Ch.20: Cross

[Jump City, California]
[March 5, 10:10:01 PST]

Jake Cross was a different person since his training with Lady Shiva. She taught him a lot, especially with composure. She admits that she knew that he would grasp her fighting style in less than a month but was a little annoyed when it took sixteen days instead of the predicted fourteen. Oddly, he had yet to use it against anyone as the final technique Shiva taught him was deadly. A blow that could stop his opponent's heart was not something he wanted to show Nyssa, Talia, or Ra's. All in all, he had earned Lady Shiva's respect as she agreed to call him Jake Cross instead of Jake Wilson. She said it had something to do with him evolving like she had or some sort.

He really did not care.

Then there was his deal with Raven. The girl had become quite stubborn- more than she has ever been- and still refused to help him forget Artemis. His other plan, however, she was reluctant to help him with. He only got her to agree by doing what he was doing now.

Looking at the large T-shaped tower in front of him, he questioned why no one has burned the damn thing to the ground. The Teen Titans had long disbanded, or at least the power five had. He only found it funny that in the bag on his back was the very thing he had stolen from this place years ago; the Red X suit.

The door to the tower opened to reveal Kori.

"Friend Raven said that you would be here early, I was not expecting you to be here this early." Her words almost fall short of his ears as he scans her nearly nude body. If he had not seen her sister in less, he might have jumped her then and there and ripped the flimsy lingerie off of her. "Please, enter."

Jake did so, looking around.

"You stay here alone?" he questioned.

Starfire merely shakes her head. "No. The former Titans all use it as a getaway every now and again. Bumblebee and Cyborg mostly. All except…"

"Robin," Jake finishes her statement. When he sees her nod and rise off of the ground he chuckles. "Yeah, well Birdbrain has a new group now. It's not like you or I can keep him here in JC, now can we?"

"No… I have tried using sexual intercourse to do so and have failed." Jake blinked. Did she really just say that? "I'm sorry. Raven tells me that my planet's ways and earthly ways are different. Does my talk of sex discomforts you?"

"No, not at all. I have run into your sister once or twice. I'm sure I can handle anything you Tamaraneans throw at me." Jake pauses. "Though I must say, sex with you would have had me coming back here. A lot."

"Your flirting is amusing, and yet somehow reassuring. For a while, I believed that our sexual encounters had been mediocre at best." While Jake nods, he is searching through his brain for any logical reason for Dick to pass up on Kori, who was willing to screw the guy on a whim. He idly thought about Zatanna and Barbara before erasing them completely.

There were no reasons for Dick not to be here now.

"Alright," Jake said as he attempted to calm his own lusting urges. "Rachel said that your brother was seen somewhere near the Canadian border. I figured you and I would fly up there, look around, and see what we can find. Like I told her, I'm a thief, not a bounty. Tracking people isn't my job."

"But you do it so well. Are you telling me that you could not find my brother if you truly wanted to?" Kori asks.

Jake crosses his arms. "That's a different story. If I truly wanted to, he'd be here one way or another. But there just isn't any reason for me to actually care about this. Rachel has already lived up to her end of the bargain. All I have to do is try to find him."

"Then maybe," Kori says floating towards Jake. "I should find something to make it worth the while…"

Jake thanked God that he had ever met Lady Shiva as he schools his body to relax. Sure, Starfire was probably the hottest Titan of all- and admittedly more attractive than her sister- but he would not let something as simple as his lust get him to do something he would regret. Of course, he could have sex with Starfire and Jade and Artemis would never find out about it, much like he would never tell them about his time with Blackfire, Echo, and Raven.

"We'll see," spoke the boy in an even tone. "How about you brief me about this mission? I don't like getting killed for free."

"Very well," Kori slowly flies to a computer, Jake following her while wondering why she just didn't walk. Wasn't this wasting energy? "My brother's name Ryand'r, or Darkfire in English." Jake looked at the screen and saw the Tamaranean male. "He is my younger brother who I miss dearly. He was once a part of a team called the Omega Men but has been missing after he came to Earth for a visit. I worry that someone has gotten to him in order to get to me. I believe that is call blackmail."

