Chapter 36: And so we say goodby to Howard
To: A dude. Yeah, I noticed that. Those were the things I wanted to concentrate the chapter on, so I did. I'm really trying hard to do some things with Robix, and like I said: The talk with god could have just been Howard dreaming or the real thing. I'm writting it so you can think its either way and the story will still make sense. In these chaps that dont have much of the titans in them not much time is passing, its all happening kind of fast. That way, when this part is over I can get back to the titans pronto and we won't really have missed anything.
To: The omakeer. You read right, Raven is twenty, Robin is fifteen, almost sixteen. If it makes you uncomfortable, just pretend he's older than that. I'll have you know though that though I have not discussed it I'd like to think of Starfire and Jinx as being 16 n a half (Jinx) and 18 (Starfire), making Blackfire 19, Beast Boy 17, and Cyborg also 17. I would make Robin the youngest on purpose to show the team didnt care about age in deciding a leader.
To: The ravens wing. Raven isnt getting pregnant, end of discussion, and I can't say I care what some necrenomenon or yabo mobo book says. Those books probly don't say anything about houkounin either. (rests case)
To: Darby. Thanks for being the first person to review every chap twice, love ya darb.
To: Kogaslove07. Come now, this cant be the first story written by a male and of good quality, can it? Go read Darkmoon Nights 'Scarlet Embrace', now THATS good.
To: Shortkid. I'm gonna call you shorty, dont like it, then I'll call you Gomer Pile instead. Thanks for the review, I'm flattered. And yes, I do know my stuff. As a part time hobby I pick apart liberals ideas piece by piece until they are left with nothing, its alot of fun. I seriously hope to be a politician someday. While bush might not be perfect, I gotta say Kerry was so far out there, you gotta look at the facts behind him to get a good look at 'him the man'. Most of my right wing bretheren said he had no core, I disagreed. I know what his core is, and it was something that struck fear into my very soul. I love both parties, dont get me wrong, but I'm forced to wonder where all the great democrat of old have gone to, and what kind of party astranges members such a Zel Miller who move to the center and try to work together across the isle? I love the democratic party, there was a time in history where they were the most important and did the most good. But hey, these things go in cycles right? Power is much like the tides in its rises and falls, and all we can do is wait and see what tomorrow brings: The next Ronald Reagan, JFK, Roosevelt, Lincoln, we can never know when the next great man will take the helm, or what party he is of, but be with me on this. When the next great man comes along to guide us, lets just get behind him, instead of bickering over partizan issues. Thanks for reviewing, sorry if I've rambled on a bit, but you made me think. Have a nice day Mr. Pile.
To:EVERYONE! IMPORTANT! READ! THIS is the chap you have all been waiting for, the fight with Robix and Justifier. This fight is going to make you ALL verry happy, theres a twist here none of you have seen coming.
Free will is an interesting concept. To truly believe in free will one must believe also that there is no destiny, that the future is not set in stone. That is hard to believe because the future is a scary thing. A man can wonder; if he decides to go down a differant road one day, does it change anything? Or, was he meant to take that road anyway, and even though he thinks he chose to do it, it did not matter because it was set in stone already aeons ago preceding the big bang because even the big bang had been set in stone.
Insert headache here.
Robix finished waiting on her last table around five. It was a horny old man that had come in every day since she started and ordered the same thing. He was kind of cute in his own confused way and had asked her to marry him on a number of occasions. Robix brought him the check, trying not to smile. The look on his face told her this would be one of those occasions. The man got down on one knee faster than someone his age should, oh boy, here it comes.
"Debra will you marry me?" He asked.
Robix laughed. "Its Robix, and I still have to say no." A dissapointed look crossed his face.
"Yeah, Robix, what did I say?"
"Debra."
"Right, Debra will you marry me?" Robix laughed again.
"No, its Robix, and its getting late. Maybe tomorrow."
"Right, Robix? What did I say?"
"Debra."
"Who?"
Robix sighed. "Nevermind Lenny, finish your coffee, pay the check, and go home before you forget how."
"Go where?"
Robix pinched her nose, a trait we know which parent she got it from. "You don't need a wife Lenny you need a shaperone."
"Thats a pretty name, is it french?"
Robix broke out into a fit of uncontrolable laughter. Yes, Lenny was cute in his own way. "Nevermind Lenny. Finish up, and go home. Try again tomorrow."
