed guests once inside," Raven thumbed through files in a large cabinet while Jinx watched the door.
"Easy as sneaking into City Hall and stealing blue prints of civil structures?"
"We're not stealing, we're borrowing. And technically these are available to anyone that wants to see them. I'm just not in the mood for paperwork and publicity." She pulled out a large manila folder, opening it on the floor. "Here we are. Marina warehouse 32B. Assuming the club did little to change the exterior to avoid suspicion… I'd say the place is still as it says here."
Jinx squatted beside Raven, inspecting the detailed layout of the structure. "Wick was right; the only entrance is on that end of the building. And once inside it looks like there's only one way into the basement as well."
"That's certainly not a fire hazard…"
Jinx rolled her eyes and stole a pen and pad of paper from the desk they were hiding behind. She drew a quick sketch of the layout, noting windows, doors, and stairs. Raven watched the sorceress' fingers gracefully glide the pen across the paper, never realizing the girl was such a talented artist before. She thought back to when she walked through Jinx's room in her apartment and all the sketches and doodles spread out about her desk.
"This should do, now all we have to do is get inside without someone starting a fight with some thug," Jinx gave Raven a sideways glance and pointed to coat rack. Hanging on one of the pegs was an old black and yellow cabbie hat.
"What? You can't be serious."
"You're a Titan, everyone knows your face." She threw the pad and pen back on the desk. "Well…technically you never take that damn hood down, so most just know your cloak and hood. Still, you have to be careful or you'll blow our cover." She snatched the hat and slipped it on her own head. Pulling the bill down to almost cover her eyes, tilting it slightly to the side before striking a pose; arms crossed, slouching to one side, head tilted up and back with pursed lips and narrowed eyes. "Look, I'm just like all the cool kids now."
"That's wonderful," Raven slipped the folder back in the drawer, shutting the cabinet.
Jinx grinned and pulled off the hat, running a hand through her hair. "I'm still not use to this 'down' hair thing. I miss my horns…" She walked over and slid the hat over Raven's head, adjusting it to cover as much of her purple locks as possible. The empath glowered as Jinx toyed with several positions before settling on one similar to the style she had just sported. "There, now, do the cool kid pose."
"How about no?" She shook her head, turning to look at her reflection in the small window. "I look ridiculous."
"But you don't look like Raven from the Titans, and that's what we're going for—Oooh! Even better," Jinx pulled out a pair of rectangle reading glasses from the desk drawer, holding them up to her eyes to check the prescription. "These are barely anything," she beamed as she slipped the glasses over Raven's ears, settling the frames down low on the bridge of her nose. "Now all you have to do is say 'man' ever four or five words and you'll look like a perfect little hippie."
"Hippie? I am probably the furthest from hippie."
"Nah, man, you totally look like my tree-hugger friend in south side…man."
Raven raised a brow. "Why would a hippie want to go hang out with people that use guns? What ever happened to peace and love and not eating the animals?"
"Hippies need to get their pot from somewhere…I'm willing to bet there will be plenty of drugs to be bought at this club. And Luke won't recognize you, at least not right away," Jinx checked the door one last time before Raven grabbed her hand and phased them through the wall.
As night fell silently, they crouched behind a dumpster on the outskirts of the deserted lot belonging to the warehouse. Just as Wick had said, four large men stood near the door, keeping an ever-watchful eye. Groups of people came and went in small waves, usually no more than six, and never did two groups walk in simultaneously. Jinx held back a gag when the breeze wafted a foul smell from the garbage pile her way. "Jesus, that reeks." She shuffled over to the empath, leaning in close. But you smell wonderful…
"It looks like the guards do little other than stand there. They aren't searching people, taking money, or checking anything," Raven bent down lower to remain in the shadows as one of the guards looked their way. "And thank you, it's my shower gel."
Jinx blushed and scratched the back of her head "I…that's not fair!"
Raven grinned. "All's fair. You ready?"
The feline furrowed her brow, staring off at the door. Inhaling deeply, she let out the long breath slowly, cracking her knuckles. "Yeah. Let's go." She adjusted her coat and headed off along the chain link fence.