"Close enough," Jake said. "And the reason you didn't get Blackfire to help is because…?"

"Komand'r has become a…" Jake watches as Starfire searches for the right word to call her sister. "Bitch."

Jake is shocked and laughs a bit. "Whoa, now where is that innocent little alien girl at?"

"Forgive me, but speaking about my sister angers me. I assume you feel the same way about your father." Jake nods, though he was more than sure that Starfire's hatred for Blackfire far exceeded his for Slade. "She has done nothing but tormented me and my friends while attempting to have me enslaved and imprisoned for her deeds. I fear that I have lost my love for her. Does this make me a bad person?"

"I wouldn't know." Jake spoke honestly.

"I fear no one truly does…" Kori said, making Jake wonder if her words were true or not. "Do you have the hunger for breakfast? We have an assortment of foods that I can cook. It is the least I can do for your troubles if you still refuse coitus."

"Breakfast sounds good." Jake said before adding as an afterthought. "And I never said that I wouldn't have sex with you. I said we'll see."

There were several of reasons he actually thought about having sex with Starfire. First and foremost, it was Starfire. No male- alien, human, demon, or somewhere in-between- could deny her beauty in his right mind. Heck, he would throw in a good number of the female population as well. But the second reason was something he was not so proud of. He wanted to get one over on Dick and this would be the perfect opportunity. If Dick ever found out, there would be nothing he could do. Even if he told Artemis and/or Jade, Dick could not do the same to Jake.

Best plan right?

"Raven has told me of your plan," Starfire said as she made her way to the kitchen. "She says that you have a twenty percent chance of surviving. I do not understand your reasons for doing something with such low succession rate. Though, I have never understood Red X's motive. Not even when Dick was him."

"I thought it was to get close to Slade?" Starfire's shoulders slump a bit as she rummages through the refrigerator.

"I thought so as well. But lately I have been thinking otherwise." Kori tells him. "Forgive my blunt and offensive words, but you do not know Robin like I do. While you and he are much alike, he has something else inside of him. Something darker… I saw it once when he began to have hallucinations of Slade. He was not himself. He was obsessed."

Jake snorts. "Yeah, that sounds like Birdbrain to me. All work and no play." The thief takes a couple of steps towards the kitchen. "But if he had something in him darker, wouldn't Rachel have picked up on it?"

"She has."

Jake let the conversation drop after that comment. He has always known his rival to be a bit obsessive when it came to Slade and devious in ways that many people overlooked. It was no surprise that Raven had picked up on. She normally sensed his darker side a mile away which is why sneaking up on her was near impossible. Well that and…

"I have a question," Jake says as he attempts to free his mind of the past. "If Tamaraneans fly with the emotion happiness, how does your bitter sister fly so well?"

"Komand'r was not always like this. There was a time when we all lived happily… That is, until we were sold…" Starfire explains. "Since then she has done everything to prove her dominance in battle and conquer the worlds as she sees fit. It used to be to honor our parents and our fallen planet. But now it has become something else… Something evil."

Jake nods. "Yeah, I ran into her once. Charming girl. A bit on the wild side."

"You and my sister…?" Kori's question goes unasked and Jake realizes that he has probably said too much, despite implying it earlier. "Forgive me for prying. While I assumed that Blackfire has had multiple sexual partners, you are one that I had not expected."

"Why? Do I really remind you that much of your boy-toy?" questions Jake.

"There are many similarities between you and Robin. But I see the difference. I will always see a difference." Jake was curious to what she had to say and continued with the topic.

"And what is that difference?"

Starfire noticed that he had, again, relaxed his body posture. It was harder for her to tell if he was angry or just curious. She realized that he had done it earlier when she offered sex to compensate for his help. It was like looking at a male replica of Raven when she did not have control of her powers; emotionless and distant.