"Alright." He got back in his seat. "Did I mention I'm a rich old man close to death? A spot in my will wouldnt be a bad thing." Lenny wiggled his insanely huge eyebrows at her. Over time he had forgotten (among other things) to trim them, and now they threatened to take over his forehead.
"LENNY!" Robix laughed. "Your a dirty old man is what you are. My name is Robix, not Debra or Shaperone, and try flowers or something. You do this the same every day. Bring me some damn chocolate."
With a little help Lenny managed to pay his bill. Robix knew where he lived, in the building near hers; and since he seemed especially confused today she pinned a 'If lost please return to: (Lennys address here) note on his shirt. She watched him go, shaking her head. Robix frowned; maybe she should have stuck some stamps up on his forehead, just in case he got really lost, and had to be mailed home.
Robix cashed out, tipped out the bussers, and headed home. Her feet were killing her, it had been a busy day. When she wasnt waiting her tables she was answering questions about her 'ears'. She had finally given up trying to lie about how she made them stick up like that, and had begun telling everyone it was her secret. Now it was time to go home, relax, feed Ivan, sleep, and do the whole damned work thing all over again. She sighed, this whole 'honnest living' thing really sucked. At least before the hive had been destroyed she had it fairly easy there. Robix walked the route back to her apartment without so much as a glance upwards. Halfway home it started to rain, just her luck. Once her building was in sight she walked one lap around it in the rain, nothing was quite as good as a nice self-pitty fest in the rain, she humored herself. The rain stopped, and she went inside.
The instant Robix closed the door to her apartment behind her, she knew something was wrong. The little hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She noticed a few things wrong, items not where she had left them. It was her first suspicion that she had been robbed, but the tip jar above the fridge was still there. It dawned on her with a sick feeling that someone was in her apartment when she heard the floor creaking in one of the other rooms. Her blood ran cold with fear. It was almost laughable that she would be afraid of an intruder, given what she had been through but this was the first time Robix had ever had one in her home, where she felt safe. As quietly as she could she slinked towards her bedroom, where Red-X was hidden. She was confidant that if she could get the suit on quietly she would be able to take out whoever was in her home.
Sure, she could have tried without the suit, but Robix wanted to use its invisibility. That way she could sneak up on them, and not risk having a gun firing at her in a narrow hallway with nowhere to dodge to. She could hear more noises now, deffinete human noises. She hoped whoever it was didnt know she was here, and that she would be able to get the suit on in time. Robix snuck down the hall to her room as quietly as she could, and with gymnast training, that was pretty damned quiet. She couldnt even hear herself as she glided down the hallway, greatfull that the building was fairly new and the floors therefore didnt creak.
Didnt creak? Why did she hear the bathroom floor creaking then? This guy must have been pretty heavy, whoever he is. Robix opened her doorknob silently and left the door open as she slipped into her room. She headed straight for the closet, where Red-X was kept. She warmed up her hex powers as she slipped into the suit. "Thankyou dad." She whispered sarcastically. If ever her father did one thing in his life right it was building this suit.
Justifier stood in the bathroom, still as a mouse as he tried to figure out where she must have gone. He had heard the front door open, but after that there had been no noise at all. He strained his ears as hard as he could. Could the girl actually know he was here somehow? It didnt matter, it was time to move. Wherever she was, there would be no hiding from him any longer. Justifier began to move out of the bathroom down the hall towards the front door, intent on cutting off her escape route.
Robix finished dressing and held up the metal mask of Red-X in front of her. She could hear him moving now, and panic rose in her chest. The metal mask clicked onto the rest of the suit with a snap, and whoever was in her house stopped moving. Had he actually heard that? A moment later the wall to her bedroom exploded inwards, and Robix was caught off guard as the head of a hammer was fired at her. She jumped into the air just in time to avoid it. She looked up at the wall just in time to see him come through. Robix was completely caught off guard.
"Its you." She said. She had seen this man in the alley, what did he want from her?
"You must die. You are not needed in the new Jump city, my jump city."
Robix had to dodge again as the sword-handle of the ram was swung at her. She couldnt believe how quick the guy was for someone with so much armor on. She powered up a hex bolt and fired it at him. He blocked it with the sword, at just the right angle to deflect it. Oh, it affected the sword. It made it a bit dull, but the powers of bad luck work best on things with many moving parts. Justifier watched the bolt, shocked. It only served to strengthen his convictions that she was evil, and needed to go.
