DC Gothic – Red-X
Part 11
Chang
Tech Company – Jump City
One of the items Slade had wanted to me to steal for my own use was a Xenothium (or Xynothium as some people called it) powered gun. Which I'd just stolen as I was now totally on my own and once certain people found out I was alive they'd be after me, if only to find out how I'd survived. That meant I needed fire power in order to protect myself.
The Xenothium gun then lead me to a Technology Company on the edge of town that had a stockpile of Xenothium which I was going to need to keep my new weapon and suit fully powered.
I'd checked out this building while still training under Slade and I'd found out that the security here was top of the line, so much so that I accidentally tripped off an alarm despite being prepared and since this place was full of Xenothium the Teen Titans would once again know it was me behind this attempted robbery. Which meant that I would have to deal with the meddling do-gooders once again, and if all went well they would even help me.
As soon as the Titans made it to the building I set Plan B into motion and waited for the best time to reveal myself to them. As I watched them I could see that Robin was looking over the city as was Beast Boy.
"Dude, I bet your just kicking yourself for not getting rid of that Red-X suit" BB said, no doubt trying to be funny.
As ever Robin displayed that he didn't have much of a sense of humour.
"I couldn't destroy it" The leader of the Titans explained "The Xenothium power core is too dangerous to destroy. It was supposed to stay locked away"
Well he hadn't done a good enough job since Slade had been able to take and then hand it over to the H.I.V.E
Just then Raven appeared out of the ground using her magic rather than moving about like us mere mortals.
"No sign of Red-X," she said pulling down her hood totally unaware of me hiding behind all of them.
For some reason I couldn't help but stare at Raven noticing the dark beauty that she possessed. I did so love emo girls. Plus she'd made a cute kid.
"I too have been unable to locate the Red-X" Starfire said as she landed next to Robin
Now all I needed was for Cyborg to turn up.
"Where is friend Cyborg?" the alien asked.
Robin pulled out his communicated trying to contact their lost comrade but he had no luck. In my experience they never seemed to answer those things when it really mattered.
"X must have attacked him, if Cyborg's hurt it's my fault," Robin said like the whiny brat he sometimes was.
"Robin," Starfire said trying to reason with her love interest.
However he wasn't listening and I watched the little drama unfold. It was way better than the soaps on TV
"I'm responsible Starfire" the Boy Wonder moaned "For everything Red-X does"
I was getting annoyed. I had a will of my own I wasn't a puppet whose strings were being pulled by whatever part of Robin's mind loathed him. Also by now he should know that I wasn't out to harm the Titans. I never would buy choice, they were only kids. But Robin was really obsessed over me because I wore this suit. The guy needed a really needed to get a life, or a girlfriend.
"No Robin the error you made, it is in the past. You are no longer the one inside that suit".
Now I was getting bored with the waiting. I could see things getting sappy between the alien and the Boy Wonder, and that would be so boring. A dramatic entrance was called for.
"And personally, I think it looks much cooler on me" I said.
Before they could react I landed in front of Robin and then I turned to see Beast Boy change into a rhino form start to charge at me. I pulled out an X and threw it at Beast Boy which sent him flying into Raven as he'd just changed into a bird to try and avoid the X.
That had been a mistake I'd hoped to contain BB not cause a mid air collision. Thankfully it looked like they'd be okay.
Robin then charged at me with pure hatred on his face. He was being reckless so I took advantage. I diverted his charge with minimal effort.
He came to a skidding stop before charging at me again, I blocked him with another X causing him to fall down. I then made my get-away over the side of the building, or that was at least how it appeared to everyone who wasn't Robin as he saw me teleport into the building.
I ran through countless hallways until I made it to the vault door and then I waited until Robin showed up. I needed him for Plan B as I would not get past the all the defences without him.
To this end I pulled out a handful of X shaped shuriken and threw them at Robin when he did show up, but this wasn't only a distraction to allow me to blast my way into the next room using my new gun.
The doors opened to reveal laser beams which I was able to get around by flipping about, and Robin, who was not far behind me, did the same. He guy was quicker on his feet than me, that was for sure.
Then I was free falling down a chamber with a force field at the bottom. Shoving out my right palm I shot out another X device which open the force field long enough for me to pass through and land safely before closing before Robin made it through.
Then I hid in the shadows waiting for Robin to come chasing after me. In no time Robin at all came charging in only to stop and examine the room ahead of him. Which was smart of him as it was dangerous in there.
I stepped out of the shadows and elbowed him in the back which made the Boy Blunder fall onto the floor.
"Have a nice trip I punned
Realization dawned upon Robin as the automated security as the laser moved over him and started powering up. I watched amused as Robin ran, skipped and even jumped to avoid getting blasted.