"Robin fights for retribution. You fight for redemption."

Her words forced Jake to think heavily, though he kept his face as blank as ever. The hero Robin fought to punish those that had done wrong. That made sense in every way possible. But Red X? Did he fight for redemption? Was he trying to recover the pieces of his broken family and restore them to their former glory? Or was he merely proving his abilities in atonement for not aiding his mother when she needed him the most?

Kori saw the thief's eyes narrow slightly. She feared she had struck a cord somewhere deep within the confines of his mind and soul, something Raven had warned her about. Yet when Jake exhales slowly and calmly, she resumes making breakfast.

"You are insightful." Jake spoke. "Maybe you should be the new leader of the Teen Titans."

"The Titans are no more. Even if I were to find them and reform the team, it will not be the same. It will never be the same." The alien told him.

Jake walked towards the kitchen.

"A quite educated woman once said, 'The more things change, the more they stay the same.' I somewhat believe her." Jake said as he stood against the refrigerator next to the alien. "Do you?"

"How can that be?" Starfire asked.

Jake smiled. "It's not for me to tell you." His smile falters a bit. "How about I help you with this?"

Kori only nods.

This was not the Red X she remembers. This was not the thief that ruined many Saturday morning cartoons and late Friday movie nights. The guy that would aimlessly flirt with her just to get under her skin. Instead, he was every bit of the person who Raven said he was. He was shrewd and did not do anything without a proper cause. She- Raven that is- explained that while Jake had his moments of being a complete jerk, there was another side to him. Raven described it as a more noble side that Starfire was a little shocked to hear, but listened without questioning her friend.

Kori had never met a thief with standards before.

As for Jake, he was trying to make this as believable as possible. Raven had told him of said mission days ago, giving him more than enough time to do his research. Although he had not gone to the actual crash site and investigated, he honestly had no real reason for doing this. Raven had already done what he wanted her to do and Starfire may or may not have sex with him. But his main concern was his final mission as Red X. The day he would put that twenty percent survival chance to test and see if he was as good as he said he was.

Or perish with the rest of the failures.

[Washington, U.S.A]
[March 5, 11:29:10 PST]

Red X and Starfire were working together. Who would have ever thought that? A former Titan and one of their most hated opponents fighting side-by-side without the world being in danger. A thief with a high-tech suit and an alien princess were joined together as a rescue team. Said like that, they did not sound frightening Jake mused. But reworded as an assassin who has trained with the al Ghuls, Deathstroke, and Lady Shiva powered by a suit with limitless weapons is teaming with an alien warrior princess with the strength of ten men and the ability to fire lasers from her hands and eyes, and they sounded a like hell on Earth.

"The plane has a cloaking device, it should be safe here." Starfire said as Jake followed her. She was wearing a suit similar to her old one yet, to Jake's displeasure, more skin was covered. While her top looked the same, she had long ditched the skirt and replaced it with figure-hugging pants of the same shade of purple. Her boots remained the same, but her gloves were also removed from her attire.

"Alright," Jake said. "This is where it gets tricky. Your brother's last transmission came from these woods, but I don't see his ship around."

"I shall scout the area." Starfire said.

Before Jake could stop her, the girl from Tamaran had flown off leaving him to sigh. There was something off about Darkfire's disappearance. Jake knew that when a plane of any kind was shot down by someone outside of the government, people heard it. It was pretty much impossible for an aircraft to crash and not make a sound.

Then there was a very important question that neither he nor Starfire could answer. Who was after Darkfire? From what Kori told him, her brother should have a number of enemies across the galaxy. Problem was, none of them really stayed anywhere near planet Earth. So whoever shot down Ryand'r either tailed him to Earth or is an Earthling themselves.

"Find anything?" Red X questioned his temporary partner as she lowered down beside him.

"There were traces of a plane four kilometers eastward. But no plane." Starfire said. "It seems as if our rescue won't be a rescue at all."

Jake's eyes narrowed in thought. "Not necessarily."