"Get out of my house!" Robix yelled, trying to think of an X gadget that wouldnt harm her dwelling even more. She was given no time to as the metal man charged at her. She got low, ready to jump but he swung his sword low, at her feet. She had to jump into the air from a crouching position, and this left her vulnerable. The next thing she knew she felt like she had been punched, but the intruder had her pinned against the wall. "Get off of me!"She yelled, and shoved a hex bolt into his stomach. A piece of armor fell to the floor, just one tiny little piece. Robix watched as wings unfolded from his back, and she heard what she thought was a jet powering up.
"Die." Justifier activated the ram jet on his back, and he and Robix went through the wall, and out the side of the building. He watched her fall, satisfied. That is untill, mid fall Robix activated a grapple and swung onto a nearby roof. He shrugged. So it wasnt a halloween constume, no matter. He dirrected himself at her and gave chase, the ram jet on his back screaming as more of its lean fuel mixture was poured into it.
Robix's head was spinning. Being squashed against the wall had hurt like hell, but she had no time yet to lick her wounds. She saw her attacker flying at her and retracted the grapple just in time to get out of the way. The metal man barreled into the roof right where she had been standing just a moment before. So there was a jet on his back huh? That had plenty of moving parts! Just the kind of thing her hex powers could sink theire teeth into. Robix turned in mid swing and tried to aim for his jet, but he had already turned around, she couldnt get a good shot. She landed on another nearby roof and waited. Sure enough whoever was attacking her took off and screamed towards her location. Robix waited, ready to cover him in a layer of high tensile strength X- tape. She jumped back as he reached the roof and launched a volley of the stuff at him through the little X's on her hands. Justifier saw it coming, and ducked slightly. It all got sucked into his jet. It sparked and made alot of noise, and was finally shot out the back of the jet, appearantly to no ill effect. Robix cursed under her breath and jumped back as the man lunged at her, swinging his sword and hammer with incredouble speed.
"Who the hell are you?" She demanded.
"I am justice."
"Great, a whack job." Robix jumped foward and kicked the metal mask as hard as she could before jumping back. She left a bit of a dent in it, and a little blood trickled out the mouth. Good, she could hurt him at least a little through that armor. He stumbled backwards, and Robix charged foward to slap some X-tape on him. Appearantly it was a ploy, because at the last moment her righted himself. Robix was helpless in mid jump as he caught her hand and deflected the shot towards a nearby billboard and punched her in the gut. Even with the suit it hurt like hell but she kicked his knee and the grip loosened. Robix jumped up high, intent on taking his jet pack out once and for all.
Under the mask Justifier grinned. He held Thores Will up and released a burst of electricity at Robix. It crackled across her body and she screamed in pain as she fell back to the ground. Now there was a news hellicopter hovering overhead.
Robin was in his evidence room, arranging a few trinkets he had collected from the last few battles. He dropped the control freaks newest remote as the door slammed open, and Raven charged in.
"Raven whats goi-"
"You!" She said, a paniced look in her eyes. She felt his face, as if trying to make sure it was real. She stepped back, satisfied that Robin was actually standing before her.
"Raven, whats wrong?"
"Its on the news, Robin, Red-X is on the news, and he's fighting someone."
Robin hurriedly opened the safe containing Red-X as Raven explained what she had seen. The door hissed open, revealing a little wal-mart bag with some clothes in it. "NO!" Robin yelled, and punched a nearby pedistal hard enough to turn the plaster back into dust. "DAMNIT!" He raged.
The nearest tv did in fact reveal that Red-X was fighting with someone. What side Red-X was on was unclear, but the metal man seemed to be the aggressor. Robin, Raven, and Cyborg all watched the TV in shock. Blackfire had not been around long enough to know how that suit had cost the team, this more concerned the original members.
"Whatevers goin on we gotta go stop it." Cyborg said, getting up.
"No. This is mine." Robin growled.
"Robin, we can't let you do this alone." Raven said, trying to reason with him.
"No, this is mine. You both stay here!" Robin yelled as he ran for the door. His team mates attempted to follow him, and he turned on them. "I said stay here. This suit's done enough to us as it is, this is mine."
"Were a team Rob, theres no I in team man." Cyborg persisted.