Raven watched her jog away for a moment, trying to kill the knotted stomach eating away at her. They would be alright, she told herself. She had faced off with Trigon the Terrible; a few punks wouldn't be a problem, right? Trigon didn't use guns…thank the gods for her shielding black magic, but would it be fast enough to beat the speeding copper seeking out their flesh? There's no time to doubt, she scolded. Checking the surroundings, she lifted up into the sky, heading for the warehouse.
Violet eyes spotted a small group of guys heading around the back. She motioned below to Jinx, who immediately stopped, taking cover behind the dense foliage claiming back the urbanized lot. Raven landed beside her silently. Just as the group passed, they stepped out from the bushes behind them, casually following the chatting gang towards the door. Raven and Jinx exchanged looks briefly before shifting to more indifferent facades.
The young men reached the guards, only nodding their heads before walking inside the open galvanized steel doors. One by one they entered until it was Jinx and Raven who were left. Calm exteriors masked their burning anxiety. Jinx nodded to one of the large men. He stared down at the two for a moment, scanning their faces with narrowed, dark eyes. The few seconds seemed like days; Jinx's stomach churned; Raven felt it. Finally the man gestured to the door with a flick of his large, bald head. They walked inside, both exhaling the breath they didn't realize they were holding.
"That was easy," Jinx quietly murmured as she looked around. The interior was in as much of a dilapidated state as the outside; dirt and oil caked the floor, a thick layer of dust coated everything in sight; chains hung from the tall ceiling, creaking despite the stillness in the air. Visibly a walkway through the grime where previous souls had wandered led to the center of the warehouse. A pair of steel door stood opened in the floor. The guys continued to talk amongst themselves as they descended, oblivious to the two behind them; their laughter echoed in the gloom.
"Do I still look like a hippie?" Raven whispered through gritted teeth.
"Yep. Now just act natural, I'll talk if anyone approaches, ok?"
Raven nodded and peered down into the stairwell, unblinking. "I love you, Jinx," she heard herself say. Immediately closing her eyes she mentally kicked herself for letting something of such weight slip. Jinx stared silently, jaw slightly ajar. Raven opened her eyes and descended the stairs two at a time. The sorceress blinked, shaking herself out of the daze.
"Raven, wait!" she quickly followed, hitting the bottom of the stairs to find a long dark hallway with a Raven walking towards the end.
So stupid, why would you say that, and now of all times? The empath inhaled deeply, slowly repeating her familiar mantra over and over again in her mind. Stay focused; don't get either of you killed. The loud thump of bass already made her eardrums groan as she neared the bright red door a few yards in front of her.
"Raven, wait," Jinx sprinted to close the gap, slipping a hand over her shoulder and pulling the girl into a tight embrace. She buried her face into the shorter girl's neck. "I love you too, Raven." The empath returned the gesture, slightly relieved but still feeling like a fool. They pulled away when voices reverberated from behind. Jinx reached out and turned the door knob.
Immediately a wall of thick, hot air hit them; blasting music drowned in the overpowering bass; a mixture of conflicting smells blended together to add to the discord on the senses. Raven visibly cringed, eyes wide in horror at the sight of writhing flesh massing together on the dance floor. She had never been to a club before, and followed closely by Jinx's side. Red and blue lights burned down from above, swaying and scattering about the masses. Past the dance floor, a large bar area was filled with people; the fog of cigarette smoke loomed all throughout the air. A set of stairs spiraled up onto a platform high above the bar. That's where Luke will be, Jinx narrowed her eyes.
Raven followed the sorceress' gaze, pointing to the tall, shirtless tattooed man standing atop the staircase. "How do we get past him without force?" she yelled into Jinx's ear, who didn't say anything in return, thinking as they inched their way through the ocean of mindless dancers towards the bar. A scantily clad woman fell onto Raven, laughing hysterically. The Titan turned away as the stench of alcohol seethed from the intoxicated girl. Disgusted, she shoved the blonde away, clenching her jaw and increasing her pace. Jinx reached back, taking Raven's hand as she led the way.
As they neared the bar, Jinx slowed, scanning for a place to sit. Spotting two men leaving, Jinx pulled Raven through the crowd, shoving her towards the chair before someone else grabbed it as she seated herself. The men on either side looked up coldly, saying nothing. Jinx shot them a look, aggressively holding her ground against the silent challenge. When the men turned back, she looked to Raven. "You ok?"