"You have a plan?" Starfire's voice was undeniably hopeful now.

"Take me to the site." Jake responded. "I can take it from there."

Starfire was more than willing to lift Jake into the air and fly off. Anything to find her brother.

Those thoughts of being reunited with Ryand'r had her at the crash site in less than five minutes, Red X already investigating. Starfire observed quietly. It was like watching Dick investigate when they were tracking down Slade or trying to figure out how to get out of Mad Mod's illusions. The similarity between Boy Wonder and the skull-masked thief was unremarkable. Yet, they were different. That was something she had to remind herself now more than ever.

"Yeah… He was clearly shot down. Probably by another aircraft." Jake said, using the multiple enhanced visions that his mask gave him. "Cold trail. Radiation though. Small, nonlethal amounts. Almost the same amount that you have in your body."

"So he was here?" Jake nodded, still scanning the scene.

"Oh yeah, a Tamaranean was clearly here."

"This is the best news that I have had in years! Thank you, friend X! You have, as you say, brightened my day."

Jake swallowed. He had studied this site alright. He had already done his homework for this mission as soon as Raven told him days ago. He knew that there was no way he could use the evidence at this particular scene to find Ryand'r. Therefore, he made a rather spontaneous and dirty move.

"Unfortunately," Jake said spinning quickly and hurling an X at Starfire, restricting her movements completely. "This is where we take you as well."

"We?" Starfire asked. "I am confused, this is some part of your plan, yes? You are pulling my limbs?"

"It's 'pulling my legs' and no, he isn't." Starfire gasped as a newcomer descended from the treetops. "Hello dear sister. You seem surprise to see me."

"You!" Starfire hollered as she squirmed on the ground. "Why you-"

"I always was the smarter one," Blackfire said before looking at Jake. "When you finally called and said you'd make things even, I hadn't expected that you would actually bring her to me alive. You're more of a gentleman than I thought."

Jake crossed his arms. "As for my pay?"

"Yes," responds Blackfire. "If you just grab the package and follow me, I'll have you paid in no time." Blackfire then steps closer to Jake, swaying her hips. "Or maybe you can stay for a little while longer…"

The thief chuckles, his hands slithering around the older Tamaranean's waist.

"You always seem to toy with danger." he tells her before slowly releasing her and making his way to the shocked and heartbroken Starfire. "Sorry babe. Better luck next time."

With that, Kori's world goes black.

[Pacific Ocean]
[March 6, 23:50:03 PST]

A day.

It has been an entire day and then some since Red X betrayed her. She had to stomach the sight of Blackfire flirting with the thief that she was beginning to warm up to before he left. Komand'r had told Kori that this would be their final meeting as she had the perfect way to end Starfire once and for all. And it was to come within the next twelve hours.

Lying on the rather uncomfortable bed, Starfire questions if Ryand'r was okay or if he too was captured by Blackfire or someone worse. She only wishes that she could save him. If only the Teen Titans were still together, she thought. Maybe then she would be able to rescue him.

Starfire jolts up when she sees a large opening appear in her wall.

"Ready Princess? We got to-"

"You!" Jake grunts when Starfire tackles him to the ground, her fists clenching his suit tightly. "You betrayed me! I trusted you!"

"I got the information on your brother. Now are you going to get off of me and find him or not?" Jake asked.

"Why should I trust you?" Starfire's question was answered when the boy teleported from beneath her.

"Because I came back, didn't I?" Starfire's eyes were lit in green fury. "Look, I knew that this trail had run cold weeks ago. So I called the only person who could've done it and got answers that way."

"My… Sister…?" Starfire could not believe it. Blackfire had stooped so low to capture their younger brother? For what?

"I knew you could not be trusted." Jake braced himself, Starfire turning to meet the newcomer. "I must admit. You are good enough to fool that pathetic troq Blackfire. But now we do things my way."

"Madame Rouge…?" Starfire was confused. What the hell was going on here?