"I'm ordering you to stay." Robin said, and left.
Raven and Cyborg exchanged glances. It was rare Robin ordered them to do anything, and they had to have faith in him. They looked back to the tv, where the fight was intensifying. "Hope he knows what he's doing." Said Cyborg.
"I'm sure he does, and if he needs help, we'll know about it." They sat back down, and watched for Robins arrival at the fight.
Robix recovered from the latest volley of punches as her attacker did the same at the other side of the roof. Every time she tried her hex powers he managed to block them somehow with that damned sword, and nothing would happen to it. Despite all her tech she just couldnt get close to this guy without getting hurt. Whenever she had the slightest advantage he would use that damned electric hammer. She got an idea, and shot the grapple at it to pull it away. It backfired. He released a burst of electricity that traveled back up the wire and electrocuted her and the suit. The suit was damaged, and as sparks flew before her eyes little displays in the mask gave her a briefing on the condition. As the electricity peaked her hex powers went out of control, harming the suit further.
Grapple system: Disabled. Time to repair: 2:00
Electronic systems: 77 damaged. Time to repair: Unknown.
Invisibility system: Disabled. Time to repair: 0:30
Core Reactor: 84 damaged. Time to repair: 5:00
Laser stun system: Destroyed. Must be rebuilt.
Enhanced mask infra red and night vision systems: Infra red destroyed, Night vision 34: Damaged. Time to repair: 1:00
Strength augmentation systems: 15 damaged- left arm sub-systems de-activated.
Misc. peripherals offline: REBOOTING
Caution, core reactor temperature rising! De-activate suit, allow time for self-repairs.
The last part of the warning flashed in red letters before her eyes. Shit, her own powers had damaged the suit worse than her enemy had! Robix de activated the suit so that the nanite tech could begin repairs. Her enemy still didnt know her suit was damaged, but that didnt help her much. Robix reached behind her for a spare bo-staff that her father had tucked in for emergency situations and extended it.
"Your going down!" She yelled, and charged him again. She rose the staff above her head and swung. He blocked with his sword handle, and Robix kicked him in the fore-arm of the other hand. The electric hammer fell to the ground, but the now free hand punched her across the face.
"I dont think so." Justifier grabbed Robix's hand and redirected it just as she fired off a hex bolt. It hit a billboard on the edge of the roof.
"You idiot!" Robix yelled. She broke away from the engagement and ran towards the bill board, intent on catching it before it could hurt anyone below. She unclipped one of her fathers standard grapples from the belt and fired it at the billboard just as it began to fall. She braced herself against a large AC unit, and despite her attacker running at her she tried to tie her end of the grapple so the billboard wouldnt fall.
Back at the tower Raven and Cyborg watched the television news account of the event going on live just a mile or so away. They were shocked. Whoever was in the Red-X suit was obviously not 'the bad guy' in this situation, they were trying to stop people below from being killed!
"Whoevers in that suit Rae I dont think is the villan here. Look." Raven nodded her head, and they both watched, somewhat sick at the sight as the armored man pounded on Red-X. Red-X didnt fight back, but struggled to keep his hold on the grapple and AC unit, taking a massive ammount of punishment as blow after blow landed on him.
"If Robin isnt there soon, we're going." Cyborg nodded in agreement, and in the backround a red and yellow blur could be seen dashing across the roof tops at incredouble speed.
Justifier had her on the ground now. He brought his boots down on her again and again, savaging various parts of her body. Robix screamed in pain, but couldnt fight back without letting the billboard go, and she was not willing to do that. The last few bolts holding the billboard up snapped, and the full weight was put on Robix's arm. The socket snapped as her arm was dislocated, and she screamed in pain. Still, determination she had inherreted from her father prevented her from letting go. The little voice in her head kept telling her: He wouldnt let go. He wouldnt let go. So, neither did she. She screamed as her ribs cracked under the boot, and began to lose her grip. She looked up just in time to see her attacker bring his boot up, and begin the stomp that would end her life on her head.
"NO!" Robix and Justifier looked towards the noise. There was Robin, in mid dive towards Justifier. In mid air he extended his bo staff and bashed Justifier across the face with it. The metal man was sent flying. Robin hit the ground, spun, and shot his own grapple at the billboard. The load on Robix's arm lessened by half, and she stopped screaming. Robin quickly tied down his grapple to the AC, and then hers as Justifier recovered from the brutal hit.