That was when I decided to make my next move. I jumped across the floor towards the next door. The defences had a hard time tracking both of us so I was able to make it.
"Thanks for the help, kid" I mocked as I opened the vault door using one of the many handy gadgets Slade seemed to have an endless supply of "Really I couldn't have done it without you".
I'd finally made it to the vault holding all the Xenothium. I closed the vault door to make sure that Robin couldn't get inthen finally I got me some of that lovely Xenothium.
Once I had my prize I turned to see that someone was cutting around the vault door. As the smoke cleared I turned to see Robin, he had a big grin on his stupid face.
"You're not going to win," he promised
While I'd known he wouldn't die I really hadn't expect him to get into the vault, and I was so surprised he was able to kick me against the wall before I could react.
"Kid you take this game way to seriously" I joked.
Rather than reply Robin threw some silver metal balls at me but I out ran the explosives. I landed on my hands and pushed myself into a flip before handing on my feet.
Wanting to return the favour I then threw the last of X shurikens at him, only he either dodged them or deflected with his cool staff.
I knew I couldn't match him with his chosen weapon so I made the Xs on the back of my hands pop so I'd have something to fight him 's staff met my blows and he swung at my legs forcing me to jump into the air. Then once more the Xs on my hands met his staff as he shoved me back. He soon saw the opening and swung with his staff hitting me in the chest knocking me back and onto the floor.
Knowing now that I had to fight or go to jail, which wasn't an option as I'd be a sitting duck in there, I turned the Xs on my hands into a pair of cutting saws. I swung a punch at him only for me to miss and damage the walls rather than his staff, which was what I had been aiming for.
He blocked my next blow with the staff I was still trying to cut in half, and he kicked chest. I recovered fast but I was soon stuck as Robin had me in hold and again I worried about how much he liked to touch me.
"Why did you steal the suit?" Robin demanded to know "What are you planning to do?"
"Do I look like a Bond villain to you" was my reply.
Only a total fool every told the hero his plans. Not that my plans were worth explaining. I was just equipping myself for a long journey to find answers to questions I wasn't sure who to ask. Aside from that I needed to get out of Jump City because people were after me.
"I know you're not psychotic, you're just selfish," Robin stated.
Compared to Slade, and the other nutjobs that caused problems around here I was a poster boy for sanity.
"I'm not such a bad guy once you get to know me" I told the Boy Wonder.
I fired off two X's at him, only to have one blocked but the other knock his feet out from under him. I jumped up and smashed my foot where Robins head use to be in an attempt to knock him out.
However he rolled away and managed to kick me again into the wall only to fall back to the floor. Then Bird Boy took my Xenothium, which really annoyed me.
"It's not nice when some takes things from you is it? Robin mocked.
Oh he was asking for it. I was going to hurt him for this.
"Play times over kid" I said as I got up.
Robin pulled out a bird-a-rang and got ready to use it, only he wasn't aiming it at me.
I heard footsteps behind me so I turned my head only to see some weird people in what had to be some sort of hazmat suites. The sight was very confusing as they looked like something out of cheap science fiction movie. They even had strange looking weapons that fired energy blasts. One of those blasts hit me and then it was lights out time.
(Line Break)
Tech Company – Jump City
"Okay, who were the moon men?" I asked no one in particular when I woke up.
Robin must have been hit too as he was also on the floor.
"You don't even care do you?" the Boy Wonder accused me "A low life maniac just got his hands on enough Xenothium to destroy the entire city. And it's all your fault!"
Robins blood pressure had to be through the roof.
"Don't you mean our fault?" I narrowed my eyes at him "I wasn't the one who lost the Xenothium".
After all he'd taken it from me.
"At least I'm going to do something about it" Robin countered and if you cared about anyone other than yourself you'd be helping".
Now I was angry. I was so sick of his judgemental crap.
"If that was the truth I'd have left you with Slade" I pointed out "or I would have left little Raven to wander the streets".
Recalling those two little pieces of recent history changed Tim Drake's attitude.
"So are you going to help me?" he asked.
Well I wasn't trying to earn his trust any more, but on the hand I didn't want the city to be destroyed.
"Led the way" I said.
(Line Break)
Abandoned Observatory – Jump City
I followed Robin to an old rundown observatory looking over the city and the place was filled with more of the moon men henchmen so we did our best to sneak past and find the mad man who was behind all this.
To my surprise it was Professor Chang leading the goons. He'd been one of my teachers at the H.I.V.E academy, but what he was doing out here was a complete mystery to me.
"Buildings, entire neighbourhoods, so many lives, countless targets just waiting to be destroyed by me. Hahahahaha" said Chang.