"I'll explain as soon as we get out of here." Jake said as he stood next to Starfire. "You just have to trust me. I won't let anything happen to my friends." Kori glances at the thief. "I promise."

Energy formed around Starfire's hands. "I believe you."

Jake held a hand. "No. She's mine." He pointed to a figure behind Madame Rouge. "But I'm sure you're familiar in defeating your sister."

"Certainly."

Jake felt the wind from Starfire's flight as she took off for Blackfire. The two sisters flew through several walls, creating holes that led to the outside world.

"Before I kill you," Madame Rouge said. "I'm curious. How did you find out our hideout? Starfire was clean of those bugs that Robin so childishly used."

Jake snorts. "Who said I put it on her? I knew Blackfire had to get my money from somewhere. I just needed to know where." Jake then settles in a stance taught to him by Lady Shiva. "But I will be taken the redhead, if that's alright with you ma'am."

"Respectful. I'll remember that when I bury you!"

The rubber woman was more than willing to destroy the boy who had left her and her comrades to lose to the Teen Titans a year ago. And though Cheshire and Blackfire had done the same, it was rumor that Red X told the others where the hideout was.

Madame Rouge extended her arm for thief who arched his body towards the right, dodging without moving from his spot. When he spotted Madame Rouge reeling her arm back to her, he ducked, dodging once more without taking a step.

"You're getting sloppy in your old age. Don't tell me you've finally lost it." Red X taunts.

"Your confidence will be a part of your downfall!" Rouge calls, attempting to hammer her opponent through the floor with her two, now enlarged, fists.

Jake had no choice but to roll out of the way as the woman's fists crater the floor where he once stood. With his new speed and agility, Jake dashed for his opponent. He knew her weakness. While not the worse, Madame Rouge could not handle constant close combat. She was smart, always trying to put a distance between her opponents to utilize her reach advantage. But that problem was solved the minute Jake agreed to be taught by Shiva without his suit.

The former actress back-stepped, avoiding the punch that would have hit her square in the jaw. As Jake threw a volley of strikes at her, Madame Rouge could not help but take notice of his growth.

"You fight well," Madame Rouge said before an enlarged hand grabbed Jake. "But I knew you were nothing more than a mere child in a powerful suit. This is where I finish…"

Her words were cut off when a plume of smoke surrounded them and the boy had somehow wiggled out of her grasp. Did he use the suit's teleporting abilities? He must have. There really was no other way of explaining it, right?

"You know," Red X said, his voice distinctly darker now. "I always thought your last movie was a flop!"

Madame Rouge was unprepared for the fist that forced her to stumble backwards. She launched her left arm forward in the direction the boy had hit her from, only for another punch to come from her right, this one harder than the last. The former actress stumbles out of the smoke, holding her sore jaw.

"This smoke won't last forever," she taunts. "And then we will see how tough you… Are…?" Madame Rouge was stupefied when the smoke cleared and the boy was nowhere in sight. "I see. Using your suit's powers again. You regular people are so dependent on your technology. Never relying on your skills."

"Do you know why you're an idiot?" The mechanical voice of Red X seemed different now, more demonic than anything. The brunette looked around to attempt to find him yet failed. "You mistake me for just a thief. A kid with no real dreams or ambitions. No drive." The chuckle that interrupted the speech sent chills down the woman's spine. "But I am more than that. I'm an assassin with more skills than just a cheap stretching trick."

"Show yourself!" Madame Rouge orders.

"Turn around…" The whisper made her do a complete one eighty and then freeze.

Red X stood with a grotesque appearance. His mask was off, yet the skull was there. There was no hair, no skin, no muscles, no tendons, no eyes. Just a skull sitting on top of darkness, the rest of his body concealed by his cape.

"What's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost." Jake taunts. Madame Rouge scampered backwards, falling on her back as the boy seemingly glided towards her. "Come. Don't tell me that the great Madame Rouge is afraid of little ol' me. Why, I'm just a regular guy relying on a few gadgets… And some very heavy fear toxin…"

"Wh-what…? What are you?!" the woman practically screamed as the mutated boy neared her. "Get away!"