Robix looked up at her father, he had just saved her life. Now wasnt time to feel guilt over what she had done to him, but she felt it anyway, just slightly. It was almost funny that her saviour was the same person she thought had cursed her to this hellish half life of trying to make one soul out of pieces of two seperate ones. "You..." Robix said as she sat against the AC. "You saved me. Don't you remember what I did to you?"
Robin didnt remember, the ordeal with Shiva having left the whole day blurry in his memory. "You stay put. When I'm done with him, I want my suit back." With that Robin jumped at the full recovered Justifier.
Robix watched the fight play out as she sat helpless, or was she? Robix growled, she was not going to let him fight her fights for her. Robix stood and fell flat on her face. Her head spun, and she screamed in pain. She was not going to let him fight this for her, no way. Robix managed to kneel on her knees, and her good arm reached shakilly for her other.
He could do it. She told herself again and again as her fingers found a good grip on a bisep. Her mind went back to that day at the hive where her father had re-set his own arm bare handed. She had seen that will power in him, that one thing she would never equal him in. She was determined now to set free the same animal in her that he had set loose in himself that day. Robix tilted her head skyward and screamed as she pulled her arm out, far out. The pain became unbearable and she let it go. The limb snapped back into place with such pain she couldnt even breath, and pitched foward on the ground, almost unconcious. Stars danced before her eyes and she fought the void that threataned to claim her. She smiled despite herself; she had done it. After a few moments of heavy breathing she managed to ignore the pain, and pushed herself to her feet. She saw the fight wasnt going as well for her father as it could; he was obviously distracted trying to make sure she didnt get away. Robix jumped back into the fray, for the first and last time to fight side by side with her father.
Robin launched himself at Justifier, only to have a hammer swing up and hit him in the chest like a golf ball. He went spinning back, the breath robbed from his lungs and landed on his back. He saw Red-X jump above him, not giving the armored man even a moments rest before taking over for her father. Robix picked her staff back up off the ground, and pressed the attack against Justifier, waiting for her father to join her again. It didnt take long. Before even a few seconds had passed a freeze disk flew over her head and hit his hammer, encasing it in a large chunk of ice. Everyone stopped, and looked at the massive piece of ice. It stayed in the air though, he continued to hold it up.
"I think you just gave him a bigged hammer to swing." Robix said, and a moment later she was proven right as the large ice hammer batted her across the rooftop. Now Justifier was swining the insanely large block of ice and metal at Robin, who tried to block with his staff but was also batted away. He glared at Robix.
"Your the one with the suit, try using it!" He yelled at her, his voice full of venom.
"Its disabled!" She yelled back. "The cores temp was rising, he damaged it with an electrical blast!" She lied, not wanting her hex powers to be known to him if she could avoid it. Robin looked at her confused as he dodged an attack.
"He has an electrical attack?" He asked doubtfully.
"Yeah, and that ice is all that stops him from using it." At this moment murphys law kicked in, and the ice around the hammer shattered as it hit the roof. The hammer was free again, and Robin found himself on the receiving end of an electric blast. He yelled as the electricity coursed through him. Despite the pain he managed to throw down a smoke shroud bomb, obscuring Justifier view of him. Justifier cut off the juice, thinking Robin had moved out of the beam, and Robin fell to one knee in the cloud. The smoke had made him think he moved, even when he hadnt. Robin tried to catch his breath as the smoke billowed around him. Being electrocuted sucked, big time.
Robix flipped over the cloud of smoke towards the confused attacker. She caught him off guard, and hit him as hard as she could in the shoulder with her bo staff. It didnt even appear to hurt him, and she had to jump away to avoid being cut by the sword. Robin then dove through the smoke cloud at him while he was distracted and grabbed hold of his hammer. He tried to pull it away from him, but couldnt make it budge.
"Big mistake." Justifier said, and pressed the buttom on the hammer. The full force of the hammers electricity passed through Robin as he was holding it. Robix saw her chance. As the Justifier watched her father cook with glee she jumped in with her staff, and shoved it through one of the eye holes on his mask, gouging out an eye. The hammer and sword fell to the ground, and he stumbled back, screaming. Deep within him, Howard Smith stirred, and Justifier almost lost his hold on the body. "NO!" Ye helled. "You are not wanted here, I AM IN CONTROL NOW!"