The nutjob had the other Teen Titans held captive and was doing that stupid thing villains do: gloating before you've actually won. Sure Starfire was mostly in encased in ice, but she was still alive. It was such a rookie mistake to let her live long enough to see the city destroyed. In Chang's shows I'd have killed the Titans then blown up the city.
"Tell me pretty girl have you ever seen things totally ripped apart?" Chang asked the frozen Starfire, "Molecule by molecule, it will be breathtaking."
Clearly academic life had gotten to Chang,
"You are a bad man," she exclaimed.
"Oh scathing" I whispered.
To her credit she did try to firing bolts from her eyes but they hit a barrier. Still points for effort.
"If you think I'm bad now you'll be really impressed once I'm done with your city, and move onto you",
"Your plans shall fail, Robin will..."
"Not be joining us." Chang finished for her "Not with your lives on the line. Far too risky for a good boy like him."
From my vantage point I watched as the maniac climb into the control seat and started to power up the gigantic gun.
"I've spent years hiding from this cursed city" Chang was now saying as Robin got closer.
"Prepare to fire!" Chang called out as Robin swung in and kicked him out of the control box.
As I watched I noticed Professor Chang's foot kick the control lever raising the gun and shooting off a beam into space. Which was lucky for all of us.
"Attack!" Chang yelled slamming his foot into the ground like an overgrow child "Kill him!".
The moon men started to fire at Robin seconds after the order.
"Robin!" Starfire yelled out
She need not have worried. The Boy Wonder was doing a great job of beating up the B movie extras.
"Looks like he won't need me," I said to myself "but I better stick around just in case".
In the case happened rather quickly. Chang was now pointing the giant laser gun at Robin. However before he could fire Robin pulled out a grappling hook and used it to get of the way.
More laser beams were fired they missed the Boy Wonder by mere inches. Then Chang managed to knock Robin off the platform only for the kid to to grab a railing. But this only delayed things as Chang was already aiming the laser at Tim Drake.
"Who should I destroy first? You? Or your pretty friend?" Chang taunted as he moved the laser to face the Titans.
Most villains were such fools, he could have killed Robin and then the helpless Titans. Which made me realise that it was a good thing I wasn't evil because if I was my plans might actually work.
"Starfire!" Robin yelled
He was reaching out a hand to her in desperate hope even as the metal he was holding bent due to his weight.
"Fine I'll help" I said to myself.
It was all amusing to watch but I just couldn't let Robin die, he was too much fun to annoy.
I fired off a couple of Xs from my palms and they hit the controls in front of Chang causing them to spark and crackle with electricity. I then heard Starfire gasp as Robin started to fall to his death.
Since I wanted to save him I used a grappling hook of my own to swing like Tarzan and I was able to catch Robin before he hit the ground. Momentum and the pendulum effect allowed me to grab onto some railing on the other side of the building. Then I was able to get Boy Blunder and myself onto the platform.
"Are you sure you don't like to play the hero?" Robin asked me "You're good at it".
"Everyone needs a hobby" I replied.
Then we were being fired at by more moon men. We charged them head on making short work of them as these goons were not real fighters.
"No, No, No!" someone then shouted out.
I looked down to see Chang bang on the control panel which somehow caused it to fire a laser at Starfire.
She was fine it fact since the blast melted her icy prison it was actually helpful, but Robin decided it was wise to turn the machine off.
He then kicked Chang off the machine and followed so he could finish beating the mad man up.
I took the opportunity to recover my prize, the Xenothium was powering the machine so it wasn't hard to find.
"Thanks for the help X but don't think that means you can just help yourself" Robin said with a grin.
Damn this kid was quick and now he had back up as Starfire had freed the others. It was time to leave I was in no state for another fight and I had my prize. Time to skip town.
"This should keep me going for quite a while" I said as I held onto the Xenothium very tightly "and I did just help save the entire city, and all your lives".
While that was stopping them from kicking my ass it didn't mean they were just going to let me ride off into the sunset. Not when I had all this lovely Xenothium.
"Raven you're looking as beautiful as ever" I remarked.
The looks that everyone gave me was priceless and I saw Raven blush when I said that. Plus her outfit was currently a bit see through, what with melting ice still clinging to her body making her all wet.
"Nice bra" I commented.
Naturally everyone took alook at Raven's bra and when they did I threw down some smoke bombs blinding the Titans. Then I jumped over the side of the observatory out of sight of the Titans. I then teleported away and since I was high up I got a lot of distance between myself and the heroes.
It was time to leave Jump City, but I had a feeling I'd be back. But before I left I was going to go find Jinx and say goodbye. Hopefully she would understand, if she didn't. Well then I'd be single again, but if I didn't leave someone would come after me.
I didn't have a choice.