Jake smirked. He was pretty sure Ra's knew that he had stolen a vial of the fear gas that Ra's had. The old man was wise like that, predicting things before they even happened. It was really amazing that Jake had no intentions of using said gas until now. Madame Rouge's elasticity made her very hard to fight hand-to-hand and she could probably find someway out of every trap that he had. This is why he targeted the one thing that was not as stretchable as the rest of her, her mind.

"P-please…" By now, it was genuine fear that washed over the woman and Red X knew it.

Rouge could see a ghostly grotesque smile appear on the skull's face before his cape flew open. She assumed that a skeleton would be concealed by the black material as it would make the most sense. However, when red tendrils flew out and slapped some goo-like substance to her wrists and ankles, she realized that this was not the time to make sense. Red X did not make sense. Her thoughts did not make sense. What she saw did not make sense.

And it frightened her.

Truly and utterly frightened her.

"Let go!" she yelled as she struggled against the X restraints on the ground. She could stretch her body this way and that, but ultimately could not free her wrists and ankles.

"I'm going to let you in on a little secret," Red X said, his skull face the only thing visible now as his cape concealed the red tendrils responsible for her capture. "I know where Gemini lives…"

Rouge's eyes lit with realization and fear. This demonic boy knew about the whereabouts of her daughter? Her only child that she attempted to keep in contact with at least daily, and if not, weekly? The only remaining part of her former life? Her former love?

Impossible!

"There's no way you found her! The Titans left Jump City! How did you-"

"Ssh," The demonic boy's voice came out in the form of a thick haze. "It'll all be over soon…!"

His cape flew open and the woman born as Laura De Mille saw crows of a bloodshot color fly out everywhere. They circled around her, pecking her periodically. She had witnessed something akin to this before. Back when the Brain was in charge and had warned her for getting ahead of herself when she was attempting to find out how to take down some girl who called herself Raven.

"The gem shall be the portal!" Rouge froze when she saw the horned demon in front of her now.

Trigon…

Jake watched the woman pass out from fear and fear alone. He had thrown several X-shuriken at her to see if they would indeed bounce off, most of them did. And with one question down, he began to berate himself for the other thing he could not figure out without help.

"Jump freaking City," Jake said angrily. "She was right under our freaking nose this entire time! Damn I'm starting to sound like my dad." The boy stalked in the direction Starfire flew after her sister. "Can find every damn bounty in the world, but can never find the remote to save his life!"

Starfire was utterly surprised when her sister gained the upper hand on her. This had not happened in years and the redhead was currently trying to figure out how this could be so. Raven had once told Starfire not to let her mind wander, something about the eagerness to gain knowledge killing one of Earth's cutest creatures; a kitten. It boggled Starfire's mind how this was so, but she never questioned this aloud.

"Running away dear sister?" Blackfire taunted as she chased Starfire through the skies. "You forget, I always was the faster- Ugh!"

Starfire paused in mid-flight to watch her sister descend with a familiar hitchhiker on her sister's back. Realizing that it was the human Red X also plummeting to the ground with Blackfire, Kori shot after him in a valid attempt to save him. If Komand'r were to turn or roll in midair, the boy would free fall the rest of the way to his possible death.

That was something Kori wanted to avoid.

Killing another of Slade's children that is…

However, when the two collided onto the tiny island that held Rouge's hideout, Starfire's green eyes saw Red X standing at least ten feet away from Blackfire, seemingly unharmed. Her sister, however, was wrapped in a red X like Starfire was a day before.

"They took him to some lab in Canada." Red X spoke. "I don't know why or how long he has, but I suggest you search there."

"You are… Unharmed?" Kori was again confused as to how the boy survived such a fall. He had more secrets than Robin and Raven combined.