Robin pushed himself off the ground just as Justifier took off. He smashed against the walls of many buildings at high speed again and again in his blind fury. Robix grinned weakly under her mask, maybe now they wouldnt be able to track the fights origin to her apartment, and she could go on living a 'normal' life. Robix and her father came together on the roof, standing close to one another, waiting for him to regain control and attack again.
Justifier regained his control, and tucked Howard back down into the darkest prison again. He righted himself in mid-air and grabbed Mercy off of his back. He charged them, swinging the gigantic hammer. Father and daughter jumped away in opposite directions as the hammer passed through the air in a wide arc right where they had just been. Justifier set down on the roof, and glared at his foes.
"I was going to let you live in the new order." He told Robin.
"What are you talking about?"
"Hes got a whole new era of justice thing lined up for the city, didnt think I belonged." Robix told him. A status indicator told her the suits core was almost repaired, but still needed more time.
"It is a shame, that neither of you will live to see my new city."
"We'll see about that!" Robin and Robix yelled simultaneously as they lunged at him. Justifier brought his hammer up to strike Robix, but Robin used his staff to parry the blow, and allow Robix to strike him with hers. After the blow they both jumped back to catch theire breath.
"I've been going at him for a while now, nothing seems to hurt this guy." Robix told him. The hatred she felt for him now had subsided temporarilly, just until she was out of danger. Robix charged him again, alone. She flew at him with her staff out in front of her, meaning to take his other eye. Justifier saw her coming, and had other plans. He grabbed her staff, and jabbed it into her stomach. She doubled over on the ground, and he rose mercy above his head, ready to strike down at her.
Robin flew across the roof top, and stood above Robix. He stopped the fatal blow with his bare hands, at a cost. He put his hands up, and the hammer hit them, and kept going. His arms and wrists broke, and the hammer hit his head, the blow much softened by his arms. Justifier kicked him, and he went down, and didnt get up. Robix rolled out of the way, and looked to her father. His arms were bent in odd shapes, obviously broken in multiple areas. She cursed, she really did need his help. Robix got an idea though.
With all that armor on, she doubted this big boy could swim. The bay was in view from here, maybe she could lure him out onto the bridge, and away from her father. Robix jumped to the roof of the next building, taunting him. He took to the sky, and gave chase. Robix ran as fast as she could along the rooftops towards the bridge. A few times she had to dodge as he tried to land on top of her, and finally she came to the last roof before the bridge. Robix turned, and fired a hex bolt at him. It didnt do anything but make some of his armor come loose, but it gave her a moment to get down the side of the building.
In the mind they shared war was on. Howard fought desperately to gain control again. He was positive he was supposed to have done something by now. "I need your help!" He yelled into the darkness. He saw a flicker of light in the darkness and lunged, but it dissapeared before he could get to it. "I just have to be patient." He told himself. "He said when the times right, that I'll know he's helping me. I just have to wait." Deep in his prison Howard steeled himself for the fight yet to come.
Robix slid down a gutter to the ground and looked up. Now she had to get him out onto the bridge, and disable that damned jet pack of his. She wished his suit was in as bad a shape as hers. Robix ran for the bridge, a hundred yards away. She heard his jet scream and ducked as he flew above her; swinging his hammer in a way that would have taken her head off. Robix looked to see if she could get a clear shot at his jet, but couldnt, and she didnt want to go firing off random hex blasts around the bridge. She ran again for the bridge, intent on making it there.
Justifier arced back around for another run at her; he had her on the run now. Once out on the bridge he was convinced she would have nowhere to go. He set down to give chase on foot. "There is no escape!" He yelled at her.
Robix didnt even bother looking back. She didnt hear the jet, and knew his electric hammer was back on the roof, so she felt safe for the moment. He chased her -or depending on what perspective you watch from she led him- onto the center of the bridge, and Robix turned. This was going to be the final showdown. She re extended her staff, and took a fighting stance despite the pain coming from all over her body. "Come on." She dared him. "COME GET ME!" She planned to knock him over the edge. She would take whatever damage he could deal her to get in close and then push him over the edge. When he was only a few feet from her Robix realized she had forgotten to disable the jet on his back, and now it was too late. Robix paniced and put her staff up to block the hammer, but the hammer broke it in half and hit her arm. This time she felt it break badly, but she shifted her weight and got under him. The hammer dropped and a metal gloved hand punched her in the face. Robix poured all her strength into the effort, but with only one good arm she knew she wouldnt be able to push him over the edge.