"I'm fine," Raven peered above the glasses. It amused her to see how much of this girl's attitude was actually a front, a cover for the sweet, caring girl beneath. Her tough, stoic nature braced with the persona she played when around others would fool most. But not Raven. She was also a master of deception.
The two looked around the crowd, feeling out of place yet hoping they weren't standing out. Everywhere men leaned, smoking, hands resting idly on various objects hidden beneath clothing. Leather jackets and boots; casual suits and shoes; tattered jeans and dirty t-shirts. Leers and untrusting whispers circled about. It was obvious the people in the bar weren't here for the music. Raven noticed someone peculiar and stared for a moment. "See the guy sitting two seats down from me?"
Jinx casually glanced down the row of men to the one Raven spoke of. He was thin and boney; pale skin shown in sharp contrast to the dark brown hair atop his head. Rectangular glasses accentuated startling blue eyes. Dressed in a dark gray suit left open, the top few buttons of the white shirt beneath were left undone; he was missing a tie. Slouching, ignoring the chaos around him, he was staring down into his glass as if preoccupied. Jinx leaned back to her seat. "Yeah, what about him?"
"I have no idea why he would be here, but I'm pretty damn sure that's Jonathan Crane."
Jinx raised a brow, looking back at the man. The name was familiar, but not as familiar as the one she knew the character by. "…Scarecrow?" Raven nodded. "No friggen way! Scarecrow? One of Batman's enemies from Gotham? We learned all about him at the H.I.V.E…" Jinx frowned. "What would he be doing here? Gotham is clear across the country from Jump."
"I don't know, and I really don't want to find out," Raven leaned in, whispering.
"What'll it be?" the bartender grunted loudly over the roar.
"Nothing," Jinx said shortly, her front kicking in.
"You can't sit here and order nothing," he glared, drumming his tattooed fingers on the table top. Pink eyes traced the black spade ring etched in ink, encircling his middle finger.
"Fine. I'll have some water."
"You can get water from the tap in the bathrooms, what do ya want to drink?" he was growing impatient. Men around them looked on. Jinx glared at them. Purple eyes darted back and forth, unsure of what to do.
Suddenly, someone walked up and nudged the bartender, whispering something in his ear. He growled, shuffling bottles and containers back and forth loudly. Two glasses were slammed down in front of the two girls. "Complements of your friend," he gestured behind them with the flick of his eyes before moving down to another thirsty thug.
"What is he talking about," Jinx turned to scan the crowded seating area behind them, noticing an odd look on the empath's face. She followed her stare to a person lounging alone at the far, dimly lit corner table. He wore all black; a skull mask concealed his identity.
"Red X," Raven murmured. He waved, slowly letting his fingers fall up and dawn, surely grinning behind that suave, faceless expression. Narrowing her eyes, she shook her head, waving back quickly before turning around.
"Shit, he recognizes you, doesn't he," Jinx grumbled, turning back to the bar. Raven stared at the red colored drink; some had sloshed over the edge, pooling on the dirty wooden bar.
"Yeah. He knows it's me," she traced the edge of the glass with her index finger. "I doubt he cares either way. How are we going to get upstairs?"
"Maybe your friend over there can help," Jinx eyed up the beverage before taking a small taste; she put the glass back down and scooted it away with extended fingers. Raven rolled her eyes. "I guess we'll just have to risk taking the stairs. Or you can phase us through the floor and hope to god whoever's up there doesn't notice."
Raven's eyes traveled skywards momentarily before snapping back to Jinx. A small, almost imperceptible smile graced her lips before she abruptly stood, heading for the stairs. Jinx raised a brow, scurrying up from her stool and after her strange girlfriend who pushed and shoved any body in her way. "Uh, Raven?" she questioned as they neared the bottom of the tall, spiral staircase. Raven ripped off the hat and glasses; Jinx watched them fall to the ground. "What are you doing?"
"Going up." Raven raced upwards with an odd determination never know to her before. Violet eyes met with the hazel of the tattooed man's atop the stairs. Gods, I'm crazy…she glared when he unfolded his arms gesturing for her to stop.
"You're not allowed up h—" silenced with a forceful blast of darkness. He stumbled backwards, smashing his head against the metal grated flooring. Pink eyes went wide with shock as she scrambled after Raven, instantly adapting her aggressive take on the situation. At the top of the loft, a finely decorated layout of overstuffed leather chairs, crystal glass, and cigar smoke waited, begging to be destroyed. Or perhaps it was just Jinx's begging and everything else was waiting none the less.