"Did you forget that I could teleport?" He was amused by her worry but does not take the time to taunt her. He would save it for later. "We need to get going. I don't know if Monsieur Mallah will be joining us or not and the last thing I need is for animal rights telling me I can't physically stop a raging gorilla from killing me."

"Very well," Starfire said before extending a hand. "Do you require the lift back to Jump City?"

Jake stared at the alien girl. She forgave too easily he thought. Then again, didn't he? He had not really gotten even with the Titans for Rose's death. And he had not even pinned the blame on anyone within the League of Assassins sans for Talia and Deathstroke, the latter more than the former for obvious reasons. Hell, he did not even bring Rose up when he was with Shiva.

So maybe he was just as- if not more- forgiving than Kori?

Jake reached for her hand, and a moment later he was put on his back with a simple hip toss.

"Next time," the redhead alien spoke. "Tell me before you get me captured."

Jake had to blink. Was this even the same Starfire? Or had she, like he has, become something different? Something much colder than their younger selves…

"Deal. Now, mind letting me up?" Starfire steps away from the thief, releasing him as she did so. "We have to hurry. I'm searching for someone in Jump City and I would like to find her before she is alerted that I'm searching for her."

"Are you on an assassination job?" Kori inquired.

Jake laughs. "Quite the opposite. Now, for that lift?"

This time Starfire took his hand gently and rose. Her mind attempted to put the boy she carried together with the one she fought the previous year. It was near impossible. Red X was supposed to be evil, someone with little regards of other's wellbeing. While he had proven to be reckless, she could not really see him as selfish as she once did. He had come back after her after all. Starfire knew that Raven had lived up to her end of the deal days ago which is why she initially thought he had betrayed her for good. But he hadn't and that was bugging Koriand'r greatly.

Did she owe him an apology? Or was he simply toying with her? Was he as bad as Robin said? Was he as good as Raven made him out? These were questions that would haunt her for the remainder of the flight back to Jump City. Questions she wanted to know badly.

[Titans Tower: Jump City, California]
[March 7, 13:00:03 PST]

Jake released a heavy breath as he stared at the ceiling. Gemini had been quite difficult to find and harder to talk to. She was indeed Madame Rouge's daughter. But Jake had told her what he had to and now his plan was near completion.

A groan from his right made him eye the other person that occupied his bed with him.

He wanted to feel bad about sleeping with Kori, but failed to. As much as he hates to believe it, maybe he was becoming just like his father. Maybe worse? All he knew is that he had little to no regards about Jade's or Artemis's feelings at the moment. Sex was used as payment for exchange for information. Red X got the information. Starfire paid what she said. Nothing to be ashamed about, right?

He sighs again.

That was horrible logic. Even he could see that. But what red blooded male in his right mind would deny a half-naked Tamaranean beauty like Starfire?

"Last night was great, yes?" Were Kori's first words when she woke up from her slumber.

"Yeah." Jake answered.

The redhead sat up, dismissing her nudeness altogether.

"You have, the guilt?" Jake shook his head. "Then tell me, friend Jake, what troubles you? I will give you several of coins to hear your troubles."

Jake laughs a bit. "The phrase is 'a penny for your thoughts' and I'm thinking about my plan. The one Rachel told you about." Kori nods, inching closer to him. "Twenty percent isn't high. And in the event that I end up in the eighty percent well then…"

"You shall die." Blunt, Jake thought, a bit too much for his liking at the moment. "Forgive me for prying, but I must insist that you rethink your strategy. This Artemis seems like a nice girl but to risk your life for her… I have never seen a human do such a thing. Tara sacrificed herself for the better of the world. But never have I seen one risk everything for another. Even Robin has not done so for me."

"I'm not sacrificing everything just for Artemis," Jake spoke carefully. "But she does play a major role in it."

Kori frowns a bit. "Do you love her?" Jake only gazed into the green orbs staring down on him, his body relaxing into a stoic expression. "You must. You retreated back to the face of nothingness."

"What?" It was taking all of Jake not to laugh at the moment. Once again, he thanked Shiva for this training.