In his prison Howard saw the light. It was bright, and warm, and he lunged for it. It enveloped him, and he knew he wasnt alone. Its time Howard. Now, do it now. Urged an invisible voice. Howard fought against Justifier, and wasnt alone. He won the battle for the mind, and regained control of his body, but knew it wouldnt be for long.
"When you wake up now you won't remember this, just close your eyes, and relax Howard. I'm with you."
Outside Robix continued to push, and her attacker went limp. This gave her an advantage, and she managed to push him over the edge, not that it matterd; she knew he would re activate his jet, come back, and kill her.
Howard opened his eyes, and had no clue what was going on. He couldnt remember his talk with god, but he could see watter far below rushing up at him, and he could feel Justifier trying to take control again. "NO!" He yelled in mid air, but it didnt matter, Justifier was winning. Howard reached for his jet control, but stopped his hand. Justifier couldnt take control if they both drowned, he realized. He relaxed and closed his eyes as he waited to hit the watter. It didnt matter if justifier got control now, he would be in the drivers seat just long enough to drown, if the impact didnt kill them first. Howard took in a deep breath, fighting the urge to power up the jet and save himself. He hit the watter hard, and the seven hundred foot fall broke nearly every bone in his body, and he sank like a rock. As he sank Howard looked up. Through his one eye he could see light; warm, loving light. Howard smiled, and let the air out of his lungs. He felt a warm presence next to him, and closed his eyes.
When he re-opened his eyes he was lying down, but it was not at the bottom of the bay. Once again he was looking up into the face of an old man, who was smilling. "You done good Howard." Said the old man. "You done real good." Howard smiled, not caring that he had died. "Now come on, you should come meet your daughter. She's been waiting patiently long enough."
Robix nearly cried in relief when she saw him hit the watter. It was over, he would drown now. She collapsed onto the sidewalk of the bridge, allowing her pain to control her actions. On the inside of her mask a screen told her the core was fixed and the invisibility generator was repaired, so she activated them both so she wouldnt be disturbed. She lacked the energy needed to move even, and passed out on the sidewalk of the bridge.
Robin came awake back in his room. Raven was standing over him, healing his arms. He looked down at the arm yet to be healed and cringed, he couldnt feel it due to pain killers, but it looked as though it had had a nasty encounter with some kind of machine. Oh, thats right, it did. He remembered how the man he fought fought like some machine, how nothing he could do hurt him. Then, he bolted upright; unsure what was going on with the battle.
"Raven, what happened? Where are they?"
Raven looked away. "The one with the hammer drown, Red-X dissapeared on the bridge." Raven had seen the early coverage of the fight, she had seen the person in Red-X using hex bolts. That meant it was the person who attacked Jinx, and the more she thought about it the more she thought she had attacked Robin at the hive as well. "She just dissapeared, and we went to get you on the roof. Tim your lucky to be alive."
"How did you know it was a she in Red-X?"
Raven sat on the bed as she healed the arms. "Robin, it was Jinx's sister. We saw her use hex blasts."
Robin looked away from her as he realized he had saved Jinx's killer. His right arm now healed, he felt his head. It was wrapped in thick layers of bandages. "Any stitches?" He asked.
"No. We just bandaged it, I'll heal it after your other arm. You have a six inch gash across your forehead."
Christ, he hadnt just helped her, he had nearly died for her. "I'm gonna find her Raven." He vowed. "I'm going to find her." He repeated, feeling tired from his injuries and the painkillers.
"I know you will, and we will all help you, now get some rest Robin; your going to need some time to heal even with me helping this. The breaks are pretty bad."
"No, I cant rest I-" Raven put a hand on his forehead and whispered a sleep incantation. Robin relaxed on the bed as his eyes closed and he fell into a deep sleep.
THERE! I'VE DONE IT! The titans now know of Robix and Red-X being gone. Now she's come to the fore-front for them. Killing Howard I felt was the only thing I could do with him, it was a shame I didnt do more with him while I could have, but its too late now. This chapter was harder than all hell, and I'd like to see some reviews, so please just take a minute and let me know what you thought.