She nudged the still form of the guard with her boot; he remained motionless. She looked up with a small smile, spotting the unlucky souls that brought her to this filthy level of hell. With a snap of her fingers, the stairs behind her cracked and crumbled to the floor, echoing a metallic scream throughout.
"Hello boys," a wicked, Cheshire cat smile.
Five men stood up from their interrupted meeting. Luke's stomach knotted horribly at the sight of Jinx and her equally dangerous companion; Karl narrowed his eyes, reaching for his gun. He swore when he spotted it resting on the table between them.
Jinx allowed the closest man to approach, waiting for him to step close enough…an upward thrust broke his nose, blinding him with tearing eyes and searing pain. The trained assassin fell back into her familiar ways when she swept his feet from under him and snapped his neck before he hit the ground.
Karl raced to his gun while Luke cautiously backed away towards a darkened steel and glass door.
Raven clenched her jaw, forcing a tendril hissing for the closest man. It struck his chest hard, knocking him against the railing before tumbling him over, down to the ground below. A hollow thud ensued. No feeling of remorse or wrong-doing washed over her. There were no rules in the underground world. No honor among thieves, she narrowed her eyes on Luke; there was hell to pay when crossing the spawn of Trigon.
A shot rang out.
The third stranger's bullet sailed past Raven's side. Instinctively dropping to a crouch, she took cover behind an overturned chair, casting a glance to Jinx.
Screams and yells from the ground far below blended with the thumping bass as scores of confused people rushed for the only exit. With little regard for friends, they trampled any that stumbled into their way. Gun fights were never a popular past time for common thieves and robbers.
At the bar, a smile crossed the pale face of Dr. Crane as he took in the sight around him. He looked to the bartender: "Fear; isn't it wonderful?" The grimy man just leaned against the table, drying a thick glass with a dirty rag. Crane took a sip of his drink and watched the masses, contently chuckling to himself.
The feline looked up from her kill, eyes glowing wild. Her lips curled back into a slightly alarming sneer as she locked onto those startling green eyes across the way. Raven saw her feline slip the slain man's weapon behind her back. Quickly, she stole a glance beyond her cover. The stranger fired wildly, striking the floor, walls, and chairs as Jinx dashed for safety. His clip rapidly became dry in his panic-stricken attempt to subdue the two meta-humans. As a silence drew, Raven heard the distinct click of a safety being flicked off.
Karl trained his pistol on Jinx, squeezing off two rounds. He frowned as an opaque black wall materialized between his bullets and the target. Pink flashes hurled towards him barley missed as he dropped behind the couch.
Raven grabbed the chair before her, sending it straight for the third man. It collided just as he stood from reloading, smashing him to the ground with a pathetic cry. Luke now raced for the door. The motion sparked a predatory instinct; pink irises and elliptical pupils focused on the craven rat.
The empath snatched the gun away from her downed target, ripping it to pieces with her swirling black aura. A movement in her peripheral vision sent her ducking behind her overstuffed weapon. Jinx lunged for the cover of another couch; three shots ripped into the leather a mili-second later.
In the midst of the bedlam, the music had died. Tables, chairs, bottles, glasses lay strewn about the floor. The last few stragglers of the ones who fled stumbled through the small red door. Two individuals and the bartender remained downstairs.
Karl dropped down again when the large glass and granite table hurtled his way; playing cards danced about in the smoky air, fluttering to the ground as a shatter echoed against the cement walls. For a brief moment, pink and purple eyes met as they checked on one another. They both focused towards the sound of a door slamming shut. Jinx growled, angrily shouting despite the eerie silence below: "COWARD!"
The clatter of a spent magazine betrayed Karl's new position closer to Raven. She instantly brought up her shield, watching two bullets contort wildly as the smashed against the barrier before tumbling to the floor. Now standing, she glared at him through the blackness. Pale gray eyes bore no guilt or fear, but a chillingly calm and calculated aura. Unlike most crazed killers, no smile ever graced his lips. This wasn't fun, this was work, Raven guessed. His stance was bold and powerful; movements fluid; poised and in control. Without looking away from Raven's hard glare, he lifted his arm and fired once to her left, unblinking.
A slight whimper drifted, barely audible.