"Whenever I ask you a question that you do not wish to answer, your face loses life. There is no life, no expression, no soul. Nothingness." Jake almost flinched when her hand touched his face softly. "I prefer the side of you that is filled with emotions. I think all humans look better when they smile."

"Then you have never met a guy called The Joker. When he smiles, hell breaks loose." Kori giggles a bit.

"I have heard of The Joker and I do not think that that is technically a genuine smile." she said. "You do have a genuine smile. And you should do it often instead of your acts for the League of Assassins."

"This must be a speech that you have told Birdbrain once or twice before. It seems too rehearsed." Jake announced.

"Richard…" Starfire began before pausing to gather the right words. "He had a hard time accepting me as a mate." Jake's eyes widened, something Starfire did not miss. "I am sorry. I forget that on Earth a mate is someone whom you either impregnate or marry. I am merely speaking about two beings that have feelings for one another."

"Oh…" Jake said trying to imagine a little half-Tamaranean running around in a bird-suit.

"He did not initially claim me as a girlfriend and at the time I did not understand the difference between a girlfriend and a friend that is a girl." Kori continued. "Now, I see clearly that it was Robin who had the problem, not Richard. Robin did not want another weakness. Another liability…"

Jake swallowed quietly. A part of him understood Dick's logic there. While most men would think twice about jumping Cheshire or Jade Nguyen, Artemis Crock would be subjected to a lot of tormentors if everyone knew that Red X and Jake Cross were the same. He would not be able to live with that if it ever happened.

But at the same time, Artemis did not know who Jake was, Jade did. And Jake did not treat Jade as a liability… Well not on purpose. There were times when he watched her every movement carefully but that was due to his insecurities. Other times, he let her go about and kill who she wanted and how without little care. Besides, Cheshire was a skilled fighter in her own right. There were moments when he was a liability to her.

"I feel as if we are reopening wounds that have not yet healed," Jake understood what Kori meant and nods in agreement. "Shall I make breakfast before you leave?"

"I'll help." Jake said sitting up in the comfortable bed. It was odd that Starfire had the ability not to scan him over. He was not boisterous about his body, but her sister always stared at him when he was undressed and Jade's eyes preyed on him each time as well. Maybe she found him unattractive?

"Friend Jake," Kori said. "I wish you well on your mission. If this is indeed our last time together," Jake blinked. This wasn't a one time thing? "Then I am glad that we had this moment to do the pillow talk."

Jake chuckled. "Think nothing of it, friend Kori." The redhead beamed. "Now, let's get breakfast started. Today starts the countdown to my biggest move ever. And I need to be prepared as soon as possible."

"Can I offer words of the wisdom?" Kori began. "If you are to go through with this, try living life as Jake Cross until then. If your days are indeed numbered, I am certain that there are things that you wish to do before you…"

"Die…?" It was harder for her to say it than it was for him, but Kori nods her head. "Thanks Kori. I'll get right on that." Jake pauses as he gets out of the bed and stretches. "And I'll start by making breakfast. Or lunch. It is in the afternoon."

"Brunch, perhaps?" Starfire suggested.

"And how do you know what brunch is?" Jake teases.

"I have had many with Raven and Jinx. It is one of the most enjoyable events during the day. The combining of fluffy pancakes with the not-overly greasy chicken is a taste I have never experienced before on my home planet. It is truly delightful!"

Hearing her glee back in her voice, Jake laughed.

"Chicken and waffles, huh? I can do that." Jake said as he searched for his boxers.

He should feel bad about this whole ordeal. He should be following up the lead on Ryand'r. He should be doing whatever it is that Ra's probably had planned for him.

But he didn't.

Instead he felt as if he had to live more days like this. He had to experience more thrill-seeking things before that day comes. He figured he could find Lady Shiva before it was time, but that would be suicidal and he was not ready to die yet. He did not want all of him to die, just some of him.

Jake Wilson was dead.

Red X was dying.

Jake Cross would live forever.

…Or die trying.